Teagan Gets the Priesthood

We finally figured out why Teagan decided to come 3 weeks early!  He wanted to make sure he made the cut off for getting the priesthood with his friends.  He was among the first group of boys that received the priesthood all in January instead of on their 12th birthdays.  With a birthday on December 26th he is the youngest Deacon and will always be the youngest in his quorum.

He rose to the occasion and has impressed us so much.  We had tons of family there to support him and he loved the party afterwards.  He was so excited for his awesome blue suit with yellow pinstripes, he inherited his fashion sense from Zac for sure!  He is excited to go to the temple as often as possible.  

Teagan is technically old enough, but sometimes I wonder if he is mature enough.  haha. One day he went to an extreme to give me a heart attack.  While I was gone he colored his face with a variety of markers and then covered it with bandaids.  When I walked in he was acting like he was in terrible pain.  I, of course, fell for it, much to his delight.  This boy is definitely growing up.  He is getting a great sense of humor and has such amazing confidence.

Teagan and Zac have loved visiting the temple and have gone multiple times.  Sometimes with just the two of them, other times they bring friends, but it always ends with a stop at a fast food joint to get hamburgers.  I love these boys!

An Answered Prayer

We have started the new Come Follow Me Program that was introduced a few months ago in preparation for 2 hour church.  All these changes are so exciting and fun.  I feel like we are having a lot of success implementing the new ideas and seeing such a difference in our kids already and we are only 2 weeks in.  Along with the manual I got each of us a journal to write answers to questions and ideas as we study.  Eloise has had this growth thing on her toe for awhile.  I thought it was a wart and haven't been vigilant in remembering about it or looking closer.  The other day she was in the bath and I told her that it probably needed to be removed by a doctor and she flipped out, terrified.  The next day in scripture study we talked about Zacharias and Elisabeth and how they had prayed for a baby so we answered the question: "What is something big that you are praying or hoping for right now?"  Her answer was: "to git my toue better."  

Yesterday morning she woke up and the the whole thing had pretty much just fallen off or disappeared or something.  Eloise was ecstatic and kept showing everyone in our family her "miracle."  She was so excited and so were we!  

My favorite part happened today.  Yesterday I visited my Grandma, Lois Packer, and she sent me home with a little planner for Eloise since they almost have the same name.  Eloise was very excited to write in her daily planner every day, just like I do.  Yesterday she wrote "I play in the snow hill."  Then this morning after scriptures she wrote, without any prompting from us, "say thacue (thank you) to Jesus Christ."  She is such an example to me.  What a faithful, obedient, darling little girl she is.  

Happy13th Anniversary

We were able to go on two overnighters this year for our anniversary.  It was so fun!  We went down to Salt Lake for the Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert.  It was so so good this year!  Kristin Chenoweth was the guest star and she was amazing and had so much personality and was so entertaining.  We both loved it so much.  We stayed downtown and enjoyed a delicious breakfast at the hotel and then went down to city creek to just wander aimlessly trying to understand the new feelings of freedom we were experiencing.  

We were able to go visit the light the world giving machines.  They were so cool!  They are vending machines and you can buy different gifts for other people.  We bought enough seeds for an acre farm, 2 chickens, and a polio vaccine to donate to people in other parts of the world.  It was so cool to see that there was a constant line.  we really enjoyed it!  After that we went and shopped for our Christmas presents to ourselves which was wonderful.  Then we took the scenic route home.  We stopped at Smith and Edwards and found treasures, then drove through Brigham City and stopped at a delicious place called Maddox to eat.  It was so good!  We were gone for just over 24 hours and it was a blast!

A special thanks to everyone who helped with our kids!  Grandma and Grandpa Daniels took the 3 older kids for  a fun Christmasy weekend with cousins.  Grandma and Grandpa Durtschi took Everly overnight for a much more quiet night away.  With the attention of two adults on her at all times she acted like a dream and won their hearts.  The Ivins family took her for the day until we got home that night.  She loved her time with them too, getting all of that attention and fun for a whole weekend was so fun.

On our actual anniversary, Grandma Packer came to our house and took care of all 4 kiddos solo!  She survived the burnt dinner that I attempted to prepare in advance and all the kids did great and had so much fun with her!  We started our date nice and early and went to a movie at 2, then we went to our hotel room and checked in and I was able to actually get ready (I went to the movie with wet hair and no make-up because we were running late.  It felt so luxurious so spend all that time primping and getting ready without interruptions and Zac got to enjoy watching some football.  Then we headed back to Shelley to switch cars with my mom and go to the Shelley Escape room with some of our neighbors.  It is like a big scavenger hunt and you have to try to get out in an hour to win.  We had to get a clue because we were running out of time.  It was so fun!  We had a great group and just really enjoyed it.  I want to go back!  Afterwards we all went out to dinner at Olive Garden together and it was so delicious.  The next morning my mom brought the kids over (hence the switching of cars) and they ate breakfast and went swimming in the giant jacuzzi in our room.  They all loved it.  Except Teagan, who was was cut open and couldn't get in.  He still got to watch the fun movie though.    It was so great to be able to have some alone time and some other fun things to do with people and our kids.  We definitely need to go on weekends away more often!

Happy 10th Birthday Teagan!

Teagan is such a fun, light hearted boy and we LOVE having him as part of our family.  He is a source of constant laughter (and screaming) from his three little sisters who adore him.  He has an endless appetite which means he has definitely surpassed me in food consumption.  He has always got an appetite, especially for sugar.  I recently found 4 empty bags of chocolate chips in his room so we moved him upstairs so he will be closer to the kitchen where he can find healthier options.  Him and Addy are sharing a room and loving it so much.  I think all of us enjoy having Teagan upstairs with us, he was so far away downstairs and I feel like we get to spend so much more time with him now.  He hasn't even complained about sharing a room, I think he likes it too.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints changed their policy in December about who gets the priesthood.  Now anyone who turns 12 during the year gets the priesthood starting in January of that year.  So even though Teagan doesn't have a birthday until December 26, he will be getting the priesthood next weekend.  I was not excited at first but after seeing his enthusiasm and readiness I am so happy for him.  He had 2 weeks to finish his faith in God award and spent every night memorizing articles of faith, writing his testimony, and passing off the last few requirements.  He had just finished working hard on finishing up his cub scouts with getting his Arrow of Light so it has been a busy month for him!    I can't believe we are leaving cub scouts and primary behind.  Teagan has mutual for the first time and it is so strange to me.  How can he be growing up so fast?!

On Teagan's birthday he opted to postpone presents until summer time, which made for a rough morning, but the day turned out to be an 11 year old's dream come true.  We picked up his friend Quinn and headed to Gravity Factory.  We all had so much fun!  That place is an amazing workout and the whole family loves it.  Afterwards we stopped for Wendy's and headed home for Everly to nap.  Quinn stayed and Teagan, Eli and Quinn spent the afternoon running around, playing video games and playing with Eloise's new karaoke microphone.

For dinner he wanted to invite his friends and head out to all you can eat pizza at Pizza Pie Cafe.  Those boys got our money's worth for sure!  I just stood back in awe as they went back for plate after plate.  Everly was also a big eater and ate so much spaghetti.  She loved it!

There were definitely lots of fun times and not so fun times this year with our Teagan. One such moment this year was one day after school when I thought Teagan was out playing basketball and when I had the girls go get him they returned saying that he wasn't there.  I realized that he had never made it home from school.  I jumped in the car and started driving around looking for him.  He usually walks home with his friends.  I drove along all the possible routes he could take and he was nowhere to be found.  I started calling all the other parents who have kids that walk home and asked if anyone walked with Teagan...nope, nobody walked home with him.  I went to the school, hoping that he'd stayed after for a project or something, nope, it was all locked up.  At this point I started panicking.  It was 3:50 and school gets out at 3 and nobody had seen him and I couldn't find him anywhere.  I was getting ready to call 911 and it was interrupted by a call from Brittany Ivins.  Her daughter, Haven, had overheard Teagan saying that he wasn't going to walk home because he was going sledding in the canal with his friends.  It's amazing how quickly my concern and panic turned to fury.  I drove back to the canal road and sure enough there he was.  He had been inside the canal so I didn't see him when I drove by.  I honked and he hopped in "Thanks for the ride!" Totally unaware that anything was wrong.  He is such a good boy, with a good heart.  Unfortunately, he sometimes forgets to think before he acts.  After I spewed out all of my fear and anger I think he understood a little bit better and he hasn't come home late since.  That was one of my more terrifying experiences as a mom, I thought that he was for sure dead or kidnapped.  I'm soo grateful that he was okay.  You don't realize how much you love someone until they might be gone.

Since I told a bad one on Teagan, I better tell one on myself.  I was rearranging after Christmas and the wall clock didn't get put on well and ended up falling off the wall and breaking.  Zac and I cleaned up the mess and I kept telling myself to take the trash out with the whole container so it didn't cut through the bag...but then Everly woke up and I forgot.  Fast forward 2 days and I asked Teagan to take out the trash, the bag brushed against his leg and cut him open.  He definitely needed stitches, but I just couldn't bring myself to pay for it when it was so close to the end of the year (Dec 29).  Zac thought that it was going to be fine with a little super glue and butterfly bandages.  Zac worked his magic, but it didn't heal great and Teagan will most definitely carry a scar on his leg for the rest of his life as a reminder that even parents make mistakes sometimes.  Nobody is perfect, sorry buddy!

Everly loves Teagan, I think she thinks of him as another parent and goes to him when Zac and I say no, and he always says yes.  This applies mostly to the fact that she is always wanting to put on her coat and shoes and "go."  Actually, all three kids love to help her get dressed to go, it is pretty funny how pleased she is to come show Zac and I that she succeeded even though we wouldn't help.  She is now saying Teagan's name and yells it anytime we are all looking for him.  She hasn't said anyone else's name yet, so it is a great honor.   haha

Teagan has started playing basketball again and it is so fun to watch him play!  He is such a go getter and is so quick!  There is always a big cheering section, some more excited than others to be there watching.

And finally, the traditional 20 questions.  It's always fun to see how their answers change from year to year.  

1. How old are you:11
2. Who is your best friend:Quinn Dixon and Eli Heath
3. What is your favorite thing to do? Mess around with friends
4. What is your favorite color? Green or Hazel
5. What is your favorite food? Chicken Curry or Chinese food
6. What do you like to do with your family? Go to Gravity Factory
7. What is your favorite toy? Books- Maze Runner is the current favorite
8 What is your favorite sport/activity? Running
9. What do you want to be when you grow up? ??????????????????? Garbage truck driver
10. How old will you be when you get married? 18, no just kidding, 24
10.5. Who do you have a crush on? Nobody right now, Haven has crushed his heart into a million pieces
11. How many kids are you going to have? That depends on what my wife wants
12. What is your favorite book? Harry Potter 7
13. What is your favorite show or movie? Studio C
14. What makes you happy? Being active outside with friends
15. What makes you sad? Being bored, not being active
16. What do you think about before you fall asleep? All the things that happen during the day
17. What is your favorite part of your birthday? Gravity Factory
18. What is your favorite scripture story? Ammon chopping off people's arms
19. What is something that you think you will accomplish before you are 12? Getting the priesthood
20. What is one word that describes you? Tubular

Christmas 2018

 We had such a fun Christmas this year.  The kids are all at such fun ages and it was very magical.  One of my favorite things was that Eloise was missing both of her front teeth.  The second one came out just a few days before Christmas.  I don't know if I can count the number of times that we sang "All I want for Christmas is my two Front Teeth" because it felt pretty constant.  It was so fun.

We had a great time up in Teton Valley for the Daniels Family Christmas Party.  So much yummy food and game playing and laughing.  It was fabulous!

This year I got very carried away with making costumes for the nativity.  I raided my mom's fabric and buttons and other fun decorative pieces and went to town.  The kids were good sports and modeled for me throughout the season, it was adorable because every time the big kids were trying on costumes Everly would come running and want to get dressed up.  She is so darling as Mary.

We spent Christmas Eve with the Daniels family and it was so fun!  Taylin and Teagan got everyone organized and Zac read the nativity.  It was definitely not reverent, but it was memorable.  Quinn loved being in the mix with all the big kids, she is so darling!  Addy was Mary, Tay was a Shepherd, Grayson the sheep, Eloise a Wise woman, Zoey was Mary's sister, Everly a Shepherd and Teagan was Joseph and Samuel the Laminate.  It was fun to see them all dressed up!

Aunt Sheena brought so much fun stuff to make cookies for Santa.  All the kids loved it so much, but Adeline was in absolute heaven the whole time.  She kept wondering if Santa would actually want to eat her cookies and kept hoping that he'd save some for her.  When he came he did eat some but she was very disappointed that he didn't eat them all.  Teagan used about a gallon of frosting on his cookie because he did a murder scene first and then tried to cover it up.  It was pretty funny and had us all laughing.  Eloise took her time and really enjoyed the sprinkles and different colors.

Christmas morning began at about 4:30 am when we woke up to Eloise throwing up into the toilet.  Her making it and not getting the carpet was by far my favorite gift this year.  She didn't feel very good all morning, but the presents were all so fun she couldn't help but get excited.  Teagan was up around 5:30 and waiting until 6 to wake the rest of us up.

They loved their clothes and presents and had so much fun playing all day.  We enjoyed relaxing and enjoying our presents as well.  Everly woke up a little later and loved her new baby doll, but mostly loved trying to steal everyone else's presents.  Especially Teagan's bean bag.  She got stuck in this jeep and we left her there for a bit to slow down the tornado of destruction that she has become.