05/27/12 Patriarchal Blessing & surgery

5/27/12

Wow this week has been a whirlwind of activity from start to finish!

Dallas had his patriarchal blessing Tuesday night after court at 8:30 p.m. We were at the patriarch's until 10 p.m.  Kinda late for this little one!  The patriarch did an amazing job.  Bryce got his today and he cautioned Bryce not to "compare" blessings and stated that the patriarchs sometimes get too long winded and his would probably be shorter than Dallas' because Dallas' was kind of long...and then he gave Bryce what I think will turn out to be an even LONGER blessing!  They were both very amazing and inspired and wonderful.  It will be neat to receive them and actually read them.  He said he is still working on editing Dallas' and it is not ready for pickup yet.  

We had Holly's Luau on Wednesday and that turned out really cute and fun.  The kids enjoyed making poi balls and necklaces.  They played games.  Dressed Hawaiian, got their pix taken and had a yummy treat.  From all accounts it was a blast!

Thursday Dallas had his surgery.  He received a blessing by Dad before we went over and then we got to the hospital by 9.  By 10:15 he was on his way back for surgery and by about 12:30 we were on our way home.  Dallas has done amazingly well.  He is on percoset and takes pills regularly and is "stoned" as Bryce says...but he has really come through this quite well so far.  So keep your fingers crossed that he continues to do well.  He is grounded from driving until he is off the drugs so he hasn't gone anywhere for a few days now without us!  He attended church but according to Bryce he may have "dozed" off a few times.  Poor thing!

Friday we went out to dinner with Robert and his wife for her birthday to the Anasazi steak house.  Pricey little joint but EXCELLENT food.  Fondue cheese and chocolate and big hunks of meat.  I'm sure dad will fill you in with more details.  Meal took 2 hours!

Saturday we went to Grandparents and did some yard work and enjoyed some hot dogs with them.  Aunt Becky, Aspen and Morgan surprised us and came for a quick trip this weekend to go to Michael Talbot's wedding.  (Turns out they are related to his new bride!)  AND they had arranged to stay at someone's house prior to getting here.  Turns out it was Sister Anderson!  Small world!

So we got to spend the evening with the girls and Becky.  They came back over to our house for breakfast of waffles this morning and then came to sacrament meeting and headed home.

I spoke today.  About you!  I'll send you the talk.  It was missionary sunday and Brother Hardesty and Brother Turner talked about their missionaries too!  Cool, eh?!

AND the Sis. missionaries showed up at church today with the grandma of one of my non members and her grandson. (My young woman was NOT there...gonna have to find out why not!)  Anyway, they said if she can give up smoking she is going to get baptized June 16!  WOW !!!! And Arriana and JD too, maybe!  We'll wait and see what happens but that is pretty happy news!

I had to teach in YW today and then we had ward council and then Bryce's blessing.  Needless to say by naptime today I was TIRED!

Dad's still sawing logs over there!  Gotta wake him up.  Don't want him up all night!

Next week I'm the treasurer all week as Kerry our treasurer heads to Hawaii so another full week awaits.  Tomorrow is memorial day and we are going to the Warby's cabin for a lunch and hike and to check out the cabin for youth conference.  Brother Campbell and family are planning to come too (his wife was sick today so it wasn't for sure!).

Well thanks for supplying us with such great material for my talk today!  I can tell by carefully studying and reading your letters how much you have grown and changed and I am really proud of you!

XOXO Mom.

05/20/12 Gpa L & Suzanne visit

5/20/12

Hey AJ!

It was so good to see you last week!  You look amazing and healthy and happy.  Always good to see!!!  I'm glad we aren't cry baby family...Cristy said Luke got on and started bawling like a baby and they just cried for over an hour.  Ugh.  I don't like crying!!!!  I miss you, but I don't want to cry about it!

I guess there is an eclipse tonight and the best place in the whole word to watch it...kanaraville Utah.  So we are having an eclipse party at the folks' place.  All the rest of the family is coming I guess.  Should be fun.

It's been an extremely busy week -- dad in SLC since Wed evening.  My dad and Suzanne came to visit M-F.  YW, YM.  Piano recital.  Powder puff derby (pinewood derby for girlscouts).  Katie got to go to jumping jacks for student council.  She also scored 100% on end of level testing.  The highest score in her whole grade, no one matched it.  She was pretty excited.  She is right now reading the Harry Potter books.  I think she just finished #4.  Seems to me this is about the same time of your life that you did that.  'Course there is now and book 5 and 6 out for her to tackle.  I don't remember those being out when you were a kid.  She has taken the AR tests and scored 100 % on those too.  She is pretty and smart.

Friday night there was a movie and dinner in the park.  We went to the elementary school and got hot dogs and doritos, water and cookies.  Afterward they gave everyone a bag of popcorn and put on some silly disney movie.  (I thought it was kind of lame but the girls enjoyed it).  Treasure buddies.  It was like Indiana Jones with dogs...???!!!  Whatever.  I sat on the grass shaking and shivering 'till I couldn't take it anymore and then went back to the car.  Turns out I could see/hear it just fine from there so I got a drive in movie for the end!

Dad and Suzanne took us out to Chuck - A - Rama Thursday night for my birthday.  It was pretty yummy.  The kids all ate plenty and enjoyed it.  (He actually took Katie and Holly there Wed night during YW/YM too, so they got to be little piggies 2 days in a row!)

Wed night we had a combined dinner.  The menu had strange things on it that you couldn't really decipher.  End up getting meals with strange cup and silverware combinations.  Funny.  Afterward there was a little talk about how life is sometimes like this meal.  You get what you don't want or in difficult to manage ways....and how do you react to it?  Do you complain?  Do you laugh?  Do you accomodate and deal with it?  Do you get mad and walk away?  It was a good lesson and a fun activity.

This week should be out of this world busy again.  Judge was out of town last week so that means extra busy Tuesday.  Wednesday we are having a camp meeting with parents.  Boys are playing for graduation this week and not doing much else.  Holly's luau is Wednesday. Dallas surgery Thursday.

On and on we go!

Well I hope you have had a great week.  Can't wait to hear about transfers and what fun things you are doing!

Take care and love you lots!!! xoxo