365 Joys- December 30th 2015

12/30/15

Today was a super huge day.

Michael's papers were submitted by the Stake President to Salt Lake.

We can expect his mission call in 2-3 weeks.  Any guesses on where that call will be?

I do not have a picture, because we take a lot of pictures of Michael, and if we don't, he does.  Click on his name to the side of this post to see lots of them!  :)



Benjamin met with the Liberty Community Center to talk about an Eagle Project to benefit their center.  He will probably be building a bench for one of their pool areas.  The project will probably be underway mid-January.



Exciting times!

365 Joys- December 27th 2015

12/27/15

I made these.
Yes, these.

Tom bought me new fabric scissors for Christmas.  (the replace the old ones I got in 1987... yes, that is an 8... for my sewing class in junior high.)  We bought BYU fabric for bow ties, but we saw that we had enough for real ties, too, and these two aren't going to do bow ties.

So yes, here is my awesomeness for the week.  Still need to finish 3 more bow ties.  (I've already made 2... one for a gift, one right here!)

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.

365 Joys- November 5th 2015

11/5/15

We actually waited to celebrate Liberty's birthday until tonight when Dad could be home, too.

What a great night!

I am thankful for family traditions and silliness.

Birthday dinner, then presents!

Birthday chocolates from Dad, who works for Russell Stover chocolates!


Birthday cake!


And who knows what we're doing here.

365 Joys- November 3rd 2015

11/3/15

I am so thankful and proud to be a part of Kansas City right now.  Today the entire city shut down to celebrate the Royals taking the World Series in 5 games.  No riots, just a parade and lots and lots of cheering.  Look up the pictures!

We didn't attend but watched TV and wore Royals shirts.

Even the turkey.

Go Royals!  We love you!

365 Joys- October 29th 2015

10/29/15

Caught in the act!  Here Ginny is attacking (ie JUMPING ON ANOTHER PERSON) Liberty.

She does this without warning.

Most of the time she causes no harm.


Sometimes it's just plain painful haha.


Other times, it's a hugging attack and you either fall over as she hugs your legs or just pick her up and hug her back.


We love our little Ginny.

365 Joys- July 11th 2015

7/11/15

Ginny was soooo happy to see more family come home!



Nathanael and Benjamin came home Saturday night for Sunday.  Then Monday morning they would leave again... Benjamin to Nauvoo Youth Conference for three days (with Michael and Emilie), and Nathanael back to Scout Camp for three days.



We got a new camera and have been playing with it a lot... has a "sketch" mode.



Plus I have cute kids.  Jules...

Christopher...

Liberty...

Samuel and I went to the Minions movie.

365 Joys- April 25th, or, the first day of our 2015 Epic Trip of Epicness

4/25/15

Day one of our trip to Utah :)

Rest stop in Colorado.  Yes, it was snowy.


Liberty in the snow.  In a shirt that screams "awesome."

Jules got carsick but several outfit changes later we're good.

Lots of things.

365 Joys- March 8th 2015

3/8/15

No words.  Just happiness and joy and fun and laughter, haha.




I'm sure Nathanael will forgive us eventually.

365 Joys- March 6th 2015

3/6/15

This is what keeps me up late at night.

Not sure why she is so awake and happy when everyone else is asleep!

However, I'm ok with how it works and her learning how to sleep at the right time is coming along nicely.

It's only once in a while that our schedule is this off!!!

It's a good thing she's cute haha.

365 Joys- March 4th, 2015

3/4/15

It brings me joy (again) that bodies heal, and especially little bodies.

Ginny is a climber.  Today she was climbing and fell.  She had her tongue sticking out at the time, apparently.

Michael and I could see that she was bleeding from the mouth and thought she'd bit her gums or hit  her cheek or something.

It wasn't until I looked closer that I realized she had a hole in her tongue.  (no tongue piercings, baby girl!)

Tongues heal fast.  But WOW, she bled a lot that first hour.  I researched like only a mother can...

And we realized there was nothing we could do.

But she loves popsicles.






She's healing quite nicely, as this picture two days later shows... 

365 Joys- February 14th 2015

2/14/15

Here's to my Valentine...

Yes, he did it again.

He DOES work for Russell Stover, after all.

After I opened it so everyone could see, he asked if I'd taken a picture...

Notice anything wrong with the picture?  haha...

365 Joys- February 1st, 2015

2/1/15

Today is Virginia's first birthday!  Happy birthday to our little sweetheart!  She had a good day.  We are so thankful for this little person.  We love her so much.  She is mostly happy unless something is very wrong... we can't imagine her not being here.  She loves her family.  She loves saying hi to people.  She thinks her brothers and sisters are the most awesome people on earth.

She thinks cake is something wonderful and wonders why we were holding out on her.

365 Joys- January 18th 2015

1/18/15

Ginny with the fuzzy toy monster Timothy got her for Christmas.

Happy face!

September 24th 2014- A Daily Valencic

9/24/14

My fourth Bear. Samuel pinning a Bear mother's pin to my ribbon necklace... which yes, already has 3 other bear pins on it and hopefully will get 2 more! Scouts are awesome!

August 25th 2014- A Daily Valencic

8/25/14

A good reason for not starting school yet... friends with pools!

Ginny is LOVING the water.

The other kids are loving it, too.

June 12th 2014- A Daily Valencic

6/12/14

Happy baby Virginia!  Sitting up in the corner of the couch... just thrilled.

May 26th 2014- A Daily Valencic

5/26/14

Memorial Day Party!  With Square Chinet plates, it was a blast!  (an excuse for a get together, free plates and spread the word, right?)

30 people, 3 families, 6 adults, 24 kids from those 6 adults... fun stuff.

We kept hearing thunder but it never did rain.

May 9th 2014- A Daily Valencic

5/9/14

These are some friends I met online... parenting sites we've all been involved in and while the sites are gone, the friendships have lasted a long time!  They came to see me... it seems I have another baby or two between visits though.

Ginny wasn't too cooperative.

April 22nd 2014- A Daily Valencic

4/22/14

This picture makes me happy.  Ginny is a cheerful baby girl!  She's just figuring out how to laugh and smile socially.