7/30/16 The Present Day

     This morning we discovered 2 birthday cards on the piano. I'm not sure how that happened but David and Rebecca were both excited to get cards from their Mangum Grandparents. 

     Here is Rebecca with her card. 

     David, making an effort to not make a silly face. He is also very grateful. 

     Another gift the came in the mail was from Gram and Papa Connelly. Among the treasures was this Hello Kitty hula girl. Gram sent it to us to help us remember Hawaii. She is very sweet to think of us. 

      Continuing the present theme Rebecca and Sarah were invited to a pool birthday party. Heidi helped them make a bag for friends Brynlee and Jade. I'll bet you can guess who gets which bag. 

    Amid the excitement I found Peter asleep with a half eaten peanut butter sandwich in his hand. I thought he looked adorable so I'm including it here. Peter has a habit of coming up to me after I've taken one bite of a sandwich and asking for a bite. Then he wants to keep the whole thing.  I usually give it to him. How can I say no to that cute face?

7/29/16 Temple Baptisms

     I remember that when I was twelve there were a lot of "firsts". David has been experiencing that lately. Today was his first trip to the Temple to do Baptisms for the Dead. Grammie and Grandpa Mangum provided the names they had researched. David, Lauren, Anthony and Lincoln Phelps came as proxies. I did the baptizing. Grandpa Mangum and I took turns doing the Confirmations. Heidi came for organizational support. She handed each of us a towel as we left the font. It was a neat spiritual experience. Each child was baptized and confirmed for 5 ancestors. David seemed a little nervous but otherwise seemed to enjoy the proceedings. He did just great. It was special that Heidi and I both got to go to David's first time in the Temple. We owe thanks to Heidi's Mom for watching the younger kids and to both her parents for organizing the event. 

From the left we have Anthony Roche (14), Lincoln Phelps (12), David (12) and Lauren Roche (12)

     Earlier in the day Heidi and I dropped by 430. The little cactus is growing although still small. 

     The tree seems to be doing just fine. Heather is letting us use her van while we watch her kids. 

     This morning Heidi and Peter and I checked out a house in Apache Junction. It might be big enough but it was only a three bedroom. We're hoping to be able to split the kids up and have room for an office. We'll have to keep looking. 

7/28/16 Humanitarian ABC's

      Today at Humanitarian our assignment was to help make 600 alphabet books for preschool age kids. The pages had already been made. We just had to make sure all the letters were there and add the pages into folders and fold the brads. David, Anthony and Rebecca worked with me on this project. Elder Locklear and Elder Macbeth were working across the table from us. There were a half dozen sisters also working. One had the task of bringing pile after pile of pages and folders to us. We filled many boxes with the simple books. Just before it was time to go the sister in charge announced that we had finished and that all the books were made. It felt good to help get the project done in time to get them out before school starts. In addition to that project we helped tie some fleece blankets and Heidi continued her work in the quilt area. The younger kids enjoyed being in the nursery. 

     Today we get to have the cousins over. Their Mom and Dad are celebrating their anniversary in Hawaii. Heather and Doug reported they made it to the big island safely. With some effort we got the dog fed and walked and 9 kids asleep. It's nice to be able to help family. I'm glad we live so close. The kids and cousins really have fun together. 

7/27/16 Sarah Finishes Her Mission

     Today it was Sarah's turn to finish her math mission on Khan Academy. She finished the third grade mission even though she won't be starting 3rd grade for another two weeks. Way to go Sarah we are proud of you. 

     Shortly after I took Sarah's picture I found Peter banging the wireless mouse. I turned it off hoping that if he saw it didn't do anything he'd lose interest. Peter's response? He found the switch and flipped it back on. Smarty pants. 

      Otherwise it was a pretty quiet day. Heidi and I did some work. The kids did "four for fun". That's what we're calling it (math on Khan, reading a book, playing an instrument, and helping out around the house). It has a better ring than "have you done your chores". It's all marketing. Still lots to learn. 

7/26/16 3D Movie

 

     Last Saturday Heidi and I found a couple of kid friendly 3D movies at Goodwill complete with glasses. We decided to give them as late gifts to Rebecca and David. Today the kids watched Spy Kids 3D. David reported that the 3D effect worked for him. Joseph was not impressed. The other kids were on the fence but kept their glasses on. I think we're still not ready to try another 3D movie at the theater but I think the kids had fun. 

     Otherwise it was a pretty quiet day. Heidi and I got some work done. David is feeling overwhelmed with his Pre-algebra mission but he made good progress with his fractions today. I started reading the book I Robot. It's fascinating to guess how a thinking machine might react to unexpected situations. All the more so because thinking machines in the form of self driving cars and phones that talk now actually exist. 

7/25/16 To Feed a Smart Child

     My Dad used to have a saying that it doesn't cost any more to feed a smart child. Sometimes I wonder. This morning Peter figured out how to climb up to the snack cupboard and grab to pack of peanut butter crackers. I've known him on other days to then talk one of his siblings into opening them for him. It's a good thing he's so adorable. 

      Today Heidi and I did some accounting work. In the afternoon two of the girl's friends came over to play. Their names are Brynlee and Jade. They played hide and go seek with a stuffed animal. After a while we all went over to the pool. 

       Later, for FHE, we rode bikes over to the bishop's house to pick up David's temple recommend. The plan is to take the cousins who are old enough to do baptisms for the dead this Friday. 

7/24/16 David the Deacon

     Today David became a Deacon. We now have the blessing of having two Priesthood holders in the house. I had the privilege of ordaining David. His Grandpa Mangum, Uncle Doug, Uncle Matt and Bishop Christensen stood in the circle. Heather kindly held squirmy Peter so that Heidi could be in the room along with all the cousins that live in AZ. It was a special occasion. I'm so proud of David for choosing to accept this responsibility and serve in this way. 

     The other big news of today is that Grammie and Grandpa Mangum opened their mission call. They did a Skype type conference call with all the out of state kids. They will be serving in the Baltimore Maryland Family History Mission. They will serve for 18 months. They report to the MTC in mid September. We are very excited for them. They are setting a great example for their kids and grandkids. 

     During the visit I spotted Peter sticking a car into Grammie's shoe. She thought it was pretty funny. 

     Uncle Doug took a moment to play with Peter. Doug is a huge hit with the little boys. I often have to remind the boys not to jump on him with all their might. He loves to wrassle with them and they love it too. 

      Today was a nice day for family visiting. 

7/23/16 We Dry Out and David Codes

     This morning Heidi took David over to Infusionsoft for the second annual Great Arizona Code Challenge. Their were professionals teaching classes and sponsors donated prizes. David was there from a little before 8 am.  

    At 6 pm Heidi, Rebecca, Sarah and TJ and I arrived for the awards ceremony. Heather kindly watched Joseph and Peter. We suspected they would have trouble sitting though the hour and a half long presentation. David did not win a prize but he felt good enough about the event that he wants to try again next year. Rebecca has started learning to code so maybe next year they can both go. 

     Here is a shot of the stage. You can see the "cereal bar" in the background. Infusionsoft is one of those software companies that tries to have fun perks like 10 foot high trophies and tether ball polls. 

     TJ though the statue of the balloon dog was fun. David kept to himself during the event. Heidi and I had hoped he'd make some friends who like coding like he does. That was a little disappointing to me. I was hoping that would make it more fun for him. Still, I'm proud of his brave attitude and his willingness to try hard things. 

     While David coded away Heidi and I dried out the tent and the sleeping bags. Thankfully the Arizona heat made quick work of this task. It took most of the morning but would've taken much longer had things not dried so quickly. It felt good to have the van cleaned out. 

7/22/16 A Little Rain Must Fall

     Last night we slept well. Even Peter did ok by his standard. David tried out his new tent that he got for his birthday. He was pretty happy with it. 

     We set up an old tarp as a canopy for shade. We knew that it wouldn't hold up well against rain but we hoped that if it rained it would be light. There was a 40% chance forecast. 

     The morning weather was beautiful. Here Sarah and Heidi are working on breakfast. 

     Heidi took a turn on the monkey bridge. She's so fun. 

     There were plenty of activities. Heidi lead some kids in the parachute game. I played horse shoes with Brother Taylor and some of the Aunts and uncles. I got better over time but it was not enough to win against these experienced players. They made fun company nonetheless. 

 

     After lunch the kids worked on some crafts. Here is David working on a catapult toy. 

     We taught cousin Benjamin Taylor how to make one. Then we let the kids play a little game with them. It was good fun. 

     It was during this time we started to hear thunder and see lightning in the distance. That 40% rain was approaching. 

    Finally it came and it poured. Our tent held out well for the first hour and a half of the rain. Then it started to rain in the tent.  All of our bedding got wet to some degree. We made the tough call that it was time to go home. Camping is not as much fun when you're cold and wet. It's especially rough if you don't sleep well. By the time we were packed up the rain had stopped but it was late in the day to dry our sleeping things. Plus if it rained again we would be flooded again. 

       Rebecca, David and Peter made the best of it by skipping stones in a big puddle made by the rain. 

       Our big blue van made it back out just fine over the, now very muddy, dirt road back to the highway. The kids handled the change in plans and the drive home well. We're glad we went. It was worth it even if we only got to stay one night. We're grateful to the Taylors for letting us tag along on this fun adventure. 

7/21/16 Camping with the Taylor Family

    Last Thursday Sister Taylor invited us to come to their family reunion. Heidi's brother is married to the Taylor's daughter Sharon. So that makes us related by marriage. Heidi was able to talk Matt and Sharon into going even though they were a little "camped out". 

     Before we left Sarah made sure that Gram and Papa's tree got watered. 

     The kids traveled very well. The camp is about 2.5 hours North of Mesa. It's a girls camp owned by the church. We were grateful for the high clearance of the van for the rocky dirt road that leads into camp.

     Once we got to camp there were plenty of fun activities to do. Here is David helping one of the uncles set up the zip line. 

    Here is Rebecca taking a turn. All the kids down to Joseph took a ride on it. Once was enough for Joseph but the other kids each went multiple times. 

     Even Heidi took a turn. 

    They also had a monkey bridge. Kids loved crossing it over and over again. 

     Rebecca lead the way. 

    Sarah enjoyed her turn. 

      Here is TJ smiling as he crosses. 

    Later on David and Peter helped light the campfire that we roasted marshmallows on. 

7/20/16 David Turns 12

     

     Today is David's 12th birthday. He could be our official in house comedian. He's making a funny face in his picture above. That's something he does to try to make us laugh. When he goes to visit a friend's house the thing I miss most about him is the laughter he brings to our home. He is always making his sisters and brothers laugh. I'm a bit of a tougher crowd but sometimes he even gets a laugh out of me.  He is very pleased and grateful to be remembered by his Gram and Papa Connelly. They sent the nice card in the picture. We already had David's party so today we got to have cereal for breakfast and we got Fresca Floats after dinner. Thanks again go to Gram and Papa for providing the Fresca. 

    This morning Heidi did initiatory in the Gilbert Temple. While she did that Peter and I went to the Apple Store. The G5 won't turn on since Peter flipped off the power bar the other day. The guy I talked to said they don't work on machines that old in the store. He gave me a website to check to try to find someone who does. 

      This evening David had his interview with Bishop Christensen about receiving the Priesthood. He also did his limited temple recommend interview. On Sunday David will become a Deacon and he will be eligible to go to the Temple to do Baptisms for the Dead. We are proud of David's decision to serve his Heavenly Father. 

7/19/16 Sarah Quilt Progress

     Today Sarah and her mother made progress on Sarah's quilt project. As you may be able to tell from the picture above all of the squares have now been sewn together. Peter loves sewing projects. Anytime Heidi has laid anything out on the ground to work on it he feels he must run across it. I'm told there remain some minor finishing tasks so the quilt is not 100% yet but this represents good progress. We'll keep you posted as the project nears completion. 

      Aside from this project Heidi and I got some work done for Valiant Accounting. David had class 2 for the first aid merit badge. Brother Jim Nelson does a great job of really teaching the boys. No rubber stamp on this one and all the better. The boys need to know this stuff in case they ever do run across someone who needs first aid help. 

7/18/16 Rebecca 100%

    Rebecca has acheived the milestone of 100% completion of the 5th grade math mission on Khan Academy. She starts the actual 5th grade in about 3 weeks. We're super proud of her. She decided she wanted to start on the 6th grade mission and see how far she can get.  

      Sunday night I crashed about 6 pm. It seems that all of us are taking turns with this bug. The only good news is that it seems to be a short lasting one. I'm already feeling mostly better. By the end of the day we had all experienced symptoms. Sarah and Joseph seem mended and I feel most of the way returned to health. I was at least well enough to get my needed work done. Hopefully we'll all be better by the end of tomorrow. 

7/17/16 Quiet (sick) Sunday

     Yesterday evening Sarah and Joseph developed fevers. Happily no other symptoms. Still, we thought it best not to share with the other children so I stayed home with the two of them plus Peter. Heidi took David, Rebecca and TJ to church. She covered the tech duties and helped out in Nursery. Heidi dropped those of us staying home at the cousins house to keep Valentine company. The kids have been concerned about her being lonely. We watched some Veggie tales (short cartoons with a moral message and a scripture) and some videos on the Mormon Channel. Not the same as church but doing what we could. 

7/16/16 Rebecca and David Birthday Party

     One of the best parts of having a 15 passenger van is being able to take friends with us. This morning around 8:30 we picked up 3 of Rebecca's friends (Chrissy, Missy and Brinly) and 3 of David's friends (Lincoln, Cooper and Cameron) and we drove over the the Riverview Park. 

      We did cupcakes and presents first so that we could play in the water during the hotter part of the morning. 

     Here is David reading Cooper's card. 

     Rebecca had a chance to practice her communication skills. Her friends didn't realize that Rebecca wanted to play a different game. At first Rebecca closed down. Heidi talked to them and quickly things got better. 

     The park has a fun splash pad. If you zoom in you can see TJ and Joseph in green shirts. 

     Peter took a good nap. When he awoke he thought about being cross but cheered up quickly when I took him to the water. 

   Heidi asked me to help start a new game. 

     We gave the kids cups that they could fill and use to splash each other. 

     This seemed to bring out the smiles. Here is Rebecca helping Peter fill his cup. 

     Some of the kids also enjoyed climbing the huge rope web in the park. 

   Brynlee and Missy climbed to the top. 

   So did Cameron. David, Lincoln and Cooper are lower down in this picture. 

     Overall then kids reported that this was the highlight of the day. David said that he slipped and fell twice but was still glad we went. 

     Heidi and I got to have a fun tech project in the afternoon. An AV cart for the church library came in the mail. We assembled it, mounted the TV and figured out how to fit three TV carts in one small closet. We also worked on a printer issue in the clerk's office. Heidi is a fun person to have on your team.