What is Orange?

I love this little poem that Nathan wrote.

Scout Temple Tour

 We had an amazing opportunity to get to experience a Denver Temple Tour with Kendall's scout troop.

Our tour guide was such a sweet lady and told us some really interesting facts about the temple and the grounds.

 The blue spruce evergreen tree in the background on the left was one of two trees that were President Hinkleys.  He loved those trees and donated them to be on the temple grounds.

 This braided pattern is on the outside walls of the temple in many places.  It symbolizes that we learn line upon line and precept upon precept.  It is a constant process.  Here a little and there a little.

This Angel Moroni was replaced in 2006 because of lightening damage.  It is 10 feet tall and made of plaster.  It can actually float and has the equivalent to 1700 post-it-note sized gold leafing papers on the outside of it.  It weighs 85 pounds.

Inside the "Erected" box is a time capsule.  President Hinkley, Faust, and Monson were at the dedication and placed the temple architect plans, scriptures, and news paper clippings among other things in the box before closing it up.

I had a really sweet experience with Nathan while Kendall was listening to the tour guide.  I was able to show him where Justin proposed to me in the back on the brides benches and the walls where he would be soon doing baptisms for the dead on the other side.  We were able to quietly talk about some really important things and he asked me lots of great questions.  

He told me that he can't wait to go inside and was so excited for that day to come.  

We hung around the back of the group and even took a temple selfie, haha!

A Granny Shirt...

I do not possess many things of value.  In fact, my most valuable possessions I could count on one hand.

My Granny shirt though, happens to be one of the things I count as being priceless and takes up one those fingers on my hand.

It is stripped and beautiful and even has a little stain on it and hangs in my closet where I can see it everyday.

It is a big deal because I can remember her wearing this and I know many things she did in this shirt.

I smell it often and it invokes deep feelings of her and I cry because I miss her.  As time goes by the smell is fading but the memories are fresh and what that shirt represents is so much more.

When I received the shirt for Christmas, my mom included Granny's Motto with it.  It is from Corinthians...

"And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Wherefore my beloved brethren, if ye not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth.  Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail- But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found posessed of it the last day, it shall be well with him.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father, with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when He shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."

This scripture is Granny.

There a lots of days that I feel like I need her and I know she is super busy but I like to think of her as if she is right there sitting on my bed hugging my face like she used to, patting my cheek and letting me suck up and absorb some of her strength.

When Granny died, My Aunt Diane had all the grandkids sing at her funeral.  The song was, I'm Trying to be Like Jesus.  Aunt Diane had us insert Granny's name in place of Jesus so it went like this:

I'm trying to be like Granny;

I'm following in her ways.

I'm trying to love as she did, in all that I do and say.

At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,

But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,

"Love one another as Granny loves you.

Try to show kindness in all that you do.

Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,

For these are the things Granny taught."

 I'm trying to love my neighbor;

I'm learning to serve my friends.

I watch for the day of gladness when Jesus will come again.

I try to remember the lessons she taught.

Then the Holy Spirit enters into my thoughts, saying:

"Love one another as Granny loves you.

Try to show kindness in all that you do.

Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,

For these are the things Granny taught."

This song is Granny.

 It has now become a favorite song of ours and we sing the "Granny version" often for family home evening.

Now, every time I get dressed I try to be like Granny and by the end of each day when I know I fell short, I know there is always a fresh tomorrow to try and be like her and that gives me a bit of hope.

Halloween Preperation

One day in October, the boys came home from school and met GUS!  Our new monster that made his debut on our freshly painted black door.  We ended up getting really attached to this little guy and he really helped put us into the Halloween spirit.

My very favorite decoration for this moth was this really tough, little spider man guy that seemed to appear out of nowhere in every corner of our house! Boy, could he climb up walls!

An Epic General Conference

Why was it EPIC?

We got 3 new Apostles!















We are so sad and will miss Elder Perry, Elder Packer, and Elder Scott but there is no denying that these three men are called of God and are to be the new apostles.

They had them bear their testimonies and it was so powerful.

The feeling came right through the TV screen and flooded our living room.

 I loved taking notes this year.  Our family did something a little different.  About a month before conference we all wrote down various questions that we had and prayed that we would be able to get specific answers to our questions.

It is so amazing to see how Heavenly Father works because we each got our questions answered one by one.  Even Kendall.  He wanted to know how to be a better person and to be able to help others.  His answer came in the "Ponderize" talk.  He said he knew that if he picked a scripture each week that would help him and he felt like that was his answer.

Saturday, when the boys had the priesthood session, Mom and I went shopping.  We ended up at Charming Charlies, TJ Maxx Home, and Deseret book getting lots of fun things for being one of the first 100 people.

We spent some of the Sunday session at Mammy and Papa's and drank Brazilian limeades while watching the second session and ate dinner together after.

What an amazing talk the Elder Holland gave on Mothers.  I just love him and have such a special place in my heart for him.

I'm so grateful for a prophet that is on the earth right now!  I'm so grateful for absolute direction and for all the men that lead us.  I'm so grateful for the peace that comes while listening to their talks.  I love that we get this experience not once, but TWICE a year.  I really need it each time General Conference rolls around.

The Mom Clinic

Nathan: Hey mom, I feel like a really rich kid.
Me: You do? How Come?
Nathan: Because you take such good care of me.
Nathan and Me: Laugh, giggle, laugh...

This week Nathan has missed a lot of school due to fevers, aches, and the croup so we set up a bed on the couch and another one so I could hang out right by him.

We watched a few shows, took naps, drank ginger ale, ate chicken noodle soup, rubbed his feet and neck with On Guard, kept the humidifier filled up, stayed on top of the Motrin, and said lots of prayers so he would get better.

It makes me feel bad that he is sick but I loved taking care of him and all the one-on-one time we had.

A Very FUN Week!

Doug and Sara brought the family for Kendall's baptism and got to stay the week!  My boys have been counting down the days until this great event.  They love to look forward to things and cousins are on the tippy top of their list.

Mammy put on a fancy dinner with lots of things out of her garden.  When she was serving the kids, she bumped her toe on the bottom of the couch and broke it.  It was dangling off to the side and looked so painful but of course, she just went on with the dinner laughing.

The kids were able to go to a few parks and we let the boys miss school to go to Airplane park.  It was surreal being the only ones there but we took advantage and the kids run up and down the green grassy banks.

Papa was holding Charly for a minute and the next thing we know... she got a bit squirmy and he dropped her . She kinda rolled with a little confused grin.  It was a great reminder to have him only watch the older kids if there ever comes a time- haha!

We were able to have a HUGE family dinner up at Garret and Stacey's.  We caught up with Tiger and Ali and kids, had s'mores in the fire pit, and watched the eclipse.

We managed to squeeze in a yummy breakfast and some shopping too. The boys had a sleepover at Mammy's and the dad's went to a late movie.

It's always fun to make memories and watch all these sweet kids get older.

Getting Pinned

I know the scouting program was inspired.  

I love how much the leaders put into the program and I love how the mom's go behind them and "clean up" all the loose requirements.

Mom's can't do this alone and it makes us appreciate amazing and willing leaders that much more.

Nathan got two badges at once and was able to pin me twice and Kendall had just finished his first badge, the bobcat.

(I am 7 months pregnant in this picture and my face is quite "swollen" with baby number 3!!)

I Loved Today...

Today was just a normal day.... but I loved it!

I got to wake up and make pancakes for my hungry boys.  We said family prayer and then we were out the door to do carpool and head to school.

I came back home and listened to two conference talks, planned out our weekly dinner menu, printed recipes, and constructed a grocery list, took a shower, talked on the phone with a dear friend I haven't talked to in a while, and talked to another friend in my entryway.

I headed off to King Soopers and realized I was starving with a side of "the shakes".  I grabbed some "cooked" California rolls and ate them in the Cafe in the front of the store while talking to my mom on the phone for the third time that morning.

I finished up my grocery shopping and noticed that all the ingredients for homemade chocolate caramel apples ended up in my cart. Wink-wink...

When I came home I put the grocery's away, switched out the laundry, cleaned two bathrooms, straightened up the house, ironed Justin's work shirt while watching an episode of Fixer Upper, drank a bottle of liquid gold {aka} chocolate milk, sent Justin a few texts, folded more laundry, and checked a few emails.

I ran back up to the school and left a little early so the kids would not have to wait in the rain.  I was third in the carpool line.

 As soon as the kids were in the car my ears were full of the BEST sound. Their little voices telling me all about their day.

I ran Nathan to piano, dropped off his buddy in our carpool, went back to pick up  Nathan from his lesson and played a million tic-tac-toe games with Kendall while we waited.

We got home and Nathan started on his homework while Kendall practiced his piano.  When Kendall was done, we listened to Christmas music and I made shrimp tacos with Kendall for dinner and a batch of banana cookies for Scout pack meeting.

This happened to be my favorite part of the day.  We sang with the Christmas music and enjoyed how the smell of the cookies made us feel so cozy.  Justin got home a little late but we had just enough time to finish up dinner and clean up.

Pack meeting was a blast.  Kendall earned his bobcat and I got "pinned".  Nathan earned some awards as well.  After the awards the boys got to go on a wild boar hunt.  Amazing!  The boars were cut out of wood and painted then placed on  wheels while the leaders reeled them across the gym floor with fishing poles.  The boys got to take turns throwing foam javelins at them.  Boy, was it serious to knock down those boars! Quite the competition.

Justin left the pack meeting to go to an elders quorum meeting. I stayed and got to talk to several sweet friends from my old ward.

When we left it was pouring rain. We stayed in the dark parking lot and I talked to another friend in the rain and the boys played till they were soaked.

Back home for showers, prayers, and tuck-ins.

Justin got home really late and I was off to bed exhausted.  On my pillow were two sweet letters from Nathan and Kendall.  My heart was full as I reflected on the day.

Today was good.  What made it so good was that I knew Heavenly Father was right there with me, helping me.  A while ago I could not do the simplest of tasks and now my days are full.  Some better than others and I still struggle most days but I will take folding laundry and grocery shopping and helping the kids over being stuck in my body in bed or on the couch with constant tears.

"Be patient in afflictions, for thou shalt have many; but endure them, for, lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days." D&C 24:8

I am learning.

And I am thankful for what I am learning.

And as hard as it has been,

I would do it again.

Strong as a Rock!

We are so lucky to be included in Aunt Pam's Strong as a Rock Family Home Evenings.  Each one is so thought out, planned, and prepared with the spirit.

We were able to go to the temple and sit on the lawn facing while watching a stunning sunset in the background.

Tanna talked all about family history and lit a fire under us to get the ball rolling on the other side.

Then we took a walk and had a some more stories on the brides benches in the back.  The kids were all able to go touch the walls of the temple and make a promise to all be inside someday.

 I love this family and am grateful for temples so that we are bound eternally.