We had purchased a new tent last year but found after one camping trip that the seams were already coming undone and that the zippers kept catching the fabric. We returned that one and found a new tent at Costco. I hope that it turns out to be a good tent. The first night we were there it poured and poured and someone from our group said to me that Chris was bailing water out of the tent. Chris seemed to think it was a one-time occurrence after he adjusted the tarp. I hope so. I tried my hand at dutch oven cooking again and made lasagna the first night and bbq’d chicken the next night-as well as peach cobbler. Everything turned out quite tasty. We left for home after breakfast on Saturday morning and after unpacking and doing laundry were pretty much wiped out for the rest of the day.
We had a couple days off between camping and our next event--Linda’s visit. During that week, Amy had a doctors appointment with the pediatric gastroenterologist—Dr. Lee. It was in downtown Denver with an address that was rather confusing. I finally stopped to ask directions at a hospital and was shown the address on the office tower across from the entrance. At least I found it. We had to wait a little while until we were able to see the doctor, Amy obviously nervous. Both of us were a little shocked when Dr. Lee walked into the room—he was a little person, not much taller than Amy. After talking to us and doing an unpleasant exam, he concluded that Amy is constipated and needs to be on Miralax (a stool softener) for maybe 6 months to a year to soften her stools and regain some of the feeling in her muscles. He said that 25% of the cases he sees are this type and it is better to get the problem taken care of earlier than later. That was a relief for both of us. Amy was worried that she would have to have another surgery.
Amy and Misha both finished their summer swimming lessons in July and both of them did super and advanced to the next level. I hope to continue their progress this fall and also get Kristen started. She is a lot more comfortable in the water now and is ready to begin lessons.
Chris took a couple of days off while his mom was here. We had tried to get some days in the Estes Park Worldmark timeshare, but nothing ever became available. So instead we spent the day in Estes and Rocky Mountain Park. The girls were not thrilled with another hike, but we made them go anyway. As we were nearing the end of the hike, it started to rain. Most of us had jackets or umbrellas except Chris who had opted to leave his rain jacket in the van. We made it to the bus stop with seconds to spare before the bus came to take us back to our van.
The rest of the day in Estes was pretty rainy. The nice thing about that was that it scared off most of the tourists and the sidewalks and stores were pretty clear for walking and browsing. We didn’t buy much, but it is fun just to walk around. By the time we arrived back in Longmont, the weather was clear. We stopped at Target to buy a new stroller, I had had it with the one that we were using. The week previously I gave three of our older strollers to the Salvation Army. The new stroller, a Maclaren Volo, was a bit spendy, but it is sturdy enough to hold the older girls (though Amy for not much longer). We stopped at Mariposa for their 20-inch burritos and then headed home.
Friday was a relatively non-stressful day. I can’t remember that we did much of anything. I think Grandma Ball took the girls to see the movie “Ratatouille” at the theatre in Longmont. They loved it and I enjoyed some quiet time.
Saturday was IBM’s day at Elitch Gardens in Denver (it used to be a Six Flags facility but was sold). Chris was waiting on his bike to be fixed, so we didn’t actually get to the park until around 1 pm. Everyone headed straight for the water park. I stayed with strollers and things, which I didn’t mind. Though I wished that I had brought a book along to read. I think we stayed at the water park until well after 3 pm. Chris dropped Kristen off and after filling her up with a couple of snacks, I put her in the stroller and rocked her to sleep. We spent the rest of the day in the amusement part of the park. We traded off between adult rides and kids rides. IBM paid for a meal for us (hot dogs, bbq beef burgers, potato salad and drinks). It wasn’t super, but it filled us up. We left the park around 9:30, all of us were pretty exhausted. Kristen barely fell asleep just before we got home. Grandma thought for sure she would sleep in in the morning, but knowing her as I do, I figured she would be up before 7. I was right. I put her down for a nap Sunday morning at 10:15. Kristen cried about having to go to bed, but she fell fast asleep and woke up before we left for church. She would have been such a bear otherwise.
We said our goodbyes to Grandma after Sacrament meeting as Chris would be dropping her off at the shuttle at 3:45. He hurried back to the church in time to help Amy with her talk. She did a super job talking about how families can follow Jesus Christ in faith.
Sunday afternoon was full of doing laundry in preparation for a week away. I don’t enjoy spending my Sabbath afternoon doing that, but it really needed to be done. We packed up our bags so that we could leave fairly early in the morning for Cooke City, Montana. We planned to spend a couple of days there with Mark and Malinda DeBry. (They used to live in Colorado but moved to Boise, Idaho a couple of years ago to be closer to family). Our friends the Siders and the Allreds were already at the cabin. We had to stop in town to pick up Chris’ bike because the wrong part had been ordered on Saturday and then we dropped a loaf of bread off at a friends whose husband has West Nile virus. By then it was around 10 am and we were finally on our way.
We spent all day driving and stopped a couple of times to get groceries and let the girls out to run around and to eat. I would be responsible for making meals for everyone the next day (ask me if I was excited about that). We finally arrived at the cabin after 10 pm. What a long day. I didn’t imagine that it would take so long. The girls were almost too wound up to go to sleep so we let them unwind a bit while we brought suitcases in. The cabin itself was huge with lots of bedrooms. It wasn’t so crowded with people, mostly just overcrowded with furniture.
The girls had a blast there. They got to ride horses, swim in the river, jump off the tree swing, play in the mud, see a moose, and play with lots of friends. I’m sure they will want to go again in the future. After cleaning and a group picture, we left Wednesday morning around 9:30. We planned to drive through Yellowstone Park and spend the day there. The girls were amazed and impressed by the buffalo, many right along the side of the road, and some crossing right in front of us. We got a lot of fun pictures.
We stopped for dinner in West Yellowstone and then headed toward our hotel destination in St. Anthony, ID outside Rexburg. I wanted to go to a printing factory and pick up thank you notes. We also drove around a bit a saw the new temple and walked around campus a bit. There was a lot of construction going on, so we didn’t stay too long. I showed the girls where I lived when I went to Ricks College.
We had lunch in Pocatello and drove on to Lehi through pouring rain for much of the morning. We had planned for family pictures in the evening at Thanksgiving Point, so once we arrived at Brad’s and dropped off our stuff, we headed to a Walmart to get Misha’s hair cut. Her bangs have finally grown out and are just below her chin. I had the stylist cut the rest of her hair to match that length. It looks pretty cute and will be a good style for school. Most days I just have to comb through it and it looks great.
We headed back to Brad’s for a quick snack for the girls so they’d last through the photographs and be happy. Utah county is so congested now, that to get anywhere you have to plan extra time. There is bound to be slowing, accidents and congestion. Our photographer and all of our family finally arrived and after a brief stint of rain, we got some fun pictures taken. He was relatively inexpensive and my family was pretty impressed. I found him on craigslist since my family wasn’t able to locate a photographer.
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The next couple of days were spent in Park City for the 1st Annual Rice Family Reunion. I pretty much planned and organized the whole thing which added to my stress level, but it worked out okay. The cabin had plenty of places for sleeping, though Mom and Dad Rice ended up on the pull out couch in the basement living room. The kids enjoyed the hot tub in the evening. I think the water level was down by a 1/3 by the time we left. I didn’t try to plan too many activites and that was probably good since the kids just had fun playing pool and other games. Some family members went shopping and some rested. Dad’s heart started acting up Saturday morning, so he spent the day resting and finally his heart rhythms evened out by Sunday.
I had located a visitors’ Sacrament Meeting in Park City for Sunday. I think all were quite pleased that it was Sacrament only. I know I enjoyed that part of it. We had a fun white elephant gift exchange and a fairly laid back day. All in all I think it was successful. Chris and I had hoped to have the reunion every two years, but everyone else voted for once a year. That’s probably because they don’t have to go very far to attend. Chris suggested that the next time I plan it, it should be held in Colorado. Good idea I say. Dallin and Donna will be in charge next year, but more than likely it will be Donna.
Dallin’s oldest daughter, Angie, came back to Utah with us Monday morning to spend the rest of the week. For the most part, it has been good for the girls to play together. Sometimes though, Amy and Angie who are both the oldest in their families, vie for ultimate power. I suppose it has been a good learning experience for both of them. Dallin and Donna are coming tonight to pick Angie up. They’ll stay tomorrow and then head home after morning church on Sunday.
There are a lot of craft items strewn around my house from Amy and Grandma Ball’s purchases. Yesterday, I walked in to my office to find Kristen applying glue stick to her lips. “Mmmm, pretty.” she says. She wasn’t too happy when I confiscated the glue, but I can just imagine it going in to her hair, on her clothes, you get the idea. In fact, earlier in the day, I was transferring flour from a large bucket to a smaller bucket that would fit in my pantry. Amy asked if she could do it, and I said yes. I made the mistake of allowing Kristen to go outside while the transfer was in process. When I went back to check, there was flour all over everything, including Kristen and Amy. I took pictures, but I was pretty angry. Kristen had already had a shower for the day and now both girls were headed upstairs for a bath and I had a big mess to clean up outside. Ahhh, the joys of parenthood.
The girls are back in school! Yeah! A feeling of peace has settled back over my home and all is good. I was getting to my wit’s end. The girls and I went to the school on Friday afternoon so they could meet their teachers, check out their classroom and drop off some of their school supplies. Misha is in first grade with Miss Place (Amy had her last year) and Amy is in second grade with Mrs. Romero. Both are excited for the new year and for their teacher assignments.
After the flour mishap a couple of weeks ago, Amy came running up to my room last Friday. I was getting ready to go out with Chris and was in the middle of blow drying my hair. Amy comes upstairs and says that Kristen is in my flour again. Aaaaaaagh! Worse, she was playing in my more expensive dough enhancer and had kindly swirled it on her, the counter, and the floor. I was so upset that I started to cry. My children knew I had reached my limit. Amy quietly stole downstairs to get her dad and he magically appeared to help clean up the mess and enfold me in his arms. Without saying anything to Kristen, she definitely knew she had done something wrong.
The rest of that Friday evening got better. Chris and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary with dinner and a movie. And it got even better on Monday morning when we dropped the girls off at school.
For Family Home Evening on Monday night, Chris gave Amy and Misha “back to school” blessings. Kristen wasn’t very quiet or patient during the blessings. It would have been better to set her up watching tv in the basement. I was trying to write down some of the ideas Chris mentioned in the blessings, so I didn’t want to leave to quiet her down.
Misha went first and here are some of the points mentioned in her blessing:
This year is a time to grow and stretch out of your comfort zone. You have a soft and tender soul and change is sometimes hard for you. With faith, these changes will be easy.
If you work hard, you will be blessed to be able to listen, pay attention and not be so distracted. You will be able to focus and do what your teacher asks. And you will have good grades.
You will be a leader in your classroom. Children without friends or who are having a hard time at home will look to you as an inspiration in class because you have a sweet smile and are able to make friends. You will help these kids.
Your reading has improved and if you focus, your writing will also improve. You will develop new skills, a love for reading and better penmanship.
Heavenly Father loves you. He sent you here at a special time for a special purpose. He will help you as you have faith and ask for his help.
Amy’s blessing:
Amy you have experienced many struggles over the past year that have been hard to bear. You’re stronger and better able to understand what it feels like to be in need, to be depressed, to be sad and wish that you could do things that you can’t. You understand the healing power of the priesthood and now have the opportunity to take these experiences and use them to help others. You will see others who suffer from illness, you will have a special intuition about helping them by being a friend, providing service and being a leader so that your friends will want to help as well.
You are a natural leader. You are able to work well with your teachers and follow directions as they are given. Your challenge will be to try not to always be first or be called on by your teacher when you have the answer. It will be okay if you are not first.
You have a keen mind and learning is easy. I admonish you to supplement your learning through extracurricular activities to prepare for life that is to come. School is easy--your challenges more often lay at home. Being honest is a struggle. Focus on telling the truth and your problems with your bottom will diminish and go away. Realize that these things happen through the Savior.
Work hard at home to be a friend to your sisters. Respect your parents. The skills you learn now will set you apart distinctly from your peers. Work hard at home and you will be blessed.
Heavenly Father knows Amy Kline. He knows who you are. Ask for his help and work hard to do your best. You are like your Dad and don’t always want to ask for help.
Both Amy and Misha will be taking a gymnastics class this fall. It is held once a week for 45 minutes at a friend’s house. They are pretty excited. Amy will be starting piano lessons next Thursday—they will also be once a week. Chris tells her that she will have to sign a contract with her parents for practicing. If we are going to invest so much $ in to the lessons, she will have to practice. To balance things out, I have thought about enrolling Misha in some after-school science classes. They would be just perfect for her. Amy would probably love to be involved as well, but she’ll be plenty busy, and something fun that Misha gets to do that Amy doesn’t will be good for both of them.
The swimming lesson schedule for the fall hasn’t come out yet, but I would like to have all three girls enrolled. I will try to get Kristen enrolled in the morning and then have the other two enrolled at night. Kristen is already signed up for story time at the library, so they all should have plenty to keep them busy and involved for the fall and winter. It’ll probably end up driving me crazy with all of the running here and there, but Chris will hopefully be able to help with some of the shuttling back and forth.
I gave my best effort to beginning potty training Kristen this week. She kind of gets the idea, but not really. I decided to give it a rest for a month or two and try again. I was really losing my patience over all the accidents. She would stand right next to her little potty and pee! Aaaahh! the frustration. I will be glad when that hurdle is behind us.
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