St. John Family

Sunday March 22, 2015
Dear Cassidy-

Well another week has come and gone! I wonder if the weeks feel like they go slow to you or if they are speeding by?

Thank you so much for answering so many of our questions! I just looked on your mission blog and see that you had some training in Berlin?! And you're in a cute new dress - or one that you borrowed from Sister Egbert? Can't wait to hear. And your hair sure is getting long!

From your last letter I have a few questions...

1. I loved seeing a picture of David! I love hearing about him and how creative you are in teaching him and how it seems that he's pretty receptive. We all of course loved your story about the bahn and being left behind with just David. I'm sorry about that - but it did make me laugh! I'm wondering if you got to teach him this week?

2. So this is just a mom question...I'm maybe sensing that you are having a bit harder time with this companion than your others? Maybe it's just me but I thought I'd ask and if there's ever anything you want to tell me and not have on the blog just tell me, "not for the blog."

3. Did you shave??? Cuz that's super gross.

As for here this week...

Monday was my birthday on which none of my children even remembered. Don't worry - I took care of myself - I bought steaks to have for dinner and put the family in charge of cooking and fixing everything else. It was great.

Probably the biggest news of all and where most of my week has been spent is on our dumb phone situation. It seems so trivial and worldly - because it is - but here's the deal...I bought a new battery for my phone to see if we could get it back up and running. We did the replacement ok with a little tool kit I got, but no luck. My phone is toast. So then Dad decides it'd be a fantastic idea to take Hadlie's iPod screen off and try to fix her broken home button. So we did and we broke her iPod. TaDa! Soooo - then after a day of trying to figure out what the heck we were going to do I went back to the AT&T store for like the 3rd time and tried to figure things out. So long story short, on Wed afternoon Papa, Grammy and I spent about 3 hours at that store and got things figured out. Papa got a new phone and a tablet, grammy took papa's old phone (and is now trying to learn to text:), Hadlie took your old phone and I got an iPhone 6. And we switched our plan all up and there you go. Colten was mad I didn't get him a new phone. Anyway - that's how it'll be until you get home and then we'll go in for another round. And in the meantime I'll not be taking my phone in the bathroom. Ever.

I spent many hours on Thursday with papa & grammy getting their new phones/tablet set up and showing them how to use them, etc. I think they're on their way now.

Next in line is that the NCAA tournament started. My favorite week you know. And as of right now I'm leading the family pool for the most right picks:)

Other than that this was the end of the term week so we finished strong, Dad went to River's parent/teacher conference with her, even though she didn't want him to go because he'd probably "make jokes the whole time." Colten ended up doing well. He got a B+ in Physics, an A- or two and the rest A's. Now we get to start over. Hopefully it'll go a little smoother.

Colten also asked a friend (Sydney) to PROM! It's in a month. Crazy right?! I'll send you picture of him and Logan but they boiled a bunch of eggs, put them in Easter baskets with a color dye kit and we wrote their name on one of the eggs with a white crayon in their basket. They put a note that said, "I'd dye if you'd go to Prom with me! Color these eggs to see my name."

Friday we didn't have school. Colten hiked, then worked. He's decided to quit Jimmy John's and just go back to the ballpark for the summer. They'll be getting started soon. River went to Sadie's birthday party at the Provo Rec center and Hadlie and I went to Brooke's to get my hair done. Hadlie spent the night there and went to the zoo with Brooke on Saturday. I also helped River SHAVE on this day! She came to me & showed me her armpits which had like and inch of hair under them. And her legs! So much hair. So she's officially a shaver. At age 11. Wow, right?!

Today we had church, normal, then Papa and Grammy, Brooke and kids all invited themselves over for the afternoon/evening. It was good. And loud. We watched basketball games and ate. And I forgot to take a picture.

I've also been trying to find a good workout schedule for myself. Trying to be as active as I can. The eating good is harder you know. So last week I went to the gym on Mon & Wed at 5:30 am. It feels terribly early, but I really like not having to go after work. That's really nice. I think I'll try it again this week.

This week will be busy and fun. Hadlie has her piano recital, Brittney/Tyler are coming up and Eliza's baptism is on Saturday along with the General Women's meeting. I'll be sure to take some pictures.

I hope you doing well my Cassidy. I love you so much! Have a great week and we'll pray for you as always!

Love - Mom