Joshyisms

 

Josh has had some good ones lately that I have got to write down before they’re gone forever.  

• A few weeks ago I gave him a haircut.  A day or two later he looked up at me and asked, “Am I still weawing my haiwcut?”

 

• Anna was teasing him and then finally gave him the treat or drink he was trying to get from her.   Once he had it, he said, “You’we a good soul.”

 

• Today he asked, “Mom, is today tomorrow?”

One of my favorite things to watch is when he has our two little neighbor girls, Daisy (4) and Liza (3), and how protective he gets of them.  When it’s time for them to go, he’ll help Liza put her her shoes and coat on and then he’ll tell me he’s going to walk them home.   I love it! 

The other day, when Daisy was over, we caught this:

Oh, and they kept saying, “Yeah, babe.”  Oh dear, who knows where they got that!

We love Josh!

Christmas 2013

I’ve decided that Christmas is a lot like right after having a new baby.  Especially the 3rd or 4th or 5th baby when life no longer stops, when the all the busy-ness and noise and needing marches brutally on.  When I had those babies, everything was heightened.   I listened for and marveled at the tiny breathes and noises the baby made.  Loud noises and especially loud angry noises assaulted my ears and physically pained me.   I loved running my finger down the baby’s soft tiny little face and all it’s adorable features, and kissing his tiny fingers while he so contentedly ate snuggled up to me.   When the 3 year old body-slammed me or draped him or herself around my leg and the 5 or 6 year old pulled my shirt or tapped my shoulder to get my attention it was like having an anvil shoved into my side or tied to my leg, and a hammer driving a nail into my shoulder.  Yes, I’m being a tad bit dramatic, but my point is my sensory system was in overdrive and I could go from celestial bliss to a complete mental breakdown within seconds of each other.   That is to be expected after childbirth.  Hormones are surging, you’re physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. 

What on earth does that have to do with Christmas, you ask?  I feel much the same way at Christmas time.  I love it, I love the juxtaposition of wet, cold, dark outside against, the cozy warmth with soft lights and sparkly objects everywhere you look inside.  I love the softened, open hearts, the giving, the gathering and the music.  I love hanging the cards and letters and remembering how many people I love.   My senses seem magnified.  I can hear the whisperings of the Spirit a little better.  I can see the good in people and see past the worst part of ourselves.  I can feel my heart open up and appreciate the hugs and touch of those I love.   Tears fall easily in gratitude and joy as well as in empathy for others’ heartbreak.   However, I guess that quite honestly, those things don’t come very naturally to me because I find it just plain exhausts me.  There were so many times this holiday season that literally one minute after drinking in a beautiful moment or thought or interaction, I would swing right on over to allowing myself to be super irritated, strung out or even a little bit shut down over the next thought or interaction.   My moods and feelings and actions were just all a bit over the top.  Perhaps, I’m not the only one who does that?  Maybe that’s why January seems to be nationally recognized as the blahest month ever, cause we’re still trying to find our own equilibrium.  We’re still trying to find a balance of taking the good things that made us better and softer from December without bringing the overwhelmed, crazy-eyed, mood-swinging along for the ride for the new year.   I guess the best way to really explain both the new baby and Christmas rollercoaster for me is, those are the times I’m closest to Heaven, to whom I should be, but trying to fit those bits of Celestial-ness into my very Telestial-ness wears me right out.  I really hope I can up my Telestial-ness into some Terrestrial-ness soon and just keep inching closer and closer to Celestial-ness, cause I would love to get to the point where it was a much more natural fit for me.

Now, with all of that out of the way, here are some pictures to show some of those remember those heavenly Christmas moments by:

The hours the kids spent sledding and playing in the snow, and the aftermath

 

Winning over $200 of merchandise from Kohls as Dream Receipt Winner!!!!

A beautiful dinner and singing around Janis’ piano in her beautiful home with my Barker aunts and cousins and picturing my Grandparents’ joy:

Bea’s baby blessing, watching Davis (an all-star uncle) become a Dad to this angelic baby girl and Melissa be such a sweet Mom has made me so so happy.

 

Photo evidence I’m not the only one this season exhausts

Watching Josh’s first preschool program.  Watching him have a very Barker response as he burst into fits of nervous laughter because he was self-conscious.

Some stunning snow storms and driving down my beautiful Main Street.

Christmas tree slumber party (minus Anna this year, she wasn’t feeling well)  Josh’s first.

A sweet Christmas Eve with all us who live here

 

A magical Christmas morning

 

We love Christmas!

Christmas Card 2013

Dear Friends and Families, December 2013

Merry Christmas! We have loved getting all your cards and pictures and letters, keep 'em coming!

Josh is 4 and ½. He started preschool this year and a music class. It's the first time I've had all the kids gone for a few hours a week, and while in theory that makes me a little sad, I have to say in reality I'm quite enjoying those hours! I am, however, happy to still have so many hours with our quirky, sweet boy. He's an affectionate, good natured little companion, but he does have some strong opinions and doesn't appreciate his authority being questioned. Recently, we locked horns on something and when it became apparent I wasn't going to back down, he got desperate and said, “Well,... you'we not even pwetty!” We love Josh.

Ben is in second grade and 7, but counting down the months til April when he turns 8 and can be baptized! He loves sports of all kinds, but especially soccer. He and his siblings and neighbors have spent countless hours in the backyard playing “World Cup” soccer. Earlier this year I was helping in his class reading to the kids in small groups. When his group came around it was Ben and a gaggle of 4 giggly girls. Immediately they started telling me of Katlynn's love for Ben. I looked at Katlynn worried that she might be upset with her friends for outing her, but she looked at me and smiled saying, “It's true, I even wrote in my journal, 'I love Ben.'” Ben just grinned and shrugged his shoulders. Needless to say, we think Katlynn has excellent taste. We love Ben.

Nate is 10 ½ and in 5^th grade. He wants to be with a friend every second of his life and does not understand why I want him home by 6:00ish every night. He too loves soccer and was able to get on a team with most of his favorite friends coached by my cousin. She is an incredible coach, and he has loved every minute of that team. He can't wait to start their indoor season in a few weeks. He loves to watch Soccer, Football and Basketball with Brennan. He is also obsessed with penny boards and told me he literally can't sleep at night because he can't stop thinking and hoping he's getting one for Christmas. I think that Nate and Josh are competing for the world's loudest child. He'll be thrilled to know that he is the definitive leader in that contest. Fortunately, most of what he says so loudly is charming and funny and sweet. We love Nate.

Abigail is almost 13 and a 7^th grader. She has adjusted well to the rigors and adventures of junior high. She even joined the band and plays the trombone. I can't say for sure, but I think the boy-girl ratio (13-2) in the trombone section had something to do with her choice. She actually loves it and even though some afternoons with the dog barking, the trombone blasting, and Josh and Nate being loud is a bit much, it makes me so happy that she loves it so much. FJH has an incredible band program, and she has learned so much from her talented directors. She also still takes Ballet and really enjoys it. In her free time she loves babysitting/earning money so she can go to Station Park (a beautiful big new shopping center nearby) with her friends and shop, shop, shop. We love Abby.

Anna is 15 and a sophomore at Viewmont High School. Getting places on time has never been her strong suit, but she's actually done quite well with her new early departure. I love hearing the mad dash up the stairs and out the door each morning ;). She still loves and plays soccer and is also taking voice lessons. She has a beautiful voice, and somehow doesn't seem to get very nervous when she performs. I told my kids they had to wait til high school to read the Hunger Games series, over the Thanksgiving break she realized she was the legal age and devoured all three of them. Now she thinks she's Katniss Everdeen and carries a pocket knife in her boot, everywhere she can, hoping she'll have to defend herself or other innocents from evil. We love Anna.

We love you all so much and hope you are well! We are also so grateful our Savior and for His grace and love in our lives!

Ward Christmas Program

Last year our ward decided to do something different from cramming our huge numbers into the gym for a sub-par dinner and kids running wild anticipating a long line with a fake Santa and a candy cane.  Our Bishop envisioned something special and set about recruiting many talented people to make it happen.  It was stunning.  It was both elaborate and simple.  It was beautiful.  It was in that same gym, but instead of gaudy décor, there were just chairs and a little platform with microphones.  There were two boys dressed as missionaries talking about being away from home for Christmas and how they could focus on feeling the significance of the season in order to stop dwelling on what they were missing out on.  We were led in some sacred Christmas music.  Then Nephi, the prophet from the American continent at the time of Christ’s birth, appeared and spoke to us about the wicked threatening his people if the sign of the birth didn’t come soon.  Then, he heard that voice, The Voice of the Savior, promising His arrival on the morrow.   Then we had Shepherds testify of their heavenly visitors and joy.  The inn keeper and his wife then came and handed out burlap bags with cheese and grapes as they talked about how sorry they were to only have their stable to offer that poor man and his very expectant wife.  Then we saw the wise men and heard from them about following the star and realizing Herod’s evil intention.  Then the curtains to the stage opened revealing a beautifully made stable and Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus.  As Sarah Asplund sang a beautiful lullaby.  The shepherds and wise men and gigantic wooden camel reverently came in to adore their king.  It was breathtaking.   The costumes were amazing, down to every tiny detail. 

This year, the Bishop wanted to do something along those same lines, but decided the setting should be in the Ferrin/Prince barn.  People worked for hours clearing it out, bringing in bales of hay for seating, bringing in heaters, generators, microphones, lighting, etc.  It was last night and it snowed all day.  It was a beautiful night, the snow plows hadn’t even made it to the neighborhood streets so we decided to walk down the hill to the barn.  The kids jumped on a sled and snowboard.  We trudged down the hill in one of those magically wintry scenes with freshly fallen powder everywhere you looked.  There were people on little 4 wheelers clearing a path to walk to the barn.  We found our bench of hay and settled in as close as we could to help stay warm.  It was so fun to watch neighbors and friends pile into the barn all of us dressed as warmly as possible, with big coats and hats and gloves and rosy cheeks. 

 

The Bishop welcomed us, and after the prayer, two teenage boys talked about trying to find the joy of Christmas.  We sang some songs and then again had Nephi, and then a children’s chorus about the Sign.  Then came the shepherds and a sheep.

Then Anna, and 3 others (Eve and Emily Asplund and Jeremy Wilcox) sang a beautiful rendition of “Angels We Have Heard on High”)

 

Then the children’s chorus again, and the Inn keepers.

Then the Wise Men who also had a real camel!  He was a little shy and stayed in the background, but I got a shot of him later:

Love the cell phone?

Finally, Joseph, Mary and a very real (not very happy) baby. 

It was so neat!  After the program, they had a tent with hot chocolate and cookies.  It was a perfect, beautiful night!

Update

It’s been a crazy long time since I last did one of these babies.  Not sure I remember how.  It’s a little painful for me to think about all the things that didn’t get updated the last year or so, hopefully I’ll be able to fill in some gaps, but for now we’re moving forward. 

Joshy is 4 years old.  He is currently in preschool two days a week and a “Let’s Play Music” class taught by my friend, Sarah Asplund.   He loves both of them.  He’s always had such an interest and ear for music, I love that he gets to do this class.  It’s a brilliant curriculum that teaches these young kids so much while they think they’re just playing.  I love it.   When he’s not at preschool or music class,  or running errands with me – he’s with Daisy and Eliza Keller.  Daisy and Liza are two little girls who live right next door.  Daisy is just about 10 days older than Josh and Liza just turned three.   Josh is pretty attached to me, that can be so rewarding as a Mom, but I hope this year he can gain more confident standing on his own.  He is a bright, sweet boy.  We love Josh.

Benjamin is getting closer and closer to being baptized. He’ll be 8 in April.  It’s really starting to hit me, and I think he is feeling like he wants to be ready.  He’s supposed to read for 20 minutes each night when he goes to bed.  I noticed that all on his own, without even saying anything about it, he started reading the Book of Mormon for a few minutes and then reads from a library book.  That impresses me so much, what a great example he is to me.  He is playing basketball right now and loves it so much.  He has so much physical ability and coordination.  It’s so fun to watch him really be good at the things he enjoys.  He also randomly will sit down and color or make something and spend a long time getting it just right.   He’s probably the most introverted of all my kids, he kind of just loves to have some down time.  We love Ben.

Nate is just getting over a bad cold with a miserably sore throat.  He does not like being sick.  He was stuck home from school for 3 days and while I’m sure he didn’t miss the schoolwork, he really missed the social scene.  He always has a vision of what his day is going to be, who he’ll be hanging out with.   He has such a cute group of friends and they have all become good friends with the girls.  They also all have crushes on each other.  So far, he’s been pretty open with us about who he likes.  The other day he mentioned a girl and referred to her as his third crush.  I asked him about two girls he’s talked about before and which one was 1st and which one was 2nd.  He hesitated and then explained that he wasn’t sure anymore because they had each told him the other one was mean.  (Girl A told him that Girl B was mean and then a few days later Girl B told him that Girl A was mean).  He was quite sincere and I could tell he had serious reservations about the possibility of them being mean.  I was so happy to know how much that mattered to him.  He is such a sweet boy.  We love Nate.

Abby has really taken the whole junior high thing quite well.  She is blessed with a kind of quiet confidence, security and a great group of peers.  She has a whole handful of friends who live close that she absolutely loves and has so much fun with.  She often organizes huge outings of 15 girls or so to meet and go shopping at our big new shopping center right here in Farmington called Station Park.  She plays the trombone and really loves it.  She is very diligent about practicing each day and has amazed us with her progress in just a few months.  She had never touched a trombone til their summer camp.   The band instructors are a married couple and they are so talented, they have produced an excellent band program, but also really emphasize that they want band to be a great, fun, social experience.   She has her ups and downs, but for the most part is still our sweet, helpful girl.  We love Abigail.

Anna is in 10th grade at Viewmont High.  I still can’t believe we have a high schooler.  She loves the flexibility that having an A day and B day give her and is enjoying being older with a bit more freedom.  She just tried out for the high school musical.  They’re doing Fiddler on the Roof.  She sang “How Lovely to Be a Woman” for her audition and felt good about it.  They don’t have dance auditions til Dec. 2nd, so I’m guessing it will be awhile before she knows whether or not she made it.   She really hates auditioning and was so nervous, so I’m really proud of her for going for it.   She also tried out for a solo part in one of the choir numbers at school and got it!   Half the kids in our ward go to Davis High, so it’s kind of sad that they’re all divided.  She’s hoping to branch out and get to know some new people at school.  The other half of her friends are still in 9th grade, they’re the girls on her soccer team.  She’s such a good girl, we are so grateful for her goodness.  I’m also so grateful for how connected she is to her siblings.  The other day I came home from running kids around and heard laughing and chatting.  I walked in to see Anna, Abby, Nate and two of Nate’s friends laying around the front room.  It was so cute to see them all enjoying each so much.  We love Anna.

To Write the Wrights

The other night Anna needed some photos for a school assignment.  We pulled up this blog and started looking around.  Pretty soon everyone home at that time was gathered around the computer laughing and reminiscing as we looked at all the old photos and videos and read the funny things the kids had said.  I suddenly knew I had let something precious go.  When I started blogging, I fell in love immediately.  I knew I had found the perfect medium for my wordy, non-scrap booking self.  The bonus of blogging was that it was interactive.  I loved reading the comments and commenting on their blogs and feeling connected.   Eventually the interactiveness stopped.  The novelty wore off, and people got too busy to read about our less than exciting day to day lives and thoughts.  I knew it was still important to do, but I stopped.  I got busy, I got distracted.  I got Instagram.  The newest even easier way to connect and interact.  I love Instagram, but I miss writing and recording the lives of the Wright Family.

As I read through my old posts I had a pang of envy.  I envied my blogging self.   Blogging self had essentially the same life as current self does; but when I recorded our lives it gave me the chance to stand back and observe it.  Writing about the day let me right the day.  I could put things in perspective and order and see things I had totally missed when I had lived it the first time.  The last few years have gone by in a blur, an unrecorded blur.  I don't want anymore blurs -- I want memories, thoughts, feelings, photos, videos.  Anna is 15, she could move away to school in 2 and 1/2 years.  I want to live and re-live every minute we have with Anna, Abigail, Nathan, Benjamin, And Joshua.  I'm back.

Josh’s First Primary Talk

Yesterday Josh gave his first talk in Primary.  His topic was on the Savior, so I came up with a few lines and had him memorize them.  He memorized them very quickly and loved practicing.  We were both so excited for his big day.  Brennan had been in Las Vegas for the Mountain West college basketball conference finals, his plan was to drive to St. George Saturday night and then drive home Sunday.  He normally wouldn’t have left til 9 or 10, but he got up early to make sure he was back in time to hear Josh. 

Josh was so excited and proud of himself as he got to sit up in the front of the room.  When he started talking he was startled by the loudness of his voice because of the microphone.  So then he started whispering.  I finally picked him up and encouraged him to talk normally, but the other primary kids were cracking up by then and Josh DOES not like to be laughed at.  I finally persuaded him to do it with a few prompts he did.  We were so proud of him.  I filmed him tonight doing it all by himself.