A typical Saturday

Today I woke up to silence.... Okay, that part really isn't typical, but Jeff's adventures with the kids just happened to start rather early this morning and he let me sleep through the first part. (Thank you Honey, you are the most amazing husband ever!) He had taken ALL the kiddos to the Nature Center at about 8 this morning. There they walked the trails and dug through the sand for dino bones. (did I mention that he took the stroller walked there?) From there they walked to Zilker Park and played there until about 11:30 when I met up with them and brought snacks. From there we drove to the YMCA and parked the van. We walked to How Do You Roll and ate lunch. THEN we walked to the Children's Museum on 2nd Street and played there for a couple hours. By that time all of us were getting pretty tired so we headed back to the van. All in all, I think that Paul probably walked about 5 miles. He did get into the stroller for the last 200 meters or so, but really he basically walked it all. Daven did about 2 1/2 miles and Ruthie about 1. This is a typical day when Dad's in charge of the activities... I think he's SuperDad!

What's new

So... It's been about two years since I've posted anything on here. Very Very Sad... But, here's where we are in life right now. Ruthie is 2 and a very opinionated female redhead. Daven is now a wonderful sweet 4 year old has been getting into trouble at school for kissing 6th graders. Paul has just turned 7, lost his 2 front teeth and has expressed his frustration that everyone at school knows his name but he can't possibly remember everyone else's. (You can see what kind of trouble will be headed my way as these three get older... LOOKOUT!) There is now a new little one who, according to tradition, will not be going by the name on her birth certificate. Eleanor Elizabeth was born on August 5th, and we are calling her Lillie. She is the happiest, most contented baby we have had yet.

And Life is (still) Good.

Sweet is the peace

I am so grateful for the gospel in my life. I am grateful for the perspective that it gives us. The time here on the earth is so fast, so fleeting. I have been so overwhelmed with projects and assignments that will be done in a matter of weeks, and it will all be over. I need to enjoy every day and minute that I have here - so why should I let anything drag me down? I am happy today, filled with the sweet peace that is found when I realign my priorities to what really matters. What a beautiful day!

My Adventures... Revisited

Paul's Birthday (We also had a party for him later, but I'll have to get those pictures on another time.)

Paul got to take a friend to the football game!

It was pretty sunny and hot.

Isn't she just adorable??

So this morning I set out thinking that I had the day pretty well planned. I was getting ready in a timely fashion, the kids were dressed and eating breakfast, I had even had a chance to read my scriptures. When all of the the sudden (Oh NO) I realize I have a quiz this morning that I had completely forgotten about!! I quickly look up all of the songs - which I am supposed to have committed to memory by now, and ruch to listen to them and try to pick out their defining qualities. We all run to the car, because now I'm 15 minutes behind schedule, and at every stop light I manage to get one more song, composer and date memorized. I run Paul into school and then it's back to the apartments to drop of Daven and Ruthie. I have to quickly feed the baby, while I'm furiously trying review the crammed info from the drive there and back. Once the kids are settled at my wonderful and amazing friend's house - whom I dearly love and don't know how I would survive without her! - I rush away again to get myself to campus before class starts. Of course there is the usual traffic on the way there, but then there is this guy in the parking garage who takes FOREVER!! I'm so close - SO CLOSE and yet so far. I know we won't find a spot until we get to the 4th or 5th floor, but somehow he thinks that just around that next corner is going to be his lucky spot, and he doesn't want to be going to fast to miss it! I find a spot on the 4th floor of the garage and I sprint in to my class and somehow I make it on time. I take the quiz, after class I take a midterm, the it's off to run some paperwork to the pediatrician, clean the car, pick up the kids, meet a lady from Craigslist, pick up some vitamins, get home, feed the kids, do the laundry, bathe the kids, and finally... FINALLY it's bedtime.

This is my crazy life, and really... I'm pretty happy. :-)

Confessions

I'm tired. My house is a disaster, and it's driving me nuts. At night, I'm not as nice of a mom as I should be. I don't want to do anything productive, I just want to sit and be lazy. And honestly, I feel a little lost as to why I'm still in school right now.
It's hard to keep doing something that is so hard, and you keep getting the answer to your prayer - keep going - and yet... you have no idea why. Somewhere deep within me I gain some strength by thinking that I'm bending my will to the Father's. That I'm not giving in to the "natural man" in me that wants to say "ENOUGH!" But nights like tonight, when I'm all alone, I really wonder how strong I am, and how long I'm going to be able to keep back the tide. I feel like I'm the little Dutch boy with his finger in the wall, just hoping that the ocean doesn't come crashing through. He had strength... can I be like him too? Do we all feel like him? Finding ourselves in a spot where it takes some superhuman strength to do what we are asked to do? Oh how I want to be strong. I want to be strong like the women around me who love what they do, and find ways to do what they have to do even better. I understand that no one is perfect, but everyone is strong at something, and their strength gives me courage.
I hope you know, I am talking to you. You, who is reading this. Can I draw from your strength? Can you stay the course just one mare day, so that I can gain courage from your efforts? Because tonight... I am tired.

Nauvoo

If you are looking for a really great and cheap family vacation - take your kids to Nauvoo next year for the pageant. It typically runs through the month of July, and it really is a blast. The pageant is at night, but there are all sorts of plays/shows to go see during the day, and lots of games and things to do for the kids. Be sure to do the handcart trek and don't miss the Sunset on the Mississippi show. We had planned to be in Nauvoo for 3 days and we ended up staying for 5 because we had such a great time! We camped at the State park that is right there in Nauvoo for only 10 dollars a night, and all of the events are free! What a great deal!!

We are now in Chicago visiting Jeff's sister, Kelly. We'll be here until Wednesday - Jeff has a conference downtown until Tuesday. Then we'll be heading off to Pennsylvania!

What's a mommy to say?

So, I'm learning how to be a stay-at-home mom again. Up in the morning around 8am (because Jeff lets me sleep in), breakfast and check email/facebook, wonder what I'm going to do today and sometime around 10am I actually get moving (dressed). By the time I've figured out what I should do for the day and dressed the kids it's time for lunch and naps, and all of the sudden it's 3:30pm. Wasn't I supposed to do something today? Oh, look - there are friends outside! Let's go chat and play. I'll only be out for a few minutes, and then we'll leave. "Mommy, we've been out here forever. I'm hungry." Whoa! It's already 5:30? Well, gotta feed the kids, again. Maybe I can get out really quickly before bed. Everyone to the car! Let's GO! You won't need shoes, I'll carry you. Stay near me, into the cart, let's make this quick. No you can't get that, I'm sorry. Please sit down in the cart! Excuse me Ma'am, your son in standing in the cart. Yes, Thank you. I'm trying to keep him seated. Okay let's just go! Mom! I want ... NO you cannot have it! We are leaving! Into the car, into your seat, please buckle your seat belt! Oh, no. I forgot the... that was the whole reason we went! Oh well. I'll get it tomorrow....

Oh, and here's some more cute pictures of my Stella Ruth.