Back to School Project

I started working on a little quilt project this week.  Rett fell asleep hugging a puppy while I worked on the floor by him.  I had put him in his bassinet and he wouldn’t go to sleep so I brought him out by us and he was out!  I guess we are comfort noise.

 

Justin and Claire were playing right next to him, didn’t bother him a bit.  I did go put him in bed once he was asleep.

And Ash didn’t have any homework so she made some up for herself so studious!  Emma was down stairs playing her own game.

 

Here is the blankie, it has a story and I will post it after this weekend.  I want one for myself, it is fuzzy on the back, it turned out cute, I like the strip quilting.

I need to get some motivation to whip my house into shape.  I haven't been out in the yard at all either.  Ryan turned my water off a week ago to harvest grain and everything is burning up fast.  Hopefully it will be back on today.  My poor yard!  Claire is bored, she has listened to lots of read along stories this morning.  I asked her if she knew where the kids were.  She knew exactly where they were and who was going where after school, not much gets past her, she is our little secretary, well when Ashley isn't home anyway.

First Day of School

They’re off!  We didn’t get to take too many pictures because the bus was coming down the road.   Emma is 3rd grade, Justin Kinder, and Ashley 5th.  Justin asked me last night when am I going to be in the grades?  I thought that was cute!

 

Big ol kindergartner.  Actually I thought he looked too small to be going to school, I had a rough morning to say the least.

 

Pretty little Ashley, she finally looks big enough to go to school.  She had a great day and she loves her teacher.

Emma did great also, I am so glad they like school, it makes it easier to send them when they love it so much.

First day and we are already late!

Claire had to get her jacket on and missed being in the pictures but she did get to wave while they drove away.

I am not sure I can get used to this quiet house, hopefully Claire will treat me with some of her obnoxious “opera” singing that she does so well! 

Sunday Shots

It was nice to not have to speak in church this week, we have had a new young couple move in, the Pecks, they did a great job.  She talked about contention.  I found it interesting that it is natural for children to quarrel and fight, but that doesn’t mean it is right.  So interesting that the world wants us to believe that everything that is natural from feelings clear down to food is the best, but that is not true at all.  It was a great lesson.  I did have to teach in Relief Society, I told Ryan I wasn’t even nervous this week.  I don’t know if I am just getting used to it, or if I used up all of my nervousness the week before speaking in Sacrament meeting.  Whatever the case I was glad to not have my knees knocking and sweating to death!

I ordered Justin a left handed mitt and it came in the mail so we had to play baseball.  Ryan injured himself jumping over the kids to get to home plate.  He is getting old.

The baseball instigator.  He loves all sports, so different from the girls, they like to play but never instigate it, well sometimes Ash does with soccer.  He is fun to watch.

Claire giving me a pose.

Emms, she broke the branch right off the tree, stinker!

Ash, and her silly sister.

 

The big baby.  He is almost 5 months old already, where has the time gone?

 

Claire entertaining Rett.  She sings in her opera voice and makes up words so it sounds like it is in a different language, just like the opera, and Rett loves it, the rest of us, not so much!

Oh my babies are growing up too fast!  We love our Day of Rest!

Grain Harvest

We are finishing up grain harvest here tonight.  It is midnight and Ryan and Bobby are wrapping it up for the night.  It will be nice to have one small part of harvest done.  It has been so nice to have Ryan working here, I love it!  This is why farming is so great!  I did take a couple of pictures of the combines working on our pivot.  It will be nice to have that “kindling” gone.  Especially with all of the dry lightning storms we have been having.

I loved this picture with the mountains in the background.  I wonder how Kiley would like driving this grain cart?!  She always went out with Dad to drive grain cart after Kollin left home.  We just bought this one, it is HUGE, and is really nice to have.

There is Ryan, in the daylight, in our yard!  So nice!

I am glad that all of the conditions have been just right and we have cruised through this grain harvest, now on to Arco on Monday.

Adjusting

We are still adjusting to losing our Bella.  I didn’t ever worry about losing her, so I never thought about it.  She was VERY protective and barked at everyone that came to the house which was annoying, but nice when I'm here alone.  I will really miss her on the long harvest nights.

The first morning after I went out to give her some breakfast and realized she wasn’t going to be coming.  Then this postcard came in the mail to remind us that she was due for shots, really?

I heard a dog barking the other night and it barked and barked until I realized we don’t have a dog, so I went out to see who it was and all I could see was the silhouette of him because it was dark.  It was Bella!  But not really it was Bobby and Sara’s dog who is Bella’s brother.  He looked just like her in the dark. 

This is going to take some getting used to for sure.  We are a little beside ourselves to say the least.  We miss our Ellabells!

Winding Down Summer

I am so sad to be winding down our summer.  It is finally gotten really hot this week and now the kids are going to head back to school.  I am not ready for this!  We have been trying to squeeze as much activity into this last week as possible.  We have been doing a lot of cleaning and organizing.  Shannon bought me this cool disposal cleaner it shot 3 feet in the air this blue foam stuff and then went back down, it was pretty cool.

I had to take a picture but it was almost gone by the time I got the camera.  We are easily amused around here!

We had cousins and the Kent's come over earlier this week (was it really this week, it seems so long ago).  Anyway we had lunch and played a lot!

The girls keep up on all of the coupon clipping for me.  It is so nice, I didn’t clip one coupon this week, and they love to do it too.

We have done lots and lots of coloring and painting this week.

I have loved our new rule, no projects after 3:00.  It makes dinner time so much easier and we don’t have tons to clean up at evening time and before bed.  They can still play, just no creating, it’s been great.

We went to the park again during piano.  Rett is such a good smiler for me.  He is getting way to big already.

Claire doing a trick.

 

Justin’s mohawk.  He has been wanting one really bad so we finally did it.  I will buzz it all off tomorrow night, its fun, but not all the time.

He has done an number on his chin this week too.  He first bonked it on grandma’s bucking horse, then he almost split it on the corner of a wall.  Then Sunday he wanted a roll off of the hot pan and stuck his chin up on the counter to smell them and burned it.  He will look lovely for his first day of Kindergarten!  Oh BOYS!

Also this week we had Jaci over for a sleepover and the kids are going to sleep at her house tomorrow night just for fun.  We also stayed the night down at Grandma’s and I got to go out on the night shift with Ryan.  We hauled silage until 1:15 in the morning.  It was so fun to just drive and talk.  He has been so busy lately and we haven’t had much time together, let alone ALONE together.  It was nice.  Tonight we moved all of the combines and equipment to start harvesting up here.  Everyone came for a BBQ at our house since everyone was transporting equipment.  It was fun to play with more cousins and see everyone.  It will be nice to have Ryan up here for a couple of days (hopefully).  I’m not sure I am ready to commit back to a schedule.  Summer is just too fun!

Keep Away

We had cousins at our house last week and when Kaleb is over I keep Rett in the pack n play so he doesn’t get carried around our smooshed  too much.  Well Kaleb was coming after Claire trying to get her MP3 player and she couldn’t find a place to get away from him.  (Claire thinks everyone is always trying to get her)  Anyway I found her in with Rett safe and sound.

Rett really liked it.  I let her stay in until she started wrapping him up in blankies and I was afraid he would get smothered a bit too much so she had to get out.  I think we will be having a lot more of Claire and Rett pictures since everyone is going off to school in a week.

Sad Day

Our Bella pup got ran over today.  We are pretty sad at our house.  The girls and I have shed a few tears.  She was working with Ryan and he didn’t realize she had followed him down the highway and she got hit there.  He feels bad, so do we.  She was a fun pup for our family. 

Twin Brothers

I found matching jammies for the boys.  Justin was quite tickled with it all.  It is so fun to finally have someone to match with!

So fun to have a brother!

Soccer

We are getting really excited for fall soccer to begin around here.  Justin and I went out to get some practice.

Emma has made it quite clear that she is not going to play this year, it involves too much running and she does not want to get sweaty!  Oh dear Emma!  She was happy to babysit and take the pictures.

 

She made me pose for a picture too. Bossy…wonder where she gets that from???

Ash had her nose in a book but came out later and beat us all.

Sunday Shots

Ryan had to speak in our ward this month and so he asked me to talk with him.  Grandma Violet sat with the kids (except Rett) and it was a nice quiet meeting for us!  Ryan’s talk was excellent, one of his best, he talked mainly about the Holy Ghost I wish I could attach a copy of his but he doesn’t type everything out like I do so it wouldn’t make much sense.  Ryan asked me to talk on being happy.  I am going to put my talk on here so my kids will be able to read my testimony for years to come.

I have always wanted to go on a trip to Hawaii. Doesn’t everyone want to go there? Isn’t Hawaii such a happy place? To leave all of my cares behind. I told Ryan for our 10^th anniversary we ARE going to Hawaii. I knew it would bring me great joy! Well we have been married for 11 ½ years and this week I finally went on that trip, in my mother in laws kitchen. She made the most beautiful Hawaiian haystacks for dinner and we joked about our trip to Hawaii.

I have come to realize it is all about perspective. No I didn’t go on a fabulous 7 day vacation, but I was able to feel great happiness right where I was. Our Father in Heaven sent us here on earth to have joy. 2 Nephi 2:25 says Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy. We ARE that we might have joy. This is our purpose here right now. This time is not just a time to be endured or to get through, it is a time to be happy!

There was a lady who woke up one morning and said oh dear, I only have three hairs, I think I will wear my hair in a braid. So she braided her hairs and had a wonderful day. The next morning she woke up and said I only have two hairs, well I guess I will part it today, so she did, and she had a wonderful day. The next day she woke up and had only one hair, she said I only have one hair, I guess I will wear it in a ponytail, so she did and she had a wonderful day. The next day when she woke up all of her hair was gone, she said I guess I don’t have to do my hair today, and she had a wonderful day. What is our perspective? Do we have an optimistic outlook on life no matter the situation?

I loved a talk by President Uchtdorph. He told about his wife making a beautiful meal. It was a masterpiece, he said it was almost a crime to eat it because it was so lovely. He goes on to say that no matter how perfect everything is she will apologize for something she thinks looks imperfect. Do we focus on what we have done wrong even after all that we have done right? I feel like we are too critical of ourselves and others. I know I find this true of myself. If I spend my time dwelling on the negative it always makes me unhappy.

We talk about being happy at our house A LOT! So what can we do to be more optimistic? We learned just last week in Sunday school that we can pray to be optimistic. I love how the Gospel is ALWAYS the answer. Many times when I am searching for an answer I learn it in Sacrament meeting or in a lesson in church.

I had an experience once when Ashley and Emma were just small. I was at a salon and the lady working there was telling me about herself and asking me about myself too. I had mentioned that I was married to a farmer, she said she had been once too, but wasn’t anymore. The she said something that has always stayed with me. She said she was “tired of grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch.” I am sure this is not why there marriage ended; I sure hope it is not why. But I was really saddened by that. She was not content with what she had chosen in life and so she left it. I would hope that we would choose to see the good instead. At least she got to share lunch with her husband, not many people have that treat. Also if you get tired of grilled cheese then change it up, have a salad instead! I am a firm believer in if you are not happy in or with your situation then change something. Don’t keep doing the same thing over and over if it is not making you happy.

We know a young family who is just starting out in life and they have had quite a few babies close together. They have scraped and scrimped to get by and as many of us have struggled starting out, they are too. Well they drive a pretty old car, but not only is it old, it is UGLY! The mom did not like it and was actually quite embarrassed by it. Well she got determined to get a better looking car. Now you may think happiness does not come in a new car or house or whatever, but it can make you unhappy. This mom has set a goal and worked hard and saved where she could and was able to buy a newer, much better looking car.

The key here is the hard work. Find out what is making you unhappy and then work toward changing it. Surround yourself with things or people that bring you happiness. Recognize the Lords hand in your life daily. Most things don’t just “happen” We are guided by the Holy Ghost and influenced by our Heavenly Father. I have tried lately more than ever to recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost in my life. It is wonderful.

While on our trip to Hawaii this past week my mother in law and I were talking about when Rett was born. We were talking about how meals went and how everything went so smoothly after he was born. I realized how my Heavenly Father helped me so much transition into this new phase of life so easily, well as easily as could be!

I have thought a lot about things that bring joy and happiness to me and others around me. Most of them have been after a lot of hard work.

-A new baby, after waiting 9 months and going through labor, what happiness a new child brings.

- Working and preparing 19 years for a mission, to get to feel the joy of sharing the gospel.

-Getting out of bed early for four years to attend or teach seminary, all to gain a lifelong testimony of Jesus Christ and his church.

- Waiting five LONG years to finally get to go to kindergarten, Justin says he is “pretty much happy” about finally getting to go!

-How about keeping yourself worthy through the dating years to have a temple marriage.

-Planting a seed in the spring and tending it to reap a bountiful harvest months later. The things that bring the most joy often come after the most work.

Our kids have a hand line to move every day in the summer, and it is hard. My girls aren’t the biggest and buffest girls, well not yet anyway! But we have a lot of weeping and wailing before we go out to move the line. One day Emma told me after she had made a BIG deal about going out that it really isn’t that bad. And most of the time we have a great time together doing it. I truly feel most happy with my children when we are all working together. And I tell them that too.

This year I have thoroughly enjoyed our garden. It has a little story with it because I didn’t not love it so much at first. This spring my parents came when I had Rett. My dad and mom are very ambitious and always go straight to work when they come. I don’t think they know how to take it easy! Well they had talked me into this new garden that would be easier for me to take care of. We spent two hard days at work while they were here building boxes, shoveling compost, pulling weeds, and planting the new garden. It was a lot of work. I felt guilty. Not because they had worked so hard but because I knew myself well enough to know I wouldn’t take care of it and it would all die. I am not a green thumb, I don’t love being outside that much especially in the freezing spring we had this year. Also I had just had our fifth baby and keeping up with the kids and house was more than I could handle right then. BUT I decided to work. I wanted this to be a success, especially since we had all worked so hard on it. So I worked, I went out and watered in the cold wind almost every day. It was pretty miserable actually! I had to lift the green house covers and water inside or each individual box and then try to remember to come back out and move the water to the next one. It was a pain and really hard for me. Then the weeds came, we pulled them, then they came again! We spent a couple of family nights out in the garden working. A couple of weeks into it I realized nothing was coming up, I typically leave the farming to Ryan for a reason, he is much better at it than me. I ended up having to replant it all on a cold windy day. This time everything started to come up. I was SO happy! We have loved our garden this year, it has been more work than any other in years past but it has brought the most joy! I have had many teaching experiences there, quiet time alone there, and fun family time too. The kids even have brought their bikes down to ride in it because it is just a pretty happy place to be.

Now this may seem silly or petty to most of you but the little day to day things are where the happiness is at. This time on earth is short. Enjoy the grilled cheese. Take a trip to Hawaii every Friday night if you like. Be happy where you are. Heavenly Father loves each of us so much and wants us to be eternally happy. Work hard, be optimistic, and focus on the good, especially the eternal goal of Living with our Father in Heaven. Rejoice in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Let his light fill you to radiate to others. The future is bright our savior Jesus Christ will come again.  In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Today was Sara’s birthday so we put together a little dinner party.  The men had a Priesthood meeting so we ate dinner and then had cake tonight.  Emma organized an awesome game of pin the tail on the donkey.

The winner got to help Aunt Sara open her present.  It was Ryan.  He let her open her own present though.

Opening her present with lots of helpers.

The 6 layer rainbow cake, it was fun to make and turned out cool.

The family picture.

Ryan, Justin, Me, Shannon, Rett, Mike, Ashley, Bobby, Kaleb, Jaci, Sara, Tayson, Emma, Claire.