Things to Remember Week of 3-6-16

WHAT IS THE ATONEMENT?
I taught the combined lesson this month in YW.  I did the Atonement one.  It was such a great lesson and I had so much fun studying and preparing for it.  Fun and stress I guess, because I always stress about those things.  Wishing I was going to have more time to get it all out and teach them all the cool things I've learned... anyway.  It ended up being an okay time!  I was pretty relieved when it was over, and got lots of great feedback from the YW which totally made my day.  I only wish I'd given them a few scriptures to look up and that there hadn't been so many distractions from the Clark clan.  I'm not sure why they all need to be in there and all over the room, but it's just one of those things where I just need to just suck it up and let it be.  Reminds me of Claire and her telling me that YW is not a place for kids and babies and that they are "not welcome in YW".  I get it now.  I remember being slightly offended back then, but she was SO RIGHT!!  I think I'm okay with the quiet ones.  Or the ones that don't have ANYWHERE else to be.  But anyway.  I felt really good about the lesson.  I was so grateful for my old Institute journal!  What a cool thing to have the "Awful Arithmetic of the Atonement" Sunday school lesson pop in my mind and be so useful!!  Pretty awesome.  3-6-16

THE SPIRIT
Noah's been extremely in tune to the Spirit ever since he got baptized, which I think is awesome!  He always tells me when he can feel the Spirit and when he can't, and helps us try to get so that we can.  I over heard him the other day, while playing the "trading game" with Erika, say, "Erika, can you feel the Spirit? I can't feel the Spirit right now!" and she said, "Yeah!  I can totally feel the Spirit!"  He's such a good example to his younger sibs.  I love hearing all that he teaches Jack at night and how he has him say a prayer with him at night.  I'm so grateful for his testimony and his strength!  3-6-16

MONDAY
This Monday was not as good as last Monday. I think I knew it couldn't happen so perfectly every week, but I had hoped I'd get at least the following week to be.  It was a challenge and I think Molly and Jack were conspiring because they were tag teaming me.  Everything just felt off!  It was a bummer.  I did get a lot done though, regardless of how hectic and off everything was.  I even cleaned out the fridge!   3-7-16

NEW
So I did it!  For the first time in a very long time- I woke up at 5:00!  Not by choice of course, it was because Charity woke me up to say goodbye as she left for the temple.  I had a pity party about not being able to go to the temple with them and feeling bad that Jami was now having to carry the thing I started... then I got up!  It was awesome!  I worked out!  Showered!  Read my scriptures!  Had breakfast, lunches, laundry and dishes done by 8:00!  We were late to school for some reason (minus Luke, he was taking advantage of the TTM Cafe).  But everything else was great!  I was pretty proud of myself!  I was eating right, staying busy!  I didn't even hardly sit down with produce and then cutting up and preparing some of the produce for the weekly meals.  It was awesome that I was able to keep going!  My legs have been having some good days and this was one of them until I sat at the park for two hours on the curb.  I wish there was a different way to sit!  Sitting always hurts them.  But it was a much needed hang out with Emily.  I just love my best friend.  We visited for way too long, and then some more :).  It was awesome.  Jack learned how to pee on a tree.. that was exciting.  We're all anticipating finding out what Emily is having!!  We find out in two days (at least I think we do... I don't know when it will be public knowledge)!!  Can't wait!!  The rest of the evening was crammed with dinner and Lacrosse practice.  Then Molly's goopy eyes and shopping for Nate and the kids.  Pretty busy!  I kept feeling the whole day like I needed to just enjoy it all and get it all in while I could.  And to stop planning on doing that everyday or wishing I could, but just letting it be a good day all by itself and appreciating it for what it was.  I really do have a way of destroying the good days with planning and hoping.  3-8-16

LACROSSE
Kelly had her first Lacrosse practice tonight!  It was much anticipated by both of us!  I'm so excited for her!  She was a little nervous I think, but I would have been too.  We ran to the store to get her goggles and mouth guard- I hope she actually uses them, they are NOT cheap!  She looked so cute out there, one of the smaller ones of course.  I loved watching her in a new place doing something she's never really done before.  She's so brave!  I was so proud of her!  She said she had a good time, enjoyed a lot of the girls and especially appreciated the coach, so I think it was a success!!  Can't wait for this season to get going!  I do hope we can get more girls though, I would hate for her to have to play on Viewmont's team!  They will be the competition in a few years!  Oh well... 3-8-16

CRAPPY MORNING
Nothing went right this morning!  It was the opposite of yesterday so I was really glad I'd had the promptings to not get attached to the idea of having things go perfectly!  It was a blessing that I had enjoyed yesterday so much and known that it was not the norm.  Felt like I couldn't catch a break today.  Between the frosting and fondant giving me trouble, there was the fateful moment when Jack dropped my phone while sitting up on the counter.  The screen no longer works.  SUCH a bummer since we used my upgrades to get the girls' phones.  Thankfully though, there were a lot of cool little blessings.  Nate took me to go get a new phone right away.  We got a pretty good deal.  I was able to figure out how to get my pictures and music off my old phone using the magic of siri- nothing short of a miracle seriously!  And I did get to enjoy my baby's birthday.  So it ended up okay.  Just kind of crazy!  3-9-16

POOR MOLLY
Molly's poor green goopy eyes continue.  Makes me sad to see her like that!  She's been a trooper though!  Hardly even acts like anything is wrong.  She's a tough little girly.  3-9-16

LITERACY NIGHT
THis is a fun thing our school does where we get to go see some of the cool projects they've been working on.  They have a little assembly-ish type thing and a raffle.  It's a lot of fun.  Noah and Erika were especially excited to show me their work.  It was a lot of fun to read about George Washington in Noah's report.  Then to see Erika's stories.  It's so much fun to see them in their space.  Then in the raffle Erika won a book light!  Pretty exciting!  Mr. Flynn gave a fun little pep rally for TTM.  I can't wait to hear what happens, if we made it to the Final four or not!  Pretty cool!  3-10-16

BOOK CLUB
I'll admit I wasn't feeling the conversations at book club this week.  I know I am in a little bit of a hole right now, past feeling is what I like to call it, but Emily and I stood in the driveway and talked for a little while after and that made up for whatever it felt the meeting was lacking.  So grateful for Emily.  She has been a lifesaver emotionally lately.  3-10-16

DEEP CLEAN FRIDAY
We got the little girls and the little boys' rooms done this time!  Took the entire day unfortunately.  I went in and helped Charity and Kelly a little bit... we were not able to finish before needing to get them ready for their choir concert.  Felt very productive though :).  3-11-16

CHOIR FESTIVAL
Charity and Kelly did a great job in their concert.  It's always fun to go and watch them perform.  They love being in the spot light.  It's hard for me to not say this, but I wish Mrs. Woodfield could just focus on choir/singing.  She tries to doll the concert up too much and it's too full of fluff that nobody is there to see.  Just my opinion I guess, but I wish she would work more on the singing than the actions and extras.  Just sayin'.  3-11-16

NO PRESSURE
Bradley and Luke had all the extendeds there to support them/add pressure this week at their last game of the season!  Grandma Ruthie, Grandpa Russ, Grandma and Grandpa Hatch, Heidi and John all came.  It was a fun/intense game, but we lost by quite a bit.  Kidn of a bummer.  Bradley and Luke both played so well.  The fun thing was that they were asked to play the next game as well since their team was not all there.  They would have had to forfeit and go home, but because Bradley and Luke were willing, they all got to play.  It was a lot of fun to watch as well.  WE all just love basketball too much :).  Afterwards we all went to DQ for ice cream and fries.  3-12-16

KICKBALL
Kickball season is back in!  We had an exciting game of kickball with Heidi and John after the basketball games.  WE all went over to Ponds Park.  So many injuries in so little time.  Including John's big kick to Erika's face!  I don't think she'll want to be pitcher any time soon :).  Poor kids, poor John.  It's just a bummer that we can't just play a game of kickball without all the crying and sadness.  It was a lot of fun though.  Flies up after and then home.  Good times.  3-12-16