Soccer's newest superstar

Brays decided that she wanted to play soccer this fall.  Jason and I were really excited to get her out on the field to see what she thought of the sport.

We have come to the conclusion that she loves it!

 We are working on being more aggressive but other than that she is doing a great job and we are so proud of her!

Great job Braley!

Soccer's returning superstar

 He loves this game.  We are only a few games into the season but he is already doing so awesome.  This is one sport where is size and his speed totally work in his favor.

 Last season he wanted nothing to do with being goalie.  This season he decided he really wanted to give it a shot and he is awesome in the goal!  He is figuring is out and has had some great saves and he's quick to get the ball moving back down the field.  And his dad is never far away to help give him pointers (see him standing behind the goal?  Cute isn't it?)

Now, if we could just get the rain to stay away on Saturdays.....

Paper airplines

Dear Anna,

Making the airplanes that you sent home with Jason was such a fun family activity!  Thank you for thinking of us!  Each of us made our own special plane and then we had the Widing Family Flight Competition:

 There was some pretty stiff competition but in the end the best airplane flyer won....Me!  

 Again, thank you for visiting with Jason for the night. You are one of the fondest memories of his mission and he was so happy to see you.  We love you lots Anna!

Love,

Dana--"the winner", Jason--"the not winner" and kids

Thoughts on death

Morbid, yes?

Not really though. It's just that this past week I have had the time and opportunity to spend time thinking about mortality and, on the flip side, immortality.  As I said last week, our (former) Bishop passed.  Jason and I were both able to sit with his family this week.  It was emotionally overwhelming and amazing at the same time.

The human spirit can be so broken yet so powerful.  I watched pure heartbreak bear powerful witness of eternal love.  I listened to not only the words coming out of mouths but also to the words on their hearts that their lips couldn't form. I saw the desperation of wanting so badly to have him one more day on this earth and the desperation and wanting to join him. I watched as sorrow turned into strength as his family rose to celebrate his life.

I have always pictured heaven as a supremely happy place. Joyful. Peaceful.  A place where you leave your earthly worries and focus on whats to come.  I mean, as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, I am sure heaven is a place full of love and awe and work. Lots of work.  There is a lot to do on the other side and I sure hope someone hands me a to-do list when I get there.  I wouldn't want to look lazy.

But, at the funeral I had a thought.

One I hadn't had before.

Heaven might be an adjustment.

I looked at the many, many lives affected by the death of my friend I thought about the adjustments that were going to have to be made to fill the spot that Doug filled in everyone's life.  His children spoke of his ability to make them feel heard and loved. His wife spoke about how he was her everything. Members in our ward express their concerns about who to go to for little pieces of advice and questions on everything from church related issues to poetry to guns.

Maybe going to heaven is going to be just as big of an adjustment for Doug too.  Maybe, as truly awesome eternal life is, maybe there is a piece of him that wishes he could still give advice, and still answer question and still be someone's everything.  Maybe not having his wife and his children and all of his grandchildren and relatives and friends will take time for him adjust too as well. After all, that is why he lived his life...for these people. Maybe making the adjustment to heaven is a little harder than I have always imagined. Because if you really think about it. If you have loved ones and a full life and happiness--this life can be a slice of heaven.

Today I am just feeling like heaven might not be instant contentment and pure blissful happiness (I'm sure it's like 99.999999999999999% happiness, contentment and bliss). I think there will be a part of me (the part I know well) itching with anticipation for those I leave behind to join me so that I can join everyone I love in one spot.  Forever.

Spirit Week

The ladies had spirit week last week.  Every day was a dress up day and they enjoyed all the different themes.

Monday (left): All back day.  I was kicking my self that we didn't own any All Backs Rugby gear.  Maybe next year.

Tuesday (right): Neon day.  How cute are they? Can you tell who was having a rough morning?

Wednesday: Sports.  Braley sported her love for the Sox and Kahau for Marcus Mariota #8 Oregon Ducks.

Thursday: Super hero day. Need I say more?

Friday: Twin day.  Thankfully we had stuff in drawers which made this day easy peasy.

Looking good ladies!

The Unexpected

Our ward is awesome.  We love it.  The biggest reason we love it is because we love the people in it.  We truly have a family unit feel.

This week we lost someone unexpectedly.  Our former Bishop who was released just under a year ago.  He was Bishop when we moved into the ward and man he loved serving the families of our ward.  He loved the youth.  He loved the Primary.  He loved the gospel.

He was working on his property with family and there was a tragic tractor/bulldozer accident that took his life.  I would say it seems unfair that he is gone because I had just visited with he and his wonderful wife that morning for about 20 minutes. I would say that it is unfair because he was so full of life and so excited about the things he and Debbie were preparing for. I would say that he only retired about 6 months ago and he deserved more time to enjoy "taking it easy." I would say that I didn't get to truly say Thank You for support he gave to me when I needed it the most.  BUT I know that Bishop, while he may agree that his time was too short, would say that he loved the life he lived and loved the people he knew and if Heavenly Father was calling him home he wasn't going to argue.

 My heart goes out to his wife. They had plans. Exciting ones. My heart goes out to his children that they may find the peace that can only be found through the Savior. My heart goes out to his grand kids.He has left them an awesome legacy.

He was kinda like a bear, grizzly on the outside and gummy on the inside. I know he will be remembered fondly by so many and that he influenced thousands of lives. Our family is thankful for all he did to serve us and for the awesome ward family he provided for us.

4 words

My.

Stitches.

Are.

Out.

One more word:

Hallelujah!

Now someone bring me a steak cause this girl's hungry.

ttfn-

Little weeds

Jason and I going to go broke feeding these kids of ours.  It's all about seconds and "I'm starving" and "I already had 2 apples, a cucumber and a peanut butter sandwich and I'm still hungry!" at our house.  It's bonkers.  

This morning at breakfast when everyone was still hungry I told them to line up on our height chart wall so I could see if they were spurting. Sure enough.  Since the last time the were measured they've each grown.

Kahau is now 5ft 5 1/2in.

Braley is 5ft. 1/2 in.

and 

Ansen is 3ft 11in.........almost 4 ft!

Kahau is closing in on Grandma Forsberg's 5ft.7 on the wall:

(top line is Grandma, line she is pointing at is her now and the line below is where she was around the 4th of July.)

Braley (and I wish I had a pic, I'll get one soon) is offically taller than Grandma Widing.  Not that it's too terribly hard to do but its still one of those milestones. Kahau eked out Grandma Widing in January of her 6th grade year so Braley is excited that she grew faster than her sister.

On to Ansen.  He has grown 2 whole inches since January.  If you know how much we have worried about his size and his ability to grow then you know how tickled pink we are to see him getting taller. He has challenged himself to grow another inch by the 1st of December.  If the power of positive thinking has anything to do with it then he'll be there.  I would be great with another 1/2 inch!

I sure to love these kids!

40 by 40

19 weeks ago Jason set out to loose 40 pounds by the time he turned 40.  He worked really hard and it was a long 19 weeks and I have been so impressed with the way he has been loosing the weight. He didn't go all crazy and do a fad diet.  He didn't shun any foods in particular.  He just made healthier choices and ate smaller portions and began moving more. He would indulge occasionally which I think is great.  No sense in doing something that restricts every yummy thing out there.

This morning was his offical final weigh in.  He got up and went running and then popped himself on the scale.

Annnnnnnddddd.......

He did it!  40 by 40 was a total success.

Way to go babe! I'm proud of you!

Cupcake owls

 

I got a text with a picture last week from Jason that read:

"I want to make these for my birthday."

What he wanted to make was a cupcake with an owl on top.  That is why the kids gave him what they did for his big day.

This morning, before school, we got around to making them and they were so cute and yummy!

 Honestly, how cute are these?

 

Ducks vs. Vols

Oregon vs. Tennessee.

To say Jason was excited was an understatement.  It was supposed to be a BIG game for the Ducks.  And the first quater proved to be a bit of a nail biter. Jason was sweating it. Not me though, I knew they would be just fine (wink, wink).

Then Oregon dropped the hammer and BAM! Tennessee didn't know what was happening around them.

 

 My first game!

 Final score Ducks 59, Vols 14. Eeek.  It was Tennessee's worse loss in 100 years.  No lie.

It was a fun game, it was fun to be there with Jason and after all the yelling that he did (I'm not really much of a yeller) we had to hit a local kine place for some birthday lunch.

Yum!

Happy birthday big kahuna!

He turned 40

40 used to seem kinda old to me. I feel a little bad ever thinking that. You know, like you should be totally settled in your ways and have life figured out.  Well all of the sudden I feel like 40 is nowhere near those things in a good way.  Maybe it's because this guy turns 40 today!

 

Honestly, I can't believe it.  Mostly because most days he acts like he's 15.  I'm kidding...a little.

There was no sleeping in on the birthday boys birthday.  We got up early and had a Happy Birthday Pumpkin Pie and did gifts because he and I were off to the Oregon Ducks vs. Tennessee game.

Like I said, first was Pumpkin Pie:

 Next, gifts:

 

 (a lil' "heavy, heavy" as per tradition)

 

 The kids went all out and got dad all the fixin's for his birthday cupcakes. More on that later.

 I spent the last few months collecting memories of Jason from people during all stages of his life. After I collected them I made a blog and then had it printed into a book so he could read everyone's memories of him.

(a big shout out to everyone who helped)

 Here's a peek at the final product.

 In the book I not only entered collected memories but pictures of his life over the past 40 years.

And then we were off to the game!

Soccer

The season has started.

Bring it.

Fear factor

I like the youth in our ward.  We maybe not be a huge group but they are a fun, happy group to be around.  Especially when they are will to smash eggs on their head for you!

Company picnic

Last weekend was Jason's company picnic. It is always a good time and we really enjoy getting to see everyone.  There was food as far as the eye could see for Jason and the kids (I was still--and still am--"loving" my jello diet) There was a bouncy house, a dunk tank, games with jello shots (Mormon style) and good ol' BINGO.  Then, just when it couldn't get any better the shave ice truck pulled up.  Can you hear the angels singing?  My family was in heaven, and my children were first in line to partake. 

 

A few other pics for your viewing pleasure:

 We are so grateful for a good company to work for. I personally am thankful for a company that lets Jason be creative and a "out-of-the-box" thinker.

We are very fortunate.