1) We got to go to the temple with our ward Thursday night. It was a wonderful session, truly. Only problem is, when we got home, the house was in chaos with all 4 kids still awake and hyper. Sooo, I gave into my first instinct which was to yell and get angry. I go to the temple so I can be in the temple. But when I leave, is the temple
in me?2) the Mister is really sick with the flu. Still, he spent 2 hours after church conducting PPI's with the Elders in his quorum. Finally, he came home and collapsed and called our Home Teacher and another faithful brother in our ward. They were here (9:00 p.m.) promptly, changed back into their Sunday best and administered to the Mister. And, I might add, while one of them looked at our faulty mini van engine to diagnose the strange sound, the other ran and picked up a Tamiflu prescription. I can't tell you how abundantly blessed we are to have not only Priesthood keys on the earth today, but to have such genuinely
good neighbors.
3) I woke up late for church. The Mister was already there for his early morning meetings. By the time I rounded the 4 short people up, fed and watered them and cleaned around their mouths with my tongue-licked index finger, we tried to start the car. It made grotesque sounds. So we walked to church. All the way, I kept telling the children we were being brave like pioneers, walking all the way in the cold January weather to Zion. Josh pulled the Red Rider wagon, full of our scriptures, a 7-pound diaper bag and cheerful 2-year old. I held the hands of the other two middle children who complained about stinging noses and lips. The wagon had issues getting over some of the icy snow drifts, but the sidewalks were thankfully clear. We arrived ten minutes late for church. (All 2 blocks of the trek.) We would have made sad pioneers. Sorry, great-great-great-great grandfathers. My hat's off to you.
4) I'm reading "The Hunger Games." My friend Shannon loaned the book to me. Dark and sinister plot, I tell you. But I can't seem to put it down.
5) Week one of January resolutions: Intact. (That's all I can say about that. Not thriving, but intact.) Exercise: go for launch 3 times last week. Scripture/Gospel study: Much better. Earlier bedtime: not so much. Maybe that explains the crankiness to the kids post-temple night. (I wake up at 5 a.m. to teach violin every morning. I am not a morning person. I repeat: I am
NOT a morning person. But the sacrifice is definitely worth it--I can work from home while the chitlins sleep.
This is Queen Elizabeth. She loves to practice her violin. She asks me to turn on the Suzuki Book 1 recordings of "Tinkle Star" in the kitchen and this is the result...she sways back and forth to the music. Only problem is, she wants a violin that actually produces sound. Maybe someday, Queen. Maybe someday...
Lizzie's presents...tea party paraphenalia, Mr. Potato Head and a shape sorter bath toy.
Lizzie's birthday dinner at Pizza Hut. We had the whole place to ourselves!
Lizzie's pink princess birthday cake. Happy 3rd birthday! (Grandma Kelly celebrating)
Cake and ice cream for both the Mister and Lizzie's birthdays (Jan. 23 and Jan. 26); my parents and in-laws
I stayed up until freaking midnight Sunday baking 3 homemade, from-scratch cakes. Two families didn't end up coming, so we had oooodles of cake, and one tired momma!
Josh's birthday party with his friends Jan. 16. We had a Wii boxing tournament with the boys, opened presents and had cupcakes & punch. The party favors were hot chocolate mugs filled with treats and hot cocoa packets.
Joshua's 10th Birthday, Dec. 25, 2009
"The stockings were hung by the fire with care..."
I ain't no good at wrestling kids, but the Mister sure is...
"Dear Santa,
