Beautiful Heartbreak - Hilary Weeks - Every Step

Just found this and it is beautiful!!! It has been a rough year for me, good, but challenging and I love this song which reminds me it is all worth it. It always amazes me how so many people can go through so much and still stay so strong. I always look at other people's trials and think, "I am so grateful that is not my trial, I couldn't do it." But, I think the fact is that we deal with what we are dealt the best we can, and somehow we make it and are stronger in the end. I think the biggest trick is to not judge others while they are going through their trials. Anyway, enjoy.

At the Moment - Halloween

     I have been so nostalgic today.  It is so strange not having kids at home.  Jainie went to Kindergarten early today because they combine morning and afternoon K for the Halloween parties - why are we having H parties not on Halloween?  Good question; yes, it is ridiculous.  Anyway,  I was thinking about last year when Jainie and I went to watch Jake walk around the school for the parade then into the tabernacle for the program then went to "Big Bun Bakery" to get a steamed milk - mine butterscotch, hers caramel, cinnamon rolls and a couple treats for later on.  Then, we sat there at one of the bistro tables and enjoyed our breakfast.  It really was so pleasant.  It is the little things that I miss the most.  Afterward, we went to help with Jake's class party and just enjoyed the rest of our day.  This year, I have no one to go get a treat with and Big Bun is closed so that is that.  AND, to boot, I have no class party to help with.  I know it shouldn't seem sad but it is just the tiniest bit.  I sign up to help in each of the elementary kids classes once per year.  Josh was Halloween but his teacher decided to just have the parents send things so I sent 25 cupcakes and I am done.  How are my kids growing up so fast?  I know there are perks, lots of them actually, but there are drawbacks too.  I guess we all just have to enjoy where we are and make the best of every moment.  :)

     On a different note, this pregnancy is killing my memory!  Really, it is.  I can't remember one thing from one second to the next.  Josie had her Halloween variety show last night and I forgot all about it.  In fact, she had Activity Days right after school and Jared, Jaxon, and Jake went hunting.  Josh couldn't go because he went on Tuesday and skipped piano so he had to make that up.  Which made him not only miss hunting but his basketball try-outs - it's all about choices and consequences, that is what we are trying to get across to him.  Anyway, Jaxon also had tryouts but a bit later and Josh also had pack meeting.  With everything else, I totally forgot about Josie dancing.  I was in Gwood waiting for Josh to get done, when Josie called me asking me what she should wear for her costume.  (She was supposed to dress as a scarecrow and we didn't ever get anything ready).  I asked her what in the world she was talking about.  She reminded me for the millionth time about her dance and still I drew a blank.  Then, it clicked and I said, "That is tonight!"  So, we hurried home and threw something together and called it good.  While I was at her thing, Jared was running Jaxon around and trying to find Jake a H costume, because although the one we ordered was promised to be delivered yesterday, it wasn't, so he didn't have anything to wear.  (big sigh)  When Josie and I got home at 9:00, everyone was awake running around trying to figure out what to be for Halloween (Josh hadn't decided and doesn't want to dress up at all).  Jake hadn't decided and I got the tiniest bit frustrated :).  Anyway, it all worked out and Jake is a vampire today, Jainie is Belle and Josh is a boring old baseball player - with not even any eye black.  He is such a stinker sometimes.  Hopefully everyone is happy.

Jezlyn, ?, Kandice, Josie, Kenzie, Alexis, Addie, & Audrey

Ashton, Audrey, Caitlyn, Josie, & Kandice

Jake walking around the school - luckily the fangs are knocking out his loose front tooth

Jainie walked way too fast to get a picture so I went to get her after class to snap a picture -
punch stained mouth and everything! :)

   I did get to go to the pumpkin patch this year with Jainie.  It is actually the only year I have ever gone.  My mom has gone with every other child but was too busy with Sara's wedding this year so I got to go with Jainie.  We had a great time, went to McDonald's afterward and then to the hospital to get my blood work done, she thought it was great.  She keeps telling everyone how I didn't even cry.  :)  (Good thing I didn't).

     After choosing her perfect pumpkin - except it was dirty, so she wouldn't put that side near her.  I am not sure how we will carve it because it is so small but we'll see.  Maybe we won't get pumpkins carved this year (fingers crossed).  :)

    Josie and Jaxon don't dress up until the appropriate day - Halloween!!!  Why do some people just want to make my life more difficult by making us dress up for weeks before Halloween.  The funny thing is that then teachers and others complain that the kids can't settle down because they have had too much candy.  Well, gee, maybe you shouldn't celebrate every single day leading up to Halloween!!!  Wow, can you tell that is a hot point for me?  I keep telling Jared the world would run much smoother if I could be in charge of everything.  :) Haha - mostly we wouldn't have to do as much because I would forget about it all.  But, wouldn't we be happy?

Education Week - Priorities & Motherhood

So, I have been meaning to do this for awhile now.  I try to attend Ed.Week at BYU each year for at least a day or two because it so fills me up and rejuvenates me.  I absolutely LOVE it!  I always try to mix my favorite speakers with new ones & topics that come naturally to me and topics I wouldn't think I would go to, but give them a try.  A little education in each facet of life.  I have my traditions that I love to do or eat, buildings I want to attend a class in because of memories of past years, etc.  Just thinking about it makes me nostalgic.

Anyway, I thought I would come home and immediately blog about the classes I attended so I could remember and implement the lessons I learned into my life.  I haven't gotten around to it yet, so today is the day.  And, I am simply starting at the top.

I went to a class by Connie Sokol - who is amazing - first.  It was a Monday class, which are block type classes, this one was called Tidy Up Your Life - Part 1: Create a Life Plan and Part 2: Effectively Managing Your Time.  I think I went to both of them, then just combined my notes.  Anyway, I figure I shouldn't just write her whole talk, in case anyone gets to hear it for themselves and it really wouldn't be fair to her.  So, I will mention things she said and most importantly the things I learned from them.

First of all, I learned that I need a life plan.  I need to think of what I want my life to be like now, in a year, in 5 years, in 25 years, etc.  The more we plan what our life will be like, the more we will be able to realize our plans.  So, I decided what my life plan would be for the fall - it was basically getting my house in order.  However, being pregnant makes things a bit trickier and it is taking a lot longer than planned.

When thinking of a life plan there are steps we need to take in organizing it.  First, we need to prioritize.  Sister Beck said, "when our priorities are out of order, we lose power."  I know that is true, when I have my priorities down, then my life seems to flow better.  Sister Beck also said,  "A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do."  Isn't that great?  I know it applies to me, I think of doing things for people all the time and then just never get around to doing them.  I just need to do better at getting the things accomplished that are the MOST important.   Then, we need to think, "What does the Lord want ME to do?"  And, it won't be the same thing He may want my neighbor to do?


Then, we categorize the things we are supposed to do.  There are 3 categories: essential, necessary, and nice to do.  (I can't remember if she got these from Sis. Beck or not).  
     Essential:  it is pretty obvious of what these are - fasting and praying in sincerity, making and keeping covenants, going to sacrament meeting, repenting, and renewing our covenants while there, going to the temple, sharing the gospel, and service to others.
     Necessary:  homemaking skills (this part was funny, she told how even if you don't like doing something, like cleaning, you should probably get a better attitude about it because you will be doing it your whole life :), enjoy meals with your family, smile MORE, have FHE and family fun time, my husband - I need to support him more and be happy with him and who he is (this one is pretty easy), become more self-reliant - don't ask for things I know we can't afford, just be happy with what we have, love one another more fully.
     Nice to do:  crafts, hobbies, recreational reading, movies, travel, lunch with friends - doing these things won't save us.  However, the Lord blesses us with these things to help us (help me to cope and be able to deal with some of the things I don't want to do) 
especially if our priorities are in order.


Now, obviously these are the things that resonated with me, some are obvious but some I think will change depending on our season of life and what we need. We each need to make our own list and probably type it up and keep it next to our beds to remind us of the importance of each one.  I have already forgotten about this, so I am glad I am reviewing it today.


Sister Sokol discussed some ways we could vary the essentials in our life's.  I know there are times in my life where I need to work on some more than others.  So, with prayer, we need to take some real time to talk with our Father, let him know what our worries are, what we are stressed about, but also, what we are so grateful for.  We could have a morning devotional where we pray, then be still and write ideas, feelings, inspiration we receive.  We can change the way we study the scriptures, lots of ways to do this.  We could have a personal prompting journal where we write what comes to us and then act on those promptings.  There are so many things we can do, we just need to DO IT!!!


If you feel like reading a great talk, two talks she referenced are: "Daughters of God" by Elder M. Russell Ballard from 2008 & "And Upon the Handmaids in those Days Will I Pour Out My Spirit" by Sister Julie B. Beck from May 2010.  


So, this is what I am going to work on this week.  I didn't really go into organizing time but this is long enough.  And, since I like pictures in posts - I am going to put one up of one of my highest priorities - my family.  This is when we went a few weeks ago up to a Marionette Show at BYU.  We decided to eat in the food court - yum, yum.  I do love BYU campus though.  Not the greatest picture, it is from Jared's phone.  :)

Yep, usually there is at least one sad face.

Yay! Here we go!

So, I guess it's time to blog about my big news - I am pregnant!  Yay!  I am so excited about it.  In fact, the whole family is.  The kids have all asked me to have another baby numerous times from Jaxon to Jainie.  Some more persistent than others.  I was surprised when Jaxon asked me on the way to school last year, "Mom, I think we need another baby."  He is almost 14.  I think I was so adamant that I wouldn't have another one, that Heavenly Father was thinking, "She is NOT listening, good thing I gave her so many wonderful helpers to nudge her along."  :)  So, yes, each child, in turn has asked when we are having another baby.  And, it has been going on for about 2 years.  So, I guess it is time.

Of course I did try to have a baby earlier.  My miscarriage was last May and it was dreadful, I have never blogged about it and don't plan on it. Not much I want to remember about that.  The main thing I want to remember is that life is precious and so temporary.  Also, that I have new heros - blood donors.  I have always hated giving blood, makes me feel sick for days, but if it makes the difference in someone's life, then I guess I can handle it.  So, I do plan on donating blood in the future.

Anyway, baby #6 is on the way.  We are due in March and super excited about it.  I think it will be a wonderful time of year - plus, right before crazy baseball season starts so I hopefully will get to go out and watch all the kids play ball.  It does seem like a long time away, but I am almost halfway - a couple more weeks.

I would have to say that Jake and Jainie are the most excited right now.  They have told everyone that they see that I will have a baby.  And, Jake knows that we check the computer weekly to find out how big the baby is and what is developing.  And, he can tell you about it.  For example, I am 17 weeks and the baby is about the size of a turnip.  He/she weighs 5 ounces and is about 5 inches long.  And, he/she can move her joints - however, we had an ultrasound at 11 weeks and boy! he/she was moving a lot then.  Legs and arms were kicking and moving like crazy - it was so cute!  Anyway, we are plenty excited about it, let me tell you!  

 To let everyone know that we were expecting again I made this puzzle at Ed. week.  It is not very professional, Jared could have done a much better job if I would have wanted to wait a year or so - but I only had 9 months!  :)  Anyway, the picture above is when we gave it to the kids to figure out.  You can see their puzzlement :).

This is the puzzle - the numbers under the kids stick figure is the age they will be when the baby is born.

 I love Jake's expression - this is really how excited he still is!

This is right after all the kids figured it out - they are really so happy about it - you can't see Josh, obviously, not sure why he was hiding.

And, the beginning of horrible pictures - this is at 16 weeks.  A few weeks after we told the kids about it.  I hid it pretty well for awhile.

So, there you go - this baby will be almost 6 1/2 years after Jainie - that is quite a gap.  Oh well, we do what we can, right?