What I've learned in the past year.

I know, it's a strange time to be looking back at the last year and reflecting on how life has changed. However, this week marks the 1 year anniversary of when my little brother John passed away. I have been thinking lately about how experiences shape and mold us. My family and I are not the same people we were a little over a year ago. John's passing was a trying experience. One which I never hope to have to go through again, but I have a strong testimony that Heavenly Father gives us only the trials that we can bear and those that will help us to become more of what He needs us to be. Whenever my kids complain about things I try to help them remember the things they should be happy and grateful for, so in trying to practice what I preach I want to do just that. My brother John and this experience taught me the following things....

-FAMILIES ARE FOREVER. Families aren't just the people we hang out with on this earth. In our families we are building relationships that span the eternities. Our most quality and loving relationships should be within our families. Now I feel so much more aware of how much I truly love my family. I know where Johnny is, I know what he's doing and I know that I will be able to hang out with him again.

-KEEP A JOURNAL. At John's funeral instead of a eulogy we shared different parts out of John's journal. It was like he was right there talking to us. I loved it. And I love that I can open up his journal any time I'm missing him and just be immersed in him. In his journal John shared spiritual thoughts, fun happenings, and all kinds of different things that defined who he was. Most importantly he wrote in his journal his testimony of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ which is an absolute treasure.

-HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES ALL HIS CHILDREN. God is aware of every intimate detail of our lives. In times that are hard he sends angels and tender mercies to us. The angels that I speak of are simple everyday people who supported my family in various ways during this particular trial. The food, prayers, money, hugs, flowers etc. were absolutely heaven sent.

-PETTY THINGS REALLY ARE PETTY. The first couple of days after John passed away when we were overflowing with emotions and love I remember reflecting on the things that occupied my thoughts in the days prior. Silly unimportant things really. Amidst the hardship in those initial moments my focus was clear and I understood what my priorities should be. Am I doing all I can do as a wife and mother? Am I building quality relationships with my family? Do I know my Savior Jesus Christ and do I use his Atonement in my life? Am I a good friend? What am I doing to strengthen myself mentally and spiritually? The list goes on and on. I have to say that I so easily forget about what's most important in life, but I'm trying to put what should be first, first more often.

I'm grateful for what my family and I have become since this experience. However,I'm not suggesting that we need another experience of the same nature anytime soon. To my family, I can't even express what you mean to me. My heart is full of gratitude for a Father in Heaven who is there for us during the good times and especially during the bad.

1 Man + 1 Woman = Marriage

Marriage has never been a simple celebration of love. At its very core, marriage forms the foundation of the future of society; the protection and celebration of husbands and wives to create and raise children. Love is paramount to the success of any marriage or family, but love itself does not fully define the depth of commitment and purpose embodied in this institution. Something as sacred and as essential as marriage cannot be tampered with without far reaching consequences. Once we start down the road of stretching the definition of marriage, that downward slide will not end until marriage has become so diluted as to mean nothing at all; its sacredness and uniqueness having been lost in trying to appease anyone who desires to be a part of such a special institution.

This doesn't even begin to explore the ways in which this destruction of marriage will reach its tentacles into every aspect of our daily lives. Most importantly Sexual Liberty will henceforth trump Religious Liberty and the very purpose for the birth of our nation will be forever buried, trodden under the foot of people who seek to protect their immediate pleasure at the expense of the future of society. The voice of the people will have been silenced by a small activist group seeking to make normal what is abnormal. Parent's right to govern what is presented to their children in schools will be quashed, again to gratify a small group who seek to sooth their wounded conscience. None of these changes will ever bring peace or normalcy to a lifestyle that defies nature. Thus, its proponents will tirelessly push for more and more, seeking to change the very nature of the world around them so they might feel more comfortable with the life they have chosen.
I must clarify that I harbor no ill feelings for anyone choosing to live an abberant lifestyle. I view every human being as deservent of the same respect and courtesy. However, that does not mean that every lifestyle or behavior needs to be celebrated and promoted. One can embrace one's fellows without embracing their beliefs. One can love a friend and not condone their faults. One can accept their fellow man without being forced to accept deviant acts as normal and constructive. Heaven knows that I have as many faults and weaknesses as any other of God's children, but I'm reasonable enough not to shove them down everyones throat.
This debate is a sure sign that society's moral compass is spinning out of control, that society's fabric is being cut up and torn apart for the gratification of a few at the expense of the many.


Below are parts I, II and III of a video exploring some of these concerns.

Precious Moments

Motherhood is sitting down to watch a movie at the end of a long day only to hear your delirious 6 year old relieving himself all over the bathroom floor.

It's Crabbing Time Again

This past weekend we went on our annual crabbing trip. This time we went with Grammie and DanDann, seasoned crabbers. They actually began the crabbing tradition when Ben was only 9 years old. However, I think that we could all agree that this crabbing trip was unlike any other. Tamales Bay has never been prettier to me. The sun was shining and the wild-life abundant.


Ben was our fearless leader and captain.


This was the first of many crabbing trips for Simeon.


To kick off the day Ben spotted this huge, disgusting dead rat in the water. He promptly fished it out just before it landed on our beautiful little beach. Immediately, yet carefully Ben heaved it far into the brush behind us.


I did a lot of snuggling Mr. Sims and Grammie was great company.


After the unwanted visitor I thought I had lost my appetite. However, then I caught the scent of the first pot pf steaming hot crabs. Ben and I fully enjoyed devouring the fruits of our labors.


At first glance it may look like an elephant relieved himself on our beach. Don't be deceived, that is a pile of jellyfish that Haven and Elias were working hard to collect. The bay was full of jellyfish and they kept washing up onto the beach. Elias and Haven would promptly pick them up load them onto their collection and sprinkle them with sand. They did this all day. Who needs sand toys when you have jellyfish?

After their collection was complete they, with the gracious help of Grammie, carried them back to the water. They had collected a total of 21 jellyfish.


These two pictures speak for themselves.




DanDann took the kids on the boat to explore the bay. During their voyage they spotted yet more jellyfish, Haven swears she saw a starfish, and a whole group of seals sunbathing on a sand bank.

Tally of the wildlife spotted...
-Thousands of jellyfish
-1 dead rat
-many delicious Rock crabs
-10-12 Dunguness crab (which we unwillingly had to throw back into the water)
-1 starfish
-a couple of greedy seagulls
-1 pelican
-several small puppies (at the dock)
-elk (in the hills above our beach)
-several seals
and
-12 deer (eating the shrubs in one yard)!!!

What a day. The kids were in heaven.

Catch up part 2!!

Grammie came for the weekend to celebrate Elias' birthday and to watch the kids perform in the primary program at church. She helped us devour our favorite Devil's food cake with home-made chocolate frosting.



We went to the Dahlia garden in the Golden Gate park upon Grammie's request. I'm so glad she suggested it because the flowers were amazing, so many varieties and vibrant colors.






After walking and people watching in Golden Gate park...

We had a tasty dinner at 'The Stinking Rose and left fat, happy, and stinky.

And if the boy wasn't spoiled enough....

We had a little birthday party for him at the park on the actual day of his birthday. When I say party I mean that I actually called the mom's the night before and told them we were having a pinata for Elias at the park the next day. You will notice that Elias is almost the only boy at his 'party'.

But... I don't think Elias seems to mind.

What are the teenage years going to be like? I'm horrified.


There's my little miss Haven giving a timid go at the very manly tank pinata. Elias, of course, smacked the thing to pieces once we gave him free reign.


Thanks to my devoted photographer friend Michelle I present the first complete Counihan family photo since before Simeon was born.

Playing a little catch up!!!

Well I guess I should probably update after yet another blogging hiatus. As my history shows I tend to be very diligent one minute and then completely starve my readers the next. I could use the excuse that we've been very busy, which is somewhat true. However, the real reason is that at the end of the day when the kiddos are all in bed and I have a few brain cells to spare I don't want to use those brain cells at all. Instead I wait until there is way to much to talk about and I have buckled under the guilt of not recording the little events of our family ,(this has actually become somewhat of a journal for me). Anyway, so here is an update. Sorry this post is somewhat of a commitment. If you are interested ,enjoy, and if you just want to let your brain rest while you look at the photos I won't be offended.


Labor day weekend we spent at DanDann's and Grammies'. Grammie is an amazing chef/baker. Whenever we come she is always busy in the kitchen taking care of us. This strawberry pie is a summer favorite and was delicious.


Haven and Elias enjoyed the pool with Ben and DanDann. Elias learned how to swim at the beginning of the summer and is a natural fish, just like Ben and DanDann. Haven is also obsessed with the water and will outlast everyone when it comes to who will stay in the water the longest. She doesn't want to get rid of her floaty ring just yet. Maybe next summer.


Grandad came up with us for the weekend as well. He loves holding this third generation Counihan.


Let me explain this random picture of my brother Codey with the weed-eater. The entire weekend I had this huge, painful bump on my wrist which I though was a spider bite. Saturday and Sunday I spent the entire time soaking my wrist in hot, salty water. When I woke up Monday my wrist was very swollen and the bump was noticeably bigger and very tender. Of course it was Labor Day, (Why do things like this always happen on the weekend or holidays?), but I really felt that I needed some medical advice. Long story short, I went down to the urgent care by my parents house, found out it was a skin infection (disgusting), and got some antibiotics. Instead of heading back home in horrible Labor Day traffic we decided to wait out the day at my parents and leave later. My Dad was off work and wouldn't you know it He and my brothers were doing yard work. Codey was obviously weed-eating while Jay and my Dad were cutting down a tree for firewood. I know I have said it a bazillion times, but I love living close to our families.



As a late birthday bash a bunch of girlfriends took me to see the 80's cover band 'Tainted Love'. I have to say it was a blast. I'm a closet 80's music lover and so I loved belting out the words and dancing with everyone else doing pretty much the same thing.


I love decorating my home so I thought I would take my hobby a step further by making over the front of our van. Details are available upon request.


I got to go to the wedding reception of one of my dearest friends. Things are always the same when I get together with all of my best friends from high school. I have told my mom this many times, but these girls were the salvation of my high school career.


Many of you know this already, but Haven is one of the shyest girlies ever. She would rather die then bring attention to herself. I thought it would help her to break out of her shell a little if she took a ballet class. The beautiful opportunity presented itself so I approached Haven with the idea. She flat out told me no, but when she found out that Anna, Emilia, and Audrey were also taking the class she consented. The days before the first session it was all she could talk about, that little stinker. I wanted her to have a good experience so I decked her out in the full ballerina attire complete with a tutu, which thanks to Rocia I made myself. As you can see from the pictures she isn't wilting from the attention so I would venture to say that the first ballet session was a complete success.

The kids have been bugging Ben to take them on motorcycle rides. He finally gave in to the pressure and took them on fun yet 'safe' little rides.

6 years ago today...

Six years ago today Elias entered the world and changed our lives forever.


For 6 years we've enjoyed his contagious smile and bright eyes.


He's a wily one with a joke up his sleeve and a tease on the tip of his tongue.


He's a kind big brother and mom's little helper.


And one of dad's best buds. Happy 6th birthday Elias. We couldn't be more pleased with the boy you are.