new year reminder.

take steps to simplify life..

and put first things first.

Snow. General Conference. A Mustache. A Ballerina & Don't 'Cha Wish Your Girlfriend Was HOT Like Me?

This is what we woke up to on Sunday morning.

We went from gorgeous, warm spring weather to snow. snow. and more snow. But.. we didn't mind because the weekend was a time to snuggle up in the house and listen to general conference. Inspiring talks given by the prophet and his apostles. This happens two times a year and we look forward to it each and every time. It's a great time to stop everything and gather together in the house for hours of encouragement, guidance, inspiration and building the bonds of family relationships.

My favorite talk of the entire conference was Richard G. Scott's. It was so tender, loving and sincere. So meaningful. So inspiring. So cute, the little notes and sweet things he & his wife put so much thought into creating and giving to each other. The dear, true love they shared and things they endured together. I loved it so much!

Yesterday I got a wild hair during homework time with Tanner and drew a mustache on him! He thought it was so funny... we laughed & laughed as he looked in the mirror acting out different mustache personalities. I think we both needed a little break!

This morning I dressed McKynlee like a little ballerina for school and she looked so cute I just couldn't stop giving her great big squeezes and twirling-n-spinning around with her in the kitchen making the layers of her ruffly skirt dance around!  

Wanna see something cute???

 

I've hesitated to share it because I know it's gonna cause some serious envy, 

and I hate stirring up any type of contention.. I'm a peace maker at heart!

This is the lovely-oh-so-adorable look I'm wearing around today! 

 Don't 'cha wish your girlfriend was HOT like me!!!

-OKAY- 

You can stop laughing now...

The kids & I refer to these shoes as 

'my ugly shoes'

HEE HEE HEE

I gotta say they're great for slipping on in a hurry though..

ya know 

like running Kynlee out to the bus,

taking the kids to school,

going to get the mail...

and

they're great for yard work too,

although I do worry about a spider crawling in them.

-Ewww-

..and just so ya know..

I don't go out in public like this,

I just crack myself up at home, in the car & in the yard.

Luckily I haven't broken down or ran out of gas in this get-up!

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob, bobbin' along...

I think I might be crazy by the end of the day if the dogs don't stop barking at the big red robins that continuously flutter in-n-out of the trees all-day-long... Seriously, they've mostly Mable's been barking at them ever since I got home from dropping the kids off from school three hours ago! ENOUGH ALREADY, it's just a bird! My poor neighbors.. I hope they're busy about their day running errands.

This is what my morning looks like most days. It's my favorite morning spot. Sitting at my table looking out at the big mountains with the sun coming up. This is where I like to sit for my morning ritual: prayer. breakfast. scriptures. check emails/blogs. Only thing that's missing from my morning ritual right now is exercise, gotta add that in at the end. 


Tuesday night I went to a stake gathering for the women in my church, the focus was on Women of Faith in Jesus Christ. I was really inspired by the talks that were given. These are some of the things that I jotted down while there:


-Be grateful for your blessings & always be willing to help those in need.
-Be of good cheer!
-Be still and know that I am God.
-Personal growth & development.
-Trust in the Lord.
-You are here for a divine purpose.
-I walk by faith not by sight.


The next day I'd just finished a cup of Zupa's wisconsin cauliflower soup with oyster crackers mmm... while waiting in the carpool line to pick up Tanner and thoughts about something that's been on mind lately started flowing, I grabbed a pen & notebook and started to write this..


"What do I wanna be when I grow up???" Like this fall when Tanner will start 1st grade & go to school full day. I can't believe I'm already there... my youngest is starting 1st grade THIS YEAR! 

I used to dance! It was everything to me.. I would eat-drink-sleep-dream dance. It was my way of expressing myself through two of my favorite things at the time, music & movement. I loved it with every fiber of my being. I would give up going on family vacations just so I could stay home and not miss even just a practice. It drove me to push myself, to progress, to succeed and brought me much happiness.


When I got married I'd always dreamed of that next stage of life.. the days where I would have children and become a mother and I wanted if at all possible to have the opportunity to stay at home with them. I didn't want to have to work and fortunately I didn't have to. My dream came true. I must add too that I've never done anything harder than being a Mom and striving to be a good one. It's not easy. 


Now, I've fulfilled those "little years," all my kids will be in full day school next year and I kind of feel like I'm entering another new stage of life. I've thought about going back and starting over because I've found myself yearning for more children.. but I haven't ever felt sure about it for various reasons. My biggest concern is "what if I have another child that's disabled in anyway.. I don't think I could handle it." Having one has been the trial of a lifetime for me, it's made me grow and rely on the Lord and my faith in Jesus Christ much more than ever before and for that I am thankful, but it's also brought some of my darkest hours of stress, worry, concern, overwhelming sadness and frustration and I don't want to got through that with another child all over again, when I still have it to go through with McKynlee. I thought I'd talked myself into it recently, taking into consideration that all of my other kids are older now and would be a big help if another little one were to come our way, that although McKynlee still has challenges and always will to some extent the other children being older now are also a big help with her too, and Heavenly Father knows the righteous desires of my heart and if I put my faith in Him, He'll bless us with a healthy baby without disabilities/defects. 


But then Andres' sister had a little girl with less severe but similar issues as McKynlee & I got scared again and talked myself out it. We've had genetic testing done and were told that what happened to McKynlee was a clear mutation of a gene that started with her. We were tested and did not show any link or mutation in that same gene. This news gave me a little bit of confidence in my thoughts of having another baby although I'd still be worried because anything can happen.. but I felt that at least the chances were not higher than normal. When we found out about his sister's baby I immediately thought, it has to be genetic.. something so rare cannot happen to two babies in the same family (cousins) and not be. To be honest, my decision with having another baby is always wavering.. in the back of my mind but never a sure thing. More than likely with all that's transpired it's not something we'll do at this point... plus I do have five children to love dearly and I don't feel like anyone specific is missing from our family, more would just me nice.


So...  I don't want to waste time. I want to make the best of it. I feel like now is the time for growth and development, a time to make new discoveries about myself and to uncover hidden talents. A time to gain new knowledge and find ways to make a difference for good. This is what I'm praying for right now. 
I love being a mother and progressing & doing better in that role will always be my first priority, but later this year I feel like I will have the time to devote to and focus on ME a little more and I'm looking forward to it.  As long as I'm always there when the kids come home from school that's what matters most.

-Recent Random Cellphone Pictures-

Sometimes I'll take the kids by Sonic for Happy Hour Drinks & Slushes after school. The last time we went the kids got slushes. When we got home Sydnee poked a hole in the side of her styrofoam cup without me knowing and said.. 

"Look Mom! There's a thumb in my slush!"

 I scored this gritty sweater thrift shopping a couple of weeks ago & I love it!

Sydnee loves her little Pigwit, she tells me all the time they're best friends!

Just bein' our silly selves!

This is fun new twist on the old game Pictionary, it's called Creationary! Instead of drawing you create things with legos! We had lots of fun playing this for family night! 

My favorite scripture that stood out to me this week:

2 Nephi 22:2

Behold, God is my salvation; 

I will trust and not be afraid;

for the Lord Jehovah is my 

strength and my song...

I've never really been into the late night shows, ya know the David Letterman, Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien ones... but I came across something that Conan said on his last tonight show and couldn't help but feel inspired and even a little choked up! It's so true...

After finding this image of his quote by old sweet song on my happy little life  I had to share it too!

I also loved it... since the very vintage-retro border is the exact colors and look I'm metamorphosing my kitchen/family/dining area into! Very gritty indeed...

My LittLe TaG AloNg-- AND --"One-Little-Word"

This little guy is my tag-along! He's growing up though and our tag-along days are numbered. Next year he's off to Kindergarten five short days a week, instead of three and the next year he's officially a big boy, off to 1st grade five whole days a week! It makes me wanna cry just thinkin' about it... 

I must treasure these numbered days we have together, make the best of 'em! This, and the growing up of the rest of my little kidlets ever so quickly brings me to my "one little word" that represents the way I want to live my life this new year, the year twenty-ten.. and that word is:

-treas⋅ure-

-verb (used with an object)

1. to retain carefully or keep in store, as in the mind.

2. to regard or treat as precious; cherish.

  Treasure is what I'll strive to do each day this year.. there's always something to treasure, even on the worst of days. Blessings that could never be replaced by any material thing, the blessings of children laughing and gift of being a mother.. a faithful & hardworking husband to grow old with.. good parents to cherish and learn from.. strong health.. a feeling of happiness & safety in your home.. respect and love for one another.. service.. friendships young & old.. a testimony of the gospel and the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. 

 If you stop and look around, there's always something to treat as precious & cherish; to retain carefully or keep in store, as in the mind.-

What's your 

"one little word" 

of  inspiration 

for 2010? 

{stay tuned for some the dang funniest New Years Eve photos you've ever laid eyes on...}