New Specs

Babe loves her new glasses.  She had been complaining about not seeing well in class at school.  I often notice her reading with a book close to her face too.  So I took her in for a vision check.  She needs glasses, but only for reading.  The doc said it was just to make reading things clearer. 



Babe was pretty excited to share the specs opportunity with her sis.  And Miss M has been excited for someone else in the family to wear glasses like her.  They are both so cute about it.

12of12 February 2012

1.  New Pendant.

2.  My usual breakfast: oatmeal with blueberries.

3.  Yeah! Snow!

4.  Each week at church Baby "escorts" Bro. Dougherty to Nursery to drop her off.  She holds his cane to "help him."

5.  Leftover birthday cake.  Rob turned 41 Friday.  Cake courtesy of Sister Dougherty.  Delicious!

6.  Baby singing her doll to sleep.  "Rock-a-bye-baby"

7.  Couldn't resist letting the girls play in the snow today.  It could be gone by the next day and this winter we don't know when it will return.

8.  Little I in the snow.

9.  Miss A at her primary teacher's house to pass off some Articles of Faith.  (Teacher requested not to be in the photo).

10. A common site: Little I drawing.

11. John's (little bro) and Maria's (friend) birthdays today.  And Abraham Lincoln's.

12. Baby getting a treat for using the toilet.  Not in the all or nothing stage, but just some incentive to have her desire to use the toilet.  Next month I think it will be time. (fingers crossed).  She's my last.  :)

To learn more about doing 12of12 go here.  It's never too late to start.

The Things They Do

make me laugh!

Miss A does NOT enjoy having to get up in the morning.  She will even get up and start to change and then lay around her room for a long time before continuing the morning "get ready" process.  Such torture.  This morning I walked into the girls' bathroom to put something away had heard someone in the bathtub.  Miss A was hiding in the tub behind the shower curtain wearing only underwear and holding her clothes.  I asked her what she was doing.  "I don't want to get up."  Um?  Aren't you up?  She's a silly girl.

Baby came to me and said "let's go."  She is silly too. And I love my silly girls!

Fresh Air and Good Times

A & I finishing up lunch outside.  Oh how I've missed the sunshine!  Once February hits, I am all ready for sunshine and spring.  I am looking so forward to Spring!
I had this table under our grape arbor and decided to move it to the deck off the kitchen.  It has been used every sunny, and not so sunny, day.  It reminds me of when I would stay at Ga's (my mom's mom) house.  She would set up lunch for me and her outside at a little table.  We had to go downstairs and around the house to get to it, but so worth it.  
I learned a lot from my grandmother.  She had been a professional seamstress, was a great cook and had a huge garden that I would joyfully work in.  I believe she and my dad were the major influences on me with my love for gardening. 
The memories are flooding back and I am so grateful for them!

Live In The Present

Today at church the last hour was combined Relief Society/Priesthood class (Adult women/men).  A new High Councilman spoke about living in the present.  He works on the corporate level as a "mental coach".  My lovely diagram above kind of tells what he talked to us about.  And I will now try to explain it.

Some people live in the future.  They fear the future and the future doesn't even exist.  They have anxieties which is a watered down version of fear.

Then some people live in the past, dwelling on mistakes or changes that they can not change.  These people are depressed.

The top back and forth arrows represent someone who goes back and forth between past and future, never in the present.  I think I fall into this category lately.

The 3 types above don't live in the present.

Thinking of the future isn't all bad.  We need to plan, have goals.  This motivates us.  But then move back to the present --> into action.  When we are in the present, "the now", we do.  He said that the Holy Ghost only lives in the present.  An example he shared was that this last week he woke up early every day (not on purpose) with thoughts about giving a couple of talks today (anxieties/future).  He then got up to write down the thoughts about what he should share (present).

He shared a children's book story:

A farmer's stallion ran away.  

The nieghbors came and said: what bad luck.

Farmer: maybe.

The stallion came back with 2 wild horses.

The neighbors came and said: what good luck.

Farmer's reply: maybe.

The farmer's son was riding one of the wild horses, fell off and broke his leg.

The neighbors came and said: what bad luck.

Farmer: maybe.

The army was passing through town recruiting and passed by the farmer's son because he had a broken leg.

The neighbors came and said: what good luck.

Farmer: maybe.

The point was that we don't know what is going to happen.  Live in the present.  Bad may be happening to us and it may be good for our future.  Action can change the bad to good.  But just worrying about what the bad will do for the future won't change it.  Good may be happening to us and we pray it stays that way.

Selling our home was a heart wrenching choice.  It still is hard at times because we miss the neighbors and area where we lived.  But we can also see the good that the move has brought us.  Better financial position, nicer home and we are learning a lot from the people around us now.  Life still isn't easy (is it ever all easy?), but working on present problems can make the future easier (I hope).

I wanted to get this down so that I could remember to live Now.  Although sometimes I feel like my hands are tied here in the present and want to skip to the future.  But I guess skipping takes action as well.  Ha.

It makes me think of my little ones too.  I need to enjoy the moments with them today and not dream of different moments that may not ever come. 

Enjoy today.

Love today. 

Live today.

Book Club and Chocolate Fondue

I hosted Book Club this month and thought of making a pie.  

We discussed The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and so thought a pie would fit.  But it being February, chocolate sounded better.  So chocolate fondue and raspberry fondue were enjoyed.  YUM!

It was fun to discuss the book as book club because it was about a book club.  And they always had food just like we always do.  It was a wonderful evening sharing thoughts not only about the book but life as well.  But then again don't books connect with our daily life?

My Pearls and I had a Fondue Party after the older ones got home from school the next day.  They were so excited since having to wait until the next day to enjoy it.  
And darn, I remembered after most everyone left from Book Club that I wanted to get a group shot.  My camera was even sitting out.  Maybe next time.

You Will Find What You Are Looking For

Happy Valentine's Day!  Love is in the air.  The sunshine makes that easier.  I wish the warm weather would be here to stay, but unfortunately it is only here for a short visit.  I'll take what I can get though.

Many people see hearts everywhere they look.  This weekend I found one with my potatoes.  My daughter found one with a chip.  I think that when you are looking for something you will see it.  Hearts, love, kindness, happiness, misery.  You will see what you focus on.  I remember when my mom got in a car accident when I was younger.  The car that hit her was a Crown pickup.  We never saw any of those around . . . until the accident.  And then we saw those cars all of the time.  Kind of happens when you buy or are looking to buy a particular car.  They pop up everywhere.  So where is my focus?  Am I happy?  And if not, why not?  Where does my focus need to be?  Simplicity helps me.  I look forward to Spring and Summer.  To be outside playing in the sunshine with my family and friends.

So, today's focus: love and happiness!
xo

12of12 February 2011

1.  Bag of Bagels.  A neighbor from our old neighborhood gets day old bread from a delicious bakery and they still share some with us.  Yum!
2.  Exercise necessities: water, music, Ensign.  I usually run a little, then read while walking, end with stretching/yoga.  Sometimes only yoga.
3.  Since we decided to stay in this home for at least another year, I decided to unpack and try and organize the storage room a little more.
4.  Weekly chores.  How do you motivate your children to get their chores done?
5.  Emptying out a bean bag so that I can wash it.  If you can, avoid doing this.  It is amazing how much static is in the styrofoam beads.
6.  Kiddos LOVE to color!!!
7.  Enjoying the sun filled day and soaking up some natural vitamin D.  It was so nice! My little ones joined me to eat some snacks.
8.  Miss M enjoys being outside.  She was the first to take advantage of the sunshine.  I told her she needed to put on shoes and she said, "but it is so warm outside."  I thought this was a good photo of her to sum her up a little: skirt, no shoes and playing in the dirt/cement at the neighbors (outside her home border-she is definitely a boundary pusher).
9.  Date with B.  She got a dipped blue-raspberry cone.  Looked disgusting to me.
10.  Continuation of date with B.  We have been playing a lot of checkers and chess with the kiddos.  I really want them to master chess, it is a good thinking game.
11.*  Sweetheart's Ball at church.  They served ribeye, potatoes, greens and had a chocolate fountain bar.  It was really good!  I had been looking forward to the event because they also had dancing.  I love to dance!  I even got Rob to join me for some of the dances :)
(at least the slow ones).
It was a fun time!!!
12.*  Rob and I at the dinner/dance.

* Taken with the iphone.

Fabulous 5 Luncheon

We're the Fabulous 5.  That doesn't mean we are the only fabulous women out there, just 5 of them.


This group began because of comfort and winter.  Yes, a carpool.  Last year we each had a Kindergarten Girl in the morning.  So, it was obvious with 5 to each take a day of the week to do carpool.   Fabulous Emily wasn't on board at first.  But she had to break her leg to join.  Although, we really would have let her change her mind and join us without breaking her leg. 

So this year since we weren't doing the car pool thing (Well, at least Tresa and I weren't.  The others are carpooling for their preschoolers)  Fabulous Tresa decided we needed to get together each month.  Food is good at bringing people together.  So now we are rotating hosting a luncheon once a month.

Fabulous Susan started us off.  It was delicious and fun.  One of the main things we shared was how each met their husbands and their engagement.

It's great to take a break from the norm and gather around food and Fabulous people.
Thanks Tresa for putting together!
And thank you Susan for a wonderful February Lunch!

January AND February 12X12 Photolog

I decided to follow Amy's lead and do the 12X12 photolog.  I enjoy taking photos and this will give an opportunity to play around and hopefully better my skills.  It's never too late to join.  And what a fun and great way to document some of your life's happenings each month.
Here Amy has set up the template and directions on how to use it.


So here I go . . .
 

12 January 2010

1. 2 youngest playing together after the others went to school.
2. Apple has become a part of our family lately.  Rob buys and sells Apple stuff.  Luckily he had plenty of computers when my PC died.  And I was glad that we were able to pull off my info. from the hard drive.  Rob said: I have been wanting us to become an Apple family.  He's had a mac or iBook for awhile.  Sad enough, it took my PC dying for me to change.
3. Little M loves to stand.  She wants to be like her big sisters already.  You can tell that she is itching to walk.
4. Everlasting Laundry - not an uncommon task around here.  I feel like it takes a week to get it cleaned and put away just in time to start the cycle again.
5. I mark the boiled eggs.  One day I decided to put some smiley faces and designs on some of the eggs instead of just a line or X.  The girls loved it.  They picked the designer eggs first.  So now I give all of the eggs more character.  My Pirls enjoy marking them too.
6. A photo frame I made to sell in my shop.
7. An incentive jar for Miss M to show better behavior at school.
8. Little M being fed baby food green beans.  She is amazingly messy when it comes to eating.  This photo is in the early stages of the meal.
9. Little I enjoying a balloon.  She is a character and knows it too.
10. Miss A as my stand-in during preparation for B's photo shoot.
11. B. loved the twirl in the baptism dress.
12. B's final shot for her baptism announcements.  She looked more grown up to me the photos I took.  It is amazing to think that I have a child getting baptized.

************************************************************************

12 February 2010 ~~~  Happy Valentine's Day (well at least it seemed like it).

1.   My littlest decided to wake up at 6am.  Which would be okay if I had gone to bed at a decent time.
2. I need more photos of all the girls and tried to fit a quick photo shoot in before school.  As you can see it wasn't that successful.
3. Couldn't fit all my Pirls into one square  :)
4. I was in charge of Miss M's class Valentine Party and was making a target hole/heart for the Cupid activity.
5. iPhone Calendar for today.
6. Ma Honey had a friend deliver bouquet of flowers to me and candy for the girls.  As you can see on #5 Rob is in Vancouver working at the Olympics - for 2+ more weeks.
7. I realized that I didn't take many useable photos - so this photo used 2 spaces.  Plus, I love the flowers.
8. Photo of me that one of the girls took.
9. Little I and Miss A at Miss A's Valentine's Party.  They LOVED the face painting!
10. My friend goes over and above anything she does.  I asked her to take care of a nice snack for Miss M's V.party (her daughter is in the class too).  I knew I didn't have to worry about it.  She brought chocolate fondue.  Yum!
11. Balloons in the classroom.
12. This photo was a mishap, but I think it shows how the day went - busy.  The girls and I went over to our neighbor's, Sister Clegg (who is 92 yrs old), to watch the Olympic Opening Ceremonies with her.  I meant to take a photo there but forgot.  Unfortunately we didn't get to see the OC because it started at 8pm instead of 6:30pm like we thought.  My baby needed to get to bed.  But it was nice to visit with Sis. Clegg and watch some other stuff with the Olympics.  Although, we were saddened by the tragic luging accident.