Febuary

Timber came down. The funny thing was she got in really late and the dogs freaked out. I had to go down and let Marshmallow out of his kennel. It was so nice talking to her face to face. The 3D printer was not working; Greg and I worked on it for about 30mins after she left. It was hot but not hot enough to swim. The kids had fun playing video games. Poor Colvin did not feel great, had a horrible cough and ended up getting everyone sick.  Az just had really bad croup, Greg was the last one to get sick. We were out of school and work for a week. My energy was sapped. I had about an hour throughout the whole day I could function. Blessing Timber braided colored hair into Azalyn's hair, I did not have to do her hair all week while we were sick. 

I have been going to the temple more. There are some very tender blessings that are for you. Then there are other blessings that are shareable. Here are just a few of my sharable blessings. The more you recognize the more you will receive. I have been able to spend 10min with each kid, while getting laundry done. I have been able to think and make dinner. Whenever I really need to talk, a sister has been available. More on the temple. Colvin was finally able to go for the first time. He was so excited. Greg was able to baptize all of us even me. That was a cool experience. We actually had to pay for our first babysitter. Azalyn loved it. She keeps asking when it can happen again. Satan does not want you to go to the temple. Whenever Greg and I plan on going to the temple there is always a dumb fight. We were fighting over margins in Word vs PowerPoint, we actually kind of laughed about it after. I took the boys and it was just not a good day. Dinner was not working, I was upset. Getting into the car we were all MAD, it had been a VERY hard mental day.   Then there was no baptizer, so we had to wait. I had forgotten my temple recommend, they just had to call down to the office. At the end we were waiting for confirmation, a man in the temple reached up and said your doing good mom. I lost it! I knew Satan had done everything he could to win but light will always win dark. Tears!  

JUST: I was finally able to get my big 3D print done. I got a spice rack. I had to rearrange my cupboard again. We found a really fast fun hike like a mile from the house. Getting out on Saturday is essential, just being in nature helps everyone. I was able to help at the school during lunch. The first day no one sat with Denali, and I was kind of sad, the next day a few people sat with him. I asked him about it like are you ok do you have friends. He said yes mom it is so hard to be popular, everyone knows me. Somedays I tell people not today when they want to sit with me at lunch. Sometimes I am ok with it. He was like that as a kid, he would tell his friends, “Ok I am done time to go home.”  We went to the movie GOAT. It was so cute, Colvin loves underdog movies. This is the best time to go but Hollywood will not look at their own data and there are very few family movies.  One Saturday Azalyn really wanted to go to a play place at McDonalds. It brought back so many memories of when my boys were little. Colvin tried to climb up and almost got stuck. We had a long weekend and ended it with ice cream. I love just being with my family and I know it will not be too much longer till I don’t have them all. I slept outside with the boys. In AZ there is about a month that it is not too hot but not too cold. Azalyn got to sleep with dad. None of the adults slept very well.

Small and Simple: about 2 years ago we started: Marriage and Family Relations. We finally finished, now we have to find our next thing. We started doing FHE and now that the boys are big enough to do their own lessons it is a lot less on me. The kids LOVE it. They ask on Sunday, ok, what is my job tomorrow.  Colvin did the coolest lesson about how the lord can only do so much. He gave me a toy to protect; I could not move off my spot. He was God and the rest of the family was Satan. It was easy for them to get the toy. The next round I could move and Colvin moved with me. Much harder to get the toy. A little goes a long way with the lord. Greg and I were asked to be volunteers for youth camp this summer. I have been praying about what to do because I did not really want Denali to go alone, I know it is a me mom thing. Now he is going and Timber is watching the littles. She had been trying to find time to take them, and it was perfect because Darlin is going to be at sport camp, so they were planning to be home. The lord knows.

I totally dropped the ball on Valentines this year. Greg got each of the kids a small pocket hug, a small disk that says I love you this is a pocket hug. Azalyn has been having a hard time in the mornings. I was able to go to the dollar store and get each kid a balloon.  We had some friends that tried to surprise us by putting valentines on our door. They got a surprise; they got to come in and see the puppies. Colvin got student of the month. I was able to go and see him, the light and joy in his eyes. I was able to go to a Interact Conference with Denali, there are so many good programs that people are trying to help with. If only the church and world could/would work together.  

News for Mom: I said yes to the parent committee. I almost said no because it is no longer a paid position, and the teacher I am working with, her and I have very different opinions. (Might end up being a good thing.)  I went to the temple (another blessing), the answer was, I need something for me. Even if we move, I need to grow.  Denali went to his first middle school dance; it was a masquerade. Since the school put it on and not the parent committee I could not even go. He went in all on his own, jumped out of the car before it was fully stopped. He had a great time.

Yes, you get a weight loss update. I went shopping because I want to make some new summer shorts. I was able to get a 5 up my butt, there was a happy squill. I am a solid 7 and got 2 pairs of 6’s.

BLOG: Only a fool keeps doing the same thing hoping for a different result.  Blog2print when out of business 2 years ago. Last year I found another company but did not love how the book printed. It cut off my collages. Sierra has been telling me that I need to just manually put it in a PDF. There were lots of tears, some mean words to Sierra. Then at the temple I had the strongest impression I have to put all my blogs into PDF.  I am copying and pasting the old blog into word and then formatting the pictures. (I will have a whole document of how). I have been working on it a lot. It has been so fun looking at old blog posts.

I was able to take Azalyn to the zoo for her field trip, and it was just me and her. The rides for field trip day are half price, we forgone souvenirs and went on most of the rides. She ran the whole day; she knew all the animals she just had to see.

For church they had us take a love language test. It was about how we have to know others love language so we can show love to them how they want it.

Of course, I came home and made my whole family take it. Here are the results.

Who	Words	Time	Gifts	Act	Touch
Greg	7	7	4	6	6
Me	4	9	2	9	6
Denali	7	12	4	7	0
Colvin	7	9	2	6	6
Azalyn	0	8	10	8	4

Denali likes hugs but not really just the act of being touched. Azalyn loves words but wants have been on her mind. Greg is the most well rounded. Acts have meant more to me since becoming a mom. Colvin is the most like me.

Greg and I have been trying to go on more dates. They have been super simple but super sweet. We went and got a fast dinner. Then we went to the park and there was an app that wrote why we love each other.

Here are the results: Syringa to Greg- I love your: Eyes and lips, don’t take my crap attitude, Ticklish tummy, Clothing on the floor, Thought and mind, Butt and penis, money, feet, laughter.   You are my favorite...in the world: bed partner, Husband, Fight partner, Friend, check book, person, Date, Human, Lover, Sex partner.

Greg to Syringa- I love your: Height, Leadership, ability to get me hard, Sence of humor, drive to make us better, boobs, amazing ability to handle so much, willingness to put up with me, smile and sparkle in your eyes, Love of books.  You are my Favorite...in the world: adventure starter, friend, book worm, Movie/Tv companion, travel princess, mermaid, person, home making goddess, companion, Lover.