06/28/15 Finally a slow week! (for the girls anyway)

06/28/15

Did you have a fun 19th birthday!  Did you do anything out of the ordinary or special? Did your box arrive from us and from Gma? 

Bryce's 13th Birthday

Last Sunday we went to the homecoming of Devin Shelley.  There was so many people there -- the house was like standing room only.  Ugh!  Too many people for me!  He did a nice job on his talk and then we went to the house and she served KFC chicken since he went to Kentucky.  Cute, huh!?  We got to visit a little with their friends and then come home.  It is so hot that no one could even go outside.  Temps have been over 100 up to like 111 this week.  Bleh.  Makes you not want to do much of anything!

Katie went to the temple this week for YW and had a nice experience.  Our YW is pretty small and there aren't many kids but so far she still enjoys going.  A lot of kids quit going when they don't have a friend to latch on to.  Glad she isn't like that. 

This week was trek for all the older kids.  It had to be super hot and kind of miserable.  If it is 111 here it's still probably 90 or high 80s in Cedar Mountain area. I haven't heard from anybody yet so I dunno. 

We had our first kind of quiet week in a LONG time.  It was nice.  We have been so busy doing camps and wedding and stuff I just felt like we were always go go go.  We actually played some games this week and hung out.  Washed the van.  

Bryce's 13th Birthday

The girls and I went to Joseph (a play at Brigham's playhouse that the Olsen Family and Marlee's dad are in).  I will have to go back because I couldn't stay awake.  We only stayed 1/2 -- the play is 3 hours total and after 1.5 hours the girls were done.  I think it had a good message and they enjoyed it.  Maybe we can catch the rest another time.  

Afterward we went to the city pool and got there just in time for a poop break.  (someone messed in the pool).  Oh well.  Eventually they opened back up and the girls had fun. 

We watched a Harry Potter movie and painted some birthday presents for some of my friends.  

Dad and Dallas and Hoppie and his son picked up AJ and went to Ogden and back yesterday.  Getting home at 5:45 a.m.  And he still had to post stories and Dallas still had to put together the video.  I think it was 7 before he came to bed.  What?!  That's crazy.  10 hours of driving in 1 day and 3 hours of football.  I think those boys are gonna be tired this week!

I think we actually had a week with no pictures!      

Thought for the day: 

There are two ways to be happy: 

Improve your reality or lower your expectations!

And a spiritual thought for the day: 

"Make the Sabbath a delight by rendering service to others."

—Russell M. Nelson, 

Love you Bryce!  Can't wait to hear from you and see your pictures and what's been going on this week! xoxo mom

06/21/15 Wedding Bells - June 18, 2015 - Dallas and McKayla

06/21/15

This week has been a whirlwind of activity.  Last Sunday the kids sang in church for Father's Day.  Last father's day for dad having a kid in primary.  (We are having a lot of lasts this year as little Holly becomes a young woman!!!)

Monday and Tuesday were just usual busy work days.  Dad had to take the girls to the dentist for their cleaning.  No cavities!!!!

Wednesday morning we had to get up early and head to Salt Lake City.  Dad and Dallas met McKayla's dad and got their final fitting for their tuxes while the girls and I swam at Lauritos' house.  Ian and Eli joined us and Gma and pa got in a little bit too.  

Thursday morning we had to leave the house a little before 7 a.m. to head up to the temple.  Dallas and McKayla both went in while Dad and I walked around the temple grounds until 8:30 a.m.  We thought dad was going to get to go in with Dallas but they just took Dallas. Aj went in too because he was a witness. 

About 8:30 all the relatives started arriving.  Gma and pa Griffin, Gma and Pa Laurito, Becky and Kevin Chase,  Aunt Laura, Uncle Ben, Uncle Don & Aunt Pat.  AJ of course was already in there. I can't remember who else or if that was it.  The Brenneman's had some grandparents and aunts and uncles too.  

We all went up and they had a nice ceremony.  The sealer talked about the SL temple history and then they exchanged the vows and the rings.  He had them look into the mirrors.  It was very beautiful.  

Afterward they got changed and we all went outside and took tons of pictures.  

We met at Sweet Tomato's for lunch and had a nice turnout there...about 50 people total.  It was nice to have the food ready and it was fun to visit with everyone. 

In the afternoon we went to the pavilion and helped set up for the reception.  McKayla's mom decorated everything really cute and they had tons of yummy treats.  They had a really good turn out.  Marcus and Johnny Rachel and family were there and we got to visit with them.  It felt good to hang out with them...seems like it's been a long time.  Eldon and Diane were on an Elder Hostel so they didn't get to come at all.  By the time it was all done and over with it was pretty late.  We ate dinner about 10 p.m. and then got to bed by midnight.  Long day!  But a great one.

Friday we got up and headed south.  Dad had some work to do in Cedar City (summer games) so we stopped in Cedar for lunch at Sonny boy's BBQ (yummy!!!) and then went to soccer, track/field and ping pong events.  We brought Miranda (Rachel's daughter) with us and she is staying until Sunday when she will meet up with Eldon and Diane and go on a trip with them for Elderhostel. 

Saturday we got ready for and then had the reception.  What a busy day!  It was so fun to see so many people.  We had a really good turn out at our reception too.  I really enjoy seeing all the 8th ward people and the 3rd ward friends.  And now our 9th warders too.  We were a little worried no one would come but it was really good!

We are getting ready for Father's day today...Devin Shelley's homecoming is today and we'll stay for the luncheon there.  Tonight we are going to have cafe rio pork burritos.  It should be fun.  Gma and pa are going to Laura's so it's just going to be us at our house.  Dallas and McKayla will come too.  They are going to a Father's Day breakfast at her parents this morning. 

Marlee and her mom came yesterday.  It was good to see them.  She is getting ready for her mission and staying busy.  She wanted to take a picture of the cardboard Bryce but we never got it made.  We looked into doing it and it was going to be over $100 -- decided that was TOO much!  So she took a picture of us together.  You'll have to forward it back to me because I didn't get one with my camera!

Hope you've had a good week and are enjoying your new area!  

Love you lots!!! Mom

06/14/15 Girls Camp

06/14/15

Busy week!!!  

Monday and Tuesday were just normal days.  Worked hard to get the office ready to leave for the rest of the week.  Thank goodness for my little assistant Sarah -- I can leave now and not have a nightmare to return to!!!  

Wednesday morning I got up and packed and worked out and then at 7 a.m. we had to be at the Clark's house to leave for girls camp.  We got there a little late (7:15 a.m.) and everybody was packed and ready to go.  We had 10 girls...and to be honest they were NOT really happy to be going most of them.  

Our ward has a couple non-camper type girls, Katie and a couple that were happy to go, and about 7 that are fairly new and their parents made them come.  So the "I don't want to be here attitude" came along with them.  Cool, eh?!

For the first 24 hours I felt like we were dragging the girls along everywhere we went.  Every chance they got they went into the cabin and laid down to get over their "migraine" or catch up on their sleep or whatever.  And we'd be like...come on, it's time to go to opening.  And they would either completely ignore us or be like, in a minute.  Wah, wah.  

So poor Sis. Clark had to stay back at the camp site and "babysit" the stragglers.  The rest of us just went and had a good time and kept trying to get them to join us.  About 24 hours in Sister Clark did a game where we went around the table and said something nice about each person at the table.  At the same time I sat at another table and interviewed each one individually and went over the certification requirements.  

I talked to our most difficult one and she again said she wanted to go to bed.  (After all the sleep she had gotten I knew she was not really tired.)  So I said to her...  I think you are sleeping to cope with this situation here that you are uncomfortable in.  I told her to give us a chance and to try to get to know us and like us.  I told her to get a drink of water and go sit at the table for 20 minutes and try to have fun and then if she was still tired she could go lay down and I wouldn't say anything. 

It was like the switch flipped. The girls went around the table and said nice things about her.  The got to know her better.  She started smiling.  They all started really smiling and laughing and having fun together and girls camp really started to feel like it should.  Happy and fun! (And the napping stopped!!!!)

We had one go home early (prior to our flip the switch point) and another who came late due to anxiety issues.  

We had some really good workshops and firesides.  Sister Clark is a good cook so our meals were always really good (she helped every time even though she wasn't on the chart to...and I'm glad!)  

One of my favorite talks was by President Ellsworth.  Our theme was anchor yourself in Christ.  Brother Koeven and Brother Lewis got up and talked about anchoring a boat in the water...the way you usually think of anchors.  Their talks were very good and made you think about having a firm foundation in Christ.  President Ellsworth took it another step though and said that one time his boat was dead in the water and they couldn't get it started and they couldn't go anywhere.  Another boat came along and asked him to throw the anchor over to the other boat so that he could pull them to safety.  He used the other boat as the example of what Christ can do for us if we let him.  I really enjoyed the many great talks we had and it made me want to try harder and be a better person and turn more toward Christ and let him help me. 

We got home Saturday around 1 p.m. and hung out while Dad worked on Summer Games stories.  Dad and Dallas had to go to Zion lion's game last night so me and the girls went and got our hair cut, went to Del Taco for dinner and then did a little shopping.  It was a fun night out.  At bedtime Holly came to my room for me to read her a bedtime story (I was so tired I didn't want to fall asleep in her bed!)  

Today the primary is singing Father's Day songs since next week is Stake Conference.  

I hope you are enjoying your new area and things are going well for you.  I'm excited to hear from you!!!  

Love you lots! mom

06/07/15 Camp & Endowments

06/07/15

Another busy week under our belts!  

Sunday after church we had our girls camp parents meeting and told everyone when/where/what etc for Girls camp coming up this week.  Afterward we went to Gma and pas house for dinner as usual. 

Monday was the Mees' farewell desert social.  They sold their house and are moving up to happy valley somewhere for employment.  They wanted to be closer to medical stuff for their baby and I think they have family there as well. Our neighborhood is pretty awesome...there were a ton of people there and it was a nice send off. 

Thursday the girls and I went to Girl Scout camp.  It ended up being at the Olsen's cabin (Dr. Kelly Olsen in our ward), instead of the usual place at the last minute.  Thanks to Dr. Olsen for generously allowing us to stay at no charge.  We had a really fun time and weather gave us some excitement too as we had down pours and lightning and thunder and electricity out for hours and such.  We were busy busy busy doing service project, making jewelry, painting, coloring, playing kickball, swinging on a big swing set, making and performing plays, eating, hiking, manicures.  Just really packed in lots of choices for the girls.  I think they all had a nice time. 

Holly injured her ankle falling down and it swelled up pretty good.  She enjoyed being pampered by all the dr's in training at camp and put her feet up and got taken care of for a little while.  Next morning she hiked a big long hike (lead hiker in the group) and came back to a REALLY swollen ankle.  But then one of the twins fell and got all scraped up and everyone had to pamper her!  Holly's fine...probably just a sprain.  Glad she was able to recover so quickly!  She loves showing off her "war wound". 

Saturday we got home about noon and at 2 p.m. had a luncheon with the Brenneman crew.  Got to meet her sister and family, her grandparents and her parents came too.  Her mom brought all the eats and we just supplied the house and soda and paper products.  Grandma and pa Griffin & Laurito came.  AJ was down too.  It was really good.  Really enjoyed meeting the rest of her family.  They are a fun group!

At 4:30 p.m. Dallas and McKayla went over to the temple and took out their endowments.  It was a special experience.  Our endowment was in a smaller room wider room then I remember.  Grandpa Griffin was the officiator and Grandma was the assistant up at the front.  So that was really neat.  Aunt Laura & Uncle Ben and Aunt Wendy also came.  It was really neat to have so much family around.  Brother & Sister Binder also came.  I think they both had a special experience.  I guess everybody was asking Dallas when/where he was going on his mission...and he said he was getting married, not going on a mission.  And they were like OOOOhhhhh, you're going on an eternal mission.  Dallas didn't get to bring McKayla through the veil yet because their wedding is too far off (has to be 7 days or less, they are at about 12 days.)  But they did get to go up to the sealing room and look in the forever mirrors and stuff.  It was a really special night.  Griffin's had to continue on with their shift at the temple so they got to mingle with us in the celestial room for just a few minutes and then they were off to other responsibilities. 

Afterward we went to menchi's and had ice cream.  We were all hungry still though so at 10 p.m. we had casadias made with love by dad -- just Laurito's and Aj and Dad and I.  D & M went over to her parent's house and had pizza.  Her parents have to head up to home today already.  

So the week flew by and was a good one.  

I had a member in your new area send me a picture of you and them.  That was cool!  I'm excited to hear about your new area and comp and experiences!  What are you thinking/feeling about getting a new mission president? That's only a couple weeks away!  Are you nervous? Excited? It seems like your current one is pretty awesome.  I hope you get one that you really enjoy and love working with! 

As you probably know, L Tom Perry died this week. He has said many great things of course.  I thought I'd find a Perry quote to end my letter.  He has a ton of great ones to choose from but here is one that pertains to missionary work: 

 “It should be “with great earnestness” (D&C 123:14) that we bring the light of the gospel to those who are searching for answers the plan of salvation has to offer. Many are concerned for their families. Some are looking for security in a world of changing values. Our opportunity is to give them hope and courage and to invite them to come with us and join those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s gospel is on earth and will bless their lives here and in the eternities to come” 

― L. Tom Perry

I pray that you will find those in need of hope and courage and be able to bring them into the knowledge of the gospel.  There is not many things that will bring you more peace and happiness then knowing that you have helped and lifted another.  

We are all praying for you and love you.  We enjoy reading your letters at Monday night pizza and hearing about your adventures and progress etc.  Anxiously awaiting to hear from you!!!

xoxo mom