Just try it...

maybe it's not the prettiest front flip off a wake and maybe he has never landed one but each time Ian wakeboards he always ends with a show. People ewe and ahh, kids clap and cheer and others laugh saying "what was that"?!? But at least he tries, gets a little closer to success and enjoys himself doing it.

In general I am definitely the OPPOSITE of Ian -- making sure I stick to solemn skiing because I know I won't fall and would never in a million years try a flip while I'm being pulled behind a ski boat at 33 mph. Yet, sometimes I think why don't I just try -- it's might be fun if I did. I probably will belly flop but would love the belly laughter from sheer disaster of the wipe out while being proud that I had the guts to do it.

In life, ofttimes I take the comfortable way out since it's easier, less risky, more popular, etc. but sometimes it need to take the leap of faith and just do it. Sing a little more, volunteer do to things out of my comfort zone, try a new task, talk to someone I normally wouldn't talk to, stand up for what is right, fill myself with full (not empty, time wasting) memories, and just laugh and pray my way through the failures.

Who wants to join me?

Its been a long, long time....

since I have written on my blog. So many things has gone by. Almost 6 full months of no updates, no writings of funny things my kids say, no pictures, no written memories.

As I prepared for my gospel doctrine lesson (my new calling) I was impressed to be more diligent in sharing my memories and my testimony. I have learned so much since I have been blessed with such a difficult and humbling calling -- I would be remiss to not post some of my feeling each week.

This week we talked about Jonah. Aw, the stubbornness and fear of Jonah (sounds a little like me sometimes). I can relate in his fear of going to unfamiliar territory to share the gospel to those not of his faith (in actuality, to a historically brutal and totally barbaric society). It has always been difficult to me to be a member missionary. Could it be that I fear offending and alienating those I speak to? Will they value the Book of Mormon or discard is as something worthless? Will they challenge my very existence and make a mockery of my testimony? It may be a combination of all. I am sure that Jonah also asked these similar questions and even dug deeper as he feared for his life.

Yet today, while studying, I realized that missionary work is equal to LOVE. Love of our family, love of the gospel, love of mankind and love of Jesus Christ. I expanded my definition to only only include proselyting with a name tag bearing "Sister Brimhall" but it also includes teaching my children the gospel, being kind to strangers, having families over for dinner, seeking friends outside our church, attending the temple, participating in humanitarian efforts, laughing with a patient, and bearing my simple testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ through posting on my blog so that maybe somewhere, sometime, someone may be touched by the Spirit that also touches me.

We are TOTALLY Before Braille...

Groupies. A few months ago we were lucky enough to be in town for the 10 year reunion concert of Before Braille (my Bro's band). It made me feel like a young 20 year-old again -- getting ready at 10 pm to go out for the night 'til at least 2 am. Now, after a "late night out" I plop down on my bed around 10ish, barely able to brush my teeth due to absolute fatigue. I remember heading out the the concerts with my big fat prego belly and could feel Hunter kick like crazy to the music. Now, I have a beautiful jelly roll that (as Bo would say) is fat and fluffy that flops around with the slightest movement. Boy-OBoy do times ever change.

This time Hunter, Harrison (Kadan crashed and we could not wake him) and I loaded into the Yukon (a definite mommy car) XL (extended length to hold even more kids) and drove to Tempe. When we arrived we were treated like celebrates -- free CDs, buttons, stickers and then snuck backstage to hang out in the "holding room." Can I just say -- "How Totally RAD!?!"

We had a wonderful time head bangin' to the music as Dave rocked out with the mic or guitar. I must admit that I have ALWAYS loved to watch Dave perform -- he is totally and completely crazy -- body slams, airborn splits, etc. etc. Tonight, 10 years later, the intensity was the same while he entertained us with our favorites like "Good Night Quite Noise" and "Proventel." Dave even dedicated "Good Night Quite Noise" to his 3 awesome nephews.

Okay, gotta post this one real quick...

So, we have been working on memorizing all the articles of faith since Addy was a toddler. Tonight I decided to give them a little incentive and since money definitely talks, I came up with a Disneyland fund. They can earn $1 for each article of faith and then save it when we go to Disneyland (sometime in the distant future).

Tonight, Kadan then Hunter then Addy passed off #2 like champs. Then it was Bo's turn. With tons of encouragement from the other kid-e-o's and lots of coaching she finally made it through with hand gestures, giving her beginning sounds to the words, etc. So, way she went (somewhat sheepishly and then ending with confidence):

"We believe that man will be punished (pounding her hand with her fist) for their own sins, not (waving her finger back and forth) for Adam's Transformers."

He, he, he!!! Gotta love it!

Feeling like the white rabbit on Alice in Wonderland...

I'm Late, I'm late, for a very important date!!!!

Time is just going too fast. Not enough time to accomplish even 1/2 of what I need to do in a day. With kids birthday's, projects, school, after school activities, training for the Ragnar, work, online work, church, friends, radio talk shows, house chores, skiing every moment we can, errands, Dr's visits, etc, etc, etc I am just falling way behind. Not even enough time to post how precious and wonderful Hunter and Addy are to me (since their birthdays' are in February). I will try to catch up after my large relay race this weekend (that is a story all in itself).

Wish me luck!

Growing up WAY too fast...

Can't we just freeze them right where they are? All my lovely kids are at the perfect age -- still completely innocent, think their parents rock, enjoy the little things, have a 8 o'clock bedtime, can clean their messes, love family home evening, think the "s" word is stupid and the "f" word is fart, love Santa and the tooth fairy, can still be carried up the stairs to bed, want to spend every minute with their mom, ski for free, aren't afraid of saying what is on their mind, can wear the same outfit 3 days in a row and still want to wear it again, have toothless smiles, get discounts at Disneyland, sneak into bed with me at night to cuddle, want to be read bedtime stories, sing in high pitched voices, let me fix their hair, carpool for play dates, love learning, have a special relationship with Christ.

Seeing this picture of Addy makes me realize that these precious moments are fleeting. With every day she gets smarter and stronger and braver and confidenter (I know it's not a word but it makes for a great parallel listing of information -- wink). So, bring on the cuddling, the loving, the giggling, the messing, the hair brushing, the books, the singing, the playing, the whining, the dancing, the gaming, the carpooling, the needing to spend every second of the day with mom for confirmation that they are the most wonderful, crazy, loving stinkers that are mine -- all mine!!!

Love you!!!!!!!

Let it SNOW....

Three feet and counting! Yippee Ya-Hewey! I just love the snow. In my opinion, if it is going to be cold then there should be at least 2 feet of snowball packable, snowman making, igloo fort building, gloriously white snow on the ground (but not on the roads so I can at least get out to go shopping).

On Thursday, since there was no power and they had to cancel all of Ian's surgeries, Ian took the boys for a masculine weekend of fishing, hiking, hunting, etc. Little did they know that they would be evacuated from Roosevelt due to a flash flood and that all the roads to get back home would be closed due to rock slides, avalanches, etc. So, they are stuck in a little town of Pumkin Center (notice it is not pumpkin -- it is pumkin -- AZ hick at it's best) until at least Sunday afternoon if they are lucky and if they are unlucky, not until Tuesday. Hope you are having fun boys.

Us girls have hunkered down for a long, warm winter playtime. Addy, Bo and the neighbor girls (yeah for the Updikes moving into town and across the street) built a 6 foot fortress slide with a hidden tunnel that is "Girl Only" (well at least until the boys get home and take over). We've learned to make a fire in the fireplace, found all the flashlights in the house, charged the portable DVD Player and have the kerosene heater all put together just in case the power doesn't come back on for hours.

Yesterday I had to hire the big guns to plow me out of my drive so I could get to work. The simple plow on the front of the truck did not work (he actually got stuck in our driveway), so they brought in the beefy Caterpillar. Cute side note -- I told the boys about the Caterpillar digging me out and Kadan said, "No Way. A huge caterpillar is digging you out of the snow. Since it is so cold in Lakeside, I thought that they were in hibernation for the winter." LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the literal imagination from a child.

We are loving our "state of emergency" and cannot wait for the power to come back on at the Ski Resort and for the roads to be cleared so we can keep playing.