Funny Lauren

Today, a girl we know was singing a solo for the BYU Devotional. I tuned in to see her perform. Lauren asked me who it was and I reminded her of how we knew the girl. She asked,"How come she is on the TV?" I replied, "So we can see her sing!" Then I was listening and focused, I noticed Lauren went behind the entertainment center and was doing something to the TV. Then she came out and asked, "Did you see my hand?" "No." "What? I was trying to get in the TV like Valerie! How did she get in there?" I tried my best to explain how it all works. She seemed unconvinced. After a thoughtful moment she responded, "I want to be on TV, get me in there soon." I may have failed to mention her outfit included a crown at the time. A diva is born.

Guess what he can do now?

This was a few days after the first time he rolled. Ben is the only one who saw it, but it only took him a few times to get the whole front to back and back to front thing. He hasn't stopped rolling ever since!

Farmer-Sea

This is the story Dylan told me after school today. "Today we didn't have PE so I was playing catch with Bailey and one time when I threw the ball to her, I threw it over her head and it hit the picture of Amelia Earhart." (That is the name of their school.) "And a little before that our teacher from S.L.C., he was in there." (student learning community, where they learn from community members about different jobs and things outside of conventional learning. This week it was poison control.) "He is Miss Aurich's boyfriend, they are going to get married. And guess what? He is a farmer that wears a tie. And he doesn't even have a real farm. He was telling us all about poison." (At this point in the story, I began to question.) "He is a farmer who wears a tie and doesn't even work on a farm?", I asked. "Yep. He said it's called a farmer-sea." I love my child. I told him so and gave him a big hug! That is right up there with the dim-holes on his face!

Happy Moth's Day

Dylan clearly has opinions about me. I found this in his backpack today. It is a keeper and says it all.

Lauren

Today, in the Macey's parking lot, someone lost a rose and Lauren ended up with it. She carried it through the store for an hour, at the end of which it had lost most of it's stem and looked a little worse for wear. On the way home, she said, "Mom, can we start stopping at houses to see who lost this flower?" "No," I replied, "there are way too many houses in Provo and we can't stop at all of them." "Just a few?" "No. What if you take it to Sister Douglas (former nursery teacher)?" She thought about this for a minute or two. "Okay," she replied, "but you'll have to drive me there because my legs are tired." Sister Douglas lives across the street and over two houses. "Not EVEN happening." "FINE! I'll just have to ride my bike. HUH!" She was clearly as disgusted with me as I was with her. Seriously? I thought that settled that, but when we got home and I pulled into the driveway she said, " You were supposed to drive me to Sister Douglas' house!" Grrrrrrr.

Harrison

Here's the original birth announcement I put on Facebook, in case you missed it!

More Harrison

I can't believe Harrison is four months old. And I haven't blogged anything about him! He is soooo cute! He is very vocal, smiley and active. Just about as cute as he could possibly be! He is also big. By that I guess I mean heavy. Like a boulder. His favorite activity right now is bouncing in his Johnny Jump Up, he'll bounce for about 30 minutes happily (I just discovered this yesterday!) I've never had a baby like those things, but if you hold him standing up on your lap he starts bouncing so I thought I'd give it a try. His favorite toy is his "huggy monkey" but when it's dirty the huggy dog will do. He's also getting pretty good at raspberries. He's a really good, happy baby, but is plagued by digestive problems so you know when he is hurting because he cries. Not just fussing, more like wailing. SO sad :( The rest of the time he is really fun! Daddy gets the biggest smiles and laughs, but I get the best cuddles so we are both happy!

I'm back!

After a busy Christmas Season, and a baby, I finally feel up to blogging again. Here is a short new post!

Easter: We had a really nice Easter Season. We spent the week before focusing on events surrounding the Crucifixion and Resurrection. We had a few glitches with things like Lauren thinking Jesus was placed in the "tube", and Ben using humor at inappropriate times (okay, only once. I'm sure God has a sense of humor because he didn't strike Ben down!) Mostly, though, we had an amazing week. Monday, Ben started a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can you tell I am excited about it? Tuesday, Nana and Lorinda showed up to spend a few days because Lorinda had an appointment to check on her foot. Wednesday, I showed Lorinda how to make some cute fabric flowers and headbands. She's crazy! Thursday, Nana took us all to dinner at Chuck-a-Rama because the kids love to go there so they can have whatever they want. Thanks Nana! Friday was movie night. Saturday we decorated eggs. Lauren said she was going to draw "something incredible". She did. (If I ever figure out what it was, I'll let you know!)

Sunday, Sister Lee gave an amazing talk on the atonement. I love the way she views life, like she is living on a different plane than I am. One part that really stuck out to me was when she told that the day before she had gone to the temple with here son, Mike, the day before so he could receive his endowment. In the celestial room, she pointed out the chandelier to him with all the beautiful crystals. She told him to look closely, to notice that it is not just white. The crystals act as prisms and reflect all the colors of light. She told him you don't have to be perfectly pure to go to the temple. You can go there when you have a red day, or a blue day. It is our Savior who brings all the colors together to make pure white light. He will make us pure.

After my mom finished with church, we went to her house for dinner with two of my brothers and their families. We had yummy prime rib, thanks Ben! The kids did an egg hunt and were all kind and sharing.

I love the Gospel and am so grateful to my Savior for his atoning sacrifice. I cannot imagine his suffering when my small sufferings are so difficult to bear. I am grateful to be reminded, through trials and blessings, of His love, and my Heaven;y Father's love, for me. I am truly blessed to be loved by so many. No matter what comes my way, it is the love I share with others that gets me through it all.

So much for short!

Dylan's Art

All my kids are amazing in many ways, truly. I have been astonished a lot recently by the artwork Dylan has been putting out. He dedicates himself to it. I bought him a sketch book yesterday to try to preserve some of the best ones. Now, Lauren is doing what she can to follow in his footsteps. Here is a sample. This is Santa Clause. I think you'll know who's is who's!

A lot of the things they do are really imaginative and it is fun to see on paper how their little minds work!

Changes

Change happens, even when you aren't noticing, and it isn't usually a big deal. Especially when you aren't noticing. It is the big changes, and big uncertainties, that are harder to deal with. Ben started a new job yesterday. Hooray, right? Maybe. He HATES change of any kind, and since he has been home for over a year, this is big change for him. It starts with a really low pay rate, with a potential to move up after 90 days. It isn't anything he wants to do, but is something he is willing and able to do. I am just grateful to have the opportunity for a steady income again! I think it is stressing Ben out a little, though. He is quiet, and not sleeping well. I wish there were a quick fix, but he'll just have to get used to it! Other big changes, well, this baby is coming whether I like it or not. I don't like labor, that's for sure. I do like babies, but there is nothing that shakes up a household like a newborn. Also, timing may be everything. I am certain that having a baby within days before Christmas will change the traditions we have, maybe forever. It definitely changed how Ben and I celebrate our anniversary when Lauren made her grand entrance on our 10th!



Change is good, too. I am so grateful for the wonderful people my kids are becoming. A few weeks ago at church I had two people come up to me to tell me wonderful things about two of my kids. I am really proud of the people they are choosing to become. It is not easy to figure things out when you're a kid, but they are constantly trying to do better than they did before, what more can you ask? So, by the way, is my husband. He amazes me. I don't know anyone who wants to be a better person more than he does. He gets down on himself a lot and doesn't give himself the credit he deserves for all his hard work. I, on the other hand, spend too much time content with where I am at. Or maybe, I am too caught up in my life as it is to make the efforts at this particular point in time. I always want to learn new things and try new things, but there is a time for everything and it just isn't now.

In all of this, there is hope. I was thinking, on Sunday, (I won't make this a habit) that hope is always there. It seems like this year has been one of unending uncertainties, but I always have hope that things will get better. When I feel like I am drowning, I always find a lifeline right there next to me and sometimes wonder if I would have seen it sooner if I hadn't spent so much time focusing on the amount of water I was stuck in. In this month of giving thanks, I feel true gratitude for the blessings in my life. I am daily awed by the tender mercies poured out on me. According to goverrnment standards, I live at poverty level. According to the Lord's, I am richly blessed.