Last Sunday

On the typical Sunday morning around here, Corey wakes up and makes crepes for breakfast. The kids all like it and I appreciate it. 

Today I made a contribution to the meal with some hashbrowns and eggs. We wanted to have a nice feast since this is Ethan's "last" Sunday with us (even though he wasn't here for breakfast). We had a nice lunch of hummus wraps and salad. Corey and Joseph went down to Ethan's cave.

Corey and Joseph read while Ethan finished packing up.

Ethan almost ready for his second transfer (last pic here was his first transfer)

We had lunch at 12, then hung out while Ethan wrapped things up. We took over the hand art to give to Wayne and JeNeal. It was made at the 20th year at Park City, so it's our anniversary family reunion art gift to them. For the final touch - everyone signed their name by their hand.

I signed for Owen, Daniel, and Peter.

We did the sacrament with everyone at 2, and had a little testimony meeting and let everyone offer Ethan any advice they had. 

We left around 4:30 so we could be home for dinner as a family. I took a few pictures of Ethan at his desk where he's lived for the past 6 weeks. 

Posing for the camera, to show how he looked when he was deep in spiritual thoughts. 

Joseph's been looking into buying a scooter for himself down at school. Jeremy gave him some advice and showed J his scooter, and then all the little kids wanted a ride. Daniel, our little thrill seeker, loved it.

Natalie's turn

When we got home, there was a little back-to-school gift on the front step from the lovely family in our ward who minister to us. 

They are seriously so thoughtful. We texted a picture to say thanks

Some people are just great examples of service. They make me want to do better and be better. The kids opening and sharing new notebooks and pencils. School starts tomorrow!

It's a big day, our last Sunday with Ethan, also the last Sunday before school starts. 

Everyone look at the camera! When it was time to serve ourselves up, Peter went to grab the lid of the potatoes, but it was hot cause Corey had been keeping it in the oven to stay warm. It startled him and burnt him a little bit, not badly it mostly scared him. 

He shriveled up into a little ball and whimpered and we were all "Oohhhhh!!! Peeeeeterrrrr!!!"

His little lower lip was so sad! We gave him lots of love to help him heal.

This was our first and last time with everyone at the dinner table together, cause Joseph and Ethan were in California when we bought this in May. 

After Eth came back, we were still missing Joseph, but now J is done! "We're all together again!"

We had steak and potatoes and salad and broccoli and it was a feast for dinner as a final tribute to Elder Wride. 

"A toast! To family!" (That part in the video was something Lily said at Thanksgiving last year that made us all laugh so it's become a family quote. Not many sayings become memorailaized, so good job Lil!) We spent a nice evening at home and just enjoyed being together. Wesley made a keva cage for Owen.

I see you, Owen!

We let Peter break it.

I built it around Daniel after Owen was done. It was a nice evening at home. Tomorrow I'm going to take Ethan to run a few last minute errands and then he wants to play Ultimate Frisbee at Waterford one last time, so that will be a fun FHE activity. Then he's on his way early Tuesday morning (like we have to leave home at 3:30 cause his flight is at 6). This is happening, It's been great to have this extra time with him, thanks Covid! But whenever you want to be done pandemic-ing us, that would be great, cause we would like Ethan to be able to go to the Dominican Republic! 

School Starting Soon

It's been nice having Joseph around the house this weekend. He's hanging out until Ethan leaves next week. We thought Ethan would come back Friday but he's still there. He wanted to leave today to run errands but I told him to pack up and get organized there while he still has a good space to work in and peace and quiet, and that we'll do the final errands on Monday. So we're all going over to Corey's parents for lunch and we'll have the sacrament over there, and then we'll come home for our "last" Sunday here at home together. There are just so many "lasts" in life, so that's why we usually put it in quotes or make quotes with our fingers when we say it, cause it's a joke cause there's always another last that will come later. 

So Joseph is here for the weekend. Early this morning, he woke me up at 12:45 am by tapping our bedroom deck with a rake. He had been outside talking to a friend on the phone until very late and got locked out. He checked every window and door and had no other choice but to disturb us. I was glad I heard him, but I was like "what in the world..." and was wide awake after that, so I blogged until 3am. Today was a good day. Corey went biking with kids - we'd drive up the canyon and drop them off and they'd ride down. I'll try to find Corey's pics cause he took a few. Joseph watched Peter for me while I drove them up. Peter didn't want to be around Joseph at first, but Joseph won him over by playing ball with him.

And then Joseph taught him a trick of "hold the big ball between your legs and Peter really liked that.

He's got the hang of it. 

Then Joseph would fly him around the room and flip him around and upside down.

And then Peter wouldn't let Joseph stop playing.

It was cute. 

Classes start for Joseph on the 31st, but he'll be going down next week because he starts teaching at the MTC on Wednesday. He checked into his room at BYU at 11:00 am on Wednesday before we headed to Vernal (we were cutting it close, which is also why we were a little late leaving on Wed), then he moved in yesterday. Corey used Joseph's moving on campus as an opportunity to give Father's David a little tour of BYU. Corey also knows the MTC President and so they were able to give Father David a tour of that too and he was very impressed.

I don't know much else about the tour. Corey said that Father David was impressed with the detail in the visual art works there, as I was when I took a tour two years ago.

Ethan got to get a photo with the MTC map! Not many missionaries have had that opportunity since March. Mel and Joseph did too, I don't have those pics though. To future family historians, go look through Corey's files.

A few pics from yesterday - Wesley discovered he has a rare talent for nostril music playing

Featuring one of the songs from the Penguins of Madagascar. 

Kids playing on the trampoline outside yesterday and enjoying a little bit of ice cream.

This was ice cream that Natalie bought for herself with a gift card she got for her birthday that we recently found (Abi found it and took it). Natalie shared her mermaid ice cream with friends. We can pretend it's an "end of summer" party. I love watching Peter eat and seeing how he holds his spoon and he's just adorable.

My sweet little boy.

"Why are you always taking pictures of me, Mom?"

Kids are headed to school and after Owen goes to kindergarten, I'll just have Peter and Daniel at home. I wonder if I'll get on top of things or if I'll still feel behind on life. 

Sad Pete and Piano Eth

Yesterday, due to our temple trip to Vernal, I was away from my little Peter for about 10 hours. This is him yesterday morning, it's as if he knew what was coming.

Oooh little Peter! Don't be so sad!

Then he reminded me that he wasn't sad about me being gone for so long, this is just his usual morning mood. 

His nickname is Grumpy Peter. He's still super cute, even when he's crying. 

He was fine after a few minutes, it's just a daily morning hurdle he has to get over. He gnashed his teeth upon me for like 10 minutes until I got food into his mouth. We did turn to breakfast pastries today for deliverance. 

It worked. "I'm not ill-tempered in the morning, I was just hangry."

Yesterday I thought the earliest we'd be back was 9pm, and I told them the latest would probably be 10:30. Reality was we arrived home at 12:30 am. That meant Peter went to bed without me, and without nursing himself to sleep. He didn't handle it great, but he survived. Today he has been super clingy and not letting me out of his sight, except when he was asleep. Sweet little boy.

A huge thanks to Hyrum, Wesley, and Abi for their service and sacrifice last night. They made sure everyone practiced their instruments, and they cleaned the kitchen, and they had everyone in bed. It was awesome. I joked that we will have to leave them more often! A few more photos from yesterday - I picked up Ethan first and then we went to the airport to pick up Joseph who is home from California! Ethan told his MTC group that he had to leave to pick up his brother at the airport, and then sent a photo of Peter in his carseat, as if Peter was the brother he picked up. Yeah, he's just a very mature one year old who knows how to travel alone from California. 

Just kidding, it was Joseph!

We got home. Joseph, who had stayed up until 3 am and then slept the night in a car in a Target parking lot, was very tired. He showered and got ready while Ethan entertained us. 

First he played "American Pie"

Followed up with some Bruno Mars "When I was your Man" en Español even!

It was very fun and we all enjoyed his performance. 

Today he's back in the home MTC at Corey's parents house. They have a piano and they enjoy the music Ethan plays. Ethan's MTC experience will end this weekend and he will probably come home on Friday and we'll be able to have a few full days with him before he leaves for Missouri early Tuesday morning!

Vernal Temple

We went with Melodie and Ethan to the Vernal temple today for them to receive their temple endowment. (We arrived home from Vernal at 12:45 am Thursday morning, but I'm typing this up and posting it under Wednesday.) I shared last week how it all worked out that we were able to schedule their endowments in Vernal, and we are just so thankful that we got an appointment for them that we could all go to together before Ethan leaves on Tuesday morning. Having to drive 3 hours to it was a very small sacrifice compared to the blessing it was to be there together, and with Joseph too!

Joseph flew in this morning at 9 am, after finishing up his adventure with summer sales in Dewey pest control out there. So everything has been amazing and worked out perfectly!

The drive out there wasn't bad at all. It was fun to talk in the car and we had a great time. We left a little late, so I was pushing the speed limit to get there by 4:30. We had planned to leave between 1 and 1-:30, but weren't on the road until 1:38, and then Ethan had to stop by Corey's parent's to pick up his recommend, which I don't know why he didn't bring. I was a little stressed there, and Ethan teased "No pasa nada!" as he comforted me with his amazing Spanish skills. Also, as we were leaving, Joseph asked Corey and I "Do you guys have my recommend?" He had his interview over video from California, so he didn't have the physical copy. He actually hadn't had his interview with the Stake either, and I was like "What?!?! You're realizing this now?" I thought he might have to miss it and would just be along for the drive, but we called the temple, and they were able to check, and his recommend was active in the system so he was good to go. So that was a tender mercy. It is a little close sometimes though, letting these kids take care of things by themselves. Granted Joseph did have a lot going on the past few days, but he could have decided to NOT leave it for the last few days, or for the drive there, but it's all good, he was able to come in. Also, when I put on the maps to tell me where to go, I just entered "Vernal" so I was heading towards downtown/main street Vernal, when Ethan was like "There's the temple" and I was about to wiz past it, so I was glad he was looking, or we would have been 10 minutes late instead of 7. "No pasa nada!" Don't worry about it. We pulled up at 4:37 and hurried in.

Neil was just arriving too, so it was great. Corey's mom had made white face masks for everyone, which was very nice. We were going to take pictures, but they were waiting for us at the doors, so we'll have to do it after. (We were lucky the doors were still open when we were late! I hear it's not going to be like that for the marriage supper...) The session was very nice and a small group, just our family: Corey and me, Joseph, Melodie, and Ethan, my parents Kim and Linda, Corey's parents Wayne and JeNeal, and Neil and Amy.

Here are some photos we took after our very special and unique time in the temple.

Who knows if there will ever be a chance like this again: for us to have two of our kids receive their endowment at the same time, or another chance to have a whole session just to ourselves.

Some individual pictures of Mel and Ethan -

Trying out different angles for each of them. I won't put them all here, but we got several of each of them alone...

...And a few of Ethan teasing and pretending they are a young couple in love, ha! That made me laugh

We went to Cafe Rio afterwards with Corey's parents and Neil and Amy.

My parents headed back before it got any darker. We were on the road around 9pm.

The drive home was a bit long. I don't like driving in the dark on unlit streets, I start to feel like I'm in a dream and going crazy. I listened to a few episodes of Talking Scripture podcast, I got through most of Revelation, so good. But then after we were in Heber I needed something to wake me up (everyone else was quiet and either listening or sleeping most of the drive) so I put on some Killers and then I was ok and awake as I sang along. We got to Corey's parents house a little after midnight, waited for them so that we could leave Ethan in capable hands (you know how you can't leave these missionaries alone!) and then we left around 12:30, home at 12:45, and that was their special day that they shared with us. Hyrum held down the fort here, and with Wes and Abi's help, they had the house clean, and the kids all read and practiced! We told Hyrum that we'll leave him in charge more often, or maybe we'll just hand over the parenting baton, cause obviously he's better at this than we are! But he and Wes said they don't want to be parents again for a while, it was exhausting, ha. I'm very grateful for their capable help, Peter was sad and missed me, but they were all safe and well, and we drove home safe, it was a good day all around.