Remembering the Past

As I was listening to NPR the other day one of the reporters was doing an expose on triggers of remembrance. I felt much of the imagery push me back through much of my past dropping me off along the way at many of my favorite moments. Ultimately, I felt a little swept off my feet.

    *Have you ever looked through old photographs or found an old T-shirt you use to wear in High School? *Have you heard a song playing or taken in a deep breath of a awesome familiar smell? *Or even just looking at one of your kids reminds you of how old they have become?

Sometimes the past is difficult, and even a bit painful to remember. At times it is because it was dark and lonely and hard, or it was beautiful and funny and a once in a lifetime moment! No matter how it felt then...it will always make you cry now. 

I recently thought back to an important time in my life when I served a mission for the LDS Church in Ecuador almost 10 years ago now. And every time I reach back to that time....it is like it was yesterday! I can hear the sounds and smell the smells...

I remember the first family I taught who lived in a cane shack on stilts.

They were so humble and unaware of the huge world around them and they were even less aware of all the things they DIDN'T have!

Yet, they were grateful for every morsel of food and every loving embrace and every cheerful smile.

 I also remember....

Being the tallest person, everywhere

(except when we were around other American Elders)

And the most sweetest women I ever met. One (left) with such a sweet spirit that she walked 3 block in cold rain to fetch water and matches just to make me a warm drink. The other (right), her mother, who had lost one leg to a simple illness and prayed for the missionaries to come every Sunday to read to her from the scriptures since her and her daughter were illiterate.

And then...

...my final thought rested upon my favorite companion that became one of my most dear friends.

There is nothing I could say that would help anyone understand the love that I have for her.

Her heart is so pure, her conviction is so true, and her love was so genuine...

The outfit she is wearing in this photo may seem strange but it is her native dress...she is a full blooded Otavalo Indian (Native Ecuadorian). Her people have been blessed for hundreds of years with miracles and witnesses of God.

So, you can see that Remembering this Past is not done lightly, or quickly. Parts are painful and parts are extremely joyous, yet as my tears flow for each part, I am glad they came and I pray they will stay forever in my heart.

*keep your memories close to your heart and remember to make room for new ones*

The Answer to "If Men are Born That Way"

YES!
Here is an example...

I was playing cars with my son the other day teaching him how to "drive" his cars on the floor and the furniture and his arms and legs and head. We had a good time for about 20 mins. and then we went to change his diaper. As I took off the dirty one and grabbed for a clean one my son promptly took his car and began to "drive" it all over his balls.
All I could do was laugh.

Ahh, that's a man for you!

For the Dads

An Important Lesson

With Mother's Day coming up I know that we all get caught up in things we want and how we want/should be treated. But I ask you to take a step back and think about what your influence is as a mother and wife.
As I stopped to look at my family dynamics I noticed that I have more times when I think that I just need to be more kind and think more about how my actions effect our family.....especially with my husband and helping he to be the Dad that he wants to be.
So, in my thought a friend of mine happened to read me this quote yesterday that fit like a glove!

"Once I learned an important lesson from my wife. I traveled extensively in my profession. I had been gone almost two weeks and returned home one Saturday morning. I had four hours before I needed to attend another meeting. I noticed that our little washing machine had broken down and my wife was washing the clothes by hand. I began to fix the machine.

Jeanene came by and said, “Rich, what are you doing?”

I said, “I’m repairing the washing machine so you don’t have to do this by hand.”

She said, “No. Go play with the children.”

I said, “I can play with the children anytime. I want to help you.”

Then she said, “Richard, please go play with the children.”

When she spoke to me that authoritatively, I obeyed.

I had a marvelous time with our children. We chased each other around and rolled in the fall leaves. Later I went to my meeting. I probably would have forgotten that experience were it not for the lesson that she wanted me to learn.

The next morning about 4:00 a.m., I was awakened as I felt two little arms around my neck, a kiss on the cheek, and these words whispered in my ear, which I will never forget: “Dad, I love you. You are my best friend.”

If you are having that kind of experience in your family, you are having one of the supernal joys of life."

-Richard G. Scott, The Eternal Blessings of Marriage, 2011

As I wiped away the tears thinking about how much I would love to see my husband and son playing on Mother's Day and building a strong loving relationship all because I was willing to serve them....that would be an awesome Mother's Day!

Trash Day

Do you ever have those days where you forget to take the trash to the curb?
I hate those days...almost like if you cant get that right then nothing happens your way that day.
I have secretly wanted my husband to be a trash man. Good pay, good hours, simple job...yet smelly. But I can handle smelly.

Anywho, I have been thinking quite a bit about media this past week with the S@HM challenge of "Internet Fasting" and all. I was unable to partake in that but have been thinking about all the other electronic items in my house stealing time and life from me and my family. I always thought that video games were fine in moderation and never thought the people around me were that "addicted" to them for it to make a big difference. Boy was I wrong!

It almost seems like the further you get into the "worldly things" the further you get from your true self. I feel like the games and movies and shows are all taking us to this alternate reality where we can be and do whatever we want instead of actually doing it in REAL LIFE!! Sometimes I just don't understand.

So, I have been cutting down on how much time I spend doing "life waisting" activities (like watching movies, shows or being on the Internet for an extended period of time just messing around). I feel different too. Almost like a breath of fresh air....I just wish I could say the same for my family. You know how they say "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."
Well, that is how I feel.

I feel like everyday is trash day and I just can't get the trash out on time....

Easter Message

Unfortunately, I am not able to participate in the Internet/Computer banning for the week since my 2 incomes rely heavily on both.

So, I thought I would go ahead and make an uplifting post this week about Easter.

Redemption of the Soul

No words in Christendom mean more to me

than those spoken by the angel to the weeping

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary as they

approached the tomb to care for the body of

their Lord: “Why seek ye the living among the

dead? He is not here, but is risen” (Luke 24:5–6).

With this pronouncement, those who have lived

and died, those who now live and one day will die,

and those yet to be born and yet to die had just

been rescued.

As the result of Christ’s victory over the grave,

we shall all be resurrected. This is the redemption

of the soul.

-President Thomas S. Monson,
He is Not Here, But He is Risen, April 2011
 
 
*May you all have a wonderful Easter holiday and reflect on the life of Jesus Christ. That there you might find a strength and love.*

Make a Bow Tie for Your Little Guy

I found this really easy tutorial online of how to make a child size bow tie. They take about 1/4 of a yard of fabric and about 30min to 1 hour to make (depending on your sewing skill level). They turn out super cute and I think everyone should try one.

Click HERE for the link to A Lemon Squeezy Home and Bow Tie Tutorial.

I made a few changes to her pattern that I think work out better but here are the basic needs:
   * 3"x10" - (2) Main Print

   * 3"x10" - (1) Sew in Interfacing

   * 1.5" - (1) Velcro Piece

   * 2.5"x4" - (1) Main Print (for center of bow)

   *2.5"x15" - (1) Main Print (for around the neck)

(A few of my measurements are different because I think it looks and fits better)
(PS: this will fit a 12" - 16" neck size)

TA DA!

Discover Color in Nature

This morning as I was going through my sons word flash cards I thought, "Wow, I am pretty bored of this...lets go outside and find the REAL colors!"

And so we did! Here is our photo documentation of the colors we found in the back yard.

 Purple                                      White

Red                                                  Black

Green                                     Yellow

Orange                                    Brown

                   Grey                                "I did it all by myself!" - Endry



Win a Trip to the BAHAMAS!!!!

I have an awesome deal for all our followers!
Through a friend of a friend I was able to get 2 tickets to the Bahamas for one of you lucky girls to WIN!

Bahamas Guide

Any of you worn out and ready for some warm sunshine? Need a break from the kiddos? Need a break from the spouse?!?!? You have come to the right place.

To enter this most amazing giveaway just make a comment below telling us how old you were when you had your FIRST KISS....

and THEN,

click HERE to get all the juicy details about the Bahamas.

Good luck to all!

Potatoes, Wonderful Potatoes!

Here is a link to an awesome book all about potatoes!
All you every wanted to know and many things you didn't know you wanted to know. :)
There are even a few amazing recipes. This one is my favorite:

Cheese Potato Puff


"These are the highest, fluffiest, tastiest potatoes I've ever had. They can be made a day ahead and refrigerated until ready to bake. This dish is Mom's specialty, and we all especially love the part along the edge of the casserole dish that gets golden brown. -

INGREDIENTS

12 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups shredded Cheddar or Swiss cheese, divided

1 1/4 cups milk

1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs, beaten


DIRECTIONS

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water; cover and bring to a boil. Cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain and mash. Add 1-3/4 cups cheese. milk, butter and salt; cook and stir over low heat until cheese and butter are melted. Fold in eggs. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until golden brown.

So click on the link and download a FREE copy for yourself.
 
A BIG THANK YOU to Kathleen for giving up the info!!

How to Feel Fulfilled

You know how the more we know the less we find the ability to do EVERYTHING....well, I have been thinking about that. There is so much to do when being a wife, mother, homemaker, friend, entrepreneur, daughter of God. Don't you just feel like you are being pulled in about 90 different directions?!?!?!


Life is a Process

 Well, a few weeks ago we had Stake Conference and Elder Eyring spoke about 6 things to help everyone feel more fulfilled in their lives.

1. Faith: you have to have faith to make anything work

2. Baptism: many people have already done this one but that just means we need to think about it more...remember that day and the promises that you made with Heavenly Father

3. Spirit: meaning the Holy Ghost, we are all given the gift of having a companion after baptism to help us out everyday. Now that doesn't mean that we will always have every answer right now...but we can get the guidance we need from personal revelation. Like Fasting and Fast Offerings: it is more in your heart than in your pocket book!

4. Prayer: get in at least a personal morning prayer and keep in touch through the day with prayers in your mind and heart

5. Live as a Witness: share your testimony in any way you feel comfortable...do it in ways that feel natural and are "real"...the person you speak to may not feel the Holy Ghost, but YOU will and that is what matters!

6. Do the Very Best You Can: increased covenants = increased responsibility...but remember that the Lord will never ask you to do anything that you can not complete  (He never expects us to be "perfect" (yet))

~LIFE IS A PROCESS~

It felt like such a relief for me to hear him say that most of what we are doing already fits into the outline of what we are asked to do by God. Like sharing your testimony can be just as simple as telling someone that you love God and want to live like Him.

And yet, ultimately there are so many things that we could be doing...yet, there are only so many we can do now! So, DON'T FEEL BAD for not being that "perfect" women that we all know doesn't exist...and don't beat yourself up for not being able to check off all your weekly chores or servicing everyones' personal needs. You just cant do it and be sane or normal!!!

Happiness needs time too. So, if you want to let happiness in then you need to make time for it too.
Feeling fulfilled with what you have done with your life is all about being O.K. with what you were able to do that day. The more I think about it, the more I see that even if I just did the basics and remembered the 6 things above...that would be a good day!

Kids

Sometimes I see this face and think : "Ahhh, how cute!" and then sometimes it is more like : "Oh, son, what now?" Can a girl ever get some time to finish an email or cut out a pattern or even eat her own dinner anymore?!

SOOOO, I figured that maybe I should just give him something to play with...

That did the trick.

Well, for about 5 min.

After kids, your life is never the same.

the Mom Top 10

You Know You're A Mom When :


10. Your hair smells like Johnson & Johnson No More Tears

9. You can't wait for Thursday to wear your cute new "skinny jeans" out to the Library

8. Your hand bag is so big it mimics a small suitcase

7. Your Facebook Status is: "Haven't slept in 3 days!?!"

6. You know more about vacuum filters and breast pumps than current affairs

5. You call QVC just to have adult conversation

4. You notify everyone of your excitement for nap time

3. Your favorite word is "Ahhhhhhhh!"

2. When planning family road trips you plan stops around how many McDonald's have a Play Place

1. Your sense of smell no longer recognizes the stench of human      feces

just for kicks ☺

Stand Up and Get Paid!



How awesome would it be to see this at the end of every hard week?!



I have been thinking recently about the "broke mothers of America". Not to say that we need to be paid for what we do....but YES, I am saying that we should get paid for what we do!!

Don't you ever get tired of thinking about that new fragrance or those cute pair of jeans that you happen to see in the store...stopped to fantasize about you buying it and then putting it back because you have to be practical and spend that money on diapers?!?!

What is wrong with this picture?! DOES YOUR HUSBAND THINK THESE THINGS? Ummmm, NO!

And so, I think that we should take into consideration what others do and what they get.

For example :

Husbands: they mostly go to work and get paid for doing their job.

Kids: most kids these days do chores and get paid for doing their 'job'.

Moms: they take care of the Husband and the Kids and the House and they DON'T get paid.

Do you see where I am going with this?


Now, I am not suggesting a riot or strike. All I am asking for is $10-$20 per week ALL TO MYSELF! A fund from which diapers, food, soap, children's toys or clothing, car repairs or any kind of bill may NOT be purchased or paid. I am talking about MOMMY MONEY, and at least 2 hours each month in which to go out with my girlfriends and spend my MOMMY MONEY how ever I want. Sounds like a deal to me.


Mommy Money :)

Fight for your right to get Paid!
Cuz We Are Worth It!

the Car Nap Property

Now is it just me or does riding in a car take kids to another demention?!

I have found that they either go NUTS, or fall ASLEEP!
My little guy is one of the "fall asleep" type...and I dont think I like it. There is a car nap vortex that takes over when he starts to snooze. As if this black whole of time takes over the inside of the car and allows him to sleep, for what we believe to be 5 MINUTES, yet, to him it has been 2 HOURS!

WHAT THE CRAP?!?!?!

So, when I take him out of the car and put him in his bed (thinking, "Oh, he is super tired. Maybe he will sleep for an hour of two".) he lays down as if he is the heaviest sleeper in the world. To my dismay, he wakes up about 15 minutes later refreshed and bursting with energy.

What do I do with this?
I know the truth, that he has only slept a TOTAL of 20 minutes and I feel like that has not been enough. YET, he knows that the Car Nap Property was in effect for 5 minutes of that time which made his nap really about 2 hours and 15 minutes.

If only I had the intellegence of my 1 year old.

How to Please your MAN on Valentine's Day!

Like many men, my husband is difficult in the gift department. I know a lot of things that he likes and would enjoy, but there are only so many occations that are good to get a video game.

So, as I did a bit of searching I found some great ideas on the Martha Stewart website. I also got a great idea from her magazine (Martha Stewart Living- February 2011 issue).

Here is how I added some of my touches to it...feel free to seal the idea and mark it as your own as you customize the look and products.

10 Things I Love About You Envelopes

You simply start with 10 envelopes of the same size (dont have to be the same color) open up the flap and glew it to the bottom (outside so opening to envelopes are all on one side). Continue this process untill you complete your line of 10, leaving the top envelopes flap alone.

Martha used red envelopes and put white pieces of paper in each envelope with a note or gift. I chose to use white so that I could decorate the actual envelope. (as you can see in the picture I have not finished the decorating process...but I did have my son draw on one with an outline of his hand for me to put about him being a great Father, ahhh♥.

A few things I chose to put in some of the envelope are: $10, some Movie Passes, Chipotle gift card, and some chocolate candies. These are some of my husbands favorite things...just think of your MAN and stick some things in that he would like. (PS: you dont have to actually buy anything to put in it either...this could also just have slips of paper in it that tell him things you love about him, like a homemade card). I will be hanging this up on our bedroom door when I go to bed on the 13th so that he sees it when he gets up on VDay!

May LOVE Inspire you,
May your HEART guide you,
And may you HOLD your loved ones close
This Valentines Day! ♥

Live Large with a Tight Purse

Although I fantasize about the way awesome job he will have one day when he finally gets out of college....there is a part of me that knows that we might be lucky to hit anywhere over $40,000.
So, the more I think about the future, the more I realize that how well I want to live then depends on most of the choices that I am making NOW!


Here are a few ideas to help you make an awesome future:

1. Host a potluck with friends - Who needs to go drive out to a fancy restaurant and wait for 45minutes to sit and eat some "pretty good" food?! Why not get all dressed up and invite over some great friends with a themed potluck.

2. Get rid of the fake color - Even though they say "blonde's have more fun", that does not mean that you have to be an 'unnatural blonde' to participate in the fun. Embrace who you are naturally and get your colorist to dye you back to your natural hair color and give up the $200/year (or more) habit of trying to look like someone you are not. - or you could just become a "box dye" kinda girl -  .

3. Kick it up a notch in the kitchen - Why make the same spaghetti and meatballs for the 3rd night in a row...get a little gutsy and try out one of your favorite dishes from your favorite restaurant. There are tons of great recipes at copykat.com.

4. Make the trade - Everyone has something to give...so find a way to 'give it up' for something you need or want. I have made many trades with friends, doing photo sessions in exchange for a new winter hat, scarf and gloves. Get creative. Take an inventory of your friends and family and rub elbows with them. Letting them know that you value their skills and are willing to make it a WIN/WIN situation!

How do you Tighten your Purse?

Give Me the Caaasshhhh!

Who wouldn't like an extra hundred or two every month...and if you don't, then you need to re-evaluate!

Here are some ideas on how to SAVE some MONEY:

Buy Used - So much money is spent on new clothes, shoes and toys (especially when kids are involved). A great way to save around 25% per year is to head out to the consignment shops or auctions. I personally love the Salvation Army and Goodwill. I find great things from clothes to toys to furniture and even craft  supplies (wreaths, ribbon, fabric/lace, etc.). Not only can you get a great deal but you can even shop on days when they have sales and save even more money (REMEMBER: there are tons of people just like you who have gotten rid of good stuff...not everything is really old and trashy).

Cut Down on Travel - Just as simple as driving around less. We all have seen the gas prices and lets face it they are not getting any lower! So, take that into consideration when you plan your week. Try not to go across town (or into town) more than you must. Even when you do need to travel try to use public transportation (it is not just for poor people), ride a bike (once the temperature rises), or even walk. Maybe this means that you can't take your kids to every thing every day. Work out a schedule that works for your family.

Trim Off Household Expenses - Start with all the extras like cable (come on, I know that most TV shows can be watched online...believe me because that is how I watch them). Most of us have become so addicted to our TVs that we spend less and less time with our families. Even when we go on a date or have Family Time and watch a movie...I mean come on, REALLY? that is spending time with someone?!?!? Another place to look for making cut backs would be cell phones. Regular contract plans can cost twice as much as the pay as you go plans. My husband purchased a new phone with a year activation plan and 800 minutes for $150. Now, since he is not a big talker/texter/Internet surfer those 800 minutes will probably last him about 12 months. That decision alone will be saving us $330 per year! Now that is a nice chunk of change.

Make Time for Family Time - Instead of just having a scheduled 1 hour once a week plan to spend more time together as a family at home. Tons of money is shelled out every month by families on movie theaters, restaurants and expensive get-aways (like amusement parks). Now, there is a time to do all of these things but if you make these types of outings more rare then they become more of a treat and more special. Plus you get to save lots of money and get to spend more time at home heightening your relationship and gaining knowledge in homemaking skills (like how to make that awesome egg drop soup).

Keep Track of Your Loose Change - I have been able to do a weeks worth of laundry at the laundromat with change I have saved from my husbands pants pockets! Get an old peanut butter jar and make it look all cute if you want and stash the loose change in there till it is full. It is a great way to put away a few bucks for a simple emergency (like dying for a coke) or even a way to save up to take the family out to McD's.

Double Check the Deals - Whether you are checking out the grocery adds and price matching at
Wal-Mart or trying to save a few bucks for a date with your sweety, make sure you check around and find out what your options are. One thing I found is that there are a few restaurants that do a Dinner and a Movie deal (you get two entrees and two movie tickets for about $30...this saves us about $15 on our dates).

These are a few of my ideas....

What is your best Money Saving Tip?

the Holidays are over...What Now?

With all the many things that have to get done for the holiday season a Mom's plate is EXTRA full. But now that we have gotten beyond the hype and excitement of the end of the year holiday season...WHAT NOW?!

Well, here are a few ideas to help you have a little bit of fun getting back into the "swing" of things.

1. Go play at the park-even if it is a little cold you can survive the park for at least 15 min. giving your kids the chance to smell the fresh air, run around like crazy people and let loose some energy. (and you can feel the sun on your skin and get some much needed Vitamin D)

2. Take swimming lessons - I just took my son to his first swimming lesson at the local YWCA (I am sure they have them at other community centers) and he had a blast! It was nice to get out of the house and pretend that it is warm outside, as well as learning a life skill.

3. Local toy stores - my husband took our son out for a father/son activity and they went to a local toy store and played with all the toys. (this store "the Toy Store" actually had a play area for kids-see if you have a local store that offers that too, and NO you DON'T need to buy anything!)

4. Have a picnic at home - set up a tent in your living room or basement and pack a sack lunch. after you pile everyone into the tent you can tell stories and sing songs or even read a few books about the outdoors.

5. Library sweet Library - it is always a good time to start reading....or going to watch other kids (like my son does). There are always activities for kids of all ages at your local Library. Check it out!

6. Cooking Lessons - every kids loves to help out in the kitchen. Find a simple and yummy recipe that you can make together. Have your kid/s help out or sit up close so they can see what you are doing. You can even pretend you are on your own cooking show. (take it up a notch and actually video tape your "show" and post it on your blog or YouTube - kids love to see themselves online!!!)

7. Splurge on a kid place - even if you don't have much cash take the kid/s to a fun kid place like Chuck-E-Cheese or Discovery Zone or even McDonald's with a Play Place. You can just play or even just buy a snack and play. It is a super treat and they will remember it!

8. Marshmallow Fights - for this one you will need to have PVC pipes and mini marshmallows. You can make the "guns" and play around the house, in your friends house (if you don't want to pick up at your house), in your back yard or even at a church gym! click HERE for video instructions.

9. Go to the Movies - you can either find an inexpensive theater and take the kid/s (regardless of age...if you still have a little one just give it a try, for $2 or so who cares of they only last 45min.) or you can set up a SWEET movie at home. Make the movie food, turn out all the lights and have everyone snuggle up.

Well, I hope that gives you a few fresh ideas. I know I will be trying out many of them!



Endry and Caleb playing in the arcade after they lasted 1 hour in the movie theater



the New Years Cause and Effect

At the close of every year we are taken back to all the happenings of the past year before we jump into a new one. Sometimes I don't stop to really think of the past year for what it really was...many causes with the return of many effects.

We don't always know how something will end or how words will affect someone or how even how food will "treat us" before we partake. The most we can ever do is have faith, pray for the outcome to be good, or even an intellectually stimulated guess. But really what it all comes down to is that we have very little control over the things and people around us.......or do we have all the control in the world?!

As I was watching Myth Busters with my husband we learned that when in a car that falls into a body of water there is a small window of time when you are actually able to push the car door open before the force of the water compounds to about 350lbs per square inch. (meaning you are unable to get out by opening the door...) In that situation you have no control over how quickly your car fills with water or how easily your car door will open...you can only control your reaction. So, your choice is to be alert enough to know the exact time in which to open the car door and escape OR remain calm and save all the oxygen and energy you can while waiting for your car to fill with water till the opposing pressure is equalized, thus enabling you to escape.

Pondering on that thought, I came to a realization that our time here on Earth is much like trying to escape from a sinking car. We can either panic and try to get the timing just right (which if we do not, we will pay serious consequences) OR we remain calm and trust that our gained knowledge will give us the strength we need to arise victorious.

As I look back on this past year I have seen many times of PANIC. Where the effect of my choices caused confusion, pain, sadness, and even anger.
But I have also had many times of TRUST. Times when I was blessed, felt love, freedom, and gratitude.

I am not the kind of person to wish away any of my poor choices or misjudgements because I know that they have made me and given me what I have today (even if those effects have not been pleasant). I know that we are all given the same opportunity in life to reach for something more than ourselves. And, we don't always step up to the plate. But I do hope that I am given courage to TRUST more than I PANIC and in turn, end this next year with more pleasant "effects" than the year before.

May your New Year bring you more joy and experience than the last!
to TRUST -cheers-