Good Bye Freedom

Well,

The day has finally arrived! Our kids have figured out how to pick the lock on our door.

Last night we were going through a box of things I had ordered and deciding which would be for Christmas, Summer, etc when all of a sudden I turn to Brett and say - "They've figured out the lock"

In comes...RYAN and SYDNEY

Ryan declared "Bullseye! I got ya!"

I quickly jump on the bed to cover what is uncovered and Ryan looks up - deer in the head lights look - and says "Oh Sorry!"

Lucky for them I wasn't covering up anything else

You know it's bad when you have to buy flip locks for your own bedroom

Around the World and Back

I have felt a need lately to be sure that Sydney knows that I love her. I learned very recently in a training I went to that we all need love. Our families are no different. As I lay down with her at night I make sure to have her look in my eyes as I talk to her. I tell her how I love her beautiful blue eyes, her beautiful body, her beautiful smile. I tell her that I love her more than the world. To which she replies, "Mom, I love you Around the World and Back."

Best Friends

I don't know what causes a good friendship in siblings, but I feel very blessed that my children are friends. Not only friends, but best friends really.

Last night I was getting ready to go Visiting Teaching and Ryan told Sydney he wanted to play with her. They both got their socks, shoes, and coats on and went outside.

I watched out the window and was filled with love and admiration for both of my kids. The ball they were throwing went across the street and the both took each other by the hand, walked to the front of our yard, looked both ways, and then crossed the street to get the ball. I love my kids. They bring so much joy into our home.

Last week while I was away at another scout training, Brett took the kids up the canyon and took some pictures.


This one depicts what I see so much:

Super Powers

Today Sydney announced that she wished she had SUPER POWERS


On inquiring why, she firmly declared that if she did, she would change her age to 3 when McKaylyn came over, and she would be 5 when Kayla came over, and she would make me 5 and her dad 5 and Ryan 5 when she needed someone to play with. If she wanted to hold a baby, Ryan would then be made an infant, of course Dad would change the diapers she mused, to which I agreed with an astounding YES, he would


I'm not sure why it is so hard to revert back to 5 some days. After all, I could play with Barbies for hours without worrying about what things in the house weren't getting done. I could watch High School Musical a million times and squeal when I saw such things in stores without a care in the world.

I think I need to give Sydney SUPER POWERS for a day. She might feel like she has conquered the world.

Conversations with Ryan...

Yesterday I spent the day at my neighbor's office doing some work for them. I took both kids as they were out of school. Sydney got bored so she was drawing in a notebook I had there. She is learning to read so she was writing some of her sight words, ever so proudly.

Now, let me invite you into my conversation that came next...

Ryan: I can't wait until Sydney is in 1st grade.

Me: Oh, why is that.

Ryan: Because, then she will see all of the hard work that I have been doing all these years.

Me: Giggle

Ryan: Mom, did you know that there is a kid in 2nd grade that still can't spell WAS?

Me: Ryan, you are a very lucky kid because these things come easy to you.

Ryan: Yeah, I bet if they did studies on my brain, they would see that it is working really hard.

Me: Yes Ryan, I am sure they would see that it is.

The End

You're MORE fun than SWIMMING

Tonight we were going to take the kids swimming. They have been begging us to go, and Brett needed to help some boys get their Swimming Merit Badge for scouts, so we thought it was a good opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

WELL....there were too many boys for our kids to be able to fit, so we were unable to let Ryan and Sydney go. Needless to say, they were both devastated. Sydney whined most of the evening. I told her we could make cookies, hoping that the thought might turn the whine-o-meter OFF. (I hate whining!)

As I finished the dough, and we were rolling it out on the bar for our Halloween Cookie Cutters, Sydney found the HS Musical 1 CD, so we of course had to BLAST it and sing at the top of our lungs.

Did you know that rolling pins make for great microphones? I'm pretty sure they could go head to head with any technology out there!

Sydney turned to me as we were putting the last of the cookies on the pan and said "Mom, you're much more fun than swimming!"

What?

Me?

WHOO HOO!

More than Love

A few years ago I was counseling with a friend and he said "the goal you want in your marriage is that it becomes more than love." He related a story about serving an older couple for some time. The wife was starting to deteriorate in health and the husband was caring for her. He posed the question "You love her, don't you?" The gentleman replied, "Oh, it's much more than love now." So, to me, the friend said, "You'll know when you're on the right track with your relationship when it becomes more than love."

So, this morning the realization came to me that "it's much more than love."

Last night was a bad one. I think I went through all of the stages of grief in one night. Sadness, anger, all of it.

My kind husband sat quietly, and unknowingly I'm sure, buoyed me.

It was after midnight before my mind stopped reliving the events of a year ago and comfort set in enough for me to go to sleep.

I awoke this morning at 7:23am in somewhat of a panic. I could hear Brett in the other room, and I knew I needed to hurry and help get the kids ready for school and Brett off to work. I got dressed and walked out of the bedroom and to my surprise Brett was still in his pajamas. I asked him if I could help him hurry and get to work and he said he had taken the day off to spend with me.

I know he stayed home because he knew I would need someone today. He helped me get the house completely cleaned.

This my friends is More than Love

Reflection

The day after Azure's funeral we took a walk to the cemetery with Eric. I didn't notice Brett taking pictures, but when we got home he showed me this one. It is a picture that very much shows the separation of temporal and spiritual life. It's taken me a year to think of what we could name the picture, but I think Reflection best describes what is happening here.


The baby in the picture is Eric, Azure's little guy. He was almost 5 months when she passed away....Man I miss her.

More Funnies

Azure was always doing things to make us laugh. One day I came around the corner in our home to This:

What is it you ask? - Why, it's Eeyore...and Dad. Definitely picture worthy.

Funny Memory

My sister Azure lived with us from October 2002 - May 2003. For much of that time she didn't have a job. She got a job some time in the spring at Wendy's. It was her first day of work and she had to come home for something and she locked her keys in the car. Brett and I were standing outside, along with a friend while the Police officer unlocked the doors. Azure forgot something in the house and Brett thought it would be funny to put a key on the driver's seat and hold a key and then lock the doors. WELL, when Azure came back outside she went to open the door and SURPRISE - it was locked! She turned around to Brett and Said - "YOU @* IDIOT" - You locked my keys in the car. We all laughed and Brett pulled out the 'spare' key. Well - little did he/we know that the key that he was holding was for the IGNITION. The key that opened the doors was sitting on the seat locked inside the car. We all felt really stupid when the officer had to come back a couple of minutes later and get the key out of the car, but we still laugh.

The end.

M-O-M

This morning just before 7am Sydney climbed in bed with me for a little snuggle. I love those mornings, and they rarely happen with her. She normally wants DAD.

Well, this morning she wanted ME!

As we lay in bed together, she looked up and said "I love you M-O-M." So, with a smile on my face I say, "Oh, I love you too S-Y-D-N-E-Y."

SURPRISE

Well, I got an e-mail today yesterday from my Primary Secretary stating that she had her baby. Then I opened the e-mail and she said, well - babies! There were 2 of them. How she was carrying 2 babies is all a mystery to us. She is so tiny and made it almost full term (only 12 days early). She told us from about 7 months on that they couldn't tell in the ultrasound if it was a boy or a girl. Well SURPRISE - She got one of each. The doctors were surprised and so were mom and dad, and yes so is the rest of the world who knows them.

Congratulations Lucille and Scott! We still can't believe it!

Who Says Adults Can't Have Fun?

As I said in my previous post, Brett and I spent a week at a scout training called Wood Badge. I don't suppose I have laughed so hard so many days in a row for a VERY long time. While a lot of instruction was given, a lot of fun was had too. Here's to the staff and all of the participants of the W7-591-11-08 Wood Badge Course. Thanks for a GREAT time!

This is Hal, our course director. He did a great job picking the staff and leading them for a wonderful experience to be had by all.

I am so happy I shared this experience with Brett.

food (fd)n.

1. Material, usually of plant or animal origin, that contains or consists of essential body nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals, and is ingested and assimilated by an organism to produce energy, stimulate growth, and maintain life.

2. A specified kind of nourishment: breakfast food;

Thanks Quartermasters

fun (fn)

n.

1. A source of enjoyment, amusement, or pleasure.

2. Enjoyment; amusement: have fun at the beach.

3. Playful, often noisy, activity.

intr.v. funned, fun·ning, funs Informal

To behave playfully; joke.

adj. Informal Enjoyable; amusing

This picture portrays independence to me. We put our camp together on our own, and we were on our own. It was a beautiful experience! Way to go ladies!

Update

Whoa - did I end on a sour note or what? Sorry to all you blog reading friends. I must have been having a bad week last time I posted.

Much has gone on in the past week and a half. Brett and I just got home from a scout training called Wood Badge. It was a wonderful week and I know more than ever why the LDS church uses BSA as their activity arm for the young men. I think there is a huge misconception among church members regarding this program. I must say thought that Lord Baden Powell had a vision that would help mold good men if followed.

It is good to be home. I'm convinced that I need a maid. I'm also convinced that I need to learn how to say no to people. One of my good friends told me that I needed to say no to housework. Well, if you were to see my house today, you would pretty much know that I do that quite well.

I had my 31st birthday on Sunday. It wasn't quite as traumatic as last year's birthday. It was a chaotic day at church with classes missing teachers and misbehaving kids hitting me more than I like being hit, but other than that it was a pretty good day. Brett made dinner, which was a very nice thing.

Not much else going on around here. Maybe I'll come up with something good for my next post.