One-year-olds are hard for me.
It is the age I dread--much more than two.
It is the time that they change so quickly from sweet little baby into willful toddler.
He's one now, and he screams a lot.
He hits and pushes.
He refuses to use his signs.
He's too busy to nurse much during the day so he does it more and more at night.
He throws tantrums where he bangs his head on the floor, throws things, and hits.
He makes messes and is always asking for things he can't have.
He is absolutely grumpy miserable with his molars coming in.
BUT
He leads the music whenever the clock chimes.
He dances joyfully to any kind of music.
He sings songs about "mama" and "dada".
He loves to play with any kind of a ball he can get his hands on.
He can even kick a ball or make a basket.
He coos with glee when he sees his daddy or big brothers.
He cheerfully says "Hi!" to everyone he sees.
He always nurses right to sleep so I'm never up for long.
He drives cars and plays with toy animals and makes the sounds.
He makes goofy faces at the table so we'll laugh at him.
He loves to be chased around the kitchen island.
He rides his little scooty car around the kitchen.
He gets up and down the stairs in no time.
He plays with Sarajoy.
He likes to unload the dishwasher.
He laps up rain puddles.
He gets into the kitchen towel drawer and dresses up in them.
He steals socks out of my sock drawer and runs for it, giggling.
He can say "tickle" and knows where his chubbies are.
He loves to read stories.
He brings me his shoes so I'll take him outside.
He colors with chalk, digs in the sand, gets excited about flowers, helps pull weeds, and loves birdies.
He sometimes lets me cuddle him and give him rockabyes, and he sings, "ba-ba-bye" while we rock.
He takes a nap at 10, a nap at 3, and goes to bed at 8:00 pretty regularly.
He goes to bed very nicely with a paci in his mouth and one to rub on his eye.
He signs "more" whenever he sees anybody eating anything or whenever he hears a wrapper.
He's pretty much the cutest little fella you've ever seen sooooo...
I think I'll survive.
I'm pretty glad I have a one-year-old.
..
We've Given Up the Easy Life for the Good Life
Friday, May 17, 2013
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Good Timing
Our Van has filled the measure of its creation.
On April 20th, I shuttled 13 young men and women and one other mom to Ogden for the final Speech and Debate tournament of the year.
I had a wonderful visit with a wonderful friend all the way there. She is a good listener, though I wish she would talk more because I sense she is a well of wisdom.
It was a privilege to get to be a judge for parts of the tournament.
I could have lived without judging impromptu as I'm not a huge fan of arguing.
But it was incredible to judge oratory.
What amazing young people and what incredible things they chose to speak about!
It was true excellence.
Some of these youth have only been in the class for a year and they are truly amazing!
It was a long day, however, and my head was throbbing when we left the event.
The van was slightly noisy...quieted only momentarily by ice cream cones on the way home.
We left at 6:30am and got home after 8:00pm
Quite a remarkable day! I'm so thankful that Sullivan was happy at home with Dad and the other kids.
The timing all worked out as he mostly nurses every hour or two at night.
We had some other notable experiences that witnessed to us that God is in the details and His timing is just right:
The following Monday, I knew I needed to get groceries as it hadn't happened on Saturday like usual. Nathan had an afternoon orthodontist appointment as well as a game. When a neighbor stopped by with a nametag one of our cats had lost in her yard, it seemed right to stay out and visit with her for awhile. My visiting teacher stopped by unexpectedly and we had another visit. By then the shopping trip was looking impossible. But it was my only day to do it. I had about an hour to drive to the store, drive home, unload groceries, and pick up Nathan. The girls helped me go quickly at the store. Ruby came in the house with me to make sure the perishables made it into the fridge. The rest was dropped on the floor to be put away later. We hurried back down to the school to pick up Nathan. How surprised I was to see that we were headed into Spanish Fork with just enough time to get him to his appointment! I hadn't had time to think about what the rest of us would do for that hour and a half. I decided to call a friend from our old ward and she just happened to have some free time for us to visit. The kids were thrilled to spend time with old friends, and I loved the chance to catch up. We met Dallin at the orthodontist and drove up to Highland for Nathan's game. We dropped him off, tried to find a geocache, and headed to Grandma Millington's for dinner. Grandma and Grandpa spoiled us with pizza and veggies, ice cream and cookies, and the usual fun in their basement and yard. Linda and I had a great visit while we crocheted little animals. Kent and Dallin and Brandon went to the game. We were so glad as we drove into town late that night that the grocery shopping was done! We felt like the day went so well, and we were full of gratitude that a potentially hectic and stressful day was smooth and calm.
I found out a couple of days later that the pageant Daisy had been asked to participate in was a month earlier than I thought...and I only had a couple of days to come up with a dress. I had really looked forward to making her something fancy, along the lines of Ruby's baptism dress. Daisy's dress was purchased from the store on a great sale, and though very lovely, was not as fancy. The mother of the neighbor who asked us to participate said she had some fabric I could look at. I knew I only had 2 days, so I decided to give it a shot. The fabric I found was some lavender curtains that were sheer. Daisy has always loved purple, so I decided to go home and see what I could figure out. The idea of putting together a whole dress was still pretty daunting. As I looked at her baptism dress and Ruby's and some other dresses and the patterns, I got a great idea! Instead of making a whole new dress, I made a pullover skirt for her baptism dress. I made it in the style of Ruby's baptism dress. The ideas flowed, and I hardly had to re-do or take out any stitches. It was miraculous. I had just enough white satin roses in my stash to accessorize it. I made a purple flower to pin on the bodice to tie the dress and the new over-skirt together. It was lovely, and finished in time to show it to the neighbors the night before the pageant. In the middle of this project, I was asked by Brandon's Shakespeare teacher to help with some costumes. She came over for a couple of hours and we had another similar session of inspiration and things working out just right. We designed and finished Puck's costume and worked on several others. Brandon's authentic peasant shirt, doublet, and fake boots were ready just in time for his dress rehearsal, and he looked awesome!
It was tempting to be frustrated by having all of this to do with such short deadlines, but I soon realized that it is such a gift and a joy to be creative and helpful. I do love to sew!
It was fun to get Daisy all dolled up and have a girls' night at the pageant. We weren't super-impressed with the pageant, but it was fun to have Daisy escort Morgan on the stage. We were impressed with Morgan and glad she gave Daisy the neat opportunity to appear in the pageant as her "Little Miss".
Brandon's Shakespeare play was really fantastic! He did a great job and the whole thing was just as fun and silly as A Midsummer Night's Dream should be.
I am so grateful to have had all of these great things work out with such great timing! So grateful for each little miracle! We are in Good Hands, for sure.
..
Saturday, May 4, 2013
New Member
"You really said those words? You really prayed for a Grandma??"
Spoken by my husband as I explained to him the miracle that seemed to be unfolding before us.
Yes, I had prayed for a Grandma. I've been praying for one almost daily for months. I just figured there must be someone out there that really needs a family to be involved in, and I could really use another adult around the house. So I was praying for some kind of win-win. And even I had felt a little silly at times and wondered if it was okay to pray for that.
(I couldn't help but picture Alice from the Brady Bunch...heavenly...)
But I was willing to settle for anyone who would be excited for some kids to love.
Dallin invited one of his return-missionary scouts for Sunday dinner. As we asked him about his family, we could see that things were pretty bleak. This was heartbreaking as Dallin had truly loved this young man and his brother through their adolescence and onto and through their missions. They were adopted as toddlers by a single woman whose birth children were already grown. We had loved this little family and the goodness they brought to our ward. When he described his mom's current difficulty and depression from a recent divorce, I wondered if my prayer was answered. I talked to Dallin about it that night and prayed some more about it and developed a bit of a plan.
You can imagine the doubts that surfaced from my plan. I had no phone number or address, though I had been to her house once before. I had only spoken to her briefly on a couple of occasions. I had no idea what condition she would be in when I arrived, or how much coaxing I would need to do to get her to talk to me or let me try to help her. I could have talked myself out of it a thousand times. I wondered at myself as I cut flowers from our yard and put them in a vase for her. I mustered my courage and hopped in my van, telling my kids I didn't really know when I would be back. I drove around her neighborhood until I spotted her house and pulled into the driveway. Deep breath. It looked like the front door was opened, letting the cool spring air come in through the screen. That was a good sign.
She was up and dressed and let me come right in. She opened her heart to me and the conversation was comfortable and natural. The story was sad--the health problems, the recent difficult marriage, the struggles of her children. Her loneliness and expressions of feeling that her life was sort of pointless. Then she looked at me and said, "I should be the one listening to someone's troubles. I know service would help." I told her I had a proposal to make: I had been praying for a grandma.
"That's perfect!" She said.
When she came to visit a few days later, the kids were absolutely thrilled! They ate up all the attention and the stories. She shared so much with them, including her conversion story. She bore such a sweet testimony to Daisy about feeling empty and having the Holy Spirit fill her up. It was wonderful and the kids can't wait for her to come back.
God answers prayers.
..
Spoken by my husband as I explained to him the miracle that seemed to be unfolding before us.
Yes, I had prayed for a Grandma. I've been praying for one almost daily for months. I just figured there must be someone out there that really needs a family to be involved in, and I could really use another adult around the house. So I was praying for some kind of win-win. And even I had felt a little silly at times and wondered if it was okay to pray for that.
(I couldn't help but picture Alice from the Brady Bunch...heavenly...)
But I was willing to settle for anyone who would be excited for some kids to love.
Dallin invited one of his return-missionary scouts for Sunday dinner. As we asked him about his family, we could see that things were pretty bleak. This was heartbreaking as Dallin had truly loved this young man and his brother through their adolescence and onto and through their missions. They were adopted as toddlers by a single woman whose birth children were already grown. We had loved this little family and the goodness they brought to our ward. When he described his mom's current difficulty and depression from a recent divorce, I wondered if my prayer was answered. I talked to Dallin about it that night and prayed some more about it and developed a bit of a plan.
You can imagine the doubts that surfaced from my plan. I had no phone number or address, though I had been to her house once before. I had only spoken to her briefly on a couple of occasions. I had no idea what condition she would be in when I arrived, or how much coaxing I would need to do to get her to talk to me or let me try to help her. I could have talked myself out of it a thousand times. I wondered at myself as I cut flowers from our yard and put them in a vase for her. I mustered my courage and hopped in my van, telling my kids I didn't really know when I would be back. I drove around her neighborhood until I spotted her house and pulled into the driveway. Deep breath. It looked like the front door was opened, letting the cool spring air come in through the screen. That was a good sign.
She was up and dressed and let me come right in. She opened her heart to me and the conversation was comfortable and natural. The story was sad--the health problems, the recent difficult marriage, the struggles of her children. Her loneliness and expressions of feeling that her life was sort of pointless. Then she looked at me and said, "I should be the one listening to someone's troubles. I know service would help." I told her I had a proposal to make: I had been praying for a grandma.
"That's perfect!" She said.
When she came to visit a few days later, the kids were absolutely thrilled! They ate up all the attention and the stories. She shared so much with them, including her conversion story. She bore such a sweet testimony to Daisy about feeling empty and having the Holy Spirit fill her up. It was wonderful and the kids can't wait for her to come back.
God answers prayers.
..
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Roots and Branches
A few times lately I've had a chance to think about lonely people.
It has given me a chance to ponder the security that family offers.
I have taken for granted the strength I get from my ancestors.
Maybe even failed to recognize the full meaning of posterity.
I've taken some time to realize that I am blessed by the eternal connection to my family.
How grateful I am for the strong roots that hold me securely to the household of God.
How fulfilling it is to see my children growing up and to imagine their children for generations.
It gives me a very secure place in the world.
Some people don't have that. Many people, even.
How sad that there are people left alone in the world.
I see how being left without root nor branch is a desolate situation indeed!
Mother, Father, Grandparents--Thank you for loving each other and your children for generations.
What a gift it is to know unconditional love.
What a gift it is to have a place in the world--in eternity-- that is surrounded by that love.
My resolve is ever more firm:
I will love these little ones.
I will teach them how to love the way that I have been loved.
There is nothing better.
There is not greater mission for me to accomplish than to make fewer lonely people in the world and to nourish those branches.
...
It has given me a chance to ponder the security that family offers.
I have taken for granted the strength I get from my ancestors.
Maybe even failed to recognize the full meaning of posterity.
I've taken some time to realize that I am blessed by the eternal connection to my family.
How grateful I am for the strong roots that hold me securely to the household of God.
How fulfilling it is to see my children growing up and to imagine their children for generations.
It gives me a very secure place in the world.
Some people don't have that. Many people, even.
How sad that there are people left alone in the world.
I see how being left without root nor branch is a desolate situation indeed!
Mother, Father, Grandparents--Thank you for loving each other and your children for generations.
What a gift it is to know unconditional love.
What a gift it is to have a place in the world--in eternity-- that is surrounded by that love.
My resolve is ever more firm:
I will love these little ones.
I will teach them how to love the way that I have been loved.
There is nothing better.
There is not greater mission for me to accomplish than to make fewer lonely people in the world and to nourish those branches.
...
Saturday, April 20, 2013
My Week Off
I blundered through the week after Spring Break and decided I really did need to give myself a break.
I decided to have a week of doing things that fill my tank.
I slept in each morning until the baby awoke--guilt free!
I read and prayed and studied longer than usual.
I decided to play the piano one day, and ended up at the piano for an hour and a half! I was able to dust off the Maple Leaf Rag and make some progress on that tricky 3rd section.
(Something about having a real piano--the one I grew up playing--in my home has made my piano playing skills improve dramatically lately. Or maybe it was the exercise of writing an arrangement to a favorite family song that helped me understand the music on a deeper level. Whatever it was, it has been really fun! )
I still kept appointments, did laundry, and fed people.
In fact, I realized I wasn't really doing much less than what I normally do.
I was just enjoying it more because I was choosing it instead of imposing it upon myself.
I found that what I really needed a break from was my expectations.
As much as I am trying to be content with my current pace, I still get antsy to do more. I know there are things getting left out that seem really important!
I know that striving to be better is a good thing!
So I still lay the expectations on pretty heavily some days.
It seems like I've been in this "season" forever!
But the things I am getting better at are less measurable than hours slept, pounds lost, home repairs finished, yard work done, books read to kids, tasks accomplished.
How do you measure the effort it takes and the progress made
Casting of fear
Casting off pride
Being a light to others
Being content with what is allotted unto me
Being thankful in all things, including my trials
Staying calm in the face of intense emotion
Disciplining out of love instead of control
Living joyfully in spite of external circumstances?
So I am grateful to have given myself a week off from expectations and guilt.
Hopefully it will last longer than a week!
..
I decided to have a week of doing things that fill my tank.
I slept in each morning until the baby awoke--guilt free!
I read and prayed and studied longer than usual.
I decided to play the piano one day, and ended up at the piano for an hour and a half! I was able to dust off the Maple Leaf Rag and make some progress on that tricky 3rd section.
(Something about having a real piano--the one I grew up playing--in my home has made my piano playing skills improve dramatically lately. Or maybe it was the exercise of writing an arrangement to a favorite family song that helped me understand the music on a deeper level. Whatever it was, it has been really fun! )
I still kept appointments, did laundry, and fed people.
In fact, I realized I wasn't really doing much less than what I normally do.
I was just enjoying it more because I was choosing it instead of imposing it upon myself.
I found that what I really needed a break from was my expectations.
As much as I am trying to be content with my current pace, I still get antsy to do more. I know there are things getting left out that seem really important!
I know that striving to be better is a good thing!
So I still lay the expectations on pretty heavily some days.
It seems like I've been in this "season" forever!
But the things I am getting better at are less measurable than hours slept, pounds lost, home repairs finished, yard work done, books read to kids, tasks accomplished.
How do you measure the effort it takes and the progress made
Casting of fear
Casting off pride
Being a light to others
Being content with what is allotted unto me
Being thankful in all things, including my trials
Staying calm in the face of intense emotion
Disciplining out of love instead of control
Living joyfully in spite of external circumstances?
So I am grateful to have given myself a week off from expectations and guilt.
Hopefully it will last longer than a week!
..
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Give Me A (Spring) Break
I need a break.
Let's face it. My life is a little teeny bit crazy and overwhelming.
If I had my druthers, a break would look something like this:
One day to sleep as much as I wanted.
One day to read as much as I wanted.
One day to write as much as I wanted.
One day to pray as much as I wanted.
One day to work on projects.
One day to read to my kids.
One day to watch movies and cuddle with my husband.
Plus no cooking and lots of chocolate.
Somehow Spring Break didn't play out quite this way, but it was magical in its own way and I wouldn't have traded it-- even for my druther week.
Dallin made all of the plans for our trip, and I was extremely grateful to not be the one in charge.
However, it made me have a hard time wanting to get ready. I had just done 3 birthdays and was in the middle of Easter and he was at the scout pow-wow and I just wanted well, a break.
I got a blessing and managed to print off my camping checklists (so glad I made them last summer) and get the food purchased and packed. I think I did some laundry and that was the extent of my ability for Saturday. I used to spend at least a week getting ready for trips. Now I can barely think about it a day or two before, and I have to FORCE myself to do it. Sunday was Easter and fast Sunday and I wasn't about to work on packing up that day.
Dallin was hoping to leave at 9 or 10 in the morning so we could do some hikes in Arches on our way down.
We all worked really hard on Monday and got out the door at 1pm.
We had to stop and pick up a pizza as we had planned to already be there by lunch, and we had to get gas.
We were headed out of town by 2pm.
Too late to hike by the time we got to Arches.
Set up camp while the sun sets.
Warm beef stew interrupted by multiple bathroom trips, sleeping arrangements, help with pajamas, get that fussy baby to sleep!
Wash dishes in the cold and dark.
Can't get warm--even with 2 layers of clothes, a blanket and a sleeping bag.
Each time I am able to drift off, baby wakes and I have to get back out into the cold to nurse and comfort.
We are both kept up by babies and cold toddlers and bathroom breaks.
Big kids come to the rescue and mom and dad sleep for a couple of hours in the morning.
Beautiful Tuesday. Sunny, if a little chilly still.
Cereal and Sausage.
Warm showers and clothes changed for our visit to the Monticello Temple.
Dark clouds billow over the mountains as I finish washing breakfast dishes.
Hail begins to fall as I come out of the temple and Dallin goes in to baptize the boys.
Plans for bike ride are not looking promising.
Tent has inches of snow piled around it when we get back.
Weather looks better an hour away at Arches.
Delicate Arch hike is not intended for children under 5.
Or mothers with a powerful protective instinct that does not allow sheer cliffs and young children to be in the same field of vision.
Everyone had fun except the mother, but she put on a happy face once she was far away from the cliff.
Tent heater? Anywhere? Anywhere?
No. And our daylight gone in searching stores for one. Subway for dinner.
Pile blankets and jammies in car to warm them and carry sleepy bundles into cold sleeping bags.
We love our new tent that stayed dry. The hinged door is genius.
A much warmer night though not much more sleep for mom.
Beautiful Wednesday. Sunny, though cold and breezy.
Warm oatmeal. Warm sausages.
Bike rides around the campground.
Take down camp and try to make it to Fillmore.
Lunch time and camp still not broken. Get all the food back out.
2:00 we are finally on our way. Fillmore activities not looking too promising.
3:00 flat tire.
4:00 at Arches again for a potty stop. Fillmore definitely not happening. Try another hike?
Landscape Arch. Definitely family friendly and so much fun!
Kids play in red sand as the sun begins to set.
A few snacks, oranges and a loaf of bread to share for dinner.
On our way home. Fillmore will be postponed again.
Or will it?
We have everything we need.
But we don't want to set up camp again, and we have no idea where.
Can we sleep in the Van at a Wal Mart?
Can we?
It will be an adventure.
It was.
None of us will ever forget it.
Except for Sullivan who finally settled at 4:30am.
Dallin woke and drove the final hour of the trip at 6.
The best hour of sleep I had the whole week. All was quiet in the van and I finally had a place to lie where I could straighten my legs out.
We woke up to wide prairie with steam rising from the hot pools.
Beautiful, beautiful Thursday. And warm!
Dug a toilet with the window scraper.
Passed out some more pieces of bread to tide everyone over.
Felt very exposed donning swim suits in the wide open.
Swam and played in the luxurious bathtub-warm water.
The 9 of us together, enjoying ourselves for hours.
Sun warmed us as we changed clothes, brushed hair, ate cold cereal.
The Fillmore museum was a pleasant family-friendly surprise.
Kids picked souveneirs after exploring.
Warmed chili at the park on the little stove. Delicious with fritos and lettuce.
Peaceful, warm, delicious, happy memories.
The big tree had a belly-button. We all laughed.
Quiet van full of tired kids on the way home.
I read to Dallin of a homeless man and a millionaire. Inspiring.
Home in time to unpack, do laundry, clean car.
Brand makes eggs for dinner.
I was on an energy high that night after such a wonderful experience.
I am so so glad we did it.
It was truly unforgettable.
I still need a break!
Let's face it. My life is a little teeny bit crazy and overwhelming.
If I had my druthers, a break would look something like this:
One day to sleep as much as I wanted.
One day to read as much as I wanted.
One day to write as much as I wanted.
One day to pray as much as I wanted.
One day to work on projects.
One day to read to my kids.
One day to watch movies and cuddle with my husband.
Plus no cooking and lots of chocolate.
Somehow Spring Break didn't play out quite this way, but it was magical in its own way and I wouldn't have traded it-- even for my druther week.
Dallin made all of the plans for our trip, and I was extremely grateful to not be the one in charge.
However, it made me have a hard time wanting to get ready. I had just done 3 birthdays and was in the middle of Easter and he was at the scout pow-wow and I just wanted well, a break.
I got a blessing and managed to print off my camping checklists (so glad I made them last summer) and get the food purchased and packed. I think I did some laundry and that was the extent of my ability for Saturday. I used to spend at least a week getting ready for trips. Now I can barely think about it a day or two before, and I have to FORCE myself to do it. Sunday was Easter and fast Sunday and I wasn't about to work on packing up that day.
Dallin was hoping to leave at 9 or 10 in the morning so we could do some hikes in Arches on our way down.
We all worked really hard on Monday and got out the door at 1pm.
We had to stop and pick up a pizza as we had planned to already be there by lunch, and we had to get gas.
We were headed out of town by 2pm.
Too late to hike by the time we got to Arches.
Set up camp while the sun sets.
Warm beef stew interrupted by multiple bathroom trips, sleeping arrangements, help with pajamas, get that fussy baby to sleep!
Wash dishes in the cold and dark.
Can't get warm--even with 2 layers of clothes, a blanket and a sleeping bag.
Each time I am able to drift off, baby wakes and I have to get back out into the cold to nurse and comfort.
We are both kept up by babies and cold toddlers and bathroom breaks.
Big kids come to the rescue and mom and dad sleep for a couple of hours in the morning.
Beautiful Tuesday. Sunny, if a little chilly still.
Cereal and Sausage.
Warm showers and clothes changed for our visit to the Monticello Temple.
Dark clouds billow over the mountains as I finish washing breakfast dishes.
Hail begins to fall as I come out of the temple and Dallin goes in to baptize the boys.
Plans for bike ride are not looking promising.
Tent has inches of snow piled around it when we get back.
Weather looks better an hour away at Arches.
Delicate Arch hike is not intended for children under 5.
Or mothers with a powerful protective instinct that does not allow sheer cliffs and young children to be in the same field of vision.
Everyone had fun except the mother, but she put on a happy face once she was far away from the cliff.
Tent heater? Anywhere? Anywhere?
No. And our daylight gone in searching stores for one. Subway for dinner.
Pile blankets and jammies in car to warm them and carry sleepy bundles into cold sleeping bags.
We love our new tent that stayed dry. The hinged door is genius.
A much warmer night though not much more sleep for mom.
Beautiful Wednesday. Sunny, though cold and breezy.
Warm oatmeal. Warm sausages.
Bike rides around the campground.
Take down camp and try to make it to Fillmore.
Lunch time and camp still not broken. Get all the food back out.
2:00 we are finally on our way. Fillmore activities not looking too promising.
3:00 flat tire.
4:00 at Arches again for a potty stop. Fillmore definitely not happening. Try another hike?
Landscape Arch. Definitely family friendly and so much fun!
Kids play in red sand as the sun begins to set.
A few snacks, oranges and a loaf of bread to share for dinner.
On our way home. Fillmore will be postponed again.
Or will it?
We have everything we need.
But we don't want to set up camp again, and we have no idea where.
Can we sleep in the Van at a Wal Mart?
Can we?
It will be an adventure.
It was.
None of us will ever forget it.
Except for Sullivan who finally settled at 4:30am.
Dallin woke and drove the final hour of the trip at 6.
The best hour of sleep I had the whole week. All was quiet in the van and I finally had a place to lie where I could straighten my legs out.
We woke up to wide prairie with steam rising from the hot pools.
Beautiful, beautiful Thursday. And warm!
Dug a toilet with the window scraper.
Passed out some more pieces of bread to tide everyone over.
Felt very exposed donning swim suits in the wide open.
Swam and played in the luxurious bathtub-warm water.
The 9 of us together, enjoying ourselves for hours.
Sun warmed us as we changed clothes, brushed hair, ate cold cereal.
The Fillmore museum was a pleasant family-friendly surprise.
Kids picked souveneirs after exploring.
Warmed chili at the park on the little stove. Delicious with fritos and lettuce.
Peaceful, warm, delicious, happy memories.
The big tree had a belly-button. We all laughed.
Quiet van full of tired kids on the way home.
I read to Dallin of a homeless man and a millionaire. Inspiring.
Home in time to unpack, do laundry, clean car.
Brand makes eggs for dinner.
I was on an energy high that night after such a wonderful experience.
I am so so glad we did it.
It was truly unforgettable.
I still need a break!
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Time Marches On
March is a busy month for us. 3 birthdays and Easter.
I am in a season of life where I am daily surprised by how swiftly morning turns to evening. It can be frustrating, overwhelming, and depressing but I am trying to turn away from those thoughts and embrace the learning, growth, gratitude and joy that meet me from moment to moment. Learning that I get to choose "which secret garden I will tend" has been life changing for me.
Some things that March has brought to our little garden:
Dallin continues to do an awful lot with Scouting, considering he was released in November...the other leaders, our boys, and even I am glad he is still so helpful and supportive. This month he took the boys to the merit badge pow-wow at BYU. He and the other scout leaders planned an adult date night to a mineral hot pool in Midway. We rode there all together in the Lundberg's RV and had a marvelous time. Nobody minded too much that Sullivan came along, and he was a little angel.
He got the window tinting done on the van. We will all be thankful for that come summer, and we're already thankful that people aren't always staring into our van. You'd think they've never seen a 15 passenger full of kids before!
He worked out a way to get our water heater replaced just days after it began leaking and at an awesome price! Thank you to our amazing handy neighbor. Same neighbor also helped Dallin pick out and purchase a trailer for our van and his brother made and installed a hitch. Very cool!
Dallin planned a fun family outing to Fillmore to see the Territorial State Building Museum and visit some primitive hot pots he knows about. That one got snowed out, but we were thankful for a quiet Saturday at home. We celebrated his birthday with tacos and Strawberry shortcake. I made real shortcake and adapted it using sourdough. It was amazing with fresh fruit and real whipped cream. He got a new Camelback, the complete Kung Fu series on DVD, and our new tent just happened to come that week as well. And we got it for about $80 cheaper than we were planning on paying for it last year! Glad we waited!
I am still trying to figure out what hit me. Oh yeah. It was my 7th baby. A year ago.
Still completely thrilled to get two hours of sleep in a row.
Still learning to have faith that the Atonement will make up for the many ways I fall short.
Still completely loving the journey, loving the fun that having two teenagers brings, loving the innocent play and chatter of my younger kids, the hugs and kisses and dimples of my baby--even at night.
Stressing a bit about each holiday as it approaches (how can I possibly add anything?), but reveling in the joy and satisfaction when I manage to pull it off. (I hope someone took pictures!)
Basking in the joy of being back with my old co-op. They switched to Fridays so I am currently doing both co-ops and loving it. How I need my support groups!
Having some success with sourdough. Still buying bread, but I can make some great sourdough bread that's not too sour, killer pizza crust, savory waffles and pancakes, muffins, biscuits, crepes...It is fun. Walter, Martha, Mary, Adam, Annie, and now Marcos. Each time I clean out a jar, it gets a new name. But they are all descendants of Martha or Walter, the originals. I've also had some great success with homemade yogurt, and that saves money and is so nutritious!
I begged Dallin into coming to a natural health crash course over 2 days at my chiropractor's house. Lots of things to think about and try. I have to remind myself to take one thing at a time and accept the progression and the process of learning.
I determined to hit the ward book club this month. I read the book in one day! It was great! It was so fun to take a break and be with the ladies in my ward and connect on a deeper level.
So happy to be taking youth to the temple every week again! It is making a difference for all of us!
Delighting in our south-facing flower bed that produces early tiny daffodils, crocuses, and an abundance of pink hyacinths! And the lawn that we planted last fall is looking green and lovely!
The new laundry system works, the meal plan works, the dinner chore rotation works. They are all sanity savers!
Nathan had a choir concert featuring his first solo. It was O Sifuni Mungu, a song I sang in high school and a song we learned in co-op choir last year. So fun, and such joy to see him enjoying the performance so much! We love to hear him practice piano and we love getting to see him at all. He is now doing soccer on top of everything else. I was worried about it, but I think it has been a great experience for him to figure out how to prioritize and manage his time. He has actually done a better job on his chores this month and has done a pretty good job of keeping up with piano and straight A's. He decided on his own to miss soccer on the days we have our temple trips scheduled. A sign of maturity, for sure. He promises not to have a girlfriend, but admits that it is kinda hard because he's so gorgeous. We have a lot of fun and he puts up with our teasing relatively well. He's still working hard on his Les Miserables solos for May.
Brandon admits that going to the temple has helped him be able to handle the stress he's felt from school. He works really hard every day and still finds time to be Simon's and Sullivan's favorite person. We celebrated his birthday with bagels and mangoes, fun sack lunches since it was co-op day ( I actually bought little packs of chips and fruit snacks and stuff), and we went out to Winger's for dinner. I got him a hex-bug set that the kids have all had fun with. He surprised everyone by spending his recent earnings on gifts for everyone else. He decorated a notebook for me that we write letters to each other in. It has been a wonderful way to ask each other questions and discuss things we normally wouldn't think about. It has been neat to share our testimonies with each other. He is working hard for the final speech and debate tournament next month. He is learning his lines for his Shakespeare play. He is a great friend, big brother, and he adds a lot of joy to our home.
Ruby wants a dog so bad she can hardly stand it. Or a horse. But she lovingly cares for her big white kitty and her little black kitty in the mean time. She is so thrilled to be back with her big group of friends from our big co-op. She's reading The Secret Garden for the book club that one of her friends started. She is a super babysitter. She hates division, but dutifully does her math every day. She writes poems and draws pictures about horses and dogs and kitties. She reads Animal Ark books to herself and Puppy Place books to Daisy.
Daisy has permanent teeth growing in at all different times. It doesn't affect the fact that she is usually smiling and telling me something cute that one of the little kids did. For writing she likes to make a daily list of things she'll do with the little kids. It usually includes reading and doing workbooks with them and then lots of playing. She loves to help out with Sullivan and he squeals when he sees her and says "Hi!" I love the fact that she wants to talk to me and checks in for a snuggle now and then. (It usually involves kissing her latest bump or bruise, poor girl). She likes to tell me about how she is applying the things she learns in church or in our devotional.
Simon is as full of life as ever! It is so exciting to be around him when he makes a discovery or gets a gift or surprise. He loves to try to trick me and jokes around like he's one of the big boys. He'll go along with whatever the girls are playing most of the time, but sometimes he is just aching for a good sword fight or lego session. Brandon is usually good to oblige. We've had some sunny days that have called him outside even before he gets his breakfast. He announced that he is now a "pour-year-old", which means he is big enough to get the milk out and pour it himself. He made my day when he walked by and said, "Mom, you look beautiful!" (I was brushing my hair). A few minutes later he walks by and groans, "My eyes are hearts!" When I asked him why he said, "Because you are so beautiful I can't stand it!" He walked away singing, "Has anybody told you...that you're beautiful..."
Sarajoy seems back to normal now after several weeks without her pacifiers...whew! There are still some times her mommy misses them. She loves to tell me about the things she dreams about. She'll tell me stories about when she was big and when she was small. She likes to pretend she has a baby in her tummy and she's always willing to be the horse, puppy, or kitty in the latest game. She truly hates being dropped off for Primary. I've resorted to leaving her in the hall near the primary room where a member of the presidency eventually coaxes her over to color and then takes her in. I've heard that once she is in there she fully participates and loves it, but she dreads the separation. It is getting better. She is enjoying the fact that Sullivan can "play" with her sometimes. She loves to make him giggle. She is learning to say "okay" instead of "I can't" when I give her an instruction.
Sullivan had a big month. We celebrated his first birthday with balloons and a push-walking toy and a glow-bug type seahorse that plays gentle music. He loves it. He loves music and can often be heard singing and humming. He'll even sing along with the vacuum. He honored Dallin by surprising us with his first steps on the day after his birthday. He honored Ruby by walking to her. Then he surprised us even more by doing it over and over again, thrilled at his new skill and so excited to practice it. It is just as exciting with the 7th kid as it was with the first! And now he can get off the couch and up and down the stairs at lightning speed. He wants to be where the kids are. He loves to be read to, and will pick up any book and flip through the pages and talk to himself. He is saying lots of words each day. He is nursing less and less during the day and more and more at night. He just doesn't want to stop to eat. Sigh.
They are growing up before my eyes! I know how precious this time is, and I am trying to hold it back and appreciate the season. I feel so blessed to be able to have my kids home and with me. It is a freedom I treasure to be able to teach my kids the things that I know are most important and to give them a lifestyle that is centered on the family and centered on Christ. It is wonderful to be able to train them in obedience and duty and step back and watch them make good choices with their time. It is beautiful to watch them love and enjoy one another. I know I am swimming upstream against the tide of our materialistic, fear-driven, godless culture, but it is worth it. I am beginning to reap results of that swim that are priceless.
I am in a season of life where I am daily surprised by how swiftly morning turns to evening. It can be frustrating, overwhelming, and depressing but I am trying to turn away from those thoughts and embrace the learning, growth, gratitude and joy that meet me from moment to moment. Learning that I get to choose "which secret garden I will tend" has been life changing for me.
Some things that March has brought to our little garden:
Dallin continues to do an awful lot with Scouting, considering he was released in November...the other leaders, our boys, and even I am glad he is still so helpful and supportive. This month he took the boys to the merit badge pow-wow at BYU. He and the other scout leaders planned an adult date night to a mineral hot pool in Midway. We rode there all together in the Lundberg's RV and had a marvelous time. Nobody minded too much that Sullivan came along, and he was a little angel.
He got the window tinting done on the van. We will all be thankful for that come summer, and we're already thankful that people aren't always staring into our van. You'd think they've never seen a 15 passenger full of kids before!
He worked out a way to get our water heater replaced just days after it began leaking and at an awesome price! Thank you to our amazing handy neighbor. Same neighbor also helped Dallin pick out and purchase a trailer for our van and his brother made and installed a hitch. Very cool!
Dallin planned a fun family outing to Fillmore to see the Territorial State Building Museum and visit some primitive hot pots he knows about. That one got snowed out, but we were thankful for a quiet Saturday at home. We celebrated his birthday with tacos and Strawberry shortcake. I made real shortcake and adapted it using sourdough. It was amazing with fresh fruit and real whipped cream. He got a new Camelback, the complete Kung Fu series on DVD, and our new tent just happened to come that week as well. And we got it for about $80 cheaper than we were planning on paying for it last year! Glad we waited!
I am still trying to figure out what hit me. Oh yeah. It was my 7th baby. A year ago.
Still completely thrilled to get two hours of sleep in a row.
Still learning to have faith that the Atonement will make up for the many ways I fall short.
Still completely loving the journey, loving the fun that having two teenagers brings, loving the innocent play and chatter of my younger kids, the hugs and kisses and dimples of my baby--even at night.
Stressing a bit about each holiday as it approaches (how can I possibly add anything?), but reveling in the joy and satisfaction when I manage to pull it off. (I hope someone took pictures!)
Basking in the joy of being back with my old co-op. They switched to Fridays so I am currently doing both co-ops and loving it. How I need my support groups!
Having some success with sourdough. Still buying bread, but I can make some great sourdough bread that's not too sour, killer pizza crust, savory waffles and pancakes, muffins, biscuits, crepes...It is fun. Walter, Martha, Mary, Adam, Annie, and now Marcos. Each time I clean out a jar, it gets a new name. But they are all descendants of Martha or Walter, the originals. I've also had some great success with homemade yogurt, and that saves money and is so nutritious!
I begged Dallin into coming to a natural health crash course over 2 days at my chiropractor's house. Lots of things to think about and try. I have to remind myself to take one thing at a time and accept the progression and the process of learning.
I determined to hit the ward book club this month. I read the book in one day! It was great! It was so fun to take a break and be with the ladies in my ward and connect on a deeper level.
So happy to be taking youth to the temple every week again! It is making a difference for all of us!
Delighting in our south-facing flower bed that produces early tiny daffodils, crocuses, and an abundance of pink hyacinths! And the lawn that we planted last fall is looking green and lovely!
The new laundry system works, the meal plan works, the dinner chore rotation works. They are all sanity savers!
Nathan had a choir concert featuring his first solo. It was O Sifuni Mungu, a song I sang in high school and a song we learned in co-op choir last year. So fun, and such joy to see him enjoying the performance so much! We love to hear him practice piano and we love getting to see him at all. He is now doing soccer on top of everything else. I was worried about it, but I think it has been a great experience for him to figure out how to prioritize and manage his time. He has actually done a better job on his chores this month and has done a pretty good job of keeping up with piano and straight A's. He decided on his own to miss soccer on the days we have our temple trips scheduled. A sign of maturity, for sure. He promises not to have a girlfriend, but admits that it is kinda hard because he's so gorgeous. We have a lot of fun and he puts up with our teasing relatively well. He's still working hard on his Les Miserables solos for May.
Brandon admits that going to the temple has helped him be able to handle the stress he's felt from school. He works really hard every day and still finds time to be Simon's and Sullivan's favorite person. We celebrated his birthday with bagels and mangoes, fun sack lunches since it was co-op day ( I actually bought little packs of chips and fruit snacks and stuff), and we went out to Winger's for dinner. I got him a hex-bug set that the kids have all had fun with. He surprised everyone by spending his recent earnings on gifts for everyone else. He decorated a notebook for me that we write letters to each other in. It has been a wonderful way to ask each other questions and discuss things we normally wouldn't think about. It has been neat to share our testimonies with each other. He is working hard for the final speech and debate tournament next month. He is learning his lines for his Shakespeare play. He is a great friend, big brother, and he adds a lot of joy to our home.
Ruby wants a dog so bad she can hardly stand it. Or a horse. But she lovingly cares for her big white kitty and her little black kitty in the mean time. She is so thrilled to be back with her big group of friends from our big co-op. She's reading The Secret Garden for the book club that one of her friends started. She is a super babysitter. She hates division, but dutifully does her math every day. She writes poems and draws pictures about horses and dogs and kitties. She reads Animal Ark books to herself and Puppy Place books to Daisy.
Daisy has permanent teeth growing in at all different times. It doesn't affect the fact that she is usually smiling and telling me something cute that one of the little kids did. For writing she likes to make a daily list of things she'll do with the little kids. It usually includes reading and doing workbooks with them and then lots of playing. She loves to help out with Sullivan and he squeals when he sees her and says "Hi!" I love the fact that she wants to talk to me and checks in for a snuggle now and then. (It usually involves kissing her latest bump or bruise, poor girl). She likes to tell me about how she is applying the things she learns in church or in our devotional.
Simon is as full of life as ever! It is so exciting to be around him when he makes a discovery or gets a gift or surprise. He loves to try to trick me and jokes around like he's one of the big boys. He'll go along with whatever the girls are playing most of the time, but sometimes he is just aching for a good sword fight or lego session. Brandon is usually good to oblige. We've had some sunny days that have called him outside even before he gets his breakfast. He announced that he is now a "pour-year-old", which means he is big enough to get the milk out and pour it himself. He made my day when he walked by and said, "Mom, you look beautiful!" (I was brushing my hair). A few minutes later he walks by and groans, "My eyes are hearts!" When I asked him why he said, "Because you are so beautiful I can't stand it!" He walked away singing, "Has anybody told you...that you're beautiful..."
Sarajoy seems back to normal now after several weeks without her pacifiers...whew! There are still some times her mommy misses them. She loves to tell me about the things she dreams about. She'll tell me stories about when she was big and when she was small. She likes to pretend she has a baby in her tummy and she's always willing to be the horse, puppy, or kitty in the latest game. She truly hates being dropped off for Primary. I've resorted to leaving her in the hall near the primary room where a member of the presidency eventually coaxes her over to color and then takes her in. I've heard that once she is in there she fully participates and loves it, but she dreads the separation. It is getting better. She is enjoying the fact that Sullivan can "play" with her sometimes. She loves to make him giggle. She is learning to say "okay" instead of "I can't" when I give her an instruction.
Sullivan had a big month. We celebrated his first birthday with balloons and a push-walking toy and a glow-bug type seahorse that plays gentle music. He loves it. He loves music and can often be heard singing and humming. He'll even sing along with the vacuum. He honored Dallin by surprising us with his first steps on the day after his birthday. He honored Ruby by walking to her. Then he surprised us even more by doing it over and over again, thrilled at his new skill and so excited to practice it. It is just as exciting with the 7th kid as it was with the first! And now he can get off the couch and up and down the stairs at lightning speed. He wants to be where the kids are. He loves to be read to, and will pick up any book and flip through the pages and talk to himself. He is saying lots of words each day. He is nursing less and less during the day and more and more at night. He just doesn't want to stop to eat. Sigh.
They are growing up before my eyes! I know how precious this time is, and I am trying to hold it back and appreciate the season. I feel so blessed to be able to have my kids home and with me. It is a freedom I treasure to be able to teach my kids the things that I know are most important and to give them a lifestyle that is centered on the family and centered on Christ. It is wonderful to be able to train them in obedience and duty and step back and watch them make good choices with their time. It is beautiful to watch them love and enjoy one another. I know I am swimming upstream against the tide of our materialistic, fear-driven, godless culture, but it is worth it. I am beginning to reap results of that swim that are priceless.
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