SHHS Wrestling Banquet

To say this year's wrestling season was different would be an understatement! Because of all the restrictions, there were less matches, tournaments, etc. and even less opportunity to attend in person. I think Jeff was able to attend two matches and I made it to one; however, Danny fought hard this year! He started on the JV string but worked his way up to wrestling for Varsity. He was dedicated and undeterred in his practices and most especially in his performance on the mat. He is a scrappy kid! Tonight he earned a wrestling letter and pin for his contribution to team points while wrestling varsity. Way to go Danny! Hopefully, next season will be even better (and less weird!)!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

By now, everyone should know how much I love to find reasons to celebrate. Some reasons are a little silly (like "pi" day or national donut day). Others are fun holidays. Today was the latter. I have to admit, other than a fun treasure hunt to discover green and rainbow treats left by our sneaky Leprechaun, most of today's "fun" moments involved food. What can I say? I like food! The day started when Jonas discovered a clue left in his room with a couple of "gold"coins. This clue sent him on a hunt all over the house to find a treasure trove of treats. A few nights before, I asked if Jonas wanted to create a trap for our Leprechaun. He was adamant that if he did that our Leprechaun might not leave any treats so he decided against it.

After our hunt, it was just a normal day...with green pancakes and rainbow fruit skewers, fun shamrock sugar cookies to decorate, and a Shepherd's Pie dinner with lime bars for dessert. It doesn't have to be anything grand to make a day fun. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Carter's Baby Blessing

As if our weekend wasn't celebratory enough, Laurin and Casey blessed Carter on Sunday, March 14. The blessing was held at their church, but not during sacrament meeting. It was humbling to see how many family and friends were there to support this little family. I often find myself smiling as I watch Laurin gently and expertly care for her son (although I'm sure there are times that she may not feel like an expert). There is nothing greater than family...and I'm excited that ours is growing. Casey gave a beautiful blessing. Who knows what lies in store for Carter? What trials will encounter? What joys will he experience? One thing is for sure, he is very loved!

(As a total unrelated side note, that Sunday also happened to be "Pi" Day - 3.14. With such a busy weekend, I welcomed the excuse to have some pizza "pie" and berry pie to celebrate!)

Happy 50th Anniversary!

On March 11, 1971, Rodney and Penny Southwick took a leap of faith and began a journey that led through mountains and valleys...and thankfully, there is still ample road ahead. 50 years ago they were married for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City temple. In those 50 years, they had 6 kids, 18 grandkids, and 2 great-grandkids (with another on the way). I know I have said it before, but I truly hit the "in-law" lottery. I couldn't have asked for more patient, loving, and respectful in-laws. I have had the privilege of living close to them and intimately witnessing their never-ending devotion to family. They have exemplified faith, hard work, endless sacrifices, humility, patience, and so much more. Thus, it was my honor to help plan a very small COVID-friendly celebration in their honor...and to be honest, I don't think they would have had it any other way. They are not the type of people to call attention to themselves so just a small gathering of siblings, kids, grandkids, and nieces/nephews, both in-person and virtually, was just what they wanted. (Thank goodness for virtual options! It was fun to have so many other people join us on Zoom! And thank goodness for Katie who understood all that technical stuff!) It was so much fun to learn about their wedding and incorporate small details into the anniversary celebration. For example, she recorded what flowers she had in her bouquet that we recreated in the table centerpieces. Their wedding colors were purple so we tied that in with gold to reflect their golden anniversary. We also utilized some colorful kites to decorate one wall since they flew kites on their honeymoon. I found some fun 1971 trivia games to play and created a 1970s music playlist. The event was catered by Marvellous Catering and held at the Copper Creek Event Center Garden Room. 

The evening was so much fun! Unfortunately, Brad, Julie, and Stan (and their families) were unable to attend in person due to COVID related issues. However, they were able to join us virtually as well as some of Rodney and Penny's siblings. As crazy as that may seem, it was a blast to have so many people celebrating with us! We had a delicious dinner followed by some heartfelt and, at times, hilarious tributes from all the grandkids and kids. We went from tearing up to laughing hysterically. Family is at the heart of everything they do, and I couldn't imagine a more fitting way to celebrate their remarkable 50 years together. Happy anniversary!