An Unexpected Temple Feast

This morning I went to the temple, starving for some Heavenly assistance and peace. There were only four people in my session—two men and two women—and I was so excited to worship with them in such an intimate setting. Things were going along quite nicely until I went from kneeling at an altar to blacking out in front of everyone. I wish I were joking, but I'm not. I didn't go all the way down but it was far enough that everyone was worried, including yours truly. Before long a nice older sister named Charlotte was at my side, feeding me saltines and helping me sip water. I was embarrassed of course, but more than that I was just upset that the time I had so diligently and difficultly set aside for my spiritual feast was turning into such a mess. I limped through the rest of the session and before long I was sitting in the Celestial Room with Charlotte by my side. She lovingly patted my leg and provided ample tissues so that I could dry my tear-drenched cheeks. I told her she was my angel, and she told me a story. 

Last night before Charlotte went to sleep she specifically prayed that she’d be able to help someone in her temple session this morning. She showed up ready to serve but saw only two women—one who she knew well, and me skipping in with a smile on my face—and thought her services probably wouldn't be needed. Cue me falling over! Charlotte had treats in her cute little temple purse and a heart of gold, both of which she shared liberally with me. We cried together as she looked me right in the eyes and said, “Heather, Heavenly Father knows you and loves you. He sent me to help you today, and I was ready.” The anxiety and disappointment that had continued to fill my chest were quickly washed away by the peace those truthful words delivered. I am a daughter of Heavenly Parents, worthy of love and revelation and happiness. They love me and know me and want me to know they're close. I almost couldn't believe how light I felt, how grateful, how calm. And how humbled that Charlotte was ready to serve when I needed her most, to bring me that message my soul so desperately desired. 

My temple experience this morning was not at all what I was expecting, few things in life ever are, but I am so grateful that Charlotte helped me finally feast on the love of heaven...even if it started with saltine hors d'oeuvres.

Babies, babies, everywhere!

I watched a couple of babies last week and couldn't stop taking pictures of my substitute mom-boss-ness, haha! Gone are the days of having babies of my own (besides that cutie in the background) but I'm always happy to borrow some from my friends and kiss their little cheeks off!

Injured List

{This picture was from Saturday morning when we ran for over an hour in the darkest of mornings and then were greeted by the most beautiful and colorful beach sunrise.}

I'm on the injured list. I better not stay there for long--pray that I won't stay there for long--but that's where I'm finding myself at the end of this week. Benched. Foot elevated. Ice packs and Ibuprofen. Compression socks. Tears.

The annoying thing about this whole thing is that I'm hurt but I don't know what happened. 

Well, not really.

I was mid-run on my Monday 4-mile loop when my heel started feeling funky, completely out of nowhere. I didn't step wrong, I didn't trip, I didn't roll, just instantly my heel was not happy. I chalked it up to something in my sock and finished my last two miles strong, figuring that I'd feel better when I took off my shoes. But that didn't happen. In fact, that day my foot got progressively worse until I was limping everywhere I went. It's been five days and I'm still limping. It's bad.

If I wanted to play Google Doc, I'd tell myself that it's an overuse injury, probably a tired tendon. And why after a year of running did I get an overuse injury? Because I made some bad training choices last week and pushed myself way too hard. I did back-to-back runs on the same day (my regular 5 on the road but what really killed me was a 3.5 mile trail run less than two hours later) and then two days later, when my body was sore and tired, I woke up early for another 6-mile run. And that was after a considerable amount of running earlier in the week. More than usual, if I'm being honest. I'm a goer, a doer, a never-sit-stiller and maybe this injury is my body's way of screaming ENOUGH ALREADY! I think I did too much. (I know I did too much.) I think it needs a break. (I know it needs a break.) 

(A short break? Fingers crossed?)

When I first started running I hated it. I told myself I wasn't a runner, and honestly I only kept doing it because I was too stubborn to give up when my friends were still going strong. But then that hate turned to toleration, and then it grew to respect for the sport, and before long running became something I loved and craved, my favorite form of therapy and a part of my identity I viewed with pride. Running is my thing now, and the fear of losing it feels immense. 

I've spent this week canceling plans and patiently babying my body, desperately hoping that this unfamiliar-to-me form of self-love will heal my heel. 

Depressed Dodgers Fans

All I'm saying is that these smiles are not on our Dodger-loving faces right now. Our boys lost last night in game 5 after being ahead for 7 innings, tying it up in the 8th, and losing by a Grand Slam in the 10th. I think I may be in shock...I really thought we were going to get our parade this year. Feel free to send condolences and chocolate, I need buckets of both! 

Matching Brothers

Of course they have moments where they annoy the heck out of the other but normally, and thankfully, they are the best of brothers and silliest of friends. It was late one evening and I was finishing dinner dishes when their bedroom giggles quickly joined me in the kitchen with exciting news: "WE MATCH FROM HEAD TO TOE, EVEN OUR UNDERWEAR!" Believe me, that was not written all in caps for nothing, they were LOUD and thrilled and proud. I immediately took out my camera because you know what, I'm thrilled and proud too (but at that moment I was probably more tired than loud!) They are good boys, I love them, and more than anything I am so grateful they have each other.

Westwood Charter hoodies, I love NY shirts, star pajama pants and black socks...plus some matching underwear too!

Underwood Pumpkin Patch

Our school had the day off for a Jewish holiday so I sent an email seeing if any of our buddies wanted to join me and my crew at Underwood Family Farms for their Harvest Festival. Imagine my surprise when the guest list quickly reached the 70's! I have big love for Los Angeles and all the mama's who are excited to adventure and explore. We ended up having a wonderful day picking pumpkins, getting lost in the corn maze, eating treats, feeding animals and playing in nature. 

This is only one of the two tractors we filled with our group of friends, how awesome is that? 

Cora was afraid she'd hate the tractor ride because, "I don't wike bumpy and I don't wike fast because it's scawy" but luckily, the driver took extra care and it wasn't bumpy, fast or scary. She had a great time with her buddy Maxwell!

My friend was out of town so I ended up taking her three boys to the farm with me. Keeping seven children close was often a losing battle, but the kids were so good and they all had so much fun together. 

Can you tell the sun was bright?! Hahaha...oh well, these are cute anyway!

I wanted to bring cupcakes to celebrate Quinny's birthday with all of our peeps but the thought of hauling 75 cupcakes to the farm was more than I could handle. Luckily I had the idea to make cookie "cakes" and the kids thought they were the coolest things ever. We sang to Quinn and then everyone got to choose between a pack of Oreos or a pack of Nutter Butter. Happy birthday baby girl, we love you!

Quinny's 5th Birthday

Never have I ever known a cooler girl than 5-year-old Quinn Isabel. Like, I'm not kidding, she's a total boss and just the best. She's strong and smart and confident. She's beautiful and considerate and fun. I admire her so much and really, truly, love to be around her.

A few nights ago I was driving on a cub scout field trip so we found ourselves at the church gym at 8 pm waiting for the other parents to pick up their boys. Someone found a ball and before long an intense game of chair soccer was happening right before my eyes. The game, not a surprise, but Quinn's part in it blew me away. The youngest boy out there was 8 and yet there was 5-year-old Quinn, throwing elbows, running fast like a cheetah and making smart passes. She wasn't intimidated by their size or age or strength, she was out there to show those boys a thing or two...and she did! I loved hearing the boys yell, "Oh my gosh, she's actually good!" and "Look out, Quinn is going to steal the ball from you!" She's a force to be reckoned with, that Sunshine Kitten, and I watch her and marvel.

Her birthday was on a Tuesday this year and we filled it to the brim. Daddy picked up a dozen bagels before school, which she requested over donuts, and then it was off to the races. She opened presents, we read her class a book that she then donated to her teacher's class library, I broke her out of school early for a Mommy and Me Date to the Santa Monica Pier and then we met up with the family for her favorite ramen dinner at the mall. There is so much life in our Quinny and it was so easy and fun to celebrate her on her special day. 

She still has the most nicknames of anyone I know! Recently I've called her Quiz or Quizzy more than anything else, but she's still known as Quinny and Quinny-Cat, Sunshine Kitten, Little Mama and Cheetah Girl too. And occasionally she's still my Chicken Nugget. 

For months (and I'm not kidding...mooooonnnnthssss) Quinny has begged to get a skateboard for her birthday. I really tried to talk her out of it. I told her she was probably too young and it was probably too dangerous but when it came down to it, I knew it was what she wanted more than anything and I found the perfect Cheetah-print skateboard for her...with a red helmet and protective pads to boot. As soon as she saw the box on the table she started screaming, "It's a skateboard! It's a skateboard! Mom, you got me a skateboard!?" I tried to tell her it was a football to throw her off, but she knew all along. She was thrilled!!!

 

In Quinny's class you can't bring treats on your child's birthday but you can bring a wrapped book that the birthday kid can unwrap and you can read and then donate to the class. We brought "The Book with No Pictures" because I knew it was one that the teacher wanted...plus it's hilarious!

I found a sitter for Coco and asked the boys to stay in the after-school program so that I could break Quinny out of school early and bring her on a special birthday date. We both got Paradise Pier wristbands and went on all the rides--even the big rollercoaster! Quinny got cotton candy and a pretzel with cheese sauce and we literally had the time of our lives!

This was by far Quinny's favorite ride: bumper cars. We went on it 7 times in a row! We'd hop off the ride, run full sprint around the corner and get right back on the ride. Gosh, it was fun!

After we finished at the pier we spent the next hour skateboarding/scootering/biking on the beach boardwalk. We learned that skateboarding is hard when you don't have a good teacher (my bad) but we had a blast and were exhausted by the end of our outing. 

There are moments in my life that feel too good to be true, and spending the afternoon on the beach we call home with my five-year-old namesake was one of those moments. I am one blessed Mama! Happy birthday Quizabel, you are deeply and truly loved. 

FIVE YEAR OLD BIRTHDAY INTERVIEW:

What is your favorite...
Color: Um, Red.
Food: Um, ramen!
Game: Game!!! Hm, Candyland.
Book: Um, Star Wars.
Toy: My book that makes noise.  
Treat: Treat! Sucker!
Song: Song! (laughing) I think I know, it’s so funny! (laughing hysterically) I like chicken cluck, cluck, cluck, If you eat my chicken I’ll beat you up! That’s so funny, that’s why I laughed too much.
Thing to learn about: Learn! More about, like, peregrine falcons…(laughing) it’s Talmage’s favorite in the world.
Animal: Animal...CHEETAH!  
TV show: Um, what’s that called again? Oh, Zig and Sharko!
Thing to wear: My Star Wars shirt.
Holiday: Holiday, it’s, mmmm…holiday, ok, let’s see. What’s that called? Easter, easter, easter, I like Easter!

What do you want to be when you grow up? Hm..a police and a firefighter.

If someone was being mean to your brother or sister, what would you do? Um, I would say Stop!

Who is your best friend? Jack!

What is something you want to learn to do this year?  I want Talmage to teach me more tricks on the bike.

What is something that you are really good at? Um, hmmm…that’s hard. Oh…are we getting to that part where you ask who do you love the most? I have an idea! Remember that time when Coco said Maxwell? I’m really good at biking.

If you had a million dollars, what would you buy? I would buy a car. A Lamborghini Veneno.

If you were an animal, what would you be? I would be a peregrine falcon because they’re the fastest animal on earth.

What do you want someone to invent? A car…for meeeeeee!!!! A little one!

If you could have a magic power, what would it be? Talking to animals. 

How many kids do you want to have when you grow up and get married? Five. Cuz I want to help them. 

What kind of house would you like to live in: an igloo, a tree house, a castle, a cave, or our house? Um, a cave! Because I will discover new things.

Who is the cutest boy in the whole world? (Laughing hysterically) I will say it, I will say it, Talmage!!!!

Where do you want to go on your mission? Um, China. That’s going to be a long time to get to. I have to go on an airplane or something!

What's your favorite scripture story? I like when John the Baptist baptized Jesus.

Field-trippin' with Ever...

Having a magical minivan and being a stay-at-home-mom is basically a teacher's dream come true when it comes to finding field trip drivers. If Coco were in all-day school I would be signing up left and right because I wouldn't have to worry about finding childcare for her. As it was I had to find her a ride and a sitter both to and from school in order to chaperone for Ever's class trip to La Brea, and TBH it made for a pretty stressful morning. But I made it and he was thrilled and yes I have an extra grey hair or two but alls well that ends well. 

This was the main thing I got out of our field trip: God bless elementary school teachers everywhere! Oh. My. Goodness. After spending four hours with some rowdy, noisy, potty-mouthed third grade boys I was waving my white flag and craving a Diet Coke. Ev's class is full of good kids, but there is SO MUCH personality and wow his teacher is a saint. Literally. A Saint.

Even with the noise level at a 1 million for our hour trip in the car, I wouldn't have given up the time spent with Ev on this field trip. He's had an interesting transition this year with his best buddy moving and a workload that's more demanding than ever before. He's different at school than the Ever I know: quiet, reserved, solitary. He claims no friends and sits alone at lunch, or on this field trip, directly next to me while the other kids ran amuck. I had a moment of clarity that afternoon as I sat next to bubbling tar pits and listened to littles discuss video game strategies that all the big emotions we've seen at home lately may be directly correlated to how small his footprint is amongst his peers. It was eye-opening, mothering often is, and left me understanding this tender boy better. I have all the love in the world for him, during the good moments and the bad.  

Me and my little buddy. The other five boys who I drove were attempting to pick up the tar (you know, like the tar that trapped five trillion pound mammoths) and throw it at each other. 

Everett's face is me on every hike, every campout, every nature experience when I could potentially run into a large feline (MY WORST NIGHTMARE!)

Our class was done before the other class so we got to check out this awesome art exhibit in between the tarpits and LACMA. I'm a sucker for pop-ups like this, and really loved all the colors and design found in these see-through walls.

Cutie photo bomber!

Peace out to my first of many field trips this year. Ever, thanks for being a great date!