Deardeuffs unite

 My brother Joe in Springville invited us down for a day celebrating his daughter Kaylee and her baptism.  My parents and my sister Emily and her girls made the drive from Missouri.

My brother Joe (3 of 12)  is on the bottom left my brother Peter (6 of 12)  lives in Utah and is on the top left, Emily (8 of 12)  is in the middle back row.

My dad's beard shocked us a little when he walked in. I knew he had been growing a pandemic beard, but in person it is quite impressive!

Sisters ten years apart.

Deardeuff cousins

Kaylee's little brother Owen didn't make it over for that picture, so JB took a selfie.

Emily brought new Chiefs gear from Kansas City. It's all over their stores there, and Max and Ben are big fans.

Then we went over to the Provo Rec Center to swim. What a fun place! Here is Millie really mad that JB was calling me smokin hot and wanting to take my picture, instead of taking her up and down the slides.

James has gotten so much braver in the water. I am really pleased.

On Sunday, we had everyone over to our house. Here the crazy goofy uncles are playing horse with Max and Ben and cracking them up.

The girl cousins completely tore apart Millie's room and loved every minute together.

I sent a picture of the food to my other siblings in our group chat channel. It was incredible. JB smoked a brisket all night, Peter smoked some mac and cheese and his wife Mindy brought great salads, Joe's wife Susan made amazing desserts, and I think my kids loved Rachel's chips more than anything though (I didn't get a picture of Rachel with the siblings on Sunday! She's number 9 of 12).

We can't wait to see our Missouri family again. 

Max the driver

Max got his driver license in August! He worked hard to get practice hours and be really careful behind the wheel. During his driver's ed class, he would often tell me when I did a rolling stop or cut the corner on a left turn. He liked to see if he could drive me to any errands.

We were all excited about his new license, until I called USAA to add him to the car insurance. Woof, our bill more than doubled. And that is even with the good grades discount. If he stays safe for a year, our rate comes down.

But such is life. And once the insurance kicked in, he took his first solo drive.

He mainly drives to golf practice after school at the golf course a few neighborhoods away. But I think once or twice he has also driven to go get food. Because he is a very hungry tall teenager all the time.

Our stake president told a story in Stake Conference about having a teen driver, and how he sometimes walks outside to go somewhere and his car is not there but no one told him..  Well, the other day I drove somewhere and Max texted me upset that I had taken the car and hadn't told him. I laughed a lot.

This is fun! 

School starts

Our last baby had her first day of kindergarten! And the others were all excited to go back and see friends.

Here are their first day pictures taken by JB.

Max is a junior and on the golf team this fall and in two AP classes

Ben is in 8th grade and a Student Body Officer and ELP/honors classes

Andrew is in 5th grade and has Ben's former teacher

James is in 3rd grade and has Andrew's former teacher

And Millie in kindergarten and has Andrew and James's former teacher!

They changed the school start times in our district. High school starts an hour later, at 8:45, and Max has plenty of time to get out the door. But for bussing purposes, that moved middle school earlier. Ben leaves our house around 7:30. Elementary School now starts at 8:45 as well, instead of 8:25. 

These three will eventually walk together to and from school. It's at  the end of our street.

But for a while we have been walking back and forth with them until they get the hang of the bell schedule and Millie getting in the right spot.

I'm grateful that I am still working from home and that I have time in-between my radio stories to do her hair in the mornings.

I was ready to drive them back to Granite District, but the superintendent promised in July that our district would not be like an island again this year and would follow the other districts around us. We thought new state laws would protect us, as well.  

But then two days before school started, the Salt Lake City Mayor broke the state law to enact some severe restrictions on our kids again. And no one stopped her. Masks required for all K-12, even if they are vaccinated teens, even if little kids need to be able to see faces to learn and develop properly and are at extremely low risk from this virus.  Tall plastic barrier-type-jail-cells around each desk, when many months ago those were proven to be unnecessary and even counter-productive. Canceled sporting events at the drop of a hat, when no other district is doing similar things. (At least they said they have better indoor ventilation this time, which is actually quite effective.) I've also been really worried that they'll try to shut down our schools again.

I was extremely angry and sad for many days. I still am sometimes, a week into the school year. I'm extremely burned out at work, I had a lot of PTSD from last year, and a lot of hopes for my children that their experience this time could be so much more like their cousins just a few miles away.  The first day of school for Canyons District for example was a week before ours, and I was assigned to do live shots there. I saw my niece Emily come up smiling and happy to see all her friends smiling. The feeling is so very different in Salt Lake City.  It's paranoia and fear. 

I can keep trusting in God that this will all get better. I have new coping techniques from a therapist to help me recognize what I can control, and what I can't control about all of these situations. I know my children can be ok with the love and support and calm manner we portray in our home.  

In the scriptures we hear God say, "This will be but for a moment."  He also said, "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Pocatello, Idaho

We spent last weekend in Idaho for cousin Kate's baptism and baby Jack's blessing! 

We've had bad luck trying to go to Lava Hot Springs several times in a row (bad weather, big crowds, Covid closures, etc). But finally we got to go on Saturday morning right when it opened.

We went back and forth in between the indoor and outdoor pool, and felt grateful for the cloudy skies and warm water.

The big boys did all the slides and high dives.

The little boys got lots braver. James even surprised us all by jumping off a diving board and going down a big slide and trying the rope swing.

Millie also got braver and went down a little slide and tried to dunk me every time.

Then we went over to the hot springs. These were so relaxing. They range from 102 to 112 degrees.

Then it started to really rain and we got out just in time and drove to the Prestons' new home.

Andrew loves babies and was happy to hold his cousin.

Sarah was back at work for the first day as a nurse. And Joe was running kids to and from birthday parties, so we offered to cuddle Jack.  JB is the baby whisperer -- he can get breastfed babies to take a bottle like a champ (he did it for all five of our babies while I was at work)

Millie also held the baby, then started acting like our baby.

But her favorite was playing with Rachel. They are two years and one day apart. I don't know why she stood this close.

On Sunday morning we went to Church with them. It was such a welcoming and nice ward. And we walked around the beautiful new Pocatello Temple, which is right across the street from Joe and Sarah's beautiful new house.

Ben and JB taking in the view from the front yard

Baby worshipping with Papa

James getting a turn.

I didn't get any photos of the cousins running around outside together for hours. Kate, Harvey, Rachel and Andrew, James and Millie and then Carver as well were up and down on a pile of dirt in the construction area, and doing science experiments, and having a great time.

Max and Ben thought we ate so well during the weekend. Pizza, lasagna, pulled pork, chips, Pauline's sweet rolls, any type of cereal they wanted....they loved it all.

 

JB's birthday

 I'm putting in a few days of pictures in a row around the celebration of JB's birthday.

We went to the temple together for the first time in 18 months. JB grabbed the first open appointment he could get.

JB and Max went golfing one morning.

Saturday evening we had a wedding reception in Plain City. What a beautiful backyard.

It was the son of one of JB"s mission companions who got married.

Sunday, Max and JB wore their new handsome suits to Church and looked so good! (Max is so tall now!)

Sunday afternoon we were able to be with the Richards family for dinner. I tried making this pineapple dole whip cake (from Cake by Courtney). 

He took the kids to Lagoon on the actual day of his birthday while I napped after work and had another meeting on the phone in the afternoon.

He's such a fun and good dad. We are so grateful for him and all he does for us. Cooking, cleaning, chauffeuring, comforting, joking and loving. We are really grateful for this summer of Lagoon passes, too.

Wisdom Teeth

Our dentist mentioned a year ago we should probably look at getting Max's wisdom teeth out. Then the x-rays showed Ben needed them out, too, especially because of another molar in back that was snagged in coming down. 

So we finally found a time when both boys had a long enough break from all their sports and activities and booked them back-to-back.

Here they are in the waiting room. 

Max went back first, and when I saw him in recovery he  was very groggy and medicated but asked first about Ben and asked second about when he could eat.

Then they opened the door for Ben to come out, and we heard him holler down the hallway in his groggy medicated voice, "Maaaaahahhhxxxx! Where's mah BROTHER?!" Max hollers back, "BENNNNNNN!"

I went around to get the car and they were holding hands in their wheelchairs and the nurses were really having a great time with their obvious concern for each other.

They got into the car and hugged again.

 

I took so much video. SO much.

I facetimed JB so he wouldn't miss the incredible things they were saying. They wanted to go get shakes RIGHT THEN. They also wanted to see Millie and wondered why she wasn't in the car.

Then when I pulled up to our house, one of them said, "Whose house is this?"

"It's ours," I said. 

Ben: "What a beautiful American flag!"

Then both boys started belting out, "And I'm proud to be an AMERICAN, where at least I know I'm FREEEEE."

They spilled out of the car and JB took this photo, which looks like zombies at Frightmares.

We spoonfed them some shakes and yogurt got them started on their Ibuprofen/Tylenol regimen (I did not fill the opioid prescription. I've done too many stories on the problems).

When the surgery meds began to wear off, they started to feel really sad and uncomfortable. It is hard as a parent to see your child this way. But I knew it would get better, and I kept reminding them that.

James and Andrew offered to be their butlers for a few days.

They recovered Saturday but went to Church on Sunday because they knew they needed to help with the sacrament (we don't have many active young men, especially over the summer). I tried to encourage them to rest a lot and keep on top of their pain meds and mouth rinses and ice packs. 

They were mostly upset they couldn't eat much real food.

Ben especially felt like he would never feel better, especially by the fourth or fifth day when the swelling was the highest. He had the extra problem of that other molar. We started to use heat on the spot. 

Bit by bit things got better. And somewhere in this past week, they didn't notice how, they felt good again. Today, two weeks later, they feel great.

Max is 16

Gosh, this boy is tall -- and sweet and smart and brave and talented and nice and responsible and all the things.

We went to Tony Burgers for dinner. Here's our kissing picture.

And everyone in the booth.

Here's the cake I made for our super star.

JB took the boys golfing. They have each had some community golf lessons this summer and are making it a new passion. So much so, that Max tried out for and made the high school golf team!

This week I took him for his 16 year checkup. He is ALMOST 6 feet flat. We'll probably call it that.

He's close to getting all the hours needed for his driver license. And here's hoping this school year is a good one for him!