Selling The Dragonfly/Joy Immersion

Week before last we had some very bad news. We've had something unexpected come up and we are going to have to sell our Apple Valley home "The Dragonfly". We are all very sad about it. Our whole family is very attached to that home.

For me, it was the longest I'd ever lived in one place. I brought my toddlers there to start a new life. Mason and Jonah went to high school there. It was the place I brought home Max and Sophia. And although the move to Cedar was necessary, I never planned on making this my home. We always planned to go home for the holidays, and then retire there. It has been a good home to us. In so many ways.

Having to sell our second home is really a first world problem right? We're still bummed, but trying to look on the bright side. That home has helped us through a lot and now it's going to help us one last time. Plus we get all our nice furniture back so we have that to look forward to ;-)

The best way I know how to change my mood, when dissapointing things happen, is joy immersion. So, since my last post, we have done lots of fun things.

We started the weekend by dressing Sophie warm and heading to the New Harmony Apple Festival early in the morning.

Then we took the kids swimming at the Marriott...

We had some company for dinner...

Grandpa Chad

And some old neighbors...

The following week was full of cuteness. Max's pumpkins multiplied lol

Then he decided he'd had enough of them and asked Jason if he could throw them over the balcony. Which they did haha!

Sophia's cuteness...

Went out with friends...

Played on the couch with dad...

Took the kids on walks after dinner...

Went to a cool pioneer museum...

Visited a spooky headstone for halloween fun ;-)

It reads "bitten by rabid coyote. developed rabies. became violent. was smothered with feather bed."

And topped it off with ice cream...

All tuckered out now!

What about the bad weeks?

From time to time I wonder what to write at the end of a bad week. One thing I don't like about social media and blogging etc., is how everyone's lives look so perfect all the time.
There's an inspirational blog I used to love to read but I had to stop. Their family has a big trial too, but sometime's it seems as if everything ELSE is so perfect. Like, yeah they have this trial that they can't help, but they're doing EVERYTHING right and it can sometimes make me feel inadequate.

Alternately, I wouldn't find it appropriate to air out our dirty laundry online. So this is me trying to strike a balance. The trial of Sophia is not the only one we have. Sometimes our trials are given to us by Heavenly Father. Sometimes they are the result of the free agency of others, or even ourselves.
Have you ever had a bad week? We have.
If a bad week happens to you remember to lean on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. They will help us with ALL of our trials.

Good Parts of This Week:

Friday night movie night. Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, and Harry Potter ;-) Watching halloween movies is my favorite October tradition with the kids. 

Look at her face, she must be 9 ;-)

Gave Sophia a bath during the movies and just had to take a picture of her curls!

Take a close look at the pumpkin sitting with Max...

He took a field trip to a pumpkin patch with his preschool yesterday, and this has been his constant companion since 😂

He took it to the park with us....

And this is how I found him this morning ;-)

So at least our week had some comedy, thanks to Max ;-)

Anyways the worst of this week is over. This weekend we are looking on the bright side and taking the kids to the New Harmony Apple Festival, Swimming at a hotel, and having a little staycation to celebrate Jason and my sealing anniversary.

Also a shoutout to my sister Millie and her Husband Nate who are celebrating their 6th anniversary today!

General Conference

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I write often about my faith because it helps me through my trials. Especially the trial of knowing I will outlive my baby daughter. Conference is the best place to learn what we believe, and the principles that help us. Tune into conference today!

CONFERENCE WATCHING OPTIONS HERE (finally learned how to make something into a link guys. It was so easy it's embarrassing ;-)

The above link shows the many different options for listening or viewing online, tv, or radio.

https://www.lds.org

You can find it on at these times:

Today (Saturday Oct 6th)
10am to 12noon (morning session)
2pm to 4pm (afternoon session)
6pm to 8pm (women's conference)

Tomorrow (Sun Oct 7th)
10am to 12noon (morning session)- there's usually a good chance the Prophet will speak at the end of this session.
2pm to 4pm (afternoon session)



And then here's what we've been up to :-)

Video's from the last couple weeks ;-)



"Sophia Jane-Marie laughing at Max under the window"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YWkNFoafOQ
this one's dark, but just listen careful to hear how Max can really make her laugh ;-)

"Sophia Jane-Marie laughing/biting Daddy's finger"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwkUIhr6wzM

"Sophia Jane-Marie grasping tight and pulling"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWEhpuYbJFY
And she continues to develop! Watch here as she is getting better at intentionally grasping and pulling. She does this all the time now when we drive, and she is often successful at getting that tube on her suction machine unhooked! Our little miracle!

"Sophia Jane-Marie sitting sweet in the morning"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSchEE8mmMw
This is just this morning ;-) She's just turning into a little girl!

Pictures from the last couple of weeks:

Rolling down the hill at the park during respite ;-)

Mariahnna's Birthday ;-)

Grandma May and Grandpa Steve watched Sophie while we went to the cemetary ;-)

We brought home Mariahnna's balloon for Sophia

Took the kids to Zion last Saturday while Jason worked in the yard.

Max climbed up here himself and promptly wanted to climb down lol

I told him he had to smile first haha

Picnic at the Zion Lodge before the hike

Found my infant backpack for the hike. She's so big, but it worked! Look how long she is! (she's in the 99th percentile for height this week btw!) 

Emerald Pools hike.

 I carried Sophie and held Max's hand. Michael and Sarah took turns pushing the stroller with our supplies. We got so much encouragement when people would see us."Look at that beautiful family!" "Amazing kids you got there!" "Wow Mom you are so great!" People are so nice, I just love them!

(sidenote, one day I think those socks of Sarah's might just disappear ;-)

One view from the hike

Sunday best ;-)

Took this picture to commemorate Michael's last Primary Program and Max's first ;-) They were so darn cute. I was so proud that all our kids knew their lines and said them so cute in their own way's ;-)

Sister's ;-)

We took off for a fall drive on Cedar Mountain after Sacrament ;-)

Stopped at a park in Virgin on the way home

Got Halloween out!!! It's a mix of emotions this time of year. Fall is my FAVORITE season. I also worry so much about germs for the next 6 months.

My rule with my kids is they can try lots of different activities, or get really good at one, as long as they are doing something ;-) Michael played flag football this season and had a good time ;-) He's the green blur ;-)

Late evening run to the pharmacy ;-)

And Ice Cream ;-)

That's all for this week! I hope you all are having wonderful weeks as well. Make memories and take a few pictures!