The Dynamic Duo or Masters of Disaster...it all depends on your viewpoint

I feel like I have spent the last few days just trying to keep up with the Dynamic Duo at our house. Joshua and Lydia are constantly finding new ways to keep me busy.  They sure can get into mischief together, but they sure are cute!!

 Joshua and Lydia have been into so much mischief this week.  Monday we took everyone over to watch Matthew's cross country race in Lovell.  Matthew took over a minute off his time and did marvelous!!  We had to go and get Joshua off the course a time or two. He thought he was running the race along with the team I guess. Lydia was more than happy to follow right along behind Joshua.  Tuesday I began to wonder if I can really keep my children home for school and keep an eye on Joshua and Lydia. It seemed like I was putting out one fire after another all day long.  First, they locked themselves in the car and chewed almost all the gum I keep out there to keep my awake when I have to drive. "Chewed it and swallowed it" according to Joshua.  Not ten minutes after I got them out of the car, they were playing downstairs and Joshua shut Lydia in the storage closet in the playroom.  It wouldn't have been too big of deal except that closet door has a lock on it (don't ask why..there isn't a need for it).  Joshua locked Lydia in and I have misplaced the key.  Neil was coming home for lunch, but I couldn't wait. Matthew and Dallin helped me take the door off to rescue dear sweet Lydia.

The adventures of the day weren't quite over yet.  When Neil left to back to school Joshua and Lydia went out and didn't want to come back in. I went in the house to get my shoes and only got distracted for one minute, but by the time I got back outside I couldn't see them anywhere. I looked all around our yard and house. I decided they might have gone next door to the Andreasen's house. I knocked on their door, but they hadn't seen them.  By now I was starting to really worry. I got Matthew and MaryAnne to help me look and a couple of Andreasen children came out to help.  Matthew rode his bike around the Jason/Henry loop looking for them. Matthew finally found them over on Jason Road playing in someone's backyard. They said they went to see the dogs.  They made really good time for being barefoot and wearing princess shoes.  I bet they were missing for at least 20 minutes and I was really, really worried!!!  So glad they were found safe and sound to have more adventures together.  I left them home with Julia in the evening while I went to watch Emma's volleyball match. I was a little worried that they might be a handful, but they behaved very well and Emma did great playing.

Today they have only locked themselves in the car and finished off the gum they didn't get to yesterday.  It sure can be a challenge to keep up with these two. I am trying to figure out a good way to keep them in the house. Dead bolts maybe?  It is fun to have children who like to play together and keep each other entertained.  I hope they will grow up to be the best of friends.  It is good to have them to keep me hopping.  I love all my children so much!!!  I am so grateful to be a mom and to be blessed with this opportunity to love them.

Magic in the air

I learned today in Sharing time that children love it when you bring a magic wand to Primary.  I made a really cool magic wand yesterday. Neil found some shiny silver tape to cover the end with that made it really cool.  I even performed a magic trick with it in Primary. I had all the children's attention and it was marvelous.  We  then talked about this quote from President Uchtdorf "Too often we notice the needs around us, hoping someone from far away will magically appear to meet those needs...When we do this, we deprive our neighbor of the service we could render, and we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to serve."    We talked about how we could like magic look for people who need help and then give service. We also talked about how many people give service to us all the time and we don't even notice it.  If we have eyes to see as the Savior does and hands to do His work, we will notice people who need service and people who give service.  We had thank you posters for people who serve our Primary, the teachers, the Bishopric, the pianist and music leader, and the brethren who set up the chairs each week. Each child signed the posters and we will give them out next week.  It was a great sharing time and I really enjoyed teaching about service. Next week, we are going to work on Thank you cards for others who served the children this week and work on memorizing Mosiah 2:17.  There was definitely magic in the air in our Primary today and the children were so reverent.

We had a busy week at our house.  I know I say that every week, but I guess that is part of life with 8 children at home.  Neil is teaching an evening class this semester and that makes everything feel busier than normal.  Our evenings look like this: Monday Family Home Evening, Tuesday Neil teaches, Wednesday Neil, Julia, Matthew and Emma have Young Men/Young Women's, Thursday Neil teaches, Friday date night or take the children to the Powell Football game, Saturday finally there is time to read as a family or do family things, Sunday movie and ice cream tradition.  I am so grateful for the time we do have together. I love those nights when everyone is home and we can spend time together. I am also grateful that Neil is willing to provide for our family even if it means he has to teach a night class. I am glad he doesn't always have to teach in the evening.

Wednesday Neil and I took Joshua to Billings to see Dr. Wiggins.  His sats looked good, 87%.  His echo looked good.  The nice young ladies from St. Vincent's Healthcare came and recorded some footage of Joshua with Dr. Wiggins and Melissa.  It will be fun to see what they put together for the video.  Last week we did an interview and they recorded Joshua outside playing with the children.  It is exciting that they are going to spotlight Joshua's story for their fundraiser in October.  I am not sure I said anything worth using when they interviewed us, but I am grateful for the opportunity.

Thursday Emma played in a volleyball match here in Powell.  I had clogging at the same time. I went to clogging for a little bit and then left to watch Emma. Neil watched the beginning of her match and then left to teach his class. Hopefully between the two of us someone was there most of the match to watch her.

Friday we went to the Ward Harvest dinner.  The food and company was good.  They had some friendly competitions after dinner. Dallin got the chance to try and keep 6 balloons up in the air with Melissa Kellett. They ended up with only one balloon, but so did the other team so it was a tie. Dallin was nervous, but he did great.  Matthew kept really hoping that Mom would get her name pulled out of the hat, but I was grateful I got to watch and not play.  It was  a fun night.

Saturday we watched a couple of boys for a few hours while their mom cleaned and packed their apartment so they could move.  We also had rain for most of the day. Joshua found the mud puddles and had a great time.  Joshua and Lydia found the same mud puddle this morning before church, not the idle time to play in the mud. Lydia came in saying her shoes were muddy right before it was time to leave for church.  We made it on time, with clean shoes.

Happy September!!

We kicked off the school year with a bang at our house.  Emma and David decided to go to school this year. Emma is in 7th grade at the middle school and David is in 5th grade at Parkside Elementary.  David has Mrs. Shorb and he seems to really like school.  We went to the Parkside Open house on Thursday.  It was fun to go back after being away for the last eight years.  A lot of the teachers remembered us and our older children.  Mr. Jones (the principal) remembered our family and told us how glad he was to have a Waite back at Parkside.  I think David's favorite part of the day is recess and hot lunch.  I am glad he is enjoying his school experience.  I have to admit that I shed  a few tears as I left him and Emma at school on the first morning. I will miss having them home to learn with and lunch time seems so quiet with Rebecca, Bethany, Emma and David gone.  I am glad that they have good schools to go to, and even though I miss them through the day I am glad they have this opportunity.

Emma had a rough couple of first days. She not only started school, but she also started volleyball practice after school. The first day of school was also pack meeting and Young Womens, so she didn't get home until after 9:00 that night.  She was one tired girl.  She has struggled with her locker, but she is a determined person and she is getting better each day.  She has good teachers and I think she will enjoy this school year once she gets past all the stress of starting school.

Julia is a Junior in Wyoming Connections Academy.  She enjoys going to seminary in Brother Shoopman's class.  School keeps her busy. She babysits Junior Zorad a time or two each week.

Matthew is a freshman this year in Wyoming Connections Academy. I thought he might choose to go to the High School, but he decided to stay home.  He is running on the varsity cross country team.  He had his second meet in Sheridan on Saturday.  This year the state meet is in Sheridan so most of the schools wanted to come and try out the course.  He ran it in just over 22 minutes.  He was the 7th runner to finish for Powell.  He enjoys the team dinner and disney movie the night before a meet, probably more than the actual running. 3.1 miles doesn't sound like fun to me, but he is a good runner and it is a good fit for him.

MaryAnne is in third grade in Wyoming Connections Academy.  I really like her teacher, Mrs.Aguirre.  We got a little behind last week, but we'll get caught up.  She likes school so that really helps.

Dallin is in first grade this year. I decided to let him give Wyoming Connections Academy a try this year. He is doing great!! Most days he works really hard in the morning and is done by lunch time.  It is a good fit for him because he loves to check off things he has gotten done.

Joshua and Lydia are good at keeping each other occupied and either out of mischief or into mischief together.  They sure keep me hoping. If it is quiet for too long I better go and find out what they are into.  I found them behind the couch quietly eating a 1 pound bag of M&Ms the other day.  I am not sure how they got it, but they were sure enjoying it.

Neil is in full swing at the college. He doesn't have any afternoon classes to teach this semester, but that doesn't mean he is home all afternoon. He is spending time getting things done at his office. He is teaching an evening class.  It makes it challenging to eat dinner together because he has to leave for his class before five and Matthew and Emma don't finish practice until 5:30. We just do the best we can and know it only lasts until December.

Hopefully the beautiful fall weather is on its way in Powell. Fall is my favorite time of the year. I love the cooler weather, and football.  We went to the Powell game on Friday but we only stayed until half time. Powell was way ahead of Riverton and then it started to rain.  We were sitting on the Riverton side and I was having to be a good neighbor and not cheer to loudly when Powell did well. Matthew thought it was funny to listen to the Riverton fans complain about the calls.

Saturday we listened to the BYU vs. Texas game. It was a good game and I really enjoyed listening to it.

Today I had Sharing time. We had four prophets come and visit Junior Primary. It was a fun sharing time to teach about how prophets have given us an example of service.  This afternoon we skyped with mom and dad.  It was the first time we had talked with them since July first when they left on their mission. It was so fun to see them and hear them. I loved it!! Neil told me I didn't even get too emotional. It was true. I miss them but I am so grateful they are serving a mission together.  What a  great example they are setting for our family.

I'll include a slideshow of some pictures from the happenings at our house lately. Hope you enjoy!!

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