The Journey takes another Twist.

Well it is going to be official I guess.  We picked up the keys and paid our deposit and first month rent for a 3 bedroom home for rent.  We will empty our storage and then slowly get settled and put things back to normal here for Grandpa and Grandma's return home.  It will be nice to not be living between the  house and storage and to have all our own stuff, but we are really going to miss spying on our close neighbors--even though we will still be in walking distant--less than a mile--it just will not be the same.  We are also going to miss the ward--I love teaching primary and Jeff has really been enjoying serving in Elder's Quorum.  This has been hard and we hope that we can be happy and patient and constantly remember that Heavenly Father has a plan and a purpose for everything that we go through even when we are so confused and in denial.  I need to remember my blessings and stop looking at all the stuff we have to move, just when we were settling in.  The kids are very excited to get a new bus driver--all though it will only be for a short time before school is out.  Life truly is a journey with many twists and turns--I just hope that all of us can keep the same destination in view--our Father's Kingdom.

Easter Fun

Easter Dinner with the Henrie Family

Deb got William to try Asparagus for a cupcake

He didn't like it as you can see from the look on his face--but it was entertaining

 Easter Egg Hunt

 

SPRING!!



Luckily "a picture is worth a thousand words". 

With all that is going on in my mind and the fact that we have done so much since I last posted--I am just going to let the pictures speak for themselves and post some random thoughts later.

 

 

 

Elder Leonard (one of Jeff's mission companions) came for a visit with his son Alex at Conference.

Not many kids can say that they went back to school for their spring break--it was a bit much for Emily. 

 

 

Veta & Lillian finally practiced piano enough to earn a doll
and now they can earn clothes. 
 They have an amazing Piano Teacher.



Easter Egg Hunt Pictures to come--World's Worst Mom forgot the camera and we are waiting for

World's Best Grandma to send some.

Down on Henrie's Farm

There is a bright red tractor

 

 

 





WHINING!!!!-no not the kids ME!!!!

Have you ever had one of those days where nothing seems to go right and every phone call comes with more bad news or decisions to make in life and it would be so easy to climb into bed and never come out again.  Thank goodness we have been blessed with a world full of God's great creations--especially little ones--to help us really not stay in bed. 
It seems that when you talk or write about all the bad in life the good comes and smacks you in the face and you realized you  have nothing to whine about.   I hope that happens today.  And guess what it already is working....talking about climbing back into bed and never getting up made me think of little William coming in the last few mornings...as we have stayed up late and slept in a little due to Spring Break..and saying "Mommy get up, GET UP, GET UP!" and then he pulls the covers down past my feet and pulls my feet off the bed.  Maybe annoying but how sweet, especially when he tries to wake the pretending sleeping wanna-be beauty with a precious kiss.

**Health Insurance is such a pain even though our family really couldn't survive without it--although we may have to for a couple months as I misuderstood when I had to have the COBRA payment in and we were terminated.  Hopefully a letter of appeal and lots of tears and prayer will make it work out.  Then I think of another time when Jeff had a job without insurance and we qualified for a partial Medicaid Plan and that is the only thing that kept us from bankruptcy or worse when Emily had the start of her Health Issues.

**We are now looking for a new place to live and trying to figure out finances until our home in Blackfoot sells (in a very slow market and a market for the buyer not the seller)  However it will be nice to have more grandparents closer again. 

**BILLS, BILLS, BILLS--no they never stop and it seems that sometimes they all come at once with no break to recover.  However, I do also remember all the different times that secret envelopes of money have found our doorstep when I wondered how we would survive.  Maybe I got busy and forgot to turn in the tithing check with conference and all--better check as I really need those blessings coming into our life.

**PLUMBING--the plumber has come a few times and each time things look good for a day until a new leak starts.  Now it is the water heater and the shower and wouldn't you know the plumber decided to run away for fun on spring break--so we are again waiting for the fix.  BUT I AM SO GLAD FOR INDOOR PLUMBING--i am glad I was not a pioneer and i am not a camper either.

**FORGETFULLNESS--I have deserved the worst mom award from one of my kids for first forgetting to be there for a Primary Article of Faith and then coming to the Science Fair and then picking her up.  I got a phone call from a tearful one saying where are you--that is when it hit me.  I missed the science fair, but I did get her picked up.  I just can't keep things straight even when I write them down.  I guess the blessing is I won't have to worry about losing my mind as an old lady--it is already going.  Actually the real blessing of this is realizing that my children have been taught forgivenss and keep telling me it is okay and that they still love me.  It has also brought some MOMMY-ME (one-on-one time) to make up for my lacking memory and because I just realized how needed it was.

Thanks for letting me Whine so I could also remember that I am blessed--with these things and with great family and friends that laught and cry with me.  You are all the best and I truly am blessed. During our one one one time, me and Lillian were talking about moving and what we liked and didn't and that moving is a hard job and neither of us are looking forward to packing again, she reminded me that even thought the Lord hears us and loves us he doesn't always make it easy and maybe it is our turn to have it hard right now--even if we don't like it.  What great wisdom and our hard is much easier than what a lot of others are out there dealing with.  Yes I am so very blessed and watched over.

A Little Bit of Everything

Idaho History Project Fun
Lillian had fun turning a regular Idahoan Potato into Mr. Simplot Potato head.  Dad helped her turn a piece of cardstock into the cowboy hat--pretty clever if I say so myself

I THOUGHT IT WAS SPRING?!

I cleaned out the front flower beds, but know I keep waking up to snow and more snow.  It does melt by end of day, but every morning it comes back.   I HOPE THE REAL SPRING COMES SOON!!!!!!

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY!!--

The leprecauns came for a visit again at our house this year.  They love to turn everything green--milk, food, leave pictures on windows.  We are just lucky that so far their mischief has all been lots of fun and not bad--maybe one year they will leave the pot of Gold--we can hope.....

IT'S TOO COLD OUTSIDE TODAY....okay I will get my coat.  Quite the fashion statement.  He thought boots a glove and going to get his coat would be good enough.  He was disappointed when mom really did not let him out even after her did manage to put the coat on.  Spring fever is definetly contagious around here.

Luckily he decided playing trains would work. He loves his trains.  If you come to the house for a visit you probably will get a chace to be conducter--or at leaste watch him. 

A fun little conversation yesterday morning. 

Primary has been encourageing the kids to read scriptures everyday. 

While I was having a quiet mommy moment in the bathroom--ha, ha, ha!  I get a knock on the door. 

      JON--"Mom--guess what I was doing?" 
          MOM--thinks, but doesn't say--oh no can't just once I go to the bathroom and come out without another big mess to deal with--instead she says--"I don't know what did you do, I hope it was not making a mess?"
    JON--"NOOOO, I was being good and I was reading my scriptures"
         MOM--a little surprised--"Oh, how were you reading your scriptures"
    JON--"Duh Mom--in my mind like the girls do"
        MOM--trying not to laugh--luckily he could not see through the door--"Good--what did you read about"
    JON--"About Nephi"
       MOM--"What was he doing"
   JON--"I don't remember"
      MOM--coming out drying her hands--"Well maybe you should read again so you can remember and tell me."
  JON--"NAh, I remember MOM--he was reading scriptures and being a good boy just like me."

I LOVE THE INNOCENCE OF CHILDREN

these are the moments that make the interupted bathroom breaks so worth it.



A few of our precious moments that did get captured



who says teachers

can't be great friends, too

I am glad for times when the camera is handy to capture these special moments that go by too fast.

a morning look out the back window.

see my tower before it falls

a happy wrestle

catching the bus

my little man





 





























Birthdays--Before and After the Move

William turned 2 just before we went into a whirlwind of packing.......

Lillian turned 10 just after we got mostly settled in. 

It was a OOPS! trip that luckily found her present

I made her a guitar cake to go with her GIRLS ROCK theme.

The Coat was found in storage--Thanks for little tender mercies!