BOYS!

Where do I even begin?! First, thank goodness for camera phones! See how Hyrum is soaking wet? I am soooooooooooo grateful that isn't toilet water! But it is bathroom water. I was in the RS room with the Young Women having our Wed. night meeting when Brother Van Ornum poked his head through the door and said that he needed to see me. I walked out the door to find Hyrum literally dripping with water. Brother Van Ornum proceeded to tell me how he caught Brigham leaving the bathroom as he was entering the bathroom and found Hyrum with the faucet on full blast with his little hand jammed underneath it; thus spewing water everywhere! Then Sister Jones came up and told me how she felt somewhat responsible. I guess prior to this, Levi and Brigham had gotten into a fight where Brigham slapped Levi in the face....thus this picture..... When I sent the kids to bed tonight Levi's face was still hot! Anyways, I guess she sent Levi in the bathroom to get a wet towel to cool his face. Brigham and Hyrum soon followed. Hyrum went straight to the faucet and started playing. Brigham followed and Levi was out of there because he didn't want to get into trouble! So after I had a little talk with Levi about not worrying so much about getting into trouble and worrying about others first and not fighting, talking to Brigham about leaving his brother in the bathroom while he was making a mess and of course the fighting, and then Hyrum about not playing in bathroom water we all got the privilege of cleaning up the bathroom! I only cleaned up the windows because the boys couldn't reach them and wrung out the mop (but only after Brigham first trying to get all the water out) though. These boys were going to clean up their mess! Honestly though, I was proud of them because not once did they complain. I think they knew they had consequences to suffer. I think, all in all, it went well. I should have known better. Just last week at church I had lost Hyrum and Drake Roberts after running to the van to put away the wipes. In that amount of time the boys had went into the boys bathroom and did the same exact thing.....only much less damage! And the members of our church family were so good about it all. I could tell Brother Van Ornum was irritated at first (rightly so!) but later he came up and apologized because he was afraid he had offended me in the way he reacted and was afraid he had scared Hryum when he pulled him out of the bathroom. In no way was I upset at him. And Sister Jones was so cute with her thinking that she had something to do with it all. Sister Androsko had a good laugh with me while little Jessica Roberts told me that any 4 year old boy would do the same (speaking of Drake). I love my church family even more after tonight!

We went on a Sunday Drive yesterday and found this! The boat is almost as big as the trailer! You know, growing up, I always thought it was sad to see trailers with these huge, nice pick up trucks in the drive. It seemed so important to a lot that you have a nice vehicle even if the home you are living in is falling apart and very small. Seeing this picture yesterday made me smile and laugh as I remembered never understanding this type of thinking growing up. But a little over a year ago, a couple of college friends of mine came to visit. One of the girls, Charlene, mentioned something like, " I really like how everyone here seems to not care about 'keeping up with the Jones' and just seems to be fine with what they have always had." I've thought about that a lot since living here and that is one of the qualities I really like now....the same thing I thought didn't make any since growing up. People out here may want something nice, like their vehicle, but for the most part they don't care. Put food on the table and have the chance to eat out every once in a while is good enough. And just as I was talking to my former boss (I'm home full time now!) over the weekend, her best memories with her husband and son was in that little trailer before they built their own house. When you are close because of lack of space, you kind of have to get to know each other. There are times when our very little house gets to me (mainly because I can't separate the kids when they are being rowdy) but I have to say that I feel secure in that I always know what they are doing.

When we were driving around yesterday Brigham wanted to know when we were ever going to go to the beach. He then said that he remembered going once. I tried to tell him that none of them had ever been to a beach when I heard Levi say to Brigham, "No. That memory you have is not it." Brigham replies with, "No. I have a good brain." Man they are cute!

Speaking of good brains. Today was my parent teacher conference with Hyrum's teacher. She told me of how proud she was of him. She said that he is the only child in the class that can recognize numbers 1-9 by sight! He can count past that but I guess it is pretty impressive that he recognizes the shapes of the numbers as well.

Now, if we could only get him to recognize that he is pooping in his underwear.......

Spring Break

Last week was the kid's spring break from school. We didn't go anywhere special but we stayed busy all week long. We started the week off with a play date......and ended the week in a play date!
I got to spend two dinners with old friends.....

....and with newer ones!

I had to work most of the vacation so the boys spent a lot of time with Me-Maw, Poppy, Auntie and cousins. I'm pretty sure they loved it!

I'm grateful for cell phone pictures. I would be at work and get these adorable pictures (like these last two) from Auntie with the comfort of knowing that my kids were safe and having fun!

Good People

On March 11, 2011 a 9.0 magnitude earthquake happened just off the shore of Japan. It damaged many things (including several nuclear power plants that the country is still trying to keep under control as it threatens the leaking of radioactive substances) but nothing compared to the tsunami that followed with a 30 foot wall of water that swept away everything in its path...literally for miles! The footage that I have watched on tv makes me sick as I watch massive amounts of water sweep away everything and nothing can stop it. At this point the recovery effort is still underway and all we know is that thousands have died. I guess I'm writing about this because I want to remember it. I want to remember the footage that I am watching on news stations as they show the people of Japan and their patience. I love America. I do. But after seeing how these Japanese citizens have handled this terrible devastation, for once I am really ashamed of some of our citizens and how we have handled natural disasters. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina swept across some of our southern coastlines. The floods and deaths that followed were terrible and unfortunately, some American citizens reacted horribly. Later we learned of riots and looting and then we watched as person after person complained about how their government didn't do enough for them. I have no doubt that we could have done better. One can always do better but after watching these Japanese citizens handle their MUCH worse situation, I have realized just how spoiled some of us Americans are. I don't want to be that person. I want to remember all these images of this last tragedy if just only to remind me of gratitude. I am picturing images of people coming together after 9/11 and I hope that is the America that will respond in future natural disasters that will inevitably reach our shores someday.

Ice Cream Van

You know those familiar sounds of the local ice cream truck or van? Today Levi and Brigham got to buy an ice cream from one for the first time. They were more than a little excited about it all!
We were already outside eating lunch (good ol' Sonic!) when we heard and saw the ice cream van come around. So when the boys got the ice cream I told them that they still had to eat their food. So here is Brigham doing his "lick and eat, lick and eat, lick and eat."

Mommies night out

A few months ago 3 women in our branch (now ward!) had babies all around the same time. They had been on my mind for some time and so I started a Mommies Night Out for the women in our church who have young kids at home. Some of us are stay at home mommies, some of us work, but we all have days where being Mommy and Wife can be overwhelming and we need some girl time. Tonight was our monthly night out and with last month being Valentine's (and the big snow storms canceling last months outing) we decided to bring our wedding albums and fall in love with our husbands all over again. There was a common theme: we all married teenagers (well, they looked like teenagers at least)! All of us women looked so much older than our husbands! I'm glad to say that I think that all our husbands have caught up to us in the age looks now. Anyways, we had such a good time laughing and just being with each other but before we left, my mommy friends wanted to make sure that Renee and I got sung to tonight, free dessert, and pictures! Happy birthday to us!

Sunday Shoes and News

Today our branch of 31 years was made into a ward. David, the kids, and I opened the back door into the overflow of the chapel as President Stout asked if we would support this new ward. Did I hear that right? I asked David and he was as shocked as I! I then went to sit down next to a new member, Sister Landrum, and I asked her if we had just been made into a ward. With a big smile on her face she said, "Yes! I don't really know what that means though." I love converts! I was reminded of that as I was teaching my first lesson in Young Women's today. It was on eternal families and as I went to teach the young women certain principles I was kind of torn between teaching those things that the girls who grew up in the church have heard over and over again (the same things that would be good for our new young women like Chelsea Landrum) or bring in something new to the topic. The girls let me know quickly that they had just went over the degrees of glory in Sunday School and so I was relieved to have that decision made for me.

I love these girls more and more as I get to spend more and more time with them. They remind me of the things I learned in college that changed me so much. They also remind me of the importance of guiding my children in these latter days.

Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to angels. (First Presidency Message on Parenthood, given in 1942)

I have been wanting my family to become closer for some time now but didn't know how to do it while working and going to school and the million other things I have gotten myself into. I am truly grateful for things that have been happening lately that are providing ways for me to choose my little family first. Thus this picture!

Every Sunday after church, the Thatcher, Beck, Adams, Moore, and O'Dair families get together to have lunch; rotating between houses. David and I really needed to take the time to get some things in order and I wanted my Sunday family time that we have lacked for a while now. For some time now, Sundays have been our family day. We always knew that after church was just a day left of just being together. That doesn't seem to happen anymore. So we got the kids in the van after church, got some lunch, and headed to the park! I love how the Lord places people and things in your life to confirm things. Tricia just happened to drive by the park and saw us and before I knew it I was crying in her arms of truths being realized. There is the letter of the law and then there is the spirit. Soon followed a sweet text from another friend, Rose, who followed the spirit. Wow, it is hard to put into words exactly how you feel about something so strongly felt. Anyways, cute picture, huh? Those are BRAND NEW church shoes by the way!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

In case you didn't know, March the 2nd was Dr. Seuss' birthday! The boys have been celebrating his birthday all week at school and today was the day all of them have been waiting for! They got to wear silly hats, silly socks, and bring things like Pillow Pets and blankets to get ready for the many Dr. Seuss books that will be read today in classrooms. It is sooooooo fun to watch your children get so excited about small, simple things!