Easter!!

Another holiday!! Have I ever mentioned how much I enjoy holidays...or any reason to celebrate with family and friends? This day was no different. The celebrations actually started the day before, of course I joined in on as much as I could! We colored eggs on Saturday (although I think more dye got on the kids' hands than on the eggs) before the baptism then, later in the evening, the adults helped the Easter bunny hide plastic, candy-filled eggs and set out the kids' Easter baskets. I enjoyed watching Jeff, Stan and Grandpa Southwick deviously help the Easter bunny hide the eggs then desperately try to remember where the Easter bunny hid the eggs the following morning. We all had fun watching the kids discover what goodies were in their baskets then run around the house on the quest for their specific colored eggs. You see this year the Easter bunny hid 5 eggs for each child, but each kid had to look for a specific color. I think the Easter bunny did this so he knew which eggs to hide in easy spots for the younger kids and which eggs to hide in harder spots. All in all I think the Easter bunny successfully pulled off a fun-filled (and sugar-filled) morning for the kids.

 

 

After coloring, hiding, and finding all the Easter goodies, it was time to go to church and to reflect on the real meaning of this special day. I think this holiday, much like Christmas, carries an even greater reason to celebrate (not just a good excuse to have cute decorations and fancy food). This holiday is the ultimate celebration of life. This is the day we commemorate Christ's resurrection - His journey from death to immortal life when He rose again on the third day. He broke those bands of death thus, allowing all of us to be resurrected and live again. It is also a time to reflect on His suffering and what He willingly chose to do for us that we may gain both immortality and eternal life - the chance to live with our Heavenly Father in His presence again. I cannot fathom the pain and sorrow He must have felt as He took upon himself the sins of all of us. I cannot begin to imagine the anguish He must continue to feel when we willingly choose to toss aside His sacrifice by failing to follow the path He set for us. I know I am often guilty of failing to follow that path as I should. Sometimes I feel another path would be easier, then I remember that even though His path may be hard - He does not leave us to walk it alone. His path will always be easier as long as we allow Him to walk with us. That is the other glorious part of this Easter celebration - the fact that through His sacrifice we receive a power to succeed beyond our comprehension. We receive comfort through our trials as we lean on Him. We receive peace by knowing He has suffered so that we don't have to. I am grateful for this Easter holiday - not just because of the fun egg hunts or candy - but because I know that I am loved beyond comprehension by my elder brother and Savior, Jesus Christ, and that I can one day live with Him again. It was a wonderful day to celebrate with family. We are grateful that we had the opportunity to be with Stan, Kristi and their family (as well as Grandpa and Grandma Southwick and Katie) on this day.

Some of the Southwick grandkids: Travis, Dallin, Maci, Carson, Bennett, Daniel and Grant

Travis's baptism

Today was a very special day for a very special boy, Travis. I know I've only known these kids for a short period of time, but I can already feel a connection to them Stan and Kristi have done an amazing job at raising their 4 boys and one little girl. I'm sure there are times when Stan and Kristi want to pull their hair out (Kristi probably more than Stan), but their boys are going to be a force for good in this world...not the least of whom is Travis. He seems to be the more quite one of the bunch, but he has such a sweet, simple testimony. Jeff and I felt grateful to be there to witness his first step on a lifelong journey back to our Father in Heaven.

 

After the baptism, the kids (all the Southwick and Davis posterity that were present) posed for a couple pictures - one in their natural poses (I'll let you guess which is which), then Jeff, the girls and I made a mandatory stop at Reed's Dairy (seriously the BEST ice cream I have ever tasted!!) before rounding up the kids to head to Rexburg to visit my brother, Michael, and his wife, Jenn.

 

 

I was glad that we had the opportunity to pop over to see my baby brother in his new little world. I am super proud of him and his wife. They are the typical newlywed couple who are just trying to live within their meager means while going to school and juggling work, yet they are so happy and always positive. This has been a great strength I have admired in my brother...actually both of my brothers. They are quick to find the silver linnings in life regardless of their current circumstances. It is a quality that I hope to instill in my children. In any case, we met them at their apartment got a quick tour (it's pretty small) and headed off to a local BBQ place for dinner. There was a TON of food, fun and laughs. After we ate, we decided to let our food digest while we watched the new GI Joe movie. It was a good movie and a good way to end such a special day.

 



Idaho Falls

Today, as soon as school was out, we grabbed the kids and headed north. This weekend Travis, Jeff's nephew (Stan and Kriti's son), was being baptized. We were grateful for the opportunity to join Travis on that special occasions...and the boys were just grateful to be able to play with all their cousins. We reached Idaho Falls around dinner time on Friday night, but as soon as the sun was up the following day, so were the boys! They enjoyed playing basketball, jumping on the trampoline, shooting each other with air soft guns, digging holes and other typical boy activities. Throughout the weekend, we could always find them outside engaged in some imaginary world or engaged in the thick of a battle to save the world. I loved watching them interact and include everyone, regardless of age or ability. I am grateful for families and the relationships we are able to build and nurture with each other. Here are just a few random shots of the random activities and events throughout the weekend.

There is a cave close to Stan and Kristi's house that the family explored.

Southwicks vs. Southwicks...good things the boys took pity on their dads because the dads would have lost horribly if it was young Southwicks vs. old Southwicks!

Pack Meeting

This week (Monday, March 25 - Friday, March 29) has been an exceptionally busy week...then again, with four kids and a husband who has a demanding calling and job, that seems to be the norm. Needless to say, we were all looking forward to a relaxing, fun weekend with family in Idaho Falls. But, before then, things needed to be done at home. I busied myself with my normal chores on Monday (e.g., grocery shopping, laundry, volunteering in the boys' classes, etc.) then helped Jeff get the soil and water lines prepared for our garden on Tuesday. On Wednesday, I was again helping Jeff only this time it was work related. We ran invoices around and collected on jobs. That evening was Danny's pack meeting. Danny didn't receive any awards tonight, but we still had fun. I love watching Daniel's enthusiasm for scouts. It is never a fight to get him to cub meetings on Wednesdays. He loves to learn and brings an intense amount of energy to anything he does. Tonight he helped with the flag ceremony then we all played a few get-to-know-you games. One involved toilet paper and one involved a relay race...I'll let you guess which was Danny's favorite. I'm grateful for the scout program and for the values and morals it instills in these amazing young boys.

Spring?!

Ok...I don't think Utah has caught on that Spring is supposed to be warm and sunny and bright! Our first official day of Spring brought snow. Mother Nature has a funny sense of humor. I'm not sure I appreciate it quite yet. Luckily the snow didn't stick (even though it snowed again later in the week.) It actually melted fairly quickly and has left green grass in its stead. Ok...so maybe Mother Nature does really know what she's doing, but I still long for the day when I don't feel permanently cold.

Daniel and Dallin walking from the shop to the house on our snowy first day of Spring.



 

Later that afternoon I had a Spring Soiree with some of the ladies from my ward that I have befriended. It was fun to be able to spend a couple hours with these amazing women. I feel really lucky to be in such a great ward. I have enjoyed getting to know so many women from all walks of life. I wasn't smart enough to grab a picture of them, but I did take a pic of the lunch I prepared. We ate a chicken pesto pasta salad, veggies and hummus, grape salad, egg salad and cucumber sandwiches, fruit salsa with cinnamon chips, and fresh squeezed raspberry lemonade. Sometimes all it takes to get in the spring spirit is to eat the spring foods! I love the cold pasta salads or summer-time BBQs. I'm a little done with all the soups and chilis.

 

Just as a side note, here's a picture of my newest craft project. I needed something for Easter to put on the mantel. I think it turned out cute! I am excited for Spring. I'm ready to see green instead of white.

 



 

Two months

Ok, I have to admit that I honestly didn't remember today was my two month anniversary until I was talking to my friend Dana in the afternoon. It has been another busy Southwick week. It seems like Jeff and I are running just to keep up with all the demands on our time, but after that phone call I was able to slow down for a moment of reflection. Again, all I feel is blessed, loved, and lucky. The emotional roller coaster ride of the first month (regarding my thoughts and feelings about motherhood) has transformed from the type of ride you would see at Six Flags to one that you would find in a traveling carnival. I know the ups and downs of life are normal. I know that with time the emotional peaks and valleys I've experienced regarding how to be a "mother" without actually having borne the children I am mothering will simply become rolling hills then hopefully flat land. I have discovered that as I've changed my speech and have stopped qualifying my role as mother, I have been able to take ownership of the children entrusted to my (and Jeff's) care. I have recognized that the barriers or walls I've thought existed were my own creation. There have been rough parenting moments as Jeff and I have needed to discipline the kids. I was terrified that these moments may have distanced the kids from me, but it has had quite the opposite effect. I have discovered that the kids seem to know and understand that we love them despite the consequences we have had to enforce. In fact, it has taught me more about the love of my Heavenly Father. He must weep each time we prevent ourselves from gaining blessings because of our choices. Many of us live far below our potential. I have occasionally found myself in that situation, but I am grateful for His love and mercy. Jeff and I have tried to extend such love and mercy through our interactions with the kids. Again, I feel extremely blessed to be a wife and a mother. It has only been two months, but I feel like I have been here since day one. I may not have all the memories they share, but I can't imagine feeling any more love for my husband and children than I do in this moment. (Here was one of the highlights of my week. It's a random text conversation I had with Amber. It just goes to show that even when I may not think they may not notice, they really are.)

More basketball

You may be wondering why Dallin is still playing basketball...well he's been on a team that has participated in several tournaments. He has been playing since late fall and will finish up in the next few weeks. It has been fun watching him (and the team) improve over the season. Dallin has a natural talent for sports and always seems to have a ball in his hands. Next up will be baseball (which both Dallin and Daniel will start in May), but for now, we'll just have to finish this tournament. This week he had 3 different games - one of which was on Monday night so that became our Family Home Evening. Jeff and/or I usually try to attend all his games but it's not often that we get all the kids to come. It was fun being there as a family to cheer him on. Ultimately his team lost but they fought hard until the end. Here are just a few pictures from his games this week.