I have spent the whole week trying to catch up on sleep from our "sweet potato" slumber party for Young Women's last weekend. The scouts/Young Men had their annual "couch potato". A new tradition was also started and the 8 year old girls had a tater tot sleep over. It was said that the tater tot group stayed up till 2am, while the sweet potato group finally caved at 4:30 am. I must say that I have finally crossed the threshold into the "old" category. I can only handle so much squealing.
Friday was a great day. Carsten had an unknown dream realized when he was invited to his friend Olivia's Build-a-Bear birthday party. He was so excited to go and the reports back said he had the biggest grin the whole time. He choose a Panda bear and named him Po. Yes, after the Po in Kung Fu Panda. He slept with Po and still had the smile all day Saturday.
Sophie on the other hand was a happy little lark all week because her friend was coming over for a sleep over.
Then enters poor Benjamin who was left feeling very unloved. So Matt took him out for ice cream and while they were gone I broke out the camera to document some of the happenings in the Mower household.
Coloring time! I'm going to take moment to sing praises to my talented children who lovingly decorate my home with scraps of papers and wonderful drawings. Memememememe...
As far as personalities go Carsten and Josette are very, very much alike. It's so hilarous to be with these two who are so full of fun and adventure. They even do the same kind of cheesy grins when the camera comes out.
This is the state of the temporay table in the dining room. The pictures are for my young women in excellence this week. I have some really great pictures that are hiding away on my computer that I really wanted to display in a different way. So I bought some canvases, photo adheasive and Modge Podge to create some really fun canvas prints. I had the "brillant" idea of doing this as a way to display photos for Tuesday night, hopefully they'll all be done by then!
Sophie is officially a very big girl. We are going to have to warn babysitters that they are the ones in charge and NOT Sophie. She is a wonderful help and very much a little mother hen to her siblings, for both the good and the bad. I let the girls make cupcakes ALL by themselves. Sophie's friend is standing on the foot stool, Sophie is flat footed on the floor.
Sometimes the batter doesn't make it all the way in but hey they still taste the same.
When we bought our home it had been a rental for 5 years. We got a deal but along with that came the need to make some cosmetic changes. These "cosmetic" changes have really added up to be a lot of work. Our last one has now been done twice but I really should have broken down and did it the first time around. A NEW kitchen.
We have been living up an absolutely incredible fall in Alaska. It was almost 60 today and the kids and I were running around in tee-shirts. To get everyone up to speed quickly and so I don't feel guilty about moving on here is the bullet list of the last month and a half.
During dinner tonight we were having our Sunday dinner conversation. Every Sunday we discuss what everyone talked about in their church lessons. Everybody takes a turn and I am always amazed at what they remember and discuss. My lesson in YW today was about the influences of different types of media. I asked the kids if they could tell me of something that could be used for both good and evil. Benjamin piped up with, an ax.
Josette is well, Josette. Such a little riot. She is constantly running around calling for "the boys". First thing in the morning she asks for Dadda (which is really mamma) and then she looks for the boys. She also always wants to carry her back pack which is really her red lunch box.
It has been gorgeous this week. Bright blue skies with warm temperatures. We had our best visit to the zoo ever. Even this little melt down didn't ruin the trip. The above picture is Carsten beginning. The bench in the background was were he wanted to eat but it was in the shade and Benjamin wanted to be in the sun (I did too). Since it's Benjamin's last day trip with school starting, we took to the sun. Carsten then moved to the ground to protest. A full 45 minutes later we are done and Carsten is happily eating on the bench in the shade.
The snow leopard is my favorite animal at the Anchorage Zoo. They are such magnificent cats. The blue sky behind is what we were enjoying.
Carsten always has at least 3 items in his hands. For family home evening it was a skewer, a little tool bar with a screw and bolt and a play belt. When we asked them what they were it was his sharp sword, a gun and a rope. The topic of our family home evening was loving your family. Where does he come up with these things? It's always something different.
This morning after I had left for my meeting Carsten refused to put on his tie. Matt said fine and left the room next thing he knows Benjamin is chanting that Carsten looks like a girl because he's wearing a bra. HUGH!! Carsten had wrapped his tie around his chest and to Benjamin that's what it looked like. I guess I'm going to have to lock my door now to keep my privacy, little ones barging in is just no longer going to cut it.
Sophie officially started school this week. On Thursday she brought home her social studies book just to get ahead. No homework, just wanted to be ready for the next day. I wonder how long that is going to last.
My mind has seemed to be going overtime lately. It's taking so long to go to sleep, which is so unlike me. I figure writing some of it for everyone to read will make it easier.... Life ebbs and flows and as soon as you feel like you are comfortable with who you are and what you're made of it all changes. I feel so uncertain of myself in so many arenas. I love to take pictures! It's a hobby and purely a hobby that I enjoy but I feel myself looking at others pictures and wonder why I even think I can do it! The sensible side of myself kicks in and I know that is crazy thinking but it still occurs. 2nd-Motherhood. Dynamics have changed once again and my sweet little, laid back, Sophie has become another child. Loud, bossy, back talking, and ready to burst into tears at any moment. I don't handle this new one very well! I'm having to re-learn some motherhood skills that I thought I had gotten pretty ok at. This morning involved a very, very angry Carsten declaring that Benjamin was no longer his brother, shouldn't be part of this family and he hated him. After being sent to his room several times to settle down I finally just asked him if he was upset that Benjamin would be starting Kindergarten soon? He nodded, we talked about it and the morning changed drastically. We are all not ready to have Benjamin gone during the day.
We've now added YW President to add to my uncertainties. I think I'm about to burst at times. There are so many strong women, many of whom are serving with me and served before me. This is a challenge not to just step back and leave everything to their very capable hands. Once again I know in my heart and spirit that this is where and what I should be doing at this time. Once again it's the battle of the brain vs the heart.
The battle of the brain is what I'm going through. My head keeps telling me these things and keeps me up.
While waiting for the baby sitter to come. (3rd of 4 big dentist appointments, let's just say I have a whole new view of popcorn and the damage/pain it can cause to a tooth!) I decided to play with my filters and try and get a picture that really got Sophie's eyes. I didn't get what I wanted but lots of other fun pictures.
The other girl is a neighbor and such a character! She was never hurt or scared at any moment. And I swear Sophie is only 8!
**WARNING- I had to change my image size in order for them to upload and as a result they look really grainy...agh.
I had started this post and then was going to add pictures but my on the ball husband got it done and posted. Included is why there is a picture with the car on its side.
I can't believe it has only been 3 weeks since I last blogged. So much has happened in that short time that it seems like it has been months. We've had near death experiences, summer heat with swimming, gardening, a new calling, a destroyed and partially replaced kitchen, and family to help enjoy everything. As a result there are a lot of pictures that I would like to share but won't to save everyone from Mower overload!
Grandma and Grandpa came for the yearly 4th of July visit. We had decided to spend it in the tiny town of McCarthy and visit the ore mine of Kennicott. McCarthy is a very interesting place located in Wrangle- St. Elias National Forest. It is an 8 hour drive from Anchorage and 60 or so miles is gravel road, not a very wide gravel road. On our way in a large truck, going very fast pushed us off into the soft shoulder and we started to slip down the embankment. I am so glad that Matt was the one driving and not me! He was so much calmer than I ever would have been. Our angels were working over time as we hit the lone standing clump of trees that kept us from rolling all the way down the side. We had so many people stop and offer help. Nobody was hurt, the air bags didn't deploy and we became very well known. It's hard to forget our crew! As we offered a prayer of thanks, Carsten kept assuring us that the gospel would help us. The sweet spirit that was there despite being stuck in the middle of nowhere with our car turned over was so calming to each of us. Luckily there was only a minor dent in top of the car and some scratches.
Our visit to the Kennicott mine would be pages long but the short and sweet version is, it was AWESOME! The boys were giving the tour by the end and we couldn't have had a better guide. He went right along with my little inquisitive group.
It was HOT! I know 85 doesn't sound hot to most lower 48'ers but up here it may say 85 but feels closer to 95. Our theory is that you are closer to the sun and the since the sun doesn't go down it just gets warmer instead of cooling off in the evenings. So we brought out the pool and made slip and slides and ate lots of popsicles. As result my garden and flowers went nuts. It's been so much fun having soo many flowers. I've also been enjoying the fruits of our garden.
I have a received a new calling to work with the Young Women. I'm very excited but very nervous. I often times feel not much older than them. I've felt my self being prepared and the promptings to do better at my scripture study and prayer. It's funny how this happens, the preparation for something that will truly change you and your family. As we look at our schedules for the next school year and I think back to those early days in Pullman when I was longing for some things to do. What was I thinking!!! My calender is already full for August.
Along with the full calender in August, school will start! Now I'm not excited to have Sophie and then Benjamin gone all day but the fighting has become too much! The kids do really well together but they have their limits. Sophie wants to do her thing and the boys aren't always game for that. The noise level always seems to be on high all the time. I might be able to catch up on some laundry and have the bathroom clean for at least 2 hours before the ring around the tub appears again.
A slide show of our weekend together sans munchkins to celebrate 10 wonderful years together.
The boys have been very observant lately.
Benjamin: " Mom I'm starting to have hair on my arms. Do girls get hair too?" Sophie replied, "Yeah and I'm getting it on my legs too!
This one is a bit PG but so funny. Carsten holding up his shirt and points, "Mom what are these?"
Not one to beat around the bush I reply, "those are your nipples."
Carsten: "Do all boys have 2 nipples?"
Mom: "Yes"
Carsten: "MOM!" (with wide eyed wonder) "Do girls have them too?!"
The conversation continued with what do nipples do and why do we have them. Since I wasn't really sure how to answer told him to ask his Dad.
We've had several of these types of conversations lately with Carsten as he's becoming more aware of the differences and similarities of the sexes.
Benjamin came with me to softball practice out in the "country". It's really just down the street from the High school but we take a back road that seems to take you out to the middle of no mans land. On the side of the road there is a huge wooden boat that has been retired. Benjamin called it the "country boat".
The boys were making me another flower bed today. Carsten kept asking Matt if this was mom's new bed and was she really going to sleep out here?
A great friend decided to organize a girls night out. The kind of girls night that got our husbands really excited for us to fully participate in. They were so excited in fact that they did most of the packing and willingly took other people's children so that everybody who wanted to could participate. With lots of sweat, great food and even better company we had a great backpacking trip to Hope Alaska. I know every girl dreams of this night out. 3 of us had our daughters, ages 8 and 5, we carried 35lbs of gear, went 10 miles round trip, crossed streams, filtered water, set up tents, started a fire, and strung up our food in a tree. It was again brought to my attention how "lazy" I've become having a wonderful husband around. I haven't started a fire on my own in 10 years!
We only had two near accidental run ins with wildlife. The scariest being a very large animal (bear we assume) crashing through the forest as two of us had lagged behind while helping our daughters on a potty break. We had just asked the girls to come hold our hands (a prompting) when the crashing began. We started speaking very loudly stating that we were humans, not a very tasty meal and the additional food we were carrying would be of no use to it. It was the first time that I have ever had to take the safety off the bear spray and have it in the defensive position. After a few more crashes it finally stopped. We never saw it.
Then very shortly there after catching up with the rest of the group a baby moose was spotted. Even scarier than a bear is mama moose. Moose are not the world's smartest animal and when they have their little ones they can be especially testy. Which would also explain why a bear would be in the close vicinity.
I was especially impressed with our little girls who hiked the whole way carrying their own gear and food. This is going to become a yearly activity for us.
THANK YOU HUSBANDS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT!!!!
Not to think that the boys and Josette were left out of anything they had a great time with Dad. After a movie and milkshakes on Friday they went on their own hike up Baldi. Baldi is not a nice easy flat hike. It's up a mountain and the boys made it all the way to the top. Benjamin's comment about climbing to the top, "I could see Fred Meyer Mom!" Forget the lakes, ocean and trees that make it a spectacular view.
We dreamed of a nice camping trip at the lake. Biking with friends and hiking around in the beautiful sunshine. What we really did was.....
First of many Soccer practices.
A dance recital...
that the boys survived with out any outbursts. It's just a good thing that Benjamin's little crush Jordan was dancing in most of the dances. (She's 17 and used to be one of my MiaMaids that Benjamin has loved since day one.)
Matt built one of these. For all those garden tools that we use but 3 months a year. And the huge snow tires that take up most of our garage.
While I built one of these....and loaded and unloaded 20 bags of sand to fill the box.
Worked on my garden and mowed the lawn.
Had a bar-b-que with close friends. Roasted marsh mellows, ate yummy food and put our feet up for a little bit.
Meanwhile, the kids ate a lot of popcicles and did a lot of swinging.
Sunday which is not included in the photo story was filled with Matt speaking in two wards and feeding the missionaries, always a treat for the kids.
And of course a classic Sunday conversation during the passing of the sacrament between Matt and Carsten.
Matt: "Carsten why don't you draw a picture of Jesus or of something Jesus did?"
Carsten: "I like drawing bugs."
Matt: "Yes, but we need to try and think about Jesus during the sacrament. Bugs don't help us think of Jesus."
Carsten: "Dad, Heavenly Father created the bugs."
What are you supposed to say to that?
Our own little Cindy Lou Who. Her hair has gone into this crazy growing stage and we can now get the two that stick up. She is so blond and curly that we get comments all the time. It's almost like being in Hawaii again.
We have had 4 days of 70 plus weather and as a result the kids have been outside from 8am till 8pm. I extended that until midnight getting yard work done. I also realized that I didn't take a single picture during this time. But we did run through the sprinklers, wear sandals and shorts, and get some color on our cheeks.
It was also my week to drive kids to school. I decided that I am more than ready for school to be over with! I'm so tired of having to have everyone up, dressed and fed by 8am. Out the door shortly there after and running around making sure that I'm everywhere on time. Now mind you I limit what we do and have been saying no a lot more lately. I am ready to throw the watch out and let the kids wake-up when they are ready to get up, take our time with breakfast, get the breakfast dishes done, a load of laundry going and beds made before I leave the house. I also realize that I struggle being the good homework encourager when it's the nicest weather we've seen in 2 years. How do I make Sophie stay inside and do her homework when that's the last thing in the world I want to do. We did get it all done but this is another thing that summer break brings. All I can say is 12 days of school left and no more fighting mornings (to get up), afternoons (to get homework done), and evenings to get to sleep so that we can start all over again. HURRAY FOR SUMMER BREAK!!!!! Now out to tempt fate some more and try planting my garden 3 weeks early.
I always like to imagine that once everyone is in bed that is the end of the adventures for the day. Imagination only seems to be spurred by having to go bed. Matt and I went up stairs to find out what all the giggling was about and discovered the boys creative use for our hair bands, properly strapping up their turtles for 
what ever weapons they made need.
They were also able to fashion handcuffs, much to their enjoyment!
