Helping Hands

Every year on, or around September 11th is set aside as a national day of service.  I wonder how many citizen's of our country actually know this.  I don't hear much about it except at church.  Our church, which is established throughout the world, takes this National Day of Service very seriously.  Church leadership in Salt Lake City encourages all congregations to organize a service project that will benefit the communities we live in on this day.  The Service Projects are usually designed for all members in the families of a congregation to participate.  Through the years Jason and I have helped out with many of these projects.  Each one has blessed our lives and others.  

This year our Stake, which is a group of seven congregations like a Catholic Diocese, planned to collect food for local food banks.  We were asked to invite and involve our neighbors to also help gather food.  Jason and I took the bags around to our neighbors.  They all donated food.  One of our neighbors went to the grocery store and brought us about 15 bags of food.  It was very awesome, and seriously caused me to shed a few tears.  It was a thrill to gather food from our neighborhood, and then drive a van full of food to the church.  My favorite part was that my children were able to participate in this awesome project.  I was sad that Jason had to work, and didn't get to be a part of the project on the gathering day.

All Volunteers had to wear one of these.

Glenn and Max worked so very hard.

Our Stake gathered over 15,000 pounds of food!!!  It was awesome!  When the first food bank guy came to pick up he was happy and overwhelmed with how much food we had for him to pick up. 

This is just one of three locations filled with bags of food like this.  It was so awesome!

Many hands make for light work.
Do you see Max and Glenn?  They were two of the only youth there.  Max was the youngest helper.  I was very proud of them.

Harrison was bummed that I wouldn't let him do too much.  I told him that the best way for him to help was to sit on the curb.  He did NOT like that idea at all.  

Lily was helping too.  

Did I mention that it was hot?  Well it was.  After all the hard work we had to go get some Frenzi Frozen Yogurt.  YUM!

Double Date

Recently we went on a double date with this super cute couple.  We had a blast with them. 

Their names are Glenn and Maxwell.  These boys are some of our favorites.

They both had birthday's this Summer, and have been saving up their money.  They were excited to go to Cheesecake Factory for a yummy dessert, then to buy some new games for the Wii.

We took the Wii away for the Summer, and I realized that if they bought a new Wii game or two there would be a discussion/argument about the Wii making a comeback.  I have really enjoyed the Wii being gone, so I came up with a better plan.  I remembered that the mall where the Cheesecake Factory is located also has a Lego Store.  I explained this to the boys, and their eyes grew large.  It did not take much to persuade them.

Glenn had Key Lime Mango Cheesecake and Max had Cookies and Cream Cheesecake.  Maxwell's original choice was chocolate and coconut cream cheesecake.  I was bummed too, because I really wanted to try that!

LEGO STORE!!!  My boys thought this was heaven!

 After eating they were tired, very tired.  Max was excited to maybe buy one of the new dinosaur sets, but they saw the new line of LOTR Lego's as they walked into the store.

I think Jason had just as much fun looking around and dreaming as the boys did.

Max was so excited to see the dinosaur Lego's.

The boys paying for their loot.  The guy working the register was cracking me up.  He was so into all the Lego's, and my boys loved him!

As we were paying, the guy heard us say something about us being their for the boys' birthdays.  He said that they could Lego guy for free as a birthday gift.  That was very exciting, as all my boys LOVE those little guys.

They both ended up with Lord of the Rings Lego sets.  They have played with them every day since.  

My camera did auto focus on Max's face instead of his LOTR Lego guys that he was trying to show me.  Can you tell how happy he is?  

I cannot end this post without saying a HUGE thank you Lily for babysitting Harry and Bennett so we could take the boys on this special birthday date.  She was so cheerful about it, and that is why her little brothers love her so much.

Glenn's Mini Me

Right after getting home from Denver I had appointments set up for Harrison and Glenn with the Optometrist.  Glenn has been complaining for a few months that he needs new glasses.  Harrison has also been telling me for awhile that he can't see.  

Glenn's prescription has changed more than double!  Good thing we were getting him new glasses because we had left his in SLC when we left early that morning.  And of course Harrison needed glasses too.  In fact his prescription is almost identical to what Glenn's was at the same age.  Interesting stuff because I've been saying for years how alike these two boys are.  I've even said that sometimes I feel like I've gone back in time, because I am just raising Glenn all over again.  

And now the look more like twins than ever before.

Harrison getting his pupils dilated.  He did so well with all these pre-exam tests.

Waiting for the Doctor to come in.

Glenn waiting for the Doctor.

Glenn and his mini-me

If only we could get him to keep them on his face now.  Hopefully he'll get better at that when school starts.

Birthday and Blessing Day

A Continuation of our awesome trip....

Day 7 - 

We caught Achilles the Cat sleeping in Bennett's bed.  Bennett didn't mind at all.  Not only did Bennett kiss Achilles, but the horsey did too.

This picture of Achilles "hugging" Bennett's Chipmunk Eleanor may or may not have been staged by the Paigester.

After Bennett got dressed for church he cuddled in bed while I fed Theo.  Achilles joined us.

X

Lots of kisses were passed.

Harrison came in like this to tell me that he was an Indian Princess.  Max, his father, was the Chief.
I asked him to get dressed for church, he said, "NO."
That's just how Sunday's are, whether we are on vacation or not.

I took the boys in with my mom to try and wake Paige up for church.
Bennett brought his horsey.

Paige woke up, undressed Theo, and got him to giggle and smile for her.
That's a good way to wake up.

In our religion we do not do infant baptism or christening.
Infants are brought forth before the congregation, held in a circle of Priesthood holders, and given a name and a blessing.  I am so blessed to have a husband who holds the Priesthood, and has given our children many Priesthood blessings over the years, starting with their infant name and blessing in church.

I would have preferred to do it in our own ward (congregation), but my father and brother, who also hold the Priesthood, couldn't make it up here.  Since we were already going down there it made sense to do it in my parents ward so my dad and brother could be in the circle.  My dad has been in the circle for all six of my kids.

Theo all ready for his blessing.
 This is the same outfit that Glenn wore for his blessing.  This was a full circle moment for me since Glenn became a teenager just 2 days before this.  Theo is even wearing the same little shoes that all my boys wore on their blessing day's.
A friend of mine crocheted this beautiful blanket for him.  Thanks Allyson.

This time I sneaked in a picture before church started.
Lily holding Theo, about to be blessed.

After church we went to Isaac's house for a birthday/blessing dinner.
My mom made Glenn an awesome birthday cake.  Paige helped.

For dinner we had sesame chili chicken with gingered watermelon salsa, curried basmati rice, strawberry spinach salad and homemade bread.

I prepped the chicken and Isaac grilled it, I also made the rice.  My mom made the cake and the watermelon salsa, and Kristin made the salad and bread.  It was amazing how SO good it all tasted together considering we had several people chipping in.

The birthday boy eating his yummy dinner.

The cake was layers of ice cream sandwiches, cool whip, M&M's and chocolate syrup.
My mom found the idea on Pinterest.  It was delicious, and a huge hit with everyone.

 

My six awesome kids...
with Isaac making a Jean Dujardin face in the background. (That's the actor from The Artist.  I couldn't watch that movie without thinking it was my brother the whole time.)

I LOVE this picture of Grandpa eating birthday cake at the table with all the grandkids.