Miss Independent

Macy decided she's not waiting for Mommy to catch a break in her schedule. She's going to do the potty training all on her own.

Avery's Dance Class

Avery's dance class had a day where parents could come and see what they did each day in class. It was so much fun to watch her. I love not knowing how my kids will act when it is their first time doing something. Like Avery and her Primary Program. She went up to the mic to do her part and just stood there for a while looking around. We didn't know if she'd spit it out, if someone would try to help her and she'd bury her head, or what. She ended up spitting it out so cute on her own :) Anyway, right below is a picture of her and her buddy Ava. Ava is pretty serious when it comes to dance, she's afraid to do anything wrong and gets anxious if she thinks she messed up. Avery vacillates between being a leader and a follower. In dance class, she tends to follow Ava's lead. At the end of each class each girl is supposed to have a time to dance all by herself showing her "favorite steps." Ava has always refused and Avery follows her example. They just barely did it for the first time (probably because the teacher let them do it together :) Needless to say, I was curious to see what she'd do when everyone was watching. She did just fine, doing all her steps, no tears when she stumbled. I loved the little grin on her face when they did their jumps. One of the other highlights was John doing the "Obstacle Course" with her. I think he missed his calling as a ballerino. He definitely showed enthusiasm. I told him it wasn't right to steal the spotlight from the little girls. Anyway, I love Avery. I can understand more how my parents lasted through the HUNDREDS of hours of dance recitals.

Sunday before Christmas

I thought Avery looked adorable. All my kids did, but this Sunday was even busier than usual so the only picture I snapped was in the changing room :) This year, I led the Laurels in planning a special Christmas program to share with all the youth. It was a lot of work and practice, but I was really happy with how it turned out. We highlighted people involved in the Savior's birth. The Laurels researched their person and then wrote a few paragraphs about that person, what it would have been like, what we could learn from their example. After each person shared their thoughts, we had a song for each person's perspective. I found some really beautiful songs. I shared some thoughts at the end about the examples of the people present that night. Would we have responded as they did, or would we have missed out because we allowed various things to hold us back. We also talked about giving a gift to the Savior. You know, many times, it can be hard to fulfill and magnify my calling. It is a huge time commitment and it can be hard to balance the needs of my family. It is also hard emotionally sometimes. I love these girls so much, and when they are struggling or face difficult challenges, there is a weight upon my shoulders that I cannot shake and that brings me to tears. But it is worth it. Times like this program, when I know that hearts have been touched, that they have been pushed closer to the Savior, it's amazing. I know I'm a better person because of the work I've been honored to do. Anyway here are some cool songs we used:
Breath of Heaven
Joseph's Lullaby
Bethlehem Dawn
One King
If I Had Been in Bethlehem

Bye-Bye Grandpa and Grandma

This Christmas was pretty different for me and my family. Each year, John and I try to respectfully split time between our two families. I am definitely a family girl, and I struggled in the past to miss any part of "My family's" Christmas (or any other holiday's) festivities. It took 7 years of Christmas Eve before I found myself tear-free and reasonably patient for the party with his side to end. Well, this year brought a first. This was the first Christmas that we didn't have either my Grandma or Grandpa with us. It has been pretty hard not having them as a part of our lives (I'm bawling just writing this). But it has of course been the hardest for my mom. It turned out that Heather would have to stay in Texas this year, Chelsey would be there with her in-laws, and we all thought it would be a blessing for my mom to have this Christmas in a different setting. So my parents and brother went there for Christmas. The night before they left, we had a little party with them. My mom gave them some cute PJ's and slippers, we watched a movie, and just had a lot of fun. I am so grateful for my parents. I know I am so blessed to have such loving, unselfish, good people to call mom and dad. Just today my mom took Avery for most of the day, let her run errands with her, and just made her feel so special. And my sweet Dad spent hours putting together their Christmas presents. My parents would do anything for me without hesitation. I love them.

Here's miss Kate. She found the Marshmellows later and helped herself :)

My little fireball!

Avery's excited to have something else to love :)

Gotta love Macy's mood swings!

November Sayings

*Carston wanted to know what a gentile was...I don't know that he wanted to know strongly enough to listen to a complicated answer though.
*John bought a new video game for the wii-Mario Land. It was so late at night though, there wasn't time for the kids to play it before bed. While he was getting his water Carston said, "I don't think I'm going to be able to sleep tonight," "Why?" "You know...the Mario game!"
*Carston read Macy a book in the morning when they both woke up.
*One day I was talking to Avery about how she hadn't been doing a very good job of listening to me that day. She thought about it for a minute and then replied, "Well...Macy taught me that."
*We were driving home and Carston and Avery thought they were being funny with their "potty talk." Apparently, Macy has a double standard regarding "Potty Talk." She was yelling and screaming and crying all at the same time, "NO POTTY TALK CARSTON AND AVERY!" It was pretty funny to have her reprimanding people for their behavior :)
*Heather, OB, Hallie, and Peyton came for Thanksgiving. We tried to explain when they were leaving that they were flying back to Texas on the airplane so all the kids would know we wouldn't be seeing them for awhile. We went to Grandma's the day after they flew home. Macy walked all around, realized they weren't there, and came to me and said, "Mommy, can I go to Texas with Hallie on the airplane?"
*We were driving in the car with the Christmas music playing. Macy said, "That's Santa singing! Santa's going to bring me a present! Santa's my best friend!"
*Kate is walking...taking up to 8 steps!

Macy

Macy is at an age I just love. She is such a spunky little girl. She loves being as big as everyone around her. Lately she keeps telling me how she wants to go a rollercoaster. She probably does too, since she's been on one and liked it. She is also telling everyone that Santa is going to bring her a present and a doggie????? Here are a few pictures from the past few weeks.

This is Carston's friend Tanner. Although it is a toss up between him and Macy for who likes him more. Whenever she sees him coming, she runs up with her arms outstretched to give him a big hug. The other day I caught them on the couch, "I love you Tanner," followed by a big hug. Tanner's sister said they want Tanner and Avery to get married but when I told her Macy might stand a better chance, she said that's exactly what Tanner said :) She's two...if now is any indication of what is to come, life will be interesting when we've got a bunch of teenage girls.

I've never been a huge Smith's shopper, but I will be now. Macy found this cart there and was in heaven. She had to have ALL the groceries in her cart, put them all up to be scanned, return them to her cart, and load them in the car. It definitely made shopping with her much easier. Now if Walmart and Target would get on board I'd be set :)

No room left in the inn. No wonder I find her on the floor in the middle of the night, she's just looking for some space to stretch out:)

Able to Find her Own Entertainment

One of those times where you realize you haven't heard your child in too long...We found Kate in the tub sucking on John's toothbrush :) She crawled in all by herself. She is such a cutie. I have to kiss her a million times a day. I'm so lucky to have the life I do, surrounded by so many people I love.

Big Changes for Avery

Avery with her long luscious locks that were beautiful, and yet required more "comb-through" time than Avery usually wanted to submit too :) Although I had fun coming up with creative hair-dos once in a while.

Chelsey, the budding hair-stylist, arrived in town.

The new do! Hard to get a good picture because she was wiggling all over the place :)

Why I Stick To Calling Family

I talked to an old friend on the phone today. For those of you without lots of little children running around your house, you might not understand the significance of that statement. Let me repeat: I Talked On the Phone With An Old Friend! I was so proud of the fact that I immediately had to call my sister to tell her the news. This is how this proud moment went: We talked for a few minutes, she had to stop and tell her kids that she wasn't changing Polly Pocket's clothes anymore, talk some more, I stop to tell my girls that they can't go out on the snowy deck in bare feet and leave the door wide open, talk a little bit more, she stops and uses her "mommy is serious" voice to inform her kids they know the rules about shutting doors on people, talk a little more, get disconnected, call back, talk some more, I stop to tell my girls to turn off the water and get out of the bathroom, talk some more, accidentally disconnect again, call back to give a formal goodbye. You get the picture. Of course there were children clamoring in the background, crying, etc. When I got off the phone and walked around the house, I discovered what happens when I'm partially inattentive to the girls. The table had a HUGE puddle of syrup (although in there defense they did try to wipe it up with a rag), they had syrup all over their faces, clothes, etc, they had tracked snow in, their room looked like a bomb went off....You get the picture. Needless to say, phone calls with friends are a luxury that I don't indulge in frequently :) So all you friends out there who might feel bad that I'm not keeping in touch, I'm sorry. It's not that I don't care or want to maintain a friendship, I just don't know that anything I have to say is worth the production a simple phone call turns into :)

Heavy

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places” (Eph. 6:10–12)

Life events have combined to make me somber. I attended the funeral today of a 25 year old who lost hope in overcoming his addictions. He was a good kid. He had a big heart. He was talented. But all of that was overshadowed and lost in an evil that overwhelmed him. I think sometimes we forget that we are at war. We are at war with a real power. And though there are times in our life where we feel at ease, that presence is always there, never giving up the hope that he can drag us down. That he can stop us from fulfilling the things that God desires for us. Sometimes it is just so overwhelming to see the sorrow and the burden that so many people carry. It is painful to see people you love, even people you don't even know, who don't have the joy and peace that comes from living right and having Heavenly Father and the Savior with you. I can't imagine my life without that. And I mess up plenty. Sometimes it is hard to not be depressed because of my sins, mistakes, weaknesses, and shortcomings. But I know those feelings do not come from God. I can pray and feel peace knowing that despite all I lack, all I do wrong, the Lord loves me and is pleased with me. I wish so badly that everyone would feel that all the time. But that assurance usually comes from praying, and you can't force anyone to pray. I guess all I can do is to continue praying for them. But it's hard sometimes.