12.27.23 Pre Christmas activities

I had to restrain the older kids from busting the cover of our 12 days of Christmas givers. From threatening to shoot them, to willfully trying to catch them it was a struggle. We are outdoors after dark every night and come and go at all hours until around 11 pm. Thus surprising us is tricky, to say the least. Eventually we just worked to surprise the younger half and beg quiet and restraint from the older ones. 

One night the kids got a variety of balls, another a box of chocolates, and the first night canned pear fruit cups. It was fun to see how they adapted that odd old poem. Andrea had some random sickness but thankfully this December everyone was moderately well. That was a rare blessing. 

The school kids had their holiday concert. Not called Christmas anymore because that might offend someone. Ugh! Even better this war of words and modern political correctness is being waged by two people in my ward. It's sad that kids who will never experience the peace of religious Christmas music will also be denied in the school setting as well. After singing all month I have a testimony of the power of the sacred hymns. The mockery of reindeer, snow,  and Santa are really appalling and empty when compared with the marvelous peace I feel from singing age-old testimonies of Jesus Christ birth and power to redeem mankind. There is no compare and to be lost in presents and silly stories instead of the calming encouraging music of the Savior of the world is just tragic.  I just really learned that this year as I heard both sides of the school music program battle and began to listen to the words of the popular culture music versus what we were singing. 

Aliza spent some of not really but maybe a pinch anxious energy on tying and binding a quilt for Harold to use in college. 

John helping clean up after the ward Christmas party. 

The last family we to caroled to. We love this family so much the wife is a 4-H leader and her fascinating kids are friends. Her husband is an innovative entrepreneur and we just learn and learn when we go to their house. We look forward to this visit because the visit is so rich with discussion and information. They are so patient with our younger kids as their kids are teenagers. Each stop on our list has a different dynamic as each family is so unique. We enjoy our time with each. This year I worked to tell each how much we appreciated them in our life and we love them. 

Looking at which boars were used to breed 2024 fair pigs. 

And to start the Christmas weekend Aliza was set apart as a missionary after church. Harold, Greg, and Grandpa Saunders joined our stake president in the blessing.

3 years till they will be together again. Wow not gonna think too hard about that. 

As we drove around together from house to house and town to town I was struck by the emptiness of the culture of Christmas as it stands today. There are many fun activities but without the Savior, life is just being passed. Obviously sending my kids off to new places with no breaks or returning home is hard. I try not to think about it too much but I  also know the time spent learning to live and rely on the Savior is incalculable in worth and confidence. So I've stopped telling Aliza she doesn't need to go, and realizing how much I appreciate God sending His Son for Me and while it doesn't compare in a small way it does. I know Aliza will bless others and her own life will be enhanced as she makes this sacrifice. It is a powerful example to the many who follow her in our family of loving God more than self, and trusting His care. 

We sang Joy to the World  the most often this year. I got sick of it. But truly that is the message of the season Joy to the World the Lord has come! Yes, it does bring me Joy! It can bring you, Joy. It is the best most important gift ever. The companionship of the Lord of the world and Redeemer of my Soul is indeed comfort and peace. I'm thankful for that knowledge and experience in my life and family. God is so good and we are blessed. 
 

12.26.23 Gift

I was asked to come to my parent's house because they had a gift they wanted to see me unwrap. I had no idea what this would be but made time for that to happen. I was overjoyed to find this gem inside. A printed copy of this blog from the first year 2014. These kids were little back then, they were the young faces filling my life. 

My kind sister spent hours, many hours, formatting and editing this treasure for us to enjoy. In Hamilton there is a song- Who lives who dies who tells your story. My dad said "No one else is writing so you are telling the story."

That's heavy and laughable funny to me. Life is so dynamic. As I well know everyone has a different perspective. I'm thankful for bishop Rick John counseling us to take more pictures so many years ago. I'm thankful for Richard Sandberg suggesting a weekly family email. I'm even more grateful to Rachel Corn Hawkins blogging and suggesting I figure it out for myself. And for my parents who have read for these many years. Knowing they were reading kept me writing. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's just the day-to-day, and sometimes it's tender like births and deaths. But it is us. 

I'm very thankful for both parties my parents and sister for making this a real tangible book. It has been joyous to watch these kids read about their childhood and remember how we lived back then. Wood projects are mostly a thing of the past. Triathalon competition has never been repeated. Babies in flour is always repeating. And many are missing as they weren't born yet. 

This has been a fulfillment of a part of my patriarchial blessing. I told Greg it fascinates me so much of that has come to pass or is part of our identity now. From being a musical family- not what I envisioned but I'm pretty sure our friends and neighbors would agree with that right now, to recording our history my list is getting checked off. I don't think that means the end is near but rather through seemingly random acts or choices I am living promises that are blessing my and other lives. The perspective of midlife is sure comforting. Life is good and we are blessed. 

 

12.26.23 Together days

This is such a rare winter day where the sky can be seen and the sun is bright. Most days are gray and hazy. We loved the sunny days and worked to be outside in them to revive our hearts and minds. 

There is so much lasting history on the farm, to memorable to be removed and such a waste of space. But it's not mine and the decisions are out of my control. We still get a lot of function out of the boneyard of the past. 

To be more efficient this year we made appointments to carol to our friends. This allowed for us to spend our time visiting and singing to people instead of just driving around to empty houses. This family shared a song they were working to learn for the Christmas program in our ward. It was fun to see another family collaborating through music. We so enjoy seeing so many friends during the month of December we eat brownies, cookies, and cinnamon rolls the whole month through while our evenings are spent enjoying beautiful decorations, hugs, and good times playing with new toys at various friends' houses. It's really a fun month. 

Greg and I hurried to Nyssa one evening to watch Grandma get awarded volunteer of the month for her work in the grade school. This volunteer grandparent has blessed her and the school children so much. 

Carl, grandma, and my mom. Carl said it was the first time he had seen his mom get an award. 

Aliza did some french braid instruction for the younger girls. We are all about braids at our house. This is Afton.

Addie got her wisdom teeth removed. She did well and we all learned how Addie manages pain and discomfort. She worried about every small change, took lots of pain meds, and still hurt and got through it. She's doing much better almost two weeks out now. 

We celebrated our 23 years of marriage and with our daughters home I got this lovely bouquet. We went to the temple and Texas Roadhouse. I'm so thankful for our marriage and the promise of eternity to be together. The calm, confidence, and courage marriage has given me through the years is so important to me. 

Millie needs more to do that challenges her active brain. We took on the project of making Andrea some clothes. Millie operating the sewing machine for the first time. We had to pick out a bit but mostly the sewing  was well done. 

Finished project. 

A dear family friend decided to provide the 12 days of Christmas for us. The kids really enjoyed the various presents and treats each day. The givers were so cleaver. 

The long-awaited football awards were given this bittersweet event was another recap of a great experience filled with sorrow and frustration. I was very impressed with the coach though encouraging and highlighting the great careers and efforts of all the young men that played. 

Coach said he was very impressed with the growth John showed from his Freshman to Senior year. He got 2nd team all state and district. 

Haueter, John, Tamez, and Skyler Cade. These guys are the runners that John protected for. Also good friends. 

Evan, John, Rual, Colton, Chaz, Gino -the offensive line and quarterback. 

At home we had a visit from Bree and Marcus I showed them how to crack walnuts. I love doing this busy activity to keep my hands busy while talking with my kids. 

Getting ready for scripture study. 

We had some significant snowfall and the kids were able to enjoy it for a few hours. 

I love when the snow falls on days they are home. 

My two cuties. Andrea is learning to smile and is warming up to this big family that is hers. 

More time in the book of life passed. Together and full. We were all together this December. Never again like this but different and good as the days and years roll by. Sometimes it makes me sick and worried we will change and others I'm profoundly grateful to have this journey at all.

A wise friend Dana Bowns shared she has come to understand that is part of eternity. The good feelings we have now and yearn for more time in can be ours in eternity. So these good times of family and peace can be had there as well. 

We had plenty of tears and teasing. So much fighting outside of these quick pictures. Oh, every night I was chastising kids saying this is the last or first time we are all together please just get along, please be nice, please stop embracing contention. And sometimes they got spanked, and sometimes, they got put outside to stop crying, and sometimes we just went to bed. It's not easy or all happy faces being contained in one small space. But there were moments of smiles and enjoyment. And with that, the clear reality is we need to stretch out and develop our own lives. Those that have gone Anna, Harold, Aliza will be fine and are ready and wanting more in their lives. That is good and how it should be. So we captured some great together and look forward to the differences that are inevitably coming. 

 

12.26.23 early December

We enjoy our trees throughout the summer months but the winter upkeep is tedious to say the least. We spent many days and nights working to clear the grass of the carpet of leaves. One nice day I went out with the younger three and we got a lot done. They are big enough to help but often overlooked. I was impressed with their stick-to-it-ness. 

Merele found a snow shovel which worked really well the curved underside slid nicely on the grass and moved leaf piles really well. We initially worked to cover garden areas with leaves, then we made a leaf collection area to let them slowly decompose and become prized mulch and now we are just getting them off the grass in hopes the grass will continue covering the dirt. 

John enjoying a cup of hot chocolate after a long day of work. 

Reading scriptures. I started insisting on finding the place we were reading in paper copies of the scriptures this was a good learning activity and kept the kids more focused and quieter... sort of. I love our gathering time the banter and closeness has become foundational to our family structure. I'm not sure we get much from the actual words read but the time together is important. 

My newly acquired easter tree fit perfectly in our downstairs room. We don't have many ornaments but it was a nice decoration to begin the season. 

Uncle KEvin Corn sent two book recommendations "Never take no for an answer captivated these two. I'm still working my way through it, but discussing it with them are highlight for me. I feel or felt a real brain drain in the monotonous routine of stay-at-home mom life. But learning new information that can improve our situation is always enlivening to me. These two are smart and deep thinkers who make connections across genres and parts of life. Therefore sharing books with them is a joy. We also studied the book "Mindset" about how we see the world and life in general. Fascinating and important to believe we can grow and change- with Christ. Aliza pointed out we have to remember to include Christ as the power to change and become because it is with his power we are truly able to accomplish that transformation. 

With my at-home crew, we had a moose day. Lia started the day asking for a moose bowl which led to a discussion with Aunt Brenda about moose- which roam around her neighborhood. Then we watched moose videos while we made decorations for our tree downstairs. No complaints about holding the circles to make the paper chain to decorate our tree. 

We made paper chains and snowflakes they also transferred some ornaments from the upstairs tree to the downstairs. After a month of seeing gorgeous trees, I marveled people can preserve childhood ornaments for decades. Ours are lucky to last a few years. While that saddens me it's reality. 

Livy was invited to attend her first Young Women's activity. She really enjoyed the time with the older girls. On her left is the other new young woman Addie. They will both be 12 next year though many months apart. These two became friends through the fair and 4-h last year. They are very excited for Trek, young womens camp, and going to the temple. 

Almost everyday UPS and the mail lady would bring packages. Between Aliza getting ready for her mission and my intermittent shopping for Christmas we received many packages. The little kids enjoyed bringing in the haul. 

 Between the extreme mud in the fields and the constant coming and going of 15 people, our entryway is always cluttered. The cute organizing shelves and hooks are not adequate for farm life. So we try to keep a path and continually reshuffle the necessary equipment from the floor to containers to bodies. 

We are blessed with health and strength and daily meat and bread. Farm life abounds in work and harvest. As the days got shorter and colder there was too much time inside Thankfully we have now passed the winter solstice and are working toward warmer longer days. Until then we try to be patient with the noise, dirt, crowding, and energy that overflows. Life is good these are blessings to be counted not shunned. Lots of people learning and growing is beautiful. 

12.5.23 Little sisters

The little sisters have been figuring out ways to use their natural curiosity and energy while the big kids are away. I find it funny that they only think of these shapes as building blocks. Oh well better than just throwing them away. 

Bruce is learning to write stories this year. His tale about Thanksgiving included this line about his cousin Sam visiting. I think it curious he used the adjective old to describe Sam who is quite a bit younger than he. 

I'm on a weight lifting journey. The kids see me exercise on the weekends. Lia and Andrea are also trying out lifting weights. Addie is studying her running book. 

Andrea really likes me and Addie right now. She was struggling with sleeping at night but allowed or demanded Addie to hold her tight and she went to sleep like this. I can't see how that is comfortable for either daughter but oh well nap accomplished. 

Andrea is also getting big enough to pose. She grabbed Greg's hand to be included in the push-up routine. She was also more than happy to smile pretty for pictures. When I stopped taking pictures she hopping off and went to bed. She is not very verbal but she is totally on top of what is going on in our home and how she wants to be a part or not of the action. 

More pictures I think this time working to stop a crying bout. She gets so frustrated that we don't meet her desires as she wants. Talking would help but it will come. Mostly I know what she wants. 

And her other favorite Millie who is patient and kind and a huge help in caring for Andrea. 

 These younger ones are growing fast and slow. They love the plethora of stuff the big kids have amassed. They are normal and have little respect for other people's stuff. They are sweet and have simple demands. They put up with a lot of tossing, tickling, and getting run over in the mass of moving people. They are good reminders to slow down and take some time to rest. We are thankful for the added dimensions they bring in our life and for the unconditional love they share to fill our hearts with some peace. We are blessed.