The answer

OK, I know you were all dying to know.  The picture in the last post is all made up of duck sauce packets from a Chinese restaurant.  People are so creative!  Go visit your local art museum.  You might be amazed!

The MOA

The three younger kids all had a doctors appointment in Provo today checking on the progress of the tubes in their ears.  (They all have holes in their ears and defy all the odds of that happening.)  Anyway, after the appointment, I was going to buy BYU Basketball tickets and thought we would stop by the Museum of Art (MOA) before we headed home.  Boy am I glad we did!  It was awesome.  My kids were all excited that the junk art is back - and they are right, but it is so cool!  Everyone guess (unless you have been or I told you about it already) what this exhibit is made out of.  It was my favorite.  My kids loved it ... yes I said I went to an Art Museum!    Here is the link for anyone interested.   http://moa.byu.edu/index.php?id=1668  The exhibit will be there through the beginning of June. 

Grandma Maruis

On January 20, 2009,  Maruis Anna Larson Cloward died on her 84th Birthday.  She was Corry's beloved Grandmother.  Last weekend we went down to Grandma's funeral in Cedar City.  It was a beautiful service and good to see so many family members we had not seen in years.  It was a long day for the children, luckily there was a TV and DVD player so they didn't have to sit still from 11 AM - 2:30 PM.  Here are the kids watching their movie in the primary room.

Alli at the Graveside service.

Scotty and Tyler hanging out.

Missy

Fuzzy - ice rash from Monday almost gone!

Corry, his dad, Uncle Dix and Aunt Ruth (Grandpa Mac's brother and his wife)

Father and Son (with crazy Jana in the background) man Corry looks good in a suit!

Mama Jane, Jessica (Corry's cousin) and Bill (Corry's Uncle)

Me and Aunt Kris - she took care of Grandma for the last few years.  Kris is one of the most amazing women I know!

Corry's thoughts and memories about Grandma:

I think Grandma’s favorite color was brown.  If you looked at the way she dressed and decorated, there were browns and tans everywhere, and she always made it look good.

 

Grandma had a distinct smell.  It was never an “old people” smell.  She always smelled good.

 

Grandma was always very elegant – in the way she dressed, in her make-up and hair, in the way she carried herself and everything else.  She was never stiff or unapproachable, but always very classy – ALWAYS. 

 

Grandma was one of the best cooks ever.  Everything she made was so yummy.  A trip to grandma and grandpa’s usually meant a big pot of her chili – the best chili in the world!  Somehow it always tasted best coming off that old push-button stove in the pink brick house down by the college.

 

Grandma was a saint.  She never, ever got very riled up about anything.  She loved every one of us no matter what – and there were times that she probably should have sent us back to our parents to get our butts kicked!  But she never did.  She just loved us and took the time to just be with us.  Instead of getting mad, she’d just smile and redirect our attention to something that wouldn’t get us in trouble. 

 

Speaking of being a saint, Grandma chose to spend her life with Grandpa – and she loved him with all her heart.  He dragged her all over the place in the old trailer and sometimes with no warning whatsoever he’d start acting like a complete goofball and you never knew what was coming from him next or when it would happen.  He lived life to the fullest and Grandma was always right there, ready to jump in with him with both feet, though she usually stood off to one side just a little bit and was a little more quiet than he was.  I think she partly enjoyed being entertained by Grandpa’s antics, and partly wanted to be somewhat close to an exit just in case!  I think a little piece of her was buried with Grandpa when he died.  But I can just imagine him up in Heaven when Grandma showed up.  He’d jump up and do a  little dance on a table or something, probably wearing his easter bunny ears, and yell, “Cinamucka!  Maruis is here!”  I’ll bet it was quite the reunion.

 

Pomegranates.  Grandma and pomegranates just always went together. I don’t know why.

 

Grandma’s smile. Grandma had the straightest teeth and she always had a smile for everyone.  She’d pull those thin lips back and flash those teeth at you.  And when she heard something funny or that she thought was cute, she’d smile and squint her eyes up and scrunch up her nose for just a second and give just a little shrug of her shoulders.

 

Shoes.  Need I say more?

 

And jewelry.

 

The thing I’ll remember forever was the last time we drove through Kanab, at Thanksgiving time.  We stopped to visit for a while and Merf and the kids went in to talk to Kris and it was just me and Grandma talking alone for a while.  And she told me that she was really looking forward to seeing her parents again because it had been such a long time.  We talked for a while and then I stood up and she got up with me and I gave her a hug.  She just laid her head down on my chest and said how good it felt to just be held and how she hadn’t been held like that in such a long time.  I just held her for a while, probably about five minutes.  Then I told her goodbye and that I loved her and we got in the car and drove home.  It was the last time I saw her.  If you have to say goodbye to someone, I don’t think there’s any better way to do it.

34 and going strong!

I had such a great birthday.  My husband and kids were awesome getting out the birthday table cloth, the "You are Special" plate, cooking the food (leaving the dishes).   The kids had made sugar cookies the night before that we ate for breakfast too.  It was a beautiful morning with the people I love most.  

I had so many phone calls, emails and facebook messages.  I felt very loved.  I spent the morning getting my hair done, visiting with my visiting teacher, and going visiting teaching.  It really was great.  

Then, that night I got dressed up and went out on a hot date with my husband.  We got tickets to the play "Room Service" and went to Macaroni Grill beforehand.  Yum, bread!  It was a great evening just spending some time with the man I love.  The kids were insistent that we went even though we were at classes the night before and the night after.  They truly are amazing kids.  

Thanks Corry for a wonderful night out.  Thanks kids for encouraging us to go and thanks Julane for taking the kids so I felt better about leaving them.  

The self portrait at the play!

Fuzzy, me and Alli

Missy, me and Scotty

What NOT to do when you go sledding...

Don't think your head is a break.

Don't let go of the rope.

Don't land on top of your sister to break your fall.

Don't go at all when there hasn't been new snow for 2 weeks and the temperatures have been freezing so the snow has turned to ice.

So, what happened?  Fuzzy, Missy and Scotty went sledding yesterday.  The three of them were on the sled together when Fuzzy let go of the rope, it went under the sled, flipped all the kids off, Fuzzy landed on her head and the other two landed on top of her.  She has a concussion.  Not to worry though, she is doing just fine.  It was a slight one and the biggest problem is a bad headache.  Her face looks worse than it really is, nothing really broke through the surface of her skin.  She has about 3 seconds she can't remember from the time she let go of the rope until she hit the ground which was like ice.  She has been checked out by a doctor, got what she wanted for lunch and I bought her the movie she has been dying to see.  She is watching it for the second time right now.  All in all, not a bad way to spend the day!

My beautiful Fuzzy

Something I have learned

I have recently had the opportunity to attend an informational meeting about LDS Family Services Addiction Recovery Program as well as classes in foster care training.  It has been an enlightening 2 weeks!  I am totally amazed at the miracle of the Atonement both in my own life and these women I have heard speak.  

First at the addiction recovery meeting, a sister spoke of her struggle with addiction and her amazing recovery with the help of this program which focuses on turning to our Father and His Son for help and healing.  Her story of being in the darkest place and now having so much light touched my heart.  

In my foster care classes, we had an opportunity to meet a woman whose children were removed from her home because of her drug addiction and her habits to support her addiction.  When her children were removed, she thought she would just go through the program so she could get her kids back and stay out of jail (she was facing 25 years).  Somewhere through the process, she changed her heart and started working towards having the light of the gospel in her life.  After 8 years of being drug free, she went through the temple 3 weeks ago and was sealed to her husband and children.  

It is beautiful that the Lord provided the Atonement to be healed and forgiven of the sins we commit.  These women are amazing to me that they were able to overcome such difficult trials.  They still have many struggles in their lives, but the Atonement is there for that too.

My initial thought going through the foster care classes was that these parents were creeps for abusing and neglecting their children this way.  They needed to repent and apply the Atonement in their lives.  I had need for the Atonement in my life as well.  My eyes have been opened and my heart softened to those whose struggles are beyond my understanding.  Many, although they had agency, were faced with a much rougher start in life than I was, which greatly influenced their poor choices.  What gave me the right to judge them?  Our Heavenly Father loves them, in spite of the decisions they were making.  I have truly felt the blessing of the Atonement in my life this week as I have tried to understand people better rather than jump to conclusions about their actions.  I have been on my knees asking for forgiveness and compassion.  The women I spoke of earlier can change and be forgiven, and so can I.  

In conclusion, let me share President Uchtdorf's words from the April 2007 Conference, "True repentance blesses our lives with the effects of the Atonement: we feel God’s forgiveness and His peace, and our guilt and sorrow are lifted away; we enjoy the influence of the Spirit in greater abundance; and we are better prepared to live with our Heavenly Father... The gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ provides us at all times and at all places with the blessings of repentance and forgiveness. Because of this gift, the opportunity to make a safe return from the disastrous course of sin is available to all of us.  For this I give thanks to our Heavenly Father, and of this I bear testimony with all my heart and soul in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Merfy's Law

I realize I spelled Murphy wrong, but it is Merfy's Law today!  Cor and I bought a BRAND NEW Toyota Siena in November 2006 (just over two years old, right).  

I got a flat tire after 2 weeks - nail

I got a flat tire at 2 months - nail

I got a flat tire at 1 year 10 month - gigantic bolt plus a ton of metal 

I got a flat tire at 2 years in the rental car while the van got fixed from being hit.

I got a flat tire yesterday - another NAIL!

Corry says I am a magnet for nails!  Argh!  Is anyone else as bad as I am?

Moving...

Don't get all excited or anything.  This is simply my post about not moving.  I'll be honest.  I HATE my house.  This is different from loving the experiences I have had here, great neighbors and friends surrounding me, brining my babies home.  I love my home, I hate the house.  I hate all the stairs, I hate the tight kitchen, I hate that you can hear everything going on in all the rooms of the house (actually sometimes that comes in handy), mostly I hate that there is no one big space to gather with LOTS of people in.  I could get started on the backyard now, but I won't.  Enough griping.  

I have been looking at houses or lots for about 3 years.  That is now officially over.  In some ways I feel a great loss.  This is something I have wanted for a long time and which I feel is OK to want, but the current economic times are moving (nice pun) me to drop it completely.  I look at all the little old homes around here and think about how many of them had LOTS of children living in them and they did fine.  Probably better than some of us because "more" wasn't so important.  

If it ever is right, it will be because that is God's plan for me and for my family.  The current times remind me all to frequently how quickly things can shift and change.  I would rather err on the side of caution and self reliance.

Now the trick is for me to learn to love 3 flights of stairs, love the closeness of a small kitchen and love the beastly hill in the backyard.  

Clowards + 3

All this week I have been watching my neighbors 3 kids while they go on a cruise.  Lucky!  It really has been helpful to me to see that I can run a household with more than 4 children in it.  Right now I have a 6th grader, 4th grader, 3rd grader, 2 1st graders, a kindergardener and a preschooler.  We have 9 AM church now and I even got them all to church, looking close to their best, at 8:50 AM!  I can't get there on time with my own 4 normally.  Corry said we had to do it this week just to show that we can!  Add to that a 6:30 AM meeting that morning for me and we can see that if mom is already ready for the day, anything can happen.  

Really they are great kids and it has been fun having them around.  I do a lot of dishes though!  At least it isn't laundry, because I really dislike laundry!  - at least the putting it all way part!

Anyway, the boys wanted my camera last night to take some pictures of the awesome stuff they built and these are the pictures they took.  They also had Fuzzy come take a few and then make some videos.  They are a little shaking and make me sick, but they had a great time!  Scotty has loved having some brothers for a few days.  I think my kids are all going to be a little bored when they go home.  Thanks Wendi for going so our kids could do this together!

The Dishwasher

Last night while I was at class, the girls were trying to be so helpful.  Earlier that day, I had filled the dishwasher only to find out that we were completely out of dishwasher soap.  I had been to Costco twice this week as well as WalMart and hadn't even thought of getting some.  The dishes were piled in the sink and I went off to teach dance and knew they wouldn't get washed until the next day, but I learned to accept that and walked away from the situation.  

When the girls got home from dance, Scotty and Alli came home from the babysitter and the girls got them put to bed.  After, they started cleaning up the kitchen, so they put dish soap in the dishwasher.  I don't know if there are readers that don't know what happens when you put other soap in the dishwasher or not, but there are bubbles, lots and lots of bubbles that come pouring out of the dishwasher.  

When I walked in the door, the floor was cleaned up, but there were still bubbles in the dishwasher.  I laughed so hard (I had just been to a class on abuse and neglect of children and was so glad for our little problem).   I sent the girls to bed, thanking them for their efforts and left it until today.  This is what you do if you ever have this problem.  You run it for a little while, then drain it, then run it and drain it.  After doing that a few times, I ran it all the way.  It is almost done with the cycle and no bubbles came out again!  

The funniest thing was that we have talked about this several times with the girls, but they think it must have been a long time ago because they don't remember it.  Corry and I both had roommates that did it, so we had seen first hand what it does.  I told the girls I was going to take their picture and post it to my blog.  After the initial "No!", I told them how educational it is to post it to stop some other person from doing it.  They agreed it was a good idea to post!  Thanks for the good laugh girls!  I love you!

Snow!

This was my backyard when we woke up Wednesday morning.  I am so glad we took the tramp down this year!  Last year we had to go out a most days and brush all the snow off.  We did forget to take the cushions off the chairs though!

The other side of the yard.

The beautiful view of the mountains from our backyard.  I love our mountains.  They always signify coming home to me when I see them!

Life's Unexpected Changes

About 2 and a half years ago Corry and I decided it was time to start finding out if our family was complete or not.  While in the temple, I had an overwhelming feeling that we were not done and that we should adopt.  I felt at peace with this, but I wasn't sure how Corry would feel.  I had been prepared by talking to an old roommate who had just adopted a few prior, sitting on a plane with a man who shared his adoption experience and then listening to the 5th Sunday lesson  in Relief Society put on by LDS Social Services.  My heart was unbelievable touched at the lesson as I thought of the choices birth parents make and these little children who need homes.

Needless to say, I knew I needed to talk to Corry.  So I told him my thoughts.  He was a little surprised, but willing to look into the possibilities.  We talked for the next several weeks and then Corry got his answer.  We were sitting reading Christmas stories to the kids the beginning of December, when we read the true story of the pioneer woman who had lost her young daughters on the trail.  Their Bishop asked her to take a young boy who had lost his parents on the trail.  She took him but didn't let herself love him due to overwhelming grief over her daughters.  Finally as Christmas approached, she saw a child that needed to be loved and she realized she would want another mother to have loved her daughters if the roles were reversed.  As Corry read the story, tears streamed down his cheeks (3rd time in my marriage I had ever seen him cry) and he looked at me and said lets do this.  

After that, it was time to decide where to adopt from.  We decided right away against a brand new perfect baby from America.  There are so many we know that have not been able to have children and there is a waiting list for those willing to take those children.  I couldn't take a baby away from a mother who had not been able to have children and experience all the baby stages.  We started looking into International adoption and decided that would be good for us.  Finally that summer 2007, we told the kids and family members that we were going to adopt from the Ukraine and started working on getting our paperwork in.  We had our interviews and started our home study by the next February when we found out that the Ukraine had taken all the applications that they would for all of 2008.  Your paper work is only good for a certain amount of time, so we put everything on hold.  Prior to deciding on the Ukraine, Corry had looked into adopting children from the foster care system.  I didn't like that idea, so he dropped it.

By sumer of 2008, my heart was changed.  My good friend and neighbor works for the Foster Care program.  After her daughter's wedding, we sat out and talked about it and she put my mind at ease.  I thought about this through the coming months and prayed for direction.  Finally Corry and I decided that this was indeed the path we should be taking.  I think my Father in Heaven was giving me enough time to really get used to the idea and be ready to take in these children that have been through so much in their short lives.  In the middle of December, Corry and I met with the person assigned to our region and had an initial interview.  Monday evening we started classes to learn more and learn how to help these children.

It has been an eye opening experience filled with self-evaluations and humility.  The best thing for these kids is to go back to their parents if they meet the state's requirements, that will be difficult.  It should be a difficult but fulfilling ride.  This month Corry and I attend 32 hours of classes to start the whole process.  We will see where this takes us, but my heart is full of all the blessings I have been given.  I am excited to share that with these children, if only for a short time.

Piano Recital

I forgot my camera for the kids piano recital too!  Bummer.  It was Scotty's first real recital and he was a little nervous.  He leaned over to me and asked if parents were allowed to go up too.  So, up I went to sit next to Scotty while he played.  The funny thing was that if he needed help, I couldn't have helped him.  He didn't bring any music and I don't know the notes.  Luckily he just needed some reassurance and not any piano help!  Way to go Scotty.

Miss and Fuzz did very well too!  They are really getting to be great pianist and have passed me up.  Good job girls.

We brought Grandma Seeley with us and Corry's parents met us there.  Afterwards, we all went out to dinner at Wingers.  It just so happened that the kids' piano teacher, Sister Steele, went out with her family too.  Well, Brother Steele passed out candy to all the kids after the recital.  We were sitting eating when Alli said, can I go give that guy that gave me candy a hug?  She marched over to their table and hugged his arm.  At church on Sunday, she was so excited to see him, her new best friend!

Friends and Sledding

On New Years Day, we went sledding for a couple of hours with some friends!  What a great time we had, kids and adults!  The snow was really packed, so it made it nice to ride down and not get a face full of snow.  Thanks Nettesheims for a fun afternoon!

Fuzzy, Caitlin and Ashlyn

Carter

Alli

Corry - while I went home to get the camera, Corry took a sled down standing up.  Apparently it went out from underneath him and he came down hard!  He had a headache for 2 days after, but it didn't stop him from wanting to sled again!

Missy - we aren't sure what she is doing.  I think she might have been hiding from Carter and Cody!

Cody

Missy rode down on all 4 sleds.  I am shocked they all stayed together the whole way down!

Scotty has been begging to make a real snowman this year.  Luckily Jamie had a carrot in her car for the nose.

The finished snowman - good job Scotty!

Alli and Ashlyn wanted their picture taken with the snowman too.

After sledding, we had some warm dinner and the kids played the Wii, while the grown-ups played Aquire.  It was the first time Corry had played and he won!  I don't think I will ever be great at it (I don't strategize enough) but it is fun.  Matt thinks he has a winning strategy now.  Bring it on!

New Years Eve 2008-2009

I didn't bring my camera New Years Eve, so I don't have any pictures.  We had a great time though.  We started by going to see "Bedtime Stories" with Grandma, Mrn, Chad, Paco and Sta.  It was hilarious!  Scotty sat there and rubbed his hands together and said "I wonder what story they are going to tell tonight?"  

After, we went to Grandma's and ate, and ate, and ate!  I sat at the bar eating for more than an hour!  Mrn put the party together.  She had watched a special on the Today show about good New Years Eve parties and learned not to have a real meal.  Just snacks, appetizers and such.  So we did!  We had a veggie tray, crackers and cheese, bean dip, spinach dip, fruit.  It was delicious, low maintenance and low stress!  Then we just played games the rest of the night!  

Thanks Mrn for the fun party.

Christmas Day 2008

True to character, Alli woke up Christmas morning and asked for breakfast before going down to open presents.  I was glad because I was hungry too!  So we shared a muffin, orange and milk and were all ready for the day.

Every year on Christmas day, I am sad I don't have a picture of our whole family.  This year I decided to take one before we went downstairs and I lost everyone!  Here we are in all our "just waking up" glory!

The kids were chomping at the bit to get downstairs, but had to wait for Grandpa to come so we could start.

Fuzzy trying to be a road block.

Scotty kept sneaking down one stair at a time.  He is awfully cute though!  (With his bear, Buzz)

Missy wasn't very appreciative of the Elvis guitar/money bank/popcorn holder we stole at the office party for her.  She didn't even want to get into a picture with it!

Alli was so thrilled to have her Polly Pockets all of her own!

Fuzzy got this hat from Santa and wears it constantly.  It is pretty funny how much she likes it!

Who knows what Missy is excited about.  She is really fun to watch open presents because she gets so excited!

Corry and I gave Scotty this saw set.  It really cuts and sands wood.  Scotty loves to build things, but it will probably be Spring before we get it out of the box.  Last summer I found him in the back yard with a bunch of wood and Corry's cordless drill.  He was trying to drill through the wood, luckily the battery was all but dead and it wasn't working well.  I honestly had never thought to teach him not to play with power tools.  

My mom made all the girls these cute purses. Thanks Grammy!

My parents gave Scotty this dart board.  This is his "Sweeeet" face.

Alli's favorite gift has probably been this tea set.  She loves playing with it for real and pretend.

Missy putting on as many of her gifts as she possibly could!

Fuzzy was so excited to get a new bike with hand brakes that work!  I think she will enjoy having gears to shift to as well.

Katie and Alli playing Polly Pockets

Ty pulled this massive icicle down from the front porch.  We had a very white Christmas this year.

Grandma plying the Wii.  They gave us one for our family too.  The kids (including Corry) all love it!  I like it, but am still unsure about owning a gaming system.

After the kids went to bed, after playing on the Wii the entire day, Fa and Dewey and Corry and I tried our hands at boxing.  Corry was the ultimate champion with Fa in second.  (I am not very good, but it was kinda fun)

Mostly we had a great day on Christmas just playing with cousins.  We played games and read stories all day.  Not a bad way to spend a day at all!