Karate

Jake started Karate, his long overdue birthday present from last summer.  He loves it, and is a complete natural!  My favorite part - they teach him to say "Yes Mom, Yes Dad" for whatever we ask of him. :)

FHE

Yesterday after church, Jacob was working busily on the computer, and told me that he was planning our lesson for Family Home Evening.  No one had assigned him or asked him to be in charge, but he'd had a very important lesson in primary and he wanted to share it with us for FHE.  Of course, I said go for it.

Tonight he sat us all down and told us we were going to talk about baptism.  He started off by asking a few questions:

1.  Who is looking forward to getting baptized when they are 8?
2.  Who is nervous about being baptized?
3.  How long do we have to wait after we are born before we can get baptized?

He then went on to tell us that baptism is more than just going under water and messing around.  It means that we are washed clean of all our sins.  "Gone, forgotten, don't even think about them anymore".  He likened baptism unto Goodwill, in that you can just get rid of all your sins through baptism like you get rid of your stuff at Goodwill.  He also told us we have two chances to be baptized, once for ourselves, and once for dead people who didn't get to do it for themselves.  Then he had some lovely picture packets that he had printed off of www.friend.lds.org, and he gave one to each of us to color for our activity.  We talked about how special it will be for his dad to baptize and confirm him, and how he will be the very first person his dad will get to do that for.

Jacob's spirit never ceases to amaze me.  My friend Holly - and Jacob's first real primary teacher- once called him a "spiritual giant" at the tender age of 5.  He is the reason I went back to church 4 years ago, and I am so grateful that because of that, all of my kids have the opportunity to learn about Christ and His love and plan for us.  I am humbled by the power of Jacob's testimony and the excitement he has had to be baptized, literally since the day he knew he could be. 

Birthday Girl

It's hard to believe she is 2 already!

 apron from Mom, crown from Katie and Adam

 opening presents with Dad

 her new Dora chair, which quickly became her throne!

 started out dainty

ended up not-so-dainty 

(you can barely see it but it's actually on her toes too)

ladylike evening gloves and purse from Aunt Kiki
and yes, that is a pony in her hair! - just long enough to snap the picture.

Leah shared her birthday this year with the wedding of some good friends of ours.  It was a busy day, but we capped it off with a party, where Petunia was center stage.  Thank you Hisers, Hawkins, Katie and Adam, and Brandon and Krystyne for making the party such a success!

Happy Birthday to my not-so-baby girl!  I love you more than words can say, and more and more each day.

Friday Funday

Friday Funday is.....

The end of the work/school week, or "weekend eve"

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The one day we don't do housework, homework, or run errands

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Movie night for the littles

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"Boys Night" for Brian and Jake

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Pizza night, whether that be the homemade kind, the take-n-bake kind,  or (my personal favorite) the delivered-to-the-door kind

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The night when I let my kids sleep wherever they land, whether that be the couch, the floor, or my bed

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When I read just for fun - not for work, homework or church, just for pleasure

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When we make plans for the fun things we are going to do on Saturday, even it's just staying in all day enjoying having nowhere to go

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Blog day

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When I finally feel like I can {exhale}

Spring

The "before"  

Hard at work

Leah discovered she loves to paint!

Syd was very serious about her work

Always all smiles

Jo was a very thorough painter

Tyler's theme was Iron Man

The artist, last one at the table.

The finished projects!

Pots at Michaels, $1.19 each,

paints on sale at Michaels for $.38 each,

 and primroses for $.99 at Home Depot. 

A totally fun afternoon project for $2.56 a person.  Not bad in my book!