January 30th and before

June, Maren, Max, Landon, Shirley, Evan Front Brinlie, Gauge and Ellie

Well I am sitting here at Maren's still enjoying their company.  My plane was canceled twice yesterday.  A winter storm with a half inch of ice and about three inches of snow hit the south on Tuesday and Wednesday so everything is stalled and most stores closed.  We were making fun of the South and their closing of schools because of a storm of 2-4 inches.  But a half inch of ice under the snow makes it a lot more dangerous.  Luckily Landon has his big truck.  Also they have no snow equipment because it so seldom snows like this.  They did have a few snow trucks out on the major road last night when we tried to go to the airport.

I have been sick for several days and could not get myself to do much so I will attempt to finish out the week while I sit here watching the kids.

Gauge, Brinlie, and Ellie goofing off

Saturday was Binlie's baptism.  We went to Jacksonville to meet Evan and Shirley at their hotel so the kids could go swimming in their hotel pool.  Before we got there we met them at Sam's Club where they were buying things for the evening.  We also went to a place called Shoe Carnival to get Brinlie some shoes to go with her white dress for the baptism.  They had to get sandals because it is the wrong season for white.  But they got 2 for 1 on clearance because of that!!

Brinlie in her beautiful baptim dress

Everyone swam for about an hour but me because I didn't pack a swimsuit and I really didn't have time to go buy one.  I finally figured out I could walk around the pool for activity.  They really seemed to be having a good time swimming.  Brinlie was having fun jumping off the side.  Gauge was frustrated because he did not have his floaties.  Evan spent some time in the pool helping Brinlie know what she had to do when he dunked her for baptim.  I thought that was thoughtful.

Brinlie with Grandma June

We went to Chick-fil-A for lunch on the way home and by the time we got home it was time to change clothes and get ready for the baptism.  I forgot to tell Landon to order me a grilled chicken sandwich so I got the full fat.  I felt like I was getting a sore throat when I drank the lemonade.

Ellie with Evelyn

We drove to the church which is about a half hour away and got there about 4:00 so that they could get things ready with the Primary President.  We took some pictures of Brinlie in her dress before they got ready for the baptism.  Then it was my job to follow Max to make sure he didn't get lost or get into something he shouldn't.

Gauge with his friend Silas

Then they went to get ready for the baptism.  I did not get any pictures of Evan and Brinlie in their baptism clothes.  The program went well.  Shirley gave the talk on baptism and I gave the Holy Ghost talk.  Fortunately the spirit was with me and I think it went well.  Shirley did a good job as well. Ellie gave the opening prayer with Maren's help and Gauge gave the closing prayer with Maren's help.  Then they had cookies and water for after as everyone mingled.  I tried to get pictures of a lot of people there.

Brinlie, Maren, Max, Landon, Front Gauge, and Ellie

After the baptism Brinlie wanted to go to Applebee's to eat so we all went there.  Then they all wanted to go swimming again at the hotel.  They swam for about an hour and they really had fun jumping and throwing each other.  Landon dunked Maren and they just had a good time.  I wish I had some pictures but my phone was dead then.  I spent the hour walking around the pool so I got some good points that day but some of the other people in the pool kept looking at me like I was nuts.

Sunday morning after Brinlie's baptism I awoke with a fever and if I had been home I would have stayed in bed all day but I felt like I needed to go to church to support Brinlie.  So everyone in Maren's ward will probably be sick next week or in two weeks.

Brinlie with her frozen birthday cake

After church Evan came and made his famous steak sandwiches for lunch.  We cleaned some strawberries also to eat.  It was a great sandwich but not weight watchers friendly. Then later they had another birthday cake for Brinlie to use the Frozen Characters that Maren had ordered for her birthday cake but they came late.  They got a yummy cookies and cream ice cream cake.  They really looked cute on the cake and Ellie has had a great time playing pretend with them. Evan and Shirley had to leave that afternoon to get back to Texas to work.

Maren with her friend Tara

Sunday night Nathan's Bishop called me to say that he thought we needed to get a lawyer to help Nathan through the process of the divorce. We had a good talk I really like Bishop Alonzo. I texted my brother to ask him if he knew of someone who could do the job for us.

Monday Maren and I decided to hang out at home.  In the morning Ellie used the Frozen characters to tell me how to play her game while Maren did some cleaning and Max was asleep.  The Christmas trees were the die and she would tell me what I had to do after I rolled just like we do with a game.  It made me realize that sometimes we think that they understand what we are doing but they may just be as in the dark as I was about her game.

Ellie and Brinlie at Golden Corral

Landon had to work but he finished his work about 1:00 p.m.  We just had Ellie and Max at home so it was relatively quiet.  In the afternoon while Max was napping we played Maren's game of Life that has the spinner and the game controls on the IPad.  It was really fun.  Even Ellie could do it with a little help. 

Max enjoying himself after the baptism

We were supposed to get the money from our refinance loan on Monday and of course I thought that meant Monday morning so I had a major frustration when it was not there.  I spent part of the day calling Larry and the Finance Company and finally found out that the money would be deposited after 3:00 p.m. or on Tuesday.  Finally it was there about 4:00 P.M.

Ellie in her boots

Monday evening Brinlie had dance so we all went to Jacksonville. My brother Larry had texted me a number for a lawyer that he thought would be good.  His name was Harold Zuflacht.  He wanted me to fill out a paper before a meeting on information about finances so I texted Nathan and Sara both to see if they would help me with the paper.  Nathan told me not to do anymore because he is still trying to find a way to win her back.  Sara was afraid that we were going to fight her.  I assured her that we were getting a lawyer to help Nathan through the process.  Then she told me that they were transferring Nathan to the Warm Springs Rehabilitation Facility that they have been wanting to get Nathan in.  She told me on Friday when we talked that they had approved that he be sent there but I was surprised it was so soon.  She told me she was helping Nathan pack as he was going tomorrow.  So I guess she is still wanting to help help but that also furthers Nathan's denial that she is leaving.  Here is a link to the Warm Springs website about the one that Nathan is in Warm Springs, Thousand Oaks http://www.warmsprings.org/our-facilities/hospitals/warm-springs-rehabilitation-hospital-thousand-oaks/

Gauge eating his ice cream

We had decided earlier that we would go to Golden Corral after Brinlie's dance so while she was in dance Maren and Landon went to a Thrift store to find some sea bags for him for the ship and then to a home decor store where they bought an omelet maker for Landon and a mechanical hot pad for Maren.  Then we went to Golden Corral.  That was basically family home evening.

Max at Golden Corral

While we were out Maren kept getting messages on her phone that school was closed and dance was canceled for Ellie. Ellie was devastaed as she thought she would never be able to go again.  Landon got a message that the base was closed for two days.  We stopped at the Grocery store so Maren could get her basics and it was basically being shopped out so Maren posted some of the empty shelves in a picture on Facebook.   When we got home no one worried about the kids going to bed so I think we watched the movie Frozen.

Brinlie starting to throw a snowball

Ellie and Brinlie with Lindsay their neighbor Maren with Gauge and Max

When we got up the next morning it was not snowing as predicted and it didn't start snowing until later in the afternoon.  Landon made us all omelets with his omelet maker.  We basically had a lazy day watching movies and playing games together.  The kids have a game called Xfinity from Disney that they like and We watched "Saving Mr. Banks" and "Wreckit Ralph".  Maren made a great Asian dish for dinner with edamome on the side.  When I talked to Larry at 7:00 p.m. he told me to go to bed because I had lost my voice and I fully intended to but then I went down stairs to finish my laundry and got interested in the movie and stayed up until 11:30 p.m.

Making Snow angels in the Cul-de-sac

Wednesday when we got up we had 2-3 inches of snow with a half inch of ice under it.  We all dressed up after breakfast and went out to play in the snow.  Gauge was really bummed because Maren and Landon had left the snow clothes in Utah that they had bought because they thought that they would never use them.  But they put on double pants and they did have coats and gloves.  I had to borrow some of Landon's coats and gloves.  It was really fun for them.  They still had the sleighs they had brought from Utah when they moved.  When they came out then the neighbors came out and their neighbors driveway was sloped so they could use that for the sleighs.  They laid down in the middle of the cul-de-sac and made snow angels because there were no snow plows.  It was about 20 degrees outside.

Snow angels resurrecting

I had no boots so I came in when my feet were cold and got dressed and ready to go to the airport.  Delta kept calling me to tell me my flight had been delayed but I thought it was calling about the first flight in the morning so I ignored it and did not go in and check the Delta app.  The app was not working very good anyway.

We played another game of Life with all the kids and me.  Maren was helping Ellie.  Landon took a nap. Ellie won the game so she was thrilled because she thought that she was losing because someone sued her and she got really mad when Maren wanted her to turn in her 100 dollar bills for a 500 because she thought she had less money. We had a good time and then I got ready to go.

Brinlie, Ellie, Gauge, and Bethany a neighbor

Landon and Gauge pushing Maren and Ellie

Landon and Maren took me to the airport in the Truck.  They were finally plowing the other side of the main road but not the side we were on.  The road to the airport is just two lanes and it had not been plowed so it was snow packed.  It looked like a little country lane.  When we got there there was a sign on the door that said that the airport was closed until Thursday.  So I looked at my app and it said that my flight had been changed until the 30th and I had not noticed the date change.  I felt bad that I had not paid more attention and they had to drive me out to the airport before we realized what was going on.  So I am here for one more day.

We were expecting our mission call Wednesday but Larry texted that it did not come so I was really bummed.

Landon wanted to have a movie marathon when they got home.  Maren fixed some great potato soup and biscuits and I ate more than I should but at this time I had no voice and was really feeling run down so I excused myself and went upstairs to bed about 7:30 p.m.  I texted a few people and looked at Facebook for a while on my Nextel and talked to a neighbor who called on the phone and then I finally went to bed about 9:00 p.m.  Ellie came in during the night to sleep with me.  I don't mind because I like to snuggle but she really needs a full size bed to sleep in with Brinlie because she likes to snuggle and she will not stay in bed.  I was so tired that I did not wake up until 5:07A.M.  And then I promptly went back to sleep until 8:11 a.m.  I could have slept longer but I decided to get up with the kids so Maren could sleep in one more day.

I have worked most of the day on this blog and trying to upload pictures.  Delta just called about 1:00 p.m. and said that my flight is cancelled for the third time so unless it gets warmer this afternoon I may be here for a long time.  I spent the afternoon tending the kids while they played outside in the snow and Maren and Landon went to Jacksonville shopping.  Now they are grilling steaks so that is one reason that I am glad I am staying for another day!!