Friday, September 30, 2011

Should you be practicing?

Olivia is preparing to compete in a piano festival next month and is learning a 13 page movement of a concerto piece. Between juggling soccer, school, friends, clogging, church activities, chores, and trying to have a little fun, Olivia often feels just like this:

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Hip Hip Hooray

 

Sophia started Nursery today!


Friday, September 16, 2011

On My Honor

Welcome to the Wolf Den!

Equal Opportunity Employers

 Sophia likes to climb on the table, so I finally decide to put her to work.

I wish housework made ME this happy!

Monday, September 12, 2011

Being Eight is Great!

This handsome boy turned eight today! He said all day long how he was "so spoiled, but the good kind" and when I asked him why he felt spoiled he said, "You know, all the presents, all the love..." I love this kid!



Last weekend we took him with two of his buddies to Trafalga to celebrate and they had a great time!

Today he got his very own set of scriptures, some cool new stuff for Scouts which he gets to start on Wednesday, and an awesome Star Wars retro lunch box.

Olivia made him a wallet and gave him a book too!

I loved this expression on his face when he opened his gift from Ryan's parents. He is so enthusiastic and happy and grateful for things that people do for him.

We let the kids choose their birthday breakfast and dinner. For breakfast we had colored pancakes (we put different colors of pancake batter in squirt bottles and draw pictures or write words with the batter... it's pretty labor intensive, but the kids love it). For dinner he wanted a variation on his all-time favorite (homemade mac and cheese) that he thinks is as gourmet as it comes. We had cheese fondue... cheese sauce and lots of dippers--carrots, celery, noodles, crusty french bread, steamed broccoli, and the best of all HOT DOGS! So glad we could eat something healthy from all of the food groups :). The kids loved it though, and felt very fancy dipping their food in their own little dishes of cheese sauce with a fondue fork.

He had visits from Grandma Jan and Grandpa Gee Gee (but we didn't grab a picture, darn it!) and from Grandma and Grandpa Stover, calls from the other grandparents and lots of his aunts, and fun cards and gifts in the mail. People were good to this good boy. I am so grateful he came to our family eight years ago!

Sunday, September 11, 2011

We Will Never Forget

I can remember in great detail the feelings I had on September 11, 2001. I am sure you can too.  I sat in the same chair all day long, rocking 3 month old Olivia, glued to the TV and watched the news, hoping for any kind of understanding or resolution. Today, as we watched some of the memorial services many of those emotions were brought back to the surface.
Ten years later, we feel more "hope smiling brightly before us," yet at the same time realize that the world is a different place after 9/11. We will never forget.

I had a powerful experience in Stake Conference today as I sang with our Young Men and Young Women a song that is based on the theme for our youth this year (13th Article of Faith). I felt it was an appropriate and timely response to the horrific events of 9/11 and all of the aftermath. The world is filled with darkness and people who make choices that hurt others. We need not despair, there is hope and light to counter it all.

We Believe (listen here)
Jenny Phillips and Tyler Castleton

Darkness rages now
More than it ever has before
But our faith is sure
We are standing tall
We are standing strong
We can clearly see between
Right and wrong

Chorus
We believe in being honest
We believe in being true
Chaste and benevolent
Doing good to all men
We believe all things
We hope all things
We seek the virtuous
All that is praiseworthy
We're standing sure
We believe

We are not deceived
By the forces that fight against what's right
Our trust is in Christ
He leads us to joy
He leads us to light
He leads us to all good things
In this life

Chorus

Our mighty God has given us
So much good to find
There's just no room for darkness in our lives

Chorus

We're standing sure
We believe