An Era is Ending

It has dawned on me the past few months that some of the activities I have done with Jacob over the past 5 years are coming to an end.  One of them is Story time.

Since Jacob was a baby I have taken him to the library nearly every week to pick out books.

Some of those weeks we have attended story time with Miss Lucy.  She is so good at what she does!

A few weeks ago it was our last time.  But about a week later they had a puppet show (those happen every so often) which Jacob loved.


The puppet show was at 1:15 p.m.

 and at 4 p.m. they had an activity for kids 6-11...mainly for those still in school during story time, but I knew Jacob would love this one.  It was about Super Heroes and practicing your Super Hero Powers.

It was so cute.  They made a mask and cape,

then they had to run a relay with "Kryptonite" and they couldn't let it touch the ground.

 After they did the limbo (Jacob doing a tuck and roll under the limbo rope.)
and lastly she had stations set up where they could do different activities to practices their super hero powers.  Jacob loved it.

We brought our friend James and here they are!

Another place that is ending is Discovery Gateway.  We went last week and Jacob (and his friend, another James) both had fun, but they will be growing out of it soon.

They enjoyed playing in the building area,

got on the horse,

 played in the store, went to the Bob the Builder exhibit,

 and went out to the helicopter.

They have added a "children's hospital" to the helicopter area where they can be at the admitting desk,

 do x-rays, and surgery.

 They can also bring a wounded patient in from the helicopter.  It is very well done and they boys had the most fun there.

Mom's 75th Birthday

I have gotten way behind in  my blogging!

In April it was Mom's 75th birthday.

Chris, Joy, and Kristen were able to fly out to join the celebration.  Joy flew in on Wednesday and stayed with Elizabeth that night.  Thursday morning they came up and we all did pedicures before picking Jacob up from Kindergarten and getting lunch.  They went back to Elizabeth's and later that afternoon I had arranged to go down to M & D's to drop off school things they were going to store for Jessica over the summer.  Then we were going to surprise her with Joy and Kristen...to keep her from eating dinner I told her I had a certificate to use with them.

I brought down Jessica's things and Elizabeth and Nathan brought Joy and Kristen--we met at Mom's.  I began to unload the car and Mom and Dad came out.  I told them I had asked E & N to come help me unload the heavy stuff.  Joy and Kristenn went to the front door.

We went inside and sat down for a minute and then Joy rang the door bell.  Mom was surprised!
 We had figured the weekend out so Mom wouldn't have to cook.  Elizabeth brought a casserole and I did salad and dessert.  We were getting ready to eat and then Jason walked in the door with Chris, who he had picked up from the airport on his way home from work.  Mom was surprised again!

Friday, after Jacob came home from school we went down to Mom's again to visit and that night Heidi and family returned from their spring break trip to Colorado.  We went out to dinner that night and Jessica arrived while we were eating.  We stayed over night that night to reduce driving etc.

Saturday we got up and Chris, Jason, Jacob and I went to BYU to show Jacob some of the sites.  We were walking through the Wilkinson Center and in the ballroom they were doing service projects.  They asked if we wanted to help so we spent a few minutes coloring some pages that would be used to help kids learn the alphabet.

We walked over to the Eyring Scinence Center and showed Jacob some of the cool things there and then walked into the courtyard of the "new" Smith Family Living Center.







We walked back through the bookstore and then went to the BYU Creamery for ice cream.

Back at home we worked on Mom's b-day cake before heading over to Heidi's for dinner.

Several months before Mom's birthday I emailed my brothers and sisters about putting together a book for her birthday.  I had them send me pictures of their family with notes to Mom wishing her a Happy 75th Birthday.  Joy and I worked on it together...sincewe could log into the Shutterfly site we would take turns going on to work on the book. It turned out well.

Sunday everyone came to our house for dinner.  Joy had to leave early that day, but Chris was there.  It was a fun weekend!









For Mom's actual birthday, on the 16th, we went down again and  gave her a basket of 75 things.  A bag of candy counted for many of those thigs!  I think she enjoyed her birthday!

More Parties in March

So on my actual birthday we were going to go down to my Mom's to celebrate with my family.  She got sick and so we postphoned it a week and celebrated my, David's and Jacob's birthday together on the 14th.

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Heidi gave me some shoes that I love

Malia, Linnea, Julianna, David and Olivia

Me and the nieces

David, Jacob and me--the Birthday Kids--blowing out the candles

Does the fun ever end?  No!  

On Saturday we had Stake Activity Day.  The theme was There's No Place Like Home based on The Wizard of Oz.  I was Dorthy, my first counselor, Julie, was the lion, my second counselor, Margaet, was the scarecrow, and my secretary, Emily was the tin man. (Pictures to come)  I had the Dorthy costume from Halloween when I was principal.  The lion and scarecrow came from my secrataries at Spring Creek.  About 10 years ago we had a PTA president who was a fabulous seamstress.  She made the lion and scarecrow.  Then I borrowed them from Jean and Debi for this activity.  Funny thing is Debi and Julie are both shorter and fit the lion costume and Jean and Margaret are taller and fit the scarecrow costume.

Spring Creek Halloween 2004

We gave the girls a necklace with 2 "ruby" slippers on it when they arrived.  They came in and had finger food breakfast, then made a craft before going to mini classes.

A girl from my ward, Corie, had done a sharing time earlier this year that I had seen and she had used Dorthy etc. as part of it talking about "getting home."  We had her come and give the same sharing time to introduce the theme. The activity went very well.  You always hope that the girls enjoyed it and got something out of it.

The next day, Sunday, March 23rd, was Jacob's 6th birthday!

After church Grandma and Grandpa Wong and Karen came over for dinner and to open presents

He got gum

                                 

A new bike

Hit of the day--his Ben 10 watch!!

 He has been begging for one and he LOVED it.  It was one of those moments when you feel like you hit the jackpot as a parent!

Ben 10 cake

It was a fun day and I can't believe he is 6!


 He was born on a Sunday and was this small only 6 years ago!
My how times flies!!

Jacob with Grandma Safsten --just a few hours old

50!

Last Friday, March 7th, was my 50th birthday! That amazes me...you never really consider being that old until it hits (or is getting close!)  You spend a lot of time in life trying to achieve that next goal...then you get to a point where you've hit most of them (not that you can't continue improving) and so now it is more that rather than accumulate more (I've done the first apartment, first car, first condo, first house, first husband :), first child, etc.) I want to refine what I have.

I started the birthday off early by going to dinner, on Tuesday, with some college friends.  In college we spent our birthdays together since we were all born within 1 week of each other.  What are the chances of that?  Lisa, Inez and I met in the dorms and we met Birthe the following year in our apartments.  Lisa, sitting my me, is Feb. 28th; Birthe, sitting across from Lisa, is March 3rd; and Inez, sitting across from me, is Feb. 29th.  Then I am March 7th.




Here is a picture from our 21st birthday.  Birthe is actually 4 years older than us and we remember at 21 wondering how she was still alive at 25 and not married!   How could anyone live to be that old?!?!

Friday was a fun day.   My friends from the ward, Julie, Julie and Teresa took me to lunch at Kneaders.  So yummy.

Later in the afternoon I received a delivery of beautiful flowers from Joy and family!  Such a fun surprise!!  They are beautiful!!                

We were going to go down to Mom and Dad's for dinner, but mom got sick...we postponed it to the next Friday.  This meant that Jacob could go to his friend's birthday party from 4:30-6:30, which meant Jason and I could go out to dinner.  

When we all got home Jason and Jacob brought me my presents...a beautiful bracelet, Sees candy :), and a certificate for Jamba Juice!   Then we lit the candle on a buntlet cake (perfect size for a family of 3) 

and Jacob and I blew it out.  

 Now we can head on to the next party coming this Friday!!!

Jauary and February

It has been so hard to keep up with this lately!  This year started off with Jr. Jazz basketball.  Jacob played with the same kids  he has played soccer, t-ball etc. with.  He is #15 with the red shoes.

He likes playing with friends probably more than he actually likes playing the game.  :)








On Sunday, January 11th, Jacob lost his first tooth!  Amazing to think he is old enough for that.  A week later he was at playgroup, eating a cookie, and thinks he swallowed the second one.

 When I was growing up in California, there was a girl who lived just down the street who babysat us.  Her name is Debbie.  She and her friend Nancy would come to babysit us and we really liked her.  Her dad had a work transfer to Saudi Arabia and they left.  Somehow, about 15 years ago, I heard that she had ended up here in Salt Lake (which is surprising since she is not a member of the Church) and I looked her up in the phone book.  We got together and had lunch.  Years have passed and we got in touch again and went to lunch in January.  I found out that Nancy had lived here in Hurricane for about 4 years.  I wish I had known--it would have been so fun to see her!  Amazing how after 40 years we can still get together and have a great time!

Our 8th anniversary was on February 4th.  Jason brought these home and I loved them!!   This was our celebration....the previous weekend Jacob was up visiting his cousins and we were going to do something, but Jason got strep throat.  After dinner we headed to The Atria (an assisted living center in our Stake) to do FHE for them.  After we ran to the church to get our temple recommends renewed.   On ward and up ward!