family ties

I look at this photo and see happiness, cooperation and playing together as siblings should. I want desperately for them to continue to play together, to be closer than friends, through their growing up years and into adulthood.

I know a lady who is dying, and her children are bickering [already] and fighting with each other, making these last few days of hers painful and chaotic. And it tears my heart, to witness the hate and cruelty they harbor, when they should be supporting and loving each other. I know that death brings out many emotions, but jealousy and greed are so ugly to see. *sigh*

Okay, so in the spirit of togetherness, we played a game together for family night last night. Over Christmas, we ended up playing a lot of games with family members, and I've realized how much fun I have doing this. So I've made a goal [may be silly, but if it works...] to play a game with my kids at least once a week. LOL, and we got a few family games as presents, so there we go!

Time to be together with Myles- he's demanding food again, LOL.

spiders and glee

Just found this- my sister gets the best wrapping paper! She worked at a college publication and graphics dept, which means she scored big with funky tags, paper, etc. Don't you love these reindeer?!?

Have to put in a plug for Charlotte's Web. Awesome movie, loved it. And all the kids loved it, too.

**went last night- poor planning on my part so we got home about 10:30pm, but even Myles stayed awake and watched it.

Haven't been all that interested in taking them to 'kid' movies lately, as so many of them have potty humor, or double entendres, trying to 'spice it up' for teen and adult audiences. But I totally loved this movie. LOVED the illustrated feel of the beginning and end of it. The cinematography was so clear and crisp; Dakota Fanning was a great Fern; and Charlotte [voiced by Julia Roberts] was funny and frank and dear. Definitely a movie I'll buy; may even go see it again in the theater, it was that good!

okay, must clean off the desk again. Order in my house is often achieved, and easily destroyed LOL.

late pics

Had a few issues with the google/blogger thing, and I really meant to fix it the day of, but... well, Jared's TDY 'till tonight, and the furnace was leaking gas, and I had kids to corrall, so it took me a bit over a week. But I have many pictures to atone for my recent absence! Here's a few recent ones since Christmas-

So do you see any resemblance between these two? Pretty sure they got it from Jared, but there are rumors that I had a pretty effective pout as a kid. And you can see that nobody loves them- instead of rushing in to comfort them, their mom is taking pictures. And mocking them in their pain LOL. Wish I could post a video, though, as the pout is much more heartwrenching when you can see the little quiver of the chin that goes with it!

I finally captured a giggle- had to change the settings on my camera so the flash would stay off. I took a bunch of startled photos, too- Myles blinking as the flash went off in his eyes. He's chattering a lot now, mostly when he's happy. When he's grumpy he whinges- not quite crying, but close. LOL, he'll start his fussing, usually with me sitting next to him, and H will announce that Myles is hungry, and am I going to feed him? Silly boy, of course not. We only feed the animals on Saturdays.

This is my leg with the spit-up on it. And this is the cute little culprit who decorated me. He's always so happy after he spits up, and I'm always so messy...

These big fluffy flakes of snow are my favorite. This was last Friday- it snowed like this all day, the flakes dropping slowly and steadily, until we had about 4 inches of snow. Horrible to drive in, but lovely and peaceful from inside a nice warm house! And this past week we have enjoyed the snow. Of course, I haven't been driving in it much- we had to rebuild the transmission on the dodge [that was the anniversary gift we gave each other LOL].

But we did go out for dinner- 11 years we've been married now! I cannot believe he's put up with me for that long. And I tease him that he joined the guard so he could get away, but he's always more tense about his TDYs than I am, I think. Probably because things happen when he leaves. Like we find a gas leak, and have to turn off the furnace until a pipe is replaced [which I took care of, thank you very much]! It's all good though. It took a prayer to loosen it, and another visit from the gas guy, but it's all fixed. Just in time for him to be home today LOL.

Favorite things

One of the bloggers I read often suggested taking a photo [or 10] of the things that make me happy today. Well, some of my kids are in school, so I'm posting a pic from a few weeks ago instead.

Maybe it's because I am consciously choosing to smile instead of snap when they're being hooligans. Maybe it's because I am focusing on their good behavior rather than their naughty tricks. But, lately, I have felt *joy* when I think of them. And I love my children dearly, but I'd be the first to acknowlege that they are less than perfect. They're full of energy, quite creative, loud, mischevious, and altogether annoying sometimes. LOL, but they're also helpful, motivated, charming, full of love, and each one of them holds a piece of my heart.

For so long, I've felt like a spring, coiled too tightly, about to snap from the pressure of parenthood. Lately that feeling has eased, the tense coil has loosened. I've found a peaceful place- a happy place- and I never want to lose this.

j

resoved

So many resolutions, so little willpower...
This year, I'm resolving on a few things:

1. to exercise [if I don't make it a resolution, I find excuses.] Because I like fitting into my jeans ;)
2. daily meditations- reading the scriptures. Somehow this brings peace into my chaotic life.
3. develop patience- has been a resolution ever since I discovered mine was missing... And Jared mentioned the other day he's noticed that I'm better at this. ;) he got major brownie points for saying something, too.
4. budget- we've had one for awhile, I just need to focus on sticking to it. Hard to do when there are things I *want* and the money's there. ...must save it, must save it...
5. scrapbook- well, mostly this is to keep me motivated and recording our family's history. I'm resolving to DO the project ideas I have saved in my idea folder. One a week, that's all I'm asking of myself.
6. DO- this is to remind me that along with making lists of things to do, I need to take action on them.

Saturday, we [meaning all the kids and myself- Jared had drill] drove down to St George to attend a christening. Our nice roomy SUV is currently getting its transmission rebuilt, so we took the teeny little Ford Focus. It fit everybody, but was a bit cramped. Anyway, M rode up front with me for a lot of the drive, and she loves to talk. She told me all sorts of things, but one was quite funny and solemn all at the same time. Apparently, her teacher was talking about New Year's Resolutions, and everyone in the class wrote down something they wanted to do differently this year, complete with a colored picture of said thing. M's resolutions: to listen to my teacher, to listen to my parents. [she brought home the paper with the picture on it yesterday, which showed her sitting and large people with balloon sayings standing next to her] And I almost laughed at her- she's six and already making resolutions? Then I thought for a moment, and was rather humbled. She's six, and already she wants to become more like Jesus. And I'm supposed to parent this child! wow.

**totally random thing I love today: portable paper towels. They're enclosed in a nickel-sized plastic pill that you pop open when you need something to wipe up a spill. Have NO idea how well they work, but I'm totally in love with the compactness of this idea.
[they're available at www.compactimpact.com]