D-E-C-E-M-B-E-R

The look on Josh's face about sums up how he felt about his Christmas Concert.

Josh and Gracie at home.

Josh just before his first Preschool Christmas Concert

Jason and I on my 40th birthday.

I love December. It breaks the bank, that's for sure...but it is such a great time filled with family and friends and my favorite color...RED! I love that our community still puts the "Christ" in "Christmas" and that the kids concerts were filled with wonderful carols and the Nativity. I love that there is snow on the ground and that I have a warm house to go home to. I love that I have friends and family to bake for and make things for. I love that my kids love Christmas and that they shake the presents and make very educated guesses as to what is inside the wrapping. I love that my husband is as excited for Christmas morning as the kids are.

I love that we have lots of plans for the holidays but I am hoping to just hanging out enjoying time with my funny little family watching movies and eating popcorn.

What a wonderful time of year!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Jason has been so busy at work the past week or so, and hasn't been home much. So, last night we all sat down and watched "Elf" ( which I purchased at HMV for $5!!) I love laughing with my family and enjoying time together. I am trying to stay focused on the "Reason for the Season" this year, and take time to enjoy myself. I have so much to be grateful for. This post will have to be short since I am at work. Good bye for now!

Happy Birthday Mark!

I am at work again and I found a couple pictures of Cameron and Tanya's babies. The one above is of Ron holding his grandson, Connor. (I think. I might be Forrest. I will have to check with Ron) The picture below is of Kya. She is the only girl of the triplets and is adorable and sweet.

I will post more pictures when our computer at home gets fixed. Ron just visited with Cameron again last weekend and had a wonderful time with them. It does my heart good to see him reconnecting with his son and his family. Cameron has expressed to Ron how much he loved spending time in Mom and Dad's home in Calgary and how he thinks of that time often. I really didn't know if there would ever be a time when we could be together again and so this feels like an amazing blessing for all of us, but especially for Ron.

Recap

I am at work today. It is beautiful out and my kids are all at home, and I am stuck at work. The only advantage I see is that I can post something to my blog without it taking 45 minutes to upload pictures. We have finally figured out that our computer’s upload speed is almost non-existent, and will hopefully be replacing the whole darned thing shortly. Anyhow...I wanted to recap some of the events of late. Scott has been busily taking SAT and ACT tests and preparing his college applications that are due at the end of December. He is applying to University of Virginia, College of William and Mary, and George Mason University. The reason for these choices is that we wanted him to be somewhat close to either Byron or us. We tried to convince him that Red Crow College would be a good choice, but he wasn’t swayed! So, we will see where he gets into and what the future holds. I am looking forward to getting him settled and taking a trip back east, however, the thought of him leaving puts a lump in my throat. He is such a bright light in our home. I am constantly amazed by his maturity and level-headedness (something I admire in others, and lack myself). I am trying not to think about it yet, and just enjoy the fact that my child is so prepared to tackle the world. (I am NOT taking credit for that. He was born prepared!)

Here's a blurry shot of the clock when Scott and I left for Calgary last month. It was 4:21am and we had to be in Calgary by 7:30am. The funniest thing about this trip was that we set the GPS for the address of the high school his SAT was being written at and it kept telling us to take these obscure streets. I commented that it was almost as though it was trying to avoid major roads. I was a little tired and didn't really think much of it until it literally zig-zagged us through a residential area near the high school and totally avoided Crowchild Trail. While Scott was in the test I had 5 or so hours to kill, so I took a look at the GPS and noticed that someone had set it to "Bicycle" mode! I giggled for quite sometime thinking that it all made sense...especially the "ETA" of 10am! It worked much better on "Car" mode on the way home!

OK- I can't figure out how to get pictures throughout my blog without having to drag them and reformat the whole she-bang. Anhoo- the two pictures on the top are of Scott sharpening his pencils at 4:30am in preperation for his test, and of me after getting ready in the back seat of the van while waiting paitently for Scott to finish his test.

What a Weekend!

Well, it's Tuesday and I survived the Long Weekend! Yesterday was Thanksgiving and it was wonderful. Let me back up a little. Ron arrived on Thursday night to stay over. Then, I worked Friday and madly cleaned the house when I got home. Saturday, Jan, John, Jacquie and her son Garrett arrived for the day. We decided to give Jacquie our old Venture van because she has been without transportation for a little while, and with winter coming, she needed something. So, I had to clean out the van, etc. so that they could take it with them. We visited and hung out which was really nice, but it put me behind the eight-ball so-to-speak. I did all of the Thanksgiving Day prep on Saturday. Jason kept telling me to go to bed and do some in the morning, but I just felt that I should have everything ready the night before. We had originally decided to have dinner on Sunday at our place and invite Dad, Mary, Linda and family, and Ron. However, on Thursday night Dad called to see if it would be alright to invite Cameron (Ron's son) and his family. It was very exciting to have them come as Ron hadn't seen Cam in 18 years. I was thrilled to see them, but it was a little added pressure. Anyhow, luckily I got everything done the night before and had the house ready for dinner, because as soon as we drove in the drive-way Sunday after Stake Conference, Cam and the gang showed up. He has a beautiful wife and 5 kids...3 of which are triplets. Oh, and they are 11 months old and crawling!! Needless to say, the house was bustling and filled with little voices. The babies are absolutely adorable and we enjoyed every second they were here. It was emotional to see Ron reunited with Cam and getting to know his grandkids. I know that he has waited for this moment for a very long time. Just last month I fasted for Ron and one of the things I was praying for was that he would have a connection with his children again. I cannot imagine being estranged from my kids and not knowing them in their everyday lives. It was just a very busy, but a very special day for all of us.

Monday we did it all again with Jason's family. We ate way too much turkey and stuffing and pie, but we had a wonderful time. We marveled that we love spending time together as much as we do. I have been blessed with such wonderful families on both sides, and love how it feels to spend time with them.

PS. I have tons of pictures that I will post as soon as my &$%#@ computer lets me download them. Santa, are you listening??? I need a new computer!!

Carol Jean Hansen Wood- June 19, 1942- October 3, 1992

Today is 16 years to the day that my mother passed away. I cannot believe that 16 years have gone by since I've spoken to her. 16 Christmases, 16 birthdays, 16 springtimes. I think about her every single day. I wondered if I would. I had never lost a loved one before my mom died, and so I didn't know what would happen as the years passed. It feels like my life changed that day, and the sadness never goes away. I miss her so much. I was only 23 years old, and I was just learning how to be a mother myself. There are so many questions I wish that I could have asked her. So many things I didn't know at 23. I feel like a totally different person since the last time I saw her. I feel her near me at times. I feel her love every day of my life and I pray that she knows the incredible influence that she had on my life. I try to tell my children what she was like. That she was a woman of faith. That she raised her family in the gospel and that she knew that families were forever. I marvel that she went through the experiences that she did and stayed positive and loving and absolutely devoted to her family. She was forgiving and funny and she made me feel more loved than anybody ever has. I remember thinking that there was no way that she would die because I knew that I couldn't live without her. And then when she did die, I knew that I needed to live a life that she would be proud of. And I think that is what I have tried to do. Every major decision I make, I wonder if it would be something that she would approve of.

I have often thought what it would be like to spend one afternoon with her. What would I tell her about the past 16 years? These are a few of the things that I think she would enjoy.
1. That I am not a slob anymore. That I know how to clean my house and that I take pride in keeping it that way. I think she would be a little surprised by this. I know that she threw her hands in the air many times when it came to my cleaning habits.
2. That I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that I am raising my family to hopefully love it as well. That I love going to church and to the temple and that nothing makes me happier than reading scriptures with my family.
3. That my dad and I have a wonderful relationship. I didn't always know how to communicate with my dad while my mom was here. She kind of coaxed us both and helped us understand each other, and I know that since she's been gone I have grown to love him so very much and I don't know what I would do without him.
4. That I married an incredible man who loves me and our children so very much and who wants us to be together forever as much as I do.
5. That I can cook a great Thanksgiving dinner.
6. That I can sew hallow e'en costumes for my kids and that I love quilting. She tried to encourage my domestic side while she was here, but I wasn't a very willing participant. I think she would really chuckle that I have found that side of myself.

I know she knows these things. I know she is aware of my life because of how she raised me. I know that I will see her again and that she will know my husband and my children. I feel that it is the greatest compliment when I am told that I do things like she did and I pray that I can love my family half as well as she did.

Open Up!

I foolishly scheduled all four of my children at the dentist today to save driving into Lethbridge more than once. Well...I would have gladly paid the little extra for gas had I known that I was going to be there for THREE hours. Three hours to clean their teeth! I was referred to this dentist by my sis-in-law Karen, and he was wonderful, however, trying to keep Josh occupied by the lame dentist lego set was a bit of a challenge. I always find dentists stressful and I am trying hard not to pass on my phobia of the drills and the mouth full of flouride to my children. So far they seem to enjoy the whole process, which is good. Three of the four have been referred to the orthodontist. Great! And Scott has some pretty nasty wisdom teeth that need to be extracted. The good news is that we have double insurance, so in the end, it should all be covered. They did require that I pay for today's visit up front...which made me choke just a little. $1200.00 for 3 hours of work ain't bad! So that was my afternoon. Nothing too exciting, but necessary none the less.

Food for Thought

OH MY! What a night! We had a "Young Women's Leader Night Out" tonight at the Movie Mill. We decided to go see the new Emma Smith movie before it left town. I knew that it wasn't going to be a comedy, but my goodness, I wasn't expecting the absolute sadness I felt as I watched it. It was such an incredible story about such an amazing, faithful woman. It was awesome to see the story through her eyes and feel the sadness and despair and hope that she experienced in her lifetime. I found it very hard to watch, but so inspiring. It gave me such perspective on my own life and the trials that I face. It made me want to endure to the end and it reiterated what I have always believed...that I belong to the only true church upon this earth. It was great to see the theatre filled with others who I assume feel the same way that I do. It was so hard to see her bury her little babies, one after the other. I thought about how my faith was tested during my miscarriages and how I wondered how much I would have to endure. It certainly made me think about what I am asked to face and if I face it well. All in all, it was a faith-promoting evening with great friends.

I Think I Love My Husband!

As I was playing on the trampoline with Josh this afternoon, I laid in the warm sun and looked over at the beautiful fence that my dear husband put up for us this month. He weathered wind and rain and mud and fatigue to construct a 400 foot fence so that we can let our busy little three year old run until he collapses. It means the world to me that he would put that effort into something that means so much to me. I know that many days he went to work absolutely exhausted because of the time that it took to work on our yard. I also know that Jason doesn't feel appreciated some of the time, and I just want him to know that he is so loved.

My Favorite Season

I LOVE AUTUMN! I am so in love with this time of year. The coolness in the air, the ability to wear sweaters again, not sweating profusely all day long, and the look of my yard when the leaves begin to fall. I don't even mind raking, and we have A LOT of trees to clean up around. It just gives me a chance to be outside in the most beautiful season there is. My house is even decorated in Autumn colours. Red, Green, deep yellow...I can't get enough of it. I am drawn to this palette whenever I go shopping for home accessories. My heart skipped a beat yesterday when I found the cutest napkins with green leaves and red berries that go perfectly with my new dinner plates. I understand that this isn't earth shattering stuff and that I probably should be focused more on the weightier things of life, but I must admit that my love of Autumn and all that it brings makes my world a little brighter.

All You Need Is Love

I really have nothing to say in today's blog, except that I LOVE my family. I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband and four incredible children. I am often overwhelmed with the responsibilities that come with this family, but I am also blessed to feel GRATEFUL on a daily basis for what I have been given. My children are smart, funny, caring, and forgiving of my many flaws. My husband is SOOO funny, loving, an incredible father, non-judgmental and a wonderful friend. My boss commented to me recently that I always seem happy. That isn't an entirely correct representation of my life, but I have to say that I am happy. I have been unhappy before. I know how it feels to go for long periods of time without laughing. But, as I go through my busy life, I remember that time of sadness, and it makes all of my problems seem a little smaller. So yes, I AM HAPPY! Shoot me!

SHUTUPSTUPIDOHMYHELL!

This little boy of mine has a temper! I don't know where he would have inherited that from, but he has a tendency to get very angry whenever I have the nerve to say "No". I try not to say it very often, but sometimes there are safety issues involved, and I just must utter the two-letter word that he loathes. When I do, he scans his memory for the three words/phrases that he has been forbidden to use in our home..."Shut-up", "Stupid", and "Oh my hell". (the latter may be thanks to me...I'm not quite sure). He then proceeds to say all three "profanities" quickly and repeatedly. I'm pretty close to getting him checked for Tourettes Syndrome. In the meantime, he is just spending ALOT of time in his room!

Summer Recap

Where has the summer gone? I cannot believe that we are sending the kids back to school in less than 2 weeks. I have to admit that I really like the structure of the school year. I am not a summer person, and so I look forward to fall with great anticipation. It also doesn't help that I work during the summer. It makes the time fly by and I hate that my kids are home alone without me. We had Bee Hive camp for Katie. Scott went to Utah, Oklahoma, and Virginia with his dad and Inger, and I had "Moroni's Quest" with the Young Women. So, it was busy, busy, busy!! I think summer would be much more fun if I was a stay-at-home-mom with an unlimited budget. Yep! Then I would LOVE summer. But, as it is, we have tried to do some fun things with the kids. We went to "Willy's Cabin" in the community pasture with the Broadhead side of the family for about 5 days. It is beautiful there and the kids look forward to it every year. I'm including some pictures that we took while we were there.

Perspective

I found this wonderful quote on Luella's blog that has really hit home to me;

"Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: “The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. … I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less” (Loud and Clear [2004], 10–11)" --Quoted by Elder M. Russell Ballard

How perfect is that?? I sometimes do feel like I am "living in the moment", but most times I am not. These past few months have been a challenge. I have had to deal with some things that have taken my thoughts elsewhere, and I think that my children have been somewhat neglected. This quote has made me think about "living in the moment" and trying to eliminate somethings that I don't really need to do or spend time on. I really don't want to look back and feel that I missed anything or that I have regrets. My husband and children are such a huge blessing to me, and I need to have that reflected in what I spend my life doing.

The First of Many

I have decided to try to document some bits of my busy life in an attempt to slow down and smell the roses. Maybe as I write about my life and my comings and goings I will be able to see how to fit everything in and perhaps, what I need to leave out. So that is the purpose of this endeavor...I want to step back and see how wonderful my life really is.