Week #17: Roasting Hot Dogs

This Week...

...Marty. He has grown into quite the big dog. He's happy that things are warming up, but staying Spring cool. 

...we had Cub Scout Pack meeting at the Kings. We roasted hot dogs and hung out. And of course, the wind picked up and made it really chilly. Benjamin received a belt loop.

...Dennis and Francis gave us a picnic table for the back yard. It's big enough for us all to sit comfortably together outside. We all love it!

...we had the Boehnings over for games and banana splits! We had Cameron and Katie with Maddox and Suzanne and Paul. It was so fun! So, so fun! We laughed so much! We played Telestrations and Really Bad Art. This was the best night of games and fun we've had in a long time.

...we worked on a garden box. I'm excited to finally get this project going. We try so hard to be on top of gardening every year and get it done at the appropriate time - like March to April. Somehow, that never happens. At this point, I'm grateful that we'll have the box in and ready for next year.

Week #16: Easter Catch

This Week...

...we went to Grandma Erickson's for Easter dinner and an Egg Hunt. Jason, Emma, and I took our gloves so we could play catch. We tried playing Annie-I-Over, but Emma threw it over the house into the pond. We tried to dredge it out, but to no avail.

Emma and Grace caught themselves some great candy. Or so Emma thought. When she opened all her eggs, they were all the same SpongeBob Crabby Patty Gummies. Not her favorite!

...Jason took us on a tour of the Sheriff's Office. Benjamin is now a Bear and needs this requirement. He was excited because he's old enough to go into Master Control. It's in the jail. He gave them all the "be Respectful" talk before going in. 

He showed them the evidence room and how it gets labeled and processed.

Shelly helped with finger printing again. She did every kid. That is quite the process.

Jason was messing around with Andrea, showing Benjamin how people come to the window to ask for help, or complain.

...Emma had a game finally over at Chief Joseph Middle School in Richland. The games have been cancelled due to rain or lack of Umpires. It was exciting to see Emma finally get to play catcher, she looks so good doing it! Jason came to a little bit of the game before work.

They had another game this week and played at the Memorial Park ball fields. They played Park Middle School.

...Paul went on his first camp out. He was so excited! His leader, Brother Empey, is in the background. He knows his stuff and I'm so grateful for his hard work to help Paul complete the requirements.

...I received a new calling at church. I am the new Relief Society President. Yikes! While this calling was not on my radar at all, I am excited for the undertaking. I was only in the stake for a year, I had desires to be more diligent and make more community connections. I never thought they would take me out of that calling after such a short time. However, ward needs of this magnitude trump stake callings. As I've pondered this new calling over the last several weeks, I realized that my time in the stake has prepared me for this. I learned so much from my sisters in the Stake Relief Society presidency. From dinners, to meetings, to visits, to understanding stake needs and goals, those ladies mentored and taught me all along the way. Our Relief Society was in need of a change; it's crazy to think that I'm it, along with Suzanne Boehning, Mary Strebel, and Carol Lynn Beck.

For the Easter lesson, each member of my presidency took a few minutes to share our testimonies of Jesus Christ.  It was a wonderful meeting, so full of warmth and love. I showed Kari Jobe's song Forever sung by Nathan Pacheco. Then I related parts of the lyrics to our lives and how the Savior knows and understands what we deal with in our lives. It's such a moving song. We've been listening to it a lot since I first heard it at Time Out for Women. 

Forever

The moon and stars they wept

the morning sun was dead

The Saviour of the world was fallen

His body on the cross

His blood poured out for us

The weight of every curse upon Him

One final breath He gave

As heaven looked away

The son of God was laid in darkness

A battle in the grave

The war on death was waged

The power of hell forever broken

The ground began to shake

The stone was rolled away

His perfect love could not be overcome

Now death where is your sting?

Our resurrected King

Has rendered you defeated

Forever He is glorified

Forever He is lifted high

Forever He is risen

He is alive, He is alive!

The ground began to shake

The stone was rolled away

His perfect love could not be overcome

Now death where is your sting?

Our resurrected King

Has rendered you defeated

Forever He is glorified

Forever He is lifted high

Forever He is risen

He is alive, He is alive!

We sing hallelujah

We sing hallelujah

We sing hallelujah

The Lamb has overcome

x4

Forever He is glorified

Forever He is lifted high

Forever He is risen

He is alive, He is alive!

...we had a black widow in between the screen and glass sliding door. Not cool Spider! Not cool! Jason sprayed it and it didn't stand a chance.

...Paul and his Robotics team ran a booth at the Safety expo at the TRAC. I dropped him off and brought the other kids to check it out since it was so cool. We went to a lot of booths and collected a lot of stuff that will just be thrown away. Claire and Lainey hung out with Emily Little, Benjamin went to the Buchanans to go to Cub Scouts, and Emma didn't want to be in any of the pictures.

...Elder Dunnell is being transferred! We are so sad to see him go! We've had some great times with this Elder. He is going to Hermiston. Elder Sanchez will be here to carry on the work. A trip to El Sazon was in order.

...Morning Dew on Purple Leaf

...Emma made an herb garden at mutual. I can't wait for the basil! I love basil.

Week #15: Sergeant Erickson Plays Catch

This Week...

...Emma has been playing Softball and loves it. Jason might love it even more than her since he crashes practice. He stopped by one day on his way to work and threw with one of the girls while in uniform. He was in heaven. I would have loved to play catch as well with the team, but I was always running to get the other kids or taking care of other things here at home.

...I stopped off at the Arc of Tri Cities to donate some filled Easter Eggs for their community Easter Egg Hunt. I was struck by these blossoms as I walked back through the parking lot. It's amazing how God blesses us with beauty in the simple details around us.

...Paul made dinner for the family. Br. Empey showed the 11 year old scouts how to make a meal and they were then supposed to make it at home. It's called Poor Man's Skillet. It has onions, peppers, ground beef, rice, and bouillon. He was worried about the onions and peppers. The other kids were worried about the onions and peppers. But they all loved it. It had such a good flavor. She used it as taco filling and really enjoyed it.

...we partied with the Elders and Tyson and Whitney. Elder Sanchez and Elder Dunnell are wonderful! We love having them over! Tyson and Whitney have been so busy with Zerorez that it seems like we haven't seen them much either. Hamburgers and salad really hit the spot.

Elder Dunnell got a ticket. Wah, wah, wah! Of course, we had to get a picture of him holding the ticket. Jason thought it would be great for Elder Sanchez to hold Marty much like Elder Barber held him when Marty was little. Crazy! Poor Elder Sanches didn't even have a chance to refuse. Haha!

...we decided to use some free personal pan pizza coupons for dinner. Thank you Pizza Hut! Thank you kids for reading so diligently!

Week #14: There's No Snack Like A Pizza Snack

This Week...

...we went for a walk with Grandma...and Marty. Rarely can we get the kids to just walk with us anymore. They take their scooters or wear their roller blades.

...we finished watching conference. I love Conference time of year. I'm so glad it comes around twice. I love listening, taking notes, and applying what I hear and feel. I am so thankful for a Living Prophets and Apostles, as well as other general church leaders, that guide and counsel us.

...we went to my mom's for part of Spring Break. I worked in the yard. Cherice came out and helped me rake and clean up debris. The kids played with Keaton and Rylan. Emma and Trenton brought load after load of bark to distribute around the garden. We got a lot of cleaning done. We played electronic monopoly. Cherice was converted to how much fun it is. The kiddos played Sheriff of Nottingham together, which was nice because then we didn't have to play it with them. They also spent a lot of time out on the trampoline.

Tumbleweed in a Field: A Study in the Therapy of Open Spaces, Simple Living, and Slowing the Rush of Life. 

...we went over to Kent and Julie's house to play with cousins. I didn't really feel bad inviting ourselves over to their house. Haha! Jason was sleeping because of night shift and so we got out of the house. You'd think that we get together with Kent and Julie and their kids quite often because we live so close, alas that is not always the case.

...we went to Palouse Falls. We also took Marty. I wasn't too happy at first, but he did very well. I was not thrilled with getting too close to the edge. Jason and the kids had no trouble with that. They crept right up close to look over at the falls. I stood back and inched forward. The kids would run back and forth on the paths. I would caution them to be careful. 

"Emma! Stay back!"

...we went out for another walk. We like walks, and Marty likes walks. The blossoms on the trees were spectacular. We walked up and down Madison Avenue. There's a certain spot along the way where Marty rolls in the grass. It's the same spot every time. He sniffs it out and then rolls in it. Lainey wore her roller blades. Her and Benjamin were ready to head home before we were done with the walk. I caught this cute picture of Benjamin helping Lainey across the street. We have good kids!

...we went back to Kent and Julie's for ice cream and brownies. Yum! The kids played outside and we visited inside. It was the perfect party!

...we went to the Easter Breakfast and egg hunt at the church. The kids had a most wonderful time collecting eggs. I was visiting and didn't even go check on them. The eggs were set out in the primary room because the weather wasn't too good. The kids walked away with a ton of eggs and candy.