Sunday Afternoon

Here is a little peak at what goes on around our house on a Sunday afternoon.  We are lucky enough to have church at 9:00 this year, which leaves a whole wonderful afternoon to nap and read and play games and make yummy dinners and just enjoy each other.

Pretty typically you can find Djeryd in his dress socks and shorts reading a book.  Before donning shorts, however, he heads out to do a bit of Sunday service right after church.  I love that glow on his face when he’s still in his suit, scriptures in hand, walking out the door to fulfill his Priesthood duties.  I think that boy smiles more on Sunday than any other day of the week.

Erik and I have a standing Sunday afternoon date.  After lunch, and the girls and Daddy are down for naps, Erik and I bust out the Chess board.  We usually play about three to four games.  I started doing this because I felt like Erik and I needed to do some bonding and this kid LOVES games.  Neither one of us are terribly good, but we are pretty evenly matched, so that keeps it fun.  I don’t mind losing to him once in a while, but I am really competitive and I think if the tables turn (i.e. he starts winning more than me) we may have to find a new game.   It has been really good for our relationship and I hope we keep it up for years to come (even if I have to lose).

The girls’ favorite thing to do on a Sunday afternoon is dance.  While I make dinner, Sean plunks himself down on the piano (after the three of them wake up from their naps) and proceeds systematically through his repertoire of favorite pieces. Within seconds two little girls and swirling and sweeping and twirling around the room.

Anna often looks dignified and quite serious.

Lu’s expression is always one of sheer joy.

I love Sundays.

Game By Erik

Erik was in charge of the activity portion for Family Night last week, so he decided to make up a game all his own.  An couple of hours and several Legos later he introduced this little maze game.

The rules were rather fluid (as you can imagine), but it was really fun.  There were bad guys and hidden treasure and a scary monster that chased you around the board. 

I love that he dreamed it all up on his own.  I love all the colors, and the “colorful” characters.  I love that we all got to play it together and make him feel so special and important.  I love that Sean jumped all over it for a programming project to create with his son.  I love how the dice look like amber – it’s so Jurassic Park.  ;>

Sunset

This is what I found out my front door the other evening . . .

and this is what I found out the back . . .

(sigh)

Today

So far today is one of those days.  I’m hoping that by blogging a piece of it, the rest will be better. 

My daughters woke me up way too early with squawks about wet onesies and breakfast and eyeglasses that needed cleaning and getting dressed. 

That rolled into early morning fighting over toys once the boys wandered downstairs. 

We’ve had huffy eye-rolling over jobs and lots of refusing to pick up toys or close doors because “Well, I’m not the one that did it!” 

There is dirt all over my dining room table from one of Djeryd’s model projects where he left the house before he could clean it up. 

Alyx has already spilled a cup of water all over my open dayplanner and smeared toothpaste in her hair. 

Erik decided to rinse the can of fruit cocktail under water to get all that sticky sweet fruit juice off before putting it in the Jell-o he’s making for dinner. 

Anna has been barking at everyone about everything. 

And we can’t seem to go more than three minutes without an argument breaking out. 

I am exhausted and it is only 11:30 in the morning. 

And of course there are all the usual things that need to be done, like dishes and laundry and floors and shopping. 

As I laid out my day last night I had visions of quality family time making maps (I’m really excited about a geography unit we’re working on in preparation for the Olympics) and exploring the library.  I imagined working together in the garden and making a fun Family Night. 

As it is, I find myself gasping in shock, closing my eyes, counting to ten, and slowly reopening them hoping what I thought I saw or heard was a mistake.  But it’s not.  It’s still there when I open my eyes. 

I know I should be grateful for every single one of those things because they mean I’m a mother.  And I get to be home with my kids.  And I’m a part of their lives.  And my life is full of the stuff of life – the good and the not-so-good.  And then I think about how I want it all to be better and richer and sweeter and more meaningful.

And I keep feeling like summer’s flying and I’m missing it because I’m so busy taking care of all the things that “have” to be done.  And too many days are turning out to be one of those days.

Life Lessons From Annaliese

They say necessity is the mother of invention . . .

I’m sure Anna would simply say:

“When life gives you a cooler . . .

. . . make a swimming pool!”

(with a crumpled-up-pop-can waterfall)

This Is the Company That Sean Built

 

Once upon a time a little boy had a dream, and a dad who believed in him . . .

When Sean was in the sixth grade he decided he wanted to own his very own software company someday.

He invented a name and created a logo and carried around a company brochure of his pie in the sky.

Years passed.  Opportunities came and were captured.  His sister married and introduced a new partner into this little father-son enterprise.

More time passed, Sean married and we all lived on laughable paychecks for a while.

 

But, as they say, slow and steady wins the race.

After lots of wishing and hoping and dreaming and hiring some amazing people, those dreams started becoming a little more real.

Property was purchased . . .

And we waited . . .

Plans for a building were drafted . . .

And we waited some more.

Revisions were made and changed and redrawn, and before we knew it a little ground-breaking ceremony was taking place.

Walls were painted, floors were laid, keys changed hands and children gleefully ran rampant through a big, empty, beautiful building that was built on dreams.

 

Moving day came and went.

 

Now the structure is filled with desks and cables and phones and computers, and a surprising amount of love and loyalty and commitment.

This story that began with a boy and his dad has extended to a new generation as our children bear witness to the power of dreaming and working hard and, perhaps most importantly,

believing in one another.