Santa's Lap

Christmas is an interesting holiday.  It is festive, and fun.  But so much work.  It seems every year, the beginning of December comes and I'm not quite ready for the decorating, the buying presents, the parties, and the traveling.  But the kids pull me in and somehow it works out.  Today we went to the "Breakfast with Santa" at the park.  Savana was so cute.  As Savana and Summer got ready, (Canon had a Cub Scout event to attend) Savana helped Summer make a list of toys she hoped for.  Savana wants a stuffed penguin, and Summer wants stuffed pink unicorn.  We then headed to the park to meet Santa.  When Savana finally made it to Santa's lap, she had the cutest smile.  I watched her sit and talk to him, he was a cute Santa that really talked to each kid.  She told him what she was hoping for.  And he said that he would bring her something special for Christmas and that he loved her.  I started to think, what it would be like if I was watching Savana sit on the Savior's lap.  With as much as I could tell she felt love from this Santa, and I know she is loved so much more by the Savior and our Heavenly Father.  They know her personally.  They love and know each of us.  And they want to give us good things, just like Santa.  It is sometimes hard to remember that.  Especially while we are away from them.  But I have felt His gifts and know They are there.  

Best Daughter Award

Don't get me wrong, I don't have favorites yet :)  But Savana has just been so sweet this afternoon that I wanted to write down the things she has randomly said to me today.  I need to remember days like today.  Especially on days that are not days like today.  I titled this post "Best Daughter Award", just because I asked her if she was going for the title of "Best Daughter."

This week has been insanely busy.  We have started our summer schedule, which includes swim lessons, summer academy, summer movies, cooking classes and all the other camps that come with Seth and I being in Young Women's and Young Men's.  So last night a neighbor so kindly kept the girls all afternoon, and then brought them home to bed while I was at Cub Scout Day Camp with Canon and Seth is on the High Adventure Hike with the Young Men.  As she was leaving last night she told me that she was telling Savana that she liked some of the things I had made for the house.  Savana said to her "You should tell my Mom that."  I don't know what Savana was thinking when she said that, but I just thought it was so sweet that she said that.  I felt like maybe she has heard me express my frustration with my house and trying to get it to look nice.  It was nice of her to make sure that compliment was passed on to me.  Then today she was sitting on the floor and out of the blue said "Mom, you are the Mom I always wanted"  And then about 30 minutes later, after I asked her to do something, she said "OK, but I need something first."  "What?" I said.  "A Hug!"  and she came and gave me a big hug on my leg!  Isn't she the sweetest thing ever!!!  So today, she gets the "Best Daughter Award."  But only for today.  Then they are even again.  :)

April - Whew!!

Wow, April was a crazy month for us!  First Canon had a birthday on the 13th.  He turned 8 years old!  He was so excited.  His birthday landed on a Sunday this year, so we let him find one of his presents on Saturday.  We got him a new bike.  It has seven gears and a kick stand.  Canon thought the kick stand was pretty neat stuff.  The next morning he requested waffles and ice cream for his breakfast.  I included a picture of his plate, because it had to be arranged just so before he would eat it.  (Someone has seen too many Pinterest food pictures!)   Then we had lemon chicken and finally cheesecake for his dessert.  It was fun to see him choose a "grown-up" cake instead of some fun or crazy cake.

A little over a week later on the 23rd it was Lauren's turn.  She was so funny about her birthday.  When we started talking about her birthday coming up, she starting calling things associated with birthdays, "her birthday."  We went out for ice cream and if someone tried to get a taste of her ice cream cone, she would say "Don't touch my birthday!"  Then on her birthday, when we were getting ready to open her presents, if anyone touched her presents, she would say "Don't touch my birthday!"  So funny.  Finally at the end of the week we had Canon's baptism.  He was so excited to get baptized!  What a great experience to see Seth baptize him and that he has taken the first step in the Gospel.

That Feeling Again

Gilbert Arizona Temple

Canon's Journal

Savana's Journal

Stained Glass Window from the Temple.
There were many - and they were so pretty!

My Three Angels

On February 8th, we had the chance to take our kids to the Arizona Gilbert Temple Open House.  We got there and the line was pretty long.  The kids were running everywhere on the lawn of the chapel while we waited in almost hot weather.  I admit I was also a little nervous and stressed because we had a family coming with us that weren't members.  So when the line was long, and the kids were restless, and then we had to wait again, and then wait in another line, I admit, I enjoyed seeing the temple, but I didn't feel the peace of the temple.  I was too worried about my guests with their 5 year old and two year old twins who were freaking out about having to put big weird plastic things on their feet.  The dad and the 5 year old almost didn't come after they had gotten that far because she didn't want the slippers on her feet.  But we made it through and I took small opportunities to give brief explanations of the rooms, even though we were all chasing children.  Then we got outside to the waterfalls and gardens and I was again trying to make sure I knew were all my kids were at the same time.  But Canon was kind of peacefully walking around, and even asked me if the waterfalls had any symbolic meaning.  He told me that he had felt the Spirit in the Temple.

The next day, Sunday, Canon said he wanted to have a family MTC.  It was idea we had read about in the Friend.  So we started off with journal writing.  I was so happy that the temple had such in impact on Canon and was eager for him to write it down.  Both his and Savana's journal papers are posted above.  I am so amazed that he has learned to recognize the feelings of the Holy Ghost at such a young age.  

Tonight we had Family Home Evening.  Canon taught it.  Has has wanted to be in charge of Family Home Evening ever since we went to the Temple.  His lesson was about doing what Jesus would want us to do.  Then when we was upstairs getting into bed he brought a Book of Mormon to me and asked if he could read it.  So for his story time he read to me the first page of the first Nephi.  Besides the fact that I was so excited with how well he read since that is something we have been working very hard to improve, I really felt the Spirit while he was reading.  After we were done reading he ran to get something before getting into bed again.  And as he came back into his room he said "Mom, I felt it again.  I felt the Holy Ghost while reading the scriptures."  What a good kid.  It just makes me realize how important it is for us as parents to continue to provide opportunities for him to feel the Spirit.  

Christmas Traditions

The Christmas seasons is coming to an end.  It has been so fun.  I feel like we are starting to have our own Christmas traditions in our family that the kids recognize.  Our Christmas celebration started the 21st when we went to Tucson to take part in the children's outdoor nativity.  I love that we have been able to do this since moving to Arizona.  I love being able to make the Nativity a bigger part of our Christmas.  Canon was a shepherd with his cousin Eli.  Lauren and Savana dressed as angels, but Lauren didn't really end up participating.  Savana was a very cute little angel.  On Christmas Eve we went to look at the nativity display at the Mesa Temple.  Then we came home and Seth made Lemon Chicken.  It is a favorite dish right now.  Canon said we should make Lemon chicken a tradition on Christmas Eve.  I love that the kids are feeling like we have our own traditions and family favorites.  While we were making dinner, Savana and Canon watched a show about Samuel the Lamanite which was part of our Christmas Eve gift.  This year we talked about the sign that was given, to the people of Zarahemla, of Christ's birth.  That there would be a night without darkness.  And they received headlamps as the Christmas Eve gifts.

Christmas Eve, Seth let Canon and Savana have a "sleepover" in Canon's room while they watched Polor Express, while I made "coal", black rice krispie treats, for the stockings.  Canon actually told Seth to "remind Mommy to make coal for our stockings."  Then Christmas morning, Canon was the first to wake up at 7 a.m.  He snuggled in bed with us for about an hour and I don't think we ended up opening presents until 8:30!  It was great!  Canon received a robot, some science stuff and an bow and arrow.  Savana received two Barbies with horses and some animal dress ups.  Lauren got princesses and a pink puppy purse that she wanted to sleep with that night.  The next day we headed to Utah and have been enjoying some snow and family.