What Da?....

So the girls come in the house and they show me this green thing...A bug? "What kind of bug is it Mom?"- Eliza asked "I don't know, it's just a green bug." - I said, hoping to end the questions there.... "Yeah, but what kind?"-Juliette asked "Well, maybe it is a beetle?"- I said "Ooooh"- the girls said, then James comes in "That is the bug I showed you last night" "Oh, yeah"- I said "I don't think it is a beetle Mom"-James said "Well, fine. I will look it up on the Internet"- I said Ten minutes on the computer and we came up with this: "It is a Thyanta. A type of stink bug" -I said. "But, Mom here in my animal book it says that it is a Palomena Prasina"-James said "What da? So which one is it?"-I said. We are still uncertain as to whether it is a Thyanta or a Palomena Prasina. What baffles me is how quick we were able to find information between the two of us. It was really fun! Now you be the judge and tell us what kind of bug it is...Seriously, give us your opinion! This one is the one the kids found: This one is the Thyanta: And this one is the Palomena:

Thank you Sophia

Sophia has an incredible memory. Once in a while she just tells me the most amazing things. She is a deep thinker, that is for sure. The other day she came up to me in the bathroom, while I was brushing my hair, and she says "Mom I am so happy to be here on this earth". I said to her that I was glad she was too. Then she says" I am glad I chose to follow Jesus". I was stunned by this remark, so I told her that I am glad she chose to do so as well. So, then she says "but I still have a hard time sharing", "We all do sweetie" I said to her. "Yeah, but I have to go to preschool and share Miss Mimi with everyone and I don't like that". I said "Sharing is a hard thing, but it is the right thing to do, and you are very good at doing hard things". "Yeah, I know", she said. "But I still don't have to like it". I had not much to say to her after that. I gave her a hugs and told her how wonderful she is. She then told me that I was too. I just love her, I love her heart and her spirit. All of my kids are so unique, but his one has got my full attention.

A fun weekend of Soccer games...

I was finally able to go to the kids' soccer games this weekend. This first week I had my 15K and then last week Eliza was sick and so I stayed home and Rob did the Soccer thing. I really enjoyed seeing my kids play their favorite sport. It was a bit crazy as I found myself at one point trying to watch three games at the same time. Literally the games overlapped by about 20minutes. So, I missed about 10 minutes of Juliette's, left 10 min. early from James' game and watched Eliza's first 15 minutes, if that makes any sense? Then it was back and forth between Eliza and Juliette's games. I was running from field to field. I would cheer one kid, kiss the other and go on to the next. And it was all so very worth it. James' team tied 4 to 4. He scored this amazing goal and played the whole entire game. Juliette scored 3 goals, and Eliza did an illegal Slide Tackle, impressive (she was very proud of) but ended up hurt for. She played well the first half, but played injured the second half. I was so impressed with all of them. They really put their whole selves into playing the game and being part of a team. I know I complain at times at how crazy life is during the week with running kids around in town, and finding no free time with all that we do, but seeing them play this Saturday made it all worth it. I hope I can remind myself of this feeling as I am about to go do it all again this week!

Look what I stole from Facebook....

This is the only way I am able to see my family and find out what they are up to almost daily now. Just simply go to facebook and see all the fun pictures they have on their profiles and stuff they have to say for that day. Then I take the time to steal any pictures I like and enjoy them at my own pleasure and do whatever I may with them, like blogging them. I do have to share these cute pictures of my Niece Miss D. She is absolutely adorable and just so yummy, see for yourself and be ready to fall in love with her as I have...

P.S My Cousin's Little Daughter is in the pictures as well. She is so cute! My sister Bianca is as beautiful as ever in this picture as well.

Wall-E Drawings...

We love the movie Wall-E. The kids are often talking like Wall-E and saying "Eva". The other day I caught Juliette and Sophia drawing on the dry-erase board. I was pretty impressed with what I saw. I immediately recognized Wall-E and Eve. I just had to share with you how amazing these girls are when it comes to Art.

I thought I was Home Free...

For the last two or three weeks, we have had some kids develop some coughs. James was congested for a while, so I have been taking extra dosages of Vitamin C and eating extra garlic and whatever I could get myself into, to help me maintain a strong immune system. I didn't want to get sick. My Marathon is next week. Eliza spent this last weekend sick at home and then Juliette and Rob began feeling yucky this week. Sophia and I were Home Free, I thought. Last night I started feeling some body aches and having an itchy throat. Today, I feel yucky. I cannot get rid of this itchy throat and body soreness. The sad part is that I have been pretty tough with kids, telling them to not cough so much, and they would tell me that they couldn't help it and that their throat just kept itching...well, now I know how they have been feeling.

P.S. One funny thing we did this week is that we had Eliza wear gloves whenever she got on the computer. She has had the worst cough of any of us. That didn't work!

No Dishwasher still....

It has actually been a great experience for our little family to go without a Dishwasher for over a month now, and it looks like it might be months before we could even get one. At first all the kids hated the thought of having to wash dirty dishes by hand. It was really a CHORE!!! I kept telling them that I grew up washing dishes and I turned out just fine. It builds Character, heeheee! I also shared a Spiritual experience I had while washing dishes, it was about 19 years ago. Seriously, I was having a terrible day, like all teenagers think they do. So, after groaning and complaining to myself, plus I was feeling pretty sorry for myself, I decided I would clean house. My family was gone and it was just me at home. So, as I got busy I felt better, now the spiritual experience came while I was washing dishes and trying to figure out some things I was dealing with. I was talking to my Heavenly Father out loud, and then I felt this hand touch my shoulder. I turned back to see if my family was back and there was no one. I didn't get scared. I immediately felt at peace and comforted. I knew that I had received an answer and that He knew it was just what I needed, to feel better. Life has been great ever since!!! Washing Dishes can do much good to someone's soul! Heeeeheeee! Anyhow, the kids have finally found joy in doing dirty dishes. They think it is fun, especially the littlest ones. Sophia requested that it be one of her daily jobs. I couldn't say No, so she has now been officially assigned to wash the Breakfast dishes every day. She has been loyal and very responsible about it. I love her excitement and interest. It sure makes a huge difference to have a good attitude about a job that can be tedious. At first I was going crazy with the amount of water spilled on the floor and around the sink, as well as the constant running water and soap usage. But, I have established some boundaries and rules, and she is doing a little better. She still manages to get her clothes very wet, even with an apron or towel...but, hey the dishes are getting done and she is doing a great job! Thank you kids for all the dirty dishes you have washed so far. I couldn't of asked for better, more responsible kids. Thanks!

Great Wisdom...Pass it on!

I found an excerpt of this speech online at http://speeches.byu.edu/reader/reader.php?id=7908 Paul declared to the Romans the indispensable need to live our lives by faith, as he says: "For whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). The original word in the Bible for the word sin is hamartia. The word hamartia means "missing the mark," deriving from the sport of archery. In modern English we would probably call it "shooting an air ball." When we do not do everything in our life in faith or, in other words, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, we are missing the mark. We are off target. When we are off target, we will not feel the confidence and joy and power of the Holy Spirit, and, therefore, we will have to learn to direct our desires toward repentance--we must change to bring us back on target. In my humble understanding, it can be said that there are only two elements that separate us from the Holy Spirit: First, our lack of desire to repent, and, second, our lack of desire to forgive. Under the influence of the Light of Christ, we can empower our lives to the awareness of our most important needs. We must ask for the Holy Ghost to be with us, as the Nephites asked in 3 Nephi 19:9: "And they did pray for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them." In the time of my membership in the Church, I have grown to understand that this is the most important priority in our lives. When we are filled with the Holy Spirit we will not sin. We will be filled with wisdom, and we will be able to have the fruits to heal the wounds of the afflicted and to build a community of Saints. It is also obvious that without constant efforts, it will be very difficult to always be focused on our most righteous desires. Therefore, I want to share with you a vehicle, an instrument, that I developed some time ago for myself and for my family. It can assist us to reach our focus as we read the suggested vision of true discipleship as a Latter-day Saint. It helps when, from time to time, we ponder and seek identification with the following thoughts: * Embrace this day with an enthusiastic welcome, no matter how it looks. The covenant with God to which you are true enables you to become enlightened by him, and nothing is impossible for you. * When you are physically sick, tired, or in despair, steer your thoughts away from yourself and direct them, in gratitude and love, toward God. * In your life there have to be challenges. They will either bring you closer to God and therefore make you stronger, or they can destroy you. But you make the decision of which road you take. * First and foremost, you are a spirit child of God. If you neglect to feed your spirit, you will reap unhappiness. Don't permit anything to detract you from this awareness. * You cannot communicate with God unless you have first sacrificed your self-oriented natural man and have brought yourself into the lower levels of meekness, to become acceptable for the Light of Christ. * Put all frustrations, hurt feelings, and grumblings into the perspective of your eternal hope. Light will flow into your soul. * Pause to ponder the suffering Christ felt in the Garden of Gethsemane. In the awareness of the depth of gratitude for him, you appreciate every opportunity to show your love for him by diligently serving in his Church. * God knows that you are not perfect. As you suffer about your imperfections, he will give you comfort and suggestions of where to improve. * God knows better than you what you need. He always attempts to speak to you. Listen, and follow the uncomfortable suggestions that he makes to us--everything will fall into its place. * Avoid any fear like your worst enemy, but magnify your fear about the consequences of sin. * When you cannot love someone, look into that person's eyes long enough to find the hidden rudiments of the child of God in him. * Never judge anyone. When you accept this, you will be freed. In the case of your own children or subordinates, where you have the responsibility to judge, help them to become their own judges. * If someone hurts you so much that your feelings seem to choke you, forgive and you will be free again. * Avoid at all cost any pessimistic, negative, or criticizing thoughts. If you cannot cut them out, they will do you harm. On the road toward salvation, let questions arise but never doubts. If something is wrong, God will give you clarity but never doubts. * Avoid rush and haste and uncontrolled words. Divine light develops in places of peace and quiet. Be aware of that as you enter places of worship. * Be not so much concerned about what you do, but do what you do with all your heart, might, and strength. In thoroughness is satisfaction. * You want to be good and to do good. That is commendable. But the greatest achievement that can be reached in our lives is to be under the complete influence of the Holy Ghost. Then he will teach us what is really good and necessary to do. * The pain of sacrifice lasts only one moment. It is the fear of the pain of sacrifice that makes you hesitate to do it. * Be grateful for every opportunity to serve. It helps you more than those you serve. * And finally, when you are compelled to give up something or when things that are dear to you are withdrawn from you, know that this is your lesson to be learned right now. But know also that, as you are learning this lesson, God wants to give you something better. I think at this time it seems appropriate to ask the question "Do I really think it's possible for us, as human beings, to be always, in a complete way, under the influence of the Holy Spirit?" My answer is without hesitation, "No, it is not." It is not given to us to live in this world and to be without sin. Created by God in a spiritual body, but living with a body of flesh and bone in this unexalted and fallen state, we become polluted. We will not always be able to understand and comprehend the sinister plans of the adversary in his fight to destroy us and to make us as miserable as he is. But when we are constantly aware of this fight and we let the Light of Christ help us stand in our responsibilities, we may be able to stay on this narrow path where we will see, with clarity, that we are lost without the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although it is not possible to be perfect as long as we are in this earthly state, we still have to be perfect in keeping the commandments of our covenants. We are assisted in this situation by our living prophets, who suggest to us to have, at least once a year, an interview with our bishop. During this interview we can establish that we are in harmony with the covenants we have made with the living God. When we are in such a way perfected and are eligible to go in his holy house, the temple, we have the promise that Jesus Christ will take upon him the rest and we can rejoice in being cleansed through his redeeming blood every day of our lives. Our soul will sing to the praise of his name, and our hearts will be so full that we cannot be quiet but will share and testify of the reality of this work and the power in it. Thus, we prepare all the days of our lives, and, as we grow, death loses its sting, hell loses its power, and we look forward to that day with anticipation and joy when he will come in his glory. My dear brothers and sisters, let us learn to rejoice. As one of the fruits of the Spirit, rejoice in the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and the power that is in our life. Understand the magnitude and the vastness of it. Let us be reverent in learning and listening. As we do so, we may become aware that we still are in the beginning phases of the Lord's marvelous work, which one day will fill the whole earth. I give you my witness that I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that God lives, that Jesus is the Christ, that this is truly his work, and that when we take the liberation that comes from Christ and choose right, and choose eternal life, and choose that the Holy Spirit will always be with us, we will be able to live our lives in dignity and in virtue and rejoice every day in our lives. I give you this testimony and my blessing, and I do so in humility as your servant, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

What Matters Most...

The War in Heaven on Earth...

#9 The Big One...20 miles!!! I survived....

So I ventured bravely out into the big road on Northshore to run my very first big run ever (a 20 miler) this morning as part of my Marathon training. The weather could not have been more perfect. I ran about 8.7 miles alone and met Rob and some friends at Bloedel Park to run another 6.3 miles with them. I borrowed a fanny-pack from a friend, which came in handy, but felt odd at first to run with. At about the 12th-13th mile I could feel that I needed some umph, so I dare to swig down (slowly) my first caffeinated (10mg) GU, chocolate flavor. It was actually pretty yummy and it didn't upset my stomach. I had been eating some power gels and drinking electrolytes, so this was a fun change. At mile 15 I said my goodbyes and headed into town to meet Rob at the Gym where I would complete my 20 miles. At this point I felt a second-wind kick in and I was running at a faster pace than I have been training the last four weeks. I just had a sudden burst of energy. I really think that the GU stuff worked. By the time I finished my run and stopped I felt like my legs were still going. I was laughing with Rob and telling him that I could just keep running, I felt so hyper. Can you imagine what a cup of Coffee would do to me? I am glad I don't drink that stuff. I really felt like I had just ran on the treadmill and had gotten off and I was still going. You know that feeling? I also compared it to when you hold a pup over water and its little legs paddle. Have you seen that? My legs just wanted to keep going. It was so funny! I know what I will be taking during my race for sure. This stuff worked for me. Although I felt a little guilty taking it at first, but it is only for the race. I need all the extra help I can get, besides just prayers...I am so thankful to be able to do this. I have never ran this much in my life and it feels great! I pray the Lord continues to bless me with this ability and I can keep running until I am old, too old to run! At about 99 years old sounds about right! Heeheeee! I finally feel more confident that I can run this Marathon. I can do it! I ran 20 miles in 3 hours 37 min and 15 seconds. My goal was to do it in 4 hours. Not too bad, huh?! Thank you Rob, Jill and Jony for running part of it with me. Thank you Jony for your encouragement and motivation when I was lacking UMPH! Thank you Rob for all your stops to give me to drink and feed me bananas. You are just wonderful and so very supportive. I am mostly grateful to you for getting all the kids ready for school this morning and taking Sophia to Preschool. Thank you for the delicious smoothie you made me, for the two hour nap you encouraged me to take and for taking the kids to Soccer practice. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You spoil me. You are my best friend and I'm also very blessed to have you in my life. Thanks for your selflessness, unconditional love and friendship. Life just gets better with you in it!

#8 Saying Good Bye is always so hard....

We said Good-bye to Grandma and Grandpa yesterday before going to Church. They wanted to head out to Pasco to celebrate Great-Grandma Gulliver's 84th B-day or 85th? Anyhow, it was hard to say good-bye, especially for Juliette who cried in the car on the way to church after we left. We just don't know when we will ever get to visit with Rob's parents again. I mean, it had been 4 years since Rob's Dad had come and he had not yet met Sophia. This was the first time. It is difficult to travel these days. It is very expensive for us to fly out a family of 6. Anyhow, we enjoyed visiting with them and we can't wait to meet with them again! Hopefully it will not take another 4 years to see them. Thank you Mom and Dad for your visit, we loved having you here and it was such a delight to have you. Thanks for all the minor jobs/repairs done around the house.

#7 It is Always Funner to Run with Friends...

Every year for the last 5 years I have participated in a local race called "Fairhaven Waterfront 15K Race". Last year was the only year I ran it alone and it was no Fun! So, this year I was determined to con a few friends into running 9.3 miles with me. Whatever I did, worked! Three of my running friends from running group ran the race with me and then my friend Tyrene from Puyallup joined in, after driving over two hours from Puyallup that morning before the race began at 8:30am. WOW! It was Jennie's first 15K race and she did fabulous. Jill and Amy really ran their hardest and finished the race in their best times (under 9:30 min per mile) Tyrene was awesome keeping up with us. She ran alongside Jennie and I for most of the way, and we were running a pretty good pace of under 10minutes per mile. I think I ran my fastest this year. At least it felt like I did. I just have to remember not to take that last hill of the race so darn fast. I got a cramp again, just like last year and I struggled for the last little bit, but I finished strong just like I like it. I probably could of set a PR. for myself. But, I am pretty Happy! Besides the best part about running it this year was the fact that I ran it with friends. Thank you Jill for signing me up, it was the best b-day present this year. thank you Amy, Jennie and Tyrene for running it with me. I hope we can do it all again next year! You girls are the best. You are all an inspiration and such a motivation to me!

#6 Our Friends the Hartsell's come to visit....

On Saturday we had the pleasure of having our friends the Hartsell's from Puyallup come visit us. Tyrene ran the 15k with me earlier that Saturday (will blog about it next). Brian Hartsell is Rob's old roommate from BYU. They have known each other for over 16 years. We were excited to hear that they had moved to Puyallup, Wa. this last March. They are such wonderful friends. They also lived in O'Fallon, Il. where Rob's parents live, for about 4 years and so it was a double visit for them. We had a great time, although we had to cut our visit short because we got called in to go see our Stake president for some Stake business. They were gone by the time we got back. Oh, in case you are wondering, Rob just got called to be the new Counselor in the Y.M. Presidency. He is really excited to serve the youth and work with the Youth Leaders in our Stake. The calling is very flexible, so he will be able to do what he can when he can. We are so excited for him. James will be joining the Young Men's program this November, so these two will be able to enjoy some quality and quantity time doing church things together. Anyhow, our visit was spent mostly at the Lake. It looks like everyone had a great time. We hope we can have the Hartsell's come back again, and this time we told them to bring their tent. Thank you for coming Brian, Tyrene and family. We just love you guys!

#5 Dinner at Red Robin's...

We were spoiled rotten by Grandpa. He took us all out to eat at Red Robin's to celebrate Mom's, His and Rob's b-day. We had a wonderful time. The food was great! Thank you Grandpa!

#4 Let the Soccer season begin...

Thank you Rob and Grandparents for taking the kids to their Soccer games while I ran my 15K. The kids really enjoyed having you there. Thanks Mom for all the pictures and support. The kids had a good start for the season. Although, James' team lost, they still had a great time. I am not looking forward to not being able to sleep in on Saturdays, but it sure is worth it. The kids love to play Soccer and they are very good at it. I enjoy watching them and thrive on their excitement and enthusiasm. P.S James is #10, Eliza is #48 and Juliette is #26 this year.

#3 A trip to Mt. Baker...Artist's Point

We couldn't resist taking Grandma and Grandpa T. to see Mt. Baker. The day we went it was 78 degrees, just perfect. The drive there was beautiful and enjoyable. Sophia had all four of us fully focused on her since the rest of the kids were in school. She really thrives on days like these. Anyhow, we drove up to Artist's point Trail and enjoyed a 2 mile hike. The view was incredible. The trail was beautiful and we just had a great time together enjoying the amazing things the Lord has created for us to enjoy on this earth. Sophia was so dang independent she did not want to hold anyone's hand for about half the time. She gave us a couple of scary moments. Then on the way down she enjoyed some good old-fashioned horse back-riding on Grandpa's shoulders and then on Daddy! We also had a picnic in our usual place near the river banks. This is where we always stop for a picnic each time we go to Mt. Baker. It is our tradition to walk this trail each year. We were happy to share this day with Rob's parents. Thank you Grandpa for driving us there and back! P.S We did stop and get some ice cream cones on the way home...Sophia was excited to find out that they had Bubble Gum ice cream, her favorite! P.S #2...the slide show pictures are a little out of order. But, you get the idea. Thanks for viewing them!

#2 Grandpa and Grandma visit Victoria, Canada...

Rob's parents decided to take a day trip to Victoria, Canada during their visit here. They were really looking forward to touring the "Butchart Gardens". Rob's Mom is a wonderful and very talented gardener. She know so much about flowers and plants and gardening, she is just a wealth of knowledge. Anyhow, they took the Ferry to the Island, and it took them about three hours to tour the Gardens. They did take some time to drive around Victoria as well. We enjoyed viewing all of their pictures of the gardens and it just made me want to go. I'm determined to make it one of our places to visit as a family next Summer. Thanks for sharing your pictures and adventure with us Grandma and Grandpa T. I am glad you had a wonderful time.

Here comes a bunch of Posts...#1 Grandma Tobler makes Arepas.

There is so much to share with you all. I hope you can be patient and have the time to enjoy each one of our posts and see what we have been up to.

Post #1. Grandma Tobler learns to make Arepas:

This one I know my Mom will be so proud of. One night the kids decided they wanted to share one of their favorite foods with Grandma and Grandpa Tobler. Arepas are made of grounded up white corn. All you add is water and salt to the taste. Then you make them into balls, flatten them and cook them on a pan. They can be eaten plain or you can slice them in the middle and fill them with just about anything. Then dip them in our home made pink fry sauce. This is a staple food in Venezuela. The only thing I have brought into the family from my culture.

Anyhow, Rob's Mom was very willing to make some and she did a fabulous job for her first time, they were perfect. Rob is still trying to perfect them, heeeheee, when he makes them. They were a success and we sent the Grandparents home with 4 packages so that they can make some when they go back home. Thank you Grandma T. for a wonderful Dinner!

Grandparents to the rescue...

Having Rob's parents here has been a delight. They are so good with house stuff, like repairs, and are just so very helpful. They took the time to teach us how to fix some things around our house that needed obvious fixing and that were very simple and quick to do. Grandma Tobler painted our main bathroom light green. It looks great now. Grandpa did a lot of stuff and taught us how to fix and clean out things. It was a great day for this kind of stuff since it was raining on and off all day. I love it when our parents come to visit. They are so helpful and so very willing to teach us stuff. Thanks to my Mom and Dad and to Rob's parents for your great attitude towards work and service. You set such a great example to all of us of love and selflessness. We love you all! Grandma also cut James' hair. He doesn't want Rob cutting it any more. So, Grandma gave him a little trim. He looks so much better. Then, Juliette had a lose tooth. Grandma twisted the tooth a bit and it really made it loser. Then grandpa tried to talk to her about pulling it out, but she was so scared. Then he said he didn't want to be the bad guy and pull it out, so he handed over the responsibility to Rob. Juliette was so dramatic about the whole thing. Funny girl! As if she has never lost a tooth before. She lost one two weeks ago and she pulled it out herself during church. Go figure? Anyhow, Rob pulled it out and boy did it bleed good! I am so glad that was over with. She didn't want anything to do with the tooth until Eliza reminded her about the Tooth-Fairy (who is a very forgetful Fairy as well as a procrastinator, it took her over a week to get the last tooth). She forgot last night. Anyhow, we have more plans for the next three days. Rob got some days off, the kids have their first Soccer games and I have a 15K race. Fun!!