Another year gone by....

See.....cluster blogger.  So many changes in a year.  I'm not babysitting anymore.  It was really hard though not to have them anymore.  I got really attached to them and it was really sad not having them anymore.  It was good though and having them was so fun!  Now I work at Kroger, ( local grocery store) and in that store I work at Starbucks.  It's actually a lot of fun.  I am really enjoying learning new things.  From making drinks at Starbucks to piano it has been an awesome year so far.  For a bit there I thought maybe I may have bit off more than I could chew but as I've prayed and  tried to listen, I feel like both are either something I should be doing or something that it's good for me to do.  It's been a time of growth in many different ways.  Halloween this year was really fun.  In addition to it being Halloween it was Conner's birthday too.  We went trick or treating with a lady from Nate's work and her family.  We trick or treated on golf carts, and the kids got lots of great candy.  Super fun.  Alyssa is preparing to turn 12 and will be going into Young Women's with Natalie for a few months before Natalie moves up and decides to be a Mia Maid......sigh.....time just goes by so so fast.

Nate is still doing well at work.  He does well wherever he goes really.  He is the hardest working man I know and living here in Virginia hasn't changed that.  ;-)  Love that man!  I only love him more every day that goes by.  He's my person.  My best friend.  The better half of me.  Living here in Virginia has made that very clear to me.  I'm so thankful for him.

Natalie is in band at school.  She has decided that marching band is something she wants to do in high school.  She also wants to take spanish, and loves math.  I don't know where she gets these preferences, but I credit Nate's DNA...and I think it's awesome.  She will be 14 in a few months....

Alyssa is in middle school this year.  It has been a bit of a rough transition for her.  Before she left  elementary school she made friends with and ate lunch nearly every day with the principal and many teachers.   She made lots of friends and was finally feeling like she had her feet under her when she left to go to middle school.  But true to form for Alyssa she has made lots of friends.  She has more friends calling her and wanting to play than Natalie does.  She is a bit more social I guess.  She is going into Young Women's in January and is really excited about that.  She loves English in school as well as Science and History sort of.  She hates P.E.  :-)  She is definitely my daughter.

Conner is in 3rd grade this year and has the same teacher Alyssa had in 3rd grade.  He was excited about that because Mrs. Sved doesn't assign much homework.  She's known throughout the school for that.  He is doing well in school and of course has lots of friends.  He just turned 9 and LOVES P.E. and seems to be enjoying math.  He and Ethan love to wrestle and play fight as well as play soccer outside.  Right now Conner's best friend is Johnny Mascal and I love his Mom Denise.  She is one of my best friends here.  He is outgoing, fun, and a typical 9 year old.  He loves being in scouts and can't wait to serve his mission.  :-)

Ethan....oh Ethan.  He is still energetic as ever.  He loves to do flips and tricks on the trampoline, loves to run, loves to play.  He always wants to play.  He is so full of life.  So agile and loves to take things apart.  It drives his Dad crazy.  No box is safe.   He loves to dress up in ninja costumes, spiderman, and batman costumes too.  He is emotional, and currently going through the truth telling phase....meaning that we are teaching him that it's important.  He likes to "joke" when really it's being dishonest.  Each of my kids has gone thru this phase and they each learned it differently.  Ethan is in first grade and hates reading.  He just doesn't like to do it so he struggles with it as of now.  He loves math and science though and excels in those subjects.  Ethan has the same first grade teacher that Conner had when he got here, Mrs. Hile.  He loves recess.  IF you ask him is favorite subject in school, that's what he'll tell you.  :-)

Life in Virginia is beautiful....but anywhere would be as long as we are together.  Fall is one of my favorite seasons here.  It's just like the pictures.  Love it.  I see this everywhere just driving to work or walking with Nate in the evening.  We are so blessed to be able to live here.

Back to Real life

It's always hard after vacation for me to come back to real life.  I think it's mostly because we just don't vacation....really.  We have made some friends here which makes it easier to come back to real life but we've also had a LOT of snow days!  Those are fun....for about 2 days.  After that the kids start to get a little bit stir crazy.  That's when we play with friends.  This is what my house looks like on those days.

We found oil based paint this day and they wanted to paint their faces.  It was...hard to get off but they had fun.

We are doing well these days.  I am babysitting still.  In May I will be adding another little guy.  So I'll be babysitting 2 little boys.  One is 15 months and when I get the new little guy he will be about 3 months old.   The kids are doing well in school, though in typical form they all say they hate school.    Natty's birthday is next week.  The girl will be 12 and tonight we go to New Beginnings!  I honestly can't believe how big she is getting!  At the beginning of school next school year I will have none of my own children at home....it's surreal.  Conner will be 8 this year which is also big.  He's very excited to be baptized.  Nate is enjoying work, and working on our house/property.  He always has a project going on and loves to make the yard something that the kids want to play in.

This week my parents had to put our sweet Chocolate Lab Shelby down.  She had been struggling for a while, which is one of the reasons for our decision to leave her with them.  That was really hard and the kids always told me that maybe next time Grandma and Grandpa came they could bring Shelby with them and then we could have her here.  They have had a hard time with it as have I.  She was my protection and was a sweet, gentle, digging machine.  She had cancer and was struggling to breathe and move.  She ADORED my Gramma Wright.  My Grandma would go outside multiple times a day just to pet and talk to Shelby.  Shelby LOVED it.  We'll miss her a whole bunch.

Winter adventures part 1

So bad at blogging.....seriously.  I'm such a cluster blogger....We went on vacay to Nebraska for Christmas and that was almost life-changing for me.  I spend so much time in the house and have felt sorta....I knew that my brother and sister-in-law were amazing and that they had adorable kids but being there with them was so fun, and inspiring for me that even now I can't wait to go back to visit.  Getting to know my nieces was so so fun and I miss them and the rest of my nieces and nephews a bunch!  I get a little weepy just thinking of all the time that I don't get to spend with them.  I learned all kinds of great cleaning tips and habits that I have since implemented.  Lots of pictures coming your way.

Here are a few pics from our trip.

This is one of the few patches of snow they had when we got there.  The kids were looking forward to huge amounts of snow and it never did snow while we were there.  Sure did get cold though.  Cousin E is on the end.  She is adorable and so fun!

Hot cocoa for the road from the Coco-motion hot cocoa maker.  It was DI-VINE!

Uncle Brian and Conner pre-flight tutorial.  

Uncle Nate with Lyds...

Christmas Eve bells.  

At the zoo...chillin.

Ethan being a ninja.  He loves his new cape.

Cousins...

This is why they are AWESOME.

The Zoo in Omaha is A-MAZING!  One of the many pictures I took.

Playing the Christmas bells on Christmas Eve.  Yes I know these pics are in random order.

Needless to say we had the time of our entire year and we did a bunch more.  Movies, pizza (gluten free of course) parks, presents, animals, and Gingerbread exhibit and making our own ginger bread houses.  Brian and Sara were gracious, patient and the perfect hosts.  Thanks again guys!  We loved just spending time with family.  We miss you!

Missionary Experiences

The other day Natalie had a friend over from school.   She was a very sweet girl and someone that I'm encouraging Natalie to be friends with.  Her Mom came to pick her up and we got to talking.  They are newer here too and we related well to eachother.  We talked about how her son has Aspberger's and has been picked on and bullied.  We talked about how neither one of us drink.  We talked about many things and towards the end of our conversation she mentioned they have been looking for a church.  That they need something in their life.  I didn't say anything except for I was blessed to have my faith....(at this point she didn't know what religion I was) she said that she wanted that for her family too.  She finally asked what religion I was and when I told her she looked at me, her expression changed and she said, "Oh, you're Mormon......?  I have always wanted to study that religion.  Maybe that would be where we belong, but I've never known anyone who was.  You guys really treasure your families and make them your priority.  That's the kind of church I want.  Maybe I could learn about that."  I stood there and all I could say was, "Sure, anytime."  At which point I also invited her daughter to Activity Days and her to my Pampered Chef party.  I've never had someone tell me, "I've always wanted to learn about your church."  Most people TELL me what they think I believe instead of asking me what I believe.  It was a really great experience and I'm praying about what step to take next.  Whether to invite them over for a F.H.E. or just ask them if they want the missionaries.....I don't have a close relationship with her yet so I don't want to come across too strongly yet.  Seems to me a lot of the experiences we've had here have been related to missionary work.....that and health issues.....

Summer in Virginia...

it's here....and I'm pretty upset about the whole thing.  I am excited though that my kids get to be here with me all day and I don't have to run the homework rat race....Missing my California summers.  Here I have to pay about $400 for 2 months so that I can take my kids swimming.  Basically that isn't going to happen so I will be in the house all day every day starting in about 2 weeks.

Planning though for some really fun activities to take the  kids to as well as planning all the recipes that I plan to add to my blogs.  My happy place is baking.  I will be doing some experimenting with my gluten free baking as well.  Here's to the season of thunder, lightning, rain, and humidity.  Happy summer!

Life....it's weird sometimes.

It's funny, I had a picture in my head of how I wanted my life to go.  I was very nearly approaching the fulfillment of that before we moved from California.  This is what it looked like in my mind.  Marry my high school sweetheart, after mission and college etc. of course.  Buy a house...have a dog, a cat, chickens (I've always wanted to have chickens), large backyard with a swing-set or playground for our 10 children, food stored away, a sweet job for my husband that payed him abundantly for his plethora of talents, and we have our families surrounding us. That meant that we would have Sunday dinners together with all the cousins, aunts and uncles over as well as friends from high school and their kids.....

I very nearly had all of that. 

First picture:  me, my cousin Talia, and my sister Melissa.  I was 6 months, Talia was 7 months, and Mel was 7 1/2 months....yes, I was HUGE.  And no, I don't need anyone to tell me that!
Second picture: Conner hugging our dog Jazz.  Actually I think Jazz was hugging Conner.  She loved him!
Third picture:  Ariel and Sally, our cats when they were little.
Fourth picture:  Ethan on the Feather River wanted to catch a fish REALLY bad.
Fifth picture:  kids with their friend Natalie looking at all the stuff in the river.

You'll notice that my husband was not in any of these pictures.  Which is because he was rarely around.  Now that is not the case he is home every day and is able to take days off to go on field trips with our kids when it's important to them.  I love that.  I traded everything else for my family.  That's a bit how I see it....and I'm not sorry, but I won't pretend that it's been easy for me.

I was plugging along in this adventure that I have affectionately called our "Virginia adventure" when I found out that my Gramma was not doing well.  She had fallen while staying at my sisters place.  We found out later the reason for the fall was because she had, had a small stroke.  I felt bad but this had happened before and figured she would hobble along for another year maybe two.  One day while sitting in primary, it was the second week in March we were singing "My Heavenly Father Loves Me".  As I was  singing it for the 6th time I started thinking of my Gramma.   Instantly I had the impression that she would be passing very soon.  Tears followed and I thought....this is silly....she's gonna be fine.  I knew she wouldn't though.  This is a subject for another post but suffice it to say that she passed the third week in March.  I wasn't surprised that she passed.  I was surprised at how much it affected me though.  We had talked about her passing before I moved.  I knew when I was moving that I was saying Goodbye to my sweet Gramma.  I knew it was not just for now but until I saw her again in the next life.  It made the move even harder.  I ususally am able to post/write something about people who mean a lot to me.  Some sort of  "memoire" I guess you could call it.  I couldn't this time.  I put it off until I got back from her funeral....

I'm back from her funeral and I still haven't done it.  I am having a hard time being here in Virginia too.  Ever since I got back, I just want to go "home" to California.  I just want my life back the way it was..  I know that it isn't going to be that way.  Living back in California won't be happening, and Gramma won't be there.  It just threw me for a loop.  I have had a hard time being in Virginia ever since.  I'm now throwing myself into my life here the best I can.  I'm going to go to Time Out For Women.....I'm babysitting some really cute little ones, teaching Ethan some pre-school skills.....enjoying time with my family and developing some relationships with the good folks here.  I have to add at this point, that, to be very honest, it could be so much worse.  This is my house....

.....it is surrounded by things that are green and not brown.....and sometimes it even snows!!  I'm blessed.  And I know I am.  I just need to remember that when I feel like I want to go home.... 

Virginia Update

Man I am such a slacker blogger.  Sorry guys.  Life has been busy and slow all at the same time. Seems like to me that the days go by pretty darn slow and the weeks and months pass so quickly.  Virginia living is a much slower pace than California or even Utah.  Speed limits are slower, life is just slower, especially for us.  Sometime this is a very good thing.  Other times not so much.  It's great when you get so much quality time with your family.  Have time to just take a breath, do the kids homework, practice piano, make dinner, do laundry and dishes all without being interrupted by the phone or people knocking at my door.  It's also a bit lonely for me.  I'm used to noise, and business, talking with people on the phone throughout the day and taking the kids to play at their friends house during the week.  I'm a super social person and not only do I enjoy people, I find that I NEED the interaction.  I'm kinda lonely without it.  Every place I've  ever lived that there is a lesson to be learned from living in that place.  Not sure what the lesson is here but there are several situations that have come up that make me think I may have identified  a few of the reasons for our being here.  We'll see.

As for the kids here is the run down....

Natalie- Natalie is in her last year of elementary school and has already registered for middle school.  Can this be possible?!  She is growing up so fast, and is such a great girl!  When I sprained my ankle she would get up on her own, get all the other kids breakfast ready, unload the dishwasher, get ready for school, and help Alyssa and Conner to get ready for school while I took forever to try and make their lunches.  She, Conner, and Alyssa ride the bus to school and they love riding the bus.  Something tells me they won't like it quite so much next year.  While riding the bus Natalie and Alyssa made friends with two girls who live down the street.  One of the girls, Natalie's friend has selective mutism.  She does not talk much outside her home.  The parents don't know what to do to help her and because of her "problem" she doesn't have a lot of friends.  Needless to say they came down elated that their daughter would talk to anyone on the bus.  The bus has too many people and she has never really spoken while on the bus.  She comes over to our house quite often now and talks to my kids as well as Natalie.  She doesn't talk to me much but has said a couple words.  They came to church with us last week and I'm thinking they will again this week.  They enjoyed it. Her mom and Dad are more than happy to have her around our family as much as possible and they are really great kids so we are also.  It's really nice for the kids to have friends that live close.  Natalie's teacher recommended that she be in Math 7 next year which is a grade level ahead of where she would normally be.  She is taking 2 electives, computer programming, and computer publishing, and weather science, or something close to that.  Natalie really likes computers, electronics, and things like that so she is really excited for next year. 

Alyssa- This year has been a good one for Alyssa.  Straight A's.  That has never happened before now.  I think it's a combination of nothing else to do, no gluten, her starting to really understand things better at school.  She is still taking piano lessons from our ward organist, however she hates it.  I can't figure out how to help her love it.  Despite that, we press on.  She doesn't have a choice so I try to find ways to motivate her.  Right now she wants to earn a pet.  A rabbit to be more specific.  So as part of our "deal" she has to practice every day with the exception of Sunday, and keep her room clean for a minimum of 2 months.  Last time we did the pet thing the requirement was for 2 weeks and I still ended up caring for all the animals.  I am not willing to do that again, nor should I so we'll see how this goes.  If she earns the rabbit and does not care for it properly, the rabbit will find a new home.  So far the first week was great.  The second week she missed 2 days....as I type she is practicing.  When she sets her mind to do something, she is one determined little girl.  Now to channel that.....is the trick.  She is doing well and has made several friends here.  It's helped a lot with the homesickness that I think we all feel. She is increasingly more imaginative, and artistic.  Just today she found a few coals that had fallen out of the fire place earlier.  They had cooled off and so she used them to draw and smear a picture out of.  She loves twitchy's (squirrels) and birds and still collects rocks, pine cones and now acorns.

Conner- This year has been a good one for Conner, but I think it would be no matter where we were.  Sweet boy is always happy, wanting to do the right thing, dishing out compliments as fast as he can and working hard with his Daddy every chance he gets.  He is doing great in school and seems to have a few friends there.  He helps me get wood for the fires we build, helps with dishes, cleans his room and does a great job being patient with a little brother that pesters him day and night.  He is such a sweet little guy and growing up quite a bit.  He's 6 and reminds me all the time that he loves me and thinks I'm beautiful.  The child already knows how to work it.  :-)  The great thing is that he is also sincere.  He loves his family and learning a growing so fast.

Ethan-
He's huge.  Anytime I take him anywhere people always ask me when he is going to turn 5.  When I tell them not for another year  and a half they are amazed.  This big guy is just, well, big.  He started life that way and hasn't ever deviated from that course.  He is really tall and very sweet.  He is in transition from nap time to no nap time which is interesting.  During the day until about 4pm I have a very sweet energetic loveable boy.  After 4pm is what I affectionately call...."the witching hours"  he throws montrous tantrums, screams, cries, and generally makes himself, and those around him miserable.  Poor guy.  Days that he does take naps are better but he has a hard time falling asleep at a decent hour so we do naps about every other day or two.  That seems to make life more comfortable for everyone.  He and I have a lot of time together these days and this has made a huge difference in his behavior.  He is such a sweet thing when it's just he and I.  We have school time, story time, snack time, movie time and if the weather is nice outside time. He tries to help me with dishes, and sweeping the floor washing the table and sinks etc.  He is learning and talking so well and still he ADORES his Daddy.  I'm second fiddle, and have been since birth with Ethan.  We have had a lot of fun together these last few months learning and playing and just spending time together.  Currently his favorite things include, Spiderman, Batman, playing trains, working outside with the lawn mower & weed wacker, and Super Why.

Nate- Nate got to travel 2 times this month.  Both trips I told him not to tell me about.  One was to Chicago, during a snow storm and the other Monterey and Yuba City.....home.  I LOVE the city of Chicago ever since going there for Pampered Chef's national conference.  It is such a terrific place with so much to see, do, eat, and love!  He hasn't traveled much at all since moving here really so I think he has actually enjoyed the little bit he's done.  He has enjoyed being the Product Manager at work and I'm sure is doing a great job.  He really loves coming home every night and spending time with all of us.  He is able to play with the kids, and help with homework and eat dinners with us.  It has really been a blessing.

Me-  I have been really busy with a sprained ankle doing a whole lot of nothing.  I am as of 2 weeks ago able to walk on my ankle.  If I go outside I use my brace.  I am doing that for the next few weeks until I get my ankle strengthened again.  I think I put on 20 lbs just by having to be down so much......stupid crutches.  Around the house though I don't use my brace.  It's really, really, really nice to be on two legs again.  At church I am a leader in Activity Days as well as a Primary Teacher for the same group of girls.  I really enjoy it and the age, surprisingly.  They don't have attitude.........yet but are old enough to grasp gospel topics and discuss them pretty well.  I have a co-teacher who is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!  I love this woman and her family.  She is such a great person as well as a very real person.  I'm so glad to be able to teach with her.  She is also an Activity Days leader with me and one other lady.  Both talented lovely ladies.  I am as of very recently going into the baby watching business.  A lady at church had a baby about 8 weeks ago and needs child care starting at the beginning of next month.  She's actually going to pay me to watch her very tiny baby.  I figure since I'm here nearly every day, and rarely ever leave my house, I might as well do something to help someone.  It's gonna be fun having a little tiny guy around here that I can enjoy, cuddle, hold, and then give back and get a full nights sleep.  It's actually got me considering doing a couple more kiddos to enjoy and bring in some extra money.  Not sure about that but I've worked at several Daycares, took Child Development classes, and I'm certified in Child & Infant C.P.R.....In my late teens I was also a Nanny to 3 foster children for a year or so.  I figure I can handle maybe 3 or 4 little guys.  Much more than that I might lose my mind.  Here in Virginia you have to have a B.A. degree  or else some sort of Certificate in order to be a Daycare provider.  I don't have that, but would LOVE to do that some day.  Anyway, I am slowly getting my plate filled up.

In other news, we had our first snow days here in Virginia.  In our school district if there is snow, school is cancelled as well as all church meetings and activities.  It's very funny to me actually.  The kids LOVED it and played in it nearly getting frost bite.  Crazy kids.  We loved it though and are hoping for one more snow fall before it warms up.

(Our back side yard.)

  (Front yard.)  Everywhere you look in Virginia is TREES!  I always feel like I'm camping.

From the road running alongside our house.  This is the front of the house and part of the front yard.  Most of our acre is in the front yard.

Pretty soon it will be time to plant our garden.  Not sure yet how that will go since we have so many dang squirrels.  The take bites out of the tomatoes, etc.  Anyway, that's pretty much what we have been doing.  We miss our family and friends a whole bunch.  It's funny because I don't think it really gets any easier.  In fact it gets worse but we have the knowledge that this is where the Lord wants us, and that makes it bearable.