Life in a Northern Town: FAMILY LETTER 09.14.14

Dear Loved Ones 14 September 2014

What a great, wild week we have had! The weather has really been playing with us. Last week was a cool, rainy week that ended with an 80-degree Saturday and Sunday. But it got really windy Tuesday, cold and rainy on Wednesday, then it snowed over night! Thursday was very cold, but the sun came out and the snow melted. The overnight low was 21, but then it was warm again by Friday afternoon (just enough cold to kill our garden at home and out at the ranch) The summer was so cool, we never got squash or cucumbers, and most of our tomatoes were just forming little green balls, though I got some romas from our home garden. SADNESS. Crazy Mother Nature.

So Tuesday was the day that Rich came home from his business trip. I made a special fancy dinner and ended up missing Relief Society night because he was home late and we thought we might have to harvest the ranch that night (we didn’t—it didn’t freeze until Wed. night). Wednesday after school I took the kids out to start the harvest. We went out in sunshine, arrived there in wind and overcast, and by the time we got to digging up the carrots (after the radishes and lettuce and tomatoes and beans and herbs) it was raining. Rich took care of things up the hill and we stopped for a quick dinner at Rosa’s pizza and sent Addie off to Young Women and James off to his first night of Cub Scouts with Richard (who is still juggling 11 year olds and Deacons and Stake Preparedness). I brought Heidi, Niles, and Ammon home and scrubbed the mud off them and got them ready for bed. We slept well that night!

Thursday we had Niles’ friend Riley over after preschool and they played “Family” and helped me make a nice beef stew with the carrots, onions, herbs, and beans I got from the garden. We also made rolls. Riley told me that she is going to marry Niles and they are going to move to Idaho and live by her Grandma, but if Grandma isn’t alive when she is a grown up girl, they will just move to Driggs. It’s good to have a plan. That night I folded clothes while watching Sherlock with the girls and daddy went to bed early with the boys.

Friday I felt completely wiped out. I was afraid I was getting sick, so I laid low most of the day, chugging emergenC and snuggling my boys. Rich took me out to dinner and Addie babysat, and that was refreshing. I felt better Saturday, so we tackled some major projects. Rich took the kids to get firewood in Clyde Park and I spent about 4 hours gutting and organizing Heidi’s bedroom--not for the faint of heart! Rich took Niles and James on a hike with Uncle Mike and I spent the rest of the day on laundry (and Sherlock) until I remembered at 5:53 that I was supposed to give a talk at a baptism at 6:00! OOPS! I went from wearing yoga pants, an old T-Shirt, and a sweaty bandana, to wearing church clothes, decent hair and makeup with a talk and congratulations card in hand in 10 minutes and I made it during the opening prayer—phew! Shawna Maloney , age 25, was baptized by Elder Wolf and it was a sweet service. Addie made a fabulous dinner while I was gone with chicken, vegetables, Udon noodles, and Yoshida’s sauce…we all LOVED it!

Sunday was our first with our new Bishopric. I led the choir singing “How Great Shall Be Your Joy,” and they did such a nice job. Rich took Addie to Stake Standards night even though I wanted to go, too. We figured he’s the Deacons’ leader so he should be there and I should be home with the littles. Niles has a whole stack of books for me to read to him, so I’d best be going. From all reports, Standards Night was awesome and our week is off to a great start. We wish you all the same!

All our love,

Rich and Jamie and Family