Lonestar Concert Date and High School Football

Tuesday it was back to school for the boys, and Amy and I mostly stayed home and played.  I got my workout in.  It's nice to be back in a routine.  Although Melanie didn't sleep long enough, so I had to shower with her screaming outside the shower.  Amy had preschool that afternoon.  David had piano, but Cub Scouts was postponed because only one of the leaders was able to make it.  There were legitimate excuses like illness, a death in the family etc.  So we had a free evening.  Aaron and David went to the high school volleyball game.  The rest of the kids took showers and baths.  Julianna had asked if anyone had some plumbers tape.  We did, so I brought it over that evening.  Oddly enough she was doing the same two projects we did over the weekend.  Installing a new shower head and a new toilet seat.

Wednesday while the kids were at school, the girls and I did some grocery shopping in the city, I made a quick lunch for Amy and I while Melanie was still sleeping.  Then I started chopping for salsa.  My visiting teachers came over at 3:00, and then I continued to chop.  the kids got a snack, did their screen time, and I realized I only had one can of tomato paste.  So I gathered up the kids and we ran to the store quickly.  The cashier apparently was the student teacher for Timothy's class last year.  Then I fixed some dinner while starting the salsa cooking.  Aaron came home from work feeling really nauseous and dizzy.  He didn't go to Stake Standards Night.  After I got the kids in bed he went to bed too.  I got 6 1/2 quarts of salsa, so I processed 6 of them, and left the 1/2 quart out to sample.  All 6 sealed - yay!  I cleaned up the kitchen, and eventually went to bed.

Thursday Aaron went to work still feeling dizzy.  For once he didn't mind the 4 no shows he had that morning.  He needed to take it easy.  I got my work out in, but Melanie was giving me a hard time.  It took her almost 20 minutes to go down for her morning nap, and then she only slept for about 30 minutes.  I was just about to jump in the shower when she woke up!  Lately she hasn't been nursing after her morning nap, but sometimes after her afternoon nap.  Usually once more in the evening, either right before bed, or around 5:00 when it gets really hectic and she's feeling neglected.  Lately she only wakes once in the night to eat.  Anyway... I was all sweaty, and she was really fussy - probably because of the short nap, and she wanted to nurse.  This day was not going as planned.  She screamed while I showered and eventually she calmed down afterward.  I got busy cleaning the house and decided to put away all of the 9 month clothes for Melanie since I seem to have run out of long sleeve things for her, and her dresses were all too short.  She has a ton of 12 month clothes, and I had to switch which drawers things were in so they would fit.  I realized she has less pajamas, or rather more two piece things and less sleep 'n plays.  I didn't get out the shorts or creepers, because it's too cold for those already. Since I was in the shed getting out that box I decided to get out the Fall and Halloween decorations.  I put up a few with Amy and left the rest for the kids to do that evening after we left - no movies since it was a school night.

When I talked to Aaron at lunch he said he was doing better so our date was still on.  Melanie took a much better nap in the afternoon and woke up really happy, so I didn't need to nurse her.  After the kids got home from school we did a little more clean up in the house, and I got ready for my date.  I had nursed Melanie around 5:00, so she would be fine until we got back.  Although I left a bottle just in case.  Not that we've even offered her one in the last 5 months.  I was still a little nervous about leaving Melanie, not that the I*'s wouldn't be fine, and not that I thought the kids would be awful, but nervous still the same.  I fixed dinner, for the kids, but didn't eat anything myself.  So after getting to the fair, Aaron and I found the famous 1/2 lb burger place, and ordered a big one to share.  We got the one with the 1/4 lb of sliced ham on it:

 We weren't seated long when the concert started.

 There was a gorgeous sunset

 We took a selfie

It was a lot of fun.  They had a big screen to the side and the camera was on different members of the band close up.  However the video was about 1 or 2 second behind the audio, and that bugged me, so I didn't watch the screen.  I enjoyed singing along, and hearing new songs.  They did a few covers as well.  Then they left the stage - without singing "our song".  I was a little disappointed.  However I hoped they weren't done yet.  The crowd was just getting into it, and it was only 8:15.  So we waited and just as I thought, they came back on stage, vamped for a bit, and then went right into our song "Amazed".  We definitely weren't the only lovebirds out there.  They finished with a medley of covers and ended the show.  On our way out Aaron saw someone from Scout Camp so we said hello, and then heard our names.  Michele and Bill were there with Michele's son Josh.  Apparently she had sent some texts to the big screen, but because I wasn't watching it I never saw them.  Oh well.  We walked out with them. They stayed to do a few more things at the fair, but we headed home.  Everything went well at home.  Melanie even let Phillip and Julianna hold her!  The kids went to bed without a fuss, well a few complaints from Timothy so I heard.  We chatted with them for a while, and then sent them home with a thank-you gift - since they won't let us pay them.  It was a great date, and I can't wait to do another one!

Friday Aaron was feeling much better - yay!!  I got my exercise in again - two days in a row, that's good!  After cleaning out Melanie's clothes I was itching to do the same with the rest of the kids' stuff.  So I went through all of their drawers, and purged.  I boxed up all of Amy's size 4 clothes, and pulled out most of the size 5 ones I'd had stored away.  I did the same with David and Timothy.  I threw away holey socks, and packed away clothes that were too small.  It felt so great to clean that out.  I still have to go through the shirts though, I think Timothy has way too many, and he doesn't wear half of them.  It also gave me an idea of what they need more of.  That afternoon after the kids got home from school I had the urge to make some pesto.  Our neighbors grew basil this year, and haven't done much with it.  They had said anything on our side of the fence was ours to take.  So I pulled every basil leaf on our side, and got enough to do a batch of pesto!  I wonder if she'd let me take more,  Then I could freeze some!  It was getting late and I still had to make dinner before the football game, so I boiled some fettuccine and made a cream pesto sauce.  We ate dinner, and then met Aaron at the game.  It was another blow out, just not as lopsided as the previous week.  On the first play of the game (the opening kick off went out of bounds) we scored a touchdown on a 65 yard run!  It was a little colder, and Melanie was a bit more fussy.  Eventually I got her to sleep, and Amy fell asleep as well.  We played the #3 team in the state.  Of course we are ranked #1 in the state right now.  We won 45-14.  There were several bad calls by the refs, but oh well.  We also followed the BYU on our phones and I was pleased that they won as well. It was about 9:30 when the high school game ended.  When Max followed us into the garage he smelled awful, either he killed a skunk, or he got sprayed by one.  Either way it was awful!!! And that's about all I have time for now.  Good night!

Primary Program, and the Fair

Last Friday was a pretty normal day.  It finally felt like fall (good thing since the following day was the first day of Fall).  I was enjoying the new colors on the trees, and the cooler temperatures.  And of course the first home football game.  Aaron was sure he wasn't going to make it home before we left, so he met us there.  We bought our season tickets, and they let Aaron in when he got there since I had his pass.  Somehow they knew who he was, even though I don't know who the lady was that sold us the passes. 

We enjoyed the football game.  Although we quickly racked up the score.  It was 43-0 at half time.  We put in the second string during in the 2nd quarter. The kids were getting a little bored.  Amy was tired.  It was a little cold, but not too bad.  Melanie did surprisingly well.  I nursed her when she was fussy, and eventually she fell asleep, even with the band 10 feet away.  The second half went very quickly.  They instituted a no stoppage rule.  The clock would continue to run, and only stop for injuries and the end of the 3rd quarter.  Since there were no injuries in the 2nd half (in the 1st half one of the opposing players had to be taken away in the ambulance) the second half lasted only 26 minutes (two 12 minute quarters and a 2 minute break between the 3rd and 4th quarters).  They eventually scored a touchdown, and we won 64-7.  It was about 9:00 and Amy went straight to bed.  The boys went to bed quickly and Melanie slept until about 2:00 am - in her car seat!

Saturday Aaron and David went to the church early for our cleaning assignment.  Then they were off to the C*'s farm to pick pumpkins for the Scout fundraiser.  The rest of us went to the church a bit later, and most of the crew showed up then.  Some had already come the day before.  Then we went home and did our own chores - with much complaining.  Ugh!  After Aaron and David got back we had some lunch, and then David did his chores and worked on earning money for the fair.  I guess I forgot to mention that's what I did on Thursday morning.  I entered something in the fair for everyone.  David made a creature feature, and the rest of us got something out of the garden.  I wish I had taken a picture of everything.  We entered carrots- Amy, tomatoes- Timothy, green bell peppers- Aaron and a big zucchini - me.  So we did some yard work, and eventually I got a shower.  I don't remember what else we did that afternoon.

That night Aaron and I went on a date without Melanie!  Julianna and Phillip came over and agreed to be the guinea pigs to put Melanie to bed.  Aaron and I didn't have a plan for the date other than we needed a trial run.  So after dinner they came around 7:00.  They already knew what to do for the other kids so I just told Julianna about Melanie's bed time routine, and then we were off.  We headed up to the city to a grocery store.  We were looking for empanada pastry shells, but apparently they don't carry them any more.  We found a few other things, and then went to a yogurt shop.  After filling up our cups we asked if we could change the TV to ESPN2.  So we got to watch part of the 2nd quarter of the BYU v. Utah game.  It wasn't going so well.  Then we headed back home.  It was so nice to have an uninterrupted date, we got to talk about a lot of things.  We got back around 9:00.  Everything went pretty well.  Melanie took a little longer to fall asleep, but she did eventually sleep. So we chatted for a while, and then they headed home.  We checked on the game, BYU didn't win, it was a little disappointing.

Sunday was the Primary Program.  The morning went well, and the boys were ready for their parts.  Amy was getting a little nervous.  When it was time to go up Amy didn't want to go.  David and Benjamin were the narrators, and had plenty of time with the microphone.  During the first song Amy said she would go up if I came with her.  So we went up.  Since her part was within the first 5 minutes she was still too nervous, so when it was her turn I got up, and motioned to her and she shook her head, so I caught Crystal's eye to let her know it wasn't going to happen.  So they continued.  She did sit with me for a while, and eventually sat on her own chair.  She had a hard time sitting still, and was upset when I tried to get her to settle down, which she did eventually do.  With about 10 minutes left she asked if she could sit with her class.  Progress.  Maybe next year she'll actually talk in the microphone.  She later told me she was too nervous because there were a lot of people out there.  Both David and Timothy did well with their talks.  Everyone remembered Timothy's.  He was asked to talk about why he liked Family Home Evening.  So he listed what we did, and then told his favorite parts.  Everyone thought it was funny that he emphasized the dessert.  At least he's honest. Melanie did great with Aaron in the congregation.  She also did great in Sunday School, as she played around on the floor.  Relief Society was also great.  It really helped that she got a nap before church, she was much more manageable.  After church she did get a little fussy as we waited for Aaron to have his meeting with his Deacon's Quorum Presidency.  Then we went home, she slept, Aaron made cookies, we had lunch, then Aaron and David went home teaching.  I was just about to fall asleep when Melanie woke up.  After Aaron got home he told me I could take a nap if I wanted to.  I agreed, but didn't think I'd fall asleep.  But I did for about 30 minutes.  It was really nice.  The kids played with Melanie and Aaron made dinner.  After dinner we had FHE.

Monday the kids didn't have school.  It is fair time.  So we did some yard in the morning.  Then we took the kids to lunch at Olive Garden.  We had a gift card that covered our entire meal.  Basically we spent $5 to cover the rest of the tip.  Then we drove to the shuttle stop and rode the shuttle into the fair.  In past years it has been sunny and hot when going to the fair.  This time we needed our jackets, and we were worried about rain.  After making a pit stop in the dome we stopped by the kids' favorite exhibit:

 We gave Melanie her own mallet, but she wasn't too interested in banging on the metal, just eating the mallet

 

 It was Franz bread day, and the kids spun for some free treats

 

 The rotating exhibit this year was the Hall of Heros.

 They had a replica batmobile

 You could sit in it and get your picture taken for $5.  We passed.  I loved the exhibit, but it's so loud you can't hear anything.

We saw the exhibits including our entries.  David was disappointed that his creature feature only earned a red ribbon.  Especially since our garden entries all earned a blue ribbon.  I should have taken a picture!!!  I have to go pick up the entries and ribbons this week.

 We went to the petting zoo.

 Melanie fell asleep, like I hoped she would

 Then the boys decided to participate in the tractor pull

 Timothy pulled 150 lbs, but didn't quite make it to 25 ft.

 David pulled 250 lbs, and made it about 23 ft

 All the kids in the tractor pull

 David apparently is too old to take one of these pictures.

 Amy had fun on the train

 Timothy did too

 and the straw maze

and "milking" a fake cow - water comes out

 I took advantage of the nursing station, but Melanie didn't nurse for long

We saw farm animals

Then we saw the exotic animals

 The boys had money to burn, so I took them to play some carnival games, and Aaron took the girls to see - um something else, I don't know what.

After they wasted enough money they wanted an ice cream

Then we met up with Aaron and the girls.  We didn't stay much longer it was almost dinner time, and I didn't want to spend any more money on food.  We took the shuttle back to the van, and drove home.  I was glad Melanie didn't fall asleep on the way home.  We fixed a quick dinner and watched Sword and the Stone together.  Then we Skyped with my parents as the kids were getting ready for bed.

Melanie at 11 months

I can't believe my baby will be a year old in less than a month!  I can see her growing up right before my eyes.  I took some pictures that morning - she was so happy.

 she had some aloha bread for breakfast (I got it at the service auction)

 

 She was happy because she got a hold of my phone

 Some how this "mix" was made.  Not sure how it happened since neither Aaron nor I did it, but there it was on my Picasa uploads.

 

New things this month:
Melanie is standing a lot on her own.  She's so proud of herself.

she was standing long enough for me to get several pictures

She also got another tooth (on Aaron's birthday) - #5 the left incisor this time.  So she has 2 on top and 3 on bottom.  There is a gap between the top two, but that one looks like it's coming in soon. 

She is also nursing less often.  Maybe 3 or 4 times a day.  She usually nurses early in the morning some time between 4:00 am and 5:00 am.  She isn't insistent on nursing after her morning nap.  So usually I wait until after her afternoon nap.  Then once more in the evening.  Since she is nursing less, and I wanted to try to let someone besides Aaron or me put her down for bed.  We tried that on Saturday night and it went well.  Here's to more date nights without a tag-along!

More things about Melanie:
She loves bath time, especially splashing.
She loves when her siblings make her laugh.
She doesn't like to be stuck in the car seat for a long time.
She is getting better about letting Aaron hold her when I'm around.
She still hates it when I take a shower.  If there is no one to watch her, and she isn't taking a nap she will sit on the bathroom floor and scream until I get out of the shower.
She doesn't like strangers to hold her, but she will smile at them if I am holding her.
She loves climbing the stairs, and wants to go down them too.  I've shown her how to go backward, but she won't do it without me there guiding her down each step.  Then she just goes right back up.
She loves music.  She will wave her arms, and bounce up and down when she hears music.  She especially loves when David plays the piano.
She is getting better about not putting everything in her mouth, but I still have to fish things out of her mouth everyday.  Usually polly pocket shoes, or marbles, or toothpaste caps etc.

Melanie is such a joy, and I love watching her learn and grow, but I still wish she stay little just a bit longer.