Dutch Oven Dinner

Thomas wanted to learn how to cook in a dutch oven so he could plan something like that for his next campout in a few weeks.  So yesterday he and Joel looked up some recipes and decided on 2 dishes they wanted to prepare to try out.  They made a Creamy Chicken and Rice dish and then they made "burgers, beans, and biscuits."  This afternoon they got started and all the kids pitched in a little in preparing the meal.  They had a great time cooking outside and both meals were delicious.  We invited Sue Ann for our feast and we ate in the backyard.  Everyone's favorite was the burger, beans, and biscuits.  It had so much flavor and the biscuits were amazing.  Later this evening we had a campfire and made smores together while Dad was at a General Priesthood Meeting.  It has been a very fun day.  Thomas and Spring are planning to try a new recipe this week and make dinner using the dutch ovens again.

The Faith of Little Ones

Last week my Mom called with some bad news she had received from her doctor.  It has been a rough few days as I have been struggling to accept the news and also come to a realization that it is for real.  One day this week at lunch the kids and I were talking about it and Thomas and Spring suggested to me that we should fast for Grandma this Sunday "even though it wasn't Fast Sunday."  I told them that was a great idea and that my siblings were all going to fast as well.  Then they said to me, "But, Mom, you can't fast right now."  Before I had an opportunity to respond to them Sammy said, "That's OK, Mom.  I will fast for Grandma for you since you can't.  I know I've never fasted before but since it is for Grandma I'm pretty sure I can do it."  I choked back emotion as tears started to fall down my cheeks and thanked him for being willing to do that and told him I knew he could do it too. 

So this morning we gathered the kids in our room as soon as we woke up so we could open our fast with a prayer together before we got ready for church.  As we were getting the kids in the room Mary told us that she was going to fast for Grandma too.  Joel offered the prayer and the kids were all so quiet and reverent.  The Spirit was so strong and I was crying at the strength that comes from prayer and fasting.  As the prayer ended I looked around at our children all kneeling in a circle and was so grateful for their simple faith and their desire to do this for Grandma.  We got ready for church and headed off.  Not once before church, on the drive to church, or at church did any of them mention they were hungry or ask for something to eat.  Even on the drive home they never once said anything about being hungry.  Later we gathered as a family again to close our fast and as I prayed I was overcome with comforting influence of the Spirit and gratitude for our children's willingness to do something hard for someone they love so much.

After the prayer Sammy told me, "Mom, it was easier to fast than I thought it would be.  I'm so glad I did it."  A little later Mary came to me and said, "Mom, fasting is hard but fun.  I know it will help Grandma."  Spring was talking to me this evening and telling me that even though she has fasted a lot this has been the easiest time ever for her to fast and that she didn't even feel hungry at all.  We talked about it a little as to why that might be so.  She typically opens her fasts with a prayer and has something she is fasting for but she told me that this is the first time she fasted for something that she wanted so much.  Never before, she said, has she had such an important thing to fast for.

I am so grateful for this opportunity our family has had to fast together for my Mom.  I have also noticed our prayers, personal and family, this past week have been more sincere and taken on so much more meaning.  I am awed as our children each pray, without prompting, for Grandma in each prayer they utter.  Their simple faith and their reliance on our Father in Heaven is a strength and a reminder to me.  This doesn't mean I am glad for news we received; however, I can already see the hand of the Lord our lives as we are pulling together even though we are all so far from each other to pray and fast for a woman we all love and revere. 

Cycling Merit Badge

Last month Thomas decided he wanted to complete the Cycling Merit Badge.  In addition to learning about cycling, bike care, bike repair, first aid, a road test with his merit badge counselor, he had numerous bike rides he needed to go on.  He needed to do two 10 mile bike rides, two 15 mile bike rides, two 25 mile bike rides, and finally a 50 mile bike ride completed in less than 8 hours.  He asked Joel if he would do this with him and Joel, being the amazing Dad he is, willingly agreed.  They went on their first 10 mile bike ride on June 16th.  A short 6 weeks later, yesterday, they completed their 7th and final ride of 50 miles.  They completed it in a little over 7 hours including breaks for lunch and a 20 minute break due to a heavy downpour of rain.  That is 150 miles they biked in just 6 weeks.

Thomas has loved doing this merit badge and Joel has loved the time spent with him.  Each week Thomas would plan out the route they would take and off they would go.  They have been able to explore and see parts of the surrounding areas that they would have never before seen..  Lots of wildlife and cool historic things have been seen as well.  Thomas has gained a new respect and appreciation for his Dad during this time as well.  He learned how much his Dad is willing to do for him even after long weeks of work and church committments and still getting on the bike and going for a long ride.  I am so grateful for the willingness of Joel to do this with Thomas and for the special bonding times they have shared on these rides.  I hope Thomas will always look back on these weeks with fondness.

They left early yesterday morning for their ride.  Thomas was up, showered, and ready to start at 4:15 am because he just couldn't sleep.  Joel held him off for about an hour or so and then they loaded their bikes and drove to their beginning spot.  They rode on the Ohio-Erie Canal Towpath and headed north to Cleveland.  Then they returned to their starting point, having completed 30 miles, and ate their lunch I had packed for them at the car.  Then they headed south for another 10 miles ending into Akron and turned around and headed back to the car completing just over 50 miles.  Joel said the last 12 miles seemed like he was going to die.  He said every hill seemed like a mountain as he was getting tired.  He said Thomas didn't even seem affected by it and was a good 100 yards ahead of him most of the time.  Joel commented though that Thomas would stop and wait for him to catch up and lovingly check to make sure he was OK before heading on again.  With about 8 miles to go Joel said Thomas went to stand up on his pedals to pedal up a hill and his left foot slipped off the pedal and got pulled underneath the pedal and he fell onto the bar of his bike.  This caused him to start to loose balance and start swerving.  Joel could see if he went too far off the path to the right he would fall into a heavily wooded ravine and it would have required him going to the hospital.  All Joel could do was call out to him to get back on the path and stay on the path.  He called this out to him over and over again and it shook Thomas enough to correct and eventually regain control of his bike and get back on the path.  He never fell and wasn't hurt for which I am so grateful.  They finished their 50 miles and what an accomplishment.  Thomas was so excited when he came home and could tell me about their day.  He has loved this merit badge and I know a big reason for that has been the individual time it has given him with his Dad.  How grateful I am for this time they were able to spend together.

Spring's 9th Birthday

Our little girl turned 9 last week and I am still wondering where all those years have gone.  I enjoy the opportunity to celebrate each of our children's birthdays and the time it gives me to reflect on the individual talents and blessings they bring to our family.  Spring is really a wonderful girl growing into a beautiful young lady, much too quickly for Joel and I!  I enjoy the special one on one moments I get to spend with her.  She is quick to run early morning errands with me and it gives us an opporunity to talk and laugh together.  I enjoy watching her teach her little sister things and paint her sister's nails, do her hair, and read her stories.  She is beyond excited to be having another sister join our family and I am grateful for the righteous example she is to all of her siblings, especially to her sisters.  I feel our family is so blessed to have Spring as our oldest daughter because of her inner strength and love of the gospel and being obedient.  She will set such an amazing example for her younger sisters.

Spring wanted to celebrate her birthday a couple days early before Alanna left.  She also wanted to make her own cupcakes for her birthday so she and Thomas did just that.  You gotta love a kid making their own birthday dessert.  We had her chosen meal of Taco Sundaes and then her amazing Oreo surprise cupcakes with oreo frosting.  She waited to get her traditional balloons for her real birthday and that was the day Joel also brought flowers for her.

As Joel and I were driving home from the temple on Saturday we were discussing each of the kids as we often do when we have some time to ourselves.  We were looking back to the time when Spring was about 3-5 years old.  There were some very challenging years for us with her.  I remember tantrums that seemed unending regardless of what we tried to do. I remember her stubbornness when we would ask her to do something that she just didn't want to do.  I remember moments of open defiance and disrespect towards us.  I also remember so many moments of being on my knees with tears flowing pleading for patience, guidance, and hope from my Heavenly Father in raising His spirit child that He had entrusted to us.  There were definitely times where I thought I was failing in all aspects with her.  I feared what the future held for her if she continued down the path.  I remember a few days of dropping her off to school in Kindergarten after particularly rough mornings and hoping she would be OK at school and worried all day until I picked her back up from school.  I remember one rough morning, in particular, when I dropped her off and went in to explain to her teacher that she had had a rough morning at home and so if she seemed upset or withdrawn that was the reason.  I felt like a horrible mother as I talked to her teacher.  Thank goodness for a wonderful and inspired Kindergarten teacher that put her arm around me and told me she would be just fine and so would I.  When I picked Spring up from school that day she was a different girl.  She came to me humbled and gave me a hug and sincerely apologized for her behavior that morning.  Later I found out that her wonderful teacher had taken time aside to talk with her that morning. 

As Joel and I looked back on these times it almost seems surreal to us because we know we experienced these moments but the young girl we have in our home now is so different from this.  She is respectful and kind to us.  She has such a strong desire to be obedient.  She still is blessed with drive and strong will which will serve her well in life.  She is learning to master this strong will and use it for good in her life.  She is very self-reflective and often will be the first to realize she reacted wrong in a situation and feel sorry for this and then allow this regret to lead toward self correction.  Those days of hopelessness and frustration are gone.  I am in absolute awe of the turn-around she has made in her life in such a short time.  She is such an amazing example to me.  I love her dearly and am so grateful for the help she is to me all the time.  I often joke that she is my right hand but she literally is.  She has a sense to know what I need help with before I even mention it.  She can often be found unloading the dishwasher, changing a diaper, getting shoes on a younger sibling, getting lunch ready, or anything else that I just haven't gotten to yet.  I love this girl of our's and would be lost without her.

All Together

Walk along the Towpath

Monday evening we went for a walk along the towpath for our Family Home Evening activity.  We love being in the National Park and love to share this opportunity whenever we have family come and visit.  It was a hot and humid evening but we all had a great time. Joshie carried his shoes during most of the walk and Sammy thought it was cool to rub dust and dirt all over his body so we had some very dirty and dusty kiddos when we got home.  I got the hose off to clean them up before heading inside. We brought Scout and Dakota along for the walk and they were tired pups when we got home that night.  One of my favorite things about this area are the many easily accessible areas to go for walks and hikes with the family.

Day at Lake Erie

Two summers ago, just weeks after we had moved to Ohio, Alanna and Eric came to visit us and we went to Lake Erie.  We had a blast and it was on the top of our list of things to do again this week when Alanna was here visiting. We went last Saturday again and had a wonderful time.  It was cloudy and overcast when we got there and there was supposed to be rain showers all day long.  Well, we didn't see a drop of rain and after an hour or so the sun came out and it turned out to be a beautiful day.  I don't think Thomas, Spring, Sammy, or Joshie came out of the water for very long all day.  They played and played and played and had so much fun.  Lake Erie is a favorite for our kiddos.

Day at the Lake

We recently discovered a lake here in town and decided to try it out this afternoon.  After naps we headed out and spent almost 5 hours out there.  The kids loved playing the water, in the sand, swimming, and jumping off the dock.  Thomas, Spring, and Alanna went and had fun jumping off the diving boards as well.  Sammy told me that this was the best day he's had in a long long time!  Gideon, surprisingly, warmed up to the idea of being near water and really enjoyed his time as well.  Joel met us there after work and enjoyed the water with the kids as well.  We had a picnic dinner and played some more before heading home.  It was a fun way to cool off and enjoy the day outside together.

Scout Camp

Thomas had an amazing first year at Scout Camp last week.  It was super hot and broke all sorts of records for high temperatures but that didn't slow him down.  He earned 6 merit badges while at camp as well as the Duty to God Patch.  He was so happy when he was asked to be the bugler for the week. He was able to play at all the flag ceremonies and really enjoyed his time doing that.  The Camp Director told him at the end of the week that if he doesn't bring his trumpet next year then he isn't welcome at camp!  His favorite merit badge he earned was the Orienteering.  He said he didn't have a least favorite because he liked all of them.  Joel loved having a son with him at scout camp after so many years of going to camp without any of his sons.  There weren't many pictures taken at camp this year probably due to the heat of the week.

Glow Sticks and Bathtime

Grandma Powell sent the kids some glowsticks in their 4th of July box.  She gave us the awesome idea of letting the kids play with them in the bathtub with the lights off.  Today I needed something to keep them occupied as they were kinda stir crazy from being inside due to the excessive heat and humidity so they got in the bath and we broke out the glowsticks.  It was a HIT, to say the least.  I did think ahead and lined the entire bathroom floor with towels because I knew splashing was inevitable.  They had a blast and played in the water for over an hour.  It was the perfect boredom buster and gave me a few minutes to relax as well.  We will definitely be doing this again sometime.

Locks of Love

Spring surprised me this week when she told me she wanted to get her hair cut short and donate her hair to locks of love. I gave her a couple days to really think about it and she didn't waver in her decision so I took her in yesterday to have her hair cut. She looks so cute and she is very happy with it. Her plan is to grow it out again so she can donate it again.

Newsworthy

Last week I took the kiddos to the library for the Annual Summer Bubble Lady Program.  They all love this program.  This weekend we opened the paper to find that our Mary had made the paper from when we were watching the bubble lady.

And They're Off...

Thomas and Joel headed off for Scout Camp early this morning.  It is hard for me to believe that as I sit here typing my son is off to his first week of Scout Camp.  Where have the years gone?  I know he is going to have a great time and I know he is super prepared.  He wanted to start packing last Monday and slowly would add things to his bag each day.  I told him I would do laundry early on Friday morning so he could finish packing his clothing so he started the laundry first thing Friday morning.  It was funny because he told Joel on Saturday afternoon that he had been wearing the same pair of underwear for 3 days because he had packed all of his clean underwear already for camp!  We got a good laugh out of that and have been giving him a hard time about it ever since.  He is such a good sport!

He invested a great deal of time in his decisions for his merit badge classes.  He decided to do 3 required and 3 optional merit badges at camp.  He is taking:  Citizenship in the World, Environmental Science, First Aid, Archery, Leatherwork, and Orienteering.  He is also hoping to fit in Sculpture if he finishes Leatherwork early.  By the end of August he will have at least 12 merit badges earned, 7 of which are required.  He will also have acheived 1st Class rank by the end of July.  The really cool part of it too is he won't be 12 until December!  He is on fire and his love and enthusiasm of Scouting is beginning to rub off on some of the other Scouts as well, including the older boys.

I'm grateful Joel is able to be with him this week at camp. It made it a little easier to send  him off this morning but still a difficult thing for me to do.  I think part of that is dealing with the realization that this is another step forward as he is growing up and moving on to new experiences.

Mary's New Dress

Mary was super excited that Sunday finally came yesterday so she could wear the dress Grandma Powell made for her.  She looks super cute in it and received many compliments on the dress at church.  Thanks, Mom, for making it for her.