October got off to a rocky start. The college kids were utilizing their new found freedom and unfortunately not in the best ways. But let's start with the positives. The kids were meeting people, enjoying their classes, and having fun. Perhaps a little too much fun.
Ailey was having the time of her life and dating up a storm. Neither Ailey nor Kameron were staying put in Rexburg. In the first week and a half, Ailey had gone on a road trip to Provo with her roommates to attend a BYU football game and Kameron and his group of friends had gone on a road trip to Jackson Hole, WY.
Let's just say that this did not please dear old dad very much as both of these kids were supposed to be getting settled in Rexburg and finding JOBS! He was NOT happy.
Ailey in...to her...an act of great rebellion...got her ears double pierced. The joke was on her because A.) Tyler and I don't care about piercings and B.) A week later the church announced changes to the For the Strength of Youth some of which pertained to piercings. So...LOL. She also dyed her hair red.
Ailey was also partying up a storm and acting rather irresponsibly. Not cool. She and Kameron were fighting constantly about the car and being the world's brattiest siblings. The entitlement was off the charts. So disappointing. You drop your kids off at college thinking that they are going to mature and then they actually act worse. Ailey was on a power high of "I'm 18. I'm an adult and I can make my own decisions." (I do NOT enjoy this stage of young adulthood!) Kameron was telling us what he was not going to tolerate about Ailey and the car. (Seriously?!) The constant fighting and power struggle between the two of them was ridiculous. Neither of them had jobs nor were they taking job hunting too seriously. Neither of them liked answering to mommy and daddy about their behavior and unfortunately they made the mistake of actually saying this to us. This behavior prompted a Come-to-Jesus facetime with me, Tyler, Ailey, and Kam. The likes of which has never been seen before in Johnson family history!!
Between that FaceTime and conference weekend things began to improve significantly. Kameron got a job at Walmart. There is no better cure for entitlement than working at Walmart. Am I right?! He and Ailey hashed out a plan for sharing the car. Ailey started interviewing for jobs. They were getting along and taking steps to improve things in their relationship. Still...Tyler and I packed for an unwanted trip to Rexburg to kick some college butts.
As we drove the route back to Rexburg annoyed and disappointed...we marveled at the autumnal beauty on our way there. We've traveled this route at least a hundred times going back and forth to Utah but never in early fall. We've driven on horrible snowy roads in November but never when the leaves were changing. It was a picturesque and calming sight to see. We listened to as much General Conference as we could when we had service. Also calming.
Kam called us when we were stopped for breakfast in Missoula, MT to tell us about the exciting changes to For the Strength of Youth. Hallelujah. Much needed. I've said that this was going to happen FOR YEARS. Kameron called to tell me that I was right! Free the shoulders I say! The big lists of dos and don'ts for dress and grooming are gone. No dos and don'ts about piercings and tattoos. Modesty is encouraged but now it is up to the person to prayerfully consider those topics and to be led by the Spirit. Youth are encouraged to counsel with their parents. The same with the dating age. 16 is a guideline. It's about darn time!
We arrived in Rexburg around 3pm and checked into our hotel. We caught the last bit of conference and then had Kameron and Ailey come over. They walked in a little hesitantly. LOL. It was good to see them. We miss them terribly even when they act like little a-holes. We had our first big conversation. This one about the car and finances. Then Kameron had to go work his first shift at Walmart.
We took Ailey out to dinner and had our initial conversation with her about her behavior and choices. A public place made these conversations easier. LOL. Both of our big convos with the kids went well. Tyler and I were happy about that.
It was good to have some one-on-one time with Ailey. She told us all about her classes and friends. We went Broulims...the nice grocery store...and found several things to take home to Bryn that we don't have in Spokane. Several different flavors of Stephens Hot Chocolate. My favorite was the Malted Hot Chocolate. SO GOOD! We bought two different kinds of Uncle Bob's Butter Country Syrup: Pumpkin Spice and Coconut. We want to try every flavor now. And...the piece de la resistance... Country Time Lemonade in cans! This is a unicorn. It's only to be found at Harmons in Utah and apparently Broulims in Rexburg. Ailey told us that Broulims makes amazing pumpkin donuts and she was right. We bought a couple boxes and some other snacks to eat while watching conference the next day.
We walked all over campus that night while Ailey showed us some cool things like the pretty botanical gardens, sculpture gardens, and water fountains. We came across a proposal in process. Of course we did!
After that we decided to go *spy* on Kameron at Walmart. We were walking around the giant store not sure where he would be located when he unexpectedly came out of an aisle and scared me. I literally shrieked. So much for subtle spying. We walked away but then *casually* walked past him multiple times to take some clandestine pictures. Our pictures are terrible but there is some real joy in seeing him in his little blue vest! LOL. Now that is adulting!
He was being trained in the crafts/fabrics section. He was cutting fabric like a boss! My mother would have been absolutely delighted about this fact although she would have never purchased fabric from Walmart. She was a fabric connoisseur and Walmart fabric was definitely not up to her standards. Then it was back to our hotel with Ailey for more discussion. Yay. When we took her back to her apartment late that night, I think we all felt better about things going forward.
The next morning Tyler picked up Ailey at 9:30 am. She wanted to come and watch conference with us at our hotel. Kameron came over half way through the first session. They live only about 5 minutes from our hotel. Staying in Rexburg was so much better than staying in Idaho Falls this time.
We had our final big chat and made some mutually agreed upon decisions. We switched cars with the kids. Tyler was thrilled to get his car back. We left the Camry in Kameron's care. Ailey can use the car in limited circumstances and her car usage will be reevaluated at the end of the semester. Both kids will be assuming a much larger chunk of their own finances. I think everyone felt okay about most of the decisions that were made. After that we went out to eat before Tyler and I had to head home.
After lunch we followed them back to their apartment complex. For Ailey, living on her own and being away from family has been a big adjustment. Kameron's two year mission definitely prepared him for college. It was good to spend a little more time with her. We went back to her apartment and hung out for awhile. Finally we had to get going and told the kids goodbye.
We listened to the afternoon session of conference as we drove home. President Nelson spoke three different times. His last talk was particularly moving. Both kids called us afterward to talk about it.
The trip home went pretty quick. 8 hours is definitely better than the 12 hours it takes us to drive to Utah. We stopped in Kellogg for dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. We got back around 9:30pm that night and it was so good to be home with Bryn and Beverly!
While we were in Rexburg, Reilly and Hunter kept Bryn entertained. They took her to do fun things like try a new restaurant near Gonzaga called Indigenous Eats. Fry bread! Another new-to-Spokane delicacy that is very common in Utah. They loved the food and had fun!
The rest of the month passed by in a blur of XC and Halloween. Bryn ran all month and finished out her XC season. She did FANTASTIC! We love watching her run!
Reilly and Hunter came with us to watch her run in the All-City Finals. Bryn had Johnsons cheering her on all over that course!
It is so crazy that we are done with middle school cross-country. Next up...high school. Gulp.
Tyler and I have had a lot of fun hanging out with Bryn. She is a good time and likes to do many of the same things that we like to do. So far the "cool kids club" as we call ourselves has had some fun adventures! There is slightly more pressure to keep her entertained than we have ever experienced with the other kids and sometimes it feels weird to go off and do our own thing and leave her alone. But she is good to tell us when she would like some "alone" time.
Bryn took us to the restaurant that she went to with Reilly and Hunter. That fry bread with huckleberries was pretty amazing!
Bryn had a day off of school and she wanted to have a mother/daughter day. Perfect! She wanted to go shopping, get cookies and drinks from Twisted Sugar, and go out to lunch. Okay...you don't need to twist my arm! Tyler joined us for lunch at our favorite gourmet grocery store/deli.
After that I dropped Bryn off at the park to play volleyball with her friends. Volleyball season is right around the corner. Bryn has a big friend group and they keep her busy and active. I'm glad! It's been fun for Bryn to have the house to herself and to her friends. No more irritating siblings getting in their way. LOL.
I decorated the house for Halloween. I asked Bryn if she was still into that and she said that she definitely was!! Good! Reilly came over and she and Bryn worked on their "Doll in the Fall." My friend Vanessa started doing this a few years ago. She would buy a creepy doll at a thrift store and then make it even creepier and hide it for someone to find. She would post a picture on Instagram and send people looking for it. Vanessa has since moved to Utah but Reilly and Bryn were eager to do something similar. Bryn and I found the perfect creepy pioneer looking doll at DI in Idaho Falls for $3. Imagine my horror when I was painting in the garage and heard music coming from the doll bin. It turned out that she was also a music box. Double creepy. Reilly was keen to try out her gory make-up skills on the old girl. She and Bryn had a blast working on her.
The next night they met up to hide her at the park. Reilly made a laminated card to go with her that said basically.. Happy Halloween! You've found our Doll in the Fall. Take a picture and tag us on Instagram.
They got the biggest kick out of it when people would tag them after finding *her.* It turned out to be so much fun! They want to do it again next year. Tyler and I checked on the doll while on a walk one night and she had ants coming out of her eyeballs. She was even more horrifying!! Eventually someone took her home with them! Yikes.
Brynnie also had something else momentous occur!
Before:
After:
She almost got away without needing braces. But in the last year a couple of her teeth started crowding and it was time for a consultation with the orthodontist. She ended up getting her braces on the same day as her consultation. The good news is that she won't have to wear them for too long. A year tops. She's a cute little metal mouth. :)
Mid-month Ailey was at a rodeo in Rexburg when she started having an allergy attack. She began wheezing and having a hard time breathing. She had to go to the medics at the rodeo. They gave her some oxygen and some albuterol. She started feeling better. Thank goodness. They were standing by with the epipen. We think she might have had an allergic reaction to the horses. She hasn't had anything like this happen before but then again we haven't been around horses very often. Our friend's daughter from Spokane was riding in the rodeo and her brother, who is Ailey's age, had Ailey come down and see the horses. She had been petting them. It was after she got back to her seat that she started having trouble breathing.
The next morning we called and scheduled her an appointment with an ENT allergy specialist. Kameron went with her so that he could be our eyes and ears. The doctor thinks that Ailey had an asthma attack. Although he said that if you have asthma, you also have allergies. He requested that she do a full allergy panel. He also prescribed her an inhaler and told her to carry it with her. Ailey also found out that she had a deviated septum. Who knew?! We were grateful to have Kam there and able to tell us exactly what the doctor said. It sucks being in another state when weird things like this happen.
Kameron came with her to her second appointment when they did all of her allergy testing. We found out that she is basically allergic to everything. She is very allergic to horses and hay. She is very allergic to peanuts. She is allergic to milk, eggs, wheat, cats, dogs, shellfish, and basically all trees, weeds, and grass. She reacted to practically everything.
Kameron recorded what the doctor had to say so that we could hear everything. Again, so grateful for Kam. It is so bizarre though. She hasn't reacted like this to anything before. She would get seasonal allergies and we knew that she was allergic to grass but this kid has eaten a peanut butter sandwich everyday of elementary school without issue and we have a dog. Craziness. Now she is supposed to start keeping track of what she eats and how she reacts and avoiding nuts and horses and things like that.
This year Bryn, after telling us that she didn't want to carve a pumpkin, later decided that she actually did. With the older kids we always did things like go to Greenbluff, pick pumpkins, get hot chocolate and pumpkin donuts. Now as the last kid at home, it was a pumpkin from Albertsons for Brynnie. LOL.
She carved pumpkins with her friends at her friend's house on their LIVING ROOM FLOOR I might add!! Holy moly...that mom is a kinder than me! They would've been out on the deck at our house. Bryn said that is exactly why they carved them at Liv's house! Ha ha! Yes, Liv's mother knew about this. She was the one texting me pictures!
What would it be like to be so laissez-faire about things like this? I will never know!
Now Reilly, on the other hand, kept up with all of our traditions. I guess she and Hunter should have taken Bryn!
Greenbluff and their famous pumpkin donuts!
Guess what is still a thing? Road Shows. I thought they were gone for good. Nope.
Bryn was the lovely letter P. They were alphabet letters from the 1970s. LOL. She did a great job!
Tyler and I were in charge of making all of the popcorn at the road show. It was a little stressful!! (Understatement!) Mormons love their popcorn and they wanted ALOT OF IT. But it was fun to be involved and to watch the kids perform.
Volleyball started up a week after XC ended. It's fun and nerve wracking. This is Bryn's first year playing. She sprained her wrist last year and missed the whole season. I was excited for her to try a new sport. She put in a lot of effort over the summer with volleyball camp and playing regularly with her friends many of whom are on club teams. She had to try out and see if she made the varsity or junior varsity team. Just because you are an 8th grader doesn't mean you will be on the varsity team. The Varsity coach is also the girls volleyball coach at the high school and she is strict. Bryn made varsity. She was excited and very relieved!
One fateful night this month, Bryn hopped in the shower, and Tyler heard the sound of water trickling downstairs. Never a good sound. It turned out that there was water running down the wall next to the stairs going to our basement. Bryn was showering on the other side of that wall. Needless to say a nightmare ensued. I was...thankfully...at book club for most of this! Plumbers came the next day. It was not good news. They couldn't fix the problem. The plumber told us that the cost would either be around $500 if they could find a rare and elusive part that fits our old plumbing from the 1950s or it would be around $3,000 to redo it. Good grief. They came the day after that and thankfully managed to find the rare part in an old box in the corner of the warehouse. Hallelujah, it's a miracle!
Later this month Ailey did another Utah road trip and so did Kameron. Does no one stay put at BYU-I? Ailey went to another football game and Kam went to a concert.
Ailey also eventually found a job. Albeit a seasonal one. I guess it's better than nothing but still not ideal. She and Kameron both went to the temple this month. The Rexburg Temple makes it SO CONVENIENT for students to go and to go a lot. Bryn went to the temple with her youth group too.
Ailey and friends.
Kam and friends.
Toward the end of the month Ailey started feeling sick. She had a fever, sore throat, and cough. She went to the student health clinic to see what she had. She was hoping that it wasn't COVID. It wasn't. She turned out to have the awesome combo of mono and strep throat. Ailey was sicker than a dog for weeks. She went through two rounds of antibiotics and generally felt terrible from about the week before Halloween until way after Thanksgiving. Around Halloween Kameron got the flu or some kind of virus too but he was only sick for about a week. I felt so bad for Ailey it is hard being sick for the first time away from home. Kameron was good to keep her stocked up on everything that she needed until he got sick himself. In the midst of all of this... Ailey kept having allergic reactions to really random foods that she has never had issues with before. Things like Franz donuts. We buy them all the time. Candy. Bread. It is so weird. I feel like her whole system has had one giant freak out this month.
The first anniversary of my father-in-law passing away came around. We made sure to check in with Tyler's mom. She was hanging in there and trying to stay busy. She has decided to stay in Moroni for the foreseeable future. She really doesn't want to sell her house or move. I love this picture! It is quintessential Judie and Joel. My father-in-law is in his prime. He looks healthy and happy. He will always look like this in my memory. Kameron and I found this picture at Judie's house when we were there this summer and we loved it! Joel was such a sweetheart. A very kind, gentle, and soft-spoken man. We miss him.
Tyler's step-brother Forrest got called to be a counselor in his bishopric in Florida. We were able to watch him be ordained to the office of a high priest over Zoom. It was really nice to be a part of all of that even from a distance.
Reilly had two more ultrasounds. The baby looks good. She was tested for gestational diabetes and it was negative. He's just a big boy! Her doctor doesn't want to officially move up her due date as of right now.
Tyler, Bryn, and I all got our flu shots. Tyler got his second eyeball shot. His doctor said that his eye looked so much better and that he may only need one more shot. That was great news! Tyler said that the 2nd shot was a little bit easier since he knew what to expect this time but still not a pleasant procedure. Bryn also had a dental appointment. No cavities. We had a lot of health stuff going on this this month...appointments and sickness. Bryn caught a cold too but it didn't last for too long.
Tyler and I attended the Spokane is Reading author event. It was our 6th year attending. It finally returned after a 2 year absence due to COVID although to keep it easy they picked a local author. We read Difficult Fruit by Kate Lebo. The book was a two-star for me but it was still fun to listen to her speak about her book and writing life.
Kate Lebo
Tyler was busy all month with his high council duties. I was busy visiting various wards because it is Primary Program season. It was a little tricky trying to make sure that someone could get Bryn to church since Tyler and I were often in other wards but we did it! Kameron got a calling in his ward. He is a Sunday School Teacher. That is my nightmare calling but he will do a good job!
Before it was even Halloween we were finalizing our Thanksgiving plans. Kam and Ailey are going to spend Thanksgiving in SLC with Kirk and Meki. The roads are notoriously horrible to drive up here in November and it didn't make sense to fly them home when we would be doing that just three weeks after Thanksgiving. They are excited to spend time at Kirk's. If they can't be home with us that is the next best place for them to spend the holiday. We get Hunter and Reilly this year so we won't be traveling out of town but we still wanted to do something fun. I appreciate that our Thanksgivings look different every year so there isn't any nostalgic pressure to do the same thing. I am so glad that we started mixing things up for Thanksgiving even when my mom was still alive. We booked a beautiful Airbnb on Rockford Bay on Lake Coeur d' Alene for Thanksgiving. We are super excited!
The rest of the month was filled with prepping the yard for winter, eating pumpkin flavored things, going on walks and for drives to look at the leaves. We had to drive to North Idaho to see fall leaves because the ones around us stayed green even past Halloween.
North Idaho
Spokane right before Halloween.
So many green leafy trees. It was bizarre.
As Halloween approached the festivities began to kick off. We participated in a TikTok challenge with our children. As those videos rolled in it absolutely made my Halloween! As did Tyler in this get-up:
and Bryn in this one:
and Beverly in this:
Finally Halloween rolled around. One of Tyler's good friends and co-workers is retiring this year and she is super into Halloween. Their department is notoriously not into dressing up nor doing anything fun on Halloween so Sandy decorates their floor and comes dressed up every year to try to get this department to have a little fun. This year they all dressed up on Halloween as runners to surprise her! (She is marathon runner.) They had a great time and Sandy was delighted!!
Tyler in his costume.
Since Sandy wasn't in on the surprise she came dressed as Alice Cooper! Ha Ha!
This was the first year that we weren't involved in any way with Bryn's trick-or-treating. She just wanted to be with her friends. It is weird when you get down to the last kid and the last kid is a teenager. Thank goodness we will have a little grandbaby next Halloween. I managed to get a few pictures before she left. She and her friends dressed up as 80s Rappers. They trick-or-treated and one of their friends had a Halloween party the weekend before that they went to as well. They always like to do a group costume. This year it came down to 80s rappers or The Chipmunks. Quite the dichotomy!
My Halloween costume.
Ailey and Miley in their Halloween costumes as sister missionaries. Lol. Ailey dressed up a couple of times as various things for various parties. This was my favorite.
Tyler and I actually had quite an enjoyable Halloween night. We handed out candy to the kids in our neighborhood, had Thai food delivered, and watched House of the Dragon. Not bad. Not bad at all.
This month felt like it lasted 100 years. It was exhausting mentally and physically. All of the stuff going on with Ailey (and Kam to a lesser extent) was stressful and took a toll. Some nights I climbed into bed at 7pm and ate chex mix for dinner. Sometimes those toddler years look really good. The young adult ones can pack quite a punch. As my favorite realtor Janna used to say...ONWARD!
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