Discovery Center...

After confrences & my chiropractor app on thursday, I took the kids to the Science Center and they LOVED IT! They earned passes from their Summer reading program and i got in free too, so it was a great activity that didn't cost a cent. It was great to watch Tristin- it was totally up his alley- and I couldn't keep Willow out of the giant bubble making station. it was a fun afternoon but I was tired when we were done. Just trying to keep track of everyone was exhausting!

Parent Teacher Confrences...

On Thursday I had back to back confrences at the kids school. After arriving on time, I sat outside the door to Tristin's class and listened to a mother talk for 15 minutes about everything under the sun. She litterally did not take a breath and I learned all about her entire family while I impatiently watched the clock tick away. I stood up again and made myself seen after 15 of my 20 minutes were taken by " Miss talk alot" and I finally got in. I found out Tristin is doing super and is ahead in everything. He's in accelerated reading and doing great in everything else. It was great to hear!
Daisy's teacher could not stop talking about how amazing she is. He went on forever and it was darling. He said she's way ahead in her class, she often helps the other kids with their work, she's really sweet, helpful, kind, follows directions, completes her work, won the Gator award the 2nd week of school and is a pleasure to have in class. He said over and over he wished there were more students like her!
So, the kids are doing great! And I love it.

A wonderful evening...

Last night I went to the General Relief Society Broadcast and it was wonderful! Don't you love it when all the talks are especially for you and it seems Heavenly Father knew just what you needed? In my notes I wrote down a few things that jumped out to me, or things that I knew I needed to work on.

Julie B Beck:

* Increase my faith
*Be faithful
*Choose the better part
*Be deeply committed
*Help those in need
*Value the temple
*Protect the home
*Sincerely care
*"It is our caring that counts"
*Strive with faith
*"It is for you to lead the world"
*Serve in unity

Sister Allred

*Enlarge your soul
*Let your heart expand
*Charity never failth
*Pray for the desire to have charity
*Charity is the pure love of Christ
*Feed my sheep
*Embody charity
*do your VT

Sister Thompson

*Stay close to Heavenly Father
*Remember the Savior
*Cleve to your covenants
*Joy & protection will come
*We will be free of sin
*He makes all things well
*Have faith in Christ
*After I die- will their be eveidence of my covenants?
*Greatly rejoice

Elder Uchtdorf
"Forget me not oh, Lord"
1. Be patient with yourself.
-Stop comparing your weakness's to other's strengths
- No one is perfect
-God is fully aware
-Stop punishing yourself
-God notices

2. Good sacrafices/ Foolish sacrafices
- Do what matters most
-Am I committing my time and energy to what matters most?

3. Be happy now.
-Stop searching for your golden ticket
-Do not put your happiness on hold
-There is nothing wrong with righteous desires
-Never stop striving for the best
-Enjoy the everyday moments

4. The 'Why" of the gospel
-sometimes we forget why
-Seek out the joy of the "why"

5. The lord loves you.
(I was balling during this part!)

-I was never forgotten
-I am his child
-He knows me

After the confrence was over, I just sat ther with my friends, Kara & Kristen, talking, crying and resolving to to better. The messages were powerful and I walked away realizing I need to be a better Mother. I need to talk kindly. I need to embrace the everyday moments more. I need to love myself more and remember that the Lord knows me, sees me and truely loves me. some of the struggles I've been facing were answered. Some of my pain was addressed. And what I forget the most was gently and kindly whispered into my heart- mostly that I have never been forgotten.
thank you Lord for an amazing night...

What are you doing at 5:30 AM?

Apparently I am making apple butter, pumpkin bars, doing laundry, organizing the pantry and planning a birthday party!
Trav's 4:45 AM schedule has taken a tole on my sleep, because evidently on Saturday, when I should be sleeping- I am not. I think I would give a body part to get a goodnight's rest! Seriously. These days I average 5 hours a night,which is pretty decent, but I toss and turn and wake up so much that I think that # goes way down. I just want to wake up ready to face the day- but I am so darn tired all the time.
I've always been this way though. Even in Junior high & high school. Even before I became a Mom and even before I became crazy in the head and worried about everything. Is there a cronic fatigue syndrome that I signed up for while in the womb? Or do I get it from my dear sweet Mother who was always up at 5:00 (if not earlier) doing laundry, getting ready, putting rollers in her hair, reading or cleaning?
One of these days I'll feel rested, right???

Pears...

I finished up my pears yesterday was was happy to get 21 jars this year. When I told Trav I wasn't going crazy this year with canning, he said, "you could have fooled me."
Really I'm not. I've done enough to make myself feel good about it, but not enough to completely wear myself out.

Applesauce...

Yesterday Kara & I had another fun day of making applesauce! We were able to can 39 pints and quarts! After she left, Trav helped me get 7 quarts of pears done too. We are happy with what we were able to get done considering we started late in the day, had kids running around, had to run to the store for a propane refill and a few other interruptions!

I am really tired today after a morning of errands, a trip into Boise for my 3rd chirpractor app of the week, a library stop and a few other things. I need to finish my pears- but I'm taking a hour break while Willow is napping and Grace is happily watching a movie. Oh, sweet rest, how I need you...

Little Miss Willow...

I cannot believe she is turning 2 next week! How in the world did my baby grow up? I just found this picture and thought I'd post it! I need to plan a party one of these days too!

Canning...

The other night we went and picked raspberries at Tammy's house (thank you!)it was kind of neat because some of her bushes/starts had come from Trav's parents years ago. I was excited to make some more jam!
We to the orchard again yesterday to get some more apples and we were thrilled to find more peaches as well!
Yesterday Kara & I canned 43 jars of applesauce. We will can the rest later today.
After she left, I made 14 pints of raspberry peach jam, 5 raspberry-peach freezer jam & 5 peach frezzer jam's! There's nothing like making jam at almost midnight (I was interuppted a 100 times because Trav was working on his 2nd security clearance for work and needed massive info that I had to search old journals for!)
Finally at 1:00 AM we fell asleep. My feet ached. Naturally Grace woke up twice and sure enough the alarm went off shortly after at 4:45 AM. Oh, the long days of canning! Gotta love it.

Grace's silly faces...

Grace is always taking crazy pictures of herself- here's her latest...