12/8/16 Temple Lights

This morning I had an unusual opportunity to serve. The missionaries were being visited by a traveling General Authority and needed a wireless microphone set up. Heavenly Father has blessed me with some flexibility in my work schedule so I was able to go and help them out.

This evening we had the special treat of going to see the lights around the Mesa Temple. We also got to see the Roche family and Matt, Lucy and Alex. Sharon wasn't feeling well and stayed home.

For the most part this was a fun occasion. We learned that getting there at 6:15 allows you to beat the crowd and find good parking.

Joseph enjoyed the lights and the chance to run around. He made me nervous that he would get lost but he did not.

Lauren acted like a good big sister for cousin Alex and kept him always in sight.

David helped to light the tree you see here in red when the troop did service a month ago.
The other lessons we learned were to coordinate plans ahead of time and designate a place to go if you get separated. Rebecca was briefly separated from the group and we didn't know it because the whole group got fragmented. Happily she quickly found Heather and we all got back together. It was a scary moment though. We'll want to make sure we learn our lessons before we go on an outing like this again. This is not I lesson I want to have to repeat the hard way.

11/14/16 Internet Safety

     Today was relatively quiet. I worked on fixing a payroll issue this morning. Heidi met with the new Val Vista Primary Presidency. It was our turn for carpool pick up. Just some basic stuff. 

     This evening Heidi suggested that we combine a requirement David has for Scouting and Family Home Evening. The Scouting organization has put out several videos about Internet safety aimed at kids. They are well done and teach some basic things like don't give out your address or phone number unless a trusted adult says it's ok. The videos teach kids never to meet with someone they meet online and tell one of us if they see things that make them scared or uncomfortable. So far only David has an email address and none do social media. Still, we watch YouTube videos online and you have to be careful. Many of the suggested videos are questionable if not inappropriate. We reminded the kids not to be using devices behind closed doors. We feel that we'll all be safer that way. The kids seemed to respond well to the videos. Hopefully this lesson will help us enjoy the educational and uplifting parts of the Net and avoid the scary parts. 

11/13/16 Tithing Settlement

      Once a year each family has a chance to meet with the Bishop and declare whether or not they are a full tithe payer. We believe in paying a full tithe in our family. The promised blessing is that the windows of Heaven will be open that there will not be room enough to receive the blessing. We have been blessed our whole lives by paying tithing. Heavenly Father certainly provides what we need and more. 

      Above is a picture I took of the kids while they were still in their Sunday clothes. We are blessed to have such a loving happy family. 

11/12/16 Riverview Park

     This morning we told the kids that if we could get the house cleaned up we could go to the park and invite a friend. As it turned out only Rebecca's friends, Missy (in white) and Krissy (in peach) were available on short notice. We'll have to plan better for next time but at least two friends came. On the other hand the park was packed and it made it tough to keep the kids in sight at all times. Perhaps it was for the best. Notice that Joseph loves being in photos. Sarah was glad Rebecca's friends visited with her as well. 

     Can you spot TJ and Joseph on the rope climber?

     Here is a close up of Joseph. 

     Here is Peter doing a rock climb. 

     I didn't get any shots of David. As far as I can tell he spent the whole time running or on his scooter. The kids all seemed to have a good time. 

     This shot is actually from earlier in the day after Peter finished off the black berries but I think it describes how Heidi and I felt after watching 8 kids at the park. Thankfully they are all good kids. When it was time to go nobody fought us. Krissy and Missy were polite and said thank you when we took them home. 

     Heidi and I have been talking about how memories of experiences seem to last much longer than memories of things. We hope we created some memories today. 

11/11/16 A Crew of Helpers

      My picture today is of Sarah the apprentice reader. She, following in Rebecca's footsteps, is developing a love of reading. Delightfully, she is also developing her sister's loving and helpful spirit. 

      This morning I took all the kids to Gram and Papa's house while Heidi went to help at the Wilken funeral. Sarah, TJ and Rebecca opted to stay and help with Gram while the rest of us went to move the Motorhome. Poor Rebecca had a painful crick in her neck so this left Sarah to water the tree and to work with Gram and encourage TJ. 

     At the storage place a covered spot had become available so it was time to move Bigfoot. David, and Joseph said that riding in the Motorhome was a highlight of their day. Papa and I chatted about the surprise of the Presidential election. We both pray that the new president will do a good job. 

      This afternoon Sarah had another chance to show leadership. She, TJ, Joseph and Peter biked with me to the nearest grocery store. All three boys wanted to ride in kid carts but there are only two seats in each. Sarah pushed a cart with Peter in it while I pushed Joseph and TJ around. It was a chance for her to learn about appropriate follow distance. We also talked about how to use price per ounce to find the best deal. I was grateful to have her help. 

11/9/16 Lifelong Learning

     This morning Heidi got out two games to teach Joseph and Peter. In the picture above Joseph is playing the pattern game. They also played a game that uses a balance shaped like a monkey to teach relative values of numbers. 

     During that time I worked on a CPE class about personal budgeting. I learned that you need to remember that joint bank accounts go to the other person on the account when you die even if your will says otherwise. 

      Today at Preschool Joseph learned about the letter M. Connie Lowis, his teacher, reports that his letter recognition has improved significantly. I told her that Peter's interest has encouraged him to get serious about learning. 

      Next it was Heidi's turn. She spent several hours working on her online tax class. 

     This evening David went to an etiquette themed mutual. He was very nervous because he did not know what to expect. He reported that "it was awful, except for the dancing at the end". They learned the chicken dance and a couple other silly ones. We're proud of David's willingness to overcome his fears and try new things. 

11/5/16 Lawn Mow and Training

       This morning early Heidi walked over to the Taylor's house. She and Sister Taylor and Sister Phelps carpooled to Baden Powel University. This is an all day scout training where you can study things like Dutch oven cooking and how to give Scoutmaster's minutes. 

     That left me and five kids at home. David was still at his overnight campout in the Scoutmaster's yard. Those of us still at home drove out to Queen Creek to mow Grammie and Grandpa Mangum's yard. Thankfully the kids are good travelers. It takes an hour to go one way. Rebecca supervised the kids while I mowed the lawn and checked the mail. 

       We met up with David back at home around 11. At that point it was my turn for a training. Jae Heiner helped me set up two projectors for a church wide training by Elder Holland on teaching. It was a great training and, thankfully, the technology worked just fine. No hiccups today, whew. I especially enjoyed multiple demonstrations of ways teachers can use the scriptures as they teach. 

      This evening Heather invited us over for dinner. Heidi was especially grateful to not have to cook dinner. She got home after 5:30 feeling taught but tired. The homemade chile was delicious and the kids enjoyed watching Finding Dory for the second time. It was a nice visit. 

11/4/16 VCRs and Battle of the Books

     This morning Gram requested that we spend some time working on her recording set up. I used to joke that if a system wasn't complicated I'd have to ask my Mom for two forms of ID. Well, no need for ID today. This system conforms to the type of complicated my Mom likes. There are two DVD player recorders plus a DVR and three remote controls. If the settings on one aren't right you won't get the results you want. With Heaven's help we stumbled on the setting that allows you to record 6 hours on one DVD. Somehow it had gotten changed to HQ mode that only allows one hour. We wrote down some of what we learned. Hopefully now Gram is ready to record to her heart's content. 

     Heidi's project was helping Papa evaluate their broken oven. Pretty quickly it became apparent that this would not be a simple fix. A few calls revealed that a replacement would cost north of $500 and would have to be special ordered. Papa felt inspired that he and Heidi should take a crew to go make the order. Heidi had heard about some sales on appliances going on but after two stops they hadn't found a good deal. That is where Heavenly Father stepped in. As they were about to leave the second store a gentleman caught up to Heidi. He had overheard that they needed a 24 inch range. By now we realized that these are not that easy to find. He and his wife had decided to upgrade their oven and he wondered if we would be interested in his gently used one. The price was right and they live in the same RV park as Gram and Papa. All these "coincidences" are too many to ignore Heavenly Father's hand. Papa called this a Windows of Heaven moment. I agree. 

     Several weeks ago Rebecca was invited to participate in a competition called Battle of the Books. This is right in her wheelhouse. She and two friends would read four books and then compete with other teams to answer questions about them. To call Rebecca a voracious reader would be an understatement. She would rather read than eat and would if we let her. The impressive thing is that she also retains what she reads. 

     Today her skills were put to the test. There were 9 teams and each team was asked 10 questions, in turn, about the 4 books. Rebecca's team was one of only a handful to answer all of the questions correctly. Rebecca reports that she felt very nervous until she heard her team's question and then relieved because she knew the answers. Heidi and I felt lucky we could both be there to watch. David kindly watched Peter and Joseph. The little boys have yet to perfect their library voices. Today was round one of four. There are two more rounds at the school and then top performing teams go to a multi school final round. Rebecca is already part way through one of the 4 books for the second round. It is called "The Cay". We are proud of Rebecca's hard work and the positive results she achieved. 

11/2/16 Continuing Professional Education

      This morning I started a new routine. I took an online CPE class as though it was at a set time. I've been finding that having the option to do the classes "any time" means that I simply don't get to it quickly enough. By setting a fixed start and end time I was able to finish a three credit class and check off that box. My plan is to do a 3 credit class the first Wednesday and a 2 credit class the second Wednesday until I complete the required 40 each year. After that I'd like to use that time to study other useful topics that may not be required as CPE. 

      The rest of the day had ups and downs. One of my clients wants me to be a sort of finance coach, helping them manage their personal budget. I'm not sure how ready they really are to change habits. Still, it feels like a compliment that they would trust me to manage their personal expenses. 

      At the same time as that meeting was happening another client was very unhappy about issues our new statement system is having. Rights now costs are up and so are errors. We now have a meeting with the two owners scheduled for tomorrow. The reality is that they have a complicated system and its been tough getting all the rules right in the database. Heidi and I worked with our database guy Michael to get fixes in place. It looks like he stayed up late working on it. We've made good progress. 

     This afternoon/evening Rebecca and Sarah had Activity Days and David had Mutual. It's fun to see them growing up and having activities to attend. 

10/30/16 Primary Program

      Today the Primary aged children sang song and shared messages about the Savior and the scriptures during Sacrament Meeting. Rebecca, Sarah, TJ and Joseph all had speaking parts that they memorized. They all spoke clearly into the microphone so that people in the audience could understand. We are so proud of them. Heidi sat on the stand and assisted with the microphones and with encouraging the kids to stay reverent. David and Peter and I sat in the congregation. David kindly escorted Peter to the drinking fountain as needed so that I could stay and watch. We had the added treat that Gram, Papa and Becca B were able to come as well. 

      During the rest of church there was quite a bit to do. Bishop Christensen asked me to help play back several videos as part of the third hour lesson. There were a few glitches to work through but I think the message came through. We need to continue to work together as a ward to make everyone feel loved and welcome. 

        This afternoon Jim Nelson and Greg Turley, our home teachers, came by for a visit. We appreciate the spirit they bring into our home. 

10/29/16 Backpacker David

     Yesterday David left on his first ever backpacking camp out. His pack weighed in at over 25 pounds. That's heavy for a boy who weighs in at 80. They hiked 2 miles in and 2 miles out. David was happy upon his return so it seems he had a success. He reported that the hiking was tough but he seemed to have the satisfaction that only comes from doing hard things. 

      This morning the rest of the family helped clean up the church. Heidi and I worked together on the bathrooms while the kids helped empty trash cans and clean chalk boards. There was a good turn out of helpers so the cleaning went fast this week. 

      Rebecca and Sarah had piano lessons this morning. Their teacher Mary has been busy with school and extracurricular activities so we've had to be flexible in order to fit the lessons in. The girls are practicing Christmas songs. So fun. 

10/28/16 Letters From Gram and Papa

     Today we had a nice visit with Gram, Papa and Becca B. While we were there they gave Peter his birthday present. It is a set of giant alphabet puzzle pieces. 

     Joseph was excited to help Peter put words together. Both boys are at an age where this is a wonderfully useful gift. I wish I had a recording of the delighted squeals Peter and Joseph were making. Even after we got home and Peter went down for a nap Joseph kept playing. We spelled words like "mat", "bat" and "hat". We are grateful to Gram and Papa for the useful gift. 

      This afternoon David went on his first ever backpacking campout. We tried to help him pack light while still having what he needed. 

      Also this afternoon was the last Primary Program practice. Rebecca, Sarah and TJ are ready. Joseph may need a little more practice. He and Peter spent the practice time doing laps around the building. I don't know if they got tired out but I sure did. 

10/26/16 Trunk or Treat Gram and Papa's Ward

      This evening Gram and Papa invited us to join them for their ward's Halloween Trunk or treat party. We brought the kids in costume plus candy to hand out. They also had hotdogs and cotton candy. The kids all had fun. We had to leave a few minutes early to take David to join the youth for a service project. They took donations of clothes, games and toiletries to deliver them to a charity that serves boys who are waiting to enter foster care. 

10/23/16 Taking the Sacrament

       Last night at bedtime Joseph had a fever of 101. At dinner time he wasn't hungry and just wanted to lay still with a blanket. Neither of those attitudes are typical of Joseph. This morning his fever was down to 99.7 and he seemed to be feeling better. Still, to be safe, we felt he shouldn't go to church. This meant that one of the grown ups would also have to stay. Heidi was asked to help again with the Primary Program practice and she needed to visit the Groves Primary Program as part of her Stake calling. In order to keep me from missing taking the Sacrament again (since I stayed home last week with Rebecca) I biked to church with Joseph and Peter in the bike trailer. I took the Sacrament in the lobby while Heidi watched to boys outside. She actually got to take the Sacrament too. David was in charge of passing to the foyer this time and he made sure to get us both. After that I biked the two boys home. 

     The day passed slowly. I enjoyed my time tending to Joseph and Peter.

     Later on Sarah and Rebecca helped Heidi make home made pizza. It was fantastic, the sort of meal you have to stop yourself or you'll eat too much. 

     We watched a video on the church website about the Studio C cast. They are all members of the church. The show had a good balance of spiritual and silly items. The goal seemed to be to show kids that they can be righteous and still have a good time. 

      Heidi and I were surprised to look at the clock and still have time before bed. We decided to fill out our early mail in ballots and stick them in the mail. It feels good to have that done. Now we just have to wait til November 8th to see how it turns out. 

10/21/16 Free Sample and Trunk or Treat

     This morning Heidi, David, Joseph, Peter and I had a nice visit with Gram and Papa and Becca B. We got Becca's set up to watch DVDs in her room. On the way home we made a quick stop at Costco. While there David and I got separated a short distance from Heidi and the little boys. David and I stopped to try a free sample. The sweet white haired gal running the samples did not believe that I was old enough to be David's dad. She was about to give me the speech about how kids need a parent to give permission to try the samples. Luckily Heidi came back by in time to verify my story. She thought it was pretty funny. I had a chuckle as well but I'll admit I didn't like the thought that someone might not believe that one of my kids was really mine. I love all my kids. Anyhow, I think David looks like my boy. 

     This evening Heritage sponsored a trunk or treat event. The kids dressed in a Wild Kratt's theme. It's a PBS kids cartoon show about two brothers who have special suits that let them have animal super powers. David and TJ are Martin and Chris, the brothers. Rebecca is Aviva, the girl inventor on the show. Sarah and Joseph represent animals they find on the show. Sarah is a jaguar and Joseph is a Komodo Dragon. Peter was going to be a panda but he was not interested in wearing the warm costume today. He went as a Kratt Kid, one of the kids on the show who wear normal clothes. Maybe it'll be cool enough by Halloween for him to wear the panda outfit. 

10/19/16 Missionaries Over for Dinner

    Today was a typical busy Wednesday. Sarah and Rebecca had Activity Days at 3 and 4 respectively. David was scheduled to have mutual. Sadly his back was hurting today. We're not sure why it hurts but it bothered him enough that we kept him home from Mutual. 

     This morning we got a fun little visit from my Dad and Becca B. We accompanied them to a costume shop where they borrowed a hula girl outfit for Becca to wear to a Halloween party. 

     At some point this afternoon we noticed that the elders didn't have a dinner appointment for tonight. We try to have them over once a month. After some thought we invited them over for tonight. This meant a quick trip to the grocery store for me and Heidi. Those are always like mini dates for us. Heidi also had a short meeting with one of our clients about their inventory. 

       Elder Davis and a Elder Ojker (pronounced Oaker) came over at 5. We ate the meal we call favorite chicken and rice. The Elders shared a video about why it is so great to be members of the Church. They bring a great spirit into our home. 

10/18/16 Temple and Teacher Conferences

     This morning I had a special treat. After dropping David and the carpool kids off at Heritage Dad and I got to visit the Temple together. It is a quiet spiritual place. During the session I reflected on how Heavenly Father always plans His creations first and always has people return and report afterwards. 

     This week at Entz it is time for Parent/Teacher conferences. Rebecca, Sarah and TJ waited patiently while Heidi met with their teachers. All three are doing exceptionally in school with a few small ways to improve. Mostly we're working with the teachers to find ways to keep the kids challenged. This is a blessing to be sure. 

10/15/16 Storks

     This morning we had a fun outing with Gram, Papa and Becca B to see a movie called "Storks". It's not likely to win any awards for its intellectual depth but it held Peter's attention. That's with him missing his nap too. So it had plenty of goofy laughs. The kids especially enjoyed the wolf pack that could change into any shape that they wanted. 

     This evening Sarah and Rebecca finally had a chance to run their lemonade stand. Sarah has been asking to do it for weeks. They only had three customers but still had a good time. They may try again sometime right after school. That way there will be more foot traffic. 

      David and Anthony went this afternoon to help Brother Valentine work on a house that he wants to sell. Heidi stayed and supervised. She couldn't resist the chance to use a caulking gun. 

10/14/16 A Visit With Gram and Papa

     Since today is still part of Fall Break all the kids got to come to our weekly visit to Gram, Papa and Becca B. The kids could be counted on to make sure Gram's scooter is in good working order. We took a trip to the main building to fill up tires with air. 

    Another project was to refurbish Gram and Papa's scale. Heidi's mechanical skills came in handy here. She noticed that one of the hooks was twisted. It seems to be working better now. 

     Joseph asked me to take his picture. I think it helps him to feel loved to have his picture taken. 

10/13/16 Vacation from Vacation

     Today was a day for catching up on things that got missed while we were on vacation. 

      The Phelps family kindly took Sarah Mei with them to the visitor's center of the Mesa Temple. Her friend LJ (short for Laura Jo) and her brother Orsen are in the picture with her. 

     LJ came over to our house to play. Later on Rebecca had a friend over. David entertained them by flying his remote controlled helicopter. 

      Heidi and I worked to dig out at work. Heidi also finished assembling the benches for the primary program. They are plenty sturdy. Getting them level has been a bit of a challenge. One is rock solid. The others are close but teeter a little. Our neighbor Anthony, who works at a hardware store, gave us a hand. He had better tools and I think he got us closer. Still, we finally had to declare them "good enough". They won't easily tip over even if they aren't perfectly flat. Later in the evening we took the unfinished benches to the church. The Primary Presidency wanted to see how they would fit with the seating chart they made. They will work just great.