Date #3 with Tyrel

Tyrel had to stay after school today to finish up some work for end of term. I picked him up and he ran a couple of errands with me and then we had our date. First stop was Fast Gas where he bought us both drinks and a snack. Then we went home and played Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader. Tyrel was really nice and let Trevin join us for the 2nd game after he finished his homework because he could see that Trevin really wanted to play. Then Tyrel and I made dinner together. He did the main dish (portabello pork chops) and I made the vegetable and the salad. While it was cooking, I went outside to watch him on his Rip Stick for a little while.

We had fun laughing and talking together. I'm so grateful for these times I get to spend one on one with the boys. I'm glad that this is one goal that I'm keeping up with so far. I've really loved it and hope they have enjoyed it also. I'm also grateful (I know, I've said this before) that Tyrel knows how to cook. Travis was saying at dinner last night that one of his leaders told him it was a good idea for all boys to take a cooking class in school to prepare them for their missions. Tyrel did take foods this year and they both have it on their want list for school next year, but they do cook quite a bit at home, so hopefully they are prepared for their missions in that aspect already a little bit.

Court of Honor

Travis and Tyrel's Court of Honor was tonight. It ended up very nice and was a great tribute to them. The remarks and introductions were great! I am so proud of both of them.

Our Young Men's leader, Brent Johnson introduced Travis and Tyrel's Teachers Quorum advisor Frank Montague introduced him. Then they both told about their projects. Doug Howell, who was Scoutmaster for both of them spoke, and Sean and I both spoke.

President Newman gave some remarks and did the Eagle Charge. They also received an Eagle scarf from the Stake Young Men's presidency which Kevin Johnson presented to them. Then they gave the mother and father pins as well as their mentor pins. Tyrel gave his to Brother Howell and Travis gave his to Brother Peterson. The Bishop spoke for a minute then we wrapped it up with a closing song, prayer and treats. The boys wanted brownies, mint chocolate chip ice cream and Grandma Nielsen's hot fudge sauce.
All of Sean's siblings and their families made it (except the Davis family, we missed you). Both sets of grandparents were there and lots of their friends came also along with their past and present leaders. It was a great evening. I'm so grateful that they both achieved the honor of being an Eagle Scout.

Good Food, Good Times, Great Company

My parents came and took us out to dinner tonight. We went to Tucano's. We were celebrating Trevin and Tyrel's birthdays, Travis and Tyrel's Eagle Scout awards, and Trevin's Arrow of Light Award! We had a great time and all ate way over our allowance of meat. It was so yummy though!

Thanks Dad and Mom for the special treat!

I still have it! Almost..........

Many years ago, when I was in 8th grade, I took hunter's safety with my friend Teresa. I thought the class was boring and I passed the written test, but it seems like I only got like 80 percent or something. Then we took the shooting test. I totally blew out the center of the target laying down, also got a perfect score kneeling, and only had 1 or 2 off the center of the bullseye standing up.

Trevin got a BB gun for his birthday, so after school today, since the weather was finally clear, we took the 4 wheelers and went shooting. After we had all warmed up, we decided to have a shooting contest. Tyrel and I tied the first round, so we had a shoot off, and tied again, then he beat me by 1 shot in the final round. Everyone was cheering for him because they couldn't let mom win, I was a girl and that would be humiliating to the male ego around here.

It was a fun family activity! I'm grateful for times like this when we all go do something together.

Trevin had his buddies over tonight to play night games, they had fun!

All my friends are at the hotel for scrapping weekend. I miss them! But we have company tonight, Trevin's late night going on for his birthday, and more company coming for the weekend, so it is good that I am home. I also have to teach Sunday so I need to get my lesson finished up and then I have to get shopping done and treats made for Travis and Tyrel's Court of Honor on Sunday.

Speed Scrap

We were the hostesses for the speed scrap tonight. It is so fun to chat with the other scrapbooking ladies while I scrap a couple times a week. I get to chat more when I'm the hostess because I'm just posting instructions and not scrapping along with them. I tried once to scrap and be hostess, didn't go so well. In fact, it really stressed me out! That is just too much going on at once.

I'm grateful that I finally learned how to digital scrap. I have been doing it for a year and a half now and I love it. It gives me something to do as I sit here waiting for loan stuff to come in and keeps me caught up better than with paper scrapping, and I am so much better at journaling now than I ever was before!

A Fire!? You've got to be kidding me!

The Mia Maids combined with the Teachers tonight for our YM/YW activity. We went bowling at BYU since every other place has leagues on the week nights and you have to go at like 4:00 to be able to bowl anywhere else. So, we get everyone hauled to Provo, got our shoes and balls and everyone's name typed into the computer. Then, after the first 2 or 3 people bowl, the fire alarm starts going off. We just ignored it at first, because it didn't really sound like a fire alarm, we thought someone made a bunch of strikes in a row or something and it was making a big deal out of it or something.

Anyway, the lady gets on the speaker and said it was a fire drill and we all needed to exit the building. After we got outside, they said that a fire had been reported in the building. We didn't see or smell any smoke or fire engines coming to put it out, but we ended up having to stand outside for 1/2 hour. Then we came in and they said, you can bowl till 8:30, but then they close for leagues to come in. Seriously?! We bowled fast and I think we all got 8 frames in before they just turned off the lights, computers and lanes. No mercy! They wouldn't even give us a partial refund or a free game for later.

Oh well, the kids seemed to have fun! I had fun.! Bowling is kind of fun even though I pretty much am not very good at it. I'm grateful for the fun ladies I work with in young women's. I got to ride over with Kristy and chat with her. It was fun to get to know her a little better.

Oh, and happy birthday Tyrel on the real day!

Tyrel is 15 (almost)

Sean was home today so we went and picked up Tyrel for lunch for his birthday. I got the time wrong though so he ended up having to miss a class, but we took him anyway. He wanted to go to the "sauce place". It was fun to visit with him. It isn't his birthday officially until tomorrow, but, he didn't want to have to go on collaboration day since they have a shortened lunch timeframe that day, although I guess it wouldn't have mattered since I messed up the time anyway.

For dinner, he wanted to have guacamole bacon burgers and homemade fries. I should have taken a picture of Tyrel's. He wanted it to be a double burger, so it was huge, I can't believe he could get his mouth around it to take a bite. Luckily he and Trevin have the same favorite cake, and since we had lots left over, I didn't have to make two cakes. Much better for my waistline too.

Happy birthday Tyrel! We love you so much! Hope your day was great even though the "day" isn't until tomorrow.


This is Tyrel with his new/old phone that Sean gave him for his Birthday. This is his 3rd phone in just over a year, he is pretty tough on them I think. It is old because it is Sean's old phone. He upgraded a couple of months ago. We told Tyrel he wouldn't get anything for his birthday because we spent too much money on him for Christmas, so he was surprised to get something.