The Fez O' Power

Brandt, the Powerful

At least, powerful based on his headwear.

Spring Warmth

 

It was a gloriously beautiful day, warm, sunny, lovely. I suggested we eat out on the patio this evening which one and all agreed would be terrific. It wasn't as warm on the east, shady side of the house, but it was still so nice to be outside. 

Sunset

 

It was a beautiful evening, with a fantastic sunset that hung over the sky in blazing color. Kent, Brandt, and I went for a stroll to enjoy the scene and the spring air.

Movie Night -- The Lost City

 This evening I went with Mikayla, Blake, Christopher, and Tysen to see The Lost City with Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, and Daniel Radcliff, with a brief appearance by Brad Pitt. It was SO funny! We, most especially Mikayla and I, laughed through the whole thing. It reminded me of the 1984 movie Romancing the Stone which was also very funny. It was a good night!

Youth Scavenger Hunt at BYU

For tonight's combined youth activity, the kids did a BYU photo scavenger hunt. They divided into teams and had thirty minutes to explore BYU and take pictures at various locations or doing funny things. Each picture had a point value and the team with the most points won. Some of my favorite suggestions were: awkward photo with a couple; recreate a poster for a BYU event; someone wearing a different college's merch (75 points for UofU); a picture of Jesus.

Given that picture taking was the whole activity, I had hoped to get some pictures of the kids that I could include here. I got one. I guess that's better than none.

This is either "Pose with any animal (15 points)"

or

"Find a sculpture or art installation and use it in a creative photo. (Most creative gets points; 10 points for the photo, +40 for most creative.)"

Hat Swap

 

Brandt did a hat swap with Kal.

Fortunately, it wasn't a head swap.

Sunday Selfies

 Today's Sunday selfies are moody.

Coolness Personified

 

Brandt Barrus, one cool dude!

And one cool dude with a really cool chick.

(

St. Patrick's Day

 

Mikayla set up a cute photo backdrop for St. Patrick's Day and then took darling pictures of her children in front of it. They all had green St. Paddy's Day shirts and looked festive. Blythe happened to stop by the house on her way home from school and Mikayla took her picture. While she's not looking particularly festive (someone pinch that girl who is not wearing any green!), she is certainly beautiful.

Freshman Orientation

Last week, Kent and I met with Blythe and her school counselor to talk about registration for next year. Blythe will be a freshman. WHAT?! I don’t know exactly how that happened. She chose some good electives and might be looking forward to high school. Maybe not. Hard to tell. Either way, it’s coming and this evening I took her to freshman orientation. We initially sat down just the two of us, but she saw her friend April and we went to sit by her. After an overly enthusiastic welcome from a vice principal and counselors, a RAH! RAH! RAH! speech from the principal, and a cheer from the cheerleaders, we went to see teachers and get some information. We saw the choir teacher, Mr. Oliphant, who told Blythe she wouldn’t have to audition for Sorella Vocce because she’s in Aria at Centennial. We saw Abbie, a senior tech crew person who encouraged her to turn in her tech crew application. And we talked to an English teacher about creative writing. Blythe saw many friends and so did I, including a mission companion, Gina Brown Peterson. Blythe is nervous about getting around and finding things, but we’ll have Brandt take her around one afternoon or early evening when he’s there for something, just so she feels like she knows her way around a bit. I am amazed that both of the kids will be in high school next year.

 

Although she's going to be a freshman in high school,

Blythe can still wear her elementary school hoodie.

Blythe and April

Foods Class

Brandt has Foods as one of his elective classes this semester. He likes it. At one point, I suggested he send me pictures from class, and I now receive regular pictures of what he’s making. He brought home noodles and granola, both of which were really delicious. I have told him he needs to begin putting the skills he is learning in class to good use at home. He needs to be making food for us!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Becca and Emily Get Married

Niece/Cousin Becca got married today. She and Emily, her wife, are a darling couple and we were happy to attend a wedding celebration in their honor this evening. Lots of family members we don't see very often were in town for the party and it was wonderful to have time to visit with them. James and Alisa flew in from Florida last week, Anna Leesa came from California for the wedding and a baptism on Saturday. Michelle was in Cedar City for several days and she, Tess, Charlie and Makaela, and Jace all drove up for the evening. Matt and Cindy were there from Boise, and Brooke and Eric and all their people were here from Florida, too. We arrived shortly after 6:00 and stayed until 9:00, talking and catching up with everyone. We laughed a lot! It is wonderful to have time with people we love so much and only wish we could see those who are far away more frequently. Congrats to Bec and Em!

Funny family photobooth pics

The Snuggle is Real

I went over to Mikayla's house this evening to wish Kal a happy birthday (he is FIVE!) and then stayed to help with bedtime. Even with two grownups around practically every evening, getting five young children into bed at night is a big job. So I helped. Thea wanted me to snuggle her. That's a hard YES! every time.

 

Choir Concert

This evening we all attended a choir concert for Blythe at Timpview. Kent and I went to listen and Brandt went to do sound. The Centennial choirs each performed, then performed with one of the Timpview choirs. It was wonderful to see so many young people singing and making beautiful music. Many of the songs were religious in subject matter which was surprisingly refreshing. Blythe’s choir did a fantastic job. They sang "The Silver Apples of the Moon," "I Did Not Die," and "I'm Goin' Up a Yonder." Then, with Sorelle Voce, the girls choir at Timpview, they sang "Johnny Said 'No!'"  Blythe said she was bugged that at the end of the "Johnny Said, 'No'" piece, someone convinced Mrs. Williams that they should say “Johnny said ‘Yes,’” when that went against the very title of the piece. At the end, all the choirs sang together, performing “Come Thou Fount” accompanied by the organ. It was glorious! They all sang so beautifully and made me cry. Brandt, too. It was a terrific concert.

At the end of the show, Blythe met Brandt at the back of the auditorium and he showed her around the tech spaces. He showed her all the sound equipment, took her up to the light room, and then took her backstage to see all the inner workings. Kent and I watched them on the stage, Brandt being the good big brother and showing Blythe all the things, including his friends. It was a nice way to end the evening.

Newsy News

Here is an email I wrote to my mom that I felt should be here in the blog, so I have it for posterity.  It's newsy

Dear Mom,

Brandt says hi. 

There. I got that out of the way. I have been wanting to send you an email for a couple of weeks now, and this evening I thought, 'I could send Mom an email or I could vacuum.' You won out. It wasn't a difficult choice.

I wrote a very lengthy email whining for paragraphs about how bad my life is. Every time I talk to you, I whine. I decided I wouldn't send all that I wrote, but instead would give you the happy parts email. So here is my missive without all the complaint.

We have just returned from Blythe's choir concert. It was at Timpview and featured all the Centennial and all the Timpview choirs. It was really terrific! It was fun to watch the young people perform, to see their enthusiasm and hear their fine singing. The last number was a combined choir performance of Come, Thou Fount, the Mack Wilberg arrangement with organ accompaniment. It was fabulous and made me cry. Blythe looked quite elegant all in black. She wore my black jumper tied at the waist with a black velvet ribbon (so it would stay on) and a black scarf as a shawl draped across her arms. All very chic. She's such a girl, in spite of what she might say otherwise. She looked poised and sophisticated on stage with her choir, and I know she sang beautifully, even if I couldn't hear her distinctly.

Brandt did the sound for the production and afterwards showed Blythe all around the tech stuff--the sound board, up to the light booth, then backstage to see all the ins and outs of the secret spaces the audience never sees. On the way home, with Brandt driving, she said, "Brandt, you're so old. You drive, you know all the tech stuff, girls like you." 

"I'm only fifteen!" Brandt said, but I feel the same way. I sit in the passenger side of the car now, with Brandt at the wheel, and wonder how my son got to be so big. Girls do like him (one was full-on flirting with him while Blythe stood and watched; she even went and got her leather jacket so she could match Brandt), he does drive, he's tall, and he's more man than kid now.

I mentioned that Blythe has a new therapist. I hope she'll be helpful to Blythe. She has been chatting with us more and even me. Sort of. When she needs something, she'll talk to me, otherwise, it's always headphone time. We went to a bridal shower together on Saturday. She spoke to me the first five minutes of the drive to Salt Lake then said, "I'm going to put my headphones on now." I got out my earbuds and listened to my audiobook. I should rejoice in progress, however small.

Brandt is watching political stuff on the internet and then bringing up hot topics at dinner time. He doesn't like "Liberals" or Joe Biden or "woke" people and on and on. It's gotten to the point where we have banned any talk about politics at dinner and quickly steer the conversation in another direction if he is trying to deliberately get a rise out of someone, anyone, at the table. Kent and I are both delighted that he talks, and I encourage him to share thoughts and feelings with us, but we have asked that we don't talk about Biden while we eat. It upsets the digestion. 

Brandt told you about our trip to the temple on Saturday. Brandt was the baptizer for the first time and baptized Kent and me. There was a bit of a moment when he baptized Kent the first time. He had his arm up to the square, said the prayer, then, without putting his hand on Kent's back, dunked him in the water. With no help up, Kent floundered in the water a moment. Before he baptized him a second time, we had a brief talk about helping the baptisee up out of the water. 

It makes me so so happy to be in the temple with our children. It made me so so sad that Blythe chose to stay home and talk to friends on her computer rather than take an hour to be with us. I will continue to try and provide opportunities to go to the temple and hope she'll say yes next time. I didn't stay up late on Monday night, however, so I wasn't on first thing when appointments opened, so I have no appointment for March or April. Sigh. I'm ready for the temple to just be open.

*Here was a paragraph where I whined. To summarize, nothing is good. I have been without much hope.*

So, I was in the temple. Kent and I had gone to do an endowment at the City Center Temple, and at the end, I had a long time to sit and wait for my turn at the veil. I was the very last one. As I sat and waited, I prayed and poured out my heart to Heavenly Father. I explained how I felt and how frustrated I was that I can't see forward. All I see and feel is frustration and gloom. I think I even said, "I am without hope." As I stifled a sob, I was overwhelmed with a rush of hotness all through my body from my head to my toes. I was filled with the Spirit and know that God was right there, speaking peace and infusing hope. It was palpable. I didn't bother to stifle the cry and wept as I waited for the veil, then wept at the veil sufficiently that it took quite some time. 

I'm so grateful for that reassurance. Nothing has changed, but I was reminded that God is my Father, He knows me, He loves me, He is with me. I need to hold on to that while we continue to struggle along. 

Kent is busy busy at work. They have been making preparations to produce their enormous order and need only one more piece of equipment that was supposed to arrive today and will likely arrive tomorrow. I've offered to help, but so far, I haven't been needed. They got another couple of orders today, so they will be producing practically non-stop over the next month or two. I don't know that we'll see any money for all that production as all our money is going to the lawyers, but Kent tells me it's like putting money in savings as we expect to recoup it all eventually. I'm not holding my breath about that, but perhaps I should have more hope.

*More whining*

So, it is now well after 10:00pm and I do have to get children up for school and I have to go to work in the morning. I'll go to bed. I have been going over to Mikayla's most mornings. She is doing better, and her house isn't a wreck all the time. That's not me. I don't do much. Yesterday I cleaned off a two-day-old cereal spill on one of the dining room chairs. The sugars in the sugar cereal and the milk combined to make a rock-solid film of bits of cereal on the chair that had to be softened with water and scraped off with the pan scraper. It was my good deed for the day. Today I loaded the dishwasher and started a load of laundry. I also got the babies oatmeal and snuggled Freya while Mikayla and I talked about Guy's work and health insurance. I love seeing all of them at the start of the day. 

I love you! I want you to know that we pray for you multiple times a day and I think about you often. You are doing a good work, but I miss you. Courage and onward!

Love you love you,

Katherine