Libby's New Hair!

 

Emma colored Libby's hair this week.  Libby was so excited.  She loves it.  Her first hair color! Derek's strict policy for the girls is natural colors only--and this is pretty natural...

My New Calling--Back in YW

I am getting my chance to feel more connected to the ward we have now officially been in for 2 years--but in pandemic years--it's hard to count.  For the last 6 months I've been serving in the Relief Society presidency.  Our president was called with only 6 months left before she was 99% chance moving for her husband's next educational step.  So I knew a change would likely be coming as she prepared to move (I'm so sad, I really like her!).  Then I realized the YW president was also moving.  Uh oh.  And yes.  I got the YW President calling.  

My mom was my YW president during a time when we weren't getting along very well.  I think in the end it helped us--so I'm hoping.  When I told the girls on the Saturday evening  before the calling...Libby wasn't very happy about it.  But I told her I've always felt bad about not having her in my class as a 5th grader.  Because "I'm fun in some contexts,"  haha.  Derek got a big laugh out of that.

But I do feel like I am good at planning fun and even spiritual fun for groups.  I can also do it for my family--but I don't do it often enough.  I had my first presidency meeting this week.  I feel like it's going to take a lot, but I can do it--with the Lord's help and my great presidency and advisors.  

Last time I had this calling I didn't work full time and had no kids with busy schedules.  Now it's the opposite.  But I have 2 girls in the world of YW.

I also spent my birthday trip talking about YW with Jen & Emmi.  Then the day after I got called, my friend Emily texted me out of the blue.  I vaguely remembered that she was a YW president.  We had dinner last week and that was good too.  The program has changed to really encourage leadership training in the YW.  I'm looking forward to learning and growing from this challenge. 

Vaccinations!

 We are now 4/5 vaccinated in our family!  The girls both got their first doses on Friday night.  Libby hates shots, but she didn't freak out.  She was great.  Sarah as was calm for the shot as she's been since she was little and announced that she wasn't afraid of shots.  So happy to be getting closer to re-opening! 

Wrestling Season is HERE!

 It's so strange to be doing high school wrestling when it is light and warm outside!  Usually wrestling is in the deep of winter.  

But--here we are, wrestling in the spring--with masks.  And yes, you can wrestle.  But you can't shake hands.  Haha.  Safety theater at its finest.

I couldn't go to the first match because I have a new calling.  (Separate post on that...)

But Ben & Maren represented.  Anne Marie, who watched on the live stream, said Maren provided great commentary--as she could be heard very clearly by the camera.  It was a quick match.  Over in 22 minutes, including 2 exhibition matches.  Apparently not one made it out of the first round.  The score in the end was Shorewood 36 and Mariner 12 (Although I heard from another source 46-12.) I was sad I missed it.

Ben jumped up to help roll mats.  So cute. 

There was a bunch of drama with the team this week--but Derek weathered the storm with the help of his awesome new athletic director.  Last year was her first year and we LOVE her.  This year, we LOVE her even more.  Wow.  

Friday Maren and I watched the live stream of the match with Cedarcrest. They have some REALLY good wrestlers.  And they happen to line up with our best wrestlers.  So the match was LONG and UGLY.  In the end I guess we only lost by 1 points.  But it felt much worse. And the camera wasn't angled well. So we had a hard time understanding what was going on, since we couldn't always see the ref's hands.  We could never see the scoreboard.  One match had so much blood time that I lost track totally. I didn't realize it went into 4 overtimes!  Wow.  

The team has to COVID test a few times a week.  So far so good.  Fingers crossed.  Several of the team are already vaccinated, so that helps. 

Go T-birds!  Girl's matches start this week--so it's about to get even busier around here.  I have definitely taken having less on my plate for granted. 

Ben's School Pic!

Here he is!  My 4th grader!  It's weird to think that I only have one more year of having a kiddo in Elementary school.  Ben's asked me to get his teacher flowers this week for Teacher Appreciation.  In her thank you note she summed up Ben as a student really well when she said, "Ben is an absolute pleasure.  He's hardworking, organized, keeps me honest and all around fun.  He never lets me forget a thing and is sure to point out my mistakes, so thank you Ben!" Love Mrs. B. 

 He doesn't get too embarrassed or annoyed when I stick my head out the door to say hi to him when he's waiting to head into class.  He's very conscientious about his work (he gets really stressed if he forgets to bring his homework home, or forgets to take it to school).  He loves spending time with school friends, the Sunnyside gang, Jed & Rory, and is happy that the neighbor girls are allowed to play with him again too!  

His spending money has lots of cash in it.  He tries to spend very wisely.  He refuses to buy his precious goojitsus at Fred Meyer because they are too much.  He tracks the prices of his favorites on amazon daily.  He wants to play baseball (bought himself a new glove yesterday!), basketball, 4 square, and watch TV.  He is always up to help his mom.  Love my 4th grader Benny--time, while sort of crawling, has also flown by! 

Back to School--In Person

This day literally couldn't have come soon enough.  The girls went back to in-person school on Monday.  It was amazing.  They are both about 100% happier.  There has been more laughter, teasing, tickling, playing...just more joy around here.  This is what kids are meant to do--go out into the world and LIVE and LEARN.  To see their friends.  I am so happy.  They are so happy.  Life is better. 

Libby, 1st day of in-person 8th grade.

Sarah, 1st day of in-person 6th grade.  

 

The JET Trip 2021

 The JET trip is the new name for the Jen, Emmi & Trish Trip.  Usually it has been Trish's birthday trip--but this time, since it ended in April, Emmi (I think) realized this was a great name. I love it!  

We went to San Diego for the 2nd time in a row.  I LOVE it there.  Staying with Jen's parents is amazing.  They are great hosts.  I need to take some lessons from them.  (Chocolate, water and a new puffy in my bedroom--amazing!). 

Mostly the point of the JET trip is to talk.  And talk, and talk.  We share all the struggles, pain, frustrations, joys and stresses of parenting, marriage, callings, aging, etc.  It is so cathartic.  

We find so many different and fun places to do this!  This year included the Glen Ivy Spa (amazing), shopping, a flower festival, a bluff on the beach, Jen's parents hot tub and family room...and lots of time in the car as we traveled to our various activities.  

I couldn't do this parenting thing without my village.  I'm so glad these girls are a part of it! 

Spring Break 2021

Spring Break 2021 was a a trip within a trip for me...(and for Geneva too I guess), so this post is about the Utah phase of the trip. 

We drove to UT, Libby was very unhappy about this.  Apparently she has developed car sickness if she watches the movies or eats meals in the car.  She can, however scroll instagram endlessly (she now has an account on my phone, so I can control her access...).  Anyway, she took some dramamine (non-drowsy--should maybe have gone with the drowsy) and handled it mostly ok.  Just a few temperature regulation issues when she was in the front seat in direct sunlight. 

I loved the drive, as I got a whole rundown of Norton/Fehlberg family history. I've been in this family for almost 18 years and there were so many things I didn't know about the generation before Geneva...and her generation too.  

When we got to Utah, we got to meet baby Lizzie--she is a doll!  I held her as often as I could basically.  I don't miss having a baby--but she's a fun one to snuggle and feed.  She makes the funniest faces. 

My mom had the fun inspiration to do an international week with the kids.  We did Mexico while I was there so I could go to my favorite Mexican restaurant (La Puente.) Then we did a cookie taste testing, to compare Crumbl with Twisted Sugar.  I've gotta say, it was a toss up.  Chocolate chip--Crumbl was better.  Sugar cookie (coconut lime!) Twisted Sugar all the way.  I was SO full.  Delicious. 

The next day was Japan day.  We did some Suminagashi paper dying art and made twinkie "sushi," stir fry and tempura.  We got Teryaki for lunch too.  

Dinosaur Park Time! (This was while I was in San Diego).  It was Costa Rica day, since that's where Jurassic Park was filmed.  

While I was gone they also did Egypt day (made death masks and catapults), and France (tested different french pastries).  It looked really fun.  

Lagoon Day with Uncle Davey & Mimi & Papa was a much anticipated day.  It didn't go very well for Libby who was in a funk (allegedly about how the girls there were looking at her and all had AirForces--but I think really about how she was nervous to come home and start school.) 

Libby and Ben spent most of the week playing outside with neighbor kids--Jax missed school the entire week, I think, to play with Ben.  Libby slept until school would basically be out, so then she went out and played with Sophie (a new neighbor).  Sarah mostly watched TV (Gillmore girls obsessed). 

Mimi and Papa & Uncle Davey were great hosts for my kids so I could go spend time with Jen & Emmi.  I flew home Saturday evening and we drove home on Sunday.  What a fun week! 

 

Ben was also so excited to be reunited with the cousins who introduced him to goojitsus (sp?).  He brought all 12 (or whatever) that he owns, using his allowance to buy a couple more just for the trip.   Also notice that he is wearing a sleeveless shirt...and the sun streaming in the windows.  Yep, this mom forgot to sunscreen him.  He got totally fried.  Mom fail!