It Matters

I know my mother well.

I was cleaning out the car last week and found this little pink paper laying on the seat in the back of the mini van. 

The first answer is my favorite:)

Love my boy.

Darci

Hard things.

Ty's had a cast for 5 weeks now. I think when he broke his arm I thought, it's really not a big deal..kids break their arms everyday....at some point everybody has to break a bone....it could be so much worse...it's a right of passage....how exciting to go to the emergency room...

While all of those statments are true, I've come to realize that breaking your arm is a slighly bigger challenge than I'd thought, and this kids learning to endured it well.  

It hasn't been easy, the timing was terrible!

• He didn't get to play on his spring soccer team.
• Didn't get to play lacrosse after reanting all the gear and loving his first four practices.
• Can't ride the new bike he got for his birthday just days before he broke his arm.
• Can't tie his own shoes, buckle his belt or button his shirts.
• Wasn't able to help dad push the wheel barrow while spreading new bark.
• Believe it or not, he's bummed he can't mow the lawn.
• Can't pull the trigger on his air soft gun.
• The weather is finally beautiful after a cold winter and he can't really play anything outside...he just kind of walks around.

He's been really sullen and moody lately. It was driving me crazy until I slowly realized this is REALLY hard for him. He's experiencing a trial in life and I needed to show more compassion! 

This quote hangs on the wall in our family room. We kneel to pray right below it each morning. One morning I looked up and thought, "I'm so grateful for our abilities to do hard things, and even more grateful that we don't have to do them alone. I'm grateful that over the last couple week Ty and I have had some good talks about attitude during trials and turning to our Heavenly Father for strength and help when things are rough. I can see that he's trying to do just that, and I'm proud of him. 

Tomorrow morning we go in to get a shorter cast. We're hoping it will make things easier, but if not, I know he can endure because we can all do hard things....especially when you know where to go for help.

Love my boy and life lessons.

Darci

 

 

All packed up....

with no place to go. 

Ever since we got home from St. George, well over a month ago, cute Tatum has been packed for a return trip. It's true. Her Lala loopsy suit case is already chuck full of her most treasured toys and trinkets to take back to St. George. We've despratley been trying to expain that we're not going to St. George for another year....but she doesn't seem to mind.  However long the wait she insists on being packed and ready. Mind you her very most favorite toys are in her bag and she refuses to play with them because they, "need to be packed for St. George!"

The other day I happend upon her little suit case and decided to empty it..... thinking she wouldn't notice once all her toys were back in their rightful homes. Boy was I wrong! She freaked out and gathered all her "favorites" right back into her little pink bag. 

Man Alive this Cute girl loved our trip to St. George!  I guess I won't have to worry about getting her packed and ready next April. 

life is good,

Darci

Blog Worthy.

I think this is the first picture I've had taken of me in roughly 8 months, with the exception of a few pictures in the hospital the day this handsome guy was born. Sad, but true. Not one picture of me pregnant that I can find, and no other pictures of me with my kids or Mitt in the two months he's been alive. That alone makes it Blog Worthy....for posterity's sake!

Happy Day,

Darci

P.S. this is only the case because I rarely, like never, allow my picture to be taken... and that folks is what needs to change:) 

Tatum. Right Now.

• 2 yrs. old and signed up to start preschool in the fall.
• Loves to take baths.
• Refuses to nap, exclaiming, "I'm not tired" while crying and rubbing her eyes in exhaustion
• Loves to play dolls, barbies and Avengers!
• Is always on the counter.
• Might be the best snuggler I've ever might.
• Wants to eat all day long:)
• Has an impressive collection of Lala Loopsy dolls.
• Favorite show is currently Dora and My little Ponys.
• Has to sit right next to mom.
• Literally sprints to the door when her dad comes home
• Loves her Hello Kitty panties and changes them multiple times a day.
• Helps Cache empty the dishwasher by choice.
• Wants Brooklyn to sing to her before she goes to sleep.
• Is very sweet with her new little brother.
• Know all her colors and a few letters.
• Her best friend is Bailey, the grand daughter of a lady in our ward. 
• Loves to walk, will no longer ride in a stroller or cart at the store. 
• Has a vibrant smile and happy eyes.
• Is learning to buckle herself.

Right now I'm simply trying to Love every bit of her littleness.... she will be grown up far to soon.

Darci

Cache. Right Now.

• 5yrs. old and in preschool.
• LOVES anything Avergers. Like obsessed with superheros. 
• Makes his own bed every morning without being asked.
• Tries to wear his favorite blue and green striped socks everyday, feels there is no need to wash them:)
• Is remarkably good at coloring within the lines. 
• Is the pickiest eater in the family. 
• Plays with little rubber squinkies for hours on end.
• Can't go to sleep if he's not tucked in.
• Does a bang up job of emptying the dishwasher each morning. 
• Gives Mitt a kiss every time he passes him.
• Is pretty tough except when his feeling are hurt.
• He is funny. 
• Wakes up cheerful.
• Enjoys reading. Will even ask me to listen to him read.
• Walks around hitting things with HUGE green hulk hands.
• Thinks that red is for Iron man, Green is for Hulk, Yellow is for Thor and Blue is for Captain America. Announces this every time he sees one of these colors.
• Has a suprisingly strong stubborn streak.
• Has a contagious smile and easy charm about him. 
• Enjoys playgroup with the neighbor kids.
• Just finished his first year of ski lessons and LOVED it.
• Saves candy under his bed.
• Loves all Candy.
• Wants to have breakfast for dinner most nights.
• Working on riding his bike with no training wheels.

I sure love this "super-hero" kid,

Darci

Brooklyn. Right Now.

• 7yrs. old and in the first grade.
• Has about three notebooks she writes or draws in most days.
• Currently taking hip hop and ballet. Loves hip hop, not sure about ballet!
• She is very social. 
• Has lost 4 teeth in the last three weeks. 
• Snuggles with Mitt in her bed most nights while mom gets ready for bed.
• Picks out her own clothes and wants to do her own hair.
• Finished her third year of ski lessons and is enjoying her free Saturdays.
• Does her homework packet all in one day to get it done.
• Is reading frog and toad and pretending to read larger chapter books in fornt of her friends.
• Recently pulled out the polly pockets from years ago and is playing with them.
• STILL LOVES HORSES.
• Likes to play school as long as she is the teacher.
• Has a really kind heart.
• Is the best at answering gospel questions at family night. She has amazing recall.
• Displays her sassy attitude less and less.
• Dreams of long thick hair.
• Never sits still, and is quick as a whip when she moves.
• Sets the table for dinner every night. 
• Is great with kitchen knives. She chops most of the fruits and vegtables for dinner. 
• Really enjoys listening to music and NOT talk radio in the car.
• Leaves EVERYTHING she wears on the floor.

I sure love her right now. 

Darci

Ty. Right Now.

• In the 4th grade, turning 10 in one month.
• Loves air soft guns. He's often found spending his free time organizing his air soft paraphernalia out in the garage. 
• Loves watching re-runs of Psych on Netflix.
• Packs his football gloves to school everyday so he can play football at recess.
• Is excited about the new bunk beds we just purchased. He thinks it means he gets his own room...he is sadly mistaken.
• Has just finished reading the entire "I Survived" book series and is slowly but surely showing more interest in reading. 
• Does at least an hour of math homework every night. He's working on fractions and decimals with his dad at the present because his mom no longer understands his homework! 
• He volunteers to shovel the driveway when it snows and loves to stack the wood and build fires in the evenings.
• Is currently in cub scouts and earns his bear this month.
• He will only use the bathroom on the main floor of our home even though their is a bathroom right down the hall from his room.
• Refuses to wear anything with a collar. 
• Loves to play with Tatum.  
• Hates it when I put gel in his hair.
• Gives great detail when telling a story or recounting his day. 
• Is often mistaken for a 12yr. old.
• Wants to play tackle football in the fall.
• Constantly peppers me with questions about random things.
• Is saving his money for a little motorcycle.
• Sits in the front seat and talks to me when we run errands.
• Is a little shy but sneaky funny at times.
• He tries hard to make good choices 

I Love him right now, 

Darci

5K Friday. Inspiration everywhere

My refrigerator.

My pantry door.

My office bulletin board.

My bathroom cupboard.

Place inspiration everywhere you are...so it's never out of sight, out of mind. I'm a firm believer in visual aids:)

Happy weekend.

Darci

Yellow poop

Last week was tricky. I went from having a newborn who was cheerful and content to fussy and irritable over night. My stress level slowly began to rise as the week went on and It became apparent I had over scheduled myself with both commitments and self inflicted expectations. One afternoon as I was headed down the road of self pity when I had several phone conversations that were enlightening...

I spoke with a loved one whose husband will soon be unemployed and is in the process of interviewing for a new job. She's facing the decision to move her family across several states, has four very young children including a new baby and her water heater had gone out. At the time of our conversation she was about to boil water to wash dishes and take all her children to a neighbors home to bath. WoW!

Next I spoke with a dear friend who also has a brand new little one as well as a teenager. She expressed the joys and hardships of being the mom of many children spanning a larger age gap. Homework and hormones, busy schedules and never a dull moment from sun up to sun down. 

and lastly, a friend who was near labor with her 10th child and has a husband who works all week out of state. She was simply hoping he would make it home in time!

As I got off the phone with all three women, nearly right in a row, I no longer wanted to feel bad for myself. In fact I had a very distinct thought enter my mind, "you have a great capacity." The thought stayed with me all day, and I went to work. 

I'm overwhelmed with the capacity we have as human beings to do hard things. There are examples all around me of people exercising their individual capacity to accomplish or conquer on a daily basis. I can do a fussy baby. I can use my capacity to learn and research why a baby might be fussy. I can stop eating certain foods, I can still be cheerful and helpful to my other family members. I can slow down. I can still make dinner while holding a baby....we all can. I believe we are children of God, who have the capacity to do ALL things we are presented with. I'm so grateful for that knowledge.

After a rough weekend of very little sleep, lots of research, 50 explosive green Poop diapers, lots of crying, and me eating no dairy .....we had a yellow poop this morning, and that yellow poop is making all the difference!

Go forth and exercise your capacity to do whatever comes your way...... 

Darci