Something Important to Remember....

"be kinder than necessary...for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

 -T.H. Thompson

 What an important thing to keep in mind.  I believe that if we knew everyone's story there wouldn't be anyone we didn't like or have compassion for.    

Just finished a great book that I must recommend.  This book made me think deeply ...about the atonement and how Jesus can save and lift us all...and how much all of us need Him.  During the past two years I have been struggling with an issue ...so much...not in my family relationships....another issue, that has been troubling me more than almost anything I have faced.  I found a lot of answers and peace here...  it can help with just about any issue anyone is facing.    

Masterpiece Theater....My Sunday Night Indulgence

Ahhhh Jane Austen and her stories.  I especially love Emma.  It makes me laugh and also soothes my  poor boy-worn soul...   

    

  So...I get away for awhile, 

 I sit on my beautiful 4 poster cherry wood bed 

on my pretty comforter 

next to my pretty fireplace

 (yes my bedroom is my girl retreat in this houseful of boys) and I have enjoyed "Emma."  And any other movie like this.  It is a needed break indeed from the 

 daily onslaught of wrestling matches and chasing games, 

 legos, precious legos scattered everywhere,

 "wars" with all types of plastic weapons, whizzing nerf dart wars until someone cries, 

choo choo trains scattered everywhere, scary action figures of all types

matchbox cars

pushups, pullups and situps,

basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, and other balls ..oh my!

toilet seats with "sprinkles" (yes we talk about this atleast once a month)

smelly boy shoes and dirty socks

cub scout and  boy scout books,

pocket knives, compasses, mess kits, and all types of camping gear

holes and dents in the walls, various broken things

 growling dinosaurs, 

Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Dinosaur and Train movies, 

Pants with holey knees, shoes caked with mud, 

sand and dirt in the bathroom sink, on the faucet and light switch

pencils, papers, markers, pens, moon sand, and clay

ipods, cell phones, hoodies, Aeropostle and American Eagle shirts

Text books, piles of papers, notebooks

pants that seem to be too short over night! 

Cracking voices, longer legs, bigger muscles, 

Computer games, and Wii 

Mythbusters,  and other boy shows I don't even want to look at, 

and More! 

So, once in a long while I get away....I get to enjoy this rare opportunity...and just fall into girlness, fully and completely for a moment...

I am talking about BALANCE here. 

 Then I can bring it all back ...all the boy passion, boy fun and energy.  And I love that too......

But, how nice to just be completely GIRL for moment or two.....!

A Snapshot of Scotty's Days

Sometimes when I look at my older boys I wish I could remember more of the details of our days together when they were little littles.  It is the ordinary things, the meals I made them for lunch, the toys we played with together, the little activities we participated in, the endless outfits that were changed into and out of all day; you know the ordinary day to day things that sort of get lost...  One day I decided to take pictures of what Scott did with some of his time and here it is...

Trains, Trains and more trains.  Scott can't get enough.  He is the lucky recipient of at least 4 sets of trains.  

Next he moved upstairs to our "library" area and played with the Playmobile castle and knight set.  Lots of fun.  My favorite thing about this age are those cute little hands and fingers and those soft little bent knees and elbows.... so cute...I could just nibble on them.

 

"Mom, horsey needs to eat..."

This was probably taken the next day.... Oh the age of toys!  Yes, it is chaos at times.  But, I can see as my older boys grow, the years go by and the toys will be left almost forgotten gathering dust in boxes in corners...  Those days will come all too fast.  So for now, we just have fun enjoying these ordinary and wonderful days.

Goodbye Megan ...and Thanks so much!!

Scott has had a teeny tiny speech delay.  Megan has helped him and helped us help him get caught up.  She is the most amazing speech pathologist..has such a gift in working with little kids.  We have loved working with her and has had such a positive impact on Scott.  She has been coming to our house a couple of times each month since August.  We have loved working with her and will miss her.  She is one of those angels on earth going about doing good......

Weekend Getaway!

We took a much needed break from the world in this peaceful place... 

We are so blessed to have a family cabin in Island Park Idaho on Bills' Island where we can gather with family and Mom and Dad (Grandma and Grandpa)  Our boys absolutely love hanging out with their cousins in this fun spot!   

Jacob and Alyssa playing in the snow.....

Darling Michael.....

The boys got busy digging an amazing network of snow caves.  This kept them busy for most of one day...and they had a ball!

Hellooo...in there....  

Dig it up!  

Scott and I got away for a little walk among the snow covered pine trees and sparkley white snow.  Scott loved it and kept walking and walking..we went on quite a long walk .  I love his sense of adventure!  

I just love how the shadows fall across the sparkley white snow...It makes me want to get out a paintbrush and paint!   

We had fun looking at animal tracks in the snow, birds flitting around in the snow covered trees and just breathing that crystal clean crisp mountain air!  Is that one cute little boy or what?!

Uncle Ron and all of the kids built an igloo!!  Pretty cool huh!  All of the little kids wanted to sleep out in this igloo.  The parents said no....and the kiddos were very disappointed... -18 degrees just might be a little cold to sleep out in...don't you think?  Not to mention hungry wolves and other smallish  predators that prowl around at night...looking for small children to eat (remember I looked for animal tracks in the snow)    

The big boys did sleep out in their snow caves, well, at least for several hours until the cold forced them inside the cozy cabin.  

A wonderful, relaxing Sunday afternoon with some of our most favorite people....  We are making valentine's here for each other...

Julia and Michael working on their valentine's

Hey , Mom look!

Craig, Tyler and Joseph...

Good food..good conversation...good fun

Danae, Michelle, Hannah, Evan and his bride to be Tanya drove up from Rexburg and joined us on Sunday evening.  So fun!

Evan and Tonya reading letters they had written to each other while they were both serving missions.  Evan was in Portugal and Tonya in France.  They spent this Valentine's Day evening organizing their letters into an album in  chronological order.   Cute....only about two more months to go and these two people become a family....  ahhh joy!

The kids had a wonderful time coloring, drawing and writing "books."   Here is Alyssa showing Grandma her book about the four seasons.  

Lazy Sunday afternoon...cuddled up on the couch by the fire, reading and books and discussing them.  

We did a lot of this....and boy did it ever feel good... I love these people..

We love the opportunity to spend time with these great people....my dear Mom and Dad.   

Sundays are special at Island Park.  We always pause to attend church along with a couple thousand others who are visiting the area.  We are always amazed at the large number of "believers" who also show up with their large fun families who are keeping the Sabbath day holy.  

These boys are enjoying church together...sort of having their own meeting within the meeting. Notice the folded reverent hands...ha ha!  

What a fun group!!  We love you VanWagenens and Mom and Dad.  

I must mention that part of the trip was spent in Rexburg looking at housing for Craig and Eric who will be roommates at BYU Idaho this Fall.  Diana and I also spent a lot of time talking about all that we need to do to get those boys ready to go... oh my!  Wow..we just can't believe this time is here and now... We mused at how it was just a second ago we talked about the possibility that at some far distant time Craig and Eric might room together at college and it is here...where did the time go?????