Ah summer

Well, here it is August and summer almost over. We've been doing fun things, mostly indoors - it's been as hot as last winter was cold and icy! Here is a look-see

Daniel thought he'd try out the Jimmy Neutron look:

I did Course 1 of the Wilton Method in cake decorating, this is my final project:

The boys really enjoyed a tour of the fire station. So much so that the only thing Sean talks about while reminiscing is that he wishes they'd turned on the siren for them to hear up close:

Alan got some scrub-off tattoos that he LOVED having on his arm. He showed everybody.

And Sean decided to try on shirts that really don't fit him any more. Really. That's a 2T shirt:

I'm not sure how he got that top button to button. He must have stretched up his neck or something.

We've managed to get in some swimming and camping and cousins and reading and being banished to the back yard for fighting and collecting rocks and introducing Sean to Harry Potter. Five may be too young, but it's just the first book and it's so delightful. I couldn't help myself.

My cake decorating class was so good. I'd say fun because I loved taking it with my friends, but the time it took and money it took to be prepared for the class was kind of stressful. I should have realized I'd need more than what the kit provided. Dang expensive kit. But I really liked my teacher and the skills I learned are invaluable to a person determined to create pretty cakes for children who don't really care that much (or do they? I still remember some of mine that my mom made...)

Another thing happening this summer is my avoiding grocery shopping. I find that I don't want to go with all three children. One, yes. Two, still yes. Three? No thanks. Did it, didn't like it. So it just doesn't happen until Saturday when we make it a family adventure. Hooray! This may change when Sean starts Kindergarten this fall (Holy Cow.) but we'll see how the chips fall.

We've also been making our house pretty, painting door knobs, painting walls and things, vacuuming once a week to kill the ants, etc. It's amazing how much fun cleaning is when it means that I'm finally getting back into a routine after the baby. It's also amazing how much I can get done in a day. I'll sit down at the end of the day and realize that I'd been both productive AND lazy that day and it totally was working for me. Then I reflect on four years ago at what I thought was productive then and feel all better-than and judgey-at my past self. Because not only do I accomplish more nowadays, but i have 3 times as many children (1 X 3 = 3) and that totally makes now-me WAY better than past-me. Eat it, 23-year old me.

That's all I have to say today.

Hey guys

So I'm pretty sure nobody looks here anymore? But I'll update anyway. It's been a long year and a half. Really long. Mostly I've been exhausted because Alan was waking up every two hours at night, then I wasn't sleeping out of habit, then I was pregnant, then I had a baby. And here we are now. I'm still in the RS Presidency, still over activities, still trying to keep up with Alan, still exhausted. But mostly happy. :) <-- p="" see="">

Life

Two crazy things from this week.

First I find out on Tuesday that my second grade teacher, Cindy Pesek, was killed by her nephew. She was such a kind, loving, generous and charitable person. I wish she was still around, continuing to make the world a better place to live in for others.

Then I found out that my friend and former roommate passed away this morning. She's had multiple brain tumors and this last one they couldn't get rid of. Amy loved everybody and always tried to make the best of every situation she found herself in. She worked hard and always thought of others. Even when she was thinking of herself, she made sure that it was in a way that made things better for those around her.

I was truly blessed by these women in my life. I can only hope to measure up to the standard they set in their service and acts of charity.


To the rest of the people that I know: please stick around for a little longer. As much as I like knowing that there are others on the other side of the veil that I know and love, I'd really like it if I could see you over here for a while longer. Ok? ok. Thanks.

Here's to hoping something else crazy doesn't happen tomorrow so that I can post about really fun things because the heavy things aren't crowding them out. :)

But the heavy things... it's nice the eternal perspective they put on life.

What is going on?!

Just thought I'd post.

I am SO BUSY. Lame, huh?

My good friend is on hospitalized bedrest at 24 weeks gestation and they aren't letting her out for at least another two weeks. So this last week I've had an excuse for not posting so much. Between my kids, arranging meals, meetings, babysitting, finding babysitters, running errands, running to and from preschool and taking naps not doing as much housework as I need to, I am exhausted.

And Brian's been on a business trip all week. So while it's been hard, I'm counting my brother's car breaking down and being stuck in Utah another week as a blessing. Because it's been so fabulous to have somebody who can tend the boys while they nap so that I can get to my church things and visit my friend on short notice.

Have I mentioned on here before that last February they called me as the Activity Counselor in the Relief Society Presidency? My feelings on this are: it must have been inspired, because Lorie (pres) doesn't seem crazy. Additional feelings are: I was prepared for this last year, without the blessings that have come with this calling I would not have made it through this last year with my sanity intact, I needed the interaction with my ward, and I am so thankful that the Lord is mindful of me.

The Lord truly knows what I can handle and I have learned even more that I can make it through the challenges in this life if I turn to Him and allow His guidance and support. He has given me so much support and I know that there are people in my life who are amazing blessings to me. (Including my bed-rest-ed friend, which is why I've been more stressed :) They have been positive forces for good and have helped me stand up and get going. I know that I can make hard decisions and that even when it seems crazy that a decision I make could be the right one, He will send the Holy Ghost to comfort me and let me know that it is right, for now or for long-term or whatever, but that it was correct.

I am so blessed.

Hopefully the boys know that I won't always be so busy with things that aren't with them. Sean's been a little clingy, but I'll make up for it this weekend with lots of fun things. Tomorrow I'm planning on some craft projects for fall that we can hang up as decoration. I'll post a picture when it's done - hopefully it's as cute as I think it will be.

For fun

A blog friend has this meme and I just thought I'd fill it out for fun. 

Hi! Paragraph: I am Tay, mid-20s in Utah. There's my husband Brian and the two little boys, Sean and Alan. We like to have fun.
History paragraph:  Brian and I met at BYU. He graduated in 2006 and I in 2008. My graduation was shortly followed by the birth of Sean. Before all that I mainly just played and worked and learned and enjoyed life as much as I could.
***Questions: There are 20 random questions listed below.  Pick at least five, but up to twelve you’d like the answer the most.  (I prefer that you include #4 and #12, but I’m not the boss of you.  )  You can do it in any order.
1.     What’s your favorite part of motherhood?  My favorite part is when the boys are sleeping and peeking in at them in their angelic state and remember why I became a mom in the first place. Second favorite is how much they learn in a short period of time; I have a love/hate relationship with the feeling of 'I can't believe he understands that.'

2.     What part of motherhood would you subcontract out if you could?  Dealing with post-vacation/family-get-togethers drama from the boys. It's when they realize that I'm boring in my structured ways. :)

3.     Brag for a minute.  Do it.  What are a few things that you’re pretty good at?   I do some good crochet work and I'd like to say that I have good fashion taste (and sometimes dress in spite of it...). But I am fantastic at reading. Really. It's my best and favorite talent.

4.     What’s something you don’t usually want people to know about you, but that they need to know if they’re going to be your friend?   I am friends with most everybody. I don't care if two people don't like each other, they can both be my friend and I will never tolerate or participate in talking bad about that other person. There are, of course, people I have a hard time swallowing or just plain don't like, but I don't have to think about them if I don't want to. I prefer to think about what I DO like in people and if you have a problem with that, then I guess we aren't as good of friends as I thought. (Harsh?) In addition, I don't care if my friend is friends with somebody I don't want to be around. I try to play fair that way.

5. What parts of your testimony are you the most sure of?   I am the most sure of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a foundation to happiness and peace. I know that when I pray to my Heavenly Father that the peace I am searching for will come. I know that the Holy Ghost is real and gives comfort and aids in answering questions I have. The Gospel is the most sure and constant thing in my life; it's what gives me hope, allows me to love more fully, gives my life more depth and understanding and lifts me up when I turn to it when hope seems distant.

6.  Let’s say you’re dying in your sleep tonight.  What would you eat for your last meal?  I would go to all of my favorite restaurants and eat my favorite things off of the menu. Who cares about indigestion or gaining weight? It's my last night! I would also eat everything off the dessert menus that I'd been wanting to try and hadn't for some silly reason. It sounds gluttonous, but I'd make sure that I had people around me that I love and I would share with them.

7.  If your life had a theme song, what would it be and why?  Right now, it's "Keep Your Head Up" by Andy Grammer. Life has a way of throwing a whole lotta crap at you sometimes, but you can still be happy through it and not get uptight and/or bitter about it.

8.  If you could make a pie chart (graph) of your thoughts during the last week or so, what would take up most of the space?   The eternal nature of things. I want to better understand the nature of the sealing power and what will happen in some relationship. In addition, I have experienced a lot of things pertaining to eternity over the last couple of weeks. The death of a friend's baby, the temple marriage of my cousin, the death of another friend's father, remembering another friend's stillborn who came and left a year ago, and still muddling through the tumultuous divorce of my parents. It's been heavy around here, but we've been doing really well. Promise.

Blue Eyes

Today while waiting with the boys, I interacted with a woman who kept staring at my boys' eyes. "I love how big they are," she said with sincerity and admiration. I felt the compliment completely and am still touched by it. I guess I needed to hear something kind from a stranger today.

And now I can't stop looking at their beautiful eyes and thanking God that I get to look into them every day despite my mistakes and shortcomings.

Thank you, new acquaintance. And thank you President Uchtdorf. The best way to find happy things is to look around you, even recognizing the background of things you see everyday as that thing to bring you a bit more joy.

Sean at 6 months

Alan at 7 months

And as a side note from a mother's love, they also have amazing eyelashes. And Al, that dimple kills me. Stop it already.

Today I asked Sean some questions. Here it is:

What kid of food do you like to eat?
"My favrit food, eat PIZZA."

What sport do you like to play?
"Golfing. And... I like... bakoball. And I like bakoball and golf. And I like spiderman backpack."

What's your favorite show to watch?
"Um, Dragon. And... Handy Manny. Please I watch Handy Manny." (Dragon is How To Train Your Dragon)

What is your favorite color?
"Um, the table. White. Guess what, it's white."

"I like tools and I like no tools. Two tools!" (I don't know why he said this.)

What do you want to do when you grow up?
"Play with Daddy!"

What is your favorite snack to eat?
"I like to eat some heatbutter and sandwich! Heatabutter and honey!" (Peanutbutter and honey is his sandwich of choice)

What food don't you like?
"I don't like, like FOOD."

What do you like to do with Daddy?
"I like to WORKS with Daddy."
Why do you want to go to work with Daddy?
"Cuz I do."
What is at Daddy's work that you like?
"Candies."
Is that why you want to go?
"Yeah."

What is your favorite work to do  at school?
"ABCs." (We do a Montessori Preschool and they call the activities 'work')
What did you learn at school today?
"I learn ABCs." (These are his typical answers to these questions.)

What is your favorite song to sing?
"Uh, just Child of God."

What is your favorite toy to play with?
"The train."   
Tell me why
"*laughing* But it is."

When you were little, what did you do?
"I hit."

What do you like to do with Alan?
"Uh, I just do work with Alan."

Who's your favorite person?
*points to me*
I laugh and say 'That's right.'
His response: "Daddy is at work. Daddy is a person, you are a mudder. But you are a mudder, mom! But you are a mudder!" (Apparently he's trying to say that I am a person and also not a person.)

I decided to end the interview there before he told me what he really thinks of me.