A surprise for Grandma
Donna!
On New Years Day Laurie told Grandma Donna she was going to bring
her to the church so she could watch the boys play basketball. INSTEAD, when
she opened the door there we all were with a "Surprise!" and
"Happy Birthday to you..." She was so touched!
We played games and ate some more! My gut was taking a beating
with all the party foods.
I think in general my body was not used to so much excitement
since I live a pretty low-key life. By New Years Day I fighting a headache be
wearing dark sunglasses at the party. I felt very dramatic;)
However, Grandma Donna felt loved and appreciated and that was the
main thing. We sure look up to her in so many ways and loving having her as
head of the family.
New Year New Beginnings
Her actual birthday, Jan 3rd was our New Beginning's night. The Young Women displayed their projects. My "spaghetti cupcakes" had people really fooled;)
The following is a letter I sent to Sharon Eubank of the General Relief Society Presidency:
Heber
6th Ward YW Converted Unto the Lord April 18, 2018
Dear
Sister Eubank,
Thank you for your
inspiring talk during last years Women's Conference. I attended and felt
inspired to use your talk as the basis for our New Beginnings this year. I
serve as the Young Women President in the Heber 6th Ward.
Last November the Young Women met for a dinner where they sampled the building blocks of a testimony: Eyes to See, Discipline to Create, Glue to Bind. The girls looked through their Personal Progress books and chose from their experiences and projects something to share or display in one of these three categories for our upcoming New Beginnings.
In January 2018 we
invited parents to an evening where the Young Women shared what they have
accomplished through Personal Progress and how the Young Women values have
helped them build a testimony of faith, family and relief.
For dessert we served
spaghetti cupcakes, which included starch, protein and sauce (some
people thought they really were spaghetti cupcakes, when in
reality they were a sweet treat).
It was a wonderful
evening where the spirit was present and testimonies were strengthened. Thank
you for your leadership and example to the women of the church.
Sincerely,
Abby Bocanegra
Self
Reliance Graduation
January
4th was another other big night. Since September I have been attending the
12-week Self Reliance course in the business class with Dulce, my friend
who lives on our street. She is not a member of our church but she said
her favorite part of the course was the increase in her faith. That is a big
deal! Ava, Graham, and Callie came with me since it was a dinner for the family.
It was potluck and so yummy! After all the snacking and sweets from the
holidays it was nice to have some real food. I spoke, along with two other
people about our experience with the course and then we got our certificates.
For my business I had to create I chose to make Ghee-Ghee's since that is what
I do anyway! I have since found an avenue to sell them at the Park City
Hospital in the gift shop. It is really just a little side hobby. When I was in
Elko for Thanksgiving Sadie helped me pick out cute fabric combinations.
President Thomas S Monson passed away two days before so we are
the last group of graduates to receive certificates with his signature
stamped on. I had to speak at both New Beginnings and Graduation. This caused
me to wake up to a nice cold sore the next morning. Typical. Matt was out of
town for both of events. Also typical;)
When
we got home, Grayson wasn't here and we couldn't for the life of us figure out
where he had gone! Callie kept telling us to check the church because he was
probably "ballin." I didn't think he would be there because there was
a viewing going on, but YES the YM were ballin! Geesh!
Grayson
joined a basketball team at the rec center and as luck would have it he was on the championship team! I didn't go to very many games. It seemed that when I attended they'd loose. He had to play against his best friend Corbin a few times (below). They
play ball after school every. single. day at the church. He had county ball onTuesdays and YM ball on Thursdays. We even had to get Grayson special
sports glasses after he cracked his frames during PE.
-->
Grayson quickly wore out the two cheap basketballs he got
for Christmas. You would think he had lost all of his shoes or something, "What am I
going to dooooo Mom???"'The next time I was at Wally World I got him a better ball. It was still in the
van when I asked him to help me unload. He came inside with the ball, "Is
this for meeeee?" He. loves. basketball.
Sistas
Get-a-way!
I
was debating weather I should attend the prophets viewing on January 11th but
we were leaving on a sisters trip to Hurricane that evening and I didn't see
how I could fit it all in. We didn't end up leaving Provo till 10:30 PM so
I probably could have swung it after all! Sadie had already trekked out from
Elko when we got on the road. After all the fuss of the holiday's we were so
ready to get outta town we couldn't even wait till morning.
It
was a heavenly weekend of shopping, dinning, chatting, and a little sleeping.
We can hardly keep our eyes open for a photo! Har har.
In the news there was
an accidental “ballistic missile” threat sent out to Hawaii that weekend. We
joked that if our houses weren’t cleaned up when we get back there would be an
eminent ballistic missile coming in.
Pictured L to R:
Ashley, Lindsey T, Sadie, Lindsey G, Abby.
I
enjoy these ladies so much! We all met up again the following weekend for a
last supper with Sophie in Provo. Ashley lamented, "Everyone I talk to now
just seems lame!"
I kind of felt that way when I watched the new First Presidency address
the media the morning I got back. I had to chuckle to myself at some of the
reporters questions. I mean if you had the opportunity to speak to the First
Presidency why would you want to hash over the same old questions? They know so
much! They must just shake their heads at the small mindedness in the
world.
This
is the Greatest Show!
We went to Greatest Showman AGAIN. Ha ha. We just keep seeing it
over and over! I was telling Sophie, "If you go to a movie WHY would you
pay to see anything else if Showman is still in theaters???" She agreed!
Romney has gone like six times or something. We are constantly singing the
songs from it, "This is the greatest show!" Callie even has a sign on
her bedroom door, "This is the greatest showroom" We are. Obsessed.
This photo was taken the fourth time we went to the theatre...but not the last!
Bye to Soph! January 29, 2018
We surprised the Gouldings by driving out for Sophie's farewell! Sophie
basically INSISTED it was silly for anyone to drive out for a Sacrament Meeting
talk, but we wanted to go support and celebrate her decision to serve a
mission! Dad was speaking in another ward so he stayed home with Grayson.
We picked up Katrina on the way through Salt Lake and drove to
Elko. We made good time and arrived an hour before church. We knocked on their
door and Raeg opened it with the look of "WHAAAAAAT?" One by one the
Goulding girls came down the stairs with looks of AWE. Sadie was teary. We
loved hearing Katrina tell us about her recent adventures to Rome. We now have a
new word. When something is so fabulous you can't really use words to describe
it, it is "Duonmo." Anyway, most of our time with the Gouldings was
talking about the Greatest Showman I'm not gonna lie. See, that is an example
of something that is Duomo. Sophie's talk was great. She is SO
excited and it really showed in all that she shared. Landrie also played a
beautiful solo on the piano. We stayed for all three hours and got to hear
Sadie teach RS. There is an older lady that makes comments about 3/4 of the
time so there isn't really time for much else. Sophie was set apart after
church, but I brought Ava and Katrina back to the house along with the four
babies: Scarlett, Hartman, Callie, and Graham. Ava made Binnie's biscuits,
Katrina made TWO chocolate silk pies, and I made a spinach salad. Then Kat
worked on homework and Ava relaxed. We were all ready to eat when the Goulding
family got back. Sadie said, "We need to have you guys come every
week!"
Photo bomb happening below: We could
scarcely stop giggling and chatting long enough to even get a photo!
The night before we left I decided to cut color my hair...at home.
There was still half a bottle of the base color left that I didn't want to go
to waste. My hands were covered in highlighting cream so I had Matt text Ava:
"Come home, Mom needs to color Callie's hair." Ava was so confused
because it was 10 o'clock at night. Her friend asked, "Isn't Callie like
five?"
I love January. Getting back to regular life is the best:
Here
Graham adds his football cards to Matt's old baseball card binder. You never
know what you'll find in the treasure chest.
Such is the way with life.
