A Dozen

Today, Tyler and I celebrate our 12 year anniversary...of being together as a couple. (on a side note, it is also the 12th anniversary of my graduation from high school). We have been through a lot in these dozen years and I can think of more than a dozen reasons why I'm happy he chose me. I knew even before we started dating, that if we did, it would be amazing and would last forever. He treated me better than any guy, or person, ever had before and really blew me off my feet. We dated for 3 years before he went on his mission, and then wrote to each other while he was gone. There was a time that I lost track of our goal (a time he likes to affectionately call my apostasy), but we were quickly back on track and in love. We have been married for nearly 7 years, and although I know now why we are together, in the past I was curious why he would be the guy for me, since we are so different...or so it appeared. The Lord has a plan and I can say for sure that Tyler was definitely part of His plan for me. He has supported me, pushed me, and made me laugh for a dozen years. Sometimes he aggravates me to no end, but I never question my commitment to him, or our marriage, neither his to me. Tyler, I love you, and will for many dozens of eons to come.

O How Time Passes

This past weekend was filled with lots of busy-ness, which mostly consisted of celebrating Janeen's graduation. As Tyler, the kids, and I drove downtown on Saturday morning for her ceremony, I thought about how this was the 5th and final graduation of the Scott and Janielee Williamson kids that I would be attending. It also made me think about how I've known Janeen since she was about 5 years old, and it's amazing to me how much she's grown (in height and maturity). She used to cuddle with me on the couch while we watched movies, and was constantly asking me if I was going to marry her brother. Having known her for so long, I also have many embarrassing stories that I may share at a later date (such as her wedding), but I will refrain in this very public forum. Janeen, you can thank me later. It was a fun time to celebrate with her, and just check out the beautiful young lady she's become. She had the opportunity to sing at the banquet and most at our table were a ball of tears...as usual.We also had the chance on Monday to have a get-together with the Mundy Family to give everyone a chance to meet the new additions to the family. Here's a shot of Joel, Tyler and Jason, each holding their little ones - Orin, Logan and Sarah.Then we attempted to take a picture of all the babies, but it was short lived as it required Jacob holding his new baby sister, something he wasn't too keen on, and didn't last long at. Fortunately mom was there to rescue her before Jacob tossed her on the floor. This was the best shot I got.

Feels like Home

This morning, as I sat awake with Logan for his 6am feeding I heard tiny footsteps in the hallway. We had a pretty late night from Janeen's grad, and I wasn't really excited about dealing with a 3 year old at 6am. I laid Logan safely on the bed and ventured out to see what was going on...but saw nothing. I swear I had heard footsteps. I looked in the kids room and saw the source of the noise. Max was laying in Lucy's bed with her and when he looked up and saw me, he got a sad/relieved look on his face and raised his arms towards me. I asked him what he was doing and he said, "I didn't know you were here!" We had gotten home after the kids had gone to bed the night before. I told him we had been there for a long time and had been asleep in our bed. He then asked where Grandma and Bumpa were (because they had been there when he went to sleep) and I explained that they had gone home to their beds too. I guess he had gotten up and looked in the living room (where Grandma and Bumpa had been when he fell asleep) and saw no one there, so he assumed he was home alone. His natural reaction was to climb into bed with his sister Lucy...because that's a safe place. We took a quick trip to the potty and he settled back to sleep, realizing that all was right in his world again.

These Days

This is basically what life has been about these days:
Just hanging out. Although we did venture out of the house last night (to save my sanity) to head to the mall. We got some new shoes for the kids and a few groceries at Walmart for the weekend, and Tyler got a suit at Designer Depot for $100. Can't beat that. Oh, and I also planted my garden this week - just before all the rain hit, so I haven't even had to water my flowers once. It also means I haven't been outside much to see them - but I still like knowing they're there.

Calgary Alberta Temple - Groundbreaking

This morning we were privileged to attend the Groundbreaking ceremony for the Calgary Alberta Temple. The temple site was announced in the Fall 2008 General Conference and the people of this city have been greatly anticipating it's commencement. The past year and a half have been spent getting renderings drawn and approved by the First Presidency of the Church and now they are ready to begin. This temple will service the entire city of Calgary and surrounding area, however the site could not accommodate the 18,000 members that reside in and around our beautiful city. We were instructed in Sacrament meeting that the ceremony would be broadcast to the 6 stake centers around the city, and 250 parking passes were distributed - leaving 4 per ward. As a family, we decided it was important for us to attend this event, as it's pretty much once in a lifetime, so we made special effort to make sure we could be there. As a ward family, we decided to do everything we could to make sure anyone who wanted to attend, would be able. We acquired a parking pass and contacted 6 other families in the ward to carpool to NW Calgary and park at Walmart, after dropping their families at the Royal Oak Chapel, and then each of the drivers carpooled back to the site in one vehicle, so we would only take up one spot in the parking lot. Not a bad idea...if I do say so as the wife of the genius who came up with it. Chairs were set up for 1000 people, but we were told that no one would be turned away. We arrived at the site at 10am in preparation for the 11am ceremony. We were greeted by familiar faces from our stake and city and unfamiliar, but friendly faces of our faith. At one point, we spotted Guy Elford in his helicopter taking aerial photos of the event. Max was sure to announce to everyone around that this was the helicopter that Dad flew!It was warm outside and we spent the next hour visiting and playing with the kids waiting in anticipation. Finally, the ceremony began, and our kids' energy wained...but they were quiet and relaxed on a blanket at our feet, out of the sun. There were musical numbers by a special choir, and talks given by Elder Melchin (the area authority and our previous stake president), Elder William Walker (a member of the quorum of the 70 and executive director of the temple department), and his wife, and Elder Donald Hallstrom (a member of the presidency of the Quorum of the 70) and his wife. There were many visiting dignitaries from the Calgary, Alberta, and Canadian Government, including Mayor Dave Bronconier and a letter was read from our Prime Minister, Stephen Harper. We were touched by their support and involvement in the proceedings and especially appreciated Stephen Harper's words of encouragement and support. The Dedicatory Prayer was given by Elder Hallstrom and then the groundbreaking took place. Those who spoke were invited to break ground as well as the stake presidents from the city and their wives, Patriarch Melchin and his wife, former Stake Presidency members, the government dignitaries, and then some kids who were sitting near the front. The it was open to anyone who wanted to come forward and take a picture and 'break ground'. Max was so proud to have helped in the building of our very own temple. So proud, that he did it twice. We took family photos, and shared family hugs and tears on this momentous occasion. We were even privileged to hear "We Thank Thee O God For A Prophet" from Ian Miller on his bagpipes. I know that my kids will most likely not remember this event, but I felt strongly that setting an example, even at this young age, of the sacrifices we make for temple work and service will only serve them positively in the future. I look forward to the Open House and Dedication that is scheduled to happen in two-years time. I remember the re-dedication of the Cardston temple when I was 8-years old. When I attended the temple when I was an adult, I could recall the familiarity of the building because I had been there before. I'm sure if I had never been there, it would still feel like home, but a knowledge that THIS temple will be the one that my kids will probably spend the majority of their temple service at, makes days like today extra special.
We ended the event off with a meltdown from Maxwell as we told him we were leaving to go home and to pick up some lunch. He screamed and cried that he wanted to eat there, even though we kept trying to rationalize with him that there was no food there. I imagine it was a mixture of a late night, early morning, hot sun, hunger, and a 3-year-old boy mentality, but I like to think it was because he felt the spirit of the occasion and the place, and just didn't want to leave it. One of the things I will always remember is the council given by Sister Diane Hallstrom. She said that while she had attended a temple dedication service, someone had given them council to hang a picture of the temple in each of their children's rooms so they would see it every day and the importance of that place would be ever present in their minds and hearts. She encouraged us to do the same - so I will go and find a picture of our temple to hang in my children's room. There is no other place more important, and no other desire I have greater in my heart than to see my children enter there and participate in the saving ordinances therein.

Mother's Day

In Sacrament Meeting on Mother's Day, one of the speakers commented that Mother's Day is always one of guilt for her, as she realizes her short-comings as a mother. I reflected on her comment and similar comments made by others and realized that I do not feel the same way. Now, that's is not to say that I think that as a mother I am all that and a bag of chips, but it's a pretty good annual reminder of why I'm here, and makes me want to be better. It's like taking the sacrament every sunday to help us renew our covenants with Heavenly Father; or making resolutions on New Years - Mother's Day helps me renew my resolve to be a good mother...and more importantly, it reminds me how much I love my kids.
So here are some of my Mother's Day resolutions:
- I will try to hug more and yell less. Lucy tells me that when I talk to them, it's always "yell, yell, yell."
- I will try not to rush bedtime - they should go to bed feeling smothered with love and safety
- I will play more and clean less...and not care about the mess
- I will try not to tire so easily
- I will trust that Heavenly Father will teach me how to make up where I am lacking.
At the end of sacrament, the Young Women gave out some chocolates with this quote attached:
"Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master's garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and sometimes weep over their responsibility as mothers, 'Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.' And it will make your children whole as well." - Jeffrey R. Holland

Big Girl, Big Party

This year was the first time Lucy invited friends who weren't related to her to her birthday party. She handed out tinkerbelle invitations to five of her friends at school and waited patiently for the RSVPs to come in. 3 of the 5 she invited were able to attend along with cousins and that made for a busy enough party for me. When the kids arrived, they got busy painting flower pots that they would later fill with dirt and plant some Morning Glory seeds in. One of Lucy's friend's, Ava, said her favorite color was turquoise. Max finished painting his pot and then came and asked me if he had 'tar-cars' on his thing. I had to get him to repeat himself about 15 times and still didn't know what he was talking about. Finally he took me over to his flower pot and pointed at it and asked if he had 'tar-cars' on it. I finally clued in that he was trying to say turquoise...it's not very often that I don't understand what he's saying anymore.After the flower pots, they opened presents by playing spin the bottle. Lucy got some more Littlest Pet-Shop, a doll, a book, some slippers, a new game called, "what did I step in?", some beads, and some s 3-D sidewalk chalk. The kids then moved on to decorating cupcakes for a while before heading into the hot tub to finish off the party. The kids had a blast in the hot tub and Lucy's friends are definitely more adventurous that my own kids, who sat on the side while the others splashed and dove under the water. Parents soon arrived to take their kids home, and one of the moms who had stayed, held Logan the entire time, so I was able to enjoy and run the party.
It was a pretty successful birthday party, I'd say. We decided to have a BBQ after with all the family to celebrate Mother's Day, as many people were unavailable the next day. It was a late night, but we enjoyed celebrating. I even topped the night off by giving my nephew a haircut and doing some money-saving math.

Celebration

For Lucy's birthday, she got a beautiful bouquet of flowers from her daddy, and took a trip into the city to spend a few hours at Grandma Bourne's. They had a tea party and played Littlest Pet Shop and then were home in time for Birthday Dinner. Max was pretty disappointed to not be allowed to go as well, so I convinced him to stay and be my special helper. He helped me make chocolate mousse for Lucy's dessert...her favorite...although he plugged his ears during the mixing part. We made rice krispie squares and chili and baked potatoes for dinner. Max helped by wrapping the potatoes in foil and poking them with a fork so they wouldn't explode. (his words)
We ate up at Grandma Janielee's and opened presents. Lucy was so excited for the chocolate mousse and savored every bite. We opened presents: a dress from mom and dad; a pink bear from Max; a shirt and barrettes from Jason and Ali; and some princesses from Grandma and Papa. The highlight of the night, was using all the tissue paper from the presents to make superhero capes for the kids to race around the house with. They were pretty much a blur and kept up with the game for at least 25 minutes. We also got to see little Miss Sarah too.

Look-a-likes

A lot of people have been asking me who I think Logan looks like. It's been a toss-up for a few weeks, but I think the proof is in the pudding...or in the photos, should I say?

Here is Logan at 2 1/2 months:
And here's Lucy at 3 months:

Lucy

Today, my daughter turns 5. It's hard to describe my emotions on this simple and yet momentous occasion. 5 years ago, on this morning, I held her in my arms for the first time and everything changed. I didn't know her then. Her face was unfamiliar to me. She looked like a baby. An incredibly cute baby, and I was pretty proud of that - but I didn't really know her. I have spent every waking moment for the last five years with her in my presence. I chose the name Lucy, because I felt it was sweet and strong - two things I hoped she would be. She is my angel-face; my baby girl; my peanut butter princess; my pumpkin pie.
She is sweet, and caring, and timid, and girly. She says jeans are uncomfortable, but she could wear a dress and stockings all day, every day. She doesn't like getting her hair done, but she likes it when it is done. She is brilliant beyond anything I could imagine. She remembers everything. Her favorite things are babies, and kittens, and pink, and flowers, and princesses, and jewelry - and yet she's modest in her attitude and so pleasant. She doesn't have a selfish bone in her body.
She loves her dad intensely and I hope he remembers that and holds her heart carefully.
She became a big sister fairly young, and in my opinion (this is not a slight to my own big sister - who is awesome), she is the best big sister I've ever seen. She has loved Max since the moment she knew he was on his way. She plays with him tirelessly and is constantly coming up with 'how about' games for them to play. She calls him her best friend and they truly are. She will give up anything she has for him, if it will make him smile. Now she has a new baby brother, and she is constantly kissing him.
She is shy and nervous in new situations and always rubs her hands on the side of her head when she feels that way. I like those moments, because it helps me to feel like she still needs me. She gets excited for attention, but then balks when it is given to her.
She has a strong testimony of the gospel and a strong understanding of it. We listen to her prayers and are amazed at the things she says. She is always asking for blessings for other people - things like 'a good night sleep for mommy' or 'a baby for Auntie Kari' - and the blessing she usually asks for herself is usually to have the Holy Ghost. At a very young age, probably before she was even 2, we had a very short discussion about modesty, and how we don't wear clothes that are revealing. She has taken that to heart and is modest and beyond. She follows the prophet - no questions.
She is my best friend, and I can count on her for anything. She is always willing to help.
She's goofy and silly, and loves to be funny - so she tries pretty hard to make people laugh. She wants to be friends with everyone, and can't understand why others don't feel the same way. She also doesn't understand why everyone doesn't just choose the right. She is so obedient. Even when we do have to give her a consequence and send her to her room (which is very rare) she goes so willingly and is immediately remorseful. She is not proud and says sorry easily. I love that she's still young enough to not worry about what others think about her and doesn't worry about her looks. She is happy with who she is and doesn't even have the notion that anyone could ever be unhappy with who they are.
I really can't say everything that I feel for her, except that I love her. With everything I am, and everything I might do, 5 years ago today Lucy made me into the best thing I could ever hope to be...and that is a mother. And I pray every day to be the type of mother she deserves.

A Man's Saturday

Today, Tyler referred to his day as a perfect 'man' day. He woke up early (8:30am - that's early in our house) to meet up with Guy Elford for a little helicopter flying lesson. Guy has been kind enough to offer to teach Tyler how to fly, and today was day one. A sort of trial run to see if he was interested. The kids and I lazed around for a quiet saturday morning until we heard the buzz of the helicopter engine. Max and I were laying in my bed talking; Lucy and Logan were both asleep. I grabbed Max quickly and said, "Max! Come quick! Dad's in a helicopter!" So we raced outside to meet up with Papa who had also heard the engine. Max watched the helicopter circle our house a few times and then looked at me with his sad face and said, "Dad is going where I want to be." I ran in and woke up Lucy and took her outside as well. They landed the helicopter in the field so the kids would have the opportunity to take a closer look. Both of them held back pretty good until the engine was turned off - after that, Lucy was still timid but Max was all for it. He loved sitting in the cockpit and pretending to fly.The kid's went up to Grandma's to have breakfast and hang out - because that's way more fun than our house - and headed back home to feed Logan and have a shower in my own bathroom. Whoo-hoo. What a luxury. Then it was off wedding dress shopping with Sarah - which Tyler joined us for, because all the kids wanted to come, and he was kind enough to realize that would be a lot for me to handle on my own. Not so manly, but definitely respectable. He finished off the day shooting coyotes with some friends and watching a movie with the kids. When he got home from shooting, all he could say was, "This is my kind of Saturday."

The Day After Tomorrow

So, after our huge snow storm and a day of wind and icy rain/snow, things calmed down and the sun finally made it's way through. The evening turned out to be amazingly pleasant and the kids and Tyler went outside to play. The drifts were so high and firm, that they made perfect shelters.The next day was another pleasant one, and the kids spent a lot of time outside. Kari and Barrett came up for the weekend and Jason and Ali ventured out to the Williamson homestead with their new little Sarah, so we all got a chance to finally meet her. The kids were so excited to see their newest cousin - Logan was a bit indifferent. She is the same size he was when he was born - I look at them together and can't believe how much he's grown. What a difference 10 weeks makes.