Path of Peace

There is a painting tiled "Path of Peace" by Jon McNaughton that Robb bought for me last night. It has a bridge in the fore front and in the background there is a mom or older sister walking with a younger little girl. The painting has a huge significance for Robb and I because of the bridge. Today I looked up Jon's comments and was even more enlightened. He believes everyone of us has a guardian angle to help guide us and that we must have the faith to cross the bridge that will lead us to the peace we are looking for. He asks "The question is, are we listening?" I love that! Robb and I also have a wood sign that he made years ago that says "Ask". I have always believed God answers prayers. He knows the intents of my heart and often is just waiting for me to ask for what I need (or even think I need). God knows me, he knows me personally. I have seen him in my life and felt his presence. Some times the question is "are you asking?" and other times it is "are you listening?"
I would love to hear your insight or comments...fell free to let me know what you think or if you have seen this painting.

Bridges

Robb proposed to me on a concrete bridge over a canal near my house in California. It was covered with graffiti and the house across the street was once the center of a huge drug bust and shooting that made the news in our little down. It wasn't exactly the romantic situation that Robb had in mind. He actually had a picture perfect event planned out. It was on a bridge at the gazebo in the park 25 minutes from my home. Robb wasn't one for sappy romance but I remember that night he really tried to build the moment. It was late and he talked about the stars and our relationship. (I had no idea what he was building the moment for)...in the mist of our conversation the park police came and told us it was curfew and we needed to leave the park. While trying to hurry off the bridge I got my shoe caught in a railing and fell flat on my back in the pond. Let's just say it ruined the moment. After we got in the car Robb was on a quest for another bridge. I led him to one over a road, it didn't fit his purposes (again I had no idea what he was trying to do, instead I kept thinking "This poor city boy has never seen a bridge!" Well in sarcasm, after driving around in the dark (and because I was cold and wet), I led Robb to the concrete bridge by my house. We got out and he wanted to sit. I talked about the shooting and we studied graffiti. Then knowing the romance was gone Robb just decided to get on with things. He told me to look one way on the bridge and think about our past (we had known each other for 5 years) then he told me to look down the other way and think about our future. He then got down on one knee and opened the ring box...My ring in shaped like a bridge with one single diamond in the middle (the diamond is turned sideways in what is called a "star setting"). He talked about that now we were bridging our relationship and like the diamond Christ should be the center. Then he asked the question and of course I said "YES".
Well, bridges have become a theme in our marriage. This last week we attended a conference where this statement was made:
Instead of lightening the load, we should be strengthening bridges!
It was profound for both of us. It meant that often we want to lighten the load, instead of doing what is necessary. We want the easy way, the short cut, instead of learning what we need too. We need to be living all aspects of the gospel. Instead of asking for less we should be building on what we have. In a relationship we should be strengthening each other.
This father's day I am grateful for the greatest man in my life. I am grateful for bridges, they are what brought us together and will get us to where we both desire to be. I hope we all are strengthening bridges.

Taitt

I thought I would show off Taitt. We think he is the cutest thing ever. You can't see it in the pictures but he now has his two top teeth. He continues to roll everywhere and sits for ever playing. The girls still try to hold him (especially Abby). He loves to eat, especially fruit. He now weighs in at about 17 lbs and is 8 1/2 months old.

Camping?

We had made great plans to take the kids camping this week up Diamond Fork Canyon. Robb scheduled a couple of days off, we made the list of things we need and even planned the menu. Well, it rained all week. So we decided to move the camping trip indoors. I made the kids a fort (out of a sheet and scrap fabric).

Since we couldn't go hiking we took the kids to the Bean Museum at BYU and then to the BYU Bowling Alley. We went out for lunch, came home for naps and then made Smores in the oven. It turned out to be a nice weekend!

The kids also set up the slip and slide on Saturday when the sun finally peaked through. They got there suits on and two minutes later it down-poured. The weather turned colds so fast that they ended up swimming in the bath tub.

Maybe we will try again in August!

Summer System

Well we are one week into summer. I have put the girls on a system that seems to be working pretty well. I told them that in the morning they need to get up and get dressed in order to have breakfast and after that they have about five things they need to get done. I gave them a paper that has 5 charts on it (Monday-Friday). I told them that each chart had the things I wanted them to do for the day. They can do their jobs in any order and when they want, but (there is always a but :), they can not play or have friends over until all their jobs are done. When they do get their jobs done they bring me their chart and I check it off and give them their morning snack. At the end of the week they turn in their paper for a treat and family activity. (this is replacing our money system for the summer).
These are their jobs on their charts:
*get dressed, make bed, clean room
*Chore (they have a room in the house they have to clean for the month)
*Read (20-30minutes, depending on the child)
*Workbook pages
*Piano practice (for Emalee)
*Computer Program (we are doing a research program for Waterford Research for 15min a day)

That's it! Nothing to complicated or too drawn out. The idea is to keep them busy in the mornings so that they are constructive and don't have as much time to get on each others nerves!

This last week actually went really well. Emalee got up one morning and had all her stuff done by 8:30 am. I like it because it teaches them accountability and responsibility while keeping the house clean and keeping up their academics. They have had a ton of time to play and to my surprise did not even ask for friends to come play until Friday (instead they played with each other.) I am not saying I do not have to get after them at times and we have not had peaceful bliss all week around here but for the most part the system seems to be working.

Also, Wednesdays are our library days. We go for a program and then they turn in their reading time for prizes. In two weeks we will also start Movie Days at the Spanish Fork Theater. (They show a free Disney movie each week for the summer.)

Hope everyone else is off to a good start. Pass along any other good ideas or what is working for you. I would love to hear about them.

Ramblings

What a busy few weeks we have had. Week before last we had the "triplet affect" at our house. The van had a broken sway bar link, the computer crashed (had to send it in), and the washer stopped agitating! Why things always happen in three's is beyond me. We got the van fixed. The computer came back on Friday, and the washer is still sitting there as we decided what we want to do. (It still works, just not so well!)
We did have something fun happen though...There was an ad in the newspaper a few weeks ago for some items up for auction at greengello.com. Our mechanic told us a while back about it, he had won a bid on lasik eye surgery for 1/2 the price of retail. We looked through things and saw that there was a store selling 2 (new) 2-pant suit (with alterations), 10 white shirts, 12 pairs of gold toe socks, 5 ties, and 2 pairs of shoes. We bid $350 and won the bid. This was a highlight for Robb (since he wears a suit every day and has not had a new suit in YEARS!) We are excited to go pick out his new attire before school starts this next year!

Also, school is out. I am actually excited. Last summer I had the kids on a schedule of doing some reading, workbooks, and activities each morning. It worked great and gave us a lot of time to play and do projects. This summer I am planning on doing the same thing. We will also go to the library once a week and the free movie at Spanish Fork theater every week.

Ok, well that is enough rambling. Have a good week. And if anyone wants to get together at the park sometime this summer let me know. I want to take my kids to the park about once a week...would love the company!

Love Triangle!

I had the fun experience of going to the zoo with Abby's Kindergarten class on Friday. I took Kamree and Lorrin too. Apparently Abby got to pick who would be in her group and to my surprise (but not to her teachers) she picked Carter. They started the day holding hands and sharing lunches. It was after lunch that my eyes were open to a situation that I am sure will not be the first! I took them to the park area and Abby went to play on the Monkey bars. Kamree and Carter headed to the swings. Well after about 10 minutes, as we headed out, I looked over to see Kamree and Carter holding hands! It took Abby a few minutes to notice what was going on, but as soon as she did she marched over to Carter, grabbed his handed and pulled him away. Kamree got upset and almost started to cry. Carter went to grab her hand again but when Abby noticed she reached out her hand. I had to finally intervene and let Kamree AND Abby hold hands with Carter. The whole experience made me laugh and I momentarily had this vision of my girls in their teenage years.... (did we fight over boys???) What fun the future holds!

Going to the Temple

We took the kids to the Provo Temple on Monday for Family Home Evening. We wanted to take a picture of each of them in front of the temple to put in their rooms. It wasn't exactly the spiritual experience we were hoping for (the kids were a little wound up and running around) but we got the pictures and it was a good teaching experience about reverence for places and grounds. We had a fun time and it was good for the kids to be able to walk the grounds of the temple. We had some really nice pictures with full views of the temple in the background that they each got to hang in their rooms. We hope it will help them remember the goal of having an eternal family and help them make a goal to be married in the temple.

Taitt

We took Taitt in for his wellness check last week. He was just over 16 pounds at 7 months and is 25 1/2 inches tall. That puts him in the 10th percentile for height and 25th for weight. Remember Lorrin at this age? She was 5 pounds heavier! (So to us, Taitt is so tiny!)
We couldn't imagine our lives without our little boy. He adores Robb and lights up when he is around. He is a content little guy. He now rolls ALL around the room, scoots backwards and can sit on his own. Where did the time go?

Kamree's 5th Birthday

Kamree announced "I have been waiting my whole life for THIS birthday!" Oh, to be five again and be so excited about life.
The best part of her birthday was how thoughtful Abby was. Kamree had been asking for a Singing Barbie. Because we have over 40 barbies in our house Robb and I did not get her one. The morning of her birthday I watched Abby go through the Barbie drawer, then the Barbie clothes drawer. She snuck upstairs and later came down and placed a bag on the counter with all the other presents. I saved that bag for last. As Kamree opened it she looked inside to see Abby's "Island Princess" Barbie, dressed in it's original clothes. She then said "I got everything I wanted, thanks Abby for sharing your barbie with me." Abby told her "You don't even have to share, I know you wanted one."
Well, later we went birthday shopping and as we walked down the Barbie aisle, Kamree did not even look at barbies, I asked "Do you still want a new Barbie?" "Nope," she said, "I have a sister who likes to share!"
I realized that if I would have given her everything she wanted this birthday, we would have missed the opportunity for another sister to show love and kindness. I learned that holding sometimes gives others the opportunity to give. I am grateful for children who give and are content with what they are given.