A mission call and what not...

So the big news was Taran's mission call. I already posted that but I will go on to the rest of the week.

Monday I went out to my parents'. My mom was getting her haircut so I needed to be there. Dad was still asleep when I got there. The aide who bathes him came shortly after that. Gwen had dance so we headed home at noon. Dad wasn't into talking much that day. It seems like mornings are his worse times. He is usually wiped out after his shower so I didn't get to visit much. Maybe tomorrow. I drove to dance then after dance I had to take Timo to the dentist to get his cavity filled. Then I dropped him off at work. Fun times for him! I ran errands and then went home until he called me about picking him up. Micah had scouts. For family night we made Valentines for our nephew on a mission and for one of Taran's friends who went into the MTC a couple of weeks ago. Tim interviewed the kids in between. He is too busy on Sundays now to interview them. He is the assistant executive Secretary but the Executive Secretary's wife was just diagnosed with breast cancer. So Tim has been covering while he's been helping her/spending time with her. She has her surgery this week and then they'll really know what stage she is at etc. She is one of my friends so I am very sad to hear this. Once the kids finished their interviews or cards we had a family movie going. They chose our San Diego Trip then our Disneyland Trip both were awhile ago. Now the kids (except for maybe Timo who is going to Disneyland on choir tour) want to go to Disneyland before Taran goes into the MTC. I admit I would love to do that but it's just not been a good financial time for us so it would take a miracle to get us there but most of the kids are willing to give up their birthday and Christmas to go so who knows...

Tuesday I went to the temple in the morning with Julie. Then I did all my grocery shopping--Walmart and Costco. I finished just in time to pick up Gwen from Luke's. The kids had piano and Zane had scouts as well. Luckily no Jr Jazz game for once on Tuesday so it didn't interfere with Taran's call. I made 2 recipes from Pinterest: ham and cheese sliders and Snickers salad. Both were DELICIOUS! Mostly easy. I ended up not having poppy seeds--for the slider sauce but they still turned out great and I noticed the Snicker recipe she used cool whip and I used real whipping cream (healthier of the 2 evils) and she has added some milk to make it smoother. The slider recipe made 24 rolls and I think Timo had 6! He is very picky so you know it's good! Tim went to the church right after dinner to help out the bishop. He came home a little late--we were all in the car ready to go to Taran's apartment. Our neighbor brought the call by at 5:30 PM so we could have peeked. Taran's roommate Scott was working until 8 PM so we had time to be late. One of his friends got lost on the way so another friend helped her out so we waited for them. It was fun to see so many of Taran's new college friends and some of his old high school friends all there to support him besides some family members who braved the late night! Tim had his parents on his phone ready to hear. I really thought he'd go to Finland--where Tim went but so glad he is going to Guadalajara. It sounds like an amazing place! We had brought down 6 bottles of Martinellis and plastic wine cups to cheer Taran and luckily enough of his friends left that there was enough for family, roommates and closer friends that we could all have some! Tim and I briefly read through his clothing requirements and other stuff. He wanted to keep the booklet and his call so we left them there--I hope he takes good care of them! When we got home I wrote my nephew about Taran's call and his friend in the MTC so we could mail their packages the next day. His friend already wrote back thanking us and telling us to tell Taran congrats and that only 63% of the missionaries that go to Mexico come back alive! He's a funny kid!


Wednesday I had YW Presidency Meeting during it I had to get Gwen then after I returned we just had a few more things to talk about then we picked up June. Anna had been super sick the day before and was still not right that day. We kept June until Buck could get her around 3:15 PM. We sure love that little cutie! Timo played with her after school until he went to work! It is just darling to watch them with her! I'll need to video it someday! I took Emily to basketball practice after June left. Micah had scouts again--he's doing Bears and WEBELOS since he is coming in the middle. I ran to Walmart and got stuff to make treats for Mutual that night. It was the combined activity and we had 10 groups of 8 or so random kids (we purposely try to mix up ages and sexes). They each had a table with materials (Legos to blocks, pretzels, sugar cubes, marshmallows...)on it to build a temple. They could choose whatever temple they wanted. The Mia Maids came up with this activity. Each table had a question that related to the temple that they had to discuss and have someone share later when they showed their group's temple. We had pasta materials and it went slow but in the end it turned out pretty sweet--I got to get that on our YW blog soon! We had a reflection that went with the questions about preparing for the temple. Our stake focus is the temple and it goes with Arise and Shine Forth the theme if you've seen it on the church website here, check it out! It was a fun activity and purposeful! Zane had basketball practice, Izak had scouts that night too so Tim had to take the other kids to Timo's basketball game that he coaches even though Timo isn't playing in because of his foot. Timo still supports the team. It's tournament so it was nice that they won. They made to Mutual just as it was starting so I was glad they made it.

Thursday Timo and Tim went to the temple at 5 AM. They took a few family names we found on both our sides and some names for our friend Linda. They got back by 6:30 PM. I went to register Gwen for kindergarten and realized that I had misplaced her birth certificate--I'm losing it! So Tim bailed me out and went to Provo and got a new one for me. We had Luke over and I spent most of the time going through stuff from my craft room--old memorabilia from Taran. I through out tons of stuff after I took pictures of them. Hence the pictures at the beginning of this post! so cute! I have been working on this project awhile and I really feel like I have made a lot of progress but if you look in my craft room wouldn't believe it! Emily went to the temple Thursday, I took her and she called me after an hour! Not as busy as the mornings! She is going to go with some of her friends from now on! Tim and I went on our Valentines date since Valentines Day is super busy. We decided to see this movie the new Mission Impossible. We had heard it was really good. So we ate nearby. We actually split a meal. Which was perfect. Just a fancy hamburger with fries and a milkshake--which turned out to be disappointing Strawberry Freeze with bits of Reeses Peanut Butter cup through out--not much at first but more as it went on! Good thing we aren't allergic! When we got to the theater the movie was canceled! I guess we were the only ones wanting to see it! So we stopped at a Redbox on the way home and got Inception. What a strange movie. It was engaging but I don't think I'll buy it. But I am glad I saw it.

Friday morning I went and registered Gwen. After I was home a bit I started feeling terrible. My stomach had terrible cramps and I felt like I might be getting something terrible. Luckily after drinking some Coke and resting I started feeling better around noon but I had a terrible headache by then. It was horrible and I was afraid to eat but thought I might need to because it might be the source of my headache poor Gwen wanted a friend over or to go to a friend but I was so out of it I couldn't have anyone over and I didn't get her anywhere. Once the kids got home they helped her get to friends. I was cautiously ate dinner, I made another Pinterest meal. The kids loved it. I modified it for me. I was okay but my head still hurt. Tim even rubbed my temples for me for awhile. Emily had a room full of kids here, mostly boys! They were in and out all night.

Saturday Zane had a 8 AM Jr Jazz game and I had a World Wide Leadership Training at 9 AM--which was great, of course. Tim took Zane and then Micah at 10 AM to his game. My mom came and got Micah for his birthday lunch. They went to Walmart first so he could pick out a toy--he got 2 since he kept it all within the budget a ball and a Lego set. Then they went to McDonalds for lunch. The kids love this time with Granny and she likes it too. My dad was okay while she was gone. It was a shorter date than usual, I think he was excited to put together his Lego set and use his basketball. I took Timo to the bank and I went to get some color copies made for our Personal Progress Night on the 29th. I found this cute IHOP idea on Pinterest--Important Hour of Progress. I am in charge. We are having pancakes and lots of toppings! The Camp ladies are coming to teach knitting so if they are done eating and waiting to meet with their leader they can learn to knit! It should be a fun night! I helped Timo work, I did garbages and part of the bathrooms while he did the other part of the garbages and vacuumed. It took us almost 2 hours with both of us. Meanwhile Tim took Emily to her game and he brought Gwen along so she wouldn't be left with Izak and the other 2! Tim took me to run an errand, I was so tired I really wasn't sure I could make it. We stopped for a treat on the way home and had date, fun! I actually did fall asleep on our way. We got back and not too much later I made dinner which was leftovers, easy! The kids watched some of HP1 and some watched some of Trinity an old Spagetti Western. Tim and I think it's funny but some of our kids don't get it. While folding laundry I finished watching North and South a movie based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. I loved it! Timo decided last minute to go to Sweethearts, a casual boy's choice dance. His friends weren't going and he had just hurt his foot when he was thinking of asking someone so with those 2 strikes against it he decided against it. Well, he was shooting hoops outside and some of his friends came by. He ended up going with one of the girls and they got one of Taran's friends to go with her friend. He had a blast. I am just bummed they didn't get a picture!

Today Tim had his usual early morning meetings, I had BYC at 9AM. Tim had choir with Emily and Timo at 10:15. Just about when I got home. I worked on Faith and God and scouts with Micah, Izak and Zane. I also got dinner in the crockpot and made dessert. We had a fireside at 5 PM so I wanted to be able to eat right after the fireside since Emily practice after church we couldn't eat then. We ate raw Almonds! The fireside was the theme Arise and Shine Forth, it was great and done under an hour! They had 7 speakers so it was really good. We ate dinner when we got back. It snowed off and on but it didn't stick. We had beautiful few days last week so it was nice, almost spring like.

Have a great week! Happy Valentines Day Tuesday!