...that long awaited day has finally arrived...

I took Andrew to the DMV this morning to get his permit. What?! He's old enough to drive? I can't believe it. This day has been so far in the future for so many years I can't believe it't actually here. But since he's registered for Driver's Ed fall semester, we got his permit so he's good to go. So when we got home, Ben took him outside and handed him the keys. Andrew kinda got excited!

...I think I'm gonna age really fast!!! yikes for the teenage driver!

...leaving Cub Scouts...

It's that time. The time when the Cub Scout passes over the bridge to Boy Scouts. Michael is graduating, leaving Webelos and going to 11 yr old Scouts. Now we'll have 3 Boy Scouts!!! Yay.

...Arrow Of Light award

Michael has worked hard to earn his Arrow of Light award. Thank heavens for great leaders and a motivated Webelos scout. It's fun to watch how the Cub Scout program helps these boys grow and learn so much!

...Trip to the Oakland Temple...

Oh, how lovely was the morning...We took a family Temple Trip to the Oakland Temple this morning. Ben and I had a chance to do some ordinances while the youth helped with kids, then the youth had a chance to do baptisms. How can you pass on an opportunity like that!
Glad we got some pictures.  And would you believe, the skies were mostly clear and the weather was great (for January!)

What a wonderful day!

New Year, New Primary classes

I'm so excited for Primary this year! Jenna's out of Nursery. She's has wonderful nursery leaders (Thank you Sister Leichner and Sister Orr). But she's ready to move on to Sunbeams...and guess who her teacher is?! Her MOM!!!!  William and Michael are in Primary too. Although (and yes, with a little sadness) I must say this is Michael's last year for the PrimaryProgram. He'll be graduating into Young Men's next year. So, these are my Primary kids in 2014.

Merry Christmas, Y'all!

I saw Mommy kissin' Santa Claus, underneath the Mistle Toe last night....

...the time is far spent...

Today is Ben's last day of work in Chattanooga. Mostly, it's just signing people out, checking off their bonuses, and handing out final paychecks. We visited him yesterday and everything was eerily quiet. All the rail cars (tankers) are gone. No engine ringing it's bell or tooting it's horn as they rearrange the cars. No bright yellow/green vests walking up and down the tracks. No noise from pumps or other machinery. Everything was just quiet. The few people we saw, the smokestacks, the water circulation pools, the tracks, are all quiet. Today is the last day of school for Michael and Joshua. Andrew finished up yesterday since he has a 4 day school week. (Spring Break begins for the kids) We'll have a chance to go to Church on Sunday and bid our farewell to the Hixson Ward. Monday morning will meet us with movers coming to pack the house. Tuesday, all those boxes will be loaded on the truck and the cars loaded onto the transport. And then it's time to say good bye to the hills of Tennessee. We fly out from Nashville early Wednesday morning. It's becoming bittersweet for me. There are people and places and things that I'm gonna miss about Tennessee. The very things that drove me crazy when we first arrived are probably what I will miss most. The way people talk (I can finally understand most of them!), the crazy roller-coaster-roads that make you feel queezy just to drive them, the 'smokey hills' covered in morning fog, the dense vegetation, the cars that don't/won't pullover for the emergency vehicles, and of course getting out of the Northgate Mall with the ridiculous intersections. I won't have any of that in California. But I will find kind and friendly people in Northern Cali. And I can learn a new 'language'. And I will enjoy living in the wide open space of the Central Valley. And there will still be fog. And I'll learn to love orchards and vineyards and almond groves and groomed fields of locally grown produce. I'll get to experience the marvels of the Sierra Nevadas (which I'm sure will seem enormous compared to the Smokies). And I'll get used to nicely plotted and laid-out-straight roads. And perhaps there will be someone rude enough to think they are more important than an emergency vehicle with it's lights flashing. And maybe, just maybe I can find a mall with an intersection that just makes no sense! It's time for a new adventure. And I'm ready to enjoy the ride!

...united in prayer...

‎"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea, Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free, Let us all be grateful for a land so fair, As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. " God Bless America, Land that I love. Stand beside her, and guide her Thru the night with a light from above. From the mountains, to the prairies, To the oceans, white with foam God bless America, My home sweet home." ~ Irving Berlin

Michael (the kid with his own drum)

We had a bit of a conversation (at home and with my facebook community) over this outfit. Of course the brown t-shirt matches his shirt and it matches his shorts, but the plaid shorts and plaid shirt sent my head in a spin! And like any good mother, I sent my child off to school just like this. As was kindly pointed out on fb, his hair is combed, his glasses are on his face, he's filled with confidence, he dressed himself (even if that's a pre-kindergarten activity)and he knew I loved him. Isn't that what matters? and as one dear friend reminded me, ‎1 Samuel 16: 7 "Look not on his countenance...for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." Thanks, Dianne!

...and my little girl is growing up...

I guess you could say that I've known this day was coming for awhile now. Jenna is becoming more and more independent and certainly thinks she's capable of doing all that she sees her older brothers doing. Including going potty. Last spring, when I was encouraging William to ditch the diapers, I jokingly said I would be potty training both of my babies at the same time. But part of me was serious too. So when Will FINALLY potty trained at the beginning of summer I figured Jenna wasn't far behind. She has always despised having a dirty diaper (wet or otherwise). And over the past week, I've watched a funny behavior. When she peed, she would go get a clean diaper then come to me, walking in a straddle as if she's been riding a horse for a week. She'd say, "diaper" and expect me to change her. Everytime! So I started 'offering' her opportunities to go potty in the toilet. She actually peed in the toilet a couple of times too, but she also peed on the floor and in her panties. And I've been down this road TOO many times with the boys and I know how long it takes for them to make the connection so I wasn't prepared for what happened today. Today, she knocked my socks off. I was at the computer, perusing Pinterest, when she waddled in with her 'straddle' walk and said, "poop". I figured she'd just filled her diaper and wanted it off, but since she didn't have a diaper in her hand, I asked her if she wanted to go potty. Really, I was just trying to buy some more Pinterest time. The bathroom is across the hall from my computer. She said yes so I took off what turned out to be just a wet diaper and helped her sit down on the throne. Seriously! before I had myself adjusted in my seat in front of the computer, she had climbed down off the toilet and was taking me by my hand, saying, "help". I asked if she needed help to wipe and she replied with her adorable "Yeth!" (she lisps when she says yes, or when she has a pacifier in her mouth--which is most of the time) So we went across the hall to wipe and she proudly points to the toilet and says "Poop". Sure enough, treasure in the toilet. (I'm sorry. Perhaps this a little too much information and WAY to much detail, but this is important to me to remember all the fine lines in her growing up. She is SO different than her brothers!) It's as if she knew she needed to use the bathroom and she knew what do to about it. That girl amazes me! So I guess we'll be heading out to the store to buy panties today for my baby girl who doesn't want to be a baby any more. Wow! who knew this day would arrive so quickly?

Scout Advancement

 Joshua's Webelos leader  has been working so hard to help prepare him for Boy Scouts. Thank you, Sister Stubblefield! He's been working hard too, to finish up a few things in Cub Scouts. Well, the hard work has paid off. Joshua earned his Arrow of Light and participated in the crossover ceremony tonight. He's now a Boy Scout! Congratulations, Joshua!

...the rest of the story...The Swing.

After Josh's genius idea, which drew every one to the back yard, and ended in some tears (after Andrew sat in the swing and broke the "oh-so-strong" branch it was hanging from) (oh, the tears were from Josh, not Drew) Ben went to work.
And this is what he concocted...

He used the same tree but a different, much larger, branch to hang this.

Just Jenna...

 

(figured it's about time to share pics of the girl)

My creative one...

Josh disappeared for awhile last night. I was busy getting dinner ready so I didn't hunt him down. Just before I finished, he came in the back door and asked if I would come look at what he did.

 

He showed me the swing that he crafted all by himself.

Bigger and Better...

 

How's this for one of the critters the kids found in the back yard. Imagine the size of the spider when you figure that the leaves are 2-3 inches long. It's called a trap door spider and it's built like a tank. There is NO way I could step on it, even as {SHUDDERS} much as I cringe at the sight of it. It would be like stepping on an acorn. Eeew! So we did the next best thing. Catch and release. Caught it in a jar and released it in an empty lot down the block.
I know you're jealous! I know you want to have critters like this in your back yard. Well, the only thing I can think to suggest is that you move to Tennessee and become our neighbors. I'd be happy to share....

Jenna

 

17 months

family pic

 

Just a snapshot of our family at the Atlanta Temple openhouse.

April Fools Day fun

It's April 1. April Fools Day. I've known it was coming, and I started scheming, but then Ben went out of town (all the way to Nashville) for a training of some sort and I completely forgot what today was. ...and I got GOT! Joshua didn't forget. He taped the sprayer nozzle down. So when I went to the sink this morning with a pot in one hand and the other on the faucet, I was soaked before I really even realized what was happening. Well, me and the floor! I untaped the handle and filled the pot with water for cream of wheat. When breakfast was done, Josh asked if he could put color in Michael's breakfast. (I had changed clothes by that time and was a little happier than I had been when I was wearing all that water) I ok'd it and he put a drop or two of food coloring under the spoon. Then we put sugar on top and poured the milk. When Michael stirred up his breakfast, it turned green. We all had a nice giggle and then William started screaming. I reached for the food coloring thinking he wanted green breakfast too, but instead, I discovered that Josh had done the same thing to Will's bowl and William DID NOT want green cereal. I didn't even see Josh do that! So I scolded him lightly, reached for my bowl to share with William in hopes of settling him down only to find that MY bowl had fallen victim as well! That boy was busy!! Unfortunately, I wasn't smiling by that point, feeling like I had to dump breakfast and start over so William would settle down. I was still feeling annoyed when Josh left for school. But I had all day to think about my actions and finally concluded that I do love Joshua's sense of humor. It's alot like my dad's in fact. I don't want to squelch the 'tease' in him. But I'm not about to be outdone by a 10 year old.
SO.....
This is what Joshua is getting for dinner.






Sure, looks innocent enough. But it's not. I made meatloaf (something my kids love) in muffin cups. I took the cooked meatloaf out of the cups and put them in foil cupcake liners. Then I whipped up some yummy mashed potatoes and blended in some beets to turn them pink. I piped them onto the meatloaf with an open star tip (frosting decorating gear) I sprinkled some 'sprinkles' made with cooked rice and food coloring. They almost look yummy.
Oh, and I don't have picture, but I also filled everyones cup with Jello--looks like juice, but doesn't spill! Perhaps I'll be better prepared next year.

It's official...

Today I went from this...

 

to this. Makes me a little sad, in a way.

 

Guess it's about time!

One Year Old Jenna

 

Happy Birthday. Here, want some?