December events...

MERRY CHRISTMAS! But before I write about our day, I have to recap the past couple of weeks...we've been busy!

First, thing I need to post about is Ashton doing the spelling bee at school! I don't know about you, but this is a huge fear for me. He was very confident, up until the morning of and then he had a breakdown. We talked about him just getting through the first word and then he can worry about the rest after that. I said, "worse case scenario...you don't spell it right and we leave early and go get an ice cream cone to celebrate". He thought that was a good idea. It was after school and his brothers were awesome and wanted to support him (we all took turns reviewing words with him over the past couple of days/nights). So, we all showed up at his school and here are some pictures of him

He was close to the end of the first round and he had the word "siege". He missed it by spelling "seige". I could happen to any of us. I think he was secretly relieved. So, we went home early and had an ice cream cone! He did awesome!

We had several Christmas parties we went to. Scott and I went to a Primary Christmas breakfast for all the Primary workers. We had a fun little gift exchange (white elephant). I got a Christmas tie that Ashton loves to wear! I forgot what Scott got. It was fun. I really love the people I work with and I love serving the kids. Seriously the best calling! Then we had a Relief Society Christmas party. There were at least 50 women there. I had two friends call and ask if we could go together! I was so excited that I had friends that wanted to go with me!!! We all three ended up going together. It was a lot of fun. I do get nervous, though, because I am still new, and so I make myself introduce myself to at least one or two people that I haven't met yet. One, I met, was not very active, and her name was Kim. I was glad that she came so that I could meet her. She was really nice. The second one, Amy, had just moved here, too from Idaho. I teach two of her kids in Primary. We talked about the transition and how the kids are doing.

We had a lot in common and it was really great to talk with her. The very next night, we had the ward Christmas party. I really have to struggle to be able to help here because there are so many people that offer to do it! I guess that is good, but different. Someone couldn't believe that I would sign up to do green beans (just out of a can) AND potato casserole AND help in the kitchen! It's like it is un-heard-of here! I was grateful they let me anyway! They had dinner and about 200 people showed up. There was a talent show and Ashton and the Deacon's Quorum performed "12 days of Christmas"...Deacon style and then they played their Harmonicas...here is the video below...

School has ended. Alec and Calvin don't know what their final semester grades are, but I can tell you that they managed to pull their grades (in the one class they were failing) up to passing (D's) right before they took their final. I asked them if they felt good about what they had done, and they could honestly say that once they started trying, they did their best. That's all we ask of them, really. I know we aren't going to be perfect and jumping into this school and the requirements they ask of them compared to Snow Canyon High is like going from elementary school to high school without a warning! So, I expect this next semester will be much better. They have set goals and standards for themselves, and realize that this isn't for me and Scott, but for themselves. YAY!!!

On a side note, I have to tell of something SO exciting to me! It happened to Derrek and Alec is now finally there. We call it "their brain connected" moments. I walked into the boys bathroom the other night, trying to get the boys to finish getting ready for bed and there was Alec CLEANING the bathroom. Derrek can attest, but Alec was one of the messiest donors of the bathroom...not anymore! He kept saying "this place is so gross. The counters are gross. Everything is gross!". I just looked at him in shocked and asked if he was okay. Needless to say, at 9:30 at night, he cleaned the whole bathroom! And since then, he has taken notice of things and been nicer and more mature about decisions and life. It is such a wonderful thing to look forward to when they are teenagers! I thought it was just Derrek, but it is Alec, too, which means that the others will someday also say "this bathroom is gross" and I'll find them cleaning it up! YAHOO!!!

We got things cleared up with Dallen's teacher. I knew that Dallen wasn't all innocent, and found out that his little friend had issues with the teacher and it was almost like he and Dallen were "misery loves company". The next Monday, after I had threatened Dallen that he was going to re-do 6th grade, with the same teacher, his friend actually changed schools. Dallen came home and said that school was good and that things with the teacher were good. Then he told me about his friend moving (his friend didn't clean out his desk because, he told Dallen, that he wanted to make the teacher do it!). Then Dallen told me about how much work he got done. AMAZING! So, the whole next week, things were getting better with the teacher. She was more complementary to Dallen and he responded by being his jovial self. YAY!!! So, I am pretty sure things are going to be just fine.

Scott finished up classes with a 4.0! We just found out that he got awarded a scholarship for $1,500 from a Funeral Home Scholarship Fund that was NATIONWIDE! He was one of two recipients! We could not believe that he was chosen. We feel so blessed and watched over. We sat down the other night and started writing all the miracles and blessings that have happened in the last year because we don't want to forget them. We have filled up a page and those are just the big ones that we remembered in a 15 minute period! I know there are more. I want to post them on the wall and have spots so that we, as a family, can put down more. I would love to help the kids be involved in seeing all their blessings as well. It's just been so humbling. Scott said that he actually misses school. He has really enjoyed it. He has been able to work full time and will do so for a month! This last week he had a whole day of overtime, and he has also taken on night calls (picking up people in the middle of the night if someone calls), and taking phones for a night. It pays decent, and so he figured a night or two of doing that would be okay.

I really appreciate him sacrificing his sleep to earn a little extra money. He is in it for the training, though. He knows that if he is ever wanting to own his own place, he needs to know every aspect, and he has been blessed to be able to do a lot.

We went to the Mesa temple lights and watched Scott's teacher (she's Catholic) sing at the temple grounds with a stake in Gilbert. The Stake and the Catholic church combined choirs and sing every year to "put away differences and come together in their love of Christ". It was great. They had a whole bell ensemble. It was beautiful and well done. Here is a picture of Dallen at the lights. The other boys wouldn't pose for me!

We were going to go to St. George this last week. It started out going to pick up Derrek and bring him back home, but that wasn't going to work out. So, then it turned into taking the kids up to see their friends, see Derrek, and then come back for Christmas. That didn't work out either. Calvin and Alec were frustrated because they said, "there just isn't anything left for us there". They have had to let go of what they were holding onto there. It was kind of sad, in a way, almost like a death. Calvin was sad, the most. We then tried to get Derrek to come home. I found out the boys had been fighting and not saying nice things (Calvin and Alec trash talking Derrek), and he really didn't want to come home. I laid into Calvin and Alec and told them they had better fix this. They knew they had messed up and tried really hard to let Derrek know they just miss him and hate that things are different. I hope he knows that. Anyway, we tried getting him home, but it just wasn't working, either.

So, I told Derrek that sometimes things don't work out and there is always a reason and we need to trust that reason and be okay with it. I was sad, though, because I just love having my boys around. I realized that this is going to be my challenge as a mother of boys. We will just have to make new traditions and ways to stay connected.

Instead of going to St. George, I decided to take that little bit of gas money and split it into activities that the boys and I can do during this break. So, the kids each picked a day to do something and they have a budget. We did Alec's day and he picked ice skating. Thanks to coupons, we are going to be able to do all their activities! I love coupons! Here are some pictures of the kids ice skating. They were pretty good! They have a few bruises, still!

Do you like the hospital advertisement on the wall in the background? I thought that was pretty funny!

Oh, we also had my sister, Jenette, and her husband Craig and their new daughter, Hanna, come to visit us on their way to moving out to Virginia! We were so glad and grateful that they would make the effort. We had not seen Hanna yet and I am glad I got to. She is so chunky and cute! Also, Jenette brought her gerbils for us to keep. Here is a picture of them and then a picture of our dogs...do you see a theme here?!?

Give up?!? Our animals are all the same coloring! We have a black/white gerbil and a tan one and a black/white dog and a tan one! The kids can't remember the names that Jenette named the gerbils and so they have resorted to calling them "Shep and Angel" because they look like the dogs! They have been great to have around again. We love gerbils. We are also babysitting some for a friend in our ward. So, we have four gerbils right now!

Okay...Christmas...

Last night we had Christmas Eve dinner with all the Bowler's here in town and Jeff came down, too with his roommate, Steven. It was great, and John and Rebecca were nice enough to take on hosting all of us. We usually have it at Heidi's house, but she had been in the hospital all week with complications with her liver due to, they think, combinations of medications she had been taking. She is doing better now and got to come home on Friday evening and we are all grateful that she is doing better and got to come home for Christmas. We ate and had a little program that, for some reason, I was put in charge of. I think I am the worst person to do something like that, but whatever...So, I stuck to the basics. I had Scott read Luke 2 and broke it up with Christmas hymns that went along with the story. In my mind it was perfect. I don't know about the rest, but I just wanted to remember Christ and sing a little.

We exchanged "cousin" gifts. The boys liked that. Scott and Dallen then went to a Methodist Christmas service with Wes at 10:00 pm. They said they enjoyed it. Dallen was so tired when he got home and almost didn't want to wake up this morning!

We have been very overwhelmed by the generosity by family and the Lord. We had really just settled in our minds that we were not going to really have a Christmas, as normal, and instead we would just find ways to serve. It's really better that way, anyway. We were blessed this month with an extra paycheck, and with it were able to buy the kids one gift each, pretty much. We have never really spent much on Christmas gifts and I consider this a blessing coming into this year because all the kids were fine with not getting anything or very much. I love them for that. They told me today that they would have been okay if it ended up that they didn't get anything, and I know that would have been true. So, we were able to get them one gift each. Thanks go coupons and shopping the sales and being patient...I was able to get a couple of things the boys really wanted/needed (even the dogs got their yearly treat of a bone and stuffed animal!).

Dallen got a bike. He has been wanting one for awhile and I am sure will be glad that he won't have the chain fall off every time he tries to ride home from school. Ashton got a hoodie with headphones and a flying helicopter. Alec and Calvin got a Kinect that came with 3 games!

I found a great deal on it and was so grateful, because if they are going to play the dumb thing, they might as well move :). Actually, it is really fun.

Family members gave us more than we could ever imagine and Scott and I both keep trying to formulate words to tell them how appreciative we are, but nothing seems to be right. Calvin and Alec got some really cool legos, Ashton got an MP3 player, Dallen got a great fishing pole, but after seeing Ashton's MP3 player, he really wish he had that. After I let him pout it out for awhile and when he was done, I told him that I am sure we could return it and get him the MP3 player like Ashton's. So, that is the plan (sorry mom and dad...I should have known!). Family also gave the kids $25 gift cards to spend and gave Scott and I money and gift cards to our favorite restaurants (Cafe Rio, Paradise Bakery, and Outback) as well as a Kohl's gift card, which will come in handy because today Dallen was complaining of his legs hurting...growing pains! My parents gave me a calendar with pictures of me growing up (scary!) and all the family member's birthdays with their pictures on their day. I thought it was a great idea and really appreciate it. Shep and Angel got their annual bones and plush toy. They are happy and Shep tries to carry them both around! We had a wonderful church service with music and program. Scott was the narrator and did a great job. We just feel very blessed to be healthy and together. We have a roof over our heads and because of the goodness of others, and God, have been able to have our needs met and then some.

School..School...School

I think this week's post is going to be all about school! Well, almost.

First of all, Derrek just told me that he was accepted to the University of Utah!!! How exciting for him! Of course, I'm going to school at BYU, so hopefully this won't cause a problem :) He's still waiting to hear back from BYU and I am not sure if there is another school he applied to besides that (he already was accepted to Southern Utah University already!). It's great that he has options. He has worked hard to keep his grades up, and now he has options because of it! Yay, Derrek!!!

We have been struggling this week, especially, and all year so far (for that matter) with Dallen and his teacher. I know how Dallen can act. He HATES getting in trouble and has always tried to use his charm and outgoing personality to win the teachers over. Well, this one isn't buying it and it's almost like we have an all out war going on between the two. I am almost to the point where I think they deserve each other! I have been trying to help, but she has basically told me that I am not doing enough on my end as a parent, which...yes, there are some things I can improve on, but Dallen is pretty much going to do whatever he wants no matter what I say to him at home. Dallen keeps saying "I think she has something against boys", as I have learned that there are only 9 left in the class out of 25 students because they have all had the same problem with her. Anyway, it's frustrating. I still haven't figured out what I am going to do. I wrote her an email suggesting that maybe I come in and help her grade papers and stuff and just having me in there would help Dallen and then I could help her quiet kids down so that she could teach. She told me that it would be a distraction to the class and they just don't need that because it's bad enough already. I have never heard of such a thing...Anyway, very frustrating. I don't want Dallen to get out of it because he's being a brat, especially when he does it to me at home, but at the same time...when is enough, enough? We just need to get through the other half of this year!

Scott is done with school this week and has a whole month off!!! I am so excited because we will actually have full paychecks for a month! How exciting is that?!? He is flying through it with awesome grades. He took his Chemistry final the other day and made a 98% and I think he made a 96% overall in the class (or it might be higher). Who does that in Chemistry?!? And he doesn't study! That's not fair!!! I'm really happy for him. I always knew he had it in him. He's so smart and now he's focused and loves all of it. It's great!

I started my Statistics class this week. It actually isn't too bad. They have it set up on line really well. They have a "tutor" recording as well as reading that helps me to understand. Also, while I'm listening to the recording, I can pause and rewind and get the notes I need. You can never do that in a class setting! Anyway, week one was good...only 43 more lessons to do! I also applied for a scholarship and they awarded me enough to pay for a full class (3 credit hours), and so I will probably start another class in January and use my Pell Grant to pay for my Stats class (if I do it that way, I have to finish the Stats class by August 31st and that will motivate me to get it done!). Anyway, I am very grateful and very happy to have help to get my schooling done. A goal I've had for 20 years!

Ashton, Calvin, and Alec are still working on getting their F's up. It's really hard when they mess around the first half and then try to make it up the second half. But, I think Calvin's F is a D (so he said...I haven't looked), and Alec's is closer to a D, which is good and Ashton just has to turn in homework and then his will be up. Luckily they are on the quarter system and their first quarter grades will help even out the tumbles of this last quarter. I'm proud of them for working hard on it.

Other than that, things are good. We are healthy, and content and it's a good place to be. All my Christmas shopping is pretty much done (it helps to be poor...the kids are only getting one thing each and best part is, they don't mind). We have been able to focus on others this Christmas and love this time of year. I love singing all the Christmas songs and teaching the Primary kids songs from the Primary songbook. We have awesome kids that love to sing. It's seriously the best church calling ever.

Thanksgiving...and beyond!

We had a great Thanksgiving. I think it was one of our best, yet. I woke up and my voice was COMPLETELY gone! My whisper felt like I was yelling. I had no cold, that I knew of, except the night time drainage from having your window open and so there it was...no voice. It was pretty funny because I would talk to people (in a whisper, mind you) and they would talk back to me, but in a whisper. I would remind them that they didn't have to whisper...I just couldn't help it! It made me laugh. I shouldn't say it was the best ever, but it was good. I did feel bad that we, as a family, made the decision that Scott's dad wasn't invited to join us because of things that have happened in the past few months before Thanksgiving. It's still going on, so we'll see what Christmas brings...hopefully some mending, but I think this is something that has been coming for a long time and Ruth was always the go-between that isn't here anymore and she was the reason her children had any relationship with their father. Now, it's just a matter of them re-defining that relationship and working toward a new one.

We made our share of the food...a turkey, six or 7 pies (I can't remember), and I think that is it. When we got to the church, all I had to do was get the meat off the bones of the turkey and then we were pretty much ready to eat. Everyone was there on time, the food was all hot and ready, and I don't think that has ever happened to us. Usually we get there on time and then we eat 1 1/2 to 2 hours later because something didn't get cooked or whatever. Anyway, it was the best pot luck I have been to in a while! Lots of good food and it just seemed to go really smooth. We enjoyed each other's company and it was a good day. We had plenty of left overs to get us through Friday, too...which is usually the plan. I made a whole bunch of paper leaves and laminated them so that we could write what we were thankful for and put it on my tree branches. I was silly and didn't take a picture of it before it was taken down, but I am glad everyone participated on it. I hope they were able to reflect on the things they were grateful for.

Here are pictures of the kids eating the yummy food. I am so bad at taking pictures of Thanksgiving...I don't know why. Maybe I'm too busy stuffing my face and talking with adults!

We had a great time seeing and being with Derrek again. It was hard because I wanted our family to be just by ourselves and absorb Derrek, but it was Thanksgiving and I wanted to be with everyone, too. So, on Saturday we were able to hang out as a family. But, I will get to that in a second. I felt bad for Derrek because he felt kind of misplaced. It was us, but it wasn't "home" as he knew it. I am not totally sure, but I have a feeling that is part of the reason he doesn't want to come back for Christmas. I am bummed, but I understand. Scott just told me that I need to make friends with all my son's wives in order to see them often. Boys are so different than girls. I know Scott's family better than he does and he loves them a lot! It's just a weird period of life when they start leaving home.

All the girls went shopping starting at 10:00 pm Thanksgiving night and the last of them got home around 4:00 am. I had gone home and slept 10 hours instead! It was wonderful. It's nice not having any money, so there was no choice and I sure needed the sleep! We did head back up to the church around 10:30 and I went and had "breakfast" with the girls and they told of their shopping horror stories (2 hours in the purchasing line at Kohls!) and nightmare at Walmart. It was fun. Then we went shopping a little bit more. I needed to get pants for Alec and they had them for $18! That's a steal for pants for him. So we saw Charity working at JC Penny and bought the jeans there. Then back to the church for more socializing. The boys and kids were already there. Then David, Scott's brother, had free movie passes for all of us to a new movie theater that opened up where they served food and drinks. The people next to us had, I think, a chicken basket and fries and soda. We spontaneously left, not thinking about Jennie and Wes and Ada. It was not fair, and we felt bad that it happened so fast. I hope they will forgive us.

We all went and saw the Muppet Movie. We thought it was great, clean, fun. We were excited because we realized on a couple of songs that they had to be written by "Flight of the Conchords" and sure enough, there were at least 4 of the songs. We are still singing the songs!

Saturday, Scott and the older boys went and helped a couple older ladies in our ward put up their Christmas lights and trees. Then they were in the mood to do ours, too...so, we did! Derrek was here to help and it felt good to do it as a family. We even hung up lights outside! We went and got family pictures taken by the girl that plays the piano in Primary with me (I lead, she plays). I also visit teach her and she was so nice to come and do them for us. It wasn't until we were having her take them and the things that she was saying made me realize that she actually does this as a side business! I felt so bad because I never discussed prices with her. I asked her Sunday, and she said "Oh, yeah...I usually charge, but I wasn't going to charge you guys". I felt like a dunce, but I was very grateful that she would take time away from her family to do that for us. I can't wait to see how they turned out. She said she's not done with them...whatever that means. I'm sure they will be great! Sunday, Kent and Amy came to church with us so that they could pick up Derrek and drive him home to St. George with them. It was really nice that they would do that. We had a great meal (lasagna) after church was over and they were off to St. George. It felt like before when we had to leave Derrek. It is just really hard for me. I love my kids so much and I just want us all to be together, always! I just have to realize that we will be and I don't have to have them in my house to have a great relationship with them. Like I said before...it's just a weird transition.

This last week, Alec was asked to Winter Formal by a girl in our ward. She was really cute and asked if Alec had been asked and I said, "no" and she was glad. Then she came up later and asked "can he drive?" and I said "yes". Anyway, she set up a time when he would be out, to come over and decorate his room. This is what she and her friends did...(she's the one in the glasses)

There were balloons everywhere...on every wall, ceiling included. Then Alec came home, knowing that something was up. Come to find out later, he had stuck the video camera on before he left because he thought something was fishy. He recorded the whole thing. Pretty funny. Anyway, they got out their knives and also let the dog pop the balloons filled with confetti and papers. It was funny because they were half-way through popping them, and having a great time and then they looked around and realized that it was making a HUGE mess. He had to find the one that said who was asking him. She had called him from my phone and said "Alec, this is Hannah Gallo, from the the ward" and he said "Uh-huh" and she thought he said "huh?" and she thought he didn't know who she was and she left feeling bummed, which broke my heart because I know she was going out on a limb asking this new kid to a dance. Anyway, because he mumbles, she didn't understand him. So, I made sure he made her realize that he did know who she was. I texted her and told her and she realized that he did. Anyway, here is a picture of him looking through the papers and then finally the very last one, he found her name!

I have to wait to get pictures from a mom that took some. I thought she would have posted them, but not yet. Anyway, he said it was fun and went with a lot of kids from our Ward. They are a great group of youth and we feel very blessed that he is in a ward with so many his age. Oh, they went ice skating the night before. Alec said that was really fun, but he was hungry and sore when he got home. Definitely ready for bed...it wore him out!

Scott is finishing his classes up for the semester. I think he has two weeks left and basically it is all testing! He finished his Chemistry class with like a 99%. He said that out of all the tests for the semester, he only got 5 questions wrong...out of ALL the tests!!! That's crazy! He is doing well. He asked for a raise, because it's been 6 months and they said "no"...that it wouldn't be fair to those who work there who had been in his same position and are now in his same position. That was frustrating because we are just trying to figure out how to make things work. After that answer, we were wondering if we should continue with Bunker, and once again, the answer is "yes". We are grateful to them for the job and they are great to work for, but $10/hour is sometimes hard to stomach. But, the Lord keeps blessing us and we have been able to pay all our bills every month. Whether it was from someone or some money from Heaven, our bills have been met. It was another one of those months and we were coming up on the 1st and I actually had peace this time. I didn't worry...mostly because there wasn't anything I could do. I have done all I could do and I was willing to face whatever came our way. And again...the day before we needed to pay rent, the money came. We had Tithing Settlement with our Bishop today, and I just sat crying as he talked about Tithing and why we pay it (a symbol of our Faith) and the blessings from paying it and Fast Offerings and I knew we were proof of those blessings. There is NO other explanation of the things that have transpired in the last year. It definitely has been an even greater testimony builder for me. Scott wants me to write all the blessings that have happened in the last year. He is starting to forget them. I can't forget them. They are so amazing to me...every month! Anyway, we are just so grateful, even if he is only earning $10/hour right now. Even that is a blessing.

Derrek is doing good. He had a major canker sore in his mouth and I thought it looked like strep, but then Scott looked at the picture Derrek sent and it wasn't on his tonsils. Poor kid! It's huge. So, hopefully he will be able to get medicine for that tomorrow. We will get to see him again in a couple weeks when we go up to St. George for a visit. It will be short, but that way we can see him for Christmas vacation. He has plans to take Calvin and Alec sledding and stuff and I know the boys are really excited to see their friends and cousins.

Calvin and Alec are still looking for jobs. They are doing better on their grades. Alec has raised his math from a 35 to a 57! That's almost a D! I'm proud of him. It has taken a lot of discipline and willingness to keep trying, which is a hard lesson to learn and a defining characteristic that will take him far in life.

Ashton is participating in a school Spelling Bee this Tuesday. I had no idea that he liked to spell or that he was any good at it! He is completely Scott's child. I was reviewing the words with him and he would mess up, and I would spell it for him and then come back to it later and he would remember the correct spelling. I am excited to watch him do it on Tuesday. We'll let you know how it goes!

Dallen is doing okay. He has been real feisty lately. I don't know if it is just his age (almost 12...and this is where the drama starts) or what it is. He, I think, just wants to not be treated like the youngest and Ashton would just absorb it and Dallen fights back. Alec was about to POUND him today because he was being so mouthy. Does he not realize that he is taking on a 270 lb. beast?!? Crazy kid!

I have started up my classes again. I took a year off to get Scott going. I am home all day doing nothing, while I look for a job, and so I decided that since we qualify for Pell Grants and stuff, that I might as well take advantage of it. So, I am doing a Statistics class. I am really nervous because I have to be really disciplined to get it done in time and it is all on-line which I don't do as well with. Scott said that he would help me and Jenette, my sister, just took a class like this and she gave me a web-site that really helped her to pass her class. So, I think I will be ok. I just need to do it! Starting tomorrow, it is on! I am determined to graduate from BYU. It will happen :).

Scott and I went on a fun, free date. The Science center had a Gingerbread House auction and then a class on how science is used in cooking. That's right up my alley! So, they had a guy who owns Urban Cookies and Ollie Cakes. He was on "Cupcake Wars", and won!...one our family's favorite shows. So, he went through the different reactions of ingredients. I learned that for your cookies, it is better to use cake flour. That way they will be lighter and not brown either. Who knew? Anyway, it was fun and free and our gingerbread house is still the best :). (a reminder if you forgot!).