Jan 2008
Kids are back in school. Andrea texted me from school saying that the boys caught the bathroom on fire and everyone has been outside forever. Aaron went back to Provo, Emily is back in Rexburg, Jen's friend Katie, who stayed with us for holidays, she and Jen and Tucker went back to NY.
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| Jen playing with her new puppy, Tucker |
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| This little puppy has stolen all our hearts. |
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Chris and I spoke to the youth at mutual on how the media affects one's testimony. Andrew had shared a thought with me: "If you change the way you think, you'll change the way you feel. If you change the way you feel, you'll change the way you act. If you change the way you act, you'll change the way you live. If you change the way you live, you'll change the world." This reminded me of CS=CT=CB=CK (Celestial stimulus leads to Celestial thinking which leads to Celestial behavior which leads to the Celestial Kingdom.) That is the direction I took in our message. Chris shared a story about once when he went fishing, he got really really thirsty. He scooped his hand in the water and took a drink. That night he got really sick and was sick for several days. Just one little handful shouldn't have hurt anything - but...
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| Emily loves the woods next to us. |
Dad subbed in seminary the last two weeks for Jeff Hall. I'm subbing institute class for three weeks and preparing for our stake enrichment March 1st. I sewed two Pa'u (hula skirts) yesterday for Andrea and myself. We are both having so much fun in our Hawaiian dance class with Mahina. I also finished the seaside painting to set on our mantle to cover the TV. I love how it turned out.
Shar sent: "Today Tom was working on a Rubix Cube strategy and he drew a picture of one on the computer using paint. He left for a little while and Jarom got on and added the caption: "ROOBIX QB" I can't believe how good at reading and writing he is getting!! Such a smartie!!"
Andrea and Andrew have been busy with the school play "And Then There Were None". They are talented actors! Andrew played the police detective Blore and Andrea played Emily Brent.
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Emily sent a cute postcard from NZ expressing how delightful the people have been and how friendly and helpful they are. She said "Sell my car, come visit me here in a few months. Hope to see you soon here in NZ" Ya, I think she loves it there. She is there with Amy J.
March
For spring break we went to SLC - Chris, myself and the twins. We visited Mom and Dad who were visiting Uncle Keith and we delivered to her Bestimo's violin. She's borrowing it from Jennifer (who inherited it). We went to a fun wind tunnel that blows you up into the air (called I-fly Utah) and to Temple Square where we spent lots of time and the Art History Museum next to it. Andrew LOVED wandering the temple grounds and wanted to stay from sun up to sun down. It was really fun bumping into Doris Cole, serving a mission there. Chris, Em and twins went skiing and I visited with Paula. Aaron joined us later and we all had Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner.
Conference was such an amazing day. Truly a gift from a loving heavenly father filled with sweet surprises. We were blessed to have conference tickets for the Sat. morning session and while in line we bumped into sister Bahrt and the Halloways. We ended up with wonderful seats right behind the section for general authorities and their families! To our great delight on top of this thrill, we ended up sitting right in front of dear Uncle John and Aunt Virginia King! What are the odds with a center with thousands of people! We were so delighted. We also bumped into Fraser and Jennifer Bullock, our old friends from BYU and Boston days and he's now in the quorum of '70. We watched the afternoon session at Emily's and looked at photos of her New Zealand trip while the men, Chris, Aaron and Andrew went to the priesthood session. We celebrated Emily and my birthday because Chris and I will be away on the 8th. (We're going to Singapore on business, leave on the 7th and arrive on the 9th haha! We will cross the date line so I get to skip my birthday.) We watched the Sunday session at Emily's and Then flew home and packed up for Singapore. We will have to watch the afternoon session later.
April
Singapore see next page
On going to Singapore - I never thought my life would be like this. So weird. Some people are so envious of me. Some are completely not. As cool as it seems to see new places, I'm not envious of me. I'm easily pleased just staying in my own neck of the woods.
The twins are performing in the Wizard of Oz starting next Wednesday so rehearsal schedules etc are crazy busy right now. Pressure is on! Andrea is Gulch and the Witch and Andrew is Uncle Henry and the Oz Guard. Aaron has been trained and is helping with the ropes for the ones who fly. Parent volunteers are required so I've been helping to paint the set...mostly flats to look like stone walls and others to look like wooden doors. Also columns to look like marble with big gold balls on top.
Gilliams came over and did their wash at our house because they were out of water for some reason.
Emily got called as a Sunday school teacher and that's on top of her stake calling. Not sure how that's going to work but she is such a great teacher and I'd love to be in her class.
I helped with a fund raiser with Nina Jones so she can go on "Project Outreach" in Peru. We used a church kitchen to assemble presold enchiladas.
May
Wizard of Oz finished up with a bang! It went so fantastic - sell out crowds, enthusiastic standing ovations and cheering. It was amazing how well it all went. Andrea got to fly and had much coaching trying to learn to cackle like a witch. They both have really become talented actors.
Had to take Andrea to a chiropractor because of hip and back pain. I teased her that maybe she was riding her broomstick wrong.
Delivered a ton of phone books for the band.
I completed a "Train the Trainer" course and will be a facilitator for Map your Neighborhood.
Chris has been gone to Woodbadge camp all week, got home Saturday and left with Andrea and the band kids to Victoria Sunday. Twins got home last night from the play at 1:30am and then Andrea was up at 6am to leave for the ferry to Canada. She's so very tired.
Jen came to see Wizard of Oz on Mother's Day weekend along with the rest of the family. So fun!
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| (Jen played the part of Tinman in 1996) |
While Chris was at woodbadge I drove Jen to Port Angeles to catch her flight but because of fog it was cancelled. I was then faced with getting Jen to her flight on time by driving to SeaTac. I was suffering from a mild fever and chills and feeling rather sick. Jen and I went into the bathroom and said a prayer. When we came out a man said "Well, my car is going to Seatac if anyone wants a ride." Oh happy day - a quick answer to prayer. The couple and Jen and one other all hopped in the car and made it on time. I'm so very grateful.
Andrew is singing a solo with his guitar, "A Poor Wayfaring Man" tonight in a stake youth fireside. He sings it so gorgeous and he wrote the guitar accompaniment He's getting ready to leave for Disneyland with the choir on Thursday.
Aaron is on his way home from Nebraska where he's been a Best Man at his good friend, Joe's wedding.
Chris and I leave on a business conference to Barcelona on tues. We'll come home via NYC (for another conference) and we get to visit Jen in Albany!
From Shar: So last night we went to Pizza Hut for dinner. We sat down, Jarom grabbed a menu, opened it and stated loudly "I want a Bud light." We explained to him that He couldn't have that because it is bad for your body and we explained to the waitress that he's just learning to read but it was still rather embarrassing! 🤣 .......We made brownies for home evening dessert and this morning Jarom came downstairs before we did. Tom found him eating handfuls of brownie right out of the pan. Jarom looked at Tom and said "I'm eating leftovers for breakfast Dad!"
Here's another one: on Saturday we were in bed bath & beyond and a salesperson told Jarom that he was very smart. She said "I bet you are going to start school soon aren't you." Jarom was quiet for a moment. It looked like he was thinking about it and then said "yeah and I think I'm going to be the teacher!"
JUNE
Kids were up all night working on stuff for the last day of school. Mr. Fosket let Andrew turn in late music theory assignment, I did a little cheat and did some health essays for Andrea to make up 4 days of PE. Andrea went to a youth conference planning meeting, taught a flute lesson to Katie Oliver and worked at Sawtooth. Also, Stevie broke up with her again - then Brett swooped in and asked her out.
Andrea went to EFY and loved it. Andrew backed out, sadly, because he and Aaron are rehearsing with PALOA for "Into the Woods". He is Rapunzel's prince and Aaron is Cinderella's prince.
Chris went on a business trip to Denver. On his way home he flew to IF, rented a car and drove to Burley for the Pickett reunion. He then stayed in Rexburg and worked on getting Mom C's house ready to sale.
Andrea and I are having so much fun in Mahina's hula class.
JULY
Em and Chris went to St Johns Island scuba diving.
I taught a RS meat substitute class at our house.
Aaron and Andrew are booked with rehearsals and performances of Into the Woods. The audience loved them and their duet was amazing!
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| Prince Andrew and Prince Aaron |
We helped with a stake service activity - over 2,000 man hours in city beautification.
Chris and Andrea were at girls camp in the last week of July (Andrea was the head youth leader) then Andrea and I spoke in our ward and Chris spoke in Forks.
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| Jarom is loving his meal! |
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| Our cute little Kayda Bean! |
AUG
Chris and I were asked to be cooks at the ward Youth Conference. (camp Zion where girls camp was the week before.) The week after that Chris, Aaron and Andrew went on the Mt Olympus trek and Andrea flew to Moscow to spend the week with Beans. Jen flew home for a visit with her dog Tucker but took a layover at Beans and I had the house to myself for a little while and loved the quiet ha ha. The house got cleaner and cleaner ha ha.
On the 10th Chris, Aaron and Andrew did a gorgeous trio in Sac. Mtg. So beautiful! Chris had a business trip to Wash DC and Aaron, Andrea and Andrew were in Richard Wadsworth's play "Tales of the Grandson". Andrea went to a Jack Johnson concert at the Gorge with a friend.
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| Aaron busy helping with our backyard project |
On the 24th Chris and I spoke in Joyce. Jen flew back to NY on the 27th and Aaron left for BYU. I traveled with him to help him get settled and I stayed with Paula and Rock. I then took a bus from SLC to Rexburg to visit Mom and Dad. I helped them get their apricots all picked and put up. We got to potluck with my siblings and their families one evening. I flew home and got dropped off directly at the stake center for my Stake RS Meeting.
SEPT
Andrea got the lead role in the play "Lizzy Borden".
Jen is working on her dissertation, Tom and Shar are expecting baby #3, Emily works for the Chamber of Commerce in Sandy UT as the advertising coordinator.
Chris and I went to Montreal for a conference (see next page)
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| Beautiful Night of Excellence |
OCT
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| Service project with Stake RS |
Andrea has been tutoring a cheerleader in math because she couldn't cheer in the next game until her grade came up. Andrew is still working on Hebrew through BYU and he's been into family history - tracing the line back to royalty.
Aaron ran 5 miles in the snow!
Sequim first ward is splitting. As a member of the stake presidency, Chris had a huge part in helping to redraw boundaries. Andrea and Andrew and all the youth are so upset at this happening. Girls have been crying and guys want to organize a revolt. They are close and don't want to be separated. Br. Malmrose will be the new bishop. His wife, Lorna, is my distant cousin through Henrietta McPhail. The big surprise was me being called as the first RS president for our new Sequim Bay Ward! (I thought I was immune to that calling being that I'm in the Stake RS presidency and was just RS pres 8 years ago.) I called Lorna as one of my councilors.
Andrea did a radio spot on KONP for the HS play. She got asked by Heath to homecoming.
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| Taking senior photos for graduation |
NOV
Hawaii Sawtooth retreat - Guys rode bikes down Haleakala (see next page)
DEC
Somehow this month's photo's are missing. I don't know what happened to them.
Drea played with Jazz bad and Andrew sang with the choir at Warm Beach. Drew and a couple of his friends were singing on the street and people gave them money! ha ha.
2008 family letter
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| Love this collage created by Jennifer! |
Our new ward is so cool and we feel great unity. In RS we pulled together well seasoned women, inexperienced women and new converts still learning the gospel. We teach and learn from each other and discover that everyone has a gift to share that can bless lives. We delivered 15 Christmas baskets to families in need and met with the other two Sequim wards for enrichment activities and a lovely Christmas dinner and program.
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