12 January 2025
VOLUME 13 – NUMBER 590
Mom/Grandma holding Ava
I really like our family tradition of going to the temple every week. It just helps me not worry about things in life. When I am there I can just feel calm, and It is a really good feeling.
School also started, so I am trying to get ahead. I am taking six classes, and they are pretty easy, so I am grateful for that.
Yaretzie also had a basketball game and it was really fun to go to the game and watch her play.
Itzel at Yaretzie’s basketball game
On Monday, my boss invited me over to his house to help me get a screw unstuck from my license plate hole. We got it out, and started putting another in, and it snapped. So we got that out and drilled through the other side and broke that one off.
So the third try was the charm…except it wasn’t. We broke a third one off before we gave up. He was so kind to take the time to help me, and I even got to join him and his family for dinner.
On Wednesday I went on a date with Amy’s niece (on Keith’s side of the family). We went to the musical, “Ragtime.” It was actually really good. It’s kind of sad, but has some good messages. It was really fun!
Joanna on playground with London
I finished the final thing that I need to receive my mission call! I went in and had a mission assessment, and everything went smoothly. They told me that I should expect to receive my call in one to three weeks!
We also went to Yaretzie’s basketball game this week. It was at Copper Hills, so it was close by. It was cool to see her play. Unfortunately they lost, but they still put out a great effort.
Yaretzie’s basketball team picture
This week I have been trying to get ahead for the California trip next week. Most of my classes are ahead, and I am so happy that I only have three classes this year. I'm so excited that I only have one semester left. I just want to finish quick.
I also had winter formal on Saturday. Riley and I went to get lunch and ate some Marco's Pizza. We ate at his house and watched a movie called Labyrinth. I haven't seen that movie since I was at Darby's. We both really enjoyed it and we watched it with some of his family.
After the movie, we went to Swig and picked up Monte. After that, we went to Walmart and got stuff for brownies. Then we got ready and went to the dance, which was fun. Riley and I only have a few more school dances, so we want to make every dance we go to even more fun.
Brigham and Sophia eating
I’ve been listening to a book series recently while working called The Stormlight Archive. It’s so good! There are five books in the series, and each book is more than 50 hours of reading time, so it keeps me busy for a couple weeks.
I also bought the physical books to read when I don’t listen to them. I prefer to read a physical copy instead of listening, but I do still enjoy listening. I am currently on the second book, and I love it! I am trying to convince Dad to start reading them.
Sleeping Israel eating
This week we got rec center passes and took Owen swimming a lot. He loves it! He crawls around splashing and squeals with delight when he goes down the slide.
The second half of the week was rough. Cougar started classes and switched shifts at work, so he had to work extra for a couple days and was busier than usual.
Owen and his birthday decorations
Then on Wednesday, I was eating dinner and got some food stuck in my throat. This has been a bit of a problem for a few years now, and I usually am able to go to the bathroom and get the food unstuck. This time it wouldn’t budge.
Luckily it was stuck past my wind pipe so I could still breathe but I called the paramedics after I tried moving it for about 15 minutes, they told me to go into the hospital and in the ER they sent me up for an endoscopy where they were able to clear it all out.
Anesthesia is risky when pregnant so they had to be really careful and checked on the baby after the procedure and everything looked good. I’m so grateful that they could help, and that everything turned out great. The next couple days my throat and chest still hurt pretty bad but now I’m feeling back to normal.
Kai sleeping at Owen’s party
School started back up this week, so to kick things off, I decided to get really far ahead, so I could finish early this semester. Being able to finish early this semester will be really nice. I won't have to stress about anything school related for a few months.
Finishing early will also give me way more time in my day to do things like scripture study, playing basketball outside, reading, or studying for my drivers permit. Like I said, it would be really nice to finish this semester early.
Mom teaching children at scripture study
School has started! I am a bit excited, but also a bit upset. I don't want to start school yet, but it is here.
Like always, I have math, science, and language arts, and I also have college career awareness (CCA), and exploratory arts. Veidi told me that I would like CCA, but I don't think I will. I also don’t think I will like exploratory arts, because I am very bad at drawing.
I also added PE, because I will be doing a lot of walking for my dog job. I have started really good, and I have got ahead. I hope to keep it that way, because most of my day will be doing my doggie duties for MyPack.
London playing games with kiddos
Gloria thought it would be a fun idea to go on a double date, and we finally made it happen this week. She and Riley joined me and Keaton at the climbing gym for some bouldering first and then we went to Keaton’s house to make dinner.
After dinner we also had boba (chewy balls made from tapioca starch) that Keaton and I had made earlier. It was Riley’s first time trying it, and I’m not sure we convinced him it was actually good, so he might need to try it again another time.
It was was fun to be able to spend some time with Gloria and Riley!
Ellie resting
The movie Mufasa was so fun to watch at Cinemark with Joanna, Quinn, and Troy. On the way there, we listened and danced to some groovy music in the car, and stopped at Walmart to stock up on some movie candy to smuggle in.
Quinn ended up looking like a little hunchback with his candy smashed into his hood then his hood tucked into his jacket. Luckily, he was smooth about it and kept his back from the ticket checker the entire time.
I look forward to all my new classes this semester. The homework seems so much more manageable. I'm now realizing now how much work American Heritage and Physical Science actually were last semester.
Misha and Mabel sleeping
My family processes class talks about the importance of family, its implications on society and individuals, and things to do to have a more unified and happier family.
Interior design is so interesting. I've wanted to buy myself a desk lamp for a while now, but after taking this class I decided that next time I see one that I like, I'll buy it.
Psychology is a harder class because the professor tends to talk a ton and it's never really clear exactly what he's talking about, but I do understand better what psychology includes. As far as I understand, it's the science of understanding why people are the way they are. I'm sure I'll learn more about it.
Mom with four grandbabies
Taking psychology at BYU is a privilege, because as I understand, most of the world believes that we are the way we are due to a bunch of outside forces which just happen to shape us into our personalities. Learning about psychology with the understanding of our pre-mortal existence and agency gives everything so much more meaning.
I'm excited to absorb everything I can from my religion class, which is called Christ and His Everlasting Gospel. I love reading scriptures, feeling the spirit, and deepening my understanding of the gospel, scriptures, and Christ. I need to do some service hours as an assignment for this class this year, so I've been looking at being a mentor for kids in Mexico.
Natalie playing with kiddos
During the last week of Christmas break, I was so happy to discover the boys super cleaning the basement bathroom all by themselves! I think Ashton and Caleb were at the bottom of the project, and they all did an amazing job.
However, as they were showing off the new-and-improved bathroom, I noticed that the towel rack was coming out of its mount, and the wall underneath it has needed to be repaired for years. Since I was also doing some repair and painting work in the Bunkhouse, I decided to add my own little bathroom project to theirs. Now the basement bathroom, or Death Star as we like to call it, looks better than ever! Thank you, boys!
My other home improvement project was the removal of the basketball hoop from the Bunkhouse, and patching and painting of the wall where it used to be. I’m doing this to polish up the half of the Bunkhouse that I call the “studio”—where we are going to start filming Mom’s MyPack instructional videos. Now the Bunkhouse looks better than ever as well!
Refreshed basement bathroom