January

 I love our fall weather in January haha. But really, our neighborhood is so pretty this time of year. Cue up the allergies in a few weeks when the trees start to bloom.

My parents went to Israel on a tour with John Hilton and had a great time! A few months later, tourists were stranded there because of bombings so they timed it well!

Olive and I didn't get a chance to watch While You Were Sleeping during Christmas but we snuck it in before school started.

Tasha was so nice to take these boys to the river.

Abbey's Grandma (who was like a mom to her) died, so we went to her funeral. 

Then Marcie and I helped throw Addison Hogle's bridal shower at my parents house. They were still in Israel so my mom wasn't there. It was a lot of work and took up the whole day, but she got a huge crowd of support which was nice. 

Marcie and I got her some lingerie and as she was opening it, I played Ginuwine, Pony over the Soundsystem haha. 

Right after the bridal shower I drove over to Falcon Field to watch Weston take off on his first flight! Travis went with him. I was a bit nervous. He LOVED it and says he wants to be a pilot.

Collin lost on a game or something and in "anger" threw his phone at his bed, but missed and it hit the beam and shattered. Ugh. Then he wasted buying a $150 phone on Facebook marketplace that was locked up because it was a Tesla workphone. Travis finally bought him a later model phone from Verizon that he's making monthly payments on. Why do kids do dumb things?

Our dear friend and neighbor, Heather Wayment has been battling cancer this year and has been in and out of the hospital. Travis got a text on January 3 that she was close to passing. I told him to get his butt down there. She was at Banner Gateway. So glad he did and was able to be with Scott and the family and share some impressions he had recently about someone needing her on the other side. Their son, Easton, flew home from his mission in Canada that day and was able to be there before she passed but unfortunately she was unconscious. Travis was there when she passed. We quickly cut out hearts and went to heart attack their house late that night. They planned a funeral quickly so Easton could go back out as soon as possible.

Our kids love our bed! They don't have social media so they like to sit by me and we watch Instagram reels together.

Sometimes those reels inspire antics ;)

I don't have pictures but want to document what happened that Sunday night. We were home and I was making cookies when the idea suddenly popped into my mind to do a candlelight vigil outside the Wayment's home. Abbey had told us about her aunt's ward doing that for her when her uncle died and how special it was. It was literally 6pm when the thought came to me and I immediately called Kimber to see if she knew Heather's favorite songs and to see if she could help me. She was all in. So I text the Relief Society president and Elder's Quorum president to spread the word. I picked three songs, typed up the lyrics and printed them. I taught Gospel Doctrine that morning and the printer wouldn't work. It wasn't working again that night when I needed it. I said a prayer and hit print and suddenly it started working. Within an hour the word had spread and we ran over there with our candles and the printed lyrics. I got emotional seeing the groups of people converge on all sides. Just after 7pm I knocked on their door and Scott answered greeting me warmly, but I just slowly retreated as Kimber lead the group in In Need Thee Every Hour. He followed me out and the rest of the family came after, congregating on the porch as we all sang Amazing Grace and God Be With You Til We Meet Again. I went up to hug him and the group finished with I'm a Child of God. I wish our voices had been stronger but I think everyone was weeping. When I hugged him, he emotionally choked out, "She's here. She's here." I can't describe how heartbroken I've been for this sweet family. Everyone stayed to hug the family and visit. I got so many thanks for organizing it. It wasn't me. It was truly inspiration from God and I'm just the lucky one he sent it to.

The funeral was that Saturday. Cassandra Ewer organized a choir to sing It is Well With My Soul. Olive and I went to the practices during the week. Travis had the idea to offer me to do photography during the funeral, which they accepted. The viewing was in Queen Creek the night before. Hoards of people came. I took pictures for 3 hours. I could hardly compose myself at times. It was open casket and Scott said he would appreciate pictures of Heather. That was a sobering task. Especially at the end when I took pictures of him and her together and the kids with their mom. The depths of sorrow I cannot possibly describe. 

Saturday morning Travis conducted the family prayer and the funeral. Our building was filled to overflowing. Not a chair wasn't used. I sat on the stand with Olive and the choir purely because we were out of room. Our song was the closing song. There was nearly an orchestra playing with us. So many powerful singers, but it was more than that. There were surely angels with us. I've never experienced such a moving or powerful thing as singing with angels! People came up to all of us afterward to express how heavenly the music was. They were astonished at what they heard. I'll never forget it. I've always wanted to have a beautiful voice and that was the closest I'll ever get. I couldn't even hear myself because heaven was behind all of us. Heather was SO LOVED. That much was obvious. 

I hurried out with my camera right after it ended to keep taking pictures. 

The ward provided refreshments and then I had Collin pick me up and drive me to the other church building where the luncheon was being held. I brought two crockpots of shredded chicken and stayed to help serve the lunch and take more pictures. Travis came after the other building had cleared out. After a couple hours, there was lots of leftover food so we made plates and sat down to eat. I was starving. A woman in our stake whom I didn't know, but had been serving with us sat down too. She started to tell us her story and how she was really close to Heather. She's been battling pancreatic failure for 8 years. Has had over 60 surgeries and has died 3 times. She is my age with 4 kids. I noticed the deep scars on her arms as she spoke. She knows she is going to die and keeps trying to convince her husband to remarry so her kids will have a mom but he refuses. I instantly lost my appetite. You could tell she was suffering, but trying to be positive. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I had already been so incredibly sad, but this took it to a whole other level. I forced myself to put food in my mouth as we listened for 20 minutes to her horrific life. We cleaned up and put everything away then raced home to pick up Tanner to go to Ace Standage's baptism... one of Tanner's friends. It was small without much family. Travis conducted the baptism. We ran to Fry's afterward to get him a gift then went to their house and pretended to eat while visiting with their family. We just wanted to go home and get in bed. When we did finally get home, we changed clothes and started cleaning up the kitchen. Then Travis looked at me and said, I need to visit the Duxburys. The Duxburys moved in a couple months ago and the mom has cancer... she's had it for many years, but we've been so focused on Heather. Travis said I didn't have to come, but I changed back into my dress and we got a plate of cookies and went over. We sat on their couch in their humble house and listened to their story. The mom's name is Cheryl. She is out of treatment options. They have been fighting this battle for a long time and are worn thin. She laid on the couch with a blanket over her and admitted later that she was hot but didn't remove the blanket because she had an open wound on her chest that won't heal and it smells. So if she removes the blanket, the stench is too bad. I don't even know how to process just horrible information. My heart couldn't take any more. People's lives are so indescribably difficult. After Heather and the woman from our stake and now this... I broke. We went home and I cried myself to sleep. How can there be so much suffering in one square mile of Gilbert, Arizona? And that's just 3 people. I couldn't function at all the next day and even text my parents and siblings asking for prayers. I'm embarrassed writing that. My life isn't even hard. I've just heard about other people's hard lives and it's debilitated me. All week I mourned. I don't know how I managed to slowly become more functional but I guess life just demands it. I'm sure prayers helped too.  

I think it's so sweet that Tanner loves to greet people at the door of church and hand out programs.

Marcie and I inadvertently twinning!

We waited 5 months for this appointment! Finally took Collin and Olive to see a pediatric gastroenterologist  that Millie recommended. His name was McOmber and he was AWESOME. Olive is constantly constipated and Collin has constant diarrhea. Olive's doesn't sound bad but she is always coming in at night burping and crying because her stomach hurts so badly. It's a problem.

Olive got an x-ray, they both did blood work and Collin is supposed to poop in a bucket and turn it into the lab. They are both supposed to hit their fiber goals. Olive shouldn't eat cheese and is supposed to sit on the toilet 10 min. every day. Mainly after dinner. Collin is supposed to stay away from artificial sugar sweeteners.

Weston had a wrestling meet and his singlet was dirty. I had no time so I hung it to dry out the window as ai raced to the school. It's just been that kind of week.

Everyone sleeps through early morning scriptures.. even Winnie.

We had to cancel our tea party in December because of Collin being in the hospital, and finally got it rescheduled! 

We went straight from the tea party to Addison's wedding reception in Aunt Mary Ann's side yard. 

That Sunday we hosted all the youth for the new year's youth theme broadcast and then everyone got unlimited ice cream cones! Amelia and Rigdon had a sleepover because there was a holiday the next day.

I want to be able to help Marcie. She's feeling so overwhelmed and wishes she felt more comfortable being able to ask our mom for help. I told her I would watch her kids at least once a month for the year so she could get things done. Jane is everyone's favorite. It's so nice that Olive and Tanner love her kids and play so well. 

The older boys used to play Beyblades and now it's Tanner's turn. Guess I should have kept all the supplies instead of having to buy them again!

Weston got his braces off! He didn't have to have them very long. I think less than a year. 

While Tanner practices baseball at this park off of Power and Guadalupe, there's a great, long sidewalk that loops around the whole place so I walk with my weighted vest and saw this sidewalk art. LDS kids for sure. I love it.

Landon had a birthday party at Grandma's house! We LOVE Landon!

I was wrecked editing all of the Wayment's pictures and making them a book. It took me days. 

We did an FHE lesson that had to do with Slurpees. I got the idea from Hank Smith. He tells his students: The Lord presents us with our two options. He’ll say, You have broccoli over here and a Slurpee over here. And I really want you to choose the broccoli. You say, Okay, I’ll choose the broccoli. Okay, go. And we choose the Slurpee, like almost automatically we choose the Slurpee. And he said, Okay, okay. Let’s try that again. Let’s try that again. Remember, I want you to choose the broccoli. Broccoli, got it. Broccoli Slurpee. And we think, Oh, I failed. And the Lord would say, No, no, no, you hesitated. Didn’t you? You hesitated. Well, yeah, I did. Ah, that’s a win.We’re moving in the right direction. Okay, try it again. And I look at the broccoli for a second and I go, well, maybe Slurpee. Over time, my hesitation turns into thoughtfulness, which turns into trying, which turns into sometimes, well, let me see if I can do them both at the same time and, oh, that doesn’t taste very good at all. Eventually, I start saying, Lord, I actually am desiring the broccoli. Where we see failure, the Lord sees progress. Let’s keep coming back. Try again. Try again. Try again. You’re gonna get this, I promise. 

But Circle K was too far away so we went to QT for blue slushies instead haha. 

Weston definitely loves Winnie the most.

Inspire did a fundraiser for a dance studio that got flooded by selling tickets to their "Comp Preview" at ALA.

Weston had his State tournament at Mountain View. It was brutal for me. He's new and learning so when he'd get beat, my heart was tormented watching!! But then when he was winning, it means some other kid is getting beat and I feel awful for THAT kid! Ugh!! I sat for hours to watch his first match and he lost. Then I had to leave to take the younger kids to Bentley's birthday party in Queen Creek. While I was gone he won! Then I drove 45 minutes back to Mountain View and saw his 3rd match and he lost. I was so sad for him. When it was over he looked like he was on the verge of death, pouring sweat, sucking in air.. just wrecked. Wrestling is brutal. I was SO PROUD of him though. I cannot imagine willingly signing up for this. 

He definitely deserved Venezias afterward.