Busting into 2019

Okay… I am not doing a good job of reporting how things have been going in 2019 thus far. I should repent of that. I will do my best to catch up and then stay on top of it from now on. Well… I will at least try.

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John was gone for the beginning of the month… the first 12 days of the year. He was in snowy northern Utah for work. He was busy most of the time, but he did take some time to drive down to Springville to visit his family. The drive was snowy and rather dangerous. His tale of the drive made me think just how lucky we are that he made it home to us! Still, I’m glad he had the opportunity since this week we learned that his mom is suffering from illness and ended up in the ICU because her CO2 leaves were too high. We hope she is able to recover. However, it is becoming more clear that with age, our parents age as well. Time is short.

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Meanwhile, Lilli and I hung out at home, worked a dance concert (a rental), and prepared for and then did perform the Once Acts the Production Class has been working on throughout the semester. I had a crazy idea to ask the Creative Writing class to write a few one act plays for us. It was a little rough, but I think it was a huge success because the learning opportunities were worth the growing pains of trying something new. Lilli participated in the one acts and also performed contrasting monologues and duet she prepared for the up coming Thespian competition. I am super proud of her. Her monologues show the depth she is developing as an actor. She choose a comedy monologue from a show called Doublewide, Texas and a monologue from Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus. You don’t see many high school students attempt Shakespeare. She was amazing at both. Then, she and her friend Ethan did Big Shot from Band Geeks as their duet for competition. They both did a great job! I can’t wait to see how they will do in a couple of weeks.

Serious… look at her. She is growing into such an amazing young woman. She is smart. She works hard in school and her grades prove it. She is learning how to think of others first. She has made some great friends (Ethan and Josie). We have great gospel discussions too.

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Rehearsal for Fiddler on the Roof are in full swing. Due to so much activity on the stage, we have had many rehearsals in the cafeteria. Not my favorite, but it will do in a pinch. It’s a complicated show… a long show. We have a ton of work to do to pull this show off.

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This past Saturday was the first day I could put something on the stage. I only have two more build days left. I am going to need a miracle! Still, everyone that came worked hard and we got some things done. I am on a different time line for this show. McKay’s baby is due Marathon Day weekend. That means I need to get my duck in a row faster and clearer than usual. I need it to all run smoothly in the event I am running off to be a new grandma. 🙂

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McKay’s family is doing well and adapting to the move and all the changes. There are still kinks to work out with schools and stuff, but I have every confidence that they will work them out.

This weekend, Dad, Chad and I kept the kids while McKay and Myles spent a few days relaxing before the baby comes. Dad and I would go to McKay’s house to help Chad get the kids in bed. He then would sleep there. In the morning he would get up and get them started on their morning routines. Then, they would all come to our house to play with the cousins. I tried to work through the laundry pile, clean the kitchen and gets some dishes done. However, I had lots to do and didn’t accomplish everything I wanted to. But I did get dinners for both house for week done and in the freezers… and we also kept the kids alive and unharmed. Mischief managed.

Meanwhile, the wild indians living at my house are keeping busy with school…

… and unloading the cupboards… this little stinker learned to walk this week! Now, nothing is safe. He is a cutie.

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This weekend I missed a big event in the lives of people I love like family. Early in the week I got a phone call that Fia was getting married on Saturday. I love that girl! I am so grateful that her relationship with her family is growing… and her family is growing too. I would have been there is I had had the time to work it out in my life. However, when there is a temple date, I will be there! All I could do is send prayers and warm thoughts on Saturday. I sure hope that she and her family know how much they are loved over here in rainy western Oregon.

Last week we closed the chapter on being chicken farmers. Chad caught Kimber’s dog in the chicken coup. That experience and a few others, left us with one chicken. So… John gave the chicken away. so… no more chickens. But we have rats. Yup. Lucky us. Rats are living in the walls and in the ceiling. We called an exterminator. They set traps and sprayed stuff around the house. They guarantee that the rats will be eradicated. However, I keep thinking about the movie Mouse Hunt. I am wondering if the house will still be standing when all is said and done. I think the rats are laughing at us. Laughing as John pounds the walls and yells. Laughing as they go around the traps and find new ways into the house. Laughing as they keep us up all night chewing in the walls and scampering across the ceilings. Gah!

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And finally, yesterday was Snoball at school, but Lilli had a No-ball. She, Ethan, Josie, and Rowdy sat around watching movies at Ethan’s house. Other people were suppose to come, but ended up ditching them. However, Lilli said it was a blast anyway. Her last school dance experience I ended up getting her from the dance early. She was a sobbing mess. This one, she was happy. I think No-ball is a much better choice. However, I didn’t get the cool pictures that other parents get from these American rites of passage. LOL.

Well… I should consider going to bed soon. I don’t feel too well… my hands and feet ache…. well the joints do. I just pushed through the last couple of days. Thankfully, John helped me carry things and helped me open jars and cans and stuff. This has only happened to me once before. Even my knuckles are swollen. Oh well. You do what you can do. Right?