2023- Week 4(Jan 23- Jan 29)

 It has been a busy week. I helped my mom with her bedsheets and we went through her closet and got rid of all the clothes and shoes she doesn't wear. 

I went to lunch at Cubby's with Trenda Poulter and Janalynn Howard. Last time I went there it made me so sick so I was hesitant. I had the kale salad and sweet potato fries and they were both so good. We hadn't seen Janalynn for a long time. She works as a realtor near here. It was good to catchup.

I threw a baby shower for Lindsay Jager. She is a girl in my ward that came to us from the 5th ward. Lauren Elvidge and I were going to do this together but then she got sick. Lauren told me that her ward gave her a baby shower when she was inactive and it was a reason she eventually came back. It made her feel so loved and supported so we have decided to do showers for all the ladies in our ward. We will do one more next month. Lindsay serves in Young Womens so the whole YW presidency helped me with food and decorations. 

Claudia and Ally took me to lunch at The Pie. We got a vegan pizza and it wasn't half bad. Ally told her mom she wants me to be her mom ha ha. She was clinging to me the whole time. I do love her. She is so sweet.

I was invited to a Bishop's Wives night this week. It was at Debbie Miller's house. It was so good for me to go and spend time with these amazing women in my same shoes. We talked about struggles we are each having in our families. We talked about good things and hard things happening in our wards. We shared ideas on how to support our husbands and the unique loneliness that comes with this role. It felt nice to talk to women who can relate. There was Stephanie Bullock from the 2nd ward, Jen Lamont from the 3rd Ward, Amy Boelter from the 4th ward, me, Becky Kemp from the 8th ward and Rachelle Rhodes from the branch. We were missing Karen Smith from the other branch and Katherine Rose from the 7th ward. Most of us are new and have been Bishop's wives for less than two years. 

2023- Week 3(Jan 16- Jan 22)

 Jeff got promoted at work to associate director. He was not expecting that. It is a big deal and just one position away from the top. I am so proud of him. 

This week for activity days Shani was out of town. I planned a fun baby care night. We invited Barb Calhoun's daughter Stephanie to bring her 5 month old twins. Then we split the boys into three groups. Katie Hutchison taught them to diaper and put clothes on teddy bears. She had them play the candy bar diaper game where I melted candy bars and put them in diapers which is so so gross. They had to guess which each candy bar was. I showed them how to give a baby a bath using a doll and Barb taught them how to make bottles with lemonade and showed them how to feed the baby and burp them. She also played a blind baby food taste test and let them try to guess the flavor of some baby food. I think they really liked it and now they are one step closer to being great dads one day.

Thatcher

Jaxon

Parker and Nicholas

Thatcher, Cole and James

James and Jackson

Scarlett and Stella came for tea.

I baby sat Ally Friday night so her parents could go on a date. She is the most amazing reader and told me she loves to read more than anything. I love that as a reader myself. We played lots of Polly Pockets.

I organized a progressive dinner on our street. We did this years ago and it was so fun! The couples that came were Rice, Peterson, Barney, Sims, Coltrin, Shaw and Russell. The Johnsons were going to come but had to back out last minute. We did appetizer, salad, main dish and everyone came to my house for dessert which was kazookies. We split up into two groups. I also did a main dish and did roast and potatoes. It was a fun night! I love my neighbors so much!

I got to sub in Primary on Sunday with Amee. Her class is darling. I offered to teach and we talked about inviting people to "Come and See" and which word Jesus is compared to in John 1 that we relate to the most. 

There is a new man in our ward that just moved here from Maine. He is a recent convert named Heath so I invited him to dinner Sunday night. We were showing him the Family Search app and it turns out we are 6th cousins one time removed. He was very nice.

What I Love About My Wife

I am going through my emails and cleaning out the thousands of years old emails I don't need anymore. I came across a series of emails I got from Jeff back in 2006 and 2007- before I started this blog. They were titled "What I Love About My Wife". What a fun surprise and pleasant memory. I want to remember them so I am dedicating a whole post to them.

12/18/06

I've decided to start sending you an email everyday (hopefully) describing the reasons I love you.  Some of them will be general and some of them will be specific.  You will receive a random number each day.  Some days may be 1 and some days may be 5.  So here it goes:

I love her beautiful (and cavity free) smile

I love her because she gives me goose bumps

I love her because she is wholesome

This will be the beginning of many emails to come, so stay tuned.

Love,

Jeff

12/19/06

I love her long, sexy legs

I love her because she finds joy in the simple things of life

I love her because she cares enough about people to stay up late frosting tiny cupcakes with green frosting that stained her hands and everything else in the house

I love her because she supports me in all that I do

12/20/06

I love her because she willingly serves me and her family endlessly

I love her little button nose

I love her because she is honest

12/21/06

I love her because she is so organized (or wants to be)

I love that she is skinnier than me

I love her desire to do good

I love her because she makes the best chocolate chip cookies in the world

01/02/07

I have a little making up to do for last week so the list is a little longer today.

I love her for the patience she shows when our sweet little 2 year old wakes her up at 0 dark 30 because he's scared.

I love her luscious lips

I love her because she gives awesome back rubs

I love her because of her desire to learn more about the gospel

I love her because she never stops giving of herself

I love her because she lets me stay up and watch 24/sporting events.

I love her because she does what needs to be done even if she doesn't feel like it

I love her because she gets up at 7 am to go bowling on New Year's Day

I love her because of her integrity

I love her because of her work ethic

I love her because she is a handy dandy woman who can do more with tools than me

I love her because she has an angelic voice

I love you,

Jeff

01/03/07

I love the dimple she gets in her cheek when she smiles

I love that she is sooooooo ticklish

I love her creative imagination

I love her because she sees the good in people

01/04/07

I love her because she is teaching my son to go in the "big boy toilet"

I love her gentleness

I love her cooking

01/08/07

I love the way her glasses hang just a little crooked on her face (due to mangling by our sweet children)

I love her because she doesn't snore

I love her kindness

I love her because she is genuine

I love her because she reminds me what is really important in life

I love the DRAMA she brings to our relationship

01/09/07

I love her because she lets me go to Jazz games

I love her beautiful blue eyes

I love her because she got an epidural to have all of our kids (trust me, that was better for both of us)

01/11/07

I love her because she grabs my hand in the morning when we wake up

I love her because she makes the best chocolate chip cookies on the planet

I love her because she has good taste

I love her because she is a mom in every sense of the word

01/12/07

I love her because she loves for who I am

I love her because she sees what I can become

I love her because she's not ashamed to sit down on the toilet with the door wide open

01/16/07

I love her freckles

I love her because she has a strong testimony of the gospel

I love her because she saves the bowl for a cake/brownie mix for me

01/17/07

I love her because she's a good "snuggler-buggler"

I love her because she makes great chinese food

I love her because she isn't afraid to try new things

01/18/07

I love her because she has good judgment

I love her because of her math skills

I love her because she calls me just to say she loves me

01/22/07

I love to hear her voice after being on a plane for 3 hours.

I love her because she can deal with 3 kids all day and still be semi sane

I love her because she makes me full loved

I miss you already.  Love you.

01/23/07

First, thankyou for your kind words.  You are an amazing woman and wife.

I love her because she is exactly the right height for me

I love her because she sends me sweet emails

I love her because she makes me cookie dough

I love her because she makes sure my shows get recorded even though she thinks I'm going to hell for watching them

01/24/07

I love her because she is passionate about everything she does

I love her perfectly curved body

I love because she is confident

I love you babe.  I can't wait to see you.

01/30/07

I sincerely apologize for my utter and incomprehensible slacking off in sending you this email the last couple of days.  I hope you can forgive me.  I will be more vigilant in the future.

I love to hear her laugh

I love her because she gave birth to our three beautiful children

I love her because her good looks thankfully were passed on to our children

I love her because she "puts up" with things that I love to do

I love her because she wants to learn to golf

I love her because she gives wonderful Sunday School lessons

I love her because she is excited when she sees me

I love her because she is so positive, which counters me being so negative

I love you babe.  I'm already counting the days 'til I get to see you again.

Jeff

01/31/07

I love her because she is elegant

I love her because she expects the best out of me

I love her because she goes the extra mile

02/14/07

Well, I've done what I said I wasn't going to do and totally slacked off again.  So once again I apologize.  I have definitely not run out of things to love about you.  In fact, my list just keeps getting longer.  I figured since today was Valentine's Day, it would be a good day to start up again.  So here goes......

I love her because I get to spend forever with her

I love her because she keeps me in line

I love her because she is so dependable

I love her because of her math skills :)

I love her because she knows what's important in life

I love her because she sets high standards for herself and her family

I love her because she doesn't compromise her values

I love her because she strives to be a better person everyday

I love her because she is determined

Happy Valentine's Day babe.  I wish I could be there celebrating it with you.  I love you.  Talk to you soon.

2023- Week 2(Jan 9- Jan 15)

 Jeff and I went down to Provo to take Ashtyn to ice cream for her first day of school. Transitions are so hard for her and I could tell he was apprehensive. We also got to try out the new little green machine on her car mats that had soda spilled on them. It worked great but had a leak in the hose so we took it back to the store. We also made a stop at Bohme of course. There was a blue coat on clearance I fell in love with but it was not my size so I bought it for Ashtyn. I also bought a fun sweater for only $15. I love a good sale. I sent her a bunch of inspirational quotes to get her motivated for another great semester.

I got my hair cut and colored at LeAnnes and stopped by Julia's on the way home. Funny side note- Ashtyn matched with LeAnnes son on Hinge- they didn't realize their moms were friends.

We bought Whitney some Nikes that were too small so I returned them and went to lunch with Melinda and Bronson because they live right by the Nike store. Bronson requested McDonalds and then showing me all his monster trucks afterwards.

This week was the annual This Is The Place Foundation dinner. I have been privleged to be invited every year. This year is was held in the Pioneer Center and the speaker was Elder Uchtdorf. We ended up in line behind him and his daughter. Jeff told him about the time he picked him up from the airport when he was on his mission serving in the Azore Islands. His daughter asked if she knew me because I looked so familiar. I said I don't think so and she said well you are stunning and we must have met because I would remember you. Ellis couldn't take his eyes off my dressed and when I asked if there was something wrong he told me he was just trying to decide if the dress had a meaning- ha ha. It doesn't. I borrowed it from Ashtyn. She got this dress from her french companion on the mission.

Ethan graduated from the IOP at The OCD and Anxiety Center. It has been a long hard uphill battle for him and he has been all in. He has done everything they have asked of him and more and we are beyond grateful for this God send. It was the right program for him. He has thrived there. He has met some amazing people that have struggled too that will be life long friends- even some other missionaries. It hasn't looked like what I thought it would and we have had to let go of all of our expectations but the light is back in him. He is himself again and I am thankful.

Our good friends Nate and Halley Seim invited our family to spend the weekend at their lake house in Bear Lake. They also invited three other couples we love - Bryan and Tara Hall, Jordan and Elissa Olsen and Dave and Holly Watkins(this was our first time meeting Holly). They all brought their kids but none of ours could go so it was just Jeff and I. So ten adults and fifteen kids. The house could sleep 30+ people. Jeff and I got one of the queen bedrooms upstairs. We were there to celebrate Nate's birthday. We played tons of games- Tumbling Dice is so fun!, went sledding(I didn't go because I was exhausted), ate tons of treats, talked and talked, played more games, ate the biggest pizza I have seen in my life- 3 feet wide, stayed up way too late and had so much fun. It was loud and crazy and I may have cried a little on the way home from all the overstimulation ha ha. It was the perfect little get away and Jeff and I really really needed the time away together. 

2023- Week 1(Jan 2- Jan 8)

 Jeff and I had hoped our ward would get a break from all the things that keep happening to people but we were wrong. This week Mike Jones and his boys were in a roll over crash on the way to the Rose Bowl. Mike was pretty banged up and had to fly home but the boys were ok and stayed with their family for the game. Lauren Elvidge woke up with no feeling in her left side and the doctors thought she had a stroke. She was later diagnosed with a rare form of MS. She is in her 30's and super fit and active so we hope that will be to her advantage. Marion Wilson fell and broke her hip and wrist. Todd Bingham announced he has leukemia and Bonnie Mackay got an infection in her foot and ended up in the hospital also having had a mild heart attack. She has several blockages in her heart. So Jeff has spent a lot of time doing visits to their homes and the hospital. Since he became bishop almost a year ago- health related challenges and death have been the majority of his ministry. 

One of Ashtyn's good friends Sydney Evans- her family lives in our stake- got married on the 5th. Ashtyn was one of her bridesmaids. Here is a picture of her and Rylee at the reception.

Shani and I will remain partners for activity days this year but now they have also combined the boy groups and we have both. That makes 15 boys total but only about 10 come. We did a year in review activity and a get to know you activity so the groups could get to know each other. The boys shared  some of their highlights from last year.

Jeff, Whitney, Ethan and I did initiatory at the JRT this week. It was Whitney's first time doing those again since she went through. They put us in the same booth which was fun.  

Our dear neighbor Marilyn Fitzgerald turned 90 this week. Her family threw her a party at the church. They served her favorite treats and Jeff was excited to find out she loves Dr. Pepper. She also loves Idaho Spuds.

2022- Week 52(Dec 26- Jan 1)

Last week of 2022! This year flew by. I know I always say that. We started December with very few Christmas cards and by the end we had a door full. I think this is more than we have ever gotten. My friend Krista who's hubby is also a bishop said just you wait you will get so many treats and she was right. We got tons and tons.

Whitney, Jeff and I went to see the new Avatar movie on Tuesday. It was really long but a great movie. I love the story of avatar so much. The rest of the week we just relaxed, worked on puzzles, put together Jeff's Office Lego set which is so darn cool.

Jeff and I challenged ourselves to read the whole Book of Mormon during the month of December to help us think more of Christ and we finished this week. I want to do this every year. It really brought a whole new spirit into my life. 

Tom and Sharon held the kid sleepover this week. Only Ashtyn and Ethan went from our kids because Whit was working late. They didn't sleepover since they both had to work on Friday. Apparently Tom and Sharon both took sleeping pills that night and Sharon was caught sleep walking ha ha. While the kids were at the party we went to dinner with Scott and Malia and Paul and Kellie to the Garage Grill. Kristy and Miles were sick. I really like the food there and they do reservations so we didn't have to wait which is so nice. It was good to catch up with them. Our waiter was pretty inappropriate ha ha but it was a good night and 

good company. 

New Years Eve was on a Saturday this year. Ethan took Brody and Brooklyn out for the day which was fun. When they got back Brooklyn and I played with her Mini Brands toys. I love these so much. They are so cute and tiny. After they went home we ordered the Triple Treat Box from Pizza Hut and played some games. Then we watched a movie which I totally fell asleep in and we went to bed. A night at home- just like I like it.

Sunday we got dumped on with snow. We had to shovel six times and it was so heavy and wet. Jeff of course had meetings so Ethan helped me do it and then our neighbor Kraig came by in his bobcat to save us and push the big mounds of snow we had made off our driveway. The girls bought a fun virtual game set that we played Sunday night. 

Ethan and I built a snowman- the first in years and years. I forgot how much fun these are!!

It has been a good and hard year. We have had ups and downs but I was so grateful that we got to be all together for the holiday. We have more than most and I know this. I thank God for his goodness in my life and mostly for the people who are my tribe. I love my people.