Merry Christmas to all!

We had some new family pictures taken in October...so I thought since its been a LONG time since I've posted something on our blog, that I would put a picture on for all to see (all those who haven't given up on me ever blogging again!) The kids are getting so big and so handsome/gorgeous!!! Joshua will be turning 17 in about 2 1/2 weeks..can't believe it. He's doing really good in school, driving, dating a teeny bit (hey, I'm not complaining about that!) and he's a great kid. Jonah is 13 going on 17- at least he wishes...he's in 8th grade...and life is pretty smooth...great kid, very funny and great with his siblings when they aren't fighting!! Jeremy is in 6th grade...11 turning 12...soon all three of the boys will be priesthood holders and blessing and/or passing the sacrament...so cool. Jeremy is the funniest kid...he always has some funny word to say, or some sarcastic remark...he's a cool kid. The girls are so precious...Josie is turning 8 in January and getting baptized. I'm trying to convince her to pierce her ears, but her dad is throwing a fit about it..so we'll see who wins the battle. She's a great little reader and is doing well in 2nd grade. Joely is enjoying her Kindergarten year...she's a little bored b/c a lot of what they do she already knows. She is so busy...constantly going, going, going! Jenna Grace is no baby in our house...I can finally say she is potty trained (only took us til age 4....whew!) and she is so much fun. She goes to preschool with me, is learning to read really well and is busy just like her sisters and brothers. She is a gem...we all spoil her rotten!

I love this time of year....but I miss being close to my family. I've enjoyed sending out Christmas cards this year, and doing a couple of cookie exchanges and a secret santa. The time goes by so quickly, there isn't enough time to do everything I want to do, so I try to pick the things I REALLY want to do, and then try to find time to squeeze it in. Life has been good to us...we have been so blessed...we have our family, our friends, our health and the gospel of Jesus Christ...like my other friend posted on her blog....what more could we ask for??? Hope this post finds all of you happy and healthy and enjoying this Christmas season. Love to you all!!

Hello Monday Morning!

No, this isn't my exact kitchen sink this morning, but trust me, its close! Does anyone else feel like the weekend just isn't long enough to get everything done, let alone, keep up with the dishes!! It was a typical weekend full of soccer, football and softball games, shopping for groceries and just relaxing....but dang if it isn't unpleasant to wake up Monday morning and see this waiting for you downstairs....what happened to my bright and brillant parenting that incorporates my children helping with the chores around the house??? Being the "Brady bunch" (six kids- 3 of each- minus coming from different families) what we really need is an Alice...but I know that's never going to happen. Oh well...let the fun begin!!!

Joely's 1st day of Kindergarten

My little Joely Elizabeth on her first day of Kindergarten! She is so excited!

Now for the girls!

Here are Josie and Jenna on their first day of school!!! Josie is in 2nd grade this year...so happy that she got the teacher of her choice...Miss Christensen! Jenna is at Learning Dynamics Preschool for the 4 year old program with me...MWF in the afternoons. Joely will start Kindergarten this year, at the end of the week, so I'll have to be sure and post her first day picture or she'll feel left out!!! Cute little girls...love them so much!!!

Some pics of the kids.....man they have grown!

First day of school for Jeremy Spencer--big sixth grader at Lakeview Academy...his last year at the charter school...next year the new Jr. High opens and its goodbye forever to the school uniform..doesn't he remind you so much of Buddy?

Jonah Michael...barely paused for me to take this picture as he was walking out the door for the first day of 8th grade....He is my "Mr. Fashion"...he was so fun this year to shop for...we had to hit the mall of course, but then he discovered Ross and got all his cool namebrand t-shirts for a pretty good deal! What a kid!

Here is my big "man" on his first day at the new High school!! Wouldn't smile to show off that perfect "braces" free smile....but isn't he cute???

He's really got a load this year...2 AP classes and 2 UVU classes that he gets high school and college credit for...you all know what a smarty pants Josh is....I challenged him to graduate valedictorian....I know he can do it!!!

This year is another one of those years with all 6 of the kids in school and all 6 in different schools...Josh at the new Westlake High School in Saratoga Springs...Jonah at Willowcreek Middle school and Jeremy at Lakeview Academy. I love how big they are getting, how smart they are and how much they HATE for me to take their pictures!!!

I'm amazed at how time flew by this summer and now we're back in school! Note to self....enjoy each moment because they come and go too fast!

The Invisible Mother

**I got this sent to me in an email...and just HAD to share it with all you....you mothers who inspire me, help and support me, encourage me and do it all with such grace and beauty! Remember..."Never, never, never give up!" Love to you all! **


It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack
of response, the way one of the kids will walk into
the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to
the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on
the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on
the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even
standing on my head in the corner, because no one can
see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can
you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a
human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?'
I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the
Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around
5:30, please.'

I was certain that these were the h ands that once held
books and the eyes that studied history and the mind
that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had
disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen
again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner,
celebrating the return of a friend from England.
Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and
she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in.
I was sitting there, looking around at the others all
put together so well. It was hard not to compare and
feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic,
when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped
package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a
book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't
exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her
inscription: 'To Charlotte, with admiration for the
greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the
book. And I would discover what would become for me,
four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern
my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals
- we have no record of their names. These builders
gave their whole lives for a work they would never see
finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no
credit. The passion of their building was fueled by
their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who
came to visit the cathedral while it was being built,
and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside
of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are
you spending so much time carving that bird into a
beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will
ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God
sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into
place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to
me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you
make every day, even when no one around you does. No
act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on,
no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice
and smile over. You are building a great cathedral,
but you can't see right now what it will become.'

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction.
But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It
is the cure for the disease of my own
self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong,
stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a
great builder. As one of the people who show up at a
job that they will never see finished, to work on
something that their name will never be on. The writer
of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals
could ever be built in our lifetime because there are
so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to
tell the friend he's bringing home from college for
Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and
bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey
for three hours and presses all the linens for the
table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a
monument to myself. I just want him to want to come
home. And then, if there is anything more to say to
his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We
cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day ,
it is very possible that the world will marvel, not
only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has
been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible
women.

Some Random Thoughts....

Well..it has been a while since I've sat down to update my blog! Alot has happened...Christmas, the New Year, Joshua & Josie had their birthdays, and now Valentine's Day is knocking on the door! I spent a couple moments reading my sister Lisa's blog...she has such great insight into life...just normal everyday life..that sometimes, if not most of the time, we take for granted...nursing sick kids...seeing hubby's off to work, you know, the daily stuff that makes up life. For me, life seems to move at super sonic speed..but I take comfort and gain strength knowing I don't travel this road alone...I have my family, my friends, and my Savior, Jesus Christ, to help me, inspire me, comfort me, lift me up and just be there for me! Thank you to you all... for living your lives, wherever they may be, the very best you can, because I look up to you...all of you. Everyone that I know, that I keep in touch with, whether by phone, email, facebook, or this blog...you touch my life. It's so good knowing that we all share this journey together!!

OK, so those are my thoughts for today...and now I'll give you the scoop on what's been going on in the lives of the Pratt Clan. Alan and I are still sane...and that is BIG news!! Alan (you know that his nickname is Alfie..right??) is busy at work and studying for the PE exam (Professional Engineer) It's an 8 hour test..grueling I'm sure...that covers all the Chemical Engineering stuff he suppossedly learned in school like 10 years ago. Needless to say...he is studying hard!

Joshua turned the ripe old age of 16 on Jan. 2nd. I can't believe I have a 16 year old! He was home sick today from school...i think he ate something bad. Anyway..doing good..working on getting his driver's license and will start a job working for the golf course next month! I told him I wouldn't charge him rent...yet!

Jonah is doing good too...I tried (unsuccessfully) to get him to take up piano lessons...so really he is waiting for track season to start...sometime next month! He continues to love our crazy mutt Nacho...and is learning to ski this winter with his brothers and dad! I think he is an adrenaline junkie!

Jeremy is playing basketball right now with the Jr. Jazz program that they do up here in Utah! He is so funny...he really loves it...but can't wait for football to start. Needless to say, Jeremy was disappointed in the Super Bowl...as his beloved San Diego Chargers were beat by the Steelers, who went on to win in all. Oh well..maybe next year!

Josie had her 7th birthday on Jan. 29th! She is so cute! Her 2 front teeth are coming in and it is funny to see how grown up she is getting! She is doing really well at piano..although if I try to help her..watch out..its WW III! So...I stay away from that! She informed me a few days ago that she wants to do ballet...I think I might have to get a job to pay for all the kids' activities!

Joely is still going to preschool with me and Jenna! She is reading really well...but a little sad that all her friends dropped out of her class...she is the only girl, with 4 other boys..but she has a great teacher so she is still pretty excited about going to school! Joely is a sweetheart...if I can just get her to stop yelling and fighting with Jenna...they have good days and bad days!!

Jenna is my little comedian! She talks to me about all the movie lines she has memorized. The latest is from Madagascar 2...she says, "Mom, Moto Moto sings...'I like chunky, I like big!'" She is sooooo funny! She follows Josie and Joely around everywhere and thinks she can do whatever they do! I do have to take her up to Primary Children's next month to see a Pediatric Opthamologist...she has lazy eye..and will probably need glasses. I'm a little nervous..but I hope the problem can be corrected WITHOUT surgery!!!

As for me...I am my kids' mom...I just added 3 new piano students to my crazy schedule...but I'm hoping that I can maintain my sanity. My current fave thing is facebook...the first couple of time I got on I literally felt glued to the computer...I'm better now..and its been fun finding all these people I knew when I was in grade school!!! My next big thing...I'm trying to put together some ladies to form a soccer team...maybe indoor, maybe outdoor! It will be hilarious!!! All these "old" ladies running around pretending they know how to play soccer...oh yeah...that's just ME!!!