3rd Week of March

Here are some highlights from the 3rd week of March.

I made more sourdough bread.  One loaf for us and one for Dave/Joann.  A new picture on our wall from Dave/Joann.  We ordered a new net for the trampoline, as the old one was trashed.  Hudson was happy to go try it out :)  St. Patrick's Day was on Monday, so we all wore green ;)

Beautiful Crocus flowers in bloom in the front yard.  Carter playing w/ a track set.

We got more snow on Tuesday, March 18th.  I worked from home this week, which I was thankful for.  The roads were plowed though, so the kids were able to go to school.  Steve covered our Daffodils w/ buckets and put a rock on the bucket so they wouldn't fly away.  We got like 6 inches!

I had our boys Primary activity Tuesday late afternoon.  We discussed needs vs wants, tithing, and budgeting.  Then we played a few games about needs/wants, then played the Price is Right, to help them get an idea of how much things actually cost.  I then had an appt I had to get to at 5pm.

 Steve was in charge of a combined YM/YW activity that night as well.  

They learned about the history of the Passover.

Wednesday, during my lunch break, Hudson and I made a snowman.  That night Steve took the boys to KTR to use the last of their Christmas gift.  While they were gone, I worked on my final Relief Society Lesson for Sunday.  It was on Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion by Christofferson.  

Hudson has been coughing at night and cough medicine hasn't been working, so Steve took him into the Dr. to ask about asthma.  We are giving him an inhaler, like his older brothers, to see if it helps.  So far it does seem to be helping, so potentially all 3 boys has asthma.

Our snowman we built.  The boys at KTR.  Hudson w/ his inhaler for asthma.

Thursday Steve went to the urologist.  He is scheduled to have another kidney stone removed next Monday, March 31st.  This kidney stone is even bigger than the last, but it's still in the kidney.  We're praying all goes well w/ the surgery and his recovery the week following.

Thursday evening, Steve and I took a walk around the neighborhood (taking Piper w/ us), while the boys played at home.  We have more pretty flowers, mainly Crocuses, in bloom.  More sourdough.

Friday afternoon, Steve and I went and had a couple's massage.  They are opening a new massage place right here, so they were running a discount rate for the massages.  The massages were awesome!  I also made more sourdough, this time also a small loaf for Rob.  It got out of the oven around right after work, so Rob came straight over after he was done w/ work to pick it up.  We ended up ordering Cafe Rio for dinner.  Rob stayed and ate too, then we played a game of "Cover Your Assets."  It was fun.

On Saturday, we cleaned up around the house in the morning, then took Nyles to a birthday party at the Cottonwood Heights Rec Center.  While he was at the party, we went to Sam's Club and Wal-Mart to get groceries for the next week.  We then picked him up and went over to Dave/Joann's place to help them pack and load boxes into a packing cube out in their driveway.

We cleared out one of the extra bedrooms downstairs, and got the downstairs living room staged to list.  We also brought up all the boxes that were in the living room downstairs so they can be sorted through.

Nyles at the ice rink for a birthday party.  Hudson wanted to cut yarn while we packed boxes.  

The boxes we brought upstairs so Joann/Dave could sort through them.

Conor, Nyles and Carter helped haul a lot of boxes upstairs and many to the cube.  Dave ordered pizza for dinner.  Melanie, Joann, Phill, Brandon, Steve and Dave going through boxes.  Olivia helping Hudson cut the yarn, to keep him busy.

Sunday, I gave my final lesson in Relief Society.  I think I'll be released soon since I was called to the Stake Primary (as secretary) at the beginning of March.  I said I would teach one more time though.  I also said I'd help w/ activity days, so I'm not sure when I'll be released.  Guess we'll see.  After church, I walked home w/ Carter and Hudson.  Steve stayed w/ Nyles for a deacon quorum meeting, then came home so I could leave to go attend the 9th Ward's Conference (Spanish Ward).  It was neat to hear the messages in Spanish and being translated.  We went over 2 songs in Primary w/ the kids, then gave them a CTR keychain.  We also gave the leaders a small lotion as a thank you.  Our first Ward Conference is behind us now ;)

That afternoon, the boys helped make tin foil dinners.  We made enough for Dave/Joann, LuDean/Diane.  We stopped at Dave/Joann's to help them w/ move their TV to our camper (while they stage the house), then we went over to LuDean/Diane's place for dinner.  Joann wasn't feeling well so she didn't come (we missed her).

The boys making our tin foil dinners.

Hudson playing in a dirt pile at LuDean's house.  We played a game after dinner.  

Hudson decided to use Carter as a backrest, haha :)  Cute Piper all cozy by the fire.

A quote from my RS Lesson: President Nelson said, “With the help of two Hebrew scholars, I learned that one of the Hebraic meanings of the word Israel is “let God prevail.” Thus the very name of Israel refers to a person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life. That concept stirs my soul!

The question for each of us, regardless of race, is the same. Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His?”

I'm so very grateful for a living prophet to lead us and guide us in these latter days. I'm grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost to teach us and direct us in our lives. I'm so thankful for those who came before us, and for their courage and faith to do what is right. We are so blessed to have this knowledge and truth in our lives. I know this is Christ's Church. I'm grateful we have both General Conference and Easter coming up (my favorite)! Christ lives!

2nd week of March

Here are some highlights for the 2nd week of March.  Daylight Savings was this past weekend, so yes, we were all a little tired, and it took extra to get the kids out of bed.  We're enjoying the sunlight in the evening, just not the dark in the morning right now.  We're happy the daylight hours are getting longer though and we're having more sunlight hours in general.

Pretty white Crocus in bloom in the yard.  Yeah for Spring!  Monday night Carter had his last basketball game.  Hudson just wanted to play outside with the rocks ;)

Go Carter!

Everyone got an award when they were done.  

Carter w/ his friends Quinton Smith, Colin Ure, and the rest of the team.

Steve getting ready to paint the other side of the attic/Lego room.

Tuesday night Steve held the young men's activity at our house, in the garage.  They learned how to cook spaghetti on a camp cookstove.  All the boys helped cook and they all ate it, all 2 lbs of spaghetti!

Cute Hudson excited for the progress on the Lego room.  Steve painted.  

Hudson checking to see how tall he is on the wall, then playing outside on the slide.

Steve working on laying the floor.  It rained HARD Thursday afternoon.  I finished up work, then was able to go pick up Nyles from the train after his play practice (Steve took Carter to his tumbling class).  There was a beautiful rainbow!

Thursday night we had our first Stake Primary Leadership training that we were in charge of.  The prior Stake Primary Presidency had already put the date on the calendar, so even though we were just called a couple weeks ago, we figured we should keep it going.  They already had a puzzle theme (bought puzzles of Jesus), so we went with it.  We each discussed different aspects of a puzzle and how we can each work together to build a better Primary.  Overall it went well.  By the time we got out of our meeting, it was snowing instead of just raining.

Then it turned to snow!

Friday morning Carter got an award at school.  Good work Carter!

The boys excited to have the Lego room pretty much done!  Flashback: Cute Steve and Jeff in their playhouse.  Cute Nyles, Carter and Hudson sitting on each other's laps at Texas Roadhouse.  

We went to eat out Friday evening to celebrate Joann's birthday the next day.

Having dinner at Texas Roadhouse!

Group picture!

Saturday we worked on getting the rest of the boys' Legos up in the attic, including their new heart Legos from Valentine's Day.

I put name tags above each of the boys' cubbies, so they know whose box is whose, so they can each store their Lego creations.

Amazing work Steve!  The boys are so excited to play in it!

Sunday night we took dinner to LuDean/Diane.  We had French Dip Sandwiches.  Steve vacuum sealed the roast from the week before, so it was an easy meal to prepare.

I made another loaf of sourdough. 

More beautiful Crocus flowers in bloom.  Cool purple and white mixed Crocus.

Great quotes:

First Week of March.

Here are some highlights from the 1st full week of March.  Monday afternoon I started not feeling well.  I was really cold and achy and super tired.  I ended up rearranging my last 2 appts in the afternoon, and took the rest of the day off.  I laid down and took a nap, then took it easy the remaining of the night.  I stayed home while Steve took the boys to Carter's basketball game.  Thankfully I started feeling better Tuesday afternoon.

Nyles made a "wedding ring" fishing lure.  Dave came to Carter's basketball game.

Carter also made a fishing lure.  Good work boys!

Steve is making great progress on the attic/Lego room.  

Hudson was a big helper vacuuming up the dust as Steve sands.

Steve finished sanding one side of the room, then got it painted!  Getting closer!

Thursday night Nyles had another band concert.  He did awesome!

Dave and Joann were able to come and my parent and Diane/LuDean were able to join via Zoom.

Good work Nyles!  Thanks for your love and support!

Nyles band concert.

We got some snow.

Wednesday evening I met w/ my new Primary Presidency that I'm part of now.  We went over upcoming events and things we're in charge of now.  I'm still going to teach Relief Society on March 23rd, we had activity days this week and we'll be doing activity days again on the 18th.  Maybe after that I'll be released from my ward callings.

Hudson made a fishing lure as well.

Saturday we went to Ann Lake's funeral (Brandon Lakes' mom).  It was a good service.  We'll all miss her dearly.   She loved McDonald's hamburgers and fries, so they ordered that for lunch.

So have so many pretty Crocus flowers blooming, I love it!  

They are so cute and remind me Spring is near.

After we got home Saturday afternoon, I made a regular loaf of bread while the sourdough was rising.  The boys can't wait to start playing in the Lego room, so they started bringing up some of their Legos and playing in the room while Steve worked on the other side (mudding and sanding).

Our neighbor's cat looking in at our yard behind our fence.  Nyles is getting really close to being as tall as me.  I'm sure he'll pass me up soon enough ;)  I put the sourdough in the fridge overnight, and it rose!  A pretty white Crocus in the yard.

We ordered another net for our trampoline, but it didn't fit, ug so we had to return it and order another one.  I made a sourdough loaf and a cinnamon sourdough loaf.  They were both yummy!  We had dinner w/ Dave/Joann and Diane/LuDean Sunday night.  Steve smoked a beef roast and we brought my bread.

Great quotes:

Last week of February

We had a pretty busy week this past week, the last week of February.  Here are some highlights.  

Monday, February 24th, Steve took the boys fishing after school.  Dave came along as well.

The boys had fun playing in the snow banks.

They took the boat out and had fun together.

Cute kids.  They caught a few fish.

Monday evening after work, I went to dinner w/ my team to Market Street Grill.  We then all stayed at the Grand American down town.  We had meetings all day Tuesday there at the Grand America.

My room and view.

Tuesday night after all our meetings, we went over to watch the Utah hockey game.  

They won by 1 point!  It was a fun game!

Tuesday night Carter also had another basketball game, which I missed.  

Nyles and Hudson played outside since the weather was warm.

Steve has been making great progress on the attic/Lego room.  

He painted the ceiling and got the lights put back up.

More of our cute Crocus flowers are blooming!  Wednesday morning I had more meetings, just w/ our team, then we went out to eat lunch together.  My manager, Ryan Skelly, far right (red hair).

Steve went to parent teacher conferences for Nyles and Carter on Wednesday afternoon, after I got back.  Then Thursday morning he visited w/ Hudson's preschool teacher.  They're all doing well thankfully.  They are all trying their best and their teachers enjoy having them in class.  Nyles' pottery teacher, who he just started this semester, said he has a natural ability in pottery.

Cute Hudson has been watching what Steve is doing, both holding the nails and then using the nail gun.  Steve found him in his room using the drill.

Hudson drilling.

Friday the boys didn't have school, so they went out fishing again at Deer Creek.

The weather was nice and they had a great time.

Nyles caught the only fish, a Rainbow Trout.  It was pretty big, 19 inches!

Saturday I made some more sourdough.  Steve also cleaned out the garage, I organized the clothes closets, cleaned out the cars, then we got our deep freeze ready for some beef.  Uncle Brad ordered and delivered a 1/2 a beef cow to us.  Thankfully it fit in one of our deep freezers, and the rest of our freezer food fit in the other deep freezer.  We appreciate Brad's help getting us some beef.

I made 2 loaves, 1 small (for Dave/Joann) and larger one for us.  Another cute Crocus.

We had Stake Conference today.  Steve was keeping the boys entertained with silly faces.

I was sustained in the new Primary Presidency during the announcements.  

We moved out of the gym and over to a side room during the congregational hymn, so Hudson could get out his wiggles.  He found his friend Timbo, and they played while we listened to the rest of Stake Conference.  Then after it was over, I was set apart in my new calling as the Stake Primary Secretary.

Timbo and Hudson playing during Stake Conference.  We have a purple Crocus finally in bloom!

Our new Stake Primary Presidency: Angie Baker (2nd counselor), Kelly Engstrom (President), me (Secretary), Marsha Harmon (1st counselor).

Singing Happy Birthday to Joann (March 15th), and Carrie (February 1st) at our family dinner.

Cool rain clouds as we were driving.

Great quotes: