Christmas Lights and the 12 Days of Christmas

For some reason I can only add a few photos at a time, so this may take a bit...

Above is my favorite shot from our trip to view the lights at the Mesa Temple, I promise they were beautiful, just a little much for my little camera. I can't believe how old he is getting, he starts Drivers Ed next week---permit in 1 month! So not ready for that...

Someone surprised us this year and created an amazing nativity set out of white chocolate for us to enjoy. They gave us a piece each night for the 12 days of Christmas, it was so much fun. We loved guessing what was next, and when it would come. Try as we might we never caught them, darn it! Though I must admit I was happy to have it remain a secret, and just a treasure in my memory. This was one of the best parts of Christmas this year for me. Each day was something new to look forward to, a new figure, and a poem, or words to a song, and sometimes an extra surprise to go with it. It was amazing, it changed my Christmas. I want to do it for someone else next year, every year! I loved it! I wanted to put out a note of our thanks with some treats on the 12th night, but they beat me to it. So they may never know how much our entire family loved this service, how much we rejoiced in their gifts, and how we changed our thinking because of it. So, if you know who our secret friends are, give them a big hug, and thanks from me.

December...in pictures...and a few words

It got cold this  month, so we huddled under blankets and enjoyed a few good books.

We also had a round of Orchestra Concerts for both Quinn and Thane, this is Thane below, ready for his first concert as part of the Elementary School Orchestra.  He plays the bass....let's just say it's a good thing he walks to school, and that we live close...very close!

We also found some time to enjoy the Arizona winter with friends.

Quinn turned 14, yes you read that correctly, 14!!  Can't believe he will be officially in High School next year.  He will start Home Teaching with jeff next month, and Kiefer will move on to a new companion.  Q is a good kid, he has worked hard and finished his Eagle Scout Award, just waiting for the paperwork to arrive in the mail, he also finished his Duty to God Award for Deacons in Church.  He worked hard on both, and I am glad they are done! 

Farewell 2009....Hello 2010!

I can't say I am sorry to say goodbye to 2009, it  hasn't been the best year for me.  It's been a year of growing, a year of learning, a year of change, a year of stretching.  None of those things are particularly comfortable.  I learned quite a bit, and I'm a very different person than I was 1 year ago.  In many respects, I think most of those changes are positive, the ones that aren't...well, no one's perfect, right? 

I've been reflecting on my "word" of the year for 2009, and I think I did well.  Don't know what I'm talking about?  I haven't settled on my word for 2010, too many things swirling and whirling in my head.  I think I'll give it a while, and see what happens.  I have some ideas, but nothing firm.

So, as 2009 limps out the door, and 2010 stands ready to enter I bid farewell, so long, goodbye!  I will always remember what I learned, but I will not miss you!  I hope 2010 brings good things, to my family, and yours!   Happy New Year Friends!

A Light Unto All: A Christmas Gift

Another beautiful message about the true meaning of Christmas, I hope you will watch and enjoy, and ponder these words.  Merry Christmas.   I love this season, and I hope you will find your joy in it also.

If the video doesn't work you can view it   here

Christ: The Real Gift of Christmas

Take a look at the new widget I added to my sidebar, it's a fabulous site all about the spirit of Christmas.  I just discovered this page today, and love it!  I hope you are all enjoying the true spirit of Christmas, and finding ways to bring Christ into your Christmas.




A link directly to the Christmas site created by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
Christmas

Old Fashioned Family Fun

Nothing says fun quite like a good, old fashioned shooting session.  Some time ago we took the kids out for a little target practice, here's some pictures of the fun...

This was all Sage wanted to do, she did pull the trigger, but did not like it!  Maybe if the gun had been pink, or sparkly?

Thane was not a fan either, he did it a couple of times, but hurt his shoulder, and decided to call it a day.  He spent the rest of his time looking for trouble!

Tate gets the sight figured out...

Tate's face is priceless.  I don't think he was expecting the noise!

Father and Son admiring the shot, Quinn's a pretty good shot.

Jeff checks Kiefer's aim.

I love this one, they are so silly!  We had fun, just good, old fashioned Family Fun!!

One stitch at a time

My life is a quilt.  Each piece a different experience I am having here on Earth.  The pieces are all different shapes, sizes, and colors.  Some of the patterns are subtle, some are bold.  Some of the colors are boring, and some really catch your eye.  The stitching is a little wobbly in some places, and very deliberate and beautiful in others.  Some of the pieces are tiny, just snatches in time when I look back at them.  Others loom large, and powerful.  As each piece has been finished, and the last stitch sewn I have eagerly awaited the next piece of fabric.  I love looking for new patterns, and seeking to find just the right way to place the fabric into my quilt.  I have always enjoyed the anticipation of a new piece.  Some of the pieces I was thirilled with as soon as I got my hands on them, others I grew to love.  Some of the pieces I never came to love, and was thankful to be done with, but I treasured the variety they gave my quilt.  Sometimes I had a hard time placing those last stitches in, knowing I was almost done with that seam, and would soon need a new piece to work on.

Sometimes it takes a little distance to see the value a piece has in my quilt.   I look back at pieces I rushed through, see their beauty, and wish I had taken more time when placing my stitches.  Other pieces you love from the start.  From the first stitch to the last reluctant one, you love placing that fabric in your quilt, knowing it will always be a part of you.

Now, I'm placing the finishing stitches in another piece of my quilt, and it's hard.  Really hard.  I've seen the end of this seam coming for some time, and I thought I had the thread firmly in hand, and was ready to finish it beautifully.  And it's starting to wobble.  This piece is one of my favorites.  I love it.  It's been hard fabric to work with, unruly at times, and a joy at others.  I love the pattern, it's always changing, and the colors are unique and beautiful.  I don't think I'll ever find another piece of fabric quite like it.  I've learned more about quilts and fabric, colors and patterns than I ever have from another piece, and I feel like there is so much more I could learn, if only I could stretch the fabric a little more.  Yet I know stretching would distort it, and could ruin it all, and so I just keep stitching, one stitch at a time.

My quilt is different now with this piece in the design, and it's so much better!  It has so many more colors than I ever thought possible, and it's beautiful.  I don't want it to stop, I don't want it to change.  But it has to.  It's the nature of quilting.  You know as you begin to stitch each piece in place there will come a time when you place the last stitch.  Sometimes you can't wait to take that last stitch, and move on.  This isn't one of those times.  Yes, I know another piece of fabric will soon fall into my hands, and I will take care to do my best stitching, but it won't be this piece, the piece I love.  I don't know if I'll ever have another piece I love as much as this one.  Maybe that's the scariest part of all.  After the vibrancy of this fabric I fear the rest of the pieces will be dull and lifeless when placed on my quilt. Maybe we only get a few pieces this perfect for our quilts, and the rest we have to make as beautiful as we can.

I don't want to take one more stitch.  I don't think I can.  I know with each stitch I take I'm that much closer to my last stitch, and I really want to just wrap my quilt around me, and cry.  But I won't.  I will pick up my needle and keep quilting, one stitch at a time.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving friends and family!  I love this message, and if you haven't watched it yet, please take a moment and enjoy the Spirit of Thanksgiving!



If the video above isn't working click on the link below to view it on You Tube
Thanksgiving Message--In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Boy Scout Camporee November 2009

Jeff has a new calling-as the Scoutmaster and 2nd Counselor in the Young Men's Presidency. He is used to going on the campouts, with 3 Boy Scouts in the family so far, so that's nothing new. This was his first one as the Scoutmaster, however, and it had a few surprises of it's own. Including the pouring rain, sheets, and buckets, and cats, and dogs kind of rain...on Friday night when they arrived. Luckily the campsite had a huge tin barn where all the boys attending the camporee could gather for fun and games on Friday evening. The rain was loud, but when is a gather with hundreds of 11-13 year old boys not loud?

The boys were taught to cook a "biscuit on a stick" and they thought it was very cool. Quinn is the one on the far right with brown sweatshirt, and red shirt. Tate is on the left with the gray hood, intent on cooking I'm sure.

Tate is the one under the leaves--how would you like to stay in this shelter?  I love the smile on the boy on the right's face--classic!

And Tate emerges in one piece!!! Hurrah!!

They arrived home late Saturday, safe, sound and almost dried out...no better outcome from a Scout campout can be hoped for!!

Tate's 12th Birthday

Tate turned 12 a couple of weeks ago, yes this is a little late! He wanted cupcakes, so I got to have fun decorating them. He only had one request-chocolate must be involved! So I made some "black" and white cupcakes and decorated to my heart's content. you can't really tell here, but the cupcakes form a huge "12." He was most excited to receive the priesthood, and be ordained a deacon. Couldn't wait to pass the the sacrament his first time, and go to Young Men's with Quinn (also a deacon). Tate is a wonderful boy, with a heart so soft, and full of love it's amazing. He's hilarious-loves to quote Brian Regan and get the room laughing. And smart, wow is this kid smart! His teachers are always telling me they are amazed at the pure intelligence he possesses, if only we could get him to use his powers for good-just kidding! He loves to speak in public, and is anxiously awaiting his turn to speak in Sacrament Meeting at church. Can this really be my kid??? I love you Tate!! you big marshmallow!!

Couldn't resist posting these two photos, this is Thane above, and he is really stylin! This is how he does his hair whenever I let him be in charge of it, guess it's time for a hair cut! Below is Quinn in the center, mugging for the camera, what else is new? Between him and Thane I couldn't get a decent shot of the whole family. But these are more fun than a decent shot anyways, right?

Veteran's Day 2009

Thane was able to be part of the colorguard for our 4th grader's Veteran's Day Assembly last week. It was a great assembly, brought tears to my eyes. Thane did a fantastic job narrating the flag ceremony (not sure what that's called???). And the other boys did a fabulous jop posting the colors. And the 4th graders, they sang their hearts out, it was fantastic! I am so thankful for our amazing country, and all the blessings we have because we live here. I am thankful for those who serve in the military, and their families who keep the home fires burning. Thank you!!

Humiliating or Humbling?

Today I did something I have been dreading. I tried to talk myself out of it. I can do it tomorrow, or maybe I should do it Friday. An evening might be a better time. Maybe if I don't think about it, it will go away, and I'll never have to do it. Maybe someone else will do it for me. Is there a way around, over, or under it?

Alas, there was no way but through it.

So, I gathered my courage, and I did it. And it hurt. It was awful. It was humiliating. At least, that's what I thought as it was happening, I never wanted to have to do it again. I hated every millisecond as I waded through the mire of the experience. Until I wondered, right in the midst of the thickest mire, is this humiliating, or humbling? What's the difference? Is it my pride that makes this humiliating? Is humiliation really that simple? Could it be that a desire to be better, to be perceived as more than we are, or maybe just more than the other person, leads to those awful feelings of humiliation? That humiliation is really just a symptom of pride, at least in this case?

I think so. I think my experience was actually humbling, not humiliating. To be humble is to be teachable, to be contrite, to be submissive to the Lord's will. To be humble is to learn. To be humble is to acknowledge all of those feelings, and learn from them.

I was humbled today, and I hope I remember. I hope I remember what it was to feel so inadequate. To feel such dependence on the Lord. To feel the comfort of the Lord as I reached for His help, and acknowledged that without it, I am nothing. To know that He heard me, as He always does. To feel peace. To feel humility.

"In The Spirit of Thanksgiving"

I love this video. It struck just the right note with me in this season of Thanksgiving and gratitude.





I am thankful for so many things, my family first and foremost, the gospel of Jesus Christ, our health, our home, our friends (who are really more like family), the weather this time of year, rain, the knowledge that our Father in Heaven is aware of each one of us and intimately knows our struggles and wants to help us, the opportunity I've had to serve in Primary for the past 3 1/2 years is one of my greatest blessings, and little things like warm slilppers on a chilly morning, hot apple cider, the sight of lettuce growing in my garden, I could go on.

What are you thankful for?

It's Fall...kind of

Here in Arizona we have a different kind of Fall, it consists mainly of memories and fond reminisces of brightly colored leaves, crisp Autumn evenings, chilly mornings with a warm mug of apple cider in hand, and reminding the kids to grab a jacket when they leave for school. I miss Autumn. I love sweaters and corduroy pants, crisp mornings, and chilly evenings with beautiful days sandwiched in between, the sight of leaves turning their bright colors, and even the sight of them scattered over the lawn. Here the only sign of Fall is the temperature might...just might...stay below 100 for the rest of the week. Maybe we'll dip below 75 for our night time low. Sigh...I miss Autumn. putting up plastic pumpkins just isn't the same as being able to set a trio of brightly colored, just picked from the patch, pumpkins on your porch.

Despite all of this, I have been feeling Autumnal, feeling Fallish...whatever that means, and so I decided I would make Apple Crisp. That is an Autumn dish for me, for whatever reasons, it feels most like something to bake and eat in the Fall. Even my favorite candle to burn this year is called Apple Crisp! And, I found a divine recipe...so delectable! So, I thought I'd share, in case you are feeling Fall like I am...sadly I didn't get a photo of our treat, it was gone before I even had the thought of sharing this recipe, here is one from the source (Taste of Home's website) **We didn't have it with Vanilla Ice Cream either, though that looks yummy!**

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups chopped peeled apples
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla ice cream, optional

Directions: In a bowl, combine first four ingredients. Cut in butter until crumbly. Press half into a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish or a 9-in. square baking pan. Cover with apples. In a saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla; cook and stir until thick and clear. Pour over apples. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake at 350° for about 1 hour or until the apples are tender. Serve warm, with ice cream if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

**My notes: I doubled the ingredients for the crumbly mixture, knowing my family delights in that part of the recipe, and I baked it in a 9x13 pan.

Back To School...

Yes, it's already that time, school starts Aug. 12th for us, less than a week now. And so, in the time honored tradition of all moms and their children we have completed the ritual of back to school shopping. In an effort to make it more of a treat and less of a chore I borrowed an idea from a friend and we now make special one on one trips (sometimes 2 on 1) and make a day of it, including lunch or a treat. I thought I'd borrow (i.e. steal) another idea from this friend, and make a record of it, including statistics...for posterity!

Kiefer-(Panda Express) shoes...size 12 gray and black Vans, yes...that's size 12 men's, not boys...the kid just won't stop growing! Needed:pants, shoes, shorts, t-shirts, collared shirts, socks, you name it, the kid has outgrown it, and needed new ones!

Quinn (Panda Express) shoes...size 8 Pumas and size 8 red Vans (see Tate's info for special note)....Needed:1 pair of shorts (I was going for a non plaid to add variety, but it would not be had, he only liked the plaid ones, so he now has ALL plaid shorts), 2 pairs of jeans-now measured in inches, not sizes...he must be growing up too!, 1 pair basketball shorts, a couple of shirts (he will wear all of Kiefer's whether we like it or not, so not much point in getting him too many, right?)

Tate (Golden Spoon...please...(me)that's not lunch...I don't care!) size 8 Avias and size 8 blue Vans (the left will be swapped with Quinn for a red Van, and a "unique" look...yea... okay...we'll see how Dad feels about that!) Needed: shoes and a cool new shirt (FOX) for that back to school feeling! Otherwise, as the 3rd boy he was pretty well set with "cool" hand-me-downs, and of course he is the same size as Quinn, so it's like a 2nd closet in the basement...much to Quinn's irritation

Thane (Slurpee and a pretzel please...again I say that's not a meal...again doesn't matter!) size 5 black and silver with red swoosh Nikes, and again, as the 4th boy, he's pretty set for cool clothes, and just needed shoes and a new shirt (only a Volcum shirt would do)

Sage (McDonalds) size 2 brown and pink skechers, Needed: 2 pants, 2 capris, a few shirts...hit of the trip...having Dad along...miss of the trip...Justice...according to Sage "all the cute stuff was immodest or only for big girls" she was much happier with Target and some cute brown pants that can morph into capris from the Children's Place

All in all, a fun time was had, and after a trip for school supplies, we are now officially all shopped out and ready for school to start...except for me...I'm really not ready to have my oldest child enter the den of iniquity also known as High School!

More camping photos #2

Just realized I haven't put up any more pictures, this is why I am not a good blogger! My friend says sporadic is to kind a word for how often I post, and it's true. But here are some pictures anyhow!
Sage and Jeff--she's got one on the line!!! She loved to "help" Jeff catch some fish, and he loved her help. They are so cute together!

Here are K, Q, & Ta jumping off the rocks, they had so much fun doing this. The best was that the shore was all ours, no sharing...loved it!

Camping--Flaming Gorge, UT--part 1

This summer we were lucky enough to travel up to Flaming Gorge, UT and meet up with some family to camp for a week. We had a group campsite with a large covered eating pavilion, and private beach access. It was a hike to get down to the shore of the lake (should have taken a photo), but the lake was awesome! They are having a record year for water levels, and it was cool and the boy were the fish biting! I'll have to do the photos a few at a time, I took 158! I promise not to put all of them up. Just a few. The biggest hits of the week were definitely fishing and swimming in refreshing (aka cold) water.

We arrived Monday after a long but fairly uneventful drive. Kids were excited and ready to go when alarms went off at 3:30 am, yes that says am. Jeff wanted to pull out at 4, we made it out of the driveway at 4:15, the first time. Not 2 miles away I realized I had left Jeff's ipod on the desk, and it held the precious books on tape that were to be our sanity while the kids watched movies on the drive. Back to the house we drove, and then we were actually off...to the grocery store to buy ice for the cooler...only to find they didn't open for another hour (what happened to 24 hours???)...so to the Wal-Mart we went for ice, crayons, and extra batteries...just in case!
That was the most eventful part of the drive, otherwise it was really a great car drive-well, as great as 14 hours in a car can be!




Here is the view from our campsite:

When I asked all of my kids what the best part of the trip was I got the same answers from all of the them- fishing and swimming! Probably would have gotten the same answers from Jeff! Here the group is the first morning getting ready to fish. We had about 20 members of the family there, we missed everyone who didn't come! Hopefully this will only be the first time we do this, not the last!

And, the first day of swimming...

More to come...

Shelf Reliance Giveaway!

Have you ever wanted one of these?


I love these-and now you can win one! Go here to find out more about how to win one this Friday from Shelfreliance.

Scout Campouts

With 4 boys ages 9-14 Scouting takes a large, almost elephant sized portion of our lives. Right now we have 1 Cub Scout, 1 Eleven Year Old Scout, 1 Life Scout, and 1 (almost) Eagle Scout. Campouts, fundraisers, Pinewood Derby, Blue and Gold Banquet, Merit Badges, sewing on merit badges, and planning how to obtain said merit badges are commonplace topics and events in our home. Just this last weekend Jeff went with Tate and Quinn on the District Camporee. He is a great sport to go and endure (and I do mean endure) these campouts almost every time.




As you can see we have quite a few 11-13 year old boys in our Scout Troop. There are even a few who didn't come. This is one of the few overnights the 11 year olds get to go on, so Tate was thrilled (he is on the front row, far right) Quinn was a good sport about Tate intruding on his scout trip (he is to the left of the boy in the scout shirt and green scoutshorts). Jeff is on the back row, far left.

Campfire...need I say more?At this campout there were different tasks the boys had to perform as teams, here Tate is with part of his team-I'm sure he is following the counsel of these older and wiser scouts!

Quinn with his team at another task.

This is what happens when they get home-after the mom enforced shower that is.

Coming Events...

We are happy to announce Kiefer will be awarded his Eagle Scout award on April 30th. It's great to finally have him reach this point, it has been a long, almost painful process. He is a great kid, but slower than molasses. I don't think of myself as being on a snail's pace, and so it's been a struggle to figure out how to motivate him. I still don't really know the best way. In truth I think at this point it's something he has to figure out for himself. Why is it the years from 14-18 contain such crucial, life changing decisions and responsibilities? They have no clue about how much of an impact these years have on their futures, everything from choices in colleges to being eligible to go on a mission hinge on the decisions they make in these turbulent years.



It's a wacky thing when the craziest time in a persons life is one of the most defining times. How do they get through it safely? That's all I really want. I want each of my children to emerge unscathed from this turbulent roller coaster ride. I know that's not possible, but can we just make sure the dings they get aren't life altering? I don't want his 9th grade math grade to determine what college he gets into. I don't want a moment of wanting acceptance to mean they can't serve a mission. Most of all I don't want some lack in my parenting, some oversight, some miscalculation, to mean they didn't learn what they needed to make it through. There's so much to teach and so little time.



In just 4 1/2 years Kiefer will be on a mission for our church. That's all the time I have left? That can't possibly be right! And yet, I know the time for most of the teaching has already passed. The time that he has left in our home is really just time for him to refine who he is. Time for him to decide what is important to him, and time for him to decide what direction he'll head in.



I know it's not all lost with one misstep, and I am thankful there is always a bridge back to where we should be. I just wish with all my mother's heart that none of my children ever needed that bridge. And I'm thankful I can teach them about that bridge, and introduce them to the bridgemaker, our Savior Jesus Christ.

An Easter Message To Share

This is a beautiful way to remember what Easter is truly about. I was touched and inspired by Elder Holland's talk in General Conference. I was inspired in a whole new way when I watched this video. Maybe because it is Easter Sunday and today I am teaching the Primary children about how our families will be resurrected together because of our Savior. **If this video doesn't work you can also find it at http://www.lds.org/

Sticks and Stones...

Remember that old rhyme we would chant as children on the playground? We all know it's not exactly accurate, words can hurt so much more than sticks and stones. Especially when spoken to children. What we are told we are forms our self image and shapes our vision of who we can become. They teach us to reach for the stars, or make us wonder why we should even bother trying, we'll never get out of the hole we are in. We know as parents that our words of love and kindness soothe away the worst hurts, and that words said in anger can create wounds in our children's souls.

Words are powerful. Use your power for good, not evil! Join the Special Olympics cause to ban the use of the R-word from our everyday language. Often spoken in Jest, often spoken without even a thought, often spoken without regard to who may hear and feel the pain from this word in their heart. They hear this word and think of their sweet son, or darling grandchild, or a wonderful friend, and know how unjust this term is.

I have found a blog I really enjoy reading, and she posted about this here she is much more eloquent than I am, go have a read for another perspective! And then go to the special Olympics website and join the pledge

First Swim of the Year...

Yes, it's true, my children are already swimming. I am not. They officially christened the swim season today, and loved every second of it, here are photos of the first jump of the year. In our family the first swim of the year always begins with a jump off the diving board.

Sage was a little reluctant, and had to be talked into jumping to Kiefer and Quinn, her jump is not so elegant.

Kiefer going for it.

Thane, went in after Quinn and Tate had paved the way, and was the first one out. He gets cold easily.

Tate tried a cannonball, but I missed the ball part of it, and thankfully I also missed the splash.

Quinn was the first one in, notice how smooth the water is.