Tagged

I always think the tags are fun ways to learn about people.


JOYS:
1. I love taking walks with my husband on a moonlit night. It's a great time to reconnect (especially when there are 7 little/biggish kids underfoot).
2. I find incredible joy in striving to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and grow my testimony. Along with that, my heart rejoices when I receive promptings, and I love the feeling I get when I follow those promptings.
3. A daily joy I find is in my children and the fun/funny things they do or the kind ways they teach each other.

FEARS:
1. My children not living an honorable life.
2. Losing my health and/or not being able to fulfill my calling/capacity as a mother.
3. One of my children getting lice. (I know, it's silly on some levels, but I can't imagine the level of care and cleanliness it would take to get rid of them, and I am sure we would all pass it around...and I have incredibly THICK hair.)

GOALS:
1. I want to have a piece of my writing published.
2. I want to become healthier, stronger, and have more stamina.
3. I want to fill a full-time mission with my husband.

COLLECTIONS/OBSESSIONS:
1. I LOVE stamping and cardmaking. I love looking at what other people create and love to create my own cards. I have a lot of supplies to make things with. I'm passing on that love to my daughters too...my Emily just had a "stamping" birthday party.
2. I am constantly trying to find a better way to teach myself to clean and keep things in order. I wasn't taught those skills, and I am very concerned about making sure my children know these skills before they leave my home.
3. I really like the Willow Tree figurines. I have(had) one for each child. Unfortunately, they break rather easily.

RANDOM FACTS:
1. I was hit by a car when I was in college. In fact, that is what made Pat fall in love with me. That is a fun story to tell.
2. I have been pregnant and/or nursing for 149 of the 181 months I have been married. (That's a LONG time!)
3. I consider myself a shy person by nature. It is hard for me to initiate conversations and make small-talk.

Catching Up

Things have been chaotic lately around here...
Between birthdays (coming up on the 4th one in the past 5 weeks), bandwidth issues on the computer and prepping for family vacation, there has been little time to blog.
Here's a few catch-up photos from the past couple of weeks.



The first of 2 teeth lost in 2 days time. Pat is always the tooth puller in our family, so these are the first 2 teeth that I have helped pull. Eeewwww. (That smile on Thomas is cute though, huh?)
We were near a little park (now called "Parade Park" by my children) for the 4th of July parade. It made for a really nice diversion from the LONG parade (and the HOT sun).
One of my favorite photos of the day. Little Isaac was a charmer all day long.

My monkey, Nathan. Standing, waiting as the flag was approaching. (Not quite close enough for hands on hearts yet.)
I was so glad I remembered to get someone to snap a family picture (Dad and Stephen were still at Scout Camp). We loved our Fourth of July...and I felt like we really focused on the meaning of the day.

Ode to a Summer Evening

Bare feet skip, reveling as wet, moist earth kisses each toe.
Senses revive, strengthened by sweet, fresh air, recently cleansed by a summer thunderstorm.

Wonder ensues as a beloved pet chases a tarantula out of it's home.

There is jumping, flipping, dancing happiness to be found on the trampoline.

Splashes and giggles can be heard at every puddle in the yard as rocks are thrown into the fresh-formed water holes.

Swing-set "monkey bars" prove to be enticing, even at age 9.

Webkinz find new adventures in the fading light...watched over by careful owners, "aunts" and "uncles". Sunset is met with a pleasant, cool breeze, making the hour outside a joyously refreshing one.

Summer...stay...stretch your reach and linger with us for just a little longer.

You are full of memories already.