Shining on Max

The end of the soccer season was a little rough on Max.  

His playing time was getting less.  His team was practicing on Monday nights.  It was hard on our family to fit any sort of family night in- it seemed to be an after thought each week, a checklist item.

I knew in my heart we needed Monday nights.  I told Max how I felt and he agreed to skip Monday night practices.  I talked to his coaches, who were kind,  but thought that Monday nights were the best time for the team to meet.  I knew we would be sacrificing Max's spot on this team, but decided to follow my feelings and after talking to Dave, we reserved Monday nights and decided to step up our FHE efforts.  Most nights are busy, but I decided maybe we can't eat every night together, but we could eat together on Monday.  I started inviting the kids to help me cook, set the table, and clean up.  We had an etiquette lesson each week... usually something dumb like escalator etiquette or chopstick manners.  We started studying the life of Christ together in a simple way.  Each person would share a favorite story of Christ.  I'm sure this wasn't what Elder Nelson meant when he made promises to the youth if they studied the life of Christ, but it was my effort to follow his council.

he said, “If you proceed to learn all you can about Jesus Christ, I promise you that your love for Him and for God’s laws will grow beyond what you currently imagine. I promise you also that your ability to turn away from sin will increase. Your desire to keep the commandments will soar. You will find yourself better able to walk away from the entertainment and entanglements of those who mock the followers of Jesus Christ. I can recommend this assignment to you because I recently completed it myself and I know it has blessed my life.”

Our family nights were fun, and for the most part, we enjoyed being together.  

Max's playing time became very minimal.  I decided if we were putting soccer on the alter, so be it.

That's why I loved this moment in his game when I snapped this picture.  The sun was shining down on him, even though this game was disappointing.

  I tell my kids all the time that if they keep the commandments they will prosper- how many times does it say that in the Book of Mormon?  I should really count.

Recently we had try-outs for the next soccer season and Max didn't make the A team that he had been on.  They cut him and brought over a couple players from Park City.  He was disappointed to be placed on the B team.  But then we met his coach and he started the season.  

It is such a better fit for Max!  

His coaches are so kind and depend on Max to strengthen the team.  

They coach in a very positive way which Max responds to really well.  

They played awesome in their first tournament and Max had so much fun!  

It was a testimony to me that Heavenly Father does keep his promises.  I talked to Max about prospering, and sometimes, it looks different than we expect.  Sometimes the B team really is prospering in a different sort of way.  He agreed, AND his team doesn't practice on Monday nights. 

Can I get a woot woot???

WOOT WOOT!!!

father's day

moments like these are worth cherishing.

BEST DAD EVAAA!!!

heavenly love

I have had some real parenting stress lately.

Sometimes parenting is super hard.

Dave took Viv and I on a little lunch date to the BYU art Museum to see the Minerva display.

I really loved it.

I thought a lot about this painting, about when Christ visits the people waiting at the pool of Bethesda.  And the question he asks, "Wilt thou be made whole?"  How does one go about doing this?  I want that for me and for my kids.  I looked at the child in this painting- Christ is right there, but the mom, distracted... how easily it is to be distracted as a mom.

I was feeling the weight of it all this particular day.

Dave took Viv and gave me a minute to walk around by myself.

I came to this painting by Minerva Teichert entitled- 'Look To Your Children'

It is beautiful with angels coming down with baskets of food, giving them to the children.

I stood there for a moment, then I felt as if my grandma was with me.  It was a pretty powerful feeling, the spirit was really strong and I started to cry.  I stood there and said a prayer for it to last a little longer.  I was in the room by myself, which was good since i was 

staring at the painting crying, but I felt far from alone.  

It was a beautiful feeling.  

I felt like my grandma was telling me that I had help.   

I took this picture of Viv to remind me that I have Heavenly love shining down on me that day.  I really hope they are helping my kids.  I'll take all the help I can get.  

I've decided parenting is not for the weak or the faint of heart.  

Thanks Grandma... love you.

WE FINISHED!

We finished reading the Book Mormon as a family!

It took us a long time, but we have been consistent and I am so proud of these kids for making the effort to read together before school each morning- especially my teenagers, who really make or brake this for us, since they have to be ready before we read.  Abe doesn't complain and he comes, and I am really grateful to him for being willing to do this each morning.

We celebrated by heading downtown for family night and dinner.

Sadie has a restoration class at BYU and she wanted to take us to the church history museum to see the new Joseph Smith's first vision movie, so we made it a night.

(re-enacting her 12th b-day, where she took the same picture)

Dinner at the Lion House.

We told the kids all about how I gave tours of the Beehive house when I was Sadie's age- my favorite moment will always be when I was giving a tour and I said, "Brigham Young believed in the three 8's- work for 8 hours, sleep for 8 hours and eat for 8 hours."  Haha!  No one caught my mistake except for me and I started to laugh.

We also told them about that Dave and I came here for lunch right after we got married....and about the time I dropped baby Sadie on her head on the cement floor:/

 I absolutely love this family of mine.  

We are not perfect, but we are working hard and I really hope and have faith in the promises that the prophets have said will come from reading the Book of Mormon each day.  

I want them SO MUCH for my peeps.  

I am trying to keep my end of the deal.

byu soccer camp

MAX-  look at that effort!

He was awarded the player of the day ball award. 

I could tell he was pretty happy about it.

Kai wanted to spent the week at BYU camp so this was his first year to sleep over in the dorms.  

He worked hard and earned money to help pay for it.  He asked a friend to join him.  He worked hard and was exhausted by the end.  

Viv does a lot of helping her siblings get where they need to be.  

Good sister, and they love her.

dave's birthday

Dave turned 42, which means we have now been married half his life.

Crazy to think I met him when I was 14 years old.

I decided to take him camping for his bday adventure.  

It was short (only one night) but beautiful.

Making a birthday wish.

I can't even begin to describe how grateful I am for Dave.   

We have been through a lot together.  A lot of joy, happiness, hard work, adventure, and challenges.  He is loyal, caring, kind, optimistic, and wants to make life good for our family. 

spring soccer tournaments

Three soccer tournaments...boom, boom, boom.

Max's was by far the most exciting.  They played in the rain and won.

His team did awesome and Max was a big help defensively.

They ended up in the championship game, tied, last 30 seconds and his teammate bicycle kicks it in the goal off a corner kick.  The fans went crazy and the kids were SO excited.  

What a win!!!

First place medals!  And I looked around and couldn't find Viv, started to panic, and headed straight to the pond, where I found Abe sitting with her.

Thank you, Abe!

Kai's team did terrible and Kai was pretty frustrated...

but they made up for it by having a lot of fun.  

Miniature golfing, and driving go karts...getting stuck:)

Vivian even got in on the fun...PINK

Abe tournament was near St. George.  His friends drove with us and stayed with us in the hotel.  They had a lot of fun and were super patient squished in the back seat.

Viv and my mom came to keep my company.

 feeding ducks

lots of games, but the boys fit in a temple run.

the last game was definitely the highlight.  Abe played awesome and even though they didn't win the tournament, it was a great ending under the lights.