30 March 2025
VOLUME 13 – NUMBER 601
Joanna watching visiting dog
This has been a pretty busy week, but me and Veidi were able to get double-dog days, which means that we move up twice every day if we get a perfect day. Dad does double-dog days when we have more than the usual number of dogs. These days are harder, but they get us closer to the top of the chart quicker.
If I get to the top first, I would win the “Top Dog” award and get a $20 bonus. right now Veidi and I are tied, but I hope to pull ahead.
We also did a deep cleaning of the backyard this week, because Mom wants to make sure we sanitize everything to make sure visiting dogs don’t get any sicknesses. Mom let me use the artificial grass buffer when we were scrubbing the grass. It has been a very busy week but a very fun week too!
London and Charlie watching Aura’s fish
School has been bad because I am getting behind. It is a lot of work having to work with the dogs, mostly puppies, because they require a lot of attention, or even just whiny dogs.
I have been trying to get caught up. It is a lot of work trying to balance everything out, but I am glad that most of my teachers are quick to respond and are pretty chill. They are also very understanding.
Veidi doing school while watching dogs
I don't think I've ever submitted an article about this before, but it's something I've worked really hard at over the last few years and wanted to share since it's been a big part of my life.
In 2021, I was feeling like I wanted to finally commit to being consistent in going to the gym. I had tried a few different times since being home from my mission but never made any progress sticking to it. I had always felt like I was pretty underweight and wanted to put on some size and increase strength.
Braden before and after
So from 2021 to the present day (3.5 years now), I've consistently been focused on lifting in the gym five days a week, and improving my nutrition. I've gained roughly 20 pounds of mostly muscle in that time, and it's something that I'm really proud of.
One important thing I've learned through this process is that true lasting change takes time and consistency (both physically and spiritually). You can't shortcut the process.
Changes in behavior from discipline and repetition over a long period of time is what is truly lasting and sustainable. This fitness journey I've been on the last 3.5 years has been that for me.
Ellie writing BYU
I wrote a few final papers this week! The good thing is now that they're done, finishing my classes for the year should not be a problem, but school and work summed to be about 110% of my week!.
Also, March Madness is in full swing! BYU got to the Sweet 16! I skipped some classes just to watch. It's been fun.
On Saturday we had our family temple trip, and we ended up getting food and eating at Braden and Brooke's. I had a little struggle getting horchata from Cafe Rio, but with a little persistence it all worked out. It turns out that because they make it with real rice, sometimes the dispenser spout gets clogged!
Ashton, Kai, and Monte playing chess
Some of the endowed people in the family do an endowment session once a month. Their plan is to have someone babysitting their kids during their session, which is usually be Isaac or me.
We would either be at someone's house babysitting their kids, or they bring their kids to us in West Jordan. Sometimes the house can be pretty chaotic, depending on whether or not the dog situation is manageable, but it's usually a pretty chill time babysitting the kids.
Monte working on BYU/mission stuff
This week wasn’t really too eventful. I scheduled my appointment to get my typhoid vaccination. Luckily that was my only needed vaccination to go to Mexico. I also hung out with Hazel again.
On Friday, we did go to the temple as a fam to attend an endowment session. I really enjoy going to the temple. The peace I feel there is truly unmatched.
While in the endowment, Braden pointed out a brother who was sitting in the front. He had a person sitting in front of him, holding his hands and moving them around. Braden then explained that the brother was blind and deaf.
It was incredibly inspiring to see someone who can’t see or hear, still sacrificing his time to do the Lord’s work. He has every right to say that it’s too difficult, and that there are others who can do the work, but he still does it. Just absolutely inspiring.
Uncle Monte holding Mattias and Ava
Sadly, BYU’s run in March Madness has come to an end. It was the most fun year of basketball for BYU that I can remember, and they made it further than we had in a LONG time, so I can’t complain at all.
Braden, Caleb, and I all watched it recorded because Caleb had work until late, so Caleb and I had to somehow make it out of Provo without seeing or hearing anything about the game. I sequestered myself in the MTC parking garage while Caleb finished his shift, and then we drove with white noise in our headphones until we got outside of Provo, just in case there were celebrations and things going on.
After we watched the recorded game, we realized why we made it out of town so easy, and that was because no one was celebrating. Still a fun memory!
Dad on errands with Quinn and Joanna
A new dog poop station came, and I was so excited to set it up, because now it will make my dog poop chore much easier. The little bags are right there, and there is a garbage can I can just throw them right into without having to take it to the big garbage in the front yard.
We couldn't set it up for a week, but then we finally set it up. Me, Joanna, and Troy were playing in the backyard while Mom and Dad set it up. It is so amazing!
Parents installing dog waste station
I think I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I have now been set apart as a temple worker in the Jordan River Temple, and Thursday morning was my first shift. I got up at 4:00am, got ready, and headed to the temple for a 5:20am prayer meeting before our 6:00am shift starts.
I was a little nervous, since so many things are kind of new (at least on the worker side of things), but we had a good trainer, and we mostly toured the temple and observed other temple workers.
I know you would probably guess this, but there really is a special spirit in the temple, and even though I had to get up early and was a little tired at times, it felt so good to be in the temple for that four-hour shift.
It was also nice spending time with the family in the Saratoga Springs Temple this Friday. We do miss all of you that weren’t there, and we hope to see all of you there soon!
Charlie watching Grandpa clean fish tank