The Seven of Us

Tonight was my "free" night--the night that Jared takes the kids to Sterling for church activities. On Wednesday my goal(s) usually are to organize some little area of my home; spend some individual (okay, sometimes it's small group) time with my younger kids, maybe by reading together, playing a game, or going to the park for a bit; and then to get everyone to bed a bit early and have some "me" time (ie. blog, journal, scripture, TV, bath). Problem is, things don't go too smoothly...specifically bedtime. It. Takes. Forever.!! Corbin was overtired today (translation: extra wild, getting more wound up by the minute), and he took too long to settle. Of course I was also trying to read to Isaac and get he & Kenna settled. I guess I'm ready for a quicker nightly routine...But wait, somewhere in my motherhood contract I must've signed on the dotted line underneath "I agree to be kind, loving, patient, tolerant, and Christlike under any and all...

In terms of sickness, this is is quite possibly our family's worst winter in several years. Luckily we haven't had the flu or even a severe stomach virus (til now--poor Mckenna). But for six weeks we've had colds and coughs galore. And they always seem to be worst on the weekend. We've stayed home from church because of conjunctivitis, laryngitis, sinus infections, and terrible coughs. But other than a couple days of sinusitis, I was been spared. Let's hope it stays that way. We're ready for spring--and healthy kiddos.

This post has a lot of pictures! While they aren't the best photos, they are representative of what we have been doing since Janurary. Dec. 31, 2009--We returned home from Washington and made our customary grocery stop at Wal-Mart. The kids wanted to get sparkling grape juice to ring in the New Year. While Jared and I unloaded the 'burb, they were celebrating. McKenna after having her hair straightened. Occassionally the girls like to do a "beauty parlor" thing. This is how Taylor "settles down" at night. Actually, she and Jared and I were having our almost-nightly chat. It usually begins with normal chit-chat and ends with a long list of "I need to get" and "Can I have..." during which we try to sit patiently and listen as if we have never heard any of her requests. Sometimes, on rougher nights, she is told to just "GET TO BED" and sent downstairs with a hug, leaving behind bewildered first-time-parenting-a-tee...

BYU plays New Mexico tonight in their biggest and most important game yet this season. I'll be watching. Here's why: Jimmer Fredette set BYU single-game records with 49 points and nine threes against Arizona in the Fiesta Bowl Classic in Tucson, Ariz., at the McKale Center. BYU handed Arizona its worst loss at the McKale Center, 99-69. Fredette is 26th all-time in scoring at BYU with 1,163 career points. He leads the conference in scoring at 20.2 points per game. He is also 15th at BYU in career assists with 291 and 12th in steals with 106. Jimmer Fredette eclipsed 1,000 career points when he hit a three with 10:04 remaining against Nevada. He reached the milestone in 80 games. After scoring 33 points at San Diego State he has 1,163 career points — 26th all-time. He is four points from passing Randy Reid for 25th all-time. Jonathan Tavernari hit two threes vs. San Francisco to become BYU’s all-time leader in career threes. Jimmer Fredette is sixth with 133 makes and is...

A billion is a difficult number to comprehend, But one advertising agency did a good job of Putting that figure into some perspective in One of its releases. A. A billion seconds ago it was 1959. B. A billion minutes ago Jesus was alive. C. A billion hours ago our ancestors were Living in the Stone Age. D. A billion days ago no-one walked on the earth on two feet. E. A billion dollars ago was only 8 hours and 20 minutes, At the rate our government Is spending it.

Jared's sister Janna with Grandad, her husband Aaron and kids, Josi and Levi. ("vi" to Corbin) Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. During the Christmas season he lives at the Country Mercantile, a store in Pasco, WA where Jared's youngest sister Beth works. Beth just graduated for the second time, this time with a degree in business. She runs the business offices at the Mercantile and she gave us a tour. Our family with Bethany, Grandad, and Uncle Steven and his kids at the Mercantile. Decorating cookies with cousins at Grandmas Sally's house. Isaac finally gets to ride a horse! Sampling the salsa at the Mercantile. It was really good!

He has a personality bigger than his body. It just wants to burst out and touch, feel, BE. He has become a little person; You know when that happens. Suddenly he's begun to say and do things--all kinds of things-- And I realize he's been absorbing it; all of it; since the Beginning. Little things like bringing a towel to wipe up a spill--with his foot, because that's how I do it. Or getting his Very Own Book of Mormon to read with dad at the breakfast table, because that's how it is done. And empathy! Blossoming, leaving me hope that one day it will flower and trump all boyishness. I look at him and see with eyes that are not physical: Had I done it my way, these things would be buried with Isaac's childhood. Instead, I learn His way, and life is beautiful.