for bike rides

Elliot stayed up too late last night and was having a hard time this afternoon. So we fixed his bike (it needed a new tube) and went on a bike ride together. The weather was perfect, and one on one time was just what we both needed. He gets really chatty when we go on bike rides, and I am thankful for the nice visit we had together.

happy weekend

Elliot turned seven last week, and ever since then, he's been gelling his hair before school and looking way too grown up. Ah! I don't know if I can take it. Elliot is full of personality, a good playmate, and a great baseball player. He is always getting his siblings outside to jump on the trampoline or ride vehicles, and likes to be in the middle of the action. He'd eat oatmeal every morning if he could and still likes a good snuggle first thing when he wakes up. And also, he looks exactly like his dad. :)

Two things we tried this week for dinner (and most of us liked): Spicy Instant Pot Carrot Soup (not too spicy and served over rice) and Breakfast Enchiladas with Ranchero Sauce (assembled in the morning, kept in the fridge, and then popped in the oven at dinner time--I love when I can do that!).

What I'm making myself for Mother's Day: The Best Yellow Cake. I haven't been eating sugar all week, saving it up for Mother's Day, so I am really looking forward to eating this cake. Yellow cake with chocolate frosting will always be one of my most favorite desserts, but I've never made a successful homemade version. I am excited to try this recipe!

I hope you have a happy weekend, especially on Sunday.

happy weekend

It's little league season! Hooray! Elliot and I went out to the park after school yesterday to practice hitting some balls. He was mostly excited about wearing his new baseball socks, but he did manage to hit two balls out of the park and into our neighbor's yard. It's volleyball season, too, and after a little bit of practice with Stella, she asked if she "could go inside and do [her] homework now." Ha! So maybe volleyball isn't her thing, but she sure has fun with all of the girls on her team.

Here's some good news: Mike placed second in a pitch contest at school! He got a humongous check and everything. He did a great job and I am so proud of his hard work. His winning idea was a mosquito killing fan, so maybe we're getting into the mosquito killing business? I'll keep you posted.

I have a mountain of laundry to catch up on today, and some sewing projects to finish. But then I'll be ready to party. And by party, I mean attend little league and volleyball games. :)

Have a happy weekend!

stitches

Tonight I am grateful for the nice men and women who missed their own Thanksgiving dinners to show up for work at the Emergency Room, so that when Elliot gashed his leg open at Nana's house, they were able to clean him up and stitch him up. I am ashamed to admit that when I saw Elliot's wound, I freaked out a little bit. It was so big and gape-y and my brain didn't know how to handle what I was seeing. If you need help in an emergency, find Mike. He's your guy. He was calm and patient and helped Elliot (and me) process what was happening. I am so grateful that he was there with us.

After a few hours at the hospital, a couple of popsicles, and 18 stitches, we were back at Nana's for a second round of pie.

Elliot was a trooper through it all, from the moment he quietly walked in the house with his leg hanging open all the way through to the end of the stitches. What a day! I am feeling extra grateful for my little family and our safety tonight.

I hope your Thanksgiving was less eventful but equally pie-filled. :)

a month of thanksgiving

Happy November! It's my most favorite month of the whole year! Not only does our weather improve drastically in November, but today marks the beginning of my month of Thanksgiving. Every year, during the month of November, I focus on gratitude, and then I post here on my blog something I am thankful for, every day for the whole month. I've been doing it for years and it's the best thing I do for myself. It puts my challenges into perspective, makes me more content, and definitely brings me a lot of joy. Plus, feeling extreme gratitude and contentment is a really great way to enter the holiday season. Have you ever tried it? Why don't you do it along with me? I promise you will see a happy difference in your life.

And so, I am thankful for November, for the opportunity it gives me to take stock of my life and focus on all of the really fortunate blessings I've been given.

Here's a quick look at our Halloween:

We had Kip from Napoleon Dynamite and a banana.

And a really sweet Dorothy and an Obi Wan Kanobi.

The kids had a lot of fun, but I am always so glad when Halloween is over. :)

happy weekend

I think one of the best things about being in first grade is that you don't mind homework yet. At least Elliot doesn't. He happily races through it each night, although he's usually doing it in the car when we're picking Mabel up from her bus, not at the kitchen table. The school year is coming along well. Everyone has settled in and they seem to be happy and thriving, even Mabel, who is at a big, scary high school and Mike, who is completely up to his eyeballs in school work.

Hey! It's one of my favorite weekends of the whole year! Not only is the weather feeling more "fallish" (If you can call 92 degrees fallish, which you totally can if you live in Arizona.), but it's General Conference! That means it's time to stay home in our pjs, eat cinnamon rolls, and listen to the leaders of our church share really inspiring and uplifting messages. The things I hear this weekend will buoy me up until the next conference in April. I know that if I am ready to listen with my heart, I will find the answers and assurances that I seek. I can't wait.

To get a feel for what general conference is like, here are a few highlights from the last conference:

You can see where and when to watch here. Have a cozy, happy weekend!

fishing

One of my favorite paragraphs from The Family: A Proclamation to the World says, "Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities." I thought it was interesting that in Dr. Sax's book, The Collapse of Parenting, he talked about how important it is to have fun with your kids, too.

With that in mind, when Elliot asked to go fishing Friday night right before bedtime, we said okay.

Elliot has only been fishing a few times in his life, and he has caught a fish almost every time. So we are either giving him completely unrealistic expectations, or he is just really lucky.

The whole outing only took about half an hour that night, but the time we spent there on the canal as a family is something I'll always remember. I know that wholesome recreational activities can bind us together and promote a family culture that makes us stronger, happier, and more committed to each other. 

here we go!

Oliver left first, bright and early this morning. Because he is now in 6th grade, he will have an extra hour of instruction in the afternoon, so it will be a longer day than he is used to. Other than that, he is at the same school with the same friends as he has been for the past two years. He attends a public school in our district with a more rigorous academic curriculum than our regular neighborhood school. He is doing well there and I am grateful for that option.

There were a little more jitters in our second group. Mabel is off to high school! She will be a third generation Warrior, as she gets to attend the same high school that Mike and his mom both attended, where she will be doing the International Baccalaureate program. She is nervous, but I know she'll do great. She is bright and kind and so capable. She is excited to be out of uniforms, but of course that led to a little outfit stress this morning. Ha!

Elliot will be in all day first grade, much to his chagrin. I know he'll love it once he's there (he is especially excited to eat lunch in the cafeteria), but he thinks that all day is going to feel really long. It probably will. I sense an extra early bedtime tonight.

And Stella is ready in her cat pants to take on third grade!

Hooray!

saying no to screens

The other day Elliot was begging and begging to watch a show on the iPad. I said no. And no. And no. And guess what? He didn't die. :) Actually, just a few minutes after his hopes of screen time were dashed, I found him on the kitchen floor happily making a welcome home banner for our girls who had been in Utah, all by himself, completely of his own accord. And then I knew that I needed to write this down so that next time he begs for a show, I can remember that saying no isn't the end of the world and that most likely, within moments, he will have found something (usually much more creative) to do with himself. I know this. But sometimes it's easy to forget.

Sort of related: I am back to using my iPhone. I need to tell you all about it.

happy weekend

I think I officially hit my mid summer slump this week. This is when I start to wonder if the house will ever be clean again. Or if I will ever get out of the kitchen. Or if it will ever not be 115 degrees outside.

This means it's time to get out of town, I guess. Luckily our annual pilgrimage to my parents' house in Sundance is happening pronto. I can't wait!

On the bright side, Elliot has been wearing his new snorkel around the house. I'll walk into a room and he'll just be sitting there, breathing heavily and staring out the window. It is my favorite thing so far this summer.

Mabel found the best pancake recipe. Since they have no added sugar and are whole wheat, I thought I'd share her recipe here:

Oatmeal Pancakes

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups quick oats
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/4 cups buttermilk
3 teaspoons vanilla
6 tablespoons melted butter or coconut oil
3 eggs

Place all ingredients in a blender or large food processor. Blend until smooth, then cook on a hot griddle. This recipe makes enough to feed our family of 6.

We've been eating them with butter, peaches, blueberries, and bananas and haven't even missed the syrup!

Have a good weekend!

Elliot is 6!

Happy birthday to my Cinco de Mayo baby!

Of all my children, Elliot is the most particular about his wardrobe. I had to take him shopping with me for his birthday presents, because I know that I can't buy him clothes without his approval. He notices what everyone is wearing and changes his own clothes several times a day.

Sometimes he sits with Mike on the stand at church during sacrament meeting and the only reason I let him is because I know he won't make a peep or move a muscle.

He is always the first one up in the morning, and is always looking for a hug first thing. He loves oatmeal and his stuffed dog, Wolfie. He'll still cuddle with me and take a nap if I ask him to. He is a good baseball player, and is very good at listening and following directions. He is quick to smile, has the best laugh, and is just the most delightful boy. I am so glad that I get to be his mom.

baseball

It's my most favorite season of the whole year--little league season! We'll be at the baseball fields every night this week, and I don't even mind. Oliver took last year off, but he's back this year and I am so glad.

He pitched for the first time on Saturday, and I was a nervous wreck! Man alive, the pressure of the entire game is on the shoulders of those pitchers. I know Oliver was feeling it, but he bore it well.

I stole this picture from my friend because it is adorable and shows exactly how little league should be-- lots of friends and lots of smiles. Elliot even has his two best cousins on his team. Oh, it's so fun!

happy weekend

We call stuffed animals "guys" at our house, and Elliot is my lover of guys. His beloved Wolfie is getting pretty thin and floppy these days from all of the love. So this week, when I was paining my bedroom, I took my old guy, Nosey-Nosey, out of the shadowbox that usually hangs on my wall and let Elliot play with him. As I placed Nosey in Elliot's arms, he let out the sweetest, most reverent gasp. And then he handled Nosey so delicately. Nosey got to meet the rest of our guys, and I think everyone had a really great time together. I even heard Elliot bringing Wolfie into my room this morning to say hello to Nosey, where he is safely back up on the wall.

I painted my bedroom, which I've wanted to do since we painted it green ten years ago when we moved in to our house. I've barely tolerated that green all this time, and it feels really good to have it be a nice, clean, bright white instead. Funny thing, though, I painted it and moved all the furniture back in place and cleaned everything up. . . and then I realized that it needed a second coat. Blerg! So the next day, I did it all over again.

Painting is not my favorite, but it is cheap and it makes a big impact. We painted every square inch of our house when we moved in, and we've almost painted it all again since.

Our spring break kicks off this weekend. I am trying to convince Mike to take us to California for a few days. I'd really love to visit my grandparents and look at the ocean for a minute. Oh, and breathe that wet, salty air that feels so much like home!

We'll see. . .

Have a good weekend!

p.s. Best home makeover I've seen in a long time.

for my turn to volunteer

On Fridays, I help in Elliot's class. I look forward to it all week. Because I've always had little kids at home, this is the first time I've been a parent volunteer. I learned long ago that finding a sitter for my babies so that I could help at school wasn't worth the stress, so I've waited. Now it is my turn to be the mom helper and I am grateful for the opportunity. It has been fun to be in his classroom, to see his interaction with the other kids, and to watch his teacher. (I've learned so much! And kindergarten teachers are total heroes.) While part of me wishes that I could have done this for my older children, I know that there is a time and a season for everything, and I don't regret my choice. I am grateful that I listened to the voice that told me it was ok to say no then, and that now it is ok to say yes.

first day

They're off! Mabel and Oliver left early this morning to catch their bus. They are in 8th and 5th grades this year. Last year, when they started at their new school, they were understandably very nervous. This year, I think they are just looking forward to seeing their friends again. And their bus driver. He's our favorite.

Stella and Elliot left a while later, for 2nd and kindergarten. Their school is just across the park behind our house, so we go out the back, through our gate. They were pumped. Elliot is in the half day class, so I'll be back to pick him up soon enough.

And now the house is quiet. And the beds are made. And this freedom feels really great. Hooray!

happy weekend

Have you ever listened to the series Gospel Solutions for Families on the Mormon Channel? There's some really great stuff there, but the best thing I've listened to lately has been Marriage Roles Part 1 and Part 2. They are about 30 minutes long, and go way beyond talking about marriage roles. Mostly, they are just full of logical, simple solutions to problems that all marriages face. I really suggest giving them a listen next time you have a load of laundry to fold.

Girl's Camp preparations are moving full speed ahead at our house today. But I promised my kids I'd take a break and take them swimming later this afternoon. We skipped the pool yesterday to give some sunburned cheeks a rest and we were all miserable because of it.

I just had to post this photo of my handsome little dude from last Sunday. He's been wanting a suit to wear to church for forever and we finally found one at Target. When he tried it on, he exclaimed, "Look how cute it is!" I couldn't not buy it. He was beaming (and moving very stiffly) in it all day. Little boys are the best.

Stay cool friends!

Elliot is five!

Elliot is about a head shorter than all of his friends, but he has a lot of personality crammed into that little body. One minute he is happy to keep up with the big kids and the next he will crawl onto my lap for some hugs. Last night as I was tucking him in bed, I told him when he woke up he'd be five. At first, he was really excited. Then he got sort of quiet and said he didn't want to be five because then he'd be too big for me to carry. He is our dearest, most darling little dude, and I'll happily carry him for as long as he'd like.

Happy birthday Elliot!

happy weekend

I realized yesterday that the days of having just Elliot at home with me are quickly coming to an end. Summer vacation will be here before we know it. And then he'll be off to kindergarten after that. I'm not a terribly sentimental person, but I think because he's my last, these milestones are more difficult than they used to be. Happily, he'll be attending half day kindergarten, so I'll still have lots of mornings to sit and watch him color. Or eat. I love watching him eat. It is so satisfying. I don't remember thinking that about any of my other kids.

By some strange stroke of luck, it is the end of April and it's still nice outside. I was prepared to shut myself in the house and start complaining to Mike about the heat already, but I won't do that just yet. So let's dig a big hole to bury our trampoline this weekend! Or go running! Or at the very least, sit on the front porch and feel the cool breeze on our faces - before it's so hot that our eyeballs want to shrivel up. I'm not exaggerating. It really does get that hot here. I remember when Oliver was just a toddler, we'd step outside in the summer and he would put his hands up to his eyes and yell, "HOT!" in the saddest, most discouraged little voice. Oh Arizona, you are so difficult to love sometimes. But not today. Today the loving comes easy.

Happy weekend friends!

happy weekend

I took Elliot in for his Kindergarten check up this week. I think his least favorite part was having to take his clothes off. Good news is that he's healthy as can be. He's all set for the start of school in August. I am so happy that our neighborhood elementary will start offering half day kindergarten again. I know August is months and months away, but I still can't stand the idea of him going to school all day every day. Half day will ease us both into it, I think.

This weekend Stella is hoping to craft her valentines. Oliver is probably looking forward to staying in his pjs all day. I am sure Mabel is planning on spending time with friends. I would like to make some headway on a big sewing project I'm working on. Mike is most likely scheming up some family weed-pulling and citrus picking. And I don't think Elliot can tell the difference between the weekdays and the weekend yet, so I have a feeling that he'll be happy with anything.

What are you hoping for?

Have a happy weekend!

pinterest valentines

Thank goodness for Pinterest. Our valentines are much more creative after a quick pinterest search than they would otherwise be. Elliot and I made these cute wild animal cards for his preschool Valentine's party yesterday. His favorite part was picking out just the right baby animal for each of his friends. My favorite part was watching him write their names.