Who has the time?

I often hear the expression "I am bored". If it is offered by my children I always tell them that there is plenty of work that can be done.

What about all the other people---older than 16? Bored? Who has time to be bored? Now, I get tired of doing the same laundry every week. I dislike shampooing muddy footprints from the carpet--again. But bored?

Here is a quick short list of all the things that I want to learn:
How to crochet a hat
How to crochet a flower for a hat
How to watercolor
How to do faux painting
How to really exercise
How to do photoshop
Digital scrapbooking
Photography
Gardening
Reading for more than four minutes
Jewelery making


These are just a few of the things that are on my mind lately, there are about thirteen million others.

Who has time to be bored, there are too many things to learn!!!!

Jack O Lanterns

I am not really a Halloween lover. I AM a fall decorator. I have great decor in my house during the fall. Halloween and harvest type of cute decor.

I am also a softy for cute little boys and jack-o-lanterns, especially when I did not have to put my hand in the pumpkin to get the icky guts out!

We went to family home evening and the little man had his friend Tim help him with his pumpkin---for the third year in a row! I am hoping that now that he is five I may never have to actually actively carve another pumpkin in my life! We may have to call on Tim for a few more years!
Isn't that middle pumpkin the cutest thing ever?

Fun fun fun!

Fun Stuff!

On Monday of this week I decided that I must clean up my dining room table from two weeks of messes in my house. I have had my dining room table covered with sewing. SEWING! I have had a ball. I wish that I could leave the mess and just keep making cute things--yet--the laundry started to call to me!

I decided that I probably shouldn't make cinnamon rolls twice in one week either--all though I have to say, I make a really, really good cinnamon roll!

I have been working on Christmas banners with my yummy fabric I bought a few weeks ago. They have turned out so cute.



I had to go to the fabric store for some thread and happened to buy MORE fabric.(Great Joann's coupons) This time I decided to make a Thanksgiving banner. It was much smaller so actually very quick. I also made a cute center runner for my table and also two Christmas wall hangings!(I have to quilt and bind them) I decided that I better just keep moving-the mess was out.

Last Saturday, I stayed in my p.j's from 7am -4pm--sewing the entire time!

My table has looked much better this week but I still wish that I had more time to create fun festive creations!

I may show the Christmas stuff--maybe not-can't tell who will be getting them for Christmas! Maybe I will have to open an etsy shop and sell them!!!

Just one of those days

Do you ever wake up and know that you will have to really push to make things happen, and there is a underlying dread? A knowing that today is one of those days that is more difficult than other days.

Today is one of those days for me. I am going to go to yoga and try and get away from this dread that awoke with me. There are brighter things to think about!

Monday-bright and early

Monday. Today has started out on a very productive foot, which is really a very HUGE thing for me. I went to the gym at 5:00 am. That is amazing in and of itself. Luckily, I have a friend that has decided that she needs exercise as well and she has been coming to get me. It is so much more motivating when you know someone will be there for you--I am much better with this arrangement!

So, up at 4:30(fell back asleep till 4:45!)
Leave house at 4:50 am
boot camp abuse at gym
back home by 6:15 am
breakfast for me
wake children up
fold three loads of laundry by 6:30 am
start new load
load dishwasher
wash cookie sheets and mixer bowl(I forgot again-clean kitchen totally before going to bed!)
pick up dirty clothes
try to wake up MissE(nearly impossible, she needs 1 1/2 hours to wake up)
Wake up Mr. Sweetness(who is rarely still asleep at this time)
scripture study/prayer 7:20
Protein drinks fast for two
two kids leave for school 7:30
make my bed
make MissE's bed--just because(she can and does do it)
reawaken MissE-get her moving(like warming cold tar)
switch laundry
sort laundry
get breakfast in MissE
MissE to the bus 8:10
go on the search for the rest of dirty laundry
sort and switch again

It is 9:16 and I have accomplished a ton--I am so going to be a morning person some day!

An ounce of morning is worth a pound of afternoon.

SPARK! THE EVENT

I have been a Mom for awhile now. Sixteen years and counting. I have been very fortunate to have been able to be a stay at home Mom for all of those years. However, on occasion I have felt my life is a bit stale. A bit on the boring side. It isn't that I don't like being a Mom, or that I don't like being in my home. I do love those things. The problem is that I have often forgotten who I am besides being the Mom. There are parts of me that I often forget. I forget while I am cleaning the kitchen, wiping down toilets, making beds, making phone calls, going to parent teacher conferences, taxi driving, cooking, wiping noses, bums and floors, and while I do the twelfth load of laundry. I forget that I, Rosie, like to sew. I like to read more than the back of a cereal box. I like to look at beautiful things and try to figure out how they were made . I like to learn. I forget that I am actually fairly intelligent, even if I have forgotten most of my multiplication tables. I forget to not listen to people when they are negative, even when they are my children and they tell me I am "a handicapped parent."

I forget that I can do hard things. I forget that I am creative. I forget that I am stronger than I think. I forget that I am valuable.

I JUST FORGET.

Recently, I entered a drawing to a fabulous creative event. I had been eyeing this event since I first heard about it. It is called SPARK The Event. Well, to make a long story short, I won the drawing for a free ticket to this amazing creative event!! I was so surprised that I had to make sure it was really me by clicking on the link--which linked to ME!

The event gals held a fun evening last night for all the local people to get to know each other. I decided to go. It was a long drive for me, about 100 miles. The traffic was horrific. I got there and felt like a thirteen year old at her first dance. I felt like a total wall flower. I forgot again that I am brave.I forgot that I am a people person. Then I started to meet people. Very nice, charming people. I started to remember. I started to remember that I am not shy. I started to remember that I can make friends anywhere, with anyone.

After awhile we all got together in the bistro of this amazing boutique --Dear Lizzie--we started to introduce each other and just get comfortable. I started to see personalities. I saw shy people, outgoing people, all types of women that are going to a creative event for some personal reason of their own.

A drawing was held for another ticket to the event. One of us would be selected to bring along a friend to SPARK! My Name Was Chosen!!!! Not only did I win my own personal ticket but I also won another ticket to bring a friend! I knew instantly that my best friend Tina would be coming with me and this would be an experience we would remember forever!

Perhaps this is the beginning of me remembering WHO I am. Who I Want to be and Who I Can Become.

I have a very, very good feeling about this. I love the name ---SPARK! It is perfect. A single Spark can light a fire.


There is in every true woman's heart
a spark of heavenly fire,
which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity;
but which kindles up and
beams and blazes
in the dark hour of adversity.
-Washington Irving


I am ready for my fire to be lit!

Seriously!

Ever feel like it was meant just for you? I hope that I can figure out what those opportunities are!!!

Drop Off

Picture of the day!

I have not been doing very well on my picture of the day-I am still trying but it isn't happening everyday. I still have my little notebook that I am trying to keep up a bit. I had to release some pressure on myself.

Today the Little Man and I went to return some library books. He wanted to do it by himself. Luckily, I had the camera with me!!! How cute is he?

It's done!

I finished it!!!

I bought this kit last year and finally finished it. I love it. It turned out so cute. I am trying to create in my mind one for Christmas. I did some machine quilting---I probably need a different foot to do this very well but I still like how it turned out!!!

Primary Program

In our church(LDS) we have an annual children's Sacrament program. They practice the songs the entire year. Some are ones they have already known and some are new. Each child also has a speaking part in the program. These programs teach what they know about Jesus Christ and his mission and how they can return to live with him.

Today was that program. It is always fun to walk into the chapel and see all the children and their teachers in the choir seats. My favorites to watch are always the Sunbeams. These are the children that are brand new into Primary. They are 3-5 years old. Mr. J is a Sunbeam this year so he was front and center, right next to the podium. He was so cute up there with his sharp new haircut, white shirt and tie---oh wait--his tie was missing! I kept watching him throughout the Sacrament. He would sit quietly, then he would mess his hair up. He would then look over to Hunter and pull a face. Then he would look into the audience and smoosh his face up. After putting his hands in his mouth and almost sticking out his tongue, he would fold his arms and lay on the stand(they were behind the stand). This would last about thirty seconds and the entire scene would repeat- with the exception of the hair rubbing, he must have gotten tired of that.

After the Sacrament was finished the children's portion of the meeting began. The children would carefully watch the music director as she guided them with her hands to nicely stand to sing their song. J would JUMP out of his chair. The song would begin, he would sing the first two words and then stop. Occasionally, he would sing the last word of a phrase. Mostly, he stood there and looked awfully cute. The other children started saying their parts. J was starting to get tired, so at this point he started to lay on the pulpit. It is a pulpit that has a base and then center that raises up and down according to the speakers height. He would lay his head down, and then sit up, pull faces at Hunter, notice Mom, smile his cute smile, and then he would lay his head down again. During one of his quick naps he turned his head a bit too much and GOT HIS HEAD STUCK under the center of the podium! STUCK!!!! He went to move his head and realized it was stuck and freaked a bit, while doing so raised his head up and smacked the pulpit. He grabbed his head and dropped to the floor. Except for the little autistic boy that sang every song with GUSTO, my little J man was certainly my entertainment throughout the program! He did say his part when asked, it wasn't too hard. He was asked who got baptized in the River Jordan---he answered; Jesus.

I love watching the children sing in this program. From the littlest Sunbeams in the front row to the oldest (11)boys in the back, they are all there in their varying moods. We have the little girl who is so excited that she sings every word perfectly and loudly. The boys in the back who are just about too cool to still be in Primary. They are barely singing at all. They are probably only giving a little lip service so that their Mom's won't get mad. The teachers and singing leaders work so hard teaching these children the principles of the gospel every single week. I am so grateful that there are people that are willing to take two hours of their church time to teach these young spirits. They really do learn more than it seems.

Today was the last time I will have a little Sunbeam on the front row. As I watched him lay his sweet little sassy head down on that stand I thought what a joy he has been(most of the time).

These sweet little babies grow up much too fast.

End of an Era

Today was the end of an era for M. Today was the last football game he will play with the team he has played with for five years. They lost their playoff game today. It was terribly emotional to watch these young men. The only positive in the game was that they did score two touchdowns against this team. This team had not had even a single touchdown scored on them the entire season. It doesn't make losing feel better but it does seem to take a bit of the sting off.

M is the youngest on the team. He is in 7th grade and the rest are in 8th grade. M has always played up with them because of his size. This was the last game that they will play in the recreation league. The entire team-except M will be 9th graders and play at the High School next year. M will play again next year but it will be with the team that is his same age. It will be a very different experience.

I never really gave football much thought before my son started to play. In the five years he has played I have come to understand that this game that appears like a bunch of guys running around hitting each other is actually much, much more complicated than it seems. It is actually a very technical game. The plays are complicated and have to be executed to precision. The physical strength and stamina that these boys develop is amazing. They also really learn to play and work as a team.

I was very sad for these boys today. The one good thing of the day? I don't have to drive to football practice everyday! There is a silver lining in almost everything!!

(this picture is from last weeks game-my zoom lens had an accident this week)

Build a Bear Day!

Today was the day! The Little man got to go to Build a Bear Workshop with Grandma and Grandpa and choose an animal.

J has been looking forward to this forever. He has loved his kitty from last year so much. It is his little lovey, he sleeps with it tucked under his arm every night.

He chose a bear with fall leaves on it. He named it Springbeary but his nickname is Leafy.

Getting to ride the Front Runner train, choosing a new friend , clothes and a bonus skate board---what more does a cute five year old boy need?

AM madness!

I am not a natural morning person. I strongly desire to be a morning person.

Today I got up at 4:30 AM and made it to the gym for a brutal 5:00AM class. It was a great class. I was sweating so hard that sweat was dripping into my eyes---that is some serious sweat. It is only 8:30 am and I have been to the gym, gotten children off to school, folded five loads of laundry, sorted 10 loads, made my bed and showered. This is why I MUST BECOME A MORNING PERSON! Maybe I have jumped on the step!

Sparkly Goodness!

I went to the fabric store and found these sparkly yummy fabrics! Now what to do with them. I have a Christmas banner in mind!

The Step

We watch very little t.v. around here. I let the kids watch a bit here and there but I rarely watch anything. However, I really enjoy watching The Biggest Loser on NBC. This is the show about very overweight people trying to lose weight. Last night something on the show struck me---it really made me think.

This gal is working with the crazy trainer Jillian. She is working them HARD. She has a stool that she wants the gal to jump on. It isn't really that high, I have jumped on them when I was in my boot camp class. This is the low one, there are higher ones. This gal watched everyone else jump up on this step. Many of them are heavier than she is. She can't do it. She is absolutely freaked out by this step. She works on it on her own, others try and motivate her, help her, almost willing her to get her legs up enough that she is up on this step. She has done much harder things in the gym than this step, however, she is so stressed about this step.

Do we each have these steps in our lives? The things that we keep walking up to but just can't quite get ourselves to jump up on? I know that I do. Why do we do this to ourselves, especially when we CAN do these things. What is the mental block that stops us from achieving our goals. Where do these blocks come from? What are the steps to overcoming these blocks.

I think that the first step has to be recognition. I feel that many times we skirt around things. We just keep plugging along, doing all the things in this life that take up so much time and energy but don't add up to much satisfaction. I am not saying that we can stop doing many of these things because if I stop we don't have clean undies and those are important. However, maybe my focus needs to change. Instead of worrying and fussing about the laundry I should just do it as well as possible, and move on. Move on to something that gives me MORE.

More what? More joy and more satisfaction. More beauty and creativity. More Love and Kindness. More of things that really matter in life. Relationships with others. Service and devotion. Even better health.

I am going to get up on that step!

The truth

Hello,my name is Rosie and I am a whiner. I don't like to admit it. It makes me crazy that my kids whine. It annoys me when I hear other people whining. Yet, here in my own little twelve step program to recovery I am admitting that I am a whiner.

Today I called my dearest friend in the entire world. She is a saint. She isn't a saint because she has one husband, four children,three dogs, two goats, fourteen geese and a partridge in a pear tree. She is a saint because she listens to me whine. What do I whine about? The exact same thing that I have been whining about for the past eleven years of our friendship, shoes,laundry and dirty dishes. I need to get over this already!

Tomorrow I am going to call her and talk about something sparklie and beautiful. Something that is lovely and useless! I am going to try and not whine one time.

It will be hard!

Time troubles

Some of my children can not tell time. The female children. Why is this? Every morning we get together as a family to read scriptures and have family prayer. We do this at almost the exact same time everyday. There are schedules to keep here people! Why is it that we have to remind the oldest girl-everyday-to come up? Does she not know how to tell time?
The second daughter can't tell time either. Everyday I am looking at the clock as she is about to miss the bus. She doesn't have shoes, socks, coat or backpack on and the bus is coming up the hill---EVERY DAY! Why is this? Did they get a mutated time gene?

I have been sewing!

Last Saturday I decided that I was going to work on a Halloween project that I bought last year. I pulled out my 1960 Singer sewing machine(love this machine) and started my project. I had the top almost completed by the end of General Conference.

On Monday I needed to go and get the batting to put inside---so I went and bought more fabric. I have seen these banners all over for the last couple of years. I thought it would be fun to try one. It turned out so cute. I don't know that I enjoyed the letter cutting. It seemed a bit tedious. I wonder if I could cut them out on a die cut machine. However, I finished it! I knew that if I waited it would be another project that got put in the bag until next Halloween. I had to clean off the table and put my machine away. The mess was starting to get to me.

What about the other project? It is almost finished! I am doing the hand stitching, one side down, three to go!!! I have to finish it tomorrow-I want to be able to enjoy it for at least 1/2 of October!

Playoffs

M's Team made it to the playoffs!!

Today was the first game of the playoffs! They played a great game and won with a score of 24-6!

M was glad that he got to play after having to sit the last two games out due to his knee injury.

Go 78!

Happy 5th Birthday!

Happy Fifth Birthday J!

Happy Birthday! Our Little Man! You are now a big five year old!

You were so excited for your birthday cake. I talked to you about making one(trying to be all crafty) and you really, really wanted to go to the bakery and buy one. You have looked at those cakes every time we have shopped there for the last year. Who am I to burst your bubble and make one from scratch?!!

Thomas the Tank Engine was the party gift this year. You received a motorized Thomas and Percy and then tons of track and a train fix-it bay. You are one thrilled little guy.

Little J, you have been a delight and a joy since the day you arrived so unexpectedly in our lives. We have so enjoyed having another little one around the house to love and cuddle. We are all so happy that you will still give us hugs and kisses. This morning you got out of bed before I did. You came and crawled in my bed, scooted all the way over and gave me a big morning love. I am a very lucky Momma to still have a little one to hug and hold.

Happy Birthday! We love you!

Take notice

Note to Self:

Having a clean kitchen when going to bed makes for a much cleaner kitchen the next day!

Funny little guy

A couple of weeks ago MissA, her darling friend, Little Man and I set out to find the perfect Homecoming gown. While MissA tried on seemingly endless gowns the Little Man got a bit restless. He is four and it was a dress shop. He would watch the little t.v. that was set up for these children then he would come and check on us. "Are we done?" After a long time he started to notice the clothes on the wall for boys. These were tuxedo type clothes for children. They would be the type of clothes that you would buy for a wedding.



As we were leaving with the beautiful gown for the beautiful princess the little man said, "Momma, I really need new funeral clothes."

What day?

What day is it? I am never quite sure? Yesterday was Tuesday and I thought it was Monday, although I had already had Monday and done Monday things. So, what day is today? Maybe I need to create my own day--the day that I can do anything I want and all the stuff that has to be done(laundry, dishes, etc.) will magically get done anyway!

Wishful thinking!!!

Monday

It is Monday. I should be doing about 1000 things. A list of a few of those:
*laundry
*socks
*beds
*floors--vacuum-and finish shampooing upstairs
*kitchen(always and forever)
*bathrooms

What have I been doing? Sewing. I am working on a little Halloween project or two and I just don't want to put the mess away. I have the entire table covered.

I am forcing myself to do some of the boring work so I don't feel guilty doing the fun stuff. The fun stuff makes me a happier more content person--unless my house is a mess! Then I become that cranky lady at the grocery store that just looks and sounds like she needs a nap!

Homecoming 2009

What happened to these two little girls? The time has moved so quickly.

Tonight was the Homecoming dance. It was the first formal that MissA has been old enough to go to. She and B were both so excited and both so beautiful.

Remember the old song from Fiddler on the Roof---"Sunrise, Sunset" that is how quickly these two little girls have grown up.

A's date came to get her in a 1968 GT Mustang. I had to pin the boutonniere on, luckily they have all gotten smart and do wristlets for the girls!

During the day they went to breakfast and then climbing at the rock wall. The rest of the day was spent doing hair. They were movie star gorgeous.

There is a country song titled ME that cracks me up everytime I hear it. It is coming from the guys perspective about his girl and all that she talks about is her-her thoughts, friends, moods etc. This guy occasionally just wants to talk about ME.

Well, lately, that is how I have been feeling. However, I haven't had a minute to actually just talk about me. So I thought that I would make a list of all the things that I would like to write about but just haven't had the me time.

*my birthday ride in a Porsche
*snow on my birthday
*my new decorating purchase and the stealer deal!
*Laundry woes
*canning peaches
*my darling Halloween table runner from Becky for my birthday
*dirty floors
*painting walls
*projects to do during General Conference
*PMS
*weight gain/loss
*eating healthy
*having a daughter going to the homecoming dance-tonight
*driving too much
*yoga
*running-or lack of running
*Thoughts of Christmas and Christmas projects
*Winning a FREE ticket to Spark--a craft/scrapbooking/art/photography workshop!!!!

Maybe I will actually go into detail about some of these things. I will probably just go and work on the laundry and dirty dishes so that I can work on the fun Halloween sewing project I want to finish during conference!