Monkeying Around

Our friend took this picture for us our day at Monkey Joe's celebrating Gianna's birthday. Let's just say Eric and I got our workouts by taking her down the slides. We had so much fun! I can't believe our girls are getting so big. This is a very fun time of life. I love it so much.
Seriously, there was a time in my life that I didn't want to be a mom and thought I would make an awful one. I'm not saying I'm a great one, but I do enjoy it and I do know it is the most important job I've ever had. I love these girls!! I also love their Daddy because he makes memories like this possible. Plus, he's a big teddy bear himself and is the greatest dad!
As I look at the year 2010, it's been probably the best. We've had a lot of fun and enjoyed lots of different things, even if it means staying at home. We love our home and the family and friends we've been blessed with.
May your New Year be as wonderful and possibly better than 2010 has been for us!

Dress for Success

Glamorous. Yes, that's a nice, nice compliment.
This week we had our annual Christmas party for our local branch of the Relief Society, an all women's service group organized through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Two of the more "mature" sisters gave me the greatest compliment by telling me that from head to toe I was "glamorous". WOW! Really?
My discovery? It's all in the shoes. Eric got me this snazzy pair of black and cream shoes last year and every time I wear them, I get beaucoup de compliments. They are by far the most expensive item in my wardrobe. Eric paid $28 (that included shipping) for them and they've definitely been a good investment.
Of course, I also have to thank my great find of $4 dark wash trouser jeans, too. They make everything look more fancy. I love telling people how much I paid for them because everyone seems to nearly fall over with the revelation.
Then, again, they didn't see me when I showed up to choir practice today in my PJ's with a stuffy/runny nose. That probably wouldn't quite qualify as "glamorous".

I Love My Husband

Just wanted to say that. I really do love my husband and I really do think he is the most amazing man in the world. I am such a lucky girl to be his wife.

Turn the Lights Off

I learned a valuable lesson today. If you leave the dome light on in the car overnight, don't expect it to start the next morning. But, I will be grateful for the 18 degree weather that frosted over my car during the night, too. Because I thought to go start the car early to warm it up and defrost it, I realized in nearly enough time that it wasn't going to start and that I would either have to make Emily skip school or ride her to school on the bike and trailer.
Bike and trailer it was! I put the girls in and then piled a king-sized comforter around them, snapped the cover over and away we went! I haven't found my gloves and stocking cap yet, so it was a bit chilly on my hands (thankfully I have luxuriously thick hair that kept my ears and head warm). By the time we made it to school, my hands were frozen, my legs were completely wobbly and I thought I was going to pass out upon entering the heated building. But, we were only a minute late. Sure, it's her first tardy, but after accomplishing the frozen feat, I was not upset.
The ride back home was a bit easier with the lighter load, although my hands were definitely frozen. I had to laugh at the gentleman who made a face and commented that he hoped it was warm in the trailer. He must have thought I was crazy and actually chose to do this "for fun" instead of the necessity is was. Thankfully, Eric got off early (he has finals today) so I didn't have to do a repeat this afternoon, although it was much warmer than the 18 degrees this morning.
All in all, I now know that I am at least related to She-Rah because a normal Liz wouldn't have been able to accomplish that. She would have frozen before the first corner.

Non-Idle Hands

It has been a quick month. All the sudden we are into December and life is not slowing down. We are having fun and enjoying life but have somehow become incredibly busy people.
In my "down" time, I have been able to do a few photo shoots and sew a few things, and of course, read several books for my book club.

I got together with a friend and taught her how to make simple girl's skirts and made one for Emily who is too long and lean to be modest in "store-bought" skirts and dresses. I got together with another friend and we made bags, although I don't have a picture of them yet. I got together with a couple other friends (yes, this is my social life: an impromptu sewing club!) and we made aprons. One of my friends is very tall and expecting a baby, so we used our noggins and extended the pattern where it was needed so she could cook for all of her family for Thanksgiving. And, finally, I whipped together a blessing dress for another friend who is expecting a little arrival next month. I have to say that I am most proud of the blessing dress AND it was the most expensive project I've ever made. I also learned a lot about material and that I probably shouldn't expect to make such a "detailed" type of garment in one day. I started cutting/sewing around 4pm and didn't finish until midnight. There are still a few little embellishments I want to make, but it will work as is if need be. And, I am becoming more confident in my gathering abilities. Not too shabby for a girl who has mostly taught herself.

Feeling Sad

Yes. This is my own pity party. I really want to be happy for my friends and, truth be told, if I were in their shoes, I'd probably go, too. But, I'm not in their shoes. We'll be staying here while some of the greatest people we know leave for greener pastures.
I'm really feeling sad about it and felt like such a baby when I was given the news because I was fighting the tears from being obvious in my voice. We've really grown very close to a couple here in our ward and now they will be leaving for BYU for the Winter Semester.
I just want them to know that they are amazing people and they will go far in this world. Great people who we will miss very much but don't begrudge their opportunity...much. =)
Best wishes to them and don't mind me too much as I drop a tear or two out of selfishness.

Being Teachable

I am so grateful to be a Nursery Teacher. In the church I attend, we are served through a lay ministry, meaning, no one earns a paycheck for their service in the church. We all have different opportunities to serve and change callings (or "positions") fairly regularly. For the past 15 months I have been the Nursery Leader. Instead of attending classes and being taught, I spend the two classroom hours tending to the children ages 18 months to 3 years. I love it and it might be the easiest position I have held in the church as an adult, but sometimes I miss being taught myself. Our schedule goes from receiving the children to free play time, to a lesson, to music time, to a snack, to coloring, to blowing bubbles, to reading stories to closing activity. It is my duty to teach these children in their youth about the basic principles and concepts of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Ultimately, it is my duty to open the opportunity for these children to feel and start recognizing the Holy Spirit. I honestly can't say that I perform this duty very well. I'm trying and I'm learning. And, I am taught.
Today we had a visiting child whom I will refer to as "Boy". His family lived here several years ago and they were back for a brief visit today.
Boy was my teacher today. I had prepared a lesson about The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I thought I knew how the lesson would go and had anticipated certain responses (or, non-responses as the case may be...). We had our song and prayer and then I began with an open question about favorite bedtime stories. Boy raised his hand and then related what his favorite story is. It brought tears to my eyes to listen to this beautiful son of Our Heavenly Father tell me, in his own words, the story of Jesus Christ's sacrifice on the cross and his resurrection. The Spirit was so powerful in the room. Because Boy has been taught the gospel in his own home, he was able to share and bring the power of the Holy Ghost, that of testifying of truth, into our classroom at church. Because of his sweet and pure testimony, my lesson was much more powerful and I again was reminded that Christ has restored His church in full power of the priesthood to the earth in these latter days. I felt the power and love of our Heavenly Father from Boy's testimony as well as the words I spoke and testified to in our lesson today. I am so grateful to be taught and pray to be more teachable in the future so that I will be taught more from On High as I was today.
I thank Boy and his precious family for being obedient to God's plan and teaching him the gospel so that he could share that gift with all of us today.

Dr. Emily, I Presume

I know there are tons of kids in the world that proclaim they want to be a doctor when they grow up. I just don't know how many of them are seriously considering it and doing things to get there at the age of four.
If you ask Emily what she wants to be when she grows up, she'll give you a list. She wants to be a mommy, a missionary, a doctor and a teacher. She talks a lot about becoming a doctor someday. It's really rather adorable. I don't know if she would site becoming a doctor if we didn't have the adventures in doctor visits a couple years ago (it was after this she began wanting to be a doctor). Between Eric's motorcycle accident and Gianna's birth, we were visiting doctors ALL THE TIME. She was curious about the bones on display at different doctor's offices. She asks questions about posters hanging on walls. Her request for toys have been skeltons and posters of the body (skeleton, circulatory system, etc which she saw at a school supply store).
I think she is serious, too. Not only does she say it, but she seems to know what it is all about. Tonight, for her bedtime story, she requested that I read from the First Aid booklet she was given this past Saturday at Verizon during a "pay back to the community" event held there. She chose the portion and then discussed it with me. You try explaining to a four-year old about cardiopulmonary resuscitation! She gets excited and her eyes light up and she tells me she wants to help make people live. How cute is that!!
It's funny that kids can see the excitement of different professions but it gets soiled later in life by the financial payout later on. I want my kids to grow up and study the things they have passions for instead of studying the things that will put the most money in their pockets. I want them to be happy with the professions of their choice, not because of prestige or price tag.
In the meantime, Emily has asked not to be called "Emily B." anymore (she has another Emily in her class at school, thus the designation of the "B.") but would prefer to be called "Dr. Emily" instead. Think they'll go for that?

What I Would Give

I have this strange expectation that when you pay for a product or service, it should be reliable and deliver what it promises. Is that too much to ask? Apparently.
What service, you ask? Why, internet, my dear! It seems a fairly reasonable request to have reliable internet service in the year 2010.
We recently had business with Cox (strictly for internet service). It's the only thing we need in this "package" driven industry. All I want is when I boot up the internet, for it to sustain a connection without timing out or having trouble finding service. Cox began to fail at that a couple of months ago. We've done business with Cox for nearly five years and suddenly their service product (customer service is a whole different fish) just didn't deliver.
We are now with AT&T (again, strictly for internet service). It's DSL. It should be faster and more reliable than cable, right? WRONG! We still suffer from the internet not working. I can be composing an email or blog and when I want to save or publish, all the sudden I no longer have an internet connection. It's ridiculous!! This shouldn't happen.
Here's the loophole for internet providers: the phrase "up to". See, they don't actually have to ensure your ability to get the number of megabites or whatever that you are paying for by using that lovely catch phrase of two words. I HATE those two words because they hide the fact that the service provider stinks!
Now, some of you techies out there may think it's a problem with the modem. Nope. We've had those checked and AT&T even provided a new one. So, it can't be that problem. And, to top it off, I've heard the same complaints from others.
So, any of you internet service providers, you should truly consider offering a more reliable product. You'll keep business better and longer because we'll overlook poor customer service skills when we don't actually have to contact you to complain and have things fixed.

Compliments

When is the first time you were told you were pretty? And, I'm not saying your parents, either. But, some non-relation who took the opportunity to boost your self-esteem and give you that coveted compliment.
It may sound shallow to want to be beautiful, but it isn't. Definitely people can go too far with it, but I think every individual at least at some point in his/her life desires to be viewed as being easy on the eyes.
I was discussing this with Eric and out of all the guys I ever dated, I don't actually remember anyone telling me that I was beautiful except for Eric. I've had compliments on my hair, my eyes, my smile or even my voice throughout the years, but it wasn't until I was an adult that I had anyone outside of my family tell me I was beautiful.
In fact, the first non-relation who told me was a girl named Tericka. She was one of those natural born beauties with dark skin and hair and was petite. I, on the other hand, have always felt kind of like a giant and big. I never felt delicate or really that feminine. I have "man hands" and have a lower voice. I don't have any distinctive features that would be referred to as beautiful. She knew I was struggling to feel beautiful as a guy was kind of toying with my emotions. She pumped me up and made me start believing that maybe I was beautiful after all. But, there were still a lot of negative self-image issues handing around.
I always viewed myself as plain even though I had a fun time dating in my college days. I look pretty much the same as I have since the eighth grade. Sure, my face has "aged" or "matured" over the years, but that's about it.
Today I feel like a beautiful woman. I feel put together (most days...or, at least when I want to) and accomplished. I have an education that I am proud of and hobbies that keep me busy when I want to be. I have two gorgeous children and the most affectionate man who somehow came to love me and married me nearly five years ago.
The difference in my view of my appearance today is that I get to hear every day how beautiful someone thinks I am. We all need to share that compliment a little more often so people feel special and beautiful, just like they are.

I'm Not a Perfect Person

I am not a perfect person. I think that most days I am fairly put together and feel happy with my life and the decisions that I make. I think I have a wonderful family and am so blessed in every aspect of my life. It IS almost perfect.
But, today was not one of those days. I got up with plenty of time to take care of everything that needs to be handled in order for us to make it to church on time. In fact, I commented to Eric that "it's Sunday and I actually did my hair!" I looked the part. Hair done. Make-up done. Children freshly bathed (thank you, Honey). Lunch packed for the girls to eat during choir rehearsal. Eric was even going to pick someone up for church.
I'm not sure when it happened, but things changed. We still got to church early (and, by early, I mean we were not arriving "on time" or during the first hymn...it was a miracle). But, somehow, I became overly emotional in that first hour.
A member of our bishopric (the guys who basically take care of the governing of the church on a local basis and all for free) was there for his last Sunday in our ward because he just married a wonderful woman and moved out of our area and into a different ward ("parish"). He's been a hero of my husband's for a long, long time and became one of mine. Apparently, seeing him today made me realize how much I love this man who has been such an amazing role model for so many of us.
That sorrow mixed with joy (because this man truly has earned his good reward of this amazing woman) was not the only emotion to be had. My children did not behave well and I was embarrassed and irritated that I couldn't enjoy the meeting more. I felt helpless as the Lord reminded me that I'm not a perfect person.
And so, I let things get to me, one thing at a time. By the time we made it to choir practice, my emotions were gathered on my shirt sleeves and I'm afraid I did cry. I'm sorry. I'm not a perfect person. I'm not a perfect parent. I have my limits and apparently I hit them today. I'm sure the Lord will show me with another stressful Sabbath to allow me to demonstrate that I learned from today, but I'm really not looking forward to that.
In the meantime, I just want to tell you that "I'm not a perfect person/ There's many things I wish I didn't do/ But I continue learning." I really do want to change. I want to be better. And, I'm incredibly grateful for friends who will give me a hug when I need one. I'm grateful for the faith they have in me that I can do this and I'm doing fine as a parent. Thanks for your confidence. I'm trying!

Couponing, Is It For Me?

This is my dilemma. I have several friends who share their excellent shopping skills in the grocery store. They save a ton of money and I'm always impressed with what they are able to find.
I'd say I'm pretty good at finding good sales for clothing and I never pay full price for those items, but I tend to be fairly clueless on couponing. In fact, sometimes when I'm in a store I see a "sale" and am not even sure if it is a real sale or not.
For instance, I recently went to Kroger and saw their Old Yeller 50 lb dog food bag advertised "on sale" at the same price it's been for at least 6 months, which is about a dollar more than it was a year ago. Not much of a sale in my book. Now, I can recognize this as a marketing strategy because I purchase this dog food once a month. I know the price and I know what I believe to be a savings on the matter. I also am not naive enough to fall for Walmart's marketing ploy. They are at least gracious enough to post their savings on their "look for falling prices" sticker. I don't even remember the item it was marked on, but it was promo-priced at $9.96 with the "WAS" sticker proclaiming $10. Ummm...four cents may be enough to sway me to fill up at one gas station over another, but on clothing? Yeah, no thanks. That isn't really classified as a savings. It just means you can say "less than $10".
So, then I think all about that couponing thing again. I've purchased the paper to get the exclusive sales coupons found in the notorious Sunday paper (and I hated every minute of getting it on the Sabbath to begin with!!). When I looked in the paper, sure, there were a FEW things that might be worth it, but I didn't get savings immediately. It was like for things if I sign up to be a frequent shopper of that particular store and then I'd earn money off my next shopping spree. These items weren't even actually groceries, so I may purchase this once but then not again for five months or more! Sure, maybe the savings will still be stocked up on that card, but will I remember it and will there be another sale worthy of using that "free" money I supposedly saved? Probably not.
So, I still sit pondering about the coupons. I'm pretty frugal as it is and I can't say that the coupon items are even things I'd purchase. Know what? I even looked at getting the $5 rebates offered when you buy Beauty and the Beast and Campbell's soup or the bagels' offer. But...I didn't. Know why? My family doesn't really eat canned soup. We make soups from scratch, so it's not even an item I'd regularly purchase. If this, then I'm not actually saving money, I'm just distributing it out over more items. This then leaves a MINOR savings, but not less than I can find with other deals (like shopping at Movie Stop and getting someone's used DVD b/c they upgraded to the newly released version).
So, I still sit here in awe and wonder at my friends who seem to make great purchases for groceries without a clue to if it is even practical for me to worry my "pretty little head" about it. I think I need a bit more Scarlett O'Hara when it comes to money and figures surrounding groceries. (And, if you don't know, Scarlett may have been manipulative and vain, but she certainly DID make good business decisions....just so you know.)

Sometimes I Get Homesick

I know that "Home is where the Heart is" but sometimes my heart misses other places. Well, actually, mostly just ONE other place. There are certain scents and weather and sometimes the sun is shining just right that it makes me miss a place that is still very dear to my heart.
That place? Provo. I know. I know. Go on and laugh. It's more than the great University I was able to attend. It's more than being able to be learning new and exciting things. It's more than the amazing roommates I was blessed with.
I miss the mountains. I miss the way the seasons changed there. I miss the random outdoor activities that were available. I miss being able to go up to Temple Square...or the Provo temple.
Today is one of those days. Of course, I tend to have a lot of these days around General Conference time. It was so wonderful to drive up to Temple Square and be there with the other thousands of members. Granted, there were hecklers and craziness surrounding the Square, but inside, it was safe and good and joyful.
Some day I will get my wish and I'll be able to attend an actual session of General Conference inside the Conference Center. Until then, I will happily go about watching it at church, with friends, and with my inlaws.
But, I will probably remain a little homesick for those comforting mountains in Provo.

My Hero: My Daughter

My husband has a theory that your spiritual strength is reflected in the heroes you choose in your life. I agree with him, as when I discovered the character of his heroes, it is reflected in his life. One of my heroes is my own daughter.
Jesus has told us that we must become as little children and come unto Him. As I raise my children, this statement becomes more profound. I've spent a good portion of my life trying to grow up and be a respectable, responsible adult. Although that isn't a bad thing, I've also forgotten how to be as a child in certain aspects of my life. So, as I play the role of parent, I am taught how to be a child.
Gianna recently got in trouble for doing something while we were driving in the car. I got on to her and used the mean, stern Mommy voice on her which only further upset her and made matters worse. Emily, applying teachings I have not given, started singing "I am a Child of God" to Gianna to help her calm down. Guess what? It worked. Emily recognized that it worked and announced, "Mommy, I sang to Gianna and it made her happy!" Two lessons: First, create an atmosphere for the spirit, and second, recognize that when you do things this way, it works!
Today, after listening to another amazing General Conference session, we had the opportunity to give another lady a ride home. This sister is so gentle and Christlike anyway. Emily asked if we were going to her grandparents' house and I explained that first we needed to drop this sister off at her home so she could be with her family again. Emily immediately tells me, "I want to grow up and drive a car so I can take everyone home!" AH! If I only looked at my ability to drive being an opportunity for service to others like that! It's true. I not only can drive, but I have a vehicle that still has room left over after filling it with my own family. What a great lesson to teach me immediately following President Uchtdorf's talk that mentioned seeking opportunities to help our fellow man and that of Elder Christofferson who challenged us to be more service minded.
Apparently, although it may not look like my children are listening, they are absorbing the teachings. Too bad I'm not more like them as it always appears that I am listening, but in the end, I don't think I'm absorbing nearly as much!

Dante's Inferno

It's been awhile since I've read it, but I don't remember flies being a part of Dante's Inferno.
We've been without the plague of flies all summer, which is quite the accomplishment since summer has been here since the beginning of May. Now, all the sudden, we have five million flies in our house.
You may remember in the past (like a year or two ago I posted about that and I'm way too lazy today to go find the post to give it to you as a link to revisit) that we counted how many flies just up and died in our bathroom. Well, they are no longer dying. They are invading and multiplying!!
For those of you that think that perhaps my cleaning skills are lacking. Not so. They've just moved in with no reason.
I take that back. Their reason and purpose is, apparently, to annoy and frustrate us to no end! It's one thing to wave flies away from food on a picnic or even at the table. It's another thing, completely, to be swatting them off our bodies. Oh, it is so gross! And that light touch is so infuriating. Okay, okay, maybe not infuriating, but overly annoying for sure.
So, were I to be condemned to the pages of Dante's inferno, he'd have to have flies pestering me. Of course, I'm not sure what sin it would be associated with, nonetheless, they would be my plague.
Shoo, Fly! Don't bother me!!

Day 7-ish

I think we are all technically over the virus that raged through our home, but we are still dealing with the aftermath. MAN! I haven't been sick like this in a LLLLLLLLLLLoooooooong time. Seriously. Gall stones were the last. I still have a delicate stomach and have to learn from my children that plain white bread, saltines and water are probably the best things to dine on during this recovery period, but my body also craves food (seriously, for a week before this happened, I felt ravenous, so being ill and now not being able to consume "enough" is really wearing me down).
And, I really think I came down with this just so I could be more empathetic and sympathetic to my children. I definitely have been a much softer mom when it comes to eating this past week.
And, my biggest bit of gratitude: Eric didn't have to succumb to the evil clutches of this stomach menace!!

The Illness Continues

I'm sure no one really cares about this, but since this blog is also a "journal" for me, I'm recording it.
Gianna is such a great sister! She loves Emily so much that she shared her germs with her. That's so nice!
I don't know what's up with this illness, but it is sneaky!! We had so much fun with our girls' night the other night and Emily had a healthy appetite. We ate pizza, had icecream, watched a couple movies (short kids' movies), and still had scriptures and prayer at a decent time to send them off to bed.
Eric got home and we played some more of our current favorite board game (seriously, I should post about that. Maybe I will...later.) before, having caught up on each others' days, we also went to bed.
I was awakened s short time later to a very calm child explaining that she's sorry, but that she threw up in her bed. I grabbed my glasses (b/c otherwise I am blind as a bat) and then grabbed her arm to help steer her to the bathroom. EW!! I grabbed the arm she apparently vomited on! And, yes, her other arm was quite clean.
The rest of the night was spent staying up with her as she repeatedly had episodes needing to visit the toilet.
I pulled out the sofa bed so I could be right there for her. There aren't many people in this world who can smile through their sickness. Emily is one of them. Although she felt awful and could explain this to me, she still was smiling as I petted her hair and helped her be as comfortable as possible.
While Gianna only threw up once, her fever was a lot higher. I can't imagine how she was feeling through her illness, but could only guess while she gesticulated. I feel bad for both of the girls, but I am glad that, thus far, they didn't share with Eric or me.

Perfectionism

Christ commanded us to be perfect even as he is perfect. That means that we have the potential for perfection within us. Granted, this attribute can only be fulfilled with Christ in our lives. I think I sometimes forget, though, that this is a progression and instead get frustrated when I can't perform something perfectly.
Perfectionism continues to be perpetuated in my family as Emily has picked up on it as well. The other day she and Gianna were building block towers, something at which Emily truly excels. For some reason, her tower kept falling over and she became frustrated with it. She immediately got up and went to draw a picture. This is what she drew and wrote:

When I asked her about it, she explained that she isn't good at building towers and that she is bad because of it. WOW! Whoops! Better be more careful at how I vocalize my own frustrations so I don't perpetuate her view that failure at a task means a lacking of goodness.

Personality Differences

Any parent of more than one child can tell you how amazingly different children can be. To me, this is evidence that we existed before our physical/mortal existence began because they come here with different preferences and personalities.
These differences can be displayed every day but they are really shown in the crucible of illness. While one child becomes less playful and no longer as talkative and appears to be more reserved, she maintains her easy going attitude and basically just slows down. The other...well, she is a hand and foot kind of girl. Such would be her thoughts following: "I'm sick, so please take care of every detail of my movement. Yes, I mean, even though I am completely capable, please hold my cup for me to drink from. Oh? A grape, yes! I'd love one. Please place it in my mouth for me. And, if you aren't too busy, could you help me chew? Oh! Don't you DARE think of NOT holding me all through this sickness! I'm sick! Do you remember?"
I love that she is so cuddly and attached to me normally, but it is quite annoying when it truly becomes a FT job to carry her and cater to her every need (those she is capable of doing herself). So, if you happen to read this before seeing me tonight at the RS activity, please note that the dark circles under my eyes are my beauty gift from Gianna.

A Few Funnies

I have to get Eric to upload the video, but can I just say that the songs Emily has been learning are hilariously adorable!!(yes, I sang them when a child as well, but I just never realized how cute it is.) She sang "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" last night during what is turning into our weekly video taping portion of FHE. Hilarious!
FHE (Family Home Evening) is a night, typically Monday, where you block off all other distractions and have some quality and quantity family time. This isn't to say that you can only have FHE one night a week. It's just a habit to establish so that as our family grows, we all know that is the one night where we can come together, learn a little more in-depth about God's plan for us, play some silly games, have a treat and enjoy each other's company.
I explain all of this because Emily has become very excited about having FHE. We never abbreviate that with the letters as I have done in this post. Instead, we say "Okay, tonight is Family Home Evening!...." Well, Emily has begun telling us that she has "a great idea! Let's have Family Home E-T-M!" and proceeds to include the activities she would like to do after school or church or whatever. It's just cute.
Another funny is Emily met a friend of a friend last weekend. When the lady was trying to talk to her, Emily, in loud and enunciating tones, proclaims, "I have a chicken in my mouth!" She was eating a chicken nugget, but the image of this small child with a chicken in her mouth was pretty funny...or it was just funny to us at that hour of the evening.
Intending to start up a conversation with Emily, Eric was asking her a comparison and contrast question. Emily responds, "I like Hanna best because she is beautiful. I love beautiful things!" I'm glad she adores our friend so much, but I guess I need to teach her that beauty is not the only qualifier for choosing her likes. hahahah
Our cat caught a squirrel and brought it to the back porch for herself and her kittens to dine on. When Emily saw it, she exclaimed, "Ew! Mommy! They're eatin' the squirrel! That's 'isgusting!" Sure is...and I'll spare you any further image by not posting the picture. Gross. Seriously, gross.

Some Favorite Quotes

I'm not finished with the book, but I already have some favorite quotes from Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago.
"Everyman is born a Faust with a longing to embrace an experience and express everything in the world...Forward steps in art are made by attraction, through the artist's admiration and desire to follow the example of the predecessors he admires most." AMEN! I so agree with this statement, at least, as pertaining to myself. I know that this is behind my burning desire do devour great works of literature: because some day I wish to write a great novel that will qualify as a "classic work".
I also think this statement is somewhat hilarious. "At the beginning, all women are mothers of great men -- it isn't their fault if life disappoints them later." HAHA! Yes, those mothers that really give motherhood their all can feel that they have prepared their offspring to be great. If the offspring chooses differently, well, c'est la vie!
"...Talking about the ordinary run of politicians -- people who aren't interested in life as a whole, in the world as a whole, the sort of people with restricted minds who like restriction for its own sake. --They're as pleased as Punch to get everybody thinking and talking about a nicely restricted group --the more restricted the better --a people, especially if there can be plenty of judging and weighing and settling and deciding, and getting pity to pay dividends." Sadly, I think this statement also remains to be true. There seems to be a sincere lack of concern about what is best for everyone in the view that we have to make it the best for this group or that for this reason and that. Responsibility for the people and by the people isn't exactly what this nation has cracked up to be in recent years (and, I'm not just talking about the current presidency...it goes a LOOOONG way back).
There's more, but you'll just have to find your own copy of this great novel. It's got my vote for writing style and interest. Sure, I'm a little lost when it comes to political and historical issues as I am not a Russian history buff, but it makes me want to go and actually learn more about it!!

Conversation

There was some strange statistic out when I was in high school that there is a pause in conversation about every seven minutes. The problem is getting past that pause and continuing the conversation.
Well, I don't think that statistic really applied last night. We had some friends come over and we usually play games, but last night, we just sat on the sofa and talked. And talked. And talked. And, apparently, talked some more.
The wife finally mentions that they should probably get going. It was a pause in conversation and it was starting to get late. Someone asked what time it was anyway, and Eric replied, "Oh, it's just 3:45." Not believing him, we all questioned him again. Sure enough, it was nearly 4 o'clock...in the morning!! I really thought it was probably close to midnight or just past, which is a late night for us. NO!! We sat and talked with this couple for 7 straight hours!!
I hope they don't feel like we kidnapped them last night, but it was so fun and interesting to talk to them and get to know them even better. Instead of a pause every 7 minutes, we didn't really have one for 7 hours. Quite a bit of difference on that statistic, don't you think??

Honor

In a fast-paced world, rushing to this and that, it's usually a frustration when cars slow down and there's a back-up. Not today. Going home on 247, three lanes of traffic were backed up. I couldn't see why, but I noticed there were no cars racing ahead. I took my turn-off and continued to follow the slow-paced traffic.
Funeral.
I get really choked up about funeral processions. It's not about the person who has died. He/she is in good hands. I feel sad for those who now have a hole in their lives, but am more choked up by the way complete strangers stop to give one moment of honor to someone they never knew.
I felt such joy in the fact that every single car that came in view of the funeral procession stopped. There isn't much in this society that can do that, but a funeral is one. And, I'm not talking about a two-laned road, either. This is a busy thorough-fare and everyone stopped.
I have to say that I am happy to be an American and to share in this tradition of honoring the dead and those who are mourning that loss. Thank you, the unknown citizens who shared respect for this unknown individual.

Why I Hate Dora Cake

Sure, "hate" is a strong word, but I really am so incredibly frustrated...and, the beat is better than "dislike" for all of you poetry lovers out there.
My girls went to a birthday party this weekend and the theme was DORA!! YEA!!! Only, Gianna came home with icing all over her little dress. BUT, at least they had fun, right? Okay, I'll give you that one, but the fallout for the next two days is something else.
Well, the next day I had my first near-fainting experience as a mother. During choir practice someone needed a diaper change. I peeked in Gianna's diaper to verify it was her (I'm not too much a fan of taking a whiff). What I saw there made my knees go weak. It looked like blood. So, I grabbed a friend and rushed to the bathroom to change her diaper and decide what to do next. I was so grateful my friend came with me because she recognized the red dye effects and quickly calmed my fears. No biggie after that. She just had red waste for 24 hours.
Think it's over? Nope. I have a ton of laundry to do and filled my washer up with light colors. In went the dress with the red icing. Thinking that it will just wash out since I even spritzed it with Spray-N-Wash, I turned on the washer. No problem! Sure enough, the dress came out looking great. No red residue or stain on it! However, I have lasting and permanent stains on two pairs of work pants for Eric, and two different pants for Emily, plus a few shirts fell to their demise. After two subsequent washes (with the same stain remover), they still all have pink splotches on them. SO-NOT-HAPPY.
So, I think I can say that I hate Dora Cake. But, I also hate washable crayons. Sure, they may wash off the walls fairly easily, but they are not actually wash-able. If you find one in your wash, I can assure you that there are multiple items also in that wash that will forever sport their contact with this art supply. They don't get any cleaner, either, after multiple washes. So, in the past month, I've lost quite a few pieces of our wardrobes to various washing disasters. And, all in the "lights" wash, too!

Are These Really My Kids?

Sometimes I look at my girls and think, "Are these really my kids?" They are so beautiful and amazing!
I had a wonderful "proud mama" moment tonight. We were at a friend's birthday party and the kids were playing hand-slap games. There was a new one I hadn't heard before...something that you "open the gate...who do you hate?...that's your date!" I'm sure this sounds innocent and "just another child's game" but I also think there are repercussions associated with this kind of play. (I mean, parents say they won't spank their kids or slap their hands for discipline and yet they allow them to sword fight or play punch. If spanking is bad, then allowing them to play those kinds of games is really detrimental.) In fact, I actually cringed when I overheard this game going on and thought, "Wow, this is SO not a good game." Well, my daughter made me incredibly happy when it was her turn and she announced, "Nobody! I don't hate anybody!" I'm so glad she said it and it basically put an end to the game. Beautiful. Just beautiful, inside and out.
Yes, that's my daughter and some how I got blessed to be her mom.

Lovin' Life

Sure, life seems to have picked up since school started, but I have nothing to complain about. Life is good! I love my family so much. In fact, having a child in school only increases that feeling. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" IS true! I miss having Ms. Talksalot around, but I am so happy to have her in school and learning and growing and making new friends.
Snuggleupwithus is also growing and maturing. She's started saying more words and has even decided that potty training might be an option. Basically, if I'm paying attention, she'll use the potty. It's GREAT!!
We've also had an influx of activities recently and we've been on a go-go-go routine. While it is nice to be so active and social, I probably need to pull back a little and make sure we are still getting enough quality time together at home as a family, too. I only realized this last night as we came home from some friends' house and Emily broke down in tears saying she "missed Sheepie" and wanted to go home (of course, this was only AFTER getting her loaded in the car and actually driving away from her friends).
These are the days I have to remember when things get hard or something happens that dims this cheery outlook. In order for my life to remain this fairytale, there have to be some crazy things that happen, too. I'm not volunteering for trials, but just reminding myself to remember this.

Bikes

Have you noticed that riding bikes in other countries is pretty standard? Everyone has a bike like everyone here in the US has a car.
Pros for riding bikes: save the earth, get in shape, save time and money!
When Emily was accepted into school, we started making plans. One of them was the fact that we live close enough to ride the bikes to school. We put the trailer on my bike and practiced.
Well, we rode her to school yesterday and my inner thighs were KILLING me, plus, I had to pedal constantly the whole way! I couldn't figure out how these two kids had gained so much weight all the sudden. When we went back to pick her up, Eric noticed that the tires were low, so he pumped them up. Yeah, about 40 lbs of pressure too low! It made a HUGE difference, although, I think Gianna enjoyed the lower pressure better as she didn't get bounced around as much.
On the way back, we also encountered an unforseen obstacle. I've heard of roadkill, but not sidewalk kill. Usually it's a small cat or a bird or some other small animal. No. In the middle of our way (near the top of a hill, no doubt!) there was a bloated, stinking armadillo. An ARMADILLO!!???? Are you kidding me? Oh, I was so grossed out in that heat! We walked our bikes around it.
When we got there, we couldn't find Emily. I think us riding bikes is throwing everyone for a loop. I mean, who is crazy enough to ride bikes in 100+ weather, right? Well, we are. And, let me tell you, it feels SO great to get some exercise while being productive. PLUS, the incredibly long pick-up line is avoided. We spent an hour in line the other day and it was incredibly irritating. I mean, I'm going to have my toddler strapped into a carseat for an hour every day, twice a day? Are you kidding me? Not happening. Well, unless it is raining. Then I don't have much of a choice.
Well, we got our daughter, along with many crazy looks and rode home. We ran a few errands and after dinner, Eric went into the garage to get something and heard a soft "SPshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh". For some reason his back tire decided it was time to retire (hahahah! I wrote that and then realized how funny it was). So, he won't be able to enjoy another fun-filled ride to school this morning.
Will we do this again? Yes. If you haven't ridden a bike lately, I encourage you to get out there and do it. It's so much fun and easier than walking in this heat.
So, if you see us riding our bikes on your travels during the week, honk at us!!

Ode to My MIL

There are certain perks about living close to your in-laws. The girls get to see grandparents at least once per week. We get extra help whenever we need it. But, I am especially grateful for a mother-in-law who cooks. She calls us up to come over for dinner. I know she is in-tune because it seems to always be on the days that I really just don't want to face my kitchen because it's already a mess or perhaps I just can't figure out what sounds good to eat.
Tonight we dined on pork loin, black-eyed peas and butter beans. Of course, the dinner was super tasty, but my mil has also been dealing with some health issues and she still pulled out this great dinner and shared it with us. I just really have to say that I love her. She's such a great person and does so much for us and the other brothers and their families, too.
Love you, Mama!!

Movie Musicals

Growing up, we watched musicals, whether on TV or at the outdoor theater in Kansas City. I loved musicals and have never lost that love affair.
Sundays have a set a rules we've established to help us keep the Sabbath holy. I must admit, the Sunday hours roll by a little more slowly because there is a limitation of what we permit to be activities.
Church movies and things about Christ are always permitted. That's obvious. There are a few other movies that have gentle enough themes that I feel they are "cleared" for Sabbath viewing. Musicals are one of these genres.
I remember watching the "Sunday Night Disney Movie" specials on the Disney channel on our cable when I was young. We'd all gather around the TV with our treat of popcorn. I want to continue this tradition, but have to make my own collection.
To start with, we have a few musicals already in our possession. The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins to name a few.
What are some of the musicals or "clean" movies you fondly remember from your own childhood that would be "Sabbath appropriate"?

The Race Question

I just finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I just read it to myself, not out loud, but I'm starting to think there is a collective cognizance in my home.
As I was eating lunch and thinking about my little note I was going to write about the novel, my daughter pipes up and starts explaining how you make colors.
She tells me this story, claiming that Daddy told her:
"There was a red crayon that was sad. The white crayon asked her why she sad. She say she sad because there no crayons her color. So, the white crayon boy mixes with the red crayon girl and they have purple ones."
Okay. So, she understands that colors can change based on what you mix them with, but she has the colors wrong. Last I checked, red and white make pink, but there's no telling her that because she is SURE Daddy told this to her.
I was a little taken aback by her use of different genders "mixing together" but she is right. No one should be sad because they are different. We're all a bunch of mixed up races and colors and sometimes you just don't know how it's going to turn out! And, we'd all do well to remember this and stop enacting restrictions and privileges because of the color of our skin.

Paid Modeling

Seriously, this was the person to deserve it! I had so much fun taking pictures of our friend. It really has boosted my confidence and I learned a lot ...during and after. For instance...pesky little weeds can really detract from an otherwise amazing photo. Dumb weed!!>

However, overall, I am happy with the outcome and glad I had some great shots to give to my model and send him off to college. There's more to view on a Picasa album, so check that out, too!

Everyone Can!

In our household, you gotta sing. Or, at least, that's what is seems like. We have about 3 CD's that we rotate through in our van on a regular basis. One CD is titled (by Emily) "Daddy's Songs" another called "Cosette" and a third for the Primary songs Emily is learning in church this year. Emily calls out her requests and we enjoy listening to her sing. Gianna now sings along with her, only in pitch, not actual words (Gianna is still so like "Boo" in "Monsters, Inc.").
As we were driving the other day, Emily announced to me that she is going to be the greatest singer. I concurred. She immediately told me that I could be the greatest singer, too. In fact, she further modified her statement by declaring, "Everyone be the greatest singer a-cause everbody has moufs and we sing wif our moufs!" It's true. She's got the concept of the Lord to "make a joyful noise." We all will become better singers the more we practice.

And, some more...

Since I had the sewing machine out, I decided to make a couple extra things.
I've had this teal shirt for 5 years. Due to a little run-in with a doggie, I haven't really worn the shirt in nearly as long. It's been in my drawer to mend forever and I finally pulled it out when I saw the fabric another friend gave me to salvage. Cut-cut and sew-sew, and VOILA! A dress and a skirt are made from more recycled materials.
The dress is for Gianna and I thought she looked quite darling today. However, there will need to be some alterations as the snaps as closures leads to a problem with a child who likes to undress.
The skirt is going to be given back to the lady who gave me the material in the first place. It's beautiful material and I was sad to think her beautiful little girl wouldn't be able to style it. One of these days I'll have an actual pattern or at least sizing that will better assist me in creating these articles of clothing. In the meantime, I'm learning and loving!

Skirt Encore!

 
 
Another birthday, another skirt. I really had fun making these flowers and they certainly add to the skirt. I just can't decide if I should add a few more or leave well enough alone.
Also, my headband addiction continues...

Reality Check

Back in the day, I was a decent athlete. Not spectacular, but I was pretty in shape and could hold my own. It isn't that day anymore. Sad, but true.
I started working out with some friends of mine this week and discovered that there are a lot of muscles that I know I used to have because I don't ever remember hurting like this before. Seriously, conditioning weeks for sports has been nothing compared to the two days I've worked out this week.
Worked out. Surely I now know what that means. Hot, sultry Georgia mornings (yes, even at 8am) and a body that, although thin, has almost zero muscle tone.
Now, before any of you think I'm fishing for compliments here or anything, I want you to know that I'm not working out to get the "better body". I'm just trying to take better responsibility and care for the one I have. Sure, there are things about my body that I wish were different, but that reality check came awhile ago. Now I just want a functioning body with fewer joint issues and more energy. Anything else that comes along with it (the flat, defined abs, lets say) would be an added bonus, but nothing that I am looking for.
I just have to give a shout out to my buddies who don't laugh as I shamelessly drag behind them doing lunges or what-have. You ladies are GREAT!!
(PS: Anyone local that wants to join our "free gym"...feel free to leave me a msg b/c we'd love to have you!!)

And Then There Were...

Yesterday morning I noticed high-pitched mewing outside. I knew our cat was preggers and knew it was about time for her to have them. She gave birth in a play house we have set up on the back porch. I counted four kittens and scratched her head and fed her. We had things to do that morning and I didn't think much more about it.
When we came home, I went to check on her again, as this morning she hadn't cleaned herself up yet. Well, she had good reason to: she wasn't done giving birth! I discovered a few more kittens in the little house. Seven total!! That's a lot of babies for her first (and last) litter!!
She's been a good little mommy. I don't know that I would have the patience for 7 hungry mouths. She only gets up to leave them when she needs to stretch, eat or drink. Otherwise, she's laying down there happy to have her little brood.

Hope Thru the Darkness

We received some terrible news this weekend about an elder Eric and I served with during our missions. This elder was in my last zone and seemed happy and productive. I would never have guessed. Eric served even more closely with him, as they were companions (two or more missionaries are assigned an area to teach the gospel in and are referred to as a "companionship"). He didn't know, either.
It's hard to hear news of a friend dying, especially in a tragic and sudden way, not that any death is easy to take. However, it is through knowing the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we can heal.
I am so grateful that the fullness of the gospel is here on the earth today. I'm grateful to know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who will sort this all out for the family in the eternities. Only HE knows what this man was dealing with internally and God's mercy will heal the family and take care of our friend.
My prayers and my heart go out to those who were closer to him, especially his wife and new baby. It will take time for the shock to wear off and the "what if's" may linger, but God's love can heal these wounds. I know the gospel heals wounds.

Seamstressed

My niece's birthday party is today. I knew I wanted to make her a skirt and shirt set, but the skirt gave me several problems. To start with, the "instructions" were a little misleading as the sizing said it fit a child who was size 5-6. It was definitely a size 5 and NOT a 6. I'd much rather a garment turn out a little big as I can always take it in some. Starting small left me without enough of the same fabric to remake it.
MIL to the rescue! My mother-in-law saved me by offering me the fabric you see here. I'm so grateful she did this for me as it took me an entire day to get the skirt finished with all the "whoops, those are wrong-sided to right-sided" bumps in my creation. With the final skirt, I think I had to redo the lower ruffle three times before it worked out. The red portion is a bit heavy, but it also makes the ruffle stiffer. I even lined the top portion to make it look and feel more "professional" and also to make the top band a little less see-through.
The shirt was pretty easy and I left it a little long. And, what's an outfit without accessories? I made the headband and found the bracelets at the store.
I hope she'll like it!!

Meet The Hamster

It's a bird! It's a plane! No! It's The Hamster!!!
Err...well, so he isn't a superhero or a hamster, but we can't convince Emily that this animal is called a guinea pig. We can't decide on a name at the moment, so we just call him "The Hamster". It might just stick. We'll see.
Anyway, we have our friends to thank for this addition to our family. Somehow as they were trying to convince us to get one, Emily thought we agreed to get her one. She guilt-ed us about it afterward and was really upset that we didn't go home with one (our friends weren't giving us theirs, they just wanted us to go get one...but, explain that to a nearly 4 yr old). In fact, the next day she brought me my cell and told me I should call our friends to ask them if they were taking naps or if we could go get "The Hamster".
We eventually ended up at a pet store where Emily barfed (seriously, as soon as we got to that section of the store). She and I went to clean up and came back to find Eric and Gianna with guinea pig supplies loaded in the cart. He figured since they were "on sale" and that they were now only $8 more than where our friends got their newest (but there was a drive involved in getting the one from the farm), it was a go-ahead.
Lesson learned: guilt your parents then barf and you'll get what you want. =)

Finally Put Together

A few years ago a lady in my ward gave me all her sewing materials. I sorted through and found this great fabric. I immediately knew I wanted to recreate a skirt another friend gave me, but adjust it to be longer. I made my pattern and cut the fabric and then realized that I had no clue how to put in a zipper...and that I didn't even HAVE a zipper.
Fast forward to yesterday when I was working on some other sewing when I remembered that we finally found an appropriate zipper (seriously, it's kinda rough trying to find certain sewing materials in my are). I decided to sew the skirt and attempt my first zipper.
Sure, if you look closely at it, or if you are a good seamstress yourself, you'll notice that it isn't perfect and that I need more practice. However, I'm so happy that I can create something that I can get past my perfectionist attitude and just wear it proudly. If I could have gotten over that when I was younger, I may have pursued a different course in life. I've only been teaching myself to sew since I got married and my in-laws gave me the most awesome gift of a sewing machine, but I think I've come a pretty long way and have become more confident in my abilities (which, truth be told, is the key to being successful in my book!).

(And, yes, I'm standing on the side of our tub to get a picture. My camera has been having issues and it's about the only way I could take a picture of myself...especially since the automatic focus no longer works. Do you know how hard it is to balance in heels on the side of a tub while looking through a camera? I'm just saying... Another point: I'm not sure why it looks like it's asymmetrical...it's not supposed to be. I think it is just the way it is hanging off my hips?? Maybe no one else noticed or they were too nice to comment at church?)

One Generation at a Time

About two years ago I began working for a gentleman who has since then become like a grandfather to me. In reality, we've even discovered that we ARE long-distance cousins.
I try to find new connections to add to his tree, but I've been at a stand-still for nearly 6 months (well, really, longer than that I think!). I finally, finally found the family who I believe his 4th great-grandmother belongs to. Sure, it was only her parents and siblings, but it's one more family we didn't know about. I'm hopeful that I can find more about the siblings and work back to the present, but we'll have to see how that goes.
It's neat that if I'm working on his line or my line, it all ends up being my genealogy. It's fun to see the names that come up and wondering if I am somehow related to the friends I have made over the years. I haven't tracked anyone down as of yet, but I AM searching!!

Finding Time To Read

I know, I know. Everyone is sick of hearing about reading from me. Sorry. It's on my top 5 passions.
The one thing I constantly hear is that people have such a hard time taking time (or finding time) to read. Life is crazy-busy and it just doesn't work. OR, people get too overly consumed in reading and then neglect the things they need to be doing (ie: taking care of children, cleaning the house, or other duties).
I don't have the secret because, well, let's be honest, I don't live your life. However, I think I know how to sneak a few minutes in here and there which equals completing some reading without sacrificing other things. This ability began probably on the toilet in my pre-teen years as I realized the joy of reading the funny stories in The Reader's Digest (the honored piece of literature that graced the backs of the toilet seat in my youth). It was further imprinted upon me as I became a student of literature in college. I found myself reading in every spare moment I had, such as walking the approximate five blocks to campus and back. Sure, probably not the "safest" thing to do crossing streets, but I was responsible enough to look both ways before crossing. As I've become a mother, this talent has been improved even more. So, I'll share a few things with you.
The most important aspect in finding the time is choosing reading to be a priority in my life. Most people find time in their lives to eat, sleep and work. Others find time to exercise and do other hobbies. I choose to read, so I seek opportunities to do so.
People wonder how to do this with children in the house. Right now I'm the mother of two active little girls. Guess what? They don't always need me to play with them. I believe it is important for children to learn to entertain themselves. There are so many obvious benefits to this that I won't waste time listing them. "Free play" is a term used in schools. It becomes a time when children can create and discover the world with a little less chaperoning. My 4 year old did not start building creative structures because I taught her. She did it because she was given the opportunity to discover it for herself. (Sometimes I think my limited creativity as an adult who wants things to conform to a certain standard can stifle her child's imagination.)
Setting up a time of the day (if you feel the need to schedule) is important, too. I don't have a set time that I read, but I make sure I do it every day. I can sit down in the afternoon and read for 15-30 minutes to my children and then I ask them if I can have some time to read my book afterward. I'm always permitted to do this. Sometimes I will even read portions of the book out loud to my kids. This generally encourages them to scamper off and find more entertaining things to do (apparently Kafka and Austen and Amen is less interesting to a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old). This allows me some time off of my feet, too. It's relaxing for me and needed about mid-day.
Another secret is allowing myself to read a little bit at different points of the day. A little goes a long way. You can read on the toilet, while you brush your teeth, while you do your hair, and even while you exercise (I'm a pretty good master at propping up a book on the treadmill...when I'm that motivated to get some exercise). In fact, reading while exercising was the key to improving my brain as a missionary. I memorized almost every scripture and quote while exercising. And, I was able to read The Bible and The Book of Mormon in 3 weeks because of this, too. Right now I reserve toilet time for reading the scriptures. It's just the best way for me to have exposure to The Word throughout the day. (It's estimated that a person, over their lifespan, will spend between 1-3 years on "the throne".) I also ALWAYS read while my kids play in the tub. Tubtime for them is reading time for me. So, do yourself a favor and grab a couple of minutes reading when you can. I also carry a book with me in the car for unexpected (or expected) waits in the car or doctor's office or wherever you have been scheduled to be somewhere else.
I also read myself to sleep quite often. It's the best way for me to ensure a good night's rest. This is probably a habit I started as a child, but it still works as an adult.
My final tip in finding time to read is to share what you read with others. As you are discovering things, you can share them with your spouse, your friends, your family, and, with the use of the internet, the world. Eric and I are always sharing things we've learned throughout the day. Sometimes it is stuff that comes from books and sometimes from the rest of our environment. The thing with sharing is, it keeps you excited and motivated to keep learning so you have more things to share.
There are other ways of finding the time to read, and maybe you can suggest them. Basically, like all of our life choices, we have to choose when, and how and why. The rest will fall together.

Thank You for Giving Me the Magic

I, obviously, adore my kids. We have two outings every week that they can count on. The first is going to church every Sunday. The second is going to the library.
Tonight we had a breakthrough with Emily. We sat down and she read her very first complete book. She read The Kite by Mary Packard. She was getting so excited as she turned page after page and was able to sound out and read the words. At one point, she turned to me and gave me a huge hug with happiness bursting out of her and exclaimed, "Thank you so much for giving me the magic! I can read!!"
Reading is like magic. It opens up worlds: both fictional and real. It can take you places in your mind but it can also allow you to function and excel in school and business as well as in relationships with others.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I am so grateful my children already have the love of reading. I'm so glad my Mom gave me the magic of reading.

Just Love

I know there are many out there with varying degrees of belief in God and even those who do not believe in Him. I just want to say that I love Him. I know He is real. I know there are answers to questions.
A friend of mine recently asked a question about religion. I'm not out here to sway her to my point of view. I am here to be an example of Christ and teach truth. I explained to her that all good things come from God and that sorting out the truths from the untruths is the hard part when it comes to religion. You can only do this through prayer.
Of course, prayer demands a bit of faith. Actually, it demands something more basic than faith. It demands hope. Hope for there to be a God. Hope that we can change. Hope that families really can be together forever. Hope that there are answers. When we express this hope, we demonstrate that mustard seed of faith. It may be small and seemingly insignificant, but as we allow that hope and faith to grow, it can lead to the kind of faith that moves mountains and allows us to see miracles in our lives.
When we have faith, we then become more involved in teaching others about Christ and being devoted to Him. We seek to remove all bad characteristics and habits from our lives. It's a process. True and complete conversion takes time, but more importantly, willingness to see the freedoms and happiness that making good choices allows. Religion isn't stifling; it's liberating. God isn't one who wants restrictions placed upon us. He is sure of the path of happiness and guides and directs us as any good parent does.
I love Him with all my heart. I'm trying my best to do His will. I know He has a purpose for each one of us on this earth. I'm a daughter of God. I am the wife of a wonderful man who makes me better than I could be by myself. I am the mother of two glorious children who remind me how simple faith really can be. I am a daughter of goodly parents who have struggled and succeeded. I am a sister, an aunt, a granddaughter and a friend. I want everyone to have the fullness of joy that I have in knowing God loves each of us and knowing the pathway to have that happiness.
Please know, that by reading this message, I care for you and want you to be happy, too.

(Found this after posting, but I thought I'd leave a link. It's good stuff!)
And, I also need to make note that Eric has been teaching me a LOT about the concept of hope and it is through his epiphanies that this all makes sense. Can I just say that I love this man?

My Heart is Beating

One of my famous quotes is: "My heart is beating!" Yeah, "well, duh!" It was after my friend Cameron and I were laughing so hard that we could hardly breathe. I noticed my heart was RACING, but I said "beating".
It's a genetic flaw. Tonight, Gianna hurt Emily's feelings by slipping a new wrench toy into the floor fan. The decorative green handle broke off and Emily became devastated. Gianna, after receiving her discipline came out and gave Emily hugs. She kept hugging Emily so much that I was afraid they were going to topple over. Emily's response: "It's making my heart beat. It feels better."
Since the "apology" of Gianna's incessant hugs, they have now enjoyed the past while playing the hug game, chase, ring-around-the-rosies, twirl your sister on the ground, and jump rope leading. This is getting to be REALLY fun to have two girls who love each other and can entertain each other.

Gianna and the Visit

She really is getting too cute for words. I loved the way she clung on to my Mom while she was here. I wanted more than the two days we got with them, but I am really glad my parents and brother could come down for a visit.
My family is amazing...and, a little crazy. Jake had a State Track Meet to compete in for High Jump on Saturday. So, they were up all day for that and left immediately after he finished. They jumped in the car and started the long travel down here. At 6:30am they finally arrived. Exhausted. But, we took them home, got everyone showered and dressed for church (my mom taking care of the girls, too!) and made it there by 8:45am (I know, we are breaking records with being there early!!). Eric and I sang a song and then we decided that my family REALLY needed to get some sleep, so we took them home after the first meeting. They got some rest that day, ate some yummy chimmichangas, and watched a movie together (some of us falling asleep basically when it started).
Monday morning we were up shopping for fruits and vegetables to can (my Mom was going to teach a small group of women) while the other half were getting ready and going paintballing. No peaches. No nothing, really, to preserve. Got home, did some canning. Paintballers returned. A little more sleep for the travelers. A combined family BBQ with my family and Eric's family. Then to bed we went.
Tuesday morning, they packed up and were out of here by 9am.
That's what I call a quick visit. It was great, though!

Make-Up

I'm sure Emily was in consultation for Avatar's makeup. I especially love Emily's face in this one. Maybe she HAS seen some modeling done...'cause she doesn't look happy.

Mud Pies

As I was cleaning and preparing for my family to arrive, Emily came to me with a dishtowel and wanted me to pin it to her to keep the mud off her legs. Not paying 100% attention to what this meant, I replied, "It's okay to get a little dirty. We'll wash it off later."
I had no idea this is what that response meant.



Not only were they covered with it (I even removed clothing and they went back to it before I got them cleaned up), but they painted their play house, the porch, AND the cat (thus the blurry image)!!
Needless to say, we had baths early that day and I will now be more aware of what I say...at least for another week or so...

Jack and the Beanstalk

I am just loving this stage of Fairytales. It's so great for the imagination!! Emily drew this last week.

Paintballers

A few years ago my parents came down for a visit and Eric took my Dad and brother paintballing. They had so much fun that it's been talked about ever since. Well, when Eric heard they were planning another trip down here, he started planning a big paintball activity and invited 25-30 people to join up for some Memorial Day fun. Out of those invited, only 8 showed up, but they had a grand time of it. (The first time it was just Eric, Dad, and my brother Jake).

Sports Hall of Fame

As one of our outings we went to the Georgia Sports Hall of Fame. I give this museum two thumbs up. It was everything I expected it to be and it was a lot of fun.
There were the information stations as well as memorabilia. The best part was the activities they had upstairs. We could shoot hoops, check our balance, throw footballs and kick field goals, compete for the highest vertical, check our reaction time and ride a Special Olympics wheelchair. It was so much fun and the girls loved it.
I have to say that none of us have any balance according to that activity. I don't know who DOES have that kind of balance. Gianna and Emily were both quick on the draw for the trivia game...no one has quicker hands and minds than they do! Of course, they got every question wrong, but who said you have to read to play? Eric beat me on throwing footballs through the tires, but I got it through first! And, I win on the vertical jump. He only jumped 12 inches while mine was 16. Of course, it probably wasn't fair since he had a bum knee from paintballing earlier this week, but we won't figure that into the competition. =)
We had a great time and there was plenty more to see that we didn't as we had our two active little girls who enjoyed the open spaces to run in.