Allie and Indy!

My flight arrived in Indianapolis around 2:00 am. Allie lives a short drive from the airport. We got settled around 3:00 and slept until she had to get up to log on for a work meeting. Her apartment is so cute. It's hard to believe she'd only been there about a week. She, like me, likes to get settled. her bedding is adorable, her couch is perfect, her artwork from Paris is adorable, and everything is perfect - so Allie! Allie said that her 13-year old self who had a lime green bedroom would be proud that she still likes color. Her windows look out onto a grassy area, which I used for morning walks. I just walked around the grassy area and the parking lot. One morning I smelled skunk and got nervous. When I got back from my walk and asked if there are skunks in the neighborhood, she told me it was weed. I hadn't considered that. 

Best part of Allie's decor - this BUTTER pillow

Look at the artwork she bought at a tiny gallery in Paris next to the gelato shop. Her couch, pillows, table, rug, etc. It's all so perfect. 

This picture of me visiting Allie's classroom in Spanish Fork to talk about teaching as a profession is on her desk. I have the same photo in my office. TEACHERS!

Dad made this wooden A for Allie to paint when she was little. It hangs on her bathroom door. She said she remembers thinking blue with white and yellow flowers would be so cute. 

I helped Allie put together this shelf and a desk. The pattern behind the shelf is made of cling-on wall decor. So cute for this nook. 

That little ceramic dish is something Mike gave Allie for her desk. A student had made it for him and it was on his desk for years.

Allie took me on a drive around Indianapolis. We found the temple after I got us a bit lost. It's only about 15 minutes from her house. It's close to the mall where she works part-time. She drove me past Pike High School, where she taught last year. She also drove me through the rich neighborhoods and past a VERY expensive private school - Park Tudor. 

The temple is in Carmel

We ran errands to Costco, Target and Trader Joe's to get her stocked up on things. She made yummy food. That girl can turn just ingredients into yummy food. She really has a knack for creating dishes. We replicated the delicious watermelon drink that Bekki and I got at Animal Kingdom. I had figured it out at Kristen's. Allie took me downtown to see a cute home decor store. We also walked through a really cute art deco hotel. We drove past some beautiful war memorials downtown at night. They are beautifully lit. One is the first memorial in the US to the everyday soldier and sailor. It's at what they refer to as "The Circle" in the middle of town. She drove me past the speedway, then we drove in and saw cars driving on the track. I was very excited about that. We got a very greasy carne asada quesadilla late one night. 

Exterior of the Speedway

Speedway Museum

This flag hung in the entrance of the grocery store. We ran into one of Allie's students from last year. She said she had looked for Allie in her classroom and was sad she hadn't come back. 

We mostly hung out all day and just enjoyed being together. The most fun was when she had to be online with students on Friday for 2 hours. It was their first day online with their teachers. I worked quietly in her kitchen while she taught and it was so fun to hear her engage the kids in conversation, even though it's an online school with students learning from home. She used their names, she asked lots of questions, and told them about herself. She's a great teacher and she really likes her job. The curriculum is developed. She doesn't have to take roll. If no students log in to class, she records a lecture and posts it online. It's more pay and they will cover the cost of graduate school. Kinda all the benefits of teaching without the hassles. 

Right before she started teaching 

This is what online teaching from home looks like. 

I got to go to Madewell and meet Allie's mall work friends. We also got delicious Key Lime Pie ice cream. It was so fresh and had chunks of graham cracker crust. It was delicious. Her friends at the mall are very nice. Allie had to work a couple of times, but I just stayed at her apartment and worked on BYU stuff. I had plenty to keep me busy, getting ready for a new semester that starts soon. 

One night, when lights were out and I was falling asleep, I heard Allie gasp. She then told me that she had gotten word that a student from Pike named Bobby Fletcher had been shot and killed earlier that week. That's it. He was found dead at an apartment complex. There is still no suspect. Probably never will be an arrest. It was the first week of school. Bobby was a junior with hopes of playing college basketball. Allie said he was a really nice kid. She told me about his cooking group, what kitchen they worked in, etc. If I remember correctly, he was in a class that happened to be all boys. I'm still thinking about it and it makes me so sad. So senseless and something we don't hear in Utah, but is common there. 

I left Saturday night and got home around midnight. Mel came and got me. It was so sweet of her. I had been gone 2 weeks and just didn't want to spend $150 to park my car. I really appreciate Sierra Trump taking me to the airport and Mel picking me up. I also appreciate Kamiko and Bekki letting me spend the night at their house the night before my early flight. 

It was a good summer of travel, but I was ready to get home to my own bed and to attack my to do list for the school year and for the UAFCS conference that we are hosting at BYU. I'm the president of the organization and Dawna Baugh is in charge of the conference. 

Now that I've been home a couple of weeks, I'm feeling much more prepared for all that is coming in September. I can do this!

Finishing up California

Monday Kristen and I went to lunch with Kim Rose Cassetti, a dear friend since high school. She had just gotten back from Hawaii. I'm so glad we could connect. Tuesday was Doug's last day working at the lab. He stepped down as Chief Information Officer and now works from home as a consultant for the federal government, working with all CIOs at the labs. The 3 of us (Kristen, Doug, and I) have big travel plans for when Doug really retires. We'd like to travel, renting places for at least a week or two at a time, to really enjoy locations. Doug wants to start with Portugal. I'm game! We also think we may explore the US in a similar fashion. 

I was at Kelly and Ben's when Ben finished his fellowship at Duke and I was at Kris and Doug's when he finished working at the lab. Big changes that I was there for. Kris and I went on a walk, then she took me to the airport. I flew to Las Vegas, then to Indianapolis. 

Our flight from Vegas to Indy left over an hour late. I think we were delayed because we had an unaccompanied minor on our flight. He ended up sitting next to me and watching a movie over my shoulder on my phone. His phone had died and he had no way to charge it. I turned on subtitles and he "watched" the movie I was watching. It was funny, but annoying. He was a cute kid with lots of confidence and a good conversationalist for a 13 year old. 

He was traveling from visiting family in California back to his dad's house. His mom had passed away. That's about all I got. 

Flat Tire and Back to School Blessing

The craziest thing happened on Saturday. 

At about 5:00 pm I went in the garage and found a flat tire on my car. I debated about putting the spare on by myself or waiting for Kamiko and Jim Brau to come over on Sunday. My neighbor had taught me how to change a tire and I decided to give it a try. I wanted to leave the garage door so nobody could see me struggle, but it was too hot and too dark, so I was forced to open the garage door. 

I got out the spare tire and the jack and got to work. I had the jack under the car and was starting to raise the car when I heard someone ask if I needed help. It was a Mapleton City police officer driving around the neighborhood in a truck. What are the odds? I told him I wouldn't say no to help. He, like my neighbor, walked me through changing the tire. I feel more confident now that I've been tutored twice in 6 months. We got it done and I made an appointment for first thing Monday morning to get my tire fixed. 

I went first thing Monday morning to Discount Tire. I was the first one there, so it took only 30 minutes. When the guy gave me my car back, he showed me not only a screw, but also TWO construction nails. He said that I was fortunate that the nails went into THE SAME hole. Had they been in separate holes, close to each other, they wouldn't have been able to repair my tire. I would have had to buy a new one. 

What a little miracle for my 2005 Subaru Forester and for little ol' me. 

One of the youth in my Sunday School, JJ Kent, spoke in church on Sunday. He's leaving for his mission in Japan soon. He mentioned the Fano family. I had forgotten that Allie and Melia's former hula teacher is a good family friend of the Kents. I went right back to the cultural hall to look for the Fanos. It was great to see Aunty Maria and her husband, Sal. They are wonderful. We had a nice visit. 

Wearing a new dress I bought at Allie's Madewell in Indianapolis

Kamiko and Bekki came over on Sunday for a birthday dinner. I also invited Melia and the Braus. Michelle ended up being sick, so it was just Jim and Jay. We all had a great time. I made a yummy Korean BBQ Bowl, a recipe I got from my niece Sarah. I also made chocolate chip pound cake and an apple pie. I'd been wanting to try pie in cast iron. Honestly, it was no better than pie in glass. Oh well. I tried it. After Jim and Jay left, Kamiko gave me a back to school blessing. 

I've had a challenging situation with a student who has a 4.0 GPA and is just points away from an A in my class. I looked for hours and couldn't find the points for her. I can't justify just giving her points so she can have the A. I expect a horrible rating from her and imagine she'll tell her kids about her horrible foods teacher. This is the hardest part of my job. Anyway, what I remember of my blessing was:

1. Remember things I've done in past years to make my work easier

2. Make my classroom a safe place for students

3. Realize that students are going through hard times

4. Expect the best of my students, but be patient and kind

5. Heavenly Father is happy with what I'm doing and is aware of me

Remember Divine Help

One theme that has come up this week as we've studied Esther is the fact that God intervenes. The Jews still celebrate Purim as a remembrance of Esther's bravery that saved them from execution. 

I have recently talked to Maria and Melia of my desires and prayers to "remember." I know I have had many experiences where I know I've been guided, for example:

1. going on a mission

2. accepting the invitation to go to graduate school

3. letting Maxine Rowley know I was moving back to Utah

4. teaching 110 at BYU

5. finding a PA for Keenan that knew ADHD and finding a nurse for me that also knew ADHD

6. finding my therapist 

7. selling the American Fork house in 2018

8. listening to the prompting to get divorced

9. finding my house that wasn't correctly listed in the MLS

10. offering to go on study abroad at my own expense to learn how it works

I had an experience just this weekend that solidifies my faith that Heavenly Father is very aware of my life and if I pray to Him and listen, I'll find answers. 

The textbook we're using for SFL 110 is out of print, so it's time to find a replacement. I reached out to the publisher, Pearson, and requested 2 titles that the representative recommended. After a bit of a hassle and delay, I got them. I read one the week before going to Disney World. It's pretty heavy food science, but I think I can make it work. I was hopeful that the other one would be good, so I brought it to California. I was struggling to figure out how to see if it could work. I prayed about it Saturday morning and I had the impression that rather than read it from start to finish, I should pull up 110 and look at the modules. I should note chapters and pages that could work. I then began to read. I got through module 7, but the book was SOOO heavy in food science and organic chemistry that I don't think it will work. That method of previewing the book is the route I want to take with another book and maybe even give the first book another look.

I have another hope. About 2 weeks ago, I was cleaning out my work email. I was deleting so much junk mail. DELETE. DELETE. DELETE. One email caught my eye. I'm sure it's no coincidence. It was an email from a publisher about a foods textbook written by a dietician and a chef. I requested a complimentary educator's copy and it should be in my office when I get back. I'm rather excited to try my new method of testing it, going module by module, rather than chapter by chapter. I'm sure I'll find the right text with God's help. 

I'm grateful for the council to REMEMBER. I have so many experiences where I know I've been guided, whether in my personal life, as a mom, as a wife, as a professional, as a Sunday School teacher, etc. I'm very grateful and I will continue to pray to keep them in my mind and heart.

California 2022!

I believe this is my 4th summer coming to California for more than just a few days. Thanks to Kristen and Doug for being excellent and welcoming hosts. Each year we head south together. We've visited Mike's house with Carolyn, we see Sarah and Cameron, and we visit with Derek, Rachel, and kiddos. It's a wonderful trip each time. As I write this, I'm sitting on the front porch, listening to the youth soundtrack for the year, and drinking some Diet Dr. Pepper. 

I do struggle with my full-time responsibilities. When I was adjunct, I could just travel and do nothing work-related. Now I have more responsibilities and I can't just ignore work. I actually have work. In fact, I had very full days the week between Florida and coming here. I had training each morning, then interviews for an adjunct position each afternoon. This week I've been working on planning our annual UAFCS conference and have been answering emails, grading assignments, and reading a textbook for 110. Again, this is no adjunct life. I like it, though, and I'm very grateful for it. I am blessed. 

Saturday, July 23, I flew on the same flight as Maria Trump's daughter Sierra. Sierra was kind enough to pick me up at Kamiko and Bekki's house and Maria picked both of us up in Oakland and dropped me off at Kristen's house. It was an EARLY flight. I got to Kristen's around 9:00 am. There was a stake Pioneer Day dinner that night. We made brownies to take. The Livermore and Pleasanton Stakes combined a while back, so I saw some familiar faces. Saw Sister Mano and Sister Bird. Also saw Lisa Hodges and some couples that I know from Kristen's ward. They had the most delicious smoked pulled pork and smoked or baked beans. It was all so delicious. 

Sunday was church, then Maggie, Jeff, and their son Nick came for dinner. They are selling their house and had an open house, so they had to vacate. Nick is a BYU student. He's a great conversationalist. He served his mission in Virginia and served in 2 of the areas where Kristen served. 

Monday we headed to Derek's after taking Covid tests. Not gonna make the mistake to take Covid to Derek's house again. This situation is so tricky. Every tickle in the throat makes one nervous. Every cough makes one feel like a pariah. I don't like it and I wonder if things will ever get back to normal. It's always fun to get to Derek and Rachel's house and be greeted with "hi grandma!" from Charlie. He quickly acknowledges me then gets back to watching his show or playing with toys. It's the cutest thing. Rose is getting so tall and Milo is so fun. Rose is 11, Charlie is 8, and Milo is 5. All very fun ages. Rachel fixed yummy sausage and broccoli pasta and we had fun playing games. We played Sorry, Candy Land, and Guess Who. We talked and just relaxed. Tuesday morning, we walked to the store to get candy. It costs me about $10 to make the kids smile and to hopefully make them look forward to my visits. There is a method to my madness. Milo heard that we were leaving after lunch and he was so somber as Derek fixed sandwiches. He came and told me he didn't want me to leave. I reassured him that I wasn't leaving right after lunch, that we had time to play a game. He perked up at that news. 

Negative tests...here we come. They were grateful we tested

Charlie with mini Oreos, Rose with chocolate covered pretzels, and Milo with Mike and Ikes

Milo and I had fun playing with these magnetic tiles

Charlie still loves silky nightgowns

Rose is such a sweetheart

Got this quick picture with Derek before we left

We drove 2 hours to Sarah and Cam's house. Sarah is a great cook. She fixed a curry that was loaded with vegetables. She and Cam are great hosts, too. We watched some TV. I introduced them to "Only Murders in the Building" and they introduced me to "The Mindy Project." Cameron has promised to take me to Disneyland if I'll watch "Stranger Things." I'll do it. Wednesday was a slow start with a walk and showers and getting ready for a beach day. We grabbed a delicious lunch then went to T Street Beach for a couple of hours. Then we went to Dana Point to go on a whale watching trip. It was a small boat that seated 20 and the waters were rough. No whales, but we saw a pod of dolphins and it was sooooo cool. We even saw Patches, a dolphin that has unique white patches on his pigment. I get a bit motion sick, so I was happy to have dramamine. I also didn't talk much on the ride. I mostly focused on the horizon. After watching dolphins, I abruptly asked Kristen to get me a barf bag. I went to the back of the boat where the ride was "smoother." I got over the urge to throw up and closed my eyes. I soaked in the breeze and fresh air. I've never been so happy to see Dana Point. I knew the trip was almost over, then they continued to head south to find more dolphins. Just as we turned north again and began to ride in smoother water, I couldn't hold it any longer and I threw up in my bag. Nobody saw. It wasn't a big spectacle. I'm still so glad I went. It was great. Even knowing I would throw up, I would do it again. Will I go again? No. We had a delicious dinner of Korean BBQ beef bowls. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to eat, but my stomach quickly settled down. More TV, talking and hanging out. 

Before the choppy started I was all smiles

4 people under an umbrella for shade

Thursday we drove home. Stopped at McDonald's and got the new Caramel Chocolate Pretzel McFlurry. It's delicious. Watched more TV. We love to stream new shows when we get together. "Only Murders in the Building." Finished season 1. 

Kristen and I went to visit Maria on Friday. We went to a place with food trucks and got the same hot dog I got last year. Kristen and I shared the hot dog and some fries. We washed cars and basically took it easy Friday and Saturday. Got pizza for dinner on Friday and In and Out on Saturday. I tried to read a textbook for 110, but it had way too much food science and organic chemistry. It would not work for 110. I have had a challenge finding a textbook. We made a bunch of banana bread to take to neighbors. 

Kristen and me with Abby Trump

We were happy to oblige when Abby gave us instructions on how to color

It's been a lazy Sunday. I woke up to news that Kris and Doug were heading to Fresno to see his mom. She's in the hospital and is in pain with a urinary tract infection. She's 90 and just wants to go be with her husband Ray. I've been listening to church music, watching videos for gospel study, and napping. I figured I'd writing in my journal so I don't feel like today was a total waste. I'm glad I'm doing this because it's too hard to catch up after a trip. Happy Sunday!

I'll be making a baked pasta dish once I hear that Kristen and Doug are on their way back. 

June/July 2022

Life after Europe has been busy!

It took me 3 days to get all the weeds cleared out of my yard. Next year I need to hire someone to keep up on the weeds. I spent a good week doing laundry, cleaning the house, unpacking, etc. The kids seemed happy with the gifts I brought them. The movie "Top Gun: Maverick" came out while I was in Europe and I went to see it. I loved it. Everyone was saying how good it was and I agree. I really liked it. It was just an entertaining movie...no politics, no environmental message, no agendas. Just pure entertainment with flying stunts, great characters, etc. 

Baby shower for former TA, Dia. Pictured: Ashley, me, Allie, Dia, Alissa, Karina

Kim Blight and I walked up to Timpanogos Cave one Friday

Thistles remind me of Scotland. They are the national flower because they have been used historically to brush wool fabrics

Springville had their Art City Days and my neighbor Lynn and I went to their evening concert in the park again. Last year was an ABBA cover band. This year it was QUEEN. We had a blast! She's such a fun neighbor. I will really miss them when they move away, but in the meantime, we're enjoying time together. I sit by them at church and Lynn and I love to do things together. 

The June Conference for FCS teachers was June 15 and 16. It was in Tooele. I stayed at James' and Allison's house because it's closer to Tooele than my house. Kristen was in town, so she and I shared their guest room. it was fun spending time with them in the evenings. I enjoyed the classes I went to. It was also fun to connect with former students. They had a silent auction to fund scholarships for high school students and I was lucky to get support from Minky Blankets and Courtney of Cake by Courtney. We also picked up a donation from Dave's Bernina. Dawna Baugh and I threw those donations together at the last minute and we brought in more than half of the auction total. 

Kristen and Karen were in town, so we helped Jenny organize and pack

Karen and I always find time for a walk

I did some sewing and made skirts from the fabrics I brought back from Europe. 

On Sunday, June 19, Father's Day, Dotty May crossed the rainbow bridge. The kids were in Arkansas for a conference that Bekki actually didn't attend because they got Covid when they arrived. Anyway, they stayed in a hotel and were bummed about missing out on visiting with friends when they got word that Dotty was in heart failure. They rented a car on Friday and left around noon. They got back Saturday around noon and spent Saturday and Sunday with sweet Dotty. They took her to the emergency vet to have her put down on Sunday afternoon. Bekki just couldn't put her through another hard, scary night. We will miss that sweetie. I wasn't done babysitting her. She had the funniest way of walking backwards. 

I started teaching 340 online this month. It's gone well. We did have to replace our TA because the original TA wasn't keeping up on the grading. It was a hard decision, but I felt she was so far behind that it would be very difficult for her to get caught up. It's been fun to read the students' write ups and to see their huge smiles in their photos. I love my job. I've also been feverishly reading textbooks to find another book for 110. The book we've been using for years is out of print. Time to find a replacement. It's going to be a huge project, but Allissa Kelley has been hired to help out. She also teaches 110 and they found some funds so she can help with the project. 

Allie came into town for a couple of weeks. She stayed with me a bit, but she also went on some mini vacations. She went to Park City and to Moab. I love her independence. As long as she shares her location with someone, I think it's fun that she goes on adventures alone. She and Mario are no longer together. Mario got a job with American Airlines, which is a huge thing for him. It means a move for him and Allie decided that she isn't moving again. She loves Indianapolis and is going to stay there to move her career forward. She moves to a job teaching at an online school. They will pay for her to go to graduate school, so she's going to work on her masters. She's understandably sad about the change, but knows it's a good decision. She's strong and will be ok. I told her I can relate to how intimidating and scary it can be to be on your own. I've done it for 2 years now. She can do it. I'm going to California later in July and changed my plan to go to Indy for a few days from Oakland before returning to Utah. It's proving to be a big summer of travel. We're all making up for 2 years of no or limited travel. LOL. So, I go to California on Saturday, July 23. On Wednesday, August 3, I go to Indy. On Saturday, August 6, I return back to Utah. 

When Allie's in town, we have to go to Allison's house to hang out.  We had a spontaneous BBQ

We have so much fun with Allie's instant film camera

Veronica Pachiarotti, house guest of Oswald's, earned her bachelor's degree. Dinner to celebrate

Cousins and friends

Allie and I decided to go into SLC on the 3rd. Hot dogs!

JDawgs now has a mini dog, which makes me so happy. Perfect size. 

One day we met up with Allison, Audrey, and Mac at a park. We had a blast talking while the kids played

I did something I've wanted to do for a while...I had neighbors over for dinner on Sunday, June 26. I invited the Woodruffs over and made a yummy Star Wars inspired salad from Disneyland. I also made chocolate chip pound cake. We had a fun visit. They are a young couple that has been very nice to me since they moved in to the ward. They have 2 cute little kids. I want to be more social. I am very content to be alone most weekends. I also like it when I actually push myself to socialize, so I want to do it more often. 

The main thing of June was taking advantage of family time before Jenny and Scott left on their mission to Angola. They will be leading the missionaries there for 3 years. I'm hoping to go visit in summer of 2024. Kamiko, Bekki, and Allie all want to go too. I'm not very good at goodbyes. I keep them very superficial and act like I will see the person soon. I will really miss Jenny and Scott, but I'm so excited for them and for their missionaries. It will be such a great experience. The photos that Jenny has sent so far look great. They have a lovely home with a pool. Scott seems to be in his element training these young adults. Jenny seems very happy to be nurturing so many others. She'll be great. They were in the MTC in Provo for a week, then went home to do some last minute packing. Serious packing, from what I hear. I had work commitments and couldn't go up and help. Debbie and Mark moved into the house, so Deb helped a lot. Jenny and Scott flew out on June 29. 

Packing crew: Kristen, Jenny, Andrew, Me, Audrey, Karen, Mac, Debbie, Allison

Jen and Scott checked into the MTC and had a couple of free hours so we met on campus and went to see Mel and Lee at the upholstery shopt

Took mom and dad to say goodbye. Dad gave Jenny a very sweet blessing

Jenny and Scott's backyard, including an outdoor kitchen and eating area

I didn't do anything social on the weekend of the 4th of July because I wanted to stay away from Covid. The kids and I had a trip to Disney World in Florida planned and I did not want to risk getting sick. It worked. Allie left Sunday morning, July 3, to drive back to Indy. The guy she was carpooling with, however, got sick, so she called off the trip. She decided that since they were in Utah and near family, they might as well spend the 4th and 5th with family and drive back on Tuesday. Allie came to church with me and we went to Allison and James' house for some grilled burgers and hot dogs. It was great. We played a new game called "Cover Your Assets". Allie and I did go over to Kamiko and Bekki's on Monday, the 5th. We hung out and played games with them and Jay and his girlfriend Asa. Kamiko and Bekki were testing out a new dog named Jerry. He's a cutie. I spent the whole week reading a dang textbook. I wanted to get it done before going on vacation. I also did some research on Disney World. I wanted to have a bit of a plan of attack. 

On July 6, I went to the temple to do initiatories and went to see Erica and Allie Dietz. Erica is my cousin. Her daughter is going to London in the fall for study abroad. I went to give Allie tips. Erica, Ike, and Hunter are going to Paris and London for fall break, so I gave them some tips. They gave me some Disney tips, then we went to Jon and Marianne's house. I had a framed swatch of the Hunter tartan for them. It's always fun to visit with them. 

Life is great! Really great!