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I'm so grateful for this week of Thanksgiving that segues to a celebration of our Savior's birth. Love this time of year, but more importantly love the baby who gave us a reason to celebrate. Hosanna to God and the Lamb.
The day started out with a quasi fun run on one of the most beautiful Thanksgiving mornings I can remember. You would have thought we lived in Phoenix, except you can see snow on the mountains. How grateful I am to live in such a beautiful world. Sunrises and sunsets are some of my favorite things.
All this race cost us was a can of food and we brought several. Kiersten and Nate have had a goal all year long to run a 10K race. They aren't the easiest races to come by and it never came to fruition this summer. This little race put on by the Tooele Running Club had three races you could choose between: a 5K, a 10K, or a half marathon. I immediately said no to the half marathon. If I don't get a shirt and a medal at the end, it just isn't worth it. I'm only half serious about that last sentence.
So I opted for the 5K only because I haven't run in over a month. It's been hard to find time this month and I'm beginning to think my only time is at night, after I've got the kids bedded down. How grateful I am for a body that works and allows me to do so many wonderful things.
Kiersten and Nate chose the 10K and finished together. I'm so stinkin' proud of them. I love watching my kids set their own goals and accomplish them. I love being a mom! It is the most rewarding career there is and I wouldn't trade it for anything.
We've become the chauffeurs for Grandma Leary and love it. I'm grateful that my kids have had this opportunity to get to know their great grandma and she knows them as well. Tyler was pretty certain she had a Mt. Dew or two before we picked her up because she talked nonstop all the way there and all the way back.
Gotta love Halloween nights when you don't have to dress warm. I am also wondering what I'll do when I no longer have Alex to open the door to all the trick-or-treaters. I'm kind of tempted to just set a bowl of candy outside and let them help themselves.
I don't mind opening the door and passing out the goods, but I swear the minute I started doing something or sat down, the door bell would ring.
Erik and his friend Carl (our legendary Lake Point peacock) hit the down.
Nate and Jeremy
Ash and Allie
Alex and Ian
The haul from the night that is slowly dwindling.
And, yes, those are onions.
We have a neighbor who religiously hands them out every year. I thought they grew them. Nope. They're just from the store and cheaper than candy. The funny thing is all the kids know this house and love coming home with their onions.
I think moms like it too. I don't have to buy onions for awhile.
Erik's been in the window washing business for some time now. He's done some research online as to what products he likes and doesn't like, and I'm sure grateful for neighbors who are willing to let my boy practice on their windows and then pay him for it.
For the past couple of months we've endured having a home built next to us. You know they're about done when the window washing guys show up.
After some psychological coercion, Erik found his bravery and went next door to talk to the guy and get some tips.
The window dude even let him try out some of his equipment.
I honestly didn't think Erik would do it. My kids surprise me sometimes.
I think I can actually take a breather, starting in about 2 hours, after choir practice.
Life has just been slightly chaotic these past couple of weeks. Nobody told me how time consuming this calling can be. :)
Two weeks ago was our Young Women in Excellence program. I've got a good bunch of ladies who help make things come together.
Volleyball ended with us making it to region and spending an entire Saturday morning playing. Unfortunately our ward does not have enough girls who actually like to play so we are combined with several wards: Lake Point, Captains Island, Bayshore, and Mill Pond. Our fearless team captain Meredith and crew came up with a team chant on the way home one night that involved all the wards names: Legendary People Create Inconceivable Breaded Mushrooms.
And then last week was a local tradition called The Over 60s Dinner where the youth of our ward feed the people of Lake Point who are over 60. Flyers had to be delivered, a menu created, food prepared, a program to put on, and clean up afterwards.
Oh and I also volunteered to fill in and play the organ today on a farewell Sunday. It's only been twenty years and I didn't do so hot. I began playing and quickly realized I needed more sound. So I fumbled with the pedals and pretty much massacred the beginning of the opening hymn until I got the sound right. Only then was the sacrament hymn too loud and I quit playing all together as I fumbled through that. I made a decision not to touch the pedals on the last song. I didn't care if it was too loud or too quiet.
And did I mention it's been a crazy couple of weeks of subbing. Sickness has hit teachers and subs and because of the shortage, everyone who can work has been needed.
We were also down one vehicle as our van sat in the shop getting some repair work done.
Erik had basketball tryouts for the high school freshman team. Sadly he did not make it. He didn't even make the first cut, so he's been pretty bummed about that this week.
Can't wait to see what this week will be bring.
Last Sunday we got together with my parents at my sister's house. When you are a couple missionary I guess you can pretty much do what you'd like, within reason. They have been able to come and go from the MTC.
So we decided it would be nice to get together one last time for a family home evening where they could tell us how it's been so far.
They've been most impressed with the young missionaries and have made a point to sit with them during meal times instead of with the other couple missionaries.
And today they are who-knows-where. I can't believe they are actually gone. From Los Angeles they were flying to Fiji, a 12 hour overnight flight and then a two hour flight to the mission home in Tarawa, the capital of this group of islands.
Heck, there are islands everywhere. Christmas Island is their final destination in a week or so. When they finally arrive, they will be 2000 miles from the mission home but only 1300 from Hawaii. They are so remote that planes only fly in and out on certain days at certain times and they are pretty much located right on the equator. Even though they are located in the same time zone as Hawaii, the international date line makes a fancy jog making them an entire day ahead of Hawaii.
Can I just say, they are in for the adventure of a lifetime.
