It'll Be Perfect

The other night Bob was on bedtime duty. All the kids were in bed, except Beth, who was still getting into PJs and also needed to put her bed back together (we'd washed her bedding earlier in the day). So Bob waited patiently downstairs for Beth to be in her PJs and to let him know she was ready for him to come up.

It was taking a rather long time, and finally Bob looked up the stairs, about to ask Beth if she was ready. There she was, with her little lip trembling as she tried to bite back her tears. Bob asked her what was wrong and she burst into tears and semi-wails!

"I can't put my sheets on my bed!"

Bob quickly mounted the stairs, cuddled her up and told her he could help her. So together they went back to her room, sheets in hand, to put the bed together. Just as it was "completed", Bob noticed that Beth was carefully smoothing out one particular corner. He mentioned that it was all together and she could get into bed and he'd tuck her in.

"No, Daddy. It's not perfect!" came the quiet, and almost panicked, reply.

Knowing that perfection was something Beth really struggles with and that when she gets stuck on the "perfection" concept it's almost impossible to pull her away until she's mastered whatever it is, Bob had some quick thinking to do.

"It'll be perfect when I tuck you in."

Daddies have a wonderful, magic touch with little ones. Even Beth, with her obsession for perfection, could not deny the magic of Daddy. So he tucked her in, and then the bed was perfect.

In The Midst Of It All

I'm trying not to ignore you all... through the blog that is... we're just underneath all the "harvest and wood" jobs right now. If it's not one thing, it's something else. But I do find that it's hardest when it's something not in the "normal" craziness of "normal" days.

In addition to yanking out the corn, onions, some carrots, and pumpkins this week... and the wood we've been trying to get into the barn (only about 8-10 wheelbarrows full left under the tarp!), I started babysitting. It's not a big thing... just a couple of kids after school. Right now, with the wacky after school activities, it's not even that many hours. Over the course of three days, I watched them 3 hours. (1.5 one day and .5 each of the other two). They are great kids, and though a little older than mine, they get along well for the short time they are here! Eventually it will be 2 hours a day (maybe a little more as travel gets a little less sure in bad snowy weather) five days a week... then down to four days a week.... and full days (probably around 9 hours) when school is out. This will last only through the "ski season".

So... cute stories are on hold... and I'd like to change the pictures on the side bar too... maybe get them updated... but that will have to wait as well!

Sweet Sunday Angels

My other story is has more to do with the love of three little children for each other - but very cute.

Sunday the girls were in their skirts and cute shirts. The day before they had seen some rather large maple leaves. Having gotten permission to go outside, they came back with two each of these very large leaves. They then asked if Grami would tie them together and put them on their backs so they could be angels!

So Grami, being as creative as she is, obliged and she had the presence of two little maple leaf angels in her home. After a time, though, the girls decided they wanted to go outside again. Jeremy immediately told them "No", but they already had the door open. And Jeremy began to scream in hysterics!

The girls came back, and and eventually Grami was able to get Jeremy calmed down. When she asked him why he was so upset and didn't want the girls to go outside. His reply, directed at the girls (and still sniffling) was:

"If you go outside, your wings will make you fly away and I'll never see you again!"

The girls were touched, but immediately started laughing! And then Bethie said:

"No they won't. We're too heavy!"

He accepted that answer with a huge sigh of relief - and the girls headed right outside - where, indeed, they were too heavy to fly away!

Camp Grandma

That's what Bob called it! The kids had a wonderful time! As I wasn't there myself, I don't have tons of stories to tell, but I do have a couple.... the first is about our Bug.

Grandpa Kevin has a bad back, so he sleeps on the couch in the living room. So this story is really from him - though I heard from my mom. In the middle of the night (I believe it was Saturday night), there was this strange little sound.... kind of like a shuffling. Grandpa Kevin is a very light sleeper, so naturally he wakes right up and tries to figure out what is going on. He looks around (may have even turned on the light, I didn't think to ask), and notices my little Jeremy pattering about. Trying to figure out what he needs (the bathroom or whatever) and Jeremy just never responds. So Grandpa Kevin turns him around and tells him to go back to bed. And he did... back to his bed, laid right down, and slept until morning!

Apparently one child takes after his mother - I use to sleep walk when I was about his age. My mother use to hear some sort of a scurry like sound every night. It would come to her room and then it would retreat. Finally one night she closed her door. She laid awake listen to what she was sure was a very large rat or something worse (we lived in Florida at the time). Sure enough, there was the scurry sound... and this time, instead of a retreat, there was a great big thud at the door. Slowly, and shaking (as she tells me) she got out of bed and opened the door. There she found me... laying on the floor! That's when she realized she needed to get the locks on the doors changed... they were the kind that you could still open from the inside, but not the outside. I don't know if the locks ever got changed or if she figured out some other way to feel safe with me sleep walking!

TOFW: An Amazing Experience

What a wonderful experience!

I know that all of our group who went came home as new women - refreshed, rejuvenated, replenished! It was wonderful - full of truths - which we know - but we needed to hear again or in another way!

Where I have been struggling horribly, I now feel I understand more. I feel I have hope and strength again. And I have come away with a better understanding of how I can help some that I love dearly, where before I felt helplessly lost.

I am grateful for the hand of the Lord. In His way, blessing us, and using those we come in contact with to do just that. I am especially grateful for the Priesthood - it is so real. It's power (the Lord's power) is real! It is amazing. And though promised blessings may not come immediately, they do come - just as they were pronounced - when we need them most!

Some of you know of this amazing experience which I personally had (and I know those with me also had amazing personal experiences). I do not feel I can share it over the internet - it was too special for that. But I can share that a special and much needed blessing given to me only a couple of weeks before was fulfilled. I did indeed come to know and feel the love of friends and family, and especially the love my Savior has for me. That love came in a way in which I was unable to push it back, but had to acknowledge and had to embrace! And with it has come clarity about certain things which have not made sense in my life and of where I am needed and how. I've been waiting for that moment - to lift me back up. And it came!

I'd love to share some of my favorite quotes from the weekend (I hope I got them all right, as I was writing as just about as fast as they were talking) - enjoy! Be uplifted!

Kim Nelson:
"Agreement and understanding are not the same."
"Learn to be complementive, not competitive."
"Love is ALWAYS a gift."
"Because God loves me, he allows me to bless myself and others by my choices."
"I want my artwork to be on God's fridge."

Michael McLean:
"My other use to say 'the only problem with life is that there is no background music.'"
(Speaking of the Lord) "You don't care what He says to you; you just want to know He's there."
"She doesn't know she's an angel."
(Quoting a young woman who lovingly and willing gave up her child for adoption) "When you've been in the darkness for a long time you don't believe you'll ever have that light again. And then it comes, just a little bit, and it's like water in the desert."

Mary Ellen Edmunds:
"There are two things which will rob ourselves of joy: Guilt and Contention."
"Guilt can be a good thing if it moves us to make some changes in our lives."
"The Lord says turn, return, come. Turn around as many times as you need to."
"Her next inspiration came from the Spirit - He really has fabulous ideas!"
"If our hearts are knit together in unity and love, we can feel when someone starts to pull away."
"Let's be kind to each other. Everyone has something."

Camille Fronk Olson:
"God has a way of bringing us down so we can be happier than we have ever been."
"Barrenness is a symbol o what we are without the Lord."
(Speaking of Hannah from the old testiment) "She wanted this child to give back to the Lord."
"If you build upon the rock of the Savior, it is impossible to fall."
"The Lord allows you to drop. When you think you are as low as it gets, He lets you drop again. But then He lifts you up higher than you have have been before."
"I've learned to rely on the Spirit in all things."
"The Lord gives us weakness to be humble."
"There is no joy without the Lord."

Kenneth Cope:
"His name never changes. His name is always Love."
"God put us here to fall, to be broken...but we could not have known joy unless we were broken."
"You are your Father's child and everything that means."
"Christ was all about 'Where should I go today?' There really is no balance...He did what He was suppose to do. He was led and He did it."

Merrilee Boyack:
"Service and Family Service will bring about good character, hard working, kind and loving people."
"Service is our tutorial to become like Christ."
"We CAN minister in little, tiny moments."
"He did not say to be well fed. We are to give it ALL away." (speaking of Christ's love)
"Caring is not enough. It is in response that one is saved."
"Christ suggested we do service because then it becomes our work."
"We will all have different promptings. We don't have to all do the same thing. The point is to do it!"

Jason Wright:
"Write to others. your letters can, will, do have an impact."

Sharon Larsen:
"Joy is our responsibility. We cannot have it without the Savior, but we play a part."
"Life is harder when you're not paying attention."
"As soon as we turn our troubles, trials over to the Lord, we can feel joy."
"The Lord knows what will make us happy."
"It takes FAITH."

Banished

So I sent them away! WHAT WAS I THINKING?

No, really, they are staying with my mom - they need this - I need this - she needs this - it works out great!

There's a special Time Out For Women that a bunch of friends are going to. I was planning to go, even bought a ticket (actually, I bought up a bunch for my friends and I), and then sat down with our "new budget" since finances had shifted for this next teaching year, looked over the dance schedule, looked over Bob's schedule, and my mom's schedule, and realized there was no way I could go!

One of these friends kept calling and trying to get me to go anyway - she knew I really needed this. But I'd already sold off my ticket, so that was that. Besides, like I mentioned before, schedules weren't going to work out. Then, a couple days ago another friend started getting sick. Yesterday morning she and her kids were sick. She was not going to be able to go. So, there was the extra ticket - and briefly I wondered if there was any way I could make things work out! - NOPE - I had already looked at everything over and over again.

As soon as I got off the phone with her, my sister and my mother called to wish me a happy birthday. It was a wonderful surprise. And I told them what was going on - between the two of them, they offered to take my kids for the weekend so I could go - assuming I could meet them half way last night.

Well... that was leadership (and I needed to be there for the Cub Scout stuff).... but then I thought since Bob wouldn't be able to get anything done anyway (he'd have Peter) that maybe he'd agree to meet my mom. Sure enough, he did saying "Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday" repeatedly!

So I went to put Peter down for his nap telling him that when he got up he could go see Grami - well, he did think he needed a nap any more. But I made him anyway. When he got up, he didn't see me, laid on his back and screamed. I came up, asked if he wanted to eat and go to Grami's. So he jumps up, runs to the stairs - down we went - hand him his lunch - two bites - hop down - run and grab shoes - the last hour he fussed at me and tried to pull me out the door. He was so thrilled that he bounced up and down almost the whole way to swap cars with Bob.

Peter never fussed... easily said good-bye to Bob and let Grami take him - this morning, all the kids are happy, playing and don't seem to mind being away from Mom at all.

I'll be glad to have them back at the end of the weekend, though! I love them and already miss them.

Dinner's Flight

So I'm making dinner... Gabi choose Chicken and Dumplings - something I love so I certainly wasn't about to turn her down. Noticing that today was a beautiful day, I knew that Bob would want all the daylight I could spare to finish up the wood pile outside (since he has the use of a friend's splitter for a short while). So, good wife that I am, I promptly put off making dinner and pretend it's not even close.

The children wander outside (thus the comment below), and when Peter was done with that and Gabi and I were finally ready to begin our dinner prep, I settled Peter in with a movie. All was well.... out tromps Gabi to the garden to dig up those wonderful fresh veggies for the soup. Meanwhile, I gather the inside ingredients and begin cutting the veggies we had already picked and stored.

All is well... it's a slow process (everything from scratch) and I was in no hurry, so we really took our time. This was great for Gabi as she was able to do most of the putting together by herself.

Well, the daylight begins to fade, the movie runs out of entertainment value, and Peter decides it's time to help move things along. First it's just a couple spoonfuls of peanut butter. (Hey, whatever it takes to tie him over so he's not yelling at me)... then, when I'm in the middle of mixing up the dumplings (which I decided to use the mixer for), Gabi decides she needs to help.

Promptly a chair presents itself and instead of one helpful child I find the chair has two! No big deal. We're still putting the ingredients in and it doesn't look to tasty yet. So I turn back to stir the soup for a minute....

That's when I heard it... a slight whirling sound... I turn and..... OH NO!!!!!!!!!!!! .......dough, unmixed flour and milk, are flying all over the kitchen! Yikes! TURN IT OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!

There, on the chair, stood my sweet little boy - covered in dough - eyes almost sealed shut with the stuff! For a moment I didn't know if I should stamp my feet and scream, scold him, or laugh.... in the end, I simply told Gabi to take him into the bathroom and clean him up.... that's when I thought of the camera - but, alas, I was too late.... Gabi was too quick to obey!

Clean or Dirty

"Mom, can we get dirty?"

"Yeah. You can get dirty."

"YAY! We can get dirty!!!!!"

(I had no idea Jeremy needed permission to get dirty outside!)

Fair Experiences

To our great enjoyment, the fair just down the road decided to return - there the larger fair in anothehad been rumors that last year was it's last. Though we've always gone tor town, we decided to try this one instead. I'm not big on crowds and it's only a walk down the road instead of a drive to hunt for parking and then fear that I'll loose the kids.

Saturday, after dance, I packed the boys into the double stroller, and all the kids and I walked down to the fair. (Bob had to work) The girls were so excited, as they remembered going on rides last year. When we arrived, I divided the entry money between the girls (one price for the whole family!!) and they eagerly tried to pay the man. He looked us over, smiled, told me I was brave and that he was only going to charge for me! Saved us $8!

As we walked over to the rides (this is the most exciting part for kids - right?) we were entertained by an amazing trash can band. I did not get pictures because of the eagerness of the girls to get to the rides - and because I thought I'd have time to after they were done. (I, of course, was wrong). But Gabi, Beth and Jeremy were all able to ride on the kiddie rides. Gabi is still small (I have small kids), so she didn't get to do the big rides yet. Probably next year - if we can take someone along who likes to do that kind of stuff!

I was amazed that Peter just sat in the stroller, watching everyone else ride, never complaining, just excited to see the "train" and the "trucks" that the others were riding. The only "trouble" worth noting was when the three were on the "roller coaster" - which Jeremy was uncertain of when it first started, and by the fifth or sixth time around was ready to scream. He only started to fuss a little on the last part of the last round. Though the girls were eager to do it again, Jeremy would not go back to it!

After the fun rides, we wandered back over to the little farm area. The larger fair is much better for animals - although you have to walk through three or four barns to see them all. But this little area was perfect for my young children. Peter got out of the stroller and was so excited. It seemed his favorite were the geese! He'd pet which ever animals I'd let him, and point, grin and babble at everything that I wouldn't let him touch. Jeremy loved the roosters - walking around and crowing along with them. I loved the doves - a perfect pair of white doves!

Since we had time - we wandered along, looking at everything. We stopped and got some popcorn and settled down for a little snack. Half way through that, we noticed the magician was setting up, so we headed back over. When we got there, Professor Paddy Whack was all set to start playing and singing some silly children's songs. The kids really enjoyed that. Peter wasn't too happy with the volume, but as long as I held him, he was content to stare at the strange, loud man. Jeremy was treated to a "balloon banjo" to "play along" - the magician also makes all sorts of balloon shapes and animals. Jeremy was a little confused until I showed him how to work it. Then he wouldn't let anyone else touch it!

As soon as the music ended, we moved into the tent a little further to watch the magic show - which, as we all know, is as much a clowning act as it is tricks! The kids were delighted - though weary from time to time as different people got up to "help out". They soon figured out that it was all fun. Gabi was even chosen to go up for the last trick. She was so excited... and so was I... until I realized my battery had died!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And, of course, in my rush to get us all out the door... and wanting to take as little as possible with us.... I had left the spare battery in the camera case at home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What as I thinking?!?!?!?!?!?!

Oh well.. she had tons of fun! She got to be the one to hold the "magic wand" that, of course, wouldn't stay together! At first, when it fell apart and the magician started asking her what she did, she got all serious and a little "nervous" and started trying to "explain" what happened (she's way too much like her mom) - then she figured out it was part of the show and started laughing so hard she could barely finish helping! She got to make a "bunny" - though the first attempt brought out a green cloth with a picture of a bunny eating a carrot on it out of the black hat. Then she got to tap a box... and out pops a real live rabbit!

She was so good about not having any pictures... she simply said (after the initial look of disappointment) "That's okay, Mom. We can still blog about it!" (Isn't she sweet!?!)

Jeremy had been asking for fireworks since Thursday... so I let the kids stay up late, in the hopes that we'd actually be able to see them. I didn't want to take the kids back to the fair because I knew Peter just needed to be in bed... 8pm is past his limit! So, at 9:30pm we headed out to the deck to watch for popping lights! Sure enough, they were high enough that we could see them from our front porch! It was wonderful to just watch - not worry about loosing my kids in the dark, to how we were going to get out and get everyone home in one piece! It was a wonderful way to end the night!

The Sports Life

Soccer season began two weeks ago. It's not too bad - though all the kids are involved this year. Gabi is playing on the K-2 team again, and this time Bob is coaching! She excited about that, and most of the kids already known him from baseball. They haven't started playing games yet - there has been a lot of trouble trying to get the other rec chairs to help us out in setting up games. But when that all comes together, they will be playing on Saturday mornings. They are even doing a Round Robin Tournament late in October!

The pre-school group was one I was helping with. The original "coach" (if you could call us that) and her family are moving, so I am taking over as the head. That should be interesting since Peter is technically too small to be int he pre-school group. Never -the-less, they are all having fun. It's only one night a week, so it's not bad either.

This week marked the beginning of dance for this year! The girls are ever so excited. Gabi has moved away from Saturdays onto Thursday nights now. She even started pre-jazz (although they won't be doing a jazz dance - so just three dances for her again). She dances for an hour and 45 minutes straight!

All of the kids in Beth's combined 3-4 year old class last year have moved up. Obviously those who are now 5 years old moved to the Kindergarten class, but those who are now 4 are trying it out! So, we decided to do the same. The motivation was not wanting to upset Beth when she realized all her friends were in the other class, as well as having class in the morning instead of through lunch! As far as the dance skills go, she's definately ready. She practices all the time and can even do much of what Gabi does because Gabi teaches her. So I wasn't concerned about that part at all.

Anyway, this morning was the first class for Beth and she did great! Not a single break down (mild or full blown), smiles the whole time. She even readily made new friends with some kids who switched over to her dance studio this year! She's so happy to be dancing again - and especially excited that she'll be doing 3 dances this year instead of 2! She's also dancing for an hour and a half instead of just one hour!

So, the "sports life" begins again! It's crazy (I know, it will get crazier as they get older and the sports take up more time!) but we're enjoying it! It's great to have the kids out and involved!

Butterflies

For anyone who has not been following our home school blog, we had found some caterpillars a few weeks ago. We were able to watch them form chrysalids and then waited. Monday we were able to watch them emerge. We even got one on a little movie.

If you're interested in watching it, just got to Fly Away Home. The video is about half way down in the post.

With His Guiding Hand

Our family has had some interesting and very emotional moments over the year. Some of which some of you know about, many of which no one but us knows about. It's that the way it is in most families?

Anyway, over the last several weeks I've really been struggling - emotionally - and not really being able to figure out what the problem was. I guess it was probably a lot of things - some big, some small, some in between. Never-the-less I was at a moment of "wallowing" in my emotional state. Don't misunderstand me. I wasn't trying to stay in such a draining state, but I didn't have the strength to pull myself out. And I felt I was falling deeper and deeper. Yet some how not really depressed - just emotional.

When I say I was wallowing, I mean that I wasn't allowing myself to move forward. I wasn't working towards a better me. I had become settled in the state that I was in. Not that I liked it, but that's the way it was.

I think we are often finding ourselves in such situations. Maybe not always emotional - I certainly hope not - but content to just be. To accept ourselves and not being willing to move forward to become better and stronger people.

I was blessed to have the experience of my little Peter walking with me in the woods behind the house. Actually, all the kids were with me, but Peter was special. I've always loved how he holds my hand to go with me anywhere. He insists on it, not just letting me take his hand when I feel the need, but insisting that it's necessary.

While we were in the woods, he'd stop and go off to the side of the path, kneel down and start to look at something. He'd immediately glance back up at me to see where I was. Certain that I was still near by, he would go back to studying whatever it was he was looking at.

He would glance back at me often enough that I would never be able to get more then two steps away from him before he'd jump up running toward me with his hand out reached. He'd catch up, grab my hand and slow to a steady walk beside me until I'd stop again. Then he'd go to the edge and explore once more.

In my emotional state, I saw this briefly as a set back. The other kids were already at the end of the first trail waiting for us so we could begin on the loop. But then the thought struck me that he was doing exactly what we all should be doing with the Savior. He wasn't afraid that I would leave him, but he knew that it was safe to be near me. He knew that it was okay, and even good, to explore on his own, with me near-by. But he also knew that when I moved ahead, that meant it was time to move on.

As I pondered this, I came to realize that the Lord was teaching me a very valuable lesson. We've all heard of how we should reach up and the Lord will take us by the hand and lead us. Well, He also allows us to learn, to grow, to explore, to become better. He shows us the way, leading us by the hand. Then He lets go, so we can grow. But He is not content to let us stay becoming stagnant. After a time of exploring, or testing, or becoming better at a certain thing, He takes a few steps forward, beckoning to us that it's time to advance a little further. If we are watching Him always (as we should be), we will take notice and jump up to follow immediately, with outstretched hand ready to hold His hand and let Him guide us to the next place in our lives.

Our Savior never leaves us. He is always near to us. Sometimes He gives us enough room to grow, to become more perfect in a particular area, but He never walks away. He will lead. He will beckon, and He will wrap His hand around our own. He will keep us learning and growing, that we might not become stagnant and loose sight of what matters eternally.

I am grateful for the lessons He teaches us. And grateful for my children who help me to grow, to learn, and to be reminded of important truths. I am especially grateful for the beckon call of my Savior which has helped me to begin to find my footing and move forward.

Barn Swing

One of the great joys of our barn, that we discovered when we first moved in a few years ago, was that of two large barn swings! They don't get used all that often - or at least they hadn't as the kids weren't really big enough to hold themselves on them.

Well, one of the swings was rediscovered this weekend! The kids (at least the older three) love it! I loved the way they got along, taking turns, and just how peaceful it looks as they'd move back and forth in the barn to just outside the barn door!

Wood

Well, since we heat with wood, that means there is "extra" work to be done in getting ready for winter to come. Bob has spent many afternoons and Saturday morning chopping what he could... by hand! Well, thanks to our home teachers, he now as use of a splitter for the really big stuff... and we'll see what else depending on how fast that goes.

Anyway, we had this lovely big pile of wood that was just sitting out, airing, and knew there was a bunch of rain heading our way. That meant it was time to stack it undercover, where it will live until we bring it into the house to burn. This year, we had more hands available to help out - and since we're trying to teach our children the principle of "hard work", yet "fun work", and that we all benefit from what we help with, we got everyone involved. Bob did the most, of course, and the kids were back and forth playing and helping. Peter took a nap, and I, of course, was involved in getting him there and taking care of snack needs and such. Never the less, we all worked well together!

Each of the kids helped by filling the wheelbarrow, then either Bob or myself would run that in. A game was created to see how busy everyone could keep Daddy. So, while he was unloading the wheelbarrow, we'd all bring in more wood to add to what he was staking! Then the kids stopped helping to fill the wheelbarrow (except for Peter) and just kept taking him more wood so that Peter and I could get the wheelbarrow filled back up before Bob ran out of wood to stack! It didn't always work, but it certainly kept things moving right along.

It always feels good to work together and to get things ready for the winter!

A Little Mud - A Lot Of Laughter

So this sounds a bit like Mud Season... although that was just before / during spring. No, this is kid made.... kid enjoyed!

There are few things that I truly hate... dislike, sure... strongly dislike, yeah... .but not typically hate. Well, kids and mud - that's something I hate.... or at least normally!

The other evening my children were going to go play in the kiddie pool. No big deal. Then I see them lugging buckets of water over to the swing set (which is also the play dirt area) and dumping it out. Sure enough, they'd create a puddle and then jump up and down laughing as the mud splashed all over them. Slightly irritated at first, I then thought "at least they're in swimsuits."

When I went out to "watch" the fun, Peter wanted to join in. He was not in a swimsuit, so I promptly stripped him down to his diaper... there is just about nothing worse than trying to get mud out of clothes!

It was fun to watch their excitement, though! It's that what life is all about?

A Few More Turned Items

Bob has continued to enjoy exploring the different creations he can make. Here are a few more picture of things he's done. The two rolling pins are child size! The kids love them, although he has them on display at the middle school right now.


I love the effect of the "burned rim" on this bowl! It really brings out the rest of the character nicely! He did used the same effect on the handled rolling pin! And on the "odd thing" which doesn't have a name... it's really neat looking, but had started as a rolling pin only to end up with a crack that then took off a huge chunk... someone said he should round it over a little and make it into one of those pestles... or mortar... which ever part that should be! :)


I know the lighting isn't great for some of them... it was late and indoor light just isn't as nice... even with the flash. I also should have put those two on something other then the wood table... oh well... live and learn!

Ward Picnic

Okay, so I'm back tracking... my head has been muddled up quite a bit lately. Don't really know what's going on, but anyway....

Monday (Labor Day) was the annual Ward Picnic. Normally this event is over flowing and never enough chairs. This year turned out to be much smaller... I guess it was the year for people to "picnic" else where. Regardless, we had fun.

As usual, Bob was asked to provide his (seemingly) famous fries! So we packed up early and set out. Fortunately Peter was asleep, and willing to stay that way for a real nap, so I was able to go about helping set things up. What a strange feeling that was! No baby to chase after.

Anyway, the kids were helping Dad with the "fry cutting" and enjoyed themselves... Gabi stayed to continue helping with that. Beth and Jeremy started helping with the tables and chairs... that's not an easy thing for little ones. Jeremy even got to roll out the big trash cans! And, since chairs are typically an issue, we decided to have a "kids table" this year We brought out the two low tables and all the little kid chairs to go around. Jeremy was especially great with that, he unstacked the chairs and put them around the table!

But, since I was helping with all that, I didn't have my camera on my hip, and therefore didn't get some adorable pictures... but hey, just picture my cute little three year old boy hefting those chairs and grinning all the while! I did get a picture of him "helping" to roll a table back in afterward!

Beth was very inventive! She found a stick and then took her napkin and made herself a flag. She loved to wave it and then spin in circles making it ripple around her!

We had a nice time, and it was great to visit with people... we even made dough boys this time! We just might make those again next year.. I guess we'll just wait and see!

Stomp Like A Dino

Not long ago the kids watched a Diego movie about Dinosaurs. In it there is a little chant and action thing they do. Well, it has stuck! They all seem to enjoy it, although it's about run it's course with the girls. Peter, however, seems to think any time you stomp your feet or clap your hands it's time to start up!

The last couple of nights he's especially enjoyed it. And in order to do it over again, he had to communicate. It didn't take long for him to do the signs for "more, please" over and over again every time we'd get to the end.

Anyway, we think it's really cute, and we're really glad that he's using signs, so we tried to get a little movie for you all.... we have a cute movie, but you won't see the signing. Peter was too excited to finish performing so he could watch it! You really should see him when he's not performing - the roar is sooooo much better!

Creative Memories For Sale

If you're interested or know someone who might be, I have some of my Creative Memories Supplies (which I'm selling off- making room for home schooling) able to be viewed at the link below. Take a look, or send someone over.

CM For Sale

Some Cute Sayings

We had a church picnic today. Yesterday, while visiting with our friend Terri, Bethie says:

"We're having a picnic tomorrow. Do you want to come to our picnic?"

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Jeremy: "The rocky road, that we call the bumpy road, is a dirt road."