Let's Pretend

When Nels and I were still newlyweds and living with his parents for the summer while Nels worked in Boise, we were called as Nursery Leaders. I was hugely pregnant with Hazel and not super accustomed  to entertaining a group of 17 or so 1 1/2 - 3 year olds.

It was chaos and super funny.

Most Sundays, by the time we made it to the last half hour, I was done for. Swollen feet and hands and exhausted emotionally and physically. Nels always saved the day.

He began a game with the kids where they would pretend-play their way through a day in the life of a typical toddler.

Sleeping. WAKE UP (turn on the lights)! Pretend to get dressed, brush teeth, eat breakfast. Then we "drive" to the store, play games, help make lunch, etc. Until eat dinner. Brush teeth. Put on jammies. Go to bed.

He'd play this over and over and over again for the last 30 minutes. Those sweet little kids LOVED it. He'd just keep on going until meetings ended and parents came.

And then we'd both go home and crash.

It was awesome and made me love him all the more.

The other day I'd gotten Violet and Clara both ready for bed after dinner, but it wasn't quite bedtime yet. We were laying on my bed {read: both of them were climbing all over me while I closed my eyes praying that they wouldn't damage any of my internal organs} when suddenly this game came to mind.

I started pretending with the two of them - walking through what a typical day looks like. And lo and behold, they LOVED it. :)

They laughed and giggled. Violet loved "driving" the car to the store and picking out all of our pretend groceries {milk in the towel closet, a really big watermelon in Hazel's room} and about 15 different My Little Ponies. Clara would climb up on my bed and remember to "buckle" herself into her seat. They thought it was hilarious that Mommy pretended to put on "footie" pajamas {ZIIIPPPPPPPPPP!} and smiled from ear to ear as they "brushed" their teeth.

Last of all, we'd snuggle up in my bed together. Violet couldn't wait until it was "Morning TIME!" again and she could go flip the light back on. Clara would lay next to me, smiling and staring at me with her pretty blue eyes while "honk-shoo"ing.

Then we'd start it all over.

I am not very good at "playing" with my kids. I often just forget amid the busy day and besides, "go play with your sister" comes so much easier. I can talk, I can do, but play is harder. Sometimes I just have to remember to slow down and connect with my Littles while they're still little.

That night as I helped Vi say her prayers, she "blessed" our game over and over again. She was still just glowing and so was I.

A happy day.

He is Risen

It's still boggling my mind that it's 2013. Just had to share.

Easter was so beautiful! How thankful I am to know of my Savior's love for me, for my family, for every human being. As with each of life's trials (and blessings) my testimony of His tender and watchful care has been strengthened a great deal in the past year and a half. I have a deeper and more personal testimony of God's eternal Plan of Happiness and our purpose here in this life. I truly "feel my Savior's love in all the world around me".

For the first time in five years, I decided to buy new Easter dresses for all the girls and make them look all fancified for our 9:00 meetings. Not an easy feat, I tell you, but well worth it. My day began at 6:30 and I didn't "sit down" until 9:30 that night. There were a couple of moments of "what was I thinking?", but they quickly passed as I spent a beautiful day serving my family and a yummy meal. We had a quick evening easter egg hunt and read from the Bible on the back porch about the first Easter.

Hazel was running so fast, that she couldn't be stopped for a picture, but you can
glimpse her in the background - behind Elsie's awesome pose.

I'm so thankful for the Atonement and Resurrection of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I'm so thankful for the life I have and for the blessings of the temple. I'm so thankful for the love we share in our family. This ARTICLE in the March 2013 Ensign has been on my mind quite a lot over the past month. It has been changing my view on what the Atonement means to me on a daily basis. To me, it means that my struggling, flawed, and feeble efforts as a friend, as a wife, as a daughter, and most importantly, as a mother are enough. That through Jesus Christ I can be more than I am, more than I'm capable of being.

I don't understand it all, not even close, but I get glimpses of heaven and feel his grace daily.

After church, the sun was shining so bright and lovely-like that we pulled over at a random strangers' pretty little patch of property and climbed out with our wild and beautiful little hooligans to snap a few pics -- while an anxious neighbor looked on. :)


The girls stopped their giggling and screeching long enough to get a couple of decent poses, but Violet had a moment of concern after I explained to her that the little round things she was collecting were, in fact, not easter eggs but moose poop. :)

Keep your chin up, Vi! Haha!

This picture cracks me up.

There is Springtime in my Soul Today...

... for when the Lord is near,

the dove of peace sings in my heart,

the flow'rs of grace appear!

As Spring is springing in the Inland Northwest, I find myself compelled to try and capture each ray of sunshine.

I know that there are months of rain ahead, but when the clouds break and the temperatures stretch toward 60, my little feet just can't stay inside any longer. As I revel in the warmth my thoughts continually turn to my blessings. "Heavenly Father loves us so much!" "Thank you, Father, for letting us be here!"

No wonder I love springtime so much --- and Sandpoint is just glorious in the spring!

While browsing the internet looking for fun day trips in the area I came across information on the  Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes - a 72 mile paved bike trail that used to be railroad tracks running from the Montana border following the river and lakes through the mountains down past Lake CDA to Plummer.

I'd been watching the forecast all last week and when Saturday rolled around, we had blue skies and 60's. We packed up our bikes, our lunch, and our kids and drove an hour and a half to Heyburn State Park at the southern end of Lake Coeur d'Alene. What a beautiful place! Upon entering the park we were greeted by beautiful migrating trumpeter swans {they're HUGE!} and found our way to the bike trail and a picnic area.

pic via

There is a bridge that spans the south end of the lake, which is where we were starting on the trail. We pulled out our lunch and unloaded the bikes only to realize that we'd forgotten a vital piece of equipment! The little metal arm that attaches the bike trailer to the bike.

{Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!!!}

I was seriously SO bummed. I'd planned the trip, we'd borrowed a bike, and we'd spent the whole day getting ready and driving down, only to find that we couldn't all go. Nels and I would have to take turns playing at the playground with Violet and Clara while the others rode around.

Big huge sigh and near-tears while I sat in the back of the van getting a handle on my disappointment.

{enter my knight in shining armor}

I finally pulled myself together and started making lunch for the girls while Nels began looking around the parking lot (?). A few minutes later I noticed him over at the bikes with a long stick and a look of determination. When he started trying it out on the slot where the metal arm is supposed to fit, I just smiled, shook my head, and refrained from telling him it was pointless - that it would never work - and just kept making sandwiches. He found some random tools in the van and started whittling away. {more head shaking}

After a few minutes, Nels had bored a hole through one end with a tiny pocket knife and a screwdriver and amazingly was able to attach that silly stick to the trailer.

At that point, I started to see the possibilities and together (using whatever we could find in the van) we were able to jimmy rig the whole thing to my bike. My hopes began to rise, but I was still feeling pretty skeptical as to whether our creation would support not only the trailer, but two wiggly kids being pulled up and down the bridge, around corners . . . or what would we do if we were 3 miles away and then it all fell apart?! AHHH!

Oh well!!!

I admired our handiwork, strapped in our kids, and told my brain to SHUT IT! while Nels readied his GoPro.

With good reason, Clara looks a little concerned.

Not Vi! She's all smiles!

Off we go!

Much to my surprise, not only did our contraption make it out of the parking lot, it conquered the bridge with ease! so we just kept on pedaling...

Occasionally I'd have to stop and tighten things up, but there were plenty of opportunities . . . 

. . . while Nels played with his toy.   :)

He hooked that little camera up to everyone and every moving thing that he could. His head, his chest, his bike, Lilie, Hazel, my bike, Elsie's bike . . .

Elsie had it the longest and she was a hoot! The camera would take a picture every couple seconds. We got some good ones!

wide-angle lenses make people look extra funny!

That girl, the same one who boobed and whined on every bike ride we went on last Fall, decided that she wanted to be out in front the entire 6 miles we rode that day. We had just crossed the bridge when I heard her tell me, "Mom, I just LOVE to push myself!!!"

Ha ha ha hahaaaaa! Who is this child of mine? She kept us laughing the whole way.

{singing}

{racing Dad!!!} my favorite!

Don't ask me how on earth she didn't end up in the lake while she was doing this . . .

. . . clearly she's a much more talented rider than I give her credit for!

I've always thought that Lake Coeur d'Alene is pretty, but this area of the lake is absolutely breathtaking! As we were riding, Lilie told me, "Mom, you know how I was complaining about being in the car for so long? Well, I decided it was TOTALLY worth it!"

I couldn't agree more.

The whole afternoon was just perfect. Hazel had a grand time picking buttercups and Lilie sang "All Things Bright and Beautiful" most of the way. It was so wonderful to spend the afternoon all together enjoying this magnificent world that the Good Lord has given us. We will definitely be returning in the coming months as things green up.

I also found my dream house while riding. Can you imagine living on the lake all year-round? Nels needs to figure out how to work from home --- that's what I think.

Once back at the bridge, we stopped at the top to take some pictures and wouldn't ya know it? As if things could get any more perfect, I looked out over the water and there was a bald eagle fishing for dinner.

C'mon, Clara! Come back to Mommy!

Aren't they awesome?!

As we were riding back, I knew that our little stick was on it's last leg. It had started bowing more and more and to balance the weight better I had to tell Violet to sit back often, but I didn't realize just how close it was. As we pulled back into the lot where our car was parked, it gave out. It couldn't make it any further.

I can't help but think that Heavenly Father blessed us to have such a beautiful afternoon together. I felt completely surrounded by His love and a sweet assurance that He is aware of me and my family.

As we loaded the girls and the bikes back into the van, the frogs were chirping, the sun was setting, and I couldn't imagine a better spring day.

There is gladness in my soul today,

and hope and praise and love,

for blessings which he gives me now,

for joys "laid up" above!

Oh there's sunshine, blessed sunshine

when the peaceful, happy moments roll!

When Jesus shows his smiling face,

there is sunshine in {my} soul.