Wednesday, August 17, 2011
summer smiles and swimming lessons
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
what do you do with lemons?
In the middle of our fun home repair days, the girls decided they wanted to set up a lemonade stand. It actually turned out to be an amazingly fun distraction stretched over 2 days. Day 1: we made the signs,
...got the table and chairs ready, and then opened the door to see huge rain clouds on their way. So the girls just sat on the front step and caught rain drops on their tongues.
Ryn tried to teach Elle the exact method for correct raindrop catching.
Day 2: offered the perfect weather (HOT), so we tried again. It was so hot, though, that they started drinking all the lemonade themselves.
Cute Grandpa Tom showed up with an umbrella to shade the little saleswomen and be their first paying customer.
They actually ended up doing pretty well, thanks to all of our nice neighbors, and stayed out long enough for Eden to help a bit after her nap.
Don't know if any of them will end up in sales, but it made for one adorable sight out of my front window.
...got the table and chairs ready, and then opened the door to see huge rain clouds on their way. So the girls just sat on the front step and caught rain drops on their tongues.
Ryn tried to teach Elle the exact method for correct raindrop catching.
Day 2: offered the perfect weather (HOT), so we tried again. It was so hot, though, that they started drinking all the lemonade themselves.
Cute Grandpa Tom showed up with an umbrella to shade the little saleswomen and be their first paying customer.
They actually ended up doing pretty well, thanks to all of our nice neighbors, and stayed out long enough for Eden to help a bit after her nap.
Don't know if any of them will end up in sales, but it made for one adorable sight out of my front window.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Homeownership
has its ups and downs. We are thrilled and feel so blessed to have found this great home.
Each month has brought fun surprises--every color of tulip imaginable, fabulous family gatherings, an amazing new ward family, front row seats for Draper Days fireworks (set off from the parking lot of Ryn's soon-to-be elementary school that's in our ward boundaries), delicious blackberries growing along the wall of Kev's gym, being able to walk to church just 2 doors down and the library and park just 2 blocks away, etc, etc, etc.
As for the downs, it just sometimes feels like we've stepped into Tom Hanks' and Shelly Long's roles in "The Money Pit". In the last 2 months we've had an AC unit break down multiple times (finally fixed, yea!), a water leak on our main culinary line, a broken gas line (currently being replaced) that feeds our stove and dryer, and a visit from the health department informing us that we have an illegal septic tank in our back yard that was installed for the detached garage when it was built 16 years ago. We knew there was a septic tank, just didn't know it was illegal. Get excited. So when our tub falls through the floor tomorrow, just picture me laughing like Tom Hanks :).
Honestly, I am really tired and it has been pretty frustrating. But also, I've been amazed by the blessings we've received during and in the midst of all these little bumps in the road. When we moved in, we found out that our stake's emergency preparedness goal for this quarter was for every family to obtain or rotate their 2 week and 72 hour water supplies. We have a big 55 gallon drum up at Kev's parents' house that we need to get down here, empty, and refill. But until we could do that, I just started filling up the 96 oz apple juice bottles we use (about 2/week) and the girls had a blast carrying them down to our storage closet in the basement. (We had a Family Home Evening lesson on home storage and they love filling those shelves little by little.) When we found the leak in the water line, we had it turned off for 3 days until we could cap it. The first night, when it was time to brush our teeth, we skipped to the storage closet to get out a bottle of water and we had more than enough to see us through those three days. It was so fun to have that tangible and immediate lesson of how we are blessed when we follow the counsel of our prophet and leaders.
On one of the days when it seemed like every half hour I was receiving some little bit of bad news about one of the problems, I got a phone call from a lady that teaches the preschool where I had been praying to be able to send Elle. All the classes had been filled, so I had her on the waiting list and a spot opened up in the very one I wanted--MWF in the morning, so her schedule would coincide with Ryn's AM Kindergarten. Then, last Friday, in the 20 minutes between some repair men leaving and right before the man from the health department showed up, my neighbor called to tell me that their piano teacher had an opening for Ryn. Another answer to prayer.
To anyone else, these might seem like little blessings compared to the bigger problems. But not to me. Each one of these miracles showed me that God knows me personally and He loves me enough to care about the "little" things that are important to me as a mother. He hears my prayers and He answers them. He cares enough about me and my family to inspire our stake leaders to have that specific goal for water at the exact moment we were moving in to this house and would need it during our water leak repair. And He loves my children enough to offer me that teaching moment so they will have the faith to trust Him and follow Him always. He loves me so much that He lets me grow and learn through these trials, but gives me perfectly timed tender mercies to stregthen my hope and faith so I can survive them. Truly, I stand amazed at the love and grace that He offers me.
A few days ago, my friend Michelle pointed me towards this BYU devotional about grace, given by Brad Wilcox. Amazing. Here is one of my favorite parts that I have seen up close and personally these past few weeks:
"Christ is not waiting at the finish line once we have done “all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23). He is with us every step of the way. Elder Bruce C. Hafen has written, “The Savior’s gift of grace to us is not necessarily limited in time to ‘after’ all we can do. We may receive his grace before, during and after the time when we expend our own efforts”. So grace is not a booster engine that kicks in once our fuel supply is exhausted. Rather, it is our constant energy source. It is not the light at the end of the tunnel but the light that moves us through the tunnel. Grace is not achieved somewhere down the road. It is received right here and right now. It is not a finishing touch; it is the Finisher’s touch (see Hebrews 12:2)."
http://byutv.org/watch/49475abb-10d4-4f45-a757-7000b9945468#comments
Each month has brought fun surprises--every color of tulip imaginable, fabulous family gatherings, an amazing new ward family, front row seats for Draper Days fireworks (set off from the parking lot of Ryn's soon-to-be elementary school that's in our ward boundaries), delicious blackberries growing along the wall of Kev's gym, being able to walk to church just 2 doors down and the library and park just 2 blocks away, etc, etc, etc.
As for the downs, it just sometimes feels like we've stepped into Tom Hanks' and Shelly Long's roles in "The Money Pit". In the last 2 months we've had an AC unit break down multiple times (finally fixed, yea!), a water leak on our main culinary line, a broken gas line (currently being replaced) that feeds our stove and dryer, and a visit from the health department informing us that we have an illegal septic tank in our back yard that was installed for the detached garage when it was built 16 years ago. We knew there was a septic tank, just didn't know it was illegal. Get excited. So when our tub falls through the floor tomorrow, just picture me laughing like Tom Hanks :).
Honestly, I am really tired and it has been pretty frustrating. But also, I've been amazed by the blessings we've received during and in the midst of all these little bumps in the road. When we moved in, we found out that our stake's emergency preparedness goal for this quarter was for every family to obtain or rotate their 2 week and 72 hour water supplies. We have a big 55 gallon drum up at Kev's parents' house that we need to get down here, empty, and refill. But until we could do that, I just started filling up the 96 oz apple juice bottles we use (about 2/week) and the girls had a blast carrying them down to our storage closet in the basement. (We had a Family Home Evening lesson on home storage and they love filling those shelves little by little.) When we found the leak in the water line, we had it turned off for 3 days until we could cap it. The first night, when it was time to brush our teeth, we skipped to the storage closet to get out a bottle of water and we had more than enough to see us through those three days. It was so fun to have that tangible and immediate lesson of how we are blessed when we follow the counsel of our prophet and leaders.
On one of the days when it seemed like every half hour I was receiving some little bit of bad news about one of the problems, I got a phone call from a lady that teaches the preschool where I had been praying to be able to send Elle. All the classes had been filled, so I had her on the waiting list and a spot opened up in the very one I wanted--MWF in the morning, so her schedule would coincide with Ryn's AM Kindergarten. Then, last Friday, in the 20 minutes between some repair men leaving and right before the man from the health department showed up, my neighbor called to tell me that their piano teacher had an opening for Ryn. Another answer to prayer.
To anyone else, these might seem like little blessings compared to the bigger problems. But not to me. Each one of these miracles showed me that God knows me personally and He loves me enough to care about the "little" things that are important to me as a mother. He hears my prayers and He answers them. He cares enough about me and my family to inspire our stake leaders to have that specific goal for water at the exact moment we were moving in to this house and would need it during our water leak repair. And He loves my children enough to offer me that teaching moment so they will have the faith to trust Him and follow Him always. He loves me so much that He lets me grow and learn through these trials, but gives me perfectly timed tender mercies to stregthen my hope and faith so I can survive them. Truly, I stand amazed at the love and grace that He offers me.
A few days ago, my friend Michelle pointed me towards this BYU devotional about grace, given by Brad Wilcox. Amazing. Here is one of my favorite parts that I have seen up close and personally these past few weeks:
"Christ is not waiting at the finish line once we have done “all we can do” (2 Nephi 25:23). He is with us every step of the way. Elder Bruce C. Hafen has written, “The Savior’s gift of grace to us is not necessarily limited in time to ‘after’ all we can do. We may receive his grace before, during and after the time when we expend our own efforts”. So grace is not a booster engine that kicks in once our fuel supply is exhausted. Rather, it is our constant energy source. It is not the light at the end of the tunnel but the light that moves us through the tunnel. Grace is not achieved somewhere down the road. It is received right here and right now. It is not a finishing touch; it is the Finisher’s touch (see Hebrews 12:2)."
http://byutv.org/watch/49475abb-10d4-4f45-a757-7000b9945468#comments
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Road trip :)
We decided to take a road trip for this
Besides all this great fun, we also found a sweet hotel with Mark and Aup and Teairsa and Tennyson
and spent a great day at the beach with them. We got to learn Karate Kid moves
build sand castles and bury mermaids
and the water wasn't even that cold :). We loved every minute.
My mom's mother, our famous, wonderful, talented, beautiful, intelligent, loving, sweet, incredible Grandmother Turtle is 94 years old and between my brother Mark's family and ours, we had 4 of her great grandchildren that she had never met. Even though we only had a few days, it was well worth the trip. I've always loved being with Grandma Turtle. She has a gift for telling stories that keep you on the edge of your seat. Every detail she describes is so vivid, you feel like you are right there, a part every one. When I was little, she wrote childrens stories about Joy and me--Grandmother Was a Turtle and Gus the Gopher--and now I'm reading them to my girls. And even better than those are the stories she tells of her own childhood or of her days as a mother or young newlywed. On this trip, I got to hear about when Grandma was about Ryn's age and she would go on shopping trips to Salt Lake City with her mother and the grand lunches they would enjoy at the Hotel Utah (now the Joseph Smith Memorial Building). I wish I had a few months where I could just go and stay with her and record story after story from her exciting life.
Some of my favorite memories with Grandma Turtle include the many wonderful tea parties she would host at every visit. We would set a little table with a cloth, plates, cups, and napkins and then we would prepare koolaid and tiny finger foods (cinnamon sugar toast cut into tiny squares was the best :) ) and sit down to the most well-mannered table time ever seen in our home :). Even my brothers loved being a part of these tea parties. Another fun tradition was that she and Grandpa always brought us surprises, usually from their latest trip to some exotic place. So the first night of every visit, we would all sit around the family room with our eyes closed and our hands held out and she would come around and place our newest treasure in our arms. It was always something wonderful. We loved our stamp collections she started with us. And, of course, no visit was complete until she had a too-close-up-for-comfort photo of each one of us :), usually grabbed just before or after church. As an adult, I have loved talking with Grandma about so many things. She always gives good advice (definitely should have listened about the natural childbirth warnings ;) ), generous praise and encouragement, a positive outlook, and so, so much love. How thankful I am for this wonderful woman and for the practically perfect daughter she raised to be my mother.
We were lucky enough to stop in Vegas and spend a day with Kevin's sister, Jody, and her family. I have never seen cuter cousins than Josh, Zack, and Anna. They melt my heart every time we are with them. We stayed 2 nights there and before bed, Anna made sure she had a great story to read to the girls. Josh and Zack were glued to the 2 feet in front of Darren, making him smile and giggle almost as much as Jody did. And we found out that Dan and Kevin will have to have a grill-off the next time we're together to see who makes the best burger ;)
We loved their great pool, but mainly we just loved being with them.
Besides all this great fun, we also found a sweet hotel with Mark and Aup and Teairsa and Tennyson
and spent a great day at the beach with them. We got to learn Karate Kid moves
build sand castles and bury mermaids
and the water wasn't even that cold :). We loved every minute.
Friday, June 10, 2011
my baby sister's all grown up and married!
Yep. Rachel is now Mrs. Conlon Bonner, happily selling security systems in Alaska. Her wedding was beautiful--May 31, 2011, at the Bountiful temple. Conlon's family is wonderful and so is he. I know they will spend eternity making beautiful music together :). Here are some pictures from the gorgeous day. Joy and la petite Marguerite:
Waiting for the happy couple...We're also waiting for those cute twins in Christa's belly :):
Their first appearance as a married couple--complete with Dad's thumbs up :)
Kevin spent 2 days talking basketball with Conlon's cute dad:
We couldn't get enough of his adorable nieces and nephews:
And we finally have a picture of our own little family of 6!
We are so happy for Rachel. I know she and Conlon are going to be a great force for good in this world. How thankful I am that Heavenly Father answered my prayers for a little sister all those years ago!
Monday, April 4, 2011
February and March funnies
Feb 4--My sweet sisters-in-law, Laura and Aup, and my friend, Jody, were planning a baby shower for me and I said something about that to Ryn. With a confused look on her face, she asked, "But how do they get the water in your tummy?"
Feb 23--Eden was looking at a page in our illustrated scriptures that had pictures of all the latter-day prophets from Joseph Smith through Gordon B. Hinckley. I was totally surprised when she asked, "Where's President Monson?" She knew he wasn't there! Then she started playing a game with me, "Is that President Monson?" she would ask smiling and pointing to one of the past prophets. "Noooooo!" she'd answer herself, laughing.
Feb 24--Ryn needed some help wrapping things up in the bathroom and called for Kevin. He was busy, so I went instead. She protested, "I wanted Dad to do it because it's his birthday!" Happy birthday, hon :)
Feb 27--The girls couldn't get enough of our new baby and were watching his every move. Darren had the hiccups and Ryn exclaimed, "He's a chirper! Cause when he hiccups he chirps like a bird!" Later, he had his eyes open and head turned in Elle's direction and she cried, "Mom! He's checking me out!"
March 1--Elle had tied a rope to a kitchen chair and was holding it out straight a few inches above the ground. "Mom, can you come over here? You're going to trip over this and fall," she instructed. Somehow she thought I would be as thrilled as she was about that idea....:)
March 3--Elle picked up her sandwich and said, "It looks like bread and smells like bread....I think it is bread!"
March 5--After Ryn's soccer games they put their hands together in the middle of the circle to cheer for the other team. Ryn was trying to explain this to Elle..."we put our hands in the middle..." Elle broke in, "Oh! Like the Hokey Posey!" Ryn corrected her, "No, Elle, it's the Hokey Polly."
March 7--Eden sometimes dubs herself the resident bully. "I take this socky (sock) and I kill you!"
March 8--I suggested something fun for that day and Ryn was so excited. "Can we do that ?!!!" When I reassured her that we could, she said, "Don't forget to remember that." I guess I need to work on following through with things :).
March 13--We enjoyed going to our friend's missionary farewell and then over to their house after church, along with about 100 other well-wishers. We're always spoiled by the Lehnardts and love having them all to ourselves when we go to visit so Elle was pretty disappointed to have to share them with anyone else. She actually cried. "I don't like it when other people are here!"
March 21--Ryn and Elle were talking about the Tooth Fairy, discussing the kinds of things she probably likes to eat, etc. Then they stopped themselves, "What about the Tooth MOUSE? She's the Tooth Fairy's pet...." and they were off again. It is so beyond fun to listen to their imaginations in full swing.
March 22--I talked to my 94 year old Grandma Turtle on the phone and when we were talking about Darren she said, "Kiss his big feet for me." I just thought he might like to know what his great grandmother said about him one day :).
March 28--After Elle had done a string of mean things to Ryn, I warned her that she needed to shape up or no one would want to play with her. A few minutes later, we were talking about seeing our cousins that weekend and Ryn optimistically pointed out to Elle, "Your cousins will still play with you because they don't know all the bad things you did yet." Thank goodness for a fresh start!
That night at bedtime, Eden bit through the end of her pacifier. "It's bo-ken! (sad face)..... Don't worry, I fix it! (happy face)" I told her that we couldn't fix it--we'd just have to get a new one, but then she thought and said, "Jesus fix it!"
March 29--I was filling up the bathtub for Darren and when it was ready, I called out to him, "Come on, angel boy, let's get you clean." Eden was watching and looked at Darren, sitting in his bouncy seat, immobile. "He's not coming!" she tattled. "I know, he can't come by himself because he's just a baby." "No, he's a big girl."
Feb 23--Eden was looking at a page in our illustrated scriptures that had pictures of all the latter-day prophets from Joseph Smith through Gordon B. Hinckley. I was totally surprised when she asked, "Where's President Monson?" She knew he wasn't there! Then she started playing a game with me, "Is that President Monson?" she would ask smiling and pointing to one of the past prophets. "Noooooo!" she'd answer herself, laughing.
Feb 24--Ryn needed some help wrapping things up in the bathroom and called for Kevin. He was busy, so I went instead. She protested, "I wanted Dad to do it because it's his birthday!" Happy birthday, hon :)
Feb 27--The girls couldn't get enough of our new baby and were watching his every move. Darren had the hiccups and Ryn exclaimed, "He's a chirper! Cause when he hiccups he chirps like a bird!" Later, he had his eyes open and head turned in Elle's direction and she cried, "Mom! He's checking me out!"
March 1--Elle had tied a rope to a kitchen chair and was holding it out straight a few inches above the ground. "Mom, can you come over here? You're going to trip over this and fall," she instructed. Somehow she thought I would be as thrilled as she was about that idea....:)
March 3--Elle picked up her sandwich and said, "It looks like bread and smells like bread....I think it is bread!"
March 5--After Ryn's soccer games they put their hands together in the middle of the circle to cheer for the other team. Ryn was trying to explain this to Elle..."we put our hands in the middle..." Elle broke in, "Oh! Like the Hokey Posey!" Ryn corrected her, "No, Elle, it's the Hokey Polly."
March 7--Eden sometimes dubs herself the resident bully. "I take this socky (sock) and I kill you!"
March 8--I suggested something fun for that day and Ryn was so excited. "Can we do that ?!!!" When I reassured her that we could, she said, "Don't forget to remember that." I guess I need to work on following through with things :).
March 13--We enjoyed going to our friend's missionary farewell and then over to their house after church, along with about 100 other well-wishers. We're always spoiled by the Lehnardts and love having them all to ourselves when we go to visit so Elle was pretty disappointed to have to share them with anyone else. She actually cried. "I don't like it when other people are here!"
March 21--Ryn and Elle were talking about the Tooth Fairy, discussing the kinds of things she probably likes to eat, etc. Then they stopped themselves, "What about the Tooth MOUSE? She's the Tooth Fairy's pet...." and they were off again. It is so beyond fun to listen to their imaginations in full swing.
March 22--I talked to my 94 year old Grandma Turtle on the phone and when we were talking about Darren she said, "Kiss his big feet for me." I just thought he might like to know what his great grandmother said about him one day :).
March 28--After Elle had done a string of mean things to Ryn, I warned her that she needed to shape up or no one would want to play with her. A few minutes later, we were talking about seeing our cousins that weekend and Ryn optimistically pointed out to Elle, "Your cousins will still play with you because they don't know all the bad things you did yet." Thank goodness for a fresh start!
That night at bedtime, Eden bit through the end of her pacifier. "It's bo-ken! (sad face)..... Don't worry, I fix it! (happy face)" I told her that we couldn't fix it--we'd just have to get a new one, but then she thought and said, "Jesus fix it!"
March 29--I was filling up the bathtub for Darren and when it was ready, I called out to him, "Come on, angel boy, let's get you clean." Eden was watching and looked at Darren, sitting in his bouncy seat, immobile. "He's not coming!" she tattled. "I know, he can't come by himself because he's just a baby." "No, he's a big girl."
the Key to Happiness
I've never experienced postpartum depression, but the combination of hormones that surely have been a little out of whack, no sleep, and all the stress/fatigue/never-ending to-do lists that come with moving have sometimes left me overwhelmed and unhappy over these past few weeks. Then having those feelings makes me feel guilty and ungrateful. How can I be unhappy when I am so extremely blessed?! How grateful I am to have the Book of Mormon and the Bible to remind me of the things I know to be true. Today I read in Alma 34 and found my answer in verse 38. (I even had already written "Key to HAPPINESS" in the margin next to it. :)) "That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yourselves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you." So, somewhere during these busy days I stopped living in thanksgiving and focused more on all that wasn't perfect or wasn't done yet. I gave into pride-- trying to do everything on my own and ending up discouraged, instead of humbly seeking the Lord's help. And I stopped listening to the help the Holy Ghost was trying to give me when he encouraged me to repent. Pretty sad state to be in. Thankfully, the scriptures, prayer, and a wonderful General Conference have helped me wake up again. :)
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