Dish Duty

Apparently there is more than one way to empty the dishwasher.

This way

And this way








(Brenna)

State Wrestling

The reason it was such a long day yesterday (see previous post) is because we went to see Tyler wrestle. It was State for middle school wrestling in Richfield, Utah 1 1/2 hours away.
He did awesome! He took 5 th place in a 16 man bracket, winning 4 matches and loosing 2. Middle school wrestling is grades 5-9, separated into weight groups, not age groups so since he is in 5th grade, it was his first year doing Middle school wrestling and not wrestling kids his own age.
The bad news is that it isn't the end of wrestling season. He will do Bantam wrestling (the equivalent of Little League) for another few months. If you think it is a little excessive, especially since we didn't really have a break after football, I agree! But he loves it and is good at it and it is good for him. He is a happier boy when he is doing it and when it comes right down to it, we support each of the kids in the things they want to do, whatever it may be.

He really does know how to smile but, you know, it is just not cool to smile for pictures!

Tyler pinning his opponent

Tyler is on the bottom, the one that looks like he is in pain!

Tyler is the one in the black with the grey stripe

Its been a long day...

And it was only 4:30 when they all crashed in a stadium full of blowing whistles and screaming people!

Endearing

Disclaimer:
You know how we all have quirks? And how when you love someone you embrace those quirks and love that person all the more because of those quirks? And when you joke with that people about those quirks, they (and you) know it is all in fun?

Well...you might have to really know Veronica to think this post is funny. If not, just remember that she is known for falling on her face in the middle of the grocery store, running into things (she has run right into our rose bush more times than we can count) and dropping things (She broke her big toe once dropping a whole frozen chicken on it!).

On Friday Veronica was riding her bike home from a neighbors house. She crashed. She was okay, just some scrapes, bruises and a sore wrist. The next day she was a little sore and mentioned it when Brenna and Braelynn were in the room. They asked why she was sore and the told them that she had wrecked on her bike. Here is how the conversation went:

B & B: Did you wreck with a car?
V: No
B & B: Was a dog in your way?
V: No
B & B: Did someone run in front of you?
V: No
B & B: Was there something in the sidewalk?
V: No
S & B: Then how did you crash your bike?!?!?!
V: Good question!

Veronica and I were laughing so hard the whole time, just thinking what the outcome of this conversation might be. The fact that most of the time Veronica can just hop up and laugh about whatever she did and embrace the fact that that is just how she is, and not try to be someone she is not just makes us love her the more!

Fortuitous

happening or produced by chance; lucky; fortunate; accidental: a fortuitous encounter.
The fact that 1. the kids were off of school, 2. Joe was off of work, 3. We had no other obligations and 4. the weather was beautiful in the middle of January was nothing less than fortuitous.
We took advantage of our National Parks Pass that we purchased with a friend and headed to Zion National Park for the day yesterday. It was a fun day of hiking and family time. We couldn't go on any of the harder hikes that we wanted to do because of snow and mud but we had a great time exploring other trails that we had never done before.
We also took advantage of the free admission to our new aquatic center on Saturday. After all these years of not having a pool with a shallow end I was willing to brave the huge crowds that I knew would be there just to let the kids play.
Add in the fact that Joe and I were able to go to the temple Saturday morning with friends and then to dinner that evening with some other friends, it was a wonderful weekend.

"Whether or not it is clear to you,
No doubt the universe is unfolding exactly as it should."
Author Unknown

I read this quote today and just made me think about the knowledge I have that Heavenly Father knows us, each of us, personally, and is constantly aware of every circumstance and happening in our lives.
We can spend time worrying about the future or choose to have faith that all things will work out for the best and according to His will.
I am not saying that we should not make plans for the future and work our hardest to accomplish those goals for ourselves or our families, however.
Having complete trust and faith that there is a divine plan for me gives me comfort and hope in what otherwise would be a life of constant worry and unending heartache. And for that I am grateful.


And here is a cute picture of Braelynn, Samantha, and Brenna (in order, left to right) all bathed and cuddling in Samantha's bed before bedtime. Can you tell they are sisters? It thought I had it turned but apparently not!