Project Cuteness

I purchased the girls these really cute sweaters last weekend and envisioned them wearing them with cute neutral skirts. I can never find what I'm looking for when it comes to dresses, and skirts of a good length for little girls are practically impossible to find. So, I got out my creativity and created these:

I'm pretty proud of them, but even more so because Emily couldn't get enough of them. I fixed Gianna's first but Emily just couldn't wait to have her own flower on her skirt. Now I can't wait until Sunday to dress them up and take pictures of them in the completed outfits!!

You Cheat ME!

Somehow, growing up, I got tagged with a sometimes nickname of "Mahana". For those of you unaware of "Mormon pop culture," there is an old film that basically spells out that when you treat people well, they blossom and become their potential. Mahana was a girl who was viewed as not only ugly, but worthless. Her father and her community treated her poorly. However, along comes Mr. Fantastic that everyone adores, except his name is Johnny Lingo, not Mr. Fantastic. Anyway, he loves Mahana and pays a great price for her in order to marry her. After the wedding, he whisks her away on a long honeymoon only to return with a very beautiful and charming wife. Mahana blossomed under his love.
I am Mahana in so many ways. I think I brushed my hair a lot more than Mahana did in her younger days, but I often felt less than plain. I struggled throughout my youth and young adulthood to feel beautiful. When I met Eric, or rather, when we started dating, I found myself blossoming. I started carrying a purse (which, ironically, takes a backseat to the diaper bag these days). I started caring about his preferences and wanting to please him.
Today, he made me feel even more beautiful. It's simple, really. I needed to take something to him at work. No big deal, right? However, he took the opportunity to introduce me to all of his new co-workers and kind of showed us off. I don't feel like a trophy wife, but I do feel beautiful like a trophy wife when Eric does this. I felt like I have the two most adorable blond haired, blue eyed girls on the planet and that I, too, am beautiful.
I love my husband so much. He was truly sent for me and I appreciate all of his love and affection. I just hope I can be as good to him as he is to me.

A Day, Different

Any of you who know me well know that I just can't cope with cold weather. At ALL. I shiver and shake and end up with sore muscles and a back ache because of it. I just can't keep warm. AND, once I have gotten chilled, it takes FOREVER to get warm again.
We spent a few days of cold and it required that I finally give in and turn on the heat (if the house temperature drops below 60 degrees, it's basically my limit).
I was so pleasantly surprised with warm weather this morning. When I took Hannah out this morning around 8 am, it felt like a summer day. Warm. Moist (aka humid). Wonderful. I immediately unclosed every window in my house.
Ah, the gloriousness of warm weather, especially a week into December. It's like an early Christmas present for me from God. I just want to say that I really appreciate it, even if you have to turn it cold again tomorrow. We played outside and enjoyed a bike ride. Thanks!

Santa Spoiler Alert

I have a problem. I want truth spoken in my home. Therefore, I don't want to encourage my children's belief in a fairytale. I just don't want to have to tell them one day, "I've been lying to you for x-number of years. There really isn't a Santa Clause. Daddy and I give you gifts and pretend they are from someone else." I'm not knocking anyone else wanting to do this. I just have this personal feeling about it.
Mind you, I was raised in a home that had Santa and we left food out for Santa and all. I don't know how old I was when we were bad children and discovered the "Santa" gifts in my parents' closet (you are right, we shouldn't have been snooping). I was fairly young. Anyway, Christmas kind of lost it's joy after that. I didn't rediscover the joy of Christmas until I was an adult and serving a mission for my church. I guess this lends to not wanting to live a lie about the holiday characters to ruin it for my own kids.
So, in a effort to do this, we have tried to reconstruct Christmas. It's a celebration of Christ's spirit, really. Yet, Christianity has deemed it a celebration of Christ's birth. I love all of Christmas, really. I love it more and more as I re-experience it through a child's eyes (Emily is a Christmas fanatic...her favorite song is Jingle Bells and her favorite movie is Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer). I want the magic of Christmas, but not the lies.
Really, Christmas should be celebrated in April. You know, actually for Christ's birth? If we did THAT, there would be no "confusion of the season" remarks.
I want to celebrate Christ's birth, but I want to do it correctly. I also want to celebrate family togetherness, the spirit of giving, and another good hearty meal. I want, basically, to have my cake and eat it too...just at different times so I can enjoy both admiring the work that goes into it and the joy of the consumption, too.

Princess Rosa

Emily has been infatuated with making up not only new names for herself, but new languages, too. Last night, after tucking her in for the night, she declared, "I'm Spanish, Mommy." I nodded my head and tried slipping out before the storyteller in her started. Not getting the response she was looking for, she further explained, "I'm Spanish in my mouth!" This got a chuckle out of me. I clarified with her that she meant that she spoke Spanish. When I understood this, she started spouting off what she deemed to be Spanish words. I must admit, when I hear a native Spanish speaker, it rolls together and I can't follow at all. It's beautiful and I'm sure if I took the chance to learn it, I'd appreciate it. Instead, I'll just enjoy the creation of my daughter. Who knows, maybe it's a hint that she should start learning it. I mean, Dora is one of her "best friends" and we have several bilingual toys for her.
I had more of this Spanish Rosa (a few weeks ago, she informed a nursery leader that this was her name...including the rolling "r") this morning as she dressed herself. She looked very festive in her tutu, wings, and mix-n-match dress-up paraphernalia. When she completed her ensemble, including make-up, she announced that she was a Spanish fairy princess. She went to the library in her getup and was complemented. Upon hearing the words, "She is so cute," she whispered to me, "Am I cute, Mommy?"

Tears Guaranteed

It happens every year. I can't help it. And, it happened again today.
As I was driving around town today and listening to my Christmas-all-the-time station, a version of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" started playing. I can't listen to this version and drive. I don't know if the vocals are good. I don't know if the accompaniment is any good. All I do know is that the meaning behind this song is amplified a million times for me as soldiers speak their Christmas wishes to their families (here, I'm even choking up thinking about it) is plugged into the song.
BAM! Total tears. It just rips my heart out to think about these men and women that have made the decision to support our country in this manner. I sometimes feel selfish because I know I couldn't do it. These moms and dads and brothers and sisters are out there because of me (and the rest of the millions of people in the United States). They give me a gift 365 days out of the year; year after year. I truly do wish I could say thank you to every single one of them. Of course, they'll have to excuse the continual downpour of tears, but I'm seriously that grateful for them.
Any of you armed service personnel or relatives of such individuals, know that I am truly grateful for the sacrifice and service you provide! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

Grattitude

On Facebook there is a thing going on that everyday you post things that you are grateful for during this month in honor of Thanksgiving. I thought I'd do a blog post on the same subject.
1. I'm grateful for my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It isn't enough just to believe in Jesus Christ. There is more expected from our thoughts, actions, as well as ordinances mandated by our Savior. I am so grateful the gospel has been restored and that we are looking forward to the Second Coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for modern prophets to keep us on the right track. I'm grateful for my copy of the latest General Conference addresses both in the Ensign as well as the DVD's that arrived yesterday.
2. I am grateful for my patriarchal blessing. This is a special blessing (prayer with hands laid on my head) I received at the age of 17. There was no way the man speaking these words could have imagined what would happen to me and the choices I would need to make and the people with whom I would come in contact. There is great counsel within those pages that helps me to make correct decisions and recognize the Lord's hand constantly guiding my life.
3. I am grateful for my wonderful husband. I went through some rough times in my dating years and had trouble finding someone who could compliment me so perfectly. I am grateful to know the Lord guided me to Eric and confirmed His approval in my decision to marry Eric. He's the best man in the world for me. He brings out a better me than I would be by myself. We are truly, best friends.
4. I am grateful for my opportunity to be a mother. My girls are the world to me and I have so much fun raising them and discovering/rediscovering the world through their eyes. Daily I am able to find the little joys in life and to truly become more like a child in the simplicities that lead us back to God.
5. I am grateful for my extended family and the support they give me. Although I am not in close proximity to my siblings and parents, it is wonderful to have things bring us together, such as the Roe's sealing earlier this year. I love the random phone calls I get from my parents and siblings...or text messages or emails. It's nice to be sent love from all over the country. I'm also grateful for my in laws and the relationship we've been building for the past 4 years. They are great grandparents to my children, too!
6. I am grateful for answered prayers as well as unanswered prayers. The Lord truly knows what He is doing with my life.
7. I am grateful for good friends who can handle my specific personality. Sometimes I can be offensive, unintentionally, and it is through these friends that I can become a better person but still have my feet grounded because they can see that I am trying to be good.
8. I am grateful for my husband's job in these tough economic times. The Lord truly blesses us with his continued success at work. We are also amazed, through his job, to have amazing other benefits that make the company even more valuable as an employer. Health insurance and education are made possible through Verizon, and they do a great job of providing those!
9. I am grateful for my home and my van. I know we were led to this home and feel such peace and joy in being a homeowner. We have a clean and spacious environment to raise our small children. Although I wasn't very fond of the idea a year ago, I am also glad we were able to trade in our cars for my van. It's been a blessing on so many levels that I hadn't even considered. My back is appreciative!
10. I'm grateful for my body. I have always had a bit of a body image issue. I never truly felt beautiful until I married Eric. He has brought out more of my beauty because of the way he sees me. I am more confident in other aspects of my life because of it. I truly feel like Mahana...the post-marriage version.
11. I'm grateful for the country I live in. No matter the problems I may have with different political ideas and policies, I am still grateful that I can disagree with those things and have my free life. I am not in any danger for my views and am given the liberty to express said ideas.
12. I'm grateful for talents. Not just my own, but those that are shared by individuals who are confident enough to let their light shine. I love to listen to people play the piano and other instruments. I love to look at works of art and evaluate the way they make me feel. I love to read books and discover new and old truths about past and current societies and humans of all ages, race, nationalities and creeds.
13. I'm grateful for modern conveniences. I am grateful for whoever discovered how to make formula and the ensuing improvements to make it more like mother's milk. I'm grateful for disposable diapers because I just don't like to mess with the dirty aspect of raising an infant. I am grateful for baby wipes for the above mentioned as well as having something to wipe hands clean away from home. I'm grateful for running water, electricity, my washer and dryer (even if I don't like folding the laundry), and refrigeration. Thank goodness I don't have to figure out how to keep things cold living in the South!
14. I'm grateful for my calling at church. There is nothing like randomly running into the kids in my class and having them give me a big hug. It definitely brightens my day.
15. I'm grateful for my education and my continued desire to learn and find new skills and talents. I know that not everyone enjoys formal education, but I thrived in it. I also love discovering on my own with the skills I was taught in school. Reading and writing about literature is such a passion and I'm grateful to have found a group of women interested in this pursuit so I can share this.
16. I'm grateful for you because you are still reading this. There are so many things to be grateful for in this day and age. I'm still thinking about what I am grateful for, but I think I'll leave the rest to be recorded in my journal.