Truth Eternal

Our Thanksgiving was really excellent because John’s sister Joan, and her husband Joe, went to the trouble of driving 10+ hours with their 3 little kids to come and see us.  The kids and I hadn’t seen them for 4 years!   

John and I enjoyed hanging out and talking with Joan and Joe the best.  We got to go out to eat gyros and custard-  YUM!  

I am really kicking myself for not getting a pic of their whole cute family.  I didn't even bring my camera to Thanksgiving!  This is all I got:

Joan helping Joan make PBJs...

Blurry River and Joe showing off helicopter stuff to our kids...

and Rivers feet.  (Joe is showing the kids how to chart a helicopter route. 

He also showed them some other cool pilot gadgets.)

No pics of Ezra or Cora!!!  Boo.

Joan and Joe were both patient and kind to all of the kids. I was especially impressed with how kind they were to Noah, listening to him and enjoying his honest nature  “Wait a minute!  You are joking!”  

I was impressed with how calm and mature Ezra and River are.  Ezra especially was very grown up (and had his 13^th birthday while here!).  They both got on my good side by adoring Eva, and she thought they were pretty neat, too (would actually lean to them).  Cora was cuter than I thought she would be (besides being a little genius)- and I had thought she would be pretty cute.  The only problem with craziness was our kids were so excited to have them here, OUR kids would not calm down and go to sleep.   Their kids all came down to our early morning devo and read scriptures with us (and Cora tolerated us dictating to her what to say- we didn’t know she can read proficiently). 

We were able to go to my mom & dad’s house for Thanksgiving-   bonus of not having to cook the whole meal myself, plus I got to show off my extended family to Joan and Joe.    Joe was impressed with the cooking in general, and especially the pies.   Mom and Kim cooked spectacularly, as usual.  And Ryan made a really yummy sweet potatoe pie. 

Everyone humored me by playing a few rounds of Mafia (during half-time).  Yay!  I was one of the mafia with Adalyn on the last round. 

(Side note:  We later played a game of mafia as a family, where Noah was one of the mafia.  I asked him if he was it, and he said “NOOOO” while holding the corners of his mouth down, as his eyebrows twitched, and then he grinned an evil grin.  I laughed so hard I could not breath.)

It was weird the next few days after Joan & Joe left-  we kept feeling like we were missing kids and recounting heads!  We were pretty bummed they were gone.  It took Ammon a bit to notice.  The 2^nd day after they left he was eating his breakfast and suddenly asked “Where’s Tora?”

Studies

The little kids (under 8s) favorite books to browse are the submarine book above (lots of pics of torpedoes and some helicopter pics), and several Audubon guidebooks (we have learned the most from the North American mammals book).   Ammon likes to stare at the star book (I am not sure why, as all the pics look similar to me!) and Joan likes to stare at the shell book (ditto!).

The boys recently finished the Hobbit, and are on to the Lord of the Rings series  (Mark is reading it out loud to James and Noah).  Noah is reading Sense and Sensibility.  (Books that we have the movie to are some of his favorites).

Sarah and I are finishing up listening to "Little Women" and have had some good discussions.  We are both disgusted with Jo for not marrying Laurie.  Growing up, I related well with Jo's character, and could not fathom why she would not marry him!  I think in reality I married a nice mix of Laurie and Mr. Bauer-  handsome and humorous, but also generous and kind!  My main thoughts as we listen are:  "I am so blessed!" 

Now Let Us Rejoice

My mom and dad stopped by on their way back from a bagpipe event (fulfilling the request of someone with terminal cancer).   He walked up to the house playing the bagpipes (Surprise!  We didn't know they were coming).

G. Mark asked Ammon "Do you want me to play another song, or be all done?"  Ammon said "Play another song." and then covered his ears.

It was VERY loud-  I am pretty sure all of our neighborhood could hear it!

The Dr. Dolittle play is over! (!!!)

The kids worked hard (LOTS of practices at the end) and did a great job.

The FACT directors and all the moms and dads did a LOT of free volunteer work,  just for the kids to get to have this fun experience.

Here are some Dr. Dolittle pics:

Katie & James were background animals-  in Dr. Dolittle's office and at the circus. 

Mark was half of the pushme-pullyou, and a villager and warrior.

Sarah was in lots of villager scenes and a warrior.

They had to learn a lot of songs and dances, and they worked pretty hard!

Mark and Sarah on the far right below 

Mark as the pushme-pullyou (he is the half on the left in this pic).

You could tell which one he was during the play, because he would bite anyone that pet him:

Sarah looking pretty and moving props around, which she did a lot of:

She worked very hard to do a good job, even though she did not have a speaking part.

She sang loud, and was EXTREMELY expressive.

She said she would try to think of something that would make her feel how she was supposed to feel for that particular scene.

Here she is, 3rd from the left, fist in the air during a gleeful protest scene

(Kate is also in the very front, under the duck):

They would not hold still afterwards for very long for me to take pictures.  

Cupcakes with their names on them had been promised, as soon as they got their costumes put away!

One of our good friends was very sweet and brought them bouquets-  flowers for the girls, candy for the boys.   Kate and Sarah enjoyed sticking flowers in our hair throughout the week!

James informs me he is desperate for the bathroom, not a cupcake, in the above photo.

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Other highlights of our week:

BURIED TREASURE...

We had the septic tank pumped (supposed to about every 3-5 years).

The septic tank guys would charge $25 less if John went out and removed the caps before they came.

The caps are 1 1/2 foot concrete square lids with small metal handles.

Joan was sitting at the window watching John dig in the yard, brushing dirt away from the edges to expose a lid.

She hollered  "GUYS!!!   Dad found a treasure box in the backyard!"

(She added smugly to herself later  "OUR Dad knows how to find treasure!")

Ammon was also very impressed by the huge truck with a straw (I carried him out and let him watch.  LARGE EYES.  He really likes cars.), and he requests me to tell him stories of the "poo poo tank" repeatedly.

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LITTLE MIRACLE

My miracle of the week was the inspiration to feed Eva her baby food in a cup and not a bowl.

It was taking me 45 mins to feed her, and now it is about 20 (she gulps it out of the cup).

It may seem like a small miracle to you, or maybe even idiotic that I didn't think of it myself earlier.

Logical as it may seem, the idea did not occur to me.

I knew Heavenly Father would know a way for feeding her to take less time, if it was possible (which seemed IMPOSSIBLE to me), and I got the idea to feed her from a cup that same day.

Endless little sips turned into manageable gulps.

THANK YOU!!!

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SIT & BE FIT???

We had fun doing this activity earlier this week:

simple-sitting-test-predicts-longevity

You are supposed to sit down on your bottom on the floor, and then get back up again.

If you can do it without using a hand or a knee, and no wobbling, you get a total of 10 points- 5 for getting down, 5 for getting up.

Minus one point for each appendage you half to use, minus a half point if you wobble.

It supposedly an accurate predictor of how long you will live.

(OR how likely you are to die!)

It was A LOT harder than I thought it would be!

It was fun to watch John and the kids try to do it.

Yes, if you use the side of your leg, that is minus 1 point.

I sat down easily, but was stunned I could not get up without using my knee.

Kate was the only one who got a 10.

(she figured out to get up with her legs splayed in a wide squat, leaning far forward)

The point is not to freak out that you are going to die, but to get more active ( & limber!) so you won't!

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MY STUDIES

I haven't been getting to study or read to the kids as much as I would like.

I have been listening to little snatches health podcasts, and classic books, when I can though.

John is reading "To the Rescue"  (Pres. Monson's biography) to me in the evenings, and Sarah and I listened to "Persuasion" on audio book  (*SIGH*  ROMANTIC!  I am turning my kids into Jane Austen junkies.)

I have a goal to read each of current conference talks before the next one comes up, and write notes of the main points of each, and then study the 5-6 ones that ring for me.

It isn't working out so far.

I have been LISTENING to one talk a day, but that is a far cry from reading it and looking for the main points!

Working on it!

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The Morning Breaks

I have decided to use hymns as titles, mostly randomly, to avoid  “Some cute pics from Nov.”  “Some cute pics from Oct.”  which is all I can usually think of.  (although this one fits.  The toddlers are still adjusting to daylight savings time. 5:15am, anyone?)

I have been trying to not feel frustrated at the little I can get done each day.  I know Heavenly Father does not expect more of me than I can do, but I get impatient with myself.   

I am a human do-ing, John is a human be-ing.  I am mostly happy when I get stuff done!  (see John L. Lund   For All Eternity  - our favorite marriage c.d.-  he is just funny in general!  Thanks, Joe, for introducing us!)  "How can you be so calm when the house is a mess?!"  "It's just a talent I have."

We are pretty organized-  laundry gets done (thanks, Mark!), meals are mostly on time  (Thanks, Sarah, Mark, and James!!!), things are mostly picked up  (thanks, me!).   But I feel pretty bummed if I don’t get at least a little extra (papers sorted, blog posted, pants mended, etc.).   So I am bummed most of the time!

(I get lots of snuggles, though, and that helps!)

(Baby Vampire!)

I SHOULD be super-grateful!  I was only nauseous for a month, and I only need a little extra sleep.  I made some small dietary changes, but I don’t know if that is why.  I still ate stuff I shouldn’t.   I am really blessed, but not as grateful as I should be!  .   Walking around and NOT feeling exhausted or like throwing up is something you take for granted really quickly!

I should probably change my expectations, per Virginia Hinckley Pearce .(She had 4 kids under 4, I think- 1 set of twins).   YAY!   The kids are all alive today!  I am a great mom!!!

I was buckling Joan in her car seat yesterday (the Barnes’ gave us some lovely cut deer meat we picked up.  Yay!) and I was singing “It’s a jolly holiday with Joanie!  Joanie makes the sun shine bright!”  (it was chilly (50?) , but very sunny)   She looked around at the bright sky and said “I DO?!”   

(I explained she makes the sun shine bright for Mom and Dad because we would be sad if we didn’t have her, and she was happy with that, too.)

Eva is adorable.   Quick to smile and super-snuggly (at least with me, anyway!)   Very cheerful and easy going. (I have gotten several of those in a row.  I don’t mind!!!)   If she is crying-  she is usually hungry, tired, or needs a diaper change!

Her favorite word is “Hi!”, which she says “Hieeyiyiyi!” going up and down in pitch.  She also barks when she hears dogs on our walks.  Squeals, jabbers, and barks when she sees any animal, including cats and squirrels.  She can do the “more” sign (she always wants more food!)  She has said “Uh-oh” a few times.    She will sometimes give kisses and give high-fives, but if you are a brother (or a silly grandpa) she will probably grin and smack you in the face.

She is eating super-gourmet baby food (homemade Paleo).   She WON’T drink much water (my kids usually don’t, until they are around 1), so I have to mix it with her food and it takes FOREVER to feed her.  I spend most of my time doing this (except when other adorable people help me!  Thank you!!!):

I got to take a salmon-pumpkin-bellpepper soup bath this morning because she was over-eager and pulled the bowl into my lap!  

(Mark pretending to be electrocuted.  Pretty convincing, I think)

Eva with my Dad at Trunk-or-Treat.

James is the skeleton behind

(I did his face paint.  Hurrah for me!)

Joan and Ammon are unseen, sitting on the sidewalk behind.

They sat still for 30 mins (rare) munching out of their own little pretzel bags.

Mark, Sarah, James and Kate have all been in a play-  “Dr. Dolittle” with Franklin Area Community Theater.  I don't have any good pics (not totally dark) of them yet. 

Maybe next time...

Eva's Blessing

Eva received her baby blessing on March 3rd.

John gave the blessing, and Bishop Davis, Grandpa Mark, and Uncle Michael got to be in the circle, with Mark holding the microphone.

There are other friends in the ward we would have invited in, but we didn't think ahead.

And of course, another Grandpa and lots of brothers and brother's-in-law we would have loved to have there!

Grandma CiCi made the dress.  

Out of a curtain she found at Goodwill, of course!

After church, we had a break-the-fast at Grandpa Mark's, and played 'Farkle'- a dice game Grandpa Mark likes (and John is getting hooked, too).

What else exciting this week?  We have a raging stomach flu!

Want to come over and play?!

(NOT a plague-protection face mask:  Joan is playing ninja.)

Winter things.

It snowed.

We got 2-3 light snows.  Just enough for the kids to run around in, eat, and throw a few snowballs.

Every time it snows, I am more grateful to live here!  Because I know the snow will melt soon :)

We have a gorgeous backyard.

There are 4 undeveloped acres with a small creek running through it backed up to our house.

Most mornings, if we choose to look out, we can see a 'First Vision'-  sunbeams breaking and sparkling through the trees.  

The kids are still learning how to work hard.

(And so am I!)

James, the little engineer/surgeon, made a lego man with joints.

Grandma Cindy had a FANCY tea party for all the girls.  She had fancy snack plates with tea cups, herbal tea and juice, sugar cubes.  She had hats for everyone to wear.  They worked really hard and served lots of fancy foods.  Then the girls made Valentines (even the adult girls had fun making shrinky-dink Valentines).

Kate has fun whenever Adalyn is around!

She picked this goofy hat:

It was very thoughtful of Cici-  the little girls felt very special!

Mark read the Book of Mormon all the way through for the first time!  We were very impressed.  He kept telling me where he was at, but it didn't click what he was doing.  He was reading a chapter a day, without us asking him to (!!!).

He got so much positive attention, and Grandma Cici and Grandpa Mark took him on a date to Burger King (where he picked), he is on track to finish it for the second time soon.  And Noah and Sarah are trying to catch up (they have been reading the scriptures for a long time, also, but random and by topic, not front to back).

Mark gets a kick out of swordfighting with Ammon.  "Hiya-hiya!" is what Ammon calls it.  He is very lucky to have Mark as a big brother.

(He is nice enough to give Ammon a wooden spoon, and himself a toothbrush).

Eva is still gorgeous in February!

I have enjoyed dressing her up, and wrapping her up!  I got her outfits and cozy blankets from consignment sales this past summer.  Most have embroidered edges, and little 'shoes'.

Sarah has been a lifesaver (as usual!).  She does the things I ask her to do, and then notices what else needs to get done and helps some more!  She is great at getting Eva to fall asleep (doesn't usually wear the Moby wrap, but wanted to try it on):

And Eva still loves to 'talk'.  She makes a kind of purring coo in the back of her throat that sends me into raptures!

She will talk and smile at any of the kids, if they sit and talk to her.

Ummm, unless she is hungry.  Or tired.

Noah is excellent at being in tune with the Spirit.  He sometimes says JUST the right thing.  The first time he held Eva, he handed her back to me with a grin and said "She's beautiful, Mom."

I agree.

Eva Faith

Eva Faith was born Jan 10th at 2:41 am, weighing 7lbs 10 oz.   Heavenly Father is spoiling us rotten:  we got another gorgeously healthy one! 

The labor was easy but hard.  I just couldn't wrap my mind around how quickly I progressed "I don't remember labor being this hard last time until the end?!  Why is this so hard?!"  I knew I was in labor, but thought I was in early labor and was trying to get some projects finished and was irritated I had to keep stopping to have a contraction...

Giving birth is always a sacred experience.  The words to Sarah McLachlan's "Ordinary Miracle" were running through my head, and sum up how I feel.  The Savior is always with me when I am laboring.  He is always with me normally, but when I am in labor, I am finally humble enough to notice Him!

I was super-blessed to be surrounded only by wise and loving people!  John, Kim, the midwife and her assistant-  I knew they all cared about me, and that made it easier to relax!   I have had a lot of skilled and compassionate midwives, but this one was EXCELLENT.  I knew she had my best interest in mind, and I learned something new every time I talked to her.  

John took very good care of me, bringing me loads of food (I was ravenous!) and taking over the household  the first few weeks.   (He is always really helpful- taking the kids on errands, cooking meals on the weekend, buying me books and bringing me food.  But I got extra pampered the first week.  Yay!).  Ladies from our ward brought us a few meals which were DELICIOUS and very helpful, and my Dad took the kids for the first 3 days!  So I got to relax and enjoy snuggling with Eva:

She loves to 'talk'! 

Just in case you weren't sure yet that she is gorgeous: