March already?!?

It's amazing how much quicker the days go by when you are busy!  I think that's the best part of having this new job.  I am busy and not sitting around all the time.  Anyway, we have had a fun couple of weeks and I beat Scott to the computer today, so I could blog!  First of all, we'll start with Valentine's Day.

I love Valentine's day.  Scott HATES it.  He always tells me "I don't like a day where I am FORCED to tell you "I love you".  I should be telling you every day".  Although that may be true and I greatly appreciate it, I still secretly wish for a little something.  So, instead, I show those I love a little more that day...and with all boys, that usually equals doing something with food :).  Here is what I made for their lunches...

Side note...Scott just told me I didn't need to capitalize that he hates Valentines Day...he said he likes it the way he does it.  Whatever!  Anyway, then for dinner we made heart pizza, I decorated with pink and red and gave them goodie bags of treats.  It was fun for me, anyway.  I forgot to take a picture of dinner...oh well.

The next day, Alec and Dallen left for St. George for Lexi (Schofield)'s mission farewell.  Alec really wanted to be there to support her and Scott and I couldn't go.  Calvin didn't want to go, so Dallen said he wanted to.  They visited family and friends and had a good time.  

  Then a few days later, it was Dallen's birthday.  His birthday was on Tuesday and he wanted to go spend time with his cousin, Jeremy, who has his birthday a few days later.  Alec needed his wisdom teeth out for his mission papers and the soonest the doctor could get us in was the day after Dallen's birthday, so instead of doing anything on Dallen's birthday, we "postponed" it.  I had planned a dinner and cake/ice cream on Tuesday, but a huge snow storm was coming over night and I knew that if we didn't leave that night, I would have a hard time getting to the valley on time for Alec's appointment.  So, instead of lasagna and ice cream cake we left Scott, Ashton, and Calvin at home to fend for themselves and we packed up and left early.  So, here are the pictures of his "birthday dinner" and his "ice cream cake"...

 First we went to Sonic for his birthday dinner.  I had to get pictures of Alec because he was acting like I was taking him to the slaughter house!

THEN...an hour and a half later...

 We had Dallen's cake/ice cream from Dairy Queen.  Again...Alec still could not find any joy in the situation. Dallen and I were having a good time, though!

 Alec was practicing for the way home and figured a good way to "set up camp".  He was funny about the whole thing.  It's like pregnancy...when you tell people that you are pregnant, everyone comes and tells you their "stories" and the worst things that could happen, and so was the same with wisdom teeth.  Alec was just sure he was going to die.

The next day, we played around and went to In & Out Burger for their birthday lunch (again...forgot to take a picture!).  Alec didn't come in because he wasn't allowed to eat anything and he didn't want to be tortured by the smell of hamburgers...I don't blame him.  Then it was time for me to take Alec and while Alec was getting his surgery, Heidi took Jeremy and Dallen to "Airtime" trampoline/play place.  It took an hour for the surgery and here is a picture of Alec as I was picking him up...

He almost doesn't look any different than from the day before!  He wanted me to record him, but he wasn't saying anything and I didn't want to wait for him to!  We got him back to Heidi's and we were planning on heading back that night, but that storm that came in, snowed all day in the mountains and I wasn't sure I wanted to go back.  We were going to stay the night, but for some reason, I felt I just needed to go...so, after talking with Scott, there was a window of opportunity to leave, but the window was about 3 hours and it would take me that long to get back home.  So, again...it was "rush, rush, rush" to get our things gather, packed, and on our way.  Alec, as he was getting in the car, said "I seriously don't remember the last 3 hours".   Emily told him that he was cursing a little and almost flipped her off and Alec just laughed because he remembers kind of waking up and looking at her and holding his hand up and then chuckled when he realized what he was about to do...and Emily was just sitting there watching TV!  It was interesting trying to find things for him to eat on the way home.  We got him a Jamba Juice right after surgery, but he couldn't suck through a straw and his mouth was super numb and he was getting it EVERYWHERE.  I think Heidi took a picture.  I will have to ask her.  Then on the way home, we got some Krispy Kremes because I thought "well, he can squish them and slide them down".  They were good :).  Then about an hour and a half later, I remembered that mashed potatoes and gravy were my favorite thing when I got my tonsils out, and so we found a KFC and found some chicken that he could chew on and the mac and cheese and mashed potatoes.  We drove off and not a half hour later he was saying he was STARVING, and for a teenage boy, you might as well have killed him!  I gave him medicine and knocked him out instead :).  The snow was coming down pretty hard by then and it was dark and I was just praying that the roads would not be icy because this was the stretch of road that would be the worse, if it was going to be bad.  As we were traveling up the canyon rim, I literally could not see in front of me.  So, out loud (I talk out loud when I drive), I said a little prayer, not realizing Dallen was watching and listening.  All of a sudden, I could see.  The snow still came down as hard, but for some reason, I could see.  I didn't say anything, and then Dallen said, "did it just get clearer?"  and I said, "yes, Heavenly Father answered my prayer".  It was a cool little moment and then I told Dallen that I knew we would get home safely and everything would be ok...and it was.  The roads were actually not bad at all and I was really glad I listened to my thoughts and I feel it was from my loving Heavenly Father.  Dallen soon fell asleep and that was his birthday.  At first he was upset that we couldn't have stayed longer, but I didn't plan the storm and sometimes we just have to be flexible.  

Alec is doing a lot better and we are glad it was taken care of.  He just submitted his papers on Saturday and today the Bishop sent them over to the Stake President, so we should get a package in a couple weeks letting us know where Alec is going on his mission.  He was hesitant to put them in before his surgery.  He said that when he came back from St. George, he wasn't sure he wanted to put them in.  Scott and I, both, told him that it was his choice and we would support him in whatever decision he made.  Then, Saturday, he asked me if he could use the computer and then a little while later I saw that he was submitting his papers!  I swear, that child never tells me anything!  So, I guess he's going :)

Derrek is doing much better on his mission and we sent him a couple boxes of food because he and his companion haven't figured out that you can't spend it all in the first couple days.  It's more Derrek's comp that does that and then Derrek ends up using his money to support them both, and there just isn't that much to go around!  So, I sent him a recipe book and ideas of things he could make.  Derrek was always the child that got someone else to do it for him and so this should be an interesting challenge for him.  I know he knows how...

Everything else is going and keeps going.  We have a neighbor that gave us her "garden" and it is all ready to plant in...well, we have to do the rows and such, but as far as prepping the land, it is all done, so I am excited to grow stuff and give it a try.  I am the child that always got out of gardening and didn't like to do it, so this should be interesting :).  

Oh, and Jenette had her baby, Jane Isabella, 9 lbs. 14 oz. 

 She had her on the 20th...the day that Alec had his wisdom teeth out.  I am going this week to help her (she had a c-section).  It should be fun.  I made a box of fun stuff to do with Hanna and to leave with Jenette for those times when she just needs Hanna to play by herself or to use for Church...

Most of it were things I found on Pinterest and almost "trash to treasure", but they were things I know my kids would have had fun playing with when they were Hanna's age, so, we'll see.  It was more fun for me to make it, probably!

Lexi left this week for her mission.  She went in on Wednesday.  I hope she is doing well.  I am sure she is.  She "Dear Johned" Derrek already, basically telling him that she doesn't want to worry about what is going to happen in a couple years and she just wants to focus on her mission and learn more about herself.  I think it's great.  I think she is wonderful and if it works out for the two of them, GREAT!  But, if not, there is a lucky guy out there, for sure!