12 days continues...

I just love this picture Derrek sent us. This is the tree he found in his apartment and decorated it.  He said he's in love with it.  So cute!  He is sounding like he's doing better every week.  We miss him, but are so happy he chose to serve the Lord.  I can't wait to talk to him on Christmas Day.  What a treat!

This week has been fun.  All during the month of December, our FHE consists of some kind of service.  We wanted to have the kids get outside of themselves and give to others.  This started years ago, while living in St. George, when we gave the kids a great Christmas, as far as presents were concerned.  After they opened them all up, one of them said, "is that it?".  Scott and I knew we were not teaching them the true reason for the season!  So, every year since, we have dedicated December as our month of pure service or thinking of others.  This year we did missionary packages one night, we have been doing the 12 days of Christmas to a family, and we made treats for friends and neighbors and gave them away.  So, this last Monday, I had Alec be in charge of making the caramel corn right after he got home from school.  I had to make a trip for the mortuary and so I was gone until about 7:30 pm.  After the first couple of batches, he learned that margarine worked better than butter (just so you know!), and then Dallen wanted to try and make it.  So, Alec taught him how to make it and Dallen ended up making it better than Alec!  Dallen was pumping it out and was feeling like King of the Kitchen!  I got home and we bagged it all as a family and then the boys headed out to deliver to friends.  I didn't realize until we were bagging it, how many friends we have made in such a short time.  We really love the people here.  Anyway, this went along with our plan to deliver the 5th day of the 12 days.  We had planned on one boy taking it to the door of the house and knocking on their door and then hiding while the rest of us went up their driveway to deliver the caramel corn.  This way, they would get the 5th day gift and then we would show up a few minutes later and the kid hiding in the bushes would just meet us as we went to the front door.  Well, it kind of worked all but them getting the present before the kids got to the door.  Alec didn't knock on the door hard enough, or they didn't hear it.  Anyway, the gift was on the doorstep when the boys arrived.  So, the family thought it was a little suspicious.  They were talking to the boys and the boys had seen that the gate that Calvin ran into was in the back of their truck needing to be fixed and the family was saying that they "think that whomever did it didn't tell their dad" and that they just wanted an apology.  Calvin was DYING and freaking out when he got home.  So, the 6th day I had a friend's daughter delivering the gift at Preschool, because Donna teaches preschool, and with it I wrote a poem asking for an apology and hoping that it wasn't turning into a Christmas nightmare!  Then my friend asked if Donna knew who was doing this and she said she thinks it's our family because of the gate thing, but then my friend, Rinda, said "well, I just know this family has a lot of help, so maybe it could have been someone helping them".  Donna said, "I never thought of that!".  So, thanks to Rinda, she helped throw them off our tracks...Day 7 we knew the kids left their bikes at another persons house during school and then rode them home after they got off the bus, so we put it on the kids' bikes.  Then the next night, Scott and I were delivering bread to friends that we thought would rather have that than caramel corn and we decided to be brave and we delivered the 8th day ourselves...acting like the "family" asked us to help them out.  While there, I noticed one of their daughters gone and I asked, "Where's Abbey?" and they said, "oh, she's outside waiting to catch whomever is doing this 12 days of Christmas...she's determined to catch them"!!!  Scott and I were dying inside and so glad we decided to NOT have the boys drop it off.  WHEW!!!  We stayed and chatted for awhile and that was fun.  Scott and I were giggling all the way home. Then the next night, day 9, we had Scott's boss take it over.  They were delivering treats there anyway and offered to take it.  Day 10...we were stuck for an idea.  The only thing we could think of was to drop it on their doorstep, but we were afraid that Abbey was outside waiting again.  This time Scott, Alec, and Dallen went.  They borrowed a golf cart and took a back road for a ways and then hiked in toward their house for about a mile.  Scott soon realized that there was no brush or anything to hide behind around their house and so he realized that whichever one of them drops it has to run...fast!  Dallen was going to do it, but then got scared, so Scott decided to do it.  Of course, the moon was bright and they had their house lights on this night and so there was no hiding!  As Scott crept up to the house, he could hear them in their front room.  He put the bag on the porch and then knocked really loud "bang! bang! bang!" and he heard them scream and run out onto the porch.  He didn't look back and was just running for his life.  His chest hurt the rest of the night from breathing so hard from running so hard!  He swore he heard them chasing him, but then heard them hop in their car and they were driving down their driveway, just sure that the person was going that way.  That was Alec's idea...to go down their driveway and then hike in, but it was too risky and if they had done that, they would have surely been caught.  So, they got back to the van and headed out and then all of a sudden there was a car behind them.  So, they didn't go home and lost the car, thinking it was the Larsons because the car came out of nowhere...and then Abbey, their daughter, started texting Alec.  She kept saying things like "do you own dark clothes" and "please be honest and don't lie to me", and then she asked, "have you ever ridden at night?" and Alec said "horses?" and we realized she thought the people rode horses out to their place.  We could honestly say "no".  Alec said, "what happened" and she said a little while later, "something that hasn't ever happened in the 20 years we have lived here...we were door-bell-ditched!".   All the questions she asked we could honestly answer...we were laughing because all she had to ask was the right question, but she never did.  We know they know it's us, but they can't prove it and it's driving them nuts!  Scott said that the screams he heard were of pure joy and fun.  Anyway, it's been so fun and one of the biggest challenges we've had doing it!  Today we had a nursery boy take it in (Donna and Justin are the nursery leaders).  Justin and Donna were hanging out in the Chapel and I couldn't find the mom I was giving it to, so her son could give it to them!  The plan was Donna and Justin would be in nursery already and we would slip it to the mom before her son went in...didn't happen!  Scott said, "quick! she went down the hall already to take him to nursery!".  Luckily Donna and Justin were still in the Chapel and I RAN down to the mom and caught her just as she was going in and slipped it to her.  I forgot to tell her not to tell them who gave it to her.  I slipped into the Primary room, where I go and there just happened to be people who needed help getting their visitors to class and I took them (not knowing really where the classrooms were) so that it looked like there was no way I could give the present to Blake.  And so, Blake's mom caught me in the hall after she gave it them and said, "As soon as Blake gave it to her she said 'Who gave this to you?' to me, and I realized I probably wasn't supposed to say, so I didn't"...WHEW!!!  Scott and I were laughing so hard.  So, they definitely suspect us, but like I said, they can't prove it :).  Tomorrow we are delivering it ourselves and can't wait to review the last 12 days with them.

We had some sad news this week...one of Dallen's two gerbils died (Gwenette, the brown one).  He was so heart-broken and sad.  It broke my heart.  Then half-way through typing this blog, Ashton's hamster was found dead on the floor...Angel had found it.  Ashton was holding it and it jumped off his lap and he couldn't find it...the dog did :(  So, he is super sad right now.  Dallen went and buried the hamster next to the gerbil and said "I know you two couldn't be friends here on earth, but you can be friends now" and started crying.  He has such a tender heart for animals...he's like his mama!

Other good news...Scott passed his exam to sell Life Insurance.  Now he can start selling pre-need policies for the mortuary and it will be a nice little side income for us.  Jason, Scott's boss, said that Scott's the only employee that has taken him up on this offer (he paid for the school and testing and gas to go test!) and the only one to pass in the 8 years he's been doing it here.  He was so happy to see an employee take him up on this opportunity because he said it really helped his family when they were starting out and Jason is always trying to figure out how to make things better for us.  We really appreciate his kindness and thoughts on our behalf.

We hope you all have a Very Merry Christmas!

Always blessed...

Well, I don't have pictures because I don't have a camera anymore...waiting for Derrek to send back the one he doesn't like (he's got two right now!).  The things we do for our kids!  Anyway...we have had an interesting week and thought I'd share :)

First of all, my Grandma Gilgen (92) was admitted into the hospital with pneumonia and it was looking like she was not coming out of there alive.  We were all preparing to be at her funeral the next weekend.  My brothers and sister (Rod, Geoff, and Julianne) were able to go say "good-bye" to her and had a great experience in the sense that she had been completely unresponsive the whole week and for the 1/2 hour they were there, she was awake and lucid and talking about important things in this life.  Here are some of Geoff's words from the experience:

She bore testimony of the plan of salvation, the fact that we all have gifts and should use them unselfishly. She told us to not worry about "being a shining star" because we all have gifts and make a difference. She also said that she "used to believe that if someone didn't serve in a bishopric they hadn't 'made it'". But she said she now realizes that everyone is precious and has and doing their part (I hope those of you who were there can fill in the rest of this - it was pretty profound what she was saying). She talked about living a life of sacrifice, about how she and Grandpa wished they had taken better advantage of opportunities that were in front of them (although she wasn't specific about what those opportunities were). She held Jody's hand and talked about the importance of bringing emotions into the world. Her counsel and insight were so heavenly at times that we all looked at each other with amazement. Two specific quotes that I wrote down were: "It isn't easy to live, but it is easy to love the Lord." And, she also talked quite extensively about how Grandpa has been given special permission to bless this family from the other side. She specifically said, "Grandpa has kept his arm around this family" 

I am so glad they got to have that experience.  I was sad I couldn't be there, too, but I realized that for the most part of my life, my experience with my grandma has been just what they experienced that night.  I felt so blessed and was so sad that it was her time to go...

But, it isn't her time to go!  Monday after this (I think this was on Saturday), my grandma was sitting up and responsive and feeling better.  So, she is now back home at the Beehive Home and as far as I know, she is not as lucid, but she is alive and comfortable.  Just another testament that when it is your time to go...it will be your time to go.  Not a second more or less.

Then this last week I had a job interview.  It seemed to come out of nowhere and I knew it was a door I needed to pursue.  So, I went and the interview went well.  It was for State Farm Insurance and I would have to get licensed and I would be helping people with their insurance needs (sort of like a broker, but not selling).  Anyway, it went really well.  I went home that night and I was so excited because it was full-time work and I would be making at least $1,600 extra a month for our family and it seemed I could see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Also that day, Ashton was really struggling with life and was just down.  He was feeling picked on and he "hated his life".  As usual, I didn't pay much attention because this is normal for this age and usually a good night's rest is all that is needed.  I went to bed that night thinking about the job and what I would be doing and stressing over whether or not I could pass the tests and just basically the normal jitters of getting a new job.  I hadn't gotten it yet, but I knew that I probably would.  As I was falling asleep and thinking about the job, a scenario passed through my head.  It was Ashton having a bad day like he had today, but I wasn't home...I hadn't been home and it was Summer.  Ashton was thinking about killing himself and I wasn't there.  I woke up instantly and realized that if I were accepted this job, I had to be forward with the guy and tell him that I can only work part-time during the Summer (2 1/2 months) and the rest of the year I could be full-time without a problem.  I had made a promise with the Lord a long time ago, after I had Calvin and had moved to Provo and we were pretty much where we are now.  I promised that I would stay home and do all I can as a mother if He would provide for our needs.  You see, I love to work and motherhood is not easy at all and when I worked for Sunwest, I used to joke that sometimes I go to work to relax and take a break from being a mother!  Anyway, the Lord has always helped us (especially through others) and this time is no different.  So, I got a call back a few days later to come in.  It sounded like he was deciding between a couple people and I was one of them.  We chit-chatted and then I said, "I have to be honest about something I didn't think about before.  I can only work part-time during the Summer because my kids are home."  I said, "it would be 2 1/2 months and then the rest of the time I can be full-time".  We talked some more and he talked about my references and he had called Scott's boss, Jason, about me because he knows Jason really well and I put Jason down as a reference because I have been working (driving) for the mortuary and he has a sense of my work ethics.  He said that Jason was just gushing over Scott and me.  He couldn't stop saying good things about us.  Then he said, "Jason said that he doesn't know what it is, but ever since you guys started working for him, his business has increased and wherever we go blessings seem to follow".  At that moment it felt like someone threw a blanket over me.  I realized that we are continually blessed and it was nice that someone reminded me of that...especially because then the next words out of his mouth were, "I can't hire you.  I need someone full-time".  I was grateful that I had that experience because it helped me stay strong and not crumble from not getting this job.  I don't understand the why's.  But, I was reminded that the Lord is fully aware of me and my family and I am so grateful for that knowledge.  A few days later we received a little reprieve from someone the Lord works through on our behalf (thank you!).

Alec started his mission papers!  He kept saying he was going to do it, but we want them to do it on their own.  So, Tuesday night he comes home dressed in his church clothes (I didn't even know he was gone!).  I asked, "where were you?!?".  He said, "I had an appointment with the Bishop".  I said, "is everything ok?!?"  He said, "yah, I started my mission papers".  I love seeing the boys change once they decide this is what they want to do.  They seem to grow up so much faster and all of a sudden their younger brothers annoy them!  So, we'll let you know how that goes!

One last thing I have to share, just because I think it's funny.  We decided to do the "12 days of Christmas" to a family in our ward.  The problem is that this family has a driveway that is 3 miles long and they can see anyone coming from miles around.  But, someone told the boys and Scott that it can't be done.  People have tried, but everyone gets caught the first day...well...we are on day 4 and haven't gotten caught.  It has been CRAZY.  The first night, Dallen and Alec go and they are driving in the car up their driveway with all the lights off.  They can't see anything and let me tell you, when there is no light out here, there is no light!  When the full moon is out, it seems like daytime compared to without!  Anyway, half way up they realize they aren't going to be able to go any further because the brake lights and lights in the car were shining.  So, Dallen gets out and takes the treat up to the house, but gets spooked and puts it in the middle of their road right by their house!  So, the next day, their daughter, Abbey, asks Alec about it and let me just tell you that it is scary how good of a liar Alec is!  He played dumb and said "what's the 12 days of Christmas"?  And then he went on to say "you guys do weird things out here in the country".  He went on and on like that.  He was telling us the story and I was just in awe that he could do it all with a straight face and not give anything away!  So, the next night, Scott's boss, Jason, let us borrow his golf cart because there is a back road to the Larson's house that we could use.  So, Alec and Dallen go off again, with Bryce (Jason's son).  They made it all the way to the door step this time.  Alec managed to rip his jeans, break his watch, and fall off a 3 ft. cliff on the way back!  But, they made it.  Then last night was the ward Christmas party.  So, during the party, we had Calvin and Ashton sneak off and go deliver it because the Larsons would notice if Alec was gone and they suspect him anyway.  It had been raining/snowing all day and so I was a little worried about Calvin doing it because the Larson's road is pure mud and not easy to get through and I wasn't sure our car could make it.  I sure didn't want them to get stuck either!  So, Scott gets a call from Calvin and Calvin had been driving in the dark because he didn't know if Katie was home (she wasn't at the party) and all of a sudden, there was their fence.  He slammed on the brakes and bent it and made a nice dent in our bumper.  He was freaking out.  So, he left the goodie on the fence post and was able to make it back out.  Scott got the dent out of our bumper because we didn't want them to come looking at our car and know it was us, but Alec was freaking out because they say we are the only family that drives crazy up to their house because we drive too fast.  Then today, we enlisted the Bishop's help.  He had his secretary make an appointment with them and brought them in.  Donna was sure she was getting released and she was trying to think of every excuse to tell the Bishop she can't be released (she loves her calling in nursery).  Then he gives them the treat.  I almost feel bad for them right now!  First we dent their fence and now she's all worked up that she's losing her calling!  Hopefully they will feel more loved after this, that someone would go to such trouble, instead of wishing we were dead!  We'll let you know how this week goes.  We have it all planned and more than enough people that are willing to help :).  This has been great, though, for our family to bond and if anything, it will be a great memory.

Lots to be Thankful for...

Family has to be number one on our list.  We had a fun with with family.  Mike and Laura surprised us and came to visit on their way down to Phoenix!  We realized we haven't seen them for a year and a half!  That's way too long.  

Cami and Brianna were already strapped into the car, so they weren't able to get into the picture.  We really enjoyed having them.  Then it was time for Rod and Julianne's families to come to visit us for Thanksgiving.  We are so grateful that they would take the time and resources to come out and have Thanksgiving with us.  

Here are some of the pictures of activities.  Thanksgiving morning we were up and cooking.  Then the majority went hiking on a 4 mile hike.  They always say it isn't going to take long, but then end up gone all day and without water!  But they said they found a cool cave.  Olivia, Brooke, Ashton, Julianne, and I stayed behind and played Apples to Apples.  It was fun having time with just those three.  Julianne and I knew which card were each others.  It was pretty funny.  Then the group came home at the perfect time...time to eat!  This was really the first year in 20 years of marriage that I have done Thanksgiving.  I must say it was like any other meal.  It seemed really easy.  The turkey turned out great and so did everything else.  I was proud of us girls :).  After eating, us adults played a game together and that was fun.  It was fun breaking out games and playing.  We don't get to do that often and it's something we really enjoy. I wish I had a set up of the garage.  My boys camped out in there.  They took the big tv in there with their beds and set up camp.  The great thing is that they were hardly in there.  They really enjoyed being with their uncles (especially) and cousins.  The younger boys had fun making a fort in the trees in the back yard.  Alec was an awesome cousin and made a campfire in the backyard and the kids made smores.

The next day, us girls ventured out and hit a couple of the Black Friday sales.  It was not too bad and there were actually some things still available.  I found a cheap stocking stuffer for the boys and that made me happy.  Then when we came back we all went and shot guns.  Rod and Chad brought their guns and the boys had theirs.  First were the 22's and then came the shotguns.  That was more entertaining...almost like fireworks.  Cade was a great shooter.  It was fun to see him keeping up with the older cousins, and out-shooting them sometimes!  Alec was great at throwing the clay pigeons.  After that we showed them around town and took them to the temple.  Then we went and got ice cream at Basha's (they have an ice cream counter) and sat and ate ice cream.  It was fun to be together.  We were laughing that we were out eating ice cream when there was a ton of pie sitting at our house!  Oh well, it was a nice change, and we went home and at the pie, too :).

They left Saturday, and things returned to normal.  Dallen, Alec and Calvin all crashed and took good naps.  Dallen was weepy that they had all gone.  We really loved having them all here.  I got a little sad when I realized that this was Alec's last Thanksgiving with us before he leaves home.  It's just weird when they start to leave because you realize that what you have known as "normal" will no longer be the "normal" and you have to change, which is fine, but I like our old "normal" and I just realized that they are growing up and reflective on where we are in life.  I love that they are turning into men.  They really do surpass all my expectations.  It was fun to watch Alec and Calvin playing a game with Chad and Rod and laughing and playing board games with them, shooting guns, and having a great time being one of the "men".

Now it's back to life :)  But we are still grateful and realize we have so many blessings.