More Humor

Abby has been saying the funniest things lately…

We walked past an elderly woman with lots of wrinkles going in to Macey's as we were coming out. Abby looked at me with wide eyes and said, "I just saw someone who was almost dead!" I just hope she didn't hear!

And as we were running errands last Saturday and drove past the post office I realized I had forgotten a package I needed to mail. I said that out loud and Abby replied with, "It's okay, Mom. Don't give up. Just don't give up! You can still make it to Macey's!" Her encouraging words surprised and entertained me.

A Wise Boy

I began a story about a wise man, Diogenes, to the kids yesterday but stopped to ask them if they knew what wise meant. Kian answered, "A man who saves his money." Abby answered, "Someone who keeps watch of his sheep." I thought those were interesting replies and explained it means very smart to which Abby replied, "Kian is wise!"

Lots of Growing Up Around Here!

Our kids have been growing by leaps and bounds lately! Not only is Felicity (age 1) walking like a maniac (no more crawling at all—and by the way, watching her walk is serious entertainment!), Ella is FINALLY using the potty 95% of the time (very happy parents here) AND Abby is almost 5, learning how to read and writing letters every moment she possibly can AND Kian has mastered reading and is reading everything he possibly can. Matt and I are amazed at how these kids have all grown so much so fast.

Kian asked to go to the library with me last night as I stocked up on books for our next month of homeschool. I consented. He then informed me, "I'm going to get electronics books and stay up all night reading!"

About a week ago after the girls were asleep and he was supposed to be asleep as well, he came out of his bedroom and asked me if he could stay up longer at night to read the Book of Mormon. I gave an enthusiastic response of course. I was happy he desired to read the scriptures on his own and he was happy he could stay up later. He's been reading about a chapter every night, even one during Sacrament meeting last Sunday, and seems to understand some of what he is reading. It certainly makes us happy to have such a motivated son.

You're going to Hell

Yes, some things Kian says truly shock us. While Kian was playing with a friend yesterday (as well as helping me dig a trench in front of our house), he said something truly shocking. This friend somehow mentioned that she didn't go to church. Kian's response was quick. "You are going to Hell," was his reply. "Kian, we don't say things like that to people," was my reply. This friend mentioned what her grandma thinks of those that go to church as being "square". The conversation turned to another topic.

Where did he get this idea??? Rhyetta and I have never said this to anyone and we certainly don't teach this to our kids. We have certainly talked to him afterward about how we don't talk to people like that.

A Man's Job

Yesterday while I was digging this 6x6 foot trench in front of our house to fix a crack in our foundation, Kian was being a great helper. He had a shovel and was helping me dig, as well as push dirt away from the trench so I could get more out without it falling back in. As the morning was turning into afternoon, neighbors and friends of the kids started appearing. One girl that visits her grandma came over. Of course the question "What are you digging for?" was asked by this girl. Questions were answered and she started playing with Kian. She so wants to help dig, but Kian has the second shovel and I was not going to stop digging. She asked Kian several times, and Kian answered, "No. This is a man's job". Now, I did not say that, nor would I say that to him or make him feel like there were boys jobs or girls jobs. I was not raised this way, and so this came out of no where, especially since Rhyetta helped me dig for a portion of the morning.

The things Kian says sometimes just shock us.

Bad Turns Good

The Bad-
Last weekend, when we got back from St. George, our tenant informed us that there was a leak somewhere behind the north wall of her living room. The carpet was ripped up and evidence of black mold was seen. What a way to end an already crazy holiday weekend. On Wednesday night, Rhyetta and I went down and started ripping holes in the wall (This was the living room that we did so much work on to make it look nice a year or so ago. Very sad to be ripping up the wall.). While cutting holes in the wall, mold was between sheet rock and wood paneling. We eventually had to cut over 16 feet of wall. We found a crack in the wall right next to the main water line that comes into the house. We called a water damage company to give an estimate on what it would cost to remediate this problem (talk about almost $3,000. Not what we wanted to hear.).

The Good-
Even though we found a crack in the foundation of our house, it was not an active leak and so a leak in the water main was ruled out. Rhyetta called her dad and brother for advice on what we should do and if we could do it on our own. We decided to do it on our own. Warren called us earlier in the week informing us he was coming up to help us. We also called a friend that used to work with concrete to see if he could help. We decided Saturday (yesterday) was the day we would get started. Rhyetta and I started digging up the flower bed in front of the house (too bad for the tulip bulbs that got dug up) around 8:00 in the morning. I spent most of the morning digging down almost 6 feet until I got to the footing of our foundation. Our friend came by and helped digging the hole. Kian helped dig the hole. We located the entire crack in the foundation. Warren got to our house around noon and all of the digging was done. What really was a good blessing is Clarence, our friend that worked with concrete, brought over foundation tar, sheet rock, and 2x4's so we got done much more than I was even expecting. The crack was sealed and the wall replaced in one day. Warren helped fill the trench in front of our house and we were finished by dinner time.

What was initially extremely bad news, turned into huge blessings for our family. Thanks to Clarence and Warren for their help. Thanks to Rhyetta and Kian for their help. Lastly, what makes this even sweeter: my body is not sore from digging all day long.

Ups and Downs

The week before last was a really good week. I got sleep at night, I was exercising, I was reading a lot, I felt on top of all of my responsibilities. I was full of gratitude.

Last week was not so good. I had a very sick baby which means not so good sleep which means sleeping in as much as possible in the morning instead of waking early to read and pray and journal. I did not feel on top of things and I did not exercise every day. It ended in St. George Friday night with a baby who did not sleep THE ENTIRE NIGHT. Matt and I felt like zombies and I was cursing and hating everything I could think of, even God.

Why do we so easily forget the blessings and good moments of life when we are faced with the bad ones? How can I ride out those bad days and difficult moments without feeling so witchy?

I read Thomas S. Monson's general conference article from November 2008 and he addresses this very problem. These are words from a prophet speaking directly to me about my concerns.

He says time marches on… "Day by day, minute by minute, second by second we went from where we were to where we are now." And with the passage of time comes change. "This is our one and only chance at mortal life—here and now."

Specifically for parents he says, "If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly." This is hard for me to believe right now but it must be true.

He quotes Sarah Ban Breathnach, "Both abundance and lack [of abundance] exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend…when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present—love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]—the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience heaven on earth."

I am thankful today for this article from the prophet. I'm thankful that he spoke these words and that I can read them and be uplifted by them today. I'm thankful for real answers and insights to my real concerns and problems.

What am I thankful for? A sweet juicy orange for a mid-afternoon snack, healthy and creative children, a full night's sleep, books to read, family that loves me, a most excellent husband, quiet time to read and write, and the guidance of the Holy Ghost. Oh yeah, and the prophet!

Brave or Crazy? You decide.

On Monday, Rhyetta answered the phone. It was the first counselor of our Bishopric asking us to give talks in church on Sunday. We were given the topic of Repentance. Rhyetta and I prepared our talks all week. However, as it does so often, life happens.

It happened to be a sick Felicity, and a trip to urgent care Saturday night. One of us, Rhyetta or myself, would get to stay home with Felicity while the other gave their talk. I elected to take Kian, Abby, and Ella to church and give my talk while Rhyetta would stay home.

Sunday morning came, after a night sleeping on the couch so Felicity and Rhyetta could sleep on the bed. To say the least, not a good night's rest. My talk was all prepared and so were the kids. Kids got into the car and we were off to church. If only the rest of the morning would go so smoothly. The sacrament portion of the meeting went well. It was my turn to give the talk. I brought a huge bag of twisties (pretzel twists the kids love from Grandma) thinking that having a yummy snack would keep them calm. Imagine this... I step up to the microphone to begin my talk and Ella starts crying. They are fighting over the pretzels. Looking down at my three kiddos, I just stood there. What could I do? Go back down to calm the troops? Gratefully, help arrived in the form of a Sister sitting on the same bench. Seeing that the kids were calm, I proceeded with my talk. Towards the end of the talk, I notice Abby and Ella making their way up to the stand. Ella sits down as Abby stands right next to me. OK, this isn't so bad right? It gets better though. Ella gets up and starts leaning over the banister and Abby starts playing with her Pet Shops while I finish my talk. Thank goodness Heavenly Father loves us even when we have trouble with reverence.

The talk was given, and I sit down. Kian approaches me mentioning he has to go to the bathroom. We all leave (couldn't you see the utter chaos Abby and Ella would wreak if I left them alone in Sacrament meeting??) and head down the hallway. Kian takes care of his business and we head back into the chapel. Ella and Abby are having trouble walking down the halls and this continues into the chapel. Kian isn't helping by maintaining his position in the front of this mob of three. Abby runs into someones foot and just continues to run to our seats. The whole time walking behind them, I wanted to say, "Whoever the parents of these kids are..." You can finish the thought with your own ending.

I was called brave for 1)Giving a talk today, and 2)for bringing all of the kids with me. Brave? Nah. Crazy? Well, lets just say that I will seriously reconsider next time.

We're in for it now!

The video says it all.



Can you count how many steps she has taken in this video?

Kissing and Slapping

Have I mentioned before that Abby loves drama?

The kids and I watched an old movie, Darling Lili, starring Julie Andrews that takes place during WWI. It was rated G so I thought we could all watch it together. We had just learned about WWI and the kids were surprisingly interested in it. Well, the movie shouldn't have been rated G. There was lots of suggestive dancing and LOTS of kissing.

We had to turn the movie off to make dinner (because Ella was ransacking the kitchen) and Abby and Kian were upset because they were so interested in the movie. I laughed at that because it was a very adult-themed movie (somehow rated G!) and asked Abby why she liked the movie so much, what was her favorite part of the movie. She answered, "I liked the part where she slapped him and then she kissed him!" I laughed for a long time.

Thoughts on Shakespeare and Bach

Anaise said in a comment recently, "You must be doing something right!"

And I had that very thought to myself a week or two ago…

Kian had been begging me to listen to his Charles and Mary Lamb Shakespeare CD-books at night as he falls asleep. His favorite is Macbeth because of the scene with the floating dagger. "Please, please, can I listen to Shakespeare?!" he asked. I thought, "I must be doing something right!"

Then, we were in the car on a long drive listening to classical music on CD, and Ella proclaimed, "This is Bach!" I replied, "Actually, this is Beethoven, Ella." Then she asked, "Is Bach dead?" I nodded. She frowned and replied, "I love Bach." I thought again to myself, "I must be doing something right!"

The Keeper of the Children

I'm in love with the book, The Keeper of the Bees, by Gene Stratton-Porter. It's so sweet and wholesome and beautiful and lovely. I wish I could live where Jamie lives and be Jamie for a time. I want to see the ocean, smell the beach, lie in the sunshine, take care of the bees, smell the flowers, rest, learn and have peace.

Yesterday in the middle of the day I found myself folding laundry and it was actually quiet. The baby was asleep and the older three were actually outside playing. It felt warm: it was 45 degrees! I recognized the peace of the moment and reveled in it. And then I realized my life is as ideal as Jamie's. I am able to be at home with my beautiful children, raise them, feed them, teach them, nurture them. They play well together—most of the time—and they were all outside playing at that moment! It was glorious! I had an unexpected moment of quiet which I love! I was folding laundry without interruption, smelling the faint bleach smell of my whites which I love so much. I realized I have my own paradise here: my home is my winter garden, my laundry is my flowers, my children are my bees. I thanked God for the sweet blessings.

Just call me, The Keeper of the Children!

A deep thought

Abby love poetry and stories. She often expresses herself sweetly. It doesn't get much sweeter than this:

 

"Mom, do you know what I feel in my heart?

I feel like Jesus on the cross."

 

Why such a profound thought? She fell off of our ladder outside and was hanging upside-down with her legs caught in the rungs of the ladder. Just bruises, thankfully.

 

Shall We Dance?

Apparently I'm not a real ballerina…

During an empty moment last night, I made Felicity laugh by doing an unexpected ballerina-type dance move. She watched from her high chair and danced along with me, raising her chubby hands up high and swinging them around with a huge smile.

Ella was watching as well. She did not approve of my dancing. She quickly got up and showed me how to really be a ballerina. "Like dis, Mom," as she twirled on one foot, her arms above her head, "Den, you dance." So, apparently, after you twirl around once correctly, you are then free to dance however you want to. That's how real ballerinas do it.

I imitated what she did but it was not right. "No! Like dis!" And she showed me again. I smiled and tried again. "No, Mom! Like DIS!" Oh! I think I figured out what I was doing wrong. I got up high on tip-toe, twirled around on one foot quickly and stopped, looking at her for approval. "Yes," she smiled at me, "Den you dance." I was given the okay to now dance however I liked.

Phew. That was close. If my daughters ever thought I wasn't really a ballerina…I can hardly think of it!

Cousins are the Best Friends a Kid Could Have

Abby Belle is dramatic. Abby Belle is emotional. When she cries, she wails. When she laughs, she belly laughs. When she falls down, she cries like she broke her arm. When she watches a funny movie, you can hear her laughing at the other end of the house!

Yesterday I told her the news that we would be in St. George at Grandma's house at the same time that her cousins and aunt and uncle, the Robertson family, would be there! She looked at me with a blank stare. I said, "You know, cousin Julie and her family!" Oh, when I put it that way she understood why I was excited! She asked, "Julie, my best friend?" I nodded assent. She rolled her eyes up toward heaven and fell backward in silence. She was so happy she simply collapsed!!

Blessings

This January has been filled with many blessings for our family. It started, of course as a new year. Being a teacher, I had two weeks off for winter break and Rhyetta was truly concerned about me returning back to work and having to deal solely with the kids again. We decided to fast and pray on Fast Sunday that when I returned to work, she would have plenty of patience, love, and inspiration on how to proceed with homeschooling. At the same time, I decided to read from the Book of Mormon each morning while eating breakfast before heading off to work. I also decided to have personal prayer before I headed off to work. In every prayer Rhyetta and I had together, or in my personal prayers, a prayer was offered up to bless Rhyetta with a great day. It was amazing how prayers are answered. Day after day when I asked her how her day went, she would say “it was good”, or “great”. Each week has been the same. In addition to Rhyetta receiving patience, and love each day, she also has been more inspired on how to proceed with homeschooling. BLESSINGS!!!

I have also prayed that our home would be filled with the Spirit, and that peace would reign. Reflecting on the past month, it is amazing to see what a change has taken place in our home. Like walking out of a fog, desires to be more like Christ have come. Desires of wanting to go to the temple often have come. The ability to talk with more patience, love, and understanding with our kids have come. We are not perfect, but in little ways we strive to be perfect; more like Christ. In our hymnal is the song “Count Your Blessings”. Our little family (compared to some in Utah) has received many blessings. I do not know how many; too many to count. What I am is extremely grateful for every blessing, small and great, we have received this year so far. As I contemplate where I will work next year, I strive to be in-tune to listen, and have the courage to follow promptings from the Spirit. I am grateful for each blessing received and hope to be worthy to continue to receive blessings.