Monday, December 12, 2011
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Rosetta Stone
In ECS Noah get to learn a new language. He chose Irish, since no one else did. Does that make sense? He picked a language that no one else wants to learn? He's quirky like that. anywhoo, he practices at home and it is really funny to listen to. The other night he was up late practicing and I snuck around the corner to video him. He is just Awesome!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
{CHRISTmas} Devotional
Tonight we got invited over to the Diede's to watch the First Presidency's Christmas devotional. We were excited that we would get to watch it sitting on comfortable couches instead of hard chairs crammed around a computer. (We don't have cable and thus have no T.V. A thing I love except at conference and Christmas devotional time)
The Diede's made us popcorn and we took cookies and I loved the messages this year.
I loved how President Uchdorf said: "The Lord does not require us to move mountains, but he does expect us to walk forward one step at a time to climb the mountain."
Those words really hit home hard for me. I am continually amazed at how mountains appear in my path and they seem impossible to climb, but with prayer and with constant movement in a forward direction; even if that movement is a hairs breadth, I somehow seem to find myself on the other side of the mountain looking back. That look back is always with eyes of understanding, and wisdom, relief that that trial is over and often with joy at the learning and great wisdom that I have received. Now don't get me wrong, those climbs sometimes are more than I can bear. Some of them are flat out gut wrenching, and not enjoyable in the least. There have been times that I have truly wondered if the Lord had heard my prayers, or if he was even mindful of me. There are trials that I am facing that I wonder why guidence was not given to me so that I could avoid the struggle, but really that questioning is so short lived(though it is awful in it's fullness) Because I truly know that the Lord is mindful of me, and that at times, I am lifted on wings of angels. Often those angels are those that know me best and lift me with a kind word, a smile or a hug. I know where my strength lies, and like I always say...whatever I have to go through to get me where I want to be in the end, well then it will be worth it.
I have never like the saying..."I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it." It has never seemed right to me somehow. Especially when sided next to "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." When I take a second to look with an eternal perspective, it is easy, and all things are possible.
The Diede's made us popcorn and we took cookies and I loved the messages this year.
I loved how President Uchdorf said: "The Lord does not require us to move mountains, but he does expect us to walk forward one step at a time to climb the mountain."
Those words really hit home hard for me. I am continually amazed at how mountains appear in my path and they seem impossible to climb, but with prayer and with constant movement in a forward direction; even if that movement is a hairs breadth, I somehow seem to find myself on the other side of the mountain looking back. That look back is always with eyes of understanding, and wisdom, relief that that trial is over and often with joy at the learning and great wisdom that I have received. Now don't get me wrong, those climbs sometimes are more than I can bear. Some of them are flat out gut wrenching, and not enjoyable in the least. There have been times that I have truly wondered if the Lord had heard my prayers, or if he was even mindful of me. There are trials that I am facing that I wonder why guidence was not given to me so that I could avoid the struggle, but really that questioning is so short lived(though it is awful in it's fullness) Because I truly know that the Lord is mindful of me, and that at times, I am lifted on wings of angels. Often those angels are those that know me best and lift me with a kind word, a smile or a hug. I know where my strength lies, and like I always say...whatever I have to go through to get me where I want to be in the end, well then it will be worth it.
I have never like the saying..."I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it." It has never seemed right to me somehow. Especially when sided next to "My yoke is easy and my burden is light." When I take a second to look with an eternal perspective, it is easy, and all things are possible.
Friday, December 2, 2011
{Tree's Up}
Oh how I wanted to venture up to the mountains for a fresh one this year, but I wanted more to have the tree up this week instead of waiting for the weekend, so we pulled out ol reliable.
Thing is, he's not so reliable anymore. The lights were glitchy, some came on, some didn't, then they switched midstream what would work and what wouldn't.
Emma, played in the box.
Caleb pretended to be a tree.
The girls were thrilled with the excitement! Especially Annalee. Her first Christmas!
We even got the train set up around the tree!
Max was playing a game with Annalee. He would drop the santa hat on her head, and in less than a second she would have it pulled off. He was giggling so hard! We tried to capture her with the hat actually on her, but this was the closest we got. She is QUICK!
Here....we got her in the Elf Hat though!
Thing is, he's not so reliable anymore. The lights were glitchy, some came on, some didn't, then they switched midstream what would work and what wouldn't.
Emma, played in the box.
Caleb pretended to be a tree.
The girls were thrilled with the excitement! Especially Annalee. Her first Christmas!
We even got the train set up around the tree!
Max was playing a game with Annalee. He would drop the santa hat on her head, and in less than a second she would have it pulled off. He was giggling so hard! We tried to capture her with the hat actually on her, but this was the closest we got. She is QUICK!
Here....we got her in the Elf Hat though!Thursday, December 1, 2011
{Bus Stop}
I watched the kids run to the bus stop this morning like I do every morning, and was struck with how different each one of them are! You can see their personalities in how they dash to the bus.
{Caleb} makes a mad dash as he tries to show me just how fast he can run. He waves to make sure I am watching.He runs a straight course until he sees the cat, then makes his path closer to where she is.
{Mara} skips, that's how she runs, with a spring in her step. Her ponytail and flaps of her hat bounce as she goes. She is the only one who will wave to me once she gets on the bus.
{Noah} brings up the rear. Ever watchful of his younger brothers and sister. When Mara lags behind because she is skipping instead of running, he slows to grab her hand before they cross the street.
{Max} carefree as ever just has a permanent grin on his face, but today I can't see it because he insists on wearing a face mask. It is -9 degrees, Maybe he was the smart one, even though the others tease him about it. He doesn't care if they tease him, he just dishes it right back out.
Oh! How I love them all!
{Caleb} makes a mad dash as he tries to show me just how fast he can run. He waves to make sure I am watching.He runs a straight course until he sees the cat, then makes his path closer to where she is.
{Mara} skips, that's how she runs, with a spring in her step. Her ponytail and flaps of her hat bounce as she goes. She is the only one who will wave to me once she gets on the bus.
{Noah} brings up the rear. Ever watchful of his younger brothers and sister. When Mara lags behind because she is skipping instead of running, he slows to grab her hand before they cross the street.
{Max} carefree as ever just has a permanent grin on his face, but today I can't see it because he insists on wearing a face mask. It is -9 degrees, Maybe he was the smart one, even though the others tease him about it. He doesn't care if they tease him, he just dishes it right back out.
Oh! How I love them all!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sing! Sing! Sing!
I have been swamped with music lately and I love it! Trying, but so rewarding.
The end of October I organized "Women at the Well" for our relief society. It was so amazing. We have such great talent in our ward and sisters who stepped out of their comfort zones to help present this amazing production. It went so well. The spirit was so strong! I could barely sing.
Then they had a stake fine arts festival and I had to get some people to participate. I thought I had found enough, four. But no, they asked me and Rachel Gurnsey to sing our song that we had sung for "Women at the Well" called "If Thou Had Been There" The night was amazing we have such talent in Great Falls!
Then Bring on the Christmas season. We are practicing for the Christmas day program for our ward. I am the choir director, and seriously three years ago when I started I thought this call was truly a call of desperation, not inspiration. I had no clue. I still don't have much of a clue, but in the process of trying I have learned so much, and mostly what I have learned is that when you accept a call, even if you feel completely inadequate, if you try, the Lord makes up for your inadequacies, and blesses you and those who chose to help you. The difficult thing about choir director is that you are totally at the mercy of those who will give of their time to come and help you. Without them you have no calling. But each Christmas we have been able to pull off amazing programs. Here's hoping this year is thought provocing and spiritual as well.
Aside from the Christmas sacrament, we had a relief society Christmas party and I had to learn a new song for that I also had to get some music together for the ward Christmas Party. It was our Primary Sacrament meeting program and all the kids had to learn a song. Then the little boys (Caleb and Max) were asked to sing at Stake Conference and I was asked to sing the song I sang with Rachel for the saturday evening session of Stake conference.
Like I said, SING! SING! SING!
I love Christmas! I love the music at Christmas. I love the feelings of peace and Hope the music instills. One year I didn't sing in a choir at Christmas time, and I totally felt like that Christmas was missing so much. I vowed never to miss out on that again....but this year more than makes up for my missing one year...I think!
The end of October I organized "Women at the Well" for our relief society. It was so amazing. We have such great talent in our ward and sisters who stepped out of their comfort zones to help present this amazing production. It went so well. The spirit was so strong! I could barely sing.
Then they had a stake fine arts festival and I had to get some people to participate. I thought I had found enough, four. But no, they asked me and Rachel Gurnsey to sing our song that we had sung for "Women at the Well" called "If Thou Had Been There" The night was amazing we have such talent in Great Falls!
Then Bring on the Christmas season. We are practicing for the Christmas day program for our ward. I am the choir director, and seriously three years ago when I started I thought this call was truly a call of desperation, not inspiration. I had no clue. I still don't have much of a clue, but in the process of trying I have learned so much, and mostly what I have learned is that when you accept a call, even if you feel completely inadequate, if you try, the Lord makes up for your inadequacies, and blesses you and those who chose to help you. The difficult thing about choir director is that you are totally at the mercy of those who will give of their time to come and help you. Without them you have no calling. But each Christmas we have been able to pull off amazing programs. Here's hoping this year is thought provocing and spiritual as well.
Aside from the Christmas sacrament, we had a relief society Christmas party and I had to learn a new song for that I also had to get some music together for the ward Christmas Party. It was our Primary Sacrament meeting program and all the kids had to learn a song. Then the little boys (Caleb and Max) were asked to sing at Stake Conference and I was asked to sing the song I sang with Rachel for the saturday evening session of Stake conference.
Like I said, SING! SING! SING!
I love Christmas! I love the music at Christmas. I love the feelings of peace and Hope the music instills. One year I didn't sing in a choir at Christmas time, and I totally felt like that Christmas was missing so much. I vowed never to miss out on that again....but this year more than makes up for my missing one year...I think!
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Guess Who Has a Toother? {Annalee}
She loves her tounge. Mara taught her where her tounge was and Caleb figured out that if you touch her bottom lip she will stick out her tounge. She does it everytime and the little kids think it is so funny! They just giggle and giggle. She is GREAT entertainment! Yesterday Caleb was trying to make her perform and stick out her tounge and discovered a TOOTH!!!
Yep! It's there!Bottom Left!Saturday, November 26, 2011
{Thanksgiving 2011}
My parents came for Thanksgiving. They tried to come on Monday, but after sitting at the airport all day, they never got on a flight. So Tuesday they tried again. The flight to Great Falls was full, so they went over to the Helena counter and she got them on! yeah. Helena is only 80 miles away, so I drove there to get them, then we shopped at Costco! Oh! How I miss Costco!
We baked all day on Thursday! I love that!
Appetizers and turkey started at 6 am. We ate at 2.
I had to take a picture of the stuffing. It was so pretty with the green celery and the red cranberries. I have to remember next year what I did.
I had to take a picture of the stuffing. It was so pretty with the green celery and the red cranberries. I have to remember next year what I did. cubed stuffing package, lots of sage, rosemary and thyme. bread (three rolls) celery, onions, waterchestnuts, cranberries! So delicious!
Emma Helping with the rolls! She just snitches and snitches until you give here a piece of her own!
Homemade Rolls!
Waiting for the big meal...just playing the computer
Time to eat!
Happy Thanksgiving you all! We hope this season finds you thankful for ALL that you have!
Emma Helping with the rolls! She just snitches and snitches until you give here a piece of her own! Where there is flour, there Emma will be.
I love it on her cheek!
Homemade Rolls!
Waiting for the big meal...just playing the computer
Time to eat!
Happy Thanksgiving you all! We hope this season finds you thankful for ALL that you have!Cereal {Annalee}
I love this little mug! She is such a great little baby. The kids have been waiting FOREVER to give her something to eat. I always wait until they are six months old before I introduce solids, and Caleb especially has been counting down the days. So When she was six months old on 11-11-11, He was thrilled. He got the dates and we soaked them overnight, took out the pit, made millet and threw the dates, water and cooked millet into the blender for some deluxe baby cereal! ( I don't use rice cereal because it is not the best for little babies digestion. Millet is alkaline , Rice is acid. Dates have the same sugar as mother's milk, so I always start with this) Truth be told though, this was not the first thing besides mommy's milk to go through her system, I found paper the other day...yuck! and a starburst wrapper. We have now entered the oral phase where everything goes into the mouth!
She loved It!
Wanted more!
and loved to touch it! The younger kids thought it was great to finally feed her!
Hummm! I think I like it! YuMMMmm!
She loved It!
Wanted more!
and loved to touch it! The younger kids thought it was great to finally feed her!
Hummm! I think I like it! YuMMMmm! {Ilove those big blue eyes!}
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