SpringBreakRoadTrip2017 -- Day 2

Day 2--we watched LDS General Conference at a local church building, which was right next door to the Twin Falls Temple.

That day, we endured a LOT of wind.

Several of these showed up in the morning.  

Which explained why the campground smelled of manure. 

 Anthony was wiped, comfy, and warm.

He did not want to get up in the morning.

There's even more makeup in that bag.

Quilt on display in the church building, showcasing the temple next door.

Detail of the 3D features on the quilt.

Sitting down for two hours is not easy to do.

This is how we kept the children occupied and able to listen during that time.

Twin Falls, Idaho Temple, with a LOT of wind and an awkward angle.

The temple grounds were closed, so we couldn't get a better angle.

Andy helping Anthony fly the airplane, with Maggie on the tail.

Wind

My hair was braided in back, and the wind kept making it fly anyway.

The insanely steep canyon down to the Snake River.

I decided I would love to live in Twin Falls...

except for the wind and that awful canyon.

It's pretty, but I don't like it.

Price of milk in cow country!

I walked into the eave too.

My dent didn't bleed like Lilly's did, but it did create a big enough scab for the hairdresser to comment on it a few days later...

Andy braved the wind to make dinner.

We had mashed potatoes, chicken, and gravy.

Soo good!!

Dessert was Maggie's banana bread!! 

Lilly

Crazy energy and rolling all over the bed and everyone in the room.

SpringBreakRoadTrip2017 -- Day 1

We drove ALL day, it felt like!

Camped in a KOA cabin between Jerome and Twin Falls, Idaho.

On the way, we drove through my dad's city, so we got to do a drive-by hugging.  :)

Columbia River Temple

Grandma Virginia made us some delicious, huge cinnamon rolls!!

It was conference weekend, so we listened to the Saturday sessions on satellite radio.  

I thought we'd have to use data on our phones to listen, but the BYU sports station covered. 

Pretty cool! 

 Meridian, Idaho Temple under construction.  I think this will be my new favorite temple!!

It is very stately, and has a strong beauty.

Lilly

Lilly bumped her head on the cabin eave, and it scratched her through her wig.

Everyone in front of the cabin.

This cabin ended up having way too many bugs in it.  

So, we got the cabin next to it.

 We started a game of cards, and Anthony wanted to make everyone be in a selfie.

 Trying to push his way into the kids room, after Lilly had closed the door.

Columbia River Temple--  It was too cold to let Anthony just wear his shorts.  

So he had Spiderman on underneath.

Days For Girls

Today, I'll be doing a monthly sewing activity at church, to benefit Days for Girls. Each month, I go for an hour or two, sew, and visit. Throughout the month, I sew here and there, when I have extra thread I need to use up.

Why Days for Girls Matters

What if not having sanitary supplies meant DAYS without school? Days of isolation? Girls

use leaves, mattress stuffing, newspaper, corn husks, rocks, anything they can find...but

still miss up to 2 months of education and opportunity every year. It turns out this issue is a surprising but instrumental key to social change for women all over the world.--from the DFG website

I am SO grateful to live in the United States of America, and that my girls and I have the opportunity to receive an unbroken education, regardless of feminine hygiene needs.

ALL skill levels are needed. If you'd like to help, but don't sew, they still need you! For more information, Google Days for Girls and your community.

I may not do everything great in the eyes of my teenagers, but I think they are proud of this small act of service for girls we've never met, across the world.

https://www.daysforgirls.org/

I don't want to learn to thread a serger, so my "job" each time is to sew these already-serged strips of flannel to the wider flannel.  

Later, the wider edges will be serged, then the whole unit will be cut into smaller units and serged on the outer edges again.

January to February Stuff

We FINALLY paid off one of our debts.

We had not bought normal groceries for 9 months before that.

We had plenty of food, and nutrition, but nothing normal and fun.

Having that one debt paid off gave us $700 more per month.

Breathing room!

Debt is not worth it.

With some breathing room in the budget, we could finally get Josh a regular haircut.

This is the quilt I wanted to make by Christmas, but it didn't happen.

It's Anthony's and has his favorite characters and superheroes on it.

But, I don't like the way it turned out so far.

It looks like a Boy Scout shirt with the colors.

(nothing against Scouts!!)

And the block arrangement did not turn out how I expected.

The top is done, but I haven't put it together with batting and a back, so it might change after being put together and quilted.

Anthony will still love it.

Anthony was so excited to finish his hearing test.

He finished it in 15 minutes!!

His tubes from last year are working, and his left ear is hearing great!

(right ear has severe to profound hearing loss)

Anthony taking selfies with Maggie and Josh

At occupational therapy.

Anthony loved painting and making his airplane.

We've had so much snow this winter!

Andy and Anthony both made snowmen.  :)

This was Josh's full before shot of his hair.

I got in the van one day and half my sunglasses were under the gas pedal.

:(

It's ok though. 

They lasted so many years!

I went to Costco to order more ASAP, since I have a problem with glare.

I ordered regular glasses and sunglasses, and they found a discount, greater than the normal 2-pair discount!!

Anthony loves flying still at therapy.

Only one of the many thousands of pictures Anthony takes of his toys throughout each month.

He arranges them, and takes pictures, altering filters and all the other gadgets available.

Maggie made this valentine for Gus.

Maggie & me

Lilly, Maggie, Anthony

Lilly turned 17, and can't wair for her next birthday.

During one of our snowy nights, Andy thought it would be fun to bring a chicken out of the coop.

She didn't like it so much.

Maggie and Anthony made an igloo in the center of our front yard.

Where's our van?!

Anthony thinks every day is his birthday.

He made a snow "cake" and was so proud of his "birthday cake."

Making baskets regularly at Cub Scouts!

And, he got to participate in posting the colors.

Anthony was SO excited to get to carry the troop flag.

New glasses and my haircut

We visited the temple!

And Grandpa and Grandma Virginia.

Lilly scrubbed the kitchen one night!!

Just 3 of many more.  :)

One more thing that happened--Maggie cooked bacon on the waffle iron.

I had a picture, but it wasn't a great one.

Just wanted to remember her fun idea.  :)