In my world everyone’s a pony and they all eat rainbows and poop butterflies…

At Breakfast…

Lainy:  Mom? Can I bring an ear cleaner to school today?

Me: Um, a Q tip?  What for?

Lainy:  Well, my friend… well, whenever I talk up close to him, I can see all that itsy witsy chunks of gunk in his ears. 

Me: (laughing) sure Lain, but you might need more than one. 

I love that she is such a good friend.  Heck, if I had a friend who needed a lesson in ear cleanliness, I might just avoid them altogether.  And I have no doubt she will be kind when she hands over the Q tips.  If we could all have a friend such as this.   Ha! 

Another loving Lainy moment this morning.   After a little giggle at the ear convo, Lainy made a face and noise she tends to make when she feels a bit awkward.  Jayce pegged it.  It’s exactly like this:

Katie from Horton hears a who, if you are confused.  SO FUNNY.  Love my tinies.

Of stinky things

It has been a rough week in our house.  Asthma laced with colds and whining.  I tend to panic when a child cries due to pain and discomfort.  My knee jerk reaction is to figure out what to give them to make it all go away.  Essential oils really REALLY have worked wonders.   (except when I spill half of a $30 bottle and mutter the word stupid under my breath until the desire to swear passes…)  But this week it has been a combo.  Modern medicine is a blessing we could not live without in this house. 

My Jared has been hit the hardest and last night the earache started.  I of course had been putting Apple cider vinegar/vodka mix in his ears, but this was no ordinary ear infection…  I came in to check on him a few minutes after I put him in bed last night and he was sobbing into his pillow holding his head in so much pain.   I couldn’t even touch the top of his ear without it hurting him.   A quick Google search sent me to Sprouts for garlic oil.  I just stuck a tack into one of the capsules and squeezed it right into his ear.  He went to sleep and this morning…  nothing.  He grabbed his ear wiggled and said it didn’t hurt AT ALL.   I did a little dance.  And said a little prayer.  So grateful for a Creator who thought even of our little ears. 

With so much yuck going around, there has been an absence of  humor and happiness around here.  Thank you Lainy for changing that this morning:

Mom: So, how’s things with Sidney at school, still good friends?

Lainy: Oh, yes!  We love playing together.  We play Don’t touch the cheese, and Black out. 

M: Um, Don’t touch what cheese?

L: Stinky cheese.

M: Where is there stinky cheese?

L: Oh sometimes in the lunchroom, sometimes on the playground if someone left it there.  I hate touching it. 

Can’t blame you there Lainy, can’t blame you there…

Please don’t let His dependence be lost on me

I found myself literally screaming at my computer screen this morning.  Even now my gut is resisting the urge to lurch at the words from this article.  A man was pushed onto the tracks of the subway train.  Awful in itself.  But they are looking into criminal charges against a photographer who snapped a shot just before he was hit.  He, of course, defends his photo as you will read which, whatever.  But this sentence is what I began yelling in response to…

“The moral issue among professional photojournalists in such situations is "to document or to assist," said Kenny Irby, an expert in the ethics of visual journalism at the Poynter Institute, a Florida-based nonprofit journalism school.”

Are you FREAKING kidding me???  ALWAYS ASSIST!    It’s still ringing in my head. 

Which reminds me of my experience last night…   We had the delightful opportunity to attend an end of the year soccer party of 6 years old at Peter Piper Pizza.  Pizza, soda and tokens were in abundance.  Conversation was awkward and delightful.  And then I felt someone standing next to me.  She was probably a few years older than I am,  and had a boy behind her about age 11.  She said nothing, but held a sign that pleaded for money due to her loss of employment.  It was a few seconds before I could start my judgment  plan of action.  Which ended up being silence.  Until one of the men at the table handed her some money and she left.  I was torn, did I feel in awe of her bravery and compulsion to provide for her family?   Or annoyance at her obviously intelligent choice of location to beg?  Was she really in need?   And those questions wrapped themselves around my dreams through the night until this morning when I found myself screaming at my computer. 

ALWAYS ASSIST.     

“My brothers and sisters, we are surrounded by those in need of our attention, our encouragement, our support, our comfort, our kindness—be they family members, friends, acquaintances, or strangers. We are the Lord’s hands here upon the earth, with the mandate to serve and to lift His children. He is dependent upon each of us.” - Thomas S Monson

2 birthdays and a non thanksgiving.

Monday: Lainy came home from school with a stomach ache.   4 pm, she threw up.   Jayce started in harmony at 8pm.   Bro. Nielson called and asked if I could speak on Sunday. 

Tuesday: 3 kids home from school just to keep it contained.  Lots of sleeping and 7-up.   Skip piano.  Skip soccer.  Skip scouts.

Wednesday: 5 am, it was my turn.  The kids stayed home again.  Jason came from from San Diego at 11pm.  Yay. Reinforcements. 

Thursday:  Thanksgiving.  I started to believe that we were out of the woods.  No thanksgiving dinner.  Jared said he had a stomach ache.

Friday: 6 am Jared threw up.   Happy Birthday Lainy.  Good thing your birthday party is next weekend.  I’m still sick.  Or sick again…

Saturday:  Happy birthday to me.  Managed an hour or two date night out with my bestie Shelli and husband.  

Sunday:  Gave a mediocre talk and came home to nap.  Jason went back to San Diego. 

My talk was on Thanks be to God.   Here’s my positive spin.  I don’t think I spread the sickness. (no one came in, and no one came out),  I’m SO grateful I wasn’t sick a the same time as the children, and that they can all hit a bowl, or a toilet, minimizing clean up.  I love that I could lay lifeless on the bed while the talk I was assigned played over and over from my tablet.  I know Jason probably isn’t grateful he came home for 4 days, but I sure am.  And lastly, but certainly not even slightly least, after sacrament meeting today: enter Shelli.  Who skipped her own meeting to come see me give my talk. 

AAAAnd that’s a wrap!

Perfect creativity

I have a hard time allowing my children creative space.  I like to make sure things are neat and tidy as the craft/project/learning activity is in progress.  I usually have a vision of how I want things to turn out and want to make sure we they have success in everything that they do. 

I am learning that when I give my kids a chore to do, I have to let them do it while I am not watching.  If I don’t, I end up doing the entire chore myself because it isn’t done my way.   Having spent some time in each of my kids classes, I get to see how each teacher responds to the organized chaos of certain aspects of teaching.  For instance, Art.  Assignment: create a scene in AZ.   In my narrow mind I would have directed them all to a desert scene.  Here’s what I saw in the end…  An up close snapshot of an aerial view of a lap pool,  a green piney forest (yes they exist in Northern AZ),  kids swimming at a public pool,  a few different versions of a typical desert scene, a giant cactus, and so many others that weren’t my way.  They were perfect.  And each characteristic of the owners uniqueness.

It got me thinking about the Creation.  You know.  The big one.  This earth is a wonder, and the tiny bit I know about how it was created leaves me in awe.   I may be way off base here, but I wonder how much creative space was allowed when Heavenly Father instructed Christ on how to create the earth and it’s contents.  And that since we believe there are other worlds, how different are they?  The bounds of the beauty have to be endless due to the individuals view or take on it.  And if we live worthy enough to one day create our own world…   oh my goodness, my brain is on overload.  Such a cool line of thought. 

That said, I would never in my wildest dreams think that I could do even the simplest of things while I am here on earth, on my own.  All I have been given, and have yet to be given, all that I have done, and have yet to do, I owe and dedicate to my Savior.  I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of a Savior who is willing to tolerate, teach and love someone as imperfect as I am. 

"Don’t worry about how inexperienced you are or think you are, but think about what, with the Lord’s help, you can become."

—Henry B. Eyring

These oils are essential

I have often spouted about my frustration with asthma/allergies/eczema.  I have tried so many things to help alleviate symptoms. I have prayed so many times just to make it through the night, and so many hours begging for insight on what to do to make it disappear.    If you haven’t experienced a child with asthma, count your blessings.  With Jayce, once school starts and all things nature start to come alive from the dead summer months, his lungs begin to shut down.  He gasps and coughs constantly.  I am so grateful for the steroids he can take each day to help him to breathe without restriction.   But like I have said before, they make him a meanie. A VERY visible difference in behavior, which of course affects his relationships both in the home and at school and trickles down to his grades.  I want more than anything for him to be happy and succeed so I will literally try anything. And I have…

• Immunotherapy drops
• holistic approach BAX 3000
• Chiropractic
• diet changes/restrictions
• multiple medication changes

The only thing that worked was the stinking steroids.  My sweet friend has quietly encouraged me to try essential oils for several years now.  Honestly, I thought it was a bunch of bologna.  But I had to check it off my list so I could say I had tried.  I started in the beginning of August with some simple mixtures in a capsule for allergies and gave them to my boys each day.   Neither of them were showing symptoms a month after school started.  I felt a twinge of hope.  But then again, I didn’t know if it was the oils or just that the asthma hadn’t kicked in for the season yet.  (Jared also has asthma, but the steroids don’t affect him negatively)  Lainy came home one day with your typical seasonal allergies.  She doesn’t get them much but she was all stuffy, watery eyes, and lots of sneezing.  So, I filled her up one of my essential oil capsules and crossed my fingers.  10 minutes later she came running though the kitchen making a beeline for the Kleenex.   He nose was a faucet.  An hour or so later she was symptom free.  Hmmm.  I was intrigued. 

Neither of my boys have had any typical allergies so far this season like they usually do (itchy watery eyes, stuffy noses etc.)  Jayce’s asthma did rear it’s ugly head 2 weeks ago.  Oils couldn’t touch it.  I gave in and started steroids for 3 days and then I took him back off.  It’s been 10 days so far with oils again and so far no sign of asthma.

Lainy got sick with a cold about a week ago and the girl was a coughing maniac.  I was skeptical if the Breathe oil would be enough to help her sleep through the night.  Um. Wow.  Amazing.  I did have to reapply the oil every few hours at night, but I found myself giggling in the 4am hour, beside her bed when yet again it ceased the coughing fits. 

Now, I know it’s only Sept 26th, and the real winter season is a long ways off, but usually I am knee deep in nasty attitudes and shallow breathing by this time of year.  So I am once again spouting off my mouth, but in complete gratitude for something that it miraculous. 

*PS: Jayce’s legs and arms are usually covered with eczema, scabs from scratching, and dry skin.  He has a few tiny dots on his knees these days…  I AM SO GRATEFUL!!!

**PS again: I didn’t write this to market anything.  This is working.  This is making my sweeties healthy and happy.  I want people to know there is an alterative if your looking for one. 

6 is still tiny right?

He’s the original “tiny person” which is what I call all very small kiddos.  Somehow it stuck and I just call him tiny.  I went into his kindergarten class Friday walked by him touched his head and said, “hi tiny”.  

Whoops. 

The boy across from him caught it immediately.  “Tiiinnneeeyy?? (insert laughter) He’s not tiny” I could see panic on Jared’s face…  To which I quickly replied, “he’s tinier than me, and so are you, so your tiny too.”   He seemed to accept that answer and moved on.  Phew. 

My slightly less than tiny person turned 6 this month.  He is the coolest kid.  With him I learned never to laugh when he played pretend, or when he told me he was a kung Fu master, or sang me a made up song.  He was my third try and I finally realized I was only hindering if I didn’t play along in complete seriousness and support.  He is very self conscious with the rest of the world, but never with me.  I love that he lets me into his world and is comfortable with me there. 

I take advantage of every hug, kiss, snuggle, giggle, and laugh that I can because I know they will get scarce. But fingers crossed he is a mama’s boy forever.  I love you tiny person.

 

If my walls could talk they would say WAKE UP!

You know that moment you can never remember right as you fall asleep?  Yeah, I did that standing up. While walking.  At the kids school, and only realized it when I side swiped the stuccoed wall.  I’m not sure how well I pulled off that I just lost my balance… 

I’ve run into a few walls in my life.  It’s that same feeling, you don’t realize you fell asleep until something hard wakes you up.  And I think it’s that same feeling when you swipe that wall, that you suddenly realize you lost your balance and you wonder how many people noticed how far gone you were. 

Most recently I have lost my balance on time management.  I got pretty ambitious, signed all three kids up for sports,  two for piano, and one for art class.  Thought it would be fun to coach Lainy’s soccer team (no, I have never even played soccer), be team mom for another, volunteer in each of their classes every week, take an institute class (bible study), and joined the gym.  It all worked super until I actually had to DO it.  My wall on this one was thankfully a relatively soft one.

You make me sick. And not sick.

I have a nasty, crusty, mean, just awful attitude tonight.   And it’s all their fault.  They took my kind hearted, funny, silly, all around wonderful 10 year old from me.  I hope you never have a cause to meet these awful… nuisances.  Because they will flip your life upside down and make you cry.  They take perfectly normal emotions and jump up and down on them until they squeeze tears out of you.  I hate them.  And the only reason I keep them around is because they keep my kind hearted, funny, silly and wonderful 10 year old alive during September thru May.  They make you mean, and make you say awful things to your mom that make her cry.  Words that were once loving, are spiteful and hard.  I want to never have them in my home again.  But their the only thing that make the asthma go away…

I hate you steroids.

It was a grizzly fight

This young man got his Bear last night at scouts. 

(I know, nice sweat bands, but he insists they are cool)

 

Yeah this was the best shot I got of him afterwards.   He had the wrestle the “bear” in the “cave” (thank you Bro Neilson!)  and come out with a token to show for it.  (That’s the bear claw in his hand) 

We are still getting our feet under us in this new ward and it made my heart happy that this went so well. 

Also, to my Jayce:  You have always been a funny kid.  Not always in control or your timing, but always funny.  At the ripe old age of 10, you are well on your way to conquering the gift of comedic timing.  I laughed pretty hard last night kiddo!  I am so proud of you and how hard you have worked for this.  Keep going!  I love you! 

Too many first/lasts

My three not so tiny people started school this week.

 

New house, new ward, new school, new friends.  There was a lot of anxiety floating around.  But we made it.  With zero tears.  Not even from ME!  All came home happy and full of chatter.   Though the house was quiet and lonely, I found that I quite enjoyed a lot of it.  I didn’t prepare properly to accept that it was ok for me to enjoy my time and not just measure it’s success.  I miss my babies terribly when they leave.  I know that won’t change, but I realize I am an important person to invest time in, and I have a list of things I want to tackle.

 

This little guy lost his first tooth tonight.  I almost cried.  My need to express joy in his momentous occasion overpowered that thankfully.  The overwhelming thought filled my mind, this is the last first lost tooth.  It seems trivial, but I already sent my last child to kindergarten this week.  It hardly seemed fair that I had to check another growing- up-too-fast moment off my mom list this week.  To add salt to the wound, I didn’t even get to pull it.  He pulled the dang thing out himself. 

Weekends have a whole new appeal these days…

Jason Mraz aids my testimony

I love the song by Jason Mraz called “I won’t give up”      If you haven’t really listened the the lyrics, take a minute and read them through.

When I look into your eyes
It's like watching the night sky
Or a beautiful sunrise
There's so much they hold
And just like them old stars
I see that you've come so far
To be right where you are
How old is your soul?
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find
'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up
I don't wanna be someone who walks away so easily
I'm here to stay and make the difference that I can make
Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use
The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake
And in the end, you're still my friend at least we did intend
For us to work we didn't break, we didn't burn
We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in
I had to learn what I've got, and what I'm not
And who I am
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up
Still looking up.
I won't give up on us (no I'm not giving up)
God knows I'm tough enough (I am tough, I am loved)
We've got a lot to learn (we're alive, we are loved)
God knows we're worth it (and we're worth it)
I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up

It reminded me that the relationships that are the most important to me take work, and that I would miss out on so much if I had quit at one time or another on a friend, family member, or spouse.  But this week when I was driving home from the grocery store (that’s how I know it was important, I remember what I was doing exactly) this song came on and the thought popped into my head that my relationship with my Father in Heaven applies to most of this song as well.   I am surprised that it affected my testimony in such an unexpected way.  What a reminder to me that He won’t give up on me and I need to work harder at not giving up on my end.  So there ya go.

Don’t forget to fill your own cup

My family always asks if I am taking dinner to someone (who had a baby, illness, death in the family etc) when I make a salad with dinner and a dessert. 

The lessons for whatever class I am teaching at church are always more elaborate than the family home evenings I plan for my kids. 

When company is coming,  I go into spic n span mode.  It has to sparkle. 

Meg and I were shopping together today (without kids.  It was so fun!) and had a fleeting conversation about organ donation.  I am an organ donor.  I’m not sure when in my mind and heart I began to feel that desire, but I do.   I know some day my body will be restored to a perfect state, but while I’m not using it, I love the idea of allowing someone else to learn and grow and love for a while longer.   So, while watching one of those surgery drama shows tonight, the thought crossed my mind, “oh my word, someone might need my heart-kidneys-lungs-etc someday… I have got to take better care of my body!”  

So, why is it that when someone else is going to be using it, seeing it, (living with it?) that it needs to be a lot more special than what I give myself and my family?  

As I have gotten older I have not only grown in height (and weight!) but in confidence, and I think it’s high time I start making dinner with salad and dessert,  spending more time on family home evenings, making my house sparkle and taking better care of my body because darn it,  my family (and my organs) are overdue.

Daily Gem

Each day via email, I get a “daily gem” from LDS.org.   I used to delete some of them without reading them due to the hustle and bustle or a full inbox and the desire to clean it out quickly.   A few months ago I realized that each day there were words from God being sent through my email!  (I know, duh Julia)  Some days it was just nice to read loving inspirational words, but on days like today the words spoke to my soul.  This blog is for my children and someday they will need this as I do. 

"In reality, there aren’t many things in a day that are totally without significance. Even the mundane and repetitious can be tiny but significant building blocks that in time establish the discipline and character and order needed to realize our plans and dreams. Therefore, as you ask in prayer for your daily bread, consider thoughtfully your needs—both what you may lack and what you must protect against. As you retire to bed, think about the successes and failures of the day and what will make the next day a little better. And thank your Heavenly Father for the manna He has placed along your path that sustained you through the day."   —D. Todd Christofferson

I am new to days filled with only my children.  For years my poor kids were given only the time I had in small gaps between work and making sure the house didn’t swallow us up in undone laundry and other such things.  I don’t feel as though most days are “mundane and repetitious” but I have forgotten to remember to watch for my tiny daily blessings that create these building blocks to my dreams.  And to thank my Heavenly Father “for the manna He has placed along your path that sustained you through the day."

My daily prayers are often a mixture of please please please, thank you, please please please and a grey area of thought that is what I imagine, worry and stress without specific words to go with it. Thank you Elder Christofferson for reminding me to speak clearly when I pray… “as you ask in prayer for your daily bread, consider thoughtfully your needs—both what you may lack and what you must protect against” 

Beautiful. 

 

A lesson in Jell-O

Who knew America’s funniest home videos would teach my children such a valuable lesson?

Scene: College kids having a  Jell-O eating contest.  (I know, initially I thought Jell-O shots, but no, good clean Jell-O eating fun) 

My kids are trying to figure out who the individual is that caused this scene to make the show… These kids are cheering and chanting, so much chaos… Table falling over onto someone? No.  Jell-O coming from a nose? Nope.

Just as we see green Jell-O eating guy inhale the last of what’s on his plate and start to celebrate, blue jell-O explodes from his opponents face. Everywhere. It had an impact both on the television and in my children's minds. 

Jared: Whoa.  so that’s why you won’t let us eat very much jell-O.

Lainy: (still clearly in shock as her eyeballs have no yet receded back into her face) From now on, I am only eating tiny bits at a time.

Comings and goings of summer

“Oooh that needs to go in my blog” crosses my mind several times each day.  And I often think that surely I will remember such an important thought, topic, comment, or idea by the time I get home.  Not so much. 

Summer has come and is nearly gone (at least as far as the schools go, the heat is here to stay for a few months) and I can’t say I have much to show for it!  I had high expectations for my summer schedule and how many projects would finally be crossed off my to do list, but in truth it has been nice to just be.  At the pool, at the movies, in my jammies, on road trips here or there.  It has been so nice to have  nights of laughter with my sisters.  The combo of watching bachelorette and sitting without children with my sisters in the later hours of day is bound to be filled with joy, snorting laughs, and completely ridiculous topics of conversations.   Love you girls!  (Shannon and Tami.  I love you and I miss you.  I imagine if you were there I might actually keel over and die due to too much joy, happiness and humor.)

I will say the blessings of the summer have been unexpected.  My 3 tiny people (I know they are no longer tiny,  humor me)  have become much better friends, though please do not mistake that to mean they don’t bicker and argue.  They do.  But they like each a whole heck of a lot more than they used to!  All 3 are heading to school full day in less than 3 weeks.  I am a very sad mama.   Yes, I will be the ugly crier mom standing on the pavement clutching her kindergartener.  Bleh.  Not excited for the first day of school. 

Joined the gym this summer.  Yup.  I did.  And since someday my children will be reading this, I will say that I joined so I can be healthy.  Truth is, I am definitely in my 30’s and my body has made sure that I am fully aware of it. 

I have a trip to Reno to get ready for to see my honey.     So signing off!

Jayce’s thoughts

Jayce is rounding the corner of the ripe old age of 10 and his mind is full of wonderful things… 

Tonight at dinner he asked, “Do you think there are more facts than opinions?”  I thought it was an odd question and told him there really isn’t any way to measure that sort of thing.  He rambled on for a few minutes about whether or not people knew more facts, or had more opinions.  Then he said, “So, would Heavenly Father be a fact or an opinion?”    I slowly turned my head toward Jason as he was slowly turning toward me and we half smiled at each other with pride and admiration at our little boys acuteness.  I told him that in my mind He was a fact but that there were many people who viewed Him only as an opinion. 

This line of questioning comes on the tail end of a conversation we have had with Jayce over the course of the last couple of weeks about religion, God and faith.  His testimony is far beyond what mine was at his age, his questions so much deeper and meaningful.  He pulled out all of the old gospel principles books we tossed while packing and I found him in his room reading through them.  He draws parallels in the scriptures, and loves the characters like he knows them.   I love the maturity he is gaining in the little moments between little boy noises, an squeals of laughter, and (almost) harmless rebelliousness.

Mother’s Day 2012

In the weeks leading up to Mother’s Day I was in charge of planning a mutual activity for our young women with Mother’s Day in mind.  I spent some time collecting old photos of their mothers and stories and tid bits from their moms childhood.   I put together a board and planned to have them figure out who was who's mother.  My kids decided it was a good day to puke and so I passed all my planning onto another leader to present.  I was grateful for the time spent learning of these great women.

 

This year I learned how to play my moms favorite primary song on the piano (I am a beginner!) and taught the kids the words.  We videoed it and emailed it her.  Each year of my life I realize new reasons to love my mom more than I did before.  Each phase of my children’s life brings more feelings of admiration and adoration of her.  For so many years I tried to be just like her.  I’m sure it seems a little slow on my part, but I realized just this year that I’m not my mom.  I won’t ever be.  I could spend my whole life striving for a goal that is likely never going to happen.  My mom is one in a million.  Not only will I never fill her shoes, but I just wasn’t given some of the talents and qualities she was.  I am grateful for the few I have been able to replicate and for being given the privilege of being her daughter.

Jason hit the nail on the head with this gift…  Angel food cake (fav cake) iced in yellow (fav color) wrapped in red vines (yes, I love them) and just a sprinkling of milk duds on top.  It was a sight to behold! 

The kids showered me with crafts they had made throughout the week, and a questionnaire from church.  A few highlights:

My mom weighs this much: 200 lbs.    (Jared)                                                                             

My moms fav food is: Salad (Jayce and Lainy!)  If you’ve known me more than 5 minutes, you know anything green isn’t easily ingested.

It has to be enough

We each do the best we can.  My best may not be as good as your best, but it’s my best.  The fact is that we know when we are doing our best and when we are not.  If  we are not doing our best, it leaves us with a gnawing hunger and frustration.  But when we do our level best, we experience a peace.  -Marjorie Pay Hinckley

For me, the thoughts that came to me as I read this today were of judgment.  All to often I am ashamed to say I have been on the offensive end of judging another according to my own abilities.  I assumed those around me should be doing my best.  Unfortunately (or fortunately!) most of whom I have come in contact with don’t have that common flaw thought process.  How kind and non judgmental they have been toward me! 

I have the opportunity to serve in the Young women's program and the differences in the strengths in each member of our presidency are vast. It is all too easy to get caught up in the comparison between us.   My best is certainly not as good as the best of those who I serve with.  I cannot give fluff and décor as one, I am not a trained teacher and cannot give lessons with the same Zing as another, or be as soft spoken and understanding, or be a super camping mama.  I hate camping, my thoughts are often spoken out of order and jumbled, my handouts and visual aids are hit and miss…  But I am doing my best!  And I love those girls and I love the women I work with.  And if Sister Hinckley says that’s enough, then it’s enough! 

The Blast

In preparing Jared and explaining what was going to change once mommy quit doing hair, I told him that we were going to have a blast.  He asked, what did I mean?  I told him that we would be going swimming, bowling, summer movies, going to see Grammy and poppy in Cali regularly, and whatever else we could come up with.  Since then he has asked daily when “the blast” will start.  Today is the blast mom?  Tomorrow does the blast start?  Last weekend was my first free weekend, Jason was home and we thought we would spend some family time.

We hit IHOP (where I had NY cheesecake pancakes DELISH), then the mall where we had an exciting ride (note sarcasm) on a mini train through 1/4 of the mall.  Then a conversation that must be recorded took place outside of the restrooms…  The kids were checking out the payphones built into the wall and thought the clicking noises he buttons made were wonderful.  clickity  clickity  they went giggling along the way running back and forth between the 2 phones and pretend calling one another until I noticed Jayce (age 9) was looking carefully at the phone.  Peering this way and that as if looking for something.  As I approached him receiver in one hand, he asked “Um, how do you X out of this thing?” at that moment Jared ran by, grabbed the phone and hung it up.  Jayce said, “Oh.”  I laughed and laughed.  And laughed.  That must be what my mom felt like when I asked her what an 8 track was… 

After the mall we headed to Skateland and fell on our rears for a whopping half hour until we decided we had had enough.  We played arcade games and laughed for a good long while, hit In n Out for lunch and then headed for the destination that had been asked for the entire day… 

The Dollar Store.  I was tired and falling asleep in the isle.  They had been saving and each had money to spend.  Oh mama, I now have cheap toys littering every floor in my house.  Yay. 

Such a happy day.  I love my sweet family.  Here’s to the beginning of…  THE BLAST.