Little Friends

 Most of my Sunday school seniors are off on missions and a couple are at school or attending the younger Sunday school class with friends, so my class has faded away with the end of Summer. Sister Allred and I have been reassigned to serve in primary until January when Sunday school classes bump up and we receive a new crop of seniors to live and adore. I already love and adore them, and have been busy bust reading some of their college application essays this month. But I am now available to serve during the 2nd hour of church, so off to primary I go. My assignment is with these 4 cheeky little boys plus two girls. I think I have grown a soft heart for wild squirrely little bodies. The majority of the kids in our primary do not attend public school and therefore most of them don’t participate in a regular practice of quiet, organized group instruction.

I know I was specifically asked to “be a firm hand” but I truly am unbothered by little boys stimming and hanging off their chairs.  I’m just not so sure they actually NEED to be sitting rigidly in a chair to absorb the lesson content or feel the Sprit. It would be easier, yes, but these kids will be ok. I think back to 12+ years ago when I was primary President, and we have over 100 kids in primary…it was busy and exhausting, but not chaotic. I feel like my job is really just to help give love and redirect attention or make learning applicable to their understanding. I enjoy this little primary class and the gift to love these little friends (June and Naomi were out sick). They are wild and full of life and energy. It is a divine assignment to take a wild and unorganized environment and create a place with order and peace where learning can happen. They are still wiggly and a perpetual dog pile of little bodies, but they are learning and checked in. And they are so very cute. (And kind of naughty. I went on a hunt for a couple stowaways and found selfies taken by the other two on my phone. 🤪

Weekend Sports recap

 Soren and Bear both finished up their soccer seasons. Soren had games Thursday night and Saturday afternoon. Both were tough losses but Soren played well. Bro was carrying! You can count on hearing Soren on the field giving comms to teammates. He scored more than half the teams points and had sone amazing assists. He also took a turn in the goalie box on Saturday.  

Soren and Titus G

He had a good cross country race on Saturday morning, and finished in just over 12 minutes. He was disappointed to not break 12, but was holding back some serious tummy trouble and was afraid of destroying himself on the course. Good call, Soren 😂. Even holding back, he took 1 second off and had a PR. 6 minute and 2 second miles are just incredible. Conference meets coming soon. (Soren and Spencer O shown below, post race ) 

Bear has had a great soccer season. The sun was sweltering during his last game… just like it did all season. Bear does not enjoy being hot at all, and this year was a record breaker for high temps. Bear still showed up to play every time and I’m proud of him for having a positive attitude. 

Go Cougs!

Corbin has never been to a BYU home game. 

My Aaron set up a little trip for them this weekend. They stayed at Java’s and Steve’s, did a BYU campus tour, met up with Scott Gordon for lunch and byu buisiness vs Ignite business, spent hours and hours with cousins Jackson and Preston, went hiking with Scott and Jana, cheered on Bear Bachmeier and the byu cougars at the game vs Iowa, and best of all, got to spend every minute with Reese and Logan, who drove down from Rexburg for the weekend to see them. Corbin is SO happy. 

I’m not jealous, you’re jealous. Aaron’s face says it all. He is living his best life this weekend and I love that for everyone. As we like to joke, “I’m 90% happy for them” the other 10% is jelly and wished I was there too!” (Ok maybe a lot more than 10%, but we really are trying our best to live it up here at home!)

Another win for BYU! 

 

Turning 50 on the Hog

 The “feels like” temp was 91 degrees today. 

We simply could not let that go to waste. 

Aaron is out of town, but found out Todd is turning 50 this week and generously gave his blessing for us to take the Hog out for some fun. 

Soren went to a haunted house after soccer with Titus G, Lucas A, and the Frakes boys. Sloane went to Londons house. Ryan loaded up the twins, Todd, and Melissa and Wes and we put the Hog in at Lake Ann. 

The Mains kids are well seasoned boat kids and Wes and I watched their routine in amazement as they loaded, ran a safety check, and launched us seamlessly. The Willardsons have so much to learn from them. 

He went pretty easy on the twins, but Bear let Ryan get some rough passes with him on the tube. It will be no mercy next time. 

There won’t be many days like today (certainly not with water this warm!) before Ryan is a missionary, so it was extra fun to give him all the chances to be in the water. 

Esme loves the boat. We gave her a good run. 

Even with everything from Led Zepplin to Doja Cat bumping, it was such a serene golden hour.  

The Mains and Olsons put the boat away and the Willies picked up pizzas. We also grabbed an ice cream cake and everyone celebrated the birthday guy when we gathered back at our house. 

Picture Perfect

Soren had the greatest youth activity this week. The kids drew names to partner up, and then painted portraits of one another. The painting Clara F did of Soren is adorable!  How cute is this? My new most favorite thing ever. 

I asked about Soren’s painting of Clara, and he laughed, “It’s good. [long pause]

So… I ran into some trouble with the color and uh…well….I tried? But her name looks cool.” 

So Clara’s painting actually looks just like Clara. 

….I mean, if Clara is also Wednesday Adams? 💀💀💀

Real life Clara is darling and could be described as whatever the farthest thing from Emo is. But her name looks cool. 😂 All the youth had so much fun at this and are still laughing about all their artistic attempts. 

 

Wednesday Work

Bear has trapped a possum and the fattest raccoon of all time this week. Add “pest delivery” to Corbin’s resume. He has been so helpful to disappear to a remote corner of Bella vista to rehome our variety of caged rascals. They set the traps every night, and are now partnering with the neighbor, Lane, to catch the armadillos that are destroying their lawn. Look at this lil fatty. What a monster. 

Ryan stopped by after life guarding and was a great ride-along to take Bear to piano lessons.we finally celebrated his bday and only because I had a hunch he’d be joining me and had cheesecake from Fred’s hickory, a lighter, and bday candles hiding in the van. Meg’s sneaky psychic spidery sense for the win. No one escapes a bday celebration in this family. We ate cheesecake and did our duolingo (and now Ling) lessons. 

Wednesday morning had me back at Mercy getting another XRay and my foot is booted again. 😭 

Fortunately, no broken bones this time! 

But I have developed “Turf Toe” in my right foot. Basically, the joints at the base of the big toe are angry and the ligaments are inflamed. My body loves to be inflamed, so I am super good at turf toe. A+ work over here, folks. 

Just kidding. I cried. I love going to the gym. It’s the least lonely hour of my day and working hard in these classes is keeping me sane right now. I look forward to it and the thought of sitting out again is an pretty hard loss for me.

The boot is only for so many hours a day. No running 1-2 weeks (or until the pain stops and my toe isn’t swollen). No jumping and any activities requiring pressure on my toe must be modified. I’m just so happy the bone isn’t broken. The ligaments are “tired but not torn.”  I have no idea how I did this but laughed as the doctor asked questions like “are you on your feet a lot? Do you find yourself running around? Do you work with children that may have stepped on your feet and you wouldn’t notice? Is there a chance of banging it on something? Have you spent extended time standing on a ladder or in a plank position recently?” 

Haha “D) all of the above?”

I must have needed to read this on the walls at mercy because my boys laughed and laughed when I told the family over dinner tonight. “How could this happen to YOU? Only ATHLETES get Turf Toe, Mom! You don’t do anything.” 

Serenity….serenity…serenity…

3 cheers for the temple being open again. 

This little lovey is the cutest tiny violinist of all time. I was reading byu essays for a girl in our ward during her lesson and had to look up because I didn’t recognize the sound. I thought for sure it was Cami, but no…I glanced up to see  Esme’s little fingers working their way along the fingerboard with perfect placement. Oh Come Little Children was ringing out with the clearest tone and the satisfied smile on Esme’s face indicated that she knew she was perfectly in tune.

She will be phenomenal. 

A sweet update. 4/6 of these missionaries are from my Sunday school class. I love that they got to serve together momentarily in the MTC.  Sister Sorensen on the far right is headed to Busan South Korea 🫰🏻

 

HOCO #2 for Corbin

 Corbin took Kodi N to her HOCO at West on Saturday. They have fun group of friends that has been growing since FSY. They have a bunch of kids who attend the temple once a month or so. Corbin went to the temple with them tonight, actually.  I don’t think any of these friends go to BHS with him, and most are juniors or sophomores, but I know he is so grateful to have this wholesome group of kids to hang out with. He had a blast at their HOCO. Poor Kodi got injured at gymnastics and was on crutches, but that didn’t slow them down from having a great night! 

Kian P, Georgia S, Kodi N, Corbin 

With Kodi’s twin sister