Peter to Provo

Today I drove to Provo to take Peter to sleepover with Ethan and Bella. First we stopped by Blendtec to buy a new pitcher. Inside their reception area, they have upside down pitcher as their hanging lights. Kinda fun, I'm seeing there's a blender theme here. There was one receptionist and she was busy for a few minutes. The kids kept themselves busy.

Then we got the pitcher, it was $30 less than I was expecting, yay. Plus a 3 year warranty. Looks like the pitcher that died on Friday was purchased in 2019, so it well survived it's 3 year warranty. I'm sure this one will too. But good for me to keep track of things here. Ok, now let's take you to Bella! Outside I took a pic...

He asked to see the pic and was disappointed. "I wanted to be holding it" - oh. I guess that's why his hand was out. Ok, I told him to turn his hand like he was holding a cup, and we have to walk out a little further, and you come a little closer to me... there we go.

Very good. Bella took him to a park and while they waited for Ethan to finish work.

Then they went out to dinner. I think it's so fun that they are doing this for the kids. 

I went to the Temple this morning. I woke up at 4 on my own, although maybe it was Corey that woke me up. He was awake with heartburn, and since I was now up, I decided I'd go to the temple even though I didn't have an appointment. I was playing this morning by ear, cause we stayed up last night past midnight talking about news and watching a few videos and talking about Trump/Zelensky things. There is crazy stuff going on in the world. I was thinking maybe that's causing Corey stress? Maybe he's got ulcers? As I got ready, I told him we prob need to cut back on his news intake. We've been talking and reading about the White House mistreatment of the Ukrainian president since it happened on Friday. I know what I think about Trump and no amount of spin can convince me that he's a good person, sorry. I just can't believe it. As I drove back from Provo I listened/watched this video, documenting his treatment to local Scotland residents when he built a luxury golf course there. He really is not a kind or good person. And about the confrontation with Zelensky, I'll share this quote by Longtime Republican columnist and commentator David Brooks who said the following about it, and helped me realize that that's what I felt too - nauseous!

“I was nauseated, just nauseated. All my life, I have had a certain idea of about America, that we're a flawed country, but we're fundamentally a force for good in the world, that we defeated Soviet Union, we defeated fascism, we did the Marshall Plan, we did PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) to help people live in Africa. And we make mistakes, Iraq, Vietnam, but they're usually mistakes out of stupidity, naivete and arrogance. They're not because we're ill-intentioned. What I have seen over the last six weeks is the United States behaving vilely, vilely to our friends in Canada and Mexico, vilely to our friends in Europe. And today was the bottom of the barrel, vilely to a man who is defending Western values, at great personal risk to him and his countrymen. Donald Trump believes in one thing. He believes that might makes right. And, in that, he agrees with Vladimir Putin that they are birds of a feather. And he and Vladimir Putin together are trying to create a world that's safe for gangsters, where ruthless people can thrive. And we saw the product of that effort today in the Oval Office. And I have — I first started thinking, is it — am I feeling grief? Am I feeling shock, like I'm in a hallucination? But I just think shame, moral shame. It's a moral injury to see the country you love behave in this way."

So yeah, it's nuts. It's consuming Corey's thoughts for sure, as he listens to more news than me. When I left to the temple, I told him to try to go to sleep by reading and I passed him the book "Shackleton's Stowaway" - it was probably exciting enough that it would capture his attention and help him not think about all the bad news in the US right now, and maybe he could fall back asleep too. He really enjoyed it and shared a part of the introduction with us tonight at scriptures that was riveting! Corey tied it into the idea that what we are really here on earth to learn is how to have faith in our circumstances - ANY circumstance, whatever it might be. Don't like the president of your country and think he's ruining the government of your country? Have faith and trust. I'm excited to read it. Corey might read it to the boys. They are having a reading marathon this month, so that might help them get more minutes in plus it would be bonding time. 

Chocolate for FHE

Tonight the kids and Corey had talked about making sushi, but none of them did anything about it, and Corey got home late, so then we did a quick other plan. Natalie had talked to me about putting your hand in ice water, then puttin gmelted chocolate on your hand and then dipping your hand in cold water again and it would freeze in the shape of your hand. I said that was too much chocolate for each person. She said we could also write stuff, so I said that works. I ran to the store for strawberries, a small thing of vanilla ice cream, and 3 extra large chocolate bars. We got some water boiling hot in the microwave and melted the chocolate in the wrapper it was in, then just snipped the corner and it worked perfectly as a little frosting bag. I tested it out writing "Mom" first, then I Katharine and each of the boys' names. Natalie helped me. 

At the table, Corey thought it would be fun to make houses of cards. 

Peter couldn't get his cards to stay up and was so frustrated, he was crying pretty hard and not having fun. I couldn't get mine to work either and told him it's ok to not do something if it makes you frustrated and it's not something that's important/stupid. That's why I don't play video games! (Mario Kart "rainbow road" makes me want to cry, I think I haven't played video games with the kids since I tried that years ago and that's ok, cause video games are stupid.)

I told him to come do the chocolate with me. I let the older girls do their own. 

It only took us one XL chocolate bar to do all the names, but I had already melted a second bar, so we used that to drizzle the strawberries. Add a scoop of ice cream on there and tada - our FHE dessert is looking pretty fancy. 

Corey said I did a good job and said it was good, and thanked me for compromising my standards by buying chocolate. I had a goal to not buy any chocolate this year and I'd kept it so far, minus when I bought Peter's b-day cake, and some dark chocolate for the anniversary dinner. Corey said I get a pass, this didn't count. Ok, thanks, though it's true, I do feel annoyed that the kids' happiness seems to revolve around sugary foods. 

Wesley called during scriptures, and it was fun to talk with him. He shared a scripture and Hyrum said a prayer. Hyrum almost prayed for J&E and E&B and their _____ but then he paused and kept going, hoping that it would just be seen as a glitch in the audio. After Wes hung up, Ethan said "That was a close one Hyrum!" Ethan hasn't let Wesley know that they are expecting, and Hyrum almost gave it away. Maybe Wes will think Hyrum was saying for them to be blessed in their marriages, haha. 

Mel shared a pic of JMEHW in messenger today, from when we were in Pucón. 

Fifteen years later and those 5 cute little kids are all grown up and gone! Where'd all the time go? We sure love these kids. It's the best having a part in their lives. We are excited for all the future holds for us together with them forever!