2023- Week 30(Jul 24- Jul 30)

Whitney's friend Ellyn brought her back a tiny scene set from Korea- It has hundreds of tiny parts that you have to put together. We have been working on it together. Actually I work on it a lot when she isn't home because it's so cute.

My boss Kim is out of town for two weeks so I have come in a few times to help. One day there was a

work emergency and I was the only one available to help but I don't have access to any of the programs so Jerome our CFO decided it was time for me to actually be able to assist and he gave me access to quickbooks and the calendar. I took calls for Kim. I was supposed to work a CCP for Lakeshore but had to cancel so I could be at work which was a bummer because I would have made around $200 and at work only $45 for the same amount of time. I have done more for Kim in a week than I have done for her in two years and it felt great to be able to help. They are forwarding me her calls and hopefully I am not messing anything up too badly ha ha.

Our annual neighborhoor party was on July 29 this year.- We held it in the Barney's backyard. The Poulter's had volunteered but then their son Cade ended up going through the temple that day so we moved it back to Barney's. Brian's dad fell and brok his hip that morning and so I went over to help get things ready with Melissa. I made lemonade like always and this year I bought the paper goods. We did BBQ chicken- the kind where you splash a little soy sauce on and then cover them in BBQ sauce like I use to do all the time. For my side dish I made bacon wrapped little smokies. They are always a neighborhood hit. Our numbers were down a little. There were Barney, Shaw, Kraig and Hua and girls, Garret and Arial Johnson and kids, Seares, Poulters, Petersons, Conrads- Leslies renters, Sims, Coltrins and we invited the Daws to come back now that they live in Utah. The clouds were out so there was a lot of shade and the temperature was more mild which was amazing. Usually we stay until dark but Brian and Melissa had to leave early to see his dad in the hospital so most everyone left early.

Ethan taught the youth fifth sunday lesson and did an amazing job. It was about being a memeber missionary. He had Glen Calhoun tell his conversion story and then had the sister missionaries present some information from the new Preach My Gospel.

Emily was in town this week so we got together for lunch at my house with Carolyn, Mom, Liz, Emily, Melinda and the kids. Mom bought pizza from Domino's. I got there a little late because I had to be at work in the morning.

The BBB was over and when Brooklyn is here she always asks if Aleah can play and if she can they always want to make a movie. I don't remember the plot of this one but here are the costumes. Brooklyn is also an amazing fashion designer- maybe I have said that before and here is another one of her creations for Barbie.

The Ray Quinney group invited Jeff's office to a movie night. We brought Ethan. It was at The District and they showed Disney's Haunted Mansion. I thought it was so cute. They had popcorn, candy and drinks for everyone. They raffled off some prizes and we got the first one- a little ghost stuffed animal that we gave to the little boys sitting next to us.

Ashtyn's been on a piano and singing kick this week. It has been fun to listen to her. She finally got her bangs fixed from where I butchered them.

Had a fun visit with Julia- We always take a selfie at the end.

2023- Week 29(Jul 17- Jul 23)

 Ashtyn asked me to cut curtain bangs on her. I followed a tutorial on YouTube and thought I did a great job except I cut them a little shorter than she wanted. She on the other hand thought they looked like I tried to give her a bowl cut ha ha. She is going to have them fixed next week.

 It didn't hurt my feelings at all. 

I did a CCP on Monday up in Clearfield and the truck never showed up so I had to go back on Wednesday. The facilities manager offered me a job because I was the first person there each day ha ha. Then I did another one in Woods Cross on Thursday that was right by Liz's house so we went to lunch afterwards at the Black Bear Diner. 

Friday we went to dinner with Babcock's, Larson's and Noble's. We went to Stack 571. I had the pear burger and it was amazing. 

My stomach is on a rampage again. I really wish I could figure out my triggers- stresss, dairy, fat, grease??? There is really no rhyme or reason but it sucks feeling like crap all the time. 

My period was suppose to start on Saturday and it never did. I took a pregnancy test a few days later and it was negative so maybe I am starting menopause. I have been in perimenopause for a few years at least. It's hard to tell for sure because I was taking the pill for so long. 

Marrya and I went to lunch at Blue Lemon on Friday. 

I picked up Emily from the airport on Saturday. 

2023- Week 28(July 10- July 16)

The Pearsons gave us some cherries off their tree. I tried to make a pie but burned it and I was so sad.

 

Went to lunch with Elissa. We had some really thought provoking conversations. It's been way too long since we hung out. I adore her.

This week was Oakcrest Camp. We had four girls there. Eva Webb, Kat Olsen, Nicole Taylor and Meghan Young. Jeff gave them a little devotional about remembering all the things they have learned about the gospel and the times they felt the spirit. We made them little goodie bags. It was so fun to be with them.

For our day camp for Activity Days we took the boys and the girls to Camp Tracy. We got to shoot guns, bow and arrows, buy treats, play Ga Ga ball, go canoeing, hike, rock climb and have dinner. We had a blast. With me was Jackson and Logan Hall, Nicholas Lima, Jaxen Calhoun, Cole Pedersen, Nolan McDonald, Parker Heyland, Thatcher Sheen, James Berg, Jame Hutchison and Rev Johnson. Katie and Barb filled in with me because I don't have a partner yet. We only had a few minor scrapes that happened and we all came home dirty and happy. Cole had brought a part of a pom pom with the shiney strings that we lovingly called Squishy Squishy and it became our mascot.

We got ice cream with the Snows. It's been awhile since we hung out. Jeremy built his own electric super car and took Jeff on a ride. He even has his own YouTube channel called Electric Supercar. Then we just sat in their backyard and talked for a while.

The Traveling Tabernacle was in South Jordan for a few weeks so each stake got to help on one of the days. Jeff and Ethan and I all helped. Jeff and I ran the welcome video and Ethan was security with Ted Neff.  The day before I took Mike Shepherd to go and see it and that day Ethan was there helping as the door greeter. It was a life sized replica of the tabernacle from the old testament. It was really cool to see how they worshipped long ago. 

We tried to dye the hydranga back to blue and it turned two toned and so pretty. 

2023- Week 27(July 3- July 9)

 First Jeff and I woke up early and went on a hike up Heughs Canyon to see the waterfall. We were pretty much the only ones on the trail for most of it. It was beautiful. There was a ton of poison ivy so wear pants if you go. We had to scramble across a boulder field to get to the water fall but once we did it was like stepping into a beautiful hidden oasis. It was so cool and refreshing and amazing. Then we got home and went to the church with the kids to play pickleball. After that we went to the movies and saw the new Indiana Jones movie. Then we grabbed dinner at Five Guys and I had grand plans of going to Riverton Town Days later but we were all too tired so we stayed home and went to bed. 

Patty Shay and I hiked the Lupine Trail on Saturday morning.

Jeff, Ethan and I went to the Saratoga Springs Temple open house. It is so beautiful. I love the stainglass windows and all the natural wetland themes. The rich purples and blues were stunning. It is in an amazing neighborhood that Ethan want to live in one day he says. 

I hosted our July Inklings. We discussed the talk Christlike Poise. I shared this quote from Corrie Ten Boom "God's viewpoint is sometimes different from ours-so different that we could not even guess at it unless He had given us a book which tells us such things...In the Bible I lean that God values us not fo our strength or our brains but simply because He has mad us."

Whitney's 21st birthday was this week. We got her the same diamond necklace we got Ashtyn for her 21st birthday. We went to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner but couldn't get a reservation until 8:30 so we were all a bit hangry by the time we got our food. I ordered the shepherds' pie and it was amazing! Maybe my new favorite thing there. We also got cheesecake to enjoy at home. Her actual birthday fell on July family dinner that we were hosting and she wanted to have it that day- but then got very overwhelmed with all the people. We invited Marrya and her husband and daughter Mia and Whitney's friend Ellyn. She ended up telling Ellyn not to come because it was too much but lied to her and told her that Jeff and I said she coudln't come because she didn't want to hurt her feelings and tell her the truth. We had a long talk about this and she finally did text her later but int he mean time Ellyn was so sweet and brought Whitney a homemade cake in the shape of a 21. Kind of a fiasco in the end but I think she still felt celebrated that day. Whitney is a little bit of peace in our home- unless she is hungry. She loves hanging out with me, Trader Joes, books about vampires, books in general, quiet evenings in. Chocolate ice cream or cake or anything chocolate. She is a very hard worker, loyal friend, always willing to help, hates conflict, is crafty and creative, stylish and has the kindest heart. 

Cheri asked Sharon and I to check on Julia this week because they were going out of town. I recorded her giving her testimony. It was beautiful and then at the end she said Ok now just kill me and get this over with and then bust out laughing. Ha Ha that is so her. I also went with her to the pancake breakfast they had on July 8th. We sat with a cute woman from memory care and her daughter. She thought she was in New York and we just played along. I recorded Julia baring her testimony for posterity sake and at the end she made a joke about killing her now and getting it over with ha ha. She is so funny. Maybe we'll play this at her funeral one day.

2023- Week 26(June 26- July 2)

Jeff and I rode Trax to the University Hospital to visit Linda Woolf a darling woman in our ward that is really really sick. We didn't realize the Red Line was being worked on so we actually had to get off at one point and board a bus bridge to reconnect to the line. It took us a very long time but I think she really appreciated us coming.

Blake and Jill were in town staying at a cabin near Sundance for their anniversary. They invited us and some of their old friends form Suncrest to come up and spend the evening around the fire. It was so fun. I miss them. They are amazing. They even had another set of friends named Jeff and Amanda ha ha. A few of the people had kids with OCD so that was nice to be able to compaer notes. 

Visit with Julia!

The kids did a social media challenge for the month of June. I told them if they stayed off all social media I would pay them each $100. They all did it. I made them send me screen shots of their usage for each week and they did it. My hope was that they would see how much better they feel not always being connected to the world and want to cut back. We will see. 

We invited the Dezzeos to dinner. Gaby bore her testimony about them becoming citizens recently so I wanted to make them an American meal. They are from Venezuela. They are so darling and I'm glad we got to know them a little better.