Snapshots Of The Week

There's really been no time for me to blog this week; it's been so busy!

And I'm cracking up because I went to a church meeting this week where someone said "blogging is outdated" and that threw me for an existential loop: "Oh, no! I'm using antiquated technology?" 

Anyway, my point!

I really did begin the blog as a journal for myself (back in 2004), and that journal-ing has been a really good thing for me on the whole. (I've learned a lot about myself and we have really fun photos to look back on as a family.) So ... even if I'm the only one reading this, I'm gonna blog on, baby!

And with that bit of psychosis, here are some snapshots of our week here in the Meehan fam (missionary photos, church meetings, sewing machine projects, and more).

Elder Meehan is doing great on his mission. He has had a pretty bad cold/flu this week, but said they still go out in -7 degree weather to meet and teach. Pretty amazing when I think about it. We heart missionaries.

He got a package we sent he and his companion this week.
I got the idea from Pinterest--a box of sunshine (all yellow things). Thank goodness other people are creative like this and I get to just ride their creative wave. 8)

His companion is shocked. (Or the shot is staged. Either way, funny.)

Still cold in Indiana.

Indiana sunset.

Elder Meehan finished eating his "birthday cake."

Zu was introduced to the Young Womens program in our church (our programs are divided by age, Primary and Youth). Since she will be turning 12 in 2014, she will be moving from the "kid" program to the "teen" program. It was a beautiful program. There are 8 other girls moving up with her. And the leadership created a really beautiful one-hour program to welcome them. All of the current teens were there, there were musical numbers, games, treats, and a great excitement about it all. She's super excited. (PS: Mormon peeps, you know this as "New Beginnings" night.)

The theme came from the movie "UP"--Adventure Awaits (ballons, suitcases, etc.).

The scriptural theme for the teens this year. It comes from The Book of Mormon.

Each teen/pre-teen took home a cute kit that had some sweet treats.

A blurry shot of the treats (I'm still learning to point and shoot ... at age 43.)

We went to the movies and saw Frozen. Jr is excited for the Lego movie, so we took this photo with the cardboard cutout.

Zu is excited for the Incredibles sequel.

Lu recovered from strep throat--via help of some pet therapy.

Papaya and Bam were able to get a teenage facial. I know this sounds insanely indulgent, but it was so helpful. Teenage skin is not easy to keep clean. So we figured a one-time facial would help them learn a little about skin care.

(PS: I want to note, we are way normal when it comes to spending and living on a budget. With 6 kids we have to be. And while we didn't win the million dollars, I did win/earn a prize on Survivor. So I am grateful for Survivor because that helps us pay for things like the teenage facial--things I  would never have done before. So there was/is a plus-side to losing my marbles, living on the island, and taking out my teeth on national TV.)

(PS: I realize this is probably too much information, but sometimes I read other people's blogs and think "how on earth--or why--do they do these things?" I don't think I'm judging, but rather comparing and wondering how I can or should make my life decisions. Anyway, I want you to know--literally--we are a very average (and grateful) fam.

We fed the ducks this week. The lake near our home is almost entirely frozen.

Mas ducks.

More feeding (PS: We use a lot of the stale bread I bake each week. Funny. They seem to prefer sourdough to wheat.)

Bam lost her retainer, so we put a "bounty" on it. See Lu and Zu look through the trash (yes, we have a lot).

They found it!

Woo. Saved us! This would have been her 3rd time losing it.

Zu used her bday money and purchased her own sewing machine. She is so excited!

First day at the pedal.

Lu did not want to try it out once she realized there was a pedal involved.

(That, and the story I told her about sewing through my finger in 7th grade--and having the needle break off IN MY POINTER FINGER! PS: Dad, thanks for using the pliers to remove it. Traumatized for life. Just kidding. Kind of.)

Zu's first completed sewing project: a skirt for Harriet-the-Dog.

Oh, and we decided to go 1980s-style and get a home phone. Verizon offers it for 20.00 a month (no, I don't have any ties to Verizon). The selling point? Your young kiddos have access to a phone that doesn't have texting or internet accessibility. Seems safer than getting them a cellphone or letting them have ours when we are apart.

And funny. Lu had to have directions on how to use it. And then she spent the next 24 hours calling us ... NON-STOP.

Hilarious.