2024 :: week 43

October 20

The Kansas Crane boy cousins are serious Chiefs fans. It made me smile seeing all the red and Chiefs-related clothing when we walked into my parent's house on Sunday. It also made me smile when they all "took a knee,' after Miles got hurt during a play. Tony left early Sunday morning for a work trip to Tampa.

October 21

Lauren turned 14! We celebrated with a ritz chicken dinner and Lamar's Donuts for dessert. Her main birthday gifts were a pair of Ugg platform slippers, an Owala water bottle, Sol de Janerio body spray, and a White Fox hoodie. On instagram I wrote: "Lauren is sharp, thoughtful, determined, creative and resourceful. She is our #1 girl and keeps our house from getting too wild with all the young boy energy."

October 22

We had an interesting experience at our house this morning. (Anthony is in Florida for work this week.) Around 230am, Will got up, made himself breakfast and walked to the bus stop. He said he waited for about five minutes, then looked at his phone and realized it was 2:30 in the morning. Then he walked home and went back to bed. When I was talking to him about it this morning, he said there were things that should have helped him realize it wasn’t time to go to the bus— it was still totally dark outside, he only saw one car on the road, the street lamps were very dim, no one else was waiting, and I didn’t get up to make sure he got off OK like I told him I planned to do. He says because he remembers it it couldn’t be sleepwalking. But the fact that he did all of that without looking at clocks and realizing he was four hours early makes me think he was. I’m just glad he was safe and didn’t do anything too crazy! also, when we were in Seattle we had delicious gelato at the Public Market. Meredith said that the gelato company is connected to the Ellenos brand greek yogurt sold in some grocery stores. The only store I could find it at around here is Whole Foods. It is so delicious!

October 23

Wednesday night was Miles' Upward evaluation. I like that they do these evaluations, as I believe the intention is to create equitable teams. In my experience the teams do not end up being very equitable, so in the end it feels like a waste of time. Regardless, Miles had a good time and seemed to measure up well to the competition.

October 24

Lauren and her friends Maddy, Brena and Quinn walked along the trail after school. We have had idyllic fall weather this week!

October 25

Elliott got to play in his first piano recital Friday night! Miss Julie held her annual Halloween Costume Recital in her driveway for all kids in elementary school. Elliott had a great time! Immediately after the recital I raced him over to OPC for the end of the Truck or Treat. He had a ball collecting candy and running around with his buddies--at least two others were also dressed as Bobby Witt Jr. 

October 26

Elder Gong spoke to the KC area youth at the Liberty Stake Center (building near the temple). Tony drove a contingency of kids from the Oak Park Ward--Jude, Elliott, Adrian, Lauren, Ethnie and Will. Having nine stakes worth of kids gather at the building was a logistical mistake--it isn't even the largest stake center in the area--and our kids were forced to stand on the side the entire time. I was concerned for our youth before they left because had attended a leadership meeting earlier in the day and youth started to show up before it had even ended. Overall I think they had a good time, but their main memory of the event wasn't getting to see an apostle, it was of how tired their legs were from standing and other kids misbehaving and making it so they couldn't hear (because it was so crowded no adults were allowed in, so there were over a thousand youth and next to no leaders). Tony waited in the van while the kids were at the devotional.