Happy Mother’s Day!
Well once again, I am late with my email to all of you. I have been swamped with life, but I have begun forgetting the hysterical stories my children do so I needed to take time this morning and type out a letter.
I will begin with Mitch (I never begin with him.). He successfully completed his last two courses for his masters! Yahoo. We are almost done. He is just finishing up his final project/dissertation/thesis- Bravo! He literally has been in school for 10 years minus three semesters. He is so excited to use his extra time for projects for himself. He is already thinking about designing and selling T-shirts on E-bay with his brothers to give way to his creative outlet. I do not know if it will happen, but dreams begin somewhere.
He also had a fun week this last week. (OK, I should not say fun, but perhaps diverting week.) Last weekend, he taught a railroading merit badge to kids all over the Las Vegas valley at Lorenzi Park as part of the annual Scout Expo. I guess our children’s train obsessions have made us a little knowledgeable. Mitch says that our boys knew the answers to his quiz better than many of the 12-14 year olds he taught. He flew up to Carson City for two days (Tuesday and Wednesday) and participated in a workshop and then met with a few lobbyists at a hoity toity restaurant for 5 + hours. Mitch has never done chit chat for five hours with me let alone complete strangers. Of course while he was meeting with one of the people, he discovered he knew her parents—what a small world. On the following day, he went to the legislative building and watched a hearing on a bill that would impact one of his projects at work. At the legislature he decided that the small microcosm that it was taught him a great deal and he had one word to describe it- intense! Then after he got home to Las Vegas, he had a two-day conference at the Flamingo Hilton on the Colorado River and the laws that govern our water here in the West. He enjoyed it, but two days of law can become a little boring. At least it was a little variety for him.
Life with me has been the same. I drive kids around, clean up missed aims in the bathroom, make beds, wash clothing, prepare meals, and tutor. I did get to teach preschool and absolutely adored it. We had a teddy bear picnic, held a small play (Goldilocks and the Three Bears), went on a bear hunt, and just had five hours of fun! Gage loved it too and is excited that he will get to go to preschool next fall.
Smart Night is "fun" for me as well lately. I have been taking the boys because Mitch has had finals, scout responsibilities, and a trip to Carson City so….the boys come with me. All the kids adore them, but we have had a few expensive losses. One week Gage lost his Batman monster truck- a favorite and he comments quite frequently (at least 14 times a day) about how we need to go look in the lost and found for his truck. To no avail, we have not found it! Greyson lost one of his shoes last week- how you lose a shoe, I do not know. The boys really love coming to Smart Night though and running all over the gym. What is it about boys and wide, open spaces?
We have also been busy with birthday parties, baptisms, weddings, and ward parties. With all that has been happening, we still have many unfinished projects around the house. We still need to finish the edging along the top of all the brown in the hallways and den. It looks fabulous in the places that Mitch paints. In the places that I have brought paint to wall, well let’s just say that white paint shall be my friend in the future. My mom tells me that I better do the repair painting better or she will re do it all. You gotta love your mom!
And on Friday, Mitch and the boys went up to freezing Macks Canyon on Mount Charleston for the night for Father and Sons. It was a ton of work, and Mitch says that he is glad that they do this only once a year! The Ward looked out for Mitch, though, and made sure the boys got their food and kept the teenage boys from eating second helpings since Mitch had not even been up to the line for firsts. The boys loved it and keep asking when we are going camping again. We may go up to Tahoe in August. We will see if the pocketbook allows for it. While the boys were camping I went out with my sisters in law (all 6 of us went) to PF Changs. We had a fabulous meal and I enjoyed the conversation immensely. We decided that we needed to do this way more often.
OK, now for my little comedians.
1. We never get happy meals when we go to McDonald’s (or any place for that matter). My friend Tammy took Grey one day after preschool, and she got Grey a happy meal. While she was ordering it, Grey says, "Are you buying me a happy meal?" She confirmed that she was, and I guess his eyes just lit up! While Grey was eating his hamburger he finishes and eats just one French fry. Tammy asks him if he wants more and Grey says, "No, that’s OK, I will share these with Joseph. Tammy reassures him that he does not need to share since Joseph has his own. Grey apparently devours his fries in a mere moment and says that it is a "real treat" to have lunch with Joseph. When he gets home, he plays with his silly American Idol guitar for hours and I think to myself, it is so great that we do not do happy meals so that on the rare occasion that they get one, they appreciate it so much. Tammy also told me that she is going to take him to Taco Bell next week.
2. While Grey was taking out the trash for me a few weeks ago, he informs me with total seriousness, "Mom, I wish I was allergic to trash."
3. Jace while having a friend over last week got into more mischief than I thought possible. Those boys pulled clothing off hangers in two closets, poured a bag of rice on the floor, watered plants with a cup of his brother’s milk, put more laundry detergent in the washer after I had already put detergent into the load (It took 3 rinse cycles to get the soap out of the clothing.), and other things that I probably can’t remember. I was deliriously exhausted at the end of that day.
4. Jace loves water! He knows how to turn on every faucet in the house. He is so sneaky about it that when I am busy with something, he quietly disappears and I always find him wet and giggling. He pushes any and every step stool like device he can find over to sinks and bathtubs. I guess he is following in his Father’s footsteps and loves water!
5. Lastly with Jace, he is a little sneak and will find whatever way possible to insert himself into the action. Last night Mitch was playing Candyland with the boys and on several occasions Jace would sneak over to where they were on the floor, grab one of the playing pieces and then make a hasty retreat. The boys would then have to track him down before he hid the playing piece somewhere. For being so little, he is so fast!
6. Gager is a dynamo! He cracks us up more than all the children combined and I cannot remember anything. You may have an addendum note later this week when I do remember. But, he loves his new double bunk bed. Yes we have two bunk beds in their room—We can reasonably sleep 6 in their room. It is wall-to-wall bunks and dressers. With all the airplanes on the walls and the tight sleeping quarters, Mitch has named the room "the barracks." Gage told me yesterday that in four more days he will be four and he will sleep on the top bunk. I said no and he said, "You don’t know mom." (I guess he hears that a lot from me.)
7. Aiden, while at a friend’s birthday party at the mini-grand prix go cart place decided to ride one of the spinning rides called the Typhoon. As he and Mitch got on the ride, the operators switched shifts. Whereas the previous operator looked to be 16 or 17, the new operator looked to be in his 70s. Aiden took one look and then said to Mitch, "Whoa Dad, that guy must have worked here for a long time."
Take care!
The Bishops
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