12/28/14 Life is changing

12/28/14

It was a great week here getting to talk to you!  That was so cool!  And so super fast.  I can't believe how fast it seemed.  Like you were there, then you were gone!  You looked really good!  Are you feeling better?  Did you need to go to the dr or did you get better on your own? Or are you still sick?

It's been a nice week here.  Kids are out of school.  Aj's home.

Dallas just finished out his last week of discount tire.  He starts working for Kenworth next week working on the big rigs as a diesel mechanic.  Seems kind of scary to me but he is super excited.  You'll have to remember him in your prayers to help him do well and learn and do all that he needs to.

Aj is starting a new phase in life too.  He's all graduated but grad school doesn't start until next fall and he doesn't know where he is going yet.  So he's kinda in limbo.  Looking for full time employment to keep him busy until he goes back to school.  He was offered a job this past week but decided against it.  It wasn't quite in the line of work he wanted and it was in SL area (or somewhere far away) and it wasn't worth the gas/time for the pay.  SO he keeps looking and interviewing.  

The girls have been chilling going to basketball with Dad and hanging with girl friends.  They are still in the easy stage of life!

Dad got tripped and turned his knee on Friday and is suffering from the ouch of his knee.  He thinks it will take care of itself given a couple of days but he is struggling getting up and down and around.

Dad and Katie and AJ went with Robert Hoppie and their boys to BYU basketball game last night.  They drove up and back in one day so super quick.  I think they had a blast!

Looking forward to another mellow week (I still work most of the week but it's nice having the girls not going here there and everywhere).

Hope you are doing well.  I'm proud of you! You are amazing.  Keep up the good works!  Love you!!! Mom

12/14/14 Katie performs at concert

12/14/14

Another Sunday is upon us.  I hope your week has been great.

We've been keeping busy as usual.  The girls have basketball practices and activity days.  Katie had a band concert this Tuesday so no YW for her.  She played her saxophone in a trio or six-o or something (I wasn't there so I'm not sure!)  and she



did a piano solo.  She is really getting good! And she isn't as chicken as I am so she gets up and performs well.

Dad has been working a ton as there are mens and womens games 4 nights of the week.  And then there were some type of tournament and he had a bunch of games Friday and Saturday this week too.  Busy busy.

Friday we had girl scouts and the kids played minute to win it games and did skits.  They had a fun time and time went quickly.

Me and the girls helped with the ward Christmas party this year so Friday night and then Saturday morning we were over at the church first setting up and getting ready, then "hosting" the event, then taking it down. We set up 192 chairs and I'd say there were about 200 people who came so it worked out about as close to perfect as you can get. (There weren't any more tables to set up). I'll send some pictures. It was pretty over the top amazing since Dawn Wright was in charge.  She doesn't know how to do small and simple!

The girls played basketball games yesterday.  Holly's team only had 4 show up so she had to play the WHOLE game one man short.  One of the kids who DID come is special ed.  I got there late (because of the Christmas party) and when I got there all 4 of the kids faces were really red and tired looking and they were down like 32-8 or something.  But I was proud of her.  She kept trying and played the whole game.  Then she came home and vegged all afternoon!

Katie's game was about the same score only flipped...her team won.  

Yesterday evening we had sloppy joes for Holly's homemade birthday dinner (everyone was gone Friday during her birthday).  It's so strange.  Our meals are just the 4 of us now!  We made a pound of meat and had a lot of leftover!  It's like when you boys were little again!

Dallas and McKayla bought a puppy (that lives at her house).  A very little dog.  It's cute.  They came and got the girls and had a puppy and movie night last night over at her place.  They watched Christmas Muppet show and played with the dog.

Grandma and pa have been diligently working in the temple Friday and Saturday every weekend and they seem to really enjoy that.  

We are planning to make some treats from home and send them to you.  I know we need to be careful about not sending anything with peanut, peanut butter.  Do you have any requests? Favorites?  We hope to do that this week and send it out before the week is over so tell me!!!!

I'm pretty excited for Christmas when we get to talk to you!!! Do you know if we'll be skyping or phone call?   Are they going to tell you a time so we know when to expect you and can plan for you?

Did you have bad weather this past week? They showed a house falling into the ocean on the coast of Washington due to some bad storm.  Did it affect you? Do you have snow yet?

Well try to enjoy things all that you can and to be happy. I hope that a family will take you in on Christmas and make is special for you.  You should try to get an appointment or two!  I know being away is hard but I'm proud of you for doing it!  We still pray for you every day and hope only the best for you!!!  I'm sending you a big hug!!! Love you Bryce-ee!

Love Mom.

12/07/14 Speaking in church and piano recital

12/7/14

Did you get to watch the Christmas Devotional? (It is broadcast Sunday night so we haven't seen it yet but it will be over by the time you read this.)

Another busy week here.  I thought things would get slower and easier with only 2 kids to take care of but it's not!  I think it's even busier because you boys used to help so much.  With rides and helping around the house etc.

Last Sunday Dad and I spoke in Church.  I think it went well.  Tons of people said it was awesome and they loved it. Friends of ours stopped by yesterday and said they missed it but HEARD it was great and were sorry that they had been away.  I mailed the talks to you.  I don't know if they arrived yet or not.  

We were going to go watch Grandpa sing in the Temple choir but Grandma told us not to.  Then at 6 p.m. when it was supposed to start she texted and said, o, there is room, come on over.  We didn't. At that point we were already not dressed and chilling here so we skipped it. I heard it was pretty impressive though.  

The girls have started basketball so they had practices this week and games on Saturday.  Holly scored at least once (I came at 1/2 time and she says she scored 4X before I got there...we are not sure that is a correct #!)  She had a couple nice blocked shot and a score after I got there and then some girl jabbed her in the ribs with her elbows and she sat out the rest of the game.  Her team was losing 12-15 when I arrived.  The game ended about 22-37 or something.  It got super ugly.  So, maybe she did score a lot?!  I dunno!

Katie had 2 baskets and a ton of rebounds and blocks.  She is getting pretty good!  Her team lost 25-27 at a super amazing buzzer shot.  I wished I could have been on the other team to cheer for her it was such a great shot!  Half the gym stood up and cheered and jumped and hollered.  The other half let out a Noooooo, Dang.  O.  Great ending.  If you have to lose.  

Thursday night we went over to Gma and pa's house and had dinner and made a new stocking holder.  I will email a picture of it with my pictures I send you this week.  Dad watched the cowboys game and I worked on my project after dinner.  Dad cut it out for me.

Friday was our piano recital  Dawn Wright decorated the relief society room with stars hanging from the ceiling, star shaped rice crispie treats, star shaped cookies, cupcakes with chocolate stars on top, punch with star shaped ice.  Yes went ALL out.  It was pretty nifty.  There were 9 students and we all played.  (Even me.)  She picked a bad time because only immediate family came from the Clark's, Carnivale, and Wright Family. Except for 1 grandma.  And for us, only the players came.  Dad was in Richfield, Gma and Pa were at the temple. So on the happy side, the crowd was pretty small.  Everyone did really well.  She handed out framed award certificates and she pays the kids .25 each time they do certain things.  So Katie earned like $20 this year and Holly had like $15 (Holly didn't go all summer to lessons). I got a necklace because she doesn't pay me!

We got the text of you on Thursday night at dinner. That was kind of surprising and fun!  Made us feel connected to you for a little while!!!!  

I played at the stake baptism last night.  Our ward was in charge.  Max Harrison and Austin Drew spoke.  I missed you extra because if you'd have been home, you probably would have been one of those speakers!  They did a great job.  I think they are both planning to leave on missions soon.  I'll keep you posted as I hear.  I think Max will be sooner - I heard he was going to graduate in December and then go next year.  I think Austin still in h.s.  Not sure though.

Dad spent Friday and Saturday in Richfield covering 8 boys basketball games.  He broadcast 5 of them (rotating with Devon and Mike) but he wrote all of them and took some pictures himself. Got home very tired last night but still had to "produce" them all for the website so he got to bed about 4 a.m.   I don't know how he keeps those crazy schedules.  

That about sums up our week.  We really enjoy your letters and pictures and I hope you are surviving the cold!!!  

  
Here are a couple of our thoughts for the day from this week:

What distinguishes winners from losers is their ability to

cope with failure and get beyond it. One of the ways they do

that is to concentrate at all times on what they can do not

on what they can't do... The idea is to remember your successes.

--Dr. Bob Butera

Guts are a combination of confidence, courage, conviction,

strength of character, stick-to-itiveness, pugnaciousness,

backbone, and intestinal fortitude. They are mandatory for

anyone who wants to get to and stay at the top.

--D.A. Benton

As always I love you lots and if you need anything PLEASE let me know and I'll try to get it to you!!!  You are doing amazing and I'm so proud of you.  Keep up the good works!  I'm so thankful to the families you are coming in contact with that post pictures of you and send us nice notes about you.  It means a lot.  Tell them thank you for us if you see them!!!

XOXO mom