O Ye That Embark in the service of God - Holden to Peru Trujillo South Mission 9/11/19

Holden has been called to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Peru Trujillo South mission.  He speaks today, giving his farewell talk.  We have just had the privilege as soon to be missionary and parents, to share our thoughts and testimony with our Stake High Council leadership and it was a lovely experience.  Foremost in my thoughts are something Dr. John Dame (my dear friend Haley's husband) shared which was Section 4 of the Doctrine & Covenants.  A chapter that Holden will hear, read, study, ponder, depend on the next two years.  It states: "Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.
"Therefore, O ye that embark in the service of God, see that ye serve him with all your hear, might, mind, and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day.
"Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work;
"For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;
"And faith, hope, charity and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work.
"Remember faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence.
"Ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen"

Re-Start

I don't even know where to re-start.  I was initially looking for easy to access baby Holden photos for his 6th grade promotion slide show and am having the best time reading up on our fun past.  I decided to do a grateful post.

1.  I am grateful to be 20 days from giving birth (scheduled C-section, so I really do know the date) to bebe Graham, our fourth (and final?).

2.  I am grateful to challenges, especially when we come out better in the end, or at least knowing we can survive what appears to be the worst thing ever and still have faith and all that.

3.  Three fun, healthy, independent, socially adept, helpful (mostly), brilliant (of course), kids who make me grateful and humbled to be entrusted with their care, everyday!

4.  For my darling, hard working, brilliant, helpful, generous, and handsome husband.

5.  Good books, because right now I can barely walk, let alone do anything else.  A few pages left of 'Paris' by Edward Rutherfurd.

So long, but hopefully it won't be...

Thanksgiving

Thank goodness for Kate getting me excited to dress the table for Thanksgiving, it made me more and more excited everyday!  I had it done by Sunday night.  Branches are from our curly willow out front.  And the previous week I had learned to applique and used those skills for the ribbon seat assignments.

Pouring the bubbly Martinelli's.

The bountiful and delicious feast serving table.

The kid "table" and Dori is awesome.

Owen's first violin concert.  H performed as well.

Halloween 2011

Saturday afternoon hike.  Millcreek Elbow Fork trail.  I took Javi up this morning and the entire trail was snow covered, cold (24 degrees), but so beautiful.

O at Friday's school parade.

H playing Minuet 1, Friday night at the annual Halloween recital at Tracy Aviary's Mill.

PJ & H at Friday's school parade.

Fall Break Update 2011

 I didn't know where to start, so I just started when I finally was able to re-charge my camera (by buying a new recharger!).  I do have pictures from our funnest summer ever of SL Swim & Tennis swim team, Grand Tetons trip, first day of school, and more since last May, but it's a little overwhelming so I start with today.  This past week was fall break aka "UEA" whatever that is, which meant we had Wednesday through Friday no school (and the previous week half days 3 of the days, October is kind of a joke as far as school goes!).  We planned a California trip but due to AK's last minute meeting in our backyard next week (Stein Ericksen) we stayed put and were sent to another Deer Valley resort (AK was in Vegas) and enjoyed a super plush hotel and the spectacular fall display of color and refreshing briskness.  But obviously, we spent quite a bit of our 3 days at and in the pool.  Andy joined us Thursday night and late afternoon Friday we returned home (30 minutes away) and enjoyed our annual Pumpkin Patch outing with our fabulous friends the Taylor's (7th annual, maybe even 8th?).  Here's a smattering of photos to enjoy and get a sense and hopefully someday soon I will learn the ability to post photos "appropriately".  In the end, we really are alive and quite well.  xoxo

What a brother!

Morning Walk (check out the frost on the bench!)

S'mores.  At the time we were the only family in residence, and since we were such an anomaly a nice foreign couple asked to take a picture of us - like with their camera...and then I asked for one of my own.

Thursday night S'mores with AK.

PJ doin' work!

The Knights

The Taylors

The Knight boys

Escapism for the Soul

 O's Spring Music Performance

 SCP Glass Elevator

Uhm, it just seems like yesterday, but it really was just a month ago when we were at the beach.  We just couldn't resist another trip, so we pulled the kids away from school (all important testing/work has been done) and headed for another week.  When I wasn't pulling my hair out, or trying to pull out a child's hair (or just brush it!!!), we hit the pools, watched really big waves, played at the ocean, tried shopping (not really a hit with the kids), went to Wahoo's, enjoyed an exclusively Trader Joe's stocked kitchen, & played with the Aunt Cici, Uncle Ryan, & the cousins.  In the end, we were all happy we made the trip.  Oh and Andy was working, so he wasn't really with us except the drive (and a date-night trip to Mastro's).   And of course, my camera's battery died as I took my 2nd giant wave day shot. 

It's Utah Spring Week - May Be The Only One!

 AK at 46th.  Oh I miss that man.  He's traveling, and whenever I talk to him on the phone, I can hear in his voice how he misses us.  How he misses watching H play baseball and get his first hits, slide into home, and amazing first base outs.  I even hear how he misses cuddling PJ to calm her down from her daily fit, and O's activity and excitement and competition in everything.  But we get him home when he's at home and we feel incredibly blessed.

Now, this is on the brain as we plan our upcoming gutting and designing of our two bathrooms.  I totally pilfered these pictures from various websites including design*dump, Traditional Home, habituallychic, and maybe more that I didn't write down (but most likely found via these websites).

I love this, but AK didn't like the similar floors that we did in our old home's basement bath and the storage for my messy ways just will not do...but I imagine one day for a ranch house guest room.

 Most realistic if not totally predictable.  I love the hexagon tile, so definitely into that, but the subway tiles are taking some convincing for Mr. K (he seriously thinks Subway, like the dingy underground when I mention it).  My only concern with all white is our black dog hair, but she's not allowed in the bathroom anyway...

 Love the floor, and possibly and more realistic color with totally different everything else, but it inspired me to want wallpaper for the upstairs bath.

 I am curious about the frequency of wood floors in bathrooms?  In our house we would've had to replaced the warped wood from splashy bathers, three times already.  But the console is nice, I would like a little more shape at the feet.

Gorgeous!  At this point for the bigger bath I am thinking the large hexagon tiles for the floors, a tri-color (in the white/grey/blue family) shape for the walls, white cabinets with crystal knobs and a tall cupboard, two sinks, two cabinet mirrors (storage, storage storage!),  new lighting (an additional overhead and fan included) and a great wall paper.  For the itty bitty shower room downstairs, I love the antiqued free standing pieces like at Restoration Hardware.  Any suggestions and/or pictures are welcome.