Changing Seasons

In October 2008 General Conference, President Monson spoke of finding joy in the journey. I loved this quote. "If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly."

I believe it, but it is sometimes hard to remember that since I am still in the process. The other day I went outside to pull the rest of my dead plants and put them in the compost pile. I love working in the yard, and find great satisfaction in doing so. There are many things I learn from my garden. We reap what we sow, it takes time to see things grow and develop, there is a time and season for everything, a time of plenty (in my case it was zucchini this year), and a time to die with hope for new life in the spring.

Here is what my garden looked like this year in time for the harvest.

We didn't get as many tomatoes this year as last year. Very few were ripe before the first frost. We picked all of the good looking green tomatoes that we could, and are enjoying them now that they have turned red. I think home grown tomatoes are on my list of favorite things to eat. My boys love to eat cherry tomatoes straight off the vine, so only a few made it in the house.
We had a lot of zucchini and yellow squash this year. I put zucchini into everything including zucchini cookies (I found a very good recipe), bread, lasagna, spaghetti sauce, and Keith grilled some as well. We also gave quite a few zucchini away. Now it is all gone and I miss having it. I do have a little grated and frozen, so I might have to get some out.

Today we went to Provo to celebrate Jenna's birthday. Caleb had so much fun playing with his cousins Kyle and Cameron.

Is this Caleb or the Incredible Hulk? Parker tried finger painting, but didn't like it on his hands.

Here are my little burritos. They loved to be wrapped up tightly and I couldn't resist getting a picture.

To a Child Love Is Spelled Time: What a Child Really Needs from You by Mac Anderson

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a book my Relief Society president gave to me. She used some quotes from it in our lesson earlier this month. It contains a few stories, but mostly quotes to remind me to keep my priorities in order. It is a great reminder to slow down and enjoy my three young children.