Pioneer Day and Barrett Family Fun

 Weston had a 2 week battle with the mystery flu and beat it a few days before pioneer day, it was such a relief to have everyone feeling healthy again. Poor guy missed out on 16 hours of gym class, got behind on his piano, and missed various other activities, he was on the floor of the office most of the time reading or just feeling miserable. I had to take him to the doctor because the fever and cough just never went away, and the doctor said it wasn't pneumonia yet but was heading that direction, his lungs were declining, so he got a shot of antibiotics in his behind and was given oral antibiotics as well. Three days later he was better!

Savanna still does nail art. She has been doing a lot of babysitting to earn money for school clothes. She reminds me often that "no one" has to pay for their own clothes except her, so its not only unfair but humiliating, and she connived me into paying for half (or matching what she earns) so she has more buying power. She has been the most diligent child doing her chores this summer to earn money, and she hates to let it go!

We decided to take a day trip on July 24th and have some fun in Salt Lake, so we got up at 5:00 AM and packed up to make the sunrise service at the Tabernacle at Temple Square. I thought it was nice but the kids were tired and not thrilled with it, which Savanna voiced with her mouth and body language repeatedly. Then we walked to the parade, we found a shady spot and it was organized and much more pleasant of an experience than the provo 4th parade, however we did sit behind about 50 sister missionaries who were excited to be alive and despite the fact that the parade wasn't that exciting, kept hollering and getting up and down. As far as parades go though, I think it was one of the better experiences I've ever had. Weston's body language showed he wasn't at all thrilled to be there, but at least he didn't complain. Fiora was just a good sport all around. Everyone seemed to cheer up when we went to Olive Garden for lunch, what with Jared's monetary values and my dietary values we don't go out to eat very often, so that was a real treat for the kids.  Just an FYI, they don't have very good options for sugar free gluten free people, but I found something somewhat in line with my food standards. We then went to the Loveland Living Aquarium, which was expensive, mostly because we paid an extra $4 a person for the 4D theater which was a pretty pathetic 4D theater experience, so if you go I would advise you not to do that. But the rest was pretty neat, Jared and I have seen some pretty awesome aquariums in California and New Orleans so by comparison it was a little disappointing, but still it was enjoyable. We got through it pretty quick and had time to go to an outlet store and do a little school shopping.

 My sister Krystal returned from her mission on pioneer day which is the reason we decided to have a day trip in Salt Lake that day. We waited an hour and 20 minutes before she came out of the terminal, but that was a blessing because my parents and siblings were delayed getting o the airport. After every sibling arrived, Krystal made her entrance, like she was waiting for everyone to get there. It was a happy reunion.  It is so nice to have the whole family together for a little bit before Kynsie leaves on her mission and Karli moves to Ohio. We are so glad you're back Krystal!

Weston bored while we go school shopping

 Saturday we went to a Stake pioneer breakfast and sat by the Omdahls. Sav and Ella took a selfie.  We spent the morning helping Jared dejunk and clean up a rental property and that evening we had a mini Barrett/Whitely/Dickerson reunion at my house.  It was so fun to spend some time with those members of my extended family, we don't see them very often even though we live relatively close to them. Taylor Dickerson lives in OK, so when he said he was coming into town and would like to see everyone I rallied the masses. It was a perfect evening and lots of good food and games and company, I don't know why I haven't gotten the badminton net out before, it was so fun!  I'm so grateful for my family.

I got to watch this cutie this week, he doesn't go outside unless he has his hat, so cute!

Linda Whiteley, Alison Mitchell and her baby Ali, Dad, and Taylor Dickerson

Jesse, Kelsy, Knightly, Korey Whitely and Candice Whiteley

Grandma, Mom and Dad

Gabe Carpenter and Brayden Dickerson

Shanna Hunt

Joseph Heidi Rachel Grant and Kynsie

Makayla Dickerson

Candice Whiteley

Taylor and Ali

Dad's 60th Birthday

I have been anticipating my dad's 60th birthday this whole year, as many people know I highly esteem my father so I really wanted it to be something special where lots of people could shower him with love.  I sent out a bunch of invitations with Dad's superman picture and forced my siblings to all take assignments to bring to the party, and even though it was inconvenient for some, we held the party on his actual birthday (a weeknight) at Canyon Glen--where I remember going as a child with his parents--even though it winded and rained on us some and people had to work and couldn't get there til 6:00 ish.

Alan's turning 60! Come celebrate with us: Canyon Glen 4:00-9:00 July 9th

Dad said he only wanted family invited, so I didn't invite close friends even though I was tempted to. I had this "living funeral" in mind where all people he has ever known could come and celebrate his life, but Dad is too humble to want that. He doesn't want anyone singing his praises, he just wants to have fun. So I invited only Rapleyes and Terrys and Barretts, which if anyone knows the size of my extended family is close to 100 people, and had a great turn out! I'm so grateful for those who came. I felt like it was a great success.

I spent most of the morning preparing food and went to the pavillion at 2:00 that afternoon to make sure it was ours and to heat up the 15 pounds of pulled smoked pork (that never ran out!) and a crock pot full of beans. I also made 20 lbs of baked potatoes with potato bar toppings, cut up watermelon, had 120 rolls (which did run out), and a bunch of lettuce--way too much--for salad.  I hauled water jugs, ice, balloons, and signs all by myself because Savanna and Weston were laying on the blanket in the shade sick and worthless, Fiora helped a little, but Jared was swamped at work.  It was a day dedicated to my dad, I was honored to be able to serve our family, but really did it all for him. Holly made a strawberry custard cake, Heidi came early and set up a large volley ball/badminton net (and we played badminton with the kids while we waited for guests to show up, the only fun break I had all day and I loved it!), Jesse brought plates forks spoons cups napkins, and Justin brought fruit shishkabobs and a watermelon carved like my dad's face! Rachel drew a happy birthday banner, which the wind knocked down, but it was darling.  My mom brought 6 bundt cakes that people in the ward had made for Bishop Barrett, because every time someone made a bundt cake for a ward event my dad would say "Can you make me one of these for my birthday?" and they took him serious.

Before Wes got too sick, he and Trevan played in the river like Huck Finn and then played badminton "shirts vs skins"

 

Savanna in a moment when she felt some energy

People enjoying he food, we never ran out of pork, miracle!

I made my dad wear a super dad insignia and a superman cape.

 

93 year old gma Rappleye

Cute Knightly

Cute Penny

Mom determined to light 60 candles in the wind

 I have the gift of the written word, but I lack the gift of the spoken word, so when it came time for me to present the "Memoirs of Dad Alan" book to him, I stumbled and blundered through an brief and awkward delivery of how much we love dad and why.  It wasn't really what I wanted to say but hopefully the spirit of it came through. Dad loved his memoir book at any rate.  If I could re-give an eloquent speech for dad it would go like this:
I am so grateful to be Alan Barrett's daughter, he is truly one of the greatest men I've ever known, and that's because he doesn't profess to be great at anything! His humility only enhances my high esteem for him, and if the "least are the greatest" my dad is a perfect example of the greatest. He was born in humble conditions, to humble parents, who loved him greatly and worked hard, but never aspired to much, and Dad grew up always feeling like he wasn't very smart. My dad is very smart, no he doesn't have  PhD and hasn't published anything noteworthy, but he has a love of history and reads great historical books; he can't spell that well and gets his words mixed up, but he has a great memory and a natural teaching ability. He has never been a CEO or earned millions of dollars, but is a talented accountant and business man despite his lack of schooling in that subject and is a dedicated employee. He is honest, faithful, and patient--yes patient! He is one of those men who was willing to have ten children, saying with every pregnancy "The Lord needs a righteous home to send his children to," and helped his wife cook for them, get up in the night with them, let the kids crawl in his bed, and mess up his house, and he straightened up after them, and tried to talk though moodiness and emotional outbursts! He still does this with his 14 grandchildren. He has the highest emotional intelligence of any man I have yet to meet, sensing immediately if something is wrong and trying to empathize in a caring manner.  He has a great love for people, and knows how to make people laugh, and can ease the tension in an awkward moment effortlessly. One of the character traits my siblings wrote in his memoir book is that "Dad always apologizes after every outburst."  He loses his cool now and then, (for reasons I generally understand perfectly), but he never tries to deny his wrong, cover up his mistake, or justify his behavior; instead he apologizes.  It is so much easier to avoid making a mistake in the first place than it is to admit your wrong straightaway and apologize, yet my dad has the humility and strength to not only try his best to be patient in the first place, but when he is upset and "an angry man" he admits it!  In this he has set a great example to his children, I apologize when I have acted in an offensive way even though its hard to do and I felt totally justified in my behavior, because my dad showed me that a relationship is more important than being right, and you preserve a relationship by loving someone enough to apologize. My mom has to live with him and I don't, so she has dealt with more of his imperfections than I have, I don't think my dad would want anyone to think he is without imperfections, she may be thinking right now, "That sounds like a nice man to be married to."  Just kidding, my mom is also very humble and loving and has set a great example by unconditionally loving Dad for 38 years, so I know she would agree with most of this. From my perspective, I see a man with the potential of an eternal King, and I would have put a crown on his head and a golden scepter in his hand if he would let me, but as it is I will have to settle for this Superman cape and the DA insignia. DA you may know originally stands for Discovery Academy where dad worked for 20 years, but I changed it to Dad Alan, Daring Al, Dedicated to the Almighty; and when he dies, I think he will go very much like the superman picture on the invitation...looking joyful and happy with fun in his core, straight to his Father in Heaven and Savior whom he has labored diligently all his life to serve. So Dad, here is your memoir book I put together for you, so you could read what people would say about you when you do graduate from this life to the next. Love Heather

 

Whatever Fi had, Sav and Wes got

Sav started to feel tired and coughy on Saturday June 28th, and I wondered if she had caught the flu Fiora had that she came home from Clear Creek with.  She managed to pull herself together to help with Shawna Schauers' sisters' reception that evening, she asked her friend Elandria Cuevas and Fiora asked her friend Jaquelyn Guernsy to be servers at the reception, and they were so darling helping out. Weston helped by playing with 3 year old cousin Ethan. I got to hold Tate.  It was a beautiful summer evening.

The next day Savanna had a fever and was super tired, and I knew she had the mono-like virus Fiora had for two weeks that results in a bad cough. Indeed she did, and the whole entire week she spent lying on the couch, a bed, or a floor, and had no appetite, had a low grade fever for 8 straight days, and the cough got progressively worse. Jared gave her a blessing, and on July 4th she seemed to be a little better so we let her go to the Independence day BBQ and fireworks and Justin and Shawna's and let her babysit for them the next day, but that seemed to wipe her out and she had the fever again. By July 7th I was getting worried because Fiora was on the mend by this time, but Save instead was getting worse. . I tried to make her go to volley ball camp I'd signed her up for a couple weeks ago thinking it would help her body get over it, but it just wiped her out more.  When she refused to get out of bed for Rachel's birthday party at our home I knew something was not right. She broke out in a rash all over her arms and legs and her fever continued and she would get winded walking from her bed to the bathroom, so Tuesday I finally took her to the doctor.  The weird flu had turned into pnemonia, both lungs were infected, and the rash was a fever rash. She had walking pnemonia for during Jan and Feb, so her lungs were probably weak and vulnerable to it whereas Fiora just got better. We got her some antibiotics, that make her feel nauseous, and she is working on getting better, but its slow. She still paints nails now and again, but mostly she hangs out on the couch or makeshift bed in the office feeling tired. Poor Savanna, this is not how she wanted to spend her summer.

Unfortunately last night at my dad's 60th birthday party Weston started complaining of a headache and laid on a blanket and spiked a fever, so it must have caught up to him too and will run its course. Darn darn darny darn darn.  Its hard for me to see my kids so sick during summer when they are supposed to play and have fun! (and I have to pick up their slack and do the chores around here!)  At least they aren't missing school.  Poor Weston will probably miss eight hours of gymnastics classes trying to get over this. Hopefully he will bounce back quicker than Sav.

 This is my sister and brother Joseph all ready for Trek, I thought they looked SO cute I had to put it in my blog book. Rachel just turned sixteen and Joseph turned fourteen this summer.  They are a couple of the best behaved kids in the world, high standards, loving hearts, and responsible.  They had a great trek experience. I stayed overnight to help them watch over Grandma Rappleye, and they talked to me bout it for an hour and a half!  Love these two.