Day of Dates

Hyrum came home from school with a coupon for a free meal from Applebee's as well as for an entrance to the Treehouse Museum in Ogden.  I like to surprise the boys with taking them out of school every once in a while for lunch or something special.  I did it for Levi a few weeks ago just to get him a haircut and take him out to lunch.  So I used these "coupons" that Hyrum had as a bribe to clean his room.  He is such a messy boy and I help him way to much when it comes to getting it cleaned.  I have tried to take privileges away from him but he just whines and whines.  Even getting out of school wasn't enough for him to just get right on it.  But he finally surprised me with cleaning his room all by himself one night and I was so proud of him!

 So, I spoiled him at Applebee's and even got him a shake!

 After lunch we headed for the Treehouse (children's) Museum.  This time together was so fun because he was so appreciative of everything.  And he melted my heart quite a few times when he brought up wanting to be like our Savior at random times.  I am so blessed to be the mother of such good boys.

 In January, David started working for CenterCal.  I will have to journal about that later.  It has been a testimony of our faith in tithing.  But that will come later.  The above picture is at Station Park in Farmington.  CenterCal owns Station Park, which is a shopping district.  David and I got to watch the fountain shows as we ate dinner at ParkStone Wood Kitchen.  One of the perks for working for the company that owns the property was him being able to reserve a seat right next to the window to be able to see the beautiful show.

 I don't know that I can express in words just how much I enjoyed this date with my husband.  We very rarely go out on dates.  We usually get take out on Friday night, after the kids go to bed, and then just eat it while we watch something on Netflix.  That is our dates.  And honestly, that is just fine with me.  For so long, I was so scared to get babysitters.  I worried the majority of the time we were away so this is what our dates ended up to be.  Then, as time went on and I lightened up, well, we were just used to this type of "dating."

I didn't realize just how much I "loved" really dating my husband the old fashioned way until Friday night.  We walked around and shopped but most importantly just truly enjoyed ourselves.

So, I was super blessed on this Friday as I got to go on 2 dates with some super cute boys in my life.  I love being surrounded boys and I love it when I am so very aware of their love for me.

Our Superhero Family

On Thursday was Brigham's Blue and Gold Banquet with Cub Scouts.  The theme was Superheroes.  They were each to make a cake but Brigham came home from school not in the mood for it, we'll just say.  But he did give me permission to make the cake and so this is what I came up with.

By the time the cake was finished, he was in a better mood and of course wanted to take silly pictures.  You can't see it in the top picture but Levi is holding Baby R with the arm that is covered up by Brigham's head.  We couldn't leave him out!

That night was fun with our ward.  I really love where we live.  I love our ward.  I love the boy's school and I love our neighborhood.  It just feels right. 

"The Addams Family"

We needed to go to the mall yesterday and while we were there we decided to have lunch at the food court.  It was fun letting the kids, separately, pick out where ever they wanted to eat and just enjoy ourselves.  While we were eating, David noticed that a lot of people had the same shirt on...one that said, "The Addams Family" on it.  On further observation we realized they had all kinds of different outfits/costumes on and most of them looked like they had makeup on that made them look as if they were dead (which we found out later were the deceased ancestors of the Addams Family characters).  Soon they separated and  music started to play.  We soon realized that we were about to be entertained!

It was fun listening to these teenage kids sing (and they were very good and on key!) and act out their parts.  They gave us a small glimpse at what their play was going to be about.  It was silly, but I wanted to get a picture of one of the castmates because, well, you know.  We are the Adams!  

Yesterday was such a fun day for our family.  We just chilled and flat out enjoyed each others company.  Love these types of Saturdays.

Bragging on my Husband

I find myself having a hard time talking about how amazing my husband is to some people.  For those who have a good relationship with their own spouses, it easily comes out.  But for those who aren't as blessed with a stable companionship or for those not in a relationship at all, I keep it to myself.  I don't want to "rub it in their faces," so to speak.  But I had an experience last night that made me rethink this.  Maybe I should open up more, cautiously of course, to help others know that it can be another way if both sides work hard.  Or to give someone something to look for in the dating scene.

I went to dinner with a friend from church last night.  She is pretty and spiritually amazing, in my eyes, and I can't imagine why she isn't married.  But certain things in life will always baffle me, I guess.  At one point, she told how as she was getting to know me her roommate had told her how much she was going to like me....blah, blah, blah.  Compliments (that I appreciate very much) but I don't want to share so I don't come off as bragging.  BUT, I do want to share what her roommate said about David.  She told her how it was very apparent how much David loved me.  

I don't know how many times I have heard that.  And you don't know how many times that it makes me feel a tinge bit guilty.  I know I don't put into mine and David's relationship like he does for us.  I can be so selfish.  But this man always puts me first.  There are times he forgets things, but that is forgetting.  Not something done on purpose.  

There is such beauty in companionship.  Learning about yourself because for the first time you can truly be yourself around someone.  I wish this for my single friend.  I wish this for my friends that are in rocky marriages. 

So I will continue to cherish mine and David's relationship.  I will continue to let our children see us cuddle and make each other laugh because I want that for them in the future so badly.  They deserve that.  We all do.  And I am so grateful that the Lord guided David into my life to show me what a stable, loving and happy companionship can be and should be like.

David made this for me for our anniversary last year.

Warm Weather

Our weather has been warm lately.  In fact, on Saturday I was told it was in the upper 50's and I remember being out shopping and thinking it was hot.  Like I wouldn't mind it being a few degrees colder....yeah, I'm not normal.

Anyways, David wanted to grill some hamburgers on Sunday after church and since it was so nice outside I thought I would get some pictures but do you think the boys would let me take any normal ones?

Crazy kids! 

Young Women Winter Campout

Ok, I think I have made it clear to most people who know me how much I hate camping.  Not dislike but hate.....just in case you were wondering ;)

I was released from my calling in Young Women's the the Sunday before our scheduled winter camp out.  Of course, I was a little disappointed.  I have only been in this calling for a few months and the girls are so diverse that I have learned much from them.  But, of course, a part of me was relieved because I was released  right before this camp out and even more happily, before the summer camp out.  But when Brother Williams and Emily (the old YW president) asked me to still go so that the girls would have one leader that they were used to, I immediately said yes.  Not because I wanted to; it just felt right.  I am much better about saying no to people now and I think the new me would have said no because of the stress level I know any type of camping will put me in but again, it just felt right.

I am truly grateful I went.

It wasn't easy getting there though.  I definitely put unnecessary stress on myself leading up to getting there.    But it is passed now and I wanted to share what I learned.

We camped in the mountains going up Weber Canyon.  I wish I knew the name of it but it was by a ski resort somewhere near Liberty.  I rode up with 3 of the new leaders, which was great because I got to know them.  One of them, I am becoming fast friends with.  If anything, going on this trip was worth just that.  Anyways, I remembered Emily telling me that when we get to our destination that we were suppose to park our vehicles at the gate and hike with our supplies up to the A frame.  We ended up going past that gate (which I mentioned to some of the leaders) and getting stuck so the little cars stopped going up farther and parked it.  We had 2 vehicles with us that was felt could go up so those 2, with our supplies, went ahead.  The rest of us started trecking up this snowy (some melted snow and ice) path.  It was not easy.

I may not like to camp but I do like to hike.  This was not enjoyable though.  My back has really been acting up ever since having Baby Boy in our lives.  Going up a slippery path with a bad back (because I would stiffen up my body) along with one of the Young Women holding on to one of my arms as an anchor was not good on my back.  It really hurt.  But we made it up and tried to get the fire going in the wood stove but do you think we had matches?  Ha!  But that is ok because the weather has been unusually warm so by the time we had gotten to the A frame we were all burning up.  But our dinner was still in the other 2 vehicles that were trying to make it up the steep path (we ended up passing them while hiking, which was a mistake) and we were hungry.  Time passed and got a call from one of the leaders that they could not get any farther so we walked  back down the hill to get our supplies.  On our way down we passed Brother Williams and Bishop Ward.  They looked like pack mules as they were loaded down with our stuff.  I am so grateful they went with us!

So we get the rest of our stuff and hike back up that trail.  Looking back, I should  be irritated with myself that I didn't push the idea that we all park our cars like Emily had said and all load up our stuff so we would only have to make one trip but an AMAZING testimony was given that night that I will share later, because of this experience.  The Lord knew what He was doing all along.

When everyone had gotten to the A frame, they ate dinner as I gave a little devotional on being a light in the dark.  My friend Peggy texted me the morning of the hike and I'm so grateful she followed the spirit in doing so because her suggestions changed the way I approached the devotional. 

To calm myself down that morning, I opened up my scriptures and landed on Alma 34:38.  It was perfect.  I knew I was contending against the Spirit that was trying His hardest to get me to understand that I needed to go on this hike.  Peggy was texting me the idea of teaching "a light in the darkness" when I had prepared on the foundations of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I read to them exactly what she wrote which was:

"Remember that big fires start from little sparks.  The Lord didn't tell us to "be a flood light in the darkness" nor did He tell us to "be a spark in the darkness."  He just said "light."  Sometimes we ARE floodlights and that's great.  But sometimes all we can be is a spark.  That is still obeying His commandment.  Isn't it great that no matter where we are in our life, what we have going on, how strong or weak we feel, we can still obey His commandments and be blessed?  He is SO good to us!!!"  

One of the things that I felt that the old Young Women leaders were really good at getting across to the girls was this very concept.  Hold on to what you DO have faith in.  Cling on to that spark because sometimes that is all you have and that is ok.  Not all things in the Gospel make since at all periods of our lives and that is ok.  Have faith that one day it will.

Whew!  This is a long journal entry/post!

Anyways, from there we played a get to know you game and activity to get them to realize their self worth.  The Bishop then spoke to the girls of trials and how they are real and not silly.  This is something that I feel the Bishop has been great with getting across to our Youth.  I hope they take it to heart so that they know they can turn to their leaders if they need it.  A testimony meeting happened right after he spoke.  So many great things were said but the one that stood out the most was Narissa's testimony.  She spoke of how the Lord spoke to her as she was struggling hiking up to the A frame.  That she knew she needed to learn something from it.  And that something was that nothing in life that is important comes easily.  I loved that so much!

So all in all it went well.  It really did.  It was just that darn hike that had to teach me that nothing in life comes easy....darn those life lessons......

:)

Crazy Days

This week at the boy's school was Spirit Week.  Each day they had the opportunity to do something new and out of the ordinary. 

They participated in "Crazy Hair Day" on Wednesday.

And on Thursday they changed "Hat Day" to their own "Crazy Hat Day."

Sure do love my FUN boys!

It Is Different

The older boys have left for school so I got the crock pot out to get dinner going.  I then started to clean because Baby Boy is happily in the bouncy chair and I'm thinking, "I finally have the energy AND desire to clean so I better do it before something changes!"  But then something comes in my mind.  And I have to stop to journal it.

I thought back to a week or so ago when I was talking to my Mom on the phone.  We were talking about the importance of keeping things the same for Baby Boy as if he was literally a child I had given birth to.  There were some things that I wanted to do, but questioned it, but Mom put my heart at ease with helping me to do the right thing.

If it all works out.

That darn "if."

Anyways, it brought my thoughts to many things.  How just like with the children I gave birth to, things have been thrown up in the air with this little guy coming into our lives.  My house is not clean most of the time now.  I rarely have dinner ready (that is the one I am struggling the most with as far as quilt goes).  I have totally given up on the older boy's homework and have left it up to Daddy to make sure it gets done.  I haven't exercised in months.  I'm not reading my scriptures daily.  We continue to have family morning and night prayer with scriptures at night as a family but that usually consists of reading just one scripture verse now.  No chapter for us anymore.  I keep putting off Family Home Evening (but thanks to the diligence of Hyrum, he informs me of that daily so usually by Saturday we finally do it).  Trust me, there is more.  But I think I am getting my point across.  

Reading all that should scream out that I am really struggling.  Depression should be setting in.  And with the children that I birthed that is exactly what happened.  I still can't get over how different this is with Baby Boy.  Don't get me wrong most of time when David comes home from work, I am strung out.  But the difference is, it usually happens maybe an hour or 2 before he gets home.  With the other boys it never seemed to go away.  There was always that guilt mixed with the occasional bouts of depression and the feeling of being closed in.  The other difference is that all it takes is David coming home and him talking to me to get me to put things into perspective.  Amazing!  Before, I had to get out of the house immediately.  Oh, and yesterday, Levi's friends were over and they asked me to play spoons.  I would have never even considered entertaining that idea before.  But I sat down and played.  And you know what?  I REALLY had fun.  We laughed and laughed (and amazingly Baby Boy didn't get scared each time we all scrambled for the spoons - which of course means being really loud).

I guess I write this because I can't control how this IS different from when I gave birth to the older boys.  And it is one thing that I don't feel guilty about because I need this.  Our family needs this.


P.S. And I still have energy so off to cleaning I go!

Fix My Eyes

I love it when the Spirit speaks to me outside of church, temples, prayer, or some organized event made to encourage us to be better.  The older I get, the more often I feel it in everyday occurrences.

Today I was getting ready for the day when little guy started crying.  So I stopped, picked him up, started to dance, and sing along to the song that was playing on Pandora.  It just happened to be my favorite Christian band, For King And Country.  The song that was playing is called, "Fix My Eyes."

Besides them being able to mix up their music and not just sing about Jesus, they have a few songs that I can't get enough of because of the beat.  So I'm dancing along with baby boy to one of those very songs.  Baby boy is still so floppy with his neck so we were doing this with him resting on my shoulder.  I decided to sing along and thought that I should put him in my arms but have him face me so that he could see me sing to him.  It was nearing the end of the song as I looked straight into his eyes and sang:

Love like I'm not scared
Give when it's not fair
Live life for another
Take time for a brother
Fight for the weak ones
Speak out for freedom
Find faith in the battle
Stand tall but above it all
Fix my eyes on you
I fix my eyes on you
I fix my eyes on you

As it was repeating these lines in the song, I got all choked up.  It felt as if I was looking straight into his soul and trying to teach him this concept that I had just sung.  Baby boy, please be good to all you come in contact but above it all, please fix your eyes on Christ.

Sometimes it really bothers me that I don't know if our sweet boy will stay in our family forever.  Anxiously waiting.  Other times, I'm just so grateful for the spirit he has brought in our house and if that is all we get, I will still be thankful.  But more than anything, I pray that if he leaves that something good has been instilled in his soul.

Baby Boy and I after dancing, singing, and getting ready for the day.