The End of Joyschool

 It has been a great school year for Hyrum.  Each week in Joyschool he has learned a new letter, number, and subject.  I've had fun teaching the kiddos and rotating with the other moms.  He has made huge jumps in his social skills and he really likes the feeling of accomplishment when he talks about what he did in school.  On the last day I asked them what their favorite part of Joyschool is and each of them, almost unanimously, said 'snack time, and fun activities!'.  The only thing I'm sad about is that I didn't really take pictures throughout the year.  Here are a few I took on their last day, which sadly didn't turn out very well.  I can never seem to take good pictures in doors. 

Craft time- making caterpillars 

We started with six kids and ended with these cute four.  Yes, Hyrum is the only boy - I think the girls have really calmed him down.

Each Joyschool starts with class time where they sit on their mats and we learn the new letter and number, then we usually sing songs that have to do with the theme or the letter/number.

When we're not in school Hyrum loves to be the teacher and play school with Noah.  It's so cute to watch him tell Noah stories and try and reenact what he learned.

Noah Live

Noah is a bundle of entertainment wherever we go.  He yells things like, "Booyah Grandma!" at random moments and does so many random funny things that I just can't keep track of them all.  He's such an entertainer!

Sick

 (Photo credit goes to Hyrum. . . he managed to capture a few pictures of my belly from the side while I was sitting at the table. . . those pictures will never be found again!) 

Well, I haven't gotten everything done this last week that I had planned, because the Partridge home has been sick. . . or at least it's residence.  I was the first to get it last Monday and I'm beginning to feel a little better now and I can only hope that it will be completely gone before this week's gone.  I haven't had much energy to really do anything this last week, but I've tried to do at least one fun activity with the boys each day so we all don't go crazy.  Brett pulled out Lego Rockband one night and the boys had SO much fun (video to come in the next day or two).  The only problem is that now Noah insists on playing every second of every day, hopefully that will wear off soon.  He pulls out the drums and microphone from our cold-storage room and sets them up on the floor making up songs and drumming away.  Sometimes when he cries about something else he even will conclude the cry with a big lower lip and, "I be a drummer!"  This boy will be an adventure with his obsession with skateboards and drums. 

(Here singing along to the Beatles album)
While I was in the Shower Adventures part Infinity: 

 Today it was dumping the remainder of Apple Dapples into a bowl - big improvement. 

A few days ago- (Background: Last week we had Taco Salad, which means Doritoes were in the house.  We don't typically have chips in the house, so this was  a big treat and often fought over.)   Story:  I had dropped Hyrum off at Joyschool and came back home so I could take a shower.  Noah and I were both sick at this point and patience on both sides was running thin.  I wanted to take a shower and all he wanted was Doritos.  I finally decided to just take the risk of a possible mess, and I put a handful of chips on a plate for him at the counter, then put the bag back in the pantry.  Noah is pretty good about wiping his fingers off on a wet wipe when we ask him, so I put a wipe next to the counter with strict guidelines: "When you finish your chips, wipe your hands off super clean, and then you can watch a show until I get out of the shower."  He's a slow eater, so I was really hoping I could take a quick shower and be out before he finished.  However, when I got out of the shower I found Noah sitting on our bed with the bag of chips eating away.  "NOAH!  No food on the carpet, especially on Mom and Dad's bed!"  He looked at me as if I were in the wrong and just said, "I all done with chips downstairs. I wipe my hands off."  I cleaned everything up, changed the bedding, and went downstairs.  On the counter was an empty plate and a very dirty wipe that had obviously been used to clean his hands just like I asked him too.  How can I be mad at my two year old for following my directions exactly?  Once he had done everything I asked, he simply climbed into the pantry, got the chips and watched a show.  Lesson to myself: Be more specific in my instructions and use more common sense, even when sick.  

Here's to the the Class of 2001

I can't believe it's been ten years.  I also can't believe it hasn't been longer.  So much happens from the age eighteen to twenty-eight that thinking back at myself is almost like remembering an old friend.  There was the me in High School: never feeling like I belonged, loud, crazy, attention-seeking, lonely, ambitious, unsure of so much yet very sure of so many unimportant things.  I never seemed to find my niche (or at least I felt that way).  I was Student Body Secretary, Drama Club Co-President, Natural Helper, and a member of many clubs including Superfriends, SADD, Honor Society, Key Club, . . . hmmm, I can't remember the rest.  I saw school as a social event more than an educational experience.  I always wanted to be involved in everything and I spent many afternoons and evenings working on stuff for Leadership or my other clubs.  I was a workaholic on anything I could get my hands into and even now I'm not quite sure how I managed to get good grades when school work always seemed to be my last priority.  It's kind of funny looking back and remembering different events that seemed like they would change the world, and now seem so small and insignificant.  I volunteered to chair the Homecoming Assembly my senior year.  I remember spending hours and hours writing out the scripts, finding costumes, performers, coordinating with staff and the student court how things would be run.  It was such a big event that I thought my mind would explode and that my stress level would never reach a higher point for a more important event.  Hahaha.  I don't even remember what the assembly was about or who was involved in it.  I remember locking my parents keys in the car, while the car was still running, twice the week of the assembly, because I was so stressed I couldn't think strait.  I remember realizing the week before the assembly that I hadn't been asked by anyone to go to the actual dance.  I cried.  Oh, the angst of being 18:).  One of my friends got her brother to ask me, so it ended up being just fine.  The world would not end, for at least that week.  Overall, I loved High School.  I saw it as a starting point of life.  Never again will one be surrounded by so many people with such diverse backgrounds/circumstances/expectations and get along as well as we did then.  People think cliques are bad in High School.  I would say that they are much more distinct and cultivated once your out, it's just that once your out there's more space between them.  There's a world for special interests and certain 'types' to come together as opposed to a building where everyone is forced to co-exist eight+ hours a day.  We ought to give High School students more credit.  If we, as adults, had to spend that much time 5 days a week with so many other random people I would guarantee total hysteria and revolt.

Back to the point- It's been ten years which means a reunion is in the works.  I will not be attending mine because I have much more important concerns at that time(Welcome to your new family, Baby Boy!).  Ten years ago I remember thinking about the ten year reunion and what a milestone it would be.  Where will people be?  What will they look like?  Who will be rich? Who will be psycho?  Who will wonder about me?  Now that ten years have passed the reunion doesn't seem as important to me and to be honest if it weren't for the reunion notifications I really wouldn't have thought much about the past at all.  Then, of course, my curiosity peaked.  It's amazing to live in a time where we so easily can find out a lot about a person just by being their 'friend' on Facebook.  I've found that some friends are still friends and have traveled a similar road as me.  Some have gone down paths that have introduced them into a world that I don't want anything to do with.  I am sad for those people.  Some friends have aged quickly and some apparently have a fear of aging at all.  There were some 'beautiful people' in HS that are still just as attractive and seem to  always be partying.  For some reason, ten years ago, I always thought they would turn out to be ugly.  Will they still be happy when they realize that their faces won't stay the same forever?  I've discovered that two boys I had big crushes on are actually gay. . . maybe that's why I never seemed to date in HS:).  Some people have traveled the world and some have not left at all.  People have found their cliques and they have hopefully found happiness in them.  I belong to the 'Mormon family' clique and I am happy.  I never imagined being this content with life when I was eighteen.  It's taken years to figure it out, but I'm learning that I am happy with myself just the way that I am.  I belong to my family and that is more important to belonging anywhere else.  As I approach thirty, I'm realizing that happiness really is only made by oneself (as cliche as that is).  I look the way I look and that's okay.  I dress the way I dress and that's okay too.  I may not be a millionaire but I have everything I want and more.  Only I can choose to be hurt, offended, upset, or embarrassed; no one else can force those feelings on me.  I know I have faults, but they are for me to deal with and overcome and no one can change that.   Aren't all of these things exactly what I wanted for myself ten years ago, even though I didn't realize it? In another ten years perhaps I will gain wisdom and experience that I, even now cannot comprehend. . .I hope so, anyway.  So, for all of those that graduated one world and entered another ten years ago I have just a few things to say:  find joy and keep it, never blame anyone but yourself for things that bring you down, looking back is great as long as it's just a quick glance,  move forward and always have hope.  So, for anyone out in the world who may be wondering what ever happened with that crazy girl, Stephanie Rushton? I'm good. I'm healthy. I'm happy.  I'm loved.  The end.  Here's to another lifetime of becoming who we really are meant to be.

My new baby

 There may be an overload of posts over the next week or so (well, at least by my standards), as I try to catch up on everything that's been keeping us busy.  Today is a tribute to my new sewing machine.  I love 'my baby' that Brett gave me for Mother's Day.  It runs SOO smoothly, it's quiet, it has a ton of stitches that I've been experimenting with, and the best part is that it does great on heavy fabrics!  I have a confession to make:  I am slightly addicted to home decor fabric, and especially outdoor fabrics.  I just love their toughness and LOVE that outdoor fabric can be spilled on, beat up, and survive a storm(literally) of other abuse and still look great.  I can't help but be drawn to the outdoor fabric whenever I'm in any kind of fabric store.  I love it!  It takes all of my restraint to not just buy up yards of it whenever I go to Joannes. I picked up some outdoor fabric a little while ago and knew it was a match made in heaven.  As soon as I got my machine I began brainstorming patterns and designs for a new heavy-duty day bag/diaper bag. I bought a pattern for a basic diaper bag with the flap and a few pockets.  I liked the functionality of it, but it lacked style and cuteness.  So, when I saw my mother-in-laws bag I decided I would attempt a fair replica.  This is my first pattern re-creation, so it took me a while of just staring at my fabric and back and forth at pictures, also keeping in mind that I wanted to add in the functionality of the diaper bag pattern I already had.

Here's the inspiration piece: (and thank you Cheryl for taking the extra trip back so I could take pictures and draw up sizes)

and here's my final product:

The exterior has two side pockets with elastic just the right size for two large bottles, or two thermos-style water bottles for the boys.  I was too afraid to attempt the zipper, so I did a snap (much easier).

I made the bag reversible (although the snap and key ring on the yellow side really should stay on the inside, so I'll probably keep the in on the in:)  Anyway, the interior has two large pockets on one side (don't let the picture fool you - each pocket can hold 4 diapers and a small wipes container easily).  On the opposite side there is a single huge pocket that I can keep a three ring-binder in and a book or two just for me.   And like I said, the best part is that it's not going to stain, or easily wear. . . man I love outdoor fabric.  Anyway, I'm glad to have this project done because I need to get working on the next:)

Journaling

I've promised myself to post something every week on here, since this is our family journal.  Our lives aren't always exciting, but they are us and that's what I want to remember.

This week I spent a lot of time in the yard again with the boys.  I try to always make them feel like they are really good helpers, even when in reality their presence makes the work twice as hard:)  Their job is to find worms and then find a home for them in the soil.  It's a tough job, but they love doing it.  I'll post some pictures later of the final product.  On Wednesday we finally signed papers to have our kitchen cabinet doors and drawer fronts made.  I'm REALLY excited and can't wait to see the finished kitchen.  They will be done in about 5 weeks.  We actually bought them from a polygamist group, which was a bit strange.  It's a whole different world down there.

Today is Sunday.  I love lazy Sundays.  This morning the boys played together in the basement.  They were being so cute.  Out of nowhere Hyrum said, "Noah. Guess what?  I love you."  and then they went on playing.  I just love my boys SOOO much and it makes me so happy when they show their love for each other too. Church begins right when the boys nap usually starts, so it's kind of bad timing.  The boys do pretty well, most Sundays, but today Noah was really cranky.  About 10 minutes before Sacrament Meeting was over I looked over at Noah, surprised that he was finally quiet, to see that he had just plopped over asleep.  He was still sitting up and I guess he just couldn't keep his eyelids open another minute.  He slept for the next 2+ hours laying across the pew.  It was easy to give them a bribe when we got home for being good during church.

We're getting really excited.  We will be going to Hawaii with Brett's family next month and it's a topic of frequent conversation we have with the boys.  We talk about sea turtles, snorkeling, plumeria, and the ocean. We can't wait to see how much they love it.  Today we made a count-down chain and the boys got to color the chains.  Hyrum told me that he wrote 'Woohooo' on one of the chains after I had done the same thing.  I looked over to see what he actually wrote and it said: 'PooooooooooooP'.  It's the thought that counts, right?:)

As of Thursday I am 20 weeks.  The baby is the size of a banana and I'm feeling him move around.  I have been so happy to not experience all of the throwing up with this one. I feel very blessed.  I do however, get frequent dizzy spells and get exhausted when I'm on my feet too long. Gardening has been a pretty good match for me, since I'm sitting on the dirt most of the time.  This week I had an unfortunate pregnancy reminder.  I put some subtle highlights in my hair (using the same stuff I do on my hair every spring/summer).  My hair turned a lovely florescent orange.  I toned over it and was able to soften it a bit, yet I still wore a hat for a few days until my hair felt un-shocked enough for another process.  After three hair dyes in a matter of 4 days I was finally able to get the orange covered enough to only look like very subtle caramel highlights.  It occured to me that this has happened to me once before. . . when I was pregnant with Hyrum.  Hmmm. . . note to self:  Hair turns orange when highlighting it pregnant.  Note to everyone else:  Yes, pregnancy hormones can sometimes effect the chemical makeup of your hair- be cautious when coloring:)  

Hummdiddledee

 After weeks of research and bartering we think we have finally come up with a decision for our kitchen cabinet doors.  The boys have loved driving around to the 'door stores', especially one that is located right by a duck pond.  I will be so relieved to finally just get them ordered and be done with the whole project!  It's always an adventure, and in all honesty I love projects.  

 We kind of forgot about Cinco de Mayo until that afternoon, so Brett was picked up a pinata and some Taco Bell for us to have a little party that night.  

Ryan and Jennifer invited us over for a pre-Mother's Day BBQ.  The weather was perfect and the food was satisfying.  I love warm days! 

The big kid table.  

Yes, it's been only a week since we introduced the boys to ice cream sundaes. Yet, the moment Noah sees a white can come out of the fridge he stretches his tongue out as long as he can and walks around looking like a thirsty puppy.  Dad is a softy and caves every time.  It grosses me out, but I have to admit it does make me laugh:)

Mother's Day was great.  I had my favorite cereal in bed with watermelon for breakfast.  Hyrum sang 'Mother I Love You' during Sacrament Meeting with the Primary and I cried.  I can't believe how old he's getting.  He did waive to me from the stand and yelled to me once. :)  I think the best Mother's Day gift from Hyrum was given to me on Thursday during Joyschool.  The topic was 'When I grow up I want to be. . . '.  The other girls were talking about being princesses or fairies.  When it was Hyrum's turn to get up he said: "When I grow up I want to be a Mom. . . or a Dad."  It really made my day.  I asked him about it later and he told me that he wanted to be a Mom or Dad so that he could play games, go to the store, and do lots of fun things. I hope he always sees being a parent as so fun.  Brett made me an awesome dinner: shredded chicken soaked in salsa, enchilada sauce, spices, corn, and black beans in a crock pot.  It was served with rice and sour cream in a tortilla.  Mmmmmmm. . . I have the best family ever!