Week #13: Muffins for Princess

This week...

...we had the sweetest experience delivering muffins. Jason went with the missionaries to visit a family that is learning about the church. He was touched by their encounter and wanted to take them something from our family. So I whipped up some banana bread muffins and we went to see if Dee and her family were home. We schooled our kids on how to act and be respectful when meeting someone new. They were intrigued by the story of the family...that they had come to America from Liberia years ago because of war in their country. We met the teenage daughter, Princess, at the door. The kids did great, even though they were nervous. When Emma found out that we had gone while she was away, she was sad. In Benjamin's morning prayer on Monday, he prayed for Princess and her family. He remembered her name! What a great experience! It was so sweet to see that it touched the hearts of our little ones as well as ours.

...I found my new motto. A friend of ours, Shelly Olson, keeps this beauty by her desk at work. Makes me laugh.

...Paul and Benjamin played cards through the opening song of Family Home Evening. Gee, I wonder if they got anything out of it?

...Emma performed in the choir play. She was the pizza guy. She didn't want a speaking part and was super excited that all she had to do was walk out on the stage and then back off.

Lainey was excited to go up on stage with Emma after the show. These are some of Emma's friends from class-Hannah Muhlbier, Zoey Orton, Nya , and Joy.

Lainey and Allie were playing on the risers as Julie and I talked after the show. Such funny girls.

...Emma's glasses came in. I picked her up early and we went to get them fitted. She was super excited the whole way home. Everything was so clear and he could read the store signs from the road.

...Lainey was just hanging out eating popcorn. We LOVE popcorn around here.

...Lainey got a really angry infection on her shoulder. It started out as a nodule of skin then turned into a pustule. Naturally we wanted to pop it and that's when the trouble began. So we made a trip to the doctor and he gave us a nasty antibiotic that took care of the infection. Each time Lainey took it, I had to pump her up. "You're strong and brave. You can do it!"

...we had a One in a Minion Blue and Gold Banquet. Paul and the kids were super excited for this night to come. We had an El Macho Taco Bar and Twinkie Minions for a treat. A great team of people came together to make the night a success.

Marie Mackay made these life size minions for the wall mas and gym doors. These made the night!

Kyson Mackay sneaking around under the serving tables.

Sarah Jones came up with these super cute table centerpieces. Just the right touch!

Keeping the meat warm before the event. These girls just wanted the outlet for Emma's phone.

Angie Sandoval had the idea for covering the chalkboard as a backdrop and making the cardboard minions on the table. Super cute!

There's nothing like a flag ceremony to open an event and turn your heart to patriotism.

Come and get it! El Macho Taco Bar is open for service!

Everyone enjoying the dinner.

Emma, Claire, and Ben play the dinner game-putting together a candy gram story with provided materials and candy bars. Just about every table participated and they were very creative.

Our Scouts Are One in a Minion! What a great group of boys!

...Paul made a snowman in art at school. He also wrote a great story about snowmen. Paul is my craft loving boy.

...I signed up to make neck coolers as part of a service project in Relief Society. Naturally, I invited my mom in so her and Emma could do the work. Haha! We sewed these cloth strips creating four pockets. Then we inserted a small amount of this substance that expands and stays cool when it gets wet. The troops can then drape them around their necks and re-wet them as needed. 

...someone dropped the corn flakes ALL over the floor. Oops! Who could that have been? Yeah, it was me. Even moms spill things. 

...Jason applied vinyl on the pickup of one of his work buddies. Our friend Tyson let us use his shop so we'd have enough room to do it inside. I checked in on them and took lunch.

...we attended the Benton County Awards Banquet. Jason was kinda in charge this year. He is so great with people. He was a good choice for setting up the venue-room, sound system, menu, etc. Jason didn't have to be as active this year with soliciting prizes which was a nice break. It was at the Red Lion; The Color Guard warms up before everyone arrives.

Shelly and Greg Olson and their girls, Tara and Kayla. Darryl Mayfield photo bombing in the back.

Erik Magnesen and Scott Runge at the podium during the prize give away. 

Jason and Dallas Murray consulting over the prize list. Dallas works in the jail and was  big part of banquet this year.

Kevin McCarey was MC for the night. He did a great job. In his generosity and forethought, he brought non alcoholic cider for us non drinkers to switch out when we won alcoholic prizes.

The Command Staff on the platform handing out awards. 

Jason received the Medal of Valor for his actions in the shooting on July 9th, 2014. This is the highest recognition that the Sheriff's Office can give. They played a power point presentation that they had put together of the shooting, recounting in a nutshell what happened on that fateful day. There were some difficulties at the start of the video, and those few minutes as they figured it out, helped Jason to compose himself. The emotion of that day, and the aftermath, hit him full force. They called him up, and almost instantly, everyone was on their feet. We clapped for him and felt something so strong; tangible courage, bravery, heroism. We were all offering our support as we put our hands together for him. Everyone could see the emotion he was fighting back and feel the emotion in their eyes and hearts.

Jason and Scott Surplus. Scott was the sniper involved in our shooting. He also received the Medal of Valor. I'm grateful he's such a good shot.

Shelly Olson was a big help at the sign in table and with prizes. Such a funny lady and a dear friend!

This lady is wonderful! Diane McCants has been on the banquet for years making great things happen to celebrate the Sheriff's Office. Our friends, Ryan and Amie Hull, sat with us at the banquet. They brought a friend, Liberty, who had a little, baby girl. Diane went to Liberty with arms outstretched and took that baby in her arms. Within just a few minutes, Diane had that baby sleeping peacefully. I was so impressed that she would help Liberty, whom she didn't even know. I was also impressed that Liberty would allow Diane, whom she didn't know, to take her baby for a while.

Week #12: Emma Picks Out Glasses

This week...

...Emma picked out her glasses. It was fun picking them out and she was very happy when we found some that would work. She was less happy when we couldn't take them home right away.

...we had an Easter Family Home Evening. I know it's a little early, but I wanted to make sure that I remembered to do it. Other years, I remember too late. We used this little egg kit that my sister gave me years ago to help us tell the Easter story. I hid the eggs in the backyard and the kids went out to find them. Then I tried to keep them still enough until we could open, read, and look in each one.

...Benjamin and Claire made habitats at school. Ben chose Polar Bears and Claire chose the Fennec Fox. They were super excited for this project.

...Paul made a cute drawing. For school, he did a report on South Dakota. Because he learned so much about the state, it's on his mind. When he's asked to name a state, South Dakota is the first one out of his mouth. He kept telling us all the facts that he was learning. He drew a picture one night and I thought it was great that the arrow sign said "South Dakota this way!"

...we had our Relief Society birthday dinner. It was an Extravaganza! I agreed to host a table, so naturally my thoughts turned to my wonderful sister and her fun dinner plate sets. She let me borrow them to set my table. I chose a simple center piece and the table was done. The other tables were so fun. My mom was in town and so she went with me. We sat with my friend Amy Buchanan at her table. She was giving each person a painted rock, so that's where I wanted to be.

...I went to the park with Cinderella. Never a dull moment with this girl!

...Paul made it to the district Pinewood Derby. At our ward derby, Paul's car weighed in at exactly 5 oz. At the district weigh in, his car was over. we couldn't believe it. So we had to drill out the back, which I'm sure messed with all the balance and so on. It seemed to take a long time for the whole event. 

...Zerorez cleaned our carpets. Great company! Edwin was very nice and did a great job fielding all of Lainey's questions. :0)

...we went to the park. Not sure if anyone really wanted to be there. Emma took her bean bag chair and a blanket, Benjamin ended up sleeping on the bench, and Lainey pouted on the swing.

...Tyson came over to work on his Adirondack chair. Lainey liked to sit in the chair while he sanded. It sure gave her a case of the sillies.

Paul was checking his work.

Lainey joined in just to be silly.

I'm not sure if Tyson really got anything done. But he was back within a couple of days to stain the chair. Jason helped him get started. These two are so funny when they get together.

Laughing at their own inside joke.

...the young men came to aerate our lawn as part of their fundraiser. Only, it turned into Tyson and Jason aerating our lawn. Tyson came with one young man, but he wouldn't work the machine. So Tyson worked the machine. He just had surgery on his foot and all the stress wasn't good for it. So Jason went out and worked the machine.

We had a small Oops! Moment with Tyson. He was trying to help Jason with our fence and busted part of it. He pulled it the wrong way. Crack!

...we had some grilled goodness for dinner. Jason loves his Traeger. And I have to admit, I do too. It's tastes good and I'm not the one cooking. :)

...we tore up some sod at our house. Our friends, Carlos (Jason's first Sergeant) and Keri (his wife), wanted to take the grass. So they came with a machine to cut it out and a trailer to haul it away. Jason's former Sergeant and friend, Matt Clarke, came to help us with the work. Elder Singley and Elder Wilcox came later in the afternoon to help as well. We took the grass out on the driveway side of the house, both in front of and behind the fence. We want to put gravel in behind the fence for storing the bikes, possibly a shed, and whatever else. In front of the fence, we want to extend the driveway for Jason's patrol car.

Claire and I went and got donuts at Vierra's for breakfast in honor of all the work we were going to do.

Jason and Keri getting to work.

Carlos running the sod cutter

The Elders helping out with manual labor

Jason and Matt having a little brother time

The girls jumping around on the sod rolls-Claire, Tegan (Matt's daughter), and Lainey.

Everyone chipping in. Even Tyson, when he brought Whitney to see her chair, decided to haul a little sod for us.