quotables bonanza!

1/27 ~ Exacto was practicing Keep the Commandments and Rosebud was singing along, "Keep the commandments, keep the commandments, unless there is safety, unless there is peace. . . ."

.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .

~Rosebud: "Mommy, would you like me to tell you a story?"

Me: "Sure!"

Rosebud: "Once upon a time Rosebud was playing with toys quietly while Mommy was teaching piano lessons, and then she saw a big gray eyebrow and it swallowed her and it went to [Hummer’s school] and the eyebrow spat her out and Hummer said, "Whoa! Hi, Rosebud!" . . . .And then the eyebrow thing ate Rosebud in its stomach again and it went to Nana's and Grandpa's house and spat him out and Nana and Grandpa said, "Whoa! Hi, Rosebud! Would you like to eat some food with us?" And Rosebud said, "Sure." And so she got to eat a whole bunch of food. And I think that's the end."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1/24 ~ A Rosebud joke. . .

Where do pencils go on their missions?

To California!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1/12  ~ To illustrate how out-of hand the grammar police have gotten around our house, especially when it comes to adverbs. . . .

Me to a restless Rosebud: "Go ahead! Go potty!"

Exacto: "Go PottiLY."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

~ Me to Exacto: "You don't hafta be the grammar police. You can just be happy!"

Exacto, sweetly: "Being the grammar police makes me happy!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

~ Rosebud singing the Primary birthday song: "If I had a gift then it would be. . . ."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1/1/14 ~ Rosebud: "I'm going to hug Benjamin."

Me: "How are you going to do that?"

Rosebud: "I'm going to reach my hands way up high in the air and hug them together." (which she did, very sweetly and lovingly).

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12/28/13 ~ Hummer advising Fluffy about to leave on a bike ride. He recommended that if he needed help, to "look for a grandma or mother with children." I agreed, and then he clarified: "A grandma or mother with children who are HAPPY and CONTENTED."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

~ Exacto had the chairs in rows in the living room while he mopped the kitchen. This became an airplane for Rosebud: "We're flying to Marzipan!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12/27/13 ~ We passed a place where we had forgotten to attend their Santa event a few weeks before. Rosebud said thoughtfully: "If I were there now, I would say thank you to him!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12/24/13 ~ Rosebud, just before going to bed on Christmas Eve: "Want me to tell you what I wish for from Santa?"

Me: "Yes."

Rosebud: "To see when Jesus was born."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12/23/13 ~ Rosebud: "Can I watch The French Stole Christmas?"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12/19/13 ~ Rosebud had moved to Fluffy's seat while he was away taking care of the laundry. I said: "Rosebud, you'll need to move to your spot when Fluffy comes back."

Rosebud: "I don't want to. I refuse."

Me (calmly): "Rosebud, you'll need to move to your spot when Fluffy comes back."

Rosebud: "Okay, I will. I promise, Mommy."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12/16/13 ~ Rosebud lying with her head in my lap: "I think you are my favorite pillow."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12/6/13 ~ Hummer to Rosebud: "Do you want me to tell you what C-T-R stands for?"

Rosebud (without missing a beat): "It doesn't stand for anything, bud!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12/5/13 ~ Me in a warning tone to Hummer: "You're burning your own bridges."

Fluffy, cheerfully: "I'm burning my own britches!"

Day 65 – { sunshine surprise }

Last Friday I woke up and performed the necessary emotional gymnastics of talking myself into getting up and facing life. I did a pretty good job, I thought, telling myself that everything was going to be okay and that after I taught piano that morning I could rest and look forward to the weekend with my Sweet Ones. I staggered downstairs with vague intentions of making a pot of oatmeal for breakfast.

DC was already in the kitchen and motioned for me to look in the family room. I turned my head and saw. . . . my sister-in-law Lori sitting up and smiling at me from an air mattress! And next to her, my brother Jofus! And in between them, adorable baby Benjamin J!!

 

 

It was a huge surprise. DC knew about it and had welcomed them late the night before. I couldn’t believe it. I was a little nervous about having company with the struggles I had been having, but DC and Lori handled nearly all of the cooking and I just let go mentally of everything else that I would have done and just ENJOYED them.

 

 

We went on to have one of the best weekends ever. . . .

 

 

A trip to the park and Benjamin’s first ride on a swing.

 

Really, really good food.

detail: Homemade ice cream (Lori’s original Key Lime Pie ice cream and Reese’s peanut-butter cup), French toast with tons of buttermilk syrup and fresh strawberries, Biscuits and gravy, Lori’s super yummy chicken enchiladas, Fruit pizza, etc.

Hyrum knit Benjamin this groovy scarf.

A trip to rural Colorado to be with DC’s brother and sister for a late Christmas get-together (already planned before the surprise :).

10 days and about 10 lbs apart! :)

 

Watching The Hobbit and playing Tapple and Ticket to Ride Europe edition

 

Going to church together and visiting the temple site

 

I could not believe how my spirits lifted having these two funny (and may I mention, nice!?) people and one very adorable baby nephew around. It felt like the sun had come back out.

 

Since then, DC has started classes again and we are completely back into the routine. And I am doing better. . .so far (may it continue and increase!).

 

So grateful for modern medicine but even more grateful. . . .

. . .for Family.

Dear Mom, We love Hummer.

Week of January 6 – 12

He was a very sweet birthday boy, even helping make the special meals.

(The light bulb was for his lava lamp.)

.

(The boys insisted I keep the photo below with Rosebud’s red eyes. :/)

 

We had a little trouble getting this next shot. . . .:)

There we go! haha.

.

.

Thank you for calling him that day and for the very special gift! I think it was a great birthday for him.

Love,

Michelle

Dear Mom, Sometimes I’m like a broken vessel.

Week of December 30, 2013 – January 5, 2014

 

After 5 years of being in the clear, I began to suffer a major depressive episode these past two weeks. It has been coming on for a while, but really hit the week of Rosebud’s birthday and Christmas. I am grateful for Elder Holland’s words comparing depression to high blood pressure and other physical ailments. I feel that it’s important to talk about it in a similar way. I wish there were a way to measure one’s serotonin levels, but believe me mine have been dangerously low. Thankfully I am under a doctor’s care and have begun a new medication. So far it has been a terribly uncomfortable adjustment but hopefully that will pass soon.

I plan to work very hard building up my strength so that I can be medication-free again in a free months: eating well, being more wise in not taking on more than I can handle, exercise, more social interaction, watching and correcting my thought patterns, and hopefully maybe even yoga. :)

I am so grateful this happened at a time when DC is home on break from school (his first real break in a year and a half!). He has been wonderful, taking on much of my normal work and making it possible for us to still have some good moments together as a family.

 

 

On New Year’s Eve we finally got to finish Rosebud’s gingerbread house, much to my satisfaction (it was begun on her birthday but I had to go to bed early for reasons alluded to above and had felt badly ever since).

We also shared our goals with each other and played Balderdash. DC and the boys stayed up till midnight. It’s funny how that used to sound fun to me. :)

On New Year’s Day it snowed again, and we played a new game that was a Christmas gift – Forbidden Desert. It was so fun! A teamwork-type game with some individual role-playing.

 

 

Friday found us at the city pool for Fluffy to pass off his last requirement for 1st Class Scout. It was soothing to be in there where it felt like summer again. :) Exacto and DC were so awesome to help him, and it was fun to watch them all.

 

 

DC took the boys sledding with all their new gear from Santa. They had a BLAST. (I stayed home with Rosebud due to her suddenly having a fever.)

 

 

We had thick snow for much of the day Saturday. Fluffy and Hummer went out sledding again, but Rosebud was really sick. Her fever reached 103.9 and she was delirious. I have never had any of my babies do that before and it was scary. Luckily ibuprofen brought it down and she was still able to at least enjoy watching Mary Poppins.

I am so grateful for medical care for her, too! She’s on antibiotics and doing much better now.

Some reading I have done recently about depression that really helped my perspective is Segullah’s Roundtable series on the topic, found here.  I especially loved the first part of the section on Depression and Spirituality. It helps me to think of reaching for Christ. I know He understands me and loves me.

Thank you for your prayers and love, Mom! I love you.

~Michelle

A Hummer creation. . . .just in time for his birthday!

Here’s what happens when you give Hummer a camera and plenty of time to dawdle (aka Christmas break). . . .

(video below)

(Turn up your speakers for a mediaeval mice experience :).

Oh, how I love that quirky, fun-loving boy! He keeps us laughing. Can’t believe he’s 10 now!

Whom I Worship

I’m home with sick Rosebud today, and was so inspired by this beautiful video. How I love my Savior Jesus Christ!