Juicing, Josie, High Priests and Pinewood Derby!

January was unusually warm.... it didn't snow once until the 31st. Boo-ya!

I was grateful, every day that the sun was shining. The boys beg to ride their scooters and skitters on the driveway. One day I decided they'd probably think it was pretty fun if I joined them. I loved it just as much as them! The highlight is going down the "hill" on the sidewalk from our fence to the mailbox. I got some good speed and several looks from passing cars!

I spent several hours on a Saturday, cleaning out the massive scout closet. Honest to goodness, it probably hadn't been cleaned in 15 years. I filled multiple garbage bags with just empty cans and containers. What the??? And threw out odds ends labeled 1995. Travis made many trips out to the dumpster. Ahhhh, that felt good.

We had a little Superbowl gathering (I hesitate to say party, because it wasn't exactly rockin'. Mostly just eating and glancing once or twice at the TV.... unless you were Travis and Michael. :) 

We did have massive amounts of delicious food! So despite a blowout game, I was fat and happy.

I get the occasional snap chat from Jefferson. Love them.

We brought home BAGS and BAGS of citrus from Trav's parents house when we were last in town. Which prompted me to look into buying a juicer. So glad I thought of getting a Bosch attachment juicer! Works amazing. Many hours later of juicing with my little helpers, straining and bagging, I now have a freezer full of yummy citrus juice!

And this pitcher of liquid gold. That's right... better than pumped breast milk!

Olive loves to grab onto something when she sucks her thumb. So I decided a little cuddle blankie was in order. Trav must have spent at least an hour unstitching this previous dud so I could use the minky fabric. He tried REALLY hard to knock my hand away from taking a picture. Suck it, Trav. You are the best, and I will have documentation. :)

I love online tutorials. But I hate when they preface with, "I'm going to teach you how to make this SUPER EASY/SIMPLE baby blanket." OK, maybe simple to YOU! But please, save us the self loathing by just calling it a baby blanket. Or even throw us novice seamstresses a bone with "medium difficulty" blanket. Anyway, it's all good in the hood. Blanket accomplished. And now I've added "mitered corner" to my vocabulary!

It is going to take me ALL winter to finish the kids' gosh darn hats. Olive gets hers first. 

I have finally amassed the necessary items to make "Megan Shaheen" bread. I got the wheat grinder for Christmas. Got a couple bags of wheat. (It's a lot harder to find hard wheat than you think!) I have the commercial grade pans. The dough enhancer. The gluten. The Bosch. The recipe. The "know how" tips from Megan. A thermometer, scale and dough scraper on the way. 

Sigh.

Guess that means I have to make bread. :)

Last Saturday I got back to my car in the Wal-mart parking lot, to find a note stuffed in my door handle. My heart sank. Someone hit my car and left a note. 

What I found instead, made my jaw drop a little. 

Ha!

Gotta love the grammar. Wonder if "Dave's" name is really "Nizhoni". Either way, Trav's got some competition. He's going to have to bring his A game this week. I gots me some options. :)

Ironically, he was bringing his A game that day. He took the boys off my hands for several hours to go on a hike at El Moro National Park. Man, these boys are cute!

 Speaking of these two. They now share a room. Which hasn't been awful, but invariably, the noise of one waking up in the morning, wakes up the other, and they have a lot more fun at bedtime. We walked in one night to find them bunked up together in the pack 'n play like this. (Weston sleeps in the pack 'n play now that Olive has the crib. I know, I know. We're white trash.) It appears, they tried to make a fort.

A week ago, Thursday, Travis came home from the usual night of meetings to tell me that Pres. Haws had recommended him to become a High Priest. His calling doesn't warrant it, but I guess President thought it was time. 

So last Saturday night, his parents drove in so they could be here for it. 

There was a priesthood meeting Sunday night, and afterward, Paula, me and the boys met them down there so Wayne could ordain Travis.

I wasn't really sure what to expect, but it turned out to be a really special occasion. President prefaced by telling Travis that this means that he is now a "100 percenter".  100% in every facet of the church. The stake presidency all chimed in on how much they love and appreciate Travis. Commenting how valuable he is and how grateful they are for him. It was neat to finally meet the rest of these men that Travis spends all his time with! Jokesters, they are! 

Wayne gave Travis a beautiful blessing. The Spirit was strong and it was humbling to be a part of. I am married to an amazing man! Don't know how I got so lucky.

Next to Trav is Pres. Hawes, then Pres. Bloomfield and Pres. Hine.

This got a little out of order, but a few days before Wayne and Paula came, Josie came to visit!! She was speaking in Albuquerque, so we got to have her for a few nights. This girl is the stuff. With every interaction, I hope that I can be of some help to her, and guess what? She helps me instead. Every time. This time it was with some much needed perspective on what's the most important in life. I love her. 

Alrighty, so last night, I hosted my first ever, Pinewood Derby. My goodness. Cub scout stress is a killer. Right here, we have 48 feet of sub sandwich. For realsies. Thank goodness for friends that watched my kids, cuz I don't know where they would have gone!

My selfie taken in the glass of the kitchen door.... classy. At this point I was chanting, "You can do this, you can do this." And hoping pit sweat didn't show through yellow very well.

The biggest loser got a cake. Watching his (and his parents) disappointment after every race, I think this went over well. Glad I did it!

I have some awesome den leaders. Colleen made all these lanyards for the boys and all the awards... including these cute, candy cars I forgot to take a picture of.

I had the movie Cars playing for the younger siblings, along with a coloring table.

Putting that husband to work. Wo-paw! (That's the sound a whip makes, FYI)

The cutest little thing to ever grace a derby!

I was the official "lever puller" to let the cars down. Sooooo grateful we didn't have any high strung kids or parents. We weren't exactly "rule book" strict, but it all worked out. 

And now.... it's OVER!!! I'm giving myself a one week break from worry before Blue and Gold stress begins!