Beautiful Saturday

It doesn't get any nicer than today. Hyrum woke up early, so he and I went for an early morning walk. Perfectly pleasant. We listened to the early birds and I tried to point them out to him when any took flight.

As a family, we ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner outdoors today. It was simply gorgeous, (and I don't have to sweep as often if we eat outside.) We started with homemade wheat pancakes, whip cream and strawberries. Sariah introduced to Hyrum one of her favorites for lunch---carrot sticks dipped in ketchup. He seemed to like them as much as she does. We finished with BBQ hamburgers and lemonade.

James washed all the windows. I love that! I feel so refreshed to look out clean windows. I cut all the kids' hair, including several inches off Sariah's. Hyrum looks the most different.

Still having a hard time getting the boys to be productive on Saturday. They could be found anywhere in the house or yard reading on several occasions, and it's hard to get after them for that, but they really do need to get motivated about their Saturday's chores. When it came time for those who were finished with their Saturday's work to go on a little outing, the boys were left behind. Talmage perfectly understood the consequence of his own choices, but Bryant was flat out mad. Yelling mad. This, sadly has become a habit of late. I've tried to talk to him about it, and I try extra hard to lead by soft spoken example. I've been concerned lately though, trying to think of something to try to make a change.
When I came home from the outing, I found a note where I usually hang my purse.

"Start here. Live Simply, Love Generously, Speak Kindly, Care Deeply, Expect Little, Give Much, Laugh Often and Trust in the Lord with all Your Heart. Mom this pome remided me to speak kidly to you wehn you were at the doler store I read this and felt bad about yelling at you I will try my best to NOT YELL remeber speak kindly and we will be a Happy family and we will be etrnill I hope we wont have kintenchen (contention) agin in our lif I'll try to stop the habit I will allways love you some tims i moke (mock) you and call you bad words in my mide (mind) but then I feel bad I promise to try not to do that and hope it wont hapen agin I love you no mater what to mom from Bryant" I pulled him up on my lap in the rocking chair and told him how much I loved him and how much his letter meant to me. I told him I'd been worried and I'd prayed to know what to do. He told me he prayed too.
He may not be perfect, but they don't come any sweeter or more tender.