I Am A Youth

Today I listened to a home school recording that contained much needed information about the coming of "youth". It was a real eye opener to me of how misunderstood children are and how much we as adults demand to be understood. The speaker touched on hormones and how as women these words should be familiar to us; PMS, depression, mood swings and so on. I loved this part, many of us have been experiencing these hormonal affects for years and yet we still do not know how to control them. Yet we expect a child who is just experiencing them to control them. Puberty is a major hormonal change.

She also stated that because the body has so many other things to be concentrating on during this period of time many things that came natural before become difficult (such as thinking and listening). This period of their life will pass, the hormonal changes will slow down, they will mature and become adults. However, the experiences, positive and negative they have with their parents will last forever. What an awakening! The book The Five Love Languages of Children was brought up and how important at this stage of life it is to know what makes your child feel loved. I need to read this book.

Matthew is such an incredible child, he has been very excited for this time in his life. He has been reading books about it, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens, Receiving and Honoring your Priesthood and a book all about Growing Up. During our oral exam and discussion times he enjoys discussing what he is learning. I am taken back with how much he has grown in spirit, mind and body. He enjoys Leadership Education and is determined to bypass the term Teenager and become a strong and able Youth.

Our new ward has been wonderful for him. He is so social and friendly with everyone and freely expresses compassion. The first week in our new ward he was invited to a party that he enjoyed immensely. He has made many friends in Boy Scouts and had a great time on his first backpacking trip. MY LB accompanied him on the trip and only had great things to say about him.

Knock on wood I have yet to experience any crazy hormonal changes but I feel very blessed to hear the words of experienced women that take their time to teach others how to achieve positive relationships with their children. I cherish my relationship with Matthew, MY LB has expressed how great it has been to go backpacking with him and serve with him now he is of age.

I have been given many things in my life to show responsibility for, but nothing as important as raising Gods children. What a fantastic burden, I pray each day that I get it right. I guess I should also pray to know what getting it right means. I think with all of my heart that getting it right does not mean raising perfect kids that don't make any mistakes. Getting it right means that as a parent I need to have a full and complete understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. To understand the sorrows and heart ache that come from sin and be their for them in their time of need. I know there were many times that I wish I had someone physically there to comfort me and love me in spite of my follies. I am thankful for the peace that comes from knowing that God loves us and wants us to find happiness and offers redemption for our sins.

Matthew, being a good mom to you and your siblings is the most important thing to me (after loving MY LB). It was what I wanted to be when I grew up, a mom, it is my number one accomplishment I want to take with me into the eternities. I love you always and forever, mom.

Christmas Beginings

The Holidays are off to a wonderful start. 

• Christmas with the Phoenix Symphony - What an awesome time we had, MY LB was able to come with us and it was by far the best time we have had at the symphony.  Afterwards we went to the Hard Rock Cafe for lunch.  The kids always saw the sign down town and were very curious, they were not disappointed.  They loved it, especially the gigantic touch pad screen.









• Jeremiah played the String Bass in a Christmas Concert.  MY LB is so handsome I love watching him perform.  He performed with the Goodyear Stake Orchestra and Choir at an amazing multi-religious event that our Stake puts on each year.
• Our Christmas shopping is officially complete and we are busily working on a service project for Grandma and Grandpa.  Grandma and Grandpa asked for a service project for Christmas each year, I always wish we would have started earlier but truth be told the service hours during this season of the celebration of our Saviors birth brings a wonderful spirit into our home.
• Bon fire and Christmas Carols with Steph's clan.  We are very excited to live close to our dear friends.  We have spent many nights together hanging out, eating dinner, doing crafts with the kids, and playing at the park.  This particular night we decided to take advantage of the fire pit in our back yard, the cold weather and the music of the season.







• Temple lights and Organ Stop Pizza.  This week I went on a Relief Society activity with our new ward.  I am loving getting to know new people, they are all very kind and fun to hang with.  We had a great time and they introduced me to the goings on of Organ Stop Pizza, I can't believe I have never been there before.  I can't wait to take the kids and introduce them to the sad little alley cats (they will probably want to take one home).

So you see between decorating, shopping, serving and holiday activities we have a great beginning to making great memories this holiday season.

12

Matthew turned twelve this week and I am feeling unbeleivably old.  I can hardly beleive that I have a youth.  Wasn't it just yesterday that he got baptized?  Time moves so quickly!

He is such an amazing young man with awesome goals and an incredible personality.  MY LB and I are very proud of ourselves for raising such a fine young man (saying that is part of my, "I am good enough" therapy, tee-hee)

 

Matthew has been very excited to become a Deacon (youth program at church) and receive the Priesthood.  It has been fun watching him study, journal and pray about it.  He is such a good example to us.  We love him so much and are looking forward to watching him grow in the gospel and prepare for his mission.  Which by the way time flies, could be tomorrow.

Hey Good Looking!

I finally updated our family pictures.

It took me two years but I think they are well worth the wait.

 

 
 

If you are interested in a Breathing Life photo shoot there is still time to get your picture CD before Christmas.  $50.00 photo shoot and your choice of location.

cmecham2000@yahoo.com for more information

Crafty? What's that?

It has been so long since I have done anything crafty, at all. Home school keeps me pretty busy, good busy. I was using it as an excuse to let go of something that I love, creating! My recent decision to be where my feet are have lead me to the conclusion that this is it, this is the time I have, this is the brain capacity I will have left at the end of every day, these are the creative tools I have available.... my piggies need "to do" with what they have been given.

For the past month I have been decorating our rental. It is quite a bit smaller than our home we sold and it has been a pretty big adjustment; some selling of furniture, combining of rooms and putting some furniture together that under other circumstances I would not put in the same room. Everything just kind of landed. Between that and white, white walls I have had to get very creative. It has been fun and I can't wait to share some pictures of the new place, just not today.

Today I want to show you my worlds cutest Christmas tree ornaments that I crocheted so my tree would match my new decor. Extreme? Of course, that is how I know that I am back in the game. My tree matches my home and my home matches my personality. Very colorful!

SHE'S CRAFTY!!!

AGAIN!!

Has anyone seen this girl?

For two entire days this little girl was in our home, very pretty little girl, just not my little girl. I tried to ask her what she did with my baby but she just kept saying, "Mom, I am Kendal". I didn't believe her.

Have you seen this cute little curly headed girl (my baby)?

When I find her I have to think of a kind way to break it to this strange little girl in my house that my curly headed girl is back and now she must go. But I am guessing she wont go quietly. She will make her way back into the house again, I am sure of it.

Every Sunday my little girl asks me if she can have hair like Maggie's for church. Of course I am always trying to give Maggie curls for church. I thought this Sunday since we were actually on time I would oblige her, now I am regretting it. I love curls!

My "piggies" Ate Pie

Thanksgiving 2011

Trying on my new attitude

I had the best be where your piggies are day on Thanksgiving. My piggies were loving all of the family visiting and enjoying our new atmosphere. We are right next to the park and Ashlee's clan came early so we could play, take a walk and we even had a mini picnic.

Sounds easy for my piggies to endure, NO, there were definitely obstacles.

I roasted a turkey that didn't even get carved, I baked a pie that didn't get eaten, the kids and I decorated the table that got undecorated, my kitchen got cramped, dinner was late and I really thought my piggies were going to start dancing around in a manner that looked as if I may be stomping my feet. But, I didn't let them, I kept my cool and enjoyed a very yummy Thanksgiving feast.

The following day we had another Thanksgiving feast as a family and brought out my turkey and pumpkin pie. My kids are my biggest fans, they kept saying, "Man, mom your turkey tastes so good we should have had it yesterday instead." Oh kids, I know grandma is a better cook then me, no need to butter me. Who am I kidding, I enjoyed every minute of it, I sizzled!

Admittedly, I did have a moment of weakness during one conversation but we are all entitled, right?

So despite circumstances my "piggies" made a good day out of what was available to them. NO, It was a great day with; food, family, visiting, playing and the kids had a blast too, because mom let them play....

WII....

WII...

WII...

ALL THE DAY LONG

Fun Food Pictures

Matthew with the never ending Turkey leg.

Spencer bubbling up with Sparkling Cider.
(I am pretty sure he over did it on the
bubbly because he puked)

Maggie and Aunt Kosette with Grandma's yummy rolls.

(She really is this fun!)

Grandpa and Grandma Jones joined us as well. I know MY LB and his grandpa look shiny, it's their Aura's, very righteous angelic men. Kosette snuck into the picture and because of that her Aura is a little darker. But, I guess that's what little sisters do.

P.S. That night and early into the next morning MY LB and I kicked Black Friday's Butt. It was the second year that he has joined me, he hates it. But, after year one and now with the goings on of year two he has declared that I can NEVER go alone again, EVER. He made the rule and now he must endure. I love him, he is such a good guy, he honestly would do anything for me. I try hard not to take advantage of it, really I do. But I think he likes doing anything for me, or he pretends really good like. Either way he is amazing and I am the "luckiest".

These little piggies went to primary

My new calling in church is teaching in senior primary. This is the first time I have ever had a teaching calling in the primary, "ever". I love kids and I love the Gospel so I am loving my new calling (minus the discipline).

However my little piggies keep thinking about how much personal growth we were gaining from teaching Gospel Doctrine in our last ward. I am happy to say that the piggies are making good of their word, they are finding other ways and means to get in their personal study time. They are thinking of enrolling in an independent BYU study course on the Book of Mormon. Making good with what they have been given, good little piggies.

These LIttle "Piggies" Went to Time Out

My sister in-law Ashlee and I went on our annual retreat to Time Out for Women (a gift from the mother in-law). This year the theme was "Choose to Become", so of course they encouraged us to choose something to become. It is so great to know that at 34 years old I can still choose to become something new. You know, something besides "all" of the things I already am. I mean I just became my kids primary educator not to long ago and I am loving that (I think I am exercising brain muscles I didn't know I had). I couldn't imagine ever thinking that I was already everything I could possibly be.

Ashlee and I decided to take this challenge to Become, and in the spirit of accountability we decided to "BLOG" about it.

I contemplated the recent events of my life and decided that I wanted to "become content with where my feet are". I wasn't exactly sure where I was going with this until the other day when I was having a conversation with some friends of mine. We were talking about baking/cooking and how much I dislike it (I should have chosen to become a baker) and the consensus was pretty much the same, we don't like to do it as much as we like to eat it. Except, there was one mom that said she loved it but she couldn't do it right now because her kitchen wasn't designed for it and she didn't have the right pans to do the job correctly. LIGHT BULB!! After she said this I sat quiet (rare moment) and thought about what she had said and realized that I knew exactly what "BE WHERE YOUR FEET ARE" meant. BECOME with what you have been given, BLOOM where you are planted, MAKE great with what you have.

My "become" is this....
Be where my "piggies" are! My little piggies have been longing to go back to there beautifully decorated home with the green grass and comforts of home. Bad little piggies.... My little piggies keep looking back ........ Bad little piggies.... My little piggies keep trying to race ahead..... Bad little piggies.... My little piggies keep saying, "if only". Bad little piggies....

These little piggies "choose to become" good little piggies that enjoy every moment, every place, every memory, every step, every trial and every experience that they are present for.

This little piggy goes to market to much....

This little piggy has always had a home (even if it didn't have a house).....

This little piggy can enjoy making roast beef....

Even if her little piggies eat none....

These little piggies can be be be be be whatever they want to become....

I call this blog "vomit"

You know what happens when you eat and eat and then you spin and spin and spin. Well it's like that with my stock of memories. Lot's to take in all different varieties; scouts, holidays, moving.... etc. So much that it makes my head spin and spin and spin. The outcome.......

I call this.....
BLOG VOMIT

Matthew is cruising in Boy Scouts! At his last Court of Honor with Troop 894 he earned his Second and First Class. He is aiming to be a Star by January.

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For the month of October we lived in a furnished vacation rental while we waited news about a possible job transfer to Indiana and looked for a rental worth renting here in AZ if we stayed. I really wish I would have gotten pictures of our vacation rental. In Spencer's words it was very luxurious and you could live here during any holiday and it would already be decorated. In my words it was a southwest, country, Victorian explosion with a hint of Christmas, Fall and Easter.

Patience is not one of my virtues. After two weeks in the vacation rental we found out that we would be staying in Arizona and our rental search began.

I can't tell you how absolutely humbling, scary, disgusting and disappointing this process was. We encountered many things I hope to never set eyes on again including.... the most disgusting dish washer imaginable, junk yards I mean back yards, crickets coming out of sinks by the dozens, missing cabinets, hoarding neighbors and the piece de resistance a dead kitty. I am not even going to explain the smells we smelled.

I am so thankful for the vacation rental so we could keep searching and find a rental that would suffice. ONLY, four days before move in our rental fell through do to neighbor issues and landlord issues. So on Monday I went out by myself to find something worth renting in ONE DAY so we could move in on Friday. Alas I found something and it was in the same church ward as our vacation rental. We think someone was praying for us to stay in the ward.

I am my own worst enemy and I do believe I deserved this abuse!

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In the meantime our lives moved on......

MY LB and I went to a Hockey game that was AWESOME. We were in the Toyota Club with free food (can't beat that), seats directly behind the opposing teams bench (no blood) and a good taste of the Hockey life.

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We also got a taste of the "rich life"! We received tickets to a benefit ball from MY LB's work. It was very nice, prom night for mom and dad. I bought a new dress and MY LB a new suit and we looked "GOOD". Dinner was great and dancing..... well we left early..... just like prom night, JUST KIDDING!!!

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Outsmarted4to1; home school has been going great despite our moving set backs. I am indeed thankful for libraries and our new Core Knowledge curriculum. My kiddos are absolutely amazing! We have also been working on Scouts as part of our curriculum which took us on a field trip to the Arizona Capitol building where we took a tour, wrote our own bill and took some great camera phone pictures. Too bad later that day I ran my phone over with the car and our pictures entered a black hole. Not one of my better moments.

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Moving was hard work! We are not good at doing things at convenient times for others to be available to help out. So with kids in tow, a very good friend to help and a borrowed trailer we made four very productive trips. Part of the leadership education our family participates in is the value of work and how it is part of being a family member. This week and the next we kicked this value in the butt. The kids were absolutely amazing and blew our minds with their productivity and valiant efforts. Maggie with her wagon full of boxes, Spencer and Matthew with their muscles and Kendal with her whistling tunes made it through two full weeks of moving, unloading and organizing. We were so proud of them!

All of their hard work paid off when they finally go to the box with the WII in it! Happy days at last!

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Of course we didn't skip Halloween. At 2:30 the day of the Trunk or Treat Spencer found the box with the Halloween costumes in it. The kids all cheered and gave him high fives and MY LB and I gave a sigh of relief. We were afraid that since the kids didn't like our idea of being moving boxes for Halloween were going to have to buy new costumes. We are definitely finding that things have a way of working themselves out.

The Trunk or Treat was fun for all of us and it was nice to have dinner that didn't come from a fast food restaurant. We celebrated Halloween a few days later with a pizza party with Steph's Clan and Trick or Treating in our new neighborhood. The chocolate has helped me keep my wits about me, yummy!

Oh yeah that felt good!