Oh My Quotable Friday: Circus

a goof in googles

the last nine :: february ::

this january

There was this one day in January that felt like Spring.

The number seven, preschool style. 

The Avenger Puzzle completion.

Family Portrait by Jace.

(And a few additional scribbles added by our tiniest little monster.)

More artwork by Jace. Once there was a snowman.

Playing with their food.

A half stained fence, and a boy in my tree.

Housework. Because every now and again the table is in need of a good vacuuming.

My little primary class. 

We were working onValentine gift for their moms. They promised good smiles only if I allowed for a few goofy ones. 

Swinging in the cold.

Creating all manner of rubber band goodies. 

Heart bracelets for her classroom valentines.

An afternoon walk.

About two seconds after I took this picture Marlee's platform rolled out from underneath her and she landed on her head.

About two seconds after I took the last picture, I took this picture, quite by accident.

Jace is doing his "homework", Marlee is "helping".

I can't get over how cute she looks in that little hat grandma gifted her.

A rubber band panda to add to the loom collection.

Marlee on the table.

 And speaking of big sister's rainbow loom collection I think she is wearing the product of a successful heist.

Another day, another slide, same adorable hat.

Spotlight for Primary. All about Jace.

And this one belongs to Brynlee.

An ode to the neck brace photo.

Busted. I was wondering how she kept getting into the permanent markers.

Homemade tool belt.

More January schoolwork. The letter "W".

My guess?: Barney. It's her favorite.

I would like to thank the month of January and the neck brace for allowing them the time to finish the entire game. 

Jace was so proud.

And that was January in a nutshell.

on love

Reason number eleventy million that I love Spencer: sometimes he hides love notes in his computer code.

*****

On July 12, 2003 - the day that Spence and I were married - every guest at our wedding luncheon took a turn sharing their marriage advice with us, the newest couple to have joined the ranks of marriage.

My sister-in-law Gretta, fully aware of Spencer’s love of the color black and an interior designer by trade, advised us to decorate our home with more than just that one color. 

Another guest advised us to thank each other for doing those routine, mundane tasks that go into being a family.

And among other things we were advised to never go to bed angry, to always find time to laugh, and to set aside time for just each other, even when the time came that we were responsible for a house full of kids. Spencer was told to treat me like a Queen {grade A advice, if you ask me}, and I was advised, by his little brother Aaron – who was about eight at the time - to make Spence really good food everyday.

But my favorite, and most memorable advice, came from my Aunt Jillene. And although I've always meant to thank her for her advice, I never have. This is my thank you.

Looking back now I realize that attending my wedding on July 12, 2003 was probably a very hard thing for Aunt Jillene to do. And realizing that in spite of her heartache she still attended my special day makes me cherish her advice even more.

About five months earlier, on February 10^th, my Uncle Rob – Jillene’s sweetheart – passed away while fishing on Bear Lake. On my wedding day her heart was still very much broken and Uncle Rob’s body had still not been found.

On that hot day in July the advice wave made its way around the guest tables; one by one people that Spence and I love stood and offered us guidance. Some were funny, some serious, some a little embarrassing.  Then it was Aunt Jillene’s turn. She stood, and as fresh, hot tears rolled down her face, she advised Spencer and me to say that we loved each other. “Say it often, every day. Multiple times a day. Don’t let a day go by that you don’t tell each other that.” She paused. And then she continued with intent… “Every chance you get, say it; because you never know when that chance is going to be your last!”

I think of her advice often, but especially around our anniversary and in February, close to Valentine’s Day. It’s advice that I uphold and cherish.

In our house we say I love you often. Daily. Multiple times every single day, just as Jillene advised.

I hear people argue that saying I love you too often and too freely cheapens it and takes away its full meaning. I disagree entirely. I think “I Love You” builds upon itself. Every time it’s said it gains strength and serves as a needed reminder to those that it’s intended toward.

Happy Valentine’s Day, my friends. Today – and everyday – make sure you say I love you!

And Aunt Jillene: thank you. I Love You! :)

ABC Wednesday

{A}nother month. January is over. February is here. I say it’s time to make some heart shaped sugar cookies to celebrate, don’t you?

{B}aby Blessing & Baptism. It was a big weekend for the Povey Family. Lincoln got baptized on Saturday and Kyle got blessed on Sunday. Our family got to be part of both. I’m so glad the Poveys are our friends.

{C}hallenge accepted. Bryn’s elementary school did a reading challenge to try to get every student in the school to read 300 pages in 3 weeks. Brynlee read somewhere close to 2700! I’m proud of her.

{D}oggone it. Jace is absolutely terrified of Kyle’s dog. He really loves to play with Kyle but he expects 100% of the playdates to take place at our house. I don’t mind, but I wonder if Kyle feels a bit gypped by the whole playdate situation.

{E}xactly what we needed. Yesterday the kids and I bundled up and spent the afternoon running around {in the snow} on the golf course. I pulled Marlee in the sled the entire time. Whenever I would stop she would yell, “Let’s go, mom! Let’s go!” A bit of a bossy pants, that one.

{F}irewood. We are down to our last two rows of wood for the fireplace. Time for summer

{G}ood Riddance. Our house is no longer in a flood zone. Which means absolutely nothing to most of you, but to us it’s huge. Our required flood insurance payment was more than double our homeowners insurance. I like saving money! 

{H}airdo. I need to get my hair did like something fierce. Note to self: one year between hair appointments is much too long! Tomorrow’s my lucky day.

{I} read. I just got done reading Proof of Heaven by Eben Alexander. I loved it. It made me think about God, and why I am here, and what I believe. It’s good to have a reason to think really deeply about those things every once in a while. Don’t you agree?

{J}uvenile example. Brynlee has motivated both Spencer and I to read more. It’s been such a nice change of pace to sit down with a book.

{K}issable. Jace had his first kiss. It made him cry. Bless his little heart.

{L}essons of the swimming sort. Brynlee and Jace started swimming lessons last week. I sorta love me some January swimming lessons; it makes it feel like summer for one hour two times a week. Until the kids have to walk outside with wet hair, then the summer dreaming is over!

{M}emories. Brynlee and I have been playing Skip-bo a lot lately. Skip-bo reminds me of my friend Erin. We used to play that game all the time - including ever morning on the school bus.

{N}eck brace status. Spence's neck brace has been removed. I repeat, Spence's neck brace has been removed. Oh happy day.

{O}h my cuteness. We go to swimming lessons at a gym where aerobic classes are offered. On Monday Marlee stood outside the studio door and did the entire aerobic workout with the ladies. Spence asked if I felt like we should pay for the class since she certainly had taken part of it. I was hoping the extreme cardiovascular workout would exhaust her for the night – not even a chance!

{P}resently. The kids are eating a bowl of cereal and drinking hot chocolate totally unaware that we’ve got to stop by the grocery store before swimming lessons tonight. A surprise that they are no doubt going to jump up and down with excited about. NOT!

{Q}uotable. “A two-year-old is kind of like having a blender, but you don't have a top for it.” ~Jerry Seinfeld 

{R}elationship problems. Jace came home from preschool the other day and told me that sometimes he and Miley (his bff from his speech intervention preschool) have a hard time being best friends. When I asked him why he said because they “mostly can’t ever understand each other”. Ha. Adorable. Also, welcome to the real world of boy/girl relationships, my son. Sometimes dad and I “mostly can’t ever understand each other” either.

{S}olution. Jace then told me that he and Miley decided to only say short things to each other because they could understand short things much better than long things. I so love that kid!

{T}omorrow. It’s the 100^th day of School for Brynlee.

{U}ndecided. Today Brynlee and I painted a shoe box with primer. She’s decided that she can’t wait another minute to get our Valentine’s box craft on. Only problem - she thinks she maybe wants a frog, but maybe a dog. But probably a minion. But definitely it would be best to have a monster.

{V}alentine’s day looms. And speaking of Valentine’s Day. Brynlee has made all the girls in her class a rainbow loom bracelet with a heart charm for Valentine’s Day, and she is working on basketball, football and soccer key chains for the boys. That chick is a looming fool.

{W}ishful thinking. Whenever Spence or I run on the treadmill Jace calls it “riding the treadmill”. Today, when I did my workout, I tried to convince myself I was just out for a relaxing morning ride. It still kicked my butt.

{X}enic. As in H2XeO4. As in smart. As in Spence and I have been catching up on the last season of The Big Bang Theory. That show is genius-ly hilarious.

{Y}ipee. Did I mention that the neck brace is no longer a part of our family? Spence came home from work yesterday and wrestled the kids. The excitement in our house was through the roof. The kids have been missing some daddy wrestling. I’m so glad that he is feeling more himself lately. And so is he. But mainly the kids are!

{Z}iggy zaggy zonk. Zero. The end.