Random Thoughts

Lately a lot of things have been happening and going through my head. Some are too small to require a complete blog entry on their own...so I am just composing a conglomerate of many experiences that I don't want to forget.

*Went hiking at Lake Shelbyville with a friend and my children. They whined a lot, but I think they really do enjoy the little trips in nature. It was beautiful and not too hot either.

*High Adventure Hike with the older YW...fun fun fun...despite the rain on Saturday morning. What a great group of youth we have. And great adults too. I love having good friends!

*As I was talking to a good friend about Jordan turning 12 in November and will be able to go to the Youth Temple Trip in December I got all excited. What a great experience he will have! I hope so!! I was telling her that it would be nice if Scott can come too so we both can be there. "Just gotta get a babysitter," I said. Her FIRST reaction was "Hey, if I'm in town I'll come down and watch them so you can go together with him." THAT made me happy....happy to tears inside. Her facial reaction didn't show "I've been with ALL those kids...I don't have any and there is absolutely NO WAY I would be left alone with them for that long." Nor was it..."Wish there was a way you could go. Good luck with finding a babysitter." NO...it was ... "Hey, I'll help!" No questions asked...just offered...even knowing the lot of children I have. This same friend showed me just how MUCH she loves people. I was grateful to have spent the weekend with her!

*Kelsey has lost her two front teeth and watching her eat apples makes me giggle. She LOVES apples and NOTHING, apparently, stops her from eating them. Her bottom tooth is now loose. Won't she look great with 3 missing teeth!

*I have posted before about how I love my children getting in bed with me in the morning and snuggling with me. They have been sleeping in lately and are in my bed when I get out of the shower. The other morning Cody was hilarious! His hide-n-seek is precious. He'll hide under the covers and ask me to find him. Keep in mind that I am RIGHT THERE. I'll act clueless then say I am going to roll over and give Daddy a kiss. HE is right next to Daddy. As I roll over I slightly roll on top of him and he shrieks with laughter, pulls the covers down, and shouts, "HERE I AM!" then gives me a big hug. It is now my turn to hide. The EXACT scenario begins except we have switched places. He follows EXACTLY what I have said....so I follow EXACTLY what he has done. It is fun. It fades in excitement fast, though, and he turns to being a bear.....his bear sounds are hilarious and seeing him eat Daddy as a bear is even more hilarious.

*Spencer LOVES the outdoors as much as I do. On our hike at Lake Shelbyville he found 31 toads. He was quite proud of himself. The hike took us longer than normal because we had to STOP and look at nearly every one of them...ranging in size from a dime sized (or smaller) to about a silver dollar size. It was fun! He is so interested and intrigued by nature that I get excited inside. Hopefully I don't get impatient with the things I am wanting to accomplish and "stop and smell the roses" with him as he explores nature!

*A little while back I read in the Book of Mormon with my family about how this big long war between the Lamanites and Nephites caused some to soften their hearts and others to harden theirs. We talked about it a bit and since then I have noticed a lot of times in the Book of Mormon where some seem to react in a positive way to adversity and others in a negative way. It has caused me to reflect upon my own reactions to adversity. I have enjoyed this long time of reflection.

*Girls Camp is in 3 short weeks. I am pretty much done with a lot of the preparation...it is just the crunch time details that I have to work out now. Regardless of how much has been accomplished beforehand, these crunch time details would be here. It is just JULY for me! Thankfully I have people helping me out.

Can't think of anything else right now....except how much I LOVE Jordan's sense of humor. He LOVES to read too. I am listening to him right now as he is reading me some funny jokes. I LOVE being his mom -- even when he is difficult.