We got to have dinner at the Giles’ house with the missionaries serving in our stake and a few other families. I love our missionaries so much!! It’s fun to have dinner with them and it’s so nice to be with other families from the stake. My kids had a blast running around the property and the weather was sunny and warm with no wind. These rare days like this are the best!
We traveled back home today and had to say goodbye to the Murdocks. We got to go to church with them which was nice and our road trip home went really well. It’s nice to be back home with the dogs.
Brad video chatted with us tonight. It was so good to see him and Kade and all the other boys! He took us on a tour of the floating lodge. The sun was setting and it was so beautiful.
It was a busier Sunday than normal. Brad was in Cascade for a branch conference, Kade had multiple choir practices for Palm Sunday services next week, Tenley had flute and piano festival after lunch since she missed it yesterday, and the stake primary had a devotional out on by the 7-11 year old primary kids. The devotional was adorable. Ryder and Luke sang multiple songs and Ryder had a speaking part. All of the kids did such a great job! And the weather was nice and sunny and hardly windy so it was a pretty great Sunday!
A few days ago my friends reached out asking if it would be possible for me to do a last minute musical number for sacrament meeting. I said yes because I’ll take any chance I can to get my kids to sing! The meeting was all about temples so Kade and Luke sang ‘I Love to see the Temple’ together. Luke had a little solo part at the very end. It was so adorable to me! I think a lot of other people enjoyed it as well. Brad had to be an hour and a half away at a branch conference so that was sad but such is our life with his calling right now.
We got a lot of snow last night and since Brad had to leave so early to get to his meetings, Ryder was willing to shovel for me! It’s actually the third time this year that he’s gone out to shovel. He says he enjoys it and I’ve appreciated his help so much. He’s been turning into a huge helper for me!
Brad pulled a tooth for Luke yesterday that had been bugging him. He had to numb him with a shot but Luke was tough and it went well! He prayed last night that the toothed fairy would actually show up. Apparently the tooth fairy hasn’t been very good about bringing the kids money the same night they lose a tooth. Luckily the tooth fairy actually came last night! He was pretty happy.
We had a special Sunday school lesson with the adults and youth today about the new ward temple plan. One of the ideas was to learn more about our ancestors together as a family. I’m excited to do this! We started tonight by learning about my Grandpa Feveryear. We read his obituary and I shared with them the few memories I have of him like his wonderful belly laugh.
Brad had such a busy day today. I felt so bad for him. He left just before 8 to attend a Ward conference, returned home at 2, had a meeting at 4 to prepare for the Stake audit, and then had another meeting from 7-9 to discuss Stake communications. But he made the best of it. We were happy to have time with him for dinner.
The rest of us enjoyed sleeping in and going to our afternoon church meeting. When Brad is so busy with his calling I’m always so happy to have my kids around!
We got to go to two Christmas services today. Kade sang in another ward so we went to that and then went to our ward right after. Both services were filled with such beautiful music and talented people! It was uplifting and joyful. Ryder and Luke sang are the the primary kids, Kade sang with the choir and a men’s chorus and Tenley and I got to help with the closing hymn. I played piano, Tenley on the flute, and a friend on the organ while the congregation sand Silent Night. It was such a joy to play with Tenley again.
The kids played games when we got home today and Brad smoked a delicious ham for dinner.
The Sunday before Christmas is one of my favorites!
The weather warmed up to over 50 degrees so I had to go for a walk after church today. I loved being out in the neighborhood again! I think Keena loved it too. The boys came out to meet me when I got close to home. December is a little too busy and a walk out in the fresh air was so nice!
Brad was able to come to church with us today. He was actually home for more of the day than Kade was. Kade and a ward youth council after church and then he took the sacrament to a few older sisters who couldn’t make it to church today. But it was nice when he was home! Luke was in heaven having Kade to hang out with!
We had a nice and relaxing day! We made what has become our traditional conference breakfast: Brad’s omelet and my cinnamon rolls. It was such a good and uplifting day!
Brad was so far away from us today. He was closer to Canada than he was to us! Tenley actually spoke in church today and made a funny joke about him not even showing up to church for her. She delivered it well. It was funny!
My kids made a sweet card for a friend I went to visit in the hospital this afternoon. Well Tenley made it and everyone else signed it. She didn’t have time to color it but I thought it looked great!
We got to have a big dinner tonight with the stake presidency and the 26 missionaries serving in our stake. Tenley made beautiful desserts that everyone loved. Kade learned how to rope from one of the missionaries and he even gave him his rope. It was really nice. President Giles took the kids on a 4 wheel ride around his property. It was such a nice night.
We had such a nice Sunday at church today! And then we got to have our stake president and his wife over for lunch with Brad’s dad and Judy. It was a nice lunch and it’s fun to get to know the stake president and his wife a little bit better. We then enjoyed a very nice and relaxing afternoon, an evening walk, and ice cream with homemade waffle bowls for dessert. It was a pretty perfect day!
Brad had to leave at 7 am to drive two hours up to Cut Bank today for their branch conference. It was a long day for him but I think everything we went well. We missed him at church. It’s hard to describe how lonely it feels without him. But at least I have four cute kids to sit with! I am so grateful for that!
We had a nice afternoon together. The kids rode around the neighborhood a lot together. We are still enjoying this nice weather and are not ready for summer to end!
We got to be with Brad all day today! It was amazing. We drove to church together and even though he didn’t sit with us we could still see him. And then we got to drive home together as well! I had to take a picture to document it but everyone just rolled their eyes at me! Kade and Tenley actually had to stay for the youth council meeting so Brad beat them home. It was such a nice Sunday. We enjoyed the beautiful weather tonight after a fireside at the church and Luke decided to climb the tree!
I got to help out in primary today with the sweet little 4 and 5 year olds. They were adorable! I love being in primary and singing the primary songs with them. Kids are just the sweetest! I loved being with Ryder and Luke as well. They even sang one of my favorite new songs, “Anytime, Anywhere.”
Brad was in Choteau today to reorganize the bishopric there but he didn’t get home too much later than us which was nice. It was a good Sunday.
My family had to head back home today but it was nice to be able to wish my dad a happy Father’s Day in person this morning! We were sad to see them go! We had such a great time with them.
Our church service was so nice today. Ryder and Luke sang a few songs with the other primary kids. It was the sweetest thing ever. They sang so well!
Kade gave a little talk about fathers which was really nice as well. And then Brad was released as a bishop after almost four years! It was definitely a bittersweet feeling but I’m also so relieved. It was getting hard having him trying to fulfill both callings. This was necessary. But the blessings we received as a family while he served as a Bishop were so worth it. I’m grateful for him and his willingness to serve.
And I’m so grateful for my dad.
It was a really long day at the church for Brad today. He had Bishop duties until 2 and then stake duties from 3 to 7:30. I know it won’t be like this often but it was such a long day. I was grateful to have four amazing kids to hang out with all day! I’d be so bored without them.
It was a beautiful day to celebrate Mother’s today. Brad only had one meeting so we got to spend a lot of time with him. Ryder and Luke sang in church with the primary kids and Kade and Tenley sang with the youth. I got to play with the youth which I loved! They did a great job. In Relief Society we had all the sisters attend and we got to socialize and eat a yogurt parfaits.
This afternoon I got to relax and enjoy a rain storm. Then the weather turned nice and we went for a family walk. Then my kids made me dinner and Kade made shakes for dessert! They also all made me the best cards and then they surprised me with the funniest video I’ve ever seen! They are so creative and they spoiled me! I love being their mother.
