My Journal

 We slept in again, got ready and then had come follow me and went to stake conference which was wonderful. Afterwards Michael gave us all fathers blessings. He blessed me to be a light to my students and others and to be forewarned of dangers.  Maebryn and I went for a walk and then Michael made biscuits while I made cookies that Michael and I took to Natasha and Travis. Both of which are resent converts. We had fruit drinks and cookies when we got back. Tomorrow is back to school! Ready or not here we come.

 This was a beautiful and low key day. We slept in, had a nice breakfast then we worked outside on the fruit trees. Alden, Calvin, and I had a lesson at 11:00 so that's about when we stopped our work project. Michael ran some errands while I finished cleaning up in the music room and putting up a thing to hold another ukulele. I think that room really looks nice now. We gave everyone haircuts and then watched stake conference.

 We started today with a bike ride around Harmony circle. It was a great morning to do so...but I do think that this might be the last time I am able to pull both Roslyn and Maebryn in the bike trailer. Evan rode around on flat tires which is I think the second time this has happened so I am going to have to remember to check his tires next time. I had asked and him and Benson said ours are good. Afterwards we played a game of Bonanza and then had monkey bread. I am actually here at the school right now trying to print off a couple of things that I have had a hard time getting to print. I really want them all ready before school starts. I like to have all of my copies done at least  a week out so that if the printers go down or we run out of paper that I will be all set. It is finally working of which I am really excited about! I'll head home soon to get Alden's lasagna in the oven. Michael got home a little after we had lasagna. He started on the dinner and the cake. We watch...

 Michael did a great job teaching seminary afterwards Alden and Calvin came with me to the school to get some things done. We got all of the books opened and put away, printed things, ect. I think I am now ready for Monday...Tuesday and Thursday still need some help but I am getting there and am close. Once home we worked on a few things and then in the evening I went with Alden to robotics where we saw the most beautiful moon on the way home. It is crazy to think that his birthday is coming tomorrow and that we really just have one more year home with him. When I went up to tell him good night he was writing in his journal and he told me that it has been a solid year that he has written daily in his gratitude journal. I am very grateful to have a son that sets and achieves good goals like that. It was inspiring to me. I told him how I have had mixed feelings about this journal as I am not actually writing, I'm typing and it isn't quite the same but I had wanted to include pict...

 We had seminary breakfast in the morning. We did breakfast burritos, fruit and yogurt. After seminary we came home and got our things done had our regular lessons. I ran over to the school and realized that I have a lot more to do then I was thinking and will be back again soon. The Spanish teacher was here and visited with me for a bit. During YM and YW I visited with the bishop over the possibility of RS president, who knows if that's what I will do but he just wanted to know what my life looked like and I told him. Overall it was a good day, I have just been really tired and hoping to get my energy back soon.

 Michael did a great job teaching seminary. I taught Benson and Evan their lessons and then had some lessons in the afternoon mostly I spent time organizing my closet and posting things on vinted to sell them. I have sold a few things and it has been helpful in helping me get rid of some not needed things.  In the evening I went shopping at Walmart for seminary breakfast in the morning.

 Another week of seminary. Today was the only day I need to teach this week. I taught on prayer. It went well, afterwards Calvin and I ran some errands and went and got his drivers permit. He drove just a bit in the church parking lot. We will definitely need to practice but so does everyone. I got some things done around the house and then had lessons and orchestra in the afternoon. I love finishing orchestra just a little bit earlier, it makes it so everyone is gone by 6:30 rather than by 7:00 and I think in the future people will probably be gone by just a little after 6:00. This is my last week before school starts so I am really trying to enjoy it but also get as much done as I can. Today we started our regular poem and scripture and check off sheets with the kids. I think we'll be ready for next week...at least hopefully.

 We slept in then had a wonderful sacrament meeting where they had people come up, tell their favorite hymn and why and then we sang a verse of it. It was a beautiful meeting. I really enjoyed it. Our primary class went great, after primary we got everything set up for seminary and then had a relaxing afternoon. 

 We had chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast and then we went to Love St park to play pickleball. We met friends there and we were there for a couple of hours. Afterwards the kids did some game time had chicken burritos for lunch and the Calvin played the game he got while I took the little three to a Primary activity at the church. After the activity we had hoggie sandwiches and cake and Calvin opened the rest of his presents. It was a good day and I think a good day for Calvin.

 I had all these intentions to wake up early and get everything ready for seminary next week but instead I slept in and really got up just before scripture. Really this is what happened so at the RS activity last night I was visiting with someone and it was one of those people that believe that put God in charge of how many children you have. This is something I believe strongly in unless you have some reason to not have children...there's a million reasons why this could be so I won't list them but unless there is a good reason not to I really think you let them come as God gives them to you. (Obviously in a marriage relationship.) Anyways when I run into people like this I am often jealous that they are able to live this way and frustrated that I am not. I talked to Michael about it and it just got me really thinking so I didn't sleep too well.  Anyways in the morning I did get ready and go for a run, watered the plants, and then took the boys and Frances to the temple. T...

After seminary Alden, Calvin and I went to Bro Kramers to move a nectarine tree. It was in a pool filter and was very heavy and very stuck. He sawed it out and we worked on getting it on the truck. Hopefully it'll live. After that Alden went to Providence Hill to work on piano text books. I then went over and started working but ended up doing some tutoring and helping Calvin with his writing of essays. We only wrote one but went over lots and lots of thesis statements and how he would write and essay. Well it worked at least enough to help him pass the TSI so that was exciting. When I got home the kids had cleaned up and I was able to make a quick dinner of chicken soup which turned out well I think. In the evening I went to the RS activity where we made lemon scrub. 

 In seminary we started the psalms today which was fun because I got to talk about music. I am really loving our new group. They are just all so great and it is a big group so we do most everything in groups and we have assigned seats, I just really like it so far. After seminary the older boys went with the Aston's. I took home the girls and they all played while I did lots of yard work. It was so nice to have so much time working in the yard and then getting things done like paying bills, cleaning up the counters, ect. It was a good morning and then I went grocery shopping for seminary tomorrow morning and got home in time for afternoon lessons. Calvin made the pancakes for seminary for us which was nice. 

 Today Michael gave the lesson in seminary. It always feels nice to just show up. He did a trivia review of some of the stories we did last year and it seemed to go well. After seminary I took the kids on a last summer trip. We went to the Shakarosa Zoo. It was a good little trip we also went out to eat at In-N-Out.  We got home in time for afternoon lessons and to water the plants that have been struggling with this 100 degree plus weather.

 Seminary started today. I am so grateful that it starts up before Providence Hill. It gives me time to adjust one thing at a time. We did some fill in the blank apples to apples type things with the old Testament and then played a game where you write things you have in common on 3x5 cards and make a tower. Anyways I felt like it was good. Luis was ready and came with us. After seminary I was able to get everything ready for both orchestras that started in the afternoon. I had a few lessons and went and did an Azure standard pick up. Everything worked out so well and so smoothly. It was neat to see everything come together as it did. We have a lot of work to do but I am hoping we can do it. I just reached out to the college, so I am hoping to play decently by the time we have the concert.

 In the morning Michael, Alden and I went to Hudson Oaks ward to hear Tugg give his mission farwell. He his headed to Japan. We then came home where we had just enough time to have Come Follow Me. Our class was on Job at church and then after Primary we got everything set up for seminary that starts up on Monday. We made Shepards Pie for lunch and the deep dish cookie pie and then Calvin and I took Andrew to the airport. It sure has been nice having him around, we'll be excited to hear about his school year that starts up tomorrow. At night we stuck the the bedtime routine! I have high hopes to do it more and more which I think should help with this not sleeping problem.

 Today was another nice day. We had a low key morning making gravy and biscuits and then the older boys all went to a baptism for a recent convert. While they were gone Andrew and the four youngest and I went to Costco. It was fun to visit, try the samples and see what they had for sale and buy our groceries. We spent the afternoon reading books and watching shows/ movies. Michael, Alden, Calvin and I had the seminary kickoff that was about 30 minutes away and spent a couple of hours at, but we still got home at a nice decent hour.