New Chapter? Permanently closed?

It has been an interesting couple of weeks. Celia has been begging to be home schooled, for over a year. On Friday We learned that school would be closed for a month due to Covid 19 concerns. Church has been postponed which was hard to her to attend, so this is great for her. All this time at home and plenty of one on one time with the family. I have had my anxiety about being home all the time. but yet we are so prepared. With Brian's foresight we aren't in need of things

 I am glad I was set apart to be Celia's class teacher in Sunday school. Maybe, we can learn a thing or two together in this time of rest from most of our daily structure and routines for her. It was so sunny a few days before this weekend winter storm. I am seeing so much opposition in all things right now. Yet, doors are being opened and prayers answered. Celia is changing Doctors and we got in when they aren't accepting anymore patients. Celia did so well with getting her braces off and having a teeth cleaning the same day.

I am trying to focus on what I am grateful for and the tender mercies I see with the Lord guiding my life. I needed to lose my calling then get this one to teach Celia before there was no church meetings to attend. I needed to have no as an answer for Spencer's next day program. I went to the temple recently and did many sealings.

I thought about how the Lord does things that we don't understand and how we need to trust him. I know he loves me and I'm grateful to be in the temple recently with Brian for Ward Temple Night and to have done the sealings for my ancestors just this last week as now it is closed to do proxy work for a season. I hope the earth can rest and that the world will be less tumultuous as we stay at home more and care for each other.

I love that I got to go to Stake Relief Society Conference. It was unusual and more musical . I felt the spirit strongly and I felt like my sacred grove or place of revelation was in my home. I'm glad I went to our Relief society Birthday dinner as a last hurrah. I will not be seeing these ladies weekly anymore, but I glad we got to talk and eat and friendship with them. I'm grateful we got to go to Disneyland and LA. I'm glad we got to go to Emmy's BYU graduation and convocation last year. I doubt they will have those gatherings this year.

I'm glad Joe got to go and experience BYUI on campus. He seemed to have made great friends and got himself a part time job helping his entrepreneur friend. I still cant believe Academics are going online only. Hopefully that is temporary, but We have enjoyed to the fullest those campuses and had our time.


I have felt peace and I have had fear too, but I am grateful for all my wonderful wonderful blessings and really I feel doing the best I can everyday to teach and preach and learn is the best approach. This always has been my desire anyway. We will see Spence more trying to get him out and about in the car as community outings will be scaled back a bit. I hope he can continue to do amazing and be calm without too many behaviors. He has come so far and we are so proud of him and his growth.

Whatever these next few months bring as far as transition in life goes, I feel it will be a good learning experience. There are things to gain from things getting changed up. I will exercise faith and work hard to help my family and others and we will do great things.

Highlights and Peak Times

I was excited to go to my new calling today to teach Celia's class Sunday School. It is the 14 to 15 year old youth. I know I'm going to love it in there. I'm excited to be thinking about the content throughout the month as I only will teach once a month. I am glad to be at church to after our wonderful vacation in So Cal. We regenerated as we would say. The warm and positive vibe was helpful in us all having a great time. The Hotel was so big and nice. We loved the waterfall, see through elevators and koi pond. Out room was big and had a homey feel. We had a nice warm breakfast each as as well.

 Disneyland was wonderful. I was glad Emmy could come and we were fortunate from beginning of the day to the end. There weren't long lines, the weather was perfect and we got to see fun characters and have yummy snack food. The turkey leg was a classic and the rides were great. we saw just about everything we wanted to see. The shuttle from the hotel was our first ride hehe. It was a bit fast paced. I was able to handle a few calls about my boys while at the park and we loved our experience. I was proud of Celia and how much energy she had and how willing she was to go out and have fun. WE went out to downtown Disney the next night with Brian and it was fun to feel the Disney excitement on a lesser scale, again.  Celia liked the Legos and the Disney store and the girls each got a Disney baby from Lilo and stitch that were so soft.  We went to Huntington beach that day too and Bolsa Chica. since I know where to park that is free.
WE used my gift card on restaurants on the the trip too. We hit Boudins and Macaroni Grill which were both so yummy. Emmy got us a discount with her Disney visa and I got use a discount with my AAA card,. We even got a discount for Brian\s conference registration. I also got us a discount from Expedia or tickets to Knot's berry farm. I loved all the deals.

The weather was wonderful and the family had a great time at Knot's berry farm too. We started with the Ferris wheel, which is scary for me, but without yoga breathing, I  was able to do just fine. Next we went to Montezuma's Revenge. Lol I forgot how fast it goes. I liked it and the rest of the family started on my adventurous rides after that. some were a little to adventurous like Ghost rider, but we went on the log ride a lot and the river rapids seemed to be a hit with all. The girls did their school work and it turned out to be a wonderful mud week pick me up for the semester. On Saturday we went to Laguna Beach and it was so gorgeous and nice out. We got to go to lunch at BJ's even though our favorite one in balboa is permanently closed. It was nice and we sent Emmy off on a plane bacl to Utah and Brian drove us home while Celia and I dosed off a bit. I'm so grateful for the family memories and the time spent together.
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Still embracing motherhood

Its been a busy month even with all the newness. I helped Joe with a few pages of his 25 page  autobiography for his English class. I like looking up old photos of him and remembering his youth. It was therapeutic for his leaving home for the first time. I've taken care of his car, gassed it up and registered it and am taking great care for him. He can be pleased to be reunited with it again someday.  As soon as we were back from Idaho, Spence needed us for purchases and fixing his swing. He now needs his heater worked on. We go and see him at least once a week. It is good to have ties with him and I am working on the next step for him as he graduates from Odyssey learning Center in June. He is very happy right now and it just warms my heart.

I went to a meeting yesterday for a behavior intervention plan for Celia. They do a great job with scholar services at John Adams and I love how supported she is there. She is doing much better this semester after a humanities teacher switch. I hope she stays there for High School. Olivia her new bestie has been coming over each week. I taught them how to put on some natural looking makeup and then they went to Celia's first youth dance. It looks like a well attended one. Celia wanted to come home home a little early. Maybe it was over stimulation, but they had fun. The girls love to play roblox and role play as they play it. Celia has really taken to her nerd roots and is proud of it. 

I am proud of being a stay at home mama. I found a book I wrote and published through blurb called 2009 A year of blessings. It was sweet how much I wrote about testimony of the gospel and how wonderful the family is and how important motherhood is. Also, how it is so beneficial to have the gospel in our children's lives. I think I will embrace Motherhood and teaching them the gospel and not worry so much about the next step after Celia leaves and just work hard on teaching her before she goes. 

Emmy and her friend Abby came to visit and it was fun. I like hosting a bit. Brian seemed to like switching up the house this past month. We've been to IKEA and he has moved his card room around. We got Celia to move into Joe's old room and the front room and bathroom are now the guest area. I like this because it stays clean.  Little by little we are getting the house more organized and orderly and its fun. Dad is on a food storage kick now, so I feel a straightening of the garage coming soon so we can organize all the food storage. It'll be fulfilling and nice, I bet.

Drop off at the Universities

I can't believe it all happened last Friday. We packed up all  the kids  that were coming and all of Joe's belongings he was bringing to school and headed to Utah/ Emmy brought stuff too because she likes to switch out here stuff, I am telling myself we are not just a storage unit here at home base\
 The Sierra Nevadas were clear and I was happy to make it there with no inclement weather. WE had Costa Vida and stopped at Sips. The boys noticed there was a game store full of people there in Draper. Magic the gathering must be hoppin' there. We saw emmy a little on Saturday, but Bri, Celia, And i walked the university mall int he morning. We enjoyed running around Provo and Brian and I enjoyed a walk on Center street to see pioneer book. It was sunny and 50 degrees outside and I was so happy to have the warmth and walking. Snow was on the ground and Provo was a little chili, but not too bad. We went and visited Lance and Dawn and got to go see Taylor play in his Junior high basketball game. He had a purposeful fowl and we all got a kick out of it. It was pretty cold leaving the game, but im glad we went. Celia sure seemed to like seeing a real game at a real school. She needs to check out her charter school games more, i think as they are real too.

We ate all all the good Utah places, kneaders, burgers supreme, and a new place we found in Provo. The sold street tacos,m but the quesadillas were so good, we went back for an encore. We watched Hot Rod at Lance and Dawn's and visited. On Monday we headed up Emmy and Joe in her car and Brian, Celia, and I in the van. It was a pretty ride up top Rexburg. We stopped at a Shoshone convenience  store that our maps called Walmart, but it was a good adventure.

Rexburg was full of snow and holiday lights and decorations, like a winter wonderland. Joe did best one on one getting his apartment settled in and being shown around campus and town. I was glad Emmy stayed on Tuesday and they hung out together getting ready for school to start. We saw some familiar faces at Walmart and everyone we did encounter was so friendly. It will be different having Joe off to school, but I am hopeful for him that he can learn a  lot and have a great time.

I've organized his bathroom and room and our house seemed bigger. We are figuring out routines and what to do without extra time. we always we playing Magic the gathering, now we will see what we choose to fill in the time with next. Car rides are still a thing and I have high hopes for the new year.