Kindness is always a choice

I've cried so many tears over the last few days, ever since December 14, when the world experienced a horror no one should ever experience.

I have babies that age, I have children old enough to understand and children who I had to explain what happened and whose eyes filled with tears in disbelief.

I can't comprehend the sorrow and sadness that will reside in that little town from now on. Nothing can fix this, nothing can take the hurt away.

But at this time of remembering the birth of our Savior and Redeemer.  The Brother who gave up his own life for you and me.  The celebration of the birth of this world's salvation, in a simple stable, is right around the corner.

So here's what my sister has proposed and I'm jumping on board and I encourage you all to also.  Ann Curry suggested 20 acts of kindness in the memory of the 20 perfect children lost that day.  We as siblings have decided we will do 28 acts of kindness.  The loss of life young and old is a tragedy.  So we choose 28. Any act of kindness, a smile, a kind word, any act of kindness.

We have a Facebook group you're welcome to join.  We want to hear what you're doing.  Not to brag but to encourage and lift up others.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/238709522926570/

It's a time to change, remember, honor and serve.  Think what small or large things you can do. What kindness can you share in the name of love?

'Tis the season...

'Tis the season of Christmas Concerts and Dances - Michaela had her first JR High dance and had a blast

 Zach and Jordynn had their orchestra concert and they did soooo good!  It was so fun to see and hear all they've learned

We've survived our first semester here in Logan and it's gone so well.  We got a little tree for our little apartment and we're looking forward to going back to Manila for the holidays.
This week we have a few more concerts and a basketball game.  Grades are in for this first semester and I think I did pretty good - 1 B- and 6 A's!  I'm looking forward to next semester and fun new classes. I hope this Christmas season finds all our friends happy and healthy.  My God Bless you this season of giving and love.

Christmas Time Is Here!!!

 We kicked off this Christmas Season by getting our tree!!  It was so warm and nice Michaela took her coat off!!!

 Hauling our prize out to the car

 It's hard to be a Christmas Santa!!

 So this was a new experience, trying to put up our little tree in our little apartment ALONE - here we're cutting the bottom limbs for the tree stand with a kitchen knife.....it's all I had!!

Here's the finished little tree - the kids had to kneel so the tree could be seen.  I'm thankful for our bigger tree than Ben put up in Manila waiting for us to get home to decorate it!  We're getting ready for many concerts the next few weeks and fun Christmas programs.  So be ready, for more Christmas posts to come

It's basketball season!!

 Tonight was our first basketball game!  Zach and Michaela got to be the ball kids for the USU Women's basketball season opener.  They get to do 5 women's games and 1 men's.  All the kids are part of the JR Aggies Club - and being a ball kid is one of the perks.  Jordynn is still on the fence if she wants to do it or not.  Dani will be able to next year.

 Here's the ball kids in action - they did good!!

Jordynn and Dani got a great picture with Big Blue!  What a fun night!!!
And to top it off - USU won!!  Tomorrow we have a football game AND a basketball game....
GO AGGIES!

Super Hero Halloween!!!!

 It was a Super Hero Halloween!!  I decided at the beginning of October I wanted for me and the kids to dress up in a matching themed costumes and us girls NEEDED tutus!!

 Pretty soon everyone wanted in on the fun!  Here's Caleb and Lexi - the only rule was each girl had to have a tutu....even Mirium was baby hulk!!!!

We had a ball....we were embarrassing.....we sang and SAVED THE WORLD!!!
It was a fun night!! Now what to be next year??????????????????

So much is going on!!!

 

Life in Logan has been GREAT!!  School is in full swing for all the kids and me.

 

 Tonight Michaela had her first band concert.
It was a Halloween concert and she wore her Spider Man costume!!
And boy was it a great concert!!! I'm very impressed with Mt Logan and their music program!!

 Last weekend the Bills invaded Logan for a trip to the pumpkin walk and the corn maze!  Here we're sling shotting gourds!  What a fun few days!!

 

Now it seems winter is here and there's 4 inches of snow to prove it!!

I'm half way though my first semester and I LOVE my program and classes.

It's hard to be apart from Ben but I KNOW this is what we need to be doing for our family!

And hey if you're ever in Logan I have a spacious 900 sq. ft apartment I'd love to see you!!!

The First Month....

 

We have season tickets for USU football!!!  And it's sooo much fun!!!

 Zach made a cake of Utah and then used candy to show all the land features!!

 Fun at a pack meeting!!

 Zach is playing Viola and Jordynn is playing Violin!! They are doing so GOOD!!!

We went out to take this years school pictures and as usual there are some "winners" and well this is NOT one of them.

As we've settled into Logan and had our first month of school for the kids and me, life is going good. There are such fun activities for the kids!! Michaela is in the archery club and Jordynn and Zach are in Orchestra.  Zach and Dani have had field trips and Jordynn has an ice cream party at Aggie Ice Cream this week.  Michaela is getting ready for a spooky Halloween Band Concert and she's so excited about the fun music she's playing. 
School for me is going great and I love my classes.  It's VERY different going to school in my 30's vs. my late teens.  But for me this is working.  I love what I'm studying and I know this is where we're supposed to be. 

A new adventure has begun!!!!

 I've said it before and I'll say it again - We are BUSY!!!!
Since my last entry in March (So Sorry) we have acquired a few pigs.....one animal we haven't had yet-

 Watched an eclipse and has a wedding!! 

 We went to Lagoon (twice) and had a blast this summer...

And well we moved!  Here's the scoop.  Back in May Ben and I started talking about the possibility of me going back to school.  I needed to finish my degree but I was pretty burned out with the whole teaching thing.  I LOVE teaching and especially the high school kids but it was time for a change.
I knew I wanted to go back to Utah State and finish my degree, and in the avenue of music.  Well I couldn't finish my music degree online and all the options I looked into required on campus attendance. 
I went and talked to the Music Therapy department about the possibility of majoring in Music Therapy in the fall.  Well it's an audition only major and they only take 12 students a year.  I had missed ALL the deadlines and auditions were back in February.  But the head of the department said she'd be willing to listen to me audition and I should apply and see what happens. 
My audition was on 3 different instruments, Piano (I had to play and sing) Guitar (also play and sing) and my major instrument in this case flute.  There was also an interview and site reading portions.
Then the painful waiting, and waiting and well more waiting.
Finally towards the end of May I got a full acceptance into the program!!!  What a relief and what a thrill! 
Then started the actual planning of how to do this.  I got into family student housing, and registered for classes.  Aug 1st we moved in and now we are here full time ready for this new adventure.  The kids have started school and are really liking it.  Even Michaela who was the most worried about a new place, school and people.
The hardest part of this whole plan is Ben still lives in Manila.  So we have 2 houses, in 2 places 3 hours apart.  We'll go see him on weekends and when his schedule allows he'll come to us in Logan during the week.
We keep saying it's just for a little while and the end result is worth the sacrifice.  It's already been such a blessing to be here.  Zach and Jordynn are in orchestra and Michaela is back in band, pep band, jazz band, drama, choir, ceramics, and home ec.  Dani is being challenged just enough and making all sorts of new friends.
We're looking forward to all the fun we can have living in a college town.  We have season football tickets and are excited for our first game next week.
So for the next little while our family adventures will be from Logan Ut!!!

GO AGGIES!!!!

Well the last few weeks have been GREAT!!!!

Sorry for the longish absence....for me it's not that long.  Anyway it's been SUPER busy in the Wolford world.  But it's been the best kind of busy.  I got to attend the wedding of a wonderful, sweet, blessed old friend from college!!!
It was such a joy to be there for the happy occasion

Then......after 2 years of waiting, writing and waiting......CALEB CAME HOME!!!  Pretty much the best day EVER!!  Now we are a strange family who likes to do things big and by big I mean BIG!!  As in 20 adults, children, and girlfriends in MATCHING T-SHIRTS!!  Yep every missionary coming home needs to see a sea of Brazilian Flags on a t-shirt!  No wait it gets better....on the back all our shirts said "We Waited" wait for it......except the girlfriends which said "No I REALLY Waited"

 Wait there's more......and Caleb's said (yes we made him wear it over his suit) "Thanks for waiting!"  I have to say the visual was spectacular as you can see from the pictures.

Ben even came, even though he wouldn't wear his shirt over his uniform and generally stayed away from us as pretended he wasn't part of our group.  And honestly I can't blame him.  We tend to go a little crazy.  But we've spent 2 years getting ready for this.  And seeing as how there were 5 sisters before a brother went on a mission it was a big deal to us.

Poor Caleb was sooooo cold!!  Brazil is HOT and Sandy was NOT!!!  He really didn't like it when it SNOWED this past week.
Then the 3 youngest kids and I spent a week in Salt Lake generally hanging out and helping Caleb with whatever he needed.  It was a great week with family and a chance to take a break from life.
So now we're back in Manila and back at school and work. But we have Spring Break next week and that will be fun.

P.S. I have a funny story about our car but I'll save that for the next post........

Saturday is a special day....

 This weekend was a weekend of projects -
Zach and Ben worked on his pinewood derby car!!

 The kids cleaned out the fish tank

And allthough there aren't pictures I went to a craft day to make some St. Patrick's Day crafts!
It was a fun weekend and now it's back to school and work.  We're getting sooooo excited to see my brother in 2 weeks home from his mission to BRAZIL!!!!!

Can you breathe???

Well this is part of our life now.  For the last few weeks Michaela has had a hard time breathing at Basketball practice and games.  It's been getting worse and last week she had 4 attacks in one game.  So this morning I took her to the doctor and yep she has asthma.

So she has a inhaler (she thinks she's sooo cool) and some pills to try to get it all under control.  So we'll start this regiment, see the doctor every few weeks for a few months.  And hopefully all will be good. 

I'm glad she still gets to do sports and with a little practice she'll be able to control this and all will be well!!!

What a way to start my day....

Never fear all is fine, I'm fine and the truck is fine, except for this ding -

 When I take the kids to school each morning I go to the end of our road to meet the bus.

 Then when I get them off I back up over the cattle guard and head back to the house

 Well today I slid off the cattle guard and this is the result

So a phone call to Ben and help from a few friends got me pulled out and back across the cattle guard!!

What a way to start my day....

P.S. It's Ben's birthday, SORRY BEN!!!!

Merry Christmas and a Double Didget Midget!!

 Christmas has come and gone and now we're into 2012 - and believe it or not January is almost gone!!!!  So here's a update of the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012

 Christmas Eve Pajamas  And the Tree Christmas Eve

Family for Christmas is such a treat!!!

Jordynn turned 10!!!!  She told everyone she was was a double digit midget!  What a great way to start 2012!  Now we're almost 100 days into school and looking forward to my brother coming home from his mission and Michaela is in the middle of Basket Ball - pictures of that coming soon!!