How Time Flies....

I was just kidding myself when I started this blog - thinking that I could keep it up! It's just ridiculous - I used to be an avid journal writer - weekly on Sunday! Hmmmm....that has definitely become a thing of the past!

It has been a busy year and I can't believe we are now looking forward to our next trip to Utah which is what I had just returned from when I last wrote!

Alyssa is going to be 2 next month (June 29)! She is working on getting potty trained already - by her own motivation! SWEET! Looking forward to not paying for diapers! She is sweet and smart and picks up on everything you do! Has the cutest personality and the highest pitch scream you have ever heard! Hmmmm...maybe she and I will do Soprano and Alto duets some day - she will definitely be the soprano! She is a tough girl, and has to be with her brothers around, but she still loves all the girly stuff. :)

McKay is so tender-hearted and happy! I love his dimples and his high pitched voice when he gets really excited about something. He is very analytical, detail-oriented and does a great, thorough job when he cleans the bathroom sink (he decided he would also clean the icky medicine cabinet while he was at it!) You go McKay! Due to being the middle child, I have realized how often I tend to ignore his needs. Ethan is just more demanding in nature, or more commanding...he will definitely be a leader one day...and Alyssa has just needed me by nature of being so young. So...McKay is there somewhere. I hope that he will soon emerge from his brother's shadow and come to realized and know for himself what McKay really likes isn't always what his older Brother likes...and that its great!

Ethan - wow, what a strong, literally, strong kid...physically, spiritually and mentally. He is bright and has a memory that is amazing. He loves Star Wars (The Clone Wars DVD we got him is on all the time...much to my chagrin, but he is up at the crack of dawn and I don't want to be too! He would love to learn karate, gymnastics, any sport or anything active. Unfortunately, our funds can't cover something like that right now. He loves his brother and sister and is doing a great job of answering the phone and being a great helper to mom. :)

Shawn was just called to be the 1st counselor in our ward bishopbric. Wow - that will be an interesting thing for all of us - mostly a blessing as I see it - I know that many blessings will come and I know that it will require sacrifice and humility and much time...for all of us. But we are grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord. He is still working at Capitolbancorp Ltd. as a Risk Analyst...grateful that he is still employed!

I have been a busy mom - busier than busy really. Unfortunately, it is by my own choice! I have to learn to slow down and enjoy my life more. Preparedness has become a hobby for me and Shawn over the last two years. I have learned to use a solar oven, an alcohol stove, built and used my own rocket stove, learned to make our own bread and dinner rolls, can peaches, jam, pressure can meat and chicken and many other things! I love it. It has brought a huge amount of peace to my heart to know that I know how I would handle certain situations not if, but when they arise. :) I am still home schooling my kids and enjoy that....I love seeing the lights come on about anything - but especially when it has something to do with building their core character! For me, the numbers, colors, alphabet, etc. will come. Right now, my focus is teaching them true and false, right and wrong, good and bad, service, honesty, integrity, faith, and the Golden Rule....and most recently and emphatically - respect. I am following Nicholeen Peck's form of parenting - Teaching Self-government (www.teachingselfgovernment.com) and she wrote a book called "A House United". I cannot recommend it enough. I have a lot of mistakes that I made in my parenting to fix - mostly regaining respect from my children through being consistent, CALM and praising them more often.

I am also the ward choir director and love it! I have a great, supporting ward choir and really enjoy it. I also sang in a small vocal ensemble called Resonance Vocal Ensemble for the fall semester of 2009. It was great to perform again and use my voice to entertain and share my testimony of Christ. :)

Well, that is all I have time for. Sunday dinner awaits. It has been a nice day - it all started out by attending the Gila Valley Arizona Temple dedication. What a great blessing - and looking forward to having the Gilbert Arizona temple since that will be "our" new temple!