Mini Pioneers

My Pioneer day was awesome! I got to help register people for the Fun Run and the 5K in the morning, then headed over to Spanish Fork to be on our Model A float in their parade.
And guess what? I got to be on a float pulled by a tractor! A real, yellow-and-green John Deer tractor, with HUGE wheels and cowboy (with the official hat) to drive. How awesome is that?

I really am in Utah. No, really. Wooot!

I have more proof, too! I met this little girl, (granddaughter of Harold, the owner of Model A,) who told me that she wanted to be a cowgirl when she grew up. Yup-Six years old and she's got her heart set on farming, herding, cows and trucking. Aww...

We threw candy, but I think I was a little too generous because I ran out and could only wave near the end! But that's okay because I got some people to wave back at me too. ;)
I found out that people are more cheerful toward the beginning of the parade, but if you smile enough, you can get them to smile back even if they are tired. It's always worth it to smile!

After my adventures in the town of Spanish Fork and tractors, I drove over as fast as the law would allow to the Mapleton Park. My mother had promised to save me the kid's leftover breakfast for me to eat, and I was pretty excited for that! Actually, it was good to see my family, too. I didn't need to work at all that day, so I was super-super blessed to be with them and my grandparents and GG (Greatest Grandma. She's 95 and doing my father's laundry back in Vegas).

The kids were so full on sugar from cotton candy and snow cones that a few of them had major stomach-aches that night, poor things. I came in to check on Tanner in the bathroom as he was hanging over the toilet bowl.
"Are you okay?" I asked tenitavely.
Tanner looked up dramatically before he said,
"I'm never going to eat candy again!"

He felt a lot better after he'd thrown up, and Savannah took care of that at the park, so she was hunky-dory when we got back home! (Sorry if this is grossing anyone out...) She recovered quite quickly and wanted brownies after dinner. Wow, that girl amazes me.

I bathed her and Elias when we got back, then took my turn for a shower. Elias really wanted to play, though, and he kept trying to talk to me as I gently, but firmly closed the door to the bathroom. I knew that he needed a nap, but he told me that he wasn't tired (like they always do! ;) and continued trying to get me to come back out and play. I told him Savannah would love to play with him.

Eventually, I couldn't hear him responding anymore, so I finished getting dressed and assumed that he'd done as I'd suggested and got some play-mates. Somehow, I could only smile when I opened the door to find him
Fast asleep.
His head was right near the door as if he'd been trying to tell me something mid-sentence and then just zonked out. What a cutie! I picked him up and carried him to his bed, listening to him say profoundly as he started out of sleep:
"I'm tired, Haley."
I only laughed and covered him up in his blankets.
Goodnight 'Lias. Have a good nap!

Happy Pioneering Day!

Little Things

Today I've was blessed to work both at Model A Cafe talking to people and Hogi Yogi chopping vegetables, and I'm excited to go home and be with my family. I pull up to see my little brother, Takoda, waving at me and grinning. I know he has something in mind, and in my heart I pray that it's nothing too permanent as I walk inside. Takoda obediently takes his plate into our home and puts it away just as he was told, and I praise him for his quick response, being rewarded with another grin.
I have to laugh-when he's in a certain mood, he loves to clean! He really is the most awesome 7-year-old I know...We call him Boda or Buddy. :)

So I get distracted from laundry in a game of "Tackle Haley!" This one was a bit more violent and involved than usual. Even little Denver joined in to save his trapped siblings, jumping with a growl and proceeding to bounce, laughing, on any part of me he can reach.
I noticed a few things about their different personalities and how they 'saved' each other from me.

Takoda is more passive when playing, and prefers to rescue the victim by dragging their limb than by attacking me directly.
Savannah is not nearly so tentative-She jumps, slams, kicks, and smacks to distract me so that the trapped one may escape. She's much more bold/brave.
Elias just really loves spanking people!

After we wore each other out with that game, we played hide and seek for a bit, until Takoda grabbed my hand. He told me excitedly that he had something to show me, pulling me toward the garage. To my surprise and happiness, I looked to see the hose had been in use, and the bottom half of the PT had been sprayed clean. Takoda looked up at me with pure joy in his eyes.
"Look, Haley!" he said, pointing. "I cleaned your car and tires for you! Look how they are clean!"
Stroking the tires, we admired his handiwork. I couldn't believe that cleaning my car had gone through his mind, with all of the other things a 7-year-old boy can be thinking about and adventuring doing. He amazed me with his pure selflessness and act of love through service.
That's why my siblings are my hero’s. Yes, they make messes, but we can laugh when we clean them up together later. Yes they can be very, very loud, but what's life without a little dynamics? And yes, they can leave me winded with how energetic they are (I can't keep up!) but I get more exercise that way, and I know that I'd be slow and fat without them!

Siblings are the best.

Little things really make life happy.

Rolly pollys (pill bugs) should watch out for little Denver-
He smashes them and then growls...

Poor things.