Audios 2011

I had to get one last post for 2011.

What a great year...we added a new family member, it can't get better than that.

It's almost midnight and every single person in the family is still up. Tomorrow should be an interesting day. :)

I'm looking forward to a new year, an opportunity for accomplishments, and the blessing to make decisions that will better us all.

I look forward to making the best of what 2012 holds.

Let the count down begin!

Used this link http://www.latter-dayhomeschooling.com/2010/12/symbols-of-christmas.html for our Family Home Evening lesson tonight.

I know there are many different opinions on whether or not Santa belongs in Christmas. I like to use the term "moderation in all things." In our house Santa is apart of Christmas as is Christ. I think this lesson really helps to bring the two together.

We're all a little excited around here...OK maybe a lot excited. Over 300 rolls packaged and delivered, presents are wrapped, start preparing Christmas dinner tomorrow...I'm planning on making it a nice one for the family, name tags for each persons plate and cloth napkins will be included, we'll see how the manners go with this dinner. Its a wonderful time of year.

Got family pictures back...couldn't be more excited. Aaron and Shannon Durda did a great job again, it's our 2nd year in a row working with them and I have been thoroughly impressed and would highly recommend them! I ordered Christmas cards tonight...nothing like waiting til the last minute. Oh well.

Been sick for too long now...hoping it'll pass very soon. It's not the best time of the year to not be 100% healthy.

I'm not sure who gets more excited for Christmas, me or the kids. I love the spirit and magic this season brings.

We still have our four legged friend around here. I think she's officially house trained. Thank goodness.

Must go to bed...must go to bed...must go to bed.

A few of my favorites...

Family Pictures today...a success I hope, only a few meltdowns

Four kids at the mall with only one adult on a VERY VERY busy day...wouldn't recommend it.

Four tired kids at Fry's to pick up food for Stake Conference...fist fight breaks out in front of the deli counter...embarrassing.

Late to pick up babysitter for adult session.

Late to adult meeting.

Off to bed. Very busy and tiring day.

And to think it all starts again tomorrow at 6am. Hooray.

Christmas presents for the family are wrapped. Thank you Wednesday nights for keeping Pops out late...I am always very productive on these nights. I find it totally funny that the gifts are basically right in front of the boys eyes but they would never know. I wonder at what age they'll start snooping around?

Family pictures are scheduled for Saturday morning. I will not stress out...I will not stress out...I will not stress out...

Pops wants a few ties for Christmas...boring, but that's what he's asking for. I'm trying to decide if taking four kids to help pick them out is worth it or not. Should I just get a sitter and go by myself or try and make it a happy memory? I took four boys into Kohls the other day...that was interesting.

I think I figured out the treat for the neighbors and friends and it doesn't include chocolate this year. I think it'll be great though.

I have every intention to get Christmas cards out after family pictures...I hope it really happens.

The boys went to bed with no problems tonight. That is a miracle I will gladly welcome every night.

I finally discovered pinterest tonight...this is not good. I was supposed to be in bed two hours ago.

Service

Can this month just slow down? I want to be able to savor each special Christmas activity and create memories for the boys that only this time of year can provide. I have made a commitment not to over schedule or be to busy and just simply enjoy those around us. I think it works out much better in my minds imagination than in reality. Then again, lots of stuff in life works out that way. Such is life.

Several years ago when Pops was serving as Young Men's president he had the opportunity to meet with a home-bound sister in the ward on a weekly basis. He got to know her pretty well and for about 3 or 4 years Pops would take the boys and I to her house each Christmas morning and we would visit with her for a short time since she didn't have many family members around and would spend most of Christmas day by herself. She died about 4 years ago and since then Pops has found another individual or family for us to visit with on Christmas morning. We're hoping that by doing this the boys will recognize how simple and fun service can be and that they will remember other people not just themselves on Christmas day as they get older. This year has brought some changes and now Pops seems to know many more elderly ladies who are lonesome this time of year. It looks like our visits to them will start much earlier than Christmas day, like maybe this week. I'm excited to offer this very small and simple act and hope that the boys will be on their best behavior at others houses and remember to serve those around them always. The older I get the more I realize that one of the best ways to become more Christlike is through service, for Christ's very life was a life full of service. Just when I think that there is no time to visit others or serve that's when it needs to be done the most. I hope I can have the right attitude and desire and serve this month. My entire life I've been blessed in countless ways, never should I deny the opportunity to bless someone elses life.

Speaking of service, for my memory I want to record how our family has been served recently.

The following are acts of service that may seem simple to the untrained eye but to me they are complete acts of selfless love.

First is the service our home teacher offers every single week. Never before have I had a home teacher that serves each week. You see, Pops doesn't get to sit with us during church on Sundays, sometimes he's not even in the chapel so he can't give the boys the "wait till we get home" look. I can't point to the front and say "look boys your dad is watching you, please sit still." Our home teacher makes sure that he and his family sit right by us and they help out and sometimes completely take over with the boys. Many Sundays I have to go out and nurse and I can just get up and leave and know that right behind us is a family waiting to help out. I know that right behind us is a family that isn't judging me for not having perfectly quiet kids during sacrament meeting. Crate is always so excited to go to church because he knows that Hannah and Mary (our home teachers two daughters) will be waiting to hold him and play with him and most likely will have brought something fun and interesting for him to be entertained by. He also knows that it's most likely that someone in that row will have a piece of gum he'll try to fight for! I can truly say that our home teacher goes above and beyond the call of duty. To me this act of service means more than any tangible thing that could be done around our house. It gives me peace of mind each week knowing they are willing and ready to help out.

Another great act of service? How about the sweet primary president in the ward who on her own realized a need I had in my calling and gave her sweet daughter the opportunity to serve me. Sweet little Kadyn comes over each Wednesday afternoon and plays with Crate for the hour that I am doing cub scouts. Typically Pops isn't home or he's locked in the office and not able to help out with the three youngest. Crate LOVES knowing it's scouts because he knows that means he gets to have Kadyn all to himself. He drags her around showing her what he wants to do and she goes along with it. She even picks up the play room when they are done playing. This girl is probably the sweetest 8 year old girl I've ever met. And what a great example of Christlike service this girl is setting for herself, her family members and my family members also. Not to mention her mother who so willing volunteered her services and drops her off and picks her up each week. To me, the mother listened to the spirit and looked for opportunities to serve and in doing so has blessed my life and lifted a burden from me while I do my calling.

Then there is Hannah and Mary (our home teachers daughters again) who call every so often and ask if they can come over after school and play with the boys. I say COME ON OVER! It provides such a great act of service especially during that wicked 4 o'clock hour. When they come over I am able to get dinner ready, laundry folded, house picked up and what ever else needs to be done. Lumber Jack gets held and gets all the attention he wants, Crate is in heaven with the attention and the two older boys love it cause that means they have two girls to torture! I love having them over.

Then there is my sister who showed up with her family while we were gone one day and took a large load of stuff that was piling up on the side of the house to the dump. We didn't have a vehicle to get it there and sometimes the project has not been a priority so we hadn't made the time to do it. We get home and realize how clean the side of the house is. What a wonderful surprise! They served us and while doing so allowed an opportunity for their children to feel the spirit of serving.

Or my other sister who generously gave two of their Legoland tickets to us to help make our quick trip possible. She could have sold the tickets and gotten all her money back but she chose to do a huge act of service and gift the tickets to us. We had a fun family get-a-way and were blessed by her service.

Then there is my mother who pops in just to see the kids. The boys LOVE when she comes and they always want to go home with her. Usually when she's here she'll fold a load or two of laundry, clean up the kitchen, always changes diapers and will chase the boys around the house making them squeal and scream with excitement. An act of service that has created lots of fun memories.

Or the friend who texts me and says "have you started dinner?" then goes on to say don't start it, I'm bringing dinner just preheat your oven. I threw together a side dish and in a few minutes dinner was done and I didn't do much of anything. She blessed our lives and I pray her life will be blessed for it.

The more I think about it, the longer this list will get. Our family has been blessed in very large and small ways. The size doesn't matter though, each time we are humbled and grateful and pray those that are serving us are blessed beyond measure. I hope to always offer service without being asked and look for opportunities that will set the example of service for my boys.

Each day I ask myself the question, "How can I be of service today?" Crazy how I'm the one asking the question yet I'm the one being served. Service is a blessing to those giving it and those receiving it. I also have learned everything you do or give comes back ten fold. I hope I'm doing/giving goodness always.