Baptism

 Sam's baptism was wonderful.  We had quite the gathering of family and friends.  Sam asked last night, "When do you I use the Holy Ghost?"  He is on a journey to discover his own spirituality.  I am still learning about my relationship with the Holy Ghost.  I often get stuck inside my own chaos instead of stopping to listen. It is a life-long practice.

We finished the Book of Mormon as a family just before his baptism, which was the plan.  We haven't been getting up early to read the scriptures since his baptism and I can already tell the difference.  Reading the scriptures brings the spirit into our home faster than anything else.  It doesn't seem true because often the kids are spacing out or fighting over blankets during the reading, but it is true.  I have a friend that says, "There is a power in just opening the scriptures."  I believe that.

My testimony is stronger because I share it with my children.  My understanding grows as I teach them truth.  

Growing Boy

It is amazing to be a mother--to be a part of childhood.  I can't think of a more rewarding profession, past-time, life-long commitment.  There is the insanity of sleep deprivation, zero privacy, clash of wills, noise (sometimes I agree with the Grinch's assessment of the Who's incessant "noise, noise, noise!"), and absolute drama.  But then, there is also the sweetness of hugs and kisses, laughter, watching a child learn, helping a child overcome, and love.  Oh, the love.  It is so satisfying to love a child.  They blossom in the warmth of it, and you are never the same for having given in that way.  To be a mother, is a remarkable gift.

Some ages are more enjoyable than others.  Eight years old is a particularly wonderful age.  Sam recently turned eight, and will be baptized tomorrow.

We celebrated as a family,

Spencer took Sam to temple square,

Sam's grandma Karol took him suit shopping,

 and the boy started scouts.

   This age has a definite right-of-passage sort of feel to it.  He is given more responsibility, more is expected of him, and it happens just at the time he is needing more.  There is a restlessness, or a waiting, between the ages seven and eight.  Their minds and bodies are developing and preparing to change from a sponginess to a more pruning state.  I'm not sure I am explaining it well, but watching the transformation is amazing.  When Sam is baptized and confirmed, he will be absolutely ready for that.  He is ready to step onto a new path that stretches out into the eternities.  I can't wait to be a part that beginning tomorrow.  

Pictures: We Actually Did Something!

 I love how kids choose to pose.  These are much better than when I made them stand "nicely." Ben gives the same smile in every picture: closed smile and squinty eyes. Oh, except the first.  Wow, I can see his teeth in that picture.

I made an Easter skirt!

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We went on an Easter Sunday hike while waiting for rolls to rise and ham to cook.  We came home just in time to cook rolls and cut the ham.  It was perfect.  It was nice to stay home and hang out as a family.  I love living against the mountains.  We can hike whenever and for however long we like.  It's great!

Sam and Miriam performed in a choir festival.  I loved watching Sam dance around with his choir.  He secretly loved it.  Miriam is moving up in the rows of her choir as she gets older.  She started on the second row and is now on the back.  I know, why share?  It's just crazy how quickly she's growing.  Fifth Grade!  How did that happen?

 

 I was able to go with Ben to a school field trip to the zoo.  I've never enjoyed a zoo visit more.  Spring is the best time to go.  The weather is cool and the animals are actually active.  We loved the polar bear swimming around. 

  Sam's school had a field trip to a rock show.  Aaron was terrified of the man walking around in the T-Rex suit.  He didn't enjoy the head eating as much as the older boys did.  They spent all of their allowance money on rocks.  I have to admit that I spent more than I meant to also.  Rocks are way cooler than they sound.  Doesn't Sam look all grown up?  He's almost eight.

Some Snoeshoes and a Yurt

 

I can't help but post a million pictures.  I don't have to say as much that way.  I've never camped in the winter, gone backpacking, nor have I ever worn snowshoes.  I did all of those things on one short over-nighter with Spencer and some friends.  Oh, and this is our first over-nighter without kids since Miriam.  That's a lot of firsts in a short time. 

 

 

 

 

We have a mustached friend in our neighborhood who decided to make some snowshoes in Spencer's shop and to plan a friend outing to use the snowshoes. Fun idea. We have a metal, wood boiling tube in our garden. It's odd looking, and once, when they weren't thinking, the tube turned into a kind of cannon, with wood, water, and a brick shooting into my backyard neighbor's yard. 

Here's the lovely yurt. If you're going to go camping in the winter, I highly recommend a yurt with a nice woodburning stove inside. It's toasty warm and you don't have to dig out a snow cave to sleep in. Who really wants to do that? Oh, our mustached friend.

The views were wonderful. My heart just sings when I'm out exploring in the mountains. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to live away from mountains again. Did I just jinx myself? 

Here is the only completed pair snowshoes. All the other snowshoes were borrowed. We all need to have a stringing party to learn how to finish our own shoes. I love that they're made of wood. Very old school, in a cool sort of way.
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Just a warning, when you go on a couples camping sort of outing, the men forget that they aren't with the scouts and tell lots of poop and fart stories. And they fart a lot!  We finally had to request that the smells be made outside of the yurt.

My Little Man

Is it March already?  It is.  Well then, I am officially a lame blogger.  I mostly feel like everyday is the same as before and while I enjoy my life, it doesn't seem particularly interesting for others.  (Though, my sister all the way in South Carolina definately deserves updates.  I would be super annoyed if she didn't regularly update her blog.  I love seeing my nephews through her pictures.) 

 



My little baby is now two.  I like to tell others that he's a song and a dance and a kick in the pants.  He is hilarious.  He doesn't fuss and grouch before bed like other two year olds, he belly laughs.  Aaron is the most ticklish child I have ever known.  (Just like his dad, but I didn't tell you that.)

 

Miri decorated his birthday cake          

To balance out all his hilarity and cuteness, this boy has quite the temper.  It takes you by surprise.  In line at the pharmacy, after a particularly long doctor's visit, a woman tried to comfort my little whining Aaron.  She was lucky enough to get a red-face, vein popping scream, "SSSSTTTTTTOOOOOOPPPPP!!!!!"  It was terrifying.  He looks a little like Jack-Jack from Incredibles when he's upset.  

 Aaron and Ben are little buddies.  Their very favorite activite is to run laps around the wall that separates our kitchen and front room.  Miriam is his favorite sibling, though.  She's always everyone's favorite.  She is so light and yellow and kind.

 He loves all things with wheels.  Our car rides are full of talks of backhoes, buses, dump trucks, and garbage trucks.

He's really my little man.  Sorry Spence, I'm his favorite for now.  If I am in another part of the house from him, I hear a little voice, "Mommy, where are you? Mommy!"  This morning he stood on my chair just behind me and hugged me while I ate breakfast.  Yes, I think I'll keep him, even though I have threatened to Spencer that I might sell him to the gypsies.

End of Summer, Start of School

 The pictures are all out of order.  We have two birthdays at the end of the summer.  I am now a mom of a ten year old.  Ten sounds so grown up and Miri acts so grown up.  I guess I'm an adult or something.  It sometimes feels as if I'm playing house.  I don't feel like a mom of four in her thirties.  I remember as a teenager that thiry-year-olds seemed so old.  They aren't.  Well, maybe a little because fifteen-year-olds now seem so young.  They are still kids.  Don't tell them I think that.  They would be so offended.

 Ben finally agreed to play soccer this year and he takes it very seriously.  It's interesting to see your children face the same activities in such different ways.  Sam throws himself around and tries to find fun in the game.  Sometimes, that means falling down in a crazy way after every kick.  I mean, what's the fun in just kicking?  Ben is focused.  He moves and kicks very deliberately and thoughtfully.  I like watching them.

And they've all started school  Aaron and I are the only ones home.  Afternoon at my house is so quiet.  Ben, Aaron and I have lunch.  I take Ben to school and Aaron goes down for a nap.  I have a minute to myself.  Phew.

Mount Timp

At the beginning of the summer I said to Spencer, "I need a thing.  You know, something that I go do that has nothing to do with our house."  It had to be something cheap (read free) and something that I could do alone or with the family.  I decided that hiking could be my thing.  As a stay-at-home mom with a very busy husband, I don't get out much.  There has to be a real reason for it.  I couldn't just say, "I know, I'll hike more this summer.  It will be my thing." I needed an end goal.  Mount Timponogas became that end goal.  Having lived on both sides of that mountain I have always wanted to climb to the top.  Now was my chance.  I had my thing. 
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I knew it was a long hike so I planned to do a lot of hiking during the summer to get myself ready.  This was a good idea, but in reality I could only manage one to two hour hikes regularly and a few three to four hour hikes.  I probably should have planned hikes by distance rather than how long they took me.

 We started the trail at 6am.  It was beautiful and lush.  We followed a stream and eight waterfalls all the way up to the lake just below the peak. I couldn't believe the flowers.  I'm sure Spencer got sick of me going on and on about the flowers.

 We hiked for a couple of hours and came to this little beauty.  We had to make it to the top of the green part and than around the tall part in the middle.  My description here is very technical, no?

Four hours of hiking up, up, up and the top of the mountain came into view.  This is the point where I thought that maybe reaching the top wasn't my goal anymore.  Maybe all along I just wanted to climb part of the mountain.  I didn't turn around. I kept going....



....all the way to the top.  My left knee is still hurting like crazy and I have a bit of a sunburn, but I am so glad I did it.  It was a wonderful experience.  It was long and hard and I almost cried, but I made it. Yay! 
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I think my next thing should involve chocolate or something.