Life is just...so good!

2012-01-25T22:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Haters,

I have so much more for you to be mad at.

Just be patient.

-Kellie

(I couldn't resist...hehehe.)

(Almost) Sunday Snapshots

2012-01-15T23:55:00.000-08:00

I'm taking refuge

in this snowless winter,

waiting for the sun to turn on it's course

through infinity.

I'm holding on to every

piece

of love

I have left,

treasuring it

like the air I breathe.

This January day was unusually

warm,

and it held me

as I reminded myself to enjoy the chaos,

enjoy the craziness of children,

and to enjoy the silence

that falls

when the rooms in my home

grow

empty and cold.

This is my mindset, a shield to buffer against the

sharp edges

of insanity as it tries to argue that things should be

different

than they are.

But I know better.

Things are perfect

just like this.

This life, the one God gave me,

is flawless

within the walls of it's own

imperfection.

This is the life I was meant to live.

How do I know?

I'm living it.

CS Lewis quote

2011-12-05T12:43:00.000-08:00

The Gingerbread Man

2011-12-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

London's kindergarten class is doing a fun project with their unit on maps. They are seeing how far and wide this gingerbread man can travel.

If anyone, from near or far, follower or not, would like to help out, all you have to do is send a letter, a postcard, a photo of you with this gingerbread man, something small that might represent where you live, whatever, feel free to be creative! (There are 30 students in London's class if you wish to send something for each one)

If you would like to help London and her class out, just leave me a comment or email me (Kelliehendricks@gmail.com), and I will gladly give you the mailing info.

Thanks all!

What I Know Today

2011-11-29T23:42:00.000-08:00

Our greatest trials in life can have a way of becoming, or perhaps leading to, our greatest blessings.
Where ever you are in life, right now, today- it's perfect. You are exactly where you are supposed to be, doing exactly what God wants you to be doing. Don't question yourself. If something needs to change in your life He will gently let you know...until then, just move forward in the confidence that this is His world. He has allowed everything that is here to be as it is, including you. You belong where you are right now.
Happiness- true happiness- is not dependent on the situations in your life by which you are surrounded. Society may tell you that if something 'bad' happens to you, you must be sad or unhappy about it, but I have learned that it isn't necessarily so. You have no control over what happens to you, so if you base your happiness on things outside of your grasp you can (and often will) easily lose it. So, what then, is it based on? I think it's based on two things. First and foremost, your relationship with God. Second, your relationship with yourself. Anything else can be lost, so take care where you base your happiness.

It seems like I learn something new every day. I hope that continues for the rest of my life.

Oh, and something else I've learned: I have a hard time posting on here without including some pictures of my sweet little wild child- so here you go...

Sunday Snapshot

2011-11-28T00:00:00.000-08:00

I think this is my favorite poem of all time,

it makes me think of those I dearly love.

The photo was taken at

Wheeler Farm-

it is a reflection in the water.

I used Lightroom to give it an impressionistic look.

November 2011.

Superman

2011-11-13T23:39:00.000-08:00

It's the guy all us single ladies are looking for-

strong,

smart,

with a charming, pearly white smile,

and determination to impress.

So what if he's short and bald and a bottle of chocolate milk could very well be his kryptonite?

He's my one and only....

Superman!!!

***
Our super house.
November 2011

***

This is Halloween

2011-11-07T23:08:00.000-08:00

Ok srrrrsly too tired to write tonight....maybe tomorrow.....

Sunday Snapshots

2011-10-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

Aaaaahhh...just another peaceful Sunday afternoon...

and I find myself thinking,

"Why is it so quiet?....

And why does my house suddenly smell like baby powder?"

I love how Nathaniel's shoe is in the middle of all this. It's like he's being framed.

Gee...I wonder who could possibly have been here, enjoying the moment?

Yep. Him again.

At least the entry way smells good.

***

October 2011

Our powder fresh foyer.

A Beautiful Mess

2011-10-17T16:52:00.000-07:00

This handsome guy is into everything, and what's left after that, too! His favorite place to explore is my bathroom, and all I have to do to bring certain destruction there is leave a drawer open, like I did the other day. Jack found some of my glitter, and I found him, like the little lovechild of a star crossed cherub and a fairy, all sweet and soft and happy, glistening with fairy dust, leaving a sparkling trail behind him where ever he went.

What a beautiful mess!

When he gets older he can tell people,

"I can't help it if everyone notices me. When I was a baby I got covered in my Mommy's glitter, and I've been shining ever since!"

I love pinterest

2011-10-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

Jake

2011-10-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

My cousin Jake passed away on September 29th, and we had his funeral last week . I am so, so sad. Maybe I was in denial, but I really didn't think cancer would take his life. I thought he would for sure beat it with chemo, and live on. I remember him so clearly when he was little- just so cute, with his blond hair and blue eyes and freckles, always tag teaming with his twin, John.

I dream of a world where little blond boys don't have to grow up, and especially don't have to die; but I guess that's what God made heaven for.

This is the message Jake left, and I think it's really special:

20 years may seem a short time...but it was my lifetime.

I may not have lived the life you dreamed for me...

But I lived the life I was meant to live...here

Now I go on to live my life where you cannot see

...which doesn't mean it won't be awesome!

Perhaps the only part that's not fair is that

I get to see you...but you can't see me.

I can run and not be weary, walk and not faint...jealous yet?

I can leap buildings in a single bound and walk through walls!

I can fly with eagles and visit the many wonders of the earth.

I can visit with all your relatives that have passed on before me.

You still have some time left here...

BE AWESOME!

(Amen, Jake. You rock, cuz. And I'm totally jealous.)

To read more about his story or to make a donation to help with his medical expenses, you can visit his blog

For the Sake of Jake

"There are far, far better things ahead

than any we leave behind."

-C.S. Lewis


These photos were taken about a week before his passing.

Sunday Snapshots- City Center Park

2011-09-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

The kids play in sunny City Center Park

on a Perfect Sunday.

September 2011

Feel free to link up today.

Door Number Two

2011-09-24T10:46:00.000-07:00

I once heard what was supposed to be a true story about a dictator. The man was renowned to be very powerful, and evil, and the rumors of the things he did to his prisoners made even the bravest of men quake with fear.

Of his people, thousands were justly, or unjustly, imprisoned and sentenced to death. Out of the dungeons they each were taken, one by one, to face this man who was so greatly feared. They stood before him, knowing that these were the last moments of their life, believing that the existence they had known for so long was quickly drawing to a bitter end.

The dictator looked each one in the eye and gave them a choice: behind door number one, death by firing squad...or, the prisoner could take their chances and choose door number two. What was behind door number two? One would never know until one opened it and walked through.

Can you imagine the agony of having to make such a decision? What was behind door number two? A torture chamber? Starving vicious animals? A pit of snakes and rats? Something worse than all those combined? The answer might be something so terrible it could dwell only beyond the wildest of imaginations.

Of the thousands who stood and faced this evil man, all but two went willingly to their deaths, choosing Door Number One. This is the fear of the unknown at work. Sure, death by firing squad was a horrible thing, but it was guaranteed, it was certain. How much worse could the unknown be? Uncertainty can be a very terrifying and unsettling thing...worse, even, than a swift and sure death.

I have spent the last year and a half standing before two doors. I knew what was lying behind door number one. It wasn't what I wanted, but it was familiar; it was certain. It may have been painful, but at least I knew what was there. And what was behind Door Number Two? The rumors that circulated about it in the dungeon were chilling. My word- it could be anything! It could be something so awful, so terrifying, I could imagine myself screaming and weeping and wailing, on my knees begging for door number one, pleading for another chance.

I stood there, my knees shaking, my heart in my throat, pounding so hard, my whole body shook to it's tempo...and against the odds I chose... Door Number Two. The guards came, and unlocked the chains with which I was bound. I rubbed my wrists where they were red and raw, and the dictator looked me in the eye, challenging my decision.

"Are you sure? Door Number Two? This is your last chance. There will be no going back once the decision has been made."

I took a deep breath, "I'm sure," I replied.

He nodded, and smiled, and gestured toward the door.

"Go, then."

I walked slowly towards uncertainty, barely breathing, my footsteps echoing off the walls. I cannot describe the fear I felt in this moment. The sheer terror was like nothing I have ever experienced in my life. I believed I was going to suffer. I thought it would be painful... but Door Number One...it just wasn't for me. I knew that, too.

I stood there for a moment, my hand on the cold metal handle, and I listened for what might be on the other side. I could hear no screams, no animals growling, I was listening to nothing but the sound of my own breathing. Here I was, still breathing! The thought gave me confidence, and I found myself turning the latch. Being past the point of no return; I pushed door Number Two open wide and walked into the darkness, never looking back. I heard the door swing shut behind me with a final resonating click.

I closed my eyes and waited for whatever monster that was lurking here to find me. I thought I was going to die. In that moment, I felt so alone, so sad, and so scared- and yet- it felt good to take a chance, to face my fears, and in a small way, make the life that had been stolen from me, my own.

A silence, a stillness surrounded me. Curiosity overcame fear and I opened my eyes to find myself standing at the end of a long, dark corridor. And what was that coming from the other end of the hallway? Was it...could it be...daylight? I smiled and fell to my knees and thanked God for the gift of light he allowed me. I may be headed towards death, but this last glimpse of a piece of the sun filled my soul with joy. When I was done praying, I found my feet again and walked toward the light. I wondered, as my footsteps sounded sharp and hollow against the stone floor, what was lurking in the shadows, what sort of hideous trap this might be; but somehow, it didn't matter; God was near. I could feel His angels holding me up, and if this was the end, so be it. So be it.

It felt miraculous as I reached the other side of the long corridor unharmed. The light poured in through a high window above a heavy metal door. Would this door open? Was I trapped? Was this some sort of sick joke, this taste of sunlight? Was the firing squad waiting for me on the other side?

With another deep breath, I tried the handle and pushed the door open with ease. A fresh breeze swept sweetly past me, and the sunlight poured down upon my face as I looked up into the sky. Oh, the sky! That beautiful, clear blue sky! I was standing in a green field, and I blinked, reveling in it's beauty as I waited for the sound of gunfire. Moments passed, and all I could hear was the melody of chirping birds.

Bring it on, I thought, no amount of pain can take away the beauty of this moment.

Time passed and I began to grow warm as the sunshine thawed my hands, my feet, from the icy cold that lingered from the dungeon. Still, only the song of the birds surrounded me. Where was the pain, the suffering I was supposed to be experiencing? Here, there was only beauty, only...freedom.

Could this be real? How long would this feeling last?

There was a thick green forest at the edge of the meadow. Again, I found my courage and walked towards it, expecting a bullet in my back at any moment. But, nothing, there was nothing but me, and the birds, and the meadow and the woods and blue sky and the sunshine and God.

Like the other two prisoners, I had taken the risk of the unknown, and in return, I gained my freedom. It came, this beautiful, cherished gift- a second chance at life- and filled me with happiness. I yelled, hoping my fellow inmates could hear my voice. I told them that I was alright, I was free, and that my life had become something better than I could ever had expected. I told them it was a lie- the fear, the imagined pain- that freedom and happiness were there all along, if only they had the courage to choose Door Number Two.

And in the story of the dictator, that is exactly what was behind that second door- glorious freedom. He just let who ever wanted to go, go.

Here's to living in the unknown!

Life is just...so good!

Sunday Snapshot

2011-09-18T00:16:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel and his cousin Alexander play Pokemon cards together

as Old Faithful begins to erupt in the background.

Yellowstone National Park

June 2011

Sunday Snapshots- Captain Jack on the deck

2011-09-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

One of Jack's favorite things to do all summer is play out on the back deck. We go out there together and throw the ball around, or play on the slides. He is obsessed with the 'doddy' and asks for her starting first thing in the morning, and it continues all day long. I love it.

September 2011

The Dog Days Are OVER

2011-09-03T21:53:00.000-07:00

http://youtu.be/iWOyfLBYtuU

Sunday Snapshots

2011-07-24T22:24:00.000-07:00

I wanted to clean the dust out from under our bed.

I moved our bed.

I broke our bed.

Rich fixed my bed.

With a welder.

It was late.

Pioneer Day weekend.

Lots of fireworks.

Smelled like smoke.

Time passed.

Smelled more like smoke.

Rich left his cell phone in the garage by the welder.

He opens the door.

I gasp.

There is a wall of thick black smoke in the garage.

It is billowing, boiling, with a life of it's own, it creeps in through the door way.
I cannot see an inch into the garage.

Rich feels around the corner and blindly finds the buttons to raise the large car doors.
I grab the fire extinguisher from under our range.

Rich takes it and enters the smoky dark.

I run upstairs and drag the children from their beds.

The fire alarm, who apparently is the last to know, goes off.

I put the children on the front porch and tell them to stay outside.

I get the baby from his crib.

We join the kids.

I think, "I am Job, reincarnated, and now my house is burning down."

I am eerily still at peace.

Rich finds us and says the fire is out.

I can't believe it.

I thought the entire garage was aflame with that much smoke in there.

A spark from the welder did this to his golf clubs:

I guess karma really does catch up with you.
Time to take up a new sport, baby

At least the house itself wasn't damaged.

And, we discovered that smoke is a great way to exterminate spiders.

Those webs were actually transparent before the blaze.

I had no idea they were there.

Smoke does have it's uses.

The kids have absolutely no memory of last night.

They didn't believe us until we showed them the webs and clubs.

* * *

July 24, 2011

* * *

Happy Pioneer Day!

P.S. If you don't have a fire extinguisher- get one! It literally saved our home!

Sunday Snapshot

2011-07-17T22:21:00.000-07:00

London stretches out across the dining room chairs after a good meal.

June 2011

Sunday Snapshot

2011-07-10T06:07:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel and the other children go bonkers in the bouncy house at cousin Joseph's 2nd birthday party.

At my parent's house.

A Saturday in June, 2011.

I got that ugly brown bouncy house at a yard sale for $40 about 4 years ago. It has been one of the best purchases I have ever made! The kids LOVE it. We use it at every birthday party; even in the winter we can set it up in the garage and go nuts.

Trial of Adversity Video

2011-06-22T23:59:00.000-07:00

Sunday Snapshot(s)

2011-06-19T16:47:00.000-07:00

Nathaniel's art show entries- a snake and a rhyming poster.

At his school.

May 2011.

It's a bittersweet feeling I get when I think that he will be in fourth grade next year. I remember so clearly when he was a tiny little infant with giant 'alien eyes', and I would effortlessly cradle him in my left arm while I cleaned the house with my right. Rich and I called him our "little football", because he was exactly that size. Those days as a new mother were some of the happiest I have ever known.

I think back on my life, how some events feel so close and others like a different lifetime, and I can't help but think how Jacob, and Nephi, and Lehi (from the Book of Mormon) say when looking back on their lives, "...the time passed away with us, and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream..." (Jacob 7:26)

We are here for one moment at a time, we blink, and then it's gone. I have got to keep making an effort to stay present, and take advantage of 'now'. It's all I ever have.

Have a Sunday Snapshot you would like to share? Link up, and be sure visit any of my other friends who participate, too :)

Homemade Oreos for Nadia

2011-06-18T15:07:00.000-07:00

HOMEMADE OREO COOKIES

1 devil's food cake mix
1/2 c. shortening
2 eggs

Mix the above ingredients together. Roll the dough into dime-sized balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool cookies.

FROSTING:

8 oz. cream cheese
1/2 square butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 to 4 c. powdered sugar

Mix all of frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost BACKS of cookies and place together to make sandwich cookie.

I love these cookies! Yum! I make these bigger (about quarter size),
and only bake for about 5 minutes...
they are great chewy. As soon as all the tops are cracked,
take them out of the oven.

I don't dig that frosting recipe so much.
I like to use this one:

1 cup butter- room temperature.
1cup powdered sugar
Food coloring
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 7-8 oz jar marshmallow creme

In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy.
Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Add food coloring.
Add vanilla and stir in the marshmallow creme until well blended.

Enjoy some fantastic frosting!

Friday Confessional

2011-06-17T22:22:00.000-07:00

It has been a while! Here we go:

I confess:

I have been so busy lately, it feels like a sin. I need to take more time for myself to just relax and recharge. I have been feeling frazzled; having a sick baby to add major constant screaming to the list of things to deal with hasn't helped either. I am scheduling a "do nothing" (nothing more than I have to) day for myself next week. I need to regroup.
I was going through my playlist features, and there was a setting to allow (or disallow) playlist.com access to you computer's camera. Really? If I didn't have my settings properly adjusted, could anyone watch me on my camera? I might be a bit paranoid, but it's time to cover that little peeping Tom eye with a piece of tape. That freaks me out. (And, just because you're not paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not watching you, right?)
I love good friends. My friends are really the greatest. In fact, a couple of my awesome girls inspired me to write this tonight. I have been blessed to know great women who are giving, loving people, who are kind to me whether my back is turned or not (KWIM?) Here's to the the few women that actually grow up and get past their 'middle-school mentalities'. Life is not a competition, and when we put others down, it's only ourselves that have been lessened as people; when those around us succeed, it's our success as well. We become that which we surround ourselves with, this is such a basic principle of living, why is it so foreign to most? But to the few who understand this, you are the best to share life (or the occasional gno) with! Thank you!

Now what are you waiting for? Link up and confess!

A Stairy Adventure (Sunday Snapshots)

2011-06-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

"All things entail rising and falling timing. You must be able to discern this.'

-Miyamoto Musashi

Up he goes, like a speed demon, to the very top of the stairs. When he reaches the loft, Jack grins as though he has just conquered Mt. Everest, and enjoys the view from above, squawking and making happy little "mamama" and "dadadada" sounds.

I listen until they slowly turn to forlorn squealing sounds that mean, "Mommy, come get me!... Woman, can't you hear that his Highness is done with this excursion!... Carry me downstairs already! Woman! Mommy! Slave!... I said come and get me!"

This week he has progressed- he has a sudden interest in going down himself. I watch him pace back and forth at the top of the steps, pacing back and forth like a lion, simultaneously making little chirping noises like a sparrow. He wants that first step, but he's scared and he doesn't want it,

but he wants it.

I have turned him around and shown him how to descend backwards dozens of times, and he knows the danger, the sting of a small fall at this point. I sit 5 steps down, out of reach, and ready to catch. He turns himself around, backs his toes over the edge....and then changes his mind.

Back he goes to the pacing, crawling back and forth.

And how he wants it.

He pulls himself up and holds on to the rail with both hands, precariously stepping down with his left foot. But that's as far as he can get; he is not quite advanced enough to bring the other foot down. He is stuck for a moment, and then he pulls himself back up to the top. The chirping and the pacing resume.

Another attempt- he centers himself sideways, lays on his stomach, and puts his right arm and leg on that first step, and goes down sideways. "Yaaaay!" I cheer, "Good job, Jack!" He crawls back and forth on that first step, but doesn't dare try again. Up to the top again. I turn him around and pull his legs down, going over the proper way to crawl downstairs for the umpteenth time.

He laughs at me, flashing his charming pearly white grin, and heads back to the summit.

I look away for a moment, and hear a 'thump'. I turn, just in time to see him flying through the air, arms and legs outstretched, mouth wide open in silent terror... and it's a glorious thing, this baby doing a front handspring, head over heels. Oh, and the height he gets; it's so beautiful- a moving work of art. I almost hesitate to end this amazing feat prematurely, but instead I hold my arms out and catch him, perfectly, in midair, and pull him safely to me. His heart is pounding madly, and his little body melts like jelly in my arms as he realizes that he is saved, and he is fine.

"Mamamamama," he murmurs, and holds me tight as I console him.

His breathing slows, and he calms down. "Mmana-ma," ha says, which means, "It's a good thing for you I was wearing a diaper, Mom. Maybe you should change it now."

When he loses interest in holding on to me for dear life, and starts to wiggle I put him back on the steps, and show him how to back down. Again.

It's been said that when your babies are so little, and changing, advancing so quickly, you should replace "goodnight" with "goodbye" as you tuck them in at night. Every day your little one is a new baby. Every day is different. Soon we will have mastered the stairs, and moved on to the next thing.

Freedom and new experiences are vital to brain growth in babies and young children. Babies need room to crawl around; they need to explore. I could just put a baby gate up, and tell him, "You're too little. You can't do that." It would certainly make my life easier in the short run. But he has a desire to master the steps, and he has the ability; why should I stifle that? The younger the age of the child, the easier it is for him to learn. It excites me to think that my 9 month old can go up and down the steps by himself, and I'll be there for his safety until his skills are finely honed.

I have spent too much of my life saying "no". I can't do this, we can't, you can't. I once read a quote by Oprah where she stated that instead of being around people who ask why she wants to do something, she associates with the ones who say, "Why not?". That really struck me. I started asking myself," Why not? ", and that simple act really opened my world to new possibilities.

More then anything, it's the fear of failure that holds me back. I contstantly have to remind myself that failure truly is part of succeeding. You fail your way to success. Just like Jack falling down the steps, failure is scary, but it's part of the process. He is learning about the power of a good fall, and gaining respect for heights. Without a tumble or two, ignorance of gravity could be a real source of danger. I'm making a conscious effort to enjoy failure. It's always going to be a part of my life, I need to accept that, stop resisting, and simply embrace it. I want to be able to be grateful for failure.

It's so easy to become 'stuck' in the same routines, the same habits; it's difficult to push myself to do new things, do old things a different way, try something I thought I could never do. But it's greatly rewarding. And it's probably even more satisfying to teach my children that they are able to do so much more than they know.

'The days are long, but the years are short.'

I can't wait wait to see what fun comes next at our house. Why not, right?

" Failure is not falling down, but refusing to get up."

- Chinese Proverb.

Sunday Snapshot(s) Easter!

2011-05-21T21:29:00.000-07:00

Jack with his Grandma.

Cute little cousin Emmy

Grandma came up with the most clever way to have an Easter egg hunt- color code the eggs for each child! It was fantastic!

He has become the most handsome kid.

Simple treasures are the best in life.

This was not technically her Easter dress- but it's still a cute one- very 'London'.

Cute cousin Lizzy holds her treasures.

My favorite thing about this shot is the different colored nail polish on her little fingers. She put in a special request for that.

He's definitely tinted his brows with some sort of food substance at this point.

My sweet little artist makes the world a more beautiful place.

Easter Egg Hunt

Grandma's House

April 2011

Thoughts from A New Earth

2011-05-18T15:57:00.000-07:00

I've been reading a lot more than I have been blogging lately. It's just the natural cycle of things- I need to pour information into my brain so I can maybe get something worthwhile out of it later. The past few weeks it's been this book:

It's really deep and a little superfluous, but I suppose the author wanted to be sure to convey his message clearly. I liked how he brought a lot of spiritual quotes and insights from different religions in to support his stance on things.

Here are a few quotes that I want to remember from this book:

"Don't let a mad world tell you that success is anything other than a successful present moment. And what is that? There is a sense of quality in what you do, even the most simple action. Quality implies care and attention, which come with awareness. Quality requires your Presence."

"(Realize) that your entire life journey ultimately consists of the step you are taking at this moment. There is always only this one step, and so you give it your fullest attention. This doesn't mean you don't know where you are going; it just means this step is primary, the destination secondary. And what you encounter at your destination when you get there depends on the quality of this one step. Another way of putting it: what the future holds for you depends on your state of consciousness now."

"Some changes may look negative on the outside but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge."

"When you become comfortable with uncertainty, infinite possibilities open up in your life. It means fear is no longer a dominant factor in what you do and no longer prevents you from taking action to initiate change. The Roman philosopher Tacitus rightly observed that "the desire for safety stands against every great and noble enterprise." If uncertainty is unacceptable to you, it turns into fear. If it is perfectly acceptable, it turns into increased aliveness, alertness, and creativity."

"If you are not in the state of either acceptance, enjoyment, or enthusiasm, look closely and you will find that you are creating suffering for yourself and others."

And my favorite: "People believe themselves to be dependent on what happens for their happiness. They don't realize that what happens is the most unstable thing in the universe."

Sunday Snapshot(s)

2011-05-01T22:21:00.000-07:00

A few images from our trip to Mesquite, Nevada.

March 2011

I may have to make this one my new header.

Have a Sunday Snapshot you want to share?

Link up!

Sunday Snapshot

2011-04-24T16:25:00.000-07:00

Pausing to read political bumper stickers on a car in the Casablanca parking lot.

This particular one cracked us up.

Mesquite, Nevada.

March 2011

Make some new friends by linking up! Just make sure you have a Sunday Snapshot (it can be a photo of just about anything you like) and a link back to me on your fabulous post.

BluSilver Photo

2011-04-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

This is photo I took of my brother's colloidal silver product.

We did this water shoot at photo club a few weeks ago, and it was fun to do! We used a water tank, a white backdrop and a few lights to get this right.

I had to drop the bottle about 20 times before I got this perfect shot.

Making a Good Brain Great

2011-04-18T22:36:00.000-07:00

" The mind is it's own place, and in itself

Can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven."

-John Milton, Paradise Lost (1667)

I love all of Daniel G. Amen's books, and this one is no exception. I am fascinated with the human brain. Our entire experience of life is only what we use our minds to interpret it to be. In other words, it (life) really is all in your head. In order to live my happiest, fullest life, I want my brain to be working at it's maximum potential, and this book is a fantastic guide for that.

One of the principles in this book is: Very few people have perfect brains. We all need a little help. He goes on to say, A quick look at some of the statistics on mental illness will put to rest anyone's notion that the vast majority of people are without pain....49% of the U.S. population at some point in their lives will suffer from a psychiatric (brain) illness, most commonly anxiety, depression, or substance abuse. 29% will have 2 psychiatric illnesses, and 17% will have three. Millions of people suffer, yet many think that others have it better. Most people have no idea how lucky they really are. It is normal to have struggles, and it is better to count your blessings than to feel messed up....we now believe that normal is a myth and healthy brains are actually rare. There are very few healthy brains among us. We all need a little help. This idea is actually comforting to me. It lessens judgment, because it is hard to say "I am better than you." It helps us see that brain health is fragile and must be taken seriously. And as a society, we need to make brain health a priority.

That being said, here are a few of the things I took away from this book that really can be applied to my life:

-Brain Gym. This is a series of exercises designed to help overall brain functioning. You can find out more about about it at Braingym.com, and Amen's book has a few examples of the exercises.

-Therapy for thoughts helps improve brain function. Change your thoughts, change your brain.

-Improving your relationships can change your brain.

-Changing your behavior also changes your brain.

Here are 5 steps he gives to help improve your brain and life:

1. Do not believe every first thought you have. just because you had a thought about something, it doesn't make it true. Question your thoughts (To learn how to do this well, try Bryon Katie's book Loving What Is) Believe it or not, we are not always right. Change your perception, change your brain.

2.Realize that your thoughts are extraordinarily powerful. Every time you have a thought, your brain releases chemicals. Good thoughts produce chemicals that help you have better functioning, and make you feel good. Bad thoughts do the opposite. Learn to be positive.

3.Recognize that thoughts lie, are easily distorted, and can rob you of joy. Amen recommends writing down your thought when you feel sad, mad, or nervous. Writing them down takes away their power, and allows you to replace them with more helpful thoughts.

4.Use the Placebo Effect. As we believe, so it becomes.

5. Tell your brain what you want, and match your behavior to get it. "Since your mind takes what it sees and makes it happen, it is crucial to visualize what you want and then match your behavior over time to get it. Too many people are are thrown around by the whims of the day, rather than using their prefrontal cortex to plan their lives and follow through on their goals."

Probably my favorite thing form this book was the author's advice to try new things. Try new sports, perfumes, classes, books, anything new is good.

Amen also gives an 11 step (uh..why not 12?) plan to de-stressing your life, and I think this is all just great advice.

1. Recognize that too much stress can make you sick and hurt your brain.

2. It's okay to say no and renegotiate you commitments.

3. Get enough sleep.

4.Regular exercise is one of the best stress-busters on the planet.

5. Use regular prayer and/or meditation

6. Practice self-hypnosis to calm the brain.

7.Become your own biofeedback machine.

8. Avoid substances that stress the brain.

9.Consider stress-busting supplements.

10. See a psychotherapist if you're chronically stressed

11.Get more laughter into your life.

Maybe number 12 should be "read this book". He goes into detail with each of these steps. There is so much more great information in "Making a Good Brain Great", what can I tell you except, read it. Chances are,you'll be glad you did. This book is just amazing!

Free Education

2011-04-13T22:12:00.000-07:00

I found THIS WEBSITE , linked through the Salt Lake County Libraries... I only needed my email to sign up, so I'm wondering if anyone can register...(Okay, update: apparently it's free through certain local libraries. Visit yours to see if they participate. If they don't, it's $189/year and you can take up to 5 classes at a time, and work at your own pace) These are FREE online classes- the selection here is incredible. I've signed up for and have started Sewing 101, and there are so many other classes I'm interested in I feel like a drooling kid in a candy store trying to decide what to take next.

I am amazed at the amount of information we have available at our fingertips living in this modern society. I feel like I have no excuse at all for ignorance. If something breaks, I go to Youtube and ask how to fix it, and ta-da! there it is! Someone to show me exactly how to fix Nathaniel's DS when the screen is blank but the light turns green for a moment after the power is turn on. And when I don't know how to do something on photoshop? I just do a Google search, and ask, specifically, for the information I need. And then, there it is, right in front of me. And if my kids need me while I'm watching, all I have to do is pause it, and come back when it's convenient. It is ~~incredible~~ miraculous, really, when I think of how many people have lived on this earth throughout history with no opportunity for education.and here we are, with the whole world at our fingertips.

The whole wide world.

It's almost too easy.

All we have to do is say, 'yes', and reach out to accept what is being offered to us.

We are so lucky.

Captain Jack Crunch

2011-04-12T22:54:00.000-07:00

I wake up to the sound of Jack crying, and silently beg for him to go back to sleep. I was up 3 times in the night with him, and I'm exhausted IT'S SPRING BREAK FOR PETE'S SAKE I DON'T HAVE TO GO ANYWHERE OR DO ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES A 7:35 AM WAKE UP CALL, child. Let me sleep.

The wailing continues.

That sleep thing just isn't going to happen.

I rescue him from his crib, which we keep in the closet. It's a closet with a heating vent, two outlets, and a large window, but a closet nonetheless. What can I say? I don't have the heart to move him to the Land of Far, Far Away (upstairs, where the terrible parents of this house make the older children sleep), and, yet, I just don't want him right next to me, screaming all night and early in the morning. I need my space.

The wailing escalates.

I drag my weary body out of my lusciously warm bed, and head to the closet. Jack's wailing stops immediately and his face lights up with a grin when he sees me.

"Good Morning!" I pull up the blinds and tell him the same thing I do every day, "It's morning now. Good morning. This is the time to be awake."

I say this because I read a book on how to get your child to sleep through the night, and that is supposed to help. It obviously isn't working with Jack. Damn sleep experts. I should have just spent that time napping instead of reading.

What? You'd be cussing, too, if you hadn't had more than 4 consecutive hours of sleep in the last year and a half.

I change his super soggy diaper, and we head to the kitchen, maneuvering through the gauntlet of Kix and Cheerios on the floor.There are some nights where I'm just too tired to clean the kitchen after dinner, and last night was one of them.

I think about allowing the dog to come inside and clean my floor for me, but decide it's just not an option since she would probably wind up killing the cat, and we need the cat around to kill the mice and keep grandma company. Still, I think about it some more, and give Jack more Kix to catapult across the room.

Crunch, crunch.

This is sound of walking on my kitchen floor today.

Crunch, crunch, crunch.

I heat up some pears and oatmeal for the baby, and London joins us for breakfast. Cocoa Puffs for her, in our Noah's Ark bowl. Cocoa Puffs are chocolaty, but actually have less sugar than even most of the 'healthy' cereals on the store shelf. This is how I justify buying them, because feeding your kids chocolate for breakfast somehow needs justification, I know.

Crunch, crunch.

This is the sound of my children eating.

The sound makes me think about letting my dog in again. I resist the impulse.

I cook two eggs for myself, over easy, and am sure to grease the pan with the canola oil spray in the green can before cracking the shells.

I feed Jack his pears while they cook. Big bites. He rips his bib off, and it joins the mess on the ceramic tile. Feeding an 8 month old becomes a whole new kind of challenge when there is no bib left to shield his clothing from whatever Gerber mush is on the menu; this is why we wait until after breakfast to get dressed. He flashes his charming grin, showing off all his new teeth. He reaches out a dimpled hand and pinches one of the small golden balls left on his high chair tray between his thumb and pointer finger and brings it carefully to his mouth.

Crunch, crunch, baby.

Crunch, crunch.

Sunday Snapshot

2011-04-10T17:23:00.000-07:00

Enjoying General Conference in the best way possible.

April 2011

Rapunzel Herself

2011-04-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

"If you have an impulse to do something, and it's not totally irresponsible, why not do it? It might just be the journey you've always needed." -Timothy Hutton

To celebrate the release of one of Disney's best princess films of all time, we held a Tangled celebration. The party lasted an entire week, and, honestly, I don't remember most of it .

My friend Stephanie made these fantastic decorations. I'm so lucky she hooked me up! These were way better than anything I could have bought at the store. (Thanks, Stephanie )

We had great food, awesome company, and a special guest of honor- Rapunzel, herself! I have a really cute friend (Marcie), who has all sorts of great connections to REAL Disney princesses. And from time to time, those princesses make stops in our neighborhood. And mom's can even get them to come to their castle -or tower- to visit, or do "princess tuck-ins" (where they'll read to your little one and then tuck them in bed....soooo magical)

Her custom made costume was incredible; the details so ornate.

I cannot even tell you how impressed I was with Rapunzel. After meeting her, I am convinced that she is the real life version of the princess! She looked like Rapunzel, talked like her, moved, and posed like her, and didn't miss a beat while visiting with the crowd of girls that attended. She knew the answer to every question, took time to make every girl feel special, and even brought along a toy Pascal in her brown leather satchel. It was awesome!

It's obvious how enthralled the girls were with Rapunzel- look at their starstruck expressions.


Even the boys couldn't pass up this opportunity to mingle with Disney royalty.

"I do not know who you are, nor how I came to find you, but may I just say...hi, how you doin'?"


We took pictures of each girl with Rapunzel. Notice how she wraps her braid around London...it was such a 'Tangled' thing to do!

I could go running and racing and dancing and chasing and leaping and bounding hair flying, heart pounding and splashing and reeling and finally feeling now's when my life begins!

You smell that? It's part man-smell, and the other part is really bad man-smell, but overall it just smells like the color brown. Your thoughts?

I could get used to a view like this. Yep, I'm used to it. Guys, I want a bounce house.


"Go, live your dream." "I will." "Your dream stinks. I was talking to her."

Look in that mirror. I see a strong, confident, beautiful young lady. Oh look, you're here too.

All these ladies are gorgeous inside and out! We were a large group, and yet I wanted to invite so many more of our friends.

If you live in the Provo/Orem, Salt lake, or Phoenix, Az. areas and are interested in having a princess visit your little ones, just leave me a comment requesting more information.

My kids are growing up so fast...way too fast. Within another year or two, the age of 'magic' will be only a memory. It's such a great thing to get together with people you love, and enjoy the good things in life together. I'm so glad I did this.

"It's only when we truly know that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up - that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it [were] the only one we had. - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

P.S. While writing this, guess what I found? There is a Disney Wiki... who knew, right?

Sunday Snapshot

2011-04-03T22:14:00.000-07:00

The kids are overjoyed to be reunited with their cousin Alexander,

and enjoy celebrating his 4th birthday with him.

March 2011

Sunday Snapshot

2011-03-20T17:12:00.000-07:00

My little chomper and his little chompers.

In the crib, in our crib.

March 2011, 7 months old.

I love the reflection of the crib bars in his eyes; it gives him sort of a cat-like look.

*Sigh* I love him.

Click here to see some other things I love....

(Although none of it really compares to the love I have for my family)

Link up if you want to...

Friday Confessional

2011-03-18T21:39:00.000-07:00

Man, It's been a long time since I've done this, and I miss it!

Link up HERE with Glam and Mama and play along. It's the right thing to do.

I confess:

I'm sick and tired of living in a society where everyone is trying to run everyone else's lives. (See above: me telling you to link up)

Captain Jack cut 3 more teeth this week, and although it's good to get it all done at once, I feel as though I'm nursing this:

Not that he's a biter; it's just the thought of the damage those sharp little incisors could do that makes me a bit nervous.

I'm sick of people who have a false sense of entitlement. Your problems are your own; I'm sorry you have them, but it's not my job to solve them for you. (Whew! I feel better having let that out.)

Friday afternoons are awesome! I get to go read with the students in Nathaniel's class. His teacher asks who would like to read with me, and over half the students raise their hands calling out, "Me, me!" It makes me feel loved. Of course, Nathaniel always gets to go first, since I'm his Mom. I like to bring chocolate and Sour Patch Kids, and feed them to him secretly while we're out in the hall. I want him to remember that- Mom making life fun and sweet when he would otherwise be bored in class. I want him to know he is special.

I read with the children who stand in need of improvement most. A few, you can tell, are lacking confidence in their own literary skills. I love encouraging them, pointing out everything they are doing right, and telling them they are good readers. Because they are.

"I love how you pronounce each word so clearly," I tell them, or, "You are so careful to get the word right when you sound it out; that's great!" And I can see their eyes light up, and they hide a smile, and sit up a little straighter as they finish the book. Kids are the best. One can do just about anything if only one believes it. I wish I would have known that when I was younger.

I'm happy. Right here, right now, my life is good. I know that everything that has happened in my life up to this point was supposed to happen. The evidence for that? It did happen. I am right where I'm supposed to be. The evidence for that? Here I am. How can I argue with that? I confess, I'm grateful for the peace and assurance that comes with that knowledge. Really, really grateful.

Oh, Japan...

2011-03-15T21:36:00.000-07:00

...we are praying for you.

The devastation you are dealing with is unbelievable.

Earthquake, fire, tsunami, and nuclear disaster all at once- unheard of.

Our hearts ache for you.

We hope you can recover from this.

Before and after arial pictures show the utter devastation.

Run your cursor over the image to work it.

(Thanks to my MIL for this link)

Sunday Snapshot(s)

2011-03-13T18:21:00.000-07:00

"If you could only love enough, you could be the most powerful person in the world". -Emmet Fox
True to it's name, this post is a documentary of our afternoon. This afternoon. 'Cause I'm so on top of it. For once. (Take note as it may be a very long time before this happens again).

We have a Sunday rule of no TV or video games that I was terrified to implement at first. What were my children going to do all afternoon without a screen to stare at? The first couple of Sabbaths were difficult, filled with whining and disbelief, and "I'm bored", all of which seemed to creep down my ears and make my back ache. But I held my ground, and told them I would be happy to find a chore that could cure their boredom, and if they asked to turn on their DS's onemoretime they would be missing them on Monday, too.

And on the third week, it happened, We finished lunch, and Nathaniel turned to London and asked, "Do you want to go upstairs and play?" And off they went, hand in hand, like Hansel and Gretel skipping into the woods to find a giant gingerbread house made of candy. And they played together. All afternoon. I'm not exactly sure what, but I know from the aftermath that it involved princesses, army men, and legos. All the while Rich and I napped. A napping mom is a happy Mom. I love Sundays.

Today they worked on drawings in their Pokemon card binders, little detailed drawings done in pen on lined notebook paper. London had flowers and houses with little beds for the mice, and a magnificent drawing of the Snowbird resort, complete with 10 floors, a baby swimming pool, a 'hanger thngy" and "you get to watch TV in bed".

Nathaniel's rendition of Snowbird came complete with the arcade on the third floor, an ongoing bingo came, and a reception center. There's even a ghost in the attic. (Maybe we'll have to check for one when go we this August) Looking at this, I'm just really amazed that no one in this drawing has a weapon. Sometimes I think that boy must have been a WW2 vet in his past life. What a boy!

London makes her 'Scalliwag' face, and then leans in towards me and whispers,

"Mom, just so you know, we. are. made. of. meat."

And since I've had a nap, I'm not even thinking about putting her in the oven.

Just so you know.

"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other. " -Audrey Hepburn

I'm Learning

2011-03-11T21:53:00.000-08:00

"Be the change that you want to see in the world."
-Mohandas Ghandi

I feel as though I've had a slow, but very real paradigm shift over the past few months. I'm learning so much about myself. For instance, I'm a codependent. Well, maybe at this point, a recovering codependent. " What's a codependent?" you might ask. In Melody Beattie's book Codependent No More, it's defined as "one who has let another person's behavior affect him or her, and who is obsessed with controlling that person's behavior."

That was me, for a long time. In fact, I thought that was normal; that it was perfectly all right to try to control other people. It was just my way of life. I was fighting, always trying to get the world to change and become what I thought it should be. I'm learning to surrender, to accept things as they are, and I'm becoming much happier with my life in the process. Accepting reality also means accepting myself as I am- the good, the bad, and everything in between. It's amazing how the smallest steps of progress in this area can make such a huge difference in how I live my life, and in how happiness comes to me. It's an upward spiral and I'm loving it.

The term "codependent" is usually associated with wives and family members of alcoholics. For me, codependency is more of a mental state than a relationship. It can come in many forms for different people. Beattie describes some as "codependent on society. They're striving so hard to follow rules and be politically correct that they don't know who they are. They're not listening to themselves. They're doing what they think they have to do because they're afraid not to, and because they're trying to please society."

As I'm learning to let go of the things I can't control, I'm able to return to myself, and there I find, surprisingly, the only thing I can control- me! I am minding my own business, living my own life, instead of trying to live others'. As I have been able to figure out what is my business, what is other people's business, and what business is God's, it has helped me to focus properly on the things that are my stewardship. Instead of living somewhere else mentally,I'm here. It's now. I've accepted the call to become more present in my own life. I find myself listening- really actively listening- to my children and being more in tune to their needs. I'm happier just to be. Just to live and breathe and be. Every day is different; every day brings something new.

I've learned that I can't control anybody else. At all. I can't control their emotions, their actions, their thoughts- nothing. And by trying to, I was never being true to myself. Even worse, I was absent from my own life, missing out on me, trying in vain to live their lives instead of my own. As I let go of the desire to control things that aren't my business, my life begins to feel, for the first time, in control, because suddenly, my energy is going to the right place.

In her book, The New Codpendency Melody writes "When we stop controlling others and set people free, we get our freedom back, too....We make our best decisions, get our clearest guidance, and move through life most naturally when our center is in ourselves and we're not exhausted and depleted from giving everything away."

Here is something else Melody explains beautifully. "I didn't want to suffer anymore. There's a difference between feeling sadness and pain, and suffering. While I cannot control events that trigger feelings of sadness, I can decide how much I want to suffer about it. Suffering is how we feel about how we feel."

I think what she is describing here is that when we are hurt, we can be sad, and then move on, or we can live as 'victims' and wallow in our suffering. (I've done that. It's not a nice way to live) Probably we all know someone who plays the victim role all too well. Do you enjoy being around that person? I don't. I don't even like myself when I'm in a 'poor me' mood. It's annoying. And another thing about 'victims' is that they need someone to be victimized by. They'll be offended by every little thing in order to play their role, and have everyone walking on eggshells around them; it doesn't make for very good company. Sometimes, though, we really are victims, and we have a right to our emotions. We can feel sad and angry and hurt. In fact, it's good, it's healthy to feel and process those emotions. Once it's run it's course, though, we need to let it go. If years have passed and you're still playing the role of a victim, then you are victimizing yourself by living it over and over. You are probably doing yourself more damage than anyone else could ever have the power to do you.

The good news here is that it's all about attitude, and that is something we absolutely can control. We don't always get to choose what happens to us in this life, but we do have control over the attitude we have as we approach our trials. And I know, it's hard to live it, it's hard to walk it. I feel like I falter every day. But it all starts with changing our thoughts, and practicing gratitude daily. One small change promotes another tiny change, which leads to another. Recognizing what I have control over and what I don't was the first small change for me. Life is good and getting better, and I'm still learning.

"As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world - that is the myth of the atomic age - as in being able to remake ourselves. "
-Mohandas Gandhi

My First Vlog

2011-03-05T21:45:00.000-08:00

I love this little two-toothed cutie pie. I love the smoothness of his skin, the brightness of his eyes, the way his sweet little dimpled hands reach for mine. But mostly, I love his laugh....and I'll do just about anything to hear it!

And my sweet little helper? She is the best daughter and sister and she just gets better every day. I don't know what I would do without her.

Want to hear it yourself? Click here.

Weight Issues?

2011-03-04T18:42:00.000-08:00

You don't have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body. -C.S. Lewis

Okay, I know I post a lot joking around with sarcasm and/or added tongue-in-cheek drama. It makes for good reading. However, this is a serious post.

My true feelings on weight:

I'm just not that concerned with it.

I don't know what I weigh.

I don't even own a scale.

Sometimes, when I'm at my Mom's I get on hers, but the numbers don't affect my self esteem or my mood.; it just doesn't matter to me beyond a slight curiosity.

I think as women we tend to spend way too much time worrying about what other think about us. The fact is no one, no one, cares as much about your appearance as you do. (And if they do, whose business is it anyway? Certainly not theirs)

God made women- all women- with an inherent beauty that cannot be denied. I do not know another woman who doesn't have her own kind of beautiful. I have friends of every size, shape and color, and they are all lovely.

Our society has put so much pressure on us to be thin and live up to someone else's standard of beauty, that most of us can't see past it. I think the lie that we have to be something we are not distracts us from the happiness we could be having if only we would accept ourselves as we really are. God made us as we are; aren't we insulting Him by saying we are not good enough, not pretty enough, not thin enough, not tall enough, not smart enough, not tan enough? I think in a very real sense that that is the ugly voice of ingratitude speaking.

We are what we are. We don't have to be anything we aren't. If we can find satisfaction with what we have, it enables us to be filled with love and peace, rather than emptiness or longing. The woman who is truly happy with her life, is the one who can recognize her own blessings instead of being filled with envy towards others.

If we have bodies that are healthy, bodies that are able to function, able to serve, able to help us love and nurture, then we have good bodies. Period.

Why waste your life being unhappy and dissatisfied because of a cultural meme? What would your life be like if you didn't feel like you had to measure up to someone else's standard of beauty? Would you have more peace? More time to just love and be loved? Would you be kinder to you offspring (who remind you so much of yourself?) Kinder to your friends? Be a little nicer behind that skinny girl's back?

What can a thin lady do that an overweight one can't do? When I workout with my "Biggest Loser" videos, the contestants kick my butt. And I love them for it. This life comes at you fast; it's over before you know it. I want to spend the rest of my life happy, taking care of myself and my own. I don't want to die and realize I never really was living because I was so concerned with what other people were thinking that I was never fully present in my own life. I just want to enjoy things as they are, and live in the moment, no matter what my size is.

God is not proud...He will have us even though we have shown that we prefer everything else to Him.-- CS Lewis

Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust

2011-03-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

I had so much fun at Photo club last night! We spent the evening chatting it up- seriously, I love the photographers that attend. We also worked on these levitation images. What do you think?

Dear Annonymous

2011-03-01T13:37:00.000-08:00

Lol!!! I love you KyAnn!!!!!

Sunday Snapshot

2011-02-27T15:32:00.000-08:00

Jack wakes up completely crustified after a long night with the flu.

(And now I have it- not cool)

February 2011

"If You Hear A Voice Within You Say...

2011-02-25T13:39:00.000-08:00

...'you cannot paint', then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."

"Love many things, for therein lies the true strength, and whosoever loves much performs much, and can accomplish much, and what is done in love is done well."

"One must work and dare if one really wants to live."

"The more I think about it, the more I realize there is nothing more artistic than to love others."

"There is no blue and yellow without orange."

"But I always think that the best way to know God is to love many things."

"Even the knowledge of my own fallibility cannot keep me from making mistakes. Only when I fall do I get up again."

"Do not quench your inspiration and your imagination; do not become the slave of your model."

"Happiness... it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort."

"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream."

Can you guess who my favorite artist of all time is? From the Netherlands (Holland), he spent time as a preacher, then later became an artist, and, despite his current world renowned status as one of the 'greats', only lived to see one (just ONE!) of his paintings sold. I think this man had terrific insight into things with a spiritual nature, and a deep appreciation of the beauty in this world. I have often heard him written off, and labeled as "insane". He said, "I put my heart and my soul into my work, and have lost my mind in the process." The truly insane do not know they are crazy. They are sure they are right, that the problem isn't them, it's the rest of the world. To be able to admit one has lost one's mind, to me, shows a firm stance in reality.

You can read more about Vincent Van Gogh HERE.

We finished painting the dining room. We chose "Churchill Hotel Lace Ivory" from Lowe's Valspar colors. It's a bit lighter than the kitchen/great room, and it makes the room feel brighter and more inviting than the old red (which was way too dark for the space). The color contrasts with the black table and antique dresser, making them 'pop'. I still need to hang a couple more pictures, and find a new centerpiece for the table, but I'm very happy with the paint job. It feels so fresh and warm.

I love the feeling of accomplishment that comes when a long-planned project is complete. As Van Gogh would say,

" I dream of painting, and then I paint my dream."

Valentine's Day Makeover

2011-02-20T22:19:00.000-08:00

...for our dining room. We are going from a deep red (it was way too dark for the space) to a buttery cream color. In these photos we are applying the primer.

This is my Grandma Gennie. She is living with us for awhile, and I'm absolutely thrilled about it! Doesn't she look great for 89?

Rich keeps it moving.

My sweet Valentine.

Should I have asked him to change out of his school clothes first?

Self-portrait- workin' both sides of the camera.

Something that's really neat about my Grandma, is that she doesn't dye her hair at all, and it's still has so much color. Here's hoping I got those genes!

London gets home from dance class and joins in the fun- which includes sitting on her little stool and eating Wheat Thins.

And, of course, I had to include Jack-Jack. He says, "Peace out."

It's sad.

2011-02-16T21:16:00.000-08:00

To avoid criticism do nothing, say nothing, be nothing. -Elbert Hubbard

Yeah, I do think this is sad. It's SAD. So what? It's not about weight to me; it's about being aware as a parent. The girl looks uncomfortable. The doll even looks uncomfortable. Would you be comfortable there?

I could be wrong. The girl might be having the time of her life. Bike rides might be her favorite thing in the world. The Mom might be fantastic. Who knows for sure? Not me, and not you.

I'm over it.

Sunday Snapshots- Marley (A memory of summer)

2011-02-06T08:30:00.000-08:00

February comes, and the winter begins to feel as though it will never draw to an end. This is the time to look back and remember the blistering hot days of summer, with it's green grass, popsicles, and plastic blue swimming pools.
These photos are from last July. My cousins Rachel, Joy(@ Our Family of Four), Doug, Nikki, Ken, and their children came to visit. We ate until we were all stuffed, watched a movie, and wandered onto the back deck to enjoy the children playing in the splash pool.
Marley stole the show with her darling antics, enchanted by the water, and obsessed with the red car. She kept trying to drive it, but being so small, she slipped through the foot hole in the bottom over and over. She would just last there quietly, looking like the victim of an auto/ ped accident, until one of the adults stopped laughing long enough to come to her rescue.

Erik (Isn't he perfectly adorable with those blond curls?)

Joy.

Joy, Tristan, and I come inside for some relief from the intense heat. I was about 14 months pregnant at the time. (It felt like it anyway) Man I was chunky!

Isn't family the best? I love having cousins! I only wish we all lived closer growing up. I was in Utah, while my Mom's side of the family lived in Michigan. I'm just glad they come out here to visit once in awhile.

Looking back on these makes me even more anxious for spring to arrive. I can't wait to get out and garden, and take the kiddos for walks to the park.

I'm going to take a deep breath here, and try to enjoy this moment. Jack is screeching in his crib. The snow is half- melted outside, and I'm thinking I need to get up and make some hot cocoa and let my kids drink it by the fire.

Happy Sunday.

A Valentine for you

2011-02-05T22:50:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to learn Illustrator in my very spare time, and this is my first attempt at creating anything. I think it would be cute in a frame, don't you? Feel free to download/ print it out/ share it- just credit me :). Happy Valentine's Day!

The Tidepools

2011-02-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

I've been less of a blogger and more of a slacker (online, at least) lately. I miss my virtual friends. Where does my time go?
I've been working out 5x/ week, mostly to Biggest Loser videos. I love Bob. Yes. I do. When I first started, I could only do a 6 minute segment. I just slowly worked my way up, doing 1 or 2 more minutes a day, and now, after 3 months, I can do 25 - 30 minutes of cardio without wishing for death.

I bought my first pair of skinny leg jeans since 1989 yesterday, and they look good. I was as shocked as you probably are.

I'm doing my best to step back, quit trying to live everyone else's life, and start living my own. It's a good feeling. It's also a hard thing to completely change my mindset, and I keep slipping up, but I can see some slow improvement.

I've been reading a lot. I love Dr. AMEN"S books on the brain. I'm fascinated with the way the mind works, and trying to incorporate anything that will improve my brain into my daily routine. Hence, the daily exercise. I started it to ward off the winter woes, and it has definitely worked. The skinny jeans are just a nice side effect of improved brain circulation.

I've also been taking fish oil and grape seed extract supplements. I don't know if they're really working, but they make me feel smarter anyway. I've cut caffeine out of my diet. Over time, caffeine puts 'holes' in your brain (it basically constricts blood flow so you don't have access to certain areas). Caffeine makes you dumb. Who knew? Apparently Joseph Smith did.

Anyway, I'm playing catch up on pictures from last year, so I can post some from now. Almost there. These are the last from Point Loma in November. Enjoy.

I

Can you see the crab?

i love you much

(most beautiful darling)

more than anyone on

the earth and i like you

better than everything

in the sky.

-e.e. cummings

Point Loma- at the museum

2011-01-25T17:06:00.000-08:00

While visiting San Diego in November, we decided to spend a rainy Sunday Afternoon at Point Loma National Monument. There was a small museum dedicated to the Spanish Conquistadors which was full of maps and fascinating trinkets from the 14 and 1500's. We also stopped at their small gift shop, and watched a movie about mother Grey Whales and their babies. After the sun decided to come out and play, we went and explored the tide pools. (Next post)


Nathaniel and Michael. Those two had the time of their lives that day; they laughed and laughed and stuck together like peas and carrots. How fun to have cousins!

Our home is near the smaller lake on the left.

Oh, I love this boy. I hope he stays this sweet for a long time.

Cabrillo himself. He'd be kind of hot if he could quit flaring his nostrils.

Whatever you do, don't let the webkins get wet! London's penguin is a girl named "Spike". She sleeps with it every night. It protects her from the evil penguins.

Nathaniel inspects the real chain mail. Or is it called chainmail? Wait..isn't chain mail something you have to forward or a curse will be fall you in 7 days? Hmmm...let's just call it armor. "Nathaniel inspects the armor".

I only wish I had been close enough to hear what those two were saying about the cash in the donation box.

My Dad, the genius, learns even more. He's always reading. Except when he's sleeping.

This gift shop puzzle shows about all there is to the monument. It was a fun way to spend a Sunday afternoon, though.

London feels out a different life.

My sister Dana takes pictures of the kids while I photograph her.

Nathaniel wields a real sword.

Rollin' with my Homie

2011-01-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

If you live to be a hundred,

I want to live to be

a hundred minus one day

so I would never have to live

a day

without you.

-Winnie the Pooh

Sunday Snapshot

2010-12-05T16:10:00.000-08:00

London and myself.

Buzz Lightyear ride, Disneyland

November 2010

Uhhh...pretty sure the scores were switched here :)

Jonah- like you've never heard it before

2010-11-30T17:34:00.000-08:00

My MIL emailed this to me (thanks!):

http://vimeo.com/16404771

I would go to church EVERY week if I could hear it told like that! What an inspiring little girl. I've got no more excuses for the 'Mormon Monotone', I'm determined to liven things up a bit when I deliver my next talk.

And while I'm on the topics of religion and water, last Saturday Nathaniel was baptized, and we blessed Jack in our home.

I was feeling overwhelmed, so we kept it very small and simple, inviting only parents and siblings; even so, we still had a houseful! I think it's amazing to watch how families grow and expand over the years. This is a world of change, and that is the only thing that is certain in this life.

I'm just trying to keep adapting to it, and keep on counting my blessings as I go along.

Blushing, Laughing, Smiling

2010-11-29T09:05:00.000-08:00

I'm blushing.

My dear friend, The Purse Blogger (Laura) is featuring me as her 'favorite lady of the week' today. Yipeee!! Stop by her awesome blog, check it out, and tell her we're all friends. She is one of the best bloggers on the net, and is my favorite lady of the week (month, year..) for sure.

I'm laughing.

I opened windows media player after my husband had been using my laptop, and noticed that the last thing which had been played was a video with a....well, questionable title. I wanted to know (WTH?!) my DH had been watching, but I couldn't get it to come up. I was filled with suspicion, but I stayed calm. And carried on. I visited You tube and typed in the title, holding my breath.

This is what it turned out to be:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccwJbANT1d0

I guess I'm the perv.

I'm smiling.

Smiling over a talented, generous blogger who who makes fantastic signs like this:

and gives them away. I printed up the Thanksgiving one she made, framed it, and put it on my dining room table- it looked fantastic. I'll be switching it out with this one today. Get yours HERE.

I'm shopping.

Target has Super Scribblenauts (ds game) for $22 on sale today, and I've got to get a copy for Nathaniel- it's the one thing he really wants for Christmas, and Santa's got to come through.

Also, my friend Jen told me about THIS DEAL for (generic but cute) pillow pets. $8.05 with free shipping. You can't beat that.

Peace out.

Sunday Snapshot

2010-11-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

Nathaniel finds a starfish

Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma, Ca.

November 21, 2010

Sunday Snapshot

2010-11-14T11:41:00.000-08:00

My next door neighbor, Grant, finds an abandoned recliner and brings it home in style.

Summer 2009

(I laugh every time I see this image)

Join in the fun. It's so easy.

We heart IKEA

2010-11-09T14:33:00.000-08:00

...beacuse:

IKEA is completely kid-friendly. It's a hands-on, try it out, sit-on-it, lay-on-it, swing-on-it kind of store.

They have free child care. You can drop your little ones off at their "Smal land" for up to an hour if you would rather shop in peace. (There is a height requirement and I think they have have to be potty trained, too)

If the childcare is full, you can check out a hand-held video game system for your little one's enjoyment.

IKEA has everything. The place is huge. HUGE. I still get lost there. However, it's a happy kind of lost, because there is so much to look at while you figure out where you are.

Princess cake from their cafe. YUM! This is a small round marzipan cake. It costs about $1.29, and it tastes like heaven. Someone once told me it's made with rose water. What else can make you feel like a princess more than eating something made from roses?

The prices are sooo low, it's a bargain hunter's dream.

I always seem to leave IKEA filled with ideas and inspiration. I love it!

The last reason we love IKEA is...you can take all the pictures you want without scary security guys threatening to take away your camera.

Sunday Snapshot

2010-11-07T16:24:00.000-08:00

Sunday Snapshot

Nathaniel

At the Salt Flats

October 2010

Be cool like JEN :

This family

2010-10-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

This boy:

just wants to eat. All.the.time. And it is beginning to show. He's got the double chin, the little rolls on his thighs, and a loud, healthy cry. If his appetite keeps up, we'll soon be sending him to Hollywood for Stay Puft Marshmallow or Michelin Man auditions.

This older brother:

is golden. Just golden. He had a bad dream and came downstairs crying early this morning. He is such a tender child. He let me know on the way to school this morning that he's tired of sitting in a booster seat. "When can I sit in a regular seat, Mom?"
"When you're nine."

This one:

Has lost every privilege she has (TV, video games, friends) with her 'screaming at the top of her lungs' fits. Luckily bubble baths are not considered a privilege in this house.

Here's to hoping she alters her attitude and earns them back.

The milkaholic's passed out on the swing in the middle of the afternoon.

And this one:

is making me think maybe-just maybe- he'll turn out to be worth all the grief he's given me.

And now, I'm off to teach this who's boss:

(it's me, in case you were wondering)

Blogger's GNO

2010-10-24T23:34:00.000-07:00

I had the awesome opportunity to host Girl's Night Out recently. It was a blast (once we broke the ice....wait, what ice? There was no ice.)

There was something so refreshing about sitting down face-to-face with these women and just connecting and communicating. These women are all amazing- deep, thoughtful, witty, fun to be around, and they brought great food.

You all are welcome back anytime. Especially if you saw my shower that I hadn't cleaned in (mumblemumble) months, and refrained from judging :) (You'll all be proud to know I actually did scrub it down this week.)

I think you should check out these ladies:

From left to right:

TYLAINE
notquitesoquietstilljustsosweet

CARRIE
awesomechickanddoesshewanttojoinalocalphotoclubwithme?

CRYSTAL
yeahshesagorgeousmillionairebutwe'renotintimidaed'causeshe'ssodangnice!

AMY
she'sthethoughtfulintellect

MONICA
savvyandfashionableandprettybutnotasnobjustshyandI'mblownawaybywhatshedonatedbutI'mnottelling

LAURA
givingtrustworthysweetkindandmybbf(bestbloggyfriend)sorryshe'smineyoucan'thaveher

and, almosthotterthanPepperJack KYANN. makesmelaughtruenonstopentertainmentandtoughasnails

I don't know wth happened to the link text size there- be assured the smaller type chicks are as rad as the large type. And isn't that true in real life, too?

Awesome ladies. Awesome blogs. Stop by and tell 'em I sent you.

Oh, and if you attended, feel free to grab the photo (I dont have all of your email addresses)

MMMMwah!

Sunday Snapshot

2010-10-24T13:13:00.000-07:00

His first Halloween costume

A Jalapeno Pepper

October 2010

Now link up and show me what you are made of. Unless you're too lame to create the easiest post ever.

Just do it

2010-10-22T20:43:00.000-07:00

I got this from Heather at FAMILY VOLLEY. It reminds me of a Nike ad I used to have- inspiring.

I had a great time chilling with some IRL bloggers last weekend- watch for the post on it soon.

(I swear I'll send those pics out even sooner you awesome chicks)

October is supercrazybusy for me, I'm hoping things will calm down in November. Just hoping.

On Winter

2010-10-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

Today I will be joining Follow Me Friday for the first time, and, of course, will be joining Glamazon's Friday Confessional. Click HERE to play along.

I confess:

I love October, but it comes with a sad reminder that summer is giving up, and winter will soon reign with frost and dirty gray snow.
I hate winter. Hate it.
The cold makes my nose run, and my feet take hours to warm up after a good chill.
In Utah we have something called 'inversion' where the air gets trapped in the valleys and becomes putrid; a literal health hazard to breathe.
The Native Americans used to call it 'white death'.
After the inversion has begun, the air grows chokingly thicker, and the sun dimmer and dimmer until, sometimes, at high noon I can look up and wonder if I am seeing a street light through fog, and question if the sun was just part of a dream I once had.
As if the days weren't short enough in January already.
And I sigh, and stay indoors, and pray for a storm, for some wind to come and clean up our state,
while the politicians make laws that prohibit the poor from using their fireplaces on red burn days, yet allow the toxic oil refineries to keep going, to continue their huge smoke columns pumping caustic fumes into the air night and day.
That billowing black smoke and it's accompanying stench represent everything that is wrong with America.
Is it any wonder that seasonal depression originated in Utah?
I hate winter.
Did I already say that?
Well, I do. I hate it.

Here's to hoping fall will hang around as long as possible.

-Kellie

Pumpkin Point Farm

2010-10-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

We made our annual trip to PUMPKIN POINT FARMS yesterday. It was a beautiful day for hanging out at the pumpkin patch.

Oh, it was so much fun! The kids claimed their own miniature wheelbarrow and wheeled it around looking for the perfect Halloween pumpkin.

London chose her pumpkin within the first minute, while Nathaniel spent a long time inspecting the different varieties, and finally selected one with a curly stem.

Cousin Lizzy, Nathaniel, and London

Rich's Mom, 'Grandma Eilene', is friends with the family who owns the farm, and she takes all the grandkids (5 of them now!) there to pick pumpkins every year. I didn't think we were going to be able to do go this year; Grandma Eilene actually had a brain hemorrage 3 weeks ago, and only got out of the hospital last Monday. She has had an absolutely miraculous recovery, which we are all grateful for.

And so we played in the pumpkin patch..

Jack the Pumpkin King observes the patch from the comfort of his stroller. It's good to be king.

London LOVES her cousin Emmy

Aaaahhh!!! RUN!!! It's a child of the corn!!

Oh, WHEW! It's just Nathaniel.

Grandma Eilene and Grandpa Paul

Happy October.

-Kellie

Free Kleenex for your friends

2010-10-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

This is cool:

You can send a free box of Kleenex to a friend by just clicking HERE . Heaven knows anyone with kids will be grateful to receive some as soon as flu season hits- plus the box design is totally cute.

-Kellie

Sunday Snapshot

2010-10-10T14:41:00.000-07:00

London plans a picnic to share with me.

October 2010

Life is passing by so quickly. "Sunday Snapshot" is my way of taking a quick moment to journal memories I want to keep. The image doesn't have to be perfect (obviously. See above photo with the glare in the left hand corner) that's why it's called a "snapshot".

I'd love to see what you want to remember, so create an easy post and link up, people!

Friday Confessional

2010-10-08T19:16:00.000-07:00

It's Friday already? I noticed my friend DEBBIE joined the fun for the first time, and I don't want to be left out, so....

I confess:

I bought a paperback copy of 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' for my son about a year ago
We just finished reading it for the third time.
I asked Nathaniel if he knew what a diary was
He didn't, so I explained the concept
You could see the light bulb go off in his head
Then he told me that made sense
Apparently this whole time he thought the book was called 'Diarrhea of a Wimpy Kid'
My kids have spent the last month running around giving each other 'the cheese touch',
and laughing over phrases like 'your slap happy grandpappy' and 'loded diper'
So although it's not even close to classic literature,
and the main character irritates me to no end,
it's been fun.
And now we're moving on to Judy Blume's Superfudge
I'll be sure to explain the title before we begin.

Your turn...CLICK HERE to hook up with Glamazon and play along

Saturday Morning in 2d

2010-10-02T13:19:00.000-07:00

First of all, I've had a ton requests for pictures of my new do, so here you are:

Somehow it looks cuter here than in real life.

Want to see what my world looks like as I wake up in the morning?

This is pretty much it:

"Got Milk?"

Saturday morning bath time:

Jack gives Rich the "Oh, no you didn't!" look and flips his first birdie, after being placed in the tub against his will.

My bald babies.

And where are the kids? Busy enjoying Saturday morning cartoons!

London gets a bath, too. This girl has a knack for getting food in her hair (a bad habit left over from toddlerhood?). We have to wash it a lot just to be able to get a comb through it.

The older two are spending the night at Grandma and Grandpa Hendricks up in Logan. It's London's first sleep over there without parents; she's pretty excited.

(I should have spent the morning making the kids clean their rooms, but I just wasn't in the mood. It can wait until Monday, right?)

If you're wondering how she sleeps with all that junk piled on her bed....you're not alone.

Apparently I'm the only person in the household who isn't enthralled by Japanimation.

Time to go! The kids have a ton of wrappers and garbage stashed in the back of the car...I decided this mess couldn't wait until Monday. Nathaniel hangs upside down pulling it out from under the seat.

And off they went, leaving me a minute to post this,

and cuddle this juicy little package:

Dear Time

2010-09-23T20:45:00.000-07:00

Dear Time,
Will you please slow down just a little? I just can't seem to keep up with you. I'm trying, but you move way too fast.

How is it that my son is already in Cub Scouts, bringing homework to me from his 3rd grade class? I thought he would stay little for much, much longer. Wasn't it just yesterday he was crawling around in diapers, tearing books off the shelf, putting every disgusting thing he could find on the ground into his mouth? Where did that soft cheeked baby go?

Why can my daughter paint her nails (well!) so soon? Shouldn't that be years off? When we go to the library, she picks out princess magazines and begs for Hannah Montana dvd's, and, not to be rude, but I'm certain that somehow it's all your fault.

And my littlest....he was a skinny, tiny boy last week, and now he has a double chin, and his sweet red hair is falling out (as is mine). His chicken legs are starting to look human and his little belly grows round before my eyes. I'm trying so hard to cherish every moment with him, but you sneak up on me, and the day passes before I even begin to enjoy it.

(Doesn't he look contemplative here?)

It's not fair! You are cheating to fly by like this; please, please slow down. Let me enjoy being a Mom without feeling so rushed all the time, without feeling guilty that I couldn't do more than I do, don't take more pictures than I do, can't stay focused on the most important things around me- my family.

Just slow down.

Will you at least think about it?

Best regards,
Kellie

In My Brain

2010-09-23T00:20:00.000-07:00

A SONG THAT'S RUNNING THROUGH MY MIND.

And Chinese Medicine. The basis of it is: the theory that life is the ability to change, or to adapt constantly to this ever changing world.
It truly is an ever changing world, isn't it?
To change is the simplest definition, the easiest explanation for the term repentance.
So, if life is the ability to change then it must also be: to repent is to live.
Chinese Medicine also theorizes that death comes when we become totally unable to change anymore.

Beyond that, I've been wondering, is this life just a dream? A dream played out in a body made of clay? Someone wise once told me that it was, and I blew him off. Now, years later, I'm second guessing my old attitude. I wasn't ready to change my point of view, and I knew I was right. And now I don't know anything except that maybe the bad things that happen in this world perhaps were only designed to teach us to change, to repent, and in doing so, to find Christ.

If that's the case, then maybe bad things aren't really so bad after all.

Friday Confessional With Glamazon

2010-09-17T19:51:00.000-07:00

Link up HERE and play!!

I confess:

I'm losing the baby weight and am 'between sizes'.
I have ~~nothing~~ very little to wear right now.
And I refuse to go shop for clothing in my current size, because it (hopefully) wont fit for very long.
So, I have this this bra that fits me well, except the straps fall down constantly.
It sucks, or, at least it did until I found the most obvious solution:
Scotch tape.
Really.
Right across my shoulders. Works like a dream.
I'm thinking, how have I been on this planet for 32 years, and not been able to figure that out before this?
I think that a lot.
I washed a load of whites this week.
It was one of those loads where I just kept adding clothes; the washer was over full.
Little did I know, there was a stowaway hiding amongst our tees and undies
It was a black pen.
Do you know what happens when you wash a black pen in hot water with white clothing?

You should try it and find out for yourself.

P.S. Here's a hint: the only pair of unspotted underwear I have left are the ones I was wearing at the time.

Funny Stuff

2010-09-15T22:02:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday. This is my favorite day of the week, so it's a great day to pass on some happiness...via way of terror. I found this prank video through a friend on fb a few weeks ago. It is hilarious. I laughed until my stomach hurt and I had tears rolling down my face. CLICK HERE to enjoy a good laugh.

2010-09-14T23:56:00.000-07:00

Sunday night Rich wanted to go for a drive. We loaded up the car with the kids and the dog and drove...2 minutes to Pelican Bay.

I guess we just love that place too much to stay away.

*Simple photo tip- when shooting a landscape, move your camera setting to the icon that looks like a mountain. It's an easy way to get a large depth of field, so the entire picture is sharper.

It's just a little marina with a couple of docks, some barbeque pits, a 25 foot stretch of man made beach, and some walking trails. The last time we came here was in July, and it was packed. The parking lot was overflowing; trucks towing boats were lined up down the street waiting to get in. This time we nearly had the place to ourselves.

London tripped and scraped her little knee.

We decided if we took a picture of it, she would feel better.

It worked.

Ya gotta love the power of the camera.

You can really see the similarity from this angle- round, nearly bald heads.

Fendi takes a break from being lead around (and around) by the 4 year old.

We basked in the serenity of the dusk until the light breeze went away. Then we ran for the shelter of our car to get away from the hoards of mosquitoes that appeared out of nowhere.

(I'm pretty sure that's a bug on Handsome Jack's face).

Does your family have a place you like to spend time together at? Do tell.

3 Blogs I love

2010-09-13T15:39:00.000-07:00

At our GNO Thursday, we all agreed to share 3 of our favorite blogs.

I'm secretly addicted to THIS BLOG . There is a part of me that feels...like a sort of a voyeur as I watch the tragic events of Sarah's life unfold. Her blog needs to come with a "To read is to cry" warning. When Rich finds me sitting in front of my laptop, sobbing, he asks, "Are you reading that blog again?" I sniff and and tell him yes and quit staring at me. He leaves the room as quickly as possible. I then go and find my children and hug them.

Jamee at THIS BLOG is hilarious! At least her blog is. Jamee and I used to live on the same street, but in real life Jamee is the most anti-social person I have ever met. My West Valley friends and I invited her to every get together, every girls night out, to go early morning walking with us, and I even invited her to dinner at my house a couple of times. She never came. Not once.

Oh, she's nice and everything, she just never wanted to hang out. Ever. Our husbands were actually pretty good friends- Christian is one of the nicest people I have ever met, and their 3 little boys and super duper adorable! We have both since moved, and I found her blog through a mutual friend a few months ago. It made me mad. It pissed me off that this woman is such a cool person, but I never really got to know her while I lived by her. Why did she hide her awesome self away from us West Valley girls? Were we that ghetto? Or is she really just that introverted?

She is SO FUNNY! I absolutely LOVE reading what she has to say. I hope you check her out, and while you're there feel free to tell her how cool I am, and that she should come hang out with me sometime. For real.

Last, but certainly not least- my IRL friend Debbie has recently started a NEW BLOG, and if I know anything about Debbie, it's that whatever she does, she does it well. Her blog is going to rock, and I want my followers to be her first followers so we can all claim bragging rights when she becomes famous. Stop by, put some pressure on her to keep writing by becoming a follower, and tell her I sent you.

This is just a completely random photo of Nathaniel's Legos.

Enjoy the rest of your Monday!

Sunday Snapshot

2010-09-12T17:24:00.000-07:00

One big boy and one little boy.

Two pieces of my heart.

August 2010.

Friday Confessional

2010-09-10T23:42:00.000-07:00

It really has been awhile! I miss confessional, there's something so uplifting about telling ~~the world~~ all 28 of you how lame I really am.

So-

Last night I went to dinner with some of the coolest bloggers on the planet. I have often wondered how those I follow are IRL- would I ever really hang out with these people? What if they can write beautifully, but in reality they are socially challenged or just really obnoxious?

This girl's night out certainly proved that I am pretty much paranoid (but, hey- just beacuse you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you) these ladies, all of them,are so much fun to be around! They had me laughing the entire night.

So here are my first impressions of each of them- and I'm going to be totally honest here:

CRYSTAL- Super cute....maybe too cute. Surprisingly real, though and down to earth. I would love to get to know her better.

KyAnn- Warm and FUNNY FUNNY FUNNY!! She had me rolling with laughter- my favorite thing was when Mindi started to say "You know, if Mormons would just drink, then they could..." Kyann steps in, "Forgive."

MINDI - Brutally honest with a sophisticated sense of humor. She comes across as very confident, comfortable in her own skin.

TYLAINE- honestly, probably one of the bloggers I have wanted to meet the most. She was sweet and quiet- comes across as shy. (She has perfect skin).

KATE- she was a little hard to read. Maybe sassy and funny would be a good description? Love her hair!

GLAMAZON- I have the hardest time calling her Melissa! Sorry, Glam. She claims to be huge- it's a lie, she SO isn't! She's gorgeous and even more interesting to talk to than to read about. She's sweet and very open.

LAURA- You know how she comes across as the sweetest, most caring person online? She is so rude and mean, I was completely offended by every....oh, JUST KIDDING!!! Seriously she is the nicest person you'll ever meet. She has a very calming presence. And how cool is she to put this whole thing together? I love her to pieces!!

And then theres me.... Here are some confessions for you- Yeah, I brought Jack to Girl's Night Out. I didn't even ask permission. And then I nursed him right there in Cafe Rio. And I made Laura get my food for me. I chewed on my ice all night (Cafe Rio ice is like chocolate to me. I can't get enough. Weird, I know.) I laughed a little too loud, and secretly hoped there was nothing in my teeth. I stood facing the camera straight on for the first 2 photos, and dang! my birthing hips looked freaking huge! I was sooo relieved when KyAnn wanted to have another shot taken, whew! (Thanks, KyAnn) And now I have to wrap this up because Jack just spit up all over me...

What a great group of women!

I can't wait to do it again, love you all!!

Sunday Snapshot

2010-08-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

I admit it, I'm a bad blogger. I'm inconsistent. Oh, well, I'm over it. I've been a busy Mommy the past few weeks; trying to make up for 9 months of being in bed. I'm up half the night with Handsome Jack (I forgot how hard the first few weeks of breastfeeding are, especially at 3 am) . This baby is an eating and exploding machine!

Nathaniel started 3rd grade on Wednesday, London starts preschool this week.

My fridge is clean. That's a small miracle.

I wore perfume today- it was the first time since last fall. The world smells so different, I feel like my spirit is living in a new body.

Life is good again.

Time for a nap.

Here he is

2010-08-13T19:58:00.000-07:00

Jack...born on 8/8/10 7lbs 7 oz 19.5 in. long.

Amazingly easy delivery.

Perfect little boy.

Was he worth it all?

Absolutely.

(I'm in love)

Flylady

2010-08-04T21:14:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post tonight- first of all, no baby yet. But I am making some serious plans for what is next in my life and they include cleaning and organizing my house. It's been neglected for the past...I don't know how many months, since December 7th, so 8 months, and I am pretty much overwhelmed with the mess.

I found an awesome website called FLYLADY and I started the first baby step today- i deep cleaned my kitchen sink. It felt great; and since I was up and started I got a lot more done, too. If I can do this while I'm nauseous and 9 months pregnant, surely some of you can join me. The site is free, and it breaks the first 31 days down into really, easy "baby steps" that help you get into good cleaning habits.

I would love it if any of you wanted to try it along with me.

I know I've already started, but you can do the first 2 steps tomorrow, or just know I'll be taking a quick break when I have this guy. (I'll be induced on Monday- 8/9/10- if he doesn't come sooner. I'm ready to start charging this little guy rent)

Anyway, check it out and let me know what you think :)

Sunday Sickness and Snapshot

2010-07-25T19:39:00.000-07:00

I'm sick today. Puking my guts out again sick. When will it end? We were at my parents enjoying the Sunday evening, and I ran to the bathroom and lost my dinner. I know my Dad was thinking What a waste of perfectly good tri-tip steak. Yeah, well it tasted whole lot better going down, let me tell you. So I'm back home and in bed for the rest of the night.... my stomach is empty and I'm hungry. So freaking hungry. So I'm braving some cheddar cheese. Did you know that cheese has a TON of salt in it? Like a teaspoon per slice. I could taste it when I was starving and dehydrated, and it was NaCl (there's some chemistry for you) overload so I wouldn't touch it. Dehydrated body+ lots of salt=bad. I'm sure craving it right now, though.

Of course, I'm secretly hoping this is an early sign of labor. I have read nausea can be a signal, and if you add any to what I've already got- yeah, it will send me over that precarious edge, to worship the porcelain gods. I'm not having any significant contractions, though. :( But I do keep hoping.

I am so. ready. to. be. done.

The cheese is gone. I'm cautiously moving on to chocolate chunk cookie dough. Wish me luck.

This was a great day we spent at Pelican Bay in June.

Let's call these today's Sunday Snapshot.

I LOVE living by Utah Lake. The sight of it just brings me peace. There's nothing like sitting in our front room, watching the sun rise over it. It's a different color every day- it goes from blue to gray to aquamarine to white, as it freezes completely over in the winter.

After I have this baby and feel good again, I'll take some really awesome pictures of it to post on here. It 's just too lovely not to share.

Life's Alphabet Soup

2010-07-22T21:55:00.000-07:00

It's a miracle, I won something!

This never happens. The blog world must be bringing me some badly needed good luck.

I entered a contest over at my friend LAURIE'S BLOG, and I won a delightful book called Life's Alphabet Soup by Terri Ferran- signed and sent to me by the author herself. It was easy to read, fun and witty account of a mother's experiences in raising 6 kids while working, and then how the family and their lifestyle changed after she quit her job to stay home.

So, thank you Laurie, and Terri- I enjoyed it immensely, and recommend it highly!

Sunday Snapshot

2010-07-18T09:55:00.000-07:00

London enjoys a Sunday evening at the park.

July 2010