Computer Silliness or Funny Children

I regularly get funny pictures from Brandt that he has created on the computer. These are actually filters on Zoom. I think the Paco-stach is a pretty good look.

Temple Trip

 

We had a reservation to do baptisms this morning at the City Center Temple. We had space for eight people to be baptized, but sadly, couldn't round up a sufficient number of people to fill our quota. We went anyway, taking Elizabeth and Zach Stovall along with us. 

It was wonderful to be there and to have everyone involved. Zach baptized Elizabeth then was baptized by Kent. It was the first chance Brandt had to baptize anyone, having only been made a priest in January, but he baptized both Kent and me. He baptized Kent first. He got the arm to the square part and the prayer just fine, but the first time he dipped Kent, he didn't put his hand on his back and help him back up. He just dunked Kent and left him there in the water. The kind temple worker gave him a bit more instruction and he continued. When Brandt had finished baptizing Kent, Kent baptized Brandt and then Brandt baptized me.

Immense joy fills my heart when I see the children growing spiritually. To be with Brandt in the temple, to be baptized by him and see him baptizing Kent, brought me to tears. I love being in the temple and I especially love being there with my children. I missed Blythe and wished so much she had chosen to join us. I am grateful for the peace that fills my heart when I am in God's house.

The Day After

The children have sore mouths. Everything hurts because of their braces and neither of them is eating much. Brandt keeps saying, "I can't eat that because of my braces," even if it is something he can totally eat even with his braces. This morning, he cut up his bagel with a knife and fork. They each got a backpack from the orthodontist's office with soft foods they could eat over the next couple of days and that's what Blythe has been eating. Mac-n-cheese, applesauce, pudding, and oatmeal. Brandt will eat none of that, leaving extra for Blythe. We hope the pain will pass quickly and they will be back to normal food consumption. 

 

Youth Soldier Hollow Tubing

The youth went tubing at Soldier Hollow this evening for their weekly activity. I did not get a picture of Brandt, but I did get this super cute picture of Elizabeth Stovall, Ellie Mason, Blythe, and Lizzie Jensen. Most of them look like they are having a good time.

Braces

Blythe has been desperate to get braces. For a couple of years, she has been asking me when it could happen. We have been to the orthodontist for pre-braces consultations, but the cost of braces has felt big and undoable. It is close to $5000 for one person to have orthodontic treatment, and we just haven't had that kind of excess cash lying around, even in the HSA. I was pleased to see that in qualifying for benefits with work, my dental coverage would pay for a portion of orthodontics treatment, then making the overall cost doable. Last month, we were finally able to get in to see the orthodontist and see if the kids were ready for braces. 

They were. 

Today was the day that Blythe and Brandt got their braces. Blythe is starting with only braces on her upper teeth, but Brandt got them top and bottom. Their mouths are sore and likely will be for several days. But Blythe is thrilled to be starting the process of straightening her teeth. It will be eighteen months to two years for the whole process, but at the end of everything, their mouths should look terrific. Kent purchased a Waterpik for the kids so they can easily and effectively clean their teeth. Here's to growth in all sorts of ways.

There was a picture of Blythe here with her teeth exposed, but she doesn't like it, 

asked me not to post it, and so it's not here.

Furry Houseguest

The Stovalls spent several days in Arizona for the funeral of Dakin's grandmother, and we got to have Emmet stay with us. I love Emmett! He is such a charming little dog, he's funny, and he loves me. I would like him to be our dog permanently, but the Stovalls seem reluctant to let him live with us all the time. They like him too, I guess. He will be with us for five days and we are happy to have him as our furry houseguest. The last time he stayed he wanted to sleep on our bed and it was the same this time. The first night he was here, he jumped up onto our bed as we were settling down. I put him in his bed, on the floor, and turned out the light. He tried to jump back on the bed, he scuttled around the bedroom, he whined. Then he slept on the bed. I encouraged him to join Blythe the following night, and he slept with her. 

It is a delight to have a happy, excited-to-see-you welcome at the end of a workday, and a soft companion next to you (or on you) as you watch TV or work on the computer. I think Emmet has convinced us we need to get a dog of our own.

Brandt took advantage of the dog being with us to make some YouTube content. It's a short video of Blythe scratching Emmet's ears. He wasn't going to upload it, but then decided, 'Why not?' It is his most watched video ever. Here is a link to the video and a funny text message exchange we had about it.

the video

Moving Up the Chart

 

Our Blythe just keeps moving up the leaderboard chart on Reedsy. She's now at #77! Go, Blythe, go! Keep writing!

Texts From Brandt

Brandt and I regularly exchange text messages.

Quite often, they make me laugh.

Here is a smattering of them.

He didn't.

 

I legitimately laughed out loud!

I was coming into Spicy Thai for dinner with Brandt, Blythe, and Kent

and Lee and Cammie.

When I began working, often the first thing Brandt would say to me when I got home was, 

"What's for dinner?"

No "Hello." No "Welcome home." No "I've missed you today."

One day I said, "It would be nice if, before you asked me what's for dinner, you said hello and

told me how much you love and appreciate me."

So now, every time Brandt wants to know what's for dinner, he always prefaces it with, 

"I love you and appreciate you" then immediately follows it up with "What's for dinner?"

  

Brandt went over to Guy and Mikayla's to play video games. 

He walked himself home.

He gave me a play-by-play, street-by-street update of his progress home.

Silly boy!

I'm glad likes me and is sad that I'm not home when he gets home from school.

End of Wendy and Peter Pan

Brandt has been working tech at school for Wendy and Peter Pan. Kent and I went to see it last week and were impressed by how well the students all performed. It was a sweet story and the acting was really good. Tonight was closing night and Brandt sent me this picture of him with his fellow techies. Here's to another great production!

Spoony, Emma, Lexie, Brandt, Deez, "actor" Abby who is normally stage manager, and Hadden

Vika and Mila Are Baptized

Kent, Brandt, and I attended the baptism of nieces/cousins Mila and Vika today. They are darling girls. We love them and wish we saw them more often. It was wonderful to be able to support them and show our love to them and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Galentine's Dinner

A couple of weeks ago, Mikayla asked me if I wanted to host a Galentine's dinner with her. Of course, I did. We put together a list of invitees, a menu, and then went to Mom's house for a bit of pre-party cleaning. With Mom gone, her house is quiet and largely clean all the time, which means that there wouldn't be anyone to interrupt, and we could be there as long as we wanted. 

We prepared tri-tip steak, Gruyere potatoes, green salad, and asparagus, with chocolate pavlova for dessert. We also did a favorite things exchange. Everyone brought three of their favorite things, then we took turns drawing names so we went home with three things. I brought chips and queso and decks of cards because one of my favorite things to do is play games while snacking on yummy food. 

The evening was a fantastic success! In attendance was Maureen Ogles, Heidi Tanner, Elizabeth Elder, Kathryn Seamons, Andrea Blad, Corene Jensen, and Mikayla and me. We talked and talked and talked and laughed about life, ate the delicious food, and then retired to the living room where we talked and talked some more. I don't think our final guests left until nearly 11:00pm. I was glad Mikayla suggested we do it as I had a great time.

Mikayla decorated

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

For months, Blythe has been working as a stage manager for the school production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. She has been quite delighted with the power that comes from being able to tell people where to go and what to do and has been a tremendous help to Ms. Brown, her theater teacher and the director of the show. She's been happy to be playing a part behind the scenes, rather than out front on the stage. We've heard how she's helped with lines, prop assembly, and getting actors to do what they need to do. Oddly, she's been very dramatic in these retellings, making us wonder why she chose to be off stage.

This week is finally performance week and we all went to the show this evening. There are two casts, Maroon and Tan, and Blythe told us we should absolutely NOT go see the Tan cast because they are really bad. Her friend Wren Palmer plays a lead role in the Tan cast, but even that doesn't make it worth going. Tonight was the Maroon cast, so we went. 

Although Blythe works backstage, we did see her several times. We saw her in the wings once or twice, when she pulled on a big piece of scenery, and at the end when she jumped out of the wings to take a "bow." Yay Blythe! It is fun to see the children have new experiences and we are delighted Blythe has had such a good time working on the show.

Blythe's friend April North who played Truly Scrumptious

At the beginning of the year, Blythe and April had three classes together. 

They determined they must be meant to be friends.

Now they are.

Blythe's backstage domain

 

Tooth Extraction

Blythe has been begging for braces for close to a year, and last week we went to see the orthodontist about when we could start. Blythe has had two remaining baby teeth that have not fallen out and he recommended that we get them pulled so the aligning could begin in earnest. One was marginally loose, but not really. As it costs $60 to have a tooth pulled, I encouraged Blythe to wriggle that one so perhaps that one would come out without being extracted. She tried but was unsuccessful. In fact, she said it just hurt as she tried to get it to move.

Today she went to have the teeth extracted so the spots could heal before braces begin on February 22. Kent took her in and when I got home from work, she was scrunched up in the chair she usually sits in, moaning pitifully to herself. She was in pain. The dentist said that removing her teeth was the toughest baby tooth extraction he had ever done. They were both very stuck and had to be broken up to get out. It was a thing! 

Poor Blythe. She'll likely be miserable for several days as they heal, and then she's got braces to look forward to. But she wants those on, so we'll tolerate much less whining about that pain. (Just kidding!) 

There was a picture with this post, but Blythe asked that I not post it, so I'm not.