It was the Primary Program today and we are DONE with it for the year!!! The reason I am so excited is because I play the piano and this years program had 12 songs!!! That is a lot of songs for a program. Usually they have about 8 or 9. It went really well and Scott said that he heard no mistakes...I fooled him!!! I just kept doing what my grandpa always said and that is if you mess up, keep going...so that's what I did. I liked how they wrote the Program this year because if a child didn't show up, then it didn't matter to the script, but if they did, then it added to the script. I have been in some where the teachers would read the parts of the children missing and it is kind of distracting. Anyway, it was good this year. We were laughing because every Primary Program there is something that a child does that is so innocent, but so funny and this year a little girl was telling the story of Jesus being baptized (quoting the scriptures) and the adult leader was helping her by whispering the lines to her. So the girl said that after Jesus was baptized "he went straightway out of the water and the Spirit descended on him in the form of a duck"!!! It was so funny. She was so embarrassed because she was really trying hard to say what the leader was saying, but dove and duck are too close when you are whispering! It was funny. After the meeting, I got to go into Primary and they decided to have a sing-time day!!! It's not as exciting as it sounds because I had no idea what songs we were singing and that was fun...(not so much), but the chorister was fun and for some reason on a couple of the songs I did fine until the last note and for some reason I couldn't get the last note, so she would have the kids hold the note until I found it. It was fun and made me laugh (by then, I was so tired I didn't care!). I do love the Primary songs, though, and I really am not complaining...I'm just glad the stress of performing is over. I have always had stage-fright and was able to keep my eyes off the audience today, so I think that helped (plus several prayers before!). On to next year's songs!
this is the puppy...named "Trouble"
This is Sally, who comes to visit...
This week we were able to babysit a puppy. The boys have been wanting another dog and we keep telling them that it just isn't smart, especially because we are hoping to end that phase of dog raising when the kids all leave (Shep will be 12 or so, and I know Angel will be gone by then). Anyway, it was fun to babysit this puppy, especially seeing Angel pounce around chasing it and playing with it like she was a puppy, too...but she's 12! Dallen went with the family of the puppy on a camping trip and boating trip. He got to go tubing and kneeboarding and catch crawdads and got really muddy...it was a perfect trip! The water was even warm! This family lives two doors down and have 4 boys and 1 girl. The neighborhood will never be the same. The funny thing is that they have another dog, Sally - a boxer, who will walk into our house and camp out with our dogs, eat their food, and just hang out if the door is open. It's pretty funny. The other day, I realized that Dallen does the same thing to their family! He walks in, camps out, eats their food, especially if their door is open! So, I thanked her for letting Dallen come over and she thanked me for letting Sally come over! I think it's funny. Anyway, when Dallen came home from camping, and this is what happened...
They were zonked out by 6:30 pm, for the night...there was no moving them, either. Angel was so exhausted from playing with the puppy and Dallen was so exhausted from boating. I think they missed each other, too.
Ashton and I got to go on a day date yesterday. It was just Dallen and Ashton home. Alec and Calvin drove down to Phoenix to visit their Aunt Heidi and cousins and attend the mission farewell of Jonathan Hooper...the first friends the boys made in Mesa and is a true blessing in their lives. He will be serving in the New York, New York mission. Did you know that mission included Bermuda? I had no idea. Anyway, back to Dallen and Ashton. So, Ashton asked if I would like to go to the movie with him...just the two of us. I said, "of course" and then I told Scott that it would be just him and Dallen home and so they decided to go horse-back riding (Scott's boss has 4 horses and is always telling us to help ride them because they need the exercise). Scott and Dallen went riding and Ashton and I went and saw "Hotel Transylvania". It was a really fun/cute movie. We had a good time. We'll have to do it again.
Scott and I, then, got invited to go to a fundraiser for the Heritage club which helps restore old buildings and history of the area. We were invited by the Click family. Brad and Craig Click are in our ward and Brad invited us to come. We really like being around them. They are really funny and witty. Their wives are really nice and according to their husbands are "too serious", but they are just as fun. We met some really nice people and had a great time getting to know the Clicks better. It was kind of an initiation into the community :). We are all for that! Anyway, the program was a celebration of Arizona and the area and it was fun to learn some new things.
Everything else is going good. We have "trunk or treat" this year at someone's house...usually you have it at the church building, but because everyone has so much property around here, we are able to do it at someone's house! It should be fun. I always like playing a game in the back of our car for the kids to "earn" their treat. I'm not huge on decorating, but big on games...gotta go with my strengths! We'll post pictures next week.
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.
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.
