Christmas procrastination

Time is flying by. I can't believe that Christmas is in two days. This year we have to make every ones gift . Well let me back up. On my side of the family we draw names every year and we get that person a gift. Well this year all the gifts have to be homemade. I forgot to tell you that we drew names on Christmas last year. We have had all year to think about, and make these gifts.
Guess what! We are just starting the projects today. I am sad to say this. Haylea has painted Tatum's. Yesterday James Sr. and Isaiah cut out Carson's and they painted it today. I restarted my sisters, she is getting it no matter how ugly it turns out. And James started Nathans. The boys have some gifts for the other two cousins also. Nothing like waiting until the last minute to do something. I do have to say that I did start my sisters, but I have restarted it three times and gave up on that project and now I am doing something different.
The Christmas spirit is definitely at our home. We have been able to serve people, and enjoy each others company. This Christmas season has gone by so quickly it seems as though I haven't enjoyed it. But as I look back at the things that we have done I have enjoyed it.

Too Cold

It is way to cold to do anything. Yesterday the high was 22 degrees. The low last night was suppose to be 8 degrees. When you add in the wind chill factor it is really, really cold. I don't want to go outside, and I don't want the children to go out.
I went out and fed the animals yesterday and told the boys they had to water them later in the day. Today they went out and fed them in the morning and watered this afternoon. The hose is frozen so they have to carry the water across the yard. I think that they are ready for it to get warmer.
Yesterday I went grocery shopping. I thought I was going to freeze putting the groceries in the car.
We had tithing settlement last night, because we are gone for two Sundays. Even the church was cold. I wish that they would work it out so that it could be a little warm.
The forecast is that it should warm up to the 40's this weekend. I am so ready. I like winter, but the older I get I really don't like the cold.

Long time friends

Last night on our drive home from my sisters house, James and I got on a subject that brought up his friendship with Blake. James and Blake have known each other since the first or second grade. They are there for each other whenever they are needed. I have heard hundreds of stories about the two of them, and I am sure there are hundreds more. Sometimes I hear part of a story and then later they will tell the other part of the story.

Long story short I told James that there probably weren't many people that have had friends as long as him and Blake have been friends. I would say that the farthest they have lived away from each other, besides their missions, was two hours. I told him that I would ask the people that I knew on facebook if they had any friends like this. I do not have a friend like this. I moved schools more often. My sister has a friend in California from junior high. That is the closest that I can think of. So here are the results.

Holly Hughlett ok I need everyones help. James and I are having a disagreement and I need help answering my question. Does anyone, or know anyone besides James and Blake, have had a friend that they still talk regularly to and do things with from the first or second grade? It has to be someone older than 25. Please help. I am trying to prove a point. Thanks in advance. I can't wait to see the results.See More

Zahra Safavian
Hehe. I don't know if this helps or hurts. No. I don't even remember the names of anyone in my class from the first or second grade.

Linda Russ
No, we moved so much that I have not kept in contact with anyone from first or second grade.

Michelle Peck Endicott
No one. I only see them if they go to a high school reunion!

Nicole Gardner Dodd
oh man, mark has like 10.

Nicole Gardner Dodd
i have ummm none. well 1 extremely periodically.

Kasee Zaerr
I have about 4 friends that I still talk to on a regular basis that are from 2nd grade.

Sheila House
No; I don't even remember who I was in first or second grade with. Plus I've moved four, five or six times since then.

Rachel Palmer
I am a few years from 25 but I don't even talk to most ppl I went to high school with! Let alone second grade...

Tamara Mlynar
I have a friend that I still see from 1st or second grade. My husband, Ken has friends he keeps in contact with ( but only sees occasionaly) from elementary school and he is 50 years old. - Facebook keeps them connected

Mandy Price Mathie
I don't think I count...I haven't lived in the same place (many different states) my farthest back friend I still see occationally is from 7th grade.

Holly Hughlett
facebook doesn't count. I want to know if you talk to them, do things with them, tell them everything. Ok, maybe not tell them everything. Do you do these things more than once a year. I am trying to prove to James that not very many people have a great friend like Blake Holgate since the first or second grade and are still close to them later in life. I told him that they are like brothers and they do a lot of things the same, probably because they have been great friends forever.

Jared Hughlett
I certainly do not have friends from that long ago. If you don't mind me adding my two cents to the conversation... I am the same age as both James and Blake and consider myself lucky to be a cousin to both of them. The last time I got to hang out with James and Blake was the summer of 1991 during a family trip/vacation to Joplin. They were ... See Morereally great guys back then, so I am sure that they have grown to become exceptional men. It was quite obvious to me (18 years ago) that those two were going to be best friends for a long time. Holly, please send my greetings to both of them.

Lindsey Whelan Hughlett
Mike has a friend that he's known since he was 3 that just came over today. He doesn't live here anymore so he doesn't see him often, but they keep in touch. I don't know if this helps your argument, though, because they are nothing alike... which is a good thing! Mike has lived in Arlington for most of his life so he knows lots of people here. Totally foreign to me!

Glen Hughlett
Yes. I have friends that I've known since we were in the nursery at church. So pretty much my whole life. Oh and Jared.... What about me cuz????LOL!

Tony Hughlett
Yes.........I can think of two. Is this unusual?

Heidi Hodges
Yes and I even work with one of them!

Senta Hughlett Hill
yes, her name is Amy Paddock and I went to dinner with her last weekend,,, maybe you have to have HUGHLETT blood in you...

Senta Hughlett Hill
oh wait, Blake doesn't...

Senta Hughlett Hill
wait a second Glen, can that count? you live in a small town where everyone knows your name??
Senta Hughlett Hill
I don't talk to AMY all the time, but we do email


Glen Hughlett
Senta, That's cold LOL! Hey Blake and James are from smaller towns than Joplin!

Amanda Johns
I have been friends with Danielle and Brandon since Kindergarten, see and talk to Danielle more often than Brandon because she is 20 minutes away and he goes where the military tells him. I stay in close touch with Brandon's family though.

Holly Hughlett
Thank you everyone. James and I enjoyed reading the posts. We have decided that most of the people that have life long friends have Hughlett blood in them. There were a few acceptions. his best friend Blake. They have known each other since they were in first and second grade.

Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit

The Parsons library has a Smithsonian traveling exhibit. They were one one four places in Kansas that are hosting this. Today our family went on a field trip here. It was neat. Is was about people migrating in America. It was fun to go through. They have questions that you answer as you go through the different areas. It is very interesting. If any of you are interested it is going on through January 2nd.
Haylea and Isaiah mainly sat and watched an older lady put a puzzle together. James, Carl, James and I went around to find the answers. It was a great opportunity for the boys to learn in a different setting. The library also has some local things too. We didn't make it that far. It took us an hour or more to answer our questions. It was fun to get out and still have some educating going on.

Snow

Today we were doing school and I went out the door to get Isaiah from preschool and it was snowing. What a surprise. I do have to say that it didn't last long. It might have snowed for an hour or more. The ground was to wet for anything to stick. But it sure was fun. We are waiting for more snow, the children do love it.

Twelve years and counting

November 28th is a great day for me. Twelve years ago James and I were married for time and eternity in the Saint Louis Temple. That day seems so long ago. It is weird for me to think about life without my little family. We have been so blessed. We are blessed with five wonderful children. James has a great job, and is going to school. I am able to stay home and be with our children. I am so grateful for that. We don't have the latest and greatest. We don't keep up with the Jones family. We are rich with the love that we have for one another and for the gospel that we have.

Thanks to our friend Cheryl we were able to go to Joplin. It is fun to go shopping without the children. I can actually look at things. We went to Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, Academy Sports, Sam's Club, Toys R Us, and to Wasabi for dinner. We didn't buy much, but we have some great ideas for Christmas. I really enjoyed spending time with my husband one on one. He is such a wonderful person. With his schedule of working and going to school, and me taking care of the children and the house sometimes I feel so far from James. I like the time that we can be together enjoying each others company and making sure that we are doing what we should be doing and what we need to do. It is great to have to not do it all on my own.

Thanksgiving

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving. It ended up that I didn't have to cook a thing. We went over to the Holgates for dinner. We went over on Wednesday and I helped prep some food. I washed dishes, peeled, cooked, and mashed potatoes, and enjoyed being able to help. It was great.

On Thursday James took James and Carl to the church for the Turkey Bowl. I stayed home and made pea salad and enjoyed my day with Haylea, Isaiah and Adalyn.

We took our turkey over and Alexis fried our turkey. There was so much food, and so many people. I can't believe the food that was left over. The children played all day with the others, while the adults sat and talked. What a great way to enjoy a turkey day. I brought Adalyn home and worked on some Christmas presents. Adalyn fell asleep on the way home. I enjoyed the peace and quiet for about 1 1/2 hours. It was great. James came with the other children. I really enjoyed Thanksgiving this year, as I do every year.

Why?

Why is it that....
1. when I go to the bathroom I get interrupted with either a question or, "I need to go to the bathroom?

2. when I lay down for a nap I never get to sleep a full hour without being woken up?

3. when I am on the phone someone comes running in yelling something at another child?

4. when James gets out of the Suburban to do something the children go crazy and I get frustrated?

5. when one of my children do something wrong and I go to correct them, there are at least one or two others correcting the wrong?

6. every time I get a drink, all of a sudden there is someone who needs a drink?

7. every time I sit down in my chair I have a lap full and I cannot move?

8. every time I sit down something is needed of me?

9. every time we pickup the house, by the time we get to the end the beginning looks as though it hasn't been picked up?

Oh yes, This would be because I have five children. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I know that this is just for a short time, and this too shall pass.

Silver Dollar City

Last year James and I went to Silver Dollar City for our anniversary. We couldn't go the Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving, so we chose to go that Sunday. It was a cold dreary day. We got there a little later than we planned to but with not that many people there we were able to go through the entire park in a couple of hours. With the weather starting to rain and it being cold they closed the park early due to bad weather. We stopped on the way out and long story short we received a rain check for this year.

We realized that this weekend would be the only weekend we were able to go. So yesterday James and I went to Silver Dollar City. We waited in the long line to park. We waited in line to go through the gate, to be told we had to go to the ticket counter. We waited in line for new tickets. We really enjoy walking around and looking in all the shops. We learned that there is an artist in Webb City that has an art gallery at Silver Dollar City. His artwork is beautiful. We learned about making brooms. We bought the children their yearly Christmas ornament. We ate delicious cinnamon bread. Enjoyed the train ride, and all the more than four million Christmas lights that there were. I really enjoyed our visit this year.

Our First Skating Trip

I will apologize for all of the pictures before hand. I really want to remember this experience. I remember going skating when I was little, and I had a great time. I hope that the children all enjoy and remember this time. Sam and I laughed so much watching our children skate. Carl and Haylea did great on the roller blades. James skated with regular skates. Tatum, Isaiah, Carson and Amarie used the skates that go over their shoes. They all got out there on the rink and did great. I think that Amarie and Haylea did the best for not skating before. Carson wanted to skate the wrong way. Oh I had so much fun watching our little ones figure out how to skate. Once they figured it out, they were unstoppable. I am so grateful that I was able to enjoy this day with my little ones.
Tatum doing the limbo

Carson and Amarie

Tatum

Tatum and Haylea

Tatum and Haylea

Olivia Carter and James

Isaiah, Haylea, Amarie and Tatum

The children wanted to skate the opposite way to go and help the one that had fallen. I think that people were getting a little upset with them. I kept telling them that they couldn't go the wrong way.

Carson

James played the game where they roll the dice and you get by a number. He won. He is sharing his icy pop with Tatum.

Carl

Amarie

Isaiah

James

Haylea

I realized that I have a lot of pictures of Amarie. She is just so cute. And she did so well.

When they were done, the D.J. said that it was time to do the chicken dance. I got to hold Libby and take pictures while Sam went out and danced with the children. What a great way to get everyone to take their skates off and get them out the door. It was fun. And now my children know how to do the chicken dance.

All the cousins.

Haylea's first time holding Libby.

They all had so much fun. Haylea keeps on saying that we need to back skating. I am so glad that they all enjoyed this outing and are looking forward to the next outing.

Chicken Eggs

Here they are. We have waited for these. Our first eggs. James brought in the first batch. We are getting about four eggs a day. It is fun to go out and check the nests. James and Carl do a great job of looking for them. Sometimes I will take Adalyn out and we would look for eggs. It is like a treasure hunt. Sometimes we find some, sometimes we don't.

It has been fun cooking these eggs. They are a brighter yellow then you get in the store. Tonight I made everyone try them so they could get some ice cream. Isaiah and Haylea ate seconds. It was exciting. Now we shouldn't have to buy eggs for awhile.

Haylea's Birthday

What a wonderful day we had. Today was the homeschool skate day. We have been planning this for a month. There was no way we were going to miss this. It was great that it fell of Haylea's birthday. Sam took Tatum out of school and met us there to surprise Haylea. We had so much fun. Thanks to James Sr. for taking care of Adalyn while Sam and I took the kids skating.

When we were done skating we took Haylea to Logan's Steakhouse. Right now they have a special where you can get two meals for $13.99. This ended up being a great deal for us. And the kids meals were on sale too. We all got to eat a wonderful meal and wish Haylea a happy birthday also. We went early enough that we didn't have to wait for a table and were finished before the room started filling up with people.

We also went to Chuck E. Cheese. This is a favorite for our children. We really enjoy this. I am glad that they stamp everyone so that you only leave with your parents. Trying to keep track of three little children is not easy. Adalyn walked around and enjoyed some of the rides. We ended up with enough tickets for the children to each get about 180 tickets. They ended coming home with a lot of little trinkets.

After spending about one and a half hours at Chuck E. Cheese we headed home. Haylea stayed awake the whole way home, along with her brothers. When we got home we let her open her gifts. She enjoyed getting all her dress up clothes. She walks around all day long in her little pink heals. HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY HAYLEA.

Haylea is Six

Today our little Haylea Marie turned six. It is hard to imagine that she is six years old. She is such a wonderful little girl. It seems as though it was not long ago that she was learning to walk. Big James would wrestle with the boys on the floor and she would go sit on top of them while they wrestled. Haylea likes to play with the boys and turn right around and play with her girl things. Haylea is a wonderful help to me. She likes to help with the dishes when the boys don't. She is a great help with Adalyn. I believe that Haylea thinks that Adalyn is her little doll. She loves the color pink. And she loves to wear skirts. She also likes shoes. Haylea learned to ride a two wheel bike when she was four years old. One of the training wheels was broken and she got on the bike and rode it without complaining. Before long she was balancing and riding on two wheels. We took off the training wheel and off she went. Haylea loves to read books. She likes to sit and look at books and is excited about learning to read. She also likes to talk on the phone. She wants to call someone everyday. I am looking forward to the many years to come. I am grateful for her being part of our family. She is a joy to have around. Happy Birthday Haylea!

A Week With Cousins

Since Monday the children's cousins Carson and Tatum have been visiting us. We have had fun. For the past week we have had a one year old, two year old, two four year olds, a five year old, a nine year old, and a ten year old. Here are some of the things that we have done:

* We played outside on Monday. It was beautiful. The children played in the leaves and played in the yard. One of our mean pesty roosters tried to bite at Carson and now he will not play outside.

* Tuesday James and Carl had a dentist appointment. I braved taking all seven children to Columbus to the dentist. I am grateful for James and Carl and all their help. If it wasn't for them I wouldn't have made it. And for five little ones being on their best behavior as they could be. We were there less than an hour. They all got to watch the boys get their x rays and the dentist to look in their mouths. I was impressed.

*Wednesday everyone except Carson went out while Adalyn took a nap and burned the burn pile. While it was burning we raked the leaves into our buckets and dumped them on the pile. We did this for about a hour. We got a lot of leaves burned, but there are still more.

*Today we went to Erie to a home school science activity. It was fun. I took some coloring for the littler ones while James and Carl participated in the activity. It lasted about an hour. We sat in the corner and played. After the group was done making their edible soil she allowed us to make some for the little ones. They all enjoyed this. Carson had dumped his cup once before we were finished filling every ones, and once while sitting eating our treats. It was easily cleaned up.

*We have watched some movies. This stopped the craziness for me for awhile. I realized that when they were getting too loud I would have them sit down and watch a movie and they would be quiet, and I could gather myself up again.

*Cuddle time with Amarie. She is adorable. Amarie would come to me and say, "Hold me." Who could resist a cute little red headed two year old. Of course I took the time to cuddle with her.

*Another Amarie moment is when she has to go to the bathroom. She will come to me and say, "I go pee." And of course off we go to the bathroom. She is wonderful about telling me.

*Haircuts. Carson needed a haircut, and also my boys. So I lined them up and cut their hair. I bribed Carson with a bath and a piece of candy. He asked me, "Are you going to tickle me." Oh so cute.

*Playtime. Carson, Amarie, Haylea, and Isaiah played so well. When I was doing school with the boys they would go and play. It was wonderful, except that the boys thought that they should play too. The trains are always a big hit around here.

Tomorrow is our last day. We are headed to Joplin to meet their mom. It has been fun having them, but I have to say I am glad that they are going home to their family. We have some fun things planned tomorrow for Haylea's birthday.

Haylea Lost Her Tooth

Haylea came upstairs to show me that her tooth was about to fall out. She didn't want me to pull it out. I told her that all I wanted to do was look at it. She kept of saying, "Don't pull it out. Don't pull it out." I pulled one time and the tooth came out. It was exciting. Now Haylea and Carl are waiting for the Tooth Fairy to come and take their teeth and leave some money. I went down with her and we put the tooth under her pillow and told her not to move her pillow because if the Tooth Fairy couldn't find it she wouldn't leave anything.

Carrots from the Garden

The other day I thought I would go out and dig some carrots up from the garden for dinner. The first carrot that came up was the big one in the middle. It is the biggest carrot I have ever seen. It was bigger than my hand. Yes that is my hand in the picture. I had to have something to compare it to. The children loved seeing this carrot. We didn't eat it that night so we could show James when he got home from work. We enjoyed eating the rest of the carrots with the lasagna that we had.

Halloween Pictures

Here are the Halloween pictures that I said I would post. I didn't get any of James and Carl. They wouldn't stand still long enough. And Isaiah was Spiderman but by this time he was ready for his costume to be off. I know, I should have taken pictures before, but I didn't. Oh well. James and Carl wore their baseball uniforms. So you didn't miss much. I had a lion costume that a friend let us borrow but I never put it on her. She was cute just being her.

Adalyn sucking on a sucker.

Haylea as Cinderella

Isaiah on the bouncing toy

Haylea bouncing

Haylean playing a game

Haylea playing the ring toss game.

We had a wonderful Halloween and we have already made plans for the following years.

James and Adalyn

Adalyn loves to be where ever we are doing school work. James was working on his vocabulary in the chair and Adalyn wanted to sit with him. She loves to do the things that the others are doing. She really enjoys writing.

The Sunset

We have had some beautiful sunsets the last couple of weeks. James and the boys went out and took some these pictures one day last week. They are beautiful.

Hello baby teeth, goodbye baby teeth

Teeth seem to be the big topic around our house. Last week Adalyn finally got her two top teeth. She is now cutting two more top teeth.

I pulled Carl's took out with some pliers. This tooth has been look for awhile, and the big tooth is coming down but not pushing the little tooth out. This poor child will have to have braces, his teeth are crooked and I know that someday we will have to go through the braces process.

Yesterday I was teaching Haylea and Isaiah, and I was looking at Haylea's teeth and I saw a gap. I asked to look at her teeth and we discovered that Haylea has her first loose tooth. She is excited about this. The boys keep telling her how to pull her tooth out quickly. We can tie a string around it and pull. We can use the pliers like mom did for Carl. You can eat an apple. It is fun to hear all the ideas that the boys have. We will wait for it to fall out on its own. I don't think it will take very long.

Halloween 2009

Last night our branch had their chili cook off and truck r treat. We stayed for the chili cook off and left before the trunk r treat. Neither James or I made a chili this year, and when we got to the church I wish that I had. James had to wake up at 2:30 a.m. to drive an Amish family over to Missouri. It was great that we were all in bed by 10:00.

Today was a fun day. I got to sleep in. It was wonderful. The children and I picked up the house and then we go their costumes on. We went and got a taco and visited the Holgates for awhile. They really enjoyed playing there. Then we went to a neighborhood and did some trick or treating. We walked around for a hour and got some good candy. Then we drove to Oswego to go with a friend and her family to a church Halloween party. They had games and the big bounce toys. The children loved it. We were given five bags, one for each child, and I think that we came home with four full bags. There are enough cans of orange juice and little bags of cereal for breakfast. I am glad because we don't really have much for breakfast.

James and Carl went as baseball players, Haylea was Cinderella, and Isaiah was Spiderman. I will post pictures at later time. This was a great Halloween for us. We enjoyed the activities. I enjoyed being done with trick or treating before dark. I know that sounds bad, but I prefer to go during the daylight. It wasn't busy then and we were done quickly. This allowed me to not have to worry about where all my children were either with there being so many people around. We also took advantage of Sonics fifty cent corn dogs. What a cheap dinner. I am glad that this day is over. We have enough candy to last us along time.

Two great days

Ok, I am going to knock on wood before I write this. I have really enjoyed the last two days with my children. School has been great. They have all helped when asked. I have been able to get work done downstairs. It has been amazing.

Not having a dishwasher has been nice so far. I try to keep the dishes washed and caught up. The best time is after dinner. Haylea and Isaiah like to wash the dishes, so now they have little arguments over who is going to wash. The table is getting cleared, the dishes are getting washed, dried and put away, and I am able to sit and visit with my husband and play with Adalyn. It is great.

Since the children have had some good days I rewarded them with ice cream at Braum's. This is their favorite thing. Isaiah loves the pistachio almond, Haylea had pumpkin, Carl had cookies and cream, James had peanut butter cup, and Adalyn and I had pumpkin. If you keep up with us you know that Adalyn loves ice cream. Well so does Isaiah. He ate his and then had some of mine.

I hope that I haven't cursed myself by treating my children to a treat, but it was fun and we enjoyed our days that have gone great.

ANSWERS TO PRAYERS

This is stake conference weekend for us. I really, really, really enjoy the Saturday session the best. For years James had to go to the 4:00 meeting. I would pick him up and we would go to dinner. Since we moved back to the Joplin Stake we go to Fred and Reds for dinner. This has become tradition for us. Now that he doesn't have to be at the 4:00 meeting we were able to not rush this tradition. We dropped the children off at Grandma Ruby's house and picked up Steve to take him with us. We enjoyed our Spaghetti Red very much. It was great.

There were great talks during this meeting. This is the one meeting that I can pay attention without my children, or many other children, and take everything in. The new Oklahoma City President and his wife spoke along with some other people. The one person that I love to listen to and learn so much from is President Jones. He seems to always talk about something that I need to hear. He breaks it down into the basics and makes it simple. He is an amazing man. I will write what I have learned more for me, but I hope that this will help someone that needs a little insight about this.

President Jones said that he has been asked several times how to recognize answers to prayers. He told us that most of the time the answers are in the scriptures.

Then he explained how time was kept back there. He said that in the night about 6:00 p.m. until about 6:00 a.m. the time was divided into watches. There were four watches.

He explained that in Mark chapter four after the five thousand were fed he sent the disciples out in the boat. In verse 48-49 it says,"And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But wen they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit..." President Jones said that they were dismissed in the first watch. Jesus watched them toil with rowing and it wasn't until the fourth watch that he walked on the water to them.

Our prayers are answered in the fourth watch, not the first. He said that God is a fourth watch God. He talked about Joseph Smith. When Joseph went to the grove to pray Satan tried to bind him. It was in the last minute that Joseph saw a pillar of light.

Another example that he gave was in Genesis 21. Abraham sent Hagar with bread and a bottle of water. The water was spent. She put the child under the shrub. She prayed and in the 4th watch she was shown where there was water.

President Jones also referenced Isaiah 65:24, "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." He said that Heavenly Father knows our needs and knows what we are going to ask before we ask.

What if the 4th watch doesn't come? President Jones said that sometimes it takes a long time. He talked about Joseph Smith in Liberty Jail. He was there for five months. When he was there for four months God answered him. Doctrine and Covenants 121:7 "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment;" Joseph was in Liberty Jail for another month before being released.

President Jones also said that sometimes things don't change. Sometimes it is us that need to change. We need to ask ourselves what we can learn from this.

President Jones referenced 2 Nephi 2. I think it is Verse 11, he never said, but it goes with what he said. If anyone that was there knows what verse it is please let me know. But he said that there needs to be suffering. He read out of a book by President Kimball. He said that if every prayer was answered, if every sick person was healed there would be no suffering and learning.

I always get so much from President Jones talks and am grateful to be able to have my cup filled by a man of God. I realized what I need to work on and what things I am doing great at. Sometimes we beat ourselves up not realizing that Heavenly Father loves us and doesn't want us to beat ourselves up.

SHOOTING CLAYS

I love this picture. I know that it is hard to tell who is who, but I will tell you. Isaiah is on top of the cellar. Then it is Sam Hughlett, James Carl and James. Why do I love this picture? This is the first day that Carl really shot with the boys. Sam called and wanted to shoot his gun. James of course said yes. So they spent the afternoon outside enjoying themselves. Carl usually wants to operate the thrower. I don't know what they did to get him to finally shoot, but he enjoyed himself.

Here are all the boys in my family out doing something that they love. Then there is Isaiah, too young to shoot a gun, practicing shooting with a toy gun. He would get it ready and then when they threw up the clays he would shoot. He would then proceed to tell me if he shot it or missed it. Someday he will be joining the older boys shooting their guns. But for now he is content practicing from a safe distance and guessing if he hit the target or not.

PLAY OR WORK

Is it my children or do all children do this. ALL THEY WANT TO DO IS PLAY. Anytime that I give them something to do they will say to me, "All we do around here is work." Or when they don't want to do their school, "We do school work all day long." And I would say to them. If you would sit and do your work and not play it wouldn't feel like you are doing school all day long.

I send them out to play for ten minutes so that I don't go crazy and they can get some energy out, and when I call them in they would say, "It hasn't been ten minutes."

Does anyone else have this problem?

THOMAS WHO?

We were looking at some church magazines before we had family prayer. Haylea was looking at a conference issue, and I started explaining how that was from conference and it had talks from church leaders. I showed them the pictures of the First Presidency and was telling Haylea and Isaiah who they are. They would repeat after me who they were.

I would point to Thomas S. Monson and tell them who he was and Isaiah would say

"Thomas Mess Awesome."

BAR-B-QUE COOKOFF

Last night we went into Parsons for something and drove by the park. We learned that there was a bar-b-que cook off going on. One of the guys told us to come back at noon the next day.

So today we bundle up and head to the cook off. It wasn't a big cook off. There were only fifteen participants. We walked around and watched what the people were doing. Some of the contestants were getting their ribs ready to go into the judging. We stopped and talked to a group from Leavenworth Kansas. They were so kind to share their ribs with us. They were wonderful. It made me wish that we had a smoker. Everyone in our family loves ribs. James got to talking to one of the men and he gave James a bottle of their sauce. I can't wait to try it on something. They also had chicken that they turned in before the ribs. The chicken was heavenly. I think it was my favorite of the day. The guys next to them gave us some ribs also. We didn't like them as much.

We continued to walk around and watch people plate their things to go be judged. The smokers that these people have are awesome. Some were little smokers used in backyards. Some were great big on trailers. There was even a fire engine that the back was turned into a smoker.

As we walked back to the first place we got ribs, I told them I hoped they won. The man let us try their brisket and pulled pork. The kids could not stop eating it. A lady that was walking around taking pictures took one of Carl digging into the food. It was cute. I will have to see if it is in the paper tomorrow. We stood and talked for about ten minutes. I think that we will be visiting his restaurant if we ever go to Kansas City sometime.

I wish that we had some good bar-b-que places around here. Many of the contestants were from around Parsons, I wish that they had a restaurant for us to eat at. I guess we will have to wait.

THE DISHWASHER IS GONE! FOR NOW

Three out of the four boys in this house have complained about the dishwasher. "It isn't getting the dishes clean." "You can't put so many dishes in there. They will not come clean." "What is this film on the cups, and why doesn't it come off?" We have tried different soaps and nothing has worked. So today I took the dishwasher out of the kitchen. I put a shelf where the dishwasher was and it looks great. Now you can even get to Adalyn's room without squeezing between the refrigerator and the dishwasher.

This means that we will be washing dishes by hand. I think that it will be me doing the dishes mostly. The boys have been putting them away after I wash them without complaining. It has been nice. But it has only been a few days that I have been hand washing.

While rearranging a few things I decided that I will clean the kitchen. Man does it look good. Maybe I am in the cleaning mood. I am not sure. I am excited that the kitchen is clean and I always hope that it stays that way. But deep down I know that with seven people in and out all day long that is just a dream. I can always dream, can't I?

PEPPERS

Last week I picked peppers. I took out some grocery bags and

started filling them. I think I ended up with about six bags of

banana peppers, mild and hot, 1 bag of cayenne peppers, and some
jalapeno peppers. The habanero peppers still need to be picked.

I took the banana peppers to my moms house so she could help
me can the peppers. We ended up with twenty-six jars of

peppers. I think that they turned out great. Thanks to my mom and my sister Kristina, we were able to get them cut and canned
and it did not take all day. One person would cut, while the other

got everything else ready. I was glad to have some help. It would



have taken me forever to get this done by myself. My mom

would not cut the hot peppers, but she was a great help with the

other peppers. When it was time to cut the hot peppers Kristina

and I did the cutting.



The cayenne peppers are in the dehydrator as I type this. There

are ten trays with peppers on them. They smell good. When they

are done I will put them in jars and hook it up to the Food Saver and take the air out.



(I don't know what happened to the type but I am not fixing it.)