One Word

A newsletter in my Inbox from Gifted Leaders challenged its readers to try something new for this year - ditch the resolutions. Instead, concentrate on finding one word to be the intentional focus for 2017.

One word. The idea resonated with me almost immediately and I set out to find my word - a word that has meaning, that correlates with the resolutions I wrote down in my planner, and that would be easy to remember.

follow-though

I find that I often have a hard time finishing a project. I'll get started on something and either forget to follow-though to the end, get side-tracked in the middle, or take off more than I can chew. These projects aren't necessarily big like making cabinets or painting the bathroom. It's more often like taking the trash all the way to the trash can, placing a new liner in the wastebasket, carting the dishrag to the hamper instead of leaving it on the floor where it got chucked in the middle of dinner prep. Mailing the card I want to send within a few days from purchase. Reading the article that sounds interesting. Getting out of bed when my alarm goes off. And the list continues.

The words "follow-though" were perfect - in order to meet the goals I set for myself this year, follow-through is mandatory. By following-through with my commitment and plans, I increase the trust in myself and believe that when I say I will do something, it will be done. I increase the level of trust others have in me as I become a woman of my word. My self-confidence will increase by completing the mundane tasks of my day, or at least feel good at bedtime knowing that what I did accomplish was done fully. (I also don't have to watch my hubs walk through the house putting the finishing touches on tasks I started earlier in the day; I have a hard time when he does that.)

I typed up the words and put them on the desk in the kitchen as a daily reminder. This year will be a year of completing goals, of personal growth, and reaching out to others. What else can I learn by following-through?

Spencer-isms

Spencer at 20-months is a busy little man. Fearless, he will climb onto the blue chair in the sitting room, yell "go!" and launch. He loves to look at books and frequently finds a reader willing to show him the pictures of his many book options. This guy has a contagious belly laugh and always flashes an impish grin when he is about to do something on the naughty side. He's into everything, high or low. One of his favorite activities is to empty out a container/cabinet/basket, line up the contents, put it all back, and repeat. He loves to run, and the joy of his movement is evident by the grin on his face as his little feet pump furiously through the house. As typical of younger children, he wants to do what his sisters are doing and be where they are. He loves to color (sometimes on the paper, sometimes on the top of the lid of our new laptop). Everything is thrown, from balls to trucks to toys to forks across the table. He loves to sit next to Darwin on the dog bed, smiling through Darwin's soft growls. He drives his bus/car/truck on and all surfaces. I've given up trying to keep him off the coffee table in the living room, which is why there are Spencer-sized footprints on the top at the moment.

And he talks. And chatters. And jabbers. I finally got my name back - Mama - at least 90% of the time. Here's the fun list of his current words, verbal and non-verbal, which is probably not all inclusive:

• Morgan - Goo (we call her Morgan Magoo)
• Mallorie - Ree
• Daddy - Da-ae
• Mommy
• Nods yes, slowly and thoughtfully
• Church - turch
• Water/milk bottle - bop-bop
• Ball, car, plane
• Sheep - ba
• Sky, star
• Body parts - eye, nose, ear, arm, toes, head, neck, chin
• Bye-bye
• Stop - top
• Grandma/Grandpa - Gamma, Baba
• House, barn, work
• Book
• Up, down
• Chair
• Away - way (as in, put the toy away)
• Movie - who-whees
• Crash - Cash! Accompanied by arm movement and huge grin
• No - quietly and drawn out. It's adorable.
• Where did it go? - 'Er'd it go?

We love this boy! I am surprised daily by how different he is than both of my girls. I've heard that boys are different...and it's totally true! There's a whole new level of energy, busy-ness, and lack of listening bundled into this small, Chadwick-look-alike. He tries my patience, makes me smile, and says "top!" when I nibble on his cheeks for too long.

Twenty months and counting...what a ride!

Christmas Things Continued

I snagged a few more photos from my mom and Mark's visit....and here they are in no particular order.

With the chaos of added people in the car, the thought of opening presents in mind, and the glee of only having church for an hour Christmas morning, we piled out of the car and into the house. Without Mallorie. She's still in a five-point harness car seat and while she is capable of buckling herself into the seat, she needs help getting out. I assumed Chadwick would get her out as he was driving and on that side of the car. He was thinking of three other things. Grandma and Grandpa had their hands full of Morgan and Spencer. Garage door was shut; we all went inside and started prepping for opening gifts in the den. It occurred to me 10-15 minutes later that I hadn't seen or heard from Mallorie in a while. When it hit me that she was in the car, I bolted to the garage and opened the car door to find a sad, crying, tear-streaked Buga-Boo strapped in her seat. We made a fuss over her and she forgave us, sweet spirit that she is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Afew more of the igloo, snow-man building, playing, and coloring.

 

 

 

 

Christmas Things

Christmas is by far my favorite time of year! The music, the spirit that permeates our souls, the smell of cookies baking in the oven, the speed with which people reach out to one another. And this year, we had SNOW! We also had my Mom and dad Mark here with us, which was a real treat.

Mallorie made a countdown chain in preschool at the beginning of December which we mostly forgot about. I baked too many cookies that never made it out to our friends and neighbors, the annual Christmas card was mailed early in the month and turned out well, our pantry door filled up with cards from friends and family and still brings a smile when I look at it, the decorations went up without a hitch and despite my fears of the tree being pulled over by either our cat or our son, it remained upright the entire season. And Abbie our Elf came back to live with us for the month.

We have yet to establish a true tradition when it comes to how we obtain our Christmas tree - for several years there was a favorite lot from where one was purchased. Last year, Chadwick took the girls up to Idaho City to cut a tree. I was in Albuquerque with Spencer and "missed" the fun - there was snow on the ground and rain falling from the clouds. The kids were wet and cold almost immediately. Luckily, Chadwick found a tree relatively quickly, got it cut, and hauled it back to the car in record time. It was a tall, lanky, Charlie Brown tree and we loved it. This year, we supported the Mountain View High school band by purchasing a tree. It was completely without drama and quite anti-climactic. The trees were lined up, still tied, on the baseball field. We drove up, picked one that looked somewhat straight laying on its side, and took it home. Took all of 15 minutes.

Unlike the tree form last year, this year's tree was overly stuffed. There wasn't in inch of free space in the entire frame and was quite hard to decorate because of the density of the needles. On the plus side, it smelled heavenly. Very few ornaments were placed on our tree - partly because I didn't want them broken by Spencer and partly because they simply wouldn't fit. And we only hung ornaments on the top third of the tree to prevent our little sticky fingers from carting them off. It was something of a goofy sight. 

 

And since we have a Southwestern den, we must have a tree with red chili lights!

 

Chadwick had Christmas Eve off and we spent the day cooking, enjoying one another's company, and telling Mallorie that it wasn't yet time to open her one Christmas Eve gift. For dinner, we enjoyed food with a Venezuelan flavor and it was delicious. The kids got to open their Christmas pajamas from Grandma and Grandpa Hunt and we sent them off to bed with instructions that Santa would not come until they were asleep. It's one of the few times we haven't seen either Morgan or Mallorie after goodnights have been exchanged.

 

 

Then Chadwick and Mark went to work building the loft beds we purchased for the girls. It was the present of the year - along with some bedding - and I was so excited to see the looks on their faces the next morning! I was shocked that no one came out of the bedroom to check on the noise below as there was banging, drilling, and clunking for several hours during assembly. Cookies were set out and we went to bed late. (Is there really every a year that parents go to bed early on Christmas Eve? At least while they have small children at home?)

 

They were a total hit and I haven't seen the girls as much since relocating the beds to their room. Spencer has now mastered the art of climbing up and down the ladders, Morgan has a blanket across her personal space below the bed, each girl has a dresser and bookshelf with baskets for their collections, jewelry, and stuff.

Side note - church consisted only of sacrament meeting Sunday morning instead of the usual three hour block. It started a 9:00. Several weeks prior to their arrival, I invited Mom and Mark to attend church with us if they wanted and let them know the plan. "When are the kids going to open their presents?" Mom inquired during that conversation. "After church," I replied without hesitation. I was not about to get the kids up super early to rush them through presents so we could get ready for church and leave said presents behind so quickly after opening. There was a long pause before Mom asked, "And the girls are ok with that??" I giggled since I wasn't really giving them the option. We opened stockings before church and took our time opening gifts after sacrament by the fireplace.

After breakfast, Chadwick disappeared into the front yard with Darwin to construct an igloo while Mom and I worked in the kitchen and the kids played with their toys. He ran out of bricks and had to finish Tuesday morning. Once he starts a project, he works hard until it is complete. I love that about my husband!

Nancy and Steve joined us for dinner Christmas night - we served a "traditional" smorgasbord that was delightful. Swedish meatballs (complete with white gravy for Chadwick), ham, deviled eggs, rolls, baked beans, green salad, Nana Manwaring's cranberry salad, Waldorf salad (which was left behind in the fridge and not consumed until the next day), lingonberries, black olives, and cookies. Served on the Wahlberg china. I love that my parents and in-laws enjoy a good relationship.

 

Mark hauled up a Tupperware of sand, brown lunch bags, and candles so we could light luminarias!! The picture didn't do the scene justice but it was a lovely little bit of my roots. Two of the bags froze to the railing on the porch and will have to be removed...later this winter!

The week following the holiday was spent playing, reading books, visiting the Discovery Center, staying warm by the den fire, and a quick daytrip by Mom and Mark to Pendleton, OR to meet up with Sean, Beth, and Colin. Traveling this year was incredibly tricky as the winter storms were passing through the area with great frequency and large amounts of moisture. Luckily, the New Mexicans were able to sneak out of Boise and return to the Land of Enchantment between the flurries and had a few days to recover before returning to reality after the New Year.

New Year's Eve is decidedly less exciting than in my youth and college years. Chadwick came down with a head cold and stayed near his Kleenex box the whole night. We watched a movie and counted down to the New Year on our couch and celebrated with an air kiss as the Boise "Glow-tato" dropped. We were in bed by 12:17 am.

Bring it on, 2017....

A Few Inches

The snow first fell in the Treasure Valley the weekend I left for San Diego mid-December. They received four beautiful inches and turned our world into a winter wonderland. Who was to know that the snow would continue to fall, the temperatures drop, and our daily lives put on hold for more days than we cared to count??

I don't know if we have had record snowfall, but no one I know can remember so much snow falling at one time as it did the evening of January 4th of this new year. Temperatures were still in the high teens or low twenties - it hadn't gone above freezing since the first snow, which made for a lovely white Christmas - and Morgan had one day of school under her snow boots after Christmas break.

Wednesday was a snow day. We love the first snow day! As put by a friend, one snow day is a day of fun and wonder. We had lunch and played at the Taylors, enjoyed one more day off and prepared to return to normal Thursday morning. Or not. The grey clouds dumped a good 8" of snow on us Thursday and the madness continued into Friday with below zero temperatures. School was promptly cancelled Thursday and Friday.

 And Monday. And again on Tuesday. Like living in the movie Groundhog Day, we prepared the evening before as if it would be normal, woke up with the alarm, checked the text message stating that West Ada school districts are closed yet again, and went back to sleep. FIVE DAYS!

In addition to the disruption of classes and life in the city in general, the Area Authorities for the Church shut down Sunday services - the forecast predicted snow, freezing rain, and possible power outages. We were encouraged to check on our neighbors, stock up the necessities, and hunker down for the storm. Luckily, the storm never materialized to the predicted extent and we spent Sunday morning enjoying breakfast as a family, took a snowy walk along the canal, and relaxed in the afternoon. The Taylors braved the rain and joined us for chicken pot pie that evening.

 

Chadwick, Morgan, and Mallorie were able to sleep in the igloo in the front yard. I bet Chadwick the girls would last maybe 3 hours (and I left the lamp on in the living room for when they returned). They stayed out the whole night and came back with a great memory! As well as a new love for the card game, War. Unfortunately, Darwin did not fare so well as he saw his beloved Chadwick leave, stay in the front yard without him, and not come back. He paced until about 1:30 am when I finally shut the bedroom door. With a loud sigh, he gave up on Chadwick's return and settled down the rest of the night.

 

I'm grateful that the power never went out, for the abundance of food in our cabinets, and the coziness provided by the fireplace in our den. I'm grateful for snow shovels and for my health which allows me to get out and move the snow when needed. I'm grateful that my children, while suffering from a mild case of cabin fever, did not melt down with the repeated unpredictability and hours inside. My house has not turned into a war zone, I've made it to the gym a few times, and we had a great outing yesterday afternoon with Grandma Nancy, Jordynn, and Gideon at Planet Kid. It could have been much, much worse. Many of the residents of Boise have had it quite bad - not being able to leave their apartment parking lots, slipping and sliding on the road, unable to leave their subdivisions.

It's been a storm worth reporting and one we will remember for years. Fingers crossed we can dry out for a while and not have too much flooding. Where is all the water to go?

The Mission Call

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, young men are strongly encouraged and young women encouraged to serve a full time mission at ages 18 or 19, respectively. The number of youth taking up the charge to spread the gospel has increased exponentially in the last few years. While a mission is not easy nor cheap, I have been told it is life-changing, testimony-enhancing, and I personally have not talked to one returned missionary to regretted his/her decision to postpone education, dating, and life in general to serve in this capacity. Senior couples have also been asked to serve, often in a different capacity from the door-knocking job of the young adults - they teach English, serve as nurses, assist with clerical and mechanic duties that allow the younger missionaries to function in their field. And all of the missionaries - young or old - may be called to serve at home or abroad. As of 2015, there were 74,079 full time missionaries in at least 84 missions around the world.

Chadwick's oldest niece, Sarah, is currently serving in Poway, CA in an English speaking mission. Her weekly emails have demonstrated an increased depth of testimony and maturity that has been fun to observe from my seat at the computer. And my in-laws have been comtemplating serving a mission for several years now.

The process to apply for a mission is on the grueling side - paperwork, physical examinations, interviews with the Bishop and Stake President. For the senior couples, it's also a decision of what to do with the house and cars, wading through concerns for children and the thought of leaving precious grandchildren behind for 6-24 months. The senior mission is less strict than that for the youth, but it is a full time job.

The Friday before Christmas, the White Envelope arrived in Nancy and Steve's mailbox - the mission call!! Chadwick, myself, and James's family gathered eagerly in their living room to witness the event. We each had a cell phone with another sibling on the line so that all could participate.

The suspense was palpable and Nancy was eager to get on with the process; she had been staring at that envelope all afternoon and it took all of her will power not to tear it open before we could arrive.

Elder and Sister Hunt have been called to serve in the McAllen, TX mission starting April 10, 2017.

The excitement mounted as we started looking up the region - the nearest Temple (San Antonio), how many wards are located in the area (7), where the city itself is located, how big, etc. The numbers kept flowing and I'm sure the people who participated via cell phone were thoroughly confused and left out as we were talking to and over one another.

We are excited to support them in this new adventure and will surely miss their support and presence in our lives while they are away. Two years is a long time to go without seeing one's grandchildren, or so I've been told, and we might have to plan a trip to that region of Texas to fill that void.

They will soon be off to start a new chapter in their lives! I'm grateful for their example of sacrifice to their children, in-laws, and grandchildren.

The Weeks Leading to Christmas

We managed to pile in quite a few activities leading up to Christmas, which made the countdown go more quickly (for me at least), which may or may not have been a good thing. It also made the time pass more quickly until we got to see Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Mark!

The Discovery Center of Idaho invited Santa to make an appearance and we made the most of the opportunity to take our family to the new exhibit, meet up with the Stewarts, and have dinner at Five Guys. Spencer wasn't about to sit on Santa's lap - or anywhere near him for that matter - but he liked the candy cane and was more interested in the tree ornaments than saying "cheese" for my camera. He loved the giant bubbles and the girls had a good time. It was a good way to spend a family home evening. We enjoy spending time with Erin, Dan, and their daughter Ginny.

 

 

 

We had two concerts to attend - the first grade presentation at school and a ballet performance at an assisted living facility for Mallorie. I love the sweet sounds of children's voices and enjoyed Morgan's concert. It was heartening to see the gym crowded with parents, siblings, and others to enjoy their songs. I've decided that there are few things cuter than 4-5 year olds dressed in pink leotards dancing to "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" The dance instructor hosted a party for the little dancers in the studio. Even Spencer figured out to belly up to the pad for some cookies. That boy is obsessed with sweets.

 

 

 

On the first Monday of break, Nancy and Steve hosted their annual "Christmas Workshop" for the grandchildren. We kept Spencer home with us as he's still a little young to appreciate the activities. He missed his sisters, though, and was stuck to my leg most of the morning! Chadwick and I took advantage of the time without the older children to wrap presents, listen to Christmas music, and get a few things done around the house. We had dinner with the rest of the family that evening and acted out the Nativity. Several individuals had multiple parts to play.

 

 

 

Chadwick was running from one side of the living room to the other, hopping on first one bench than the couch to play the part of angels.

Mallorie made the cutest little Mary and I did an admirable job as the donkey. Spencer spent the evening trying to cart around baby Jesus, which frustrated Mallorie to no end.

Morgan had been coming down with a cold and it caught up with her at dinner; she slept most of the evening and had quite the fever by the time we started the Nativity. Luckily, she bounced back the next day and no one else caught whatever she had.

That evening was the start of the sugar overload we are still trying to kick - it's hard to turn down cookies!

Tuesday morning we had the Taylors over to make (more) cookies. We created quite the mess in my kitchen and I'm still finding frosting stuck to parts of the table. It was totally worth the disaster and the kids had a great time. I had plans to deliver cookie plates to some friends and had been baking several days before this event. Unfortunately, life took over and the cookies never made it out the door. During the week of Christmas, we ate as many cookies as possible throughout the day in an effort not to waste the goodness. A small bagful of frosted cookies were donated to the Taylors chickens yesterday morning....

 

Wednesday was spent sweeping and vacuuming and dusting and cleaning frosting off the table, scrubbing toilets and washing towels to prepare the house for my parents. Due to the winter storms scheduled to arrive at the end of the week, they opted to leave Albuquerque two days early and arrived in Meridian Thursday evening! We were ecstatic to have them early and they got the chance to spend most of Friday with the kids as I was working that day. (Note to self: do not volunteer to work the two days before Christmas, especially when company is expected.)

The rest of the week was a blur of working both at Bench and Critter Clinic, chatting with my parents, putting the final touches on the Christmas prep, and counting down to the big day. And trying to stay warm - it hasn't been above freezing since the middle of December and the snow continues to pile up. It's a beautiful winter wonderland, though my mother stated that she may consider changing her mind about moving here after retirement. Boise is now known as the "frozen tundra" in her book. I informed her that we could buy her a good pair of boots and a warm coat, then she would be fine. I think she has her doubts....

And of course there are the usual shenanigans of the children and animals. Cleo loves to toast her whiskers by the fire. She was disappointed when we opened presents and removed her new perch.

I caught Darwin staring at the table after lunch one day, hoping this piece of bread would somehow take aleap into his mouth. He's such a goof. I'm not going to lie; I gave him the bread after snapping the photo.

Spencer loves to arrange and re-arrange objects. From shoes to toys to food items, the activity will keep him busy for many, many minutes.

I love this season! I'm also glad when the craziness is behind us. The children are at a fun age for Christmas and the magic of the time is still strong. The bell still rings for all of them!