Mom & Homemaker Not-So-Extraordinaire!

A little over a year ago, Ryan was let go from his job in a shocker that we later learned was in preparation for the start-up's buy-out. Add to that stress the hottest couple of weeks of the summer with our A/C quitting on us! It was a horrible, miserable time of life and I couldn't help but count my blessings these past couple weeks, especially when hearing of a couple friends being laid off! Now Ryan's been in his job at EDS six months, loves it, and I'm able to be back at home full-time and work a bit from home for NRLC handling press calls and special projects. Seems like life is finally getting back to that ever-elusive "normal."

Two weeks ago, on separate occasions, I was chatting with friends I hadn't really seen in some time. They both had asked what I'd been up to and it completely stumped me! Not a hard question really, but I'd really just been relishing my lack of a schedule and couldn't account for the time. Of course, we'd had events like the NRLC convention, Girls Camp program, 4th of July, and a few camping trips - but that wasn't my day to day life. So I spent a few days chewing on the question and what I "should have" said - something I do a lot. It came down to just being able to enjoy being a mom, play with my boys, and get reacqainted with friends I missed while working full-time. I had to sadly admit that my house was still in various stages of mayhem because I'd rather shoot hoops in the playroom with my boys or head to the pool than scrub bathrooms or tackle piles of stuff, but who wouldn't?! Last week, I even told a few people and Ryan that I'd answer that initial question with "I'm being a great mom, but not a great homemaker." I just can't seem to get excited about doing the same thankless chores over and over again! For many I know, its an all too common stay-at-home mom dilemma!

Then last night I read a July Ensign article about building a sacred home. "Mundane activities can have a higher purpose and must not be disregarded; they give us opportunities to develop and practice character virtues and ethical behavior. By doing these everyday activities, we can learn about moral truths and practice honesty, patience, and brotherly kindness. Everyday work and recreation in the home provide rich contexts for children and adults to make choices and learn from them." Hmmm . . . I've got my work cut out for me! I realized I had been dismissing the higher purpose because it seemed so inconvenient to what I wanted to do each day. I felt impressed to once again do better at helping Easton learn to help with chores and take the opportunity to chat with him in the process so it was time we got to spend together. I still haven't figured out how to get everything done AND include the boys, but it was great food for thought!

Not to validate my summer thus far (hahaha), but in his breakfast prayer this morning Easton said, "And thank you for Daddy being a good daddy and 'aKay' being a good baby, and thank you for Mommy being a good mommy." Ahhh, life is good!

Israelite Tabernacle for FHE

Stake Youth Conference this year was all about applying the lessons of those living during biblical times and covenants made in the temple. A life-size replica of the portable Israelite temple was made for the conference and they opened it to the public these past two weeks. We went to see it last night for Family Home Evening. Dale Van Atta, a journalist who is LDS, gave the tour and mostly discussed what each item symbolized. It was quite remarkable and I am so grateful for so many who sacrificed a lot of time to put this together!

I know many don't get into this type of stuff like I do, so I won't bore you with lots of details and below is just the bare bones basics of what we saw. I was trying to keep my kids quiet and this stuff isn't as fresh in my brain as when I studied it at BYU Jerusalem, so apologize for brushing over many cool facts.

The altar where bulls, goats, lambs, and doves where sacrificed to atone for the sins of the Israelites. Biblical scholars estimate there may have been about 2.2 million Israelites that left Egypt. Their tents would have stretched across an estimated 6 square miles each time they stopped.

The lavar where priests were to wash themselves before entering the temple.

They gathered us under a tent flap to be shaded while we were able to see inside the Holy Place with the table of shewbread, the candelabra, the incense table, and the veil.

The table of shewbread symbolizes the sacrament which helps us remember Christ's atoning sacrifice for us.

The candelabra reminds us He is the light of the world.

The burning of incense symbolizes the prayers ascending to heaven. Present on this table of old is gold, frankensense and myrhh. You can also see the purple veil which leads into the Holy of Holies or the Most Holy Place where the Ark of the Covenant is kept.

A man dressed as one of the High Priests complete with the breastplate with 12 stones symbolizing each of the 12 tribes of Israel. Behind the breastplate was where the Urim and Thummin were kept.

The Holy of Holies with the Ark of the Covenant. The outer courtyard, the Holy place and the Holy of Holies also symbolize the three degrees of glory - telestial, terrestial, and celestial.

Eastonisms

With a great forecast last weekend, we headed for our favorite camping spot. The boys once again enjoyed scavenging about the campsite, but because we didn’t get up there until 6:30pm, it was getting dark by the time we got ourselves all setup w/ the tent and fire going. However, since I was pretty dead tired all day Friday, I forgot some key items in our packing like a frying pan and spatula! GASP!!! How can we enjoy bacon and pancakes?!? Ryan’s ingenuity delivered – we used the Jiffypop “pan.”
But cares wash away as you enjoy a melted “smashmo” between a Hershey bar and graham crackers! The boys are more into just the marshmallows and I think Easton had at least 10 and McKay must have downed at least six. Hilarious how Easton’s pronunciations still creep into conversations before I realize what’s come out of my mouth! Between smashmo and budder fadgich (peanut butter sandwich) – I can’t tell which is my favorite.

Since we played Ring around the Rosies, London Bridge and Hide n Seek for FHE, Easton and McKay are game junkies! I was playing with the boys last night and it just cracks me up to see McKay get so excited and Easton can barely contain his happy feet hopping around for “s’more peez, do it again!” I was just telling Brooks last night about one of our other favorite Eastonisms. When he gets in trouble now, he’s usually quick to preempt our punishment by saying “I not do it again, no way!” shaking his head emphatically over and over again!

Alright, I’ve become distracted from my morning chores to sit and chat with you about our stuff so enjoy the pictures! The last one is from last week when I gave McKay a chocolate chip cookie – luckily at the table. Ryan had been so sweet to make me some cookies to satisfy my chocolate craving and they were mostly chocolate chips w/ a little cookie as you can see. Isn’t it the best to see a kid so happy?! I sure think so!

Love ya’ll more than having washed my hair twice since our camping and still being able to smell the campfire as I blowdry! There are worse things right?

Firework Junkies!

Once again we headed up to Antietam battlefield for their fireworks show. It was a 90 degree hot day, but we all managed! Chris and Tricia brilliantly brought spray bottles to help us cool off and they also made us the most wonderful sandwiches!!!

The Washington and McFadden families plus good friend Dean Coleman also joined us. Antietam was our third fireworks show this year! We went to the WA, DC practice show the Saturday before the 4th and then took in the local show on the 4th.


We had a great time on the 4th starting with a ward breakfast. Then we had been invited back to the Ortegas for a rainy BBQ, a fireworks competition with her cul de sac neighbors, the Leesburg firework extravaganza, and then back to the Ortegas for Ryan and Mike to finish setting off their fireworks complete with a cop stopping by to warn whomever had the illegal fireworks (not Ryan, I promise – but those fireworks were cool). Easton and McKay loved the fireworks! Easton found a little chair and hollered at anyone who got in his visual line J McKay wandered around saying BOO’ (boom). The cul de sac had so many fireworks and it was sooooo humid that the smoke made it look like there was a thick fog!