A Worthy Goal for 2015

Today during relief society we talked about Elder Cook's last Conference Address about how  rationalizations often prevent us from reaching our potential.  We identified several rationalizations:  schedules, too tired, uncooperative family members, forget, distractions....  The teacher than asked who is the author of these rationalizations.  The obvious answer is he who does not want us to read our scriptures or say our prayers or go to the temple or have family home evening.....

Our teacher's husband is our bishop.  He said he has been surprised to learn that the one thing that adults and youth seem to struggle with the most is saying our morning prayers.  I guessed this because it is the one that I too struggle with.  For some reason, the evening prayer is a strong habit but my morning prayer has always been a hit or miss experience.

However, I LOVED the insight she shared from her husband.  The morning prayer is critical because it is during this time that we can ask for the Spirit to be with us to strengthen us and protect us and guide us as we go throughout our day.  Heavenly Father will not deny our free agency and send the Spirit without us first asking!  All through the scriptures we are told to ask, seek, knock....

As a mother of teenagers I know how much my children need the Spirit to be with them as they face their daily challenges.  I told my kids about this insight and we have a plan for making this change so that in 2015 we will begin our day on our knees!

Santa's Workshop

Scott has taken over my clean garage.....he wanted to make soccer goals for Tyson and Justin. They are huge!  To buy a set like this would have cost around $2,000--of course they would have been the metal ones but PVC will work just fine!...They sag a little in the middle because of their length but they should still hold up for quite some time!  I'm sure this will be a well-loved and well - used gift!

Scott had a change of plans after the first one and ended up making  two smaller ones.   The nets didn't arrive as scheduled so they aren't finished yet but the boys played all day with the one!

Christmas 2014

Ashlyn asked her dad last night how to set her alarm clock.  He didn't think anything about it and showed her how.  She set her alarm for 3 am this morning and then woke up Annaka.  She tried to wake up Justin but his roommate got mad and sent her out of the room.  I figured that was what she was doing but I thought she had set it for 3:30 so I missed their initial reactions. But I love going out and watching the excitement young children have on Christmas morning.   There's no other time that is quite as magical!  Justin came down a couple of hours later.  Tanner after that and we woke Tyson around 7:30-8!  I don't have many magical moments left to capture before they're too old and sleep trumps their curiosity!  

I didn't capture everything but I snapped a few pictures from today.  We stayed in pj's and  just enjoyed being together.  Scott made us delicious cafe rio!...We were all spoiled as usual in the gift department!  Scott and I took Domino on a walk so the girls could ride their bikes (Annaka got one from Santa).  The best part was having the chance to talk with Brittany face to face!  When you Skype there is a delayed response time so it's kind of hard to communicate but she looks happy and is healthy and she spoke to us in Spanish and is doing pretty well with it!  She said a ton of sisters are going home for health reasons so we are very grateful!  She looks like she is her same sweet self and there were several times when she sounded like her Aunt Tiff.  She said with the transfer schedule her last day in the mission will be December 1, 2015 so she'll be on a plane home December 2nd!  So we will be complete next Christmas!!

Christmas Eve

Missionaries. ...games.....fondue....new Christmas pjs....almost a perfect Christmas Eve!  The package Scott has needed to complete his gift to the boys never arrived.  It was sent to the wrong location and by the time we could figure that out they wouldn't redirect it.  Bummer ending to an otherwise lovely day of family, food and fun!

A Favorite Tradition

Breakfast in Bed!  Rarely do we make breakfast and never are they allowed to eat upstairs (although I have two who think that rule doesn't apply to them. ...#'s 1 and 3)....so this tradition has always been a hit!

Notice what Annaka went for first! :)

Frozen in Time--The Boys!

Justin learned how to tie his shoes in this photo shoot!  He still loves to be active and almost all sports.....doesn't really care for baseball even though he was playing it at the time.  I miss Tanner's sweet little phases.....he was in the Peter Pan phase for a good year!  He still loves wearing pj's and actually just suggested we change the tradition of opening Christmas pj's from Christmas Eve to Christmas Eve Day so he can wear them all day!  Tyson looks completely different but his little tongue thrusting reminds me of his little speech impediment that I'm sure was good to get rid of through speech therapy but it was so cute!

I'm so grateful we moved into Virginia ' s ward when Brittany was five and we have been able to afford these each time they have come due.  They come with a large price tag but they are priceless to me!

Frozen in Time--The Girls!

I chose this picture of Annaka because it didn't look like Brittany and looked more like Annaka.  There were several where her look was very much more of a Brittany look.  I found a picture of Brittany last night that you could swear was Annaka if you didn't know it.  They definitely have their differences but they definitely have their similarities....in more ways than just their looks!  I have come around full circle! :)  Ashlyn's shyness is captured in her picture which is hard to believe now.  She has completely come out of her shell!

Annaka Clara

It is with great gratitude and a sigh of relief that we now have a painting of all six of our babies.  The artist, Virginia Cook, keeps trying to move away from portrait art but she was good to finish my children for me.  The innocence of children is so precious that I've always told them to stop growing!  Of course they disregard my pleas and time marches on BUT no matter how much they change I will always have a beautiful reminder of their sweet childhood!

With the placement of Annaka in the library  I can stand in my entry way and see all three of my girl's paintings.  After Christmas we are going to move Tanner to above the mantel so I will then have all three of my boys in the family room.  It makes my heart happy!

I love my Greg Olsen painting of the two girls at the piano because it reminds me of the picture above my parent's piano.  I was able to shift that over between my two windows so I kept that in the library.  Scott's mission picture of Moroni is going to go upstairs where Tanner's picture is so we have had to play musical chairs with the pictures but it will work!  The boys want me to keep the Moroni picture between the windows and I agree it looks better but my sentimental self won't let the piano picture go!

My Chosen Profession!

My visiting teachee has been feeling overwhelmed and worn out lately and with very good reason!  I went over today to help her wrap Christmas gifts.  I was trying to serve her but as usual she found a way to serve me!  She always builds me up with her words of praise but today she gave me an additional gift in an unexpected way.

She has discovered a book on mothering that she loves so she has acquired a few extra copies and she wanted to give one to me.  I turned the book over and tears instantly surfaced as I read "Learning the arts and sciences of mothering is the most rigorous course of study a woman can pursue...."

My Patriarchal Blessing urges me to get my education saying it would be "very vital' to me.  I was also blessed to have many choice experiences in my life with regards to my "vocation" because I would "work in the arts of sciences and arts".

I have always felt conflicted and nervous because it has always sounded to me that I would have to work outside my home (which in my mind translates to an early death for Scott) but I was also promised I would be able to "accomplish the desires of my heart" as I furthered my education.

I have always wanted to be a full-time wife and mother.   I have no desire to work anywhere else but within my own home.  Today I was granted an insight that my "vocation" and "work" that my teaching education was "vital" for is "the arts and sciences of mothering".

I am constantly studying and learning about the art of parenting and trying to improve all the time.  I fall short a lot BUT I have also had "many choice experiences" in my life with regards to my role as a wife and mother.  This added insight fuels my desire to continue to study and learn about this "most rigorous course of study"!

I have had other insights into my Patriarchal Blessing while visiting teaching.  It truly is an inspired program and I have received so many blessings from trying to magnify that sacred calling.

Temple Trip

I always struggle taking selfies with my phone but I'm not the only one!  It took a little extra determination from Tanner as well!  It was a happy, happy day!  The four of us got to go together to the temple.  I haven't done baptisms since I was a teen.  It was wonderful to do again and this time I wasn't concerned about my hair or lack of make-up! :)  We want to go one to two more times before the boys start school again.  Have I mentioned that I LOVE having a temple ten minutes away!!

Nichole Merrill Ralph

My sister's birthday is today.  This is the sister that gives me hope for my own children's relationships!  Growing up Nichole and I were often on opposite sides of everything!  She was a tease and a pest and she knew how to push my buttons and she loved to do so!  For whatever reason we could not get along....until she started high school.  I don't know what changed (I've always said she started to finally mature) but we started to build a friendship.  The three Merrill girls attended high school together.  I was a senior and Elena was a junior when Nichole entered Nokomis Regional High as a freshman.  We chose to sit together during lunch and would associate with each other whenever the opportunity arose.  I remember my friends being amazed that sisters actually enjoyed being together.  I am happy to say that holds true today.  I love being with my sisters!  We rarely disagree and if we do it doesn't last for long.  Our associations in person are usually limited to the month of July but we cram a year's worth of visiting in with Nichole ' s daily visits (thanks to her patient and understanding husband!)  Happy birthday Nichole!   I'm hoping to find some pictures that show your children who initiated the "angry eyes"! :)  OK...I didn't really find angry eyes but I have seen this little face repeated in the faces of her children.  Isn't she adorable!  We all had quite the chubby cheeks!  I believe in the middle two pictures she was going on 16.  Nichole, Elena and I the first winter after my family moved to Utah.  Then, I think this bottom picture is one of my favorites of Nichole.  She was a young mom and they were celebrating Brad's first birthday.  She looks so content to me in this picture!  Hard to believe that Ethan (on her lap) is now 18 and a senior in high school!

A Pace Piano Prodigy?

Ashlyn had her first piano recital this past Friday.  It was just a few students at one of their homes.  It was all Christmas music and it was lovely!  The arrangements were really fun and the kids did a great job!  Ashlyn started taking lessons from Amanda (Leach) West in September and she has really enjoyed them.  YEAH!!!  I might finally have a piano player!  I used to teach Amanda in Sunday School when she was a teen.  She went on to graduate from BYU, I believe in piano, and she is now married with a lot of students to mentor!  Her personality is a perfect fit for Ashlyn AND the fact that she comes to your house is a perfect fit for me!  Ashlyn played her piece, Home for the Holidays, perfectly!  We were so proud!

My Happy Place

I know....I know....what am I up to now? :)  I've been trying to work up the courage to let my weekly cleaning help go.  I've finally decided it is time.  I need to spend less money and my kids need more responsibility so here goes!

I've tried cleaning schedules before without a lot of success BUT if I don't have some type of a system I'm afraid everything will fall apart.  I did some pinterest research (very high tech :) and after looking at dozens of different approaches I found one I could tweak to make it my own.  I really think this one can work for us!

Besides the little daily responsibilities each kid has been assigned a day of the week to help me with the weekly cleaning assignment (the jobs in the colored blocks).  The clothespin will move clockwise each day to show which job we are doing that day.  The beauty of this system is that they won't have to repeat a job for six weeks!  This will also allow me to work with each child individually on all of the different tasks to help teach and train them on housecleaning tactics.

Then, I will also be tackling the heavy duty cleaning in 30 minute increments each day.  Hey...."by the inch it's a cinch, by the yard it's hard!"  At least that's the thought process behind this approach!

Wish me luck!  If we can make this work my house will actually be getting cleaned more thoroughly than it has been in a long time!

A friend recently shared a quote "I have C.D.O. which is O.C.D. with the letters in alphabetical order, as they should be!"....that quote may or may not apply to me on occasion! :)  Regardless, creating a vibrant, colorful organizational chart brings me a high level of satisfaction and an excitement to get this party started!  (I can hear my family laughing at me all the way from Texas and Utah.....seriously this time it's going to work!! :)

A Matched Set

Scott has wanted to downsize to a minivan for quite some time.  He asked our friend that buys cars at auction and then fixes them up to keep a lookout for one.  I requested the maroon color since we already had a pair.  I thought it would look nice to have a matched set.  My kids think it's ridiculous  but symmetry looks good to me!  The red color was hard to find but months later....here it is.  Of course the timing came at Christmas time along with Annaka's completed portrait, another roof leak, and our irrigation pipes all needing to be replaced....Merry Christmas to us!  Scott and I are foregoing presents to each other this year....we've been gifted enough!!

Christmas Break

Thursday was the last day of school for everyone. Annaka got to wear pajamas and the kids were wired!  They were so excited for their Christmas party.  We have no plans for the next couple of weeks....we're just going to enjoy the season and each other!

Christmas Carols

Last night was the choir concert at school.  Our neighbor and good friend, Talia, had a solo part so the girls and I went to support her.  The choir teacher is new and she had some fun songs with a pre-show of several kids doing piano numbers and singing and then refreshments after.  The sixth grade boys were limited in number and the ones that were there did not want to be and were not very cooperative.   The 5th grade boys were great!  They didn't realize yet that they were too cool for singing.  What a difference a year makes!  I hope this choir teacher sticks around since Ashlyn wants to do choir.  We haven't been able to hang onto one for too long!

Winter Concert

Winter Concert was a success!  Cough attacks are less noticeable with drums and saxophones and symbols etc....playing all at once!  There is a huge difference as you move from the 5th grade band to the 6th grade band and then to the junior high band.  There's really no substitute for experience and practice!

Tyson had a soccer game tonight.  It was a hard team and we lost 2-1 but Tyson got his first yellow card (warning)!  Scott was proud.  (Sad to say that but he was glad to see him be a little aggressive!)  Tyson said he is learning new things and new rules every day!  His teammates are amazed that he has never played on a turf field before, never gotten a yellow card before, never....He said he doesn't think they realize he hasn't played soccer before except for once on a city team nine years ago!  He has a ways to go but....experience and practice will make a world of difference!