{hum...}

...I just can't seem to find it or feel it lately 

{like the last 5 months} seriously.... 

enough with the depressing snow and frigid temps eh! 

I can't seem to keep up with my normal 2-3 times blogging a week life became an extra dose of busy lately but hopefully I'll get it back till then wishing I was laying here.....and a few feelings of jealousy of those that jetted off all month to somewhere warm! But I'll get over it...lol

 .....right now I'm loving 

bright colors and these combos probably cause they make me happy just looking at them? I love fresh, clean, bright........... 

I love BECKY HIGGINS display here love the colors 

the wreath, the jug, the lantern.... well all of it! 

I dislike that half of everything in the states doesn't ship to me! {probably a good thing for D} and that I can't find anything I really like here my basement needs to be decorated but its not from the lack of just not getting to it I haven't found what I'm looking for yet {is a song going through your head yet?? okay maybe its just me}} Anyway another pet peeve right now it the fact that giveaways {some of them} are only offered to those living in the US well what if I pay shipping ? 

thats reasonable right if I won? I feel excluded from some good chances oh well thats life I guess lots more important things in life than that!

 Loving the yellow Grey combo too

 the turquoise /aqua colors loving those too!

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 This week D had a convention about four hours away from here and the kids had the week off school, so we thought it would be fun to take them with free hotel pool new surroundings and get away swim do whatever....anyway

 it was fun....no really it was

skeletal boy who we do feed I promise the tall and skinny shine through when your doing a back flip....

 ....my swimming fish who loves water {but um not the salt water effects afterwards on her eyes were killing her! But she loves to swim...

 .....and then theres mr chill K2 who is not a fan of the water so he and I hung out and watched the kids play for hours!

and then comes "mr I hate the big pool but I'll hang in the hot tub" {funny posting this picture close looks like he could be in our bathtub in his life jacket..... oh well he enjoyed it... he only like things to do with water if his feet can touch the ground....

 and the smile of a happy content boy that makes it all worth the work!!

 and of course a little chair spinning cause kids love things like that....simple joys and lots of laughs....

 we sleep watched a movie, shopped and swam the ipad came in very handy keeping M contained while we shopped! and to watch a net flicks movie after we all showered, got our pj's on and snuggled in a warm bed {because it was freezing the whole time!!!} the kids feel asleep pretty fast!

 and a little treehouse time fun times....

 It was actually fun to get away it took a lot of planning to take four kids to breakfast each morning {and pretty much everywhere without a freak show going on but they did great! } and K is such a big helper 

{most of the time}

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 Me Thinks

 Just wanted to share it with you all--- I LOVE IT-- its so true! We need to be these kind of parents in raising our kids maybe we can make a difference in this scary world.  That is only going to get worse what kind of generation are we bringing up and what KIND OF PARENTS ARE WE!

{This was in a newspaper I kept years ago not sure who its by}

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farm house in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, 

”Why didn’t we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?”
I replied: ”But I did have a drug problem when I wuz a kid growing up on the farm.” I had a drug problem when I was young: 

I was drug to church on Sunday morning. 

I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher. Or if I didn’t put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me. I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom’s garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad’s fields.
I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline or chop some fire wood. And if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the wood shed.
Those drugs are still in my veins; and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, and think.  

They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin, and

if today’s children had this kind of drug problem, the world might be a better place today.  

God bless the parents who drugged us.

especially mine.
{SO TRUE} 

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along with the above:

Love this quote from President Ezra Taft Benson:

" One great thing the Lord requires of us is to provide a home where a happy, positive influence for good exists. In future years the costliness of home furnishings or the number of bathrooms will not matter much, but what will matter significantly is whether our children felt love and acceptance in the home. It will greatly matter whether there was happiness and laughter, or bickering and contention".

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in our parenting we have the power to change

“Your power to choose the direction of your life allows you to reinvent yourself, to change your future, and to powerfully influence the rest of creation.” {our children most of all}

~Stephan Covey

 

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"When we're young, we only think about what we don't have, 

instead of what we do.
We think of all the places we haven't been, 

instead of the places we have.
We think of all the things we want to learn 

instead of what we already know."

I love that--- sometimes we spend to much time wasted, in wishing instead of being grateful for the places we have been, the things we have learned, and all that we've been blessed with. 

My biggest blessings are all right here and I only hope I can be the kind of parent my children need me to be in these times. So in the end we all make it through happy, healthy, grounded, honest, respectful and with a deep and thriving testimony. Close and most of all to know how loved each and every one is. From the start.

What kind of parents are we?

We all need a bit of old fashioned if thats what you want to call it, but something worked a lot better back then.... 

than the society we are facing right now.

Something to think about.

Have a great week!

{Finding Time.....}

 

{source}

finding time...

To Blog 

To be aware.

To pray

To study 

To read

To Exercise

To get away

To remember

To play

To Study

To help

To learn

To enjoy

To be organized 

To accept

To clean

To get on my knees

To listen 

To regroup

To know why I'm here

To be.

Me.

It's hard finding time some things take a back burner, 

but others are strengthened.

{ever feel like this? thanks kinsey} kind of where I am right now.

Methinks

The last few weeks have been hard a few things have happened that really made me think..

about what kind of battles people are facing that we all face that nobody has any idea about. About me what I'm capable of what I am and what makes me tick what makes you tick....

The things that build and shape us and effect us if we let it...

I've learned that people will find something wrong with everything if they are looking for it..

I've learned that no matter what you do it can't change anything sometimes.........it is what is. You can't make it happen.

That no matter what you do you can't please everyone

someone will always find something wrong with us or a situation

if they want to....

that you find out who your real friends are in times when you didn't think you needed anyone.....

I've learned that if you have more than two kids and there are say four against one nothing is going to go smoothly come to expect it!!

Feeling like a bad mother cause sometimes it feels like thats what you are by the looks of your kids actions in public..... sometimes......

but I've learned that we all pretty much feel like that sometimes.... kids are embarrassing, even rude no matter what you try to teach them but they do learn and grow and

"They may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel"

we have that on our quote board this week in our kitchen and every time I read it I'm learning and trying

to be softer, kinder  and more attentive to really listen

because if we don't listen to the small things that matter right now they won't care to tell us the big things later....

its all about

finding the time 

and making the time 

for everyone around us. Especially our families our children....

because everyone is fighting some kind of battle and  

who are we 

to judge.......... a bad day happens, sometimes a bad life happens 

but accepting, moving on and LEARNING and finding time to dig deep to find who we really are and what we are capable of overcoming and stretching to be more that what happen to us

is where the real learning begins.... 

no matter how old we are...what stage we are in

we can all afford to work harder, give more, judge less, stretch beyond what we think we are capable of. To be there for someone else, to realize we all have a bad day once in awhile. 

Its okay to hurt, its okay to  

mourn what happened or what doesn't because its 

apart of our journey, apart of what makes us and 

apart of finding the time to find out who we really are.

And what we are really made of.

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

later. have a great week...

find time to do something you haven't done in a long time 

{like fly away to feel the sun maybe??} 

the longest winter ever here! 

C

{Lessons, Learning and Life...}

{source}

It has been the busiest week so much going on...add some winter funk and minus 30 freezing cold temps, Valentines Day and treats and hyper kids.... kids needing to be here there and everywhere, 

kub kar rally , dance and homework....piano,

a ranch skating party, three meetings {having parent council, soccer duties {I've been on the town mini soccer board for years,} 

and then my new calling and 2 meetings with that, {all three collied} 3 friends had babies and a sister in law, 

a bake sale for a fund raising benefit, 

missing an important activity one of my kids should have been at and totally spacing it!  Best mom ever award...

made me sick to my stomach when I found out!!!

throw in a movie date with D and that pretty much sums up my week! 

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Life Lessons.

First off K had kub kar rally this week and has known for awhile now but procrastination and dads only being aloud to cut the wood and the fact that someone from cubs glued some weights onto his car where ever... before he was finished it kind of uglyfied it for him......

so it wasn't much to look at but we told him it had as much opportunity as any of the others....

kind of a don't judge the book by its cover 

he learned a great lesson that night!! 

All the cubs had to stand in a line and show their cars to everyone there.... and what they liked about it ....

so K is standing at the end of the line its his turn and they say show us your car he has it hidden and so he slowly brings it out they say what do you like about your car

honestly he says " I don't really like anything about it" 

it was pretty funny

Well his little car came in third after everything was done and he was pretty happy in most of the heats he was first and second and when the finals came and he was third he learned a big lesson! 

One I hope he doesn't forget.

Don't Judge!!! we are all capable of anything, no matter what our outside package looks like its whats inside that counts!!! 

lesson learned.

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

We also had a fun ranch skating party well fun for those that skate I'm pretty clutzy and never really did it when I was younger so just not my thing the kids are learning though....add in some donuts hot chocolate and cookies the kids were in heaven.....

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U asked so here it is...

People have asked me a few times how I do my hair and how long it takes well contrary to popular belief I spend less then 10 minutes on my hair including blow drying and straightening. I can with all my allergies only use certain products on my skin and hair so when I find one that works with my list of DO NOT USE I keep it and these are my keepers

...ps I don't back comb my hair either I use dust it which I've shared on here before but it is an amazing product I personally love it but some can't stand it each to there own. Here is what I can use:

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“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ~Neale Walsh

Have an awesome day!

{Valentines Day 2011... me thinks}

  

Seriously I'm not very good at keeping up with this love week fun. Life is so busy sometimes plus picture problems on my blog. First I ran out of picture space finally decided instead of erasing past posts I just bought extra picture space, then I went to post a couple of times and my pictures wouldn't come up? weird but its working today so here we go! 

I saved the my best for last in love week and that is my family

my husband and my four beautiful munchkins none of us perfect in any way but we rock imperfection with the goal of working on forever.

and thats pretty much what we are here for isn`t it!

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

and since its Valentines Day I love this list and ME THINKS its always nice to have a reminder

20 Ways to Make a Good Marriage Great

by Richard W. Linford  

{source 320 sycamore}

1. Night and Morning Prayer … to say thanks, to ask for help in your marriage and family, to worship together.

2. A Weekly Planning Meeting … to discuss the calendar, talk over needs and problems, decide priorities and next steps.

3. A Daily Phone Call or Personal Conversation … to say “I love you,” to touch base, to discuss the day, to show you care.

4. A Weekly Date … to a favorite park, a concert, the library, the gym; or staying home for a candlelight dinner, a game, or a mutual hobby.

5. Patience Regardless … of missed meals, tardiness, forgotten favors, a thoughtless remark, impatience.

6. Daily Service … helping with house or yard work, mending a piece of clothing, taking a turn with the sick baby, fixing a favorite meal.

(Write it down. Do it!)

7. A Budget … to tie down income and expenses, help set financial goals, and give you control over your finances.

8. Listening … not only to what is said, but also to what is meant.

9. Regular Attendance … at church—and where possible—the temple.

10. Daily Scripture Reading … to learn the gospel, to receive inspiration for yourself and your marriage, to become more like Jesus.

11. Working Together … caring for a garden, painting a bedroom, washing the car, scrubbing floors, building a piece of furniture, writing a poem together, team teaching a class.

12. Forgiving Each Other … always learning from each other, trying a different way, being the first to make peace. 

13. Courtesies … like saying please and thank you, not interrupting or belittling, not doing all the talking, continuing the niceties of courtship.

14. Soft and Kind Words … of tenderness, compassion, empathy.

15. Learning Together by … reading to each other, discussing ideas, taking a class.

16. Respecting … opinions, ideas, privacy.

17. Supporting Your Spouse’s … church service and righteous goals.

18. Caring for Your Spouse’s Family by … enjoying their company, praying for them, serving them, overlooking differences.

19. Occasional Gifts … such as a note, a needed item—but mostly gifts of time and self.

20. Loving with All Your Heart. “Thou shalt love thy wife [thy husband] with all thy heart, and shalt cleave unto her [him] and none else.” (D&C 42:22.)

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I have a few boys in my house and its so fun to see how they are all different but so much the same one of the BEST toys we have ever bought the boys starting with K when he was probably 2 or 3 from the $ store was 10 dinosaurs they have been in the tub, in the snow, in bed, on towers, in food EVERYWHERE and they can play for hours with them...M is currently still very attached to them......

K2 got to go sledding for the first time last week too it was so fun a friend and 3 of her kids and my four and I went sledding just before dark it was so fun! The kids had a blast and K2 hated being in the wind but loved going down the hill with me so we only lasted four runs but it was fun.

Can't tell by his poor cold face but he did like it!

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So for Valentines day we did the annual sweethearts ball saturday night in town. D gets tickets through work so we go for the meal stay for a dance  and this year we left and went to party we a few of us it was fun..then today we had a candle light meal {the kids thought that was so fun} with some of every bodies favorites for dinner and chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert the kids loved it! Something different and fun then had FHE on the creation given completely by K who wanted to do it and drew pictures of each day of creation then had us look up scriptures to go along with it and then to put the pictures in order love that kid he loves to learn and study and he did awesome!  so it was a day. We aren't huge Valentines day celebrators its a nice day a nice reminder but ....yah.

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LOVE IS NEW BABIES

My sister in law Katelyn had her new baby boy

Rylan on sunday the 13th he is so so cute and I can't wait to see him.

You know its hard when your babies grow up and you see these little miracles all around it can be so hard when your heart really wants something.... I put the baby gate in the garage last Saturday and then sobbed and sobbed ....something so trivial as that brought on a whole lot of emotions they grow up WAY to fast!! 

and some feelings, hopes and dreams never go away.

but

faith, hope and living each day thankful and beyond grateful for what we have for where we live makes all the difference. Because when we dwell on the things we can't change life becomes a negative, unhappy place where none of us want to be. 

We have to do what we can with what we have.

and love what we've been given everything has a reason its finding the joy and will to make it work, despite what we feel is owed to us. Life doesn't work that way and once we figure that out we might all be better off. Life isn't easy, but it could be a lot easier all depends on us and how we react how we life and choose. 

Its a choice and we have plenty of those lucky us eh!

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

ps 14 years ago today I got engaged  

{actually it was after midnight so its actually the 15th but followed our V day fun so there yah go!} D had dropped me off after a really fun dinner, gave me roses and a card and I thought man this was the day he was going to ask me for sure feeling like all the important other days had come and gone... Christmas had gone, new years had come and gone, my birthday had come and gone and now valentines day had come and gone 

{almost} 

He actually I found out later had to separate the wedding band from the engagement band so he went back to his truck and came back 5 minutes later knocking lightly on the door because by now it was probably a bit after midnight..... and asked if I would go for a ride with him for a minute ......then my heart started to pound and I was more than happy to go for a ride ..............we ended up at the temple grounds where he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him............... I was bawling, beyond happy that we FINALLY where here and well 14 years later here we are!!!!

Crazy how fast time goes by and I couldn't be more happier with my choice and that I said 

YES.

{I never went ring shopping with D so I never knew it was coming he did a great job and picked the perfect one.....}

That was by far my favorite Valentines day of my life thus far and probably always will be. Hope you all had a great day. 

Life is Good.
{as we make it}

{ Love Week day 2 ..}

um I kind of suck at remembering to do this..... life just got a lot busier but thats life so here are my current loves random i might add....

I love this picture I love the Eiffel Tower because I will stand under it one day and take a picture for my own memories..... and it represents Dreams to me {that I will do someday}

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I love this bright kitchen.... makes me want to built a new house....but really I'd far rather live in an old 1900's home with character and remodel it! Beautiful...love it

I LOVE soft black licorice and chocolate covered cinnamon bears!

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I love this picture cause it makes me laugh every time

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

Love these little faces from the past.... miss this stage of each its true when people say enjoy every minute cause it goes by so fast! SO TRUE! 

miss.this.

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

and I admit I LOVE. this.

for a few reasons I love the learning apps, reading apps, and for the work I can get out of it ha ha! I like it for night scripture reading it saves your spot and its right there, its my ipod, my recipe book, my alarm, my flashlight, photo keeper, planner, etc etc... love it for being somewhere with the big M and it can keep him entertained in a quiet place doing the alphabet and learning games as he calls it....

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

and I love this quote:

"We women have a lot to learn about simplifying our lives. We have to decide what is important and then move along at a pace that is comfortable for us. We have to develop the maturity to stop trying to prove something. We have to learn to be content with what we are. As you create a home, don’t get distracted with a lot of things that have no meaning for you or your family....
~Marjorie P. Hinckley

and of course the best quote yet...

“I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon.”

Have a great weekend..

{Love WEEK 2011...}

LOVE WEEK 2011

a great week to focus on my blessings and remember what is important!
{{thanks denae for the great idea}}

This weekend was cold and snowy on SAT afternoon D's mom and dad had a valentines party for the grandkids they loved it! and came home so excited to show me everything they did....I LOVE that they are taking the time out of their busy schedule to spend all that time with their grandkids. My children love all their grandma's and grandpa's and gg's! Thats what life is all about !! as a bonus I got time to clean and dejunk and relax on a snowy day.

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Love my funny kids

 K came in the kitchen sunday after church and said to M

"Your my brudder from another mother"

{{said in his best gangsta voice lol}}

in a family built by adoption it was extra funny 

we all had a good laugh...

LOVE my kids so much.

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Love these prints from here

especially for little girls always being told that we need to look a certain way, be a certain size, do certain things to be beautiful
when beauty comes from within
how do we teach that to our daughters
{and really ourselves..... each one of us}
that what is really important is in the♥

T H A T  u  R  B e a u t i f u l  J u s t  T H E W a y U R

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

Love this quote from 320 sycamore

love the reminder to keep our wants simple to enjoy the snowstorms literally and figuratively speaking, I thrive on bad weather {not when people suffer or anything} But I would totally be a storm chaser in my next life.... I love it I like the challenge the different than normal everyday boring I love the rain the thunder the blizzard the abnormal {maybe thats just me on second thought the abnormal part that is....} but really I do...

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Love that I choose the word 

change for my 2011 word

I wanted to change the norm.....

part of that was to

do more with my sisters/mom and we are all going to time out for women and I'm excited....that part of change that I am working on......

THEN on SUnday

I got a different kind of CHANGE

the out of my comfort zone.... your to comfortable where you are kind of change 

I got called to be the PRIMARY PRESIDENT in my ward yesterday I've known for two weeks....so to

 say I'm a little scared and overwhelmed at this exact moment would be an understatement...I do know that with a lot of help from above and great people to work with it will be a learning and growing experience and I can only do my best... and I look forward to what we can accomplish along the way and the growth we will all take from it! 

Plus who doesn't want an extra 60 kids each week!

Fun times...and ideas or websites what works what doesn't.... let me know please

its given me a lot of ME THINKS thoughts over the past couple of weeks...

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Love free printables from here

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I LOVE this baby

{not so baby anymore :( }

He is so fun so cute and so happy

He knows what he likes and doesn't like

He loves to pray he folds his arms at family prayer and before he goes to bed he often reminds me to have prayer with him by folding his arms

he can Eskimo kiss and butterfly kiss its the cutest thing ever his aunt Dawna taught him that!

He loves books

He loves sleep and he loves his soother like no other I try to keep it to the bed and {sacrament cause he likes to get loud!} 

When he's tired he goes and gets it and his blanket!

He has the most beautiful blue eyes

He loves Nursery and is the kindest,sweetest boy

and tenderhearted like his big brother K

He loves music and will stop anything he is doing for music and loves to dance! 

He has a certain sound for an M attack I know exactly when M is being a little to friendly he forgets K2 isn't a doll or something!

He loves to do whatever KLM are doing! 

He loves to snuggle

I love all my kids but this little one has a hold on my heart and I don't want him to grow up!! They grow up way to quickly I'm not ready!!!
I look at K and think how did this happen he is almost taller than me not hard I know but it really does go by so very fast!!
-----------------------------------
What do you love?
Have a great week!

{Thankful..}

that's the easiest way to make it through life isn't it...

So I'm thankful for Music and this is my new favorite song thats playing so turn it up...

I'm

Thankful for things to look forward too

 some girl time out at both!

Life is always more fun when we have things to look forward too!
like a night here.... love the peace and the cleanliness it brings to my life...always better with friends and family too

thankful for the worlds best babysitters that there are still GREAT babysitters out there who CLEAN and PLAY with your kids, my kids beg me to leave so that they'll come watch my kids...So THANKFUL that there are still parents out there that teach their children to work and how to babysit....I get so frustrated when my house is a disaster when I come home! But my new girls know how to make a mom HAPPY!!!!
THANK YOU GIRLS!!!!
Apparently my children told them that we pay more if its clean and in order which is true!!!!
{i mean we only ask that its at least as clean when we left right these girls clean spotless I love them!!!}
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Love when I win something too thankful that people have giveaways hee hee and makes my day when I win!! Yah!! Won something from Here
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love this sometimes life brings situations or changes where you think you can't, but if you think like that you probably can't..... so its changing the way you look at it! love quotes that jump out at me....so

and make it work ....

and gotta run so have a great weekend!