Little Lessons to Live By

Paths of Danger

2011-08-29T07:19:00.005-07:00

"There were some times mom where it got . . .(dramatic pause) pretty dangerous."
my son says to me as he arrives home from his scout camp.
"I only fell once, but if I had fallen in this one part. . . ya it would have been game over."

I made some granola bars, wiped down the cooler, picked up some sausages from Save On and did a few more little things to make sure he had what he needed for the camp.
I try not to think about what they actually do when they're gone.

Steep inclines, rocky precarious paths, plummeting crevices, icy footings
but waiting for him at the top . . .
"Mom, the view was incredible, we could see the tops of mountains from every direction!"

A Little Lesson:
Scout camp . . . life from 12yrs until he leaves on his mission. . .
pretty much the same thing.

Traveling Home

2011-08-08T17:35:00.003-07:00

(We said good-bye to 15 years at Fairmont. . .sniff sniff the party will move to Kelowna)

A beautiful vacation with my grandma and family ended with . . .

Clara throwing up through the night before we left

starting the car at 6am to leave for home in the morning with yes,

a dead battery. . . (did I leave the ipod plugged in???)

driving 6 hours while Clara dry heaved into an oreo ice cream container

got gas in Revelstoke, turned off the car to discover, yes, another dead battery

BCAA arrives and we are on our way again. . .

a few minutes later. . .in 100 degree heat outside of Osoyoos. . .

the air conditioning stops working.

Mmmmmm. . .

A Little Lesson:

we didn't get a speeding ticket

we left nothing of importance back at the resort

nothing went flying out the window

we didn't have an accident

and so . . .

all is well.

(all of those things have happened to me, by the way)

A Little Catch Up

2011-07-28T19:32:00.004-07:00

What have we been up to for the past 6 months?

I still spend my days with this little bundle of joy while the rest of

the gang participates in public education. .

We do laundry, empty dishwashers and he

pontificates with me as to the best veggies to buy at the local market. . .

Clara continues to loose a tooth what feels like every week. . .

We had Magna Glosli (remember her??)

come back for an encore performance for

Emily's birthday to do face painting . . .

If they wiggle their noses the doggy dances and the dinosaur growls!

Jordan played basketball this year (grade 8) in high school,

he grew 5 inches,

he made the Spring League team at Pitt Meadows,

then made the zone development team for the Pitt/Ridge/Poco/Coq/Mission team

They won the finals and he was selected to play for the provincial team!!!

(Even when he told them he wouldn't play on Sunday!!!)

He stands at 6"1 third kid from the left if you are having troubles

finding him because you thought he looked like this,

he doesn't . . . I know, I keep thinking this little boy will come around the corner.

But I can't find him anywhere. . .

We went to the Oregon Coast for spring break, we started at Gold, beach. . .

Then we dipped into California to see the biggest trees on the earth

(at the Redwood Forest)

Then we met Violet and her beautiful family to play

a few stones from the Rogue River in Medford Oregon

in a big house on 15 acres with 1001 things to do. . .

I turned 40 and was spoiled by my hubby, family and friends. . .

with the garden of my dreams

from this to thisto this. . to this . . .

and weekend getaway with Craig and many more wonderful surprises!

Finally. . . this past weekend I took my gals up to see my buddy

Colleen and her Emma who was getting baptized!

I missed about 683 other little things but these are the highlights. . .

A Little Lesson:

I spend most of my time driving & cheering (my oldest), sowing and harvesting, (with my youngest) refereeing and mediating (my middle girls) and enjoying having a husband around more than I ever have, and a few projects here and there that help keep the water level just below my chin. It's full. Really really full.

One day it wont be so full, and I will long for fullness . . .so I've been told.

The Whole World To Myself

2011-02-06T21:45:00.006-08:00

Today I decided to talk Lucy for a long Sunday afternoon walk.

I put on my coat and my hat, put on Lucy's leash and headed out.

After a few minutes of walking up and down my favourite street

I've found so far living here in the ridge of the maples, I soon discovered. . .

I was all alone. Totally alone. Not just on my block, or my street or even my neighbourhood,

I venture to even say I was the only one out in my entire city.

No cars, no people walking their dogs,

no one unloading their cars,

not a soul mowing their lawn.

There was an eerie silence that blanketed the entire neighbourhood, yes, the whole city.

And then it occurred to me that I was taking Lucy for a walk

right in the middle of the Superbowl.

Clearly this new city where we now reside respects the sacredness of this event.

I had no idea.

I started to sing out loud.

I even talked out loud to myself.

I answered a few philosophical questions

and planned some goals for the upcoming week. . . out loud.

A Little Lesson:

As solitude is hard to find these days. . .

Thank you Superbowl for the little time out.

Wrinkles

2011-02-06T21:23:00.004-08:00

I started to get him all dressed up to play in our one day of snow.

This was technically the first real "enough snow to play in" day of 2010/11

He giggled with delight for every zipper, every snap and every Velcro push.

After an hour of snow adventures in our big front yard, I opened the door to call them in.

Couldn't do it.

What if it didn't snow again this year?

After two hours I opened the door, walked down the steps, almost yelled out. . .

Nope.

There is just something so spectacular about snow. . . especially for us west-coasters.

Three hours later they all came in on their own. . .half frozen.

A Little Lesson:

I decided today there was a great lesson in Benjamin's shrivelled hands.

I hope I remember it in forty years from now.

When you're having fun, there's no time to stop and worry about the wrinkles.

Sorry Liam

2011-02-06T20:48:00.005-08:00

Clara: Mom, today in school my teacher asked us how many students go to church each week?

Mom: Really, how many people answered yes?

Clara: Only three. When I went to the cloak room Toby said to me he doesn't like Jesus.

Mom: Really, he said that?

Clara: Yep, but I told him Jesus died for us! And then Brooklyn my friend said " He died for us so we can go and live in heaven!"

Mom: That's awesome Clara. You're such a great missionary!

Clara: Then I told Toby that before we came to the earth we had to choose between Liam and Jesus, and all of us made the right choice and chose Jesus!

Mom: Liam?

Clara: Ya the bad guy who lived in heaven.

Jordan: Clara, I think you mean Lucifer.

Clara: Ya, Lucifer.

A Little Lesson:

Lucifer, Liam what's the difference, unless of course your name is Liam.

Then let it be said, Liam, you are NOT the bad guy who lived in heaven.

The point of the story, my daughter is taking after her dad in her "say it

how it is" missionary skills and NOT her mom.

Happy Day.

He Just Made It!

2010-07-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

(Jordan sitting with 1200 kids in the stands at the Vancouver Youth Celebration on day one of the conference)

The first LDS family to set up their lives here in British Colombia

was the Copley family in 1875.

Over a hundred and thirty years later,
not 1971 the year I was born,

or 1989 the year I graduated from high school ,

or 2004 the year I gave birth to my second daughter.

but May 2010, that was the year our temple was erected and a

youth celebration was organized.

Jordan would be exactly twelve years and eight months old.

Eight months earlier and he would have been too young.

One hundred and thirty years in the making . . .

He just made it.

A Little Lesson

Standing on the stage a few steps away from Elder Uchtdorf and the

Prophet of the Lord while conducting 5000 people singing O Canada. . . terrifying.

Being interviewed by the Ensign and laughing and joking with those

women like they were my BFF's . . .exhilarating.

Watching the 1200 kids singing the music I had borrowed from heaven. . .breathtaking.

Being there with my son who was actually one of the youth. . .

perfectly unforgettable.

He just made it!

Down Time

2010-07-09T05:02:00.002-07:00

At the lake while kayaking the other day, Craig and I came across thousands

of lily pads all in bloom. I couldn't help myself! I picked!

What's most fascinating about them is that they

open for the brightest part of the day and then they close completely.

Then the next day. . . they open again! Even in my bowl on my kitchen island!

A Little Lesson

God even made the lilies to take a little break and have a little rest.

Sometimes you just need to close things up

and lay on your side for a while.

There is nothing like a

s u m m e r a f t e r n o o n n a p.

Maintenance vs. Repair

2010-07-07T08:47:00.020-07:00

The past two Tuesdays have been the highlights of my summer thus far.

First, witnessing my boy go through our beautiful new

Temple with his deacons quorum to do baptism ordinances and then again

this week when I had the incredible opportunity to first do a session and then

be on the evening cleaning crew for the the temple.

It was like a deep breath of pure oxygen for my spirit.

A Little Lesson

After I finished vacuuming the first ordinance room my duty card

told me to to go vacuum the celestial room.

I entered the brightly lit room.

I carefully pulled the vacuum back and forth over the perfectly white carpet.

I gently went under each chair, one by one,

knowing this is where members in our temple district

sit to commune with God.

I knew I was in earthly life's most sacred place.

Finally, there in the right hand corner of the room I discovered a small piece of lint

on the floor that my vacuum quickly sucked up.

I continued vacuuming room after room and then finally

in the women's change area I vacuumed up a small red tic tac.

It occurred to me how I was vacuuming a building

that was carefully and purposefully maintained day after day.

It went quickly, efficiently because it was so beautifully

maintained, everyday after each temple day came to an end.

I thought of my own home in the throws of a renno and busy young family life,

where neglect and sporadic attention and care for each room

meant less maintenance and a lot more repair.

Our lives work better when we take care of sacred things daily.

Attend the temple, scripture study, prayer, service,

remembering covenants. keeping commandments

are always a good start.

When I find myself neglecting these basics

tackling the bumpy journey of life seems to be more about

fixing and repairing

and less managing and maintaining.

Essential

2010-07-07T05:19:00.000-07:00

we laughed

we ate

we pontificated

we advised

we planned

we shared

we resolved

ahhhhhh

A Little Lesson

Girl's night out with old friends,

an essential part of the Plan of Salvation.

What We Leave Behind

2010-07-05T05:08:00.004-07:00

(Photograph courtesy Greg Johnson)

Craig and I finally headed out to the lake to go kayaking.

(I didn't dare bring my camera, first time and all.)

The lake was like ice, not a ripple to be found.

It was exhilarating sinking my paddle deep into the untouched glassy water

and move quickly across the serene lake.

A Little Lesson

As there was hardly a soul on the lake that morning everywhere we went

we glided along perfectly still water.

Behind us however, everywhere we went, we always left a wake.

No matter what, there it was.

Even when we went in circles, it followed us.

And so in life we also glide along meeting people here, visiting people there,

interacting left, collaborating right.

We will always leave a wake where ever we go. . .

No matter what.

As Sister Hinckley used to said

"Be Kind!"

Family Home Evening # 664

2010-06-29T09:26:00.006-07:00

A Little Lesson
During Family Home Evening,
when you loose your temper while giving the lesson
about not loosing your temper . . .
well. . .
it's an automatic go to jail card.
Do not pass go.
Do not collect $200.

Yep, one of those nights.

No Pressure

2010-06-29T06:03:00.002-07:00

Benjamin and I usually get along so well.
He's not as cute as my Benjamin but he offers me
so many choices when fulfilling my wall covering dreams.
Today it feels like too many choices.
Will it be trusty Baffin Island or the mysterious Coriander Seed?
Shaker Beige or Manchester Tan?
Will it matter in the eternities?

A Little Lesson
Probably not.
But if you've ever painted your walls the WRONG colour. . .
it feels like it WILL matter in the eternities.
No pressure.

Grown Up

2010-06-29T05:44:00.006-07:00

Last week we all headed into Vancouver to witness
Jordan's "Edith Cavell" grade seven graduation.
It was so wonderful to see all the kids Jordan has grown up
with and their wonderful moms.

It was an emotional day for all of us parents.
They all commented how tall and grown up Jordan has become.
It feels like he is growing about an inch a week. Really.
He passed me (5'9") a few months ago and he's going for his Dad, (6'1").

A Little Lesson
I know that I am the grown up in the relationship with my boy.
However, as we are only stewards over our children and not owners,
the gap between my time on this earth and his seems to be closing quickly.
He grows wiser everyday.
He internalizes the lessons he learns in church, school and home and
brings a wonderful humble perspective that permeates our home.
Since we are all here to keep learning and growing,
when this life is over I will be grateful that we spent this earthly time. . .
growing up together.

You rock!

2010-06-29T05:15:00.000-07:00

While we were at the grad ceremonies, where were my little guys?
Where else?
At Niki's, making cool graduation chocolate cookie suckers. . .
and getting their faces painted.

A Little Lesson
Niki you rock!
It's a lesson I learned a long time ago.

Today

2010-06-25T06:33:00.008-07:00

We went to see Toy Story 3 for our Family Home Evening game on Monday night.
There's nothing like a trip to the movies to help my children
love each other just a little more.

As we waited until the last minute to bring 2 year old
Benjamin into the theatre. . .

I studied the Buzz that used to dangled safely from
Jordan's little hand whenever we would leave the house.

I looked at him.

Buzz what happened?
The little boy who used to yell
"to infinity and beyond"
is over there by the popcorn counter standing five foot ten.
And I worry if I blink we will be back here with our grandchildren.
It's going too fast.

A Little Lesson
I know if our arthritic footless Buzz could talk he would say. . .
"It's going fast but enjoy today
enjoy every minute of it. . .
and
don't worry . . .
e-t-e-r-n-i-t-y
is a long time."

As for the final scenes of Toy Story 3 - I bawled. . .
bawled like a baby.

Operation Father's Day

2010-06-23T06:16:00.010-07:00

Sometimes Father's Day is a time to shout out to the dads of our lives and say

WE LOVE YOU!
Thank you for all you are and do
dad of my kids
dad of me and
dad of my husband.
Sometimes Father's Day is an excuse to go and buy
something that wasn't in the budget and not feel too guilty about it . . .
Exhibit A:

A Little Lesson:
I hid these babies in the little forest next to our house.
Purchasing them, bringing them home and executing operation father's day brought
covert operations
secret plans
strategic manovering
and
undercover clandestine actions.
Considering all my cohorts were under the age of 12 . . .
I seriously think I could work for the CIA.

City Slickers

2010-06-22T06:10:00.008-07:00

When I see them on the ride-on it might as well be horse wrangling up the cattle.
It's so foreign.
So country.
So home on the range.
I'm about ten seconds away from renaming my blog pioneer woman.

A Little Lesson:
Okay, perhaps a little extreme.
One thing I know for sure. . . it doesn't matter.
We can live on a 250 acre ostrich farm or in a penthouse in New York city and we still have to
be kind
be honest
forgive
be patient
go the second mile and
get up after we've fallen down.

Divide and Conquer

2010-06-21T06:47:00.009-07:00

We all left at the same time. . .
Boys turned right on 240th street and the girls turned left.
Boys went father son camping, girls went on a "girl's night out".
Boys roasted marshmallows, girls drank blueberry milkshakes at White Spot.
Mom spent lots of money on a shopping spree for the girls.
Dad spent lots of energy wrangling Benjamin in the woods.
Girls slept poorly: hot heaters and noisy fans to dry drywall mud.
Boys slept poorly: woes of sleeping on the ground.

All Murleys reunited on Saturday for lunch.

A Little Lesson:
We don't divide up this way very often.
Love it.
Sometimes girls just need to be girls.
And boys just need to be boys.

Big Strong Arms

2010-06-19T06:33:00.007-07:00

Benjamin is a lucky little boy.
He will travel through this life with a big brother.
A big brother with big strong arms.
Because when all you are wearing is some flip flops, and a t-shirt,
sometimes you need a helping hand,
to avoid the rubble.

A Little Lesson
Jesus of Nazareth is referred to as our Redeemer, our Lord, our King, our Savior, our Advocate
and. . .our older brother.
An older brother with big strong arms who promises to carry us over the rubble
when all we are wearing is some flip flops and a t-shirt.
I believe Him.

Hooray!

2010-06-18T15:52:00.011-07:00

A few Saturdays ago for my birthday, my buddy Tam swooped in at 7:30 am made everyone Eggs Benedict with fruit and swooped back out again to return to her busy busy life.

The next day for breakfast I made oatmeal.

A few weeks ago Meliss, Chris and I swooped up to the lake to surprise De for her birthday with a weekend filled with kayaking, pedicures, fishing on the dock and chocolate covered strawberries all planned and executed by her hubby Art.

This weekend I have about nineteen loads of laundry to fold.

A bunch of Fridays ago Magna swooped in and turned a house full of beautiful girls
into tigers, fish, avatars, ponies and tropical hula girls for Emily's birthday.

This Friday both my girls have spent 2 time-outs on the stairs and it's only 4pm.

Two Wednesdays ago for my birthday Craig swooped home and took me downtown to eat at the blue water cafe (one of Vancouver's finest restaurants) and to see Sting live with the London Philharmonic Symphony, we sat about nine rows back in the center. Incredible.

This Wednesday our family was selected from our ward to clean the chapel.

A Little Lesson
Can we all say hooray for birthdays.

Both Hands

2010-06-18T06:36:00.007-07:00

I came back to turn out the light.
Sweet dreams little boy of mine.

A Little Lesson
If I could only have one wish,
not three, but one,
and if I couldn't wish for a million wishes,
I would wish that somehow in someway I could end up with all of my children,
holding on tight to the rod with both hands, not wanting to let go.
So far, I haven't been offered that wish so instead . . . I pray.

Colourful Personalities

2010-06-17T08:36:00.003-07:00

Most people loose socks.
They blame the washing machine.
We loose Ikea cups.
This is my fourth installment since I started having kids.
I always buy this many.
I learned in grade four science. . .
matter cannot be created or destroyed.
They must be somewhere.

A Little Lesson
For the record, I have friends who will read this post and say. . .
"What? I don't understand. Where did they go? Don't they live in your cupboard?"(Judy)
others will say. . .
"I hear ya sista, only four installments, we're on installment number seven over here!"(Sariah)
and others who will fall somewhere in between.
Thank goodness.
Life is is a lot more fun that way.
Certainly more colourful!

Every Single Day . . .

2010-06-16T21:23:00.015-07:00

Everywhere I look, every single day,

there is a new mess.
cement, drywall, mud, debris, wood, nails, dust, plastic,
I can't keep up . . .

Everywhere I look, every single day.,
there is something new in our yard bursting onto the scene to check out. . .
leaves, berries, flowers, vines, trees, bushes,
I can't keep up . . .

A Little Lesson
Life

It's all about what we choose to look at!

Really

Sacred Moments

2010-06-16T20:37:00.005-07:00

Everywhere I turned they were there.
Sacred moments. . .
The Vancouver Youth Temple celebration was all around us for almost
a year of our lives and we were in the throws of this enormous production.
I wanted to journal the extraordinary experiences I was
having day in and day out. . .but I didn't know how to do it.
Posting on the blog everyday normal family experiences like I did for so long mixed with emotional, spiritually overwhelming, and life changing experiences of the temple celebration
seemed almost impossible.

It felt like trying to write neatly while riding a roller coaster.

There was the whirlwind of the pre-temple celebration.
Then there was the whirlwind of the actual temple celebration.
And now I live in the less wind and more whirl post-temple celebration.
I have a lot to say. . .
I will have to share my thoughts and experiences slowly between the day to day
grind as to not become totally overwhelmed.
I know I will never forgive myself if I don't journal these sacred days, weeks and months.

A Little Lesson
Speaking of sacred moments . . .
When I went through the temple with the temple committee one last time a few days before it opened to the public for the open house I could hardly believe my eyes. Room after room after room left me gasping in awe of it's exquisite beauty. Woven into the architecture, the design was my favourite flower . . .the dogwood. Ever since I was 16 I've wanted to plant a dogwood tree in my yard. There is something so incredible about its white simple beauty. My mom has offered year after year to buy me one for my birthday, but there was never the right spot to put it in our old house. The twelve of us finally made it to the celestial room. I stood in this holy place exhausted from months and months of work and sweat on the temple event and knowing that I still had one more month to go before this long journey was over I looked up towards heaven and covering the ceiling of that sacred room was countless white dogwoods prestinely painted with perfect elegance and grace. I started to cry. I know that I am not the only one in the world that loves that flower, but my tired heart and soul for just a brief moment, said quietly to my Father in Heaven "thank you" for giving me this glorious gift that felt like it was painted just for me. . . indeed a tender mercy of the Lord.

Ouch!

2010-01-21T13:38:00.006-08:00

I looked at the date!
OUCH!
Where did I go?
This blog is to record my life and the lessons I'm learning along the way!
Life has never been so full.
Life has never offered me so many lessons.

LIFE:
with a few lessons . . .

We moved from our beloved home in Vancouver to our new home at the Ridge of the Maples
I refuse to compare . . .it is like comparing children . . .it should never be done . . .
I loved it there I love it here . . .

It snowed the day we moved in, I love living in the country . . .
When there is a deer crossing sign 50 meters from your house . . .it is the country.

Christmas was quiet and lovely . . .
I like it that way . . .

I finished writing the music for the temple celebration. . .
20 songs and arrangements . . .
that's step one, there are 47 more steps before the music is actually finished and ready.
When I grow up I want to be a sound engineer, until then, I am dog paddling in the deep end.

I now have an island in my kitchen, I love islands.
I even like the name island, it makes me think of tropical paradise, right here in my kitchen.

Jordan and Emily filled with enthusiasm and anxiety started their new school. . .
Being the new kid has its perks. Emily decided after day one it must be
similar to being a celebrity rock star.

My temple team of musketeers (10 in total) have traveled to
Vancouver, Bellingham, Abbotsford, Surrey, Victoria and Nanaimo stakes
giving firesides and auditioning youth for the Temple Youth Celebration . . .
Tomorrow we head to Vernon next weekend we fly to Prince George.
When the exhaustion sets in we laugh. Then we laugh some more. Sometimes we cry.

Jordan played his first competitive basketball game for his school team the other day. . .
My boy is a natural, a five foot eight inch natural.

Emily got a new baby kitten . . .
Sometimes you say yes to things.

Lucy went on an adventure, it cost $100 bucks to retrieve her from her adventure.
We need a fence . . .

With Daddy's new commute schedule he set up our computers so
we can do family scripture study via video phone. . .
If it wasn't for the fine words of Nephi and his comrades
I would of shut this being on camera in the early a.m. a long time ago!

Feelin the Love!

2009-12-03T16:45:00.003-08:00

The marathon Festival of Nativities is over and my heart is full.
Thank you friends who came to smile at me from the congregation.
Thank for Tam who drove from Pitt Meadows.
Thank you for Al who drove from Surrey.
Thank you for Meliss who drove from Tsawwassenn.
Thank you for Sariah and Karen who drove from Mission.
Thank you for Violet who surprised me and drove from Olympia Washington.
Thank you for Colleen who shocked me and drove from Kelowna.

It was Thanksgiving weekend.
It was black Friday.
You all still came.
Thank you.

A Little Lesson:
There is a lot of highway between me and many of my friends.

“The most beautiful discovery true friends make
is that they can grow separately without growing apart.”

That doesn't seem to matter.

“A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and

can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words."

Feeling the love deeply.

“A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg

even though he knows that you are slightly cracked.”

Thank you...

Floating

2009-11-27T06:56:00.004-08:00

Clara asked Craig. . .
"Dad how do we actually get to heaven?
Do we take a train, a car or a bus?
Or do we just float there?"

A Little Lesson:
Last night I floated.
My hands kept my body at the piano, but the rest of me was floating.
I floated when Mary assures the baby Jesus that God was near.
I floated when the angel sang to the world that Christ is born.
I floated when the Wiseman wondered where would the Lord sleep tonight.
I floated when the Innkeepers wife poured her soul
out with regret for not making room for the Lord.
Night one of the Festival of Nativities is over.
I feel so blessed to be part of a group of people who also share their testimonies through music.
Two more nights to go.
Physically I am spent, spiritually I am full.

Hang on Tight

2009-11-23T06:36:00.005-08:00

I am overwhelmed by what lies ahead of me this week.
My head spins when I think of what needs to be done between now and Thursday night.
But then I hear them sing the songs and play their instruments in rehearsal and I remember. . .
Joy to the world the Lord is come, Let earth receive her King!

A Little Lesson:
Sometimes my life no longer becomes a balancing act.
I take all the balls I have in the air, bring them close to my chest and hang on tight for the ride. Then I pray. . .and then pray some more.

Lucky

2009-11-21T07:11:00.004-08:00

"Jesus is lucky" she says.

"Why?" I reply.

"Because his birthday is so close to Christmas he gets presents twice!"

A Little Lesson:

I'm lucky to have you Clara.

Halloween Time Out

2009-11-03T06:51:00.004-08:00

She practiced all morning.

Holding out her bag and yelling "Trick or Treat!"
Until her older sister finally yelled back:
"Stop it! You're ready. You don't need to practice ANYMORE!"

A Little Lesson:
I would love to say that is where it ended.
Clara happily stopped saying trick or treat.
Emily happily went on with what she was doing.
Nope.
That would be how it would go down in the fairy tales.
Clara didn't stop.
Emily didn't let it go.
They both ended up on the stairs in full costume.
I wish I had a picture of my lion and my smurfette in time out.
Those are the pictures that make family history worth reading about a hundred years from now.

He's Just Not That Into You

2009-11-03T06:44:00.005-08:00

"Should we try your costume on sweetie?"

Sorry Halloween.
We tried.
We dazzled him with carved pumpkins and treats.
We lured him with an elephant a lamb a ninja and a dinosaur costume.
Not happening.
I hate to say it . . .
But,
he's just not that into you.

A Little Lesson:
Sometimes you have to admit defeat and call it a day.

Too Cool

2009-11-03T06:37:00.006-08:00

he was the classic hippy.

he was about 3mm away from being too cool to wear a costume.

phew!

we just made it.

barely.

A Little Lesson:
Next year, we will have to get Benjamin more into the game.
The Murley haul will be down by one.

Surgery

2009-11-03T06:32:00.003-08:00

I wonder if Smurfette's mom had this much trouble getting her fake eyelashes to stay?

A Little Lesson:
I knew my lack of "make-up-putting-on skills" would eventually catch up with me!
I felt like I was doing surgery.
Sorry to say . . .
the patient died.

Step Two

2009-10-28T06:19:00.004-07:00

Step One: Spring . . .
I sit at my piano in the living room and every song flowing through my head is being sung by their voices. It's like magic. I don't hear my voice. I cry. At times the music is so touching.

Step Two: Last Weekend
I put all the songs into the computer. I cry. They sound awful. The magic is gone. Reality hits and the songs are scratchy, hoarse and barely melodic with my raspy voice stretching for the big notes. But it is necessary to get the music onto tracks so I endure...barely.

Step Three: Last night . . .
Then they come over. I cry. The cacophony turns into breathtaking sounds I once heard back in the spring when most of the temple music unfolded. Rachel and Linda save the day . . .again.

A Little Lesson:
I think most things in life have a dreaded step two. Sometimes it lasts a weekend, a month, a season, or even many years. Step two is usually necessary. It's the "hard part" of most goals we want to accomplish while we are here on earth. The trick...remembering there is a step three... hang on.

Club Murley

2009-10-25T08:04:00.008-07:00

According to Emily's school coach there were over 200 girls
registered for the 4th grade race. . .
from across the city of Vancouver, all running at once.
Look at the nerves on these little sweet faces.
Emily was taking it all in.
Her life is carefree, casual and creative.
This is competitive.

I find it completely impossible to cheer and scream while taking a decent shot.
You are seeing little Emily run towards the finish line to take fourth place.

A Little Lesson:
As I stood at the finish line waiting for the massive pack of girls
to emerge from around the Trout Lake bend, I overheard a few "in the running loop"
mothers talking about coaches, problems finding a good club and running gear.
The first four girls emerge around the corner.
GO EMILY!!!
As Emily ran by me, the two women standing next to me at the finish line,
while I was screaming her name, say to me,
"Is that your daughter??? What club does she run with?"
That would be Club Murley where:
instead of lifting weights she gives 30lb Benjamin a piggyback for hours a day
instead of doing an early morning jog she and her sister chase each other around the house loop
instead wearing elite gear she chooses last years running shoes,why, no laces, easy Velcro
instead of proper running clothes an Edith Cavell jersey meant for a large skinny 7th grader.

You don't have to be fancy to be fantastic!!!

Together

2009-10-25T07:35:00.004-07:00

I was asked to speak at the Stake Auxiliary training meeting for
Stake Young Women's, Stake Primary and Stake Relief Society the other night.
It was the first time these three auxillaries would be training together.
I was delighted to share my thoughts on how "epic" I felt this change was.
I shared what it used to feel like to work in Stake YW's for five years.
It was like we were all building beautiful programs, side by side.
Up close we were strong, hard working auxiliaries with purpose and commitment.

But we didn't have it quite right, close, but not quite.
Zoom out and we were not unified.
We needed to be working together to strengthen the family and help families come unto Christ.
Not just a primary child, a young women, or a mother.
How silly would a vase filled with individually wrapped flowers look on your mantle?

...much better.
A Little Lesson:
As sisters in Zion we'll all work together,
the blessings of God on our labors we'll seek.
We'll build up his kingdom with earnest endeavor;
We'll comfort the weary and strengthen the weak.

a b e a u t i f u l s o n g
with a b e a u t i f u l m e s s a g e

Moving

2009-10-22T05:40:00.007-07:00

I cook breakfast.
I pack a box.
I change a diaper.
I pack a box.
I referee an argument.
I pack a box.
I write a talk.
I pack a box.
I empty the dishwasher.
I pack a box.
I write some lyrics.
I pack a box.
I read a kid a story.
I pack a box.
I put away laundry.
I pack a box.
I send an email.
I pack a box.
I lay on the couch.

A Little Lesson:
Line upon line.
Box upon Box.
Here a little. There a little.
I wonder if Isaiah ever moved a 3 story house?

Mystery

2009-10-22T05:15:00.001-07:00

(Contents of our downstairs shoe closet.)

Everyday.
Go get your shoes on Clara it's time for school.
I CAN'T FIND ANY SHOES THAT MATCH!
How is it possible that she can have four pairs of shoes without a single match in the closet.
Does she come home from school, remove one shoe, keep on walking
to another area of the house and remove the other one?

A Little Lesson:
For most, it is the washing machine missing sock conundrum.
Not us.
Go big or go home.

Bored

2009-10-20T06:12:00.002-07:00

She was bored.

A Little Lesson:

I think it is a blessing when we don't remember the feeling,
the meaning, the experience, or the occurrence of the emotion of boredom.
That is my life.

ME!!!

2009-10-20T06:05:00.002-07:00

She spent the day at the pumpkin patch in Langley.
She played hard with Benjamin after school.
She had some colouring kindergarten homework (not really)
A long day for a five-year-old.
Who wants to help me make dinner?
She always says ME!!!

A Little Lesson:
It means it goes into the oven a little messier than usual. . .
but comes out just as delish and more appreciated by my pickiest eater!

Tired

2009-10-20T06:00:00.001-07:00

It's hard to go to sleep when your mom buys you blue tinted eyelashes
to go with your smurfette halloween costume ten days before Halloween!

A Little Lesson:
Mature nine year olds become giddy five year olds around
Halloween and Christmas every year. Get used to it.

Handsome

2009-10-19T09:56:00.005-07:00

While cleaning up I came across Clara's General Conference note book.

I chuckled.
I can only hope that when I am 81-years-old
a 5-year-old would think to write the word handsome under my picture.

A Little Lesson:
I think if investigated how President Monson keeps his good looks,
the following regiment would be discovered.
kept the word of wisdom
loved his neighbour
served the Lord with all his heart
studied the word of God
forgave those who offended
honoured the priesthood
paid tithing
did his hometeaching
and daily charitable acts.
I'm pretty sure it doesn't have anything to do with Dove, Clinique or Oil of Olay!

It Fits!

2009-10-19T09:48:00.004-07:00

Saturday we got out the Halloween costume bins.
Clara checks out what's on the hand-me-down menu.
Every year she fits another costume one of her older siblings wore years earlier.
She doesn't mind.

A Little Lesson:
I think one of the greatest qualities we can acquire while here on the earth is . . .
F L E X I B I L I T Y

Mentors

2009-10-19T09:29:00.006-07:00

And so it goes we begin the "lasts".
The last time we will this and the last we will that . . .

Friday we hosted our last "stake presidency" dinner that we have been having for the past six years, rotating from the Sugdens to the Walkers and back again to us. We always have such a wonderful time laughing and talking with one another over good food and conversation. We will miss many things about living here in Vancouver, but this will be one at the top of the list. Craig having the opportunity to serve in the stake presidency side by side with these stellar men has been such a privilege that will stay with him for a lifetime.

A Little Lesson:

I think all of us should make sure we have a few people in our lives that act as a mentor for us to keep our eye on as we go through our years here on earth. To me that means someone living their lives the way you hope to one day. So many of my friends and family are mentors in the way they serve, find humour, overcome challenges, embrace the gospel etc. When I was little I remember thinking my Grandpa and Grandma could truly do no wrong. I still feel that way. Even though my Grandpa has passed on he is still a mentor to me in how he spent his life dedicated to serving the Lord and his family. He was never a man of wealth, but rather a man of character. Although his ability to grow peas, raspberry and carrots for the grandchildren could of made him a fortune in my eyes.

Two Feet on the Ground

2009-10-16T06:35:00.005-07:00

A Little Lesson:
I asked her how it felt.
"Okay"
She explained her favourite colour ribbon was the white one.
"That would mean I would have to come in 13th place." she clarified.
She also said she loved the black (9th) and the yellow (5th) ribbons as well.

Jonah

2009-10-16T06:20:00.004-07:00

It's usually completely silent.
I compose/blog/clean/read/lay on the couch and doze.
Footsteps?
But he's napping . . .in the crib!

I go upstairs to investigate.
After a thorough search of every room . . .

A Little Lesson:
Ahh, that's what I'm missing.
The ability to hide under my bed.
When there are too many loads, emails, responsibilities...
I wonder if Jonah looked as obvious to the Lord as my Benjamin does.
As the old adage goes . . .you can run but you can't hide!

Yikes!

2009-10-14T06:32:00.009-07:00

In our kindergarten there is not a hamster or a goldfish or a turtle that comes home but rather a class mascot stuffie. There is a little book that comes home with her to record all the fun things Callie the Cat does with your child. Clara lucked out and came home with the beloved backpack on Friday after school. Four days and three nights of fun-filled holiday weekend snuggling and more snuggling. I don't know when I became a germaphobe. But as I read through Callie's previous journal entries and read sentences like "I had a fever so I snuggled Callie all night . . ." next page, next child, "I took Callie to bed with me. . ."next page, next child, "I watched Lion King with Callie and snuggled on the couch . . ." next page next child, "I fed Callie some of my dog's food . . ."next page, next child "We took Callie to my piano lesson and out to MacDonalds" It took everything inside of me, when Clara asked if I wanted to give Callie the class mascot a kiss and a hug goodnight, not to run from the room!

Little Lesson:

Yikes! I think I'm getting worse. I don't remember being this concerned when Emily brought home Leo the Lion back in the day. I used to think that worrying about germs and microbugs and getting sick was just a control thing. It's always easier to worry about what's going on on the outside of us rather than what's really going on in the inside. Today. . . I'm not so sure, where's my hand sanitizer. . .

All is Well

2009-10-14T06:20:00.006-07:00

Niki and I took our kids to the endowment lands to run through the trails.
At every turn, they climbed every stump they could see
and announced they were the King of the World or Surfin USA.

A Little Lesson:
Everytime I said "careful"
Most of the time they didn't hear me.
That's a good thing.
They are kids and they need to climb things.
I'm a mom and I need to worry.
All is well with the world.

Unattended

2009-10-11T08:51:00.006-07:00

We met with an architect in our dinning room yesterday for one hour.
We left Benjamin pretty much unattended the whole time.

A Little Lesson:
I am feeling grateful.
The last time he felt a need to "get creative" it involved a permanent marker.
Chocolate pudding is 100% washable.

Where Did I Go?

2009-10-10T07:07:00.008-07:00

I disappeared here on the blog for over a month during August and September.
Although I was busy with all sorts of things my heart, mind and soul were engaged daily with another special assignment that was extended to me in the late spring. I am going to be in charge of the Temple Youth Celebration that will take place at the Langley Event Center the night before the Temple Dedication. This will involve all the youth from the province who live in the temple district as well as the youth from Bellingham. I have just finished the script and composing the songs and they will finally be delivered to Salt Lake for approval this week. It has taken the early hours of my morning when I usually blog and it has taken the few hours I get when Benjamin sleeps every afternoon. It has been a labour of love. I have an incredible team of people who will help me bring this show to the stage. I decided not to write about the daily details of this process as it felt so special. Not secret. Just special. Never have I felt more love and peace composing then I have writing music for the Temple. It has filled my soul when life around me sometimes felt hard and heavy.

A Little Lesson:
That is what the temple is.
Love and peace.
A refuge for the weary.
Sunshine for the soul.
I love to see the temple . . .and in a few more months. . .
I'm going there some day!

Still Going Strong

2009-10-10T06:56:00.006-07:00

Still going . . .
My tomatoes are like the energizer bunny.
Especially the cherry ones.
I pick this many everyday and there are still a hundred or so left on the vine.
They don't look quite as pretty as they did in August.
But after all . . .it is October!

A Little Lesson:
It's a good thing Benjamin and I LOVE
tomato sandwiches
greek salad
brochetta
BLT's
tomato and cheese pizza
and
s a l s a!

Ran a Good Race

2009-10-09T06:11:00.009-07:00

Yesterday Emily ran in the cross country meet at Douglas Park.

She was up against about 20 other kids from about 5 different schools.
I think she would say playing around with her teammates before the race was the best part.

As her race got closer she started to get some jitters.
Last week she came in 2nd place and she saw the girl that beat her.
Her dad gave her some advice as he used to run like the wind at her age.

On your marks . . .

It was a long kilometer and a half.
She did it at full sprint most of the way.
It made my lungs burn just watching her!

She rounded the home stretch with four other girls and took third place.
What a race!
Why no finish line pictures?
I was too busy cheering and screaming her on!
She was so happy.
We were so proud.

A Little Lesson:
Spending the afternoon at the track meet reminds me once again...
life is not a race.
Not even against ourselves.
We are not running against each other, trying to get ahead, trying to pass on the inside.
There is no, "who can get there first" or "what place are you in".
It is just a journey.

It was still awesome to watch a good old fashion foot race with blue ribbons and finish lines!

Cousins

2009-10-08T04:38:00.010-07:00

Some of my favourite people walking the earth are my cousins. I don't get to see them a whole lot as so many of them live in Alberta, but I just think they're all so awesome. Half of them are awesome moms, living the gospel while juggling a family and home. The other half are awesome dads, living the gospel while juggling family and work. Then there are a few little guys who are just coming onto the scene. (Auntie Lisa was born just as my dad left for his mission.) The other night I went to a Vancouver Giants game. Yes, I enjoyed a good game of hockey, but I wasn't there to cheer on the home team. Not this time! That's my talented cousin Mitch, number 6, playing for Lethbridge at the Pacific Coliseum! He was incredible! It took everything inside of me to not yell at the Lethbridge coach every time he was taken off the ice. He was just so fast and his shot was like a mac truck bullet and he weaved in and out of everyone . . .oh what a fun game to watch.

A Little Lesson:
I was so proud of Mitch!!! I sat there and cheered with all my might. But really I wish I could do that with all my 27 cousins. Give them a standing ovation and let them all know how proud I am of all of them working so hard, playing the game of life so well! As most of them don't have stadium seats in their living room, this blog post of gratitude for them will have to do.
Just imagine I'm doing the wave right now.
Go team go!

Only Child

2009-10-08T04:30:00.001-07:00

The house is quiet.
Benjamin is having a little miso soup snack.
With Clara in Kindergarten, he has recently become an only child
for 1 hour and 53 minutes of the day.
Everyday.
He likes it.

A Little Lesson:
Wouldn't it be great if we could knock down that fence that divides the grass that is greener on the other side of us and have it all. I would sign up to raise an only child when I was teaching the family home evening lesson, traveling, sacrament meeting, buying school clothes and making supper. I would sign up for raising four kids for the family home evening game, Saturday morning chores, summer days at the beach, bedtime stories, trips to Disneyland, mother's day breakfast and after school hangout on the couch. Since I can barely keep the little patch of grass I have now mowed and weeded perhaps I should be grateful for what I have.

Rules

2009-10-07T05:59:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I played a game of Disney Princess Monopoly with Clara.
There was no dice in the box so Clara made up all the rules. How many spaces we would go, whether forward or backwards, what the chance card said (even though she only reads phonetic words) what we could buy and not buy, and how much money we would give and receive.
It wasn't very fun.

A Little Lesson
By the end of it I was feeling really good about the decision of NOT
choosing Lucifer's Plan back in the Pre-existence.

Thank You Elder Bednar!

2009-10-07T05:38:00.001-07:00

I know hearing the prophets testifying of the divintiy of Christ and the everlasting and true doctrine found in the Book of Mormon and the life-saving prinicples found in the Plan of Salvation is always a pleasure every general conference. But one of my favourite talks this year was when Elder Bednar shared some of the more real moments of his child rearing days. If you are feeling a little discouraged about how your children behave during family prayer or family home evening . . .go have a listen to Elder Bednar.
HERE
(5th speaker Saturday morning session)

A Little Lesson
I'm not sure why hearing Elder Bednar's talk about his boys poking and giggling through family prayer made me feel better about the reverence level, or lack of it in our home. Oh but it did! Especially since the last time we had Family Home Evening two of our kids spent some quality time on the stairs, another one got a lecture, we didn't even make the youngest one stay in the room and we threatened the treat three times. . .

Butterfly Nets

2009-10-06T07:09:00.007-07:00

As we drove past the school yard, a group of kids were learning how to play lacrosse.

Clara yells with all her might from the back seat
"Mom, LOOK they are pretending to catch butterflies!!!"

A Little Lesson

I didn't correct her or explain that she was wrong. It was just to wonderful.
Who knows, maybe they were pretending to catch butterflies.

Another Big Day

2009-10-06T06:36:00.005-07:00

We don't have an English sign on our building, just Spanish.

It was a big day. One I had thought about many times. Craig had taken Jordan on many special "father and son" times to talk about receiving the priesthood. He had learned from thoughtful primary teachers, he had watched the deacons, priests and teachers in sacrament meeting and today was a big day. With the priesthood safely resting on the shoulders of my twelve year old, Jordan went to the front of the chapel and joined his fellow comrades to pass the sacrament to the ward. He insisted earlier that morning that I didn't sit in the pew and cry through all of this. There was no worry for that. Keeping Benjamin entertained for the few minutes during sacrament prevented any tender moments of motherhood to produce any form of tears. It was beautiful though. I felt so happy and so full of love for my boy.

A Little Lesson

These big moments in our lives come and go. I remember driving to the temple with Craig to be sealed on a beautiful sunny day, violins could be heard in my head but upon seeing on one of our forms we were missing an important signature we dashed off to city hall to take of it before the start of the ceremony. I remember when Emily was to be blessed, dressed in her beautiful white blessing dress grandma sewed out of my wedding gown, again, violins began to play in my head until seconds before she was put in the cradling hands of the priesthood circle she threw up 2-3 cups of formula all over her daddy's right shoulder. I remember when Craig received the phone call to come to the stake center to be interviewed to be in the stake presidency, we drove reverently to the chapel on a beautiful sunny day, beautiful violin melodies again could almost be heard in my head until I turned around to see the sad state of our car filled with wrappers, lunch kits, library books, a few solo shoes and food particles I didn't know what food group they came from, forced me to tell Craig to park a little ways away from the stake office doors, in case the general authority walked us to our car! The big moments are always laced with a little dose of reality. Benjamin's behavior was right on cue. Keeping it real. One day I will hear those violins play, but I am not holding my breath.

I never thought . . .part two

2009-10-02T06:39:00.004-07:00

Never did I EVER believe we would feel prompted to do this . . .

but we were. . .

and so we did.

I never thought. . .

2009-09-21T05:46:00.002-07:00

I wrote one little song

gave it away to the world

and . . .

http://singpeacearoundtheworld.blogspot.com/

Home

2009-08-17T06:03:00.004-07:00

I have spent most of the summer away.
Jordan's Historica Nationals in Ottawa,
Camping with Colleen in Kelowna,
Craig's gettaway gift from Telus in Victoria,
Our family reunion in Whistler,
Our family reunion in Fairmont Hotsprings
They were all so fun, so exciting and so relaxing and so enjoyable.
It is so good to be home.
I missed my garden, our routine, my flowers, our routine, my bed, and my routine.

Don't get me wrong. . .
I am not complaining.
Some summers our only exodus is to 7-11 to get slurpees.

With all the travel it meant some of the basics went out the minivan window . . .
sitting together as a family for breakfast studying scriptures
replaced with grabbing muffins at ferry terminals and early morning drive-through windows in small towns
bedtime routine with stories and checking in
replaced with late nights and sleep overs with cousins and buddies every night
blogging
replaced with swims at hotel and resort pools
going to church in our ward
replaced with attending foreign wards and lots of driving.

It will be nice to do these things again.
I am not complaining.

A Little Lesson:
You know when you are surfing on the internet
and you are on a favourite website
and you click on a link and it takes you somewhere cool
and then another link
somewhere cool
another link
another cool place
another link
another cool page
another link . . .
eventually you feel a little lost and all you want to do is press
H O M E.
That is how I feel.

I thought I Knew

2009-07-29T10:02:00.004-07:00

A Little Lesson:
I thought I knew . . .

I thought everything fell into place at the last minute for a trip to Ottawa
so that I could be there for my son,
who incidentally got a 2nd degree sunburn three days before he was to leave.
Nope.
He was fine. He was so ready to immerse himself in this
once-and-a-lifetime national camp, mom was not needed.
Once I was there, I realized very quickly,
in order for me to compose the music I needed to compose and write the script I needed to write
I needed to see the history that makes up this great country. . .live and in 3 dimensions.
Ottawa provided that in a way that no other place on earth could.

A Gift

2009-07-17T06:50:00.006-07:00

I phoned her about something completely different.

I mentioned, in passing, about how I was working on trying to find

a reasonable plane ticket to Ottawa.

She interjected without blinking and said I am going to give you some points.

I have lots and I want to give you some, she said casually.

I quickly refused her generous offer.

She didn't accept my refusal and told me to hang up so she could go and book them.

Tami Lynn, just like that, gave me a gift.

That's just how she is.

She doesn't think about being generous.

She just is.

This is not the first time she has given away thousands of

points and I can bet my life on the fact it will not be the last.

And so two days ago I got home from a trip to Ottawa,

where my son presented his Pine Beetle Social Studies project in our nation's capital.

A Little Lesson:

How does one repay someone who gives such a generous gift?

You can't.

You bring her a souvenir, some flowers

and try to live your life just a little bit more the way she lives hers.

Love ya Tam.

Recovered

2009-07-17T06:05:00.005-07:00

I am happy to say my computer crashing ordeal is over and 98.9 % of my data was recovered. It took a chunk out of my emotional reserves as I really faced the reality that I might have lost so much of what I cared so much about. It was difficult as the computer hospital would phone and we would discuss what felt like my life in terms of just one word . . .data. They would say "well it looks like we were able to access most of your data, however there was some damage in some regions. . ." My mind would drift away thinking about the Mac commercial on TV that has the goofy PC guy with all the problems and the cool MAc guy who I swore used to say in the commercials "when you buy a mac you never experience problems again, ever, ever, ever, and you don't even need to worry about backing things up because Macs never get viruses or break down or have technical issues, really. Buy a Mac." I swear that is what cool Mac guy used to say so I believed him. These days cool Mac guy is not looking so cool. I don't think the computer doctor had ever had so many prayers said on his behalf to be skillfull in finding all of my lost data. My beautiful Mac is home safe and sound and life has returned to normal. I must say I still love my Mac and would never want to live without one.

A Little Lesson:
The obvious lesson: back up your computer.

The less obvious lesson: it is the things we value most in life - our children, our memories, our families, our companions, our testimonies, our health, our friendships, that have to sit side by side with the mindless daily tasks that take up our time day in day out. They sit together on the To Do list and wait to be picked. Neglect of these precious things in the name of b u s y n e s s can leave us with sorrow and pain that can be deep and life altering. Neglect of these precious things can leave us with a phone call that might end up saying. . .it just wasn't able to be recovered.

Back Up

2009-07-07T05:45:00.005-07:00

The morning started with my indestructible Mac crashing.

The threat of losing

my pictures...my documents...my videos...25,000 Peace Project registrations

my valuable emails...our itunes...and every song I ever composed

took the air out of my lungs and left my brain in a thick fog.

The computer hospital asked if I had backed up my data,

I hung my head in shame and sorrow and replied...no.

The day continued as Jordan comes running announcing

that his Pine Beetle project which will be presented in Ottawa

in exactly one week, from this very moment

had been attacked by a short one-and-a-half-year-old

carrying a deadly Sharpe.

It was indeed a crime scene to behold.

I explained it was in the hallway

because I was going to take it

back up the stairs where it would be safer

then it's temporary home in the den. . .

I just hadn't taken it up yet.

Finally, evening came and I left for a meeting I had in Langley.

I decided to drive by our beloved temple.

As I drove up,

sun pouring down on this sacred building...

I stopped.

I no longer felt the grim circumstances of my present

nor the bleak what if's of my future

instead, I backed up and remembered.

Remembered all the good I enjoy in my life.

It was easy to do standing alone in the evening sun

marveling at the beautiful dark blue stain glass that adorned

the front of this Holy House.

A Little Lesson:

I think we must endure and embrace the present,

have faith and believe in the the future,

and frequently remember and learn from our past.

Don't Fall!

2009-07-01T07:33:00.005-07:00

Where did it come from?
She likes to get up on top of things.
She hangs from things in precarious ways.
She maneuvers around high places as if she were made of rubber.
She climbs up on things that if she were to fall she would break her back.
Craig and I are both cautious, calculated and conservative.
Does God throw foreign DNA into our kids to keep us on our toes?

A Little Lesson:

The expression "He gets that from you","She gets that from me" can be heard regularly in our home. As we watch our children grow, it is so amazing to see the different characteristics that make up who they are. Some, they have learned from being around us and genetically makes sense and clearly some they have brought here all on their own. I think the exercise of recognizing these qualities and characteristics is valuable. It reminds us that we don't own our children. We don't just feed them and dress them and mold them into versions of ourselves. Instead, we are stewards over them while they are here on earth. I think understanding this stewardship, takes some of the pressure off. We still have to walk the tightrope of parenting but there is a platform behind us, a platform in front of us, a big long rod to keep our balance and a safety net 50 feet below us. We may look like we are alone and even feel alone, but we are not. We are covered. We will not fall.

Brothers

2009-07-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

Jordan stops to tie his shoe.
Benjamin stops to watch.

A Little Lesson:
One is so big.
One is so small.
That doesn't matter when you adore one another.

Carefree Concerns

2009-07-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

I took the kids to the park next the church

while Craig took care of an interview.
On the way there, Clara yells,
"Mom! What will my name be when I grow up and become a mommy???
It wont be Clara Murley!!!"

Emily explains,
"It's okay Clara, once you find your husband, you take his last name."

She responds more settled,
"okay"

A Little Lesson:
They are so little.
They play like maniacs.
They run and scream like
they don't have a care in the world.
Don't be fooled.

Daddy's Shoulders

2009-07-01T06:59:00.010-07:00

A Little Lesson

He carries the. . .

weighty issues at work

heavy matters of our stake

complicated dynamics of four children

the rigamoroll of being married to me

life stresses of fatherhood, priesthood and manhood

on his shoulders.

Sometimes he takes a break,

when taking long walks on the beach,

and trades those in for 30-40 pounds of love.

Job Description

2009-06-30T06:30:00.007-07:00

A Little Lesson:
Sometimes I think of things
I hope my girls will understand
when they become moms.
When life becomes a little overwhelming. . .
and it will.

r e m e m b e r

Before we came here to earth...

we had one role

c h i l d o f G o d

and then we get here. . .

and with each passing year the job description gets longer and longer and longer.

Wife, mother, friend, sister, aunt, daughter, teacher, cousin, niece, cook, referee, gardener, scholar, beautician, financier, confident, chauffeur, fashion consultant, arbitrator, coach, executive assistant, leader, psychologist, crafter, house keeper, story teller, composer,
nurse, actor, carpenter, nutritionist, entrepreneur, receptionist, historian,
pharmacist, flower arranger, quick order chef, entertainer,
traveler, security guard, photographer,
counselor, artist
musician.

Go easy on yourself.

SummerTime

2009-06-30T06:08:00.005-07:00

Summer started 4 days ago.
Every prayer Clara has given in our family, she has asked that when the kids go
back to school tomorrow, that they will go safely.

A Little Lesson:
Clara would like time to speed up so she can
return to blissful days of being practically an only child.

I want time to slow down so I can savor these finite
days of little fingers and little toes.

Emily would like time to stand still so that
her carefree summer could last forever.

Craig would like to find more time to balance
his work, his family and his church responsibilities and perhaps start a hobby.

Jordan would like to take a time-out from piano and chores and
play Wii, basketball and hockey until his hearts content.

Benjamin thinks he's having the time of his life
now that there is an endless supply of jumbo freezies waiting for him in the freezer.

We All Go

2009-06-30T05:51:00.004-07:00

Some of us play with our shoes

some of us squawk and have to be taken out of the room
some of us slouch in our chair
some of us sit at the piano and accompany
some of us try to listen over the squawking

but we all go
to hear Emily play in her end-of-the-year violin concert.
It's just what we do.

A Little Lesson:
I always entertain the idea of just getting in the car and taking Emily to her concert on my own, there would be no arguing in the car, no asking to go out for lunch after wards, no trying to find a row with six empty seats, no asking when it's over or how much longer, no squawking from little people under three feet, just quiet concert going bliss.
But then I remember life is short...and off we go.

What?

2009-06-30T05:44:00.003-07:00

"What?" she asks
"I took a mud bath..."

A Little Lesson:
I don't mind.
Things like this don't get under my skin.
She's a kid.
Kids get dirty.
As for the school bags and coats dropped on the floor,
not hung up,
by her older siblings,
to the right and left of her...
E M I L Y ! J OR D A N ! G E T D O W N H E R E!

Going South

2009-06-27T08:19:00.004-07:00

A Little Lesson:

Some temple trips we leave early in the morning,
drive for 3 hours
Craig goes into the temple for a session
kids play in the park
I go in for two hours
kids still play the park
we all get back in the car
drive for 3 more hours until we get home.

This temple trip
felt like the
Rolls Royce of temple trips.

There is nothing like hanging out with friends
who you've known for almost 2 decades
have kids the same ages as yours
and loves the gospel as much as you do.

Say Cheese

2009-06-19T06:10:00.004-07:00

More often than not when I unload my pictures from my camera onto my computer in the early hours of the morning, waiting for me are a few pictures that were taken by my camera snatcher, otherwise known as Clara. I will say she is is pretty consistent. There is always a picture of her adorable brother . . .

She can't resist taking a picture of one of her body parts. . .

And of course the classic super zoom self portrait of the face . . .

No wait I can get even closer (she says to herself)

A Little Lesson:
It is one of the highlights of my morning.

One More Piece

2009-06-19T05:41:00.008-07:00

Emily comes to me Wednesday night and asks if I could help her do a puzzle for

her buddy Jenna who LOVES deers and fawns.
I agreed to get her started.
The pieces were really small.
After an hour past Emily's bedtime, we called it a night and went to bed.

She looked at me with all the sincereity she could muster.
"Mom, while I'm at school today could you work on the puzzle.
If not, I don't think it will be done in enough time to give to Jenna on Friday!"

"Sweetheart, I'll see what I can do. . . I have so many things to get done today. . ."
I had several loads of laundry to do . . .

I'll just put in one more piece. . .
I have to mail 2 packages before noon . . .

I have to get the car insurance renewed . . .
Just a few more pieces . . .

I have to pack for our little weekend gettaway with the Looses. . .
I'll just finish the head . . .

The tree trunk is almost done . . .
I have 25 emails waiting for my response . . .

Home stretch just a little more bark . . .
Dishes, bathrooms, library books, phone Christine, pick up dry cleaning. . .

What' s this?
One more piece?
I'd better leave it for Emily to put in. . .

A Little Lesson:
If somehow the computer doesn't fully represent how small and similar the
pieces of this puzzle are in real life I am here to say - this 750 piece puzzle was no picnic.
This could be a post about procrastinating. But that would be looking at the glass as
half empty. Instead the moral of this lesson will be about the little projects our kids say "Mom can we . . ." and everything inside of you says "not today there just isn't time", but once and a while you surprise them and say "okay let's do it!"

Eleven

2009-06-15T05:27:00.011-07:00

Last week I didn't do too much blogging.

Craig went out of town for business and I decided wouldn't it be fun if . . .

I turned my out of control messy basement from this to this.

Transform the side of my house from this to this.

Overhaul the lawn shed and take it from this to this.

Turn the kids playhouse into a groovin potting shed that has a place for everything!
(It was the girls idea, they like to plant things and pretend they are horticulturists)

These are the ones I remembered to take before and after pictures.
I also tackled. . .
my craft room
the carport
the garage
the sports closet
painted my bed
hung a picture rail full of pictures in the living room
all to make up 11 surprises for Craig to celebrate his 11 years of being a dad!

The kids greeted his taxi from the airport with cards and a blindfold

as he was taken to surprise after surprise after surprise

most of the time his face looked something like this. . .

Sometimes he gasped, sometimes he laughed and sometimes he tried not to cry.

It all finished with cards and stories of why we love dad so much.

A Little Lesson:
What little lesson did I learn in this marathon week?

I learned that cleanliness is next to Godliness.
When you bite off more than you can chew sometimes you just have to swallow.
When you serve the ones you love, your love for them grows exponentially.
Staining wood is harder than it looks.
Big and little surprises make life so much fun.
Things don't feel as expensive when you are buying them for a surprise.
Shovelling and carrying 1/2 a yard of river rock can give you tendinitis.
My kids can keep a secret.
Love isn't something we have but something we must share.

Cheap

2009-06-12T05:24:00.000-07:00

A Little Lesson:
Perhaps it's time to consider buying my sunglasses
somewhere other than the dollar store.

On Vacation

2009-06-10T05:16:00.007-07:00

Emily got a new dress from Grandma Murley on the weekend.
As we were getting ready for church, Emily, upon looking at her self in the mirror asks,
"Mom, could you put my hair up and leave one of those little straggly hairs down?"
I tried not to act too excited as I ran to get the brush before she changed her mind.

I think this is the first time in nine years she didn't ask for a pony tail.

A Little Lesson

I believe we become who we decide we are.
Emily has always described herself as a tom boy.
Essentially that is what she is.
But I also believe, we should always have the right to take a
vacation from our self proclaimed labels whenever we like.
Emily spent the Sabbath in Paris.

My Garden's Growing

2009-06-08T05:48:00.008-07:00

Outside
I'm raising
easy-going-doing-great-potatoes
sweet-fast-growing-strawberries
slow-and-steady-stalwart-corn
delicious-needs-a-little-pruning-tomatoes

A Little Lesson:
Turns out...
I'm raising those same vegetables inside the house.

Out of the Blue

2009-06-04T05:39:00.005-07:00

Sometimes I like to up my game and have something like
this waiting for them when they get home from school.
It keeps them guessing, wondering, dreaming,
what will she do next. . .

A Little Lesson:
I think one of the best parenting philosophies out there is to
simply look at how God set it all up here on earth. He gave us
commandments to keep out of trouble, blessings to show his perfect
love for us, consequences that always fit the crime, stories in a book that
show us how others did it, and the opportunity to say sorry no matter what
we've done. Some days, from my Heavenly parent, I receive a blessing I didn't
ask for, pray about, or even deserve. Just like getting an ice cold rich, frothy, smooth
chocolate milkshake with whip cream on top, when all you expected for an after school snack... was a cookie.

And Then There Were None

2009-06-02T06:12:00.002-07:00

Emily gave it to Clara
who gave it to me
who gave it to Jordan
who gave it to Benjamin
who gave it to Craig.

A Little Lesson:
If I can say nothing else, this virus was thorough.

Highlights

2009-06-02T05:58:00.003-07:00

B i r t h d a y H i g h l i g h t s:

Jordan going to Safeway on his own and buying me flowers
and hiding them in the bushes for two days.

Cards and roses from the girls, a balloon from Benjamin
and a surprise early morning breakfast a Denny's.

Craig taking the day off work to just hang out with me.

Sweet phone calls and emails from sweet friends.

Craig stuffing chicken breasts with herbed cream cheese
and sun dried tomatoes to barbque for a family dinner with
Grandpa, Grandma, and Shauna.

A surprise visit with Tam holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers.

Craig and I chillin' with rootbeer floats and a movie.

A Little Lesson:
Some birthdays we go big. Other birthdays we go casual. I like them all. I discovered the expression, it's the thought that counts, is not always true. Today, it was the time that counted. Craig and I didn't have anything extraordinary planned. He was going to take me for a walk in the Endowment lands and have lunch at Granville Island but Emily called at recess with a sick tummy (that bug is still reaking havoc!) and our plans were changed to just being with each other, puttering in the garden, laughing and joking around. No projects to tackle, no scheduled activities, just old fashion sitting in the sun drinking lemonade. As Martha says "It's a good thing."

One Wish

2009-05-29T06:08:00.008-07:00

Today is my birthday.
I have one wish . . .

Over the past 38 years and over the next fifty,
I will forget all of your birthdays.
I'm just bad at stuff like this.

I hit about 3/5 for Col, and Dallin usually reminds me about Sariah, De's was three days ago and I forgot, and I still don't really know when Niki's is, and I almost always miss all nine of the Chicks except maybe a handful of times I've hit Melissa and Tam, I remember once taking Lisa out about 8 years ago for hers, I used to be pretty good with Christine for about 3 years, Diana I think I mentioned it once at church, Christina I think twice, Amanda I used to be great in high school but now I don't always remember to call, as for Jess Annie and Shan...forget it, Karen I think we did something once back when we homeschooled five years ago, as for my stake activities team Al, Barb, and Julianne ya not so good, Rana yours is so close to mine and I still forget, my sweet friends I visit teach. . .only if my partner remembers, as for all my cousins and extended family. . .uhhhh not so good, as for my in laws. . .I'm terrible, my daughter was born on my grandma's birthday who I adore and I still forget, as for my sisters and parents. . . I'm pretty good, not perfect though, as for my kids well....they remind me so much it would be impossible to forget!

Please know, that although I completely forget to send you a card,
buy you a gift, pick up the phone and wish you a Happy Birthday,
that I cherish you deeply and I am so glad that many years ago you were born.
Please continue to love me even when I let your sacred day come and go
without even as much as a "Happy Birthday" from me.
And if I forgot to put your name down on my "I forget your birthday" list up above,
please forgive me, I still think you're awesome!

That is my wish.
I hope it comes true.
Love you all!

Em's Epiphany

2009-05-28T05:58:00.005-07:00

she made the waffles

she set the table
she picked the flowers for the centerpiece
she cut the butter
she waited on the couch watching out the window for dad to come home

A Little Lesson:
she announces while filling the glasses with water
mom, I get it
it feels so much better to do for others, then to get for yourself

Traveling

2009-05-26T07:12:00.004-07:00

First Logan
then Hunter
then Jessica,
brought over the line
across the border
to Emily.
As for the rest of them. . .
it's only a matter of time.

A Little Lesson:
My sister Jenn and I have spent many years passing viruses
from my kids to her kids and her kids to my kids.
One of us comes up or goes down to play and we bring a
few extra items along with us in the form of
microscopic mayhem!
We usually chalk it up like this . . .
"at least the cousins got a chance to play."

Transformations

2009-05-23T06:08:00.009-07:00

Before we had multiple kids and a dog, our backyard was beautiful.

The grass was green and there were just a few toys scattered amongst the foliage.

Several Lucy digs, snow storms, house renovations, swing sets,
biking obstacle courses, and soccer drills later, our yard was
looking like it needed a serious make over.

After general conference I asked Craig if he would
convert 1/2 of our yard into a garden plot.
He said yes . . .

Garden boxes were measured, a fence was erected, dirt was brought in and . . .

voila . . .

a garden was born.

Thanks sweetheart.

A Little Lesson:

It's time for these little guys to join the real world and experience
real rain
real wind
real sun
real weeds
and then they will grow
deep roots
strong stems
and bear fruit.
This all sounds very familiar. . .
p l a n o f s a l v a t i o n.

Twenty Minutes

2009-05-22T05:19:00.004-07:00

This is the worst part of owning a business.

I love to compose, teach, lecture, speak, travel, share, learn, mingle
and all the other wonderful parts of what I do for my little hobby on the side.

It's when people order materials from the website (the nerve) that
means I have to bubblewrap, package, tape, measure, weigh, and yes, go to the post office!
YUCK!

Most of my items on my website are downloadable.
But there are always a few teachers who just want the real thing.

A Little Lesson:
I usually put it off for a few days.
When I finally sit down and do it, it only takes about 20 minutes.
I find this is the case with most things I am not wanting to do.
Hundreds of minutes of head stress, putting off and procrastinating.
Twenty minutes out of my day.
If I could really remember this particular lesson it would be really nice.

The Jungle

2009-05-20T06:20:00.011-07:00

Last week I spoke in Seattle at a Youth Conference on the topic
t e m p t a t i o n.

I arrived with a couple of 24 foot snakes my mom whipped up from me.
It went something like this . . .

The snake kills it preys in three ways. . .
One . . .

It lurks and watches until it finds the right
moment to strike and bites its victims.
Venom slowly paralyzes the prey.
Two . . .

The snake wraps itself around its victim slowly cutting
off it's oxygen supply until it can no longer breathe.
Three . . .

It gobbles up the unassuming creature all in one bite.

A Little Lesson:
How snakes manage to attack their prey is very similar to how we can be paralyzed and even consumed by sin. Addiction, ignoring commandments, poor choices, breaking covenants and all the things we do that move us away from God cut off our spiritual oxygen and leave us weak and powerless. Of course there are snake charmers and night goggles, and anti venom and guns and traps that we can use to make it easier but there is really only one take home message that I drilled into the kids after wrapping them in snakes. . .

S t a y o u t o f t h e j u n g l e!

Bravo!

2009-05-17T06:13:00.004-07:00

I let them paint.

A Little Lesson:
You're going to have to clap louder, I can't hear the standing ovation you're giving me.

Easy Decisions

2009-05-17T06:01:00.004-07:00

It's that time of year again . . .

A Little Lesson:
I make my own yoghurt, buy Noname ketchup, shop the superstore $30 off coupon,
turn off lights, turn down the heat, reuse water bottles, make bread, buy used on Craig's List, grow a garden, never buy new clothes, and use vinegar to wash windows all to save money. Then I walk into my local garden center with no guilt, no shame, and no anxiety when my bill comes to almost $200 so I can spend the next 4 months caring for these beauties. It's one of those easy decisions in my life.

Run Poco Run!

2009-05-17T05:54:00.005-07:00

Clara came running into the house shouting for everyone
to drop what they were doing and come quick!!!

This is Poco the snail trying to run away, after being shown his 20th flower petal mansion.

A Little Lesson:
I think God created funny looking little creatures just for 5 year old girls to find.

Guilt

2009-05-17T05:51:00.004-07:00

I made apple puff pastry treats for Family Home Evening.

A Little Lesson:
I'm not sure what brought upon more guilt.
Watching Martha make these on daytime television or eating mine and half of Benjamin's.

Double Feature

2009-05-12T06:33:00.005-07:00

Grandma Murley, Shannon and I got tulips, ham and mushroom
omelettes and fresh orange juice for breakfast.

A few hours and a hundred miles later, Grandma Matkin and I got maple
salmon appetizers, barbecued steak and potatoes and tuxedo cake for dinner.

A Little Lesson:
I didn't have to wash one single dish.
Perhaps this post should of been titled . . . Spoiled.

New Car

2009-05-12T06:19:00.004-07:00

we got a new car.
not a new car, just new to us.
not this one, but one like it. our is white.
same car, different colour, same motor, different interior, same model fewer features.
more miles, less warranty, more risk, less expensive.
i'm not sure.
maybe newer and less risk or older and less money.
just sign here. on the dotted line.
everything will be fine.

A Little Lesson:
I thought I would write a blog that resembles what it feels
like to spend two days on a used car lot.

Kindergarten Orientation

2009-05-12T05:52:00.003-07:00

"Mom, I'm pretty sure I don't want to go to kindergarten,
I'll just stay home with you next year."

After a play dough station, a storytime station, a crown making station, a letters and numbers station, a colouring station, a juice box and snack station, and a little fun time with her new teacher . . .

"Why do I have to wait all summer to start kindergarten?!?"

A Little Lesson:
And so it goes, I just have 115 days before
my carefree life with Clara comes to an end.
I'm not sure how 1975 days slipped by so quickly.
I stopped wearing a watch, but that doesn't seem to be helping.

Girl Talk

2009-05-08T14:57:00.009-07:00

It was date night with Emily and she asked if Ikea sold the Olympic mascot stuffies.

I wasn't sure, so we went to check it out.

They don't.

Instead, we went into EVERY living room, dinning room, and kitchen showroom and pretended it was our house. We sat on the couch, we pretended to watch the fake TV and Emily served me pretend gourmet dishes from the plates and accessories from the different cupboards. She had a BLAST! It was like living in a fairy tale.

Then we had an Ikea hot dog and went home.

A Little Lesson:

Unless we are on a date, Emily doesn't spend a whole lot of one on one time with me.

She shares a room with her sister, she's at school all day, and she has three siblings.

She talked all the way there, all the way home, and most of the time we were in the store.

There was no interruptions.

She told me everything she was thinking about, and a little more.

It worked out perfectly.

She was desperate to share and I was desperate to listen.

Away at Camp

2009-05-07T05:33:00.000-07:00

Jordan left for camp this morning. Three whole days. I am weak with stuff like this. Does it have to be for so long? As we were driving to the school with all Jordan's camping paraphernalia, Emily asked "Mom, with Jordan gone and everything can I have his room?" Emily is not feeling the sadness as deeply as I am.

A Little Lesson:
I remember that dark September morning I woke up before my sleeping family and sat on the living room couch and cried. It was Jordan's first day of preschool. Three whole hours. Did it have to be so long? What if he had to go to the bathroom and couldn't get his top button undone, or done back up! What if the "Big One" (earthquake) came? What if another child said something unkind? I still wonder all of those things, but thankfully he knows how to do up his pants on his own now. I think the emotion and feeling of missing someone begins at birth when we are separated from our existence in heaven. We spend our lives missing the God that created us and so we long for something. We know there is something missing. It is us. We are missing. We are no longer in His presence and so deep inside our souls we desire to return to Him. I believe that is why mankind is always searching for something. We are not actually lost, just temporarily away at camp. When camp is over, the reunion will be glorious.

Eating Crepes

2009-05-05T04:43:00.001-07:00

A little thing happened the other day...

I got a phone call from Linda, the friend that I wrote that children's opera for a few months ago, and she announced CBC heard about the little opera and decided they wanted to come and record it! It went something like this. The lead of the little opera, Emma, was eating crepes with her mom in a restaurant when they overheard the "opera conversations" of the people next to them. Her mom boldly asked who they were, and it turned out they were sitting next to John McMaster, Canada's leading tenor superstar. He is famous worldwide. After a little small talk about his opera and Emma's little opera it turned out John, the international opera star, knew Linda, the opera-singing elementary school teacher and had worked with her at the Vancouver Opera and wanted to come and see what all the excitement was about, and he decided to invite the CBC radio along with him. They will air the show, which will predominantly be about John the superstar, on June 20th, nationally on the show Saturday afternoon at the Opera from 1pm -4pm. I am not sure how much of the children's opera they will play but hey, what a story eh?

First, John came and watched the opera, while CBC recorded it . . .

Then, John sang for the kids. It was incredible.
Do you like how I call him John, as if we've become great friends, well, we practically are.

Another newspaper called the Burnaby News Leader
also picked up the story you can watch
HERE

A Little Lesson:
I think the moral of the story is . . .we should all go out for crepes more often!