January 2019 Cont...

Aside from Cruise's ordination, we did a few more things in January...

The boys made a snow fort. I had to start them out because everyone was having a meltdown in their own way.

Speaking of meltdowns, we started Jett on an anti-depressant in January since coming to us and telling us that he was suicidal. He had been struggling with some anxiety for quite some time and depression last year, but this was a whole new level of things and it was like being punched in the gut. For your 9 year old to have to deal with that, it's heartbreaking. But the meds started working that week and it made a huge difference. I feel like he's back to his happy, social self.

Cruise did his science fair project that was actually required. And of course he didn't remember until 2 weeks after it was assigned. So he we did it on what happens when you blow a bubble in freezing temperatures. He worked pretty hard on it and was proud of what he did. He did not, however, like the fact that he only got a participation ribbon this time around. But I told him he did a great job and should be proud of the work he did.

I went shopping with a mini Napoleon Dynamite.

Miles helped me make Snickerdoodles. We had like 4 deaths in the ward in January, so I started out making cookies for the funerals...after the first two, I just bought a huge cookie platter from Costco and divvied them up. So. Many. Cookies.

We started on our makeover of the living/front room. We decided to turn it into a dining room so we'd have more space in the kitchen and it saves money on not having to buy a new couch and stuff. We sold the kitchen table, got rid of the couch giant dog bed, got rid of pretty much everything in the front room, and bought the grey paint for the walls. It took me about a week to choose the grey. Guys, there are SO many shades of grey! They need to remake the movie and make it about a lady who can't decide on a shade of grey paint even though  to everyone else they all look the same but to her, they are all slightly different and she sits and stares at test sections for hours and hours, in different lighting, on different walls, until she's convinced she's gone completely mad. It would be such a good movie. We found a GIGANTIC table on KSL classifieds for like $60. It has 2 leafs and can seat up to 10 people. The plan is to paint the base white and refinish the top real nice. I have a vision for it.

January 2019: Cruise's Ordination

I'm still working on catching up on posts about last year, but until then, I need to keep up with THIS year.

The first thing to note this year is Cruise's ordination to Deacon. Just a few weeks before the end of 2018, the Prophet announced that boys will be eligible to be ordained a deacon the January of the year of their 12th birthdays. As groundbreaking and inspired as that was, I wish it had been announced at least a couple months before the end of the year because it kind of threw me for a loop! I mean, I thought I had 8 more months to prepare Cruise and all of a sudden I only had a few weeks. But Cruise was absolutely thrilled about the changes and had a desire to be ordained and start passing the sacrament. Cruise kept on top of the Bishop and made sure he knew that he wanted the Priesthood and that he needed his interview. Ha ha! So he finally got it on the 9th of January, was ordained a Deacon by Dave and got his temple recommend on the 13th, and passed the Sacrament for the first time on the 20th. I actually didn't know he was going to be passing it on the 20th. They had all the deacons go to church a half hour early to practice passing the sacrament, so when we got there as church was about to start, I looked over and sure enough, Cruise was sitting there with all the other little deacons. His Young Men leader caught us and told us where to sit if we wanted to be in Cruise's section, so we got in the first row. The Sacrament hymn started and I could hear Cruise sing from across the chapel. So could everyone else. When it was time for him to pass the bread, he got his tray and walked towards us with a giant smile. He winked at me...a few times, but kept his composure and reverently passed the Sacrament. No comments, no faces, no fidgeting. He stood straight, walked heel-to-toe, eyes forward. In that moment I had a flashback of his 3 year old self, unable to sit, covering his ears when the hymns would play, and needing constant sensory breaks. It was all I could do to not ugly cry. He has grown so much and has come so far. I feel so blessed and grateful for such a great kid with such pure desires to be like the Savior.

In February We...

I have neglected my blog this entire year. I have had to take a break from everything and try to focus on my mental health and everything. So I'm going to try and catch up as much as I can.

In February, we got to attend baby Naomi's blessing on the 11th. She seriously is the most adorable little baby.

On the 13th, Dave and I celebrated Valentine's with a lunch date at our favorite restaurant, Tsunami. Best part about doing Valentine's NOT on Valentine's day is that there is no wait and no crowds. 

Jett was adorable and made me a Valentine at school. He later added the candy...but he had to have a taste first. Ha ha!

On the 23rd, for Family Fun Day (which is every other Friday), we attended the Ice Festival at the Riverwoods. We had never been and it was pretty much freezing, but it was also pretty cool to see the sculptures and the boys got to play some games and roast marshmallows. After awhile, everyone couldn't feel their faces, so we went and got hot cocoa at Kneaders just across the way.

On the 25th, Dave proposed! Again! Lol! My ring hadn't fit me in a long time. Probably 2 years if not more. So when I had gained a bunch of weight, I bought some $30 rings off of Amazon to wear. Then when I lost some weight, those didn't fit me anymore, so I bought some $8 silicone rings. But it didn't really matter how much weight I lost, my knuckles were too big to wear my wedding rings. So Dave secretly had them resized, re-plated, and re-crowned. 

Dave had always felt bad that when he proposed, he didn't have a ring or a proposal plan, so he had a bunch of photos printed out and while I was gone to a meeting, he hung them all the way from downstairs, up the stairs, in the hallway, and into our room. Our room was clean, covered in rose petals, hearts, and stuffed animals on the bed. Dave got me distracted looking at the stuffed animals, when he got on one knee with my rings and proposed! The good news is, I said yes! Ha ha ha! It was the sweetest, most unexpected display of love and it meant the world to me to have my ring fit me again. Love that Dave.

On the 28th, we celebrated Dave's 33rd birthday. I made him rosemary chicken legs with mashed potatoes and a salad, and bottles of IBC Rootbeer. The boys got him a Star Wars t-shirt and 33 balloons filled with reasons why we love him. He popped each one and read the paper that was inside. Then we had German chocolate cake and ice cream. 

Whew! And that was February. 

Titanboa, The Park, Bowling, Field Trip with Jett

In January we...

Visited the Bean Museum's new exhibit called Titanboa. The boys had seen the advertisement in the fall and really wanted to go. It was pretty cool, but the boys were really disappointed that the model was just that and not a fossil.

There were a few days there in January that were unusually warm and so we visited the neighborhood park a few times. We brought the R/C truck the boys got for Christmas and had them see how far it could get up the slide on the playground and how well it could go over curbs and different terrain. 

When Dad came into town to get everything out of the condo for it to be sold, we went bowling with the boys...well, we watched the boys go bowling...and it was pretty entertaining.

On the last day of the month, I volunteered to accompany Jett's 2nd grade class to the play "The Music Man" at Lehi Jr. High. It was pretty fun to go with him and I was a little impressed with a few of the actors. I had a lot of flashbacks of being in plays in jr. high and that one time I fell asleep on stage and missed my cue. Ha ha ha! Good times.