Week #17: Fun at the Fun Run!

This Week...

...the Book Fair was delivered to the school. It's always a lot of work, but also lots of fun. It's worth it!

...the Elders were working hard, as always! Elder Johnson and Elder Scott are the best!

...we went to look at some dogs at a pet rescue event in Columbia Park. We thought we might get a dog, but I got major cold feet. I do not want an inside dog. I don't really want to own a dog in the city. It's so much maintenance and so different than out on the farm. I know that it would be good for the kids, and Jason, and that they would love a dog. But it was just too much for me to handle at the park when I was thinking about the added responsibility. 

...the PTO put on the Fun Run at the school. It was a lot of work to get it organized and ready, but it was a ton of fun to have the classes come through and interact with them. We were glad that it wasn't super hot, but rain? Really? It was pretty chilly.

Brandy and Danica are tearing it up

Joanna and Julie Pluff - two of my favorites!

...tales of a long forgotten PTO cupboard. Let's see what was left behind. An antiquated baby shoe sporting the shoe lace tag that was a Fun Run prize long ago, a pencil, note cards, a pom pom, water bottle lid, a Mustang Frisbee, heart reflector lights (dead battery), a whole tub of individual bubble bottles.

...we had s'mores with the Kings. We were supposed to have Cierra and her kids join us with the Elders, but Cierra couldn't make it. So the Elders stopped by anyway. They couldn't pass up on s'mores! Thanks Kings for hosting a great backyard get together.

...we went to a new park as a family to meet up with the Elders. They were supposed to be meeting a woman there to teach. She has several kids the same ages as ours, so I thought I'd take everyone and let them play during the discussion. Jason came with us hoping to sit in on a little bit of the discussion before he had to make it over to the stake center. He was asked to give a talk at the stake priesthood meeting. Alas, the woman didn't show, but we had a good time answering the call of missionary service. 

...Jason brought me flowers. It doesn't happen very often, and I'm OK with that.

...Emma went to her first temple baptism experience. She was really excited and I invited myself to go with the youth so I could be with her. They are a great group of youth.

Sister Shannon Greenhalgh, Landon Claybrook, Kordell Boehning, Spencer Buchannan, Obispo Landin, Spencer Greenhalgh, Isabel Soriano, Cali Lewis, Bishop Pierce, Alma Ruellas, Perla Valdovinos, Noreen Hale, Emma, Tanya Ruelas, Emma Nieforth, Brother Paul Boehning, Xaoquin Hale, Maria, Kyson Boehning, Abraham Jimenez, Brian Valdovinos, Brother Kevin Hale, Israel Jimenez, Elijah Saba

Week #16: A Tribute to Detective Sergeant Kevin McCary

This Week...

...we attended the funeral of a wonderful man, in truth a hero. Our friend and police officer Detective Sergeant Kevin McCary committed suicide on Saturday. We were both floored. I couldn't hold back the tears and Jason couldn't breathe evenly. It was unimaginable, unfathomable, incomprehensible. Kevin had been sick since January. He had been seeing doctors to try and figure out his weight loss, lack of energy, and mental struggle. Jason had been in contact with him, trying to send support and laughter to help him in his struggle. He was such a great guy - funny, full of character and honor, hard working, faithful; someone we both looked up to. I know he was a great mentor to Jason since being hired with the Benton County Sheriff's Office in 20011. So many things went through our minds. How could he be gone? What must he have been dealing with? How alone he must have felt... We could have... We should have...

Jason and Justin were head of the planning and preparation to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the church. They coordinated and planned, making sure that all the little details were thought of and taken care of, helping Bishop McGary, of Kevin's ward, come together with Sheriff Keene. Here are the two goof balls at the car wash. They weren't the only ones making sure that their cars were sparkling clean for the procession.

The Service was great. So many law enforcement officers from Benton County and surrounding agencies came. (We had rearranged the chairs to fit as many folding chairs in the chapel overflow as we could. The Sheriff wanted all uniforms in the chapel. Dan McCary, Kevin's brother, wanted uniforms surrounding the family. So Benton County Officers were on the stand as well. The Pasco North Stake Center ran out of chairs. We borrowed several hundred chairs from the Pasco Stake Center. I still don't think it was enough for everyone in attendance to sit down.)

"There are times when we have to step into the darkness in faith, confident that God will place solid ground beneath our feet once we do." -Elder Uchtdorf  This is how so many people felt when Kevin died. I know his family must have felt it ten fold. This is how we felt after Jason's shooting. I know that solid ground will be there. I know that we can keep walking even though the way is dark.

...we went to Benjamin and Claire's second grade concert at the school. It was an Earth Day concert with Earth related songs. They were so excited to sing these songs that they had practiced so much.

...I went visiting teaching this week. My good friend Janell demonstrated how fun an adult size scooter can be. Wahoo! I love the friends we make through visiting teaching. 

...the kids helped Emma with a video for a school project. We had to do a couple takes to get it just right. ;) She had to use an invention from China during the  era and try to get people to buy it. She chose rice cream, an early form of ice cream. Emma was the shop owner. Lainey was the customer. Claire was the product placement gal. Paul acted the part of a sneaky bad guy that was trying to steal her product. Benjamin got frustrated with all the takes and chose to opt out.

...Paul participated in a basketball camp. The director of the camp, Pasco High's Head Basketball Coach Miguel Guajardo, had two famous athletes Ron Howard and Anthony Davis, that had graduated from Pasco High, come and talk to the kids. Ron Howard played professional football for the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl X. Anthony Davis played for the Baltimore Ravens when they went to Super Bowl XXXV. This is some of their advice. "You have two ears, one mouth. So you can listen more than you talk." "Your team is your family." "When they stop coaching you, they stop caring."

These are some of the basic skills Paul learned: ball handling, Around the World (around his waist), Dribbling V (in front of them), Dribbling V (switch hands), Figure 8 (between legs), Figure 8 (dribbling between legs), Switch hands (ball between legs), Switch hands-let bounce once, Triple Threat position, correct shooting form, Jab step, Jab step-blow by

...Lainey, Claire, and Ben made art projects reflecting their interests. They had to put one thing in the first box, two things in the next box, and so on. I thought it was pretty cute to see what they included.

Week #15: Chamna Natural Preserve, Who knew?

This Week...

...Elder Cordon got transferred out. We took some pics. We also coordinated a farewell dessert get together at the park because he'll be going home. Several people from the ward came, and Cierra and Adam even came with their family.

Karen Miller, Dennis and Rocky Hammer, Nicole and Chad King, Amber And Dane Riner, Bonnie Wick, Elder Cordon, Emma, Jason, Me, Adam and Cierra, Kevin and Mary Claybrook with Bryson and Evelyn, Myaela and Jeremy Cress with Addie, Aubrey Revo and Little.

...I finally prepared all of the fleece blankets to donate to My Friend's Place, a teen shelter. Lainey helped me tie some of the ones I needed to finish up.

...I went out to Mattawa to work in the garden. I also took a lot of pictures. Everything was absolutely gorgeous. I couldn't help it. I did get some work done. Hehe!

...the kids and I went exploring again. We went to the Chamna Natural Preserve. Where? you say. Yes, Chamna. It's across the freeway from Beaver Bark, in Richland, along the Yakima River. For real! Claire was at a birthday party so the rest of us got out of the house. At first, I don't think the kids were too thrilled to be out there. But once we walked a ways and I pointed out EVERYthing with tons of enthusiasm, they started to enjoy themselves. 

We saw a train approach just as we got out of the car. We stopped and counted the cars until the train had passed. How often do you get the chance to watch a train pass without being annoyed that you're stuck behind the railroad crossing bars and lights in traffic?! There were 99 cars! 

We walked for about an hour, looking for interesting rocks along the way. I even let them bring some home. On the way home, we stopped at Dairy Queen for Dilly Bars and Starburst Bars.

...Mom and Dad came into town. They took us out to Chinese Food at Golden Palace. This is their favorite spot. I know what you're thinking. It was a bold move taking all of our kids out to dinner. It's one that we don't often do. It's usually pretty crazy, not to mention costly. We had a good time though. The kids loved the sweet and sour chicken. I think we got two orders of it. Mom and Dad liked listening to Jason's stories.