swimming lessons & soccer

Austin started swimming lessons!  He spent most of the lesson dancing on the step. When he got out I asked him if he had to go to the bathroom, he said..."No, I'm dancing because I like that music!"

If you are good during lessons you get a gold coin, then you take the gold coin and buy a treat out of the treasure box.  Austin got a treat and kept his gold coin, sneaky boy!

Austin also had his first soccer game on Saturday. He is a "silver tiger". He was so excited to wear his uniform, shin guards and cleats!  We were all excited for him and thought he looked so cute!  After 1 quarter of playing, Austin wasn't so sure this soccer thing was all we had cracked it up to be. It waassss pretty hot outside but Austin is 10 times more aggressive in general life than on the soccer field. The only time he got really aggressive was when Travis yelled "Austin, get the ball".  He promptly pushed down his teammate to steal the ball, and then gave it a light tap before the other team took it away.  Then he played goalie and liked that a lot better(no running involved), he just stood there even as the ball rolled into the net.  Then he sat on my lap and said he was so hot and hungry.  I told him he would have to play again, to which he said, "I don't want to kick the ball, I just want to be goalie, It's SOOO hot!"

And here he is, later that day,taking a nap on the electrical box in the front yard.

pep talk

This was a post I wrote back in February but my thoughts lately echo it again, so I reread it to offer myself a "pep" talk.

Last night Travis and I were laying in bed talking about a friend from Idaho that he talked to on the phone earlier that day. I lay there for a few minutes and then I started crying. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing and I wasn't really sure why they were flowing except that plain and simple - I miss Idaho.

I always feel bad crying about this because I know it tugs at Travis' heartstrings. He hates to see me sad and I know it makes him question himself, "did I really do the right thing by bringing my family down here". The answer to that is "yes", Travis and I both know that. I know that because if I didn't I would have begged Travis not to leave his job in Idaho and he wouldn't have. He doesn't admit it, but I know he misses Idaho too, that is truly his home, he has never been anywhere else.

Arizona is where we are supposed to be, I am sure of it but that doesn't make me miss Idaho any less. I miss our family. I miss our friends. I miss my friends. I miss my kids' friends. I miss the small town. I miss our ward. I miss knowing everything about our life like who our doctor is, our dentist, our hair cut people, my nail lady, who to call if I need something fixed. I miss waving to people I know as I drive down the street. I miss that old life.

But this is our life, a new chapter. I don't know anything about who our doctor is, or dentist, haven't settled in with a hair person, can't find a nail lady but this is our home now and one day soon I will love it just like I loved Idaho Falls. I won't forget those friends we love in Idaho but soon we will have friends we love here also. 

I know all this because I have moved many times before, I have just forgotten how hard those first few initial months can be. I also know from moving around so much that there are those dear friends that will always be your friends no matter where you live (I'm just comforting myself with my own good advice).

Anyway I have reflected many times in the last few months on my mom and how many times we moved as a family. I have thought about how much work it was for her and my dad to pack up the family of seven and relocate every couple of years. Not only physically hard and financially hard but also emotionally hard. We never lived near any of our extended family and we survived that but we had great friends that we had to leave each time we moved. I can't ever remember my mom complaining, I've tried not to let my kids hear me complain either. My mom always showed us kids the bright side of where we were going next. A tidbit of advice my mom just shared with me a couple of weeks ago- "get involved". She told me to go to a book club, go to RS, meet people, invite the neighbors over, sign the kids up for their usual activities. I'm trying. Thanks mom you were a lot better at this moving thing than I will ever be.

Another thing I learned from moving and something I am hoping my own family will also learn is to rely more on each other and grow closer as a family. I hope we will develop unique traditions to add to the things we already do, I hope we will love each other more and fight less. I hope one day we will look back and say we sure are glad we did this hard thing and moved away from a place where we were so comfortable.

My tears have dried and I am fine today but the answer to the question I get asked so often is "yes, I do miss Idaho."


This reminded me of this.  Several months ago, I listened to this talk  and his words helped me.  I even framed the words - "come what may & love it" in a small frame to help remind myself of this talk.  I just re listened to it again.  I guess I have forgotten my personal motto "come what may & love it", but most of all I guess I have forgotten to take advantage of the four things he offers as advice. This weekend was a wake-up call for me. I visited with a friend who's husband was just diagnosed with colon cancer, she told me this.  "We are excited for the journey! We can't imagine how much we are going to learn from this and how are testimonies will grow."  Then she told me of another gal in her area who had just lost her only child in a drowning accident.  I came across her blog here.  I loved what she wrote about telling herself everyday "I can do hard things."  I am bolstered often by this blog, and the hard things that she does. I love the strength she shows in this video.  Over the last few weeks I followed another blog of a local lady  whose daughter passed away. I read another who has a daughter with a rare syndrome.  What have I learned from all of this???  I am extremely blessed for this small trial in my life.  How can I complain when these mothers all suffer from  incredible heart break and hardships.  I am grateful for all I have been blessed with.  I know that with any hardship you gain character but more than that you increase your compassion for others.  So whenever I am missing Idaho I will remember to compare this hardship to that of others and then I will feel grateful instead.

P.S. See Travis, I learn a lot from the blogs I follow.
P.P.S.  Sorry for the extra long post, with no pictures.  If your not in the mood for my ramblings just scroll down & catch me tomorrow.

arrow of light

Holden was awarded his Arrow of Light last Thursday night at Pack meeting.  He has been waiting to receive all of his Webelo awards since he turned eleven in July.  The Cub master said Holden was the most decorated Cub Scout that they had ever had in the ward.  Credit for that definitely goes to Woodhaven Ward and the outstanding Scout leaders he had there.  As I was sewing everything on his shirt today, I thought of the ladies who were the reason for all of those patches & awards.  Thanks SO much to Marci Hurst, Carrie Despot and Kristen Mena!  Thanks for helping Holden and teaching me!

And thanks to Lisa Dewey for her help in Cub Scouts and also for letting me copy her great idea. I made this shadow box for Holden to hang in his bedroom. I was so happy how it turned out.  I hope it reminds Holden of all that he learned and also that with hard work you can accomplish great things!

I do have to say that even though we had awesome leaders in Idaho, here in Arizona we have the world's BEST Cub master.  This guy is better than anyone I have ever seen, every month I am blown away at the preparation he puts in for Pack meeting.  He is funny, entertaining and the boys LOVE him.  Thanks to Brother Cassinat!!!

This is something I hadn't seen before.  Typically I have seen I little wooden bridge that the boys walk over to signify their crossing over into Boy Scouts from Cub Scouts.  Holden had a much more exciting cross-over.  They had all the Boy Scouts lay on the gym floor, head to toe and form a human bridge.  Then Holden's new Boy Scout leaders picked him up and flew him over the human bridge of boys.  There were like 20 boys so it was quite a ride.

Way to go Holden!

  We are proud of all you accomplished in Cub Scouts.

compter hog & the dining room

I haven't been able to post lately because I literally have to fight Austin for computer time.  He discovered nick jr. dot com and that is life now, forget about T.V., Wii, or the D.S., all he wants to do is play his nick jr.

On Sunday we had an official dinner in our almost complete, new dining room.  Chloe has been asking to eat in there since we got the new furniture back in May but I told her we were not going to until it was complete.  Well...it's close enough.  After trying five different shades of blue I finally picked one and got it painted.  We had the chandelier hung so now just a couple of finishing touches and it will be done for real. 

Chloe preparing for the feast

We decided to put the room to good use, we will eat in the dining room every Sunday.  Does that mean no tuna sandwiches for Sunday dinner?  I sure hope not.