I Believe. . .

I believe that God revealed that marriage is a union between a man and woman.  I always will.


I believe that I have the right to hold and express my own beliefs and opinions.  I always will.


I believe that you have the right to hold and express your own beliefs and opinions, though they are different than mine.  I always will.


I believe that people of differing beliefs and opinions can have honest, open communication without anger and malice.  I always will.


I believe that God loves all of His children, despite their differences in beliefs, choices, religions, opinions, and lifestyles.  I always will.


I believe that God asks us to follow certain laws and commandments because He loves us, and in doing so, we gain greater freedom.  I always will.


I believe that I can and should show respect and love to those who differ from me in any or all things.  I always will.


I believe that "all mankind may be saved" through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  I always will.


I believe in the country that I live in.  I always will.

Valentine's Day 2013 and Meeting the Candy Bomber

Our annual Valentine's Dinner was a success.  As a surprise for Zach, we heart attacked his side of the table:

 We dressed up in our fancy duds (which means Lucy and I wear a skirt and the boys throw on whatever button up shirt is closest.  Which means everyone looks a little fruity, but whatevs.

 I guess I didn't realize just how long it's been since I made homemade lasagna, because the kids were going on about it like it was the best thing ever.  Which made me happy.

 After dinner clean-up, we had a little dance and then the kids opened up their V-day gift--The Princess Bride.  They had school off the next day, so we stayed up late watching it and had a fun, fun family night.  Loved it.

 Just a few evenings later, the kids and I went to their school for a presentation by Gail Halvorsen, the infamous Candy Bomber of the Berlin Airlift days.  He has a ranch down in Spanish Fork, and a grandson that works at the kids' school, and we had a blast learning more about him.  The man is 92 and still flying airplanes. 

 After the presentation, we got to meet him.  Awesome!

 Isaac, Kye, Lucy, Colonel Halverson, Sarah:

It was a pretty awesome evening.  Yet another reason I love the kids' school.

February 2013 Top Ten

10) Me: Go, Adam, go!  As fast as a speeding bullet!

Adam: (meandering away) I’m going to go as slow as a walking cow.

Me: Um, I have no reply for that.

I wish this was atypical of my attempts to get Adam to move a little quicker through routines and chores.  It’s not.

9) Lost: one wedding ring with 3 diamonds and 2 rubies (lost about 6 months ago).

Found: 11 crayons, 2 Beyblades, 15 LEGOs, and countless coins (down the heating vent).  Also, 1 small screwdriver (in the vacuum hose).

8) Adam: How old will I be when I’m an uncle?  Will I be 16?  6?  7?

Me: Definitely no on the 6 or 7.  Maybe on the 16.

Adam: Argh!  I want to be young!

Me: Adam, 16 is still young.  You will be a young uncle.

Adam: A young uncle?  Will that make me a yuncle?

7) Lucy (while trying to list all my siblings in order as fast as she could): Matt, Micah, Becca, Sarah, Katie, Camille, Uncle Shark-Bait Ooh,Ah,Ah, Seth, and David.

(Long story short, when the kids saw Jacob’s massive shark-bite-looking scar on his leg, he told them they could call him Uncle Shark-Bait [ala Finding Nemo].  I guess the name stuck.)

6) Wherein Eli learns to communicate: Eli’s learning new words every day.  He gets a little frustrated when he can’t get his point across, though.  One night, he started shrieking because Zach couldn’t understand what he wanted.  He finally dragged Zach over to the kitchen counter, pointed to the IPOD speaker and started dancing around the kitchen.  Zach: Eli, do you want to listen to music and dance?  Eli: Yes!

5)Adam (after jumping off the counter and hurting his leg in the process): Ugh!  Bad idea, me.”

4) Wherein Lucy gets frightened by the toaster: once upon a time we had hot chocolate and toast for afternoon snack.  Lucy got a little tired of waiting for the toast, so she went to check the toasting status.  Not done.  Disappointed, she turned just as the toast popped up.  Lucy jumped a foot in the air.  With a cup of hot chocolate in her hand.  Awesome. 

3) The sad demise of Nate, Kye’s beloved balloon.  This balloon had to have been at least 3 months old.  He had marker face and hair, and has been the star of many Monkey in the Middle and indoor volleyball games.  Alas, his wee shrunken little head let us know it was time to let him go.  So we pinned him.  He went out with a bang.  Well, more of a slow hiss, really.

2)Me: Adam, what does w-h-i-t-e spell?

Adam: White!

Me: G-r-e-e-n?

Adam: Green!

M: R-e-d?  P-i-n-k?  B-l-a-c-k-?   B-r-o-w-n?  

Adam: Red!  Pink!  Black!  Brown!

Me: Great!  What does p-u-r-p-l-e spell?

Adam: Hey!  We haven’t learned purple yet!

1)The end of an era:  after lots and lots of thought and meditation, I went through the baby boy clothes and passed them all on to a sister’s sister-in-law.  It was heart-wrenching and painful.  Just kidding.  I ripped through those suckers like they were going out of style.  All baby boy items are now gone from the house (except a few handmade blankets that we’ll keep).  I feeeeeeeeeeel good! 

p.s. However, I still have 4 buckets of baby girl clothes in the storage room.  Shhhh.  Don’t tell Zach.