Past Two Days

There are good things happening. I'll start with the prettiest photos from the past two days. Mel shared this one on the family group chat yesterday. She and Christian were close to the Orem Temple around sunset. There were pink skies, a huge bright rainbow, lightening, AND the temple! 

And I'll add that there was also these two beautiful people. So so pretty! What an amazing artist God is.

Here's a quick list of the things that happened yesterday and today, in no particular order. Abi had a flute competition this morning at 11 with the Utah Music Teachers Association. 

Corey went to support her. Abi with her teacher April Clayton.

Corey shared those photos with the college kids, and Ethan commented "It's fun until you realize they are expecting this to be your entire future."

I had a Relief society thing last night. It was a soup and chili dinner night, I brought some vegan chili. After the dinner and desserts, they had planned a "speed friendship" game thing, which was super cute. Kinda like speed dating, but for friends, to help us sisters in this new combined ward get to know each other. It was fun and a super cute idea. They had little baskets of questions, and we'd rotate seats and pull out a paper with a question. I liked it. I think it would be a fun activity for FHE or at a family reunion! And it was good I went tonight, cause we were gifted leftover soup from a few people, yay, another blessing from the Lord to help us survive. Lots and lots of concord grapes, and now we've got some soup for a few night. The desserts got gobbled up pretty quickly. 

It is nice to feel the Lord helping us in these small ways. I am grateful when the Lord sends us penguins, even if we're still stuck in Antarctica on an ice flow (little analogy there of the financial situation we are still in...) A few times penguins showed us for us: Bridget called me on Aug 11th offering some food leftover from swim and dive banquet. She gave us a ton of Mediterranean food: rice, hummus, kalamata olives, peppers, onions, and dressings. It got us through a few weeks. Also the plums from Hansens on Aug 7 was a gift, and the grapes from Dummers this past week, then the leftover soup and desserts from tonight. Thank you Lord for providing for us and sending us the help we need. These people might know know that they were an answer to my prayers, but they were and I'm grateful. I should probably send them thank you cards.

Corey and I went on a bike ride together yesterday, from the trial head to the ruins. Then today I went again, but from home to the ruins. Yesterday we went at 4:30, and we were back at the car an hour later. I got the 2nd bridge rocks and the Lisa Rocks, woo, plus a PR for trailhead to ruins with techy. Today I went again at 3:50pm. I got the 2nd bridge rocks again, yay. I love love fall. 

While the autumn colors are here, I shall be doing my best to get out everyday I can for a ride or a hike. At the ruins, looking east up the canyon ~ I thought these clouds looked awesome.

We went to Aubergine tonight (I assume... I'm actually blogging this in Feb 2026 and I lost my notes. Go verify in bank records, but we usually go to Aubergine in Draper, so we'll say we went there.) And then we did toprope at Ft Union from 9:30 until 11 and we visited with Nicole while we climbed. She and her husband are getting a divorce. :( 

Yesterday I took Sophi and Natalie to school late, I can't remember why (again, it's Feb 2026) but I do remember K really really wanted to go to school too, so we got her backpack and she came into the school, and we congratulated her on going to school!!! So they are in the background around 9am and here is K with her backpack and barefoot "at school"! 

Tad Callister passed away. Joseph said "The work must really be hastening on the other side of the veil if they need Pres Nelson and Elder Callister." Joseph with little Mary!!! Aww she's getting so big!

The Primary kids, ODPK, had a primary program practice this afternoon. They practiced it for an hour and they got to chow down on pizza after. The Primary Program is on Sunday. After they got back, Peter and Katharine played with her doggy book. So much for the system K and I had going on. Now all the stickers are put in on the pages where they need to go. Katharine held the stickers while Peter looked for the pages they go on.

Such a good helper Katharine! 

No more doing this book one page/one day at a time. Peter got it all done. And today I blogged and also worked on making a little piano chart and book for the kids to keep track of what piano songs they practice and for how long and they can hopefully make some progress. 

I'm putting in in the desk and the piano is by the desk as well. 

We recently moved the piano over there, cause I want to see and here what is going on music wise, and I don't always see it or notice start and finish times if they aren't right in front of me. We have not started violin again for Sophi and Natalie (cause of that being stuck in Antartica analogy thing) so I am determined to have them still practice music, and I don't care if they do violin or piano, but they gotta do it every day and I want them to keep track of their progress. I hope they can learn all the simplified Hymns before they graduate and leave our home. That's the goal. I'll work on it too. I have a chart for myself in the music book too.