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