General Conference Magnet Board

I tell ya, I'm not crafty or creative, so when I had this 'awesome' idea for an activity for Henry during Conference, I was pretty crest fallen to see The Friend had pretty much beaten me to it. I still like my version of laminating them and making them magnets better and it actually made this project easier on me to get the pictures from The Friend. I still have to cut the little slits in the chairs and podiums but I need to wait until I get to my moms and can use her exacto knife.

Hopefully between this and the other pages I've printed out from The Friend Conference this time will work out much better than when we did the apostles on mini candies and Henry had a sugar high half-way through the first session.

Happy Conferencing with kids, everyone!

General authorities, chairs, and podium retrieved here

Topics (from bingo squares) retrieved here

Dialog bubble made in Word

Shark Reef and Red Rock

At the end of February we headed to Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef. Too bad we didn't know CCSD workers get in for free the first weekend of the month or we probably would have waited. Nevertheless, we went and had a good time.

Henry was terrified almost the whole first time through.

Johann trying to get him to get next to the glass. He was afraid everything would all the sudden pop through the glass and get him.

In the tunnel. Johann stuck his hand up to 'touch' the belly of the shark and Henry screamed and pulled Johann's hand down and then yelled, "DON'T DO IT!!!"

He was however good with the jellyfish.

Yay-proof I was actually part of a family outing =)

After we made it all the way through, Henry literally dragged us backward through the aquarium and made us go a second time so he could enjoy without feeling mildly terrified.

It isn't hugenormous so it was worth it to go through a second time and have him really enjoy it.

Then, earlier this month, Henry's preschool class took a field trip to Shark Reef. Since he'd been through twice, he felt like a seasoned pro.

Can you tell how excited he is to go?

Henry and his friend Shelby. He told me once she is his girldfriend, she is, of course, the only one smaller than him and more sassy. Oh, Henry, you would. No worries though, we are all about cooties here now.

Checking out the kimono dragon

One of the highlights was in the last room where the kids got to see a diver go into the shark tank and swim with the sharks while they cleaned the tank.

After they went through the aquarium, the guide took them to a learning room and did all kind of activities with them and they had a whole wall that was part of the stingray aquarium.

The weekend after Henry's field trip, we headed out to Red Rock for a little hiking. We did an easy trail that was suppose to have petroglyphs but sadly they were closed off because some morons sprayed graffiti all over them. uhg.

Entering Red Rock

Hiking the trail

Henry found a cave 'just his size'

Lets give it up for the sick, pregnant mama who still didn't pass up the pretty day for a hike. woot.

End of the trail-victory!

Once we got home, the boys passed out hard. No wonder Henry wants a uterus, even if it's a teeny tiny one, boys- such sissies!

It was a fun hike, perfect amount of easy trail and rock scaling for Henry. He absolutely loved it. He is our little outdoor boy. The only downside, apart from the petroglyphs being blocked off, was the group of dummies who set themselves in the middle of the trail for a smoking and booze party, at 12 in the afternoon, and on the family trail. LAME. They also had friends further up the mountain that we unfortunately discovered by smelling their pot. I kind of hope they fell and broke a leg or something. Aside from those little reminders that we are definitely not in Utah anymore (not that it doesn't happen, just seems fewer and further between and not in the middle of the day for heaven's sake) it was like the fun summer of hiking we did before leaving there.

Hopefully this burgeoning belly continues to cooperate and we can have lots of nice hiking trips out there ahead of us before it gets too hot.

What's the plan

I made an unwritten goal to try and keep blogging weekly. I think I'm doing alright with it but then there are weeks like this week where I can't really think of anything to blog.

But I am sick with a nasty cold and sitting on my duff, completely ignoring Henry's 2 hour screen time rule and thinking-well, I could at least blog.

Which brings me to the point of this post-we've had some people asking about our plans, so here is a little run down of what we're thinking/hoping/preparing for within the next few months.

We're in Las Vegas/Henderson now while Johann finishes his internship. The internship ends in June. To graduate, however, he has to also complete his thesis. Currently he's trying to convince people to be apart of his research group but has had little interest. It really might come down to paying them (don't worry-it's ethical) 20 bucks or something to be interviewed.

If he manages to finish on time and pass his thesis defense, he'll graduate in August.

If he doesn't, I'll cry, scream into a pillow, curse whoever and whatever I can think of and then we'll try to find a district that will hire him on in some capacity while he finishes his thesis and then graduates in December.

Whatever happens with graduation, we'll almost certainly move back in with my mom towards the end of June when our contract is up. Since my little brother will be married and off at BYU-I by then, Johann and I will be in the guest room off the garage (which has it's own bathroom-yay) and Henry will be in the room we normally stay in across the hall from my mom.

Now you're thinking-hey, did you forget you're suppose to have a baby around this time, lady?

In this case, I suppose I can say, luckily, I don't seem to go into labor. The doc and the hospital here are not up for a vbac so I'll have a scheduled c-section, probably around July 6th. So I will plan on driving out for an appointment between moving and delivery and then we'll come out here to deliver. My cousin has graciously said we could set up camp at her home while it all goes down and if for some reason that doesn't work, we'll book a hotel room for whoever wants to stay overnight.

I do have a OBGYN in Apple Valley just in case something happens there. I still have to talk to them about their willingness to take care of me in case of an emergency but I will get on that.

Otherwise, I feel good about sticking with our doctor here.

So right now, Johann is applying for jobs, mostly in Southern California. He'll apply here in Las Vegas as well, though we would much, much rather go to Souther California, for pay, living and family considerations. Since a lot of districts won't know their budgets until much later, we're trying to be patient and I am telling myself I won't freak out until the end of July if he doesn't have a job yet.

And that's that. We'll stay with my mom until we find out where Johann's job is and then we'll move accordingly.

Now you know what we're planning, or rather guessing will and can happen. Hopefully this time next year will be a little less full of moving and suspense!