Ummm. . .

The thing about moving to a different location, is that you get to experience all of the new and exciting local flavor. . .

Looks like a great place for ice cream, doesn't it?

Almost OK

I took the family to Pack Meeting tonight.  There were families there that I did not know from the other ward.  I was happy to meet some more people. 

I finally met the Nelsons.  The husbands brother married one of my former young women. While we were talking, I asked the wife where she was from.  She named a small town in Idaho where CP is from.  I asked her if she knew CP, and she said that she did know her, and had graduated from high school the same year CP had. I was so excited. (Probably to much so!)

The same thing happened a few weeks ago with someone in my ward.  I found out she was from Idaho, so we started the "who do you know" game.  Turns out she remembers KV's family showing sheep at the fair!

So now I know someone in my ward who knows KV's family, and someone in the other ward who knows CP.  Now all I have to do is find someone who knows SS, FH, and JG!  

The Wait is Over

Today I was sustained as a Primary worker.   I will be team teaching the 9-10 year olds until January, then the class will be split, and I will have my own class. 

I don't know if I have ever had this calling before.  I know I have substituted, been the nursery leader, and the Primary President, twice.  But, I don't know if I have ever been called as a primary worker. This will give me a new perspective.

I feel blessed that I am able to work with the older children.  They may be a little bit rowdier, but there are concepts that they can understand that the other can't.  We are studying the New Testament which is what is being studied in Gospel Doctrine.  So at least I will be studying the same things I would have been while teaching Gospel Doctrine. I really enjoyed teaching Gospel Doctrine, and since I have been released with the move, I have not studied my scriptures the same way. Hopefully this will bring me back around. 

All Of the Places to Love Best

This is the name of a book read to me today in a training.  We were to listen to the book with the idea that we were to do a free form writing after.  We were listen and gather ideas and feelings.  Here is my free form that I wrote in the 5-10 minutes after the story ended.  I though it was kind of fun, and def- def- definitely ( a little Rain Man for KV) shows a place I love the best.

Soft, plush carpet calls my body down.  I am welcomed and rewarded by the opportunity to relax.  I can hear my friends in the kitchen putting their children's last need to rest before sleep consumes them.  Then we are free to play, laugh and relax.  We can relish in each other's smiles and humor. We tease and jeer and create an impenetrable friendship that will always be near to my heart.  The commonality of friendship is one of the places to love best.  There, there is no questioning; only accepting. No faultfinding, only forgiving.  No contention, only happiness.  No separateness, only love.

Thank you to all of my friends who let me lay on their carpets, long after children had gone to bed, and allowed a permanent friendship to be built within my heart.

CP and I at her house for lunch

 

JG and KV on waiting on CP to do her daily good turn

SS, FH and I at FH's house pretending to be foreign.

Well SS and I are. . .

We are in the 83%

162 miles. That is how close we are to Billings, Montana, and the nearest temple. It seems quite far to me when I have been used to be 45 minutes away my entire endowed life. But I am happy that there is one near enough to make a day trip to. We are in the 83% of the membership of the church that has a temple within 200 miles. It could be worse, it could be 199 miles! Now what to do with the kids for 10 hours. . . . .

                                                            Billings Montana Temple
                                             

The Wait. . .

Joe came home from church today, ( I left early, not feeling well) and told me that the counselor in the Bishopric was looking for me.  Joe said I was sick, and left early. 
The Bishopric member asked what time I got off work.  Joe told him 3pm and then came home and told me about the conversation. 

Any guesses on what he wants to talk to me about?

A Piece of Humble Pie, served to whom?

2T is very musically inclined.

He started playing an instrument while in the 5th grade.  He decided on the flute.  DSH and I tried to talk him out of it, because the flute is a "girl" instrument.  2T disagreed, and so we rented a flute. I think the fact that his grandmother played the flute had a great influence on his choice.  He wanted his grandma to be proud of him.  He took flute lessons for 3 years, and became quite good at it.  He was in the 8th grade band while he was in 7th grade, and was 1st chair in the Junior High Honor band as an 8th grader.

That all changed when he got into High School.  Suddenly the flute was a "girl" instrument.  He didn't want to play it anymore, and we had just paid it off!  Such is life.   2T came home from band with stories of the "band teacher" wanting 2T to play the oboe. I am sure the band teacher did put a bug in 2T's ear, but it sure didn't have to work in very far.  DSH and I tried to talk him our of it, but 2T disagreed, so we rented an oboe.  He took oboe lessons for that year, and at the end of the year, he went to a state high school solo competition.  DSH and I told him to go and have fun, and not to expect to place.  We told him that he would see other oboists that have been playing a lot longer than he had.  We told him to watch and learn from the experience.

He was gone for two days, and had a blast.  He went with some of his best friends in the band.  He played Georg Philipp Telemann's Sonata in A Minor, movements  2 and 4. He played it well.  He played it so well that he was awarded 2nd place in the state of Idaho, as a Freshman at the age of 14.

Buckapalooza June 2011

We got to spend a week in Colorado with almost the entire family.  Sister number three could not make it with her family from Washington DC. Other than that, we had a blast.

We started in Loveland where we completed an "Amazing Race" competition. We were split up into three groups of 4 people and had to race around Loveland completing tasks.  To make it even, there was someone in each car that had come from Loveland.  Unfortunately, in my car, that was me.  Loveland has changed a little in the last 20 years since I have lived there.  My memories have changed too.  Thank goodness for GPS!  Some of the tasks completed were: putting 14 feet, digging in a playground for a bag of beads that needed counting (and got spilled in the car and on the road so we never got an accurate count!), a foot race, looking ALL over Thompson Valley's tennis court for a clue, and searching for a lone golf ball in a sea of balls.

We played games at the house and went to the Denver Art Museum where Sister #2 had and interactive exhibit called " Marvelous Mud", in which we were able to play with clay.

 

We went to Water World where we all played, and no one got burnt!

We went to Colorado Springs where we did a lot of fun things.

We Visited Garden of the Gods

We saw Cave of the Winds

We "climbed" Pikes Peak

We saw the Royal Gorge

 

And got a little wet

We spent time with family. It was a great time.  I hope this is one of many reunions we have together.

Welcome to the Eagle's Nest

We now have another member of the family who belongs to the Eagle's Nest, meaning that 2T has earned his Eagle scout award.

For his project, he repainted two murals on Washington Elementary's playground. Sherwin Williams donated all of the paint and the supplies! Thank you Sherwin Williams!

2T was able to start and complete the project in about a month.  Once the paperwork was done, it only took one week to get the paint, volunteers, and the weather to cooperate to get everything done.

The finished project looked great!

On Sunday, July 31st, 2T had his Eagle Court of Honor.  He had Danny Miles and Herman Garcia, who were both former scout masters, speak.  Danny Miles awarded 2T his Eagle, and 2T awarded Danny Miles the mentor pin.  Ben Call gave the Eagle's Charge, and Farhana Hibbert read a congratulatory letter from Senator Mike Crapo.

We are very proud of you, 2T