Ultrasound in California

I came to California for my ultrasound. Baby boy is doing great! It's wonderful to have a little break and lots of free time, so I am feeling very happy. In the last 21 days, Jeff has been home a day and a half, so I was just feeling a bit worn out and tired. On Wednesday Ryan had music class, which I was supposed to attend. I tried 5 babysitters and no one could do it. I finally found someone and went to pick her up, but she wasn't home. Turns out there was a family emergency so they were trying to get out of town. I had to take the kids to the lesson and while it wasn't horrible, it also wasn't easy. Getting home and putting kids to bed just wore me out so I called and asked if I could bring the kids to Westminster a day early. Everyone was very accommodating and Ron and Diana even met me half way on Thursday. I was so grateful for the break as I needed it very badly, and Thursday night I enjoyed watching a movie, getting some food and hot chocolate, and just being in a quiet house. I woke up the next morning, went to Ryan's parent teacher conference, then had a great scripture study, then was off to the airport!

Both Lily and Ryan had conferences this week. Lily's teacher, Mrs. Steenburgen, said Lily is the perfect student and she would love having her as a paid aide, she's that good. She loves helping others, and in fact there is one girl at her table that she helps so much the girl just expects it now. So they are working on letting them each do their own work. On all the assessment tests she scored 100% and well above average when scored on a number system. We took a list of all the sight words she is to know and be able to spell by the end of the year and after going through more than half of them, there were only a couple she didn't know how to spell. 

It was raining when we went to the school and I thought Max looked pretty cute with his umbrella and boots. 

Ryan is also doing great and his teacher said she really enjoys him, he's so sweet and fun. Ryan had a great assessment and is right on or above average for what is expected of him. One thing she mentioned is that Ryan is very advanced for his age for rhyming. I chuckled to myself because he and Lily love having rhyming games together. It does help having an older sister because he learns a lot from her. The other day Max was saying some shape names: circle, oval, square, star, diamond. Ryan said, "it's not a diamond, it's a rhombus. But you can also call it a diamond." 

Here's some notes from Diana and Mama Baer about the kids visit:

Lily wrote a story today: Batman was on a bat and suddenly he saw something suspicious. Someone was wearing two colors. It was two face! He told his bat to come in for a landing. Then batman followed two face to the bat cave. Batman asked two face why he was in the bat cave. Two face said the joker asked him to steal something.

Ryan said, "When I grow up I am going to be a race car driver." "Well I am going to be a gardener like Mama Baer," Lily said and then she thought, "what does Papa do?" Ryan laughed and said, "Papa grew up to be a silly man, he's good at that."

Lily went into the kitchen and decorated a pumpkin for lunch, she is so creative

This morning Papa was making the kids laugh during breakfast and said, "Papas and Daddies are funny. That's why my mom married my dad because he makes her laugh all the time." I commented, "That's why I married Papa cuz he makes me laugh." Lily was listening and said, "but why did you REALLY marry him?" And I said, "Because he's a good man with a strong testimony of the gospel and I love him!" And she said, "I knew it. You don't just marry someone because he's funny." Ryan replied, "Well our daddy's funny - he tickles us and makes us laugh." And Lily said, "yeah, Dads have to be funny with their kids so they're not sad all the time." I love their conversations and children's wisdom! Cute, funny and profound all at the same time! 💗💗💗

Last night when I put Ryan to bed upstairs he said, "I'm sure glad I got to come to your house Mama Baer because I get my very own room and I don't have to share with Max." He thought for a minute longer and added, "I love Max because he's my brother but he talks a lot and keeps me awake when I want to go to sleep." I replied, "Yeah, I'm glad you don't wake your parents up any more." 😄😄😄

Last night when Ryan was watching a justice league movie max kept talking and Ryan was annoyed but politely asked him to be quiet every time. Ryan is pretty patient.

Decorating Halloween cookies tonight.

Lily says she is addicted to Hawaiin rolls and Ryan replied, "I am addicted to tortillas!" I have no doubt about that 😂

I asked if they knew what the word "addicted" means and Lily said " when you want something all the time" and Ryan said, "yeah, what Lily said" 😄 Smart kids!

They loved doing lite brite at the museum of nature and science.

All the things Lily wanted to buy at the museum. 

I had a nice visit and Rachel and Darin were there too getting an ultrasound (they are also having a boy the next month after I'm due!). Everything looked great on the ultrasound so that was good news. We went to Hill Street for dinner and just had a relaxing weekend. I worked on my dad's birthday Disney cruise book with my mom most of the time, but I was so happy to have time to do that. It has been on my list of things to do for quite awhile.

I wasn't able to go to my parents ward, so I went to the ward before. I have never shared my testimony in another ward, but I felt inspired to so I went up. I just felt really strongly that I should share about how important it is to have powerful prayer and scripture study each day. Our spirits have such a need to be filled before we face the world. I also shared this message from President Eyring:

"As the challenges around us increase, we must commit to do more to qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. 

Casual prayer won’t be enough. Reading a few verses of the scripture won’t be enough. Doing the minimum of what the Lord asks of us won’t be enough. Hoping that we will have the Atonement work in our lives and that we will perhaps sometimes feel the influence of the Holy Ghost won’t be enough. And one great burst of effort won’t be enough.

Only a steady, ever-increasing effort will allow the Lord to take us to higher ground."

This is so pertinent to my life right now because sometimes I think that if I have a great scripture study one day, that should carry over for at least a day or two. But it doesn't. My spirits needs a constant, steady flow being fed to it. 

Dad, me, and Idella

Add in Darin, Rachel, and Wesley

Wesley loved being pushed in this. It moves so slow when a child isn't pushing on the gas that I felt like the sloth from Zootopia. I pushed him around for awhile while my mom edited photos for the photo book. He was very content. 

I brought my reflexology book and worked on my dad's feet and hands for awhile. He said it was worth my plane ticket out there.