January 20 - 26

Sunday morning we had the privilege of being with E1 as she received her patriarchal blessing.
It was a sweet, tender experience. My testimony that we have a Heavenly Father that knows us and loves us was reinforced.   I love my daughter with all my heart and am so grateful for the person she is.  These past few months have been pretty tough on her, but she "keeps on keeping on".  I am so proud of her.

Monday Darren took E3 and N ice-fishing at Fish Lake. They came back sunburned and happy.  I am thankful for Grandma Roxey and her willingness to have the fish cleaned/stored/and cooked at her house.  She wrote on one package with sharpie, "Invite N over to eat" before she stored it in the freezer.  He thought that was pretty cool.   I am also grateful for a husband that taught an excited little boy how to clean a fish. 

I went to the grocery store as the kids were getting worried about the barren wasteland that was our refrigerater.   Plus to scrapbook I needed total SNACKS okay?    Then I locked myself in my office and got an a roll finishing my 2012 Project Life album.  Between the work I put in Monday and the rest of the week I am pretty much there. I ordered a few specialty sized sheet protectors and am waiting for E1 to send me a few pictures then I am DONE.  I am really happy with how it turned out and it makes me so happy to see the kids poring over it. 

Also Monday I made my first recipe for the new blog I want to start of the Richfield 2nd/5th ward cookbook recipes.  It was called "Fishlake Meatballs".

Tuesday was region Drill Competition.   E2 was awesome. Their team took third in Region. They were disappointed as they won last year.   E3 and N were good sports about being there all night with the booming music.  The picture above is N going to town during the break when they played "Gangnam Style".  It was SOOOO Funny.  He's got some moves. 

Being at these drill competitions brings back so many memories. It seems not so long ago I was in the circle pinkie locked with my teammates while we waited for the results of our efforts.

The rest of the week was a blur of school and work and Library Board and a baby shower and housework and grocery shopping and Darren working 13+ hours straight at the SVC.   Darren and I did sneak out to see Lincoln Wednesday night and I really really liked it. I came right home and started reading more about Lincoln.  I had no idea what had went on to get the 13th Amendment passed.    To imagine the pressure Lincoln was under was thought provoking. 

January 13 - January 19, 2013

I had a mildly stressful Sunday as I taught Relief Society for the first time.  It was nice after it was all over to be able to go to Grandma's and have a relaxing dinner with them.  She made the most delicious ham. The kids of course hung out with Grandpa and took possession of every Apple device they own. With three kids at home now, all three can be satisfied as they have two IPad2's and an I-phone.  I don't even have a smart phone so it's sad my 63 year old mother is more hooked up with technology than I am.

 

Monday we took the kids to the pool for Family Night.  We had them practice with the snorkel and mask to get ready for our family trip this October. We need to find something smaller for N.  It was so cold outside that I really did not want to get in the water but it ended up being really fun.  My new swimsuit is freaking awesome.  Darren has been swimming nearly every morning for the past few weeks. 

 

I really am so tired of the cold. I just ache. I don't want to exercise as I don't like being out in it. I have a treadmill and tons of exercise videos but all I want to do is hibernate.  We heard a booming noise out in the garage this week and it was my cans of soda exploding from the cold. That is craziness.

 

N has a few more weeks of ball. His team got skunked this week but he made some great lay-ups. He was awesome.

 

We had more car problems this week. Our expedition is running really sluggish and I admit I typed the following words into a search engine this week, "Should I worry if my car smells like it's on fire?"  Ya.... pathetic.  It has this burning smell like burning wood, not hot electrical.  And it's leaking oil everywhere.  And then Thursday morning I drove E2 to early morning drill practice after seriously being up all night worrying about things and I left the lights on in the truck when I got home. So here we are Thursday morning trying to get to work and the Expedition is frozen and not working well and the truck is dead as a doornail.  It makes me crazy and honestly kinda weepy.

 

I had so many opportunities for pictures on Friday that I can't believe I didn't take any.  E2 danced at the big rivalry game, E3 and her friend hung out at the game, N and Will played all night. I cleaned house like a crazy woman in prep for the weekend.  I was really motivated as I have Monday off.  It seems lately that my "To-Do" list gets frisky and starts breeding like a rabbit, but even though we went to SLC Saturday and home Sunday I actually don't have anything I HAVE to do Monday. So I am going to go gangbusters finishing the journaling of last years Project Life book.  All the pictures are in but I'm only to August on the journaling. I am really excited.

 

Anyway, we went to Provo Saturday and picked up E1 and headed to SLC for Darren's dad's 85th birthday party.  We had cake and ice cream and visited and laughed and got to celebrate this wonderful man that I have the honor of having in my life as a second dad.  I love him so much.

 

The party wrapped up early so we hit "Les Miserables" at Jordan Landing.  I have been waiting to see it on a "real" theatre so I was excited to have the chance. The whole family went... my plan was for the girls and I to just go while Darren and N visited longer at his parents but he wanted to go too so N got drug along.  We all liked it except E2.  The first half was a little too heart-wrenching for her.  We have been singing the "Do you hear the people sing?" song all day. It reminds me a bit of the RSL chants.  I read on the internet that the show is coming back to Broadway in 2014.

 

E1 had a special day today but I will write more about that NEXT week :)

 

January 6 - January 12, 2013

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E1 returned to school Sunday. This was the first time she'd driven a long distance by herself, so she was nervous.  We are so proud of her.

I stayed up waaaayyyy to late watching the start of the next season of Downton Abbey. Yay!

 

We only have one car now as our Expedition is broken down and E1 took the little car.  This is not usually a problem but Monday by 9 we'd driven E2 to 6 a.m. drill practice, picked up E2 at 7:15 as she'd forgotten her clothes, took E3 to school as she had missed the bus, took E2 back to her school, dropped of Darren at work, took N to the eye doctor to pick up his new glasses, dropped him off to school, hit the grocery store for lunch items as I'd spent an hour of work time in the car so now wouldn't get lunch..... you get the idea.

 

We took the Expedition into the mechanic Tuesday and found out that the repair would only be $75 dollars. Yes we had gone without it for almost THREE MONTHS for a repair bill that only ended up being $75..... sigh..... 

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E2 was required to attend the basketball game Tuesday but got done in time to go to Young Womens with E3 to make darling necklaces with this year's theme.  I love the women that serve my girls. They are fun and faithful. I appreciate them so much.

Wednesday is E2's busy day. She goes to drill at six, school at 8, drill after school til 4:30, dance class from 4:30 to 5:30, piano lessons from 5:30 to 6. Twelve hours straight of run run run. I took these pictures as she was running in the door from dance lessons all pink cheeked from the cold and running to the cabinet to get her piano lesson materials.  I am proud of her.

Wednesday night was N's basketball game. They play 3on3 which I was worried about at first but has ended up being such a great way to give the boys experience. The game ended in a tie but we are pretty sure the scorekeeper missed a few of our team's points.

Thursday E2 did flag at drill. I was sick again and spent the evening on the couch.

Friday I made it through an hour of work and then had to come home.  I am so tired of being sick. The only good thing is that it  gave me time to study my lesson for Relief Society on Sunday.

Darren worked all night at the drill competition. E2 helped out as well.

Saturday was the Richfield Invitational Drill Competition. As the Azurettes host the competition, they perform their routines in each category but don't really compete.  E2 did awesome. I shed a few tears I admit....

Darren worked all day long. We were hoping he would get off in time to go see LesMis but he got home too late.  Maybe next week.  I watched the exciting end of the Bronco's/Raven's game while cleaning my room and bathroom. Yuck.....

 

December 30 - January 05

 

 

I was still feeling pretty sick on New Years Eve so we skipped the parties and stayed home.  I made Darren's favorite roast beef sandwiches for dinner and E2 made her yummy cheeseball.  The kids settled into playing an "epic" battle of StarCraft with Darren, while I organized pictures on my computer, making a final back up for the year.  I was working away on my computer when I heard booming noises. I looked at the time on my computer and it was past MIDNIGHT!! We had all been so absorbed in our activities that we had MISSED it.  I was a wee bit bummed.

We ran upstairs and the kids ran around wild outside (barefoot... in the snow) which was all good and fun until E1 pushed N into a snowbank.  Good grief....

 

The rest of the week we spent getting back to normal.... cleaning up Christmas and starting back to school. I could not have done it without E1.  She cooked and cleaned and took down Christmas.

We had pack meeting Thursday and Friday night the Crowthers fed us and entertained us with games and good times.  Darren worked all day Saturday. I am starting to feel ill again and so we skipped games with our friends and enjoyed a night at home with E1 before she returned to school. We flipped channels between the USU vs Idaho and the BYU vs USF basketball games. Both were exciting.