the most best

Yesterday was one of those really good days. It rained, we made chocolate sheet cake, and I did not spend the evening nagging.

It started after school. The boys had their first piano lessons, which went really well, and while driving home the rain was coming down and we talked about how we would go home and bake our FHE treat. The boys were awesome at getting their homework done and so they got to play minecraft for a few minutes. 

Then we had spaghetti and Corbin talked about what we would be doing for our activity. He said he did not care what we did, he just wanted all of us there with no distractions. 

For our song we sang The Family is of God. That song gets me every time, and singing it last night with our whole family (even Rudger was trying to pick up a few words) was almost too much.

"Our Father has a family. It's me! It's you, all others too: we are His children. He sent each one of us to earth, through birth, To live and learn here in families." 
(I love what my sister in law had to say about this song!)

Hearing our children sing these words brings me so much happiness. They know what so many in this world don't. They know who they come from. They understand that families are the most important relationships we'll ever have.

A few weeks ago I was tucking Levi in bed and he said something to me that is so simple, yet so wise coming from a six year old. 

"We are a family, and that's the most best!"

My heart is so happy that he knows this. And that each one of our children know this. The family is of God and that really is the most best thing we can know on this earth.

(I wish I had a picture of last nights activity. Corbin decided he wanted me to read extra Harry Potter than the usual evening reading. I sat on the floor, Rudger sat on my lap, Levi sat in the chair behind me and played with my hair, Corbin and Taylor laid on the floor with their blankets, and daddy sat in his chair. And we all listened to how Harry Potter realized that Sirius Black was HIS family.)  

how we weekend - labor day weekend

I am pretty certain I have mentioned a time or two that we quite love our neighborhood. We love these good people that are influencing our children's lives. Monday morning we went for a hike with two of the families. It was happy craziness and the boys were in adventure heaven.

 

 I promise they really did have shoes on the hike.

Other events of the weekend included: preserving green beans and green peppers, canning salsa, car work all day, and dinner with family. One of our children wanted to help from start to finish. The others wanted to play and watch way too much television.

And that would explain why my kitchen looked like this.

first week and our focus

We rode our bikes today. It's two miles to our school and the boys were hot. Especially Tay. 

We did it. We made it through the first week of school. Corbin loves feeling grown up and seeing his friends again. Taylor loves all the new school supplies. Levi thinks all day is pretty long. Rudger had a couple of naughty moments the first day and then has been right by my side the rest of the week, until his brothers come home. He misses them like crazy. For me, I think this has been one of my busiest weeks of my year (if you don't count May) I'm exhausted and ready for a weekend. 

Last Sunday we had our Back to School Feast. And we introduced our focus for the year.  

School is a totally different place than home. It's easy for kids to get caught up in what is "cool", even if it is not right. I am realizing that these boys are growing at a rapid rate and my days of being their biggest influence is quickly fading as we head into these coming years. I want them to STAND FOR SOMETHING. I hope they stand up for what is right, stand up for truth and goodness, stand up for others, stand up for good values. As we go through this coming year, each month we will be focusing on 10 virtues that President Hinckley talks about in his book. I am really excited about this! I have a feeling it will be a great year!

the beginning of the 2014/2015 school year

And just like that we are back in school. All three of them, gone...all day long. My heart will be aching for them, but I am mostly worried about Rudger. That boy loves his bruders. 

 And obviously he wants to be just like them.

the last of the summer light

I took this picture a couple of evenings ago. The sun was setting and the boys had been playing together most of the day. But then it reminded me that summer is coming to an end. No more sleeping in and eating breakfast when it is almost lunch time. No more late night movie nights on a Wednesday. No more spontaneous activities. No more playing minecraft for way too long during the days. (not too sad about that one). 

We didn't do anything extravagant this year. We had a great balance of boredom, adventure, laziness, and friends. And that made it a good, memorable summer. I'm going to miss it. A lot. 

two

We cannot get over the fact that our baby is two. Two years we have had him light up our home. I know, totally annoying when people say how perfect their children are, but really Rudger, for the most part has been a really good baby. 

^^this is Rudger's patent stare^^

On his birthday, we sang to him and told him he was two. Then he held out all five fingers and said "I'm two". Then we spent the rest of the day opening wrapped candy with cute sayings from the brothers, playing at the park in the rain, playing with balloons, and doing his most favorite things. Which include: running on the treadmill, jumping on the trampoline, playing with the brothers, playing in the sandbox, and taking baths. And clothes were optional.

Happy birthday Rugger.

six

Six great years it has been with this boy of ours. He loves minecraft and legos and pictures covering his wall in his bedroom. He chooses to sleep in his clothes rather than pajamas and he tries to wear regular clothes underneath his church clothes, so that he can save that extra step the minute we are home from church. His blanket is still his favorite. He gets his chores, reading, and math facts done as fast as he can so that he can play minecraft. 

^^ A Steve cake (minecraft). Candybar poster from brothers. ^^

 We know for a fact that our family would not be the same without you. We love your spunky attitude!