Life in a Northern Town: FAMILY LETTER 04.20.14

Dear Loved Ones,

Happy Easter!

And Happy Birthday to Sariah and Kaylee today, our two cute nieces turning 9 and 7 on Easter Sunday…what a fun day!

Last Monday for FHE we went to Home Depot and picked out a fir tree for our front yard, some succulents for an indoor succulent garden (so mommy has some desert around her), and a few last things for Rich to build our shed. We also let Heidi choose a restaurant for her birthday dinner, so we had Chinese Buffet.

Tuesday was Heidi’s 10th birthday. Rich made her pancakes and bacon for her birthday and she opened presents at the breakfast table. It was rainy and cold, we watched Maren, and the kids just hung out and did art and played games. The Bakers went in to have their twins on Tuesday morning and stopped by the hospital to see them. The twins weren’t born until 3am on Wednesday, but they were delivered naturally, about 5 and a half pounds each. We are so happy for them! Heidi had a friend over for the afternoon for birthday fun, and then we had Navajo tacos for dinner and watched a movie.

Wednesday was another day of mixed rain-sunshine weather, another day of a lazy Spring break. We did chores and played in the yard in the morning, then napped after lunch. Young Women and Scouts were cancelled for Spring Break, so Rich took advantage of a sunny evening and finished our fence and the kids helped.

Thursday we had a big chore day. We got the house cleaned up, then finished all the laundry and cleaned out the laundry room. I took 3 bags of old linens and clothes to the thrift store. We took care of our friends’ dog on Wednesday and Thursday, just letting him out a few times a day and running around with him. The kids really liked that. We had a Low Country Boil for dinner that night and Niles decided that shrimp are “gross.” The rest of the family gobbled it up.

Friday morning Addie babysat while I went to the doctor and had an easy-peasy checkup. I had a groupB strep test and my bp has risen considerably (145/90, and a second reading at 138/80). I don’t have the strep results yet, but it sure would be nice to not have it this time and not have to get antibiotics when I go have the baby. This week’s milestone is that I’m pretty much full term and from now on I can deliver here in Livingston. Later on Friday I met with Jenn Claar to plan details for Carrie Kling’s baby shower, which Jenn is hosting at our house next Saturday. It’s going to be so cool—Michaela Claar has planned the shower as a 10-hour YW project and she and her mom are making it really special. That afternoon Addie went over to Izzi’s house for a late night, Niles, James, and I napped, and Heidi did tons of art. We had a yummy broccoli beef stir fry for dinner and Rich took the kids to rent a game and check out the Livingston Kite Company in the evening. I had some random annoying contractions and took a nice soak. It was a nice mellow family night.

Saturday was Rich’s designated SHED DAY! He got up around 7am and worked on our little shed until the sun went down at 9pm! POOR DADDY! (Actually, he took a break from 3-5 to take the big kids to see a matinee of Rio 2—pretty much their only “special” Spring Break activity). Niles and I took a nap, and then I helped the Easter Bunny get baskets ready. We had some great homemade pizza for dinner followed by Saturday night baths. We got our Easter dinner ready then snuggled up downstairs to watch “HOP.”

Sunday the kids woke us up early to get into their Easter Baskets. We had a nice, though sparse, sacrament meeting—The Blakes spoke. They have been called as service missionaries to lead the addiction recovery program and Wayne is so excellent for that calling. They talked about their new calling and how it ties into Easter and new beginnings. I sang “I Stand All Amazed” and it went along with their talks so well. After church we had a nice ham dinner and Helen Sims joined us—we told her we needed a Grandma this Easter, lol, so she obliged. We had nice naps and are now just relaxing together. I think we will take a walk since the sun is so beautiful and warm today.

Hope you all had an equally glorious and sweet Easter. There are no words for how grateful we are for our Savior, this day, and all it means.

Love, Rich and Jamie and Family