The fourth's first

James's first wiggly tooth was very exciting. This fourth boy has watched his older brothers lose teeth right and left, and finally at 6 years 3 1/2 months it was his turn!

It came out pretty easily in JB's hand. You do the old, "let me see how wiggly it is" and just give a swift yank. If it's not too slipperty.  I think Uncle Bart did that for Max at this age.

JB bought it from him for a dollar. The Tooth Fairy has been pretty busy in first grade this year, and we worried she wouldn't be able to make it that night and James would be disappointed.

By the way, he has no shirt on because it was bed time and he was either in the middle of changing into pajamas, or he was going to bed in just underwear. Andrew started that trend this summer. He said it felt good to have his soft blanket right by his skin.

Brazil party

Saturday was our third annual Brazil party. JB runs the whole thing, I just ask him what I can do to help. We invite anyone we know who has served a mission in Brazil or lived in Brazil. We were missing two families this time but still had a good turnout.

We had a potluck of Feijoada with Farofa (black beans and rice with sausage/ham/bacon), Brazilian Cheese Bread (Pao de Queijo), Brigadeiro (chocolate truffles), Bomba de Chocolate (chocolate eclair) and other good food. 

JB has known Victor since his mission in Brazil. And then he was an exchange student living with their family in high school. Now he and Ariana have cute little Nico.

I remember some things about living there in 3rd grade. I'd like to go back some day with JB. He still speaks Portuguese.

Jogathon 2019

It was raining during this year's Jogathon, so they went around the hallways to circle of the center of the school. Much better than the tiny laps around the gym the last time it rained.

James did 7 laps, Andrew 8, and Ben 14 in the time allotted. 13 laps was a mile.

JB was at a day-long mortgage conference, and I got to go down to watch the jogging this year.

Andrew is social and chatted with friends the whole time. James didn't throw a tantrum (hallelujah), and Ben was moving so fast I barely got a good picture. 

Stretching is my favorite part, because I think my kids look so cute doing the exercises.

Just like when Max was in 6th grade, there were just a handful of parents watching during that time. But every kindergarten parent was there for their kids' turn.

Downton Abbey

I have seen the film and I LOVED it. My face hurt from smiling for practically the whole thing. It was like seeing old friends again.

I had the opportunity Friday night to go to a special event put on by Megaplex Theaters. They invited the media to come cover the display of one of the dresses from the series, and interview people who were at a special VIP event with "high tea" and a costume contest.

The lady in the middle won the costume contest

Dame Maggie Smith wore this dress. It's a day dress for the Dowager Countess.

You better believe I took advantage of the photo opp spot.

I went with my co-worker to the event. She was gathering pictures and sound for a future podcast. I sent back my interviews for soundbites in newscasts.

Then were two extra seats, and they let us eat the finger sandwiches and scones with them. Then we watched the movie with them, so we could get reaction afterward.

Heather and I could have interviewed each other, we were gushing so much.

I remember well in 2010 when Downton Abbey started showing on PBS. It seemed everyone was talking about it. And I like to know enough to talk to others about anything that is trending. ( I am pleased when my boys tell me something people at school are talking about and I know the reference).

I got into it halfway through the first season and I was hooked.  I remember feeling like it was the longest wait each week for Sunday night.  And the longest wait between seasons. I also re-watched it from the beginning for Christmas week 2015 when I was off work but pregnant-sick with Millie. I just rested on the bed, drooling all that extra spit I had onto a towel, and hit "next episode" while the kids played. And it was so lovely.

Lady Mary is my favorite. Isobel and Mosley and Baxter and Anna and Henry and Bertie are so great. I'll go see the movie again if anyone wants to go with me!

Brothers in scouting

These two boys really are getting so tall. 

I was glad when the announcement came allowing boys/girls to join youth programs in the calendar year that they turn 12. Ben's December birthday has allowed him a full year of activities with his older brother before the scouting program goes away.

Max really looks out for Ben on the campouts and hikes. Ben bristles because he feels like he's getting bossed around or that Max does everything. Max gets upset because he feels like Ben runs off to play with friends and he's left putting up their tent alone.  We talk to them both a lot about how to help and support each other (I'm a second child, JB is a first child).

Their Young Men's president told me that he overheard them on a recent camping trip. Max told Ben, "I've put your pajamas in the bottom of your sleeping bag so they will be warm for you at bedtime."

Now if I were Ben, I'd welcome that kind of mother hen!

Dance and preschool and potty trained!

Millie has had a big month. In order to start preschool and dance class, she needed to be potty-trained.

On the day school started for her brothers, we started potty-training boot camp for our 3 year old. She watched "Princess Sofia" on the iphone while pounding the juice boxes.

Now she thinks she needs to watch her favorite show in order to go to the bathroom. We've created a monster. "I need to go potty. I need so-FEE-ah!"

But she has been dry for many days and we are grateful.

So she started pre-ballet at the community center last Wednesday and the girls are so cute and I can't believe how much money it is for little toddlers to run around but she loves it and TAKE MY MONEY.

I have a few leotards from a neighbor's girl, and she insisted on the pinkest option. (Does she need a bun? Other dance moms, advise!)

And then she started her preschool last Friday.

Her preschool is Mondays and Fridays for 2 1/2 hours at the high school where Max is, and Monday is Max's late start.

She let daddy do her hair. I'm not there in the morning to get it all fancy, so they are learning together this new skill.

She is only 3, but I think these new things are great for her development. And JB gets some time to get some work done at home. She'll have another year of preschool next year (hopefully at the same place -- all our kids have gone there), and then kindergarten and then high school graduation and college and mission and marriage ....

Es-ca-lant

While I was in Haiti, JB took our five children to his parents' new vacation home in Southeastern Utah. I am very glad the Labor Day weekend was available for them to do this; it made the kids not miss me so much, because they were having an adventure of their own.

He sent me pictures often and we Facetimed a lot when I was at the hotel. I haven't been there yet, and the kids loved it.  Millie kept calling it her "castle."

They went on several hikes, they played in water, they slept in the bunkroom and kept each other awake, and they went to Church there on Sunday and learned it's not pronounced "Es-ca-LAWN-tay," it's "Es-ca-LANT" or "Es-ca-lanny"

 

JB's brother Jeff was there, because he has been doing a lot of work on the property.

Jeff's sweet puppy is a favorite

My outdoors crew!

Where they ate most their meals.

Now it's my turn to go sometime. Despite Millie elbowing and kicking JB all night, he says it's his happy place.

Haiti

Almost ten years ago, I went to Haiti on a whirlwind trip for KSL to cover the Utah National Guard's efforts to help after the earthquake (see this post and this post)

This past weekend, KSL sent me back to Haiti to cover the dedication of the new temple in Port-au-Prince.

I was scared to go. Hesitant and even resisted at times. But it was one of the most rewarding professional and spiritual experiences of my life.

I had to get all sorts of immunizations, and go on anti-malaria medication, and get my passport expedited, and oh yeah, GO TO HAITI, a country I was warned was full of crime and kidnappings and poverty and disease.

But it is also a country with some of the friendliest people I have ever met.

I glummed on next to the Church News reporter/photographer the whole time (GO READ HIS COVERAGE, IT IS GREAT WRITING - here and here. I am just out of frame in those pictures with my recorder going).

We flew out Thursday night on the red-eye, and on Friday went around the whole city meeting with Church members in their homes. Traffic is crazy. Pedestrians, motorcycles, cars, pickup trucks with benches in the back (their public transportation!), all in the same space at the same time. I saw no lane markings and ZERO traffic lights, in a city of millions. Honking is a must, it's how you communicate.

People carry anything and everything on their heads - laundry bags, baskets of food, construction materials... and anything and everything is for sale up and down the sidewalks. Car parts, beds, curtains, medicine...

We had a driver/translator named Daniel who came recommended to us. There was one place where I prayed a lot that we would not get stuck, because it was a very bumpy gravelly hilly road full of trash, crowds, chickens, and cows, and I could feel every eyeball on me as a white American woman. (The Marriott hotel guards had huge guns).

These people have such faith. I am in tears thinking about their humble homes, one or two room places stacked on top of each other on the hillsides, behind gates and around piles, down uneven makeshift tire steps, or up steep concrete chunks. There's little privacy, lots of heat and bugs, sometimes no electricity, but so much smiling. The members often catch a ride to a Latter-day Saint chapel to study or meet for safety (they are all gated. Everything is gated).

Saturday was the youth devotional at one of the chapels. Youth ages 12 and up were waiting there reverently for hours, to hear from Elder David A. Bednar. Susan Bednar bore her testimony in French and I nearly cried (I blame the anti-malaria medication for making me weepy, but I also know it was the experience itself).  The key takeaway for my own life was when he told the youth, "Nothing that could keep you from being inside the temple will bring you lasting joy."

Sunday was the dedication. This was a long day. We had to leave the hotel at 6:15 AM, but there had been demonstrations in the streets (tire burning/rioting) and our driver was late. But the Bednars were staying at the Marriott as well, so Church security gave us a ride to the Temple in one of their vehicles. I will NEVER forget that ride speeding through the streets. 

And can I say that Elder Bednar is so nice? Local Church Public Relations said to be in his office in the Temple at 7:30 AM for an interview, where I could ask one question only. But then they didn't come get us. But Elder Bednar came out and saw me, and stopped and figured out what was going on. They were trying to keep him on schedule, but instead he went back in and let me and Jason Swensen (Church News) have all the time and questions we needed for our stories. He looked right into my eyes and I just had a strong impression about how he works so hard all over the world, yet ministers individually.

Then I ran around getting interviews and taking pictures and videos to share with KSL TV and to post on social media and to put with my web write-ups. I soon got elbowed a lot by local press (they were very interested - Jason said he has never seen that many local media at a dedication, and he's been to 49!). But I was right up front to catch the cornerstone ceremony and the choir.

There was a lot of filing by deadline that day. I think I worked 12 hours. Maybe more, because I was still texting my boss that evening. 

Monday was the long way home. Dorian was nearing Florida, so the flights there were canceled. Trying to leave the Haiti airport was intense. You could pay a bribe and go to the front of the line, we figured out later. I spent hours on the flight to JFK and then at JFK logging tape and writing a longer radio story to play Tuesday morning.  And blocking out what will become an hour long radio special to air Sunday, October 6th in between General Conference sessions.

I filed 13 separate radio scripts over the four days, and combined them into online stories (this will all be lengthened into that documentary with so much more detail). You can read them below.

Utahns helped with the temple
The Youth Devotional
The Dedication
Haitians look to the future