Week 63

 Dear Scott,

Thanksgiving week is here!  It was nice to sleep in this morning--though Dad, Emma, Gracie, and Tessa left on their backpacking trip early.  I haven't heard from them yet, but I'm sure they'll have fun (as long as they stay warm).

Emma gave the talk in church yesterday.  She did well.  She focused on letting God prevail in her life.  She made apple crisp in her culinary class, which was tasty!  She keeps rearranging her room, and hasn't quite found the perfect arrangement yet.

Gracie spent the week at home, since she was quarantined.  It was kind of fun to have a buddy for lunch, but she really was busy all day doing her classes.  She was willing to play some Christmas duets with me, which made me happy. :)  Her fish got sick this week after she cleaned his tank, but seems to have recovered.  She was pretty relieved!

Caytie had some extra tennis practice after school, which she enjoyed.  It's usually on her piano and youth activity (mutual) days, but they switched, so she was able to go.  Yesterday she was called to be the president of her church class, which is no longer called Beehives.  Our ward has two YW classes, so she's the president of the younger one.  I bought her a bigger dresser this week, and we're sure it will be the magic solution for her organizational woes.

Tessa is making progress in her dyslexia class.  She's trying to finish her book by the end of the school year and graduate from the program, because if she doesn't, she'll have to keep doing it as her second elective next year, and she wants to do too many other things for that.  She is the kind of kid who would take every elective if allowed.

Benson has been playing outside after school with the neighborhood boys every day.  They ride bikes or play football or otherwise get sweaty together.  I'm glad he's got this group of kids to be with.  He is pretty quick learning his piano songs, when he likes them.

Dad has been spending a lot of time researching his family history, in order to prove lineage to join the Sons of the American Revolution.  Of course, with this is an opportunity to "cosplay" for the SAR's reenactments.  He has been sewing capotes and frocks from the Revolutionary War era.  There really isn't anything that he can't do.

I had a preschool Thanksgiving feast on Thursday.  I have a boy with lots of food allergies, so we made accomodations for him, but he ended up being sick!  (Two others missed it, as well.)  It was fun, anyway.  One girl said it was the best Thanksgiving she ever had (in her vast 4 years of experience!).

We loved hearing President Nelson's message of hope on Friday, and it has been good to reflect on our blessings as he challenged.  I'm also trying to remember to pray for healing, as he counseled.  

We love you, Scott!  We're excited to talk to you!  Have an amazing day.

Love,

Mom

Week 62

 Dear Scott,

The fall leaves have been particularly beautiful this week.  I think that the cold snap we had a few weeks ago made the leaves more vibrant than usual.  We've had some awesome weather to enjoy the leaves, too.

For Family Home Evening, I challenged the kids to make a scene from the story of the Brother of Jared out of stones.  (It was an idea from the Friend.)  This is what they came up with:

Benson later said that this is his favorite story in the Book of Mormon, so I'm glad we studied it!

I read a short book of poetry this week by Melody Johnson, a member of the church, and I really liked all of it.  Here's one I really enjoyed:

"How it Works"

You will be healed

but first

you will be

wounded

You will be saved

but first you

will know

you are lost

I like the reminder that we are wounded and we are lost because we're mortal--but there's already a plan to take care of that.

On Friday Dad took Benson to a young men's camp out at Lavonia.  They had a pretty good time, except it rained a short bit and some of the boys didn't have rain flys on their tent.  I got an email late that night that Gracie had been "in close contact" with someone on her bus that tested positive, so she had to begin a quarantine.  (Emma was on the same bus, but far enough away from the person to not require quarantining.)  Gracie is not thrilled that she has to stay home, but at least it's just a week, since the following week is Thanksgiving break.  On Saturday, I took Emma and Caytie to get their glasses adjusted, and then we went to the Flanagans to help them clean kid drawings off the walls, as they are preparing their home to sell.  Tessa was going to come, but she got a last-minute invitation to go to Six Flags with Brei.  We also brought cookies to Cady Anderson, who had just had her gallbladder removed.  She's doing well now.

Dad came home from the camp out not feeling great, and threw up a couple times during the night.  He thinks it was due to his recurring ulcer, and a migraine from a sunburn.  He was in a lot of pain still on Sunday, and with Gracie quarantined, we decided to do church at home.  We had gotten an outline for a home Primary Program from Sister Davis, so I assigned everyone a part and I was the narrator.  It was nice to go through some of the Primary songs and hear the kids' testimonies of how the Book of Mormon has helped them in their lives.  This was Tessa's last "program" in her Primary career.

Here are a couple other random pictures for you to enjoy--

(Caytie's matchbox art--I should have taken the picture in the daytime!)

We love you, Scott!  Have an amazing week!

Love,

Mom

For the Record

 Periods for three of four

2020 for the win!

Week 61

 Dear Scott,

It has been a quieter week.  Oh, except we did elect a new President--probably.  As is fitting with the year 2020, we had to wait several days before the media was willing to declare a projected winner.  Of course, Trump's people are fighting (and will continue to fight and disbelieve any other outcome but a win for him) for legal action to contest the projection, but if history repeats itself (but again--2020, so who knows?), Biden will prevail.  I hear Oregon legalized a bunch of drugs, so be careful walking the streets at night. 

Monday--both teachers cancelled piano lessons.  What did we do with the extra time?  We watched a movie.  On a Monday!  Who even are we??  Next time we'll be more productive...

Tuesday--our house was a wreck, but I got it all back together before preschool.  I mentor a 5th grade student once a week.  We only met once last year, right before quarantine, and this year is all virtual.  I play games like 20 questions and hangman with him--when his internet connection works well enough.  I helped Ben with Scouts that evening.  They were preparing for their camp out, and got a short lesson about orienteering, which I bet they now wish they had paid better attention to, after getting lost in the woods for a while on Saturday.

Wednesday--I made some cookies and apple pies for some sisters I needed to visit, which I did after dinner.  Dad and the older girls had mutual, and they are all happy to be meeting back at the church in person regularly.

Thursday--We're doing the letter i in preschool, and the theme of food, so I usually make ice cream with them, but this year I have two kids allergic to milk.  We froze banana slices and blended them up into "ice cream" instead, and it was appreciated by 75% of the kids.  The others thought it was GROSS.  I personally think it was pretty tasty.  It was Think College Thursday at the schools, and our kids repped the Y, and got their picture on the school Facebook page.  Dad had Cubs that evening, and they made balloon barometers.  It's been interesting watching it work through the week.

Friday--we got everyone ready for the camp out, and they got on the road at about 5:30 pm.  The weather was perfect all weekend for them.  (High pressure--thank you, barometer.)  Dad got some new experiences, as one of his scouts was on her first period (sorry--tmi?), and one of them had her feelings hurt when two others wouldn't let her in their tent to chat...  Different kinds of drama than he is used to with boy scouts, but of course, Dad is amazing and always so good with the girls and their emotions.  Benson and I hung out at home and watched the new Mandalorian and Great British Bake Off episodes.

Saturday-- Benson and I went out to breakfast.  He specifically requested the "awesome pancakes" from McDonald's, which he had had once and fondly remembered.  I can't remember my last McDonald's breakfast, so it was a bit of a treat for both of us.  We went on a bike ride/fast walk around the trail at Kreymer Estates, and found a woodpecker, which we both thought was cool.  He spent rest of the day playing with friends, and I spent the day folding laundry (and watching movies).  Dad spent the day running the rifle range for the scouts, and Emma spent the day serving food (she was on the staff) and hanging out with Dad--and some boys she met.  Gracie, Caytie, Tessa, and the other girls spent the day doing competitions.  Gracie came in second place out of about 200 scouts for shooting.  Tessa came in 3rd for knot tying, and they came up with the most creative way to move a bucket of water in pioneering.

Sunday--I had Ward Council, and met everyone else at church afterwards.  I played the piano for Ella Davis.  We're still not singing as a congregation, but we can have special musical numbers.  After church Dad and I went to the Stake Center for our temple recommend interviews, and then Dad took the kids to visit Mushu at his new home (he's doing well), and I made split pea soup.  It surprises me how much everyone likes it.  It was not my favorite soup growing up.  I had my family phone call, Gracie made blueberry scones for her culinary assignment (Emma will make hers tonight), and everyone went to bed early.

So--all caught up again.  You actually just called us on Google Hangouts right now, so I'll sign off and talk to you in person!

Love,

Mom

Week 60

 Dear Scott,

NOVEMBER-- already and finally!  Tomorrow is election day, and I pray that we all have Christlike reactions when the results come in.

Benson tried out for the UIL chess puzzles team, and made it.  I wish I were a more challenging opponent for him, but he has plenty of others here to practice with.

On Tuesday we had our first in-person Relief Society meeting, and it was so great to be together--socially distanced, of course.  We brought pictures of ancestors and told what they mean to us (Day of the Dead inspired), and played a get-to-know-you Kahoot game with information from the sisters who moved in after March.

Dad and I went to vote on Wednesday at the Senior Center.  There was no line, which was nice.  I was so conflicted on who to vote for, because I don't believe either candidate is morally upright or worthy of the job.  Oh, well.  The job is done, for better or for worse.  I'm grateful I CAN vote, even when I don't like the choices.

Emma, Caytie, and Gracie painted pumpkins at mutual on Wednesday, and then on Thursday, Tessa, Benson, and Gracie carved theirs.  (Gracie went with a two-sided approach.)

(She didn't quite finish her painting, but I thought you'd appreciate seeing it, anyway.)

Finished products:

Gracie and Dad took the day off on Thursday to go get her permit.  The backlog of appointments is so bad that the first appointment we could get for her was in Carrollton in February, but Dad looked further and further away and found an opening in Jacksonville, TX, which is 2 hours away.  They thought it was worth it.  It was actually a good day to miss, because her grade was taking the PSAT.  Emma had the day off, so she helped me with my preschool Halloween party.  She thinks she might like to be my assistant teacher next year (if I keep doing this!).

Our ward had a Trunk or Treat on Friday.  Then Halloween was Saturday!  (We also made a trip to the library and to Ross and Target for some dress shopping.)  I made some mummy dogs for lunch, but dinner was only red beans and rice--not so festive, but filling.  Our neighborhood was very active in participating in Trick or Treating.  Not all neighborhoods around here were.  I did have to sit outside to hand out candy, since most people had set up tables or had other methods of passing things out without candy bowls, and the trick or treaters would skip the houses they had to ring the bell for.  Dad took the kids (and a couple of Benson's friends) around for a couple hours, and they brought home a huge haul.

Sunday morning was so nice!  First, it was daylight savings, so we got an extra hour to sleep in.  Then we had the virtual Rome Temple Visitors Center tour, which was amazing (and it was great to see you on it!).  I thought of how the apostles were just ordinary people asked to do extraordinary things--and how it's still like that today.  He doesn't wait for us to become perfect to use us.  He needs us now, and that means we'll make mistakes along the way, but He knows that, and helps us learn from that.  Emma, Gracie, Dad and I got our temple recommend interviews after church.

On Sunday afternoon we had a surprise when Emma slipped off the board in the attic over the kitchen and kicked a hole in the floor/ceiling.  The cloud of insulation and drywall dust reminded me of when the ceiling fell in my room after the hailstorm--but this was much less tragic and messy (since it was not wet), and thankfully Emma was able to get up with only a scratch on her leg.  We collected what insulation we could to put back in the attic, and Dad had it patched up in an hour or two.

Well, Scott, we love you, and we're grateful  you get to have this unique Covid mission experience.  You get to be in such a beautiful part of the world!  I hope you're finding meaningful ways to serve, love, and teach the people there.

Love, 

Mom