Fall Break!

The draft title of this post was "Justin, the Hero" for events that transpired on Monday. While minding her own business, wearily feeding the baby in her bed at 8 am because Gwyn and Elinor's fall break had already begun and so she had that leisure, Lia received a text that she owed the pediatrician about $400 for Miriam's at-birth check-up. This seemed odd since she had just gone through all the hoops to add Miriam to the family's insurance many days before the 60-day deadline to do so. After many phone-calls, two-level security authentications from Justin at work and quite a few tears, it was decreed that all the buttons had not been pushed and Miriam would not be covered until the new year. Surrendering to the powers that be, Lia called the pediatrician to pay the bill out-of-pocket, at which point insult was added to injury, because the out-of-pocket fee was over $600, not just $400. 

Lia called Justin for sympathy. Between his own meetings, phone calls, and aiding Lia in two-step verifications, Justin had somehow found time to do a little fact-finding. "Sixty days was on Saturday, which means the next business day is today, which means we are not outside the enrollment window," he asserted. The manager at insurance agreed when he called and told her, and Miriam was added. 

Justin was consequently sung as a hero that day when the $400 was refunded, the next day when the $2,700 hospital bill rolled in, and the day after that when Miriam had a new vaccination with a price tag of $620 (who knows how much the three others cost!) on top of an office visit of $135. Don't get sick in America!!

But mostly we want to talk about fall break. In an effort to minimize whining, Lia informed the children at last week's family council that we would be harvesting our apples and making applesauce on Thursday, the first day of fall break. The fates were on the children's side: it poured rain and thundered hail on both Thursday and Friday, so no one had to do much of anything at all except bask in doing nothing.

Justin attended the unveiling of President Worthen's presidential portrait.

Lia took Miriam to her 2 month check-up, where she weighed in at 12 lbs, 12.5 oz. and pretty equal growth chart percentiles of 80% weight, 80% length, only 93% head.

Justin is such a great boss, he was celebrated on Boss Day this week.

 Miriam was adorable, as always.

Monday for FHE we joined others in the neighborhood for the Armstrong's film festival. Gwyn had led her younger siblings in an original film entitled, "The Phantom Piano Player." It won awards for best script, best acting, and best original soundtrack. Or at least it should have. These pictures are actually of everyone looking at the comet while the Armstrong's tended to some technical difficulties.

Elinor selected this never-before-worn hand-me-down for Miriam to wear, never-before-worn because Lia interpreted its European sizing to mean that it was for a 12 month old, and then it never fit, because it's actually 0-3 months. She wished for a hair accessory that matched. Her wish was granted a few hours later when Heather Bailey brought over a jackpot of Sunday dresses and hair accessories. Thank you, Heather!

Lia took kids to the library.

Justin carried Miriam around the Hinckley Center so Lia could hear our friend Sam Wilkinson's lecture on this book. They enjoyed the dinner together afterward.

We played barbershop with Katharine "shaving" the shaving cream off everyone's face with an expired driver's license, Gabriel brushing hair, and Gwyn and Elinor taking turns styling each other's hair.

We set up a tent in the living room and made s'mores while listening to the BYU v. Oklahoma State game Friday night. What a win!!

Elisabeth went with her roommates to cheer in the ROC, we gave our Ubox seats to the Bollingers, and Justin took a neighbor who recently lost his wife to cancer in the President's box with him. He reported that when he introduced John to Elder Kearon, Elder Kearon very innocently responded, "I am Patrick Kearon," to which our neighbor understandably said, "Uh, yeah, I know..." At a meeting earlier in the week Justin overheard Elder Kearon ask, "So are any of the REAL apostles going to be at the game?" 😊 Such humility!

Elinor recognized that she had matching pajamas to Miriam's footies.

Justin remembered his little girl was growing up.

Katharine is in denial about it, or else was just jealous that the bonnet for the blessing gown didn't exist back when she was two months old. 

Footage of Gwyn and her activity day friends bringing over the quilt they made for Miriam!