09/28/14 Churchy week...good lessons

Holly and Katie snuggling together

9/28/2014

It's been a pretty churchy weekend!  Maddi got her endowments out yesterday morning so spent all morning in the temple.  Yesterday evening was the women's broadcast.  Katie, Holly and I enjoyed the meeting together. Afterward we picked up dad and had late dinner at Carl's junior (I love their oreo icecream bars!!!)

Dallas

The whole meeting for the broadcast was centered on living your life so you can attend the temple. If you are old enough of course you should be attending but if you aren't or can't for some reason still live for the temple.  Read your scriptures, pray, radiate the light of the spirit, be a good example, etc.  One sister said that her husband was a stake president and when people came in for interviews he could always tell if they were worthy to attend the temple because they had a "spirit" about them and a "glow" and he could just tell. Cool, eh?!

I hope that my family will always have that spirit about them!

Last Sunday was the Ogden Temple dedication and that had a similar theme. They talked about how fortunate we are to live so close to the temple and how we need to take advantage of that great blessing in our lives.  

Holly

They all talked about the peace and joy you find in the temple and the blessings your receive from serving God.  I do agree. Whenever I attend the temple it seems to help to slow me down and lift the stresses off my mind and chest. Sometimes I might "stew" about something for a long time and if I go to the temple it seems to magic erase the problem or help me think of a solution. It helps to clear my mind and heart and help me focus on what really matters.

Pres Ochtdorf was awesome as always. Here is a little bit of what he said:  Heavenly Father has high aspirations for you.  You are preparing for a future better than you can imagine. You are a child of God qualifying for incomprehensible blessings.

Abide God's law. Receive the law and walk the path of discipleship. Obey the commandments. Live the Gospel joyfully with all our heart, mind and soul. Why doesn't it feel joyful sometimes? Do we sometimes ask if we really need to obey ALL God's commandments?

Katie

God knows something we don't!  Yes!!! we do! Choose what is best for you. Follow God's path and you will find the right way.  It will bless you throughout your life.  

Heavenly Father is constantly raining blessing upon us.  Don't block his blessings. (sin, unworthiness, bad attitude, etc)  

Receive his shower of heavenly blessings! The commandments bring peace in this life and eternal life.  Follow his instructions to us.  Commandments are the recipe for happiness, peace and eternal life. Humble yourself, exercise faith, take upon you the name of Christ, Seek him in word and deed, resolutely stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things and in all places.

Discover your real self, your best self.  Your joyfuy self. Being a disciple of Christ (he was talking visiting teaching but in your case it is even more true) always brings Joy.

He said in his cute accent something along the lines of Heavenly Father doesn't want you upset because someone un-followed you or un-friended you on facebook! He doesn't care about your hair or your nails or your make up or your size. Heavenly Father loves you for you! You can be more than you can imagine!  

Place selfish desires and unworthy ambitions on the sacrifice alter and follow the commandments - live the gospel joyfully!

What a great and true message.  I always feel more happy and at peace when I am making right choices and doing what I know I should do rather than what I think I want to do!

I hope that you are finding joy and peace and happiness as you make this huge sacrifice in your life. I am sure there are hours, days whatever where it feels like you are giving up more and it's not worth it.  But heavenly father is aware of you and your service and he will bless you long after your time of service there is done.  If you will lose yourself in being his disciple you will have great joy and happiness through the journey!

Finding joy in the journey is something I have always struggled with. I think I'm getting better in my old age (tee hee).  I always want to BE THERE (wherever THERE is) and not GET THERE...I am trying to change my attitude and enjoy getting there too.  Sometimes getting there is a far longer portion of a project and once you get there you realize all the great things along the way that maybe I hurried through instead of enjoying.  Bleh...not sure I'm making sense.  

I just want you to enjoy your time and have a happy joyful attitude and love for every day.  And this isn't just about mission life.  It's about ALL life.  There are so many things that feel hard but we can enjoy them if we change the way we look at them.  This is something I'm still struggling through even now so don't take this as a lecture to you.  Just thinking out loud on paper here!  

Anyway, today has more church in it for us as we are going to Maddi's farewell and then back to our ward for primary program practice and dad has early meetings etc.  Should be a great day!

Maddi doesn't actually leave until Oct 15 and then will spend 9 weeks in the MTC so it's kind of early for everything but with general conference and fast Sunday etc her ward didn't have another time to farewell her until she was already gone! I attached a picture of her announcing her mission farewell.  She looks so grown up!

I will send a couple more pictures in another email. LOVE YOU!!!! Pray for you daily. Love Mom!

09/22/14 Piano lessons and salsa

9/22/2014

Holly getting ready to cook

Hey Bryce!

This week was much less eventful than last week.  No robberies, flooding...oh but there was a giant sink whole opened up over on Sunset Blvd.  A big truck drove into it (but didn't fall in) and the road gave way.  25' wide and 14' deep. It is over by the gas station and the movie theaters on the way to Aunt Laura's house. I think the road is still closed one or two lanes.  Crazy.

We just had a usual week.  The YM/YW did a foster care carnival on Friday night from 5-9 p.m.  The girls volunteered and did face painting.  The boys ran some balloon pop games and fishing booth and stuff.  The kids had a nice time.  It was pretty fun.  Still hot here...didn't really cool off until close to 9 p.m. when it was over. We were the later shift and I was glad.  5-7 was probably really hot.

Made yummy treats, now time to eat them!

Holly arrived and put the smiley face in your letter. She says hi and has a big goofy grin on her face!!! She loves you!  

Both girls slept in this morning. BOTH claimed the alarm didn't go off...WHAT?!  I don't know what I fed them last night but they seem to have been knocked out cold.

I took a piano lesson last week from Dawn Wright trying to get more prepared for primary practice.  It was fun. I think I was over there like 2 or 2 1/2 hours.  It went really fast.  I tried to pay her and she refused, said she was counting it as her church calling for the next couple of weeks and then if I want to continue I can pay her.  

I got a hymn book for you today.  AJ says he has one too.  So hopefully soon we'll get those to you.  

We made 21 jars of salsa Saturday.  One of them cracked when I dropped it into the boiling water.  I've never had that happen before.  I guess AJ can come visit again (we were out!).  

Cotton candy at the park with friends...that's the life!

Girl scouts moved to Monday for the next 2 months so we have G.S. today RIGHT after work.  It's going to be tricky to get everything ready and be prepared...there won't be any in between time like before.

Speaking of which it's 20 after 7 and I'm stinky and need to shower and motor out of here for work.  

Love you lots.  Hope you are doing wonderful.  Let us know if there is anything you need.  

Katie just came flying in here...I NEED MY SAXAPHONE QUICK!!!!  And sprinted upstairs. (Her bus was waiting for her).  Oh, boy.  Gonna be one of those days for her I'm afraid.  

Oh yea, almost forgot.  Yesterday was the Ogden temple dedication.  (Did you guys get to see that?  We are thinking, no).  We got to hear from the prophet and Eyring and some others. It was a good meeting. Kind of helped remind us to attend the temple that we are so blessed to live so close to and they pronounced a blessing on the saints. I really enjoyed it.

Well, I gotta run.  But Holly would rather type than practice her piano so she'll sign off...XOXO mom

Holly, 5th grade

hi booboo how are you I miss you ALOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!but on the bright side I'm just barley serveing I love that your out serveing i know your doing the right thing

i love and miss you

                                                                      love

                                                                          Holly

Mr. Ivie's 5th Grade class

09/14/14 Bank Robbery causes school lockdown

9/14/2014

Rainbow behind our house

Another week has gone by and it's been a busy one!  Of course you know that Monday we were in Provo with AJ (I was in BORING conferences all day).  It was fun to see AJ and hang with him a little. I think he enjoyed the one-on-one attention too!  Just like the ol days!

On the way home it rained and rained and rained.  There were a few patches of clearing but when it rained it was really raining!  It rained so much that it washed out a section of I-15 south of Mesquite and a car got washed over a bridge (the people survived but made for some wild and scary video!).  The road to Nevada from Utah was closed for about a week as they spent millions of dollars and rebuilt the section of road.  I guess the hotels in Las Vegas and St. George were probably packed. I heard there were miles of trucks just lined up originally when it happened.  The go-around I guess was a 4 hour detour or something. Then there was some other route but it was only 1 lane and only passenger van or smaller were allowed.  Crazy, anyway!

Holly

I think Phoenix AZ got some bad flooding too but I don't know anything about that.

Had a quiet day or two -- court, activity days...the usual.  I had a jury trial scheduled for Thursday but it cancelled.

Then on Thursday, September 11 (Hero day is what the kids are calling it now), about 2:25 I get an email from Principal Gustaveson that the school is on LOCK OUT mode as a precautionary measure due to an "instance" that was occurring out in the community.

Holly jumping in the pool

Then Washington Elementary send a note that several schools are on Lock down or Lock out but don't' call the school. Everything is safe.  Blah blah blah.  

So I am like, ?WHAT?! is going on?!  So I called Dad and we find out there was a bank robbery at zion's bank on River Road.  The robber wore a big white beard and wig so they were calling him Santa. He took 2 hostages (bank employees and one of their vehicles) and fled the scene.  As he headed over toward fossil ridge/millcreek school area he was firing shots at law enforcement (actually hit millcreek school several times, there were bullet casings laying around the school grounds).  He eventually stops and flees on foot (leaving behind his hostages).  

Somehow he makes his way over to Washington Fields area. All the neighborhoods there are on lock down.  There are helicopters flying overhead searching for him.  This continues until about 4:15 when he shoots himself and the stand-off finishes.

Katie didn't get home until after 4:30 p.m.  From what I have heard the neighborhoods were in lockdown until almost 8 p.m. (the really close ones).  Holly was only allowed to be released if she was picked up.  So the hero day made the hero's prove themselves.  They did a great job as no one was injured except the bad guy.

Enjoying the parade!

This weekend has been rather quiet and uneventful for me.  Dad of course worked tons of hours. Katie is going to games with dad now although I think she mostly just watches.  I don't think she has been able to pickup on how to do stats etc yet.  She says she doesn't really understand the game yet. SO she loves to go to PV games and just watch the games.  Her friends like to go and visit so that drives her crazy cause she wants to WATCH the game.  Haha. That girl!

Holly and I went swimming both Friday night and Saturday night.  Katie babysat Sharp's Saturday night and did super great.  She fed them, cleaned up, played with them, pj'd them and Zach even fell asleep in her arms before they got home at 9 p.m.  Super sitter award!

So now we are to Sunday.  We only have 2 more Sunday's of practice before the primary program (we get Sunday off for Ogden temple dedication next week and General Conference in October and then the program is the next week).  SO I'm trying really hard to practice practice practice so I can play the songs good!

Today is Keenan Schwalger's homecoming so I think Dallas and I are going over there...although it's almost 9 and I haven't heard any stirrings up there yet...

Walking home from the parade

I hope your week wasn't QUITE as exciting as ours!  I love you lots. I plan to send off your box tomorrow (sorry I've been so slow.  I couldn't find funyons either.  Hopefully gonna make some cookies today to add to the box).  If you think of anything else let me know right away.  I'll probably deliver it to post office on my way home from work tomorrow and then you should get it by Thursday.

LOVE YOU!!!!  Hope you are doing wonderful!!! Love Mom.

09/08/14 Provo conference & Dallas meets McKayla

09/08/14

Hey Bryce!  How are you?

I'm sitting in room 631 at the Marriott Hotel in Provo waiting for my conference to start at 10:30 this morning.  Me and dad got to take a quick trip up here all by ourselves.  Met AJ last night and ate his left over date food...cafe rio burrito. It was yummy but cold.

Trying to remember what went on this week...seems like we've been super busy but I can't think of what we were doing!  Haha.

The girls and I went to a bridging ceremony, hot dog roast and then swam in a pool and a pond last Friday night for about 4 hours.  Then we went to a movie in the park.  It was fun.  Love deer haven camp.  It's the same one we went to this summer.   So fun.

Dallas has a new girl he is dating that he found on snap chat.  Makayla from West Jordan.  She is living by herself in a condo in St. George going to Dixie College.  She is 18.  Her dad is assistant chief police up in Cotton wood I think.  I told Dallas he doesn't want to mess with a cops daughter...he carries a gun and a taser! She seems very nice.

He has been keeping super busy with school and work and girl.  He did go fishing with Grandpa on Saturday up to Enterprise.  They had a nice time.  Even caught and released a few fish.

Holly seems to enjoy Mr. Ivie..although he said her class is a real challenge.  Bunch of misbehaved nitwits.  Has to spend a lot of time on discipline and can't have as much fun as he would like.

Things are same old same old here really.  Everybody doing school and piano and choir and homework and blah blah blah...the usual.   

I hope you are staying busy and happy there.  We are getting ready to send off a little something...do you need anything? Or just want something that fits in a little box?  Haha.  

We are very proud of you and love you and pray for you.  Keep up the good works!  Love mom.