{Me thinks ...}

IT'S FINALLY SUMMER....

 

...so that is what we are doing,

one foot at a time,

 

I took the three oldest and we met with a friend and her boy, and went to toy story 3 such a cute show we did it for M's birthday as instead of a party it was fun, 

than on Sunday afternoon we went on a picnic to the ranch

 

and let the kids run where ever they wanted to go we "thought" it would be a good idea till one came crying and running back that "L" had chucked cow patty at him seriously that she even picked it up was actually kind of funny,

 

then they thought they'd go pick up a gopher or hit them over the head with an ice scrapper brush, whatever eh....kids are so fun...

me ...it was just nice to get away feel the sun,

 

and spend time together....

L did a dance for us she said she was a butterfly it was way cute!
 

I love this picture of M he looks so big! and I LOVE grass pictures!!

 

and we enjoyed the beauty of it all...

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

and today its hard to believe my baby will be one this week!!! He is loving so many new things like the sink and water after I cut his hair yet again this morning! He loves the dryer too when ever I switch over the laundry he comes running! He is getting so big!!!

checking it out..

 

and loving it..

 ---------------------
Me thinks
Found this....love it..  now i'm going to share it....

Allow Your Own Inner Light to Guide You

There comes a time when you must stand alone.

You must feel confident enough within yourself to follow your own dreams.

You must be willing to make sacrifices.

You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved.

Sometimes, familiarity and comfort need to be challenged.

There are times when you must take a few extra chances and create your own realities.

Be strong enough to at least try to make your life better.

Be confident enough that you won't settle for a compromise just to get by.

Appreciate yourself by allowing yourself the opportunities to grow, develop, and find your true sense of purpose in this life.

Don't stand in someone else's shadow when it's your sunlight that should lead the way.

 

HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER!!!

{Thankful....... }

My big boy finished second grade today!

Here is the start of the year 2009

 and the end of the year today 2010

{not sure what is on his shirt? water probably from brushing his teeth ha ha and the sun was really bright}

Goes by so fast he had an awesome year! a great report card and lots of success and fun! made new friends and enjoyed learning new things!!
We are so proud of him! 

We also had the funnest day ever first it started with a year end assembly I had to go for PTA and Roots of Empathy so that was fun, then K and I booted it to C-town to do the 26th mile of our first marathon together!!! 

It was a blast  

So I can officially say I did my first marathon HA HA 1 mile counts right don't laugh..... I ran the whole way and we did it in 8 minutes about! i was so impressed with my nephew who is five who ran the whole way with us  too he was awesome!! K finished just before me!

  It was fun accomplishing something we had been working on for awhile and training and teaching K about being fit it was so much FUN! 

Gotta start somewhere right! 

{excuse my rumpled red faced pics} 

It was just fun spending the day with K after we got back it was carnival day for the last 2 hours of school and he came home and said it was the best day EVER!! Those are days that build big memories and I am SO THANKFUL FOR HIM!!!! 
We had alot of fun and working on projects together is even better!!

"Whether you think you can, or think you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford

“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” 

- Benjamin Franklin

You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement."
- Steve Prefontaine

Whatever you can do,
Or think you can, begin it.
Boldness has power, and genius,
And magic in it.
- Goethe

Have a great weekend!!!!

{Me Thinks...}

What a crazy weekend, crazy weather, and crazy flooding
we drove up to the ranch thursday evening to see what things were looking like SO much water it was fun and M thought he was going to die if we drove through it we actually found something that scares him ;)

 I love this misty rainy picture of the cows says a lot...
the ranch is so pretty but overflowing with water like this usual trickle of a stream now looks like this

anyway....
the  kids  are stir crazy I think.. and me a little bit too..we got to town with all the kids on saturday did our civic duty and voted, did some shopping, and then came home got ready for a  bake off party which consisted of two hours of making these cute little cherry cheesecakes which just before we were to leave I thought I'll put them in the freezer until we go then they'll set up even better...... went to close the lid and they SLID off the plate into the freezer and landed in a disgusting, unsalvagable, mutilated pile in the corner of the freezer all my hard work and nothing to bring!!!!
I could've cried its kind of in line with how my week has been though but disappointing to say the least the party was fun though so it all turned out just fine! Plus you should have seen the masterpieces there and mine probably equaled the equivalent of a kindergartner trying to compete with chefs!!! So its all good!
Sunday well sunday is another story....

 Me Thinks

so here goes

 Yesterday night after a hard day {yes fathers day} after going to two grandma's houses, some of my wonderful kids and some cousins made some really dumb choices resulting in broken windows on the barn..... 5 of them, {happy fathers day grandpa..}ahhhh... and a few other things that made me a little frustrated with the disobedience. Sometimes when cousins get together they do things they wouldn't normally I remember the same thing growing up, but as a parent its sometimes embarrassing and more than frustrating to find out what they did... big or little. "I was feeling kind of like what am a doing wrong" when I got home ....then I found this blog and seriously felt like it was written just for me it hit me right where I needed it

  It's titled "Feeling Overwhelmed?"
from the blog ask jane:

so I hope she doesn't care that I'm sharing it...

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

"One of the things that makes motherhood so overwhelming is that it never stops. It keeps coming at us day and night. We wake up to the same routines, sometimes having had only a few hours of sleep. Often, we heap on that-- financial worries, an argument with a husband, feelings of isolation or troubles with extended family. We may find ourselves feeling not just overwhelmed but disillusioned with the choice we’ve made and, worse, disappointed with ourselves because we aren’t better at it.
These feelings, when you give in to them, are actually the greatest threat to your success. I repeat, it’s those feelings that are the greatest threat—much more than your actual circumstances. They halt you in your tracks. You want and need to be propelled forward! Here are my suggestions.
Do something about it. Don’t you love the scene in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers where Millie turns the pig pen of a cabin into a real home and revolutionizes the table manners and brings civility to the chaos? In much the same way, you can step back from your overwhelming situation and ask, “What is it that’s getting me down?” Is it the clutter, the disobedience, the lack of support, my appearance, the dirty kitchen floor? List everything that’s bothering you and then change things.  

You are creating a little world here. 

You can improve relationships, plan a weekly night out, organize a play group, clear out clutter, rearrange the bedrooms, put flowers on the table.
Somewhere along the line, I made the discovery that what I didn’t do actually overwhelmed me more than what I did. Walking by that weed-filled flower bed twice a day was so much more overwhelming than just going out there and weeding it. It took 20 minutes. It felt good. I felt better. It usually led to sweeping the sidewalk and washing the front door. If your overwhelmed feeling revolves around loneliness, find a walking partner--just 20 minutes in the evening does wonders, start a book club or have an honest discussion with your husband that lays out concretely what you need and what might help. "I need to go out with you every week." "I'd like some time to myself for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoons." I've learned that most husbands aren't good at guessing but they're willing to support us when we're clear about our needs.
Here are a couple of practical habits I adopted at some point, that changed everything for me.
*Do something toward dinner in the morning. Just decide what you’re having and thaw the chicken or start the salad. There is nothing worse than 4:00, tired kids, husband coming home and no plans for dinner. You’ll feel better all day if dinner is in the works.
*Whenever possible, Don’t wake up to yesterday. When the kids are finally in bed, do a quick pick up of the house, make sure the kitchen table is empty, and start the dishwasher. I know….you’re too tired for that. But just do it anyway. You’ll get your second wind and it will feel good to do something that will not be undone while you’re doing it. You’ll be able to start the day fresh. Maybe your husband will help you and you can watch a movie afterwards (while you fall asleep.)
*If at all possible, get up a half an hour before the kids do. Have a good prayer, make your bed, get dressed, start breakfast. Just plan that you'll rest in the afternoon but there's no substitute for productive mornings.......

One final and perhaps the most important thought is this: Never lose the vision of what you’re really doing. It’s big. There are no shortcuts to the family you want. It’s going to take all you’ve got. But the whole process is a good one and the whole outcome is amazing. Keep before you, the vision of what you want your home to be today and what you want the final outcome to be. Then keep reaching for it. As the days go by, you'll have more and more satisfying moments.  

Home really can be a heaven on earth. 

Pray aways and be believing. -Jane

Love this thinking...
Have a great week...

ITS A THREE POST DAY CHECK OUT THE OTHER POSTS...
oh and check this out

Diamond Rio: In God We Still Trust

I shared this on facebook but figured out how to post to here. I love it, This song was banned from radios across the nation and really shows WHY we have so many problems in society..... so tell me why??? its okay to play songs about sex, affairs, murder drugs {thanks LB}, ..and every other twisted thing out there. To make all things WRONG seem okay and right.... but put God in the picture and all of a sudden everyone freaks out! What kind of world do we live well  "one where evil is good and good is evil"  why do we even wonder what is wrong with our sick society when we ban the good things take GOD out of everything from schools to media and portray all the disgusting, putrid evil things.Then wonder why things are so out of control. That's why we need to teach and have homes with a whole lot of HEAVEN in them. Satan is waging a good war but he isn't going to win pass this video around! and Make our voices count for the majority. {okay i'm off my soapbox now ENJOY..}

Maple Creek flood 2010 Trans Canada Highway dissapears

This is crazy check it out thanks for sharing Amy...

{Thankful Thursday.....}

Since the rains are still coming down, the rivers are flooding, the roads are washing out, the puddles are deep and we the people are sick of this WEATHER. I guess I'll blog.

{{**BUT as a sidenote  PUDDLE BUSTING SURE IS FUN!! }}

I am thankful for alot

But this weekend is fathers day and I am thankful for the men in my life {my three little men 2}

 I have a beyond great husband

he is an awesome father to our four kids 

he teaches them to work, he plays with them, takes them with him to the ranch, he spends quality time with each one, the kids love their dad  and any time spent with him is a great day, whether he is teasing, tickling, kicking a ball around or riding horses, reading a chapter book at bedtime when he goes to tuck them in.  Whatever it may be....

He sets an example for them each day in all that he does there is no happier moment for me then to hear my boys say 

"I want to be just like Dad when I grow up!!" 

Big shoes to fill but every year they fill them up a little more watching, playing, working, praying.... side by side with D.

SO

HAPPY FATHERS DAY 

TO ALL THE MEN IN MY LIFE!!

My  D

my father 

and my father in law 

Each one has so many good points and have taught me so much in their examples. I am a blessed girl.

I am who I am good or bad because of my father.

He cares deeply about his kids 

He has seen alot, suffered alot and grown alot over the years

he is 100% norwegian!
He has a love for the gospel and has always taught to prepare and do what is right.

He loves the water it calls his name the ocean is apart of him just as his arm is and I love that.

He has a twinkle in his eye when he teases his kids and grandkids.

He is passionate and will let you know about a lot of things.

Believe me we've had some good arguments...

But overall he's a pretty good dad with lots of good qualities 

he raised six good kids a few more like him than not ha ha, he works hard and long on all that he does 

and I love him. Thanks Dad for all you do for me & D and our four.

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

I am who I am from the things I've learned over the years from my father in law

  too

I remember going to D's parents house when we were dating and feeling the love everyone had for each other, and seeing the way things were done and just the feeling in the house made me want to be apart of that, have a home like that and to

be forever apart of something so spiritual that it was a tangible feeling as soon as you walked into the house. YOU could feel it.

I remember praying D would ask me to marry him so I could always have that feeling and have a man that if he was half the calibar as his father I would be a lucky wife and that I am. 

I love my father in laws

quiet manner and his humor 

I love his thoughtful calls
I love his testimony and steadfastness in the Gospel and his love for D's mom they are the most amazing couple together and apart we love and look up to both of them so much.
He loves each on of his in laws kids and grandkids.

I love that he always says "well a guy should really...whatever it is ! 

That phrase will forever remind me of him. It makes me laugh.

I love that he gives the best hugs that with so many people in the family you still feel loved and valued and understood all in one simple hug.

I love that he gave me a husband with so many of his same qualities and taught him through his example his dedication to hard work, to  fullfilling one's calling to his best effort and ability..

A man who like his father will stop and help whoever needs help. Who is always there to talk and do what is needed anytime.

A Men of intergrity, honesty and love no matter what.
Men who honor the priesthood they bare and mantals they wear.
All Examples of what a man should be. What a father should be.

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

"God made fathers
Strong and firm,
For he knew our lives
Would have great concerns.

So he gave us fathers
To teach us to pray,
And guide our lives,
And show us the way. "
Mary Frances Bogle

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

Some fathers day ideas for all over

Here for how to

Here for ideas like these so cute!

Gift ideas here

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

This may have nothing to do with this post but I found it and love it maybe it works maybe it doesn't just something to think about otherwise!

There's one sad truth in life I've found
While journeying east and west -
The only folks we really wound
Are those we love the best.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best.
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

fix whats broken 

mend what needs repaired.

and MAKE it a good fathers Day and weekend.

No matter where you stand.

HaVE A GrEaT WeEkEnD!!

{What I'm learning...}

-That a million popcorn seeds lovingly thrown on your thick, new coushy carpet by your four and five year old do not vaccum up properly.

-that some things in life don't get any easier to feel then the past 30 times before 

-that sometimes to much is enough especially in one day.
-that sometimes the best intentions don't mean anything if you don't really do it with all your heart.

-that life doesn't get any easier as you get older, just different trials, there is always the next thing big or small.

-that life is about choices and we pay the consquences of our choices everyday from the moment we get up - to choosing to respond in a way other then we should.

-that sometimes people say ignorant things that you just have to let ROLL off and not let it bother you.

-that being a dependable person is a good quality no matter who it annoys.

-that life lessons usually come back to repeat them themselves, just to see if we learned the first time.

-that some things might be the last time you do it before you realize it will be the last time 

like the last time K2 took his bottle was 2 days ago sippy and formula weird..... switching to homo soon but already a sippy this babe weans himself...... good thing? not such a baby anymore..he knows what he wants that is for sure.

-that even if you tell them a hundred times you'll be telling them a hundred more.

-that you can never hug your kids to much.

-that being an example means more then your words its in the doing and seeing in the everyday that makes all the difference to our kids.

-that lifes greatest blessings are right in front of us, if we actually look beyond what we think they should be, we will see what we already have.

-that kids are kids, but remembering that is the hardest part.

-that we have rain so we appreciate the sun

just like we have trials so we appreciate the blessings we have.

-that prayer works

That each day is a new day with a clean slate.

“I... may not have gone where I intended to go,
but I think I have ended up where I was intended to be.” --great quote

{Me Thinks...}

 Looking in...
Do you ever have sad/bad mom/dad/ days?We all have them once in awhile...

Where you feel like a bad mom?

or days that nothing goes right?
Or everything hits on the same day?

that would be my saturday...

consisting of..

-a sad cub who went to a scout jamboree who was embarressed that everyone would think he never earned a badge yet..in his words..

"because you haven't sewed any of my badges I've earned on yet.." quivering of the lip kind of saddness-ouch

{I don't sew and truthfully i'm afraid to sew something like those on that will /could be crooked??...so I obviously put it off to long..

i cried and felt like a bad mom.

-one of those days where everybody leaves me with all the million mom things that need done ..that I really had no desire to do.. D went waterskiing {die hard.. freezing waters but loved it!}and granted he did take M with him,

K was at jamboree, L was grouchy, grouchy cause she had to clean her room and toy room before she could go outside and she was hating me, and little K2 had another blow out all over his crib.... oh joy...

the kind of the moments you feel kind of stuck and where you wish you were on a beach somewhere in the carribean! 

-and to top it all off I lost my bank card  

{but thankfully some boys I taught when they were five and who are now about 15 found it and gave it to one of there dads and called me the next day yah! maybe I did something right ha ha!}

-same day we had some curious adoption questions from a friend of K's who curisouly asked k {and I overheard} asked to K 

that I wasn't his "real" mom or why was he adopted...

K who answered awesomly...

" I had a birthmom that was only 16 and wanted me to have a mom and dad a family and she picked one and now I have one.." just like that..... oh how I love him!!!

and yes once again i cried.

it was not a good day.

BUT

D got to ski...

.....D did get done the playhouse finally
{excuse all the hoses and junk.}

 k learned to build with Dad's guidence and built the picnic table all by himself...

the kids had a long fun day playing.

We got to see my bro and his wife briefly when they stopped into visit we always love seeing them..
of course my good points of the day were my sister who dropped by with a surprise garage sailing gift... thanks for thinking of me girl
and of course whitney for reminding me that I have friends who care too..
so life isn't all that bad just some days but there are always reminders to everyday how blessed and thankful we are.

and

Sunday we went to the parents house and went on a walk  boys and there swords where ever we go...

 he finally stayed on the grass for more than a minute! He hates grass...
with the kids it was a nice relaxing night that we all enjoyed! SO overall it was an alright weekend.

-----------------------------------
Me Thinks
That some others are doing some thinking this week.
These 2 links are well worth the read.
HERE
and
Here.

" In the name of love, we….

Give them entitlement rather than responsibility…..

Give them indulgence rather than consequences…..

Give them instant gratification rather than discipline…..

And give them dependence rather than ownership!

We are trying to control our kids rather than giving them control...

And instead of teaching them values, we are teaching them to value the wrong things......"

 ------------------------------------------------
Both something to think about. Tell me what you think. All I know is I will be buying the book of the last link.
So true on both accounts.
WHAT ARE WE DOING??

We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey.
       - Stephen Covey

Have a great week.

{Thankful Thursday..links and love.}

Today I am thankful for a where I live

I love this music video mostly the scenery cause its where I live and I love it especially in the summer....

check this out ...

....and this one too a little taste of home our part of the county and the kind of relationship I hope L and I have and cultivate as time goes by....

 Here

after watching that and bawling through it, it made me so thankful for my daughter and the joy she brings to our life for a birthmother who thought beyond herself and gave us more than joy. There are four angels in our lives and she is one of them!

This same daughter who finshed kindergarten this week and learned so much about herself, about friends, about learning to read write and draw do math and she loved her teacher!

 

First day of kindergarten

 

Last Day of Kindergarten

{her backpack really isn't heavy}

 

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

She made a little book for her teacher of the things she loved it turned out so cute but I forgot to take a picture of the finished project....

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

and for random sake check this out...

and this intersting article that makes me second guess where I take my kids to eat!

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

Hope everybody has a great weekend!

{ME thinks....}

Finally....I have a computer and blogger is working now!

It feels like forever since I have blogged I really,really missed it. I did accomplish a ton and it was really a nice realization of how connected we are to things or how much we use a computer for everything. and how much time is wasted maybe....

but I missed it and actually felt lonely could be cause D was gone all week too but I think for women its a time out a much needed one some days...

So what have we been up too a lot of this and a little of everything.... 

finished up football camp, ballet, gymnastics, roots of empathy, and soccer is done this week, kindergarten is done this week...and then onto SUMMER I am so excited our summer is already packed but lots of fun coming up!

we had some milestones

L's ballet recital was so cute

 

K2  turned 11 months and I can hardly believe it 

some of the things he is doing are:

-he loves to smile a huge ole eye slit smile and we love it!

-he weighs 23 lbs

-is so close to walking and has taken quite a few steps already

-he loves toys and 

-people he'll practically leap into peoples arms 

-he only has two teeth but he is working on more

-he loves his brothers and sister they can make him belly laugh its adorable

-he was the awesomest roots of empathy baby ever happy every time showed off and loved the attention i loved it too!

-he likes to get loud durning all quiet times like sacrament and YW 

-so I started the hall walking each sunday

-he still loves food his bottle and soother and blankie

-he loves to look out the window and wave at the kids

-he HATES grass

-he hates shoes and socks

-he can get pretty mad when he wants but 95% of the time he is content and happy

-he has the craziest hair ever! Finally gave him a good haircut last sunday morn that looks way better!

-he is the most perfect happy handsome baby ever and we just love him!!

check out those chubby rolls he is so cuddly and loveable!

i even got some projects done that I've had for over a year to do.. its not completely finished when its finished and hanging up I'll post a picture...

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

....life is flying by and its hard to believe that another school year is almost over!  That my baby is going to be one, that the kids just keep growing and time keeps moving and new and exciting things are always happening.

Guess thats what we call life eh.

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

ME THINKS

Yesterday I was asked to do a little 5 minute talk thing in Relief Society on preparing for the future..I pretty much bawled guess thats why I don't like to speak in front of others its alot easier to use a keyboard...

I've been thinking alot about choices our youth, our chidren and us as adults make that effect so many people around us and generations to come and sometimes to be honest it is so scary to see what some are choosing.

If they and we only knew and understood that this life is just a test and in the eternal relm of things its short and determines our future beyond the here and now.

someone once said "the trouble with not having a goal is that you can spend your life running up and down the field and never crossing the goal line."

We have to prepare for the future, we have to teach our children now,

we have to be better examples we have to limit our time wasted and get on our knees at our children's level to understand them and so they know we care understand and love them. Childhood only happens once. 

A few years ago I wrote this entry after watching K walk into kindergarten for the first time with a backpack on that was about as big as he was I cried and hoped I'd done enough so far to help him make it...

{and it goes for each of my children} but its how I feel...

“This life is yours. Take the power to choose what you want to do and do it well. Take the power to love what you want in life and love it honestly. Take the power to walk in the forest and be a part of nature. Take the power to control your own life. No one else can do it for you. Take the power to make your life happy.”

I Love this quote

We all want what is best for our kids and we teach them best we know how to. I know the first five years are the very most important and we've tried hard to teach him all that is important and to have respect and to show him how much we love, appreciate, support and value him, and want him to be happy. Before we sent him out into the world, now I guess its his turn to learn. Hopefully we've taught him well to make wise choices and to be an example.

...but today the moment I watched him walk ahead of me to school where he will spend the next twelve years of his life, I was overcome with the love I have for this boy that I hope and pray he makes wise choices, is happy and healthy and loves life and lives it to the fullest. That he won't get hurt to often and that he won't have to many hardships in life. That he will have success and love and live the gospel. I love my kids so so much! 

What a job we have to raise the next generation are we doing the best we can? 

We have been given some of the greatest gifts on this earth 

what are we doing with them?

That's the question - I think about that a lot.

part of the lesson yesterday included some of these phrases that I loved from president monson:

"There is no tomorrow to remember if we don't do something today, and to live most fully today, we must do that which is of greatest importance. Let us not procrastinate those things which matter most." Now.

one day, each of us will run out of tomorrows. Let us not put off what is most important. Live in the present.

Your treasure map is now in place:

Learn from the past, prepare for the future, live in the present.

no matter what stage of life you are in....

Have an awesome week!!

{so good to be back blooging sorry for any spelling mistakes and such I'm trying to get used to a new computer and all the new things with it!}