Football season is upon us….yipee!
We are anxiously counting down the days until we get our season tickets in the mail. The first game isn’t until September, but we can’t wait! As my hubby often says, now that book 7 of HP came out the next big thing is football season. As I started getting excited about football, and when I say football I mean BYU football, I kept thinking how fun it is that Aaron and I both love football. It is so fun to get decked out in our BYU blue (the kiddie’s too) and fight traffic and crowds until we get to the tiny benches with our numbers on them. Then we religiously cheer and sing the cougar fight song and we stay until the bitter end.
Now I realize that there are some things that you just naturally love. Things like ice cream and a baby’s giggle. I was born into a football playing / football watching family. I just love football. But I realize there are things that are a little harder to love, things that take time to develope a love for. For me it is loving the game “Catch Phrase”….it is one of Aaron’s favorites and I like it, but we’ve played it a ton…so I have to learn to like it even more. It is worth it though ’cause I want to be able to do things with Aaron. So I guess what I’m trying to say is – what do you love to do with your husband? Do you think maybe you need to find a few more things that you like to do together?
If you have a hubby who loves football here are some tips on learning to like it – go to a high school football game. Ask someone to explain some of the rules (you really only need to know a few basics) and then actually WATCH and pay attention to who has the ball and see if they can get it into the endzone. Be careful though, football can be pretty addicting.
family history
I’ve decided to try and read more of the family history stuff that I have been accumulating over the years. I want to go through the stories and pick out parts that I want to know well enough to share with my children as they grow. I’d like to add a new one each Sunday, but you know…we’ll see how that goes. But to start off – here is the first story!
Family History
Lydia Holmes Walker was my 5th great-grandma. This is part of her story as recounted by her son William Holmes Walker in his journal (most of this is exactly how it appears in his journal).
Her husband, John joined the church in 1832 and she “did not approve of his course and…she felt that he had disgraced himself and family”. For two years she was earnestly engaged in reading the Bible, thinking to find something that would condemn and put down Mormonism. I heard her say repeatedly that she, during the two years, had read more than she did in all her life before, for that purpose, and was greatly disappointed to find that the more she read the more she found to condemn herself, and in favor of, and to confirm or establish Mormonism. After this rigid and thorough investigation, and being fully convinced that God had again spoken from the heavens, and had restored the everlasting Gospel in its fullness, to the earth: and had conferred upon man the Holy Priesthood, with authority to administer in all the ordinances thereof. She desired to be baptized for the remission of her sins, and have hands laid on her head, for the reception of the Holy Ghost: and was not only willing, but glad to unite her destinies with that unpopular people, called Mormons.
On their way to Far West they stopped to camp at Shoal Creek, five miles below Hauns Mill. The next day her husband, John and another one of the brethren started for Hauns Mill to learn the condition of matters there. While she was at Shoal Creek with her family the Hauns Mill massacre occurred. Some of the party that had escaped and were fleeing for their lives, came to our camp and reported the number of those that were killed at the mill. And that the mob would soon be there to kill every one that they could find.
Under the circumstances we could come to no other conclusion, than that father was among the dead. Great consternation ensued: men, women, and children running in every direction for their lives. Lydia prevailed on a few to remain, and she took her children, ten in number, in her wagon and said we were just as safe there as anywhere. That the Lord could preserve us. She had her children kneel with her and prayed with much earnestness and faith for the protection of the Almighty in their behalf.
About two weeks later word came that John was not dead, but wounded and unable to travel. William traveled over 75 miles to locate John and found out that he had been wounded by the mob and had managed to hide under some slabs that projected over the bank of the creek near the mill. Lydia had continued caring for the family and thinking that her husband was dead for almost 2 weeks. She showed faith and courage in the face of extreme adversity.
One of those babies
So Parker is one of those babies. Not the kind that makes you cringe and that makes the idea of more kids seem very unappealing. He is the kind that all the poems are written about and the kind with the really, really kissable cheeks and the knock your socks off smile that keeps you going no matter what. The kind that when you hear his little coos you just can’t stop yourself from getting a little emotional ’cause you just love him so much! The kind that makes you baby hungry, even if you just had a baby. The kind that somehow manages to make your life a little bit easier because they are just so full of happiness.
That little guy just turned 5 months old today and I have to say I can’t believe it. Time seems to be flying. If you haven’t ever had one of those babies don’t worry. He’ll be a regular toddler who throws fits and gets into everything. He’s just giving me a little time off before he turns into his real self!! 🙂
Of the things I love…sleep is way up there!
So I took this picture when Parker rolled over for one of the first times. Since then he has been rolling like crazy. The funny thing is that he usually rolls from his back to his tummy (I think most babies start rolling from tummy to back first) and he’s started to enjoy that tummy time! I’m sure your wondering what this has to do with sleep. Well, it looks like Parker might be a tummy sleeper for a little while! Let me tell you the last little while has been tough. He was sooo good at sleeping through the night and then he got sick (which of course, means we weren’t enjoying a full nights sleep). He’s better now, but now he’s back in the habit. After a few nights of helping him get back to sleep without eating I decided I was gonna take matters into my own hands. I started letting him cry it out so that he could learn to fall asleep by himself. Are there any sweeter words than “self-soothe”? He got the hang of it pretty quickly (only 2 or 3 40 minute cryout sessions). Then the next step was moving him out of our room. (I know, you’re all gasping at the fact that I had a baby in my room for almost 5 months, but we only have 2 rooms and our 2 year old is currently occupying the other room.) The big decision was do we just move his bassinet out to the living room or do we go for it and put him in his crib with Lanette. I went back and forth and I finally decided that they are going to be roomies for a while so they need to get used to each other. Luckily, it was smooth sailing. Parker has a pretty good betime routine and only fussed a little bit and then he was out until 8:30 this morning. Ahh. The joys of motherhood. Sleepin’ all night and only chaning diapers on one kid. I’m not sure my life could get any better!
These pictures are worth a thousand words…or at least a future full of a few thousand trips to the “potty”. First I have to say that the idea of potty training Lanette has been daunting. She’s the first. The sad thing is since Parker is a boy when his turn comes around it will feel like a first all over again! It is funny the things that you have to decide when you go about potty training. Is it a potty or a toilet? Do you use the correct “phraseology” or do you stick with more child friendly terms. It wasn’t hard to decide we are potty people and we use don’t use anatomically correct words and most importantly we wear UNDIES….not underwear and especially not panties! (picture me shuddering.)
So the saga began a few months ago when we actually went out and bought her some big girl undies. We went back and forth for a few days, but she just didn’t seem to care. During the last few months I’ve talked to her about going and she is either hot or cold (like she is with most things!) I guess I was inspired by Emily’s blog, but I decided that I would try my hand at bribes. Chalk it up to human nature, but all of the sudden Lanette was going on the potty all the time ’cause she knew she would get “two smarties” or a big treat if she went number 2. Finally as we got to the end of her package of diapers we decided she might just be up to it this time around. I’m happy to say that after 3 days we’ve only had 3 accidents (one a day). I think that is pretty stinkin’ good. Especially ’cause she hasn’t been wearing a diaper during naptime…only at bedtime.
So next time you see us – we’ll be $20 richer and Lanette’s pants will all look baggy. 🙂
All things Harry Potter
These are a few of the official covers for the new book…only like 12 hours and 55 minutes until we have our hands on one of these!!!
Click here to visit MuggleNet and see the update on how many hours until the new book is out! I’m focused on all things harry potter and will be until I finish the new book. So have a great weekend and don’t expect to hear from me until I’m done reading. If you haven’t jumped on the harry potter bandwagon yet- do it! A good book is one of those truly delightful things in life…and there are 7 harry potter books – enjoy! I’ve been dying to read the back of the book cover and if you have been too keep reading! (Don’t worry it isn’t a spoiler…they wouldn’t be that stupid!)
BTW, I clicked on the bigger image of the one on top and could read what is said on the back of the book: Harry is waiting in Privet Drive. The Order of the Phoenix is coming to escort him safely away without Voldemort and his supporters knowing-if they can. But what will Harry do then? How can he fulfil the monmenous seeminly impossible task that Professor Dumbledore has left him with?
And on the inside cover: Harry has been burdened with a dark, dangerous and seemingly impossible task: that of locating and destroying Voledmorts remaining Horcruxes. Never has Harry felt so alone, or faced a future so full of shadows. But Harry must somehow find within himself the strength to complete the task he has been given. He must leave the warmth, safety and companionship of The Burrow and follow without fear or hesitation the inexorable path laid out for him…
sick kids :(
Not a lot of THIS going on in our house this week. Parker keeps going back and forth from stuffy to runny nose and is back to waking up in the middle of the night ’cause he can’t breath. Nettie is just extra emotion with a runny nose on top. They both seem to have lots of energy. Why is it that when both my kids are sick I sit around the house with zero energy like I am the sick one? I guess losing sleep is a sickness in and of itself. Ahh. The aftermath of two “trips” in one month. Yikes. At least I have Harry Potter 7 to look forward to…although I’m starting to get a little sad that this is the last one! Watch out Springville Wal-Mart we’ll (meaning Aaron) be there at 12:10 (just enough time for the crowd to die down)!!
My parents are farmers…
…and you can tell by their garden. When we were in Weiser a few weeks ago we took a little tour of their garden. It probably takes up 1/2 an acre of land and is flourishing. By flourishing I mean that most of the plants come up to your knee and they are already having a bountiful harvest. Zucchini, squash, red leaf lettuce, tomatoes, onions, carrots, beets, peas…the list goes on and on! I was standing there amidst what was basically a whole produce section thinking what am I doing wrong? I never knew zuchinni could be that huge! The funny thing was that I had been really trying hard to water the garden twice a day and so I was feeling good about my garden until I saw what a REAL garden should look like. Then it hit me…I may be a farmer’s daughter (well, he is a lawyer, but a farmer at heart), but I’m not a farmer myself. The difference in our gardens was blaringly obvious. So we started asking for tips. The main tip was so classically “farmeresque” that I couldn’t help but think to myself “duh”…why didn’t I think of that! So, for all of you non-farmers out there who want to have a great garden – here it is: Irrigation – plain and simple dig a furrow (or little ditch) and fill it with water so that that the water can seep down to the roots of the plants. I wish I had a before picture so you could see the difference, but let me just say it is ASTOUNDING! All of our plants have almost doubled in size during the last 2 weeks. Talk about a good tip – thanks Dad! Here is the now picture:
We are now the proud owners of pumpkin, watermelon, tomato, pepper, and zucchini plants (plus a few flowers that aren’t in the picture).
I’ve tried a few times this gardening thing without success. Thanks to the new furrow our victory over the blazin’ sun is assured. Even if we don’t end up with a produce aisle…the fact that our garden now looks like this is a pretty sweet feeling.
I have added gardening to the VERY large list of things that I admire about my parents. The prophet said plant a garden and they did it with gusto. Hope Nettie and Parker can say the same thing of us someday!
GO READ A BOOK!!
I love to read. Anyone who knows me very well can attest to the fact that I am almost always starting, in the middle of or just finished a book. I even love to read to Lanette and I figure I’m brushing off on her ’cause she probably never goes a day without reading at least 4 books (2 at nap time and 2 at bed time). And she can recognize the library without me telling her where we are. My hubby Aaron had someone reccomend the book 
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer and then I was reading my sis in laws sister’s blog and she gave a review of it there, but I couldn’t see it at the library so that was the end of it. Then when we were visiting my other sister in law (Holly) she had a copy and my other sister in law (Andrea) started reading and then decided to purchase it. Then, awesome gal that she is, Andrea let me borrow the book after she finished reading it. I finished reading it (and it was great by the way, thanks again Andrea) and now I am dying to read the next book. Book people are smart…really smart. They go ahead and add a chapter or two from the next book that ends like this “Dazed and disoriented, I looked up from the brigth red blood pulsing out of my arm–into the fevered eyes of the six suddenly revenous vampires.” Darn it…now I have to exercise some restraint and not just rush out and buy it – don’t worry my name is on the list at the library and my dream should come true soon. The only problem is HP 7 comes out Sat. at 12:01. I’ve gotta finish New Moon before that happens. Like I said. I love to read. So if you haven’t for a while…Go READ A BOOK! Trust me. You’ll like the results.
thoughts on being a SAHM
It is funny, but it took me a while to figure out what heck SAHM meant. I kept seeing it on different blogs and finally I caught the drift…Stay At Home Mom. That’s what I am and boy do I dig it! I feel pretty lucky that I have a hubby who supports my desire to stay at home, but ya know…we all have our days. Just the other day when Aaron got home from pulling a 10 hour day so that we can take some vacation this weekend we engaged in some playful bantering about who had a more stressful day. It kinda went something like this:
Me- whew. what a long day
Aaron- no kidding. the computer didn’t even know how to deal with 2 immigrants where both the mother and the 14 year old daughter are both pregnant….etc. (his job has some pretty stressful stuff attached to it)
Me- that stinks…at least you got to work in a cool place today it was like 90 degrees inside here all day. (Swamp cooler is NOW working)
Aaron- But you get to read…and you actually love the people you are working for all day.
Me- I guess there are perks to both our jobs.
Seriously, he has a point. Yep, sometimes I’m feel like Lanette’s slave. Yep, there was no escaping the 4 days without AC when it was a billion degrees outside. Yep, I deal with lots of bodily fluids, dirty house things, and such. BUT, and this is a big one…I get to spend my days doing things for and with my kids and my hubby. Who could ask for a better “job”. It is funny how sometimes little conversations can get you thinking and it was like a little confirmation that what I’m doing day in and day out is really, REALLy what I want 
to be doing. I’ve done other things and let me just say it again…I’m a SAHM and I’m proud of it! Hope all ya’ll out there are happy with what you are doing too (whatever it may be) ’cause isn’t that what it really comes down to…being happy with the life you are living! So to quote someone “bloom where you are planted”!
Funny Things 
