Why I blog

Having a blog appealed to me because it gave me one spot to share what is going on in our family with our other family members, especially Matt's family in Utah. Before my blog, I would sit down at night to write in my journal...and then some of those things I would write about on our MyFamily site and then write the same things to family and friends through e-mail. I started to dread writing about things because it was such a long process. The blog idea would simplify this process and I would use it as my journal. It was a bonus that I could share pictures and movies too. Lately I find myself not wanting to write because things around here are just not that exciting and do people other than our family really want to know every detail that goes on around here? So today I had the thought of digging out my "real" journal and start writing in that again. But then I realized that that wasn't the solution, I just need to stick with my original reason for starting this blog which is to record history and share with family and friends. I have been keeping a journal since before I could read and write. I go through phases in my writing where I'll write every day or once a week or months go by between entries, but I have always kept a journal. This is my strength...and I was quite pleased when I realized this strength of mine because I have always wondered what my passion in life is. It is record-keeping. I love looking back and reading what I was doing a year ago, 5 years ago, and so on. It seems silly at times to write about the everyday things that are going on, but in the future I will appreciate what I have written. It's hard for me to believe at times, but I will not be changing diapers, nursing, feeding children every 5 minutes,...forever, so the record I keep now will be cherished as I sit in an empty house (which really sounds good to me at this point in my life!) and read about my crazy days as a mother of young children. I'm going to do my best to write every night, to recap what went on that day. Details get forgotten so quickly!

So, here is the unfinished igloo that the kids and Matt made yesterday.




Zoe loves to be outside, so she gets excited when Matt has a project outside for the kids to do, like camp Bravo. Emily tolerates being outside. She goes along with the project because Zoe is doing it...and because Matt doesn't give her a choice in the matter. She always has fun and wants to do it again...until the next time comes. Eleanor gets excited about the projects, but then loses interest the quickest. She was the first to come in from building the igloo. Zach wasn't too far behind her as he got tired of standing out in the snow watching his sisters and Dad build an igloo. He lasts much longer outside when it's warmer. Kate gets the privilege of staying inside with me...until she can walk and is woods qualified. And I suspect in the future we will all be outside together, but right now I'm not willing to be outside with a non-walker. Every season has a reason...too cold and snowy, too buggy, too sunny, too chilly. Carrying a child around outside is not fun, especially when you live on a hill! I'm hoping that as our little ones get older, I will like being outside more...it could happen.

Zoe has a bad cold, so she stayed "home" with my Mom while the rest of us went to church. My Mom opted to stay at her house with Zoe because I thought I was going to be in charge of Primary today and staying with Zoe sounded much better to my Mom than taking my place in Primary. But I was pleasantly surprised when the Young Women President and young women showed up the 3rd hour to take over Primary so the Primary leaders and teachers could go to the combined Priesthood/Relief Society meeting. So I didn't end up being in charge and I can use what I had planned for this Sunday next Sunday. :-) And going to the combined meeting made me appreciate my calling in Primary. Primary is much more fun! (Sorry Courtney, your lesson was very good, it's just hard to sit and listen when you're used to singing and playing)
Kate was entertaining as she displayed her ballerina moves, which I have never seen before. She would lift a leg up behind her or off to the side, put it down, and then lift up her other leg. It was so cute, she looked just like a little dancer.

Kate wasn't so cute during Sacrament meeting as she was screeching and trying to crawl up to the stand. I ended up going into the Primary room with Zach and Kate to listen to the talks. It wasn't that long ago when Eleanor refused to sit through Sacrament meeting and now she lasts all through the meeting with no problems. This helps me to remember that Zach and Kate will get past this wiggly stage too.

I love, love, love that Kate goes to bed with her siblings now and she sleeps through the night. It is so nice!