Happy pi day

We made little apple pies.

Scary music

Aspen's school band concert was last week. It was a rehearsal for them because they are participating in a regional competition next week. One of the pieces Aspen's band played had some interesting instruments: wine glasses and plastic tubing, as well as using a bow (from a cello) on a gong and clinking wooden chimes. Aspen played one of the glasses (wet your finger and rub it on the top rim of a crystal glass. it makes a cool sound) And some others would swing the tubing around their heads to get another eerie sound. The effect was pretty cool. Hazel thought that the music was a bit scary. Here's a video of the piece. It is a bit long but the interesting instruments are played at the beginning.

Toby's Testimony

This last weekend, Toby and Nate attended our stake's Youth Conference. They both had a really good time. But the highlight of this youth conference for me, was the testimony Toby shared in Sacrament Meeting today at church.

In typical Toby style:
"There is a species of carnivorous plant in the rain forest that lures insects to it's flower with a sweet aroma. But once the insect comes to the flower, it slips into the flower and is devoured by the plant. Satan works the same way. He makes wrong things seem fun and exciting. But then you are trapped by sin. However we have the atonement of Christ to get us out of Satan's trap."

I am constantly amazed by my children. That Toby could compare carnivorous plants to the gospel of Christ is something only he could think up. That he does listen to us when we teach, he learns something from studying the scriptures, or from his lessons in Sunday School and Seminary is comforting to me. So often he seems lost in his own imagination, and I fear that the things we are trying to teach aren't getting into his heart. But the Lord truly watches over our children. Even though there is so much sin and temptation and distraction in the world for us and especially for our children, the Lord provides opportunities for them to gain and strengthen their, and my, testimonies.

Our ward has some tremendous youth. I am so grateful that Toby has good friends to help teach him and give him a good example to follow. As my children get older, and I realize that Nate and I are no longer the most important people in their lives, I pray every day that they will surround themselves with good friends, ones who will help them to stand strong against the adversary. I am grateful for the good parents of those friends; like the stripling warriors in the Book of Mormon, who's mothers taught them to be faithful, I know that my children's friends have parents who have taught them.

I am grateful for the programs of the church that provide opportunites for the youth to have spiritual experiences, to have opportunites to share their testimonies with one another, to have fun in ways that are still righteous and will build them up.

The Lord expects so much of us and of our children. He has saved them for this day. They are the strongest spirits. They also have the most difficult and treacherous of times in which to live and prove themselves. But on days like today, when I feel the sweet spirit of my son through his own testimony, I am grateful that the Lord has entrusted me with my four beautiful children. And I am renewed in my efforts to bring them up in the ways of truth and righteousness. I am strengthened in my efforts as a parent to teach them. And I know that the Lord will help me in this. Last week, our lesson in Relief Society was on the talk given by Dallin H. Oaks in the last general conference. He gave this message of hope to parents,

"There is no area of parental action that is more needful of heavenly guidance or more likely to receive it than the decisions of parents in raising their children and governing their families. This is the work of eternity."

I am ever grateful for my children. But more grateful that our loving Heavenly Father did not leave us without aid in the rearing of our families. He will help us in all ways and in all things. We just need to ask.

And I'll leave you with a little video from youth conference. Each group of kids had to make up some cheer or song or something. This is Toby's group:

38

Happy Birthday to my favorite person in the whole wide world!

He is the best Husband, Friend, Partner, Dad, take care of everything, all around greatest guy, ever!

Snow Day

We finally joined the rest of the country with record snowfall! Since there was an inch of snow on the ground (I know, wimpy by most standards, but a very rare occassion for Austin) school let out at noon today! Yay!!!

Toby, Aspen, and Isaac spent the day with their friends throwing snowballs, make dog snow sculptures by fire hydrants (calvin & hobbs style), and roaming the golf course (lots of snow there).

So Hazel and her friends went sledding on the hill behind the house.

Used all the snow on one side of the house to make a snow man. ( A first for Hazel.)

Nate broke out his Bulgarian Russian-style hat (to keep his hairless noggin warm.)

I spent the day finding snow gear for all the kids showing up at the house, making hot chocolate and stew (great snow day food), taking pictures of the day, and searching for our lost dog. (She walked out the back gate. I figured since she hates being wet, she'd come back. After 3 hours, we had to go look.) Then bathing said wet dog, feeding the missionaries and leftover friend (no dinner left over - a day in the snow made everyone very hungry!); and then lots of wet snow gear needing laundering.

It has been a fabulous day off!

Texas weather

I believe this is only the second time we have had real snow since we moved to Texas, and it is already better than the last time (this statement excludes several instances of freezing rain and "wintery mix").



It was 75 a couple days ago, and probably will be again by the end of the week.

Toby is getting closer

to being an eagle scout. Still a ways off. But we'll get there eventually.

At the last court of honor Toby got a bunch of merit badges and advanced to First Class.