In Relief Society at church a few weeks ago a girl in our ward, Megan, shared how she and her husband were taking turns going to the temple every week and how that sacrifice they were making was really changing their lives. I was really touched by her example and talked to Logan about it after. Although we aren't able to make it weekly, Logan and I talked and decided to set a new goal for going to the temple more frequently. We mapped it out and figured out how we would accomplish our goal. We decided to try fitting it into one night and taking turns, one of us doing a session and the other doing Initiatory and then switching for the next time we go to the temple. This last Thursday was our first time trying it and although it was a little busy it ended up working out beautifully. We were still able to eat dinner together as a family in between our turns which was something I still really wanted to be able to do and wasn't quite willing to sacrifice. Eating dinner together as a family has been a priority for us and I didn't realize until now - as I write this - how smoothly it all worked out. I am grateful that the Lord blessed our efforts.
Friday evening my sister Kelsy and her friend Sierra came to stay at our house. They had tickets to the Imagine Dragons concert and we were their way point. We didn't get to hang out much because they had busy days planned but it was so nice for the kids to see them and we had some yummy meals together. I was bummed I forgot I wanted to get a picture until they were driving away.
This weekend was Salmon Days, here in Issaquah. They celebrate the Salmon run with a big farmer's market/street fair and and carnival. Our entire family had so much fun. There were bounce houses, fire trucks for sitting in, kettle corn (I had to get some in memory of my mom!), and such wonderful smells!
Both of the kids talked about getting to sit in "Heat Wave" over and over again. Heat Wave is the Rescue Bot that turns into a fire truck. Elsy and Tommy love to pretend to be Heat Wave (Elsy) and Chase (Tommy) who is a police car.
Logan and I loved seeing the salmon run! We stopped at a bridge that went over a stream and we could see the salmon swimming, laying eggs, and even the males fighting to fertilize them! If you know us, we are Planet Earth enthusiasts and we just loved getting front row seats to the real deal. I asked Logan if he thought we would get in trouble if we brought a net and went down and scooped one up. Haha, they probably wouldn't taste very good anyway, thought because they were all at the end of their life span. A few dead ones were already floating near the banks.
Our cute little Tommy has started getting very distressed when we leave him. We have noticed it has been since Elsy started preschool. He is just my little buddy and wants nobody else, not even Logan sometimes, to help him or watch over him except for me. They brought him to Logan on Sunday when he was in nursery. They said he just started crying and asking for his mom. I was playing the piano in primary so Logan took him on a little walk around the temple to help him relax. I think Logan likes those walks as much as Tommy sometimes! Haha!
We have been talking about what we can do to help him not be so attached to me. He has been getting very tearful quite quickly on occasions and my poor sweet little boy just needs to learn how to manage his emotions I think. So we are working on it, working on me stepping back and letting others take care of him even when he isn't happy about it, that sort of thing.
We went on a walk to the lookout near where we live on Sunday. It was just beautiful outside. Logan helped the kids to learn about storm drains and the Ninja Turtles who live in them. I thought they were so cute as they all peered down to look.
One of the things Logan and I have been talking a lot about lately is if we should buy a house or not. Our lease ends in February and we always have this talk at this time of year. Last year we stressed, hunted, and talked about houses for months and then just ended up renewing our lease in our same apartment. We have been doing the same thing again this year, only we are not planning to renew our lease. We are just ready to be in a house. We are ready to have a yard, not have neighbors below us making us feel like we can't run or jump off the couches (I say we but I mean the kids haha!). We are ready for more storage space and more living space and would just love to have a garage for Logan to do all his woodworking projects in. So we will for sure be moving into a house, even if it is to rent. But until then, Loan is working on getting all the pre-approvals ready to buy a house just in case we find something in our budget and in an area we feel happy with. We are ready for the house lifestyle!
I took the kids to Lake Sammamish park on Monday morning on a whim and I am so glad I did. It was beautiful out and the kids played and played on the toys and then I took them to the sand to play some more. I love those kinds of moments where the kids are having a blast and it is so peaceful out.
We got some good news at Tommy's physical therapy appointment yesterday! They measured his arm and said he has gained almost 10 degrees of movement since we started there almost two months ago. Stacie, the physical therapist, and I were so excited about that. Visually it doesn't seem like he can move all that much more, but when you get down to measuring it, that is hard evidence and proof. We will continue to keep working with him. Last time I went to the doctor's office they said if he didn't improve we would need to do another surgery where they re-break his arm, pin it again, and cast it again for 4-6 weeks... basically square one without the trauma of falling and an ambulance ride. I didn't want to have to do all that again, and I am sure Tommy wouldn't either! so I was grateful there has been small improvements.
This morning we went to the church building where there was a fellow with a huge truck full of apple boxes. He was selling them for 50 cents a pound. We bought 20 lbs and are excited to make some cider and applesauce!
It has been a wonderful week and while we still have our struggles that we are facing and worrying and praying and wondering over, we are grateful to be doing it all together as a family.
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