I have not dropped off the face of the Earth!! I am here and life is pretty busy these days. The biggest change to life lately is the return of John and I to school. We both decided it was time to head back and get our degrees. We decided that the price and the online capabilities, along with the opportunity to get a reputable degree, made our church’s Pathway program the best option for us.

We’ve been in class for a little over two weeks now. It’s been a bit of a change for us but it’s been going well. We have two classes for three semesters in the Pathway program and then we’ll go (assuming we’re accepted) to BYU-Idaho online to finish up. As a requirement in the program, one of the two classes is a religion course. For the first semester, the religion course will be covering the first half of the Book of Mormon. We are also taught and encouraged to use different study skills and to share what we’ve learned in different ways. One way to share what we’ve learned is to post a blog entry…and here we are.

 This first lesson in our religion course was over the first 5 chapters of 1 Nephi, in the Book of Mormon. I cannot tell you how many times I have read the first few chapters of this sacred book but this time through, I still learned so much. As I read, I tried substituting my name for Nephi’s. This study skill is aptly called substitution. I did this for the first three chapters and then it dawned on me that some of the verses wouldn’t be true if my name were placed there instead of Nephi’s. For example 1 Nephi 2: 16 reads And it came to pass that I, Nephi (Clara), being exceedingly young, nevertheless being large in stature, and also having great desires to know of the mysteries of God,

This is only the first half of the verse but it hit me “I am not large in stature, nor exceedingly young”. Then I continued the verse  Wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers. Then I had to ask myself if this part of the verse would be a true statement if it were referring to me and not Nephi.  Then I continued reading first Nephi in that mindset: “Is this a true or false statement?”

Asking myself this question was a bit sobering, to be honest. I found that many of the things said about Nephi would, in fact, not be considered true if my name were placed in the subject line.

My mind continued to mull over this and I continued to study and pray.  I kept substituting my name for Nephi’s. 
When I got to the chapter three, I had another idea, “why don’t I substitute my name for some of the others in this part of the history?”  So I did.  I went back and substituted my name for Lehi’s and Sariah’s.  I also felt a bit under-qualified when I put my name in for Lehi’s.  I did, however relate to Sariah in 5:2-3.  2 For she had supposed that we had perished in the wilderness: and she also had complained against my father, telling him that he was a visionary man; saying, Behold thou hast led us forth from the land of our inheritance, and my sons are no more, and we perish in the wilderness. 3 And after this manner of language my mother complained against my father.

I have complained before. I have certainly been concerned for my children before and I definitely have lost faith before.

Then, the kicker, I tried my name in the parts of Laman and Lemuel. I kind of bristled at the thought, given that they play the part of villain at many points in the story. But I gave it a shot: Chapter 2: 12 And thus Laman and Lemuel (Clara), being the eldest, did murmur against their(her) father. And they(she) did murmur because they(she) knew not the dealings of that God who had created them (her).

I already admitted that I murmur, at least a little.

And Chapter 3: 28 And it came to pass that Laman(Clara) was angry with me, and also with my father;

And again in Chapter 3: 31 And after the angel had departed, Laman and Lemuel (Clara) again began to murmur, saying: How is it possible that the Lord will deliver Laban into our hands? Behold, he is a mighty man, and he can command fifty, yea, even he can slay fifty; then why not us?

Again in Chapter 4: 4 Now when I had spoken these words, they(she was) were yet wroth, and did still continue to murmur; nevertheless they(she) did follow me up until we came without the walls of Jerusalem.

Okay, okay. I complain a lot. It’s not becoming and it’s certainly not faith building, I know. I do get wroth on occasion as well. It’s a good thing I am also working on my temperance in this class.

Unfortunately for me, some of these versus hit much closer to home than the faith and obedience Nephi demonstrates in Chapter 3: 7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. Do I have that kind of faith? Or am I too busy murmuring?

This exercise was an eye opener for me. I realized that I might stand closer to Laman and Lemuel than Nephi when it comes to my murmuring, my faith and my willingness to obey. I certainly have some work to do. I want to be one of the heroes in my family’s story, not the villain or even the bystander. What about you?

What blog?

It's been forever!! So much has happened in the past year since I have posted but then not much at all. I am soooo not going to play catch up for the last year or year and a half or what ever it's been but here are a few highlights:
I had surgery...again.
We had an awesome summer of hanging but the pool with friends and cousins.
We got an awesome dog. Buddy
We had birthdays, holidays and some great memories.
I continued to take care of my body and get into shape.
I got certified and started teaching cycle and Pilates at the gym.
I decided to homeschool the three older kids instead of putting them back in a school that wasn't willing to challenge them.
Our oldest son was baptized.
I LOVED teaching them and at the gym.
We moved. Again.
We had to find a new home for our awesome dog (and much of our belongings).
We are trying to adjust to this new place.

That's about it. In a nutshell.  The big one is moving obviously. The company John was working for in Topeka was bought out and then decided to move all their operations to their main office in Des Moines. That's right Iowa. Moving to Iowa was never on my list of things to willingly do but here we are. It's a great company to work for and everything just fell into place for us to come here. John is really enjoying work. After much prayer, we decided to enroll the kiddos in public school here. Not knowing anyone and the fact that the schools are really great in the area we located to, helped a lot in the decision making process. Anyway, they are enjoying it for the most part. A likes to be around kids her age, she loves to learn, and she is loving all the cool things they get to do. She is playing clarinet in the 5th grade band. J does not love school but tolerates it well enough. He does well academically and has made more of an effort to make friends. Ike loves getting to socialize but is highly inconvenienced when they expect him to learn. The two youngest could have gone to preschool but I decided against it. I love having them home with me and I will do so as long as possible. It's a daily struggle not to pull my older children out...I miss homeschooling them.

Anyhoo, we are here in IA. I am not going to lie, it's not been great. But it's growing on us and we are trying to make the best of it. With all of my new found spare time I am really going to try to post more. We'll see how that goes.

Also...

Last summer was just perfect. I have so many wonderful memories. Before Salt Lake, I was able to do a few fun and exciting things. John and I celebrated 10 years of marriage!! And I ran my first 5k...The Color Run.

I didn't realize we would be going anywhere for our anniversary when I signed up for the Color Run which was on our anniversary day. When the summer got closer, John and I decided we should do something. We decided to book a couple nights at a really fun hotel in KC. It's one with the themed rooms, we got the Castaway room...super fun. We were able to spend 2 1/2 days without children!! We went shopping, went out to eat, saw friends and just had an amazing time together. I love that man to pieces!! I can't believe we have been married for more than a decade. We have been through a lot together and I really wouldn't have it any other way. I know it's cliche but it's true. We were married young by today's standards but we have grown together and been able to share so many experiences and memories. I have that much more time with my eternal companion, and yeah, I wouldn't have it any other way.

A few weeks later it was time for the Color Run. The winter before, some friends and I made a goal. Not only did I want to lose weight and be healthier but I wanted to RUN a 5k, so we all registered for the Color Run and began a journey. At least it was a journey for me. The last Friday in June, we headed for KC. We went out to eat, had a hotel and had a blast. Dinner was delicious and so much fun, and having a "sleep over" with friends was also a lot of fun. We got up in the morning and headed for the stadium where the race was to take place. There were over 30,000 people there!! We were a bit late and we waited in the sea of humanity until we were at the start line. I think we were in the 10th heat. Anyway, I ran the whole way!! It was a BLAST!! Really hot, really colorful and just so much fun. I was so proud of myself and the ladies that went with me. We all finished!!

I have gone on to run another Color Run, the Glow Run and a half marathon with a friend that set up her own here in town. I have to say that if you are starting a weight loss journey or you want to be a runner, start with a goal. One that is attainable, one you aren't doing alone, and one that is fun. A 5k is a perfect way to start. It was for me and I will be returning to KC for the Color Run with an even bigger group this summer....so excited!!

After the race

After we showered

The Glow Run. This one was actually timed and I was really proud of myself. 

The second Color Run.

The Fourth at my MIL's.

Baby S was a little confused. She thought the crate was the best place to be.

 E likes dirt

At the beginning of each summer we make a list of the things we want to do. Usually there's picnics, camping, catching fireflies, bike rides and so many other things on it. It is has been a wonderful tradition for us. Last year, I started something else for summer...a project. Each of the kids got to pick a project at Hobby Lobby to complete. A's was this bag, J made a model solar system that hangs in his room, Ike made a dream catcher and E colored a poster.

 John and I took the kids to the Kansas History Museum here in town. There is a little area they can dress up in. J had the perfect serious cowboy face and A had to try really hard not to smile. Ike wouldn't even try the cowboy stuff.



The boys adore their baby sister!!

The kids were invited to do a Friend Camp with a bunch of kids from church. They met everyday for a week and played fun games, got treats, and went swimming. 

hello again

Wow!! June 2nd was a LONG time ago!! A lot has happened in the last 8 months. We have had birthdays, holidays, school and some fun family stuff. Let us start at the beginning shall we...

We spent the summer at the pool. The Fourth was spent at my MIL's eating good food and doing fireworks with the kids. The weekend after the Fourth, the kids and I headed to UT.

The drive was long and the baby was sick the whole 16 hours. It was worth it though, we did so many fun things. We spent some much needed time with Grandma and Grandpa Love, aunts, uncles and cousins. We went boating, camping (twice), went to museums and the aviary. We got to spend time at Aunt Jessie's and Uncle Travis' house. We toured Temple Square and we even all "ran" a 5k that ended in the Pioneer Day Parade in SLC. The kids thought it was amazing to walk the parade route and get cheered on by the people sitting out waiting for the parade to start. Jake had a blast at the Planetarium and the copper mine was very interesting.

John joined us out there for a couple weeks and we had even more fun.  We were able to travel to MT to visit John's brother, Scott, and his wife, Laura. They took us hiking to waterfalls and to the hot springs. We went to some caves (super cool!!) and to the kids' great excitement, a playground. We were able to attend church with them and visit Laura's sweet family. We ended our six week stay away at Lake Powell with my siblings, parents, and extended family. I love the lake! Rustic camping is a lot of work, but it is so much fun. We eat, play and chat for a week. I don't have to worry about schedules or naps or making them eat their vegetables. Life is simple. Love it. The kids play in the water and sand all day. The adults visit, water ski, wake board and tube. Actually, A tried wake boarding and she even got up a few times. She also loves to tube. J and Ike were content just to swim and play in the sand. E wouldn't even get in the water past his ankles...weirdo. They all love riding on the boat though and Grandpa loves to take them. John was such a good sport and we both went out wake boarding on Manda and Terron's new boat. I hurt my ankle pretty badly...it's just now healed all the way. I was able to hike to the top of Hole in the Rock for the first time and we had a great beach with lots of cool placed to hike and explore nearby. A and I went exploring one day and made up names for all the "mountain tops" that surrounded our beach. John and I decided to take the kids to a "mountain" they wanted to climb one day. After rowing/swimming a big channel with all of them, we started up. We made it to a narrow ledge and A had a panic attack that scared us all to death...so we turned back. Such great times, and great memories.

So, we had a blast with our awesome family. The kids and I were gone for a LONG time. It is very important to me for them to have a relationship with the family members they don't get to see often. My parents are so important to me and I want them to be a big part of my children's lives. That is just difficult to accomplish from 1,000 miles away. We had, and always do have, such a great time with them. We came home from our vaca to school and schedules and extra kids and life. That will be another post though. I am going to try to be better about posting, if for no other reason than to just have some kind of documentation of my awesome life.

 Sick Baby :-(

 We had just had a major battle because none of the boys wanted to sleep next to each other and A "could never" sleep next to one of the boys. I am so glad we worked that out

 J is a monkey, he can climb anything. This pole was a good 12 feet high on the U campus. We were with Aunt Jess waiting for the bus to go back to her house after having lunch with Grandma.

 Natural History museum with Aunt Jess and Cousin Riley

 Natural History Museum. We went on a free day...it was insane!! We witnessed a panicked lady lose her son. I hope they found him. It was pretty cool and the kids had a blast. Their fave was probably digging up dinosaur fossils in the pit outside.

 Completely taking over Aunt Jessie and Uncle Travis' house, and Cousin Riley's toys.

 Planetarium

 Ike was just so pooped. HAHAHA

 At a splash park in SLC with Aunt Jess and Great Grandma Von

 Right before the Pioneer Day 5k

 Temple Square. We were on the roof of the Conference Center after our tour

 I believe I have mentioned that E is a weirdo

 We were lucky enough to visit the Hill Air Museum again (love it!) and make it for a class for the kids. They made these little paper rockets and then we went outside and they got to launch them with an air compressor. So cool!! The kids LOVED it.

 J is going to be the first man to walk on Mars he says. He loves space.

 Taken in MT after our picnic and our hike up to the beautiful waterfall.

 At church with Scott and Laura, Baby G was sportin' her first ponytail.

The Lewis and Clark Caves were so cool. They brought back memories of Carlsbad Caverns. Baby G was getting frustrated not being able to get down and get around. E was a bit clinging too, but the other kids loved the caves.

We had so many opportunities to teach the kids, build relationships with loved ones, and just have fun. It was a great time!



Three months is a long time without a post. A lot has happened since March 6th or whatever it was at my last post. A is finished with 2nd grade and is loving being out for the summer. She LOVES to go to the pool every day and get new books every week at the library. J-bird is a first grader now! He has really excelled this past year academically and is really interested in outer space right now. Ask him anything....he probably knows the answer! Ike had his tonsils removed in April (which went reasonably well) and he was happy for preschool to be over. Weird kid. I am pretty excited to have him home all day next year. Nap time will be perfect for me to spend some one on one time with him. I think we will do some "preschool" stuff with a friend and a cousin. E-man is all potty trained!! He did so great and now we only have one in diapers!! I am pretty excited about this. Pretty Face (aka Baby S...yeah, I don't know where John comes up with some of these names) is getting so big! I can't believe she is 9 months old...it makes me a little sad. She absolutely adores all the older kids, until she is done with them, then she yells at them until they get out of her face. She won't eat anything unless she can feed it to herself, yet she refuses to hold her own bottle most of the time. She crawls all over the place and has started to pull herself up on everything. Awe, my baby.

Life has been pretty wonderful around here to be honest. We made our big Summer List shortly before the kids got out of school and now, two weeks after their last day, we have accomplished many things on that list already. We have been to the pool several times, the library and the zoo. We have done bike rides, picnics, sprinklers, a BBQ and so many other things. We just recently made a trip to the craft store where everyone picked out a big project that I will work with each of them on. Super fun times over here!! We will knock out many more things on that list and top off the break with a trip to UT to see Grandma and Grandpa Love and, most of all, our annual trip to Lake Powell. We had to miss it last year with me being 9 months prego at the time, and we all (the kids and I anyway, the man is not a huge camper...we still love him though) are so psyched for it!!!

I will have to post pics later, but at least I got an update in! Happy Summer everyone!!

Taking pictures with 5 kids is torture!!

I-Kick

Mr. Ike turned 4 in February! Let me tell you a little about my second son... He has an unhealthy obsession with Thomas and calls John "fit-fat". I am not sure where that one came from, but he calls me "stinky". I would have preferred John's name if given the option, but I wasn't. Ike LOVES baby S. He will sit and hold her and sing to her and it just melts my heart. He is also very kind and patient with E-man but his second favorite thing in the world (anything Thomas being the first) is to bother his older brother. Ike goes to preschool as an excellent peer model but I think his favorite part might be riding the bus to and from. He still has an ear fetish and started sucking his forefinger too. This boy loves to play and be read to. He says his best friend is "Ainswee", he also says he is going to marry her but I don't believe that one quite as readily.

There are so many things about this 4 year old that remind me of his daddy. He is kind, generous, and goofy. He has a very compassionate heart and everyone says he looks just like his Dad. Happy birthday little boy!!

Ike has a cousin who's b-day is exactly 7 days after his. We decided to make it easier on g-ma Kathi and Aunt Jordan to just come up once and just combine the two. We ate dinner and had cake  and ice cream. Ike wanted a Duncan cake. Not a Thomas cake a Duncan cake so I got a Duncan and stuck it on a cake...lucky boy. He got lots of Thomas things which he LOVED and John and I got him this huge kitchen/market thing. All the kids love it, it's even a hit with friends that come over! The sweetest thing was that each of his cousins used their own money to get him a little gift. So sweet! he had a great birthday.