Clara: Mom! I was so (stumbling a bit over the word) disappointed that I didn't see you after church.  I couldn't find you.

(I can't even handle her cuteness.  How does she know the word disappointed and even use it correctly.  She just turned 3!


This past weekend in St. George we had a lot of Naked Juice for meals.  After hearing the name over and over she said "Mom, why do you call it Naked Juice, why don't you just call it yummy juice.)


Ryan and I literally fell into bed after he got home from meetings from church and couldn't keep our eyes open (after getting in so late from St. George the night before from Robbie's baseball tournament) and the kids watched Ephraims Crossing (about the pioneers) while we were asleep.  They all came in and woke us up when it was over.  The four youngest all ran outside to the trampoline and were jumping as I came into the kitchen to start dinner.  I was a little out of it so I didn't totally appreciate her comment at the time but Aubrie said, "Mom, don't you really love when something makes you feel touched. Like a movie or a book or a talk."  and I said yes I did.  "Well I felt like that after watching that movie and that's why I didn't want to go out on the trampoline with them, I was afraid that the feeling would go away."   Going to bed last night I was like...She is awesome! Way to be so spiritually mature and aware of yourself Aubrie-girl!

After checking out at Costco, the kids and I got a piece of pizza and sat down to share it.  I heard a newborn baby crying (which honestly just makes my whole body want to react when I hear a newborn crying--something about it).  I looked over and it was a mom with 5 kids including a newborn and her oldest was on my soccer team last fall.  She looked pretty calm, but I could tell from the way she was talking to her kids that she was VERY anxious to get out of Costco. She was waiting for a pizza to be made and had two carts (her 10 year old was being such a good helper--Dallin from my soccer team) and I sat there trying to think of someway I could be helpful to her with her not even knowing me. They were so backed up making the pizza and the baby wanted to nurse because the mom had put a nursing cover on and I could tell that all she wanted to do was pick up her newborn and find a quiet place to cuddle her up and nurse her and instead she was trying to corral 4 kids with a baby crying and the pizza was taking forever.  I sat there imagining her thoughts "If I leave without the pizza all the kids are going to put up the biggest fuss.  If I go sit down and nurse her, I will lose the other 4 during those 20 minutes--its going to be worse, and once I have the pizza--its raining outside so how do I make this the best possible scenario and I wish everyone wasn't staring at me because this sweet girl is just starving and there is nothing I can do about it right now".   ANd your heart rate is up and you feel like you're sweating and you want to go back behind the counter of the place and do anything you can to speed it up so you can get out of there.  And I just felt SUCH a kinship with her.  I really did.  As I was sitting there I couldn't think of anything to do so I just said a quick prayer for her in my mind that she'd stay calm and that the pizza would hurry.  And my favorite quote from my favorite talk I've ever read with Elder Holland's voice getting emotional kept going through my head "Don't give up, don't you quit, you keep walking, you keep trying...".   It made me cry right there in the middle of Costco and I'm sure Blake was so confused.  I hurried the kids up and followed her out to help her into her car (finally got up the guts to do something) and the nicest Costco worker ran over to help her load up.  I just stood there waiting in the rain because I wanted to tell her--"You're awesome! It's so hard sometimes, especially with a newborn--I'm only 2 years ahead and I remember so many instances like you just had. keep it up! We are in the best of the best years."  but she quickly got in her car and I missed my chance so I just put her cart away and the same nice man came and helped me load up too.

I thought about it so much driving home.  And even still feel tender about it.  There is so much good that moms do. And so much hard that has to be done.  I am grateful to see so much of that good when it happens around me and reminds me.

Second Annual Sisters/Mom trip to Hollywood

and it was FANTASTIC!!!

Visiting Jordans in Driggs.  After the rough start driving in a blizzard from rexburg and then getting stuck 1/2 mile from their house and having to be saved (thanks Jeff), it was the best time.  Just like always.  Our kids just blend together really well.  It seems rare that our kids play with other kids that I don't worry about their "rough" level.  But not to worry with the JB's.  Robbie, Jack and Bricky are always together.  Aubrie, Beck and Hallie play together.  Bowen and Blake gettin' into mischief.  And Clara and Henny sometimes play, sometimes just go at it solo and sometimes (alot) Clara is mothering Henny. 

We skied at Grand Targhee and Clara actually started to get it thanks to Anna.  I get how to teach them now.  And then Robbie and Jack skied again the next day because it was so fun.  (And learned a good hard lesson about honesty/integrity that is probably not my story to tell on our blog:)) and we got to see Wes in Rexburg, see his apartment and hang out for a few hours on our way up there.  It is always hard to leave their house. 

 

Friday cooking day--hummus this day! The boy on the left is Manny and he's one of Robbie's good friends. 

Blake's date with dad--Running a mile and watching a movie together 

Becky jo sent me this picture when she picked these four up from the movies--they went to see Star Wars together.  I feel grateful every day for these kids.  Aubrie found such a great group and they are so good.  I am glad for the way that they stick together and how they treat each other.  Middle school is SO much better for her than I remember it being. 

Finally finishing up our bathroom.  Ryan took the plumbing apart and took off the old counter, I took off the doors and sanded and painted the cupboard part of is and put on new hardware and bought baskets and carpet liners and hung a white shelf over the toilet.  I bought and cut the wood for the the drawer organizers and Ryan glued them together.  Then he and Bart used Glen and Connie's old fence posts and cut them for a frame for the mirror (my favorite part of the bathroom).  Mark installed our faucet to top it all off.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE it!  Worth the wait. 

Twinning sistas is winning

Aubrie wouldn't put her book away during dinner and it turned into a wrestling session. 

Valentines morning.  It's really all we do for that holiday and it reminds me SO much of home. Mom always had the red cups with treats inside and a yummy breakfast. 

He hasn't seen the sun in so many months. And the beanie was crocheted by Hallie at school.  

For about 3 weeks which is pretty much what Clara spent all her time doing.  She would get a tray out and do it over and over and over.  She got the puzzle for valentines day and I went down to do laundry, she got the scissors out, and 45 minutes later she had finished it.  I was SHOCKED.  I was so proud of her for sticking to it until she got it.  I love that!

We went on a long walk/adventure after I did Zumba at Holladay Lions.  I love all the trails etc behind their facilities. 

First baseball tourney of the season.  St. George was amazing weather.  They played alright.  I sure have come to love the boys on this team after most of them playing together for 3 years. We stayed at Crosbys for the night which is always so nice and so fun to catch up with them.  We watched Moana with them after showering and settling in.

We went to go ride go karts on our way out of St. G for Blake's birthday. 

We took Clara's crib out and made a princess bed and  decorated her room for her birthday.  It was such a fun surprise.  Ryan got some good video of it.

CARA IS HOME!!!  I wish sooooo badly we could've been there in Dallas when she got home.  Here are a few pictures!