The Things Kids Say

Yesterday I tried to write in my journal for the first time this year... but Daniel and Emily caught me so we ended up reading some past entries about them together instead. We had a great time laughing together about Daniel's crazy quotes.
8-13-07
Daniel has had the runs lately so when I said something about it while changing his diaper he said, "I need a go to the store and buy a new bum. I need to take this bum-bum to the neighbors betuz it not works."
11-15-07
Today I was sorting laundry and talking to Daniel. I found a sock with holes and told him to throw it in the garbage and he said, "No, we can get duct tape!"

I guess some of my penny pinching ideas are rubbing off on the next generation:)

March Madness

March has been a busy month for our family. I found this chart laying on my kitchen floor yesterday and I felt so grateful for Rebecca's growing maturity. She made up this list of chores without me knowing it and dutifully completed them just to be sweet!
Its during the crazy month of March amidst Wrestling Tournaments and Piano Festival that I'm especially grateful for Sunday's when we get a day to rest between all of the busyness.

All of the kids have kept busy practicing their songs for our upcoming piano recital. I love playing duets with them. Emily is really starting to play a lot just for fun... and Jacob just makes me smile when he stands up enthusiastically and gives himself a round of applause after passing off a new song. I guess that's one of the (only) benefits of him buying a gamecube... he actually practices - because he can't play video games until he does.
Both Daniel and Jacob (and Jared) have kept busy with wrestling. I'm sure glad it's them and not me. I think if I was yanked around like that I'd want to cry and quit!
I enjoyed some nostalgic moments when we took a break one Saturday and went roller skating as a family. I was glad to have the job of stroller pusher. It helped serve as a crutch to cover up my lame skating skills. The little Kindergarteners still whiz past me just like they did when I went skating for the 1st time in 5th grade. Daniel surprised us by winning the Limbo contest. He and Jacob have far surpassed me in their skating skills:)
We got a new vaccuum this month...............
Alyssa! She has learned to crawl and as much as I try to vacuum and get rid of all the scraps on the floor it seems she always manages to find something. She'd much rather eat toilet paper, wrappers and carpet fibers than baby food which she spits right back at us!

A Good Read

I just finished reading "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers" by Maria Augusta Trapp. I love seeing into the hearts of real people through biographies and this one included many inspiring religious themes as well. As my Relief Society lesson tomorrow is on the Holy Ghost and Revelation... this quote really stood out to me.
" But there is that something about wanting to do the will of God. If one in sincere and if one really wants to know what his will is, all one has to do is be quiet. Shut off the television and radio and in that silence one will always hear that still small voice in one's heart telling him what to do." -Maria von Trapp
I'm just glad that at this point in my life doing the will of God doesn't mean leaving everything familiar to me and uprooting my family to a new land. But reading this account certainly made me reflect on and feel gratitude for the sacrifices my ancestors made to come to this wonderful country despite the challenges.

Here's another quote from the book that really struck a chord with me-
" A family which sings together, plays together, and prays together, usually stays together. Our age has become so mechanical that this has also affected our recreation. People have gotten used to sitting down and watching a movie, a ball game, a television set. It may be good once in a while but it certainly is not good all the time. Our own faculties, our imagination, our memory, the ability to do things with our mind and our hands- they need to be exercised. If we become too passive, we get dissatisfied."

This leads me to an interaction between me and Emily earlier this week. Instead of cleaning house one morning I had the thought that I should do some "singing time" with Emily. While I played "I Wonder When He Comes Again" at the piano, I was trying to teach her the lyrics so I asked her what she should do to be ready when Jesus comes again. She looked at me with an inquisitive, hesitant expression and said, "Maybe start packing up all of our bags???????" I guess we need to start doing "singing time" a little more often :)

Things That Make Me Smile

Chubby Babies who wake up happy


"Preschool Time" with my 2 little girls

Babies in Cute Dresses

Great Finds on Craigs List
+ New Carpet to Cover the Concrete in the Basement!

Finding Love Notes Around the House

Making Valentine's Boxes for Family Night with the Kids

Watching Jacob Help in His 1st Flag Ceremony

Decorating a Cactus Cake w/ Jacob for the Blue & Gold Banquet
Watching My Kids Have Fun w/ Marshmallows instead of having to make dinner


Enjoying time alone with my husband at a "Relationships Conference"

Bittersweet Family Reunion

Last week we had a "bittersweet" reunion with Jared's family who we rarely get to see as we're now scattered across the states. Unfortunately we travelled down to attend the funeral of our little baby nephew Elijah.




Jared organized this photo with all of the family members who share the same names.
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Dan had fun getting to know his cousin Joseph

First Pinewood Derby

Jacob loves Scouts and he participated in his first pinewood derby last week.
Jared had a friend in the ward help cut the design that Jacob chose. He decided to make a Blue and White "Colts" car, which happens to be his NFL team of choice because Austin Collie is on it. He and Jared were scrambling up until the last minute to get the final paint job done and get the wheel axles all fixed up. I just hoped he would come home winning at least 1 race, as building skills aren't the top on the list of talents around our house:)

Emily and Jacob anxiously awaiting the start of the race

There were 12 boys and after the first half of races, only 2 boys (w/ very competitive dads) had won more times than Jacob. After a quick "pit stop" for everyone to lube up their cars with graphite again they were back to the races. It must have been a great lube job... because Jacob's car got faster and faster. The cars that had beat him in the 1st round apparently started to have a few "technical difficulties." He ended up winning all 8 of his races in the 2nd half with a few coming in under 3 seconds. Much to our surprise, he won the prize for the overall fastest car!
He brought home a "carload" of candy which he generously shared with the whole family.

Meaningful Musical Memories

Music is such a powerful medium. It evokes emotion, aids in recall and often brings to mind significant memories from the past. I often feel inspired by the often musical "Sabbath Day Inspirations" that my sister Kara shares on her craft/cooking blog so I thought I'd share a few of my own from time to time.
This weekend I was asked to fill in for our children's chorister at church and help teach a beautiful new song by Sally Deford. Our church is a bit atypical because the services last 3 hours, which can be a bit of a challenge for the children. As I listened to the song on repeat throughout the week I enjoyed hearing Emilyl sing along and pondered how I could teach the song in an intriguing way and make the words from the following verse meaningful for the children.

"I feel the Holy Spirit as he teaches truth and right
He comforts me in times of need, he testifies of Christ
He speaks to me in quiet ways that fill my soul with peace
And when I listen with my heart, I hear the Savior's voice."

The lyrics brought to my mind an experience I had several years ago when I was pregnant with our 3rd child, Daniel. I went in for the routine ultrasound mid-pregnancy and was informed by the ultrasound tech that our son had several cysts on his brain which are sometimes link to a serious chromosomal disorder. The tech was unable to get a clear picture of his heart so we scheduled another ultrasound the following week at the hospital where they had more high-tech equipment.
Throughout the week I thought about the many implications of the situation and felt a bit unsettled. Would our son even make it full-term? Would he ever walk or talk? How would this alter the lives of our little family? I reflected on the families I had known who had children or siblings with special needs and realized that despite the challenges we could be facing... it could also be an amazing blessing to have this special child enter our home and help all of us learn to be a bit more sensitive, kind and patient as I had witnessed in these other families. I said many prayers and felt much comfort and peace knowing that no matter what the results of the ultrasound were, the Lord would help us through it all.
Much to our relief, when we went in for the follow-up ultrasound it ended up that the cysts were completely gone and his heart was developing normally. He's now my healthy, energetic, happy, (sometimes stubborn) 6 year old who...

emphatically declared to me this week that he is done practicing the piano for good !
I guess my challenges aren't over yet :)

I am thankful for the chance that learning this song gave me to remember one of the many "tender mercies of the Lord" in my life.