Ta da...
A reminder of before:
Callie helped me pick out flowers at Walmart and now my porch feels refreshed and happy.
The darker shutters keep the house from feeling too sweet.
Temple Square vs. the Spidas
I dropped off Grayson and his buddies the morning of July 1st for the Summer Basketball Tournament in Salt Lake City. He and his buddies, and cousin Adren and his pal ordered matching jerseys this year - the Spidas. The boys were pumped! They were also certain that the fact that they did not have matching jerseys last year was the reason for their demise. I haven't heard such big talkers coming from the back seat of the minivan...ever!
Since they had to be dropped off at the crack of dawn, Graham and I decided to spend some time at Temple Square (well, I decided). As you can imagine the flower beds were at full throttle. The visitors center was not open yet so as we milled around, we seemed to be in the gardener's way.
I did manage to capture a shot of the House of the Lord before a maintenance vehicle crept into the shot.
SUCH a pretty day! When the North Visitors Center opened, I asked a Sister Missionary to put on the Candy Bomber's story from Meet the Mormons in a little theatre. I love that one and knew Graham would as well because it is about the war.
We wanted to get something to eat at City Creek afterwards but it wasn't quite open yet either! We milled around and were probably the first ones of the day to get a pretzel and a smoothie, which are the best snacks ever.
Graham really wanted to ride the down-town scooters but I was sort of confused by the whole thing. I suggested we take Trax to The Gateway. Because of construction we were let off when we were only half-way there so we walked the rest of the way.
Out of all the IMAX shows listed, I really wanted to see Apollo 11. Graham didn't care either way so we went through all the displays and interactive activities at Clark Planetarium while we waited. The crowds were very small. I don't know what it is about children's museums of any kind but it is like an IV is in my arm draining me of all energy and there are never enough benches. I could hardly keep my eyes open once I was settled into the theatre. What a bum I am! Graham wondered how I could doze through so much of something I was excited to see. Who knows.
By time we got out of the Planetarium it was around 2:30 pm and the hottest part of the day. As we walked back to the Trax station Graham asked if we were going to go watch Grayson play since the tournament was right across the street. Graham wasn't dying to and I didn't think I had it in me to stand around on the asphalt. We kept walking. In fact, we just kept walking all the way back to the car. For how long it took to get warm this summer it sure reached 98º quickly.
Graham was hinting around that there is an air-soft store in Salt Lake. He really wanted to go there but I simply couldn't bear the thought. I had to ask myself, "If something happened where this was the last chance I had to take him to the air-soft store, would I regret not talking him?"
I kept on driving.
Couldn't do it.
It was a fine enough outing for the two of us but all day it sort of just felt like we wanted to be doing different things.
Matt met up with Grayson to attend the Jazz game that evening.
He asked how the Spidas did at the tournament.
The jerseys had not made a difference.
The jerseys had not made a difference.
When Callie looks at these pictures she wonders why she did not come along on the outing. But her summer days were already full of swimming lessons, play practice, and summer school. I'll have to take her next summer.
Graham is moving on from Legos (stab in the heart!) He asked if he could sell his Ghostbusters Firehouse. Sure. I told him not to get his hopes up too high though since the bricks are not Lego brand, but a place in Salt Lake gave him $80. He was pretty happy about that.
Fourth of July 2019!
Because Ava and Grayson had to work, we stayed close to home to picnic so they could join us throughout the day. There were droves of activities at the City Park but when we drove by it looked like too much! We pulled up to Southfield Park and literally had the place to ourselves.
We set up a picnic and were later joined by Granny and Grandpa. The weather was ideal, I don't know if it was much over 70°.
I told Matt, "Let's start planning now if we have to, but I want to do something a bit more exciting next year..."
Back at home Graham asked if he could set off some fireworks. I didn't even remember that we had any, neither did Matt. Leave it to a 12-year-old boy to sniff fireworks out of the garage. "Sure."
We watched from the porch as he lit them off and then Matt drove Graham and Callie around to take down flags. We ended the evening by watching National Treasure.
Stewart Falls July 5, 2019
Matt had the next day off as well so we took Graham and Callie on a hike to Stewart Falls. There were so many people! Are there any tranquil hikes left?
We waited in a single- file line to get down to the falls. Finding an open spot to eat our sandwiches was even a little tough.
We crossed the river and found a place to eat. I was glad I packed my water shoes.
It is good we got a smiling picture when we did because things got a little dicey after that.
There is a steep climb that goes to nowhere (or so we thought) that Graham decided he wanted to climb. Before we could even discuss it, he was off!
When he got to the top he turned left and then disappeared. We waited for a while and then I sent Matt up. Matt rounded the corner where Graham had gone. Matt then came back with his hands in the air, no sign of Graham. So weird.
The sound of the falls was so loud that we couldn't communicate.
Matt disappeared again to keep looking.
Before long I could see Graham high above where he had disappeared. He was motioning that he needed help. Can you faintly see him in the upper right corner?
I started up the steep incline. It was so steep and covered in loose shale. I carefully reached across to see if a branch was attached before grabbing on to it. It was not and it slid noisily down the slope. I saw that Callie was starting to climb up as well and so I yelled for her to STAY. I did not need two kids in peril. I was a bundle of nerves trying to cross the shale. The scuffling caused a girl to peek out of the woods, "Are you okay?" I said, "I am trying to get to my son." She said that she had him and they were going to make their way to me. When Graham appeared, he had that face that says, "I am so sorry." We focused on getting down the mountain by staying on our behinds. Callie again tried to come up to us, "Stay there!" I took longer than Graham to get to her and Matt came to help me. By the time we got to the bottom, the kids were gone again! What the heck? We did our best to hurry on the packed trail and located them. They were already hiking down. They couldn't even answer why they didn't wait. I think everyone was all just so rattled. We relived this experience as we hiked down and learned that our saving grace was a BYU student who was now hiking right behind us.
It was a good lesson on staying with the group and how quickly the mountains can turn unpredictable.
It all ended well and I am thankful our many prayers were answered.
First DATE July 5, 2019
Just like when the questions started pouring in after Grayson turned 16, "When are you getting your license," it only took the Young Men's President asking him one time, "Have you gone on a date yet?" that made Grayson take the plunge. True to Grayson's character he thought, "Oh boy, better get this over with too."
It was weird waiting up for Grayson to get home from a DATE. I have never been on the boy's end. He came in our room to re-count the night. He and his best friend Corbin, who also works at Papa Murphy's asked out some girls, also from Papa Murphy's. They went to Park City and ate at Kneader's and then saw Spider-Man: Far from Home. It sounded like they had a decent enough night,
so I asked Grayson, "Do you think you'll do it again?"
His response: "There's no need to."
In addition to dating, Grayson also seems to be taking an active role in appearance and hygiene. He will actually remind me when it is time for a haircut and he started researching Invisalign. When we found out Invisalign is more expensive than braces, he said he'd pay the difference. I took him for a consultation with Dr. Nord, our trusted orthodontist. After Dr. Nord examined him and explained the corrective procedure, Grayson sat up, gave a couple of nods, and said, "You really know your stuff."
My next roll
The next day both our parents joined us in Sacrament meeting and for the setting apart, though my parents had to leave a bit early to get to the Conference Center. I think the timing of the change caught the ward off-guard. It seemed to be a regular Fast Sunday but was oddly conducted by the Stake President, "The time has come to make a change in the Bishopric of the Heber 6th Ward." This got everyone's attention. Still, the comments were unanimous, "We knew it'd be you next." Matt has spent so many years in Stake callings that he feels he doesn't really know our ward. He's about to! He bore a powerful testimony. He saved his appreciation for the outgoing Bishopric for another time because after all, it was testimony meeting.
I never got Sunday pictures of the kids on Easter so here goes:
The first order of business was to get the office shipshape. We went over that very night and filled the dumpster at the church with outdated manuals, binders, and things like VHS's and plaques. No one wants to be the one to toss such things, except us!
I got laughing picturing Matt's office all organized, pencils aligned on the desk, an open sign flashing in the hall...and not a soul coming to see him.
But come and see him they did!
I went over the next day, and finished tossing, cleaning and organizing the Clerk's office. Matt and I drove to Seagull Book and picked out a beautiful picture of the Savior with his sheep to hang in his office, but we passed on the "open" sign.
He also got a filing cabinet for his office. While he was at work the next day I figured how to get it assembled with Callie's help. I figured these are not the things he needs to be worrying about.
It was weird to get the mail and have some addressed to Bishop Bocanegra from church headquarters. The change is instant. I figured it might as well be for me also.
With the office reorganized, we could hold ward council in there the following Sunday. It would be the only ward council I would attend with Matt as Bishop. |
| I don't think Ava can figure out who is under all those lies. |
It was a perfect night in Shauna's dreamy backyard.
I hope Matt doesn't make that face the whole time he's Bishop;)
The weekday commitment that comes from serving in the youth program is something that is difficult from start to finish no matter how long you serve. It is not something I will necessarily miss.
The next Sunday I knew would be my last. I made every girl on our roll a mini loaf. I gave the girls the charge to please take some to the girls who were not there that day. I guess that is my biggest fear - that some of the girls will be forgotten after I am released. Then I am reminded that they are not forgotten to the Lord.
It was a very emotional day for me. I was teaching and was doing the full-on ugly cry at one point. I got lots of sweet hugs afterwards. We had like five visitors that day who were probably thinking, "What is this woman's problem?"
There was no time to linger on my tender heart though because after church it was time to pack up and head to Palisade State Park.
Palisade State Park, July 14-17, 2019
I will forever wish I took a picture of all the cousins lined up on the dock. Sadie was out from Elko with four of her kids, Eliza had all six, Lindsey had her four, I had four, Lindsey had five, and Ashley had four. Twenty-seven kids. And that's right, no husbands!
We partied it up a little too hard at the lake on Monday and by the next morning everyone was a lobster! Grayson came to my cabin with a blister covering his whole nose expecting me to just fix it. It was bad.
Callie being extra cautious...I will admit it was very freeing to kayak out into the open water. We also swam out to the floating dock.
Graham relaxing in Paradise Palisade Lake.
The solution for the bad sunburns was to get out of the sun! Sadie and I took about six of the older kids to the Manti Temple to do baptisms while we went through an endowment session. Not church clothes, no recommends, no problem!
The Manti temple is simply amazing! It was my first time through it and, wow.
That evening the kids wanted to have a fire for S'mores so badly that they were able to find kindling and wood on their own. They hauled it all up the hill in the wagon. We had some emergency matches in the back of our van and they got a fire roaring in no time. We picked dead branches off the trees and suddenly had S'more sticks.
We gathered for one last breakfast the next morning. I tell ya what, the little ones really steal the show and are enough entertainment for the whole time. Three-year-old Solly wanted Henry's spider-man and was allowed to hold it during the vacation. But the last morning Henry rightfully wanted it back, which sent Solly into a screaming rampage, so Ashley put him in the cabin. My stuff was still in there and as we heard his fit continue on, I wondered, "Should I go get my things?" Ashley went in there and we heard Solly, "Are you going to tell me I can't keep screaming?" After she had a chat with him, he came out and just stood by Henry who was still holding Spidey. Solly stood by him with suppressed sobs but did not ask for it back. To that we had to suppress our laughter.
Everything I know
My last YW activity was the night we got back from Palisade. It was a class activity and I texted my Laurels, "We will be learning to make baguettes. You will then officially know everything I know."
Robotics TWO Camp, July 8-12, 2019
Like last year, Graham's robotics camp ended with a parent day. We were invited to come watch how the programed robots would be able to move through the maze and pick up the item. But as luck would have it, the equipment was not cooperating that day as it had all the other days. His team tried over and over.
I kept feeling like I was in a children's museum. Where are the darn chairs?
The view of the valley from UVU's campus is breathtaking.
It's time for a new adventure for the CASH family. We went to Lehi on July 18th and helped them move into their new home in Highland. They had everything so organized and labeled. They also had so many people from their old neighborhood come load the truck and so many from the new neighborhood help to unload the truck. They are in good hands.Duck Pond
I can't let the summer go by without a trip out to Wasatch State Park.
It is truly the most dreamiest place ever.
Summer Recital July 22, 2019
Callie's teacher had gone to quite a lot of work to turn her backyard into a mini art gallery and stage. She also had made a lot of food, and others brought food - potluck style. The problem was that it was a very warm night with no breeze so the flies were having a hay day and nothing that was supposed to stay cold did. It made for an interesting meal.Her teacher had pre-recorded her own voice for a puppet show, "The Changeling," of all story lines. She also made her own puppets. We had a front row seat and Matt was very squirmy the whole time.
After the puppet set-up was whisked away there was a variety show put on by students and randomly, some parents. It is probably best that Matt had to leave early, I don't know if he could have taken it.
Callie played both a violin piece and a piano number.
After Callie played, a kid who was about 7-years-old came up to the keyboard. He seemed to really know what he was doing. He got the seat positioned just right, the volume right where it should be...
His sister who was about 4-years-old stood at the mic. They looked at each other as though to signal they were ready. Then he started playing so randomly! Clearly, he has never played a day in his life, he was just tapping away at the keys while his sister sang any made-up lyrics she could think of. When they both agreed that was probably long enough, they gave each other a look similar to when they started and suddenly stopped for a bow.
The music teacher who was emceeing the evening got up and was very clever in her praise, "He was so gentle with the keyboard..."
The night was...well...unique.
A Picnic and Pioneer Day
We gathered the next evening at South Fork with Matt's extended family, including Laurie who was out from Hawaii. Grandma had a game that was also unique because Grandma made it up for just our family.
I can't believe there isn't one photo of this rare gathering. We were able to give Kat her gift bag to celebrate her birthday the very next day, big 23!
When Grandma picked the date I said, "It could be a Pioneer Day party." Not being from Utah, she hadn't even realized it would be Pioneer Day the next day. She said, "Nope, this is a party for Laurie." I had to tease her, "Well, if I show up in a bonnet there is nothing you can do about it."
When Grandma picked the date I said, "It could be a Pioneer Day party." Not being from Utah, she hadn't even realized it would be Pioneer Day the next day. She said, "Nope, this is a party for Laurie." I had to tease her, "Well, if I show up in a bonnet there is nothing you can do about it."
Wednesday, July 24th was Pioneer Day. We have not gone to the celebration in Charleston for years! We decided it was time to go back. There was someone's personal workshop open to the public that was also....well, unique!
It really felt like summer, but within a few days, it would feel like winter...
Stay tuned!
