How Time Flies

It's hard to believe that January is almost over - it seems like we were just getting ready for Christmas and here we are already more than a month later. I can't believe how much quicker time seems to go than when I was younger. I know everyone remembers how it seemed FOREVER until Christmas or your birthday came around again, but now it seems like you just recover and it's time to start all over again. This past Sunday Haylee and I attended her first YW program - I know, I know - she doesn't turn 12 until December, but they included everyone who would be coming in this year. It doesn't seem that long ago that I was getting ready to leave primary behind and join the ranks of a teenager and here I am 20+ years later preparing her. What a great time I had during those years, so many memories and good friends - and so many mistakes. I don't want to watch my kids suffer, but how can I not wish for them to learn and grow as I did from the experiences they have in the next 10-15 years? I also watch others around me who are already experiencing the ups and downs of teenagers and try not to do what I did before I had kids. Come on now, I know a lot of you did it too - "My kids will never . . . ." and "If my child did that I would . . . ." - I learned really fast that kids will do pretty much whatever they want and you learn to be more tolerable of your own than you ever were of others. I guess my point to this whole thing is to remind myself that I need to enjoy each moment and stage that we experience as a family, because all too soon, it will be over and I will be longing for the days when my kids were all home and fighting over who got to sit next to mom.

Memories

In November the girls and I went to "Into The Woods" at the Hale Center Theater with some of my family. I had never seen it before and didn't know that much about it, but I haven't been dissapointed with a play yet, so I thought it would be fun and the girls would like it. It was a lot of fun and really great for a "girls night out". Madisyn still talks about it - the reason I am writing about it now is she was just telling her cousin how good and funny it was and that she needed to go see it. Thanks Gennifer for planning and inviting us and helping us make memories together!

Happy Birthday!!

I remember the first week I went to church after Lucas was born - it was a missionary farewell, (and Luke being my first son) my thought was "This will be him in nineteen years." Of course, my hormones were not normal yet, and I became emotional. Well, here we are - 4 years later and 15 years closer to that day - how the time has flown! Luke brings such joy, wonder and amazement into our home. After having two girls, it's amazing how much a boy changes things (and he is PURE boy!). He loves anything superhero, playing the PS2, wrestling and tackling anything he can get a hold of (usually Caleb - at his protest) and being outdoors. He is definitely a daddy's boy, which is great for all the messy and gross things, but mom will do in a pinch. He has a really great sense of humor, takes our teasing well and dishes it right back. His birthday dinner request was my homemade mac & cheese and edemame - he had 3 helpings of each. We love him very much and can't imagine what our lives would be like without him. Happy Birthday Luke!