Potty Training!

Maycie started showing signs of being ready to potty train before she even turned 2. But I kept making excuses.

"We're in the middle of football season. That would just be WAY too hard!"

Then it was:

"It's the middle of Christmas. All the parties and get togethers. That would just be WAY too hard!"

And then after Christmas I went to the store to get diapers and when I put them in the cart Maycie burst into tears. I didn't fully understand what was happening. I bought them any way. And every time I changed her diaper she would cry, "I no diaper!" So I started asking if she wanted to go on the potty instead. The answer was always yes with no results! So when it was time for more diapers we bought pull-ups instead (I was NOT ready to go cold turkey!) and we really started trying! We had our first success! We were on our way! And then she wouldn't want to try anymore, it just took too much effort! But the moment I would mention diapers we would be back on track!
We tried all kinds of things, and they would work for a day or two and then we were right back where we started. Over time I realized she would do fine if she was in panties and wouldn't even try if she had on a pull-up. So I started telling her if she was awake she wore panties while still putting her in a pull-up if we were out and about. I quickly realized we were to our last hang up one day while I was at a presidency meeting. She told me she needed to go like 3 times but wouldn't go on the "big potty". I hurried home and guess who was still dry! That is right, she held it, and went the moment she sat on her potty! I knew if I could just get her over this hurdle we could say POTTY TRAINED!
It took us a couple of weeks, A LOT of trips to the potty (we even took her little chair with us a few places), and a few accidents but I think we can say we are there! It is still taking a trip or 2 for her to relax (especially those ones that flush by themselves! Those REALLY freak her out!) but she goes...on the "big potty"! At home I don't even think about it anymore! And when we are out I trust her to tell me (for the most part =))! While I have been sick it got a little hard to run her over and over again and have her not go. But there was a little voice (everyone around me plus the one in my head!) telling me, "at least she's not having any accidents!" I'm sure there are still some in our future, but I feel I can safely say that Maycie is potty trained! WAAAHHOOOO!!!!!

Potty training is very hard on you!

In fact, you might say, it is down right exhausting!

Hymns From The Heart: How Gentle God's Commands

I mentioned in an earlier blog entry a regular blog entry I have been wanting to start doing. Last year I did an entry about the Hymn, "Welcome, Welcome Sabbath Morning". After I did that entry I have had similar feelings of inspiration many Sundays as we have sung Hymns in Sacrament meetings. I have regretted not writing down those thoughts and feelings. I began thinking that a weekly entry about a Hymn from my meetings would be a good way of sharing my testimony. The problem is I did a lot more thinking then I did writing or sharing! Well, I have decided I have done enough thinking! It is time to start sharing!
This week's Hymn is, "How Gentle God's Commands". I wasn't at church this last Sunday. I was home sick in bed. So this is from Sunday the 13th. As I looked over this Hymn the feelings I felt, even more then a week ago, as we sang it as our closing Hymn that Sunday came back to me. I would like to share some of those with you now.

How gentle God's commands!

How kind his precepts are!

Our Father in Heaven is loving and kind! The things He asks of us are for our good and not meant to make things difficult for us.

Come cast your burdens on the Lord

And trust his constant care.

He wants us to bring the things that are difficult for us, the things that weigh on us, to Him. His love for us is constant and unconditional.

Beneath his watchful eye,

His Saints securely dwell;

That hand which bears all nature up

Shall guard his children well.

The Lord is always mindful of us. If we are doing the things we should (following those gentle commands!) we have nothing to worry about.

Why should this anxious load

Press down your weary mind?

Haste to your Heavenly Father's throne

And sweet refreshment find.

Why do I let the things of this world worry me? Why do I let things that have no lasting consequence get in the way of the eternal things? If I will just focus on the things that are really important I find the sweet refreshment and peace our Heavenly Father so very willingly offers.

His goodness stand approved,

Unchanged from day to day;

I'll drop my burden at his feet

And bear a song away.

The Lord does not change. He stands firm, as a beacon to lead the way for each of us. If I will take my burdens to Him He will lift me and make my burdens light!

I testify that these things are true! I have experienced it for myself. I have felt the love of my Savior and Father in Heaven. I have felt my burdens lifted and my load lightened!

I am grateful for the Hymns and other good music the Lord gives us to invite the spirit into our home and lives. For these moments we are given to help us remember.

PS- if you click on the link of "Welcome, Welcome Sabbath Morning" it will take you to my blog entry. If you click on the link of "How Gentle God's Commands" it will take you to the church web site so you can listen to the song, see the sheet music, and learn more about it! =)

2010 In Review

As the year ended Jeron reminded me about how it had begun. It wasn't good and the rest of the year kind of followed. As I looked back over our last year I thought about the old saying, "hind sight is always 20/20" I say that all the time. I am always feeling like I see things more clearly when I look back on them. And as I looked back this time I did see things more clearly. I saw my Father in Heaven and my Savior lifting me through the many hard things we went through. They were ALWAYS there for me in some way or another.
This is not to say we didn't feel the pain of what we were going through. We did! But I know that the love of my older brother and Savior lessened that pain more then I realized as I was going through those experiences. I thought about going through and talking about some of the things we went through in more detail, but as I started this entry I realized that is not really what I wanted this to be about. I guess what I want you all to know is that I have a testimony of the love that our Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ have for each of us. They want nothing more then to be there for each one of us. To be able to put their arms around us and hold us. To make all the pain go away. I know they love me! No matter what I do, they love me! As I make mistakes, repent and try and do better they are there waiting for me with open arms! I know I probably could have had even more help if I had been doing a better job on my end of things. I am not perfect, not even close! I am just trying to be better today then I was yesterday. And one of the things that I have learned this last year is today, right now, that is enough. As I keep progressing I will have to keep moving forward. I can never stand still and be idle. But as I keep trying, and picking myself up as I fall my Father in Heaven and Savior will keep helping me, as they will for us all.
I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am a Mormon! I know that the things I have learned by going to church have helped me! I don't know of anyone who isn't LDS who reads this blog but if you aren't and want to know more about why my faith has been able to help me and more about what we believe and who we are please visit mormon.org by clicking on the link!

Christmas 2010!

Christmas this year was maybe a little too good! We really did have a wonderful season and felt the blessings of the Lord in our home.

Christmas Eve PJ's!

(Thanks to Grammy!)

Maycie was very tired by this point and didn't want to stand in her place! This was about as good a picture as I could get this year!

Like I said before, Christmas might have been a little too good this year! Even though I tried to tell our Bishop we didn't really need the help he called me to repentance and told me we were going to take the help, and like it! =)

The help came from another ward. When they called to talk to me about what kinds of things to do for the kids the Brother that I talked to was very nice and very in tune with the spirit. He told me things that the Lord knew I needed to hear. He told me they had a list of a number of families and they could only do a few of them. He then went on to tell me that he didn't know why they needed to do this for our family, only that he felt very strongly that they did need to do this for us.

Our 12 Days of Christmas from Grammy & Papa K

Porter got this huge Nerf gun!

Emma & Maycie got bunk beds for their babies and a baby to go with it!

Jaxon got a PSP (Play Station Portable)!


Maycie with the baby bunk beds!

Connor got a rib stick!
He has been wanting one of these for YEARS and was beyond excited to see this with his stocking!

The amazing thing is how we were taken care of, not just with the Sub-for-Santa, but with everything. Things that should have cost us a small fortune we got for beyond cheep or for free. And just when I would be out of ideas for what I could do for one child the right thing would just fall into place. Not one of my boys would ask for anything this year. At one point I did ask Porter and he told me, "just things I need mom." Like what? "Oh, socks and underwear. Things like that."

It was wonderful to see them be taken care of and to see them show so much gratitude for what they have. To see that they really know the difference between needs and wants. It was wonderful to see how the Lord took care of us and then some!

12 Days of Christmas! (2010)

We did 12 Days of Christmas for our kids again this year. It is something my mom and dad started doing for us and in trying to start new traditions for our own family we decided to take a few things from each side of our family and make them into one of our own. So, we start with PJ's (my side) and end with an ornament (Jeron's side).

I was going to make the PJ's this year. Really, I was! But then I couldn't find the material I wanted. I found out they don't make it any more. I had even talked to my mom about using her sewing machine (mine just would have thrown fits at me doing that much at once!) and everything! But I just waited too long and then found out that PJ's were on sale and I could get them cheaper then the material would have cost me! So I caved and bought them again! But I'm going to start in July this year and make them! Or that's the plan any way! =)

We had a hard time finding ornaments that we really liked. (And we did start looking early for these!) I just couldn't find the right thing. And then my mom did it for us. She made an ornament with my Grandparent's wedding picture in it for each family in her extended family and then for each of her grandchildren. Jeron and I decided that was better then any ornament we could have bought for them!

Everything else was just stuff, but it was still a fun thing for all of us and great way to start the Christmas season off!

Emma's Dance Recital!

Emma had her first dance recital the beginning of December! Oh, how she has waited for this day! And, okay, mom has been a tad bit excited too! This is her 3rd year of dance class. Her first year she started part way through and so we decided to do one more year of a non performing group for her 2nd year. This was a good decision! She has been going to see her cousin Jordan dance for as long as she can remember and has loved watching her up on stage. But last year she began to really want to get up there!

She did a great job. She did a little looking around but it was mostly because she was so worried about everybody else being in "their" spot! While I got to sit down in the audience thinking "Quit worrying about it and do your dance!" They did "Chicken Pox For Christmas" This was so much fun for me because I did the same dance when I was about her age! As did both of her aunts. Aunt Abby, and Miss Megan (Aunt Skippy) who we are lucky enough to have as her teacher!

Emma after both performances were over!

Still all ready to pose for a picture!

Emma with Cousin Jordan and Cousin Shae!

Cousin Addison is also in her class but left before we could get the group shot!

Emma and her friend Kylie!
All ready for the show to start!

I Will Try To Do Better!

I have to say I know there are running jokes out there about blogging and how it takes over peoples lives. And I'm sure, like anything else, it could definitely go that way! But I think I have forgotten a little bit of why I blog. From a fairly young age I have written in a Journal. My Grandma Harrison gave me my first when I turned 8 years old. Family history and personal history are very important to her and I will always appreciate her example. It took me a long time to fill that first Journal because I didn't start out writing on a regular basis. Like most things, it took time. I got better as a Merry Miss (boy I am dating my self, aren't I!) and just kept going from there! My Journal became my every day confidant. Every night before I could go to sleep it was scriptures, Journal, and prayers. The only real exception from this was spending the night away from home!
I remember when I got married and started struggling to find the time for my old friend. I had decided when I was a Laurel that I would start a Journal for each child when I found out I was expecting. That was a wonderful experience for me. But again, with 5 of them to keep up on I struggle! So this is why I blog! It is my Journal, my confidant of sorts. It is our family and personal histories. When I do find the time to write in the kids Journals I go to the blog so that I can remember what I need to write about for that child. And for many of their birthday blog entries I have gone to that Journal to make sure I remember correctly!
I love keeping up on what is going on in all of your lives. The family I don't get to see as often as I would like. The friends that between my kids their kids, distance, etc. we just don't get to see/talk to each other as much as we would like. It helps me feel connected and a part of things.
This last Saturday we had our Stake Relief Society Conference. It was WONDERFUL! I almost didn't go. Jeron has to work on Saturday's right now and so I left the kids on their own. I knew that meant coming home to a mess and I just wasn't sure I was up to that. I am so glad I went! One of the classes I went to was about time management, what is really important. This is something I have really been struggling with as of late and was very excited for some "new" advice on how to make more hours in my day! I didn't learn anything really new. It was all things I had really heard before, but Saturday I HEARD what I needed to hear for my life right now! I was reminded I need to make more time for the "essential" things. And as a couple of ladies were joking (maybe not all the way joking) about making scrap booking an essential thing I thought about my blog. My poor neglected blog. I have all of December's post running around in my head and just have not sat down to do anything about it! I have been wanting to start a weekly post (this will be coming soon! I promise!) for MONTHS now and just have not taken the time to DO IT! And I know that I could let it go too far and take over my life but I felt very strongly that I need to do more blogging. I need to make sure this family history has been kept. It may be kept better at some points then it is others but I WILL KEEP IT! This is my promise! And we'll try not to go over board! =)

Angels Among Us

I have to share a few of the blessings over the last few months. We all know that blessings come in many forms, but most often they come in the form of friends and family doing for us what the Lord knows we need. Sometimes, a lot of the time, it is even things we ourselves didn't know we needed!
I'm not quite sure how to go about a lot of these things. Because some I'm not sure who my Angel is and some I know the people would like for their service to be kept a secret. So bare with me as I go about my "Thank You's" as best I can!
I was talking with a neighbor not long after Jeron lost his job. She asked how things were going and we talked about it for a minute. And then she looked at me and said, "Well, we are praying for you!" And I knew it was true. I had felt those prayers. I sat in a presidency meeting as I listened to my friend say the closing prayer and get choked up with emotion as she prayed for our family.
I have had a friend show up at my door on numerous occasions with a drink in her hand and a smile on her face! Ready to talk or what ever else I might need. Who has bailed me out time and again and again and again!
We got a card in the mail with the address and all other writing done very carefully so as not to be able to recognize the handwriting with $200 in it.
A Bishop who told me to just accept the Sub-for-Santa another ward wanted to do for us. Which made our Christmas a little too good!
For a Gift Card from a cousin for way more money then the favor I had done was worth!
For all the prayers. For all the visits. For all the words of encouragement. For all the listening ears. For all of you who have picked me up when I have fallen I say Thank You. I know it is not much, but I want you to know I will do my best to follow your example and to be there for another when it is needed. To do as the Lord would have me do, just as you have done!

Blessings Come In Many Ways!

Some of you may already know that things have been a bit stressful at our house for the last little bit. Money has been tight and we all know the fun that causes! You add to that my Grandparents and our dog and I was starting to joke that we were caught in the worst country song ever! Well, what would that song be without a lost job.
Can you see it coming? On October 15 Jeron lost his job. The funny thing is that after that things didn't seem quite so stressful anymore. When he called me to tell me what was going on there was an immediate peace that came over me. That is not to say I have not had a few days where I feel like I am coming apart at the seams! But I knew, I knew this was going to be the best thing for us. I just kept thinking about Nephi getting the Brass Plates. Nephi telling Lamen and Lemuel that the Lord is mightier then all the earth why not mightier then Laban and his 50? (See 1Nephi Chapters 3 & 4). Well, if that's true then the Lord is mightier then Jeron's old boss! If we were not going to be okay through this and not be able to make this be for our good it would not have happened. I just have to keep reminding myself every few days!
The windows of Heaven have opened for us. 1 month to the day Jeron started another job. It is temporary but it is a pay check. There are no benefits but the kids all qualify for something through the state so they have insurance. Every time I think there is something I won't be able to handle the Lord steps in.
He is still looking so... My cousins gave him some info about a job in Texas, but we would like to exhaust options that don't have us selling our house at a HUGE loss!
We have felt the prayers of our family and friends. Thank you so much for all of your love and support. We love you all and we'll keep you posted!

Grandpa "Snowmobile" Perkins

On September 20 my Grandfather passed away. You may remember that he has been sick for a very long time. There were so many things that should have taken him. Heavenly Father had a plan for him, just as He does for each of us. And even with everything that happened to him, all the health problems he was able to fulfill his plan.

Grandpa had not been sealed to his parents. His sister is his only surviving sibling. The 2 of them were able to go and be sealed to their parents, along with their brothers who have passed away. My mom said she hadn't seen him so happy in a very long time.

I know it was a long 3 months and 3 days for Grandpa. It was the longest he and Grandma had ever been apart. And as hard as it was to loose both of them so close together I wouldn't have it any other way. They didn't even have to miss an anniversary together. It is strange to think of them gone. The holidays were hard. Years and years ago Grandma made an ornament for every member of the family for her tree. Last Christmas they gave them all to us. As we were decorating the tree this year and I pulled it out I just started to cry.

I have no doubt Grandpa had more then a little something to do with all this snow we have gotten this year! Their bishop shared one of his fondest memories of my grandparents at Grandpa's funeral. He was outside one day when Grandpa went flying by on his 4 wheeler followed right behind by Grandma! That's my grandparents, living life to the fullest, TOGETHER! We'll be thinking about you with every inch of snow we get! We love and miss you! Thank you for your wonderful example!