Simply A Family: My Favorites Contest!

Simply A Family: My Favorites Contest!

A Vanilla Joy Giveaway

I have been following this blog, Vanilla Joy, for a while now, mainly because of Dawna Mae. She got me hooked. The site is full of great ideas for family and home. She even does some recipes! The cinnamon roll recipe is fabulouso! This week she is having a giveaway of Wilton products. I see them in Robert's all the time and always drool over the chocs and the cakes in the photos. The giveaway is a fabulous set of Wilton products as well as 9 valentine's cookie cutters! Love love love it! You can head over and check out Kelsey's blog, Vanilla Joy, and enter the contest too! Or not, and make it easier for me to win.

Fingers Crossed!!

Visiting Teaching? Yes We Should!

I was reading a blog friend's, I hope I can call her that, post today and the title of it was "Spiritual Sunday". She does some super cool "themed" posts and I am thinking I might honor her by copying her some days. :) Today was about visiting teaching and her brother had sent her this video on Visiting Teaching. It really hit home with me because the other day when I was feeling especially gloomy, my VT'rs came and lifted my spirits. I don't know that I've ever had that impact on one of my sisters, but I pray that I can one day.
I watched the video and laughed. Admittedly, on a couple I thought, holy crap I have totally done that. I know I need to be a better visiting teacher. I do have a testimony of visiting teaching and what it can bring to our lives. I am adding it to my list of "do betters" that I have for myself.


2 posts? 1 day? Yep, I am that cool.
:P
ha

Sunday, Sunday

At first I thought I was being all clever and then I realized that the song says Monday, Monday. Ah well...
We have had a quiet and sicky weekend. It started on Friday for me and our three year old and then Saturday Super Daddy got the bug. The other girls have been sneezing a bit here and there, but other than that seem OK. I'm hoping they dodged this bullet!
Friday is a bit hazy. I took a whole lot of Nyquil and stayed in bed. Poppie and Super Daddy held down the fort and I held down my pillow. I think 3 and me got some kind of food poisoning or something because it was not a happy time for our tummies either. It was frightening! Saturday isn't quite as hazy, but went by in a blur. Super Daddy caught the bug and he was feeling pretty ickers by the afternoon. Our poor girls had grumpy sickies for parents, although they did get to watch a couple of movies because of it. Hip Hip Hurrah for DVDs! They kind of Love Mr.Bean and I love that they love it! Love Fest! ahhhh. I think I'm a sucker for all things British and Polynesian. Well, maybe most things. Okay-Okay..all things poly, most things Brit.
:)
Today we still weren't feeling better and I can't seem to stay out of el Bano. So, the girls and I stayed home from church today. Cary went because we have a class of fabulous 10 year olds that we teach. Want to hear a good guilt story? I tell my 5 year old that she is staying home with me from church today and only Daddy is going and he is only going to Sunday school. The crying begins. (one might think that she misunderstood and thought she HAD to go!) I ask her what is wrong, why is she crying so much! Her reply, "I don't even get to go to church today and learn about Jesus!" Yeah, I totally lost that Mommy of the Year award today. I felt horrible. After some cuddles and promises of going to church next week, she finally felt better.
I figured I needed to spend some one on one time with the girls today since I'd been MIA for the past 2 days. The 100th day of school is coming up and my 5 year old needed to make a poster of 100 things. She chose stickers. So, we pulled out the poster board and I let her choose a ton of stickers from my scrapbook collection to complete her work of art. I must say, it did turn out beautifully.
So that turned into everyone doing some arts and crafts projects. Everyone got some papers and cool scissors and decorated a couple of scrapbook pages for their room. I have been meaning to buy some window clings for Valentine's Day at our local walfart, but I decided today that we would make our own! The stuff was out, so why not! The girls got super excited and we had so much fun. I tried to keep that creative control at first, but after a few side long looks from Cary---I realized I had to relinquish all control. We cut paper, glued paper, cut more paper, and cut more paper until my eyes had gone all wonky. The girls wanted to display our works of art, so I let them place their hearts on our front window to be enjoyed by one and all. Each of us have our own heart and they made one for Poppie too. :) I'm glad that they never leave him out of things.


See our beautimous window? Ignore the dirt and hard water stains please. ;)
I'm grateful for the small little moments and the quiet times I get to spend with my girls. I'm lucky they are part of my life and part of my family.

Suffer In Silence? Not me, no sir!

I seriously try to be a person who keeps things inside rather than complaining about them. Well, sometimes I try to be that person. Today, however, is not one of those days. Let me preface this post by saying yesterday I thought I had HAD IT! It has been one of those weeks and I have been a grumpy mom and wife and friend. As a family we have had many challenges and many ups and downs on our roller coaster of a life. Last night Cary gave me a blessing. I shall keep those special words sacred, but it made me feel so much better and ready to face the new day with bright eyes and bushy tails.
Typically I am not a bushy tailed person, but I was willing to try!
We got up this morning and I made a very nutritious breakfast of instant oatmeal (hey, it was apple cinnamon), bananas, and milk. Yummers. Yes, the little kiddies were chomping at the bit to eat it up "all gone"! We were having a decent morning. I was headed to a girl's lunch in the afternoon and was even ahead of schedule!
Time for school? Ok! Let's go! Everyone in the van! Everyone buckled? Ok! Key in, turn...no sound....no lights....nothing is happening. The battery is dead. Nice. "Husband, come rescue me please!"
This was the beginning. Husband is stuck at work and can't come immediately. I can't get in touch with anyone else. I can't walk my 7 yr old to school because I have the other two. 9:15, 9:30, 9:40... Yes! Finally! Dad has come and can take her to school! Meanwhile. My cat, Harold, has managed to get himself into a scrape with another cat and has a huge wound on his little fat furry face. Great. Vet, here we come! Fabulous! Have I mentioned that we are on a budget? Fixing furry fat cat faces is not in that budget. Actually, neither are door lock issues.
Luckily my dad has managed to come over by this time and is taking Daisy, our van, to get a new battery at WalFart. We think this has fixed the problem! I get in to take Harold to get his fat face fixed.
Click CLick Click Click Click Click.
By this point I am pretty much convinced that the van is haunted and there is a ghost messing with my mind and my door locks.
We take Harold to the vet. First thing that little fella gets is a little thermometer shoved right up his little cat booty. My 5 year old says, "MOMMY! Why are they putting that thing in THERE!?" After a wee little giggle and a red face, I told her that's how they check to see if he has a high temperature. Her eyes grew wide. Then I asked her if she was glad that she didn't have to get hers checked that way! A vigorous head nod made me giggle again.
My kindy girl was then taken to school by a good friend. Harold got all fixed up and it was finally time for our girl's lunch! I was supposed to pick up one of the chickies by 12:40. I think we finally picked her up at like 12:50. (not too bad, right?)
When she hopped in she had one of the most fabulous gifts for me.... A wonder woman t-shirt! WITH MY NAME EVEN!! I kinda loved it. I laughed my guts out. Our little wonder woman gang all have matching shirts and I think it's magnificent! Yes, Magnificent! We had a great lunch and I was able to forget about my woes for an hour or so. Thanks Chickies!
My van is still clicking. My girls are still fighting. Harold still has a huge stinky wound on his furry fat face. AND, I am STILL here! I survived! Miracle of miracles.
My visiting teachers came that night and in their message they quoted D&C 84:88, which says,
"And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."
Thank Goodness for those angels.

Trying to be a Missionary Now.....

I am the only member of the Church of Jesus Christ in my family. I am a proud convert of almost 6 years. My dear eternal companion and I were sealed almost 5 years ago. My how time flies! Everyone in my southern root bound family were very leery of my marrying a Mormon! *gasp* A few even doomed me straight to Hell. That's just the way things were back then. I am still the only member in my family, but most of them no longer believe that I am going straight to Hell (well, at least not for just marrying a Mormon! :P)
I am always praying for ways that I can be a missionary to them and help them come to know of the Truthfulness of the Gospel. Tonight my mom and step-dad made a surprise visit through Utah and came to visit us. It was so great seeing them and even greater that my girls got to know their "Nana" even better. Of course, Nana always brings pressies, so she's super cool in their books!
My mom and I have had a rough relationship in the past, but as I have grown older and hopefully a wee bit wiser our relationship has grown and strengthened. We are able to carry on conversations now, not only as mother and daughter, but as friends. I treasure that so much. She is very curious about my faith and often questions me about it. I would love to be able to say that I always have the best answers and never get frustrated with her, but I can't.
Tonight she was telling me of a man in a bookstore who wanted to buy a Book of Mormon when she was back home in Arkansas. He wanted to know more about these mormons! The clerk was quick to tell him that they had multiple wives and were a strange brood. My mom stood up and said her peace! She let that clerk know quickly that her "kids" were Mormon and that wasn't part of it! It's funny to think that she defended us Mormons to a bunch of strangers. I was so proud of her! So, she asked me tonight to tell her more about it because if she was going to stick up for something she needed to know more about it. I was so excited! I didn't know where to start! I was fumbling and crying and nervous and and and and and. I wanted Cary to come in and give her the discussions right then! He was, afterall, a fabulous missionary in his hayday! Cary was busy with the girls and bedtimes! What was I to do! I didn't know!
I sat my mom down at my desk and grabbed my scriptures. When I opened them up it was to basically the first page where it said "another testament of Jesus Christ" I said Look! It doesn't take the place of the Bible, it just adds to it. I was trying to think of what to tell her about. I started thinking of Joseph Smith and the lesson I taught my 10 year olds 2 weeks ago in Sunday School. I told her of a young boy who didn't know what church to join. I cried. I told her about the First Vision. I cried. I bore testimony of Joseph Smith and she cried. We cried together and felt the Spirit together. It was wonderful! She knew that I truly believed what I was saying and I knew that she truly felt the Spirit.
Then I hear Mommmmyyyyyyyy I gotta go Potty!

Nice.
I wish I had been more eloquent. I wish I had more answers and a better delivery. I wish I could be a better Missionary! I want to be a better Missionary and Teacher and Mom and Wife.

I just read that statement again and I've decided that I am GOING TO be a better missionary, teacher, mom, and wife.
Keep me in your prayers.
I can ask for that, right?
:)

A bloggie worth reading....

I know, I know, you think it is mine! It is! I kid! It's totally not mine. I found this little gem what feels like eons ago. It's "Purple Diva's Diary". I honestly can't remember how or why I stumbled across her blog, but I've been lurking around for a while now. Sometimes I will comment on her posts and sometimes I enjoy being the silent observer.(shocking, I know!) She writes well and can be quite clever. I've noticed that she is an amazingly generous woman, always offering giveaways of some sort. That is kind of the reason for this post. She's having a blogaversary and is having a contest. I figured I would let you all know about her and enter the contest at the same time. Two birds, one big rock. :)
Through her blog I have also found some other amazing blogs. Some of my favorites are Word2YourMother and The Naulu Tribe. I know for sure I am not spelling that correctly, but I do love it. It's so funny to me that we can sit and peek in on each other's lives and sometimes even become part of them.
I blog for my friends and for my family, new and old. I need to do better and I need to write more. This will be my journal and is a great way for me to share my life, as the Purple Diva does. :)
Thanks Diva....for some great laughs and some great quiet mommy moments for me! Happy BloggyVersary! :D

Everyone else, go check it out! http://purplefromtheheart.blogspot.com/ it's awesome and stuff. :)

Good Intentions.....

I was determined to start this blog off the right way in the new year, and I even almost, kind of, made a resolution to blog once a week. Good thing I didn't! :)
Cary and I never make resolutions, mainly because we don't want to feel like the schlubs that we are when we break them two days later. With that said, I am going to do some things better this year. I Must! Blogging just might be one of those things that I work on a little more. Quiet time around 8.30 at night is the perfect time for me to sit down with the lappie and type my happy little guts out.
Sometimes I get a little sad and frustrated because I can't blog about my girls like I would love to do. Right now they are foster childrenm, and even though they are legally free there are still tons and tons o' rules that we must follow. One of which is that we can't post names or photos really on the web. Total bummer for me.
They make my heart happy. It's a challenge every single day and I try desperately not to use my "angry" or "grumpy" voice with them. However, they are such special little spirits and I am realizing more and more everyday that they are meant to be part of our family. It is a bizarre thought, I know.
I was out on a girls night recently and we were all cackling away and complaining only a teensy bit(yeah, right) about how unfair life can feel sometimes. All of us have been unable, thus far, to have children naturally and all of us are foster mummies. One of my dear lovelies said something that seems a bit profound to me. She said that Heavenly Father knows what he is doing and "our" children do come to us, one way or another. How true this has been.
Cary and I have been foster parents for a little over a year now and we have had some real doozie experiences. Our first couple of placements were more difficult than I could ever adequately describe. Our next placement was a sibling group of three little darlings who were with us for a little bit over six months. They were, and still are, our kids. They have since been able to return home with their mother, but we are lucky enough to be able to stay in contact with them. They are part of our family and always will be.
We are looking to adopting the three princesses we have now sometimes this spring/early summer. We have to wait out our time and we will see what happens come April.
Last year was a really good year. We know that this year will be too, as well as an exciting year full of changes. We can't wait! I will even try to write about them! :)
Oh! And, I'm officially a minivan driving mommy now. Cary brought home a purdy little Chrysler Town and Country minivan on Saturday. I love love love it. She's the same colour as our Dodge Truck, George. Can I just tell you how wonderful it is to get three girls into the vehicle to go somewhere, anywhere, and not shove and push and pull the seatbelts and listen to "MOM! SHE WONT HELP ME... SHE WONT MOVE... SHE LOOKED AT ME AND BLINKED TWICE!" Yes, that is all over! Huzzah! This morning as we were on our way to church, Cary decided to clock them and see how long it took them to get into the van and buckled....Are you ready..... THIRTY SECONDS!!! (writing it out was so much more dramatic than just typin the numbers!) It's fabulous, at any rate.
I have a wonderful husband. I have beautiful girls. I have a good life. I am very Blessed. I love my dear family. I love my cuckoobird friends.
And I say these things......