Making Life Count

Its Christmastime! And well it was 60° today, hardly feeling like the end of November.  I want it to cool off but I know I'll regret saying this when winter strikes for reals.

Lou was home for five glorious days!  We had lots of fun, the kids were out of school during his entire visit.  Josh was so excited for Lou to be home, that when Lou got home late Tuesday night, and went down to see Josh, Josh popped right out of bed ready to play!

We did lots together and I realized how much I missed being all together as a family.

 At this time of year I miss my parents and my sisters.  So I get to miss them and Lou this year. My family was all together for Thanksgiving. I realized I haven't been with my family on Thanksgiving since the year I returned home from my mission. Geez that's a crazy long time. Thanksgiving was always so fun growing up, one of my favorite holidays, its weird not to have that anymore and haven't had that for 13 years.

We went up to Jeff and Leann's.  There was lots of people there.  I love his cousins who came so it was great chatting with them. Kira and Josh had fun playing with their cousins, Claire and Jane.

Thanksgiving is over, Lou is gone again and not quite sure when he'll be home again. Hopefully one visit before his Christmas visit.

Life really isn't complete without Lou at home.  Its like we're able to live day-to-day but we aren't able to really live a full life. Its like we are constantly living in limbo, which if you know me well is not me at all.

But to be positive, I love this time of year.  I am determined to be happy and enjoy every moment even with Lou away.  I should make a list so we don't miss out on anything.

This picture is just cute:

Peaceful Snow

It snowed.  The kids could not be happier!

All they wanted to do after school yesterday and all today was play in the snow! The made snowmen, angles and castles. I love that they don't get bothered by the cold.

I preferred to watch them through our big front window, where it was warm.  

The snow is so peaceful and relaxing.  Last night I sat just sitting, not on the computer or my phone, no music, just sat and felt the quiet as the snow fell.

I like our view very much.

Yesterday I didn't want to go out and drive in the snow but Kira had a playdate and Josh had a birthday party so my quest to be home all day was foiled by busy kids.

Today the roads weren't bad at all so we ran a few errands including going to the Creamery, we scored free lower bowl basketball seats for going. And I bought some yummy chocolate milk. We also got to go to dinner with Jeff, Leann and Mark.  It was fun.

Now to go enjoy the quiet and view again.

Little Kira is Busy

Lou gets home in two days, yay!  Its weird how use we have gotten to him being gone all the time. I don't  like being used to it but I am grateful we are able to adapt to different situations and grow from them. It helps being busy and having happy kids. Here is some of the business and happiness this past week:

We are all feeling better,  I hope the sick bug stays away for a long time.  I am happy that I haven't been getting as sick lately as I used to when my thyroid was off.

It was nice to have the kids back in school this week.  They both love school a lot and are happy to have that routine everyday.  The kids have been especially happy the last few mornings to wake up and find snow on the ground.  Kira made a snowman today with the very little that was left in our yard and our neighbor's yard.

i have enjoyed the snow also. I like the change in weather and it melts as fast as it falls.  Yesterday it was cold and there was a little snow. I thought I'd stay home instead of going to the gym. I fought that instinct and went to the gym. I am glad I did, I do so much better when I work out in the morning, it makes me happy and more active the rest of the day.

Josh was a lucky boy tonight and got to go to the BYU basketball game with his Nana. We were all lucky to go out to dinner before the game.

Kira and I came home, she had ice cream and we watched a few episodes of Full House together before bed.  Kira was excited go to her room for bed to finish her book she started just yesterday.  It is a  Halloween book, one of the Rainbow Fairy books.  I love that that little girl loves to read so much.

I received an email tonight from one of Kira's teacher. She told me how happy Kira is in class and how nice she is to the other children. She said Kira's joie de vivre is contagious.  Kira is such a happy happy girl who is always trying to make other's happy.  It was a very nice email to receive.

Kira's little life is very busy right now with the musical, piano and she just started a dance class.  She enjoys it all though and she still has time to play so we're good for now.  The musical only goes till december so knowing that its a temporary business makes it fun.

Kira Turns Eight and the Fire Drill!

Our Kira Grace was born eight years ago. I went into labor around 6:00 p.m. on April 28th and she was born at 3:04 p.m. on April 29th, that is 21 hours of labor. It was a hard labor and delivery but of course our sweet Kira was well worth all the pain and worry! Kira is just so amazing. I know I'm her mother but I really feel like I would love her even if she wasn't my little girl. Kira is very nice and very smart. Kira loves everyone and everything. Kira is a great fried and a great big sister, she cares about all her friends and Josh.

Kira loves to talk and ask questions, she is always thinking. Kira thinks about things I don't think many eight year olds think about. One example is about a month ago Kira asked why we never had fire drills in church. Kira noticed an old lady who had a difficult time going up the stairs to the podium. Kira asked us how would our ward know how to evacuate if we had a fire, who would help the old people out of the building. Kira said we should really have a fire drill to practice. We happen to sit in front of the bishops family every Sunday in Sacrament meeting, the bishops wife told Kira that she should tell the bishop. Brave little Kira did tell the bishop, she talked to the bishop a lot about it. Today we had that fire drill (a special for Kira's birthday)

our ward at the fire drill complete with cookies and lemonade!

Everyone in the ward was really happy with this surprise and the bishop was telling anyone who asked that it was Kira's idea.  

Kira planned her birthday celebration.  Yesterday we got together with Nana and Gramps and Grandma and Grandpa Allen. We went bowling at Provo Beach Resort and had pizza at Nicolitlias. I know Kira is related to her Grandpa Field, when she chooses pizza for her birthday celebration dinner and then for her actual birthday dinner chooses homemade bacon cheeseburgers.  We had a blast bowling

Today was pretty relaxed we had church, the kids started children's choir again. We came home opened her presents, had dinner and watch Harry Potter. Next week is Kira's big week with her baptism on Saturday.

We love our Kira. We our so happy she is in our family.  Kira is just so great!

Sunshine

Do you ever want to blog but have no idea what to blog about but you remember that you wanted to blog twice a week this year and its already April 1st and that goal isn't going too well?
Its Conference Weekend. I really enjoy it,  I enjoy that my kids are old enough that we can actually listen to what is being said.
Lou worked on the house a ton yesterday and we now have paint on our living room and hallway walls! Its yellow, I'm excited. We (meaning me) were having a lot of trouble choosing colors. I had gotten to the point where I wanted Lou to just choose and call it good.  I decided to look at Better Homes and Garden, Sandi gave me the subscription last year, I got online and looked up some ideas. It was just what I needed.  We were able to pick colors for the entire upstairs that I think will go well together.
We went on a family bike ride yesterday between sessions, Lou on roller blades since he doesn't have a bike. Every year I forget how much I love the Spring.
I will get out everyday that is Spring-like and enjoy the sunshine!

This week:
I will make Rachelle her camera strap cover
I will go on a walk everyday
I will go on a bike ride any day that is warm
I will finish my book "The House at Riverton"

Star Wars: The Phantom Menace 3-D!

Lou, Kira and Josh in the theater waiting to see The Phantom Menace

Today we saw our second movie in the theater as a family! Our first movie was Winnie the Pooh (in the Fall) and today we saw the Phantom Menace in 3D!

Diana and Josh waiting in theater.

Lou loves Star Wars like loves it.  I had never really paid attention to Star Wars movies I remember seeing Episode 4 on KBYU as a kid but I usually fell asleep or didn't really pay attention when it was on the TV.  When I was a Freshman in college I had a TA that thought it was so funny how little I knew about Star Wars that during our review class he had a category  (we played a jeopardy like game) called DF and it was questions all about Star Wars.  This all changed when Lou and I married. I sat and watched the movies with him and because lou loved them so much I began to love them too.  Episode II came out when we had been married about a year, we went to a private screening with the Provo Library (where I was working at the time). We still had to wait in line but just for a few hours so not too bad. We went with our friends Ben and Kerry Hammond. Ben was dressed as a Jedi and let Lou borrow a robe and they did a Light Saber fight in front of the screen while we were all waiting, they were quite the hit! I don't remember how many times we saw Episode II in the theater but it was quite a lot.

When Episode III came out two years later I was pregnant with little Joshy.  I remember so vividly how much Josh wiggled and kicked anytime the Imperial March (Darth Vader theme) would play.  Despite having Kira who was just a year old we again saw Episode III many times in the theater together and with friends and I even saw it with Sandi when we went down to St George.  We spent that night with Sandi talking and theorizing about Anakin's turn to the Dark Side, the strengths and weaknesses of the Jedi Council among other Star Wars topics.

That summer (2005) we bought the Star Wars new Trivial Pursuit game. Our friends Kenny and Jessica often came to our house back then to play games and watch movies.  Lou and Kenny who are usually very chill would get pretty dang intense playing that game, trying to claim their Star Wars knowledge supremacy.

This Christmas Lou introduced the kids to the Star Wars movies (all but Episode III) and they instantly fell in love.  All Christmas break they watched, and played Light Sabors, build things with our Star Wars Legos.  It was very  much a Star Wars Christmas break. When we saw that the Phantom Menace was coming out to the theater in 3D we knew we had to see it with the kids. There is just something special about seeing the Star Wars movies on the Big Screen.

Josh and Lou in front of movie poster 

Josh posing as Qui Gon Jinn

Josh sporting his 3-D glasses, Kira in my Star Wars shirt 

Today was the day we took the kids. It was so fun. When asked what their favorite parts were they both replied all of it, just all of it!