Spiritual homecoming

Last Saturday I hitched a ride with my friend Melanie McDonald to a seminary/institute training conference down in Valencia.

I wasn't looking forward to being gone for a whole day.

But I'm sure glad I went anyway!

Months from now I'll have forgotten exactly what was taught and shared, but I hope I never forget how I felt while I was there, absorbing information through the Spirit.  It was like a million light bulbs turning on, or being drenched from a spewing fire hydrant.

One of the best moments was the keynote speaker's address.  He was a great teacher.  Funny in the beginning to get our interest, and had the whole room, men and women, brought to tears at the end.  His closing point was that we, as teachers, get to help the young men and women we serve prepare to return to their Heavenly Father.  And he showed a video similar to the following to drive home his point.  It was powerful.  I think we could all imagine our own "spiritual homecoming."

Last Day In His 30's!

It started with a top-secret Facebook invite...

Last night we finished up family home evening, and then we told Jason we had a special treat planned for that night and we needed a few minutes to set it up.  I changed into black clothes (the kids were already in theirs), and then we quickly brought out a big sign, lots of black balloons, and ice cream toppings.  Jason knew something was up then, but I still think he was surprised by the number of people who spilled into our home at 7:00 pm, haha!  It was awesome!!!!!!!!

I am so thankful to these great families and friends for making it a fun night for Jason!  Thank you, Kimblers, Howard and Sandi, Williams family, Washburns, Speredelozzis, Littons, Evans family, Zobells, Jensens, MacGregors, Hawkins family, and Smiths!  (I hope I'm not forgetting anyone--there were a lot of people!)

We had just under 50 humans, two dogs, lots of balloons, ice cream, toppings to feed an army, gag gifts, BLACK everywhere, and a rousing game of Reverse Charades for the kids (they played that for almost an hour!) I think Jason felt the love. Good times!

I think this was only half of the kids!!!  Stairs make great extra seating!

I spy the birthday boy, taking it all in, haha! :)

From Howard and Sandi

My wonderful party planners in crime.  When I approached them about doing this, they were a little worried, haha!  We all were!  Jason does not like surprises!

The popular game we first played this past June in St George with the Cushing side continues to RULE.  I introduced this to the kids at the party and they played it for almost an hour!!!

This was the only fail for me that night.  I'd had a lot of fun looking for "sad, funeral-type" songs and thought this playlist was pretty funny, but our cable modem stopped working JUST before the party.  BUMMER!  Maybe I'll save it for Jason's 50th!

Today, Jason's actual birthday, is a normal work/school day, but we are looking forward to helping him close out in style tonight.  Love this man so much!

Report on 2014 goals, and new ones for 2015!

We spent the last two Family Home Evenings reviewing goals and making new ones!

2014:  (completed goals are crossed out)

Family Goals--
St George reunion with Cushings
2 family camping trips  Death Valley and Chimney Creek
November Turkey Trot  (nope--we enjoyed a UT Thanksgiving instead)
Consistent scriptures study--still a work in progress

Jason--
Complete P90X3
Run Wasatch Ragnar in June
Run another half marathon (we're giving this to him because he ran a 2nd Ragnar in November!)
Establish official golf handicap
Get pilot license--some day

Verity--
Make new volume blog book
Participate in a community service project (RidgeProject)
Go to the temple 3 times--I went twice (two times more than the previous year, haha!)
Complete P90X3--not sure why I stopped, but I did start it
Teach kids how to cook 6 meals--didn't make that number, but they are in the kitchen more with me

Rhiannon--
Make good grades and friends in high school
Join club in high school
Start reading Book of Mormon again
Keep working on Personal Progress
Ride bike 2 times a month

Wade--
Get Arrow of Light on time
Do a golf clinic
Play flag football again
Father/Son backpacking trip
Finish Book of Mormon

Oscar and Samson--
Go on a family camping trip


And here is our list for the new year!

2015
Family Goals:
Continue to work on family scripture study
Sheen Family Reunion for 4th of July
Family camping trip
Turkey Trot in November
Family Temple Trip when Wade turns 12

Jason:
40th Birthday adventure trip with high school buddies in June
Backpacking trip with Rhiannon and Wade
Fitness goal--TBD
Work on church calling every day
Finish backyard fence

Verity:
Write in journal every week
Teach kids how to cook 6 meals
Go to the temple 3 times or more
Expand subbing circle (more schools) once Wade starts middle school
50,000 walking steps a week for fitness

Rhiannon:
Attend EFY Express in March
Cook an entire meal by herself once a quarter
Continue Personal Progress
Bike 2x a month and swim 10 laps each time she gets in the pool
Start foreign language sophomore year

Wade:
Finish Book of Mormon before becoming a Deacon
Finish Faith in God program
Do something football (flag or tackle)
Run/bike 8 times a month or twice a week
Read a book every week
Write in journal 3 times a week

Dogs:
Get a walk every day
Take them to the new dog park

There's got to be a better way to meditate

Here's a post I made on Facebook this week:

I read last week that meditation is the hot new health trend for 2015. Huh, I thought. I had a few minutes this afternoon and thought I'd try it out for kicks. Amazon Prime Music had several 20-minute guided meditations, and the first one I tried was great! After about 5 minutes I was on a "golden beach where the water was tickling my toes". (no lie) Then I tried another one but had to stop--I was laughing SOOO hard because the voice was like a female version of Kip from Napoleon Dynamite!!! Laughter is a great stress reliever, too, haha!  

A yummy flex Friday lunch

Jason and I had this for lunch today.  It was tasty, quick, and easy!  

Tender mercy on a dreary Monday

After such a heavenly Christmas break, that first Monday back was TOUGH for all of us.  I was so grumpy that Sunday because I didn't want our vacation to ever end, haha!

Thankfully, God knew I needed a boost that Monday morning.  After taking Rhiannon home from seminary, I looked out the kitchen window at the first rays of the sunrise.  It calmed my heart and helped me feel at peace--I needed it in a big way!

The birthday that crashed my Facebook page

My 39th birthday (eek!  Last one in my 30's!) was so wonderful.  I'd taken 3 sub jobs that first week back at school and was pretty beat-down-tired by Thursday, with plans to TAKE IT EASY on my birthday the next day.

Here were some happy highlights:

9:30am--so many kind people left birthday wishes on my Facebook page that it "broke" and I couldn't view anything for a while.  So fun!

My friend Heidi Evans took me out to lunch at the local Indian restaurant, Spice Symphony.  We had a good time catching up for almost 2 hours!

Fun phone calls and emails.  Thanks, Derrick and Traci, for the creepy/funny Happy Birthday rendition, haha!

Sweet Rhiannon told her seminary class it was my birthday!  She was my selfie partner in crime after school, too.

Jason brought home half a dozen GORGEOUS roses AND took us out to Ale' Steakhouse for dinner--YUM!  We finished up with a Baskin Robbins cake at home afterwards.

This week I got a special birthday gift using my Christmas and birthday money--an electric wheat grinder!  I've already used it twice and can't wait to be a Little Red Hen with it!

Thanks to all for the well-wishes, gifts, phone calls, and kindnesses.  I felt the love!

Happy New Year 2015!

Our New Year's plans changed and we found ourselves at home.  This turned out great because Rhiannon was able to go to her first New Year's Eve stake dance with friends!  Jason, Wade, and I stayed home and had a movie marathon.  I know we watched Transformers Age of Extinction, then Jason went to bed a little early because he was getting over a cold.  Wade and I lasted til midnight asking each other silly trivia questions, and then I picked up Rhiannon from the dance.  She had a good time!

Pictures from Christmas Day

Christmas Day 2014 was relaxing, magical, and very happy.  We slept in our own beds, didn't get up TOO early, were spoiled with wonderful gifts, and had cinnamon rolls for a late breakfast.  It was fun talking to family throughout the day.  We had a really yummy Christmas dinner, too.

A very happy day!

The kids enjoyed their blankets from Santa!

One of Wade's win-win! gifts!

Joyful mess when we finished

VERY happy girl with her "bookies" and new noise-cancelling headphones!

Duck Face and blue scarf

Christmas in a nutshell, haha--happy kids!

The kids' bedrooms get a new look!

We were so happy to have Jason take off the entire 2-week Christmas break to be home with us.

One of the BIG things he wanted to do was paint the kids' rooms.  Rhiannon and Wade worked hard to get their rooms emptied, picked paint colors, helped tape down the carpet, painted baseboards, and were on hand to help with whatever Jason wanted them to do.  I vacuumed and helped tape.  And Jason did the rest!  He did a fantastic job, and the kids are VERY happy with their rooms.  Two walls were an accent color, and then the ceiling, door, and other two walls are this brilliant white.

After being in this beautiful home for 5 years, I think the kids finally feel full ownership of their space, haha!  Thanks to Daddy for giving his time during vacation to work so hard on this!

Rhiannon's room, before

Rhiannon's room, before--imagine Wade's room being similar

Beautiful deep turquoise on Rhiannon's walls

and Wade chose a brilliant red.