We went trick or treating with my brother and his family on Halloween and we had so much fun. The kids were wild with anticipation and it took all we had to get them eat dinner. Finally it was time to go and we headed off. Most of the houses had their lights on and the kids loved to knock on the door and wait for the candy. It did get a bit frustrating when they had to wait for Casey, so finally Johnathan or I took Casey up to the door after the other kids had left, that way they wouldn't have to wait, and Casey didn't care. Well street over there was a house with the light on, but no one answered when the kids knocked, then we saw the bowl on the step. It was the first time we had seen this so I told the kids. "One candy!" Tyson carefully sat down next to the bowl and pulled out one piece of candy from his bag and deposited in the bowl.
I had to laugh at his innocents. He just figured that he needed to do what I said, one piece! After we explained it to him, the next time we came upon this situation he was happier to take one out of the bowl instead of putting one in the bowl.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
November, Novermber
Oh I love this time of year. I love the trees and the sky, everything getting ready for the coming winter. Autumn is such a beautiful time, and I think it is because of all the contrast in colors and changes in the weather. I think this is the only time of year that you see Orange, Red and Yellow displayed so vibrantly. In the spring we have rebirth, bright greens and pinks, purples and blues, but there is something comforting about fall. Everything to its season, and in my opinion fall is the beginning of a new season.
Often times this is when we start turning inward. Summer we spend so much time out and way from our homes, and our families. We spend so much time rushing around trying to accomplish every thing that we want, or need to get done in the warm weather. But then the chilly breeze sweeps in, and the sky's darken. The trees become bare and we come back home. We come back to the warmth that we need sometimes.
Also the smells of fall, spiced pumpkin, peppermint, Cinnamon rolls. Yummy, comforting, safe. It is easy to sit and watch the dark clouds swirl and twist in the sky's. Watch the orange and red whirlwinds as leaves are picked up and thrown in the air. Some nights the moon rises red and haunting, so large you could reach out and touch it. Then soon it turns pale and yellow and you know that winter has arrived. This is the time of year that you can truly think back and be thankful for all you have. I challenge you to sit some time this beautiful first week of November, with a cup of hot chocolate and watch the sky. Then think about how change has affected you this year, and how grateful you are for your life. It is so easy to think about all the hard things, but let those blow away with the leaves, the settle in for the winter and know that next year things will be different, and how much you have to look forward to with your family.
Oh November November!
Often times this is when we start turning inward. Summer we spend so much time out and way from our homes, and our families. We spend so much time rushing around trying to accomplish every thing that we want, or need to get done in the warm weather. But then the chilly breeze sweeps in, and the sky's darken. The trees become bare and we come back home. We come back to the warmth that we need sometimes.
Also the smells of fall, spiced pumpkin, peppermint, Cinnamon rolls. Yummy, comforting, safe. It is easy to sit and watch the dark clouds swirl and twist in the sky's. Watch the orange and red whirlwinds as leaves are picked up and thrown in the air. Some nights the moon rises red and haunting, so large you could reach out and touch it. Then soon it turns pale and yellow and you know that winter has arrived. This is the time of year that you can truly think back and be thankful for all you have. I challenge you to sit some time this beautiful first week of November, with a cup of hot chocolate and watch the sky. Then think about how change has affected you this year, and how grateful you are for your life. It is so easy to think about all the hard things, but let those blow away with the leaves, the settle in for the winter and know that next year things will be different, and how much you have to look forward to with your family.
Oh November November!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Book Fair!
Yesterday I got the opportunity to help at Andie's book fair. Now a little background. I have not worked outside the home in almost eight years. I am cash register illiterate, and I gets flustered early around my peers. SOOO...I got there early so I could have time to learn whatever it was I would need to learn. The lady that was there before me ran through cash register instruction 101, very quickly and then left. Three minutes later the entire population of mothers and their children showed up, I even thought I heard different languages being spoken so they may have come from out of state or out of country...just because I was there.
Everything was going swimmingly until a lady and her two kids brought up 5 books or so. After ringing up her total she decided that they needed to put some of them back. WHAT!!! I don't know how to take books off the ticket, just add them on, that is what you are supposed to do, add books. So I think, ok, cancel the order. It was at that moment that every person in the Western United States got in line to purchase their books, and the same moment that the cash register decided to have a temper tantrum. I tried everything I could think of to make the stupid thing work, but no matter what I did it just kept freaking out.
By this time children were crying, mothers were threatening and I could hear their thoughts. "What is wrong with this woman, can't she see that we need to be somewhere else?" Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mine I heard that little voice saying, "Cut your losses and get the heck out of here!" Yet I continued on. NOW the $25.50 order had topped out at $75.50, and I was sweating so much that me, the table, and cash register were floating in a big, fat, slimy puddle.
Enter Dacia Alba, the raven haired beauty with all the answers. She slopped through my puddle and grandly reached over with her manicured fingernails, and shut the register off! Under her very capable hands the register purred to a start and gladly followed her every command, we were saved!
After that the machine ran smoothly and when Mary arrived we figured up a rough total before putting in any numbers so moms could decided if they were willing to pay the amount before we entered it in. The dragon behaved after that, and when my hour was up, I was relived. However, somewhere in a PTO meeting this coming week they will say, NEVER let Anna-Liisa, help at the book fair again!
Everything was going swimmingly until a lady and her two kids brought up 5 books or so. After ringing up her total she decided that they needed to put some of them back. WHAT!!! I don't know how to take books off the ticket, just add them on, that is what you are supposed to do, add books. So I think, ok, cancel the order. It was at that moment that every person in the Western United States got in line to purchase their books, and the same moment that the cash register decided to have a temper tantrum. I tried everything I could think of to make the stupid thing work, but no matter what I did it just kept freaking out.
By this time children were crying, mothers were threatening and I could hear their thoughts. "What is wrong with this woman, can't she see that we need to be somewhere else?" Somewhere in the deep recesses of my mine I heard that little voice saying, "Cut your losses and get the heck out of here!" Yet I continued on. NOW the $25.50 order had topped out at $75.50, and I was sweating so much that me, the table, and cash register were floating in a big, fat, slimy puddle.
Enter Dacia Alba, the raven haired beauty with all the answers. She slopped through my puddle and grandly reached over with her manicured fingernails, and shut the register off! Under her very capable hands the register purred to a start and gladly followed her every command, we were saved!
After that the machine ran smoothly and when Mary arrived we figured up a rough total before putting in any numbers so moms could decided if they were willing to pay the amount before we entered it in. The dragon behaved after that, and when my hour was up, I was relived. However, somewhere in a PTO meeting this coming week they will say, NEVER let Anna-Liisa, help at the book fair again!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Life Lessons
In my struggles this week I have thought a lot about life lessons. Jenna is learning to pull herself up to things. Sometime when she lets go she falls, and then she cries. She is learning a lesson and it has hard, and she must not understand why she has to fall, and why it hurts. At seven months old this is a life lesson. Casey is learning about potty training. He is learning that if you don't make it to the bathroom in time there is a mess, luckily in his case I get to clean it up. :) Tyson is learning about his body, and how things work, and how sometimes things don't work like they should so we need to modify a bit, and now he wares glasses. It isn't always fun, but he knows that it is a must. Andie is learning about life, about school subjects, friends, missing people and change. All of these things at their respective ages are hard and makes them struggle some times. But they have a shield, a bumper to come to, and that is their mom and dad, me and Johnathan.
But then I think about myself, and the things I struggle with, yesterday, today and in the future, and wish that my only lesson was how to walk, or use the bathroom. And then I get the privilege of know others who struggle, just as much as I do, or even more. My friend Bonnie is laying an a hospital bed because her legs were crushed by a car. My friends Jana, Jenn, Tina, and so many like them struggle with infertility, some with no luck at all. I have other friends who struggle with illness, lack of money, job loss, and sadness.
In the past two weeks I watched as people came together so help and love each other. I saw comfort and friendship, dedication and trust, forgiveness and selflessness. But the one thing I saw most clearly was our Heavenly Father and his mercy, love, and fatherly kindness. In a way we are all learning to walk, to develop and maintain our bodies, and to struggle.
Through Pain comes great Relive,
from Sadness comes much Happiness.
Sorrow leads to Peace,
and Friendship leads to Love.
Life lesson learned, our Heavenly Father is the buffer we need to weather our trials. Friends are the supporters who make it possible. Family will love you unconditionally and pray for you, and strength can only be gained through those very trials we hope to live without.
But then I think about myself, and the things I struggle with, yesterday, today and in the future, and wish that my only lesson was how to walk, or use the bathroom. And then I get the privilege of know others who struggle, just as much as I do, or even more. My friend Bonnie is laying an a hospital bed because her legs were crushed by a car. My friends Jana, Jenn, Tina, and so many like them struggle with infertility, some with no luck at all. I have other friends who struggle with illness, lack of money, job loss, and sadness.
In the past two weeks I watched as people came together so help and love each other. I saw comfort and friendship, dedication and trust, forgiveness and selflessness. But the one thing I saw most clearly was our Heavenly Father and his mercy, love, and fatherly kindness. In a way we are all learning to walk, to develop and maintain our bodies, and to struggle.
Through Pain comes great Relive,
from Sadness comes much Happiness.
Sorrow leads to Peace,
and Friendship leads to Love.
Life lesson learned, our Heavenly Father is the buffer we need to weather our trials. Friends are the supporters who make it possible. Family will love you unconditionally and pray for you, and strength can only be gained through those very trials we hope to live without.
Home is Where the Hat is!
It has been an emotional few weeks for me. I think it is lack of sleep and maybe the cool weather, but it has sure got me thinking. As most of you know we moved from the beautiful Bitterroot valley a few months ago and I have been constantly amazed at how much I miss it. While I have enjoyed being closer to my family I have struggled daily with the move. So this morning after looking at some other blogs I realized why. The valley is a beautiful place, the mountains stunning, the surroundings comfortable. Every morning it looks and feels like it does when you camp, the rich wet pine smell and the deer grazing in your back yard. Incomparable in my opinion. But that isn't what I miss the most, it is our friends.
Three years ago we moved into a little pink house on Sunset Ave. Our back windows faced the mountains and the view was breathtaking every day. The road ended just behind our house, and it was quiet and safe. Andie learned to ride her bike outside our front door, and the kids and the dog would play for hours in the fenced back yard. But we knew no one, and it was a little scary. Then something wonderful happened. We went to church, and the whole ward loved us instantly, within a week we had callings and friends. Friends!! Something that we had never experienced before. Coming from a collage ward, where no one was interested in talking with you, then suddenly it was like we were indispensable.
In the past three months I have miss most, the Sunday dinners, the impromptu FHE's, the dutch oven dinners in the mountains, camping, girls night out, play dates at the park, baby showers, shopping, Super One, Naps, phone calls, and support.
About a year ago we were driving into Missoula, and Johnathan asked me how I felt about moving when he was ready to go back to school. I feel the same way today and I did then, I never wanted to leave! They say that, "home is where the hat is." Well my hat is somewhere in the Bitterroot Valley.
Three years ago we moved into a little pink house on Sunset Ave. Our back windows faced the mountains and the view was breathtaking every day. The road ended just behind our house, and it was quiet and safe. Andie learned to ride her bike outside our front door, and the kids and the dog would play for hours in the fenced back yard. But we knew no one, and it was a little scary. Then something wonderful happened. We went to church, and the whole ward loved us instantly, within a week we had callings and friends. Friends!! Something that we had never experienced before. Coming from a collage ward, where no one was interested in talking with you, then suddenly it was like we were indispensable.
In the past three months I have miss most, the Sunday dinners, the impromptu FHE's, the dutch oven dinners in the mountains, camping, girls night out, play dates at the park, baby showers, shopping, Super One, Naps, phone calls, and support.
About a year ago we were driving into Missoula, and Johnathan asked me how I felt about moving when he was ready to go back to school. I feel the same way today and I did then, I never wanted to leave! They say that, "home is where the hat is." Well my hat is somewhere in the Bitterroot Valley.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Halloween Carnival
We had a good time tonight at Andies Halloween Carnival. We got everyone all dressed up, except Jenna, and my parents came up to go with us. Johnathan, Grandma and the kids w
ent through the spook ally and they had a great time. There was a lot to do, and after dinner we went to it. Our last stop was for pictures, and then we were ready to come home! We wanted to give Grandma and Grandpa a HUGE thank you for coming with us and helping out, it would have been crazy without you guys there. Thankfully they didn't give out any candy, just some toys, and that I can handle,
we are going to be getting plenty of candy next week. The kids are all looking forward to dressing up again, and Johnathan is looking forward to raiding the kids bags for his favorite candy!
ent through the spook ally and they had a great time. There was a lot to do, and after dinner we went to it. Our last stop was for pictures, and then we were ready to come home! We wanted to give Grandma and Grandpa a HUGE thank you for coming with us and helping out, it would have been crazy without you guys there. Thankfully they didn't give out any candy, just some toys, and that I can handle,
we are going to be getting plenty of candy next week. The kids are all looking forward to dressing up again, and Johnathan is looking forward to raiding the kids bags for his favorite candy!Thursday, October 23, 2008
Andie
Andie is so glad to be back in school! I never thought I would have a child who would want to go to school so much, but she really loves it. We have been working on math together and we have come up with some really fun songs to remember the sums. Andie had to take a test and get all the problems done in 2 minutes, she was able to complete it by singing the songs in her head. I sure wish school had come so easily to me! She is also enjoying every minute on the bus, it is fun to watch her get on every day, she sits out and waits and then waves to me out the window. I can't believe that she is so big, it didn't seem like that long ago that she was Jenna's age! Time sure flies when you are having fun!
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