Stuck inside. Resorted to on-line shopping.

And it paid off. I have been looking for something BIG enough for my front entry and I love this map of Manhattan. It's one of those things from our house that I hope my kids fight for when Dave and I are old. The kid who lives long enough in The City gets it.

Thatcher Family Reunion 2011

Dave and I were in charge of the Thatcher Family Reunion this year. This is a daunting task when there are ten kids in Dave's immediate family and 31 grandchildren. We choose to go to Southern Alberta, Canada where Dave's mom grew up. We quickly enlisted Dave's mom to help, who then quickly enlisted her siblings who still live in Canada to help. This proved to be a huge stroke of luck for us, as they pretty much took over planning of the reunion and it ended up to be one of the most amazing trips ever. We were there for five days and each moment was packed from sun-up to sundown (the sun didn't got down until midnight each night so we really packed it in). We stayed in a lodge that fit ALL OF US. We left happy, dirty, exhausted and with plans to return as soon as possible.

Day One: We arrived to breath-taking Canada via Great Falls, Montana, which was eye-popping as well. We went straight to the Smith Family Reunion (at my mother-in-law, Linda's, mom's family home) and couldn't resist right after heading to the ranch were Linda grew up. The kids quickly found the kitties in the barn which basically MADE their trip.

Day Two: The Hutterite colony and the family rodeo. I was thinking a couple of horses and us looking like rodeo clowns on them, but this was the real deal. We still looked like clowns, but they had barrel racing, mutton busting, steer wrestling (yep, Dave was the first to wrestle one to the ground--so proud), and tons of games on and off the horses for the kids.

Day Three: The Reeder Ranch walking tour. This is the home where Linda grew up and the hills she worked and played in as a kid. It was sensational roaming the fields in search of each mapped out station where Linda's family shared stories and mementos from their childhood. After, we went to Linda's family's summer home for a bonfire. It has been ruined by vandals through the years, but the property was stunning. This happened to be my birthday too and Heavenly Father gave me an incredible gift. When we drove into Canada we kept passing these lush, green pastures dotted with wild flowers. After seeing them, I knew before I left Canada I had to go and pick wild flowers with my girls, but as the days progressed we just never found the time. On day three I thought to myself that I could get up at 6am the next day, have Dave watch Baby D and take the girls out to make sure it happened. God had a bigger plan for me though because while we were at Linda's family's summer home Linda took us on a short tour to the higher pastures, Dave's sister, Angie, disappeared with Baby D, and Dave, me and the girls got lost for an hour picking wildflowers in the setting sun. The fields were spectacular--the prettiest I have ever seen. And I just thought this is one of those moments I will remember forever.

Day Four: Hiking to Crandall Lake in Glacier National Park, horse back riding and a family get together at the lodge with target shooting included.

Day Five: Exploring Wateron and more of Glacier.

Special shout out to MaRea, Dave's very talented sis, who took all of the good photos I posted. The rest were iPhone photos which were all I could manage wearing the baby the whole time (who also deserves a special shout out for being the BEST traveler ever).

I'm pretty much becoming an Italian mother with this one.

When I was pregnant with Claire I would sing to her over and over "You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin. It was her song. I just loved thinking about the lyrics,

When by soul was in the lost and found
you came along to claim it.
I didn't know just what was wrong with me
till your kiss helped me name it.
Now I'm no longer doubtful of what I'm living for
and if I make you happy I don't need to do more.

Then Kennedy came along and a new song came to mind, "I Can't Help Falling in Love with You"--Elvis's song, but that great version from Ingrid Michaelson. I still sing it to her when it is just us.

Take my hand
take my whole life, too
for I can't help falling in love with you.

I was a little obsessed with spinning when I was pregnant with Baby D, and during class they always played a pop song that would make me think of my boy and awkwardly bring tears to my eyes. Picture this: very pregnant lady, bouncing on stationary bike while singing out loud/crying = not pretty. I kept trying to find another song for him because it was a little too rambunctious for my liking, plus the lyrics are about love and loss, not really applicable to my wee one or the makings for a good baby lullaby. But now I know how fitting it is for my fun, flirtatious, smiley little guy. It's by Nelly, "Just a Dream". My favorite part?

I was thinking about [him]
thinking bout me
thinking bout us
what we gunna be

A few lines later, followed by:

If you ever loved somebody put your hands up
If you ever loved somebody put your hands up

Got that mental image again? Add to it fist pumping in the air. And yes, that is how my little guy still makes me feel.

Paci Send-Off Part Deux

Inspired by the success of the first paci send-off, last month, Kennedy kissed all of her pacis good-bye. We followed the same model we used for Claire and started by prepping Kennedy verbally for a few weeks by telling her that her binks were going to go up, up, up to Heaven. We then held a party complete with helium balloons for the official transport of the pacifiers. When the big day finally arrived we all went outside and Dave tied Kennedy's pacis to the balloons one-by-one.

We then gave Kennedy the chance to get one last quick suck in and then she was able to launch them off herself. There were some tense moments when Kens took her paci and the attached balloon and ran. It took her a few minutes to come back to us ready to say good-bye. When she did ultimately let go she would cheer and jump, surrounded by her family doing the same. She felt so proud, but was often tenuous as well.

Our last set of balloons were a little overwhelmed by the final cluster of pacis and they slowly took flight and then were snagged on a power line. Kens stood speechless staring at them and I worried that the daily reminder of her snagged paci could really undermine the send-off. Dave sent our nephew to get his BB gun to try to shot the balloons down, but miraculously it un-snagged and took flight.

Kennedy has handled her binks good-bye really well. She cried for them a few times in the first few days after the launch and replayed the footage on my phone of the send-off for an hour straight several days in a row, until she accidentally deleted it (really sad day for nostalgic mom and dad). I know it may seem like a little thing, but I was so proud of Kennedy's bravery and the time she took to process out the bittersweet big change.

April 24th, 2011

On Easter Sunday, our little David received his baby blessing in church. I love hearing Dave bless our babies. I feel like by the time they are blessed that I have am beginning to get an idea of who they are and I love to see this captured in the blessing and to hear the little surprises about what's to be as well. All of the Thatcher brothers, Brent, Mark and Paul, my brother Aaron and Dave's father were in the circle. Dave gave a beautiful, inspired blessing. He must have been pretty nervous though because this is the first blessing where I have seen the father forget to take the baby to the circle. When they announced that it was time for the baby blessing, Dave and those people we had asked to be in the circle went to the front of the congregation. Dave was busy organizing everyone into the circle and just forgot the little man of the hour. I held him aloft so that Dave would remember him and he rushed back to get him just in time.

Dave gave David Hezekiah his name and blessed him with:

Knowledge and curiosity to learn about where his name comes from
Understanding that he is blessed and loved of the Lord
Awareness that the strength he will possess throughout life comes through God
A clear mind
An active mind
The ability make logical decisions in combination with spiritual decisions
A body that will be healthy and strong and serve him well
The ability to watch over his sisters and defend and protect them in all situations
A desire to search the scriptures, to learn from them and love them
An understanding that the truths he finds in the scriptures will protect him from evil and wrong doing and guide him throughout his life

The little surprise? that baby David would watch over and defend his sisters. It made me love him all the more to think that my junior would look out for his elder sisters in life. This is a trait that I didn't even realize in my own brothers until the Lord blessed my son with it and now recognized I can't imagine a better quality. I can't wait to see all these attributes develop and for Baby D to learn these gifts can and are his for the taking as he learns to love the Lord.

Happy Mother's Day

Dear Mom,

The summer I turned 18 was a difficult one. I had just graduated from High School and you and dad had just separated. My best friend, Siobhan, who was was living with us my whole senior year had also just returned to Australia. I was preparing to go away to BYU-H and was in so many ways in between worlds. I was feeling a lack of center and wondering if things would ever be the same. One very ordinary day, toward the end of the summer something magical happened.

My friends, Rebekah, Anna and Chun, came over to dinner that night along with Ian's best friend Kyle. Between you, me, my three younger brothers and our four friends, we had quite a full table. You made dinner—fried chicken and scones (yes, I am a living testament to the fact that you once deep fried foods and we, including you, loved it). We all sat around first eating and then talking and laughing for the longest time. At one point, I looked around the table and realized that I was happy and although some things had changed so many things were still the same. I felt taken care of. I felt accepted. I felt loved. I felt pampered. I felt comfortable with my friends in my home. I felt welcome. I felt surrounded. I felt washed over in blessedness. I felt family. It was all so wonderful, because amidst my summer of changes, without ever spelling it out to myself, I had wondered if I would ever feel these emotions again, or at least wondered if I would ever feel them all at the same time.

As if to punctuate my Aha! moment and the virtual deluge of genuine happiness in the room, and afternoon thunder storm started. We sat at the table listening to overpowering booms and saw flashes of light out the windows. At some point, the house must have been hit by lightening because a fairly large spark flashed down the light fixture at the dinner table and blew out the light. Even during this surge of electricity we all sat at ease continuing tell stories and laugh—you even told a funny story about dad. I again felt the electricity of family and had one of those strange out of body/in body experiences where you are watching a room with you in it. I took a mental picture looking down on us and all our homespun happiness.

Now I am a mother, I look at this night so differently. I realize that this night happened because you facilitated it. You orchestrated that feeling in our home and in our life by the way you treat your children and others. Not only during that dinner when I was an 18 year old, but now. I also know that to really orchestrate "family" you have to be present and in the moment, not just here and again, but virtually all the time. You have to put yourself second, and sometimes third. You have to power through difficult days and choose happiness.

Mom, this Mother's Day I am so grateful for your sacrifices and for always making sure that our home is a place where love is found. I am truly blessed to have you in my life, always and forever.

Love,

Tara

Mothers who found forgiveness

There is a lot that we as mother's can do to teach peace and to live peace this is a wonderful start.