"Hey Laman and Lemuel, I think I get you a little more now..."

It wasn't many posts ago that I was writing about how hard the weeks had been...

about how I was having a negative outlook...

I was feeling short-tempered toward my family.... 

etc. 

BUT then I stepped back! 

I re-evaluated my priorities and found the strength to be kind... 

see the good in my days..... 

to be focused on Christ.... 

etc. 

And then today as I was typing in the title of my blog it was going to read, "A rough week." 

All I could think about were the many times this week I just couldn't focus on anything but the annoying and unpleasant happenings through the week. Realized I was being negative. Received spiritual upliftance and rejuvenation from my scriptures, church, and family, 

and how today I felt determined, once again, to have a more positive week. 

.... etc. .... 

This is when it hit me. 

I am more like Laman and Lemuel than I really ever thought I could be. 

I constantly read about them and think, "geesh guys, and angel just spoke you and that only snapped you into line for a short time." 

"The Lord just shook you to your core and confounded you to the point that you're willing to worship Nephi... and now you're binding him in cords?" 

E.T.C.!!!!!! 

See the pattern??!! 

There is a constant struggle in this natural man state of ours to find strength/determination to tackle the tough obstacles in front of us each day, feel like we're succeeding, and then become trodden down under the crushing weight of Satan's obstacles that he has us jumping through all. the. time. 

So then the question becomes, "Instead of judging Laman and Lemuel, like I often do. Or being ashamed that I'm more like them than I thought. I need to focus on, "How do I keep myself more like Nephi?" 

How do I keep myself centered on Christ? 

And that's where I'm at. 

It was more of a rough week with the baby being a handful, but more than that it was a great week because of the fact that I'm blessed enough to be alive. To have a healthy body. Healthy children.... 

... you know where I'm going with this. And those really are the things that matter most. 

Because of my constant bad mood this week, I was humbled by a comment Maddix made right before bed that was so sincere, caring, and vulnerable that it broke me inside (in a good way). 

I was abundantly showered with compliments, praises, and service from both boys, who were always trying their hardest to lighten my burdens.. Mine... as the mom. My heart soared. 

My friend and I got to coach Aaron's basketball game. 

Travis and I got to coach Maddix's basketball game. 

We kept up on scripture reading. 

I started the New Testament, along with a scripture thought each day. 

Travis and I had many opportunities to go exercise with friends, alone, together, and I think for Travis, multiple times a day:) 

Travis got to take Maddix on a date. 

We had many one-on-one moments with each child. 

I began a monstrous project of de-junking our entire house/simplifying.

We've been eating WAY more fruits and vegetables, daily.

Travis and I got out on a date. 

Etc. 

Thanks to everyone who sent us Christmas cards,
next year we'll finally get some done!!! 

29 Weeks

Target run for organizing totes! 

THIS. A constant look for her since refusing any
sort of sleep habit. 

Maddix made us a "fancy dinner." 

 ~Pure Mischief~ 

New bins, and a new method of folding.

Just about 30 weeks! 

Hiding to eat her box of chocolates she snuck

Got pulled out of school to get haircuts, eat lunch, and then go back.
They loved it. 

One of the King's guards

Being sneaky and feeding the dog after I said no. 

 She has so much love to give

She like t.v. as much as the next person! 

~Our 2018 Christmas/New Year~

Merry Christmas... And a Happy New Year!! 

Christmas Eve highlights: Delivering our friend/neighbor gifts, sledding on an epic hill/frozen river, participating in the Johnson's live Nativity (this year I was Mary... "heavy with child..."), and then reading A Night Before Christmas in front of a roaring fire:) 

For us, this was the first year Travis was actually home for Christmas; it was strange! 

He stayed up with me Christmas eve to prep,

and when I woke up Christmas morning he was already up and getting our yummy breakfast all cooked! 

It was so nice because I woke up SO sick, but Travis was there to get up with the kids (who patiently waited for me to roll out of bed around 7:45am). 

We read our Christmas scriptures and then dove into the present opening (in years past we've had to wait until like 3pm-6pm to open our presents; the boys were overjoyed). 

However, I don't know if it was from being able to jump right into the present opening, or the fact that we were abundantly spoiled by grandparents, friends, and neighbors, BUT the boys lost all their steam and just wanted to enjoy what they'd already opened. We ended up taking a present intermission. 

We all moved to the counter where we sat on my new gifts from Santa: Beautiful Barstools! And we enjoyed a delicious breakfast of Cinnamon pull-aparts. Eventually, it was back to the gifts where the boys decided the gifts just got better and better! 

(Boring mom and dad's gifts consisted more of clothes and books. Grandparent gifts were where the toys were at!) 

The rest of the day was spent just laying in heaps of wrapping paper, watching movie after movie. Maddix did get super excited about his new skateboard, from Gma Donna and had to take it for a spin (along with give rides to his sister). 

We grazed most the day before having a wonderfully prepared "roast Beast" dinner (like the grinch, but it was just roast beef). 

And I slept most the day. 

And then I slept the next day. And the next. And the next. And seeing as Travis worked every day, that left Maddix to pretty much run the show and see that everyone stayed alive. 

He never ceases to impress me. 

He took time to teach Aaron some of the new Christmas games. He fed the baby. He even helped change her bum when I couldn't get up. I love them, and honestly don't know what I would have done had he not been home this break to help with the baby. 

So the sinus pressure eased, the throat hurt less, and the coughing began to slow, so I anticipated a good nights sleep... NOPE, for some reason I spent the night throwing up, and by the next morning I had to call in help. 

My generous friends all jumped to help and Aaron and Addie were taken for the WHOLE day while Maddix stayed home to help take care of me!!! He. Is. The. Best! 

Okay, so then by Sunday we were all feeling better. We stayed home, just in case and got a jump on the new "Come Follow Me" curriculum, and really recouped before trying to enter the world again. 

NEW YEAR'S EVE

Went and hung out at our friends all morning and came home for naps after lunch. 

I spent the afternoon on the phone, catching up with my S.I.L while the boys played and the baby napped. 

Then to end the night, another of our friends kindly hosted a low-key get together which was so fun. 

Addie stole the show though as she wandered from group of adults to the next, carrying her blanket, and then laying down in the middle of them, or making funny faces, or playing games, or really anything that just made her addicting to watch; we just couldn't stop laughing at her cuteness. 

There were games, snacks, and an early countdown/balloon release/glow stick celebration around 9:30 and then by 10:30pm we headed home. 

Travis and I made it to midnight this year... first in a while :) 

And then today, on this sunny first day of the New Year... I had plans to finally get to the store (Travis FINALLY has a day off), buy all healthy food and meal prep. I was going to get the kids out. We were going to go swim at the rec. IT was going to be and epically fun day. 

But I'm sick. Again. 

Woke up. Spent all morning in the shower. And now I"m throwing up again. Lovely. 

Hopefully this isn't an omen for how 2019 is going to be!!!!! 

HAPPY NEW YEAR?! 

(Recap of 2018 will probably follow) 

Christmas Eve Dinner

putting out our reindeer chow 

Christmas Day! 

~Moments through the sickness~

Sunday pancakes at the counter; I love that we can have
breakfast right here!!

When did she get so big?! Brushing her teeth?
Wearing pigtails?!
Oh I love her! 

Completion of one of my favorite B.O.M
challenges I've ever participated in!

Part of the first "Come Follow Me" lesson asks the question
"How can we become a more Gospel Centered Family in the upcoming year?"
We decided to make a poster with all the essential family activities we want to
keep in our weekly routines and not let any other activities get in their way.
So, I booked a babysitter for each Saturday of this coming month so Travis and I can get on a date.
We wrote down our F.H.E rotations so we put more time and focus into it.
And there are other special activities, like our family movie nights on Fridays :)
I hope we stay on top of this throughout the whole year! 

New Year's Eve