"Behold, the scriptures are before you; if ye will wrest them it shall be to your own destruction."

I read to my children the story of Alma and Amulek from AlmaChap 13.  I told them how they warned the people to prepare for Christ's coming.  In vs. 20 it says: "Behold, the ^ascriptures are before you; if ye will ^bwrest them it shall be to your own destruction."  Then I explained that the people did not want warnings like this and so they put them in prison and left them with no food, no clothes, no water and regular beatings and mockings.  My boys loved the part when Alma calls out to God for strength to break their bonds, which they do and then the prison walls fall down and kill all of their oppressors as they walked out of the prison unscathed.  After hearing this story, Eirik said, "mom is it ok if we pray to Heavenly Father to tell him we are sorry that we have not been reading our scriptures?"  Then he said the prayer.  I few minutes later he said, "mom is it ok if we pray and promise Heavenly Father that we will not miss a day of reading the scriptures again?"  So we prayed and then we all shook hands on it.  And, that my friends is the pure heart of a child and the honest way a resolution comes to pass.

New Year's goal #1: Read our scriptures every day.

Goal #2: Improve our attitudes- I made a chart on our wall that says, "Your attitude determines your altitude" and I give them an upward arrow if they exhibit a great attitude and a downward arrow if they have a negative attitude.  I need them to give me arrows too.  I think I'll make myself a row tomorrow because I sure can be a grump with my little sweeties.  It's my resolution too.  I know I can do better.

Today we blew up balloons and made a chocolate sheet cake from my new Pioneer woman cookbook.  We hung crepe paper and popped a balloon every half hour starting at 5:00 until 9:00 when we toasted in the new year with silly string, the ball dropping on the big screen (from last year) and noise makers and sparkling cider.  Then we turned on loud dance music and got out the glow sticks.  Joren LOVES dance parties.  We ended on Lady GaGa and Joren said, "how did you know about that song mom?  I have never heard music like that!"  Both boys get crazy on the dance floor.  I can see us hosting glow stick dance parties when the kids are teenagers with just their friends.  Sounds awesome to me.  I wonder if we could ever stay that "cool".

Happy New Year!!  Welcome 2012!

Stitches #2

Teig wins so far.  Joren got 2 stitches a few months ago, but Teig got 4 in his forehead this evening.  We used durobond stitches on Christmas day after church when he sliced his forehead open on a door, but it was still gaping too much, so we held him down and got it nice and tight.  Hopefully that will prevent a big ugly scar on his cute little forehead.  Man he has had a hard week.  He has lots of molars coming in, and he's suddenly aware that he does not get all the privileges that his older brothers get and it's making him fighting mad.  He threw some intense tantrums today.  They were the kind where you almost want to run for the video camera because you just can't believe the insanity.  This morning he wanted markers like his brothers, but he kept putting them in his mouth and getting covered in marker, so I had to take them away.  Next, he wanted my phone, but he kept calling people.  He wants to be on the kitchen table no matter what we are doing at the table.  He wants to be in our laps, but as soon as he is he wants down, he wants to be picked up and then put down.  He can't stand to see anyone eat something he is not eating but once you give it to him he throws it on the ground or gives it to Tor.  He LOVES candy, like nobody's business.  His tantrums now include throwing himself backward into whatever is back there- sharp corner, thumbtacks, shovel, he doesn't care.  He has to investigate everything, ie: break it.
However, Joren is just about as bad or worse right now.  Joren can't keep his hands off of the boys.  His every other word is poop peep, or fart or his newest favorite that he thinks is a swear word, Hoover Damn.  He is very very fond of saying, "you are the stupidest mover ever!"  I heard it no less than 100 times today.  He absolutely refuses to do what I ask him to do, and pretends he does not know how to do anything.  He won't get dressed and would rather be ice cold than get his own clothes.  But the worst is how he is always always jumping on me, hitting me, throwing things at me, sitting on my feet or climbing up my legs, choking me, or running and knocking me over.  I hate it!!

Now Eirik, There is never a moment when he is not 1. watching tv, 2. scheming about how he can get more tv time, or 3. asking to watch tv 4. complaining that I'm the stupidest mom ever and how I NEVER let him watch tv, and 5. talking about tv.
I HATE IT!  I told them that since it is winter vacation they could watch 2 hours a day and play 2 hours of computer time or Wii time per day.  A deal I believed to be quite generous.  They have all kinds of new Christmas toys and the house is full of fun things to do, but it is still a fight everyday all day long.  I hate that TV so much that several times a day I want to kick it in.  If I am not if fighting mode, they will sit and watch shows from 6:30 am when Eirik wakes up and immediately goes down and turns it on, to when I tell them to go to bed.  That has never happened, but I'm sure they would never turn it off on their own.   Plus, the minute I turn it off, they are fighting with each other and me.  Oh, the contention!  I hate it!  I can put tons of energy into activities for them to do and the second they see a tiny break in my effort, they ask to go watch a show.  Nothing I do can ever compete.  I feel like it's always an uphill battle that I will not win.  Joren follows Eirik.  When Eirik is at school, Joren likes my activities and we have fun learning and playing and exercising and talking.  I have not connected with Eirik all week since Christmas because he has been so into that stupid tv.
So, I thought he went back to school Monday, but he has yet another week at home.  I am going to have to get serious and think smart to have a good week next week because this one.. not so good!  All our favorite play date friends went to Utah for the vacation.  I feel so alone out here!  I think Christmas tends to bring out some of the worst in kids.. and the best, but some of the worst too.  Greedy little gusses.  I wanted to lock them in their rooms today.

Chritmas Night Wrap Up

What did our December hold?

1. Lots and lots of crafts-

Gingerbread houses - Teig is always happy if there is candy involved, as long as he gets some!  Joren mostly ate candy instead of using it on his house.  Eirik loved decorating his trees.  I got organic with my brown and white stone cottage.  Paul's fireplace was one of the highlights.  We all had fun picking out the candy at the store and using our creativity to make cottages.  Next year we are going to make gingerbread nativity scenes.

Making Sugar Cookies

 Eirik saw a terrarium with birds and nests in it one morning in a magazine and gave Joren and I an "assignment" to make one just the same while he was at school.  This is what we came up with. 
Flubber is a great concoction made with borax and elmers glue.  It is so fun! 




 1.In our home school Joren has been making itsy bitsy letter books that we learned about from Eirik's class. 2. Joren's wreath 3. Eirik's tree from school 4. Joren wanted to make a paper flower and plant it, so here it is.  4. Joren wanted to make a black owl and a (6) black woodpecker.  I really let Joren lead all of our school activities.  I just direct him so he stays excited.  It's fun to see his creativity develop and see him have deliberate opinions about how things should be made.  One of my favorite things is when he says, "mom, can we please do a craft?"  (REALLY!!?? Awesome!)




 1. The boys painted wooden dinosaur skeletons and then we put glitter on them for some of their uncles.  2. Joren and I collected sticks outside and then glued a bunch of our assorted buttons and stuff on the "tree" we made.  We love glue guns. 3. This is Teig's stocking that I made this year.  It's all felt except the tweed trees.  I think it turned out wonderful.  4.  All month I horded empty toilet paper rolls, paper rolls and wrapping paper rolls so we could make a bunch of these cardboard and pipe cleaner snowflake ornaments.  Fun and easy. 5. I used my former roomate Cindy Ferguson's template from her paper cutting blog to paint this design on a bunch of dish cloths for some of my close friends.  6. We gathered up some small plastic animals and put glitter on them for the little tree that Dr. Manz gifted us.  They turned out so cute. 

2. Karake party for all of Grekin's employees at Peking Palace- Paul's work parties are some of the only rare times when I get to interact with people not from our church that are not children.  I have not danced for ages and this was a really fun party.  Paul started off the karaoke with the song: "Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit"  It was perfect and really got the party going.  He was such a natural on stage.  A total ham.  We worked the crowd and really had fun with it.  I was really enamored!  Such a handsome rock star.  It was fun to mingle with all of his co-workers and have an all I could eat meal.  I think Paul had a good time but I probably made him dance a little more than he wanted to.  Oh well. :)
 
3. Eirik's first kindergarten party- Erik made me a clay bread warmer, this cute snowman, and he used his money to buy me this beautiful bracelet.  He loves giving gifts so much.  His list to Santa says: "1. I would like my family to be happy. 2. I want a T-Rex tooth. 3. Tor to be happy. Love Eirik" Isn't his picture of his family sweet!?  I love this kid.


















4. Zoo Christmas lights with Patty and John

5. 12 Days of Christmas for our neighbors the Whiting's, and a few deliveries to friends and neighbors.  I made these flowers for Jenny to make a mural on her girls bedroom wall.  The boys and I had a good time trying to be sneaky and not get caught. They caught us on day 5 though.  We had a good time giving them gifts every night.  The first night we gave them 1/2 of a pumpkin pie.  I cut the half into 4 pieces and arranged them to look like an angel and drew on a head with halo with marker on the plate.  It was a fun spontaneous clever moment.  Wish I had a picture.  We took Merry Mix and homemade hot chocolate mix to neighbors. 



6. Christmas Eve at Anona and Trevor Davis's house with Erin and Jed Walker, Jenny and Randy Balmforth and all their kids.  We all brought soup and bread and hor d'ovres.  After Anona played the piano while we all sang Christmas songs.  I sometimes feel like our four families are pretty critical in how our ward works.  We are all moving away at the same time in 1 1/2 years.   It's going to be a big change for our ward.  I'm sure we will stay in touch with these families.  They are our family here in MI.  It's fun to see our kids in this picture and imagine them all older together someday.

 

7. Paul and I sang in church- "Once in Royal David's City" and the kids sang with the primary "Because I have been given much"  Eirik knew every word and was by far the loudest voice.  At the beginning of the song he was one beat ahead for a few measures and our primary chorister had to run over and get his attention because he was leading the whole group too fast!  He is dynamic!  Joren thought it was pretty cool to drum his hands on the wooden railing he was leaning on.  It echoed through the chapel so he kept doing it.  He knew some of the words and they were both so totally endearing up there. I loved it!  Unfortunately, while they were singing, Paul was in the hall with Teig and because Teig was very tired he fell and hit his head on the edge of a door and sliced his forehead open.  Right after church we had to go get durobond stitches for him.  Poor guy!! He will probably have a scar.  What a Christmas present.

8. Many presents given:  my boys painted these for Katie and Danny. 

These are for Makayla and Kaitlyn:  We hope they like them!









Brother's Gift Exchange:



9. And received:





10. Fruit Pizza and orange juice

11. Relaxing day at home with new games, movies, Thai soup and our neighbor, Debbe Lavely

Peacock pet

After our experience with Santa last night Joren has been thinking about what he would really want for Christmas.  He has been talking a lot about snow globes, but I think his mind expanded a little when he realized he could ask for other things too.  Today I was laying down next to him in bed and he said, "Mom, I fink I know what I want for Christmas.  I would wike a pet.  I fink I would want a turtle."  I asked if he could take care of a turtle and he said, "I could, I would make him toys every day, and we would have to buy turtle food."  Then he said, "mom, maybe a turtle is not what I want, maybe I want a peacock since you wike peacocks, but we would need a big cage and peacock food."  Then he said, "I wove you mom, you are ve best mom ever."  Then I told him a had to go and do my chores and he said, "don't go, I super want you to stay wif me forever."  When I told him I had to go a bit later he said, "you're the worst mom ever."  Despite that, he's still pretty much candy to my soul.

Dancing

This week Pat and John came to town.  I had not yet met John and Paul had only spoken with him briefly at the wedding, so we were interested to get to know him.  He brought us all hand crocheted hats and scarves for Paul and I.  I love them.  The first night I made us a dinner of lemon spaghetti and shrimp fra diavolo with homemade bread and afterward we all sat by the fire and talked.  John told us all about his life and his kids and his previous wife.  He is kind and easy to be around and great with the kids.  He helps a lot with them and it is quite amazing how easily he fits with Patty.  They are a natural couple.  Patty told me how before Steve died she has a dream showing her where to move to when they sold their house on Nestucca.  She did not know at the time why it was so important where they move to, but she now feels it was a tender mercy of the Lord to move her to a ward where both John and Patty would find each other after their spouses died.  Her wedding ring has engraved the words, "chapter 2, a new hope".  I am glad to see her so happy.  I am strengthened by her commitment to herself and he ability to get what will make her happy. 
Yesterday morning Patty did EMDR on me.  You tap both sides of your body in rhythm and then feel a very happy moment and alternate to a very upsetting moment until the two sort of neutralize and if they don't then you find another time in your life when you felt the feeling of that upsetting moment and think what you would say to that younger version of yourself that would help, then you say that to yourself in the more present upsetting moment.  I want to remember how to do it.  My happy moment happened just last week.  After a nice family dinner we were all hanging out in the living room with all the Christmas lights twinkling and the firelight sparkling.  Eirik turned on Seven Brides for Seven Brothers to the barn raising scene and we all started dancing.  My boys were immitating the men on the movie how they fight over dancing with the women and they were fighting over the chance to dance with me.  They were competing with each other to see who was the best dancer.  It was truely a moment of complete joy.  Little Teig even came over to dance with me.  Perfection. 
My upsetting moment was 2 minutes later when Paul let Tor in the house to ruin our perfect moment.  My more upsetting moment was in college when I was standing in my apartment looking out my window thinking of all the people I knew and feeling that I had no one to talk to about my depression.  I was considering every person I knew and felt completely helpless and alone.  Patty used the words, out of control and that's what took me to that moment. I told that college girl she needed to speak up and talk to those closest to her even if it was scary.   And then she brought me back to Paul and taught me that I need to speak up even more to Paul.  Yeah... I need to speak up more I guess. 
At lunch time we picked up Eirik and we all went to Imagination Station.  After a Mexican Dinner we went to the Lights before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo.  We bought a year zoo pass with the Christmas money Pat and John gave us.  The kids and I are going to love going to the zoo all year long!  Santa was at the zoo in a giant tudor theater decorated so beautifully.  Eirik knew exactly what to say to Santa.  "I would like a remote control bug, remote control car and a T-Rex tooth replica."  Joren said he didn't know just what to ask for.  Santa told him that that must mean that he would be happy with whatever he got.  Joren agreed but as we were leaving the stage, Joren said, "I think I forgot something."  There was no line so I said, you have plently of time to go tell Santa what you want.  He went tentatively back over and said, "Santa, I forgot something." Then he hemmed and hawed and tried his best to think of anything to ask for.  Finally he said, "I fink I would want a snowgwobe."  He said it in the tiniest sweetest voice.  It was totally endearing. 
When we left the theater there was a big area piped with loud Christmas dance music.  Paul picked up Eirik and I picked up Joren and we danced for the whole song.  Joren looked in my eyes an said, "this is the best part of my life."  He was so sweet.  It was  a magical evening.

Thanksgiving

We invited the Bud's and the Walkers for Thanksgiving this year.  We kept it small on purpose and I'm so glad we did.  They are both amazing cooks, totally reliable and the kids all like each other.  Liz brought fun crafts for all of us to do which I loved.  My heart was full of thanks this year.  We are so blessed.  I am so glad to have great friends here while we are so far away from our family.

Eirik's first Tae Kwon Do tournament

Eirik had his first Tae Kwon Do tournament this week.  He was tested against his peers on all the things he has learned thus far.  Every child brought home trophies and it was plain to see on Eirik's face that this was a proud day!  Paul has been sad that Tae Kwon Do consistently falls on days when he is working.  So, on this day, I brought along our good friend Lizzy to help me.  She was a lifesaver!

Yeah Eirik!!

Magical Painting Sunday Afternoon

On Saturday our ward's primary volunteered to host a primary activity about the temple at the stake center adjascent to the temple.  While the children learned about the temple, the adults got to attend a session.  What a great service!!  It was great to get to go and ponder life with my husband while I was not stressed about my children. 

Saturday morning was a strain.  Joren's behavior was sapping all my goodness out of me.  I insisted that the kids play outside for a while and I got out my best parenting book called "5 Spiritual Solutions" and re-read a chapter I had previously loved, then I asked the Lord to help me be more patient and loving to my kids.  At the end of the chapter there was a suggestion that sometimes we have to ask for the help of the members of our ward or our families and friends to teach our children the lessons they might not learn from us.  I asked the Lord to help Joren respond to someone at the primary activity.  As we were having potluck dinner after the session a sister came up to me and told me how much she loved my children, how they are angel children.  She said each Sunday she can't wait to hear the things that Joren says.  She got a tear in her eye as she talked about how special they are.  She told how as the kids were walking around the temple Joren was really cold and Eirik took off his sweater so he was wearing only a white shirt and put it on Joren so Joren would have two sweaters.  I feel she was guided to share that with me in answer to my prayer because I did look at my children with more love after her kind words.  I asked Joren later how much he believed in God, a tiny bit, a little bit, a lot, or a whole lot.  He has been telling me for weeks that God is not real, but today he said, a little bit so I take that as an improvement.
After the kids had been indulged in quite a bit of TV time on Saturday I told them there would be no TV on Sunday and we brainstormed a lot of activities we could do to fill up our whole big Sunday.  It was a great precursor to a wonderful Sunday afternoon.  After a lunch, we got out the paints and my boys painted with me for over 3 hours.  They were self motivated and so creative.  Everyone was so nice and fun to be with.  We had a great time!  I think it was the first time I have actually worked on my own painting with my children and I am really excited about the progress!  Then we all went out in the dark and had a late night (5:30pm) walk around the neighborhood.  Grosse Ile has no street lights and it is a magical place at night.  We are always uplifted when we get outside for a walk.  Now that it is getting colder, we have missed more days and I think it is worth getting out there even if it is really cold because we all come home so refreshed. 

We are loving reading the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories together at night.  We are reading "Life in the Big Woods"  What a great book!!  I hope my kids really pick up the values in these books.  They resonate with me in such a big way. 

W HOP U (heart) YOORW COLSH (heart) EIRIK

Translation: "We hope you love your collage. Love, Eirik

This collage is actually all Joren's work, and it was not intended for his mother, but Eirik loves to give things away, even if they aren't his, and he knows I love art and that I love my children's drawings, so he made me this card and gifted Joren's amazing collage wall to me.  Each drawing is a person, and they almost all look pretty near the same.  They all have a head, eyes and two legs.  He's not really interested in drawing much more than that at this time, but he has a story for each person and loves them each individually, just as I do.  This wall is still growing and growing and growing.  I think it is awesome!

Acorn Squash with pork Sausage

Tonight I made Acorn Squash with pork Sausage stuffing. (Delicious I might add).  I used the acorn squash that Joren begged for me to buy at the farmer's market.  Of course he did not know what it was when he picked it out and tonight after getting one look at the meal, he would not even come near the table.  From around the corner I heard his little voice say, "I feel bad at myself for picking out that dumb acorn squash."  Sadly, he went to bed hungry.  Poor guy.

On Monday we had one of those wonderful family nights that I hope I will remember in clear detail when I am older.  After dinner, we sat at the table and had a lesson about what reverence is. We talked about how when you are respectful and still in the forest, deer and squirrels might eat of your hands and if you are loud and obnoxious, you will miss the mysteries of nature around you.  Then I compared that to how the spirit teaches us and talks to us.  The kids listened long enough to hear all the stories and then have fun playing a game in complete silence/ reverence.  After I bore testimony Paul turned off the lights and brought out the glow sticks and put on some awesome dance music and we all got crazy.  It was the perfect mix of the things I love about my family.  Good food/ spiritual talks and lots of fun. 
Paul put the glow sticks on strings so we could swing them around and make a spectacular light show. 
After my lesson Joren looked at me and said, "mom, you're wrong you know.  God is not real."  I sure hope that's just the 3 year old in him talking.  I told him that everyone can tell him that God is real, but he will never know for sure unless he can feel it with his heart and he has to be reverent and listen to hear the spirit talk to him.  He has a reckless and free spirit.  He has discovered he can sit and draw for hours though.  We do crafts every day and he is always asking if we can make something.  I love it!

Can you sing that song...

Can you sing the song about the opossum in snow?
Do you mean, "blossom of snow may you bloom and grow?" 
Edelweiss?  Yes! mystery solved. 

63" Plasma Screen TV

Paul works with a guy (Dr. Whitworth) who moved into a new house that had a home theater system.  He no longer needed his huge TV's so, guess what?  Paul bought his 63" plasma screen TV for $375!  We installed it last night.  As soon as I realized I was going to be the one helping put it on the wall, my mind began racing with visions of me dropping this thing.  3 years ago Dr. W bought it for $6000!  It weighs over 300 lbs so I was nervous.  It was quite the feat for us to heft it up over shoulder height.  My legs were shaking for a whole hour after the adrenaline wash of that install.  It's a sweet screen and we feel pretty spoiled!

It pays to be older. :)

Last night on a cool, crisp autumn night, we were driving home from a Relief Society meeting where we learned to can apple pie filling and make caramel apples. I drove the kids along the river front and then up to the point of the island hoping they might fall asleep on the way home.  The boys started asking to hear some spooky Halloween stories.  I told a spooky one that turned funny which disappointed Joren, who begged for a scarier one.  I turned down a dirt road in a wooded hiking area.  When we were "deep" in the forest, I pretended the car stalled and opened the window.  I pretended to see glowing eyes and to hear howling and ghosts.  Joren loved it, but Eirik got freaked out and started to cry.  It was not the nicest thing I've ever done, but it sure was funny!  We are really enjoying the Halloween season this year.

"what is alive in you?"

Paul had a patient this week who had seen 3 or 4 dermatologists before and had suffered from acute red scaly plaque and fissures on both hands and arms and feet for over 6 years.  He is part of the cement worker's guild and works with cement every day.  Because of his extremely painful condition he was considering going on disability because continuing to work was becoming excruciating.  He decided to ask one more doctor.  Fortunately, it was Paul because he was smart enough to put together the facts that leather gloves and cement both contain potassium dichromate.  The leather gloves and boots he was wearing to protect him from the cement was actually exacerbating the allergic condition he had developed to the cement.  Paul prescribed new canvas gloves and arm protection along with a different boots and several medications.  After one week, his skin was completely cleared up.  He brought his wife and kids in with him for his follow up visit to thank Paul.   This big, tough tattooed guy cried and gave Paul a big hug along with a plate of enchiladas as a thank you. Paul said that things like this happen every day. 
At a luncheon this week one of his superiors asked them all to answer the question, "what is alive in you?"  He said that being able to help people every day is incredibly fulfilling and studying for boards, while stressful, it is no longer working to pass a test, but each thing he studies is linked with a real person and the possibility to actually help people with the knowledge is very real which keeps him going and keeps him excited.
Watch for more of his success stories.  I have to pry them out of him, but I sure love hearing them.

First stitches

"I'm ALWAYS careful mom!"
Joren's famous last words before he cut himself bad enough to need his first stitches.  Just two, but TRAUMATIC for a 3 year old.  Kind of cool that his dad is a total rock star and can give him stitches at home.
Taking the stitches out was almost as traumatic.  I hate to hold my kids down for things, but it pretty much came to that and in the end Joren said, "you were right mom, it didn't hurt at all."  Since Joren is ALWAYS right, that admission was a pretty big deal.  (notice his "custom" hair cut bangs.)