TOFW!

I loved going to TOFW this year. (The first weekend of November.) I got to hang out with three of my best friends that weekend. Angela come from Texas. She, Jami, Skye and I had our traditional dinner at Cheesecake Factory. I miss those ladies! We probably had the waitress thinking we were drunk because we laugh and have SO much fun together and don't care if other people stare at us. (It's just because they are jealous!) LOL!

So, Angela...These pictures are for you. You're gonna have to copy and save the ones you want because for come reason I can't email pictures from my computer right now. (sorry)

(Angela, Hilary and Me!)

Hilary Weeks is my most favorite singer/songwriter. I have listened to her ever since I was 13 and my Aunt Bev gave me one of her CD's. Hilary just knows the words to sing that touch me and comfort and inspire me. ( I really feel like some of her songs were written just for me). I was thrilled to wait in the mob (seriously...it wasn't a line....) to hug her and take a picture with her. She was so patient and kind!

There were a lot of people wanting to meet her.

I told Hilary that Angela and I would just take our picture together so she wouldn't have to wait longer because of us. But she said for us to do individual pictures too. I said, "But don't you need to go to the potty or something?" (Leave it to me to say something truthfully stupid...but I was really concerned for her! She'd been on stage singing and than we all mobbed her...I know what it feels like to need to "go" and not be able to!)  She said, "You must be a mom huh?"

Two of my favorite people! :)

xoxo~ Thanks Brandon for taking care of the kids while I was at TOFW and out to dinner. I had a great time and couldn't have done that if you weren't willing to take over for the day. Love you. ~xoxo

Here are a few pictures of our "Hebegeebe Baby" (that's what we've been calling him!)

I took this on the day that he started to look better....when the bumps started to flatten.

He is looking even better now. He scabbed over and most of the scabs have come off. He was up half the night Saturday night scratching his poor little arms and legs. But it is red under the scabs. We'll wait and see how long it takes for his skin to clear up completely. Also, his big toes are still pretty swollen. It looks like he might lose those toe nails.

Connor's personality has improved as he has started to feel better (less crying and more smiles and teasing). This boy loves to tease!

Kaitlyn summed it up pretty well the other night when we were going around the family and each telling one thing we are grateful for about one of our siblings. She said that she is "Grateful that Connor is so cute and fun." She couldn't wait for him to get better so she could snuggle him and kiss his checks again. :)

SO! I guess this was Connors freakish viral break out that all our kids have gotten around 18-24 months of age. I was thinking he'd get something like Weston did...or have cold sores all over his lips and tongue and throat like the girls did....but he decided to have his own version. Luckily, these things typically just run their course and if they do have a reaccurrence, it is much more mild.

It's snowing!!!!

I love the first snow of the season! It's so exciting!!!!

The kids didn't have to go to school today because of the snow! That's the best thing ever! They were out playing as soon as it was light enough!

(I have been trying to upload pictures to the blog...but it wont work right now. I also have pictures of my "Hebegeebe Baby" Connor!") So, i will blog about something else since I can't use those pictures.

A few weeks ago I bought the "Velveteen Rabbit" movie for $1 at Shepard's Kitchen (thrift store). It is the version I watched at my Grandma and Grandpa Barrett's house when I was young. It really isn't animated...but is the book being read and you see pictures that are from the book.

Well. I turned it on for the kids yesterday. I was folding laundry and listening to the story.

I was so touched by the story. I realized, as I hadn't as a child, that this is a story of CHANGE. Of "BECOMING". I felt the Spirit teaching me as the Velveteen Rabbit and the old wise Skin Horse had this conversation:

"Real isn't how you are made..." said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. "You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in your joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand..."

Isn't that beautiful?

I went to half.com and bought the original version by Margery Williams. I can't wait to read it to my kids at night.

Let me tell you my version of what the Skin Horse said.

Being REAL comes from being changed by our Saviors Atonement. It comes from feeling like we are shabby and falling apart. It comes from having our sharp edges smoothed through adversity. When we are Real...will become stronger as we realize that we are being "carefully kept" and loved by a Father who understands.

We have sick kids.

Connor has one of the ugliest, bumpy rashes I have ever seen. My doctor is not sure what it is. He thinks it's something viral (yay). He also has double ear infections. (nice). He is on an antibiotic for the ears and I will soon be heading over to pick up the antiviral med. that Dr. Peterson called into the pharmacy. (third trip to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for the little guy this week). I hope this med. helps. This boy looks miserable! I pretty much bathed him in Cortisone cream this morning while he cried, "Ouhee ouuuheeee!!!" I felt so bad. Good new is he's been fine since. Ate his two bowls of cereal or breakfast like he always does. I have been putting L-lysine in his sippy cup drinks...so I hope that speeds things up too.

I feel like my house needs to be bleached from top to bottom.

Weston has the same bumpy gunky rash....just on his hands and a little on his feet and face.....which leads me and Dr. Pete. to think that this is "hand foot and mouth disease"....BUT...it isn't inside their mouth or on the palms of their hands or bottom of their feet which is typical of that "disease".....so...we are still not sure. I love that my Dr. will pull out his dermatology book and look through it with me while we try to figure out what's going on with my kid. Some people might think he's not a very good doctor if he doesn't KNOW. I love that he is honest and involves me.

Adelin has tonsillitis. She has been home from school for two days now. She is eating better and I think her antibiotic is kicking in. I will keep her on Tylenol to keep her fever and pain down today...but I think she will be fit for school tomorrow. Just in time for pajama day!

SO...that pretty much sums up what's going on around here....

Thanksgiving!

We had a good Thanksgiving.

We made it down to Mesa and had Thanksgiving with Brandon's family.

We stayed at a hotel...which we don't usually do when we go to Mesa. We stayed at the Residence Inn...which was our first time staying at one of those...but it was great because they have a full size fridge and a stove...and a dishwasher. Our food assignment was mashed potatoes...so we were able to cook those up just fine! :)

Brandon's family made some GOOD food this year. Who made that green bean casserole with fresh green beans? It was yummy. I ate too much at Thanksgiving dinner and have eaten too much every day since.

We had our second Flake Family stick horse rodeo which has sort of become a Flake Family Thanksgiving Tradition. The kids love it and it's fun to watch. (Kaitlyn won 4th place in the tennis shoe race)!

Brandon and I are usually excited to do some Black Friday shopping....but this year we were just plain out too tired! Connor hasn't been sleeping well at night...so the thought of being out shopping for hours instead of sleeping didn't appeal to us too much. I had gone through the ads and made a list and everything...but decided to sleep instead. This is the first Black Friday I have missed in 5 years. Crazy huh?

All in all...we had a fun and relaxing Thanksgiving. We spent yesterday and today swimming at the hotel and watching TV!

This week marks 6 years since we moved here to Snowflake. So...I thought I'd make a little list of 6 things I've like about living in Snowflake. :)

1. I like going to Ed's (supermarket) and having one of my nieces or nephews be the cashier or bag my groceries. It's a fun time to chit chat with them.
2. I love the summers here!
3. I love the leaves in the Fall!
4. I love the 12 Days of Christmas! For the first 12 days of December there is a performance or celebration of some sort put on by the town!
5. I love our ward. Snowflake 5th!
6. I love that seeing an airplane in the sky is something special to my kids! We don't see that everyday here! My kids enjoy the simple things...they have never been to Disneyland...but they are thrilled to go to the park or for a walk. My kids are very "outdoors-y" and I think it's because of where they've been raised.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I really like this scripture.

It is an answer to Paul's pleading with the Lord.

"My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

God's grace was sufficient for Paul. It is sufficient for me. It is sufficient for you. "My grace is sufficient for thee" means that His grace is enough to meet any need.

That is a powerful promise.

   

Do you have sorrow?

Are you confused?

Do you struggle?

Does something hurt?

You'll be okay. You are not alone. There is someone who knows you better than anyone and He's the only one who can help.

I love what Pres. Monson said last month in Conference. "May we realize and understand how close to us He is willing to come, how far He is willing to go to help us, how much He loves us, and how much He does and is willing to do for us."

Some might say, "Than why hasn't He!?"

I think it is helpful to remember that the Lord has a plan for each of us. He has a time table and we should never lower our expectation  that our prayers will be answered. We have to keep praying...than doing what he inspired us to do so we can become who he is trying to make us into. Sounds nice right? Sounds easy? Well...it isn't at first. But as we pray and read the scriptures, we are able to see with spiritual eyes. These eyes see where we have been, where we are going and they see the Lord doing what He said he'd do...turning our weaknesses into strengths.

I LOVE that! I LOVE the gospel!

*I know I should be giving credit to the amazing artist whose inages I used. If they actually knew that I used them...THAT would be amazing! So just let me say "Thank you!" since I don't know their names.*

I didn't take a single picture of my kids in their Halloween costumes this year! I am not going to feel guilty about it...for too long. :{ Oh well.

Kaitlyn was a cute black cat. Imagine her with a black kitty ears half- face mask, black bow tie, black leotard, gray+black tutu, black legging and a black tail.

Addie was a princess. She was more simple. She wore her white princess dress up dress, white tights, white shoes, and a crown. I did her hair in a bun with ringlets hanging down in back.

Weston wore two costumes...at the same time. He wore his cowboy clothes (typical Weston attire) with a cute plush Jack-o-Lantern costume. He was a cutie!

Connor wore our lion costume that all my kids have worn when they are his age. He was adorable with his big hairy mane and long tail. He even started saying something that sounded like, "Trick or Treat" and "Thank you" while we were out last night. He didn't want to take his costume off. I think he thought if he left it on he'd keep getting candy.



For our ward Halloween party....I dressed up. Which I don't ever do but I got an idea and decided to do it. I went as a pregnant lady...all I did was ace bandage a little pillow under my shirt. I got a lot of long looks. I could tell people were wondering if they should ask me about it or not. The only person who said something to me was Brandon's cousin. She hadn't seen me in a while so she was easy to trick. Everyone else was either confused (asking each other about it) or they didn't even notice. Anyhow. It was fun to laugh about it because I have had a LOT of people (more than one is ALOT in a situation like this and it's happened to me at least 4 times) ask me if I am pregnant since Connor was born. It has really hurt my feelings...so it was good to laugh about it instead!

Anyhow. The kids had a pretty good time dressing up and trick-or-treating.

Brandon had fun last night building a fire in our little outdoor fireplace and sitting out in the yard handing out candy. :)