Wednesday #2- Pouty Gratitude

Lately one of my sisters has been having a LOT of struggles. Her wonderful husband has been doing his best to find work, but is hitting a brick wall it seems with the economy what it is. And she just had their little boy not all that long ago, so hasn't been able to try to find something herself. This past month was especially hard for them, and Jim and I have been trying to figure out how to help...if we CAN help. I hate to see her suffer this way after all she has already been through in this life, and I hate that I am not in a position where I can just hand to her what she needs. But I figure she has to face this for some reason. Well, I think I have heard a reason recently...and that is to bring her closer once again to our loving Savior! She is getting nearly all the help she needs, because once again He has come through for her in her life. So, I must say that I cry when I am filled with gratitude for the love I see either in my life or others come from our Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ. And for wonderful people who so willingly and without thought of praise or reward help those around them in need of something they can give!


Now on the interesting side of things that make me laugh...lately there are two boys in my life...and no not both of my sons...that have been making the CUTEST pouty face when they beg me for what they want! I mean seriously adorable! And I am not sure what cracks me up more...that they think that it will work, because it doesn't, or simply how cute it looks on the face of these boys that want to believe they are SO Grown Up! Instead of getting them what they wanted it simply makes me laugh...and gets them a "Thanks for making me laugh...that is SO adorable!" Which of course only frustrates them...making me laugh even harder inside!

Tuesday #2- Mission Princess nearly complete!

What I need to get done and what I have accomplished this week fall into the same category: A Pair of Princesses Party! The girls birthdays always sneak up on me after Christmas and this year is no different, except that Courtney is now old enough to have her first friend party and Analise is now old enough for her second. I am lucky that they are both girls and were able to decide on a theme easily this year...Princess Party. So, we will be inundated with girls and princess things this Saturday! But being the crafty person I am this has been fun and time consuming and relatively cheap! I bought some of the foam sheets and cut out tiaras and mini purses for them to decorate with glue and sequins. And some shiny pony beads for them to make necklaces out of. They are going to leave our house dressed like the little princesses they are!

So...I need to finish adding ribbon handles to the purses, and cleaning my house up for the party. And I have accomplished creating an amazingly fun party for all of the girls! Photos will be coming!

Monday #2- Cheerleading Grandma

Growing up there is only one thing I REALLY wanted when I got into High School...for as long as I can remember...to be a cheerleader! Looking back this was not the best goal I could have chosen...but it was what it was. I remember BEGGING my parents for dance lessons like other little girls I knew, but the money just wasn't there...so the answer was always no. Well, I didn't let that stop me, I played with it on my own, as soon as I was old enough (a Sophomore IN High School) I tried out for the team. Well at my High School they did have judges, but they were there for the dress rehearsal and did nothing except score you for your own record and give little tips on how to do better the the next day when you would try out in front of the WHOLE student body for THEM to vote who made it and who didn't. So truly...a popularity contest if you ever heard of one. And I was, shall we say, an awkward and shy girl...friendly, but shy and far from popular in a good way. So I didn't make the team that year. Well, in all honesty I probably wouldn't have made it if it hadn't been a popularity contest either...didn't have the know how then, just the desire.

That year I spent taking the dance classes provided at school, and hoping that I could make it next year. I had no idea that most girls after one "defeat" at our school...don't usually go back for another beating. I only knew that I dreamed of making it and I had to try out before I could make it. So, try outs came around again...same system as the year before. I actually felt I had done pretty good, and was so proud that my parents had made it this time. But I still didn't make the team...and I was DEVASTATED as this was the last year I would be allowed to try out!! I thought back then that there was NO way that I could face anyone ever again, and I wanted to curl up and DIE! You know...like the dramatic teenagers we all were once upon a time.

But of course, life moved on. And the next few weeks were filled with drama over a vote recount that turned out they had announced the team wrong...no I still didn't make it, and wouldn't have wanted to that way. But two of the team from the year before hadn't made it originally but did after a recount. So, the gossip and rumors went crazy saying that they had bribed the school to let them be on. And what were they going to do with the girls they had announce made it and then really hadn't...and who possibly hadn't made it really? I had quite a few people come up to me during this time and tell me that now they wished they had voted for me because I had done better than the "drama queens". My only thought was...well, now I know YOU didn't vote for me...THANKS! I know not the right attitude, but where I was at that moment.

Well, the principal held an assembly to announce that they were simply going to add the two "former" team members back onto the team rather than take anyone off. He went on to say that they really had made it and weren't "LOSERS" after recounting the vote. So we all should move on and quite with the gossip and rumors because we were classier students then that...la, la, la. I was STUNG...my PRINCIPAL had just called me a LOSER! So, what did I do, I wrote him a "note" saying that I thought it was very class-less of him to call those that hadn't made the team LOSERS as we had all worked hard and done our best. I told him that he had lost all respect in my eyes after making such a public statement that those that hadn't made the team were losers. Naturally, he called me into his office and apologized for his wording profusely, but that is where it stopped. I only share this last part of the story because it was at that moment I went from "poor little me, my life is OVER" to "I am NOT a loser, and I will be just fine without having made the team." A true change in perspective and some true growth.

I know like to think that I did make the cheerleading team...I am the best cheerleader my children and husband will ever need or want! And it is MUCH more rewarding than making the other team ever would have been.


Now for a cherished memory...lately I have been thinking a LOT about my 91 yr old Grandma. She has given me so many happy and cherished memories over the years, so let me try to pick just one or two for you. I guess really it is a lot of little and simple memories that add up for me. From the peanut (circus peanut) tosses, to the valentines, to the MANY family traditions that she lovingly created. But I think my most treasured memories of Grandma overall are all centered on one theme...family togetherness and love.

She even made working fun! I LOVED to wash dishes with Grandma after a family meal...but hated to do it at my house. And I LOVED to help her in her garden...even though doing the same with my dad was a "chore". I wonder why this is? In fact I think I have just settled on my most cherished memories of her...helping her in her garden. It always gave us time to talk about how life was going, we got to enjoy fabulous home-grown fruit and veggies while we did it, and I had such a sense of accomplishment when we were done. I even had planned to have my wedding reception there in her GORGEOUS yard before she asked how many would be coming and we thought of all those people traipsing through her yard. I decided that while she was willing to do this for me, I didn't want to ruin all her hard work and the beauty of her yard just for my one moment of happiness to be held there. In the end it wasn't important that it be held there, and it was still beautiful...but I didn't ruin her yard in having it and that meant a LOT to us both.

Sunday #2- Irreverent Ahhhh!

Okay...these next few are a little late too. This is quite the challenge to keep up with, but I really do want to do it. So, I am not sure if we will truly say daily postings yet, but maybe by February I will have it down. One reason I got behind this time is what I am going to use for the thing that drives me crazy...irreverent children...I know, I know who could possibly relate to this one. I spent all of sacrament meeting in the foyer with various children. ALL FOUR had trouble today!! So, I wasn't feeling very peaceful! Then what should they say, afterward when told them that they hadn't been reverent enough for me to bake something sweet, "I was reverent the WHOLE TIME in Primary, MOM!" My thought I kept to myself was, "AND you think that makes up for pinching your father, talking during prayers, calling your sister ugly, then saying when caught...well it is TRUE, and Dad having to at one point pull all 4 of you out?!!" (Of course, this was more than just one child doing all of these things, I am compiling all the thoughts into one.)

I must pause here and say that I am TRULY grateful that they SEEM to be reverent for the most part in Primary...or at least their teachers have never said otherwise. But really, with all we allow them to have to do during sacrament I would think they could handle themselves better than they did this week. I remember going to church with NOTHING to do at their ages! At least we give them a notebook to draw or write on, a church related book, and a flip book of photos of Jesus to look at during the sacrament to help them think of Him! Well, anyway...not our best week, they have indeed been MUCH better on the average, so again I am thankful for that!



Now on a happier note, one thing that brings me the greatest peace...after moments like the above...is remembering the opposite moments, you know the ones when your kids say the sweetest most adorable things that let you know that you must be teaching SOMETHING to them right! Well, this one highlights Courtney:

There is a kindergarten teacher at the school my children attend that has tried for a long time to have children, and due to a final effort with fertility on their part she is going to be blessed with children. Not one, but 3 in one pregnancy! Two boys and a little girl. Anyway, we just moved Courtney up to a twin size bed, so the two crib size mattresses we have are no longer needed at our home. So, knowing a good place for them we told Courtney right where they are going when she asked what was going to happen to her old bed. She looked content at our response that they were going to go to this teachers little babies. Well, with her "big girl" bed, she got a big girl pillow...she had been using an adorable flat stuffed elephant she got from Grandma. At first she put both on her bed together and tried to lay down...but just wasn't comfortable. Then as we watched her struggle, you could see the exact moment when this ADORABLE and SWEET thought popped into her little head. "Mom!" she said, "The babies need a pillow too! Yep, the babies can have my pillow, Mommy! They can share it!"

Isn't that the best?!!! I live for these moments from my children...and I am grateful that they ALL have them from time to time!

Saturday #1- Mommy Scraps

Hmmmm...this one has me thinking! Which really is a good thing.

I guess that the thing that is helping me find joy in the journey right now is making sure to scrap the moments as they come...the good, the bad, and the where did that come from?! It is such a great source of working out those emotions that come with all of life's adventures. And for the "bad" moments...it will also work great for "blackmail" or reminders when my kids are older! I also have been trying really hard to remember Pres. Monson's talk "Finding Joy in the Journey". Sometimes I have to admit...there are moments that just the thought I will some day miss THIS moment, brings a smile to my face and laughter to my frustrated mind again. It really is hilarious that some things that truly drive us CRAZY now will be so VERY missed later!

One thing that I am going to find Joy in...even if it does me in...is those "Mommy, Mommy, MOMMY!" moments! Boy, can they drive me batty...especially if I said "What?" the first time and they are so busy screaming "Mommy" at me that they didn't even hear me reply? I mean really do I always seem to take so long, in their minds, that they don't even expect a response until they are yelling at me??!! Or should I take them all in to have their hearing checked, or simply the wax build up cleaned out of their ears? I have started saying their name back to them for each time they say mine...until they say "WHAT?" At least this way I know they are done yelling and ready to listen! I guess we will see if it keeps working...or even better if they start listening for a response after that very first, "Mommy?" request for attention.

Friday #1-Piano Smiles

Little late...still working into the routine, what can I say?! In fact I have been working on routine books for my kids, and was having too much fun playing to stop. I will have to show you those later! So, for yesterday's post...

I am going to start this years decluttering a little small, as I have a double birthday party to plan, and throw by next weekend. When we first got the piano in our home...the rule was, AND STILL IS...nothing but music goes on it. But it only took one day of allowing something else to be there temporarily, and now it is out of control. So, this next week that is what I will be decluttering here at my house! Do you have a spot that just seems to collect things like me? For your sake...I hope not!

As far as creating goes...I am think I have to say my top favorite thing to create is a SMILE! It hardly matters whose face it is...I love to see others smile, and if I did something to help that smile get there, well that just makes it all the better! But my very favorite smiles in the whole world would have to be those of my children and my husband! Whether it is a tickling session with the children after a really sad moment, or some punny joke that popped into my head...and out of my mouth, or simply a warm loving hug and an "I love you" that bring the smile to their faces...I LOVE having a place in creating them!

Thursday #1-Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Paint

The Holidays were just too tough to blog daily during...so, a week later I pick up where I left off! Thursday's are something I would LOVE to do someday...and things I am doing now. So here goes:



Probably the largest and top dream of mine at this point in time would be to someday sing with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. This is a VERY challenging dream, so we will see where it goes someday. I know that there is no possible way that I can do this at this season in my life, but nothing (dream-wise) would bring me greater joy than to sing with this talented group. If you are one of my friends that know little if anything about them...check out www.mormontabernaclechoir.org. So, in the meantime I continue to sing with my ward/congregational choir, and do my best to improve in the hopes that when a season in life comes when I could do this I am as prepared as possible to audition and go through that rigorous process.

Now as for the things I am doing now...I am painting...or getting ready to. My kids are little artists, and despite knowing the walls are not for art work...unless it is on a paper on the wall...they can't seem to help themselves, or even seem to want to. But I have had enough, so along with having a cabinet to lock up the art supplies, I am priming and then will be painting over their "art work". But not to worry got pictures first! I gotta have those for blackmail later down the road! I also have plans for a place that will be okay for them to "color" on the walls...the new playroom. I will tell you/or take pictures when we are ready for that step...but hopefully it will be done in the next two weeks or so. But we will save that for another week! You might just say that I am after a truly fresh start for the New Year. What is one of your New Year resolutions? Well, Happy New Year!!