P.S. Merry Christmas

Bradley's Reverance at Church

     Today as we got settled on our pew in the chapel waiting for sacrament meeting to start, Brad asked if he could go up and hug his dad.  I asked him if he could do it reverently.  He replied yes.  He did a great job at not running but walking up on the stand and gave his dad a hug. Awww.  Too cute you're thinking, right?  Wrong.  He then looked straight at me and must have thought going back down the stairs was not a direct enough route for he went straight to the edge of the stand, swung his legs up so that he was laying on his belly flat on the four foot high wall and then swung his legs off on the congregation side and landed on his feet. He looked at me again with a pleased smile.  He saw my initial reaction- a smile as I started shaking my head.  He saw it before I could hide it.  It may not have been so bad if the entire congregation had not all been seated and waiting for the meeting to start.

We enjoyed a wonderful trip to mine and

Eric's parent's house over Christmas break.  Lots of family! Lots of yummy food! Lots of fun gifts!  We had a great time!  We enjoyed our Christmas morning at home as well.  

We accidentally ordered two dump trucks for Bradley for Christmas so we decided to give one to Amelia since she enjoys digging with Brad in the back yard.  We also got her a baby.  She didn't give the dump truck a second look but couldn't take her eyes off her new baby.  She held it for a good five minutes after opening it like a good little mom.  It was so cute!  

July 2015 Family Vacation

    Wow!  Best vacation ever!  Started with a visit with Grandpa Steve and Grandma Linda.  Eric and Abbey ran to the temple to do baptisms while the rest of us played at the splash pad.  The next day, we loved the

family reunion with my mom's side of the family.  I interviewed my grandma and recorded it to upload to family search.  I also recorded my aunts and uncles sharing their favorite memories of Grandma Mary.  Super funny!  I can't wait to get them on family search.
     The kids went  on a great hike with grandpa Keith to a local waterfall.  Next we surprised the kids with a trip to California from there.  Visiting Great-Grandma Pikes house is always a treat.  We had a blast at Zuma beach!  Jeremy and his kids met us there.  Abbey body boarded almost the entire time and got a sunburn (despite her sunscreen) to prove it.  The kids were entertained from 12 to 5.  It was awesome!  Messy hair, sand all over everything and everybody, and fabulous memories!
      Next we visited the L.A. temple.  Eric and Abbey did baptisms for the dead while the kids and I played with the snails on the temple grounds.  Then we went to the L.A. zoo and then later the park.  Then the next day we went to the L.A. Science Center.  Very fun!  Then we watched a 3-D documentary on an imax screen.  Very well done!  Then bar-B-Q with smores.  Yum!
     Then home and recover.  Loved it!!!!  Total repeat!!!! 
    

Family Pictures

     I never grow tired of looking at my family pictures.  I look at them for at least an hour or more each time i get new ones.  I just love my good looking family!
     Abbey pointed out to me that it won't be very many more years until I''m a grandma.  Then another time she responded to me by saying "That is so wise mom, like a grandma."  I laughed and laughed.
     I'm low on enthusiasm for school.  This week is teacher appreciation week and the lady heading it up is asking us to do these creative things.  I am really low on desire to do anything creative.  It's almost over!

Spring break

     A few days ago after asking the kids to get their responsibilities done, Brad explains to me that he is too sick to do his responsibilities done, but not too sick to run around.
     That same day Brad decided to ride his scooter with his eyes closed.  He crashed into our fence and got a gash on his head.  He came in with blood dripping from his head.
     We took family pictures today.  I sure do love what cute, good looking kids I have!  Eric too!  Can't wait to share them! 
     We are visiting both sets of grandparents this weekend.  Lots of family and lots of fun! 
     A few days later......What a fun visit we had over spring break with so much family!  We loved having a pirate party with the Pikes and exploring caves with the Pearsons.  We are so happy to have such fabulous grandmas and grandpas for our kids.
     We enjoyed Carson's pinewood derby tonight. 

Happy Easter!

     We had an enjoyable, low key Easter.    We enjoyed conference weekend!  We have some traditions we always do.  Cinnamon rolls for breakfast one day and bunny buns for breakfast the other day.  We almost never buy chips, but we do for conference weekend and make 7 layer dip and have some other dips.   We think of quiz questions about conference as we watch and then try to stump each other with them after all the sessions are over.  We ask the kids to watch at least  one whole session and to also listen to the prophet when  he speaks.   I think my favorite talk was Elder Hollands and the one by one of the 70 about hearing the music of the gospel.  I love conference weekend! 
     We've had sick kids this week.  Not much fun.  Amelia had her first fever.  William missed three days  school.  I was really glad it wasn't worse and we didn't need to take anyone to the dr. 
      Carson and William are enjoying playing ball.  Carson hit a home run. 
     Odd bit of info:  Abbey is very picky about how comfortable her clothes are and will wait until the last minute to change her  clothes in the morning because they are not as comfortable as her pajamas.  On the other hand, Liza often sleeps in the jeans claiming they are comfortable. 
     Whenever I've heard the phrase about children bringing  their parents joy, I've always thought about young children and how cute they are and that brings parents joy.  I never imagined that might include teenagers, but I was wrong.  I love my older kids' sense of humor and they make me laugh on a regular basis.   I did not anticipate that joy at all. 

Peg leg Abbey

     The other day we saw a man walking that was missing a leg.  He had one of those sophisticated mechanical legs that looks like a machine rather than one made to look like person's leg.  Abbey responded by saying "That guy has a fake leg. That is so cool.  Somday I'm going  to have a fake leg."  We all had a good laugh over it.  Sorry Abbey, but I hope that dream never comes true.
     I'm not sure all the reasons why, but I am really enjoying this phase of my life.  Don't get me wrong, it's hard.  It's a lot of work and I'm still just as frustrasted when my kids do wrong things than I ever have been, and my kids are still doing as many things wrong as they ever have been before, but I feel like I'm enjoying my kids more than I ever have before.  Is it because Eric is serving as Bishop and the Lord is blessing our family so much because of it?  Is it because my girls are older and can help me more than they ever have before?   Is it because Eric and I are aren't making so many dumb mistakes in raising our kids now that we are older and more experienced?   Is it because Amelia has brought so much joy into our home?  I don't know, but I feel so blessed.  I think it may be a combination of all of these.  I feel closer to Eric, since he's been called as Bishop, than I ever have before.  That's a blessing the stake president specifically mentioned when Eric was set apart as Bishop.  We are so blessed.