Great helpers

This morning Grace was helping Everett make his bed.  They like to make everything into a game.  As I'm tidying up my room I overhear their conversation

Everett:  "Let's pretend we are great helpers."

Grace:  "yeah!  And we help everyone."

Last week we visited with friend from Cottage Grove.  We drove down to their beautiful house in the country and played for a few hours.  Amber has a baby just a few months younger than Edgar and a little girl almost 3 years old.  It was so much fun getting to know them better and can't wait for more playdates in the future.  We took a walk around their property.  G thoroughly enjoyed the rain puddles and earned herself a bath.  

When we got home Everett insisted that he needed a bath too.  So he rallied up the troops and invited Grace to come play.  

For math Grace is learning about weight.  So we borrowed a scale from school and had fun weighing toys.  

Friday night we had a family game night.  Papa and Everett played Mario Brothers 2, Grace played the wii and Gwenevere and I played Dragonwood.  Everett passed the first level on Mario Brothers 3 all by himself for the first time.  He was very excited for his accomplishment.  

Saturday morning was glorious.  We after breakfast we all went outside and worked in the yard.  James cut down 2 big bushes and dug out all the blackberries.  Our back little corner still needs a lot of work but it's coming. 

After a morning of fun work, Papa took the kids to get sushi while I took Edgar to a baby shower.  Gwenevere biked a total of 12 miles.  Grace road to the sushi store for a total of 5 miles.  On their way to the sushi store they stopped by a little local book store.  Everyone LOVED the book store and we hope to go back soon.    

Everett loves to the one who wakes up Edgar in the mornings. 

Edgar loves his exersaucer.  I was afraid he would be too small for it, but it turns out to be the best thing for him.  He loves sitting up and watching all his siblings roam around the house while he chews on his little leaf. 

Gwenevere turns 10 in a few days.  Sunday afternoon we where talking about her birthday plans and I just couldn't get enough of how grown up she is becoming.  I asked to take a picture of her with Papa and this is what we got.  I love her smile.  Most the time She smiles like the last picture but these are the best pictures i've gotten from her in a while. 

 Sunday night Grace decided to paint Papa's face and give him a makeover.  Papa turned down the face painting but enjoyed the beard-do Gwenevere gave him.  hahahhahahha  Then Gwenevere and Grace gave Everett and Me feet massages and we finished the night with hot cocoa and scripture study.

testing, Testing 1,2,3

hello Blogging world.  Are you still there?

I'm BACK!

Hurray for new beginnings.  I'm missed recording my family history here on the blog but i'm back and excited to write more this year. 

Funny fun things from today

Edgar is 4 months old.  He's chatting up a storm, sleeping through the night (sometimes), playing with toys and loves watching his siblings.  He Turned 4 months 3 days ago.  He weighs 16lbs and has one tooth barely through the gums. 

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We got our first egg from our chickens today!  Gwenevere found a chicken nesting some plants.  We checked for eggs but there weren't any.  A few hours later she checked again and found an egg.  YAY

Gwenevere started Gymnastic yesterday.  I love seeing this girl in a leo.  She says she's sore from the workout but it feels good.  We're hoping to get her in classes twice a week.

Tuesday I ran the battery on our van dead and didn't know because the lights still turned on but the car wouldn't start.  James came to the rescue while on his lunch break.  

Monday we gathered every book in our house.  We grouped them into categories and distrubed them back to bedrooms and bookshelves around the house.  It was a big project but so fulling.  Netflex has a new TV series called Tidying Up.  and it's been very motivational.  I hope to do the garage and school rooms soon.  

While organizing books Gwenevere found our old Blog books and started reading old posts to us while we tidied.  It brought so much joy to hear her ready about 2 year old Gwenevere.  in so many ways my little 2 year old Gwenevere is the same girl she is today.  I love it.  It was listening to Gwenevere read old blog posts that got me motivated to blog again.  I don't want the memories to die because we are too busy to write them down.  I did some brainstorming with Rebecca and figured out a whole new way to blog.  Mind Blown awesomeness.  I can now upload pictures so much faster.  YAY.  Here's to blogging more often.  (i hope)

We've gotten into a new rhythm of homeschooling and I'm loving it.  For so long i've been pushing gwenevere to be more independent in her learning and it's been a frustrating battle.  Recently I've felt impressed to do all her schooling right beside her.  Now I do one on one schooling with Gwenevere while Grace does her reading to Everett.  It's a beautiful thing.   I love everything about our new setup.  

Sunday we had a special church conference.  Elder Cook came to the area and spoke.  We started our scripture journals and are hoping to stay faithful with the new church curriculum  

at Church 

Eugene Community Creche (Festival of Nativities)

2018  Mama-Mary, Papa-Joseph, Grace- Donkey, Gwenevere- Shepard,  Everett-Everett, and Edgar-Jesus.

our family's number one tradition is that we like to change up traditions.  Meaning to don't do the same things over and over again.  But one tradition that has actually stuck is our family nativity picture and I was a bit sad to think it wouldn't happen this year.  That is why I was so excited to find out that Eugene area has a festival of nativities.  They call it a Creche. 

I'll keep this post simple and just highlight the years each baby has been Jesus. 

2009 Gwenevere

2011 Grace 

with baby Everett, I was looking forward to getting our family nativity pictures taken.  But then life happened, the weekend of the Stake Nativity was also the weekend of the progressive pigout, and the MBT ballet, and 100 other fun things. Since we couldn't do everything on our list of wants, choices where made and the Stake Nativity activity was cut.    As hard as it was, I was happy we were able to experience the other holiday activities.  Then to my surprise, James and I along with Everett were asked to participate in reenacting the Nativity story for the Relief Society program at church.  This was by far more embarrassing but in the end we got pictures taken

Sometimes parenting is Freaking Hard

The other day Jenni Thomas (my sister in law) posted on facebook about her son's anxiety and a little tooth drama.  I can totally relate because sometimes being a parent is freaking hard. 

Everett's anxiety has been crazy since we moved.  The worse part is he gets violent when he gets upset.  We're working really hard on correcting behavior and using words to express emotions.  Not something a little 5 year old boy wants to do.  It's hard because I don't feel like I know what i'm doing.   I can't seem to find anything that motivates him to change his behavior.  And when he's in his freakout panic stage, there is no way to reason with him.

Today I took the kids to swim class.  Everett freaked out and started stomping his foot when we got to the pool.  He was dressed and ready for swim class and then freaked out and decided he wasn't going to go to class.  I took him up to the bleachers with me and tried talking to him.  Anything I said just made him angeryer, showing him which swim class was his and who the teach was resulted in more growls and foot stomping followed by him hitting me.  I told him he could not hit me.  Then he tried to bite me. When I pushed his body away from me and told him he could not hurt me, he took a moment to breath and then tried to pinch me and poke me or hurt me in any way he could think of.

This went on for about ten minutes.  All while trying to nurse Edgar.  Finally I asked a mom next to me to hold Edgar so I could physically move Everett away from me.  I was so freaking MAD.  Anything I did to try to get him to calm down blew up in my face.

 Putting Everett in a corner I told him that when people hurt other people we are sent to jail so they can be isolated and not hurt anyone.  I told him that if he didn't correct his behavior he'd go to jail and be all alone. ( sometimes i really worry that he might end up in jail someday from violent behavior.) It's never okay to hurt another person. (not my finest moment but it was all I could do to keep myself from crying) 

Then I took a few steps back and he sat in timeout for a LONG time.  Long enough for me to calm myself down. 

Primary has been hard, preschool  has been hard, day to day life has been hard.  I totally freaked out about having another boy because Everett is so stinking HARD.  He's been my hardest baby ever since birth. 

But in between the hard moments Everett gives off the most incredible feelings of love.  Love for his siblings, love for his parents and love for life. 

James and I have both tried really hard to give Everett more one on one attention lately.  Everyday Everett and I will play board games for an hour.  He so smart and loves to play board games. 

We play, Candyland, Memory, Hoot owl Hoot, Mancala, Meow Meow, (just like uno) gobblet, Monopoly Deal and other games. 

I want to remember the good, the fun and love I have for this life. 

proud big brother

waiting outside of preschool because he refused to go

I wake up every morning to this little man's happy face

Happy Pumpkin

everett holding his baby while I hold mine

A little bit of cuddling Papa after a rough morning

Edgar Arlo's blessing day

The day before Edgar's blessing day I felt sick and tired.  I tried to clean the house but didn't accomplish much.  James came home from work and helped clean but there was still more to do.  Thankfully we had already gotten all the grocery items we needed for meals.

Saturday morning James woke up and started breakfast.  We listened to the first session of General conference on my bed with all the kids.  

It was very exciting to hear about the new changes President Nelson announced and Elder Cook expanded upon.  

"For many years, Church leaders have been working on an integrated curriculum to strengthen families and individuals through a home-centered and Church-supported plan to learn doctrine, strengthen faith, and foster greater personal worship. Our efforts over these recent years to hallow the Sabbath—to make it a delight and a personal sign to God of our love for Him—will be augmented by the adjustments we will now introduce.

This morning we will announce a new balance and connection between gospel instruction in the home and in the Church. We are each responsible for our individual spiritual growth. And scriptures make it clear that parents have the primary responsibility to teach the doctrine to their children.2 It is the responsibility of the Church to assist each member in the divinely defined goal of increasing his or her gospel knowledge.

As I listened to the changes made I felt the spirit whisperer  "See this is another reason I have called you to homeschool your children.  To learn how to teach your children the gospel."   

What a special day today was.

After the morning session of Conference my parents (grandma and Grandpa Thomas,) along with Aunt Alisha showed up.  Mom helped James and I finish cleaning the house.  I then made lunch for everyone and James took the kids to a local pet store to find out what to do with our baby kitten.  

Then we turned the saturday afternoon session of Conference on while we continued to work around the house,  prepping dinner, Grandma Thomas hemming a skirt she made for me and Grandpa Thomas holding baby Edgar.  

Around 3pm Aunt Rebecca and her boys showed up,  soon followed by Grandma Sharolee and Grandpa Don, who also brought along Red Grandma (Sharolee's mom).  Grace showed family her violin and Red Grandma gave her a little lesson.  Then Grandpa Roemhildt (Dumpa) arrived followed by, Candy and Roger Vickery,  Aunt Tessha and Uncle Patrick  and their two youngest.  The house was getting full and it felt great.  

Tessha and Patrick went to work setting up a wonderful Salad,  James was busy smoking a roast on the BBQ and making clam chowder.  

Around 5:30 Will and Jenni arrived with their three boys.  Now everyone was here except for the Bishop.  James texted the bishop and he was on his way.  

Around 6pm we all gathered together in the Grandroom, Bishop Salden explained why we give babies a name and blessing D&C 20:70.  Then we sang "I am a Child of God."  Uncle Will said a prayer inviting the spirit to be with us and to bless the food.  Then Papa gave Edgar a blessing.  Grandpa Thomas, Grandpa Roemhildt, Grandpa Don, Uncle Will, Uncle Patrick, and Bishop in the prayer circle.  Grandma Thomas and Uncle Patrick recorded the blessing.

As soon as Papa started the prayer I noticed Everett playing on the other side of the room.  I quietly went over to him and carried him back to my seat.  Everett wasn't about to sit still on my lap so I held him close.  Standing next to the prayer circle I looked in to see Edgar Arlo looking up at Papa as Papa held him in a reclined sitting position out in front of him.  Eye to eye Papa spoke the words of the blessing directly to Edgar as all the other priesthood hands held Edgars back in support.   the mental picture I took that day will forever be in my heart.  

Dear Father in Heaven.  By the power and authority of the Melchizedek Priesthood which we hold, we come to you to give this baby a name and a blessing.  The name in which he'll be known by is Edgar Arlo Roemhildt.  

At this time we give you Edgar a blessing that as you come into this family, a family that loves you very much, that you will be able to feel that love and that you will be able to see the examples of your siblings as you grow.  We bless you with health and strength.

We bless you with a sense of humor and a sense of kindness that you can spread to those around you.

Follow the promptings  of the Spirit and you will be guided right.

(long silent pause)

Edgar this world can be a very difficult place but this world is full of beautiful too.  I bless you that you will be able to find and see that beauty.  that you will be able to cultivate it with those around you.  

We bless you that you will be able to be a light for everyone.

That as your grow you will be able to find a companion that you can build your own life in this life. 

These things we leave with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Aman.  

Sometimes words are the hardest way to communicate.  Edgar as you read your blessing from time to time I hope you can feel the love of your father and of your family.  We are so happy you chose to come to earth and be apart of our family.  

After Edgar's blessing we all ate dinner and visited.  Before everyone left, we pulled out some pumpkin pie and ice cream.  The day was perfect in everyway.  

One by one family began to leave.  Uncle Will and Aunt Jenni having traveled for 6 hours got a hotel in Eugene for the night.  But Preston and Taylor stayed the night to have more cousin time.  Uncle Will stayed late and we visited until 11pm.  

Grandma and Grandpa Thomas and Alisha spent the night but where gone before we woke up the next morning.  They had a long drive home.  

The Next morning, Uncle Will and Riley came over for breakfast and to listen to the morning session of conference with us.  Aunt Jenni is allergic to cats so she stayed at the hotel.  

The weekend went by quick, but I hope to remember it for years to come.

James is not threatening Edgar but copying his pose