{ Me thinks Monday }

Another day, another week down, and another week beginning EXCITING something new to learn and another day to try harder!! I got out for an early run this morning { thank goodness after D being gone for the whole week last week pretty much it felt so good!} I even got tomato plants planted finally and the little pool cleaned, started getting it refilled, and a hole patched. All before 7 this morning that is a good morning. I didn't wake D up when I got home cause he so needed the sleep so he got to sleep in a bit too! It's nice to have him home for a few days anyway!! He came home with a dozen pink roses for me to tell me he missed me and loves me!! Did I mention I love that guy!! {I look like a goof but the flowers were beautiful!!} So Saturday morn I took the kids to a pancake breakfast and let them play at the park but it was a quieter day went to a calling reception for a bit in a beautiful old house I love old houses! Then Saturday afternoon D got home from meetings so it was nice to have him back~ The kids were so EXCITED to see Dad again!! So we got a movie and let them stay up late and had "family time with Daddy" as Lauren called it!!

Sunday was another busy day our ward, then to D's parents ward for my brother in law Ryan's Mission farewell {he actually made it he flew in to the airport 3 hours away and made it just in time to speak } of course he did awesome he will be a great Missionary look our Colorado!! We are so excited for him. After that we had a big family dinner and then an open house quite a few people showed up so it was a fun night. {Well except when Masen escaped to the shop and decided to put a wd40 stray in his mouth and get into some oil, or when he almost got into the tractor! or when he somehow got the mosquito repellent down and sprayed it in his eyes and all over!! Oh the joys he keeps me on my toes that's for sure! He is the classic example of an active 2 year old!! very active!! But I sure love him!!!}

My flowers are looking good finally some of them anyway!! Here are some pics here and the top and bottom of my pathetic attempt at gardening not my strong point that is for sure!!

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Me Thinks

Tip # 87

from

"Tip a day guide to healthy living"

"Thinner People Are Not Happier"

"If your a women, chances are you've thought the unthinkable at least once in your life: "If I could lose just ten pounds I would be happier," or "I bet so and so is happier then me: she doesn't have to worry about her weight, "or maybe, "She eats anything she wants and never gains a pound! It's not fair!"

On paper, such logic looks ridiculous. The presumption that "thin" people are "happier"is just plain silly, right? But in real life, there are real thoughts that come into our minds-and we have to deal with them.

Such presumptions are simply untrue. Worse, they only create negative feelings about yourself and others. Everyone has trial and problems. While some may struggle with weight, others may struggle with different trials that are just as heart wrenching. All you can do is work on you. Exercise, eat the best you can, and work on your attitude. A positive attitude is what makes you vibrant, healthy, and happy - on the inside and on the outside."

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I loved this tip when I read it I thought wow how true is that you see a somebody who looks like she has it all sometimes and think she is so pretty and skinny.....etc you know what I mean. But who's to say what her trials are what hardships she has---- we don't know. Yet we constantly compare or assume they are so happy and that if we were just this much blah blah etc fill in the blank -- that we would be so much happier. But instead we need to remember we all have our vices and trials that sometimes nobody knows about.

It's judging, comparing, and assuming that gets us in trouble mostly with ourselves, our thoughts and self confidence and hopefully we have the power to get over it and be ourselves to learn, grow and see each other for who we really are ---- inside!

So hopefully everybody has a great week! Make it one to remember!

HAPPY CANADA DAY ALL YOU CANADIANS Tomorrow!!

{My favorite Canada day jello salad I made last year it turned out good and my sil came with the same one great minds think alike eh!}

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!! THIS WEEK TOO FUN BUSY WEEK FOR ALL OF US EH!!!

{How to love a Child }

I blog lifted this its so what I needed to read today so I wanted to share it {thanks Alison hope you don't care}:

How to Love a Child

Be there.
Say yes as often as possible.
Let them bang the pots and pans.
If they’re crabby, put them in water.
If they’re unlovable, love yourself.
Realize how important it is to be a child.
Go to a movie theater in your pajamas together.
Read books out loud with joy.
Invent pleasures together.
Remember how small they are.
Giggle a lot.Surprise them.
Say no when necessary.
Teach feelings.Heal your own inner child.
Learn about parenting.
Hug trees together.
Make loving safe.
Bake a cake and eat it with no hands.
Go find elephants and kiss them.
Plan to build a rocket ship.
Imagine yourself magic.
Make lots of forts with blankets.
Let your angel fly.
Reveal your own dreams.
Search out the possible.
Keep a gleam in your eye.
Mail letters to God.
Encourage silly. Plant licorice in your garden.
Open up. Stop yelling. Express love a lot.
Speak kindly.
Paint their tennis shoes.
Handle with care.

Children are miraculous.

"If a child is a handful he's not often enough an armful.

{so sad a house burnt to the ground yesterday afternoon a couple blocks over makes me so sad. They were all safe but its the memories that you can never get back that are gone forever in pictures and letters. My heart goes out to them first day of summer break and you just never know!! What a tragedy.}

Have a great warm weekend!!

{ Flashback Friday }

So this isn't really a flashback Friday but tomorrow it will be. I just wanted to write today down and post some pictures before I forget from our RANCH BBQ today that we had the opportunity to share with this man. The presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Bishop David H. Burton. D has had a crazy busy week and still has it for 2 more days with conferences, presentations, tours,meetings, airports, and has been with the president of the company and a few other men too.

What a blessing though that D has a job he loves and where he gets to meet and be with these kinds of people on occasion. It is always a privilege to be around these kind of men. They radiant such a Christlike and extremely caring attitude, they carry a strong special spirit with them. The kind of spirit that feels like they are looking into your heart and soul while they shake your hand. Bishop Burton is a very nice man it was fun to sit at the same table as him and talk with him and after dinner he took a couple minutes to speak to the ranch crew and families.

Just before he started Masen tugged on his pants to get him a drink before Darren and I could get to him so he says " before I say anything I gotta get this little guy a drink. Trust Masen eh oh well we got some cute pictures of Bishop Burton helping mase get a drink.

Love this picture of masen looking up to see the water come out it was cute!

Then D walked infront of the camera when I was getting a closer shot oh well.

He told a story about his wife and family, a blessing on the ranch and bore his testimony to all there no matter their faith or preference for religion. When these kinds of men speak the spirit is there strong no matter where you may be with them.
How grateful I am to belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.

What a blessing, what a way of life that is laid out for us perfectly if we make right choices. I know that it is true, I know the book of Mormon is the word of God I know it I've felt it and I've learned for myself that every word every work and every story was and did happen. I know that I will see and be with my family forever, I know He hears me when I pray and I know we are watched over and protected daily.

I feel so blessed that we have such great men to serve us to guide us and to teach us here on this earth as others have before them. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have spent a small part of the afternoon with Bishop Burton. To learn a bit of him and to feel of the spirit he carries with him. He shook my hand and kind of half hugged me as he was leaving and said "You have a great husband he's a good man {to which I said I do} and he said thank you for the support you are to him. We appreciate it.{ To which I said your welcome. lol ha ha} It made the hard moments go away from this week for a moment. I do have a great husband, he works hard and is a great boss to his employees and an example to many especially to me and our children. I sure am proud of him and I sure love him.

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Well gotta run to the next bbq for the day an end of soccer -- appreciation night. Should be fun. Just glad to be done soccer for the 2008 season. YEAH!!

Have a great weekend. Make it a great one!

How's this for a bunch of Cowboys hats and all!

A good life.

{ Thankful Thursday ABC's }

This is the longest week its only Thursday but I feel like it should be Saturday or something! Everyday there has been so many things going on! So in randomness here's whats been going on I'm thankful for so many of these things!!! In bold is thank fullness!! So the ABC's of my life lately!!!

A- Appreciation { that I'm not a single mother in real life just lately a lot. I have so much empathy for the single mothers with no body to relieve them at night or to have somebody to help in parenting.}

B- bbq's and babysitters

C- company / Canada day celebrations!/Canon {I love my camera}

D- D !!

E- Enrichment {it was an amazing night last night my sister and her crew did a great job 14 day walk with Christ it was put together so nicely. I really needed it and enjoyed it. Good job.

F- friends

G- Grade One {a good teacher but not the one kolten's "Mind was telling him it was " {that's what he told me the day before we found out who it was going to be!! It was pretty funny! he was disappointed because he was sure he had this one teacher!! But he will be fine and make lots of new friends.}

H- hot weather {beats the rain eh or snow}

I- inflatable pools for the hot weather fun days in the sun!!

J- jumping on the trampoline the kids have been playing so good on it laughing & playing
games!

K- Kolten {the big helper he is a lot of the time

L- Lauren {she is getting big being more friendly and playing nicely with the neighbor kids!!}

M- Masen { his I love you's and that he is starting to listen better a bit}

N- naughty kids who fight sometimes and don't listen we are working on it everyday all of us right!!!

O- over worked husband {he is so busy lately!!}

P- pools /parade's

Q- quarterly adoption review- {1st one for us we have been so blessed and I am so thankful that we never had to wait longer then 4 months to be chosen by our birth mothers that is a huge blessing it rarely happens and we were blessed three times to have it happen } I'm okay this time because the longer the wait the older and more grown up masen gets he is the worlds busiest boy so it makes my job a little easier !!!

R- Recipes {I love trying new summer recipes so if any body wants to share there yummiest summer recipe please do! Lookin for new ones! Lots of BBQ's coming up!}

S- Swim lessons starting soon

T- time -- I have little of it to myself lately!

U- uninterrupted time with D would be so nice and so welcomed I need it! I need a getaway!

V- Very important people in my life that I'm SO thankful for my husband who works hard, plans hard and barely has time to play hard but makes time for us when he can he does a good job! and I love him!!

W- WALKING/ running/ jogging early in the morning !!

X- xtra kids always seem to make there way to our backyard and I end up watching about 5-7 kids some days but I'm glad my kids are having so much fun and have friends so its great!

Y- "Y" can't I seem to get enough sleep lately? ?

Z- zlooksh by Sarah Cummins {the kids favorite book lately for me to read to them} I love to read and am so thankful for good books I love to read alone and to my kids!!


I'm also thankful for the extra garbage bags I put up in the boys room now 5 garbage bags later {don't worry they are taped in very tight and have Venetians in front of them they only look ghetto from the outside ask me if I care ha ha} WHAT I care about is that the last two mornings they have slept in an HOUR AND HALF LONGER !! NOw that I am thankful for sanity at least for that extra hour and half!!! Thank you garbage bags!!!

I'm thankful Lauren's eye is getting better !! It was so bad!

I'm so thankful for the beautiful place we live check these pictures out from home here the one at the top of this post and these two!

{taken by Tyson Monson a high school friend of D's google it}

Beautiful!! So Thankful for my country!!

Have a great day!!!

“Don't count the days- make the days count.”

{ Me Thinks Monday }

i feel like i'm drowning some days i feel like there is so much to do sometimes- i don't know where to start. i feel like life gets so crazy we just pass and go. i feel like a single mom sometimes but i realize i have the a wonderful hard working husband who works hard and does all he can to balance life. i can't wait until school starts already in the fall {is that bad}. i'm having a hard time finding things for the kids to do to keep them from fighting or arguing some mornings. i'm trying hard to be calm when the whole box of cereal gets dumped on the floor. when the little boy pees on my floor after his bath. or when the big boy starts picking on my little babes cause he is bored and needs something to do. or the no listening to mom is driving me nuts what to do? i'm tired because the days are so so long, light wise and kids don't sleep very well when its hot and light even if you try to cover the windows.

Oh well its life right but that felt good to vent.

but we are happy, busy and healthy.

and that counts for a lot.

WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE.

RIGHT so that's what we are doing!

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Okay so this weekend was packed with a lot we had a ward bbq on friday night with some canoeing {and lots of mosquitoes} but it was a fun night and the kids had a lot of fun too. Saturday we got some yard work done. I ran to town to get some errands done {by myself wow eh} it felt good. I got a lot done and got the flower beds planted with snapdragons.

I love snapdragons they are so bright, strong and keeping going all summer. hopefully they will do alright i got a good deal on them cause they looked a little sad so will see.

Saturday D took care of the yard work and got pink eye again poor guy.

Sunday was busy as usual meetings and home teachers and in my single mother capacity again for a couple of days I took the kids on a walk and ended up at a friends house. my kids invaded and we ended up visiting and having dessert so it was a fun night even went on a direction walk {where you get to a corner and a kid picks left or right so we did that for an hour the kids loved it and learned directions ! hows that for multi tasking !} got home read for an hour and got the kids down only to have Masen up forever he just obviously doesn't need a lot of sleep the other two fell asleep right away. Oh well.

It was a nice Sunday.

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For random me thinks for this week this is a good one. I bought the book

"Tip- a- day guide for Healthy Living"

it got me really thinking how true this little tip was its a good book for life health- mentally, spiritually, and physically. So I might just start putting some tips on here from this book but today I really like
TIP # 41

DON'T COMPARE

"For some people it just won't sink in.Your body is amazing, miraculous, and wondrous. By simply comparing yourself to somebody else-be it looks, material possessions, or social interactions-you pile on unnecessary burdens and bring yourself down. Comparing yourself to somebody else isn't a positive experience. It isn't productive. And it doesn't motivate you to take better care of your body.

Focus on your positive attributes and learn to value the immeasurable worth of your mind, body, and spirit as they work together to create that perfect person: YOU!

Don't ever let your day be positive or negative on how you think you look. That rarely-if ever-matches what others think of us.

Don't waste time comparing yourself to anybody else today. Today, its not about how you look. It's about how you live. So straighten up and smile. You're about to have a really good day."

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I love it makes you think eh. I love little books like these that have little tips or thoughts on life. We compare so much in this day in age. We just have to live our best life and try not to compare to everybody. Live the best we can.

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Life is the sum of all your choices. ~Albert Camus

{choose to be happy and positive!}

Have a great week Make it an awesome one!

{ Flashback Friday an Award and A Favorite Thing }

Okay this is serious flashback friday the 80's and early 90's who remembers the kissing coolers from maybelline my favorite was candy cane and tutti fruity in the red and white swirly short containers and shaped like a heart inside! and the TF was a purple one! Loved them they smelt and tasted so yummy! I could not find one picture on the net of them!

Okay what about windbreakers with the little bag pouch you wore around your waste, banana clips, slouch socks, huge bangs, acid wash jeans and where you took the jeans folded them over and rolled them oh ya I did that too paired with a big baggy shirt, bum equipment, hyper color shirts remember those heat and cold sensitive shirts?? Cyndi lauper, Donny Osmond, new kids on the block ha ha, duran duran, glass tiger, tiffany!! Good ole days eh! What do you remember!

All these pics are from the Internet!

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NEXT IS

A couple of days ago I got tagged with a "You Make My Day" award ... by Betsy
So nice of her!! Betsy said it was for blogs who brought you inspiration and happiness and we could tag anyone else we thought was deserving. So I wanted to tag a couple of blogs that inspire me or make me smile.It's hard to do though because I love so many of them . If I could list them all I would. I love betsy's of course but she tagged me so here are few more blogs that I just love .

So first I chose Heather because I love blogs that make me laugh, have spunk, ideas and are uplifting and have a little of everything.

Heather is so one of those people if you haven't checked her out already do -- she is beautiful, has two cute kids, a great husband. She finds time to do everything! She is inspirational she has recipes, takes great pictures, serves others all the time. Is crafty, scrappy and shares her love of the Gospel all the time mostly by being the example she is to everybody. Love her blog!
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My next pick for a fun blog is Holly she always has fun ideas for projects or quotes like me I obviously love quotes~! But she is real and writes things that are fun or make you think and I love things that make me think. She has fun polls sometimes and we have things in common adoption, cowboy husbands etc. She is scrappy and talented and has some great recipes and fun project ideas too. I just really love getting to know her through her blog and our emails!

This is to hard to choose so I'm going to quit there. I love all your blogs you all make my day. I love the way some of you write, love the real life, real opinions, fun everyday projects and talents you all have and share! Love the new people I've met that I already feel like I know to name a few! Love that I've found old friends and can keep updated. Love that we all have similar feelings about life and that we are all different and are all going through our own life trials, but all share some of the same thoughts, feelings and life adventures its fun to share together and have a fun new way to interact and get encouragement from others! I Love blogging !

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{A favorite thing would have to be Rebecca's garage sale every year she sales tons of scrapbook paper, products and books and all sorts of stuff every summer she cleans it all out and has a sale. Today was the day and I just got back from there and got about 50 pages for about four bucks!! Can't beat that I look forward to it every year for my paper fix for the year. She is so cute and fun check her website out and her photography is awesome! Defiantly a favorite thing! She did our family pics last year and we are still working on rescheduling this years!}

Well hope everybody has a hot great weekend ! MAKE IT AN AWESOME ONE!!!

We have a BBQ, some canoeing, some shopping, and a birthday party to go to, so it should be another fun filled summer weekend and ready for a big week ahead grade one orientation, play dates, VTing,

Does anybody have great fun summer ideas? fun kid food ideas or things to do besides the obvious?

{ Thankful Thursday }

I love thursdays because it makes me more aware of the things I am so thankful for each week and each day! This week I am so thankful for the nice weather we are going to be one tanned family if we keep this up the kids just want to be out in the pool, I finally brought the play dough out too outside on a table they played for 2 hours straight on that and I didn't have to worry about the mess in the carpet or anything it was awesome!!! They would go at 8 am if I let them. But I'm trying to do some learning school stuff for a bit, get some reading in and get things straightened up before we head to the back yard! They are having so much fun. And is there nothing better then kids playing and laughing and having fun together!

This picture looks like he is trying to save the pool from falling over!

This morning I was getting ready and I heard the little kids in the tub Lauren says to masen I love you! and Masen says to Lauren::: I lovs yu twwo!! So nice to hear among all the fighting sometimes that they do. They are just so cute sometimes. Thank goodness because sometimes I could pull my hair out!!

ex. before

After - Result of fighting over the chair it was kind of funny though my cute little niece really wanted the chair and she did have it first and Masen really wanted it too so this was the result!
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I'm also thankful for something that happened last night, something unexpected and something I always wondered how it would be. Let me give you a little background first though . With each of our children we only send pictures and letters at certain times, for a certain length of time to each of our children's beautiful birth mothers.It works for us and that's just how it was all organized and worked best for our situations. We have never seen any of our birth mothers ever since placement. UNTIL last night of course in walmart where else eh, I was walking along and there she was she looked so beautiful and so happy and it was just easy to say hi and talk. You have to understand that seeing these girls before at the hardest time they probably have ever had in there life from our face to face, to placement is the only times we have seen all three birth mothers. SO seeing this birth mother was a joy to see how beautiful and happy she looked she couldn't believe how big the child had gotten and how he looked like so and so. We hugged and went our way but for me it was something I always wondered if I would feel threatened or not fully my child's mother if she were around. But I only felt a strong love for this girl a girl I have only spoken to twice before but felt a very strong connection to because she is the reason I have this beautiful child I call my own who is here where __ is because of Her. It was a nice relization that I didn't feel nervous or scared or threatened I guess more of a special connection because of what we share. I'm thankful for her and for this experience.

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I'm thankful for the time outs I've had over the last couple weeks to go with my sisters {missed you Holli} and with friends. I love laughing and doing fun things we don't usually do just feeling relaxed and not having to stop the food throwing or cutting someones food or stoping the yelling or whatever fun it usually is when you go out to dinner with kids. Its nice to get out once awhile by yourself we all need it!!
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I'm so thankful for family, extended family there are so many things that happen in large families kids, accomplishments, hardships, trials, birthdays, weddings, baptisms all sorts of milestones, holidays, jobs, etc etc etc. But it is nice to know that they are always there for us and us for them. Happy for them in there lives and sometimes we all get busy in life and don't see them that often but its a blessing to me to know that we all have each other forever. I'm so thankful for the Gospel and for the knowledge to know that when we die and move on we will all be together forever so we have plenty of time to spend together here, now and for eternity. There is nothing more important to me in life then family and how we treat others, how we live our lives and what we learn and take from it. I'm so grateful for the examples of those in both my families for the way they live there lives and what they teach me through there example and lives. All of them mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, the kids {in laws all of them} I hope they know how much I love them! I'm blessed with a large family and love it.

Not even all of us in D's family!

My family without the spouses and 9 kids between us all I don't have a recent picture of us all together so this is last year.

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Lately there has been alot of sad things happening in people's lives and as bad as some of our days are there is somebody worse off then us. Praying for those people and doing something about it helps. But it makes me more then ever thankful for the hard working husband I have, for the love he shows me and our children, for the good and not so good mom days because as bad as some days are there are alot worse things going on out there.

I'm thankful for my children, for the gospel, for good parents, family and where I live. I'm thankful for good friends and for the girls who just feel like talking to someone this week. I've had some great conversations with some friends going through some hard times and it was a blessing to me to talk to them and that they feel they can come to me. It helps me to realize how blessed I am and that maybe something I can say will help in some small way.

We go through things in life, trials, hardships, and joys and its what we learn and take from them that helps others going through the same things or learning through others examples. What we do with it makes the biggest difference our attitude defines our altitude right. I guess I'm just thankful for alot this week cause this is turning into a big long post.

Have a great day make it a great one!!

{ "What are we doing with today"? }

Heather wrote an incrediable post yesterday check it out. Part of it had this quote that I love! And this line

"What are we doing with today"?

how great is that.

"Let us ask ourselves the questions: “Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need?” What a formula for happiness! What a prescription for contentment, for inner peace—to have inspired gratitude in another human being. Our opportunities to give of ourselves are indeed limitless, but they are also perishable. There are hearts to gladden. There are kind words to say. There are gifts to be given. There are deeds to be done. There are souls to be saved."

President Monson

What are we doing with today?

{ Me Thinks Monday }

Another filled, crazy weekend but the sun was shining so that counts for a lot! It was a good fathers day we had dinner at our house and it was nice to just be home and enjoy having family here. We also went to a party Saturday with some friends we haven't seen in awhile so that was fun too.

I also found out a few things this weekend about some people that are so sad I can't stop thinking about them and my heart goes out to those families sometimes you just never know in life. We have to be so grateful for all that we have everyday.

This weekend was also spent doing this:Making 60 cards for the primary kids to give their dads.

Fixing this- poor girl got hit by a boccie ball at the neighbours where the kids were playing. There was so much blood and her glasses saved her eye and thankfully they didn't break though. She cried for three hours. It was a total accident and Kolt felt really bad!So no family pic reschedule this week eh!!

Managing the grumpy time out king! He gets so bored with no school right now he is just pushing it! SO this seems to work pretty soon swim lessons and fun stuff will start and he won't be so bored. He just loves to be busy and doing something like learning.
Keeping this monkey off of things and out of everything! Busy Busy Busy boy! But a sweetheart too!!

Spending time with the fam!

How cute are these two!!

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ME THINKS

I've been thinking a lot about a conversation I had with a friend this past week. She said that sometimes she feels like people think she isn't "good enough" for them or to be in "their circle of friendship" that sometimes we judge to harshly by first appearance or first actions then by what is really inside. Sometimes we think because someone takes care of themselves or has nice clothes or hair or is skinner - whatever that we don't feel

GOOD ENOUGH or measure up.

OR that someone doesn't wear makeup or doesn't really care to dress up everyday or whatever it is that they aren't good enough {good enough for what? to hang out to know to get to know? instead of imposing our judgements on that person.} Instead of really getting to know someone and sitting or taking a minute to really get to know someone for real instead of what we think they are.

We have no idea what people are going through, what they have been through to make them the person they are today. Every person is different, every one is unique and has something to offer and something we can learn from. We all have first thoughts of a person, but unless we take the time to really get to know that someone how will we ever know what we are missing or what we can learn from them.

Love these quotes:

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them."

-- Mother Teresa

"When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself."

-- Wayne Dyer

"Do not judge men by mere appearances; for the light laughter that bubbles on the lip often mantles over the depths of sadness, and the serious look may be the sober veil that covers a divine peace and joy."

-- E. H. Chapin

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Have a great week!! Make it a great one!

{ Thankful Thursday }

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. ~William Arthur Ward

A Day late for the first time {and longest post ever probably!} First of all I'm thankful Thursday is over! Really i am it was a long busy day but ended on 2 great things. I've been a single mom this week D just got back from Florida where he had work meetings, {So thankful he was safe the whole time I always worry when he's gone that something will happen} anyway he got to do some fun things like go on an air boat ride, skeet shooting and enjoy the warm warm sun.
I on the other hand had rain, hail, wind and cranky kids. A flooded storage room in 3 inches of water cause the sump pump wasn't working. Thankful I don't have a basement when that happened!!! Why do these things happen when D is gone??
Yesterday I went to town for the morning to try to finish my bedroom. I got it all changed around D had gotten me new everything for the bed for mothers day and my goal was to have it done by fathers day and before he came home. But it didn't get done decoration wise I wanted a really nice picture over the bed that involved water but I couldn't find a nice one. But the room feels so much better, brighter and calmer and definitely cleaner! I can't wait to have it all done.

Then I spent the entire afternoon making smartie cookies for the primary kids to give to there fathers for fathers day. So thankful it is all done!!! OUR ward doesn't do anything for the fathers since I was in YW 3 years ago was the last time we did them. Anyway so I made 60 cookies and wrapped them all. But its done and now the fathers will at least get a little recognition. What do some of your wards do for fathers day???? Men deserve just as much recognition for fathers day as women do for mothers day.

Then the best thing about the day was D got home YEAH! Then an hour later i went on a girls night with a couple friends it was nice to sit and just talk and relax. I really enjoyed getting out of the house after the last four days.
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So some things I'm thankful for this week is that Lauren dries her own hair and it saves me time!

I'm so thankful SOCCER and BASEBALL are over life will be alot easier then going out four times a week although I don't think I ever did with all the rain and cancelled games and bye's but the main thing is KOLTEN had fun and learned alot and did really good! Love his face in this pic he has a wicked throwing arm! Thankful another project got done from my list this week.You know when you have a list of things you've wanted to do for awhile and then when you accomplish it it feels good. I'm just thankful that I am busy and that things are getting done and accomplished. Thankful that my kids are healthy, strong. Thankful that my husband is home and safe.

SO THANKFUL SOCCER IS DONE FOR THE SEASON THAT WAS ALOT OF WORK being the secretary was alot harder this year then last but actually I learned alot!!

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Flashback Friday

Thought I'd throw in a question for Friday so the question today is

Tell about a favorite Trip or Vacation.

I would have to say driving across America from here to FLORIDA seeing all the different states was definitely up there with the kids and D and staying and eating for free {well company paid anyway} was so fun to see MT Rushmore, church sites, the arch, Nashville, all of it. Staying for three months in Florida was hard in a little house with three kids and D working hard and long. But weekends were fun Disney World, sea world cocoa beach Kennedy space center met some super nice people and learned alot about bugs and such. It was fun.

Another trip D and I went on was to PEI in Canada cape Breton and Halifax and sailed on the bluenose and went to Peggy's cove and lunenburg. DJ won a trip and kindly gave it to us to use we had so much fun together we camped at KOA did the Anne of green gables tours, spent evenings on the beach at sunset. We drove alot but saw so much so worth it if you ever have the chance its beautiful and fun to see different culture and way of life! It was so fun it was probably the last time we got away together on a trip not related to work. Loved it. Love spending the time together!

Another favorite trip was going to GERMANY with my mom in 2006 it was awesome a highlight of my life so far loved it!! I learned alot that I could plan something and it all worked out I booked it all and we had such an incredible time. WE were in attendorn, Heidelberg and took the train to Berlin. Saw the Berlin wall remains Jewish memorial, took a boat down the Reine river, saw Hitlers bunker, checkpoint charlie. I only wish we could have gone to Auschwitz. I love history and have read so many books on the wars and life it was an incredible, humbling, learning experience. Loved it!! Here are a few pics from there!

Excuse the eyes they were horrible over in Germany. dang allergies.

Berlin Wall

Old castle in AttendornMe and my ma in Heidelberg autobahn

Well how's that for the longest post ever eh!! Have a great weekend make it a great one!!

Does anybody have any great fathers day gift ideas??

{ Tag }

I got tagged by Janeal and thought since its raining and cold might as well think about it except now you'll probably think I'm weirder then I already am oh well we all have our quirks right!

SIX UNSPECTACULAR QUIRKS ABOUT ME

ONE:) I can't stand anybody touching my face or neck. I get claustrophobic or something I can't handle kissing for to long either but that one has a reason { because in Logan, D and I entered a contest for money and stuff from NORDA's and we stood in a display window for EIGHT hours kissing that's no potty breaks, no food breaks, we tied with another couple so we didn't have to be there for a week they were persistant as we were. What starving students will do for some freebies eh we did win 600 dollars it was supposed to be 1200 but we had to split it with the other couple, we got some camping gear and a wakeboard too!! So I guess it was worth it in that sense}

TWO:) I park in the exact same area of every store I go to Costco, Walmart etc every time. I sit in the same bench at church. I order the same food I usually do going out to eat, only after taking years to order and I am always the very last to order every time. {see Janeal your not alone} I wear my hair the same way everyday for years {I'm getting better at switching it around lately} I'm a creature of habit I guess.

Three:) I always have my toes painted and fingernails done most every week but I do them myself . I can't stand not having them done. I don't think thats a quirk but more a preference.

Four:) I always sleep on the right hand side of the bed always no matter where we are. It throws me off any other way.
{These aren't that weird but its hard to think of things}

Five:) I'm anal about cleaning up as I bake/cook I can't stand dishes in the sink or on the counter. I try to teach my kids that when we cook there job is to put it all away right after we use it they feel useful and love to help and I get a clean kitchen as we go along. There's just something about eating a meal in clean surroundings.

SIX :) If I eat anything that has any amount of grease showing like pizza, I blot my food with a napkin over and over again. I also remove the cheese from pizza and instead of hamburgers on a bun I have all the veggies and mustard {I do eat hamburgers occasionally if they are bbq} I have weird eating issues I know.

So there you go the weird and not so weird Quirks of Christal so I tag whoever wants to give it a try its actually hard to think of six things that are quirky maybe I'm not so weird right!!

ps Shot me-- I just said yes to PTA for the new school year {oh well I do like to be busy it'll be fun there are some fun girls on the board!} Something new guess we'll find out how busy it is .

{ This and That Tuesday }

The skies around here lately and some nice thunder and lightening and lots of rain!
So Just a few things I wanted to share today that are awesome!
{Thanks Tina for writing this I've wanted to share this for awhile but she did it first and did a great job of writing it out} I belong to a group called the Babysitting Co Op we've done it for about three years now. It is designed to help moms get things done without having their kids running around under foot. So it works like this: 9 to 10 moms to fill 1 3 hour time slots from Monday to Friday, AM (9 to 12) or PM (12-3). It might look something like this:

{*Names have been changed as if you didn't know ha ha}

Mon AM - Cindy Crawford * Mon PM - Jennifer Garner
Tues AM - Kelly Rippa * Tues PM - Jennifer Lopez
Wed AM - Angelina Jolie * Wed PM - Katie Holmes
Thurs AM - Liv Tyler * Thurs PM - Halle Berry
Fri AM - Reese Witherspoon * Fri PM - Brooke Shields

Every mom starts out with 30 coupons each are worth 1 hour/child. You use these as "payment" anytime you need/want to use the Co Op. We are encouraged to use this for anything we desire, a nap, visiting teaching, an appointment, errands, quiet time and so on and so forth. It is very convenient and sometimes a life saver. It only runs during the school months, from September to the end of June, and is usually put on hold during Stat or school holidays. I used it last year alot more then this year but I love it it comes in handy so much! Sorry about the bad scan job the coupons are just these little cards that are good for one kid for one hour. To answer some questions you can set your own limit if you only want 2 kids that day thats all you have to say yes to, if you can handle five more then its up to you. Doesn't matter if you have one kid or three kids its durning school anyway so usually its just the little 5 and under kids. Some people just want to drop one off or sometimes they drop of three. Any more questions??
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NEXT is a recipe I found on Jackies blog {Thanks Jackie} that we had last night it is awesome and my kids all drank it it looks beautifully green and tastes so good for you it really is so yummy!



Green Smoothie
about three handfuls of fresh Spinach
put in blender with 1/4 cup of water
throw in about 1.5 cups of pineapple fresh is best {I used canned cause thats what I had last night but it tasted great}
2 ripe bananas {I used one unfrozen and one frozen to make it cold}
Blend all together in blender until smooth and ENJOY!!
{You could make ahead and put in fridge to have it colder if you don't have frozen banana on hand}
{You could probably use any fruit in place of the pineapple but pineapple is so good!!
It is so good try it {I know it has spinach in it how good can it be thats what I thought but if my picky picky children drank it has to be good give it a try for real :) !
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Our weather is so crazy lately soccer was cancelled again. But Kolten had a great end of kindergarten swim party yesterday and had so much fun love this picture of the boys after he came home -- eyes closed, head back, now thats freezie enjoyment eh!!!
Have a great day! Make it a great one!

Should I throw it or not hum?