Camel hooves, car doors and kitty paws

Life is busy, foks!  Busy, full and wonderful, but sure can be exhausting!  We have had so much going on lately, much of it quite random, that I am going to do this list style to fit everything in.  Here are some of the things that we have been up to, or that have made us laugh or sigh or think:

• I have started to read The Well-trained Mind this week and am feeling inspired in my homeschooling.  Several times over the past couple of months I have had the thought that I am homeschooling not only for my children, to give them an education tailored to them and their needs, but because I think maybe this is something I need in order to improve myself.  In one of my mission apartments, there was a sign hung above the doorway by a previous missionary which read, "Our trials are custom designed for our salvation."  I think I need to homeschool to learn somethings and improve myself in ways that I could not learn them otherwise.  I was reminded at church today that, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." (Ether 12:27).  I felt such peace when I heard that scripture read today.  I need to humble myself more and really strive and pray for help in being the best mom I can be. 
•  The kids discovered good trees to climb after having another little boy (more adventurous than my own) over to play.  It is a favorite thing to do in the backyard now.



Climbing the tree in our yard.



• Kenneth went to Germany again for a week.  We survived. 
• On the way back from the airport he bought 5 more baby chicks!  The kids were delighted!  So, our total fowl is 8.  We almost had a fatality.  The kids were out in the garage playing with the chicks and Grant got frustrated and took it out on the chick and the poor thing conked out on the floor.  Emma came running in the house in hysterics and Kenneth and I went out and just about when Kenneth was going to pronounce the chick dead, it opened it's eyes and began to come to.  It was weak for a while after, but seems to be doing fine now.  Grant was grounded from playing with the chicks for a few days. 





Meeting the new chicks for the first time







Emma loves this little chick!  She named it White-ia.



Grant with the babies



They love to hold them all on their laps.



Emma with the five new ones



Here they are up close

• We really enjoyed General Conference weekend.  The kids had packets to work on that I printed from the internet.  And as we have the last few conferences, we put out little bowls of snacks with a picture from the Friend magazine attached (such as family, prayer, temple) and everytime they hear that word, they can eat something out of that bowl.  They love it.  So, I don't think they are really listening to any of the stories or are gleaning any grand messages, but they have at least an idea of what is talked about at Conference!
• Emma and I were reading a book about elk.  We read that when teh mother elk has a new baby in the Spring, she kicks last year's baby out and it goes on its own.  I turned to Emma and asked her how she would like it if when I had another baby I just kicked her out.  She giggled and said, "Mom, I don't even know how to cook my own dinner!"
• Arianna and I have started having learning to read sessions.  She is loving it!  Here she is reading some of the beginning reader books to Grant during Emma's piano lesson.



Arianna is so excited to learn to read!

• I started exercising again, now that Kate is on a more regular nap schedule and I feel great!!  I even went jogging on Saturday, which was a real treat to be all by myself for 20 minutes or so with just peace and quiet!
• We had a pretty cool ice storm this past week.  We lost quite a few limbs off our trees.  The kids loved going out and checking everything out, eating icicles, jumping on the icy trampoline, playing with ice chunks.  It was so neat to hear the crackle noise as the wind blew the icy branches.  



Tree in our backyard covered with ice






Arianna and Grant on the icy tramp






The view up our street all covered with ice shining in the morning sun






Beautiful spring blossoms have an icy start






Emma helping to clear some of the braches off the lawn






More icy tree branches






Our icy backyard

• A few days after the thaw, the kids and I cleared the branches from the lawn so Kenneth could mow our lawn for the first time.  Arianna and Grant got the biggest kick out of the path he left behind in the grass and followed him around for quite a while.  




Two little duckings following their Daddy.


• We grilled steaks and asparagus the evening we mowed the lawn.  It was such a perfect day except for the blasted Kansas wind which  almost blew over out umbrella over our table along with the table itself!!
• So the title of this post originated from a family prayer we had this past week.  Ever since my mom was staying with us after Kate's birth, we have been holding hands each time we have family prayer.  It was something my family did growing up, but Kenneth and I have never done it.  But, my mom started doing it when she was here and the kids really liked it.  Anyway, each evening a new animal joins in the circle and the kids make us hold hands with these animals.  Sometimes it is a puppy or a teddy bear, or like tonight, Arianna's 6 foot snake.  One evening though, all 3 of the kids decided to invite a 'friend' to join us.  Arianna invited her camel, Emma her kitten beany baby and Grant had his 10 inch long car with opening side doors, which we were required to hold.  Oh my. 
• For the past couple months, I have been practicing the piano each night.  The girls really love it when I play as they are going to sleep.  With their encouragement, I practice every evening and I love it! If it weren't for them I would probably make excuses (like too many dishes to do) and not MAKE the time for it.   I really want to be able to play and I can tell that I have improved.  I have learned a couple of the accompaniments to Emma's songs for her piano lessons and we are learning to play together.  It is so great! 
• Kate was blessed today!  She is such a sweet baby.  Kenneth said that when he took her in his arms in the circle she looked up and gave him the biggest ear-to-ear smile that he had ever seen.  He said it was very special.  It was a beautiful blessing of health and love and wisdom.  She wore the blessing dress my mom had made for Emma.  After the blessing and during the sacrament, Emma got a bloody nose and before she realized it, leaned over to give Kate a kiss and dripped a few drops of blood on the blessing dress.  I was able to get it all out, thank goodness!  Needless to say, she only wore the dress for a few minutes at church!

  

  Mom and Kate on Kate's blessing day

  
  

  

  Dad and Kate

  
   

  

  Mom and Dad and Kate- taken by Arianna

  

  

  After Arianna took the picture for us, she wanted to be in one!