10.16.11
This has been one rainy week. Rainy weeks make me want to eat and sleep. But we have accomplished more than just those niceties as well. Monday started out with torrential downpours. We had scheduled to have 2 pigs to the butchers early on Tuesday morning and so had to go load pigs in the puddles and rain Monday night. Greg and friend Kit accomplished the task quickly although they were truthfully drenched from their service. Tuesday the kids and I managed to get the pigs dropped off, and even ran errands around town with the large trailer in tow. I was pretty happy that the parking lots were only half full and thus did not require any fancy backing up. However, when I got back to Vale I was instructed to drop off the 500 lbs of feed just purchased at the owners home and get the trailer to the farm to move some more animals. This required backing the trailer up and around a corner. Which I managed to do... it's always easier to do with no audience and time to re-position. Thank goodness for all that open field practice as a kid driving tractor.
The rest of the week seemed to be filled with funerals. WE had two this week one great uncle and one dear friend and teacher of my kids. She was the kind of teacher you hope your kids get a couple times in their life. Loving, enthusiastic, creative, and very able to teach kids at their level. Her funeral was Thursday it was nice although trying to keep the five kids quiet through it was a bit of a challenge as usual. The second funeral on Saturday was harder because it seemed there was no one under 8 besides our children at the funeral. Have you ever noticed if you don't live in Utah that we live in a very kid sterile world. While I'm pretty sure kids are around somewhere because the classrooms seem to be full in schools it is rare that children are seen in grocery stores or other places of business. Or maybe it's just being self-conscious of the seemingly only children that are throwing fits ,demanding long bathroom breaks, or missing because they are back looking at some random display of dish soap. So at the funeral my Reed who likes to sing to himself most the time was in heaven to hear the great acoustics and realize he had an audience. We made it through again but it is sure humbling. I much more enjoy watching other mom's try to entertain/wrestle their kids than do the same with mine.
We then headed to Twin falls to go to the temple. The kids had a great time with their cousins. How fun it is to have cousins. They had a good time while we were gone and we enjoyed our quick visit. WE came home this morning to teach our classes and hear John give his first primary talk on being happy. IT was also his birthday and because the primary kids get a coupon for a full size candy bar from the bishop on their birthday it was of great import to John to be here on his special day to not miss out. He is such a nice boy that he shared his treat with Aliza and Mark. He chose a Baby Ruth candy bar and divided it with them on the car ride home. Today his turned 6. He is a sweet happy boy who is okay with his spot in the world. He loves to play and have a good time and is a peaceful child to have in our home. I admit to being charmed by his dimples and sparkly blue eyes, scattering of freckles and vibrant red hair. It's been hard to be strict with him because he always seems to know when to be charming and innocent. But seriously he has shared without problem his birthday presents with his brothers and been happy to share his candy too.
He ordered a tall chocolate cake for his birthday. Mark, John, and I made Aunt Brenda's Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake with chocolate flour frosting. It is a dark chocolate dream! We had a small party with the Corn side grandparents on Friday after having a hamburger dinner. John just likes the singing and candles I think. He was very put out that I had fast forwarded his birthday 2 days and not waited until the correct day. I told him I didn't know when we would get home on Sunday and could not guarantee a big cake so he had to be grateful for a friday party. He survived.
He also got a pie party tonight with the Saunders grandparents. So John celebrated long and well.
Being the rednecks we are I had no candles and used matches. They don't melt but they burn down fast. Tonight however they extinguished before quietly in front of Johns bewildered eyes he did manage a small puff to get the last one before it took care of itself. It was one of those random funny moments. We re-lit and he blew them out himself, quickly.
Matt was sitting next to Reed and was trying to get Reed to share his ice cream with him. Reed a great lover of ice cream stopped using his fork which was closest to MAtt's mouth and used his hands to get it in his mouth first. Matt took up his own fork and stole a bite from REed... Reed looked at him with a "what do you think you are doing?" look and used his own fork to finish. He is not so ready to follow John's example of sharing.
Pictures
Reed trying to wake Addie up after she fell asleep on the floor following our trip to town on Tuesday she was not to be disturbed and just went to bed.
The kids posing for dad after winning Leys from helping clean up the funeral dinner
The kids sporting how they will wear them in the car to Twin-- Harold said: " I bet our cousins will think we just got back from HAwaii..." their cousins were not so easily taken by the deceptive props.
Greg and his dad Lloyd counseling the family on learning to obey
Finally after a very long week of running to and fro and another week looking about as bad I will pass on this link from Elder Ezra Taft Benson from 1970. I read this talk last summer or an excerpt and was impressed with his description of the peace sign. A common sign for kids to draw and wear. I did not know of it's origins but from my old lady standpoint now and realizing the groups that most heavily use this are not ones that I choose to be affiliated with I understand it's mis-labeling. So this is a heavy talk not a sugar coated delivery but common to the messages we just heard in our most recent conference and with good insights and direction of what is most important. Best to you.
http://scriptures.byu.edu/gettalk.php?ID=1788
The rest of the week seemed to be filled with funerals. WE had two this week one great uncle and one dear friend and teacher of my kids. She was the kind of teacher you hope your kids get a couple times in their life. Loving, enthusiastic, creative, and very able to teach kids at their level. Her funeral was Thursday it was nice although trying to keep the five kids quiet through it was a bit of a challenge as usual. The second funeral on Saturday was harder because it seemed there was no one under 8 besides our children at the funeral. Have you ever noticed if you don't live in Utah that we live in a very kid sterile world. While I'm pretty sure kids are around somewhere because the classrooms seem to be full in schools it is rare that children are seen in grocery stores or other places of business. Or maybe it's just being self-conscious of the seemingly only children that are throwing fits ,demanding long bathroom breaks, or missing because they are back looking at some random display of dish soap. So at the funeral my Reed who likes to sing to himself most the time was in heaven to hear the great acoustics and realize he had an audience. We made it through again but it is sure humbling. I much more enjoy watching other mom's try to entertain/wrestle their kids than do the same with mine.
We then headed to Twin falls to go to the temple. The kids had a great time with their cousins. How fun it is to have cousins. They had a good time while we were gone and we enjoyed our quick visit. WE came home this morning to teach our classes and hear John give his first primary talk on being happy. IT was also his birthday and because the primary kids get a coupon for a full size candy bar from the bishop on their birthday it was of great import to John to be here on his special day to not miss out. He is such a nice boy that he shared his treat with Aliza and Mark. He chose a Baby Ruth candy bar and divided it with them on the car ride home. Today his turned 6. He is a sweet happy boy who is okay with his spot in the world. He loves to play and have a good time and is a peaceful child to have in our home. I admit to being charmed by his dimples and sparkly blue eyes, scattering of freckles and vibrant red hair. It's been hard to be strict with him because he always seems to know when to be charming and innocent. But seriously he has shared without problem his birthday presents with his brothers and been happy to share his candy too.
He ordered a tall chocolate cake for his birthday. Mark, John, and I made Aunt Brenda's Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake with chocolate flour frosting. It is a dark chocolate dream! We had a small party with the Corn side grandparents on Friday after having a hamburger dinner. John just likes the singing and candles I think. He was very put out that I had fast forwarded his birthday 2 days and not waited until the correct day. I told him I didn't know when we would get home on Sunday and could not guarantee a big cake so he had to be grateful for a friday party. He survived.
He also got a pie party tonight with the Saunders grandparents. So John celebrated long and well.
Being the rednecks we are I had no candles and used matches. They don't melt but they burn down fast. Tonight however they extinguished before quietly in front of Johns bewildered eyes he did manage a small puff to get the last one before it took care of itself. It was one of those random funny moments. We re-lit and he blew them out himself, quickly.
Matt was sitting next to Reed and was trying to get Reed to share his ice cream with him. Reed a great lover of ice cream stopped using his fork which was closest to MAtt's mouth and used his hands to get it in his mouth first. Matt took up his own fork and stole a bite from REed... Reed looked at him with a "what do you think you are doing?" look and used his own fork to finish. He is not so ready to follow John's example of sharing.
Pictures
Reed trying to wake Addie up after she fell asleep on the floor following our trip to town on Tuesday she was not to be disturbed and just went to bed.
The kids posing for dad after winning Leys from helping clean up the funeral dinner
The kids sporting how they will wear them in the car to Twin-- Harold said: " I bet our cousins will think we just got back from HAwaii..." their cousins were not so easily taken by the deceptive props.
Greg and his dad Lloyd counseling the family on learning to obey
Finally after a very long week of running to and fro and another week looking about as bad I will pass on this link from Elder Ezra Taft Benson from 1970. I read this talk last summer or an excerpt and was impressed with his description of the peace sign. A common sign for kids to draw and wear. I did not know of it's origins but from my old lady standpoint now and realizing the groups that most heavily use this are not ones that I choose to be affiliated with I understand it's mis-labeling. So this is a heavy talk not a sugar coated delivery but common to the messages we just heard in our most recent conference and with good insights and direction of what is most important. Best to you.
http://scriptures.byu.edu/gettalk.php?ID=1788
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