CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE

 We spent the next day at California Adventure. My little kiddos, nor I had ever been before. It exceeded ever expectation I had for it. We could have spent two days there and loved every minute of it. We watched the Frozen production and it was amazing. The soaring ride made me absolutely giddy. Madison loved the Bear River Run. We were positively soaked after that ride. We randomly sat by Mormons each time. We met a second grade teacher, who was skipping school for a Disneyland adventure too. We met this super fun family of all boys. It was fun to visit with and laugh with strangers, that became friends, on our short tube ride down the Bear River Run. 

We went to Cheesecake Factory for Margaret's Birthday Dinner. We loved the food. Margaret was an angel baby through all of our adventure. I don't think I heard her cry one time. She is a cutie.

DISNEYLAND

 We went to Disneyland for our first day of vacation. We had a blast. James loved the Winnie the Pooh ride and the Autopia. Madison was so excited to go on splash mountain again. She loved it three years ago. She went on it once and was terrified and wouldn't get back on it. It was overcast till noon and the park was mostly empty. James said a lot of adorable things but I didn't write them down and now I don't remember them. 

CALIFORNIA

We stayed the night at Michelle's house and left the next day for California. We left Ashton in her loving arms. I was super nervous to leave him for a week but my mother reassured me, He is at Michelle's house. He won't even know you are gone." It took us six hours to get to Disneyland. I don't remember much. I just remember sleeping a lot. I also remember stopping in Vegas at In-and-Out Burger. I love that place. We arrived and checked into our hotel room. Then we walked over to Downtown Disney and went to Rain Forest Cafe for dinner. The food was yummy. The music walking through Downtown Disney was enchanting. 

TACO TRUCK

 We stopped off at a taco truck on our way to St. George. I can't even tell you how many flies were buzzing around. There were millions. It was honestly the best breakfast burrito I have ever had in my entire life. The burrito shell was crispy and buttery and the insides just melted in your mouth. I am not lying it was to die for! We took them over to a park and ate them. There were less flies at the park. I know it is gross to order food from a place infested with flies but I would do it again. I am pretty sure Sierra would do it with me. It was that good.

MY MISSIONARY

He is such a cutie! I love this boy. He loves the idea of being a missionary. He has gone with me to Leslie's discussion and he has begged to go out with the Sisters, but of course he can't. He found his daddy's old missionary name tag and insists on wearing it twenty-four seven. He loves missionary work, but don't ask him about Jesus or any other gospel topic because his version will include bad guys, ghosts, and trucks. I have a lot of work to do.

I found myself at the park today and I was walking around talking to Leslie, she is anxious to know more about, and increase her understanding of, the Book of Mormon. I was talking to her about taking an institute class. I wasn't paying a lot of attention as my boys were running around and playing on the playground equipment. There were two other boys on the playground with their father. I finally hung up. The man on the playground said in an ugly, in-your-face, accusatory tone, "Lady, your boy just hit my boy." I said, "I don't think James would hit any...." I didn't even get the "one" out before he interjected, "I saw him." James has never hit another boy before, well except Ashton, but does that count? He is his brother, and that is what brothers do. I don't know what happened. He might have pushed him out of his way to get to the slide, but hit him? Pretty sure, no! His kid wasn't crying. He wasn't hurt in anyway. He seemed a little upset about his father yelling at me but other than that, he was happy. I couldn't understand why this man was in my face about my sweet boy. 

James was wearing the tag. I thought about packing the boys up and just leaving. I thought about telling the guy my son was the sweetest, kindest kid on the planet and that he obviously needed glasses, but James was wearing the tag. I swallowed it. I did something that was way out of my comfort zone and was more like Jesus than I have ever been before. I took James over and had him introduce himself to the boy. Then I asked the boys if they wanted to play with us. I ran around the playground equipment with those four boys for about ten or fifteen minutes. We threw a ball and I told them how cool they were. There dad was on a stressful phone call. He hung up. He looked down at us playing. He said, "Their mom took off and left us. They always play with any woman who gives them any attention, because they miss her." I said, "I am sorry." He said, "Boys it's time to go we have been here long enough." We just never know what kind of pain people are carrying around with them or how heavy their load is. I just thought he was a jerk.

I left the playground a more humble person. What if I had yelled at him? What if I had been unkind?What if I hadn't played with his boys? What if James hadn't been wearing his tag? Aren't I wearing a tag every day, especially as members of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints? I covenant to take his name upon me every week. Am I serious about that? 

I walked away from that experience asking myself a lot of deep questions and having a greater desire to respond to every situation like He would. 

CELEBRATING LABOR DAY WEEKEND

 James and I decorated cookies for the girls in celebration of Labor Day weekend. 

James wanted cookies with frosting. They were super yummy minus the sprinkles.

I hate sprinkles but kids love them. Sigh.

NOT A BRUSH!

 He combed his own hair today! Eeeeeek!

SWING

Putting this swing in the tree was the best idea I have ever had. Ashton loves it.  He would make me swing him every day, if I would. I love how happy he gets to go outside and swing. I just need more swings and slides. I am working on it.

FRIENDS

I am glad these two have each other although Natalie is two years younger than Sierra but they are like two peas in a pod.

Today while cleaning the kitchen Madison was telling me, "You know mom sometimes I get really mad at school, and I could lose my temper but I don't, I just push it down." 

"Really sweat pea, what happens at school that makes you want to really lose your temper?"

"Like there is a boy there who says, I will marry you and it doesn't matter what you say. When we are getting married, even if you say no, we will still be married." It makes me so mad mom, but I just don't lose my temper.

"Good job. What is this boy's name?"

"I don't remember."

Poor kid.

Today I got to go to church with her Leslie and her sister Stephanie. I was so happy sitting there with them. It was sweet of Nate to tackle the children alone. When I say alone I mean with the help of some sweet sisters who also sacrificed to help him out.

Leslie told me once again she was only going to go to sacrament meeting. I was a little frustrated but this is her journey. I was thinking about how to help make her other meetings a priority. I thought to promise her that if she attended all three hours that she would be blessed.

She would be able to build relationships with members of the ward and make true friends. She would literally be able to call these people her brothers and sisters.

She would gain increased spiritual knowledge.

Even though she would be spending time away from Simon, their marriage would be strengthened and the time they spent together would be happier.

She decided to attend all three hours on her own. I made her those promises anyway. 

She loved every meeting we attended together. Her sister read this quote during Relief Society. April General Conference 2016. Elder Jeffery R. Holland. 

First of all, if in the days ahead you not only see limitations in those around you but also find elements in your own life that don’t yet measure up to the messages you have heard this weekend, please don’t be cast down in spirit and don’t give up. The gospel, the Church, and these wonderful semiannual gatherings are intended to give hope and inspiration. They are not intended to discourage you. Only the adversary, the enemy of us all, would try to convince us that the ideals outlined in general conference are depressing and unrealistic, that people don’t really improve, that no one really progresses. And why does Lucifer give that speech? Because he knows he can’t improve, he can’t progress, that worlds without end he will never have a bright tomorrow. He is a miserable man bound by eternal limitations, and he wants you to be miserable too. Well, don’t fall for that. With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve, and the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don’t always succeed. 

She couldn't even get through it. The spirit filled her. I am very much convinced she had her moment too. Leslie drug her feet until we had this meeting with the missionaries where the spirit was so strong she could no longer deny that this truly is the Church of Jesus Christ. Leslie's testimony has become a ripple in a pond. Leslie will affect numberless people with her decision to receive light and continue in that light.

MY BOYS

 James was such a sweet brother today he took Ashton by the hand and literally pulled him up to the top of the playground at Chick-fil-A. He said, "I will help you Ash-on!" He did all the way to the top. They are the best of friends. James is always translating for Ashton and telling me what he said. He is starting to repeat words. James was talking about his cousin Charlotte, none stop this afternoon and Ashton said Charlotte over and over again, but refused to when we tried to call Jennifer. They are a handful but the cutest.

SEE YOU LATER MADISON!

I love my mornings. I love that my sweet daughters wake up at different times and getting to enjoy the morning with each of them individually. I get to talk about the scriptures with them and I get to pray over them individually. I love it. This morning I opened up Madison's Book of Mormon reader and asked her if she would like to read the story about Joseph Smith. She said, "Oh, I already know that one mom." She continued to tell me almost word for word what her reader says about the prophet Joseph Smith. She even quoted the scripture in James. I then asked her what can we learn from this story? She said, "To pray when we need help." 

She told me about a week ago that she tries really hard to pray over her food when she goes to lunch, but sometimes she forgets because it is so loud and busy in the cafeteria. My instant reaction is to tell her we don't typically pray in public, especially in crowds of people. We just say a prayer in our heart. Then my second reaction was wouldn't the whole school be a better place if they watched as this innocent little girl expressed thanks and evoked a bless from her maker in the school cafeteria every day. I told her that she was sweet to remember to pray. She amazes me. I am grateful for her strength of character and her love of the scriptures. 

KAZOO

James playing the kazoo we made together.

 Last night I went to bed early and it felt good. Going to bed late and getting up way too early is rough. I had all the lights out and all the babies in bed by seven thirty and that is a good night. James did sneak downstairs thrice to ask me to tuckle him in. He combines the word tuck and tickle and I think it is adorable but by the third time it wasn't cute anymore.  Nate was out with Sierra, he said he was going to take her on a daddy daughter date. I don't know where they went or what they did because I was asleep when they got home. I did wake up to a Slurpee on the counter. The boys and I read together this morning. We read a Mickey Mouse Science story. The book talked of making kazoos out of toilet paper rolls and wax paper and of course we had to make some. 

Ashton wanting to be held my mommy.

I love when this boy pulls on my legs and lifts up one foot and whimpers. Do you want me to pick you up Asha Maxerwells?

GOOD MORNING with the CHICKENS

Feeding the chickens watermelon left over from Dad's party.

Getting caught in the sprinklers.

Making sure each chicken gets a piece.

Watching Daddy leave for work.

Waving at daddy as he leaves for work.

Smiling because he waved back.

She is sick. Fever. Headache. 

A THEME for the YEAR

They say you can clean small spaces more quickly than large spaces, but they also become messy faster. I am working on figuring it out. I still love my home so much.

I may have mentioned that our family theme this school year is "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind."

Today I was over at Leslie's for her final discussion. She was supposed to be baptized on the 3rd of September but she drank at her nephews birthday party, so they have to push her baptismal date out a week. 

When she was telling Sister Uhri, tears started to stream down Sister Uhri's face. She had a very serious look on her face, but it was a look of love. She said, "It is going to break my heart to tell you that you must be clean for two weeks." The tears continued to roll down her cheeks. It broke Leslie's heart. She started to cry to. It was such a beautiful exchange of love and rebuke. The spirit was full in the room and I couldn't help but think of Jesus Christ and all he has done for me and how it would break my heart to hear him say, "It is going to break my heart to tell you this but you must be clean." 

Leslie will be fine. She will repent and move forward. This will not discourage her, it will encourage her to be better. I am grateful for that.

However, the lesson we both learned tonight will stay with us forever. 

I am thankful for all I get to learn by being apart of her journey. 

Leslie, Heavenly Father has not given you a spirit of fear. You can do this. You have the power to do this.  Love - Me.

HAPPY SUNDAY

Ashton feeding chicken in his diaper.

 We woke up this morning and had banana nut pancakes. The boys didn't finish theirs so I told them to go feed them to the chickens. Ashton loved it. He got a little too excited and started to wack the chickens on the head with the bowl. I told him no and brought him inside. He wasn't happy about that. 

He has been sick for so long I forgot how much personality he has. He is saying words. I love this age of repeating everything anyone says and growing verbally. It fills me with joy. He will grab his diaper and say, pooh. He will say, BA, for bottle. He says, trash every time I get through changing his diaper and insists he needs to put it in the trash. He loves putting the dishes away. When I leave the dishwasher open, he will just start opening drawers and throwing dishes in various drawers. I will find the strangest things in the strangest places. He is so proud of himself, it is hard to care too much. He loves being outside. The minute the door opens he runs full speed for it. If you shut the door and say, we aren't going outside right now, he melts into a puddle of sad. The other day he insisted he can wear underwear like his brother. He put a pair of his underwear on and absolutely lost it when I took it off. He finally stopped yelling when I put underwear over top his diaper. He brings so much light into our home. I love him so much.

Madison and James ready for church.

James loves church and he can never leave with a vest and a tie. He hops around so excited to go. Ashton the minute he is dressed cries until we leave. He wants to go the minute his clothes are on. Luckily, today, he took a quick nap before we left, which made church more bearable. 

Sierra lately has become our hardest child at church. (Any suggestions are welcome.) I know sitting still is hard for her and being bored is hard for her. I don't know what to do about it. She was tormenting her siblings with every item in her scripture bag. Then I literally picked her up and moved her between her father and I, but she was fighting me. Yes, I was wrestling my child during church. I was talking to this couple, that attends our ward, later in the evening about it and he humbled me. He said, "No one notices when your children misbehave, but they do notice when you get angry and lose the spirit." I know he is right. I felt like I remained calm through most of it but maybe wrestling my daughter wasn't the best idea. I will try to be better and more creative and pray to figure out how to get her through church without it being too hard on both of us.

YES DENTAL PARTY!

I didn't get any good pictures of the party. This was near the end when we had started cleaning up. There was more food than we could have brought home. I started handing out ziplock bags and begging people to take home food. They were easily persuaded and I was glad. They loved every bite. My whole body hurts now. I literally have been going since yesterday at 10:00 am. I went to sleep for four hours and got up and kept going. I don't no why when I cook for fifty I think I am cooking for two hundred. I know the last twenty four hours I have had strength beyond my own and I am grateful. I said a really heartfelt prayer this morning.

'When Nate's employees thanked me I kept saying, "You work for us all year long the least I can do is spend a few days cooking for you." I mean it. I am grateful for them. I hope they felt that.  

PREPPING for a PARTY

I was so grateful that today my friend Leslie and her friend Grace came and helped me shop for Nate's company party. We had to drive two Sam's club carts around the store to get everything that we needed, I was exhausted by the time we were done. I think sitting down to write this post is the first time I have sat down all day. 

James, as we were driving around today said, "Mom, when I grow big I am going to have baby in my tummy too." I said, "To have a baby grow inside you is one of the greatest gifts Heavenly Father has given girls, but boy's don't get to grow baby's inside them. However, if they choose the right then they get to hold the Priesthood. The power to act in God's name here on earth." I know it was too much for a three year old to digest. His response was, "Priesthood means getting to grow a baby inside your tummy, right?" No. 

But he taught me so much....I loved how sweet he was and how much he knows even at such a young age how precious and beautiful it is to carry life in your own body. Nate will never experience that, carrying life and giving birth. I know he is fine with it, but there are sensitive men out there like James who probably wish they could. However, it just wasn't God's plan for men. Motherhood was Heavenly Father's gift to women from birth. Ever woman regardless of her choices and standing before Heavenly Father has the ability to bear children, baring infertility. The Priesthood is a gift given on earth when you are much more grown, 12 to be exact, you have to earn the right to receive it. 

We are blessed as woman, never doubt it. From the mouth of babes!

READING in the MORNING

My little one has been reading to me every morning before school instead of at night and I love it. I have to wake up at six o'clock to get Sierra off to school on time. I should really be getting her up at 5:30, but neither one of us can do it. Lately, we haven't gotten up until 6:15 and the bus comes at 6:30. It's a joke. It always takes so much energy and noise to get her out the door that fast, that the whole house is woken in the processes. What else are we going to do at 6:30 with the whole house awake, besides watch television and I thought our time would be better spent reading. I love that she has embraces most of my ideas. 

MY BABY

He hasn't been sleeping for so long. Nate hasn't gotten any sleep. He has been really cranky. I volunteered to sleep in a futon with Ashton until he figures things out. He has been so ornery. I took him off of milk and that didn't work. I took him to the chiropractor and that didn't work. I rubbed him in oils. I put a humidifier in his room. I massaged his legs at night. I did everything I could think of but nothing helped. He is finally sleeping better for some unknown reason and I am so happy. I am not off of the Futon yet, but look at those eyes. It isn't a hard sacrifice.  

LESLIE's STORY

 I have been so blessed to be apart of Leslie's journey. We meet at Loma Elementary. I was dropping off Madison at Kindergarten and Leslie was dropping off Kaylie. Kaylie was so nervous. Madison was so confident. She took Kaylie by the hand and walked her into Kindergarten. Her sweet act of kindness sealed Leslie and I's friendship. 

Leslie picked up Madison and took her to school every day for two months while I recovered from having Ashton. I baked her bread.

Once I stopped by her house on my way into town and I saw a bible on her table and I picked it up. She said, "You know Lisa, I want to know truth but I don't know where to find it."

I was really nervous about taking the missionaries over there the first time. I kind of scheduled it without telling Leslie. I called her before we headed over and I told her I was bringing the sisters with me.

I know I caught her off guard but she was okay. Four months have passed since that first visit and at times I have wondered whether she would ever be strong enough to commit to any of what we were asking her to do. It was a lot and Mormon is a huge word. There was a moment when she just knew all the sisters were teaching her was true. I have been in awe at the absolute pure faith she has shown since the moment when she knew. She always says, "You had me at the planets." The sisters had planned to give her the lesson on the plan of salvation. She had been at a conference in Denver the weekend before and had heard something that weren't true. They had been on her mind and when she asked the question the sisters were prepared to answer. It was a direct message from her Heavenly Father that he cared about her and this small concern. She wept through the whole discussion.

She is scheduled to be baptized on the 3rd of September.

I was listening to NPR on the way to Utah to a show called this American Life. There was a story told about a life guard that was 66. He wanted to keep life guarding. He was a New York lawyer. He life guarded on the weekend. His name was Roy and he life guarded on Jones Beach. The interviewer asked him, "Why do you want to continue to life guard?" He said, "There is a thrill in the rescue that you can't feel any other way." I loved what he said because being apart of Leslie's journey has brought me so much joy. I didn't think it was possible for the human body to feel this much joy.