Week #19: Austin and Lainy Get Married

This Week...

...my nephew Austin got married!!! He and Lainy are starting out on a wonderful adventure! It was great to be part of their special day. The day was filled with a lot of events in their honor. First, the Temple Sealing, then pictures on the grounds. Then it was off to the church for the family luncheon and then the ring ceremony. I was asked to give the prayer and felt honored to be part of that special ceremony. They had refreshments after the ring ceremony and Austin and Lainy's first dance. Then the reception began. We saw an Administrator from Emma's Middle School and our dentist. Small World!

...Softball continues this week. We are loving it!! We never would have thought of her at catcher, but we are so thrilled she likes it and is doing well!

...I played in the first softball game of the summer league season. With my new calling, I'm not sure that I'll get to play a whole lot. I was feeling the weight of everything and so I decided to play in at least the first game. We got new shirts this year. We're not the pink ladies anymore. Haha! The game was just what I needed. It felt so good to crack one over second base into the outfield. 

...Marty is looking handsome with a new haircut!

...we set up the BOGO Spring Book Fair this week. Whoo. (Can you tell we're excited? ........No, really. We are excited!) We helped get everything set out and took a sneak peak at the books sent in the shipment this time around. Can't wait to earn some volunteer vouchers!!!

Week #18: May Day Flower Baskets

This Week...

...we watched Emma play softball again this week. We are absolutely loving this sport! She is loving this sport! She comes home excited after practices and games. She sees the area she needs to improve on, but uses it as motivation instead of discouragement. I am so glad she's enjoying it so much!

...Emma left some May Day baskets for a couple neighbors. She's doing Random Acts of Kindness as a school project. 

...I came home from several hours out of the house and found Marty on the picnic table. I don't think he could get down. He was really skittish when I helped him get down because of the sound of his claws on the table and how his feet slipped around.

...Jason came home drenched because of the heat of the day. Jason worked with his buddy Raleigh, the CEO of Tri-City Orthopaedic, to get trauma kits donated for the Sheriff's Office. He went to a media event at the Orthopedic offices where the kits were donated to Sheriff Hatcher. It was a cool event, but a very hot day.

...we put on our first funeral luncheon as a Relief Society presidency. Phew! It was a little stressful, but it turned out really well. Carol Lynn and her daughter took care of the vases of Lilacs for the tables. She also had beautiful tablecloths to set out as well. We had lots of people sign up to help with salads and desserts and we served pulled pork with BBQ sauce on the side. I went early because I was feeling a little antsy. I sat at one of the tables in the gym to write in my journal and review my upcoming lesson. It was so peaceful and wonderful with that bouquet in front of me as I studied.

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.