President...

I had to document that Derrek was voted in as Seminary President for this semester at school. That means that he will be in charge of leading the opening exercises (or getting others to do it), and basically being the "voice" for the students and leading the students who attend Seminary at Snow Canyon High. I am sure there is more to it than that, or maybe not...I don't know. We didn't really have Seminary presidents when I was in Seminary. Derrek said that he has 3 church callings right now. He works with the Special Needs group every week (he is paired up with a boy that has down-syndrome and helps by being his "buddy" during youth activites), he is first assistant to the Bishop in the Young Men's in his ward and then Seminary President. Welcome to working in the church! I have two callings right now...Relief Society and Girls Camp. I love that we have opportunities to give of ourselves that we would normally not get to have. I love that it challenges me with interacting with different people and different "jobs" that I didn't think I could ever do. I am apprehensive, now, as I prepare for this week as I meet the 40 girls I will be working with at Girls Camp as 1st year YCL's (youth leaders). Yep...40! There are two other women with me (thank Heaven!) and I actually am just an assistant...I'm glad I'm not "in charge", but I'm more than willing to help :). It will be fun. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I love Girls' camp and the things I gained from it. I still have friends that I keep in contact with, whom I only saw and knew from Girls' camp. I see them every year at Women's Conference (we have lunch together one of the days).

Calvin attended an open house for the Tech school here. He has decided to attend and is leaning toward auto repair (I think I mentioned that last week). Scott went with him, and I am so grateful that he didn't have to work, because I think Calvin needed Scott to go more than me. We tried to get Alec to go, but he didn't want to, and then today he said "I should have gone". Maybe we'll make another trip over there for him. They have a lot of programs. Scott was able to talk to Calvin about career choices and things that would help provide for a family better than others and choices that he needs to think about. We also reminded him, that if he makes one choice and doesn't like it, that he hasn't done any damage and can change it a lot easier now than later.

I started my second class this week. I am taking Child Development. I figure I better know this or I'm in trouble. Hopefully it will be an easy class for me. I am really liking Statistics, so far. I get excited because I actually understand it. I like and understand organizing the data and how it tries to answer the questions. It's funny to me, though, because I will take a quiz, expecting to not do very well, but answering the questions as they make sense to me and I either miss one or two. I laugh because I guess it makes sense to me! Who knew?!? I am also proud of myself because I have been more disciplined and make myself "go to school".

Calvin has been out looking for a job. He tried the "Doughnut Peddler", but they are not hiring. It takes all the guts in the world for him to go out and ask and do, and then getting rejected takes him a couple days to re-coup and then he goes back out. Alec isn't quite there yet. I know he will be...he is just different.

Well, all in all...everything is the same. We are healthy and doing good.

Don't know what to call this...

First of all, before I forget, we get to go see "Kid History" here in Mesa. They are premiering their 8th video at the high school down the street from us (Mountain View). Our friends got us tickets because we got them hooked on it. So, we are going with a few of our friends from our ward. Very excited. If you haven't heard of "Kid History", check them out on YouTube and #6 is my absolute favorite. We get to meet the cast, watch #8, see out-takes, etc. It should be fun...in MARCH! So, we have to wait a little while, but something to look forward to.

Okay, now for the week...

Monday night for family night, I had the activity. I get so tired of not doing things that I like to do, so I was in the mood to play with my craft stuff...especially my pipe cleaners. I don't know why, but I was just wanting to do something silly. The boys looked at me like I was crazy. Maybe I was! I have played plenty of their "capture the flag" games and so forth, so it was time they got to play with my craft stuff. So I printed of some helps on how to make people or what-not and here is what they did (they didn't use my instructions, but that's fine...we had fun! That's what matters!).

This Alec's monkey (we were calling it "Sandy Squirrel") hanging from the light fixture (with a twig in it's grasp).

This is Dallen's multicolored dinosaur

This is Ashton's person that has turned Ninja

And these are Calvin's Ninja's that he gave to Dallen and Ashton as bookmarks!

I did a "Brittany Spears" looking figure and I was singing "Oops I did it again" and Ashton, while smashing her sang "hit me baby one more time". We laughed...it was funny. Scott actually didn't finish a person because he was on call and had to take a call.

All week, Ashton has been having to stay after school for EDP, which is a forced homework hour if you didn't turn in your assignment during one of your classes. He doesn't get home until 5:30 pm when he goes and by then, getting him to do any other homework is almost pointless! He was there Monday-Thursday! Every night I say "Do you have any homework?" and they will either say "yes" and do it, or "no". Ashton would say "yes" and then not do it! So, Thursday night, I said, "I know you have homework...get it out and start working". He had 4 pages of math (front and back...so 8 pages!) of math homework he hasn't been turning in. I just looked at him and said "page one". He finished two pages that night and then got up early the next morning (by force) and did page 3. Then he had 10 minutes left before he had to catch the bus. I said, "I'd rather take you and you do your homework, than you make the bus and you have to stay another day at EDP". So, he managed to get another page done and was able to finish the rest at school. He had a test that day, too...thank goodness he did his homework! He came home on Friday at his normal time of 4:15 and said "wow, it's seems like I'm home so early"...I thought that was funny. It's amazing what happens when you do your homework!

Ashton also did his pre-ACT testing and got a 100% in the reading category. He was excited about that. So, we praised that, and ignored the math and science :).

I got a new calling at church today. I will no longer be doing Primary Singing Chorister. I am so sad. Today was hard. I couldn't think about it because I seriously was almost in tears a couple of times. They sang me my favorite song, "Army of Helaman" (that's the shorter title). One boy came and gave me a hug and said he was going to really miss me! It was so sweet. I really love that calling. It's funny because about 15 minutes before I was called, I had just finished organizing my Primary binder. I mean...really organized it. I had told Scott a couple weeks ago that I felt that I wasn't going to be in this calling much longer. I said I felt a change in the air, kind of feeling. So, it wasn't a surprise. Anyway, so, I am now 2nd counselor in the Relief Society. I am over the Relief Society Meetings during the week, among other things. I have never had that responsibility, and I know I am crafty, but coming up with the ideas is a lot...I know, though, that there is already an amazing committee in place and the things they have done already, well, let's just say they look like they just popped off a Pinterest page (those that do Pinterest know

what I mean!). I'm excited. It will be fun. I really don't care where I am placed. I haven't found a calling that I don't enjoy.

Yesterday I got to go on a REALLY FUN tour of Old Town Scottsdale with my friend/visiting teacher, Kristy Duncan. And...I found out that it was her birthday yesterday, too. I really enjoy being around Kristy. We have a lot in common and have learned a lot of the same life lessons. Her kids live in St. George with their dad and her oldest is a Senior at Desert Hills High. When she comes for the month by her self (sometimes that happens), we end up talking for like 3 hours! I love it! This is a cruddy picture of us, but we literally were losing our group and had to like run across the street that was about to let the traffic go! We were just standing weird.

Anyway, so she had signed up for a food tour of Old Town Scottsdale and wanted to know if I wanted to go with her because her husband couldn't. I was all over it...food...yes! I had never been down there. It was so busy, but very energetic. We tried all sorts of foods. We had hamburger sliders with green chilies, real potato chips with hot sauce and blue cheese, or a pico/shrimp salsa, we tasted all sorts of balsamic vinegars and olive oils (we went back there after the tour to taste all the other ones we wanted to try!), we didn't taste the wine, but interesting to learn about, we then had a "cowboy salad" and it was amazing, and then we had vanilla ice cream, while everyone else had "spiked" ice cream (ice cream made with alcohol). We met others from Mesa (literally across the other side of Power Road from us) and a couple from Washington DC. Our tour guide was very good at her job and made the tour very enjoyable. It was fun getting to know everyone. It lasted about 3 hours and then Kristy and I headed for the oil/vinegar store. The lady was mixing all things to try together.

She did a Raspberry vinegar with a lemony oil and it tasted exactly like Raspberry Lemonade! It was so good. Who would have thought? They had an oil with a pepper from Tunisia. I had to try that one. I can't remember what it was called, but it was spicy and yummy!. The vinegars were my favorite. It was hard to imagine that the oils were okay to just drink...I mean, who just drinks oil (okay, I know there are people out there, but it just seems wrong!). It was a really good day. Then we just chilled out with the boys that night. Calvin and Alec were mad because we kicked them off the Xbox (they were playing Halo with Derrek and friends in St. George...Derrek said that was really fun). We watched Kung Fu Panda 2. Cute movie.

Everything else is going good. Calvin and Alec had planning this last week to kind of see what classes they need to take and where they want to go. Calvin is thinking of maybe do a tech school and going into auto body repair. He is going to see the school counselor this week to see how that will work with the classes he needs to take (and Seminary). Alec realized that he could just go to school for half a day next year and then maybe work in the afternoon/evenings. That would be good for him. He didn't see any tech school stuff that he wanted to try and isn't really sure what he wants to be when he grows up :).

One last thing I had to show...LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THIS LEMON! Dallen was so gracious to be our model with the normal size lemon, the freak-of-nature lemon and his head!

Who knew lemons could grow that big? I didn't. It was fun to play with, though (and for those of you who think my house is clean all the time...that is cereal on the table from the morning!). Well, here's to another week :).

Three down, two to go!

It's official! Calvin is now the third teen driver we have! He got his license this week and he is SO happy and feels very free. It's nice having two errand boys, and two cars! So, when Scott and I are too tired, and there are things that need to be done, they are more than willing to drive kids around, pick up groceries, etc. Ashton has informed me that I have 1 1/2 years until he can get his permit, and so that means I have a little break. THANK HEAVEN for the break! I really didn't know I had control issues until I got in the car with my teen drivers. I have never understood how it was no big deal for Scott to get in the car with them and run up on curbs and other things and not go crazy on them (like I do!). Of course, he wasn't able to go around with them as much as I was (lucky me), so it fell mostly on my shoulders. So, needless to say, I am grateful for the break that we are having :).

We are finally back into the swing of things...just to have a holiday on Monday. I forget that this is the time of year where they seem out of school more than they are in school. At least that's how it was in Utah. The boys are excited for a day off, and I'm glad, too. They are good kids and I like being around them :).

We just found out that Derrek and Lexi are going to drive down to see us during Spring Break...and we have the same Spring Break as they do. It will be fun. Thanks to Lexi's parents!

Derrek has already contracted "senioritis". He is ready to be done with high school. I just keep telling him "only four more months". We aren't sure if he is staying in St. George, after school gets out. It will depend on whether or not he has a job and is able to save money for his mission. If he does, then he'll stay. He put in his "two-week" notice to McDonald's, because they weren't scheduling him (it was a lot of things combined to where they didn't schedule him). Anyway, he was tired of working there, and so now he's applying other places. Hopefully something will come his way. I know he really wants to stay in St. George after he graduates.

We just found out that we get to go see the Tabernacle Choir here in Phoenix in February! Someone in our ward found out that it has been a dream of mine for the kids to hear them live (and Scott has never heard them live, either), and they bought us tickets! I'm excited, and so grateful. What a treat. I don't know how it will be compared to the Tabernacle in SLC or the Conference center. Having them that close and personal is an experience. I am hoping that it will be just as good. Either way, I'm sure it will. The funny thing is, that as I sit here and think about it, I started to wonder what Cub Scout or Scouting achievement this event could be counted toward! Ugh! I have been with boys too long!

Speaking of which...we had a funny conversation the other day. It was about "box tops". Someone had thrown one in the trash. In this house...it's a sin :). I then realized that Dallen is going to be leaving elementary school and will I still be collecting box tops? I realized that I am not sure I can just stop collecting them. I have gotten so good at spotting them. We turned in over 600 so far this year and have another full bag that we'll turn in soon. I realized that I've been diligent in collecting them since we lived in Las Vegas, which has been about 10 years! How do you just stop after 10 years? Alec suggested that I throw away every other one. I almost had a panic attack just thinking about it. I don't know...it will be a huge adjustment. It was a good laugh, anyway. We'll see how it goes after May :).

Scott goes back to school this week. He is ready for the break from working! Just a few more months and then he is done with being a student :). He has a newspaper article about his receiving the nationwide scholarship (one of two people who received it!). I will post it when it comes out. We are so grateful and excited that he got it. We couldn't have done it without Bunker's help, and Scott's good grades.

Onward and Upward...

This week was good. We started it off with taking down Christmas and then we did our last "instead-of-St. George" activity, which was bowling (Calvin picked it). When we put up Christmas, we blast the house with Christmas music and enjoy going through all our decorations that we haven't seen in a year and, especially in a new house, we like trying to find where to put things. Then as we were taking down Christmas, this year we decided to blast non-Christmas music and take everything down. It was fun and I love that music has such an effect on people. We were all in a good mood! Then we went bowling. They had a deal at the bowling alley and so we got to play for 2 hours...well it ended up longer because they had to switch us lanes and gave us more time. So, we got in 3 games. You wouldn't think that was very much, but by the middle of the 3rd game, I thought my arm was going to come off! It's funny because Calvin is the one that wanted to do this activity the most and he had the worst time bowling...hit more gutter balls that not. Here is a picture of what he resorted to in one of the games. He borrowed it from our neighbors at the alley and they were little kids!

It was funny. He did pretty good with it. Tuesday was our last day of vacation and Alec and Calvin just wanted to stay home and soak in the Xbox...boring! Actually, that isn't all they did. They were awesome and called the people they take the Sacrament to and asked if they could come and take down their Christmas decorations for them. They went and did that and I love how happy them come back when they go and do things for others. So, Dallen, Ashton, and I went to play with cousins. Ashton got to go with Zac and his friend to "Jumpstreet". He loved it. Dallen got to play with Jeremy (hang out...sorry...it's not "play" anymore!).

Then Wednesday came...

It was a hard day for Alec and Calvin, mostly. It was a reminder that they were still at Red Mountain High and that they still didn't have close friends. Calvin told me that when we lived in St. George, he really liked school because he could go hang out and see his friends. It's hard to allow time to take it's course. I am pretty sure it's hard because he remembers how long it took him to find the friends he had/has there. I just keep praying that someone will be brave and start inviting him into their "circle" and see that he is great to have around.

Thursday night, all day Friday, and Saturday morning, I was pretty much worthless! I did make dinner, though, and by Saturday afternoon was caught up on laundry and the important stuff, so that gets rid of any guilt that I had sitting down and reading the Hunger Games trilogy. I liked the books, personally. I call them "bubble-gum" books. They are books that are entertaining and I can read them fast. So, that's what I do...I just sit and get it over with. I am a person that gets into books and it's hard for me to come up out of them and so I don't read very often. So, the boys had been telling me that I "have" to read these books, and I told them that they know what that means...they won't see me for a couple of days. They said they were fine with that. They were just excited to have another thing to talk about with me. Alec is reading them again and it's fun to talk with him about it. He really liked the books.

Scott has been SUPER busy at work. I hate mentioning that because it only means that people are dying. It just sounds wrong, but then again, it's life. We are grateful that he has work. He found a Chiropractor this week, and so he can now make it through the work load...and he's cheap and good!

My friend at church stopped me and told me that the boys were the talk of Relief Society today and how much they have done for others. She said that there were about five or six ladies that just were chattering about our family. I didn't know half of the examples that she was telling me about, and the teacher was one of those people and I barely know her. I am glad she told me. It was great to hear the good that they do away from us. They are really good boys and I am glad others see that in them as well.

We are officially back to normal. Holidays are over. I am so grateful that we were able to make the few memories that we were able to. It's been fun.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 2012...

For some reason I am ready for 2012! 2011 was a really hard year for us...for me, but we have learned so much and have been blessed so much, too, that I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for us. I know there are big changes coming in our family. Derrek will be graduating in May from high school...and plans on serving a mission for our church soon after. I can't believe we are almost to that point in our lives, where the kids are really going and doing. It just is exciting to me. I feel that Calvin and Alec will do great this next semester in school and will start to make friends. Ashton and Dallen are starting to turn into young men and I'm ready for them to start that journey. It's an exciting time in their life to me.

The kids are settling in better and now know what things are like around here and know what is expected of them in school. Alec, Calvin, by the way, passed their math classes!!! Now they just have to pass one more semester and the year is over! Scott will be graduating and thing will start moving onward and upward with work. We have been so blessed in this whole adventure. I look around and wonder what trials others are going through. Especially when I hear stories from Scott of how someone passed away and the things that those, who are left behind, get to struggle with. It's just incredible to me. Then I think about how many times I have turned to my Savior in prayer...I cannot begin to describe the comfort and peace that is found. The problem isn't gone, sometimes, but there is a peace and a new feeling of "I can get through this". Those who have gone through this, know what I'm talking about. For the others, I pray that you are able to find it. I have learned A LOT about myself this last year. Scott swears that this last year's trials were more for me than anyone else. All my worst fears and nightmares were happening. I had forgiveness I needed to give to Scott and others that I wasn't sure I was able to do. I haven't completed that, but I am close. I realize, though, that it is me, not them, and I am grateful for that knowledge. So, I look forward to this new year and all the things it has in store for us...the good and the bad.

This last week was fun. Wednesday night we went to see the Temple lights (again) and to eat pizza at this place called "Organ Stop Pizza". It is hard to describe, but lets just say you weren't there for the pizza. It is right here in Mesa! Who knew? Anyway, here are some pictures from that little evening. We went with the Bennions, Bowlers, and Reeses. It was fun. We had hot chocolate and marshmallows after walking around the temple grounds. It was perfect.

It was Ashton's turn to pick how we spent our "St. George" money. He wanted to go to "Golfland/Sunsplash". Thanks to coupons...this was possible! During the winter the Sunsplash part is closed. We went go-carting, laser tagging, miniature golfing, and bumper boating! We had a nice day together. Dallen and Ashton, I think, spent the majority of their time at the go-carts. Dallen was so excited that he was finally tall enough to ride them himself. It was very exciting! It was interesting to watch their personalities come out on the track. Calvin liked to drift the cart, Dallen and Ashton were just glad to be with the big boys, and Alec would just hang back and not get in the "competition" that seemed to be going on at times with the other males on the track.

Then a few days later, it was Dallen's turn. He couldn't think of anything to do. "All the good stuff was taken"...so he claimed. He wanted to do the zoo, but it was just too much. Then I remembered that the outlet mall down here had an aquarium. So...with coupons, again, it was possible. It was still a little pricey for what we got, but being out of the house and doing something together is worth it to me. I just love looking at fish. The creatures God has created are so interesting to me. I can just sit and enjoy them for hours! After that, since it was an outlet mall and while we were at the aquarium, I noticed that Calvin's toes were coming out of the top of his shoes...so I said, "while we're here...let's get you some shoes". We found some...size 14 for $25! Can't beat that! Then we treated ourselves to "Bahama Bucks" shaved ice on our way home.

Heidi was still not feeling well and so I got to hang out with her. I took the boys up to her house on Wednesday. She was SO jaundice. She was craving Cafe Rio, and since I live closer to it than she does and I had nothing to do that day, I went and got us lunch and headed up to her house. Alec had fun playing "Dance Dance" and hanging out with Emily and Charity. Dallen had fun with Jeremy, and Ashton did too. The Heidi got a call from the Doctor and he told her she needed to get back to the hospital. Her levels were worse than the last week. So, filled up on Cafe Rio, she went back in. It was crazy. They found gall stones, finally, in her bile duct of her pancreas (I think that's where they were). Anyway, after they got them out, I went and saw her on Saturday, and she looked so much better. Still a little jaundice, but back to herself. I was just praying the whole time that the doctors would see what was going on...and prayers were answered. She got to come home today. I realized that I just need to absorb every moment for the good that it is. The bad will come and that is fine, but I want my bucket full of good things so that when the bad does come it won't overwhelm me. I have never had such a desire to truly enjoy every day.

One last thing...I love my calling at church! I love teaching primary kids songs about Jesus Christ, faith, the Holy Ghost, scriptures, and everything else the Gospel teaches. I love the fun that we have. My pianist, today, said "I just love coming away from primary where my cheeks hurt from smiling the whole time". We had fun today. I forget how excited the little three-year-olds get when we do a game (We were hunting for "Wiggle Weebles"!). It is SO cute and fun. I seriously am giggling and laughing quite a bit. I could be having the worst day, and then I start preparing for what I am going to teach on Sunday or what activities we are doing and it makes my day. Then to get there are play games and sing songs about Christ is so therapeutic! Their sweet spirits and desire to learn and do what is right, it is so infectious. I just love it.

Well, I hope this new year is a hopeful for you as we feel it is for us!