June/July

Holy Cow!  Definitely the biggest challenge I have is follow through! Here we are in mid-July!

I went to the temple this week to seek some peace and balance in my life.  I love my life.  I have a great one!  My husband is loyal, loving and wonderful, and my children are righteous, active and amazing.  We are in a light-speed pace stage of life and my soul craves balance and peace.  Once again, I have found myself drifting from my goals and I went asking the Lord for help.  The answer that came to me:  If I want to be successful and master the art of follow through... I must return and report.  This is what this blog was created to be.  I am yet again, giving it a go.  My dear children, as you read this and roll your eyes that your mom is declaring once again, "I'm serious this time!" I chuckle along with you-- but don't forget the important lesson here:  I keep getting up and trying.  And that is something I should give myself some credit for as I move forward again.

A refresher of my goals this year and a report:

Yearly:
*Family Vacation:  I am going to start trying to plan a trip for a Disney Cruise this Fall for Tyler's 40th.

*2 family service projects: I have been in touch with Tyler's uncle to offer some of our help to do yard work.  I need to follow up and make sure it happens.

*Christmas Cards: It's about that time I need to schedule family pictures.  I will ask Tyler's sister to help me with that.


Monthly:
Date w/Tyler- Went yesterday!  Met up with the Edvik's, Hills, and Rays.  Always good company.  We ate at the Porch in Daybreak.  Expensive and not that great.  But oh, what fun conversations!!

VT- Just got my route in this new ward.  My companion introduced herself today and we have plans to go in 2 weeks.

Temple- I went on Friday.  Now that I live in Utah this will be a weekly goal.

Non Fiction Book- Yikes,, have been bad about reading books, BUT I have discovered a blog that reads like a book.  It's called The Moments We Stand.  Story about a woman who's husband was murdered.  The same night she learned her husband was killed was when she was told that he was having an affair, and it was the other husband who shot hers dead.  Terribly sad, but her mission is to share her story with the world and she speaks of Christ's atonement in every post.

Budget Review- Terrible.  We have not looked at our budget.  In fact, we need to make a new budget for our new life here.


Weekly:
Journal- Here I am :)

Prep pictures for photobook- Way behind.

FHE- We have been hit or miss with summer.  I am determined to put an end to that.

TED TALK- Way out of touch... this week!

Budget/Bills- Paid bills, but I do need to get that budget done!

Menu- Probably the thing I am most faithful in doing.  I do feed my family :)

Daily Essentials:

Scriptures/Calling- I am doing ok.  This week I read more of that blog, and it stole some of my scripture time away.  I will be more mindful of that this week

Exercise- 2 days this week.

Eat Clean- Getting better.  Still need to commit to the full program.

Highlights of June/July:

*My birthday.  My sweet friend, Cara, took me to lunch at Zupa's.
*BBQ's and Family Gatherings: We are having these all the time and we are usually the hosts.  It is a great feeling to have everyone over and to be reminded of why the Lord blessed us with this house.

*Cousin Temple Trip: Todd's family was coming in town, which meant that all of the Mons cousins would be here together.  We kept trying to plan something fun for all of them to do together.  My primary goal/concern was really giving the kids an opportunity to get to know each other.  We've lived away for so long and the older cousins are now teenagers.  They have been all a little quick to judge and make assumptions about each other and I've been very concerned that they wouldn't bond and enjoy the blessings of cousin-hood, if you will.  The spirit placed an idea in my mind to have a temple road trip with the cousins.  We all agreed to move forward and together we planned.  Logan went for several hours to the geneology library to try to find more names.  I engaged the help of Uncle George Mons to get some names as well.  I really wanted the kids to have at least 1 family name from the Mons side to do together.

On July 2, 2015, we (Ethan, Daniel, Logan, Ellie, and Tanner) met at the Brigham City temple at 8:00 am.   We did baptisms there and headed to the Ogden temple.  After that temple we (Jessica and I) took the kids to The Pie there in Ogden for lunch.  Then we headed to the Bountiful temple where Kari met up with us . We did baptisms there and then took the kids to the cafeteria to get a treat. From the Bountiful temple, we headed to the Jordan River Temple.  I had saved the family names and pictures (provided by Uncle George) for this temple.  This was the temple that Tyler's dad, so these kids' grandpa, returned to full activity and covenants with God before he passed away.  We went to the waiting room where I shared the stories of the people we were doing the work for and I reminded the kids that this was the place their Grandpa came right before he died.  Each kid had a Mons ancestor card in their hands as they headed to the baptism font.  Kari, Jessica and I also dressed to be baptized for a family name.  Tyler met us there and baptized all of us.  What a special, special day.  And guess what?  The bonding I had been praying for began and continues.  Some times we think we need to impress and wow our children to make an impact in their lives.  How wonderful to take these worthy cousins to spend time together doing such sacred work.  The sociality and fun came with that.  They prank called, told each other stories, laughed, created inside jokes and memories.  It was a beautiful sight.

After the Jordan River Temple, they headed to Grandma Mons' house where she had dinner prepared.  Heather and written out some questions for the kids to ask her and Grandpa Chris and we got to learn more about them.  Then she started to tell stories about the cousin's parents, her own children.  They LOVED that.

*4th of July- Wow.  What a weekend!  We headed to Logan on July 3 for a BBQ and Stadium of Fire at the USU stadium.  The kids had so, so SO much fun!  I love going to Logan.  It is my favorite place to go.  We went to see John and Paula's house there in Smithfield.  It is lovely.  They are so happy, and I am so very happy for them!  We went paddle boarding with Jason's family at First Dam then headed home for the BBQ.  Heather always does a great job hosting.  We all went to the Stadium of Fire and there was a concert, entertainment, amazing laser show, and incredible fireworks.  The next morning we went up the canyon for our traditional "breakfast in the mountains".  So good.  So beautiful.  We headed home to prepare for our party at home.  Our guests arrived around 6.  We had a BBQ with kiddie pool for the littles, a photo booth done by Mariah, S'mores at the fire pit, croquet, other yard games and lots of visiting with family.  We had 54 people here!!  I am so amazed by the home the Lord has blessed us with that enables us to host and love people.  I know my mission here in Utah is just to love our family here and others I come in contact.

*New calling- I have been called to co-teach the 14-15 year olds in Sunday school.  It turns out that my partner is Laura Richards Morrison, and she recognized me as a middle school friend.  I recognize her smile, but not much else.  It has been so fun to make that connection!

*Kids continue with basketball and scout camps.  Logan just participated in a Book of Mormon Journey that our stake puts on.  It sounded so spiritual and amazing.  He really enjoyed it.