366 Laughs- January 31st 2016

1/31/16

Cousins!  This was before they left to go home.  Christopher and Gregory are only a few months apart.  They will both be baptized this year.


Silly boys.


Girl cousins!  Ilyena is right between Liberty and Juliana.



And my baby girl will be 2 in one more day!  She's been saying "yay!" and maybe "cake!" to prepare.  She can show you 2 fingers, too.

366 Laughs- January 30, 2016

1/30/16

A really really good day.


Families are forever.
Tom's parents and one of his sisters in law were able to come to the temple with us, as well as many ward members and other friends.




We've been thinking about and looking forward to this day ever since we had Michael.



And this is where Benjamin gets it from.

366 Laughs- January 5th 2016

1/5/16

We had a fun surprise from my sister today!
A package!  With really cool CTR necklaces for the little girls.  (Jules is scared to get hers dirty... still can't get her to wear it.  We'll keep trying.)

And a family puzzle!

Emilie was taking pictures of me opening it.  I don't always look that thrilled at my kids holding a camera, but it's the only way anyone ever sees pictures of me.

Christopher wanted a picture, too.


Samuel has out grown his Cub Scout shirt but only has 2 weeks left before he turns 11 and moves on to Boy Scouts.  So... I sewed  his Webelos badge onto a Scout shirt and we can change it very easily in 2 weeks!


Doesn't he look grown up?  This is my first Texas baby, all grown up and ready for Boy Scouts!


Oh, and Liberty wearing her necklace.  :)  Crazy hair in braids but coming out... haha.

Out with the old, in with the new... 2015/2016

2015-

It's been quite the year.   Here we are at the end of 2014.



There's been a lot of growing this year.

Ginny knows how to walk now.  We have three permit drivers.  Jules is potty trained.  But that's not all I'm talking about.  I'm so proud of my family.
2015-

• In January, Samuel turned 10, Michael served a mini-mission, there was a Pinewood Derby, lots of illness, and Ginny started walking.  
• In February, Ginny turned 1 and Emilie spent time in St. Louis with family.  
• In March, Nathanael turned 12, Christopher turned 7, and spring seemed to start as we tried to start our garden.  
• In April, we had Michael's Eagle Court of Honor, Emilie turned 15, Juliana turned 3, the Worlds of Fun season started (Michael and Benjamin work there for Kaman's), and we headed out to Utah for a trip to see family and friends and the Payson Temple open house. 
• In May, we came home from our trip, Emilie also got a job with Kaman's at Worlds of Fun, and Benjamin left for Scout Camp as staff, which would last all summer.  Oh, and it rained alllll summer long.  Michael graduated from high school, too.
• In June, we finally planted our garden only to have groundhogs decimate it (and deer... and squirrels...), we missed Benjamin, we had Cub Scout Day Camp as well as Young Women camp which ended early due to violent storms.  
• In July, our washer and dryer died, we got to see Benjamin for a short time as he came home for 4th of July, Emilie and Michael both went on mini-missions, Youth Conference for Michael, Benjamin, Emilie and Dad in Nauvoo, Illinois, Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A, Scout Camp for Nathanael, and had lots of fun... crazy busy!
• In August, Benjamin came home for good, we replaced the alternator in the van to FINALLY fix the battery problems, we gained an organ (musical) and a ukulele in addition to the trumpet, viola, guitar and piano we already have going here, and just tried to recover from July.
• In September, we started a new homeschool school year with Benjamin in 11th grade, Emilie in 10th grade, Nathanael in 7th grade, Samuel in 5th grade, Timothy in 3rd grade, Christopher in 2nd grade, Liberty in 1st grade, and two hangers-on.  We freed two monarchs.  We canned jalapeños and salsa.  (not a lot of produce this year between animals, being late and too much rain) 
• In October Benjamin turned 17 and we learned that Michael got accepted to BYU-I AND BYU.  He will defer going to BYU until after his mission, but SO exciting for us as homeschoolers AND for him because that's where he wanted to attend!   We had fun with Halloween as well.
• In November, Liberty turned 6, Timothy turned 9 and Michael turned 19.  Michael's mission papers got turned in even though some additional things needed done before they were finalized in December.  We traveled to Washington, Illinois for the first time since the tornado destroyed much of the town in November 2013.  We were there for Thanksgiving and enjoyed seeing family.  Emilie finished her Nanowrimo novel.
• In December, we celebrated the birth of our Savior and the end of another year.  Michael submitted his mission papers and Benjamin got work started on his Eagle project as well as starting another new job.  Tom and I also celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary.  I still like him.

Thus ends another year.  It's been good.  I am so thankful.
What will 2016 bring?

• For sure, a mission call.  Sometime in the next 2-3 weeks.
• A missionary leaving.  We don't know when or where, but we know he's going.  *sniff*
• Another Eagle Scout project.  Earlier than later.
• Another Eagle Scout Court of  Honor.  Party!
• Samuel turning 11 and going from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts
• Nathanael turning 13 and having another teenager, our 4th so far.
• Nathanael growing taller than me.  It was supposed to be 2015, but he missed by half an inch. 
• Ginny turning 2.  Another era of my life is coming to a close with each year that goes by without a baby.  She's getting so big!
• Samuel's first Scout Camp.  (11 year old Scout Camp)
• Christopher turning 8, and thus, being able to be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.'
• Christopher starting Cub Scouts!
• Tom's 4th year directing Cub Scout Day Camp, with this year being in a new location with a new district.
• Juliana turning 4 in April, and starting Primary this weekend (no longer being in Nursery!  My 9th Sunbeam!)
• Emilie turning 16... and whatever that means.  Watch out.
• Benjamin turning 18.  Wow!  Another adult son.  
• Scout Camp for Nathanael, and Scout Camp staff for Benjamin again.
• A Worlds of Fun season without Michael working there.  Benjamin and Emilie probably will.
• At least one or two children getting their drivers license.  We'll see about the third.
• Liberty turning 7.  One more year until Activity Days for Girls!
• Timothy turning 10.  All great milestones, in Cub Scouts, at church, and in school.
• Another year of Seminary and school.
• Another year of going to the temple and church and all the service opportunities there.
• Michael turning 20, in the mission field most likely.   I can't believe I've been his mom that long.
• Living here 6 years, or, longer than we've lived anywhere, even Texas.
• and whatever else the Lord has in store for us!

I hope your 2015 was wonderful and that 2016 is even better!

365 Joys- December 25th, 2015

12/25/15

Merry Christmas to all our family and friends!

We had a fun, family filled and simple day.

Looks like someone visited during the night... we love this tradition of secret giving and sharing.

The stockings were filled...


Even to setting up breakfast for the family. It makes things really easy in the morning!


Juliana found a giant fluffy giraffe under the tree with her name on it.

Ginny found it, too.

First fun present of the morning!

Lego/Duplos are always good for all ages.





A new friend.


Art projects of the future...

Hmm...


Emilie has new friends, too!

Benjamin laughing at someone...


Tolkien anything is good, right?  (this is an atlas, really cool.)

Magnets...


A Coloring book from cousins!

Zebra friend, named Stripe!

And a big dinosaur from a cousin secret Santa!


For some strange reason, Michael got a lot of ties... hmmm.  (and a cool BYU shirt!)


Drawing stuff and more yarn for Emilie!


Emilie?  (these pens are great... her cousins know her!)


An element of danger here... hide!


Always humor in Dad gifts... cookie cutters that look like they've already been eaten!


Nathanael's favorite gift...a Book of Mormon in Greek.


I loved seeing the joy in my children's eyes as their siblings opened gifts especially chosen by them, usually worked for and sacrificed for, and sometimes just thoughtfully found.

I loved the interest in each other and their likes and dislikes.  I loved that their cousin gift exchanges went well and they wanted to know how their far away cousins felt about the presents they had found.

We are blessed, no more on Christmas than any other day but I think we had time to sit back and think about it this day.  This is the last Christmas we all will be together for quite some time, and Tom and I may have been more mindful of this than the kids, but as we watched Michael enjoy this last Christmas at home, we definitely thought about it.

Next year, a few minutes skyping with a missionary may be the best present of all.  Remembered as we talked about it with the Elders over dinner tonight.

Merry, merry Christmas everyone.  We love you.

365 Joys- December 14th 2015

12/14/15

For Family Home Evening, Emilie and some of her siblings gave us a surprise Nativity.

Emilie was the angel, the Narrator, and the planner/plotter.

Timothy was Joseph and Liberty was Mary, and there's baby Jesus.

Nathanael was the innkeeper.  "No room" he peeked around to say.  And he made sure we followed the Joseph Smith translation, where it says "inns".

Samuel and Juliana were very excited shepherds.  Or at least Juliana was the excited one.

This shepherd ran ahead to see Jesus before the angel even said anything.

The angel told the shepherds not to be afraid but to find the baby.

Here we go.  Right on time. 

No King Herod isn't the same guy as the shepherd.  How could you ask that?
Here come our wise men.  With gifts.  Looking for the baby Christ child.

This little wise person got frankincense or myrrh all over her.

Herod says to make sure to come back and let him know the good news.  Nah, think the wise men.

The wise men come bearing gifts.

The star the wise men followed.

Toothless wise man.

I think Nathanael is sad that it's over.