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New Year's Eve 2015

New Year's Eve was pretty low key once again.  But, I actually made four separate treats or appetizers: caramel, rocky road fudge, a cheese ball and buffalo chicken dip.  That's quite a feat for me lately so I had to take a pic.  I forgot to take pics that evening but it was fun and the three oldest stayed up til midnight.  We watched "Cool Runnings" and "Harry Potter" (not a huge fan of that but Bo likes it and the kids were begging to see it) I don't think they'll be watching anymore anytime soon though.

At midnight the neighborhood came alive.  Although I think it was just one group of people at a vacation rental.  They were loud.  Fireworks were really big here too.  They had huge bricks of firecrackers in the grocery store although they said you had to have a permit to purchase them.  I'm not sure who gets the permits...

Happy New Year!

Hump Day!

We aren't sure our exact hump day but we celebrated today.  Bo showed us how the missionaries do it.  We burned an article of clothing.  After that we went and got snow cones.  It seems crazy that we've been here for six months.  It's been a wild ride so far.  We'll see what the next 6 months brings!

First, we had to cut a tie

Then burn Bo's white shirt

Then the rest of the clothes

Then the snowcones.  That was a small!

Love is a Choice

My Mother-in-law Gini sent us this book for Christmas.  I love books, especially self improvement books. But this book is one of a kind (at least from any other book I've read).  The cover says "Making your marriage and family stronger."  Love is a Choice By Lynn G Robbins.  Yes, it was really helpful for marriage and helpful in parenting and the best ways to discipline.  But, the main point of the book is to become more charitable yourself and your family and the world around you will change. As we do this we will really understand what love is.  Love not a feeling; it's a commitment in so many ways.

We've all heard that the only person we can change and control is ourselves.  I am a true believer of that, although, I fail at remembering this more than I'd like to admit. This book really had me take a look at myself individually. It made me think about my strengths and weaknesses and helped me see what and why I need to change.  But it doesn't stop there.  He literally explains a hundred Christlike attributes we can incorporate in our lifetime.  Obviously, we can only work on one or two at a time but as we work and learn line upon line, here a little; there a little we will become more Christlike.  Christ was the perfect example of love and furthermore charity.

Of course increasing in love and charity will take a lifetime and beyond.  But, I am really grateful for the help Elder Robbins gives and all the countless hours he has put into organizing truth from scripture into this book so that I can become the person I need and want to become and make a plan on how to do it.

I took a pic of the table of contents, the back cover, and about the author.

I just have to add that a few years ago I heard a talk at conference on parenting and disciplining.  I loved it so much that I listened to it countless times and even bought a small notebook just to I put my favorite quotes from the talk in.  Then the plan was to keep track of how I was doing.  I do have to mention I failed miserably at the keeping track part but everything else really stuck for a long time.

As I read this book I felt like I was reading something I had already read and heard.  I was a bit confused at first and then realized it was an old conference talk.  I googled Elder Robbins name and part of a quote I remembered.  It came up the the general conference address back from 2011 that I loved so much but had forgotten about.  How funny.  I'm so happy to be reminded of the way I trully believe is the best form of discipline.  Now I have even more insights from him and at a time when when we really need it.  Here's a link to the talk.  It's basacally a chapter from his book.  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/what-manner-of-men-and-women-ought-ye-to-be?lang=eng 

Christmas 2015 + A Christmas Miracle

Christmas break started at 1:00 PM Thursday, December 17, 2015.  Why give such an exact time and date you ask?  Well, I have NEVER been so excited to have a break from school.  Since school started 10 days after we moved here on July 29th and we were moving all summer I feel like we haven't had a break for a very long time.  And what an nice break we've had the last eleven days.

Bo and I spent a couple of days shopping for Christmas.  I had ordered everything online but packages were being returned because of an address error.  I'm not quite sure if it was the Post Office or Amazon, but either way we had to get some last minute gifts.  Even though it was an added stress it was really fun to go out with Bo and buy gifts in an actual store.  The long drive was nice having him with me.  We also spent a day at Sea Life Park.  This is one of the kids favorite places to visit.  The rest of the time we spent at home for the most part.  I think everyone enjoyed just being home with no responsibility.  I'm sure Bo would have made a few more trips, but nobody except him wanted to fight the traffic on the roads.  It was really busy with all the tourists visiting for Christmas.  

We did of course make gingerbread houses.

The three younger boys made this house

Hailey and Conrad made this one

On the evening of December twenty-third we took the three oldest boys to the PCC to a canoe ride Nativity.  It was really cool and you could really feel the spirit floating through. 

Here's a link to a video of part of it: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B13FCTVi3n78Q1dwYVBHcWpOeWNhVTNtSVZ3dENLdTc3VEQ4/view?usp=sharing

 Christmas Eve was pretty relaxing and we went to the PCC for a buffet dinner.  It was definitely a different kind of Christmas Eve for us but we enjoyed it and I enjoyed not having dinner dishes.  No, there is not a dishwasher in this house. :)

Here we are waiting for our seats.  Those murals are amazing.  I love this place.

Just have to add this pic.  I love it!

Christmas morning started out at 6:30.  Caleb came running into our room saying "We open presents"!  I said, "Go get the other kids up".  He reponds with a huge smile saying, "Hailey waking them up".  It was fun to see him and the kids so excited.  Normally we have crepes and get dressed before they open presents but we were all still full from dinner so the kids began opening gifts.  We had a great time and the rest of the day the kids just played with their toys.

Now for the Christmas miracle.  As I've mentioned in earlier posts the kids have been fighting non stop since we moved here.  But the Sunday before Christmas, Bo and I were still in bed and the kids were out playing. Not fighting, not bickering...just playing together.  I know that this may not sound like a miracle to you but, if you'd lived in our home at all since we moved here you'd understand that it was.  An outsider would have wondered if they even liked each other.

This was the first time the kids played all morning without fighting every few minutes since we moved here. It was so quiet that I layed in bed extra long just to listen to them enjoy being together.  Since then our house has been peaceful.  There have been a few fights but, they have played together and spoken kinder to one another and to Bo and me.  They are friends again.  I'm not sure what changed. but it's definitly a blessing from our Heavenly Father.  

The break has been great for all of us.  There aren't many respinsibilities at the moment we've all been rejuvinated and are better able to handle our new life.  I think we are finally settled and rested.  Bring on the next six months! :)