2024- Week 8(Feb 19- Feb 25)

 Monday was DUP. I gave the history on Martha Jane Knowlton Coray. She is my sixth cousin one times removed. I recently read an article about her in Jeff's BYU magazine. They did an essay contest about her and the winning essay described her as having an "indomitable spirit" I love that and had to get to know her better. She was amazing. She was well versed in law, geology and chemistry despite having no formal schooling. She owned land, voted in local elections, had her onw income and wrote for the Women's Exponent She was the only female member on the original board of trustees for the Brigham Young Academy. She was ambitious and bold when women were meant to be quiet and reserved. She made her own oils, helped write the history of Joseph Smith with his mother, and raised 12 children. She had a mind of her own and studied things out for herself before making decisions. There is a lecture hall named after her on the BYU campus.

This week I finally got around to updating the 72 Hour kit foods. I should have done this a year ago but forgot to do it. This week two of the smoke detectors decided to quit working so those got updated too.

I took Daisy on the first walk of the year.

Wednesday I went down to Springville and got my nails done by Jacilyn Barney. Then I stopped and in Provo and Whitney and I went to the mall and had lunch. 

Kelly Zenger invited us and the Barney's to go to dinner this week to catch up. It has been a really long time since we have seen them even though they live on our street. We got Mexican at Mi Ranchito. 

Friday night was the annual Bishop's Dinner at the Millers. Elder Brown and his wife came and spoke. She told about how when they moved to Utah from Jamaica everyone told them the area they were moving to had problems with the school district and she said she had the thought to reach out to the bishop and if he was great then everything would be ok. They said the bishop was awesome and called them every month until they moved in and was a miracle in their lives. Then she told a story of a grandma playing hide and seek with her disabled grandson and when she found him the boy was crying that "she needed to see him". She talked about how these are two things bishops need to do in their wards. Be a miracle and See people. I loved that. 

I tried the Luminex teeth whitening system. I can see a slight difference. 

The bottom picture is the before.

Jeffs parents just back back from a cruise to Argentina. They brought us all back aprons. I picked the Mate one in honor of Claudia.

Sunday we hosted Hughes dinner. I made Bob's pasta sauce again. If was great. I also taught the lesson in Relief Society this day on Sister Runia's talk. The older young women also joined us. In her talk she referred to the "Overview Effect" there is a whole organization dedicated to this and it was fun to delve into it a bit more. 

Did I mention that I am teaching myself Spanish. Claudia is helping me. I have needed to speak Spanish so many times lately that I decided it would be more beneficial than French. I am not going to stop learning French just focus on Spanish more. 

A lot of our floor vents are old and getting crusty so I have been slowly replacing them. I decided to go with brown this time so they blend into the floor more.

We are throwing Tom and Sharon a 50th Wedding Anniversary party. I was in charge of the save the date and invitation.

I taught the lesson in Relief Society this week. It was on Sister Runia talk all about the Overview Effect. I loved learning more about that and how it can change our perspective. This was my favorite quote and one that we all need to share in our families.

2024- Week 7(Feb 12- Feb 18)

Andy Tanner's older brother Matt passed away unexpectedly so we went to the viewing on Monday night. They didn't do a funeral. It was so sad. We saw a lot of people we haven't seen in a really long time and it was good to catch up. 

Jeff went to the Jazz game with some of his golf buddies later that night and I went and delivered flowers for the single sisters in our ward like we did last year. This year we did sunflowers from Trader Joes and I tied them with hot pink tulle. Jamie Harris the new relief society president went with us too. Tara and Melissa helped me write the cards this year. 

Tuesday was our relief society temple day. We did the 10 am session at Jordan River. Then we went to lunch at Schmidt's afterward. I love their cinnamon crispies so much! There were ten of us at the temple. Ashley Clark, Jamie Harris, Debbie Miller, Tara Hall, Me, Monique Keetch, Carol Holgate, Trenda Poulter, Velvet Graybeal and Leslie Varner. Leslie, Trenda and Ashely couldn't join us for lunch. 

I was talking to Ashtyn today and she said she is going to be like Nephi and focus on the promise instead of the problems. I love that. We had to put her on BYU's insurance because come to find out there is not an in network facility sixty miles of her location. 

I redid my Love letters. Years ago I would make wooden craft projects with Sharon, Kristy, Malia and Kellie. My letters were pretty worn down so I spruced them up.

Melinda and Bronson came over on Valentine's day and we made some Valentines for Grandma and took her flowers. Bronson requested toast for lunch so I made them heart shaped. I ordered some heart shaped cookies from Mundy Made. They were shortbread with a light sweet buttery frosting which was a fun alternative from traditional sugar cookies. We sent Ashtyn a care package. I was really late in putting up the decorations and decorating the shelves. Holidays are so boring in a house full of adults. I put out the Valentines buckets like I always do but I was the only one that wrote notes. I was telling Brooklyn about the buckets and she wrote me a note. Valentine's Day also marks the beginning of Lent this year. I decided to give up social media and to watch less tv. Jeff is also giving up social media. 

2024- Week 6(Feb 5- Feb 11)

Monday I went into work to do some invoices and then Kim took me to lunch at Ruth's up the canyon. I got the quinoa salad with chicken and a lemon dressing and it was so good. 

I can't get enough of their biscuits.

I had some more birthday lunches. Tuesday I went with my birthday triplets Jennifer and Kathy. We went to Maria's- such good Mexican food! It was good to catch up with them.

Tara Hall took me to lunch on Wednesday. We went to Zupas which never gets old. 

She is so fun to talk to.

Wednesday night I went with Jeff to do a visit to the Stoddarts. They are our second grandparents. They make everyone feel like they are the most important person in the world. Glen has Parkinson's and that is so hard to watch. They are just the best!!

I told Kristy I would take her to the airport this week and Jeff was nice enough to volunteer to do it on his way to work so that I didn't have to get up early. I have been having the hardest time sleeping. I can fall asleep so fast but then something always wakes me up- usually Daisy and then my mind turns on and it runs like a faucet and won't let me go back to sleep. Needless to say I am tired a lot.

This weekend was our annual Bishop's Review getaway. Jeff had a gift card from work and I had one for my birthday to the Cheesecake Factory so we made a reservation there. We got to the mall a little early so we walked around first. Jeff got a shirt at JCrew. He is so lucky and can always find clothes his size on sale. I love the shepherds pie so I was excited to order that. We ordered the eggroll sampler plate and that was so good. I also got a free slice of cheesecake for my birthday. I am a strawberry girl all the way. After dinner we headed to our hotel. It was in Sandy this time at the Marriot next to Hale Theater. Jeff had a free night. So this whole weekend was completely free! We went over the year and all the things that went well and the things that were hard and what Jeff wants to focus on this year. I love that we started this tradition and it has really been so good for us. The next morning we had the free breakfast at the hotel and then I dropped Jeff off and headed to the temple for my shift. 

Saturday night the missionaries came for a visit. Sister Stringham, Sister Heilig and Sister Healy(A Service Missionary) came. They are just the cutest girls ever! They were talking about how no one wanted to host them on Sunday for dinner because of the Super Bowl so I invited them to eat with us. We just did appetizers- Mac and Cheese Bites, Mozzarella Sticks, Chicken Wings, Chips and Dip, Crackers and Cheeseball, Veggie Tray, Orange Chicken and Rice, Mini Pizzas and Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies. Whitney brought home a bunch of treats from her Galentines Party that her roommates did and then we also made Kazookies. Sister Stringham has never seen a football game- not even in high school, of course they were not allowed to watch the Super Bowel.  We also invited Christina Hansen. She is a darling single sister in our ward and she loves football so her and Jeff watched the game while Whitney and I chatted. It was a fun night. The Chiefs won. One of the players is dating Taylor Swift so that's all I cared about ha ha. Actually Jeff told me that their coach was asked which one of his rings meant the most to him- meaning Super Bowl rings and he said his wedding ring which just won my heart. 

2024- Week 5(Jan 29- Feb 4)

It's my birthday week and the birthday lunches have begun. Melissa bought me lunch on Wednesday and then I went to breakfast with my mom and sisters on Saturday. 

My actual birthday was Friday and that day I took one of my ministering families soup and bread because both the mom and dad were sick. Then I messed around with my new record player Jeff got me. The kids got me an air fryer which I have been wanting for a long time. I am excited to learn how to use it. Whitney came home and we went to the Garage Grill for dinner. I love that place. The onion rings are amazing and the atmosphere is so cool. I love that you get to sit under actual racecars. We went to the Herriman location this time. Ethan ordered a chicken sandwich as always. 

He is still on the hunt for the perfect one. 

I did my first CCP as an actual Lakeshore employee this week. It was in Park City at the library. They are putting in a preschool. We had to haul everything up the elevator so it took lots of trips. I was on the crew bringing the boxes inside to the elevator. I always love setting up a preschool and seeing all the cool stuff. We put together tables and arranged everything where they wanted it. The weather has been so mild this winter which is nice for days when I have to drive to Park City.

I hosted Inklings on the first. We discussed the talk Sir We Would Like To See Jesus. I loved this and it really made me want to do a better job of seeing Christ in our meetings, lessons, talks and at the temple. It was a small group this time but that always makes for a better discussion.

Liz has been sending Marco Polo's to Melinda and I showing us what she makes for dinner. I love getting these and seeing her cooking repertoire expand.

After church I went with Amy Boulter to deliver our gift for Debbie Miller. Her sweet mom passed away unexpectedly so all the bishop's wives went in on a gift. We got her a blanket and some chocolates and two pot pies from Crust Club.

Sunday was also Shaw dinner. It was at Paul's this time. He made Sharon's golden mushroom pork chop recipe and they were so so so good. I wish I cooked pork better. I always over cook it. I had bought a cheesecake to have for my birthday and we took the leftovers to dinner. We missed Tom and Sharon who are on a cruise. Ruby showed us her new aerial skills. 

We celebrated the January and February birthdays.