Grateful Sunday

Miles and Audrey watching Parker's t-ball game in March 2007. I can't believe how quickly this is all going.

Tonight, I'm grateful for some simple things:

• the special testimony moments which were shared in Senior Primary today. I asked the kids to reflect on specific times when they felt the Spirit. And their answers were really simple, sweet, and genuine. I'm thankful that they were listening today.
• that Neal was home on Wednesday evening when Miles took a tumble and ended up with a cut in the back of his head. Super gluing a crying boy's head back together is a two-person job.
• I held my friend, Lauren's two week old baby boy tonight and his precious newness just reminded me how blessed I am to have three of my own children to raise and love every day.
• my Blackberry. Sad, but true, it has changed the way I spend my time. Since I have my email with me most of the time on my phone, I spend way less time at the computer. Which is always a good thing. (Unfortunately, my blog[s] have suffered. Oh well. What's more important here anyway.)
• Oh, and Beatles Rock Band, we are having so much fun with it!

look, i'm blogging!

I feel like I've kind of abandoned my good old Flowerchain as of late. I just can't get myself motivated to blog about a whole lot more than my gratitude on Sundays. But today is Neal's birthday. His 35th birthday, and that deserves a post if anything does! He lucked out that his birthday is on a Friday (he gets off at 12:30 on Fridays). I hope many things for Neal today:

1. that his situation at work will someday not be filled with so much drama. Serious drama. I'll tell you about it sometime in person.
2. that his new found love for his saltwater aquarium will pay off and that this time, he'll have more time for it.
3. that his plans for the yard/garden will come to fruition in the next month or so. If winter will ever end.
4. that Miles will one day, voluntarily give him hugs and kisses.
5. that he won't mind that I got Beatles Rock Band for "his birthday." (I just really wanted it!)

Love you baby! Happiest of birthdays to you!

Grateful Sunday

Parker is rockin' it on his basketball team, The Hawks, these days. It's so fun to watch all his new moves since last year. Check out the block/dribble. Disregard the height differential.

Today, I'm grateful for:

• my calling in the Primary. As hard as it is sometimes to practically get booed off the stage during Sharing Time, I still love being in there with the kids and my kids, specifically. Plus, I work with great ladies. I love them!
• our new bishopric and their families for their sacrifice and love. We had a big change today, which was sad for many reasons, but we have great faith and hope that our new leaders will be excellent, indeed.
• a quiet week ahead. Miles isn't feeling well, and I'm grateful that our life is back to its normal boring self now that we're moved in and everything. It's a happy relief. Hopefully we can get our little guy better in the next few restful days.
• our first houseguests! The W family from our old town came to see us Friday night. They were officially the first people to use the guest room, and we had a great time catching up. Maybe they'll match here? Please? :)

Grateful Sunday

Not the greatest picture, but the only one I took all week! We took the kids to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History on Friday (no school!). Within the museum, is the Cattle Raisers Museum, which was quite interesting and also seems appropriate considering these kids' roots.

Today, I'm grateful for:

• sunshine and short sleeves; we enjoyed a little bit of both today. It felt like Texas again!
• a four day weekend, because it's so much better than a two-day weekend, even if Neal has to work regular hours.
• Neal, for agreeing to practice with our ward choir today. Hearing him sing reminds me of when we were first dating, when he did that all the time!
• reconnecting with an old friend, we had fun playing dueling pianos together today. (I guess they were duets, but I felt a little rusty.) Once upon a time, when Audrey was a baby, Emily saved me by taking Audrey for at least one play day so I could stay in bed and keep Parker from being born. She didn't think a thing of it, and I'll never forget it. Thanks, Emily!
• our sweet babysitter. My kids are crazy about this girl, and she wrote us the sweetest, most complimentary note after watching our kids Saturday night. She's a gem.

fourth place!

Audrey got fourth place in the school spelling bee on Tuesday. She was so nervous beforehand, but during the bee, she seemed very confident and calm. She is a natural speller, always has been. It's fun to try to stump her! Of course, I had to motion to her to stop mouthing the spelling of the other kids' words during their turns. Classic. :)

Yay, Audrey! Can't wait for next year.

things we are happy about today

1. It is above freezing, and thus, we can finally play outside again.

2. Our driveway is exceedingly long, and thus, we can ride scooters without going into the street.

3. We found Parker's old scooter in the shed and it is precisely Miles' size, and thus, he can have fun, too.

happy all around.

Grateful Sunday

This weekend has been ultra relaxing, which is just what we needed. After several months of life upheaval (the happy kind, thankfully), we are finally feeling settled. Today, I'm grateful for:

• the people in these photos. I feel so blessed to have come from and have been part of creating such wonderful families. Don't ask me how I got so lucky. We are a happy bunch.
• our home and our life here. I think it's been confirmed to both Neal and me this weekend that we are in the right place and doing our best to do the right things. Probably could be better at that.
• happy, healthy children who love us. That is an incredible blessing. I thank my Heavenly Father each day for the moments I get to have with my kids. I just wish they would stop growing up already.

more Sundance fun

We spent lots of time having fun indoors during our trip, too. We had to rent the house next door to my parents' because we were so many. It had a great rec room. Add Steph and Mike's Wii and Lincoln and Mimi's Beatles' Rock Band, and we were set for hours. Days, even.

We all loved playing Beatles' Rock Band. That, and a full family viewing of the movie, Help! has since inspired many a Beatles discussion and all new lullabies at our house. Not to mention my mom's proudest moment, an impromptu all-cousin version of Eight Days a Week over hot chocolate one night. Here are Parker and Sophie, concentrating really hard on their fingering. And guess what Neal's getting for his birthday.

Julianne's boyfriend, Toni, came to visit from Germany. We were so excited to meet him! He and Julianne are so great together. He was a great sport at everything from foosball to Trivial Pursuit.

We did a lot of couch snuggling and hand warming by the pellet stove.

Neal & Ginger, not the greatest picture, but this is a constant activity at Sundance, it had to be documented. :)

Whoa, how did all these cookies end up in the living room? Sorry, Mom!

Stephanie took some really great pictures and wrote a really great post about the trip, here.

cold and white

Pictures of the fun we had in the snow during our trip. Some of these were taken with disposable cameras that I picked up free at CVS. Those pictures crack me up; all of our pictures would be that bad without our digital friends!

Neal helping Mike and Stella on the sled run at my parents' friends house. They have three practically professional sled runs of varying scariness.

Miles was resigned to wear these crazy lavender snow bibs from my parents' basement. They were soooo poofy.

At the base of the lift. These guys spent two days tearin' it up on their snowboards.

On the lift with daddy.

and mama.

In the front yard, our last day in Sundance.

Guest Room

I figured I'd post a couple of pictures of the guest room today. The bed is made and the sunlight was pretty. Here it is before (ugly). Green wainscotting which also covered part of the tray ceiling, then continued out into the hallway and guest bathroom. We had it all ripped out, retextured the walls, painted and replaced the light fixture.

Much better. We're going for a minimalist look in here, with a bit of toile thrown in because I can't help it. (Neal's quote when he saw the bedding, "toile again?")

Headboard is from HSN, bedding from Ikea, white tramp art mirror from Wisteria. On the other side of this room is our desk/computer. Not super pretty, so not pictured.

oh yes

Miles got a blue drum set for Christmas. I figured, hey, we don't have any babies, he's a good boy, why not just go ahead and ask Santa to get him something really noisy?

He is so happy to have them. So far he plays three songs on the drums: Jingle Bells (basically exactly what you imagine {a bang for every word}, "My Favorite Color is Blue", and "I'm an Awesome Boy"). Those two were completely made up by him. It is positively adorable to walk in on him singing one of his songs.

Grateful Sunday

the kids dressed for the Nativity story at Charlotte's house, Christmas Eve

Today didn't start out well, we were all ready to hop back on a plane to vacationland, but alas. (What happened: We were locked out of our house as we left for church. Of course, the car keys were in the house also. Neal had to break a window {just when we thought we were done fixing the house up!} and send Parker in to rescue us. Hence, we were late for church and Neal had a bloody hand. We're never late!) Anyway, as fun as our trip was (SO FUN), I am grateful to be home.

Today, I'm grateful for:

• our new church schedule. 10:30 will be way easier than 8:30.
• the urgent care place in Provo, where Miles ended up twice during our trip. He was having breathing trouble due to a yucky virus and his body's lack of affection for freezing, dry weather. The people at the local clinic were very friendly and easy to deal with. I love places like that.
• Charlotte, for letting us borrow her car all week while we were in Utah. Saved us lots of pain and money.
• all of our family whom we saw while traveling. For being accommodating, helpful and fun.
• Christmas and the New Year and all that they mean.
• more and more projects to be completed in our house. I came home with a renewed vigor to get this place looking ship shape.