Sorry Dad. No new address. Just a busy, overwhelmed mom who hasn't been doing her blogging duty of late. So, in a nut shell so to speak, here is a little blog quiz for you to see if you can tell what we have really been up to since March 2011.
Please check all that apply.
Over the past few months the Tolman family has:
a) watched their mom get a few more gray hairs as she added another year to her life.
b) shelled over a pretty good chunk of change for some hardware.
c) entered a new phase in our lives and checked off a big event--all in one day.
d) taken a relaxing trip to the tropics because life is pretty calm.
e) taken our lives into our own hands on a regular basis.
f) won the lottery.
g) cleaned the kids up and time or two.
h) taken in some pretty sweet live performances.
i) scooped ice cream (soup) on a hot June day.
j) cheered a couple star athletes on to glory.
k) taken a long road trip across half the county.
Answer key:
a) True
I celebrated number 38 this year with my family. Birthdays are always fun.
b) True
Josh got braces back in March. He is LOVING it! :-) I tried to get a picture of him with his mouth open, but he deleted the only one he let me take before I could get it onto the computer. I threatened to copy and paste the lovely shot he got from the orthodontist office--you know the one with those funky plastic things that hold your lips way out to the side so you can see the full set of teeth--that is posted on their website. But he said no. So you just have to use your imagination.
c) True
We celebrated Emmie's 12th birthday and had my spring concert, all on the same day. Emmie is such a sweet girl and she can't wait to be a Young Woman now. She is already scouring the Personal Progress book to see how many experiences she can pass off. Since her birthday fell on my concert date, we had her party a week late. (I told her she could have it a week early, but she said, "I'll wait until AFTER your concert Mom. You are always stressed out before and I don't want to have to deal with that.") So she had a house full of girls, eating, dancing, crafting, and watching movies. They had fun.
Yep, we had our concert. We performed Johannes Brahms' Requiem in German. It was a thrilling and deeply spiritual experience for me. I love the music and will hopefully never forget it. And Emmie had a fun experience with my group as well. Before the concert, during our rehearsal, the whole Choral Society sang a harmonized version of Happy Birthday to her in the cathedral. Not many 12 year olds can claim that.
d) False
Yeah right! That was only in my dreams! Maybe some day...
e) True
Danger is our middle name now. Not only did Josh get braces, but the same week he got his learner's permit to start driving! Now if that doesn't make a mom feel old. He is actually doing pretty well, but boy is it scary that first couple times turning your car over to the kid who struggled with the go carts at Boondocks a couple years back. Iowa sure is trusting to have the kids get hours with their parents BEFORE having them take drivers' ed.
f) False
Yeah right again! Wouldn't it be nice--but kind of hard seeing I have never bought a lottery ticket. Even if I wasn't counseled not to gamble, that one just seems like opening my purse right up to the state government and saying "have at it." Not much of a chance, in my opinion.
g) True
The kids cleaned up pretty well for Easter this year, so we shot a pic of them before church.
h) True
We spent a fair amount of time at different performances as the school year came to an end. I don't have all the pics here, but Josh had several jazz band performances, including a few solos. Way to go, Josh. Emmie had her year-end concert where she sang in a small group number for one of the songs. She was also in the high school's production of On Broadway, where she and a group of about 10 students from her middle school performed a medley of songs from Lion King which they have been practicing all year. She even had a solo which she rocked! Way to go, Emmie. Olivia and Jack both took part in their year-end concerts and did a great job, although Olivia felt ripped off because the day they were to perform in the high school auditorium their music teacher got sick. So the concert had to be rescheduled--in the elementary school gym. But they still did a great job. And of course, the girls had their piano recital. (And Jack is anxiously waiting for his own piano lessons to start so he can get in on that action as well.)
i) True
We hosted our 2nd annual ice cream social the day school got out. It was super hot that afternoon and much of the ice cream melted. But the kids didn't care. They had a good time and were so excited for summer to officially start.
j) True
Jack played baseball and Olivia played soccer this year. They both had a great time and did a great job.
k) Grandma and Grandpa H and my brother Troy and his family came to visit us the day after school. With them, we took off to Nauvoo, IL for a couple days and then made our way back to Idaho through Mount Rushmore after that. I will post more about those adventures soon. But it was a great way to start our summer. Here are two pics-one with all Kris's family and one with all my family. It was so good to be with everyone again.
Hopefully, I won't go so long again without posting. I don't want my dad to think I have forgotten that he actually looks at what I add.
More to come...
