Church History Museum SLC, E full, N builder, Hiking in the Snow, Autism Caterpillars

Saturday March 7 we took the family to SLC where we visited the Church History Museum. We had been asked by our prophet President Nelson last general conference, to do some extra things to study the first vision and the restoration since this spring is the 200th anniversary of those events (Spring 1820 when Joseph Smith had First Vision). Having teens who work and are very involved in school and sports and friends, makes it challenging to find time where we can all do something together as a family. 

Elisabeth got her full on the spring floor this week (tumbling thing)! It took time and a lot of hard work, but the harder you work for something, the greater you feel when you achieve it. Way to go Elisabeth!

Wednesday March 11 Nora was given the Builder award for the month. This months focus was on being a friend. Nora didn't know she'd be receiving this award at the assembly, but Scott and I were informed the her teacher prior, so we both were able to be there.

All the 1-3rd grade builders for the month.

After the assembly, Shauna (and my new friend Jen) picked me up at the school and we met another of Shauna's friends up at the park and ride in Big Cottonwood Canyon and then drove to the Lake Blanche Trailhead. I borrowed shauna's yaktrax for my shoes (spikes and grips). We had a great time hiking and it was fun getting to know a couple of new friends.

Later that night Shauna and I met up again with the young women in my ward. They helped us finish putting together the kits for our Autism Caterpillars we'd be making on the night of service at BYU women's conference. By the end of the activity we'd finished making all 700 kits!!! We are so grateful for all the help we've received from women and young women.

Piano Recital, Autism Caterpillars cont, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood movie Review

Elisabeth, Annabelle and Jane had their piano recital on March 2nd. It was Elisabeth's last piano recital, though I'm sure she'll continue to play in her students recitals, but that's a bit different. They all played beautifully! We're so proud of their diligence and daily work they put into learning these pieces well. 

Elisabeth and Jane did a Koala Bear Challenge. What is a Koala Bear Challenge you ask? It is when a human starts upside down on your back, and then they have to go underneath the other humans legs, without touching the ground, and get to the front of that human. It was funny to watch.

Jane wanted a new swimsuit for this summer (we always get them a new suit for summer since they're constantly growing), but she wanted it soon. And she wanted a specific swim suit. An expensive swim suit. So we agreed to pay for half, and then she would need to come up with the money for the other half. She did and we ordered it. When it came in, the top looked very short. I wasn't sure if we'd keep it. I told her to go ahead and try it on and we'd see if it passed our modesty test. She did as we asked. She put her arms up high, and bent over and touched her toes, and she stayed covered, so she got to keep the suit!

We got together with our core team members for BYU women's conference one evening. We discussed details for women's conference, and finished off several caterpillars so we'd know how to help the women who come in for conference. I love all the women we're working with! They all came because they like to serve and so of course they're amazing. There are a few more members on our team who couldn't make it that particular night but they'll be there for conference.

I like this phrase. It was one I heard on an Oprah Winfrey podcast with Melinda Gates (who is one of the richest people in the world with her husband Bill Gates). Oprah had asked her how she was able to raise children who were good and not spoiled when they had the money for anything they could ever want. Melinda said when they were out shopping, or if they'd ask for things, she would tell her kids, "Just because we can, doesn't mean we should." I love this. Not only as it pertains to money. But any of our freedoms. Just because we can do something, because it's available to us, doesn't mean we should. For me right now, I have been using this thought with my food. Just because the treats are present and available at the parties/bookclubs/birthdays/gatherings etc, doesn't mean I should.

The girls enjoying their swimsuits(Jane wanted to try out her new swimwear) in the 50 degree weather we were having....they put a sprinkler under the trampoline, but then stayed far from it.

I hadn't heard much about this Mr Rogers movie, " A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood", and so I had very little expectations. It was a feel-good, inspiring movie. I loved Mr. Rogers and watching the way he interacted with others. When I took Nora to bed and asked her three things she was grateful for that day, one of them was for watching that movie together. I asked her why and she said that even though a couple parts were sad, she felt good. She liked how nice Mr. Rogers was and how he sincerely cared about every single person that he met. I liked that too. I am grateful for good media and inspiring stories.

Smith Family Hunger Game Challenge, Snowshoeing

For a couple of Sunday's now, we started doing a Smith Family Hunger Game Challenge...basically each kid picks a recipe and makes it and Scott and I are the judges. 

Here Annabelle made a delicious smoothie, 

 Nora and Charles made cupcakes,

 Dad and Jane made orange rolls,

and Elisabeth made chocolate chip cookies. Everything was so yummy we couldn't decide on one winner, so they all tied.

I finally got around to reading the Alchemist! It's been on my 'to read' list for many years but I just never picked it up; then I mentioned it to Scott and he said, 'Oh yeah, I read that book; it was a small book." And that information settled it. I picked it up from the library, read it and loved it! I posted my review on Goodreads.com, which is where I post all my book reviews. I think part of the reason I loved it was because the author, through his story, was also telling the story of his journey to follow his heart and become a writer.

 Some friends and I hiked Red Pine in our snow gear. Only a few of us actually wore snowshoes, and we only wore them for a small portion of the hike. I would not recommend snowshoeing this hike...it was a very slanted terrain which made it difficult. But we still had fun because of the company.

Queen to King Bed, Nora's Haircut

Cheer took pictures quit awhile back, probably in October, and I'm just now getting them up. Better late than never. 

Annabelle had a dance competition in February at Thanksgiving Point. Her jazz number took first place in their division! Way to go girls!

A neighbor and friend gifted me this frame after my mom passed away. I decided to add a picture of both mom and dad.

Scott has been asking to get a new mattress for the past year or two. We've been married for nearly 17 years so that's the age of the mattress. I was super motivated to get one because I felt like it still worked fine, but he said it dipped in the middle and was bothering his back some nights. I asked if we could get a King bed (something I've thought would be nice for some time but again, didn't feel it was necessary as the old bed worked). He agreed! We ordered our new bed (frame from Wayfair, mattress from amazon), and once it arrived we put our old bed and frame on KSL for free. Someone picked it up that day which was nice.

We really like it. It's nice having a little more wiggle room.  

Nora asked me to trim her hair. Then when I went to do it she showed me how much she wanted off and it was a lot more than a trim. But I did it and it looks great!

BYU women's conference service activity prep...autism caterpillars

My friend Shauna was asked to be over a service activity for BYU Women's Conference this April. She asked me to be her assistant. Together we planned and organized a few days where we had groups of women, and then young women get together and help with the preparation. 

We invited women in our stake to join us in a day of service where we cut fabric for 700 caterpillars, and then sewed as many as we could, and those who didn't sew helped put the sewn caterpillars into bags for kits. 

Several women offered to take a bundle (20) of caterpillars home to sew that week. We also had a second sewing day, at a home where sewing lessons are taught so there were multiple machines, but this time just invited about 6 women to finish it off.

We had a meeting with team members who would be helping during the night of the service activity at BYU.  

We also planned two nights where we had young women help put kits together. The first night was with the young women from Shauna's ward, and the second night was with the young women from my ward. We just barely finished by the end of that second night!

We so appreciated everyone's help. The next day we found out that because of the coronavirus COVID19, women's conference will be canceled for this year. I'm guessing they'll just use the projects for next year.

And we'll end with two random pictures taken at a family friends birthday party.

Visiting family in Idaho and Annabelle's Birthday

I've been spending time at the family history library getting my mom's photos scanned and digitized so that I could share them with my siblings. While there, I decided to print off family history fan charts for both Scott and myself. We still have a lot of work to do to fill in the gaps on our 5 generation fan chart, but it's a good start. And it's fun for the kids to go through and find the relation they were named after (all have a middle name namesake, and some have first and middle). 

Saturday morning after Valentine's, we drove to Idaho. We didn't have Elisabeth with us as she was still in California for cheer, and I think the kids in the back appreciated the extra room. We all had school off Monday, which is why we decided to go. Becca put highlights in my hair, as well as Annabelle, and we got it trimmed.

When we were done with hair, I went out and found Rain laying on Scott as he read a book.

Sunday afternoon we went for a walk in the neighborhood. We didn't get very far when it started to rain, and then hail, hard.

We celebrated Annabelle's 12th birthday with her friends before we went out to Idaho, but since her actual birthday was on Sunday while we were there, we let her choose dinner(mexican) and dessert (brownies) and we got the candelabra out and sang happy birthday. We love our Annabelle and are so grateful for her sweet spirit and the joy she brings into our lives. She is tender-hearted, hard-working, kind and disciplined and we love her.