Sunday Photo: 5

Last night we had a surprise 40th birthday party for Wade.  We didn't jump out and surprise him...I'm pretty sure he would never talk to me again if I ever planned a party like that, but he didn't know about the party until Saturday morning.  And by then he couldn't get out of it.

I threw him a big party when he turned 30.  Wade really doesn't want any attention.  But I figure every decade a little attention can't hurt.

We had a nacho bar and cakes from Costco.  Wade had such a good time visiting with family and friends, some of which he hadn't seen in years.  It was so fun to catch up with everyone.  

We had some of his childhood and friends some high school.  Friends from single adults.  Friends from when we lived at the University of Utah.  Friends from Iowa.  Notes from friends in Washington who couldn't make it.  And of course friends from both Bountiful and here.  For a guy that prefers small town life it's amazing how much he's got around!  

We had over 100 people show up!  He couldn't believe it.  But I know they all just love the guy, like me.

I spent most of the night visiting and chatting and kept my phone and camera in the other room.  I hardly took any pictures.  I have such a hard time finding the balance between being in the moment and documenting the moment.  I do wish I would have got some more photos.  But I also loved talking and chatting.

I couldn't have done it at all without my sister.  Every time I looked at the food and went to refill, she was already on top of it.  She kept everything running with the food and the kitchen.  And so many people helped us clean up.  I love when people all come together.

It was such a fun night.  Wade said he even had a little bit of fun...so my mission was accomplished. 

Thursday is his real birthday. But he will be gone for a state conference.  I told him we will be nonchalant and not even draw attention to him on his birthday.  Just the way he likes it.

Happy 40th!

Sunday Photo: 4

It snowed this morning before church.  So I thought it would make a great Sunday picture before church.  I don't think everyone agreed.

I have tried and tried over the last couple months to get these boys to sit and sing the hymns in sacrament meeting at church. 

Gage will be passing the sacrament in just a few weeks and they really are old enough to open a hymn book and sing along.  Really.  But they would rather sit there, draw in a notebook, act goofy and poke each other or make faces. 

They are good kids.  But sometimes I do have to wonder if I'm going to have to haul my 9 & 11 year old out of the chapel because they act so silly.

Till today.  

This morning I made a deal with them that if they would sing all three songs without me reminding them that I would make them homemade brownies.  

You should have seen their faces when the first hymn started and the first verse had gone by before they realized they needed to pay attention and open their books!  I almost laughed out loud looking over at them flip through that hymn book as fast as they could.  

So tonight I wouldn't let them have seconds because they missed one verse, but they sang all the rest of the songs...so brownies and ice cream for the win!

Happy Sunday.

Sunday Photo: 3

Wade and the kids finished reading the first Beyonder's book today.  We spent the afternoon reading and playing some card games.  It was a perfect relaxing day, and just what we needed as a family.  Life is busy.  Days spent together without many distractions are few and far between.  But we'll take what we can get.

Need some inspiration?  Wade and I watched this tonight.

 Happy Sunday.

Sunday Photo: 2

Instead of a group picture (which inevitably leads to chaos) I chose a simpler method this morning before church.

I love these cute kids.  

They are good kids.

Lucy

Eli 

Avery

Noah 

Gage 

~~~

And I love these ladies:

These ladies have been such a big part of my life the last couple years.  I love them like my own sisters.  But today was a sad day.  We were all released from our church job (or calling). 

For the past 6 years (in the 3 places we have lived) I have been given the opportunity to serve with amazing woman in my church as the 1st counselor in Relief Society.  (same calling, 3 different wards, 6 years...not sure how often that happens, but for me it was just what I needed).  And while I am sure whatever calling lies ahead will be something I can find joy in, this was just a hard day. I became the biggest cry baby all through church today. 

Wade came home from church and was joking that he was happy because he no longer has to listen to our group texts dinging on my phone all night long.  (We might not have official business to discuss, but I'm not sure that group text will go away anytime soon...and just because he said that the ladies might start to plot another "add Wade to the group text" plan like we did on April Fools one year)

I have loved growing and learning from each of these presidencies and from this calling.  While I have always been the 1st counselor -  each presidency, and each ward has been different.  I have learned so much from so many amazing women! 

With each presidency the call has made no sense at all when it was made.  I could go into a lot of details, but it just hasn't.  Each time I've always heard that little voice in the back of my head say 

"you could say no and it would totally make sense...."

But each time I've said yes.  

And I've been so grateful. 

 Each time I have been strengthened and amazed at what I have learned after the calling was over.

The Lord is aware of what we need.  

Sometimes that comes in a calling that we might not want - or one that we might not think makes sense, but there's the beauty in  it - it doesn't have to make sense to us!  

He is aware of us.  

He loves us. 

He really does.

Relief Society, and these past 6 years, will always hold a special place in my heart.

Sunday Photo: 1

Today was a big day!

Today Lucy graduated from nursery class at church and moved up to Sunbeams.  We have spent the last 10 1/2 years with a baby in nursery, sometimes two at a time!  It was a little bitter sweet.  Gage is now the oldest kid in primary and counting down the days until he turns 12.  It will be here before we know it.  Only 8 more weeks!

Because of her November Lucy just might be the youngest kid in primary.  Or at least really close to it.  She really loved nursery class.  When I walked her into primary today she stomped her foot, put her hands on her hips (which, by the way, really means she puts them under her arms and looks like she is dancing the funky chicken) and then she yelled "This is NOT my class!  I want my nursery class!"

She then noticed a bunch of other girls that were in her nursery class.  Elle and Lindsay.  And looked at me and looked at them.  Then she decided to go for it and sat with them.  She has the same sunbeam teachers that Avery and Eli had, and they are The.Best.Ever!  They are grandparents and always know just what to say and how to handle these spunky 3-4 year olds.  They are like toddler whisperers or something!  After church Lucy said she was "happy in class" and she showed everyone her crown!  

I am so thankful for those who help and teach my children in church.  

It's been a rough one, this Christmas break, especially this last week. A stomach bug has worked its way through four of the five kids.  Avery was SO sad when she got sick.  She just cried and cried that this meant she would miss primary today! I have spent so much time doing laundry and spraying Lysol.  

Santa got a really good deal on Black Friday this year, so Avery and Eli got their own kindle fires too.  So now everyone who can read, can read on their kindle.  It makes my heart pretty happy to see everyone sitting quietly reading together!

2015 was a pretty good year for us.  Our little practice has grown.  We still have a long way to go, but every month has been better and better.  We are so thankful for everyone has supported us and sent people our way.  We have had some trials and been stretched.  2015 was the year were going to be finally keppra and seizure free!  We never thought we would see Eli on keppra, but he takes it like a champ and doesn't complain.  We are so thankful for that.  Avery and Eli have taken off reading. We're really loving the fact that we can leave Gage and Noah in charge for a few hours!  2015 has brought on some new phases of life!

We are excited to see where 2016 takes us.  I hope to be better with my Sunday Photo's in 2016 :)

This week I have read, watched and listened to this talk quite a few times.  It is one of my personal favorites and it just seems to fit life right now. 

I really love SO much of this talk.  I could highlight the entire thing.  But as I have been reflecting on 2015 and thinking about 2016, this quote really sticks out in my mind.  

Happy Sunday.

"A good woman knows that she does not have enough time, energy, or opportunity to take care of all of the people or do all of the worthy things her heart yearns to do. Life is not calm for most women, and each day seems to require the accomplishment of a million things, most of which are important. A good woman must constantly resist alluring and deceptive messages from many sources telling her that she is entitled to more time away from her responsibilities and that she deserves a life of greater ease and independence. But with personal revelation, she can prioritize correctly and navigate this life confidently."

{December}

December was of course, super busy for us.  And packed full of activities!

We came home from Washington and got the tree up and decorated.

The kids saw Santa at the ward Christmas party.  Don't they all look super excited?!!  

We are a crazy circus.

Poor Avery had strep.  It was the worst and had her down for a long time.

but she learned she could read on a kindle and so I let her read on my old one so we got to spend a lot of cuddle time together reading!

Wade, Gage, the triplets and my nephew Tyler went to the Christmas Devotional.

Eli continues to crack us up.  This kid is so funny.  He is always trying to sneak things to school he shouldn't...like tools, knife, toys....he took his teacher an oreo last week.  He loves life and is just the funniest kid.

We had our 6 month dentist appointments - (Avery had strep)

The kids had their school sing at Meadow. I LOVE that the school does that.  

Our last schools did not do this.

Eli and Avery finished their first year of Jr. Jazz basketball.

Eli had a good time goofing off.  I suppose he did learn a little bit about basketball but he loved running around, spinning circles and acting like a clown most of the time.

Avery (isn't this the best picture ever?)  Avery loved basketball.  She adored her coach and has already asked that she have her again next year.  She improved a lot and by the end she was scoring at every game.  She's a great little athlete!

Lucy made sure her face was moisturized one day - you can't forget about moisturizer during the dry winter months.

We decorated sugar cookies with Charlotte.

She's a cute little Eskimo and loves playing outside in all the snow we got over Christmas break.

Lucy has grandpa wrapped around her little finger - she is always having him rub her feet and he is always doing it for her!  She loves Grandpa so much!

Wade was gone to Arizona the weekend of the big bowl game -but we still wore our school favorite shirts - and the right team won in the end. :)

Lucy finally got her first hair cut.  Her cousin Shay did it and it's a cute bob and SO much easier now!

We had lots of Christmas parties - the one with my family on the 23 was fun.  We played a chip game where you have to guess the flavor of the pringles.  (this replaced the coke challenge this year).  Two of the triplets got 10 out of 10.

At the Christiansen Christmas Even party we ate too much and stayed up way too late.  Everyone got new sleeping bags from Grandpa this year.  They are all super excited to use them camping and hunting this summer.  I didn't take too many pictures this year.  It was nice not to worry about taking them all the time.

Christmas Day!  Eli and Avery got kindles from Santa!  Gage got a quad-copter, Noah got some video games and pokemon and Lucy got some Barbies.  Everyone got some hydration packs for camping this summer and we had a good relaxing day.

Wade took the four kids to Star Wars.  This was the ONE thing the kids wanted to do during their Christmas break.

Lucy and Avery fell in love with their cousin Daesha's Christmas present - a bunny!

Grandma and Grandpa Bullard sent everyone money so after Christmas we hit some good sales at Target and everyone got to pick out stuff they wanted.  Everyone came home happy.

Now that everyone that can read has  kindle we get a lot of reading time in!  I love this.

And then the last week of December the stomach bug hit us.  It is horrible and has not taken down 7 out of the 8 of us, last week I got it, then Grandpa and Wade.  Only Gage is left. He is convinced he will be okay and not get it...I hope not!

So becaues we have all been sick we didn't do much for New Year's Eve.  We said goodbye to 2015 with our annual silly string fight and then some video games and movies.  Most of us...okay all of us but Wade) were asleep by midnight.  We are real party animals this year.

2015 was overall a good year for us.  We grew a lot and had some challenges.  We got hit with some surprises we didn't see coming, but we felt it was a pretty good year.  We are looking forward to great things in 2016.