Family Days

Today was another wonderful Sabbath day of home worship. I love family days. I enjoy partaking of the sacrament at home and having church at home, it's really special. We still have the sacrament trays here. Did I mention before how that happened? So back in March, Ethan did home sacrament on that last Sunday before covid suddenly shut everything down (where he took the sacrament to elderly couples and people that are sick and unable to come to church. That Sunday, he didn't want to take the trays back to the church after he was finished cause he was just going to do it "next week" and then there wasn't a next week and so we've had them since March. Right now, since our ward has split up the meeting into two groups (via last names that start with A-J meeting at 11:00 and K-Z meeting at 12). So since our meeting are still split in half, they don't need all the trays at once, so I'm sure it's ok that we have them! Atleast I'm telling myself that... we didn't ask permission, but I did confess that we have sacrament trays to our ward RS President. She didn't really give the ok, but they kinda laughed at our good fortune, cause with such a large family, having the small cups and tray really helps, and I wash the little cups each week. We took the sacrament once up at Park City without enough little cups for everyone and it doesn't work as well. If we just had one big glass that would work, but the big kids are too afraid of little kids germs to share. Anyway, so yea it was a nice day at home. Melodie came over yesterday for her P-day and spent the day with us. We caught her taking a nap on the couch, which in my day would have been a big missionary no-no, but I guess so would have been phoning home every week, so it's prob ok - we'll let her govern herself. We were only missing two kids for family scriptures last night. Cute seeing Wes' face as he plays with Peter

It's still a bit strange feeling to have the three oldest mostly gone. We're a small group on most week nights now, although I realize we still have 9 kids here at home and that that would not be small to others, but it feels small to us. It is quieter and less crazy. But just a little bit less crazy. Now and then we get a little bit of quiet. 

Now that Owen is a serious student of the alphabet, he has discovered and gained a great interest in the ABC books I made for the older kids. He was reading it to Peter last Friday morning at breakfast and it was so cute, I was laughing. He'd read "Ok Peter - this is J! J is for Car!! (It was Jeep... he'd turn the page...) G is for Church (that one was supposed to be GIRL - but it was a photo of Joseph and Melodie in their Sunday clothes for a family photo, hence "church" ha!) It was so funny. Corey watched him on L - Owen said "L is for Tiger" It was Lion and Corey laughed "Ooh! I was sure he'd get that one!" Owen did get P is for Popsicle right! 

We'll have to read the book with him more so that he knows what each one is for. Natalie know how to read, so it was cute to catch her reading Joseph's book to Peter on Saturday morning. "N is for nose!! Where's the baby's nose? Good job Peter!" 

"Where is your nose Peter?"

"That's right! Nose!"

Lily's book is the last one I made. I do still want to make them for Sophi Natalie Owen Daniel and Peter, but man, I'm really behind! I can do it! Maybe I can vow to myself to do atleast one by Christmas. Last year I started trying to make them online but I haven't finished those or worked on them much since then. Corey reading Hyrum's ABC book to Peter, who just was fighting the drowsiness but finally succumbed. 

Sweet little Peter.

I wonder if Natalie is comfortable reading like that over Corey's shoulder but her body on the couch behind her, funny. It looks like Corey grew a second head somehow, a little head with curly hair.

We put curlers in Natalie's hair last night again. The little girls have rediscovered the fun of sponge rollers. She's a little adorable Shirley Temple

I told her if we did it on Saturday night, then it can be crazy curly on Sunday while we're at home, and will be pretty curly by Monday for school. Today Corey gave his daughters the rings he bought for them. Sophi with her rings. 

It was funny... Corey called everyone down, and they came, and they thought we were going to read scriptures or something. 

but instead Corey just announced to the children how much he loves his daughters as he gave them each a present. 

Hyrum was like "Anything for us? ...or is there any reason why we needed to come down for this?"

"You didn't get anything for us?" "No, I just wanted you to come so you could learn that you need to treat girls special." 

Wes, did you learn what you need to learn from being here for this family gathering? haha

Hyrum and Corey made me laugh with the little exchange they had going on. I am going to try to find something for my boys. But I think what they'd really appreciate is time to play the minecraft, and I think that's stupid, so maybe I can't get them anything that would be good. Oh well. 

And no family day is complete without the toddlers being held in time out, just like the good ol' days of toddlers past.