Skip to main content

Week 304 Menu: Family Fun! (And more on saying goodbye!)

Hi guys!  Well, we did it.  We are officially moved out of New Mexico.  We have said goodbyes, shed lots of tears, given lots of hugs and packed up our van.

Friday was the kids last day of school.  I posted a little about it Friday morning.  I wasn't quite prepared for all the tears that would be shed, especially by my kids and their friends.  I knew I would probably cry, but I wasn't ready for the unabashed tears flowing from my son's tough, basketball-at-recess-playing friends.  Holy cow.  And sobbing kindergarteners.  Not to mention sweet ten year old tears.

I just keep reminding myself all the little answers to prayers we've gotten the past six months and how things have been working out (or worked out eventually) for our move.  I know Heavenly Father has His hand in the choices we've made.  And I know he'll help us in our transition.

One of my friends reminded me that tears show that you care.  Tears are part of healing.  So, when my kids cry about missing their friends, sometimes I send a text my friends (the moms of these sweet kids that we're missing) so they know how much we care.

We've been blessed with being friends with many great people in our little town.  It is a tiny town and we have gotten to know so many people.  I'll miss knowing tons of people wherever I go...the grocery store, the skating rink, at Target an hour away, our church family, wonderful neighbors, and the school.  Our friends have truly been our family for the last eight years.

I hope the kids remember how everywhere we went at school on Friday, kids, staff and teachers wished us well and said they'd miss us.  The whole fifth grade had a party for my daughter at the end of the day.

We tried to fit in as many visits with our friends as we could last week.  My friends threw me a girls' night, which was super fun.  We had dinner with friends almost every night last week, playdates every day we could, even a liquid nitrogen making ice cream party with our favorite 93 year old friend.  I tried to take lots of pictures and am trying to write everything down.

We're now off to a week of vacation in the Happiest Place on Earth!  Then off to spend the holidays with family.  Eventually we'll end up in Washington to start a new chapter of our lives.

I'm excited for this week to spend time togehter as a family, create lots of memories and have fun together with some of the stress of moving behind us.

While on the road yesterday I was reading an article called Stay Connected, in the Ensign, a church magazine).  A quote at the bottom of the page by Elder M. Russell Ballard jumped out at me.  It said:

“Crisis or transition of any kind reminds us of what matters most. In the routine of life, we often take our families—our parents and children and siblings—for granted. But in times of danger and need and change, there is no question that what we care about most is our families! …
“Our family-centered perspective should make Latter-day Saints strive to be the best parents in the world. It should give us enormous respect for our children, who truly are our spiritual siblings, and it should cause us to devote whatever time is necessary to strengthen our families. Indeed, nothing is more critically connected to happiness—both our own and that of our children—than how well we love and support one another within the family.”

I need to remember this, especially this part, "devote whatever time is necessary to strengthen our families".  I need to let my kids know that I'm there for them.  Stop what I'm doing when they're having a hard time.  Make sure they know they're more important to me than the dishes or our moving plans or anything.

So, my menu for this week is this...no plans, just family fun!  

And to those of you that we're leaving, this isn't goodbye.  It's see you later!  (And don't forget to join instagram and leave me comments on this little blog of mine).
Photobucket

Popular posts from this blog

One Hour Rolls

These rolls are amazing!  I've been making these rolls since 2001 when I was a newlywed and my sister-in-law shared the recipe with me.  The rolls are light, fluffy, easy to make and they only take one hour!  And delicious too!   I've made these rolls more times than I can count, so I've perfected the art of making them.  Here are some step-by-step instructions with pictures for you. Here's what you'll need.  I buy pretty much all of the ingredients in this recipe at Sam's club, thus the huge containers.  You need warm water, yeast, oil, sugar, salt, egg and flour. In the mixer bowl, add warm water (not hot), oil, sugar and yeast.  Mix together. After ten or fifteen minutes the yeast mixture should be puffed up like this.  Time to add the salt and beaten egg. Then mix in the flour.  (I've used a mixture of half wheat and half white flour successfully.) Keep adding flour until the dough is manageable.  It will be a little sticky, b

Havreflarn (Swedish Oat Crisp Cookies)

We had some teenagers over for a Swedish themed dinner last night.  They were participating in a "missionary for a day" activity.  They were paired up into companionships, like the official missionaries for our church and were assigned to a family for dinner.  They ate with us and then taught us a lesson about Heavenly Father's plan for us.   My husband served a mission in Sweden.  He lived there for two years and loved it.  Swedish meatballs are a staple at our house.  (They're super easy to make and my pickiest eater's favorite!).  When we visit IKEA we usually stock up on the cream gravy packets and jars of Lingonberries.  We were out of lingonberry, but after a few phone calls, I found some at one of our local grocery stores. We ate meatballs, gravy, lingonberry, mashed potatoes (I ran out of time, other wise I would have steamed little red potatoes from our garden) and green beans (though my husband doesn't remember eating them in Sweden

The Best French Bread I've Ever Made

This is the best french bread I've ever made.  I got this recipe from my friend, Nikki, who gave us some of this bread as a thank you for my hubby helping them move a piano.  I remember it being delicious and we gobbled it up fast.  I was intimidated for some reason by the recipe and waited a few years before I made it. We needed some bread for to make some turkey, provolone, avocado sandwiches, so I made some of this bread and it was perfect!  We sliced one loaf like they do at Subway.  Then later I made normal shaped sandwiches with the rest of the bread.  Delicious... light and fluffy and yummy! Update 2/22/12: This is still my favorite bread after making it for a year! It turns out perfect every time and it's gone in a flash! printable recipe French Bread recipe from my friend, Nikki Yield: 2 loaves   Ingredients 2 c. warm water 1 pkg (or 1 heaping Tbsp.) yeast 1/4 c. granulated sugar 1 T. olive oil