Vacation is Over

Tomorrow I go back to these people. I really like them and am actually quite excited to see them. I'm so lucky to love what I do.

A Reason to Cheer

Sometimes there are reasons to cheer. The kind of cheer that makes you want to pump your fist high in the air or chest bump your fellow team player after an amazing win. It is probably the type of cheer I would give if I had won the lottery (don't play the lottery so I won't ever win). We are cheering because we just "won" and extra $30. At least we saved that much when we gassed up the van at $1.92 per gallon. Can I get a WOOT WOOT? Go gas prices! Go gas prices! Go gas prices! GO! That's right folks, $1.92!!!!!!

Beginning the New Year

Began this New Year with freezing temperatures. I hate freezing temperatures but because of them I realize how wonderful and cozy a nice day of 50 degrees can be. There must be negatives to appreciate the positives. I scheduled family pictures today, too. So, we gathered together, with the photographer, in bitter cold temps, to smile and make permanent the start of this year. No family has ever taken pictures that quickly. I'll just say, "BURR!" Because of the extreme chill we sure acknowledged our deep gratitude for the tepid temps in the car. Can hardly wait to see them. Until then, I'll enjoy my cozy blanket while the temperatures hover in the subzero range. 

   

Our First summer DIY Project

For several years I have wanted to get a fire pit in the backyard. I have looked for a lark old tire rim to use and haven't found one. We dug a small hole in the ground once. That worked for about a day. But I wanted this to be a permanent pit that we could enjoy for years to come. Then along came Pinterest. I love Pinterest. I found many ideas on there. They ranged from very simple to extremely elaborate. I pinned many determining that I would definitely get it done this Summer. 

Then, I was called to be the ward camp director. I have no idea how to camp. Even more frightening to me is that I don't know a lick about cooking while camping. The poor girls of our ward may starve unless I learned how. This seemed like the perfect time to get a firepit so that I could practice my campfire cooking skills. So today I woke up and said, "Let's build a firepit!" And my family said, "Yes!" (But I know deep down they were saying, "Ugh!!"

Supplies needed:

36 - 12 inch retaining wall bricks

5 - 0.5 cubic feet bags of river rock

4 tubes of concrete adhesive

We headed to Home Depot where we bought some of the supplies we needed. We also had to go to Walmart because once we put all the bricks in our van, we didn't dare add the weight of gravel. The poor van was a low-rider. 

While Trent and Adri picked up the gravel and adhesive, Kenna and Katy and I did some digging.

 

I should have taken a pic of the pre-digging step. We laid the bricks out in a circle, two deep. Then we used a shovel to Mark where our outline was. The inside ring would be the pit and the outside ring was for the gravel. Then we moved all the bricks and started removing the grass. Once it was all out then a little raking got it all leveled out.

Next we filled the dirt area with the river rock. All the gravel had been sold. The small river rock actually looks better and probably will work better. Then we began placing the bricks. The bricks we bought had a lip on it for a retaining wall. So with each layer, the wall tapered in and got smaller. This was going to force us to cut a brick, without any tools, and our pit was going to have a slimmer opening than I was wanting. Solution? Knock off the lips with a mallet, hammer, and screwdriver. Those are the tools of real DIYers.

Each brick was leveled on the bottom layer. (As I am not much of an exact science type, it was Trent who helped make it near perfect.) for the second layer, we added concrete adhesive to each brick and placed it on top. Then the third layer was made the same way. Then we covered the bottom of the pit with a couple more bags of rock. Within an hour or so, the whole thing was quite sturdy and ready for a fire.

Tonight We enjoyed hot dogs, bratwurst, s'mores, and lots of smoke. I think this was the easiest DIY project we have ever attempted and it turned out well. We had some great laughs and made good memories. Now the memories will continue as we build fires and enjoy outdoor cooking for years to come! And be ready family. You are about to become the guinea pigs for my camp cooking.

Because of Him

Happy Easter! I have two things to share here. The first is a video. Because of Him I have everything - a testimony of the Gospel, my wonderful family that I can share eternity with, forgiveness, joy, and opportunities for growth. I love this video.

http://youtu.be/_S3TI4bYerU

Also, I lead the music in Primary. We have learned some beautiful songs about our Savior this year. This song, is not in a Church approved publication and so we won't be learning it but I love the message. It certainly doesn't mean I won't be sharing it with them at sometime. What transpired in Gethsemane makes all the difference in my life! 

http://youtu.be/5uSGSvKy6Io

I love my Savior!

A Check on the Ol' Bucket List

I despise the month of February. It isn't February's fault. It is January. But January is cold and long and ugly and poor February must follow January and is still cold, long, and ugly. Therefore, because I am already sick of January I must also dislike February. So, Presidents' Day is a very important day of the month. It can be different and out of the normal. We can break from the routine. We did. I plan crazy and somewhat adventurous things to do - quite spontaneously. I planned at 8:00 a.m. Saturday and we left at 11:00 a.m. Saturday. It didn't really matter what we did as long as it wasn't here.

Our first stop was a Utah State University basketball game. McKenna has chosen to attend USU next Fall and we thought maybe she should, at least, see the town she will be living in. We enjoyed the game. Of course, USU lost. But it was still fun. I think McKenna will definitely enjoy being part of the "Herd" at those home games. A quick drive around campus, on a Saturday over a holiday weekend, showed us that much was going on and we should just get on our way. So we did.

Our next stop was Salt Lake City, where we planned to stay for the weekend. I had planned to go to Tucanos, which I love and no one else has tried, but the girls all wanted to go to The Spaghetti Factory. I don't really enjoy that place but we have great family memories there so we went. We waited FOREVER for a table and some of us nearly fainted from famine. We survived, however.

We were all tired, and grateful to go to bed early. The next morning we got up early-ish to attend the "Emily Show" aka Music and the Spoken Word. My friend Emily plays the violin. We think it is her show. To our surprise we ran into Michael, Emily's husband, and were able to enjoy the broadcast with him. Then we visited with these dear friends after. We also got to ride in their very cool bus. Yes, a bus, that is cool! They gave us a ride from one parking lot to another. Good times with good friends! We love the Rices! (Should have gotten a picture. Hindsight is a good teacher.)

Our next adventure was to visit with our dear friends that moved very far away and have now moved closer but not close enough - the Sorensons. We love them and miss them. But we had a great visit. (No picture of them, either!)

We then got to do something that I have wanted to do for a very long time. We went CURLING. The girls were about to die thinking about what I was about to make them I do. We had an instructor and broom-y things and stones and ice. It was way fun. It is a lot harder than it looks. You have to have good balance and extreme skill to be able to get that stone clear across the ice and into a small circle on the other end. It was so much fun. Katy didn't find it all that enjoyable. Adri and Kenna endured it well and Trent, the only one of us to score points, seemed to think it was fun too. But no one enjoyed it as much as I did. That is a check on my bucket list!

After that fun, we visited with Grandpa and Grandma in Farmington. We love them and always enjoy our time with them. Then, we were tired so we went back to the hotel to fall into bed. 

Next morning, we were able to contact a missionary friend of Collin who had brought a gift home from the mission field. Collin had sent it but it took us a long time to meet. The wait was worth it. Elder Sleight is a great young man and the plate Collin sent is beautiful and a treasure.

We had to return back to Idaho quickly so someone could be back for a practice and I could get my classroom prepared for another week. All good vacations must end but they end with great memories in this family.

Choices, Choices, Choices

So, as long as I remember, McKenna has been striving for perfection. So much so, that it has caused her a few issues from time to time. It doesn't matter what she is doing, she wants it to be perfect - except for keeping her room clean. When she was a little time, like 2nd grade or so, she decided that she would have perfect grades for her entire school career. She has worked hard and stressed about it (at one point causing ulcers) the entire time. Well, here it is, her final semester of high school and she has made it. All that work and stress was to help her get into the college of her choice so she can do whatever it is she wanted to. 

Well, she won't tell anyone, because she is really low-key about that, but she did apply to college she has been accepted. She now has to choose between 

and

One of those schools offered her much more and she will probably go there. One of those schools has colors that matches all her current clothing. One school is further away and not the mainstream decision that others in her school choose. One is closer so she can visit more often when she feels she needs to. Choices, choices, choices.

Wherever she goes, we are proud of her and know that she will conquer the world. She is just that way - determined and hardworking.