9.9.15 Livy & Mom

We are figuring Livy's language out. She is still my buddy. After her whooping cough thing as a 3 month old baby she secured a special place in my heart. Each kid has a part of my heart but fighting through life and death just does something. However as time has passed and more and more is piled into our life she gets washed around like a rock in the ocean. This causes her to just cry. I finally realized- probably was prompted- that she is frustrated and doesn't know what to do. So we are trying to remind her to use her words, she speaks well, and to talk not cry so we can help her. Is this maybe why specific prayers are so important?

She is a cutey though. She was being me, wearing my glasses.  The kids thought it was so funny. She looks like a bookworm.

When my mom was here Livy told her she was getting sparkles like her. She was talking about freckles. I love Livy's take on the world. My lucky kids who are sparkly with angel kisses! Speaking of angels our selfie complete with the tongue sticking out phase. Best to you today.

9.8.15 Homework

Ahh after school. The big bowl of popcorn, the leftovers, and the piles and piles of math homework!! I am going to be such a mathematician after all these years of algebra I have ahead of me. Harold pre-algebra, Anna algebra, and the younger ones various forms from exponents, to long division, to triple digit subtraction!

Harold is learning to do things when assigned. This night he had about 6 pages of math problems to do as he had "forgot" his homework the week before.

I love when the kids get kind teachers. John is so peaceful this year and truly enjoying his learning experience. Thank goodness! I was so worried about him all summer and am so thankful for this new chapter in his school career.

Afton's homework is learning to eat from a spoon. To keep my mind full I take on the task of feeding her while mentally doing algebra problems that the kids throw out.

Cool story- Harold had a problem 24 over 4-3 subtract 3. I told him you first had to subtract 4-3 then divide then subtract. He wasn't in agreement so we called Greg who verified. Next day in class the teacher was working this problem on the board and wasn't getting it. Harold raised his hand and said you're doing it wrong. I called my dad last night and you subtract the 4-3 then do the problem. The teacher said all the rest of you were just sitting there following where I lead you but Harold was the only one willing to stand up for the truth and challenge me. You all need to be more brave and not just take the teacher's word for it!
My first word's I caught it, but it's all good that Harold and his dad are forging a tighter relationship- after all dad is the math based engineer and mom is just a mom!
Best to you today. Hopefully you aren't doing order of operations problems too.

9.6.15 A Witness

Yesterday was interesting. At the begininng of Relief Society a ward member brought in a lady dressed in street clothes. She stated she just wanted to visit. I shook her hand placed her by a very friendly lady and got down to the business of leading the meeting and playing the piano. I heard snippets of their conversation about a healing and finding Jesus but didn't think much about it. After the meeting I shook her hand again and told her we enjoyed having her. She said it was an interesting experience and I rushed to my next committments.

After church we were headed home and she was standing on the side of the road thumbing a ride. I waved and told Greg she had come to our meeting. He drove part way home then turned around and went back and invited her to lunch. She agreed and we headed home. She shared that she was traveling without purse or script sharing her witness that Jesus is coming soon and we need to prepare.
 I agreed that we believe the same thing and were preparing.

We got home and had our family testimony meeting. Starting with a prayer each of the kids in turn stood and bore their testimony of Jesus, the church, Joseph Smith, eternal families, and the like. It was our best ever no prodding just each taking their turn. She spoke in a tst...kind of language quietly off to the side. It was not scary or disruptive just different. After our closing prayer to break our fast which she joined our family prayer circle speaking in tongures some more.
I headed to the kitched to round up some lunch. We were headed to my mom's later and I hadn't planned on a lunch. Nonetheless, we got hasbrowns going, heated some leftover funeral ham and sliced some zuchinni. It was simple yet filling. All the while she and I visited about her awakening and her journeys. She said that she sees Jesus off to the side of her all the time. That he whispers to her and directs her path. That he keeps her safe and provided for.
She was kind and quiet. And had a beautiful smile. She looked me int he eye the entire time and she did not speak in braggado terms or in opposition to my religious belief. She said she had rode with a buddhist munk once who told her they prayed to different Gods and her Jesus person told her "Same God many names my child..."
She said when Jesus comes everything will be made bright and clear and that we will all flow with Jesus. That cities break his spirit that fills the earth. Furthermore, we need to be ready, he is coming very soon. I agreed that we believe the earth will be renewed and be made perfect again, or "receive it's paradisaical glory" and that we know he is coming soon too.
After lunch, we all ate together, she visited with the kids a bit, mostly just listening to their stories and enjoying their tricks, Greg offered her a ride and I guvae her a hug promising to pray for her safety and telling her I admired her faith. She was gone.
And after the hugely different turn of events- we don't have people in our home hardly ever our parents and that's about it- I am still just slightly in awe.

I love the books God's Smuggler and The Hiding Place.  In each story the characters share their awakening and conversion to Jesus, how they turn their entire life and living over to him and do whatever he asks. I'm in awe to have met someone who is doing the same. I'm always wondering when the BIG event of Jesus coming is happening. Currently I'm canning a lifetime supply of beets according to my family- as they love them so much. I want to be supplied in all things you see!

Seriously though, to meet someone who is so free is quite thought provoking as I feel crushed by the piles of stuff everywhere in my house. The necessary memories, stuff, supplies, preparedness, and things of a family.
The two scriptures that came to mind were Jesus admonishing "when ye have done it unto the least of these my brethern ye have done it unto me," and "by their fruits ye shall know them."

The speaking in tongues was different and I admit to praying alone in my room for protection and guidance but I learned I will share what I have and I hope I am as spiritually prepared when Jesus comes as this kind lady. Furthermore that I will pay attention to the spirit and go where he wants me to go and be who he wants me to be. That's a precious talent. So I'm not saying she does see Jesus but I'm not saying she doesn't all I'm saying is it made me re-evaluate my readiness for an event I hope is coming soon.

9.6.15 Goodbye Jay

The day finally came for Jay to leave home. The seminary teacher reminisced this is the first year in her 30 years of teaching that there is not a Saunders in her classroom! It is passing of the torch or maybe the sprinklers and shovels that has happened in the last week. It hit me hard on Monday and Tuesday-among all the other things going on that I was really going to miss having sibling in-laws around. It has been fun to watch them grow and become who they are. Unfortunately but good too is once they leave they really don't come back- no basement children here! But it's sad because I count them as friends. It's interesting that my kids are now the workforce here and that they are becoming very strong and capable.

Sadly Millie won't remember Jay when he gets back. They were good friends up to this point though. Reed was this age when Matt left and they were friends but we rarely see Matt now and Reed doesn't really know who he is anymore.

It will be interesting to see how much bigger the kids are when Jay comes back.

We were careful to have Harold stand up straight next to Jay. In 2 years he could be as tall as Jay. All three of my oldest are about the same the height right now, maybe Aliza will be the tall one. Wowsers!!

8.30.15 Catching Rainbows

Jumping back to raising pre-school kids is always a startling adventure. While I enjoy the slower pace of life and the time to cuddle and read to my kiddos we all miss the entertainment committee and the imaginations of the slightly older siblings. One morning as I was nursing Afton and stretching for something to keep them occupied and not exploring the house for the next catastrophe, I noticed the rainbows streaming through our cut class front door. We began catching rainbows. Millie was particularly illuminated.

Livy was catching them on her hands and tongue. Life is beautiful when we pay attention. It has been a fun few minutes each day now to look for the rainbows in the room. Thank goodness the smoke cleared and we are back to gorgeous blue skies.

And finally a little lesson that netted huge results. In the past we have dutifully had back to school blessings. Always special, always sweet. Always a highlight of our year together as a family, a close time between dad and kids. This year prior to our back to school night I read a talk. The speaker explained that the mom would pray first inviting and invoking the spirit to be strong and that the dad would be able to vocalize and share those impressions. I had never thought of the mom's part in the blessings. Sure I worked hard to provide a peaceful clean environment. I would play the piano and sing with the kids, prep them earlier in the day for being quiet and respectful, but never considered my faith part in the experience it was an unspoken obvious.

Thus began an arduous two weeks. We have been busy and trying to respect school schedule and the need for sleep, hence no more late nights. This is difficult because work has been busy and days are crazy with stuff and knowing my increased responsibility in providing faith and harmony between me and Greg well it took a while to get it done.
After a lovely stake conference yesterday we had a whole afternoon to our family. A RARE treat these days. We made our Sabbath plan as per lds.org website instructions. We sang some songs and we were about there. I prayed with intent and purpose and we had a most choice experience. A true defining moment.
How do we women support the men who hold the priesthood? I share that it is much our faith and prayers, and confidence in them and God, that makes priesthood experiences more than just routine. I'm in awe of the responsibility and holiness of men to be called on at anytime to be mouthpiece for God's words. It has always been a one of my favorite traits in my husband that he righteous. He's comfortable with that talent and wears it well. I sometimes shy away or deny it as part of me. However, I'm thankful to have time to learn and grow. Time to improve and time to repent. The gospel is such a grand plan allowing for the weakest of us all to learn from repeated experience and to benefit at many levels of faith and understanding.

8.28.15 After School

After school the kids come home. The little kids are so excited and relieved and anxious to have the family reunited. Fun things happen when everyone is home like teaching Afton to stand at the window. The kids are so proud of her rapid developmental progress. I am not. She is a baby! She loved looking out on all the outside activity though and will probably make this her new favorite place to be.
My in laws have long low windows in their house too. I had never seen such a design consideration, they informed me it was so children could look out. It is a nice feature in a house with lots of kiddos. The little ones can't always handle the weather but they sure love to see it through glass.

I loved her intense concentration holding on. Her chubby little legs balanced on such strong tippy toes! And yes the floor is a mess because of all the dripping watermelon slices that have been consumed lately. Loving our garden.

After school also means homework! Which would presuppose we would know where the homework is. Hence the need to dig through all the paper garbage waiting to be burned to find the missing piece. I remember my sisters having to dig through the garbage to find a lost bill or magazine. This is the worst we have had to sift through, and the homework was not located. Thank goodness for other moms who help us out. I really never saw the lost spelling list, I hope he does ok on the test.  However, as we pushed through all 30 of his words to write 4 times, his brother's 25 words to write 3 times, and the reluctant writer adding details to her rushed through story, I did have ample time to mop the floor and do the dinner dishes. Trade-offs!

So after school continues to be a much anticipated swirl of activity and inactivity as kids unwind from being gone, are pushed through chores and dinner, and finally collapse in bed to read until the lights are out. Our best to you today.

8.27.15 Living with Livy a book review

It's probably not a secret or surprise that we love books. Since my kids were little I would try to read them each one book a day. That mostly happens when they are little  as in pre-school age. Well it occurred to me last week that all those stories may just be affecting the way they think- or my kiddos are in the same stages as the children in the stories we read.

So noticing the tendencies of my little girls- I realized with have a Lovely Livy and her side-kick shadow Marvelous Millie who love and often take after Fancy Nancy- also their favorite book series.  Livy loves accessories in her hair on her arms and legs and around her neck. She loves to wear purses and must have stuff in them. Reed is becoming manly with his belt with stuff hooked on. He also carries a man wallet with a stash of cash. Such a cute difference between the sexes but the accessories are a must for both!

Now today another favorite book became apparent. Small disclaimer I don't like the artwork in these books but my children have snuck a few home and we read them. I like the story I just wish the teeth on the children weren't crocodile fangs! With that the No! David series is a reality at our house.
Because I get up with the big kids and stay up waiting for the dad and wrestle the littlest all night some nights, I need a nap! I opted for my posture perfect bed today and told the littles not to leave the house. If they take naps they don't go to bed and keep the school kiddos awake.
When I finally rose from the dead I was met with a chocolate covered baby, news that the little girls had eaten ice cream bars and left a big mess on the carpet! Oh joy. So I scrubbed the covered with chocolate happy baby. Spanked some kids and cleaned lots of carpet and will be shampooing tomorrow. Then prepared dinner and worked through homework. And mutual...

I love the toothbrush and flossers in these pictures. Just to finish off the ritual sneaking treats... Oh the days of having children. Yes those are three completely different rooms and locations just to make my cleaning more thorough tomorrow. 

Life is busy and surprising as to what new challenge will come up. Thank goodness we have plenty to fuel our imaginations or change the mom outlook from panic to this is okay, we can handle this. Another day down. Life is short eat ice cream when you can!