Where's Waldo FHE

Corey and I didn't have a plan for FHE tonight, again. (Note to self: set an alarm for Friday and plan FHE on date night). Corey looked at some groupon coupons: Obstacle Ninja Warrior? Uptown Jungle? Kangaroo Zoo? Classic Skating ...in Orem. Ugh, none of those sounded good to me. How about games at home? How about service and we clean in the basement! Sophi said we should go to the mall, cause she wanted me to return my shoes for the right size. I ordered some red gazelles and they arrived yesterday, and I ordered size 7 but they feel like 8 or 9... they are just way too big. Then Corey said we could play Where's Waldo at the mall! It was an activity Corey participated in three years ago, he felt yes this is the activity and it will be fun. It was already 7:00 and the stores at the mall would be closing at 8. Not a lot of time, but Corey said "We're going! We need a head start so don't leave yet, LILY! SOPHI!" They hurried out together to go hide in plain sight at the mall. I got the rest of the kids ready, got my shoes to return, and we headed out soon. Corey wasn't ready yet, so I returned my shoes first: Journeys to return my Spezials (the ones I ordered online are still in transit) and then to Footlocker to see if they had a size 6 red gazelle. They didn't so I just returned them. While I was in Footlocker, ANODP went off to start looking for Corey, Lily, and Sophi. By this time it was 7:55 and stores were getting ready to close. Katharine and I soon joined the kids in walking around and looking for their father and sisters. One lap, no luck. I text Corey "Fashion Place, right?" I was pretty sure we clarified on Fashion Place, not Southtown. He didn't reply, but we kept walking around. On our second lap, the protests began: 

Daniel: "This is boring. This is dumb."
Peter: "My legs are tired. My tummy hurts."
Katharine: "Hold me."

Abi was doing great, I didn't hear complaints from her or Natalie & Owen, though Owen kept asking if he could have a Mammoth hat. When we first walked into the mall over by the food court, the first store on our left immediately caught Owen's eye and with a gasp and a "Woah...." and he walked right in.  

Owen had never seen so many sports hats!! I shared the photo with his college siblings. Joseph said that was where he had gone to get a football hat for Owen for Christmas, and we told him no cause "$39" or whatever obscene amount the hats cost in there was a rip off. We stand by that. But I'm sure Owen would have loved it. Wes said he liked the Mammoth jerseys. Looks like we still have hockey fans in our house. So, I'm done walking with Katharine. Abi takes her on her shoulders. The rest of the kids are done too. It is past 8. Everything is closed and most people are gone. Security guards were walking around, probably to make sure people clear out? Do we need to leave? There were still some people - employees going home perhaps? I'm not sure our crew fit that category of mall employees though. I texted Corey that I thought the kids were done. Then Natalie said she saw Sophi and ran ahead. The person she said was Sophi was walking with what looked like a broken ankle or a bad handicap. Natalie second guessed herself and stopped and didn't approach the person with full gusto or certainty, but followed and watched. Soon they were sure, yes it was her, and then they saw Lily too. They were all laughing and I was too - Sophi had me fooled. I hadn't seen Lily before she took off her disguise. But where was Corey? Then the girls start laughing, and I turn to see a strange character walking towards the exit...

Oh my goodness... is that my husband? He was walking in a very zesty style too... we were all laughing. Daniel cautiously approached the man. 

And he broke character, we found him. Everyone was laughing and smiling. Abi took her signature .5 photo of her old man.

Haha his hat still has the tag. Complaints of irritation and boredom and "this stupid activity" were gone. Corey Lily and Sophi started to take off parts of their costumes, but I had them put them back on and resume their character types for a photo. 

Oh my gosh so funny. We walk out to the cars to head home. 

These three went by Savers and did some very rushed disguise shopping before coming to the mall.! I'm impressed, they must have been super fast there!

The kids are excited for the next round of Where's Waldo.

Other things that we did today~ Abi stayed home a little sick, but she took carpool for us. The boys got up quietly which was nice of them, since Katharine slept with Daniel last night. 

She slept until around 10, Abi printed up coloring pages for Katharine, and K has a good collection on her bedroom wall. 

"It's just my collection!" - Ariel

She especially likes the ones that her big sisters color for her. Current favorite is Barbie colored to be Elena of Avalor.

The kids have been on a coloring kick since Friday. Corey and I were going to go on a ride together early, but then he got a late start to his work day and so we didn't leave until 2. By then it was 48 degrees and the trail was all good except for at the very top, where the trail is on the north side of the canyon, it was a little slushy/slick. But we made it to the ruins in 1:05, that's a decent time. I made rice for dinner, Abi cooked chicken and vegetables, then it was FHE. Owen is watching a football highlight with Corey right now, but I'm heading to bed cause I'm going to the temple early in the morning. 

Wedding Gifts

Tonight I went up to Bountiful for Mel and Christian's grand opening of their wedding presents that had piled up from their Amazon registry. It was Christmas morning again, but only presents for the newlyweds. First they went through cards, then wrapped gifts and gifts in bags, and then they got ready to go through the Amazon boxes. 

They got a system going where Amiee opened boxes and handed them over, Christian opened and read the names, Mel and I took notes on their spreadsheet of who gave what so they can send out thank you notes, and Eric broke down the boxes and collected the trash. 

It was fun to be at their house again. Their dog Yumi is really cute and sweet and she wanted my attention which was new to me. She and I were tight all evening. Owen Daniel Peter and Katharine all came with me, and they hardly said hi to Mel and Christian when we got there, they just took off their shoes and went straight down to the basement to play with Rachel and Amelia. They were playing games and running around. Later Rachel was making the kids stuff on their 3D printer - a little spinning helicopter thing, and some small brachiosaurus' for Peter and Katharine.

The kids did come up near the end to play with Mel and Christian. 

So we just got back from that. Corey stayed home to work, Abi stayed home - she's still feeling sick. Though she also cleaned the house, which was nice to come home to. Lily Sophi and Natalie all had a "wine night" with some neighborhood friends. They drank sparkling apple cider, but they used fancy goblets, so they called it a wine night and had a fancy dinner for themselves. They had a charcuterie night a month or so ago, and they're trying to get together once a month for a dinner. I'll update later with a pic of that if they send me one.

Peter got two gifts today. Earlier today I took him to the store to buy something with his Christmas cash ($20) and birthday cash ($10) that he got from Grandpa Wayne last month. He chose two Spiderman Legos.

This morning I woke up to use the bathroom, and when I came out, an almost full moon was right in our bedroom window and it made me jump. Wow! 

I went into the bathroom groggy, but then I was wide awake and went downstairs to stare at the moon as it set over the valley. I went back to bed, but it was nice to have that moment of quiet before the day began. I liked this quote that I read later today in Simple Abundance. 

"Year by year the complexities of this spinning world grow more bewildering and so each year we need all the more to seek peace and comfort in the youthful simplicities." 

- Women's Home Companion, Dec 1935

We are at the end of January, and I just wrote out my gratitude for this last day of the month. I did it every day! I remember having a great January last year as I focused on Gratitude and simplicity, and then February got the best of me and my momentum slowed down. I'm hoping to keep it going more this year! I'm reading the Book of Mormon and looking for references to gratitude in there, and so far that has been a wonderful experience too. 

And I'm finding insights on gratitude in the podcasts I listen to (minute 25:05) where he shares a quote by President Eyring's talk "Remeberance and Gratitude") -  and the magazine articles I study as well! I hope to keep this going all year and to learn and gain more insights about and develop more gratitude.

Oak Wood Fire Kitchen

Corey and I just got back from a delicious date night. It was our 3rd attempt to eat at OAK Wood Fire Kitchen. This was the first time we had a reservation (wait times when we've tried to walk in have been over an hour). Corey's 4th total attempt, cause the first time he was going to go here was when it was recommended for a lunch meeting, but it was too crowded for them too. So it's been on Corey's radar, and after our failed attempt last week, I texted him earlier today to get a reservation if he wanted to go, and he did. We got there at 7 and were seated right away. I ordered the Salmon BLT, and it was sooo good. Might have made a big impression cause I was fasting, but yeah, we shall be going here again and I shall be ordering that again. Corey ordered the Arugula Prosciutto pizza. When he saw it, he was disappointed. "I wish there had been a picture of the food, cause then I would have known not to order this." It looked like a salad pizza. I gave him half of my salmon burger to help tide him over. He's done the same for me. However, upon partaking of the food...

"Hmm!! This is really good!" I had a slice, and yes, it was very good! So we were both delighted with our meals and will be going here again soon. I took these two pics, so Corey and I can come back and look at the menu and be prepared on what to order next time. 

Any suggestions? Yummm

We came home rather quickly after our on-time dinner appointment, and now we're hiding out as the kids finish their movie and popcorn in the basement. Corey's doing more work, I'm here blogging. Just fyi I have done SUPER great on blogging this month! I am entirely current on January! I have a goal to catch up on October next week, and November isn't too bad behind, but December's blog posts are pretty sparse, so I'll prob give myself until the end of February to finish that. 

Abi came home early from school today, not feeling great, and she printed up a bunch of coloring pages and then I got out the water color paints and they've been having fun. 

I took an early afternoon ride to the ruins. Got to the top in 1:03:35! Not bad. I was pushing hard cause two other bikers that are always on the trail at 3 were starting right behind me. I saw their car with bikes pulling up as I passed the gate. And then I never saw them. I tried to keep a fast pace so they wouldn't get stuck behind me, but I thought they'd catch up to me at the ruins. I hung out there for a bit. Then I started down, never saw them. Maaaybe they were on the Lisa rocks when I was coming down techy? I also sat at Pooh Corner for a bit. Enjoying the sound of the creek. 

But then, when Corey and I were on our way out to eat, I saw them driving home with their bikes on the back of their white car. I know it was them. So if they were coming back that late at 6:40, that means they were on a 3.5 hour ride! Maybe they rode up to Tanners?? A mystery to be solved. I don't know their names, but I saw them three times this past week. Maybe I'll see them again. 

Alvie Smiles

We are heading to bed early tonight. Owen had his trumpet lesson at 5, and Corey and I were going to go climb after I got home, but instead as I was getting off the freeway, I got a call from Ethan asking if we could watch Alvie at Wayne's house. Owen said "Yes! Alvie!!!!" so we got right back on the freeway, went to Wayne's house to watch Alvie. Corey was there working. He had just taken Lily back up to Skyline. Ethan and Bella came in a few and dropped off Alvie. And guess what!! Owen and I have learned a trick! 

We have learned a way to turn cute little shy and cautious Alvin's default "studying who you are face"...

Into a little Alvin smile! Yeah we've cracked the code! 

We tried it out several times, and got a grin more than once. 

We don't want to over use it though, in case he looses interest, but yeah, we were proud of ourselves for getting Alvie to smile at us. And we're not letting our secret out. But if we're ever around people and we try to use it, then they'll know how. And hopefully it will still work. Now little niece Mary out in Ohio is a different story. That little girl is giving away smiles all day long to anyone who is watching, as evidence in this photo from Mel's wedding. 

My sister Beka captured that shot of Mary, staring straight at her camera with the cutest toothless grin while everyone else was taking a break in between shots. Not Mary! She's always camera ready with a smile!

So we watched Alvie until past 8. Ethan and Bella went to Skyline to help Lily with some RISE activity. RISE was having a "college student" night, and Lily had to get a college student to come, so Ethan and Bella were her real live college kids that came to share their experiences at college. There were like 10 other college kids, all from the U of U, and Ethan and Bella were the only ones there reppin' the Y. She said Ethan and Bella were awesome. They actually made her and the other kids excited about college. As for the other people from the U, Lily was not impressed, though she did mention twice how one girl talked about how she does bird watching, and Lily thought that was booooring. Ethan talked about how me met Bella, how fun it is to be at school, how if you get married then housing is less expensive, and was basically preaching education, intelligence and gospel living to the high school students. After they came back to Wayne's, we said bye, Corey stayed to work for a bit more, and Lily Owen and I drove home. Lily was talking fast about the experience and how she's so grateful for the gospel, for BYU, for Ethan and Bella and our family, for Dad/Corey and what an amazing job he does with all the kids. She talked about how Corey was helping Owen practice the trumpet, then helped Daniel with the saxophone, then Peter with ukulele, then helped her with her ACT last night after scriptures, and right before that he was helping Sophi as she was in tears after YW over some friend drama last night Sophi in in the "Sapphire" group and they had a winter blue tea party. 

So Corey was helping Sophi out with advice last night, and he is also often counselling the college kids and gives them such great pointers for life, etc etc. He really is amazing. 

For the Young Women, last night Natalie's went with her YW group, the Rubies, but I don't know what their activity was. Abi and Lily are in the Diamond group. They went there after Abi got home from Lyceum. Our ward is larger now, after combining the Granite and Granite Ridge wards, so the youth groups are bigger and are splitting up into smaller groups for some of their activities. The girls are struggling just a little bit with the change, but it's good and they'll be ok. It's nice having such a big ward. I'm still serving in the Relief Society as an assistant secretary, but all I really do now is the bulletin board in the RS room. There is a ward Newsletter that someone does, but not RS newsletter here. The secretary sends out emails about the lessons before Relief Society weeks, which is every other week. Oh, I also enter the attendance. 

Yesterday I vacuumed, did laundry, I cleaned boys room, Mel was here and she helped me free up storage on my phone - it keeps not letting me take photos and says my phone storage is full, boo. I only have 64GB, and I have like 20 apps compared to Corey's 200 and his storage is only half full, boo. Yesterday I also stretched a little bit, rearranged clothes (put short sleeve shirts in the dresser), worked on my Simple Abundance discover journal, gratitude book, wrote in personal journal, good stuff. Corey and I were going to go climbing tonight, but now we're going to go to bed early (10!) so that Corey can get up at 6, so that we can top rope before I have to get home to send the boys off to school. Abi is taking carpool for Churchill, so ALSH will be leaving at 7:20, they'll make sure Owen is awake, he'll wake up Peter to do his homework, and I'll be back at 8 to help them go to school. That's the plan for tomorrow morning. Now I just need to write in my Gratitude Journal before bed, writing down 5 things from today. I'm focusing on gratitude this year. January has already been solid, and this year is going to be good. 

Time with Abi

Abi has been an amazing helper again today. Tonight she took kids over to the church at 5 when Owen and Daniel had activity days, and after O&D left for their hike, she stayed there with Peter and Katharine so they could play in the gym. She sent me some pics - of these two kids on top of the van....

Of them in the church parking lot with our familiar mountains behind. Kat posing properly and popping  up her leg, haha

Before Abi left, I told her that STEAM night was tonight at the elementary school at 6, and she said she was ok to take them over there too! I was planning on taking them, cause Steam night is something we've just done the past few years (2025, 2024, & 2023) but I didn't mind at all having her do it. I was able to stay home and catch up on things and the kids got out of the house. I had already gotten out of the house when I went on a bike ride around 1:30 this afternoon. Done playing in the gym, heading over to steam night - K is excited.

Cute kids. 

Over at STEAM night there were different activities. They made some pots out of clay - 

So pretty Katharine!

And Peter taught Katharine how to command the remote control robots with the ipad -

That was everyone's favorite part. 

The activity day leaders dropped Daniel off over there after the hike. 

And yeah, good day all around. 

I enjoy my Tuesday mornings and the school routines right now. Tuesday morning routine today went well: 

• 4:15 morning alarm
• 5am initiatories at the Jordan River Temple
• Bouldering at Millcreek
• Sauna for 30 min
• Home at 8 to get the boys off to school with a kiss

At home I cleaned a little bit, but not in the basement cause Mel and Christian were here. There is still much to do there, but there's also plenty to organize upstairs, so my goal today was to get the laundry room in order, and I did phase 1 today, oh yeah. Phase 1 included clearing off desk top, the top of dryer, and all other clutter collecting places. Phase 2 will be attending to the drawers and cupboards, then phase 3 will be going through books and trying to simplify. Each room in the house has these same phases. Basement is still in phase 1. So I'm glad I made progress in the laundry room today. I got ready for an early ride at 1:30, after Abi was back from Seminary. There is still no new snow, so the trail was good. I was at the top in 1:06 which was good! The ice on the creek by the ruins looked super cool. 

Someday, if I ever don't have any responsibilities for a few hours, I'd like to come take a nap as I listen to the creek. Back at home, Katharine had been playing Starfall with Abi watching and listening, and having a flashback to her childhood when she listened to the zig zag song by the little zig zag boy and zig zag girl. She said it gave her nightmares.

K seemed fine after watching it. I recognized the song, but I don't remember ever watching that little clip. It's nice having Abi around to help, and she seems to be ok slowing down and spending time with her siblings since she knows that she only has a few more months with us before she graduates and is off on her mission. We're all enjoying the time together. 

Nesting Dolls & What Do You Meme

Today Abi had the van, but Corey stayed home and so I took his car to go visit with my parents. They were working, but I helped myself to tidying up a little bit in their kitchen and living room. Katharine  was an absolute perfect little girl and contently played by herself while I cleaned. My dad noticed she was lacking for toys, however, and he went back and brought out the Matryoshka/nesting dolls that Katharine loves ~

And then she mothered her many daughters for the rest of our time there. 

They were her babies, her kids, they were a family, and at one moment she played duck duck goose with them - she had them out in a circle, she went around patting their heads, then she "goose"-d one of the medium dolls, and picked it up and held it behind her cause it was chasing her, as she laughed and ran away from it. Cutest thing ever. Katharine I love you. Playing baby again.

After that, we went by Macey's and used Daniel's "free ice cream" coupon every week for a year to ger Katharine some ice cream. Daniel, I'm sorry you haven't used it that much. It's mostly been Katharine cashing in on Daniel's prize. She would not share her ice cream with me, not even a bite. 

I told her next time I'll probably get the ice cream for me, and it will be mine, but I will share mine with her. I'll try to teach her how that's done. 

Yesterday evening we went over to Wayne's house and we joined cousins and aunts and uncles for a taco bar dinner, and then after that Mark and Chalane shared pics of their trip to Israel with us. We shared some good news first - that Abi had an interview with the stake president after church and her papers are submitted! And then we looked at photos of their month long trip to Nazareth, Galilee, Cairo, Petra, they were able to see so much, it was amazing. I do hope Corey and I get to visit Israel someday. One of the funniest stories that they shared was one Jewish Sabbath day, Seth was out alone for a walk and a Jewish man came up to him and asked if he was Jewish. "No..." "Oh good! Can you come help me?" and Seth followed him up to an apartment where there was a group of 30 people in a rather cold room and they were happy to see Seth and have him push the heat on for them! Cause they aren't allowed to push buttons on the Sabbath. He thought it was so funny, and he was glad to be able to save the day. Ethan and Bella were there, and Mel and Christian! Recently returned from Hawaii!! They came here afterwards and are spending a few days here in the basement. They are homeless until Feb 14, which is when their lease starts. They joined us for FHE and we played a few rounds of "What Do You Meme - Wride Edition" 

Here's a young Abi with a silly look on her face - what quote goes with this? The ones that made me laugh were: 

Winner was: "The kids when it's time to help clean"

Runners up that I thought were funny: 

• "When you have 2 weeks to finish an online class"
• "When you make eye contact with dad when he's doing your dishes"
• "When you lose something and mom asked "where did you lose it?"

This photo of Peter with the winning quote: "When you loses track of which blankets can be trusted and which ones kids have wiped their snot on"

Messy Wes: "When you accuse your brother of taking too much ice cream just so you can have more"

Daniel deal on the grass: "When the teenage girls insist on telling you the entire plot of this book that they're reading"

Peter with a little photo of himself:

Mel got a fun photo of Ethan: 

"When mom comes home with Costco muffins"

"When you wake up and see that it snowed last night"

"When the code to the pantry gets out"

"Kids when they hear a candy wrapper"

"When dad lets you play the Wii"

"Katharine listening to Baby Shark for the 127843927th time"

"That look your siblings give you when you go up to speak in church"

"That eye contact you make with your sibling when mom and dad are lecturing them for something you did"

and my favorite "Dad when he sees a travel deal"

Melodie helped Katharine, and K insisted saying all of the quote herself, with Melodie saying it outloud first, so we knew what it was, so it wasn't time efficient, but it was good for this toddler's feelings.

Here's the pic I chose, and the quote that won "When you go to check on the kids and find them on the roof" because, yes, that accurately shows how I was feeling. 

Corey got this one, which captures a moment in time that is a fond memory for him: 

"When you realize it's time for you to move out"

"When Mom and Dad warn us that Santa won't give us present this year and he actually doesn't" (I'm assuming that quote is referring to Christmas 2019)

So it was fun. We went around the table and each person had a turn. Abi and Corey tied for 1st, each of them having 3 of their quotes chosen as the winner. 

And then we had chocolate cookie crumble ice cream. I got my bowl and am saving it for tomorrow, cause I was finished eating for the day after lunch. My weight jumped up this month and I found it curious, like a post wedding stress gain? I'm going to try and skip dinner this week and fast it back down.

And THEN Mel and Christian showed us photos from their honeymoon vacation to Hawaii. So so fun, Hawaii is gorgeous. What an amazing corner of the world. I'll do a post with a summary of their trip with their favorite photos and most memorable moments. We are glad they were able to go and had such a great time, and we are glad they are back! They are hopping back and forth between our house and the Bennetts until Feb 14, which is when they move into their new apartment. It will be fun to have them around a little these next two weeks!