The Elementary School Play...

The last 2 nights was the school play at the elementary school. Michaela did a good job as always. And it was a nice activity for us all to go to as a family. Life is still hectic...today we got 8 inches of snow. I'M NOT HAPPY. Next week Ben and I take our state tests for EMT. We passed our first set of finals last weekend. We're so glad to be done with class. Now it's time to get out and start helping!! I hope everyone out there has a happy and safe Easter!!!

Life....

Life here in Manila has many ups and downs. Currently I'm smack dab in the middle of all sorts of ups and downs and I'm about to crash. Take yesterday for instance here's what I did....up 6:30am kids out the door at 7:15 and 7:30am. Ben off to Vernal 7:15am. Dani and I clean the house until 11:30 - take Dani to sitters I go to school until 3:00. Get Michaela and Zach from school run and get Dani and take them home. Be back at the school by 3:15 for play practice. Go home to pick up all 4 kids for basketball at 4:45. While kids are at basketball from 5-7 I'm at parent teacher conferences from 5-7. Run kids home and rush back to the County Court House for the Republican Caucus. Sit and Caucus until 9:45. Go home and collapse. And here's the kicker....it's like this EVERY DAY!!!!
It's so bad that Dani's birthday is tomorrow and we don't have TIME!!! I have to go to Dutch John (an hour away) for Parent Teacher Conference over there. I won't be home until 9ish. We thought about doing it today but I JUST got home and Ben just left for mutual. He won't be home until 9pm. We keep saying that something has to give but I'm not sure what that is?? Play Rehearsal which is my job? The kids getting to do basketball (the only thing recreational offered for them)? EMT class? This is the last week and we have final testing this weekend. Everything seems important and nothing seems disposable. It's frustrating and exhausting. I keep thinking that summer will be here soon and life might slow down??!!?? I know I'm dreaming!!!

So Proud!!!!

On Tuesday I got to take 7 great girls to Solo and Ensemble. It's a music competition where they participate in various musical expressions. We had flutes, pianos, choir and vocal solos!! It was a LONG day but very fun!! They all did great and now we're waiting for the scores to show up!!!
Good job girls!!!!

Slightly Better

Well this past weekend we got the Suburban sold for more than we hoped. So that money will go strait into the "we need a new car" fund.
I got to see my brother one last time before he leaves for his mission on Wednesday. So that made me VERY happy.
Life is still hectic and crazy and seems to be getting worse but all in all I think that I'm in better spirits. I honestly think that this too will pass and I'll get through all this crazy.
We'll be a better, stronger family when all is said and done. It's still hard, but not so overwhelming!!
Have a GREAT DAY!!!!

When it rains it pours....

So this last week has been filled with adversity for the Wolford family. It all started last Saturday when we headed down for my brother's farewell. We got a few miles past Evanston when the Suburban overheated. And boy did it over heat. Here's a picture of the kids waiting in the car while it cooled down.

Here's a picture of the Utah Highway Patrol car that stopped to make sure we were OK.

We waited a little while then started on our way again. We made it about 6 more miles before we were DEAD!!! It was D.E.A.D. It should be noted we were 70 miles from Salt Lake at this point. So we called a tow truck out of Coleville and he came to get us.
Thankfully he had room in his brand new wrecker for all of us and so we hitched a ride to Sandy.

We made it ($300 dollars later) to the repair shop, where dad and Caleb came to pick us up. Besides the 4 kids, and luggage we had 2 puppies with us in a crate. They were SUPPOSED to go to their new homes last weekend (more on that later) We have since then learned it would take around $9000 to fix or 15 year old 245,000 miles on it Suburban. Needless to say we are NOT fixing it. Unfortunately it was our only car and we are currently looking (desperately) for a new one on our price range. Our price range is approx. $12. HA HA HA Thank goodness Ben's dad has been kind enough to let us use his truck until we can find another vehicle.
So the weekend continues. We have 6 possible homes lined up for 2 puppies. The first puppy goes and then is back the next day because her other dog doesn't like our puppy. That one eventually finds a new home. The second puppy we got stood up by the girl who was going to take her. Then my aunt and uncle said they wanted her. We were so happy she was going to family. The next day...their daughter is SEVERELY allergic and they drove the puppy back to us in Manila. They felt so bad and so did we. So here we are still with one puppy....
But the rest of the weekend was wonderful. My brother did a WONDERFUL job with his talk. He made us all cry.

My mother got slightly OCD about the house and having the entire world over for a NON OPEN HOUSE after church. Here's her telling us how to put a table cloth on the table. We can laugh about it now!!

Everything went off without a hitch and it was nice to see all the support for my brother and family.


Then Monday at school I might have fallen and broke my ankle...well I actually DID do that. The good thing (I guess) is it's a little bone and it doesn't hurt too bad and doesn't need to be cast.
So here we are a week later and we have no car, an extra puppy, I walk with a limp, and my brother leaves in 9 days for Brazil. But life charges on and the trials are for our good I have to believe. It's times like these I'm so thankful for a loving husband, good kids, a supportive family and good friends.
I've been telling myself this a lot lately "This too shall pass"