{Me Thinks...}

This weekend I went on a YW retreat camp and I don't even have a picture to show for it I know shocker! It was good getting to know the girls better and the leaders. It did make me really miss my old ward too though. Some things just take time that's for sure. 

But we went cross country skiing and i forgot how much I love it plus it was a great workout with all the food there too!

D had a fun dad time with the kids while I was gone too. I so appreciate him and his willingness and ability  to watch his own kids, it amazes me that sometimes people are amazed that he is the one watching the kids imagine that eh!! 

He took them to the Ranch on Saturday with a picnic lunch and let them run around and they loved it! They talked about it at soon as i got home! I Love my family!!
Sunday my brother came with his four kids from a couple hours away to spend the evening with us and then my other brother and his wife and my sister came too so we had a nice night visiting and laughing I hadn't seen my brothers for awhile so it was nice.
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and today. I just love pictures like these of all my kids and something new and all helping each other

{it was PJ day at school today so they wore them all day long and loved it!}

Love this picture too cause he looks like "oops I ran into the wall" ha ha he is getting so big!

and That was pretty much our weekend.

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ME THINKS

and this is some deep vent thinking.......

  

We live in such a twisted, sad, wrong world... 

some of my friends and family private blogs that you don't get to see but that is so well said wrote some awesome awareness pieces this week so I hope they don't care that I'm passing them along cause I feel the same way!!}

And I know the majority of us feel that way too....

one says....."I just found out that there are schools  that will NOT fail  students any more.

No more failing. 

They're saying failing is too hard on children. They want everyone to be a winner.   

please when in life is everyone a winner. 

We are setting up the future generations for complete failure.

                       * What will give students any drive? If they can never fail and just keep moving on, really won't  students just stop caring.
                             * What will give teachers the motivation to teach, inspire, motivate and cultivate  curiosity  and learning? I hope they wouldn't but if the students stop caring, I would think the teachers would a bit too.
                           * We are headed into trouble(well we already know we are, governments are corrupt, but I won't even get into that) Our future generations will be uneducated. The same future generations that will be running our countries, dealing with our money, even with our health. It's scary....

{{amen...}}

and this next one makes me absolutely  SICK!!

...."I want to protect my children, I don't want to have them be hardened little people in a world that still has a lot of good in it. Especially in our town. But like all towns and cities and villages, where there is good, there is also evil. ......... there are about 10-13 boys at the school that are playing kissing tag. Except it's not kissing tag. It's the 2010 version of kissing tag and it's called r'ap'e tag. And it's gotten to the point that some of the girls when they get caught will lay on the ground and open their legs. The sad part is this, they are 3rd grade boys..... There are a few older boys, but mainly it's the 3rd graders. 60% of them don't even know what the word means. It is turning into a huge problem at schools ......"

-----------------------------------------

WE NEED TO be talking to our children. Whether its uncomfortable or not.
Things I probably didn't even know  in eighth grade they know now in 2nd & 3rd grade the things that come out of some of there mouths is appalling...

AND I have to wonder WHAT kind of parents are there out there? What do we allow our kids to watch, listen too, and look at? some music these days is sick -- {listen to the words your singing some time} disturbing is more like it.  and What KIND OF AN EXAMPLE are we setting? 

In our words, deeds, actions all of it?

There is no respect in schools, to adults, ADULTS seem to cower and let them get away with it all.

AND WE CAN"T do anything without offending somebody and seems to me our 

FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND thoughts even are being taken away

SUING for everything ... come on....

suing cause you said one wrong thing your opinion or otherwise

social networks seriously ruining and hurting our children and youth because one person sends this posts that and you suddenly become a victim or the cyber bullying that is going on.... is sickening and ruining children and teenagers lives. 

children thinking they can get away with anything, the back talking, the  addictions to the phones that are practically attached to the palm of their hands...

do you even know what they are obsessively texting about?

What's so important in that device that makes everything in reality..... pale in comparison

where social skills are less and less, religion and actually talking to people is affected. 

What is wrong with that picture!

...a sick world and some days I wonder how long it can keep rolling the way it is...

.I think the world is way worse and and way more disturbing now than it ever was

All the crazy, twisted laws removing God from everything when that's where we need HIM EVERYWHERE

we wonder why things are falling apart?

TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND or just watch the news I guess.

BUT that being said....

There are also a lot of amazing awesome things happening these days too.

Its not all bad we just need to be prepared. and  

We need to talk to our kids

we need to teach our kids
cause it is only up to us to do our part with faith and love

and help them understand so they will know what to do.
Not to scare them but to prepare them.

Cause its only the beginning.
But

right~

Have a great week!

{thankful thursday...}

I'm Thankful for Music  
Don't think I could live without it
so turn up your volume and enjoy the newest ...
cause it's got some awesome lyrics.. 
or go here   
-------
I AM Thankful for humor...

still makes me laugh every time...

{you may have already seen this since I made up an email and sent it}

"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." -Gerald Ford  {except for our beliefs and thoughts right}...

I 'm thankful for all the awesome quotes out there too! {thanks Amy ;)

Thought it fit here too

But it fits in all areas of Life I think..

Barbara Bush, wife of former United States president George Bush, spoke wisely when in Wellesley, Massachusetts, in 1990 she addressed the Wellesley College graduating class and said, 'Your success as a family, our success as society, depends not on what happens at the White House, but on what happens inside your house.' " 

-Gordon B. Hinckley,
"Feed your faith and your fears will starve to death." -Unknown-
 -----------------------

 I'm thankful for the cute 

's in my life.....

the 

handsome

M's

and 

pretty little 

ms.

L.

and the MR D.

lucky ME.

----------------------------

Look at his boy he makes me so happy he is the worlds sweetest babe, 

eats, sleeps, smiles,  plays and laughs

...he is a moving though.... one second he's at your feet the next he's in the next room

thank goodness for gates and safety things cause he is trying it all out!

but see no teeth yet either!!

happy happy crawler!

what is he watching??? well the signs of spring and warmer weather......

......and my kids playing nicely in the backyard {a few minutes after I took this there were 10 kids all together 

ahhh the gate won't come soon enough ha ha} at least they are having fun and in the back yard where we could see them! Its nice to be able to go outside again above all ! and soon that lovely dirt WILL be a green lush lawn.... right D..ha ha!

-------------------------

Most of all this week

I'm thankful for  HOPE

and faith. I guess sometimes when you think your okay or past feeling a certain way it only takes a fast reminder to bring it all back fresh, and the tears to flow,

and to remind you that Hope is never lost,

its always there.

Sometimes it gets covered up in the pain, or the years go by and it starts feeling okay.

But I hope one day we all get those dreams and prayers answered that we HOPE will happen.

No matter what it may be for you.

I've seen so many miracles lately 

{in that one department I like so many of you crave to feel someday and still hope might.}

I am so happy for them all I've read so many blogs lately of couples who adopted and then found out they were pregnant after so many years. Can't even imagine what that would feel like.

I've had emails and messages lately from girls who just needed somebody to talk to cause they are where I've been and am.

It helps me so much to know that there are girls and sisters who feel and think the same way I do for the most part. That most don't understand until they are standing in the same shoes and finding someone who is going through it too helps me feel a bit more normal in my feelings.

.....and It gives me HOPE that maybe the things we go through are the stepping stones that help another have HOPE too.

No matter what it is.

 It's not wrong to wish it could happen to you too.

Because that is having

HOPE and FAITH.

and I'm thankful for both.

Find hope. Find strength. Find support.

“May the love hidden deep inside your heart find the love waiting in your dreams. May the laughter that you find in your tomorrow wipe away the pain you find in your yesterdays.”

---------------------------------------------

Anyway onto brighter things....

Happy Spring! {I hope.it is anyway it felt like it today..}

 

Have a great weekend!!

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow.” Albert Einstein

{Me Thinks...}

Some things I'm loving since I already told you about our weekend pretty much.

Loving Heidi Swapps graphics as above she is so fun!

I sometimes just feel refreshed just looking at her stuff or her graphics and projects she perfectly portrays the emotion or feelings in her designs or whatever it is!

I'm Loving me some ice water with lime or lemon in it maybe its the bright colors or freshness of it gives an old boring glass of water a nice kick that does the body good!

 

Does anybody else love jelly bellies? I have a small weakness for chewy candies.  

I LOVE these undershirts they are awesome and if you don't need the layering at the bottom and some of the bulk of another shirt you'll love them too!!

I'm loving the bright colors of down east basics right now and funky accessories I might just branch out lol! 

....and if I were pregnant these are the cutest maternity clothes! So I'm just passing it along since I'm not really in that category :( {{check it out here }}

 ----------------------------------

ME THINKS

I've been doing a lot of thinking about sports since it was provincials this weekend and I actually got to a game. I live in a town where sports is the most important thing ever! From an early age the small first graders can attend b-ball camp or whatever.The school song is sung in preschool and they grow up with a strong pride in our team and schools.

Is there anything wrong with that?

Not really right.... school spirit is great, team spirit is awesome, the cheers from the crowd are amazing.and the feeling of unity is great. It's the hurtful things that are said and done and the negativity that comes with rival towns that gets to me especially if you have ties to all or both or whatever.

 I get frustrated when I hear bad talking of other towns...... especially C town where I grew up the last few years before leaving home,  and R town where I live now. Whichever way it goes.

I now live in R town...... a very very strong spirited town, a unity you don't see many places when it comes to the hard work they put in, and the greatness they put out. Certain families in town have amazing sport history behind them and brings the town together I think its awesome and most are humble and hard workers!

I only have a beef with knocking other people or teams bad and unsportsmanlike like. We all can be good but we don't need to be cocky about it right. Not all are don't get me wrong. I get frustrated when I hear people here say C town people are snooty or rude well I lived there too and I've felt that in both towns there are some of each wherever you go and that the few ruin it for the overall.

It happens everywhere I know. 
EVERYBODY HAS THERE R TOWNS C TOWNS
UTES OR BYU FANS
WHO EVER WHATEVER
U
know what I mean...

I honestly think C town people have a lot of other things that use up there time then R town people, more kids in C town have jobs in town because there are more opportunities for it which in turn keeps them busier and time more occupied in other things. 

Where in R town there aren't as many opportunities to work job wise unless you drive into the city to get one. SO that being said they have more time to dedicate to sports and excelling.

Not saying that C town doesn't excel because they do, but I know that the caliber of R town sports for whatever reason has a different feel to it. Its the attitude of some in the stands or sidelines that makes all the difference. 

There are attitudes in both towns.

Does it make one better than then the other.

NO.
Don't worry I have a true blue RED who is 8 right now lol!!!
A former captain C for C town for a hubby
and me I'm still a little of both I just like cheering for all cause I know how hard they all work and I'm happy when R team wins anytime
and happy for C teams too cause our family has had lots of players on the football and basketball teams over the years and still have cousins playing too!!
ITS ALL GOOD RIGHT!
Really its just about good sportsmanship in the stands usually more than the court or field isn't it?

-----
ANYWAY

A movie that if you haven't watched it do its awesome and perfectly portrays what is important in the sports world and has a great message.

 -------------------------------------------
To live content with small means;

to seek elegance rather than luxury,

and refinement rather than fashion;

to be worthy, not respectable,

and wealthy, not rich;

to study hard,

think quietly,

talk gently,

act frankly;

to listen to stars and birds,

to babes and sages,

with open heart;

to bear all cheerfully,

do all bravely,

await occasions,

hurry never.

In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious,

grow up through the common.

This is to be my symphony.

William Henry Channing

 --Heidi Swapp

{ Thankful..or something like it....}

thankful yes I am, but this week I need to .......

.....its been a long week, sick kids, running here and there, my mother in law was in the hospital scary she's home now but we sure worry about her! our neighbor had a stroke too,  and some sad things have happened lately to some friends, throw in a scout camp, a  personal progress night in there.... I love my calling I get to do fun handouts  
{this template came from the net somewhere i wish I could do all the fun graphics I should take a class cause I haven't had any luck on my own but I love this kind of stuff!}

....and get the girls excited to get it done{{I hope!}}

and I'm pretty sure the time change did me in too  I'm so tired lately!

.....so I've been on the phone

for soccer, for parent council-- for lice checks lookin for

these days it seems people don't do it very often or are so busy with their own lives its getting harder to find willing people kind of sad eh! But I am so thankful for the ones that still do!!

 -----------------------------

THEN we had one beautiful warm day that made me so anxious for summer and spring then it snowed and got cold again about the same time I bought a new spring/summer wreath for my door I guess just to remind us ! But I am Thankful for things to look forward too! The bright sunny days ahead......

 I'm glad I have my kids who fill me with a ray of sunshine everyday.... they are so fun most of the time!! And remind me  

that life is a lot funner if we let it be and get down to their level sometimes! 

{You guys fill me with sunshine too I always appreciate your comments, questions and encouragement.... makes my day )

 

I am for the most part thankful for the days like these........lots to do, things to get done, kids under foot and always something to clean, change or look after, fix or redo.or cook...

 

that keeps me going.........one day we will all wish we had these days again so why not enjoy them more now right!!

----------------

and every time I read nie nie's blog I am thankful for all that I have and all the little things I take for granted she is amazing....if you've never read her story do....

 --------------------

But really with kids like these I could I not be thankful.....

I'm thankful they do their chores usually without grumbling {to much}

they look out for one another {a couple of middle ones are very defensive of each other and I secretly love it!}

I'm thankful that they play together so well for the most part, dance together, laugh together 

and are generally such happy kids....

funny how they know at such an early age when they are doing something they shouldn't eh! This has been the week of busy boy into everything!! All the toys he already threw down under there too...

love mr squinty eyes.....seriously this kid is a handful but a very lovable one at that 

his new thing when he wants to talk to me or ask me something is

"LOOK AT ME" it makes me laugh every time guess I say that a fair bit too lol!!

------------------------------

"To educate yourself for the feeling of gratitude means to take nothing for granted, but to always seek out and value the kind that will stand behind the action. Nothing that is done for you is a matter of course. Everything originates in a will for the good, which is directed at you. Train yourself never to put off the word or action for the expression of gratitude." 

-  Albert Schweitzer

------------------------------------

YOU ARE DEFINED BY THE CHOICES YOU MAKE....

choose wisely everyday.

Choose to be happy.

HAVE AN attitude of gratitude, it changes everything.

Have a great weekend.

{Me Thinks...}

I love weekends especially ones where we get a lot accomplished, Or ones that start to actually feel like SPRING I got outside and ran early Saturday morn it felt so good! We enjoyed  some fun family time since we had been away all week. Got chores done, K took in his bottles that's always an exciting day for him. He is in charge of recycling around here with all his bottles and such and gets his spending money from what he collects or gets from grandma. He saves up his money for something he wants & saves the rest for the future. Works for all of us it not only teaches him to save, but to work for it and to spend his money wisely, also makes him responsible to take the jugs or cans to the bin if not..... I have a habit of just throwing them away.

Sunday we went to Grandmas and Grandpas for dinner and the cousins all played and we got to meet our sweet new little niece Emmelyn and K2 showed off his new skillz.....

that look kind of like this...our baby is growing up way to fast....he is pretty proud of himself too, its so cute he gets the biggest grins and is trying more and more things everyday!

TODAY HE WAVED GOODBYE TO DAD WHEN HE WAS LEAVING FOR WORK

it was the cutest thing!!!

and today he also pulled open the under drawer of the stove and started pulling things out ahhh 

gone are the quiet playing on a blanket with toys days! 

Bring on the cupboard latches and plug covers I guess...

cause our babe is moving....

 

I just can't get enough of him seriously love this boy he is so dang cute!! 

--------------------------

So random I just have to throw this picture in because it makes me laugh when we were in Boise my kids all feel asleep watching a movie while the adults played games and whatever. Anyway when we were ready to go back to our hotel the kids were so ready for bed and dead tired  and ended up like this on my sisters floor before we carried everyone of them to the burb.... seroisuly makes me lol

This is called tired. love L's belly and K2 and M!! heck all of them...

okay anyway back to today....

Then there is this cute little leprechaun sure signs of spring eh!! Can't believe march is already half way through! She loves school so much and was so excited to show me and told me she would grant me three wishes so mine were 

help me fold the towels wish she ran and did...

the other was take a good nap...wish she did..

and the third was i can't remember 

but who knew all I needed was a leprechaun mask to get things done around here 

WORKS FOR ME!!! she is so fun!

 actually the real sign of spring is the chaotic lose my children daily syndrome cause they want outside so bad....scenes like this....jumping on the trampoline....in the neighbors yard..and so it begins again ahhhhh...

__________Mondays________

ME THINKS

__________________________

 

.....I found these quotes this week and loved them. They made me think and you know I love things like that. 

But how true there really isn't a better way then to get on our knees when life gets hard or when we think we can't make it through the next trial or even the next day.

I've had lots of times when I'm praying that thoughts or a scripture comes to mind and its totally what I needed at that time in my life and that day. 

Things that never would have come to me in any other way than if I was praying. Isn't it amazing to know that HE hears us when we pray. I've had to many situations to even deny that  

Prayer is the key to overcoming some our hardest moments in life.

Isn't it great to know that when life gets hard there is someone ready and willing to help us along, to guide us and help us help ourselves or those around us, to  guide us through those things in life that are ours to go through and learn from.

Sometimes its just days where we wish we were somebody else or wish we had this or that or could do this or that....

when what we need to do is...

"Learn to... be what you are, and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not."

I think that through prayer I've learned that its okay to be ME I don't have to be good at everything, I don't have to be a super mom to be a good mom. I don't need whatever I think it is I need to be happy, I don't need to be the cookie cutter of someone else. 

BECAUSE I AM ME.

...and that's what makes life interesting is that we aren't all the same. and its learning that its okay we all have different talents, different bodies, thoughts, and goals

When we learn to be what we are instead of trying to be something we are not...

whether its through prayer...through experience..or just living life year to year.

Its being happy with who we are and living and trying our best and sometimes figuring out what it is we need to do to get there. 

because we are all different and that's a good thing....

I think its all about finding out our individual worth..... 

and sometimes that brings us to our knees in more ways than one.

HAVE A GREAT WEEK MAKE IT COUNT!!

{ PHOENIX TRIP....Thankful Thursday...}

WE  had SO much fun getting away to phoenix some of our good friends have a  time share type house down there and it was so beautiful!  It rained for our first three days kind of chilly actually but it was so fun anyway! First day we went up to south mountain on a drive and looked around...

went to guadalaupe and then relaxed the rest of the evening.. 

.....check out those dark clouds we kind of figured that we are rain cursed when we want to feel the sun and get away last year we went on a cruise to the bahamas and it rained pretty much the whole time expect for about two hours in the bahamas at the beach so we got a taste of it! I'm just happy getting away and seeing new things and spending time with D and friends.

 

I loved the catcus's the different vegatation and the greenery which was 

uncommon for Arizona  so pretty though!! 

we spent the rest of our sunday just going on a sightseeing sunday drive to the phoenix capital building and saw some memorials and such from pearl harbour I love history so it was fascinating to me. I just love traveling and learning about history and people!!

 

On monday it was pretty much rainy so we used it as our shopping day here so many great deals I totally would have gotten more if I didn't have to stuff it in my suitcase!! lol! We went out to a great mexican place for dinner and had lots of great laughs and went back to the house and watched pearl harbor! Kind of fun since the day before we had seen the anchor and memorial for it! 

On Tuesday we hiked to the wind caves so fun!! and a beautiful view it was amazing!! Loved it!! Tuesday was a fun day! Some of the scenery and the reason we don't have many picture...ha ha ...guys!!

 

the view was awesome!! so was the exercise after the dinner the day before!!

 

Look how huge these are!! amazing!!! It takes 70 years of growth before an arm shots some of these are so tall and have so many arms amazing!!! This picture gives you an idea of how big they really are!! 

At the top!  The wind caves were really cool... 

.....then after our hike and a picnic lunch... it started down pouring so we headed to the arizona temple so beautiful!!! Then we headed to the visiters center and out to dinner at Rustlers Rooste! way to much good food for me in a week!! We tried new places to eat at each night and found some great places. Richard had served his mission in arizona years ago so he was a great tour guide and showed us some fun places!

 

..after we picked some grapefriuts and pecans on the way back to the van!! how awesome eh!! I know I get excited about things like this they were so much better then the store bought stuff we eat!! so good!

 

...the next day we kind of took it easy in the morning and the sun came up a bit so we took advantage of it for a while!! D took a swim it was still a little cold to me but it was beautiful and fun to just sit and read a book for awhile and feel the sun!!

 

..that night we went here 

for a bit and to cabelas for awhile ate at cracker barrel {love the place!} and then we headed to the NHL Phoenix Coyotes vs-Vancouver Canucks game so much fun! The guys were so excited. I was too but not like them! I swear there were more Canadians there, their cheer was louder then the home teams all the snowbirds and people like us I guess!! Anyway after overtime and a shoot out the coyotes took it! It was a great game and fun to see what they leave out on tv! 

....early thrusday morning it was just so pretty there green grass fun to just relax and laugh and talk and enjoy each others company!! It was so fun!

 

....thanks to cheap airfare by...makes it so much easier too!! 

a little bit of the grand canyon out the plane window!

 

......and back to ugly snowy brown started out green in AZ saw snow capped mountains, red canyons, and brown patches the closer to home we got! ....

IT was a great trip and we can't wait to do it again sometime we had a blast with friends and learned a lot more about each other, lots of great laughs and good times!! Thanks so much guys!! 

It was a beautiful home close to everything and we had a riot!! The Phoenix area is probably the cleanest city I've seen and been too and driving across America on our way to and from Florida we've seen a few!! Lots to do there too, mountains are close and just beautiful vegetation and surroundings.

I'm so thankful for friends and family who watched all our kids and made it so we didn't' have to worry about them!! THANK YOU!!! They all had so much fun where they were!!
Have a great week!!