Foto Friday - 2005

These are from the spring of 2005. I was pregnant - my youngest was due on July 3 (and I was praying that he wouldn't be born on the 4th of July!). Bryan was running a lot - doing 5K runs, and I believe a half-marathon or two. He hadn't started triathlons yet. My oldest would be starting preschool in the fall and my daughter was two, and fun. She wanted to be just like her big brother.

In Mapleton at a park.
I love this shot of her. Kids + Goggles are so cute!

Enjoy your Memorial Day weekend, and be safe!

Sickness

Warning : Vomit talk ahead...
Monday morning started with Bryan going out of town for work. Which meant that I had to take Oldest to the bus stop. Which means that my other two needed to be up and dressed so we could all go. I went in to get my youngest out of his bed, and he was sitting in a pile of dried vomit. Ugh. I stripped him and his bed down, and we headed down stairs.

I got the kids fed, and Oldest to the bus stop. My daughter and youngest were playing nicely, so I seized the opportunity to take a shower and make myself presentable. Part way through, my daughter comes in hollering about how Youngest has thrown up. "All over!" I hurried through the rest, and went down stairs to check it out.

Youngest was standing there looking pale, and covered in vomit. My darling daughter had wiped down the couch, and covered the floor with a rag. "To get rid of the smell." I was so impressed. All morning long he begged me for food and "gwink." I kept telling him no because nothing was staying down, and I was supposed to be at the school around 1:15 for an open house in the publishing house.

I gave in at lunch and gave him some of the spaghetti o's that he was begging for. They didn't stay down but I was prepared and it didn't make a mess. I decided that I had to go to the school. I didn't want to miss out on this chance with Oldest. Right about now, I was really missing living close to my parents, Bryan's parents and any one else that I could have called to watch him. I dropped my daughter off at her friend's house, and drove to the school. I got there just in time, pulled into the last parking spot, and took Youngest out of the car. He vomited ALL OVER me. I buckled him back in (after a couple of choice words), drove home, changed my shirt and drove back to the school.

Luckily my spot was still open. I carefully took him out of his seat, and strapped him into his stroller. He sat there staring into space for the whole time we were there.

I got to read Oldest's book, and his friend's books, and some others that have been published. It was fun. They served lemonade and iced tea, and cookies.

Once we were home, and youngest was sleeping on the couch I went through my oldest's back pack. They had a music program on Tuesday at 7. Yes, I found out about this on Monday. sigh.

Luckily, Bryan got home just in time on Tuesday evening. And Youngest was feeling back to normal on Tuesday morning. Bryan pretty much came out of the work truck, into our van and we went to the school. The program was perfect. It started right on time, and lasted for 25 minutes. It was about a cow that couldn't (wouldn't?) moo. There were jokes and music, and it was very cute.

Now for the rest of the week, we have two soccer games, two soccer practices, visiting teaching, a trip to the library, dinner making and house cleaning.

If anyone ever thought that being a SAHM was boring, they never had a sick 2-year old and a husband out of town on the same day as exciting school events.

Settling In

Image from The Prestigious Pride & Prejudice

My hubby is gone for a couple of days so I am settling in for some Pride and Prejudice. Yes, the SIX hour one. I have some cinnamon bears and Wheat Thins so I am good to go. As long as my youngest can stop vomiting for a couple of hours.

Look-y There

Cheryl did a spotlight on moi. I feel so lucky. And I had a total self-esteem boost today because of it. Cheryl has a way with words, and I am always excited to see what she is writing about next. Someday, soon, we'll get together. Thanks, C, you're the best!

A Week in Review

I went visiting-teaching this week, and since I got my issue of the Ensign only the day before, I used the talk by M. Russell Ballard that I have seen quoted several places. And since then I have been thinking about it a lot.

I know that in my life, I take for granted that my children will not be small and dependent for ever. I hear people say that I will miss this stage, and honestly, I can't imagine that. I feel like I look forward to the time when my kids are teens, but I am sure that in 6-10 years, I will regret ever saying that!

Here are the highlights of the talk that have me thinking (I have added bold & italics):

"While women live in homes under many different circumstances—married, single, widowed, or divorced, some with children and some without—all are beloved of God, and He has a plan for His righteous daughters to receive the highest blessings of eternity.

"There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family... What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else.

"While my answers may seem extremely simple, if the simple things are being tended to, a mother’s life can be most rewarding... What can you do, as a young mother, to reduce the pressure and enjoy your family more?

"First, recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction.

"Second, don’t over schedule yourselves or your children.

"Third, even as you try to cut out the extra commitments, sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Pick one or two things that you would like to learn or do that will enrich your life, and make time for them.

"Fourth, pray, study, and teach the gospel. Pray deeply about your children and about your role as a mother."

***

I think that the thing that I have the most trouble with is remembering that joy really does come in "moments." Especially with three little kids. We can be having a wonderful time, and one hurtful phrase or bad attitude or temper tantrum can ruin it. But that doesn't make that moment go away.

So here are my Joyful Moments from the week:

• Soccer. We had three games (+a practice) this week, and the kids played well and had fun.
• The sun. It poured down rain on Tuesday, but by Thursday we were sweltering. We had a heat-wave and had three days of 90+ temps. We washed the car together, and yesterday we set up the slip n slide and the baby pool and the kids played.
• Good books. I reading a Scott Kelby photography book, and I am learning so much about my camera. I would love to have a Nikon D60, but it will be years until we can afford something like that so I am concentrating on what my Nikon Coolpix 4800 can do - and it is a lot! I am also reading Jennifer Chiaverinni's Elm Creek Quilts series, and I really enjoy them. I got to sit on the porch and read for a couple of hours yesterday while the kids splashed, and it really doesn't get better than that.
• Date Night. Bryan and I had a date-night last night. At home. We watched Dan in Real Life, and ate too many M&M's. It was fun. And cheap. Cheap is good.
• The ABC's. I didn't know that my youngest son knew the song, but he has spent the last day or two singing it, and it is adorable. I love to hear him sing.
• The dentist. I know it seems crazy that this is on a "joyful" list, but it is. On Thursday my oldest and I went in for his appointment. We were told that they were 30-45 minutes behind, so we wandered for 30 mins and then went back to wait. We waited forever, but we read a whole entire Junie B. Jones book. Finally we rescheduled, and they gave us movie tickets. I really didn't mind waiting because it was good to spend time with just my Oldest. My daughter had an appointment too. She had two cavities filled, and they didn't numb her and she did just fine. And we were in and out in 30 minutes for that appointment.

So, what were your Joyful Moments of the week? Any fun plans for the upcoming week?

Random Stuff

My oldest is a published author. And he is so proud of it! He wrote a story at school about a Lego City. The school printed one sentence on each page, and he drew and colored pictures. They then laminated each sheet, and bound them together putting an "About the Author" page, a "Dedication", and a front and back cover. It will stay in the school's library for him (and other kids) to check out until he goes to middle school when he can bring them all home. He is allowed to "publish" one book a year. I love it. I always dreamed of being an author when I was young...

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No offense to Ginna, whose husband just finished dentistry school, but I hate going to the dentist. Seriously, it is my biggest fear. Unfortunately, I don't have very good teeth. I had to have some fillings this morning, and now I feel like I might die. Even getting a cleaning knocks me out for the day. My husband can fall asleep in the dentist's chair, but for me it is a total body work out. My whole body gets tense and I squeeze my hands together so tight that they fall asleep. I wanted to smack the girl that was suctioning the extra water out of my mouth. She vacuumed the inside of my cheek enough times. Sheesh.

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I recently read the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. I really enjoyed all four books. They made me feel young. Except when I was feeling old because I wanted to shake the girls in the story when they were doing something stupid. I watched the movie, and thought that they did a pretty good job. They went way off with a couple of the girl's stories and left some characters out, but overall they did well. I am curious to see the sequel movie when it comes out this summer.

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On Monday, there was no school so I took the kids hiking. We went to two different waterfalls. My kids usually complain on hikes, but this time they didn't. We had a wonderful time. All along the way there was many wildflowers in bloom. It was so pretty. These are the waterfalls that we saw:

Enjoy your day!

Movies

A couple of nights ago, my husband and I were watching A Knight’s Tale and my husband commented that it was on his top ten list. I thought about it for a couple minutes and decided that while it is at the top of my list, it is not in my top ten.

He went on to tell me that my list doesn’t count because it doesn’t have The Godfather on it. I informed him that I wanted a copy of his list (I’m still waiting...), and have been thinking about my list.

Now, I am not a film critic by any means, and I know nothing about making movies. A couple of years ago, I stopped watching R-rated movies, but there are a couple on my list anyway. So, after some thought here is a list of my favorite movies (in no particular order):

• You’ve Got Mail - The romantic-comedy. It is clever, and fun, and it makes me smile.
• Black Hawk Down - A well done war movie that I would recommend everyone see.
• Enemy of the State - Will Smith’s best movie by far.
• Pride & Prejudice - The Kiera Knightly version. I know that I am in the minority here, but I saw this one before I saw the BBC version, and I think that makes a difference. I love the scenery, the music, the cast, and I thought that it was well done. After I saw it, I read the book for the first time, and then saw the BBC version. I like the BBC version, but I far prefer this one.
• The Prince & Me - What girl didn’t dream of meeting a prince and falling in love? I love this movie, and watch it over and over.
• Toy Story (the first, not so much with the second) - Probably the best animated movie ever made.
• Seven Brides for Seven Brothers - This is probably mostly sentimental, but I have fond memories of sitting down and watching this movie with my mom as I grew up. I love seeing this in little theaters, and on the screen. For some reason, however, I don’t own this. (Hint, hint, Bryan. My birthday isn’t too far away.)
• The Bourne Trilogy - I am sure that this needs no explanation
• The Ocean’s Trilogy - These movies have the best quotes - "All black..." and "They say taupe is very soothing." - I just love these movies. Number 3 wasn’t as good as the first two, but I enjoyed all three of them.
• Mulan - I love the story here, and the music. I just wish that my kids liked it more. I would sit down and watch this one with them. Instead they choose movies that I would rather not watch.

So, what’s your favorite movie? What are some on your top ten list?

Happy Mother's Day

I just want to say happy Mother's day to all of you. I hope you have a wonderful day!

It seems like, most nights when I go to bed I think about what I did or didn't do that day, what I should have done, what I should not have done. I think most of us need to not be so hard on ourselves. So tonight when you go to bed, remind yourself that tomorrow is another day and that we are all doing the best we can.

Probably one of the things that my mother taught me was : Pick your battles. This has been such great advice, and it is something that I struggle with each day. I am constantly reminding myself of this.

Bridget posted recently about some advice that someone gave her : When your child hugs you, don't let go until they let go. I loved this, and ever since I read about it, I have been following it. It's wonderful. So, Bridget, thanks for sharing this, (and I hope you don't mind my sharing it.)

What is the best "Mom-Advice" you have gotten?

Sunday Scrappin'

First of all, Happy Mother's Day to all the women out there. Your influence if felt, and your examples inspire me. Thanks, and I hope you are able to relax, and I hope you don't have to change any diapers today.

I didn't get any scrapbooking done this week with my parents in town, but I did get the Tulip Fest album that I made with my Mom's photos done. I love how it turned out. I made the album with 9x9 pages not realizing that 9x9 albums are hard to come by. I ordered one online, but it was too big for the amount of pages I had, so I made my own:
I used Modge-Podge to stick two pieces of chipboard (10x10" size) together (for each cover - 4 pieces total), and then covered them in cute paper, ribbons and a photo. Using my crop-a-dile, I punched holes, and added jump rings and ribbon. I sanded the edges of the chipboard, and paper to make it smooth, and even out the spots that weren't quite straight.

It worked out that I had the same amount of horizontal, and vertical pictures so each two page spread had two horizontal shots, and two vertical shots. I found enough flower quotes online to include one on each pages. My favorite is : Earth laughs in flowers.

On to my To-Do's: I really need to get some pictures ordered. This has been on my list for awhile, and now that Uncle Sam has come through, I think I can do it. :) I have an itch to scrapbook, so I hope to make a bunch of pages this week.

This weeks bonus question: Did you make anything for Mother's Day? Sadly, no. I bought cards for the mothers in my life. I sent store bought gifts. I'm okay with that though.

Join us for Sunday Scrappin', and you will be inspired to get out your supplies and get to work. I guarantee it. I love it!

Another Foto Friday

Following Cecily's lead again, I am posting some favorite photos from the week. While my parents were in town, I took a ton of photos! :) We went to the Lilac Fest in Woodland, WA. It was beautiful. We were able to tour the old home (what amazing quilts were on those beds!), and the gardens. There were lilacs (obviously), tulips (my favorite!), some neat trees, daisies, and more. Here are some of my favorite shots:

Pink Tulips - I didn't edit this shot, this is how pink they really were.
I'm not sure what kind of tree this flower was on, but I love it!
This probably looks familiar - the original photo from my header
A beautiful tulip

After we left the lilac fest (due to my dad's allergies, he napped in the car), we drove to where the Woodland Tulip Festival was. The festival was over, but the tulips were still blooming in all of their glory. It is amazing to me the way they plant the tulips. There are thousands of tulips all in rows. I could stand and look at them for hours. It takes my breath away. It's almost spiritual for me. I can't help but think of God, and all that He has done when I look at flowers.

How to have fun at the beach

First, I have been playing with my blog template. I made a header using this tutorial, and have changed some colors. What do you think?

Now on to the cute-ness. While my parents were here, we (my parents, my brother, my sister, her boyfriend, my nephew and us) went to Rockaway Beach. My kids loved it. I could walk the beach for hours. It was chilly, but that didn't stop my daughter from getting soaked in the surf. My oldest gathered pieces of sea shells, and make sand castles. My youngest did a little bit of everything. Today he is going to show us how to have lots of fun at the beach.

First, notice your cousin being buried, and decide that you might like to join in. Lie down, and close eyes so the sun isn't right in your eyes:
Be cute enough to convince your aunt's boyfriend to bury you:
Lie there for a few minutes while your mom takes a million pictures, and wait while your brother is buried on the other side of your cousin. Pose with them for even more pictures:
Decide you have had enough of this. Try to start moving:
Succeed at sitting up, and try to shake some of the sand out of your church clothes:

Shortly there after, decide you want to be buried again. When no one will bury you again, run off and play some more. Test the water, gather a couple of shells and stomp on sand piles and the starts of castles.

It's good to be two-and-a-half.

Foto Friday

Last week Cecily had a great idea. Instead of trying to come up with something clever to end the weekend on she posted a favorite foto from the week. I love the idea, and am stealing it.

The other day I realized that I don't play as many games with my youngest as I did with my oldest when he was this age, so we pulled out the Discovery Toys toys. I love their toys for younger kids. He loved the Busy Bugs. He loves the Opposites Puzzles. And he loved to make necklaces:
I love to watch toddler hands. I am always kind of amazed at how much those little things can accomplish.
I also love to watch the concentration in their faces. He had a great time stringing the plastic pieces and making a necklace.

Here is our attempt at a self-portrait. Not as good as the ones Bridget does with her kids, but it'll work. Look at how cute his smile is. Love you, bub.