My joy :)

(can't seem to fix the spacing on this post...but enjoy anyway)

All of my kids bring me joy (most of the time)...but this post is just about Robert...

Now that school is back in session, we get to spend most of the day just the two of us.

We drop his brothers off at the bus, he waves, blows them kisses, then cries when they get on the bus, then cries when we have to leave Sherry's house (where we take the boys to get on the bus)

I'd feel bad but by the time we get home he looks like this...

or is doing things like this...

See..I told you...JOY...in it's purest form!!

I took this video earlier in the summer but it fits perfect here He was pretending to read, then started copying Michael...I love that I got my favorite laugh of his on camera (yes he has many laughs) and he makes us laugh...(the shaking is when I am laughing too hard to control the camera)

I dare you not to laugh while watching this

see...I told you...pure JOY!

Budding Artists :)

I've been wanting to hang some artwork on the wall in my bathroom for quite awhile...but I could never decide just want I wanted...so one day I had this idea and thought.."why not"

I bought some 11x14 blank canvases and acrylic paint in the colors I wanted and let Michael and Thomas paint some pictures for me!

The only rules they had were not to mix the colors, and to make something that would look nice and that we all would want to look at

Here are the results...

This one is by Michael. It says "Family Stays Together Forever" I thought I liked it better before he put the word on it, I was wrong!


This is the second picture he painted...it definately makes my "happy" when I see it. Notice his signature in the bottom corner...a true artist!!



This is one of Thomas' paintings..Flowers in a rainstorm. It matches the other flowers we have in the bathroom really well.


This is his other painting. Of course you can tell it's a horse because it says "Nay" just like a horse! And wow...check out that signature at the top...he signed it so carefully and in cursive to boot!! (his signature on the other picture is between the two flowers)


Here's what they look like all together on the wall...

I love them!!!

Such a fun project!!

Not expensive...but PRICELESS!!

A great end to the day...

As we were putting the kids to bed...Michael told us the story about Samuel the Lamenite...Thomas asked how many days until the next Family Night...and Robert folded his arms for the prayer.

It's was a great way to end a day...makes me almost not mind the huge mess they all left for me to clean up...almost :)

(P.S. do you all love the new picture on the primary outline as much as I do!! Getting this one for my house!! oh and Lisa...if you're reading this...is it just me or does the little girl in pink look a little like Averie?)

White Shirts

As I ironed white shirts this morning, my mind wandered back to a thought I had a couple of weeks ago, and decided to record it here.

Like many sunday mornings, I had spent a good chunk of time ironing shirts (I know I know, Saturday is the special day we should get ready for Sunday...I'm working on it) On this particular sunday I ironed a white shirt for each of my boys (from Robert to Dave) As we sat in church that day and I looked down the row at all of them with freshly pressed creases in their white shirts...I got a little lump in my throat and thought of how many times I would be ironing white shirts for these boys (and the two years when they would have to do it on their own)

Instead of being overwhelemed at the amount of work that would be...I was overcome with gratitude for the opportunity to some day have so many worthy priesthood holders in my home. (And a little overwhelmed at the responsibility I have to raise these boys to be worthy to hold that Holy Priesthood.) I am also grateful to have the biggest of my boys (you know it's true Dave!) already hold the priesthood worthily in my home...it is something I rely on a lot and hope to never take for granted. I am a blessed woman. Bring on the white shirts!!