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| Holly |
I feel like life is on super fast forward mode this week. Maybe most weeks?!
My boss was out of town this week so I had to figure out things to do at work all week. Somehow, I did! Posted up a bunch of stuff on the surplus auction site and set up meetings. We meet with the court and prosecution monthly -- so we did that -- which netted a couple of things to follow up on. Honestly I'm trying to remember what the heck I did but it's fuzzy! 
Wednesday night for YW we were planning candle making. The lady that was going to do the class for me replied that she didn't have any money and didn't know if she could do it afterall. I believe that was on Monday. I texted back that she just needed to get me a list of things and I would go pick it all up -- no worries - we have a little budget money anyway. We went back and forth a little. I told her I'd get everything after work Tuesday. Only she would never tell me what my list was. She kinda ghosted me! For about 8 hours or more.
So I looked up online and figured out what was needed and got a list together.
Then the younger class leaders contacted me and asked if they could join us because their activity had fizzled. I hadn't gone shopping yet so I was like..sure how many more kids would that be. She said she thought 7. So I thought, I'll have 5, she'll have 7...I bought for 12. And I told her to watch some Youtube videos since we might be teaching the class on our own since I hadn't heard back from my instructor.
I sent a text to the instructor telling her we were having a bigger class than expected and a list of all the supplies I had purchased and that I hoped to see her at 7 Wednesday. 
She did reach out again Wednesday late afternoon I believe and confirmed that she would be coming and all was ok. Whew.
At 6:55 the girls start arriving. And keep arriving. Two, Then 5...Then 9. Then 12...then the instructor and her two 14...Don't worry I'll just grab some jars out of my canning supplies...15...16...17...18..
Sister Eardley ran home and had the exact jars I had been giving out and saved the day. (it was going to be fine...the jars were just going to be different for the last few...but this made it so that didn't need to be the case.)
Our instructor did an amazing job - she taught about light and the light of a candle and compared it to the light of christ and the light within each of us. She talked for maybe 10-15 minutes and really kept the kids interest. Then she showed them how to put little gadgets inside the jars -- leaves, tiny plastic things, whatever. And how to decorate the outside of the jar.
At thing point with leaders there was like 27 people in the house (and one toddler). It was kind of chaos! SO I invited half of the girls to come with me to go feed the ducks to try to make it less crowded in the house. I don't know that it really helped any but somehow we got everyone's candles made rapped up the activity. It's supposed to be only 1 to 1 1/2 hours. About 8:40 people slowly started leaving. It was actually after 9 before I got everyone out the door and headed home and then cleaned up!
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| Some of the YW at our activity |
Poor Stephanie Wilcox...she has the older girls. In contrast to our wild candle party, she had 0 girls show up. Yup. 0!!! And she has one of the largest classes. I believe 7-10 is their typical turnout with maybe 17 on the roles. Something big like that. She was kinda bummed and didn't want to miss out on something so she came up and hung out with us too!!! She is the one that told me the girls LOVED the activity and it was one of the best ones ever.
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| Some more YW at the activity Nelsons and Blasers |
So...I wonder if all the turmoil prior to the activity...was the adversary. I have heard my mom say that when you are planning to go to the temple things go wrong over and over until you get there because satan doesn't want you to get there. That's what it felt like was happening. It would have been so easy to just give up. Cancel. Do something lame. But we just pressed forward with faith that it would all work out. And it did!
Friday Holly and Erik came down and spent the afternoon with us. Mostly me and them hung out (dad was working late) and then we went to Applebees with Gpa and them. While at dinner dad invited GPA to go to Cedar for the game...and HE DID!!! And him and dad had a great time! Holly got her hair cut and permed and colored and she hates it. We tried to do her hair while she was over but it was not cooperating nicely. They were going to a concert for homecoming Friday night so they left after dinner. It was fun to see them!!!
Friday evening I picked up Sheryl Rubin for an evening on the town. 
We went to the post office, walmart - for her to try on some slippers to confirm they were the right size. Then I needed a car wash and I bought her a zeppees. (She never had one before, she loved it). After our errands I brought her back to our house and we sat on the back porch and talked a little. It was getting dark so we came inside and we went through her whole shopping list for next month. I told her I was going to do the pickup shopping this time to make it easier for me.
We went to the post office, walmart - for her to try on some slippers to confirm they were the right size. Then I needed a car wash and I bought her a zeppees. (She never had one before, she loved it). After our errands I brought her back to our house and we sat on the back porch and talked a little. It was getting dark so we came inside and we went through her whole shopping list for next month. I told her I was going to do the pickup shopping this time to make it easier for me. I showed her the house and then we walked around forrest park. She actually did really well. I think I walked her 1/2 mile to 1 mile. And she just had on lousy slippers. Then I drove her around showing her all the fancy houses above us and Myrna Stout's hill. Got her home around 10 p.m. but it took me until 10:30 p.m. to get back in my car cause she just wouldn't stop talking. 
I finally just cut her off and said, I gotta run!!! I got home maybe 4 minutes before dad - he had gone to Cedar City for a football game.
She kept thanking me and then called Saturday to thank me again for 23 minutes. It's a little bit hard sometimes to do service but I honestly believe she really needs this and I know she really appreciates it. She asked me to take her out again for her birthday (Oct 8 is her birthday...a Saturday) but we're going to go out Friday night while dad's working. She is looking so forward to it. I'm going to pickup her food on Thursday, the day before so that she doesn't have to stress about getting it put away.
I'm not sure what we'll do that night...I gotta think of something fun.
Saturday I got up and washed windows, mopped, wiped down the kitchen. Nobody would play pickleball with us. Boo hoo.
Once dad got up we went and played in the pool awhile and then he wanted to watch some football and had to do his therapy pants. I texted a friend from work and she came over and hung out with me for and hour and half or so. Diane requested we meet them at culver's for dinner -- so we got Gpa and did. It was fun. Everybody was in a good mood and the food was good. We came home and got right back in our swim suits and swam and hot tub again. My kind of Saturday! Every once in awhile it feels good to just chill. So I got pretty baked! I put on sun screen about 3X's but dad says I'm noticeably darker! Not my intention but it did feel good to just be in the outdoor oven.
My kind of Saturday! Every once in awhile it feels good to just chill. So I got pretty baked! I put on sun screen about 3X's but dad says I'm noticeably darker! Not my intention but it did feel good to just be in the outdoor oven. Today is YW and I think we're combining again due to the younger girls having a teacher shortage or something. I dunno! Hopefully it will go well! The girls teach most every time and they do an amazing job mostly. Every once is a while we have a flop but I'm mostly super impressed with how good they do. Like better than grown ups!!!
Dad's been working really long crazy hours and trying to figure out how to write two stories a day in addition to all his regular requirements (new company that bought him, new expectations). He's been doing what he can - and doing it well - but it's been making for some really long days. Hoping he can work out how to do it quicker and be off by 1 p.m. instead of 3 or so. It really adds up to work an extra 2-3 hours a day!
One good thing they did finally do was give the night time log responsibility to Jeff, dad's boss. So he still peeks at it and might spend 10-20 minutes with it. But he's not spending an hour every night and he's not get notifications every time there is dead air. That was really getting to him!
He also negotiated a raise and will sign a contract that starts next week that will get him some more money.
Short spiritual thought to go with the candle lesson:
We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining - they just shine.
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| My office - Shelly |
So Hermana, just shine! Keep your light burning and people will see you and know that you have the light of Christ in you. You will feel wonderful and they will too.
How is your root canal doing?! Look forward to your update this week!!!
Love you lots!!!! Keep up the good works, Hermana!
Mom and Dad
So another year with no glasses. YiPpEe!!!
Ya know, the fighting is normal. BUT NO...that's not right! The brother is there FOR YOU when YOU have adversity. So siblings are good...be there for each other!
