Honoring

So a few days ago was Mother's day. It was a wonderful day! Thanks again to my own Mother, and to Michael's Mother who lovingly mothered us so well through childhood, endured the teenage trials, and adapted with us as adults. (Gina has approved my description "it's okay" with a questionable facial expression) I am grateful to be a mother now... for my children who bring me endless joy. I was thrilled to be pampered and eat breakfast in bed. THANK YOU! Saturday night I had the honor of helping Gina prepare for prom. I was so excited for her (she did have 2 invitations to prom) such an exciting event for her to be part of! As I helped curl her hair and apply makeup, I couldn't help but remember when she was much younger... how I longed to help her with her hair! I enjoyed every minute helping in the preparation process. And the results...

Gorgeous girl! The date... he just accentuates her beauty.

This past week we made a quick (really super quick) trip back to Bozeman for the funeral of our friend. Driving into the valley, I felt like laughing and crying both at the same time. It was such a wonderful feeling... that feeling of "home, or coming home". After visiting with some friends at the funeral, I found myself thinking of a quote someone once gave me... "she finds a treasure who finds a true friend."... Montana is known as "the treasure state". How true! I realized I have a treasure chest full of treasures! After pondering on this all week, I felt reassured in my belief that people are brought into my life (and I into theirs) for a reason. It is not by chance, or just a coincident... there is purpose for all our associations and friendships. I treasure my friendships past and present, and look forward to those yet to be... here. Sometimes it is good to go back (or go "home") to remember and review the past in order to move forward and progress. Perhaps my ramblings make no sense at all to anyone but me. oh well, I'm used to that.

Business as (the new) Usual in Idaho

Oooooh, typing up on my blog again makes me feel giddy.... I've wanted to do this for several months. We have successfully moved. It was quite a production. I am super grateful that some people pack and move others as a profession/job. I am in awe of my own wonderful mother who came and for the most part unpacked all my boxes and put my new home in order by herself. My head was (okay, it still is) in a fog with all the chaos. Thank you Mom.

So here we are... the last day of school is just about two weeks away. We have been busy with soccer, swimming lessons, voice lessons, school plays, school, scouts... not to mention playing, and playing, and playing (tis the season with spring) Gina has changed her classes, and plans for classes more times than we can count! Other than that... she has adjusted to the new location easier than anyone else. RELIEF! As a teenager, moving mid school year can really put a kink in the social life. Gina has breezed through the last few months ALMOST effortlessly (wink, wink). She has made great friends, and taken advantage of opportunities to further her natural dramatic abilities (spring play "Much ado about nothing"). She is excited to be a governor next year in the Senior class presidency, public singing will once again be one of her many activities, and prom is this weekend... I have been most impressed with her positive attitude and cheerfulness. Gina is gorgeous, amazing, and such an inspiration to me...

Eliza and Isaac have grown by leaps and bounds!(literally and figuratively) As the family cheerleader, Eliza continues to encourage and cheer us as we change and adjust to a new home, school and friends. She too continues to enhance her natural dramatic abilities...(I know, girls are naturally dramatic!) She wrote a poem that took 2nd place locally, and 3rd place in state. She is loving voice lessons, and playing soccer, attending plays, concerts on campus, reading, and chillin with her new BFF's. I am ever grateful that she still considers Isaac as one of her best friends. Isaac has sort of taken to the comforts of Eliza's shadow in our new surroundings. Slowly his confidence and comfort levels are growing. Scouting, swimming lessons, soccer, his deepening love for frogs (and playing the wii)have been great for him to make new friends. He is quite the artist! However, unlike his older sisters, he DOES NOT like the lime light, or center stage attention. He is so gentle, quiet and thoughtful...this move has really been tough for him. My heart swells (honestly, I've cried like a baby for him) as I watch him learn he can do hard things. Moreover, I am delighted to see his sweet smile and hear his contagious laugh more often as he is coming out of Eliza's shadow.

Charles is ever the charmer! He has jumped in to a new preschool and made lots of new friends! All be it, they are all girls except for two boys. Charlie is so full of life, anxious everyday to explore and learn new things. He thrives on responsibility and helping take care of Rex. I gave away his little bike when we moved and he has hounded me everyday to get him a new bike so he can ride. Phew... found the perfect bike on craigslist. Charlie has been reconnected to the fish in him recently. As he walked out of the locker room after the first day of swim lessons, and asked me "mom, is tomorrow a swim day?" I told him is was.. to which he said "that is going to be a long time, I can't wait to swim tomorrow!" True enough, it was a long wait for him to get back in the water every afternoon. His head was under the water more than he was above. Just like a fish, he is a natural at swimming. And soccer... he is a one man team. He throws the ball in and is right there to dribble it to the goal. He plays hard and sleeps good!

Olivia and Rex are a real duo! Olivia has really missed her best buddy Wyatt! He came to visit and after he left she stood at the window and cried "come back Wyatt, come back to me." She speaks of him often and returning to Bozeman. She would like her social circle to get bigger, but her mother is so absolutely restricting. Even still, she pays me the highest compliment in saying "I just want to be a mommy like you.... when I grow a little bigger like you mom, then I can be a mom like you." Poor Rex, he will learn to love both of his mothers. Rex has popped two teeth out. Oh, does teething have to be so hard? Rex is in the in to everything stage. He pushes anything and everything like a walker across the kitchen floor, and loves to play in the fridge the most. He is by far the loudest screaming screetcher, creature in the family. He is a funny little guy!

Life is good, it's beautiful and crazy all at the same time. This is what I wanted... to be married to a good honest man, and be a mother. Some days are so crazy, for instance, today... it has taken me 3 months and the entire day to post this update, I think I might just explode or pull out all my hair... but how incredibly amazing to know such love and joy. I am content that my husband is happy with his work, and that allows me to stay home full time. I appreciate so much the time I had to live in Bozeman. In the past few weeks, I have missed Bozeman so much that I ache with longing for my friends and the familiar beauty of that valley. I had no idea I let my roots grow so deep in Montana! How rich and satisfying are the memories I share with you my friends from Montana. To those here in Idaho, I do appreciate the seeds of friendship planted already. Patience is a virtue I obviously lack... And so it is true, "all good things come to those who wait".

This is one of our family's favorite people... Linda has become like family to us here in Bozeman, MT. She is kind, generous, and so thoughtful. As we approach the time to close the "Bozeman" chapter, we want you to know how much we love and will miss you Linda. (Thanks for the encouragement to keep the blog current so you can keep up with the kids. This one's for you)

Happy New Year, happy memories of the old year... at least the last 6 months anyway of 2011. June brought the celebrating the birth of our little Rex

July was wonderful... it's actually all just a blur in my memory. I do know that Gina went to Germany for 3 and 1/2 weeks. Life here at home just doesn't feel right when she's gone. She had a super fabulous time and we were glad to have her home again.

August was a busy month... we had Great Grandpa Lindman come visit with Grandma and Grandpa Brown for Isaac's 8th birthday. Great Grandpa brought his dog Jasmin and that was a REAL treat to have her stay in the house with all my other animals, I mean children. Before we knew it, school started... Yippee!

September we celebrated Olivia's 3rd birthday! Saying she LOVES her little brother is a MAJOR understatement! Everyone is her Best Buddy

October Gina went to Homecoming with a group of friends (actually the went to dinner and bowling) We attended our first (and last) MSU football game. We also celebrated Eliza's 10th birthday by getting her ears pierced, Oooo la, la! Naturally, we had a fun time roaming the neighborhood all dressed up for Halloween. November was quite the month beginning the Holiday season counting all the blessing we are grateful for. Especially for Mike to be offered a new job with BYU-I the day before Thanksgiving. Gina's 16th birthday was the day after Thanksgiving. What a wonderful weekend we had celebrating so many blessings! December was busy with excitement and then some. Mike worked his last National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas the first two weeks. Came home to dash off house hunting in Rexburg, Idaho. We made it home in time to watch Charlie open his birthday presents and put him to bed. He had a super 5th birthday party the next day. Christmas this year was simple and so perfect! It was one of those days I wish could last a little longer than just 24 hours. Fortunately, it seemed that time slowed down to a snails crawl and I feel I savored every moment of the Holiday season. I enjoyed it all to the fullest, and couldn't wait for school to start Monday morning January 2nd, 2012.

I love reading the blogs of my sisters-in-law... they inspire me and make me want to be a better mom and blogger. My entire blogging adventure came about to keep far away family in the know and up to date with my children. Specifically, for my husbands dear gram. She passed away over a year ago, and I have felt rather lost in my purpose to post since her passing. I enjoy the "journal-ing" satisfaction of blogging, and hope maybe some other far away family (since ALL our family is somewhere far away) will continue to follow the "company" via my blog.
Spring break was perfect for us. We did something and went somewhere different each day. Our goal was to go somewhere we had never been. How fortunate we accomplished our goal twice, in touring a recording studio (thanks again Jeramiah), and bowling at the local "bowl". Mother Nature provided a generous dumping of fresh snow for us to go sledding. The museum has a fantastic new exhibit about frogs, and the library is still one of our favorite places to go. I am so lucky to have such good children. It was the perfect week, and everyone was ready to resume our regular routine.
In other news, Gina is all grown up and will be leaving the country... She was encouraged to apply (by her German teacher), and was awarded the opportunity to travel to Germany for almost a month this summer. She will live with a host family, attend classes, tour historic cites... along with 39 other students from all over the United States. This is a real honor and we are very proud and excited for her. I was a little nervous at first with the thought of her being so far away from home by herself, but such concerns have been put on the "back burner" since drivers ed. started a few weeks ago. It's hard for me to believe she is already old enough to learn to drive. She continues to keep it all together with a smile and make it all look so easy. Oh to be a teen!
Eliza and Isaac are making great strides in learning to play the piano. Eliza does NOT like practicing, but is competitive enough that she wants to be better than Isaac, who seems to be a natural. Eliza has recently learned to deal with a bully in her class at school. It's been very stressful for her. I'm so proud of the way she faced the problem, dealt with it, forgave, and is moving on. She is very mature, super sensitive and kind. Isaac is my mystery boy. We think he is quiet and reserved, only to learn from teachers and friends, that he is NOT quiet very often, but actually very social and funny. He still has the most infectious smile and laugh. (even when he wakes up grumpy like this morning because of the snow...) he just can't stay mad or grumpy for long. He amazes me with his random knowledge of snakes, reptiles, and frogs. Is it even worth mentioning that they both continue to grow like weeds?!
My littles Charlie and Olivia continue to challenge me the most. I'd like to think it's only because I'm 35 weeks pregnant and lack the energy to keep up with them. Charlie's social circles are expanding, and hanging out with Mom all day just does NOT meet his social needs any more. He too is DONE with the snow and is ready to be outside on the tramp, or his bike. His eczema has and continues to improve, along with his speech. Olivia... her greatest challenge these days is being 2! She wants to do EVERYTHING everyone else is doing. She has become the worst 2 year old back seat driver on the planet! Telling me to "go this way", "go faster", and "just GO mom" at red lights. Actually, her bossiness take control attitude is a good thing I'm sure... if I can just survive it a few more years. She is the best little helper, unloading the dishwasher, sorting, switching, and folding laundry, pushing the grocery cart... you name it, the girl is on it.
Easter weekend was absolutely wonderful! I made the girls skirts...(I've done my sewing for the year) and they were thrilled not to mention adorable. I'm sorry for the minor technical issue that limits me from posting any pictures... Maybe next time. Easter was a beautiful day in every way. The sun was shining (there was NO snow) my children were happy and content (even if they were high on sugar), and I relished the quiet time to think of all the blessings I enjoy because of the Saviors Atoning sacrifice, and resurrection. "Oh, sweet the joy this sentence gives: '"I know that my Redeemer lives!"'

Here we are in March... where does the time go?! Business has been pretty quiet around here, or so it seems, not much to blog about. For the first time in December I sold my granola, LOTS of it. (140 bags of Maple pecan and "Cookie" granola) It was a one of my new years resolutions for 2010, to "do something" with my granola. What can I say, I'm a last minute kind of gal, and I did "something". New Year was spent with extended family, talk about a party! Then purging the house of Gluten. I decided to try to help Charlie's eczema we would all go gluten free to see if it help him clear up. I'm learning so much, we are eating healthier, and no one has died yet from eating more veggies. Valentine's Day was pretty low key. Charlie had a party with 10 of his little friends, and the next day he was sick. HELLO FLU! Since germs are the only things we really know how to really share in this family... we all got some kind of sick. My littles shared the worst of it with me (the only thing worse than being sick as the mom is being a sick mom with really sick littles) my middles both had the cough, while Gina and Mike worked through some aches and a drippy nose. Needless to say, the last few weeks have been the worst in years! I have a renewed appreciation for good health and happy children. Now here we are in March, awaiting spring break next week with snow, snow, and more snow. Don't get me wrong, I love the snow. It's beautiful, clean and I have a great husband who does ALL the shoveling. Yet I find this so funny, because spring doesn't actually spring in Montana until late May early June. Evidently spring break in Montana means one of two things... a sunny beach, or skiing. Spring break for my little company won't be either of those two things. I'm not sure yet what kind of fun it will bring. So only a few pictures to share this time around.

Short & Sweet

All month long I've found myself making a mental list of the many different blessings I'm grateful for. A nice warm home to live in, happy healthy children, my husband to love, food, good music to enjoy, and the ability to hear and experience it, family and good friends, priceless memories, good haircuts... I just love the good feelings produced from cultivating an attitude of gratitude.
On another short note... the cuteness had her first hair cut this weekend. We are both very happy with the results.