Pioneer.

 After being gifted the set of vintage Pfaltzgraff dishes we decided to give our dining room a pioneer theme (have I already mentioned this?).  I printed pictures from our trip to Nauvoo to hang on the walls.  The canvas of Angel Moroni was a gift from the Thornocks before we moved, Brad did a great job!  I needed one last picture to print out for our shelf.  I saw this one of Bompa walking with the kids and thought it'd be so fitting for the room. (My dad is the first member of the (LDS) church in his family.  I am so grateful that he & my Mom raised us in the church.  It has, is and will forever be my greatest blessing!)  I got everything printed and hung just in time for Pioneer Day, July 24th.

Pioneer: One who goes before, showing others the way to follow.

This was the first year that we really celebrated Pioneer Day.  We went all out and it was so memorable and fun for us all.  We decided to use minimal electricity (no lights, A/C or microwave) at night we used tin can candles.  If you kids got your clothes dirty you washed them out in the sink and hung them out to dry on a make-shift clothes line (Brie, you loved this!).  We had oatmeal for breakfast, made our own butter and had stove-popped popcorn for a snack (I figured that while living in houses the Pioneers would most likely have had stoves).  We did watch "Legacy" (They definitely didn't have movies back then, not even VHS ;0), but we thought the movie would give you kids a feel for what the pioneers went through.)  Brie, you helped me to make a delicious peach cobbler and hand-shaken whip cream for on top.  Brie & Alex, you both helped me make homemade biscuits (with cookie cutters), did a fantastic job and loved every minute of making AND eating them!!  Dad cooked up the rest of our dinner in a dutch oven, then we got dressed in pioneeresque clothing and had a special dinner together.  After dinner we played a stick-pull game and had 3-legged races.  Brie helped me to hand wash all of the dishes!  After Lij was down, you older kids came to the family room where we told pioneer stories by the light of the fire place.  Loved every minute of our family celebrations and can't wait til next year!

True and Living God.

Lately I've been dealing with a lot of anxiety, worry...depression is probably in the mix.  Generally just not wanting to face my challenges and instead trying to escape them.  But you can run, but not hide, eh?  In any case, the other day I was having a moment of frustration and unlocked my phone to check my email.  Without consciously realizing it I was instantly sucked in to a myriad of ads, things that seemed to call for my little allowance, things that I never knew I had always wanted ;0)  Next I opened Facebook and felt barraged by a slew of opinions, happenings, frustrations, politics, and so on.  For whatever reason this time in particular struck me differently than most times and I desired to wade through the worldly and find my faithful, all-knowing and loving Father.  After all He is the true and living God.  He is the one who can safely guide me through the whirlwinds and storms of life.  I was grateful for that moment of clarity and hope that I my desires can be changed and that I can more often to turn to Him and not to the alternative.

Magical.

We recently discovered the most magical past time...

Swings,

Sunset,

Bubbles.

My load, My legacy.

There is something about moving to Illinois that has got me pondering the Mormon Pioneers.  While getting ready for our special pioneer dutch oven dinner tonight, I've been thinking about all those who have gone before me to pave the way.  I really can't imagine what those early pioneers had to endure: being persecuted, losing loved ones, being forced to move from place to place, bringing only that which they could tote with them, persevering through sickness, extremity of weather and temperature.  Today as I think of them and all of my other predecessors who have gotten me to this point in my life, I feel a reverence and respect.  It humbles me to think that someday I will join their ranks, what legacy will I have left?  What will great grandma Sarah be remembered for?  The load I bear may not be physical, but there is nonetheless adversity that I face.  Often times it is emotional baggage that weighs me down and causes me to falter.  But if they could face such obstacles day after day, with faith in {almost} every footstep, so can I.  I hope that my gift to my posterity (and my ancestors) will be that I never gave up, that I pressed forward every day, having faith that all was well.

According to iPhone, 10.

 Oh dear Target, how glad we are that you're still so close to home :0)

 My handyman putting up the dining room shelf.

 Cute Brie sporting an outfit she picked out and fake glasses that Aunt Emmie gave her.

 The Dauphinais Family, other than family, our first official guests here in Normal.

 Owen and Lijaroo.

 Alex hiding in our garbage bin.

 Saying goodbye to my sweet fam before heading to the Lou with the Dauphinaises.  Apparently Brie was crying for a half hour :0(

 Leaving the Hintze's place bright and early (after a quick trip for Lilli's birth) to hit the road back to Normal.

 Had to snag a shot of the arch...

 ...maybe Lij and I need to take lessons in safety!

 Coloring with Brie for the Glimmer Berry Ball she's scheming :0)

 Sunday stroll to the end of the street to see the corn growing...

 Dance party in the family room :0)

 With minimal help Alex made his bed all by himself.  Big boy!

 First Tea Party Tuesday in Brie's room.  Fake food brought to us by the Ames.

 I was just looking through prints for our laundry room when I saw these two that were slated for the craft room...maybe they are more needed in the laundry room ;0)

 Brie & Alex sharing the entry bench at dinner.

 Elders Smith & Prince, these two are such awesome missionaries!!

 Dad & I having a little fun with guinea after the kiddos were in bed.

 The tooth pillow that Brie and I made, she has a tooth loose!

 Not necessarily a CUBS fan, but bought these jammies for Lij at a garage sale.  The rivalry between the Cardinal and Cubs fans cracks me up.

 Look at those cute little legs.

 Brie chose this for a snack one day because Snickers the Guinea Pig eats similarly.

 At a Prep Freeze Cook evening, bring on the freezer meals!

 One morning during breakfast Alex slipped upstairs to get dressed.  He was climbing in his closet and pulling on a shirt to get it down when the hanger snapped and hit him in the face.  OUCH!  Thankfully it missed his eye, but it bruised almost automatically.

 Nurse Brie taking care of her little brother :0)

 The kids watching the garbage and recycling trucks come by on Friday morning.

 I have the most joy as a mom when I put my time, talents and heart into it.

 First picnic out back.

 Kiddos playing the piano simultaneously :0)

 Another Sunday stroll.

 Brie sporting her nerd glasses.

 My canvas prints arrived!!  Brie & Alex holding up their favorite ones.

 Tea Party Tuesday with the china we got at the Outlet.

 First run in our sitting room.  

 3 of the canvases, hanging in the family room.

 Brie cracks me up.  Such personality!  (this reminds me of the cute little girl on Corina, Corina)

 Brie finally has a booster chair!!  Bless you Amazon Prime and your free two day shipping.

 trial run on a little project for Professor Graden's office.

 The family room is starting to have some personality.

 Family pictures & nerd glasses ready to go :0)

 Dad playing "struction" (as Alex calls it) with us.  It's an activity we all enjoy while Lij naps.

 I randomly found Lij sitting on the entry bench eating a banana.  Too funny.

 Our library book reading corner.

 Brie's birthday card for her {stuffed animal} guinea pig, Sparkles.

 Brie & Alex came in our room one morning carrying a bunch of stuffed animals.  Alex excitedly announced, "we had babies!"  Cracked me up!!  Only a little brother of Brie, who is obsessed with playing doctor and all things baby, would say that.

 Sparkles birthday party.

 Sparkles birthday banner.

 Oinky, Sparkles and Miss Bunny propped under the table at breakfast.  Brie LOVES her stuffed animal friends.

 Having lunch at the Ames.  Their {homemade} table is so cool.  It easily seated 8 kids and 4 adults with room to spare.

 Hermanas Simmons & Frisbie, over for dinner.

 Getting part of Heather & Rex's wedding present ready.

 Aldi you are good to us.  How did you know that we needed a cheap solution for  our family room?

 Bought some "furniture" for our empty family room (thank you, Aldi). Apparently bean bags double for entertainment as well :0)

 I'm loving how our room is coming together.

 Brie was so proud of her organized PJ draw.  She amazes me with her cleaning and organizing skills!

 Which brilliant parents accidentally left their son's shoes at home before heading to Nauvoo.  These parents.  Which parents accidentally put the 3T shorts on the 16 month old then used a hand woven rope to hold them up? ;0)

 Little Lij trying on a pioneer hat.

 Guinea pig love :0)

 Getting ready to play grocery store with Brie & Alex.  I love when we find activities that we all enjoy.

Our cube that my family and Julie & Walt  so graciously packed for us.  It was full of our junk stuff that had been stored in their houses the last 6 years...AND a bunch of surprises!  It was like Christmas in July.  Thank you guys!!  And it was so awesome that they loaded, it got shipped and dropped off in our driveway.  Talk about convenience.  No cross country drive for us.

 Successful Family Home Evening treat/activity on Sharing, Caring and Not Comparing.

 We won't be able to be in Utah for Rex & Heather's wedding :0( :0( :0(  But the next best thing is getting a fun wedding package together to send to them.

 Awesome water table that Bompa & M╬mé sent in the cube.

A doggy from Grauntie Elaine.  Every time Roo sees an animal he says doggy with the cutest little voice.