Not much going on

Helloooooo Michael!

It was so fun to read your letter and see your pictures for the week. Your dad and I think your selfies make your arm look like Inspector Gadget. You probably don’t even know who that is lol.  The hike you took looked beautiful, and I love seeing what the city and neighborhood look like.  Hope your talk went well today! Have you heard from Elder Bell? Hopefully he’s doing alright. If you have any ideas for things you might like for Christmas, now would be a great time to let me know! I hope you can find some ways to get outside this week. I think it would be good for you to even just go walk around the block in between appointments, or eat your lunch outside.

This week’s news:

1. Tate and I have been sick. We are both on the tail end of it, but I've been trying to take it easy this week, and mostly working on boring to-do items. I organized the hall closet, game closet, and started working on your bedroom.  Sheesh.  Found 3 packs of my gum in your bin, so I figured out who has been sneaking it. Also, were you planning to save it for two years? Haha. I also found like 10 spools of my thread. Got my vacuum fixed. I got the carpet cleaner out to do several areas, including toothpaste that got tracked all the way down the hall and all over Ty’s bedroom.  You boys are animals. I got new glass cut for several broken picture frames including the huge Jordan jersey.  The lady cut it the wrong size and I had to go back and it was super inconvenient. But I was nice to her her about it, so I earned some life points there. Tate and I planted tulips in the front yard to come up in the spring. I took him to get his haircut fixed, and I think it might actually be worse than when she started.  At least it's not hanging in his eyes anymore. I cut up an enormous blue squash (Hubbard?) that Nana grew in her garden and made it for dinner. It was delicious. You would have hated it. I decided I’ll be cooking Thanksgiving dinner again this year, so I’m doing some research on how to cook the turkey again. I think I’m going to do a side-by-side comparison between wet brine and dry brine. Also I’m going to attempt something called a spatchcock. Stay tuned. Very exciting stuff.

2. Rob and Leisja moved out of their house and into Grandma and Grandpa’s basement yesterday. Dad and the boys went over to help in the morning. Ethan was an absolute wreck all day because he stayed up late the night before and didn’t know he’d have to be up early.  Poor kid got sent to bed at 8:00 last night. He started reading Hunger Games today and is at least half way through. He reminds me of you sometimes.

3. Ethan did not have a good showing at the Turkey Trot last weekend.  He’s had a rough fall season, and got cut from the Freeze this week. He’s very disappointed. We are hoping there might be a spot for him on another freeze team that is a little less competitive. We’ll see how it shakes out. Dad was very nice to the coach when he called. Earned some life points.

4. Jett had his first indoor soccer game yesterday. He played goalie for a bit. Says he likes outdoor better. The game was just at his practice facility.  Not as big or nice as the place Ty used to play. He loves being part of a team.

5. Blake had his football banquet on Friday, but Dad and I missed it because we had plans with our friends Dan & Alisa and had already cancelled on them twice. Too bad. I would have liked to go.  Blake started working out at Matt Byrd’s gym this week. He’s with the younger kids because the high schoolers start at 2:30 when he’s still in school. I think he was kinda nervous, but so far the workouts haven’t been too intense. I’m confused by that. Not what I expected.

6. Tate is in the thick the terrible threes.  He’s so hard right now. It’s like he’s developed Oppositional Defiance Disorder or something. Just wants to oppose everything. Sigh.  This is just a phase. This is just a phase. Breathe.

7. Ty has had a huge fiasco trying to get his ski bindings ordered. I guess he put his phone number into the address spot on his order form. He was upset because he wanted to ski this week and he can’t get his bindings on in time. But there’s no snow and the resorts aren’t opening anyway.

8. Covid vaccine boosters are available for anyone 18+! I can’t remember when you got your shot? If it has been at least 6 months, you should see if you can get your booster. Dad is getting his tomorrow, and Jett and Ethan are getting their 2nd shots on Wednesday. Burton Elementary had 70 cases last week! There’s lots of covid going around the ward. So naturally they thought it would be a great idea to have the entire primary cram onto the stand and sing for the primary program today. I swear I’m living in the upside down. Everyone on my twitter feed is either sick from breakthrough infections that their kids brought home from school, or they are sick from getting their booster shots this weekend.  SMH.

9. This week the House of Representatives passed the president’s Build Back Better legislation.  It’s a big deal. I have no idea if the Senate will be able to pass it into law. There’s lots of legislative drama coming down there pike over the next two months with the holidays and debt ceiling deadlines. Kamala Harris became the first woman and person of color to assume presidential authority while Biden had his colonoscopy this week. Steve Bannon was charged and arrested for Contempt of Court, but is out on bail of course. Kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty in the shooting deaths of two people. He will face no legal consequences, and there is something seriously wrong with our laws if his behavior was 100% legal. Utah Parents United will not stop at removing CRT and Social Emotional Learning from our classrooms. They now want to purge the school libraries. Stay tuned. Next thing we know, they will be burning books on the capitol steps. Sigh.

10. How could I forget to mention that Collin Chandler has signed with BYU?! I’m sure your Dad told you all about it last week. 

2 Nephi 22: What am I grateful for? Your Dad. My kids. My family, friends, and loved ones. My testimony. My education. My good health. Economic stability and a beautiful home. Technology. Clean water and good food. Audiobooks.

Ethan and Ty are fighting over what kind of cookie dough to make. Ty wants Monster cookies because Brook found out she has Celiac disease and needs gluten free. Jett is moping because he wants to bake cookies too. Blake is having a meltdown about washing dishes. Tate has mercifully gone to bed. Pray for us. 

Love, Mom