Webster Words: Jan. '23- Week 1- New Year's Snowy Sunday, Rose Bowl Day, Layton Visit, Puppies, Bethany Activity Days, Ben's 12th Birthday!

Jan. 1- Sunday: I woke up around 9am and started feeding the three girls. McKenna started her two weeks of no dairy to see if we could figure out her nausea issues. We did showers and baths and the snow kept coming all morning! We made it a little late to church. I filled in for Sandy Inman in primary and taught singing time. I’m thankful we had Dan’s four-wheel-drive to get us home after church. We had lunch and then I had my call with my family. I made September picture collages. Anna helped me make a white chicken chili soup for dinner. We played the game Just One after dinner and then got everyone to bed. Alice came up and stayed up till 10 o’clock, not wanting to sleep. *We got lots of pictures from Dan and Ben and the Rose Bowl crew. Dan, Swa, Ben and Ollie, stopped by the LA Temple and walked around the grounds too.

Jan. 2- Monday: Bethany came in my room in the 5 o’clock hour and stayed in bed with me. I woke up at 8 and exercised and watched some of the Rose Bowl parade. I got some more pictures from Dan and Ben in CA. Anna and Bethany also did a little time on the treadmill. We ate breakfast and then I went outside to start shoveling the driveway. It quickly became apparent that I would not have the strength to do the whole thing by myself. It was such heavy, wet snow and my arms were burning. Greg Remington was nice enough to come over and use our snowblower and clear the rest of ours and the Johnson’s driveways. McKenna, Megan, Hunter, and Adrie Loveland got service hours by clearing other peoples’ driveways as well. Then they hung out. We had lunch, and then I showered. I took Anna to Zoe‘s house to play and go sledding. Then I watched the Rose Bowl and napped a little. Bethany and Alice went out to play in the snow as well. We picked up Anna and McKenna went to Adrie’s house. We had dinner and then cleaned up and played in the basement with Alice’s Number Blocks. I got them to bed and then worked on the blog and watched TV. Sadly, the Utes lost the Rose Bowl, and Dan and Ben and Sam‘s family had problems with the RV before leaving California.

Jan. 3- Tuesday: Me and the three girls got up at 8:30. We ate and Alice did Upstart. Anna and Beth did reading and piano. I chilled and watched TV and uploaded pics to Dropbox. McKenna woke up. We talked and then got dressed. We all ate lunch. The girls went out to play in the snow and McKenna and I shoveled. I went to pick up Dan, Ben, Brynn, Adam, Mia, and Grandma and Grandpa from the airport. They stopped for lunch at Apollo Burger. Anna went sledding with Ellie and Clara. We talked with Dan and Ben about our time at home and about their trip. Then we left for Layton to visit my parents and Mickelle. They gave Ben his birthday presents a little early. Also, Jonathan was driving home from visiting the Smith's in AL and he decided to drive past our old house in South Carolina! Crazy to see that house! We talked, had dinner, and played the game “Just One.” The kids got ready for school and we got them to bed. Dan and I calendared. I was funny to see all their RED laundry from their trip!

Jan. 4th- Wednesday: Kids went back to school! I exercised after they left. McKenna had late start. I showered and caught up on Marco Polos. Alice dressed as Elsa for preschool (she chose her pose). I snuggled the kids when they got home. I helped Ben with Newsies memorizing and Anna with her Jungle Book. Desi, McKayla, and Queensley came over to play. I made dinner for McKenna and Ben before they left for rehearsal. The rest of us ate. I took Bethany and Mia to hip hop. Dan did showers and baths for the A-team. I went to YWs which was a planning activity. Dan put together Bethany’s night stand.

Jan. 5th- Thursday: I got asked to sub as a Kindergarten instructor with Ms. Lee last minute. Thankfully, I was able to say yes! Dan took Alice to work with him. I led two reading groups and a math group. One kid threw up in the hall as he was going out to recess, and one kid had a bloody nose. Ms. Lee asked me to do very little in the afternoon, which was nice, but also kind of boring. I saw Ben and Anna during the day, which is always nice. Ben stayed after school for crochet club for the first time! We briefly stopped by the Moulton's to see their new puppies! Bethany had her first Primary Activity Days with Linda and Kelly Lemon as her leaders. They made collages out of magazine clippings, then Bethany had a makeup hip hop dance class in Centerville. Ben showed me his completed Old Testament Come Follow Me reading Chart! We ate dinner. Sandy Inman stopped by to get the Primary singing time stuff as she was just starting her new calling as choirister. We put the three girls to bed. Brynn and Brian stopped by. We watched some school videos with Ben. I worked on a grocery order. Dan worked on some clothing returns.

Jan. 6th- Friday: I exercised after the kids left for school. Dan worked from home. Alice and I ate, she did Upstart, then she got dressed, and her friend Adrianna came over. I showered. The girls ate lunch, then I drove them to preschool. Dan and I went on a lunch date to Sweeto Burrito. We napped. Then I worked on somethings on my phone. I snuggled the kids when they got home. Ben went on his birthday date with Dan’s parents. We had leftovers for dinner. Dan took McKenna and her friends to Station Park. Then he stopped by Jake’s (and tried out his new arcade) and WalMart. I cleaned up dinner. Ben got home and showed me all his stuff. His friends came over (Henry, Caleb, Luke, and Grant) as kind of a birthday hang out. We covered and protected the wall below the dart board. Anna went to the Alexander’s. I watched half of Mary Poppins with Bethany and Alice and tried to put them to bed in my bed so the boys could be loud in the basement. Dan got home and we put groceries away. We started watching the new Knives Out, then parents started coming to pick up boys at 10. We decorated and got ready for Ben’s birthday!

Jan. 7th- Saturday: Ben’s 12th BIRTHDAY! It was nice to sleep in and start breakfast around 8:45. McKenna and Ben left for their Newsies rehearsal. We played with the three little girls a little, and then got dressed for the day and Dan gave himself a haircut. Anna went to Aspen‘s house to play. I picked up Ben from Backstage and took him to his first Junior Jazz basketball practice. We had lunch and then went ice-skating as a family at the Ice Ribbon for Ben’s birthday. All of the kids said it was easier than rollerskating at Classic Fun Center, and they had a great time! No one got hurt! Once we got home, I made Ben’s favorite soup for dinner. We ate, and then my parents came over for presents, ice cream cake, and games. We played Code Names, and Just One. The girls showed grandma and grandpa their newly arranged rooms and then we got everyone to bed a little late. *I'm so thankful for Ben in our family! He is such a nice brother and son! He's caring and smart and funny!