Schedule? What Schedule?

Throughout my whole entire married life I have been pretty rigid in my daily and weekly schedules.  They kept me on top of things and helped me feel in control and sane.  I did laundry on certain days, vacummed on certain days, bought groceries and ironed and did any number of things on certain days.  One of the small perks of having nearly an empty nest is that I don't really have a schedule for anything anymore.  Doing laundry for only two means that I can go a lot longer between loads.  Nobody messes up the floor anymore so vacumming is whenever I feel like it.  Grocery store trips are much more spaced out and involve a great deal less volume.  Dinner is even kind of a hit and miss affair now.  With only two or three of us around to eat at any given time we many times just eat what we want, when we want it.  This is so not me!  And yet, it is, now.  I actually like it.  If I feel like showering at 3:00 in the afternoon, no one cares, including me.  So here's to one of the very few pluses of growing older and moving on.  I'll take them where I can get them:)

Hide and Seek

This week's new game to introduce to Bubba during Family Night was Hide and Seek.  He loved it!  His father is the biggest doof of all time and had some very interesting hiding places.  It was quite nice to have my Nodie back for a bit.  He's a pretty fun guy.  And there's a reason why these games are timeless.  So fun.

Precious

Nothing sweeter than sleeping babies:)  Love them.

Camp Wildwood Ranch

Wow!  I just got back from seeing the camp that the church bought for our area to have Girls' Camp at.  Holy Cow!  It's gorgeous!  I hate camping but I love this campground.  It's in Ramona.  It has tons of beautiful trees and bridges and rocks and hills.  It has brand new looking houses (they are too nice to be called cabins) an olympic sized swimming pool, 2 sand volleyball pits, a soccer field, a couple of basketball courts, a softball field, a disc golf course and so many other cool things!  The church is looking to put in all the rad stuff that other campgrounds have like an archery range, a firing range, a ropes course, a zip line, a rock climbing wall and loads of other stuff.  It's more of a country club than a campground but in a very natural and beautiful setting.  It made me even more excited to have my new calling of Stake Girls' Camp Director.  I hope I get to stay in this calling until we get to actually go to this gorgeous place.  We are going to Catalina Island this year for stake camp but we might do stake camp again next year just so we can hurry and go to this cool campground.  The first time I was in charge of camp I was pregnant with my baby girl, now it is her last year of camp and I am thrilled to go again with her on the outside of my belly this time:)  I hope she will go next year even though she doesn't have to.  This is my kind of camping:)

Traumatized

I took dinner over to my son and his wife after they brought their new baby home and my sweet Bubba was very intent on dragging me all over the house to see random things and to generally keep me away from the little blob who is taking over his mommy.  When he went into the kitchen to have his daddy make him some food I thought it would be O.K. to hold baby Chloe for a minute.  When he saw me pick her up he yelled "Noooo!"  and burst into tears.  I don't know who was more upset, him or me.  I felt like I had betrayed him and broken his heart.  We have a very special bond and he is one of my most favorite people in the whole world.  To see him react like that just crushed me.  I wanted to give Chloe back and wait until he had had a little more time to adjust to her presence in our lives but everyone insisted that I just keep her since he would have to get used to her anyway.  I still think it was a little too soon but he eventually calmed down.  He wouldn't come into the room while I was holding her but as soon as I gave her up he ran in and sat on my lap.  I love him so much and I want him to know that he will always be my special Bubs. 

"Heart Exercises"

I am feeling so many emotions at the same time that I think I might explode!  All week I have been thinking about my friend and planning a tribute post for her and then on the very day I want to totally think about her and write about her, my granddaughter is born!  This is a joyous occasion mixed with relief that she is perfect and that her mom had a painless and wonderful experience bringing her into the world.  Interspersed with my feelings of love for Chloe and relief for her safety are feelings of concern about my Bubs and his tender feelings and confusion.  He is acting funny and seems a little off kilter.  I know I am one of the few things that hasn't changed in his life in the last 24 hours so I want to shower him with love and attention and keep his life as stable as possible.  Mixed in with all of this is a dull ache that my friend isn't here to share all of this with me.  Too many emotions all trying to occupy my heart at the same time.  I have a pretty big heart because I have a very large amount of people to love but I guess it needs to grow just a little bit more so here's to "heart exercises":)

Baby Steps

So far, Bubs is not thrilled that Chloe is on the outside of Mommy's tummy.  He will hardly look at her and we kind of tricked him into holding her and kissing her for a second.  I know he will come to adore her but for now he is proceeding very cautiously:)

She's Here!

The Moore Family welcomed Chloe Nichole Moore into their world at 8:55 a.m. today.  She was 6 lbs. 15 oz. and 18 1/2 inches long.  She was 2 weeks early which put her right on the anniversary of my dearest friend's passing.  I have no doubt that Rita was playing with her just yesterday and finally let her go to come down and play with me on this special day to remind me of the greatest friend I will ever have.  Thank you, Rita, I miss you.

Ten Years

Today marks ten years since my father moved on to Heaven.  I can't believe it's been that long.  He died of prostrate cancer.  He was a very cool guy.  He was my high school principal and he was the best one I've ever seen.  Everybody liked him, even the delinquents.  He was always fair and respectful and kind.  I am the oldest in my family and even though I know he wanted me to be a boy, I think I proved to him, early on, that I could do anything a boy could do.  He had me help him build fences and hold baby lambs while he cut off their tails and take care of all of our animals.  He was a great dad and I know he's doing wonderful things beyond the veil.  I'm sure he's just as popular there as he was here.  I love you , Dad.  See you soon:)

"Because I Said So"

While on my walk today I was pondering my intense hatred of the phrase, "Because I said so".  I'm throwing out a disclaimer to all that I am not judging you, your parents, your grandparents, your friends or anyone else who uses this phrase.  I am merely stating my opinon that the use of this phrase demonstrates one of two things to me and anyone who hears it, 1. I am superior to you and therefore don't have to tell you why I am doing or saying .... whatever and 2. I am too lazy and you are too unimportant and dumb to explain why I am saying or doing...whatever.  Who are we, really, that we are powerful enough to just "say so"?  And how long, really, does it take to give a short explanation of why?  I, personally, have never heard or read where Heavenly Father told us to do something "because I said so".  And isn't He really the only one who has the authority to do it?  If He doesn't give us a detailed description of why and what the consequences and blessings will be then He lovingly tells us that He will explain more later when we can understand but He hopes we will trust that He knows best for us and would never do anything that would hurt us or make us sad.  I have found that if I explain to my kids why I have made a decision or asked them to do something then they are much more willing to do it and will understand and remember why the next time.  They are also much better equipped to make decisions on their own if they know the why's and wherefore's of my decisions in those situations.  If they disagree with my decisions then we talk about it and they voice their concerns and I can better teach them.  I have also found that children are really never too young to explain things to.  Landon and Ava are only 2 and 3 and they already understand that touching Grandma's knives or hot stove will hurt them or that running out into the street will put them in harm's way by running the risk of being hit by a car.  It only takes a second to explain something to someone.  It's human nature to be more willing to obey or do something if we know why we are doing it.  The natural man is responsible for using the power play or the lazy excuse of "because I said so".  I'm not a psycho-therapist or a psychiatrist or a psy-anything and I could be wrong about this but,,, I'm not:)

Another Blessing

I got another calling!  (my fourth but who's counting?)  I am the co-camp director for stake girls' camp!  18 years ago I got this calling and nearly had a heart attack.  I was the mother of 6 boys who hated camping and teenage girls.  Great calling for me, huh?  Actually, it was.  As soon as I got the calling I got pregnant with my one and only girl and after entertaining 200 girls for 4 days I decided I didn't hate teenage girls after all.  I still, however, despise camping.  Also, I realized that if the Lord thought I could handle that calling then it didn't matter what I thought.  Now, 18 years later, I am not afraid at all but actually excited to do it again, especially since my sweet baby girl will be with me:).  It will also help to fill up my days for the next 4 or 5 months.  We are going to Catalina for 4 days and it should be really fun.  The best part is, I won't have morning sickness this time around:)

The Next Generation

I couldn't leave on such a sad note so I decided to share a very fun thing that happened tonight.  I taught Landon how to play "Red Light, Green Light".  Me, Kyle, Van and Leg played with him (Pat was at a meeting, Brandon was being Brandon and Logan and Michelle were missing in action somewhere in the house).  Oh, by the way, Leg is Aleigh and she got that nickname because she said the weirdest pronunciation she has ever heard of her name was Uh-leg-uh-ha so I call her "Leg".  Anyway, Kyle started it and me, Van, Bubs and Leg went down to the end of the hall and had Kyle turn around and say "Green Light".  Then I would drag Bubs with me and slide to a halt when Kyle turned around and said "Red Light".  Bubs would laugh his head off and I've never heard a sweeter sound.  He had a big belly laugh that was pure joy.  We played this over and over again and were breathless from laughing.  He loved it!!.  We used to play this game all the time with our crew.  They would elbow each other out of the way, hold each other's shirts to keep them back, slide on the ground to get further ahead and all kinds of other creative, competitive things.  It was so fun to pass it on to the next generation.  I have a few more that I will teach Lando in the coming weeks.  It's so fun to have him start getting old enough to pass things on to.  The next generation is my lifeline.  They will keep me young.

Meltdown

Man, this empty nest business is kicking my trash!  I hate it!  I had a little meltdown this morning before church.  I made the mistake of strolling down memory lane for a little bit and the floodgates opened up.  Sundays used to be my very favorite day.  I had my whole brood all to myself.  No games, no school, no TV, nothing to take us away from each other.  We would have the funnest family nights playing games and reading stories and eating treats.  I loved filling up a whole bench at church.  I loved having a full table for dinner.  I loved watching my kids love each other.  I couldn't envision it ever being any different.  And now it is and I hate it.  My house is as quiet as a tomb, my bench at church can now fit two other families besides mine, my table is only half full and my kids are nowhere near each other and have grown up and apart.  I really do want them to experience with their own families what I got to experience with them, I just don't want to be left behind and I know I need to be.  I've decided that menopause is just a yucky coincidence that just happens to come right about the time your children leave.  I can handle menopause just fine, it's the other change that's knocking me out. 

Thanks, Flan & Shell

This bookmark is what Flan gave me for Christmas and I just need to say that I love it.  We are definitely a family of nicknames and I love mine.  Michelle gave us a mouse pad with Bubba's picture on it and the tag said " To Papa and Money".  This bookmark says "We Love Grandma Moores".  I'm pretty sure my darling grandchildren will eventually learn how to say Grandma and Grandpa but I will cherish the time that I am "Money" and "Grandma Moores" and really love this beautiful keepsake that will always remind me of how darling my grandchildren are.  Thanks, girls. 

What?!!!

I just opened my copy of LDS Living magazine which listed the top 100 LDS songs of all time and number 59 is ..... "She Put the Music in Me" by Calee Reed!!!!!  The tears just gushed out of my eyes.  Her mom and I are so proud of her but I am so sad that Rita isn't here to share in her accolades.  I love that song but it has a bittersweet effect on me.  The video I have shows pictures of the times when the Schroeders and the Moores were like one family.  Great memories but also make me miss my dearest friend very much.  The other songs on the list are written by Janice Kapp Perry and Michael McLean and Lex deAzavedo and I can't believe that our little Calee is on that list! Sooo proud.  I'm so glad that so many people get to know a little bit of the woman I call my best friend of all time.  Thank you, Calee.

They Passed!!

Two of my sons, Kyle and Logan, are in the last semester of physical therapy school and they had to take two huge tests, one oral and one written.  They both passed both of them!!  I feel confident that it was my granddaughter, Sienna, who made it possible by being a potential patient and letting them work on her:).  I'm very proud of both of them and very excited for April and graduation to come. 

Remember When?

Aleigh found a great idea (probably on pinterest) and our family is going to do it but I thought someone else might like to do it too so I'm telling you all about it.  We have a little treasure chest (or we will as soon as I find one) where we are going to put little pieces of paper that have memorable things that we said or did in 2013.  So far I am the only one writing but they are contributing the memories.  Then, on New Year's Eve we will pull out the chest and read the papers and elaborate on  them so we can remember 2013.  This works especially well for Hunter, who will hopefully be home by New Year's Eve, as he can then relive our year with us and hear the highs and lows of the time he was gone.  I am going to be reviewing on a daily basis as I write in my journal and the rest of the gang will contribute every Family Night so that we don't let longer than a week go by before we see if there is anything worth adding to the box.  We did our first weekly review last night and had a blast just remembering and laughing about something that only happened a week ago.  I can't imagine the laughs and tears that will take place as we relive a whole year!  Just as an aside, I really think Aleigh Joy was very aptly named as she brings a great deal of joy into my life.  I spent the first 3 or 4 years that she liked Hunter trying desperately to keep her out of his life for two reasons, he needed to get on a mission and she wasn't a member of our church.  Now that both of those things have been taken care of  I find that I can't imagine life without her.  She is so easy to love!  And she has great ideas so "Thanks, Leg, for the 'Remember When' idea.  I'm sure it will be a big hit come the end of the year". 

So This is What It Feels Like:(

I have had an incredible life so far and have been blessed beyond my wildest dreams.  I have a faithful, loving husband who takes very good care of me, 7 healthy, wonderful children who make me proud every day, 4 sweet daughters-in-law who love my sons with all of their hearts, three beautiful grandchildren, a strong and healthy body and beautiful home and a religious base that gives me true peace and joy.  I don't think I have ever been truly depressed in my whole life.  Frustrated, sad, anxious, disappointed and many other things but not truly depressed so I could never understand how so many people in this world could be diagnosed with clinical depression or who claim to suffer from depression all the time and I could never imagine how that felt.  Well, with the ongoing joy that is called "menopause", I am feeling all sorts of things I have never felt before and hope to never feel again.  Depression is one of them.  Luckily it comes and goes very quickly and isn't debilitating but it feels yucky just the same and I can't imagine being one of those people who feels that all the time.  I started feeling it pretty badly when everyone left in August and my life changed dramatically.  I chose to pray earnestly for help in filling my life with lots of opportunities to help and serve others and make myself useful.  My Father in Heaven gave me multiple blessings in that area and I felt much better.  Then everyone came home for Christmas so I didn't have time to feel yucky and now they are gone again so I'm getting small flashes again.  It's hard to describe it but it is a feeling of hopelessness.  It feels like I've done what I came here to do and now the next many years just seem to stretch endlessly in front of me with no real purpose for my being here.  I absolutely know that this is not true in my heart but my head and the adversary keep trying to make me believe it is.  I feel like I've had every church calling there is, many times, and parented my little heart out and made every crafty thing and bought all the clothes I could want and done everything a jillion times and can't seem to find joy in doing any of it anymore.  This really does pass very quickly but it's disturbing to know that other people live like this all the time and I feel very sad for them.  I'm so glad I have a Heavenly Father is watching out for me and ready to help me when I need it.  I absolutely know that I am nowhere near done with what I need to do here on this earth and I know that there are many adventures awaiting me and my husband.  I just can't wait until my body is mine again and all these physical changes decide they are done reeking havoc with my life.  Millions have plowed through this challenge in their lives and I will too.  Bring it on!!!

Tie One On!!

We are a very silly bunch.  I came across this picture of the night Jensen got home from his mission and had to share.  He brought back about a million ties!  There were so many that everyone just started putting them on.  Even Ava has one on.  I couldn't help but think of how many things have changed for the people in this picture in such a short amount of time.  Jensen is now in his second year of marriage, Hunter is in his second year of his mission and Josh, who had never even thought of coming to our church let alone joining it is in his 5th month of a mission for our church!  Ava has a little sister and Jordyn is in her second semester of college.  Michelle and Logan are on the verge of having their second child and Kyle is married and expecting his first child.  All of this has happened in the past year and a half.  Things can change so quickly!

Oh, We're Halfway There...!!!!

Today marks one full year that my sweet son has been out on his mission.  It seems like yesterday that he left and at the same time it seems like I haven't seen him in an eternity.  I can't believe the things he has learned on his mission and the growth that has taken place in his life.  He is serving as a zone leader in Columbus, Ohio and, according to his emails, is having the time of his life!  He has always attracted people to him because he is pretty cute and quiet and sweet and cute and humble and tall and athletic and, did I mention, cute?  That has really helped him on this mission to football obsessed Ohio.  He is a football player and he looks like a football player so total strangers want to talk to him all the time about, you guessed it, football.  He then gets to explain why he is not currently playing football and that opens up all kinds of discussions about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  He has learned so much about patience, charity, service, humility and how to talk to people who don't have a microphone in his face after a game or who aren't screaming at him on the sidelines of a football field or basketball court.  His communication skills have blossomed ten-fold and he is now not only very cute but very mature and spiritual.  I love missions and what they have done for my husband and sons.  I'm so thrilled that Hunter is halfway done and can't wait to hug him again.  I love that boy so much.  He is truly my "Mama's Boy" and always has been.  The countdown is now on for the backside of the mission!!!

Hurry, Chloe!

We all got spoiled when Landon came out 4 weeks early and tomorrow will be four weeks early for Chloe so I fully expect her to make an appearance any day now.  Michelle is taking medicine to stop her from going into labor because apparently Chloe is a little more petite than Lando was and needs to grow just a tad bit more.  I hope she does it fast!  I'm dying to see her.  Maybe she'll surprise us and have a little bit more "Moore" in her than the doctor thinks.  Hurry, Chloe, I can't wait to snuggle you:)

Barber Shop

Yesterday was haircutting day.  We had to strip him down and bribe him with a brownie to make him sit still.  And then it was Landon's turn.  Ha ha!  Just kidding, Node.  We buzzed Lando shorter than we ever have before and I absolutely love it!  So cute!  Of course I can't figure out how to get a picture of it onto this post so you'll just have to take my word for it.  He is getting better and better about not being scared of the buzz of the clippers.  He held pretty still this time.  I can't believe I am starting another generation of barber.  I have cut my husband's hair since he was 16 and my boys' hair their whole lives.  It saves us so much money.  I spend all of the saved money on my hair but that's beside the point.  Now on to the next generation.  Luckily, most of my grandchildren are girls:)

Families are Forever

I have probably never mentioned how much I love my family before so I thought I would relive some of the fun times we had together over this Christmas break.  Everyone was home except Hunter but we got to talk to him on Christmas day.  Christmas Eve was fun.  Lots of food and some fun games and most of the in-laws of my kids. Christmas Day was amazing.  I bawled my eyes out talking to my sweet missionary.  I love that kid so much.  I got some wonderful gifts.  Aleigh made Hunter an amazing hardbound book with pictures and letters and quotes from all of us and her and I loved it so much that I didn't want her to send it to him because I wanted to look at it all the time so she had another one made for me and gave it to me for Christmas.  So wonderful!  (love that girl).  I got a computer mouse pad with my darling Landon's dirty face on it:).  The crowning glory of the day was when I opened Aubrie and Kyle's gift which was another charm for my Grandma necklace.  My heart flipped over a million times.  I was so happy that they were going to experience the joy of parenthood and give me another baby to snuggle.  The rest of the days were full of food, golf for the boys and shopping for the girls.  Lots of football games on T.V. a baby shower for Michelle and Knott's Berry Farm for Van's birthday.  I snuggled Ava and Sienna to death.  I fed Sienna about 1 million pounds of food (that girl can eat) and danced and watched My Little Pony with Ava.  I love watching my boys interact with each other.  They love to tease each other and quote movies all over the place and laugh, alot.  We watched home movies and remembered days gone by.  We saw Les Miserables and cried.  We went to the temple and sealed Pat to his parents.  It was wonderful seeing all of my kids (except Hunter) who could be in the temple all dressed in white and knowing that Heaven will be just like that.  So many fun times.  Families are Forever and mine are my most favorite people in the whole world.  We are Forever Moore!!!

My Girl

Everyone is gone (:(), my house is clean (:)) and now I have time to write about my sweet girl.  I know I have blogged about my one and only daughter, aka, my favorite girl in the whole wide world many times over the years but she turned 17 on Friday and I just have to gush about her again.  For those of you who don't know my story, I had six boys and was perfectly happy being a "boy" mom but my husband really wanted a girl so he talked me into having one more child even though I have NEVER wanted a girl. Luckily, that one more child turned out to be a girl and, oh my gosh!, what a blessing and gift she has been for 17 years.  (That sounds so old to me, much older than 16 :() I am proud to say that she and I have never had a fight.  She just doesn't have it in her.  She is the sweetest, most obedient, kindest child a parent could ever ask for.  She got every good quality that her dad or I possess and none of the bad.  She is always happy and grateful and humble and super duper obedient.  I hope she always loves me the way she does now.  We are best friends and love to be together.  I can't fathom life without her when she goes away to college.  Luckily, she is not a boy and will talk to me on the phone and even when she gets her own boy she will still be my girl.  I love her more than I ever dreamed possible and I am so glad that I didn't settle for being "just" a boy mom.  Happy Birthday my Vannie girl.  I love you Moore than anything. 

Only Child?

I hope Aubrie is having triplets because I'm pretty sure she is never doing this again.  She has been sick, (really sick) 24/7 for the last 2 weeks.  I've never seen anyone so sick.  I feel terrible for her.  She has gone to the hospital twice to get fluids into her and she is down to about 4 pounds now.  She can't stand, eat, or basically live at all anymore.  I really want them to experience the joy of a child but right now there is no joy whatsoever.  Prayers on her behalf would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks, friends.

Creepy Much?

Even though Alana tells me this is a great gift and just what Ava wanted it's a little creepy seeing a doll the size of my granddaughter.  Pat and I got her this doll and a matching dress and she was dancing with her tonight.  Cute but a little creepy.  The doll has been standing around in our living room since Christmas and scares everyone as we walk into the room because she is the same size as Ava.  I'm sure Ava will have many wonderful hours of fun with her when she gets home but the boys are having a pretty good time putting her in time out or having her face the wall so they don't have to look at her.  Silly boys. 

My Little Flock

I love having all of my little posterity together.  They are so fun.  Ava and Landon are old enough to have a very intellectual discussion that consists wholly of the words "My Grandma!" as they try to push each other away from me.  Nice to be loved but hard to hold a 3 year old and a 2 year old at the same time.  Good thing I have long arms and a big lap:)

Papa and Bubs

Both Papa and Bubba got helmets for Christmas and Bubs also got a bike!  He just sits on it for now but someday he will have a blast riding it and a few years from now he'll even go riding with his daddy and Papa.  Bubs and Papa also enjoy viewing movies on their electronic devices:) Great bonding time.