Puppet Show for Bedtime

2016-04-142016-04-21

Oh this picture so perfectly captures how I was feeling. I cleaned my house so well before our weekend trip. And then it exploded when we got home. 😁 Maybe you can’t see those cracker crumbs–they’re everywhere!

Currently on day 3 of being home and I give myself full credit for the 2 baskets of clean laundry and the beautiful bowls of tortilla soup that I made tonight (even if the kids didn’t touch it and ate half a can of corn and snacks instead.) It was one of those days where I was too tired to do much of anything by the end of the day and too task oriented to just sit down and rest. So I did a lot of restless standing around and slow motion cooking.

After dinner Ava insisted on putting on a puppet show for Jake and I (despite our insistence that it was bedtime.) We were too tired to do anything about it so a puppet show it was, and all that laughter and resting was good for us. So so good. #mamanotes

Sweet Assurances

2016-04-052016-04-05

I wrote this letter to Ava in my journal the other day and wondered if I should share it. Sometimes I feel funny about sharing my personal thoughts and feelings, but ultimately that’s why I have a blog–to share the things that shape me and inspire me and bring me joy–hopefully we can share goodness with others too.

Dear Ava,

Today you seemed so happy. It was a family day with Daddy home and Hyrum running across the carpets with his gap-toothed grin, as usual. You love these days. Daddy made you breakfast and a fort downstairs where you watched a show together. Then you and Daddy played monster, giggling under the blankets waiting for me to find you. Then it was jacket time and socks and boots and pants because your friends might be home and you love playing with them. After a few minutes of jumping on the trampoline they went inside for breakfast and the two of us jumped up and down and chased each other’s shadows. While we hopped in circles you told me how you love jumping with me.

I love jumping with you too. I love playing with you and learning with you and being so happy with you. We all do. You are so spirited and fun and eager to enjoy all the goodness around you.

Tonight after riding our skateboards and bikes to the park, Daddy went to church for the priesthood conference session and I bathed you and your brother and smoothed aloe on your sun pinked skin. You played all day under those warming rays, jumping and running and laughing with your friends. You were tired. I tucked your little legs under the covers and said our bedtime prayer, at your request. Your head stayed up for just a few moments before slipping onto the mattress with the close of your eyes. In that quiet moment at the edge of the bed, I thanked Heavenly Father for this beautiful day with you and Daddy and Hyrum. I thanked Him for the Gospel and all the goodness and joy we have because of it. And then I prayed for heaven’s help. I prayed for help as I learn how to mother. As I struggle to mother.

A few times this week as I stood against your sass and strong will, I wondered how to do it. There is so much I don’t know and my weaknesses are becoming apparent. Sometimes I think about all the mothers that have done it and are doing it and that gives me strength. But you know what gives me the most strength? I know that we have heaven on our side. Raising you two little ones is the greatest thing I could be doing right now, and I have God and the angels in heaven to help me. I have no doubt that they have whispered in my ear from time to time how I can be a little more patient or humble or kind. I want you to know that in the Gospel of Jesus Christ we can be taught from on high if we ask for it and listen. So that is what I prayed for.

All my love,

Mom

Blissful Togetherness

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I know I’m a little late on this post, but the week before last we celebrated Easter! And I felt like this year more than ever, I really celebrated it. I really appreciated it. I never got around to dying eggs (it seems I fail at that every year–but this year at least I boiled some!) but I read A LOT about the Easter story in the New Testament and the Book of Mormon. It has FILLED my heart and increased my gratitude for our Savior, Jesus Christ, and Our Father in Heaven, who sent Him to us. Easter morning was all the more meaningful as we greeted the sun and recognized the eternal LIGHT and LIFE we can have because of Him.

ALSO on Easter, we packed the day with so many good things. Kite flying, egg hunting, and church going, to name a few. After church, ours was a napping house. ALL of us were sleeping. It was wonderful. The day continued with baking and bubbles and a whole lot of blissful togetherness and I couldn’t help but recognize, especially this day, that all this goodness, joyfulness, family-ness, is possible FOREVER because of HIM. On this day we rejoiced with the world that “He is risen, as he said.” Thanks be to God for the gift of His son.

Because He Lives! | Easter Thoughts — There’s something about babies in jammies that I just LOVE! And I particularly love how these highlight his little chubs. We adore him!

Feel the Summer!

2016-03-20

We went on a walk today. Hyrum sat squished in the stroller with his puffy orange coat while I pushed him along with my dry-skinned, cold stiffened fingers and my aching ears. Meanwhile, our bright eyed four year old pedaled behind with her gold sequined boots and her freshly pumped tires yelling, “Feel the summer!”

Clearly while I was thinking about the relentless cold seeping through my clothes, she was rejoicing in the kiss of the sun on our backs and the clear sky above.

Thank you Ava, for reminding me to feel the summer in the midst of the cold. The sun is always there, even when we may not feel it.

*On that note… Jake and I have been watching the series “Human Planet” on Netflix and I never want it to end. It is FASCINATING. I could go on, but let’s just leave it as “highly recommended.” Anyway, in one of the episodes, it shows the way people live at high altitudes in the mountains. This one older lady lived blind for a few years, fetching her water barefoot along the cliffs of her village (along with all her other daily duties.) She received the gift of her sight after a charitable doctor performed a cataract surgery. Upon removing her bandages and walking the many miles back to her humble home she remarked, “This is the end of my problems.” I was impressed by her comment. I don’t think she was naive in her optimism, I think she was simply grateful, simply focusing on her great blessing. I’m sure life was still hard, but to her anything else that could be considered problem material was nothing more than daily living. She was feeling the summer regardless of any cold, and I thought that was really neat.

#mamanotes

Welcoming Spring

2016-03-08

Happy “feels like spring even though it’s not really supposed to be spring yet” weather! It hit 70 the other day. Hooray!

Ava put on her bathing suit today. (That’s how we welcomed spring in Texas.) I think it’s so funny how she views the cold here. She ran around the house in her bathing suit well into December, couldn’t understand why I was making her wear a big puffy jacket, and the days it hit 40 degrees or more, she ran outside in shorts and a t-shirt only to have me to call her back inside for some layers.

She spent most of her life in Texas, so I totally get it. I’m all up for celebrating North Dakota spring in early march too!

(Except for the bugs.) Ava spotted a little lady bug the other day and named it Nina (and I’m totally ok with that.) But it’s been months since I have seen any sign of creepy crawly life, and with the little spider crawling across the floor and the buzzing fly running into my living room light bulb over and over yesterday, I think I’m a little more grateful for the really chilly days.

But not enough to discourage spring! We are warmly welcoming it with walks and parks and snacks on the back porch and apparently, bathing suits.

(These pictures are from when Ava made her own spring–back in November. Some of these pictures still make me cringe a little. Once it’s done you might as well have fun, right!? At least I had fun watching them…and resisting the urge to clean it all up. :))