March

On March 5th Janette came home from the California, San Francisco/Oakland and Taiwan, Tapei missions!  It was so great to see her!

We didn't go to the airport, but met the family over at Jared's house for lunch and to visit.  

Leesa Scott, Fay Klingler, Kathleen Hefley,
Sherry Dixon, Terri Critchlow, Muthu Alletto,
Patricia Bond, Merinda Cutler

We had our Relief Society birthday party and had a fun time!  We did dinner and then circled around for Our Favorite Things gifts.  

Each of us had brought a gift less than $5.  We put our names in and Cory Isileli started.  She showed the gift she had brought and why it was one of her favorite things.  

Patricia Bond, Merinda Cutler, Terri Harris,
Meg Watson, Lauri English, Corrine Ellingson, 
Tina Memmott

Corinne Ellingson, Sherrie Anderson,
Alisha Pettey, Alane Mercado, Kristin Masters,

Alane Mercado, Kristin Masters, Rachel Richards,
Tamera Stokes, Leslie Boulow

A brother in our ward passed away at the end of February and his funeral was on March 7th.  My birthday.  

We started setting up around 1 p.m., the family got back from the burial about 2:45 and we were finished about 5 p.m.  

I was so tired!  We had planned to go out to dinner, but I was too tired....I had brought some leftovers home so we ate those and got take out from Cafe Rio the next night.  

When I arrived home people had been so kind.  Flowers from Jason, tulips from Laurie English, bottle of soap from Laura Taggart, lotion from Trish Lind.  They were all sooo sweet!

Leesa Scott, my compassionate service
leader, Karlene Gonzales, my 1st counselor.
Getting food ready to serve.

The Friday after my birthday Joy, Mom, Adrienne and Erick all came up and we went to lunch for my birthday.  Went to Village Baker.  I wish I had taken a picture!  We had a fun time!

Relaxing after a long day!

                         

Gas line at Costco.  Looks longer ]
than it actually took to get through

At the beginning of March Russia invaded Ukraine.  It was so weird to see one country invade another country in this day and age!  Its like, who does that???  Russia's leader, Putin, wants parts of Ukraine and to dominate the country.  

As a consequence, world leaders are putting sanctions against Russia...one of which is not buying oil.  This had raised our gas prices a lot.  

Trying to keep Jacob from kicking
me out of the chair

                  

On Sunday, March 13th, we went to Janette's homecoming talk in her ward.  She did a wonderful job!  Afterward, we went to Josh and Irina's to visit and eat.  

March 23rd!  Jacob's 14th Birthday!  Yay!!  

He got up for school and opened 2 gifts.  Pop Tarts and Lucky Charms!  

That night we had poppyseed chicken for dinner and afterward he opened his other gifts. Scout pants, a camping pillow. 

A new headlamp, and a set of tools for his computer work.

               

                

About 6:30 one of his friends in the neighborhood, Itai, came over for cake, ice cream and to play video games.  He gave Jacob some Mike & Ikes and a $20 Roblox card.  He loved that!!

We're so glad he is part of our family!  Love the boy!!

The last weekend the YM went down to Cedar City to Bishop Watson's family cabin.  Goofing off, playing in the snow etc.  He had a good time, but stayed up WAY too late and was very tired when he came home.

This last Sunday we celebrated March and April family birthdays.  Had everyone, but Stephen and Hannah over.  

Josh and Irina told us about their house hunting trip to England.  They couldn't find anything, but Josh is moving in a few weeks and will stay at an Air B and B until he can find something.  Then Irina and the kids go at the end of May.  Will be an interesting adventure!

More Mike & Ikes for Jacob!

For Young Men's they went trap shooting.  Jacob had fun!  Jacob's shoulder had a bruise from the gun's kick back. 

                     

             

February

In December Jason began talking about getting a bigger TV.  This surprised me because he NEVER buys TVs and has prided himself on this fact....but we went to Costco to look.  In December we didn't want to buy it for Christmas--we had spent enough.  So we thought we'd look in January--as they sales might gear toward the Super Bowl. 

When we went in January it seemed the stock was low at our Costco and no great sales.

At the beginning of February I went to the bigger Costco on 21st South to get a supply of chicken and they had a better selection of TVs.  So on our anniversary Jason and I went to Costco and bought at TV.  Jacob had something that night so Jason and I took the TV over to his dad's house.  We weren't ready to set it up yet (no stand to put it on etc.) and we didn't want it sitting in the box, in the family room, driving Jacob nuts for a week because we weren't setting it up.

The following Friday, Jacob had scout Klondike and was gone for the weekend.  Jason and I went to La Hacienda for dinner and then went to pick up the TV.  On Saturday Jason put up the stand and we got the TV up.  Jacob came home and this was his reaction.  

This is our anniversary.  I wanted to try and make a cake that did not fall over and looked OK.  There is a woman who does beautiful cakes.  Her name is Courtney Rich and she has a website:  Cakes by Courtney.  I tried one of her recipes and it turned out pretty well.  

I also discovered that a cake made from scratch tastes different than the box mix.  It is a bit denser.  

First time Jacob helped prepare the sacrament

                    

Lucky me--I got a root canal

For Valentines Day I usually like to do a little something to spice things up with fondue.  Strawberries, apples, and bananas dipped in chocolate.  Yummy!

Jacob's version of cleaning up
one night.

                    

This was the set up for about a week until the cabinet we wanted arrived.

When we had the bookshelves built we moved the TV line from the big wall to a jack under each bookcase.  That way if you wanted to put a TV on either side you could.  

In order to put the TV back along the big wall, Jason had to find the line and reconnect it to the jack in the big wall.  He went down into the crawl space under the family room to find it.  

Along with this we did some TV shuffling.  We moved the oldest, big, TV from our room to the basement and TV from the family room back up to our room.   With these moves we needed the "feet" to the old TV again.  We had mounted it about 7 years ago and thought we'd not need the feet again.  Getting tired of storing things we thought we'd given the feet to DI.  Then we needed them again!!

When Jason went to the crawl space to pull the TV line back over we found the feet!  We had put it in a large garbage bag and stored them there!  We were happy because otherwise we had no way to stand up the TV in the basement.  

Then Jason and Jacob could begin putting the cabinet together.  Jacob was a great help and very careful with his work!

Just about finished

Grandma and Grandpa Wong wanted to spend some time with Jacob and took him out to McDonalds for dinner.  They said they had a great time visiting!

Evan Pettey, Jacob, Bishop Watson in 
red shirt

For out Ward Conf in February the Stake YM presidency came to one of the YM activities and played dodge ball.  I had a presidency meeting at the same time and when I was finished I went in to watch.  

Here are a couple of shots when Jacob was one of the last ones standing. 

Jacob, Bishop Watson, Jim ward, Ian Thomas

Another exciting Friday night cleaning 
out the food closet

Jacob hanging out with his 
friend Itai

                   

Jacob learning the valuable lesson of work! 

Jason and I attended a zoom 
presentation on ADHD.  They had this 
slide which pretty accurately reflects
a teenager's moods as they progress 
from 12-17.