Half Full

I've had a few issues with blogging lately, and I feel hopelessly behind. We can't seem to access any of our pictures on my lap top (which currently holds like 4 years worth of pictures), and we've been "working on it" for like 3 months now. Ugh. I have lots I want to blog about, birthdays, new puppies, baseball, and life, so as soon as I get this picture issue resolved, I will catch up. By then, I realize that those posts will be old news to you all, but after all, this blog is for my family, so I'll post them anyway!

I have always been an avid journal writer, but the last several years, I have gone from writing once a week, to once a month, to every other month! I am ashamed, I feel guilt, and I feel the need to beg my families forgiveness for not recording the goings on of our life, of their childhoods. For a long time I kept a journal in my kitchen that I would write down funny little moments or cute things the kids would say, but that too, has been pushed into a drawer somewhere I'm sure I'll come across when I get around to spring cleaning!

My heart has been telling me for weeks now that I need to be writing more, and focusing on the wonderful happy positive things about my life, my children, and being a mother. I tend to have more "glass half empty" moments than I care to admit, and when I am having one of those days, my sweet husband laughs at me, tells me he want to record me complaining about how hard my day has been, how much laundry needs to be done, how messy this house is, how the kids won't stop fighting, and how nobody will listen to me, so he can play it back in 18 years when all my babies are grown and out of the house, and I'm crying about that, and how much I miss my babies!!! Then he proceeds to do a mock female crying episode! Gotta love my Chuck!

Motherhood is a bit like giving birth I think. It is so painful, difficult, exhausting, and it's just plain a ton of work, but in the end, you forget the pain and the struggle, because in your arms is a miracle straight from God. My children are still a miracle, they are still sweet and precious, I just need to do a better, a much better job, of pausing each and every day to recognize those moments with my children. I am hoping (and praying) that by trying to be more positive, and look for the good things that happen in my day, that I will be a better mother, a better wife, and better me.

So there you have it, my blog will still be our family blog, but I am just going to be using it more like a journal, and maybe a little less like a scrap book (well at least until my picture/computer issue is resolved). If it bores you, I'm sorry. This is more for me, and my family. I need this.

Love,
Lanna
(I'm going to start signing my posts. I have always signed my journals)

Out to Lunch

Today we went out to lunch together as a family (just the adults) to celebrate Mother's Day and Anyssa's 29th (wink, wink) birthday! It was a treat being together and being able to finish a conversation! I'm glad we took a quick minute to take a few pictures.

Anyssa, Marya, Me, My mom Pam, and my Dad's mom Helen

And in this shot we added my brother's Jon and David, and my dad Tom.

Thanks Mom and Dad for treating us to lunch it was fun!

Love,

Lanna

Grandpa George's Funeral

We had my Grandpa George's funeral on May 6th. It was a very beautiful and sacred day for our family. My brother David gave the eulogy, and did a fantastic job paying tribute to such a great man. He had us all laughing and crying, which I think Grandpa would have liked. I never really knew until that day what a hand our Heavenly Father had in his life. I never knew what a strong testimony he had of the Savior until David read what he had written on the inside cover of the pocket bible he carried with him everyday of the war. His life was spared more than once. He was good, honest, hard working and a loving man. I am grateful he lived a long life he could be proud of.

Watching the Solders fold the flag over my grandpa's casket, while Taps was being played on the trumpet was so powerful. To think of all that my grandfather experienced in his life, all he saw, and sacrificed for his family and his country.


It was such a solemn moment that day.


The headstone of my Grandma Ruth and Grandpa George. I'm grateful that after all this time, they are together again.

My Mom sharing a quiet moment with some of her grandchildren after the grave side service.



It was great to all be together as a family to remember Grandpa. My sisters Marya and Anyssa were both able to fly into town to be there, and I know that meant a lot to my mom. Looking through all the old photos was also so neat. It doesn't seem like that long ago when I was the little girl in those photos. Now I have children of my own, and can see their sweet faces in those snapshots from the past. Time goes so quickly. I pray that I am making wise use of the time that I have. I want to leave a great legacy for my children and grandchildren, just like my grandpa did. I am so grateful for the family that I have, and for the blessing they are to me each and every day.

Love,

Lanna

Grandpa George

Today my Grandpa George passed away. He was 94 years old. He has been quite frail and sick for sometime, so his passing was a welcomed blessing. I had the chance to visit him one last time with my mom last Sunday. She called me up as I was giving the girls their bath, and said she was going to visit Grandpa, and she would be to my place in 20 min. to pick me up. She never does things like this. I know she was inspired. It was so hard to see Grandpa that day. He was a tall man in his prime at six two, and 185 lbs. Last Sunday, he was somewhere around 110 lbs., could barely sit in a wheel chair, let alone stand. My heart just ached for him. I could see the pain he was in, especially when a nurse had to help lift him up in his wheel chair. He just winced in pain. How could you not when all you have left is skin and bones. In the weeks before his passing the nurses said he had been asking where his wife was. They explained as kindly as they could that she had been gone for almost 30 years. Another time, the nurses caught him acting out (as if playing charades) like he was reeling in a fish. Fishing was a beloved past time of his that he had been unable to do for many years due to the effects of Parkinson's and old age. My Aunt Shelly works as a nurse in a nursing home, and said that when people are close to passing, they no longer look ahead in their lives, they look back. I hope the memories that played back in his mind were ones that brought him peace and joy and comfort. I hope he didn't have any regrets, and that he knew in his heart and in his mind what a kind, gentle man he was, and what a great life he lead.

I love him for the sweet Grandfather he was to me. He often emptied his pockets of gum and loose change, and let me have it all. I remember rolling down the huge hill in his back yard as a child, and rummaging through my Grandma Ruth's old Avon inventory. I always came upstairs with a treasure or two (usually a rancid lipstick or perfume sample, or a nail polish color my grandma couldn't even sell years before), and he always let me keep my loot. I think that is where my love of all things make up stemmed from! I have fond memories of the house he lived in most of his life. I can still see the gold fuzzy wallpaper, and green carpet, and hear the cheeks in the floor. I remember the bench he had in his entry way filled with old toys, which most likely contained lead paint, but they provied hours of entertainment, and I turned out okay-lead paint and all! He sold the house a few years back so he could be in a care facility. I know it was so hard for him to leave that house. I helped move some of his things out, and the house felt like a time capsule for his life. In the upstairs attack, we pulled out a trunk that had his World War II Navy uniform in it. I can't help but think of how handsome he was with his thick black hair in his navy pictures. The furniture, for the most part, was stuff that had been there since my mom was a child. I did love going up to the attack rooms that had been hers and finding old trinkets from her past. I would comb through the old magazines, and open drawers hoping to find things that had belonged to my mom or her sisters all those years back. When I think of my Grandpa, the Grandpa I knew as a child, I think of that house. I think the day he moved from that house, and knew he would never be back, he lost a part of himself.

In the years since I've been married, I think my grandpa loved Chuck more that he loved me. Whenever he called the house, he talked to me for a minute or two (on a good day), and then ask if Chuck was home! He wanted to know all about my husband's latest hunting or fishing trips, and then he wanted to talk about his guns! He had a gun cabinet that had been moved to my parents house after he moved from his house, and he always wanted to know how his guns were! He loved my kids, and often said how handsome my boys were, and how my girls looked like I did. When he met Callie for the first time, he kept calling her little Ruthie. We named her Callie Ruth after my grandma, his wife.

My parents went to see him last night. He was having a hard time breathing and swallowing. He kept a tight grip on my mom's hand, and told her he wanted to go. My Mom told him that he should, that everyone was waiting for him on the other side. I am so grateful that I know he is with my Grandma Ruth, and his parents and other family members. I know that he is not gone, but that he has just passed. Passed to the other side, and someday he will welcome me with open arms, along with my other family members who have gone before me. I pray that I too can live a long full life just like my Grandpa George.

Recital

Callie had her dance recital yesterday, and it has to be one of her favorite days of the whole year! This year she did both a tap and ballet performance. Her tap song was ABC by the Jackson Five, and her Ballet song was Good Luck Charm by Elvis! There is nothing cuter than a little girl dancing her heart out on stage! Way to go Callie!

Chuck struggles when she is all gussied up, he says she looks like she is 16! Callie, on the other hand loves to wear make up and have her hair all done up! Either way, we think she is beautiful!

Love,

Lanna

Introducing Wilson

Could you just eat him up or what?!!

The month of April this year has been all about this little guy! His name is Wilson! He is our new German Short hair Pointer, and the new love in my husbands life! He is quite adorable, and it's a dang good thing, because puppies are a ridiculous amount of work!

Dallin with the tired pup!

Ava was obsessed with his kennel! When he was in, she wanted him out, and when he was out, she wanted him in! I think it was the door!

Callie and Grant wanted to spend every minute they could with him, even if he was crashed out for a nap!

Puppy kisses!


The proud new papa!

All in all, Wilson has been a fun new addition to our family. It was one of the happiest days of my life when he figured out that he didn't need to pee all over my floor 8 times a day, but could actually pee in this nice soft stuff called grass! Yes, he has chewed and eaten tons, and even broken our flat screen TV (that's another post!), but in spite of all that, he is a good dog, and the kids and my husband love him! And yes, I too love our 5th four legged child! Here we go starting another crazy chapter in our families life!

Love,

Lanna

If There is Winter in Heaven....

It will look just like this!

We woke up to this last Saturday, and it just felt magical! The kids couldn't believe how beautiful all the trees were, and I could hardly keep my eyes off it all. I took several pictures as Callie and I headed off to dance class, and thankfully brought my camera with to capture this most amazing of winter days. I loved that this was the day before Valentine's Day. It felt like an early "I love you" present from Heavenly Father.

Callie and I stopped at the historical farm near our house on our way home. The farm was breathtaking! It really felt like something on a postcard! I showed Callie the tiny snowflakes as they landed on the sleeve my black wool coat. I wish I could have captured her little face as she realized that real snowflakes were more beautiful than ones cut out of paper.

Days like this help me see all of the positives to why I live in Minnesota. The winters here do get a bit long to say the least, but waking up to this peaceful winter surprise, makes all the below zero days tolerable! This by far, was one of my most favorite winter days.

And I got to share it all with this beauty.

My Kids Say

...And do the sweetest and darnedest things! For a while I had a journal sitting in my kitchen specifically devoted to writing down all of the funny, and cute things they said and did. I'm not quite sure how I fell out of habit with that one. The past few weeks there have been a few note worthy things.

About three weeks ago, we were going to be having a particularly busy day. The night before, Chuck was telling Dallin that we needed to get up early in the morning to get things going, and that we were all going to get up early, even mom. To which Dallin replied, "yea, I'd like to see that!" What the heck, I know I'm not a morning person, but I do get up in the mornings ya know! I'm usually up late folding laundry, cleaning up, reading a book, or heaven forbid enjoying my quiet, sleeping house! Chuck reminds me quite often, that seminary is truly right around the corner, and that I'll have to get up and drive Dallin. I'll cross that bridge when it gets here!

Callie is my little shadow. Where ever I go, there she is. She often talks about all the things she wants to be when she grows up. Top on her list lately has been a doctor, a teenager, and a mom! In most of our daily conversations, she always makes sure to include "someday when I'm a mama just like you, I'm gonna....", or "when do I get to be a mom?" It really does totally melt my heart. It makes me feel like I must be doing something right if my little girl wants to grow up just like me. It also makes me so very aware of what I am teaching her, not only with what I say, but by what I do. Her sweet little comments make me want to be a better mom, and hopefully someday, she will be a better mother than I am.

Grant is the sweetest, kindest little kid. Sure he has him moments, I'm not gonna lie, but for the most part, he goes out of his way to please. We had parent teacher conferences last week, and he was getting glowing reviews in everything. As he sat there, he was just looking at his teacher with this puppy dog look on his face, saying how he wanted her to teach him harder math problems, because he really wanted to "educate" himself, and learn more (he must have used that line three times during our conference!). It was all Mrs. Levy could do to talk to him without smiling too big with the use of his big grown up terms! I think Grant is gonna cry on the last day of 2nd grade.

Ava, aka wiggle, has been talking up a storm lately, and is an endless source of entertainment. Today when the kids got home from school with all of their Valentines candy, she dropped the "f" bomb while trying her best to say sucker. The boys laughed, and I quickly explained that she didn't know what she was saying! And Chuck, my dear sweet Chuck, thought it ever so funny to teach her the word "boobs" a few months back. She hasn't forgotten that word (and it doesn't help that he keeps reminding her of it either!). She now says "boops" or "bupes" or my favorite is when I hold her, I get a little squeeze as she says "mom's boops"! Oh her latest is lifting up her own shirt and saying "Ava's boop's?" Yesterday while Callie was filling out her Barbie Valentines, writing "FORM CALLIE" on all of them, Ava so proudly pointed out all of the Barbies and their "boops" to which Callie shockingly told me that she was saying a grown up private word, and proceeded to scold Ava! Thanks Chuck! Don't you think we're going to have enough "boob" talk in this house in a few years with 2 teenage girls?

So there you have it, a few things that have stuck out in my mind the last little while. I LOVE being a mom, and I love when it is entertaining too! It makes those difficult days a bit easier.

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve we kept it simple and low stress. I made a big pot of chicken wild rice soup, homemade split pea and ham soup, and baked up a pan of rodes dinner rolls. It was warm and comforting, especially since it was snowing like crazy out. I felt like we were inside a snow globe that had just gotten shaken! This by far was the whitest Christmas we have ever had in our married life. It was actually very peaceful and magical. Emily brought over sugar cookies for the kids to decorate, and then we just relaxed and visited gearing up for the festivities the next day.

This girl adores her Uncle Dave!
Bethany, Dallin (picking caramel out of his teeth), and Callie

Bethany Joy!

G.T.

Sarah V.!

Dallin

Later that night we tucked our kids into bed with visions of Xboxes and Barbies dancing in their heads. We put the gifts around the tree, and made sure to leave room for Santa's delivery later in the night. Unfortunately it snowed so much during the night, that it covered up all of the reindeer hoof prints....there is always next year!

What we woke up to on Christmas morning, and that was after we shoveled two times on Christmas eve!

Behind, Behind, Behind!!!

I feel like this has been the story of my life since November! I went to write in my journal a few nights ago, realizing that it had been awhile, and just about fell off of my bed when I realized, to my horror, that my last entry was October 30th! OCTOBER 30th people! What kind of a mother am I? I'm not going to remember all of the fun, crazy, sweet, and memorable thing that have happened in our family if I don't do a better job of recording them! Then the "mom guilt" set in, but I'm pretty accustomed to that feeling, it seems to set in about every other day for something or another! I felt bad that I haven't kept up better on the blog, so I am going to try and recap a bit of what has happened in our family in the past two months, like Christmas, what kind of a mother neglects to document Christmas for her kids! I think I need an intervention, and possibly a pedicure!

Our Tree

As soon as the turkey was put away on Thanksgiving, we quickly made plans to cut down our family's Christmas tree. There is nothing like the smell of a fresh cut tree to get you in the spirit of the season, and our kids love this tradition almost as much as they love Christmas it's self! Last year we did a coin toss, and the kids won and chose a big round tree that took up half of my living room. I wanted a tall narrow tree, and this year I got my wish! We found the most symmetrical, tall beautiful tree, it almost looked fake! This was possibly our most favorite tree yet!

The day was bright and sunny, and not too cold yet (at least by Minnesota standards). After we cut down the tree, it was off for some cider, a hay ride, and a visit with the animals. Ava was squealing with delight and excitement at all of the animals! She was even getting smiles and laughs, and "oh she is so cute" comments from all of the other visitors! I love seeing her discover and experience things for the first time. Who knew farm animals could be so funny?!

After a long weekend of decorating, the tree and the house were ready for Christmas! (I neglected to take pictures of the rest of the house, and since I'm two month behind on this post, you'll just have to take my word for it that it looked good:) The girls redecorated the bottom half of the tree daily, which I suppose added to it's charm. I often heard Ava say, "ook Mom, pitty!", and it was!

She Did It!

I told Callie that once she was five, she could get her ears pierced if she wanted to. I figured that by that age, she would be able to fully understand that it would hurt a little bit, and that the piercings needed to be carefully taken care of everyday for six weeks. Her birthday came and went, and she talked about it some, but went back and forth with her decision, so we waited. In mid December she talked about it again, and really felt like she was ready, so off we went to Claire's! With teddy bear in hand for added comfort, she did it!

Before...
During...(I'm so glad that they did both ears at once!)
After... Admiring her new earrings!

You can tell by the face she is making, that she was hurting, but she was so brave, and didn't shed a single tear! Beauty hurts sister, get used to it!

Grant came with us, and was quite impressed with how great she did! I think having a bit of an audience helped her gather the courage she needed! We're proud of you sis! You're such a girlie girl, now you have the pink flower earrings to prove it!