TGIF

Friday morning, my brother Matt called and asked if he and his family could come stay over Firday night...OF COURSE! So we did our traditional trip to Chico Hot Springs with the kids...we kidnapped Rich from his office about 5 minutes early and headed down the valley to take a dip in the hot springs, then eat some yummy pizza at the Poolside Grille. The timing was perfect! We loaded up the kids to head home at 8pm and they were in bed by 9pm and we enjoyed a little grown up visit and a good night's sleep! Heidi (next to Matt) at the Poolside Grille at Chico
We drove up the canyon from the resort to the old town of Chico and took a picture of this shed.
Jake & Addie being silly at Chico
Amie with Baby Sam

How the Flowers Looked 4/11...

We noticed our first hyacinth in the front yard on Tuesday...
...and our daffodil bloomed that day, too. Now there are 4 blossoms out there trying to withstand the wind!

Thanks, Aunt Amie!

Heidi got a birthday card and headbands from Aunt Amie, Uncle Matt, Jake, & Sam! She was so excited, so wore them all at once!
Here she is looking out the front window at the neighbors riding bikes
She cried when I went to the mailbox without her...that's why her eyebrows and cheeks are red!
Thanks for the pretties, Posties! We miss you so much and can't wait til you come hang out with us again!!!!

ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY...

Georgia (pictured here with husband Rob, May 1992) was born. She's the big sister I didn't get until I was 18, and a most dear & talented friend. Have a beautiful birthday, Geo! We're so glad you were born!

Education is Freedom

I could have called this post a number of other things: Knowledge is Power, The Glory of God is Intelligence...what ever I call it, I have to say something about education.

I hate to admit that I got fired up from watching Oprah today--I couldn't resist the ad that said Bill & Melinda Gates wanted to come on Oprah and share their biggest cause. The show struck a nerve with me--our tiny town is Loserville with a capital L as far as public education goes (example: coming from a school where the median ACT score was 27 and I got a 30, I was shocked to learn that a 23 was GOOD here)--dropping out to become a manual laborer or a teenage mom is not unusual, and I am horrified to send my kids to school here. Fortunately I have a few years to get involved and make a plan of action. Please, please, PLEASE go to the Stand Up website and AT LEAST send the letter to your governor asking him to get behind this movement for better high schools (I have already filled out a survey here in Montana stating that I think all that extra money we made from the huge tobacco tax we passed should go to education--I want the elementary school down the street from me to open up again in the next 2 years--it closed due to budget constraints and not enough kids to fill it, but since then, over 150 houses have been built in the area and 250 more are slated for construction. That should bring in enough kids and dollars, doncha think?)

Learning to read, to comprehend what I read, to think, to put myself in the shoes of others throughout history and throughout our world today, to reason and to empathize has made me a better person and has given me the kind of life most of the world only dreams about. I don't mean that I am wealthy or pampered or living in luxury--I mean that all of my needs are met as are most of my wants; my life is generally free of genuine worry or financial stress, and full of rich and beautiful things because my husband and I have learned to think and reason and appreciate the world around us. I credit this to TWO things: our families of origin and our EDUCATION. Economics aside, the quality of the life you lead when you really LEARN HOW TO LEARN is so staggeringly better, it makes me cry to think that the majority of my fellow Americans are living hand to mouth, blind to their potential because of lack of education.

In a country where even the poorest wage earner pays something toward public education through taxes, it is nothing but shameful to see and read about the massive failings of the public school system. My knee-jerk reaction has been to home school or super-supplement my kids' education to give them what they need and deserve, but it just dawned on me that EVERY KID deserves what I am striving to give mine--even if their moms work full-time and can't be as involved, even if homeschool was never an option, even if their parents think school is a waste of time. Every American child deserves to have someone show them the value of an education, the joy of reading and finding what you're really truly good at, the peace of knowing you are equipped to provide for yourself and your family in a job that you enjoy and you're good at.

I am definitely going to get involved here. I might end up with another ulcer, but like the song says, "conquer we must when our cause it is just," and I think this is something I can get behind with my mind, heart, and spirit. The first thing I am going to do is see how I can help at Big Sisters and at Learning Partners, as well as start attending school board meetings (ho-hum). And I will continue to pray and teach my children good things at home. What are you going to do?

Poor Heidi

We are getting excited for Easter and Heidi's birthday around here! I mailed out these invitations last week and got some RSVP's today. Sadly, our little birthday girl had a bad accident today just before church. She burned her left hand on the iron--the heel of her hand is one giant, nasty blister and she won't let us wrap it. She cried and cried--so sad! Rich stayed home with her while I took Addie to sacrament meeting, then we switched off so he could teach Primary. I got Heidi to take some Tylenol and she slept the whole time I was with her, then we switched off again so I could go direct the ward choir. Heidi seems better now, but that nasty blister is going to burst if she doesn't let us wrap it soon and that will be so gross (and painful!).

Speaking of choir (UGH!), about 15 minutes before I left for choir practice, I got a call from the Stake music director. She said she has sent in the music for the conference program on April 29th, and the Stake Presidency got back to her and said they had four DIFFERENT songs they want us to sing, with 20 days' notice! So the three songs we have been practicing for SIX WEEKS are on the back burner, and we have to learn four new ones. It's a little bit annoying, and I have to admit that I'm kinda glad I won't be there that day! We WILL be singing on of the songs we have been practicing, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" for Easter Sunday at our ward.

I need to go catch a nap and snuggle my poor crippled daughter...Leave a comment! Have a great week!

PS: one of my favorite professors at BYU died this week and my heart feels heavy...he was a wonderful writer, poet, thinker, person...everything sounded better read aloud in his lilting welsh accent...he seemed to know and love everything beautiful and worthwhile...

Today in church I got my (second) Young Womanhood Recognition Award. I got the first one back when I was 15, but they have changed the program, so when I became a leader in the YW organization, I started the new program. It took me three years of goal-setting, studying, and projects to finish it (kind of like an Eagle for girls). My award is a necklace with the temple spires on it like the one to the right, except mine is silver. Nicole Carter (age 16) also got her award today, after a special evening in her honor last Wednesday night. I am glad I finished the program, but like I always tell the YW, personal progress continues for life (at least it does if we're doing what we're supposed to be doing).

You Are My Sunshine(s)

Today we have enjoyed our first real spring rain, so we have mostly been inside all day. After naps, the girls played in Ad's room for awhile, then they brought their play things to my bed where I was resting. They were being so cute and funny, I grabbed the camera. Although it hardly does justice to the moment, here are some pictures (Heidi is all wild-haired and rosy-cheeked because she had recently woken up).

Here's Heidi's pageant smile...
...and here's a silly face...
...and here she is being her wild-eyed, turning-two-in-nine-days self.

Addie is singing to Heidi through her Blues Clues microphone
Addie's Big Grin

How the Flowers Looked Last Monday

Here is our first daffoldil bud...
These are the same flowers I took pictures of two weeks ago.

Today we have had lots of rain, so they should be blooming soon!

Eventide

Well, it has certainly been a nice weekend. I always enjoy General Conference weekend, especially now that we have (a) our own comfortable home with (b) three TVs tuned into BYUTV--church in our jammies, four hours Saturday and four hours Sunday. Actually, Saturday we had lots of little chores to do and Rich went out to the ranch before each session to take care of business (we are getting ready to build our fence and we re-seeded our boulevards where our neighbor kids have been riding their bikes over our poor new grass). But it was truly a joyful experience to be folding and ironing clothes and making lunch for the extended family to the sounds of inspiring talks and the MoTab choir's serenade. It really made me think about making my "regular days" and chores a more joyful experience. The girls were even well-behaved and happy to have their grandparents over to visit (we really should have them in our home more often!!!) During Saturday's afternoon session of conference, Heidi napped while Addie sat on our couch between Grandpa Tom & Grandma Rosalie. She colored in her new Easter coloring book (thanks, NanaLyn) for almost a solid hour, then played quietly after that (four is turning out to be so much easier than two and three-years-old).

Last night I got a babysitter while Rich went to General Priesthood meeting and went out with my mom-in-law and some other women whose husbands were at the meeting. We went out for Mexican food (I had yummy tortilla soup) and then played Hoopla afterward. It was a lot of fun and a welcome break. I didn't feel very good all weekend, but good enough to eat food and take Tylenol for my aches and pains, so I feel grateful for that.

Today, my in-laws came for lunch again and brought Vivian Ellison (our adopted great-grandma who lives out at the ranch--we bought it from her). They brought two delicious pies for dessert (Swedish Apple and lemon) and Rich & I made a post roast with carrots and mashed potatoes, gravy, and some fresh bread. We had a really nice time together and played "Don't Eat Pete" with Addie afterward. Also between sessions, one of my former YW, Kim, who is in college now came over to visit and brought her roommate. They are on spring break from BYU-Idaho and it was so fun to Kim & meet her friend. Kim worked a lot on our house when the kids came over to do service here, so it was fun to show her the basement all finished out. She remembered scraping and sweeping the concrete floor about a million times, and now it's all SUPAH-DELUXE! I told her she could house sit while we are in Missouri in June.

There were a lot of things about conference that I wanted to remember and note here, but I'll wait until I can post actual quotes. I love Elder Hales' & Elder Holland's talks about making your way back and building your relationship with the Lord...I always love those messages because we are always on the mend in one way or another. I also loved the talks reflecting on missionary service, and how it was repeated--every good thing in my life today can be traced in one way or another to my choice to serve a mission. I got caught up in thinking about that and shed a few tears remembering my mission experience and all that it taught me. It put me on a whole new path, and even when I tried to stray, the lessons I learned there in the mission field kept me moving in the right direction and led me to the totally peaceful and blessed life I live today. The plans I had for myself pale in comparison to what God has given me since then. I have certainly learned that "he can make more of a [wo]man than any [wo]man without him ever can."

Anyway, I'm gettin' pretty rambly and I need to go love on my family some before bed time (bed time already??? Happy Daylight Saving Time!!). Have a great week, all y'all!