Family Photoshoot (fall 2010)

Many thanks to Macy @ Macy Robison Photography

Do You Love Your Neighbor?- the game

Directions:  Set up chairs in a circle or oval.  There should be one chair less than the # of people playing.  "It" is in the middle of the circle.  Everyone else starts the game sitting on a chair in the circle.  "It" starts the game by standing in front of someone in the circle and asking, "Do you love your neighbor?"  If the person says, "Yes!" then the people on either side of him/her try to trade seats before "It" sits in one of their seats.  If the person says, "No!" then "It" asks, "Then who do you love?"  The person then makes something up like, "I love everyone with blue eyes."  Everyone with blue eyes in the circle must find a new chair to sit on at least 2 chairs away from where they were sitting.  "It" tries to find a seat as well.  Whoever is left without a chair is "It."  Repeat until you're worn out.

This game was a Family Home Evening idea from our stake president.  It's a huge hit with the youth at church, and recently we played it with friends at the Balmforths while some mutual friends were in town visiting.

WARNING:  This is not a game for the faint of heart.  I had bruises the next day & I'm sure I pulled a muscle during the game.

Cannot wait to play again!

First chair casualty of the night

No mercy, not even for Cutie 

Forever Friends

Cutie & her friends playing on the hill

The big kids ended with a game of Knock Out

Thank you, Balmforths for a grand 'ol time!
You sure know how to throw a party!

Yesterday Wesley and I dropped off some track sweats at the high school for Christina. As we walked to the front door, and I lamented that one day Wesley will be as close to leaving the nest as Christina is, we had the following conversation....

Me: I love you.

Wes: I love you the most!

Me: When you are big like Christina and go to college, I just want you to know that I will cry my eyes out.

Wesley: Yeah.

Me: And I will give you the biggest squish hug ever.

Wesley: Thank you.

Me: ...just so you know.

Wesley: Yeah. ....and I will tackle you.

I'm so glad that he's turning 4 and not 14 next month!

He's got my heart.

Postitive Thoughts To Go!

In Pages on the Mac, there are some templates under "flyers" that have the tear away tabs at the bottom.  I used one of those templates to make this poster for the YW room at church.  The positive thoughts to tear away at the bottom read:

• Walk with the Lord and your path will be brighter
• Gratitude unlocks the fulness of life
• You have been blessed with a beautiful soul
• Forgiveness is good medicine for your heart
• Kindness begins with you!
• Be a Beacon of Light in the darkness
• Smile!  Everyone is carrying their own private burdens.
• Count your many blessings, starting with LIFE!
• Make the choice to let go of negative thoughts
• You are beautiful inside & out

Happiness is... Forever Friends

Oh how we miss our dear friends who moved from MA to AZ years ago!!!  Cherie and Katie came to Boston recently because they were buying a darling puppy from a breeder in VT.  We got to catch up on life, swap YW ideas....play, shop, eat, and eat some more!  We went to Legal's for chowda, Maine for lobstah, the Kittery Outlets, and the Nubble Lighthouse, Boston for the Freedom Trail, Mike's Pastry for cannoli & lobster tail pastries...to.die.for!....Revere beach, Bertucci's for pizza, Franklin for old time's sake, and Springfield for the puppy:)  We cannot wait for the whole L family to come visit us in June!  

Revere Beach

Nubble Light House

The rocky York, ME coastline

We {heart} Legal's Seafood.

Old North Church

Kendall Square- waiting for a table at Legal's

lobster traps outside a restaurant in York, ME

Home

Source: designspongeonline.com via Paola on Pinterest

Maple Sugaring

Wesley's pal, Garrett was in town visiting.  These two little guys are hilarious.  As we drove up to Parker's Maple Barn, they were chatting up a storm in the back seat.  We had to tell them to quiet down so we could carry on our conversation.  They were so funny!

The tour at Parker's Maple Barn was fun...

...and the pumpkin pancakes with Parker's maple syrup were even better...WOW!  Move over Aunt Jemima, I might just be converted to the real deal.  More sweetness...baby L!  How fun to see Wesley ooh-ing and aaw-ing over her.  She's a doll, for sure.

The boys found sticks and had the most fun banging on the sap buckets.

On the way home we stopped by this covered bridge.

For us this was an especially fun early spring day in New England.  We just wish our friends were here to stay and didn't relocate to Austin.  We sure miss having them around!

conference weekend

This pictures is blurry, but this was a moment worth remembering.  The laptop is set up for conference next to the TV where we all watch.  When President Monson started to speak, Wesley said, "I hear him!" and hustled over to the laptop to have an up close personal view of the prophet. 


We were blessed to have 5 of the young women in our congregation in our home this weekend, 4 of whom don't get conference in their homes, and 1 had it going in Spanish at her home and she wanted to be with her friends watching it in English for a couple sessions.  The girls took notes, munched at the open buffet (including Wayne's homemade pizza), and enjoyed sharing conference together.  These girls have so little support among their peers at school, so they thrive on support from one another and from our congregation family.  At an age where it's the norm to be self-critical, these girls could see how my little girls wanted to be by their sides braiding hair, working on conference activity pages, doodling, and "hanging out" all weekend.  One of the YW said, "I never thought of myself as a role model."  I replied, "Whenever you feel that way, just remember how my girls idolized you this weekend.  You are a role model and that's something to live up to."  When the YW were gone, I had to remind my Gracie who sometimes longs to be as old as her big sis...."Enjoy being EIGHT while you can!  It's going by so fast, and 8 is great!"


I am so thankful for my family; for the gospel in our home, and our eternal commitment.  We are not perfect.  We're loud.  We've got fingerprints on windows.  We lose it sometimes.  Yet, we try to progress each day, and I feel peace in our home.  This weekend I felt like our home "as is" is a haven and I feel so very blessed.