Day 10- Brennen's Band Concert

Dec. 15th, 2010 Me and my sweet boy!
The whole crew

Brennen and Braden

The Duet

Leah and Brookly

Ben and Jarom, What a cute audience:)

Each day I'm trying to highlight the most important events and today I got to talk to my sweetie for over an hour this morning! He's been working crazy hours because of a different company's launch out there at Vandenberg and getting off too late to talk at night. (Of course, I was still up at 11:30pm last night and got to talk for a minute to him). It makes it so much better when I can really talk to him for a while and reconnect. There are just so many things happening each day that even just listing them takes all our time on the phone. I got the kids off this morning on time (YEA!), thanks to using their lunch money again, and then leisurely got Ben ready and I worked in the front yard for an hour pulling weeds and spraying the forest of weeds that has started. It felt good to tackle some of this monster yard. Then I did more laundry and cleaned up a bit inside. I was about to get in the shower when I heard the doorbell ring and Ben asking who it was. He opened the door! I heard him saying the child lock was on and to wait. He climbed on the couch by the door, conveniently there because the Christmas tree took the couch's normal place, and just let the person in. Luckily it was our neighbor, Leah Pitman, who he knows and loves:) I ran out in my robe and found out what she needed and invited her to Brennen's concert. She said she would like to go. We had invited her to all the hubbub of concerts last week but she was too tired. She also is giving us an organ and wanted to know when we could get it.
Leah is having to move home to Illinois with her children because her and her husband helped bail out 2 of their kids and have nothing left. Her husband, Richard, just had brain surgery for cancer and is a chain smoker so we don't go over much when he's home. He's in hospice for a few weeks recovering isnce Leah can't lift him. He goes to a group home Friday and when the money runs out they'll move in with their kids in about a month. Their home is for sale and we will miss them dearly! Ben and all the kids love to climb her tree in the front yard and dig in the dirt inside her front fence.
So then Wes called and we got to talk for a long time! What a blessing! I love him so much! It just makes everything bearable to hear his voice and know he's there even far away.
Ben and I played Kerplunk a few times and went to get the kids for early release. Early release for Brinton is every Wed. at 1:45pm. We worked outside a bit more with Brennen cleaning up piles of grass and weeds for me as I trimmed the out of control basil and bushes. Brookly had a long violin lesson and began her scales for tryouts for a Mesa Young Symphony. She had her lesson form Adrian through Skype. What a blessing that has been for us! Then Dallin ran the kids back and forth to Cub Scouts and Josh to Scouts early for a service project while I heated up stroganoff for dinner.
I charged the video battery and found the tripod and we left for Brennen's concert at 6pm. Brennen went a minute earlier with Dallin and we took Leah with us. Josh was still at the service project so he missed it. Brennen had a duet with Braden Roberts and later in the concert a solo part. I got it on video for Wes to see later. He did awesome! Leah told us she'd like to treat us to Dairy Queen for ice cream so we picked up Josh and got treats. I hope going to bed closer to 9pm for Ben doesn't mean a miserable Preschool party with Santa tomorrow:) The kids pulled out Hawaiian clothes for spirit day tomorrow and they were pretty much in bed by 9. The big boys were up a little longer until I got after them. I did dishes and laundry, locked the house and came to blog a bit. It's 10:21pm and I think I'll head to bed early tonight:)