Together Forever Wherever: Winding Up 2018

If we don’t write down the little things we do, we forget. So, that is why you have more pictures as of late then the actual things we did.

Week of November 12 - 18

Monday was a pretty normal day, which we like. Hallie did not have to babysit Lily as her grandma was in town. Hallie loved spending the time watching both kids.

Tuesday Hallie found a great deal on Facebook for a baptism dress for Eliza. After work Hallie headed to Orem to pick up the dress and it will fit Eliza perfectly by the time she is baptized. Yeah for a good deal!

Hallie did end up babysitting Lily on Tuesday night instead of Monday and we stuck around the house for the most part which is a nice change.

Wednesday was a little crazy busy, but that is normal. Kids had school, Hallie worked and then treated herself to a pedicure via a gift card she received many months ago from the owners of AirTime. There was no one else getting a pedicure so it was a very nice relaxing hour. Hallie and Lily spent the evening with Grandma M going to a boutique in another city and to Target. Mike taught and had meetings. Both kids had gymnastics. When bedtime came everyone was wiped out!

Thursday started out pretty normal until Eliza decided to stay home sick from school. Hallie came home and spent some time with her as Mike left for Salt Lake International Airport to head to a conference in Houston, Texas. Hallie had got tickets to go see the new Fantastic Beasts movie early with the kids and friends from gymnastics but with Eliza being sick Hallie was able to get Grandpa M to take Landon and Wyatt, a friend from gymnastics to the theatre. Before the movie Hallie grabbed the kids Wendy’s and off the boys went to the movie. While at the movie Coach Isaac filled the boys up with all kinds of snacks and drinks. After the movie Grandpa M. dropped the boys off at our house until Wyatt’s dad picked him up. A good time was had by everyone.

Friday the three of us woke up and the good time that was had by all started fizzle away when Landon said his stomach hurt. Hallie thought it wasn’t much and sent him off to school anyway. Landon had a field trip to the Discovery Gateway in Salt Lake that day and she was to chaperone. Hallie thought she was supposed to drive herself and so she sent the kids off to school with the neighbors and Hallie headed north to do a few errands on the way to downtown. About 45 minutes after Hallie had left she got a phone call from Landon’s teacher saying he had thrown up on the bus. The bus driver had pulled over and a very nice teacher had helped clean everything up and the bus continued on its journey where Hallie met them in Salt Lake. Landon got into the car and they turned around and went home without going on the field trip. No gym for Landon and it was a day spent resting on the couch. Hallie’s fun ideas of taking them to the movies may need to be rethought the next time an idea like this presents itself. Hallie was supposed to babysit a cutie named Owen and gymnastics but she had to cancel as we didn’t know at the time why Landon had thrown up and didn’t want to get Owen or Coach Alison sick. Thank heavens dad came home that night.

Saturday took us different directions in the morning. Hallie cleaned the church, Landon went to a make up gymnastics class, and Mike and Eliza went to her first Ukulele lesson. Just about 9 months ago Eliza received a Ukulele for her birthday from Grandpa and Grandma O. Mike and Eliza have used it a little bit but Hallie decided it was finally time to do something with it and asked for recommendations and it sounds like she found a great teacher for Eliza. Mike and Eliza got to the church just as Hallie was heading out the door to go home. In the afternoon we had tithing settlement at church. We had a good experience with the bishop and our family.

Afterwards Hallie and the neighbor ran to the mall and to Sam’s Club. We brought home fun and yummy things.

In the evening Hallie spent a few hours with her mom who was not feeling well.

Week of November 19 - 25

Mike had an eye dr appointment, Eliza and Hallie went to the chiropractor, and Hallie babysat 2 kids on Monday night. Of course work and gymnastics for everyone was in there too.

Nothing really of note happened on Tuesday.

Wednesday everyone had off for Thanksgiving break. So, Hallie babysat Lily in the morning and the girls went to Salt Lake so Hallie could go to the dentist, Lily slept the whole way there and then after the dentist Lily and Hallie ended up at Ikea where they had yummy breakfast, played with some display items and bought a few items for Christmas. After a break Hallie babysat Lily again in the afternoon. Both kids had gymnastics in the morning.

Thanksgiving Day brought about some relaxing time for the family which is a nice treat. At 10:00 Hallie, Landon, ELiza, Lincoln, Lisa, Karli, Ashley, and Lexi went to the Ashford Assisted Living Center to do a bit of service for those folks who did not have the opportunity to see family. The kids did great and it was fun to go.

In the afternoon Hallie’s parents came to dinner. They were supposed to be at Riley’s but Grandma M. had been in the hospital and the doctor had told her no driving. It was nice having more than just the 4 of us for dinner.

Friday morning started early with both kids back to the grind of gymnastics. Eliza at 8 and Landon at 9. Hallie did not participate in Black Friday this year as many of the things we need/want are not on a Black Friday sale or the Internet has had the items we needed and we shipped things right to the house.

Saturday morning was a bit busy. Eliza had her 2nd ukelele lesson, then Mike and the kids went to Home Depot to do a project. While they were gone Hallie went to a friend’s Mary Kay party and left her baby blanket with a friend in the ward who was going to spif it up abit.

Like most Sundays we didn’t do a ton in the morning, followed by church, choir for Hallie and then dinner.

Week of November 26 - December 2

Monday was a “normal” day. Work, school, gymnastics and babysitting. The dumb thing is little things happen that are funny, sad, interesting or whatever but because I don’t write them down they don’t make it on the blog. I do remember however that Landon read the most in the school over Thanksgiving Break. He got a certificate that invited him to watch Home Alone at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake but he never brought home the certificate until after the date they showed the movie.

Tuesday took Mike to Park City to work with the Nebo School District. Hallie and the kids did their regular school and gymnastics routine with Karli tutoring on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We are grateful for Karli’s fun personality and willingness to be so patient with Eliza.

Wednesday the adults worked, the kids went to school, both kids had gymnastics and for some reason unknown to our brains we don’t think Hallie babysat Lily this night. Super uneventful day even though most days don’t seem that way.

Looking back at the calendar Thursday seems quite a bit busier. Work, school, meetings, errands, and eating at Culvers to support a friend from gymanstics baseball team. Every time you blink you could be donating to a fundraiser, including our own.

For a while we have had tickets to what BYU called a Luau. Hallie has never been to a “real” luau and she is pretty convinced this was not a “real” luau it was a good way to cap off our night. Earlier in the day we had work, school, gymnastics and even a little time to run to the Beehive Bazaar which is a favorite place of Hallie’s to shop when it pops up every several months. It was fun to watch all of the different islands dance and represent their culture. One of Mike’s students as in the program and Hallie had quite a few questions afterwards. Not sure if the kids loved it but hopefully they at least learned something.

As December starts to roll in there are so many things happening in the local areas, at BYU, and in our lives that you really have to pick and choose what you want to do because there is no way everything is going to fit in.

Saturday we started with 3 baptisms from our ward, all of which were girls and 2 of the 3 have been in Eliza’s classes at school. Our whole family went to support our friends and so Eliza can get some more exposure to what will be happening to her come June. Mike and Eliza left a bit early do to ukelele lessons. Landon and mom headed home after the baptisms were done. Hallie had a nail appointment just after lunch in Salem. After her appointment she went by Siro’s to bring home Argentine empanadas for a late lunch early dinner. The adults both agree they are not the best empanadas we have ever had.

December 2nd is the anniversary of when Eliza was sealed to our family in the Los Angeles Temple. We used to do a bit more than we do now for the kids but with time being short these days and the kids not talking about their adoptions as much the thought of celebrating has fallen a bit to the back of the mind. We did however give her a blanket made by our friend Cara Briscoe. Eliza loves ladybugs just like Zoraida and Eliza’s favorite color is red. Hallie had a ladybug blanket with red backing made for Eliza and placed it on her in the night as she slept to surprise her in the morning. The kids love both of the blankets Cara has made them.

We still had church and choir today.

Week of December 3 - December 9

Work, school, meetings, and errands took us away from the house during the day on Monday. After school the kids had gymnastics as usual and Hallie watched Lily. The last couple of Mondays Lily has fallen asleep in Hallie’s arms while we sit in her mom’s office at the gym. Now if Hallie could relax enough to get some rest too. Halie had to leave babysitting Lily early tonight due to Mike’s work Christmas party. Weird that it was on a Monday night, but whatever. Our amazing neighbor Julie Bridges picked the kids up from gymnastics and took everyone to Alpine to see a live Nativity. We heard it was quite cold but the kids seemed to enjoy it and they love hanging out with the Bridges.