This gorgeous girl

My assistant during pictures Saturday night.
She's the best. And the cutest. And I adore her.

Pictures forever...and ever

One of our darling neighbors asked if I would take the photos for her dance group last night and
I quickly said yes, because if you haven't ever realized it before, I loveth pictures. And obviously,
as evidenced by this photo Annie took, I will do most anything to get them just the way I want them.

Sweethearts Dance

My handsome boy and the darling girl that asked him to Sweethearts.
Just so much cuteness in one photo.

Our new clocks

I walked by these new clocks that hang on our wall last night and had to take
a picture, because I like them so much. And wish I'd had the idea to do them
years earlier when our parents started serving missions all around the world.

That top clock is our local time and the clock below shows what time
it is in Accra, Ghana. A sweet reminder of where Jacob's parents are
and what they might be doing and how grateful we are for them.

And before anyone asks me where my large wooden letter A (painted teal)
is at or my multiple black and white photos surrounding these clocks were
put or how I forgot to hang a cute little shelf with a few books stacked up
next to a colorful bird or llama or both on it, I'll just remind you I'm not
that decorator. I admire those decorators and think, "How lovely of them."

But my style could best be described as Early Organized Minimalism To
the Point That Some People Might Feel Sad in Their Hearts For Us Because
They Assume We're Poor. It's a new trend, expect to see it on HGTV in no time.

But worry not, in very few months, there will be one more clock added to that wall.
And my mother's heart couldn't be anymore excited, heartbroken or proud.

The morning of my birthday

When I thought about the one thing I wanted to have happen yesterday, I realized that
Tuesday was the day my darling dad serves in the temple as a sealer. And so, I spent
the morning in the temple, with my amazing dad, doing my best to serve those
who have passed on and desire, just like me, to be with their families forever.

It was one of the sweetest experiences I have ever had and I will be forever
grateful for a memory like that in my life. Because when I walked out of the
temple two mornings ago, my heart felt a whole lot like that last picture.

Some thoughts on yesterday

Several days ago, Jacob asked me about my favorite memories of being 40. I thought
about it for a few seconds and to be honest, it was just a really hard year. Of course there
were incredible miracles that I will never forget and always be thankful for, but for some
reasons I have shared and very many I have not, the year, in all honesty, kind of stunk.
And when I said that aloud to Jacob, we both cracked up, because it was so true.

So I think that is why yesterday meant so much to me. I've had many birthdays that were

very calm and with little notice paid and those have been just fine and even wonderful also.
But after the difficult year I went through, it just meant more to me than any of you could
know to receive so much kindness. And it almost felt like my Heavenly Father was so sweetly
reassuring me that He is more than aware of the hard and that I am loved. He is so good to me.

Today

I'm laying here in bed with my birthday almost over, but I cannot go to sleep until I thank you all for the overwhelming kindness extended to me in the last 24 hours. I do not have words for what this day brought and the incredible goodness of so many of you.

I wish I could share everything here, it will always be written on my heart, but between the posts Jacob shared on Instagram and his calling and texting and wishing me happy birthday dozens of times, my kids working together behind my back (with their dad who had to be out of town this week) to surprise me this morning with treats and candles and breakfast and flowers and cards, a morning spent in the temple with my dad, my brother showing up at my door with cookies and to visit and laugh, a dear friend dropping off a quilt that she spent months and months making and that made me sob when I unwrapped it, my wonderful parents taking me out to dinner tonight so we could talk and laugh, my sweet in-laws sending me a message first thing this morning from clear across world, my other brothers and two sisters texting me the sweetest messages throughout the day, Jacob's two grandmas calling with such thoughtful messages, receiving flowers from my darling sister-in-law and a touching text from another sister-in-law, a gift from my visiting teacher and my sweet friend I get to visit teach, friends that tended my littles while I was in the temple and literally so many texts and emails and phone calls and IG messages, I had to spend more than an hour just to respond to each one--and still have a few left that came in tonight, it was unreal.

And then, as if this day was not amazing enough, my older brother called me tonight. And when I picked up the phone, he started singing to me. And to many people that wouldn't be a big deal on a birthday, but he and I were incredibly close to our sweet Gram and the hardest part of my birthday since she left this earth is not to have her call and sing. And for some reason, I not only heard his voice, but I heard hers also. And I couldn't quit crying. Not out of sadness, but out of gratitude. That I could have a day like I did today and that it would end like it did tonight.

Thank you so very much dear friends. I'm so overwhelmed.

Friends

I think it's so sweet how well all of our animals get along.

Buddies

A little sickie and her cat keeping her company. It wasn't until I uploaded this picture that
I noticed Grace was holding onto Finn's tail. Poor cat. He puts up with one crazy household.

The moon

I didn't get to see the lunar eclipse a couple of mornings ago,
but this picture I took of the moon the evening before is kind of awesome.

My hike this morning

Do you remember those books on tape we used to listen to that beeped when it was time to turn
the page? Well, how fun would it be for me to make a version of that for you to join me on my
hike this morning? What's that? Well, I think we all know how this is going to turn out anyway.

  1. I'm so artistic in my nature picture taking.
 
Beep

2. See, I told you.
 
Beep

3. If you look closely at this photo, you can see a gorgeous mountain, very far
away, covered in snow. A mountain I am not on. Oh happy day. This has
been the best winter ever. Sorry all you snow lovers. Better luck never.

Beep

4. Pine trees in the mountains, what?

Beep

5. And a stream? Linn Allen's family blog is riveting.

Beep

6. Two roads diverged in a Utah wood and I--took the one less icy.
Oh good grief, someone assign me a church talk stat, I'm obviously ready.
Well, minus the part where I did the opposite of what we should often do in life.

Beep

7. The best part of the hike was so much alone time in nature.
Emphasis on alone. This is where you begin humming On My Own.

Beep

8. Oh hooray, the descent is always better than the ascent. Another church talk
right there. Only...it's beginning to dawn on me that I'm a terrible Mormon.

The end.

The reason I keep posting

Another round of teacher conferences. I couldn't be more proud and they couldn't
be more silly about the picture I asked them to take.

I'm fully aware that this isn't anything big to document, but if some day my kids read through
this blog and know that their mom was absolutely crazy about them and that being a mom
during the big and little moments of their lives was the greatest gift God ever gave me (along
with being married to their handsome dad), then silly pictures in elementary hallways it will be.

I really love being a mom. And just in case my kids ever forget that, check out Instagram and
our family blog my cute chicklets. Forget the way I go crazy about the house being clean and
drive you nuts about your homework and make you put your shoes in the right place and take
care of the chickens and pick up your socks and hug your siblings while awkwardly singing
a song to them when you forget to be kind. And please just focus on IG and our blog.

Thanks my six darlings. Your mother loves you. And I'll let you in on a little secret, I love you
completely and solely because you are mine. Nothing will ever change that and the rest is actually
just a whole lot of hogwash. But nonetheless, I will still keep making you clean your rooms. And
posting on Instagram and here. And thanking my Heavely Father everyday that He gave me you.

Closing night

Closing night last night for this incredible boy of mine. Oh, to actually know my way
around a camera so that pictures on stage don't do me in. But great pictures or not,
I love our Campbell so crazy much. He is amazing and I'm so grateful to be his mom.

A Presidential Scholarship to where?

When you receive a Presidential Scholarship that will pay for your entire
undergraduate degree. Only it is to a school you didn't even apply to. 

Our oldest lives a charmed life. It is crazy how often these things
happen to him. But it doesn't hurt that he is brilliant and amazing.
And I especially like that the school is my alma mater. Go Wildcats!

Choosing to be still

Our Gracie girl doesn't go a day without giving me at least one, usually several,

of her original drawings. I love it so. But yesterday's artwork, slid under

my bedroom door while I was getting ready, made me cry.

Without sharing things that were meant for my own heart, life has been intensely rough the

last many days. And the Lord has used that time to remind me again and again of what

would help and how I could find relief, and yes, even peace. But I hadn't shared it aloud

and definitely didn't know my little four-year-old would see that exact message on a card

in our office and copy the words. And the drawing that accompanied it is just the sweetest.

I feel so thankful for so much tonight. And when I do things my Heavenly Father's way, I am

reminded of that on a deeper level and in a way that leaves more of an imprint on my heart.

My darling {and talented} Campbell

One Acts for this awesome guy tonight. He did a tremendous job and
I just really love watching him perform. I'm a huge fan of this boy of mine.

I'm so grateful to be a mom and to be there for these fun events in my kids' lives.

As in the very best

She is the best big sister.

Preschool field trip

As you can tell, Grace clearly enjoyed her preschool field trip to Smith's this morning.
All I can say is the gentleman who showed the kids around, should do it professionally.
Or come and be my nanny. Because I now aspire to be Wade from Smith's Marketplace.
Right after I take a nap. Because I'm worn out just from watching him.

Darling boy

I'm not sure there is anything more darling than the excitement of losing a first tooth. This sweet boy
is counting the seconds until he can put it under his pillow tonight. If only his tooth fairy wasn't so
old and forgetful. Anyone have a youthful and reliable fairy of teeth we could adopt as our own?

Today was a hard day

So many tears today while saying goodbye to these two sweethearts. Don't get
me wrong, I'm beyond thrilled their dad is home and they are all together, but that
wonderful event means I don't get to be with Indie each Sunday any longer. She will
forever hold a special place in my heart and I am so grateful for the last many
months and what I learned from her and how she has changed me as a person.

So much goodness in one tiny body. Oh I adore her. And her darling sister.

Our darling Annes

The variety show was a sixteen out of ten tonight. All of the performers did so well,
especially our Annie girl. I don't have words for how much I love watching
her on stage. She is darling and talented and hilarious and poised and just
gorgeous, both inside and out. I'm her biggest fan, on the stage and in life.

Darling boys and amazing acrobats

These cool guys got to go to the Peking Acrobats performance at BYU last night, thanks to
Jacob's kind parents who bought tickets for many of the cousins to attend this event with
their grandparents as a Christmas gift. Just days after buying the tickets, Jacob's parents
were called to serve a mission in Ghana for two years and left before they could use the
tickets with their grandkids. So we went instead. And missed them a whole lot.

Our theater girl

Variety show opening night and seriously, is she the cutest ever
or is it just me? Not just me, that's what I thought. I adore this girl
like crazy. And am so excited to see her perform on Saturday night.