3rd week of Nov.

So, once every other month or so, I get really depressed about my house. I try to stay upbeat, but then I get into a cleaning project, or de-cluttering ( which is what it was this time) and I remember how small my house is for our size of family and the things we do in our life. You would think 1500 sq. ft. would be big enough, heck the pioneers had 10 kids all in a one  room house with a loft, I should be able to do 5 kids in 1500 sq. ft. right? Well, I do survive, and have for over 4 years now and will survive for the rest of my life if I have to, but it is hard. Todd and I love art, so we have plenty of stuff to keep us up in being able to do what we want, but still would prefer more, like a drawing table for Todd, yeah like we have room for that. Of course we have all kinds of modern conveniences that that pioneers didn't have so right there we need something bigger. We have camping gear that we really don't have room for and tools, we have a treadmill that has to go in the living room, which I hate it being there. Then there is the start of our food storage, behind the couch, under beds, classic Mormon family. Our kids don't get a lot of toys for birthdays or Christmas, we do the book thing a lot or outdoor stuff, I don't think they are suffering, but sometimes I wish I could do a little bit more. I just do not have room for that kind stuff. One thing I like about it is, we have had to figure out how to be more creative in our fun. Sometimes though I just want the easy out. Any way I have been de-cluttering again, I have to do it often, and got all depressed because I don't have a place for so many things, so in tears I head to my sisters for my quartly uplift. Even though we can't really solve the too small house, without money, she always makes me feel a lot better and we usually come up with a few simple solutions, so that I can face my house again and move forward. Plus she reminds me of all my many blessings that I do have. If a small house was the only problem of so many in the world, the world would be in a better place right now. I am truly blessed with all I have. So that is how my week started. The rest of the week went better, and we even did some fun stuff or at least I did, I don't know if I can speak for all my kids and husband.

Pack Night was on Wed. great success and the boys had so much fun. We made cards for our local nursing home, played speed, and practiced the flag ceremony. Thursday morning I went to the counties Benifit fair with Todd and TJ. We told TJ it wasn't the fun kind of fair, but I am not sure she agreed when all was said and done. The vendors dotted  over her and she got a bag full of goodies, whats not to love about that. Then that night I went over and showed our 2nd counselor of the bishopric how to re-charter the cub-scouts. Check one more thing off my many things that I was doing for cub-scouts. So many things have been lifted off my shoulders. Friday was spent making sure Todd and Ki had everything for their camp-out and editing pictures of my sisters kids so that she could give them to her in-laws at Thanksgiving.  Todd actually got off a little after 1 and headed home, that was a treat. I got to see him for almost 2 hours before he headed off to the hot springs with Ki. This was Ki's very first Scout camp-out and what a fun one for him, especially since his dad got to go as well. They had a fun, but cold time. He even got a black eye, good times!

 If you look closely at the pictures, you can see that it was snowing. The "Hot Pots" are around 100 degrees so you are fine in the pots, but what about when you get out? Burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!

 Todd thought it would fun to where his hat in the pots!

You can't really see Ki's start of a simple black eye, but you can tell that it is a little swollen. One of the boys tripped in front of him and Ki ended up with his friends foot in his eye. Todd said they first thing they thought of wasn't how it hurt, or sorries it was," cool, lets go get a picture of your eye"!! Boys, gotta love them! Friday night I got to go with my sister (no kids) to the high school play. They were doing "Fiddler on the Roof" Bry my Nephew had the lead of Tevea. I thought he did really well, it was fun to watch him.

The song was long enough, that I didn't get the whole thing in one clip. My DSLR will only do a few minutes at a time. Here is the last part of "If I Were a Rich Man" You can see a little of his dance.

Sat. after Todd got home we went on a real date, not lets get grocery shopping done while we spend time together kind of date. We actually went to a concert.

 We saw the concert at the Covey Center

Todd checking out some of the art galleries.

A friend ended up with a couple extra tickets for the group "Vocal Point" An A Capella group from BYU. They had been on the TV show "Sing-Off" I didn't know much about them except what little through Audrey. Todd and I both enjoyed it, they were a fun group to watch and listen to.Very entertaining! After the concert, we took advantage that we were in the Provo area and did some Christmas shopping and then yes we did go to the grocery store. We hadn't bought any of our food for Thanksgiving yet, so you know we kind of need to do it. It was a good night until we got the text from Tay, saying when she got home from doing Baptisms at the temple,  the babies had gotten into her room and made a mess. She said it looked like it had rained nail polish then a tornado hit. You can imagine what my mind was thinking, I was praying that Tay was exaggerating. Thank goodness she was. It wasn't good, but not as bad as I had imagined.

 We have spots like this in several areas on Tay's floor now, but it certainly didn't look like it rained nail polish, and a few of her shoes and a couple of items of clothing got nail polish on them.

This was the worst spot, but it was an old dresser that we are planning to re-due anyway. TJ had a lot on her and her clothes, I am just grateful that is all that happened, but I really need to not leave Ki in charge anymore, to many bad things happen when he babysits!

Love the boy to death, he just can't focus well enough!

Sunday was a good day. Good meetings at church. I got my visiting teaching in with 2 ladies that I adore, and I got to go with Todd to give blessings to a couple of friends, that just needed some extra comfort and reassures in their life. I am so grateful for a husband who holds the priesthood and feels comfortable using it. I don't know for sure what our friends got out of the blessings. I hope they got what they needed for the time, but my husband was flying high after them. Maybe he need to give them just as much. He told them, as well as continued to talk about the blessings after we got home, that there is one other time that, he felt heaven so close, and that was during a youth trip/activity were they all went out to pray and get answers on their own. He felt like heaven was open to him at the time, and he had that same feeling yesterday. He was reminded again yesterday, how much he loves the gospel and how much we are being watched out for and how much Heavenly Father is really right there when we need him. He is not this intangible thing that is unreachable. Todd is such an amazing example to me and my family.