My November Reading List

1. An assembly such as this by Pamela Aiden
2. Duty and Desire by Pamela Aiden
3. These Three Remain by Pamela Aiden

This beautifully written trilogy tells the story of the Pride and Prejudice from Mr. Darcy's perspective. I have read many fan fiction on the Pride and Prejudice story, but this has been my favorite so far for many reasons. The author writes well in a believable Victorian style. The characters are very interesting and well developed. Mr. Darcy's actions and personality are gently and thoroughly discussed and developed. The story line is based faithfully on Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice, but the author was clever enough to develop other original story lines as well as awesome characters, my favorite being the Shakespeare quoting valet. I truly enjoyed reading them all, and was very sad to say goodbye to those special characters. There are enough loose ends though in the book with some of the characters that I'm hoping will encourage the author to write some more. I highly recommend this trilogy for any true Darcy admirers.

4. The Sixteen Pleasures by Robert Hellenga
I just found this book at the library and was initially warned off by its title. But as I kept reading the first pages of the book, I thought it very interesting. The book is a coming of age novel dealing with various topics of life through the eyes of the main character, Margot Harrington. She is a young American who has come to Florence to help out save the old manuscripts and art destroyed by the Arno river in 1966. Through her eyes and her experiences we see Florence of that time which had been flooded by the river, and the many attempts by young men and women from all over the world to save Florence's treasures. We can taste the many delicious Italian dishes and enjoy the Italian countryside as well as feel at home at the various piazzas and fresh markets found in most cities and towns in Italy. I enjoyed learning how manuscripts were bound, what makes women become nuns and how do they live in those convents, how do you save a fresco from getting destroyed, how do you restore a painting, what goes on in various auctions, and many more interesting experiences, and all the while seeing how the main character is changing and learning about herself and her life and family. I wished he had called his book "mud angels" as I learned these young people who came to help were called. She didn't save just the Italian treasures from the mud of the river, but she also helped herself out of the confusion of her life. A good novel if you are interested in art and Italian life style.

5. Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
This was a book that made me think about life, people, our relationships with others, and love and happiness. It was well written and consisted of several chapters that had only one character in common. That, and that they all lived in the same small town where things don't seem to change or move in any direction. However, through the eyes of each character and their experiences you feel as you are seeing the small details of life unfolded in this microcosm of reality. The main character, Olive Kitteridge, isn't one of those women that are likable and kind. She is caught up in her life, anger and selfishness, that she forgets to understand what life is about, until she notices, some bits here and a few bits there, what she has missed and how she isn't the only one to suffer or have individual problems. I personally don't go for these kinds of books. I like my books with strong characters that inspire me to be better. Yes, the book did make me think and encourage me to think of others. But I felt the book brought me down a bit as well. It wasn't a happy story, and I like happy stories. Other than that, it had great characters and thoughtful insight into the mystery we call life.

6. His Excellency, George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis
I have never been a George Washington fan, partly because he was portrayed as a Saint in all the books I've read. My interest in him increased when I actually read some well researched and honestly written books by David McCullough, namely 1776 and John Adams. Ellis book is well researched as well, and feels intimate at the same time. I have to say I really enjoyed learning about George Washington, his hard life as a child and youngster, his pursuits for excellence, his love life, his military insights, and his integrity. What I enjoyed even more was his outlook in life. George Washington believed that destiny (I call it God, some call it fate, luck, etc) is initially in charge of our lives. What you make of the hand dealt to you is all up to you. In other words, we are not in charge of our destiny, but in charge of what we do with our destiny. And what that translates into real life is called character. We are in charge of what we as individuals make of ourselves in the face of life's trials. A very good biography and insight into the life of this self -made man, and an excellent description of his destiny as our first president.

7. None, but you by Susan Kaye
8. For you alone by Susan Kaye
Jane Austen wrote six perfect novels about true love and what it means to be true to oneself. I really like all of her novels for various reasons. However, one of her novels feels closer to life than the others. Persuasion feels more mature and although it doesn't lack in wit compared to the others, it does seem to be more concentrated on character's inner struggle and their attempt to grow stronger. I truly enjoy the unbendable love between the two characters, Anne Elliot and Frederick Wentworth. It's strong, pure, and deep. We know and see Captain Wentworth only through the eyes of Anne. Well, Susan Kaye has written her version of what Captain Wentworth thought and felt as she follows Jane Austen's story line. I was absolutely enchanted at how well the author presented Wentworth's point of view. A beautifully written plot, a perfect length with not much repetition, and a more-in-depth look at the other characters' development, made this book very enjoyable for me.


9. Crossed by Ally Condie
The sequel of Matched has finally arrived and I am very excited to read it. I'm not finished with it, but so far I like the plot and the characters. The writing, however, seemed to have been rushed since it's sounding a bit too simple and boring at times. Nevertheless, I'm excited to read what the author has in store for us in regards to the characters. I really enjoyed Xander in the first book, and although Ky is a very sweet boy and very thoughtful, I have to say I'm Team Xander. In the Hunger Games I did like Pita, because of his sweetness, quiet nature, and love for Katnis. In this book, I'm going with Xander, who is the opposite of Pita, but very fun to read about. I love that he uses his mind to get around the rules that the government has imposed on the society without raising any red flags. I like Ky, but Xander seem to be more refined and just plain more handsome and exciting character. A fun read between classics.

What are some of your favorites for November?

A work of art is the unique result of a unique temperament. - Oscar Wilde

If you came unannounced to our home, you would most likely find my kids reading or working on some creative endeavor such as writing, drawing, coloring, painting, or building things. My children, as I am sure most of your kids of the same age as mine, produce tens and tens of works of art per day. My fridge is always busy with their work (which is totally so against my taste, but when you have kids you do what makes them happy, sometimes), as well as my filing cabinet, where I store their art, is bursting at the seams with their paper art. My mother, who is a very neat person and doesn't like any kind of junk, didn't keep much of my school work, and it is a regret of mine, since it would have been an amazing way of showing my kids my childhood in Albania. I'm as crazy in keeping things neat as my mother, but I feel guilty if I throw any of my kids' art, and so I have been either scanning them, taking pictures of them, or displaying some of them on my blog. I have no doubt their grandparents love to see them, but even better, they will love to look back and show them with pride to their own children.

Gillian is my great artist in the family. She would rather paint or color than play. Besides reading, it's her favorite past time. Her style reminds me at times of Klimt or Monet, and at times of Picasso. Gillian literally creates 15 to 20 pages of pretty and colorful art per day. Here is something different from her usual color combination post-modern art:

Self Portrait

My mom's favorite flower

Jefferson tends to be very detail oriented in his work. He is very precise, full of ideas, and very resourceful. Nothing will prevent him from achieving what he wants to make. He has a very open mind and uses unusual things that are not obvious to the normal eye. When it comes to his drawing, I love the clean cut look of his creations, the many ideas merging together in one picture, and the fact that it doesn't matter what he is drawing, he will have some kind of weapon added to his work. Here is one that I really like (can you spy the weapon?):

Halloween Night

James is just starting to like art, and he enjoys mostly coloring, but recently he has surprised me with some of his own creations. Here is his version of how he looks:
On Friday evening we received a phone call from Mary's Pizza Shack informing us that James had won 1st place in their coloring contest. If you remember, last Monday, my friend Amy and I took our kids to eat out at this pizza parlor, and while they were eating and talking, they were also coloring these pictures of turkeys given to them by the waitress. I didn't think much about it at the time, but all the kids finished their coloring and then gave them to the waitress. Well, it seems James had won for his age group. He was so happy and proud that his whole face was smiling. This is the Turkey that won:

My older kids were kind of jealous, and it was hilarious to see them express their frustration for not having been the winner. Gillian was honest about her anger, but Jefferson was funny to observe. When he was telling his grandmother about James's prize, he commented that he himself hadn't done his best in the coloring, since he was busy talking to friends. I know that in his mind he was saying "Next time I am going to color a masterpiece, and I better win." Not that Jefferson isn't a great artist. My home is covered with his homemade Thanksgiving decorations, and believe me, not only he is a great artist, but he has the imagination of a Da Vinci. He has made books about pilgrims, Indian tepees, and many, many kinds of turkeys. Here is one of his favorites:

Gillian didn't lag behind in Thanksgiving art either. I love her color combinations in her art. Here is one last Thanksgiving drawing she made of Pilgrims and Indians celebrating together:

The award for 1 prize was a $25 gift card from the restaurant. On Saturday, we went to pick up the card and used it to buy our dinner. Elijah encouraged the older kids to follow James's example and start using their geniuses in providing for the family. I could tell from their facial expressions that the joke didn't go well with either of them.

Regardless of whether they bring prizes or not, I sure enjoy their love for art and the expression of their thoughts and feelings.

Hungry birds, handsome boys, and loud waves

The day after Thanksgiving, Elijah took the day off, and we went and spent our day in San Francisco. The weather was beautiful, and the kids and I were happy to have Elijah with us all day. We first stopped to feed the ducks in front of the Palace of Fine Arts.
There were a lot of tourists around, and some of the Asian tourists stopped by and kept taking pictures of my kids, at times posing with them as if they were some kind of national landmark. I could tell Jefferson was enjoying the attention. Charlton didn't seem to mind it either; he looked as if he knew these people well and felt absolutely comfortable in their arms. As for James, he couldn't help but wonder why they were taking pictures of him. Well, for one thing they were devastatingly cute.

After the ducks were fed to the maximum and the tourists were well enough satisfied taking pictures of my kids, we drove toward Baker Beach. The kids had so much fun there! The Golden Gate Bridge was covered in fog and it looked really pretty from where we were standing. The giant waves washed on the shore with a powerful force that not only made beautiful music, but it gave the beach an eerie look, as if we were taking part in some kind of fairy tale. The children made it a goal not to be scared of the waves or their wetness. They ran and played and got wet and sandy all in a very short time, and all the while I wished I were like them, young and care free.


Eventually, they all got wet, and had to get in the car to change and warm themselves in blankets. I did just that, but not before I had a chance of taking a picture with my husband.


I am so glad Elijah was able to come with us and enjoy a beautiful day in San Francisco, at a time when most of the people were probably participating in Black Friday sales. I liked my option better.

Thanksgiving 2011

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! I hope you all had a great week of celebrating and giving thanks. Sometimes Thanksgiving gets overlooked as a holiday of great importance. Tucked in cozily between an exciting, sugar-high Halloween and a service-oriented, spiritual-high Christmas, Thanksgiving can just feel like a good excuse to have a week off from school or enjoy a table full of food. And although those are great things to do while celebrating a holiday, Thanksgiving is much more to me than that. It is a time to contemplate the blessings I have in my life, and to share those thoughts and feelings with my family and friends. It also reminds me that regardless of how much we want to be on our own, individuals with private lives, thoughts, and opinions, just like the Pilgrims, we can't do it without each other. Furthermore, we can't do it without the Lord.

As we say goodbye to Thanksgiving and welcome Christmas, I would like to bridge these two holidays by sharing how grateful I am for my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. His tender love touches my life each day and gives me joy and true happiness. I feel His love as I look at the faces of my children and count myself blessed to be their mother.

I feel my Savior's love as my heart is touched each day by my husband's care and love for me. I feel Jesus's presence in my life as I count my blessings of having such wonderful extended family and many true friends. I know Jesus is sharing His love with me as I notice myself grow and learn from trials and mistakes. I feel His love when I am forgiven for those mistakes and shortcomings. I'm grateful for all of my talents, abilities and skills, but above all for my pure heart that allows the Savior in each day. But I also know that everything I have, intelligence, looks, heart, talents, has truly been given to me by my Heavenly Father, and that humble admission makes me grateful and brings me closer to the Lord, who in return gives me more love. How grateful I am for that!

This year we celebrated Thanksgiving at home. Elijah and I were excited to cook all of our family's traditional foods and celebrate with our children. This was our menu:

Turkey
Sweet Potato Casserole
Mashed Potatoes
Hash Brown Casserole
Green Beans
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Rolls
Pies

Here are a couple of our favorite dishes that make the appearance each year at our home (these are Elijah's family recipes and my kids just can't have enough of them):

Sweet Potato Casserole
3 cups mashed sweet potatoes 2 eggs
1 cup sugar 1/3 stick butter
1/2 cup milk 1 tsp vanilla
dash of salt

Mix all ingredients together and pour into casserole dish which has been buttered.

Topping:
2 cups brown sugar 2/3 cup flour
2 cups nuts 2/3 stick butter

Mix together until crumbly. Add nuts. Cook at 375 approximately 20 to 30 minutes. (Recipe by Ann Garmon)


Hash Brown Casserole

2lbs frozen hash browns 10 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup butter, melted 2 cups crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup chopped onion 1 can cream of chicken soup
16 oz. sour cream

Combine hash brown and 1/2 cup of butter in a large bowl. Stir in onion, sour cream, soup and cheese. Spoon into 2 greased casserole dishes. Mix 1/4 cup butter with corn flakes. Sprinkle on top. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. (Recipe by Rita Carter)


Dinner Rolls (24)

1 egg (room temperature)
1 1/3 cups water (room temperature)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs Italian seasoning
4 cups bread flour
2 tsp active dry yeast

Place on a lightly floured surface. Divide into pieces and shape.
Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until double in size.
Bake at 350 for 15 - 25 minutes, or until done. Brush with butter and coarse kosher salt.

If you are using your bread machine, place the liquid ingredients first, and then the flour mixture. In the end, add the yeast. Set the bread machine for dough setting. When the machine indicates that the dough is ready, take it out of the machine, divide it into pieces, place them on a greased baking sheet, and let them rise for 30 minutes. I usually put the baking sheet on top of a warm oven. Bake, brush with butter and salt, and then enjoy.


Original Nilla Banana Pudding (We didn't make the pudding this Thanksgiving since our friends had brought plenty of pies, but our whole family loves to eat this any time of the day.)

Layers of Nilla wafers, creamy pudding and fresh banana slices are the stars of this American classic.

Prep: 30 mins - Cook: 15 mins - Cool: 15 mins

3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Dash salt
3 eggs, separated
2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
45 NILLA Wafers, divided
5 ripe bananas, sliced (about 3 1/2 cups), divided
Additional NILLA Wafers and banana slices, for garnish


1. Mix 1/2 cup sugar, flour and salt in top of double boiler. Blend in 3 egg yolks and milk. Cook, uncovered, over boiling water, stirring constantly for 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

2. Reserve 10 wafers for garnish. Spread small amount of custard on bottom of 1 1/2-quart casserole; cover with a layer of wafers and a layer of sliced bananas. Pour about 1/3 of custard over bananas. Continue to layer wafers, bananas and custard to make a total of 3 layers of each, ending with custard.

3. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Spoon on top of pudding, spreading evenly to cover entire surface and sealing well to edges.

4. Bake at 350°F in top half of oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until browned. Cool slightly or refrigerate. Garnish with additional wafers and banana slices just before serving.

After we partook as much as we could possibly hold from the Thanksgiving feast, we played some games and had some pies. After our guests left, we got together as a family and pulled out our Thanksgiving Turkey, not the eatable one. For Family Home Evening last Monday, in addition to Gillian's lesson on the Word of Wisdom, we discussed gratitude and the happiness that comes to our hearts when we are truly grateful. As an activity, we used Jefferson's paper turkey that he had made at school, and put our notes of thanksgiving in, with the intention of writing more each day and then reading them all on Thanksgiving day. Here are some of what we wrote:

Elijah
Thanksgiving and Christmas
Melita's kisses
Cannonball hugs for Babi (father in Albanian)

Melita
Prayer
Atonement
Books
Music
My family
For being able to stay home with my kids

Gillian
My bed and loving parents who tuck me in
Bananas
Bodies - they are very amazing and special
My singing voice
Snake meat (inside joke), love, Gobstoppers, gumball machines, clothes, hair
My family

Jefferson
Pilgrims
Movies
God and my family
Music and songs
Mommy
Babi (Dad)
House, toys, to be on earth
France (because it makes my mom happy)
Sky, clothes, clouds, good food, nature, plants
Cars,toys
Me
Holidays

James
Books and books-on-tape
music and CD player
my mom and dad
my family
the temple
Heavenly Father
Jesus
earth
friends

Charlton (with help from Elijah and Jefferson)
Lollipop
chicken
Buzz milk bottle
the man with the yellow hat milk bottle
his snuggle teddy bear

I love hearing my children share their thoughts about life and the blessings they feel they have. And it's about those basics, love for one another and God, that life is all about, after all.

What are some of your Thanksgiving traditions and dishes?

Being with my family brings warmth to my soul

The first day of my kids' week off from school was spent in perfect harmony and stress free. I had thought to take them to a museum or downtown San Francisco, but then I remembered that I wanted this week to be simple and have fun by just being together. So, Amy and I joined forces and planned a simple day for our kids. And what a beautiful day it turned out to be!

First, we took the kids to eat out at a pizza parlor. Eating out is way more enjoyable now that my kids are older. Fortunately, Charlton loves being around them and doing what they do. It also helps when you go with friends. James told Zoe that she truly was his best friend. I would have loved it if a boy (especially as handsome and sweet as James) had told me that when I was young. I'm sure Zoe was happy about that, too.

After lunch, we drove to a nearby park, which was amazingly beautiful with fall colors painted in every tree. We left the older children playing in the playground and took Zoe and Charlton to the nearby football field. Zoe had a soccer class, coached by one of the young women in our ward as a service project. She was joined by other 5 year old girls and boys, and it was so fun seeing them play soccer. Charlton was having the time of his life playing soccer by himself. Afterward, all of the older kids joined the younger kids and all of us moms played against them. I don't have any pictures of that game, since I was actively engaged into trying to win against my kids. Earlier my friends commented on Jefferson's competitive nature as we noticed Jefferson telling Gillian and Caleb that the little ones had to win fair and square and he wasn't going to let them win as Gillian and Caleb were suggesting. Well, I'm sure after they saw me push my kids so I could achieve a goal, they don't wonder any more where he gets it.

Before the Wiederhold kids left, I had all of the kids pose for me to take some pictures. I couldn't let this amazing view escape my camera hungry soul. Don't you think these turned out beautifully? I love Fall!
After Elijah saw these pictures, he wondered where Charlton was. Charlton wasn't very interested in leaves and pictures, especially not when he found a car he could drive and play in. When I went to check on him, he was playing with the steering wheel and singing "The Wheels on the bus" cheerfully. I couldn't stop laughing.
After our friends left, my older kids joined Charlton at the playground. They were all fighting with each other over who was going to play with Charlton. Charlton loved the attention and kept playing with his steering wheel till his siblings figured things out.
After Charlton had driven the cars and motorcycles many times over, it was time for us to leave. On our way to the car, the children saw a tennis court and challenged me to a running race. Now, I know I'm not in a great physical shape, but to be beaten by all of my three older kids was humiliating. Gym here I come! Jefferson tried to make me feel better by telling me that their cross-country running practices had helped them be that fast. Whatever it was, I am glad they love to run and be active. I need to follow their example. Just blame those stacks of books I have waiting for me at home for not doing so before.
Speaking of books, as soon as we left the park, we paid our almost daily visit to our favorite shrine, the library. The kids all spread out to different directions, and I was left in peace to leaf through the books for sale. I lucked out. I found over thirty brand new children's books and a couple for myself (each 50 cents). When I was finished with that, I went in search of my kids. I knew where to find them, and I wasn't disappointed. They each had gotten their stack and were reading quietly, with Charlton playing with puzzles. Ah, the joy of having well behaved kids!
When we got home we found Elijah waiting for us. After spending some time with their dad, the kids sat and read their books. We ate dinner, and then got ready for Family Home Evening. Gillian had the lesson and she did a great job teaching about the Word of Wisdom and using as an activity a visual they had worked in her Activity Days.

When the kids said their prayers tonight, they each thanked Heavenly Father for a great day spent with friends and family. I'm so happy they had a good day.


As for myself, being with my family brings me true joy. That, and finding some time to read, write, and take beautiful fall pictures. I'm truly grateful for my life.

Catching up...

I can't believe how this week passed by so quickly without me having written even one post. Every night I've wanted to share and record the many fun things our family experienced each day, but I was so tired and exhausted that I had to forgo this very noble endeavor. That, and the fact that I wanted to finish this really good trilogy about Mr. Darcy's point of view on Pride and Prejudice story.

Besides doing homework, reading, cooking, doing laundry, keeping up with emails, writing cards to family, making phone calls,vacuuming, playing, and whatever else is needed to keep our life going smoothly, here are some other fun stuff we were able to do this week:

On Monday, I went on a field trip with James and his class. We visited the Ruth Bancroft Garden. I had taken my kids there last spring, and at that time they happened to have an amazing sculpture exhibition amongst the plants and flowers. This time, it wasn't as exciting when it came to seeing a variety of things, since there wasn't an exhibition of any sorts going on, and some of the plants were covered for winter. Nevertheless, we got to have a tour guide taking us around and teaching us new information about various plants. My favorite piece of knowledge I learned on this tour was the fact that Ruth Bancroft started this garden with one small little succulent plant when she was in her early 50's. She worked at it section by section year after year and tried to use plants that didn't need much water, since California has always been in need of water sources. Today, Mrs. Bancroft still lives, approaching 103 years old, and her garden is an example of hard work and meticulous organization. There are about 2,000 succulent plants found in this garden, originating from Australia, Mexico, Chile, Africa, and of course California, and that makes one awesome botanical garden of dry plants. James loved being with me and his friends. His favorite thing about the tour was the fact that he was able to plant and take home with him a small cactus. I really enjoyed being with James today.

On Tuesday, I got all my shopping for the week done. I felt bad that I was spending my time with the younger boys shopping and running errands, but these are necessary things of life. We did find some time, however, to do some puzzles together before I had to pick up the older children and then take Gillian to chorus. Doing puzzles is something that James and I enjoy doing together.
On Wednesday, we slept in. My children had been going to sleep very late these two days, and they felt tired. Being a short day at school, I kept them home. They didn't escape homework however. I had a bunch saved for all of them to do. Plus, they cleaned and vacuumed their rooms, took long baths, read books by the fire, attended the library, and played with friends later on at the playground. When dad came home, he found them raking leaves and playing with them, mostly more playing than cleaning. I love having my kids home. They are so much happier and accomplish so much more with very satisfying results. You can see their happiness radiate from their tender eyes.

On Thursday, I had a quiet day at home, cleaning and cooking, and getting ready for a party I was throwing in the evening. Charlton collaborated and slept for about three hours in the afternoon, and I had the house all to myself. I put some music on, and enjoyed my pondering time while cleaning and cooking. I really need days like this, when I can do mundane things and use the time to think.

On Friday, I accompanied Gillian on her field trip to the Oakland Museum of California. I had never been there, and I was glad I went. There were several exhibitions about the history, art and people of California. Gillian's class, a combination of 4th and 5th graders, is studying California history this year and this trip was just right for them to learn and remember interesting facts about this state's history. Because we were taking a tour, which took most of our time there, we weren't able to see much on the other levels and exhibitions. I plan to take my kids there soon so we can explore some more the parts we didn't get to see on Friday.

The first exhibition we got to see was a picture gallery documenting the 1991 fire on the Oakland-Berkeley hills, which was very devastating on many accounts. Twenty-five people died, and hundreds of houses were burned to the ground. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for those residents to continue a normal life after such a heart-breaking disaster.
Most of our time was spent visiting the History of California exhibition starting with the different tribes of Indians to the creation of Alta California, continuing with Mexico war, Independence, Gold Rush, Earthquakes, the establishment of Hollywood, and many other interesting facts and events that took place in California throughout its existence.

For Gillian, and for most of the other students, the favorite part of this particular exhibition was the Hollywood room. In it, the girls sat down and design various fashion styles, worked on their own animation movie, and tried to get the boys out of the special effect room so they could have a turn making horse trotting noises, punching sound effects and shot gun racket. It was by far the most interactive room and the most fun of them all.

On Saturday, my friend Amy and I took our girls to Ice Skating lessons. It was so fun seeing the girls learning and enjoying this special sport. Mary was graceful on ice, and Gillian was brave and determined to get it right. By the end of the class, both of them seemed as if they belonged on ice. I can't wait to see them become proficient and skate without fear. Sweet!

Later that day, we took the whole family and went to celebrate one of James's friend's birthday. Jack turned 5 on Saturday, and his mother, Jennifer, had thrown this awesome party with a fun big bouncy house and delicious food.

Being new to the church, we thought that he would enjoy a Children's song book with its accompanying CDs. Jack had borrowed one of our books in the past and seemed to have enjoyed learning the new songs. He was very happy to have a copy of his own, especially accompanied by music. The kids enjoyed the party, with Charlton playing on his own at the little play structure in the back yard, with Jefferson and James trying to jump as high as they could, and with Gillian trying to enjoy herself while taking care of every single little kid who wanted to climb the jump house.
The only problem having a jump house for a birthday activity is the fact that no kid wants to leave when it's time to wrap the party up. After two hours of fun, we told the kids to say goodbye to Jack, and then we took them home. I assigned them some more leaf cleaning, while I myself took off on a photography gig for one of my friends. I really enjoyed taking their family picture. The Wiederhold family have one birth child and three adopted children, and seeing them how beautifully they looked as a family, made me be grateful for the sealing power that makes our families eternal. It also reminded me of that special joy that is found nowhere else except in the heart of our families.

On Sunday, I had to repent right as the day started. I hate being late to church every Sunday, and so I was trying to get things done on time and leave early. I was right on schedule when I hear my boys asking for some coloring pages to take to church. Instead of saying no and get going, I said sure and sat down and got them some coloring pages. Jefferson was giving me hard time by being indecisive, which made me very angry. As I, by accident, looked at the time, I realized I was going to be late if I didn't leave right then and there. However, Jefferson wasn't being a help. He was changing his mind about which pictures he wanted several times. I lost my patience and scared Jefferson out of his mind by yelling at him. As I saw tears in his eyes, I stopped what I was doing, tried to look outside myself and seeing a witch instead of a loving mother. I sat down with Jefferson, gave him a hug, and holding him tight, I expressed my love for him and asked for his forgiveness. I explained to him my frustration of not being able to get to church on time, as well as my desire to please them. I asked not only for his forgiveness, but also for his help. He hugged me and said that he would love to help me achieve that goal. And then added that with a bit of kindness from my side, he would do anything for me. He might as well had stabbed me. Thank you Jefferson for teaching me a lesson.

We were late to church of course, and I had to offer a heart-felt prayer as I partook of the Sacrament, but at least my son knew I loved him and that I was trying my best. I also prayed for more patience and kindness. I realize that as moms we are seen as perfect beings that never make mistakes, but of course that is not true. To try to be that perfect example to our children, and at the same time to develop those virtues and strengths that are required to achieve that perfection is the hardest thing in the world, and I'm glad the Savior picks up the slack for me. I'm grateful for the Atonement that offers me second chances.

After church, I had planned to accomplish a monumental endeavor, and I was dreading it. I said a prayer on my own, and then asked Gillian to join me in my room, while the boys were coloring and drawing. Tonight, I had THE talk with Gillian. For days and weeks, Gillian and I had been talking about the fact that she is growing and what that means. Tonight, I sat down and explained everything to her as clearly and as straight forward as I possibly could. We started with a prayer, read a couple of books together while stopping and expanding on the meaning of each topic, and then I shared my testimony of the divine gift of our bodies and spirits, and the blessing of a temple marriage. Gillian and I felt very comfortable discussing these delicate issues and she came out of our meeting with a good understanding of the issues that were discussed. I know having the gospel in our lives makes it so much easier to understand how everything fits in the big picture. I know Gillian's understanding was facilitated by those divine principles.

Our Sabbath continued with Choir practice, Tithing settlement appointment, dinner, reading, prayer, and finally sleep time. This coming week is Thanksgiving, and the children have the whole week off. I don't have any specific plans, except that I'm going to be with them the whole week and enjoy their company and love. Awesome!