1/5/14
Heehee....You know that moment when you realize you forgot something super important?!
Yesterday was our first day on the new Sunday schedule...starting at 9 a.m. I have been writing to you every morning before church. It's part of the routine. It works good.
Well, yesterday I was 5 minutes late to church (I still wasn't dressed at 8:40!!!). And I totally forgot to write you a letter. Until this morning when I woke up a little after 4 and was like....BRYCE!!!!!
So I gotta find a new spot in the routine to write to you...because I don't really want to get up at 4:30 a.m. every Monday!
True confessions of a mother who loves you!
So, how are you doing anyway?! Did your box arrive? Did you have a Happy New Year? Looked like you were having fun from the text picture we received!
Grandma was wondering if the cookies we sent arrived intact (the 1st box for Christmas). Or if they were all smashed up. Were they still edible or were they too old?
School starts today and we are back to the WAY too busy life we lead. But it has been a nice vacation. The girls have been playing most days with their friends and chilling and hanging. I worked most of my hours each week but did get the holiday's off and an hour or two extra on the Friday afternoon. And Christmas eve. SO, pretty good to have some down time.
For New Year's eve we just got some yummy food and games and hung out. We ate dinner and then played a game or two throughout the evening. We got ping-pong for Christmas so we played a little ping pong in the garage. (Fun until you lose the balls in the bikes...!!!)
Dad injured his knee about 10 days ago. Darrin's son was playing basketball with him and dove for a ball in front of him and tripped dad. Dad didn't want to damage the kid so he sacrificed himself...and his knee. Anyway, he's been nursing that owie. Playing ping-pong aggravated it. So by 10 p.m. we watched the ball drop and then watched some TV (which put me to sleep!) They woke me up for midnight and we all went to bed at like 12:03. (cept of course Dad) I'm not your liveliest party guest! McKayla and Dallas came from like 9 - 12 p.m.
New Year's day all the Christmas finally came down and was boxed up at our house by 11 a.m. Yeah!!!! It was really beautiful and I actually don't mind it as much as I used to. We actually have room for it here. But I was ready for it to be cleaned up. Then we went to Gma and pa's house and repeated performance and took their decorations all down.
Friday I worked until lunch time and then dad and I spent the afternoon together running errands. We had lunch with Gma and Gpa at Buffalo Wing's over by Target.
Saturday we decided to take a day trip to Cedar City. They have a new ice skate rink. (Note to self, Saturday at 1 p.m. on a nice day in Cedar is not the best choice of time to skate!) It was really crowded. By the time we got skates there were hardly any left and they were not sized exactly what we needed. I guess that was the first time Dallas had ever been ice skating (Surprised me...sorry...I was a BAD mom!!! I thought I'd taken you guys a few times?!) He was ready to be done after a time or two around the rink.
The ice was super rough underfoot, the rink was super crowded. We all skated for like maybe 35 minutes and then everybody was done! It took us at almost an hour to get skates and pay so our time was almost up anyway. We decided to beat the return the skates rush and left by 2:45 p.m.
We went to Dickey's for lunch and shared a picnic pack with everybody. Pulled pork and tanglers basically. And of course rootbeer floats. Yummy yummy.
We then went to my favorite part...Big Lots. Only to find they were cleaned out. All but closed. Waaaaaaahhhh. They had like 4 shelves of junk left and it was all 50% off. Noone told me it was closing. Gma and Gpa didn't know either?! So that kinda made me write Cedar off for awhile. Probably until you come back and there is a reason to go up there again!!!!
I hope they relocate the store but they haven't in St. George yet either so I'm not holding my breath!
Yesterday was a nice 9-12 church Sunday again. It just feels better to get it over early. But now our schedules are all turned upside down as we had "stuff" we did every Sunday morning that we need to find time for at other times now. Like choir practice, writing Bryce, making a fancy dinner. Etc. I really like fast Sunday better now. I can make it until 12:30 without eating. 4:30 p.m. not so much. That was about killing me or I just wasn't doing it depending on the week! Going 24 hours without eating is just not something I feel like I can conquer. It ends up being like 15 - 18 hours with the 12:30 time and that's about enough for me!
Well off to another busy week. Things start up again at 5:45 a.m. I start my exercise class and Holly has a before school program she is doing that starts at 8 a.m. so we are OFF to the races!
I hope you are doing well and loving it there. Derrick Shelley came over for a few minutes yesterday and says you are in the most ghetto part of your mission. I guess that means from here on out things should get less ghetto?! Haha. I think he got his bike stolen when he was living in Spokane City but it sounds like he wasn't exactly in your area...but maybe close? Are you in the 2nd ward? That's what he was asking and we were like...uh...I dunno!? It was also right at the end of his mission, thank goodness. So just saved him on shipping charges, tee hee. I don't know if he ended up replacing it or borrowing one or what. I can't remember.
Do you know Katie Koeven? She is probably a year older than you. She was attending USU and traveling home for Christmas break and was in a car accident. She has been at U of U hospital ever since. They have her in a coma as she has had to endure multiple operations to her brain, heart and pelvic area. Her family is super optimistic and report that another trauma patient came in this week so Katie is no longer the most critical patient on the floor. Sounds like she will be able to pull through but the recovery is going to be extremely long and painful. Kind of like Britton Shipp. So sad. It's amazing to read the blogs of these people and see their faith and optimism. They are truly inspiring people.
If you want to send a note of encouragement:
Katie Koeven
681 N 400 E
Centerville UT 84014
They said they are posting cards on her wall. Anyway, just remember her in your prayers. She is such a sweet young lady.
I love you so much and am so proud of your efforts and the amazing things you are doing. You are an inspiration. I worry about you and pray for you and hope only the best for you always. I hope you feel the peace and love of your Father in Heaven watching over you and guiding you and helping you do the things you need to do. You are an amazing kid and we miss you but know that where you are and what your doing is right and good.
Let us know if you need anything and we'll try to take care of it for you!
Love you lots! Mom
