Sometimes You Just Have To Laugh...

Saturday we kidnapped Hayden and Halea and two of Hayden's friends and took them on the birthday excursion.  We asked Hayden to choose a place to eat.  What does any 16 year old boy choose.  Golden Corral buffet of course.  Good thing cause those boys can eat.  Halea didn't do too bad herself.  Then we took them to an indoor rock climbing gym.   Way fun.  They had a little wall for Hilary that she played on for like an hour straight.  Then we brought them and dropped them off at the haunted house.  I think that they had fun.  Hilary hung right with the teenagers.  That girl is living the teenage dream at 3!

 carefully planning her next move.

a quick smile for the camera...

 Hayden perfecting his moves.

Hayden being taught by the climbing guru...those boys were schooled!

Cute..

When we got home I did some last minute preparations for Sunday.  I was really looking forward to Sunday.  We had a lot of meetings and things to do, but all really good things, culminating with a Fireside (devotional for those not of the LDS culture) that was going to be given by the seminary teacher for both Halea and Hayden.
I woke up and hit the ground running.  I knew it was going to be busy and so I tried to get some things organized to alleviate any undue stress that could distract from the good things.  (Ha Ha, nice try!)  The day actually went as well as could be expected with the exception of the lost spider in the van!  I was driving home from the hospital, saw it scurry across the dash and then it sat on the passenger side door for most of the ride.  I ran into church, came back out and it was GONE!  Not sure what to do about that.
Halea had an interview with our Bishop and she said he asked her how she was doing in regards to Tatum.  She said she lost it a little bit and told him that she worried mostly about Hilary, because Tates was supposed to grow up with her.  What a sweet big sister to worry about Hilary.  I worry for her too.  She is going to have to endure Lance and I as old parents, alone now.  Everyone will be out of the house for a good 6 or 7 years before she leaves.  Poor little dear.
We got to the fireside and the kids seminary teacher came over to talk for a minute and he chuckled and said "This should be interesting, they have booked two Brother Butler's"  I laughed and said "Yeah right".  He laughed back and said he was serious.  They booked two brother Butler's.  (sometimes you just have to laugh!!)  Apparently the two Butler's email addresses are off by only 1 letter, they both teach seminary, their middle initials and first names are the same.  The list goes on.  Somehow the youth in charge had been communicating with both of them and didn't know it!  It turned out to be such a great meeting.  Our Brother Butler was so hilarious and entertaining and inspiring.  I know why the kids love him.  He focused on how we are all brothers and sisters who fought a war in Heaven before we came down to earth.  We fought there to save each other and to have the opportunity to come to earth to be tested and to again, save one another.  He said we are rescuers of one another, and how we are all on missions our entire lives.   It was awesome.  I am so grateful for the friend that found me, in a miraculous way, and rescued me and gave me the gift of the gospel.

Today was going to be another crazy day.  Luckily Hilary and I were able to squeeze in some fun time with her best friend and his wife (who happens to be my niece).  We went to a few stores and grabbed some lunch.  They are fun because they think Hilary is as funny as I do.  She says and does  the funniest things.   A lot of times when you point out something to her that's small or cute, she will say "that's for Tatum".  I love that because it means she still thinks of her in the present.    The best part of our errand running was the great find at the Halloween store.

Here is little Hilary dressed up as the Yo Gabba Gabba character Fufa, holding the DJ Lance Rock costume.  Start praying now that he will wear it.  Can you imagine?  How can he say no to that face?!

Tonight I got to help Hayden complete a Cooking assignment from his foods class.  Luckily it was stir fry!!  Remind me to never let my kids miss that assignment.  I was ready to put the vegetables in whole.  It's not his fault for certain.  I mean who is his mother that has not taught him around a kitchen to this point in his life?!   It was actually pretty fun.  The bonus was that dinner was done!

I went to do a service project for the hospital tonight at a ward in Provo.  When I do these I usually tell a little bit about my story and why I do what i do at the hospital.  I have not done this since Tatum died, so on the drive down I was trying to organize my thoughts.  My impression was to tell them of all of the miracles that have happened along the journey of my life, even through the really hard times.  I got a few sentences in to my introduction of myself when the ward that was next door having their talent show activity started getting real rowdy.  There was music and clapping and singing.  it was actually quite hilarious.  I muddled through.  It wasn't my best presentation, but like I said, sometimes you just have to laugh.