Tuesday, April 24, 2018

Visitors From The Farm

This is the last chance I will have to back-post for a little bit, so I am going to take the chance to tell you about the great visit we had from Grandma and Grandpa. It really is shameful that it has taken me this long to write about their visit. It is for two reasons--one they don't visit very often, so it is totally blog worthy and two we had a great time with them. It was so fun to have Grandma and Grandpa to ourselves and do our own thing. We love visiting them at their house, but it was nice to show them our house and what we do here. It was fun to not have to share them with any cousins or farm work. We really didn't do anything amazing, but it was truly wonderful to have them here.

They arrive on the last Tuesday in March. I was actually not here because I was in Boulder at an Occupational Therapy Evaluation follow-up meeting for Tia. This is a whole blog post in an of itself, so it will have to just suffice that Gaupo was the one that greeted his parents when they arrived. They got here I think about 2:00ish. They were home when I got home, but I didn't really get to sit down and chat right away because I needed to get dinner started. Sometimes that early dinner thing makes things a little crazy when I have stuff to do in the afternoon. Oh well. At dinner, the girls asked if we were still going to go swimming. I said, I don't know if Grandma and Grandpa brought their suits. Well it turns out Grandma did. Turns out Grandma was really prepared to have fun this trip and you know what I think she succeeded. Anyway, we went to the rec center and Grandma and Grandpa watched the girls climb the rock wall. Tia use to go all the way up, but they she learned how to come down, so now she prefers to climb a little and get lots of short rides back down. Kylee did a really well. She is still working on having the courage to sit back and let herself come down, but at least she is climbing again, so I will take it. After climbing for a bit we went swimming. The girls had so much fun showing off their skill. Grandpa started kind of on the other side  of the pool, but Tia went and got him and told him to come watch closer to where we were. It was a really cute. Grandma played with us the whole time. Her and Kylee had a blast in the lazy river. My girls have gotten to the point where they love to swim, float, and monkey walk in there and they love it. Grandma really enjoyed it too. It was definitely her favorite part of the Rec Center. We played for quite awhile and then we got all showered and went home. Once home, we put the girls to bed and then just chatted until Gaupo got home. After he got home we visited some more and then went to bed.

Wednesday Gaupo took a half-day, so he went in to work about 11:00. Because of this late start, he helped make a delicious breakfast of scrambled pancakes and then we kind of just lazed around until the girls wanted to go to the park. They wanted to ride their bikes to the park and bless Grandma's heart she got on a bike and rode with us. It took her a minute to get the hang of it because she apparently hasn't been on a bike for about 20 YEARS! Plus, she has never ridden a bike with gears, so she needed to get a hang of using hand brakes. Luckily she figured it out and she followed us on our ride.
Here is Grandma on her bike.
Gaupo rode with us for a ways too, until he split ways, so he could go to work. After he departed, we went to the three parks that are right here--the ladybug park, the big kid park, and the sand park. The girls had fun playing at each one and showing Grandma all the cool things they could do at the park.
Kylee, Tia, and Gradma playing in the sand.
Around noon we headed home to get some lunch. We had lunch and then naps. During nap time I had to get some work done and it was my first time doing the specific job I was doing, so it took awhile. I felt bad, but I think it was okay. Once I got done with that, I relaxed for a bit, but then it was time to get ready to go to the temple. Gaupo got home at 4:00 and we dropped the girls of at my friend Megan VonNeiderhausen's house. Then we headed to the temple. We went to the 5:30 session and Gaupo and I got to be the witness couple. It was so awesome. I love doing that and we haven't gotten the chance to do it for awhile, so it was really fun. After a wonderful session, we came back and picked up the girls and then put them to bed and had some dinner. I had put some stew meat, carrots, and potatoes in the crock-pot hoping to make beef stew, but it ended up more like roast with potatoes and carrots. Oh well, better luck next time. It was still good and not a bad meal for that late at night. I really enjoyed going to the temple and it was fun to take someone that hadn't been to the Ft. Collin's temple yet.

Thursday Gaupo had a lot of meetings, or at least enough meetings at the wrong times to make it not worth it for him to take any time off, so he went to work like normal. We made apple cinnamon muffins, and cheese eggs for breakfast. After breakfast was cleaned up I took a shower and then we went to visit Gaupo at the library. Gaupo loved introducing his parents to the people he works with at the library. It was fun for them to get excited to see his parent and hear the people tell them how great Gaupo is, and all he does to help them. The girls had fun showing Grandma and Grandpa all around.
Kylee, Tia, and Grandpa at the life size Peep Diorama.
After we were done with that, we went to the train park. My kids didn't bring their jackets and it was a little chilly, so we couldn't stay long. However, we went home and got their jackets and left Grandpa at home to relax while the girls and I took Grandma to their school. We showed Grandma where their classrooms were and the played on the playgrounds there. Grandma and I spent a lot of time talking while the kids played and so that was really fun. Then we came home and had lunch and got the girls down for naps. I intended to play games during this nap time, but instead I ended up teaching Grandma and Grandpa about Facebook instead. I helped with that for a while and then Grandma and I chatted while I made some cookies. Then the girls woke-up,so we all played some games together and that was kind of fun. When Gaupo got home from work, we got dinner underway. We did grill food which included some corn, and roasted sweet potatoes. It was really tasty. After dinner we totally spoiled out kids and we watch Cars 3. Grandma hadn't seen it before and the girls have really wanted to see it again, so we did and it was fun to watch a movie together. The kids had a really hard time going to sleep that night, but it was totally worth it. After the kids were in bed we chatted for awhile and then it was time to go to bed, so that everyone could be rested for the following day.

Friday Grandma and Grandpa had to leave. It was a bummer to see them go, but it was so fun to have them here. We had breakfast and then made sure they had everything all packed up and then sent them off. The day was a little rough with no Grandma and Grandpa to share it with, but we made it though. We still can't wait to see them in May, but it was so fun to have them HERE at our house, with us. It was fun to just play and relax and be. I hope they enjoyed it too and weren't completely bored out of their minds. I am so glad they took the time to come I know I, Gaupo, Kylee, and Tia really enjoyed having them here and having their undivided attention. It was so great!

Tuesday, April 10, 2018

A Morning with Kitt

Once upon a time, I had a sister named Kitt and she lived only about an hour away from me. However, she met the man of her dreams and moved to Utah, and they are living happily ever after. Meanwhile back here in Colorado, we are learning to live all alone again :) Just kidding, not just kidding. As in yes, we are learning how to live all alone again, but we have had some great visits from Grandparents that I totally need to blog about, and we are busy, but we still miss our Aunt Kitt.

Consequently, when she told me she needed to come to Denver for work I expressed a great desire to see her. I told her I was willing to pick her up and take her to her in-laws house if needed. Well, lucky for me she decided to come visit me late Thursday night. She got there around 9:30 and we were finishing National Treasure, so she watched that with us and then we visited till about 11:00/11:30. It was fun to just chat, but we were all tired, so we went to bed.

Friday, we had cancelled everything, so we could play with Kitt. That means I cancelled speech and Kylee chose not to go to school. It was awesome. We had a good breakfast of muffins and eggs. Then we went to the pool and swam there. The girls loved showing off for Aunt Kitt. We also saw some friends their, so that was fun but I am not sure if I paid enough attention to Kitt. I think I did okay, but I sometimes have a hard time ignoring kids who think I am awesome, and who I have kind of made a I want you to like me investment in. Anyway, I really think it was good, and the girls love the lazy river and Tia got to go on the slides, so it was great. After swimming, we got changed and quickly went the museum.  We had to hurry, so we didn't get to see everything, but it was still really fun.

We got home in time to welcome Trent and Tori for the day. I let the kids play while I made Kitt and I some crazy good nachos. Kitt brought some meat and avocado from a dinner she had with her team earlier in the week. So, I used that and our beans, some chips, cheese, and sour cream and we shared it while the kids played. I really tried to sit down and visit and not get up 1000 times while we had our lunch and I think I succeed. At least I feel like I did mainly because I actually felt I got some one on one time with Kitt. After we finished we had to hurry and get her out the door so she could catch her plane. It was a super short visit, but it was so good to see her. I really do hope her and Matthew move back here. It would be so fun to have them close. It sounds super silly, but there really is great peace in knowing you have family just down the road and it is super cool to see them often even if that often is only every other month, but most times at least once a month. Who knows what it will be like when/if they move back, but I am excited about it nonetheless. 

Sunday, April 8, 2018

General Conference

Last Saturday and Sunday were General Conference and I don't know for sure, but for me for sure I heard that we should write down the feelings we felt during that conference. So, obviously I am a little late, but I am getting it done.

The first thing that happened this General Conference was a Solemn Assembly. As the this event was getting ready to begin and I knew we would be sustaining Pres. Russel M. Nelson as the prophet I felt a slight burning in my chest. Now, seriously when I felt this I thought it was little a heartburn or something. And, I didn't think much of it, and the Solemn Assembly progressed and I stood both with the sisters of the Relief Society and then the full church membership and sustained the quorum of twelve and the new prophet. But I was really surprised that I didn't feel anything during it. It wasn't until Sunday afternoon that I realized that 'heartburn' before the solemn assembly started was the Spirit confirming to me that what was happening after that was right and true. I honestly can't believe I didn't recognize it at first, but its true. I haven't had the Spirit speak to me like that since I was probably about 8 or 9. Like when I very, very first prayed to know if the Book of Mormon were true. I have had many other promptings, feelings, and experiences with Spirit since then, but not in the same way. To be honest, I kind of wonder why the feeling was the way it was. It isn't like this is the first time I have sustained a new prophet. But it doesn't really matter. What matters is that the Spirit spoke to me that Pres. Russel M. Nelson is who the Lord wants for the prophet of the His church at this time.

Another moment of conference that I want to record is that of when Pres. Nelson announced the discontinuing of home and visiting teaching and introduced Ministering. So, as Pres. Nelson arose to speak, once again my heart burned within me. Again, I was kind of like what is that, but this time I actually recognized it for what it was. Then because I recognized it, I was so excited for what was going to come. I am so excited for these changes. Mainly, I love that the Young Women ages 14-18 will be included in ministering. Although, this will be kind of crazy and weird, it will be GREAT! Both the YW and the Relief Society Sisters need this change. We need it to become united together. To challenge and hopefully close the gap between YW and RS. I seriously hope it will allow the RS to get to know the YW and the YW to get to know the RS. Additionally, it will a unique set of talents to be used. Ministering is so broad and thus, it truly allow the opportunity for YW to be a part instead of just listening to women gab.  I truly feel like YW have a lot to contribute if we will let them. I am still don't know how it will all work. Like how it will be to work with YW or how they will be able to minister or if the RS will be flexible enough to figure out how to make it work and to let YW serve. It should be interesting and even though I don't know all the answers, this I do know. I know that this is what the Lord wants in His church. He wants His daughters to work together to serve each other. He wants them to be unified in their efforts. He wants them to truly look after the one.

This conference was full of wonderful things. I believe the Lord is hastening his work and it will move forward. We need to be ready and willing to get on and help Him with it. I testify that the Spirit speaks to us. Sometimes we don't understand or recognize the Spirit at first, but we need to learn to feel it and listen to it because among all of the things the Spirit can do, his main job is to testify, and He will testify of truth, of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father, and of Their work.