February

I took my nephew, Liam's senior pictures. He was made for the camera. Some people are so easy to take pictures of. Liam is one of them!

I love that teenagers voluntarily meet friends at the temple.  

Olive had her orientation night at the junior high. This Weston's Facs teacher (home ec). He's learned lots about sewing and cooking this year! Olive will be doing orchestra for her elective though.

It was a unicorn type of day.. I did Olive's hair!

This sign has been taped from the bottom of the upstairs TV for probably a year. I found a note written on the back by someone...

Weston is 14! 

He has successfully been a teenage for one year. Ok, minus the whole criminal charges thing.

Weston's favorite things are his bike, playing Fortnite, fighting with Olive and Tanner, Winnie, and watching cop shows like Brooklyn 99, SWAT, 911 and the Rookie.

He is notorious for not knowing his friends (or anyone's) names. This has been an issue for as long as I can remember. At the end of a baseball season, a teammate will say "Bye Weston" in the parking lot and Weston will say bye back then admit to me he has no idea what the kid's name is. I was having the boys write thank you notes to their teachers at the end of the school year and Weston couldn't remember his science teacher's name!! HIS TEACHER. After a whole year of being in their class. And he wasn't joking. We had to look it up. 

His closest friends are Jett Standage, Reagan Watkins. Graham Law and his cousin Rusty!

He's had a bit of a rough year with some other friends who more or less took off. They were more interested in kissing girls on the weekends. 

He likes to cook. 

He doesn't like to read.

His favorite foods are brisket, ribs, mac and cheese, Raising Canes, and candy. Always candy.

He LOVES fishing. Those poor fish with hooks in their mouths. Is it humane? I wonder sometimes.

He dresses like the other teenagers... baggy, homeless looking clothes from Goodwill. His pants are 5 sizes too big, cinched around his waist with a belt. Ridik-a-lus. 

His voice is low and he's growing taller every day.  

Spelling.... not his jam. 

Weston is respectful and kind. I can always count on him to answer a question when we're doing family scripture study or Come Follow Me. 

His once blonde hair is so dark. I don't understand. And he likes to keep it in a buzz cut. Whyyyyy??? 

He doesn't snuggle me anymore, but he does come in to say goodnight every night and give me a hug. He'll cozy up if I let him watch Instagram reels with me in bed. I love my Weston so much.

He wanted new pedals for his bike.

These are some of my favorite pictures of him I posted on Instagram for his birthday! Oh man I miss this little boy!

I took him out of school for his birthday lunch. He chose Cheba Hut. Then we got cookies at Swig. 

We decided to make his cake from scratch. He wanted funfetti. It was a complicated recipe. I need to stop using Cakes by Courtney recipes. I bought almost all new ingredients. Half were organic. BUT I used sprinkles we had in the cupboard. They were expired but I figured they were just sprinkles, how could they go bad. Oh they can!! Let it be known, dumping 1/4 cup expired sprinkles in your cake will make it taste like dirt. Ughhhhh. What a waste after all that work! We choked down a slice each then it sat in the fridge forever before we just chucked it. 

Travis's smoked ribs didn't turn out as tender as hoped. Olive did NOT notice. She had them all over her face.

That night, Weston played in the YM basketball tournement. They had done well all season but that night they didn't win. Sadness. And on his birthday. 

Sweet Olive was there to cheer for him!

Then it was the priest's turn. I loved seeing Travis there with the boys. They won the whole thing!

My blog books came! This is always a big day for me. Still doin the blog thing. I have something deep in my core that requires I document life. I don't know why. 

It's expensive too. About $250 per book, yikes! Just tell me that someday it will matter. 

Olive had a dance competition in Scottsdale. I only got pictures of her in her hip hop costume. 

I love how they pray before each performance.

The junior high has this cute program where Kindergartners draw a monster then the junior high home ec class makes them and gives them to the kids. This was Westons. I love it. 

A likely scene. Tanner and Noble vegging out. This or they're upstairs playing video games.

I got sick. So. so sick. Pretty sure it was actual influenza. I was down and out for almost a week. I was supposed to take Olive to a dance competition in Phoenix all day Saturday and I woke up that morning and couldn't even get out of bed. I looked at Travis and told him the bad news. So he did it! He survived his first ever dance competition. It was a loooong day too. I would have traded him in a heartbeat though. It felt like something was trying to kill me. Every part of my body screamed in pain. My head felt like it was going to explode. I couldn't sleep. It was all I could do to survive. I pounded that homeopathic stuff.. Boiron Oscillococcinum. I still suffered badly for days. I think it may have shortened the overall length of illness but not by as much as I would have preferred. 

I had to find a sub to cover my temple shift which was annoying. 

I have to substitute once a month to keep my sub license and I had taken this job at Greenfield over a month ago. I thought I'd be well enough to go, but I definitely wasn't. Somehow I got myself there. I subbed Mrs. Fagen's 6th grade class. The 6th graders switch teachers throughout the day for different subjects. So I knew I'd get to have Olive for at least one hour. I got there and it turned out to be some weird parade day for a week long fundraiser the school was doing. So I had to walk around outside with the class then stand there for an outdoor presentation. I was dyinggggg. Plus, can I just say, 6th grade boys suck. Seriously, what is wrong with them?? They were getting on my ever last nerve and I did NOT have the patience that day. They do everything they can to be annoying. Making noises. Pestering everyone around them. Not doing their work. Asking dumb questions on purpose. .. why? Just to waste time or be a pest? What goes on in their brains?! I was so weak, I could barely tell the kids what their assignment was each hour before I had to sit down. I almost made it through the day without yelling. But literally as they were lined up to leave for the day I had had it with one kid and raised my voice. I tell you what. BLESS 6th grade teachers!!!

The only perk was getting to be with my Olive girl and have lunch with her and her friends, Emerson and Quinn.

I made mini heart meatloaves for our Valentine's dinner. Pink mashed potatoes and heart rolls. Holy lotta work. Heart shaped pizzas are much easier. Duly noted. I love my Valentines!

Last minute, Emerson needed a place to land after dance until her mom could pick her up so we had an extra Valentine. Luckily, I had some extra goodies around I could put in a gift for her. 

For FHE we all wrote letters to their cousin, Payton, who is at BYU this year. Feels like that was me yesterday. I love that she is into snail mail. 

My love:

And Travis too. 

Haha!

No, really, why do I crave Boca every single week?! It's a problem. I think we had it for 8 straight weeks or something. 

There was a Monday off school so Olive and I had a date to TruBowl. One of my favorite things is to ride bikes to get food. The older two won't pedal a bike to save their life, but Olive will!!

There is a family in our ward who has kids our kids' ages and for some reason, after 7 years in this neighborhood, they have all suddenly become friends! Their twin daughters, Ruby & Mae, have become Olive's best friends in Young Womens!

We were a Sunday late, but we still did our matchy, pink skirts in honor of V-day!

A friend messaged me that my picture (and Marcie, Collin and Weston) is STILL on the wall of an Applebees in Kenmore... which is near Buffalo. I always wanted to be famous ;)

Collin's latest sculpture in art class. I have no words. 

The buns got burned when he baked it in the oven. 

The school needed parent volunteers to monitor the inflatables for the kids' reward day from all their fundraising. What I wasn't expecting was for Travis to sign up too! I guess he gets the emails from the school. It was hot. And the kids were hooligans. And Travis let them get away with whatever they wanted in his inflatable. Tsk tsk. Haha.

Collin showed me a picture of a fade he wanted and I wasn't sure I was skilled enough so I sent him to a barber shop. And literally all he had them do was shave his sideburns. I guess he got nervous they would mess it up. Ugh. I could have done that!!

Gym nights and temple for mutuals. Hallelujah,.. something other than dodgeball.

Well this was a special day!

The Mesa temple was closed for cleaning so my mom decided to trek out to Gilbert on a Tuesday morning in hopes she might see me. I had no idea. One assignment is to go into the endowment room and stand in the back while the group is putting on their robes in case someone needs anything. So you're only in there for maybe 5 min. I was assigned to do that for the session she happened to be in. I was so surprised to see her! She was sitting one seat in from the aisle so I walked over, trying not to be conspicuous and gave her a hug. Then, what was so cool, was I was assigned to the veil for her group! What are the odds?! You can't plan for these types of things. I never know where I will be at any given time during my shift until I get there that morning. It changes every week. That's what makes seeing people you know, so special. I presented several people at the veil, always wondering if I'd turn around and my mom would be next. I guess it wouldn't have worked out perfectly that way, but while she was waiting, she whispered to the veil coordinator that she was my mom, so the coordinator let her wait until my veil was available. So. I turned around and there was my mom!!I have tears in my eyes just typing this out. It was such a surreal and special moment. We hugged and cried. Then I presented her at the veil. I won't go into detail, but this was very healing experience for me. I will never forget the words that were said or how I felt. It was emotional for the receiver as well. He found me the next week and told me how powerful the experience was for him on his end too. I cannot overstate how life changing working in the temple has been for me. I wish it for EVERYONE. It's the best kept secret of the church and yet I don't know why it's a secret. All temple workers need to shout it from the rooftops! It's so different from being a patron. I do many things there that wouldn't be viewed as exciting, interesting or even enjoyable. And yes, standing at the grand staircase for 30 min is not really my favorite, but I don't know... I can't describe it. I love it all so much. And I look forward to it every week. I can't say that about other things in the church. I mean, I do look forward to actual church every week, but there are many other things in the church I do more out of obligation or because I'm supposed to. Not this. There is power in it. Something intangible. I wonder if it will wear off. I guess I'll update later but I don't think so. I say a prayer of gratitude every time that I get to be so lucky to be a temple worker right now. Until just a few years ago they required you to not have any children still at home to work in the temple! Imagine! I mean, I get it. But what a shame. I heard recently the parable of the workers in the vineyard (you know the one where all the workers get paid the same amount no matter how long they worked in the vineyard?) compared to generations. Like how we are the generation last to come that gets to enjoy and reap all the benefits of the people who lived before us. I had never thought about it in that way before. It is humbling!

Aunt Marcie had all these chickees over for a sleepover. She is Super Aunt!

The Stake primary had a mother/son dinner night. Spaghetti... yum yum! They taught the boys some manners and had them practice at dinner with us. I ate what I could then went home and grabbed Travis to take me to Boca haha.

This is the 9th Annual Lindblom Lip Sync Battle!! We've been doing it for 10 years but took a year off for Craig's wedding. The family dance took precedence that year.

As usual, everyone was hilarious!!! I guess even Katie and Jefferson had one to perform but last minute, Katie was sick and stayed home.

Abbey and David redid the Will Farrell and Jimmy Fallon skit to Journey's "Don't Stop Believin". David was a good heckler!

Okayyyy.. every couple years Shelley and Casey come in hot with a super HILARIOUS skit! A familiar song started... then out they came.. or flopped haha! They did a parody of the Shamu show at Sea World... something we are all well acquainted with from the many years of family trips. We. were. DYING. It was so good. Shelley with her whistle and wet suit and Casey flopping around as a Shamu. I can't even. We laughed so hard. The music was on point. This one will be remembered for a long time!

I think Grandma and Grandpa deserved an award for best costumes! 

Sonny and Cher!

I Got You Babe. 

Way to go, parentals!!! Very groovy.

We struggled with what to have the younger group of kids do. Marcie came up with the idea for them to do the YMCA but dressed up like their parent's professions. So we had an oil man, construction, dentist, teacher, hair stylist, cop... and cowgirl cuz why not haha!

Marcie's family always, always brings it!! She is so good to think up the funniest stuff and pull it off with the whole family! This year was the scene from The Mask. Austin was the main event and he was truly hilarious. He's got the moves! He said he had been nervous all day anticipating it! 

Travis and I did a parody that's been floating around Tik Tok of Benson Boone's song, Beautiful Things, but when it's time for him to rock out in the chorus, there's a cat meowing instead. It's pretty good. This cat head was everything. 

To close out the night, the 4 older boys did a funny rap song about the apostles. It took some work and memorizing. They sold it! "Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Roll Call!" My favorite line... " My name is Peter... I'll cuss you out... but I'm saved now, so I just shout... but if you ever run up on Jesus and I'm near... best believe that I'm cutting off your ear!"  Weston got that one!

Shelley and Casey took first place! (Well deserved)

I believe the 4 apostles took 2nd and Marcie's family took 3rd!

We're not sure who voted for Olive and ant Stephenney or The Phigorulles (Figueroas) but I'm so glad they did! 

Homemade funnel cakes for dessert! Grandpa and David were great cooks! It was another crazy, chaotic, amazing night!

Don't remember why this picture was taken but Olive is with her dance friends in front of Inspire. Her second home.

The YM needed volunteer "investigators" for a mutual night so I went. So fun to have the boys practice teaching on me. Collin and Lincoln will make great missionaries someday!

When I talk to the boys in their language they aren't amused. 

This is Pickles. 

It's so sweet when they're still young enough to sleep with stuffed animals. 

I generally don't get baptized when I take the kids to the temple but this time I did. Because this time, my son could baptize me!! Wow. If only I could have imagined this during those years I was hanging by a string with my crazy, exhausting, red-headed toddler. I'm living in "pay day" moments and I'm not taking them for granted! Parenting is worth it.