MADISON

I love this girl. She is so obedient and good.

I love her because when I ask her to do something she always does it with a spring in her step.

She is always willing.

I love her because she sleeps. She really is my only child that will go to bed at a decent time and wake up at decent time. I can't tell you what a blessing it is that at least one of my children sleeps.

I love her because she is always happy. She is never grumpy.

I love her because she is so positive about everything.

She never runs she just skips.

She is always giggling and dancing and singing.

She brightens our world.

 

TWO BUTTERFLIES

 We did simple this year. Really simple.

It was easy and fun. I told them to grab any random legging skirt and shirts and pair them with wings and then they made their antennae. They loved it. I loved it.

After a full day of school and trick-or-treat down main street, Sierra tossed her leggings.

I thought they were still cute little bugs.

 

James loved trick-or-treating. I wish I had of taken my camera. There was this little girl who was R2D2, she was so adorable. Her mom said she got the hat off of Etsy and then she made her skirt and shirt. ADORABLE. It reminded me of the adorable hats my sister-in-law made these kids last year for Christmas. I think next year will try to make them owls and a fish. We will see. It will take a little more effort on my part but hey, I might be up to it next year.

 

My cabinets were installed into my little house this week.

You will die they are so beautiful. They made me cry and I felt so blessed to have my silly, little crooked farm house.

HANDYMEN

 For Halloween the boys were handymen and the girls butterflies.

I haven't gotten picture of the girls yet, but I will.

These boys are so cute in their overalls.
I had to buy James some. I just had to.

I took them to the city market and everyone pointed at them and told me how adorable they were.

Except one lady, she was alarmed that I was allowing my son to carry a REAL hammer.
A REAL HAMMER,  A REAL MEASURE TAPE, AND A REAL SCREW DRIBER.

Sorry lady, he knows the difference and he is not okay with a fake.

BOYS. GRRRRR.

 Incriminating hammer pictured.

BOY CAVES

 James built a fort or a cave, depending on when you ask.

He built it for Ashey Crashey or Ashy Macwell and him to play in.

He invited me to play with them.

He has been reading to his brother and hugging him and telling him, "I lub you!"

 He insists on getting himself dress. He always puts his underpants on backwards and because he has  his fathers great hind end it doesn't squeeze into the front.

He walks around like this most days.

Don't adjust his clothes after he puts them on.

He demands, "I doed it!"

Don't let this little one trick you.

He has been ornery all day, demanding that I hold his chunky self while I sweep and do dishes.

He screamed while I drove around and picked out counter tops and dropped off the cupping flooring pieces to be tested.

After his brother built him a cave he has been happy.

It is so nice to see his happy face and hear his happy voice because I was about ready to toss him.

WE ARE SO GLAD WHEN GRANDPA COMES

We have been so blessed to see both our grandpa's in the past week.

 

My dad was so sweet and he helped Madison with her homework and then had her sit on his lap while she did her nightly reading. He helped Sierra practice her spelling words. It was so nice to have him take care of these important things while I got the boys to bed. He is installing our hot water heater. We feel blessed to have him visit so often even though most of his time has been spent working on our home. I am hoping the time he spends on the home will be a thing of the past and soon he will just be grandpa when he comes. I think our move in date is Nov 13. I am crossing my fingers and praying everything comes together. I am just moving forward despite the nightmare I have had with our flooring cupping and everything else. We love you dad. Thanks for everything you have done fore us. The house wouldn't have ever been finished without you. 

PROJECT 354687

I have so many projects in my life. I don't know why I started another one. I decided I wanted to make my bed a beautiful place. I haven't spent anytime on it. I made some pillow cases and hand crocheted the edges of each one. I then needed an accent pillow I love this quote by Holland. "Be peaceful. Believe in God and yourself." I decided that on my bed was the best place for it. I am recovering the accent pillows my sister bought for me when she came to visit when Madison was born. I love reviving these pillows, that mean so much to me, and giving them a handmade touch. I love to applique and make up designs and my sister suggested I do a pillow instead of a baby blanket. I loved the idea. I love how it is turning out. It makes my soul happy to look at. 

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.