More home DIY projects completed

We are making progress. We got the carpet installed in the kids' rooms at the beginning of June and helped them move in, despite the fact that their closet systems weren't in yet. We installed their window casings last week after we painted them. David finished the closet organization systems and we trimmed and re-installed the kids doors this week. We will have to pull the doors back off to paint them when David's busy season at work calms down in a few weeks, but we wanted them to have their doors for now. 

We took a few days off from working on the basement to get our fire pit leveled out and installed. We had to do a bunch of weeding in the little "wilderness area," as well to get it all looking nice. We also planted some iris rhizomes (some of which came from propagating rhizomes my late grandmother, Virginia Jovet, gave to me when I was pregnant with Edison 13 years ago. It's nice to have a little reminder of her out there. Phase 1 of the fire pit is complete, but we plan to add pavers and some nice outdoor side tables in the future. 

We've made some decisions on shelving for the storage closets and cabinets for the craft room/maker space area. It'll take some time to get supplies ordered and get everything built and installed, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. This is really rewarding to see it all coming together after so many months of work and planning. 

Spring break fun

Spring break started out with a visit from my bff since childhood, Susie, and her daughter, Emily, coming to visit us for a few days. It was their first time in our new home and we had a wonderful time together. When they headed home after our weekend together, my family headed out in a little road trip of our own. We drove to Rexburg, ID and spent the night in an Airbnb so that we'd be ready to explore the town and take the BYU-I tour the next day. (It's crazy that we're already touring colleges with Liliana and trying to help her figure out what's next after she finishes high school and her AA degree next year.) From Rexburg we went to Lava Hot Springs for a night and explored the sunken gardens the next morning. We drove east through Soda Springs and saw the geyser there, learning a bit of its history, then continued on the scenic route past Bear Lake and down to visit family and friends in Utah. We spent Wednesday evening with our long-time friends, the Staffords. It was so good to catch up with them and see how much their kids have grown. We spent that night at my sister's house in Lehi, and then took a tour of the BYU Provo campus Thursday morning, followed by lunch at Waffle Luv, suit shopping for Emmett, and spent the evening with our friends and neighbors from Lynnwood who now live in UT (the wonderful Meyers family), who graciously hosted is in the gorgeous new home and fed us a delicious dinner. From there we heading up to Park City with my sister's family and my parents, where we stayed from Thursday night until we headed home on Sunday. The older kids got to go snowboarding, we all enjoyed the pool and hot tubs, we took multiple gondola rides, are yummy food, celebrated some birthdays, attended a session of General conference in person, and had a lot of fun catching up and playing together. It was good to take a break from all the ongoing house projects we've been working on for over a year and just have fun making memories. 

A Home of Our Own (once again)

After the adventure of moving out of Western WA rather abruptly in the latter part of 2020 and house-sitting for my in-laws for a few years, we finally had a house built last year and are grateful to be in our own home once more. The home came with a mostly barren dirt yard with a handful of mature trees on one side in the back and an unfinished basement. We've spent the majority of our available time over this year doing some initial landscaping and working on finishing the basement. First we planted 8 fruit trees and 4 shade trees last spring. Over the summer we worked as a family digging trenches, installing a sprinkler system, and laying sod. Then we turned our attention indoors and pulled down the bat insulation off the concrete walls, cut it in strips, and tucked it in the ceiling. Next we painstakingly removed the metal fasteners from the concrete that had been used for the concrete pour and those used for holding in the insulation. After that we scrubbed all the caked-on mud off the walls (the basement had been poured in late fall and got coated in mud that the builders just covered with the insulation). Then we attached foam board to the walls and laid thinner foam board over the concrete floors with subfloor on top of it. Next we framed in all the walls, including adding "strapping" to the ceiling to stiffen the upstairs floors and give more solid places for framed walls to be attached and later for drywall to be hung. After that we ran the electrical and then put in the insulation. We hired out the drywall - which was so worth it. They delivered and hauled over a hundred 12' x 54" pieces of drywall that were 3/4 inch thick downstairs and that alone was worth it. Then they had it all hung in just a couple days time and they completed the taping, mudding, and texturing in less than a week after that. We then took back over to prime and paint all the walls and ceilings down there. We ended up paying to have the laminate flooring installed because a little more levelling was needed for the product we wanted and the manufacturer's warranty is only fully honored if the product is professionally installed. We have ordered and installed the swinging doors, but still need to do the bi-pass and bi-fold closet doors and the pocket door for the bathroom. We have the trim materials and will be working on that for the next little while, then we need to paint the trim and doors and finish the bathroom. We have accomplished a lot, but we still have a ways to go. Hopefully we'll be able to get our kids in their rooms soon. 🤞 This has been a fun project, but I do look forward to being done with it. Of course then we have further landscaping to do, the shop to build, raised garden beds to build, and our fire pit to complete. One of these days we will be done with it all, but not this calendar year. Maybe by next summer? 🤞

New Beginnings

After a family fast and some serious praying, we felt led to pack up our family, sell our Lynnwood, WA home, and move to Post Falls, Idaho this past Autumn. Covid-19 created many changes in our lives this past year, one of which was that David and the kids all ended up fully-remote, working and doing all their school learning at home. This new location-independence opened the door for the move to the place David's late mother had called home for the final 13 years of her life. It's bittersweet to be here without her. Upon arriving in Idaho, we learned that the local schools were opening for in-person learning, with masks and other covid-prevention precautions. The kids each opted to attend the local schools in person rather than continuing online with their WA classes. It has been a real blessing for them to have a return to a sense of normalcy and opportunities to socialize and make friends. The kids are thriving and happy. Our new home has parks and kids nearby, adding to our kids' enjoyment. I don't know if this is where we'll have our forever home, but I know this is where God wants us for now.

The Math of Injustice

While on our camping trip in Seaside, Oregon last week, there was a night where Liliana and her 2nd cousin, Maddy, were given the opportunity to sleep in a tent together without any grown-ups. They thought this was excellent fun. Emmett (age 7) repeatedly tried to climb into their tent leading up to bedtime, hoping he'd be allowed to join them. I pulled him aside and let him know that we were only going to have the 2 girls sleep in there together (for various reasons). I reminded him that both the girls had had to wait until they were 9 and when he turns 9 we will let him sleep in a tent with cousins without grown-ups as well. Tears ensued, punctuated with some questions and comments between sobs...

"Mom, a year is 365, right?" Emmett tearfully inquired.

"Days? Yes," I replied.

A loud sob preceded his next comment - "But that's over 700-something days!" A brief moment to inhale and cry was followed by, "It's 730 days!"

"Wow, Emmett, that's really good adding, buddy." I told him. " But it's actually less than that, because it's already July and you will be 8 in November. Then you'll be 9 one year after that." 

He sniffled and wiped his cheeks while the wheels turned and then he looked up and said, "485 days."

At first I didn't realize that he had actually done the math, but after a minute it dawned on me that he had calculated the four months between now and his birthday at 30 days each, to be 120 days, and then added that to the 365 days in a year to make 485.

"David, are you hearing what this kid is doing?" I asked my husband who was getting our 4 year old situated in his sleeping bag for the night.

David was about to respond when Emmett said, "Actually it's 487 days because of the two 31 months." 

Now I just need to inform all of Emmett's teachers that if they are ever having trouble getting him to focus on a math problem, they can turn it into a scenario in which he is being treated unfairly and he will solve it with a precision and speed well above grade level expectation

Eager readers

This is a common scene around our house. Kids sitting together, but each immersed in their own literary world. Our four year old doesn't fully read yet, and the almost two year old doesn't even know most of the alphabet. However, they are content to flip through the pages looking at the pictures. Our littlest was excitedly jabbering about and pointing to all the different items he could in each picture. I love our little family of eager readers.

Liliana's baptism

A couple years ago, Liliana and her 2 cousins (that were all born within a couple months of each other) decided they wanted to be baptized together in what they titled, "A triple baptism." We all liked the idea and even though one of the cousins lives in Utah and the other lives in Connecticut, we decided we wanted to make it happen. Last weekend was the big event. Liliana, Mason, and Daxton all got baptized by their fathers back-to-back in a wonderful "triple baptism." We were blessed to have many wonderful friends (both old and new) and family members come from near and far to show their support for these young folks and their decision to follow the Savior and live Christ-centered lives. It was a spectacular day.

Discussing Marshmallow Cereal

Emmett speaking to his cousin during breakfast: Good?
Elliott nods in response while chewing.
Emmett: Yeah, it's sooooo good! You can't even believe your mouth!

Liliana's future home

Last week Liliana's class went on a field trip to a park near her school to collect soil samples for science. When she got home I asked her about the field trip. She told me it was good and she liked seeing the park because she might like to live there when she grows up. I asked her for clarification and she told me she wants to live in the wild instead of a house so she won't have to have a job and can do whatever she wants. I asked her how she'll get money for food and she said she'll just hunt. I pointed out that it might be hard for an animal lover to hunt, but she basically said, "I need to eat." So there you have it. If 10 years from now you see a young woman living in the park with stacks of books and hunting squirrels and crows, don't judge her parents too harshly. They tried to raise her to be a successful contributing member of society.

Strange conclusion

On the way to church a couple weeks ago, the kids were getting a bit cantankerous. I decided to try to soften the mood by singing the primary song, "I'm trying to be like Jesus." As I finished that first phrase of the song, Liliana somewhat rudely said, "No thanks!" To which Emmett responded, "You don't love your family?" David and I just laughed.

A dose of sunshine

Setting: A sunny, yet not-so-warm early spring day after many not-so-sunny days.
Mommy: "Edison, why are you sitting in the middle of the driveway? I asked you to get in the car. Everyone is buckled and waiting for you."
Edison, an adorable 3 year old is sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him, leaning back on his hands, which are placed on the ground behind him. His face is toward the sunlight, but he turns it back towards mommy to respond: "I'm sunralizing." And he turns his face back toward the sun.

Whoops- Here's Solomon's birth announcement... the week before he turns 1.

So I guess I'm a terrible mother because I never did get around to posting that our clan had a new member added to its ranks... almost a year ago. Solomon James Hernandez was born April 7, 2015 at 10:30am. He weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 20 3/4 inches long. His was the fastest labor of our 4 and the only that didn't require pitocin to complete. He's so loved by his big out sister and brothers. He has brought so much joy to our family. Solomon, it may have taken me a long time to get your birth mentioned on here, but that's because we've been so busy loving and enjoying you, we haven't had much time to spare!

Mr. Incredible Goes to the Doctor

A couple years ago, we received a Mr. Incredible costume along with some other hand-me-downs. Liliana tried it on once, but she was too big for it. Emmett wore it a few times, but outgrew it quickly as well. Then it sat in our dress up bin, largely untouched, for the bulk of the time we've had it... until recently. Edison pulled it out a few months ago and put it on. He became a big fan of the costume, although at that point he had never seen the movie. He would pair the costume with his green monster slippers and we'd call him the Increda-monster. He'd pair it with tap shoes and we'd call him the Increda-tapper. Today he was wearing the costume and didn't want to take it off when it was time to go to his Dr appointment. He simply added some red rain boots, informed me he was "all red," and got in the car. In the elevator at the doctor's office, a woman asked, "Are you Mr. Incredible?"
"No," Edison replied, "This is an Incredible costume." As if he thought she really believed him to be Mr. Incredible, and he needed to set the record straight so she wouldn't run off and tell people she had just met the real Mr. Incredible. She chuckled and I said, "Yes, it IS an incredible costume!"

Emmett's Invention

Last week while I was helping the boys fold their laundry, Emmett sat down in a huff and started whining about how much he hated folding clothes. I told him he may as well get over it, since he'll have clothes that need folding throughout his life. After a few moments of grumpy contemplation, Emmett exclaimed, "I'm going to build a robot that folds clothes for me so I never have to fold laundry again!"
To which I responded, "If you come up with a robot that folds clothes, many people would buy it from you and you'd become a very rich person."
Emmett looked at me like I was slow in the head and grouchily said, "I'm not going to sell it! I'm going to use it to fold my laundry."
"I meant you could make more than one," I replied.
"Ok. I'll make two. One for me and one for Liliana," he said - still grumpy.
I hope he does figure out how to make one someday - not because I care about him making tons of money, but because I'd love one of those machines!

Over and Out

Emmett and Liliana camped out in the back yard with David this weekend. They had a walkie talkie in the tent with them and while David was still inside finishing up some work, Emmett kept using it to call inside and ask questions or share random thoughts and comments. When David first gave the kids the walkie talkie, he told them that when they are all done talking and want to let the other person know that they are ending the conversation, they can say, "over and out." Emmett didn't quite remember the phrase, so he would finish with "Good night. Love you. Out and in." It took us a few minutes to realize what he was saying and why, but it was so cute and sweet that we couldn't bring ourselves to correct him right there and then. Love that kid.

A date with a toddler

For Valentine's Day, David and I sat down with Liliana and Emmett and scheduled a date with each of them over the following few weekends. Liliana and I went to see a movie (Paddington Bear) together and Emmett asked to go to Dairy Queen for treats, followed by perusing a store nearby. Liliana scheduled a swimming date with David, and Emmett is going with David to see a movie. As the older kids began to go on their dates last week, Edison, the 2 year old, decided he wanted to go on one as well. When asked what he would like to, Edison said, "Get a cupcake." I told him he and I would go out for a cupcake on our date this weekend. Almost every morning and after most naps this past week, Edison has awakened saying it was time for his date and his cupcake and has been sad when he found out he still had to wait. This morning he woke up crying about it, and luckily I could tell him we'd be going after nap time and dinner. When we parked at the mall where there is a cupcake shop and I opened his car door, Edison giddily said, "I'm so excited!" He was so happy to finally get out on his date. We wandered our way through the mall towards the shop and Edison stopped to check out fountains, lights, store displays, and even the sparkly design swirling through the floor. Once inside the shop, he picked out the most frosting and sprinkle covered cupcake available. He then proceeded to eat the cupcake... one sprinkle at a time - hopping out of his chair to pick up each sprinkle he dropped (which I quickly snatched away before he could put them in his mouth). After awhile, he decided he wanted the cake more than the frosting, and started eating bites from the bottom. He made it about halfway through and then we took the rest home for later, stopping to check out anything eye-catching on the way out - including a puddle to jump in outside. Luckily Edison was ready for the puddle, since he had put his rain boots on to go with his Micky Mouse PJ's that he wouldn't allow me to change before leaving the house. To top off his date outfit, his hair was sticking pretty much straight up because David had blow-dried it that way yesterday and Edison didn't want it combed today.
He had a great time and I enjoyed being able to give him my full attention and let him lead us along in our activities, so I'd say our first official date was a success.
......

Understanding Yogurt

Liliana: Mom, does this yogurt need to be stirred?
Me: Does it say, "fruit on the bottom"?
Liliana picks up the yogurt and looks at the bottom of the container.
Hahaha! After David and I chuckled, we clarified what we meant. Kids are awesome.

Edison and the airplane

Edison headed out the sliding glass door to the back yard with a small toy plane in his hand. As he went, he told me, "I go fly the plane in the clouds."
"Ok. Have fun!" I called after him.
"Bye bye!" he replied.
I watched him through the window as he reached up as high as he could and stood on his tiptoes, straining to reach the clouds. After a good 30 seconds of effort, Edison returned to the screen door and announced, "I can't reach it."
How adorable is that? He thought he was literally going to be able to fly his toy up into the clouds! This kid is such a sweetheart and he brings so much joy to our family.

Emmett's Reading of Matthew 7:9

Our family recently finished reading the Book of Mormon from beginning to end and moved on to reading the New Testament together. Last night we were reading in Matthew chapter 7. David was helping Emmett read verse 9, which says, "Or what man is there of you, who if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?" To help the kids understand what was being said, David asked, "Emmett, how would you feel if you asked me for some bread and I gave you a stone?" ...Emmett smiled and nods his head. I figured maybe he didn't know what a stone was, so I rephrase the question, "If you were hungry and asked Daddy for some bread and he gave you rocks instead, would that make you happy?" Emmett's smile broadened and he exclaimed, "I love rocks!"
After David and I stopped laughing, we tried asking if the rocks would help him not be hungry anymore. I'm not sure how much he got out of that, because when we moved on to the next verse that says, "Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?" and explained that serpent means snake, Emmett responded with, "The caterpillar ones are my favorite!"
I guess this particular scripture is one we'll have to revisit when Emmett's a little older.

Edison Plays Hide and Seek

As I was cleaning up after this evening's meal, I hear Edison - who had shoved his way behind the ottoman - say, "A, B, C, here I come!" He then dashed out from behind the ottoman, raced around the kitchen island, and laughed at Liliana, who was still seated at the table. He's so much fun!