Down with the flu

It seems that someone in our house has been sick since around Christmas.  Both the boys have recently had the flu but on different weeks, then Ginny the following week.  We did manage to have the young men (some of them who could make it) for a game night in between sickness.  Jake does a wonderful job building relationships with those boys.

 

Recently I have tried to bring up patriarchal blessings to my boys to hopefully get them thinking and preparing to get them.  Will is working on trying to get his temple recommend back. He has not had it for six months, due to dishonesty and not even trying to do better, but is trying to be more honest and to control his temper better.  I look forward to him being able to go again.  He will be able to go on some Thursdays with the home-school group. I cannot explain it but you just feel better when you go to the temple.

Family photos from Dec 22, 2024

 As you may recall, the family surprised me with family photos around the holidays. This past Christmas and birthday I was probably spoiled more than I deserved. I am not sure it was so much the gifts as the thought that went into making into special. I guess I am even okay with being the center of some of their games.  Have I mentioned those?  Basically, the day of Reindeer games (12/23), Jake was insistent about everyone meeting at Wal-Mart to pick out a prize or at least their favorite candy for a prize.  That was not at all the intent.  There was a 2-fold mission at hand. First, choose a bath set or gift pack that I would hide and come back after Christmas to buy and secondly choose my favorite my candy that I would open first.  How did it play out?  Well, the 26th we were back at Wal-Mart to see if their gift sets were still hidden and which I would choose.  Jake had chosen a Dove bath set and hid it on top of shelving (of-course it was there as no one can see that high), I do not recall all the gift sets but do recall one being razors and one being M&M mugs with candies.  Will's was the only one that was taken. He had hid his in a bin of stuffed animals.  Aubree hid hers in a stool in housewares, Ginny hid hers behind several things on a bottom shelf, and Christopher took his all the way to the food section and hid it on the bottom row behind all these cake mixes.  It was a cute chuckle.  As for the candy, they are all correct I like chocolate but Will won the prize on that. Not because he chose my favorite but because I had been sick and chose to eat something there was multiple of because my taste buds were off. I chose to have part of a Whatchamacallit, which is not even close to one of my favorites.  They all said they laughed when he chose that because it is not something I really eat and then he won because i chose it first above all else: dark chocolate seal salt caramel Doves (Jake), Turtles (Ginny), Symphony bar (Aubree), and Mini M&M's (Christopher). It was a great holiday to look back on although Jake and I were both sick. Crazy thing, is we are both sick again. 

How are they both so incredibly beautiful?

 

The most handsome and loved men in my life.

 

 

This shows their personalities so well.....how did Jake and I get so very blessed?

 

  

 

The mantle of a Bishop

 Last week Jake and the boys participated in their second “Polar Campout” with temperatures in the 20’s. I decided to do iniatories and then invited several sisters to meet for Mexican since it was just me at home (Ginny went to Nashville and was driving the Prius back). At dinner, one of the sisters shared she was moving. Sunday after church, Jake and I were making visits and he shared with one of the elderly people we visit how the Spirit had been working in the back for several weeks. With the sudden news of the family moving (they were only given 2 weeks notice), they already had the change in callings or names to recommend planned (one is seminary). He continued to share another example of the Spirit permeating the work with primary goals shared in ward council aligning in the sane order goals had been set to work with the youth….meaningful prayer, scripture study, and then service. 

The Lord is working through him and my testimony continues to grow seeing him and hearing his experiences. I have heard the bishop’s wife is very lonely and often a silent casualty but I’ll take it any day to have my testimony strengthened.  

Happy 2025

New's Year Eve was spent playing games and karaoke with the five of us home and it was a good end of 2024.  2024 was good for our family. 

Some of the highlights for the family that I recall are: Aubree went through the temple, Ginny graduated college and started her 1st full time job, trip to Cozumel with the girls, karaoke at my parents and Will shining, Utah and Tennessee football games, Fall break trip with Aubree (DC, Philadelphia, and New York), cruise with Jake's siblings and parents, Thanksgiving with all my family together (except Aubree and Eva), the Reindeer games, and the Christmas holiday. It has been a good year for our family.

Jake still serves as bishop and is a great one. He loves the youth and the ward a lot.  We had snow in January and he loved that. He was able to marry 4 people this year and had no funerals, that was a pleasant change. We went to 2 Utes football games and he ended the year buying a new truck. 

Renee' hit her year mark with UTHSC and has adapted well.  I am learning that my greatest joy really is time with my family.

Ginny described her year on social media as follows: "2024. What a year. The year I tried to remember to be in the here and now because we are never guaranteed tomorrow. I graduated college and survived hygiene school. I got to know so many great people along the way. I started my dream job and found an office that I love working at.I moved back home to my favorite city with some of my favorite people. I started reading again and then read a a whole awful lot.I learned to mostly love running which has turned out to be on the best things I have ever done for myself. I started to feel like me a gain and tried to embrace every part of who I am. I'll always remember 24. Thanks for being my best year yet."

Aubree began the year by taking her temple endowment out. has learned some valuable lessons, we hope, about time management and priorities with her setbacks in school this year. She was a made a director at Chick-Fil A in Logan.

Will started home school and got his first job at Chick Fil A.  He also attended his first SEC football game, watching the Vols in Knoxville and loved it. 

Christopher embarked on his high school years and attended his first church dance. He has started taking an interest in the kitchen this year.