Lists and lists

It sometimes feels like I could write a whole book of lists to do and never run out of things to cross off. All good things, just a lot of them.
Yesterday Leisa, Alecia, Sarah and I had a 2 hour lunch to celebrate Sarah’s birthday. It was so nice to spend time together. The girls came shopping with me when we took Delaney to ballet and then adi drove home and she’s doing a really great job. Tracie came over for a dual ministering visit. She buoyed me and I buoyed her and it was a lovely 3 hours. ❤️

Babies and stuff

Katie texted on Tuesday and asked if her crew could come sleep at our house for the weekend. We loooove baby visitors so the answer was absolutely yes. They came Friday evening and we got to meet this little cutie. He’s soooo sweet!

We also got to meet Drake for the first time, which is crazy but pesky jobs get in the way of everything. Laura came too but she was only here Friday night-Saturday morning and we didn’t think to grab a pic. 👎🏼 

We had brekkie together Saturday morning then they headed off to DC and we headed down to St. Mary’s City for Day to Serve. We cleared out their bamboo forrest and it was fun to work together and be outside. 

Alli was flying in that day and I had been thinking about ways to help her and thought taking tenkor home would be a big help. She had an emotionally exhausting week, so Matt and I made a date of it and drove T up to Baltimore. I’m working on getting our piano tuned by my secretary’s husband and he was texting asking what kind of piano we have and if it was upright or vertical, which seem like the same thing? Anyway, I asked the girls to send a pic and this is what I got. 😭 Don’t mind the mess. 🤷‍♀️

This is a crazy dog. And naughty. And anxious. She walks all around the car and as we got closer to Alli’s she started whimpering. She knows home. 

We took her for a long walk all around Alli’s neighborhood and made sure she was all fed and safely deposited and we went for a dinner date to Bonefish. We had never been and it was just kind of ok. We had a nice day together. 

I had WP ward conference Sunday morning, but grabbed a few pics before I left. 

Love this crew and love when they come to visit! Braxton was saying “cheese, cheese, cheese!” 

Sunday was fabulous- wonderful talks and visits. I got home earlier than anticipated and made brownies because the girls got a visit from Sarah and their yw stake leader. I left the brownies there for them and Matt and I let them chat. After we had dinner and sent Matt and adi off to a fireside and the younger girls and I had a nice evening till my 7:00 training. We’ve got 5 wards done with 3 to go. These are such good hours spent together, so it doesn’t feel like a lot. Also, the girls have been doing makeup lately. 

Specifically eyebrows. 

Another day, another opportunity to look like the matchmaker from Mulan. We’re acquiring team gear for our cruise and that’s taking lots of family coordinating. Our family is on 4 different teams, which means I am coordinating 4 different sets of team gear and games, so help me. 

Monday morning we had a presidency meeting then I went out for ministering visits. It’s a lovely way to spend the day. And for our home evening treat we enjoyed our Yum Box from the Baltic region. 

Happy birthday to Matt!

Tuesday was Matt’s birthday. I woke up early and made everyone crepes - they turned out so well, my best ever. I made him a fruit salad too and homemare whipped cream before sending him off to work. 

Delaney is a Barnum and Bailey’s performer for her recital in June and they got their costumes Tuesday evening. Delaney told me in no uncertain terms that I was not allowed to come in with her because she didn’t want me to see her costume. Then her friends mom sent me this. 😭 Then in the car she schooled me and told me no one else could see it. Then she tried it on and came down and showed everyone. 😭 She loves performing so she’s very excited!

This is what happens when you ask Delaney to text her sisters that we’re heading home. 

We had a lovely spaghetti and meatball dinner and pineapple upside down cake. He’s the worst person to shop for, but he really liked the massage gun Frankie picked for him and it was a happy birthday. 

Bishop Wiest asked Frankie to deliver a special Christ centered For the Strength of Youth magazine to every girl in her class, so on Wednesday we picked up her counselor Grace and talked about what they should say at each house. I had them each pick a quote to share and then we prayed before their first house. I want them to love ministering, so we got mcflurries on our way to Mechanicsville. They were cute and fun, they’d high five after each house and congratulate each other on their performance after each delivery. 

Coming home to Wednesday evening and there was the most beautiful sunset!

Alli’s best friend passed away in New Orleans over the weekend. It was super unexpected and so sad. She flew out for his memorial and to give support and help clean out his things. We are mourning with those who mourn and offered to watch tenkor while she’s gone. I’ve been taking her for long runs on the dirt road behind the library that I don’t like to run alone on every morning, keeping her worn out has calmed her down a little I think. And I appreciate that the girls get some animal time while she’s here. 

Alecia and I went to the temple Thursday morning and the tulips are so beautiful!

It was a lovely cloudy day and lovely to learn and spend time together.

There was terrible traffic on our way home so I had to go straight to pick up Frankie and Jaidyn from track practice, then drop them off and straight to the dentist with adi. I had just enough time to make dinner then drop Delaney off at ballet and straight home for another training. Some days are just like that. I’m grateful they are fewer and farther between  now. 

Today I got a lot done off my to do list. It’s a half day, so time for shenanigans. 

And a funny to finish us off:

Such a good weekend

This here is our first ever completely finished family General Conference list. After conference I make a list of all the speakers and for home evening we watch a conference talk for our scripture time, and every time I do want to get through every conference talk and we did this last time! We got behind on our Come Follow Me reading, but what is life if not catching up?

The girls loved being at the temple. 

It’s so wonderful to see so many bright and happy youth there to serve and worship. 

After school on Thursday Frankie, Laney, and I went to get our teeth cleaned. And this week I’ll take adi back for her regular retainer. I’ve been a frequent flyer there for a looong time. 

I had another training that night where they asked such good questions and I didn’t know the answers to any of them. I feel prepared and then whomp whomp. I just like to keep it real real so no one ever gets intimidated around me. 🤣 Delaney and I added a new dance to our repertoire, can you guess which one? We’ve been having fun watching dance tutorials together and it’s a great workout!

Thursday night was also spent getting adi ready for her weekend away at Skills USA, a competition for the Tech Center. It crept up on us and I felt a little blindsided that she’d be staying overnight and her teacher that I know wasn’t even going to be there. She’s almost 16 though and very trustworthy, so we got her prepped and sent her to school Friday morning and off for the weekend! They took a bus to Baltimore at 1:00, had a buffet dinner, stayed in a hotel (with 3 other girls) and competition and awards on Saturday. She didn’t win, which we weren’t surprised and were kind of glad about. Because she was unprepared she didn’t turn in a resume so that was an automatic deduction. This was she won’t have to go to states and can still be a YCL at girls camp and she can try again at Skills next year. 

Matt and I went to the temple Friday. We were taking a selfie as we left and a nice older could offered to take a picture for us. When she held the phone backwards, screen facing us, was when I started to suspect we might not be getting the greatest picture. 

She got most of the temple I guess. And I don’t know why I’m holding on to Matt’s belt buckle like that. 🤷‍♀️

That night we went to the Darrow’s to see Dave and Shelly. It was so great to visit and we didn’t think to get a picture till the end of the night right before we all went home. 

Bryn came over Saturday morning and Frankie and I took her to her lacrosse game. Frankie was “babysitting” so I walked all around Dorsey park. I came upon them cuddling together from the wind before the game and I love that our kids love each other. 

After the babysitting Frankie and Delaney and I switched out winter to summer wardrobes, a job I don’t like but actually wasn’t the worst. With Delaney being the youngest we always have a huge like to get rid of, now just to deal with that. Emma’s birthday party was that night and we all went and enjoyed Cafe Rio salad with the Darrow’s and then brought Curtis to our house to hang out with Frankie. Quick stop at Aldi and brusters first though. 

I wasn’t sure about letting them hang out in the basement alone since they are 14 and I wouldn’t let her hang out down there alone with any other boy, but she and Curtis have been besties since before they were born, so we figured it was probably fine. I did sneak down to check on them a few times, and since I was cooking in the kitchen I could hear them talking the whole time. 

Christian got to put on his dress uniform and be the team lead at a funeral that night. He presented the family with the flag and said  “On behalf of the president of the United States, the United States Army, and a grateful nation, please accept this flag as a symbol of our appreciation for your loved one’s honorable and faithful service,” and he made no mistakes. What a wonderful and special service for a mourning family. And he looks so handsome in his fancy uniform!

Sunday was the best day. My whole presidency attended the Calvert ward together and after Sarah was set apart. It was a beautiful prayer and I felt like I had received a blessing too. Then Susanne and I had a temple and family history meeting that was good and productive with Steve and Pres. Darrow then home for a zoom missionary meeting that I conducted and went pretty smoothly. I had asked President Boyd if my counselors could attend with me and he said yes and it was wonderful to have them there. They asked thoughtful questions and after we were able to talk about it and our role. I love everyone I’ve served with, but there’s something really special about these ladies. We are all on the same page and they are ready and willing to go and do. I. Love. It. 

We headed back to the Darrow’s for dinner with them and Dave and Shelly and it was just so wonderful to spend time with Shelly again. I miss their family so much, it was just a lovely refresh. Finally, home for the last meeting of the day, a temple and family history training with Pax. Sarah lead it and did a fabulous job and my presidency counseled togrther for an hour afterwards and left with action items and new ideas and it was just the best weekend. 

Where are you Summer?

 👆🏼 sung to the tune of where are you Christmas 

We woke up at 6:00 to begin our monstrous drive home. We took turns driving and actually skipped some of our usual places. 

Not all the usuals, of course. 

We skipped Sourh of the Border and hit Bucees when they were super busy again. 

We stopped off at this rink dink spot for toilets and ice cream bars. And Delaney traveled in her jams the whole time. 

We drove straight to the metro station where Matt had parked and thanks to Alecia’s genius, were able to get free parking again. It made for a 10:30 arrival, but was worth it. 

Tuesday was a free day after school, so that was nice to slowly get back into the swing of things. 

We had dental appointments on Wednesday and it rain rain rained while we were there. It rained every day that week and was also cold. Two thumbs down. 

The younger young women went to the middle school play on Friday and Sarah shared this cute picture of Frankie the nurturer. She’s such a people person!

Since the little girls were gone, we took adi out for ice cream. And I am just now realizing we didn’t grab a picture with her. 

I did get this one as she was prepping to go take pictures. This was before she took the cap off obviously. 

More of the young women.  

The girls had fun and then Amanda took them to Dairy Queen, so a fun night all around. 

Saturday brought the best weekend of the year - General Conference. It was so wonderful, it always is. I took one picture all weekend. 

We watched Bryn for awhile on Saturday and then Chelsea and crew watched the rest of conference with us and I made a taco dinner we all enjoyed. 

Then on Sunday the sister missionaries came over to enjoy the last session and we had a nice breakfast dinner then walk with them. The last session was my favorite, Pres. Nelson talking about temples, it was beautiful. The talks felt filled with practical applications and I can’t wait to study them more. 

The boys started swim lessons and they’re a little timid. 

This is how it went. 

Poor babies! Their other grandma lives in Arizona and has a pool and they swim a lot whenever they visit us in the summer too, but they were just not happy. Hopefully next week will be better!

Noni gave us a huge box of these individual cereals that had expired so the school wouldn’t serve them, but they were still good. We finally finished them so I sent her this pic. 

This week is a full one. Only 46 more days of school - holla!

Tonight these three cuties are at the temple with 32 youth and 10 leaders, how wonderful is that?! They were all excited and we’ve really been focusing on being kind and not embarrassing our sisters, so prayers that is going well.

The Darrows brought a bespoke yum box from Costa Rica for us and we were so excited to taste test that we opened a few without Matt. We realized we should probably wait for him and we’re still anxiously waiting. 

It’s finally getting warm and everyday we’re making more progress on vacation planning and can’t it just be summer already?