Photohunt: Focus

Nathan was really focusing on this train project.  Check out that look of concentration.

Elin's sealing

Yesterday was the sweetest day at the temple that I've ever had.  Elin was sealed to Mike and Hilda!  She was so adorable and well behaved.  Hilda had bought her the sweetest little white dress.  My mom stayed with her in the nursery.  When she brought Elin in, Elin looked really surprised.  She stood there with her mouth open.  Then she sat down, and everyone thought maybe she was going to cry.  I think maybe she had just lost her balance because she didn't have her braces on.  Mom helped her back up and she walked right over to Mike and Hilda.  It was like she knew what to do because she put her hand right on top of Mike and Hilda's.  It was so sweet.  I don't think there was a dry eye in the room.  She looked around as the temple worker said the prayer, but she didn't take her hands off theirs.  It was absolutely beautiful.  Mike and Hilda had lots of people from their ward come with them, which was really special for them.  The Calls and the Quinns came, as well as three other friends.  Afterwards, we went to Bertucci's restaurant to celebrate.  It was a really nice time. 


Well, we found out this week that Emily is pregnant.  This is not good news.  We are all worried about a lot of things since they don't have their own place and her boyfriend doesn't have a good income.  He doesn't seem really motivated.  Emily is working two jobs, but they are not high-paying.  I saw an ultrasound picture of the baby yesterday and he/she looks great.  We will all adore that baby, I'm sure.  So now we have four babies coming into our family, two on Dan's side and two on mine.  Olvia's baby is due on August 3rd, Kristen's on August 22nd, Hannah's on September 4th, and Emily's on October 12th.   I'm so excited to see all these babies!      

Photohunt: Colors

Nathan and Megan at Storyland

 

Check out all the colors in this photo:  light blue, red, dark blue, orange, yellow, dark green, light green, white...

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It's a Boy!

Chris and Olivia found out yesterday that they are having a boy!  His name is going to be Ayden Matthew Dyer!  I can't wait to meet the little guy.

This Wednesday was New Beginnings at church, which I was in charge of.  It ended up being really good.  I was worried, though, because none of the parents showed up.  Ugh!  We had an Olympic theme, though, which was fun.  Shannon made the Olympic rings in YW colors.  I made sock cupcakes with a little poem that talks about coming unto Christ.  I also made cookies in all the YW colors that resembled Olympic rings.  The best part, though, was when we gave the girls their medals.  I made medals out of salt dough, and spray painted them gold.  Shannon, Lois, and I took turns talking about each of the girls, and told them why they deserved a gold medal.  We and a few of the girls teared up because we are so proud of these girls!  I think the girls loved hearing all the good things we had to say about them!  We love them to pieces! 

Dan and I tried archery last night.  It was so fun!  I've been wanting to try it for a while (ever since I watched The Hunger Games).  I told Dan that I wanted to try archery for my birthday.  It only cost us 25 dollars for both of us to have an hour long lesson.  I loved it! Dan was super good at it, but I was pretty good for my first try.

 

Photo Hunt: Boogie

I love this picture.  Nathan was dancing with Emma Stinson (Siiri's daughter) at Charity's wedding reception.  He loved dancing with her.  He kept trying to breakdance, too, which was so funny.

WGU

I just finished my second week with WGU.  I did training for 8 days, and then started the real evaluating on Wednesday.  I'm enjoying it so far, although yesterday was a little difficult because I had to work several hours in order to get enough hours in for the week.  Everybody was home, so it wasn't very peaceful.  Normally, I won't have to work on Saturdays and Sundays, though.  It's been fun to connect with people in Utah.  My Evaluation Supervisor is LDS and she graduated from BYU in 1990, right before I got there. 


I had to bring Zip to the vet this week.  He's been scratching himself so much that he's losing hair on his back.  The vet thought it was probably mites, so we got some medication for it.


I've been getting ready for New Beginnings at church on Wednesday.  I'm in charge of it, so I have a lot to do.  We're having an Olympic theme, so I'm going to make medals for the parents to give their daughters.  I also have a cool slide show and video I found online.  I love Pinterest!


Megan, Zihan, Nathan, Mom, and I went to see Frozen last night.  Nathan and I had already seen it, but we wanted to see it again.   Everyone loved it.  It's such a good movie. 


Gram's memory is getting worse.  It's getting harder and harder for my mom to take care of her.   I think she will have to go into a nursing home before long.  I never thought it would come to that, but it's just getting really hard.  My mom has done an incredible job taking care of her.  She shows her so much love.  Not many daughters-in-law would be so giving of their time.  My mom's awesome!


On Friday night a whole bunch of us went down to South Portland to a CCI event.  Mike, Hilda, and Elin met us there.  Mom, Nathan, Zihan, and her friend Nidah rode down with us.  Dan and Megan met us there. There were exchange students from all over the world.  They had tables set up so that we could learn about other countries.  Megan, Nathan, and Elin all got Henna tattoos from Pakistan (which is where Nidah is from ).  All of the students introduced themselves, then we had entertainment.  A little 6 year old girl sang the National Anthem.  Then a chorus of girls from around the world performed, then an acapella group from a high school around here sang a few songs.  It was just a really fun evening.   

Misc.

• This was my third day of training for WGU!  I've been enjoying it so far.  Plus,  I'm loving being at home!  It's been so nice and peaceful.  Whenever I think about school I feel relief that I don't have to deal with any of it anymore.  Actually, I had to go back in yesterday for an IEP and I have two more to do before I'm completely done. 

• There are lots of babies on the way:  Bri is due in March, Patricia is due in May, Olivia in early August, and Kristen in late August.  I'm so excited to see these babies!   

• I just found out that The Giver by Lois Lowry is being made into a movie!  I'm so excited because I just read that book recently and thought what a great movie it would be.

• I've been reading a lot lately.  I recently discovered a really cool website called Goodreads, where I've been keeping track of the books I'm reading.  I've read 7 so far.  I have a goal to read 100 books in 2014. 

• I've started exercising again.  That's one of the things that I now have time for now that I'm home during the day.  I've started keeping track of the date, time, distance, and calories on a little chart in the exercise room.

• Nathan and Branson are making bracelets out of small elastic bands right now.  It's a really popular thing with kids these days.  They love it.  Right now, I'm wearing a matching bracelet and ring of Christmas colors from my little boy.  I'm a lucky Mama! 

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Happy New Year!

My goals for this year are to 1) exercise regularly (at least four days a week for at least half an hour), 2) cook better meals for supper with more vegetables, 3) do my visiting teaching each month, 4) read the Sunday School and RS lessons each week, and 5) do family scripture reading each night.