10/28/15 9th Ward Party Chili cook-off / trunk - or - treat party

Holly and Charlie Harrison

Katie Griffin and Emmalee Wright

Charlie and Shelly

Shelly

Shelly

Jason Fullmer, Emmerson Carnavale, Andy cooking some dogs

McKayla, Jeffrey Binder and Dallas

Andy and Justin Wright

10/25/15 The piano guys, volleyball & a service project

Holly and the twins happily picking up garbage on Telegraph
Road for girl scouts badge

It's been a good week and the weather has been staying quite pleasant here.  Loving it!

Monday we ate pizza out on our back patio -- I put down some pavers in the back corner by our bedroom and bathroom awhile ago and we put the table on it.  It is the first time since we are in this house that we ate as a family outside.  It was nice.  The weather was perfect and it wasn't too noisy from traffic or anything.  

Kendall Turner saved the day and showed up with a
tractor to haul off the garbage we collected
on Telegraph Road!

Tuesday they had a special young women's program put on by the piano guys.  (I guess you can watch it on lds.org if you want to).  Katie really enjoyed it. 

Marlee and Katie

Wednesday was our first practice for community center volleyball team.  Katie and Holly are on the same team this year!!!! YEAH!!!! Helps so much to have them only have to do one game and one practice instead of 2!!!  I am their coach.  We have a good little team this yea

r.  Saturday they won all of their games pretty easily.  

McKayla making a little turkey

Thursday we had a going away party - my assistant got a full time job at the police department and her last day was Friday.  So we had a fun luncheon with lasagne, bread sticks, and lots of yummy treats.  It was good and fun and Sarah will be missed.  I have a new girl, Shannon starting next week. 

Thursday evening after dinner we went down to Sullivan park for a walk and then got ice cream at Albertson's and surprised gma and gpa with a treat around 8 p.m. We visited for just a little while and then left. Dallas and McK were having a rough day -- they never made it over for dinner cause he hadn't gotten off work until 7:30 p.m. or later.  Then close to 9 p.m. they call to tell us the truck broke down (starter went out, needs replaced).  We head over to walmart to help get them and groceries home but they get it going before we arrive. They didn't get dinner until after 9 p.m.  Tired and long day for them. 

Friday was a fun day.  After work dad and I went to lunch at Costa Vida with gma and gpa.  We had a nice visit.  Then I went and did a service project with Holly and the girl scouts. We picked up garbage along Telegraph street.  Afterward the boys went to football and McKayla and Marlee came over along with Holly, Katie and the twins and we had a girls night.  We painted projects, made cookies and dipped chocolate pretzels.  It was a fun evening. 

Saturday we had practice for the primary program (which is today) and then volleyball.  Dad and I went with the McCallister's and played pickleball for awhile in the late afternoon.  It was really fun.  We kept switching it up -- girls against guys, dad and I against them, Dad and Sis M against Me and Bro M.  I think we ended up played 6 games or so.  

Marlee and the turkey

Marlee making a turkcey

Then we got a call from Dallas that McKayla had a washer dropped on her toe as they were trying to move it down the stairs.  They came over and it was really painful.  She went to instacare and they said she sprained it and hopefully will feel better in 2-3 weeks. No fun!

McKayla enjoying girls night

We went to Keenan Schwalger's wedding reception last night and Ty Morgan's too.  We hadn't eaten dinner yet so ended up eating at Sonny Boy's in Hurricane about 9 p.m. We were HUNGRY!

All in all a good week - and a busy week.  

Thought of the week: 

If it is right when you prayed about it and trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don't give up when the pressure mounts.

Silly Holly and Katie

"Certainly don't give in to the being who is bent on the destruction of our happiness. He wants you to be miserable like unto himself. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you."

Jeffrey R Holland

Pumpkin face made by Shelly

Love you Bryce!!!!  Hope all is well there.  Really love reading your letters!!!!  

10/19/15 Letter from AJ to Bryce

10/19/15 

Hey Brother!

AJ at Zara's birthday

This week has been beautiful, it has just been perfect days weatherwise and everything. Ill attach a picture of the other day when it was just gorgeous outside. School is busy but doable, I have been spending long days at the library but have been able to keep up! One of the highlights of my week was going to Zara's first birthday in Sandy(that's Jonny's little girl). The theme was minnie mouse and the even made a little cake for her which she whole heatedly dug into! Ill throw on a few pictures from the party. 

A cool experience I had this week was that I have been working on being positive and happy lately and I praying as well to be able to do so, and I had a couple of people tell me that they noticed I was always happy and smiling. I was a little surprised and very grateful that these individuals said something. It helped me to feel like I was making progress and felt like an answer to my prayers. 

What did you learn this week?

Jonny and Zara

Love you man!

AJ

10/18/15 Columbus Day and 27th Anniversary Trip to Brian Head, Utah

Waiting for dinner at restaurant in
Brian Head, Utah

October 18, 2015
Busy week!  Monday I had off for Columbus Day but the kids had school and dad had to work.  So I had a nice quiet morning and then after everybody came home we had Marlee over for Pizza and pickle ball.  She came about 4 p.m. and helped us make the calzones and then when Dad was done working we ate and played bounce off for a little while.  Then we went to the Green springs park and played pickleball until about 9 p.m.  She stayed and watched the voice until 10 p.m. and then we sent her home and the girls up to bed.  We all had a nice time and it was fun to visit with her!  Forgot to take pictures again so I'll have to have her back again, haha!

Waiting for dinner at
restaurant in
Brian Head, Utah

The girls stayed busy with the usual piano, church volleyball and YW this week while Dad had early games Wednesday and was super busy with his sports stuff.  Holly and I and the Riley girls spent Wednesday evening at the pool -  doing laps.  I am working on the lazy man iron man with AJ again so I needed to get lots of swimming in.  The girls decided to come and do my laps with me.  It was fun!  We got kickboards and noodles and just kept going lap after lap after lap for about an ho
ur.  The pool was pretty empty so we got to run up and slide down the big slides a few times in between some of our laps.  

Enjoying pastry at German Bakery in Glendale, Utah

Thursday morning I got the van some new brakes and got ready for our Anniversary trip.  The girls spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning at Gma and Gpa Griffin's.  I think they had a great time -- they came up to Cedar City with us on Thursday and we ate at Sonny Boys.  Then we went and showed the grandparents the lake on the hill and found the temple grounds.  They went back home and watched movies, did sewing projects (pillowcase for Holly), went to laser mania, mopped and vacuumed and did yard work.  They stayed plenty busy and had lots of fun from all I've heard!

Getting ready to head up the mountain to Brian Head
from Sonny Boy's in Cedar City

Dad and I rode the motorcycle to Brian Head.  We had a cute room with a little mini kitchen and movies and games and stuff.  They really packed a lot into a little hotel room.  We had a lot of fun watching movies and playing games and swimming.  Since we were on the motorcycle we didn't have a lot of room for "stuff" -- or extra food. So we planned to eat out.  When we went out Thursday evening to find a restaurant there were none outside our hotel!  Everything was closed by 7 p.m.  Ha.  So we went back to our hotel who thank goodness had an overpriced restaurant and we got pizza and nachos.  They were good but since it was the only place on the hill serving food and they were short staffed it was SLOW!

Ready to roll!

The weather report kept saying flash flood watch and rain expected Friday night and Saturday.  Coming up the mountain was very steep and windey so we really didn't want to come down on slippery roads (not to mention that it's not that cool to get all wet with no rain gear/protection!)  So we decided to leave Saturday and not stay the night (which we had already paid for).  Oh well.  The price we paid for the room for 2 nights was about the same we would have paid anywhere else for one night anyway.  Just figured better safe than sorry.  Instead we decided to take a long ride and go through Cedar Canyon down to Orderville, Glendale, Carmel junction and back through Zion National Park.  It was a beautiful ride on a bike.  The leaves were changing and the colors were bright and awesome.  

We found a little German Bakery on the way down in Glendale that served very overpriced and delicious sandwiches and goodies.  So we split a sandwich and some pastries out on the porch of the restaurant.  

At the lake on the hill in Cedar City

We got home and fortunately beat the rain storm so arrived dry!  We called and let Gma know we were home (so she wouldn't worry!) but that we were going to continue our weekend as a staycation and please don't come around and we'd still see them as planned Saturday.

Our house is so much more comfy than a hotel anyway!  We had great left overs in the fridge that we warmed up and watched BYU game with in our comfy couch!  Dad dictated some of his life story (a little project we are working on) and we went for a walk. It was just a nice quiet evening.  

Saturday Holly went to best friend's animal sanctuary out in Kanab with the girl scouts and I picked up Katie and did a little shopping and then we went to soccer with dad.  Watched Desert HIlls girls win and move on to the next round of finals. 

Waiting for the tunnel in Zion National Park

Katie sewed an apron for me -- which is amazing because she actually got the sewing machines to work!!!  She has several other projects lined up now that she knows the machines work!

Waiting for the tunnel

And we made cheese stuffed meatballs for Sunday dinner.  Then we mowed the lawn and dad made delicious little mini pizza muffins and I made some cream cheese stuffed snickerdoodles.  

 Fun week!  I should skip work more often!

Thought of the week: 

"The repetition of small efforts will accomplish more than
the occasional use of great talents."
--Charles H. Spurgeon

Great views while riding!

Looking cool in Zion

I think this is so true.  As I get older I can truly see the progress of little efforts.  Something that seemed impossible becomes possible and sometimes even easy with continued efforts at trying.  It is often easy to get discouraged and not want to try but if you just keep at it you can accomplish great things!  

I love you and am so proud of you for working so hard and doing so great.  What you are doing is not easy but it will bless your life and the lives of so many others forever.  

Can't wait to hear from you!  Love you!!!! Mom

Zion is so beautiful!

Tried to be artsy!  View through the rear view mirror!

Morgan, Taylor, Lo, Holly & Zie at Best Friend's in Kanab

10/11/15 Volleyball, pickleball and BYU football

10/11/2015



Feels like forever since we've been to church because of conference!  Enjoyed watching all sessions and got through almost all of it without dozing off!  It is so nice to be able to hear it now that all my cute little noisy children have grown up!

After conference we enjoyed time with Gma and pa.  We had lasagna and garlic bread and salad and chocolate cake.  It was yummy.  The girls sure enjoy snuggling up to gpa and playing on the kindles with him. 

Monday night we went to Costco and got our $100 milk (it's out little joke, every time we go to Costco and get milk it costs us about $100 with all the other stuff we get).  Then we ate pizza in the food court.  Yummy.  We also got frozen yogurt and cinnamon sticks to share so we were all stuffed full.  

Wednesday evening while Katie was at YW we went to the park and played pickleball with the McAllister's (remember them from the 3rd ward, she was RS president).  It was pretty fun.  Dad's way better than the rest of us but it was still fun. 

Thursday I had my healthy utah assessment and after starving myself all week just barely made weigh in!! Yeah!!!  (I would have been mad if I'd a starved all week and NOT made it!!)  I am going to have to try to stay at the lower weight so I don't have to kill myself like that every year.  Making weight (along with some other health factors)  means I get a $100 rebate check from my insurance co. So it's my annual sneaker money!  

Katie had church volleyball Thursday and it went much better than last week. They got beat pretty soundly but she had a fun time.  Holly and the twins came and cheered them on.

I took the girls swimming Thursday evening.  It was fun!

Friday we went out with gma and pa to Bishop's and dad had breakfast (he worked until 5 a.m. Thursday night due to football, soccer, volleyball, senior games, etc.)  and I had lunch.  We had a nice visit and then I had to go to girl scouts and dad headed up to Cedar City for more football and another 5 a.m. night.  Gma and pa and the Riley twins and the girls and I went to Sullivan park for a picnic and walk.  It was a nice quiet evening. Relaxing and fun. 

Saturday we went to senior games and I took a couple pix while dad did some interviews.  Then we had a BYU football party (just the 4 of us) and had football food -- pizza, chicken, twice baked potatoes, donuts, cookies, caramels.  You know, junk food!  BYU made it exciting and didn't "win" it until the end so it was a pretty exciting game.  We all went for a walk afterward and the day was over, just like that.  

So strange how quickly Saturday goes!

We are getting ready for our primary program...our LAST primary program with any of our children in it!!!!  Holly is going to do a 1 minute testimony talk AND she is supposed to sing a solo or duet thingee.  Pretty brave girl!  It's the last Sunday in October so for the next couple weeks we have practice, practice, practice!  That's good.  Hopefully I'll practice enough to get all my nervous out of me!

Conference quote: 

"Believe in God and yourself. You are doing better than you think you are."
-Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

I think that is so true.  So many times we get down on ourselves and fail to see that we really are making progress and doing good.  If we just keep working every day toward good things we will see great results!  

I hope things are going well for you in Spokane!  We really love to read your letters and hear about the good things going on up there!  Keep up the good works!  Love you, mom.