A Day in the Life...

 Last week our amazing 96 year old prophet talked about losing his wife a few years ago, losing two daughters to cancer, and other trials in his life.  He talked about his career as a medical doctor who has integral in finding advancements for treatment of heart failure.  He talked about a type of treatment for anything in life that will help provide alleviation.  He talked of gratitude, and issued a challenge to use social media for the better over the course of seven days by expressing the blessings in our own lives.  So I did! I deleted my Facebook a few months ago but hung onto Instagram, so I used that as my platform in expressing thanks for a small few of the big blessings in my life.  I'm copying them in here so I'll always have them! Day 1: We had cousins over and I let them decorate the patio windows with window markers with everything they are grateful for. They don't have social media, so this is the closest they got. I told them the prophet aske...

 Today was my fourth Monday at my new job.  So far I've said a lot of things like this: "I'm not sure about that; it's only my third Tuesday here."  Or "Gosh, I don't know; today is only my first Wednesday here." Or "Wow, you've got me; it's my second Thursday." 😁 The first two weeks, I honestly felt like I was drowning.  I felt like I was drowning, with people lining up to throw me a brick or two.  Today was better.  The last few days of last week were okay too. My official title is a Regional Coordinator for Western Region for High Fidelity Wraparound through System of Care.  It's a mouthful.  Basically, I supervise a team of workers who work with families whose children have high, high mental health and behavioral challenges. It's a cool job. It's a really busy job. MUCH busier than my last job.  Since I'm not in fourth grade anymore, I had to print a map of the counties of Utah so I could see which of my workers...

Here's a cute picture of Dakota Here are all of them! Copper and her cousins Maci and Cameron wrote all over our patio doors with window markers- they listed as many things they could think of that they were thankful for.  It's so cool!  They kept using hashtags until I explained how to use them... #fail This stuffed animal crowd is indicative of Dakota's personality to a T. This mess is indicative of Copper. This creation of a mini bedroom in a bedroom is indicative of Micah. Here's a story Micah wrote about my brother Tom:  "Tom had a deformed face, in a wheelchair.  His room had a TV, XBox, bed, and snacks. Once Tom was sleeping.  He was having a nightmare!!! In his dream, Frankenstein came.  Frankenstein came closer, and closer; all of the sudden, Tom woke up.  It was just a dream!!!  All the sudden, his door opened.  It was Frankenstein!  Tom screamed.  The next day, they could not find Tom.  The end. Sincerely, Micah" 😂?...

Too many leaves means too much fun! This week Micah earned her first stripe on her white belt.  So cool! She works really hard in karate and we're happy to see her committment. We weren't so happy to see another trash creation in her room, this one with a great big bowl of water for her animals that don't exist but need water and cardboard box house to live.  She is quite creative and we do love that! Once upon a time I picked up Amber at 2:30 in the morning so we could be in Heber right near 3 AM.  Yes, that's 3 AM.  We sat in front of the Silver Eagle gas station until they opened at 5 so we could be first in line to get our Christmas tree permit!  Later on we found out they sold them online.  Still had a good time; we met a guy named Kevin who told us all about his life growing up in Heber.  Hahaha. Copper definitely missed out on our family Halloween party but she wanted to try the donut on a string, so we all watched her struggle until she finally...

A few weekends ago, Amber had the family all get together and go to CLAS Ropes Halloween Cruise for my dad's birthday.  We sailed the Provo River in a boat led by a dreadful but hilarious pirate who told fairly decent jokes.  The kids all had a ball together.  The cruise itself is a bit corny but it was a good time and maybe we'll go again... Ice cream at Leatherby's after.  We were all positively sick. Kyle doesn't mind his picture taken but Taryn still hates it... And... also a few weeks back, our last trip to Jaker's Pumpkin Patch.  We love this place!  And it's selling, so that stinks.  

I didn't "get to" go to the school Halloween parade this year because of COVID.  Darn.  What a shame to not be able to find a spot in the crowded school parking lot or in any of the halls because of all the parents who bring all their kinfolk, strollers, wagons, and cameras only to see a glimpse of their child who they saw one hour earlier... I triple love that Halloween was on a Saturday this year.  We cleaned all morning, went shopping in the afternoon (more like browsing) and then spent the night together.  We made homemade pizza and homemade root beer for dinner.  Yum Yum. This year Copper was a pink leopard cat.   Dakota was a deer at school but a wolf at home. Micah was a skeleton.  I convinced her she didn't need a bloody hatchet to carry along, which was her original plan. We went trick or treating.  I'm grateful for neighbors who were "open" for Halloween this year and we respected those who weren't.  Copper officially hit the "...