Where do I start? Spring break?

What have I missed here? Oh, Valentine's Day...Easter...who knows what else? Lots...
But I am desperately trying to redeem myself--if at all possible. :) My sweet kids do love scrolling through and reading up on what we did (it is especially strange that for so many years I blogged without them having a clue what I wrote about, and now 3 out of 4 can read it all!)

So where do I start? Spring break seems like a good place...
One of the first days, we packed up and headed to the zoo and spent the morning there with some friends.


















The otter slide is a favorite! It IS pretty cool that the slide goes through the water and if you're lucky, you'll slide by an otter.












Afterward, we hit up a childhood favorite--Peter Piper Pizza--while I can't say I loved it as much as I did when I was 10, it was super nostalgic to go there, and my kids had a blast!

Like a bridge over troubled waters...

I have been participating in a 40 day challenge to read a Conference Talk each day--following this format here: http://voicesforvirtue.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/40daychallenge.pdf

I have been SO grateful for this, as it has made my personal study more meaningful and I have received specific answers to life situations EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Not even kidding...it has been miraculous to watch things unfold.

I've been riding some rocky rapids lately, and to feel this guidance and inspiration truly IS like a bridge over troubled waters. :) It's given me a new perspective--and chance to step out of my situation and see things from a different vantage point.

There is a little Facebook forum where we can post our thoughts--and after reading this morning, I decided that I want to record my thoughts elsewhere too, because the things I am learning are priceless to me, and I want to be able to look back on them and remember how much the Lord guided my life.

I specifically wanted to share this talk because I felt like it directly answered some of my struggles from the previous post...

The Conference talk for today was "For Peace at Home", by Elder Richard G. Scott.

As I read this, I was reminded of a few things.
1--what I love about being a mother, and teaching and raising such beautiful children.

2-How genuinely peaceful life feels when Christ is at the center of it.

3-That I can really do more to keep my home happy and peaceful, not by creating endless activities and fun, but by taking hold of the gospel and creating an environment that will foster that love and peace the Savior offers us.

I have struggled for some balance. I have worried about how to work everything out, and in the process somehow felt that I had to do a little of everything to have the balance I was seeking--So I LOVED at the end of this talk when he said, "We need not worry if we can't simultaneously do all of the things that the Lord has counseled us to do. He has spoken of a time and a season for all things. In response to our sincere prayers for guidance, He will direct us in what should be emphasized at each phase of our life. We can learn, grow, and become like Him one consistent step at a time."

It really ISN'T about doing it all or being it all, all at once. That feels so liberating to say! It's about taking consistent steps to bring peace in your home and center your teachings on the Savior. I realized as I read this, that despite my personal efforts to study my scriptures and pray each day, our own family scriptures has slipped more than usual as the unpredictable summer schedule has crept in. I know and have previously felt tremendous peace as my husband and I took the steps to ensure that happened every night as a family--even if the kids were a little crazy or we felt people didn't get a whole lot out of it. I see an area for improvement. :) 

And it's interesting, because previously I was thinking of the outside sources I could go to, to find answers for how to pass our days and what we could rely on for entertainment. After reading this, I realize there is only one source to go to for that peace I seek. That's not to say extra's aren't needed. But ultimately, I have felt more and more that IF I will consistently create the home environment that will allow us to feel the spirit more fully and more frequently, I will respond in a more positive way to the turmoils of the day. And if my children feel that peace and love in our home, we will be able to find answers together for things we can do to make our days meaningful. He quotes at the end of his talk the following--that I think I will print and frame! lol 

"There will still be plenty of challenges or heartaches, but even in the midst of turmoil, we can enjoy inner peace and profound happiness."

I have had answers come to me--interesingly--as I have studied and pondered. I have been prompted to try a few different things, and feel humbled to know that Heavenly Father has inspired those thoughts because He is so keenly aware of my situation and my family and what we need in this very moment.

I picture a home centered on Christ--with less outside influence and more spiritual influence. I want that--for me, for my kids, for our marriage. I feel rejuvenated to continue my efforts to have personal and family prayer, daily personal and family scripture study, and weekly family home evening--"Without these regular practices it will be difficult to find the desired and much-needed peace and refuge from the world"...

This just resonated so true for me this week! So true! I felt such refreshing peace as I read this talk, with the spiritual promptings of changes to make to help me transition into the new (and somewhat crazy) summer schedule, and to anchor my family to the "weight-bearing beams in the construction of a Christ-centered home".

Wings

It's 2 a.m. wake-up calls that finally get me the time I need to write.

So much has weighed heavily on my mind lately. Feeling torn in a million directions...and not able to even focus on one. I want to go and do and be so carefree, and yet responsibility and a to-do list, and inadequacy keep holding me back.

And time passes. Oh, so quickly.

School is out. My kids are here all. the. time. And I know so many great moms out there are saying, "I just love having my kids home with me all the time!" But the voice inside me does not say that...it says, "I miss my moments of solitude! I miss being able to go to the bathroom in peace once in a while, and not plan out and purchase a full spread to have on hand for people to eat every 2 hours. I MISS going to the grocery store by myself. And with so much excitement with the kids being home, I miss Carter napping."

It isn't that I don't love my kids. Don't for one second think that.

Even though I still have one at home all school year, I miss the schedule that had become mine...I miss having a little break each day, and having a second to breathe and compose myself. And yet, this is just another thing that is calling for my attention in figuring out how to balance the delicate details...figuring out how to get myself in the mode (and dig up the energy) to create experiences for my children, and implement more chores, less TV, more learning, less whining, more family unity and enjoyment...and to somehow single-handedly do this, while holding down all the other things that need to happen in my day to day life. :)

Delicate balance, it is...

My to-do lists rarely shrink. Is that a permanent reality? And while there is the desire to go and do and be spontaneous, coming home to the mess that was never taken care of stresses me out big time. :) So do we just stay and make sure the messes are managed and home life is totally organized, while sacrificing a little much needed social time? Or do we go and enjoy and realize that things will get taken care of...sometime...some day? :)

I think that brings me to the inadequacy part.
3 a.m. probably isn't the most emotionally stable time to write about this one...
I just want to be a good person. I want my Heavenly Father to know I love Him. I want to be a great friend, a good listener, a person whose heart is so full of service. I want to be an awesome, supportive wife. And I want to be a mom who is present with her children...I don't even care if I do it all or if all the aspects of my life are filed away on someone's Pinterest board!

But sometimes, most times really, I just don't know if I do enough...if I AM enough.

A few weeks ago we had dinner with some friends at their property out in the country. There were butterflies everywhere, and one of them landed on Jenna's finger. I can't recall all the exact events, but something happened to the butterfly's wing and it couldn't fly away. So this butterfly stayed with her for a long time. She and the boys even went and built a butterfly playground.

Later on, a Google search yielded some info that I had never thought of...
The symmetry of the wings is imperative for flight. 

So losing a piece of the wing, or tearing it would prevent a butterfly from flying properly. Intrigued, I looked up remedies for this. 1. if it was not severe, you could put the wings together and cut the other wing to match, or 2. Should you keep a supply of butterfly wings close by, you could use one of those wings to glue onto the missing section, or if the injury is not too severe, you can heal it by dabbing glue and a small piece of paper to act as a bandaid.

I have been thinking about that, and how it relates to life, as I have pondered the need for balance and how to repair my life wings.

I can tell one of my "wings" is in need of repair. I feel it. I know it.

 I just need to decide which way to fix it...either by cutting something out of my life so I can fly freely, or by adding a little something on, that will act as a healing agent to fix the imperfections that are holding me back, so I can find that sweet spot in the balance of life.

Lucky number 7!

Dear Kaden,

A few months ago I had the weirdest realization...that you would be turning 7 all too soon. I can hardly believe that day is here. Seven? Impossible!

But it also means that for 7 years I have had you around to make me laugh, to snuggle, to be amazed by...7 lucky years. I have ALWAYS loved how sensitive you are. I honestly hope that never goes away. You are so in tune to the emotions of others. You KNOW when you have done something wrong, or made me upset, and you always are the first to come to me and say, in the sweetest, kindest voice, "I am sorry, Mom. Do you forgive me?" You take note and observe things you like about how someone is dressed. And you LOVE to dress nice, yourself--saving your button up shirts for days you want to "look handsome".

The truth is, you will always be handsome to me. :) You have the most beautiful, deep brown eyes. They are so big, and full of love and caring, and light. You radiate a joy that is so unique! And your smile just melts me into a big puddle, like a popsicle on a hot July day...And then there is your hair. You know, you are my only dark haired little one, and I've always felt that was our special thing--you and me. :)

At 7, you are my BEST eater, hand's down! You LOVE tomatoes--and would eat them all day long if I let you. You adore spinach and cucumbers and pretty much all fruit and vegetables. You are becoming more and more aware of making healthy choices--and I love that! You often will come to me and ask if a food is healthy, or if you are being offered sweets for the 2nd time you often will tell me you don't need it. It's nothing extreme, but I am so impressed by you wanting to be healthy and make good choices at such a young age.

At 7, you're getting to be a great reader! You love chapter books, and worked so hard to earn money to spend at your book fair this year, where you stocked up on reading material.You are a great student too--I don't even ever have to ask you to do your homework! You just come right home and take care of it! It's like a dream come true! :) You are a planner and a thinker, and are also very methodical--and as a result you do not like last minute changes at all. :)

You love to play Poptropica on the computer, and play the Wii, and watch movies--but you also love to be outisde, jump on the trampoline, play at the park, and swim. BOY, do you love to swim! :) You could play with Legos for hours on end, and I love seeing what you create! You love doing anything to make Carter smile, and even though you and Spencer sometimes get frustrated wearing all the same size clothes and having a bunkbed and sharing a room, I know that you have a great love and concern for him as well. And then there is Jenna...I love listening to the 2 of you play together. Your imaginations together are so wonderful and I love how much you look up to her! :)

Kaden, as I watch you grow, and see the excitement that comes as you turn another year older (you asked to sleep in your new birthday outfit, as if it would help the day come quicker), I cannot help but feel as though my heart is so full and our family is so blessed. We are so lucky to have your funny, thoughtful, creative self to snuggle and to share life with. And I am so grateful that Heavenly Father loaned you to me for a while here on earth, so that we have the chance to be together forever! I can't imagine a life without you in it--you truly do make the world a better, brighter place.

To the sweetest superhero around--7 lucky years I have shared with you--and I wish for a million more.
I love you to the moon and back--
Happy Birthday buddy...
Love, Mom

Remember the Alamo!

After departing our not so magic time machine :), we headed for the hotel. We got an amazing deal on a really nice hotel with 2 bedrooms when we bought our Sea World tickets. I really love hotel stays--WHEN everyone has their own space. :) It was fun to sleep in luxurious sheets with cozy pillows and watch tv in bed (because we don't have TV channels at our house). And aside from Carter putting up a stink when going to bed, the night went smoothly.

In the morning we went for our free breakfast and were greeted with Texas shaped waffles. That is just how Texans roll. :) LOTS of pride in this state.



We loved our view, and being only 2 short blocks from the Alamo. We planned it that way so we could take our tour and visit there without worrying about all the parking. It worked out great!



We walked to the Alamo the next morning. Lots to learn and see, and I know we missed much of it. But it was really fun to check it out. :)







I hardly ever worry about getting in pictures because everyone is either 1-intimidated by my camera or 2-takes a terrible picture. As I was taking pictures of the kids and Brandon, a guy with a really nice camera and huge gear bag approached me. I was certain he must know what he was doing--since he was walking the walk. lol

But alas...yet another family picture letdown. (none of us are even in focus--it's pretty bad!)



A quick phone pic thrown in--understandably lesser quality.


After the Alamo, we headed back to the hotel for a quick swim before checkout. This picture will forever make me laugh! That's our Carter boy! :)





Upon leaving the hotel, we headed to see Brandon's cousin and his wife, who also live in the San Antonio area. We had lunch and the kids played while we chatted. By this time it had started raining--pouring, really. It was overcast and dark. But they had a covered patio large enough for their pool, and we threw caution to the wind--and rain, I suppose, and let them swim. They had an ABSOLUTE blast!







And if we hadn't had enough adventure for the day, we left in the afternoon and headed to visit our friends the Wyeths, who live just over an hour from us. Brandon and I met Jessica in our Spanish class at BYU-I. Jessica and I were the only girls, and had both returned from our missions the same day. We thankfully kept in touch and over the years have been able to watch her get married to an awesome guy, move a lot, and have 4 beautiful children! And as our luck would have it, we somehow managed to end up in the same state relatively close to each other with kids who love to be together. We jokingly call them our cousins--even though we have no blood relation whatsoever...

whew, that was a long detour on my way to say that we stopped by their house and had an AMAZING dinner (they both rock cooking and all things food--seriously) and the kids played for a bit. They were completely in love with their new hampster and got to watch it scurry around and hold it.















We laughed and talked much longer than we planned, and almost debated invading their house for the night, but we ended up heading home and falling into bed.

It was such a great week and fun trip!

The magic time machine that wasn't so magic

After we left Sea World, we met up with my Aunt Kathy and Uncle Dave, who happened to be traveling from Utah to San Antonio at the same time we were. We had a super coupon for the Magic Time Machine and I had heard some good (and some not so good) things about it--but it seemed like it was an unusual place and would be a fun one time thing.

Please keep in mind that these pics are taken 1-while traveling and having little sleep. 2-after a full day at Sea World. lol
 

(Aunt Kathy--the woman who has sipped from the fountain of youth and always looks amazing! :) aaaand then there is me.


So, the whole deal with the Magic Time Machine is that it is this eclectic restaurant and the servers are all dressed up as characters from different shows. I had read reviews of people having Tinkerbell and Captain Hook, people from Scooby Doo, and other recognizable children's favorites.

Our server: Beetlejuice.

Ya. As creepy as it sounds. She (yes, she) spoke in character the whole night--probably destroying her vocal chords by forcing the raspy words from her throat. It was like nails on a chalkboard.

And seriously, how many kids really know who Beetlejuice is? Mine don't! So it was a letdown...

She brought out creepy spiders and bugs throughout the meal, and dropped inappropriate one-liners. The food was pretty okay, but I had to wonder what kind of germs were sleeping in the velvety covered booth we were at. {shudder} We got our salad bard from the front of a car, which was pretty a really fun setup. And in no way, shape, or form would we have been able to afford the meal without the crazy good coupon--even then it was pricey! But it was a unique one-time experience, to say the least. :)

A whole new world...SEA world, that is...

We were SO excited to go to Sea World. After having a completely disappointing trip to Six Flags last year, we were hoping this would redeem theme parks for us. We were not let down! What we wish we had known? That there was a big water/splash park that was free. We assumed it was part of Aquatica, which is an additional charge. But it isn't--and our poor kids did not let us forget that! It was a scorcher and they saw everyone playing in the water and having so much fun. Hindsight, we should have just let them play in their clothes...but at the time it seemed so wrong. :)

We loved Sea World--the Sesame street characters, the shows, the animals up close. I have oodles more pictures I could post, but I will spare you. Shamu deserves his own post, really. What a majestic animal! It was incredible...

We bought season passes (that we got for an incredible deal!) so we wouldn't feel obligated to stay a long time. It was perfect! We left around 4 and were SO exhausted. :) But it was nice to know we could go back, even if we didn't see it all in one shot. And one thing we would do next time, regardless of how cloudy it looks at first...wear sunscreen. :) Ya, we got a little crisp.

But we had a blast--
So, sit back, relax, and enjoy our little visit to Sea World....

 

 
 

 














(This was Carter's FAVORITE thing! Despite being shy to new people and often taking a while to warm up, he wanted to hug ALL the characters and stay with them for as long as possible. I loved hearing his little voice, "tootie monster! Ewmo!")


(and my roller coaster fearing children loved the shamu express...)








(The penguin exhibit was smelly but cool. You stood on a moving walkway that took you through. We loved seeing so many different kinds of penguins and watching them in action!)


This show was one of our favorite--about a sea lion detective. SO, SO CUTE! It was captivating and hilarious and kept us all entertained--and wet. :)























And the show Azul was awesome, awesome, awesome. I was at the very back with a sleeping baby in a stroller so I didn't get great close up shots, but it was really amazing and filled with acrobats, jumping dolphins, tropical birds, divers, etc.










ALL. WORN. OUT.



We can't wait to go back!!!