End of Year Concert

The last concert of the year is here and I'm glad to finally see it end. It wasn't her worst year in choir, but it was pretty close. First, we missed auditions for her to be in Premiere, so she was put in the beginning choir class for girls, again. They had a class presidency who did nothing and halfway through the year some of them were asked to leave the class. Then before Christmas, her class was told that they could audition to move up to Premiere for the last half of the year. Gabbi did, but when it came time to decide, her teacher pulled Gabbi aside and told her that if she moved her up, the girls' choir would be in a world of hurt and she just couldn't part with her. That one angered me. That's when they made her president as well. 

Then to top it all off, for the final concert, her teacher encouraged her to try out to do a solo for the concert. She didn't want to do a solo but decided to put together a quartet. They worked really hard on it, before school, during lunch, and after. When they tried out, their teacher told them that she had literal goosebumps and that they were a shoo-in to perform at the concert. The week her teacher announced the special numbers Gabbi, and her quartet weren't on it. They went up and asked their teacher why she had changed her mind. She told them that she had decided to go with all seniors for the final since it was their last concert. I can understand that, but at the concert, I discovered that wasn't right. Only half of them who did special numbers were seniors and all those who were chosen had done multiple numbers throughout the year. Gabbi's teacher played a horrible game of favorites and I'm glad she's finally done with her.

When the concert finally started, I was just crossing my fingers that it wouldn't go as long as it did last time. No luck. With all the special musical numbers that concert dragged on. They all did a great job in their group numbers, but I only liked one or two of the special musical numbers. It's almost like they ran out of time to practice. That made the whole tryout situation anger me even more. Gabbi's group did some really fun songs and even had some fog blown on the stage for one of their numbers. All their practice (what practice they actually had since their teacher pulled in the solos and duets to use their class time to practice) paid off even without the help of their teacher. I just hope this experience doesn't change her mind about continuing in choir. The only good this that happened from her teacher was a glowing recommendation just in case they tried to throw her in the beginning choir at her new school.

Mother's Day

I had no intention of doing anything for Mother's Day, but Gabbi had another idea. She texted Christy to see what she could do to help. I didn't really think that was fair since Christy is a mom too. Luckily for Gabbi, she only had her kids for the morning, so she happily helped Gabbi plan some fun for the evening. I wasn't quite sure what they had put together, but as soon as Christy got there, I was kicked out.

When I was finally called back into the kitchen, I came to a kitchen counter full of very yummy-smelling food. They had cooked stake stripes, roasted potatoes, fruit salad, salad, rolls, chips and homemade salsa. Not only did it smell good, but it also tasted amazing. When we were done eating, we cleaned up and played a game before Christy had to head home. It was a fun night and I'm glad that we got to spend it with Christy.

Festival Choir Concert

I still have issues with Gabbi's choir teacher, but I'm grateful that Gabbi has never backed out despite everything that has happened this year. She wasn't really excited about tonight because it was her birthday. Not only did she have her concert, but she also had driver's ed, road, and a driver's ed parents meeting. It was a really busy day for her. I was only hoping that this concert wouldn't last as long as the Christmas concert did. Gabbi said it was just the groups performing their festival songs and that's it. I was crossing my fingers.

The boys' group went first and then I realized just how long this concert was actually going to be. After the boys were done singing, they had 3 special musical numbers. Then Gabb's group went up. They did a great job on their songs, better than they did at Christmas, which means they're getting better. When they were done, another set of 3 musical numbers was done. This was going to be a long concert. Just shy of 2 hours, the concert finally ended. After waiting for Gabbi to grab all of her things, we finally went home. 

Baptisms

One of the best perks about being back in Utah is being so close to a temple. We can go as often as we are able, and it doesn't take the whole day. I have loved being able to go once a week. The kids have been able to go a few times since we've been here. It's bright and early, but the fact that they can go is all that matters. 

Family Dinner

It's been a while since we've all been at family dinner. With the busy schedules and lives of all the older kids sometimes they're there sometimes they're not. We still weren't complete tonight because Ben wasn't there, but it was the most complete it's been in a while. It was nice.

Cats

The cats always find ways of making me laugh. We got them a new cat tower and they were all weirded out by it. At first, Dale was all over it while I was putting it together, but when I was done with it and in place they didn't want anything to do with it. I had to spray catnip spray on it for them to come near it and then they didn't want to leave. It was fun watching them.

On top of all that, we took Dale outside on the new leash we got, and he was on cloud nine. I tried to coax Chip out, but he wouldn't come out. He watched from my bedroom window. When I came in to check on him, he was sitting on my dresser. That's not a normal place for him to sit and it took me off guard. He jumped down from there faster than a speeding bullet...as they say. It's a good thing we love these 2 guys.

Primary Boys

Today for our primary boy activity, we focused on Moms. The boys first made a card for their moms with a handwritten note on the inside and then they were shown a really cool knot-tying activity. They could either make a necklace or bracelet for their moms or really anything that they could come up with. A lot of them even chose their mom's favorite colors. They were better behaved today than they have been in the past, which was nice and when the activity ended, they all went home. 

Spring Break day 7

We woke this morning and the first thing I did was check the road. We were lucky, they were open, but they had opened only an hour or so before I woke up. It was a relief to know that we would be able to make it the rest of the way home. We got our things cleaned up and went down to the front desk. We checked out and then went out to the car. I couldn't believe how cold it still was, despite there not being hardly any snow on the ground. Whatever hit last night, wasn't at all what I thought and now it was gone except for the bitter cold.

The rest of the drive home was long (although shorter than if we had driven home yesterday), but at least it was uneventful. We made it home just after 12 and were happy that the drive was finally over. Gabbi did a great job on the portions that she was able to drive, and the boys were both very well-behaved despite all our stops and even our detour. It made me laugh that Ben had made it back more than 24 hours before we did. He was happy to see that we had made it home safely.

Spring Break day 5 & 6

As quickly as it came, our spring break was over. We spent the morning doing laundry, specifically for Ben, and then packing. When we were done, we were able to have a little bit of fun before having to take Ben to the airport. We messed around in their very small gym, well the kids did while Ben and I folded clothes in the laundry next to it. Then we went down to the pickleball court. Each of the kids has played the game in gym/P.E. but this was Ben's and my first time playing. After a quick rundown of the rules, we played. It was surprisingly fun. After a few games, it was time to get things loaded up in the car and head towards the airport.

We made 2 stops before going to the airport. We stopped for lunch at Cafe Rio and then went to the temple to walk around the temple grounds. It was our first time there and even though we weren't able to go inside, it was nice enough just to walk around. I would have loved to stay longer, but sadly we had to call it and get back into the car. Ben had an hour to get to the airport and it was a 40-minute drive. When we got to the airport, we all got out to say goodbye again for another 2 to 3 months. I'm grateful this year of unaccompanied has been easier since we were able to see each other about every 3 months. This last little bit will sadly probably feel like the longest time since it's the end of his assignment.

After leaving the airport the kids and I went back to the hotel. We weren't checking out until tomorrow. We spent the rest of the night watching movies and just chilling in the room. 

When we woke up, we packed up the rest of our stuff and went down to check out. We grabbed some breakfast and then hit the road. Things were going pretty well, I even let Gabbi drive for a little while. When we hit Laramie, we were diverted off I-80. They had closed it due to the weather. It wasn't snowing but something weather-wise was up enough for them to close the road. Gabbi and I switched seats, and I looked for another way around. The GPS took me to I-70, but we didn't get very far. At the next main crossroads, officers were turning people away. We could either go through the canyon (which didn't make sense if they were closing the major freeway, why wouldn't they close a windy canyon road) or go back to town. I followed the rest of the line and started down the canyon road. 

I drove for about 10 to 15 minutes before pulling over. I was apprehensive about where this road would take me and I didn't want to get stuck anywhere once it got dark. At that point, I called Ben and asked him what he thought would be best. He agreed that if I didn't feel comfortable driving that path, I should probably head back to town. I called the closest hotel to see if they had an available room. Luckily, they did and the kids and I turned around. When we got to the hotel, the desk clerk was very nice and said that we weren't the only ones who had called for a room. She said it happens a lot during the winter season. She gave us the room key and the kids and I went up to our room.

When we got to the room, there wasn't much to do except to pass the time. I went and did a search on my phone to see what they had to do for fun. It wasn't much. It was a college town, but that didn't matter much. They did have a theater, so the kids and I went to see Arthur the King. The kids loved it. It was fun, had a great ending, and it was a true story. The kids loved that the story was about someone who lives in Colorado. They all told me how that's where we're going. It just made me smile. When the movie was over, we grabbed a bite to eat and headed back to the hotel. The rest of the night was a quiet one. I did check the road again before going to bed to make sure I made the right choice. I was happy to see that they still weren't open. That was a reassurance to the choice of staying the night.

Spring Break day 3 & 4

Today was all about Colorado Springs. The whole point of having spring break here in Colorado was to check out the area where we'd be living for the next few years. After a relaxed morning, we got in the car and headed to Colorado Springs. First, we checked out some of the neighborhoods where we looked at renting some houses. We had a few in Colorado Springs and a few in Fountain. 

The first ones we came across were the ones in Colorado Springs. The first one we drove by was kind of sad. It was very old and definitely needed some tender loving care. The pictures didn't show that. Not to mention, it was on a pretty steep hill and there was no way I would be driving up that hill in the snow. The other two were in nicer neighborhoods, but the houses looked just as run down as the first. I was surprised too, because the one that I liked the most in this neighborhood, I'd have a hard time living there.

We got back on the freeway and drove to Fountain. Fountain is south of Fort Carson and was given the best ratings by many fellow servicemen and their families. We drove through some nicer-looking neighborhoods than the ones in Colorado Springs, which was reassuring, but the houses...I just didn't feel good about it. Don't get me wrong the houses themselves were fine, but I just didn't feel right about not aiming to live on post. If only our official orders would come through, we could get on the waiting list on post. 

Now that we had an idea about the neighborhood, we drove on post. We drove around the neighborhood that we qualified for, and I was happily surprised. They have some houses that were newer than in some parts, but overall, I felt much better about the thought of sticking it out on the waiting list. We also drove over to where Ben's office would be and the main post where the commissary and PX were. Everything looked really nice, and I think we could live happily here. Crossing my fingers that things move the way they're supposed to, and we get on post.

Now that all the business of our trip was done, we could have some fun. We went out for a late lunch/early dinner at The Old Chicago pizza place. Ben and I went to one in Georgia and loved it, we hoped that the kids would feel the same. We got some fun out-of-the-norm pizza flavors, and I was happy to see the kids actually tried something new and liked it. After eating, we went to the neighborhood theater to watch the new Ghostbusters movie. It was good for a sequel and the kids loved it. They were already talking about seeing it again. When the movie was over, we drove back to Denver and had a quiet night at the hotel. 

When we woke in the morning, we weren't rushed too much. We got ready for the day and had breakfast. When we were done eating, we loaded up the car and went to the Aquarium. It was Denver's must-see list, so we thought we'd check it out. It was pretty decent in size, and they had some exhibits that were a little different than other aquariums we went to. It was a lot of fun. My favorite exhibit was their Asian exhibit where they had 2 tigers. They were so much fun to watch. They were even talking to each other. The noises they were making were pretty cool and we all got a kick out of it.

After we were done on the inside, we went outside to their 4-D theater. We had movie tickets included in our ticket package. We had a choice from 2 different movies. The kids decided on the Super Pets short. It was kind of nice that we were the only ones in there. When it got started we put on our glasses and sat back to enjoy the show. The 4-D movies are always fun because they have extra features like noises, lights, water, smells, and even the chairs moving. The kids had a blast and when we walked out they had smiles all over their faces. 

When the movie was over, we went back to the car and looked up the direction for or next adventure. The kids didn't know about this one, but we were taking them to an escape room. We thought the kids would have a lot of fun trying to escape, plus it was wizard-themed. The host was hilarious and made the whole adventure so much fun. He was completely in character and didn't miss a beat. The room went better than I thought it would. The kids did pretty well working with each other to find all the clues to escape. When we finished the last clue and the door opened the kids were ecstatic. They were even more excited to diso that we were tied for 3rd place for the fastest time in that room.

Now it was time to celebrate. Ben wanted to go somewhere fun and that had some great food. We decided to go to Benihana. Great food and a show. It had been years since the kids had seen their food cooked in front of them. They were excited to see the difference between that show and this. Once at the table, our chef came out and he was amazing. He was funny, cracking jokes every time he interacted with us and the rest of the table. He catered to the kids which made the experience even better. To top it off, the food was delicious. When we were full and not able to eat anymore, we went back to the car and headed back to the hotel for the night.

Spring Break day 1 & 2

The kids and I planned a small trip for Spring Break. We planned to go to Colorado Springs to check things out since that is where we'd be heading at the end of Summer. I asked the kids what they wanted to do and planned accordingly. The drive there was uneventful, even with Gabbi driving part of the way. Once we got closer to Denver, I had her switch me because Denver traffic is crazy. The kids were surprised when I pulled into the parking lot of a Denver hotel. I told them that the majority of the stuff I had planned was in Denver, so it was easier to stay there instead of Colorado Springs. I think they were just happy that they were finally getting out of the car. 

Once we were checked in, I had the kids unpack their clothes and then we went and got some dinner. Back at the hotel we just relaxed and watched a movie before going to bed. I was too excited to sleep because I knew a surprise that the kids didn't. I was picking Ben up from the airport around midnight. It was a long day of traveling for both of us and at one point he was worried he wouldn't make one of his flights because there was a delay in Florida. I ended up heading to the airport even without knowing whether or not he made that flight. Luckily, he did, the only bad part was that it was delayed an hour, so I waited in the park-and-wait lot until I had finally heard from him that he had landed. When he was finally in the car, I took a deep breath.

In the morning, I was grateful we weren't rushed for time. When Ben and I got up I had Ben go in to wake the kids. They, at first had no idea what was going on, but as soon as they realized that it was Ben who had turned on the light, their faces lit up. They were speechless. It was a great surprise. After all the excitement had finally wound down and they were wide awake, we got ready and headed down for breakfast.

When we finished breakfast, we returned to our room to grab a few things and headed to the zoo. Ben, Gabbi, and I had been to the Denver Zoo before when Gabbi was just 1. I doubt she remembered any of it so it would be a first for all of them. We walked in, grabbed a map, and got ourselves oriented with the best path to follow. Luckily the zoo was a big circle with a few branches and very easy to ensure you saw all the animals. 

The first enclosure we came to was the penguins. We came at just the right time too; it was feeding time. The kids had a blast watching the penguins follow around the caretaker who was giving them their breakfast. Their waddle was so cute, and they made the craziest noises. When they had had their fill of the penguins we moved on. I was happy that so many of the animals were out and enjoying the sun. We spent a few hours at the zoo, it was the best zoo visit we have had. All the animals were so active, it was so much fun.

After finishing up at the zoo we went to the movie theater. We were there in time for the afternoon session of Godzilla vs. Kong. Gabbi wasn't as excited to see this one, but the boys have been begging to see it ever since they saw the first trailer for it. After getting our tickets we grabbed some goodies at the concession stand and went in and sat down. It was nice to finally get off our feet and to be able to enjoy a movie together...it's been a while. It did not disappoint either. Even Gabbi liked it. 

When the movie was over, we grabbed some dinner and took it back to the hotel to eat. We chilled for a while and then got the kids set up so Ben and I could go back to the theater. We went to see Dune 2. I had already seen it, but Ben hadn't and really wanted to. Luckily it had been out for a while, and there were plenty of seats. We got our tickets and headed to our seats. It's not my favorite franchise, but it wasn't bad. Ben loved it and that's all that mattered. When we got back to the hotel, I was happy to see that the kids had done what we asked and were fast asleep.

Easter Pictures

When the kids were finally ready for church, we went outside and took our traditional Easter pictures. I took individual pictures of each of the kids and then had some fun doing some funny ones. When all was said and done, we headed to church. 

Easter Morning

It's hard enough to live the day-to-day when Ben's not home, but holidays seem to hit harder. Before the kids could go out and search for Easter eggs, I called Ben so he wouldn't miss out on the fun of watching the kids search. They were all over the place as they walked into the front room. I took a few pictures before the kids looked through their baskets. They each got an Easter outfit and a game. On top of all that, they had some outdoor fun games/toys to share. 

When they were done looking through their baskets, they searched for the eggs that the Easter Bunny had left for them. It was fun to watch them search for their eggs. William had no problem finding most of his, but the other 2 made it seem like they were nowhere to be seen. William even offered to help them find their eggs, but they wouldn't take it. They were determined to find them on their own. After almost 40 minutes all the eggs had finally been found and the kids could finally get ready for church. It was a fun morning and I'm glad our kids still enjoy the magic of a holiday.

PROM

When the girls were done eating, they ran off to get ready. Gabbi and Cloie were going to Cloie's PROM. They sounded like they were having a lot of fun while getting ready. They were laughing and joking around. It brought back memories of getting ready for dances when I was in school. When they were both ready to get dressed, we helped them get into their dresses without ruining their hair. When they were finally done, we went and took some pictures at a nearby park. It was lightly sprinkling, we hoped that it wouldn't get bad. Luckily it didn't and the pictures turned out great. When we were done, we drove them to the city Library where the Prom was being held. They looked great and ready to dance.

We were both surprised when we got a call a little over an hour later asking us to come and pick them up. They said they were fine, they were just done dancing and wanted to come home. We got back in the car and went and picked them up. The whole way home they talked about what they did and how much fun they had, but because the music was so loud, they both had headaches and were ready to come home. When we got back to their house, I had the boys clean up so we could head home.

Girls Birthday fun

The girls wanted to get together for their birthdays; even though they were 2 months apart. They finally put together a plan of what they wanted to do, and Beth and I checked our schedules. We settled on a Saturday where we were both free and went from there. The morning of their birthday fun, we drove to Taylorsville. When we got there, we hung around the house until they were ready to head out. When they were, we made our way to the All-Star facility. They had all sorts of activities that we could do. The girls choose to bowl, play a round of laser tag, and play some arcade games. Everyone had a great time.

When we got back to the house, we ordered dinner from a place called Charlie's Chicken. They raved about it and said it was the best chicken that they had ever had. It had big "shoes to fill" against the chicken we had in Georgia. When it was ready, Beth, McKell, and I went to pick it up. When we walked into the store, I couldn't believe how great everything smelled. I couldn't wait to try it when we got back. When we walked inside, the smell alone was the call for dinner and the girls came running. 

After the girls got what they wanted everyone else dished up. I would have to agree with their statement, the chicken was amazing. I got a sandwich, one like I've never had before. It was so good, that I would happily go again and hopefully, we can make that happen before we leave. It was a great way to end the girls' birthday fun.

Natalie Jane

Gabbi begged me months ago to get tickets for a concert. I was hesitant because it was on a school night in Salt Lake. That meant we would return pretty late, and I would have to find someone to watch the boys. I talked to Ben about it, and he convinced me that it would be okay and a fun experience that she and I could have together. After hashing it out with Ben I went ahead and bought the tickets. She was so excited when I told her. We started to make plans, and I asked Nana if she could come and stay with the boys. Once everything was in place, Gabbi began to count down the days.

When Gabbi got home from school, she got ready for the concert while I got dinner ready for the boys. When we were ready to go and Nana arrived, we headed out. Gabbi chose to have dinner at Super Chix in Riverdale. I was glad she picked someplace close, so we didn't have to fight the come-home traffic. After getting our order, we sat down and ate our food. She loved it and ate it so fast. She even asked when we could come back. We cleaned up our mess and then headed to Salt Lake.

The drive itself wasn't bad, but as soon as we got off at the exit, there was construction everywhere. I was worried I was going to get us lost or at best late for the event. I'm not used to driving in Salt Lake and I was unfamiliar with where the building even was; I was glad, even after a few U-turns, to finally pull into the parking lot. The attendant instructed us where we could park, and we paid our fee. Once we were parked, we gathered our things and headed towards the music hall. 

We got in line and waited with everyone else to get inside. We waited for at least 30 minutes before the line finally started to move. When we were at the front, we showed our tickets and then walked inside. I was surprised that it was actually inside a bar. It was a concert hall where small crowds could gather for concerts, but there was a gated-off section for the bar. The room was full of teenage girls and what I assumed were their parents along with all sorts of couples and even some young school-aged kids. I followed Gabbi to a section of the floor that I thought would be the best view for her to see.

We stood there talking when they started to play the opening song. Gabbi looked at me and was jumping up and down. She knew exactly what song it was and then started screaming when she saw Jessia Baio walk on stage. Jessica was who she was there to see even though she was just the opening act. She sang a handful of songs and Gabbi was singing at the top of her lungs right along with her. She was so happy, and you could see it on her face. I was happy that Ben talked me into it. He was right, this was something special that we could share that I hope she will remember.

Easter Devotional

The stake assembled a Stake Family Choir to prepare for our Stake Conference. They practiced every Sunday for a month and 1 Saturday morning right before. The kids were hit and miss about practices, but they all said they had a great time when all was said and done. The following Sunday they were continuing practices, only this time they would be preparing Easter songs. I asked the kids what they wanted to do, whether they wanted to continue to participate or be done. I told them that it had to be a unanimous vote for us to participate. I was a little surprised when they all said yes.  

We, again practiced for a month and then had one last dress rehearsal before the Sunday night Devotional. For only practicing 4 times and having half the amount we did for Stake Conference, I was surprised at how well we sounded. They let us walk around when we were done to get our "wiggles" out, before taking our seats. The kids and I grabbed a few pictures because the decorations were beautiful. It would definitely set the mood.

I wish it would have been better attended, but we were competing with another Easter Program that was being held at the Tabernacle downtown. Shantelle and her family were performing in that one. When it was time, the councilor in our Stake Presidency got up to talk about our program and how it would go. Then he went and sat down. With that, the time was turned over to the Stake Family Choir and its director. All in all, it was a great program. There were beautiful numbers both vocal and instrumental and then the few words that were shared were perfect. I was proud of the kids for wanting to participate.

MORP

The day finally arrived. I thought I would be needed more like I was for the Sweethearts dance, but this time, I was not. Her date came and picked her up for their day date and I didn't see her again until she came home to get ready. Once everyone was ready, we met at the Union Station to take pictures and we did our best to get a few before the downpour came in. We were supposed to take pictures an hour before we did and had we taken them at that point, we would have made it before the rain came in. After a few shots inside and outside, the kids ran off to their cars and went to dinner and then the dance.

When Gabbi got home, she had a smile on her face. I asked her how the day went, and she said that she had so much fun. They talked a lot, they laughed, they danced, moshed, and overall, just had a really good time. She wasn't sure if anything else would come of it, but it didn't matter. She was glad that she had asked him.   

Wizard Party

We received a special invitation...it was an invitation to go to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (a birthday party for a friend). The kids were so excited and couldn't wait to see what awaited them. When the kids got home from school, they got ready to go. When we got there, we walked through the wall at Platform 9 3/4. When we walked through, we saw our fellow students, refreshments, and so much more. 

When things got started, we were all sorted into our houses. Once we were at our tables, we played a trivia game and for each correct answer, we were awarded house points. Then we played wizard chess. That was so much fun. We were each a chess piece, and we defended our spaces with pool noodles. Each side was made up of 2 teams and the side that one was awarded house points. 

When the game was done, we had a small break and stopped for some refreshments. When everyone was good to go again, we had some spell-casting classes. We were awarded house points for the best spell enactments of 5 specific spells. The kids were having a blast casting these spells and acting like they were actually working. Now that we were armed with spells, we had to use those to hunt for Horcruxes that were hidden around the building. Each Horcrux awarded different amounts of points. Once all were found, points were awarded and tallied. 

When all was said and done, it was time for the birthday boy to open his presents while ice cream and cake were dished up. It was such a fun party; we all had a blast. 

School Program

William and his class, and his grade, have been working hard on their end-of-year program. The topic the 4th graders were learning about was our great state, Utah. They learned about its history and the people who have paved the way and made Utah what it is today. Each of the kids had a line to memorize and they even learned some songs to go with it.

William was so excited about the show. When we got to the school, he told me the best place to sit so I had a good view of him. He was all smiles when we took his place on the risers. When the show got started all of the kids stood up tall and happily performed what they had been working on. The songs were cute, and all of the kids did a great job with their lines. It was quite the production, and I can only imagine the weight that was lifted off the teachers' shoulders when it was finally over.

Goofing Around

While getting haircuts for the kids today, I returned to my phone and found many pictures on it. While I was inside with Owen, paying (since the others finished and went out to the car to wait), Gabbi and William were in the car goofing around. They must have been having a blast since they took over 20 pictures.

Dale

Dale kills me. He follows me around like crazy. If I'm in the bedroom, he's on the bed, at the bathroom sink. or in the window waiting for me to come to him. When I'm in the front room or the office and have sat down at my computer he climbs all over me to make sure that I know he's there and wants attention. I, of course, allow it and then he will eventually settle. No matter where I am or what I am doing, he stays for quite a while.

Today he not only was in his new cat playpen while I was watching a movie, but later that day, he was on the table while I was talking to Ben after the kids went to bed. He's so funny, I love that dang cat.

Beauty and the Beast

I've been talking with Deann about getting together with them. It had been a while. She asked if the kids and I would be interested in seeing a play at their community playhouse. The play was Beauty and the Beast. I told her that it sounded fun and to let us know what day worked for them. After a few chit-chats, we finally decided on a day and we both bought tickets. 

Today after cleaning the house and other errands, we headed up to Nelson and Deann's. Deann made her sloppy joes and asked if I would bring some salad and chips. When we got there, Nelson was out working in the back yard and Deann was in the house getting dinner ready. We sat down and visited while the sloppy joe mix simmered. When it was ready we had a blessing on the food, and all dished up to eat. The kids ate at the bar, and I sat at the table with Nelson and Deann. We caught up on all that's been going on since we haven't seen each other in a while.

When we were done eating, I helped Deann clean up and the kids went outside with Nelson. While outside, they also took advantage of the sunshine and road around on the little bikes they had in the backyard. When it was time to go, I had the kids put the bikes away and we all piled in our car. It's nice to have that back row available when you need it. We drove to the playhouse and once there, Nelson and the boys got out to wait in line. We girls stayed in the car. Now that the sun was going down, it was getting chilly and none of us really wanted to stand in the breeze. About 5 minutes before the doors were to open, we joined the boys. 

When we got inside, we had our tickets scanned and then went in and found seats. It was hard to determine the best spot, it's a square stage like at Hale, but we did our best not to be behind one of the pillars. We sat down and waited for the play to start. Sadly, we had a little bit to wait. William was getting restless, so he got up and walked around the stage like all the other little kids. The time couldn't go by fast enough. I was afraid William was going to run into someone while playing with the other kids. As soon as they made the announcement for the show to start, I had him come and sit down.

All the players did a fantastic job, and I could tell that all of the kids were loving it. Even Owen. At intermission, he talked to me about all the parts that he has enjoyed. I was happy to hear that he was having a great time. After intermission, they all sat down in anticipation of the second act. They were on the edge of their seats to see Gaston and the townspeople storm the castle. They might not have cried, but they were cheering inside when he returned to his human form. 

When the play was over, all of the players lined the hallway so they could greet all those that came to watch the play. The kids stopped and congratulated a few of the players on their performances. I did too. They really did a great job for a community play. It's not the first time we have seen a play there and looking at some of their coming up shows, I wouldn't mind going back to see another one. Once outside, we got in the can and went back to Nelson and Deann's. We didn't stay long, just long enough to drop them off and say goodbye.

Chip

I couldn't believe it, but Chip again surprised me by being in the covered cat bed. When I walked into the room, all I could see was the ends of his legs. When I got closer, he pulled them in and was trying to situate himself so I couldn't get to him. He made me laugh. I took a picture to send to Ben and then left him alone.

Scripture Study

It's been a couple months now, but I dare say that scripture study has changed for the better. It was hard to do scripture study with the kids since we moved to Utah, especially since Ben's not home to help. I'm not very good with scriptures and it feels like half the time I never know what to say or how to answer their questions. We've been listening to podcasts to help with our nightly lessons, but that doesn't seem to engage the kids as discussions have in the past. After talking to Ben about it we decided with the new year to do scripture study differently. We decided to study at the end of the day, instead of at dinner time, and to include Ben through Facetime. 

The first few nights were fine, but we needed a better way. It wasn't as effective to hold up my phone the entire time. Then Ben suggested Microsoft Teams. This way we could hook it up to the T.V. through my laptop and actually see his face and hear him better. It has worked really well over teams and as a whole, it has been a lot better than the podcasts at dinnertime. 

Now that we have embraced our new way of doing scripture study, we have noticed a few things. The kids haven't been as engaged as we thought they would. We've asked questions, but their answers always seem to be the simplest of answers, no thought necessary. We talked about changing things up and having the kids take a bigger role in our scripture study. We asked and they agreed for one week to prepare a lesson that went with our Come Follow Me. Each of the kids took the initiative and prepared some pretty good lessons. I would say, it has gone over well and has made our scripture study more inclusive and interactive. 

Tonight was Owen's turn to teach and with his lesson on the temple, he had us build one. Ben drew one on his computer while the kids worked together to build one out of Legos. Both looked pretty good.  When they were done, we talked about our temple creations and the rest of his lesson. I liked the build so much, we decided to display it on the kitchen desk.

Cats

We got the cats a new toy and it was delivered today. It's an outside playpen for cats. It reminded me of a hamster toy. It was too cold to take it outside, but I thought it would be a good idea to have them get used to it while in the house first. I set it up in the front room to see what they thought of it. Both of them sniffed it for a little bit and slowly ventured inside. I was surprised when they even started to play with the toys that I put inside. They seemed to like it, and I couldn't wait to take it outside. 

On top of the new toy, I was caught by surprise when I walked into the bedroom and found Chip inside the covered bed on their cat tower. I have never seen him in there before, or Dale for that matter. He stayed there for a while too. I wondered if that wasn't the first time he had been in there. It was kind of funny because he surely didn't fit in there.

To end the night, after the kids were in bed I laid down to watch a show. Partway through the show, both Chip and Dale joined me on the bed. I expect that from Dale, but not Chip. I was surprised when they got comfortable enough to lie down and eventually fall asleep. I felt bad when I had to get up to get ready for bed myself. At that point, Chip ran for cover.

Answer

When we got home from the movie, the kids started getting ready for bed. I told Gabbi to brush her teeth first before changing into her pajamas. I knew something she didn't know. A few minutes after she was done, she went to change into her pajamas. I told her to wait, she wasn't sure why. When she asked why, I told her that she might have a visitor. I told her that I had received a message from someone asking if we'd be home tonight. After telling her that, we heard a truck driving down the street. It was one that neither of us had seen come down our street before. Gabbi instantly knew who was in the truck.

A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Gabbi was really nervous but finally walked to the door. Her date for the dance was at the door dropping off his response. They talked for a minute and then said goodnight. It was so cute too. It was Doug from the movie Up with a collar around his neck with his response. She was so excited that he said yes. Now let the planning begin.  

Movie Night

Ever since the trailer came out the kids have been talking about seeing the newest addition to the Kung Fu Panda franchise. Tonight, their request came to fruition. I surprised them after they had all gotten home from school when I told them all to get in the car. They didn't know what we were doing until we pulled into the parking garage. At that point, they all started guessing what movie we were about to see. They eventually guessed it when we walked inside, and they saw the stand-up movie advertisement. I had the kids stand up next to the stand-up and took a picture before we went to the concession counter.

After getting our food and drinks, we went into the theater and found our seats. We hadn't been in our seats for long when the lights finally went out and trailers started playing. As soon as the movie started, I looked at the kids and all of them had smiles on their faces. I could tell that they were really excited to see what Po and all the others were up to now. When the movie ended, I asked the kids what they thought of it. They all said they loved it, and I would have to agree. It was a good one.

Permit

The day has finally come...Gabbi got her learner's permit. She debated for the longest time whether or not she wanted to get her permit to drive, but after some convincing from her dad, she finally asked me to make an appointment for her test. Luckily for her, she didn't have to go to school today because the Juniors were taking the ACT test, it seemed like the perfect time to take the test. 

We walked into the office and checked in. They took her picture and then had us sit down until the next teller was available. When it was our turn, we went up to the counter. They checked her eyes, had her read a final statement about her test, we paid the fee, and then she went and took her test. I went and sat down and waited for her to complete her exam. I was surprised that she didn't take very long. She was so excited she passed, and I could tell that she had because of the giant smile on her face.

We went back up to the same counter as before and the teller asked Gabbi how she did. She told her that she passed. She congratulated Gabbi and then told her of a few things that she needed to be aware of before she started driving. Then she handed her her permit. She was so giddy it made me laugh. We walked out and she was jumping up and down with how excited she was. We snapped a quick picture and then walked to the truck. With her permit in hand, I told her to hop in the driver's seat. She did a pretty good job as we drove around. We did a few errands, practiced in a parking lot for an hour or so, and then finally went home.

Mesmerica

I came across a pretty convincing advertisement on Facebook for an event being held at the Clark Planetarium. It was convincing enough that I went ahead and bought tickets to go. Later on, I asked Taycina if she and her kids might find it interesting enough to go with us. Since her husband was delayed and still out of town, she bought tickets as well.

Today was the day, we loaded in the car and went to Taycina's house to pick them up. We stopped at a gas station before getting on the freeway to head to Salt Lake. When we got to Salt Lake, we headed towards Trolley Square. We had decided to go to The Old Spaghetti Factory. Our kids were very excited to go there because it seems like every time, we eat with them it's pasta. I don't mind it, but I don't blame them as well. At least when we sat down and glanced over the menu, there was plenty to choose from that we don't have on a normal basis.

It was delicious and after paying the bill we went back to the car. We then drove to the parking garage below the Planetarium. It was insane trying to find parking. It was a standstill. People were waiting for others to leave so they could take their spots. We waited in line in the parking garage for over 30 minutes. I still couldn't believe how long we waited, but luckily while the person in front of us was waiting for someone, another person just a few spots down was also returning to their car, and we were able to take their spot. Now that we were parked, we walked to the Planetarium.

When we walked into the lobby, we got in line to check in and get our wristbands. Once we were checked in, we still had some time before they opened the theater doors. We let the kids explore the exhibits close to the line so that once the line started moving, we wouldn't lose our spot. They did pretty good, but then I turned around for one second and I could no longer see Owen. I had no idea where he went and then the line started moving. I gathered William and Gabbi and we went inside. We found some for all of us, and then I went in search of Owen. Once I found him, I gave him a look and he knew he was in trouble. We walked to our seats in silence.

When the show finally started, I was grateful to have the distraction. The show as a whole was pretty good. It reminded me a lot of the optical illusion pictures to music. It was very relaxing and mesmerizing. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was surprised to find out that Owen actually loved it. Even said that if he had something like that to listen to or watch just before bed it might actually help him fall asleep. I wasn't all that surprised that her kids didn't like it. It's not really their thing. But now that the show was over, they could walk around the exhibits at the Planetarium.

The kids ran all over the place trying each exhibit. I followed them for a little bit, but sadly I was done and went downstairs to sit down. I did stop in the gift shop for a minute and then went and sat down and waited for everyone else to be done. When they were, we left and went back to the car. The ride home was a quiet one. Apparently, the Planetarium tuckered them out. They weren't asleep, but none of them said a word. 

MOPR-Posal

Gabbi finally agreed to ask someone to a dance. Well, if you asked her, she would say she already asked someone to the first girls' choice dance, and they said no. It wasn't planned or thought out, so I don't really count that one. This time round, she actually thought it out and we worked on it together. She was really nervous when we went to drop it off. Now the balls in his court. She's going crazy waiting for a response.

Youth Basketball

Tonight, Owen had another basketball game. There weren't as many boys tonight as last week, but they were all excited to play. Owen did much better tonight as well. He got some really good steals in, a ton of rebounds, and he actually took 2 shots this time. They didn't go in, but I was proud of him for trying. The game was really close too, the entire time. In the last play of the game, Owen's team made a shot that put them ahead by one. He had a huge smile on his face when he heard the buzzer go off.

First meeting

Tonight, we got to meet the newest member of our extended family. I asked Amanda if we could bring in dinner one night to help out with the newest change in their family. They had a lot of family and friends ask the same thing, so I told her to let me know when they would like a meal. Tonight, we were able to make them some dinner as well as meet Nellie.

The kids were so excited to see her and when we walked in you could tell. Amanda was sitting on the couch when we brought their dinner into the kitchen. When in the front room we sat down on the couch to visit for a minute. We each took a turn holding Nellie. She was so dang cute and every once in a while, she gave off cute sleep smiles. Both Gabbi and William were a little apprehensive about holding her but were all giddy when they did. It was so cute to watch them interact with her. I felt bad that Owen wasn't able to join us, but with coming home from school with a cough, I didn't want to take any chances of him passing anything to anyone in their house. After getting a tour of her nursery and getting to hold her, it was time to let them eat the dinner we brought and said goodbye.

Again...snow

You would think that I would be used to it by now living in Utah pretty much my entire life, but it always seems to take me off guard. After a nice couple of weeks with no insane snowfall, it again snowed today. I was worried that it wouldn't stop, but luckily it did, and with enough time to shovel the driveway before having to get ready for church. 

While I was waiting for the snow to stop, I was sitting in the front room watching the snowfall. None of the kids had woken up yet, so I was enjoying the quiet. I was joined by Dale, who thought the snow was pretty cool. It almost looked like he was trying to focus on certain flakes that fell in front of him. Eventually, he laid down in his window seat to enjoy the falling snow. Even better, Chip came in. It took him a while before he jumped on the windowsill to sit next to Dale. He too got comfortable and laid down on the windowsill. The next thing I knew, they were both taking a little cat nap.