Month: March 2010

I think when milestones happen, they should be spaced out, to stop mothers from being sent into SHOCK.

My boys, without my permission, are growing up.

Tucker lost his first tooth, he is so happy to finally be a member of his classrooms’ lost tooth club.

And even though I shed a few tears, this grin is too adorable to be sad about for long.

Truman is all registered for Kindergarten,

And, although I cringe just thinking about being without him the whole day, he couldn’t be happier about the prospect of being in the same school as his big brother, and I am excited for him in his next adventure.

Elliot after watching his brothers run, skip, jump, and practically speed everywhere, decided he’d done enough sitting, and has taken up walking.

And strangely enough, it happened completely unexpectedly. He took a few steps back in November, but then showed no interest after that, and would not walk more than two or three steps. So I was UTTERLY FLABBERGASTED to see him stand up and walk across our entire kitchen one afternoon to get to me. When I get to heaven, I hope I get to view that moment, so I can see the shocked and joy that I am sure was very present in my face.

So all of these milestones happened all within days of each other. And I repeat, things like this should not happen to mothers, they are hard enough to take one at at time, let alone in groups of three. Although I am so happy to see these moments come, time just keeps on ticking, and I really want to freeze it for a little while!

Make a pledge, make a difference.

Seeing how Valentines was on a Sunday this year, we celebrated for a few days, but mostly on Friday.

(Truman helped me paint the chalk board for Valentines, isn’t it cute to see his little writing of LOVE?)
With much sweat, and luckily no tears, the Valentines were made and ready to be delivered to friends at school:


The day started at Tuckers school with a Mom’s and Doughnuts Book Fair Breakfast.

I can’t believe I have three kids filling up that bench!!!
Healthy, sugar free doughnuts were served 🙂

And books were purchased:

Then off to school, Truman had a great valentine party (I signed up to help, but they didn’t need me at the last minute 🙁 ), and returned and promptly dumped his loot on the stairs, to look at the cards from his friends, he stayed there for a good hour, looking at the cards, and eating the candy.

Off to Tucker’s class to help with the class party, it was a great party,

there is a good group of students in his classroom this year.

Tucker too came home, to dump his treats out and read the notes from his friends.

That evening, Cat came down, and sent us out on a date. A very thoughtful gesture, and it was much appreciated!

And you can tell from the pictures, Toph and I were not the only ones who enjoyed our evening away.

And of course, a few tokens of my hubbys and kids love,
Flowers, real

and Flowers, made from balloons.

As well as a HUGE balloon. I kid you not, it’s bigger than me. And even three weeks after the fact, it’s still floating!

A great day day celebrating the love, love, love in our lives.

I thought I posted this on FRIDAY??? And apparently it was there for a minute??? I don’t know what’s going on with my blog, so you may have already seen this, if so, sorry! 🙂

February was a busy, busy month for us. But yet in so many ways was one of the best months for our family. A big factor? We were asked to serve as Mission Presidents/Mission Family for the youth in our Wards ‘Missionary Month’.

Of course, we were the Albania Tirana Mission, (and proud of it!).

The youth were given a companion and divided between six missions for the month, and the leaders put so much time, effort, sweat, tears, prayers and love into the month, it was an amazing month.

Our children were invited to participate and attend. And frankly, I was a tad bit worried about managing our children, and 12 youth for multiple activities. Anyone who has sat with my children for an extended amount of time knows that reverence, sitting still, listening and just ‘church’ in general is a difficult thing for them because of their ages and their personalities. I was worried about the balance of it all.

But as the month progressed full of wonderful activities, I was surprised and dare I say a tad bit shocked at how well they did. It was a little miracle, and a huge blessing. I was amazed at how much my little boys looked up to the ‘Elders’ and ‘Sisters’ in our mission. They were being watched, and their examples were being followed (for good and bad–Reverence and Not).

I was thrilled to have these experiences for our children (most of them wonderful, and the ones that were not, shall we say reverent, were good talking points for us with our children), and truthfully blessed our families lives more than I think the youths. I hope my boys remember this month.

It was a month was full of excitement and activities. (Tuesday Nights and Sundays were busy for us!) There were firesides, classes on learning how to cook, do laundry, writing letters, we did door approaches, had multiple dinner appointments (including an Albanian Feast),





the first discussion was taught, and we even taught them some Albanian (and we are singing it in our Sacrament Meeting on Sunday).

We pulled out Toph’s mission box, proudly displaying our Albanian Flag for the month, and Toph reveled in finding forgotten tokens of the past.


But the biggest surprise of all was the LOVE I felt for my missionaries. I worried about them, thought about them, and felt this connection for them that was TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. I loved them, like I didn’t think I would, and now look forward to future associations with them…and looking to the future wishing, hoping and praying they are seeking out only the best things in their life, at such a crucial age in their lives.

And at the end of the month, I was sad to see it end, but I was also left with alot of anticipation for the future missionaries in our lives, including Toph and I.

Me: Hey Tucker and Truman, can you keep an eye on Elliot for a second, while I run downstairs, and put the cereal away?

T and T: Yeah, mom.

Three minutes later, I return to see this:

Elliot playing Ipod (baby animal sounds)

laying down

in the middle of the dirty kitchen floor.

Me: Tucker, Truman, whose watching Elliot?

Truman: Don’t worry mom, the IPod is keeping an eye on him.

Wow, I knew my IPod was amazing, but I had no idea it had that function! 🙂