Arizona June

{Funny Grayse Dawn}

It was a nice, low-key week around here, though it's hot, hot, HOT! (Ah, Arizona in June... *pant-pant*)

On Monday, I went to my 6 week Dr. visit, and was given a hard time about not choosing to use birth control pills. (yay.) That's just one of the effects of making the choice we have made, so I just smile and try to be polite.

Bonny still teaches ballet on Tuesday afternoons, and the girls really LOVE it! She's preparing a patriotic recital this time, and it's fun to hear the music and giggles coming from downstairs during dance classes. :-) She's now teaching 3 age groups, but really could use some more students.

Wednesdays are mutual, of course, and the girls have started volleyball season. It's Dierdre's first year doing it, and she really enjoys it! She went to an extra lesson from the stake on how to serve the volleyball, and her confidence has been growing. She wants to go play at the Ranch House park sometime, but right now, it's just too darn HOT!

On Thursday, we had an S.O.S. (Summer of Service) club meeting scheduled, but only one person showed up. (Conrad Weitzell) The big kids created the club as a way to get together with homeschool friends throughout the summer, but so far, not many have participated. We'll see what happens this week. We are planning to watch "The Ultimate Gift" together, and discuss it afterwards.

Bonny with her friends from our old ward.

This week, we found out that the S--- family, from our last ward, is moving up to Utah. And so, they had a BIG going-away party the other night, and we went! Bonny was thrilled to see her old friends! Unfortunately, Lliam's friends weren't there, but he did get to hang out with J--- a bit. I sat and talked with the D---s for most of the evening, and it was great to hear about them and their missionaries.

We spent Saturday working on the house and yard, and vegging a bit. The little kids already have cabin fever, and we're wishing we could let them outside, but alas! Too hot. I really need to find some fun activities and crafts they can do INSIDE. (Because making messes might be fun, but it makes Mama grumpy...)

Our Davy has decided to behave like a 2 year old, and is into EVERYTHING. He is following the Keppner tradition of being a busy toddler, and keeps us hopping. His favorite new thing is to take off his diaper, poopy or not (sound familiar?), and we're trying to help him change his nudist ways. :-p It's a good thing that boy is so adorable!

Our Davy, sporting a mohawk, thanks to his big sister.

Miss Fiona has just started SMILING, and has a wide, gorgeous grin. One of these days, we'll catch it on camera. We got her a baby swing this week, and she LOVES it! She has a little bit of a temper (surprise!), but the swing is helping her stop screaming when she's colicky. We are ALL enjoying the swing, as a result. :-)

(I usually am not a fan of baby swings, preferring to hold my babies most of the time. HOWEVER, Miss Fiona seems to sometimes just like to NOT be held, and so, we're going with that. It's funny how each child is different!)

Fiona, happy in her new swing.

Fiona being Gavin's "Shoulder Angel"

Have a wonderful week!

Love, Mama Rachel

New Weekly Updates!

Pa and sweet Fiona

So...

A lightbulb recently went off in my brain, and I realized that when I write my weekly updates for my missionaries, that I should share them here as a way to journal and record the days of our lives.

Therefore, this will be my first weekly update for 2014! I am grateful that my missionaries are keeping me on track with recording our daily lives for future posterity, as well as for the here-and-now.

Looking forward to blogging regularity!

We had a good week, though we missed Lliam and Gavin while they were gone to Stake Encampment from Tuesday to Saturday.

The boys left first thing on Tuesday morning for a big, spirituality-based stake young men's Encampment. I guess they do it every four years in this stake, and it was a pretty big deal. They camped up near Pinetop, doing archery, chopping wood, making rafts, climbing walls, holding nightly devotionals, exploring caves, and eating, and eating, and EATING.

All the Young Men in our ward at Stake Encampment 2014.

They came home on Saturday afternoon COVERED in dirt-- I've never seen boys that dirty-- and little bit sunburned. Lliam was excited to announce that he placed 5th in the entire stake for the stick-pulling contest!!! :-) (Joseph Smith style!) That was very cool!

Bonny did a gorgeous job on Eyn's cake!

Earlier in the week, Bonny taught ballet, and also started back at Jeanne's Dance. The studio here was not meeting her needs, so she's going back to Jeanne's just for the summer. Then, in the Fall, she's hoping to start dancing at ---. We're trying to figure out some carpooling options with that, so we'll see how it goes.

Ronan spent the week as a fish, swimming almost every day at the neighbors. He's getting better and braver, and has been having lots of fun.

Davy likes water, too. His newest trick is to turn on the big garden tub in our bathroom and plug the drain. It scares me to DEATH! He came out of my room sputtering and soaked one day, and so I try to keep our bedroom door shut and locked as much as possible-- which is kind of hard when the baby is napping in her crib in our room, too! :-p Our Davy-boy's guardian angels are going to busy with that boy!!!

Davy-boy loves bath time!

Thursday was a first for me. I had a lovely (not) root canal on my owie tooth, and a new crown put on it. Does this mean I am officially old? Time will tell. I really like our new dentist, and they did all they could to take good care of me. I have lots of work that still needs done, but at least now I can eat foods I haven't been able to eat in ages. The girls were awesome babysitters for Fiona, which was hard, because I had to be gone a LONG time to get all the dental work done. But she survived, somehow!

Saturday morning, I sang at the W---'s funeral. Then, I got home and PA came to see us! Daddy and I took him out to dinner for father's Day, and he liked it a lot. We had a really nice visit! :-) Pa agrees with me that Fiona has quite a lot of Williams in her. He thinks she's beautiful, and joked about taking her home with him. :-)

Pa meeting Fiona for the first time!

Pa has spent the week staying at Ann and Dan's while he was getting poked, prodded, and tested to see if he can donate his kidney to Aunt Ann. He's hoping to know more after the doctors all meet together tomorrow. He wants to get it done and over with, but it may not be another month until the surgery can be done. He asked Lliam to come and be one of his caregivers when he's recovering, and Lliam wants to do it. I'm a little nervous about it, but I'm glad he wants to help Pa.

I can't believe how she's grown!

Saturday was also big because it was ERYN'S BIRTHDAY!!! She had a good day, I think, and Pa got to be there for the festivities. Granna made her a BEAUTIFUL Red Riding-Hood cape, Morganne gave her a sweet storybook, and she also got clothes, little people, and a miniature Snow White's cottage to play with. She and the girls have been playing non-stop ever since. I can't believe our Miss Eryn is really FOUR YEARS OLD!!! :'-(

Russell with tiny Fiona, just after her birth.

Yesterday was a very nice Father's Day for Daddy, I think. He didn't want much, but I think it was okay. He got a nap and we baked him a pastry I had bought from one of the B---' boys. They were selling them for a fundraiser, so I got one for Father's Day. We ended the day watching an episode of the Duggars and going to bed EARLY-- Daddy's favorite thing these days. (Going to bed early, not the Duggars. LOL!)

We love you, we miss you, and we are very pleased with the hard work our two missionaries are doing! We all remember you both in every family prayer. Keep up the good work, and remember that you BOTH are doing the work of bringing souls to Christ!

Thank you for the good you are doing, and for staying close to the Spirit as you serve the Lord in His VERY important work!

Lots of love and hugs,

Mama Rachel