The Hour Long Wrestling Match

As I was walking my youngest into the nursery today, a friend made the comment that she hadn't heard anything in church today, due to her children being noisy during sacrament meeting.
That has been the story of my life for the past 11 years.

It's a well known fact that most of us tend to ignore until it is thrust upon us.
I saw young mothers walking the halls with the children for years before it ever dawned on me that once I had children that would become my fate.

I count my blessings right now that Pat can sit with me during sacrament meeting.
It means that I actually can catch snippets of spirituality.

It makes me laugh, (mostly because it's either that or cry) when people talk about how spiritual the talks were on a particular day.
It has literally been ages since I have heard an entire talk, and been allowed to have the "quiet" that allows the spirit to fill my heart.

So, in my pondering over this today, my question to myself is this....
Why do I still go?
Why would anyone subject themselves to an hour and a half long wrestling match on a weekly basis?

I certainly am not receiving the spiritual depth and variety that I desire from my meetings.

It's easy to say that I am going to set an example for my children, which I believe is true...
but ultimately, that's not what drives me to get ready each Sunday.
I really believe, after some degree of self-introspection today, that the reason why I go to church on a weekly basis is twofold:
1. It is pure and simply, a way that I can show obedience (although some may argue at the simplicity of taking 6 children to church).
2. It is one way I can show I am that I am willing to submit my will to the Lord's will. It is Neal A. Maxwell, a former Apostle who said "Brethren (and Sisters too!), as you submit your wills to God, you are giving Him the only thing you can actually give Him that is really yours to give. Don’t wait too long to find the altar or to begin to place the gift of your wills upon it!"(3 April 2004, Remember How Merciful the Lord Hath Been).

I know the importance of choosing to do the things that God has asked us to do...with a willing heart.
I also have recommitted myself to a more careful and focused personal study...as I realize how much I need that spiritual food.
I hope you can do the same.

Cookbook Craze

I got 3 new cookbooks for Christmas.
1. Better Homes and Gardens NEW Cookbook (My first of their kind...I've always been a Betty Crocker girl)
2. Simple Slow Cooker Recipes (also by BH&G)
and
3. Cheap. Fast. Good. (by Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross)

It's a little humorous though, while cookbooks make very interesting reading material for me, it seems a bit difficult for me to actually make something new.
I feel wasteful putting good ingredients into an untried recipe.
I guess ultimately, I lack a bit of courage.

So, instead of salivating over the pages and then never coming back to try that particular recipe, as I peruse my new cookbooks, I'll do it with post-its or paper in hand, and mark the recipes that appeal to me on first glance.
I'll be sharing any fabulous finds with you!

Lucky #7

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Eve

This was always the hardest day of the Christmas season for me as a child and teenager.
Christmas is so close, but there is a whole, uneventful day to get through before it is officially Christmas Eve.
Pure torture, I tell you.

I wonder if it is as hard for my kids as it was for me.
Is it hard for you?

It's Beginning

to look a lot like Christmas.

It's official.
Christmastime is here.

It never feels like Christmas until there is snow.

Today...it finally feels like Christmas in New Mexico!

True 24 Hour Flu

It's gone.

There are only 2 more of our kids who may or may not come down with it, Bekah and Sam-sam.
I'm glad.
I hope they don't get it.

Counting down to Christmas.
Most of the major grocery shopping is done at this point, *whew*...2 hours at Wal-Mart today, with the two little ones to get that accomplished.

Our letters should go out tomorrow.
And after that, it's just a wrap fest waiting to begin.

I'll be back around.
Thanks for your sweet notes.

Isn't there a Rule?

That mom and dad can't be sick at the same time?
Sneaky, nasty flu pretended to be gone for 3 whole days...and whammo!
Pat,
Me,
and
Emily,
down for the count in one fell swoop.

That leaves Nathan (unless his hooky day was the real thing, and it was just more mild than the rest of us), Samuel (I'm not looking forward to a 2 year olds reaction to the stomach flu), and Rebekah to be hit...
but it also means we will more than likely miss a ward party tomorrow night,
and a fun activity planned for Sunday evening.

C'est la vie.
I just want to feel better.
Anyone want to come help?

Better Already

Well, both Stephen and Thomas are back at school today...with lots of energy.
Here's hoping the rest of us don't get it too.
Nice to have "just" a 24 hour stomach flu.

Book club tonight.
I'd like to make little bookmarks for each of the ladies.
We'll see if I can move through my 6 loads of unfolded laundry...and get to the paper-crafting point.

On my to-do list:
Finish the Christmas newsletter and get photos printed to send out with it!
Get the laundry caught up....(ha ha)
Finish a shopping trip that was cut short by a dance performance on Saturday (if the kids nap early)
Go to book club and have a smashing good time!

Oh, and I just got a sweet phone call about some peanut butter fudge I dropped off yesterday to my ladies I visit teach.
It made my day!!

Today, take the time to call someone and let them know they are important to you!

We're Hit!

It's official.
The first "bazooka barf" of the season hit our family last night.
Stephen went to bed with a bowl and a towel, complaining of a stomachache.
About 11:30pm, he threw up...everywhere but the bed.
We've run that load of laundry...and are anticipating this hitting everyone.
At least it is a couple of weeks BEFORE Christmas!
Oh, and Thomas is home for the day too, complaining of a headache and stomachache.
We'll see what happens there.

I'll see you around, peering through loads of laundry with a bottle of Febreze in one hand and a box of baking soda in the other.

Family pictures

You get the sneak preview of our family pictures for this year.
And just for the record, it was COLD!
Samuel - 22 months
Rebekah - 4 years old

Thomas - 6 years old Nathan - 7 years old

Emily - 9 years old Stephen - 11 years old

Christmas Makes Me Feel....

HAPPY!

Slowly but surely, we are readying our home for that most wonderful time of the year.
The tree is up, decorations to follow later this evening.
My table has a new centerpiece that I love.
(I picked it up at a craft fair for a most excellent price!)
The nativities are out, Baby Jesus has been lost, and the Christmas books are readily available.






Shopping is all but done, and Pat informed me that he has decided on MY gift!!!
Yes!
(Not to be selfish, but it is nice to have at least one surprise under the tree...and that hasn't always happened!)

Baking will come next, but for now, I am just enjoying the season...with very little stress.
How are your Christmas plans coming?
Oh, and my sweet visiting teacher dropped this off with popcorn balls inside. As you can see, the children made short work of the treats, but I LOVE the bowl!

Hooky and a Stowaway

Nathan thought he was sick this morning.
He didn't touch his breakfast.
I even convinced myself that he was looking a little pale.
Even though I am quite the nazi-school attendance mama, I decided he needed to stay home today...just because Pat and I have had a little bit of a stomach bug over the past couple of weeks.

By 10:30am, he decided the whole being confined to the couch and/or bed was just not working for him, and he was chasing his sister, Bekah and brother, Samuel all around the living room.
About 10 minutes later he told me he wanted to go to school.
It was obvious he really wasn't sick, so we got ready to go drop him off...

After buckling the last kid into the van, and hanging up the phone after a phone call with a friend, I needed to go put the phone back inside.
I happened to leave the side van door open, and ran back inside to hang the phone up.
Pat called right then to see if I was going to head out to his work for a "lunch date" after dropping Nathan off.
We ended up talking for a few minutes, and then I told him all of the kids were already buckled in and I needed to go.

I shut the van door before heading over to the driver's side, and headed for the school.
About 3/4 of the way to the school, I heard one of my kids say in a surprised tone, "Fee-nah!" (Translation: Athena, our cat).
Then I heard it again, from another child, and heard a forlorn "Meow" as our stowaway cat tried to figure out what was going on.
She was extremely restless while we were driving, and it was a trick to get in and out of the car without her escaping.
There is a reason that they make cat carriers for transporting felines...especially since she decided her favorite spot in the car was right next to the gas and brake pedals.
Thankfully, we all made it home in one piece, even if my legs had some claw marks on them.

Definitely an interesting twist to a slightly abnormal day.

Pedicure Pictures...

Purple toenails, what other color is there for me?
Those other feet belong to my sister.
She was over for the weekend to spend some time with us after the news that her annulment was granted.
She's officially single now...

Sunday, Sunday

La la, la la la....

It is so much easier being in Primary in some ways than Relief Society ever was.
The children have such a pure love and acceptance for everyone...and their expectations are simply to be taught about Christ and to have someone love them.
It is a very refreshing place to be.

I wish it always felt that way at Church...but it doesn't.
We need to strive more to become like the little child, for such is the kingdom of heaven.