Ammon and Liz Visit

This past weekend was so much fun. We had my brother Ammon and his wife Liz up on Friday afternoon. We had a great time with them. Every time we've had them up and they have to leave, Amy and I talk about how fun it is to have family come and visit us. Although we're not that far from most of the family (within 7 hours), sometimes it feels like we're just far enough away for people not to come visit. We love to have company and we wish we could have them come see us more often!
Well, we had lots of things to do while they were up. We went to the trunk-or-treat on Friday night and had dinner with our ward. When we got home it was late, but then we stayed up even later talking (or at least Ammon and I did, since both Liz and Amy are incapable of staying awake past 9:00p.m.). Saturday Baily had a practice for the primary program which was scheduled for Sunday. Amy, bless her soul, spent all morning making a picnic for when the Bevans arrived. When Angie and her family arrived, we went to the park, had a picnic, played frisbee golf, played on the playground, and Nathan and Ammon wrestled until Nathan was missing his socks, shoes, and shirt. I think he was using them to throw at Ammon. We all had a blast and it was good to just relax and enjoy being together (as well as have barbecued chicken hoagies made with homemade bread, yum).
Next, we went to the MK Nature Center in Boise. This is kind of a museum about animals, but also has several hands-on things for kids to do and watch. Outside, they have a path that winds around a stream and over a pond. The area is a habitat for all kinds of birds and small animals, including a beaver. There are signs throughout the walk that describe certain important parts of the habitat and the path even drops alongside the stream where you can look through glass walls to see several kinds of fish. Signs describe the life cycle of the fish and then you get to experience it right in front of you. The path crosses the pond on a low wooden bridge, passes several small waterfalls, and winds through flower and vegetable gardens. It really is beautiful.
Finally, we went out to Emmett and had Gary's famous homemade pizza, played games, and talked until it was late. As we were leaving, Jacob threw up in his room and we had no idea what was ahead of us.
Now that I look back on the weekend, I notice how nice it was to not watch television or a movie, but instead we interacted with eachother and communicated our feelings. I often am reminded about the ability of entertainment to lead to anti-social behavior and cause people to miss out on creating important relationships. The best kind of entertainment, and the kind we need, is that which causes us to interact with others and become better people. Okay enough phylosophy.
Sunday Baily gave a presentation in the primary program and even sang this time. I think she's finally learning to be a little more confident. We've tried really hard to not label her shy. A while ago I think I called her shy and since that time she told others, "I'm shy." I've had to correct her and tell her she isn't and I think she's starting to believe it. I sure do say some dumb things sometimes as a father. Too bad Baily has to be my learning curve.
Well, Ammon and Liz had to leave Sunday afternoon and we're already planning for our trip down to Utah for Thanksgiving.
Now for the sickness! Angie called me Sunday and asked if any of us were sick. I replied that we weren't and she said that she had been throwing up all morning. I thought maybe for once, it would pass over my family, but the next day Bethy and Lily both were throwing up. This morning I got a call from Ammon and he'd been up all night leaning over the toilet too. Blughhhhh! I hate being sick. Since I haven't been home while everyone else is awake, so far I've missed the bug, but I never can be sure. I seem to get everything.
Here are a couple of not very well taken pictures of the picnic. It was Abbie's birthday.

Pumpkins and Being Sick

Well, another week has passed. Monday I didn't have class, so for FHE we decided to deliver some of our garden pumpkins to people in our ward. We had lots of pumpkins and the girls were so excited to deliver them. I'm not sure anyone will be able to make jack-o-lanterns out of them, but they make good fall decorations for the front porch. Here are some pictures of the girls helping Amy take the pumpkins from the garden to the back porch for sorting.





Tuesday I started getting a sore throat and sinus pressure and by that night I was really sick and got hardly any sleep. By Wednesday morning I called in to work sick and Amy went to the store to get me some NyQuil. After a good dose of medicine I slept for another three hours in the morning and then another two in the afternoon. Thursday I went back to work and Amy and I went to the temple on the spur of the moment because a girl in our ward offered to watch the kids while we went as part of an assignment she had for seminary. I think a lot of times it has to be that way. You just can't think about it too much or you'll find an excuse not to go. It was so nice to be at the temple. When I'm going to school its a little more difficult to make the time to go.

I have to share something Elizabeth said. She seems to always say the funniest things and then I quickly forget them and can't retell what she said correctly. SO I've decided to try and capture some of the things my kids say by writing them down on this blog. The first thing she said happened when we were all driving home from the store and she got the hiccoughs. She prounounced it proudly to us, "I keep hicking up!" Then right before we were to go to the temple, she was the last one at the table because she hadn't eaten her soup. Amy and I went to get ready to go and by the time we were dressed and came back out, she was still sitting at the table refusing to eat. Amy walked up to her and said, "Bethy! You still aren't done? What are you waiting for?" To this Elizabeth replied, "I'm waiting fo(w) Jesus to come again! He's coming down f(w)om heaven!" How do you respond to that? Amy and I couldn't keep from laughing. Every few minutes one of us would bust into laughing whenever we thought of her reply. What makes it even more funny is that she can't say her "R's" and says them as the "w" sound.

Cold Fall Weekend

Well, this past weekend was a great chance to relax and enjoy the fall weather. It's getting cold and it rained all last week. Friday, I arranged for a baby sitter and Amy and I went out on a date with Angie and Gary. For dinner, we went to Red Robin's for my first time. When we couldn't decide what to get, I called Ammon and Liz and Liz said that they were also at Red Robin's (in Utah) - I guess this would be strange except that this is their favorite place to go. It was so nice to be with Angie and Gary again. With all that's going on, it's just been too crazy to get together. Afterwards, we tried to go to a movie, but since we both don't have television, we didn't know much about the movies playing and ended up just renting a movie and going back to our place to watch it (after we put our kids to bed, of course).



Saturday morning I made breakfast (we seem to have a tradition of me making meals on Saturdays). Afterwards, Baily and I went to help move Arlan Rose and his family out of their home. Baily really enjoys going with me to move people and she is really good at watching babies while mothers finish packing up small things. I think it's good for her to get a small taste of helping others and I can tell she enjoys it.
After lunch Amy worked on the girls Halloween costumes while I played with them for about two and a half hours outside. Since my girls have no problem being girls, I thought I'd give them a taste of what it would be like to have a brother. We pretended we were in the Book of Mormon wars (title of Liberty and all). But in this war, we also had land mines for the "bad-guys." We advanced, retreated, placed land mines, shot arrows, bandaged my wounds, made camp for two nights, took turns on "watch," built a fort, and had a great time.
After a couple hours we finally had to go in to get warm. This was easily done because Amy had finished the fleece costumes for the girls. We put them all on and the girls laughed and played and pretended to be lions. Amy tied a thin string to their tails, so they stick up in the back as if they were real tails. We had fun pretending and by the time we got them out of the costumes, they were all warm again. I had to get some studying done, so I sent the girls in to the toy room to "clean up." Which usually means, clean up for about thirty seconds and then get distracted and play for an hour. If we tell them to go play, they don't want to do it, but if they have to clean up, it becomes a much better option. Next we went grocery shoping, had dinner and got the kids to bed. It was such a fun and relaxing day. I hope my girls can remember some of these fun times we've spent together. In some ways, I feel like we are such "home-bodies." We don't really do a lot of traveling or go to big shows, mostly we just like to be home and enjoy eachother. It's a little frightening thinking that the closeness we have with these girls will probably be lost during teenage years. It makes me feel an even greater need to spend time with and enjoy my girls right now while they're willing.

Here are a couple pictures of the girls in their costumes:

Delivering Boos & Sis. Brown Dies

This has been a busy week. Monday I had a seven page essay due and a presentation to make for my MPA degree capstone class. I am also taking an Environmental Policy and Natural Resource Management class on Wednesdays. Both classes require me to read four textbooks each. So, for two classes this semester I am reading eight textbooks! It's been kind of stressful and monotonous, but I do a lot of reading on the bus to & from work and school so it allows me to be a little more focused when I'm at home. However, it gets a little crazy when papers and presentations are due. Well, I gave my second presentation for the capstone class on Monday. The presentation was on contract management and I was the last to present. I think it went really well.

Tuesday was much more enjoyable. We had family home evening since I wasn't home on Monday. We "boo'ed" two new families in our ward. This means that someone left a picture of a ghost on our steps with a rhyme and a package of candy and we had to do the same to two other families. We went to the store, made copies, cut out the ghosts, and delivered our "boo's." I thought it would be fun to have the girls help, so we sent Baily to the Ashton's front door loaded with candy and papers. When she rang the doorbell and tried to cross their dirt yard (just recently finished home) she lost a shoe and refused to run to the not-so-hidden van. We all were yelling for her to run, but I was sure we would be caught. It turned out that the Ashton's weren't home, which was a good thing or we would have been caught for sure. Next we had Bethy deliver a "boo" to a brand new family in our ward. She was so excited and she was faster than even I could have been. She jumped in the van and we sped off down the road, everyone laughing and the girls begging us, "let's do another one!" It was so much fun and I was glad to show the girls that you don't have to be recognized for doing something good to feel good about doing it. It was an important reminder for me as well. Next, we had a change of pace from our normal FHE routine and we took the kids to the movie "Ratatouille." The theater has a special on Tuesdays and we all got in for $4, which fit our limited "fun budget." Overall we had a great time and the kids were all exhausted by the time we got back home.

Wednesday I had class again and didn't get home until 10p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays I don't get to even see my family, so usually Thursdays we get to spend a little more time together. Tonight though, Amy is taking a friend to the temple. This friend has just recently seperated from her husband, a friend of mine, and its been really hard for her. Amy is her visiting teacher and suggested just the two of them go to the temple. That leaves me with the girls - we're going to paint the pumpkins from our pumpkin patch. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful relationship with my spouse. It isn't easy, but it certainly is worth it. What seems to work for our situation is just keep trying to improve ourselves individually and not try to force improvement on eachother. When I see Amy doing something to improve herself, it makes me want to be better and vice versa. It seems like we only have problems when one of us is selfish or prideful.

Today I found out that my mission mom, Sister Evalyn Brown passed away this week. Her funeral is on Saturday in Ogden, Utah. Although I didn't get to know the Brown's as well as I did my second president and his wife (the Heyes) I still felt the loss. She was a very loving woman and I worry about how Pres. Brown will be without her. I can't imagine the loss I would feel if Amy were to go. Despite our knowledge of eternal families, it's a good thing to mourn. I just read in the Doctrine and Covenants (D&C 38 or somewhere close to that) a commandment to mourn when we lose someone. I also think of Jesus weeping when Lazarus died even though he knew he would raise him to life again. Maybe we do this, partly to remember and appreciate the person who has passed, and part to direct our thoughts to our own personal readiness to face the Lord.

My Beginnings in Blogging

The term "blogger" just doesn't seem to fit who I am. I've always thought of bloggers as those strange people on the fringes of societal normalcy, posing conspiracy theories or spewing out their infection of negativity, always hoping society will discover their rantings and revere them as genius. Recently, however, I learned that my sister Brenda is a "blogger." Reading her blog has helped me to see a much different side of blogging. Her description of her family is positive, humorous, and often spiritual. Not only is she recording her family history, but she is also helping me, and others get to know her and her family better, no matter our location. Another recent experience led me to the world of blogging. General Conference for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints was held last week in Salt Lake City, Utah. President James E. Faust's recent death vacated a position in the first presidency and the call was given to Henry B. Eyring of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. On Sunday morning he plead with us to record our experiences, if for no other reason than for our children to look back and see God's hand in directing our family. I knew I needed to begin this task and have felt so for many years. So, with this intent, to record experiences, and to recognize the Lord's hand in helping my family, I have decided to take on the title of "blogger." While these entries are specifically written for my children and family, I choose to direct my wording generally to all of those I love.



Family

My family began on August 4th, 2001 when I was sealed to Amy Kay Olson, in the Mount Timpanogos LDS Temple. We met in an art class at Ricks College, in Rexburg, Idaho. After our marriage we returned to eastern Idaho and stayed in Amy's grandparents home (Ken and Virginia Rassmussen) while they served a mission in Oakland, California. While living there, our first daughter was born - Baily Rae Ashby on June 26, 2002. I continued through school, while Amy stayed at home to raise Baily. I worked at the college Reading Center part time and also taught seminary for two years part time. Our second daughter - Elizabeth, was born May 10, 2004.
December of 2004 I graduated from Brigham Young University - Idaho (formerly Ricks College), with a Bachelor's degree in Communications and a minor in Sociology. From there we moved to Boise and I began a Master's Program in Public Administration, hoping I could also find employment in the largest Idaho city. Through a connection at church, I was given a temporary position in the International Business Division of Idaho Commerce and Labor. About six months later, I competed for and landed a full time position in the division. We moved into our first home in the fall of 2005 in Nampa, Idaho and I have continued to commute to Boise ever since. Lily Mae Ashby, our third daughter, was born February 21, 2006.

In 2006 I also transferred to the Community Development Division of the department in order to coorelate with planning and general local government courses in my master's program. We have recently learned that we will be having our fourth child... a boy, in February of 2008. Much has happened these six plus years of our marriage, and while it has not been easy and sometimes very difficult, I have seen the Lord guiding my family and helping me along a path that I am certain will lead to what is right for my family. I hope to be able to catch some of the experiences that show this direction in these entries. For now, I will leave this as my introduction.