Nov. 23 and before

Larry and I are back to being empty nesters for the next 2 weeks. Nathan went to Utah to visit Marcy last Monday and will be there until Dec. 3.  It has really been quiet in our apartment this week.

Today was Church and because it is Thanksgiving this week they talked about Gratitude and Thanksgiving.  Brother Smith (that I have been helping with Family History on Wednesday) and his family were the speakers. His daughter Raeanne talked about the fact that we need to be grateful for our life knowing that we chose it in the premortal existance.  She also pointed out that trials can be a way of learning gratitude.  We are teachers of how to show gratitude by the way we act.  The way we handle things can change others.  His wife talked about how they had experienced many trials in the last two years and that she felt that with all they were going through the Lord had a great blessing for them if they endured it well.  When her husband was baptized after about 28 years of marriage she could see the blessing.  As we cultivate a grateful attitude we are more likely to be happy.  We should thank our Heavenly Father and others for their help.  Brother Smith talked about things we can do to be grateful.  He mentioned that we should be grateful everyday not just on Thanksgiving.  We should honor our Father and Mother and Counsel with the Lord in all our doings.  He pointed out that all we have to do is to be thankful to God and to keep the 10 commandments and God will bless us.  As a detention counselor he gave examples of people that had not been blessed with good parents and said that we should be grateful for our parents and pointed out that we could have worse parents.  Bishop Alonzo also told about how when he was a teen he had a dream that everything was confused and he couldn't find his family.  He looked and then he started to run and he couldn't find them at all.  It had a profound effect on him and that changed his appreciation for his family and he started to listen more both in school and in church.  He admonished us to stay focused and think about the Lord during Thanksgiving.

During Sunday School we talked about the importance of family and how to make our family eternal.  We talked about how to have successful families and focused on theses steps from the Gospel Principles Chapter 36  All of us want to have happy, successful families. The following things will help us achieve this:

1. Have family prayer every night and morning (see 3 Nephi 18:21). Pray together as husband and wife.
   
2. Teach children the gospel every week in family home evening.
   
3. Study the scriptures regularly as a family.
   
4. Do things together as a family, such as work projects, outings, and decision making.
   
5. Learn to be kind, patient, long-suffering, and charitable (see Moroni 7:45–48).
   
6. Attend Church meetings regularly (see D&C 59:9–10).
   
7. Follow the counsel of the Lord in D&C 88:119: “Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God.”
   
8. Keep a family history, perform temple work together, and receive the sealing ordinances of the temple
   
   
   In Relief Society we talked about President Uchdorf's talk, "Grateful in Any Circumstances" And determined that being grateful has a lot to do with your perspective.

This after noon we took a nap and then we Skyped with Jake and Nikki and their children for Myles's birthday.  Myles had a cute workbench with a motorized screwdriver and a dump truck and a helicopter that he could tell us the names of.  We had a good time talking with each of the kids and Jacob and Nikki.  Lexie is in early morning Seminary and has to go to that at 5:00 a.m.  She has been called as a Family History Consultant in her ward.  She was also in a play this fall at school.  She is in High School this year, her freshman year.  Ashton is doing so well in school that even though he is in the third grade he scores in the sixth grade on every section of the STAR test.  Abbie has completed her My Family book that we sent her.  They had the idea to put the extra pictures that I sent in the blank page at the back of the book.  Jacob is working outage and working nights from 5:30 p.m. until 6:00 a.m.  He is such a hard worker for his family.  Nikki is busy holding it all together.  She is a good mother. I appreciate all they do.  I wish we could be closer.

This week has been very different.  Monday I woke up with a request from Sara to come and tend Maggie because she was throwing up but when I responded she said that she had already got a sub for the day.  We went to Weight Watchers in the morning and I was excited to have lost 2 lbs but Larry had gained.  We went to the office in the afternoon to work on the usual things but we also had to prepare for more Zone trainings this week.  Monday evening we helped Nathan prepare for his trip to Utah this week.  Nathan also had two appointments at the VA that day so he was pretty busy that day.

Nathan in Las Vegas with Drayk

Nathan getting off the plane in Vernal

Tuesday morning we took Nathan to the airport to fly to Vernal.  I was a little apprehensive about him flying alone but after he checked in and someone went with him to the gate I felt like maybe he would be taken care of.

We went home and packed because we decided to go to the Round Rock training and then stay overnight at Austin for their training rather than having to drive the hour and a half home and back the next day.  We had just got on the road and Nathan texted us that his plane had been cancelled and he had to be rebooked on a later flight but it was at noon so he thought he would be okay at the airport until then.

Wagon ruts carved in the stone in 1850

Larry and June at the Round Rock in background

We got to Round Rock and completed our training.  We had a half day and so we went out to eat for lunch and then we asked if there was something interesting in Round Rock that would be interesting to see in an afternoon.  They told us there was a round rock down the road a ways in a park that was the rock that the city got its name from so we decided to go look for it.

The round rock is the cylindrical rock

Kathrine with her son Landers

Larry in Memorial Park

We went to a Memorial Park.  Some people told us that the rock was at the end of a path that we were at the trail head.  We started out and then met a lady that was there with her 5 year old son.  She asked us if we were LDS because we had our missionary tags on.  We told her yes and she said that she was LDS also and that they had just moved here from Saratoga Springs, Utah.  She walked along with us and told us she had just come from the rock and would show us where it was.  We went along and talked together about the church and family and then she showed us the rock.  I felt like she was a blessing because I don't think I would have known what rock they were talking about.  Also she took some pictures of us together with the rock and we took some pictures of her.  Her name was Kathrine and her little boy was Landers.  After we saw the rock she said that she would show us where they made the world famous Round Rock donuts.  Apparently they have an orange glaze on them.  So we went to the donut shop with her and had a donut and took some more pictures and had a good time there. The donuts were yummy. Finally we took off for Austin to find a motel.

At the "world famous" Round Rock Donuts

Kathrine bought one of the king size donuts

We found a motel close to the Rutherford Lane chapel where the Austin training would be held and then rested for a while and then went to Olive Garden for a dinner that was so fun.  It was a fun afternoon and evening. When we tried to go back to the hotel however we learned that there are three Motel 6's along Highway 35 in Austin.  We put Motel 6 in google maps and thought we were going to the right place but when we got there it was like Twilight Zone because it looked like the road we had been on but the Motel 6 was not the same building and we finally went in and asked if there was another Motel 6 along the road.  He called and found out the address of the one we were at and we were able to put that in and get back to the right motel.

At about 11:00 p.m. we got word from Marcy that Nathan had finally made it to Vernal.  They flew today to Las Vegas for her sister's vow renewal with her husband.
 

Kilor, Drayk, Korbin Vogler and Nathan

Wednesday morning we were able to sleep in a little and then get some supplies for the training and breakfast and then went to the training.  It was so fun to see the missionaries.  I love the trainings they are so good and listen so politely.

We returned to San Antonio after the training.  We went past the apartment and ate and then went to the office.  We had several things waiting for us to work on and it was good to see the Williams's.  We worked in the office until 5:00 p.m. and then we went to pick up Issac and Sammy from their school and then went to get Maggie.  We did this because we decided if we got the boys and Maggie then we could get Isaac to his cub scouts on time at 6:30 p.m. while Sara got David and then we would meet at the church.  We decided that we would have to go earlier next time because traffic was bad and we barely made it to pick up the boys before the 6:00 p.m. cut off.  Isaac ended up not having cub scouts because it was pack meeting Friday so it worked out but at least we are working on the problem of getting him there on time.  Also Brother Smith was not able to make it so we ended up waiting for David to do Mutual and doing our own family history, and then taking him home.  We got home about 9:30 p.m.

Thursday we had a training at Bulverde with the Hill Country Zone.  That is only about 25 minutes from the office so we were able to go up and back by about 1:00 p.m. We had agreed with Sara that we would not get the kids on Thursday because there would be the Raingutter Regatta on Friday and we would see the kids then. So after working on things for a little later than usual we went home and enjoyed an evening to ourselves.

Our cute stockings notice the tie and necklace on them

Friday we woke up to a text message from Sara that Isaac was sick so there would be no Raingutter Regatta for him.  We were sad because he had worked so good on his boat and Sara said he was sad also but that throw up stuff really makes people sick and we did not want him there sick and giving it to others.  She said that she had to take him with her to school.

When we got the mail at the office on Friday there was a package for us from the Relief Society President in the Kaysville 22nd ward.  It turned out to be a Christmas Stocking for each of us filled with small presents with a scriptural phrase attached that applied to each gift.  They were so cute and a fun present to receive.

I worked diligently on Thursday to get my supply order in and then on Friday we worked to get other things done at the office.  Larry was a little discouraged because he has had 12 accidents in the last two weeks and that is frustrating in and of itself but then there is all the followup with the insurance and claims and estimates that he has to deal with and he is constantly on the go.  He has been showing a safety video for the training that he is hoping will help them but we are dealing with 18 and 19 year olds.

Friday we Skyped with Kirsten and Taylor and Kyle for Taylor's birthday that was on Wednesday.  It was good to talk to them.  Kirsten is working hard to maintain her apartment and keep things going for the family.  She planned a party for Taylor on Saturday.  Taylor had fun showing us her presents from us and the family.  She is really taking on a little girl look rather than a toddler look.  Kyle is doing well in school this year.  He is still going to Nuames Charter School.  It was fun talking to him.  We are praying that he will get a testimony that will help him want to go on a mission as this is his senior year.

Because we couldn't go to the Raingutter Regatta on Friday we had a nice dinner at home and then watched a marathon Bones for a while.  It was a fun relaxing night and we had a good time being indoors because it was raining and there was a flash flood warning out.

Saturday we slept in again.  We went to the office for a while because I had mistakenly left my church phone there and needed to get it.  While we were there I took Larry to get a truck that he had taken to Benson Motors for repair and then we came home bay way of Wal-mart.  In the afternoon we watched Bones while working on our bills and budget and finally found out how Bones and Booth got pregnant and had their baby.  Saturday it rained again and so we were happy to be indoors as well on that evening as there were two different flash flood warnings that night and a lot of thunder and lightning.  But there was a lot of water with the storm which is needed.

Nathan at Applebee's

The week before on the 10th of November started out busy also. Nathan always schedules his therapy on Mondays or Fridays and I think he had a therapy that day.

 On Veteran's Day we worked but then went to counseling with Nathan.  After counseling we went to Applebee's for the free dinner they were offering the Veterans.  Nathan was somewhat mad at me as we went in but he seemed to soften as we ate dinner and it was a fun night for all of us. 

Larry at Applebee's

Zone trainings started on the 13th and so we were supposed to go to that but Nathan had an appointment with the lawyer and so I told him I would take him.  He had been up and down all week about whether he was mad at me or not and it got cold that week and so I asked him if he needed a jacket to take.  I couldn't hear what he said so I asked him again and he said he wanted a hoodie.  There was one on the floor in his room so I asked him if he wanted that one and he got mad.  He seems to get upset if I ask him something more than once to clarify it.  I didn't leave him then because he needed to go to the lawyer but when we got there he said that I could not go in because he was still mad.  I had been told in counseling that I needed to let him know when he crossed the line so I thought about if for a few minutes and determined that I would leave him there to find his own way home-which he can do.  So I told him that I would be leaving then if I could not come in.  I took the van back to the apartment and texted him that he would have to find his own way home and called Larry and went to the zone training for San Antonio East Zone that went well despite the quick turn of events.  Nathan rode home in his wheelchair, even thought there were other ways he could have got home, just to prove to me how stubborn he could be and he finally got home 4 hours later.  I told him I was proud of him and that I loved him and did not mention him being mad or get defensive.  I was nice and he talked to me in a civil tone for the rest of the week.

Thursday we had another zone training.  This one was at San Antonio North Zone so it was only about 20 minutes away at the Stone Oak Chapel which is close to the temples here.  Larry showed a video of Elder Holland stressing the importance of Safety in cars and on the bicycles and then he showed them a video about a boy that was injured on a bike when a car hit him.  He suffered severe spinal cord injuries and head injuries  and had to recover from that much the same as Nathan has.  I talked to them on the importance of updating referrals in the system and passed out handouts on the referrals they had in their area in the system that were not updated and we also talked about how to fill out the Baptism and Confirmation Certificates as we have several mistakes that are made each week.  We finished there and then came home and got lunch for Nathan.

After lunch we took Nathan to the office and then went to Isaac's school that evening for a special program for the Veterans that Isaac's class put on.  I taped the whole thing and will try to upload it but the file may be too large.  Isaac had a part in it and did a good job.  We ate several snacks at the program that the school was selling as a fund raiser and then after the program we took the kids to dinner at the Jack in the Box around the corner from the school.  It was still cold outside and they had something broken on their air conditioning system and it was so cold in there I thought I was going to freeze and break even with my winter coat on.  I was so glad to get out of there and I called and registered a complaint to the management.

Friday we were supposed to go to Kyle Zone but I had a hair appointment and Larry had some people coming to the office wanting to buy one of the cars so we sent the information with the Assistants to the President.

I went in thinking that I needed a perm in my hair again but the lady I have do my hair, Mary George convinced me that the curl in my hair is natural and that it is just curlier in San Antonio so I didn't get my permanent but I did get it cut and my eyebrows waxed.  I don't know what she did but she slightly burned my eye lids by the brow so it was stinging for a few days.

Saturday we did not have kids so I slept in until about 9:00 a.m. and then I just watched bones all day while I put in referrals on the computer and worked on the bills.  It was a much needed day.  Larry was a little more ambitious than me.  He went grocery shopping and took Nathan somewhere.

Sunday was church and then we started all over again.

November 9th and before

I just realized that this would have been my Dad's 93rd birthday.  Happy Birthday Dad!!

Larry and Sammy enjoying some food at the Carnival

We have had the kids all weekend and did several fun things. Friday night was Isaac and Sammy's school carnival and we went to that with them and spent the evening doing all kinds of activities for them to charge money so that they could raise money but it was fun.  Nathan didn't want to eat at the carnival so we went to Pizza Hut after and had Pizza.

Sammy, Isaac and David waiting to leave

Saturday we went to the Alamo area and as we got there they were having a Veterans Day Parade so we watched that for a while.  Larry wanted to watch that and so we were watching but David was having attitude and not wanting to watch.  I explained to him that grandpa had gone to Vietnam and was a veteran so that is why he wanted to watch and it completely changed his attitude.  He said, "Grandpa went to Viet Nam?" with a tone in his voice of amazement and his attitude changed and he began watching the parade and not complaining.

Picture of the crowd at the carnival

We had gone to the area to go to Ripleys Believe it or not so after awhile we went in there.  It was really fun for the boys and we got some fun pictures but Maggie whined and cried through the whole thing and insisted that I hold her hand and asked for her mother.  I had forgotten to take a pain pill that I have to take at about 2:00 p.m. and between her crying and me hurting it was not the fun experience I had expected but the boys loved it.

Opening banner for the parade

One of the floats in the parade

They also have a wax museum and a 4D movie theater in conjunction with it so Nathan decided to buy the triple combination tickets.  We went to the museum and theater after.  They had snack outside like a movie so we bought some snacks for everyone and it cost as much as the dinner the night before but it tasted good and gave us a chance to relax.  The wax museum was not very good.  Many of the statues of the celebrities did not really look like them and the wigs were very cheap but it was fun to walk through.  The movies were very fun and were like being in your own video game so the kids all loved it.  We even got wet in a few places.  Maggie and Sammy were both wanting to go back there today.

We then walked through the Alamo which was more crowded than when I have been there before.  I assume with the Veterans Day activities that was why.  They also have an antique gun show there for 6 months and so that was a drawing card also.  We didn't stay in the line to see everything but we walked around some for the kids and bought some Fudge in the gift shop and then went home.

Isaac, David, Sammy, Nathan and Maggie

David and Isaac inside a huge tire inside Ripley's

On the way home we stopped and bought Maggie some play clothes at Walmart as she has one outfit that was dirty and then we ate at the Subway there.   By this time I was so tired and hurting it was all I could do to be nice.  I also had a sore tongue that I received when Maggie and I moved at the same time and she came up under my chin and I bit my tongue and she got her head whacked.  Sleep was very welcome when we got home.

Today we got up at 6:00 a.m. and were still late for church.  But we got everyone ready.  For some reason perhaps because I had prayed that we would have the spirit at church I didn't hurt and I actually felt like participating a lot.  We had lessons on Hastening the work in Sacrament meeting and finding and developing our talents in Sunday School and teaching our children both temporal and spiritual responsibility today.

June sitting on a couch that made a Moose above talk telling you not to sit on the couch

This afternoon we worked with Isaac on his faith badge for scouts and he learned about the Prophet Joseph Smith and then taught about him in Family Home Evening.  We had junk food meals mostly with hotdogs and pizza leftovers with the trimmings because that is what the kids will eat and we have not been fighting that for a while because it is less work for me.

Sammy the Astronaut

Nathan ran into his toilet on Thursday night and when we woke up on Friday it was leaking.  We called and they came and stopped the leaking. but put a note on the toilet that it could not be fixed for a while.  He tried to use ours and without a bar and no one at home it took him an hour and a half to get back up so we called and they could not fix it until Monday because they basically have to get a new toilet so they came and switched our toilets so we have the broken one in our bathroom.  So it has been a joke this last weekend with four kids and three adults and one toilet so we have had to run to the community center more than once because someone else was on the toilet and Nathan does not go quickly.

Maggie the astronaut

Maggie with Lady Gaga

Larry with Beyonce

This past week was Mission Leaders Conference which is always the first week in the month.  It is usually on a Friday but it had to be on Thursday this month because of scheduling problems.  I have a huge order that I have to get out of supplies for MLC and it basically takes me most of the week to get it together after the orders come in.  On top of everything else I ended up with a cold this week.  It wasn't to bad on Monday I just had a sore throat but Tuesday and Wednesday I was aching but it is hard for me to tell when I am aching from something short term and when it is my Fibromyalgia flaring up. Larry gave me a blessing and I tried to take my pills and deal with it but I was not feeling well and then on Tuesday and Wednesday  nights we also had the kids and various activities and I felt like on Wednesday night that I wanted to give up but luckily the Moving Elders came in and helped me put together the rest of the order on  Thursday morning and I went home and went to bed on Thursday afternoon for the rest of the afternoon.  Because Larry wasn't feeling well either I got up and we both went to Bingo night but I was not feeling well.  That night in my prayers I was almost ready to give up on trying to take the boys to scouts and help Brother Smith on Wednesdays but after praying to God for help I was able to sleep in the morning on Friday morning and work in the afternoon and by afternoon I was feeling better and have felt good since except when I forgot my pills on Saturday.  I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me to feel good so quickly.

June with Sister Sailsbury at the farewell luncheon.  Another favorite

The week before was transfers and was a busy week also.  Although I didn't have a lot of work to do until the transfers were over and all of a sudden I was hit with and avalanche of Baptism records and referrals and then I also had to do MLC orders so it felt like it was either feast or famine in work.

President Slaughter's son Joseph slipping into the picture of the Sister returning

We had the kids for Halloween and last weekend also because when there is a Fifth Saturday then we get the kids for two weeks in a row.  It was crazy trying to trick or treat in the apartments as no one was home so we went to a neighborhood behind the apartments and things were good there.  The street seemed to be more affluent homes and most of the people were waiting our side sitting in chairs for the trick or treaters.  At the street ended in a cul-de-sac the people there had set up a carnival for people but it was more for older children.  They didn't have many treats but they sure had variety of scary looking people under their big top and they had a fortune teller giving away treats.  Unfortunately I forgot my phone when we left to go so I have no pictures to tell the story.

I have lots of pictures of the last two or three weeks and so I will post those with a caption about them as the rest of the blog to get caught up.  After I finished the last blog when we got to John and Judy's we went to Fredricksburg to see the Museum of the Pacific War that is there because Admiral Nimitz grew up in Fredricksburg, Texas

John Trolinger, Judy Trolinger, Larry, June at the Museum of the Pacific War

Judy and John by the plaques that they donated to the museum wall for the ship that John worked on

A closer view of the plague for the USS Okanagan

The ship my dad was on in World 

War II

Sister Presser with Sister Morrell another favorite

Sister Medina one of the Sisters in the Wooklake ward going home

Elder Baker and Elder Lundstrom two of the traveling Assistants with us

Elder Presser, Elder White from Fruit Heights Utah just coming in and Sister Presser

Larry and I took the kids to Government Canyon State Park Hiking on November 1st  Nathan was at a Class

The kids with their finger puppets we bought at Government Canyon

The missionaries at the last Senior Missionary dinner on Nov 3, 2014 at Out Back Steak House

Maggie, Isaac, Sammy and David across from the Alamo

Isaac, Maggie, David, Larry, Sammy, and Nathan at the Alamo

Maggie in some new clothes that Nathan bought for her.

October 24th and before

Elder Presser, Sister Presser, Sister Jackson, Sister Breakall, Sister Williams, Elder Williams

We are on our way out of town tonight headed for Kerrville for the weekend to see Judy and John.  Nathan was nice enough to let me get someone to help him get to Pack Meeting tonight and to church on Sunday.  He has proven that he can travel long distances but there are a few things he still needs help with.

Sister Jordan Clark from Georgia one of my favorite STLLs

Nathan has been exhausted since he came back.  He complains all the time about being very tired.  He is still doing his routine but he has a cold or something with a sore throat and he had a few nights where he had aches and sweating.  But I think he feels good about his accomplishment.

Maggie and Isaac at the WW playground

This week has been relatively slow at the office.  I was actually able to get all my work done each day without much trouble.  Today all I had to do was to put in a few referrals and type in about 4 baptisms of the 14 that came in this week.   Larry took our car to get the oil changed and the tires rotated in the morning and got a car wash.  In the afternoon he had to go get license plates for the 4 new Nissan Frontier trucks that he just got this month.  We also went shopping for some food at lunch time and went home to feed Nathan.

Nathan had therapy at the VA today.  They forgot to pick him up at 8:00 a.m. like they were supposed to so I don’t know if he made it on time or not.  He was home sorting out paperwork all over the dining room table when we arrived with the food at lunch time.  I guess he worked on that some more in the afternoon because he had several pieces gone off the table just now when we went by to pick up the stuff to take to Kerrville.  He was going to Pack Meeting tonight to support them because he is Pack Committee Chairman and Isaac should be getting his awards for Day camp if Sara gets him there.  The Fourth Friday is Sara’s so it is up to her to get him to Pack meeting.

Isaac capturing the lion that swallowed Sammy

Yesterday we arose early and went to the San Antonio East Stake Chapel and participated in a Zone conference with Elder James Hamula one of the First Quorum of the Seventy.  It was a very enlightening day.  We fasted for 24 hours on the weekend into Sunday and he had us read several scriptures before he came so that we might be prepared.  Sister Slaughter and President Slaughter spoke as well and Sister Hamula spoke also.  Sister Hamula spoke on not being afraid to open our mouths about the gospel and talked about just talking to everyone you see and getting to know them enough so that you could get a referral.  Elder Hamula spoke on how to invite revelation into our lives.  He said that there is a five step process:

1.       Ask and it shall be given you…seek and you shall find...Knock and it shall be opened to you.  You cannot teach what you are not living.  He quoted from D&C 50 to back this up.  If you are living what you teach it will be confirmed by the spirit.  You do not control Heaven.

2.       You must sincerely desire to have the spirit.  He quoted D&C 11:8, 17 to emphasize that we must desire that which we ask for.

3.       You have to be committed to act on what you believe.  He quoted Joseph Smith History1:10, 18 and pointed out that Joseph Smith was determined to do what God asked him to do when he prayed to know what church was right.

4.       You need to learn to listen to learn.  Listen, watch, observe and create quiet in your life so you can hear the voice in the silence.

5.       Know how the spirit answers.  Answers come in the scriptures, through the voice of his servants, directly through the spirit.  He quoted Helaman 5:30, and Moses 5:4.  It comes as a voice crying in the wilderness, a still small voice that pierces your very soul, it is a voice from afar off that we probably will not see.

Sammy and Maggie on the lion

He concluded that section by saying Call, Ask, Seek, Listen and Hear and quoted from 1 Nephi 8 where Lehi is ask to follow the Angel but he did not receive an answer to his prayer until he ask.  It was a wonderful zone conference.

Thursday evening we went to Bingo night with the kids.  It was disappointing because no one won but we had a good time minus a little whining about food and wanting to go to the playground before it was time.  For the first time we noticed how much darker it was getting in the evening.  We only had time to play for a few minutes before it was too dark to see.

Maggie and Isaac making Haunted Houses on Sunday the 18th

Wednesday we spent the day trying to get everything done that needed to be done so that we would be free to go and see Elder Hamula. Sister Breakall and Sister Jackson came in the office and we got some pictures of them with us and Williams’ before Sister Breakall leaves on the 29^th. . They are the Sister Trainer Leaders, Leaders so they are like the Assistants to the President for the Sisters.

David's Haunted House complete with pumpkin fountain

In the evening Larry and I went to take David to scouts and help Brother and Sister Smith with his Family History.  We were able to get him an LDS Account so that he could go on Family Search.org.  Isaac didn’t go because he had pack meeting on Friday this week.

Sammy's Haunted House with a skeleton out front

Tuesday we worked all day again but not necessarily in the office.  Larry has had a lot of new cars coming in this week so he has had to pick those up and he is getting licenses and registrations for them and getting them out to different areas.  Tuesday he was going to go to Carrizio Springs, Texas to deliver a truck and wanted me to go with him  and he decided to have the Elders come in to pick it up because we had so many things to do.

Tuesday I also had to take Nathan to the lawyer for a meeting on the papers that have been drafted and to have those read and explained to us.  Sara’s lawyer has been slow in drafting the papers that he was supposed to draft so Nathan has had his lawyer draft them so that he can get the divorce over with and move on. 

Maggie's Haunted House with a chocolate chip walk

Isaac's house with a tongue door and fire pit in back

Tuesday evening we went to a counselor at LDS Social Services.  Nathan has been so rude to me for the past 6 months that I had to have some advice on how to handle it.  He will scream at me about being stupid when I don’t know how to do something he wants help with and he does not want to talk to me about certain things that I think are fundamental to being able to live together but he wants our help.  Nathan was still mad so most of the time he just sat there and when asked what he felt the problem was he just said he didn’t think we had a problem.  I was dumbfounded. I am hoping for find out what is the stoke and what he can control.

Monday was a regular day at the office I think.

Sammy Angry bird and Maggie Mulan

The week before was relatively calm with Nathan gone until Thursday.  We even had time to watch “Bones” on Netflix but I probably should have been writing the blog but I was so tired and hungry when I got home we just ate and watched TV for an hour and went to bed.

Sammy and Isaac on the end at costume judging

Wednesday night I went by myself to get the boys and take them to Scouts. We got there late because Sara had a drama club meeting and could not get home until 6:30 p.m.  When we got there we found out that Isaac’s Scout leader had posted on Facebook in the Woodlake chat that she was sick and would not be having scouts.  David went to mutual and his scouts and then we found the wolves for Isaac to meet with for a while.  Meanwhile even though I had called and asked about getting the Family History Center open no one had opened it.  I tried to call several people and could not get a hold of any one that would have a key and so I called Brother Smith who was not there yet and told him that we would just have to skip a week. 

Teen costumes with David as the pumkin head in the green

Then Isaac and I waited for David to finish up.
Luckily I got the Bishop to call me as a Family History Consultant and they gave me a key later so I should not have that problem again.

David, Isaac, Sammy, Maggie and some strange boy who decide I wanted him in the picture

Nathan got home on the bus early on Thursday morning after a two day bus trip again.  He survived and proved he could do it but he was very tired.  We got some food to eat at Taco Cabana and then when he had finished eating we and put him to bed.  He slept all day and was still sleeping when I went home to get him so we  had to just take the kids out to eat that night because we were late for Bingo night.

Out to dinner with the kids when Nathan got back

Maggie dressed as Mulan and Nathan at the ward party

Friday Nathan was still quite tired.  He postponed his meeting with the lawyer, Miss Watson and went to the VA.  His control handle for the wheelchair was broken and he needed to get that fixed and he had an appointment with someone there.  Luckily he was able to get it fixed so it didn’t bother him for the weekend.  He was having a hard time controlling where the wheelchair went when it was broken.

Maggie and Sammy Trunk or Treating at the church

Saturday we went to Walmart and got some things with the kids.  They were excited to get costumes for Halloween.  We figured out that it was the Ward Halloween and Fall Festival Party and so the kids were able to wear their costumes there and were quite excited to do that.  Isaac had chosen a crazy skeleton costume that was supposed to look like a skeleton wearing a black robe with blood dripping through its bones and it did but it was very uncomfortable and the blood juice leaked from the costume and from the knife he chose to take with it.  So he had a frustrating evening with his costume but it was a fun evening for everyone and a good chance to have some fun now that Nathan was home.  They had a dinner and a Trunk or Treat in the church.

All in all it was a good two weeks but also very hectic and a departure from the status quo.