marches on

another sunny soccer game

the days fly by.  I work most days.  Rob works everyday.  Kids go to school.  We wake up early, makes lunches and do laundry.  After school there is soccer practice and VEX and errands to run.

Tuesday nights we have choir and mutual.  The routine of our lives marks the time and I am grateful for so many good and worthwhile things to do.

This week we also had an awards ceremony one evening.  Grace is on the principals honor roll, which means a 4.0.  She is always on it but this time wanted to go to the ceremony and get the certificate.  These two kids (Ethan and Grace) are diligent students and always score high marks. They have been blessed with keen intellects and they work hard.  That's a good combination.  

most disagreeable picture taker

Yesterday Tami and I got together and did wedding stuff.  They have a beautiful backyard and I think the reception is going to be really pretty. We had a good visit.  Not only do I like Sawyer a lot I also like his family.

I finally got a new counselor.  Lynlee.  She is Dani's age and has two cute little kids.  She's never served in YW but is excited.  We met yesterday and got to know each other a little and had an orientation meeting.  I think she's going to be great.

someone should straighten up their stuff

The evenings have a rhythm too.  One that is more hygge.  We often end the day snuggled up in our big bed, animals and Grace. Ethan sometimes on the big gray chair.  We read scriptures together and pray.  Grace tells us about the animals she wants. We have shows we watch or sometimes we read.  Last night we facetimed with Hannah, and Sawyer with some of Hannah's roommates popping in and out of the screen or calling out from another part of the room.  

I often spend my days feeing grateful and blessed.

most nights

some nights

Sunday

I had the spiritual thought in ward council this morning. On lds.org there is a new window you can click on that takes you to all of President Nelson’s conference talks since he was called as an apostle. I browsed the titles and picked one that captured my interest. It was very good. At the end of the talk he shared a favorite verse of Camilla Kimball’s. It really touched me and now it’s a favorite of mine as well. So that was what I shared. If we build our foundation on Christ it doesn’t matter what life throws at you, or what problems you face you can withstand it with Christ.

Saw this cute picture of Hannah and Kenz this morning. They are such cute girls, I’m glad they’ve been roommates!

Today Hannah got her temple recommend! She’s going to get her own endowment next month at the Provo City Center Temple. I’m so proud of her and looking forward to all the wonderful things coming up:)


A little chess game after dinner.

“Thirteen”

Grace’s Birthday is today!!! Our last baby is now a teenager! What?! So it’s exciting and unbelievable at the same time. 13 years went fast! Grace is spunky and headstrong and opinionated. She is very very smart. We think she might have a photographic memory. She is very musical and great at math. She loves animals and to be silly. She loves technology, is an awesome swimmer, but hates to hike or play sports. She makes a lot of slime, sings in the choir, is on the robotics team and the science Olympiad team and student council and in honors band. Grace has a weekly babysitting job and is quite responsible. She likes to play games, do puzzles and watch Netflix. We love our little caboose and are so grateful she is in our family.
Last month Grace really really really wanted/needed/longed for a kitten. She missed Steve soooooo much and her life was incomplete. She didn’t want a birthday present or party or anything if she could just get a Christmas kitten while she was going to be home for 3 weeks to “train” it. So we got Matilda. 

This morning we surprised her with a birthday bag. It was filled with little gifts. A couple new tee shirts, some Swedish fish, some hand sanitizers and a cute pair of ear rings. She also got to invite some friends over to hang out. Not a party but something fun to make the day special. We went to michaels and she chose some slime supplies, then we went to coldstone and got an ice cream cake. 

In the afternoon Truc-mai, Rylynn and Aubrey came over. 

The girls played with the birds, played games and I heard a lot of laughing so I think it was a nice day for her. 

The rest of the week

72 degrees

Wednesday soccer: warm and sunny. Sister Alius, Ethan’s seminary teacher, came to watch. We had a nice time visiting together and watching the boys.

45 and raining

On Friday we watched in the rain and wind and it was cold out.  The boys didn't have a great week.  Game one was a tie, game two a loss. Lest you think we are light weights, sometimes 45 degrees out is quite nice.  Sweatshirt weather but fine.  When the wind is howling and the rain is falling it's a different story.

Ivan

In other weekly happenings on Thursday I subbed Dan's class and he left fun stuff for us to do.  We made circuits with light bulbs and switches and the kids had to build different kinds.  Then we got to play with a vandegraaff generator.  Super fun.

Yesterday I subbed for seminary and then for 4th grade.  I also subbed on Tuesday, PE.

We had a nice activity on Tuesday night for YW.  We watched the press conference from our new prophet and the girls wrote down their inspirations and feelings.  Then we made stuff for the Valentines dance for the ward that we are in charge of planning.

Here's a little story about how much Ethan likes soccer.  Every day they have practice for 2 hours.  Tuesday he came home from practice and Bro Pincock called him and asked him to bring a soccer ball to church.  The boys also watched the press conference and then they played an hour and a half of soccer.  Ethan said it was the best activity in a long time and he was delighted to play.

Rob's been sick this week.  He seems on the mend now.

Tilly

Keep on the covenant path

President Thomas S Monson passed away last week. He was very old and frail so it was no surprise. He was beloved to all the members of the church so we are sad to lose him.

Today the church announced the new first presidency. The new prophet is Russell M Nelson. Dallin Oakes and Henry B Eyring are his counselors. I was surprised that Elder Uchtdorf was not in the first presidency any more. He is greatly loved by all. However the Lord has a plan and I have full confidence in Him. I am sure Elder Uchtdorf is delighted to serve where ever and how ever he is needed. 

What a wonderful blessing we have to be led by the hand of the Lord. How grateful I am for a living prophet. I am anxious to stay on the covenant path. 

Yesterday I got back Ethan’s quilt. I have saved his shirts since he was 3 and on his first soccer team. Mom and I sewed them together. I didn’t want to tie it though. I really wanted to have it quilted so I took it to Nikki and she did a beautiful job.

I gave it to Ethan and he really liked it. I was so excited that he thought it was neat. He even instagrammed it.❤️

Yesterday we didn’t have school. Grace had a friend over. She also worked with her birds. Ethan had soccer practice. Sierra went home. She had a long visit and I really enjoyed having her here. I was quite sad that she had to leave.

We’ve been making some wedding progress. We ordered the girl’s bridesmaid dresses yesterday. I am gathering addresses for invites. I’m looking forward to the big day!

Grace’s dress below. I think it’s so pretty.

Jenna had a sonogram yesterday. I thought this was the funniest picture with baby A kicking baby B’s face. I am very excited for the little girls arrival! I did feel bad though because I put it on fb thinking the whole world already knew and then J said she had it announced it there yet.

Last night we had Joe (a new convert) join us for dinner and FHE. It was a pretty nice evening. 

Today I am subbing PE and tonight is mutual. Also tonight choir starts back up. Lots of good stuff:)

88 degrees

We had plans to go to San Deigo today to meet Arrow. When Sierra ended up having surgery yesterday I figured we’d put them off but when I got up this morning she was showered and ready to go. 

Sitting in a car and healing isn’t much harder than sitting on the couch so we kept our plans. 

Is this the most adorable boy or what? Photo from Sierra’s instagram. He is the sweetest little guy!

Anna looks great and said she felt good. Mom and Dad are there helping so we got a bonus visit with them too. 

We sat around and admired the littlest boy. I also played killer bunnies with Joneaux:) We has lunch together and time to chat.

Grandma and her 21st grandchild:). So cute!

We had a smooth drive down and back. A fun visit there and found all was well when we returned home. 

And it was warm and sunny!

Ovaries

Sierra and I drove down to Oxnard today for her appointment. We had planned to drive down, find a place to have lunch, eat, and then go to the doctor. As we got closer and closer to the office we realized we were just a couple miles from the ocean. Without any hesitation we drove right by all the restaurants and headed to the beach. 

We spent a lovely half hour enjoying the sunshine and the not even that cold water. It was a very frolicking fun time. Then we went to the appointment.

It turned out to be very fortunate that we did that because the doctor said Sierra needed surgery. Today. 

Her ovary was twisted and had the huge cyst. If it didn’t come out immediately it would kill the ovary...and possibly the whole uterus.


So we walked across the hall to the hospital and she just got finished. The doctor came out and said everything went well. 

After recovery time we will go home. And she will have to change her flight (again).

Poor Si.