It's the simple things...

Our house is clean. I'm talking like the floors are spic and span and the playroom isn't a sea of toys. And here's the kicker...we don't even have people coming over. It's just clean to be clean. Miracles.

They sure love each other.

Do ya like Lyndon's pathetic Dollar Store umbrella?

Man of her dreams

As we were getting out of the car, Maddie, Lyndon, and I were discussing what Jonathon and I were going to wear to the temple later that day. (Okay, so Lyndon couldn't care less about our clothing but was actually making his way to the drivers seat so that he could drive us all to Paris. That, however, is another post.)

Maddie then says to Lyndon, who isn't listening but turning the steering wheel back and forth like he's driving in the Indy 500, "Lyndon, did you know that's where we're getting married?"

I thought she might as well know, so I told her that people don't marry their brothers or sisters. I explained further that Daddy and I weren't brother and sister, we met, got to know each other and then got married. She still looked a little puzzled so I went on, "You'll marry someone that isn't in our family right now. Someone like Harry." (Harry is a little cutie pie that Maddie and Lyndon are friends with.)

She stood in the garage and thought quietly.

And then thought some more.

and even a little more. Then finally said in a slow concerned voice,

"But does Harry know how to dance?"

Apparently being a good dancer is the number one criteria for her future spouse.

Crime fighting duo

(This picture has nothing to do with the post, I just love how peaceful a slumbering Lyndon looks.)

Here's a phrase I never thought I'd say, let alone yell across our house:

"I'm using the bathroom, Batman!"

For the last week or so Lyndon has consistently been Batman and I've been Robin. (Lyndon's idea, not mine. I swear.) He was frantically looking for his sidekick and I didn't want to leave him hanging.

Ilse

Having grown up in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Idaho Falls I was blessed with lots and lots of "grandma's and grandpa's". Instead of running around with a bunch of neighborhood kids our own age my sisters, brother and I got to hang out with the elderly folks, our friends. What a cool way to grow up. We heard stories about life before telephones, cars and even, yes, the internet. It has truly made me a better character learning about their loves, their struggles and their inspiring experiences. But along with having friends who are 60+ years older than you comes too many phone calls from my parents informing me of their passing.

On Sunday our good friend, Ilse Boettcher, passed away. She was 95. She grew up in Germany. Married her true love. Had babies. And then in a story as if from a movie, escaped with her family from war ridden Germany to come and live in America. I plan to write about her incredible story one day.

She had an amazing testimony of the gospel. Her faith was unwavering. She was clever and witty. She would always have some little wise crack to make during Relief Society. She definitely livened things up a bit. After my Dad was called as Bishop of their ward she said to me with a grin on her face and a thick German accent, "Now I can go. I can finally die because I know your Dad will take care of things." I thought she was joking, but apparently not.

I'm going to miss you, Ilse. But I'm sure glad you are now with your sweet Hans.

Randam Ramblings...

I was making our bed this morning (more info on that in just a second) and my mind started wandering to my blog. I thought of how much I like to keep up on it. It's been a fun way for me to keep a journal of our family and of some of my rambling thoughts. And then my mind turned to you. who me? yes you...my readers. I thought of how much I've enjoyed your comments and your thoughts. I thought of how you all make feel validated when I write about how silly I felt for doing this or how happy I felt for doing that.

And then I realized...

I was in that awkward stage of when two people really like each other but are afraid to say anything first in fear that the other person won't feel the same way. But I'm going to be the brave one, I'm just going to say it...

I like you dear readers. I like you a lot.

There. I said it. I feel better.

Okay, so on to another rambling thought today... Like I said, I was making our bed this morning. For any of you that really know me. Like know me so much that I actually let you see my house when it's a mess. You would know that I don't make my bed. I just don't. It has never been a priority. Not when I lived a home. Not when I was at school. (So sorry for that, Kenia Ann.) And not since I've been married. I don't have anything against it. Oh wait...okay, so I did make it while I was on my mission but that was just me following mission rules. It certainly didn't carry over when I got home. I felt like it took too much time when I was just going to mess it up in a few hours anyway. That it until 20 days ago. But let me back up. 20 days ago I was on one of those "I'm going to write down every single thing I want to do and change about myself and try and change it all at once, starting now" kind of days. Are you like that? It seems like I go through phases where I'm totally motivated and I make a list of 67 things that I'm going to change. I do really good for about a day and a half and then realize there is no way I'm going to be able to do all of this so I get burned out and just stop everything. Well, 20 days ago I was feeling that fire burning under me but then had an "ah-ha" moment as Oprah would say. I decided that instead of thinking I was actually going to change everything from keeping the house spotless to studying my scriptures for 30 minutes everyday, I would just choose one. One goal. That's all I gave myself. And guess what? I've been doing it for 20 days without fail.

I've made our bed. every. day.

And I gotta say, I feel really accomplished.

The weather has been a-ma-zing this week. We've been living outside. I love the south this time of year. Blue skies, 70 degrees and new leaves on the trees. (Of course, come July I'm going to be cursing the South but right now, ahhhh, heaven.)

Here's a few photos from our time at one of the parks...

Even thought this picture is blurry I had to put it in. For one split second Maddie was finally acting her silly fun self in front of the camera.

She usually looks like this. Sullen, and staring off into the distance.

Spring has Sprung!

Look what we've been up to today...

I'm pretty sure our neighbors are having a heart attack right now. We not only MOWED and EDGED our lawn but we PLANTED flowers. Shocker. What's sad is that our neighbor directly across from us is a landscaper. So for the past 3 1/2 years we've enjoyed a beautiful view of a well kept lawn, lovely flower beds, and luscious green grass. Meanwhile they've had to view quite the opposite. Yes, it's taken us almost 4 years but we've done it, we are finally adding value to our neighborhood. :)

The trees in our backyard are budding! Beautiful.

Naughty words.

Maddie LOVES to play on the computer. Her favorites sites are NickJr., Disney, PBSkids, Starfall and Barbie. We don't even have to help her get on the sites. She knows how to type in what she wants or scroll around in the list of "favorite" sites to find which one she wants.

She never closes her pages out so I come back to my computer to usually find some game or whatever she was working on. But a few days ago I sat down at my computer to find this screen:

Jonathon and I could not stop laughing. for a really long time. I wonder what she was doing? :)

Yay for rain!!!!

Maddie got this umbrella from Grandma and Grandpa Evans a while back. It was a huge hit. I think the kids pray for rain just so they can get out the umbrella.

We had a Family Home Evening on temples recently. The kids made these mini temples out of sugar cubes. They both modeled them after the Idaho Falls Temple. (Okay, it's true. I helped. a lot. I couldn't help myself.) I never told them they were made of sugar. I just said they were bricks. They both would've been popping them into their mouths faster then we could build them. :)




At the Park yesterday Maddie and Lyndon found some friends to play with. Maddie and a new friend were speaking to each other in one of those pipe communicator things. You know, you talk into one end and then your friend can hear you on the other end which is across the playground.) Lyndon wanted a turn so bad. He finally got his chance when Maddie's new friend got distracted by something and left her spot. He eagerly asked me to hold him up to the opening. As soon as he got close he grabbed the edges, leaned in really close and quickly yelled, "Heavenly Father, help us to be safe. In the name of....." Yep. said a whole prayer. right there in the middle of the park. I wonder if that's how he pictures talking to Heavenly Father. Like he's on the other end of the big pipe. I'd say he's not too far off.

A good Man.

On Friday the kids and I were on our way to Target. (one of our favorite outings) I was driving on the frontage road getting ready to get on the interstate when I notice a group of 8 police motorcyclists riding in formation with their lights flashing. They were directly to my left on the interstate. Hummm, that's odd. I wondered... Then I saw 2 limo's driving right behind them. I thought I had it figured out so I said to the kids, who were quiet in the backseat, "Hey Maddie and Lyndon, see those police men on the motorcycles and the limo's behind them? There is someone really important in there!" I figured with that many police escorting someone along the interstate it just had to be the president of the United States or something.

So, here I am still traveling along the frontage road almost to my entrance for the interstate... still traveling beside these 2 limos. (for those of you who aren't familiar with frontage roads...they are roads that run right along side the interstate where you enter and exit the interstate.) I could then see that there was a police car blocking the entrance to the interstate so I slowed a bit deciding whether to just sit and wait it out at the entrance or keep traveling on the frontage road. I'm a product of my Dad who feels like even if you are not making up any time by continuing on...you just keep moving. So that's what I did, I kept moving, just at a slower pace than those traveling on the interstate. And that's when I realized it wasn't the President of the United States because behind the 2 limos was a hearse.

And behind the hearse was tons and tons and tons of people of motorcycles. The very last motorcycle was pulling a trailer with a statue on it. The statue was a man in uniform kneeling down with his helmet over his heart. The whole caravan ended with the American flag.

It only took me a few seconds to figure out who the precession was for. It was for Vernon Hunter. The man who died in the IRS building after it was struck by the suicide plane. I was instantly moved to tears. Just days earlier I read an article about him and how he was one of the kindest good hearted people you would ever meet. He was a strong member of his church. He use to open his home to help his neighbors and community with their taxes, free of charge. He was a loving husband and a devoted husband. It was tragic the life that was lost to such indecency.

So I felt like I should do a post honoring Vernon Hunter. And honoring his good family. When I got home from target that day I read numerous articles about him and the good life he lead. His sweet family said they forgive, Joe Stack, the man who killed him. Vernon's son said that his Dad would've actually been the person who helped Joe. But, ironically enough, Vernon was the only one who died on his suicide mission.

As I see it I was right, there was someone who was really important behind those policemen. His name was Vernon Hunter. He was a shining example of a good man. I hope people will stop looking up information on Joe Stack and start looking up information on Vernon Hunter.

He's the real story.


Photo by Ralph Barrera/Austin American-Statesman