Cabin trip with the Pershing family!

 We had another great trip with the Pershing family to their cabin in Payson. This time their son Johnny was home from a mission and our son Holman was on a mission. Different dynamic but still a lot of fun! We hiked, put together puzzles ( not really me) and watched a lot of great movies! 

We wanted to prank Johnny with a fake tradition. So we all came up with giving the person who prayed a kiss on the cheek....it was super awkward and very funny. He didn't react much but the rest of us had a hard time keeping the joke in. Finally we all had had enough and asked Johnny to pray so he would be out last mark... If it was awkward kissing someone on the cheek who new about it what about for someone who had no clue?! Benjamin and I basically did an air kids hovered over his cheek. We all started laughing and explained we don't normally do this. I was shocked he never asked his family "what's up with the prayer kids" he just rolled with it....he never kissed anyone but he didn't complain either. It was so funny. The Pershings are a wacky bunch too 🤣

Holman goes to the Thai temple

Holman met this awesome family in his second transfer. They quickly bonded and treated him like family. He was super excited that they made plans to attend the newly dedicated Thai temple. Then he got transferred. This family then requested for him and some other influential missionaries to be there. He wasn't sure if the mission president would allow it to happen. They were so excited when they got approval!!

This is a copy of Holman's Facebook post:

เมื่อวานผมมีโอกาสเข้าร่วมพิธีผนึกครอบครัวนี้ผมดีใจที่ครอบครัวสามารถอยู่ด้วยกันตลอดไปได้โดยพระคริสต์😊

Yesterday I had the opportunity to attend the Sealing of this family! I am so glad that families can be together forever through Christ!😄

Thanks Apichat Thakham for letting me be your best man!

Olivia turns 21!!

 How do you beat the after Christmas blues? I had a baby 21 years ago and she has been jazzing up the day ever since!! Olivia Howe is so fun, smart, a Jane Austen afishionado, a financial wiz and an all-around joy to be around.....and I get to be her mom!!! I also consider her to be one of my best friends. Olivia thanks for livening up our family since day one. You are beyond good enough 💕💞

Olivia was one of my easiest births. I went to the hospital at like 8 am to be induced and called the family at like 10:30 am to tell them I had had her! She was ready!! 

Miracle and death, the circle of life

 Appa started to see again! He is not totally blind. We are not sure how much he does see but we know he can see. So his retinas have reattached somewhat. We are so grateful. And honestly he seems grateful too. His tail is wagging and he's running again. We are back to his wash walks again. It is a win that I am grateful for. We have spent a lot of money on our dogs lately but we are their stewards and they are our fur babies.

While we had a miracle, Bekah's sweet puppy had gotten into chocolate on Christmas Eve. He woke up with a stomach ache, had trouble walking and eventually had seizures. She took him to an emergency clinic and they did all they could but his brain received too much damage. It brought back all the feels of loosing Luke.

Lindsey and Ryan have been giving our dogs medicine while we've been out of town. What champions.

Christmas Day

 We had Grandma and Grandpa all to ourselves for Christmas. Most of Benjamin's siblings did Christmas Eve there so we had a cozy Christmas dinner. Barbara made a roast, sweet potatoes, jello salads, and a slew of desserts. We brought rolls, mashed potatoes and a pudding mandarin salad. It was a lovely meal. Later that night we got to talk with Holman! It was really the next day but we got to talk with him in large party because it was Olivia's birthday.  Grandma and Grandpa gave each of us fidget spinners and we described them to Holman and he said hold on a moment and showed us the exact fidget spinner that he bought! It really was a fun tender mercy of being connected.

Christmas Eve

 We had all our kids...except Holman who's in Thailand for his mission, Nana and Papa and the Smith crew. Everyone brought their favorite hors d'oeuvres. We had bree three ways, Bella's pretzel bites, Benjamins bacon wrapped smokies, mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, glazed summer sausage, vegetable tray and more! Lindsey brought chimes and sheet music and we played some Christmas music. It was very entertaining, much better than choir! We played a Christmas memory game, Bella won. And opened up pajamas. We watched the nativity and our favorite Family Ties episode. I love our family!

Winter Haven

 We had two fun nights at Winter Haven. Winter Haven is a well known neighborhood in Tucson that famously decorates for Christmas. Sam's family lives there and his mom, Jen is in charge of the event. The first event was a "silent tour" with the Pershing family through Winter Haven. We wore headsets with fun Christmas music and danced our way through the neighborhood. A company runs the tour and kinda leads the group through choreography. It was fun and a totally different way to walk the neighborhood.  We had a blast! The Pershing family dances as much as us! 

The second event was Nana and Papa's Christmas party. They hosted all who could attend. Lindsey's family (Preston came into town!), John's family and us (the Websters were in Hawaii). We had a great time! We had yummy Mexican food, games and then a tour of Winter Haven lights. We loved it and had a great time. What a blessing to have family live so close ❤️

Another blind dog?!

 Woke up last Sunday morning to take the dogs on a walk like we do every morning or afternoon. Dad had Sunday meetings so Olivia went with me. Didn't pay much attention to getting them started because I was finishing up a text. We got to the empty lot where a truck was there with two dogs not very friendly dogs. Tried calling the dogs back, Leo came quickly but not Appa even with me holding a treat in my hand. Usually that gets him, but nothing. He even couldn't get through the barb wire gracefully. The truck owner took off with his dogs so we started back on the trail to which we noticed Appa runny into stuff, very obvious stuff. Olivia leashed him and he wiggled right out. No way could we go down the cliff like that. He continues to walk almost into cactus. It appears we have another blind dog. No injury to cause it, no discharge from the eye, he legit lost his eyesight over night. Yesterday's walk was uneventful. At the end he didn't come when I called he kept going to the backyard fence even though I was on the other side. I thought he was just confused. Called the emergency vet and since he is still eating and has energy and isn't throwing up I'm to make an appointment tomorrow. An eye vet appointment just in time for Christmas 🤑 I really hope it's not worse.

One minute everyone in the family has eyesight the next they don't 🤷 Life.

....On Tuesday I took time off from work to take Appa to an eye vet. Dad had a dentist appointment so it was just me. It was miserable. He's an ornery dog by nature so add no eyesight and he is a walking time bomb. He wouldn't get weighed or put or let anyone get close. They asked if they could take him in the back to do everything I was like yeah I don't need to witness this. They had to put a muzzle on him because he kept growling. They put two shots in his eyes. They think it might be valley fever or another type of infection so he's on several different medications to try to figure out what it is. We have to put drops in his eyes like every 4 hours and give him pills several times a day. He might regain his eyesight. When we were leaving in the parking lot Appa got out of his harness and refused to get inside the car the vet clinic is located right by a busy road so I quickly threw the leash around his belly. I tried for 15 minutes to coax him into the car. He just laid on the asphalt. I finally called the clinic to see if anyone could help me. It took three additional techs and he chewed through a harness and finally by the grace of God he followed me in the car. I spent about 30 minutes in the parking lot. Then on the drive home he kept climbing into the front seat and throwing the stick into neutral. I was literally crying while driving. This dog....

Holman Street Sign

 The Holman family street sign is up! We adopted a stretch of road and completed our first round of cleanup so the sign got installed! I got an email from the city saying it was installed so I kidnapped my kids told them to get in the car for a mystery drive. I verified it was there then I kidnapped my parents and Lindsey. So fun! The sign is actually huge!

Family business

 

Over 8,600 miles away Holman is teaching kindergartners Christmas jingles and Bells who is 1,300 miles at LSU is crafting with littles. The family business is strong 💗 

Holman turns 19!!

 Holman turned 19 on his mission! His last year as a teen and we won't see any of it first hand. Him being gone has been so challenging for our family. It has been a really hard adjustment for everyone.  He is always up for an adventure often the first to initiate an activity. We have missed him deeply.  Almost one year into the mission and it's been a rollercoaster. He's had companions that he has loved and others that have brought him to his knees. The language was a huge struggle and now he speaks with confidence. He's loved the people and they have loved him. He had one ward that threw him a going away party three times because they thought he was going to be transferred each time they hosted a beautiful celebration. He's had a lot of success. Of course he would!!  One year to go!

This family is missing our true middle child, our gentle giant and party animal.  Holman you are an integral part of this family and we can't wait to be reunited. We pray for your happiness and success daily....sometimes hourly. We hope your adventures continue and we can't wait to hear all bout them!!

Adrian turns 14!!

 My sweet baby girl turned 14...how? Why? She is the best! She is so funny, kind and oh so artsy/crafty. She is beautiful and spunky. She loves to help others and volunteers to do so all the time.  She is loved by the young and by kids older than her. She is a self proclaimed fighter. She works so hard. Baby girl is ready for high school. Just one semester left. 

Adrian we love you so very much. I love you so very much!! You are a wonderful young woman filled with love and fun. I am so glad to have you in our home and so grateful we still have four years till your 18. Time is flying!! I love you so very much Adrianna Joyce 💕💗

The Joyce and John Holman road

Last Christmas I adopted a
pima county road in honor of my parents. I attended a class downtown and learned the safety protocols. I signed up to clean the road twice a year and then a sign gets posted in their honor. We ended up bagging 11+ large garbage bags. I bought Dunkin Donuts for all our awesome family members to celebrate all our hard work.  Nana and Papa, Hillary, Julia and John Webster, and Lindsey, Ryan, Calvin, Simon, Owen and Norman Smith came. And of course our crew Olivia, Parkin and Adrian.

 

Charcuterie Board/ Thanksgiving

We had a blast hosting the Howe family Thanksgiving. It was a big event. Ron and Barbara's  household, Scott and Suzie's kids who have kids, their daughter in laws family, and Bekah and her girlfriend (now fiance!) And her parents. We had close to 30 people. Sadly I didn't take any pictures except for Olivia's charcuterie board ...it was a huge spread. We had a fantastic time. The kids even took a dip and went hot tubbing. It was a perfect day. Well almost one of our dogs ate one of our chickens...very sad. But lucky he ate the chicken that lays eggs in the worst spot, that always gets covered in poop. Who needs that?!

 

Light the world 2023

We were so lucky that the East stake was in charge of the Giving machines that were brought to the Park Place mall. It is the coolest thing. They are vending machines that offer services to local and worldwide charities. The kickoff event had leaders of other faiths offer prayers and share the message of how they help and share God's love. As if the event wasn't enough we even got amazing goodie bags. They were filled with candies, chocolates, home made cookies and a little flashlight. 

The line for the machines were long so we came back the following Sunday. After we purchased several items ( I didn't want to stop, one day I will buy all the items in the giving machine!) We headed outside. Benjamin and Parkin were in white shirts and ties and we were stopped in the busy parking lot by a distressed young mother. Her car needed a jump and she wante to know if we had jumper cables. We did, so we drove closer to her car and pushed her car to a spot that we could access her battery. The parking lot was packed but we were able to get to her. She was so relieved. I as ked Adrian and Parkin what was the gift they were most happy about purchasing that day they both said helping the lady was their favorite way to light the world 💗

 

Spirit week, Halloween festivals

 This week was spirit week at school. What a crazy time to not be at the house with all my costumes and props ready to go. The worst  thing you can do on Spirit week is wear the wrong outfit on the wrong day. And that's exactly what I did. The first day was sport's day.  I wore my pink shirt for breast cancer awareness day . Side note the middle school decided each day....breast cancer awareness day...."okay kindergarten one of the days is breast cancer awareness day. All the girls stand up. You guys are more likely to get this life threatening disease than the boys, but boys maybe you will die from it too" That was a fun discussion. Wednesday was dress like a teacher or faculty member. One of the kindergarten paraprofessionals has the same dress as me so I asked her to wear it. The kids loved it. I also had three little girls dress like me. They made Mrs. Howe name badges, wore my favorite color and one wore jeans with boots and a Blue Leman T-shirt. I usually wear that every Friday. It was so cute to see them pickup on my preferences. Thursday was dress like country club or country. Of course I chose country, because my boots. Thursday morning I I'm in charge of early morning playground duty. I found a little girl crying because she was wearing a Princess Belle costume (Disney day was Friday). She was hugging her coat with embarrassment. I walked up to her and said nice country club outfit! I said I'm wearing country today but you chose country club that's a beautiful dress that you would wear to a country club ball. And I pointed out other kids that had fancy dresses on. Most kids chose country because everyone in Arizona has boots and a cowboy hat. I could see the wheels turning as she she slowly took off her coat. One of my previous kinders came running up in her fancy shoes and country club outfit and pointed out their matching shoes. The crying girl started to twirl.... changing lives that's what I do. A trip to the Goodwill and I secured a princess Ana outfit from Frozen for Disney day on Friday. Friday night I had a school carnival. It has been an insanely long week.

Saturday night we had the ward Halloween party. Bishop Walston took it to the next level and ordered a jumping castle the kids loved it. They also brought their A game by having homemade french fries being fried right on the spot they were delicious! Benjamin and I were supposed to go as Barbie and Ken for the ward Halloween party but this middle aged overweight woman was not pulling it off! As I left to go set up for the games I said come to the party as Cristoff....you know that character since you HAD to have a Frozen birthday party one year 

Anyways Benjamin did great! He bought a $2 vest from Goodwill and scavenged Nana's closet for a belt. He looked awesome! Adrian went has a bride ..not a murdered bride or a dead bride just a beautiful bride....Parkin dipped for a party. Olivia brought her roommate to her first ever trunk or treat event. Unfortunately attendance was lower than normal and there was no homemade root beer.Olivia, Shirin and Adrian had a good time trunk or treating 😁  Adrian went as a bride, not a zombie bride, or a dead bride...just a beautiful bride. Bella and Sam sent us a picture of them dressed up as the Vampires from the book series Twilight.