"The Family Is of God"

Mark and I are the new primary teachers of the 11/12 yr olds in our ward.  I LOVE it.  The Lord must know (duh of course he knows!) that medical school keeps Mark away a lot so he blessed  us with a calling that we can do together - which for me has been an amazing tender mercy.  I really love primary and my new favorite song is one that our primary is learning called, "The Family Is of God."  The sunbeams just belt this song out and it makes all the leaders cry.  Anyways, so our first day in primary we start singing this song.  Zina is across the room from us singing away with the rest of the sunbeams.  When we get to the part that says, "A father's place is to preside, provide, To love and teach the gospel to his children,"  she perked up, turned around to find Mark across the room and yelled, "PAPA that's what you do!"  She was pretty excited and everyone started snickering.  We kept singing and then after the chorus came this next part, "A mother's purpose is to care, prepare, To nurture and to strengthen all her children."  Once again Zina whipped around searching for me, but she couldn't find me so she just yelled out in hopes I could hear, "MAMA THAT'S WHAT YOU DO."  Yes, we are being well taught by our 3 year old.   

Wilson is having a hard time making the transition into nursery.  He is such a mama's boy.  I have finally weaned him at 20 months which was pretty hard on us both.  He just didn't want to stop and frankly neither did I, but finally it was time.  I really love nursing my kids - it creates a bond like no other that I have a hard time giving up - also because I just want my babies to stay babies and they are just growing up SO fast.  How grateful and humbled I am that I get to be their mother.  It is such a privilege.  

See look how lucky I am - Wilson painted whiskers on his face with my mascara. I'm sure he ate some too.  Little stinker!

Is it worth mentioning?

Every Sunday evening I sit down and write a letter to my brother Mark who is on a mission in California.  It's sort of a family update for my whole family because we all write on our family website and then my mom compiles all the letters and sends them to him.  Almost always  I sit down and think, "What on earth did I do this week?  What did I do that is worth mentioning?" 

A little make believe.

This is our boat (boat because we were fighting dragons to the soundtrack of Pirates of the Caribbean).  Every time Wilson brandished his wisk-  I mean sword - he would yell, "Hiya, hiya hiya"  

We made play dough and then kneaded the colors into it, which was pretty cool,  even for me.

We redesigned the kitchen table with shaving cream - which we also added food coloring to.  This is a favorite past time of Zina's after living with Grandma Nancy.

(sorry it's sideways)

Ran through the new sprinkler.

In our clothes of course (ok, I personally didn't do this although know that I think about it - why the heck not?)

Planted a little salsa garden.

Swung in the hammock

And ate some delicious icecream.

  I've been wondering lately if I'm doing my part and being the best I can be at whatever I am.   I think that one of the most important things I can do for my kids is to spend time with them, playing, connecting, imagining, laughing.  Why is make believe so hard sometimes?  Why do we lose that gift that comes so easily to children?  This week I made a goal to do better.  It went ok.  Next week will be better.  

And just a personal experiment on my part - It seems that when I spend time with my kids doing what they want to do their behavior is 100% better.  Even when it's time for the activity to end.   I think it's called, "time in" instead of "time out."

The Last Hurrah

Of course it had to come to an end.  I love the Sabbath and it was the perfect end to our week -relaxing. learning about the gospel, and being with my family.  Tomorrow is the start of Mark's last term of his first year of Medical school. :)  Here is a recap of a few more things we did to celebrate being together.

South Mountain Park

We drove up to an outlook and that is Phoenix in the background.  It was a cloudy day but I'm pretty sure that is a beautiful smog settled over the city. Nice.

We did a short interpretive hike at the visitors center which I really enjoyed because we got to learn all about the vegetation and the Sonoran desert.

I love this particular pose.

Mark is taking a few  notes from Zina.  She insisted on doing the whole hike by herself.  The last couple of days Zina has been insisting on doing everything by herself.  Today she got the oatmeal out of the fridge, put it in a bowl, warmed it up in the microwave, got the milk out of the fridge, (Mark poured it because it was to heavy), got some sugar (dumped it all over the floor) put some in her bowl (way to much, I'm sure) got a spoon and chowed down.  It may not seem like a big deal to most of you, but it was a HUGE deal to me.  My little Zina is growing up.

Some random shenanigans.  Watch out. Every time I turn my back these two are swiping sugar!  They inherited that from me. :)

I couldn't resist.  Such a cute bum.

 I love this one.

This hike was at Thunderbird Park right by our house.  I haven't really loved hiking here but a friend told us to try the trails off Pinnacle Peak road instead of 67th and she was right, it is way more beautiful there.

Independence

Lately Zina has been asserting her independence at the dinner table.  No matter what I make she will find something she refuses to eat because she doesn't like it - even if she loved it the day before.  Tonight we had hamburger soup with cabbage in it.  Zina started crying because we told her she had to eat her soup, cabbage and all.

Zina "WAAAAAAA I don't like cavvage take it off" (cabbage on the spoon - and yes she really thinks it's called cavvage)

Mama, "How do you know you don't like it? You haven't even tried it."

Zina stops mid-wail to give me the look of death, "Yes, I did... long ago. Silly.  You're wrong." Glare.  And since mom and dad both started laughing the bawling turned to giggling.  

We can usually get her to try a bite if she plugs her nose while doing so.  As soon as it hits her mouth she pretty much always grins and says, (in a chirpy little voice) "I like it."  It only took us 20 minutes to get there.  She's a little on the stubborn side. Inherited that from her father...

These are the days.

Today I am grateful. Grateful that Mark's 2nd term is over. Grateful that he loves to play with us. Grateful that my kids make me laugh everyday. Grateful that even though stake conference was painful today (because my kids were a little on the un-reverent side) I still like going to church. Grateful for friends to share good food and conversation with. Grateful for beautiful weather and a yard for my kids to run in. Grateful for Zina's giggle. Grateful for Mark's machete. Grateful for my nice soft bed that I am going to climb into...soon.

Zina is in to "posing" for the camera.

She has been dressing herself for awhile now, but the other day she put on this outfit and came running out to show me. "Mom, I look so cute.  Look Mom, it's just pink pink pink pink!"

This was an impromptu water fight.  Aren't those the best kind?  The kids giggled through the whole thing while Brenda and I just sat back and watched...ok, we giggled too.

And this was our first day with Mark home ALL day to play.

It was beyond heavenly.  And we get him all week!!!

These are backwards but we started out doing yard work, then went on a picnic/hiking and then swimming.

Did I mention it was heavenly?

Here is Wilson enjoying some strawberries during our picnic.

Here we are doing yard work. Notice Zina's pose...

And yes, Mark really did "mow" our front lawn with his machete. 

I was pretty skeptical but he got tired of me pulling the weeds out

by  hand.  I admit it. I was pleasantly surprised that it turned out so good.  

And I'm sure our neighbors think we are totally nuts, but come on, my husband has been waiting 5 years to use that machete and he finally got his chance. Maybe when Mark's a doctor we'll be able to afford a lawn mower.  Ya right, like that's the first thing I'm going to buy..ok maybe we will invest in one before then.. 

And here is our hike and my sweet Wilson boy.

Posing again and she had to pee so she just worked that in. 

Can you tell?

Wilson Boy

Wilson's 18mths has come and gone.  This week he will be 19 mths and I've been meaning to get a "wilson" post up for a while now.  Here are a few things that we love about Wilson.

1.  He is talking up a storm and understands SO much.  It always amazes me. The other day I asked him what he was doing and he replied, "nuth'n"  It made me smile.  I'll respond to Zina or Mark with something like, "cool" or "sweet" and then I'll hear a little voice beside me parrot back exactly what I just said.  Mark has been talking to the kids in Spanish a lot lately and Wilson's favorite word is "zapatos."  Although now that I think about it, that is his favorite word in english and spanish because Wilson loves his shoes.  He loves that he can get them on and off on his own. 

 

2. We went to the Anthem city park the other day and Wilson spent the majority of the time chucking his shoes around like balls.  And watch out, because boy can he throw.  I've been nailed with an apple, a lemon, shoes, balls, toys etc.  If wilson has it he will throw it (and if it is round, it is inevitably called a ball).  

3.Wilson loves to sing.  He climbs up to the piano and plays and sings his little heart out and I love it.  If we are talking to Grandma on skype he usually ends up singing for her.  His little song sounds a lot like the song on the little mermaid where Ursula is stealing Ariel's voice.  You know, the aaaah aaahhh aaaahha  aaaah.  Got that?

4.One of my favorite things that Wilson does is when he loves someone.  If I am ever hurt (especially if he is the culprit - like an apple to the head) then he immediately comes over and gives me a love (hug) and pats my head or my back and says "soddy" - sorry.

5.There is a family video of Mark when he was two reciting a poem.  By the time he gets to the end of the poem he is laughing hysterically at himself.  It's the cutest thing.  I think Wilson inherited this.  He loves to show off and then either throws his head back and laughs or puts his head in his hands and laughs at himself.  It is really cute and something I hope to catch on video soon!  

6.  One of my favorite things is when my kids get old enough to sit beside me and really enjoy a book.  I love reading books to them because I love them snuggled up to my side all cozy and warm and enjoying a good book.  When it is time to read books Wilson always pulls the blanket right up to his chin and wiggles until he's snuggled right up to me.  

Love this Wilson Boy