Grace's Prayer

We welcomed a niece and cousin into our family this morning!  Congrats, Dan & Julee.  Baby was born a month early and is little, but healthy and darling, of course:)

Tonight I listened in on Grace's prayer....

Dear Heavenly Father,

Please bless Aunt Julee and her baby that they'll be healthy and that the baby will grow well.  Please bless the baby to eat good stuff.  Bless Aunt Julee to feed the baby.  Please bless Uncle Dan to get to Aunt Julee and the baby safely on the planes, and quickly....

In the Name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Lots of love and the best of wishes!  

Game night

Caroline and Wesley conked out by bedtime tonight.  The rest of the crew, however begged to play a game.  It is their spring break after all.  I pulled out a game I bought at one of the museum gift shops in Philly called, "Professor Noggin's American Revolution Card Game."  The game cards have T/F, multiple choice, and open ended questions that are either hard or easy.  There is a die and rules, but we just played it like a quiz game and I asked Wayne, Christina, Thomas, and Grace the questions.  Sometimes Wayne would chime in with a follow up question.  Thomas studied the American Revolution this year, so he would bust up laughing in suspense when he knew the answer to someone else's question.  Perhaps there aren't many places beyond Beantown where kids could have such a blast playing an American Revolution card game for family game night.  We have a thing for history here, and it's extra fun that we've visited so many of the American Revolution historical sites.  I'm not kidding when I say the kids had a blast...they played for an hour and 1/2!  Grace hasn't had the exposure the Christina and Thomas have had, but their enthusiasm is contagious and Grace was trying her best to give the correct responses.  She did answer correctly when asked if George Washington had wooden teeth. (answer: False)  See how you would do with these questions found in the game, and then I can tell you if you're as smart as a 3rd grader:)....

1. Who was Crispus Attucks?"

2. What nickname was given to women who brought water to wounded soldiers?"

3. Whose last words before being hanged by the British were, "I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country?"

4. Why did British merchants eventually oppose the Stamp Act?

5. What did Mary Ludwig Hays do that made her famous?

6. The night before the war started, many riders helped warn colonists that British troops were marching on Concord.  Who was the most famous rider that night?  Name two other riders.

Answers:

1. First black man to die in the American Revolution (Boston Massacre)

2. Molly Pitcher

3. Nathan Hale

4. Colonists had stopped importing their products

5. She took her wounded husband's place at a cannon 

6. Paul Revere - William Dawes & Samuel Prescott

Mommy-Daughter road trip (day 4)

We went to church with Adam, Mari and Des.

After church we headed home via Philadelphia.  What a fun city!  We plan on bringing the whole family back.  The tours were short and many exhibits had hands-on things for the kids to do. Christina and Thomas have studied the American Revolution in school and so they would appreciate the Philadelphia sites more than our younger kids.

Christina did a report on Betsy Ross last year, so visiting her home was a treat.  There was a woman acting as Betsy Ross in her home (no photography allowed) and we had a fun Q&A with her.  Our flag is a miracle considering it was made during such turmoil in Philadelphia and if she was found sewing this symbol of liberty, Betsy Ross could have been tried for treason.  The Rosses rented their home and shared the home with many families.  During the British occupation of Philly, red coats may very well have been living in the home as well, making her brave effort all the more impressive.

We also enjoyed our visit to the National Constitution Center.  We enjoyed the Rising Sun show and the room with the life size bronze figures of the signers of the Declaration of Independence was a highlight.  In that room, you can sign your name in a huge book with the Constitution on the left and space for signatures on the right.  Around the corner is one of the first printed copies of the constitution.

We saw the liberty bell and the original Pennsylvania State House where the Declaration of Independence was debated and signed.  We saw the original Supreme Court building where my ancestor, Oliver Ellsworth was one of the first chief justices.  So we fit in a little family history into this vacation:)  In fact, standing in the rooms where our freedoms were inspired and born made for a very spiritual and uplifting day.

We got home late last night and on the drive home our minds were reeling with plans for our next road trip...NYC.  I'm thankful that Wayne would take our other four kids and make this trip possible.  He's got Fathers & Sons campout in a few weeks, so we'll trade places.  I know it means a lot to the kids to have this one on one time with mom or dad, and it was a blessing for me to have this time with Christina as well.  I'm so thankful for such a wonderful and special first child!

Mommy-Daughter road trip (day 3)

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

What a beautiful estate!  Monticello's views were spectacular during our visit on Saturday.  From one spot we were told Jefferson could look through his telescope and see the construction of the University of Virginia which he designed. The grounds of UVa are beautiful.

While we waited for our tour to start, we walked around the gardens at Monticello.  Jefferson had a vegetable garden and vineyard.  The blossoming trees and different tulip species were stunning.  Between the flowers and the lilacs in bloom, the grounds were aromatherapy for us.  We kept our cameras busy as we took in the beautiful scenery.  We walked down to where Jefferson and many of his descendants are buried and then headed back up to tour Monticello.  They don't allow photography in Monticello, so our photographs are all of the grounds.

I'm going to be lazy and quote my sister-in-law, Julee's report of interesting facts we learned on the tour.  

"[Jefferson] was bankrupt when he died--in large part because there was a depression/recession occurring at the time and b/c land prices had been greatly devalued by the Louisiana Purchase that he orchestrated as President (which, after he had Lewis & Clark explore and determine the size of the new territory, ended up being purchased for $0.03 per acre).  Supply and Demand.  (Wonder how many land owners whose property values took a dive were ticked by TJ's expansion efforts for the country).  It was also so cool to see so many of his innovative and inventive touches in his home--way ahead of his time.  I also learned that he really didn't enjoy being President.  Among all the many hats he wore, he first and foremost considered himself a farmer."

(-Julee)

In the home are the red leather chair he used as US VP and the red leather chair he used during his two terms as president.  The presidential chair had candle holders nailed to each hand rest so Jefferson could read into the night. Jefferson also invented a "copy machine" so when he wrote a letter or document another pen would make a duplicate copy.

The Monticello website is very well done with many photographs and online tours...check it out if you're interested. 

Mommy-Daughter road trip (day 2)

On Friday Christina and I did our part to support the economy, made like the locals and shopped. Of coarse we ended up in the baby section and found a darling dress for our niece due to arrive in May. We managed to get our nails done before heading out to our May niece's baby shower. The baby shower was so much fun. Baby and mom received a nice variety of things and are that much closer to being all set up for baby's arrival.
Jodi, the hostess served a yummy dessert....
Cut up angel food cake, whipped cream, and strawberries. Throw it all in a huge bowl and mix, adding as much whipped cream as desired. I could use some more of that dessert right about now!
The most intriguing gift was a book called, Gallop.  While we were in VA I picked a copy up for Wes' upcoming 1st b-day.  Mari and I were happy to help Julee hang up baby's new clothes. Baby girls' clothes are too cute for words! Our little niece's closet was packed with darling clothes from newborn through 2T.  Hopefully she'll like playing dress-up!

Mommy-Daughter road trip (day 1)

After many a family vacation catered to the tots of the family, Christina and I jumped at the chance to take off on a mommy-daughter road trip... just the two of us. The only rule was to do things we'd have a hard time doing with the little ones.
Our first stop was to see our new nephew and cousin, Des, and his parents in the DC area. Des is too cute for words! We enjoyed his chubby cheeks, coos, and pretty much everything about him. It's taken 5+ years for him to arrive, so it's a happy, happy time seeing him with his doting parents, and their home all decked out for baby. Des was the subject of many photos; a truly easy subject.  Since we drove in late Thursday night, these photos are from first thing Friday morning...

Pinewood Derby Regionals

On April 12, Thomas and his friend, Christian competed in the tri-river Pinewood Derby regionals.  Wayne took the boys and they had a ruckus time.  Thomas' car did well placing 23rd out of the 4000+ cars in the region.  Wayne got some good ideas for next years' Thomas-mobile.

Happy 11+ months, Wesley!

Wesley

Whenever he smiles I just kiss him on the cheek. When he laughs I laugh back. Wesley is more fun than Rosie or Meaghan and he is cuter than Gabrielle F. I love when he crawls on me. I love that he loves me.

-Grace

A tale of two agendas

Mommy's agenda: Kiss Wesley's irresistible cheeks.  I'll get to making dinner eventually.

Wesley's agenda: Play with crazy mommy and then beg for food.

Teacher appreciation magnets

I did a test run making these magnets for the end of the year teacher appreciation luncheon at Christina's school.  I found a bulk deal on thinner super strong magnets, but I still like the way these turned out.  If you haven't made them and want to know how, they are super easy and the sky is the limit for what you do for paper/expressions....

Supplies:

Jewel-It glue (found mine at Michael's)

Clear vase gem fillers found in the silk floral/floral arrangement supplies section at Michael's or Wal-Mart.  These are sort of flat on one side and rounded on the other

3/4" circle magnets (at Michael's or larger bulk on ebay)

3/4" hole punch (Michael's scrapbook section)

paper of choice

Directions:

Optional- *Print expressions on paper (*use a laser printer, otherwise ink will bleed!)

Using hole punch, punch paper holes and set aside.

Line up magnets & put a dot of glue on each.  Add the paper and press gently.  Add another drop of glue.  Add the gem, flat side down and press gently.  Let dry.

For the teacher luncheon we're just going to post them on a large magnet board, but for smaller gifts you can give them in small tins (Altoid-size).  I think they have those at Michael's too, but you can find them on-line as well.

Stitched with love

Quilting is a hobby of mine.  I've only done simple, basic quilts, but I enjoy sewing them and knowing they bring comfort and warmth to family and friends.  Problem is with my little 'ol sewing machine the biggest quilt I've been able to complete is crib size.  (I've tied a few large quilts).

A couple years ago a friend of mine introduced me to Buggy Barn quilts which use fat quarters...you cut and sew according to directions and viola, in no time (seriously) you've got a really fun quilt top.  I found a "daisy" quilt pattern and thought it would be a darling heirloom for my girls.  So, I went to work cutting and sewing and during a stressful week last winter when we were waiting for Grace's MRI and the results I finished the quilt tops.  Problem was they are nearly twin size, so I couldn't quilt them unless I wanted to spend at least every night for a year quilting by hand.  It almost came to that until my friend, Ellen referred me to a woman with a long arm quilting business in Iowa.  The price was right and I happily sent all 3 quilts off.  Today the came back to me!  It's Christmas in April:)  Debbie used a really cute wandering daisy stitch on all 3 quilts and it looks so nice with the daisy blocks.   

This is really one part of a larger project which I'll share in a few weeks.  These are just the quilts waiting to be bound.  ....if you are looking for a long arm quilter I'd love to pass along Debbie's card.

Thoughts on General Conference

First of all, I loved General Conference this last weekend.  I found that Saturday's conference went by so fast.  I counted on this conference being a spiritual experience since we would be sustaining President Monson as our prophet for the first time, and this kind of experience rarely happens in one's lifetime.  Wayne and I both shared our anticipation with our children many times in the weeks prior to conference.

Standing to sustain President Monson is an experience I will never forget.  Tonight I asked Thomas how he felt when we sustained Pres. Monson, and Thomas said that he felt really good inside like he knew for sure that Pres. Monson was the right man to be the prophet.  I asked Thomas if he knew how I knew that he had felt the spirit.  Thomas asked how.  I said, "Because right after we sustained Pres. Monson, you went like this (& I gave Thomas a huge hug).  Thomas smiled while he remembered.

Tonight for our family home evening lesson, Wayne asked us all to pick a General Conference talk from Saturday or Sunday and tell why we liked it.  Wayne shared with us Pres. Eyrings talk from Gen. Priesthood, Christina shared President Monson's talk, Thomas liked the talk on tithing, Grace remembered feeling good when she heard President Monson speak.  Next thing we knew, Grace was in tears..."I was tired when President Monson gave his talk!"  She felt good seeing him, but wished she had heard more of what he said.  Her tears were so sweet.  Wayne took the kids to the computer and within minutes had Pres. Monson on the monitor giving his talk again. 

Backtrack to conference....we had the conference activity packets, coloring pages, snack food, etc. all for the kids so they could quietly enjoy conference.  Even with that, it wasn't all easy.  Caroline was needy and of coarse Wesley was on his own schedule of hunger, diapers, and sleep.  Christina listened to nearly all of conference, but Thomas and Grace were in and out of the quiet conference zone.

So, I was pleasantly surprised at our FHE tonight, that despite the wiggles, the whines, and things that caused me to think the kids wouldn't remember much of this conference beyond the sustaining of our new prophet, they did hear and they even felt the spirit teach them truth.

Note to self:  Efforts to plant seeds of testimony are not wasted.  When truth is taught, the spirit will testify.

I'm a lucky mom!

"You're so lucky.  You have easy kids."  I have heard this in circles for years.  It's not always said to me (surprise:)), but actually at times it has been said to me in regards to several of my kids in particular.

I've been mommy to my crew for quite a while now and I don't think my kids are terribly difficult...Christina does her homework right away, is confident, smart, beautiful inside and out, and friendly.  Thomas has ADD issues, but nothing we can't manage so far.  If he messes up he gives himself a "strike" on the chore chart without waiting for someone to report.  He knows the scriptures, prays like he knows who he is talking to, and isn't too cool to hug his mom and say, "You're the best mommy ever!"  We went through a health scare with Grace when she was born with pulmonary atresia, but her health issues have never limited her physically or developmentally.  She radiates love and a zest for life.  Caroline is our snuggle bug.  She's a ray of sunshine and she's learning to be Miss Independent ("I can do that myself!").  Wesley is perfect in every way.  We all adore him and love cheering him on through every inch of progress he makes.  Of course they (with the exception of Wes) get into their fair share of mischief, and they each have unique challenges, but nearly all issues are resolved with some direction, the mention of Tabasco, or a Band-aid.

This is in contrast to the moms raising children with disabilities.  (Not to discount dads, but usually moms are doing the bulk of the child-raising.)  I have found myself feeling sorry for them as I've thought, "How do they do it?"  How do these moms get through each day with the major demanding challenges they have on top of the "normal" challenges a mom faces.  Those poor moms.  They must be exhausted!

Today I watched this video on cnn.com and when the mom of this autistic boy said she felt "lucky" to be this boy's mom, and told of her experience being his mom, I found myself thinking, "She IS lucky!"  How amazing that she could see the abilities and beauty in her son rather than focusing on the limitations of his disability.  For most it takes days, maybe a month to potty train a child.  This mom changed diapers for 22 years.  (Do you think she did much traveling?)  This mom went through denial and tears, and had to get to that point of celebrating her son, but it's obvious that she loved being this boy's mom for the 22 years of his life.  I thought her story was beautiful. 

I am thankful for a family that makes me feel like the luckiest mom alive.  I celebrate all five of our children and I love nurturing them on their journey.  I can see that parents whose lives are much more challenging are blessed just as well, especially if they know so.  I'm in awe.

(Thanks again for the link, Brett).