tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-227555162024-03-13T19:41:40.058-04:00i was such a good mom before i had kidsheidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.comBlogger513125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-12227212984612649872021-08-29T12:15:00.001-04:002021-08-29T12:15:28.275-04:00Jesus loves Blythe<p></p><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">We're entering week 3 of school cancellation due to covid. I've been especially struggling with this cancellation because the school district made no effort to have any type of digital learning. I have no desire to ever homeschool but I knew I couldn't have my kids go 3 weeks without learning, especially after only 8 days of in school instruction this year. I refuse to have dumb kids! I ordered several workbooks and I have attempted to put together a curriculum to help my kids not fall any further behind. I'm very alarmed at the current state wide test scores and how much kids have already lost to this pandemic. Miracles of education are not happening in our dining room classroom, but a few good things are happening. The one thing I feel that I can't provide through my homeschool curriculum is friendshipping and socialization. Our church services have been reduced again to an hour a week, swim team has been cancelled and several families we know have been in quarantine because of covid infections. I've been particularly worried about Athena Blythe as she seems to have lost a step due to lack of interaction with her peers. I was praying about it and really letting the Lord know my concerns about my kids but especially her. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Today we had stake conference via Zoom and one of the speakers was a little girl, Amiyah, from our ward who is Athena Blythe's age. I made sure that the computer was right in front of Athena Blythe while she did her conference coloring. Amiyah's topic was, "How I know Jesus Christ loves me". Athena Blythe got excited to see her friend on the screen and happily went back to her artwork. What happened next was the answer to my prayers. In discussion the ways that she know Jesus loves her, Amiyah, she listed all her friend's names in her talk. When she said Athena Blythe's name, I felt the Spirit confirm so strongly that Jesus Christ was aware of her and her needs and that this was an answer to my pleading prayers. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9mIH6d4Px40/YSumlKpHjzI/AAAAAAAAPnk/aighhfjfkM4RxpwVmiYpGkf0rIGSbGk5ACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_5073%2B%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="405" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9mIH6d4Px40/YSumlKpHjzI/AAAAAAAAPnk/aighhfjfkM4RxpwVmiYpGkf0rIGSbGk5ACLcBGAsYHQ/w370-h405/IMG_5073%2B%25282%2529.jpg" width="370" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Stake Conference is often one of the harder Sundays with family. Zoom Stake Conference is only marginally easier because you get to watch from home. But there are many more distractions at home and it can be just as hard to listen at home as it is to wrangle children at a chapel. The Lord is always willing to bless those who make the effort to listen to Stake Conference. </span></div><br /><p></p>heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-34899154177799345692021-08-06T13:45:00.003-04:002021-08-06T13:45:46.826-04:00Fatherhood: an Eternal Partnership<p><span style="font-size: large;"><span> </span><span> </span> "When does a joke become a Dad joke? When it becomes apparent!"</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span> Best Father's Day wishes to all the men and I hope you enjoy your Father's Day gifts whether they be new ties, #1 Dad mugs, cargo shorts, nose hair trimmers, or bulky white foam reebok sneakers. You deserve it all!</span><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span> Because we have a Father in Heaven and we are His children, Satan has made it his number 1 goal to destroy the family in any way possible. That has been his goal from the beginning. We read in Moses 5:18 about how Satan influenced Cain into making an improper offering to the Lord. Cain chose to offer the fruit of the earth to the Lord rather than the requisite sacrificial lamb. Satan convinced Cain that he could choose whatever he wanted to be the sacrifice. This improper offering resulted in Cain being more angry at the Lord and further disconnected from his family. Verse 27 we learn that Adam and Eve mourned greatly because of Cain and his brethern. We know from that verse that Cain's decisions are not only affecting himself but also the brethren he was influencing. Later in verses 29 and 30 we read exactly how Satan lays his traps:</span><br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span> "And Satan said unto Cain: Swear unto me by thy throat, and if thou tell it thou shalt die; and swear thy brethren by their heads, and by this that thy father may not know it; and this day will deliver thy brother Abel into thine hands.</span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span> And Satan sware unto Cain that he would do according to his commands. And all these things were done in secret."</span><br /></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span> Satan makes them swear to secrecy(and we know that friends don't make secrets and secrets don't make friends) and the brethren that followed Cain are also sworn to secrecy, even unto death and then Satan makes the most important caveat, "and this that thy father may not know it". In other words, DON'T TELL YOUR DAD. Why was it so important that Cain not talk to his father? Because Adam would have talked Cain out of it. Adam loved his sons, even when his sons were making poor choices. But therein lies the rub, Adam, like a good father, would have stopped Cain and helped him work out his problem. There is no such thing as too late but Satan knows if we believe enough of his lies, we will isolate ourselves from the people who love us the most. Satan loves to flatter and then make you feel isolated, as we see here in verse 31:</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span> And Cain said: Truly I am Mahan, the master of this great secret, that I may murder and get gain. Wherefore Cain was called Master Mahan, and he gloried in his wickedness.</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> We know the end of this story. Cain is trapped by Satan's lies. Cain and his followers were cast out and continued to live in wickedness. </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> We can contrast this story with Genesis 22, the story of Abraham and his much longed for and much prayed for son, Isaac. The son that he and Sarah had hoped and prayed for until they were both very old. In verse 2 we read, </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> "Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land or Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of."</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> So God is asking Abraham to sacrifice the most important thing, the long awaited son, Isaac. And what does Abraham do? The most dad-like thing ever, they get up early the next morning for the road trip with plans to carry out this sacrifice. How great is the faith of Abraham, he just packs up his travel gear and does this. There is no verse describing any anguish in this decision but I'm sure there was. They do travel for 3 days to the place of sacrifice so he certainly has a lot of time to think and anguish this decision over too. 3 days to think of any way out. Verse 6 states, </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> "And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together."</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> In our modern day perspective, Abraham has laid out all the evidence for a murder crime scene. Isaac even asks at this point, "Dad, you've got all your tools, where's the lamb?" Do you think Isaac is starting to sweat it at this point or does he trust his father's faith in the Lord? Abraham responds, "God will provide himself a lamb for the offering" and they continue toward the altar that Abraham had built. Things even progress to the point that Isaac is now tied up and laying on the altar and Abraham has his knife in hand. Only then, at the pinnacle of Abraham's faithfulness does an angel appear and the ram in the thicket is revealed. What do we learn about the Father's love at here? This feels like a very tricky math problem. How do we show the utmost love for our children? We show the utmost love for our children by following the commandments of the Lord. As we read this account, how many of us were devising getaway plans so that Abraham wouldn't have to sacrifice his son? Of course! Absolutely! But, the Lord asks for the most personal sacrifices. We will all have at least one Abrahamic test in our lives. However, if we are faithful there is always a ram in the thicket. We can contrast this with Cain's improper sacrifice of giving what he wanted to give rather than what he was asked to give. Because of this Cain spent the rest of his days in wickedness and misery. Abraham and his posterity were promised great things because Abraham loved the Lord the most. Genesis 26 verses 3,4,5:</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> <span> "Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee; for unto thee, and unto thy seed, I will give all the countries, and I will perform the oath which I sware unto Abraham thy father;</span></span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto they seed all these countries; and in they seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed;</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Because that Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statues, and my laws."</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Satan is even busier in our modern times, trying to destroy families and turn children away from their fathers. While the Lord has fulfilled his promise to Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, Satan has devised new tricks to diminish and make obsolete the paternal and patriarchal role. Oftentimes we hear the phrase, "smash the patriarchy" in an effort to call out injustices that have been perpetuated against women. Consider this, if we smash the patriarchy, we are also smashing the matriarchy, as the patriarchy and matriarchy are an eternal partnership. We have a Heavenly Father so there is no doubt there is a Heavenly Mother. 1 Corinthians 11:11 reads, "Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." When we remove the phrase, "in the Lord," therein lies the destruction of the family. Should we work to put an end to unfairness against women and children in this world? Absolutely. The reality is is that's it's not the patriarchy that is the problem. It's the removal of the Spirit that leads to unrighteous dominion. The Father of all Lies would have us believe we are better off without mothers and fathers rather than repairing and improving the roles and inviting the Spirit into the relationship of fathers and mothers. Consider a pair of scissors. Are both blades exactly the same? No! But each blade compliments the other. Each blade is sharp, each blade has a handle, each blade is cut to fit tightly with the other in order to pull the paper evenly and create a precise cut. If we took the two blades apart and tried to cut paper with each blade independently, there would be no joint mechanism to the pull the paper forward and you would have a big mess of paper and a jagged mess of a finished project. This is in direct conflict with the ways of the Lord. Our attempts at righteousness often feel muddled and messy, but as we strive to become like our Savior Jesus Christ, "He will fill every valley, He can make crooked things straight, He can make rough ways smooth." (Luke 3:5)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> I'll close with an anecdote from my personal life. Herschel has been playing on a T ball team this spring. It's started out on the wrong foot and has been pretty close to a disaster a few times. It wasn't well organized and none of the coaches had any baseball experience or coaching experience and we were struggling to have proper equipment or even get most of the parents to show up. There was no leadership and everyone felt overwhelmed by the task. It was mostly a few moms and a bunch of unruly kids. I'm the first person to say a mom is as equally qualified to coach a baseball team as a dad, so do not misinterpret my meaning. What changed is several of the dads started showing up to games to assist the moms. We went from the Bad News Bears, to one of the better teams in the league simply because our kids were getting plenty of support. We had a parent at every base. We had a huge cheering section of moms and dads who were cheering for each child by name. We had a dad who took over the role of batting coach. We had a dad who took over the role of pitching coach. We had a mom in charge of the batting lineup. We had a mom making sure every kid was running at the right time. Our most recent game was borderline magical because our team was significantly more confident. Our team almost looked like they were playing baseball! I know it was because our kids felt like they were a priority. </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> Heavenly Father's plan has always told us we are His priority. He gave each one of us the sacred role of the Mother and the Father, whether we bare children or not. Elder Jeffery R. Holland said, "Dads, is it too bold to hope that our children might have some portion of the feeling for the that the Divine Son felt for His Father? Might we earn more of that love by trying to be more of what God was to His child? In any case, we do know that a young person's developing concept of God centers on characteristics observed in that child's earthly parents."</span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span> I close thinking of my own father and so grateful to his dedication to the gospel and my husband who is a father and the partnership we have together in raising our children. Nothing brings us closer together and more dependent on the Savior Jesus Christ, who did His Father's will, than our roles as mother and and father of our home. </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span><span><span><span><span> </span><br /></span></span></span></span></span></p>heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-22471716431185508202021-03-26T12:50:00.001-04:002021-03-26T12:50:26.007-04:00spring emergence<p> <span style="font-size: large;">last night I spoke at my ward's annual relief society birthday celebration. It was our first official Relief Society face to face gathering since the lockdown 1 year ago. I had intended to speak on the origin and importance of the Relief Society, but on Tuesday morning when I got up for the gym, the ideas for this talk flowed into outline form on the notes apps of my phone. It's fun when the Spirit intervenes and says, "let's just do it the easy way this time instead of belaboring everything like you normally do." Later I was able to follow my notes and I wrote this short talk about renewal:</span><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">This past
year we experienced an overwhelm of all things. We had an incredibly divisive
presidential election, murder hornets, uncontrollable wildfires, heartbreaking
civil unrest among our fellow Americans due to increasing racial tensions, and
a worldwide pandemic which brought about fear, death, loneliness, food
shortages, job loss and high levels of uncertainty. Also, few of our personal,
private trials took the year off. Despite our different walks of life, there was one thing to unite us and that was our grief. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">As spring
is here and Easter is approaching, I want to focus on renewal. Our dormant plants
are coming back to life, and our dormant country is reopening and our dormant
social lives are re-emerging. Easter is the celebration of renewal, that Jesus Christ
lived again and so can we. Our world has new rules, new language and sadly new
divisions. But the Lord’s commandments are the same. Despite and because of our
differences, love one another. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> While the world was dormant, what were the things you discovered were essential? Did you learn the importance of food storage? Did you realize how
much you enjoyed personal scripture study? Did your spirituality drop off because of the inability to congregate for church at a chapel? Did you learn how much more you
needed and how much more you can live without? Did the prophecies from the prophet
Russell M Nelson strengthen your testimony? Did you witness miracles? Did the Spirit
prompt you to change your life? This time a year ago, I had a completely different
life. I lived far away in a big city with everything that I thought I needed in
my life. I had prayed for many years for the blessings that I very much enjoyed at that
time. Then my husband got terribly sick with Covid 19 and we made a sharp re-evaulation
of our life. How much of our lifestyle was
keeping us from progressing to the type of familial relationships we were missing out on? I had a very powerful spiritual experience that led
us to take a leap of faith and pack up our house, move a month later and
walk into the unknown. Are we ready to walk into the unknown of this new and re-emerging
world? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">The poet
Dino Christianopolis wrote, “what didn’t you do to bury me, but you forgot I was
a seed”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In the
past year we have been buried and rained upon and left alone in what feels like
impenetrable darkness. How did we respond to it? Did we choose to enjoy the nutrients
in the soil that we thought so confining? Will we allow the rain to cleanse our
impurities and strengthen our testimonies? Will embrace the smelly fertilizer
of adversity to make us into the strong, fruitful bloom that we know that we
are? Will we push through the dense soil and bask in the light of the Son of
God?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-indent: .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In 4<sup>th</sup> Nephi, we read that the Nephites and Lamanites, bitter sworn enemies are all
converted unto the Lord. In verse 2, “all people were converted unto the Lord…and
there were no contentions and disputations among them, and every man did deal
justly one with another.” Verse 15 states that “there was no contention in the
land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.” Verse
17, “nor any manner of Ites; but they were in one, the culture of Christ, and
heirs to the kingdom of God.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;">In our most recent General Conference,
we heard from Elder William K Jackson of the Seventy. “<i>Many of our world’s
problems are a direct result of clashes between those of differing ideas and
customs arising from their culture. But virtually all conflict and
chaos would quickly fade if the world would only accept its original culture,
the one we all possessed not so very long ago. This culture dates back to our
premortal existence. It was the culture of Adam and Enoch. It was the culture
founded on the Savior’s teachings in the meridian of time, and it is available
to all women and men once again in our day. It is unique. It is the
greatest of all cultures and comes from the great plan of happiness, authored
by God and championed by Christ. It unites rather than divides. It heals rather
than harms</i>.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Now
that we emerging from the past year, what is your maintenance plan for the
important lessons that have been thrust upon us? Will you call your ministering
sisters and just check on them? It doesn’t have to be a hard-hitting gospel question
and answer session. What questions would you ask a friend? Will you reach out
to family members who are difficult to love? Will you look at your friendship circle
and enlarge it into a shape you don’t recognize so that all sorts and kinds fit
in it? Will you be kinder to yourself as you are still blooming and growing? Will
you stop criticizing the type and shape and size and color of flower that you
are and stop the cycle of negative self-talk for the next generation of flowers
that are watching you? <o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 200%;"> Sisters,
I’m grateful for spring, for the opportunity for daily renewal through repentance, for the beauty of new growth, for an all knowing Gardner that keeps
being patient and continually tends to me. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br /></p>heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-15038247808525986362021-03-18T19:34:00.003-04:002021-03-18T19:35:40.034-04:00broken things to mend<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i> <span style="font-family: georgia;"> I spoke in our church congregation a couple of months ago and I wanted to share my talk here for my kids to read down the road. My topic was the healing power of Christ's atonement. Listed at the top are the General Conference talks I referenced. </span></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Healing Power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ </span></span><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; font-size: x-large;">Christine
Franco</span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Broken Things to Mend Jeffery R Holland<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Strengthened
by the Atonement Dallin H Oaks<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I
love speaking in church and not just because I enjoy speaking into a
microphone, I enjoy speaking because it is an opportunity to share the
culmination of numerous seemingly minor spiritual thoughts and promptings. Many
of the thoughts I’m sharing today are things I have been pondering for as long
as 25 years and as recent as this week. The joy in writing and talk is seeing
how the Lord is truly guiding us at all times, if we are simply listening. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Things
I’m going to talk about today include:<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
difference between the Atonement healing us from our sins and healing us from
our infirmities and weaknesses and struggles<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Kintsugi
or making broken things gold<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
definition of the word succor<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">My
college boyfriend<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">When
we think of using the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives, we almost always
consider how we need to repent from our sins. The blood of the atonement washes
away our sins. That is a predominant use of it because we cannot enter back in
the presence of the Father with sins. We should be using the Atonement of Jesus
Christ to repent every day to repair damage from our frailties and weaknesses. What
do we feel when we hear the word repentance?
Personally, I’ve had times in my life when I’ve thought of repenting and
it has sounded like this REPENTANCE! Complete with tarnation and damnation and
pulpit pounding. However, when we understand the nature of Jesus Christ and
Heavenly Father, we realize that we should be referencing repentance like this <i>Repentance</i>!
Complete with angels and harp trills and birds singing. Sadly, too many of us
have been conditioned to think that repentance is <i>solely</i> a painful and
arduous task. Certainly there are times when our souls require a reckoning and
coming to terms with the work to be done can be embarrassing and a struggle,
but it is Satan, not Jesus Christ who want you to believe it is an impossible
task. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Sometimes
when I am hungry or not feeling well, Thomas, being a very brave man, will tell
me I need to eat something or take medicine so that I’ll feel better but I’m
always resistant to it. I’m FINE, I insist. Everyone else is the problem! Not
me! But eventually when I do remedy the situation through a healthy solution, I
FEEL BETTER. So much better that I wish I had done something about it sooner.
Repentance is a joyful medicine and nourishment to our souls. Often, we just
need to get the ball rolling to start feeling better.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> We often use the Atonement to repair the same
sins over and over again. But we know that the power of the atonement fixes all
things and <b>Hebrews 8:12, “For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness,
and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more”. </b>Truly. We
know this. However, because of the nature of mortality, there are things in this
life that will not be fully repaired until the resurrection. These things can
feel broken because of our choices or the way God created us. Some things have
consequences that are with us even after we’ve fully repented. The healing
power of healing of Jesus Christ isn’t a magic wand or a time machine. A key
aspect of repentance is the beauty of healing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">One
of my favorite things is collecting artwork and I’m especially partial to Asian
artwork. One of my favorite types of art is pottery. I collect plates and I
display them on the walls of my home. As is the nature of happy families,
sometimes my plates fall off the wall and get broken. Normally, because I favor
decorative plates from goodwill and secondhand stores, I toss the broken plate.
However, I have a few plates that I’m holding onto in case I ever get a
kintsugi repair kit. Kintsugi is the Japanese
art of putting broken pieces back together with gold, built upon the idea that
in embracing flaws and imperfections, you can create an even stronger more
beautiful piece of art. The value of the item then goes up because of the gold
kintsugi repair. Go ahead and google it. It’s beautiful and I feel a very apt
representation of our lives. We are mortals and we will be broken, but because
of our divine heritage and the price paid by our Savior Jesus Christ, we can be
put back together with gold. I’ve never bought a kintsugi kit because it is
very expensive, however, the healing of the Atonement has already been paid for
and it is a priceless experience. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">So
my question to you, how do I my repair my challenges with the Savior and make
them gold? How can we look at past sin and struggle and heartbreak and
recognize that they can become some of our most beautiful parts?<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">“The
first words Jesus spoke in His majestic Sermon on the Mount were to the
troubled, the discouraged and downhearted. “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” He
said, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” JRH<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">He
later declares,<b> ““Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and
I will give you rest.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;">“Take
my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye
shall find rest unto your souls.”</span></b><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/#note2"><b><sup><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;">2</span></sup></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></b></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;">For
example, the Apostle Paul declared that because the Savior “hath suffered being
tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (</span></b><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/heb/2.18?lang=eng#p18"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;">Hebrews
2:18</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;">). Similarly, President James E.
Faust taught, “Since the Savior has suffered anything and everything that we
could ever feel or experience, He can help the weak to become stronger.” DHO<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">There
are several definitions for the word succor, including to give relief or to
give aid but my favorite translation for the word succor is “to run to”. It is
very powerful to envision the Savior Jesus Christ running to you when you cry
out to him, But that is exactly how it works. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;">As
the Psalmist declared, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord
delivereth him out of them all” (</span></b><a href="https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ps/34.19?lang=eng#p19"><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;">Psalm
34:19</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;">).<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Other
things that we may need to heal from include things in our lives that don’t
feel broken because they are exactly how God made us, but may not be in harmony
with God’s plan. Other things may be exactly how God made us but are still
really hard. Many of us have actually been blessed with this type of trial,
though it may not always feel like a blessing. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">When
I was 15 years old, I felt very strongly that there was something wrong with me
that could only be fixed by achieving the world’s view of “perfect body” and by trying to be very thin. I was always
thinking about ways to be thin. Comments from society and even family members
gave me incredible anxiety and a preoccupation with food and I continued to greatly
struggled with disordered eating for the next 25 years. However, at age 15 I
also recall feeling a morsel of light in my struggle that I feasted on when I
was hurting. I was studying my scriptures and the thought crossed my mind that
Jesus Christ didn’t know how it felt to be a 15 year old girl like me. Then I
had a prompting that was quite the opposite. The Spirit confirmed to me that I
was wrong. <b>Alma 7:11 reads, “And he shall go forth, suffering pains and
afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be
fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his
people”</b> I was in pain and He understood completely and loved me infinitely.
How is the gold to me? The experience of making this realization is gold to me.
<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
healing power of the Atonement applies to big things and little things. All
things that matter to us matter to the Lord. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">When
I was 21 I had a boyfriend in college who I thought was THE ONE. . Y’all, he
had a south African accent. That’s number 3 on the scale of world’s best
accents with midwestern being number 1 and closely followed by southern in 2<sup>nd</sup>
place. One night he unexpectedly broke up with ME and I was devasted. At church
that weekend I was still obnoxiously inconsolable and I was crying my face off
during relief society. The poor girl next to me was awkwardly patting my back
while probably praying for someone to pull a fire alarm so that she could get
away. In my grief, I had prayed to simply feel some peace. My grief was
probably rather inconsequential to some of the real problems people were
experiencing in the world but what happened next was a clear message to me that
the Lord cared and that he was able to help me feel better. The closing song
was “Where can I turn for peace?” I knew that was the Lord’s message to me to
feel peace and also pull myself together. Heartbreak is often preparation for
us to make room for the Lord to do His work and provide us with something
better. Kynan breaking up with me was exactly what I needed to happen to I
could meet the true love of my life and eternity, Thomas. He’s the best thing
to happen to me since elasticized denim. No one wants to be told in the moment
of a truly trying experience that this is for the better. That’s probably the
quickest way to get a punch in face. 0-60 in one comment. Heartbreak is a tool
that can prepare us for something better, even if it takes a long time or the
next life. But if we live in a way where we let the Atonement comfort and heal
us, we will be blessed until we are able to fully realize our blessings. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">As
I’ve grown older, my understanding of this concept has only multiplied. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">As
I’ve tried to raise children, including two with special needs, the only way to
figure that out is to turn to the Lord. I’ve messed up a ton as a parent and
there is SO MUCH crying involved. Sometimes even by the kids. For a good part
of my parenting career I felt like every aspect of it was in the L column. Hardly
any Ws. There was a really long time that I prayed that this perceived trial
would be taken away from me, as if the most desirable solution was to avoid
pain and growth. The Lord had other plans. As I slowly repaired my broken perspective,
I have been able to see more clearly, what is truly gold in my life. While it
has been a rather slow and frustrating process of self discovery, some of the
cracks started to become fused with gratitude. I have a greater knowledge of
the love of our Heavenly Father. I’ve been able to be more patient in ways I
could never be without this perceived trial. I have learned what it means to give
something to the Lord. Sometimes I’ll even take my hands and wrap up a package
in the air and toss is heavenward and say, “here you go. I’ll do this if you
show up too”. If I give it Him, it doesn’t mean it’s a success by a worldly
standard, more often than not it simply means I’ll survive the experience and
be undaunted to try again even if it’s messy. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not
saying, “Lord, give me another trial and this time put some stank on it!” But,
the atonement of Jesus Christ has healed me of some unrighteous desires and
healed me from my lack of faith. <o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’ll
close with some of the lyrics to Reagan’s favorite hymn, How firm a foundation<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">. When
through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">My
grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply.<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
flame shall not hurt thee; I only design<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thy
dross to consume, thy dross to consume,<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thy
dross to consume and thy gold to refine<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;">
</p><p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 250%; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Bookman Old Style", serif; line-height: 250%;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></p><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"></span><p></p>heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-61717025410972471592021-03-01T12:40:00.004-05:002021-05-16T13:44:19.816-04:00the most reluctant convert<p style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: large;">On O</span><span style="font-size: large;">ctober 31, Athena Blythe became the newest member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">A few years ago when I was in our stake's Relief Society presidency, we did training with each unit on how to meet the needs of the individual sisters. Time was at a premium but I found an experience on a church social media account that I felt led by the Spirit to share in each ward. The quote was by a woman who was sharing her experience of not feeling like her family fit in to the regular church cookie cutter. She outlined her situation and pleaded that what she needed was for people to not be afraid or put off by their situation but to move in closer and as a sign of support. In her experience, the sister mentions that one situation in which we should move in closer is when a family has a child that does not want to be baptized. At the time I thought it was a strange and surely rare phenomenon to have a child not want to get baptized. Most kids just want to get baptized! As per usual, this spiritual message was more for me than for the sisters. In this case, my quote was a spiritual foreshadowing of Athena Blythe's baptism. Athena Blythe was not interested in getting baptized and nothing could persuade her. She was vocal and adamantly against the idea for well over a year before she turned 8! We tried everything; extra baptism lessons, attending as many baptisms as we could, NOT talking about it and seeing if the desire would happen anyway. Various (un)helpful people took it upon themselves(even after we repeatedly asked them not to) to try and convince her by mentioning all the pomp and circumstance aspects of a baptism ceremony, but to my actual relief she rebuffed these people too. I certainly didn't want Athena Blythe to want to get baptized because there was going to be a party for her. Parties and cake have their place but the message of the baptism can easily get lost in the cultural pageantry surrounding baptisms. Athena Blythe will not do anything that is not 100% her idea, which thrills me that she will not easily cave to peer pressure but her obstinate and persistent nature makes her nearly impossible to live with when she is perseverating on a concept. When she finally decided to get baptized 6 months after her 8th birthday, I knew it was because she was ready and had a bit of an understanding of what she was doing.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">my sister in law, shayla, is an incredibly gifted gift giver. she just knows how to make things thoughtful and lovely. she sent athena blythe these delightful cookies. </span></p><p><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6e17_IuwyEw/X_x7aFs9T8I/AAAAAAAAPMw/EeFuEsvqvGE8FRY6x1R-bmEC_5HKHpUeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_9660.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6e17_IuwyEw/X_x7aFs9T8I/AAAAAAAAPMw/EeFuEsvqvGE8FRY6x1R-bmEC_5HKHpUeQCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_9660.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">we did plan for a post-baptism outdoor gathering with friends here in town. FYI, october is a great time for visiting. it's still summer but not sweltering summer. grandma sandy flew in and we had pizza, chik fil a and a cake. Athena Blythe drew a blueprint for the cake and you can see her inspecting the final product in this photo.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">"Why isn't the frosting RED!" exclaimed the always grateful daughter.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UNnUmGGQP4/X_x7aN0PbOI/AAAAAAAAPM0/f2Iam_jOg5IxuoJqFetzlBj4FPC11gmXwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_9709.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UNnUmGGQP4/X_x7aN0PbOI/AAAAAAAAPM0/f2Iam_jOg5IxuoJqFetzlBj4FPC11gmXwCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_9709.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">She was also not pleased that I added the ghosts for an attempt at a humorous holy ghost halloween baptism joke. When I picked up the cake she had originally written in frosting, "Happy Baptist", which makes no sense(especially since Athena Blythe is anything but) but the decorator was able to fix it before I brought it home.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">our pre-ordinance family photos:</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0gezPNE1hl4/X_x7ZlPAsAI/AAAAAAAAPMk/klrXdZRPDFQSUyKUsI4MTIZhxinzsSoWACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_0762.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="359" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0gezPNE1hl4/X_x7ZlPAsAI/AAAAAAAAPMk/klrXdZRPDFQSUyKUsI4MTIZhxinzsSoWACLcBGAsYHQ/w360-h640/IMG_0762.PNG" width="360" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">one of my favorite photos of 2020.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K6qvYgYkn5o/X_x7ZjgLTqI/AAAAAAAAPMo/TSNfN5DrrKAPQpD1B2oFpBBpb2QZqoTxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_0761.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="359" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K6qvYgYkn5o/X_x7ZjgLTqI/AAAAAAAAPMo/TSNfN5DrrKAPQpD1B2oFpBBpb2QZqoTxgCLcBGAsYHQ/w360-h640/IMG_0761.PNG" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I pride myself on a swift baptism service and this one clocked in at a sweet 27 minutes. Musical numbers were not allowed due to covid restrictions(and my relief). You will never seen a baptism guest of honor video montage set to music at one of my baptisms. If that's your jam, I salute you. I choose less and so that I am actively choosing my own sanity. Both Grandmas were able to speak on baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost and we given strict instructions to keep it at 3-5 minutes. One was compliant, the other was oblivious.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Because we live under the ever present specter of sensory overload, we took extra steps to ensure sensory compliance:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Athena Blythe insisted on dressing as Cinderella instead of purchasing a white dress so I ordered a long sleeved skin-toned leotard to wear under the itchy, lacy bodice of the dress. Athena Blythe was able to tolerate the headband for the duration of the second half of the baptism but it is now lost to that same mysterious dimension that all discarded hair accoutrements occupy. It is somewhere, but certainly not here. The black choker ribbon lasted about as long as the headband but was quickly requisitioned for use as a stuffed animal leash. The dress didn't make it through the post baptism party and I wish I had gotten a photo of her jumping on the trampoline in her skin-colored leotard. This was a celebration of baptism not soon to be forgotten or duplicated.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_A8PIcpHFZI/X_x7ZtwM_cI/AAAAAAAAPMs/kmsZ9bVyV9s2wEH562epyop7znvhUZPmACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_0763.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="359" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_A8PIcpHFZI/X_x7ZtwM_cI/AAAAAAAAPMs/kmsZ9bVyV9s2wEH562epyop7znvhUZPmACLcBGAsYHQ/w360-h640/IMG_0763.PNG" width="360" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Later that night, after a rather torrential downpour, we attempted pandemic-style trick or treating. We all dressed up as bad guys, since that is always who Reagan wants to prevail in movies.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v9nLSXK6uEs/X_x7bZRKJbI/AAAAAAAAPM8/Appue-TS3yAgAK9LAofhxWCrRIRtqXk6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1008/IMG_9829.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1008" data-original-width="756" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v9nLSXK6uEs/X_x7bZRKJbI/AAAAAAAAPM8/Appue-TS3yAgAK9LAofhxWCrRIRtqXk6wCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_9829.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Wreck It Ralph, the Joker, Johnny Lawrence, Bane, Queen Chrysalis from My Little Pony, and a T-rex. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4lqE_6OkgQ/X_x7a1u7ZuI/AAAAAAAAPM4/aEp_EuDiqywYURjdvYs1MnBWXsVQnCmigCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_9814.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="481" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-s4lqE_6OkgQ/X_x7a1u7ZuI/AAAAAAAAPM4/aEp_EuDiqywYURjdvYs1MnBWXsVQnCmigCLcBGAsYHQ/w480-h640/IMG_9814.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"> I looked so good in this wig that a few weeks later I colored my hair nearly this shade of blonde and I started picking fights with local new kids.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l8A97S4KFrA/X_x7boF_FAI/AAAAAAAAPNA/eu9PMkJTlXEwcU2X5q7HIsQLcmV2ZWYrACLcBGAsYHQ/s1024/IMG_9830.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l8A97S4KFrA/X_x7boF_FAI/AAAAAAAAPNA/eu9PMkJTlXEwcU2X5q7HIsQLcmV2ZWYrACLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h480/IMG_9830.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">the end</span></div><br /><p></p>heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-179711011415221382020-09-15T11:56:00.001-04:002020-09-15T11:59:54.625-04:00this could become a habit<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">Movin' right along in search of good times and good news,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">With good friends you can't lose,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;"><b>This could become a habit!</b></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">Opportunity knocks once let's reach out and grab it (yeah!),</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">Together we'll nab it,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;" /><span jsname="YS01Ge" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; text-align: left;">We'll hitchhike, bus or yellow cab it</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==AIkSMuRR2npoX16OEwg1kPMfWjw/content/parts/@.id==2/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrinLaunch" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">straight to the point, i'm great at packing and moving. i could definitely share my expertise with others who have not made 8 large scale moves and several more small moves in 18 years. i'm pretty good at pulling together a timeline of tasks and weeding out the junk and collecting boxes. i don't think my expectations are too high concerning what should be happening at certain junctures of the moving day. however, this was going to prove to be the worst move of all the moves we've done. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">in order to avoid a play by play of the moving day atrocities, i'll do some quick bullet points:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*we interviewed and booked movers who came highly recommended by neighborhood people and they had done a few hauling projects for us previously so we felt good about that. we booked moving and packing and cleaning services. we discussed the moving day timeline and the movers agreed that our plan of attack was not going to be a problem.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*i felt anxious about the time frame so i went ahead and packed 90% of our stuff beforehand to make the day of festivities go smoothly. we had several dear, sweet friends help along the way. we moved the majority of the basement stuff and bedroom stuff to the main floor and garage.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*my worries were not unfounded as the movers showed up 2 and a half hours late with a single uhaul truck, the crew foreman plus only 3 scrawny, first time movers. we had planned on being almost completely loaded by noon. it was 11:30. (how i know i'm not being unreasonable: when we moved from lawrenceville to dacula, we had the first truck loaded, driven across town and unloaded in 2 </span><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">hours. that's the kind of efficiency i'd come to expect from professional movers.)</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*they brought 10 boxes total for packing. TOTAL. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*the crew foreman announced upon arrival that the movers should take all the breaks they needed throughout the day.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*they(all 4) took 1 hour to dismantle a bunk bed that took thomas 1 hour to put together himself. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*thomas went to get another uhaul because he knew the one they brought would not be enough. he was concerned that the truck retrieval process took too long and the movers would be waiting on him. nope, after 3 hours, the truck was not even 1/3 of the way filled and they were taking a lunch bunch. it was preceded by a long water break and followed up with a smoke break.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ABDq2MV8DAhOX1-tDA6t0HXsOL4/content/parts/@.id==4/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*i went to home depot and bought a boatload full of boxes for the last 10% of stuff that needed to be packed. THEY DID NOT PACK A SINGLE THING, despite our agreement for moving AND packing. i packed like a woman possessed. packing is the only thing that kept me out of jail that day. my wonderful friend lindsay and her girls surprised us to say goodbye, saw our predicament and pitched in without being asked and did more packing and organizing than the movers. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ABDq2MV8DAhOX1-tDA6t0HXsOL4/content/parts/@.id==2/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*by 5 o'clock, they were finishing up the first truck and needed to go to dinner. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*our whole family went to our favorite mexican restaurant because we knew we weren't going to get out of town in any sort of reasonable time. we were an embarrassing level of disgusting and sweaty and a messy from all our hard work. i fought back tears the entire meal. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*our dear friends, paula and logan, took our kids for the evening since we STILL weren't on the road at 7.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*one of the movers asked me if i wanted the box with the TV in it taped shut. read that again. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*thomas had to help the professional movers attach the car dolly to the back of the moving truck in the dark.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ABDq2MV8DAhOX1-tDA6t0HXsOL4/content/parts/@.id==6/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*they were finally "done" at 10pm that night. not really, because there was so much stuff still left in the house so thomas and i made the decision to make the 5 hour trek again at a later date and come back and finish up by ourselves. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*we headed to a hotel, both of us so mad at the whole situation we could chew fire. we had planned on being in waycross by evening and have the moving trucks arrive sometime later that night.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*we got on the road early the next morning and made it to waycross around noon.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*the people who lived in our house previously were renters and they left the house a mess and had allowed the AC unit to flood the ceiling. my mother in law was there cleaning like the dickens so that we didn't have to put our stuff on top of other people's filth. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*the movers were unloading when we got there but instead of putting things in the assigned rooms they were just dumping everything in the garage or dining room. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*the movers refused to move the bonus room couch upstairs because said they could not get the couch through the door. they claimed that they "measured it with a shoe" and knew it would not fit. we just wanted them out of our lives at this point so we had them leave it in the garage.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">*later that week, thomas and a friend moved the couch up the stair and through the door with ZERO PROBLEMS.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ADaARnUR-mEfX16P9Qz4UE_xhY4/content/parts/@.id==4/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*at the end of move in day, i was hiding in our closet because i could not ever bear to make eye contact with these movers anymore. they were also avoiding thomas because he was about to spit nails and he's quite physically intimidating. we paid them and they left and i burned sage to cleanse the house of their presence. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*instead of doing a fun overnight trip to the beach for our 18th anniversary, just thomas and me, we drove up to atlanta to get the rest of the stuff out of our house and returned the SAME DAY. 5 hours one way, 5 hours back. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*we stopped at a peach farm on the way.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ADaARnUR-mEfX16P9Qz4UE_xhY4/content/parts/@.id==6/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*we unavoidably sat in this typical atlanta traffic:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ADaARnUR-mEfX16P9Qz4UE_xhY4/content/parts/@.id==8/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*dear sweet paula came at a moment's notice with her girls to help up clean up the house really quick so we could get it under contract, since the aforementioned cleaning team NEVER SHOWED UP. they did have the gall to text me three weeks later to see if we still needed that cleaning service. the movers also left behind their uhaul dolly and a fancy tape measure, which they clearly didn't even need since they measured my couch in SHOE LENGTHS. the movers texted me about both the dolly and the tape measure but they are now mine forever.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ADaARnUR-mEfX16P9Qz4UE_xhY4/content/parts/@.id==12/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*late night in butts county, georgia with all the stuff the movers left behind in our uhaul. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ADaARnUR-mEfX16P9Qz4UE_xhY4/content/parts/@.id==10/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*how the TV in our living room looks after the move:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==AO8udgUV_P7VX2Dh9AKAoIu2rk0/content/parts/@.id==2/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrinLaunch" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*my back patio for the past two months, including the piles of junk the previous tenants left behind:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ADaARnUR-mEfX16P9Qz4UE_xhY4/content/parts/@.id==14/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin" /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">*but we're here and everything is fine and everything will be fine because everything has always been fine because of the gospel of Jesus Christ.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ADaARnUR-mEfX16P9Qz4UE_xhY4/content/parts/@.id==2/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrin" /></p><p style="text-align: center;">THE END</p>heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-89311318864790286962020-08-26T13:41:00.003-04:002020-08-26T13:42:28.570-04:00where in the world is heidi san diego?<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Now, this is story all about how</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">My life got flipped-turned upside down</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">And I'd like to take a minute</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Pull out my floss</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">I'll tell you how i became the Queen of a town called</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">Waycross</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">when i last posted in may, we had only decided the day before that we would be moving to waycross. but even just a few days before that we would have been incredulous if you said that in 5 weeks we would have sold our house, packed up everything and moved 5 hours south to thomas's hometown. i still can't believe it today except for the fact that i packed up most everything myself and i'm sitting at a new table, in a new kitchen, in a new house looking out the window at my new crepe myrtle trees. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">after thomas recovered from his covid ordeal we were able to take stock of what a blessing of sorts quarantine had been for us. sure, having everything shut down and the constant fear of illness and a free-falling economy have been less than ideal, but for the first time in our marriage, we were all together. since thomas's office was closed, he didn't have to suffer through an 1 1/2 hour commute each way through horrific traffic. we ate lunch together. we had moe's mondays! we ate dinner together. every day! we worked out in the garage in our makeshift, ramshackle gym. we really enjoyed each other's company. can home really be a heaven on earth? especially during these trying times? indeed it can! i liken it to the scripture in alma 50 during the war chapters when Moroni and the people are in almost constant preparation and fortification against an inevitable attack from the Lamanites. in verse 19, "and thus we see how merciful and just are the dealings of the Lord, to the fulfilling of all his words unto the children of men" and verse 22, "And those who were faithful in keeping the commandments of the Lord were delivered at all times" and finally, verse 23, "but behold there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, since the days of Nephi, than in the days of Moroni". how was it possible that through all this work and trial that they were so happy? i concur, after the march and april that i had, how was it possible that i felt such peace and happiness in such uncertain times? there were many times during thomas' illness that i went to my basement guest room where i was sleeping and cried from exhaustion and fear. there were many times that put my face into a pillow and railed at the unfairness of it all. you know those people who have hard times thrust upon them but they don't complain? i am certainly not one of them. WHY ME??? nevertheless, each and every time i read my scriptures and prayed, there was peace. i spent a lot of time reading Saints volume 2 and there were several key passages that buoyed me up in time of trial, particularly when the saints are trying to settle the salt lake valley and they were starving to death. i was especially touched when i read of the cricket infestation and Stake President John Smith wrote, "The Lord led us here and He has not led us here to starve." the Lord led us through quarantine and we would not starve temporally or spiritually. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">"but heidi, that's lovely and all but how does all this get you to waycross?"</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">oh dear reader, i'll tell you. as soon as georgia state laws allowed thomas' office to reopen, thomas' boss had the building sanitized and everyone was expected back in the office. that was the catalyst for change in our family. after a few weeks resuming working and commuting after having known how wonderful family time can be, thomas said enough was enough. but what was the solution? we had everything we ever prayed for in gwinnett county. we loved our house, we had a great ward, we had an incredible school district that had served all of our children so well. but we also had a very hectic life and we only saw thomas on weekends and even that was limited because of callings and activities. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">thomas has a friend in waycross who had a small, thriving law practice. they bounced ideas off of each other from time to time and even referred business to each other. brandon had offered thomas a partnership many times but it was never something he was interested in. thomas would tell me about it but i never thought anything about it. we have moved enough in our family to know that we were certainly not seeking out opportunities to move. however, brandon was serious enough to keep bringing it up and it was an idea thomas was becoming amenable to because of our covid experience. i said flat out no! for so many reasons, but really because moving is the worst. i'm a level 1000 moving expert now and i'd rather have my house burn down than move again. but i did say i'd pray about it. that was on a friday night. saturday morning i said another prayer for good measure before i went on my morning run. the first portion of every run i listen to a conference talk. that day's particular talk was "Called of God" by Elder L. Tom Perry from the october 2002 general conference. it was simply the next talk in the queue of conference talks. as the talk progressed i started punching the air in front of me because of how perfectly it answered my prayer, but it was also not the answer i wanted. but i listened and i tried to be humble and accept the answer. most of the time i don't receive lightning bolts of personal revelation, but i did that morning. at one point of his talk, elder perry tells a story of his family moving for his new job and trying to decide which house to buy. they found a house that they all really liked but elder perry discovered that the commute was 1 1/2 hours each way, the same as thomas' commute. i'm sure people who saw me running that day thought i was having a seizure as i ran and shook my head back and forth and shouted "NO! NO! NO!" </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img alt="Nooooooooooooooooooooooo! - Michael Scott NO | Meme Generator" 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" /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">as the story continued, elder perry gave the decision of which house to buy up to his children.<span> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0f10; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: georgia;">“</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0f10; font-family: georgia; text-align: left;">You can have either this house or a father,” I said. Much to my surprise they responded, “We will take the house. You are never around much anyway.”</span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0f10; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0f10; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-align: left;">that is how i knew we were supposed to move to waycross. the Lord laid it out for me in simple terms. it was a lightning bolt of revelation. i could not deny that i prayed and asked for an answer and received an answer. i knew that even though this talk was given in october 2002, the Lord knew it was the answer i would need on may 16th 2020. His timing is perfect. had i not been pleading for years for a way for us to spend more time with thomas? did i finally receive it? and now that i had tasted that wonderful time with thomas, did i only want more? was the answer to move to a tiny, rural town and have thomas open up his own practice, complete with 10 minute commute? i knew it, i knew God knew it and i could not deny it. so i finished my run and walked in the door and i said to thomas, "we can do this". we went down the waycross the following weekend and picked out our house. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #0d0f10; font-family: georgia; font-size: large; text-align: left;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==AIWMxIFCz14TX0aY5gOdyG_2nW4/content/parts/@.id==2/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrinLaunch" /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">not the house we bought but i loved it so much. someday it will be mine!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">the house we actually bought:</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;"><img height="414" src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ALGnRgkteu1NX0aeOgpoECBYwuI/content/parts/@.id==2/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrinLaunch" width="553" /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">there are many details that i'm leaving out that i'm sure i'll cover in future posts but once i received and accepted the answer, there was no going back and everything worked out. it was such a busy, hard 5 weeks but the Lord keeps his promises. i felt carried by Him many, many times.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: georgia; font-size: large;">having been here 2 months now, atlanta feels like a lifetime ago. it is certainly my old life. as hard as it has been on all of us to move, there is no looking back. i choose to be grateful and i try to laugh when i feel like crying(which is often) but the Lord has not brought us here to starve. i still miss aldi very much though. </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><img height="800" src="https://apis.mail.yahoo.com/ws/v3/mailboxes/@.id==VjN-LgndKekdg1Bx2NrpfRadDB-vTnesFMF6I03gA5E3ayu7mBJlY-5mAGu4MpoQiNiIGl2LEeEb8L4Fd0GBJs5fOA/messages/@.id==ANv_QqREytpAX0acvg3DcKkkpMA/content/parts/@.id==2/thumbnail?appId=YMailNorrinLaunch" width="449" /></p>heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-10073044047244667782020-05-17T19:55:00.000-04:002020-05-17T19:55:01.435-04:00stop the pandemic i want to get off<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">real life is stranger than fiction for the past two months. Georgia is starting to ease it's quarantine restrictions but it's not quite the free for all that the media seems determined to portray. the few times i actually do venture out, people are playing it safe, staying far apart and being considerate and kind. pandemics have their benefits. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lp8kfsXFmTw/XppMnhg_ziI/AAAAAAAAOzw/OnCVKQobgHM-J-bgyXwFypKs0BGPhXYBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_5818.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lp8kfsXFmTw/XppMnhg_ziI/AAAAAAAAOzw/OnCVKQobgHM-J-bgyXwFypKs0BGPhXYBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_5818.PNG" width="356" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">after 9 weeks all together, no one seems to mind a far drive anymore. everyone begs to go anywhere they can in the car. today thomas had his temple recommend renewed out in a our new stake center(for our BRAND NEWLY formed stake) in winder. normally everyone would have balked at the thought of riding together for no reason but today everyone jumped at the chance to go together and look out the window at anything besides the walls of our house. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we've spent hours upon hours on the trampoline. we started a club called the "butt bounce club". Athena Blythe even wrote about it for one of her online school assignements.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">only picture that loaded:</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xvjc5cM3DAE/XppMKZnYYzI/AAAAAAAAOzA/FKRriYCGuyYE1s05Gcpi6gPQ_-3HLRM6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_0384.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xvjc5cM3DAE/XppMKZnYYzI/AAAAAAAAOzA/FKRriYCGuyYE1s05Gcpi6gPQ_-3HLRM6wCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_0384.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">thomas got horrifically ill with covid-19. he actually believes he contracted it in march while getting lunch at the whole foods by his office. our pollen season was especially bad this year so we weren't immediately aware of how sick thomas was. he started out thinking it was simply seasonal allergies to within a few days not being able to walk a few steps at a time. his fever spiked up to 105 and he couldn't sleep more than a few minutes at a time because of how bad the coughing got. it was hard to get a doctor to see him until we were eventually able to get an appointment at an urgent care. from there they did the exam while thomas was in the car. they didn't have any covid tests on hand but they did a barrage of other tests to rule everything out. our doctor was pretty positive that thomas had covid on top pneumonia. she contacted the county to get him an official test done. we went to the county the next day it was like a movie scene. police were blocking the road, they triple checked to make sure we had an appointment. medical personnel were wandering about completely covered in PPE gear. they stuck the text wayyyyyy up thomas nose until he sang soprano and then we were on our way. for the next two weeks thomas sucked down his prescribed medications and a bunch of nyquil on top of that. he languished like that for a few more days until our urgent care called back and i told them he wasn't improving and i was still really worried each night that thomas wasn't going to wake up in the morning. we had many scary conversations about what if he didn't recover because my giant, healthy husband was in very dire straits and it was hard enough to get thomas tested in the first place and getting him admitted to a hospital felt impossible. once he finally got a cheritussin prescription, he was finally able to sleep and he started making baby steps towards recovery. cheritussin thomas was loads of fun. he even did some work conference calls while he was drugged up. our bishop braved our house while wearing a full hazmat suit and gave both thomas and me a blessing. it was a pretty powerful experience. he pronounced many blessings and that was truly the time when thomas started making bigger strides toward recovery. finally, we got a call from the county saying that thomas had officially tested positive for covid-19. no duh, gwinnett county. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the first thing we did when thomas was able to stand for longer periods of time was to do a photo recreation of american gothic. i'm not sure why, but thomas was still pretty hopped up on drugs. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rd_gw30-Fdk/XppMM_7BIMI/AAAAAAAAOzQ/cskGDs9sNm40rFoDEZayK9Ntvw3fPGvWACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_5815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rd_gw30-Fdk/XppMM_7BIMI/AAAAAAAAOzQ/cskGDs9sNm40rFoDEZayK9Ntvw3fPGvWACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_5815.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">our district did a really good job of transitioning to digital learning but it was still really hard to get 4 kids doing 4 different assignments on 4 different computers. i've never aspired to homeschooling but i respect anyone's choice to do it. both reagan and athena blythe each have 5 support staff so i was really feeling out of my element. scarlett was a champ homeschooler who got up early every day and was done by 930 every day. weirdo. she also never missed a zoom or google meetup. i cannot say the same for myself. herschel was a pretty good student if athena blythe was a pretty good student that day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">outdoor chalk math:</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jJZo5e5zKZE/XppOXoul1yI/AAAAAAAAO1A/JC4itKhSmr4l5kbjuFTpWMYd8O9ApfZigCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_5911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jJZo5e5zKZE/XppOXoul1yI/AAAAAAAAO1A/JC4itKhSmr4l5kbjuFTpWMYd8O9ApfZigCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_5911.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">photos i'm not buying because i'm so cheap.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C0JoXuo2FYk/XppNM4YGNXI/AAAAAAAAO0E/3XMOUpMWHt4Esl9VM2J0OFl-ASbPPgK0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_5879.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C0JoXuo2FYk/XppNM4YGNXI/AAAAAAAAO0E/3XMOUpMWHt4Esl9VM2J0OFl-ASbPPgK0wCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_5879.PNG" width="358" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we've done a million miles of walks and hikes. we've tried to hit up new parks that are farther away from the house because the aforementioned interest in long car rides. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the kids got pretty good at biking. i got pretty good at loading up bikes and scooters and children efficiently. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">one of our favorite hikes is just around the corner from our house. this picture was taken right after herschel went to pee in the woods and then peed on MY BACK for fun. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G-CUc-bg6FA/XppQKcqv1KI/AAAAAAAAO1s/8Y8ByIXPS28V1K9-sI_tnc8T4UkhfkzEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_6106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-G-CUc-bg6FA/XppQKcqv1KI/AAAAAAAAO1s/8Y8ByIXPS28V1K9-sI_tnc8T4UkhfkzEQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_6106.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v2MqwTPxxx4/XppStZ41pdI/AAAAAAAAO3A/Yz_IL6yMVa8B3VSpfErMlhB2VcVHdB6QACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_6066%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v2MqwTPxxx4/XppStZ41pdI/AAAAAAAAO3A/Yz_IL6yMVa8B3VSpfErMlhB2VcVHdB6QACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_6066%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hgkxf1dAXh0/XppTJU2uQsI/AAAAAAAAO3g/r-DNj9IVbr4KusxX_x-FSO51uFkaDMNFACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_6067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hgkxf1dAXh0/XppTJU2uQsI/AAAAAAAAO3g/r-DNj9IVbr4KusxX_x-FSO51uFkaDMNFACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_6067.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">finally, when i get a better, newer computer i'll write more on titanic day. i'll upload the video of thomas and i reenacting, "i'm the king of the world" on the back deck for herschel's amusement. i have loads of pictures of titanic day handwriting tasks and art projects. but for now, here's a picture of our titanic loving little boy watching titanic. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the end</span></div>
<br />heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-30238901028114411122020-01-13T11:56:00.000-05:002020-01-13T11:56:07.655-05:00resolute 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">here are my resolutions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. read 12 books. same as last year and i completed it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. read book of mormon with a theme in mind. last year i highlighted all references to Jesus Christ and it was magic. this year my theme to highlight is "knowledge is for the faithful". i going to highlight all references to people gaining knowledge because they were steadfast.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. declutter every room and closet and storage area and garage. that equals out to one area a month, which is extremely doable. i started with the playroom and now the playroom looks great and hopefully it will make it more play-able because junk won't be everywhere. matching bins and sneaking old toys out of the basment are twin thrills.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. no unnecessary shopping until april 28. i have enough. i'm allowed to replace ripped or ruined items and i can always get new gym clothes because i'm really hard on those. here i am at church last week in all "old" clothes that i really love still. skirt is from 1999 and i usually wear it every christmastime.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. weightlifting goals: </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">275# deadlift</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">250# squat</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">105# Cossack squat</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> 10 scary good military pushups </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. eat out more so that i can stress less. it seems like an opposite type of resolution than most people make, but i stress myself out about always having dinner made. it's usually a subpar dinner at that. i hope to allow myself to look at my schedule more and say, "let's just grab chik-fil-a or whatever", rather than cramming in food prep at random times of day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. visit the dog store at the mall with reagan regularly and work up to him calmy holding and caring for dogs. i'm a big adopt don't shop person, but the mall pet store is pretty convenient for this resolution so we will work toward our personal pet ownership next year by making lots of visits this to the pet store year. </span></div>
<br />heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-14218209508641244692020-01-05T20:01:00.004-05:002020-01-05T20:01:43.600-05:00barry manilow summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">last year i discovered an INTENSELY laid back all 70s easy listening radio station. since i always kinda lose my mind halfway through summer, i made a deal with myself that i would only listen to said station to help alleviate the summer fun stress. i can only deal with so much yelling in the car and since i can't turn off the kids i guess it can't be metallica summer. plus, if you listen to enough 70s easy listening, you're going to listen to a lot of barry manilow. barry manilow is an easy(listening!) target, but he actually has quite a lot of really good music. don't believe me, next time you're cooking dinner, try listening to "could it be magic?". there's no could be, it is magic!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">here's the barry manilow summer recap 2019. only 6 months too late. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">kicked off the summer with the local memorial day parade:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">it was hot but loads of small town fun.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wc1yCwchhl0/XhJq-OsW8mI/AAAAAAAAOtI/haExZZ-vEaMsqz6xFA-QfF39JInSoQtdACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/93511016-CB33-4782-B9C8-1D722A6D500B%2B%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="640" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wc1yCwchhl0/XhJq-OsW8mI/AAAAAAAAOtI/haExZZ-vEaMsqz6xFA-QfF39JInSoQtdACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/93511016-CB33-4782-B9C8-1D722A6D500B%2B%25281%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">scarlett went to girls camp. i'm assuming it was a success. she came home alive and smiling and her laundry was really stinky. i'm just glad that she changed clothes often.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eVvLC9TYYbs/XhJrcNf0LgI/AAAAAAAAOtk/P8_rpcF17isvPjuU8RinBFFlZi_GH9rxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_8980.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="800" height="478" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eVvLC9TYYbs/XhJrcNf0LgI/AAAAAAAAOtk/P8_rpcF17isvPjuU8RinBFFlZi_GH9rxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_8980.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we did another summer of swim team. athena blythe was a pill but i think she still as swim potential. maybe next year. this was also the summer that athena blythe discovered her BFF eva. we go to church with eva and we're friends with her family so it was a matched fueled by swim team. it was eva for whom athena blythe planned the impromptu teenage wedding. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we love our low-competitive-come-one-come-all swim team. it makes me want to get in the water too.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_D8Py0rh3vY/XhJrabAIr7I/AAAAAAAAOtU/Z0HsvyHQ7xcfk1OBEVxEwPEpHMZwcxxpACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_0042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_D8Py0rh3vY/XhJrabAIr7I/AAAAAAAAOtU/Z0HsvyHQ7xcfk1OBEVxEwPEpHMZwcxxpACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_0042.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="480" /></a> </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">little baby swimmers are my favorite.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">while athena blythe attached herself to eva, herschel attached himself to her little brother, jax. he started wearing his hat backwards like, "jax moophy". reagan also loves "jax moophy" and jax is nice enough to go along with some of reagan's ideas, like having dance breaks at new year's eve parties and impromptu hymn singing in the nursery at the chapel. reagan favors the hymn, "how firm a foundation".</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">athena blythe when she actually jumped in at the swim meet. she loves the meets, she doesn't love the racing portion.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Nxr_ng_E7A/XhJrcUmPT0I/AAAAAAAAOto/LLtBwrcwbGIKHpJ8qyVeoKF5sFHL1yv5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_9011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6Nxr_ng_E7A/XhJrcUmPT0I/AAAAAAAAOto/LLtBwrcwbGIKHpJ8qyVeoKF5sFHL1yv5QCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_9011.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we also did scootering at the park. not nearly as much as the previous summer when i forced everyone to scooter at the park every.single.day to help reagan get over his dog phobia(improved but still alive and well).</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we also saw toy story 4 which was a big freakin' deal for our family but my computer's selective photo download is withholding those precious pictures so i'll just have to describe it to you. all smiling faces, reagan extra smiley. herschel in a firefighter costume, because why not? thomas in work clothes because he rushed across atlanta rush hour traffic to make it to this special occasion. buckets of popcorn everywhere.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">finally, we had professional family pictures done. there are a bunch but here are a few:</span></div>
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heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-12286733426348621562019-12-06T14:34:00.003-05:002019-12-06T14:34:55.813-05:00welcome to smashville<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">someday when i am old and my knowledge of parenting is infinite, i'd like to write a travel pamphlet about places that are good to take your special kids. our family can't go just anywhere. we try and push our boundaries all the time and every experience is exposure therapy, but some things simply aren't in our wheelhouse and that's okay. </span><span style="font-size: large;">traveling with kids with autism is going to carry with it a range of altered expectations but if i've learned anything about anything, proper expectations and realistic adjustments are key to a happy life. occasionally there are even bursts of vacation glory.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">for thanksgiving we surprised the kids with a short trip to chattanooga and nashville. because of autism, we didn't tell them until wednesday morning at 7am as we were hauling suitcases down the stairs. with autism there is often a lot of preparation for new experiences, but since we are now old hands at gauging proper autism practices, we decided to forego telling them beforehand so that i didn't have to hear any complaining or suffer through unnecessary anxieties from our special people. sometimes a bad day of reaction is preferred to several days of anxiety. this doesn't work for everyone every time, but it's how we chose to navigate this particular experience. naturally and not surprisingly, reagan was not thrilled about the trip and athena blythe was over the moon. please follow along for perfect captures of reagan's emotions through iphone photography.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">we stopped at rock city and used the bathroom but didn't actually see rock city because it cost an arm and a leg and i wanted to save our time and money for bigger things. we kinda saw the lookout, on lookout mountain, where you can see 7 states. i'm content with kinda on that one. when thomas and i come alone, we will explore the battle of chattanooga and pay the $20 a pop for the lookout. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vNlHL9VOd3A/XeaCew5gFdI/AAAAAAAAOrU/KDg-YdV3E7QbX1pYfLkhEWz6V-uq0cEPACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2776.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vNlHL9VOd3A/XeaCew5gFdI/AAAAAAAAOrU/KDg-YdV3E7QbX1pYfLkhEWz6V-uq0cEPACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2776.JPG" width="480" /></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">the really big deal for me was being able to see ruby falls. it was amazing. a testimony to a divine creator. it was only discovered in 1928, because a guy decided to crawl on his stomach in a tiny crevice in a cave for 7 hours. we took the elevator down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">not everyone was a fan. but he kept it to a minimum until the tour guide asked at the end, "who enjoyed this tour?"</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">"NOT ME!" said reagan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">from the tower at ruby falls</span>
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<span style="font-size: large;">After chattanooga, we hopped in the car and drove to nashville. we ate burger king in the car, which i think is a good autism friendly trick, offer very familiar food in a trying or unfamiliar environment. we made it to nashville just in time to catch the nashville predators hockey game. it was absolutely sensory overload, for me especially because i was so worried about our specials after an already eventful day, but it went really well. sometimes reagan is able to tune out an excess level of noise if we're lucky. athena blythe happily talked to a little girl seated next to her and loudly asked why people we throwing their garbage on the ground instead of using the very easily accessible garbage cans located throughout the arena. i love that about her. for real, are you too prideful to help out the cleaning staff? i was surprised to learn that some hockey teams have cheerleaders. i just didn't think that was a thing, but it is. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">after a thrilling night sleeping all in the same hotel room, short one pullout bed because it was thanksgiving, we went and saw frozen 2. the best thing i can say about it was the was the kind of theater that serves actual restaurant quality food and i did enjoy my nachos. it appears they're just letting anybody write screenplays and music these days. there's hope for my music career yet. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we were able to have thanksgiving dinner with thomas's BYU friend, heather, and her family. she is now a pediatric neurologist(which is right up my alley in case you didn't read the parts about having 2 kids with autism) and she had also invited one of her friends who is a plastic surgeon to join us so i was able to ask medical questions to my heart's desire. i learned a lot about botox injections being used to help celebral palsy patients deal with muscle stiffness and i saw a SLEW of post-breast cancer reconstruction photos using abdominal body fat and skin. modern medicine is incredible and once again, there is a divine creator in charge of all this. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">heather's husband is a firefighter so he took us down to the station and we were able to ask all the question and climb all the ladders. reagan thought this was way better than ruby falls. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">their were also live chickens in a coop, plus two cats and a dog so there was really something for everyone at this thanksgiving. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">fun fact, in the 1970s they started making fire trucks yellow so that they would be more easily identifiable in the dark but it did not catch on with the public so they went back to red. i said this once to someone and they acted like i made the whole thing up so this trip to the fire station was especially vindicating for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">another fun fact, scott stapp from creed and THE ALAN JACKSON live in this fire rescue district. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">friday was filled with the country music hall of fame, much to the delight of thomas and myself and much to the chagrin to everyone else, especially to the other patrons who saw us coming. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">if you say you don't love country, you're not giving the right kind of country music a try. i have a visceral reaction with someone calls "florida/georgia line" country music. NO. that's bro country. give chris stapleton a shot. the high women! the highway men! do you want to cry? try johnny cash's "hurt". do not put THE DOLLY PARTON in the same company as luke bryan. sorry luke, i've heard you're a nice guy but your music sounds like you need to blow your nose and your lyrics are about as inspired as the directions to make instant ramen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">athena blythe with kacey musgraves met gala outfit:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">thomas with his favorite, eric church. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan finally smiled with he saw taylor swift, and that's all i have to say about that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">outside the country music hall of fame:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">outside the predators arena and an accurate name for our trip:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Want to see something really cool ruined with a few eye rolls and licks on the display glass? bring your kids. </span><span style="font-size: large;">sometimes you muscle through activities your kids don't want to be at like any old family and realize it's not autism, it's having kids. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and reagan is DONE:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">europe is probably never going to be in our cards, but i'm not completely writing that out of the possibilities. maybe we can coordinate it with a firetruck ride outside of the sistine chapel. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">we had dollywood planned for saturday, but we were all harboring burgeoning illnesses and it was going to rain all day in pigeon forge so we tabled that trip until next year. that's my last bit of autism travel advice for today. </span><span style="font-size: large;">acceptance is key. you have to play the cards you're dealt and not wish for different cards all day. </span><span style="font-size: large;">flexibility is a two way street. this is who my family is. some exposure therapy and practice and social stories aren't always going to work. sometimes you just go home. thomas and i need to be as flexible as we're expecting the kids to be and canceling things can be a gift. we needed to get home not completely exhausted and sick and by skipping dollywood, we were able to have a good fast sunday.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">the flu didn't hit until sunday night.</span><br />
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heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-39046225289137062972019-12-01T20:08:00.001-05:002019-12-01T20:11:10.719-05:00personal progress gets personal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">long story longer, six months ago i was called at the personal progress leader for our ward. a few months after that i was called as the laurels(16-18 year old girls) advisor and just a few weeks ago i was called as young women's(all girls 11-18) president in our church congregation. from the minute i was called as personal progress leader, i experienced an overwhelming level of spiritual promptings that continued to build and grow as i worked hard and transition from calling to calling. this past week was our young women in excellence program. since everyone in the previous presidency was released the week before, i was feeling incredible pressure to put together this program with my new presidency. thankfully, some sisters who are incredibly talented at event planning stepped in to help as we scrapped 90% of the previous plans and went super simple with the new event direction. my new presidency accomplished incredible things and i'm incredibly pleased with how it turned out. about 10 years ago i went to a relief society conference where the theme was "make is lovely, make it simple" and that has been my mantra ever since. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">no one likes when a meeting goes over time and so i promised everyone that it would be only and hour. we started at 7:06 because of terrible evening traffic and we ended at 7:56. </span><span style="font-size: large;">no one high fived me but i believe that many people wanted to.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: large;">aside from herschel pulling the fire alarm while we were setting up and one cake getting dropped on the floor by a bishopric member, everything went off without a hitch. everything was cleaned up at we were all out of there by 8:30. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">Oftentimes our society confuses achievement for worth. We are a society of recognition and awards ceremonies. That’s part of why we are here tonight. We’re all in various stages of progress and achievement. Whether you received a ribbon or medallion tonight or if you aren’t participating in personal progress is irrelevant to your worth and actual progress in life. Larry Shaw of the Grayson ward once said in a meeting that, “women have worth upon arrival”. I wrote it down and I try and remind myself of that often. My dad would always call football a game of inches, meaning that the difference between success was often the smallest thing you could do to win the game. That is true for our lives. We set large goals but the best way to achieve them to make sure you are moving forward every day, even if it’s only a few inches. When we are continually turning to Christ, we are able to make that daily progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">All that being said, I want to share with you an experience I had last week that is based on our theme for the evening, turning to Christ. One morning last week at the gym, as I was finishing up my workout, a man that I have seen almost every morning for several years, but had never spoken to before approached me. He asked me why I was doing certain lifts a particular way and before I could even answer, he told me I was doing it all wrong and he pointed out everything I was weak at and that I didn’t know what I was doing. He then proceeded to tell me that everything I did there wasn’t making a difference and that I should be doing other exercises if I wanted to be “doing it right”. Because he was an expert and this is what “he did all the time”. As I attempted again to politely explain my methodology which is actually based on research and experience, he continued to cut me off and berate me on the gym floor. This is where I am going to tell you some things that I do every day at the gym. I listen to a conference talk and I pray that I will be kind and patient with everyone I interact with that morning because being kind and patient at the gym can be hard for me. Ironically, the talk that I listened to was “And nothing shall offend them” by Elder Bednar. At this point in my workout I was trying to not be offended by some of the vile language I hear on a regular basis there and I was extra patient as I talked to another gym patron who seems very lonely and lacks a lot of social awareness. I felt like I was doing all the right things! I don’t know why this man singled me out, but perhaps he thought I was weak or would appreciate his rude comments. I was very surprised that I was being subjected to this barrage of insults and my mind was quickly loading up all my best comebacks to put this man in his place. Imagine a giant sling shot being pulled back very tightly. Then, I had the Spirit come to my heart and tell me to be polite and simply walk away. It was really hard to do because I am good at saying mean things but I walked to my car. As soon as I got to my car, I burst into tears and cried all the way home. I got home and I cried to Thomas and he said all the right things and reassured me that I do know what I’m doing at the gym and that my studying and practice was paying off. Then he said the words that every girl wants to hear, “I’m going to go beat that guy up right now!” And I said, “No, let’s not be like that. You hold him down and I’ll beat him up!” Then we laughed and I felt better and I considered everything over with. It was an upsetting experience but I had done what I set out to do. I was not be offended and I was kind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">However, later on that day though, the cracks started to show. I started feeling really down on myself. I consider myself to be someone who doesn’t really care too much about other people’s opinions but unkind words can still affect me. What started out as a really uncomfortable experience bloomed into negative thoughts about myself which spread to questioning whether I should just quit going to the gym altogether because I’m clearly terrible at it and my very presence was bothering people. Of course it spiraled into what a terrible parent I am, how bad I am at keeping my house clean, nobody actually likes me and various other forms of negative self-talk. It all snowballed into, “I’m not worth it!” Because I struggle with anxiety and depression, I call this type of hurtful thinking, the darkness. And when the darkness shows up, it can envelope me quickly and tightly. If you study pathology, you know that an opportunistic infection is an illness that can kill you when you’re already sick with something else. Satan is an opportunistic infection. He saw my struggle and took the opportunity to make it so much worse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">Now girls, if this happens to you often, you should definitely talk to someone and get help. There are many people here tonight who would love to help you with that. But also, you need to know that when the darkness starts to envelop you, you can turn, like a sunflower, to the Savior. Jesus Christ is the light in ANY darkness and all we need to do is seek Him out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">So before I went to bed that night, I knelt in prayer and poured out my heart to Him, that He would help me overcome this darkness that I was feeling. That I would wake up and feel like myself, the person who loves the gym and is doing her best to be a good parent and if my house is messy it actually doesn’t matter because a messy house is inevitable with creative, high-spirited children and my infinite and inherent worth is NOT BASED on anything temporal! No award of achievement can change my worth! And you know what! I did! I woke up on time, I walked in the gym like I owned the place and the Savior placed very kind people in my path. And that old, lonely man who talked my ear off the day before because I was practicing kindness told me what I great job I was doing. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "bookman old style" , serif; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 19.9733px;">my testimony is that we can always turn to Christ and that our quest for personal progress doesn't end here but that we will always be choosing to progress inch by inch, day by day. i say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. </span></div>
<br />heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-11844318321453035732019-11-25T10:39:00.002-05:002019-11-25T10:41:21.707-05:00a song in a minor key featuring thomas with the upbeat hook<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">i posted this entire post on saturday, while i was crying into my protein shake and feeling sorry for myself. then i went to church yesterday and realized i needed to make some serious edits. edits will be in <span style="color: red;">RED. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">note, while i do believe that everyone should be able to cry about their first world problems and feel some validation, i would be utterly remiss if i also did not record the <span style="color: red;">BLESSINGS </span>that occurred with the struggle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i have been struggling the past few weeks! mostly over things insignificant in the eternal perspective but nevertheless things that drag you down in the dumps!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i'm still struggling with photo download drama, but here's a list to illustrate my dumps:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> a gym bro was really mean to me last week and i cried. <span style="color: red;">i came home and thomas was the perfect gym therapist and reassured me that i <i>was </i>using good form and i <i>am </i>working hard and that guy was probably intimidated that i know what a zurcher squat is and he didn't. people are threatened by confident, well-educated women. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i pulled one of my lats and now it's hard to do anything, especially make right hand turns or open the dishwasher. so that's oddly specific and dumb and it makes basic things i enjoy hard to do. </span><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">thomas has made sure i'm doing exercises to stretch and rest and foam roll at appropriate intervals. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i hit a car in front of the school. damage was minor but there was still damage and i'm embarrassed because it was such a small mistake that's still going to cost plenty. <span style="color: red;">thomas was super calm and laid back as i laid out the details and offered nothing but support and reassurance. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i got my hair cut and instead of a following the example photo and explicit instructions to not mess with the length, my stylist chopped off 6 INCHES and made my hair look like a stereotypical mom haircut. i've been going to the same stylist for 4 years and she's now fired. she stopped listening to me two haircuts ago but the color was still good so i stayed with her.<span style="color: red;"> thomas is the best though because instead of convincing me the haircut looked good, he and i commiserated about how deeply i was wronged by a stylist who thought she knew what i would like better than me.</span> it is just hair and it will grow back but i still don't want to hear you say that to me. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7sUUSfvjxP4/Xdh6bXG_6JI/AAAAAAAAOjk/XpYDy9or-mc_b-cF_IeDns9H8bU1RXlPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7sUUSfvjxP4/Xdh6bXG_6JI/AAAAAAAAOjk/XpYDy9or-mc_b-cF_IeDns9H8bU1RXlPwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2644.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">look at that hack job! </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i9s2ot0ey8E/Xdh5F0AIcSI/AAAAAAAAOiM/S1XcR7SeWPsgfcC5IManTl3hDQvTV5VlACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i9s2ot0ey8E/Xdh5F0AIcSI/AAAAAAAAOiM/S1XcR7SeWPsgfcC5IManTl3hDQvTV5VlACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2653.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">mood:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">bang bang sauce that fell out of the back of my car as i was unloading this has become a thing. i need to figure out a system for the back of my car. i had a laundry basket back there for a while but that was simply facilitating the dumping of larger quantities of stuff on my driveway. <span style="color: red;">"you're murdering a lot of liquids these days." thomas</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JrY4UT_mdKc/Xdh5lVeYSTI/AAAAAAAAOis/kNkP0Manf98IQEN8cpMOp5RjqFVp0jotACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JrY4UT_mdKc/Xdh5lVeYSTI/AAAAAAAAOis/kNkP0Manf98IQEN8cpMOp5RjqFVp0jotACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2657.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the end. <span style="color: red;">the end. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r4PX263GlOM/Xdv1lkaW9SI/AAAAAAAAOqc/dSEDEBh97yUQDPfOU5NByQFsdasmJJjjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="576" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r4PX263GlOM/Xdv1lkaW9SI/AAAAAAAAOqc/dSEDEBh97yUQDPfOU5NByQFsdasmJJjjQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2750.JPG" width="360" /></a></div>
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heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-15749633756247822942019-11-03T20:35:00.000-05:002019-11-23T12:26:04.611-05:00momtoberfest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the fact of the matter is that i need a new computer. i only have a few pictures from the past month because my phone and computer don't like talking to each other. much happened. hersch did a season of soccer. athena blythe had field day. scarlett did math tutoring, swim team and theater. i got some really great pictures of reagan at his school halloween party and a football game with his crush/pe teacher, coach brenner. let me tell you about the day that i dropped him off at school and reagan almost jumped out of the car shouting, "i love you, coach brenner!" but no one will see the photographic evidence.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> alas, here are the photos that did download:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i made frankenstein guacamole for general conference weekend.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oeGkJl4cC34/Xb9vAGl4yeI/AAAAAAAAOg0/BXVOddAU0ZgMEnZdSFvzowxL_B7pIq5BgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oeGkJl4cC34/Xb9vAGl4yeI/AAAAAAAAOg0/BXVOddAU0ZgMEnZdSFvzowxL_B7pIq5BgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_1715.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">herschel really wanted a truck cake so i whipped one of those up. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mB9GUc7Ngqk/Xb9u_pe3L4I/AAAAAAAAOgw/2fsqsZr7_Ssz6mIxnQL23hwWvGmGD06rwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mB9GUc7Ngqk/Xb9u_pe3L4I/AAAAAAAAOgw/2fsqsZr7_Ssz6mIxnQL23hwWvGmGD06rwCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_1718.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">scarlett and i watched the women's session together on saturday night. i loved it. i'm looking forward to the new program that is starting in january. big stuff is in the works and i'm glad to be part of it.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lt8cHpsgXtA/Xb9u7TkeJWI/AAAAAAAAOgs/QDcFbgfC7LkLfxTOENCfdNnU6L65zVBawCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1203" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lt8cHpsgXtA/Xb9u7TkeJWI/AAAAAAAAOgs/QDcFbgfC7LkLfxTOENCfdNnU6L65zVBawCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_1725.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this is the section of the month where i have pictures on my phone but not on my computer:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">scarlett's district honor's chorus festival(not really a festival) in athens where we ate crepes for lunch</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">our ward's fall festival(also not really a festival) where yet again there was no trunk or treating. i will mention this every year until it changes.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">athena blythe staged a fake mini wedding between two teenagers at church. she planned out all the details down to the lacy handkerchief wedding veil and everyone went along with it and it was ridiculous and fun and no one can resist going along with athena blythe's plans. then a few days later i made her a little wedding cake because i'm an enabler. then this week at church she kept pestering this same poor teen bride whether she was pregnant yet. athena blythe knows a little too much about the biological process and length of gestation for comfortable conversation in the hallways at church. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i hit some big weightlifting goals:</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hG9s1CNFmdg/Xb91QJ05ZjI/AAAAAAAAOhY/aPg_HmORZfIqf1u7lBLIuJJ4iqYwvgHogCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_1721.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hG9s1CNFmdg/Xb91QJ05ZjI/AAAAAAAAOhY/aPg_HmORZfIqf1u7lBLIuJJ4iqYwvgHogCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_1721.PNG" width="358" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">thomas makes the difference on my big lifts. if your spotter loves you, you can communicate better on what you can handle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i wore my darth vader shirt to the gym on halloween. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q_J3a74T9tA/Xb90PrXpMEI/AAAAAAAAOhM/mgiuJC1pq4MfN0ixayWD40CjL9YKFaeNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2276.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q_J3a74T9tA/Xb90PrXpMEI/AAAAAAAAOhM/mgiuJC1pq4MfN0ixayWD40CjL9YKFaeNgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2276.PNG" width="358" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">athena blythe wore this to school on halloween to help celebrate the day of the dead. it was 74 degrees at 7:15 that morning.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EqGofMBfZNM/Xb9YisxbyuI/AAAAAAAAOfo/Gr8NGpUVWmcJrbInDQQe51PKlYUN00xrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2279.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EqGofMBfZNM/Xb9YisxbyuI/AAAAAAAAOfo/Gr8NGpUVWmcJrbInDQQe51PKlYUN00xrQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2279.PNG" width="355" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i went to hersch's school for their "book character praise parade" which is the evangelical way of saying halloween without being accused of loving demons(it's a thing, yo). no masks so hersch was just a hairy little boy. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_y_FBxhWFgw/Xb9YfaWaPKI/AAAAAAAAOfk/N2XsAP-k6rcaLz2XHU4Wd1BZ0qK09y71ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_y_FBxhWFgw/Xb9YfaWaPKI/AAAAAAAAOfk/N2XsAP-k6rcaLz2XHU4Wd1BZ0qK09y71ACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2284.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">scarlett and a darling friend were dorothy and the wicked witch. i hate that i didn't get a picture of them together. i bought a pair of fuchsia nike cortez to stand in for the ruby slippers because i've really been wanting a fuchsia pair of nike cortez for a really long time. scarlett and i both wear the same shoes size now so we're in a win win shoe situation. comfort on halloween and i expanded my sneaker collection, on sale no less!</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GRkCvwiFuTo/Xb9YkSJ_sJI/AAAAAAAAOfs/aQd-PqM91zkw7N7yYEcnCcjS9ZPxFY_PgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GRkCvwiFuTo/Xb9YkSJ_sJI/AAAAAAAAOfs/aQd-PqM91zkw7N7yYEcnCcjS9ZPxFY_PgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2300.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">athena blythe wanted to be violet beauregard because of her current willy wonka fascination. however in the past week, she declared that she wanted to be a yodeler instead. i don't know how to create a yodeler costume so i cajoled her into wearing the violet beauregard that i had already put effort into acquiring. we used blue eye shadow for her face. we simply sprinkled her face with a bit of water and used a large blush brush and voila!</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8vdh2l9U5H4/Xb9Yo3iVmzI/AAAAAAAAOfw/vLmSSudOficFGu50d9H_mj-Ol1rrGkM8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8vdh2l9U5H4/Xb9Yo3iVmzI/AAAAAAAAOfw/vLmSSudOficFGu50d9H_mj-Ol1rrGkM8ACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2315.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan as buzz lightyear. he had the best time again because he loves halloween every year.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UpvSJwHti_E/Xb9ZkM5x55I/AAAAAAAAOgI/OX9JGTCcoUU8bfM4TogWM3RSCjP4IYs5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UpvSJwHti_E/Xb9ZkM5x55I/AAAAAAAAOgI/OX9JGTCcoUU8bfM4TogWM3RSCjP4IYs5gCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2318.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">pretty much the cutest little chewbacca. he was a trooper. by 6pm,we'd had a day of thunderstorms. </span><span style="font-size: large;">when we started trick or treating the weather had dropped down to 50 degrees and he was the toastiest out of all of us.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgp9FdZli6M/Xb9ZjT1srdI/AAAAAAAAOgE/uTdBifh7L60KewW5U8URv0zhVGiDI1dfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2321.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fgp9FdZli6M/Xb9ZjT1srdI/AAAAAAAAOgE/uTdBifh7L60KewW5U8URv0zhVGiDI1dfgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2321.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wqEZfhlJF5k/Xb9ZmV9QoVI/AAAAAAAAOgM/3WxsrxMWsWAOf_qtwQP5yzhLqlM8QkxswCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_2310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wqEZfhlJF5k/Xb9ZmV9QoVI/AAAAAAAAOgM/3WxsrxMWsWAOf_qtwQP5yzhLqlM8QkxswCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_2310.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan's teacher lives one street over and we were able to trick or treat to her. reagan pretends he doesn't like her, but he secretly loves her. not like coach brenner but there is plenty of high regard. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">i made a pathetic costume attempt this year and after i realized that neither reagan's storm trooper nor reagan's darth vader costume could fit over my quads(weightlifter problems), i found this sad little never worn hamburger costume. i hugged it close to my body all night for warmth.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">thomas won halloween with his RunDMC costume he wore to work. he missed the costume contest because he was actually doing work that day but the consensus was that he would have won had he been there. he's a winner in my heart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this most recent saturday, scarlett and i helped with the middle school theater work day, painting sets and noticing that several kids had way nicer phones than i will ever own. note the length of scarlett's mane. it's crazy long now. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">finally, this is how reagan does fast sunday. he puts the bowl of grapes, his favorite thing to snack on, on top of the cabinets. it's a good game plan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the end. i hope everything is spelled correctly because i'm not going back to check. </span></div>
<br />heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-23211145679228415192019-09-26T12:52:00.003-04:002019-09-26T12:52:59.534-04:00middle age road trip<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">thomas surprised me with an overnight trip to nashville. he bought tickets to a music festival, booked a hotel, arranged to have my mom fly out here to watch the kids and did it all without my knowledge. in 17 years, overnight trips are a bit of a rarity, so this was very exciting for me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we left on saturday morning. we ate junk food in the car and the drive without kids was so fast and easy that i felt a little cheated. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">after no one threw up in the car, no one fought with anyone about seat space, no one made a mess with crumbly food or asked to stop for the bathroom 43 times, we arrived in nashville feeling better than okay about life. we ate at hattie B's and no one spilled water all over the table. we also had some of the best friend chicken ever. very spicy but so juicy. we had to wait for about 30 minutes for a table and neither of us complained about it. we just chatted and enjoyed one another's company. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">then we went back to our hotel and took power naps. quietly. with no fanfare or debate. after our naps, we put on comfortable, weather appropriate clothes with sensible walking shoes and a hat for sun protection and joined all the other middle age fans for an evening of music in the park. we paid extra for closer parking because sometimes that's what middle age and a good job affords you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the show we really wanted to see was the killers and they did not disappoint. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">after the conclusion of the show, we rushed over to our more expensive and conveniently closer parking spot and arrived back at the hotel in time to watch the second half of the Georgia-Notre Dame game. this is also when my cold that i had been heavily medicating up to this point took a turn for the worse and i curled up in bed and no one touched me or talked to me. the best way to be sick. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">sunday morning we got up early and found a ward building that shared a parking lot with the nashville temple. the nashville temple is tiny but packs a full measure of the Spirit in it's small size. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">as we walked in the chapel for sacrament meeting, thomas and i looked at each other knowingly as we heard a family with several small children declaring their presence. we were on the front row of one side of the chapel and the family was on the front row of the other side. it appeared to be a family of 7 and two of the children had severe handicaps and were confided to wheelchairs. i had a clear view to watch the interactions of this sweet family. i watched as the mother lovingly held the hand of her wheelchair bound daughter as the daughter squealed with delight during the meeting. the mother seemed to be constantly smiling as she listened to the truly wonderful youth speakers(neither of whom complained about or repeated that tired story of avoiding the bishopric member and trying to get out of giving a talk in church). she adjusted tubes and appeared to prepare a liquid to put in the feeding tube of her daughter. i was overcome watching this beautiful interaction. i had to stare at the floor and think of poopy diapers to keep myself from openly sobbing. getting away with thomas and sleeping in and having lots of fun was supposed to be the most recharging part of the trip. attending sacrament meeting, feeling the Spirit, watching a mother lovingly care for her two special needs children was in actuality the most recharging part. my motherhood teammate's example buoyed me up. the intermediate hymn was one of my favorites and the same part of the song in all three verses struck me as especially profound that sunday. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i am grateful we went to church.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">after church we drove around music row and downtown nashville before we headed back home. the drive home was like sunday night before the first day of school on steroids. i love my kids. i really love not spending time with my kids once in a while.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">surprise! thomas didn't want to be in any pictures! shocker!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">my new favorite picture of myself:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the next day, athena blythe was super sick so i took her to the doctor but by mid-morning she had made a miraculous recovery and she was able to enjoy lunch with grandma and mama. don't tell scarlett, because she BEGGED to be allowed to stay home from school. maybe next time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">sweet it the peace the gospel brings.</span></div>
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heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-60920837629326355282019-09-18T21:13:00.001-04:002019-09-18T21:13:14.510-04:00meekness is power under control<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">when i got my first iPhone in 2012, one of the first quotes that i saved to my notes is, "meekness is power under control". i don't know who said it. i just know i heard it in during a church talk and i immediately jotted it down for further contemplation. in the many years since i wrote it down, i've pondered upon it many times. i feel like only recently i've been able to start to grasp the breadth of what that saying actually means.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: large;">back in may, i surprised athena blythe with a trip to an outdoor dog adoption festival, Woofstock, at a local town square. i was surprised too because i was planning on merely taking her to a very fancy pet store located on the town square. she likes to look at all the purple velvet dog furniture and bedazzled personalized $400 dog collars. happening upon a full on outdoor festival complete with trained circus dog show tricks, food trucks, and 100s of dogs up for adoption is about as happy an accident i can think of in athena blythe's book. as we arrived, we noticed a sky full of increasingly foreboding clouds but we decided to press forward and stay as long as we could. we truly had a great time. athena blythe petted a majority of the dogs and proffered copious amounts of expert dog advice to actual pet owners. she renamed several dogs for the animal rescue agencies who clearly phoned in the all important animal naming duty. we had a glorious time! after 2 hours, we started making our way back to our car. it had been lightly sprinkling for about 20 minutes so we were pushing our luck on avoiding the downpour. we were a couple of blocks from our car. about 1/3 of the way, a torrential downpour broke out. we were almost instantly soaked through. i tried to make walking in the rain part of the adventure because it quickly became apparent that athena blythe was in sensory overload. we jumped in puddles and laughed at how wet we were getting. we arrived at the crosswalk just as the all-female police officers on duty had let the previous large group of pedestrians cross the busy main road. it was less than ideal, but that's how traffic works. there were hundreds of cars on the road at this same time and the officers directed them to take their turn to continue on their way. it was still steadily raining as we waited. two different groups of all-female-post-dog-festival attendees walked up and joined our group we waiting for our turn to cross. one lady started screaming at the police officers for not stopping traffic to let them go ahead and cross. it was terrible to witness. no one is happy to be stuck in the rain, but she was absolutely losing her mind on this poor young police officer and made the situation so much worse. she was using very vile language toward the police officers. i was trying to distract athena blythe from this scene by making standing in the rain part of our game. then another lady, who was with her teenage daughter, joined in at screaming at the police officers about what a terrible job she thought they were doing. these officers who had been on duty ensuring our safety the entire time we were enjoying ourselves at the festival who were now directing traffic in pouring rain. i wanted to say something to shut those horrible women up, but i didn't want to sound like one of them or be confused with agreeing with their behavior. these women looked like regular moms i would see at PTA but for some reason in response to the frustrating but not completely horrible situation, they were acting so atrociously. finally, the mother of the teenage daughter shouted one of the most vile phrases i've ever heard at one of the police officers. my soul was aching because poor athena blythe was in distress and was also being subjected what i would consider HBO level crass language by fellow women and mothers. i felt like my teammates were letting me down. we finally crossed and as i passed the officer i loudly shouted with a smile, "thank you for being here today!" i'm sure it only annoyed the other women there but i couldn't leave those officers thinking everyone was attacking them. i dragged athena blythe across the street as fast as i could to get away from those women so we would not be stuck with them at another crosswalk. the next place to cross was at the end of a tunnel where dozens of families were waiting out the rain. i didn't stop there. i couldn't imagine risking another terrible scene. i picked up athena blythe and put her on my shoulder and ran all the way to our car in the downpour while everyone in the tunnel watched. what had started as such a promising activity turned into a distressing event.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">that was the day i finally had a more complete understanding of "meekness is power under control". satan tries to imitate anything good in order to trick us. in that situation, those women thought they were being powerful because they were loudly expressing themselves. but that's not true power at all. there's no power in being impatient with inconvenience! true power is being meek enough to not lose control in a stressful situation. true power is making a difficult situation better, even if it is only through patient words. true power is the knowledge that i'm a daughter of Heavenly Father and i was entrusted with the job of caring for my children. i could have succumbed to anger and weakness and screaming. i was sorely tempted to! but that's not power. satan wants us to think that is power, but those women were so weak, only thinking of themselves and using language that no one should be using. i'm no longer angry at them. i'm sad for them. sad that something as unfulfilling as losing control and hurting another person has taken root in their heart as a expression of power. i hope that incident was very out of character for them too. i won't lie and say that i never lose my cool or say things i can't take back. that happens more than i'd like to admit. but that day i recognized something in myself that i wanted to feel again, </span><span style="font-size: large;">to not let stress turn me into a person i don't like or recognize, </span><span style="font-size: large;">the ability to have power under control, .</span><br />
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heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-9235215155394216982019-09-16T12:01:00.000-04:002019-09-16T12:07:08.411-04:00spring breaking records<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">i will finish this blog post i started in APRIL!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we had spring break and while thomas's schedule rarely allows for any type of extended getaway, my personal view on school holidays is an activity a day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the first day of spring break was march 29th and we did some serious yard work. our backyard is still a wasteland of trees and dirt but we are slowly but surely making headway on my 3 year yard transformation plan. we spent a good chunk of the day in the yard getting our 2nd half of winter leaves raked up, plus all the spring storm limbs gathered and bagged. i'm pretty proud of the efforts these guys put forth. it was a LOT of dirty, tedious work and the two big kids especially pulled their weight. i think that's a hard concept to teach kids; pulling their weight. often i think we confuse things being difficult and uncomfortable with completing actual work. work is all that plus an actual change in a situation. reagan was really getting the hang of actual leaf raking after many years of practicing and scarlett is always my right hand man. herschel picked up about a million acorns and athena blythe was present. </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g8rzZrAUfgo/XLTxTzjdd4I/AAAAAAAAOLk/36EhaDUY3IQJA6MNWrkMac8p_1S0it7TACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7936.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g8rzZrAUfgo/XLTxTzjdd4I/AAAAAAAAOLk/36EhaDUY3IQJA6MNWrkMac8p_1S0it7TACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7936.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we had mcdonalds for lunch as a prize and i hope the novelty of mcdonalds never wears off. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">i was proudly filthy. being dirty always feels like a sense of accomplishment to me. </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t4hHur9msBA/XLTxWWg68UI/AAAAAAAAOLs/1dlwenFaqDIy0QfIeAuBlelPS1h0OmFzQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7943.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t4hHur9msBA/XLTxWWg68UI/AAAAAAAAOLs/1dlwenFaqDIy0QfIeAuBlelPS1h0OmFzQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7943.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">on saturday, we took a day trip to greenville, south carolina and told none of our greenville friends. we just wanted a day to explore that fun little town again with no schedule or expectations.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">probably one of my favorite pictures of all time ever:</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AkxZvga8WAI/XLTypCX9CNI/AAAAAAAAONU/u0a9HTIoV8Mbor7sy3yeZ40fs0383SQFACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7998.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AkxZvga8WAI/XLTypCX9CNI/AAAAAAAAONU/u0a9HTIoV8Mbor7sy3yeZ40fs0383SQFACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7998.PNG" width="358" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">sometimes i forget to give thomas the "let's not buy our just kids anything" pep talk. maybe i secretly enjoy seeing him indulge his children in their fancies. i once got a souvenir "life's a beach" mug from an overpriced shop in the mountains of colorado and i loved and cherished that mug for years until it met it's untimely demise on the kitchen floor. that hideously cheap looking chase dog is proudly displayed on herschel's bed every day. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we recreated a photo from 2010 in this exact same spot, except i cannot find that original photo. when i do, i'll add it here.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t2VIsLioNXs/XLTxqGqNtaI/AAAAAAAAOMA/oysH72bCnaklt-77hCaf8Z7_ATASOEQGACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t2VIsLioNXs/XLTxqGqNtaI/AAAAAAAAOMA/oysH72bCnaklt-77hCaf8Z7_ATASOEQGACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7964.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">every party needs a pooper:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">finding the downtown mice was new for hersch </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmpL6moUZ6I/XLTyM3OqzFI/AAAAAAAAOMs/8bF2rJypGPASvRlBLZu76zA_gsuTjP7TgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kmpL6moUZ6I/XLTyM3OqzFI/AAAAAAAAOMs/8bF2rJypGPASvRlBLZu76zA_gsuTjP7TgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7986.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this is a newer revitalized area that thomas helped do some of the legal work for:</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V7ND5Hi0K7w/XLTylZMi6vI/AAAAAAAAONM/MmlKvgVzMW0VDIMYw6zjt1hEbAzaAoRsQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7995.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-V7ND5Hi0K7w/XLTylZMi6vI/AAAAAAAAONM/MmlKvgVzMW0VDIMYw6zjt1hEbAzaAoRsQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7995.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">spring break sunday with that dang chase dog at church. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6HBRToc8uA/XLTykBo0LdI/AAAAAAAAONI/ChVwk_U73OMXeBWanz0AtSBMZD0S0YvIgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6HBRToc8uA/XLTykBo0LdI/AAAAAAAAONI/ChVwk_U73OMXeBWanz0AtSBMZD0S0YvIgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8005.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">on monday we met up with friends at a local park and had a GIANT nerf dart gun war. it was so fun that i want to do it again and again. author's note: we have not done it since but perhaps when it cools down again running around at the park will hold more appeal.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eVdi3r6sHBQ/XLTzvdX198I/AAAAAAAAON0/fsSl_IOy27MvfRW2KHn0zIRePZEfZaTlwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eVdi3r6sHBQ/XLTzvdX198I/AAAAAAAAON0/fsSl_IOy27MvfRW2KHn0zIRePZEfZaTlwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8016.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the whole crew. everyone claimed they won and for that i am grateful. "i just hope they all win" sandy beck</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">something happened on tuesday and i cannot for the life of me remember what is was. probably because i waited 6 months to record our venture. i feel like it involved scooters? or did we see a movie at the cheap theater? i bet that was it. i seem to recall sitting in terrible traffic because atlanta happens to always have terrible traffic, especially during spring break and then taking a nap at the theater and the kids dancing to the end credits to whatever animated gibberish i had been subjected too. smallfoot rings a bell. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">wednesday we did bogan park aquatic center. an over stimulation of sounds, smells and body parts. i do not understand why parents allow their children(under 18 is children) to wear thong swimsuits. i was having an anxiety attack each time a particular youth jumped off the diving board. it was a combination of fear and pain. this youth's mother was present. my occupation as judgy mcjudgerson is safe for the time being.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this is what happens when we don't properly secure scarlett's hair for swimming. it must be braided and then tightly bunned. a swim cap is always nice too.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJfkIETrhO0/XLT0mpv8w_I/AAAAAAAAOOw/6upDkIJTdYMqoMcu_4wBnKmdy9qGvgwjgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rJfkIETrhO0/XLT0mpv8w_I/AAAAAAAAOOw/6upDkIJTdYMqoMcu_4wBnKmdy9qGvgwjgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8035.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">thursday night we went to the stone mountain laser light show for the first time and it certainly won't be our last. we all loved it. it was cheesy and corny but also delightful and stirring. there is much to know and contemplate about Georgia history.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">also, pollen season was especially bad this year. this is the result of me walking from the front door to my car. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">friday night we drove over to athens for a little overnighter. athena blythe has been begging to stay at a hotel and we haven't spent really any time in athens even though we are in rather close proximity to athens. we figured a trip to her namesake city would be appropriate for athena blythe's hotel stay.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we at dinner at the hotel restaurant and then explored the downtown area. there was a late night cookie shop that fit the bill for our family's needs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">athena blythe loved the hotel water bottles and wrote letters on the hotel stationary. i wish i could say her hotel appetite was sated but the stay only proved to fan the flame of her hospitality desire. now herschel asks to take "bacations" every weekend too.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">she packed this suitcase full of junk and wrote on it in sharpie, "blythe and scarlett"</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zMM1LbyPPuQ/XLT1WxvRGmI/AAAAAAAAOQE/L2GiBqfaxiwdkSlCn51EnXVsc4JYKdTaQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zMM1LbyPPuQ/XLT1WxvRGmI/AAAAAAAAOQE/L2GiBqfaxiwdkSlCn51EnXVsc4JYKdTaQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8072.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">looking out the window at the athena stature.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">thomas enjoyed taking the kids on a tour of all his university of Georgia memories.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCE8JWc5lpc/XLT1brRYhmI/AAAAAAAAOQQ/FY_Ju8ccUU0IWOGQx5WmS7CsKpKvVEP1ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cCE8JWc5lpc/XLT1brRYhmI/AAAAAAAAOQQ/FY_Ju8ccUU0IWOGQx5WmS7CsKpKvVEP1ACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8075.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this is worth a zoom in:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">herschel recognized his name on the walls of the stadium.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">there was a dad with his daughter in the student center. he was wearing head to toe alabama stuff and his daughter was wearing Georgia stuff. i feel like we were the same family. i shouted to him ROLL TIDE ROLL! and he shouted it right back. thomas was in the bathroom for this exchange. </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ICicYVdg1BQ/XLT184Od8_I/AAAAAAAAORI/_7OY9G-drYkWEkazzLs9TWIRRDOVBrJ8ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_8085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ICicYVdg1BQ/XLT184Od8_I/AAAAAAAAORI/_7OY9G-drYkWEkazzLs9TWIRRDOVBrJ8ACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_8085.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the family allegiance breakdown outside of BYU fandom goes like this:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">thomas-georgia</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">heidi-alabama</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan-sometimes alabama if he's in the mood but he really likes texas, iowa, oklahoma and mizzou for no good reason at all. sometimes he likes to say he doesn't like BYU just to be a defiant teenager.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">scarlett- georgia</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">athena blythe- alabama because she has no opinion and thomas has two kids to indoctrinate and otherwise i only get a lukewarm one child who really doesn't want to go along with anything his parents like(darn you reagan if you're reading this!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">herschel- georgia, because it would be blasphemy if it was anything else. i will even buy him little 34 herschel walker jerseys because it's so cute.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span id="goog_1863548468"></span><span id="goog_1863548469"></span>the end</span></div>
<br />heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-88388410627215855962019-09-09T12:43:00.002-04:002019-09-09T12:43:45.514-04:00things that stay<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">the schedule:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">july 14th- spoke in sacrament meeting, taught laurels class</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">july 21- taught adult sunday school</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">july 28- taught laurels</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">july 30- in charge of personal progress activity for all young women</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">august 4- taught youth sunday school</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">august 11- taught laurels</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">august 18- main speaker at bishop youth discussion</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">august 23- taught laurels</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">sept 1- taught primary class</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">september 3- in charge of laurels planning meeting</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">september 8- taught laurels</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the past 8 weeks have been incredibly busy. not only preparing everything that is required for back to school but i have been teaching SOMETHING at church every single week. some weeks more than one thing. it was great. i truly loved it. if i'm going to be busy, i'd prefer for it to be spiritual preparation busy. i feel like the majority of my life is rather draining. that's just the nature of the beast while raising children. however, i've found that scripture study and lesson preparation are things that will never drain me. tired, absolutely. but not drained. study is a thing that stays with me. even when i'm exhausted by the time and effort that goes into preparing and understanding and pondering the direction a lesson or a talk or an activity needs to go, i'm not drained. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">for a really long time, i've allowed myself to have a bit limited in my scripture study because i do have so many young children. it was still happening but as time went on, i realized that i could be doing more. i think everyone should do as much as they can and sometimes it's just a snippet here and there everyday. in the past few years, i've found there are lots of little pockets of time in my day for scripture study via listening. 10 minutes to listen on my way to the grocery story. i used to dread listening to anything but music while running or exercising, but 2 conference talks goes by really quickly while running. if it's a weightlifting day, 5 minutes of listening while warming up and 5-10 minutes of listening while stretching equals 1 conference talk. these small efforts have compounded into an overall better feeling about my day. I AM YELLING LESS! that's something i do want to shout about! if i want something to feel better, turning to the Lord by listening to His word makes even hard things seem doable. i don't even have to be strenuously striving to glean information. oftentimes it's simply having the word on and my mind is allowed to absorb and wander to where it needs to go. there are still plenty of hard days. last week i had a day so chaotic that everything was turning into a comedy of errors. but i held it together because i had already invited the Spirit into my day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">also, reagan gave his first talk in sacrament meeting yesterday. he wrote it himself. i did a little supervising for content. he hand wrote it on notebook paper and then i had him type it out. we printed out two copies and i brought the hand written original. i was taking no chances. we got the the chapel early enough so that he would have a chance to practice speaking slowly and distinctly and modulate his voice for a microphone. </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4qqg5EAfWnA/XXZ9QrTvLVI/AAAAAAAAOZE/bMd1I-PpSQYwu4YtHAwOBnlmE-9_46WCQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1318.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4qqg5EAfWnA/XXZ9QrTvLVI/AAAAAAAAOZE/bMd1I-PpSQYwu4YtHAwOBnlmE-9_46WCQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_1318.PNG" width="358" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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i will covertly take pictures in the chapel till i die. go ahead and judge me.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i was pretty nervous that there might be some last minute revelation from the pulpit but he stuck to the script and for that i was relieved. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hello my name
is Reagan and Ive been asked to give a talk about how I feel about Jesus which
is happy. Because I pray to heavenly father in the name of Jesus Christ. And I
also pray to when I need help. One time I lost my favorite chick hicks car. I prayed
to know where to look. Then I listened to know where to look. My mom and I looked
in the backseat of my car and there it was. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Also, I love going to young mens young mens
because I do lessons with my friends as a group. We are learning about Jesus
and being brave men. I can help my family with scriptures every day. Sometimes I
get bored from it but It’s the right thing to do. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have the
best young men teachers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And I say
these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;">my favorite line is "how i feel about Jesus which is happy". </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 21.3333px;">Jesus makes me happy too. </span></span></div>
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heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-14380063132043299602019-08-10T17:43:00.000-04:002019-08-10T17:43:32.541-04:00is this thing on?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">summer is over and the kids are back in school. nothing has been recorded for posterity but much has been accomplished. i'm proud of our summer. i normally have a nervous breakdown in july because of stress and too much togetherness and heat but we stayed busy enough but laid back enough and the kids were independent enough that i held it together. enjoyed myself even. families are forever and all that good stuff.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i plan on getting the last 4 months recorded but here is this week:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">athena blythe's school did a bingo reading challenge with a kindle fire as the big prize. the final square she needed to check off was to read instructions for a science experiment. thomas helped her put together a mininature volcano.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the kids started school on monday. athena blythe is in 2nd grade. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUUKhrOPig4/XUzIvPG2npI/AAAAAAAAOWM/hOxv1EWRXkEIJ6NLHgZyOTN13veqLXzWQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KUUKhrOPig4/XUzIvPG2npI/AAAAAAAAOWM/hOxv1EWRXkEIJ6NLHgZyOTN13veqLXzWQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0749.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this is our bus stop crew. we're only missing 3 kids. the yearbook always has a first day of school picture section full of submissions from parents. i'm determined to get athena blythe in the yearbook as much as possible this year. for a book that costs $54234, my kid better be featured on every dang page. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZp-62J8v_M/XUzJH3AxXqI/AAAAAAAAOWo/lvJ70NZYP0E2YlyxWFdzuJ1YiMcmV_HcwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZp-62J8v_M/XUzJH3AxXqI/AAAAAAAAOWo/lvJ70NZYP0E2YlyxWFdzuJ1YiMcmV_HcwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0760.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this is the last year of the big kids together at the middle school. reagan is in 8th. scarlett is in 7th. they are both taking theater classes. reagan is not excited about it but i think he'll come around. i don't think he realizes all his puppet shows that he puts on are actually theatrical productions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">herschel was pretty disappointed that his school wasn't starting yet. i picked up a puzzle for him and we had our own school time that morning. i've figured out that all of my kids just want their own alone time with mom or dad. i recall sitting close to either one of my parents and imagining what it would be like to be an only child. bliss. it would be bliss. i probably wouldn't have had to wear those hand me down from my aunt jean shorts that were secured with a cloth diaper safety pin that was shaped like a pastel duck, that's for sure. but i also probably wouldn't have been forced to develop this sparkling personality to help people see past my duck safety pin. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fEtuzLhZ_dA/XUzJdBvE1qI/AAAAAAAAOW8/WKe0UfaDwiI8wbNYzlwNDLnyuUdKARctwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fEtuzLhZ_dA/XUzJdBvE1qI/AAAAAAAAOW8/WKe0UfaDwiI8wbNYzlwNDLnyuUdKARctwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0778.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">only child adventures continued for the next few days. hersch is not a strong bike rider because our house is at the mid point of a hill and more than a few of our neighbors are less than neighborly speeders. did i tell you about the time i confronted the parent of one particularly obnoxious speeder after the son flew down the hill going about 50 while all the kids were waiting for the bus? i never lost my cool but the guy is a raging, chronic nincompoop. he defended his son's flouting of the law and if he just happens to find a bunch of bleached spots on his lawn and remnants of water balloons, i don't know who it was. my favorite part of motherhood is how fearless you become. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LDG92NtYmGI/XUzJelzD-FI/AAAAAAAAOXE/yLq1aUjtZWoO9UgoAx2Y1sb-Aj5a07NagCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0783.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LDG92NtYmGI/XUzJelzD-FI/AAAAAAAAOXE/yLq1aUjtZWoO9UgoAx2Y1sb-Aj5a07NagCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0783.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">if you have to indulge your child with some lunchables because they still have woefully underdeveloped kid taste buds, go for the nachos pack. i don't mind finishing off tiny tortilla chips and gas station style nacho cheese. it's way better than those watery ham slices and rubbery cheese squares that are probably more useful being thrown at a certain neighbor's house in hopes of attracting all the neighborhood cats and dogs. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">in typical athena blythe industrious fashion, she smuggled home some of the celery from her school lunch into her empty uncrustables bag so that she could make bumps on a log for her after school snack. "celery only tastes good with peanut butter and chocolate chips."</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sBR15G0qKLU/XUzJdzJDS3I/AAAAAAAAOXA/oG4975pyemoOZvycOWaMr66_wqmntNVUACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sBR15G0qKLU/XUzJdzJDS3I/AAAAAAAAOXA/oG4975pyemoOZvycOWaMr66_wqmntNVUACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_0790.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">later i found a small bite taken out of each celery stick and the peanut butter and chocolate chips licked away.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">that was our first week. i haven't received any emails about behavior or antics. most of our activities haven't spiraled out of control yet, so i'm enjoying this brief reprieve for the time being.</span></div>
heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-16332251975278189602019-03-27T12:13:00.002-04:002019-03-27T12:16:31.482-04:00birthday boys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">herschel turned 4 on february 4th and reagan turned 14 on march 16th! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">just a quick recap, i made an ugly cake for herschel. he was quick to let me know it was a thumbs down. i have to agree. thumbs down for effort but thumbs up for effort. the bottom was a brownie layer and the top was cake with a buttercream frosting all over. the next day when it was all falling apart and had sat in the fridge all night, it tasted perfect. secrets revealed, everything tastes better the next day. except spaghetti noodles. just toss the old ones and make a fresh batch.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nHKHOfcd7GA/XJp1ViVRmuI/AAAAAAAAOJM/9ahll2uWN2IidWsF20_9vF1QBdhPawc-gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nHKHOfcd7GA/XJp1ViVRmuI/AAAAAAAAOJM/9ahll2uWN2IidWsF20_9vF1QBdhPawc-gCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7213.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i told hersch that we would plan an actual friends party, but time got away from me so we had one little friend over for dinner on sunday and he was appeased with that friend party.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dmSzmBCrneM/XJp1bRpf7RI/AAAAAAAAOJY/WvHUYW3FuIQjzOD4i2-TJK2SrCyHKJT2gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dmSzmBCrneM/XJp1bRpf7RI/AAAAAAAAOJY/WvHUYW3FuIQjzOD4i2-TJK2SrCyHKJT2gCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7234.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">customary breakfast present opening.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2UYG9joFYus/XJp1mtAR_tI/AAAAAAAAOJk/IhHYuTqPPFEew9DcM801hrNBGgNiafPiACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2UYG9joFYus/XJp1mtAR_tI/AAAAAAAAOJk/IhHYuTqPPFEew9DcM801hrNBGgNiafPiACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7238.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WExe1iopf0o/XJp1nupNMrI/AAAAAAAAOJw/Mg2_KRw0D94d0CfzlduEzTLNrYjVoR5AQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WExe1iopf0o/XJp1nupNMrI/AAAAAAAAOJw/Mg2_KRw0D94d0CfzlduEzTLNrYjVoR5AQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7239.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">herschel is really into transformers right now so he got a bunch of those. it only took me a solid weekend to master changing them back and forth from trucks and cars into "wobots". the best day came a few weeks later when herschel himself learned how to transform those tricky little rascals. 4th child learns his fine motor skills through daily survival of older siblings and despite old, tired, borderline educationally neglectful parents. hersch also received a tyrannosaurus rex backpack. since a t-rex's arms are pretty much useless, it's apropos that this little bag is pretty useless too as it will only accommodate three or four hot wheels cars. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCUfElAK3e0/XJp1oYxJD0I/AAAAAAAAOJ0/uV2TkNAvzSELnoDh6YxxM4vBNdi-c_6RQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCUfElAK3e0/XJp1oYxJD0I/AAAAAAAAOJ0/uV2TkNAvzSELnoDh6YxxM4vBNdi-c_6RQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7241.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">loving a 4 year old is like running in the wind. happy 4 year old and the wind is at your back and you're loving life. grumpy 4 year old is like running into the wind and that's the only way home. you can do it, but pretty soon everyone is crying. those are my deep thoughts of the day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">on hersch's actual day of birth, i took all the kids to the park after school and we ate chik-fil-a. the wind was at my back. </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zZQ15ZxYSu0/XJp1sWaKLlI/AAAAAAAAOKA/JgG_QLFKRc8sFsxIPIVchboFT-dhh-GqQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zZQ15ZxYSu0/XJp1sWaKLlI/AAAAAAAAOKA/JgG_QLFKRc8sFsxIPIVchboFT-dhh-GqQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7249.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">for reagan's birthday more than a month later, we had a "sunday dinner party" at reagan's request. he was very specific about menu and guests and the date. not on the actual day or even the same week. he made sure to invite families that had kids that athena blythe and hersch and scarlett could hang out with too. thoughtfulness is not something i expected from this teenager.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">he wanted a chocolate mickey mouse cake. i made the vanilla for funsies and then a bunch of blondies. the blondies were the big hit. next time i'll just make tray and trays of those. i spent all day saturday getting ready which included making 5 pans of baked ziti and all the meatballs that costco had in stock. i must love reagan because i am still tired just thinking about it. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2-IoBltU3hc/XJpuePNePdI/AAAAAAAAOFE/J_Cue0OL61QT_4K__zW1aRV_1F1RXM8FQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7827.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2-IoBltU3hc/XJpuePNePdI/AAAAAAAAOFE/J_Cue0OL61QT_4K__zW1aRV_1F1RXM8FQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7827.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i'm always humbled by all the people who show up to support reagan. final count was 35 people. most were wearing green.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s7Ayj3jwMn0/XJpucqEJhbI/AAAAAAAAOFA/GWLHD5G_4dYQhfD-pDqH9WiyVaRW0VPvACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s7Ayj3jwMn0/XJpucqEJhbI/AAAAAAAAOFA/GWLHD5G_4dYQhfD-pDqH9WiyVaRW0VPvACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7828.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QH20SbRzTuk/XJpufadyxyI/AAAAAAAAOFM/ebYkF5EGEHY8RHSyM6hfHgc8xNe3ViGkgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7829.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QH20SbRzTuk/XJpufadyxyI/AAAAAAAAOFM/ebYkF5EGEHY8RHSyM6hfHgc8xNe3ViGkgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7829.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hAx9uQJSqUE/XJpunSiiomI/AAAAAAAAOFY/17CZ7L2tIBUuFO5S5lsuZogqY8IbSUAtgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hAx9uQJSqUE/XJpunSiiomI/AAAAAAAAOFY/17CZ7L2tIBUuFO5S5lsuZogqY8IbSUAtgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7830.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and then a lone clemson fan came just to taunt me. but you can't affect me like that. i am titanium. alabama is down but not out. </span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xxWeK3H4L70/XJpuoXSxWRI/AAAAAAAAOFc/dUlvr7_R9RoBHkP9P02zQgEEMqEgdvnrgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xxWeK3H4L70/XJpuoXSxWRI/AAAAAAAAOFc/dUlvr7_R9RoBHkP9P02zQgEEMqEgdvnrgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7831.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wGYmcOTuX9Q/XJpvHhpBv5I/AAAAAAAAOF8/SrIK8ljAoS05_lN87W0xQeifufHYGeZuACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wGYmcOTuX9Q/XJpvHhpBv5I/AAAAAAAAOF8/SrIK8ljAoS05_lN87W0xQeifufHYGeZuACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7836.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">still not able to grow grass this year either thanks for the copious amounts of rain washing our backyard away.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V5D8ERq2P6M/XJpvT0Dxw7I/AAAAAAAAOGI/bgYpjghQrkYz1PzKiumaWH8oyg87XAp_wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7838.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V5D8ERq2P6M/XJpvT0Dxw7I/AAAAAAAAOGI/bgYpjghQrkYz1PzKiumaWH8oyg87XAp_wCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7838.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i62cF54EkP8/XJpvc3nriII/AAAAAAAAOGU/tgVhZIfu4g4G-poYBR5VhF2jAlCoVOsCQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i62cF54EkP8/XJpvc3nriII/AAAAAAAAOGU/tgVhZIfu4g4G-poYBR5VhF2jAlCoVOsCQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7839.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">costco had alllllll sizes of adidas three stripe pants in stock this week so everyone now has a pair. we wore them in honor of reagan. he's right. let's just wear comfortable things! reagan's tie and sweats combo just proclaims, "it's a party but i also plan on eating cake".</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3hpoHC7BYS8/XJpvt-2rH9I/AAAAAAAAOGo/y44uN0KrQvAIM28cNHvmCisxI2yeojTAwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3hpoHC7BYS8/XJpvt-2rH9I/AAAAAAAAOGo/y44uN0KrQvAIM28cNHvmCisxI2yeojTAwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7844.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">just in case this is as good as it gets, expect this same picture in december with the caption:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> merry christmas from the simpsons!</span></div>
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<br />heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-52621610264679543822019-03-12T12:41:00.000-04:002019-03-12T12:41:15.151-04:00tuesdays with reagan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"> i had a dental hygienist ask me once what "reagan's special autism trick is". it was a rude and stereotyping question and yet she wasn't trying to be insensitive. she was working with what she knew from pop culture. there's no such thing as people with autism all possessing impressive parlor trick. some people blessed with autism have incredible and unusual capabilities, but like the rest of us, most special people are rather ordinary. </span><span style="font-size: large;">reagan does have an affinity for routines and schedules. </span><span style="font-size: large;">i've almost become immune to a lot of his idiosyncrasies that keep him feeling regulated and balanced. i feel that his autism allows him to tap into something that a lot of us dismiss because of busy schedules or our innate flexibility. being a creature of habit can be very comforting when we are overwhelmed with our lives. i have to say to myself often when i'm angry or feel overly emotional, "what has changed in my life or what did i miss doing today that helps me feel regulated?" oftentimes it's as simple making my bed and checking that box. my brain can continue in a productive path once a few self soothing habits have been completed. taking and nap, eating something when i'm hungry are high on my list. reading scriptures not only has spiritual benefits but taking time to sit quietly and read removes me from too much chaos from a very loud world. i am able to reset and better self-regulate. reagan's rigidity can often be frustrating to deal with but it's also amazing to watch a body take care of itself in the best way it knows how. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">one reaganism that happens every day of the week is when he opens shop each morning. reagan gets up without fail at 6am(or before and we both pretend he's not) and turns on his signage and turns around the three framed photos on his shelving unit. then, right at bedtime, reagan closes up shop and turns off his sign and turns his frames around to face the wall again. closed for the night. the pictures in the frames look a bit random but he scoured the blog a few years ago and decided that these were his favorite family photos. 1. when reagan "sold" ants and acorn pancakes by the side of the road. 2. a very non-posed journalistic</span><span style="font-size: large;"> style photo of the whole family getting ready to go into target for back to school shopping. 3. dad holding herschel on his blessing day. the fourth photo he loves is on top of his dresser. it's terribly blurry and it's of our whole family when herschel had just come home from the hospital. we are at pinewood derby and it might be the worst picture of us ever. </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P4MnCL_jq0U/XIfKhlnaxRI/AAAAAAAAOBU/xNwEKXxZ0qgBQnufgmal-BJN4Q6cRth5QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7625.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P4MnCL_jq0U/XIfKhlnaxRI/AAAAAAAAOBU/xNwEKXxZ0qgBQnufgmal-BJN4Q6cRth5QCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7625.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan also religiously checks the weather report each morning(or more often if there's rain in the forecast to check for lightning bolts or signs of improvement</span><span style="font-size: large;">). this ensures for him that he will be able to go outside to the backyard the minute he gets home from school so that he can stim and hop around and sing songs and decompress to his heart's delight. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan also announces every day at 3:56 that it is 3:56 by shouting, "my old number!" 356 was his car ride pass number for 2 years in elementary school. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">if you ever got a bad not in school or a speeding ticket, he wants to talk about it often and with details so he can understand how these clearly preventable things happen.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">all of the remote controls in the house are checked throughout the day to ensure battery viability and to make sure they have been placed in the very precise proper position so that they never get lost. reagan likes to have at least one full jumbo box of AA batteries on hand at all times so that nothing interrupts his television routine. otherwise, i hear numerous times throughout the day, "are you going to the store to get more batteries!?"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan is just recently warming to the concept of staying up past bedtime as a fun tradition on weekends. otherwise it is 8pm sharp and he will put himself to bed. he still requires me to sing to him every night and it is a delight. i hope i get to sing to my 40 year old son each night someday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan is known for wearing his three stripe adidas pants nearly every day of the week. he even has a certain color pair that needs to be worn on certain days. he plans all week to make sure that on thursday he is wearing an electric blue with green stripe pair and on friday he is wearing a black pair. and not just any black pair. he prefers a ratty, old heavyweight pair. he's moved up to men's sizes and he does not like the weight of the men's size pant. it has taken a bit of coaxing to convince him to add them to the rotation. the new navy blue pair has required even more coaxing and i still can only get him to wear them on saturdays, despite the fact they are his nicest pair. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this brings us to jeans tuesdays.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">inexplicably, reagan has deemed jeans appropriate wear for tuesdays. i'm not sure the origination of jeans tuesdays, but somewhere along the way, jeans must have been required for a school event on a tuesday or this is simply his way of silently protesting wearing jeans casual fridays. nothing disrupts wearing black pants on fridays. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">jeans tuesday has become a special day for reagan. he has an extra particular plan about how he spends his tuesdays. this is a picture of him in his only pair of jeans, blocking access to the chocolate milk:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">access to chocolate milk on tuesdays is a big deal because if you check reagan's planner, </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d3mMCiLa_Hg/XIfI4976bHI/AAAAAAAAOA4/WyjgIol4pOYdXgDzZaGeiwvnHUKMOiEcQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7624.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d3mMCiLa_Hg/XIfI4976bHI/AAAAAAAAOA4/WyjgIol4pOYdXgDzZaGeiwvnHUKMOiEcQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7624.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(that's how reagan writes on the fly. clearly, all that extra practice is paying off. sarcasm we're so proud.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">tuesdays he has specifically scheduled his quiet time. quiet time is when i take the three other kids to scarlett's drama class in the next town over and we are gone for a considerable amount of time because of distance and rush hour traffic. reagan stays home and he drinks copious amounts of chocolate milk and watches a disney pixar movie that he has seen 546380942520T5482 times. he's always very concerned about the chocolate milk levels because he knows i only buy chocolate milk once a week and it has to be properly rationed to ensure supreme quiet time enjoyment.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SdshaRFzMDA/XIfI3X10M8I/AAAAAAAAOA0/C4KMP_x-WgYXKIvoFUV3Pgjv-RtoWlgawCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7623.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SdshaRFzMDA/XIfI3X10M8I/AAAAAAAAOA0/C4KMP_x-WgYXKIvoFUV3Pgjv-RtoWlgawCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7623.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we also have hamburgers and hot dogs and french fries at 430pm on tuesdays so that we can get to scarlett's class on time. that's more due to my schedule requests but reagan has no complaints. he loves hot dogs and i love easy meals on busy days. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">every day i wonder how i can take this love for scheduling and help reagan apply it in a real world job. i just don't know. but if you want to know the exact day of the week your birthday is on or what day christmas was on in 2012 and what presents reagan got that no one else could possibly recall or conversations we had over dinner that night, he's your guy. there has to be a profession that requires that skill. </span></div>
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<br />heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-30334832612799293452019-02-21T11:18:00.001-05:002019-02-21T11:18:17.828-05:00sometimes, i'm fun!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">to sum up the 3 and 1/2 days i was in salt lake city for my grandmother's funeral, i'll quote my dear mother. "heidi, you are so much fun when you are not around your kids!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and that is a 1000% correct statement. when i can shed the mom stress and constant autism awareness sound/room/activity/dog not on a leash scan, i can be fun. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">too bad it took my dearly departed grandma bonnie's funeral to allow me to enjoy myself. i often enjoy myself in my full-time motherhood, but it can be fleeting, because even during fun things, i'm on duty. i'm listening, i'm planning, i'm diffusing, i'm anticipating. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i flew into salt lake city from atlanta, which also should have been a terribly stressful experience, but traffic was heavy but i didn't have to sit at a stand still for too terribly long. i was concentrating so hard not not getting lost that i took an unnecessary tour of the international terminal. once i finally parked and made it to the correct terminal, i went through security in RECORD TIME. less than 15 minutes. i got several compliments on my red fur coat(which became the unofficial theme of my trip). i was at my gate in 30 minutes. traveling without children is a treat in itself! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i ate chips. i ate watermelon sour patch kids. i read a book. i looked out the window. i was having the time of my life and i was still in atlanta! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the flight was uneventful. i went out of my way to go to the other salt lake terminal to find the cafe rio. it was fantastic. i snarfled it down while my mom drove me around salt lake city!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">she showed me the house where my grandfather grew up and we saw elder holland's house. there was snow everywhere and it was quite the culture shock for me. i was still eating my cafe rio and enjoying the ambience of lovely salt lake city.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">my mom has the BEST VIEW from her condo and i only took video of it. but we were able to walk from her condo with views of the mountains and capital building and enjoy temple square and the shops at city creek. i did not buy anything. at. all. </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x_O33q_yOCM/XGWga721KfI/AAAAAAAAN7s/DjFRIVU8ThYV0ps8v57Y8QPpjapdR5E4gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-x_O33q_yOCM/XGWga721KfI/AAAAAAAAN7s/DjFRIVU8ThYV0ps8v57Y8QPpjapdR5E4gCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7018.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">it was cold, but just cold. not "murder your bones with a humid cold breeze" like the winters of my youth in kansas city. i do not miss that. occasionally we will have days like that in atlanta and i rock myself back and forth saying, "you don't have to go back. you don't have to go back". then the next day will be 55 again and my mantra has staved off winter for a few more weeks. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this is president nelson's apartment building. you can tell which one is his because of all the bullet proof glass.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OYhVOFoVYLs/XGWgfnN0lXI/AAAAAAAAN70/V3JaEnZKN0Ma6eY9mYqrytKtdpu8usDPwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OYhVOFoVYLs/XGWgfnN0lXI/AAAAAAAAN70/V3JaEnZKN0Ma6eY9mYqrytKtdpu8usDPwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7019.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">friday morning, my mom and my little brother mark and i went to the bountiful temple to do a session. i had not been back in 16 1/2 years since my one and only visit to the bountiful temple on my wedding day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZI91jNXJXJo/XGWghlVTVCI/AAAAAAAAN78/WblHth5qhWQUb0QvS6x0MOxZ0ytkuKToQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZI91jNXJXJo/XGWghlVTVCI/AAAAAAAAN78/WblHth5qhWQUb0QvS6x0MOxZ0ytkuKToQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7022.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ek1BHx_91Vw/XFHZ0J8ZuzI/AAAAAAAANsk/EG9ewQ6InXsERSyLFzZOv_7kJ6jBskZ4QCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ek1BHx_91Vw/XFHZ0J8ZuzI/AAAAAAAANsk/EG9ewQ6InXsERSyLFzZOv_7kJ6jBskZ4QCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7028.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">afterward, my mom treated me to breakfast at the swig cookie shop because i had never been there before and i wanted to weigh in with my own well formulated opinions. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. the brownie with chocolate frosting was my favorite. it was a very dense, moist cookie with just enough frosting. not too overpowering for so much chocolate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. i also liked the peanut butter with chocolate frosting cookie. same positives. no real negatives. also a dense, moist chewy cookie. i just preferred the brownie over the peanut butter cookies. it was much better than the usual dried out sorry tasting sad peanut butter cookies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. the most famous of the cookies, the sugar cookie, was alright. not terrible. not a spiritual experience either. just a good cookie. way better than grocery store bakery cookies, which are horrific. the carnations of cookies. no one wants to eat those so stop bringing them to parties! they are chalky hockey pucks with crusty dried toothpaste consistency frosting. honor your mouth by thinking about what you are putting in it. other sugar cookies, nay but i would eat the swig sugar cookie again. </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e4-xZ0foH34/XGWgO4OapeI/AAAAAAAAN7o/k1aAfxhvDawOscavgP64XH4IPOZXDWzIwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-e4-xZ0foH34/XGWgO4OapeI/AAAAAAAAN7o/k1aAfxhvDawOscavgP64XH4IPOZXDWzIwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7041.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y55hqFAFcTo/XFHU-gmiBgI/AAAAAAAANl0/kQGOBOPtWuslGUrU3703oYLrrf_WAaayACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-y55hqFAFcTo/XFHU-gmiBgI/AAAAAAAANl0/kQGOBOPtWuslGUrU3703oYLrrf_WAaayACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7129.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">best stretchy but non jersey structured pencil skirt from......express! i know!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">later that day i rode the train down to see my dear, dear friend, emily, who just built a beautiful new house in saratoga springs. once again i struggled with the automated ticket computer. add it to the list of automated things that hate me, inluding and not limited to: self check out registers, garage door openers, and computer printers.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d6gQiyYsDng/XFHU54qHOOI/AAAAAAAANlc/sX-_7vddyh4DuZczY-vC5QBaZacIaXYiACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d6gQiyYsDng/XFHU54qHOOI/AAAAAAAANlc/sX-_7vddyh4DuZczY-vC5QBaZacIaXYiACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7124.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the crimson tide woolly mammoth enters the train:</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWnoYHYvRjw/XFHU7vhxJ4I/AAAAAAAANlg/6c15ewBrAY0zevRy4V6MUCQtzpNcVaM6ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KWnoYHYvRjw/XFHU7vhxJ4I/AAAAAAAANlg/6c15ewBrAY0zevRy4V6MUCQtzpNcVaM6ACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7125.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">my mom took this picture of me smiling and waving while inside the train:</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IPuKhqYgM8A/XFHU9lSi68I/AAAAAAAANlo/WYQJ5lqUbOIee0EIk1oEw98urcG5cj6SgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IPuKhqYgM8A/XFHU9lSi68I/AAAAAAAANlo/WYQJ5lqUbOIee0EIk1oEw98urcG5cj6SgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7126.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">after an utterly delightful train ride where i looked out the window, read a book and eavesdropped on other conversations, i arrived at the station and my dear emily was there! it was a joyous reunion full of shouting and cheering and embarrassingly wonderful honking. i've never felt more alive in years! emily immediately treated me to a bunch of cookies at swig's newest competition, crumbl. i would have advised them to not spell crumbl like that but utah does have a weird spelling reputation. you know what i'm talking about, questin, corahleigh, and avenue(all real utah names). </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2pXbokxlL6U/XFHaOkCsEgI/AAAAAAAANss/aitaRmD4njob8ec4r7ULaPJMWZB4_g8qACEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2pXbokxlL6U/XFHaOkCsEgI/AAAAAAAANss/aitaRmD4njob8ec4r7ULaPJMWZB4_g8qACEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7056.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">emily is good for what ails you. we laughed and laughed and ate so many cookies and determined that crumbl is a better overall cookie, with a bit more crispy outside and cakier center. the crumbl sugar cookie base was superior because i could taste the real butter but the frosting had almond flavoring so it was DOA for me. it certainly wasn't a landslide and either cookie company would be welcome at our parties. i'm just thrilled that lame old cupcakes are not so trendy anymore. eating more than one cupcake is looked upon by naysayers as being impolite at parties but you can cut a hunk of cake to any size you like and it's still only one slice of cake.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SAeiUlXjFoE/XFHaaesrzyI/AAAAAAAANs0/Zrdq2d_JWSUPRq78jITwny6mdbm6bN-zgCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7057.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SAeiUlXjFoE/XFHaaesrzyI/AAAAAAAANs0/Zrdq2d_JWSUPRq78jITwny6mdbm6bN-zgCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7057.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">after i rode the train back to salt lake, we picked my sister up from the airport and my brother steve had also arrived and we all went to temple square to enjoy the church family history museum. i discovered this new to me artist that i LOVED, named jorge cocco. i need a print in my house asap. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zk82rAZ-yr8/XFHae3Dmg_I/AAAAAAAANs8/U_P-q4K3BIooqiDZMG20ARGL7af3WerDQCEwYBhgL/s1600/IMG_7063.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zk82rAZ-yr8/XFHae3Dmg_I/AAAAAAAANs8/U_P-q4K3BIooqiDZMG20ARGL7af3WerDQCEwYBhgL/s640/IMG_7063.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">president henry b. eyring's watercolors were on display and i decided that if president eyring, in all his busy schedule can find time to watercolor, then i can carve out more time and prioritize my own art projects and hobbies.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m4Rtjwn4dbg/XGWgiF2hj1I/AAAAAAAAN8A/Dz7aEzvcXLcqeGJCvWJtFfLPMIarFWJNwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m4Rtjwn4dbg/XGWgiF2hj1I/AAAAAAAAN8A/Dz7aEzvcXLcqeGJCvWJtFfLPMIarFWJNwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7061.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">a giant minerva teichert was on display. i have several small minerva prints on display at my house but i would love a huge wall mural. her style speaks to me. organized mess. close up it's scribbly, back up and it's precision. a bigger work is being done with that imprecise technique. that's how i feel i accomplish things in my own flawed approach to living. God takes my offering and makes it work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we had a small family dinner at a place called archibald's near gardner village. this is the only picture we took but i promise the whole fam damily was there. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">saturday was my grandma bonnie's funeral. i have so many thoughts about how she touched my life. i'll have to save it for another post. i think the best thing about funerals is that while we know someone wasn't perfect, we tend to share the really wonderful things they did. we don't canonize them, but we allow the frailties to fall to the wayside and concentrate on the good. and there was so much good in grandma bonnie's life. her funeral was balm to my motherhood weary soul. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i saw many wonderful family members and reconnected with so many of them and took exactly zero pictures. we took a family group shot and my eyes are completely shut. </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mc44-WqQepg/XG2AC5ylTuI/AAAAAAAAN9A/QgEk4rO-pNMyjvxcBgaLhbVtJQe3o4GQACLcBGAs/s1600/grandmafuneral.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mc44-WqQepg/XG2AC5ylTuI/AAAAAAAAN9A/QgEk4rO-pNMyjvxcBgaLhbVtJQe3o4GQACLcBGAs/s640/grandmafuneral.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">after the funeral, my mom, my sister, my brother steve and i went down to BYU.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">a 360 of the wilkinson student parking lot</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-019b12w-QUs/XFHWooWiT9I/AAAAAAAANnk/FpJcayvEWO4rZkIMVI7Eb_KDmxTVcqtaACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-019b12w-QUs/XFHWooWiT9I/AAAAAAAANnk/FpJcayvEWO4rZkIMVI7Eb_KDmxTVcqtaACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7071.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xsJ9pBl-ESI/XFHWppahMaI/AAAAAAAANno/IPASJEzDcBcdGvMahrsEpRfVIdteWozNgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7072.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xsJ9pBl-ESI/XFHWppahMaI/AAAAAAAANno/IPASJEzDcBcdGvMahrsEpRfVIdteWozNgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7072.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-33ubnyLTSjo/XFHWqHQYz0I/AAAAAAAANns/0-RT_N2QlecE3wHE3zG8Ng_qlzlLX_7uwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7073.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-33ubnyLTSjo/XFHWqHQYz0I/AAAAAAAANns/0-RT_N2QlecE3wHE3zG8Ng_qlzlLX_7uwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7073.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we visited the cougareat, or cou gare eee ut, which i believe to be the most correct pronunciation. we were all sad the L&T was closed.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UV-fTFXXtPw/XFHYWZ71vQI/AAAAAAAANqM/0KexoYa1C1MlurHy2vEl2w0GvFAcHXhLQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UV-fTFXXtPw/XFHYWZ71vQI/AAAAAAAANqM/0KexoYa1C1MlurHy2vEl2w0GvFAcHXhLQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7075.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">a blurry shot with cosmo:</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yD9ITiAhU6A/XFHYXNFzHEI/AAAAAAAANqQ/m1KMPkzG7zwR8GP7fdTpQOwoD5FuMJ9TQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7094.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yD9ITiAhU6A/XFHYXNFzHEI/AAAAAAAANqQ/m1KMPkzG7zwR8GP7fdTpQOwoD5FuMJ9TQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7094.PNG" width="358" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">by this point, i was receiving so many compliments on my crimson tide woolly mammoth coat that my mom was keeping track. which is good that my coat was such a hit because i only had four articles of clothing with me for the entire trip. things getting smelly and rumpled is the risk you take when you don't want to check a suitcase on a flight. i also did not wash my hair for the entire duration of the trip which i highly unusual for a sweaty daily hair washer like me, but utah is so dry that i didn't break a sweat once. i needed to reapply lotion every 5 minutes though and i felt like my face aged 10 years overnight from dryness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i couldn't decide what to buy so in my wisdom i bought nothing. i've discovered that as i've gotten older, NOT buying something is rather satisfying too. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">a coca-cola machine at the creamery!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">heather and my mom were not discussing the caffeinated coke machine but i think this is the most perfect picture i could take of two non-soda pop drinkers next to the caffeinated coke machine.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iNWXMaS_D0/XFHYTGwbtBI/AAAAAAAANqI/KQLBcA1FIqMBjkCc4bvzwxeibF5slUSyQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8iNWXMaS_D0/XFHYTGwbtBI/AAAAAAAANqI/KQLBcA1FIqMBjkCc4bvzwxeibF5slUSyQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7079.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">mom with all the out of state children in their natural ice cream eating habitat. no lactose intolerance for me that night! </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iukqIhjm-ug/XFHXjnTf8kI/AAAAAAAANpU/daIISdAZhykOk1htrJJZO-_0KjWjyde1QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iukqIhjm-ug/XFHXjnTf8kI/AAAAAAAANpU/daIISdAZhykOk1htrJJZO-_0KjWjyde1QCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7115.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">sunday morning was music and the spoken word at the tabernacle. it was amazing. live music that i can remain sitting down the whole time and enjoy is great. this is 38.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dd88E_iqLG0/XFHYcmBmAQI/AAAAAAAANqU/i5kHoPmNuuYIfpQUuNV9l8k8us8XUIEGQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dd88E_iqLG0/XFHYcmBmAQI/AAAAAAAANqU/i5kHoPmNuuYIfpQUuNV9l8k8us8XUIEGQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7095.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i'm also about halfway through the book, Saints: the standard of truth and simply looking at this building that was built so long ago by my pioneer brothers and sisters in the gospel is overwhelming and testimony sustaining at the same time. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xkODjoN7jP0/XFHXkD9PtUI/AAAAAAAANpY/ZW_5bgnPMj8wp2b5zjzSfA6Z6-FWObDtwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xkODjoN7jP0/XFHXkD9PtUI/AAAAAAAANpY/ZW_5bgnPMj8wp2b5zjzSfA6Z6-FWObDtwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7116.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TUI5XMH4Dsc/XFHYOAf3mwI/AAAAAAAANqA/mwopiICNPq8K1p6GGhkD7QFagoHzpD1ngCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TUI5XMH4Dsc/XFHYOAf3mwI/AAAAAAAANqA/mwopiICNPq8K1p6GGhkD7QFagoHzpD1ngCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7093.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">after we attended to music and the spoken word, we rushed back to attend church at my mom's ward at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. as we were sitting down on a pew, we looked up and realized that President Dallin H. Oaks was sitting on the stand next to the bishop and that his wife was sitting right in front of us. it was surreal. the first talk was kind of boring and i kid you not, President Oaks and his wife were sending veiled messages to each other through subtle hand gestures and prolonged meaningful eye contact and winks. they must have been talking about my fabulous coat! </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i thought all the excitement would be over after my mom dropped me off at the airport, but it was JUST BEGINNING. as i was sitting and reading a book at my gate and listening to the girl next to me discuss with her friend about her floundering MLM career, her overwhelming desire to get married soon but her hot tub-centric dates in park city were getting her nowhere and the struggles she was having with her female friend, MCKEEVER(the most utah sentence ever i've written), i happened to notice this gentleman just across the way. the fact that he was impeccably groomed and his clothes were obviously expensive is what first caught my attention. his hair was almost too good to be true. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5wUZauW3Auo/XFHYfAqswfI/AAAAAAAANqc/3RhIjtfYkUk1YnFm8hvoYyjvY1i0IZEoACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5wUZauW3Auo/XFHYfAqswfI/AAAAAAAANqc/3RhIjtfYkUk1YnFm8hvoYyjvY1i0IZEoACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7100.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">he was pretty slouched down the entire time which actually made me take notice of him more. it was like he was trying to hide. then i realized who i was looking at. JON HAMM! no one else seemed to notice him, but i propped my book up just so and took a few pictures so i'm completely positive i remained incognito.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">as i continued to stalk jon hamm's every move, he went from trying to hide to becoming progressively less and less slumped over and making fewer and fewer attempts to block his face and conceal his identity. it was almost as if his plan to not be noticed was working so well that his celebrity ego couldn't handle it any longer. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">jon hamm's preferred airport snack is a granny smith apple. stars! there just like us! eating! </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K-GfhT9fY9I/XFHYngBNuEI/AAAAAAAANqs/3KoXUFpVYrwubWmO9cJRg0aFhj8c0VHggCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7104.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1334" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K-GfhT9fY9I/XFHYngBNuEI/AAAAAAAANqs/3KoXUFpVYrwubWmO9cJRg0aFhj8c0VHggCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7104.PNG" width="358" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">note the bag in the seat next to jon hamm. there was nowhere else to sit at our very crowded gate so a man and his son approached jon hamm about moving his bag so one of them could sit down. as the father and son were talking to jon hamm, i could see that jon hamm's countenance dramatically transformed when he was approached. i think he thought he was going to be greeting some adoring fans and when the dad asked if he could move his bag, jon hamm's face visibly fell and he looked disappointed that the dad didn't think he was jon hamm, international celebrity, but merely jon hamm, only available airport seat hog. jon hamm later got up and walked over to another gate as his departure was announced. but i knew he was there!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">as i boarded the flight, even more drama ensued! about halfway through the flight, as i was munching on even more delicious cookies made for my trip home by my ever so thoughtful sister in law, shayla, a flight attendant got on the PA system and asked for any medical personnel to come to the center of the plane. from where i was, i could see that about 4 rows up, a man was having a pretty violent looking seizure. 2 women ran to the center of the plane and started doing all this doctory looking stuff to help stabilize the poor guy. it was really impressive to see all their training be utilized in such an unorthodox situation. the lady next to me jumped into action too. but not quite medical action. in small world fashion, i was seated on the plane next to someone that i kinda knew but didn't really know from church in atlanta. she has a reputation for being an earnest practitioner of essential oils. i have no issue with people using essential oils, but lets not bring a knife to a gunfight. this dear sister had a fanny pack around her waist that when she unzipped it, it expanded to three times its size, complete with transformers cartoon sound effects. the pack had multiple levels of dozens of bottles of essential oils and she went through and selected several. she then proceeded to try and get the doctor's attention but i think she finally grasped the severity of the situation and just held all the bottles in the air. i just kept eating my cookies and prayed that this guy would be okay. neither crumbl nor swig can touch a fresh homemade cookie. eventually, the dear sister rubbed various oils all over herself and her husband while i breathed through my mouth. the seizing man stabilized around that time, so maybe the oils really did the trick on him, too. we were able to finish the flight without an emergency landing at another airport and actually arrived a bit early to atlanta and the paramedics met our plane and helped the man off for further evaluation. later, i saw the man walking around the airport, right as rain, looking to catch his connection. what a wild flight. i arrived home from the airport and happened upon thomas finishing up folding the last basket of laundry. i love him. he is a great husband and his folding technique is pretty good for someone who has never worked retail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">these are a series of pictures that reagan wanted me to take of the plane during various stages of travel. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">salt lake city, utah</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">canon city, colorado</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RwY4yjtyGcA/XFHYu7TkIcI/AAAAAAAANq4/DQe5og0ieBgXDpAcUTaH7MAPFRaqZ2zugCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RwY4yjtyGcA/XFHYu7TkIcI/AAAAAAAANq4/DQe5og0ieBgXDpAcUTaH7MAPFRaqZ2zugCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7106.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">garden city, kansas</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MVUXZ0o8oSY/XFHY13_HqhI/AAAAAAAANrE/j5CqwFRksRMHn4O0um3zK_SfuGjH7Uf-ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MVUXZ0o8oSY/XFHY13_HqhI/AAAAAAAANrE/j5CqwFRksRMHn4O0um3zK_SfuGjH7Uf-ACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7108.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">caney, kansas</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9N6z1bOGk94/XFHY5gM-vEI/AAAAAAAANrI/HRfj74otl7EbdnM9J04TrB1S72sYwa55ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7110.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9N6z1bOGk94/XFHY5gM-vEI/AAAAAAAANrI/HRfj74otl7EbdnM9J04TrB1S72sYwa55ACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7110.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">atlanta, georgia</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">finally, the next morning when i was figuring out my post-vacation funeral life, i discovered these leftover clues from a very interesting treasure hunt orchestrated by reagan:</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qR4jUHIX5b8/XFHU3xyAw3I/AAAAAAAANlY/XSkAzLSLydghhLOCbYAzYVuD849UUhXTACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7122.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qR4jUHIX5b8/XFHU3xyAw3I/AAAAAAAANlY/XSkAzLSLydghhLOCbYAzYVuD849UUhXTACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_7122.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"where we go pee or poop"</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">"where wet stuff comes out"</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">after clues like that, i cannot imagine what the prize was!</span></div>
heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-71258581624992020672019-01-11T17:37:00.000-05:002019-01-11T17:37:51.094-05:00i blink january's lashes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">it has been a rough first week of 2019! thomas tore a hamstring playing flag football. it has been terrible for him.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r25ozYDy7PU/XDea1g0eTZI/AAAAAAAANc8/75-29osDLj8Yy_EtUzOkqmw5QSVjrHh_ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r25ozYDy7PU/XDea1g0eTZI/AAAAAAAANc8/75-29osDLj8Yy_EtUzOkqmw5QSVjrHh_ACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6844.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i can't show you all the bruise pictures because this is a family blog but imagine this initial bruise:</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k5lhZpAu1X8/XDeb8fRnbkI/AAAAAAAANfM/s-RwOAx5NC8isFXTfVeLPXW_0UL4grsgwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6882.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k5lhZpAu1X8/XDeb8fRnbkI/AAAAAAAANfM/s-RwOAx5NC8isFXTfVeLPXW_0UL4grsgwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6882.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">growing bigger and purpler and greener and blacker and scarier, everywhere. EVERY. WHERE. all the leg nooks and crannies. even the front of his leg had significant bruising. it's like a blood dam burst. he got a shot of morphine in the ER and he said it helped, "a little". </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">then i set up reagan's new lava lamp in the kitchen to surprise him after school and athena blythe wanted a closer look and this happened:</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GFJAyiXB_Mg/XDebPTG1IbI/AAAAAAAANd4/08LJtG5FkYkO2mAPL8vK1X43U_fI2CsmACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6865.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GFJAyiXB_Mg/XDebPTG1IbI/AAAAAAAANd4/08LJtG5FkYkO2mAPL8vK1X43U_fI2CsmACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6865.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and then scarlett dropped a brand new bottle of syrup on the floor:</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6dA6NqFhao/XDebY0qloWI/AAAAAAAANd8/sLfSmdv43lEu_o947rexPEQE0zpdck_9wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6dA6NqFhao/XDebY0qloWI/AAAAAAAANd8/sLfSmdv43lEu_o947rexPEQE0zpdck_9wCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6869.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i was unable to salvage it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">this obscure photo is my ceiling after herschel dropped a cup of chocolate milk on the floor and it splashed and covered a six foot area of the kitchen ceiling:</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f6b8pGe13oE/XDecztoU9MI/AAAAAAAANgo/GFcAsPdRK_ws3iBp_85N7kQSOdCX9aqNQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-f6b8pGe13oE/XDecztoU9MI/AAAAAAAANgo/GFcAsPdRK_ws3iBp_85N7kQSOdCX9aqNQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6913.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">and because of thomas' injury, the kids have been having a heyday playing, "torn hamstring". no one plays it better than thomas, however. </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VB-e_iW8Q2E/XDecotViKII/AAAAAAAANgM/Ntf6nckbXQA9XE22e2JS258rbblfgXZqwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VB-e_iW8Q2E/XDecotViKII/AAAAAAAANgM/Ntf6nckbXQA9XE22e2JS258rbblfgXZqwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6904.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vSXuWnw3K0o/XDecpCVrYAI/AAAAAAAANgU/uFDDJfX8FMkICgT9uLhqyZgrBhGMw11gACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6905.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vSXuWnw3K0o/XDecpCVrYAI/AAAAAAAANgU/uFDDJfX8FMkICgT9uLhqyZgrBhGMw11gACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6905.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">hopefully that is the end of the broken things and i can do a good job of not breaking my new year's resolutions. thomas started doing monthly resolutions a few years ago. he gave up quik trip food for a whole month(don't laugh, their pizza is pretty darn good). i like the idea of trying something for a month and then reevaulating. it was a highly effective amount of resolution to bite off for him, so i decided to adopt that practice this year.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">resolutions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. no more library fines. it's not free library with how many fines i've paid in the last few years. i don't mind supporting the community, but our public library doesn't even have that great of a selection! but, like a dog to it's vomit, i've already checked out a boatload of books that athena blythe will devour and then leave behind the basement couch or under a mattress in a room she doesn't even sleep in. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. try to adopt kale smoothies into my life. after such high quantities of vegetable consumption over the last year in efforts to be "healthy", i almost hate the thought of cooking and eating vegetables. especially reheated vegetables. i'm hoping that if i can make a remotely palatable kale smoothie, i can get my vegetable servings in one shot during the day and not think about it for a while and repair my emotional response to chopping and roasting vegetables. i don't want to hate vegetables but zoodles are not noodles and i'm tired of lying to myself. vegetables are great and should not be a chore. i want to be friends with them again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. avoid going to the store every day. i want to get away from easy access to the store and retrain myself and my family that we don't need to jump in the car the moment we run out of something. there are clear exceptions and emergencies, like deodorant and toilet paper. but for the love of cross stitch, we can handle going a few days without chocolate milk! how about scrambled eggs for breakfast if we are out of my kitchen floor nemesis, cereal? this will require me to fine tune my list making, menu planning product consumption projection along with kitchen and bathroom inventory. plus, i'll save money by not picking up several unplanned extras with each unplanned grocery store trip. i cringe when i think of how susceptible i am to "good deal" impulse purchases that really aren't a good deal if i don't need it. unless it's like that time if found 5 lbs of pepperoni marked down 75%! deal of a lifetime i am STILL reaping the benefits from. </span></div>
heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-61538487209739985762019-01-09T11:56:00.002-05:002019-01-09T19:07:34.303-05:00wabi sabi christmas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">wabi sabi- the beauty and appreciation of the imperfect, incomplete and impermanent</span><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">a brief snippets post since december's activities make a writing cohesive narrative difficult. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we had our ward christmas party. it was yet another santa claus free christmas party. it was fine. i love jesus, i also don't think santa claus is the devil. the funeral potatoes were good. i was hoping for baked macaroni and cheese. i made an ugly yet delicious christmas tree cake at the children's behest. scarlett was an angel in the nativity production. reagan was a wise man. somehow at the last minute, athena blythe and her little friend finagled parts as angels too.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPQUUWEcr1s/XC_qYBFQnII/AAAAAAAANZY/ePbHAsH7HMYishJp5t7F_vZkH1wLopLzACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPQUUWEcr1s/XC_qYBFQnII/AAAAAAAANZY/ePbHAsH7HMYishJp5t7F_vZkH1wLopLzACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6517.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we did a low key christmas fondue.i'm trying to make christmas traditions about fun and togetherness and not necessarily the same traditions each year. some are just not always doable and some traditions need to die.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5HutywTX1A/XC_qZ9TofKI/AAAAAAAANZc/QspnHnD5ylclfeIJFfFVckh0SFImOMt6ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U5HutywTX1A/XC_qZ9TofKI/AAAAAAAANZc/QspnHnD5ylclfeIJFfFVckh0SFImOMt6ACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6579.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">herschel had his MUCH anticipated christmas program at his preschool. he practiced his songs for months. nothing invites the spirit of the season like, "all aboard the christmas express, toot toot". that was not me, that's part of the song.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l2qBGbYLw7k/XC_qcYGx7nI/AAAAAAAANZg/QfQJbNDWJz4E5YM06oZwwzA_iBiGxV2qACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l2qBGbYLw7k/XC_qcYGx7nI/AAAAAAAANZg/QfQJbNDWJz4E5YM06oZwwzA_iBiGxV2qACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6633.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we tried to make gingerbread cookies. no one likes gingerbread cookies that much anyway.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3eowU6GCv64/XC_qoypKVcI/AAAAAAAANZo/FDqUK2WiJ38s3mtpyNSVKpY7WD4AeiCowCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6660.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3eowU6GCv64/XC_qoypKVcI/AAAAAAAANZo/FDqUK2WiJ38s3mtpyNSVKpY7WD4AeiCowCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6660.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we had friends over to watch the BYU potato bowl game. we ate pulled pork on baked potatoes and played the dreidel game with hershey kisses.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mz0ADao56Ks/XC_qndZad6I/AAAAAAAANZk/BoRmXh8TAY00VCiwS9myqk2SvzoMicHSgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mz0ADao56Ks/XC_qndZad6I/AAAAAAAANZk/BoRmXh8TAY00VCiwS9myqk2SvzoMicHSgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6663.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we also lit a bunch of candles and called it a menorah because athena blythe was really into judaism this year. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i7ko5p-6mf0/XC_qzqbDb0I/AAAAAAAANZ4/dER06BZwDBwzMt4yodKwrNnacEEE_C5UACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i7ko5p-6mf0/XC_qzqbDb0I/AAAAAAAANZ4/dER06BZwDBwzMt4yodKwrNnacEEE_C5UACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6667.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">three cheers for me because i skipped my big workout of the week and took the kids for doughnuts. the fitness industry would have you believe that you can never miss a day or you're a failure, but i'll tell you what, they are wrong. also, can we stop saying, "werk, grind, slay all day, and swaaat". thanks. i don't even like doughnut. i'd like more drive-thru brownie places.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eFLUTQDzdi0/XC_rKNDf9BI/AAAAAAAANaI/MhiHoDxM5Iw_hcFufWFR87Ebh9OHwXj1ACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eFLUTQDzdi0/XC_rKNDf9BI/AAAAAAAANaI/MhiHoDxM5Iw_hcFufWFR87Ebh9OHwXj1ACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6673.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we drove over to bethlehem, georgia to watch their live nativity. this is something that i would like to attempt to do every year. </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vI5QxGtLv-I/XC_rS2YgUyI/AAAAAAAANaQ/tzKgiWfUhV4aaX6lrMh-3s9KyvaYC5yxQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6691.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vI5QxGtLv-I/XC_rS2YgUyI/AAAAAAAANaQ/tzKgiWfUhV4aaX6lrMh-3s9KyvaYC5yxQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6691.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v-hlf7uzLKI/XC_rfxqekfI/AAAAAAAANac/MWlGM6BsNggM8qhOmGBopQur-TJKH5pygCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6695.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-v-hlf7uzLKI/XC_rfxqekfI/AAAAAAAANac/MWlGM6BsNggM8qhOmGBopQur-TJKH5pygCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6695.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">a sister from church made this for ME. asian, quilting, wall art. i didn't know she knew me that well. but this is going in a place of honor for the rest of my life. i didn't know i had a thing for handmade gifts until i realized that some of my favorite things are fabric art. a cross stitch made by my sister in law sarah when reagan was born, a quilt made by my dearest friend jessica when athena blythe was born and now this!</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bkAIHwQRGlE/XDYk_3y_r_I/AAAAAAAANbY/8qF74DX3PdQy2jhYZ_ybB7UYveW3v3iJgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bkAIHwQRGlE/XDYk_3y_r_I/AAAAAAAANbY/8qF74DX3PdQy2jhYZ_ybB7UYveW3v3iJgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6716.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">christmas eve. it was low key. we read scriptures. we snuggled. i actually had a bunch of wrapping paper this year so there were no panicked last minute drives to the store and i went small on the gift giving this year so there wasn't much wrapping. i like doing it this way. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we got a new 9 foot tree and i let the kids hang the ornaments however they wanted. note the one lone ribbon hanging off the edge that herschel hadn't finished pulling off yet. that's our look this year. wabi sabi christmas- the beauty and appreciation of the imperfect, incomplete and impermanent. being laid back is a-okay. except for kitchen organization. but now i can say, "remember when i let everyone decorate how they wanted? then put everything away in the kitchen exactly how i like."</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E4lL17BNrks/XC_ij-Vyh1I/AAAAAAAANXE/qNuecgXl4jcFfoMzqfx0XcgVJmZmKY3IgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E4lL17BNrks/XC_ij-Vyh1I/AAAAAAAANXE/qNuecgXl4jcFfoMzqfx0XcgVJmZmKY3IgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6722.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i just love this view. we have no more couch throw pillows because of various spills and illnesses, we have a million toys under the couch, the ceiling fan always has dust but it's almost always on so it's hard to notice, we have a picture of jesus on the table. wabi sabi!</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g1xQ7emIhCU/XC_ih_Z55HI/AAAAAAAANXA/lZE_4r7zQvUBlsGsi1IoI3m_ztIhfbxUQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g1xQ7emIhCU/XC_ih_Z55HI/AAAAAAAANXA/lZE_4r7zQvUBlsGsi1IoI3m_ztIhfbxUQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6727.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the future of america, ladies and gentlemen:</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-56owWqwxTEc/XC_ikmyM9fI/AAAAAAAANXI/C87zwh3gjAgZ2rOMptLG9vS8i_aAvHU-wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-56owWqwxTEc/XC_ikmyM9fI/AAAAAAAANXI/C87zwh3gjAgZ2rOMptLG9vS8i_aAvHU-wCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6728.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">note from santa about getting a dog. we already discussed how that went. wah wah. cue the price is right loser music.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-57cidqcxzzQ/XC_itGoplwI/AAAAAAAANXQ/r62L2l60n_40AKEzSOSf2M1iBl_bnEODACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-57cidqcxzzQ/XC_itGoplwI/AAAAAAAANXQ/r62L2l60n_40AKEzSOSf2M1iBl_bnEODACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6732.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GSH5ZOMaPc8/XC_iu2M6i8I/AAAAAAAANXU/k2KJZD8eLGwchhu7NWUauObm3S0bWcBYACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GSH5ZOMaPc8/XC_iu2M6i8I/AAAAAAAANXU/k2KJZD8eLGwchhu7NWUauObm3S0bWcBYACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6739.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan always asks for an addition to his puppet collection and this year he wanted a snake puppet. he named him snake claus. </span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LTt28-69Zss/XDYlDaXvcxI/AAAAAAAANbc/kAZClGhX1MYzqHWamhmv_BybY6UsbtiSQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6747.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LTt28-69Zss/XDYlDaXvcxI/AAAAAAAANbc/kAZClGhX1MYzqHWamhmv_BybY6UsbtiSQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6747.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i found this 1983 herschel walker sports illustrated magazine at a thrift store for a $1. it's torn so it has no "value" on the antique market but the tear means nothing to me when it can still be displayed as art. i framed it for thomas. thomas and i have bonded over art in our advanced years.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kkUywMT9z8A/XDYlPrynmkI/AAAAAAAANbk/6nZpXq-EmMgfqSZ-tXIPJAsGpF0odBxFgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6634.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kkUywMT9z8A/XDYlPrynmkI/AAAAAAAANbk/6nZpXq-EmMgfqSZ-tXIPJAsGpF0odBxFgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6634.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan, wearing a muppet shirt, holding a muppet shirt. best quote of the morning, "i love it when the presents are for me." saying what we're all thinking.</span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QN408Q3ulxM/XC_i4thezxI/AAAAAAAANXo/9YE2hUIBrEcADs7MpjlAdDbeJCAW7IIBACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6744.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QN408Q3ulxM/XC_i4thezxI/AAAAAAAANXo/9YE2hUIBrEcADs7MpjlAdDbeJCAW7IIBACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6744.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">a french beret for our fancy french girl. athena blythe also really wanted some a nutcracker doll for christmas. she's read several versions of the nutcracker this season and wanted one of her own. i bought her 3 small christmas ornament sized nutcrackers. she opened them with glee and exclaimed, "now i can build my army!" which i do not doubt in the least. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-18TD-L-H020/XC_i2hl_caI/AAAAAAAANXg/HTPmVDUbZhY_R125j6WQVU7wSjslbmi-wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-18TD-L-H020/XC_i2hl_caI/AAAAAAAANXg/HTPmVDUbZhY_R125j6WQVU7wSjslbmi-wCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6748.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we now have 4 scooters and we can all scooter together. that's the secret to parenting: no sharing.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gSlB4Rg5izU/XC_i_Z2zkYI/AAAAAAAANX0/UxmkhW07RHohE1SYX0Yc1GoKTM9AYYpigCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6755.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gSlB4Rg5izU/XC_i_Z2zkYI/AAAAAAAANX0/UxmkhW07RHohE1SYX0Yc1GoKTM9AYYpigCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6755.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">after christmas i scrambled to think of fun, outdoorsy, safe for all ages, inexpensive things to do. the first day was a bust because everything was closed at this tiny outdoor shopping and skating area. </span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t_UWmoqf-9s/XC_jExl0KcI/AAAAAAAANX4/EfQIxBVa6donPAN_Ue8GtjaqkVfdIYh9QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6763.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t_UWmoqf-9s/XC_jExl0KcI/AAAAAAAANX4/EfQIxBVa6donPAN_Ue8GtjaqkVfdIYh9QCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6763.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">but this was an unexpected surprise in the middle of rural georgia:</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qpHPYyDEISE/XC_jW727sBI/AAAAAAAANYQ/47va1XLA-qYkGA01Pkk6RM307sMkEAYOgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qpHPYyDEISE/XC_jW727sBI/AAAAAAAANYQ/47va1XLA-qYkGA01Pkk6RM307sMkEAYOgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6766.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">you don't see plaques quoting the book of mormon every day in the bible belt. i bet most people think mosiah is isaiah's younger, more obscure brother. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">again, so cute! so closed!</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VEtQFs7QiZo/XC_jdo5eUOI/AAAAAAAANYY/a7B9vhGEXCI39k5iwe_7G59cDghXy6LJQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VEtQFs7QiZo/XC_jdo5eUOI/AAAAAAAANYY/a7B9vhGEXCI39k5iwe_7G59cDghXy6LJQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6767.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">singing the december 26th blues</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-slVtMVIqaiA/XC_jdZByNII/AAAAAAAANYU/d7dCbtsH1lA-uBLwauxHnS3jCcxgjNktQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-slVtMVIqaiA/XC_jdZByNII/AAAAAAAANYU/d7dCbtsH1lA-uBLwauxHnS3jCcxgjNktQCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6769.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">the following saturday we all went to monroe, georgia for the day. we ate at chik fil a, by request, but we explored this darling little town. this is our second year coming here at the holiday's and it's a fun tradition. one day i will come alone because it is a treasure trove of antiques and collectibles. good stuff. not just kinda old stuff, roughed up by an amateur to make it look old. someday i want to explore long enough to find a complete 70s china set for every day use. WHY NOT!?</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qk7Mtpf2L5U/XC_jj9h04kI/AAAAAAAANYc/nbtiVQ89sUIR5dezpjAlxhdByDb2FW_WgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qk7Mtpf2L5U/XC_jj9h04kI/AAAAAAAANYc/nbtiVQ89sUIR5dezpjAlxhdByDb2FW_WgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6792.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">our favorite book shop. the fun parent was there so books were purchased while i stood back and furrowed my brow and thought, "the library is free!" </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">unless you have $40 in fines. stop it. i don't know how it happens. okay i do know. kids lose everything!</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eh6HSiHd_UQ/XC_jqqT10fI/AAAAAAAANYg/junMhjrlKRMJIi75EaOnx4rVCYpZzm2sgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6793.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eh6HSiHd_UQ/XC_jqqT10fI/AAAAAAAANYg/junMhjrlKRMJIi75EaOnx4rVCYpZzm2sgCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6793.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LEzOn4rVux8/XC_jraOR63I/AAAAAAAANYk/NGS5RnLQdks4BGhgljNN-kaYC4D_JPE1wCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LEzOn4rVux8/XC_jraOR63I/AAAAAAAANYk/NGS5RnLQdks4BGhgljNN-kaYC4D_JPE1wCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6794.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i've tried twice now and i cannot get an image that will do justice to this "the lion, the witch and the wardrobe" closet to story time secret passage room. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nZjwD7elOew/XC_jt71WhxI/AAAAAAAANYs/MHXAW282hKYmDGCJFQtIOWt_C6tQsJvewCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6795.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nZjwD7elOew/XC_jt71WhxI/AAAAAAAANYs/MHXAW282hKYmDGCJFQtIOWt_C6tQsJvewCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6795.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">hard cider in the hobbit house</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WDVhAcMIJH0/XC_jzAHwNiI/AAAAAAAANY0/CKuhNfd7RYoalL4Om6EVXk1pgsK0HIcmwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WDVhAcMIJH0/XC_jzAHwNiI/AAAAAAAANY0/CKuhNfd7RYoalL4Om6EVXk1pgsK0HIcmwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6796.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">athena blythe was done participating and read her new book at every stop from hereon out.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TjQc28ow21Q/XC_j3xOmi_I/AAAAAAAANY8/FLZAjFJk9BsfbxUkK2r3-pTUtFqkG2nlwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6801.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TjQc28ow21Q/XC_j3xOmi_I/AAAAAAAANY8/FLZAjFJk9BsfbxUkK2r3-pTUtFqkG2nlwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6801.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">everywhere we went people asked if we were the babysitters! i imagine it's because i was so calm and collected and rested looking the whole time. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SsDxsQhm8aA/XC_jzrfiB_I/AAAAAAAANY4/URrZd--G5pIXSx5gRW0obfjMxMNyxQc6QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SsDxsQhm8aA/XC_jzrfiB_I/AAAAAAAANY4/URrZd--G5pIXSx5gRW0obfjMxMNyxQc6QCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6809.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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full disclosure in tiny print, i used a filter on this photo.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we ate ice cream. i trapped thomas in a small art museum for way longer than anyone wanted to be there.</span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jAXsYpql0MU/XC_kCM6lDfI/AAAAAAAANZE/KYpgoEaPZs0vb8R_v-6BmQDC3lYuMNfgACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jAXsYpql0MU/XC_kCM6lDfI/AAAAAAAANZE/KYpgoEaPZs0vb8R_v-6BmQDC3lYuMNfgACLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6815.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">we drove home. i fell asleep watching the college football playoff semi-final. i wish i could have slept through the national championship game and put myself out of my misery but i was wide awake and full of coaching and player critiques like the dedicated, loving super fan that i am. </span></div>
heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22755516.post-68234480386812281152018-12-31T18:58:00.001-05:002018-12-31T18:59:14.299-05:00the 2018 christmas letter that time forgot<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6xrlWz7GUrA/XCJlu85Vz0I/AAAAAAAANV4/hjMzRx1t3785W-C2faceF25ZPS8FBb-wwCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_6702.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6xrlWz7GUrA/XCJlu85Vz0I/AAAAAAAANV4/hjMzRx1t3785W-C2faceF25ZPS8FBb-wwCLcBGAs/s640/IMG_6702.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">i didn't do a christmas card or letter this year, despite it being one of my all time favorite traditions. i'm sad about it but glad i'm am learning at my ripe old age of 38 to make executive decisions to benefit my sanity. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">here's a rundown of the simpson family highlights:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">herschel is now potty trained! it's nearly impossible to potty train an uninterested party but we were under a time crunch as he had to be diaper-free to attend pre-school and the deposit had already been paid. if necessity is the mother of invention then frugality is the sister of potty training motivation. herschel loves pre-school and running in a pack of kids and calling it soccer. his favorite activity is playing with trucks in the mud in the backyard. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">athena blythe is a prolific reader and mastermind of numerous self-promoting schemes. she read the assigned 100 books for school in her sleep. i've received more than a few calls from the school asking about her various nefarious plots. recently she forged notes so that instead of riding the bus home she can get on the gymnastics school van. her future is so bright! she can often be found writing and illustrating short story books about her fascination of the week.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">scarlett is a delight and a certifiable wit. she started middle school this year and it's been a challenge but i'm very impressed with her hard work to bring home good grades and make new friends. she is still involved in her drama class(even though i think she should be teacher the class because of her innate comedic timing)</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and did swim team for the first time this year. she loved it. i loved her loving it. her highlight of the year was going with thomas to panama city to help with disaster relief clean up. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">reagan brings happiness with him wherever he goes unless you deviate from the schedule or there is a dog not on a leash. however, he has gotten brave enough to do the whole 2 mile trail loop at the park on his scooter. he also has made great strides in passing the sacrament at church. i still have a mini heart attack when he decides to get selective and go out of order and pass to his favorite people first, but those occurrences are becoming more rare. everyone is better for knowing reagan.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">as for myself, i have many considerable contributions to society: i excel at getting athena blythe to the 7:14am bus stop on time. my eyelashes are really long. i don't sleep much unless i'm trying to read a book or watch a movie and then i tend to sleep a lot. i've perfected my vomit clean up techniques. i like lifting weights. i watch episodes of jeopardy while i cook uninspiring meals. scarlett and i watched titanic together recently and i still think rose could have made room for jack on that door.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">thomas is only better with age and the only person worth following for sports commentary on the facebook. he does a lot of legal work for edible arrangements for which i am grateful but i also find ironic because i think chocolate covered strawberries are gross. we did a lot of weightlifting together this year and i consider him a most knowledgeable coach. he's my spotter in and out of the gym, always encouraging and supporting my heavy load. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">for the third year in a row we completed reading the Book of Mormon as a family. it's our quest and biggest accomplishment of the year. we're grateful for the peace it brings to our home. we love our Savior, Jesus Christ. we know He loves you, too. we wish you a wonderful 2019. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">roll tide</span></div>
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heidihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08707758649121464234noreply@blogger.com4