Some bragging-updated

Update:
The story I mention is here on this link where you can read it or listen to my radio version at the bottom.

And USA Today picked it up!

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I had some highs in my journalism/radio reporting life this past week.

I haven't been caught in action on camera for a while, but there I am on the air with our main talk show host, during the radiothon for Primary Children's Hospital.  

I really enjoyed the opportunity. The volunteers were so great, and I have a fondness for the hospital and how it has helped me (2-day old baby Maxwell spent a night there) and neighbors and friends. Live radio is always exciting, but I feel like I finally hit my stride right at the end of my on-air shift!

I also feel like I made a difference with a story I worked hard on last week. It was on new locker rooms being built for homeless teenagers who go to a local high school.  

I produced an indepth radio report first (2 minutes instead of 30 seconds), and then the folks at ksl-dot-com asked me to write it up for them, so I did with added length and pictures. It has remained one of the most popular stories on the website for a week. On Saturday, I saw that it made the front page of our newspaper.

After those big moments, the stories I pitched this morning were all about how we should do away with the daylight saving time changes every spring and fall.  Am I right? JUST PICK A TIME.

Terror Twins

These two. They are such best buds/worst enemies!

On Saturday morning, they came with me to Ben's basketball game while JB and Max were at their game in another location.

I kid you not, I caught them wrestling each other and screeching over something James had clutched in his fist.  IT WAS USED CHEWING GUM HE PLUCKED FROM UNDERNEATH THE BLEACHERS.  They each wanted to pop it in their mouths and I stopped them just in time.  Stink-eyes from other parents, horrified face from me, but now, I totally keep giggling about it.

Later that day I had to stop James from pulling so hard on Andrew's shirt that it almost ripped. He was after a Lego creation Andrew made that he liked better than his own.

Saturday night, I reminded them that Andrew would give the scripture in primary the next day, and James would have his first turn to give a prayer. Ensue panic from James, but then I heard:

"Jamsey, you can sit by me. It will be fun!"
"No, I wanna sit by my teachers. Dey wuv me."
"I will help you, J."
"Ok, thanks buddy."

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That picture above is from Friday, around 11 AM while I was finishing up work. There was no school for a teacher development day.  JB took the kids to get corndogs, not realizing they would be the size of Millie. They loved them. Andrew ate the whole thing. Max gladly helped James finish his.

Sunday Snaps

A little drama and some normalcy on our Sunday and for some reason I have more pictures of it, so I am always one to (over)share.

Before church, Andrew found this bowtie and wanted me to send a picture to daddy at his meetings. Backlit. I am not good at this.

Since I had paused the Primary Songs playlist on my phone for that pic, I thought I may as well document what was happening right then in the living room.  My best Sunday helper, Ben, puts James's shoes on almost every Sunday (Max also helps with him or Drewber).

During church, I almost took a picture of my two littles sitting by each other in the front of primary. They were sooo cute, singing together, waiting for their turn to give the scripture and prayer. It was James's first turn, and he was gung ho -- until he froze in the microphone and turned and buried his face in me.

My friend JoLynn did sneak a picture in Sunday School of the back of my head because she said she was impressed by my curls.

Confession: I curled my hair because I just watched the pilot of "Designated Survivor" the day before, and the wife's hair was amazing. Confession #2: I kept the little boys in the tub a little longer than they wanted so I could finish these curls.

Not pictured in that picture: Millie crawling underneath the teacher's table, and James curled up beside me. After the opening prayer and having mom and dad there in the primary room with him again, he did not want to stay there. It became dramatic.  BUT, he went back down with me for the older sharing time to watch Ben give a talk, and his teachers scooped him up into their line of 3 year olds and he hustled off to class, phew.

NOW, to the bigger drama of the day.  While wolfing down some lunch (Fast Sunday=hangry Richards), Max suddenly gasped and pulled half of his Herpst appliance out of his mouth. This is the system screwed to his back teeth to help correct his jaw.  He had half the metal in his hand and the other dangling out of his mouth. Thankfully no pain. But we couldn't find a screw anywhere and assume he swallowed it.

I called the after-hours number and the Orthodontist called back and said he would meet us at the office. JB was still in meetings (and I refrained from sending him a series of frantic texts, like I had done to him on Friday night about our leaking bathtub while he was at the Jazz game).  The doctor unlocked the doors, and 8 minutes later had Max in the chair and fixed up in no time.

We were back home and watching a movie again, lickety split.

Sunday family dinner snap from JB and Millie. She is becoming a ham!

Then more drama -- while handing her to Papa, I scratched her head with my wedding ring. And later, I bonked her head on the pantry door.  I felt so bad. She is such a good baby and forgave me with lots of cuddles.

Basketball is life

Max and Ben's Superleague team has been playing in a league on Thursday nights, and on Saturdays. There's a break in the games for now, and they are going to start Jr Jazz/County Rec teams on Saturdays soon,  

Hats off to JB who goes to almost every game and practice, one, because sometimes the games are too late for me and the little kids, and two, he helps coach. He's in the back on the right behind Max, and Ben is holding the ball in the front.

I am so happy to hear the reports of their progress. This has been tough, playing at this level, but JB says our boys are really improving in their confidence level and skills.

I just think it's crazy how GOOD some of their fellow 9-12 year olds are. It's like they play all day every day, and to me they are still just kids. Fierce competition has trickled down to this level, and I see it in other sports, too.

Always learning

Our neighbors have had their 6 year old daughter in the hospital for asthma, pneumonia and every lung/breathing problem imaginable this month.  She is in Andrew's class at church and at school, so we have been keeping him updated about how she is doing.

I showed the boys a picture her mom sent of Eva opening a nail salon from her hospital bed, and painting the nurses' nails.

All but Max were so confused.

Ben: "So...what are they doing? Clipping the nails?"
Me: "No, painting them. Like at a salon or spa."
Blank stares.
Me: "They take turns, and pay for it at the real thing."
Andrew: "OH! Like a restaurant but for nails."
Me: "Exactly!"
Max: rolls eyes

The younger boys must have forgotten the last time I painted my nails. I have been lazy this winter.

I also know they haven't had a sister around who is interested in these things.  So I jumped at the chance for more femininity around here, and agreed to watch Eva's 3 year old sister Grace for an afternoon, to help their parents during all of this. 

I think I was expecting her to ask for dolls (I have some now for Millie!) and I thought I could even braid her hair if she wanted.

Nope.

She immediately went straight for the train tracks, Magformers and indoor basketball hoop, and had a great time playing tug of war with Andrew and James.

I felt foolish for the assumptions I keep making (see here and see here for example) about what boys and girls are like and what they should be like. 

Barbershop quintet

I got some cute/funny/same-old-same-old questions and comments I always get when we go in public together. Three of the boys needed haircuts, so I took everyone to the barbershop we frequent.

(Ben was the only one who knew I was taking a picture)

"Look at all those blonde boys!"

"Oh, a girl finally!"

"They all look like you."

"Are you done having kids?"

"One more boy instead of a girl and you could have had a basketball team."

Etc.

I don't mind it mostly; I know people mean well.  

The key to a good haircut with James is give him gum and make it quick, otherwise he starts proclaiming "I'm done!" with still half of his head to go. 

The key to a good haircut with Ben is to point out beforehand his double crown in the back, and how he would like a little length left in the front to still style. Max likes a bit more in front, too. However, they both would really like to have Gordon Hayward's haircut from the Utah Jazz.

Andrew had a fresh cut last month so he went from chair to chair where his brothers were sitting to give a running commentary on hair cuts and hair length and the slowly shrinking size of his lollipop.

Millie licked the sugar out of the bag of gummy worms I brought to give the boys if the wait was long. No donuts afterward this time, though. This was right after Valentine's Day and we were kind of full of sugar cookies and heart-shaped donuts.

Seven Months

Consider this the Millie update, continuing on the recent theme.  Look who is mastering sitting up finally!

Here is a refresher of her first 6 months:

That went so fast!

At seven months old, Millie is just such a joy. She is mobile in every direction but forward. I am constantly scanning the ground for Legos and small items she will put in her mouth. She rocks on her hands and knees and gets up on her toes like a plank (it's so funny). She is eating one meal of solid food a day, at dinner, and mostly sticks with oatmeal cereal and mashed veggies or fruits but has tried yogurt and even had some bites of mushed up Sloppy Joes on Sunday and mashed up pizza last night and liked it.

Her nicknames now include Dolly, Tootie (solid food equals more gas, let's be honest), and "Meal-ticket" (because with a Utah accent, meal sounds like mill so Millie becomes Mill-ticket). 

Here are some other pictures JB took at her photo shoot.  My mom crocheted this blanket 12 years ago when I was first pregnant. I remember thinking it would be perfect for a girl, because I had grown up with yellow as my favorite color. 

She's looking at me, here. James's Lightening McQueen (passed down from Ben) is parked in the background.

JB continues to send me pictures after she is dressed in the morning.

This is our dolly in a doll bed at Nona and Papa's house one Sunday.

I do like to take pictures with her so much.

She grabbed the plant on our table.

Using the fingers to fall asleep.

I say bow, she says eye mask.

I did not realize how often I would have to pull bows back up off her eyes and back onto her head!  I made most of them, but I do like to use a bunch that my sister-in-law's sister gave me that are more elasticky and stay put.

Backed herself into the corner again.

Facing forward in the stroller! "Cheese!" says James.