Yeet

Matthew H. is visiting us this week.  Here we are posing in 70* weather.

Our worship was outside.  Together. 

Grandma made us fresh brownies with ice cream and whipped cream.

Monday -- MLK day -- we gathered for an outdoor BBQ with friends.  It was cold.

Matthew wanted to fit in the laundry basket.

Grandma invited the kids for two days of sugar cookie baking and decorating.

They were just so happy.  I stayed home to work through my lists and make lunch.

Eddie and Ryan decided to make a home from mud.  Matthew irrigation proved too strong for their under-engineered structure.

Andy weighs 120 pounds this week.  He won one match and lost the second in the last few seconds.

Our Sedona hike to Cathedral Rock was pretty perfect.

Maisie planned and orchestrated New Beginnings this year.

Maddie was very happy to participate.

Maddie went to Cera's party for horse back riding and lunch out.

Thursday evening we played some Switch.

Austin reconfigured the grow boxes, and Nick worked along side him.  They are now working through an electric fence to keep the animals out.  For good.

It was still cold Friday -- impromptu marshmallow roasting and hot chocolate.

Andy's match.  They wrestled all six minutes.  The other kid won by three points.

Sunday mornings Austin helps Molly get dresses.  Look at her red tights and red shoes.  

I asked this booma to take some pictures with Honey Bun -- so I could blog her and him -- proof that she hasn't disappeared from the family.  

I guess she climbed into the freezer at Costco.  That's funny.  

Sunday night Grandma had more treats for us -- her mother's favorite, ice cream smashed between graham crackers.

 Maisie was here.  Mostly doing school and dishes.  Nick climbed into a cave on the hike and says the best one liners.  He often speaks with a British accent.  He's hysterical.

Neep

Sunday Nick was ordained to the office of a teacher.  He's a good little neep, and he's quick to tenderly love and endlessly tease.  Maddie is a young woman now.  She will fit right in learning and living values and virtue.

After church is a whole bunch of ZOOM meetings.  YW right here.

Primary via ZOOM

I spoke at the youth stake fireside.  These four were in attendance. They were nice about my talk.

Monday Molly told us it was Baby's birthday.  Baby, the build-a-bear, needed cookies, candles and presents.

Intense.

There is a sacred space between when Austin walks out the door and 7:45 -- MUHS online classes -- in which my littles, that are growing very quickly, bring me loads of book and we read, everyday.  I can't get enough.  I suppose this routine is very natural, it's the same space in which I nursed babies and read books.  Although I no longer make milk, I am literate.  Phew.

Austin is reworking all our growboxes.  Our winter garden is very sad this year -- the animals chomp it up.

We spent four hours at the office to receive seven cleanings.  Yes, there were cavities dianosed.  Yes, I am a failure.  What can I say?  I am intentional, but that is no matter.

These two boys waited it out under the table in the staff room.  Ryan was way happier than this.

I have a new book, A Daughter of the Land, and so I find little spaces to read a bit.  Austin found me, turned on Bob Ross and proved his love of "happy little trees" by his socks.  

I planned a group date, and it was fun!  We bowled and ate ice cream and felt a little less middle aged.

Saturday Eddie, Ryan and Nick all had flad football games.  I picked up Matthew for the wee, and he came along for the games.  The boys played well, and the 70* was heavenly.

I am putting much of my faith in that space of trying to be a lovely mother and a good person to my fellowmen and actually being one.  I am really hoping the merits and mercy of the Savior will be mine, because I really need Him.  I try to be nice, but I'm often overwhelmed, under paid and sleep deprived.  I suppose there just might be a little corner in heaven, there just has to be, for this little mother who prays every second for her teens, yearns all the moments for her scholars, and pour out her soul to meet the needs of the preschooler will be a gap that He can also fill.

Relapse

One of the hardest weeks of the year is the first one, and here we are.  This is the only Christmas photo by the tree this year.  It's a good thing I haven't taken it down.  Plus, Meg was home, that's a bonus.  Austin and I did drop her off at the airport, so she's back at school, and I sulk.

Maisie did make us doughnut holes. Delish.

Monday night we used my new FLIKR fire and roasted marshmallows right on our table.  Fun.

FHE activity was coloring The First Vision primary activity page.  Some used crayon, some marker, and some water colors.  We all sat nicely for a good long time creating.  We listened to messages about the events.  But we also listened to the promptings from heaven testify that Joseph's vision was real, he knows it, and we know it.

I tried to let my hair dry curling.  It was super cute wet, but just got frizzier and frizzier by the hour.  Blast.  One day I would like to use my natural curl.

Ryan wrote very nicely and completely in his journal today -- only he couldn't find the composition notebook, so he used a sheet of paper.  

I found a little twin. Actually, I copied her pants.

This cute BOOMA is shining brightly this week.

Maisie had curls to boot, and she didn't even need to kick them into gear.

This week was rough because I wanted to be learning at the table, so that did happen, but I had so many distractions to keep us functioning.  That space of efficiency and energy is shortening.  I can't figure it out.  But, I just keep pretending that the 11,000 steps I take each day mean I'm working to be a little better than the day before.  Most days I feel like I've relapsed.  That's okay too, because that's the great thing about teens (did I mention I have four right now), they let me know when I'm unfair, tyrrancial and hopeless.  Thank you, those are good places to start building my character this year.
 

Viva Mexico

Wednesday blew quickly by in Mexico, because the winds died down and we found respite on the dunes.  Nice Nick loves our little Molly.

Meg and Maisie braved the surf in wet suits.

Andy was not brave.  He used all his courage to read four novels.

After we ran along the shore, Austin had enough warmth left to paddle.

Nick is the mound.

We made it until sunset when Molly called it quits.

YES!  Proof of our family, our beach and our love.

The big girls ran and walked the beaches everyday -- both are training for the upcoming track seasons. Nick came up with tons of games of chase, tag and wrestle.  Every night the three littles came inside trailing sand.  Their hoodies and pockets filled up with sand and slowly sprinkled across the floor.  Maddie flitted from group to group, mostly moving and hardly stopping.

New Years Eve we huddled around the fire pit and watched the neighbors set off crazy-big fireworks.  Austin handed out poppers, so we had our little bit of fun.  Actually, it was delightful because they started throwing the poppers at each other from the balcony.

Our final beach day was another warm one. As long as I kept moving, I was warm.

They played all day long, and even picked up a few neighbors.

Lots of food and water

Lots of jumping and reading and sleeping.

Maddie filled up Eddie's shirt.  They called him, "Chungus."

Time to go, and no one was moving very quickly.  Relaxation became the norm.  

It's so easy to travel with big kids, lots of seats and lots of devices.  

As soon as we were driving up our long road, Eddie begged to keep driving until we reached Grandma Kim's house. I wish.  Oh, how I wish.