Pictures are coming soon!

I know I haven't been very good at updating lately. Life is just TOO busy! We recovered most of the pictures that were lost when our computer crashed - thanks to all of our wonderful family and friends.

A quick update...

Sarah is slowly getting used to high school and early morning seminary (luckily, we live 1 minute from the church). She has lots more homework this year, and misses what little free time she had when she was in Jr. High. She is looking forward to her birthday - she will be 15! She starts driver's ed next quarter and is very excited for that.

Jake just fininshed up the fall baseball season for the Jr. High. He really loved playing for the school team. He got to pitch in several games and did really well. He has been playing baseball pretty much every day, except Sunday, since August 18. He is sad the season is over, and I am glad ( I cannot lie)! That game a day was killing me - just keeping his uniform clean and ready was a big job for me!

Bekah is enjoying 5th grade. She is taking advantage of all of the activities that 5th graders in her school can do. She is in chorus, band and literary at school. She is learning the flute in band. She also tried out for the Youth Symphony (with her violin) in our town and made it. Playing with the orchestra is taking some getting used to, but she is adjusting. I am hoping that she will soon love it.

Isaac is loving 2nd grade. He joined cubscouts at school this year, and loves it. When he turns 8, he'll participate in 2 packs - one at school and one at church. He loves to read and play with his friends. I was able to go work at his school this past Friday for Western day. It was lots of fun - we got to have lunch together afterward.

Anna is going to our co-op home preschool twice a week. She wishes that it was every day! She is a very busy little girl. She loves to play pretend and has two "friends" named Jason and Maddy who live in Florida. They are around a lot! She misses her siblings when they are gone to school.

Elise is growing up too quickly! She has 2 teeth and can sit up by herself and feed herself cheerios. She is such a happy, easy baby. We all love her dearly. It is so sweet to have a baby in our home - I love it!

Neil and I are just trying to keep our heads - no, make that our noses - out of the water! We are trying to enjoy our kids, fufill our callings at church, keep our house somewhat presentable, finish our basement, work, see clients a couple of times a week, have a weekly date and cart kids where they need to be and keep sane at the same time! It is hard, but fun. I wouldn't trade places with anyone. I love my family and my life.

I am hoping to be able to get our camera loaded onto our new computer sometime this week. As soon as I do, I'll post some here.

My three least favorite words in the entire world

"What's for dinner?"

New Family Motto

We can do hard things!

Life is a struggle.....but I'm holding on.

Ever have one of "those days"? Not fun. Necessary, but not fun. If we never had "those days", we wouldn't enjoy the others, would we?

Life is still good - good, but hard.

Great contest!

Hey!

There is a great contest over at the SITS blog. Check it out if you'd like to win a Cricut Expressions. Click here to see one and to try and win one!

Life is good

I am feeling very grateful this week. I don't know what started it, but a week ago today I started having a feeling of peace that hasn't left me yet. Big deal, you may think, everyone feels at one time or another. Well, we have been in a state of constant stress for a long time...I can't even remember when it all started. I guess maybe last year when I found out I was pregnant, or maybe when the kids started public school for the first time last year, or maybe when we lost Neil's mom unexpectedly and had to make a quick trip out to UT for the funeral (with me 8 months pregnant), or maybe when Elise was born 3 weeks earlier than planned (by emergency c-section) and not knowing for sure if she was going to live (if only for a brief few minutes.) I'm not sure - I could go on and on - let's face it, being a wife and mother of six is enough to stress me out on a daily basis. So, for whatever the reason, I have been blessed with the calmest, sweetest spirit lately. I think that it is Heavenly Father reassuring me that everything IS going to be alright - no matter what I may go through struggle-wise I am going to be OK. This knowledge has brought me to the grateful state that I am in now. I am trying to hold on to this feeling for as long as I can.

So, for now I am enjoying life and everything that it has to offer. I am trying to look for the good in EVERY situation - I'm sure I'll be able to find it. Here is a list of some of the things that I have to be grateful for - lucky you!!

My Faith, my husband, my six children, sweet family relationships with extended family, the comforts of life, beautiful indian summer weather, my job at church (primary music leader), wonderful supportive friends all over the USA, the beautiful world that we live it, great music, and the list goes on and on and on.