Sibling cycles....

It's been an interesting sibling week. They love each other, they hate each other, love, hate, off, on, hourly, almost minutely. They have torn apart the livingroom, and I have subsequently put it back together no less then 15 times a day. Let it be known that all of my living room furniture combined cost around $100 (couch, tables, chairs etc) so I really don't care...EXCEPT for the one article of furniture that I actually spent money on, the green rocking chair I bought when Harry was born. The most comfortable chair ever, Best Chair Lullabye series in sage green. The memories of rocking my babies in that chair and reading endlessly and gazing out the window, I love it. However, the kids have jumped on it, kicked it, and swiveled it into an oblivion until it is essentially creaking for mercy. I promptly informed them (AGAIN) it's OK to play on all the other furniture but not that chair and that was outside behavior and "shoo for Heaven's sake"! And thus they were banished to the out-of-doors.

So imagine my surprise when 20 minutes later Bella comes in asking for a "sharp knife." (Please refer to line 2 above). I figured this was one of those down moments in the up-down sibling love cycle. I patiently explained we don't play with knives and all experiments outside of science class including those performed on little siblings are FORBIDDEN! She said "No mom, I just want to poke some holes for our new pets." which consisted of a worm, a firebug, and some insect of unknown origin. I HELPED her with the holes in the top of the jar. And then looked outside and found this...





Under our backyard tree, in the quietness of wind and with the pine trees ceaseless silent prayers reaching skyward all around them, they found a sibling equilibrium, if only for a moment. And somehow those moments can wash away all the bad ones for mommy. They had made a picnic of blueberries and strawberries. And were out there collecting "pets" and contemplating the important and eternal things.

And once again I was reminded that becoming a mother meant my heart was going to walk around outside my body forever and that the Lord was the only one who can make that alright. And that these moments are precious. And that childhood should, in some ways, last forever. And that the way to get around a bad mood is simple kindness. And the words from one of my favorite poems ran through my head:


You are the trip I did not take
You are the pearls I cannot buy
You are my blue Italian lake
You are my piece of foreign sky

-Anne Campbell


I realized yet again that children had come to our family and we set about to make them into responsible, respectful and kind adults and that in a brillant stroke of paradigm 101 they refine us way more than we ever refine them. And I watched and listened, prayed and hoped.

Dinner talk...

Daddy: I need it to be sunny.

Bella: Well it's not because the goblins took the sunshine fairy's feather.

Daddy:Oh, well could they just give it back?

Bella: No. Goblins are "mean." (Yes, people my six year old air-quoted us at the dinner table) They are only this big too. (finger two inches apart.)

Me: Sorry. What does this (air-quote) mean Bella?

Bella: I'm not sure. But Goblins are definetly "mean" though (air-quote again)

Mom: (almost choking on....um...salad... ya...salad because I am laughing so hard.)

Dad: Well, can't the sunshine fairy....

Bella: (interrupting) Her name is Goldie.

Dad: Well can't Goldie just sneak in and get the sunshine feather so it can be sunny again?

Bella: No. She needs help from her friends Kirsti and Rachel.

Dad: Oh and where are Kirsti and Rachel?

Bella: In the human world.

Dad: Could you please tell Kirsti and Rachel to get their hinnies to Goldie so that they can retrieve the feather that Goldie needs to make the world sunny by tomorrow?

Bella: Jack Frost, the goblin's master, told them to steal the feathers. Plus it's hard to get a hold of the fairies.

*****I have heard many, many reasons for the Northwest's grayness, but this by far is my favorite.*****

Birthday month...oh and Christmas....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!

So I turned the age that I am going to be the rest of my life this year, or so my mother says. I don't know. I haven't had an age yet that I haven't liked. So for my unattainable birthday gift I asked my sweetheart for "Birthday month." A little something everyday leading up to and including the day of my birth. To give you an idea of previous unattainables, it has been the same one for the last 9 years, to make me dinner. That's it. That's all I ask. But because I recognized a lost cause when I see it, I shook things up a little and asked for something different this year. A little something everyday, like a back rub or a couple snuggle bucks redeemable upon request, that sort of thing. I'm not asking for diamonds here people. I have my friend Dar to thank for this idea.

He laughed at me, but my mom took me seriously and sent me a gift to open everyday until my birthday. And I had the best birthday ever because yet again the thoughtful, sweetest, kind heartedest woman ever-even Lavinia-came shining through, super hero cape and boots and all. She made me my birthday dinner on the eve of our Utah Christmas Extravaganza. Then her honey did the dishes while my honey watched the U game while Lavinia and I watched Eclipse. In terms of birthdays it was kinda perfect. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all you are and all you do. You are some of the greatest friends ever....we are so grateful everyday for you and for all I have learned and am learning from you!

And then we journeyed through snow, wind, ice and rain (the roads were actually fine, but it's poetic) to get home for Christmas. As the poem goes, over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we went.

The kids loved opening presents with everyone.

How much do we love this man? The second the kids see him they light up and are not content with anything short of being wrapped in his 100% attention. They adore him.

We also got to go to the BYU Museum to see the Carl Bloch exhibit. It was....there aren't words to describe. It was remarkable and so moving and incredible. It took them 10 years to even get the exhibit. Our sweet Grandma Mary works there once a week and was able to take us through after her shift. It was so wonderful and moving and just perfect. I could have sat in front of the Garden of Gethsemene picture forever. If anyone out there has the chance to go...DO IT!

FYI Ute fans....While there Bella was informed that that would be her first and last time on that campus. Oh Daddy....

And the little Everett we all want to take home. How sweet is he!

We got to go snow shoeing in our beloved Park City. We broke the trail and waded through up to our hips in some places. And then proceeded to pig out on Greek Pizza from PC Pizza...our fav. It was such a pefect date.

Me and the absolute hands down greatest ever...the Hike-a-deb. No that is not her christian name. Bella gave her that name when she was 2 and it stuck. I have learned so much from this remarkable soul. A kindred spirit and gentle friend if ever there was one. We love you!
This is the view from Kristin's spot. A Geographical location appartenly at least according to the Hike-a-Deb. It is the place the I always stopped and made everyone I was with stop to enjoy the view. It is breathtaking everyday of every season. I still dream about this spot. Me looking at the view from my spot.


Outdoor rule #1 When you see a moose with her baby.....Do NOT stop to take a picture. This is all Kent and I am in front with quiet variations of "Um honey....keep moving."

Her Christmas program...

Deck the Bells....I mean halls. This little creative soul keeps me on my toes and laughing the whole time. Decorating a tree once isn't enough. My kids have to do it over and over and over again. And this day she decided to decorate herself too!

Our little "Snig-tails" in her school's Christmas talent show. Her teacher, Sister Jensen, made them all matching pants to wear for the dance. How cute is this 1st grade class? I am so grateful for the school that she goes to! It has been such a blessing for her and for us. She did the cutest little dance and then plunked the piano in the talent show. I say plunk because she hasn't taken lessons yet and just knows the right hand by sound. She plays a mean Silent Night, Sweet Hour of Prayer, and I am a Child of God though.

And then there was Harry....plum-tuckered (or was that me :) after a redecorating of the tree (daily occurence, and you thought cats were bad! Sheesh). I tried uploading the videos of said events, but a fringe benefit of having the slowest internet known to man is that videos are a no-go. This assumption comes after 1 full hour of letting it try to upload. Sigh. I am grateful for what I got though!

Merry Christmas one and all!

Jazz and trees...

Go Jazz! Kent is kinda a die-hard so when the Jazz made their bi-annual appearance here in Portland we HAD to go. It was a family affair. I had my misgivings....we were decked in our Jazz gear and them Portland fans likes the booze. I was envisioning streetside encounters worthy of a HBO special. Happily, it all ended in our favor. Jazz won! We arrived at the car in one piece with serveral "Hey good game"'s on the way and very few cuss words during. I only covered the kids ears once. A very successful first game for Harry.

Our friend gave us some tickets to something called the "Singing Christmas Tree" here at the Keller auditorium. It was wonderful. It is the largest Choir in Oregon. People from all Christian beliefs coming together to sing their testimony of praise and love of the Savior. I love this season.