find joy in the journey

mark your calendars

So we already know about this . . .

How about this one . . . .

Eclipse is announced to come out just 7 months later on June 30, 2010! 

The question that remains to be answered is, will we see the Twilight, I mean, New Moon trucks back in our town?  Filming begins in March-April in Vancouver, B.C.  Whether they make a trip down to Charlie's house, or just recreate the rooms on some soundstage is yet to be known.

today's the day!

okay people.  It's time for everyone to chip in and do their part.

Today is Hoodie Hoo Day.  What is Hoodie Hoo Day, you ask?

Well, here's the deal.  At high noon you are supposed to go outside (that's right drop what you're doing wherever you may be and head outdoors) . . . then wave your hands over your head and yell "Hoodie Hoo!" at the top of your lungs.  Chanting is good too.  Basically act like a crazy person.  The purpose of this demonstration is to scare away winter and make ready for spring.  Which is, like, one month away!

With tomorrow's forecast of 60 degrees we are headed in the right direction. 

So set your watches . . . gargle some water . . . do some arm stretches.  Mother Nature, you'll be hearing from us.

all in a day's work

So recently I went through a phase of procrastination and lack of productivity.  I just couldn't motivate myself to do anything (other than the absolute essentials), there was a certain facebook game that consumed me, and it just always sounded more appealing to chill than to work.  I hope I'm not the only one who faces this.

Now that we have our trip coming up, a house that needs to be cleaned, stuff & clutter that needs to be cleared out, and responsibilities I need to attend to the gears have shifted.  And I have to say I like myself a bit more when I'm productive.  :) 

Because I'm so proud of myself, {big cheesy smile} I thought I'd record what I did yesterday to a) show myself you can get a lot of work done in one day if you just focus and b) to someday show my husband and kids there's so much more behind my simple answer to "what did you do today?"

5:30 - 8:30 am

• shower and get ready
• family scriptures and prayer
• breakfast and get the kids ready
• start laundry
• check e-mail
• out the door at 8:09am

8:30 am - noon

• rotate laundry
• make banana cake
• unload dishwasher
• vacuum upstairs
• Ace hardware - for paint tray liners
• take Anna to open gym at Wee Bop
• get cash; mail bath bomb to Maria
• a pit stop at home to rotate laundry
• pick up the kindergarten kids

noon - 3:00pm

• make lunch for the Payton & Anna - macaroni & cheese
• paint baseboards in the garage (these will go in the kids' bathroom, finally) while the kids ride scooters
• clean up the flower beds - my crocus are poking up!
• vacuum the downstairs
• fold the 3 loads of laundry sitting on my bed
• clean downstairs bath
• pick up Conner from school

3:00 - 7:00 pm

• make banana cake frosting
• take Conner to Cub Scouts - they're touring a historical home today
• run to Dollar Tree and Walmart to get supplies to make centerpieces for the Blue & Gold Banquet next week
• Pick up Conner
• Stop by the park on the river and let the kids throw rocks in the water (it was a gorgeous day)
• home for an exciting dinner of leftovers and banana cake
• fold one more load of laundry
• read about Elisha in Old Testament Stories and put the kids in bed

after 7:00pm

• work on prototypes for Girls Camp crafts
• watch Lost
• fall asleep while watching DVR'd episode of ER from last week

And that was my day. 

Now, I don't want to build any misconceptions here . . . I do not operate at this pace everyday.  Heaven knows I could not keep up with a list like this everyday.  But if I could squeeze in 2 or 3 super productive days each week, then we're talking.  I'm all about balance.

Today's to-do list?  Blog, try to make a dent in the ironing pile, paint 2nd coat on baseboards, make some phone calls, some online shopping, and plan our trip!

bath bomb drawing

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Send me your address and you will be enjoying a fizzy, scentsational bath soon!

love day

a few valentine's classics . . . .

who can resist a box of chocolates

 

and I couldn't resist this teddy bear holding a heart. :)

  

 something new for valentine's day this year . . . . a valentine's breakfast!

 

chocolate chip muffins, fruit salad, and loads of bacon.  The kids loved it.  And the goodie bags with conversation hearts, heart boxes of chocolates, stickers, a giant bath bomb for Scott (he does enjoy a bath from time to time), and legos for the boys was enough to make this "the best day ever!"  Usually I totally space Valentine's Day but it was fun this year to have it on a Saturday and plan ahead for some family lovin'.

Loving today:

• time to play around with Anna's hair.  It wasn't quite the hearts that I was hoping for, but cute none the less.

 

• lots of family guitar hero.  Conner is pretty good on the microphone - his personal favorite is Eye of The Tiger.  Scott is always on the drums.  Payton on bass.  Me on guitar.  And Anna is the dancer.
• okay, this may sound odd but Payton had a total freak-out moment that made our day.  We hear this panicked, "OH no!  oh no!  scream!  oh no!" and running around coming from upstairs.  We run up to find a half-naked, teary eyed Payton plunging away at the toilet.  Poor guy!
• a hair cut and treating myself to some shampoo & conditioner from the salon.  I have never purchased salon products, but these smelled just too yummy to pass up.

 

• a funny comment from Anna.  I'm leaving for my hair appointment and Anna asks if I'm going to pick up the baby-sitter.  I told her no, Dad is going to be the baby-sitter.  This conversation went around and around in circles for about 5 minutes.  Finally she says:  "Is dad going to be the baby-sitter?"  Yes.  "But him don't have cute clothes on him!"  Apparently Anna has certain criteria for being her baby-sitter - you must be dressed cute!
• finished preparing my last primary sharing time for the month. Yay!  Oh and by the way - Scott was released from the YM presidency and as Scout Master last Sunday after almost 6 years in that calling.  Now he will be teaching the CTR8 class in primary.  Our whole family will be in primary!
• a goodie bag for me filled with hand-picked (candy) gifts from the kids.
• not having to cook dinner. 
• playing Scrabble on facebook with Scott.  Even though he creamed me.

a good love day.

{bath bomb winner announcement coming tonight.}  

mid-week joy #3 and a giveaway

Whenever I make a goal I need reminders.  So I've been placing "joy" reminders all around me.  There's this one, which I love:

My red glittery JOY from Christmas is going to stay out all year.  It started in my kitchen, now it's in the downstairs bath where I comb the kids' hair in the morning, and I'm sure it will pop up in other locations around the house as the months go on.  I've got a quote from Pres. Monson's Joy talk on my fridge.  And pretty soon there will be a joy vinyl sticker on my bathroom mirror.  Overkill?  Maybe.  But I get distracted easily, so I need the visual reminder.

Part of this process is remembering that joy is found in the little things.  Like, opening my kitchen drawer and finding drawings from Anna. After which she shouts, "Happy Birthday!"

Silly faces from silly boys.  These eyeballs are barely edible but they make for some good entertainment.

  

Something cute and colorful and seasonal to hang above my kitchen island.  This is a fun Valentine project that I borrowed from Gina (thanks for the idea!). I love the way they gently float and twist and flutter.

  

And this is almost just too cute.  A cupcake?  No, a bath bomb in the form of a cupcake!  It looks so scrumptious you could just eat it!

While I love how this little darling looks, I'm not a bath person.  Personally, I just don't ever see myself taking the time to soak for 30 minutes or an hour in a tub.  Plus, I've got a big aversion to prune fingers.  {gives me the creepies} . 

But I do know there are many people out there who are bath lovers, so I'm offering this up for a give-away this week.  **To enter, tell me what it is you like about baths, do you have a bathing ritual, a set time you do it every week, favorite products, etc.  Anything!

I'll accept comments through Saturday night and post a winner sometime on Sunday.  (US residents only, sorry!)

a conversation over lunch

Me: So did you play with Amanda today?

Payton:  Yes.

Me: Does she sit at your table in class?

Payton:  nods yes and then totally cool & nonchalantly, in between bites of his sandwich, "I'm going to marry her."

{a pause as I soak in this humorous bit of information, trying not to laugh.}

Me:  So why are you going to marry Amanda?

Payton:  I like her.

Me:  Is she a nice girl?

Payton:  Yes.  Sometimes she yells at me . . . . But I like it.

I guess some men like to be bossed around by their women.  Oh well.

birthday boy

my sweet baboo is 6 . . .

  

{and his immediate response to me calling him "my sweet baboo" would be . . . "I am not your sweet baboo! And I wouldn't invite you to a chicken race!!"  Quoting from Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown}

This is a boy who loves his birthday.  It is all he could talk about for weeks.  "Mom when are you going to get my presents?"  "Mom, did you buy my presents yet?"  "When are you going to wrap my presents?"  Counting down to his birthday on his magna doodle and a calendar he hung on the fridge, crossing off each day.  Telling the grocery checker that his birthday is on Ground Hog's Day.  Making plans for his birthday date (it's a tough choice between Chuck E. Cheese and a movie).  Reminding me to hang up decorations for his big day.

I took cookies into his classroom today and his teacher said to me, "He really likes his birthday, doesn't he."  Ohhhhh, yes.

When it was finally time to open presents he ran to the designated spot on the family room floor and said, "okay mom, go get your camera."

And he blew out the candles before we could get through the first line of "Happy Birthday to you".

His eyes lit up at the very mention of birthday spanks and he happily assumed the position.

 

Happy Birthday sloppy joe!  (That's what he asked me to call him today).  We love you!  Only 364 more days until your next birthday!