Ethan is Home!

Ethan came home on Wednesday after spending seven weeks in California selling pest control. Welcome home Ethan! He looks the same, just with nice pest control tan lines on his legs and arms now. Ethan missed Peter the most. When Ethan hugged him, Peter acted like he was seeing a ghost or something. He didn't quite know how to act.  "Peter! It's me!!" followed by "What did you guys do to him?!?!"

Peter was acting like he was thinking "This guy looks familiar... but he also seems like a stranger... no, I've seen him on the phone, but now he's here... how did that happen? I guess it's safe to pretend to hug him..."

We'll give it a few days, the memories will come back.

And then just like that, Ethan will vanish again off to the world of home MTC. His mission start date is still July 14th and he got notice this week that he will not be trained in Mexico. We saw that coming though. We're not sure how he's going to do that - whether he'll do it here in the basement (I think it's not ideal, I'm sure there will be too many distractions and interruptions for him. Maybe in Corey's at home office it might work...) or he's throwing out feelers to see if he can go to his grandparents' house, or maybe I'll reach out to some neighbors who are empty nesters to see if they want to host him. We'll see. As for now, he's been gone every night since he got back, hanging out with his friends before they go their different ways for their missions. Ethan has been sending us great Marco Polo and What's app videos while he's been in California. He's not into much writing or texting... he likes to vlog his life. I don't think that makes them very easy to search when you're trying to find a memory, hence why I blog. Here is one last video that he sent us this morning.

He arrived home at 7:30-ish on Wednesday night. He came home, showered and changed his clothes,

Then he left to go bowling with "da boiz". Then it made us laugh that three hours later, he texted Corey: "I don't belong here. I'm having a seizure. I could be making bank right now. I'm actually feeling really sad. I miss Lancaster." Thursday morning he continued is sadness: "I miss Lancaster so much! I feel like I just got back from a tour, but I literally didn't have any fun (on the tour). I don't know why I'm missing Lancaster. I want to make bank and buy a Range Rover!"

Also, when he got back that first night from hanging out, he went to bed and didn't enjoy sleeping in the middle of the triple bunk bed. He let me know the next morning that he'd like to move into the basement. "It was literally so hot last night. And it took 20 min to get out of that bed. Joseph and Talmage are my best friends and I literally miss them. George and Truman are stupid. I'm having a mini panic attack. Why do I love it so much now that I'm home?!" It's been very entertaining to watch his withdrawl. (And Truman, George, I don't think he really thinks you guys are stupid, he was just seeking a verbal outlet.) Corey said that the thing that makes Ethan so fun (and also difficult sometimes) to live with is that he wears his emotions on his sleeve. Joseph has polo'd him some comforting words. Joseph said that he and Talmage miss Ethan too. It's a lot more quiet and boring without him, but they've also been a bit more productive in some ways, so they're trying to look at the bright side.

So it's been fun. Today is "date night" (which is one of the only things on our weekly schedule that let's us know what day it is...) Corey worked at his parents house today, so I picked him up, then we went to Beaumont Bistro again, and then we went on a hike up Millcreek Canyon. We didn't know where we were, and didn't have reception so we couldn't figure it out while we were on our walk/hike. But after we got home I figured out that we were up Porter Fork, I think I found the rock that we finally found to sit on so we could eat our picnic. There was like no place to sit in that little canyon. Next time we'll probably go up Little Cottonwood, but it was kinda fun to explore and not know where we were going. As we turned a corner, it looked like there was an open space and Corey thought perhaps we had found a meadow.

...but it was a dumpster. And it was really full, well pass the max. Someone should come haul it away and empty it. We ate by a little stream (Porter fork, right?)

I think I found the rock we sat on, but I couldn't totally tell cause there was no street view.

Back at home, I read a great article by Tad Callister in the Church news. Go read the whole article, it's not long but it's great, and timely with all the protests going on. So we'll end with my favorite part of his message, the "beautiful babies" part by F.W. Boreham, a Baptist minister:

“(In 1809) men were following, with bated breath, the march of Napoleon, and waiting with feverish impatience for latest news of the wars. And all the while in their own homes, babies were being born. But who could think about babies? Everybody was thinking about battles. … In one year, lying midway between Trafalgar and Waterloo, there stole into the world a host of heroes! During that one year, 1809, Mr. (William) Gladstone was born in Liverpool; Alfred Tennyson at the Somersby rectory; and … Abraham Lincoln drew his first breath at Old Kentucky. Music was enriched by the advent of Felix Mendelssohn in Hamburg. … But nobody thought of babies. Everybody was thinking of battles. Yet … which of the battles of 1809 mattered more than the babies of 1809? …

“We fancy that God can only manage His world by big battalions abroad, when all the while He is doing it by beautiful babies at home. When a wrong wants righting, or a work wants doing, or a truth wants preaching, or a continent wants opening, God sends a baby into the world to do it.”

I am so grateful to have one of the beautiful babies of 2019 in my home. Is there a wrong that needs righting, or a truth that needs preaching, that this beautiful boy will share? I wonder what work God has sent my/His little Peter to do

As for today, my heart has been full to just behold him playing with his duplo blocks. ...and taking selfies

Mel and I enjoyed being present and beholding him. Peter will be grown up and going on a mission like Ethan before we know it, cherish these small moments, they pass quickly.

Lots of Sleeping

Just realized that I take a lot of pictures of people sleeping. Babies sleeping...

Toddlers sleeping...

Toddlers sleeping with babies...

Teenagers sleeping...

Teenagers sleeping with babies...

Babies sleeiping with children...

Dads sleeping with children...

And of course, if anyone was ever around to take a picture of me sleeping, then there would be a lot of "mom's sleeping with babies" pictures. That's what Owen and I do almost the whole day long. And here's one last sleeping moment ~ Friday night Corey and I had several visitors join us in our bed...

You can see Sophi's leg there out at a 90 degree angle with her foot pointed at Owen's back. When Corey and I opened our eyes that morning to greet each other from our bookend positions, (as we were keeping all the little bodies from falling over the edge), the first words from Corey's mouth were "It's like human Tetris..." Aren't we talented? We can play games in our sleep.

Toddlers, Babies, & Teens

This afternoon Daniel decided he wanted to go outside on an adventure. He got dressed on his own and had his little backpack ready, then he headed out. He wandered around the backyard looking pretty adorable. I called him over so I could take his picture.

A toddler close up. Do you know where you're off to, Daniel?

Cute kid. All dressed up with no where to really go, but that's ok cause he was content to just wander around the back yard for a bit. He had toy food and random things in his backpack.

Toddlers are pretty easy. Busy and noisy, but fun.  They're pretty independent and along with that comes plenty of messes... I like them.

Babies - I'm torn right now with Peter, cause part of me is eager and ready for him to grow and be more independent/need me a little less, but I'm also going to be so sad if he's our last! A few pics of me snuggling with him on New Year's Eve...

Such a snuggle boy. I love it, so sweet

So then there's that side of me that just wants him to stay little and to savor every baby moment.

But I've never nursed any of my babies this long. I'm blaming my inability to lose weight on the interrupted sleep and the physical stress placed on my body by the demands of breastfeeding. I've read and heard it's good for them to nurse as long as possible, and he seems happy to continue with this thing we have going, so maybe I'll just keep doing it? But I'm super frustrated with my weight right now. I try not to be, but I am. I could probably also blame it on violin, cause for the last several months instead of doing sprints, HIIT, or lifting heavy weights to impress myself, I'm am impressing myself when I practice or learn something new on the violin. Violin has ruined my health! I know I should be able to do both, but there are only so many discretionary hours in the day. Sigh. I'll just take one day at a time, control the controllables, work hard, pray harder, and keep on keeping on.

Teens - Sometimes Corey and I feel like we're falling short and so in over our heads. There are too many kids and too much to keep track of for us to keep on top of it. Or if it's just a matter of us learning how to keep track of it all, then the problem is that we haven't learned it yet. The high school kids got their grades back recently. Ethan got straight As, but Hyrum and Wes' grades were not good. Like several Ds and Cs between them. Thankfully there were fews As and Bs too. Luckily no F's this time but we've had one of those last year, still need to get that fixed. So we're trying to step it up there with checking their current grades every day and following up on them and breathing down their necks, cause just trusting them to stay on top of it hasn't worked. We went over Wesley's grades with him and there's still time for him to turn this around and have a good cumulative GPA by the time he graduates, but he's got some ground to make up. He's got to start now and he's got to do it. So yeah, Corey printed up and taped their poor grades on the wall in our closet where we will always see it, so that it can always remind us every day to have them show us their grades and take care of missing assignments and make up any tests asap.

Things are going well with the kids in elementary school. And Abi in jr. high is doing ok... we think there are problems there with her grades, but we haven't had that as our priority to examine that yet since its' just 6th grade. But hopefully we can teach her how to work before it starts counting toward her academic record. We've got lots to work on here!

Unpacking

Hey there. Just a short entry for today. We're back, and Hawaii was just a dream. Now Thanksgiving is upon us. We were going to all get together with Corey's family in Park City, but we are following the urgings of our government leaders to not gather as family and that's ok. So it will just be us at home tomorrow with a home cooked meal. My mom is an angel and stocked our fridges and freezers on Tuesday, AND brought us by Costa Vida for dinner, so we had a meal ready for us and all the shopping done for Thanksgiving. Turkey, potatoes, pies, she got it all. I ran out today for whipped cream and ice cream and gravy packets, but other than that we're covered. Thanks Mom, I hope to be as kind and helpful to my children someday. 

We were talking with Abi tonight about her crush, about relationships, about how things change. Corey told the kids, kinda jokingly, that he felt like he got the bait and switch with me - like I was all about Corey Corey Corey during dating and our courtship, then once I had him, it switched to babies babies babies. I admit, the desire for children came upon me like a switch, and it was unexpected. Kinda like playing violin. I don't know where it came from, but, like my developing violin talent (ha), children also are a good and worthy thing to desire. We'll be glad in the long run, sweetie! And I know you're glad now too. I know it is hard and a lot of work, but it is doable and it is worth it. They are turning into great adults. I picked up Joseph this morning from Frontrunner. It's nice that he will be able to be with us over Thanksgiving. I haven't done much prep work for the meal, I'll do it tomorrow. We're trying to find out where the kids stand on homework before they go back on Monday. Also trying to get them practicing again. We slacked a little bit in Hawaii. We have a lot to unpack and put away. There is a mess everywhere, and that's to be expected, and it's ok. (Trying to channel my Fred Rogers). There's lots of laundry. This is the opposition that comes after a nice vacation. The kids aren't in the mood to help me clean, and I'm not really in the mood to clean either. And that's ok. Corey'd like to take them skiing tomorrow. Right now (7:24pm) we are not on target to have the house clean any time soon, and I'm not in the mood to cook a big meal in a messy kitchen, and that's ok, so we'll just see what happens. Maybe my mood will change by tomorrow and I'll have the spirit of service and gratitude. 

Bird Watching

So, on Sunday evening we had family over for dinner. We were eating outside, and as we went in and out from the back door, I heard a bird chirping. We have a little vent opening out there that goes to the bathroom on the main floor. We've had birds there before we all assumed that is where the chirping was coming from. Fun! We have a nest in our house! Then a little bit later, I was in the basement getting some chairs, and heard the sound louder. Odd... then I learned that the chirping was not coming from the vent, but from the basementwindow sill. We looked down but couldn't see where the bird was, so I went down and opened the basement window and then was able to see the little bird hiding under a leaf. Tiny bird, still with it's down feathers on it's head and wing feathers growing out. We thought it must have fallen from the vent down into the window. We searched for a worm to feed it, the kids went to google to search how to rescue/feed/etc a bird. And I got the ladder so we could try to maybe put it back (after everyone got a turn holding it). 

Pretty exciting! Real nature right in our backyard! So I put the bird up in the vent. It didn't look like there was a new nest up there, but I could tell there had been one there... but it didn't look fresh... maybe the nest is further back? So I glued some cardboard over the bottom of the hole to hold the bird in a little better and we hoped it would hop back home. We kept the ladder out so we could check on the bird later and in the morning to see if it was okay. Then, like right after we put it up in the vent. Ethan was walking by one of our trees close by the kitchen window and noticed something fall to the ground. He was very surprised to find another little gray bird. It was alive and fine, and the kids said it was exactly alike the first one! They got the first one out of vent. I eventually came to take a peek. Yup, those two do look identical. About that time, Melodie came back to report her internet research findings. She said we shouldn't try to feed it anything, some worms can be poisonous. She also said sometimes the birds jump out of their nest as they practice flying, and they just hop around on the ground while the parents watch. Maybe the first bird hopped over to the window from this tree? Okay... well so what do we do now? We put them down on the ground and watched where they went. They ended up snuggling together by the trunk of the tree where the second one dropped from. We just decided to leave them there for the night, with a prayer that the neighbor's cats won't get them!

Yesterday morning we all went out to check on the birds. They were still by the tree, hooray! They were very camoflauged. You can see one pretty clearly and the other one is there in front and to the right a little bit.

Ok, well, I guess we'll just leave them there and pray for the best. I couldn't reach the nest with the ladder anyway. There's not much we can do but let nature take its' course. After the kids left for school, I sat by the kitchen nook and bird watched the morning away. I noticed a few birds flying around the tree. They all looked the same, I got my camera and caught a few pics of one of the birds:

We've decided we think the baby birds belong to the small red finch class. There were three of these finches flying around the tree this morning. I watched as one bird perched on the branch and kept an eye out while the other went down to the babies, and then sometimes two of them were chasing each other away. I'm hoping the babies really are both from the same nest, I'd feel horrible bad if I put babies from two sets of parents together and the tougher/meaner parent won't let the other parent near their baby bird! 

My Oruguita

On Friday, Ethan was singing "Dos Oruguitas" to Katharine, I caught a little bit of it on video before they switched to Smash Mouth, which wasn't as tender of a song, but anyway, I love the Dos Oruguitas song. It's so pretty and it's also fun cause we've been saying that Katharine looks like a cute chubby and squishy little caterpillar. We've had great fortune this summer so far and have some hungry hungry caterpillars in our house. They are eating and eating just like her. Something "inside her is growing..." (the English version of the song says that) It's just a lovely song and I've been listening to it as I hold Katharine and it makes me cry ~ 

Katharine was smiling and laughing at Daniel tonight, it was so adorable!

She is so little and so precious. Two parts of this song that remind me of other lyrics I love - "Don't you hold on too tight" = Brandon Flowers' song Between Me and You - "There's a power in letting go..." I want to hold on to her and I wish she could always be my baby! Just like I wish all my other babies were still here, but I can't hold on to them or keep them this way, but I can savor the moment and cherish the time I have, so I'm trying to do that - Katharine asleep this morning~

Another line in Dos Oruguitas is "...a world that turns, and never stops turning" which makes me think of The Killers Pressure Machine - "Every year goes by faster than the one before..." (And he mentions butterflies in that song too, that one can also make me tear up)

I feel so lucky to have had 13 beautiful babies. It's such a special time, I love it. 

It's so fun to stare and wonder at my little oruguita sleeping. I also love the line "Wonders await you..." As much as I love my babies, I look forward to seeing the wonderful young lady and woman she will grow into. This world is full of opportunity, and wonders await her! 

TWO ORUGUITAS - English version

Two oruguitas

In love and yearning

Spend every evening

And morning learning

To hold each other

Their hunger burning

To navigate a world

That turns, and never stops turning

Together in this world

That turns, and never stops turning

Two oruguitas

Against the weather

The wind grows colder

But they're together

They hold each other

No way of knowing

They're all they have for shelter

And something inside them is growing

They long to stay together

But something inside them is growing

Ay, oruguitas

Don't you hold on too tight

Both of you know

It's your time to grow

To fall apart, to reunite

Wonders await you

Just on the other side

Trust they'll be there

And start to prepare

The way for tomorrow

Ay, oruguitas

Don't you hold on too tight

Both of you know

It's your time to grow

To fall apart, to reunite

Wonders await you

Just on the other side

Trust they'll be there

Start to prepare

The way for tomorrow

Two oruguitas

Cocooned and waiting

Each in their own world

Anticipating

What happens after

The rearranging?

And so afraid of change

In a world that never stops changing

So let the walls come down

The world will never stop changing

(Never stop changing)

(Never stop changing)

(Never stop changing)

Ay, mariposas

Don't you hold on too tight

Both of you know

It's your time to go

To fly apart, to reunite

Wonders surround you

Just let the walls come down

Don't look behind you

Fly till you find

Your way toward tomorrow

Ay, mariposas

Don't you hold on too tight

Both of you know

It's your time to go

To fly apart, to reunite

Wonders surround you

Just let the walls come down

Don't look behind you

Fly till you find

Your way toward tomorrow

Ay, mariposas

Don't you hold on too tight

Both of you know

It's your time to go

To fly apart, to reunite

Wonders surround you

Just let the walls come down

Don't look behind you

Fly till you find

Your way toward tomorrow

💕

Dos Oruguitas - Spanish lyrics - 

Dos oruguitas enamoradas

Pasan sus noches y madrugadas

Llenas de hambre

Siguen andando y navegando un mundo

Que cambia y sigue cambiando

Navegando un mundo

Que cambia y sigue cambiando

Dos oruguitas paran el viento

Mientras se abrazan con sentimiento

Siguen creciendo, no saben cuándo

Buscar algún rincón

El tiempo sigue cambiando

Inseparables son

El tiempo sigue cambiando

Ay, oruguitas, no se aguanten más

Hay que crecer aparte y volver

Hacia adelante seguirás

Vienen milagros, vienen crisálidas

Hay que partir y construir su propio futuro

Ay, oruguitas, no se aguanten más

Hay que crecer aparte y volver

Hacia adelante seguirás

Vienen milagros, vienen crisálidas

Hay que partir y construir su propio futuro

Dos oruguitas desorientadas

En dos capullos bien abrigadas

Con sueños nuevos

Ya solo falta hacer lo necesario

En el mundo que sigue cambiando

Tumbando sus paredes

Ahí viene nuestro milagro

Nuestro milagro

Nuestro milagro

Nuestro milagro

Ay, mariposas, no se aguanten más

Hay que crecer aparte y volver

Hacia adelante seguirás

Ya son milagros, rompiendo crisálidas

Hay que volar, hay que encontrar

Su propio futuro

Ay mariposas, no se aguanten más

Hay que crecer aparte y volver

Hacia adelante seguirás

Ya son milagros, rompiendo crisálidas

Hay que volar, hay que encontrar

Su propio futuro

Ay mariposas, no se aguanten más

Hay que crecer aparte y volver

Hacia adelante seguirás

Ya son milagros, rompiendo crisálidas

Hay que volar, hay que encontrar

Su propio futuro

Stuffed Animals

We've had sore throats and goopy eyes going around the house. Peter is currently sick with it, and he was crying for help this morning to help get his eye open. After I helped him, he climbed in the chair with Tiny and fell back asleep. 

I bought him that dinosaur on an impulse near the end of date night in March. Peter has since named him Tiny, after the dinosaur named Tiny on this episode of Dino Ranch. Natalie thinks it's high time for Katharine to have a stuffed animal too, so yesterday Natalie was trying different stuffed animals out on her. Do you want a pretty puppy?

Natalie tried to offer her precious "baby" cause she doesn't use it anymore. 

Do you like Natalie's baby?

Sorry, Natalie, but she actually can't have that. I need it for my "toddler's favorite stuffed toy memorial" shelf. Katharine is looking at me thinking "Can I just have some milk, please?"

Natalie came in this morning and tucked a pink cheetah stuffed animal by Katharine.

That way they will both have baby cheetah's that can be friends and play together. Sounds like a good plan. A few other pics from today - I picked up Sophi from Safety Patrol this week. She was excited last spring when she was chosen to be a team captain. 

And Daniel was very excited that he got his kindergarten shirt today!

There is his self portrait - cute!

And his 4th grade buddy Parker is on the back. 

Daniel came to show me his shirt while I was in the laundry room checking on my caterpillar babies. I have 17 that just hatched yesterday and today. I don't have any eggs, so I think this will be the last of the monarchs for us this year. Can you see them all? 

There are 15 here and then there were two more on the underneath side of the leaf. Yay for caterpillar babies! They're so small, it's hard to keep track of them. I hope they don't die. My current monarch count is: 17 new babies, 5 large caterpillars, 7 medium (going to donate two tomorrow to a neighbor for their sister who is a science teacher) 5 small, and 2 chrysalides. 

3 Months Old!

It's our favorite time of babyhood - Peter is 3 months old today!

I took a hundred pictures, and the one above was the first one I took and also one of the cutest. But the lighting was a little dark. Not that I know much about taking photos with proper light...

Oh Peter, he's the perfect blend of cuteness, squishy-ness, and softness, and he's got that o-so-lovely baby smell.

And he makes the cutest little coos and squeaks, it's so fun! Later in the evening Mel came and got him to smile some more for me, he was flirting with her, he loves Mel

Isn't that a cute picture? Who are we kidding? They're all cute. But I'll limit myself to six pics.

This one below captures the cubby-ness of his chneck (cheeks and neck)

Peter Peter! Ok, ten pics...

Show us how cute you are!

Aww... I love how much he moves his fingers and fists -

And when he gets really excited, he'll squish himself all up with his hands up to his face

Remembering the cuteness of my past babies - I used to do 2 month pictures, but that tradition apparently stopped after Sophia. Sorry Natalie, my apologies to her and the children that have followed, I'm not sure what happened, other than I just got really outnumbered by kids and over my head in life. Actually I think it was cause Kiddie Kandid's went out of business. And I figured I take enough pictures myself. So you latter group are lucky that your babyhood is captured online for you to enjoy for many years to come since I have been blogging in earnest for your entire childhoods. Here is 3 month old Natalie, 3 month old Owen (and almost 4 month old Owen, cute little guy) and 3 month old Daniel. I love my babies.