It's Cold outside...... Brrrrrrr

 Happy Heart-anniversary... Alex received his healthy heart eight years ago. That means he has had his new heart longer than his original. That is amazing to think about. He has been able to do so much with those extra years and we are truly grateful. When we found out in utero, at 18 weeks, that Alex would be born with a heart defect, I was devastated. I had an idea of how things typically go, and this was really not how that idea of life went. I think it was really good to grieve those feelings, then decide that it's okay that Alex wasn't going to be typical. We love him just the way he is. He has survived some pretty incredible things. I have been the witnesses to loads of miracles, not just in Alex's life; with all of our children. As well as mini-miracles. I believe he has done his best to use this gift to really live.... to try new things.... to love and be loved.... to learn, explore and rest... (because hospital life before transplant was BUSY) 

Alex is scheduled to take a look at his heart on the 3rd. While these procedures (what's actually being done) don't scare me. The.... going to the hospital to smell, hear, sit, wonder, pray, wait.... Those things get me a little worked up.

Oh My Gosh!!!! Eden went to 7th grade orientation. This girl is almost out of Elementry school. 

Alex did his first driving ranges....

There was an awesome morning-side on Wednesday. President Sutton has only been a Stake President for 9 days. But he did a fantastic job teaching us about covenants. My favorite thing he said was.....

"God doesn't want to you to be a good person. Good people are all over the place. God wants you to strive to be a Christ-like person. Those kind are covenant making and keeping people, and the good will come naturally and organically."

I registered Alex for FSY... that was sooooo hard. I sure did need a Diet Coke from the gas station as a reward for that crazy. HE IS IN!!! Whew... The system kept kicking me out, I couldn't figure out the photo business, until I realized my phone takes HEIC photos and I needed to convert it to JPG. Then I needed bishop's info... But because it kept kicking me out, I had to renter that informations a bajillion times....  I finally got smart and wrote everything down so I could reference it all in one spot instead of trying to find info on Tools and and Alex's personal info and all that jazz. I am not techy at all.

Mom came to hang with me and went to RS activity with me, we learned about some serious ways to save and I am pumped to try them.  

There were birthday parties and Stake Dances over the weekend. 

Ashy went to "Great to be 8" on Sunday. It was so cute. My baby is getting so big. 

Ry got a job this summer at Oakcrest. I am thrilled for her. She will be the assistant cook. There was a huge squeal from the basement and a "I GOT THE JOB"!!!!! 

 I am trying to live in the, right-this-minute... because there is always so much going on and I love it!!! 

 

Today

Jan 6th- May had a little birthday party. I didn't let her invite very many friends because she wanted gel nails and they take me forever to do. From Pizza, Matilda the Musical, onesies, nails and friends it was a great night. 

Jan 7th- Our first Saturday waking up at 8 am for, Come Follow Me. I usually have a hard time waking up on Saturdays because I love, love, love to sleep in. But, I committed to doing this with our family and for the last couple of Saturdays I haven't had a hard time getting up. Instead of feeling ripped off, I decided I am going to plan more naps. Which works out kinda perfect for me, cause I think about naps all the time. Ry had Winter formal. She looked fantastic and had a great time with Alex (not our Alex, another Alex)

 Jan 8th- Alex was ordained a Priest in our church. We had Alisha (on FaceTime) Grandmas and Grandpas Clawson and Homer, Averee, Preslee and Nick; for the ordination and then stay for dinner. May picked Pizza, cause her birthday was closest, and Gator picked the flavors since it was his ordination. 

Jan 9th-14th Busy packed week, May had, and Asher started Activity Days (A chance for kids 7 tuning 8-11, to go be with their peers to learn, play, work on and celebrate the gospel of Jesus Christ. Mutual is similar but for ages 11 turning 12-18, same day for Eden and Alex. Also, on Thursday, Milo boy got a bath and haircut. I am giving this grooming thing the "old college try". I am convinced that if Milo were human he would not be very happy with his  haircuts. Ry participated in the Polar plunge for the Special Olympics fundraiser. She jumped in to support her friends in the PALS class going to the Special Olympics. Ry and Alex went to film at PCH for their teen tv, as part of the YAC program they both do. And Jeff took the guys to the car show. 

Jan 15th-21 With no school on Monday and Tuesday, the kids (who could) and I wanted to visit grandpa Groesbeck. Alex wanted to get some driving time in as well. It was super scary to let Alex have control and drive in a snow storm. He actually did a great job. We arrived safely. I love visiting Richfield. My grandparents house has this huge apricot tree in the front yard that they pray will freeze because it has soooooooo many apricots and not enough people to pick, eat, store, and clean up after it. I climbed it when I was a kid and my boys thought they had better try it out. The apple trees along the fence are more fruit to manage and the Cherry tree, grape vines and raspberries are more things than my 96 year old grandpa can eat in a season. But I loved showing my kids these things that reminded me of my childhood. In my grandparents backyard is also a huge place where a tire swing used to hang. Just two ropes there now. You could get some serious height in that swing, you just had to have the right person give you an Underdog and hang on for dear life. A pole clothes line in the center of the yard was something that caused the kids to pause. It looks kind of like a horizontal spiderweb on a pole. It also spins making it easy to stand in one spot, but hang the clothes the whole way around it. I used to help grandma to hang the laundry when I was little to earn change to take to the dairy and buy penny candy with. We had lunch with Grandpa (who had just had breakfast so didn't eat with us, but bought anyway....Thanks Grandpa) and then headed back home. Before we left, we stopped at the Ideal Dairy for a box of punch bags (kinda like a Capri sun... only way better) and cream-slushes. They don't make cheese curds anymore. That was a huge bummer. Also, Happy Martin Luther King Jr. day. 

Jan 18th- Gator started Drivers Ed....Gag.... Eden had an awards night for Photography Reflections. Her photo went from school to district to regions, but sadly she did not move onto state. I think if she continues to put in some efforts and maybe takes some classes, she could really do a great job with photography. The theme this year was "show your voice". Her piece had such thoughtfulness as she wanted others to listen to their inner voice and block out negative. 

Jan 20th -22nd. It was Eden's lunch date this week. She chose McDonalds Chicken nuggets. Gator headed off to a weekend of playing with cousins and hanging out with grandpa and grandma Clawson. To say he was excited was a huge understatement. The next day he went skiing at Sundance. Then we switched kids and Eden spent the night with Auntie Ave. Who was also excited for her plans to do  nails, watch movies and hang. Best Christmas gift! Averee got all the kids asking if they could be picked by her next year?  

Happy New Year!!!

 With the new year comes thoughts of how to improve. Looking back over 2022, I am so grateful for what we have achieved and overcome. I really like the idea of resolutions, but I think sometimes we need to be making resolutions or goals waaaaaaay more often than once a year. I have one of those awesome planners (In the leafy tree tops) I have been using one for about ten years now. This specific planner lets you evaluate every day, week, and month. That appeals to me for this reason.  

I also love having a year long focus word, or word of the year. 

My 2023 word is:

Diligence 

I am going to use this word to remind me about the goals I have set. 

Then, I also like the pattern the Youth and Primary follow of setting social, spiritual, physical, and educational goals. I tried coming up with a few things in each of those areas. 

The kids set some goals as well. I am pretty excited for them to start making them, but then working toward and achieving them. 

Yesterday was MayLee’s birthday. She is officially double digits. We love her so much and are so proud of her. She wanted Subway for her special lunch. She also wanted some new American girl doll stuff.