*random*

While I am trying to figure out the password to Justin's laptop so I can load pictures, I wanted to remember some funny things the boys have said lately.

We will start with one from Liam.

We were playing "pass" with his stuffed angry bird and after a couple throws he decided that the areas in front of the couch were acid. He jumped onto the couch and proceeded to tell me that the areas on the side and in back of the couch were safe. I asked him how we were going to be able to get anywhere since we are not allowed to go over the back of the couch. His little body manuvered over to the side of the couch to get off and as he was hopping back on, one of his feet touched the acid.

I asked him if his foot hurt since it was probably burning off because of the acid and he looked at me and said: "I'm okay, I am wearing special shoes."

One from Luke.

Our cable is out due to all the snow that has been falling up at my in laws. The boys get a little restless and Luke was getting a little bored. I was at work and Justin texted me a conversation he had with Luke.

Justin: "Why don't you choose a board game?"
Luke: "No way. Grandma and grandpa only have old games like the pioneers had when they walked and walked."

Oh boy.

Lastly, another one involving Liam and I couldn't have a post about funny things my boys say without including a bodily function.

There is quite a bit of roadwork being done on the way to the boys' school. Liam and I were on our way to pick up the brothers and as I was turning onto the road I smelled something foul.

"Liam, was that you? Did you toot?"
"No mom! It was you."
"Um, I know it was not me."

The smell dissipated somewhat but then a couple seconds later it was pretty bad again.

"Seriously Liam. Quit farting!"
"Mom! It wasn't me! I didn't feel a burst from my bottom!"

Turns out they are working on the sewer line.

*light*

One of my most favorite things about Christmas is all the lights.

We love to go see the Temple Square lights early in the season on a random weeknight--absolutely NOT on a Monday--so it is not super crowded. This makes walking down lover's lane more romantic, taking pictures easier, watching the nativity more meaningful, being able to spend a moment with the Christus and reflect on the true light of the season.

It was so bitter cold but the boys kept warm running everywhere looking at all the different nativities and I didn't have to worry because again, there was hardly anyone there.









One million lights greeted us at the zoo about a week later. It was absolutely stunning.

And the fact that we got in for super cheap thanks to Groupon it made the night even more enjoyable.













Light makes everything lovely.

*2012*

Hello New Year.

There have been many things that have been on my mind lately and I realize I still have much of the Christmas holiday to post but with our computer temporarily out of commission I feel this is a perfect time to take a breath and reflect on our life over the past year or so.

It has been a crazy ride the past couple years. Well, the last few years actually. One that involved tears, patience, swallowing pride, and a huge amount of self realization. It was actually very productive and created a strange but lovely garden of stress and harmony and self confidence and frustration and a most bountiful harvest of hope.

Part of me wants to push rewind and revisit choices that were made. Actions that were taken. Consequences that were felt. But then my practical side realizes that this never can be done and we look at the damage. A few bruises here. A bump there. Overall, we have come through relatively unscathed.

I am not quite sure what I am supposed to learn from all of this however. I am obviously not catching the hint because I feel that we have had the same trials over and over but hopefully I become more polished as I tumble through. I feel like it is slowly coming to an end but don't want to become too sure of the prospect of our own house again yet since everything is in God's timing but I am hopeful that what we have been working so hard for will finally come to fruition.

Justin and I are better communicators. Better friends. More thoughtful and kind to one another. No, it is not all roses and butterflies around our home but we are definitely in a good place. A happy place.

My kids are amazing people. I am so proud to be their mom. Honestly, I love being a mom more than anything in the world. I cannot imagine my life without them. Sometimes I feel like I am uninteresting because my life revolves around my kids and they are all I ever really talk about. But then I don't care because they are my life.

Nick is wonderful. He has such a good head on his shoulders and plans to do good things with his life. He is polite and helps and uses his manners. He also uses his big brotherliness to bother the daylights out of his siblings but if that is the worst he does, I can live with it. He will get what is coming to him in a couple years when those little brothers become taller and stronger than he is.

Andrew is fabulous. He is scatterbrained but makes up for it with his sincere love for everyone. He is so loving and kind and sensitive that it makes my heart melt. He is such a delight to have in our family.

Luke is as stubborn as the day is long but he makes me smile. My favorite thing lately is to watch him play the cello with his tongue sticking out. His smiles melt my heart and I love that he signs "I love you" as he walks into school and makes sure that I am watching.

Liam is my little buddy. We do everything together. He is worried that I will die before him and it is a source of anxiety for him. I assure him that it will be a long time before this happens. He asked my dad the other day if he would be his friend because Grandma Scott said he could have one friend come up and play with him at their house. I thought it was the cutest thing ever. I am so happy that he is our baby.

I don't want to focus on New Year's resolutions because there are so many things that I would like to accomplish. There is one goal, however, that I realize I must focus on. My relationship with my Savior.

I have not been doing the little things that I should be and want to be doing but time slips away and another day goes by without saying my prayers. Or reading my scriptures. You get the idea. So no more excuses. I will be better.

One of my favorite people ever passed away just before Thanksgiving. An incredible woman who bravely fought breast cancer with grace and with an insane amount of courage. She is wonder woman and happens to be the mother of my dear brother in law.

At her funeral service, I learned that one thing she was adamant about was everyone being together in the celestial kingdom. "No empty chairs." I love love love that and I hope it is okay with her family but I would like to also use it for my family. "No empty chairs" means there will be family home evening. There will be good choices. There will be no excuses to do the little things that keep our family strong. This is why I got married in the temple--to have an eternal family.

I also want to post inspiration that I have read or heard to help me stay on track with my goal. I will start with a talk from the October General Conference.

Read it here.

2012 is going to be a good year.

I love it already.