Daniel's 19th Birthday

We had fun going to see The Sheep Detectives the week before his birthday.

Osaka was his request for a birthday dinner, of course! We went on Friday night.

He enjoyed his cookie cake, as always, and he liked the games we got him. We all played Catan together after we had our dessert.

Happy Birthday, Daniel!

Daniel's Trip to South Carolina

Daniel and his friends went on a trip to Charleston, South Carolina to visit his friend, Chase, who is stationed there at the Naval Weapons station. They got off to a rough start with a five hour delay on their flight out of Phoenix, but it all worked out. They had a great time exploring and hanging out!

Michael's Visit to Alabama for the Air Power Forum

Michael spent a week in Alabama for the Air Power Forum at the Air Command and Staff College. The title of his paper that he presented was, "Air Control Over Russia: A Strategic Analysis and Implications for Future Implementation." It went really well and he received many compliments. He went to the library there and the workers remembered him. He also found out that they still use some of his writings in ACSC classes.

He had fun reconnecting with friends from church and from work while he was there.

Michael with Eric Boswell

Michael and Quinn Millington, who is an area authority seventy

Jonny's Awards Ceremony

This is the 11th underclassmen award ceremony I have attended. It's always fun to watch my kids walk across the stage to be honored for high academic achievement. Jonny has earned a 4.52 GPA! Congratulations, Jonny!

Dancing With the Stars

I had so much fun at the Dancing With the Stars show tonight! It was amazing!

It took me almost an hour to get there. I parked at the garage and I walked over to the Yard milkshake bar to try their cookie dough. I walked back to my car and put my leftovers in there and then walked over to the Arizona Financial Theatre. It's the same place where Jonny and I saw Benson Boone the first time. I was a little disappointed that even though I was in row nine and paid a good amount of money for my seat, I was on the floor so the people in front of me blocked my view quite a bit. I could see the dancers most of the time but I'd have to crane my neck quite a lot because the stage wasn't especially high. However, I had a fantastic time! The dancing was incredible! They danced for an hour and then they had about a 15 minute intermission. Then they danced for another hour. The professional dancers were Emma Slater, Jenna Johnson, Val Chmerkofsky, Ezra Sosa, Alan Burton, Pasha, Brit, and Whitney. I was so excited when Whitney came out a little bit later with Robert Irwin. Jordan Chiles was also there and Andy Richter. They also had a guy named Keegan and then Hailey who is Jenna's niece and another girl but I don't know her name. I think that's everyone. The dances were amazing! I don't think I could even name my favorite but pretty much anything Whitney was in. I wish she had been in more numbers but it was all fantastic! 

Opening number, "Everybody Dance Now"

Britt and Alan

Emma and Ezra

Group number, "I Wanna Be Loved By You"

"Cell Phone"

"Opalite"

"Copacabana"

"Copacabana" part 2

"Turn the Beat Around"

"Let's Go Crazy"

"Let's Go Crazy" part 2

Jazz number

Whitney and Robert Irwin

Two Moves in Three Days

We had a wonderful trip to Utah! We're so glad that we were able to help Nathaniel and Audrey with their move to their new apartment.

April 22, Wednesday

I'm so grateful we made it to Utah safely! We left this morning around 9 AM. Michael drove almost the whole way but Dad drove from the Glen Canyon Dam to Kanab. We stopped there for food at Wendy's and it was pretty late, like after 4 PM. We made it to the hotel a few minutes after 9 PM. Michael and Jonny went to pick up Emily and to get distilled water and some food.

The drive is always so beautiful!

April 23, Thursday

I'm so grateful that we've been able to spend time with the kids today and help them with their moves! We went to Nathaniel and Audrey's house today around 8:15 AM. We had fun playing with Charlie and oohing and aahing over him and taking pictures. I gave him a new Llama Llama book that he loved. It had the lift-a-flaps in it. Dad gave him a puzzle. He had fun playing with his new things. When it was time for him to take a nap, we headed back to the hotel and took a break for a little bit. Daniel didn't want us to come over to help him until noon so I figured we may as well go to lunch first and then go work at Daniel's apartment so that that's what we did.  

Cute Charlie talking

Charlie playing with his puzzle

We went to Golden Corral and it was pretty good and very reasonably priced actually for our whole crew. We had a nice meal there and then went back to Heritage. 

Charlie and "his" laptop 

We helped Daniel with some packing. It was so nice that his RA was there because he helped us move the bed back down which was a requirement. We took some boxes to the car and Michael and Emily and Jonny took those over to Nathaniel and Audrey's and even helped them move a bunch of stuff to their new apartment. Dad stayed with me and Daniel. I helped Daniel pack up his kitchen and his closet and his desk. We got a whole lot done. Then he needed to take his textbooks over the Wilk to try and sell them back so we all walked over there. I found a gorgeous dress for Emily. I convinced her to try it on and it looks so pretty on her and it was absolutely gorgeous. It took some convincing but I really wanted to get it for her. Of course, Jonny got his cinnamon chocolate covered gummy bears. Daniel is disappointed that they didn't want to buy back his books and the one that was worth the most they were only going to give him six dollars for.

After that, he brought his books back to his apartment and we drove over to the hotel so we could check into the third room. I was hoping they'd give us the one that was connecting to us but they gave us the one on the other side because the one connecting was out of order. We met Nathaniel, Audrey, and Charlie at Don Joaquin's tacos and we all had a fun time sitting around talking and eating our tacos.

The kids had an idea to watch a movie at Nathaniel and Audrey's so we suggested it and they seemed to like that idea so that's what we did. They went home and put Charlie to bed. It was so cute because Nathaniel was getting him ready for bed and he snuck out and ran out to us just wearing his diaper and he was giggling so cute and just being adorable. They brought him out one more time to say good night to us and I asked if we could have a family prayer and so we did. They put him to bed and we all watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off. We all had a good laugh watching the movie and said good night to them and came back to the hotel.

April 24, Friday

This morning, we drove over to Heritage Halls to help Daniel finish moving out. It was nice because we were able to park right next to each other on the curb. Daniel had done most of the work already. His suitcase was packed and all his stuff was packed and we started taking it down to the car. I helped him with the cleaning and swept the kitchen. He cleaned the toilets and Emily and I cleaned the sinks. We were done pretty early and it was about 10:30 AM and we were already done. We went over to Nathaniel's house until it was time to go to lunch. I needed a bit of a break and Emily was doing some packing for Audrey and before we knew it it was time to leave for our Tucanos reservation. We all enjoyed our meal together and it was really fun and delicious. 

By the time we got to Heritage, it was almost 2 PM and Daniel's checkout time wasn't until 3:30 PM and we couldn't get it rescheduled for earlier so after some discussion we decided that I would go back to Heritage with Daniel and just wait there with him and everyone else went back to the hotel to rest. The RA came to his apartment right at 3:30 PM and spent a few minutes with him inspecting everything and said it was all good. 

We went over to the hotel and I was able to take a little nap. Daniel hung out with Emily while Jonny slept. Dad rested, as well. A little after 6 PM, Nathaniel said that Audrey was done with the music practice with her sister and wondered if we were still going to go to the Creamery. We had talked about it at lunch so that's what we did. We all met over at the creamery and some of us got ice cream and some of us got the grill food and some of us got both. The line for the ice cream was pretty long but it moved quickly. We sat around for a while and enjoyed our food and had fun watching Charlie. At one point, he had a big onion ring in each hand and it was so cute. 

Then we headed over to Nathaniel and Audrey's because they wanted our help moving a few more things to their new house and also they had a mattress delivered that they needed to open up. 

Charlie playing outside with his baby bathtub

It was time to drive over there and Charlie was getting so fussy so I offered to put him to bed for them because by then it was after 8:30 PM. They were actually really grateful for that and let me do it so that was nice. He was so sweet! He cried and cried after they left but I changed his diaper and got his pajamas on him. Then I got him some milk and that calmed him down quite a bit. He drank up all of his milk and I read him a book and I could tell he really just wanted to get in bed. He let me cuddle him for a little while and I thought he was going to fall asleep in my arms but I could tell he just wanted to go to bed so I laid him down and he didn't make a peep. I sat down on the couch for a few minutes and by then everybody came home. I thought we were going to play a game or something but it was already after 9 PM and everybody seemed to be done for the day so we said good night to Nathaniel and Audrey and headed over to the hotel. We came up to our room and we read Exodus chapter 34 and had a prayer together and then everybody went to their room.

April 25, Saturday

Today was a very long day and I'm completely exhausted but I'm grateful we were able to help Nathaniel and Audrey so much today. They wanted us there at 9:30 AM because they needed to help getting the piano and the treadmill moved. They had about four people from their ward come help. Brad and Tyler, Audrey's father and brother, were there to help, as well. Karen was there moving all of Charlie's stuff from the nursery so Emily and I went in the kitchen to box up what we could. They didn't have enough boxes and later we convinced them to get some more. I asked Karen if she thought I should wait for Audrey's instruction and she said she is sure Audrey would appreciate if we just figured it out so we did. We boxed everything up the best we could. I protected her glasses with some kitchen towels and things like that. We filled up the moving van that they got from Home Depot. They had it all arranged so they would have it for only 75 minutes so they only had to pay $20 and they did it. 

I'm so grateful for all the help they had to move the piano!

My cupcake bouquet that Michael bought for me

We made multiple trips over to the new house and helped bring things in and get them organized. By noon, I asked if I should order some pizza. Most of the men had already left so it was really just our family but I got four Dominos pizzas and we ate over half of them and put the rest in the fridge. Audrey's family didn't bring Charlie back over until after lunchtime. Apparently, he took a very long nap over at Karen's house and Audrey's sister was watching him. I volunteered to entertain Charlie while everybody worked and I was able to help but most of the time he wanted to be around his parents anyway. I was able to get him to play with some toys and distract him from trying to get in their way. They have a cute closet under the stairs and Emily played with him in there for a little while. 

A little after 4 PM, we headed over to the hotel to get freshened up then we went over to P.F. Chang's for dinner. 

Jonny asked what the plan was for tonight and I said I didn't know and so we asked Nathaniel and Audrey and they said we could come over so that was nice. We all went over and played a couple of games, Cinophile and Blockbuster. By 9 PM, we put the game away. I asked if we could have a prayer and we did. Audrey had said she wanted to go to bed by 9 PM anyway so that worked out well. It was a great visit and I'm so glad we were able to get Daniel moved out and get Nathaniel and Audrey moved to their new place. 

Charlie telling everyone night-night

April 26, Sunday

I'm so glad we made it home safely! At about 7:30 AM, which was the planned time, we had a family prayer and said our goodbyes to Emily. Dad and Jonny drove her over to Nathaniel and Audrey's house. Nathaniel and Charlie were up so they got to say goodbye to Charlie again. Then Dad and Jonny came back and we loaded up the car and left. We got gas at the Maverick and got on the road. Emily went to church with Nathaniel and Audrey and then I know she spent some time at the Eldredges' and then Nathaniel took her to the airport that afternoon. We stopped in Fillmore at the Love's gas station and they even have a Taco John's. If it wasn't 10 AM, I would've bought a taco. We stopped again in Panguitch at the same Silver Eagle gas station on Main Street that had a Subway and Yogurtland. Dad and Daniel met us there. They were a little bit ahead of us because they were quicker at the Maverick gas station but I had explained to Dad that I really wanted us to stay together as much as possible. Next, we stopped for lunch in Kanab. I drove to the Glen Canyon Dam visitor center and we met up with Dad and Daniel and had a bathroom break. Then Michael drove the rest of the way. We stopped just north of Flagstaff at a Chevron station and after that we finished the trip all the way to the house. Andrew called us at about 2:30 PM and we talked to him while we drove. Emily was on for a little bit and so was Nathaniel. We made it home at about 6:30 PM. Michael and Dad and the boys brought everything in, which was a lot because we had all of Daniel's stuff. We ate some food and then we had a spiritual thought and a prayer and then started getting ready for bed.