(we have had a lot of rain-picture taken at Grandma's - Spring 2009)

Drowning in Mt. Washmore!

My laundry is one of my biggest struggles. So--I am digging down and sorting, washing, folding and putting away mounds. Trying to NOT LEAVE MY HOUSE TODAY!

It is the last week of school so--

*Lovely MissA had her 17th birthday on Saturday--17! Holy Cow, how did that happen?

*dance competition was at Lagoon last Saturday. A's team got an overall MVP award! That is huge-this is the national competition so it is quite an honor--it was also a brand new Acappela dance they had never competed before.

E's team also did exceptionally well with an overall high score.

*A spoke in church, M spoke last week

*J had preschool graduation-my last little person in preschool

*E had a rendezvous field trip

*M hiked to the M and is at Lagoon today

*E has a field day today -games and fun activities all day long.

*Sugar Daddy has been busily working on a service project for a neighbor--hard manual labor kind of stuff.

*M has flag football practice twice a week

*I drive, buy lunches, take pictures and don't get my laundry done!(I am still hitting the gym at early o'clock)

*E had her last sewing class

*E and I had a Mommie Miss party last night and I got my toes painted!

*Graduation is Friday-A will be lighting the M with the Juniors and then taking pictures with the cute boy.

*It has been raining, my flowers are growing nicely, yet so are the weeds! I sprayed yet will need to again.

*We are hoping for good weather so that we can get the boat out on the water.

* I have not gotten much done on my list but we did go and buy a cabinet for the garage and I emptied a bookcase in the basement. Not a big dent but still something!!!

20th of May--Already?

It's Thursday-Thursday the 20th of May. What have we been doing?

*I have still been going to the gym most mornings at early o'clock. I still don't lose any weight. I don't gain weight either. So-trying to figure out how to add more workout time in or how to not eat (at least as much). Have also been trying to pshcye myself out enough to begin running again. I stopped last fall and haven't started-I want to, but haven't made the decision to just do it. It is an overwhelming need to be able to run over 10 miles. Soon!
*Laundry
*Laundry
*Not mopping my kitchen
*cleaning out the corner of my bedroom that has become a catch all of every book I have looked at since September, every skein of yarn and a few extra things thrown in because well-it was a mess, no one would notice.
*writing lists
*trying to accomplish a few things on the list
*not making much progress on the list.
*I sprayed weeds in my flower beds and I want them to die already so that I know if they are dead!!
*I cleaned out the endless pit in the corner of the garage last Saturday. It was designed so perfectly when me moved into this house almost nine years ago. There is a big bookcase for shoes, hooks for coats and backpacks, a shelf up high for coolers etc. The PERFECT CORNER has been a perfect disaster for exactly nine years. The only time that it isn't is the week after I clean it out. So, I have declared this perfect corner system a failure. I will be changing the way that our coats, boots and shoes are deposited. The biggest offender--the Big Mr. M, with his lazy drop of his size 13 shoes and his bag and coat. So, the garage has been under construction since Saturday. It has actually just been at a standstill because Sugar Daddy thinks he wants to go with me to buy a cabinet. It is now Thursday and we haven't parked in the garage since Saturday. Maybe I will go and buy the cupboard by myself.
*planning some trees. I have wanted trees for years. I have to just buy them so that I can plant them so that they can grow. It is so hard to know the types to plant. I don't want trash trees but I do want some variety. I have also waited for the hubby to do it with me--well, I will have trees this year, even if I have to get them by myself.
*We had a piano recital and a band concert last week.
*Dance recital tonight and competition Friday and Saturday at Lagoon.
*E and J both have field trips on Monday. M has a hike, field trip and dance next week.

*School is out on Thursday and the craziness of summer begins!

Chaos Dreams

I have had a recurring dream for years. Well, it is a recurring type of dream. I am usually in college about two weeks into the semester. I start to feel this panic, I start digging for my original class schedule, the one that I got the very first day telling me what courses I am taking and at what times they are. I have this huge fear that I have forgotten a class that I am enrolled in and haven't been going for two weeks. The dream varies from college to college(I did go to five) and on occasion I am in High School.

I had the High School version the other night. It was about a math class that I hadn't been going to and I was trying to figure out what I had to do and when it had to be turned in.

The main theme of these dreams---PANIC--CHAOS!!!!!

The next day I woke up feeling it. The overwhelming chaos of things undone. It took me years to understand these dreams. I now understand them. What I choose to do with the knowledge is another thing.

I had a rather crabby day. It was a good thing that most of my family was away for the day. I don't seem to get as grumpy with the little guy as the others. That will change, he will get bigger and talk more!

About mid-day I realized that I needed a list. I have had these lists a million times. They are actually quite overwhelming. I write anything that comes to my mind that needs to be taken care of. This is the chaos that I am feeling. These things are the panic in my dreams. So, my list encompasses almost three pages. Most of the items begin with--EMPTY or PURGE and is followed by pantry, closet, cupboard, etc.

I am hoping that by writing the list down it can leave the recesses of my mind and let me sleep better. I also hope that having it in writing will help me to actually make an action plan and start checking things off. Toys sorted under entertainment center--check. Books all in one place--check.

I read a book awhile back called The Artist's Way--it is a creative flow type of book. One of the techniques the author uses is what she calls morning pages. You are to get up early and start free writing. Anything that comes to your mind-write it down. It doesn't have to have flow or be good technical writing. The purpose is to free your mind of the clutter so that you can have a more productive day and hopefully a more creative day.

I am hoping that my chaos mind dump of things I need to do will help!!

Random images

Sometimes it is just funny the images I find on my camera. Other images can be --well--a bit disturbing!!

Mother's Day 2010

Happy Mother's Day Mom!



I was blessed to have lots of lovely flowers to brighten my day! E and J hiked the mountain and came back with lovely wildflowers-just for me. Big Daddy brought me a lovely bouquet with pink roses, lilies and other beautiful things.

I am a lucky girl.

(someday I might write about how conflicted I am about such holidays--just not today)

YouTube - My New Life

I have been following Stephanie and Christian Nielsen for a couple of years. They were in a plane crash and were severely burned, Stephanie over 83% of her body. I have been touched many many times by Stephanies writing. She loves motherhood--she makes me want to do better-makes me want to remember how precious my children and husband are---makes me just want to enjoy every blessing--even the dirty dishes and the messy floors---for they too, are a blessing.


Click on this video--it will touch your heart.



YouTube - My New Life

It is calling to me!

Remember my HUGE pile of yarn? I haven't been doing anything with it for quite some time. It sits and almost haunts me! I am actually wanting to make something beautiful with it again! I just picked up my favorite fifty year old sewing machine from being serviced, maybe there is some sewing in my future?

Now if I could just get the pantry organized first! Any one want to come and help?

BYU Women's Conference

Lots of things going on around here.

Last week I had the opportunity to go to BYU Women's Conference. It was two days of classes/talks about varying topics.

I was fed. In fact I was fed so much that I am now really trying to grasp some of what I was taught. It is interesting how that works.

Sister Julie B. Beck(LDS general Relief Society President) gave a stirring talk about motherhood. She was fabulous! Funny tidbit-we had a regional broadcast Stake conference on Sunday and she gave the same talk---it was fabulous both times! I think that it was even more profound the second time because I got even more understanding.

We listened to talks about delegating, humanitarian projects, family bonds, motherhood, being the Lionness' at the Gate of our homes-protecting all that we are entrusted with--how to just forget about who's responsibility it is and just get to work.

Now to try and incorporate these things-in more tangible ways. That is always the struggle, to really try and do what we KNOW is right--just because it is right-not always easy!

We also had some fabulous evening entertainment. I have found some new music that is so wonderful. Hillary Weeks, Daniel Beck, Alex Boye and Dallyn Bayles, Mercy River and the always popular Micahel McLean. If you need some new inspiring music look up their names! Deseret Book online would have all of them. We were also pleasantly surprised to have The Fab Five dancers from Americas Got Talent! It was so fun to have our home town girls perform at such a big venue--and quite an honor for them!

When?

As I was pulling the sheets off of my bed to launder I had a shocking realization.

I have no clue when my children's sheets were last washed!

Eewwh!!! That is just gross!! So, off the beds they came! I need a little genie that keeps track of
all the little things that need done. When they are accomplished a little check mark is given!

*wipe the baseboards--check
*clean the drip tray on the fridge--check
*wash the walls behind the beds-check
*dust the cold air return-check

Perhaps if there was a little genie that had a schedule these types of things would always get done!?

However, I am not the type to make myself detailed Martha Stewart lists that have everything detailed to the point that I know that on March 30th I need to dust the back of my computer monitor. Somehow, there has to be a happy medium. I will not be a slave to a million detailed lists but having a working(for me) system helps. Figuring out what that system is for me and my family is the hard part!!

Washing sheets regularly is a good start!

How?

I am continually trying to figure out how to create desire within my children.

Having them do because it is right does not create the desire to do it. Doing it
because it is a responsibility of being in a family does not create the desire.

How?