Harriet found outside

“MOM!!! I just saw an ant that could fly holding a caterpillar!!”

And then she drew it. 

observations on a snowy Wednesday afternoon

It has just been snowing and snowing and snowing. We wake and it's snowing. We drive and it's snowing. We go on walks and it's snowing. The kids play together at home fantastically. We don't do TV during the week at all and it has made a huge difference with their patience and moods. We all feel happier and go to sleep easier. Plus now when they do watch stuff on weekends I don't feel guilty. We have been playing a lot. Playing board games like Monopoly Jr, and Hoot Owl Hoot. And puzzles and painting. We do chores. I mostly do them, but they like to help too. They love doing dishes, vacuuming and sorting laundry. When they have to do things that are actually their chores (cleaning up the table, setting the table, cleaning up messes) it's like pulling teeth. 

They pretend a lot. "Pretend you're my mom and you have to chase me a put me in time out." hahah. Collin and I made them some wooden clothespin dolls for their Christmas presents and they LOVE them. They are just wooden clothespins that we have painted clothes, skin and hair on. (no faces so that they can decide how the people are feeling). They play will those like crazy. Ella loves them too. She loves to mimic and follow her siblings around. She thinks she's part of every game and it's so cute. Today popcorn and hot chocolate and gingerbread tea for snacks before music class. This was sort of a dreamy afternoon we had. Dreamy because it was fun and relaxing and we were listening to "Singers" by Mount Eerie et al. (and it was only relaxing until we had to get out the door to go to music class. NO ONE LISTENS TO ME. I give plenty of time and ask them nicely and help them but inevitably they wont get in the car or get their socks and shoes on and we are pretty much always running late these days.) But we all talk about it and forgive each other and say we're sorry. We're all practicing that lots: "Sorry," and, "it's ok."

a bunch of popcorn dropped on the ground.
This one is THERE to eat as much of it up as she can before I can get the broom.

Freddie started school

Frederick, my first born child, my baby, my son, my reason, growing up so fast, started preschool this week. It was such a big moment for our family. He's 4.5+. He turns 5 this month in two weeks. I'm so glad I had him home with me for as long as I did and that we have shared and experienced so much together. He's has been healthily attached to me and I to him. And this is just another step in letting go. I love him so much. We all rallied around him, preparing, and Collin ans I buying supplies, worrying and planning, all so he won't have to. All so he can feel secure and confident and just go and be a child at school. 

Though I have had tears through the preparation, when the time came to walk him to his new classroom, the Meadowlarks, and leave him with his loving teacher, Ms Atara, (with extra shoes, extra outfits, a vegetable he chose (broccoli) for the class soup, some acorns Freddie and I gathered to share with the class, and rain gear just in case), I had no tears. I knew he was ready. (Though I get emotional about it now!😊)

He had been excited all morning and ran into the front door of the school, me trailing behind. He had slept 12 hours the night before and had an awesome breakfast and lunch. He was happy and ready. He sat right down at a table and started rolling out some playdough. I knelt down and said goodbye and he kissed me right on the lips and said, "bye mom." With a thankful swollen heart, I was able to walk away and back to the car where my mom was waiting with Harriet and Ella. Hattie did not have an easy time. She was quite emotional Tuesday and again today. She didn't want Fred to go or wanted to go with him. She wants to go to preschool. I am going to try my hardest to make this a special time for Ella and her and I. We are going shoe shopping today! 

And she has been telling us all about her preschool at her home and that we can all visit it tonight. 

Today when we were walking from the park to his school, Hattie was getting very sad and Fred put his arm around her and said, "I'm so sorry Hattie. I have to go. I'll miss you." 

When I picked Freddie up after his first day, I have never seen him so happy, balanced, well. I'm so happy too. 

So far in this new home it has been a simple life. Things are still chaos inside with boxes everywhere and not knowing where the broom is or finding time to do dishes. When Collin gets back we will work together and find a rhythm. But life feels quiet out here in the trees and mountains. It feels calm and like there is plenty of time to do and be and rest. 

Heavenly Father knows me and loves me. 

Treehouse

We are now in our new home. We left the city and moved down south. Our first night here something so strange happened: it was quiet. So quiet we could just hear the humming crickets and rustling trees. Not like Capitol Hill with the city lights and the noises of people passin' and talking late into the night. The cars whizzing by, ambulances blaring. The Capitol building is lit the entire night. It's never truly dark there. But here it is dark, really dark! It's just different. 

And it's also quite peaceful. Restful. Relaxing. It's 5:16pm on Friday. It's early September and is turning from summer to fall out there. I sneak upstairs to begin dinner and just sit and listen, so still. The trees are blowin' loudly. Nothing else. Not even a lawn mower. Out ever single window in our house is mountains and trees. Birds and sky. It reminds me of the woods and ever since I lived in Flagstaff, I've always felt I belong in the woods. 

Pioneers in Africa

Set up time for the temple this week. 

Commit to read the scriptures with Collin every day. 

Commit to family scripture study every day. 

Do not criticize. 

These are my goals this week. A man in church gave a talk today about his trip to the Congo as a representative of the church. He was there to meet with church and government leaders about ways to digitize family records there so that people could do their family history work and prepare names for the temple. The church is growing at 10% there. (Grows at 1% in America.) He spoke to one bishop who told him they baptize about 3 people a week in their ward by that they could do better. (!!!) 

From one end of the Ward to the other is about 3 hours. No one has cars. People have to walk or pay for transportation. Not everyone can afford to go to church every week. One man walks 3.5 hours each way to church every week. Another family has to pay for transportation which is about $1 (average wages are $3/week there.) When you get there there are no cars in the parking lot but inside the building is overflowing and bustling with excitement and love and joy.

They cannot easily enter names into the computer because internet is not easily accessed and is not strong. So they work hard at filling out their family history booklets. The stake presidency then travels from house to house collecting the books and drops them off at the family history center where the family history president and staff enter in the names on family search for them. It takes about 2+ minutes to load just one page. Can you imagine?? If it takes more than 2 seconds to load a page on my handheld PHONE I practically can't stand it. 

I don't want to complain ever. I can not only walk to church, but I can walk 7 minutes to the Salt Lake City temple. Everything is at my fingertips. I am abundantly blessed. These people are also very blessed--not necessarily materially but spiritually and with the Gospel. I have recommitted myself to God, to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to my family and neighbors. 

3 Nephi 6:14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.

^^Collin at the church's booth for Indexing at Draper Days. Sorry your eyes were closed. 

Trying to stay in the shade. It has been SO HOT. 

Goodbye party for David and Amelia. I am seriously so sad. Im going to miss them so much. SO MUCH MORE excited for them though. David is going to medical school!!!!!!

Mckay and Ella

Hat and Zola Wallace had the best time playing together. It was awesome!

And Freddie, Eli and Liam were the 3 amigos. 

Ella and Aimee. I love Mia's sisters and brother and family so much. Love them. Love talking to them and listening to them talk to each other. 

Playing on the Capitol lawn. Movie night!

Can you spot Hattie? Her favorite Hong-being outside and playing in the dirt. 

Observing all the different types of grass around us. Day-riverside branch library Eco garden. That day listened to a song, "laying under a shady tree, you and me," and we memorized it. We love it. Ella loves looking up at the trees too. 

My fam. We are so close. 

Seeing Shakespear's As You Like It. It was so good and fun and Freddie LOVED it. 

^^"I can hear the ocean."

Observing the bees on the roof of the Salt Lake City Main library, followed by playing in the fountain and a little Pokemon Go. 

Walking to church today. 

Hattie got her own shoes on...below. Hehe. Honestly I was just so happy she listens and gets her shoes on when I ask. What a good girl!!

Mothers lounge! We both are sleepin in here.