Time flies when you're having fun!

Holy Cow! It's been almost 2 months since I have written! Things have been busy. Here are just the highlights...

* Alec turned 16 and Scott turned 39. Alec has no desire to get his license because he told us, basically, that he doesn't want to have to get a job and if he gets his license he will have to pay for insurance and the only way to do that is to have a job. I told him that he is going to have to find one anyway whether he has a license or not! Still no job, though...

* Derrek turned 17. I think it was the happiest birthday Derrek has ever had. Really! He was just happy all day and it was even Fast Sunday on his birthday. We spent it with family and that does always make him happy. Scott even got to come :)

* I got to go play in Phoenix with Scott's sisters. We made a blanket out of Scott's mom's clothes to have and snuggle with, especially when we miss her. Scott said that he isn't quite ready for it (it was coming on the anniversary of her birthday) and so we have put it away in a safe place until he is ready and needs it.

* My sister Jenette got engaged and two days ago got married! We love Craig and are so happy to have him in our family. I think we got the better end of the deal. Hopefully he won't wonder too much what he married into!

* Derrek no longer has a job, and neither does Scott, for that matter. The McDonalds that Derrek worked at is being rebuilt, so they tore it down and now they are in the process of building a new one. They should be done by February and Derrek said that if he hasn't found a job by then, he will just reapply to McDonalds. Scott, this last week, has said good-bye to Sunwest Development. Lots has happened and we have just realized that it is time to move on. We are a little sad that we won't be able to have any cushion to help us in our next endevors, but what do you do? Well, we choose to rely on the Lord, because he can do more for us in one minute than we can do for ourselves in a lifetime. We know this will be hard, and frankly I don't like these trials, but I do like who I am after I go through them. I will continue to work at Sunwest until the Beehive home they are building is done. I have applied to another job and will continue looking to see if I can do my part. My family comes first, though, and the Lord knows that I would rather be poor than to sacrifice my family for a little bit of income. I know it will all work out...just interested in seeing how!

* Calvin turned 15 this past week. All he wanted for his birthday was to take his drivers permit test. He almost passed (missing it by 2 questions!) without ever studying. He now has the book and will soon retake and I am sure he will pass it. He is very eagar to drive! I wish Alec had an ounce of that, but maybe it's better this way. He'll really treasure it when he really wants it.

* We have another boy! Well, we have "adopted" Jose Osario. He is 18 and a senior in high school. He is in our ward and his family was moving to Mexico and he didn't want to go. He wanted to stay here and be with his ward family and finish high school. He just joined the church about a year ago and wanted to learn all he could from the ward family he has been in. He has been such a great blessing to us. He is really sweet and wants to always do what it right. It is fun because Dallen speaks spanish to him all the time and Jose gets along great with all the boys.

* I got to go to Time Out For Women in Phoenix with Scott's sisters and a couple of our sister-in-laws. It was really fun and the theme was "Infinite Hope" and little did I know that the next Monday after I got home was when Scott would lose his job and I realized that i had to have infinite hope in order to make it through this trial.

* Derrek was inducted into National Honor's Society.

* Scott got in a car wreck and only had a bump on his head. On that same day, two boys at the kid's high school were struck by lightning. Alec and Derrek, along with our backyard neighbor, Ashley who drives Derrek and Alec home, all saw it happen and were the first responders to the scene. Derrek ran inside to get help and Alec and Ashley ran up to the boys that were struck. Ashley started CPR because the teachers didn't know it and she said "I just remembered how to do it". I am pretty sure all those YW activities that taught it for girls' camp came in handy! Anyway, Alec and Ashley helped carry one of the boys into the band room where the paramedics were going to work on the boys. It was scary because that boy didn't have a pulse at the time, but now both boys are up and walking around. One is back at school already and the other is still in the hospital, but doing good. It was a really weird day.

* Calvin popped his toe-nail off and that was gross! He kept saying "I can't believe I got hurt hopping on dad's car when I was just at my friend's house going down a hill in an office chair and my friend was behind me on his skateboard". Nice, huh?

Well, that is all I can remember!

Eagle Scouts!

We finally had the boys' Eagle Court of Honor. Calvin has been waiting since May and Derrek and Alec officially got theirs back in June. I guess I never really thought about having three Eagle Scouts at once. I must say, though, it wasn't me who helped them get it. It was a grandpa and neighbor/scout leader who pushed them to make this a goal. Anyway, they are glad they made the accomplishment.

My sister, Jenette, helped me make these awesome cookies for the court of honor. They were of the Eagle Scout emblem. It was fun to do, and yummy! I told her she could start making a business with just these cookies because of all the mom's around here that would want her to do it (like me!). And, it's a lot less messy than cake!

I think my favorite part of the whole thing was when the boys were welcomed into the "Eagle's Nest" with all the other Eagle Scouts. In that group were leaders that they have or had, their old Bishop, Uncles, and cousin. Here is a picture of them being welcomed by those men...

We then went to my parent's house for a BBQ and swim party (upon Calvin's request). I appreciate everyone who came to celebrate that with us, and bringing the food. It was just nice to get together and have fun (and eating is always good, too!).

We had another Court of Honor this week and it was for the whole troop. Ashton received his First Class rank. Next he will be working on his Star rank. He was excited to get that.

We also let Derrek get a phone this week. He is so excited. He, of course, has to pay for it and when he doesn't, then he won't have a phone. He just found out today, though, that the McDonald's that he works at will be shutting down in October because they are tearing it down and building a new one. He's already freaking out about how he is going to keep his phone, but this is good for him...welcome to real life :).

Scott and Alec had a good birthday this week. Alec is 16 and Scott is now 39. We didn't have any money for presents, but I did have a gift card to TJMaxx and so Scott and I went shopping there (as his request), to buy some new pants that fit...(poor him hates that he has lost weight because now his clothes don't fit!). Alec didn't mind that he didn't have presents. I did get him a thing of gum and some swedish fish. Scott and I were able to give him something I thought he would like...a camping/fishing trip. We have a friend who was willing to come teach Alec how to fly-fish. As always, I can't get much out of Alec as to how it went, but I think he enjoyed it. All in all, it was a good birthday for both of them. All Alec wanted really was cheesecake and a party with family. So we went to my mom's to swim and eat cheesecake (and pie for Scott). I would put a picture up, but Rod was kind enough to use his camera and so I don't have the pictures back yet. Maybe next week...

Summer has ended...

I can't believe we are here already! I am personally glad to have school start...not because I will now have no guilt while I am away from the house, but for a schedule! This summer was good. I must say it was really nice having a driver. We managed to work it out so that the boys and friends could pretty much go skim boarding every day! They would spend at least four to five hours there each time they went. This is a picture Derrek took of one of their days. This is Austin Graves (Calvin's friend) showing his moves. You can see the boys waiting their turns in the background. I even went and did this one night for a Youth Activity. It was hard and I literally fell on my face, but after awhile, with the boys' help, I was able to do it...well, not like Austin, but I was able to glide on the water.

The rest of summer was packed with mostly church stuff. Calvin and Alec were counselors for Timberline. They actually enjoyed it and built a huge catapult. They tried to launch it, but it didn't work...it got caught on something and broke. I can't find the video that they took of it...maybe I'll download it when I find it...

There was Scout camp for Ashton. He earned 8 merit badges (thanks to the leaders pushing him!). He's a child that needs encouragement! He was excited to get them all. We also had Girls' camp (mind you...Scott has to go to all of these things!) I went just one day because Scott felt he needed to be up there the whole time to get to know the girls. It was fun and he had a good time. I love girl's camp. Scott kept saying "you'd NEVER have this at Scout camp!". It's very spiritual and such a great feeling there. Then we had Youth Conference a couple weeks later. That was interesting! We went up to my Aunt's cabin in Heber. It was great, but I got totally sick with the stomach flu the day before (and I was in charge of it for our ward!). The kids were starting to get it too and we were supposed to leave the next day. It was pretty bad. I had Scott come home during the day and give me a blessing. By 4:00 that afternoon, I was pretty much healed. I just kept going around to the kids "blessings work!". They thought I was crazy, but I was so sick and the Lord was the only person who could make it go away, and He did! The next day we went and the kids were still queasy, but we were able to go on.

We went to the Bowler Family reunion, thanks to family members to help get us there (thanks you guys!!!). It was great. We went to the Grand Canyon. I don't think I have been there since I was 12! It still looks so fake! I kept thinking I was in the movie "Truman Show" because it just didn't seem real. It was just beautiful. Derrek had to stay behind and work and he had a big trip he had been planning all summer to Brian Head with his best friend, Brandon. So, we let him stay behind (by himself, with a car!). He had a hard time with us coming back. He liked his independence a little too much! Scott, Ashton, and I went on a big hike with some others. It was 1 1/2 miles down and 1 1/2 miles up. It was hard. Half way back up Ashton was not doing well and started crying. He was hot and dehydrated. I made him carry my camelbac so that he could just sip on water the whole time. But, once we were done we felt very accomplished! Alec and Calvin went on a photography hike/tour. They got to borrow some expensive cameras and learn how to take pictures of the Grand Canyon. Dallen just hung out and played with his cousins.

Then the older boys had a Venture Scout Camp. They were going to go to Moab, but they went to Panguich and Zion's National Park instead and did some canyoning. They were pretty nervous because there were supposed to be flash floods in Zion's and just a few days before they were there, there was a whole group of people that were caught in a flash flood and most of them died. But, they were safe and had a really good time. Their leaders are amazing and do so much for them. Dallen and Ashton enjoyed the week of reprieve from their brothers' torcher! After they got back, one of the leaders had to tell Derrek and Alec that they needed to be aware of how the boys look up to them. When Derrek wouldn't help out, then most of the boys wouldn't help out. When Derrek would, then they were all there doing their part. Alec has a bad habit of making unnecessary comments and he would do it every now and then to a couple of kids and then the other boys would follow and continue making fun of the boys and Alec needed to realize that it was his comments that would start it all. It was a great lesson for them, especially since Scott and I weren't involved...they just might take it to heart! Scott didn't go on this trip. The thought of going on another campout made him want to cry and really he had missed so much work this summer, that it was time to get serious.

Derrek had a Priest/Laurel Retreat put on by the Stake. They had a good time. Scott and I were invited to come because he is Bishop, but we felt Derrek needed an experience without his parents ALWAYS around! But, him being a boy...I didn't get much out of him of how it went!

We started the first day of school on Wednesday. The boys were really happy to start (which surprised me!). Derrek is a Junior in High School. Alec, a Sophomore; Calvin, a Freshman; Ashton is in 7th and Dallen in 5th. We are in four different schools again this year. Calvin, Ashton, and Dallen are all in schools by themselves (no brothers). Ashton leaves first (that is why the picture is of him by himself). The others leave fairly close together, about 45 min. later. We have done pretty good getting back into the schedule.

I was stressed about getting them school clothes, because frankly, we don't have the money....but I have been working a second job and was able to use some of that money to buy an outfit/shirt for the boys...but what did they wear their first day?!? Not the clothes that I bought them! Ashton wore the shirt I got him, and Dallen has to wear a uniform now. Seriously?!? Why do I stress over those things? Anyway, Dallen had a book report the first day of school of something he read during the summer (um...yeah, I'm not a very good mom!). So, we were scrambling to come up with a book that he could remember the story and write about it! This week will tell how it's really going! This is when the homework starts. But, the boys have adjusted fairly well and like their classes and teachers. Dallen has a brand new teacher this year, but seems to like her so far.