Here are the things I am happy about on this grouchy, not enough sleep kind of day:

-Crunchy peanut butter on a spoon with chocolate chips
-nap time/quiet time
-carpools (on the weeks that I don't have to drive)
-homemade bread rising on the counter
-and a new The New Yorker in my mailbox

Here I come to save the day

Miriam ran through the living room in only her underwear hollering, "Super Girl to the restroom!"

December

These are some of the things we have enjoyed this month.

Playing Samuel the Lamanite and dodging marshmellows. Sam said, "Repent!"

Playing in the snow. Ben loves all things outside.

Making delicious molasses candy (on the second try).


Watching Miriam tap, tap, tap, tapioca.

Singing Christmas songs in the tabernacle.

Christmas Lights

For a family night outing, we went to the Layton City "Lights Before Christmas." Yes, they are a tad cheesy (mermaid and peacock displays), but the kids loved it. Ben was especially excited. He kept yelling happily, telling us all about the lights around him.

We have been having a lovely Christmas month so far. The shopping is done and the cards are almost done. I only need to make some molasses candy to send out to our neighbors. The smell of molasses candy cooking on the stove signifies the real beginning of Christmas for me. I hope all my Christmases can be this simple in the years to come. I feel like we've been able to enjoy many quiet evenings, lovely outings, and simple discussions about the Savior. All is well in our world right now. I hope you are all enjoying this season as well.

Window Shopping

I have enjoyed thinking about this necklace today. Now, I'm not usually one for jewelry and I'm not usually a fan of words on jewelry, but this necklace makes me smile. It makes me think of all things little girl.

The close up picture is a link to the site with this necklace, and other such things.

Cloudy Days

Some days, unfortunately, my hair looks like this. And some days I'm super grouchy. I just need to remember that I'm a mom, even on my bad days. The scriptures say, "And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be the peace of thy children" (Isaiah 54: 13). Wouldn't it be great if my daily goal was to give my children peace? To send them out on their daily adventures with peace in their heart. Maybe I need to include in my morning routine the song my friend Sarah taught me. "Go now in peace. Go now in peace. May the love of God surround you, every where, every where, you may go." I have such rumblings in my soul that I wish I could calm. If my heart is full of goodness and peace, my children can have that peace too. So today, I will try to breath deeply and take it slow. I will think before I respond, giving myself the opportunity to act as I ought to act. And in doing so, I can have and give peace.

Leftovers

For breakfast, I think I'll have a banana
and a slice of pecan pie. Mm.

It's Autumn Time

We've trying to enjoy this lovely fall weather. I'm dreading the cold months to come. While I enjoy jackets, sweaters, scarves, mittens and hats, I do not enjoy the weather that requires these clothes. Well, I enjoy the snow a little bit. It would be great if it was only snowy and cold from December thru February. Spring starting in March would be great.



We gathered some sticks and flowers and made a fairy house. Miriam decided that the mini pumpkin could be the table. It was great fun creating a little house out of our outdoor gatherings. We each contributed what interested us most. I enjoyed finding interesting sticks, Sam liked finding berries for food, and Miriam enjoyed adding the flowers. Ben is just happy doing anything outside.




Miriam recently asked about the tooth fairy. "Mom, Carly told me that her friend told her that the tooth fairy is just your mom. Is she right?" Hmmm....I had to quickly come up with a way of telling her the truth while still giving her space to enjoy the magic in such things. A couple days after this conversation, she asked if Santa was real and before I could answer she said, "Oh yeah, I know. He's real." I guess she just wasn't ready to hear about that one.

Mostly we just follow the kids on the whole Santa thing. I say vague things like, "Santa is the fun part of Christmas" and "Santa is magic." I'm not quite able to create the story for them. I feel like I should be the source of truth for them, but I also want them to have the magic and fun of these mythical figures. Spencer and I have decided that if they ever ask us point-blank, we'll tell them the truth. Miriam almost got that this year. I suspect she'll ask again soon. How do you balance this truth/myth thing?

Celebrate

Yeah! A new president! I'm so excited. Have fun watching and reading the news today.

Outside

There's nothing like standing out in the cool, autumn morning with the warm sun on my face. Little Ben is happiest outside, which helps me to better enjoy my day because I am also happiest outside. This is something I regularly forget. If I'm having a bad day, I just need to step outside and take a deep breath of fresh air, and I'm a different person. Take a minute and just enjoy what is going on outside your house right now, rain or shine. Doesn't that help?

Halloween

doughnuts

pumpkins

costumes

Happy Halloween!

Kirtland Temple

Blossoming

Gifts

My trip to see Sarah in Cleveland was lovely. I began and ended the trip with the book, Gift From the Sea. The author writes of her experience alone on an island. The beginning chapters talk of finding peace--of taking a breath from the chaos that can happen with children, housework, etc. This is just what I needed, what I hoped my trip would give me. While there, I was given great gifts.



Sarah provided me with my own little sanctuary. Her finished attic was my home for the week. I had my own door to close and a small desk for writing. On a table by my bed there was a candle and in the bathroom, some bath salts. Every morning I came down to a delicious and wholesome breakfast (with a vitamin by my plate) and every night I enjoyed homemade lasagna's, pasta's, and other such yumminess (none of which I had to prepare). In short, Sarah took care of me.

As a mom, I have the divine role of nurturer to my family. Sometimes, as I am caring for the needs of my family, I forget that I too need nurturing. This little 'kerchief from Sarah will remind that I can nurture myself and create a nurturing environment among the women around me.



And of course, there was pie--not just one pie, but six. Sarah and I decided to throw a pie and paint-chip poetry party. She invited her new friends and we ate and laughed and snapped our fingers. This reminded me that life is joyful. I can love my life. That is a choice.

Without the noise of everyday, I remembered a lot about myself. I have always wanted to play the violin. Somehow this came up after the pie party. During lingering conversations with the last guest and the remarkable woman said, "I have two violins. I should just give you one." I laughed and thought, "Well, she'll probabgly change her mind when she really thinks about what she's offered." She didn't.

I discovered a scripture that explains my week in Ohio. "And make proposals for peace . . . and all things shall work together for your good." I have had a great need for some peace and healing, and God provided a way for me to find that, and hey, a violin too.

So nurture your soul, find joy, and open your heart to the love and gifts from God.

*sigh*

There's nothing quite like walking into a room and hearing your three year old son say to his friend, "Hey, look! A big, mean grown-up."

Just thinking (thought I'd change the title)

I've noticed lately that I have this funny little issue with commitment. Now I say "funny little," so I can speak lightly about it. I think I've been pretty good at avoiding true commitment. You may laugh, because I have been and am very commited to my husband, children, and church. But sometimes I wonder, am I really putting my heart into this? If not, why not?

I've decided that I'm a bit of a people pleaser. In defense of myself, I really do love people. I want to get to know and love as many people as possible. I want to make people happy. The problem comes when my motive for pleasing is selfish. When I want to please in an effort to make someone like me. Which means, that my seemingly strong commitments can change in relation to the person I'm trying to please. Not always the case, but sometimes. Wow, not a lovely confession.

How can we learn to truly love others, just for the sake of loving? How can we truly have a generous spirit? I'm convinced that habit plays a far larger role in our life that we realize. Maybe the answer to most questions is practice. Practice loving someone while avoiding all thoughts of how your nice treatment of them will benefit you. If I think of it all as practice, it doesn't seem so daunting. I'm not going to read my scriptures everyday, I'm going to practice at a good reading habit. I'm not going to be charitable to all I meet, I'm going to practice at charity. I'll start with my kids. Good practice. Sorry little bunnies, but you provide the best practice for all good things in life. I have better faith, love, and charity because I have practiced on you. I have faith, Miriam, that someday you will remember to flush the toilet, I will lovingly remind you, and I will be charitable with your forgetfulness.

Practice means I'm alone, I'm not being judged, I progress at my own pace. It also implies that there will be some performance or test or day of reckoning, but sometime in the future. When I'm ready, after I've practiced. Or maybe not, it will come whether I've practice or not, so I better get started now or I'm going to have some scary moments in the future.

My Muse

Nothing inspires me to do housework more than the feeling that I ought to sit down and do some writing.

First Eat

If I don't really like cereal, why do I keep eating it every morning? This morning: herbal tea, banana, boiled egg, and a roll. Mmmmm. Yummy. My morning went a lot better with this in my tummy instead of the usual blah cereal I eat. Maybe I need to branch out in the kids of cereals I buy. What are some of your favorite breakfast foods?

Monday

So far....
~Woke up
~fed the munchkins
~cleaned the kitchen
~washed some towels
~made a lunch for Miriam
~got her off to school
~filled out preschool worksheets with Sam.
~posted a blog

Need to......
~clean smelly cupboard (previous home of a grey mouse-death by shoeing)
~fold clean towels
~vacuum
~go grocery shopping
~try to avoid treats (crap! I've already had two starburst and an oatmeal, chocolate chip cookie)
~do something interesting (any suggestions)
~learn hope, love, charity etc. amidst the mundane.

Just another Monday morning.

Garden Cooking

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What do you do with garden fresh tomatoes and green apples?

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You make a pie, of course.

And it was delicious!

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