Spring Break

Calvin was able to join us for Spring Break in Vegas! We ate all the food and visited with friends and family. He even surprised me with a night away just the two of us at Red Rock Hotel. It was very spontaneous and all we had was the clothes we were wearing. I called for toothbrushes and you had to go to the gift shop and purchase them. . . so that didn't happen. We are grateful for the time away and for having so many people we love that we didn't have time to see them all.

So the big news is i am now the Relief Society Presidente! And I have been very busy! So many opportunities to serve and help others and lots and lots of meetings. That is what I have learned the first week in. But I have an awesome team of counselors and secretary who will keep me on my feet. I feel blessed to be in a position in my life to be able to hold this position in the church. The first day my husband just kept looking at me. So I finally asked him what!? And he said, "if I would've told you 13 years ago you would be RS president you would have laughed." Such a perspective on my life. I am so greatful for a Savior who never gives up on my and my stubbornness. He sure is pushing me to make up for lost time!


Believe in yourself. Believe in your capacity to do great and good things. Believe that no mountain is so high that you cannot climb it. Believe that no storm is so great that you cannot weather it..You are a child of God, of infinite capacity. God will not forsake you. . Pres Hinckley



Boldness means we love when it's hard. It means we choose power, love and a sound mind instead of fear. It means we choose to do what is right, even when there are heavy consequences.

Besides running around we have celebrated Valentines and a long weekend with Presidents' Day. We only have two days of school this week for parent teacher conferences! I can't complain about work with a schedule like that! I was in charge of decorating for the stake adult valentines dance! I had so much fun! My oldest was able to serve the elderly dinner. She also had New beginnings with a candle land theme. Busy busy

Making pizza for the first time

Taking her babies for a walk

“The strength of the Church is not in … its thousands of houses of worship across the world, nor in its universities. … The strength of this church lies in the hearts of its people, in the individual testimony and conviction of the truth of this work- Pres Gordon B Hinckley

My first whole week of work! And it felt like it went on forever ha. Monday and Tuesday were blah. My cousin headed to the MTC with my aunt to begin her mission for the church. She will serve in Cincinnati, Ohio. I've been purchasing warm leggings, gloves and such since they do not sell them in Vegas. It's been fun being apart of the process and especially being her escort through the temple a coupe of weeks ago. So proud of her. Wednesday we went to library club. Two of my kids didn't make it past the first fifteen minutes when they realized they were talking about Groundhog Day instead of building with Legos, which was on the schedule. So they looked for books and I started my taxes on the computer. That evening I met with my decorating committee. That is so fun to say. I have been placed in charge of decorating for the Valentines dance for the adults at the church. I have planned and delegated jobs and I can't wait to see it all together next Saturday. I have only been given a $30 budget so I have been scoring Pinterest for ideas. Me and my husband will be making a kissing booth out of pallets! Thursday I held activity days and we talked about the word of wisdom. I played music and let the girls have a dance party to promote excercise. Friday I had a girls night with Ashley. Buffalo Wild Wings, dollar store stock up on crafts then ice cream, skinny pop and crafting while watching tv. We know how to party! Today we start constructing the kissing booth. We have picked up six pallets to do the job. Luckily it is 40 degrees today so we will take advantage and work outside! I haven't decided if ice and snow is worse or equal to the slush that will happen when it all melts.

Monday I woke hunched over in stomach cramps and I was not about to shovel out the car so we took a personal snow day. Tuesday the school district called an actual snow day so I still haven't worked a full week and I am exhausted. The school issued a photo contest for reading on a snow day and we had fun submitting pictures with snowmen and snowforts. Cross your fingers we win the $50 amazon card. Wednesday my middle child stayed home and I felt like the worst mother going to work and leaving her in bed. But I think that was her plan because she brought her whole bed to the couch by the time I got home and was binge watching tv. So I ran grocery shopping with little man and then went visiting with a sister in the ward. When I came home I about cried, a kind neighbor brought home his farming tractor to scrape our driveway. Little acts of kindness go a long way. We helped his sister out of her driveway on Monday. It feels like a community getting everyone sane in this white stuff. Thursday was chaotic. After work/school I had activity days (8-11 yr olds meet and work on goals and be silly at church) then I came home did dinner and went to a relief society auction. I was a little stressed about going to an auction until I showed up and was given Monopoly money. I took some home decor I no longer use but stash anyways and came home with four giant cinnamon rolls yum. Friday ... you'd think I'd remember what I did yesterday. Okay it came to me. I made chicken lasagna and a friend called and said she had made extra spud it dough so I ran and we had fun making doughnuts. Today there is a church sledding party on the ball fields. But most importantly it is Rar Day. I miss living close by all of her favorite things, it was so easy to do things in her memory with my mom. But the celebration will still go on!!' This is the tenth year I've spent your birthday without you. Ten seems like such a monumental milestone that I never wanted to reach. But I know we will have eternity together when it is my time to join the celebration in heaven but I am nowhere near to be ready for that... so I will wear a little pink eyeshadow today (because really no one can pull off a lot, don't know how she did it) and cry a little and laugh a lot.

Another week in the books and it was kind of a different one. Saturday we had adult session of conference and I had the time wrong so we missed most of it but we enjoyed the waffles and ice cream after at our RS pres house. After Sunday's session we had a fun afternoon of soup and mashed potatoes at a friend's house. Monday was a holiday off from school and Calvin picked up a day shift, so me and the kids hung around the house. Tuesday and Wednesday were a normal hectic day. I should add that Tuesday was my 13th wedding anniversary!! And my lover brought home a dozen red roses!! Bravo to my man. Every Wednesday is a half day from school and we go to the library kid club right after. This week they played indoor snow games since it is too cold to play in the actual snow. Thursday it warmed up outside enough to snow again. It snowed so much they called a snow day. So I tried to be productive and changed bedding and other random tasks that never get done. Also, it has to be noted that I shoveled the car to unbury it. Abs of steel should be coming any time now. Today the sun came out and t is a warm 34 outside  and we went back to school. I'm thinking if we have a full week of school next week it will throw us off. But thankfully no drama happened other than the normal he said she said fighting. 

So my blog kind of died. But it is my resolution for this year 2017! To let go of trying to catch up and just recap at least once a week, because I miss this fun journaling. So this week I went back to work after taking a year to be home with my children and become aware of our new surroundings in good ole Idaho. And going back to work has brought me to some realizations about myself.1. I am mean when I am stressed out.2. I get stressed just thinking about things before I even get to them, so it doesn't take much 3. I missed being in a work environment where I was needed and acknowledged
So it was kind of a win-lose kind of week. But I have to say my kids are champs! I had a couple meltdowns (picture my sobbing and throwing a snow shovel) and they stuck with me. Before, if we got stuck in the snow in the mornings we would just call it a try, but now I have to be to work! SO Tuesday I had to rely on a neighbor to pull not one, but two cars out of the slush in our front yard.It was the first day back to school after winter break, a trip to Las Vegas, and a snow day. Kindergarten was canceled due to flooding damage so it was also a first day to find a sitter since I wouldn't' be able to stay home with him. DRAMA. Then Wednesday I was already to nail this getting everyone where we needed to be and then the truck ran out of gas warming up out front. I LOST IT. Did I mention my husband started police patrol training this week too. . . 30 miles away. The truck was parked in front of the van. . . .which I was scared we would get stuck in. . . . Are you guessing at my stress levels. . . . I called my husband to calm me down and that never works ha! He didn't understand what the big deal was and then threw in a "I told you so" about the truck not having enough gas, I could get the van out with plenty of room. Which I did eventually talk myself into doing regardless of the icy slope I was sure would send us straight into the truck. . . which didn't. I'm sure we prayed a lot that day. Thursday and Friday we survived.There was more, a kid throwing up one day and a fever another. And I was that mom throwing tylenol down his throat and taking him to school because I could surely leave work if they needed me too but I couldn't call in the first week.But I don't want to sound pitiful. I miss my mom being close by to take my puking sick kids while I carry on my duties.This whole far away business is rough relying on yourself. And now for a three day weekend. To eat cake with my now ten year old and watch enough tv to drown this week's nonsense out of my system so come Tuesday I will want to do it all again. Adulthood am I right?!