Birthday Holiday weekend extravaganza!!!

Yesterday my 43rd birthday holiday weekend extravaganza began...

I had promised my bff that we would finish up some crafts we had been bogged down by... so I went over and we knocked them out. One of her girls was out of school. So we had some help and got them finished. They all turned out really cute, I only got a picture of the one I did... didn't think to get a picture of the other ones she did... they were really cute too.

I got home and had a flower delivery from my Sis and her family!

I would love to be a flower delivery person... too fun to get flowers.

They are the most beautiful red I have every seen!

My Strong Silent Mysterious Man came home early from work to spend the rest of the day with me!! The teenager was out of school for half a day, so I had my boys for the whole afternoon together!

What a great surprise.

They took me to lunch at Goodwood BBQ... for yummy ribs and steak!

Then we went shopping all over, they wanted to buy me something special... but couldn't agree between the two of them, what to buy!

Eventually my strong silent mysterious man picked out a little pocket camera I could keep in my purse for all my blogging pictures! I love it, how fun!

Then they said they had one more surprise for me... and pulled out this Wii game system!!

The teenager was trying out the new camera to capture all the surprise (apparently he didn't know either, it was Dad's surprise)!!!

After a few quick warm up games... we went to the local auction. Didn't buy anything, but it was the antique show, so we saw lots of neat stuff.

And then back home for some serious competition!

We laughed and played, it was so much fun... I think we will really enjoy this game as a family!

My boys took really good care of me on my birthday, and made me feel super special! I didn't need all the toys, but it is fun to have something you wouldn't buy for yourself sometimes!

Rock Band Boys...

Wednesday nights the youth groups from our church get together for activities, and last night the 16-17 year old boys had planned an activity to have some video game competitions. It was in an effort to unite some less active boys and try and build bonds and friendships. Of course the boys made all the plans. But they were due for a relaxing fun activity.

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Everyone was bringing some food or treats, and we were responsible for the pizza. So I called the Mom at the house they had planned to have it at to make sure I could send pizza's to be cooked there, so they would be hot etc. And it was a surprise to her!

She had been in and out of the hospital and really wasn't up to it, so I quickly calmed her fears and offered my house.

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When I hung up, I turned and looked at the disaster that had been left in the wake of a few bad days and wondered "what was I thinking"!!!

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But I called my strong silent mysterious man and he said it would all be okay and it was the right thing to do for the boys.

So when the teenager got home, we pulled it all together.

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It was so fun to watch them, and even our Bishop came over to be with them for a while, and he got into the bonding and gaming too.

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They played a game called Rock Band... complete with guitar and a drum set!

Hilarious!

And so much fun!

The teenager wasn't too coordinated on the drums, I was laughing at him. He had to have someone else do his base pedal... too much to think about at one time. I guess he got that from me.

The teenager should stick to the golf and baseball games... he is really good at those.

See the look on his face... pure fear!

He was struggling to stay alive and not have veggies thrown at him, at the end of the "concert"!

"We got the beat"... after lots of practice!

I love our Bishop, and it was so fun to see him in a different light. He was such a good sport.

And really got into the beat on this one! I am saving this video for a really special time, like the next time he tries to give me a new calling.... I can hang it over his head. (he he he just kidding)

A good time was had by All!!

Day by Day and then we voted...

This week we have a missionary going out from our Ward, and I serve with his Mom in my calling. She called in a small panic to see if I could take some pictures, because she just realized the last family picture together was when her twins were very little. And with her son leaving the next morning on his mission, it was now or never, as she will have sons out on missions for the next 8 years and they all overlap by one month. So it really was now or never.

I was so happy to be able to do this with them. We got her family photos, and a few more fun ones as they played and goofed around in their backyard together.

Then later in the evening there was a dinner and little fireside with the boys that serve with this missionary in his priest quorum and his leaders. So since both of my boys were going. I kind of just tagged along since it fell on our family night.

The hosts didn't seem to mind, I felt a little awkward doing that, but it was just one of those things. I brought plenty of food with me in order to contribute. And they were very gracious and made me feel like I belonged there somehow. Afterall, it wasn't about me.

There were some really good words of advice given to this missionary, and I think it was really good the boys coming up behind him could hear them and know why and what they should be preparing for themselves.

The teenager got his haircut.

To make a really long story short, I called and got the first appointment (wrote it on the calendar, as I always do) and he forgot about it... somehow that ended up being my fault. So I called and got another appointment, since I was driving and wanted it to fit my schedule and not just his. And it was for right after school yesterday.

I had a horrible rotten day, I was struggling with sadness, and stress, and it was a really rough day. So I was just trying to pull it together just to go pick him up and get him to the appointment.

We got it done and I survived, and he looks much less scraggly! So it was all good.

Then we voted!

I know, I look like I have been through the ringer... it was a pretty bad day!

But we voted... looks like we felt much better about it at the time, than we did about it this morning (not many smiles at our house this morning). But it's okay.

We will survive these new changes too.

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And as unhappy and honestly "fearful" about the changes as I am, it was neat to recognize the historical significance of it and I did feel a little patriotism in my heart in a few moments during the night... even though they were very overshadowed with more fear and anxiety.

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I am so thankful for the power of prayer, but I know in doing so, it will always be the will of God when it's all said and done.

Sunday quiet time...

Sunday my strong silent mysterious man had to work. So the teenager and I were off to church on our own, I taught the Sunday School lesson in his class. It went okay, but I had to work at not being so annoyed at how the boys (including mine) were not very reverent, and had a reputation of giving the teachers a bad time (according to the girls). I knew this ahead of time and called a "Dad" to come and sit in the class with us. It seemed to help, but I was still very annoyed that my teenager hasn't learned good behavior yet at his age. I guess my job as his Mom to teach and guide him still isn't done! (still I thought I was a little farther than the 2nd grade issues... no offense to 2nd graders)

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After church we came home and my strong silent mysterious man had made it home from work, but he was tired, wiped out, and didn't want to participate in the family photos I had hoped to get done before my coupon for 50 free prints expired, or go to dinner, or even move off the bed where I found him. I really wanted to take advantage of this coupon for our family Christmas photos, but it just wasn't going to happen, and it would expire on Monday.

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So I decided to offer the coupon to my bff and go take her family photos... and she took me up and fed us dinner. I figured since my man was wanting some peace and quiet it would get us out of his hair and kill two birds with one stone.

We managed to get some good shots,

and I am really happy she will be able to use my coupon for her prints.

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When we came home, my man was still sleeping, so I got out a much overdo project I had on my list of things I wanted to get done this summer. And began working on it.

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My Halloween scrapbook...

I think the hardest part was actually getting started....

after that I was able to come up with a few ideas to knock out a couple of pages.

The teenagers 1st Halloween at 4 months...And I finished a couple more pages in...

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I still have a long way to go. My vision for it will be all the years of hunting for pumpkins, trick or treating, costumes etc. Then I can pull it out with my decorations each year and reflect and remember and have a keepsake and the journaling on the pages to remember those precious moments.

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I eventually would like to have a book for every season... Christmas, birthdays, Easter, 4th of July, 1st day of school etc. But I have to have allot of quiet time and space to drag out my supplies and stuff for scrap booking. So it will be a work in progress.

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It was very rewarding to see something coming together though!

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I enjoy quiet Sundays, but I have a hard time taking naps... so maybe my scrap booking and craftiness will find it's time on Sundays now... who knows?

Grateful for work....

My Strong Silent Mysterious Man has been super busy at work. We are so grateful his business, which is normally very seasonal, is still busy at this time of year.

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They got a couple of new contracts which are demanding many more motors turned out each week, above what they were already doing at Mach V production. So he has been working long hours (a few all nighters this week already) and it has kept him there Saturday AND Sunday.

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It is so hard to do things alone, when I am used to having him by my side to make decisions and keep the teenager in line and be my companion etc. But we are trying to be supportive and not complain at all, because we recognize what a blessing it is.

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But trying to think of ways to let him know we love and support him, and revitalize him and keep him uplifted. He really looked like half a zombie when he went out the door this morning. I am not sure if the extra hour helped him out much.

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I offered to bring him lunch or dinner, so he would take a good break and not just eat a sandwich on the run... but he says he doesn't have time to take big long breaks with me right now, he needs to just stay focused and keep working.

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So I try and give foot rubs and back scratches when he gets home, but he is asleep almost immediately, so I am not sure how much benefit they are either.

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We will keep keeping on, and hope things come to a manageable time schedule that will benefit everyone. We are grateful for the continued employment, but Family is too important to be away from for long periods of time without any renewal of spirit in-between.

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I have to be honest, secretly my biggest fear is that they will slow down enough for him to have some time at home, and he will go hunting and I will get impatient and snap!

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Lord, give me the serenity...