What keeps us out of trouble

This is pretty bad. It's mid-March and this is my first blog of 2012.   We continue to be very busy with Young Singles activities.  We help furnish food for a monthly break-the-fast dinner, plus invite the YSA to our home one Sunday a month for dinner, plus host a game night monthly.  Just keeping them contacted and encouraged, plus shuttling them to the North Chapel (where we are now holding Sunday meetings) keeps us thinking of others instead of ourselves.

 

I continue to maintain a facebook account for our YSA group, with about 40 kids on it.  We've been working both with the SJC dorms as well as the 5th ward, so there are really a lot of kids that age.  Just a few weeks ago, however, Sallie and Jim Hughes were called to serve at the dorms, so that has helped a lot to reduce the leg work.  We are working with them however, to host game night and dinners, at least until next year starts.  We have too many kids we don't want lost in the changeover.

Steve is still working at the temple every Tuesday, and that's when I do a lot of my visits and fellowshipping, as well as getting flyers designed for upcoming events.  We have tried hard to invite our less active (both physically and spiritually)  neighbors out to participate in various activities at our home, as well as the ward, and lunches at the Sr. Center. 

We've had several neighborhood parties during the winter: pinochole, game night, Chinese New Year Party, and others which we hope is as fun for them as it is for us.  We've also tried to always invite someone when we feed the missionaries, and have enjoyed getting better acquainted with them, and it helps the missionaries too.  We've invited the Lobatos, Larry Dennison, Ricky's family,  

In January--we hosted a "history lunch" and invited many of our friends who have been working on family histories.  Those coming were Gayle Shumway, Patsy Shumway, Silvia and Brian, Beverly Vowell, Kay Jones,  Nancy Kimmerle. Each told of strategies, and publishers they have used in their history projects.  It was very helpful and interesting.  Afterwords we had a soup and salad lunch.

Tuesday Evening is when we do the Addiction Recovery Class.  The numbers have been pretty good all winter, between 8-12 coming, but it seems that once warm weather comes, the numbers go down a bit.  Once a month we also attend a community family support group whose goal is to help families who struggle because of addictions of loved ones.
Just recently I made copies of a modified version of our teaching manual, which was designed to be used as a 12 week Sunday School manual.  It's called "Overcoming Hurts, Habits, and Hangups."
I'm hoping that might be used to help others as well. Everyone could benefit from the 12 step program, as we all have Hurts, Habits, and Hangups that prevent us from being all we could be -- especially in the context of change and becoming more like Christ.

Spoiled on Valentines

These are the beautiful flowers Steve surprised me with for Valentines day.  The sexy apron is from Andrew and Amy's family. 

Mesa House cleaning, and visiting trip

Surprise Party for Anthony and Ashley in Mesa



Anthony's #1 study partner in law school!


  Anthony has really done all in his power to prepare to pass the bar exam, as has his wife. 

Anthony ensconced himself in Parke's SLC condo hideaway, finishing up the last of the law prep classes.   He flew down for the weekend, when we were in Phoenix, so we got to see do some things with them and Quent's family.   We worked for about two days cleaning the house and Steve did all the windows. We made good steady progress each day. 

  We stayed at the Reidheads, where Ashley and the kids were staying, and then went over to their house and helped wash and clean for two days. 

Karen and Steve compare notes

 Anthony's family was really happy to see him.

Friday night when Anthony flew down, we checked back at the house after going out for pizza, and Karen had orchestrated a surprise good-bye party for them.  It turned out really fun, and we got to meet some of their Mesa friends.

 

 





 We did sneak in a few quick shopping breaks, but for the most part worked straight through both days.  On the way to school each morning, Sam would read us a chapter from the Book of Mormon.  He's become quite the reader!

Karen kept us well fed, entertained in the evening, and provided us with a comfy bed.  Anthony and Ashley and family stayed in the guest house. The next two nights we stayed at Quent and Bev's.

Time for Wii competitions at the Wilcoxes
 

  Jens is really getting cute and paying attention to things

Saturday we had a B-b-que lunch at Quentin's with both families, and then that night we went to the Organ Pizza Stop which was pretty fun to listen to and watch. It was really packed.

Pizza at the Organ Stop 

 



One of the extravagant organ performances we saw

Other Family News



Ashley is planning to head up this way on the 15th with the rest of their belongings.  We hope to celebrate Rob's birthday while they are stop overnight in Blanding.

 

Nathan and Tammy took us on a Skype tour of their basement completion project.  All the sheet rock is up, which is no small matter considering all the rooms, nooks, closets, and hideaways involved.  It should be finished by the end of the month as well.

 

Autumn and Theron's ward was expanded last week, with the addition of 60 new families, so Autumn's not sure if she'll see Theron much this month, as they are trying to visit everyone.  Rob made a trip to Mesquite last week, to play golf with John Young, Damon Orr, on a officers' golf tournament.  They took 1st place.  Chris and Pam are as busy as ever, and even though they are dealing with some issues right now, they seem positive about the outcome. 

Andrew is liking his new job for Workman's Comp, even though his BMI isn't where the organization wants it to be, he is exercising hard daily, and has lost about 25 lbs.  He now is an official Private Investigator!  I have been super busy.  I just finished Quentin's birthday book project, and am ready to start a new one.   Saw War Horse last week.  It was wonderful.  The fight scenes may be too intense for younger children, as it shows the fox hole fighting of WWI...but the story is very life affirming.