Taking a break.

I'll come back one day.

Perhaps tomorrow.

Perhaps next Christmas.

We'll see.

Applesaucing It

This is another one of those, "So one time we ...." posts. As in, it happed in October. I have to document this though, mostly because William LOVED it. Second mostly, because I LOVED it! As much as I nearly detested making salsa, I loved making applesauce. And I love having homemade applesauce to eat. Delicious!

You can only love making applesauce if you have a Victorio strainer. I promise. I think about how much time that took us and don't even want to consider what peeling and coring the apples would have taken. Thank you to a wonderfully generous friend (and her mother!) for letting us borrow it.

The sad part of the story is that a good group of my pictures with the kids helping were on a memory card that decided to go all funky on me before I had a chance to transfer the pictures on to the computer. Hate that.So all you get is Brandon and I getting our applesauce on. Lovely, lovely applesauce.

Right, and if you are ever curious about how the strainer works, William will more than gladly give you a play by play. He has it all figured out.

William-ese

The other day I told the kids that we were going outside. He asked if we could go to the park. I said, "Sure."

His response (to the tune of the Super Why theme song, a show on PBS which he hasn't watched in months.):

Hip, hip, hooray!

The mommy saved the day.

I asked her something and she said, "Sure!"

Hip, hip, hooray! (Complete with arms flying in the air.)

Yep, that's what he said. Word for word.

Yep, still laughing.

Are You Kidding Me?

Recently we got some information from our insurance about a health program they are sponsoring. With the info came a "SonneWheel" which is self-defined as a BMI assessment tool.

The instructions are simple.

1)Align child's weight in lbs. and height in inches.
2)Read Body Mass Index in top window.
3)Turn wheel over and follow instructions to determine the BMI percentile for the age.

Simple enough. I was curious, so I tested it out with both my kids stats.

Are you ready for this? According to this Marie is obese. Yes, that's right folks. My baby girl that has slowly ran off all her cute little baby rolls is supposedly obese. In order for her to fall within a healthy BMI, according to the SonneWheel, Marie would have to weigh 4 pounds less. That is about 13% of her body weight! And William? We can see his ribs, but don't be fooled, he is borderline overweight. Apparently he could stand to lose about 4 pounds, as well.

Give me a break. Apparently there aren't enough people with eating disorders in this world, we need to get 'em when they are toddlers!

Good grief.

So, One Time in October ...

... we decorated pumpkins.

William very strongly suggested that Brandon carve a truck out of his pumpkin. For the record, $1 carving kits are not ideal for this situation.
The rest of us skipped the carving and did a bit of painting and crafting instead. Marie could paint all day every day on everything if I let her. She painted her pumpkin and then I helped her put a face on with jewels and material, and then she painted over that. Her phrase of the night, "Pritty pink punkin".
William is pointed at the eyebrow on his pumpkin. I cut the face out for him and he decided to put little pompoms as eyebrows. He was very proud of this idea ... and so was I.

(His eyebrows didn't stay on very well with the craft glue, so I had to do some reconstructive surgery with hot glue later that night.)

My Hands

How grateful I am that when this post appeared on my Google Reader, I took a moment to read it.

I began to consider what my hands have done this week.

-- they prepared meals for my family to provide them with nourishment to get through each day.

-- they brought music to the home as they played the piano.

-- they wiped away tears and rubbed "owies" for children in need of comfort.

-- they held two of God's most chosen spirits whom I have been blessed to nurture through this life.

-- they cleaned and scrubbed and vacuumed.

-- they tied shoes and buttoned shirts and brushed hair.

-- they cut, and glued, and colored.

-- they held the hand of my sweetheart.

-- they typed notes of encouragement to friends.

-- they drove me to all of my many errands.

-- they sewed Christmas gifts.

-- the turned the pages of picture books as my kids cuddled in my lap and listened to me read.

-- they opened the precious pages of the Book of Mormon and recorded my thoughts and promptings as I allowed the Spirit to teach me.

I fight the urge now to list all the things that my hands didn't do and I wish they would have. It is far too common for us to embrace our mistakes and forget our triumphs.

For today I will bless the hands which I have and all that they have done, as they work on being "filled."

And may they continue to "fill" until they runneth over.

Master Chef

It's always fun for everyone ... when Daddy makes dinner!

I can't even imagine where William gets that cheesy grin from ...

Finding Fall

A couple of weeks ago for FHE, we decided to go out on a walk and "find fall."

The weather was threatening to be nasty, but the kids were stir crazy, so out we went.

Thank goodness we did! One of our favorite paths proved to provide a nice respite from the wind and we certainly managed to find beautiful proof that fall had most definitely paid a visit.

P.S. A bit obvious from these pictures that William shows happiness with a big wide open mouth, haha!

Disneyland: 09.18.09

If you ask William about going to Disneyland he will tell you about two things and only two things.

Even though we rode the FIRE TRUCK,
we saw a CASTLE,

we rode
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

DUMBO

KING ARTHUR'S CAROUSEL

the TEA CUPS

Splash Mountain
Star Tours
Jungle Cruise
Pirates of the Caribbean,
(and so much more!)

we made a stop at a souvenir shop, tried a few hats on and the kids picked their favorites,

and we even got hugs from some of our favorite characters,

yes, even though we did so many things, William was most excited about being introduced to the train. They rode around Disneyland 3 times (each time around is about 20 minutes!)with these two crazy characters while Brandon and I went on some of the "grown up" rides.

But that still wasn't the ride of all rides. No, there was one more, one that he still talks about.

Buzz Lightyear's Astro Blasters
Or, in William-ese,

Fighting Zurg!!!
This is the ride that he requested again,
and again,
and again,
and again.

You would think that after all those times I would have figured out how to get a high score ...

A Reminder for Me

I read this tonight: Alma 26

In verse 5, Ammon mentions the word garners. Curious about it's meaning I googled it.

That is when I found this: The Spirit and Purposes of Gathering by Elder Bednar

We learn in that talk that garners refers to the holy temples. This brings a much deeper meaning to the promise found in verse 6 of Alma 26.

Beautiful, really.

I love a good scripture study session!

Moooo .....

Date Night at California Adventure -- 09.17.09

Confession: The dinner was actually the night before we went to California Adventure, hence the fact that we are wearing different shirts, but it is totally worthy of making it on this post anyway.

Music for the Soul

A big thanks to our chorister for choosing the hymns yesterday. I needed to sing those songs. I needed to hear the messages that they shared. So, Dee, if you ever feel that you just stand up and wave your hand every Sunday (like I used to), please know that by fulfilling your simple calling you have touched my life and helped me to stand a little taller today.

Hymn No.85 How Firm a Foundation

Hymn No. 97 Lead Kindly Light

Hymn No. 125 How Gentle God's Commands

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

And a little food for thought that I found as I researched one of the hymns, "Lead Kindly Light"

Throughout the scriptures, and indeed in the writings of thoughtful Christians through the centuries, we find examples of how Christ’s message of light and salvation can spiritually and physically sustain us. As a young priest traveling in Italy in 1833, Englishman John Henry Newman encountered emotional and physical darkness when illness detained him there for several weeks. He became deeply discouraged, and a nurse who saw his tears asked what troubled him. All he could reply was that he was sure God had work for him to do in England. Aching to return home, he finally found passage on a small boat.

Not long after the ship set sail, thick fog descended and obscured the hazardous cliffs surrounding them. Trapped for a week in the damp, gray darkness, the ship unable to travel forward or back, Newman pled for his Savior’s help as he penned the words we now know as the hymn “Lead, Kindly Light.”

Lead, kindly Light, amid th’encircling gloom; …
The night is dark, and I am far from home; …
Keep thou my feet; …
one step enough for me.
(Hymns, no. 97)

This hymn echoes a truth our hearts confirm: though trials may extinguish other sources of light, Christ will illuminate our path, “keep our feet,” and show us the way home. For as the Savior has promised, “he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness” (John 8:12).

We can all find ourselves in places of darkness from time to time. We may wander into dark, spiritual caverns when we make foolish choices, admit harmful influences into our lives, or turn away from the light of the gospel to embrace the world just a little longer. It may seem harmless at first—just a little exploring, that’s all. Before we know it, we become separated from the light and left in darkness alone. Why do we remain in darkness when such rescuing light awaits us? Let us bask in the warm and illuminating light provided by the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let the Savior’s kindly light lead us one step at a time. Let covenants and commandments keep us safe as we follow the gospel pathway to our heavenly home.

Virginia U. Jensen, “‘Lead, Kindly Light’,” Liahona, Jan 2001, 75–76

Pumpkin Patch the Second

This trip to the pumpkin patch was a preschool field trip. Yay for field trips! My favorite part? The farm we went to is way overpriced for general admission and by going as a group during the day we got in for a fraction of the cost. Sweet!

I must say that next year, if we go, Brandon is so going with us! First, because I would have enjoyed his company and second, because I would have enjoyed another set of strong arms and good running legs to chase the kids around the play yard. Phew! That was quite the workout.

the quintessential pumpkin pictures -- they are pie pumpkins, anybody have a great recipe?
William's two favorite parts -- the pig races and the cow train

our amusing attempts at some more pumpkin pictures -- aka my kids just being themselves