Aquileo | U4ia: 01.19

Sunday, January 27, 2019

🎶 Some Days are Diamonds (Some Days are Stones) 🎶

So Miranda came home from her mission a couple weeks early to have some surgery, but I have this great excuse to still write our family history down, since her novio is still on his mission in Paris, France for the next year. So until May 9, 2019, I'll still write a missionary letter for our blog posts. =)

So it's been a LONG January... I see people complaining about it everywhere, and they are right. Maybe I would be more optimistic if I weren't surprised at how it feels after a parent dies. I am amazed. So as I was looking for a song my dad liked, this one fit PERFECTLY. Here are some of the heart-wrenching lyrics:

When you asked how I've been here without you
I'd like to say I've been fine and I do
But we both know the truth is hard to come by
And if I told the truth that's not quite true

Some days are diamonds, some days are stones
Sometimes the hard times won't leave me alone
Sometimes a cold wind blows a chill in my bones
Some days are diamonds, some days are stones

So I really have been swimming through a fog. It seems like I can't get as much done; Christmas is still up, for example. So to add to the sadness all around us, Carlie's teacher at school also died. It rocked the school, because she was very loved.

Her wish was that the school kids could miss school for her funeral, and that there would be an afterparty (when her dad died 3 years ago, all the siblings wrote out what they wanted for funeral plans, and kept it in a folder!!). So this Thursday will be her funeral the last 2 hours of school.

We woke up to THIS:

And I got so brave and started Christmas takedown:

On Tuesday, Jeff started his ski season. =)

That night while he was at work, the kids & I went to Vocal Point at the HS. They put on such a great show!

K, someone started this egg going around to break the record for the most likes. The throne was held by Kylie Jenner's birth announcement at 18M, and this egg is up to 52.7M likes. Haha! It's evidence of how much our society is driven by frenzies & competition.

So here's a meme that went with it this week:

At cubscouts on Wed, Connor's Wolves learned about dinosaurs:

Then he got to go bowling with the Teachers for Mutual.

With Derek & Daddy. He did pretty good!!!!

Frodo: Derek

Noob: Connor

Maddog: Jeff

Thursday, Carlie went to a Masterworks Concert at Orem HS. They were amazing, as always.

Then Friday was the Funeral for Senorita Taylor. The choir sang for it, and there was a full talk by her brother of JUST COW JOKES. Her wishes. The place was packed. And then everyone stayed after and had food & put together puzzles... we all need to come up with funeral plans way ahead, so our funerals are exactly what we want. =)

Miranda & Carlie had a Strawberry Shortcake marathon night with Halle & Kierste. Ah, sister time.

And what?!? Sterling has been so affectionate lately, it's crazy. It's winter, and he doesn't have as many mice to chase, or any kitty sisters any more, so he just loves on us. But he RARELY jumps onto a lap. It's unheard of.

Saturday, Carlie had Preference! They had a game day,

And then their pictures turned out gorgeous and cute.

Something artsy happened:

Derek was cast in Newsies as a Slasher/ Sniper!!! He's really excited about the play! So we rented the Disney movie today so he could see the jist of the play.