St. Patty's day and more

This past week we had our nephew Ian's homecoming followed by a Thanksgiving style meal at Jeff's mom's house. I am kicking myself that I didn't bring out my camera! (I do that sometimes.)

Ian did a great job on his talk and I loved his testimony in Spanish. I always enjoyed reading his letters when he was on his mission, no matter what was going on that was challenging he always ended on a positive and each letter finished with "Keep pushing forward, it's all we can do" I always remember that from him and I was thankful that he would share his experiences with us while he was serving.

So for the rest of the week I tried documenting a little better with the camera. 

This week started Book Fair. It happens twice a year and when I can I sign up to help, I'll do fliers, set-up and work a few shifts. It sounds good beforehand but handling and stapling 1200 plus fliers is A LOT. I'm usually kicking myself at some point before I'm done. 

This year I decided to make a poster so we could put it out in front of the door when the book fair is open. 

I sketched out the design with pencil and then was going to trace over it with thick sharpie and markers. Ashley wanted to help and I wasn't too sure...then I relented and let her do as much as she wanted. She actually traced most of it and colored in a lot of it. She did a great job.

This year the book fair is set up in the library. It's much bigger and more open. 

I learned the hard way on the first day to ask the students if they are spending their lunch money for book fair stuff. Teachers (and us) aren't thinking that parents would appreciate their children going hungry in exchange for a couple of erasers. 

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Last week Ashley got an honor roll award!!!

Jacob's report card also came in the mail and he got straight A's!!! So proud of both of them for working hard to keep their grades up!

Saturday was St. Patrick's Day.

It poured all day long!!!

I guess to get things green you need water to get it that way  :)

Our church picnic in the park was cancelled last minute so Ashley and I decided to go to the 100 mile club event and get a few laps in. 

It was raining at this event too but we decided to do an hour or so anyway.  It started out kinda fun, it wasn't to cold and while I carried an umbrella Ashley liked walking in the rain and getting her hair wet. The ground was muddy, there was no escaping it we just had to be careful not to slip in spots but overall it was kinda fun. Rain is so rare here she was enjoying being out in it. 

She even took her jacket off for awhile and got soaked. 

Then about the last lap and 1/2 it started getting ugly. 

The wind picked up and was blowing sideways knocking over all the EZ-ups and slamming us with rain. The field was now rivers of water and mud was getting deeper. Our shoes were sloshing and it was getting colder. 

Ashley said "OK this is our last lap"

I agreed. 

We ended up not having a choice they packed it all up and as we were finishing our last lap they pulled everyone off the field and closed up 3 hours early. 

At the end Ashley got a medal and finished 2 1/2 miles...it would've been 3 if the weather had cooperated. Way to go Ashley!!!

She was soaked to the skin and freezing...I was too from the waist down...we got home and peeled off our wet clothes and tried to get warm. 

That night Jeff and I went out to dinner and a play at the Lifehouse Theater in Redlands with the Riouxs.

We went to one of our favorites for dinner...Pat and Oscar's.

Here Steve is feeding some leftovers to the ducks. 

They even had green breadsticks in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

(you kind of had to get over the fact that they were green :)

For some reason when we were planning the play night I assumed we were watching the Broadway version of Joseph and the technicolor dream coat but instead the Lifehouse theater does all original productions. They had their own version of the life of Joseph. 

They actually told a more complete version of Joseph's life and the history behind the story. They did a great job and it was inspiring too. Thanks Rioux's for a fun night.!