Time Out for Women

A few years ago a group of us tried to attend Time Out for Women in Las Vegas.  It was canceled because it was the same weekend of President Hinckley's funeral.  When we checked the schedule for this year, we decided to give it another try...this time in Salt Lake.  We had such a great time and it was the perfect amount of time to be away (one night).  Just enough time to recharge my battery and provide me with some much needed perspective without giving me time to miss my family too much. 

Christa, Deanne, Celeste, Jodi, April

29 is the new 26

A few months ago it was my neighbor's birthday.  Darin yelled over to her, "Happy Birthday, Amber!  29, right? (wink, wink)" (Every woman's dream is to stay 29 forever, right?)

Her reply?

"Actually I'm 26."

Thankfully she is gracious, kind and has a good sense of humor.  

If You Give a Mom a Project

I feel like I'm living the "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" book.  We started a project Saturday that pushed a domino down.  Ten hours, several projects, one small episode of crying (It's never going to end)  and one disheveled house later I called it quits for the day.  I hit the wall.  I wanted to retreat to a (comfy) cave with a good book.  Three days later, I think we're making progress.  I can almost see the end of the domino chain. We're trying our darnedest to create space in this house of ours.  It's amazing how trying to move one dresser into one room can create so many projects.  I'm really hoping that we can put the Christmas decorations up this weekend.  My heart is oozing with holiday cheer and my house does not match. 

Like Sands Through the Hourglass

I can't tell you the number of times I have heard from more seasoned mothers,

"Enjoy them while they're little. It goes so fast."

or

"I blinked and my kids were grown."

I think I believed them, but you can never know for yourself until you experience it. I don't think I realized how true it is until just recently. I have spent so many years changing diapers, breaking up fights, doing puzzles, watching cartoons, cleaning up messes, reading stories, etc. that it's hard to imagine a different stage of life. I had a huge dose of this reality about a month ago at our Primary Sacrament Meeting program. Olivia will be 12 in January. This was her last time participating and she looked a little out of place. She is quite tall in comparison to all the other kids. She's the only girl her age in our ward and is even taller than most of the boys. As Liv went to the pulpit to say her part, the woman behind me leaned forward and whispered, "What is she? Like 25?" And I thought, "Ya. Just about". When did it happen? I'm not sure. What I do know is that those women are right. It seems like once they hit elementary school age someone hits the fast forward button. I have been really sentimental lately. I have been trying to slow down and enjoy the little moments. I want to hang on to each little thing and remember this stage of my life because before I know it this chapter will be closed and as much as there are days in this stage of life that I wouldn't do over if you paid me, there are many more moments that I want to bottle up and savor when my house isn't full of little voices and the pitter patter of little feet. I know there are many moments that I haven't recorded. I hope that if I try hard enough I can remember the especially sweet ones and record them in the future. Here are the ones that are fresh in my mind today...

The other day we got home from a long way of errand running. We were all tired and Brig was ready for a nap. As I pulled his shoes and socks off to get him cozy he wiggled his feet and stretched his toes out wide and then he picked the lint from between his toes. I'm not sure why I loved it, but I did. It was adorable.

A week or so ago I was sitting on the floor (I think I had just finished changing Brig's diaper). David walked behind me, squeezed me around the neck and gave me the biggest kiss on the cheek (complete with the "MMMMAA" sound). Just because. It was so sweet. I have a feeling such displays of affection will not be so abundant in the coming years. But I hope with all my heart that they will be.

Just today we were watching an episode of Meerkat Manor on Netflix (have you seen this? It's a reality show about meerkats and I am absolutely fascinated by it. Does this make me crazy?) I was busy talking to David for a minute. Warren turned to me with the most concerned look on his face and he said, "Mom. They were looking everywhere for Carlos and he was nowhere to be found."

The other night after family prayers we were all on our bed. Warren pretended to fall off the bed and Briggy chortled so hard that he fell backward on the bed. He could hardly contain himself. Warren would get back up on the bed and Briggy would kick him lightly so Warren would fall off the bed again. Warren was making a huge production of the falling and before long all of the kids had a huge case of the giggles and bedtime was extended for several minutes. Laughter is contagious. (My oldest three boys have huge veins in their necks that pop out when they laugh really hard. It is hilarious. It is yet to be seen if Briggy is part of their club).

A long time ago (over a year ago) Liv was telling me about a friend's cousin. This little baby had three older half sisters. The baby was born with no sweat glands and no eyebrows or eyelashes. Liv was telling me about this baby and said, "They think that because the three older girls don't have it that it has something to do with the dad's pants". I said, "Do you mean genes?" She immediately started to laugh at her misinterpretation of the meaning of the word. (I'm sure she was so confused about why the dad's jeans mattered.)

Sean is very into origami lately. He watched a YouTube video about how to make a ninja star and it has awakened a beast in him! He is so good at it. He has made flapping birds, paper wallets, ultimate ninja stars, butterflies, paper knives, claws, cranes, boomerangs, etc. It is amazing to me that he can learn by watching and then remember how to do it. I see his creations all over the house.

The sweet moments make all the not quite as sweet moments well worth it.