First Driving Lesson

A couple of weeks ago, Terry and the squirrels detailed the van for me for Mother's Day.  It still looks awesome!  So when Terry & I got to the area of stinky gutters right above the van, we didn't want to mar it's beauty.  Being the lazy people we are, we didn't want to climb down the ladder again to move it, either.  So we called Brynn over and asked her to get the keys and back the van out.  As she ran into the house to get the keys, she exclaimed, "Cool!  I get to drive!!"

From our perch on the roof, we talked her through the process of backing up in the van.  No turning was required, just a straight shot back.  She even got to push on the gas pedal!
I must say, for a 12 year old, she did a wonderful job!  So we were confident that she could pull in forward when we finished.  Congrats on your first driving lesson, Brynn!

P.S.  Do not try this at home without parental supervision.  Do not attempt on public roads.  Crazy-lazy parents required.

All in a Days Work

What a beautiful day we had on Saturday!  It was perfect weather for cleaning out the gutters. We'd neglected the chore for 2 years and the poor gutters had turned into the Hoecherl Falls. But a hundred pounds or so of pine needles and stinky sludge and 5 huge yard garbage bags later, we had giddy gutters again. We actually heard them giggle in delight!  

We then progressed to the play area.  We haven't been as neglectful with it and so cleaning it up wasn't bad.  A clean play area always inspires the squirrels to pull out the sidewalk chalk and scooters.  

While Terry & I worked our "arses" off, the squirrels enjoyed an afternoon basking in the warm sun! But they deserved it. They helped me sweep, dust and vacuum the whole house that morning:)

There's nothing like the feeling of accomplishment after a hard days work.  A clean house, inside and out.  I think we're ready for summer!!!

How Do You Know

That he loves you?

He gives you flowers!  

Just because he loves me! 

(and so I can cover the TV cord that hangs down the wall)

Thanks, Terry! I love you too!

Goodbye

Today I was released as our ward's Primary President.  It was an amazing 3 years; well, one month shy of 3 years:)   I have learned so many things about myself and my Heavenly Father while serving in this capacity.  I have no doubt that what I have learned couldn't have been learned through any other calling.  

There are times in your life that are pivotal; where you categorize your memories and experiences by thinking, "Before I was married..."  or "after the twins were born...." or "when I lived in Missouri....",  etc.   My serving as a Primary President is one of those pivotal phases in my life.  Being a mom, one assumed I knew how to be with children, teach them, and actually enjoy them.  I tend to be a not-so-fun mom and I had to really learn how to get on their level and have fun with it.  I think I made progress!  It was hard work, but fulfilling at the same time.  

I have been blessed with special friendships through this calling.  I couldn't have progressed as much without them.  I am grateful to all those who choose to accept callings in the gospel.  Not only do they learn and progress, they allow others to do the same in a unique way.

I'm relieved, yet I feel a bit of sorrow in my heart.  I love the children, leaders, and teachers I have worked so closely with.  I will miss the many blessings and promptings that come with such a calling.  It never ceased to amaze me how much He lead and guided me in every little thing concerning the primary.  I leaned on Him heavily, which is one of the great blessings and lessons I learned throughout the whole experience.  

I will now serve in a bit of a more familiar calling: Choir Pianist.  Ta-duh! (singing)  I bet you didn't see that one coming:)  It is a calling I've had a few times in the past, but it is one that I still look forward to serving in.  I will be responsible for just me!  Weird.  And it'll get me to the piano more often.  I'm looking forward to that.  Two beautiful pianos are in dire need of being tickled!

To La Presidente:

You are ready for this.  Maybe you don't think you are, but He knows you are.  You will step up and hit a home run!  I hope you learn to enjoy it as much as I did.  Remember, I didn't like other people's kids when I was called:)   I like some of them now!!  Even the boys!   You have a great presidency that will support you and love you.  You are an amazing woman who is willing to do what He asks of you.  You will be blessed!  Congratulations, and know that I will support you more than anyone else!  Put me on the substitute list:)

Mother's Day

I forgot to take pictures!   Now that I got that off my chest, I can just summarize.  

Terry & Livvy made me my favorite ham & cheese omelet for breakfast.  They served it to me in bed WITH a Diet Coke.  I know they love me!  Terry is the best ham & cheese omelet chef.  I craved his omelets for the last 4 weeks he was in Japan.  My mouth is watering.  On to another subject...

My girls all gave me special notes, candy posters, pictures, and personal projects they had made just for me.  I've eaten half of the candy from the twins' posters (PMS week), so there's no point in taking pictures now!  Livvy made a special hand print wall hanging for me.  It's currently hanging on the TV antenna in our room:)  Brynn gave me a service coupon book (which I'm so going to take advantage of!), a picture from her YW's photo shoot activities, a card, and a booklet she's been working on throughout the year at school.  She has a few poems in it and she is a great amateur poet, if I say so myself!  Terry gave me a detailed van.  Our seven year old-95,000 mile-mini van was in dire need of a good vacuum & scrubbing.  All I asked for was a clean van.   I got it and new brakes, too!  He's The Man.  

It was a great Mother's Day!  

Just some fun with the camera

on friday, after dinner, my sisters and i went out side and were taking pictures. i took some pictures of Kara and Livvy that made one of them look like a midget.

56

not all of them turned out perfect though:

after that, i started to take really cool pictures up close to plants.

6

I really like this one 5

most of these have a computer effect. 56

this one is my favorite one  5

-Brynn H. 

Bainbridge Island Reward

http://www.biparks.org/parksandfacilities/ifaquaticscenter.html#swirlpool

We finally got around to our 6 month scripture reading incentive.  We went to Bainbridge Island Aquatic Center to go swimming.  Brynn had been there a couple times for birthday parties and loved it.  We picked up Brynn early from school and Terry directly from work and headed out.  They have a nice facility there that is lots of fun.  There is a 1 and 3 meter diving board, a rope swing, a lazy pool and even a water slide!!  (There was also a hot tub for me, YEAH!!)

Terry loves to make big splashes off the diving boards.  He does a "can opener" to do it.  It is similar to a cannon ball, but you only grab one leg instead of two.  While waiting in line for the high dive, Terry was talking to a younger boy in line, telling him that he was going to splash the ceiling, "I can do it too, 'cause I'm fat!"  The boy just laughed!  After each time he tried to hit the ceiling, the whole pool, full of people in the water as well as on the deck, oooo'd and awe'd, then broke into fits of giggles and gaffaws!  He didn't ever quite hit the ceiling, but once he did get the lifeguard wet.  

Later, Livvy, too excited about going down the slide to show Brynn her mad moves, threw herself down before the lifeguard gave the go ahead.  The guards carefully control when one starts to prevent terrible accidents at the bottom.  Of course it happened to be the same guard that Terry had splashed earlier that was manning the water slide at the time.  I apologized & told him it was my fault for not paying attention.  He agreed to let me "yell" at her when I got to the bottom.  I gave her a good whoopin' as soon as we got home.

Terry was farther back in line and saw Livvy leave early on the slide.  When he got up to the front of the line, he said to the lifeguard, "First I splash you, then my daughter shoots down the slide before you told her to.  We are the problem family tonight, aren't we?"  The lifeguard dryly replies, "Yep, there's gotta be one every night!"

Towards the end of the night, Terry was playing with Livvy in the water.  They were just relaxing and floating on water noodles and kickboards.  At one point, he started teasing her by taking a big breath and falling face first in the water and just laying still after that.  Apparently, after about 30-40 seconds of a little girl desperately trying to get her dad's face up out of the water, the lifeguard started to get worried and got down out of his chair and was walking over towards him.  As he got over to where Terry and Livvy were, poised to jump in, a look of terror in his eyes, Terry finally lifted his head & saw him.  The lifeguard, with a relieved look on his face,  said, "Sir, you at least gotta move...!"  Terry and I laughed about this the rest of the night!! At least it was a different lifeguard this time!

Yes, we are the "problem family".  Always the Hoecherl's!

Claywerks

I'm behind, once again. This is the first activity we did during Brynn's 6th Grade Camp Week. "Claywerks" is a ceramic and pottery studio that offers a variety of crafty opportunities. We chose to pay for an afternoon to pick out and paint ceramic characters offered at the studio. This is not a place to take young ones who won't be content to remain in a certain designated area for up to 2 hours. Lots of breakables and messy paint. No way would we have braved this adventure if our kids were younger!

We had a great time and spent 3 hours painting away. Once we were finished, we left our masterpieces over the weekend in order for them to be fired up in the kiln. Terry didn't quite get his dragon all painted, but it still turned out great! I chose to do a kissy frog. I love the big bright neon red lips! Brynn concentrated on the details of her fairy, and managed to get a couple more pieces painted as well. Emma took her time choosing her pieces, but once she had decided, there was no holding her back! Kara spent most of her time on her cow. She designed each black spot herself.   Livvy spent as much time as Emma did in choosing her animals. She loved painting them and was the first one finished! Luckily, she was willing to take over the photographer's job and didn't get too bored.

We will definitely visit Claywerks again. It was a great family field trip!