Friday, September 28, 2012

Ya, ya, we got spirit!!!

Today was the homecoming game and spirit week all week long. I am going to have to embrace this because the girls sure have!

I wish I would have remembered to get more pix. #1 was all 80's-ed out and #2 was a dork. Anyway, they had a fun week and I am all sillied out.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Thankful Thoughts...

I have a visiting teacher!!! For anyone that is not LDS, the women's organization of my church has set up a program where two women come each month and visit and teach. Hence the name - visiting teacher... I have had them come on and off through the years. Sometimes it is a burden to schedule time out of my day and be avalible. I often forget when they are coming and miss appointments. I enjoy visiting teaching myself but it is a little like service. It is much easier for me to go and do than to accept. Well, this week I had a lovely gal come over and visit and I needed it. What an uplift her visit was.

I am so thankful to this woman for coming. Her partner didn't make it so she brought her two boys as companions. Cute little boys. I needed a boost and a bit of love. I am thankful to see my Heavenly Father knows what I need. I know he always does but this time I see His gift. I have been struggling with family situations and all of the sudden feel a little lonely and longing for what I have had in the past. I also still feel like I haven't made my place up here in the Burg and long for my old ward and girlfriends that I now seldom see. My mind knows that rationally I am fine. Things are fine.   I do have lovely friends up here, my family is doing well and are happy. I know I am fine. But my heart is sagging.

I was so touched by this woman's sweet spirit and love for me, even though she had never really connected with me before. I honestly felt like a small child, needing that love and kindness. I am so thankful to see that God does know my needs and sends his earth angels to help. I am sure I have had many experiences in the past but I am starting to see the smaller things better lately. It really isn't the big things. It's the small ones that keep us going.

Motherly Reflections - ramblings...

How has a year gone by so quickly? We are so blessed to have our five girls. I am so thankful to be a mother and on the days that I think the dirty floors and diapers are going to kill me off, I remember that this is just for a short time and they will all be off soon. Ironically, I will miss the mess and have too much time to make dinner and mop! We went to get family fotos Saturday and as the photographer snapped shots of my oldest, my breath was taken away. She can easily pass for 16 with her height and simple makeup. (Don't tell her that!) I was stuck by her beauty as I took a moment to watch her. Then #2 sits in a pose and I realize that after the first one they are all just going to tumble out the door. I can hardly believe she will be 12 soon and yet she already seems to be there. So grown up and lovely. I am so thankful for all my lovely girls. So thankful for my little troop of joy. Sad to see it slipping by and yet looking forward to all that comes with these older ones. Today I gave up and passes out my kids at church. I was worn out. My baby went down the row to a cute family of boys and the 12 year old put her asleep - something I can't do in church anymore! The family of girls that usually sit close started packing dress up dollies and books for my little ones even though their youngest is 12! My #4 went back to sit with them and I felt a huge weight lifted with both trouble makers gone. I was so relaxed, I even started to doze off.  My hubby up on the stand got quite the chuckle at my head bobbing! I realize that I am trying to have everyone lined up perfectly all the time and do it all myself. I was so thankful to have the help and enjoy going to church. Bless the earth angels around me. I am not so humble and I need to be more so. It is easier for me to help someone else than to pass my baby down. I am so thankful for the simple things today.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

I love to see the temple...


I stole this picture from the internet somewhere. I found it on facebook but couldn't find the source. It is so lovely. I love the hazey colors. I love the simplicity of it. I just love it.

I am so thankful for our temple. I actually ran up to it today. Yup, I made it up on my feet and back home in 45min. That means it is only like 1 mile away - ha ha. Just kidding. It is like 4, I think? Anyway, I started going to the temple with a friend on Tuesdays to worship. It is such a nice thing to have a buddy to make me want to get out of bed. I am thankful for a temple so close that I can zoom over and be back before my kids need to be fed breakfast. I feel so good about myself when I go. I think of my Heavenly Father more. I feel his love more. I feel so accomplished going and meeting one of my goals.  I love to see the ladies serving there. They love God. Plus, they make me feel like a super star for coming. I feel like I am finally chipping away at some things on my "should" list. Going to the temple regularly and getting healthy are big ones. I am so thankful for a temple in Rexburg.
Oh how I wish I would have just bought this cute guy. I thought about it and then it was gone...Bummer. I can atleast enjoy it in picture form!

Friday, September 21, 2012

From my art class teacher...

I am not to the art doing part yet...I will be soon, I hope. I am not in the groove of it all yet but I am getting close to being on a routine and getting the kids out the door...My goal this school year has been to carve out a routine and get some art time in each week. It is a little hard with the two little ones around my feet but I will get to it some day. For now, I just dream a little and love this art.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

What's for Dinner?

A friend is moving away so I hosted a quick little lunch at my house. I pulled together whatever I had on hand and ended up making sweet potato fries. I LOVE these and think I will have to make them every day. YUM....Go check out this lovely post and make your own. You will love them!

Let me be your neighbor...

I am humbled and amazed. God does amazing things through amazing people. I have gone back and forth on if I should post this or not for a few reasons. One: privacy. So I decided to keep the details less detailed. Two: if I share this with blog land, will people think I want credit and pats on my back? Sure I do, but not for this. I really can take very little credit. I feel a deep desire to share, but probably, more than anything, so I can look back at this and see all the good in the world and how lucky I am to take part. Even if it's because of cancer.

So the details without detail: A friend has had a sick hubby for a few months. They just recently found that it is cancer and have started treating it. The short of it. This wonderful woman does not open her mouth to complain, but carries a burden alone, often. She works a full week and comes home to run a household with her hubby and five kids. This is a full plate without a sick husband. He has been throwing up for weeks and weeks and lost so much weight (that he didn't really have to loose in the first place). This friend, let's just call her Wonder Woman, looks at this as a blessing because it moved them to get the help and find the cancer.

So they are dealing with daily life and then sickness and now cancer. Funds are tight and work is being missed by both parents and then you add a stressful diagnosis and trips to Utah on top of that all. I am a little sad that it took so long for any of us to really start helping. But I hope we made up for it by jumping in later.

First, Facebook informed me that he was really sick - thanks Facebook, the best gossip mill ever! So I call Super Woman and you guessed it, "Oh, I will let you know if I think of anything. I think we are fine. I can't think of anything that you can do." I have heard talks lately in church conferences and meetings about not just offering to help, but going and doing. It struck me that night on the phone. Was I going to hang up and just feel good enough about myself for giving her the ole' christian offer? No, shame on me.  I hopped on Facebook and sent a message out to some neighbors to go clean her house the next day while she was at work.  The house was in much better order than I expected.  A bit neater than mine was, dishes put away and a most things orderly, but we were still able to swoop in and do some good. I was so impressed with the ladies that came. A woman with a tiny baby in arms pushed a vacuum, ladies dived into deep cleaning, clearing out every shelf on the fridge, deep cleaned bathrooms, organized toys and clothes and took loads of laundry home to wash and fold. I was thinking I might get a little help but was amazed at the ladies that showed up. It still makes me tear up to think of these great women.  I am sure it lifted the spirits of this Wonder Woman a bit but I am not sure it was as much for her or me.  I felt a great power in the women who came to serve. They were so giving and willing to do. They were so quick and efficient. It was an honor to watch.

This was a few weeks ago. Great feeling. Now what? I had things going on so I was again, not really tuned in, when a neighbor came to me. I have dubbed her Service Ninja because this great lady is often apart of something good, serving others in quiet ways. She asked me for ideas, maybe a raffle to raise funds. The next morning I went to worship in the Rexburg temple and the thought came to me: Garage Sale. I got giddy! I felt this idea was not my own and as it unfolded, I could see how amazing it all was and so much more was done than raising funds. I would have never guessed. A quick overview:

Monday: Service Ninja asked for ideas.
Tuesday: Idea - Garage sale. It went up on Facebook - again, a great tool for all of this.
Thru the week sale items were donated and I was a little doubtful that there would be much but at least this neighbor would see we loved her and people that were short on funds themselves could participate and help out.
Friday and Saturday: A wonderful sale. A huge lawn full of donated items and lots of shoppers. By Saturday night we handed a wad of cash (too big for any envelopes) and a jar of change over to Wonder Woman.

Side stories:
Service ninja hosted the sale, gave up her garage space and put her hubby to work all week on moving, setting up and herding their kids while she worked. A huge family effort on her part.

A lady put together an elegant bake sale. Arranging donations of goods, a lovely display and putting in much time to help with sales, set up and clean up.

People emailed, posted to Facebook and garage sale sites and let their friends know. Much came from this. Of course, people came by to shop. But strangers and friends of friends donated money and items to the sale. Someone donated their Christmas Jar - a great read if you haven't yet.

One friend of a friend handed over an envelope after donating some items and shopping our sale a little. She cautioned not to loose it as it was a lot of money. This neighbor put it in a safe spot until we were cleaning up Friday afternoon. There was a quiet hush as five hundred dollars were pulled from the envelope. This donation was not from a woman of great wealth. There were chills and tears as we all witnessed this act of love from a stranger. It was humbling.

Someone dropped of a lovely quilt made of the softest minky material.  It was auctioned off for two days and brought in a chunk of change.

When I went to deliver funds with the Service Ninja, Wonder Woman was hit-by-a-truck amazed. She was hoping for $300 or so, thinking that would just be wonderful. People gave over $2000. It was thrilling to be a part of this all. Much better than any birthday party I have ever thrown for my kids, present I have received for Christmas. I know posting this won't change many out there, but it changed me a bit and I don't want to forget it. I am so thankful for a loving Heavenly Father that could see, more than money, we needed to pull together. We needed to serve this family and show them support. I am so thankful for amazing neighbors and friends and this amazing experience to share.

Employed? Ya, I'm a mom...


I need a reminder sometimes that being a mom is the most important thing. I feel like I stand at the kitchen sink the most and just wish that a Big Mac was healthy enough and cheap enough to feed my family every meal, every day. Oh, just kidding. But really, who's not sick of making dinner. I am so thankful for my babies and hoping that they get what they need to be a success in all they want to do in life. I am so happy to be a mama, even when I am tired of making dinner...


Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Cookies make me a monster...

I do turn into the cookie monster when I eat cookies because I want to eat them ALLLLLLL....Good thing I over cooked the last batch tonight and am not so tempted by the rocks! I made these today for a ladies lunch and they seemed to go over well. I got them from a magazine but I didn't write down when or where....Too many years ago.  Go make your kids a lunch treat. Here you go:


Good-For-You Choc-Oat-Chip Cookies (although I think they are only good for your mood! Just because you put oatmeal with a cookie, doesn't make healthy...It's not going to cure your fungus or help lower your blood pressure. But, YUM - if you don't add too much flour...)

1 3/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c marg - 1 stick
1/2 c unsweet applesauce
2 egg whites
1 TB vanilla
2 1/2 c oats - quick or old fashion
2 c (12 oz) chocolate chips
1/2 c nuts (optional)


Do the stuff you normally do with cookies.

The recipe says:  Combine flour, soda, cinn and salt in small bowl. Beat brown sugar, sugar, marg and applesauce in mixer till smooth. Beat in egg whites and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture. Stir in oats, chips and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-10 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes and then move to cooling racks.

What I usually do is put all the stuff together until I get to the wet stuff. Dump the dry stuff out of the mixer and into a bowl, add the wet, add back in the dry, forget the eggs, put them in, add too much flour and always burn the last batch or two. ALWAYS.

Enjoy!

Monday, September 17, 2012

What's for Breakfast?

My SIL is looking for some good recipes for breakfast. Got any? Here is my donation. Add yours to the comment section if you have any suggestions or recipes for her. We LOVE these Whole Wheat Hot Cakes. My BFF hooked me up and we have been getting chuncky on them for years. Thanks Meliss...


Melissa's WW Hot Cakes...

2 Eggs and 2 Whites or 6 egg whites
3 c milk
4 TB oil

3 1/2 c WW flour
3 TB sugar
1 TB sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp soda
4 tsp baking powder

Mix dry ing together
mix eggs, milk, oil
combine the two
can add 1 TB more oil and make waffles


Saturday, September 15, 2012

Snippets...

#3 has been whittling with the neighbor kid this summer and aching for a pocket knife. We made her wait and wait and one day she was sharing her wishes for the millionth time. Her Pa started in on a story saying, "Any doof can own a pocket knife..." to be interrupted with, "I am a doof!"

Ya, she got her pocket knife! And a sweet little talk from Grandpa on safety that cracked me up. He told her to expect that by the next week she would probably loose her knife or have a huge bandage on! 
#4 was eating grapes off a bbq skewer in the back seat on our way home from a thing. I know, not sounding like good parenting. It gets better. Sleeping baby starts to cry and I look back to see a guilty look on #4 (who is 4)...She says, "Sorry Ma, I will try to only feed grapes to baby when she is awake." Little stinker...

Friday, September 14, 2012

I AM Miracle Whip!

I am adopting this new ad campaign for myself. I have been hung up on others needs, wants and expectations, even let myself feel bad when I let others down. All the while, I have been letting myself down, not being true to me and not living my life for myself and my little family. I am so thankful for the things that have happened in my life this past few years to get me to this point, even though they have been ugly and painful. I feel like I am starting to take hold of my life spiritually and physically. I am thankful for a patient hubby. I have felt so much closer to him and my girls as I pull away from others. I am sure I am just starting on this journey but so happy to be on my way. I AM Miracle Whip!

Baby Cookie is One

The years really do keep tumbling by. I was in a reflective mood yesterday as my Cookie turned one. (For those of you not in the loop: Why the nickname? Because her middle name Is Oreo!!) It is amazing to look back and see all that has happened, developed, healed and broken. I am so thankful for this last little girl and all that she has brought into our lives. It has been a struggle to get her here and recover but well worth it and I would do it again but SO glad I don't have to! I am defiantly taking life a little slower, simpler and focusing on my five wonderful girls. I am more thankful for the good in my life and learning to let go (note: learning - NOT learned) and trying to focus on the moments. They seem to be going too fast and soon I will have too much time on my hands as well as clean floors!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Time Waster....


I am hooked! I was trying to get through a paper pile this morning and ended up watching this Pilot mostly instead. (I did make another pile out of my pile...) Go watch this and get hooked! Yeah, another way to waste time!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Sunny Sunday

We went to a homecoming for a cousin coming off her mission...I really wanted to go and have my girls see a wonderful example of a wonderful girl and what they can do with their life. Katelyn gave a sacrament talk that was beyond amazing. It made up for all those boring Sunday's that I have been trudging to church. I was so touched by her sweet spirit and love for God's children. Looking back, it may have an impression on my kids, but I am probably the one that got the most out of it. Her Dad, Uncle Merel gave a lesson after that and it was also amazing. Makes me want to drive down the 45 minutes for his lessons every Sunday. I think I just really needed a good dose of family too. Chris' mom's side is pretty close and it was nice to be a part of that, feel loved and be around some great people. (The whole family was there somewhere but isn't this a cute shot with my "ends" - oldest and youngest!...
Oh, the treasures you find, when you are clicking on your desk top. This is my favorite little burst of energy. Love her!