Blackham Update (January 2010)

Well, Friday was the last day of school for three weeks for the middle three kids. Landon will still have school, but after this coming week, Colton will actually get a break too, as his preschool teacher is having a baby. I’m glad that it coincides with the kids off-track time. While Colton loves school and it’s great to keep him busy while his brothers are gone, he doesn’t want to go if they are around. So this will work out good. Callahan and Keaton will participate in bowling as they usually do during their off track time.

Because the kids won’t be in school when Valentine’s Day comes, kindergarten went ahead and had a Valentine party on Friday. I’m not sure how, but I got roped into being “room mother” ... thus in charge of the party. It went pretty well, we had several different stations and the kids just rotated through. I hadn’t gotten many parent volunteers, so Gray took the morning off and came and helped. With him there, I had him bring his computer and projector and had one of the stations be “Memory” which is always a hit with our primary kids of about the same age. We also did “fishing” (another primary activity) and bingo and a couple of crafts. Colton came too, but instead of sitting with me or Gray, he sat with another mom at the Bingo table and “helped” her. With this party (and the Halloween one earlier in the year) my room mother duties are done.

Friday was also Callahan’s science fair. It worked out well as I was going for the kindergarten party anyway. I was able to help him set up, and then tour all the projects when the party was over. Callahan’s project was titled “Fact or Friction” ... and addressed reducing friction (in a pinewood derby car, where the wheel rubs the axle) using graphite lubrication, thus increasing your speed. Also glad to have that done.

Landon got his first paycheck, but we didn’t have anywhere to put it. I took him to the credit union and we got him an account. We’re with America First and it is nice because you can easily track your funds online, make transfers between accounts (if he owes us money or vice versa) and they have several branches right close by. Landon only has a couple weeks left for reffing Jr. Jazz, but his supervisor mentioned that they will need refs for t-ball, soccer and flag football, so we’ll look into that if he wants.

Thursdays I go over to the church to play volleyball. It’s for all the women in the stake, but the turnout hasn’t been that great. Often half the women are from our ward. The missionaries have come and played the last couple weeks, they both seem to have volleyball skills.  Last Thursday I forgot to take my wedding ring off at home. I prefer not to have it on while playing, so I took it off and tucked it in the outer pocket of my purse, where I keep my cell phone. After our game I hurried home and then remembered I hadn’t put my ring back on. I was a little stressed, because I hadn’t put it in the pocket very securely. Sure enough, when I looked in the pocket, it was not there. I checked the car where I’d tossed my purse, then backtracked to the church, looking in the gym, hallway and parking lot, to no avail. I felt so bad. The men playing basketball at the church were aware of the situation and said they would keep an eye out (one fellow was from our ward). I went home, thinking I’d go check the parking lot again in the morning (in the light). It wasn’t too long before the phone rang and someone had found the ring and I got it back on my finger where it belongs! That’s really the first time I’ve “lost” it in 17+ years.  Grayson actually had lost his ring, also in the church parking lot, and it too was turned in, so we’ve lucked out!

For our Friday night date we went to Desert Star for “Twi-Lite” which parodied the successful “Twilight” books. It was one of the favorites we’ve seen, lots of laughing :)   Desert Star is such a fun little theater. Gray bought us season tickets for an early Valentines gift.  I was mentioning something about it at dinner tonight, and Keaton said he wants to go see a show again. We took the boys to James Blond last summer.  Callahan didn’t go as he suffered an injury shortly before the show ... I’d like Callahan to see one.  Landon liked it but said he doesn’t really care to go again (which is ok I guess, as he’s an “adult” price wise) ... Pirates of the Car-Rib-Ee-An is next up.

Well, that’s our update ...

Jen and da boys