Wise friends

This morning as we were getting breakfast ready and tidying the house up, I see my boys fight over something and then hear Jefferson say under his breath "I hate James!" Hate is one of the words we don't use in this house. I don't like it when my kids say hate even for small things like I hate hot weather or I hate beans, or whatever. But when Jefferson used that word for one of his siblings, it made me really mad. I counted to ten, and then grabbed Jefferson and told him that since the word hate has four letters, he gets four spankings, and he will get four spankings every time he uses that word. Jefferson didn't like it a bit, so I'm thinking this method might work.

As I was getting ready to take a shower, I asked Gillian if she could change Charlton's diaper, so we could save some time and be on time for our running club. When I got out of the shower, Charlton was changed and dressed and ready to go. Jefferson had helped Gillian with the diaper, and Gillian had put the onesie on, and then had proceeded to dress him for the day down to the socks and shoes. I was very proud of them. As you might have guessed reading my blog, we have a healthy dose of competition in our house, especially between Gillian and Jefferson. Gillian is the official caretaker of Charlton, after me of course. This doesn't sit well with Jefferson, who recently has tried very hard to be #1 for Charlton. And he has been doing a pretty good job of it. I've seen Jefferson play for minutes at a time with Charlton, read him books or lend him his gun (a big privilege in our house). So, today when I asked Gillian to change the diaper, Jefferson had intercepted and 'helped' Gillian out. In return, Gillian had taken it further and dressed Charlton all the way. The beauty of it was that they weren't even aware that they were competing. They seemed pretty happy to have amazed mom.

Today was running club. The children had worked hard this morning in cleaning their bedroom and by 9:30 a.m. they seem tired. Nevertheless, they did another five mile today, mostly walking. Charlton was playing in the playground nearby, but as soon as he saw Jefferson running with the punching card in his hands, he approached Amy and waited till she understood that he wanted his own card. It was the most adorable thing ever. And then he walked across the field to catch up with Jefferson, which of course made Jefferson very happy. Together they walked two miles. At one point I saw Jefferson, James, and Charlton, as well as two other friends holding hands while walking. There is nothing better than group support when exercising.

The prize for walking another five miles today was a visit at Yogurtland. Amy and I took the kids there and had them fill their cup with yummy frozen yogurt. Charlton and I didn't finish our five mile, so we got only testers. (Just kidding! He doesn't like frozen things very much and I always end up eating them, so I wasn't about to add more pounds to my body just so I wouldn't waste my money.)

As we were eating and talking, at one point Amy and I were discussing how much our girls seem to be eating lately. Honestly, Gillian eats as much as my three boys together. And she has a sweet tooth. It makes me angry, because I tried very hard when she was little to avoid sweets and eat only fruits and vegetables, which she still likes, but she seems to need candy every day. I try to explain to Gillian and to my boys for that matter that candy isn't healthy for you if you eat it often, and that it causes your body to malfunction, as well as get fat. But this is just preaching to the kids. I wanted something practical that would put a stop to their demands and complains. I had thought of eliminating it altogether and have none at home, but in the past this has made them want it even more. So I asked Amy what she does to avoid the candy confrontation, and she told me the coolest thing ever. She tells the kids that they could have a piece of candy or brownies, but they would have to run two laps around the basketball court. Isn't that the smartest thing ever?! Without words, it teaches the kids that we can have fun foods but we need to exercise as well to keep those fun foods from making us unhealthy. When I applied this rule to the kids tonight, I made it to four laps.

Another piece of wisdom that I liked today from Amy was on the topic of the birthday parties. Both of our girls' birthday is in July and so we were talking about their parties. She told me that they take turns every other year to celebrate birthdays with friends. So, one year they have a birthday party with friends, and the next year they do something special as a family. This way you don't get burnt out with party ideas and planning, but instead they take a break from all that by being together as a family. When I mentioned it to my children, they weren't quiet happy with the idea of no party every other year, especially Jefferson who lives to make plans and write lists down. However, when I added that the birthday celebration with the family can be a trip somewhere, Jefferson immediately started making plans for Disneyland. And here I was trying to simplify birthdays celebrations. Nevertheless, thank you Amy for your great wisdom. You are an awesome mom.

Tonight, we were invited for dinner and spent Family Home Evening with some friends. The children had a great time jumping up and down the trampoline and we adults enjoyed the good food, great company and the most beautiful weather ever. However, my favorite part was when our friend taught the kids an awesome way to remember the Ten Commandments as her lesson for Family Home Evening. She used rhyming words with the numbers that proceed the commandments. I don't think I remember them all, but here are some of them:

One - one God (Easy)
Two - Moo (cow- golden calf - No graven image)
Three - Tree - Leaves - Veins (Do not take the name of the Lord in vain)
Four - Fort - Holes to position the guns - (Keep the Sabbath day holy)
Five - Alive - Parents that gave birth and brought you to life (Honor thy father and thy mother)
Six - Sticks - You can hurt someone if you hit them with a bunch of sticks (Do not kill)
Seven - Heaven - Only when you honor your husband or wife, you can go to heaven (Do not commit adultery)
Eight - Gate - made of steel (Do not steal)
Nine - Line - Take an n off and it becomes lie (Do not lie; do not bear false witness)
Ten - Tent - House (Do not covet your neighbor's house)

Next Family Home Evening, we'll test the children and see if they remember them better than me. I love days when I learn new things, and I'm grateful for fun and wise friends.

What is something fun or wise you learned lately?

Staying home is fun to do...

This week-end we tried to take it easy and enjoy the beautiful weather with its refreshing breeze.

Jefferson tried several experiments and learned that being a scientist is a hard job that requires a lot of patience and repetition, but he felt like a champion when his experiments did turn right. Here he is trying to make salt crystals:
Gillian loved writing letters using a feather and some food coloring as ink, but she also said that it took forever to write it as well as clean the ink out of her fingers:
The boys got ready for Georgia's hot weather by having a short haircut that looked really sweet on them:
We enjoyed hosting a children's book club and sharing with our friends our favorite stories from the book we read Little House in the Big Woods. My favorite story was that of the little cousin who got stung by yellow jackets. The children's favorite story was the bear stump that scared Pa in the middle of the night. We had a great time discussing the book, and ended by eating some yummy ice-cream. My kids can't wait for the next book club.

We also visited an elderly lady from our ward and brought her some cookies. We stayed there for a little while and kept her company. She showed us her pretty garden and gave us some herbs to plant in our garden:
The highlight of the visit for the kids was the chance they got to touch and hold her pet snake. Brave children! I stayed as far as I could manage. It may be a pet snake, but it is still a squeezing python.
We taught Charlton how to keep his hands in his pockets and he seemed to understand how cool that made him look. He kept flirting with everyone of us. The shirt Charlton is sporting was bought by Elijah. A woman feels good when her husband thinks his wife is hot and wants to declare it to the world. Explaining to the boys what hot in that shirt means might be the subject for another post.
We also made the mistake of buying more ice-cream and ended up eating a whole lot of it throughout the week-end. And here I am trying to eat healthy so I can loose some pounds before I gain them back on in my trip eating Austrian desserts and French cheese. At least the kids had no misgivings after devouring a whole tub in a week! Here they are trying to help Jefferson eat his ice cream after they had eaten theirs:
I love summer!

How was your week-end?

Summer Hibernation? Where can I sign up?

Since we used yesterday as our day off (if you could call it a day off), today we followed our Tuesday schedule, with house cleaning and laundry the first half of the day, and school and reading the second half. It took a while to bring our house into a state of cleanliness and order following yesterday's ordeal, but in the end we were all happy with the outcome, and were able to concentrate on the homework. In between work and study, we also found time to do other fun stuff. We played board games, watched a movie, and soaked up the summer sun.

The boys also played baseball with Charlton:

They taught him how to shoot guns:

Gillian complained a lot about the heat so I sent them out to get cool:

And we caught up with our reading while relaxing in the hammock:

We had a very productive day, but I have to say these summer days are making me want a long, long nap.

Our First Day of Summer

I'm absolutely exhausted. Honestly, I don't even have one ounce of energy left, and that's saying something about my state. We've had a very full day, and we didn't even leave the house.

This morning I had my children play with one of my friends' children. As if that wasn't enough, in the afternoon I had another set of children come and play with my kids. Altogether, we had about 9 kids running around and playing with each other. The girls were dominant this time; we had five of them at one point playing at Gillian's room. In the morning I had a long list of things to accomplish, by afternoon I laughed at myself for even thinking that I could get anything done. Because of the age range, I was needed in many places at the same time. The kids had a great time, but I was happy I didn't have to do that everyday.

The girls started off with dress-up games and fashion shows:
I couldn't believe this was Gillian's room. Is that some kind of girl power?

And then, after the fashion show was over, I encouraged them to go outside and get cool under the sprinklers:
Charlton didn't like getting wet, so he stayed inside and read books:
After showers were over and clothes were put on, I had them watch a documentary about alligators and crocodiles (their choice). The little ones were occupied with play-dough. Food was served, popcorn and fruit eaten, and knowledge exchanged as each group did their own thing:

After the movie was over, the kids were asking for more activities. At this point I truly wished I had a farm so I could send them to milk the cow or collect the eggs or harvest the field, whatever it took to keep them busy. No such luck, so I went back to my city options and had a group of girls work on beads and bracelets, and another on making cookies, both activities needing my constant supervision. When the bead project was over, we replaced it with the mega stamping station. My carpet was covered with beads, the table had Barbie, Blues Clues and Harry Potter stamped all over it, and the older girls seem to be eating half of the cookie dough. Crazy and hilarious! I just wish some TV cameraman had captured us on film, or better off someone had recorded us and sent it to America's Funniest Videos. I can't stop laughing now at the craziness of it all. How love these pictures! They show only calmness and order, but believe me I wasn't feeling any of those two mentioned qualities.

When everybody was gone, Jefferson asked me if next Tuesday could be his friends' turn to come over and play. Just for fun, I asked him what kind of games would he want to play with them, and he gave me a one-word answer: Guns. I don't think that was a very 'diplomatic' answer. His case is still pending.

Happy Summer, friends!

Happy Father's Day, Elijah!

I followed our tradition and went out yesterday to get Father's Day gifts with all of the children. I had ordered some on line, but I had left a few items to be picked up on Saturday with them. They were so happy to plan the whole day. We bought gifts to give to dad from each of them, we bought groceries to make the special meals, and we made plans to help him have a great day.

Today, we made him breakfast in bed, gave him presents after church, made sure he had an undisturbed nap, and cooked him a delicious dinner. I think Elijah had a good time.

I'm so grateful for Elijah. He is such a wonderful husband and father. I love his determination to always choose the right. I'm touched by his integrity to stand up for the truth. I'm thankful for his desire to make our family an eternal family. His example of faith, patience, kindness, gentleness, and love toward his family and all of God's children is the best gift my children can have. Our children have a very special and loving relation with their father. I know they feel they can tell him anything, ask for advice anytime, and share their day with him and know they will be listened. Although he is very busy with his job, church calling and serving in the Temple, Elijah always finds time for his children. He spends hours with Jefferson talking about inventions and army as well as making and building things together. He talks to Gillian about her life, helps her build confidence through his loving words and compliments. He reads and plays with James and Charlton. He plays basketball and watches movies with them. Star Trek Wednesdays is going to be one of the most unforgettable memories of my children with their father. He is kind and loving in play, serious in testimony, and firm when discipline is needed. I've rarely heard Elijah raise his voice. He needn't. The children know when he says something he means it, and they obey right away, even Charlton.

One of my favorite things that Elijah has been doing recently with the children is listening to his parents and grandparents' recorded stories of their lives during Sunday afternoons. What a wonderful idea to have his family members record life experiences and then listen to them with his own children. The kids love hearing all that stuff and being with their father.

Having a husband who loves and cares for his children continuously is a great blessing. I'm truly blessed to have Elijah on my side in teaching, loving, and guiding our children toward the straight and narrow path. With you on my side, sweetheart, I have no doubt we will partake of the sweet fruit of eternal life and live with God again.

Happy Father's Day and thank you for your righteous example.

Revised Friday

These are some of the lists posted on our fridge:

HELPING HANDS

Daily:

· Make your bed

· Put up toys

· Put up books

· Do dishes

· Vacuum downstairs

· Set the table

Weekly:

· Bathroom 1

· Bathroom 2

· Laundry

· Vacuum upstairs

· Extra: Learn a new skill

RUNNING CLUB PRIZES

5 MILE – Gum

10 Mile – Yogurtland

15 Mile – Coloring Books/ Markers

20 Mile – Books/Books-on-tape

25 Mile + - Big Prize (TBA)

This whole week we've been following these lists pretty religiously, but today we all felt tired, and I declared it a holiday just for the sake of it. We went to playgroup and visited with friends. Afterwards, I took my four children and did my Visiting Teaching. The children played and we, moms, talked. My companion had the lesson and she shared a spiritual thought based on the passage found in Matthew 11:28-30:

28. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

As a mother, I try very hard to have high expectations for me and my children, and when I sometimes don't reach those expectations I beat myself up. I need not. This scriptural passage reminds me that the Savior is there for me ready to help and lighten my burden. As I walk alongside Him with a meek and lowly heart, I will truly understand that this life is not about control but love. I love all my lists on the fridge; they keep my life organized and goal-oriented. However, I love the Holy Ghost more. He guides and inspires me to perform acts of service and love that cannot be scheduled or planned. A sweet compliment to my daughter, a kiss to my son, a fresh loaf of bread to my friend, simple acts that when given in the needed time mean so much more. This is my favorite part of my life. Studying, reading, traveling, teaching, these are all very enjoyable, but I have to say that taking time to serve my family and friends is what truly gives me joy.

Today I was the recipient of such service and kindness. One of the friends I visit teach had prepared lunch for my companion and myself. Initially, I didn't feel comfortable about my friend having used her time and energy to serve us. Afterwards however, I remembered how good I feel serving others and allowed myself to enjoy her generosity. I felt loved and special, and I was grateful for her friendship. Sometimes the Lord makes our burdens light through other people, and it's important to serve as well as be served.

I closed my day today by attending the temple. Elijah watched the children, and I went to support one of the members of the Relief Society receiving her own endowment. The temple always offers such peace and comfort that even when I'm confused about some issues, I am comforted by the Savior's love and Spirit so abundant in His holy house.