--> {For 18 months – Jan ’17 to Jul ’18 – I’m posting our letter to Miranda while she's on her mission to Cochabamba, Bolivia. Our letter titles are taken from a list of family sayings & catchphrases we recorded onto a pillowcase she has with her. You can read her adventures on her mission blog: www.hermanamadsen.blogspot.com!}
First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW!!!!!! We love you and miss you and hope you like the few little things we sent you. Wish you were here so we could spoil you more, and celebrate with you... hope you get to smash your face in cake & whipped cream!!! I'm also super glad you got to buy a guitar you like. =) You look so cute playing it. =)
This was a weird week. Maybe it was because the Mac was in the shop, so I felt a little out of sorts? Dad had the whole week off and we just went thing to thing? Hard to pinpoint it.
So a little pet on pets. Zeus is still so funny sitting inside to keep warm - it's bitterly windy here some days - but putting his head out the doggy door to watch for anything to bark at. =)
And Miss Pepper has been so cuddly! It's almost eerie, like crawling onto my lap and burying her face into me. Dad & Morgan experience the same phenomenon. Silly girl.
Oh, and this is Carlie's life. You remember Jr. year. It's so.... stunning and unforgettable.
On Wednesday, I went to help at Allen & Martha's house to help get ready for their baby & mama to come home from the NICU. We cleaned the house up and worked on laundry. The girls' friends knocked on the door to play, and I told them they could play with Eve & Kate if they helped clean first. It totally worked. =)
While I was gone, Carlie had this amazing YW in Excellence where Carlie read "Oh the Places You'll Go!" to everyone, and Miss Utah, Hayley Huntsman, came to speak to them. Here's some of the photo-op spots the leaders made. =)
I cannot believe I was gone for it. It totally slipped my mind. I mean, helping at the Levie's was really important, and when it came time that I thought I was going home (not remembering YW still), the neighbors brought dinner for the family, and only Eve & Kate were home. Staying and eating the meal with them, talking around the dinner table with them and not have them be alone like they've had to be for over a week with Mom at the hospital, was very, very valuable. But I still wish I could have done both.
On Thursday, this man came and tore the garage doors off the house. It was pretty awesome.
I went back to the Levie's, and brought some things for them. Zion was so mesmerized by pink sheets for her bed. This is her, kind of so happy she couldn't smile for the picture. It was so sweet & cute.
When I got home, our house looked way different. Wow, what a facelift!
And Miss Pepper has been so cuddly! It's almost eerie, like crawling onto my lap and burying her face into me. Dad & Morgan experience the same phenomenon. Silly girl.
So Carlie had the lesson for FHE, and she chose the Sad, Mad, Glad Sisters talk by Pres. Uchtdorf. She did so good. =) We all need a reminder to see the things that happen to us with positive eyes. Life is still going to happen; that part won't change. But we can choose to be happy & strong, or we can dwell on the negative and make ourselves miserable. Grandma & Grandpa came for another try at the lava cake, since it had failed the night before at dinner... you have to turn the crockpot ON for it to cook it... huh.
Oh, and this is Carlie's life. You remember Jr. year. It's so.... stunning and unforgettable.
On Wednesday, I went to help at Allen & Martha's house to help get ready for their baby & mama to come home from the NICU. We cleaned the house up and worked on laundry. The girls' friends knocked on the door to play, and I told them they could play with Eve & Kate if they helped clean first. It totally worked. =)
While I was gone, Carlie had this amazing YW in Excellence where Carlie read "Oh the Places You'll Go!" to everyone, and Miss Utah, Hayley Huntsman, came to speak to them. Here's some of the photo-op spots the leaders made. =)
I cannot believe I was gone for it. It totally slipped my mind. I mean, helping at the Levie's was really important, and when it came time that I thought I was going home (not remembering YW still), the neighbors brought dinner for the family, and only Eve & Kate were home. Staying and eating the meal with them, talking around the dinner table with them and not have them be alone like they've had to be for over a week with Mom at the hospital, was very, very valuable. But I still wish I could have done both.
On Thursday, this man came and tore the garage doors off the house. It was pretty awesome.
I went back to the Levie's, and brought some things for them. Zion was so mesmerized by pink sheets for her bed. This is her, kind of so happy she couldn't smile for the picture. It was so sweet & cute.
When I got home, our house looked way different. Wow, what a facelift!
These were on the counter from your daddy. That man.
That same night was the great Slime Experiment... or should I say the Great Slime Fail. The recipes I got online were all bad. So daddy picked up sodas for the girls to sell at their 5th grade Store. Dang it. We were so excited for the girls to sell slime with their friend Ainsley.
Friday Dad & I went to Fleming’s with the Balls & Spencers for Robin’s bday, which is on your bday. :) Saturday the kids went to Thor Ragnarok. Kind of epic.
That same night was the great Slime Experiment... or should I say the Great Slime Fail. The recipes I got online were all bad. So daddy picked up sodas for the girls to sell at their 5th grade Store. Dang it. We were so excited for the girls to sell slime with their friend Ainsley.
Grandma's house is coming along... enough will be done to eat Thanksgiving dinner in the addition by Thursday! But right now it's covered in plastic for painting. New kitchen cabinets & appliances!
And the MEMES!!! Here are the ones we shared on Hangout for posterity's sake:
And the 2 I found this week that I love:
And a couple from the files. =)
We had a great Stake Conference yesterday. The talks were so engaging, that at least someone in the family remembered things from at least every talk! When does that ever happen? The wife of the 1st counselor in the temple presidency gave the cutest talk on Tollhouse chocolate chunks, and how the chocolate chip cookie was invented.
The lady who made her locally famous chocolate cookies at the Tollhouse Inn, meant to have baker's chocolate melt all the way through her cookies. But one time she substituted broken Nestle chocolate bar pieces in her cookies, and they didn't melt through the cookie like they were supposed to, but stayed in little intact pieces, so the chocolate chip cookie was born. We are supposed to be like a chocolate chip; to hold our shape & integrity when the heat comes. Satan would mix us into the world, wanting us to disintegrate and come apart in the mixing and heat, but we need to stay strong in adversity.
LOVE YOU, little chocolate chip!!! xoxoxoxo, Mom
