2.17.21 Days Roll By

There's a country song to that title by Keith Urban:

Days go by
I can feel them flyin'
Like a hand out the window in the wind
Cars go by
Yeah, it's all we've been given
So you better start livin' right now
'Cause days go by.

That sums up life right now. They just keep flying by. This guy is being pushed more and more to feed himself and to eat solid foods. For the most part he does pretty well, he has moved past the gagging on anything phase and is pretty happy to be turned loose feeding himself. Although messy this is an important development. He has grown a lot in the past month. Mastering new skills and gaining more attitude. His two front teeth are almost through the gum. 

The boys playing. Merle knows which action is his team. Reed would build for him and let him knock them down. Bruce loves socks. He likes having older siblings because they have a wide variety of patterns and textures in their sock pile. 

School days everyday we try to do something educational. 

Reed is getting to cook more with Addie back in public school. He enjoys the challenge.

Afton left gifts for Greg and I one night. She has a generous heart and likes to share. 

Lia did makeup all by herself. She loves to do what her sisters do. She is sweet and is found running laps often. 

Man mastered crawling up the stairs last month. He gets faster and faster everyday wtih his general moving where he wants to go. 

Addie making birthday cake for Afton. Afton requested a blue coconut cake so she got this. Addie is very good at making moments special. She also hates photos so we have to be quick and stealthy. 

A nightly ritual the kids lining up for shoulder rides with dad. As they get taller they have to duck or be laid on instead of sat on top. All under 8 wait for their turn. 

With my older ones working on leaving home it's not that long ago they were lined up at the table enjoying cookies and milk. I'm thankful to have a round 2 or ten with these little ones. I'm thankful for where the older ones are headed but I still miss their presence in my home. 

Merle really enjoys eating with Greg. He is pretty happy to share dad's dinner. I think that may be the secret to my kids being good eaters, their dad patiently feeding them what he likes. One of my brother in laws mentioned he didn't remember a time when Greg wasn't feeing someone. That's true he's much more enduring than I am and cleaner about it. I always end up wearing part of the food. 

It has been a delight to capture Livy reading to her siblings lately. She is starting to read for pleasure. 

Another night she got help and encouragement and pushing to do all 100 math problems. We have really focused on math this year and while it is a slow process I feel like she is making sense in her mind and gaining long term skills. 

Reading her long funny story about what Grounhogs do. 

A snack of popcorn. We are constantly eating here!!! And thus there are some major efforts to wash dishes. I'm thankful for healthy kind kids. 

He's getting big enough to make messes. Oh boy here we go again. 

A boy dress up. 

Sunday afternoon watching church videos. They know the entire youtube lds offering of videos. From cheese is love to Nephi's boat. They enjoy time to chill. Bruce adjusted his missionary badge. 

 Bruce has awesome teachers. He got the first badge in primary. We have  new singing leader who is bringing some fun ideas to the singing portion of primary. It's a constant struggle to balance the could with the should and the must do. I'm thankful for the valiant service offered by so many. So Days roll by and we keep living and doing what we must and can. 

1.21.21 Bows

I have shared a few pictures over the years of my guys small pastime of archery. We are blessed to know a true craftsman who instructed the boys in making custom bows. That was a priceless experience. The boys were beautiful and awesome. However these guys grew, and their muscles continue to increase, and those bows snapped like twigs. Literally. So sad and though the bows were increased to the maximum of their ability they were still snapping like twigs.

Sharing with Grandma and Grandpa Saunders after church one Sunday this summer. 

This week I woke to a very happy Bruce. The same kind friend had made a bow for Bruce to practice with, with Harold's help. He had also fashioned or shared a much more sturdy fiberglass bow with Harold. Bruce called Harold and asked him to come home to shoot. He did not make it that day but the next day they had a ball shooting bows and arrows. 

We are continually blessed by generous friends. Another gave us some of her dress up supplies that her kids have just matured out of. Delight! Can you see the excitement on their faces?

We are thankful for those who share their happiness and life passions with us. These are golden moments. Families are made up of moments some are terrible, some are just glorious. we hold onto the good, learn from the others. We are so blessed. 
 

1.20.21 Family life

We go back and forth on whether or not we should buy a smart TV. It would be nice to show clips or spread out to watch movies. But there is just something touching about all my kids close together sharing a moment. I tell them you will never be totally alone in this life, you have siblings I think times like these form bonds that last forever. 

So do these. Merle- Man is getting big and strong enough to begin playing with Bruce. Let the fun begin. A first shoulder ride thanks to Marks' steadying influence. You can see Merle knows this is a risky ride. Bruce was so proud. 

Playing playdoh and having lunch in the other room. Sometimes on these all inside winter days you just have to do something different. 

Our favorite meal is spaghetti. Great big pots of spaghetti. Sometimes it's worth it just to have no complaints about dinner. This is not my favorite meal, but I love peace it brings. We had this and pancakes one night this week just because I knew no one would complain. That is rare. 

Funny guys. It's so interesting with the oldest daughter gone and our numbers at 6 boys-6girls at home, where the older boys are the majority our home has become heavily male. Swords and broken things littler our days. They are funny, the discussions are more farming, autos and tractors, tools, and a lot more teasing. 

One night the crew did a major bicycle repair. Flat tires were replaced, more goo was put in new tires. Training wheels were installed. IT was good. Then it snowed and was yucky. Then it was sunny, then more blah, then sun. 

School. Eternal school. The highlight of the week was new markers in new colors for our daily math drills. Oh how I depend on those personal whiteboards. I'm pleased with how the kids are progressing. 

After an intense week of Physics she made the sacrifice of time and assignments turned in to go to mutual to sing. She is lovely when she rises from the computer station and is part of the rest of the world for a few minutes at a time. I pleased at her fortitude after being so overwhelmed or discouraged with the foreign concepts of Physics she dug deep and learned how to pass the class. She spent hundreds of hours maybe even a thousand, truly many many hours taking notes working problems watching and re-watching the class. But in the end she passed and her grit and brain were successful. On to the next project. 

I am so thankful this one has small problems and expectations. Pay attention, love me, feed me, give me drinks of watah. She's a sweet different level at our house. 

 Here we go back to school for some, we shall see how that affects our life and what the new political climate does to effect this has on our life. We will continue working to improve, to learn, and love. Life is good. 

1.19.21 College bound

I have few pictures of the whole drop off, end of my full nest life. I was working to be in the moment yet not too much in the moment for fear of just crying and refusing to let it happen. Motherhood is always such a ying and yang. Good and bad all together in one. Awesome so excited she is going to school and doing so well. So sad to not be here and part of our dynamic, yet still a big part of our life just far away though close through face time. 

The last meal. A gracious abundant feast at five guys thanks to Greg. After we had toured campus and unload all her stuff. 

The campus tour that gave Harold a taste of college experience vs. high school and what he wants to do and what he is willing to do education wise. 

This is the welding shop looking at their collection of tools and machines. It was all good until we met the professor who eschewed dirty work... which after two weeks I'm glad he explained so we could adjust plans accordingly.

I'm thankful Anna has family nearby. Especially when she told me after this quick encounter how great it was to have a hug. I remember those feelings, and I'm thankful for all my answered prayers in her behalf. They come from so many different places but I really appreciate my brother & sister in-law making time and effort to stop and check-in. Friendly faces mean the world when you are living in a new land of friendly strangers.

Anna chose to stay close to campus on her first long weekend break. I was proud of her resolve and thankful she also chose to go visit family with some younger kiddos. After living an entire life with small children around it is pretty lonely to not get snuggled and loved by little kind bodies. Thus this picture is especially tender because this cousin has really taken to his friend Anna. 

Life rolls on and we are thankful for this oldest daughter. For her brave, her resolve, her testimony, and her grit. She is doing so well and is kind to share her journey with us. We are also grateful for a large family who also loves her and shares their space and heart with her. We are blessed. 
 

1.18.21 Helping Hands

We got a text while at church asking if we had a way to move a fifth wheel trailer. I checked with Greg he wasn't sure but he began searching. When I got home from church, after extra meetings, he had a plan and invited me to join him. I obliged and off we went with Muscle man Mark in tow. We headed to our has everything friend, he has moved this particular piece of his collection to his new home. No luck. We headed to the next spot and secured the pieces we needed. At our shop with his vast collection of tools the guys were able to modify and install the needed plate and stand. 

Greg had smashed his fingers in a car door earlier this week so bolts and nuts are a bit hard, no worries though my sons are completely able. I look at the piles of stuff and see them lying on the ground and think no way. They don't say anything they just get it done. I really admire that about my husband and appreciate it in my sons. They are completely capable. Given some time and the right parts they can make almost anything happen. 

My heart was so happy in this moment. Knowing that the diligence and patience of my husband is preparing more guys for the world who will be able to help those in need. That is quite a skill. To know how and to be willing to help others. 

Success! I'm pretty sure we were only a few minutes, like ten off, when we had said the move would be complete. 

Earlier in the day I had challenged the primary children to look for ways they could be Jesus Christ's hands finding ways to help others. I was thankful to literally watch my sons use their hands to help someone in need. With Greg's hand hurt he instructs and does what he can but mostly it's our sons doing the tightening, twisting, and tuning of projects right now. That is good. It is so important and a key ingredient to growing up- to being needed. Truly needed and responsible. 

A lesson we are learning as parents is how much time it takes to train the older kids. Greg works with two all day and then comes home and works with two more at night or in-between with me interspersed with all of them. We are constantly seeking ways, opportunities, patience, and time to teach these kiddos skills to make them more capable. Yet, this is our main priority and goal for our family is that each kid can be independent, contributors, caring about others, and smart. A lot of that takes work. And to teach work we have to do work. With so many needing those lessons it takes a lot of work. 

But experiences like these and so many others gives me peace of mind and confidence our goals are being met. Life is good.