Region basketball is over.  I remember why I struggle with Region ball.  I saw one of the worst broken noses I have ever seen while working the table.  The next season we have is dodgeball.  The Stake Presidency has decided we need to have a Tri Stake Triathlon.  The Draper region has been running a triathlon sprint for a few years.  They have asked the Stake Sports committee to assist with the event.  I have been given the Run.  The Swim and Bike are assigned to others.  This feels like the Stake Harvest Fair again.  Something I don't have any interest in but being in charge of a significant part of it.  I'm trying to have a good attitude about it.  I have a lot going on right now so it is hard to focus on it.  I need to find a path in 2 weeks for our next meeting.  We just finished up the Men's Basketball.  The womans Region begins this week and i will likely be asked to assist in part of it.  We have Dodgeball.  i just had a Primary Breakfast party.  We are resigning our garden and need to get it in before we can plant.  We will also be redesigning our firepit.  I'm trying to break up the concrete around our basketball hoops so we can put in new hoops in a few months.  We are in desperate need of a new refrigerator and oven.  Work is going well but I have some new opportunities that are coming available.  I need to decide if I want to go after them.  They are all less money and unknown skill set.  I'm concerned about moving into an area and making less money and not being good at what i do.   One top of all that I'm going bald and my teeth feel like they are getting more crooked every day.  ha. it is not that bad but I do have a lot on my mind.  We had a great Stake Conference today.  It has helped to put things into perceptive.  We had a great meeting today and I took a 2 hour nap.

Yesterday was a busy day.  I got a lot done.  I think it helped that Tiffany was not around.  she was at Youth conference and a Relief Society Breakfast.  When she is around I want to play but when she is gone I just keep working.  It was good to get some items checked off my to do list.  I replaced an outside light fixture, fixed a leak in the bathroom sink, worked on some pictures for scrap booking, helped Mom and Dad with their finances, and started preparing for Missionary Month.  I get to give a presentation as a return missionary this year.  Mari is not feeling well.  Hyrum looks like he is catching whatever she has.  I tried to take them to Subway for dinner but MAri barely ate anything.

Today we went to Rocky's blessing.  Nate did a great job.  They fixed up their home nice.  I was really run down when they first moved in but they have worked hard to get the place as good as it is.    Tiffany stayed home with Mari and Hyrum while I went to the blessing with eve and Emma.  they made good friends with one of Eliza's nieces.  She seems like a nice girl.  Dad chatted up one of Eliza's brothers who lives in the Taylorsville North Stake.  Dad was able to catch up on news of old friends.  Most of which have passed away.

The Very Berry Barlow farm and the Squirrel Riders

There was a family who owned a beautiful piece of land.  They decided that they would be farmers.  They grew many fruits and vegetables for the surrounding area.  The youngest child in the family was named Mari and she focused all of her time on growing berries.  She loved berries and with the help of her mother she became one of the best berry growers ever.  She especially liked to grow strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.  She loved it when her mother would take these berries and make a smoothie or cover the berries in yogurt. 

They had a lot of success growing berries until the rains stopped coming.  When the rain stopped all there berry bushes stopped growing new berries.  Mari was very worried.  She did not know where she would get the berries she needed.  Many people are expecting to buy berries from Mari.  She did what her Dad taught her and she started to pray.  She had a feeling that she needed to go on a hike with her family.  So she talked to her Mom and they packed up the picnic basket and blanket and most of the family when on a hike into the mountains that bordered the farm.  Hyrum had to stay and finish his work.  Mari decided that he needed to come to.  So we all waited until Hyrum finished his work.

The hike was super fun and really long.  They kept hiking and hiking until it got really hot.  They decided they should stop for lunch.  It was then that Dad got really still.  Mari asked what was wrong and Dad told her to be very quiet.  He started looking around and decided that they could keep looking for a place to stop for a picnic.  It was not long before Dad frozen in his steps.  He told everyone to stop and be very quiet.  Mari looked around and saw that they were surrounded by hundreds of squirrels.  There were squirrels in the trees and all over the ground.  When Mari looked closely she saw that they were not just squirrels but squirrels with little people on their backs.  One of them asked what they were doing.  Mari told them we were looking for a place to eat.  Mari's Dad told her to stop talking and to be still.  Mari tried to be still like her Dad told her.  The same little man asked Mari's Dad why they had come but Mari's dad did not say anything.  the little man asked and again and Mari's Dad still did not say anything or move.  the little man started to get upset.  Mari told her dad to say something to the little man but he looked too worrid to say anything.  Mari realized that Mari's Dad did not hear the little man. He wasn't even moving his lips.  Mari heard the words in her mind.  the little man was speaking to her mind.  The little man again asked what they were doing.  Mari said they were looking for a place to eat lunch.  The little man introduced himself as Binlock King of the Squirrel Riders.  He told Mari to follow them.  all the squirrels started to move away in the same direction.  Mari's Dad looked confused.  Mari said to follow her.

They walked until they came to a large meadow with a large lake and waterfall.  It was the most peaceful and beautiful area Mari had ever seen.  They all sat down had a great lunch.  The squirrel riders did tricks and played games for Mari's family to see.  When they were done Binlock spoke to Mari again.  he said they he could tell the family had a big problem they are trying to  figure out.  Mari told them about their farm and the great things they would grow.  Binlcok was very impressed.  he loved all the things the Very Berry Barlow Farm grew.  He shared with them a secret that they use to get rain.  He had 4 squirrel riders create a bundle of herbs and flowers and tied them together with some long grass in the meadow.  He told Mari to she needed to have the family bury the bundles in the 4 far corners of their farm, gather the family in the middle, and sing their favorite garden/farm song.  The bundles where beautiful.  They were so beautiful that Mari's Mom did not want to bury them but decorate the home with them.  Binlock knew that would happen so he had his riders make larger bundles that are meant for decorating.

When they returned home they choose the place to bury the bundles and gathered in the middle of the farm.  They then tried to decide what they should sing.  As they discussed this the wind began to blow.  They stopped to listen and their was a faint melody that carried among the trees on the far bonderies of the farm.  Mari began to sang along with the melody, "The Prophet said to plant a garden, so that's what we'll do . . ."  The rest of family joined in.  When they were done they all had dinner and went to bed.

The next morning MAri was woken by a loud BOOM.  She was scared.  She rain downstairs and saw her Dad sitting at the kitchen table.  He was looking outside.  Mari snuggled  up next to him as they watched the biggest rains storm they had ever seen.  Their was lightening and thunder and water everywhere.  The rains topped around dinner time.  They whole family went out to see the farm and they were amazed at what they saw.  Every plant and bush had berries.  not only did they get rain but they got rain that gave them berries on the same day.  They were very excited to start harvesting.  They had miore berries than they could eat or sell.  They decided to take some the Binlock and the squirrel rider.  Binlock was impressed by the size and quality of the berries.  They had a berry celebration.  They decided that they would come back every year and have a Berry Celebration to remember the time the Mari and the squirrel riders saved the Very Berry Barlow Farm.

I took Hyrum out to have "The Talk" on Friday.  Tiffany had the Beehives over for an activity to counter the Youth Conference happening for the older kids.  It seemed like a good opportunity to have a guys night.  He planned the whole night.  We went and got steaks at Texas Roadhouse.  We then went to Nickelcade and won as many tickets as we could.  We ran a few errands I needed to take care of for my Stake calling.  We talked at the Stake Center.  Discussed what it means to be a man, a priesthood holder, how to take care of girls.  He was impressed and a bit overwhelmed when we were done.  We went to Redbox to get the new Thor movie but they did not have it so we went to Walmart and bought it.  We went in the basement and watched the movie until the girls went home.  I enjoyed the chance to have this discussion.  I have always felt that ensuring he understands what is expected of him ans what it means to be a priesthood holder is one of my biggest responsibilities as his Father.  He is turning out to be a good kid. 

I still don't have all the rosters I need for the Stake YM Basketball.  It has been very frustrating. I have made many requests and have found that this calling requires a lot of hand holding.  So far the games have gone well and nobody has been hurt.  I have started a facebook page for the Stake Sports which is helping to raise some awareness.

Primary has been challenging this year.  We have two boys that have significant behavioral problems.  Another boy that seems to have split personalities around Primary.  The girls are all wonderful.  The presidency is considering splitting the class to make it more manageable.  I have begged hem to give us time.  I think Nate Rigby and I can make it work. 

We went to a Jazz game today with the family.  We received tickets from Hyrum's Jr. Jazz.  We had enough tickets for the whole family to go.  We were early enough to get Jazz mugs that gave us $1 hot chocolate and Dunkin Donuts and a free donut.  Good times.

Started my new Stake calling today.  I'm the YM Stake Sports Director.  We sat through 7 hours of basketball this morning.  It is a fun calling but it takes a lot of time.  It is not hard watching a bunch of basketball games.  it is challenging trying to get the Ward Athletic Directors to care enough to complete the Ward rosters.  I have many calls to make to find out where the rosters are.  I also coached Hyrum's basketball game today.  I'm an assistant coach for his team and needed to step in to be the main yeller.  It was very frustrating.  I went from watching 12-18 year olds playing to 9 year olds.  It is hard to make the transition and not have big expectations for the 9 year basketball skills. 

I have a new Primary class.  I get to teach the 7 turning 8 year olds.  i always considered this class to be the best class to teach.  We have had a hard time releasing teachers from this class int he past.  we had one sister refuse the release.  she told us we got it wrong and refused to leave.  we had to involve the Stake Presidency.  I still teach with Nate Rigby.  He has been a great partner and has been very consistent.  Teaching Primary has been a fun calling.  we have some new challenges with this class.  Last year I taught kids that i coach soccer so it was very easy to teach them in Primary.  This year I have many of thier younger siblings.  I have two boys who have been problems for past teachers.  I'm hoping we can have success with them without having to try and break them.  Last sunday as a bit of a challenge.  I think we need to change our teaching options.  Thye responded very well to video not so good to questions and testing for understanding.

I took Tiffany on a date tonight.  We went to go the a movie, "Saving Mr. Banks".  It was about the making of the movie Mary Poppins.  It has changed how I see the movie.  I have always seen it as Mary saving the children but it is about Mary Poppins saving a family by helping the father recognize his true role.  Tiffany was sobbing at the end.  I wondered if it hit a little close to home.  She has had some challenges of having her parents unload their problems and challenges on her.  they call and complain about their situations and leave the conversation feeling better.  Tiffany tries to help them and internalizes their problems.  I try to help her to not do that but it is hard to hear those problems and not get bogged down a  bit by them.  Tiffany is extremely kind to her parents and takes some abuse because of it.

We have just had a wonderful Christmas.  We have some consistent traditions we do on Christmas.  After the Christmas Eve celebration at Mom and Dad's we let the kids all sleep in one of the bedrooms and watch a movie we let them open that night.  Tiffany get the food ready for the breakfast on Chrsitmas morning.  We always have a breakfast cassorle and sticky buns.  We have set up two Christmad trees.  We set up a "Family History" tree in the front room and thekids get to decorate a tree in the basement.  We have homemade ornaments for the tree upstairs.  we have framed some pictures of our ancestors.  the kids get to decorte the tree downstairs with the ornambnets they have collected over the years.  we set up the presents in the basement and spend most of our time down there playing with whatever and watching movies.  Tiffanys Mom and grandma come over for breakfast and my Mom and Dad visit when they make it.  they travels to all the homes and visit the grandkids.  Our living in Tooele started the process of having mom and dad travel rather than having us travel to them.  We celebrated Joseph Smiths Birthday (the 23rd) with a big turkey dinner and have leftovers for Christmas dinner.  This way Christmas is relaxing for everybody.

I have completed the Seminary process.  I'm still waiting for the feedback they have promised to provide me.  I taught for 30 min a three different occassions.  It went OK but was rough.  It was so rough I had considered quitting and not coming back.  they let me teach a complete class period for 2 weeks.  they observd me at the first and last class.  In the last class they had the students take a survey about my teaching attempt.  I thought they were not as favorable as I had hoped.  Tiffany thought they were OK.  One of of the students thought I was tacky.  Some thought I over prepared others thought I did not prepare enough.  I'm not sure what this will lead to but I have learned a lot.

Tiffany was reassigned from primary to the YM Presidency.  She is now the secretary.  She is very excited.  She has been in the Primary for 3 years.  it has been fun being in Primary with her.  I will miss having her around.  She gets ti be in Young Women with Emma and Eve.  I consider this a tender mercy.  She has a great group of friends that she is serving with.  They will do a lot of good.