Connecting

General Conference was last week - and while I felt there were many things that I should work on, this was among them.  Half of our family is in Provo, and we rarely are all together when they call to check in.  I miss us all in the same house.  And I feel the desire to stay better connected with my own parents and siblings.  So here is my best, renewed attempt!  I know that you have all been waiting with bated breath!

Things have taken a slower pace with just the three kids at home. I feel that is a strange thing to say - but it feels like I'm waiting for everyone to come home.  I cook less, clean less, and do less laundry! But I am determined to not having less fun!

Abbey is nearly ending her JV Volleyball season.  She has done so well. She is tall (maybe as tall as Hannah? - and I just say that to create a discussion!) and plays the middle.  She has a beautiful serve and a mean block.  And always a smile - love that.  I think there are 4 more games left in the season. She also has a great school schedule - how can you go wrong with guitar, ceramics, and lifeguarding as your electives!  And a cute cowboy as your guitar buddy...makes for good days.  We have a good morning routine - she gets herself up for seminary every day, I make her breakfast, we have family prayer at 6:15 - and either Tom or I drop her off.  Proud of her - she is kind and good and fun.

Danny and Jack are super thrilled to be done with cross-country.  They didn't love the season, but I think if you run 2.9 miles - you win. So both winners in my book.  Danny can hardly wait for basketball tryouts tomorrow and Tuesday.  I am impressed and inspired by his hard work and dedication - that boy is outside with a basketball more often than he is not.  I love that he works to improve.  And always works hard at school.  He checks power school (online grade book) every day - just to verify that he has an A+ in all of his subjects - which he does - not including band, because he fails to turn in practice logs.  A point that we are remedying!

Jack survived cross country, but he was motivated by a few great coaches who told him that he has a natural stride and good breathing pattern - love Mr. Wallace and Dr. Tun.  He mostly loves a new gymnastics class that he is in - all boys and lots of flipping - which in his words - he sucks at, but it is so fun.  He is determined to do better and is outside practicing flips and cartwheels all the time.  Love to see him in something that he is enjoying.  He is working hard in school also.  Loves Mr. Perry and Mr. Tiscareno.  It's strange for him to have mostly new teachers - new to our family, anyway!  The Dudley's have outlasted a few of the Eagle Valley teaching pool!

I am enjoying this newly free schedule!  I always think it's going to offer me alot of time, but after cleaning up the garden, doing a little yard-work, throwing in a load of laundry, keeping the fridge stocked, and trying to stay on top of reading for a history class I am taking at the college - the day is half done and I am on drive and cheer duty again!  My favourite part of the day.  I am enjoying my callings at church - Nursery leader and Activity Day leader.  I always thought I would cry the day they put me in Nursery - but it is pretty fun.  Last week we had 13 kids.  13! The kids are cute and funny, and I only got hit once in the head with a toy today.  Whoop!  And activity day girls are pretty terrific and like most of what we do - so that is a win, too!  Last week, we talked about healthy meals, and they made a great sausage and cheese pasta bake and green salad.  And we delivered it to a young family in the ward who had just moved.  Delicious and service.  Can't beat that for a fun calling.

Tom is working hard - at the office here in Carson, at the Fallon office, at his church job as 11 year old Scout leader.  At keeping our family going.  I have always marveled at his pace - I can never keep up with him whether he is walking or working!  We are grateful for how hard he works to take care of this family.  And he brings the fun - hot springs, movie nights, late night ice cream runs.

We all enjoyed our visit from Nana and Gump last week - so good of them to add us to their Utah trip.  They go and go and it's easy to forget that they are not as young as they used to be!  The weather here was glorious and we had a few picnic dinners at the lake.  Patricia and I had fun wandering around a quilt shop one morning and I am determined to become a quilter.  She makes beautiful quilts.  It was also fun to have them here for a volleyball game and Abbey's induction into National Honour Society!  It is always a treat to have family around.

We all have a little fever around here - Romney fever!  Jack is Mr. Republican headquarters guy!  He stops in a couple times a week for a new sticker or a house sign!  His school binders are covered in Romney paraphernalia.  Love it.  Danny read Atlas Shrugged a year or so ago - and he is watching this election with  an educated interest.  All the kids watched the debates, and we are all hoping our voters in Utah vote on our behalf.  I made friends with the guy drawing my blood at the CHS blood drive - he said he'd vote on my behalf in this election - wasn't too sure who to vote for!  Ha!  I told him - and I'll pray that he really does it!  I was reading in a recent Ensign the call to not just vote, but to be courageous and stand up for what we think is right.  And we are.  I just hope our rock wall doesn't get knocked down by someone who doesn't like our political persuasion!

Tommy, Hannah, and Camilla - I wish I was a fly on their walls - I wish I had all their stories to tell you.

Tommy is a hungry college kid - he is working hard to get in to his desired advertising program at BYU.  He still works at the lds movie studio in Provo, and has big and hopeful plans to travel while he is young. I don't hear too much about his dating life - but I think he has one...and I hear that he might have met a girl from Magrath, and that is never a bad thing!

Hannah is working at Sushi restaurant named Sora's, eating more fish than in the rest of her past life, dating a few more boys than in her past life, and hoping to get through Math!  She was getting ready to put in her mission papers, so the new age announcement didn't affect her too much, other than probably put her behind a few thousand other girls who want to put their papers in too!

Camilla has taken to college like it was a piece of cake, only she doesn't like cake, so not that!  She seems to be doing great and having a fun time.  She has done well in her classes and I am proud of her for that.   She and a friend 'rented' a puppy for an afternoon - which I think is funny and perfect!  Cutest dog ever - a baby lab named Bentley

And this is us - I love all these people.  I miss us all together - have I said that?  I have.  I really am feeling it.  But this feels good - and I'll send a link to the kids, and my mom and dad, and Nana and Gump and the siblings - read it if you want, don't if you don't.  It's probably mostly for me anyway.

Peace out.

Michelle