Love Day

(I don't know why every thing I type is underlined and I can't figure out how to stop it from happening.)

My Valentine was gone most of Love Day. He is in the Bishopric at church and is busy much of the day with church duties.

With the kids and I having some extra time on our hands we decide to give Dad an extra surprise. We heart attacked his car. Although I think the surprise was on us as he walked out to the parking lot in the middle of our decorating. The funny thing is he didn't even see us until the kids called out to him. Pretend my kids are all looking at the camera and smiling joyfully at the thought of getting their picture taken.

Hope your love day was full of surprises!

(now it's not underlined...weird!)

Question of the day

Today my 4 year old asked me,

"Momma, when I sniff do the boogers go into my brain?"

Too Funny!

Our Super Star Kids

During the last six weeks we have had two of our children featured in their class as "Star of the Week". It is so fun for them to create a poster that tells all about their likes and dreams. They love to be able to share something about themselves with their friends at school and they LOVE the extra attention.

This is how Miss E answered the questions on her Star of the Week poster.

I am 8 years old. My favorite color is orange. My favorite animals are Cats and Dogs. My favorite food is sesame chicken.

If I had one wish it would be for a little sister. (Not going to happen!)

This is Miss E and her BIG sister.

The beach and camping at the lake are my favorite places to go.

My favorite thing to do is play outside.

When I grow up I want to be a vet.

This is what I look like now.

We love Miss E and her happy smiling face. She loves to help and sing. She is a great part of our family!

Our Super Star

Little Man was Star of the Week in December. He also had a birthday in December so he had a great month. Here is how he answered the questions on his Star of the Week poster.

All about Little Man. I am 4 years old. My favorite color is blue. My favorite animal is a Zebra. My favorite food is Pizza.

If I had one wish it would be for a dog. (This puppy took over my beach blanket at the lake last summer. Little man thought it was great fun!)

Camping at the lake is my favorite place to go.

When I grow up I want to be a Pilot.

My favorite thing to do is ride my bike.

This is what I look like now.

This is what I looked like when I was a baby.

We love this little guy and are glad he is a part of our family!

Milky Way

Having a fifteen year old man-child around the house is hard on a mothers self esteem. Especially if you are a mother who buys ingredients and cooks real food instead of prepackaged junk. Because fifteen year old boys want food, and they want it now! Which means they want prepackaged junk!

It is not uncommon to find the man-child of the family standing in front of a fully stocked fridge or pantry exclaiming "There is nothing to eat!!!!" Translated that means the pantry is fully of ingredients and there is nothing in here that is going to give me the instant gratification my stomach and taste buds want. The man child is not appeased by offers of fruit or other healthy alternatives. He is left to grumble and graze the cupboards unsuccessfully until moving on to homework.

Earlier this week while shopping I grabbed a few candy bars while in a PMS induced funk. Snickers and Milky Ways. Calorie and fat laden little bars of diet wrecking instant gratification. The guilt set in almost as soon as I got home and started unpacking. Almost soon enough to save me from myself. (Almost... I ate one in the car on the way home.) As I stood there unpacking I wondered what had possessed me to by not one but 4 candy bars. And what was I going to do with them now that the guilt had set in?

Tuesday the man-child went off to school with an extra little bit of love in his lunch. Just enough to satisfy his taste buds need for instant gratification. Just enough to make him forget that the rest of his lunch was full of healthy goodness.

I got a text message from the man-child shortly after lunch that read, "You're the best mom!!!" I guess the old saying that the way to a man-child's heart is through his stomach is true! I'm expecting another text today.

Give Thanks

I found this wonderful post that I want to share. So click on the link and read what Laura at A Piece of Cake had to share about her encounter with Roger. I think it is particularly appropriate to this time of year. It reminds us to Give Thanks for all the things we have been so richly blessed with, and give richly to those in need of blessings in their lives. It made me think of the words to one of my favorite hymns....

Because I Have Been Given Much

Because I have been given much I to must give,

because of Thy great bounty Lord each day I live .

I will divide my gifts from Thee with every brothers that I see,

who has the need of help from me.

Because I have been sheltered, fed by Thy good care,

I cannot see anothers lack and I not share.

My glowing fire, my loaf of bread,

My roofs safe shelter overhead,

That he too may be comforted.

Because I have been blessed by Thy great love dear Lord,

I'll share Thy love again according to Thy word.

I shall give love to those in need;

I 'll show that love by word and deed:

Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed.

Matt and Megan sitting in a tree.....

This is my cute brother Matt and my soon to be sister-in-law Megan. I am so happy for them! Don't they make a sweet couple?