March 26-April 1, 2017: Cousin Time and Fun March Memories

We were excited to have our cousins come visit for their Spring break from March 26-April 1, 2017 all the way from Boise, Idaho!! During the first few days, we celebrated Austin and Gammy's birthday at Gammy's house, made a trip to the zoo, where we rode the carousel ride, fed the giraffes, and managed to get the keys back Jenna accidentally locked in the van!! ;) haha---oh the family life adventures!! What fun times!

 

This was Joshy's first time actually enjoying the carosel ride!! Last time (his first time) was a little too much uncertainty for this sweet boy! But, look at those smiles today!! It helped that Mommy was there to hug the ENTIRE time on those big up and down movements!! That little grasp around my neck means the world to me!! Love him so much and this phase where Mom saves the day for anything wrong in the world for him.  So cute (and sometimes demanding, but I know I'll miss this all someday, and so I will choose to savor these times!!) =D

 

Miss K and her messy bun signature to Aunt Susan herself!!

 
Giraffe feed and pet time!! Fun memories!
 
Those special bonds of cousins as best friends is so sweet! Love them all!
 Miss K got to bring Kimball to our homeschool co-op group on Wednesday, and the girls had a great time learning, singing timeline songs, and building bridges together!! Go Classical Conversations and fun science projects!

 Here were some of the thoughts I had this week during my scripture/conference talk study.


PARENTING/CORRECTING WITH THE SPIRIT:  I liked realizing how even the apostles sometimes jumped on a problematic situation by condemning others, but how Jesus taught a more excellent way in showing love and condeming the sinful behavior, not the sinner.  I learned from Pres. Joseph F. Smith about how if children are defiant and hard to control, to be patient with them until we can conquer by LOVE.  Later in the talk, it highlights D&C 121:41-43 and reminds us that we must reprove when moved upon by the Holy Ghost, not when moved upon by anger.  He who hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil.  I really liked remembering how we are truly the best teachers and parents in the home when we are nurturing and loving our children and being patient with them when they fall short, or may not necessarily measure up to all of our high expectations.  We need to encourage them with love and seek to have the Spirit with us as we correct them and strive to teach them and help them understand their choices and consequences in love and longsuffering.  What a great reminder for us during some of those trenches in parenthood with children learning and sometimes trying to assert their own independence and testing those boundaires.  We will continue to always hold fim, but we will always STRIVE to teach them by controlling our own tempers, maintaining an even keeled perspective and acting out of love and with the Spirit.

Sweet Joshy baby after I transferred him from the van during a nap...I let him finish his nap in the comfyness of that big chair.  :) Melts my heart.

 
We finished off the week by checking out the Perot Museum with cousins and doing an evening dutch oven dinner and smores with cobler at a nearby caping park.  It was a beautiful sunset and a wonderful time to just be together, play and visit and reflect on how our most favorite thing of all is just being together and savoring these moments of family life that means so much to us.  :)  There were definately troubles throughout the week, like me accidentally locking the keys in the van, but their were tender mercies and lots of cousin smiles and laughs....so it was all really worth it in the end!! Love you all!
 
 
Big hugs, Woah...birdiess....TWEEEET TWEEET ...UP HIGH!! =D AND silly smiles too!!
 
What a better way to prepare for conference then getting in gear to face 'our tents' towards our prophets who speak for God today!! Great family tradition, I hope we try to keep this up again next year!!