Liam's best friend

This is Danny.
He is Liam's best friend.
They have been friends since they were small.
(those are Liam's words, I wonder what he will say in 10 years?)

I am glad that Danny could spend Liam's big day with him.

himself

This is Samuel.
He makes me happy because he is a great kid.



He also makes me happy because he dresses like this.

I am also happy that his mother lets him dress like this.
oh, so happy with the Samuel in my life.

Texas Right of Passage

Can you see what I see?



Do you know what it is?

What about now?

It's a possum! In my GARAGE!!!
Sleeping during the day all snuggly in my emergency preparedness blanket.

I had cleaned a melon the night before Liam's baptism, put the rinds in a WalMart bag, tied it closed and threw it out in the garage to pick it up the next day and take it all the way to the garbage, on the next day when I went to get my dry-cleaned dress out of the van the bag had been ripped open and the rinds were all over the place. Did I mention the garage door was down when I put the bag in the garage? yeah. This evidence meant that something was in my garage that could rip open a bag.

We found the possum later that day.
Alec successfully got it into a rubbermaid container and took it to the Stone Oak walking park to find a different happy home. It's kind of a Texas Right of Passage to have animals like skunks, raccoons and possums take up residence in the garage... but really. I don't need anything else. We have had a snake and birds and now a possum.

Success! It was a stressful adventure to get this wild animal into the container and brave hubby did it while I stood back and took pictures.

Nov 14 More balance and office hours

Yes, I do realize that I missed another post yesterday. Family first however. And. I did have a RS meeting and 5 visits yesterday. And spent some time with the visiting in-laws. And attended a CM class - Sweet and Savory Baking. Yummy. I think I did pretty good with everything I got accomplished yesterday.

Today I am thankful for balance. That sometimes you have to let some things go, like a commitment to post everyday, in order to get to everything else on the to do list. Just how many full time jobs do I fit into my life? Wife, Mother, Daughter, Sister, Friend, Relief Society President, Dawdler, Homemaker, Housekeeper, Cook, Nurse, Procrastinator, Blogger, Photographer, Superwomen...

I am also thankful for office hours. I have been told to get them, define them and utilize them. Time that I don't answer the phone (if people really knew how often I don't answer the phone it may surprise them), or don't respond immediately to emails. I have been trying it out, and it's working. I have mild anxiety at times when I can't see a phone anywhere in sight and I leave my cell in the car (on purpose)or check my email. But I am trying it out. And so far, no real casualties. And at the end of the day, it is always the same amount of work that has to be done, I have just changed the order a little. I am liking office hours.

Bear with me as I grow.
Ever with a thankful heart.

Nov 12 - Honest Cookies

I hope that you all have those people in your life that when you have not seen them in a certain amount of time you just start to miss them more and need them more. I am thankful to have many... too many to name because then I would forget someone and that would be sad, and bad, and mean...

I may have abused my privileges as Relief Society President of the Sonterra ward and set up appointments this week to visit sisters that I never get to see or talk to or spend time with.*

And...

Then there was this other friend that I hadn't seen in way too long ala her parents visiting and an out of state jont of hers and a flaky relative showing up a day early, etc. etc. blah, blah, excuses, excuses. So I let it be known I was missing her and asked if she needed chicken soup or chocolate chip cookies to recover from whatever it was that was keeping her from me.

But then...

Another neglected friend read about that offer and let me know, honestly, that she was offended. Offended I didn't offer her chicken soup or cookies. She wanted cookies.

So I made cookies today. And delivered them. Complete with bow ala RS president.

Sorry Ms. Lovely Dainty, you didn't get a bow. But you did get an unscheduled drop by to see if you need to be put on the worry list in home visit. Sorry to disappoint you, you are still not on the worry list. It will take more than a child napping on the floor, toys strewn on the floor and allowing the kids to dissect a frog with a scalpel on the kitchen table to get you on the worry list.**

And many of you didn't get cookies at all. But I have to say that today I am thankful for friends, honest friends, that let me know they need me. Perhaps only for my cookies. But I love them all the same.

I am grateful for all the wonderful people in my life... like you. I send, give, you all virtual cookies. Think of it this way, you can choose what kind they are. I bet they are your favorite! :)

*(that may be an exaggeration)
**(the scalpel was plastic and the frog was of the gummy variety)

Nov 11 - support = happiness

"It's so much easier to be happy [when you have] support."
-Chris Stewart

When I first heard that quote, I asked myself, who needs my support? Who could I be supporting better to encourage their happiness?

There is also the life lesson that when we allow ourselves to be served, we receive additional blessings.

Yesterday when I answered the phone with a froggy voice the person on the other end insisted on bringing me and our family soup and rolls. I felt fine, but I sounded horrible! But having that soup for dinner last night and not having to cook for my family was delightful. I was, happy.

Today when another friend called to check on our sickie family and I assured her that I was fine, capable of taking care of the rest of them, and that everyone was on the mend... she accepted it. She also gave me a scripture to look up before she got off the phone.

Mosiah 4:27
And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order, for it is not requisite that man should run faster than he has strength. And again it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he may win the prize; therefore, all things shall be done in order.

It appears that I have much support in my life; and therefore, I have much happiness. And when we are happy it is easier to be thankful. Sometimes it is nice to be served in all my serving.

Nov 10 - Cinnamon & Balance

When I attended Time Out for Women awhile back Hilary Weeks gave four ways that she keeps life in balance. (if you don't know who Hilary Weeks is: she is a songwriter, singe and motivational speaker, all gospel related)
Her Four Bullet Points were
1)Be engaged in what Heavenly Father wants me to do.
2) Study the scriptures - scripture study is like cinnamon, it only takes a little to spice up the recipe.
3) Choose the best things to spend your time on.
and
4) Take time for yourself.
Although some may protest they can only take Hilary Weeks in little amounts, I thought she had a point.
So, I re-arranged my and the kiddos schedule and I have made scripture study a bigger part of my day. It was always something I did in the morning because I knew that if I left it until evening - I wouldn't do it. Tried that, it didn't work. But doing it in the morning always left me rushed, eager to get on with the day, knowing hiccups and headaches would come, unforeseen interruptions were looming, knowing I would never get the whole to do list done anyway - I felt pressure to start as early as I could,and almost everyday skip or rush scripture study.
But.
I needed some help. I know this is the plan of happiness, I know that men are that they might have joy, and I know if I am not feeling the joy and happiness, I am the one that has closed the door. That He is there waiting, even knocking but I am rushing about too much to hear or open that one more door because what if He has something else for me to do?
My plan.
I pushed back the start of school time. I decided to let Noble (all of them, but mainly Noble) start the day with video games and I decided that I was going to sleep until I woke up, not set an alarm and that first thing in the morning I was going to study and pray. I found that I always woke up early than I thought I would. If I allow myself to get the rest it needs, I don't over sleep. I don't feel deprived of two great joys of mine, sleep and silence.
And you know what?
We start school later but we are getting it all done by the same time we used to. School work finished, chores done, practices in. I am getting the sleep I so desperately love, I am getting the spiritual nourishment that I so desperately need, I am getting so much more cooperation with the boys by letting them start the day with what they want to do, and I didn't take anything away from my day.
Well, yes I did.
I took away a great portion of the stress, bickering and nagging that I was dealing with day in and day out.
All with just a little cinnamon.
I am grateful for cinnamon, also known as: scripture study, and the balance it brings me.

Ps - I still don't get everything done. But the JOY is back.

It's fun to be smart!

That's what that book on Noble's desk says.


Today when I went in to help Liam with his math this is what I found.
I love my life.
(really, I am not being sarcastic)

Hewy's spot

This is Hewy's spot. I find him asleep here all the time, several times a week. This past week as he has been sick it was several times a day. These are couple pictures that I snapped of him. He is such a good kid.

Who falls asleep while eating raisins?

Nov 9 William

Today is William's birthday.
Eight is a big year.


the traditional 8 cake in our family

Liam helped me make his eight cake yesterday.

The big gift for the big 8 birthday in our family is an iPod. It's a big deal.

Liam and his birthday treasures.
I think he likes Star Wars.

Because his birthday was on Sunday and we have church from 1-4 we decided to have our family party as a brunch today. Liam chose Pancakes with Reddi Whip, scrambled eggs, bacon, beagles with strawberry cream cheese, fruit salad, and OJ spiked with sprite.
Grandmama and Grandpa, Dell, Anna and Henry came and joined us for brunch and we had sang and ate birthday cake.

I am thankful for William. He is bright, creative, sincere young boy. He has a genuine heart and delights in making others happy. He also likes to be playful and tease others. He has an incredible imagination that can keep him and others busy for hours. William plays an important part in our family because he is the only one that is both a younger and older brother. He brings much perspective to our little family.

Yesterday William and Noble had a play date at a friends house. When the Mom called to ask me a question during the play date she commented on how wonderful my kiddos played with hers. She said, "I think there is more intelligence in my kitchen right now than in my whole neighborhood put together." (speaking of the kids) What a nice compliment.

Nov 8 Birthdays!

Happy Birthday to Jeffrey!!!!!

And I am sorry that I didn't post a grateful post yesterday. I was busy. And family first, right? good better best. Sometimes I don't get to the goods as I am too busy doing the bests and betters. The funny, ironic part of that is that my biggest "to do" on Friday was to get to all the things that had fallen to the bottom of my list. They are all "good" things, but I just never get to them. I got most of them done.

And tomorrow is my dear William's birthday. I told ya November was going to have us shouting out to lots of birthdays.

Today I am thankful for a couple things.
1) I was able to finally get the laundry from the red chair in my room folded, hung up, and put away. I am famous for just putting my and Alec laundry there. I will shake out the cloths that need to be hung up and then put them there to hang up later but I rarely do. It has piled for three or four weeks. Whew, it gone. Cloths hung up. Socks matched. Missing items found. It feels good to accomplish something.
2)I made the opportunity to go to the temple today. A sister from my ward was going for the first time and I went just to be a familiar friendly face in the crowd. It was delightful to be in the temple. It was delightful to in the temple with someone experiencing it for the first time. It was delightful to be with people I love, respect and admire. I love the temple. I am grateful we live near a temple.

Homeschool Quotes

As you know, I have been reconnecting with friends and I have been delighted to find out that many of my long last friendships are also homeschooling. I have a support system I didn't even know that I had! One of those friends sent me to this homeschool blog - The Milestones Academy - which is jam packed with wholesome goodness. It made me feel inadequate for just a bit, but I got over that and sunk myself into all it's goodness.

I was a gonner from the beginning because there are GREAT quotes on the sidebar. Here are my two favorite.

"I am willing that every man shall believe what he wishes, print what he wishes, and say what he wishes within his Constitutional rights, but I am not willing that he shall exploit all his idiosyncrasies in teaching my flesh and blood, while I pay the bill! I insist that he shall have all the personal freedom he can carry, but I am not willing to extend that full and complete freedom into a gross license and then pay him to abuse that license to distort and debase the minds and hearts and bodies of those who belong to me and are dearer to me than life itself. "
--- J. Reuben Clark

While Alec was at the J. Reuben Clark Law School they encouraged us to get to know the man whose name Alec would be carrying around for the rest of his life as a Graduate of the law school. J. Reuben Clark took on a father figure, priesthood leadership, governor type roll in our lives as he continues to be a great leader even today by what he stood for and how he demonstrated his values. He has many good quotes that I have used over the years, but this one speaks to my homeschool heart.


I can't believe this quote is from 1996 - what would he say today?
"In many places it is literally not safe physically for youngsters to go to school. And in many schools - and its becoming almost generally true - it is spiritually unsafe to attend public schools."
---Boyd K. Packer (BYU Symposium, Oct. 1996)

amused me

The clever folks over at
Line Upon Line
Greeting cards for the fullness of times
made me laugh today.

disclaimer-slash-warning
You may have to be a Member of my church to laugh as hard as I did.



"Good Works - what goes around comes around. Does this Tupperware belong to you?"
Seriously people, there are dishes in the RS closet that I think have been there for three or more years.

This is a pass-along-card and it is only funny in a funny way. I can not, will not, do not endorse this product nor encourage the use of this product. Sisters do you hear me! :) In home visits.

"You've always been there for me.... and you're not even my Visiting Teacher."
I have a few people I could send this to.

And my favorite...
"You're so sweet. Too bad you can't run for Relief Society President."
I can't even tell you how often I have heard, "you're so sweet... that's why you're the Relief Society President."

But really my favorite favorite was
"I voted for you for Bishop"
We all know, and for those that don't know, we do not run or campaign for our callings. We are called through priesthood leadership following the spirit of the Lord.
I love our Bishop and if we did vote, I would vote for him.

Nov 6 - fall and friends

I am grateful for fall. I love fall in places that have seasons. It is just starting to feel fall-ish here in Texas. The weather is cooler and the lawn is starting to go dormant. But... it isn't pretty. We don't have the pretty fall colors. And the oak trees in my yard won't lose their leaves until February but they will already be budding again... so there is not real fall around here.
I do love fall and am grateful for this time of year. The time of year that we should be slowing down and reaping our harvest. The time of year that we stop and say I have so much and I am so thankful. Maybe that is what I like so much, the thankful part. I try diligently to be thankful each and everyday and it seems like the world joins me in the fall in celebrating thanks.


This is my mantle for November.

And I am also thankful for friends that hold my hands and help me with projects that intimidate and scare me on so many levels! This is one of my kitchen chairs. I love my table and chairs. Love love love them. BUT the fabric on my favorite kitchen chairs was not only light, but textured. It held and showed food, stains and everything. We used to make Hewy always sit on the same chair and it was way stained and gross. He looked at it a few weeks ago and said "eew yuck." and moved his booster seat to a different chair.
I had the idea to cover the chairs in a leather-like material. I can wipe them off a damp cloth and they are perfect for our family now. However, I was intimidated because the last time I recovered chairs, it was only an okay experience, I wasn't thrilled with the results. And the staple gun... freaks me out.
Thankfully I have a good friend, Kemille, that was willing to hold my hand and help me bite the bullet and do it. I am happy with how they turned out. And the staple gun wasn't so scary after the first few chairs. And I wiped the chairs off after dinner and wow - what a difference.

my Favorite kiddos

A day in my life with my favorite kiddos


Hewy playing choo-choo with Noble by biting his shirt.

Hewy carrying Star, my parents dog.

"It's too fair!"
I don't know what he thought he was saying, but he would say "It's too fair!" and then pout or hide his head or hide under a blanket and then he would move and do it all again, so I had to take his picture. It's too fair!

Tonight we had Spaghetti, garlic bread, ceasar salad and cannoli for dinner. The kids were in heaven, especially with the cannoli.

Quirks

"No Hewy those aren't real." -Alec

A magnet that I would NEVER have on my fridge other than it was a gift from Alec's brother Fielding and it makes me think of him.

This is one of those odd suckers from Halloween that the stick is a skeleton arm. Odd, very odd. But I found this sucked on sucker on my couch.

And this is the poem that my sweetheart gave me for one of our anniversaries. I am lucky to have someone that understand smudges, smears and toys strewn on the floor...

Isn't Halloween over?

Just a few random pix from this week.
My kiddos love to dress up and the week after Halloween is no different.


Noble

William

Collecting decorations and Halloween gear to put away. . .
brought a smile to my face

Nov 5 We Have Y'all To Thank For That

For anyone that would like more information on Protecting Marriage and Family check these websites:
Protecting Marriage
Proclamation on the Family

Because I participated in early voting last week I had more or less signed off on the election, stopped listening, stopped reading, etc. etc. About the polls and candidates. And today we have a new president that really isn't a surprise.

Never, never, does our church tell us how to vote. Every election, our prophet and the first presidency of our church sends out a letter reminding us that we are politically neutral as a church, the church does not endorse candidates, and that we should research candidates, pray and vote our conscience. The same letter was sent this year.

Except in California there was another letter sent this year, one that asked every member there to do their best to support prop 8 which preserved marriage in California. I live in Texas - and I felt the repercussions of that stand here. The emails that we received, the comments, the discouragement that we felt, even here in Texas for supporting Prop 8 was unmeasurable right up to the day of the elections and voting. I felt so small and so helpless as I read the dark stories of our temples being picketed in California and what members had to go through to attend our temples, or the Elderly couple that was beat for have a "Yes on 8" sign in their yard, or friends of ours that had a swastika symbol spray painted on a sign in their neighborhood. All I could do was pray for them and thank them for taking a stand in a difficult time. I felt like I was being judged about it here and I didn't have a chance to vote!

I had been following the preliminary polls closely and was discouraged that it seemed a losing battle. Until I got up this morning and was surprised to see that Prop 8 is passing with a 52% lead. My heart swells and I am thankful for faith and perseverance of the people in California.

This morning when Alec went in to work he and his boss were talking about the election and Prop 8 came up... He said
"We have y'all to thank for that."
in a very sincere and grateful voice. He went on to point out that he was aware what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had done to preserve marriage in California and he again, expressed his gratitude.

Yes, we do, all my California friends and readers, we have y'all to thank for that. And in case no one there is saying it, Thank you, from Texas.

I am thankful for your faith, your determination, your representation, your vote.

Use your vote!

If have voted - Thank you!

If you haven't voted - please do!

Nov 4

Big shout out and a family cheer to Shawnie -
Happy Birthday!!!!

November has turned out to be a big Happy Birthday month for our family - you'll be hearing lots of Birthday wishes this month.

Today I am grateful for the gift of service. As I woke up this morning, I will admit, I was sinking in a mile long to do list. And Hewy was sick. And I had so many things that needed to be done. And co-op was canceled. But it all worked out and I was able to get all the things done that needed to be done. That doesn't mean the list is completed, but the have-to-be-dones all got done.

So, back to the beginning. I woke up feeling overwhelmed and discouraged and inadequate - not knowing how I could possible get through this day. And then there were complications to my already overwhelming day that had me discouraged and feeling like I just don't add up. But by my third appointment of the day I found myself almost relieved for these three stops that had added so much pressure to my day. I realized that there is truth in "Forget yourself and go to work" on a level that I had never understood. A level I achieved today, I forgot me, my wants and desires, my demands of the day - and did the Lord's work. And I saw first hand, not only the difference it made in their lives, but how it uplifted and encouraged mine.

People ask all the time how on earth I do it all. The truth is that I don't do it all. Not even close. Sometimes that gets to me, but I have to let go and say as the Savior said - I am about my Father's work. And when I do that, when I let go of my pride enough to do His will - He really does carry the rest.

I am grateful for eternal truths and the simplicity of service.

Nov 3

Today I am grateful for . . .
Hewy is sick, three year old, I can't really tell you what's wrong, but my nose is goopy, my cough is congested, my face and neck seem swollen, I don't have the vocabulary to tell you so I am just going to scream at you and my brothers all day, kind of sick. So I am thankful for Tylenol, Nighttime Triaminic, Noggin and apple juice that comes in a plastic jug from the store and plastic sippy cups that are probably bad for the environment. How did those pioneers do it? I can't even imagine. The clothing changes a day after the wet cough slurps all over the cloths. Eew! Or the non-existent boxes of Kleenex. Let alone the elephant shaped humidifier, bubble gum flavored medicine, or the juice I didn't have to find, pick or squeeze the juice from fruit in order to serve. And the TV - "How to Survive a Sick Toddler (and homeschool) Without a TV" is not the title of book that I will be writing anytime soon - okay, I will just flat out admit it: I will never write a book on parenting without a TV. God inspired men to create bubblegum flavored medicine and Child appropriate TV stations, all for me. All me. All those other mothers out there that think TV is bad for kids, that's okay with me, because I am certain it was invented, created and put on this earth to serve (and save) me in times like today.
Grateful. Yep, that's me.

Nov 2

*please read the comment that Amber left on my Nov 1 post. She was so much more eloquent than I was.*

I am grateful that today is fast and testimony day. In our church the first Sunday of each month is set aside for members to fast and bear their testimonies if they feel prompted.

I am thankful that I have this regular opportunity to come unto the Lord and make a small sacrifice of my own. I have witnessed many blessings and answers come because of fasting. I have a testimony of the law of the fast and have also felt my own heart swell with added testimony because of it.

I also know and see first hand the good that comes from fast offerings. The money we would have spent on the meals we fasted is given, by choice, to the fast offering fund. This money is then used to help families that are in need and are struggling to support their family, fast offering money is then used to help them get food or in some cases at the discretion of the Bishop to pay bills. It is a beautiful program and I am thankful to be a part of it.

I am in deed grateful for fast and testimony Sunday for it brings me back to what the the Savior needs from me most and increases my faith in him each month.

So You Know You Can't Dance

I know some of you have been waiting on the edges of your seats - here it is, tonight was the night of the anticipated and talked about. . . So You Know You Can't Dance Party!
can I get a WA-double-hoo!


So here we are doing our version of a disco dance to Get your groove on...

And in case that wasn't enough, here are some more treats! I am so glad these are not in motion. :)

Other dances: we had a family Hip Hop; interpretive dance with glow sticks; a waltz that turned break dancing; and a Country Swing that just wasn't meant to be.

But this one... this one, oh my dear sweet friend - I loved you before, but I so much more love you now! For those that were not there, these pictures in no way do this justice - but I will forever re-play this delightful joy in my mind. They took first place by far! They rocked the house!!!

All Hallow's Day

How many of you knew that is what November first was, All Hallow's Day? It's also called Hallowmas or All Saints Day. Look it up, I promise I am not making stuff up.

This is what my table looked like this morning when I arose at a bright and early Saturday morning time of 7a.m. lots to do today, lots to do. And lots of candy.



We smash our delicately carved pumpkins on All Hallow's day.

Hewy was so careful to carry his to the street. . . but he didn't have the strength or height to smash it.

The boys, as you can imagine, enjoy this tradition.