Amber's Call and a Wedding

Amber got her mission call to Mexico!

Don't ask me the name of the city (ha), but it is close to the border and

by Rocky Point. 

She got what she wanted.

Foreign, and somewhere warm.

We were still in denial she would be leaving us soon.

The girls room... they are hoarders from another planet!

Any trinket, pencil, sticker, bracelet, paper they color, gets stashed in all different

 nooks in their room. It's like Oriental Trading barfed in there!
 If they see me go through things to throw away, they freak out.

I have to sneak in stealth like to get piles out to the trash!

"I've got gadgets and gizmos a- plenty....

I've got whozits and whatzits galore...

You want thingamabobs?

I've got twenty!

But who cares, no big deal...

I want more!!"

Not long after Casey got put in as bishop did he get his first big assignment. 
Officiating a marriage!

The groom grew up in our ward and was one of Casey's YM.
Kind of a neat relationship they have. 

This was the first time I  have actually seen Casey get nervous!
I don't blame him.
No thanks, glad I will never have to marry someone.

He of course nailed it!
And was happy to move on to the dancing portion of weddings for once:)

Some close neighbors and friends who attended. 

We celebrated our 18th wedding Anniversary!
I don't even think we were able to sneak out to dinner. 
Funny how survival mode takes priority the older you get. 
Grateful for every single one of those 18 years. 

It's getting closer to Summer!

 

Holy Week and Easter

Dana Groscost was my inspiration for my egg tree. 
For as long as my parents have lived in their neighborhood,
she has done this in her massive tree. 

I got so many compliments on it. 

Grammy had her party earlier in the month, which was fun to spread out

the Easter cheer. 

The egg hunt is the most anticipated part!

Holy Week went pretty smooth this year. 

I felt we were able to squeeze it in almost everyday, with almost everyone in attendance. 
It gets tricky with kids going in every direction, all hours of the night. 

Going to the newly revamped Easter Pageant at the temple was an exciting addition 
to our Holy Week!

I knew it would be bonkers, so I went down early to save seats.
Like, 4.5 hours early.

I had a good setup with blankets and an umbrella for shade.
Taking a little snooze didn't sound so bad, either. 

The nap didn't happen.
There were so many people I knew, I ended up chatting the whole time
and before I knew it, the pageant was starting!

Some cousins were able to join us!

There were mixed reviews on the new version of the pageant.
I never really had an attachment to the old one, so it was great to me!

We invited some families from our ward to Passover this year.

The Christensens, Hales and Sabotkas.
Annnnnd, no pictures to prove their attendance.
Ugh, sad I never thought to take any.

Word is getting out about our Passover.
 We have people begging us to invite them the next year.
 I always felt bad having  people over to eat boiled eggs and lentil soup.
I'm glad its an experience their families enjoyed
and can hopefully do on their own in the future!

I must have been really tired because I didn't even take pictures of their Easter baskets!!!
Sheesh. Big time mom fail. 

Tradish Easter Sunday dinner at Grandma and Grandpa's house. 

David is OCD to the max.

Watching his car get pummeled by kids to get the eggs was hysterical. 

 

Update, letter "B" style

BABIES:

It had been FAR too long since there was a baby in the family.

Both sides of our families!

Abbey and Katie pulled through and decided to have babies

3 weeks from each other.

Aunt Shelley needed to visit and snuggle their scrumptiousness. 

Stetson is a peanut, so wittle.

And miss Nora is a chunker!
I am way behind on blogging, just wait for an updated picture.

Never have I seen a squishmallow in human form,lol!

BIRDS:

I was on my way to pick up Lane from practice when a bird 
dive bombed directly into the grill of my car while going 45 mph!

I felt a thud and a POOF of feathers flew in the air.

Instant screaming and dry heaving on my end. 
UGH, SO GROSS!!!!

I pulled into the parking lot and Lane said, uh mom, I think you hit a bird.

Ya think?

Bless him. 

BASEBALL:

So. Much. Baseball between the 2 boys. 
However, we wouldn't have it any other way.

These 2 pictures don't correlate with B, but had to include them.

I guess Della forgot shoes and needed a treat inside QT.

I gave her my slippers, problem solved!

Her never ending smirks and faces. 

Got milk?

 

A story of how our life got flipped-turned upside down.

A few weeks before I left for my girls trip to New Orleans, Casey got a text from

the stake executive secretary wondering if we could come meet with President Postert.

We knew instantly what is was about.

And honestly, we were kind of expecting it.

Casey was asked if he would serve as bishop for our ward congregation.

He accepted the call, but with logistical things they could not do it until the
 Sunday I would be out of town. 

With it being Conference, and Easter Sunday, it would be 2 more weeks on top of the

3 until they could put in him if they did not do it that Sunday.

I moved my flight up a day and came home to snuggle on my husband one last night

until I wouldn't see him again for 5 years!

Just kidding!

It really has not been that bad to be honest.
I feel like you create your own craziness. 

Casey has been wonderful to balance church life with home life.

For that I am most grateful!

He called the most amazing counselors who really make his "job" easier. 

Bless these wonderful men!

Mark Arroyo, Casey, and Dan Allen

More wonderful men-

President Blaylock (who was our current bishop), Aaron Yamamoto, our dear neighbor, friend,

and now Casey's executive secretary. President Postert, and President Beagley. 

It's funny how we knew all of these men on a personal level pretty well beforehand. 

Maybe except for President Postert.
This stake presidency is fresh and new by about a month when this picture was taken.

It's a neat experience to be able to sustain people in these types of callings as an adult verses

being a young newlywed.

You have a much bigger picture of the sacrifice and dedication they give to serve us 

on a daily basis.

And we are now the OLD PEOPLE!!

 

What a sweet experience it was to visit one on one with them. 

To receive counsel and guidance in our new journey and to know they have

all the faith in us to do the Lords work and to serve our ward family

in this new calling!

It will be fun to see how much our family has grown (in many ways), when

Casey gets released in 5 years!

Wow, that seems like a LONG time, lol!

So let the fun begin!

Starting with a fresh revamp of the bishops office.

Her note, adorable!!

A before view of the desk area...

After!
Just cleaning off the desk console and new curtains and rolling chair
made all the difference!

Candy jars were also a must!

Before:

After!
I need to take a picture of the cute WINDSOR WARD plaque 

that goes on the top shelf that is missing in this picture. 

Before:

After!

 A final after!

I still need to find a tall plant to go in a basket next to the window. 

It's funny how many comments he gets on the facelift. 

It really cheers the place up.

Which was my main goal.

A place where you can feel happiness in sometimes a time of sorrow.