- Last week's Bishop Discussion went well. Ryan said to Chris afterward... "I'm glad you're the Bishop, Dad, because I get to hear all these great stories." His discussion was about missions and he told the story about how he didn't want to take his soccer jersey off after winning the state championship because he didn't want the feeling to go away and then talked about another uniform he wore... his mission suit and tag and how that was even harder to take off at the end of his two years. And how coming off a mission was a way better feeling than winning any state championship. It's a story/talk that I've heard multiple times throughout the years given to several different ward youth groups -- but Ryan hadn't heard it. It makes me so grateful to have callings that give us the opportunity to share stories and feelings with our own kids -- and especially to be focused on our youth.
- We had Terra Nova testing for the kids all last week. Standardized testing grading the schools and teachers, really, but my kids were anxious to go to bed early and eat healthy breakfasts and they had no homework for the week as well which was such a nice break.
- On Tuesday, Megan and I went to her '8 is Great' meeting for all the primary kids getting baptized this year. Her birthday is in 17 days or something and it's creeping up on us fast. She went to her first Activity Days Activity last week... they've asked her to start coming to help plan a primary party and she is THRILLED to finally be joining the 'big girls'. On the same night the YW and YM had their talent show combined activity. Katie, Ashlenne and Mercedes sang a Taylor Swift song together and it was good. Ryan played his ZELDA piece on the piano. It's a fun group of youth. Katie's school friend, Mercedes has been coming to Young Women activities for the last four weeks and now her older sister is coming along too. They are loving it and their mom is so excited about it as well. She's a dance instructor on base and knows lots of the LDS girls and has commented to me that 'all you guys are such great people'... I wish we had more time here!
- I left for Paris on Thursday morning and had such a great time. My girlfriends and I had all been to Paris several times before so it was just a very relaxed trip. We joked about the fact that we only spent about 8 minutes planning this trip. Heidi drove us right into town and we checked in at the French Servicemen Hotel and were ready to head out at 3:00. We went to the Paris Opera House (never been) which was really gorgeous and inspired the writing of the Phantom of the Opera. Then on to the Orsay Museum, which I had never been to either. Lots of Impressionist art... Monet and Renoir. Beautiful. We found a cafe and ate dinner. I had quiche Lorraine. We sat there for 2 hours and then headed back to the hotel. From our hotel room we could see the top of the Eiffel Tower sparkle but Melissa asked the manager if we could see it from a higher window and he gave us the key to a room on the 6th floor, which was so fun. Friday we slept in, saw the St. Augustine Cathedral right by our hotel, spotted a poodle, grabbed our bakery items for breakfast -- I had a chocolate du pain with almond spread inside that was quite possibly the best pastry I've ever tasted. I had several. Then off to the Sacred Heart Cathedral and Montmartre area up on the hill... truly Paris. I'd been there a couple times before but some of the gals hadn't. We wandered through the art market, made some art purchases and then ate lunch at a little cafe and stayed for an hour. Then off to L'Orangerie Museum with more Monet Water lily paintings. (Had never been) Then we went over to peak at the Eiffel Tower before heading over to the Rue Cler... remember that pastry shop there, Dan, Sarah, Scott Elisha?? I got the raspberry tart -- delicious. The gals loved it. We ate dinner kitty corner from that pastry shop and sat for two hours enjoying our meal. Then back to see the Eiffel Tower sparkle at night and then back to the hotel. Saturday we went to the Shakespeare Book Company across from the Notre Dame Cathedral and it was really neat. I'd seen it from the outside but never been inside -- but since I was with a bunch of book lovers we had to spend awhile and it was great. Then we toured the Saint Chappelle. I'd seen that one before -- and then headed back to the hotel to head home. Heidi drove us right into the MIDDLE of Paris around the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs E'lysse . She's a bold driver... it was so much fun.
- While I was gone Chris was on call for 48 hours and had to spend most of it at the hospital including the nights since his work computer wasn't working at home. He's counting the days he has to be on call. So Katie ended up doing most of the work around the house and with the kids.
- Ryan got to dress for the Varsity game and the Varsity players did so well that by half time the Junior Varsity players were playing the rest of the game. They won 11 - 0 against Ansbach. Wish I could have been there. He is a busy boy going straight to practice after school and getting home at 5:50... Tuesdays he heads straight to YM and Wednesdays he heads straight to piano lessons. He's so TIRED and definitely hasn't been getting enough sleep -- partially because he's been working on his third quarter Honors Lit and World History project -- it's a board game and it's awesome. His friend at school said, "If Ryan doesn't get 100 on his project then we're all going on strike." Nice to check that off the list.
- Today is our final day to get ready for the Budapest trip tomorrow. We're getting art project stuff organized still, have a few more things to buy at the commissary. (Patricia requested peanut butter, root beer and smores stuff since it's stuff you can't find in Europe). Everything will be loaded into the vans tonight and we'll see how much of it really fits. It's going to be crazy.
No comments:
Post a Comment