Getting Back and Coming Home

It's been almost a year since my last post.  

I am not sure how that year could have passed so swiftly but I do know that so much has transpired in that time.  

And you know what?  Time and life just seem to keep accelerating.

There are so, so many things I want to document and preserve before that acceleration pushes them even further into the recesses of my already poor memory.  

So with that in mind, and a new determination to keep this blog up for that very purpose; I am getting back to blogging.  

I am coming home to the only space I currently use, other than my personal journals and Instagram, to chronicle my life and my family. 

It's hard to know where to begin, so I am just going to start with a little snapshot of our lives today.

This was taken back in August but it's the most recent "formal" family picture.

As a family, we are well into the summer years of raising kids.  

We now have kind of two sets: the olders, and Liza.

Morgan is officially a teenager!  She just turned 13 two weeks ago, and is loving all things teen.  She spends her time Instagramming modest fashion, baking, diy-ing, texting friends, and has recently taken up running.  

Jake is 10, and will turn 11 in a couple months.  He is still all boy with a talent for soccer, and teasing his sisters.  The one however, that gets whatever she wants out of him is Liza.  She has that boy so wrapped around her tiny fingers.

Abby and Claire are still the cutest twins there ever was.  They continue to be attached at the hip and giggle constantly.  Occasionally there are squabbles, but for the most part they are total BFF's.  They are both still doing gymnastics, got baptized, and are wanting to give soccer a shot this spring.

Now on to Liza.  She doesn't turn 2 for another month, but her behavior tells a different story.  She is always up for anything.  She loves to "GO!"  She has the typical 2 year old tantrums down, but for the most part is really sweet and fun.  We all still dote over and adore her. Perks of being the baby of the family.

Trev is super busy with running Lighten Home Health, and adding Hospice; while serving in the Bishopric and being a wonderful husband and father.  He is seriously awesome!

I am a focused and dedicated wife and mother.  I just turned 35 (today!) and am trying to get us all settled into our new home and routine.  I still run, take pictures, and serve in the Young Women's.  

And now I can actually say I blog again too! 

Ha!

Not to end on a sad note, but for those who don't know...after 14 years in our family, we had to put our sweet puppy, Daisy, down right before Christmas.

She was old and her back was rapidly degenerating, causing a lot of pain among other things.  

I don't believe there has ever been a sweeter dog.  She was loyal, friendly (unless you were another dog), and always there to give love.  

We miss our sweet puppy a lot, and frequently walk up the hill behind our home to visit her final resting place.  

On the other hand, we firmly believe she is having a blast chasing Grandpa Lighten's pigeons all around heaven.  It will be a sweet reunion to see her again one day.

We love our sweet Daisy.

Well that gives a little snippet into our lives right now.  I desire to document so much more of it here!

Oh, it sure feels good to be back. :)

Halloween 2015

Halloween has come and gone for 2015 and I have to say I think it was a great success! :)

We started the celebrations with the Lighten Family Halloween party which I blogged about in the last post.

The kids and I had a caramel apple and move night while Trev was in San Diego hanging with his brother, Dan, who is recieving cancer treatments across the border in Mexico.  

Oh, and poor Eliza was sick all week...thus my picture of how she threw up all over me.

It was the perfect time for a night in. :)

Then the kids had all their school festivities which they thoroughly enjoyed, of course.

I will post the parade videos once I figure out how. :)

Finally the BIG day came!  It was on a Saturday so we had lots of time to prep and do my favorite holiday activity...take pictures! :)

The kids used to cringe at this part but I think it is starting to grow on them...

They are actually seeming to like it...or they like the happy mom that comes along with good pictures.  Either way, it works. :)

So here we have it...Halloween 2015 costumes in the Lighten House:

Claire - Greek Goddess (until she threw up all over her dress 5 minutes before leaving to go trick-or-treating.  Then she quickly become a cowgirl.)

"Abby Cat" (who by the way, gets the Sister of the Year award for desiring to stay home with her sick twinster when she could have gone trick-or-treating with the Olders and received A LOT more candy.  She's a gem that one.)

"A Sneaky Burglar" (after being a Greek goddess, and a mime.  Each year this girl can NEVER decide on her costume...just so many options!  I like the final pick the best.)

"A Football Player" (Thank goodness for a neighbor boy that has all the gear.  Oh, and he has not stopped begging to play tackle next year since he put those pads on.  He has been begging for YEARS and I might just cave next season...)

Last but not least...

"Eliza the Skeleton"

This was about the best pictures I could get of this little one.  Poor thing is STILL sick.  She was either in tears or in bed during the picture taking moments. :)

But not to worry, just got her on some antibiotics this morning when her ear infection came charging through.

She should be feeling much better soon.

Trev and I didn't dress up for the actual day but tried to be good sports at the Lighten party.  He was a Cougar Football player and I was a nerd.  We used to dress up.  But then we had 5 kids to dress up.  I still make a small effort for the kids though.  They think it is so fun to see us dress up too. :)  

Once the pictures were complete and it was decided Claire, Eliza, Abby, and I were staying home to trick-or-treat here - Trev headed off to my SIL, Heather's, to let Morgan and Jake go with cousins in a neighborhood that actually has houses.

Ours only has about 10 houses total.

Morgan and Jake both had a blast, got WAY too much candy, and even got to spend the night afterwards with their favorite cousins, Addie and Stone.

Here are the girls heading out for candy after we got Claire all cleaned up.

I started out manning the door, then my sweet neighbor came over to listen for Eliza while I took the girls further up the street.

Only 2 people were home, but luckily a few left bowls of candy on the doorstep.

We were the ONLY trick-or-treaters. :)

They still pulled in a pretty respectable haul given the circumstances.

And Eliza even woke up to help them sort.

Well, that's a wrap!  Until next year. :)

Now on to a month of "Thanks Giving."  Let the Attitudes of Gratitude commence!

"Love Day" 2014 and why we call it that.

"Love Day" - 2014

We call Valentine's "Love Day" around here.  

Why you might ask?

Well, a few years ago I was following one of my favorite bloggers (www.71toes.com), and she coined the term; suggesting that this holiday is a time for ALL to feel and show love, not just those with a "Valentine." 

I have often seen those without a "Valentine" suffer on this day.  How lonely they seem to feel.  In addition, since having kids I have always thought that Valentine's seemed more like a day for them than for Trev and I.  

So when I saw this wise mother changing a simple word to have such inclusive effects; it struck a chord with me.  It is a day to express love to ALL those you love.  Sweetheart, family, friends, God.  Everyone.

So from that time on, Valentine's has been "Love Day" in our home as well.

And I truly LOVE this holiday.  A whole day where you get to think about how to LOVE MORE, those you love already.  A day where you express kind words of appreciation.  A day where sweet acts of heartfelt emotion communicate your soul to others.  A day devoted to love.

There are a few different kinds of love - family love, love for God, friendship love, and romantic love.  All of which can bring joy.  All of which should be celebrated.

One of my favorite things about this holiday is the devoted preparation that goes on around here.

We don't decorate our home a ton, but we do put a lot of time and thought into this type of stuff:

I love seeing the laser-focused faces and listening to the sweet sentiments that come through during Love Day preparations.

Whether it is making cookies for family and friends, studiously writing Valentine's cards for classmates, or even just discussing the different kinds of love at the dinner table - I can see my family's hearts growing.  Isn't that what love always does?  Especially when it is shared...

Oh, how I enjoy that.

Then the big day arrived and here is what I woke up to.

She is the best, seriously.  

Then came the traditional Berry Heart Pancake Breakfast before school.  We went ahead and added wine glasses this year to make it extra fancy.

Then we sent these two off to school.

Morgan pretty in pink, and Jake looking dapper.  Instead of doing a Valentine's Party, J's class had an "Etiquette Luncheon."  He needed to dress up, bring his Valentine's box, and apparently shout from the rooftops his love for the Broncos...even after they lost the Super Bowl.  Pretty badly too.  We are Bronco fans around here.  Through good times and bad.  That is true love folks.

Usually, I would have gone to the school parties to help but took this year off to hang with my matching girls.

Here is how we spent our time together.

We finished off the day with a Heart pizza from Papa Murphy's, Salad, Martinelli's Sparkling Cider, and heart-shaped Fruit Pizza Sugar Cookies for dessert.  All the while talking about how much we love each other and why.

  

We all went to sleep that night feeling gratitude and love. Which is what "Love Day" is really all about.  Happy LOVE Day!