First Day of School!

It is so crazy that it is this time of year AGAIN! This year, at least, I was very pleased with the teachers when we met them last week (NOT the case last year!). Also, having them be in 2nd and 4th, I wasn't nearly as sad and nervous as when I had a younger one going. This is their third year in the same school and they are confident and ready. It made saying good bye so much easier....I'm not worrying if they'll know where to go, or know how to eat lunch...etc, etc. And...they have been so at each other's throats this summer...that I'm ready for them to have separate time. All in all, this is the first time I haven't felt extremely sad to see them go back. Here are some pictures from this morning:





LD---All alone and driving me crazy! :)

While the cat's away...the mice shall

PLAY!

DH has a seminar all weekend. And, crazy though it is, I have never slept in any of our homes without him. I have gone with or without the kids and he's been home, but I have never slept in our bed without him...EVER! Knowing how darn emotional I can be and how much I would miss him, I decided to put this night to good use and invited a few friends over for games and food. We ended up with only a group of five and it was a huge blast! I am so grateful that I have such great friends. We didn't even take any pictures...we were having too much fun talking and playing. It was really a fun, relaxed, and laid back evening.

Now, it is after midnight and I am subbing in Primary tomorrow (still need to read that lesson!), as well as conducting in Relief Society(gotta get those announcements down). I also have the last load of laundry in the dryer and stuff to read before tomorrow's lesson (five conference talks this time! Yikes.). Oh well, when I finally fall into bed I will be so exhausted (hopefully) that I won't miss DH too much!

Out with the old, in with the new

Yesterday morning.....Old table (bought for us by my parents in early 1999). Still in good condition, but quite small and with a chair injured and gone:

Empty Kitchen...it looks so big this way!:

Yesterday lunch: No table to sit at and LD freaked out since his high chair wasn't in the kitchen:

Yesterday Night: New table (bought by DH and I on Saturday after 9-10 months of looking). It is counter height and HUGE! It fills up all that space (but I love it!).

We also bought other furniture on Saturday (pictures of the other pieces to come), including this new kitchen island for moi! LOVE it! It felt like such a splurge since I am the only one that cooks, but it has a knife drawer, utensils drawer, silverware drawer, built in spice rack, trash bag holder, shelves. On top it has a granite cutting board and the table opens up to be bigger. As huge as my kitchen is, it doesn't have a ton of counter space and this helps a lot.

It is fun to have new furniture and we've already put it to good use. The pictures don't even do it justice, so everyone's welcome to come visit. The only problem is that this table is so big that we feel like we are living in the land of giants!

Out To Lunch

Today, C was at a friend's house and a very generous friend of mine agreed to take LD for a couple of hours so that K and I could go out to lunch and shop for a first day of school outfit. It is always nice to have one-on-one time with each of my children, but K, in particular, seems to really thrive on it. Today was memorable in that it was POURING rain. We ran from the car into the restaurant and into the store....ending up soaked, drenched, and dripping, but laughing all the way. K just loves to spend time alone with me and I'm so glad. This is the time we get to really talk and figure out life stuff. She is growing up too fast for me and I sure treasure this "date" and this time with her.

A couple of pictures

I am such a camera person...but I guess we took so many in DC that I haven't been using it much lately. I noticed a few hours before my niece and nephew went home that I hadn't taken any pictures of their time with us. Bummer. So, here is a picture of my kids and their cousins.

Also, I have been forbidden to go through our trip pictures until DH can look at them with me. The problem is...if DH is home, we are watching the Olympics. Even staying up until 1 in the morning isn't helping us. I think we are still two days behind on the DVR. But, I took this picture after we got back with them in their DC shirts (after we got back doesn't count, does it?).

Lonely

This is a rather personal post. I don't usually post about this type of thing, especially so soon after another post, but I keep feeling like I need to....so here I am. Hopefully it comes out coherent.

Yesterday was bad. Really bad. I was so down. I'm not usually like this, but I was so low. I've had a lot of lows lately, but this was worse than usual. For hours, I prayed and prayed and prayed that someone would call or email or drop me a letter. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. In all my despair, it turned to great loneliness.

Today is 3,000 times better. Looking back, I really feel that there was a reason that the Lord allowed me to feel that depth of loneliness. Speaking with some of my best friends that are always so in-tune with the Spirit, they did not feel prompted at all to call yesterday. The Lord was letting me go through it. I don't know why for sure yet, maybe I need to be in that place to empathize later on with someone else. Maybe I just need to feel the resiliency of being better today. Who knows? But I really feel that I needed to go through that experience.

I do know that today I have had many calls and emails. My friends really are there. It just amazes me the great mysteries of God and how he operates. He allowed me to be alone yesterday, but responded today with a great outpouring of love.

Now...I feel so silly posting this. It is way too personal for me....but...I know I needed to. If it is because you are feeling lonely and down, I've been there. If it is because you needed to feel inspired to call or email or write someone...do it! They might really need you.

Moments not captured on "film"

There are some moments that you just have to use the camera in your head. This morning, DH and I happened to look outside where the kids had been playing. It was the absolute cutest thing EVER! K had her cousins, E and S, and her brothers, C and LD, lined up on the bench and was presenting them medals for some sort of kid Olympics that they'd been playing! It was so cute. And...can you tell what we've been doing since Friday? Next, they all went in the kitchen and made "flags" and came out with their own Parade of Nations. So fun. I just wish the memory was also captured in a photo.

Randomness

Sorry. I have been missing again. It takes a lot to get back into real life after a vacation. In addition, it has been a rough week for me...hopefully this next one will be better. Thank goodness for friends that lift me up. I am so lucky.

Church yesterday was really awesome. I always gain so much from attending and I always learn something through the Spirit that I need to know. One thing that really impacted me was from yesterday in Relief Society when the teacher read a small paragraph from President Monson in the current Ensign. Although I'd read it before, it really touched me. It was about how we all die, so we never know how many tomorrows we have. Do today what needs to be done: change, love, serve, etc.. It really made me realize that I do want to live each day as if it were my last, being the best I can be and loving dearly those I love. I also know that I don't want to look back on my life and think that I wasted it being sad or depressed. Living each day also means choosing to be grateful, cheerful, and looking at the silver lining in any cloud.

Now....this week promises to be a little crazy. I get to have my niece (almost 4) and nephew (2) stay with us for three days! :) My kids are so excited. They couldn't wait for them to get here. They are very good and very cute kids and I think their stay will be fun for all. My only worry at all is nap time. We'll see on that one. Otherwise...it is a week of fun for all of us! :)

Then, it is back-to-school already. CRAZY! Where did the summer go?

We're Home!

We are home. We got back late last night and we are HOME!

It was a super-duper busy six days. We walked and walked and walked. We should've taken a pedometer to see just how many steps it was....miles and miles daily, I am sure.

We had 950-ish pictures to take on the memory card we took with us. Thought that would be enough. Nope. When we got close to the end of the card, we tried deleting some to make enough room and finally realized we couldn't delete enough and bought another one. We took 230 pictures on that one! Needless to say, before I post pictures, I will weed through over 1000 of them!

Here is a day by day look at what we did (hope you don't get exhausted just reading it!):

Wednesday: flew to DC, checked in at hotel, took the Metro to downtown (LOVE it!), went on a walking tour of many of the monuments (including the Lincoln memorial, WWII memorial, Vietnam Memorial, Washington Monument, etc.), went back to the hotel for 10 minutes of swimming (pool closes at 10)

Thursday: took the METRO (of course!), toured the capitol building, visited Smithsonian museums: botanic gardens, American Indian, Air and Space (we planned to spend hours there...but they happened to be closing early for a special event), art gallery, and natural history

Friday: More Smithsonian: International gallery, Freer Art Gallery, Smithsonian castle, Air and Space, Natural History (we only did half the day before), rode up the Washington Monument

Saturday: National Geographic Museum, National zoo, ate at a very expensive, but yummy Lebanese restaurant, picked up our rental car--cried as we used our good friend, the Metro, for the last time!

Sunday: visited the Washington DC LDS temple, toured the National Cathedral, walked to the White House, visited the Claude Colonial farm, and went and visited Herndon, VA, where DH lived for seven years

Monday: Library of Congress, Jefferson Memorial, Arlington Cemetery (including the tomb of the unknown soldier), walk along/across the Potomac river, return the rental car, fly home

It is good to be home, but hard to be back to the daily grind of life. It will be especially busy for both DH and I. Since we were gone, he is booked with patients the whole week.....not a spare moment to breathe. I have Enrichment to put on (with lots of help, of course) on Thursday. LD was especially terrible the last half of this trip (what one-year-old LOVES going to museums day after day?), so I hope that he will calm down now that we are home. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

And....we're off!

We leave this morning for our family vacation! This is the biggest trip we've ever planned. I hope we all have great memories when we get home in just six days.

Crazy story, though: DH and I were up until 1:30-2 this morning. We were mostly tying up loose ends at the clinic, as well as finishing packing. I had my alarm set for 5:00. For some odd reason, I woke up at 4:15, thought I was late and immediately jumped in the shower. It took almost all of my shower before it dawned on me that I didn't have to get up until 5! Ugh. Now I have wet hair that I definitely don't want to have a "slept on" look!

Oh well. Wish us luck on the plane flight. Only LD will be a problem, I think. K and C are so excited and they can read and play the DS. Also, I have to vent about the crazy fees at the airlines: $15/ checked bag, $3/bag of snacks, $2/headphones. Granted, it has been three years since I last flew, but all those things were free last time! Ugh.

3 Days!

Our family leaves for Washington DC in three days! :) It was a last minute trip that we booked last week. We are getting so excited and are busy planning what we want to do. If you've been there and have tips or suggestions: Please comment!

Isn't it awesome?

I just have a quick comment on how awesome the Lord is!

I just got an email from a good friend that lives in another state. She is also in her Relief Society Presidency and has to teach the first Sunday lesson. I was fortunate that she emailed me her lesson. It had so much good information and so much to think on.

But, this is the cool part, we chose almost the exact same topic (managing time/busyness), which shows that women everywhere really are the same (think: worldwide sisterhood). But, we went about the topic with different quotes from the prophets, a different method of teaching, etc., which shows that we are individuals with individual sisters in our wards. Her ward needed something different than my ward and the Lord guided us to fill those needs.

Isn't it AWESOME?

C's Big Belt Test

C belongs to a particularly difficult karate school. Although we don't know (we've never had anyone else in karate), we have been told that he is extremely talented. He has now gone through all of his junior stripe belts and this week tested for his gold adult belt. In this school, this is not an easy belt to get, including having to break a board! We had to go to another dojo with another sensei for the test. It was a big deal and C was very nervous. DH even took off a few hours of work to come.

C did AWESOME! He really showed his stuff. He correctly performed all his katas, his six counts, his verbal requirements, and his board break. We are so proud of him.

He did have to have help from the sensei with his form, but she said this is normal with the very first board break! He did all the power part, she just helped him move his arm correctly. Next time he has to break it with a kick!

After his test, he got to join another class. He loved it so much and having different instructors helped teach him different things.

Way to go, C! :)

Balanced

At least, much more so.

I had the opportunity to attend the temple with one of my dearest friends, A. We had a great time and it was so nice to get away from life and really reconnect with the Spirit. Thanks to all who made it possible, including my friend, M, who watched my kids for nearly six hours so we could go. Hopefully I will feel more balanced and able to take on the responsibilities of my life! :)

Unbalanced

Ugh! I feel like my life is spiraling out of control (not such a new feeling, unfortunately). I am just going through one of those times when there is so much to do...in so many aspects of my life...that I feel I am failing at everything since I don't have time to do any one thing well. It is not such a good feeling and I am working on trying to balance my life, but so far...not working.

I did read a book once about balance and the analogy of a washing machine with too many towels in it. The load becomes unbalanced (unless you have a front-load washer like mine) and none of the towels can get clean since there's no room in the machine. Yet, if you take 2-3 out and wash them later, the load is balanced and the towels are clean. I just can't figure out which towels can wait right now.

Star Wars Party

It is all over...but the memories!

I think this was the best party I've ever put on. It really helped that I decided to make it an afternoon party. It allowed me to spend all morning on games, the cake, decorating, etc.. This allowed for a much calmer me. The timing also worked out well. We had games and cake and ice cream and presents and just finished up when the parents arrived. It was perfect. DH helped a lot and that added to how smoothly it all went.

We had eight guests and K and C and LD....total of 11 kids. It was a little chaotic, but so much fun!

We started by giving each kid a homemade lightsaber. Then, we sent them on six quests to earn their Jedi ranking. They had a Jedi Course card that they had to get passed off after each quest in order to become a Jedi. They had so much fun. The hit of the party was fighting Darth Vader (DH) for the last quest.

It just turned out so fun. They did four quests (three inside and one out) and then we took a break and went to "Dexter's Diner" for a Darth Malt (It was 102 today...I had to get some fluids in them before sending them out for the Jedi Training Course). They went out to do the Jedi course and had so much fun. They would've all done it multiple times, but it was so dang hot! Then, they were exhausted from the heat and we put on a short clip of Star Wars while they rested. We concluded with fighting Darth Vader, opening presents, eating the Mustafar cake, and receiving Jedi status.

It was the perfect party (and I'm so glad it's over!).

Happy Birthday, C!

(pardon the pajamas...we can't wait too long before opening some presents!)

Today is C's 7th birthday! I cannot believe that he is really seven! He is such a joy in our family. He is generally very positive and happy. He is very outgoing and is a natural leader. His principal commented at the end of the year how the whole grade seems to follow C and gravitate to him. It is unique in that he is a tiny little guy (smallest in his grade), but his charisma and personality allow him to be the leader. He is very smart. He can reason very quickly. I am so grateful that I get to have him as my son! Happy Birthday, C!

His party is coming up on Saturday (wish me luck!) It is a Star Wars party and should be very fun if I can ever get my act together and get it all ready! Here is the invitation we sent out...It turned out really neat. I found it somewhere on the Internet and only tweaked it a little, since it was so well done.

(I had it typed so that it looked like the beginning of the Star Wars movies...smaller at the top and larger at the bottom, as if it was scrolling through space, but it didn't transfer to the blog.)

"IN A GALAXY NOT SO FAR AWAY, ON THE DAY OF JULY 10, IN THE YEAR 2001, A BABY BOY WAS BORN. FROM THE BEGINNING HIS ENERGY DREW THE ATTENTION OF THE JEDI COUNCIL, WHO NAMED HIM C. THEY KNEW HE WAS THE CHOSEN ONE.

IN THE 7 YEARS THAT FOLLOWED HIS BIRTH, YOUNG C HAS BEEN LEARNING THE POWERS OF THE FORCE.RECENTLY THOUGH, THE JEDI KNIGHTS HAVE FELT A STRONG DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE. A DISTURBANCE GENERATED BY THE DARKSIDE….

MANY JEDI KNIGHTS HAVE BEEN LOST. THE VERY FUTURE OF THE JEDI ORDER IS NOW IN JEOPARDY.THE JEDI COUNCIL HAS CALLED UPON YOUNG PADAWAN C TO SEEK OUT FUTURE JEDI. YOUR YOUNG PADAWAN’S PRESENCE IS
REQUESTED TO COMPLETE JEDI TRAINING ON JULY 12, 2008.

THE TRIALS WILL BEGIN PROMPTLY AT 2:00 PM AND END AT 4:30 PM AT THE (last name) SYSTEM OF THE (street name) GALAXY, DOCKING BAY (house number). PLEASE ADVISE THE JEDI COUNCIL AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AT (telephone) AS TO WHETHER YOUR YOUNG PADAWAN WILL ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE OF THE TRIALS.

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU!"

Monday:K's Mini-Party and Mami Time

K had a few friends over to celebrate her birthday on Monday. Since it was her year for a get-together instead of a party, I was very hands-off. She was the boss. She loved that part. 9-year-olds don't have a very good sense of time management, but other than that...she did great.

First, they played with her gifts that she'd received on her birthday, including her bug catcher. Why a bunch of girls would want to be out looking for bugs in 100 degree heat for almost an hour....I don't know...but they loved it. Then they ate pizza, decorated and ate cupcakes, and went back outside for water balloons and the slip-n-slide. It was great fun for all!

Then, that night we started my new tradition (for the summer, at least) of letting each kid stay up 1/2 hour later than their siblings and do whatever they want together. For K's 1/2 hour, we scrapbooked some of her last day of school pictures. She did it all...I only helped when she asked for it. We only got one page done, but it turned out cute, I think. And, more than that, we had a great time talking, laughing, and bonding. It was so nice to put aside everything else and just focus on being HER mom.

Gratitude

I am so grateful for the scriptures. How awesome is it that we can "hear" what God wants to say to us by reading the scriptures!?! I love that you can have read the same verse dozens, if not hundreds of times, and then, right when you need an answer...there it is...in bold (well, not really...but it jumps out as if it is!), just for you to have that answer. Love it! :)

K is 9!

Yesterday was K's 9th birthday! I can't believe that she is that old. She is one of the true lights of my life. I am so blessed to have her as my daughter. She is so friendly. She is kind to all her friends and other children and refuses to be a part of her friends making fun of other children. She is so intelligent. She can memorize anything. She has vast knowledge and questions everything, which increases that knowledge. She can defend her position even against DH and I having an opposing viewpoint. She is so good. She has such great faith in her Savior, Jesus Christ. She is so pretty.....I don't mention this too often as I do believe that true beauty is on the inside, but she is just as gorgeous on the outside.

It is fun to have a Saturday birthday. We had a fun day together as a family, including a big breakfast, out to lunch, trips to Toys R Us and the library. My sister and her family came for her birthday dinner, cake and ice cream, and presents. It is nice to have family so close. She is also having a few of her friends (those in town) over tomorrow for a small party. (We rotate years for the "big" parties and it is C's turn this year.)

Happy, Happy Birthday Dear K!

(Due to technical difficulties...no pictures yet on this post...but just you wait!)