Lava

If they had to choose just one favorite activity that they can all agree on, it is swimming.  We actually went twice this week.  Once with a few of our neighbors, the second time we decided last minute to meet up with my brother and his kids.  I have taken the kids to lava during the winter a few times this year and last, but we have never been able to go with Jared, and we were all so excited that he could go with us on Friday.  We spent some time over in the regular pool, and Emma is now swimming completely by herself!  Very exciting!  The only pictures I have are from the first time we went, before our friends got there.

Anderson had no fear of the water, and never has.  He would dive under or walk into the water and just wipe his face off after like it was just no big deal.

Briggs thought it was so fun to shoot water with his foot.

Madelyn could usually be found doing her own thing.

Pure joy.

The best part?  They were exhausted.

Buddies

As I was looking at pictures I noticed these two end up in pictures together frequently lately. And this morning I reminded Maddie she can't leave her breakfast dishes on the table when she is done. She said, "Mom, I know, but when the baby wakes up I'm just so excited that I forget everything else!"

Tis the season

We decorated a little bit last night. We put up the symbol ornaments and read the book. Then we re-watched the video He Is the Gift that the church made. It is beautiful. We then all wrote down what our gift to the Savior will be this year. I am going to focus on slowing down and being intentional. I am also studying more about Christ and trying to be more like Him. I am learning that studying his teachings and life makes acting more like Him come more naturally.

Jared secured the tree with fishing line, and of course the kids took turn "fishing" before we put the fishing rod away.

This picture doesn't do this justice, but this is the view out my kitchen window.  A neighbor on the hill above us.  They must have known that we would feel like these are just for us!

Gratitude- Week 1

I'm going to be posting my gratitude journal here for this month and next...

1) I am grateful that I had piles of laundry and dishes to get done and that I stayed up late working on them.  During that extra 1.5 hours, I was able to soothe children 8 times.  (8!)  I know that if I hadn't been up they would have been crying and I may or may not have heard them, and if I did, I would have been grumpy from being woken up just after going to sleep.  I wouldn't trade those moments.

2) I am grateful for good friends.  The kind that motivate me to wake up at 5am to go to our ridiculous workout class.  The kind who happily watch all my kids.  The kind who loan me cake pans in the middle of the night, and throw in their favorite cake recipe books while they are at it.  The kind who don't bat an eye when they walk into my messy house.  The kind who tag team with me when one of my children start throwing a temper tantrum.  The kind who encourage me to be better through their example and the conversations we have.  The kind who drive my girls to soccer or school when I'm running late.  The kind of friends who are more like family than friends.  I'm SO grateful.

3) I am grateful for the temple. We are lucky to have it only 40 minutes away.  I took the Twin Falls temple being only a few minutes away for granted, so I'm trying not to make that mistake again. I'm grateful for the feeling I have while I'm there. Sometimes I literally just close my eyes and breath it in. It is refreshing, and I need to fill my cup often. I'm grateful for the thoughts and inspiration I have while there. I'm grateful to look around and see that we're not alone in this journey through life, I am reminded that many have come before us and many will come after. It is all so tightly woven within eternity.

4)  I am grateful for Emma's fall break.  She has this week and next off from school.  She is enjoying sleeping in and doing leisurely things... like taking a bath and eating a bowl of cheerios at her pace. :)  I'm enjoying extra cuddles and talks and not having rushed mornings.  In short, I have learned that I love school breaks, maybe even more than when I was a kid!

5)  I am grateful for challenges that put me outside my comfort zone, that make me stretch and grow.  They are good for me, even if I can't always see it at the time.  I'm grateful that Jared likes a good challenge and encourages our family to "do hard things" daily.  Step by step, I can accomplish anything Heavenly Father places before me.

6)  I am grateful for time with my family.  The girls had soccer games at the same time this morning, and then we had nothing we HAD to do or go.  We got a few little projects done around the house, but mainly we were able to hang out and the kids were able to just run around and play and enjoy the beautiful fall weather.  It was a good day.  To end the day, Jared and I were able to attend the adult session of our stake conference, followed by treats and visiting at our neighbor's house afterward.  I am grateful for dates with Jared.

7)  I am grateful for Sundays.  I had our bedroom window open last night and woke up to the sound of rain.  It was the perfect start to my day.  I look forward to Sundays and taking a break from the normal routine of life to focus even more on faith and family.

The "Mountains"

Briggs has been talking about the "mountains" for weeks.  We had been planning on taking them to our ward campout, but then it rained(and flooded!) that day instead.  But he never forgot that promise.  So when I asked what he wanted to do and where he wanted to go on his birthday, he didn't miss a beat, and responded, "The MOUNTAINS!"  It rained again that afternoon/evening, but we went anyway!  It wasn't too bad, the rain was just enough to make everything good and muddy up there. :)

Anderson's little smile as we were all hanging out.  The kids were giggling really hard at about this time, and he was just happy.  

Beautiful sunset.  The pictures didn't do it justice.

Trying to light the candles.  The girls were supervising Jared.

Singing "Happy Birthday" and blowing out the candles.

Eating dinner and enjoying the fire.

Love this picture.  Love this man.  He loves each of the kids so much and shows them all the time.  This was during a conversation about pre-school that day.

Love these kids.  My brother Zane gave Briggs some cheetos as part of his birthday present.  Dinner that night may have been 85% cheetos...

Waking up a little more.  I think the fire was popping and he was trying to see what was going on.

Who knew that one of their favorite parts would be the stairs and trail next to the stairs?  They ran up and down this for quite a while.

Reflections

When I have a new baby, I am forced to take the time to sit down. Slow down. Think.

It is good for me to take a hard look at myself and to become better.

After what seems like a VERY long time, I finished the entire standard works a couple of minutes ago. That feels like one of the biggest accomplishments I have ever done because it is a goal I have worked on for so long. Pretty excited!

I love my husband. Seriously, as I listen to him read stories to the kids every night at bedtime, followed by telling them a fairy tale, my heart melts. Or watch him take each child for a turn on the lawn mower so they get some one on one time. Or when he holds a crying child, wipes away their tears and makes them better. Or plays catch with them.  He takes the TIME to SHOW them how much he loves them.  He is constantly trying to make himself better, and it inspires me, too. He would (and does!) do anything for me. He shows me everyday how much I mean to him.

I'm grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is so patient and understanding. He knows me and wants me to reach the goals I set for myself and my family. If it is important to me, it is important to Him.

Emma. She is growing up so quickly. She is a little mother in that she is always looking for ways to help and serve others. She is aware of other's needs and can bring a smile or calm to anyone just by being her. She is an example to me of overcoming through hard work as she has worked on her speech and practices her testimony and her talk before sharing. She also depends on the Spirit to help her.

Maddie. So service-oriented lately. And such a hard worker. She is the first to have her bed made and get dressed every morning. I don't have to remind her to take care care of her dishes. Her sense of humor and stubbornness keep me on my toes. She is so strong and independent.

Briggs. That boy finds so much JOY in life. He brings smiling and laughter into our home non-stop. He is so full of energy, and yet so tender hearted and sweet. He makes me appreciate the little things that surround us. Bugs and dirt and cool rocks, but also kisses and hugs and wrestling.

Anderson. Didn't know what we were missing out on until he joined our family. He is so sweet and patient. He has helped us slow down and prioritize. He has brought us closer together as a family. He makes us all be better. We love him.

I am blessed. Blessed to have the children/husband I do. Blessed to have my parents and Jared's parents, along with our siblings. Blessed to live where we do, with such great neighbors, friends and an amazing ward. Blessed to have the gospel.

Where I Come From

Jared had to go to Boise for a couple of days so the kids and I went to Howe to visit my parents and little brother. I LOVE it. I know that it will always be "home" to me and it feels good to be there with my family, but there is so much more than that. The fresh air, open fields, silence, beautiful sunsets/sunrises, blue skies, snow-capped mountains and warm sunshine completely rejuvenate me.

And the people! They are like family. With very little notice, TEN women dropped everything to help me with a project while I was there. Most of the people in Howe have helped raise me in some way or another and I know they would do anything for me.

I'm so glad I get to have my children experience Howe, and hope they grow to love it as I do.

Happiness

After enjoying a whole week of having Jared home and a fun weekend with both sides of the family, I was bracing myself for a rough Monday. It is like the kids have to decompress or something, we are all usually coming off of sugar highs, and there is always plenty of laundry and cleaning to do. Oh, and Jared has class on Monday nights, so the day always seems long to me.

Maddie woke up first, and she cried when Jared left for work. So she and I just cuddled and talked for 45 minutes before the others woke up. She is a talker, so smart and funny. I love it when she pinches her thumb and index finger together and says, "I love you to the moon and back."

Maddie and Briggs took afternoon naps at the same time, so Emma and I got to have some good cuddle time, too. Over an hour of just the two of us. She would just randomly turn and give me a kiss, then lay her head back on my shoulder. She has the most tender heart and loves to help me.

Then I let the girls watch a movie after dinner so Briggs and I got about an hour of tickling, giggling and blowing raspberries. He already knows how to tease me! After I kiss him he tries to kiss me. So sweet and slobbery. But I love it.

It is days like today that I just love being a mom! I'm always grateful to be a mom, but we all need days like these every once in a while to give us an extra boost. I truly love them each SO much and can't imagine what my life would be like without them.

Oh, and if that wasn't heaven enough, Jared got home from class early, like an hour and a half early.

It was just a good, simple day and I don't want to forget it.

Pumpkin Carving

Simplified

"Slow down and everything you are chasing will come around and catch you." (John De Paola)

I've realized that one of my favorite things about having a new baby is how much they simplify my life. They help you slow down and focus on the important things. Out of necessity I tidy up the house more effectively, plan meals more efficiently, spend more quality time with each child and enjoy my quiet moments alone or with Jared more than ever.

Before Briggs was born, I had lists and lists of good goals and things I wanted to get done. Now my priorities have shifted and I have all but thrown the list away. I spend most of my mornings sitting on the living room floor with my kids coloring, playing or reading. It's the easiest way for me to give all of them attention and I'm loving it. This morning flew by and it was nap time before I knew it!

Oh, and speaking of naptime, I have to say that all 3 kids are napping right now and consistently do that nearly every afternoon. And yes, I am VERY grateful!

Heavenly Father sent us 3 special spirits that fit into our family so perfectly and are so patient with me as I get all of this figured out. And Jared is amazing and takes on so much of the load for me. I don't know what I would do without him!

I feel so blessed.

Our Night

We spent the evening in Idaho Falls yesterday, walking around the temple grounds and the greenbelt, and then we went to the Chukars game. It was a lot of fun! Maddie is a ham and always poses for pictures and Emma refuses to pose. They love to smell the flowers so we spent a LOT of time looking at the different flowers on the temple grounds. The last three pictures make me laugh because they are so typical... in on Emma is looking away, the next Maddie is looking away and in the third Jared isn't looking at the camera. If you imagine the three combined it makes for a perfect picture. :)

Our free "zoo"

There is a zoo in Pocatello, and I was so excited once we knew we were moving here so we could take the girls. We still haven't been there yet, but we have gone to McKee's pet store and petting zoo for free several times. Someday we'll make it to the zoo, but for now we're enjoying McKee's! :)




There is also a little playground and coin operated rides that they love.