One year older, and wiser, too ...

I just had to share, first, what I get to see every now and then.  I was in the house, kids at school, and I went to let the dogs outside and as I opened the back curtains and opened the door, this is what I saw!  It took my breath away. It was actually a double rainbow, which seems to happen often.  It was so bright and amazing and literally in my backyard!

We had a fun couple of weeks. We got to see Alex Boye' in concert here in little ole' Snowflake, AZ.  Scott and I got to have a pre-concert dinner with him, but basically we had dinner, he took pictures with everyone, grabbed his food and left.  Scott's boss is a patron of the Arts here in town and couldn't go, so he gave the tickets to me and Scott.  We sat at a table with the Temple President and his wife, President Baldwin, and then a couple from our ward, The Neffs, and another couple, whom I don't know.  We haven't gotten the picture back, yet, that was taken of me and Scott and Alex, but if I get it, I will post it :).  It was fun meeting him and I can't imagine living that life.  The concert was in the high school auditorium and it was really fun. He is so entertaining. Our favorite part, of course, had to be when he had all the Scouts come up on stage. I was sitting in the very back and all I had was my phone (not great at taking pictures), but here are all the Scouts that were there...there are quite a bunch in this predominately Mormon community :). He did this song with them, so imagine this going on with all these kids...it was a lot of fun. As he was teaching the steps, Ashton was kind of in front and Alex looked over and said, "What is that? It looks like you're going to the restroom!". We were all laughing, and Ashton, the good sport, was laughing, too. He still thinks it's funny. Anyway, it's a fun song and Dallen, especially has been singing it all week :)

It was Calvin's birthday this week.  He is now 17!!!  My kids are so kind to me because we don't have a lot of money, but they understand and I hope, appreciate, that I really try to do all that I can for them.  Calvin has been wanting a "hobby", and so with his birthday money (instead of opening presents), he decided that since he loves cars, his new hobby would be model cars and that he would paint and design them like he would real cars..."it's good practice", he said.  So, these are the two he bought and is going to start with...

Then, he had it in his head how he wanted to set up shop.  The kid's computer was zapped by lightening one day (the Computer Store in town had 8 come in from the same storm!)...and yes, it was on a power cord!  Anyway, so, I told him that the desk was free to use because the computer is not being used right now, and that is what it was on.  So, this is the little set-up he came up with in his closet

He's got his "paint booth" set up, as well as his work station (the closet is pretty big!).  I told him when he paints, he will have to leave the door open so that the fumes don't make him high :)  I don't know if they are that powerful, but I don't want to take any chances :).  

He bought a fun painting tool.  He can spray paint the model paint.  Anyway, cars have always been an outlet for Calvin.  If he's not drawing designs on them, he's thinking of ways to make them better.  

During the day, he had a job interview!!!  On his birthday!!!  He was so nervous.  It was with Kmart, and it's that time of year they are looking for seasonal work, so he applied.  He got a call back and has a second interview next Friday (because he's in school during the week!).  He was so excited.  I really hope he gets it. He works so hard to get a job.  He's put in so many applications and he just needs a foot in the door so that he'll have something on a resume to apply to other places with.  He is an example of perseverance and patience.  It has been hard, but he keeps going and trying.  

Then Calvin and I went to lunch.  He said, "I don't want it to be expensive, I just want to go out with you and dad".  Scott had a really busy day, and couldn't break away for lunch, so Calvin and I went to Sonic :).  It was fun to hang out with him and that he wanted alone time with us/me.  Then I was going to pay for the boys to go see the movie "Here Comes the Boom" (I thought it was a good/funny movie and wanted the boys to see it), but Alec had gone out on a date (didn't tell us that he was), and Dallen got invited to go to a haunted barn/corn maze.  So, for cheaper, we bought the movie "Avengers" (Calvin hadn't seen it yet) because we couldn't rent it anywhere in town, and stayed home and watched that and had some pie (we forgot to bring out the ice cream!).   

He said he had a good day, and I am glad.  He's a great kid and we were reflecting on how it seems weird that he's only "17" because he has seemed so much older.  

The rest of us are doing well.  Derrek sounded like he was doing better this last week, and that is good.  I know it will be hard for him, but that is fine.  We all need a little rough patches to remember when things are good.  Alec and Calvin, both at different times, rolled their quad in the yard on the same day!  Calvin scraped up his face pretty good and then felt dizzy for the next day or so...even fainted in the shower!  Alec wouldn't go help him or check on him because he was naked and so he came and got me and just yelled to Calvin, "are you ok?".  Calvin got up and said, "dude, I think I just fainted" and Alec said, "yah, you fell hard".  That's when I came in and I'm just glad he was ok!  Alec scraped up his hand and such pretty good and after that, they decided they are going to sell the thing!  

Ashton, I think, is no longer in FFA...well, he at least can't go on their field trips, because he wouldn't sell their fundraiser of at least 5 boxes of Krispy Kreme donuts for $10 each.  I asked him why he wouldn't sell at least five and he said "Mom!  They are $10!  That is so expensive for donuts!".  I just laughed because I realized I have taught them well, but have missed the whole point of fund raisers!  So, I told him to see if he can still do it, but I haven't heard anything and it is up to him whether or not he wants to stick to it.  I just thought it was funny he wouldn't sell them because he thought they were too expensive and couldn't ask others to pay for something that was so overpriced!  Love it!

Ashton also caught a large horny toad during 2nd period this last week, at school, and carried it around all during school (I'm not sure how he got away with that!), and brought it home.  The poor thing!  Anyway, it escaped out of the box Ashton had it in (Ashton tends to forget to put a lid on...we've lost a frog, snake, and lizard because of this!).  Anyway, we found it and as part of it's defense, it shoots blood from it's eyes and so after that, we let it go outside.  Poor thing!  

Well, I think that's it for this last week.  Check out Derrek's blog (elderderrekbowler.blogspot.com) for updates on him and my parent's mission blog is fun to read, too (steurersinitaly.blogspot.com).  They all seem to be doing well.  We'll hear from Derrek tomorrow (Monday is his P-day), and so I am sure I'll be posting another letter tomorrow from him.  

Moving in the right direction...

I love watching General Conference.  Dallen said to me this morning, "I love Conference Sunday.  We get aebleskievers and we get to chill out for church".  I couldn't agree more.  There were a few talks that really spoke to me this weekend and I am excited to go back and dig into them so that I can learn what it was that touched my heart.  I love that we can get them on Mormon Channel the next day and that I can listen to them while I am getting ready in the mornings.  I am also grateful to be able to watch them again with my family.  We record them and every Friday we have "Conference Friday" for our family scripture study.  We take a talk from Conference and listen to it and then when inspired, Scott and I add our own testimony to what we heard.  Calvin watched all the sessions this time and was searching for answers for himself.  He had his journal out and everything.  What an example to me of truly wanting answers from the Lord and knowing where to go to get them.  He told me of a couple talks that he really enjoyed and I hope he found what he was searching for.

Everyone is well.  Scott has had a couple long days and yesterday had to miss almost everything with Conference.  He only got to see the last talk of the Priesthood session and he was so sad.  After he took the boys to dinner (which he was so grateful to be able to do), he had to go back to work for a few hours.  It was a long day.  I am grateful for his continuing hard work.  In days of old, he would have quit by now and he is definitely not that same person.

Derrek is doing much better.  He was struggling being at the MTC and the psychiatrist there is having him take Welbutrim (sp?).  Then a few days later, he wrote me a note and said that they were role playing being in the mission field and he was loving it.  I am grateful he got the help he needed.  I was upset at myself at first because I'm him mom and I should have known, but as quickly as those thoughts came into my head, thoughts of "this is how it had to happen for Derrek and he is being taken care of" came in.  As I thought about it, I realized that this is how it had to happen for Derrek.  I feel bad that he had to go through it, but I realized that he is always saying he doesn't hear the Spirit and this was an example of where he felt he needed to go get help.  He heard and acted (as President Monson stated today).  He leaves for Ohio on Wednesday (in three days) and we are so excited for him.

Alec is doing so good.  I swear he is on a date with a different girl and he is so funny because he makes Calvin go with him.  Last night after Priesthood Session, we were all chilling out and Alec suddenly announces that he and Calvin are going out with Jessica and Brooke...they were in the driveway!  So they went and watched a movie with them and then came back.  He is truly happy and liked the announcement of being able to leave right after high school for his mission.  Calvin is too, but he realized that he wouldn't see Derrek for 4 years and that made him kind of sad.

Something has changed in Calvin.  I think something happened at Seminary, but I am not sure.  One night, when I went in to say "good-night", he said, "mom, could you get me a journal... preferably one with the temple on the front?".  Are you kidding?!?  Yes!!!  I will get you a journal!  So, I went and found him one the next day.  He writes in it often of his thoughts and things that he is learning.  He has been asking questions like "how do I truly prepare for General Conference?" and stuff like that.  He is happier and really trying to find peace and happiness and you can tell a huge difference in him.

Ashton is starting to be my little "playboy".  I think he likes the attention (I mean, who doesn't?!?), so we have had to have discussions on the way girls interpret the "play" and how boys interpret it.  I told him he needed to be careful because girls, for the most part, fall hard, and it can get you in trouble.  He is taller than me and very proud of that...I would expect him to be taller because he has a size 13 foot and needs to grow into them!  He was elected FFA Treasurer and although I am not quite sure what he does, he is loving it and having a really good time.  He has found his little niche and has really adapted well to Taylor, AZ.

Dallen is doing good, too.  There are times when his hormones get the best of him and he is cranky and hates his life, but thank goodness that there is sleep and he can reboot his system and start over.  He is having so much fun here in Taylor and really has a good group of boys to hang out with.  It's funny because he was over at his Young Men Leader's house the other day and I asked him why he was there?  Their oldest child is a girl and she's 11.  They have a 9 year old girl and a 7 year old boy.  I couldn't figure out why he would hang out over there, and then I found out that they got a new puppy...then I found out that the boys are trying to take in another puppy.  Thank goodness Scott is here because I would take it in (ask my parents!).

Scott and I got to go on a little "trip" to Durango, CO.  These days all the trips taken include something to do with the mortuary, but Jason (Scott's boss), wanted us to go and spend the night and have a little get-away.  It is a gorgeous town with some character and the leaves are changing and it is getting colder.  The hotel was right on the river and when we went to breakfast we were right on the river looking over it.  It was so pretty. We had an amazing steak dinner the night before and some Coldstone ice cream...who can go wrong with that?  The kids were awesome and just did their thing.  Dallen got up for school on his own and out the door and Alec went to work and Ashton helped me out at the house and Calvin had school and an extra curricular class he is doing.  I think they do better when I'm gone than when I'm here!  I am grateful they let us do that. Scott and I got much needed talk time and we are so grateful that Jason would treat us like that.

Calvin and Alec are doing a class at school which is the Dave Ramsey course.  My Grandma is a huge fan of Dave Ramsey and so is this town!  I think it is awesome that they have started a class for the high school students.  Even better, is that Calvin and Alec got it for free.  The first 10 that signed up get the course for free, so Calvin (my frugal child) jumped all over that and signed up him and Alec...number 9-10!!  They are learning lots and I think it is great because there are lessons that I have tried to instill in them, but they are finally getting it in a different way and are more willing to listen to someone else teaching it.

Well, no pictures this time...sorry.  Not much to take pictures :).  Alec was going to go to Homecoming, but decided not to.  I am not sure what happened, but it fell through.  Maybe for Prom.

Missionaries...

OUR MISSIONARIES!!!  Derrek and my parents (Dan and Miriam) are in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, UT.  My parents arrived there on the 17th of September and Derrek made it there on the 19th.  It is fun because I have an inside source telling me how he's really doing.  My mom said that the MTC doesn't give the Elders/Sisters time to think...they are going-going-going all day long and then they welcome bed time.  My mom said that Derrek mentioned on Friday (he'd been there two days) that he was still a bit overwhelmed, but in a week or so, I know he will feel right at home.  My parents get to do whatever they want/need.  My mom said that she needed to mail a package and they were going to walk down to BYU.  None of that for the Elders!  They also got to attend my Cousin, Mike's wedding in SLC.  We are excited for Mike.  My parents also Skyped me today.  My mom said that she was really sick this last week because they had her get the flu shot and influenza?!? shot (I can't remember the other one), but after that, she was really sick with a fever and such.  Glad she's feeling better.  We wrote Derrek a letter and you can to at "dearelder.com".  Just type in his mission (Columbus Ohio).  I'm not sure his box number, yet.  We haven't heard from him.  I don't even think he knows our address!  I guess he'll figure it out, or ask my parents!  Sending him off was way harder than I thought it would be.  I was fine until that morning and I realized I wouldn't be able to see him for two years and that I wouldn't be able to call or talk to him to see how he was doing whenever I wanted or felt the need to.  Then, as we were saying goodbye, Alec said "see you in three years" and I lost it even more.  I cried the whole morning.  By noon, I was settled down and doing ok.  All the boys were looking at me like I was a freak of nature.  Ashton lost it, too which made Scott tear up.  Ashton loves his brother, Derrek.  But, I know he is in better hands and the Lord can do more with him than any other experience at this time in his life could offer him.  Things are definitely more quiet around here.

Other things that we have been doing...CANNING, CANNING, CANNING!  Sister Rowley, in our ward, has a huge garden and asked if I would like to come raid it because there is no possible way she could do anything with all the food.  So, we went and picked green beans, lots of apples, and tomatoes.  I have made a lot of applesauce, green beans, and spaghetti sauce.  Then my friend, Donna, asked if I would come help her do hers because she just doesn't have time like she used to.  So, I went to her house and did apples (for pies and such), and applesauce.  Then she invited her family over for family night and we canned the rest of my applesauce and worked on her tomatoes to get them ready to be jarred.  It was a fun time and we really like being with the Larson family.  You can see we had quite the production going!

I just got a call from a sister in our ward who said she had a 5-gallon bucket of tomatoes for me, if I wanted them...um, YES!  That's like gold for me.  I think I will do salsa this time.

The boys have been learning how to work hard and serve.  They have been helping a member in our Stake to bail hay.  They didn't realize how hard it really is, and poor Calvin had some fun allergies to go with it.  Luckily there is medicine for that!  They also chopped some wood and I am grateful to these men who are teaching them how to work hard and that it isn't just their parents that do it...it is just a requirement when you live out here.  Ashton got to drive the hay truck and it was a stick-shift!  He was jerking it all around at first (his first time driving...ever!).  He did good by the the end.  Every night they would come home and the boys would say "I'm not going tomorrow" and then they would end up going the next day.  Then the last day they were going to go, the guy borrowed his neighbor's stacker and did 800 bails in a day and got it all done.  He had 2000 to start, so the boys were glad he was able to do that.

I did my first run for the mortuary this last week.  You know they are desperate when they are calling to ask me if I would do a run for them.  It was nice to drive and hang out in Payson and all that.  It is weird, though, that this is just how life is, now and that's ok.

Sending my parents off at the airport on their way to the MTC

We got to go to St. George last weekend for Derrek's farewell talk in the Red Cliff's 6th ward.  It was so good to see all our old friends and there was so much love and support for Derrek and we were really grateful that he was able to go and do that.  I really had a hard time with him demanding that he do a farewell in St. George because of the time and money he was asking us to spend.  We weren't going to be able to go because of finances, but we are very blessed with family that helped us get there.   I felt it was selfish, but in the end I realized why he needed it and I am glad he was able to do it.  It was my parent's farewell also and it was good to be with family.  The kids really wanted to say goodbye to their Nana and Papa, and I am glad we were able to do that.  My sister and sister-in-laws put together a really cute family dinner with my side of the family.  They did decorations for Italy and Ohio and missionary stuff all over the tables.  Then they had an Italian type meal and and ice cream bar.  It was perfect.  Dallen and Ashton, the night before, got to go see Les Miserables in Cedar City with Kent/Amy, Kathie/Paul and their families.  We had a fun time riding to and from St. George with Kathie and Paul and their family.  On the way up, Kathie and I got to ride together and chat the whole way, while Paul and Scott were in the other car.  Then on the way home, the adults (and Jack) were in one van, Calvin and kids in the other, and Derrek and Alec in the car.  It was fun.  Definitely made the trip go faster.

 I almost forgot!!!  Alec, Scott, and Derrek all had birthdays!  Alec turned 18, Scott turned 41, and Derrek turned 19.  It was hard this year because we literally have no money and so the birthdays were kind of lame. Alec and Scott are great because they really don't care (or show that they care).  Derrek is a little different.  He likes the attention and I tried to do my best, but I'll admit, according to his standards, it was lame (sorry Derrek, I tried).  Anyway, we got Alec a didgeridoo.  He has been playing it non-stop...he even brought it to St. George!  It drives Shep nuts, but it is so Alec and I am glad I got it for him.  

Derrek got money to help him go to St. George, and I got Scott a shirt from "Kid History" that says "I've got one minute left in my brain".  It's a quote Scott says all the time and to me it fit perfect.  After their birthdays, Scott mentioned he wanted a cowboy hat!  Now that's something I have to see...and I am not picking that out.  There is no way I would want that responsibility :).

Everything else is going good.  We are healthy and the kids are doing good in school and still adjusting, but they are doing very well.  There are still days that are hard for me.  I like to stay busy and moving to a new place takes all that away and it's hard to have the energy to start up again.  Most days are good, though, and like with everything else, you just gotta keep on going.