thankful thursdays 2/11

Feb 11, 2010 by tracy

* A beautiful baby girl was welcomed into this world by my wonderful friends, Kari & Gary. She is adorable and perfect and sweet and a great nurser and a lovely spirit and she has kissable, chubby cheeks, and, and, and…yes, I am in love! I got to hold her very first day here on this earth and I love her, plain and simple, I love her.

Here she is with big sister Natalie:


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* Tami’s baby, Jace Leon, arrived safe and sound on the 2nd…still waiting on a picture of this cutie-pie (hint, hint!). She named him after our great-grandfather. I can’t wait to love on this baby when she comes to visit me in April!
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* Richard’s dad came and took all four children on a Grandpa Date last night. I didn’t even know what to do with myself! Instead of being productive and working on laundry, cleaning, or one of the thousands of things that actually needed doing, I stitched up a pillow that is turning out so stinkin’ cute! I think I may have a giveaway on here if I can get the whole thing finished up in the next couple of days. It is calling me right this minute…
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* I got to stay up late talking to one of my best friends. We laughed, shared stories, and caught up. I hardly ever get to see Miss Tina, so when we do get together we have to cram months of stuff into a short visit. This woman is more than my midwife – she is my friend and I can’t imagine my life without her. I can just see us as 90 year old ladies sitting in our rockers sharing stories and yummy food.
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* Liberty Girls starts today! Keziah is so excited! Her group is reading Little House in the Big Woods and they will get to have oodles of fun learning all about bread and butter making, bullet making, fiddling, sewing, and lots more. Their leader is simply amazing and I am so grateful she created this group that both Blythe and Keziah have had the privilege of being part of. It has been a large part of their education and the molding of their young souls. Thank you Becky!
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* My grandmother wrote poetry her whole life through and recorded some of her writings in books for her posterity. This week Keziah had a talk to give at church about “Jesus is Our Savior” and she forgot about it till the last minute (so did I, of course!). She couldn’t figure out what she wanted to do and was kind of falling apart over the whole thing. I finally gave up trying to help her and told her I knew she could give a wonderful talk if she just thought about it for a few minutes with a calm spirit. I continued getting children ready for church and then found her with my grandmother’s books searching for a poem to give. After reading several, she chose this one:

Fantasy

Sometimes I dream of a fantasy land
Where children are princes and kings
Where I am the captain of all of the band
With helmet and medals and things.

I visit the court of King Arthur of old
Brave knights and fair maidens to see
They sit at a table that’s round, I am told
Each voice to be heard equally.

I fly on a carpet o’er valley and hill
The magical place to see
Where the lamp of Aladdin can bring forth at will
The riches of old Araby.

With Robinson Crusoe I live on an isle
In the midst of the western sea
The beasts are our friends and they held all the while
As we build a house in a tree.

We sail on a raft down the river so wide
Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, and me
We search out a place for our treasure to hid
Oh, bold, fearless pirates are we.

I travel to Europe and Asia and more
As fantasies dance in my head
They all are familiar; I’ve seen them before
In the pages of books I have read

In the land of the Bible, I met someone there
Who was loving and kindly and wise
He said to love others, their burdens to bear
That we may to heaven arise.

He died on a cross for the sins of all men
Forgiveness to us to bring
I know that the Savior will come back again
In glory, to reign as King.

He’ll love little children, their ills he will heal
And take them upon His knee
And when that happens, it will be real
And not just fantasy.

~ Myrtle R. Smith~

Isn’t that beautiful? Keziah knows all of those stories, which is probably why she identified so strongly with this poem. I am so grateful my children really knew my grandma, well enough for Keziah to know she could open one of Grandma’s books and find something wonderful for her talk.

I miss her. Last night, Fisher was curled up in his blanket that she made for him and I said “Who made that blanket for you?” He responded “My Grandma GG” (a name Blythe gave her when she was very little and was confused by all the grandmas in her life – GG is for great-grandma) and then he continued “I miss her. I am wondering, when will she be resurrected? When will she come back so I can see her again?”

This wonderful woman embedded herself in the hearts of my children so deeply that a little five year old boy is missing her over a year after she died. He wants her to come back and read him more stories, talk about airplanes, and give him hugs. When he was little and didn’t let anyone hold him, he let her hold him. He always felt safe with her and gave her kisses long before he opened up to anyone else.

I miss her and want her back too.
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I can’t see the screen anymore through these tears, so I think I will get breakfast started…or should I steal a few minutes and go work on the pillow?

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thankful thursdays 2/4

Feb 6, 2010 by tracy

* A yummy jar of salsa given to us by Tasha – it saved the day while I went to yet another doctor’s appointment for my elbow and kidney.
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* Turbo Tax. Taxes are done and filed. Woo-hoo!
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* My wonderful community of home schoolers. Ten years ago when we moved to this area there were people who home schooled, but I wouldn’t say there was a strong community feeling. Now, there are strong friendships among children, moms, and family groups. There is a thriving network of clubs, classes, and activities to join. There are phone calls to friends in distress, meals shared with other families, book discussion groups, play dates, game nights, swim days at Lava, camp-outs, hikes, read-a-thons, and much more. We are so blessed to have a community of friends, peer support for my children, wonderful classes to participate in and learn from (Blythe’s Shakespeare and writing classes this year have completely changed her life!), and the sense of belonging that comes when a real community is born. We know we are not alone. We know there are people who understand the excitement and challenges of home schooling and are willing to walk down this road with us. Thank you to everyone who is part of my home schooling world!
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* The book Influencer: The Power to Change Anything. This was our book for our adult colloquium group this month and I loved it. I am going to be doing an evaluation of my physical environment this month and change it to more effectively meet our needs. I think everyone would benefit from a careful reading of this book – and its companions, Crucial Conversations and Crucial Conversations.
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* Gymnastics. Have I said lately how much l love being part of so many childrens’ lives. I love helping children learn how to use their bodies, build strength and flexibility, overcome fears, develop courage, and try new things. I love that they trust me. I love when they are proud of themselves. I love when they encourage others in their class. I love when they develop a friendship with someone they otherwise would not have known. I love it and I am blessed by these precious children every week.
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* Family read-aloud time. I love reading to my children and they love being read to. I use all sorts of strange voices and they say they prefer my reading to the myriad of audio books they check out from the library! Right now we are reading Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. If you are thinking of reading this book, get the version illustrated by Robert Ingpen. The illustrations are beautiful, full-color, double-page spreads that add oodles to the story.
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* A friendly blog reader who gifted me a copy of a Helping and Healing Our Families after she read about it on a post. What a wonderful friend and fabulous book! I can’t wait to devour it!
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* Vacuums, cleaners, towels, and washing machines. They have all been in high demand this week as Annesley has been throwing up and having diarrhea for days. Imagine only having a few rags to clean all this mess up with!
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That’s all for now, my Annesley is finally asleep and out of my arms and Fisher is wanting me to read him How Big is A Million, another book about his favorite penguin Pipkin.

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thankful thursdays 1/28

Jan 28, 2010 by tracy

* Garlic-kale-chicken-yumminess. My friend brought over some scrumptious, kill-the-kidney-infection soup today and I am in heaven. It is so delicious! She also brought over some muffins full of blueberry goodness which we are all loving. I will get the recipes from her and share them with you so you can beat your next kidney infection too.

I am utterly amazed that my pregnant friend with eight children of her own would take the time to make me food – what an angel! Thanks Tasha!
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* Music. We have had a great morning playing the cello, violin, and piano. I love music and someday I WILL pass off Happy Farmer from my book one cello book!

My friend, Melissa, says she has a new cleaning ritual for her family. They turn on twenty-minute Ode to Joy and clean as fast as they can. Twenty minutes later they are full of joy because their work is done and they have listened to beautiful music.
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* The sun is shining after days and days of dreariness.
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* My suburban keeps starting! The distributor and cap and rotor ARE broken and need replaced, but it has started all week long. Woohoo!
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* Annesley is the most precious baby ever. I am so in love with her. We just took a bath together and it was so much fun. She was trying to wear Blythe’s snorkel gear, which didn’t work because the face mask is way to big for her. Then she tried Fisher’s goggles and they were also big, but at least they stayed on and she was able to feel like a big girl and try to see underwater. She brings many smiles to my face everyday and I am so grateful I am her mama. She has fully adopted the nickname Blythe gave her when she was born and now insists on calling herself by it as well…”Goo.” It has to grow on you.
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* My elbow is still tender, but is healing quickly.
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Thanks for all the hugs, concern, and prayers last week…and thanks especially to Tasha for today’s yummy food!

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thankful thursdays 1/21

Jan 21, 2010 by tracy

Rough week. Really rough week.

Sprained and dislocated elbow.

Broken suburban.

Abscessed tooth.

Yucky, stinky pus coming out of my gum.

Root Canal under duress.

$1000 bill for root canal.

Sore mouth.

Anesthesia yuckiness.

Starting my period today during a book party when I was completely unprepared for it.

Cramps.

Lots of time away from my children.

Exhaustion.

Piles of laundry.

And yet? I am still going to write my Thankful Thursdays. I need to write Thankful Thursdays to help me remember that it is not as bad as it sometimes seems. As I was saying my prayers last night, my mind filled up with things I am thankful for in spite of the terribly hectic, painful, and frustrating week I have had.

* A skilled dentist that was able to do a root canal and seemingly do it well.
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* Friends I could consult with about my tooth and get lots of advice about who to go to and what to expect.
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* A friend who zoned my feet right after the root canal to help my body recover.
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* Another friend who let me borrow her suburban all day today so I could get some much needed work done.
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* Another friend who took over my job of driving youth to colloquia today.
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* My sweet baby who has coped well with me being gone or out of it for most of this week.
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* My new class that is starting on Saturday is going to be wonderful! I am so excited to start a new year of teaching classes, joining with women in learning, and studying gobs of books to prepare me.
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* The sunshine on Tuesday. It was so glorious to have a day of blue sky and sun streaming through the windows. It helped the pain in my mouth decrease by leaps and bounds.
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* My mother, who made my whole week on Monday when she said she thought families like ours should have as many children as we possibly can. Those words offered me so much encouragement and made me feel like I had my own personal cheerleader rooting for me. Never underestimate the power to build someone up with your words.

In spite of the really frustrating moments in this week, I realize the blessings in my life are abundant. God has surrounded me with people that love me and reach out to help when I am struggling.

My mouth is feeling much better, my elbow is healing, and my children survived my long absences.

Saturday is H.O.P.E. and it will be fabulous for my soul.

With some good sleep tonight I will be doing oodles better.

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thankful thursdays 1/7

Jan 7, 2010 by tracy

* Books. I know I say this a lot, but it is always at the forefront of my mind! Today I decided to redo several of the bookshelves in my house – actually I rearranged them. I took the bookshelf from my hallway and completely emptied it out (the books are still in piles all over the hall. I moved it to the kitchen and filled it up with all my Usborne books and the books I am currently reading. They now have a home so I can stop searching for them all over the house. My children had so much fun today discovering books they hadn’t seen in a while. While in the midst of this huge project we studied Asia, Vikings, ABC’s, spying, bugs, art, diggers, horses, numbers, and lots more. We had a great time and once again I was so grateful to have a home full of books that we can enjoy and learn from every day.
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* Fisher. This little boy is simply delightful. He and I had our Magical Moments With Mom this afternoon and he cracked me up. He would put a sticker on the page and then say “I’m so smart” or “Just as I suspected!” or something else adorable. We found bugs in his 1001 Bugs to Spot book and he giggled his head off when he would find all the bugs. He especially loved finding pink spiders and peacock butterflies. They were new bugs to him and he thought they were really funny. I don’t often spend time with just him, so our new once a week Magical Moment has been a real treat for both of us.
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* Family. We went to a viewing tonight for Richard’s uncle and it was amazing to see how many people a couple can bring together. This uncle has 10 children and they each have children. Then he had 5 siblings and lots of their families were there as well. As I looked around the room at all these people, most of whom I don’t know, I was grateful that God created families and that we get to co-create with Him and make these big families that love each other.
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* Mikelle, my baby sister. Mikelle was almost like my own child (she even called me mommy when she was little) and I have loved her fiercely since the day she was born. I named her. I have driven hours and hours to see her play basketball and volleyball. She has turned out to be a fabulous twenty-year-old that I love to pieces. She is getting married this weekend to a guy we all really like (in fact, we added him to our wall where we keep track of everyone’s height a few months ago – the sign of true acceptance into our family!) It will be so fun to be married women together, to be mothers together! Isn’t she beautiful!

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thankful thursdays 12/31

Dec 31, 2009 by tracy

December 31. The last day of 2009. I can’t believe this year is over and we are going to greet 2010 tonight. I remember as a child thinking the year 2000 was sooooo far away. I was sure we would all be blown up by the warheads pointed at us by the Russians during the Cold War long before the millennium arrived.

And yet, here we are ten years later.

So much is different.

Computers, iPods, cell phones, talking cars, high-tech washing machines, ATMs, GPS systems, surgery done with lasers…out-patient style, You-tube, gender-neutral clothing, and so much more. It is a different world than when I was a child.

So much is the same.

The joy of snuggling up and reading as a family, the delight of sledding down a hill, the magic of Christmas that brings out the best in us, the desire of mothers to gather their families and feed them delicious food, the never-ending pile of laundry, the concern for loved ones, the goodness and generosity of humans, and the hopes for a better tomorrow. Human nature doesn’t change. The desires for love, peace, and harmony stay the same. The simple joys of togetherness, good food, and honest affection will never go out of style.

I have so much to be thankful for this day…and every day, really.

* Family. I am so thankful for my birth family, my husband’s family, and our family we are creating. Each of these learning environments have taught us much and have been the source of our greatest joys and happiness. I am grateful to have family to lean on, to rejoice with, to laugh with, to eat with, and to serve with. Families are God’s greatest invention, don’t you think?
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* A working body. I am so thankful to have legs to walk, run, jump, and balance, hands to prepare food, wipe away tears, sew a creation, hold a book, drive a car, and write a letter. A brain to think with (it does pretty well, most of the time), a strong back to carry heavy loads, arms to hold a baby, breasts to feed warm milk, a uterus that grows babies, eyes that see beauty, and ears that hear “I love you.” What a gift our bodies are!
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* Friends make all the difference. A good friend of mine who has had a year full of trials said to me “I can go through anything if people care.” Its true. A smile, a hug, a commiserating phone call, a dinner for those hectic days, an understanding heart, a face full of love, and tears shed together can make the difference between despair and hope, depression and joy. I have been blessed with amazing friends. They have loved and served and blessed and given and listened and hugged and given some more. They are a great blessing in my life and I want them each to know what a difference they have made in my life.
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* Pictures. It is so wonderful to be able to look at a photograph of the past and be taken right back to that moment. It is good for the soul. It helps us remember the love, the humor, the hard times, and the joy of the moments of our lives. It helps us go on, trusting there will be more of those moments to be caught on film (or in gigabytes!) in the future.
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* Brilliant minds. I am so thankful to be surrounded by heaps of books written by people who have dedicated themselves to studying and then sharing their findings with the rest of us so we can learn, grow, and understand. What a blessed day we live in where information is so readily available…now the hard part is discerning what is good and true and what is all a bunch of malarkey!

I gathered up all the unused items I have in my house from Deseret Book and returned them so I could get some things I really wanted. Thanks to coupons, discounts, and $100 in returned items, I was able to gather up a pile of fabulous finds. I cannot wait to spend my early morning hours devouring Change Your Questions, Change Your Life by Wendy Watson Nelson, The Hidden Christ by James Ferrell, Women of the Old Testament by Camille Fronk Olsen, Sacred Walls by Gerald Hansen, and Scripture Study for Latter-Day Saint Families: The Old Testament by Dennis Leavitt. What treasures! They are a gold mine of information that will enrich my mind and enlarge my heart.
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* My children. I have been blessed to bring four children into this world and they teach me every single day. They help me become a better person – to become who God wants me to be. They are each strong spirits who have great things to do in this life and I have been entrusted to help them on their journey. What an awesome responsibility motherhood is. I am so grateful to have this opportunity.
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* My husband. (He is not listed after my children because he is less important. He is MORE important, this is the order my heart is writing in and it has nothing to do with a hierarchy of importance!) He loves, serves, comforts, listens, laughs, encourages, comes to the rescue, holds, kisses and flat out adores me more than I ever imagined was possible. He teaches me what love is every single day. You know that song about being a diamond in the rough? Well, I am his diamond and I was – and am – very rough. He has loved me and slowly the rough spots are worn away. He sees who I can be and believes it so strongly that his vision has changed who I am.
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* My Savior who loves me, teaches me, comforts me, redeems me, and walks this journey of mortality by my side. It is impossible to express my love for Jesus Christ. I am thankful to know of Him and hope to become like Him as I learn to love, serve, and forgive in the way He would have me do.

Thank you each for being in my life. Thank you for your love, support, and encouragement.

Goodbye 2009 and hello 2010. Let’s hope it is a year full of faith, growth, friendship, service, and most all, love.

Love is the most powerful force in the world.

Let us make it true in 2010 by learning to love in God’s way.

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thankful thursdays 12/10

Dec 10, 2009 by tracy

I missed last week’s Thankful Thursdays because I was posting about the $70 miracle. With only two weeks till Christmas Eve my heart is full of gratitude for the blessings of my life. I have a Savior that loves me, access to God’s word, a husband that loves me, four beautiful children that only drive me crazy some of the time, food to eat, a warm house, and friends that enrich my life. What more does anyone need?

* Freecycle tops the list this week! We have been given an old, dinged up dresser that will be perfect for holding Annesley clothes that are strewn, piled, and horrendously stacked all over my entire bedroom. I have been working for the last two days on cleaning it and moving it in to my room…not a small feat when you consider the absolute messiness of my bedroom. Blythe and I just moved it in and I need to get busy filling it up with clothes that fit AND are in season and packing all the rest away.

We were also given an 8 year old iBook laptop! It has some various power issues, the wrong keyboard, and a broken CD-Rom drive, but it is a laptop for Blythe and she will be able to type up her papers on it for her various classes after we get the keyboard switched out.

There are so many nice people in the world willing to share what they have been blessed with and no longer need. If you aren’t on a freecycle group, I highly recommend you join one. We have been able to pass on things to people who really need them and have been able to get things we do need…what a great system!
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* Good books. I finished The Story of the Trapp Family Singers today and just loved it. I am also reading Ella Minnow Pea, The Gift of the Jews, Little Britches, and lots of Christmas books and just loving the messages of “Do something good, serve others, stand up for what’s right, be your best self, try harder, and sing more” that I am getting from these books. What a joy books are!
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* Christmas music. I love it. Some of my faves:

Do You Hear What I Hear?
Breath of Heaven
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Joy to the World
O Come All Ye Faithful
Hark! the Herald Angels Sing
The First Noel
O Holy Night
Mary’s Lullaby
Silent Night
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Carol of the Bells
Hallelujah Chorus
Angels We Have Heard on High
Christmastime
Christmas Prayer

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* Popcorn. It is such a wonderful treat to eat late at night with a good book and quiet all through the house.
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* Wool felt. It just may turn me into a sewer! I love creating things with it and so I have planned a big project for my children for Christmas. If my idea turns out cute (or even halfway cute) I will share it here with all of you.
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* My computer. I mean really what would life be like without it? Can you even remember life before Google, iTunes, blogs, and internet banking?
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* Coats, gloves, and polypropylene underclothes. I hate being cold. Can you imagine being on one of the handcart companies that lived in cold like this with cotton clothing???? My suburban doesn’t have heat up front and it is all I can do to drive it for any length of time and I am not outside walking, pushing, or carrying.
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* The Old Testament. I cannot wait to start studying it next year! I think I am have to start going to another ward so I can attend Sunday School each week. Primary is great, but I really miss weekly gospel discussions with other adults.
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* Christmastime. I love snuggling up with my children each night and reading a Christmas book with them -it is my favorite part of each day. I love the lights, sounds, and creating that is part of the season. I love thinking about my Savior and evaluating my relationship with him. I love the goodness that spreads from one heart to another and am always amazed at the miracles that are wrought by ordinary men and women on behalf of others.
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* Inside toilets…it is so cold outside…need I say more?
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Back to the bedroom!

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thankful thursdays 11/26

Nov 26, 2009 by tracy

Thankful Thursdays on Thanksgiving? What a perfect combination!

* Today is my little Annesley’s birthday!! I am so thankful for her and the love she brings into our home. I already wrote all about her in her birthday post, so I won’t repeat it here, but just know, she is a delight to us all!
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* The majority of my family is here! Here at my house! This has never happened before and I am thrilled they decided to come and celebrate Thanksgiving and Annesley’s birthday with us! Thank you for coming Uncle Scott, Andie, Uncle Stephen, Grandma Dorothy and Grandpa Leonard!
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* I am thankful for my health. I learned about a friends’ son-in-law who has been sick for four years with a variety of undiagnosable problems. He has splitting headaches (so severe that they caused his retina to detach this week), he requires daily IV treatments, he has been to SLC, The Moran Clinic, The Mayo Clinic and specialists in California for hundreds of appointments and no one knows what is wrong with him. Meanwhile he is in so much pain that he cannot work or participate in many activities with his family,
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* I am thankful for good friends who bless my life every single day. Just yesterday we had a Turkey Bowl (flag football game) in the snow and today a friend brought us some homemade peaches, freezer jam, veggies, and walnuts. Seriously, I have the best friends a girl could ever ask for.
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* Richard. He is absolutely the best thing that ever happened to me.
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* Books. Try to imagine life without the printed word…pretty desolate isn’t it? I love books, especially old books that have quality paper, beautiful, simple illustrations, and teach timeless principles.
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* These new tires are awesome! I love driving with them and actually gripping the road.
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* Pumpkin pie…yyyyuuummmm! It is my favorite! Have I already told you Camille and I stole a whole pie every Thanksgiving and ate it in a back bedroom of my grandmother’s house?
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* My mom was up at the crack of dawn cooking everything for Thanksgiving dinner. I think she has washed every dish in this house at least two times today. She worked MANY hours and we have just finished a glorious feast.
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* My Savior, Jesus Christ, who has given me the gift of repentance, companionship, and hope through his atonement and resurrection. I am grateful to know of Him and to have the opportunity to come to know Him and try to be like Him.
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* My MAPSSSSS class was completed last week. I have had a wonderful time studying the TJEd phases with an amazing group of women. As we have read, discussed, and written together we have learned much and shared our hearts in ways that will be treasured forever.
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* Sheri Dew. I have been listening to her talks this week as I have been sewing pencil rolls and she has brought me insights, peace, and chuckles. She is such a phenomenal speaker, writer, and disciple.
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* The pencil rolls…they just keep coming in! I have a whole box ready to ship out and another one almost full!
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* Childhood. I am grateful we get to start out as children and to learn line upon line as we go through life…and then we get to repeat the cycle as parents as we watch our children delight in the discoveries of each day, find joy in the simple things, and learn the lessons of good and bad, true and false, work and play, and what family means.
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* I am thankful for Camille and Tami. They are more than my friends, they are the sisters I never had as a child (my baby sister wasn’t born till I was 15!).
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* Ovens, dishwashers, computers, cameras, power tools, electricity, flushing toilets, all those modern conveniences that are not necessary, but surely make my life easier and more efficient.
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* “Life is Good” clothing. These clothes bring smiles to my face. They are soft, long-lasting, and always have a cute saying that warms the heart. We like to give them as birthday presents and Annesley got a new one with a ladybug that says “Lovebug” today.
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* I am so thankful for music. It touches me and communicates truths that go straight to my heart. I can’t wait to start playing Christmas music soon!
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* I can’t stop thinking about my grandmother today and our last Thanksgiving together one year ago. I am so grateful for her life and her example to me. I miss her dearly and want her to be here playing games, cooking pies, and telling us stories. I am so thankful for the amount of time I was blessed to spend with her and that my family moved back to Wyoming when I was seven so I could have the privilege of knowing her on a close to daily basis.
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I am a blessed woman. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but it is all I have time for today with a house full of guests. I am thankful most of all to be a wife and mother and to be surrounded with people who love me.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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thankful thursdays 11/19

Nov 19, 2009 by tracy

* The tire fund angel. Every time I think of this miracle, I start crying. A generous person gave us a substantial donation to our tire fund…simply amazing. I still need to figure out which ones to get and then actually get them put on, but I am sure I will come to a decision SOON! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts – we pray for you every night to have the windows of heaven poured out upon you.
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* Cute pencil rolls and dedicated women! Thank you so much for your hours of service. I just know these children in Uganda are going to cherish their pencil holders! Each day some more pencil rolls are coming in and they are all adorable! We are up to 463 committed rolls! Almost to our goal of 500!
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* We had a wonderful and BUSY visit with my mom.
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* Blythe finished her book for her colloquium today! She didn’t think she could do it, but she persevered and got it done!
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* The song Love is Little. It brings me such joy to sing it, hear it, read it.
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* I got my dining room clean!!! It has been gathering stuff for months and it is finally clean. Well, okay, that is not a entirely true statement. It WAS clean and then I filled it up with sewing machines and Blythe and I have been sewing up a storm on the pencil roll project.
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* The Book of Mormon. It is simply the most wonderful book ever. We are zooming through it by listening to the CD’s for 30 minutes every night and I am loving it. It is so clear when we go through it so fast. All the lessons and insights pile up and fill my mind and heart with truth, faith, and the love of my Savior.
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* Clear weather…I am so not ready for winter.
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* I get to have a cello lesson today. I love my cello!
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* Annesley loves to help me do everything. I am trying really hard to be grateful for her so-called help because although she doesn’t save me any time, her willingness brings a smile to my face.
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* My children were able to earn more money this week holding signs. Yippee!
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* A cute little red-headed boy who gives me huge hugs and kisses and says the most endearing things ever. He is full of love and it is so fun to watch him grow up and gain confidence outside our doors.
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* The library. Even though we have our share of fines, my children love finding new treasures to read. I am thrilled that they think books are one of the most exciting things in the world.
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* My planner. The more I use it, the more I love it. It has changed my life. It has kept me more organized than anything else ever has. Not that I AM organized…just more organized than before!
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* Sunshine. Look outside! It is shining brightly and streaming across my floor. I love it! I can handle the cold, if only the sun will shine. There is nothing more dreary than days and weeks on end of sunless days. I just don’t know if I will survive this winter if we have a string of them.
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* Popcorn. I love popcorn and eat it often. Whoever discovered that heating a kernal up would make it explode into deliciousness has my eternal thanks.
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* Along with the popcorn, I am really grateful for vacuum cleaners to clean up my daily popcorn mess.
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* Thanksgiving is almost here! My family is coming to our home and for the first time ever we will having a Thanksgiving Feast in our very own home. I am so thankful they are coming and hope we can help everyone have a wonderful holiday.
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Off to cello lessons, Liberty Girls, and the Kendell’s Colloquium.

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thankful thursdays 11/12

Nov 12, 2009 by tracy

* $14.11. That is exactly the amount of money needed for complete peace of mind concerning my predisposition to lock myself out of my vehicle. Four keys and a lock box later, I am fairly certain I will never have to call Richard, Gary, or a locksmith ever again.
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* The pencil rolls are starting to come in! I am so grateful for all of you who are donating your time, money, and fabric to the cause. We are at 440 committed rolls!! Woohoo – you ladies are amazing!

A girl in Alaska is doing this for one of her Young Women Value Projects!
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* My mama is coming to visit me! Hopefully today!
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* This week has been MUCH more relaxed. Thank goodness, I couldn’t have survived another one like last week.
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* Blythe and three friends were able to attend the temple yesterday.
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* I am slowly earning money to buy new tires so I can have some traction on the icy roads that are just around the corner.
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* Bill at Brady’s is amazing. He tuned my sewing machines and charged me 1/2 price as a gift to the pencil roll project. Then, when I jammed it up again, he fixed it for me yesterday, no charge! I took him a loaf of pumpkin chocolate chip bread as a thank you for his wonderfulness. For those of you sewing pencil rolls, he said if any of you need repairs to go in, ask for him, mention me and the pencil roll project and he will give you a discount!
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* We found two missing library books!!!! Hallelujah!
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* Beethoven’s Ninth.

Need I say more?
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* I have a washing machine and dryer that are still working. I can’t imagine doing my family’s laundry by hand.
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* The cloth pads are almost all delivered!
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* I have had some requests to do another cloth pad order – yeah!
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* Sarah had her baby!
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* Friends that help me on this sewing journey. Thanks Kat, Jessica, and Jennifer.
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* Richard wasn’t even angry at me an eensy-weensy bit when I locked my keys in the car this week. How does he love so purely?
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* Blythe made me a yummy smoothie this week and saved me from utter starvation. Okay, not really, just seemed like it at the time!
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* We have had two really great days of school this week and one that was okay.
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* I love my house and trees and solitude and sagebrush and well, okay, I just love it all. It is the perfect place for us to raise our children. I am grateful for the time we have had here. And no, I am not announcing anything, just saying I have loved it here.
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* Maple syrup. What a gift from God.
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* The adoring looks Annesley gives me when she is done nursing. It is the most adorable thing ever and convinces my heart that all this time spent nursing her is completely worth it.
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* A great new read from Becky. It has been very relaxing to snuggle up in a blanket late at night and read a book just for fun.
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* Yesterday during violin, Blythe and Fisher played together on the trampoline and every time I looked out the window at them they were laughing and smiling together. Since they are 8 years apart, they don’t share a lot of common interests or playtime. It was pure joy to see them so happy together.
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* Pumpkin rolls from Great Harvest are simply scrumptious. Especially when they are given on the free slice board!
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Off to learning time, dishes, and laundry.

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thankful thursdays 11/5

Nov 7, 2009 by tracy

Whirlwind week. That is what I should call this week. Whooooh! It is has been busy. I don’t know how we made it through in one piece! Monday morning brought some issues with the gym that I had to go to Idaho Falls to take care of…during school time…during snuggle up and learn with my children time. During my most treasured hours of the week. And I missed them because I had to go to the gym. AAArrrrggghhh! That afternoon, we had Keziah’s Secret Club (the girls’ named it that even though it is not a ”secret” club at all) at our home. It was delightful to listen to the girls’ book discussion and art project conversation. They are such good girls and it brought sunshine to my day to have them in our home. The cloth pad order came in and I spent the afternoon sorting through it and making sure everyone’s stuff came in the proper colors and sizes. I had to go through the order four times before I got it sorted correctly! Then emailing everyone and bagging them up to be delivered took forever. Monday night I got a phone call from some friends in Idaho Falls asking if I knew any youth who would be willing to hold signs for a candidate the next day during the election. I knew my Tuesday was already filled to the brim with things I HAD to do, but when the $10/hour payment was mentioned, we jumped on it. I hurriedly called some friends and we set up 4 youth for all 3 sign-holding sessions. Keziah, the littlest one of the bunch, held signs and danced her little heart out for five hours! She made $50 and is one happy camper. Blythe made $35. She has seminary in the morning and had to miss the first session. They were both able to earn the money they needed to buy their ice skating punch card and now will be able to go ice skating every week till March. Needless to say, I accomplished nothing on Tuesday on “my” list of things to do, but I did spend a fun day with my children and their friends and helped them to earn a lot of money. We got home late that night and went to bed. Wednesday I was up with the sun to work on doing a Passover Seder for Keziah’s Liberty Girls group. I am an expert at doing Passover. We hold a Seder every year in our home and invite 2 families to share it with us. It is a HUGE production. For some reason, I thought that doing it for Liberty Girls would be a piece of cake. I was wrong. So wrong. I knew I needed to shorten our Hagaddah to be under an hour. I knew I needed to make the parts easier for the girls to read. I thought “I am a fast typer, I will just start typing and it will be easy.” Well, it took me over six hours to redo the Hagaddah. I couldn’t believe how long it took to retype to make it work for these little girls to have a Passover experience. Then all the dishes, goblets, silverware, napkins, Passover platter, and salt dishes had to be gathered, the table taken to Liberty Girls, set up, places set, Afikoman present and grape juice purchased, and loads of other details that needed to be taken care of. It turned out wonderful, but it took me far longer than I had anticipated. Wednesday also brought a delivery of Usborne books that needed sorted and delivered and a Young Living Oil order. Such a busy day! Wednesday is also Blythe’s Shakespeare class which means two trips into Rigby, which isn’t a big deal, but it is an interruption. Thursday was the Seder and also my colloquia group meeting at my house. Friday was gymnastics, Daughters of Royalty (which granted takes none of my time because Blythe does it during gymnastics and the other mothers take her there and back, but it is still on my radar screen of things that need to get done), violin lessons/cleaning violin teacher’s house, ice skating, picking up dinner, and then driving quickly (but of course safely!) to pick up our newly repaired sewing machines, which Kat promises me will be a joy to sew on now (how can I sew pencil rolls with cranky sewing machines?). We finally got home last night and after a delicious dinner, I laid down on the snuggler and promptly fell asleep while my family played Quirkle. I woke up to the sounds, smells, and gooey-ness of throw up down my neck and back and Annesley on top of me. I grabbed her and ran her to the kitchen so she could finish throwing up, which she did in abundance. After getting her all cleaned up, the phone rang and we realized we had forgotten to go back and clean up the Passover stuff at Liberty Girls! Richard rushed out the door and I helped Annesley settle down. Then we were able to finish the Quirkle game and head to bed. Today I am cleaning, doing laundry, cutting up felt for the pencil rolls, and then taking a group of girls to the symphony to be enthralled by Beethoven’s 9th (which is going to be absolutely fabulous!). I need to mail out some cloth pads and essential oils today, pay my power bill, call Green Canyon and negotiate for our swim camp next year. This has been such a busy week and somehow we have survived to tell about it.

On to the things I am grateful for this week…

* The meals this week have been soul-satisfying, eye-appealing, and simply scrumptious! We had dinner in a pumpkin on Monday which was so fun for my children to experience for the first time. Wednesday we had the most divine salad ever. Seriously. You have to make this. You will love it. It had slivered almonds, mandarin oranges, strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, avocados, romaine, red cabbage, and red leaf lettuce. Topping this blend from heaven was “Brianna’s Homestyle Rich Poppy Seed” dressing. Oh my, I could eat this salad every day. We also had a yummy rice concoction and cornbread. Friday’s dinner was a soothing soup with a fruit salad on the side. All of it was so good and let me tell you I didn’t have any time to cook this week, so it was a huge blessing to be able to eat delicious homemade food. I don’t think we would have made it through without it!
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* My mother found me some beautiful felt and mailed it to me! I can’t wait to sew up 30 pencil rolls with it! She also went and bought some fabric and delivered it to a volunteer who lives about 40 miles from her. How amazing is that!
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* Passover was a success! I think the girls got a flavor of what Passover means and I am hoping they will remember it for their whole lives. I am hoping they feel a love for the Old Testament, the Savior, and the Jewish people.
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* Keziah received a lovely letter from our Stake President.
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* Stake Conference was full of wonderful reminders of how to be more Christlike, better mothers and fathers, and how to listen to the Spirit.
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* The Suburban’s heater worked for most of the week.
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* My laundry stayed up mostly caught up during the week.
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* We only had 10 overdue books today, last time we had a week like this, we had 50!
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* Blythe was able to learn all about the orchestra and different instruments from two amazing musicians. She was able to see a $50,000+ instrument, the contrabassoon, and has now decided she would like play the trumpet and the flute on top of playing the violin. Anyone have a trumpet or flute lying around they don’t need?
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* Tasha brought over a loaf of bread on Monday, which saved the day by allowing me to make peanut butter sandwiches for Fisher and Annesley all day long while we sat in the suburban watching the girls hold signs on Tuesday.
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* All the Usborne books have been delivered…whoooohoo!
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* Keziah and Blythe are cleaning out the filthy suburban right this minute so I can go vacuum it.
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* People are sewing pencil rolls! I am up to 213 committed rolls and so we are almost halfway there. If you haven’t let me know how many rolls you are doing, please do so ASAP so I can figure out how close we are getting.
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* We have had beautiful fall weather this week. Lots of sunshine and crisp nights.
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* Fisher has learned how to paint! He has painted with his little crayola watercolor set that he bought with money from Grandma all week long. He painted me a flower that really looks like a flower and lots of Larry-boys with giant super-suction ears.
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* Fisher said the cutest thing on the night of the divine salad. I said “Look at your plate, you have a lot of cucumbers left” and he said “Mom, I really don’t like cucumbers, except for Larry-boy and you know that Larry-boy is not a real cucumber that we eat, don’t you know that, mom?”
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* Blythe loves reading. I never knew if this day would come, but it has and I am so thrilled for her.
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* Blythe taught us a great family home evening on Monday about the power of music and the importance of having uplifting music in our homes and most importantly in our minds.
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* I giggled my head off at gym yesterday. These kids say the most hilarious things and they DO the most hilarious things. They keep my laughter quotient where it needs to be and give me something to smile about all week long.
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* Annesley only threw up once last night. My children throw up often, anywhere, and abundantly. Once they start it is usually an 8-10 throw up deal. Once was such a piece of cake. Only 4 towels to wash and two sets of clothes, hers and mine. (Do other children throw up as often as mine? Is it even remotely possible? What is a normal number of times to throw up during childhood? A recent client of mine said her 7-year-old has thrown up twice in his life! I was flabbergasted because my children all throw up so often, I cannot even count the times. It probably isn’t a weekly occurrence, but certainly monthly.)
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* We were able to have adult conversation with our friends Cami and Ray…what a treat!
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* Yesterday during violin, Blythe and Fisher played together on the trampoline and every time I looked out the window at them they were laughing and smiling together. Since they are 8 years apart, they don’t share a lot of common interests or playtime. It was pure joy to see them so happy together.
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* In spite of WWIII being declared by Blythe and Keziah (and I am certain a real war could not be worse than their recent fighting) and repeatedly hearing how much they hate each other this week, they were found giggling under the covers of Fisher’s bed. Together. With smiles. Simply unbelievable.
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Time to get to work!

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thankful thursdays 10/29

Oct 29, 2009 by tracy

* Over 30 people have signed up to volunteer for my 500 Pencil Roll Project…for those of you who missed the tutorial, here it is. You are all simply amazing!
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* We were able to attend a fun play this morning of The Jungle Book
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* Blythe and Keziah competed in The Speech Festival and they both did fabulously well! Blythe won 4th place and was so shocked that she couldn’t even breathe. I am so grateful she received an award this year because she was pretty discouraged last year after an enormous amount of effort did not win her a ribbon.
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* My children and our whole Primary did so wonderful in their program. Keziah’s solo was beautiful and there was nary a dry eye in the room.
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* I found a treasure of a book – The Gift of the Jews – that is calling to me to spend hours immersed in its pages. It is about how a small tribe’s beliefs changed the entire development and worldview of Western Civilization and now the world. I love reading philosophy mixed with history mixed with anything about the Jews.
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* My family was here to spend the weekend and we had a great time!
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* My amazing sister, Mikelle, did my hair and it is soooo cute, if I may say so myself. She also did Fisher’s and it is the shortest, probably the cutest, and definitely the easiest it has ever been.
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* My laundry is caught up!
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* Liberty Girls is such a delightful club for my Keziah to belong to. Her leader helps each girl rise to the best that is in them and to become better friends, learners, and young ladies of goodness.
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* Great Harvest feeds us (and everyone else) free slices of bread every time we go to Idaho Falls. Lately, that has been really frequently and they just keep smiling, cutting bread, and filling our bellies.
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* Two of my Usborne Book Shows are closing today and people are going to get tons of these fabulous books. I love helping people find books they will love.
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* I learned about a Kool-aid dishwashing soap method. I will try it out and let you know how it works.
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* Several people have recently contacted me about TJEd and how they can implement it in their families. It is so exciting to be on this educational path and to be able to help other people along the way.
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* I love, love, love my Keen Targhees. They are the most comfortable shoes. My feet feel great at the end of the day.
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* Annesley is adding new words to her repertoire every day – it is so fun to watch her growing up.
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* We found a missing library book and only had to pay the outrageous fine, not the replacement cost…only 3 more missing library books to go. Surely they are here somewhere, right??
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* Did I already say my hair is stinkin’ cute? Well, it is. I feel adorable and love doing my hair every day.
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Time to make cookies for our Harvest Party tomorrow!

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thankful thursdays 10/22

Oct 22, 2009 by tracy

I have taken a few weeks off of Thankful Thursdays, but now it is back…enjoy!

(Don’t ya think I was doing Thankful Thursdays the last two weeks anyway…I wrote about our baby on 10/8 and I wrote about my man on 10/15.)

* I was given a beautiful way to remember my babies.
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* Blythe has read, watched, or listened to 17 Shakespeare plays!
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* Amy Alessa has arrived.
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* After hours (and hours and hours!) of work, Fisher’s room is clean!
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* Gymnastics is going really well.
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* Our garbage was picked up on Tuesday even though we haven’t paid the bill…YIPPEE!
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* My completely bald tires made it through the rainstorm on Monday without sliding off the road.
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* Fisher has his part for the primary program memorized and he actually said it in the microphone during the practice.
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* Raisins. They add so much to a bowl of hot cereal. (and yes, I am sitting here eating them right this minute…Bruce’s cereal, leftover from Monday, with cinnamon, raisins, and honey. Yummm.)
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* The temple is so close that I can run Blythe over there at the drop of a hat.
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* The Cre-Act School Speech Festival. It is a great event and we have been participating for years. It is coming up next week!
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* My mother calls Annesley and Fisher every day and talks to them. This is how Annesley’s conversations with her go:

Gma: Hi Annesley!
A: silence
Gma: Where is the dog?
A: silence, but points outside
Gma: Where is the cat?
A: silence, but points outside
Gma: Where is Fisher?
A: silence, but points to Fisher
Gma: Where is Papa?
A: silence, but points outside
Gma: What does a duck say?
A: silence usually, but every once in awhile she will say “quack, quack”
Gma: What does a cat say?
A: silence usually, but every once in awhile she will say “meow, meow” with a tiny, squeaky voice
Gma: I love you, goodbye!
A: silence usually, but every once in awhile she will say “g’byyyyyyyeeeeee”
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* My girls are in a band with their grandpa.
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* I have so many pieces of clothing in this house that I can’t keep up with the laundry…surely that is a blessing, right?????? Maybe not…
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* Annesley was given an adorable pair of overalls yesterday. They will be super-cute on her.
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* The floor of my laundry room is beginning to be visible again. Notice I did not say it IS visible, just that it is beginning to be visible. I am on batch three of today…only 20 thousand to go!
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* So many people have given me hugs, kind words, phone calls, and emails to say they are sorry about our baby. Thank you. I have decided that friendship is critical to the well-being of humans. I know it is absolutely essential for me and I am so grateful to have a large circle of friends. Thank you for being in my life and for blessing me each day.
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There is lots more, but I need to get the ball movin’ around here!

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thankful thursdays 10/1/09

Oct 1, 2009 by tracy

* Two beautiful babies are finally here and their families are in love with them! All babies are precious, but these two? They are truly adorable. I really hope they let me post some pictures of them on here.
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* A Food Fairy has done something amazing. Someone out there has blessed our family by ordering us LOTS of cases of food on the case lot sale at Broulim’s. They somehow knew just what we needed – tomatoes, V-8 juice (for my zucchini soup), black beans, and tuna fish. Thank you, Thank you, Thank YOU, whoever you are. This is such a generous gift. We were low on all of those things and will put them to good use feeding our family in the months to come. Whoever you are, please know that I will pass on your goodness to someone else in need so that your goodness goes on and on forever.
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* Blythe is writing and loving it. She loves, loves, loves her “Write Your Heart Out” and Shakespeare classes.
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* My girls get to attend General Conference with their grandma.
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* Annesley is mostly sleeping through the night.
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* My friend, Gary, vacuumed out my FILTHY suburban. He is a hero, truly a hero for even attempting to tackle the grossness of that vehicle. The great news is, we have kept it clean for a week now!
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* My meals from my friends have been absolutely fabulous! This is so incredibly life-changing, I am going to devote an entire post to it soon.
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* My Keziah turns 9 on Saturday…nine years old. Unbelievable.
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* I got to sleep in with my husband today because school is out. What a heavenly treat!
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* I get to have a mind-stimulating discussion tonight with a group of treasured friends.
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* I get to attend the graduation ceremonies of The Midwives College of Utah in a few days.
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* Yesterday my children and I were able to pick 4 bushels of HoneyCrisp Apples – if you haven’t tasted one, you haven’t lived! They are the best. Promise. Come and get one if you want.
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*My faithful mother emails me all my typos and grammatical errors so that I don’t have horrible writing in my posts for too long.
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* Richard’s mom gave us some yummy tomatoes from her garden.
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* We were able to gather lots of rasperries and strawberries from a friend’s garden – scrumptious.
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That’s all for today folks – I need to get cleaning for colloquia tonight!

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thankful thursdays 9/17

Sep 17, 2009 by tracy

* I was able to harvest oodles of banana squash, grape tomatoes, potatoes, and zucchini from a community garden in Rexburg – for free!!! Thank you to the students who planted and tended it all summer! (Does anyone know what to do with banana squash?)
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* A good friend, Katie, gave me some chuck roasts and a big bag of red potatoes yesterday!
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* My amazon order finally came! It took over two weeks! Fisher’s birthday book and Blythe’s Shakespeare book, along with books for 9 other students have arrived!
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* I found the most amazing treasure at Book City! Look at this:

Yes, that is a 1900 edition of the book Our Home by C.E. Sargent!

And the cost?

Drumroll please…

$15.00!!!! I nearly died! You can’t even get the reprinted paperback version for less than $20.

You can’t tell from the picture, but the pages have gold leafing and inside there are lovely paintings with oil skins on them to protect them. The cover is a deep red and is exquisitely beautiful. I think someone has had this in their home for the last 109 years and never even opened it. What a travesty – to have in your possession words that are so inspiring to create a God-centered family home and to not even read it! It is such a delight to savor the words and ponder how to implement the ideas in my own home. Look for excerpts from it to be posted in the future – you will love them, promise.
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* Annesley went pee in the toilet. Now, I am not really grateful for this because I want her potty trained or anything – I’m sure we are a long ways from that. I am just excited for her because she has been trying to get something in the toilet for months. She was so proud of herself and gave everyone in the house “5”.
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* We were given a king size mattress set this week from off of Freecycle – can you even imagine? Now to be honest, the givers said that the mattress is so firm it hurt their ribs to lay on it, so we don’t really know if we will love it or not. Generous none the less!
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* We loved our violin lessons last week! Our new teacher is fabulous and we are so blessed to be able to have her. She is letting me clean for her to pay for lessons – what a gift!
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thankful thursdays 9/10

Sep 10, 2009 by tracy

* I was able to read They Loved to Laugh for 3 hours to my children this morning with Fisher laying his head on my shoulder and the rest of us curled up in our PJ’s and blankets – such a delight to read to them before Annesley the curious climber (and destroyer) wakes up.
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* I had another cello lesson today. My teacher said I have good tone and am a strong player. I nearly croaked when she said that, to which she said, “Tracy, you are far too hard on yourself!”
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* I spent the afternoon in the sunshine at the park watching Fisher and Annesley slide, climb, swing, and run.
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* My friend, Kari, spent the afternoon with me.
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* I am going to a viewing this evening for my dear friend, Lila. She is a 94 year old friend of mine who I love to pieces. It will be wonderful to reflect on her life and to see her family members.
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* I have delivered almost all of the books from my recent Usborne book party.
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* Blythe studied three Shakespeare plays today and is laughing her head off about them.
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* My girls have been given the opportunity to start violin lessons tomorrow with a wonderful teacher. We are so excited to start progressing again!
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* Yesterday I was given a free carwash. My suburban had had “wash me” on it for over a month. Thanks Gary!
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* I was able to practice “If You Could Hie to Kolob” with Blythe last night for an hour.
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* We took advantage of the great sports bra deal-o-rama and bought seven! Blythe is outfitted for years to come.
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* My friend, Julie, brought over a huge bag of zucchini! Now I can cut and freeze it into 7 C. portions and make my yummy zucchini soup all winter long.
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* My suburban is still running.
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* I have an adorable haircut that keeps turning out cute everyday – thanks Mikelle!
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* Dinners this week have been yummy! Thanks Tasha, Kari, and Cami! You are keeping me sane!
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* Richard has been working like a madman for 2 weeks and he is still sane and still healthy.
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* I got my planner pages switched over to the next quarter.
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* Annesley went down the high slide at the park AND didn’t fall down despite her I-have-to-turn-around-at-the-top craziness.
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* We are eating a watermelon from my friend Kari – what a joy watermelon is! My children all have pink faces and big smiles.
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* I am surrounded by passionate, sensitive, righteous, good-hearted women who are all striving to raise their children in truth and are shining examples to me, supportive companions on the path, and lovies to my heart on those days when it is hard.
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Now, I am off to Lila’s viewing…I will miss her presence in my life, but I am so glad she is able to return to her sweetheart.

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thankful thursdays 9/3

Sep 3, 2009 by tracy

I am starting a new blogging habit I am entitling Thankful Thursdays where each week I will share the things I am thankful for. This will help me to
1. remember
2. embrace
3. be humble.

* I was able to restart cello lessons today with my fabulous teacher and friend, Jennifer.
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* I was able to get the oil changed in the suburban.
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* I was able to walk home from the repair shop on my own two legs AND have a few minutes to think with only the birds making noise in the background.
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* I was able to walk back to the repair shop with Fisher riding his bike alongside me, squealing with joy and telling me how big he is to ride so far.
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* I was able to spend this evening having such a wonderful discussion on The Lord of the Rings with dear friends both old and new.
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* Blythe found $100, yes, $100!!!!!!!! while she was mowing the lawn today. Turns out Richard lost it 6 weeks ago. It was tithing money. Amazing, isn’t it!
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* My delightful gymnastics assistant is going to stick with her job with me!!
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* Gymnastics starts tomorrow morning. I get to spend time teaching about 70 homeschooled children how to trust their bodies, grow muscles, and gain courage every Friday for the next nine months.
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* I got to see my friend Amy today.
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* I was able to do the dishes with Fisher and Annesley while we sang “How Firm a Foundation” at the top of our lungs.
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* I was offered a sports bra for $2. I think I will stock up!
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* Right this second, my husband is vacuuming out the suburban so it can be somewhat clean for us.
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* My husband paid me a huge compliment and said I was like Gandalf. I, predictably, spit water all over the floor in front of our colloquia group when I realized what he said!
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* I was able to do 4 batches of laundry today.
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* I will start getting dinner three times a week brought in by several friends to trade for gymnastics. Woo-hoo!
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* I am reading D & C 88: – it is a treasure trove!
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* I was able to eat a wide variety of yummy food brought to our book discussion. The seven-layer dip with cilantro was scrumptious. I could have eaten the whole pan!
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* In the next few days I will get to help two babies be born.
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* My friend, Jennifer, brings me milk fresh from the goat that my children LOVE.
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* I have some moosetracks in my freezer.
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See how blessed I am – it is amazing once I put it all down on paper screen!

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busy

Apr 26, 2010 by tracy

That post from my mom wasn’t supposed to up there long at all – it should have been replaced by my Thankful Thursdays post, but surprise to no one, I got behind again. I had a busy day Thursday because of a meeting with a last minute doula client. Friday brought gym, violin, and a long awaited appointment of reckoning with the library over three lost books. Saturday was H.O.P.E. and the symphony (magnificent by the way!). My doula client went into labor on Sunday with a beautiful birth just after midnight on Monday morning. So today was a slow day spent catching up on sleep, dishes, laundry, and a little bit of snuggling with my little ones.

Tomorrow is the beginning of three-day-a-week Shakespeare rehearsals, Wednesday is our homeschool group’s trip to The Three Musketeers, Friday is gym and Keziah and Blythe’s Grand Concert for violin. Then next week, my dear Tami will be here!!!!

So, yeah, dishes, laundry, being with my children need to take priority right now. We’ll see if I get any blogging done!

I would like to share some inspiring, insightful thoughts, but they are far from me at the moment. Maybe after a good night of rest they will come flying back into my heart so I can share them with you.

Chow for now.

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trapp family singers

Dec 10, 2009 by tracy

I have been reading The Story of the Trapp Family Singers for the last couple of weeks for January’s colloquium and just finished it in the wee hours of the morning. Such a delight! I was taught once again the power of God, the strength of family, and the connectedness of community. The author, Maria Von Trapp, created a door in which once I walked through I was able to experience the heartaches, joys, hard work, frustrations, simple pleasures, and determination to do good right along with the family. ch

One of my favorite parts is when the family has been asked to sing for Hitler and they have to make a choice between fame, fortune, and security in the new world of the Third Reich or a life of principle in which they must give up their home, their country, and their friends.

Their father says:

“Children, we have the choice now: do we want to keep the material goods we still have – this our home with the ancient furniture, our friends, and all the things we are fond of? Then we shall have to give up the spiritual goods: our faith and our honor. We can’t have both anymore. We could all make a lot of money now, but I doubt very much whether it would make us happy. I’d rather see you poor but honest. If we choose this, then we have to leave. Do you agree?

As one voice came the answer: “Yes, Father.”

“Then, let’s get out of here soon. You can’t say no three times to Hitler-it’s getting dangerous.”

Another wonderful part is when the mother is very sick and is told there is nothing that can be done for her medically. Her friends from all over the world start praying for her and she is healed. She shares the story of the man who was brought by his friends to Jesus to be healed and how the crowds did not stop them, they were determined to have their friend healed and they climbed the roof and lowered the man right in front of Jesus. We are then told “And when Jesus had seen their faith, He said to the sick one: ‘Arise, take up thy bed and walk.'” She talks about how she now understands how the man must have loved his friends for helping to bring about this great miracle because that is how she feels about her friends who prayed for her and whose faith brought her back to life. That is how I feel about my friends as well. They have prayed, put our names in the temple, given much, and have loved us so dearly that I will forever be grateful for the love of good friends.

If you haven’t read this book yet, pick it up today and get started. It will be a gift to your soul this Christmas season as it teaches faith, family, fun, and friendship.

I need to hurry and get ready for my cello lesson, so ta-ta for now, I’ll be back with Thankful Thursdays this evening!

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the divine salad

Nov 8, 2009 by tracy

I forgot some things of the divine salad ingredients in my thankful thursdays post. So here it is all fixed up with everything included. (Thanks Kari!)

Mesclun or Spring Mix lettuce
Avocado, diced
Strawberries, sliced
Slivered almonds, toasted
Pomegranate seeds
Tomatoes, diced
Cucumber, sliced
Mandarin oranges, drained
Brianna’s Poppy seed dressing

Make it for lunch tomorrow and your taste buds will thank you. Promise.

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stay tuned

Nov 5, 2009 by tracy

Thankful Thursdays is coming, but will be postponed till tomorrow…we are doing Passover for Keziah’s Liberty Girls group today and I don’t have a second to spare…so stay tuned till tomorrow night and I will let you in on the world’s most divine salad ever and all my gratitudes for the week.

Cha, cha!

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oooppps!

Oct 23, 2009 by tracy

I wrote my Thankful Thursdays in such a hurry yesterday that I left out some important things! Goodness, my brain is forgetting stuff all the time these days!

1. My friend, Jennifer, went to Texas and brought me back a “Life is Good” shirt from a “Life is Good” store! I have never even been in a “Life is Good” store, but she went and bought something for me because she knows I absolutely love their shirts. Actually I love all their stuff. It has a glass on the front and says “Half Full.” I hope it helps me to be a “half full” kind of girl.

2. My friend, Jessica, made me one of her super-duper camera straps! It is so cute and now I don’t have to live in fear of dropping (and breaking) my Canon Powershot.

3. My friend, Robyn, made me an bookmark out of a ribbon with six beads on one end to represent Richard, myself, and the children. On the other end there are nine beads to represent our lost babies. So sweet!

Thank you friends – you are the best!

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back to normal

Sep 27, 2009 by tracy

I missed Thankful Thursdays this week. I have missed a lot of things lately. I missed teaching gymnastics on the 18th. I missed some of my boy’s birthday. I missed The Gathering Place Retreat. I have missed reading with my children. I have racked up a library fine by not making it there for our weekly check in – check out routine. I have missed reading myself to sleep. I have missed snuggling up with my husband as we drift off to sleep together – as I have been going to bed early to make sure I am well rested and prepared for a call in the middle of the night. I have missed doing the dishes for over a week. I missed a trip to Jackson with my brother and niece. I have missed time with friends, phone calls with loved ones, and much more. I have had to simplify greatly so that I could have the energy, spirit, and emotional resources I needed to be able to give as a doula.

But I have done exactly what I needed to do for families that are very dear to me. I helped two families journey through their pregnancies and welcome their babies into this world. Both families needed me greatly and I have been privileged to be part of their lives and share this experience with them.

I wish I had pictures of these two cuties – they are both big, beautiful babies and you would squeal with delight if you could see them. They have been born into amazing families who will nurture, teach, and love them the best they can. What an honor to have been invited into their sacred circle and help them through their births.

After the second birth late Friday night I returned home around 4:30 a.m. and caught about 3 hours sleep before Keziah woke me up to inform me that she was going to do a triathlon that day and could I please tell her where I had put her swimming suit. Groggily I tried to recollect the last time laundry had been part of my life and gave her some slurred information. It must have been useful because soon she was back all ready to go get registered. I threw some clothes on my exhausted body and took her to the triathlon. She did fabulous! She had a 75 yd. open water swim, a 1.5 mile bike ride, and a 1 mile run. It was a non-timed event and everyone was treated as a winner for finishing, but I am pretty sure she would have placed in the top 5 if it had been timed. She thinks she will do more of them in the future, so I guess I need to start looking for some opportunities for her in that arena.

Richard had taken the day off so I could go to the Mom’s Retreat and had promised everyone a day of catching BIG fish. When I had to miss the retreat because of the 2nd birth, he decided to keep his promise and go to Henry’s Lake. Even though I was incredibly tired, Keziah and I decided to make the trip north. I ended up sleeping the day away while fish were caught, cleaned, and measured. They were eaten this morning for breakfast by the fish lovers of the family.

I am full of gratitude for the events of this month. My two babies came safely and are healthy, beautiful, and happy. I know I had many people praying for me and for these families – thank you – we needed those prayers. Thank you for being a support system to me and my family and for helping me help families birth their babies.

Up next? A hike to the ice caves by Driggs, another hike to Mesa Falls, reading A Door in the Wall with Keziah, attending General Conference, attending the graduation and Presidential Banquet of The Midwives College of Utah, taking Blythe to the dentist, gleaning potatoes, picking apples and canning them, mentoring two youth colloquiums on The Lord of the Rings, and pulling together a Fun Fall Family event with cooking contests, treasure hunts, obstacle courses, races, and lots more.

I have pictures of the triathlon and the fish, but no time to upload them tonight, so check back later for those beauties…

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