Love Thyself

Today Dillon wanted to go to the movie. Being as busy as I am, I knew I didn't have time to sit through a movie so I told him he could take a friend and I would drop them off. It didn't take long for him to find a companion and we all headed to Tooele.

Once at the theatre, the boys jumped out of the car and I started to head back home. Then suddenly I look down and thought, "Maybe I should get a pedicure..."

LOL! LOL! LOL!

But seriously, I did pause and ask myself why I was so darn busy. At that moment, I turned the car around and treated myself to a pedicure. It may sound like a silly thing but it was, truly, a BIG TREAT ... and when I arrived home I was so much happier!

I think far to often, in our effort to love everyone else, we forget to love ourselves. However, we are commanded to "Love thy neighbor AS THYSELF" ... why is it that we so easily forget the "thyself" part of that commandment?

So, my hope for this post is that you will turn your car around and do something kind and loving for YOU! You deserve it and your feet will thank you ... mine did!

I'll NEVER finish

So, I made a deal with myself... I would only read Twilight AFTER I finished reading my Sunday School Lesson for the week. Do you know how much reading there is in one lesson??
At this rate... I'll never finish!

Grantsville hits the BIG TIME!

Did you know that Grantsville now has a stoplight? It's true.

BUT did you know that we also have a Maverik? Yes, we've hit the BIG TIME! It opened last week and I'm proud to announce that gas is cheaper in "Our Big City" than it is in SLC (for now anyway).

And "No" ... I don't know the guy in the picture, just thought he looked as happy as we all feel ... LOL!

It's just HAT Hair

Okay... so I'm looking over these posts and suddenly say to myself, "What is the deal with the boys' hair?" Then I realize, it's just summer... the season for "HAT HAIR".

They'll look like this again come fall... I HOPE!

The Summer Science Fair Project

Here is the latest update on Jeff's summer Science Fair Project ... the Caterpillar.
The Caterpillar started to move around endlessly, so Jeff decided he'd better do some research. He found that this particular species BURROWS to make it's cocoon. So we put some dirt in it's home.
Today we've found cocoon buried. It's hard as a rock and we are patiently waiting for something with wings to emerge. We will keep you posted. It's quite exciting for us, here at The Hutchins Home!

Oh, and FYI ... Dill has named this creature "Mitch".

We've been "Camping"

I know you are all saying ... "What? The Hutchins don't camp!" Well, you are wrong. We've been "camping" all week! We found a wonderful "campground", especially for teenage boys. Unlike any other... at this campground you will find BATS, VAMPIRES and SCREAMING FISH!

If you'd like to visit ... it's in Provo ... just across from LaVell Edwards Stadium... It's called BASEBALL CAMP!!

Ty attended the BYU Elite Baseball Camp. This is the only picture I have of him because only the "neurotic" mom's take pictures at camp (so I'm told). He did GREAT and received "kudos" from the "BAT"-ting instructor. It appears that he has a perfect "BYU swing"!

Jeff, Dillon and I spent a few hours watching the campers. I also chose this time to enter the world of "VAMPIRES". Yes, I started my reading of Twilight.


Every evening Dill turned in to a SCREAMING FISH. He had the whole pool to himself and seemed to love the "echo" of his voice as he screamed, squealed and made, an altogether, ruckus!

To sum it up... we had a great "Camping" Trip!

The $5.00 Fairy

How the $5.00 Fairy entered the picture, I do not know. It all started very innocently the other night when Dill announced he had lost a tooth. All members of the family were in bed at the time, so I simply turned to Jeff and asked him to make sure the Tooth Fairy knew of this exciting news. Next thing I know, it's morning ... and Dillon is announcing that the Tooth Fairy left him $5.00!! Yes, $5.00 for one tooth ... that, essentially, had fallen out on it's own!

Well, surprise, surprise ... Three nights later another tooth fell out! I could clearly see that the $5.00 Fairy could quickly leave our 12 year old toothless. So, this time, I let the Tooth Fairy know the newest exciting news ... and what do you know (much to Dillon's disappointment) ... the good old $1.00 Fairy returned!

Tender Mercy

What a terrible Saturday ...
Jeff and I spent all day Saturday looking for a new car ... and I (not Jeff, my righteous husband, only "I") also spent all day Saturday struggling with my FOOLISH PRIDE. It's hard to not follow the temptings of the world (and a good salesman) OVER what is good and wise for your family. Toward the end of the day, Jeff turned to me and asked me what I wanted to do. In turn, I grumpily said, "I just want to go home." I couldn't take the struggle with the world anymore. I walked into my home, exhausted, with a splitting headache, a bad attitude and no desire to prepare to teach Sunday School... so I didn't.

What a humble Sunday...
As I awoke on this Sabbath Day, I felt terribly ashamed and prayed for help to teach the 18 faithful teenagers who come to class every single week. The Lord, in his goodness, then stepped in and showed me what it's like to be "IN THE WORLD BUT NOT OF IT". The thought came to me to ask the kids what they'd learned over the past few months. As I did, each one shared wonderful insight and testimony as to what each handout, each story and each other meant to them. I stood before them as the STUDENT this day and I witnessed how the Lord uses tiny moments in our lives to show us what is really important ... It is not cars, houses or belongings of any kind ... It is ONLY the difference we make in the lives of others and these youth made a difference in mine today.

What a wonderful Sabbath Day this is ... and oh, the wonderful gift of those "Tender Mercies" the Lord gives us.


P.S. I can't post a picture of each youth in my class... so I will just post my cute Tyson and my cute nephew, Austin. For they are another "Tender Mercy" in my life everyday!

Ty's Priorities #1, #2, #3

Tyson is alive and well. However, he isn't doing much sleeping out or hanging out with Mom and Dad this summer. He is far too busy with picture #1 ... and a little too busy with pictures #2 and #3.

Are you asking if he is also busy with his summer job? Ummm... NO! Far too busy for that! LOL! He is a GREAT young man ... We Love You Ty!

The Mummies...

Meet the "Mummies" ... Dad, Mom and Dillon.

Thursday night Dill and I gladly slept out on the tramp in our MUMMY bags. Oh the memories it brought back of summer days long ago when I used to sleep out almost every night. It was usually with Julee or one of my brothers. Oh, the fun we had!

Then Friday night Dill hit up Dad for another MUMMY experience. He was a little harder to convince but couldn't say "no" to those puppy-dog eyes. So out they went.

Dad is worried the lawn is going to die because he has had to turn off the sprinkler two nights in a row ... but somehow, I think it will live! Thanks for the invite Dill ... We Love You!

A Walk-off GRAND SLAM!!

Tonight was Dillon's last league game. He got up to bat with the bases loaded and hit a homer over the two fences in Center Field! The four runs he brought in was all that was needed to end the game ... making the hit, a rare, WALK OFF GRAND SLAM! It was a fabulous way to end the regular season!

To top off the night, Hummer was chosen to play on the ALL-STAR Team. What an honor! I guess we will be playing ball for another month!

The night was wrapped up with dinner at Denny's ... hey, if you hit a GRAND SLAM, you've got to have the GRAND SLAM breakfast (for dinner). Right? Way to go Hummer! We're thrilled you've had such a great season!

Jeff is mobbed at the ball park!

Yesterday we were innocently watching Ty play ball when we looked down and spotted this little green caterpillar crawling along the black top. Jeff, being the nurturer in our family, scooped it up and immediately made it a home. He found a water bottle for it to live in and gathered greenery from a local tree for it to munch on.

Once word got out, Jeff was surrounded by little boys. One offered to buy it ... another wanted to hold it ... but all wanted to look at it. Jeff allowed the watching, IF they were careful. However, when one boy accidentally stepped on the "new water bottle home" ... Jeff got a little nervous!

Finally the caterpillar made it back to the house... where it was put in a nice, new home... complete with plenty of leafy greens and twigs to climb on. We are patiently waiting for it to disappear into a cocoon and come out a butterfly! We will keep you posted on this ... "Jeff's summer science project"!

The DEAN Machine

FYI ... "The DEAN Machine" has been removed from the blog. If it is something you terribly miss, please comment.

Welcome ... but who are you?

Okay, so I am officially in LOVE with the "Blog Thing"! I have set up a map, as you see on the side. It will tell me where in the world people have viewed the blog from. I'm very intrigued where you all have come from. I'm hoping you will leave your name if you've been here to visit us! I have spent (far to many) nights "blog clicking" ... meaning visiting other's blogs through the links on the blogs of my friends. It has been quite interesting and I've read some very inspiring and very funny things about people I don't even know. I think this is a fairly common practice and I'm happy if you've gotten here the same way ... but leave us your name ... for we are intrigued with the map and who's been visiting! Happy trails to you as you "blog click" along!

Attn: Blogger Experts

Okay Blogger Experts, I have an important question. If I choose to change the background of my blog... will I loose everything that is on it (music, maps, slide shows, posts, etc.) ? ?

Hey ... We're not Grandparents!

Let us introduce you to our Grandchildren. Well, not really ... it's just that we ADORE these little one's and feel like they are ours! We relish in giving them candy, noisy toys and saying "yes" when their parents already said "no" and (best of all) we love to send them home after we've spoiled them ... So, really doesn't that qualify as a Grandparent? They actually belong to our brothers and sisters. Thanks guys for sharing them with us! We're absolutely in love with them all!

Hummer hit a HOMER!

The, much coveted, title of HOMERUN HITTER has eluded Hummer for far to long. Finally he was able to get the "gorilla off his back" (as he put it) when he hit a beautiful homer to left field on Saturday afternoon! WAY TO GO HUMM!

Does THAT require postage?

So here's the deal ... Today I went to the post office to mail off a few cards. No big deal, right? ... WRONG! Tyson calls me (because I'm not home yet) to tell me that he just received a call from the Post Office. The ladies there just wanted to let him know that his Mom had been there mailing some things ... some things without any postage!! Yes, no stamps.

Why do I live in a small town? ... because this call would only take place here!

I'm ready to join The Masses...

I don't know how vampires can be good reading but I'm ready to find out what all the hub-bub is about. I will be going away shortly and will have time to absorb myself in this new world.
So... can I borrow your books?

ONE is the Loniest Number!

A shout out to my FABULOUS husband ... Jeff. He is the only one in our house who has to get up in the morning. The rest of us have set up a summer schedule of bedtime at around 2:00 a.m. with morning starting around 11:00 a.m. We are wearing him out ,I'm sure, but he has yet to complain! He is WONDERFUL to all us ... even though he is living his summer as "ONE"!

A Most Treasured FRIEND

I've never really realized how much I treasured my WASHING MACHINE ... until last week ... when it died. As I looked at the mounds of clothes starring at me I wondered how I would ever survive without my beloved friend. When alas the repair man showed to save the day!

So, a lesson from that dear repair man to all readers with hard water. Follow these simple instructions ...

#1 -- Fill your machine with the hottest water possible, with your dial set to the largest load.

#2 -- When the machine is full, pour in a whole GALLON of distilled vinegar.

#3 -- Let the washer agitate for a few minutes. Then let it sit in the machine for 3-4 hours.

#4 -- Last, let your machine go through a whole wash cycle with the vinegar (no clothing of course).

Do this every three months and you will avoid the agony of loosing one you love and need so much! I paid a lot of money for these instructions but I am happy to share them with you FREE OF CHARGE!

In conjunction with this post, I've set up an ODD poll ... but it's fun and possibly interesting. It's over there to the side ... go ahead and take it! --- The poll has ended. But it was proven that I am the ONLY person who does a whole load of just reds, just blacks and just grays every single week!

Divine Intervention

Since I have been called to teach Sunday School to the youth in our ward, a strong impression continues coming to my mind and it is this: These youth do not have to KNOW anything for sure right now... it is enough for them to simply BELIEVE... and as they begin to BELIEVE they will come to KNOW the truth of all things.

This impressions seems to end up being the focus of our lessons often and because of that, we've had some great experiences. One happened a few weeks ago. As I was preparing the lesson I had an immediate impression come to me that I should have some visitors come and talk to the youth. I knew, without question, that those visitors should be my brother (Brandon), Anna Parkinson and the head Baseball Coach for GHS (Loren Anderson). Each one readily agreed to come and each one shared a strong testimony of how BELIEF has become KNOWLEDGE in their lives. I wish I could share what power these brothers and sisters brought with them! It was FEAST of The Spirit.

At the last minute, I felt a need to make this video for class that day. I know it was truly made by The Lord... and that I was only used because I had a computer! I hope you will enjoy viewing it!

(Be sure to turn off the music from the play list below so you can hear the music that comes with the video!)

Meet Our Family

Jeff and Krista have been married for 17 (almost 18) HAPPY years! We live in Grantsville along with all of our brothers and sisters ... and our parents ... and most of our aunts, uncles and cousins! We feel so blessed to have been able to stay here!

Jeff works for H&R Block as the HR Director for the Northwest Division of the United States. It has been a GREAT job for our family as he is able to work from home as he needs to. This allows him to attend all of the activities that the boys are wrapped up in... what a blessing!

Krista is at home trying to meet all of needs of the 3 men in her life. This would include constant laundry ... constant food ... and constant games. However, she loves every minute of it and wouldn't change one thing (except maybe more frequent massages)!

Jeff and Krista are in the Grantsville 5th Ward. Jeff is 2nd Counselor in the Bishopric. Krista teaches Sunday School for the 16, 17 and 18 year old's (the BEST calling ever).

Tyson is 16 years old and a sophomore at Grantsville High School! Yes, it is shocking to all of us! He drives, he dates, his parents have to wait up for him ... but he is AWESOME!!

He likes to play football and snowboard ... but his passion is BASEBALL! He started 2nd base for the high school team this year and recieved the honor of being named 1st Team All-Region. It was an exciting day when we learned he was also named 2nd Team All-State and Honorable Mention.

Tyson is a GREAT member of our family. He is an wonderful brother and always takes time for his brother. He is also an amazing son... he is so considerate of Mom and Dad ... and I dare say, Grandma and Grandpa.

Dillon, our baby, is our little ray of sunshine and laughter! He is 12 years old and will be entering the 7th Grade at Grantsville Jr. High this year. It is very sad for his mom to let him grow up!

Dillon (a.k.a. "Hummer") loves football and baseball, but I think baseball is his favorite! Just for the record he hates to snowboard! Dillon has played on 2 baseball teams this year. He has played in the Grantsville Little League and a Super-League team with the Tooele boys. Needless to say... he plays ALOT of baseball. He pitches and plays shortstop... and he is an EXCELLENT catcher!

It's hard to not love Hummer! He will make you laugh and smile to no end! He is so loving... not to proud to cuddle with Mom and Dad... or Grandma and Grandpa. He loves his brother and wants to be like him. And did I say that he is HILIAROUS!