SAM's CLUB with TWO CUTE BOYS

 I love these two little companions I have during the day. They are so filled with smiles. We went to Sam's Club to pick up some grocery's and some paper goods. Ashton loved every minute of it. He is finally big enough to sit in the front of the cart with James and look around.

 

The best part was getting ice cream on the way out. Ashton kept squealing and grabbing at it. Finally James shared. I think I captured his first brain freeze.

PRIMARY PROGRAM

The primary program was today. (Don't shutter Jennifer. I didn't notice her skirt until we got to church. I promise I typically iron their clothes.) I realized after my sweet children sang and gave their parts that Sierra only has one more primary program left and then she is done. Her primary years will be a memory shortly and I had to catch my breath. Why is she growing up so quickly?

 

A year and ten months and I will have a girl in young women and a baby in nursery and a young boy in primary and another child baptized. I can't believe how fast James has grown up. He just seems so old. There seems to be no baby left in him. He is now a little boy. My little Ashton, where did the last nine months go. The rapidness of time only feels evident when I look in my babies faces.

 

Time is usually slower in the daily never ending tasks of dishes and diapers. This thought Elder Holland shared on mothers has been running through my mind all week.

 

“Be peaceful. Believe in God and yourself. You are doing better than you think you are. In fact, you are saviors on Mount Zion, and like the Master you follow, your love ‘never faileth.’" -Jeffrey R. Holland



APPLESAUCE DAY 5

We have been making applesauce all week. I am glad to have finally finished the two big totes full of apple in my living room. I have two buckets in the back of my car still. I have so many more apples to do, it is a bit overwhelming. I wonder why I do it, sometimes. 

 

My landlady stopped me the other day and said are you canning applesauce? I said, "Yes." She said, "Don't they have case lot sales for that?" I said, "Yep and I can certainly afford to go down and buy several cases, but it is about something more. It is about teaching my girls about industry and thrift and hard work, because the world may not always look the way it does now and I want them to know how to survive." She laughed and said, "I understand, I did the same thing as a young mother." Did she?

 

The girls did work so hard for two straight hours the stood at that counter and pressed apples into sauce. I am grateful to pass on the legacy I have been given.

 

I am no prepper but feel it is our obligation to utilize the gifts Heavenly Father gives us. I feel a great responsibility to not waste but use what he sends me well. I think if I do that, I will always be okay. I have seen the principle of thrift and work in my life I want my children to embrace it too. Besides, organic homemade applesauce, there is no better taste in the world. No store can bottle it. No person will put that much time and love into a bottle. No business person will see the profit margin in it. It will only be appreciated by a mother and the bodies she nurtures.

He has paint on his face from helping Kay paint her Pig-Mahal yesterday. A massive pig pen. He loved it and was very careful.

BROTHER BOB AND SISTER JOANN

 I finished up a quilt for Sister Joann months ago and she and I are suppose to hand quilt it together. We haven't made much progress. I really need to go over there more often.

 

My boys love it over there. They love that there are always York Peppermint Paddies on the kitchen table. They love the blocks and the tractor. Most of all, they love that they are loved by four people that aren't genetically obligated to love them in anyway, but they do. Four people who don't have to be parents and grandparents, but are. Only people whose hearts are filled with the love of Christ can love so purely, without duty.

 

Their world should be quiet and peaceful. It is certainly turns into crazy land when we show up. They are so sweet to put up with us. James and Ashton are quite crazy. They have to touch everything and open everything and go everywhere they shouldn't. I always giggle when they encourage me to have more babies. JoAnn always says if Kay could have she would have had six. I am just making up for her only being able to have one. I think I only got two lines stitched before I had to go, because my boys were making everyone crazy. I don't know how to accomplish anything and give them the attention they need, one always gets neglected. No matter, I think our purpose was accomplished. Sometimes it is not doing, but just being there that matters most.

BABY GIRL TURNED SEVEN

 

Life doesn't slow down. I can't believe she is seven. Her favorite foods are still apples and potatoes. She would live off them if she could. She is still so sweet and beautiful. She loves everyone. She giggles more than she doesn't. Her favorite color is now orange. She loves stuffed animals just like her older sister. (She isn't a doll or Barbie girl, neither of my girls are.) She wanted to make her own cake for her birthday. I let her. She loved every minute of it. She decorated and decorated and decorated. Nate said, "I think you missed a spot with the sprinkles." Of course he was teasing her. She filled that cake with sprinkles and frosting and then she dished out everyone a huge slice. She dished herself out the biggest slice, added more frosting, extra sprinkles, two scoops of ice cream, and then went to bed without even eating one bite. Yep, that is my girl. She likes sugar on occasion but for the most part doesn't care about it. She gives away half of her Halloween candy every year.

 

Madison,

 

I love you so much. You fill our world with so much JOY. You are so sweet to your brothers. You love them so much. Ashton and James adore you. Ashton loves to crawl after you. I love how James calls you Maddie. I don't like the name Maddie, but when he says it so filled with love toward you it makes me love it. I love how you love necklaces and have worn one to school every day of the first grade. I love that you wear a skirt every day. I love that you let me do your hair and your fingernails. I know you said today again, "I am not your baby girl anymore. I am just your girl." But....I still want to call you my baby girl because you are my favorite, baby girl.

 

Love, Mom.

 

Why do the years roll on so fast?



BROTHER LOVE

APPLE SEASON

The brisk morning air has been so soul satisfying to breath in. I love fall.

The apples are sweet.

I and my boys went and picked apples and have more apples than we know what to do with.

I am hopping to dedicate tomorrow to apple sauce.

 

While picking apples I climbed to the precarious top run of the step ladder.

I was holding on to an unsteady branch.

I told James to sit on the ladder to help weigh it down a bit.

Instead he climbed up the ladder and grabbed hold of my ankles and said, "I not let you fall mommy. I got you."

He was clinging with all his might.

He is so little but so strong and I am certain he wouldn't have let me fall.

 

I picked the best apple on the tree and asked him to run and give it to Brother Chuck.

He looked at it and then grabbed another less worthy apple out of the bucket and ran off.

He came back eating the best apple on the tree.

I didn't know what happened.

Brother Chuck said he came over and said he had an apple in each hand and held out both of them, but ultimately offered the less worthy apple.

Only my fruit loving boy.

 

Ashton stayed in this wagon the whole time. I was afraid he was going to try and crawl out and do a head dive. I prayed that the angel in heaven would watch over him while I picked. He was happy and content and never budged from his little play area. A true miracle. 

 

IZZY

My sister Kimberly rented a pup on Saturday for the kids. The puppy's name was Izzy. They tried to get us to adopt it. We would have loved to but it is just bad timing. We have at least two months until we move, so what are we going to do with a puppy for two months.

 

I and my mother went dumpster diving in the morning and found a bunch of boxes and bought markers so the kids could build their own houses. They built a small village, mostly with Aunt Michelle's help.

 

All the excitement called for a video, enjoy.

 



 

BABY MARGARET

We loved seeing baby Margaret. She has been long awaited and after the world-wind of a weekend we had I am certain Jennifer was ready to bring this beautiful baby out of the womb and into the world. She is just as beautiful as her older sister Charlotte. She has the most gorgeous pink skin. I wish I could have stayed longer and held her for a week. She was so perfect. Her pouty lips and her perfect nose and her piercing little eyes.  Her momma did really well.

 

Margaret,

 

We were so happy to see your pink beautiful face. We were all filled with joy the day you were born. I got to bring Charlotte into meet you for the first time. She is going to love every ounce of you. You two are going to be the best of friends. What a precious gift to have such an adventurous, motherly, happy big sister. You are everything we hoped you would be pretty and healthy and streaming clouds of JOY, absolute joy.

 

Love you,

 

Auntie Lisa



TAMARA's WEDDING

 There is nothing more beautiful than temple marriage.

I am so glad these beautiful girls got to be on the temple grounds waiting for Tamara and Chase to come out of the temple after having been sealed for time and all eternity.

I am so glad that they got to see two people who are clean and pure and love each other so much.

They are starting life together perfectly.

They are everything I want my girls to emulate in their relationships when the time comes.

 

For those of you who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints you should know that in order to enter the temple worthily and be sealed together with the person you love, you must live certain standards set forth by the Heavenly Father. I love that these two were worthy in every way. You could feel the beautiful spirit in that room in the temple. There wasn't a dry eye there. I loved being there with Nate and remembering our special day.

COWBOY SAM AND KIMBERLY

She is beautiful, gorgeous, smart, talented, the best Aunt any child could ask for and the best sister anyone could every ask for.

She has chosen to let him hang out with her for a while.

He is lucky.

 

 

WATERING

Julie our landlady was out watering when James escaped outside. He ran through the dirt over to her bench. I was bear footed, so I couldn't chase him. I just wanted him to get ready for bed. I think if I stay up all night long I might get this blasted house clean. I am sure it won't happen any other way. I used to be this great housekeeper. I am pretty sure that ended with Ashton. I really want to finish all these sewing projects I have. I got them out and I look at them cluttering up my house daily but they aren't getting anymore done. I think I need to choose between a perfect home, or my hobbies. I just need to accept that I can't do it all anymore. Sigh. It won't always be this way. I will miss these beautiful faces when they go away and all I am left to stare at are my projects. Then I will have that beautiful home that I want with handmade quilts and stunning pictures. Until then I am going to focus on two things, my blog and my home. I want it to be a peaceful place, it can't be when I am so distracted.

James ran over to Brecken and said, "I a good bruther. I watch you." He patted her little arm. I thought it was so sweet.

OFF to SCHOOL

She let me do her hair this morning. Her sister is in Utah, so she didn't convince her not to. She picks out her own outfit every morning. She has to have a necklace with every outfit. Her daddy picked her up this one in Texas. He noticed she has a necklace addiction. I think it's adorable. She doesn't take them off except to sleep. She has been a whole month with a necklace on everyday.

FIRST GRADE, READING and loosing TEETH

She has just begun reading. She loves it. She loves it as much as she loves doing her homework. She rushes home and it is always the first thing she wants to do. She loves to learn. I wish I could just focus on her learn. She would probably get a full ride to BYU, if someone could help her and encourage her. With two little boys, I can hardly find the time to do the minimum. To tell you the truth I hate it but I think that is just the way it is going to be for a while.

She has lost three teeth in two weeks. She has been so excited about the tooth fairy coming but one night she forgot and the next night was Sunday, then she got sick. Hopefully, she will come tonight. Poor fairy has been through the ringer. She is running out of excuses.