7.15.18

Happy birthday Keagan! I can’t believe he’s 19 and leaving for a mission soon!

Tonight was a fun night. After church, we had his girlfriend Makayla and her family, the McCracken’s and my mom and Thom come over for dinner and cake and lots of fun visiting.  They all just barely left. We really like Makayla and her family and might be a little sad if this all doesn’t work out in a few years. ;)

This week it has been super hot for Washington. We got to have our yearly lake party with the youth at the Warning’s house and Friday night Ray and I got to go out on the boat with my mom and Thom. 

Being out on the boat and seeing all the beautiful scenery is really my happy place. I love the wind in my hair and the smell of the salt water. We go out in the sound near their house in Shelton and go almost to Tacoma. We saw the narrows bridge off in the distance. The sun was setting in one direction and Mt. Rainier was in the other. Heavenly Father gave us such a beautiful world!

The waves are from the boat. It was pretty calm out there. 



This is to kind of show you where we took the boat. We started in Arcadia and went around Anderson Island, that is what the red line is around. (I was having a hard time making the red line go to the correct places..)

This week we also went to go visit Dick and Noreen Kay. They live in Bonaventure in the Alzheimer’s wing. She is going downhill fast. She knows that she knows us, but doesn’t know our names and sometimes gets confused how she knows us or what age she is. At one point she was flirting with Ray. This made Brother Kay and I laugh so much... 
She has a hard time talking now. She will get 3-4 words out in a story she’s going to tell, but she will keep on talking and then her words will slur and then just be jibberish.  Those of you who knew her before know how much she loved to talk, so in one way it does make me smile that she just keeps on going. It is really sweet to see Bro. Kay love her and just be patient and listen to her. 

And of course Hazel is always making us smile and laugh! She wanted Melissa to lay beside her. She’s a good mom! What a goof Hazel is! That thing she has is a back scratcher. 


There is someone named Melissa Denton running for office in our area. So funny. Melissa says she gets pictures of this sign all the time from people. Who knew that there could be two Melissa Denton’s from the Olympia area. 

This week is trek for our stake. I’m excited to hear Keagan’s stories at the end. 

Lots of love to everyone!
Sis Shoop

7.9.18

Keagan got his mission call! Las Vegas West, he leaves October 3 and it’s English speaking.

That was the most exciting and happy thing this week and for quite a while!

I felt so bad for him when he didn’t get it Monday, I thought for sure it was coming! It had said sent for a while. We thought of course it will come when he’s gone and camp Helaman. We had gone out with him every day possible to the mailbox and I took pictures and not a white envelope! I teased him that when it came, I was going to take a selfie with it. Well.. as soon as I opened the mailbox and saw it, I burst into tears (no surprise, I know) so I didn’t take a selfie with it. With him being a zone leader, he was able to take his phone because they had to do some presentations with music and stuff for their calling. I told him I would text him as soon as it came. I think I only texted him once or twice and tried calling him, but his account is hilarious. “When I opened my phone there was a million messages.. from my mom”. Haha.

We Immediately changed our plans as soon as I got a hold of him and made plans to bring it to him. I went to go pick up Ray and then we met my mom and Thom along the way. 

We got there and had to wait about a half hour for their devotional to start. They have a tradition of throwing out hostess goodies at the beginning of their activity. It was fun to watch, but it felt like forever! He finally was

Called up to the stage and then he had to wait until we got our phones ready!  What a great experience! 

We only stayed for a little bit and left soon after he read his call and got a couple of pictures and a hug!

Camp Helaman is such an amazing thing. Keagan’s birthday is next Sunday (the 15th), he turns 19. Because we held him back before he started school and where his birthday falls, he was lucky enough to be able to go to 4 years of Camp Helaman.

Camp Helaman has helped him gain a stronger testimony and get ready for a mission. He amazes me constantly with his strong testimony. Several times when he was telling me about camp Helaman, he would say things like, it was such a blessing because... 

or I know Heavenly Father blessed is by...  One that I remember was he telling me how as a leader they had to check on everyone before they went to bed. Most nights he didn’t get to bed until well after 1 am. And then he had to be up by 6. Well in our family, including Keagan, we need our sleep and if we don’t get it, we get very grumpy! As he was telling me about the little sleep he got, he said something to the effect of, I can’t believe how little sleep I got and I could still function, it was definitely a blessing!

I love him so much and it is definitely going to be another one of those happy/sad things when he goes!

I hope you can open the video. It’s a fun little video I made of him with getting his call. It’s a about 2 mins. I put it on YouTube, too, but wasn’t sure if missionaries can have YouTube. 

Have a great week! 
Love ya!
Sis Shoop

7.1.18

We spent most of the week in Utah. I love visiting, but this week was way too hot! It was in the high 90s and one day hit 100! Yuck! There’s a reason I live where I do. 

We have Melissa and Family and no extended family in Utah, so when we’re there we love to visit our friends and returned missionaries. 

We got visit Jennie Klumker (She’s doing well!)

We also got to see Jared Oliphant and his wife Julia. 



Tuesday we got to see our good friends, the Gough’s. They used to live in Lacey. I remember passing my kids as babies to their teenagers. They moved to Shelton a few years ago and this past year served a mission at Temple square. When we got to see them they had just completed their mission and were getting ready to leave in a couple of days to their new home in Idaho. 


Our friends Shaun and Kathy Herbert. Ray knew them from Pennsylvania. I met Shaun when were all at Ricks together. Shaun was a witness at our sealing and his date was Kathy. They had just started dating and we went to their wedding the next summer. Hazel ran up and wanted to be in the picture. She’s a charmer! 


Melissa has been wanting a backpack for Hazel to go on hikes with her. She found one when we were there and Hazel loved it. She called it her car seat. 


She’s almost perfect.. except her napping. It took her about an hour to finally give it up. So sweet when she’s alseep. ;) and awake!


This is the view from Chaz’s parents front yard. They are always so kind and gracious in letting us stay with them when we are there so we can afford to come see Hazel (and of course Melissa and Chaz) more often. 


On the way home we stopped at Twin Falls. It is beautiful!



One of my favorite places to stop on our driving is multnomah Falls outside of Portland. It was a nice welcome to the heat of Utah!



When we got home Ray put a ceiling fan in our bedroom. He’s awesome!


Oh Hazel! Love her so much! Her new swim suit!!


Keagan’s mission papers are sent!!!! We’re hoping to get them tomorrow. Especially since Tuesday he goes to Camp Helaman. 
We’ve checked every day since we got back (Thursday evening). 
Funny story- We’ve been checking every day, the mailman vehicle makes a distinct noise so we can tell when it comes every day. So, we run out and I take pictures. (It will probably come when he’s gone and we won’t get pics)
Yesterday when the mail came, we run out there and... he pulls out a big white envelope. My heart...  and then.. it’s an envelope from our insurance. Hahahahaha 
Melissa said, Heavenly Father definitely has a sense of humor. I was a little mean and texted her the pics first and then the story. It only took a few seconds after the pic. Hahaha


Love you all! Big news hopefully next week!!
Sis Shoop

6.24.18

School is finally out for North Thurston schools! They got out Thursday! I worked a lot subbing at Horizons elementary this year and I’m hoping to get a job there next year. They don’t have anything available right now, but a lot of times jobs don’t come up until school starts when they know the numbers. The principal asked if he could call me if anything came up.

                                               The ladies I worked with this year. 

Friday we left at 4:30 am and drove to Utah. We had Hazel with us and she did pretty well!

 We went up to Logan yesterday. Brooklyn Falter just moved up there and we saw her and Kylie and Lauren and their families. 

Here’s Melissa with Hazel and Rowan (Kylie Falter Maughan’s youngest)

Brooklyn or Aunt Gup as all the nieces and nephews call her. 

We love seeing our RMs. Blake and his wife Kjersti Green.

She loves that she has pockets!

 Chaz and Melissa drove us up a mountain above Utah lake. You could see the “y” in the mountain across the lake, it was near Saratoga Springs. He used the four wheel drive to get up there. Pretty bouncy at times! 
So pretty!

We’ll be here until Thursday when we drive home and then we start the camp Helaman and trek. 

Love ya all,
Sis Shoop

Sent from my iPhone

6.17.18

What an eventful week! And I’m exhausted! In that good, content kind of way, so I’ll be short. 

Keagan graduated Saturday morning! It was wonderful! Not too long of a ceremony and lots of fun being around family and friends all day.

Gpa Thom, K, gma, and his cousin Anna graduated from North Thurston, too.

And today we went to Makayla’s graduation at the Tacoma dome. We needed to pick up Hazel and see Melissa in Graham and wanted to make it to church by 1,  well.. it wasn’t physically possible, so Keagan googled churches close so we could find one to take the sacrament. We ended up in Yelm (it was the closest.. Graham’s 1 was the Spanish branch.). We got there just when they were singing the last verse of the sacrament song. What a blessing it is to take the sacrament and renew our covenants each week. It filled me with a sweet spirit by doing that and that Keagan was so determined for us to get to a meeting to take the sacrament. What a good example he is to me!

And.. our other big news.. he submitted his mission papers! We will know soon!!

Love ya!
Sis Shoop
Ps and this girl! She is the cutest most fun and sweetest girl ever! Being a grandparent is the best!

6.10.18

This week I’ve started to get sad and a little teary eyed at random moments with the thought of Keagan graduating and leaving for his mission. I’m so excited and happy for him, but it will be such a big change for Ray and I to transition into an empty nest. I know it will be great, but quiet.  

So many changes.. I’ve also finally decided to stop teaching preschool next year. I’ve been doing it for 11 or 12 years now. Now I just need to decide on working as a para or being a para sub. I’ve applied to a few different jobs, so we’ll see where that takes me. 

Keagan had seminary graduation tonight. It was nice and simple with great musical numbers and talks. I’m glad both of my kids made the good decision to go to seminary. They have both had wonderful teachers that helped them learn and grow in the gospel.

Daniel Osler, Hailey phibs, Reanna Drees, Makayla McCrackin, and Keagan


Wednesday is Keagan’s last day of school and graduation is Saturday. Melissa and Hazel are coming Thursday or Friday. Melissa’s in laws come to WA every year to get strawberries. They are bringing them up and then we are driving them home probably the 21st and spending a week in Utah. 


We can’t wait to see these cuties! Hazel has been giving the cheesiest grins!




Four years ago! I can’t believe how fast it has gone!


Love you!
Sis shoop

6.3.18

I was so glad to have a weekend to rest! My friends last week wore me out.. I’m not used to staying up late more than one night in a week. I must be getting old. 

Monday we had a great visit with my mom and step dad. They took us out on the boat. It is one of my favorite things to do. It was beautiful!

The weather has been just right.. I am a true Washatonian.. it’s barely hit 70 and been mostly sunny out .
Keagan had prom date #3 with Makayla. This time it was Yelms prom and they had it in some convention center in Lakewood. I was proud of him, the group wanted to go to the melting pot in Tacoma. He looked at their menu online and just about died.. it was $48 for each meal. He called Makayla and asked her if it was ok if they ate fast food first and then went with the group and just had dessert. So, that is what they did. We took them to prom and Makayla s Family picked them up. 
We found this new park (to us) that overlooked the water and we relaxed there while they ate and then brought them back there for their final pics. Haha






And anytime I see MT Rainier put so beautiful, it makes me happy. We are so blessed with so much beauty from our Father in Heaven!




It’s been hectic with all the end  of the year activities. In one way I can’t wait until it’s over, but I know it will be sad, too. Keagan graduates June 16. He has to get his blood work for his doctor visit and go into the drivers license office to get it (he already passed all the tests) and then meet with the stake president to send his mission papers off. Wow!
I’m grateful for his strong testimony and willingness to serve. It will be another one of those bittersweet things in life!

One good thing about Keagan graduating is that we will see Melissa and Hazel! Chaz can’t get that time off work. :(

I love FaceTime!!


I think she looks to big here. 


Love you all!
Sis Shoop