Sunday Selfies

I mentioned my hashtag #sundayselfies to Brandt, and now he feels like he must take Sunday selfies, even if he hadn't been planning on it.  I roll my eyes at him.  And his goofy photos of which there were 14 today.

When I saw what he was doing and told him to put away the phone, 

he whispered forcefully, "But Mom! I need to take my Sunday selfie."

Okay, but not in the middle of sacrament meeting!

Tree Planting

To complete Life Rank advancement requirements, Brandt needs to complete six service hours, three of which have to be conservation related.  He has been doing service in the library at school in conjunction with the Reading merit badge, but that doesn't really count as being good for the environment.  I looked at JustServe.org to see what service projects were available in the area, and found something that totally fit the bill.  It was tree planting along the Jordan River Parkway, and they had two, three-hour shifts today.  What could be better?  It was in Draper, so it could have been closer, but all in all, a terrific way to help conservationally.

I had initially planned to have us all go help plant, but this morning, as Kent and I lay in bed, he suggested that Blythe and I stay home while he and Brandt go plant.  I don't know why it hadn't occurred to me to do it that way.  Blythe didn't want to go, I had lots to do at home, and Kent is now the scout master, so it was practically his job, not just his parental duty.

Kent and Brandt drove to Draper, had difficulty finding the group, but eventually were given lots of trees and told where to plant.  There were flags marking planting spots, and Kent and Brandt got to it.  It was boring according to Brandt, and quite hard according to Kent.  The holes had to be deep, deeper than the black plastic around the saplings in the picture below, and the ground was rocky.  Kent did way more work than Brandt, digging the holes, but Brandt shifted rocks and dirt, and got trees.  They managed to plant three in the three hours they were there.  That's a bit discouraging, but three is better than two or one or none.

The group that organized the planting did provide lunch, the highlight for Brandt.  Brandt had 2 1/2 sandwiches.  Hooray for service and conservation, boy scouts and father-son time.

Small Helper

Mikayla's older children were at my house today.  I began to do some dishes, and Kal came over, incensed that I was playing in the water and he wasn't.  How rude!  He clung to my leg and bopped up and down, demanding loudly that he be allowed up.  I put him on a chair and let him "help" me.  I turned on the faucet just a bit and he filled and dumped and got everything around him good and wet.  He was so happy, and I was delighted to have him chatting away next to me while I washed dishes.  

Underwater Robotics Competition

This year in seventh grade, Brandt chose to participate in an after school program every Monday called Science Academy.  Throughout the year, he and his classmates, under the direction of Mrs. Threlfall and Mr. Walton, have built ROVs or remotely operated vehicles.  In teams they picked themselves, they have been constructing robots using PVC pipe, motors, wires, batteries, and a remote control.  Brandt has really enjoyed building his robot.  He said it was both fun and hard.  They had to cut and drill the PVC pipe and follow measurement instructions.  

The culminating event for Science Academy was an underwater competition that was held today at the Lehi pool.  Schools from all over came with their robots and put them to the test.  Each team had to drive their robot through "sea weed" (string attached to floating water bottles), knock off suspended rings, and drop off a box at the far end of the sea weed.  They had two practice times before the competition, and Brandt was the only one on his team to show up for the 2nd practice, so he was chosen by his team to be the driver. 

When Brandt's team's competition time arrived, they had a couple of problems.  First, sometimes their battery wouldn't connect to their controller.  A light that indicated when there was power would come on intermittently, causing lack of movement all around.  Brandt's teammate Zach held the wires to the battery so they would have power, but sometimes even that wouldn't work.  It was very frustrating and painful for Zach.

The second problem was that the up and down propeller came off their robot as soon as they put it in the water.  It floated to the surface as they robot sank to the bottom of the pool.  While Brandt could sort of maneuver forward and backward, there was a bump on the bottom of the pool that made it difficult to move, and the rising to the surface was impossible.  Brandt knocked off rings, but couldn't bring them up.  They could have pulled the robot up, but that would dinged them 100 points, and they didn't want to risk it.  

Ah well.  Live and learn.  Uncle Lee came to watch and had a simple suggestion that would have solved the problem.  Sadly, that advice came too late.  Overall, Centennial Middle School did take 4th place, so that's exciting.  And being there with lots of other students, getting the day off school, and being able to try something he's never done before made the whole day a great success for Brandt.

Their robot, Jeff.

Constructed by team USS Root Beer

Brandt and Zach (on the phone)

Brandt and Matthew Ellis and Teagen (in the BYU sweatshirt) watching other competitors.

Ready for their turn.

Trying to figure out what's happening under the water.

Zach there on the ground, holding the wires to the battery.

Brandt at the controls.

Music Festival

Brandt's school band participated in a music festival this morning.  Six groups, bands and orchestras, from Centennial and Dixon performed several numbers before judges who then offered some critique and suggestion.  The band teacher, Mr. Werner, had asked for parental help to have the whole thing run smoothly, and I debated whether or not to attend.  In the end, I went, and it was good I did.  Only one other parent showed up, and we were both needed.  Brandt's band played the three numbers they played at their concert in December, and I thought they sounded great.  The judge did, too.  Brandt likes band and has a good time playing his trombone.  And if you ask me, he's the most handsome trombone player in the whole bunch.  The most handsome, and likely the most in need of a haircut.

Wonder Park

It's Tuesday--cheap movie day.  Mikayla wanted to take Brick and Cora to see Wonder Park and invited us to join them.  It was a cute movie.  Even cuter kids watched it!

Spring Has Sprung

Spring has sprung, and for a couple of weeks now, I've been itching to get outside and work in the yard.  New growth has been pushing up through the dirt and leaves and debris filling the beds, and I've wanted to get out and tidy.  I also picked up some spring flowers at Home Depot a couple of weeks ago, but as I was sick and out of commission for essentially two weeks, nothing got tidied, and nothing got planted.  I've been watering the flowers in the garage, hoping they wouldn't die.  

This week, I made progress.  Yesterday, I cleaned out all the flowers beds in the front yard, including the pine tree island by the sidewalk.  So many pine cones!  I got a bit done in the back, too, before the kids came home and needed my attention.  But I was so pleased with the cleaned out beds I knew were ready for flowers.  

Today, with a bit of help from Blythe, I planted.  I put in primrose, pansies, and ranunculus.  They are bright and bold and add needed pops of color all along the front of the house.  I just love them!  Blythe came home from school about the time I was beginning to plant, and she volunteered to help for the bit of time between school and activity days.  She was happy to be of service, and I was happy to have her beside me as we dug.  Here's to spring and the arrival of planting and growing season.  And here's to children who help their parents.

Very Small Visitors

Both Mom and Mikayla scheduled hair cuts today.  The guy who cuts their hair, Rich, has a salon in Heber, so they often go together.  Thing is, though, if they both go, at the same time, that leaves me alone with five children.  Mikayla is often alone with five children, but they are hers and she seems better equipped to handle them.  Or younger, at least.  Anyway, I agreed to watch the little people, minus Brick who was at school, but I enlisted the help of my friend, Linda Pugmire.  She has four granddaughters, but they live in Texas and she doesn't get to snuggle them very often.  So to tempt her into joining me, I told her she could come hold a baby for three hours straight.  As there are two babies, that was a promise I could make.  She readily agreed, and so this morning, Linda and I hung out with Cora, Kal, Freya, and Thea.  Cora and Kal ran around tearing things apart as they usually do, Linda held a baby (one or the other) for three hours straight, and I held a baby, tried to maintain some sense of order, and entertained Cora and Kal.  It was wild pandemonium, as it is most days at Mikayla's.

 I swaddled one of the babies and Cora wanted me to do the same to her.

I wrapped her up in the blanket the girls were doing tummy time on. 

She's as cute a little burrito as Freya and Thea.

Cora with a magic noodle on her nose.

It's a foamy noodle you can wet and stick to other foamy noodles.

Or to your nose, if you'd prefer. 

Linda and Kal in the background.

Sunday Selfies

It's become a thing, Sunday selfies.  Brandt makes sure he's taking pictures every week.  And I'm trying to make sure I document them.  There were eight this week.  The first picture below is not a selfie.  It's a picture I took of our boy singing in the youth choir that performed for stake conference.  They sang two numbers, both of which were beautiful.  They practiced early, before the meetings, and I just had to get a picture.  In my defense, I took it while they were practicing, not actually performing.  I stayed in my seat for that part.  The rest are courtesy of Brandt.

 Those root beer brown eyes!

Be still my heart!

Dogsitting

Dan Passmore has been out of town for a couple of days, and Blythe has been watching their dog, Chloe.  Chloe wants nothing to do with me or Kent, will tolerate Brandt, but loves Blythe.  Blythe was concerned Chloe was so lonely, so she brought her home and she's spent a couple of days here at our house, though she has slept at her own.  I'm not sure who has been more pleased with the arrangement--Blythe or the dog.

A Sickie, Sort of

Blythe woke this morning complaining of a sore throat.  As both Brandt's and my flu began with a sore throat, and as I have only just recovered, I worried that Blythe was going to be next and had the flu.  So I made an appointment to see the doctor today and get a swab done so that if it was influenza, we could get her started on Tamiflu and maybe she wouldn't be quite as sick for quite as long. 

Gratefully, she doesn't have the flu.  But she hung around all day, watching TV and pretending to not feel well.  Maybe that doesn't sound very sympathetic, but after the nastiness Brandt and I had, I'm not going to feel particularly bad for someone who's making it up.  But I am very glad she doesn't have the flu and won't spend the next seven to ten days feeling crummy.

Dino-mite Book Sale

It has been the book fair at Rock Canyon this week.  I'm due to help tomorrow, but I wanted to take the kids to look at books.  To get them out of the house, I took Mikayla's kids, too, and everyone was able to get a book, even me.  I put Brandt in charge of Kal who wasn't going to look at books, and kept an eye on Cora and Brick.  Then we went home and read all our new books.  Nothing better than a new book to read!

Brandt with Supergifted

Kal with I Really Love Slop

Brick with a Zelda book

Cora with a Paw Patrol book

Blythe with Catwad

I got Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise

Kent

Since Kent was fired from Convergent last year, he's been working mostly from home.  He is frequently here, at the desk, for many hours a day.  He doesn't seem to mind, at least not in this picture, taken by a short person.  It was likely Cora.  She loves to take pictures with the big camera.  We all love Kent!

A Warm Afternoon

It was a lovely, warm afternoon and Brick and Cora were over to play.  Everyone needed to be out, and Blythe kindly kicked a ball around with them.  After running up and down the yard, they needed a rest, and Blythe made everyone "beds."  It's so nice to be out in the springtime.

 

 

 

Sunday Selfies

These are all ridiculous.

There were 18 today.

In this one, the least ridiculous, Brandt looks like his cousin Jace.

See?