Cora Turns 6

Happy birthday, Cora! We are so grateful you're part of our family and remind us daily how precious life really is. You love learning your letters and numbers, love food and helping me cook or bake in the kitchen, you love all things pink and love to read and play freeze tag. Your favorite food is spaghetti. You love to sing and dance and play so well with Ezra. You hate being teased. Period. And you'll let it be known. We love you so much, darling girl!!!

 

 

 

 

Little Sicklings

These two hoodlums have been sick and it's the first time I've ever seen Ezra just lay down on the floor because he doesn't feel good. He'll just quit playing and lay down. So sad. His cough was becoming worse and worse and his breathing was really wheezy so I took him to the urgent care the next day suspecting croup. He had an ear infection and  although they wouldn't officially diagnose him as croup because they were unable to hear the strider, the doctor treated him for croup. So little man has been on antibiotics and the nebulizer to help clear his airways.

Then it was poor Cora's turn to get it. Unfortunately for her, her body just is not fighting off the illness. I don't know if its an underlying autoimmune disease or some other factor but she goes through this every flu season. She'll get a simple cold and it just hangs on for months (earlier in the year it was 5 months and only surgery could fix it). So on Friday Lance and I took her in for a blood draw, booster shot, and sinus x-rays. I'm hoping he'll call me today with the results because I'm anxious to get her well again.

"A Little Testimony"

Papa Johnny sent this email out to all of his children last month and I wanted to make sure I had it in my journal:

Hello All, A while back, I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting, and I have realized that I don't often share my testimony with my family -- so -- this was the testimony I shared as best as I remember it (Kempton was there, so he is exempt from this reading). I don't share this because there is anything earth-shaking about it -- just felt that I should:

 “ I don't know if I was a normal little kid, but I have a strong memory of something that happened when I was 5. I know my age because I remember where I was. It was a dark and cloudy day, and I was standing at the front window with my chin on the sill, watching the rain hit the glass. I was contemplating what it would be like to not exist. I became quite troubled and went in to the kitchen and asked my mother, “How long do we live?”. She chuckled and said, “about a thousand years”. I didn't know how much a thousand years was, but I knew it was a big number, so I went back to the window and continued to wonder what it will be like to not exist after a thousand years.

Even today, I will sometimes awake with a start in the middle of the night – heart pounding -- and say “Lord, how is it that I exist? -- and yet I do”. For that matter, how does anything exist, and yet it does. I was preparing a talk a while ago, and I asked myself, why would a rock be created to last forever, and yet intelligent life created to die? It didn't make sense.... And then I thought, why bother with creation at all if not to be happy. Just as I had that thought, a scripture came to my mind with a force that I rarely experience – 'Men are that they might have joy'.

So it doesn't matter that you don't know HOW you are. It's important that you understand WHY you are. You are that you might have joy.

So that chubby little boy has now lived a chubby little life, and he still has no clue how he came to exist, but he knows now that he will never not exist. I've learned for myself that this is true, and my hope is along with you, that we will one day hear the words “Well done thou good and faithful servant: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.”

Piping and Licking

I've been practicing my piping skills in preparation to make Cora's birthday cake (we'll see if I can pull it off. I'm doubtful yet hopeful at the same time). The kids loved piping too and they ran out of frosting in .05 seconds. We re-scooped the frosting and piped again and again. Cora, my ever food-loving chef, especially loved licking the pans.

So much unsupervised frosting means bath time for everyone!

Turkeys From My Turkeys

Saturdays = pajama days = creativity = bonding

Panes of Lessons

Last week I hosted girls night and was embarrassed and disgusted to find how dirty my windows were, especially since our parents were here the weekend before. Then I looked at the next pane over and saw this perfect little hand print. I realized I will never have another hand print this small in my house again - ever. And I'm so glad for that print! It reminds me to slow down, stop rushing, stop the getting-it-done and treasure the doing more. It'll be a LONG time before I wash this print off, it's just too precious and I'm so thankful for the reminder.

Kimball Turns 8!

Morning hugs for the big birthday today

How cool is this cake?! Kimball asked for a science experiment cake and the cake decorator at Albertson's really outdid herself. I absolutely loved it, and so did Kimball. He was in shock.

 Gummy skewers for party favors

Kimball asked for his first birthday party to be at Strike Zone where he could have Nerf battles with his friends. He had 6 friends show up, most from the neighborhood and a few from school.

 

 His friends that came were Colin, Owen, Callen, Ella, Madison, and Brooke. They had so fun!

Opening his most surprising gift - his first pocket knife (from Buck Knives) that was engraved with his initials. He thinks it's so cool and that he's so old. I love it. We went over the rules and proper way to use a knife. The next few mornings after his birthday he had it out and kept holding it and said, "I'm not playing with it mom, it isn't a toy. I'm just looking at my initials."

 

The weekend following his birthday, on November 2nd, Kimball chose to be baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He chose a simple, beautiful program and I am so proud of him. Mom and I were witnesses, Grandpa Cox spoke about baptism, Grandpa Goofy spoke about the holy ghost, Daddy sang a solo, and his primary teachers gave the prayers.

When I envisioned my firstborn being baptized I thought I'd be much more emotional than I was. I thought I was going to be overcome with how little he isn't anymore, etc. and it wasn't that way at all. I was filled with the spirit and so grateful to be his mother and I thank Heavenly Father for this sweet boy.  Both grandparents were able to come for the weekend and although their trips were fast and furious, we soaked up every minute.

Things about Kimball:

• Favorite books: Dog Man and The Magic Treehouse
• Favrotie color: purple
• Favortie food: waffles
• Favorite drink: any soda
• Loves to play 2 or 4 square at recess
• Wants to learn to build things (like houses) and learn how to cook more foods
• Wants to be a scientist when he grows up
• Is very well behaved in school and loves to read
• Loves to tell jokes, play pranks, and make people laugh

 I love you, Kimball!

LOVE This Little Munchkin!

Grandpa Goofy taught him how to do the thumbs up. What a cutie!

Ezra took this picture and it makes me laugh because these pajamas really enhance how skinny he is. Lance calls him Little Candy Striped Legs and this is why, haha.

 Too cool for his Mom

Beautiful Fall Foliage

I love this view right outside our front window, so peaceful.

When the sun hits all the vibrant trees, they just seem to glow. This is the Japanese Maple and there's no filter on it. It's so gorgeous!

Halloween Festivities

 Carving pumpkins

Playing with costume accessories. I caught Cora watching TV with these old glasses and then she wore them everyday after that until Halloween was over.

Rapunzel is complete with her frying pan and Pascal on her shoulder. This is what Cora wore to school. Kimball was a scientist for school and Batman at the ward party.

 Our hearse trunk, although none of the kids appreciated it for what it was. One five year old said, "Whoa mom, there's a skeleton in that treasure chest!" But the adults liked it.

School Recognition

The kids are doing great in school! Kimball was the first in his class (along with our neighbor, Brooke) to get student of the month. His class is more challenging with 13 boys and 6 girls and his teacher seems to struggle a little bit with that. But he's doing well and always making new friends.

I get occasional emails from Cora's teacher about her progress and so far I've only received good emails. She's overcome so many obstacles starting school and I'm so proud of her. Pictured is some of her artwork and her first field trip to the Outdoor Learning Center (she did great riding the bus). Just last Friday Cora was also awarded student of the month and was able to eat lunch with the principle and received a new book. Well done!