07/30/23 What? I just talked to you Thursday!

 Seems like we just talked...cause we DID! Haha

Hopefully, all is well and you are enjoying your new comp and your new roomies. Sounds like a fun arrangement!  Since we just talked a couple of days ago I feel like you know everything...but I'll write some stuff anyway cause I know you love to get letters from your mommy!

So it was a pretty fast week (and tiring) because Monday was the Holiday. Tuesday we had to get up early after a long weekend -- and dinner at Laura's, and fireworks!!!  I had a department head meeting - which we do every Tuesday - and they provide breakfast - so that's always super cool. 

After a long weekend, we got off work Tuesday and were thinking of going to a movie or something...and we just couldn't!  We were just tired!  We got in our jammies and went to bed early. 

Turns out that was a great plan because the movie we were going to go pay for and see Tuesday night...we got invited to go to for FREE on Wednesday! haha. And we got free popcorn and soda with it too! Score. One of Dad's guests rented a theater and invited us to come and so we saw the movie Sound of Freedom. It was about child trafficking and was kind of eye-opening. Overall it made me want to be more aware of my little people and I guess myself too...cause there are women who can get caught up in this too. It was kind of crazy how easily they can take a child.  

We also went to Chili's for dinner with B&L and GPA. I love their chips and queso. So of course I ate too much! 

Thursday and Friday Thad was gone so I only had one boss. Pretty chill week - working on the remodel still - taking down bulletin boards and preparing pictures to put back up. The court is still struggling to get going and so I tried to pick up some slack there too. Basically, the week went quickly as I had a long list of things to do and worked through it. 

Thursday during the day I slipped away for a little bit and met some of the 8th ward ladies for their monthly luncheon at Riggattis. (They go to different restaurants as a group each month and they have been inviting me).  There was a big turnout so I ended up at an overflow table with Sister Clark and Sister Pearson. We had a nice visit. Riceann is doing basic training and getting ready to start the air force academy. She's really achieving a lot at a young age. She got her pilot's license last summer. 

Thursday evening Holly came over and spent the evening with us. She does that about once a week lately. Just her. Seems like she likes us more than she did when she lived here. She seems pretty happy these days -- getting ready for her wedding and doing her managing over at Daylight Donuts. Her schedule is upside down but she seems ok with it. 

Friday we went to Teriyaki Madness with GPA and Holly tagged along too. We are still kinda tired from our road trip so had a mellow weekend! yeah!

Saturday we played pickleball at Shane's house (he got his own private court!!!) with Milt (Beth, Shane's wife has an injury right now and can't play).  It was lots of fun and so nice to have our own court with no waiting and no one waiting for us to go!

Julene came over. She told me Richard got prostate cancer (his dad and gpa died young from it so this is kind of a big deal!)  They removed a tumor that was larger than expected and he is still in the recovery stage where you are waiting to heal and feeling crappy. Poor guy. He doesn't know if more treatment will be needed yet. They are waiting for some more blood tests to find out. 

GPA and Holly and Erik came for dinner Saturday and Dad smoked a turkey tenderloin. I did lots of yard work and Saturday chores -- and it is SO hot! So So hot. I was dripping wet in sweat and I did a lot of the work late in the evening. 

Today was pretty chill...5th Sunday combined class and dinner at Diane's house. Aj came too. Elliot and Paul came to visit him this weekend. That was good for him. 

I'm getting a late send on my letter today -- Sorry!!! I hope you didn't think I died again!!! 

Our lesson today in church was a compilation of questions kids had submitted. They split us into three groups and then had the kids answer the questions. (Which is good cause our bishop doesn't really like to give talks! haha)

The questions were things like...how do I know the church is true? How do I know I'm feeling the spirit? If I only use my temple recommend 2X per year, is that a waste?   We kind of guided the kids to answers using LDS tools and the FSY handbook and stuff. They brought donuts and popsicles for the kids too so they enjoyed that. Interesting fact...seemed like people either like popsicles OR donuts. 

It was a fun way to tackle a 5th Sunday and the kids were surprisingly reverent. Our group is still huge and we probably had about 40 people. We even had 3 exchange students from Japan visit. So that was fun. 

Fun Fact...Friday, August 4 is Chocolate Chip Cookie Day - I expect you will honor it properly and make and share a batch with any who would like to celebrate with you!

Love you lots! mom

07/23/23 Pioneer Day Vacay with the kids

I am starting your letter early because we are going to spend the weekend up North and I don't plan to bring the computer -- so I'll have to write on the phone for the end of this!

This week has seemed really fast! Every day just seems to snowball into busy!

Monday we met at the mortuary and planned Grandpa's ending. He is still deciding between burial and cremation. He is going to decide in the next couple of weeks for sure. Death is expensive...$10,000 basically either way. (with a headstone and service etc.)

We all went to dinner together before at Pizza Limone...All of us except Wendy and Michael - from the cruise haha. Gpa, E&D, B&L and us. 

Tuesday the Fink family came to dinner and swim. Jacob's brother Jared was in town with his family so we had 11 of us total. It was fun. Jacob is the brother of Jared. . We had fun. Jared has a 14 and 10-year-old girl and they played with the lil Finks. Dad smoked for them and dinner was of course delicious. 

Wednesday we had YM/YW activity...ok so just a side note.  At the beginning of the month we decided we weren't having activities this month. And since then we've had an activity every single Wednesday AND a temple trip Saturday...but ok......luckily I love it and it's lots of fun to hang out with the kids! 

A side note of this week...Our dishwasher arrived on Monday and AFTER the long day of work and dinner and Mortuary we headed home and installed the dishwasher. Took util 10:30 p.m. But we got it!!! 

Or so we thought. 

Tuesday night we came home to a dishwasher full of dirty dishes.  WHAT?!  Started the dishwasher and a couple minutes later it shot up a no H20 message and we realized...thank goodness...the problem was just a kinked line. So Wedesday after work and our meal with GPA we rearranged the dishwasher and NOW we are all good again! Whew!

Thursday evening AJ surprised us and stopped in. He bought a new dirt bike this week...says it was cheaper than his wife cheating on him.... He had been to the dentist and dr and  said he kinda had a rough week - Becca been calling begging to take him back. It's rough. 

Friday we went to slc to see the kids for a short summer retreat. Grandpa Laurito turns 85 today!!! We went to Ruth’s house and had a birthday party. We got r&r bbq and cake and ice cream. Me and Dallas and the twins swam. I forgot to get pictures and I’m sad about that!! 

Saturday we went to the aquarium and polo Hawaiian for lunch. Thatcher’s joined us for the aquarium. 

In the afternoon we went to winco and then played outside just Bryce and me and dad and the twins. Everyone else stayed in with the littles and got ready for dinner. Dallas smoked a brisket. Yummy!!

Ray and Suzanne came over too.

We did have another icky hotel experience. We stayed at the Laquita Friday night and it was dirty and had druggies wondering the hall. It felt unsafe. They locked the lobby doors at 11pm to keep the homeless out. Bryce asked if I had read the reviews and when I looked them up they were spot on. 1 …don’t stay here!! I talked to the manager and was able to leave without penalty and we paid extra and are staying at tru by Hilton where we stayed last year. So much nicer!!

This morning we went to tab choir and

Elder Uchtdorf was here and I got to hug his wife and touch the top of his hand (it was on his wife’s shoulder). 

We have plans to make pizza and sugar cookies today and tomorrow from 10:30 to 2 we’ll be at cowabunga bay. Then we’ll head south and have dinner at aunt Laura’s tomorrow night. We gonna be tired this week!!

Hope you’re having a great week and planning something cool for pday!!!

The message today was to have the pioneering spirit and to make the effort to do great things. 

I really enjoyed the program.

Look forward to talking to you tomorrow…hopefully you can call early before cowabunga!!

Love you lots!! Mom

07/16/23 Happy Sunday!

 Another week in the books! I think you probably have word on your next transfer...I'm excited to hear what you're doing!  I'm starting to realize I gotta get going on Holly's wedding!!! Only 2 transfers left! haha.  

It's been a good week - Monday we went to House of Slice - a new restaurant (Roy's Pizza went out of business) in the Zion strip mall. They have yummy calzones and it's not very crowded (not a good sign really!!!)

 

Tuesday evening was RS and we had a swim party at Marilyn Ulrich's place. She has a nice home with a large pool and slide in the backyard. Probably 20 women showed up and we visited and swam (yes quite a few ladies actually got in!!!!). The fact that we are having 100-115 degree temps this week may have helped to get some in that might have not in the past. 

Wednesday evening we played pickleball.  It was still 100 at 8 p.m. when we started. Whew. We are hardy! haha. 

Thursday dad cooked some crazy meat that looks like bam bam food from the flintstones. It was yummy and fun. AJ came over late to get leftovers and hung out for maybe an hour. He's staying busy trying to work through things. 

Friday dad got Wendy's and brought it home for our lunch because GPA went to Hurricane with his friends from New Harmony. They are all getting old and sickly and he doesn't know how much longer they can continue to get together. The Brills - Chuck and Jackie are slowing down and struggling with their health (Seriously don't know how they've lasted as long as they have...he's been so close to death so many times.)  The McCoys - Bill and Cindy -- Bill has dementia and GPA said it was so hard getting him from the car to the table. They had to remind him to move his feet. I don't recall the other ones name but that couple is actually younger and fairly healthy. GPA thinks they might have one or two lunches left together before they have to call it quits. We relaxed and swam and hung out. 

Holly got offered the manager position at Daylight Donuts. She's pretty excited. She'll get one more shift a week and then duties as needed. I think she is responsible for scheduling and purchasing and making sure donuts get made every day. She says she was doing the job before anymore mostly so she's not worried about it. She came over and had snickerdoodle cookies with us and hung out for awhile. We spent some time thinking wedding stuff but didn't really accomplish anything. 

Saturday I went at 6:15 a.m. to the temple with the youth. We had 2 girls and 8 boys. Pretty small group. (We had said we weren't doing July activities and then they keep having them anyway...but since we told everyone we weren't (and they are on vacation etc too) we are getting bad turnout. We had a trip to Brigham Young House on Wednesday last week and there is a combined activity next week.  Oh well -- whatever, right?!  I told dad I'd play pickleball with him every week but looks like it might only be one or two weeks. We'll see. 

I spent an hour in the 105 trimming a tree in the front yard. The pool never felt so great! Our water is still around 80 degrees and it is wonderful in the hot hot day. Most of my friends are complaining about hot water in their pools but we've been fortunate and it's stayed cool in ours. 

Saturday evening we went to Angelica's and then to Tuacahn and watched the Hunchback of Notre Dame. It was lots and lots of singing and dancing and SO SO SO SO HOT!  Sweat was running down the back of my legs. It was really uncomfortable. I think it was around 100 when it started at 8:45 p.m. and still 95 when it ended at 11:45. Long sit in the heat. They did a good job on the play (it was opening night) -- but the heat really made it a tough sit. 

It's Sunday morning and LInda and I walked at 6 a.m. due to the heat (115 predicted for today).  We had a nice walk. She had two nephews kill themselves in the past two weeks. These are Elliot's side of the family. They've had 5 suicides total. Elliot has threatened suicide in the past as well...just tough. Seems almost genetic. They have a lot of depression and anxiety. 

Next week we're going up north for Pioneer Day and to see everybody. We won't have you or AJ though...bummer! We are only spending Friday evening to Monday morning so it will be a quick trip. Hopefully it will be fun packed though.

I don't really have a spiritual thought for the week...but maybe a question for you.  Our YW group is really divided. We have some girls that absolutely refuse to associate/interact with other girls. I don't even know exactly who is mad at who...but at some point in their lil lives they feel like the other person has bullied or been unkind and they no longer want anything to do with the other person.  They basically say it's unmendable. They won't even consider reconciliation...what the heck can I do to help this? I know of two girls in particular and I've talked to them a tiny bit individually (I still don't know much of anything about what they are so upset about). -- and both have adamantly said no way no how are they resolving this and talking to the other again.  What can I do???? There is such a rift!   

I feel like this is exactly what church is about - forgiveness. Loving others. Etc. But I also get that if someone wronged you that you don't go sign up to get mistreated again.  So I just don't know!

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

I'm going to try to go back to bed now and get a little more sleep. Look forward to hearing from you and finding out what great adventures you've had this week. 

Love you! mom

07/09/23 Good Morning!

Facetime bathtime!
Imogene

 Sorry I'm a little late getting my letter today...Aj called and needed some mommy time.  He's gonna be ok but he has to work through this heartbreak. 

Facetime Bathtime
Emory!

We talked Tuesday so I feel like you're pretty caught up on life here! Tuesday we had a chill day - enjoyed our pool - got to talk to you.  Had a nice dinner. It is so strange having a holiday mid week. Wednesday felt like it should be Sunday or Monday but certainly not Wednesday. Lots of people were on vacation and the ones who came were all tired from staying up late or just the noise of all the fireworks while they were trying to sleep!

We cancelled activities for July - so Wednesday night I got to go to pickleball. That was fun. Aj and his friend Justin came too. Good to get out and run around. Seems like we've missed a lot due to vacation and schedule conflicts.

Thursday evening we went to Angelica's with Holly. The Mitsubishi is up and running now. We paid $50 for a locksmith last week and then $200 to get the battery replaced along with oil change and overall health check up. He said it will need tires at some point but they are good for a bit longer. Everything else looks good. So that's great!  Holly helped to remove all the stickers and then moved her stuff all in there and took it. I told her to take good care of it because you still get first pick when you get home!

Friday we went to Honolulu Grill with GPA and I was really tired. So we just had a quiet evening. Sometimes my switch just goes to off...and that's what happened!  But I'm good now!  Just needed a lazy day. 

All my cute grands!

Saturday we got up at 6:30 a.m. and played pickleball - cause our usual peeps were out of town and the only ones left insisted on early. So it was really weird to be done at 8:30 a.m.!!!

My dishwasher has been naughty for months now and we took it apart and tried one more time to fix it. I'm planning to purchase a new one Monday. Sigh. The dang thing looks great and runs but it won't heat up the water and dry the dishes -- so it's not really doing it's job properly. I hate replacing things I already have...seems like a waste! 

My lil garden...
daylilies are blooming!

Jenae Carnevale and Ana and Katie came and swam yesterday for about 1.5 hours and later my friend Leslie and her 3 kids and hubby came for another 1.5 hours. Lots of pool time and chatting with friends. The kids all seemed to LOVE it. So that was nice. Gpa came for dinner. AJ stopped in for a few but was on his way to the lake so he didn't stay long. 

Overall it's been nice to have some down time after a super fun vacation. I always feel kind of worn out for a little bit after vacation. 

Boss will be back tomorrow so we'll see what the week brings. 

Enjoying the tub!

I've been working with the girls in the court again trying to get them up to speed and it is really feeling like walking through molasses. I feel so frustrated that I can't help them get faster --- faster!!! haha.  I always thought my job was easy but I'm having a heck of time getting others to do it "easily."  

My thought for the week - focus on the savior. Find peace -- and joy -- and happiness by making good choices and doing good things. Life can throw some pretty harsh things your way but if you are prepared spiritually, financially, educationally speaking, etc... these things are easier to deal with and get through. 

Holly's amazing artwork

I am finding more and more people in my life are straying from Christ and the gospel -- and seemingly they are doing ok right now...maybe even seeming happy with their choice to ignore the gospel and the teachings...but experience tells me...that at some point they will realize the choices they made didn't get them where they wanted to go. And sometimes it's too late to fix things -- people die, addictions occur, circumstances change...I don't know if this all makes sense -- but I'm trying to stay focused even though everyone is trying to make a case for not! haha. 

Cinnamon Rolls and
quadruple berry rolls
yum!

Love you lots and I'm so proud of you and all the sacrifices you've made in your life.   You are a great example and inspiration to me. I'm so impressed with all that you've accomplished in your short life so far!

Love Mom.

Weekly meal prep

Holly's drawing of young 
Grandma Griffin

07/02/23 Good Sunday Morning to ya

Sadie Seegmiller at Myrna Stout's pool

 I can't believe it's July already! It's been a pretty mild summer here so far and spending a week up in Alaska was plenty cool. But the heat wave has arrived and it's supposed to be 103-109 this week. Which is great! (If you can stay inside in your air-conditioned job or in your back yard pool!)

Cheese Balls

So, surprisingly (not) I took WAY less pictures this week!

This week has been a quick one -- coming off vacation. I took Monday off to help recuperate. I think I worked harder staying home than I ever would have at work. . I did laundry, dishes, mopping, vacuuming, cleaning the pool, mowing the lawn, and grocery shopping. I know there is more. You get the idea. It felt good to be busy doing something constructive.  We had pizza night with just Gpa and Holly and Dad and me. We made homemade in our pizza oven. I swear we still haven't mastered that and I really want to...but we're getting better. They are edible!  Weird thing...they always cool off really fast. (And burn really fast too if you give them any chance at all!)

Recipe: 
1 cup shredded mozz cheese
3 T corn starch
1 egg
Mix well until becomes a dough. 
Cut into about 24 pieces.
Roll into balls. 
Fry. Eat right away. Yum

Tuesday I went back to work -- and I was happy and excited to do it...I feel very fortunate to enjoy my job most of the time. So that's nice!  My boss came over the first thing - like before he even went to his own office - with a big grin on his face -- and said WELCOME BACK!!! You are NEVER leaving again!  . 

He had to do some of my stuff and he's really happy to not have to do it anymore!  I'm glad he missed me and didn't go the opposite way...what do you do all week??? I can totally do without you! haha

Because I've been gone there was plenty to do this week - catching up on auction stuff, helping the girls in the court, emails, lil projects for the bosses.  My job is so weird now. It's like there is a little bit of structure and things I do each week but then there are also little "fires" that happen. And you never know when they will start or how long they will take to put out.  So if you get through your structured part it can be slow and then all of a sudden you can be busy for 10 minutes or 3 hours or 3 days.  

The week went really fast with the structure and the fires and Friday was here before I knew it!

If I'm remembering correctly Holly and AJ came over Tuesday and Thursday night for dinner but not at the same time. We ate early Tuesday with Holly and then Aj had leftovers after work. (I like to eat closer to 5, he doesn't get off and over here until 6:15). I'm pretty sure they didn't even see each other either time. Thursday she even stayed until 8:15 p.m. and visited and he didn't come until 8:30 (he played ultimate frisbee first with a league). I guess Becca has been up north working her old job (she hasn't found one here yet) AND they don't really eat together anyway -- so dinner at mom's house is super nice. And mom likes it too, so win-win! 

Wednesday we went to Paula's with B&L and GPA and this guy we met on the airplane -- Kade Christensen -- came too. He is doing a rotation for physical therapy school here in town and his family is in the Bountiful area -- so he's kind of lonely and friendly and for some reason just really clicked with everyone. We'll see if it continues. He only has an 8 or 12 weeks rotation here so even if he came every week we'd only see him a handful of times. 

Lydia Elison

Wednesday evening for YW we went to Myrna Stout's house and swam. It was so nice. Her pool is fantastic and the weather was great. I was actually late and didn't even realize it...we finally got the Mitsubishi opened ($50 to a locksmith) and drove it across town -- Napa thinks it needs an alternator. So we took it right to Washington Service where it is sitting waiting for its turn to get looked at next week...I told him no rush. So we'll see!

ANYWAY, I had so much fun playing with the girls and taking my fun jump pictures, etc. 

Friday was GPA's wedding anniversary...I believe it would have been 63 years. GPA picked to go to Costa Vida. He seemed to be doing alright. A little melancholy but all things considered...good. Our last week was catching up to us so we mostly just had a relaxed afternoon - napping, swimming, chilling. Not really productive. 

Dylan Blaser (left), Lucy Martin(right),
Oliva Jones (front)

I always say it feels like I have a switch sometimes. When it's turned on I can go and go and go and go and I feel great. And then sometimes it feels like the switch is off. And I'm done. And that's what I felt like for a little bit. I would fall asleep and then just not want to get up. At all. But I would but I'd be ready to rest again soon. I think I rested enough cause I feel like the switch is back up! haha

Saturday we played pickleball at 7:30 a.m. (early due to heat) and came home and swam and ate breakfast. I put together a book about our trip to Alaska (Friday night and Saturday) -- it took quite a few hours -- but I was working on a deadline...it's unlimited pages right now and ends July 5. But I got it! I ended up ordering a book for everyone and they will be here in a week or two. Not sure if I got everyone covered enough in the book but I tried to make it balanced.  (Eldon was hardly in any pix. I know I had seen a bunch of nice ones of E&D but I couldn't find them).  Anyway - after hours and hours of working on that project I didn't care anymore anyway! haha. 

Saturday afternoon we went to the play BEAUTIFUL at Tuacahn.  It was a really feel-good play about Carole King (songwriter) and her husband (she got pregnant at 16 back in the 60s...which was really uncommon) and how they wrote songs for a bunch of popular bands. They had a ton of #1 hits. It was crazy that she could go in at 16 and get hired...but she did.  (She had skipped two grades and was already doing college work at that time).  All around a cool story. Sadly their marriage doesn't last but the overall message was very feel good and happy. And, well...Beautiful!

Leah Skousen, Rebecca Francis,
Sadie Geary, Lydia Ellison, Kylee Abraham
Bailey Stevens (blue shirt),
Hayden Stevens (in water)

We went to the Digby market afterward - a new grocery store over by B&L house and checked it out. Got some stuff. On the way back we were going to go out to eat but there was a fire on turtle road and tons of traffic and we just ended up going home (we bought ice cream at the grocery store so time was limited!!!). We had leftovers and another chill night at home. 

We watched a man called OTTO -- which was a little depressing (he kept trying to kill himself...and his neighbors kept interrupting his attempts) - and he was a grump -- but in the end, his neighbors made him feel loved and needed (isn't that all any of us need?) and he wanted to live. So he died. Of course. The end. It had a good feel-good undertone to it as well.  

I'm sitting outside on my swing writing to you and it feel delightful out here. I can hear the water in the pond, a birdie swimming, the temp is about 70. It's just so nice! Oh, and quiet. Since it's not even 7 a.m. the whole neighborhood is asleep!

I hope all is going well for our leader Hermana. Did you enjoy your days in Antofa? Was the training good? Are you excited and ready to be the rock for the other Hermanas? Do you have to do a lot of follow-up and stuff with the girls? 

Funny Sign shared 
with Katie

This week I read a book called One Small Step Can Change Your Life. It is a book to help you make little changes to bring about big changes.  (Sounds like something we've heard at church doesn't it...“By small and simple things are great things brought to pass” (Alma 37:6)

The author talks about how just doing the smallest thing towards your goal and then adding on it can help you to move in the direction you want to go.  It seems almost stupid...like standing on a treadmill for 2 minutes a day for a month. At some point, you start turning it on and using it and then you are doing the treadmill. But to start out you just plant the seed in your mind. 

So if you are having something you are struggling with...but you want to accomplish -- just think of one small thing you can do and just do that for a little while until you can do more. 

Love you lots and look forward to hearing from you tomorrow!!!! Happy Sunday and Happy P-Day to you!  

Love you lots! mom

Sadie Geary and Rebecca Francis
Bailey Stevens

Ducks keep coming around!