July 10, 2006
Dear Family and Friends,
Well we have begun getting emails from people asking if we are OK. I guess it means that I need to get back on my schedule and type my updates so people do not worry about us. I am making a list since it will be a little shorter this way.
1. Aiden had his last soccer game last month. He worked sooooooo hard since it was one where his Daddy came. (Mitch had a class on Saturdays so he missed 7 of the 9 games.) The first half he tried to score like three times and he was hustling. Then at the half, we switched goals, but Aiden forgot that small but very significant detail. He got the ball away from an opponent and took the ball all the way down the field and took a shot. The entire time, his coaches, his parents, and nearly every other Dragon parent was screaming, "Other way, other way!" We were yelling his name, but he thought that we were cheering him on! Oh well, we say that he made a goal during his last game - nevermind for which team. Besides it made for a great object lesson for Mitch the following day when he had to talk in church.
2. Speaking of talking in sacrament…I had to do it two weeks after Mitch. It went fine and nightmares about how I used up all the time like I did when I was 17 years old did not happen again even though still to this day, I feel horrible about it. Funny how embarrassing moments never leave you.
3. We have had a few neighbors over for dinner etc. We have become quite the international chefs! We even have a reputation for being great cooks. Oh, I am glad no one ever came over when we were first married and I was such a horrific cook.
4. We had a game night over here with a few friends and we want to try and do that once a month. The last one we had was June 9th. We are already behind schedule!
5. For Father’s Day, the boys and I sent Mitch on a SUPER HUNT. He was in search for the tools for a super dad. He received Italian ices, superhero cereal, super villains for his shelf, a picture with handprints and a poem that the boys help me make (that has nothing to do with superheroes, but I try to have the boys make him something.), a superman T-shirt, and a messenger bag to take to UNLV. The boys had more fun going on the hunt than Mitch, but Father’s day is a little about the kids as well.
6. Aiden just completed two weeks of swimming lessons and does great now. I decided I had to bite the bullet and get one swimming. He can do pop up breathing and can go across the short end of the pool solo! We are begging our way to people’s homes with pools—so far I have invited myself over to three people’s houses- I sure know how to work it! Actually since I have invited myself over, they have also asked me to return so I am all about that! I am planning on giving salads as a thank you, but at one house, the teenage daughter literally plays with Jace the entire time and also entertains the other boys. I am thinking I am taking her mom, her, and a friend of her choice to Olive Garden for a lunch date. I owe her more than that, but she will not take anything. She is one of the babysitters I use regularly so I guess she truly does love coming over to this house and loves the boys! I would think my house would be hard, but the girls say that they love to baby-sit for me.
7. Mitch went to scout camp a few weeks back and I let Aiden have a friend over to spend the night. The boys did great, but man was I tired the next day! On Friday night, I took the boys to McDonald’s and the friend asked where his happy meal toy was. Aiden then said to the friend, you know my mom NEVER buys us the happy meals and we never get toys. Does your mom get happy meals? He tells him that yes, he gets a happy meal every time. Aiden then looks at me and with a sheepish look asks me, "What’s with that mom?" Gotta love it!
8. We have been doing the summer reading program and Aiden is reading the books himself! He struggles still a little with attention to the book from start to finish because decoding is still somewhat of a chore, but he is reading Dr. Seuss independently. He even reads a few to his brothers- I am so pleased. He types his words on the computer, too, so that he can memorize the sight words. He calls them the words that don’t sound right.
9. I am tutoring two young ladies this summer. It is a joy to do it during the daytime hours. I would tutor more students during the school year if it was not always around dinner time.
10. Jace is still not crawling even though he is able to get anywhere he wants by rolling or scooting backwards. It is a little perplexing. We show him how to do it, but he just laughs at us and sucks on his fingers or puts his feet in his mouth. He is signing eat and milk though. Whenever he sees food, he signs eat. He also mimicks "Hi!" and "Dada." OK, so he will take after his mother—a talker with no motor skills to speak of!
11. We went over to the Lied Discovery Museum for an ice cream social and enjoyed the evening with the boys.
12. This last week, my sister in law and I took the kids to see an African drum group. It was fun for the kids, but Gage was done about 40 minutes into it so the last 20 minutes were a little nutty. We made it though with no tantrum.
13. We went and saw Cars last weekend and the boys loved it. They are quoting the cars and doing quite impressive sound impressions.
14. We went down to Boulder again for the Fourth. We stayed in a horrific hotel where the hallways smelled literally like B.O. I gagged every time I walked into the hallway. The room was clean enough. They charged us $5.00 each night for the crib, they had cardboard ice buckets, and they provided no hair dryer. It was crazy. Despite the accommodations, we had a great time. We marched in the parade for a friend who is running for judge. For those of you who know Jerry Wiese, he is looking for a career change so think happy thoughts for him. Aiden rode his bike. Grey rode his trike. And Gager was the stylish one in his little roadster with a push handle that I used to push him along. It was the talk of the parade. The boys did awesome. It was a fabulous morning as well. It rained quite a bit right before the parade and cooled things off and it was cloudy and breezy. We could not have asked for a better morning. That night we enjoyed fireworks on the golf course with a co-worker of Mitch’s. They were so kind to us, and Aiden had a ball playing with their 7 year old. Gager did have a casualty—he burned himself with a sparkler. His burn looks much better now. On Wednesday morning, we enjoyed funnel cakes, pigs in a blanket, and stuffed French Toast at IHOP.
15. Gage calls every American flag, "Grandma’s Flag." My mom has a flag hanging from her house all year long so he associates the American Flag with Grandma! Too cute. I guess the American flag is a good thing to associate with Grandma.
16. Actually item 15 leads right into Greyson’s funny story…When we were waiting for Mitch to get a bottle of water and non-chocolate candy for Cars (the movie), Grey sees the Budlight neon light in the window and says, "Look, Mom, there’s Grandma’s ‘bear.’" I just laughed and laughed. Gotta love Grandma’s "bear." Then Aiden corrects him and says, "It is not ‘bear’ Grey Grey, it is called Grandma’s soda."
17. I kid you not, Jace just crawled about 7 feet. I guess he was waiting for me to write a newsletter so I could report the news- I am so jazzed- Go Jaceroo!
18. At Target while were shopping for beach toys, I was playing with a gel filled toy. Apparantly there was a hole in the gel pack so when I squeezed the hippo, blue gel squirted all over me. I was wearing a white T-shirt. Nice! I guess I should remember my mom telling me as a little girl- Look but DO NOT TOUCH.
19. I have a brand new nephew- Jack Donovan- born on Father’s Day to my sister, Audri. I also have a brand new niece- Holland Kate- born on July 1st to my sister-in-law, Terressa. The family just gets bigger and bigger!
Well that is all for this update. I hope it is not too boring. Love to you all and I am sorry that I have not emailed in a month. I will hopefully talk to you again in 2-
The Bishop gang
