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Today I'm thankful for my husband. He is always grateful and never critical. I'm telling you, this man doesn't complain when there is no clean underwear, no clean dishes, and no food in the house. Even I complain when that happens and it's my fault.  Don't worry! This hardly ever happens! It only happens when I'm a postpartum basket case, or when we're all sick at the same time.  Sadly, we run out of clean clothes fairly often, because I have some kind of mental block when it comes to laundry, but I'll get over it...or I'll do what my mom did and declare Independence and tell everyone if they want clean clothes they can clean them themselves! I don't think that'll go over well with 5,3,1 year old children.
Anyway, Mathan won't complain. He'll just say, "I'm out of socks," and when things are back on track he'll always thank me. He works hard all day and when he comes home we're both ready for a break and more often than not I'm the one who gets it. He'll take over the kids and help them through their bed time routine. He's been on his feet all day and will still go on a walk with me. On the weekend when he's ready to stay home and I'm ready to go out, he'll make it work. I'll get to go out on my own, or we will all go out together. He'll listen to my silly opinions and concerns patiently, and never call them silly. He tells me I'm cute when I'm a mess. He doesn't let a meal go by without thanking me, even when it's a pathetic excuse for a meal. When I'm worried or stressed, he stays calm and collected. We often talk about how someone in heaven must have conspired to bring us together. When we got married we knew it was right more than we knew each other! I can't wait to find out who it was and tell them THANK YOU!

Exciting Idea!

I just read a friends blog and her theme today was Tuesday's True Confessions, or something like that. I have seen a Thankful Thursday on another blog. So here's the idea... why don't I have a theme for everyday? Like Monday Memories, Wednesday Words of Wisdom, Friday Freak Show. Just kidding on that last one. I'm intrigued. Maybe this will help me post more than once in a blue moon. I'm sure this isn't a novel idea, but who cares! It might be fun! Miscellaneous Monday... Weird Wednesday... I'll have to think about this.

Random Thoughts

#1. Bottling pickles and other produce is a lot less finicky/precise/difficult than I thought it was.
#2. I must control my temper! (think beauty and the beast)
#3. The pioneers left behind precious possessions and took their children with them. Today we are leaving our children behind and working for precious possessions. (from a talk I read)
#4. If you buy a big beautiful house, you have to fill it with big beautiful things, and you spend all your time and money taking care of things instead of your family.
#5. The human body and spirit can take so much abuse! You get to the point where feeling awful is feeling normal and you don't realize that you're missing out on a lot of health and happiness.
#6. If I didn't have a husband I would eat a lot more junk. Mathan away= Eva and kids eating frozen pizza.
#7. Sometimes I want to throw everything I own away and keep only the absolute essentials. I remember when I could fit everything into a compact car and move across the state with a day's notice. Now I have a house full of books, a piano, dishes, food storage, clothes, furniture...and two goats. But the goats only come in when you leave the back door open and they are out of their pen.
The End

Happy Birthday Thomas!!!

I was hoping he would just dig in and enjoy his cake...He ended up just fingering it for a minute, then looking up and objecting in baby language. May was in the background, objecting in very loud language, "NO! NO! CUT IT!" She couldn't handle the thought of Thomas just digging his grubby fingers into that gooey goodness, and apparently Thomas didn't like the idea either, so we cut the cake like normal, civilized, five and one year olds. Okay, maybe "normal" isn't the right word.                                                                      I love this boy so much it hurts! He is just so full of love and smiles and giggles. When he gets bumped or startled he frowns and huffs and puffs and wrinkles his little chin, and melts every heart in the room. He'll spontaneously crawl up to you and lay his little head on you and smile. He is a sweet, heaven sent blessing in our home. We love you, Thomas!

The Month of May

August, so far, has been all about our little May. We've been busy trying to prepare her for the big changes that come with going to Kindergarten. All of the preparation has paid off, because she is loving school, and seems to be taking everything in stride. She also turned five during her first full week of school, making her one of the youngest in her class. We debated on sending her next year, but so far she has proven to be more than ready for school. I even got to bring a snack in for her class on her birthday. It was like an out of body experience. I just couldn't believe that I am old enough to have a child old enough to be in school! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN!?!

Not to mention that I have one on deck and one in the hole!

Oh what do you do in the Summertime?

Happy Birthday Ellen Boo! We had a fun Birthday bash with Jantzen, who's birthday is one day after Ellen's. It was great to have a lot of the cousins there. We celebrated Ellen's birthday three times. Once at home, once with the Tenneys and once with the Petersons. Ellen loved it!

Later in June, Ben and Amy came down for a visit. As always, we had to make up for six months of separation by partying every night for a week. Just my siblings and I went on a camp out to Black Canyon lake. It was so fun to be alone with my brothers and sister. Thomas came with us because we literally can't do without each other for a few more months :) We had a nice time canoeing and playing games and just talking.

Shortly after that we had the RL Tenney and Peterson reunions. Lots of good food and company were enjoyed. At one point a bunch of people sang a love aria to Twinkies before throwing them out to the crowd. I got one right in the kisser. Man I love funny/crazy relatives and silly accidents!

Ben, Andrew, Mom, Isaac, Thomas, and I went swimming/canoeing at clear creek. It was kinda scary and kinda fun! Next time we need more man power and less baby power.

Anna and I took a sister's shopping trip to Flagstaff, and ate at olive garden. YUM!

The forth of July was fun as always. We went to the Woodruff celebration and enjoyed breakfast, a patriotic program and races. Later we went to Snowflake to swim at grandma's house. That night Mathan and I went to his 10 year class reunion and won a week at Sedona! I can't wait!!!

Sunday night Mathan and I put the kids to bed and watched the fireworks from our roof. It reminded me of "To catch a Thief" in more than one way. ;)

And best of all, summer is not over yet!!!

Gila Valley Temple

I must be dreaming. It's hard to put into words how special this temple, and this area is to me. It was a sacred experience to be in the temple with most of my extended family and especially with my own family.

I love these people so much! I'm so grateful that through the blessings of the temple, I can be with them forever!

I have a lot of dreams for these little ones, but the most important of all is that they live worthy to enter the temple and receive the blessings that are there for them.