Tender Mercies

Last weekend started out like any other weekend. We went to Kace's piano recital (more about that later) Saturday morning, got our chores done and then Kace and Nate went fishing. Ty and I were just hanging out when our neighbor called to see if we wanted to go to Willard and go boating. Of course we did!

So after we had been there awhile (Ty LOVED the idea of going on a "motor boat" and went around the house shouting and jumping up and down). Ty and his friend Olivia decided that they wanted to ride on the tube. After instructing that Kim and I did not the kids to have a bad experience and wanted to go really slow (and we didn't want to get wet.....the water was COLD and I am a wimp). So we got on and went. It was so slow that it was almost boring, but the kids had a good time.
About an hour later they wanted to ride again. Not really wanting to get on the tube again we sent them with another neighbor Jace, who was there with us. He sat in the middle and had a kid on each side. Two teenage girls were on the back of the tube on their knees. We were going along just swimmingly when I saw that the nose of the tube was starting to go under water. I started getting nervous and was saying to Kim, "Kim, go faster, they're going under. Go faster!" Not knowing this is NOT what you are supposed to do in this situation. (You are actually supposed to cut the engine and the buoyancy of the tube will pop the rope back out of the water--glad to know that now!)
Anyway, she started going a little bit faster (we were still going really slow) and they all slid off. Jace grabbed both Ty and Livy's hand, but Ty got sucked under the boat and Livy slid over by the side of the tube. Ty didn't come up. I started getting nervous and started shouting, "Where's TY? Where's TY?" Everyone started shouting that and he just never came up. He was stuck underneath the tube. One of the girls felt him and tried kicking him across the tube and they all tried moving the tube, but it wouldn't move. Kim (When Ty tells this story he lovingly refers to her as "Tim" as he has troubles with the K sound :) ) jumped in the water and swam out there while I was still standing frozen and frozen on the boat. I don't know exactly when he popped up, but he did and everyone in the near vicinity knew that he was okay because you could hear him. Both kids were hysterical (although liv was ready to get back on the tube after about a 1/2 hour). It was a very scary experience. My heart still races when I think about what could have happened.

The next day was Father's Day and we went to Trenton to my mom and dad's after church. We were all enjoying a little entertainment by the "tire rollers" when we noticed that Ty wasn't playing with his tractor in the sand. He had decided that he needed to go get some hay across the street. So Heidi and Clayton said that they would go over and pick him up on the 4-wheeler. When they got there they put him on in front of Clayton and then Clayton turned around to hand Heidi Ty's tractor and while he was turned around Ty decided that he would crank on the gas. Not a smart move. They lurched forward and almost hit a cement wall. By that time Clayton was able to turn around and steered them away from the second wall and hit the brakes, but it was too late. They were still going pretty fast and the 4-wheeler flipped. You can see Heidi's side of the story HERE .

So we were all still sitting outside when Clayton walked into the back and said, "Now nobody panic, but I think we are going to go to the hospital." Then he removed his hand from his head and this is what we saw.

(Clayton ended up getting 5 staples in his head that night and has a broken rib.)

I really didn't think he was serious. Then I saw the blood and knew it was for real. Then Heidi walked into the backyard carrying Tydon and she was all dirty and bleeding from some scrapes. They then told us the story about what happened.

Clayton was really shook up about it, thinking about what could have happened. I was that way the night before I kept picturing Ty in the water. Not very good thoughts. It makes you appreciate how precious life is and how fast it could be snatched away.

I really believe that Clayton helped shield Ty from being hurt worse and that he is a hero in my eyes. I also believe that there was some divine intervention and was given the distinct impression that we were given a gift. When I think about it I can't believe that they all weren't hurt worse. Ty only had a couple of scrapes on his arms and legs. He had some road rash on his arm. But really wasn't hurt and didn't really cry until we started washing him up. He now has a band-aid on all of his "owies". When he says his prayers he says, "Sorry that Clay-on got hurt. Sorry that Heidi got hurt." He is a very sweet little boy.

I was given the distinct impression that we were given a gift and we should see this as a blessing.

"When you are doing what's right on and off the field........magic happens." I just thought I would throw this classic quote in :) Not saying that we are doing what is right all the time, but we are trying and good things have definitely happened. We are very very blessed. Who could resist this adorable little face. I hug him a little tighter and appreciate each moment a little more. I am so grateful to my Father in Heaven for the gift he gave our family this weekend.

Your own kind of beautiful

Sunday I had the opportunity to go and listen to Elder Jeffrey R Holland give a fireside for the youth in our area. It was such an incredible opportunity and he is such a great speaker. When I came home I was sharing my spiritual enlightening with my family. He told all the YM that they WERE going to go on a mission. Every young man in that room IS going to serve. He said it in a very loving, but firm sort of way. He talked about temple marriage and not rejecting that gift that God gave to us. And he said how good and beautiful everyone in the audience looked at least 6 times.
So when we were eating dinner that Sunday and I said that he said how good everyone looked Kace said very matter of factly, "Well, I'm not beautiful. I don't look good. I'm UGLY"

I was shocked. I asked him what gave him that idea and he said, "I don't have that good looking of a face. Not like.......(and then he names a couple of his friends). He also mentioned that he didn't like his smile. I felt so bad. Why would a 7 year old think that he is ugly?

I asked him if someone has told him he was ugly and he said, "No. I just think that."
I don't think it really bothers him that he thinks that, it is just his opinion of himself. What I don't get is that I tell him over and over how handsome he is. I am also surprised that this is the first time he has said ANYTHING like this.

So we had a learning experience and hopefully he has now learned that Heavenly Father doesn't make anything UGLY! Least of all MY KACE!

We've obviously been to the Dinosaur Park recently :)

Little Beggars

Kace had a baseball game and all (those that know Ty know that this would actually be ALL the entire duration of the game) Ty was asking me if he could get a treat from the concessions. I always said, "No, I didn't bring any money." It's smart not to bring money to these types of events.
FINALLY, the last time he asked for a treat I said, "If they will just give you one you can have one." That was good enough for him.....and his 2 friends that were also asking their mom for a treat. They ran over to beg.

The older boy is actually buying something. The other three are just begging for hand-outs.

It worked. And they were pretty proud of themselves. Luckily this is the only field we play on that has concessions so this won't be a regular occurrence.

Soccer Days.

I always loved soccer as a kid and couldn't wait for it to start. BUT, I couldn't believe it when Kace's soccer started again. It seemed too cold. But now it has come and gone and it is still cold. When I signed Kace up this year I wanted him to play with the older kids (2 and 3 graders) and told them we would coach if this could happen. When I went to pick up my coaching packet and soccer balls I looked at my list and it said K-1 grade. I went and mentioned to the rec director that I thought he was playing with the 2-3 grade league, but NOOOOO, they forgot and there was nothing we could do about it. Oh, well.
Kace really loved soccer. He does a really good job. Some highlights for the season were:

*Last year we had a problem with Kace not trying his hardest. He thought he was good enough, but this year he tried his hardest every single game.

*On the last game this kid came up to Kace and yelled, "YOU CAN'T PUSH. YOU PUSHED ME." Kace looked at him like he was crazy, said, "I didn't push." And the kid started CRYING! I was amazed. And just for the record, it happened right in front of me and there was no pushing.

*There was a time (probably more than once) that Kace did knock someone down. They were both fighting for the ball and is went out of bounds. Kace went back and offered his hand to help him up. Parents were shocked. What a good kid!

*Nearly every time he scored a goal he had this proud, chest puffed walk (strut) back to midfield. It was funny. I wish I would have gotten a better picture of it, but this was the best I could do.

*Kace loved being goalie, as did the rest of our team. Most of the time in time-outs and quarter breaks were spent fighting over who got to be goalie and/or begging to be goalie. We finally went to the system that if you asked, then you didn't get to be goalie. That seemed to work fairly well. Of course I am the mom, but Kace did a great job at goalie and had the best drop kicks of all :)

*After most games Ty would want us to get our chairs and come home and watch his soccer games. We have this goal in the front yard and he would go and kick the ball around and want us to watch him. He would also instruct us when to clap and cheer. It was pretty funny. By the time he was done he was pretty tuckered out. This is while he is eating his dinner (cold cereal-please tell me you have that for dinner sometimes at your houses too :) ). He has never done this, but I thought it was pretty funny!

Now on to baseball!

new addition

That's right people, the baby ducks have hatched. The mama ducks had been sitting on eggs and then at the last moment decided to abandon them (RUDE), so Nate put them in the incubator for the rest of their egg time.

So as they hatched we would take them out and put them in the box with the others (don't worry not all these eggs are ducks, there are chickens and pheasants too)

The boys would run downstairs to hold them and touch them every chance they could. Don't worry though, the minute they started to stink I sent the box outside :)

Easter and other stuff

For Easter we colored Easter Eggs on Friday night and then the Easter Bunny came on Saturday morning (Kace wrote him a note so he would for sure remember to come on Saturday). The Easter bunny brought the boys each a BYU hat (Kace wondered how in the world the Easter Bunny would know that we are BYU fans) and a book, sidewalk chalk and some treats.

The boys wanted to wear their hats like their uncle mac. They are also trying to look tough!

We then went in the snow to the town Easter Egg Hunt. The kids had a great time, but it was FREEZING!

Kace drew this lovely portrait of me :)

That night we made some Easter cookies that you read a scripture with each ingredient (found the recipe at the idea room) and then you leave them in the oven overnight and then in the morning they are hollow in the middle (get it?!). I don't know that the boys liked it that much, but I tried :) We are going to do it every year though.

PS And my dear sweet sister HEIDI came over during the priesthood session to hang out with us and make the cookies. That was SOOOO nice of her :) Is that better?

I was surprised at how much they liked finding the eggs they colored. They ran downstairs and looked for the eggs FIRST and then looked for their basket. (when I was growing up, it was definitely the other way around).

A couple of days earlier my Grandma Spencer sent an Easter box to the boys in the mail. They had so much fun opening it and seeing what was inside. Ty kept saying, "WOW, WOW, WOW"

Kace has been dying for me to put this picture of his abscess ("zit"). He loves to squeeze it and watch what comes out (SICK!). Nate lanced it so hopefully it will be no more.

So the duplex is now sold, so we (mostly Nate) is starting on the shed. He has been anxiously awaiting this day! So he has borrowed Roger's backhoe (good thing for good neighbors) and has been going crazy. He has dug a trench for the water and has put in the pipe for the septic hookup. Ty has been loving it (understatement). Everyday he is out in the tractor with his dad. He has to come in and get his little backhoe so he can pretend to scoop dirt as his dad does. He is his dad's little buddy.

the wide world of DANCING!

For those that don't know, I, Rachel Kay Andrew Jones, most uncoordinated dancing person of all time, took dancing for 7, that's right SEVEN years as a youngster. I took from Minnie Hall in Lewiston for a couple of years (please notice the wrinkles in our tights, we love them) and then went to Tueller's School of Dance in Logan for the remainder of the time.

Karen Cottle was my blessed friend to accompany me to dance for all those years. Now, I did like it for the first 3-4 years, but after that I really only took it so I could get the treat (I think I have mentioned this before) that we ALWAYS got afterwards (thanks Janet and mom :) ) There was the one time though that I got a butterfinger and it kind of crunched all over Janet's car and I (and Karen, I think she had to clean it up) got in trouble. But other than that my treat experiences were very positive.
Back to the dancing and uncoordinated part. I was never a good dancer. I am okay with that. I was always on the back row. Oh, well. At least I was good looking :)

I know that most of you are wondering who in the world did my hair (hopefully most of you are wondering who that is). But the truth is, my mom and I had a compromise. I did the back and she gets to take credit for the uni-bang! The next picture, I designed the hairdo all myself.......maybe I shouldn't admit that. At least I have nice legs :)

Now the whole purpose of this post is to show that my dancing skills have NOT been passed on to my kids (actually I think Kace may have my skills a little bit). But Ty, W-O-W. That is all I can say. He LOVES to dance and changes into these blue silky shorts every (and I mean EVERY) time he dances. He also wears these shorts to play basketball or run, but changes his shirt to one that has a number on it for those activities. This is an average dance for Tydon, sometimes he is crazier and sometimes he is more mellow. Anyway, watch and enjoy. You will probably have to turn the sound up. Hope you are entertained!