Small and Simple Things.

I've been home alone a lot with these two guys. Clark has been so busy with school, clinical hours, work and his business, that I have been home most days, most nights, and a lot of weekends alone. He gets home at midnight form clinical, and leaves the next morning 5:15 for work. I feel bad for him...he's been so crazy busy, and rarely complains about it. But none-the-less I've been flying solo for the last month or so!

We go to Young Womens together. We cook meals together. We get ready for the day together. We exercise together. We clean together. We go to the store together. We go to the doctor together. We attempt to go to Stake Conference together. 

That was a mistake. I thought about staying home because I was pretty sure that going to Stake Conference alone with a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old was nothing but trouble. But then I thought about all the single mothers out there that go to church alone each week. So, I woke up early, got myself ready, fixed breakfast, packed the diaper bag, got the boys dressed and ready, and headed to the Stake Center. I arrived at 9:15 to try to get a soft seated bench where I could coral Kyson in. It didn't work. We were on the hard seats in the gym. 

The meeting started at 10:00. At exactly 10:15 am James was crying, and Kyson was telling me he didn't want to be quiet and he wanted a treat. So I grabbed everything I could carry, and told Kyson to follow me and walked out of the gym. Some kid ran out after me saying "You dropped a binkie...." Once I got out in the foyer I realized my skirt (with an elastic waist) was down around my thighs, and about a foot of my slip was showing to all the world. 

Again, I thought about leaving. But I had already humiliated myself to the max, so I figured we'd sit in the foyer and hope that Heavenly Father gives blessings for those who try really hard to do what they should:) We left during the closing song, and everyone took naps promptly after arriving back home.

Anyways. I've had a lot of time to think and ponder about my life. This has been a good thing for me. I've had time to think about the things our family is doing right, and time to think about things we could improve on. I've realized how important it is to put the most important things first, and let other things go. 

One day I said to Clark..."I didn't accomplish anything today!" It was 8:00 pm when he got home from work, I hadn't showered and was still is sweats. He had me sit down with him and tell him exactly what I had done that day.

I made three meals, and cleaned up from three meals.

I got two little people ready for the day.

I ran 4 miles.

I cleaned the oven, and scrubbed the drip pans under the burners and replaced the tinfoil that was covering them.

I rode bikes and played "hunting jungle animals" with Kyson.

I fed James.

I proof read and edited two of Clark's papers.

I called the insurance company about our cards that hadn't come yet.

I prepared my Young Womens lesson.

I read books to Kyson.

I kept my children alive all day.

After talking to Clark I realized that I had done a lot that day...they were just things that I don't really count as accomplishments, because most of them don't stay DONE. They will need to be done time and time again, day after day.

I have realized that the lesson I need to learn right now is how to do the small and simple things of life consistently. They are things that don't bring glory or attention from the world. They are things that don't bring attention from anyone. No one realizes what I do, unless I don't do it:) But I also realized that these small and simple things that I do day after day, that don't stay done, are the things that make a happy life. They are the things that I believe Ether was talking about when he said that small and simple things will bring GREAT things to pass.

So, I'll keep doing them. 

And I'm counting down the days until Clark's semester is over.

And maybe tomorrow I'll shower. 

Easter

We spent Easter weekend with my family in Utah. We went to the zoo, had an egg hunt, and Kyson loved having so many of his "best friends" all in one place. Since we have been home he has prayed almost daily to..."go to the zoo tomorrow with my best friends..."

Lauren, Aubrey, Kyson

Egg hunt observors

James enjoying the zoo.

This was the coolest part of the zoo. You could see all the animals swim underwater right up to the glass. Kyson stood here for at least 30 minutes without moving watching all the animals. Maybe I could build one of these in my next house to keep him entertained:)

Dad, Mom, Clark

Blake's mission papers were all done, but he needed a hair cut and to shave his mustache from "mustache March" so he could take a picture to attach with his papers. This is the before shot.

After haircut...but before shave. I actually think this is a good look for him!

 

All done, and his papers are now submitted. He should get his call in the next week or two. I'm so excited for him!

Early on Easter Sunday Kyson pulled me outside with him to ride bikes. I was the only one awake, because I'm usually not the first choice of bike riding partners when we're at my house with so many other fun people. Anyways, we went out to ride bikes, and Kyson made me put on a helmet and told me exactly which bike to ride. A few minutes later I realized that Clark had run out with the video camera and camera.

It's never a good thing when the husband comes running with the camera, you know you either look really funny, or your kid looks really cute!

A fun fort!

Baby Wyatt's Blessing

We only got a two day spring break because of both of our work...but we made the most of it and headed down to Paige and Matt's for baby Wyatt's blessing. We had a fun Easter-egg hunt with the cousins, played games, ate yummy food, and enjoyed good company. Thanks for letting us come invade you Paige!

Kyson and Kendall

The hunters...my favorite part...Robert and all his apparel!

Great-Grandma Alice Wyatt helping Kyson teeter-totter. She is such a trooper!

It was a cold day for a hunt. So we stayed on the porch:)

I am so lucky to have such neat sister-in-laws!

Wyatt side.

Farm Lesson #58

There are many lessons to be learned from living on a farm.

Clark has taught Kyson that if you are out in a field and you need to go to the bathroom, you just drop your drawers and go.

The other day Kyson was out playing on the deck while I was making lunch. 

I went to check on him and found his drawers dropped and he was watering the deck.

We had a nice discussion about proper places to drop drawers, and walked around the yard pointing to places that would be okay to "water" and places that would not be okay.

p.s. Today I let him to outside to ride his bike while I changed James' diaper. When I came out his drawers were dropped once again and he was over in the dirt (yes...our last discussion did have some impression) trying to aim his stream into a fallen birds nest. He was tickled to death when he hit his target. 

Later that day when Hailey and kids came to visit, Jaydree found the birds nest and ran to show it to us. I told her quickly that she should put it down because Kyson went to the bathroom on it earlier. She looked very confused, and we decided that boys are weird!