Sunday Stroll

I made homemade cinnamon rolls and brought the boys a plate to share (with rolls for me and James as well). I went into the house to grab something and looked out to see two very cute little superheroes licking the frosting off of every last roll! Needless to say, I let them finish those off and I got myself a fresh one!

We took a walk after both Sunday Conference Sessions and Everett had his DD (blanket), doggie and sippy cup tucked into the pack. He kept asking where things were and then would pat the pack and say, "In pack. In pack."

 

We took our typical Sunday stroll around the Memorial Church. We stopped on the lawn to throw a frisbee and allow Evie some time to run around. Before we knew it a Chinese tour bus stopped in front of the church and we were swarmed by camera-yielding Asians! They all thought Everett was adorable and kept stopping to photograph him. I love that in the picture above it looks like he's saying, "No pictures please!" or maybe he's waving to his fans!

The Hoover Tower is a landmark that the boys know and love. It symbolizes home for them (and me) and I think it is so beautiful. I really like Stanford...why can't we stay forever?

Surprise!

These two awesome guys share a birthday week so Brady's wife, Natania, and I decided to throw them a little surprise party after the Priesthood Session of General Conference. They were definitely surprised and both felt special so we'll count it as a major success!

 

I didn't get a picture of most of the adults, but here are two pictures of the cute kids so you can just imagine how many grown-ups were there! It was a packed house (Ashley's house, btw, thanks Ash!) and the kids felt so awesome eating their ice cream outside on the lawn.



Me and cute Natania. Seriously love that girl.

Ash hung the coolest lights outside of her house. We've got to have parties there more often.

 

A few pics of some fun birthday guests!

Happy birthday Brady!

 

And happy almost birthday James!

Recent Fun

 Dry ice from our neighbor--the boys spent almost an hour blowing the smoke out of the bowl.  

 Baby exchange--friends took my kids twice last week and I had their kids on the third day. Why we haven't done this before I have no idea. I got so much done and the kids loved being together!  

 

T's Conference Fort. He and Evie had SO much fun in there.

Swim Lessons

Our little fishy is back in the water and is so, so happy about it! This kid is definitely related to his Auntie Care ;)

Ever is super cute but is an awful cheerleader! He wanted to be in the pool with his brother (although I have a feeling that he would freak out if I actually made him do it) and cried the whole 30 minutes. I know I've said this a million times, but he's lucky he's so cute!

MLH Care Bags

Being a coordinator for Mended Little Hearts has been so fulfilling. It's turned a really hard situation into an opportunity to serve--and for that I will always be grateful. For the last year I have worked endlessly to feed the needs of our group members by planning monthly meetings, raising funds and spending A LOT of hours with them in the hospital. It has been tiring and amazing!

 

Last week I was able to deliver 75 care bags to Lucile Packard for the families of heart patients (there are another 75 hanging out in my closet, much to my hubby's chagrin!) The contents of the bags were donated by stores, churches, and youth groups and I have been so touched to see the generosity of our community. The goodness in people is so beautiful to behold. 

 

Here I am with FOUR wagons full of care bags. If it looks like I'm beaming it's because I am! I received a MLH care bag when Everett had his first surgery and it brought so much peace to know that other families understood what I was going through. I'm just thrilled that more people will be given that same hope and I hope they reach out to us!
 

These boys are the real heroes (and their awesome Daddy as well). They have accompanied me on many-a-hospital visit, have sacrificed time with me so that I could serve others and they didn't eat every last piece of chocolate when the bags were being assembled--that takes major self-restraint! I love them so much.

While Running

Last week I ran my first 5-mile course since being taken off bedrest. It was excruciating. I came home with jello legs and sob stories of never-ending hills. I was running uphill the whole way!

I decided to do the same course today, but run it backwards so that I'd miss all those pesky hills. I'm tricky like that. And you know what? I came home with jello legs and sob stories of never-ending hills. How it was possible for me to run uphill the whole way last week when I ran uphill the whole way this morning is beyond me, but it happened I tell ya.

And then I realized that all those stories from our grandparents about walking "uphill in the snow both ways" were not some crazy exaggeration after all. They were telling the truth, those poor, poor people. They must have been so tired after their continuous uphill treks. Major sympathy from me to them is happening right now!

And just for clarification sake, it wasn't snowing on my run this morning--but a squirrel did jump from one tree to another right above my head and soaked me with last night's rain. Awesome timing!

For Wisdom

A 3-year-old girl with bouncing blonde pigtails sat on her mother's lap, planning her future. "I want to be a reporter when I grow up," she confidently said. "Because I want to know everything, and also everyone's business!"

True story. And now we know that Talmage might look like his dad, but is a know-it-all just like me ;)

As far as that latter desire is concerned, I have a hunch that the little girl in question was less about gossip (although she probably enjoys some People Magazine every now and then) and more about deeply understanding people and things and experiences. She wanted to love people, including herself, and see them through brilliantly clear blue eyes. She still does.

And her quest, eh hem, my quest to conquer the world's knowledge is no longer so grandeur. I don't want to know everything, and I don't profess to be a master of anything. But lately, I have found myself yearning for wisdom. Wisdom to see, to understand and to act. It's not enough for me to just know something, I want to be wise.

This pathway to wisdom has come as a deviation of my course. I set a goal this year to read one book each month, a disgracefully lofty goal considering my average reading list in the past few years (Goodnight Moon, anyone?) And what I imagined would be an entertaining and enriching activity after my boys were in bed has turned into a thirst for learning that I had forgotten I possessed. I have found myself guzzling books by the week instead of the month, and desiring for more, more, more.

I'm reading books of all shades (except gray, that is) and have found peace, enlightenment and great joy in books of science, psychology, religion and drama. I've read parenting books, philosophy books, historical books and more. I want to read crime novels and someone's memoir. My hold-list at the library is getting longer by the day, and I wait anxiously to receive an email telling me my newest gem is ready to be checked out. I'm stepping outside of my comfort zone, while all the while feeling more comfortable about what my zone entails. I feel committed and devoted and full of love. These books full of words are my wisdom. And I'm beginning to feel wise. Er, wiser!

There are some nights, while feasting upon a new book, that I find my heart pounding, my mind soaring and my eyes wet with wonder; and I recognize those feelings, they come everytime my Heavenly Father wants me to know how much He loves me. And while I feel His love in many-a-place, I have been surprised to find Him hidden in my pages, allowing me to feel Him by allowing me to be me. He is encouraging my search for wisdom, and leading my enlightenment. And I am grateful for a God that knows and loves me.

So it's no wonder that Neil Anderson said, "Reverance for God is the beginning of wisdom." And maybe I would add, the end also. For as I read and learn and become more wise I am noticing a consistent trend--He is there.