6/27/09. It has been a fun Saturday today. With no moves or other service projects to pull me away, and no out-of-town excursions, we were able to spend the whole day together as a family. After a delicious breakfast, we all got to work cleaning the house and tackling other jobs on the "to do list." The girls did a great job cleaning floors, bathrooms, unloading the dishwasher, etc. Cleaning was coupled with occasional outbursts of singing and dancing, as fifties' music played. Soon thereafter, I sat down with the girls and read them a couple of articles from the new Ensign magazine. Later in the day, the family headed to Redrock (for the first time) where we drove along a beautiful scenic loop and did a one mile hike. While there, we enjoyed a delicious afternoon snack which included kool-aid, sandwiches and fresh fruit. On the way home, we stopped by Fresh & Easy (a grocery store) and picked up a couple of groceries. Then, we made and ate homemade pizza and breadsticks for dinner and had popsicles for dessert. While dinner was in the oven, we tried out a toy we got for Christmas but hadn't yet opened. Then, to conclude the day, I took my two oldest daughters on a bike ride where Emma was able to try out her new (used) bike. The day is now spent but we have a mostly clean house and warm loving feelings abound. I love days like this where the family can just be together and enjoy one another -amidst work and play. I feel profoundly grateful for my children and my wife and look forward to spending an eternity with them. -- Joseph

Warm Springs

Last month we went camping at Warm Springs, an area run by the Church. It is a great little oasis off the interstate between here and Mesquite. Livvy couldn't get enough of these little chairs that Lolly left with us when she moved last year.



This was a neat little area, completely overgrown with palms and other foliage.

Check out that belly!

I loved this old stand of palm trees, untouched and overgrown near our camping spot.

A much overdue post

In April, Joe's older brother Mike came to Vegas with his girlfriend Annette and a couple other friends. We spent a great weekend with them in So. Utah. This here is the lookout to Zion from Smith's Mesa.



We did some four wheeling and dune buggy-ing out at the sand dunes. That was a great afternoon. I'll never forget the ride Matt (Wetzel) gave me in his dune buggy.




What a ride!



Here is Hannah with Stuart's twins Emily and Erika on our way from hole in the rock.




Hole in the rock and a bunch of little girls - mine and Stuart's.

Emma and Sara at the lookout

Emma, Lizzy, and Sara

Zion National Park

Time Out

Have you ever felt like you needed to put yourself in time out? Some days I don't even recognize myself, I feel like such a beast. I feel like I've exceeded my limits today. I need a vacation... or just a nice weekend...

The first ultrasound

...confirms that the due date is December 7 and that there is only one little one in there... a very active little one. It was doing all sorts of wiggling while we watched. Too soon to tell the gender, but Joe is set on not finding out this time anyway.... We'll see. So, we're a few days away from twelve weeks and everything looks great so far. I've never had an ultrasound this early in the pregnancy - in the past the doctors have always waited until about 18 weeks, and then it was only one per pregnancy. But, I guess it's becoming common to do more than one these days, even when it isn't high risk. Has that been other people's experience? The only one I've ever had more than one with was Olivia when there was some concern about the development of one of her heart chambers, which then turned out fine.

Emma

Emma is growing up. Sometimes I am amazed that I have a seven year old and that we soon will have five children. Where has the time gone? Emma brought home her first grade pictures this week and I was struck by how grown up she is becoming. I have tried to help my girls feel like they are capable of anything and our expectations of them are high. Emma has risen to the occasion every time. At home she changes diapers, puts Olivia to bed, does dishes, sweeps floors. She's wonderful at keeping her sisters entertained. At school she is at the top of her class. She has a wonderful teacher that she adores and who has brought out the best in her. Her reading ability has increased dramatically this year. She has read most of the "Magic Treehouse" series and just this week started reading "Little House in the Big Woods" - she often reads outloud to her sisters at bedtime. Perhaps most difficult of all, she has begun the Book of Mormon on her own and is in 2nd Nephi. It is her goal to finish before her baptism in December. She definitely fills the role of "big sister" well and can be bossy, but her sisters adore her and for the most part are happy to follow her lead. She is very creative and loves to make "books" with story titles like "Olivia's Birthday" and "Olivia's Bangs" and "Olivia's Day at the Beach." I'll admit that I'm a bit leary at the thought of having 4 teenage daughters in the house in a few years. I pray that they will all be well-grounded, confident girls that are able to handle the challenges that the world is throwing at kids these days. At this point at least, I think we are headed in the right direction.

Thoughts on Mothers

Yesterday the bishopric of our ward asked me to speak next week for Mother's day - and then called me to be in the Nursery. Now, lest I be misunderstood, I'm not complaining. Philosophically, I am against asking mothers of young children to be in the Nursery and when I was primary president it didn't happen. Moms often desperately need the break from their kids and the spiritual nourishment and sisterhood that SS and RS provide. BUT, I have never served in the Nursery until now and as a mother I really appreciate having nursery leaders who make my child LOVE nursery. Never mind that I am dealing with morning sickness and spend my week with six little girls (my four and two that I watch). That said, the real reason for my post is that I want a little inspiration for my talk next week. Let me know what your thoughts on motherhood are and the direction you would take it. If it won't fit into the comments section, email me or post it on your blog and let me know. Thanks for any input!