Fruit Follow up...

I have a feeling that my post about my fruit was really only truly funny to me! I am sorry for that. Let me explain (or atleast try) why this was so.
I have been thinking lately about my responsibility as a mother. I find myself frustrated all too often with myself and my inability to be patient with my kids. With that said, when I was thinking about the apple in my basket that was going bad and had the thought "by their fruits ye shall know them"; I thought about my children...my fruit if you will. The reason why I laughed is because I felt like I was being taught (if not warned) in a rather visual & humorous way: Like if I am a bad apple, my children will be too or if I am constantly impatient, my children will be too...
Allow me to further my explanation:
When I buy fruit I don't buy it bad, as with my children; when they come into my life, they are perfect (at least Spiritually). I have a certain amount of time to do something with the fruit before it goes bad, just the same as with my kids. I have heard many times before, that childhood is such a crucial time, we need to take advantage of the time we have with our children; they are eager to learn, to listen to our stories and to allow us to teach them. Just like with the apple in my basket I should have eaten it a week or so ago and I didn't, if I don't take advantage of the time I have with my kids they might just go bad!
(Okay so let me just say this: I know we do not eat our children. I hope you understand that this is not what I am trying to say.):)
After somewhat thinking this through I talked to my mom and she gave me a similar analagy. (if you'll forgive me for two in one post)
A garden: if you plant a lot of good seeds in it, there isn't room for as many weeds. If you don't plant anything or not very much there is room for more weeds.
It made me feel better to hear this because after the whole fruit thing I got thinking about what I am doing. I know I am not perfect nor will I be in this life and it was nice to know that all the good things I try to teach & do with my kids are important, they matter. If I do more good things than I do bad then there will still be lots of good fruit and I won't have to spend all my time trying to pull up weeds. :)
Please tell me if this doesn't make sense! This writing stuff is really hard for me because I am not so natural at it. I would rather video tape myself telling you all this than I would type it. (but then again, I would feel like I had to be more presentable then I am now!) So forget I just said that!

"By their fruits ye shall know them."

I had to laugh today. I had just retrieved an orange from my fruit basket. I sat down and while peeling it, I was thinking of the apple that is slowly going bad in my basket; then the scripture comes to mind in Matthew: "By their fruits ye shall know them". I honestly laughed out loud!

What does that even mean?

I guess I need to take better care of my fruit...

Good thing I have a sense of humor...

Last night at the dinner table....
Ben: "Mom I'm sick"
Me: "You're sick?"
Ben: "Yeah, I need a' get down, cause I'm sick."
Me: "What are you sick of?"
Ben: "Of mom."

Seriously, I thought I was being funny switching
the meaning on him. I didn't realize he would follow
and he never says stuff like that. I don't know where
he gets some of these things from!
I really did have to laugh!

At last...a shower!

Today, 2:00 Ben has been asleep since 12:30 but Sarah, sleep? Nah. (It seems as though they know sometimes I need a shower or time to myself and they have a way of working together to sabotage.)
Here's proof:
I finally get in the shower @ 2:30 after Sarah is asleep. It's gotta be quick but not too quick, I haven't showered in two days.
How nice it was.
I'm drying off and I hear a cry in the distance. Could that be Sarah? She's been asleep for 15 minutes. Not sure. Continue drying off...could that be Ben laughing?...Sarah crying...Ben laughing? Ah man!!!
I open the door to the bathroom and see Ben jump/running out of Sarah's room with t ball pole in hand.
me: "Ben, why is Sarah crying?"
Ben: "I poked her eye and she's crying."
Lovely!
Nice shower.

"I could go to war with them"

I feel like I've been putting a bunch of thoughts on here, but it is good for me to write these things down. So, this weekend we had Stake Conference and our visiting authorities were Elder Snow and Elder Garf. It was so good! Well, in the adult session on Saturday Elder Snow began by paying our Stake President a compliment (something that a government official in Africa said to him), he said "Your Stake President is someone I could go to war with". Well, it was meant as a compliment and a light hearted joke but I thought about it and this is the insight...
Are the people I surround myself with, people I feel I could go to war with? Are they strengthening me in my battles? Am I strengthening them in theirs?
I do have to say that I am thankful to have so many wonderful examples in my life that do strengthen me! What a responsibility we have to eachother, to our husbands/wives and to our children.
His comment just really made me think of the things I spend my time doing...are they serving the purpose they are supposed to? Time is precious, I pray I do what a should with it.

I'm so glad when Daddy comes home!

It seemed whenever Sarah would cry or fuss today Ben would say, "it's okay, Daddy will come home soon". I do have to say though, I think the same thing to myself too. :) "It's okay, Daddy will come home soon". I did think it was cute that Ben kept saying that to her....sometimes I wonder what he did so right and what I'm doing so wrong. But then I can't think that way because we're a team for that reason. He helps me and I help him.
Some days though, I wish Zach could be home and I go to work just to trade for a while.

I'd like him to know what it is like to be home all day, everyday with the kids...and then when I cry he would know a little better as to why...

I would also like to know what it is like for him to leave the kids and I everyday and go to work and then when he comes home tired I would know a little better as to why...

I am obviously just rambling...but I do have to say, I am glad I have someone to support and be supported by that I am so partial to. :) I believe in him. He is such a wonderful person! He amazes me!

I do love how well the kids love him! I truly do sing the song "I'm so glad when Daddy comes home" when he pulls up most days. I love it when he comes home! Here's to Zach! (as I type, he is trying to get Ben to stay in bed....what a guy!)

a thought...

So I recieved a book from my parents for Christmas by Sheri Dew and I finished it the other day. It's called "God Wants A Powerful People". There were many good things in this book but one especially struck me:
"In today's world, there are too many good people with no conviction, and too many evil people filled with conviction. The world is crying out for true leadership-which is why these are the days in which a true leader wants to live, for the opportunities to change lives and even destinies are enless.....never has there been a greater need for men and women who know what they believe, who speak and defend truth, who stand by their convictions, and who lead others to do likewise."
When I hear things like this or am atleast reminded of this, I get so excited! Seriously, what a grand time to be on earth! Yeah, the stakes are high, but we are here because God knew we could do it if we tried....tried our best! Dang, it's seriously awesome to have the gospel of Jesus Christ and know it is true and know it makes a difference in my life when I live it and know it can make a difference for others! I just love it!

Fun in the snow!

New years was such fun! We built a snow slide in our front yard...which Zach and I enjoyed more than Ben. He went down it a few times with Zach and a few times by himself but for most the time he sat and ate snow...(he gets the love of snow from his father)

We decided to get creative and tied a rope to our sled and pulled Ben around. He just loved it!...it is so fun to see him smile like that!

After a little while of Zach and I taking turns pulling him, he wanted to join in the fun....so he pulled Zach around on it. What a good sport Zach is, he crawled around the back yard several times pretending to be pulled and having a great time! What can we say, Ben's a lucky kid! :)

Ode to our Church...

A few months ago we were told that our ward would meet in a new church at the first of the year. Yesterday was our first day in our new building. Thinking about this church it makes me happy. I love the memories in this building. This is the first ward we met in when we were married and where we blessed our first two kids. When we were leaving church just about every Sunday, Ben would run out the doors and onto the lawn and run around with all the other kids. Good times..Fondness indeed...not to mention it is a pretty building. I have loved it. Good thing the church is true no matter the building you meet in. :)When it snowed yesterday I thought it was a good day to take pictures. I love snow.... thank goodness for memories.