2000 Stripling Warriors

Our old Stake President had this brilliant idea to recreate Helaman's Army in the Bountiful Pioneer Day Parade-- it snowballed into quite the ordeal. We knew about it before we moved, and I hoped that Luke would want to participate still. He didn't. I asked again and again over the period of 3 months. He insisted it was going to be stupid and he didn't want to do it. I know many parents who forced their boys to do it, but I wanted him to WANT to do it. Our old Bishop and YM's leaders all pestered him, still, he wanted nothing to do with it. The day before the parade I gave it one last try-- and success! He did want to participate-- except that he had waited so long, he didn't have a costume, and he hadn't made a stick. So, it was a bust, again. BUT THEN, 4 hrs. before, we found out that his friend was so ill from a second degree sunburn(acquired at High Adventure, using Luke's sunscreen), that he was not able to participate. Luke could use his stuff. Hurray! So, we made a mad dash up to Bountiful, picked up the costume, and dropped him off just in time. 

Here's a photo of the gathering area. You can see that getting over 2,000 boys into one place was a logistical nightmare. Boys from all over the state were bused in to participate, one bus even came from Wyoming. 

Here's Helaman(President Hanks) himself. Let me tell you, he's quite the thespian. Stake conferences were always something to look forward to. He's quite the guy. He does the Priesthood Preview for the boys in the Stake dressed up in this outfit every year. 

And here's Luke. Look hard. Third row back, 2 in from the left. Smug on his face. 

A few photos stolen from KSL:

I videoed the boys marching past. After the chant I turned it off, because only about half the army had passed. It took a good 4 minutes for 2,000 boys to march past us. I teared up, because, you know, I'm hormonal, and it was so humbling to think about the emotions I would have had watching my young young son march into a real life or death battle. I'm crying again. Damn hormones.

And Luke's take on the whole experience? He said, "Eh." Maybe when he looks back on it, he'll feel differently. Or not. He is a teenager after all...

New Calling

We've been in our new house for 3 months. Our new(split) ward for 1 month. I just barely got a calling. Honestly, I couldn't decide whether to feel happy or offended about not being given a calling! I know this, it was weird. Not having a job in the church made me feel -- well, useless. Because we still don't know anyone in our ward, I felt like I could not go, and no one would notice, or care. It's an interesting feeling. For the last 10 years, I've had a calling that would be missed if I didn't show up. Not having one was just disconcerting to me. AND, after being in Primary for basically 10 years, I found the 'big people' classes to be just boring.

Soooo, I'm the new Nursery leader for Nursery #3!!  That's Zeke's age. The 2-3 year olds. I'm really excited about it. I knew I bought that cool automatic bubble blower for a reason! At first, the 2nd Counselor just told me 'Primary Worker', and referred me to the Primary President. I was relieved about not being called to Cub Scouts, but after subbing in Ella's class last week(those kids are a handful!), not too thrilled about having my own class. Nursery is MUCH better. I know, some people hate it. I much prefer being in charge of my own show, and not having to discipline/keep order, like you do with the older kids. It's all play time and snack time and Ring-around-the-Rosey! Plus, the lesson is prep is like 5 minutes. Chris doesn't have a calling yet either, so he's going to help me out for the next few weeks till they either call him in too, or get someone else to help me.

Anyways, I'm excited, and off to Sugardoodle.net for some fun ideas!

Marriage

I just finished reading this post about conflict in marriage. I think it is worth sharing. Maybe I only feel that way because of recent events in my own life, but, it may help someone out there. Or not. Maybe I just need to go see my therapist again, because apparently, I'm not ready to drop that postcard in the mail. He may have overestimated my abilities to self-heal...

Potty Training Anyone?

We've been going swimming at the pool a lot. I refuse to buy those ridiculously expensive 'swim' diapers that DO NO GOOD! I mean, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that if the diaper is not soaking up pool water, it's not soaking up pee! It will contain poop, but no better than a good pair of swim pants, which I happen to already have. So Zeke goes sans diaper in the pool, and he knows he cannot pee/poop when he's in the pool. He doesn't. How do I know? He got out of the pool the other day, stood on the concrete, and peed down his leg. Good boy. Into the shower. The next time we went swimming, he told me he had to pee, so I took him into the bathroom and put him on the toilet, and he went. I guess this gave him a shot of potty confidence because yesterday, he came into my room yesterday, naked from the waste down, w/ diaper in hand.

"Why is your diaper off Zeke!?"

"blah blah blah blah, noises I don't understand, blah blah"

Upon further examination, I find that he has poop ALL over his butt, legs and hands. Upon FURTHER investigation, I find this mess in the bathroom:

He tried to go to the bathroom, by himself, managed to poop a little, tried to wipe himself, as evidenced by the poopy toilet paper ALL OVER THE FLOOR. Not succeeding in this wiping, he squirms off the toilet leaving THIS horrific mess behind, and then toddles up to my room, diaper in hand, to inform me of his success. 

This is why I don't potty train people! Who needs this aggravation? I'll take a diaper ANY day! So-- despite the crap my kids are giving me to 'potty train' him, I'm perfectly happy dealing w/ the poop where it belongs, IN THE DIAPER! I hate potty training. SO much. ERgh. 

Good thing he's cute...

Heart Attack

We lost Zeke last Friday. Literally, lost him. We were up at Snowbird w/ my BFF and her family, doing the alpine slide, zip line, etc. We were all on the plaza, and the next thing I know, Zeke is no where to be found. Of course we all head in different directions, like 6 of us, and after a few minutes, no one has found him. I'm not one to panic, but I was panicked! I ran to the ticket office and said, "I lost my 2yo.! Do you have some sort of panic button?" The nice boy said, "Yes, we do. Can you describe him?" I quickly did, and he got on his walkie talkie and alerted the entire staff to be on the lookout for a 2yo boy in an orange shirt. Off I ran, screaming his name, my level of hysteria rising quickly.

It's amazing how a self proscribed non-helicopter parent, such as myself, can get so freaked out in a matter of seconds. I mean, he always wanders away at home, but we always find him, outside riding his bike, or next door at 'SpencerOwens'. My neighbor doesn't even call anymore, she just assumes we'll come over to get him when we notice he's gone. He's sneaky like that, and I'm fine with it. I never panic at home. I just go out and start scanning the street, sure that he'll turn up eventually. No such calm on this occasion. There's a very swift river near by, I start to wonder if it's totally fenced off. There are a few hippie types up enjoying nature, is one of them a kidnapper?

Minutes later, one of the employees notices a 2yo boy in an orange shirt in the bouncy house. One minute later, Chris has him safe and sound. Apparently, he decided he'd just wander over (across a bridge, and about 200 yds away) and have a good bounce. And the attendant didn't notice him sneak past, because he had no ticket, and yet managed to get in anyways.

Crisis averted. Heart rate back to normal. We went back about our business by jumping on the tram, where the operator there, said, "Hey, is he the missing kid?" To which we happily admitted that yes, he was, and yes, we are bad parents. Apparently. But we kept an eagle eye on him for the rest of the day. I promise.

Here's a few bad photos, my iPod takes crap shots, but I can't be bothered to carry a camera around anymore.

 Luke and little Luke on the Mountain flyer, a fancy zip line.

 Kate, master of the ropes course

 Tess, speed queen of the alpine slide

Cutie patootie Katie

Ella, being shown up by some random kid on the sling-shot bouncer.

More professional photos to come when I download them from my friends good camera.