Festivus

I made up another Holiday! :)

Right now? At this time of year with 5 birthdays and the 3 other holidays going on?? Why on earth would I do such a thing??

Ok, I should move it to July, but I do it on New Years Eve. Except, we did it tonight. :)

Here is what Festivus is to us and why we do it....

I did not take any pictures because it was one of those nights that I just soaked up the feelings and enjoyed my children and family. 

  I invented this holiday because I wanted to teach my children that it's so amazing to look at the new year with new goals and a fresh start. When people look at the new goals, so many look at their last year thinking of so many things they did wrong or so many things they should have, would have, yada yada. I know we need to do that to an extent to find out our new goals, but I wanted to show them that they can focus on the things they did awesome and only they could do better at in their year. I just want to take every opportunity to tell them how much they are loved and how with hard work, they can become people to be proud of. 

  Each child gets a gift that expresses something about them. We start with the youngest and before they open their gift, we go around the room youngest to oldest and then mom and dad, to tell that child what we love about them and what we think they did great at this past year and what they have improved on this past year. We only say positive things and stay away from facts ie. Isabel is the oldest and she has a red shirt on. hhaaha. We did need to skip a kid a few times and come back because they are normal kids that only thought of the fight they had with the other earlier today (haha) but, that is to be expected and they find something to say that is great and good feelings are exchanged. Isabel always has to wait to the last one to have the kids tell her their love and support and then to open the gift. Tonight the spirit is so loving and wonderful so I of course cried and laughed a lot while watching their faces tell each other they loved each other. We all just love each other more and feel this unity that I wish we had all the time in the house, but that got us through the night with no fights or whining. :)  

So, when you see my vinyl "This is my idea of Heaven" in my playroom (which is usually a Barbie explosion) it's because I feel that my home has to be the closest thing to heaven I have on earth. :) It's because of those moments I had tonight. 

For God so Loved the World, He sent His only Begotten Son

I am teaching my lesson in Sunday School and this is a video I am showing the youth. I have watched it 10 times and I still cry and I still find more amazing things in it. We are so lucky to know of Christ and to celebrate his birth. I have a testimony of Jesus Christ. I love Him and feel His love for me. I know He loves all of us. That makes me very happy.

A fun Jumbo Dot Lime Dress for the Holidays on my shop! :)

out of space??

So, I've exceeded my upload pictures quota for my blog. Does anyone know a quick and easy way of figuring out how I can carry on uploading pictures? I just do not have the time to read everything I have to do to post more.
I can not even change my header! Crazy!

Update:
Ok, so today ( days later) I tried to update my header and it totally deleted my old header. Sad stuff. :(
I am determined to figure this out! :)

Another Update:
I had to delete a slide show and just give the link code for it instead and that gave me some more room and some more time to figure out what to do next. 

Funny Boys

      Disclaimer: This may not be funny to you, but I think it's still funny, so that's why I write it here.

         Chris and I were coming home from a date (Sushi! YAY for Sushi! I love the stuff now. I tried the right combos and started loving it! :) Chris is ecstatic!) and we were getting out of the car. Chris stopped me and said he needed to talk first. I stopped and looked at him sincerely.  He looked into my eyes and said with the calmest, most sincere voice, "Leslie, I wanted to tell you something important that you need to hear. You don't have unlimited time and you can't do everything." 

         I BURST out laughing. One of those Julia Roberts laughs that brings tears to your eyes, an ache in your side and no sign of ending. After laughing for a good few mins and finally looked up back to him to see he was relived I did not take the news badly. He kinda helped me into the house because I was laughing so hard I could barely walk. The girls and Gabe heard my nutzo laughter and came running to see what was so funny. Through my laughter I told them what daddy said. Gabe looked at me really weird and said with a straight face, "I don't get it." Isabel said, "What do you mean? She can do everything!" All the girls chimed in and agreed with Iz. Now I was really laughing worrying I would pee my pants. 

        Chris said, "Look around Gabe! See all this. Take a good look and learn from this right now! This is how girls, especially these girls (being raised by your mom) feel about "everything". Guys just dont think the same way as girls!" We were all laughing now. It was fun to have that "teaching" moment.  I think my kids think I am a weird mom, but now I have more things they can tell their therapist when they are older. :) HA!

 YAY for trying to do everything and always wishing there was more time in one day to do it all in! :)
Which reminds me... I need to start preserving apples for the year asap. 

Ahhh Shoot!! I found this and obviously a girl made this sign, but I am positive a guy said it. :) It might be true. 

Might!

Good and Plenty

A little tip....

If you sneak a treat into a quiet meeting with just 200ish grown ups, in your husband's suit pocket, 

make sure you can not hear it when you drop half the box on the hardwood floor. 

Just say'n. 

Forgiveness

I was strengthened with the October Message in the Ensign this morning. It's about forgiveness and how that is key to happy families and may I add any relationship. :) I know our family is better when we don't hang on to past offenses. I see it happen every day with our little ones. I know I can be better at forgiveness  but sometimes it is really hard. I love the Youth section about the girl that prayed after the argument with her mom. She started her prayer with thanking Heavenly Father first, then addressed the problem she really had. I guess I am at a youth level spiritually sometimes because I learned a lot from that too. That will be changing the way I pray. :) I am so happy we are not alone here.We are all in the same boat trying to get to the same place.   God really does love me personally, and you personally. :)
YAY! Have a wonderful day!

Family Pictures 2012

YAY! My amazing friend Jessica Randall took our pictures again! If you are ever in Twin Falls, Idaho... Go to her! :) She and I have a symbiotic relationship. :) I do sewing for her and try to give her bread attacks. :) But the pictures she gives me.. I can never do. She has her own style that is just fabulous! :) THANK YOU JESSICA!

SO, to all the grandparents that have been hearing about this alleged photo shoot, I present...

The Lheron Family 2012

 In search for a great picture spot. I decided I wanted a tree lined path.  Why?
I have this deep sense of journey for our family. The journey has had it all. Ups, downs, despair, heart break, unity and utter complete joy and lets not forget perfection. I feel like we are still on a path. We will always be on a path. That is what families do. We keep going. We have come so far and we still have so much to go. But, there is life in our lives, just like the trees! Life as in... living! We are living our life! YAY! And so, our family motto can still go on.... Why Limit the Fun? :)

Sesame Street is so fun some days! :)

Camping Summer 2012

We are really sad we only got to go camping once this summer, but maybe we can go again on the next non crazy weekend.

In my own humility I post these. :)
I wish I had more of the girls singing... :)That would be a treat! Instead, these are uuummm, me singing to the kids.See, if I look directly into the camera, the girls see them later and think I am still singing to them. :) Win Win.

I kept running out of room on my camera and so that is why all of my videos were cut off. HA!! I am a dork. I never remember to empty the camera to the computer before I go on a trip. So, that means I miss recording totally adorable events like Bea singing a cute song. :( oh well, all I can say is I can try harder! :)

BE OK

Another song we are obsessed with. Actually, that entire CD of Be Ok by Ingrid Is hot dog awesome. While we had many visitors here this summer, Max, my nephew, said, This is a great Morning Song! :) YAY Max! I dont know if he really enjoyed all the crazy dancing in the kitchen while this song played, but, I loved his comment! :)

I am obsessed with this song....

I might be doing something right!

So, the other day it hit me like a ton of bricks... maybe I really am doing something right in the way I raise the kids! Oh, I should say WE, because Chris and I as a team are really the only way these little people are here in the first place. I have always just beat myself up at needing to do even more even better at my parenting. I know that Chris does this to some degree, but I can't speak for him right now. We are pretty laid back, but have guidelines that the family runs by. I know I am pretty free spirited and I know my kids certainly are as well. If you drive by the house and see 2 tan naked toddlers running around the front yard... dont be alarmed. HA! I try to keep them clothed and contained, but seriously... I am sidetracked.....Anyway... I was having one of those moments that I was talking to my sister Jo about child rearing and wondering if I should be doing something different. I suddenly thought of Isabel. I think this girl is like the best parts of Christmas Morning. She is awesome. I really enjoy being around her. I know that sounds weird coming from a mother, but any of you that have lots of kids and have older ones, totally understand what I am talking about. I want to be up late talking with her, she is funny, she is a good friend. She just is great. I could go on and on. I shaped this person. She came with her own stuff that I had nothing to do with, but I did something right! I know I have a long way to go with her as teenage hood has really just begun, but I will try to do my best and not let her down, or the other amazing 4 kids I have. I will try to be the best mom they can have! Oh Heck Yah! (Insert a Chris Cheer here!) (oh, you know what I am talking about if you've heard it. You are never the same again after! hahah!) Yay for getting to be parents and raising good people!! 

Gabe's Cycle of Life project

I was looking through some pictures for my etsy shop and found these and was laughing so I had to share. (even though I need to be sewing! haha!)

Last school year, 5th Grade, Gabe had to make a Cycle of Life poster for School. I LOVE the kid's charter school!! :)

Gabe is an amazing artist on lots of levels. He went right to work on this poster with a pen and never had a messed up spot AND was done in about 45min. He did color this later, but I did not get a shot of that. The reason why I love this poster is because it really does show his personality here. Most of the other kids cut out pictures from a magazine or off the computer, but he went to town with his imagination. I heart imagination!

Birth (with a binki) 

Infant (crawling like a cat!)

Toddler ( silly tight shirt with diaper and heli hat, dimple chin) 

all of that makes me laugh...

Child ( "Steve", Gabe's mohawk hair. Yes, he named his hair-do long ago. His glasses, his cool bracelet Granny made him with a dog tag saying CTR on it. Cool. OH! and his shirt... "Have a Day". funny)

Adolescence ( Steve is still present, glasses, weird cartoon character Troll he draws always but on this shirt and cool bracelet. But has starts of facial hair that probably took weeks to grow and he has a car. Because that is all kids that age care about is driving. hahah!)

Adulthood ( Steve is bigger now and he now has a real beard. His Tshirt is Dr. Pepper because by the time you are an adult, you can drink that with out your mom nagging you not to touch the stuff. HA!)

Old Age (Steve will always be with him. Tshirt will say "Death Is Coming" for the world to see every day. And, who doesnt love the cane.)

Death (RIP Gabe A Lheron. Has Steve scalp on his grave to remind all of his cool hair. The roses are there with a sign "Not" because the people that leave that will say they leave the roses out of obligation vs love.)

Heaven (turns out he did get to keep his hair to it's glorified state! And got his wings! :) YAY!)

All of it together

I love this guy. He is becoming a kid I always want to be around. :) YAY!

BYU Idaho Education Week 2012

Chris and I met at Ricks College. The college turned into BYU Idaho in 2001ish. haha. I dont exactly remember. We try to go back there to Rexburg, Idaho on occation. It brings back loads of memories of my time with Chris and also with my friends and family that I interacted with there. Its like a swarm of events memories in my brain as I walk through all the grounds of the campus. Many things have changed and have GROWN, but it's still amazing to feel all those things.
Now we have a reason to go to Ricks... I mean BYUI every summer together! Education week is an amazing event! We went in 2009. If you ever get to go, DO IT! It's like an EFY for grown ups! They actually do have youth classes for 14 to 18 and the youth have a dance and or activities too! I want to take Isabel and Tessa next year! That will be awesome for them! :)

WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT GRANNY!! THANK YOU THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE KIDS FOR 4 DAYS!!!!

The thing I learned mostly was this..... The more I learn about the Gospel, The more I know, I know nothing about the Gospel! HA!!
I also got a feeling of urgency that there is no more room for error from my life and family! I have got to be the best I can be! :) How cool is that! It actually made me feel kinda panic-ish at first, but then I felt like... HOW COOL! I get to try to be the best I can be and become the person I know God wants me to be with all the things HE has given me! YAY!!
So, what I want to do (not sure if it will happen today or in a month... haha) is re-write my notes from the talks and classes I took. I think that will be super cool and I'll remember them even more.

But, I will start off by pictures.... 

We found our Dorm Room!! YAY!!

This is us after driving in the 80 Toyota Corolla with no air conditioning!! HAHA! We had the windows down for our 3.5 hour trip. :) Chris washed out a fly in his hair when we got to the dorms. Funny. 

We found some great little nooks in the gardens to eat breakfast in every morning. 

When I see this picture, I think of... Yes, We like to make sure we are having fun! He's a good sport for posing for any time I need/ feel like him to. :)

These are some pictures of the amazing gardens around campus...

Weeping willows are super duper!

 Jessica, you should have Dan build you this garden. :)

Just some plants we want in our garden...

 Vertical Planter that looked awesome. :) in the Benson Building. 

 Cool garden behind the Ricks Building....

YAY FOR ALOE!

 Trees being trained and trimmed in these shapes... pretty cool! Also the several garden additions to make an artsy look. Fun.

 Me and my terrible hair day... but it's proof we were there! :) I also wanted to keep this in here because right before I took this picture, Chris said.... " I should have been a Horticulture Major."
WHAT! That was kinda totally fun to hear him say! So, I took a picture of us... looking into the sun. :)
Then, after this picture, I said he should do whatever he wants to do! If I am living some of my dreams, he should too! Crazy kid!

 Parsley in the flower gardens. Love that! I did take a sprig and ate it right then and there. HA!

We Walked and Walked and Walked up and down those hills at BYU-I. It was also a nice 90* but the wind made it totally nice! :) My feet were a bit sore when we got home. I wish I could afford some great Birkenstocks or other supportive sandals. Why do I always love the expensive stuff? :) 

The funny thing was I really did have a headache when we got home from all the classes we went to. It all requires so much thinking and pondering. It was exhausting. :)

Parker/Phillips Family Reunion at Bear Lake

We had a wonderful time at the reunion this year!!
Thanks for planning it Andi! It was a hit! Bear Lake was really pretty and we all had so much fun!
These pictures are from the day we were at The North Beach. I ran out of battery power after these were taken, and I do have lots of pictures of the tug o war, but these pictures are to share with my family too. :)

We divided up into 3 teams and we did several events. All of them were so fun! The green team did win, but that is because gpa is on that team! HA! jk. The cousins played and played. I only wanted to put some adults on time out! The kids did great! I have a picture on my phone that has my 2 little ones totally asleep in their car seats after we left the hike and lunch 2 mins down the road. :) ha. I felt like that too. I wondered why I have not talked to my step bros and sisters and all the inlaws??? We all get along so well. I love them all. I will look forward to seeing all the family in 2 years. YAY!

This is a bunch of pictures that my other family members have given me of the Reunion.

Hi! I'm Bea. And I Skate!

not a great picture, or great videos because I did not have room on my camera,  but that is what we got. 

Cutie in skates!

In this video, She is skating and talking.... that is pretty much all I know what she is doing. HA! She is a girl. She likes to talk about lots of things as fast as she can and it doesn't always make sense, but guess what.... 

I LOVE IT! 

she gets that from me ;)

Please excuse the mess! The house is under Saturday chores work. But, it's a perfect place for skating while the table and chairs are out and the floor waiting to be mopped!

Show me what you got!!...

She has been wearing skates for days and days!! I dont always love that because then I have to help her do everything everywhere. Selfish, I know. But, Bea is a good one to tell to go figure stuff out herself while I am sewing am mother the other 4 kids. HA! So, she DID IT! She figured out how to skate just by doing it herself and Practice, Practice, Practice.  I am proud of that girl! :)

She is doing better than this currently, because every day, she gets better and better and this was taken maybe 2 weeks ago. 

I am international!!!

That is right! I have my first order from FRANCE! :) I have had an order from Canada before and I have had a few people from Australia interested and it has not worked out for me to sew for them. I also had someone contact me from Brunei Darussalam. (Google that one.) But, here I am sewing for someone from France in a pretty town about an hour out of Paris! YAY!! 

I am sewing one of my favorite designs, 
The Annalise Dress.