Snuggle Time

Because when a fluffy-headed cutie in stripes asks you to read him a story, it's impossible to say no.

Fishing (by Jason)

Last weekend our Elder's Quorum set up a fishing outing at a church member's private pond.  It is stocked primarily with crappie and rarely fished so it's a pretty good place to learn how to fish - and learn we did!  

Adam caught his first fish!  He cast it and reeled it in but wasn't sure about touching it.  I can remember as a kid not wanting to touch fish - and I still don't like it.  I helped Adam get the hook out and eventually talked him into holding the fish and throwing it back into the lake.  I was proud of Adam for overcoming his fear and holding the fish.  

I caught a couple of fish too.  Of all my memories fishing as a kid I can only remember one time that I caught a fish and it was when I accidentally dropped my hook into the edge of the pond without anything on it - go figure.  The rest of the time I just remember sitting there waiting for my bob to move, so it was really fun for both of us to pull in fish within 30 minutes of starting.

Much like the camping, Adam had a lot of fun and we're both excited to go again!  Not pictured is Emma, who was much more interested in playing with her friends than catching any fish.

Father Son Campout (by Jason)

A few weeks ago Adam and I went on our first Father-Son campout!  The forecast was calling for a pretty cold and possibly wet evening so I was a little worried about how he'd handle it.  I didn't want Adam to have a bad experience so I bought hand warmers and wool socks and I packed a ton of blankets.   

Adam had a blast.  He did a great job helping setup the tent (his job was pounding the stakes into some very soft ground).  and we had fun roasting hot dogs and making s'mores.

We set up our tent about 50 yards from a tire swing and rope bridge.  Adam must have crossed that rope bridge at least 20 times.  After it got dark we pulled out some games and played until we were both tired.  Then we crawled into our sleeping bags, covered ourselves in a big down blanket and went to sleep.  All night long I kept waking up and checking on Adam to make sure he wasn't too cold.  

Watching Adam wake up to the sound of a running stream and birds chirping the next morning was heart-warming.  He opened his eyes, smiled, and said, "I wish it sounded like this every time I woke up."  Adam and a group of 4 or 5 boys also tried for over an hour to get a fire going in our fire pit but everything was too wet.  Fortunately, there was a good fire just 50 yards away so everyone was warm despite the 38 degree temperature.  The day was filled with more fun exploring, hiking, helping with a service project, and learning to shoot a bow and arrow!

Adam even got an arrow to stick pretty close to the bulls-eye!  

I was so proud of Adam and we both had a blast.  On the way home Adam asked, "Dad, can we go camping every weekend?"  I think this is the start of a great tradition!

Pit Stop

When we decided to move to Iowa, one of the very real silver linings was that we live right along I-80, making our home a perfect pit stop for anyone traveling through Iowa.  And this last weekend we were delighted to have some visitors!

The brave Baileys- Rachael and her five and a half kids- stopped for about 36 hours to get out of the car and get some good friend time in!  We have done a pretty remarkable job of finding opportunities to meet up in the last three years since we moved from Indiana.

We tried our best to help them get all of their wiggles out- first staying up way too late, then waking up way too early, spending hours running around at the park across the street, then trekking (bushwhacking, really) through some nearby woods before landing back in bed and dragging everyone out the door- back on the road for them and back to school for us- the next morning.

The very best part, of course, was the chance to talk and talk and talk with Rachael, without the constant vigil that we had to keep for the safety and whereabouts of our children when we last met up in Chicago for St. Patrick's Day.  Ever since they left I've been thinking of so many other topics that we didn't even touch on- next time, I suppose!

And I barely took any pictures- proof that we were too busy having fun- but managed to snap one sweaty shot while we were waiting for the kids to finish up their mud-squishing, rock-throwing, mini-hike down the stream with Jason.  We sure wish Neil could have joined us.  But graduate school waits for no one, so Jason managed with the nine kids and two chatty ladies well enough- for this time!

Caught Up

The greatest thing about this blog is that I'll never be caught up.  There are always stories to be told.  And the story continues to be written every day.  We're learning lessons, experiencing adventures, and living life as fully and happily as we can.  

And even though the days can seem incredibly long, the years truly are short.  Just look at these pictures taken last year.  

We're changing and growing without even realizing it. 

New Neighbors

We recently decked out our deck (ha!) with lights, ferns, and a gardenia tree.  And a few freshly painted chairs.  And as much as we have loved our new outdoor space, a young family of house finches have loved it even more.  So much that they built a nest, laid some eggs (after mating enthusiastically and frequently on our deck), 

 and have been tending to their young ones with fierce determination ever since.  The daddy has a bright red head, and the mama sings a beautiful song while she's sitting in the nest.

And since the ferns need water, we've had the chance to check in on the little ones.  One has arrived!  

And our poor ferns have been battered and browned by the wind, and sun.  But it's been a delight having these new little neighbors in our backyard!

Singing in the Rain

And splashing.  And giggling.  And now quietly napping. 

Church Life

So much of who we are and what we do is based on our religion.  The most important things in life are the things that bring us closer to Heavenly Father and our striving to live with Him after this life- our daily prayers, daily scripture studies, repentance and taking the sacrament, attending the temple, and truly striving to be closer to Him.  That is what we do as Christians, and there is a wonderful peace that comes in knowing that we are following the example of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Some of these things that we do is because of our membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  When we get together to worship, we "talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, preach of Christ, we prophecy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know where to look for a remission of their sins."  There are great blessings that come from teaching our children that they can be saved from their sins and return to live with their loving Heavenly Father again!

I had the opportunity to speak in stake conference a few weeks ago- we don't have a paid preacher in our church, the members take turns sharing testimony and talks (like sermons) each week after we take the renewing emblems of sacrament. Twice a year all of the Mormons in the Ames (but not Des Moines) area (about 3,000 members) are invited to join in two meetings special meeting where we sing, worship, and learn doctrine all together.  It's a great meeting to sit in, and a slightly intimidating one to speak in.

My topic was forgiveness, and heaven knows I have plenty of experience in that area (both the giving and needing to receive), so I took the angle of one strong experience and testifying of what I know is true- that God commands us to forgive others, so we can experiment on forgiving others and receive His forgiveness in return.  The meeting was running a little late, so my original 12 minute block of time was cut to 7 minutes, which was fine by me.  I don't think I have a gift for speaking to large crowds (including the 5 congregations around the state that the meeting was broadcast to), but I do enjoy writing and I know what I like to hear when I'm in the crowd, so I was able to deliver without stumbling over my words or putting anyone to sleep, I think.  And I received many kind words of appreciation afterward, including notes in the mail and the kindest email.  It's not very often that a stay-at-home mom receives accolades for the work she does (I just want to thank you for changing another diaper/making another meal/vacuuming the floors yet again) so I really let the words of affirmation wash over me as I received them-

Hi Melanie - you don't know me but I just wanted to write and say that your talk was the highlight of the whole stake conference for me. My family recounted and discussed the whole thing for probably an hour after we got home. It was so honest and smart and well delivered. And the splinter analogy is one that I will repeat and think of many times in the future. Thanks so much for your preparation. It was really awesome. 

I'm now inspired to thank and compliment more people for the things they do.  Such kind words!

Culturally, our religion provides a wonderful close-knit family that strengthens, supports, serves, and uplifts each other.  We had a women's retreat last month that included the opportunity to camp over night.  I wasn't too keen on the idea- the overnight low was 38 degrees!- but I went and really enjoyed the memories made.

It's a treat to get to get to know so many remarkable women throughout Iowa. 

And the opportunities for service in our church are endless!  At the women's retreat, we tied up 70 fleece blankets to donate to The Preemie Project here in Iowa.  We made another batch at our Relief Society Spring Fling, and also enjoyed mini-classes on gardening, organizing your home, entertaining in the summer, and fun things to do in Iowa (I'm always looking for those!).

On of my favorite parts about our church is the opportunity to interact with young men and women that have dedicated their lives to sharing the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Missionaries serve away from their families (and pay their own way to do so!) and get to call home twice a year- on Mothers Day and Christmas Day.  We were lucky to get to host the elders for the big day this month.

I sometimes get the feeling that there is a preconceived notion in Iowa that Mormons are complete weirdos.  It could be the modest dress or the fact that we don't drink alcohol or coffee (and try to avoid anything habit forming, really).  It could be that we have a bigger family or that we spend three hours at church on Sunday.  It could be that we donate 10% of our income to our church (as we are taught to in the Bible).  Or it could be that we go to the temple to worship our Heavenly Father, and that we not only invite Christ into our hearts as our Savior and Redeemer, but that we also continue to work and serve and sacrifice to show our dedication to Him for our entire lives.  There is great peace that comes with knowing where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going- together as a family- after we die.  And that is the beauty of the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Decompress

Because sometimes you just need to sit down and color while singing along with Laurie Berkner, your favorite childhood artist.  

Or sit on the deck with a stack of of your current reads and enjoy listening to the birds instead of the call of work from within the house. 

Or stop and smell the lilacs, whose scent has been especially intoxicating this spring.  

Or play on the deck with your buddies after school. 

Or work in the yard, even if it means that you're just feeding the neighborhood rabbits.  

Or take silly selfies, because, well, why not?

I love that, in our family, we take time to decompress.  

Goings On

It feels like not much of note has been going on lately, but then I look back on the pictures and realize that we've had some serious fun this month!

We started the month out with May Day!  One of our favorite Midwest traditions lives on!

I thought Adam was so clever- he wanted to Mayday his preschool sweetheart Elana, but you're not supposed to tell who you are, so he wrote a note that said "Happy May Day!  The letters of my name are written in RED!"  He and Jason had a great time trying not to get caught at their house!

Adam finally got to have his birthday celebration in school, which included sharing pictures, some of his favorites (book, Baby T-Rex, and a can of olives), and some homemade light sabers with his class.  Emma and Noah were invited to join us, and they did a great job sitting on the carpet while Adam had his 15 minutes of kindergarten fame.  His classmates asked him questions, and it was fun to listen to his responses- favorite person- Mommy, then Noah and Daddy, favorite day of the week- Sunday, because that's when Mother's Day is, favorite shape of cloud- doggy shaped, favorite show- Ninjago, and my favorite, which I'm sure he planted- favorite tooth- his silver one.  Silly, sweet boy.  I also discovered pockets full of treasures in the laundry last week.  Such a boy with his pockets full of rocks!

I've been scoring big with one-on-one dates this month- ice cream with Adam (who prefers vanilla over chocolate), game night with Emma (she is the master of Memory in our house), shopping with Noah (poor buddy gets dragged along but I always reward him with a donut!), and the symphony with Leah.  A night with Tchaikovsky and my favorite budding violinist was a real treat!

Leah had her spring violin recital and did a fantastic job with her two songs!  She was delighted to have her teacher Mrs. Keese there, and my two piano students participated in the recital as well.  I enjoy teaching piano, but I especially enjoy only teaching two little eager girls.  I've had to say no to a number of requests for lessons, but this is what feels right at this stage in our lives. 

The school year is wrapping up, which means parties, teacher appreciation, bringing home art projects, and fun days in school like computer lab for Adam and a pizza party for lunch, complete with a drink of her choosing (she picked pink lemonade).  

Emma finished preschool with an adorable program, and she sat front and center, singing her heart out to Five Little Ducks, Skin-a-ma-rink-i-dink, and Jesus Loves Me.  I took Adam and Leah out of school for her program because we are quite limited on nearby relatives that are able to attend these kinds of events.  She has loved preschool, is ready for a break, and will be back for a three-day program in the fall.  No kindergarten just yet!

Since then we've been enjoying our few remaining quiet days at home with just me and the littles.  That means bike rides, trips to the library, crafts, a little too much TV, grocery shopping, playdates and lots of snuggly storytimes and naps.  I think my solid two hours of quiet time is the thing I'll miss the most come summer break.

Emma is a great helper too, especially with my latest painting projects.  There's always something around here that needs tweaking. 

Adam and Jason have started up t-ball again (playing, coaching, and drawing in the dirt), so Saturdays are filled with games and time at the park.  One of my favorite things about where we live is the variety of parks- we've got 40 to choose from!

Phew!  So the month has been pretty darn busy after all.  The weather has been gorgeous, we've been healthy, and everyone is happy.  

Life is good!

12 Years

Just because this year it kind of slipped by quietly 

doesn't mean it was any less thrilling. 

Here's to another dozen dozen anniversaries celebrating 

happiness, teamwork, and love. 

Tulip Time

We have all be looking forward to Tulip Time since our fabulous day there last year....when my babies looked like this-

After a busy Saturday morning of yard work and Adam's first T-ball game of the season, we made our way down for our second annual trip to Dutchland.  And now they look like this-

It was cloudy and gray, but warm enough that we still had lots of fun.  And this year we knew exactly what we wanted and where to go to get it. The tulips were mostly spent, but we still

We ended the day by raiding the Dutch bakery 

and then enjoying our treats on the grass with the night parade.  This time we were prepared with jackets and blankets!  It was still plenty chilly, and even started to rain, so we bundled up and snuggled under the blankets until the parade started.  All six of us burrowed under the blanket was probably quite the lumpy sight to see!  

Then we headed home, happy we had made the trip, and wondering if this year was better, worse, or just different than last year.  I tend to focus on the highlights, and usually forget the harder moments of past events.  Jason likes to remind me that overall, most trips have some good and some bad, but it's making the memory that makes every trip worth the effort!  So last year was the year of minor sunburns, not being prepared for the cold of the parade, and wandering around somewhat aimlessly because we didn't know what to expect or do at the festival (we stood in a really long line for about 10 minutes, assuming it would be for something amazing, before we realized it was the shuttle line full of people waiting to get back to their cars).  And this year was the year of gray skies, a super squirmy Noah (he was so much easier to contain last year!) and knowing exactly how much money we were going to be spending on stroopwafles, poffertijes and Dutch letters- and loving it!