daily life - May

Daily life according to my iPhone:

Trips to the grocery store. I think it's rather cute to have two little ones trailing behind me with their own carts - even if they take a detour every now and then.

And yes, Milayla is BACK in her winter hat. This was the end up April - we were FREEZING! Not cool.

 There was no shortage of laundry. But never any shortage of happy helpers either :)!

The kids love making salads for us to snack on in their kitchen. This particular spread was one that Milayla had put together for us and then she ducked out of the photo! Silly!

Lots of kitchen experiments to hide from chilly weather.

And some baking helpers. Atticus and Milayla have successfully made an almond flour quiche crust. I'll have them making the entire thing in no time. Ha! Perhaps they have a little ways to go on that one.

Artwork for Daddy's work.

The kid's artwork hanging up at Jason's work. They were all picture of the sky at different times of day. Big surprise that nearly every single one has a rocket or some other space-related item in it :). The top left even has Atticus' rendition of the International Space Station. Funny kids.

We headed to the land of tulips for another lovely temple trip to The Hague Temple. 

As lovely as it would be to attend a temple session with Jason, I do like the teaching opportunities that we have both had with the kids as a result of spending time with them on the temple grounds. Jason and I have had some really great chats about ways that we can build on those moments.

 Milayla is our little explorer and determined to go where no little girl has gone before. Thankfully, most places she manages to get into are pretty benign, but we really need to keep an eye on her as she learns about what is and isn't safe to climb.

I finally finished Milayla's birthday dress (just in time for her birthday! More on that coming soon!). It was quite the journey getting there but I think it turned out pretty well and perfect for Milayla. It really suits her. Not bad for the first dress that I have ever made - if I do say so myself.

We attempted a pizza and movie night with the kids. They were pretty excited about it and made it a good 30 minutes into the movie before they opted for books instead. Can't argue with that one - I would choose that too :). We all had a pretty good laugh about it.

They definitely enjoyed the pizza part though.

And for the parts of the movie that we did watch they really enjoyed it (The Muppets are quite loved  around here.).

Guess, we just need to pick shorter movies/shows. Oh well, not like we are big movie watchers around here anyhow. Life will go on and we'll enjoy reading plenty of books. We love books.

We also had fun helping out to clean our church building. The kids thought it was pretty awesome and are actually looking forward to the next time we do it (probably in part because we cleaned the church the morning of our pizza&movie night and they knew what was coming, but I'm going to stick with them being excited about cleaning. yes, they were definitely excited about cleaning ;).

I love that the vacuum is twice the size of Atticus and he absolutely doesn't care.

We had a nice surprise after we finished cleaning the church to find that a helicopter had landed in the parking lot outside and we got to check it out and see it take off.

 That yielded some big excitement. Just look how impressed Milayla is.

I'm only being a bit sarcastic about the kids' excitement over the helicopter because they really did enjoy watching it. I just think it's funny that I couldn't actually get a picture of them looking like they were...

I did manage to catch Milayla's excitement about getting to ride Daddy's shoulders though.

We also planned a last minute trip to Turkey to get us some SUN! Just check out this kids' waterpark. Awesome, right?

We actually ended up staying at a different hotel than in the picture, but they had similar slides (and a much nicer beach). I'll be posting pictures of that trip later.

Trips to the park are in full force (when it isn't raining). Which is great for our little climber. We have really been enjoying play dates in the park too. I love seeing the kids build their own little friendships.

 And rainy days are perfect for trips to the library. I love seeing the kids each so excited about getting to pick out new books. Good times.

And Milayla is becoming a little kitchen-helping-wiz! She loves to help out in the kitchen (and loves to taste test too). It has been a great way to get her to try new foods and textures that she won't always try when they are served during mealtime.

Atticus got a nice, short, big-boy haircut that he is pretty excited about. We love it too. I loved it so much I forgot to brush the hair off of his shoulders before snapping the very first picture of his new 'do'.   (Nothing quite like a little fur on the shoulders.) He sure is growing up!

We went on the hunt for the perfect birthday present for Milayla (and judging by her response on her birthday, I am pretty sure we nailed that one). I bet you can't guess what it was ;).

Atticus has completed his most difficult puzzle yet. At 57 pieces, this double-sided map puzzle gives Jason and I more of a challenge than it probably should, but Atticus completes it pretty effortlessly. On the first go around it took him quite a bit of dedication and he was so proud when he finished - all by himself.

And in a very sweet moment, and after a very busy weekend, Milayla fell asleep on our way home from stake conference in Hamburg with her uneaten lunch still clutched in her little fingers. So tired.

It's been a good month.

Love for Daddy on Father's Day

It was an early Sunday evening when Jason decided to sit down at the keyboard and practice playing some hymns. 

He had barely pulled to cover off of the keyboard before Milayla pushed her chair over to the piano and sat down next to Jason. As soon as Atticus came into the room he quickly followed suit. 

As Jason played his chosen song, each child very thoughtfully pushed on their own notes, Milayla on the low notes and Atticus on the high ones; 

'I am a Child of God' has never been played with such a wide range of notes. 

The moment was beautiful. It was beautiful because it said so many things without any words at all. These kids love music. But, most importantly, they love their Daddy. 

They love getting to ride on his shoulders. They love getting tickles. They love having him join in for bedtime songs and books. They love getting to tell him all about their day when he gets home. They love getting surprise phonecalls from him during the day. They love just getting to spend time with him - no matter what it is. 

They admire him and look up to him. They are so happy to call him 'daddy'. And that, is beautiful.

Thanks, Jason for being such a devoted father. We love you!

Setting the Table

Oh man. I love this girl. Lately, while I am making lunch, she will open up the cupboards and pull out all the place settings that her and Atticus need and set them up on the coffee table. She is quite good at knowing where everything goes. And she is so sweet and helpful when we need to relocate it all to the table (though we have been known to have picnics in the living room because I haven't the heart to ask her to move all her hard work - she is so helpful and good at setting the table!). And just look at those eyes and that smile - they sparkle. She's awesome. I'm sure we have many more picnics in the living room ahead of us and I am definitely looking forward to them.

Kunsthalle Bremen - Art Museum

These are some pretty grainy pictures, but I think they just add to the effect of our great trip to the Kunsthalle Bremen. I had planned this trip with the kids for a while (there had been advertising at our paediatricians office for some time) and after a nice, long bout of everyone taking their turns getting sick it finally happened. And as an added bonus, it was on a day that Jason could be there! 

Kunsthalle had a special exhibit for the kids so we had lots of fun exploring that first.  With magnifying glasses to inspect ink drawings, puzzles, paper hats, art stations and 3D exploring art, we were all pretty engaged. 

I loved the set up in the museum with a mix of old, antiques and more modern furnishings. Very fitting and quite beautiful.

Both kids really are becoming quite the artists and love exploring new mediums. They were pretty excited about their works of art being put up in the museum as well!

The boys tried on the creative paper hats.

We explored old suitcases filled with vintage cameras. The kids wanted to know what 'film' is...

One large room, filled with only one or two chairs (and a sink that was the source of a nice little bruise on Milayla's forehead) was made into a modern piece of art. The kids thought it was great; a large, funky room for running around in? Yes, please! 

That was until Milayla ran right into the camouflaged sink on the wall beside me. Can you see it??

I love getting pictures with my little girl. 

Yep, that left a mark.

Atticus is becoming a big poser and really loves giving cuddles, hugs and kisses for photos. I feel pretty spoiled with these two cuties.

 There was this really cool colored hole that went through all the floors of the museum and changed colors. It's hard to explain. I took a picture, but even that doesn't quite tell the whole story.

each of those colors are on a different floor. The holes are each covered and you can stand on them and look down - kind of scary from the top, actually.

We weren't sure whether to laugh, be intrigued or disturbed by their take on the Bremer Stadtmusikanten though. However, this picture with Atticus in it sure gives us a good laugh. He really gave this one some thought.

Bremer Stadtmusikanten at the Kunsthalle in Bremen, Germany

Then it was on to admiring all the lovely art which was incredibly varied and some of it very unique. We all took a big liking to the more classical pieces they had (like Monet), but there were some very abstract (and even 3D) pieces that really got the kids asking questions. I was pretty proud of the kiddos for how well behaved they were. We even watched a little documentary on their featured artist and the kids sat and listened so well that they didn't want to stop watching it. I was so impressed. I wish I could have taken more photos but no photos around the artwork.

Before heading out we made a stop into the gift shop which was filled with lots of great books. Atticus even picked one out for Milayla's birthday (more on that later!) that was perfect and she loves.

I really love taking the kids to the museums here and feel pretty blessed that I can share my love of museums with them so easily. As we were leaving a man stopped us to thank us for bringing our children to the museum as it made him very happy to see such a young family coming and appreciating this kind of culture. It wasn't until this man said something that we even noticed that we were the only family there that morning. I guess it's not everyone's first choice of places to be, but it sure was ours.

This was one of our Easter Egg Coupons and I am glad those have been such a big success. We have a few more on our list and are sure looking forward to them. Well, time for me to head off - we are taking Milayla out for the maiden voyage on her birthday gift (which you will have to wait to find out what that was until I post up her celebration photos - though I am sure you could take a guess!). Can't wait!

C.S. Lewis Quote

One of my goals for this year was to get at least one book read each month. Thankfully, I am on target (actually, ahead of that target at present) and loving every minute of it. It has really allowed me to weed out time-wasters and spend the little bit of extra time I get on things that will help me plan, improve and enjoy life. It has been a great blessing.

Another added aspect is that I end up with wonderfully powerful words, stories and quotes swirling around in my head and expanding the processes in my head. It's been great. I feel like it has given me greater power as a mother, wife and woman.

One of the quotes that I came across in my latest book that is really sticking with me is this one from C.S. Lewis:

“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

I love C.S. Lewis and his ability to craft with words in a way that I can only dream of ever doing. When I read this it sunk in deep to my heart. It felt like he had opened up my mind and examined it then described precisely how I have been feeling when I didn't know how to describe it myself. The remodelling that I feel going on throughout my entire being is greater than I expected, but I can feel the improvements and they feel good (though sometimes quite hard and seemingly impossible to understand). Throughout these improvements I have felt a greater need to rely on my Saviour and trust in Him because he knows what I need better than I do. He sees things more eternally than my finite vision can and His perpective is priceless and immeasurable. I am so very grateful for the blessing of prayer and the peace that it brings that me and our little family are in His watchful care. And I am grateful for growth. Growth in faith, love, abilities, and willingness. It's a slow process, and not always pleasant, but I am grateful for it because it brings me closer to my Saviour and Heavenly Father and enables me to bring my family closer.

My 10 Personal Objectives of Motherhood

I'm always a little leery of posting my thoughts on this blog (outside of the day-to-day happenings) because I worry that people will think I see myself as an expert, or worse, they may think I actually am one. I'm not. I'm a mom (which requires a great deal of expertise in and of itself, along with a heavy dose of on-the-job training), trying every day to improve in places that I see in need of improvement. While I hope my efforts to improve, learn and grow through motherhood will bless me with the knowledge I need to bless my family, I still shy away from the word 'expert' because I have a lot to learn. But let's make a few things clear though; I love motherhood. I love being a mom. And I aim to magnify my calling as a Mother for the benefit of my children, my family and those around me.

And that brings me to the point of this post. Early on in my motherhood journey I was trying to more diligently focus on my role as a mother and I realized I was lacking a great deal of direction. The desire was there, but with no destination in mind, that desire was only fuelling motivation that was running me in circles or getting me places that I didn't really want to be. Not fun. So I sat down and did some serious thinking.

I'm big into goals. I love writing them, breaking them down, working towards them and, especially, achieving them. My personality matches well with that kind of progression. When I think of times in my life where my progression was really magnified and I excelled it was when my life had clear expectations and plans set forward (like projects at work or assignments at school). So it became clear to me that I needed to set forth clearer expectations/objectives for myself that I could work toward to strengthen my confidence in mothering and, therefore, my abilities. I found the best way to come up with those objectives was to know where I wanted to end up.

Quite simply, when my children are grown, what do I hope they will say of how I raised them, of the example that I set for them, how I loved them, the time I spent with them or the way that I made them feel? I set to work making a list of several things that I would hope they would say. Some examples of that are: She always gives us heartfelt compliments, she listens and understands, she always sets a good example, she hugs us - a lot.

Then, I picked what I felt were the 10 that I felt the most drawn towards (some of them could be easily combined with other items on the list) and I transformed those from being words from my children to being objectives/affirmations for myself so that, hopefully, they will one day be the words from my children!



Everyone's list will probably look a little different, but here is what my final list of 10 looked like:


1. Give compliments and praise - not just for a job well down, but for the efforts, skills and desire.

2. Say 'yes'.

3. Have a vision and share that vision - of the gospel, our family and each of its' members.

4. Give love abundantly. Give hugs.

5. Take time for me - learn, relax, breath.

6. Smile often. Forgive easily. Laugh.

7. Listen. Enjoy every moment of their little voices. Encourage thought. Validate their thoughts.

8. Lead by example. Make choices that I would be proud to have my children emulate.

9. Take take to teach. Be patient and understanding. Clarify and expound with love.

10. Be consistent.


Now, the process doesn't stop with the list. This needs to be an active list or there won't actually be any progression towards my vision. Which means I need to be working on it - all the time. So at the beginning of the week (usually on Sunday evening) I sit down with my list and I ponder it. I ask myself questions such as; where am I feeling particularly weak? or,  What do I sense my children could use more of right now? Then I set little goals, that usually pertain to one of my objectives, that I plan to specifically work on that week.

It's a work in progress. But the key is that I am progressing and that feels good.  It has a positive effect on me, my family and my ability to bless my family in my role as a mother.

Motherhood can be tough and oh, so wonderful. It isn't meant to be a perfect journey, it's a progressive journey and it's awesome.

Moments to remember

I just want to write a few things down to help my mind remember these sweet little moments that I have been having with Milayla this week. Milayla has been teething and it hasn't been a particularly fun time for her, but she has still been the biggest sweetheart. When she is teething she gets really cuddly and wants to stay nice and close. This desire to be close means a little girl who held on to the bottom of my long sweater while I made breakfast this morning. A little girl who held tightly to my hand as we explored the sand at the lake and clung to my leg when it got a little too chilly outside. It has also meant lots of naptime cuddles, books and kisses. It has really required me to focus in on Milayla and see all the diversities start to emerge in her personality. It's incredible. I love being a part of this process. I love being a mom. I love being her mom. I love having her on a chair next to me in the kitchen, breaking up cauliflower for dinner, not because it's the most entertaining thing in the world but that's because it is where I am and she wants to stay close.

These are all just simple little things but I can feel them adding strength to the communication and relationship between us. Even though our little chats aren't much right now, I hope these moments and chats are laying the groundwork for many future moments and great conversations to come. She is so incredibly special, talented and smart and I know she will only continue to build on that.

And I am writing all this down so that I can better remember how important it is to focus on those moments that I get with each of the children. That I am in the moment; the unplanned moments as well as the planned ones. That they feel my presence and my love. That, together, we are building relationships that they know will always be there to support, guide, and uplift as they grow and learn to navigate this life. And I want to solidify my knowledge that when those moments are happening - nothing else matters. Because those hands won't always be little, and they won't always be tugging on my sweater while I am in the kitchen - so I will use these moments now to build the moments of tomorrow.