FHE Talent Show

Last night Austin asked if we could have a talent show the next day. I thought that sounded like a perfect idea for FHE and Austin set to work planning. He assigned each of us our talent to perform.

Kurt came home from work early (Memorial Day) and we spent the afternoon together. After some grocery shopping we went to the Bowling Alley. Emma Lynn schooled us all with the high score of 164!

Then it was time for FHE. I gave a short lesson about the gifts we've been given from God and how they will grow and become better if we share them with others. Practice makes perfect:

Presenting the FIRST Romans' Fam FHE Talent Show

Break dance by........................Austin Romans


Tumbling by............................Spencer Romans

{there was still some breakdancing going on during the tumbling b/c the music was so awesome.}

Art by..................................Emma Lynn Romans


Babbling by.............................Rooster

{all we had to say was, "Tell us a story Rooster" and off she went. It was hiliarous. As if it wasn't funny enough she found this stick to wave around to magnify her already dramatic hand motions.}

Piano by.................................mom

Magic by.................................dad

He started out with the blowing up the tie trick (he wanted something new to perform.) Then the family favorite, the disappearing penny, was requested until he gave in. The kids never get tired of that one!

As you can see we are a very talented family. We pray they will be magnified as we continue to share them with each other.

My Talking Walls

Tonight we had a fireside or SED {Sunday Evening Discussion} at our house for the youth. It went really well and hopefully will become a tradition.

I finished up a lot of little projects that I had in preparation for people coming over. Some times I really love having a deadline. I love the outcome and I'm wondering why we didn't do this sooner! ;)

I finally got this picture of Christ with the children framed. It was intended for the dining room but looks fabulous in the living room. It takes care of the large empty space so nicely.


For the dining room we hung the 2 candle sticks holders next to my original Boise art masterpiece (thanks mom!) And a chair (still a work in progress) and flower tin above it for the empty corner.


Now to the basement, the biggest transformation...when we got our new living room furniture (the end of January) we put the new flat screen right next to our entertainment center. It looked ridiculous to have so many TVs, movies and paraphernalia. I gave away our old TV to a graduating Senior, burned the old entertainment center (that was my pyro husband's idea) and redecorated the space. I LOVE IT! It gives us so much more room, and it is open and bright. Still a few finishing touches but ahhh... {{happy sigh}}




And you do realize that this is an official invitation for everyone to come and SEE it personally. :)

Open your arms and put me inside

I love this direct quote from my Spencer.

These are some of the things we've been doing to celebrate our School's Out party the past few days:


"What I love about summer" chalk drawing contest
{Spencer: riding in a boat, Emma Lynn: swimming, Austin: swimming, Mom: camping}


Grilled cheese sandwich shapes


Made origami whales

Got ice cream from Dairy Queen after the first t-ball/baseball games of the year.


Braxton spent the night, we had a marshmallow toss,

and played bubble tag. We also did a float vs. sink science experience and picked out a movie to rent {Star Wars II}. Plus some good ole fashion sleeping in and snuggling.


Thursday night Emma Lynn and I had a GNO with Grandma Cindy, Marti, Kelli, Julie, Tiffany and Lilli. We went to see our community college's version of "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." I really enjoyed the music & show! It was so fun and they did a great job. We went out to eat at Denny's afterwards. Thanks for a wonderful night girls! :D

Summer can definitely open up its arms and put me inside. I'm likin' this!l

Finished with First

Today was Austin LAST DAY of First Grade!

CELEBRATE!!!

My heart is so happy.


Austin and his 1st grade teacher Mrs. Camp

Austin's present from mom & dad for a FABULOUS 1st grade year. Great work all year Austin. I'm proud of the amazingly smart, hard working, diligent, and kind boy that you are.


When he got home there was this sign waiting for him to run through to officially start our SUMMER.




Ya. Summer has started! I put together a bag of "Summer Fun" for us to do to start our School's out party. We are not finished partying, pictures to follow. :)

30

The long awaited, much dreaded 30th birthday has been without a doubt the best birthday ever.

May has been a humbling month for me. I knew the only place I needed to be was in the temple. I invited 30 people to attend the 6 pm session.

Kurt and I arrived at the temple at 8 am. I had a few goals for the day. We quickly got busy and only paused at 12:30 to have lunch in the temple cafeteria. By the time we left the temple at 8 pm I had completed

30 initatories
30 sealings
3 endowment sessions

I LOVE the temple. It truly is the Lord's house and I could stay there forever. Real learning comes as you stay in the temple and serve. What a feast. I would love to do that every month. It was such a wonderful day.



We (Dan, Kelli, Brandon, & Tiffany) had dinner afterwards at Olive Garden. This was the perfect start to a fabulous new decade.

Closing a Chapter in my life

Today I was released as Young Women's President.

I knew when it came time to be released from this calling would be hard. But I didn't realize how hard it would be. I didn't know that it would hurt. My heart is broken.

Since I found out on May 2nd I have shed more tears than I have water to produce. I have plead in earnst for understanding and peace. The pain is raw and very real because they are special girls and have become apart of me. This calling has become part of my identify. I have found myself in this service. Being void of them, of this service leaves me so very lost.

I told the Bishopric that they were cutting off my arm by releasing me. I asked them to make the changes quickly so the severed muscles were not left dangling in a bloody mess as they prolonged my agony. They got it done. And now it's bleeding.

It will come as no surprise that Kurt continues to be wonderful and supportive to me. Since he is over young womens he received the inspiration when it was time for me to be released and all the changes. I tried not to take it personal and I tried to be gracious in the pain I was feeling so he wouldn't so feel bad. I don't think I was very successful. I have been so blessed with such an amazing husband. Thank You Kurt for giving me the ability and support to serve and magnify this calling. There is no possible way I could have done it without you. My heart is overflowing. I love you.

Today was very hard. The keys literally and spiritually have been given to another. My heart aches and yet the load has been lifted I am comforted and filled with peace. I will be anxiously engaged until the new calling comes and I can start to mend this broken heart, this bleeding amputated arm. And forever will my YW have a place in my heart.

Need to Getaway

Since Christy Ruf and I both have May birthdays and we both were turning the big 3-0 this year we decided we should do something together. We decided on an overnight getaway to McCall, Idaho with the husbands. We booked our time share, found some excellent sitters and headed north.

I'll admit when Friday rolled around I really, really didn't want to go. I was depressed (more about that in the next post) and really just wanted to stay home and hide. It ended up that Doug and Kurt left before us to fix a pivot that was on the way. So Christy and I left after my babysitter got home from work. I really, really enjoyed our drive up together. It was so good to talk with her. I really needed it. It helped me forget about the pity party I was having for myself. Brightening my spirits was probably the best gift I could ask for.

McCall was cold but gorgeous and we spent the entire time eating. I am not recommending The Mill but The Pancake House has been a long time fav.

Thanks for getting away and celebrating 30 with me!

Excellent at EIGHTY!

My Grandpa Waite celebrated his 80's birthday on May 8th. The thoughtful daughter and daughters-in-law arranged a fabulous family reunion for the event. We had a wonderful weekend in the great Mopa Valley.


We left Vale around 3:30pm on Thursday, May 6th, yes hours after we had intended. The kids continue to hold their Traveling Champs Record and we had a nice journey south (arriving at 2:30 am our time.)

Friday, May 7th, we visited and played as more family started to trickle in. The kids, Kurt, Karen and Grandma Richards (my mom) went to the Lost City Museum (I had pasted out in a deep sleep, aahhhh a nap, heavenly!)



We also went to the sand dunes behind Matt and Dawn's house. That sand was amazing!
















Also a little bit of this


and a lot of eating (that never seems to be a problem when families gather!)

Go Austin Go!

They had the 600 meter races today at Vale Elementary school for grades 1-5. The kids and I made a sign for Austin so we could cheer him on.



They went by grade, girls first and then boys.


The take off (the arrow points to the very back of Austin's head, that's all I captured during the race. I was too busy cheering that I forgot to take pictures - that is definitely a first!)


He came in 6th place. I was so proud of him. He ran hard, had fun and did his best.(He was trying so hard not to breathe hard and out of breath in this picture.)

I really like cheering for my kids. I'll always have my big poster up as they go through life, cheering them on "Go Austin Go!"

Z. O. O. spells zoo

Spencer has been on a spelling kick lately. "Mom you need to S. T. O. P. Ok, now you can G. O." If someone asks his name you run the probability of having it spelled to you. He does a nice dramatic pause after each letter too.

This morning we went to the Z. O. O. The very last hurrah of the preschool year. MiKayla and her family met us at the house and we caravaned over together. It was good to spend some time with them. It was fun to run into other preschool families as we checked out the animals.



The weather was perfect. It wasn't too crowded. We couldn't have asked for a better day to go.



Austin is taking a field trip with his class on the 24th to the Boise Zoo so I had him work with dad for the day. We really missed his wealth of knowledge about each animal. Spencer took over the map duties and did impressively well (so adorable.)







Later that night when Austin got home the kids ran through the sprinkler. Emma Lynn knew school was out, that means it's summer time and summer is all about sprinklers!
I love the logic thought process. They had fun except when Ruth got her hair wet. As Kurt would say, "She's such a girl."



After baths we watched Emma's grad present, "Princess and the Frog." It's feeling like summer is here. aaaaaahhh.

Preschool Graduation

Emma Lynn is a Kinder Bloom graduate.



This event was stressful for me on many levels (lack of sleep, not meeting all my personal deadlines, not having a working oven, emotional strain of letting go and the feeling of being in a general funk just to name a few.)

But now its over and I can move on. I need to.

Thanks to Cindy, Kelli and Kurt for your help - you are amazing!


The Lady bug and Caterpillar classes (Emma is third from the left.)

She has truly been a fabulous helper and a preschool super star. I'm so proud of you Emma Lynn! Congrats on all your hard work.

End of the year Party

Spencer's preschool officially ended tonight with a BBQ at the house. There was lots of good food and good company. It was enjoyable and low key. And I'm happy cause all these kids will be back again in the fall (I'm not a fan of good-byes in any form!)

Spencer has done so well this year in preschool. And like he told me, "Mom, I'm really in all 3 classes cause I go to all of them." He has loved having Braxton come, it's pretty much the only thing he cares about. He's lucky to have such a good buddy.






7 of the 10 Busy Bees

20

Austin has been slow to lose his teeth. His second bottom tooth (where the other permanent tooth has been growing behind) has been lose for a few month now. He doesn't like to wiggle them very much. Monday night after we got home from our Vegas trip he was messin' with it. Without much coaxing he agreed to let Kurt "work" on it.

He started with the string method.


That proved to be very difficult because it was so wet and slippery. He did manage to make it dangle-by-a-thread lose.



Finally Kurt just grabbed it with his hands and yanked.


The child finally has 20 teeth again. As Austin said, "At least 2 of them are permenant." That's right. At least you're lucky enough for the tooth fairy to bring you a whole dollar. Personally my favorite was the debate Austin and Emma Lynn had about the tooth fairy's gender the next morning. :D