First Day of School

School is here, and we are ready! Caite woke up singing a cheerful "first day of school" song she made up.

Cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Not the breakfast of CHAMPS, but a special treat to start them off.

Isaac...the 4th grader. Getting in one last rip stick ride before catching the bus.

Caite...the 1st grader.

Hayden...the Kindergartner
ready to go. They all picked out the same uniforms to wear...not on purpose though.
waiting for the bus.
Hayden was SO excited to ride the bus, he could hardly wait a minute longer.

Off they go!

They all had a great day. Their teachers will be wonderful. I hand picked Hayden's and Catie's.

It's going to be a good year.

Good for Something

"You are good. But it is not enough just to be good. You must be good for something. You must contribute good to the world. The world must be a better place for your presence. And the good that is in you must be spread to others."--President Gordon B. Hinckley

So the question is...

"Have I done any good in the world today?
Have I helped anyone in need?
Have I cheered up the sad,
or made someone feel glad?
If not I have failed indeed.
Has any one's burdens been lighter today
Because I was willing to share?
Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?"

There are things we can do daily to better ourselves and better the world around us. We can be "actively engaged in a good cause". That good cause doesn't always need to be some big charity event, but more often than not it is the small and simple things we do for others that spreads our goodness.

I have been the recipient of much goodness. I have good friends, family, and neighbors who often volunteer some act of service or an encouraging phone call. I as well try my best to share goodness...often in the form of baked goods. I want my children to learn to love others and to serve them. I want them to show kindness to kids at school. I want them to help when no one else offers.

I'm trying to teach by example, I fall short many times...but I try. A long time ago we started asking the kids at the dinner table, "what did you do for someone today?" for the first few weeks we got, "I don't know." I would love to say that after a while we started getting good answers, but the truth be told, I stopped asking. So, starting Monday after a "Share your Goodness Family Night" we will be reinstating the "what did you do for someone?" dinner conversation.

My hope is that I will be more focused on service and in turn my kids will be mindful of it and act on their goodness.

Redneck Yacht Club

We needed an outing. We went to Walmart stocked up on all the leftover water inflatables. Packed up lunch, snacks, drinks, chairs, sand toys, blankets, towels, and kids. The van was loaded and we were off to Lake Ouachita State Park (about an hour and a half drive) to play in the lake for the day.

On our drive there we had to take little country roads.
"Mom, why do people have a couch in their front yard?-Isaac
"Is this the middle of no where?"-Hayden
"I think we are in Redneck country."-Isaac
"What's a Redneck?"-Caite

It wasn't the Caribbean, Gulf Coast, Atlantic Ocean, or the Pacific Ocean, but it worked. We found a designated "beach" and set up camp for the day. What a fun break! The kids had fun in the warm water and sand. I enjoyed sitting in a chair and reading. Halle LOVED to sit in the "big boat" and let the kids pull her around.

We had the whole beach to ourselves all morning. Then we found a picnic table in the shade and had lunch.
Went back out to the water and were joined by "rednecks" (according to Hayden) but they didn't speak like rednecks or look like rednecks, they were Hispanic. Sorry Hayden, no rednecks today.

Then the clouds came from over the "mountain" bringing thunder and a little lightening. Followed by rain. Our day at the "beach" ended, but we had a good time.

Halle's new do

I love it. She loves it. And her Daddy LOVES it more!

How quickly I forget

I have been blessed to have had Aaron at church with me EVERY Sunday for several months now. As Cheif Resident, he has weekends off, except for a few he has to be the attending physician on wards. He's at the hospital this weekend and next.

How quickly I forget how terrible Sunday mornings and Sacrament meetings are without him to help!! Hayden woke up early, then decided to wake up all the other kids who were NOT ready to be up yet. The day went down hill from there! I had to take Halle out of Sacrament Meeting because she was screaming about a sticker, Hayden came out to go to the bathroom, when I sent him back in I noticed the sweet Relief Society President sitting with Isaac and Caite. "They weren't being very disruptive, they were just starting to throw punches at each other, I didn't want it to get out of hand." she said later. LOVELY!! Thank you Sister Burrup for stepping in.

This afternoon, everything I try to do with the kids ends up in some kind of fight. One kid was mad because he didn't like what I made for dinner, another one was crying because I made him go to his room and read, another one was crying because I got her the wrong color popsicle, another one screaming because her brother broke her necklace and beads were everywhere. I decided they all needed a little quiet time so I let them pick out a movie...fighting again. They couldn't agree on a movie. No movie. As for now they are all in different rooms with books. I don't even care if they are reading them, I just need some quiet!

While I was out in the hall at church with Halle, I have made it a habbit not to let her run around. So I was holding her and standing under a speaker so I could hear the speakers. My friend was talking today. Her theme was the 13th article of faith.
"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed we may say that follow the admonition of Paul--we believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

She focused on the last half about seeking out things that are virtuous, lovely, or praiseworthy. She mentioned that so many times when we are in the "thick of it" we can't see the positive or the blessings. But we need to take the time to look around and realize how blessed we are.

I guess I feel like I'm "in the thick of it" today, but I am blessed. I do have good kids, who are making good choices...with the exception of throwing punches at eachother in church. I have an incredible husband who has more patience and love for our kids than you can imagine. I have wonderful friends who surround me with goodness. And a great extended family who support us and cheer us on from afar.

Life is good, I just needed to take a break and remember. Thanks Liz for reminding me.

Conway Kids Triathlon part 2

While Isaac swam, biked, and ran, the little kids watched, played on rocks, ate snow cones, and jumped. The triathlon was fun for everyone.

After the racers finished there was tons of food, snow cones, and entertainment for all ages. I think Caite and Hayden had 3 or 4 snow cones each. Every time I turned around they were in line again. I guess they needed to try all the flavors...individually!

Coway Kids Triathlon

Isaac and a bunch of swim team buddies formed a triathlon team, "Maumelle Mustangs" and entered the Conway Kids Triathlon. We all had so much fun.

Getting their numbers

Trevor Cook and Isaac coming out of their swim

transitioning from swim to bike. shoes on. helmet on.

biking (Isaac is on the yellow/black bike in the lead)

Running. Look at those excited faces

Caden, Isaac, and Trevor. Finished

The team: Maumelle Mustangs

The training paid off. Isaac took 3rd place and Trevor took 4th in their age division

Nice work boys!

He came home with 2 medals and a nice trophy. All who finished got a medal and the top 5 teams with the most participants got a medal. Maumelle Mustangs ended up with 17 (I think) kids. We represented Maumelle well. We had several of our team mates finish in the top 5 of their ages. Way to go Maumelle Mustangs!

Isaac never ceases to amaze me with it athletic abilities. I don't know where it comes from, certainly not me, but he's got it and is good at everything he does. I'm a proud mama.