find joy in the journey

preparations

just sitting down for a moment, enjoying some yoplait yogurt as a break from all my trip preparations.  I've been cleaning furiously -- Anna is sleeping, gotta take advantage of that time.  Still have to do some grocery shopping, laundry, and packing is still a distant thought.  I'm excited.  I think Anna and I will have a great time at my parents' place.

Today I took Anna in for her 6 month check-up.  I guess my mind was not completely with me when I scheduled the appointment, because the fact that this is spring break week and Conner is out of school did not occur to me until late last week.  So, I had all 3 kids in the doctor's office -- always an adventure.  Anna weighed in at 15 lbs. 10 oz., and was 26 7/8 inches.  That was a little of a surprise to me, she feels heavier.  Her weight puts her in the 50th percentile, down from the 75th at her 4 month check.  Also, I'm used to really big babies at this age.  Both Conner and Payton reached the height of their chunkiness at 6 months.  Conner was 20 pounds, Payton was 19 -- both sitting comfortably in the 90th percentile.  I guess girls are just different, a little leaner I suppose.

And in case you wanted proof, here are pics of Payton (top) and Conner (bottom) at 6 months old.  The poor kids look like their cheeks are about to explode from all the pressure!

Well, I better go work on dinner.  Last night I tried something new and it bombed, so I've got to make it up to my family tonight with one of our tried and true favorites.  I'm thinking spaghetti.

crop

I spent saturday evening with some friends at a crop and was quite impressed at how productive I was -- whipping out 4 whole layouts.  I had spent most of the morning and afternoon feeling sick as a dog, but mustered up the energy to go.  When the opportunity is there to spend 6 hours away from home, to scrapbook, visit with friends, enjoy a dinner I didn't have to cook, and munch on peanut m&m's, you just can't pass it up!

This one was my favorite -- it has to do with the "one word" e-mail I sent out to friends.  I asked them to describe me in one word.  I had so much fun using the Heidi Swapp flower and the Basic Grey chipboard (the {} symbols -- who knows what they're called).

This is of Conner's first ski trip this year.  Doesn't he look so cute all bundled up and skiing?  Scott took a disposable camera with him and we got relatively good pictures.  American Crafts paper and more chipboard.

 

These pics of Payton are from forever ago.  I love them so much and was nervous about scrapbooking them just right so I put it off and off.  So I finally bit the bullet and went for a pretty simple design.  Yes, that would be more chipboard on the page.  (I don't know why, but the title scanned in really funky).

monster cookies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 12-ounce package (2 cups) chocolate chips, m&m's, chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, Reese's pieces, cut up peanut butter cups, or other cut-up candy bars

Beat butter and shortening in large mixing bowl.  Add the brown sugar, sugar, and baking soda.  Beat until combined.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix some more.  Add flour.  Mix.  Add your candy of choice and mix.

Scoop the dough into a 1/4 cup measuring cup or spoon and drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving about 4 inches between cookies.  Bake at 375 for 11 to 13 minutes.  Makes about 20 cookies.

The boys love these cookies -- partly for the name and partly because they're huge.  Today we mixed in the pastel easter M&M's.

a little reminder

I read the following today from a talk President Monson gave titled "Constant Truths for Changing Times" at the April 2005 General conference:

I love the following example, taken from an article entitled "A Day at the Beach" by Arthur Gordon. Said he:

            "When I was around thirteen and my brother ten, Father had promised to take us to the circus. But at lunchtime there was a phone call; some urgent business required his attention downtown. We braced ourselves for disappointment. Then we heard him say, 'No, I won't be down. It'll have to wait.'

            "When he came back to the table, Mother smiled [and said,] 'The circus keeps coming back, you know.'

            " 'I know,' said Father. 'But childhood doesn't.' "

A little reminder that childhood is fleeting and yes, time keeps moving on. 

I've been told by the grandmothers and seasoned mothers around me to cherish these years while my children are young (however chaotic, exhausting, and challenging they may be) . . . it's good advice.

here we go again

For the past month or so we have kept Payton out of the nursery in an attempt to get our family healthy again -- mostly for Anna.  The poor girl has spent half of every month sick ever since she was born.  The last 3-4 weeks have been wonderful.  Everyone was healthy, happy . . . just a really nice break from all the nose wiping and tylenol doses.

Realizing we can't keep Payton out of nursery forever we sent him back on Sunday.  And wouldn't you know it, Anna is all out sick today.  She's feverish, coughing, and has been puking up mucus all morning long.  It's so frustrating!  I keep praying for the cold/flu season to end so I can have a healthy baby again.  I'm not sure what else to do.

first day of spring

It is a gorgeous day outside . . . sunny, maybe 60 degrees.  A perfect beginning to spring.  Anna is being a good girl and taking a long nap, making it possible for me to do some long overdue yard work outside.  I never had the chance to do any yard clean-up in the fall, because Anna had just been born.  So things have been looking a little sad for the past 6 months.

This weekend I was crazy sewing woman and made curtains for my dining room and receiving blankets from the leftover flannel I had purchased for the aprons.  Why receiving blankets, you ask.  Because what else can you do with flannel?

This weekend I also scored a major deal on 3 VHS Winsor Pilates tapes (brand new, still in the plastic) via ebay.  $8.99.  I'm so excited for them to come!  I like Pilates because you get a good workout, but you don't feel like you're working hard.  I don't like huffing and puffing and getting all sweaty.  I'm hoping to start back into water aerobics in the next couple months -- probably just once a week.  That's also a great no-sweat workout.

Not much else to report.  I just wanted to check-in, since it has been a week since my last post.  I'll try to come up with something more interesting to say this week.

weekend update

As last week ended I was able to breathe a big sigh of relief.  With Scott back home for a long time and the next enrichment not for another 2 months I feel like I can relax a little.

Enrichment went well.  And the snow did not deter anyone.  I think we set up enough chairs for 72, and I only saw about 5 empty seats.  For part of our Relief Society birthday celebration I made aprons for the young women who were turning 18 this year and entering RS.  They turned out really cute.  But I can't take credit for the idea.  I totally copied Amy Grendell's flower aprons.  I've been eyeing them for quite a while and could not resist the urge to try it out.  Here's my take at it:

Although she has way cuter fabrics.  I wonder where she shops.  I was a little let down by Jo-Ann's.

On Thursday my brother Denver received his mission call!  Yes, the real one.  He is going to . . . . . the Brazil Sao Paolo North Mission!!  He's very excited.  He ships out June 21st and is going directly to the MTC in Brazil.  And to make things even crazier, Kent returns home from his mission on June 20th!  So basically they'll get to hug, stay up all night and talk, and then turn around and say good-bye for another 2 years. 

This weekend we spent some much needed family time at home, rented a couple movies, I gave Scott and the boys haircuts . . .and now we're ready to face another week.  Nothing on the calendar for this week so that makes things very nice. 

Check out Anna's photo album -- I've updated it with a few recent photos.

let it snow

we woke up to find this outside our window this morning -- pics taken at 6:45 am

The boys were so excited to see the snow.  During scriptures and prayer they kept jumping up to look out the window.

and Anna laying at my feet, stretching her turtle neck to see Diego on the tv.

Hope the snow doesn't mess up plans for our Enrichment dinner tonight!

quotes

So I've been searching through quotes lately, and maybe I can get your help.  This month I'm trying to spruce up my dining room, which is basically plain walls, a dining set, and nothing else.  No style, no decor, nothin.  I've picked up some fabric for new curtains and I have an idea for a somewhat daring window treatment.  (I'll reveal the details on that once I finish -- one of those things that I'm not completely sure what I'm doing, but crossing my fingers).  Anyways, on one of the little walls I want to put up some wonderful graffiti.  I'm looking for a good quote about families, happiness, blessings or all three rolled together.  What I really want to find is a good one from President Hinckley.

So far, just flipping through my Ensign I came across this one from M. Russell Ballard:

"Nothing is more critically connected to happiness -- both our own and that of our children -- than how well we love and support one another within the family." (Ensign, November 2005)

Reading it, it just really struck me for some reason.  And while it's a great quote and I really like it, I still want a Hinckley quote -- I just feel like his words hold so much weight and power (no offense to Elder Ballard).  So if you've got a good one taped to your mirror or fridge, please share.  I think I'll have time next week to really dig.

I also came across this quote and think it's going to end up on the fridge next to my calendar.

President Ezra Taft Benson:  "When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper places or drop out of our lives.  Our love of the Lord will govern the claims of our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities" (Ensign, May 1988)

On another note, it has been a better day.  I just went back through my e-mail and read an article sent to me by my sister-in-law when I think she was having "one of those days".  It's by Jeffrey Holland, and quite inspirational -- a great pickup.  I suggest that any mother out there should take a couple minutes and read it.

one of those days

It's been one of those days.  Just a lot of issues with the boys today.  We returned home at 5pm from my presidency meeting at the church (at which the boys went on and on like the wild monkey they are).  I sat down to nurse Anna, overwhelmed from the tornado that has been following me all day and realizing that I will still have to do dinner and baths and bedtime all by myself.  Knowing I would need a moment to regroup I said, "don't talk to me.  I just want quiet."  (Those were also the instructions on the drive home from the church).  Soon, Conner sits next to me on the couch and starts pestering me - he wants me to read him a book.  I'm trying my hardest to ignore him, just looking straight ahead, maybe he'll go away.  But he's being so sweet and saying "please, mom."  I glance over to the book in his hands . . . wouldn't you know it.  "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day."

I read it, partly chuckling inside at the irony of it all.  Escaping to Australia sounds pretty nice. 

star wars

This week I made a scrapbook page about Conner's star wars obsession.  He makes the cutest drawings of his favorite characters & scenes and I was able to include a stack of them on the page.  Anyways, I just wanted to share some of the drawings that are hidden. 

He did most of these last year as he was anticipating the release of Episode 3.  I love seeing the things he creates.  We don't know where he gets his interest in drawing.  Scott and I both agree that as kids we did not have the patience to sit down and try to draw something.  He is definitely his own little person.

mission call

So my little brother Denver has been anxiously awaiting his mission call -- as is the rest of our family.  His bishop (at BYU-I) told him that he could receive it as soon as last friday or saturday.  But it still hasn't appeared.  My parents have been calling him, and I've been calling my parents just about everyday to find out if it has arrived.  So yesterday my dad decided to lighten up the situation by pulling a little practical joke called "the fake mission call".  They called Denver last night and told him that his papers had been sent to their house, instead of his apartment in Idaho.  So they "open" it up and read it to him.  This is just priceless . . . . I just have to share

We are pleased to inform you that you have been found worthy to represent the Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints as a full time missionary for the period of two years. You are hereby called to serve in the Illinois, Nauvoo Mission. You will be serving specifically in the Nauvoo visitors’ center as a performing missionary. As such, you will have the privilege of representing the lord and sharing the message of the restoration through song and dance.

As your call is a unique one, you will not be training in the Provo MTC. Rather you will attend the LDS Academy of dance and music in Salt Lake City. As you seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost and fast and pray, you will bear testimony that the dance moves and songs you learn will have become second nature.

There are some special clothing items you will need for your assignment. You will be notified of much of what you will need to bring with you to the mission field. But in an effort to help you get started, we request that you immediately start looking for a nice set of tights as well as a comfortable pair of dance slippers.

You're probably wondering (as I did), at what point did Denver catch on.  But he didn't!  He believed the whole thing.  At the end of the letter he said, "oh man, I don't know how to do any of that stuff!"  After my parents let him in on the joke he had to call back his roommates who had been listening to the whole thing on speaker phone and went running out around the apartment complex to spread the news.

I totally got a good laugh.  Still laughing this morning.  Sorry Denver that our entertainment is all at your expense.  Hoping we see a call today!