Yesterday

Even when I feel like I'm trudging through quicksand.

I'm nauseas all day,

and there is just so much that I can't manage to get done...

I look at a picture like this and realize,

Life is good.

I couldn't ask for better than this.

Three beautiful healthy children.

An adoring (and adored) husband, who picks up all of my slack (which is significant these days).

AND I get to do it all over again with another little one.

Thank you Annette for the super fun impromptu photo shoot.

A warm, summery March(?) day

Scout frequently wants to play in water outside.

Of course, it has been way too cold lately.

Like- I'm cold while wearing a sweatshirt and jeans- too cold.

Today was warm and sunny and beautiful.

We had a picnic lunch outside. Sure, it was taco bell, but nobodies perfect.

Then Scout and Sebastian got to run through the sprinklers. 

Sailor was taking a nap during sprinkler time.

But didn't Sebastian take such a sweet picture this morning?

Gosh, I love these kids!

And I love these relaxed, we make our own schedule, days of early childhood.

This Kid!!

I was having a rough day...

There I was feeling like three little kids is sooo many, and I'm sooo tired, wah, wah, blah, blah, blah...

Then Sebastian decided we should make some phone calls.

We went through the list of people he knows

First we called Papa (my dad),

Then Grandma Annie,

Then Grandpa (Ryan's dad)

Then Auntie Crystal...

 When Crystal answered the phone and heard Sebastian on the other end she let out a delighted, "WHAAAAAAT!!!???"

Sebastian thought it was hilarious.

"Again!" he said. Then again, again, again, again...

We were all cracking up by the end.

"Ok, good bye." Sebastian was done with that phone call.

Next, it was time to call Grandma K (my mom)

 He told Grandma K to say, "Whaaaat!!" again and again and again.

Thank you Sebastian for helping me get over myself and just laugh.

By the way, he is also a champion potty trainee!! 

Who wears diapers? Not this kid

Mama said there'd be days like these

Yesterday afternoon there was a melt down on the way home from the park.

Scout hurt her foot on one of the pedal posts on her bike (we took the pedals off so she could learn how to balance and coast.)

She began crying hysterically, and could no longer walk or ride her bike.

I let her sit in the back seat of the double stroller, while Sailor sat in the front seat.

Which, is unstable, the heavier child is supposed to sit in the front.

So, I was pushing the stroller with one hand, and pulling her bike with the other.

Did I mention it was an unseasonably hot day? Until that moment of treking up hill, pushing and pulling, I had really been enjoying it.

Then, Sebastian decided HE was struggling on HIS bike.

Sorry, buddy, there is no more room in the stroller and I have no more hands to carry another bike.

"Sebastian, Don't ride in the street. Get out of the street. Please, get out of the street!"

...he falls...in the street...more crying...

I think it took us about 10 minutes to walk struggle past the next two houses on our street.

As I was encouraging Sebastian to continue riding toward home, he ran his bike directly into my ankle.

I cried out in pain and frustration, just imagining the next hour it was gonna take us to get home.

Which, by the way, was maybe 6 houses away.

I tossed scouts bike to the side, picked up the now hysterical Sebastian.

Tossed his bike to the ground.

And slowly walked/dragged the screaming children home. *sigh*

"MY BIKE! MY BIKE! MY BIIIIIIIKE!"

"I will go back and get them after I put Sailor down for her nap."

Oh, and the stroller tipped backwards...add it to the list, kids.

Now Sailor is crying.

Here are the children retrieving their bikes. Still crying...

I put Sailor down for her nap.

Scout and Sebastian played happily with water in the back yard.

I promptly fell asleep on the couch.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I like to keep things simple.

That way I don't get overwhelmed,

                                                      and the kids can join in...

Construction paper hearts,

taped to yarn,

tied to the banister,

amen.

Pancake Breakfast

Before you are frightened by the batter, let me explain...

We made beet pancakes.

When I first saw this recipe I thought, "Gross...why would anybody want to make a pancake out of a beet?"

    

Then I was intrigued.

Then I read the pre-amble (??) for the recipe.

Then...

I wanted to try them

Sebastian and I are big fans. (So are Grannie Annie & Zoey)

Scout and Sailor are less fans.

But wouldn't they be fun in the shape of hearts for Valentine's Day?

Joy

Today I taught the young women about "the purpose of life".  The lesson was centered on how to find joy. Our Heavenly Father wants us to be joyful. We are here to experience joy! 

 As a youth and young adult, I was focused on a career.

 I didn't want to get married or have children young.

 I didn't even really picture myself as a young mother with small children. I thought it would be more impressive if I had a career. It was hard for me to understand how I could be fulfilled staying home and raising children.

  I stayed close to the Gospel, made good choices and followed The Spirit. That Spirit led me to be sealed in the Temple when I was 22. 

  I did graduate from nursing school because I felt it was important. But more important for me was having children, staying home with them. And loving and teaching them The Lord's plan for them.

 

I have never felt more happiness or purpose or responsibility than I do as I care for these precious children.

 

As I take the time to really stop, and appreciate small moments with my children, I truly feel joy.

"Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy." (2 Nephi 2:25)

Gunny bag (Gunny sack?)

 I had the pleasure of teaching Joy School last week.

We introduced "Gunny bag."

A little sack, made from a pillow case, with a face.

Gunny bag comes out and eats all the toys that are out of place, then hides in his cave.

After awhile he comes back out and coughs up all the toys.

If they are put right away, the toys are safe.

But...

If Gunny bag eats a toy twice, then it is gone forever.

If Gunny bag comes out and there are no toys to eat, he cries and cries...

The kids loved it! 

Scout loved it for Joy School, but was not too keen on Gunny bag living at our house.

I had to explain a couple times that he is just a bag.

I will always tell her before I bring him out.

He doesn't eat toys by himself, I put them inside the bag.

...Perhaps I should stop referring to it as a "him."

Poor Scout.

Our Simple Life

 We don't really go anywhere.

We don't travel much.

We haven't been to any foreign countries.

 Or exotic island resorts.

 But I'm okay with that.

 I enjoy the simple pleasures of life here at home.

I also enjoy red lipstick.

Jan's scraps

I bought some pillows and a few men's dress shirts at Salvation Army.

My plan is to re-cover the pillows and use the button portion from the shirts as a way to easily get the pillow in and out.

Thank you Jan for that incredible idea.

Check out all the other fantastic stuff she came up with to do with men's shirts.

I'm not nearly that creative.

But I'm pretty proud of my little pillow cover.

I finally finished the table runner I began over a year ago.

This fabric (and the pillow fabric) were both given to me by the famous Jan Shipley mentioned above. 

And Scout has curtains.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

We have been watching a lot of Mr. Roger's Neighborhood.

I have always loved Mr. Rogers, just the thought of him makes me happy.

I never understood why he changed his shoes and took of his jacket, just to put on a sweater when he came inside, but it was one of my favorite parts....still is.

A couple weeks ago Granny spent the day. 

We enjoyed some afternoon sun.

I got a nap.

That evening we had our neighbor Mary over for dinner.

She is such a sweet lady. She gave us a welcome gift when we moved into the neighborhood.

She has since given the children coloring books, crayons, boxes of chocolates and other assorted sweets. she shared her delicious tomatoes with us last summer.

Sadly, her husband passed away earlier this month.

I wish I had taken a picture of her reading Sebastian his bedtime story.

Sticky buns and other culinary endeavors

I enjoy baking.

I enjoy knowing the food we are eating is made from fresh, whole ingredients.

Sometimes the things I make are successful...

The day we had these sticky buns for breakfast Scout kept saying, "Oh, thank you, thank you, Mom.  I love these. Thank you so much."

I used honey instead of the corn syrup it called for, and half white wheat flour.

This Focaccia bread was delicious.

Hot cross buns! What are hot cross buns, anyway? Does anyone actually make them?

I saw the recipe, and was reminded of the song I sang as a kid.

Is it a song or a nursery rhyme?

Anyway, I wanted to know what they were.

They are pretty good.

Not so successful:

I have a graham cracker recipe that is Uh-mazing! But it's kind of involved.

A lot of chilling.

I decided to try this recipe from weelicious (I am absolutely LOVING this website!)

It was okay. 

I will probably go back to the more involved recipe next time.

These Ritz crackers did not work out.

I will try again.

Sailor Alice

My heart just overflows with love for my tiny little girl.

I can never get enough:

kisses

laughs

giggles

clapping

waving

gibberish

time with her...

Oh, it goes by way too fast

The Roast

Monday, for Family Home Evening we roasted Marshmallows!

Before the roasting began we had a lesson about how Heavenly Father answers our prayers.

Grandpa Randy, Ryan, and I each shared a personal example of how a particular prayer had been answered.

Then Scout shared a made up example of a prayer being answered.

    ...Sailor was there, too.