Sweet Sunday

This past summer has been our family's own personal Gethsemane.  To make a long story short, we have been going through many trials.  We have been trying to look at our blessings and to look at the good, because in reality, we have a very good life.  We just have some bumps in the road and some major life decisions ahead.

I've recently noticed that, when we have temporal trials, that our spirituality seems to increase.  Is this just a natural occurrence for us to turn to God when we need His help so desperately?  Is it possible to stay close to God before the trials occur?  Is it the same with our earthly parents?  Don't we normally turn to them when, as toddlers, we need someone to kiss our boo-boos, as teens we need a shoulder to cry on, and as adults we need counsel from someone who has 'been there'.

What I really wanted to record today is how the spirituality of my children has increased during this summer.

Zane came home from school the other day telling me that he had said a prayer in the morning that he would be able to make more friends at school.  He told me that he felt like his prayer was answered during one of his counseling sessions.  His teacher and group talked about how there are three different personalities:  aggressive, passive, and assertive.  Zane knows he is mostly passive because he is shy.  He learned that someone being aggressive is super bossy and no one will want to be their fried.  But an assertive person knows what they want and is able to communicate.  Zane is our little thinker and I'm sure that deep down in his brain that this was a lesson that he needed to learn about his own personality and how to react to situations.  It was an enlightening moment for me, as his mother, to listen to him talk about such deep topics for a 9 year old.

Harrison is very much aware that he is getting ready for changes to occur as he takes a tiny step toward adulthood next month.  He is turning 12, will be leaving the Primary, will attend Young Men's, and last but not least, he will be receiving the Aaronic Priesthood.  He has shown these tiny spiritual growth spurts over the summer, but the biggest one occurred this morning.  He offered to join Andy and me in our fast.  Because Harrison decided to join, Zane decided to do it as well.  These boys have never fasted before and it was such a sweet experience to kneel down together as a family before church to begin our fast together.  It brought a special spirit into our home.  We did not have the normal bickering, shoe-hunting, and rushing that usually happens on a Sunday morning.  Most importantly, we were on time!

It was fast and testimony meeting today, because General Conference is next week.  I got up and bore my testimony because I have had a strong feeling lately that I need to confess God's hand in all things.  Everything we have truly comes from Him.  Shortly after I sat down, Harrison timidly walked up to the stand to bear his own testimony.  I was so proud of him! I loved seeing that tiny spark of his own testimony that he wanted to share with others.  I am sure that it will grow into its own fire.

What a rewarding Sabbath.
What a Sweet Sunday.

Family Photo Shoot: Part II

Family Photo Shoot

Check out my friend Ashley's photo site:  Ashley beal photography

Happy 4th of July!

We had a family get-together at our house today.  It was so much fun!  RB and Amy were up from North Carolina.  After dinner, we ate some yummy flag cake. Then we drove over to the Galleria Mall parking lot to watch a fireworks show.  We were having so much fun, I didn't get any pictures.

Mini-Family Reunion

Andy's cousin, Dusty, had a get-together at her house for all the cousins to spend time together.  It was so much fun to see all the next generation of cousins having so much fun together.

Catching fireflies.

Good times!

Whirlwind Visit

This is a picture of me, Harrison, and my Grandma Montgomery from 2004.

Oh how I love my grandma! I had the opportunity to fly out to Boise to visit her. It was a quick 24-hour visit, but I will cherish it forever. She is one of the most kind, giving, and caring person that I know. She is such a good example to me and such a good friend. I am so grateful for the knowledge that, even though her body may be failing her right now, she will ALWAYS be my grandma and I will ALWAYS be her granddaughter.
On the way home, I had a three-hour connection in Salt Lake. Zach and Stacie were so nice to come visit me, so I took them out to lunch. It was a great visit, even if it was only for 1 hour!

Ahhhh, P.F. Changs and your Great Wall of Chocolate!

1/1/11

Since the rest of the world is sleeping off a late night party, we've made it a tradition to go sledding at Ski Round Top on New Year's morning. Here are all the grandkids (minus baby Landon) with grandma getting ready to receive their Christmas present: a 2-hour sled pass!
No snow in PA? No problem. Thank goodness for snow machines. Everyone remembers that big blizzard that hit New York City a couple days ago. Well, we got a dusting. The boys were so disappointed.

Harrison posing in front of the slopes.

Super-excited Zane.

Ewan chillin' on his tube at the kiddie hill.

Next year, buddy, you can try the real hill.

Abric making snow angels.

Keith and Lindsey taking their shift at the kiddie hill with the little ones.

Andy coming in off the hill.

The temp started to get up in the low 50s, so the snow was melting.

It became slush.

Slush is very slow.

Grandma coming in after a run down the hill.

Andy and the boys waiting to go up the lift.

Until next year! Hopefully it will be a little colder.

After sledding, we always go to Aunt Brenda's house for

the Pennsylvania Dutch traditionally

New Year's Day 'good-luck' fare of

pork and sauerkraut.

It sounded weird to me at first.

Now, I just can't get enough!

Happy New Year!

A Beautiful Day

The local forecast for Saturday was a high of 64. We knew we couldn't stay home on a day like that! We picked Harrison and Zane up from a slumber party at a friend's house down in Maryland. Our van hit 100,000 miles on the way, so we had to document that.
We ended up taking the long way around the Baltimore beltway (thank you, GPS). With 5 hungry boys, we stopped at the first restaurant that wasn't fast food. It happened to be P.F. Changs. We were worried about our pocket book, but decided we needed to feed the kids fast or the day wasn't going to go as well as we had planned.

I. Love. P.F. Changs! They were so kid-friendly! A kids' meal was only $3 and it came with chopsticks and chopstick helpers. Even Ewan was able to master the art of 'Kung Fu Panda Noodles', as they call lo mein.
Abric loved the 'horsies' out front. You'll have to click on the picture and enlarge it to see his enthusiasm.
Our experiment for the day was to ride the DC Metro with all four kids and a disassembled jogging stroller. Andy carried the main part, each boy had a wheel, and I had Abric.
All the boys loved riding the train. Ewan is in a pull-a-face-for-the-camera phase, which really grossed us out because those trains are not clean. You can even see his gum.

Happy, happy boys.

Abric getting in on the face-pulling action.

Why did we ride the metro? To go to the National Zoo, of course. It is free!
We saw lots and lots of different animals…. and lots and lots of different people. (It was packed.)

We saw lions

and tigers

but no bears.

The more we walked, the more I realized how unprofessional my camera is. Oh my!

We did finally see the elephants on the way out of the zoo.

Quote of the day: after carrying Abric, and Zane, around half of the zoo, I asked Andy:

Me: Are you tired?

Andy: No, because I'm wearing a marathon t-shirt.

Andy, I love how you can always make me laugh.

Halloween Parade

The city we live in has a huge parade on Halloween. It is tradition. Andy marched in it year after year when he was in the band. He was so excited to find out that Wells Fargo was going to be in it this year.

Don't you just want to break out in song when you see the Wells Fargo Wagon?
The boys duded up in their best cowboy attire and *gently tossed* candy to the spectators.
Abric and Ewan took turns walking the 3 mile length of the parade. But mostly they rode in the stroller. . .
. . . or rode on Daddy's shoulders. Abric had the parade wave down pat by the end.

Knoebels 2010

The annual Knoebels trip is always something that we look forward to! Ewan wanted to ride the 'big boy' roller coaster.
He didn't like it too much and was moaning/groaning around every corner. Personally, I think this roller coaster is jerkier than the big one.
Ewan's got the ticket! This was his first time where he could actually ride a ride.

His first ride with his cousin, Bryce.

Ewan and Morgan had a ball!

Watch out ball-pit, here come the 'C' cousins!!

Ewan ventured out from his comfort zone and rode a ride by himself.
One big happy family. We were talking that in a couple years, Harrison, Zane, Alexandra, and Isabel will probably want to go off on their own and ride the bigger kid rides by themselves. Why do they have to grow up so fast?
We told Harrison and Zane, meanwhile Michael and Sarah told Alexandra and Isabel, that we were going to take them to the R.C. We knew they all met the 42" requirement. We rode the Phoenix. Andy told Zane, "Tell me if you like it or hate it." The whole ride I heard Zane behind me yelling, "I hate it! I hate it!" We couldn't get him to go on the Twister, but we somehow managed to get Harrison on it. I was laughing so hard that I couldn't even keep my eyes open. The look on Harrison's face: priceless.
Ah…… don't we all remember that very first BIG roller coaster ride? Isn't it some sort of rite of passage into tweenhood?