Memorial Day Weekend (aka MELISSA came to visit!!)

every summer that it has been possible since kent and i graduated from college, melissa has come to stay with us. the tradition started with jenae too, but has turned out to be just melissa more often than not. i think it is true that serving someone makes you love them because my kids and melissa have a special bond to each other, and i feel a deep debt of gratitude and love for her too. and she and kent get along swimmingly so it is just good times all around! =o] 

the poor dear rode the train and the bus here after getting off work on friday. so the kids woke up with much anticipation on saturday morning and dutifully waited until 7:01 am to go wake her up! they all three stood knocking on the door and she said "now i wonder who that could be?" and they all looked up and me and smiled and then shouted "it's us aunt melissa!!!" as they opened the door and tackled her =o]

after a classic pancake breakfast they set to work on one of the projects for the weekend: a harry potter music video =o] although many tears were shed a various times over it throughout the weekend, overall i think they will be pleased with the end result when we get to see it in a couple weeks. 

melissa got to read grandmom's book that i made =o]

and of course play with seth! it didn't take long for him to warm up to her, despite the expressions on his face in these pictures. 

during quiet time we made bubble gum with a kit natalie received at christmas that we have been saving for a special occasion. 

caleb was the best at it 

aaaaaaaaaaand melissa was the worst lol i don't know what went wrong ha ha ha 

jenna enjoyed a piece when she woke up. it tastes good for less than 3 seconds and then it isn't worth chewing in my opinion, but the kids thought it was great! (notice the beaded necklace natalie made for me. melissa received a bracelet =o])

we did baths early- here is melissa brushing jenna's hair

and ordered pizza and watched a movie in honor of melissa's birthday! we finally decided after much debate on lilo and stitch via netflix, which we had never seen, and it was a hit!

after putting the little ones to bed, then we played games and of course read harry potter before putting the older kids to bed. 

melissa and i got to talk and just hang out both friday and saturday nights and it was fun as was to be expected. she helped me pick out some musicals to teach the kids about this summer on our musical mondays (which i am beyond excited about!!!!) and we laughed a lot about nothing and i showed her all the books i am working on (which i am also beyond excited and obsessed about lol) and we ate cookies and just enjoyed the time.

on sunday we took picutres before church- good times lol

and melissa got to experience the harsh reality of four children ages six and under in a sacrament meeting that goes 15 minutes over. wow. but sunday school and relief society were refreshing and uplifting so it made up for it. to me at least lol! i taught in relief society and had a blast- i seriously love teaching!!

on monday morning we put out our flag and it was quite the event for the kids =o] 

after another yummy breakfast of fruit and cinnamon rolls we did one of natalie's art lessons (architecture- she made a theater and caleb made a sky scraper) and just hung out enjoying the time together.  

then we had a barbecue lunch (melissa how could we forgot the pineapple for our burgers!?!?!!)

and then we sadly took her back to the amtrak station. but honestly it wasn't too sad because we will be seeing her and all the hansens in a couple weeks anyway. and until then we will enjoy the harry potter toys she let us borrow =o]

i posed this on fb that night: I feel so blessed to live in this land of freedom so I can create happy memories with my family. For FHE tonight we discussed how the purpose of laws and government are to protect the people and land of the country, and how soldiers sacrifice to be sure we are safe and free. And since I've got a patriotic streak a mile wide for ZION, I threw a plug in at the end for looking towards that day with hope and joy when there will finally be peace on earth for all people, and we can all sit down together as free brothers and sisters- united as one! May we make it to that day! 

for me, memorial day is about much more than honoring US veterans or loved ones who have passed away. i am grateful for their sacrifice! but i am also grateful for the noble men and women everywhere, in every age who have fought for freedom and the right to choose. those who LIVE it. now. today! i feel a kinship with them, and try to be one of them, because the fight continues on. i am grateful to live in america because this is my home. but america cannot last. look around us! a house divided against itself cannot stand! we are going the way of all the earth. so i will stand and fight against the tide with those who have gone before me to defend the just and holy principles of integrity and virtue, courage and faith until the Savior comes. i'll end with this music from les mis, because it is truly how i feel:

ENJOLRAS
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

COMBEFERRE
Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Beyond the barricade
Is there a world you long to see?
Courfeyrac:
Then join in the fight
That will give you the right to be free!

ALL
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

FEUILLY
Will you give all you can give
So that our banner may advance
Some will fall and some will live
Will you stand up and take your chance?
The blood of the martyrs
Will water the meadows of France!

ALL
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again!
When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!

(finale)

 FANTINE, VALJEAN AND EPONINE:
Take my hand
And lead me to salvation
Take my love
For love is everlasting
And remember
The truth that once was spoken:
To love another person is to see the face of God

ALL:
Do you hear the people sing?
Lost in the valley of the night
It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light
For the wretched of the earth
There is a flame that never dies
Even the darkest nights will end and the sun will rise

They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord
They will walk behind the ploughshare
They will put away the sword
The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward! 

Will you join in our crusade?
Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing?
Say, do you hear the distant drums?
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes! 
REPEAT

Aaaaah, aaaaah, aaaah, 
Tomorrow comes!

Mother's Day

i have always known i wanted to be a mother. i think i have always felt it is the most important work i can do. i am committed to motherhood and right now i spend almost all my time being a mom or doing things that have to do with being a mom and i'm cool with that. i have a testimony of the Plan of Salvation and the role of women in partnering with God to bring His precious children into the world. it is a sacred responsibility that i feel blessed, and little overwhelmed, to have. for me, being a mom is the most exhausting thing i have ever done, and i do it everyday. but being a member of a family is the most rewarding experience i have, or ever have had, so i stick with it. it is better to be busy than bored. it is better to go to bed worn out each day then to feel lonely and unproductive. it is better to love and be loved (despite the heartaches and headaches) than to never have that experience. what else would i be? what more important thing could i be doing? i LOVE my job!! i love my children! i'm thankful for them and all they teach me. they are better people than me. more humble. more forgiving and selfless. more joyful. they have so much faith! they are my best friends. well, them and kent. i hope they can rely on me. i hope they can feel how much i love them and how hard i am trying despite my many weaknesses. i feel like my main job is to just help them be the absolute best they can be by lovingly pointing them in the right direction and then sitting back to watch the magic happen =o] seriously though. every night i pray to be the best wife and mother i can be. each day i work to make it so!

kent and the kids did a great job making me feel special and loved on mother's day weekend! 

we went out to dinner at souplantation on saturday. we just love that place!

sunday morning while still dark i heard natalie leave her room and run downstairs to make me breakfast in bed! so sweet! i got half an untoasted bagel and a mug of milk. =o] it was even a new jug of milk and she didn't spill it- though when seth woke up and i went in to nurse him caleb tipped over my glass and soaked the cards she had made for me =o[

we tried (and FAILED) to get a picture before leaving for church

if you can't get out of it, get into it!

church was especially fulfilling and inspiring. how are anyone parents without the gospel??? i am so grateful for the support and encouragement i receive as a mother there! and i had the sweetest experience in relief society. a friend of mine just had a baby a couple months ago and she was standing on the side of the room bouncing her as it was starting. i saw a single sister in our ward offer to take her daughter and she sat rocking that baby with the most peaceful, joyous look on her face for the entire meeting. i was overwhelmed and brought to tears as the Spirit washed over me testifying that every woman has a mother heart, and that our Heavenly Parents are mindful of each of their precious daughters regardless of whether they get to marry and have children in this life or not. it was beautiful to witness my friend giving so freely, and this sister receiving so lovingly! it is one of those experiences that almost cheapens it to try and put it into words because it was so sacred to me. 

kent and the kids made a delicious meal, and plenty of cards to tide me over until next mother's day ;o] (notice the one that says "CTR Mom!" lol) not pictured are the essential oils i ordered with kent's consent as my present =o]

all in all mother's day made me even more glad to be a mom!