Where Has the Time Gone?

I'm facing turning 35 this week. I think that's a sufficient excuse for not having blogged for the past four months. It's either that or those six "other" little reasons running around under my feet asking for cereal and peanut butter sandwiches and diaper changes and baths and trips to McDonald's and new shoes and tadpoles (WHAT???) and the like that have kept me from this site.

Not that I haven't been on my computer. No. I've got 100% record on 69 games of FreeCell right now. THAT'S something to be proud of. (Really, if John dies early, and I need a new husband, that's going on the dating resume).

So, while the rest of the world accomplishes goals, runs marathons, makes science fair projects with their kids, I'm jumping back into the blogging world. Here we go. Jump.

The past four months. Do I recap? There is TOO MUCH! Let's sum up in a list (Thanks for the "boost" idea Steph!)

CHRISTMAS. I don't think a whole lot needs to be said, here. I managed to stay within my Christmas budget this year, and still surprised my kids with a Wii. I remember the first time I sat down to play the new game "Super Smash Brothers Brawl" with my kids, Ashley, Andrew, and Matthew. I was pumped, because with the Playstation, they CREAMED me at every game, because Uncle Christian had a playstation long before we did, and I could never beat my kids at ANYTHING. The Wii, however, is new to all of us. Within 3 or so minutes, all of my 5 lives had been lost. To Matthew (my 5-year old.) Huh? Are my remote batteries charged? This button IS the jump button, right? Come to find out, Super Smash Brothers Brawl is a newer version of a game Uncle Christian had on his game cube. BUMMER. At least I can still beat them at bowling (the REAL version without bumpers.)


BIRTHDAY. Natalie turned eight years old. She gets more excited about holidays and special days than any of my other kids. Being Christmas vacation, we got to spend the day together with cousins having all kinds of fun. I splurged and bought her a really nice baby doll to play with. She carried it around with her every day, changing clothes each morning and night. It was interesting to watch her do that, because she had never really played with dolls before.

BIRTHDAY. Bethany turns 2!!! My baby is 2!!! Time has flown. I can't believe what a little angel this girl is. She is really so sweet. She hardly ever gets upset, and when she is, can usually be calmed down quickly. I guess Heavenly Father knew with 5 older siblings we needed a little "calm" to our storm around here!

BAPTISM. Natalie got baptized. I love this girl. She honestly exudes joy and light and happiness everywhere she goes. She flits around the church hugging all of the neighbors (gathering fruit snacks in the process....it's all coming clear to me now...) but everyone LOVES her. I get at least one person every week telling me how much they love her. And it's obvious why. She loves everyone. She was baptized by John the first Saturday in January. I found a little "necklace pack" at Walmart that I gave her for Christmas. It's one chain with 5 charms you change out. One was a locket. Forget the other 4 charms. It's her favorite. She calls it her baptism necklace, because I put a picture of her, me, and John on her baptism day inside. Love her!

BIRTHDAY PARTY: I've never been one to do "friend" birthday parties, so I told my children they get one when they turn 8, 12, and 16. Natalie wanted to do her party at the Lion House. They put on such a beautiful and classy party, and play pioneer games and tour the Lion House. They pull taffy and eat special ribbon sandwiches that they even served when I turned eight! At the end, they surprise the birthday child with a beautiful porcelain doll to take home. Such a great party!


BABY MADISON IS BORN: After a long and sometimes scary pregnancy, including MONTHS of bedrest (some even in the hospital), Baby Madison finally was born on January 12. She is absolutely ADORABLE just like her sisters. This makes girl #3 for their family, and Amy and Marshall couldn't be happier, and neither could we! Love her so much!

BRACES: Ashley got her braces. She was so excited. I remember as a child wanting braces so I took a paperclip and bent it along my teeth so it appeared like I had a retainer. Ashley got the real deal (*lucky*).


AND ALL OF THAT SQUISHED INTO TWO WEEKS PRIOR TO OUR AMAZING TRIP OF A LIFETIME TO ISRAEL.

TRIP PREPARATIONS. When most people plan to leave the country, they get lots of time to prepare and get things in order. With Christmas, birthdays, braces, parties, and the like, I had no time to think about our vacation. About 12 hours before we left, I threw some clothes into a suitcase and called it good. I had tried in the previous months to "read up", but my "study" was minimal. After putting children to bed and doing scripture study, there wasn't much time to do more than just fall into bed each night.

We were at a bit of a loss as to what to do with our children. When someone offers you a trip to Jerusalem, you say "yes" first, and worry about the details later. We originally had my older sister, Jennifer, tending our children, but figured that with she being pregnant and working, it was too much for her to handle, especially on the nights she was working and her poor husband would have to worry about "crazy" time (bedtime/scriptures/bath/prayer at our house) all by himself with our 6 kids and three of his own. She was almost DESPERATELY wanting to help us, but we just felt like it wasn't fair to her husband. She's too kind anyway. She does SO much for EVERYONE around her.

So, "cue the second angel." Tiffany called me one day and said, "don't say "no" until you hear me out." She then laid out a ridiculously organized and well-thought-out plan as to how she would care for my SIX children in addition to her FIVE. CRAZY. I've thought about this many times since it all happened. There are special places in heaven reserved for people like her, but I think most of them will be wearing straight jackets.

The plan: borrow a 12-passenger van from a neighbor (who charged SO MUCH LESS than a rental agency), and get ALL 11 kids in the van by 7:50 in the morning, including the ironed, pressed, and combed 7 school-aged kids (all having been fed, of course). Drop her own children off at their school in SANDY, then drive 30 minutes to SUGARHOUSE where my kids go to school. (You see where the straight Jacket imagery comes into play, here.)

She had the bedrooms all set up, chore charts, menus, snacks, and even a piano practicing schedule. AMAZING. She figured out the meal budget, and dotted every "i", and crossed every "t." (Even with just 6 kids, I don't know how she did it all.)

The trip itself is its own blog post. But I wanted to mention that if she wasn't busy enough with her 11 children, she STILL found time to set up a blog: "From Utah to Israel With Love" where she posted pictures and kept us updated so that we could check on the kids while we were gone. Unbelievable.

Meanwhile, she and my other sister, Jennifer, still managed to take care of our cat who was still living at home, and Jenn even "rotated" which lights she left on every night so that it would look like we were there. My sisters are honestly too good. How can you plan a family like that? Boy, did I SCORE!

(Watch for an upcoming post about Israel. No promises as to when....just a promise that it will happen.)



RESUME PAST 4-MONTH UNBLOGGING RECAP:

CALLING: I get to work in the Relief Society Presidency with some of the most amazing women I know. LOVE LOVE LOVE them. My job is to work out "Sundays." I think that my title is officially the "education counselor." The task is simple enough. I organize who teaches what, and when. We have two regular teachers, then have a "floating" spot that we ask sisters in the Relief Society to fill for a one-time teaching day. I LOVE this idea. It gives those who don't otherwise have a teaching calling currently to share what's in their hearts for a lesson. So great. In addition, we had a goal to visit all of the sisters. WOW. We do lots of visiting and have had some very important talks with sisters that I otherwise might not have gotten to know very well. My current job is to take everyone's pictures (just a headshot) and make a book of their faces. We have so many new move-ins, that we thought it helpful if we all had a picture reference for us to learn each other's names better!

BIRTHDAY: Timothy turned 4!!! He is such a smart little whip! He loves puzzles and loves making his own cereal and peanut butter sandwiches. He had an interview for pre-school (for the upcoming fall) and it seemed a little strange to see this teacher take him by the hand and lead him away down the hall. He just seemed so LITTLE. He is a tiny little thing (I think Bethany outweighs him by a pound). I'm going to miss him so much in the fall, even if it is just 3 1/2 hrs. a day!

VALENTINE'S DAY: John agreed that WE would speak at a Valentine's dinner in Tooele for our Friday Valentine's day. Yep. But actually, I like speaking with John, and we had a chocolate fountain AND cheesecake, and a GREAT group of the most generous and kind people to share our evening with. What more could a girl want? And top it all off, I got a round trip long drive in the car alone with my husband. (That doesn't happen very often.) Perfect!

BIRTHDAY: Andrew turns 10!!! This brilliant little guy is so great! He loves to make his own board games and is tutoring Matthew at all of the ins and outs of BYU football. He is so helpful and kind (when he wants to be!) and such a delight in our family. He is a great big brother! How did I get such cool kids?

NEW BEGINNINGS: Ashley turns 12 this year. She is definitely mature, but so child-like and innocent in so many ways. It's strange how I seem to date my life according to how old my children are. Am I ready to parent a Young Woman? Do I remember all of the "issues?" Wow.

DESERET BOOK AUTHOR DINNER: Every year Deseret Book hosts a nice dinner for those authors and artists that have published with them in the previous year. It is one of my favorite nights of the year. Elder Scott, Elder Ballard, and presiden Eyring attended this year, along with the "who's who" among LDS authors and artists. It's not your typical church meeting. They play a silly movie (John played "Robin"...as in "Batman and Robin") starring Superman, Mr. Incredible, and other notables. So funny. Elder Scott and President Eyring also spoke. What an amazing group to be with. John had a very tender personal exchange with President Eyring and Elder Ballard. What an amazing night!

And now, it's March. I'm going to be consistent. No more eternal "recaps." Hope you enjoyed the read, both of you readers out there. Thanks for the support!