Lagoon at night

We have missed the Christensen family ever since they moved from our ward 6 years ago. So we jumped at the chance to meet them at Lagoon at the end of Frightmares.

Kimi had four boys then a girl (and then another girl) so I always picked her brain for advice when I had four boys in a row. She and I love Downton Abbey etc. And Andy and JB get along great.

Millie did have a great time, she was just tired and cold when we took photos to document it. See, here she was earlier before it got dark.

We haven't been to Lagoon in the evening in a long time.  Next time I'll remember more warm weather clothes if it's October.

I have been sad each time a great family moves away from our ward, but our stake president says that now we can have friends all over. 

Family photos 2019 part three

This is my favorite picture. 

Right now they squabble and call "unfair!" and tease and pester, but they also can be very sweet to each other.  I always hope and pray they will grow up to be close friends and supportive siblings. 

We got Millie to warm up to take happier pictures by having the boys each take a picture or two. And she wants to be like her brudders.

It also helped that I gave her a unicorn to hold, and that her brudders were doing these faces behind the scenes:

Wallin Photography in action:

Wrapped up in between takes, like little models.

Family photos 2019 part two

These boys are so cute. And growing as tall as church steeples. 

I am surrounded by handsome boys.

And then we have this pretty lady! 

She didn't want me to put her down, but next year she will be too big to hold (she'll probably try anyway). My baby girl who came years after I thought she should be here.

I think JB still looks the same as when we met, when we were in our 20s and had energy and time but no aches and pains.

Family photos 2019 part one

Help us decide our Christmas card! Aren't these amazing?

I feel like there are just little differences between these and I can't pick a favorite.

Katherine M. Wallin of Wallin Photography met us at the State Capitol Building early on a Saturday morning this month. It was unusually freezing, and Millie did not want me to put her down, but Katherine is a champion. She's photographed us before (including at Lagoon four years ago).

Oh, we tried a walking one, but that is not a happy laugh on Millie's face, it is a scream.

Outfits are always stressful, but I think we coordinated really well this time. Kudos to JB for finding the sweaters! I'll post some more soon.

Discouraged/Encouraged

The grievances

I did a normal stretch 3 days ago but heard something pop and then it hurt and I couldn't turn my head. 

I caught a bad cold 10 days ago and my right ear has been on again off again muffled or painful.

I’ve been stepping up my walking for a couple months now, and first my left foot hurt, then my left shin, then my right hip.

I can’t get the scale to budge.

3 year old Millie won’t poop on the potty.  She’ll hold it for days and then go in her underwear.

6 year old James is almost always angry. He attacks Andrew for the littlest things, or no reason at all. He won’t eat anything JB cooks. Dinner is a battle every night.

8 year old Andrew loves potty-humor and I can’t get him to realize how inappropriate it is. 

14 year old Max has a lot of honors/ELP homework and high school stress. 11 year old Ben has a lot of practices and dog-walking and homework and I don’t get to talk to either boy much.

JB’s knee hurts all the time and I feel helpless about it.

Health insurance costs are going up next year, and I have to decide by Oct 31 if we should change anything or if I should get a certain surgery.

Trying to see the positives

Things are better today in my neck.

Now I have more empathy for kids with an ear infection.

I’m getting lots of steps every day and making time for me.

My pants fit a little better, and I can still wear most of my same clothes I’ve had for years.

Millie will get there….she will get there…she will get there…

The school says they have a counselor who should be able to meet with James and work on some things. He does have many moments of sweetness, and we are trying at home what they do at school (move your clip up or down) and it is working a little.

Andrew sees the joy and humor in things every day.

Max and Ben are growing and learning new responsibilities, while stretching themselves with more independence.

JB is finding new ways to cope and is a very patient, brave man. Such a good man.

We still have great health insurance. And we are healthy and overall very blessed.

Lagoon goodbyes

Friday of fall break was Papa's last day as park director at Lagoon. We all went to be with him. 

  

It was a beautiful day, even if it did get quite crowded. We had a great time.

The big cousins went off together, and rode their favorite rides and did one of the walk-through haunted houses.

And the little cousins rode rides together. James and Phin like the same things and rode at the same time, but Aaron is braver than Andrew and did some bigger rides while Andrew waited for him.  Millie chickened out of riding in kiddie land with with Spencer or Millicent Mae, except the teacups. Maybe because she saw one was pink.

The animals on the train ride were all very active! It was one of the best rides I've had.

The chicken basket our favorite food at Lagoon. We will miss these meal deals. 

We will miss a lot of things. I don't want to type more about it, I'm going to cry. 

Look below. John and Pauline were holding hands on the train. 

We have loved loved these years!

Haiti project fulfilled

At 1:55pm last Sunday, when the final seconds of my special on Haiti finished airing on the radio, I burst into tears. It was like this big relief, like I had been holding my breath til it was done. It was such a big project, and I wanted to make sure it was done right. I felt a responsibility to the people of Haiti, and to the people who helped build the temple.

Then I immediately got emails and text messages and Facebook messages from several people I had interviewed in Haiti and in Utah. And from my boss. I was overwhelmed by their kind words and so grateful.

I gained a stronger testimony during this experience of the personal ministry of the apostles, and the power and purpose of temples.

If you want to hear it, click below.

https://kslnewsradio.com/category/podcast_player/?a=46708&sid=2057&n=Conference%20Conversations&fbclid=IwAR0R4w7N3tnjsxSPqCmdpHminZHzPqus6Xgz3waHYbPyNHTXP3IoATDkn9w

If you want to read the writeup, it's below (with the audio also linked at the bottom).

https://kslnewsradio.com/1912512/the-dawning-of-a-brighter-day-a-new-temple-comes-to-haiti/?fbclid=IwAR3GieLxEd_siCMhk3CEBdmENohFalbIc_EGIM0T08FU6os-LH4b9vOcVV8

And here are some of the pictures I took.

Elder and Sister Bednar putting in some mortar

One of the palm trees mentioned by the landscapers -- it was such a challenge to get these!

The Bednars at the Saturday youth devotional

The makeshift stairs (tire with dirt inside) I climbed on a steep hill to get to one of the member's homes

The Jean-Jacques family

Some of the things for sale on the street. I saw no stores, no storefronts. Everything was for sale on the street. I also saw no American companies. Not a single McDonalds.

Trash is just piled up.

He bought a window and carried it for the drive.

The view from my hotel window where I did most of my writing and filing stories

General Conference weekend adventures

We spent some time with Nona and Papa in Southwestern Utah over General Conference.

The drive went past Bryce Canyon, and we stopped there to see an overlook that was closed when we went to Bryce over spring break.

JB went farther down the path

Millie wanted to show off her teddy bear and princesses in the picture. (Someone did take a picture of us but it was in shadow)

The leaves are starting to change colors in Escalante!

But there's always work to do. JB was up on the ladder a fair amount.

Saturday morning we drove over to the Lower Calf Creek Falls trailhead.  We went in Spring Break. I timed it on my watch this time, and it turns out Millie and I had made it 0.8 miles in before I turned around with her and carried her out.

This time we left her with Nona, and took Papa with us. This is a 6 mile roundtrip hike, and there is some light climbing, but mostly long stretches of sand.

The falls are gorgeous! This was my first time seeing them in person.

Ben waded in. The water was cold.








The way back took some encouraging for James and Andrew. They actually did better separated, one walking with JB up ahead and one walking with me. Sand kept getting in their shoes, they were thirsty, they were hungry, etc.





Saturday's General Conference sessions were wonderful. The kids weren't actually too bad. Some listened rather well. For the womens session that evening, Nona had a halloween gingerbread house for the littles to decorate.

They also played games. (Millie is in a clothes-less stage right now)

And they also played outside. This was WONDERFUL. I don't think they play outside enough, just building with sticks and exploring.

Sunday after the morning session, we drove home. We just barely made it back to cell/internet/radio service to be able to catch most of my hour-long radio special on Haiti.https://jbandmaryrichards.blogspot.com/2019/09/haiti.html  Then the second session started and we heard all of that. It was a fulfilling, enjoyable, relaxing, beautiful weekend. My children and I felt appreciated and important with this special time with Nona and Papa!