2020-Week 8(Feb 17- Feb 23)

 Julia and I went to lunch and then to get her hair cut this week. She was being so so sassy and funny. When we walked into the restaurant she was stumbling around like she was drunk and then during our meal there were two men sitting in the booth next to us and she told me she was going to go up to one of them and take his hat off and rub his head. She asked me if that would embarrass me and I told her heck no- it would be hilarious. She said you don't believe I'll do it and I said I dare you to do it. So she got up and as they were leaving she told him to come over and then she did it. He was so stunned and I said Oh she just thinks you are cute. It was so funny and we laughed our heads off after they left. I just love to be with her. She is so fun!

For my birthday Ashtyn ordered me a necklace with my grandma Betty's handwriting. It came this week and I love it so much. It turned out not to be what Ashtyn had ordered- she didn't want the Grandma B part to be on it- so they are sending out a new one. I love it either way and I will cherish it. Ashtyn is so thoughtful. 

 For Whitney's surgical tech project she organized a blood drive. Jeff and a few other family members were able to donate. I have to wait until I find out if I am getting surgery on my gallbladder. They had a really great turn out of 33 people and were able to get 19 units of blood.

 Ethan has been doing range drives for drivers ed and I take him to get Fiiz afterward.

 We had our carpets cleaned- they were so dirty and we really want to replace them but don't want to spend the money right now so this was a necessity.

My friend Grace and I went to lunch for our birthdays. She is Emily's mom who got called to serve in Korea. She was so excited to tell me all about it and how her ancestors are from the area where Emily will be. I think it was a huge tender mercy for her to get called there because her family doesn't want her to lose her Korean culture. We had a great visit.

 Another thing I am in the market for is a new table. Whitney and I found a new store called The Furniture Lady that has such cute stuff.

  

Malia, Ruby and I met Traci for breakfast at Schmidt's. We wanted to check in with her now that her cancer treatments are over. She is doing well and is cancer free. She will still have to get checked out on a regular basis but for now she is good to go. It was nice to catch up and to see Ruby delight in her food and getting to be a big girl and go out with mommy. She is so cute and fun to be with. 

Scarlett invited me for tea. Tea has been my saving grace this winter. It is so perfect to have on a cold day. I miss seeing Scarlett all the time when we were working and I am looking forward to going back to work so we can hang out more.

 Our neighbors called on Saturday night and said they had two extra tickets to Croce plays Croce. Jim Croce was an awesome musician in the early 70's who died at the age of 30 in an airplane crash. The show was his son AJ(who was only 2 when his dad died) singing his own songs and his dads songs. I grew up listening to my dad play Jim Croce and I love his songs so much. Jeff hadn't heard of him so it took a little begging to get him to agree to go but I think he even loved it. The music is so good. It was such a fun night and I am so thankful for good friends like the Varners who invite us to get out of the house. 

   

 This was our first time inside the Egyptian Theater. It was so cool.

 Here is the dress I got from Bohme when Sharon and I went down.

 On Sunday Regan and I threw Danielle a baby shower. She works six days a week so Sunday it was. We had about 10 people come and it was nice. Regan planned a few games and we had a few delicious snacks- including my favorite artichoke dip. Regan's sister April and her daughter Addison came as well as Regan's brother Ian and his wife Ginger. Then Dani's friend Sam, Liz, Grandma, me and Regan. They plan to name the baby Archer Grey. We are all very excited for his arrival.

2020-Week 7(Feb 10- Feb16)

I went for my traditional lunch date with my birthday week friends- Kathy, Birgit and Jennifer. We went to Kneaders. Kathy and Birgit gave everyone a gift but I haven't had a car so often lately that it slipped my mind to do that. They are such wonderful ladies and we have the best time together. Birgit told us that she had gone to Germany recently to help sell her moms apartment because they had to move her into a nursing home. In Germany you take your cabinets with you when you move. It is such a strange custom. Kathy told us how she is going to be a great grandma. Ashlee her granddaughter that I know that recently got married is pregnant. It was great to catch up with all of them. I wish I had a picture to share.

On Monday we went to visit Jeff's mom for her birthday. Scott and Malia and their kids were there too so we had a nice visit. We got his mom a gift card to a restaurant and a temple slip that she has been wanting. Ethan drove us there. 

I gave our train table to my friend Elissa a while back and when her son was done playing with it she asked if I wanted it back. I said yes because I have so many kids over that I could definitely use it. Ally was the first to try it out when I baby sat her this week. She loved it. It brought back lots of memories of Ethan playing with it when he was her age.

Whitney organized the fridge and labeled all the leftovers. This was a genius idea that I wish I would have thought of before. This way we know which ones to eat first that will be expiring soon.

I went to my friend Aubrey's house to bring her lunch and help her pack before her big move. She is moving to Boston at the end of the week. I brought her Gourmandise one more time. I am excited for her but I am going to miss her so much. She is one of my best friends. I am also sad that I won't be there for the birth of Paris her first girl. That's not her real name but it's what we call her for now. She is due in March. I need to find a way to get to Boston ASAP.

I had to redo the dinner duty chart now that Ashtyn doesn't live here.

Ethan finally got his Eagle scout postcard in the mail. It's official now that he is an Eagle Scout.

Janalyn invited me and a few other ladies(Scarlett, Claudia and Elizabeth) from the ward to her house for breakfast this week. It was nice to visit with them. Elizabeth had to run pick up her husbands car and she had her little boy Ethan with her and asked him if he wanted to stay and play with the other kids. He told her yes but about five minutes after she left he panicked and went into a full blown melt down. He was screaming at the top of his lungs "I want my mom". It was the saddest thing ever. We tried all kinds of distractions to get him to calm down but nothing worked- luckily she hadn't gotten too far and was able to come get him. We helped Janalyn do her dishes and clean up her house a little because we all know what it is like to have a toddler and a new baby and just have moved in. She is so sweet and I've loved getting to know her better.

I finally heard back from my doctor on my gallstones and he said that I can either have surgery or try a low fat diet from now on. I opted for the surgery because every thing I have read says that gallstones do not just go away and they will keep getting bigger. I don't want to risk this turning into an emergency surgery so they are sending me to a surgeon in a few weeks to have a consultation.

Jeff hung back up the second laundry shelf  I have. It got ripped down by one of the many kids we have over a long time ago and it has been so nice to have more space to hang things up. 

Regan and I are throwing Danielle a baby shower next week and  I was in charge of invitations.

We wrote our valentines notes again this year and I texted them to Ashtyn so she could read hers.

Sharon invited me to go down to Orem with her to visit Ashtyn and to get our free birthday earrings. Sharon is the best shopper. She found some really great deals. I found a dress that I liked for only $8- but then Ashtyn's friend also bought the same one and I'm not sure I am cool enough to wear the same dress as an 18 year old ha ha but I bought it anyways. This same friend Emily just got her mission call to Busan Korea. Her family is from this same area in Korea and it will be the perfect mission for her. Ash's other friend Sydney also got called this week to Brazil. It's making Ashtyn really excited to see where she will go.

It was that time again when we celebrate my favorite day. For Valentines Day we got Chinese food because we never did celebrate Chinese New Year. These were our fortunes.

I also made chocolate covered strawberries

Jeff got Whitney and I flowers.

We brought out the love buckets.

I love that they make peeps year round now.

I have been wanting a pair of clogs from Sweden for so long so I finally purchased some with the money Tom and Sharon gave me for my birthday. They unfortunately didn't fit. So I am trying to see if anyone wants to buy them before I go to all the trouble to send them back.

Our friends the Snows invited us to come play games with another couple the Kings who we have also hung out with before. It was so fun. We played a game called You've Got Crabs- I'm not sure how I feel about that name ha ha. The object is to get four of the same cards in your hand and then get your partner to know that you have four cards and yell You've Got Crabs. You have to have a secret sign you give each other. Ours was taking a sip of water. We won. I made pizookies for dessert and we had a fun visit after.

Ashtyn was home for Sunday dinner and I just love love love to have my whole family under the same roof. Plus Whitney has been making us some amazing healthy meals. It was a good night. We played games afterward.

2020- Week 6(Feb 3- Feb 9)

Here is the February rose bush picture. There was a brutal storm on Monday and they cancelled school- which was so nice because I hate when we have to leave the house in the snow.

I shoveled earlier in the day and Whitney and Ethan shoveled again before Jeff got home- He took trax into work.

My mom and sisters Liz and Melinda took me to breakfast for my birthday. We went to Kneaders. It was a fun time and Bronson kept us entertained. I had dropped Daisy off to be groomed on my way and found out later that the groomer was delayed to the owner of the house where she gets groomed had put her outside in the garage in her car because she wouldn't stop barking. It broke my heart. She insisted that Daisy was fine and that she has a fur coat to keep her warm but I hated the thought. I wish I could get Daisy to not be so anxious and bark anytime she's not with us. She is such a needy dog but I don't want her to be afraid or cold so it made me a little mad. Next time I will make sure the groomer gets there first. 

We mailed Ashtyn her February package.

I had an ultrasound done on my gallbladder to see if I have gallstones which are causing my attacks. Sure enough I have one that is 4cm. Most gallstones are 5-10mm so 4 cm is huge and they said that was definitely the cause of my pain. Now I have to wait and see what the doctor wants me to do next.

For Activity Days Crystal taught the boys about rockets and had them make balloon rockets.

Whitney made sweet potato chips

I decorated the house for Valentines day.

I found my new pet. I want one of these miniature cows. Aren't they the cutest thing?

Whitney had to get a book for school so we went to the library. I always worry that there might be books on the shelves that never get read and feel lonely so I wish that I could read every single one. I know that will never happen so instead I took a few down off the shelf read through them while I waited for Whitney. I adore books so much. They are my all time favorite things

We always go to the middle school plays and this year they did Cinderella and Ethan's friend Cade was the prince. It was the day after Brooklyns birthday so we took her with us. She loved it but halfway through she showed me her watch and told me that it was her bed time and that she was tired. It made me laugh- what kid does that? We grabbed some sour patch kids at intermission to give her a little boost to make it to the end. She was glad she stayed because she got to meet the prince and have her picture taken with the carriage.

I had to show this to Jeff. He keeps our house so cold- but it's because we don't want to pay a huge bill and our house is expensive to heat.

On Sunday my family came over for dinner and to celebrate the February birthdays. I made three kinds of soup- Clam Chowder, Panera Vegetable and Chicken Noodle. It was a perfect winter meal.