This Week at Our House # 40

1. John had a job interview for a job in New Hampshire that Adam and I were really excited about. We were looking at houses with wooded land and lots of area for kids to explore, and then John did not get the job. I think Heavenly Father was probably protecting us from a place or a job that is just not right. Still, we were a little disappointed. John did have a second interview for another place and he felt like that went well, especially since it was all technical stuff that he would know if he knew it well or not. So we continue to pray and hopefully something will come up soon.
2. My sister Amber came to visit and we took the kids on a hike to Donut Falls. At the falls, some guys came up with boxes of Donuts. That was pretty fun. 
3. Ruth did not do well on her calculus test, so she dropped down a level before it gets much harder. I think that was a very mature decision. It really won't make any difference in her life if she has calculus as a junior in high school, but it could make a difference in her life if she gets a "C" and then cannot get a scholarship.
4. Kate got a high score on her calculus test. So she is moving ahead of Ruth in math. I hope she is being kind about it. 
5. I had parent teacher conferences for all of the Legacy Prep kids. All of Johnny's teachers think he is doing very well. The only complaint is that he is too anxious to answer any questions. He has the highest score in his biology class and his teacher seems to really like Johnny and all of his nerdiness. She requested that he join the Science Olympiad team. I thought that sounded good for Johnny, so he will join when he next has biology.
6. Adam's teacher adores him. She told me that she has been very impressed with Adam and when I came in and taught about the constitution, she knew we were just a great family. That's just so sweet. I think that means that Adam has a very nice teacher. 
7. Rachel's teacher just talked about how cute, little,and entertaining Rachel is. I wanted to talk about her reading. She is slow, but her understanding and recall is very good. That is a good thing. That means that in time, Rachel will be catching up and doing better. Rachel's teacher said that Rachel is quiet. I actually laughed out loud and said, "I did not expect that!" Rachel is the loudest and most talkative kid in our family. (It must have something to do with being the middle kid in a large family.) I told that to Rachel and she said "it is because the rule is you have to be quiet and so I am just quiet, to obey."
8. Anya's teacher said she really likes Anya and always keeps an eye on her because she is quiet and she does not want Anya to feel lost in the crowd. Anya is ahead on all parts of reading, so she is doing fabulously!
9. Joseph is behaving well in school. He is not testing as well at school as he does at home. Hopefully that won't be a problem his whole life. Joseph's teacher described him as "fun and energetic."
10. Josh has loved having the attention of my sister Amber. Amber is really good with little kids and is handling his over handling of her well. Josh did really well on our hike and stayed up front with the older kids most of the hike. Josh snuck a habenero pepper and really, really regretted it. The skin around his mouth and nose was burning red.
11. Arwen hiked the full mile and a half without any problems. That's pretty impressive for a 2 year old, I think.
12. Susan was pretty fussy on the whole this week. She enjoyed the hike because she likes being outside. I think she is probably growing because she has been sleeping a lot more too.

This Week's Pictures

Adam is into selfies

This Week at Our House # 39

1. Not a bad week. The phone interview John thought went badly last Friday sort of did. The interviewer recommended him for another position in the company, so he has a technical interview for that company this Wednesday. He has another place that has requested a phone interview. I looked up housing and cost of living in both places and I am really hoping John gets the second job and we get to move there. 
2. My life is busy. I think it must have something to do having 10 children. I had a fun opportunity to go and view the movie "Meet the Mormons" as well as meet a couple of the cast members. That was so fun. I am a little shy, so I was glad to have a couple of more out-going people with me.
3. Ruth is struggling a bit with calculus. She says she is bad at math, but anyone who has gotten A's in all of her math classes and has finished every course below calculus before her junior year in high school is not bad at math. She will need to study a little harder, but I think she can do this.
4. Kate does not feel like she is struggling at all in calculus which is why Ruth feels like she is so bad at it. But Kate has been privileged in math. I taught her algebra I and II and geometry one on one and then she had an amazing and tough math teacher for pre-cal and trig with only 3 other students last year. Though, I am still proud of my girl who couldn't recognize her numbers in the first grade and has made it into calculus at the top of her class when she is in 10th grade. 
5. Johnny had a good week. John bought a game for Johnny's birthday that he has been busy with all week. 
6. Adam came home from school upset because his teacher took ten minutes to get to his math question and the wasted time made it so he had math homework. He says he hates school because they don't give him enough time to eat lunch and because of homework of course.
7. Rachel came with the big girls to the General Women's Meeting. Last time she was so wiggly and bored. This time she sat still and listened. Rachel has lots of friends in school and a couple of them greeted her as we went into the Women's Meeting.
8. Anya adores Adam. There are some things she will only do and play with Adam. I think that is very sweet. 
9. Joseph is picking up reading at a good rate, and we can't walk into the school without someone saying hi to Joseph. I think he must be doing well. Parent/teacher conferences are coming this week. I am anxious to hear how he is doing.
10. Joshua is calming down. I have been pretty strict with his behavior and he is getting back under control. 
11. Arwen has been so funny. She calls John by his first name every time. She says "mom and John". She has also been singing "Let it Go" at the top of her lungs. We don't even own the song and she has only seen the movie once. But it has been really cute. It's funny the things 2 year olds pick up on.
12. Susan is rolling over. The last two times I have gotten Susan from her bed, she has been on her stomach. I am guessing that is ok, because the nurse from the medicaid department that visited our home told me that doctors are now recommending that baby's nap on their stomachs because too many baby's are behind in their development from not enough tummy time. 

This Week's Pictures

Susan's Blessing Day

Susan's baby blessing was this morning in John's brother, Jeremy's ward along with her little cousin Seth. We thought it would be nice to do the two blessings together. Susan and Seth were born 7 weeks apart.

We were originally planning on having a luncheon for all of the families at Jeremy's house afterwards, but Susan leaked her diaper thoroughly onto my lap. I just could not see myself serving food, having children climb all over me, and even just sitting in poopy clothes for a couple of hours. Every time I moved my arm down, it brushed across the poop spot on my lap. So we went straight home after Sacrament Meeting. The 50 minute drive kept us from going back.

These are my notes from Susan's baby blessing:

"Heavenly Father loves you and will take care of you."
"You will help tie the family together and that is one reason you were sent to this family."
"You need to learn about the scriptures and the doctrine of the church."
"You have great capacity to love your parents as they lead and guide you."
"You will have your own eternal family."
"You need to learn to serve Jesus Christ and be a good servant."
"Get to know Heavenly Father and the Savior by studying the scriptures. Learn what kind of being Jesus Christ is so you can follow His example."

These are John's additional notes:

"Learning about the scriptures and doctrine you will make the gospel part of your life and your example of living it will help others to live it. Through that means you will be able to bring others to the gospel."

"You will have a great love for your parents. As you develop that it reciprocate some of the love that your parents have for you."

More Pictures

Meet the Mormons: Movie Review

 "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

(Matt 5:14-16)

Meet the Mormons asks the question, "Who are the Mormons?" To answer the question, this documentary tells the stories of average, every day members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

The movie begins with the story of the "Bishop", Jermaine Sullivan and his lovely wife Kembe. They are an African-American family living in Atlanta, Georgia with their three young sons. This family warms your heart as you watch the young Bishop teaching the youth in his ward to dance and the cutest little two year old climbing all over his mother during sacrament meeting.

Next, we all get to enjoy some great big belly laughs as we meet the "Coach" and his fun, competitive family. Then we meet, the "Fighter", beautiful Carolina Muñoz Marin. She may be a kickboxing champion to many, but even better, she is a champion wife and mother to her family.

If  the goodness of  the "Humanitarian", from the remote mountain villages of Nepal, hasn't brought tears to your eyes, count yourself lucky and run and grab the kleenex for the next two stories. The "Candy Bomber" and the "Mom" will pull at the emotions of even the most critical of viewers.

Do the stories accurately portray the lives of the people? Kambe Sullivan and Dawn Armstrong,

two women featured in the film, say yes! Imagine being filmed and edited and then being able to say, "Yes that is me." The stories told in the movie are true stories that accurately portray the ordinary lives of extraordinary people. Except, I am sure Dawn and Kambe would not say, "I am extraordinary."

What do we learn about Mormons from these Latter-day Saints? We learn that great obsticles can be overcome through faith and service. We learn that it's the little things added up that make the biggest differences. We learn that Mormon's are ordinary people who take whatever is handed to them in life and through faith in the Savior, Jesus Christ, become lights to the world. We learn that Mormons are disciples of  Jesus Christ.

Who would like the movie? Everyone!! This is a movie for the young and the old, for members of the church and non-members alike. For people of varying cultures and life circumstances. This movie can entertain and touch the hearts of all who watch it, because Meet the Mormons is not just a Mormon story, it is a human story.

Meet the Mormons can be viewed in theaters beginning Oct 10th! 

For more information about the movie, go here.

This Week at Our House # 38

1. We had lots of awesome friends take John's resume and he had one phone interview on Friday. I am feeling more hopeful. John has been faithful, stalwart, and free of doubt this whole journey. I am the one who waffles between faith and fear. It is good to have such a rock solid spouse.
2. I have been thinking and reflecting a lot about our time in Utah. John and I expect that we will have to move, and I have been questioning the inspiration we had to move here in the first place. But I have grown more in Utah then in any other place we have ever lived. In many ways I feel like I have found myself here. I will have to blog the details about this in it's own post. But it does give me peace that we were not deceived and we went where we knew we should go.
3. Ruth is busy, busy, busy. I miss having her around more. She just has so much homework! She did go to a football game with friends. But she did not get asked to homecoming which I thought was sad. But she seemed fine. Maybe next year...
4. Kate is busy, busy, busy too with lots of homework. Ruth and Kate are tired. High school is a lot of work and then they come home, have lots of homework and help around the house. Kate went to the football game and thought it was just boring. She said she will not go again.
5. My dear Johnny turned 13 today!!! I now have 3 teens, and I won't have another one for 3 more years. Johnny had his usual week with school. He is doing well at keeping up on his school work, which is a nice change from last year.
6. Adam had his final soccer game and his first week of musical practice. I think he is actually happy that soccer is over.
7. Rachel came out of her room about a half hour after I put her to bed and said, "I tried and I cannot sleep." I told her to go back and try again. Rachel replied, "My dreams are too boring." Hmmm... nice try...I still sent her back to bed. She LOVED her first week of musical practice. I got to watch the last 5 minutes and Rachel seemed happier than I have ever seen her. She is in little Rachel heaven.
8. Anya needs more sleep. She is just so weepy. I put her to bed and she just stays awake for a long time. I think she would be so much happier if she just got more rest.
9. Joseph has been spending a lot of his free time writing his letters. I just think that is cute!
10. I think Josh is finally starting to actually potty train. Instead of just wetting his pants he does a potty dance until I tell him to go to the bathroom and he has told me that he needs to go to the bathroom at least 3 times this past week. I'm just hoping, though. He has sure taught me not to expect a good week to mean he's got it.
11. Yesterday John called Arwen over to him and she said, "Nope John," instead of "dad". Another time she said "Thank you, John." It's pretty funny to hear your 2 year old call her father by his first name.
12. Susan is 3 months now!!! I left her on the couch Monday morning and she rolled right over. Since then she has rolled from her back to her stomach each time I laid her down. She is strong and she is growing. 

This Week's Pictures

Josh said he made a sandwich good. It is bread with chocolate chips and a ripped up tortilla in between.

I Have 3 Teens

I am now the parent of three teens-- 1 boy and 2 girls!! Johnny turned 13 today! He is such a good, good boy. I know I do not deserve him. A little more than 13 years ago when I was pregnant with Johnny the Spirit whispered to me that I was going to be given a child that is valiant and righteous and better than me and better than my husband. I had Johnny and he has lived up to being a valiant child every day of his life.

Johnny just turned 13 and has almost finished the entire standard works. He has just a little bit of the Old Testament left, and I know that he has read the Book of Mormon through at least twice. But that is not all, he tries really hard to be good and to have self control. As a baby and a toddler, Johnny never had a screaming fit-- not one.

In school Johnny is nice and good. All of his teachers tell me that if there was such a thing as a perfect student, it would be Johnny. And that is with him being two grades ahead.

Johnny has always been very obedient to John and I. He does all of the work I tell him to do and he usually does it quickly and accurately. Johnny is nice and kind to his younger brothers and sisters. In fact, he is an incredible example and all of his brothers adore him and look up to him.

When kids at school or at church make fun of Johnny for being a nerd or a goody-goody, he just agrees with them and then happily tries to be a friend.

We are all very, very blessed to have this amazing Child of God as a part of our family.

Happy Birthday, Johnny! I look forward to seeing you grow and develop through your teen years.