Family Home Evening with the Vests

Every 2nd Sunday of each month we get together with my family for a Family Home Evening Lesson. (*See below to find out what Family Home Evening is all about.) We switch off meeting at different family member's homes, taking turns with the lesson and the refreshments. We all really look forward to these nights. Our kids love being with grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. This past month we met at Stephen and Emily's. Chad and Jenn gave a great lesson on tithing, complete with a fun fishing activity to reinforce the principles they taught.

The highlight of our last FHE was when Stephen brought Shadow, the dog, to come in and play.

What did “family unity” mean to the pioneer family who made their way by ox cart across the plains? Or to the hardy people who settled your country? For many of these people, family unity was both a necessity and a natural result of their way of life. Their families lived and worked together. They relied heavily on each other for companionship, safety, and survival.

But in our fast-paced world, many of us change jobs and homes several times in a lifetime. As a result, we have learned to depend less on family. In many of our homes, where television and outside activities compete for our attention, family members may actually feel isolated from one another.

Today, like families in the past, your family has a strong need for unity. Your family came to this earth from a loving home with our Father in Heaven. We lived in a family with Heavenly Father. We live in a family now, and we may live with our family eternally if we are worthy. ("Lesson Twenty-one: Family Unity," Family Home Evening Resource Book (1997), 92)

*Family Home Evening, also known as FHE, is an activity that we have in our church that is carried out in the home. It's time set aside each week (typcially Monday nights, but can be any night) where we consciously take time out of our busy schedules to strenghten relationships within our immediate (and sometimes extended) family. FHE might look like a lesson about a principle of the Gospel and making correct choices, it might look like a service project, or attending a play or concert or museum, or pulling weeds in our backyard. The sky's the limit. It's basically just spending time to become more unified as a family.

Hard to Say Good-bye!

In September I received a letter from the California DMV telling me that my drivers license was to expire on my birthday this year. I had the option to pay $31 for a renewal. I pondered on it. I didn't want to give up my CA license! I can't exactly pinpoint why, but I do have such fond memories of our time there. I also think surrendering my license made our relocation to Utah seem even more real. I would be lying if I didn't say it probably had to do something with the ability to get discounted annual passes at Disneyland. And as embarrassing as it is to admit, I also felt a little California pride when I had to show my license when making a purchases here in Utah. There are many great things about California that I love. (There's also alot of not-so-great, but I'm looking through my rosy glasses talking about the best of California right now).

Anyway, I debated back and forth about what to do. I held on to the letter. It would be so much easier to send it in and renew my license rather than making a trip to the Utah DMV to fill our paperwork and to take a test, not to mention finding someone to watch my boys and making it there and back in time to get everyone to and from school. I filled it out to renew, dreaming about maybe getting Disney passes for another year, but on the part where you sign it says something like....I promise that all of the above is true....blah, blah, blah...I couldn't bring myself to sign it. It felt dishonest, so I made an appointment to the DMV to give up another piece of our time in California. :( They actually let me keep my license as a souvenir, YAY! (They did punch two big holes in it, but I have it for sentimental value, is that silly or what?)

I aced the test, but I would be worried if I hadn't because Utah offers an open-book test. Thanks goes to Emily for watching my boys so I didn't have to have them running around while I took the test. It was hard enough sitting next to the man who read each question out-loud, breathing heavily. At the end, when he didn't pass, he said loudly, "Oh come on! That's ridiculous!"

Santa Paws

I feel like such a bad mom when I see this picture. Everyone desperately wants a dog, except for me. I can't even remember to take the clothes out of the dryer, there's no way I would remember to feed a dog, take it out to go to the bathroom, brush it's teeth, keep it up on its shots, etc.

We went to visit Adam and Karen a few weeks ago and Isaac loved all over Santa Paws. She is very cute, but we'd have to hire a dog nanny.

Let it Snow!

This was the view from our bedroom a couple of weeks ago. I'll admit, the first snowfall I wasn't thrilled about, but I think I'm learning to like it (as long as the roads are clear). To the kids? Well it's just about as exciting as Christmas morning!

Our Little Scientist

A few days after Halloween, Aaron told me he needed some paper to eat his Halloween treats. A few minutes later I looked over and found that he had graphed all of his Skittles. Clever! I must say that takes patience!

Halloween 2011

Halloween was a whirl this year. I think it is every year. It follows a couple of birthdays in our family and this October was exceptionally busy. We had Fall Break in the middle of the month and spent most of the week at Disneyland and then we came home to celebrate Brynn's birthday. Five days later, we headed to a cabin near Zion National Park with my parents and some of our mutual friends. We came home to celebrate Isaac's birthday and then the next day was Halloween. Whew!

We have a closet full of costumes (not kidding) but every year the kids want to be something other than what we have in the closet. Usually I cave and grant their requests, adding to that closet, but this year I decided to put my foot down and declare that we were using things we had. I am tired of the frantic run trying to find all the perfect things for them to wear one night and then be done with. The kids obliged and except for the fireman costume I bought for Aaron at Costco (yes, the one he wore for a week straight, but wouldn't wear on Halloween), everything came from things we already owned.

Brynn wanted to be a mime, but driving home from Zion on Sunday night I said, "Brynn we've got to come up with something else. We are in no way prepared to make you a mime." I suggested she be a marathon runner. She was excited to do that and she looked really cute.

Abby decided to be a good witch, using a skirt that she borrowed from Grandma's costume bin, her hat from last year, and some of her own clothes. She was a very cute good witch.

Aaron woke up and put on his race car costume from last year. Total floods, but I have no pride anymore. I was really hoping he would wear his fireman costume. He looked so great in it, but no such luck. I'm choosing to let him exercise agency. :)

Isaac wore the pirate hat and cape in the morning for a few minutes and in the evening he became Peter Pan. I think this was the third year he was Peter Pan. Aaron used it for about two years and it was a dress-up that Abby wore before that. Annette gave it to us when Abby went through a 9 month phase where she wouldn't let us call her anything but Peter Pan. It's one of my favorite costumes. I wish it came in my size. I LOVE Peter Pan!

It was a crazy day! I got the kids off in the morning and then rushed to the school to make it there for the parade. Aaron joined the a.m. kinders and then got confused and lost at the end (neither of us realized he would be joining the parade until the teacher pulled him into the parade enroute through the school). After finding him with his friend's mom, he looked at me with a tear-stained face and said over and over, "I didn't know what I was supposed to do." He's all about following procedures and when he doesn't know a procedure or when we shake things up a bit without warning, he becomes undone. After we reunited and talked things over, we hurried home to get the musical activity ready that I had promised to do for his class party. While I prepared, he and Isaac made a HUGE mess putting cereal all over the counter and floor. I was in the same room, but couldn't stop things fast enough. By the time I finished and the preparations and fed my tiger cubs it was time to get Aaron to p.m. kinder. I had yet to shower, but there was no time for that. After the class party, school ended so we headed home to get ready for the kids to go to choir and then after choir it was time to go home to clean the house for Trick-or-Treating. Did we eat dinner? I'm not really sure? I vaguely remember purposely feeding them something sugarless, but who know's? I'm not even sure what the kids wore Trick-or-Treating, but I'm fairly certain it wasn't what they wore to school. I had a relaxing evening at home handing out candy while Joseph traipsed through the neighborhood with the kids. I was happy to say farewell to Halloween and hello to monitoring the kids sugar intake. Halloween is a love/hate for me. I love Fall and Halloween is part of Fall. I love seeing people use their creativity, get outside of themselves, dress-up and have fun. I am not creative and I hate having to think of costumes and spending the money on things they will wear for one night. I hate the fact that they are given a truck-load of stuff that might turn into a soft addiction, ruin their teeth and make them sick. 'Til next year...cheers to you Halloween!

Disneyland

We decided to join the Utah Exodus to Anaheim (also known as UEA). I pulled the kids out of school on Monday and we headed down with my parents to St. George to watch "The Little Mermaid" at Tuacahn. It was great! We woke up the next morning and headed for Anaheim. We spent a great 4 days at the park and had a great time. My parents came with us for the first half and then they drove to Arizona to see Wade, Sara, and Sami. Joseph flew in for the last couple of days and then drove home with us. I didn't get any pictures of my parents with the girls at Disneyland, I always forget details like that. :( That is a memory I wish to remember. My parents went with my girls on all the crazy rides that the boys are too scared or too small to ride on. It was great, but I think it wiped them out. I went around in between doing rides with the boys and got them fast passes so they didn't have to wait in any lines. It was lots of fun having them there with us. Here are my low quality pictures, but nonetheless, they are reminders of the memory.

Barnyard Boo

We had a great time celebrating Fall at Thanksgiving Point Farm Country's Barnyard Boo. My parents joined us with baby Stephen. We all loved it. Stephen especially enjoyed being pulled on the tractor trailer and riding a pony. They headed home and we enjoyed dinner at the deli.

Beauty Rest

Sweet Abby brought her sleeping mask to the hotel. She wanted to make sure she had a very restful nights sleep before we headed to Disneyland. I absolutely love this girl.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

The kids all received great reports from their teachers at parent-teacher conferences. I attended conferences in the order of oldest to youngest and it's funny how you pretty much know what will be brought up based on what you already know of each of their different personalities. Brynn's said she is very attentive, and a very hard worker, but also very quiet. Her goal is to speak up more in class. I told her teacher that I could bet him money that when I went to the next class I would be told that my child talks too much. Sure enough, Mrs. Black told me what an excellent student and reader Abby is, but that she talks NONSTOP! No surprise. She is our commentator. She has something to say about everything. We love it, but it also gets her in trouble sometimes. Aaron was the wild card. We were so uncertain about whether we should send him or not. She was surprised I even questioned sending him and told he is doing very well and that we should question no more. I felt relieved. I compare my kids to each other too much, so it was nice to have an outsider's perspective. Below are their handwriting samples. I love them all, but really got a kick out of Abby's. So funny the things kids hold onto in their memory.

First Snow!

Our first snow of the season. It came a little too early for my liking, but the excitement of the kids was great. As a child I loved the waking up to the surprise of snow blanketing the earth. I would prefer it in the mountains now, but I must admit, it's exciting to see my kids experience their dream of "living where it snows."

We panicked and headed to Cabelas to buy winter coats that night. Thankfully we've had few nice fall days since. :)

Our BYU Girls

Last night Brynn and Abby were invited to go to Cornbelly's with a family in our neighborhood. They arrived home close to 10 p.m. as happy as can be with their freshly painted faces. I love these girls and who they are becoming. They are a joy to be around.

My LIttle Care Bear

When I was in first grade about 26 (?) years ago I borrowed a Care Bear costume that my aunt Mary made. I vividly remember how much I loved wearing the costume then, it kept me so warm on a cold Halloween night. I remember wearing it in the Halloween parade at school and trying to balance my head so I didn't tip over.

Well fast forward about 23 years and I was telling my Aunt Mary about the obsession. I mean serious obsession that Abby had with Care Bears. I was at Mary's house for Emily's baby shower. Mary insisted that I take the Care Bear costumes home to California with me. We looked all over her new house and couldn't find them anywhere. After I headed back to California, she found them and I don't remember the details, but somehow they made it to me. (There are two.) They have been well used. I love getting to focus on their cute little faces when they put the costumes on and it also brings back a wonderful nostalgia of my childhood.

Cousins

Last week it was our turn to host the monthly "Vest Family Home Evening." We had a great lesson on testimony given by Scott and Annette and their kids. It was great visiting with my siblings and watching our children play together. I was a little stressed that night because of the busy week I had ahead and some other things I was working through, but it was a great time.

Cleanin' Boys

I am way behind the curve when it comes to teaching my children how to work. My biggest weakness is probably the frustration that comes when I don't feel a job has been done right or the way I think it should be done. I constantly think about teaching them how to appreciate and value work , but haven't come up with a "system." I bought the book, "Breakthrough Parenting." I've read a little, but with the move and getting settled, it'e been set aside. I need to dive in a make a plan. Hopefully I can take full advantage of the fact that my kids like to work with me before it's too late! My boys can often be found giggling over a broom or mop or vacuum (thought this one scares me for safety reasons).

Daddy-Daughter Date

Our ward's Activity Day group held an 80's Daddy Daughter Date Party for the girls and their dads. Brynn really looked forward to this night for the chance to dress up and have her Dad all to herself. She came up with her own 80's outfit, complete with fashion glasses, and I helped her with her hair. She's such a sweetheart. Joe said he had a nice chat with her on the walk home. She talked about how happy she is that we moved here. How happy she is to have many new friends who believe the same things she does. How much she loves the Gospel and the Church. We're happy that Brynn chooses to find joy in everyday life. Brynn was happy to inform me when she returned home that she and Joe won the dance-off. I'm not surprised! I was just called to be the Activity Day leader. I am so excited! Abby will be able to come when she turns 8. It will be so much fun to have both of my girls with me and an excuse to have a "party" with them every couple of weeks. :)

Utah!

When we first learned that we were moving to Utah I didn't give a single thought to the curriculum, but after we moved here, I thought, "Oh good! Just in time for Brynn to get the 4th grade Utah History Curriculum."

As she's been learning about the state of Utah and it's history, she has been amazed that they use the term "Mormon Pioneers" in class. She's still getting used to the fact that our faith is so common here. I'm sure that if we would have stayed in California, she also would have heard the term "Mormon Pioneer" because of the role the Mormon Pioneers played in establishing many places there.

In class they made a replica of the state. They were asked to bring either a cake or cookie in the shape of Utah, along with items to make rivers, mountains, etc. We're pretty lucky that Utah is such an easy state to cut out of a brownie. We decided to make it a brownie so it would hold together better. Brynn was so glad. Most of the kids made cakes and no one's held together quite as well as Brynn's. It was right up Brynn's ally. She loves creating.

New Ward=New Callings

Moving into a new ward there is always the anticipation about what the new calling/church assignment will be. A few weeks ago Joseph and I were called in by the bishopric. I accepted the assignment to be the Activity Day Leader and Joseph to be a Priest Quorum Advisor and Mission Prep Teacher. We're both thrilled and nervous about this new season.

I love how each new assignment we receive helps us to grow. It seems as thought just as we feel like we're getting the hang of it, seasons change and we're released from that calling and given a new challenge. I honestly don't think it's because the calling get's easier, but that our ability to do it well has increased. When things get hard, I often think of something I learned while working for CES (Church Educational System) during college. Sara Allen, the director of Academy of Girls often taught us about a principle that her father taught the missionaries that he had a stewardship over when he was a mission president in Ventura, CA. She told us, "If this isn't the hardest thing you've ever done, then you're doing something wrong." I've often thought about this during many times in life. I think it emphasized the point that we really need to put forth hard work and alot of effort to do the important things in life "right." I've thought of it in my marriage, in my mothering, in my house-wifing, in my work outside of the home and also in my callings.

I'm excited to re-focus on the basics with the girls. Activity Days are designed to help support girls and their families in completing the "Faith in God for Girls" program. I am extremely far from doing everything right in many areas of my life. I'm excited to focus more of my energy on some of these things.

Basic Requirements

An important part of faith in God is keeping your baptismal covenant and staying spiritually strong. To help you develop faith and resist temptation, do the following things:

• • Pray daily to Heavenly Father.

• • Read the scriptures regularly.

• • Keep the commandments and live “My Gospel Standards” *

• • Honor your parents and be kind to your family.

• • Pay your tithing and attend tithing settlement.

• • Attend sacrament meetings and Primary regularly.

  
  

  My Gospel Standards

  “My Gospel Standards,” Faith in God for Girls, 22

  I will follow Heavenly Father’s plan for me.

  I will remember my baptismal covenant and listen to the Holy Ghost.

  I will choose the right. I know I can repent when I make a mistake.

  I will be honest with Heavenly Father, others, and myself.

  I will use the names of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ reverently. I will not swear or use crude words.

  I will do those things on the Sabbath that will help me feel close to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

  I will honor my parents and do my part to strengthen my family.

  I will keep my mind and body sacred and pure, and I will not partake of things that are harmful to me.

  I will dress modestly to show respect for Heavenly Father and myself.

  I will only read and watch things that are pleasing to Heavenly Father.

  I will only listen to music that is pleasing to Heavenly Father.

  I will seek good friends and treat others kindly.

  I will live now to be worthy to go to the temple and do my part to have an eternal family.

  I'm also excited to focus on setting and accomplishing goals about Learning and Living the Gospel, Serving Others and Developing Talents.

  And I really can't wait to have fun with my girls. I love being where my kids are. This past week we did a get-to-know-you activity where we played a few games and had pumpkin chocolate chip muffins for a snack. One of the games we played was "Friendship Tag." We got the blood pumping as we ran around chasing each other. That night as we were re-playing the days events for Dad, the girls said, "We played Friendship Tag and even Mom played!" It was a great reminder that I need to play with them more.

  My happiest moments as a mother are when I am in the thick of it with one or more of my children. When I'm working along side them to clean their room, reading to them nestled in beside me, traipsing through Disneyland with them, when I'm sitting with them helping them to learn a new song on the piano.....I love these moments. Moments where I've chosen to be completely present.

  
  

Breaking the Ice

Nothing breaks the ice in the neighborhood like your son wearing a wrestling singlet from the moment he gets home from school to the time the sun sets at night. When we moved here, one of my mom's friends gave us a box full of hand-me-downs for our kids and this little gem happened to be in there. Aaron was in love at first sight and has probably worn it everyday since. The funniest part is that everyone thinks it's Joe's old uniform. I guess it's not a far cry from some of the cycling jerseys he wears. Some have told me that they would hide it, or wouldn't allow their son to wear it, but sometimes I believe in going against the grain and I always believe in letting my kids express themselves. Go ahead Aaron, express away!