"Why don't I feel like that's funny?" ---said after we were all (except Joseph) laughing at something goofy. That just made us laugh more!
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Natey's Baptism
Well, it's been almost a year since my last post...kinda pathetic. My computer is now in a better place where I see it a lot so I'll hopefully think about it. It used to be "outta sight, outta mind."
So, our Natey turned 8!! And he was actually baptized right on his birthday! He was really excited about that. It's handy when your birthday is on a Saturday!
It was fun to be here in Utah and to have so much of our family come. Afterwards we had doughnuts and chocolate milk. He received some very kind and thoughtful gifts. What a great day!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Read-A-Thon
I just finished reading three great books. So great that I neglected some things...that happens I guess.
The first was Little Women. This has become one of my most favorite books and I'm wondering how I missed out when I was younger. I guess I read several sensational (as Jo would call it), popular, not very meaningful books as a young woman. But this one...WOW! I could not put it down and I've continued to ponder on it since I read the last page. So many lessons for mothers, young girls, newlyweds, and those who want to be happy and find their way by doing what they know in their hearts is right. I love that Marmee allowed her girls to make their little mistakes, and to learn from them. She didn't constantly preach to them and she didn't tell them what to do in every situation. She taught them by her sweet example. She taught them by her patience and her love. Consistency...she's also a great example of this.
I'm waiting for Little Men and Jo's Boys to arrive in the mail. I'm a fan of older used books (cheap and cool) and so my Little Men is actually the 1913 edition. Hopefully, it's not falling apart, but as it was only $6 (including shipping) I thought it would be fun!
The second book was Tarzan of the Apes. I originally bought this to read aloud to the boys, but we hadn't gotten to it yet. I picked it up after putting Little Women down because I was still in the reading mode where you're not ready for the story to be over with. The first chapter heading, "Out to Sea," pulled me in and off I went. Also a very absorbing story though completely different! There have been many movies and spoofs and weird jokes made from this story, but the original is noble and awesome!
The third was The Narrative of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. What I learned from this book was several things.
Be careful what we do in the name of our religion. Our actions should be in line with our faith and our faith should not be an excuse for our actions.
The world would have us become thoughtless, ignorant and simply accept what's going on whether it's right or not, because it's what every one else is doing. Taking your own road and going against the grain can be difficult, uncomfortable, and sometimes, lonely.
But to believe and feel one thing.. and yet do another... that's hard to live with. Suffocating. If it's right, then do it... fight for it!
When we are given responsibility for others, we cannot give in to the temptation (which is usually there) to exercise unrighteous dominion. Though Mr. Douglass was referring to the effect slaveholding had upon slaveholders (causing them to become mean-hearted... even those who had once been kind), I applied it to myself as a mother.
I am responsible to care for, raise and teach 4 boys, and a little girl. These are spirits who have existed longer than time, who were faithful in the pre-existence, and who have been chosen by our Father in Heaven to be born at this time because they are valiant and He can count on them to serve Him by loving and helping others. When I feel inclined to be a mean grouch, I need to remember who they are, use wisdom, and treat them with the love and respect that will surely teach more effectively than a sharp tongue.
The first was Little Women. This has become one of my most favorite books and I'm wondering how I missed out when I was younger. I guess I read several sensational (as Jo would call it), popular, not very meaningful books as a young woman. But this one...WOW! I could not put it down and I've continued to ponder on it since I read the last page. So many lessons for mothers, young girls, newlyweds, and those who want to be happy and find their way by doing what they know in their hearts is right. I love that Marmee allowed her girls to make their little mistakes, and to learn from them. She didn't constantly preach to them and she didn't tell them what to do in every situation. She taught them by her sweet example. She taught them by her patience and her love. Consistency...she's also a great example of this.
I'm waiting for Little Men and Jo's Boys to arrive in the mail. I'm a fan of older used books (cheap and cool) and so my Little Men is actually the 1913 edition. Hopefully, it's not falling apart, but as it was only $6 (including shipping) I thought it would be fun!
The second book was Tarzan of the Apes. I originally bought this to read aloud to the boys, but we hadn't gotten to it yet. I picked it up after putting Little Women down because I was still in the reading mode where you're not ready for the story to be over with. The first chapter heading, "Out to Sea," pulled me in and off I went. Also a very absorbing story though completely different! There have been many movies and spoofs and weird jokes made from this story, but the original is noble and awesome!
The third was The Narrative of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. What I learned from this book was several things.
Be careful what we do in the name of our religion. Our actions should be in line with our faith and our faith should not be an excuse for our actions.
The world would have us become thoughtless, ignorant and simply accept what's going on whether it's right or not, because it's what every one else is doing. Taking your own road and going against the grain can be difficult, uncomfortable, and sometimes, lonely.
But to believe and feel one thing.. and yet do another... that's hard to live with. Suffocating. If it's right, then do it... fight for it!
When we are given responsibility for others, we cannot give in to the temptation (which is usually there) to exercise unrighteous dominion. Though Mr. Douglass was referring to the effect slaveholding had upon slaveholders (causing them to become mean-hearted... even those who had once been kind), I applied it to myself as a mother.
I am responsible to care for, raise and teach 4 boys, and a little girl. These are spirits who have existed longer than time, who were faithful in the pre-existence, and who have been chosen by our Father in Heaven to be born at this time because they are valiant and He can count on them to serve Him by loving and helping others. When I feel inclined to be a mean grouch, I need to remember who they are, use wisdom, and treat them with the love and respect that will surely teach more effectively than a sharp tongue.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Valentine's Eve
Well....I'm trying to pass some time until Jon gets home tonight. I guess I'm avoiding doing the dishes, but I've got to post sometime!
Jon took Danny, Nate, and Joseph ice skating at the Bountiful Rec Center tonight while I stayed home with Mary and Isaac. I got Isaac bathed, jammied, and fed and snuggled up in his bed...and I just have to say that he is the cutest baby. He's just about five months old and he's cuddly and smiley and happy. He loves to play with anything you put into his hands and whatever it is usually gets some serious drool treatment. My little Danny boy picks him up and carries him around the house. He hugs and kisses him and talks to him in such a cute voice. Today he told me that he just wanted to eat Isaac up because he's so cute. Isaac has such a wonderful influence on our home. Sometimes I get irritated or the kids get grouchy, but then Isaac wakes up from his nap and we bring him into the front room and pretty soon we're all cooing and snuggling and kissing his cheeks and we probably sound so funny but we just can't get enough of him. He makes us all so happy! I think that President Kimball said there should always be a baby in the home (I can't at the moment remember where or when he said that) because they are so pure and sweet and they cause us to be less selfish and more loving.
So, after baby went to bed, Mary and I had a little nail polish extravaganza while we sang nursery rhymes and looked at her nursery rhyme book. She is such a doll. She was SO excited to paint fingernails and toenails and SO excited that we were painting them pink. I was laughing to myself at her little Mary-isms (which are many) the whole time. Then we got her into her "kitty-cat" jammies and into her bed. I love my little girl.
Jon called after she was in bed to tell me they're on their way home. I talked to each of the boys and it sounded like they had a bit of a rough start with the ice skating but then they all found their groove and had a great time! Danny said he was "really good at it" and that he wants to go every week now. Nate said he was a "rock star!"
Now I'm just waiting for the rest of my cuties to get home.
I feel excited to see them and hug them and hear all about their little adventure with Dad! I love all my little Valentine's and my best Valentine of all, Jonathan. Oh, I hear the car pulling in! Goodnight!
Jon took Danny, Nate, and Joseph ice skating at the Bountiful Rec Center tonight while I stayed home with Mary and Isaac. I got Isaac bathed, jammied, and fed and snuggled up in his bed...and I just have to say that he is the cutest baby. He's just about five months old and he's cuddly and smiley and happy. He loves to play with anything you put into his hands and whatever it is usually gets some serious drool treatment. My little Danny boy picks him up and carries him around the house. He hugs and kisses him and talks to him in such a cute voice. Today he told me that he just wanted to eat Isaac up because he's so cute. Isaac has such a wonderful influence on our home. Sometimes I get irritated or the kids get grouchy, but then Isaac wakes up from his nap and we bring him into the front room and pretty soon we're all cooing and snuggling and kissing his cheeks and we probably sound so funny but we just can't get enough of him. He makes us all so happy! I think that President Kimball said there should always be a baby in the home (I can't at the moment remember where or when he said that) because they are so pure and sweet and they cause us to be less selfish and more loving.
So, after baby went to bed, Mary and I had a little nail polish extravaganza while we sang nursery rhymes and looked at her nursery rhyme book. She is such a doll. She was SO excited to paint fingernails and toenails and SO excited that we were painting them pink. I was laughing to myself at her little Mary-isms (which are many) the whole time. Then we got her into her "kitty-cat" jammies and into her bed. I love my little girl.
Jon called after she was in bed to tell me they're on their way home. I talked to each of the boys and it sounded like they had a bit of a rough start with the ice skating but then they all found their groove and had a great time! Danny said he was "really good at it" and that he wants to go every week now. Nate said he was a "rock star!"
Now I'm just waiting for the rest of my cuties to get home.
I feel excited to see them and hug them and hear all about their little adventure with Dad! I love all my little Valentine's and my best Valentine of all, Jonathan. Oh, I hear the car pulling in! Goodnight!
Friday, January 1, 2010
How to catch up?
Wow! So much has happened in my life in the last while...I don't even know where to start. My friend Shannon says it feels like a chore to do her blog but she does it to document her life right now. Oh, that made me feel a little guilty. It does feel like a chore to me too, but it's also fun.
My sweet husband spent/is spending New Year's weekend in Missouri so that he can get our house ready to put on the market. I can never get over how talented he is...he can fix ANYTHING! He made our home there very beautiful. I was watching the screensaver slideshow on our computer this evening and the tears started to come.
Babies, 1st birthdays, more birthdays, fireworks, neighbors, leaf piles, crawling babies grabbing Christmas tree ornaments, kids in trees, children holding smaller children, Easter egg dying, homeschool at the kitchen table, projects, library outings.
And then, all of a sudden, we get a new job and off we go....
I love my mom and dad, and Jon's parents. I love my brothers and sisters, their spouses, their sweet children. What an incredible joy it has been to see them so much. They are such neat people. I love to be with them, I love who they are, and who they are becoming. So why do I feel so sad about leaving Missouri?
I really shouldn't blog in the middle of the night when my husband is out of town and I'm feeling a little down.
Our little 7 year old nephew, Jared, passed away on Mary's birthday at the end of November. His parents, Andrew (Jon's brother) and Jaime spoke at his funeral. There words were comforting and beautiful and made the veil between our world and the spirit world seem very thin. Jared will always help me remember that this life is a temporary part of an eternal progression...or standstill. I want to progress. I want to be sealed to my family forever. I want to live with and serve my Father in Heaven.
"Draw near unto me, and I will draw near unto you"
Our former home and way of life isn't all- important, though I will always have precious memories of it. What is important is that I recognize the Lord's hand throughout my life. He has watched over me, protected me. He has lifted me up when I was weighed down by grief. He has given me a husband who I want to be with forever. He has given me precious children to be part of my family. He has blessed me with faith, which becomes more important to me as I grow.
He has forgiven me.
Only through Jesus Christ is it even possible that I can have the peace to hold my head up and be happy.
My sweet husband spent/is spending New Year's weekend in Missouri so that he can get our house ready to put on the market. I can never get over how talented he is...he can fix ANYTHING! He made our home there very beautiful. I was watching the screensaver slideshow on our computer this evening and the tears started to come.
Babies, 1st birthdays, more birthdays, fireworks, neighbors, leaf piles, crawling babies grabbing Christmas tree ornaments, kids in trees, children holding smaller children, Easter egg dying, homeschool at the kitchen table, projects, library outings.
And then, all of a sudden, we get a new job and off we go....
I love my mom and dad, and Jon's parents. I love my brothers and sisters, their spouses, their sweet children. What an incredible joy it has been to see them so much. They are such neat people. I love to be with them, I love who they are, and who they are becoming. So why do I feel so sad about leaving Missouri?
I really shouldn't blog in the middle of the night when my husband is out of town and I'm feeling a little down.
Our little 7 year old nephew, Jared, passed away on Mary's birthday at the end of November. His parents, Andrew (Jon's brother) and Jaime spoke at his funeral. There words were comforting and beautiful and made the veil between our world and the spirit world seem very thin. Jared will always help me remember that this life is a temporary part of an eternal progression...or standstill. I want to progress. I want to be sealed to my family forever. I want to live with and serve my Father in Heaven.
"Draw near unto me, and I will draw near unto you"
Our former home and way of life isn't all- important, though I will always have precious memories of it. What is important is that I recognize the Lord's hand throughout my life. He has watched over me, protected me. He has lifted me up when I was weighed down by grief. He has given me a husband who I want to be with forever. He has given me precious children to be part of my family. He has blessed me with faith, which becomes more important to me as I grow.
He has forgiven me.
Only through Jesus Christ is it even possible that I can have the peace to hold my head up and be happy.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Pre-Baby Campout
This was our last "getaway" before little Isaac was born. We wanted to go camping, but being 8 months along can put a cramp in your style! So we pitched the tent in the backyard and Jon made a fire pit (sorry about the smoke, neighbors) and we cooked hot dogs and s'mores and slept in the tent. It was SO MUCH FUN! Except that I got up 3 times in the night to come in the house and use the girls room. On the 3rd visit I crashed on the couch and said enough is enough! Fun times.
The fire pit feast!
The fire tenders.
OK, if my dad saw this he would say that this is definitely some cushy camping. Blow up mattresses, a tent you can stand up in with 2 rooms, lots of snuggly quilts. It's certainly not the roughing it that occured on our yearly summer backpacking trips. I say, you've got to start somewhere...we'll work up to it!Saturday, September 19, 2009
Isaac Wesley
Isaac Wesley born 9/15 (Tues) weighing 8lbs. 4oz. and 20.5 in. long. Thank you all for your prayers and kindness.
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