Devree's Birthday

Thirteen years ago my Devree was born. What a joy she is. She loves the color purple, bubblegum and smelling good! Devree's top thirteen attributes are:
#1 She is a go getter! It doesn't' matter what-if she has homework, she gets it done, even if it's not due for weeks! If she wants to buy something, you might as well stop what you're doing and take her to the store because until she gets it, she's going to continue to ask you to take her. Once she sat me down and told me how "nervous" it makes her when I don't go get her items needed for her homework (I think it was a poster board and the assignment wasn't due for weeks!) and it makes her anxious and she just wishes I would get things more promptly. It was a very mature conversation on her part and made me feel like the child which brings me to:
#2 Devree is very responsible.
#3 Devree knows what is going on with all people at all times. If you need to find someone, ask Dev. If you need to leave a message-leave it with Dev.
#4 Devree keeps a very clean and organized room and that makes my heart soar!
#5 Devree ALWAYS smells good. Victoria Secrets and Bath and Body Works will never go out of business with Dev around.
#6 Devree has will power beyond belief. If she puts her mind to it, she'll do it. From back flips on the trampoline to losing weight.
#7 Devree makes awesome cookies!
#8 Devree tells the truth-even if that truth is that "those pants make your butt look fat".
#9 Devree is fun and funny.
#10 Devree has a wholesome and innocents about her that I love and hope she never loses.
#11 She has a beautiful singing voice.
#12 She's very precise and on when she dances and is always placed front and center for the group to follow her. (One day she arrived late to dance class and her instructor was telling the kids "Allright, let's see if you can do this dance without Devree to follow!")
#13 She's turning into a lovely young woman and I just love her!

Alex's Birthday Party!

Pile of present's Alex woke up too!

Giving his birthday the "thumbs up"

Lunch!

Water Games! (On this one, Alex is the target!)

More water games!

The whole gang!

Blowing out the candles....

"Alex, you're suppose to wait until we get done singing the song!"

The homemade Sponge Bob Cake

Opening Presents

Trying out his new mitt! (Thank Jacobsen's and Kambree-it's a perfect gift!)

Catch up....

Wow, I know my life is out of control when I don't have a chance to sit down and blog a little. So this is a quick re-cap and then I'll post pictures.
So as mentioned, Grandpa Richhart died and as sad as that is the great part was James came home eight days early but only to go to Mount Pleasant and attempt to put his fathers affairs in order. I went down last Thursday to rescue Austin (who had gone down with James on Wednesday) as the dust was killing him with his allergies. In fact, it's triggered his asthma and I'm not sure he's going to make it to Teachers Camp this week. While down there my sister-in-law Lindsey and I tried to clean out the kitchen, the house is so full of stuff-most of it useless stuff-and piles and piles of magazines, books, and old things. I know value is relative but seriously in my book-the stuff is junk!
I did have a really fun time driving my car to Mount Pleasant. There is this open stretch in the canyon-I normally am not a fast driver but it was just me and my very fast car and it was so fun to pass people and feel that kind of power and speed. I don't know but I think I could get in to driving fast-of course I would want to do that where I wouldn't get a ticket or endanger anyone but driving fast is FUN!
Anyway, I was of course in the thick of dress rehearsals and planning birthdays and then we had the funeral on Saturday. Towards the end of Saturday night I could feel myself getting sick and sure enough I now have a horrible head cold-complete with scratch throat and runny nose, sinus pressure and lots of sneezing! Just what I needed for opening night!
Monday I made a Sponge Bob birthday cake. Alex told me, "Good job Mom!" when he saw it and gave me a big kiss on the cheek. It did turn out pretty good-considering my lack of cake decorating talent. Then I spent the day running kids to swimming lessons, trying to get ready for Alex's birthday, doing laundry, cleaning the yard and preparing for opening night. Our show went off well and James made it back just in time. (He had gone to Mount Pleasant yet again to help get things in order.)
Today is Alex's long awaited 11th birthday. I stayed up late wrapping presents after our performance and this morning he came down to a pile of presents and a Happy Birthday banner. He told me, "My heart says....(searching for word) good prisints!" and his eyes were huge and watery. I think he was trying to tell me how his heart felt about this whole affair-that he felt something deep inside but he just didn't have the right words. I asked if he had ever had so many presents (most are school clothes just to have stuff to unwrap-his big gift is a DS-but he hasn't opened it yet!) and he said, "No.". I asked if he had ever blew out candles on a birthday cake, "No.". I asked if had ever had a birthday cake, "No.". This came as a surprise to me as they day before he was showing me how he'd blow out his birthday candles. (Keep in mind his birthday has been a subject of conversation for the past three months!) He told me he once got gifts from Ivan for his birthday when he was nine but he never had a cake and in the orphanage they did nothing for birthdays. Not even sing. I imagine everything he knows about birthdays is from watching American movies and TV shows.
So his big friend party was this afternoon and luckily James was home and his sister Kathy was here to-as she was flying back to Anchorage this afternoon. And Amy and Julee were here and even Jen Benson dropped in with her Nastia. We had tutor that morning with our Ukraine friends and then right after tutor we started the party. We had about twenty kids over. They ate BBQ hot dogs, chips, watermelon, veggies and dip. I had employed Devree to run the water games and she did a fabulous job and all the kids got very wet and had lots of fun. Then we sang and Alex blew out his candles just seconds into the Happy Birthday song. He was so excited. I served cupcakes and Popsicles and he opened gifts and loved everything! He got bionicals, transformers, a soccer ball, a baseball mitt, drawing stuff, electronic games, and lot's more! He was very gracious and thanked everyone. I did have to remind him a few times during the party to go be with his friends as they came to see him. He would go off and ride the scooter or pet the dog but as soon as I'd mention it, he'd go join in with his friends. I think he's just not comfortable in conversational settings yet. He's getting there.
He is now putting together and trying out all his new toys. Funny thing, he even jumped in the shower without being asked right after the party. Wow! We are making strides!
Tonight he'll open up his pile of presents. I can't wait to see his face when he gets his DS.
Happy Birthday my sweet boy Alex!
May you never have a sad birthday again. We love you and are so glad you are part of our family.

Grandpa Richharts Funeral

My boys
(The tie James is wearing is in honor of his Dad. In his later years, Dad refused to wear a traditional tie.)

My girls

Cousin's entertaining themselves during the viewing.

I just loved this picture of James and Austin

Rylee giving Grandpa a note.

Grand kids saying goodbye.

Diana, James, Jake and Kathy

21 gun salute

Watching the flag being folded over the casket

Jake and James receiving the flag.

James placing the folded flag on the casket

Odule's Salute!

Our family

Conversations With Alex

Alex and Brach had a sleep over two nights ago. I went into Alex's room in the morning to wake them up but they were not in bed. I figured they'd gone downstairs to play video games or eat breakfast. But I didn't find them downstairs. I started calling for them and they came down from upstairs. Hum...? Later when I was tucking Alex in for bed that night he told me:
Alex: Me sleep locker.
(And he pointed to his closet and pantomimed closing the doors.)
Me: "Oh you slept in your closet when Brach slept over? Where did Brach sleep?
Alex: Floor bed
(And he pointed to the small space behind his bed on the floor)
So, while they had a queen size bed with a pillow top mattress with fresh clean sheets to sleep in, both boys elected to sleep on the floor-in a closet and behind the bed. No wonder I couldn't see them when I walked in!

When I found out yesterday that James was heading home from work I asked the kids to help me clean the house (not that James would care in the least what the house looked like-but I being the creative parent thought it would help motivate everyone to clean!) Alex has very specific jobs each day but this was more of a real cleaning event. I wasn't quite sure what he could do and I didn't want to have to oversee him the whole time so I assigned him to clean the basement. It's partially unfinished, so he really couldn't hurt anything down there-no toxic cleaning products and besides he's really the only one that plays video games down there.
Alex: Me clean-music yous I-pod?
Me: Yes you can use my I-pod.
He stuck that I-pod on and then he cleaned that basement like none other! He actually rolled up the area rug and took it outside to shake it! I couldn't believe he could even carry it! When he was done he proudly showed me his work and I made a huge deal about it and hugged him and told him how I love clean! Clean houses and clean boys!! Then I asked:
Me: Alex, who taught you how to be clean? (I was wondering if the rug thing was something he did at the orphanage on a regular bases.)
Alex: You.
Me: I taught you how to be clean? (Realizing he's thinking I'm asking about who taught him to be a clean boy.) Why would I teach you to be clean?
Alex: Because you loves me.

This morning while heading to swimming lessons:
Alex: No get little this?
Me: What?
Alex: Hum....
Rylee: Sara?
(We have been picking up a little friend around the corner for swimming but her mom was driving her today.)
Alex: Yes, no get little Sara?


On the way to swimming lessons we were talking about James and Austin being in Mount Pleasant and when the funeral will be and Alex said:
Alex: Me no grandpa die
Me: I know sweetie, no one wanted Grandpa to die.
Alex: No yours Dad-me no want die.

James's Dad....

Last night we got a late start on our dress rehearsal and finished the show around 11:00 pm. It was a full dress and with the extreme heat our little tent/dressing room felt like a sauna!

We were heading out to get "notes" (lectures from the director about what we are doing wrong and what needs to be fixed) and Kambree noticed James had called her cell phone about five times. I checked my phone and he had tried at least that many times to call me too. The last call was at 10:45 pm so I knew something was wrong, James doesn't call much in the first place but to be trying to get a hold of us so late and over and over made me know something was wrong. I called him back and did the same thing my mother does when I call after ten, the first words out of my mouth were "What is wrong?" James sadly told me his Dad had died. He had a heart attack and the neighbor found him. He lives two hours away in Mount Pleasant. He lives alone so no one really knows for sure how long ago he died-well, we know it was sometime on Monday-but the fact that he was all alone just made it extra sad. Yes, this was unexpected and I guess with my grandparents and mother in law being so sick for so long before dying, I thought that we'd have a chance to say goodbye? I guess I thought that everyone takes a long time to die? It just seems so sudden. He had called just last week to make plans to visit and bring us more things he's found in the house that belong to James. (You would think after 19 years that we would have collected most of his stuff?)

I can't help but be a little happy for my father in law, you see, he wasn't your average Joe. He loved to think about things, question things, had many theory's and ideas and now not only is he with his sweet wife, parents and three sons, he is getting all the answers! It makes me smile to think about how excited and how many "ah ha" moments he must be having.

Pioneer Trek

Wow! I came across this old photo of some of my ancestors that crossed the plains! Don't they look just like Austin and Kambree?

Teeheehee, because they are!
Austin and Kambree went on Pioneer Trek with the youth in our Stake this week and they LOVED it!

These are pictures I took before they left, they're all showered and clean but...

they came back dirty and tired but BOTH had a great time!
(Despite this very serious picture they posed for before leaving!)

Grease Rehersals!

"Grease"
plays July 27th, 29th, 31st
and
August 3rd, 5th and 7th
Murray Park Amphitheater
8:00 each night
Gates Open at 7:30
Tickets are eight dollars per person!

Here's the cast on the "stairs" leading from Rydell High. (Very scary stairs!)


The girls at the Pajama Party

Dancing in front of our "lockers"

A farther back view of our very unfinished set!

That's my cute Kambree in the purple!

Nope, no picture of me. (I'm behind the camera!)
We open a week from tomorrow!

Home Sweet Home

Rylee and Alex were having a discussion with Brach in the backseat of the car. Rylee was saying how she likes staying in hotels and Brach was agreeing. Alex said "No me. Me like home. Home sweet home." That's his phrase for the day, "Home Sweet Home". I don't know where he picked that one up at.
We had tutor today with five girls from Alex's orphanage. Later in the day I asked him a question and he answered "Da." At first it didn't register then I looked at him as he realized what he had said and we both laughed. I told him I could tell he'd been hanging around with his Ukraine friends today. I guess I haven't noticed it until today but he rarely uses ANY Russian words with us any more. He even calls my mom Grandma and not babushka. I really don't want him to lose his language and I'm glad he gets the chance to speak in his native tongue every week with these girls. I love to hear him speak Russian and I ask him to talk to me in Russian sometimes but he won't.
He wanted to send his friend Sasha some matchbox cars & since Jen was leaving this week to pick up Nastia, I asked if she could deliver a package to Sasha. I had Alex write a note but he couldn't remember how to make a Ukraine "B" and I'm no help, so I had to get the computer translator program up to remind him how to make a Ukraine B. (I'm sure it's not even called a B but it probably makes the same sound as our B? Anyway that's what Alex called it, a B.) I guess when Alex left the orphanage his friend Sasha asked for his matchbox cars. Alex left him three and he brought home about three then a sweet friend of mine gave him more when he arrived here. He must have decided he only needs one car-the green one- as he bagged up ALL the rest to send to Sasha. I love this sweet, giving part of Alex's personality and I hope he never looses it. (He wanted to give Sasha his DI walkie talkies too-the one's he bought for $1-but Jen had limited luggage space.)
Today after Alex got off the phone with James he was telling us that Dad says when he gets home he will take the family camping. Then later Alex was telling us about when we go family camping "Me make ummm (searching for the word)... camping house?" and then made a triangular shape with his hands, "Tent?" I asked. "Yes!" he said. Apparently he helped put up a tent at scouts this week, little does he know that my idea of camping is pulling the trailer (affectionately called the Tajmahall-not for it's great beauty or perfection but because it is HUGE and sleeps nine!) and sleeping on a mattress not a tent floor!
You should have seen his face talking to James when they were talking about camping, he's eyes lit up and he asked "Fishing?" and then "Shooting guns?" He has a list a mile long of things he wants to do when James gets home. The other day I told him he needed to go play with friends as he was sitting around being bored and he said. "Dad not home! Dad working." We had a little talk about Dad not being his only friend and that when Dad does come home he has lots of work to do and Alex needs to have friends his own age. I don't think it sunk in, he's not only counting down the days until his birthday but the day after when James gets home!
Rylee and Devree had a bake sale this afternoon. They made brownies, chocolate chip cookies, cake mix cookies and cupcakes and made over $50. They made everything except the frosting for the cupcakes, I made that but they frosted them.
Austin and Kambree left for youth conference. They're going on a pioneer trek. They looked so cute in their pioneer clothes. I hope they're loving it and safe and warm. I'll post pictures later.
Rehearsals are in full swing. I'm just getting home, sweaty and tired but I wanted to write before I forget these cute Alexisms...

New words...

Each day Alex learns a new word or phrase. Two days ago he picked up "Horrible" (Probably because I told him the combination of bright yellow and red he had on looked horrible-much like Ronald McDonald!) and the same day he learned "Just Kidding". So he spent the day saying something is horrible (like the food I prepared, my hair, someones clothes) and then in the next breath say "Just kidding!"
He has also leaned "delicious" which is a nice break from "yummy" which he says about 10 times every time we sit down to eat. ("Me yummy, yummy, yummy." Or just a string of yummy's while he's eating!)
He's also leaned "never mind" which he used non stop one day by saying "Mom!" me saying "Yes?" and him saying "Never mind!" and then laughing.
Today he learned "Good luck." I was working on the computer and he told me. "Me say you good luck work Mom" then later when I was trying to take a nap he came in and told me "Good luck you sleep Mom!" Which sounded more like an ominous threat then a sincere wish.
Each week I give him a list of spelling words as part of our studying. This week one of his words was "his" and aside from learning to spell I try to get him to use the word in a sentence. "His has Ipod" was his sentence.
But my favorite sentence of all time is "I loves you so much Mom."