the day after independence day

This morning Katie and I were talking about talents. It's an interesting idea to talk to a 4 year old about because it's not something I quite understand. Is a talent something you are born with or something you develop? I think its a little of both. I don't think I could have worked hard enough to be a professional basketball player, considering I only grew to be 5'2". Anyway, Jack had said something about how you only can have one talent and it's the thing you do the very best. I interjected and said you could be talented in anything if you work hard for it. So, we decided a talent was something that you work at until you get good at it. Katie was satisfied with that definition so we started talking about the people in our families and what they do well. When I asked her what my talent was, she told me ....

Eating.

That's right. My 4 year old says I am a talented eater. Now, I don't mean to brag, but I do practice A LOT! And I thoroughly enjoy it. I can eat one handed. I can eat quickly or take my time. I have many styles and techniques. I can snack all day or stuff myself full. It takes dedication, and I am dedicated to my art.


In other news, we had a fabulous holiday yesterday. We had a neighborhood breakfast, friends over for grilled kabobs and hot dogs, and fireworks on the nearby golf course.

neighborhood breakfast. i really loved Ana's firework face paint.

who doesn't love this?

waiting for the fireworks with a gorgeous sunset.

I love America.  It is a physically beautiful place.  The red rocks of Southern Utah. New England in the fall. Hidden waterfalls. Wheel line sprinklers on a green field. A cactus rising above the desert. Beauty is everywhere.  There is beauty in its history too. Not all of it, but much of it is. I truly believe the ideals it was founded on changed the world for a better.  I love its diversity of perspectives and experiences and people. I'm grateful for the opportunities I have because of where I am from and for the opportunities my children will have as well.

God Bless America.

Land that I love.

Stand beside her, and guide her

through the night with a light from above.

christmas

Sometimes I fall into the trap that if I don't take a picture then I can't document it. Because who wants to trudge through my wordiness without the reward of my cute kids' faces.

But I don't take too many pictures lately and Christmas was no different. I took, like, 2 pictures. And you are about to see them.

But it was a fabulous week. First of all, my youngest sister invited me to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas concert and it was fabulous. It made me happy being there and I was glad her 3 other friends couldn't make it.

Dave had 4 days off and it was lovely.  There were lots of tickle fights and laughs and cuddles and movies and treats and much more. Ana got a kindle, which she was not expecting at all. Jack got a Lego set he's been eyeing for MONTHS. (The Lego City Space port) Katie got new additions to her dress up collection and a bike basket and Charlie got overwhelmed by everything. (And a ball.)

This was the only picture I took of the day. This is Katie with her new blanket from Grandma. She loves it.

Dave got me some paints and Ana and I have been having fun!

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While the holidays are always filled with laughter and fun, I tried to focus our family on the reason we celebrate Christmas, Jesus Christ's birth and life. We read scriptures and stories often to remind us of that reason. There was one night during family prayer when Jack asked that we remember Jesus during Christmas. I felt the Spirit during that moment and was so grateful that perhaps a little bit was sinking in.

It was a happy Christmas.

i love candy

I have a love-hate relationship with Halloween. I love dressing up. I love making my kids costumes. And I love, love candy. But I don't really love scary things. And I don't love having candy in the house. Well, I do, but I know I shouldn't eat Butterfingers for breakfast and that's what I end up doing. 

My favorite part is making the costumes. I honestly get a lot of creative satisfaction out of it. Late September, Ana came home declaring that she wanted to be Darth Vader for Halloween. Up until this point, Jack had wanted to be Mario, but we convinced him to instead be Luke Skywalker and all we had to do was tell Katie she was a princess and she was sold.

A few weeks ago we watched Star Wars: the original trilogy with the kids. They loved it! The entire movie, every time Princess Leia came on Katie said "There I am." Or whenever a storm trooper got shot she said, "You died, Mom." It was kind of hilarious.

Truthfully, Charlie wasn't thrilled about wearing a hat. Usually he pulled it off right away. But if I gave me a cracker or something right after I put it on, he sometimes forgot about it long enough to take a picture.

He also got to eat a sucker for the first time and this made him happy. (Remember how Ana didn't have a sucker until she was 18 months old and I didn't let anyone give her candy? I guess that's the difference between your first and your 4th kid.)

Star Wars was a popular theme at the elementary school parade this year. Jack's friend in his class was also Princess Leia.

Dave and I decided to join in the costumes too. Ana really wanted someone else on that dark side, so I went with a storm trooper and  Dave went as Obi-Wan Kenobi

I spent most of the day on Halloween finishing up costumes. Jack wanted to carve pumpkins. He finally got impatient enough that he did his all on his own. Then when Dave got home he helped the girls with theirs. And then I couldn't find our tea lights so I used birthday candles and they smelled funny. But, hey, at least we carved pumpkins. And I sort of love that Jack did his by himself. He traced his pattern, cut off the top, scooped out the guts and everything.

The kids made out like bandits. We have so much candy in our house. Seriously, its ridiculous. Ana keeps asking me if I will buy all hers for $50 so she can buy a Kindle. (Um... no.) She did save her Reese's Pieces and Almond Joys for me and her Reese's PB cups and other good stuff for Dave. Gotta love that generosity.

So another Halloween is in the books. Next year Jack says he will be Mario for sure and he wants Charlie to be Luigi. We'll see if he stays with it.

january

I love January. After the celebrations of the Holidays, I love the chance to pack it all away and reflect on the goodness of God and the changes I want to make. ("The calm after the storm" as I recently heard it called.)

Last year was a roller coaster year - full of high highs and low lows. We had the excitement of matching in Salt Lake City and the sadness of seeing loved ones pass. Dave graduated from medical school and we left dear friends and wonderful Vermont behind. We have had the news of a new baby and Dave's kidney stone episode and much more. We miss our Vermont family dearly, and as we all spread out more and more I know it is the ending of a wonderful era of our lives. We will always look back on our time there with such fondness.  The year was an eternity and yet the blink of an eye.

We have tried the make the most of living close to family. We have traveled to Idaho for Thanksgiving and Grandma's Christmas Party/Dave's birthday and again for New Year's Eve. It has been so wonderful!

As per our tradition, we stayed home for Christmas. We played with Jack's new helicopter and read books and Ana painted and Katie flitted around the house and we all went sledding and played endless games of Uno.  I thought it might be weird doing dinner alone since we have done dinner with friends the past few years, but it ended up being really nice.

My favorite Christmas scenes:

New Jammies

Katie took her role as Mary so seriously. It was the most precious thing I have ever seen

Christmas!

Painting with her new art set

Love the new robe from Grandmas

Reading. I have learned since she got this book that she likes graphic novels. She has read it twice already.

Fresh Christmas snow. Hooray for a white Christmas.

This year hasn't been my best for writing. I haven't journaled or blogged much.  I want to keep doing it.  It requires stillness and forces reflection. It requires that I focus on the good (or at least the humor) in every situation. I don't want to be so consumed with busy-ness that I neglect my need for stillness and reflection. It seems a mother's day is a day of "hyper-vigilance" - managing crises and functioning in a state of urgency. Much of that comes with the job. Writing, reflecting, being still, and focusing on things that matter most often get pushed aside, to the detriment of everyone involved.

While I haven't officially made my list of resolutions, I know that they will involve more pro-action. More time to be still. More time to write down thoughts and ideas. More slowing down and simplifying.

The baby's room is ready, and so as long as he stays put until Dave is done working his night shift rotation, we will be alright.

Hello, 2015.

A semi-homemade halloween

I realized this year that my favorite Halloween costumes are ones that are semi-homemade. The ones that are made from things that you have around the house or can pick up at the thrift store and put together into something that looks great. I have noticed that is the route I usually go and I am always happy with the results. This year we had:

Dracula's wife

Superman

A cheerleader

Ana vacillated a bit early on in the decision making process, but finally settled on Vampire. Her cape was made from a black sheet I found at a thrift store. The only other thing I bought was her teeth and make-up. For her those were non-negotiable parts.  I just winged it for the cape and there are a couple things I would do differently if I did it again, but what can I say, I am a "good-enough-ist."

Jack decided to be Superman and stuck to it. He can be a bit particular, but he was totally happy with the results of his put together costume. We had the cape leftover from a friend's birthday party. The shirt and leggings I found at DI and used felt I had already to make the logo. The red shorts are a pair of 3T basketball shorts he has been wearing to bed for years. I just folded them up to make them look shorter. The most expensive part was the brand new socks I bought for the boots, but I like the way it turned out. And so does he. He has been wearing it as much as I would let him over the last week or so, including up to Dave's Park City retreat last weekend.

Everyday for the last month, Katie has said she wanted to be a different thing for Halloween. Whatever dress up she was wearing that day, that's what she wanted to be for Halloween. "I want to be Supergirl for Halloween." "I want to be Tinkerbell for Halloween." "I'm gonna be Rapunzel for Halloween." etc. etc. Last weekend she found our cheerleader costume and wore it for two days straight, so it was easy to convince her to wear it. Though, Halloween morning she almost changed her mind to the bee costume we have.

My favorite thing about this year, though, is that when Katie came home from trick-or-treating, and saw that I had to turn away a couple kids because we ran out of candy, she put her candy in the bowl so that we would have some if kids came by. She was so happy to do it, too. Even when she went to bed she said, "If I hear the doorbell, I will say 'Give them my candy!'' She is such a generous little soul.

Happy Halloween!

short years

After we matched, I knew that our move was going to come faster than we thought, so first thing was first and we found a place to live in Salt Lake. (Check.) Then I was mostly focused on our trip to Rhode Island. (Check.) Then I was making Katie's Easter dress. (Check.) Then I mostly focused on our trip to Quebec City. (Check. Post and pics to come.) Now reality is sinking in and I am realizing that Dave graduates in 3 weeks. And then we move. What the heck? And what better way to review the passage of time than by our Easter pictures from the last 4 years.

 2010. 3 months before we moved. Ages: almost 2, almost 4

2011

2012

2013

2014. Photo credit: our good friend Eli

Crazy. My kids looks so big. When did this happen? I am in major denial about this phase of my life ending so I will just stop now.

shout it out with joyful voice

About a year ago, I got a phone call from a good friend who happened to be serving in the bishopric at the time. (The Bishopric is the local leaders of our church, comprised of three men, a Bishop and his counselors, who lead the congregation. For more information about our local organization see HERE or just ask.) He asked me to speak in church on Easter Sunday on how the Resurrection has blessed my life.

Though I have a firm belief in the reality of Christ's resurrection,  I never really applied it to my life now. Studying for the talk deepened my testimony of not only the Resurrection, but also in his Atoning sacrifice. I learned that time after time in the Bible, Christ testified of his mission to heal us spiritually by healing others physically.  "For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk?" (Matt 9:5)

A year has passed, and with it experiences that have taught me more about the amazing power of the Resurrection. That same friend and his wife, Christy, lost there little girl in November. I have thought of them so many times this week as I have thought about my Savior. The reality of the Resurrection has become so much more real for them. It means that they get to see their little girl again. Jane will live again and they will see her and hold her! Even though my heart still aches for them and their two little boys, I am so happy for them that they have Hope in Christ. The sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.

For all who have lost, the Hope is the same. Christ lives! Though I have spent my week sewing Katie's Easter dress and dying eggs, the glory of this holiday is the glory of the Lord.


Hallelujah. He is Risen!

my funny valentines

The kids had a snow day today. So far we have gotten about a foot of accumulation.

But of course, that just means we get to stay home and do crafts and eat heart-shaped pancakes and watch Robin Hood.

I love my little Valentines.

family pictures

There are some people that make you feel cooler just by being around them. We have met so many cool people here. One of those families is the Dahles. Even our kids know they are cool. Ana one time said, "The Dahles can do anything."  Any time something is broken Ana thinks we need to call them because they can fix anything. They are also amazing photographers and they took our family pictures for us this year.

 I had a very specific thing in mind. I wanted to dress up, but I also wanted them to look cozy and warm. And I wanted to take them in my house.  Maybe that is weird, but Heather totally made it work and I love how they turned out.

This is the one we chose for the Christmas card. I love how Ana is leaning on my shoulder and I love Jack's face.

The classic formal shot.

They look like they love each other!

I am totally in love with the genuine smiles and happiness on their faces here. I could eat them up.

This one is the closest to real life. It really shows personality.

I really like doing family pictures every year. I am not quite sure why, but ever since Ana was born I have made sure we have taken a current family photo every year. I like to document the passing of time. I like the snapshot of what our family looks like at different phases. I like to see the change and think about the growth that has happened over the year.  And I think it is important for my kids to see pictures of us as a family and pictures of me and Dave together with them - both formal pictures and informal. I am not a great photographer, but I love that it is so easy to document life by taking pictures. A picture is worth a thousand words, and taking pictures can be a powerful way to send a message to the next generation. I love the pictures I have of me as a child and of my family when we were young. They are treasured possessions. I hope my children feel the same way.

christmas 2013

Christmas came fast. I don't know if it was the late Thanksgiving, or the fact that Dave or I were gone for 9 collective days in the December, or what, but this December has just flown by. There were some things we just didn't get to this year, like making gingerbread houses. I guess some years are like that.

I love our quiet, small, family Christmases. Christmas Eve we cleaned house, made Santa's cookies, and watched The Muppets Christmas Carol with hot chocolate and popcorn. Then, of course, the kids opened their jammies and we read the Christmas story and tucked the kids into bed. They were all asleep by 8:15 and were told not to emerge from their room unless it was 6 or later. 

True to their word, the kids didn't emerge until Jack came in after 7 and said, "Mom, the clock says, 7:11. That's after 6. Can we go open presents?"  I loved that. It was really fun for him to go wake up Ana and hear them whispering in the hall about Christmas morning. What is it about Christmas the brings a whisper. I think that Christmas wants to be quiet and still. And something about those moments of anticipation call for whispers, even in my only-has-one-volume-and-it-is-loud middle child.  We didn't really take any pictures that morning. We just watched and smiled and enjoyed.

I went into the kitchen to make breakfast after all the presents were opened and it was 9. I thought, "Oh, good we will have a nice, long, wonderful day." And then suddenly it was 3 pm and I was rushing to get potatoes and pie finished so we could go do dinner. We had dinner with our wonderful friends and came home late. As we were leaving their neighborhood, we saw 2 deer in a front yard in their neighbor's house. We sat quietly and watched them. I love quiet Christmases.

We had ourselves a Merry Little Christmas. I hope you did too.

halloween 2013

I really really like Halloween. I won't say LOVE because that is reserved for the 4th of July, Christmas and Thanksgiving. But I like it. I like making my kid's costumes (either sewing them myself or putting together stuff) and I like dressing up myself. And I like taking my kids trick-or-treating. I loved the look on Katie's face this year when she walked up to that first door and realized what was happening. It was pure kid happiness and it was awesome. And of course, Jack, my candy-loving kid, could have gone on forever.

Ana was invited to go trick-or-treating this year with a friend, Anna, that is in her class. They came and picked her up before dinner and brought her home a few hours later with a bag full of candy. She had a great time!

Our Ward Halloween Party and Chili Cook-off. These photos are by Heather from Heather Dahle Photography. If you want to see some cool Halloween pictures by Heather, check out these.

Pre- and post- trick-or-treating. We had a great time and have more candy than we need. I am still trying to figure out what to do about the insane amount of candy we now have in the house.

I didn't get pictures underneath our traditional tree this year. (HERE, HERE and HERE.) Time restraints and the weather prevented it. My favorite moment of the night was when someone asked Katie if she was a Native American and she answered, "No, I  Indian." I guess we aren't very PC around these parts.