Is It Naptime Yet

In an effort to not get completely behind and post every picture post months after if happened, I’m posting pictures from Eden’s 4th Birthday Party.

We had the party at the Zurflueh’s house where Lilah’s was held last year.

We of course had a pinata.

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I made the pinata this year, like I did last year, but since I painted it it didn’t take me 8 hours to decorate. Just $4 for spray paint and half an hour. It’s the only way to make a homemade pinata.
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This is the cake I made, sorry it’s dark but it looks better since you see less of it’s imperfections. I drafted a slightly bigger genie since I decided 8×10 would not be big enough for the sheet cake my mom baked for me.

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We did pin the lamp on the genie. The genie was drawn by my wonderful friend Anna. I painted it.

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This is my niece Adrienne, with her big sister behind helping to hold up the blindfold that I did not securely tie. The funny thing is my niece is far sighted.

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Judging who won.

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We enjoyed some Otter pops and then it was pinata time.

Eden the birthday girl was first.

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Gracie got a really good hit in. I think next year I will make the pinata three layers again and maybe blindfold the kids.

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Josh is in Eden’s church class and lives down the street from us.

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Some of the kids close their eyes when hitting the pinata anyways.

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Christina, Josh’s older sister, broke the pinata on her third hit, but it wasn’t quite spilling the candy yet.

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Her sister finished it off for us.

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We then sang Happy Birthday.  Lilah is such a wonderful big sister. I think everyone needs a big sister.

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I just thought that this was a funny picture.

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We opened presents and then it was time for swimming!!!

The Spencer family.

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Elona Spencer with mommy and sisters behind her.

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Lilah looks like she’s waiting for a swim meet.

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And she’s off!

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Eden swimming with Jon. I think they’re so cute.

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Cute Eden.

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Sam with Britta and baby Matilda.

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Carolyn with Adrienne.

It was a fun enjoyable party and we thank everyone who helped and was able to celebrate with us.

On May 29th the girls, Hannah, and I went to the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. I had a free ticket for me, Eden was free and Lilah was just $8.50, and so was Hannah even though they first wanted to charge her as an adult.

They gave us these hand held devises that we would punch in the correlating code and then listen to information on the animal or animals we were looking at. Apparently if you don’t pay for that child they don’t need to listen, so they only gave us three things for the four of us. I gave Eden mine, and then Hannah let me use hers for most of the time, she had been before and apparently knew that the information was only somewhat interesting. Lilah was very intent on listening to each little recording, but towards the end, at like 32 of 36, she stopped. Eden gave up a little sooner, but still listened to most of them.

We saw so many interesting fish and the girls loved petting the sting rays. Hannah was a nice help and hopefully she had fun too.
We watched two divers cleaning one of the tanks and one even put his hand to the glass to “high five” the girls. We also saw some bait for some fish, but they must not have been hungry because they didn’t even notice it for the 5-10 minutes we watched and waited to see if they would eat it.

I don’t have too many pictures because it was not the most ideal setting. Most of the time if was too dark and then the flash would wash everything out. It was still fun and I will try to get a free ticket next tax season so we can go again.

Some giant fish from the Amazon.

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Eden watching another giant fish from the Amazon.

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Lilah is listening to the recording about the giant fish from the Amazon.

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Learning about the piranhas. They had a staff member stationed at the tank. No doubt to keep idiots from putting things, or there own hands, in the tank.

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Hannah helping Lilah pet a sting ray.

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Gross fish water!

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Eden’s turn to pet the sting ray. Hannah actually had to pull her arm down so she could reach.

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I thought this was a tiger fish, but it’s actually a lion fish.

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Lilah looking at the jellyfish.

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Eden ready to go home.

On March 25th we went to the Secret Garden and Dolphin habitat with a homeschooling group. Sadly the group has dissolved and it was our last trip with them.

Our friend Hannah came with us. The girls adore her and she adores our girls. Even though I didn’t really need the help, since they are so well behaved and rarely get into trouble in public, Hannah came along and lent her hand to also hold while we walked around and her arms to pick up the girls to see things. It was nice and the reason we invited her to also come to the Shark Reef with us in May.

Here’s just a few pictures of the girls and our activities. I can’t believe it had been two years since we had gone with our old Mommy group and almost to the day.

The underwater observatory.

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The girls loved when the dolphin swam right by the window.

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Above watching them feed the dolphins.

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There was a 6 month old baby dolphin, though it was pretty big for being 6 months old. I’m happy my girls grow slower than a dolphin, but it’s still too fast.

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Cute Eden.

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Hannah helping Lilah look at the map.

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There was also a baby jaguar to watch.

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Hannah with the girls.

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A tiger taking a bath.

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Sisterly love.

Saturday night was our last show. It was bittersweet to be performing for the last time, but oh what a relief. Saturday night there was a lot of ad lib going on. I guess since it’s the last show, and we’re all a little tired from performing, so the actor’s shake things up.

Kerri was the Wicked Witch of the East leg’s for the play. Friday she decided she was tired of playing it and said we should get a boy to play the legs and I suggested Jeremy. He has very skinny legs so they’d be perfect. He was game and amazingly even fit the shoes!

Here’s a picture of him with the striped thigh highs and shoes. It was a riot in the dressing room when he came in wearing these.

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One thing the leads decided to do was respond to the guard after he asked them to read the sign. You know, he says “Cant’ you read the notice?” and they say “What notice?” “The one that’s as plain as the nose on my face.” Instead they responded “Oz” very slowly, since the doors had OZ painted on them. Shawn, the guard was definitely caught off guard and had to recover from it but he did a pretty good job.

The main prank happened at the end of the Merry Old Land of Oz. We hear a loud noise and then the witches music plays. This is when we see the smoke sign written by the Wicked Witch of the West. We all look stage left towards one of the spotlights, but this night the spotlight person had made a sign that read ‘Dorothy’s #1’ and was waving it around. It was a little hard to keep in character while watching this through the whole scene, but I definitely laughed slightly when Dorothy decided to run with it, and instead of reading the  smoke as ‘Surrender Dorothy”, she said “Dorothy’s #1.” There was silence on the stage, except a chuckle from Kerri, but Tin Man chimed in “I think it says surrender Dorothy.” and we finished the scene.

Those are the two main things I knew about that changed besides adding a line here or there. Jon said it made for an entertaining night and the audience seemed to be just fine with it. Everything that was changed added to the show, not completely ruined it. I guess it’s a lesson that on closing night after a week and a half run it’s usually just a fun night for the actors.

Here are some pictures with cast members before my hair became extremely flat from my Winkie hat and some afterwards with the girls.

Me, Diana, Sara. We’re on the Oz set. Sara designed the flags and I sewed them and they added the fabric and embellished the trellis behind us. These girls are wonderful and they happen to live close by so I hope to see them before the next play.

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Me and Kerri. I love Kerri. We kidded around and had a lot of fun. I was next to her in the dressing room and since she wore fake eyelashes I decided to wear some also. I wanted to be just like Kerri because she’s wonderful.

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Lisa and me. Lisa and I sat next to one another during rehearsal’s. She’s a doll and a newlywed, like had only been married a month when rehearsals started, and still decided to do the play!

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Me, Lilah and Dena backstage. Dena was so nice and was always so helpful. She was one of the choreographers, as was Kerri, and she stood on the sidelines as we did the Jitterbug each night and always cheered us on and sang since we were always to breathless to sing while we danced.

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A tired Eden and Lilah with me and the Appletrees. (Kelsey, Sara, Diana, and Crystal.)

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Eden with Kerri, the head Winkie guard. Her staff was named Willie.

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Us with the witches. Jen, the wicked witch, did such a great job acting. Each night her death was the highlight of the play. Not because she died, but because of how well she died. There were many times I wanted to laugh because she did it with such comical grace, but I was able to keep face, or turn my head a little more away from the audience if I did crack a smile.

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Lion (Jerry), Tin Man (Josh), Eden, Me, Lilah, and Scare Crow (Steven.)

Jerry and Josh are brothers, though they’re so different, both in good ways, that you wouldn’t know they are brothers. (I know they look very similar in this picture, but they look different enough that you wouldn’t call them brothers right off either. )

I was in charge of helping Lion change every night to Zeke. His wife was always back there helping, which I’m not sure made it more or less awkward to be taking off and putting her husband’s clothes back on?  He was very modest though and it went so fast that it didn’t really matter.

Also, since I had a basket on stage for the Oz scene I was in charge of Steven’s patches that we took off during the sprucing up scene in Oz. He sometimes threw me off since some nights he wore three patches and other nights he wore four, and once a patch got left on stage so I was never certain if I lost one or if he wasn’t wearing all of them.

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Dorothy (Jessica) with the girls and me.

Jessica was so sweet and wrote a little personalized note to each cast member. Some of the things she wrote in my letter was what a hot mom I am (I know, I know, stop it.) and how darling my two daughters were. She told Lilah that she was the cutest lullaby girl and that she loved her curls for the play.

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Jon’s niece Shauntae with the girls and me.

Shauntae drove down from Logan just to see the play. Well, maybe not just for the play but luckily it was while the play was showing and she was able to see it! Jon came with her Saturday night since I had bought two tickets and he missed Friday’s performance.

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After the play and picture taking Jon took both girls home while I helped clean up the theater. Then some of the cast went to the Cheesecake Factory for food. I had also gone out Friday night with a few cast members so I just ordered a piece of Cheesecake on Saturday night. It was definitely fun to be with other cast members without the stress of getting ready or hurrying out the door to leave. (We had to be out of the theater by 9:45 pm every night, except closing night for take down, or their was a fine.)

I really loved being in the play and already miss some of the people I met. I hope to do it again and again.

On Monday’s I usually clean my house, well the hope is I tidy my house up from the crazy weekend. Due to watching Matilda so Sam can teach a dance class my Mondays have been a little less productive. She’s a good baby but she likes to be entertained and does not like to be sitting, and she usually takes a nap while here and she doesn’t like to take naps so  she’s a slight mystery at times to me.  I enjoy watching her, but I also enjoy seeing her go home with her mom and big sister. It reminds me how much work a young infant can be and how much I enjoy the ages my girls are at.

Cute Matilda

Today I had Matilda from 10-12:30 and Sam and Britta hang out for an hour or so. (Sorry we take so much of your day Sam.) I then had my visiting teacher over, in which Sam was pulling out when my visiting teacher was pulling up. So I had to clean and tidy my house while I had Matilda, who does not like to watch me do dishes. Since I had cleaned Thursday it was just tidying, sweeping once again, and dishes. Oh, so many dishes from this weekend.
The girls then were very much themselves, fighting and whining about one another while Amber, my visiting teacher, was here. I found it funny that they were so much themselves because they are usually very reserved and try to hide in their bedroom, but since that needed to be cleaned up from what they did with Britta the living room was their only option.

I’m happy to watch Matilda and have visits with Sam. It makes my blah Mondays a little more enjoyable, but adds to the craziness of Mondays at the same time.

I now need to do some sewing.

This is my catch up blog of all the mundane things. I will do some interesting picture posts later but this is my last week and a half in a nutshell.

Last week was a little crazy. My brother Scott and his wife Fallon came to town. Since they were here I was in Henderson a lot last week.

Monday I went over to visit. I don’t remember when or how long but I was there. I think I went shopping with Kristi at Target and then to Costco with my mom and Fallon. That seems familiar.

Tuesday I had Relief Society stuff to do so I stayed on my end of town and had a fun night with the sisters in my ward.

Wednesday we had a Whole Foods grocery store tour in Henderson with the homeschool group. It got canceled half an hour before, but we and two other families did not know that and were there. They gave us a “tour” where the walked us around the store and gave the kids free samples. Lilah was in heaven because they got fruit, pizza, cheese, brownie bites, and kettle corn popcorn, which meant two sweet things in one day, all before lunch. We also bought some expensive cheese and a cinnamon bun that we left at my parents and didn’t eat till Thursday.

We hung out with the family afterwords and then went out that night to the Olive Garden. Jon didn’t go with us because it got to be too late and he was to hungry to wait at a restaurant.

Thursday I went shopping with Fallon, though I did not find the specific items I was looking for. (A casual jean or khaki skirt and cute capri’s. I hate when I’m looking for something specific it makes shopping so hard.)

I then hung out till later that day and went home that afternoon.

Friday the girls and I went to the Lied Children’s Discovery Museum. We went with some friends and then had a picnic with some other friends right afterwords.

Then Friday night we had family pictures. I don’t remember when all six of the kids were in the same state so we seized the day and took pictures to remember that there are six Harvey kids.

Saturday Lilah and I had play practice. We then dropped Jon’s car off at the mechanic and then onto my parents house for a BBQ that started 3 hours behind schedule. Oh well. I got to see family and eat good fruit while we waited.

Sunday Jonathan went out of town for a business trip. I had to teach the lesson for my class and I forgot that Eden was to give the scripture and prayer in closing exercises for Primary until I went to pick her up and everyone told me what I nice prayer she gave. I was so upset that I forgot since this was her first prayer or anything in Primary. I’m a lame mom. With everything else it just slipped my mind.

The girls and I then had a lonely Sunday and took a nap together. I was too bummed to cook so I broke the sabbath and bought some Subway for us.

Monday we stayed home and cleaned a little. Our house had gone to the pits since I was gone most of last week.

Tuesday we had lunch with Anna and picked Jon’s car up from the mechanic with my mom’s help. I can’t wait till my car is paid off and we can get him a nice one.  I also had practice that night so the Lee’s watched the girls for me.

Wednesday, or today we went to the Dolphin Habitat with the homeschooling group. Hannah came along and then hung out at our house till Beth and her sisters got home. Lilah was so enchanted with having Hannah around that she asked if I would like Hannah to be apart of our family. I said Hannah was our friend, but friends can be like family. Lilah then replied that she wished Hannah was apart of our family.

I also picked Jon up from the airport and the girls have hardly left his side since we’ve been home. Of course they’re having fun looking at the Big Picture blog and other things, but I think it’s too cute to see the two of them on either side of their daddy sitting on the couch looking at his laptop.

There, now I can start posting about other things that are on my mind, but that will have to wait till at least tomorrow.

Well today was the much anticipated day of auditions for the Wizard of Oz play. I think they girls will be happy that mommy will not be repeatedly singing the lyrics from Lullaby of Broadway, though they have been known to sing along with me.

We got there a little later than planned, but the Lee’s were still filling out applications, so we got there at the right moment and were directly behind them, which was the plan.

They took our pictures and Eden was being a little bashful. I was worried that she wouldn’t sing.

After waiting they took us to a room to sing for the directors.

I went first and did alright. I was very nervous and made no eye contact that I can remember while singing, but I think I stayed in key and hit the right notes. I mentioned I sewed and had been attending the plays for the last 12 years since I’m good friends with the Lee’s.
Sewing is definitely a plus and I admit I’m hoping between sewing and knowing the Lee’s that the girls and I will get cast.

Lilah and Eden were next and they were very quiet with telling their names and ages. I just remembered I forgot to have them say something they enjoy doing but I think we were all nervous. Kelsey accompanied them and they both sang very well, though Eden made no eye contact. I think she takes after her mother.

After singing we went to learn dance steps. Eden was too bashful to learn with the other Lee kids and Lilah. Lilah did pretty well and I was very happy for her.

After the kids danced it was the adults turn. I was in a group with the Lee’s so it helped me feel a little more comfortable. I think I did pretty good for not ever dancing and the instructor said this was one of the stronger groups, though she could have completely been referring to the older Lee kids.

My legs are hurting from kneeling and I will definitely need to get in shape if I have any dancing to do. I plan on trying to lose weight anyways for the play, though I’ve yet to lose any, I just haven’t gained any.

I’m excited and so is Lilah. Eden said she was too nervous to dance, so we’ll see if they still allow her to be in it. I’ve prepared her that she may not be in it, but she can always audition next year if she wants.

I guess now all we can do it wait.

My will power to avoid stomachs aches is breaking.

Today is my third day of being on Priolsec, and I was on three days of Pecid AC before that. I should be on the road to recovery, hence why my will power is suffering and my stomach a little also, but not nearly as bad as I was a week ago.

It all started last night at family home evening. My family gets together once a month and delicious foods are brought by all, well by most and they usually all are delicious. Last night there was lasagna, broccoli and cheese casserole, seven layer salad and rolls, my Achilles heel is rolls and King Hawaiian Bread, which I brought myself. Dumb self.

So while everyone else enjoyed yummy food I ate my applesauce, my banana and munched on some crackers that I’ve introduced to my diet. I had chicken noodle soup for lunch, so I was pretty hungry at dinnertime even with all my snacks.

I cracked.

I ate some bread, a roll, and three bites of the broccoli and cheese casserole. Oh, they were all so good and I don’t know if I would say the tummy ache was worth it, but it wasn’t that bad and very bearable for the tasty food I did eat, but it came four hours later at 10 o’ clock pm and I slept on the couch sitting up for part of the night.

Which leads today.

I ate my dutiful applesauce for breakfast, but since I’m out of homemade I had to buy store bought but it’s more tangy and I don’t like to eat as much. I also had a hard boiled egg for breakfast and I’m waiting for my banana’s to ripen a little more. (Sometimes all they have are green banana’s at the store.) I decided to have some bland Malt O’ Meal for lunch and since I started the dishwasher so late the girls would be eating late. Lilah’s been wanting macaroni and cheese so I needed to get the pan clean.

Boxed macaroni and cheese has never looked, or tasted so good. Yes I did eat some, more than I should have, but not a full serving, I think.

I’m hoping it goes over well, though I’m sure to have a slight tummy ache. (Which I did, since I’ve taken a  nap and am now enduring a small stomach ache.)

I just want to eat regular food again so badly and it seems that anything I touch goes into my mouth. I’m not to be trusted, unless it’s candy, that is one thing I’m not willing to risk a stomach ache for.

I’m done with my eating problems. Thanks for reading. I do feel as though I am getting better, hence why my defenses are down. Jon reminds me that even without stomach problems, being on a diet of applesauce and banana’s is not something you can just get off of easily, you have to ease yourself into normal foods. I’m just not very good at easing.

Also my poor friend Sam is still pregnant, she was due Friday and yesterday before Relief Society started I was poking her belly telling Matilda to come out, but she didn’t, though I wouldn’t have wanted her to come out at that very moment, that would have been gross.

I went to a funeral today.

It was for my friends’ son who died at six weeks old.

It was truly beautiful to see the love between these two people and their supportive family.

To see the small casket was heartbreaking.
To hear what they had laid in it with their son was uplifting.
An airplane that had stayed by their son’s side to show how much his father loved him and how much he would have, and wanted to, provide  for this little boy and his needs.
A blue and white blanket from a mother who would have wrapped her arms in love around her son every day.

It was hard to hear that Jack had never cried because of the need for life support he was never able to cry. It was hard to hear that they had not been able to hold their son till he was gone.

Two things I take for granted as a mother to two healthy girls.

Adam, the father, impressed me in his love for others who might be dealing with quiet, unseen, trials. Their trial was/ is very open but his love for others trials impressed me.

Elizabeth’s faith was inspiring.

I know I can only sympathize and give my love to this family. I know that I cannot know or truly understand what they’re going through because it has not happened to me. But I do love this couple, their older daughter, and their beloved son because they have shared so much over time as friends and over the internet with their blog.

It was a wonderful service and though I was happy to wrap my arms around Elizabeth and give her a hug, it was sad because of the circumstances.

Our Brightest Star
Written by Elizabeth Johanson

Life on Earth is filled with happiness;
Life on Earth is filled with love.
It’s filled with fun and joy and beauty –
And wondrous gifts from above.

But life here is also filled with sorrow;
Not void of grieve and pain.
It’s filled with hate, it’s filled with hurt,
It’s under Satan’s reign.

There are some of Father’s children,
– of this much I am sure –
Who have no right to suffer here –
Because they are too pure.

My little son, my precious one –
You are one of those
Who needn’t struggle through  this test;
You’ve passed it – Father’s knows.

So wait for us at Heaven’s gate;
Wait at Heaven’s door.
We promise we will meet you there;
We promise to endure.

And when we need you, and miss you so;
When we wonder how you are,
We’ll raise our eyes, and look above –
You’ll be our brightest star.

Love, Mommy

for

Jack Alexander Johanson
November 18, 2008- December 29, 2008

A friend of mine from high school recently had a baby, but he was born with many complications, and after about six weeks of life has passed away.

She has written about the ups and down of his short life over the past weeks and, through such grace, his death.

She and her husband, whom I also went to high school with, now live far from me, and we’ve connected through blogging over the last year. In fact she’s one of the few people from high school that I have really felt more connected to through blogging and is one of the many reasons I think it is wonderful.

I know the death of her son will forever change her and her family and she has shown such strength, something that I admire so greatly.

I just want to send my love and ask those who read this to send their love towards my friend and her angel son who is now with his grandfather and Heavenly Father in heaven.