Way to go, IDAHO

The past few weeks have been kind of crazy.  Scott's boss tore his ACL and had surgery and so Scott has pretty much been doing it all.  Jason tries to do as much as he can (take phone calls and such), but there really hasn't been much that he could do, especially when he's doped up on pain meds (he would start saying funny things!).  A couple weeks ago, it was literally one of the busiest weeks I have ever seen Scott have.  I thought he was going to collapse!  There were a total of 11 new cases in one week, and that's ALOT!  We even had to pull Alec out of school one of the days because it was the day that I was leaving to go to Idaho to be with Jenette and they needed someone to run down to Tuscon to the Medical Examiner's office...Alec took 3 people down.  It was just a crazy week.  I left for Idaho and Scott and the boys were SO wonderful in letting me go help Jenette and love and kiss on baby Jane and Hanna.  I don't know what went on at home while I was gone, but I figure I don't really need to know :).  Actually, Scott said they did really well and stepped up to the plate and did all their laundry for the week and made dinner and did all their jobs without any complaint.  On Friday, when I came home, it was like they all collapsed and were ready for me to be back.  I was making freezer meals for a pregnant mother in our ward and Scott's first question was "are you going somewhere?!?"...almost in a panic!  It's nice to know I am needed around here :)

I drove down to Mesa to fly out of the airport there.  I got there 2 hours early, which I am glad because I stood in line to check my bag (small airport...no sidewalk check-in) for about an hour and 15 minutes.  It was nice that I didn't have to wrestle any kids and I was admiring all the mothers in line with their small kids and their patience with the situation.  The lady in front of me had a dog she was taking on board and that was a fun conversation.  It was a great flight and landed in Idaho Falls.  As I was picking up my bag, and I look over and saw Craig and Hanna to meet me.  It was a great surprise.  Hanna even let me hold her!  It was the start to a great week.  It was Jenette's first time out of the house in two weeks because she was just hurting so much from her c-section.  She kept asking me how mine felt, but I honestly can't remember.  I wish I could and maybe this is where journal writing would come in handy, but when I write things in private, I become a little more negative, and I don't like to go back and read that or have anyone read the negative, so here we are with no recollection of my c-sections.  

Craig spoiled me with Jimmy John's at least 3 times, and even had it right before I left.  He was even great and would start dinner before I could even think about it.  He is so caring and truly loves all his girls and does SO much for them.  I don't feel I did much, but was just on hand to do the little things like laundry, lifting Hanna, watching the girls so Jenette can sleep, and cleaned the house (I told her it gave her at least another month until she had to think about it!).  Hanna learned how to go up and down the stairs all by herself and was SO cute to watch her slide down the stairs.  By the end of the week, she was having fun with the added freedom of being able to be upstairs and come down when she wanted.  Here are a few pictures of me and Hanna playing with the box of stuff I made for her.  Some of it we didn't get to play with because she REALLY liked the eggs.  

Scott was so funny, though, and there was a day (Monday, maybe), I was talking to him and the kids on the phone and there was a knock at the door.  I opened it and there was a guy there with a vase of flowers.  He said, "Amy?" and I said, "yes", and he said "Bowler?" and I said, "yes?!?" and he said, "these are for you".  I was laughing because I was in Idaho getting flowers.  I opened the card and it was from Scott and it said "Happy Valentine's Day".  I just totally started laughing and he got to hear it all on the phone.  It was perfect timing, especially since he didn't know when they were going to be delivered.  I was great to look at them and smell them all week while I was there.

I felt bad leaving, but I had to get back to my family.  I was missing them a lot and Jenette was getting more capable even if she didn't feel that way.  I know her legs were hurting and she found out that the fluid retention she had was from the Tylenol with codine and so, hopefully she's doing better in that sense.  It's still going to be an adjustment to having another child.  It's just what we mothers have to go through and there is literally nothing anyone can do to make it better.  She's got great girls, though, and so I am sure that will help!

Other things that have been going on...

The boys have been enjoying going "spot-lighting".  I am not sure how Alec found out about it, but I just made sure he remembered what happened when he was shooting in an area that he shouldn't have been, so we'll see if he responds to that!  Anyway, basically, they shine a spot-light out on a field and it blinds the rabbits and they shoot the rabbits.  Alec was amazed at how good of a shooter Dallen is.

The boys have also been getting into golfing.  Alec just bought some clubs (Calvin paid for some of it too), and they go quite often.  We have even found Calvin skipping school a couple of times to go with his friend and his friend's dad.  It's great that they have found something they enjoy.  Dallen has been horseback riding quite a bit lately.  Most of the time he is on the back with one of his friends, but he doesn't care.  He just likes to go.  He is always calling them to see if he could go riding.  I told him that he needs to save his money and just buy a horse.  He has been working for a guy in our ward and earns about $50 a week and I am sure by the end of summer, he could have enough for a horse...of course, we would have to think about feeding it and all that comes with it (saddle, bridle, etc.), but we have lots of friends to help us with all that information.  I have a friend in the ward who is amazing with animals.  She is an older version of Dallen to me.  Anyway, she called me the other day and told me that I need to start building my chicken coop because if I don't get my chicks by the middle of April, I'll be out of luck.  She's always looking out for me.  Anyway, she offered to let Dallen ride her horses and so we told her that when she is home and feeling up to it, we would love to come over and do that.  She also is about to start training one and I am wondering if she would teach Dallen how to do it.  Anyway, she's amazing.  Dallen even set things up so that he and Ashton could take some horses out by themselves.  He's addicted!  

Dallen has a great group of friends here, and most of them are in our ward, which is even better!  But, they have been (about 2 times a month) going around town after school and they pick a place to eat and then they just walk around.  Two weeks ago, they went and ate at El Cupido's (one of our favorite little spots) and then hours later he called me and they had ended up at the restaurant, "Celebrations", where a lot of people from our ward work.

Dallen (on far right) with his friends, Calvin Stepp and Kaden Ramage washing dishes at "Celebrations"

 He told me that they were helping to wash the dishes.  Katie Larson works there (one of the girls from the family we did the 12 days of Christmas to), and she took this picture of them for me.  She was loving that they were there doing HER job!  I don't blame her.  I love small towns and the things you get to do (like that).  Dallen is definitely making a lot of memories here.

We just had Spring Break this last week.  Alec and Calvin went to St. George and said they had fun.  I know they went bowling and golfing and shopping, but I am not sure what else they did.  They don't tell me much!  Ashton, I am pretty sure, hung out in his pj's the whole week.  He loved not having to get ready to go anywhere.  He did have a party with friends to go to and ended up being the only friend to show up (and it was a girl throwing the party), so she and Ashton had a nerf war with her brothers and Ashton ate dinner with her family and said he got "grilled like he was being questioned by the CIA".  I met her mom and realized that we had attended a scripture study class together.  That was calming because you always wonder who your kids hang out with.  Anyway, despite the party going to putts for the girl, Ashton had fun :).  Dallen lived at the neighbor's house all week and I work there, too, so I saw him probably more over there than I would have if I didn't work!  He was helping them prepare their yard for a new (pregnant) horse they are buying.  He is just as excited as the family is for the new horse and her colt.  He has also been going on snake hunts with their boys and has caught a total of 6 garter snakes.  I guess it's that season :).  I guess that's why we keep all the extra empty tanks.

Everyone is back home, safe and sound.  Alec is still trying to decide when to put in his papers.  They are literally on the Stake President's desk, he's had all his interviews, and just needs to give the Stake President the green light to turn them in.  I know it is a big decision, but I also know that he knows it's what he wants to do, I am not sure why the wait.  But, that's between Alec and the Lord...not me.

We are having a quiet Easter dinner today and I always try to do something fun for holidays.  It's different when the kids are older.  No more Easter Egg hunts (in a way, that's ok!), and we really don't dye the eggs and all that.  I wanted to do baskets, but my kids throw away half the candy I buy, so I decided to go this route this year...(thanks to Pinterest!)

I decided to make the "basket" out of candy and then fill it with the things they like (caramel Cadburry eggs and sour patch eggs).  I think it was more fun for me than for them to eat them, but that's usually how it is.  I thought it was a good idea :).  

Scott and I have been really trying to get to know people in our ward and area and so we have been going out with different couples and have had families over for FHE.  Went out with Bishop Hardy and his wife Sandy (on their 33rd Anniversary!) and had a great time with them.  I really like Bishop.  He has really taken to the boys and helps our family in any way he can think.  He goes above and beyond, that is for sure!  We went out with the Hamiltons.  All their kids are grown and their youngest daughter just got her mission call to Equador.  I am not sure when she leaves.  The sisters that are going out are amazing and definitely want to be there.  Hopefully Alec will get to that point, too :).  We had the Parry's over for FHE and made chocolate suckers to send to the missionaries (mostly Derrek).  We played Ninja Attack and had a fun time.  Ira (the dad) is currently helping to remodel the temple and has a great love for the outdoors and my boys LOVE his stories.  This last week he told of a story about he and his kids were out looking for scorpions with a black light while camping at Roosevelt Lake and thought it was really cool when one would come into their light.  Then he noticed something moving by his foot and jumped back because he couldn't see it in the black light, so he turned on his head lamp and saw that it was a King Snake (poisonous) and had been studying about coming closer to Christ and told us at church today that he realized that studying the scriptures and praying and doing all those "little" things is like having our head-lamps on so that we could see the whole picture of our surroundings and be more aware of the dangers lurking around, but if we are just half-heartedly doing these things, it's like looking around with the black light and only the dangers that show up (like the scorpions) are the only ones that we will see and we will be blindsided by the dangers that we don't see (King snake).  I thought it was a great teaching and this is why my boys love him!  The majority of the people in our ward are like them and we just really love learning from them.  

This next weekend is General Conference.  I have decided to put together a challenge for my little family.  I sent it to Derrek and Lexi, but wanted my kids to truly prepare themselves for Conference, so we are going to have them write down questions they have and throughout the week at Scripture study, we are going to have them study the subject that they have questions about and then pray about the things they are reading and for those giving the talks on General Conference weekend.  I know, from experience, that when there are certain questions you need to know, the Lord answers them, and Conference is one of the avenues He does that for us.  I love Conference and the lessons the Lord wants me to learn next and the guidance that I receive on my path.  It is such a blessing and I just want my kids to know how they can go about doing it for themselves.  I am also hoping that Calvin will take the challenge and search the questions he has for the Lord and to find out for himself if these things are true.  It's really hard to watch as your child decides that something that is so dear to you is not for him.  Anyway, we just keep doing what we do and love Calvin no matter what.  I just know he could have a lot more peace in his life, but that is for him to find out.  I also want Alec, Ashton and Dallen to know they can have their prayers answered and that the Lord truly is there for them.  Anyway, we'll see how it goes.  

Scott's boss is back to work and yesterday was the first Saturday Scott has not had to work in over 2 1/2 months.  We are grateful Jason is healing quickly and he is so grateful to be back to work.  He really loves what he does and it's been hard for him to be down.  

Derrek is doing really well.  He is still in Columbus and celebrated his 6-month mark with burning of a tie.  He can't believe he has made it and was just sure he would have quit by now, but he sees the blessings and keeps going, knowing it is making him a better person.  It's exciting to see him grow and become a great young man.  Every parent's dream :).