{five things xvii}

Today is my parents' 35th wedding anniversary.
If you know my family and I personally, you also know that we are very close-knit.  There aren't many words that can even begin to touch upon how great an influence my parents have had on me, and even fewer that can describe how much I love them.

So today, for my Friday Five, I thought I'd share five life lessons that they have passed on to me as I make my own journey through life.  Limiting them to just five, of course, is a vast oversimplification, but of all the things I have learned from my parents these are a handful that have made me who I am today.

- one -

Don't take yourself too seriously. Make time to be silly.

Dance in the kitchen, while doing chores... pretty much anytime at all, actually.

Get down on the floor and play with your kids.  Have family inside jokes.  

Embarrass your teenagers with your enthusiasm for life.  

(Their friends will love you for it-- and secretly, those embarrassed teenagers are only feigning annoyance.)

- two - 

Don't underestimate yourself, and don't be afraid to try new things. You are more important than you can possibly imagine, even if you feel small and insignificant.

Never settle for second best.

- three - 

Anchor yourself to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It will be a light in the dark times in your life, and a guide to bring you your greatest happiness in this life and throughout all eternity.

Don't be afraid to ask questions and seek your own answers.

History will teach you that men are fallible and imperfect, but God is unfailing.

If you seek after His spirit and follow the example of our Savior, you will never be steered wrong. 

- four -

 Bloom where you're planted.

Life will lead you down unexpected paths, and often you will find yourself places you may not have chosen on your own.  Find the beauty in the environment and people around you wherever you go.

If you choose to look and see, you will find it every time.

- five -

Family is forever.

No matter what else changes around us, family is the one thing that will remain constant.

Home will always be a soft place to land.

No matter how many mistakes we've made, no matter how far we've fallen, we will always find safety and security in our parents' arms.

Their love is unconditional.

I love you, Mom and Dad.

Here's to another 35 years to come.

• • •

And those are my five things for Friday!

♥

April Adventures • A Birthday Celebration

Last Friday was a Very Special Day.

Danika & Logan celebrated their second birthday with family, food, and in Dani's case, a hijacked teal tutu from her big sister's closet.  It's funny how just a couple of years ago I couldn't for the life of me imagine how I would ever manage life with twins.  Now, I think it's safe to say that we can't imagine what life would be like without these two little loves in our home.  In many ways, they have brought our little family even closer together.  The bonds that they have developed with their older siblings are especially precious to me. 

Just in the past few months they have grown so much.  They have transformed from our little babies to expressive, inquisitive children seemingly in the blink of an eye.  I am tremendously proud of them and the sweet, loving spirit they bring into our home.  They make me laugh out loud every single day.

Happy Birthday, twinners! 

April Adventures • Easter Sunday

Easter is my most favorite holiday.

The fact that there is less commercialization along with fewer obligations to go, do, and be in so many places throughout the holiday season like we experience at Christmastime may have something to do with it.  But mostly, I just love the majesty of the message of Christ's Atonement coupled with the beauty of new life emerging in nature.  I love teaching my children about the Easter story, and keeping the focus directly on the Savior.

We typically enjoy a nice Easter dinner with roasted lamb as the main dish.  This year there were some complications in that regard now that Reilly is old enough to put two and two together when it comes to consuming meat and recognizing the animal from which it comes.  She was surprisingly accepting when it came to the idea of eating lamb, but she insisted that we call it "meat" and not "lamb" when Sheepie was in the room.  Whenever we spoke of Easter dinner during the week, she carefully covered Sheepie's eyes and plugged her ears so that she wouldn't be traumatized.  Such a compassionate little shepherdess, that Reilly.

The other day, she asked me out of the blue, "Mom, do you know why I love Sheepie so much?"

"Why?" I responded, slightly distracted as I unloaded the dishwasher.

"Because she reminds me of Jesus Christ." came the answer.

She now had my complete attention.

"Really?  How is that, sweetie?" I inquired.

Taylor interjected, "Because Jesus is the Lamb of God."  Reilly nodded in agreement.

"That's true," I acknowledged.  "He is also called the Good Shepherd.  I especially love His story about the lost sheep."

Reilly spoke up again, "Yes, that is my favorite story.  I love the Lost Sheep story."

Those two... they sure know how to warm this mother heart of mine.

April Adventures • Beachside

There is something inherently pacifying about the ocean.  After the crowds and clamor of Disneyland, relaxing on the white sands of Huntington Beach were a breath of fresh air.  We realized after a few hours of fun in the sun that we could have spent an entire vacation just soaking up the tranquility that the Pacific offered.  It had been entirely too long since I had last breathed in the salty air and listened to the rhythmic lull of the cresting waves.  So heavenly.

It was our kids' first time exploring the ocean shoreline-- in fact, Taylor was the only one of our little brood to have even seen the ocean previously, and he was less than a year old when we stayed on the rocky coast of Mendocino, CA.  Being there to witness their childlike awe at the vastness and beauty of the California coast was absolutely priceless.  They loved every minute we were there.  Only Logan was timid about wading in the water, and once he experienced a little incoming wave knocking him off his feet he was decidedly intent on staying in his momma's arms.  Taylor and Reilly happily collected sea shells and built sand castles, while Dani did her best to help.

As we reluctantly headed back to our hotel after a beautiful afternoon, Taylor remarked, "that was even better than Space Mountain!"  I couldn't agree more.  

April Adventures • Disney Magic

As you may have noticed, posts have been a bit sparse around here this month.  Our April has been filled to the brim with vacation, family time, Easter worship, a birthday celebration, and copious amounts of Spring Fever. To catch up a bit over the next few days, I thought I'd post some picture collages and highlights of our many adventures of the past several weeks. 

The first week of April found us making our first big family vacation to Southern California.  It was the kids' first visit to Disneyland, and my first time as an adult-- the last time I had been in Anaheim was when I was Reilly's age!  (Growing up east of the Mississippi, we made our family Disney treks to Walt Disney World in Orlando.) We had a wonderful time, and made memories to last a lifetime.

• • •

So, in no particular order, here are some things that we learned during our magical stay.

1. It is not advisable to ride the Mad Tea Party when you are pregnant.  I was nauseated for at least an hour afterward.  Of course, having a husband who loves to crank the center turning mechanism may have something to do with my experience.  Your mileage may vary.

2. If you are attending the Disney parks with Dani, be prepared to ride King Arthur's Carousel at least three times during your visit.  She will beam with joy the entire length of the ride, and shed many tears each time she has to dismount her noble steed.

3. When participating in any ride that involves water (Splash Mountain, Grizzly River Run), Reilly will inevitably be the individual that receives the brunt of the splashdown. Every. Single. Time.

4. If your household includes a Star Wars fanatic like our Taylor, the "build your own light saber" kiosk in Tomorrowland is not to be missed.  It more than made up for a keen disappointment in his not being chosen to participate in the Jedi Training Academy show.

5. Kids will never fail to surprise you.  Reilly absolutely loved Space Mountain but was terrified in the Haunted Mansion. Logan, on the other hand, loved the Haunted Mansion and cheered the whole time.  (Along with Dumbo, it was his favorite ride!) Ry was also very timid around the characters that roamed the park. Taylor, on the other hand, ran right up to Woody in Frontierland and gave him a huge hug!

6. "A Pirate's Life for Me" and "It's a Small World" will cement themselves in the inner recesses of your brain and repeat ad nauseam even after you have been home for several weeks. You have been warned. 

7. If you are pregnant, the absolute best place in the entire park is the Enchanted Tiki Room-- while enjoying a Dole Whip float.  Seriously, heaven in a glass.

8. But perhaps most of all, be prepared to see everything through the eyes of a child again.  It simply transforms the world around you, and makes each moment so very magical. Being able to bottle some of that perspective up and bring it home with us has been worth every penny spent.