Realization at its best

Realization at its best

Jennifer is six. She is beautiful and smart. She is sweet and helpful and spiritual. Jennifer was fighting with her younger sister over a toy. That is what young sisters do sometimes. Jennifer was bigger and taking full advantage of her size (she was being ruthless) so mom had to step in.

I found out that it was Jennifer’s toy but that Haylee had it first. I explained to Jennifer that if she had waited a little bit Haylee would have gotten tired of the toy and she could have just gone behind her and picked it up. The other wiser option was to offer to trade a more exciting toy for the one she wanted.
The third option was even more clever, if she refused to trade take that rejected toy and pretend that you are having so much fun that she has to have that toy. I reminded her that she was older and that she could easily out smart her little sister and it could be fun and there wouldn’t be violence or crying involved.

We also had to talk about how she was feeling at the time. She was not sorry that she had handled it the way she had and she was mad that I was talking to her and she couldn’t learn because she was angry.
She went to her room to think about it. (they let themselves out when they are done thinking)
Later that evening I was in the middle of cooking dinner, you know that crucial time when everything is finishing all at the same time so it gets on the table hot? Well Jennifer had been reading and wanted to share it with me. I somehow felt that it was more important than dinner and listened intently as she shared an article from the friend. It was about trading with your little sister instead of fighting with them and about not being angry because you can’t solve things that way.
Wow! That was more important than dinner. She heard what I said and recognized it in print.
That was a true mom and Jennifer moment.

They will always look back and remember times like these.
Sometimes there isn't a camera available but their heart always takes a picture.

This is the laundry room, I spend a lot of time in here.
I have to share my inspiration in this area because it isn’t as bad as you would think.
When I first got here we had thirteen children in the house. All the laundry would come to the laundry room where I would wash, dry fold and attempt to sort according to size.
We had big boys and little boys, that wasn’t too bad. Then the girls….. We had them all different sizes and if you got this one’s clothes in that one’s pile the other child thought the other one was going to keep it. With girls they get attached to clothes and at times a shirt means more to them than their sister.
Then after my attempt to sort, the piles would go to a long table in the downstairs living room.
I would remind them that no one was to come to the dinner table until they got all of their clothes off the table. Then these clothes that meant more to them than their sister…. You guessed it…. Didn’t belong to anyone. Mountains of clothes not belonging to anyone or having been worn by anyone were now clean and folded and taking up space on my folding table. I was inspired! It all came to me at once.
Every room got a laundry basket, and two days that their laundry would be done a week.
Whatever came from that room went back into that room. No more sorting, no more claiming or not claiming. Laundry was simple! The schedule is posted in the kitchen, both bathrooms, in the hall and the laundry room. The older ones do their own laundry and the rule is that they have to spend a few minutes straitening up the laundry room first in order to use our machines and soap. The laundry room is never clean but it is much better and although laundry will never be easy it is simple.

In our home we have two bathrooms.
The upstairs bathroom is a bit bigger with more counter space and a bigger mirror; it is the favorite among all the children especially the teenagers. Scott and I usually take the bathroom of least resistance the smaller one downstairs. I find it makes the wait for the bathroom seem shorter if you go up and down the stairs between the two checking to see if they are still occupied. =)
We have a strict shower schedule, all the younger ones Brooklyn, Joseph, James, Jennifer and Haylee are to bathe before dinner giving the hot water heater a chance to restore and the older ones their time in the bathroom after dinner. No one except for Scott can shower in the morning.
Scott went to Arizona a few weeks ago and we really missed him.
The night before he came back Jennifer said “now we will have to share the bathroom again”.
We probably won’t ever have another bathroom but they will have lots of fun stories about sharing the two they had.
Uncle Jean said that when his kids were younger they always talked about adding on to their house and that every summer they decided to go on vacation instead. He said they don’t tell stories about the bathroom they would have had but they share lots of stories about their family trips. Yes, we have two bathrooms and surprisingly it is enough.

This is the first pioneer trek I was involved with.
Jacob, Julia, Jordan, and Nickie had fun getting ready for it and a blast there.
They got rained on, and were dirty and sweaty but had the time of their live.
I know that their testimonies grew too.
They are doing it again next year and Mariah, and Jessica will get to go.
Scott and I have already signed up to go. I am looking forward to it and will
need to prepare spiritually and physically to be able to enjoy it to it's fullest.
I will be looking for suggestions between now and then for the best clothes / material and stuff to take. I guess I should learn to sew too. =)

Obama-nation

I couldn't find a picture to go with the way I feel this morning.
As I watched the electoral landslide unfold before my eyes I felt an overwhelming feeling of numbness come over me. It was like watching as an avalanche heads your way and knowing that there is nothing you can do to escape it.
I watched so many celebrate this coming destruction and it reminded me of a scene from Independence Day where many people went to the top of the tallest building to welcome the aliens. They were having a big party waving signs to welcome them. The bottom doors of the ship opened to destroy them and they stood there in awe at how beautiful it was. Then in an instant it is over. To the rest of the world the intent was clear and panic resumed.
In this case it is amazing to see how many people chose to stand on the tallest building to welcome and celebrate this. So many people so desperate for change they didn't care what kind or where it comes from.
It is too late now, what is done is done. Now what?
Mom Willis quotes the profits and says there will come a time that if you can't make it, fix it or grow it, you won't have it. The end seemed so far way until yesterday.
Good ideas for Christmas this year...
clothes line and old fashion hand washer
Hand grinder for wheat
wood burning stove
generator
more quilts
old fashion tools
canning jars and lids
Food storage
water in bulk
entertainment without a cord

It will be like the old days we have heard stories about, only harder because we are so spoiled.
I have to admit that I had almost envied the simple life they had and the closeness they found because they had to work together and had less distractions.
Maybe they are right and this is a good thing?

Christmas is my favorite time of year. For me along with the birth of Christ and the special feeling it gives me I love to give.
I am a power shopper mostly because I don't like to do it and usually get it over with asap but Christmas is different, I start months in advance and enjoy every minute.
I love to find the perfect gift and the look on their faces when they get it is the best present I could get. I also like to save money so if I got it on sale that is even better.
One of our new family traditions is to get the kids together and give them a certain amount of money so they can shop for each other. No one who works at Wal mart has complained yet. We have done it for the past four years and will do it again this year. I think it is the kids favorite part too. I love to see them trying to be all sneaky hiding from each other and from us too some times.
It is a lot of fun! We pair them up and give them names to shop for and they have really gotten into the the spirit.
Jordan shows the look that makes my heart melt.