Family News

Well I've tried four times now to upload pictures from our Labor Day adventure, the pictures won't download for some reason. Hmmmmf! We went on a 5 mile round trip hike to Lake Margaret in the High Sierras. It was beautiful! It was pretty technical for little ones, but they did great. A couple of other families from our ward also happened to be doing the same hike, but with their teenage children. They were surprised we were attempting it with such small people. They reached the lake a few minutes before we did and they told us they were shocked to see us when we made it, they thought there was no way we would make it all the way because of how hard it was and how fussy Aaron was, but we did and I am migthy proud of us, can you tell? Do you blame me? It was hard! Joseph was the driving force behind it all. I have learned to just go along with the plan without asking about the details, if I had known it was a 5 mile hike, let alone a technical one, I don't think I would have agreed to it with 4 children in tow. But, it's great to do hard things as a family. We all learn patience, the kids learn patience and long-suffering to go on the long adventures their ambitious dad plans, and we as parents experience and learn patience and long-suffering from listening to them complain about how hard it is. I told one of the other women on the hike, "I have patience for 'the complainer' because I was one, Joseph doesn't have patience for 'the complainer' because he doesn't have a complaining bone in his body." I am glad I'm an adult now, I have an excuse not to complain because I have the job to keep everyone else from complaining. :) As soon as we can get things figured out with the pictures, I'll download them.

While I'm at it, other bits:
We totally LOVE having Joseph home on Sunday mornings and afternoons. Last week when Brynn was saying the prayer for our Sunday dinner gave thanks to Heavenly Father "that Dad doesn't have to do the tithing anymore and that he gets to sit by us at church."

Brynn gave a talk today on how prophets help us to strengthen our families. When she was preparing this week, I told her to share her testimony at the end of our living prophet. She said, "But I don't know what to say." I asked her, "Do you know and believe that President Monson is a prophet called of God?" She told me, "Yes." I told her, "Then tell the other primary kids what you know." Today after she read her talk, she put down her pictures, looked at the other primary kids and said, "I know that President Monson is a prophet called by God. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen." It was a sweet moment. Brynn is so excited to be baptized and prays everyday that she will be prepared to enter God's Kingdom. She wants to do what's right and be good. Now that I have children of my own, I have a stronger testimony of the revelation given to Joseph Smith that 8 years old is the age of accountability. As I've seen her mind develop this year, it makes so much sense in my heart and my mind.

Abby is becoming a Daisy in the Girl Scouts. She is so excited. A couple of Mom's from Great Day Preschool decided to put a troop together since most all of the girls are going to different schools this year. Girls Scouts is a whole new world for me, but I am excited for Abby to have something that's just for her, she needs it. Being a second child isn't always the easiest.

Aaron and Isaac are great at keeping me busy. I thought with school starting I would have more time to get it all together, but these two are still a full time job. Aaron is the cutest and stubborn-est monkey ever, and Isaac is my little charmer, who loves to be held as I do things around the house. He still nurses like a newborn and I wonder how I will ever get him weaned, but I remember feeling like that with my other three, and at age 1 they all decided they were ready to be done, and they were.

Joseph is getting ready for the "Race Around Lake Tahoe" in a couple of weeks. We'll enjoy a fun weekend trip there. We're excited to cheer him on. He did a 135 mile ride a few weeks ago in Marin County (we still need to record it somewhere here). I'm trying to get myself running consistently. I love it and feel so much better when I do it, but it gets put on the backburner with so much going on. I need to do better. I'm planning on doing a couple of events this November, we'll see what I can pull off. We're doing well, excited for some fun fall activities and special family events in the coming months.

Now....let's see if I can get these pictures working.