High and low of Gluten-Free

Yesterday I made some gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and they we're amaze-balls!  Hooray!  

I just substituted the flour and oats with cup 4 cup and gf oats.  So tasty.  

http://ourbestbites.com/2015/02/doubletree-chocolate-chip-cookies/

This morning I poured Logan a bowl of mini-wheats for breakfast.  It was the last few in the bag and then there was nothing left but mini-wheat dust...my favorite part.  I love how it soaks up the milk.  And then I missed it.  I try really hard to not think about what I'm missing, but every once in a while I catch it.  Apple pie.  Garlic bread.  Mini-wheat dust.  

And we'll do it all again

Today Tyler was called as the 2nd counsellor in our new bishopric in the Cochrane ward of the Calgary Alberta West Stake.  We knew they were changing the bishopric and had a get together at Scott and Janie's last night where we all discussed who we thought it would be...part way through that evening, Tyler got a call on his cell phone from Pres. Stevens that he wanted to meet with both of us this morning before church and suddenly we didn't feel like joking anymore.  

I felt stressed last night.  I told Tyler that of course I would say yes to any calling that he or I was asked to do, but I felt like we should probably make them aware of our situation and that having a new baby in our home means that in struggling with PPD right now and the next year will be tough.   

This morning as Pres. Stevens extended the calling for him to serve alongside Bishop Jamie McLellan and Mat Fernandez and asked if I could support him in that calling, all that came out of my mouth was 'yes'.  And I will.  

I felt proud and calm all through church.  Sustained.  I was standing at th back of the chapel as they called for th sustaining vote and it was amazing to see the new bishopric announced and see our former bishop, Jim Taylor raise his hand the highest in the congregation in sustaining vote of them.  

I had many people come up to me after and say, 'should I offer congratulations or condolences?' And I would laugh.  Sometimes I'm not sure.  But I do know this:

Watching your husband be called and set apart and then work in a calling of leadership is a privilege.  I am proud to be married to someone who is worthy of such callings.  And willing to accept.  He takes on a different mantel.  I feel like I see his spirit - his eternal self - when he is acting in those capacities and it's a good thing for a wife to see.  

Nephi describes himself as a man 'large in stature' which I'm sure is descriptive of his physical appearance, but I also think it is a spiritual description of how men who magnify their priesthood also appear.  

Tyler was also ordained to the office of high priest as a result.  It was awesome to have this calling, ordination, and setting apart witnessed and participated in by our family.  I always wished our families could see him as a branch president , because it was amazing to see.  

I am grateful that we live in a ward with most of Tyler's family.  I am hopeful that this will be easier because of that.  Having him on the stand for the next number of years will be difficult for our 4 kids and I, and I'm hoping that having grandma and papa close by will offset that.  As it is , I spend most of sacrament meetings pacing the back of the chapel. So my older 3 kids are left to their own devices.  

Yesterday I had a rough day and my husband sent a tearful me out of the house.  I drove Max to his cubs activity and then drove into the city to meet Janeen and Coleton to give them their license plate.  It was a short break, but a much needed one.  And I came home hopeful.  In my tearful state I prayed to feel my Saviour in my life.  In my hopeful state I prayed with gratitude for my husband and our life.  

Today, my husband was called into the bishopric.  Is this the answer to yesterday's prayers?  I will need to rely even more on my Savior.  

I can do hard things.  Inner ninja.  

Gonna make you sweat!

Today I ran on the treadmill for 20 minutes.  1.3 miles.  For the first time in about 9 months.  It's not that much to write about by a runner's standard, but I felt fantastic.  Burning lungs and legs.  Sweaty.  And just awesome that Seth stayed content in his exersaucer the whole time.  

That, plus a Williamson-family dance party this evening and I'm thinking i might be sore tomorrow...but good sore.  

And here's hoping a little exercise will be good for my brain...

An Ensign to me

We got the March Ensign in the mail today.  And it was needed.  We're at 4 months here and each day feels like an eternity of the same struggle only to go to bed completely exhausted, but unable to really sleep and wake up to the same thing again.  Getting out of bed is hard.  It's one of the hardest things I do.  So today I read my scriptures and pray and read the ensign and hold my breath until this passes.  There are good days.  Really good days and I am so grateful for those.  And I go back and read my blog from when Logan was a baby to get my bearings and see when things started to get better, because I'm in the middle of it right now.  And every day I change my mind about this decision I made to have baby #4.  And you can't change your mind.  So I hold my breath instead.  And I read and read and read.  

March Visiting Teaching Message:

The Attributes of Jesus Christ: Long-Suffering and Patient

'Patience is not passive resignation, nor is it failing to act because of our fears.  Patience means active waiting and enduring.  It means staying with something...even when the desires of our hearts are delayed.  Patience is not simply enduring; but enduring well!' - President Uchtdorf

In our premortal life, our Heavenly Father prepared a plan for us - His spirit children - and we shouted for joy at the opportunity to come to earth.  As we choose to align our will with His during our earthly life, He 'will make an instrument of [us] in [His] hands unto the salvation of many souls.' (Alma 17:11)

'Patience means accepting that which cannot be changed and facing it with courage, grace, and faith.  It means being 'willing to submit to all things which The Lord seeth fit to inflict upon us, even as a child doth submit to his father'.  Ultimately patience means being firm and steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of The Lord every hour of every day, even when it is hard to do so.' - President Uchtdorf

Prophetic Promise: 

"Perhaps during hard times, we might find ourselves asking, 'Do we really need to obey all of God's commandments?'

'My response to this question is simple: 

'I think God knows something we don't - things that are beyond our capacity to comprehend! Our Father in Heaven is an eternal bring whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours...

'Part of our challenge is, I think, that we imagine that God has all of His blessings locked in a huge cloud up in heaven, refusing to give them to us unless we comply with some strict, paternalistic requirements He has set up.  But the commandments aren't like that at all.  In reality, Heavenly Father is constantly raining blessings upon us .  It is our fear , doubt, and sin that, like an umbrella, block these blessings from reaching us.  

'His commandments are the loving instructions and the divine help for us to close the umbrella so we can receive the shower of heavenly blessings."

- President Uchtdorf

Big haircut

Being 5 deserves a handsome haircut.  

And old classic disney movies bring people together: (Swiss Family Robinson)

5 years old

The count down to five started shortly after 4.  

There were monthly accountings of how many days, weeks, months till his birthday...

And finally! 

On Friday he came with me to Walmart and was allowed to pick out his present . He chose a Jake and the Neverland Pirates ship and a car.  But he wasn't allowed to open them until his party...Monday

February bday dinner at Grandma B's on Sunday.  When we arrived he informed me that it was practically tomorrow because all we had to do was eat dinner and go to bed, so maybe he should open his present...?  

Monday morning...finally!  He opened the presents at home before the party because he just couldn't take it.  And then it was hard to leave the toys to go to the

dinosaur Museum! 

We exhausted ourselves walking around and finished with food and timbits in the cafeteria

We finished the day with pancakes and Big Hero 6.  It was an epic day...and not even his birthday yet.  

Tuesday started with a few tears and was a bit shaky.  He decided to quit our family and go live with Paul (our neighbour).  Put his coat on over his pjs and headed out the door...because his brother wasn't sharing the iPad.  Dad walked with him to the mailbox and by the time they came back happiness had found him again.  I think it was a result of a late night and early morning along with being birthday overwhelmed and a cold .  

I asked him what he wanted for dinner and he said, 'pizza AND hot dogs...from Pizza Hut.'  I convinced him to do hot dogs for lunch and we did Pizza Hut for dinner.  

So today he got a date with mom to town .  We took the bottles into the bottle depot where he helped exchange them and got to keep the deposit money for himself.  Then it was over to Walmart to pick something to spend it on.  More cars...naturally, although it took a while to decide.  

Playing with toys in the afternoon with his brother and a pizza/bounce house party at the church

I honestly think one of the biggest highlights of his day was when the waterline got hooked up to our new fridge.  Now he can get a drink whenever he wants, plus it makes ice.  

Cubed and crushed.  

This guy has been my best buddy for a long time.  It's strange to me that he's 5. I asked him what 5 means and he said more toys.  I think he was a bit focused on party stuff.  

I love this boy.  His first priority is play.  In all aspects he just wants to play and play with people.  He's all boy.  Cars, trucks, digging, climbing, farms and Papa.  He wants to be a construction worker or a 'farm guy' with chickens when he's bigger.  He loves toast and can eat a half a loaf of bread a day if I let him.  He also loves subway and chicken nuggets and EVERYTHING with ketchup.  And everyone is awesome...it's his highest compliment.  

A Happy Valentines

Last night, for our at home Valentines, Tyler surprised me by telling me the story of these two: 

 And how those two became these two: 

And because of this day, he has felt like this: 

...Every day since.  

It was super sweet.  He treated me to Reese Peanut Butter cups while he had his Twix and we sat and looked at photos and read old letters.  Ones from his mission, ones from when we were dating.  There were a few tears, and a lot of laughs.  One of the perks of being married to someone you've dated since you were 17 is lots of memories and a best friend for life...but it also means that every embarrassing dating story you have never dies because you're still with that person.  Cheesy pick up lines.  Weird traditions.  It made for a lot of giggles.  

The best part was it reminded us how much we love each other and how great it is to have been together now for 17 years.  I love him.  He's perfect.  Lovely valentines.  Lovely man.