Sugarhouse 5K June 1, 2019
The 5K I ran with Callie in April was a practice 5K for the Girls on the Run 5K at Sugarhouse Park on Saturday, June 1st. My knees were still bothering me from the last race so Matt filled in. We really had no idea when we were signing her up that it would in essence be, "Parents on the Run." It might have made us re-think the whole thing;) Callie had a great experience in the program though.
The crowds!
I will admit that I missed them cross the finish line. I decided to buy Callie a bag and thought it would be a good idea to go put it in the car. It was a nice surprise when she buckled up, "Is this for me?"
Callie's next adventure starting the very next Monday - swimming lessons from our friends who have a pool...AND... she opted to sign up for summer school! It was held at Heber Valley Elementary from 9-12 Mon-Thurs. She was excited because she got to ride the bus and everything.
Color Run, Provo Utah June 8, 2019
Callie wasn't the only one racing in June. We went to the color run at Provo Towne Center where Ava worked at the booth with Romney and the others got to throw chalk.
We went with Cade and Ashley and their kids. We leisurely pushed the stroller through the neighborhood with Cade. My favorite thing was seeing a little duck family pass. Also, pushing that stroller kept us pretty chalk free;)
Mallerie turns 21! June 3, 2019
She sent this photo of the cake her Ukrainian host family made for her. Her actual age got lost in translation.
She started a blog about her European Adventures https://malsexperiences.blogspot.com/
Her host family feed her, thankfully, but I did teach her how to hard boil an egg before she left.
She waited till she was in Europe to try and get her Snow College transcripts sent to BYU-H and all systems were locked to her. I spent all day on hold trying to get the transcripts till I finally said, "I'm going to bed." She had just woken up so she worked on it till I woke up again. It's sort of trippy being nine hours behind.
SUMMER IS HERE!
June 7th was the 75th Anniversary of D-Day. I heard some pounding in the front yard and saw that Graham was out there putting up the flag of his own accord.
He came inside and got settled in front of the computer to watch President Trump's live Broadcast from Normandy. It was fascinating that some of the soldiers were still alive and actually in the audience. History is Graham's THING.
The Roses at the Provo Temple
I stop to smell them every. time.
That's the end of that
I was weeding the front flower beds when I heard a clatter on the side of the house. I thought maybe something metal had fallen out of a truck that was passing by and didn't think anything of it. Then when I came inside and looked out the window, I saw the basketball standard had come crashing down. I was so thankful one of the kids wasn't out there on their rip stick when it fell.
Good golly - lifetime warranty my foot!
Give Me a Hand Boy
We have a neighbor who is legally blind. He lives with his mother who has complicated health issues. Last fall as I passed his yard I thought, "I've got to get over there and rake." His yard gets knee deep in leaves and he doesn't even have any trees! The two houses flanking his both drop buckets of leaves. Well, I never got around to it and after the first snow fell, I figured that was that. NOPE. After the snow melted in the spring, there were all those leaves exactly as they had fallen. In addition, weeds were growing waist high. I drug the boys over with me and we tackled the front yard. As I raked the soggy leaves, I made a mental note to get them in the fall this year!
Grayson was less than thrilled when I asked him to come serve alongside me. I have to remind myself that he is a 16-year-old boy and that is normal. After we finished and came home to get cool, I asked, "Doesn't it feel better relaxing knowing you did something to help someone out today?"
"Yeah."
Stake Conference June 9, 2019
For the first time in forever Stake Conference was not on Father's Day. Grayson was an Usher. He got us laughing when he described people's greetings to him after he would welcome them.
"Welcome to Stake Conference."
"Well, look at you!"
(in his head) "Look at you!"
Gray is funny. He said to me, "Mom, I bet if I looked in your closet it would be all black yoga pants." He was startled to learn, "Nope, I just have the one pair."
It was time once again to get out of my yoga pants and out of my comfort zone...
Camp Zarahemla, Morgan Utah June 11-14, 2019
If it is June then that means GIRLS CAMP. This is my fourth year in a row. Can I do it? Do I have it in me? I'm going, so I better!
I had a great Camp Director and she had a great assistant. They only thing they asked me to do was.... GET THE FOOD! Ha-ha been there, done that. I got this!
We couldn't check in to camp till 2 pm in Morgan so we had some time to kill around town. We went to the Family History Center and then had lunch at the park. Matt later told me that he took the kids to the park as well and he saw us.
The wet winter and spring left everything green and glorious in Morgan Utah. I was in charge of an evening devotional where I compared life to a carousel ride; You may not get the prettiest horse but you only get one ride so you may as well enjoy it!
The theme for camp was I Belong.
Ava led the girls in a song she learned from the Elko YW that became our theme song.
Our four YCL's: Ava, McKayla, Megan and Abby.
For the skit Ava resurrected Dora for a PART TWO.
A lost girl wandered into our camp right when we were in the middle of a devotional one afternoon. She said, "I'm so sorry, this is so awkward." I said, "We are awkward so you fit right in! What's your name?" Her name was Tori. I said, "Tori, you can come back any time." She did come back and she brought her guitar. She became a kindred spirit to the girls. She wrote us all notes.
I guess you could say she was our camp pet...but...that would really be the raccoon babies that fell out of a nearby tree. One of them had apparently broken its back upon the fall and it was so sad to see it crying in the rain. The girls were beside themselves trying to shelter it and give it milk. When one of our priesthood holders came up that night, he "took care of it."
We kept ourselves very busy during the three nights/four days we were there. It was nice because I have learned that too much free time is boooooring. The missionaries set up a slip n slide. We played kick-ball, floated the river and did all the other usual camp stuff. Did I mention how great it was to have a Camp Director? I so appreciate all the leaders sacrificing their time and talents. We had a sweet spirit in our camp.
We ended with our usual tradition, the cinnamon roll hug.
The girls gave anyone and everyone a Jedi braid, using embroidery floss. For many weeks afterwards people would say to me randomly, "You've been at girls camp."
Annie Jr! TVT - June 14th- 15th, 2019
Just because it is summer doesn't mean we won't be attending another one of Callie's performances. She joined the cast of Timponogos Valley Theater's production of Annie Jr. It was a darling show. I missed one of the performances due to a make-up day in the temple on Saturday, but Matt attended all three performances. I told you he loves the theater.
It is hard to believe that it all came together during a two-week workshop.
Katrina came to the Friday night performance. As Callie came down the aisle, looking just as cute and proud as can be, Katrina mouthed, "I just love her!" We all do.
Look at our lil' diva.
I loved her show notes as well,
Father's Day and a Regular Little Man
Graham did the finest job ever speaking in Sacrament meeting the next day. The Elder's Quorum President said, "That is the best youth talk I have ever heard." He was a regular little man standing up there. He compared his latest hobby of fixing bikes to repentance. Regular little man.
Graham has not packed his summer schedule as full as Callie, and since she is gone so often, he needed something to fill his day. I suggested he go on a bike ride. A LONG bike ride, like all day, he could pack a lunch and everything. He was excited about it and got his friend Logan on board too.
They went up Memorial hill and to duck pond. At Heber Valley Milk and Cheese, they got an ice-cream cone. took pictures along the way.
The Ride - June 17, 2019
After dinner that night we hopped in the car and asked Graham to tell us all the places they went. We tracked the miles in the car. They rode the equivalent of biking Provo Canyon!
Two Regular Little Men.
Father's Day
I made yummy sides, Matt grilled and we once again enjoyed Sunday dinner outside. We were lucky to have Grandma and Grandpa join us for the fourth Holiday in a row. These kids are lucky to have a father who works so hard for them and loves them unconditionally.
What can I tell you about Matt? I am including a picture I sent him, "Macy's is closing its doors! Do any of these shoes appeal to you?"
Instead of saying, "Matt wears many different hats," I will say, "Matt wears many different shoes."
Key Account Manager at Frito Lay: Matt was awarded a big steering wheel trophy to add to his collection in his office:/
VENDOR OF THE YEAR for MAVERIK.
Husband: I give him his hair cuts. He laughs that if he were at a salon I would surely get fired. I do a fine enough job but I don't take any suggestions. After the last cut he said, "I wish you would have taken a little more off the top." My response was, "I wish I didn't take off any." He puts up with me as I am. I love it and I probably take advantage of that way too much.
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| I took too much off the top in this picture for sure |
Stake Young Men's President: (see YC post below)
Sometimes it seems we hog all of his spare time. He does go golfing with Sean occasionally (I can always tell by his sunburn), but he doesn't have other hobbies. I have tried to get him to dig deep and see what else he might be interested in but he says his hobby is home and family, they make him genuinely happy.
Hit the Spot
Ava filled her days with working at The Spot.
When Ava worked in the evenings, we brought her dinner. Callie would rap on the back door. One time we got snow cones and ate with her.
Matt asked if I wanted one, "Nah, I'll just have some of yours." Hehe.
Graham and Callie are either fine if home alone, or they go where we go. I had to think back to the last time I needed a sitter for my kids and I couldn't even remember! However, I was in a pickle with Youth Conference coming up. Matt, Ava, Grayson and I would be gone for three days. My sister Lindsey agreed to let Graham and Callie come to Provo. The thing was that they were literally in the middle of remodeling their entire first floor. Every time I heard from her; she was even deeper into a project. Oh boy, desperate situations call for desperate measures. We really appreciated them helping us out!
My only deep project was learning to make homemade hotdog and hamburger buns.
Graham learned to make homemade pretzels. He sold them on the curb with his buddy Tyson. He then roped Callie into it, "I'll make them, you sell them."
Stake Youth Conference - Utah State - June 20-22 2019
This was Matt's baby. He said the theme for it came to him in a dream - Lift, Develop, Serve. However, he didn't want it to be an acronym for LDS so he changed it to Lift, Serve, Develop. He had water bottles, back packs, journals and pens ordered up with the theme on them. Because the Stake YW Presidency went through a change and he lost his counselor right before, so much of the conference was riding on his shoulders.
I had a car full of youth and we stopped for a burrito before checking in on campus in Logan. Ava couldn't finish hers so I offered it to Matt, "Not right now, my stomach is in knots." Oh man, do I know the feeling! But Youth Conference was great. I got my own room in the dorm, though the dorms are grody! I think the building we stayed in is bulldozed now and a new one is being built in its place.
We played, and learned, and danced, and served and ate during our stay at beautiful Utah State University. Once again, my favorite thing was being with my girls! I know my time as President is coming to a close because I have been in over three years and our Bishop will be moving this fall. I just wanted to soak up my time with them, though their insecurities made me feel like I was 14 again.
I can usually get my YW to dance by joining in with them. During a slow song while I was dancing with Matt I said, "Don't look now but Grayson is daaaaancing."
After YC I asked Grayson what his favorite thing was. He said, "The dance." I got the same answer from my YW." Matt said, "The one thing I had nothing to do with!"
Because it was June the heat in the dorms was shut off. There was an unusual cold snap and the evenings were downright frigid. Afterwards Grayson said, "I was so cold at night I thought I was going to die." I wish would have known. I had our big picnic blanket under me because I didn't have a place for it. Speak up!
There was a Polynesian Stake also having YC. Grayson and his pal Johnny got in line with them to go into one of their devotionals. They were curious what it was all about. But when Grayson was asked to give the closing prayer he stated to panic. He looked at the program and realized the devotional was going to be a whole hour and he would miss lawn games. So he just told the lady, "I gotta go!" He and Johnny bolted out of there.
There was an optional movie the last night. My counselor stayed at the dorm with those who didn't want to attend so I headed to the movie. Matt texted to ask me where I was. I said, "shoulder to shoulder with my girlies watching the movie."
Ava was sitting around chatting in the hallway during the movie. Some of the young men from the Poly Stake came up and asked if they could join their circle. Then when these guys got up to leave one of them turned around and farted so loud right by her face. Ava was so shocked she couldn't even close her mouth.
I related that story to Mal and told her, "Must be how they do it on the island." She said, "I won't put up with that."
Matt picked a beautiful place for testimony meeting the last day. The hill overlooked the temple. I sat in the very back with one of my girls who wasn't feeling well, but I texted Matt who was up front during the mtg.
Matt put his heart and soul into Youth Conference and it turned out so well.
I don't feel like I was able to spend a ton of time with Ava because she was on the Stake Youth Committee so she was off with her people running things. What a great YC experience for her to end on.
Our ward leaders took the YM to the temple one morning at 5:30 am. To that I say, "Thanks for telling us!" Not really, I was glad they got to go.
In an effort to get as many of my youth to YC as I could, I biked to their houses the week before to invite them once again. Matt rode along with me. No one was home, so I left some papers for the girls. He said, "You keep striking out." I said, "Yes, but I am swinging."
On Saturday Matt got home after me because he had to settle everything on campus before he could leave. He brought home tons of sandwiches left over from lunch. I forgot to bring some to offer to the Geertsens when we picked up the Graham and Callie. Then I learned that because of their torn-out kitchen, they had been living on cold cuts all week. No, they did not want more sandwiches.
The Next Chapter...
On our way back up the canyon Matt got a text from the Stake Executive Secretary asking if he could meet with the Stake President the next day. Without saying it, we both knew what was coming...you will recall that our Bishop is moving out of the ward...gulp.We went into his office the next day and were not really surprised that the call was being extended to Matt to serve as Bishop of the Heber 6th Ward. Still, hearing it out loud made it very official. I am grateful for Matt's worthiness and willingness. This really cannot be understated.
For the next two weeks only the two of us knew. One day I while working in the temple a stranger asked me, "Is your dad a bishop in Orem?" More confused I could not be. On the one hand, my dad no longer lives in Orem and he is not the bishop. On the other hand, my husband is going to be the bishop but is not currently. Then I realized what she was asking, she thought my dad was Matt's brother who is currently a bishop in Orem. I cleared up that he is my brother-in-law. She thought I was Mark's daughter, he-he. This made me smile. So much of working in the temple is just smiling.
I told my supervisor one day, "All this smiling is doing nothing for my wrinkles."
The spirit has a way of preparing a person for a call like Bishop. Still, Matt thought if the call came it wouldn't be till the fall. I think our current Bishop was a bit surprised at the timing as well.
Oh, and Matt went straightaway and picked up some shoes from Macy's clearance sale;)
Knowing for sure that now my time with the YW was coming to a close, I savored every Sunday and Wednesday activity. I made some shortcake and put together a highlight reel for our post-camp activity. My Laurel Adviser has a habit of doing a selfie with the girls every activity. She couldn't make it that night so I stood in for her.
Her daughter received her medallion and I was just so happy for her. Again, my friend couldn't be there so I stood in.
We have a new tradition in our family for lunch after church. On Sunday the kids look forward to Charcuterie. I even saw it on the calendar written in Callie's hand, "Chrcuterie" and the same thing written on the Sunday program after the closing prayer. I think my Adviser doubted me so we sent her some pics of a typical Sunday afternoon for our family.
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| The text to my friend read, "Do you need your camp chair back?" |
The only person who doesn't seem to be jumping for joy over this new tradition is Matt and since he will now be at meetings all day Sunday, we can do what we please;)
Before we move away from church, we found a scripture that is just like Wendy's 4 for $4.
It's Jacob 4:4 It starts out, "For, for..."
Relax, get to it!
Toy Story 4
Talking dolls, particularly ventriloquist dolls are Graham's worst nightmare so the fact that Toy Story 4 is full of them, had him hiding in his seat. These Pixar characters, Woody and Buzz, have been around as long as I've been raising my babies. I feel endeared to them.
Callie and I also completed the BBC Miniseries of Jayne Eyre. The final night was one where Matt was out of town and there was a violent rainstorm outside. It was glorious.
Puzzles and spray-painting Lego men is part of summer.
Grayson did have one more activity the last week of June when he attended High Adventure in Moab. It sounds like the boys had a great time. One of the leaders however, came home with a broken foot.
Reading while Callie gives me crazy hair never gets old. Maybe for you, but not for me.
I took on my own little project on as well. After our temple to temple last month we walked through Daybreak and the colors of this house caught my eye. I liked the color of the shutters with the door color.
We went to Home Depot and Ava helped me pick out similar colors. The door color we chose is Vintage Coral and for the shutters, Unpredictable Hue. Callie thought we were crazy.
I asked Matt to help me take down the shutters so could I paint them. He had a lot of trouble doing so. He said, "I don't think these are coming down." I said, "Oh they're coming down." Finally, he asked, "How badly to you want the shutters off to paint them?" I asked, "How much do you love me?" The shutters came down.
Callie and I role-played this conversation while we painted. When Matt came home, we role-played it for him. She was me, I was Matt.
Me: "I don't think these are coming down."
Callie: "Oh, they're coming down."
Me: "How badly do you want them down?"
Callie: "How much do you love me?"
I'll put the big reveal in July's post!
