08/29/16 Football

Fall schedule is going strong now!  

Bryce started SUU Monday August 22 and also got a job at a crisis center in Iron County about 1 mile from work.  So he has been busy going to classes, figuring out where he can eat and training for his new job. He has to work 10 hours a week for his scholarship so hopefully this job will mesh well with his school schedule. 

SO -- funny refrigerator story.  He wanted a fridge for his dorm.  So we went to Craigsist and found one for $25.  Score, right?!  Wrong.  He picked it up with a 10:30 p.m. meeting at walmart and gets it home.  It is really nice looking -- but NOT what was in the ad. He plugs it in...it doesn't work. We tinker with it.  Dallas tinkers with it.  Brother Hamer who knows how to do this stuff tinkers with it.  It's busted.  Contact the guy...he's all weird and creepy and Bryce decides to take a $25 lesson learned.  Throw out the fridge.  Start over.  Oh, and as a side note turns out this fridge would have been too big for the dorm anyway.

Marlee's brother has a fridge he can have.  Ok great.  He goes and cleans off all stickers (things Bryce wouldn't want on his fridge) and gets it all nice and moves it up to SUU.  Goes to the store, gets 2 gallons of milk and some other things. 2 days later it feels kinda warm in there.  Turn it up.  Next day.  It's really warm in there.  And the milk is rotten. Sigh. 

Off to walmart to buy a NEW fridge with a warranty!!! For sure get the warrant because the fridge karma has not been good!!!  Haha. So Bryce has a pretty small fridge after much ado.

Katie's schedule for the next 8 weeks is going to be pretty difficult.  She is in the jazz band that requires her to be at school at 7:15 a.m.  She loves the band and is happy to go every morning.  I have to drive her because there isn't a bus for the early or late pickup times. She goes from band to school.  On her lunchroom period (the "study hall quiet period") she does HOPE squad - a suicide prevention team. They learn about being kind and stopping bullying and looking out for at risk kids. They are currently working on a presentation that they will deliver to the school soon. After school she has volleyball practice from 3-5:30 most days unless they have a game.  Then they come home for a little while and are out all evening. 

I keep stressing to her that what she is doing is very hard and she has to really be organized and take care of what she is eating and getting enough sleep or she will burn herself out.  

Holly's like an only child now a lot of the times!  She has friends and YW and piano and things but most afternoons she is just home with Dad.  She's so grown up for a 12 year old!

Katie went to Enterprise for her first volleyball game.  Overall not a great night for the PV girls as they lost all games - freshman, JV and Varsity - but road tripping can be fun -- and it was.  They went to Marv's after the game and ate concession food and cheered and at least got a taste of what going to games and playing is going to be like.  Late night, got home after 10 p.m.!!!!   

Wednesday the girls went to the Washington City Museum for YW and 

Andy and I played pickeball with McAllisters and it was fun as always!

Thursday Andy did his show again and then on his way home the Mustang started acting up again.  He called me and was thinking he would just take it home.  I said, no just go right to Oscar's shop (our friends shop by costco).  So I took off work a little early and hurried and picked up our "only child" Holly and we got him from the shop.  We needed to go to Costco because missionaries were coming for dinner and AJ was coming down with friends for a quick visit before his birthday.  

We were only in Costco a short time when Oscar texted that our alternator was bad. He texted that it was going to be $320, ouchie but we told him to go ahead anyway as we needed to have a car sooner than later (Dallas could have repaired it but it would be a few days until he had time) . So on our way home, not even an hour later we stopped in to check and Oscar had just finished the car!!!  WOW!!!!  Pit crew fast!  So impressed!  And when Andy went to pay he only charged him $230!!!  He explained how much the part was and labor and anyway ... super happy with how that all worked out!!!  Little blessings from heaven all around. 

The missionaries came over and we had brats and burgers, mac and cheese, salad and beans.  They could only stay 1 hour and left 5 minutes after AJ and his crew arrived.  Gma and Gpa brought Katie over from school and joined us for dinner too.  So it was just a nice evening all around.  We sang to AJ and had yummy layered tiramisu cake from costco.  Dallas and McK were having a LuLaRoe launch party and couldn't come but we went and saw their set up and it looked like it was doing pretty well.  Visited with AJ awhile.  It was a quick visit but it was good to see him. 

Friday we went to Texas Roadhouse with Gma and Gpa and had a nice visit with delicious ribs!!!  It was fun to hang out and talk and visit. 

We had to get Katie after school and her 4:30 pickup time was actually 5 p.m. Ugh.  Hate waiting!!!  AJ texted us a picture of his blow out that happened on his way home.  Bleh!!! His rear tire went out while he was going 80 on the freeway.  I didn't get any details yet but that seems pretty scary!  Lucky he had a bunch of guys with him so the tire change was probably pretty quick and easy. 

Andy broadcast the PVHS game Friday night and Holly and I took the Carnevale kids to the game  -- the first football game they ever went to.  We took treats and "bling" - necklaces and met the Riley girls and Emma Christensen and the kids had a nice evening.  It was hot -- like 100  - but PVHS won big and it was a good time. 

Saturday the stake put on a preparedness fair.  It was very well attended and it had a lot of good information.  It started out with spiritual preparedness and then there was a class on making homemade bread and tons of tables with gardening, water purification, solar cooking, communication, etc.    We saw lots of friends from the other wards and it was pretty fun.

Sunday we had dinner at our house because Dallas and McK and Gma & Gpa both had meetings about their wards/stakes being reorganized.  Pretty cool - Dallas and McK got put back into our stake in the 7th ward (which is where I thought they would be when they moved!!!)  That ward consists of a lot of our old 3rd ward and then just a ton of other great people (Spriggs, older Schimbecks...I know there is tons more).  I feel like they are "back in the family" and all of our extended friends will take care of them now!!

08/22/16 Taking Bryce up to SUU, parent/student orientation...he's here, now he's gone!

This week we are almost back in full swing with school and work and just getting into our fall schedule. Katie and Holly are enjoying school and getting new lockers and learning where classes are and getting supplies and asking for money.  Every day!!! For fees and activities, uniforms, instruments, on and on and on!!! Oh well I'd rather pay lots up front and have them involved in good activities than pay to fix them later!!!!  So the checkbook is open!!!!

Tuesday Dad and Katie got to go to the dr office together.  Dad got a shot and Katie got a physical required for Volleyball.  Dad also got the motorcycle inspected and ran other errands getting ready for the fall sports schedule.  Busy day!  I had court and got home around 7:30 p.m.  

Wednesday after work I gave blood and then we had dinner and the girls went to young women's and did yoga.  They really enjoyed it.  We played pickleball until 10 p.m. 

Thursday I only worked until 11:30 a.m. Bryce headed up to SUU in his own car with it packed with all his gear. Andy recorded his first fall show on the TV and then met with the boss (who told him he is getting a raise!!!) Then we got up to Cedar in time to get to the parents meeting.  Holy smokes. The room was packed -- all seats taken and people standing 2 and 3 people deep against the back and sides.  The room was like a little oven.  I stood for about an hour and then couldn't take it anymore and left before the meeting ended. 

We went to the bookstore and bought a couple of tshirts and some hookups for the computer. We ran into one of Bryce's other roomies there -- he came from California and is his parents oldest so they were struggling a little with leaving him!  Seems like a nice kid. 

We went and visited Bryce's dorm room.  I forgot how little dorms are!  Bed, dresser, desk.  Room over.  haha. He and Kurt were all unpacked and set up already.  Course two return missionaries...they know how to travel light and set up quick!  They have a little mini fridge and they found a $5 TV so they can play video games (silly me, I thought they were buying it to watch some TV or something! NO!)

We left Bryce after awhile and enjoyed a meal at Sonny Boys before heading down the road to home.  This is the first time we've ever gone to college orientation -- neither Andy or I ever went for ourselves (Andy started p/t, I started summer quarter) Aj started in January -- it was fun to go see him.  We both felt a little sad leaving him and kept expecting him to come home any minute that evening!  He'll be back often and it really isn't a big deal but it's still hard to cut 'em loose!

Kay Phillips sporting her birthday apron!

Friday felt like full moon Friday -- there were so many strange things going on at work.  Still dealing with a lady that stole a credit card to pay a court fine (who does that?!) She'll probably be booked into jail next time I look.  A girl that has been gone since 2006 (her cases were closed for not paying and time being too long) wanting paperwork saying she is "done" with us -- She's gonna have to pay $700 to get that from us.  We reopened her cases!  An old man (91) that got a ticket 14 months ago that wants the conviction to go away because his insurance went up.  There was more.  I can't remember!!  But just felt like I was chasing one strange thing after another all day long!

Andy and Robert Hoppie had to go to SLC for a football game so girls night out season begins for us!  The weather is unsettled yet again and it was just raining, lightning and thundering.  We were going to do movie in the park but that's not looking too promising.  Riley girls are playing and the girls are happy and quiet together.  

Saturday got up early and did spin class at 8:30 as usual and then did our Saturday chores.  Dallas and McK did their first LuLaRoe party so we went over to the Mariott Center to check out their clothes sale.  Afterward the girls made cookies and I headed up to the pool for an hour (they didn't want to go). The one pool was empty due to maintenance work...strange to see!  Andy got home about 4:30.  Bryce and Marlee checked out little jamaica (a waterfall by the AZ border) and then at 6 p.m. we had a surprise party for Marlee over at the Thatcher's house.  

Her mom made mexican food galore (8 lbs of meat!!!) and brownies and ice cream.  We ate and hung out for a couple of hours and then headed back across town to get Katie to a stake dance.

Sunday we went to mom's house for dinner and since Kay had a birthday this past week we had a little celebration for her!  

We were going to go to Sharp's for dinner but they had something on calendar they forgot about so we are going to try again next week.  Turns out that was a good thing because Monday after Andy did his show he picked up Katie (the girls had early out) to take her to volleyball practice and when he got close to PVMS the car started acting strange.  The radio quit. The blinkers quit.  Power steering went out.  Eventually the whole thing quit.  Lucky for Andy he was close to his parents house, at the top of the hill.  He was able to drift down the hill and park at their house.  

The guys charged up the battery and drove it to Dallas work and left it running for awhile. And it quit again.  They got a new battery (at no charge due to recent battery purchase) and thought it was good to go...and it was.  See next weeks letter for the continuing Mustang saga!

The nice thing about the car breaking down at Gma and Gpas house is that it was family night and Ben and Laura were coming over too -- so we all had dinner together and helped do some cleaning and lawn care and it was a nice evening even with the frustration of the car!!!

08/16/16 School starting and Bryce's homecoming sacrament meeting

I can't believe school starts this week.  Seriously the past few weeks have just FLOWN by!!!  Monday Katie went to her singing group in the morning (with Chauffeur Bryce picking her up!!!) and then they went over to PVMS together and he helped her pick up stuff -- schedule, shirts, I'm not even sure.  They probably walked around and figured out where her classes and locker would be. Katie and Holly took their last piano lesson of the season from Sister Black and will go back to Sister Wright in September.  I think it has been good for them to get a different perspective from a different teacher.

Monday night we went to Wendy and Eddy's pool and had a family pool party. It was Dickies, Ben and Laura, Gma and Gpa, Us and Dallas.   It was really fun.  Everybody really seemed to enjoy hanging together and swimming and eating. We had sloppy joes and sides. 

The weather has been unsettled this week - but we were able to have our swim party and we played pickle ball Wednesday night with McAllisters (after 2 weeks off!!!) but only for 45 minutes.  The lightening was getting a little too close for comfort so we called it early.

Katie tried out for the volleyball team this week at PVHS (Freshman team).  She had to go to PVHS Monday and Tuesday from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. and then Wednesday morning at 6 a.m. she had to go run 1.5 miles.  Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. they posted the girls that made the first cut.  Yeah!!! Katie did!!!!  So Thursday after school she has to go practice probably from about 4 - 5:30 p.m.  They take the bus from PVMS to PVHS and then we are supposed to get her around 5:30 p.m.

Katie wants the "whole" experience with school so she's staying busy with band and hope squad, honor society and hopefully volleyball.  She also wants to be valedictorian...pretty tall order!!!  I hope that she enjoys her time.  The HS years go fast!!!!

So Katie made second cuts with an * by her name.  She was super excited but baffled what the * meant.  The next day the coach explained that she didn't do club volleyball and things like the other kids but that she is still pretty dang good.  She probably would have cut her though except that her attitude was terrific and she hopes her hard work and good attitude will #1 improve her playing to get her up to all the other girls level and #2 rub off on the other kids.  So Katie has been really applying herself and trying hard to do well.  She was a little sad about the * but we told her to use that for good...the basketball coach didn't give her the chance...she just cut her.  This coach is giving her the chance to prove herself.

Thursday school started and the girls were pretty happy to head to Fossil Ridge for Holly - big 7th grader and PVMS for Katie - 9th grade FRESHMAN!!! They don't put the freshman in the H.S. here so she's still in middle school but really...she's in High School!!! What the heck?!  I know it will be a blink of an eye and she'll be graduating!!! 

Saturday Grandpa & Grandma Laurito came to visit and stayed in the Clarion Hotel since our extra room is occupied by Bryce right now and he had too much stuff to move out while they were here. So Saturday we met them for dinner at Carls's Jr and then went swimming at their hotel.  It was fun.  

Sunday Bryce gave a really great homecoming talk.  Everyone kept saying how "real" he was  -- he talked about his struggles with depression, anxiety and homesickness and how he overcame those struggles and then was able to help others struggling similarly on their missions.  He talked about 5 of his companions going home due to similar struggles and bipolar disorder and the like.  He really showed a lot of compassion for others and their feelings.  Afterward I told Andy maybe HE should be going into psychology!  He has a lot of understanding and compassion. 

After church we had quite a few people over - too many to name.  We served muffins and fruit and milk.  We had a steady stream from about 10:30 - 12:15 and then it died down and we were done.  And tired!

We went to choir practice and then to Gma and pa Griffin's for dinner.  Lauritos and Aj and Dallas and McK (had to leave early for work) came too. We had a potato bar and a nice visit.  After dinner we watched an Ochtdorf talk and talked about it.  It was a nice evening. 

Monday everybody worked and went to school and then Katie had a parent's meeting for her volleyball.  We went to that and then to Rigatti's pizza for dinner.  My dad had a birthday in July which we haven't seen him for so we bought an ice cream cake and some candies and sang him happy birthday and ate cake BEFORE dinner -- the pizza place was dang slow and the ICE CREAM cake wasn't my smartest idea considering the 100+ temperatures...!!! Haha  I had brought it in a cooler so it was great but wasn't sure how long it would hold up. So Dad's 78 now!  Growing up!  haha.  

 After dinner we hugged and told Laurito's goodbye.  They were staying till Tuesday but we would all be at work.  Then the kids came home and went to bed and we went and played pickle ball. 

08/13/16 Trip to Costco finds guy bigger than dad!

Shawn Bradley and Andy Griffin at Coscto

We were walking in Costco getting ready for Bryce's homecoming after party.  We came around the corner and saw this giant guy and Dad said hey there's Shawn.  And I said, Shawn who?!  And Dad said Shawn Bradley.  And then dad said, hey Shawn...my wife just asked Shawn who?!  She didn't know who you were!!!

And Shawn smiled and looked way down at me and said well she's wearing the right shirt anyway (sporting my BYU t-shirt!!!)

For anyone else that is clueless like me, wikipedia says:
Shawn Paul Bradley is an American and German retired basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks in the National Basketball Association.  And I will add...he played at BYU and we actually took a photo with Andy and Shawn at the BYU museum a few weeks back! (see below)

Dad and Shawn talked awhile and Dad invited Shawn to broadcast with him during basketball season.  They exchanged contact information and then I asked Shawn if he would mind me taking a picture of the two of them as I have never, in 27 years, EVER, seen anyone that made Andy look...small!!!

They smiled and I took the picture with my phone.  Dad acted all embarrassed but I assured him he'd thank me later!  I mean, seriously...this is a cool picture!!!

BYU sports museum shadow of Shawn Bradley in the background
taken in July 2016 on our family vacation to Park City.

08/08/16 Bryce's homecoming!!!!

Aug 1
 What a great week! 

We were all very excited to get Bryce home and spent the past week making posters and then Monday we made lots of cookies and 4 big sheet pans full of homemade pizzas. McKayla made breadsticks.  We just made a ton of food and got the house all ready to go.  Then about 5 p.m. we headed to the airport.

Elder Griffin arrived in the St. George airport on Monday night at 5:55 p.m. (5 minutes early!!!)  He was greeted by our family -- Dad and me and Holly and Katie, Dallas and McKayla Griffin, Gma and Gpa Griffin, Wendy and Aaron Dickie, Ben and Laura Griffin, Eldon Griffin, Marlee Thatcher and parents  -- was there more?!  He came out the side entrance of the departure gate and was greeted with posters and applause.  I got the first hug followed by Dad. Bryce seemed a little overwhelmed -- having not hugged anyone for 2 years he didn't seem to know what to do, haha!

We were able to pretty quickly grab his bags and then head to the stake president for release.  Bryce went into his office alone and I believe he received some counsel from the President and then President Ellsworth invited Andy and me into the office. He read some excerpts from the letter he received from Bryce's Mission President and said the letter was extremely long and very complimentary of Bryce - much more than he usually receives from other mission presidents.  He was very impressed with the letter he received.

Bryce was told that he was being released as a full time missionary and asked to remove his tags.  President Ellsworth then told him to put the tags somewhere that he could see them every day and remember his service as a missionary.  Bryce smiled and took his tag with a clip on it and said, What do you think President, should I pierce my hose and hang it from my nose?! 

That kid kills me!  It's good to see that he hasn't lost his sense of humor! 

We said a prayer together and then Bryce was sent on his way, no longer a missionary!

The kids had gone back to the house and we busy cooking pizzas and preparing for treats to be out on the table.  They did a great job. The house looked great!  There were signs hung inside and out and the treats were all out on a table in the living room.  We then had an "open house" from 7-9 p.m. We had quite a lot of people come by - all the family that came to the airport (minus Ben and Laura), quite a few ward members and old friends. I'm afraid if I try to start listing I'll for sure miss -- but let's just say Bryce was pretty busy talking to people until after 8:30 p.m.

He and Marlee were kind of awkward initially but about 8:30 p.m. they were able to talk alone for a few minutes and voila, they are Bryce and Marlee again!  Just like they never were apart.

Bryce and Marlee have spent as much time as possible together.  She is serving a service mission and is busy until 5 p.m. each day so they can only spend evenings together. Bryce has been busy applying for jobs, buying books, purchasing things for school, repairing his bicycle to take to college (took it to a shop).  He has also stepped up and done some car pool driving too -- which we have REALLY missed!!!!  It's been so nice to have him home.  Feels like he's back where he belongs.  And it hasn't felt awkward at all!  He just fit right back in! 

Katie did an all day seminar on Thursday for Hope squad.  It is a club that she was invited into.  They asked the kids who they would talk to if they were having a hard time and she was nominated. Hope squad is a suicide prevention team that tries to reach out to kids and make friends and notify adults if they see anything troubling.  She learned a lot and had a fun day at the WCCC. 

Friday we went to the Carnevale's house for dinner.  Bishop's mother is visiting from Brazil and made choxinia (seriously have no idea how to spell this...sounds like Ko-Shin-ia when they say it).  These are potato wrapped around meat and deep fried.  Andy and Bryce LOVE them!!!  We watched opening ceremonies of the Olympics which are in Brazil close to where Bishop grew up.  So that was kind of cool too!  After dinner we all headed to the park and played pickleball with Bishop and Janae while the kids all played over at the water park and rode bikes around the park.  Our girls tended their kids.  It was from about 9 - 10:30 p.m.  It was still close to 100 degrees even when we finished.  I think everybody had a nice time.

Saturday we did chores and shopping and such and then went to the ward party Saturday night.  It was also at Sullivan park and was very well attended.  It was really HOT.  Most everyone ended up going over to the water pond and putting their feet in while the kids played to stay cool.

Sunday was the usual with church, choir practice and going to Griffin's for dinner.  After dinner Bryce spent over an hour telling us about his mission - we did a little Q&A - it was interesting to hear him tell us what he's been up to for the past 2 years. It was a nice evening!