My First My Last My Everything...a little Barry

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RaspBARRY WHITE Cake

1 package White Cake Mix (2-Layer Size)
3 cups fresh Raspberries
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 cups Whipping Cream (unwhipped)
Fresh whole Raspberries for garnish
Additional Cream (whipped) for garnish

Pre-heat the oven to 350-F degrees and lightly coat two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray and a light dusting of flour.

Prepare the white cake mix as directed on the package, making sure to reduce the amount of water you add to only 1 cup. Pour equal portions of the cake batter into each of the prepared cake pans.

Evenly distribute about 1 1/2 cups of the raspberries over the top of the cake
batter. Sprinkle the raspberries with 1/2 cup of sugar, each.

Divide the whipping cream, and pour equal portions over the top of the raspberries on each cake. Bake for about 60 minutes.

Immediately invert both cakes onto serving plates when removing from the oven. Let cool, then garnish with freshly whipped cream and whole raspberries just prior to slicing and serving.

*Did you learn any spanish today?! Bet ya didn't know Barry White loves his raspberry cake that much, eh? hunh?

And no, there's no extra charge for the "cheese" in this post...you'll never look at raspberries the same way again! You won't be able to help it if you "bust a move" in the produce aisle as you pass the raspberries. From now on, everytime you hear Barry White, you'll think of his deep baritone voice crooning about raspberries.

For that, I'm a little sorry.

Called to Serve

This is for two missionary moms out there...E. Nevels' mom and E. Babbitt's mom.
We feed the missionaries breakfast on Saturday mornings. This is one of E. Nevels first Saturdays in the mission. FYI--we love him and his tender heart. E. Nevels with his 2nd comp, E. Babbitt. They compliment each other very well and seem to have a true friendship. E. Babbitt is just a scream! We laugh so much when they're over.

E. Nevels spoke at Arianna's baptism at our invitation. E. Babbitt just spoke at our daughter's friend, T.'s baptism on Saturday. Both of these young men are truly loving servants. It is our privilege to get to know them.

Everybody's Free (to wear Sunscreen)

For Diana and Seniors Graduating Everywhere!



I love this.
"There is nothing in this world so strong as your belief in yourself."

Nana graduates this Thursday. This last week has been near miserable for her. She's been, frankly, quite emotional...cranky at times, somber at times, ornery and then hopeful...I think they make pills for this if it were long term, but since it's temporary, probably not.
I listen when she talks. The one time a day that is ours alone is afterschool--she walks in the door, and then rides with me to pick up the little kids from their school--it amounts to about 30 minutes, and I will miss that time together. Today is her last day of high school. Where did the time go? Four down, 3 to go. Will I even last until the Caboose is a senior?? From here it looks so far down the road, but life has taught me that time zooms past you when you're so busy living it.

The songwriter Baz L. is profound. His message is spot-on...for all of us. I would add one more thing: Prayer. That's the only way to get thru any of this and resemble the person you want to be in the end.

Please Mr. Postman

Mr. Postman brought me an AWESOME PACKAGE yesterday!!! Oh yeah....wait a minute wait a minute...check it and see...

I won a GIVEAWAY from the Mormon Mommy Blogs!!

P.S. I can't wait to see what everyone else posts today!

Do As I'm Doing, Follow Follow Me!

So, this is the deal. Maybe it's because of the bright Colorado skies that have inspired me or knowing that summer is nearly here or or I have slipped into another dimension of absolute nuttiness, but I'm just gonna put this out there...
For the next week, every post TITLE is going to be either a SONG title or a Line from a Song...
--music rocks my socks, so why not, I say?!
And so that I dont' feel like a total dork, I am willing to bribe others to join me. In exchange for your participation, there's something in it for you. It will be a surprise, but I think you'll like it. And it will be personalized.

So, if you wanna give this a go, just comment below so we can follow your TITLES this week. That's just 7 days. And if you wanna expound on why you chose that song or what it means to you, go right ahead! It'll be fun to learn more about my "followers".... Come Follow Me....you know you want to!

MMB Giveaway

The Mormon Mommy blogs are having a neat May giveaway...go check 'em out! Click on that blue button to the right and it'll take you right there!

Weekend Whatevers

Saturday was one of those days that I didn't really make any plans and I didn't want any. I'd hoped to hit the trail, but it was super windy and foggy most of the morning, so I just puttered around the house.

We did feed our awesome missionaries breakfast. Taylow made pancakes, Mr W made eggs, and Nana made sausage, while I cut watermelon. We love feeding our missionaries.

My puttering: going thru the kids' toys...is not my idea of a fun thing...but my goodness, when I walked down to the basement and started to cringe looking at the bins full of toys all mixed up, spread on the floor, and messy--well, I was COMPELLED to do something about it.

But in the end, it's worth it. All the Polly Pockets are together.(Do you remember when Polly Pockets were tiny and impossible to keep track of?) As are the Littlest Petshop pets, the tinkertoys have been put back in the same bin, and all 120 naked Barbies are together and their clothing too. Once their clothes are off, they all look the same: nekkid blondes. Boofus is saving all of his Rescue Heroes for his children, he says. I'm okay with that.

I also felt ambitious enough to match up all the DVDs and their cases. I don't get why my kids can't seem to put them back together once they've watched the movie. Why? Why? Why?

Then, that night was Dara's friend, T.'s baptism. I was asked to speak on "Baptism". I talked about how this decision of hers would be the catalyst for her decisions for the rest of her life. I am grateful she asked me to participate. Her parents were supportive even though they are not active in the church. It is easy to see how much they love their daughter.

Daisie spoke on the topic of the Holy Ghost and I am continually amazed at how graceful she is becoming. She expressed sweet feelings of excitement for her friend and her love of the Savior.

Sunday brought beautiful weather! It has been sunny and mild all day.

Tonight we're invited to go to a Fireside put on the missionaries for new converts. T. was invited to speak but was unable to attend, altho another friend of Daisie's who joined the Church in January was asked to speak and we're giving her a ride. Chels is just a doll...so bubbly and every bit 14 years old! It was she and Daisie who shared their testimonies and invited T. to church---the ripple effect, is it not?
*postscript: The fireside was really the highlight of my weekend. Nearly 20 recent/new converts shared their testimonies in a chapel full of missionaries. From young ones like Chels to a few folks old enough to be my parents. Every single one of them was unique and wonderfully candid. They haven't learned the LDS "lingo" yet...very refreshing & inspiring.

Overheard:
Ari to Kota, who'd chewed up something of hers: "Oooohhh, You are in SO MUCH TROUBLE! Naughty Puppy! No! No! No! Mommmm! You stop that right now, okay? Or you're going up to your kennel. Bad girl! Mommmmm!"

Dakota's World & Random Pics

The Caboose, Boofus and Dakota getting ready for school. 'Kota goes with me to take the kids to school every day. In fact, everytime this little dog hears the keys or sees me going to the door, she thinks she is going with me. I try to take her with me as much as possible.

Wild flowers on the trail. I'm just trying to learn my new camera features.

Santa Fe trail in Colorado Springs. Have I told you I love Colorado?

Kota on the trail. If she could, she'd raise her paws and ask me to carry her. She is really a great companion on the trail when she isn't zig-zagging in front of me. She doesn't even need a leash...she just sticks right by me. Until a friendly jogger comes by, then she's a mess, so I have to hold onto her.

The Front Range of the Rockies...love that blue sky!

More trail. Did I tell you this rocks my socks?

The Boofus has been attacked by a killer puppy!! Ack!

Before Bed, hangin' in the loft with the pup and Daddy.

Okay, I don't know why this one is sideways...but Mr W hangin with the pup...he always gets down on her level. She just eats him up!

Kota is just a typical lab...she loves people, she already retrieves(!), & she eats like there's no tomorrow! We're feeding her Avoderm...it's supposed to be good for her coat n stuff. She sleeps in a crate all night without incident. I can let her out the front door and she runs around to the back of the house, up the deck stairs and waits at the sliding glass door to be let in...she doesn't run away! Our last dog was always always running off, so that she doesn't is way cool to us.
And when I open her crate door, she walks right in. She won't do that for the kids though, and I don't know why. But she'll do it for me. She's already grown so much...we are really enjoying this new little gal. The Caboose wants to make Kota a guard dog...haha. right.

Matt & Dani at Nana's piano recital. Dani looks so happy doesn't she? lol Oh and the timestamp on this is way off. It was a week ago,

Nana and her piano teacher, Laurel. I like this teacher alot. She freaks Nana out to do her best.
Worth every cent.

Elder Nevels from Fulton, MO. and his companion, Elder Babbit from Illinois. And the Caboose.
We love these young men so much. We're going to know them for-ev-er.

Random pics of the here and now

Fathers & Diaper-Changing...

Precisely why Women Rule The Nest!

For my son-in-law-soon-to-be-daddy, Mr. Idaho.

Knock, Knock--Who's There?

You know those homes on your street where there are nearly always more than a few cars out front? Those homes where there are cars lined up along the curbs and in front of the other neighbor's houses? The one where a dozen bicycles are laying out front too? The one where every kid on the street (and their dog!) is playing out front--and sometimes, there's a lemonade stand at the end of the driveway??

That's my house. I'm home. My kids are home. From afterschool @ 3:45pm until dark, those bicycles are at my house...kids and their dogs(!) are out front. The doorbell rings mercilessly from the latecomers, who want to join in..I point them in a direction and off they go like a rocket!
Add to this the cars of teenagers. Nana and Taylor's friends pop in and out like teens do...
Oh, and add the cars of other Moms and Dads dropping off or picking up Daisie's middle-school-aged-friends. We could use a traffic light at the end of our driveway.

And then the missionaries. There are the ward missionaries who are teaching the new-member discussions to Taylow And the full-time missionaries who are teaching Daisie's friend, T.--who is, incidentally getting baptized tonight.

T.'s mom is the inspiration for this post. She came in last night to pick up T. and saw a house-full and said, "No wonder T. likes being over here--there's alot of people to talk to and more going on than at home because its just T. and me and [the baby sister]."

That's when I looked around. Nana and Taylow were in the kitchen baking cookies, their friends were with them, the missionaries (who had just taught T. her final lesson) were in the kitchen too, the younger kids were chasing our new puppy , Mr W & I were there as the Ringmasters to it all. We had a house-full and everyone was laughing and getting ready to play games at the 10-seater kitchen table.
By the front door lay a dozen or more pair of shoes. It's not neat and tidy. As T. was leaving last night, searching for her shoes in the pile, I suggested she find a pair she liked and call it even.

But all these people here don't seem to mind the mess or the noise. Sometimes, Mr W and I lament that it'd be nice to have a quiet evening once in awhile. He sometimes gets cranky cuz there's nowhere to park his car when he comes home from work. And I buy enough food to stock a small island with salsa, chips, popcorn and cookie mix.
Did you know that "baking cookies" is one of the "fun" activities that most kids love to do...so instead of buying ready-made cookies, I buy mixes (for the younger kids) and lots of chocolate chips for the older ones and their friends to make. My kids love being in the kitchen, and apparently, so do their friends.

This is my house. It's not fancy or chic. We don't have big screen TV's, or a theater room, we don't even have a Wii (ack! I know!). But it's enough. We have laughter and fresh-baked cookies...and the Door is wide open.

Lists: What do you List about?

Hi, I'm Momza and I'm a Listmaker. Hi Momza.

I started making lists when I was a youngling. Back then my lists included a pony of my own and a Barbie Dreamhouse.
My lists changed as the Sears Christmas Catalog got larger. My lists included lots of bell bottom pants and purple socks like Donny Osmond's.
I started keeping my lists in my Journals. Every January 1st of a new year, I would re-write my lists...they would carry over from year to year with little differentiating. Then, I had children.
Oh my! did my lists change then! SLEEP was put on the list.

Through my 20's my lists were mostly selfish. What I wanted to be, to have, to go.
My 30's lists were more material. What I wanted to have, to own, to go.
My 40's lists got shorter and shorter. What I wanted for my family to have, to own, to go.
Now centered in my 40's and leaning to the 50's my lists are more in the moment kinda lists. Grocery list, bill paying list, sending a card to a friend list, write a letter to a missionary list. More personal. Less selfish. Memory-loss has forced that habit on me now. If I dont' write it down, I'll forget.

My list today is to be steady. Be constant. Be true.

What about you? What's on your list?


p.s. thx to chocolate chip waffle for the prompt

Follow-Up on Cell Phone Etiquette Class

What an interesting experience. As I prepared for teaching this class for RS/YW last night I read the article by Brad Wilcox, then watched the fireside with Pres. Bednar...THEN I talked to my Nana...and found out alot about teens and their relationship with their phones.

About 2 hours before the class, I asked Nana to listen to my shpeel and critique me. Right away, she said, "Oh Mom, don't say that. If you say THAT, all of the teens will turn you off!" Wow. I hadn't expected that. So I continued with my shpeel. Again it came, "Oh Mom. You DO NOT GET IT." Hmmm okay. Seriously? SO I sat with Nana and we discussed HER feelings about her cell phone and what "texting" means to her. Let me admit right here and now, she was right. I had no idea.

My cellphone is a "luxury" to me. One that I am not dependent upon...it can be found in my car, in my purse, on my dresser, on the kitchen counter...most of the time it is charged, sometimes it not. I only make a point to take it with me when I know I will be gone all day or especially on a road trip. When it does ring, occassionally, it's my kids. "Where are you, Mom?" "Uh, I'm at Alberstons/Target/Walmart like I said I was....what's wrong?" And sometimes I say, "I'm on my way to Mexico...you guys take care of each other and do the dishes while I'm gone. See you in a few days." I like the conveniance, but honestly, since I didn't grow up with this luxury, and didn't even have a cell phone until I was 36 years old--I can take it or leave it. Growing up, we kids were pretty direct with each other...if I liked a boy, for example, I passed a note. I know, bold hunh? "I like you, do you like me, circle one, yes or no." The reaction was ofttimes immediate...a frown or a nod and a smile was all it took. Or I told my best friend to ask his best friend...yeah, remember that?? If I wanted to make plans--well, I had to make plans! Do all the ground work first, and then, call the person on the phone or [gasp!] speak to them in person when I saw them next!

It's not like that anymore. Cell phones are immediate gratification. If that little device rings, chimes, or buzzes, it cannot be ignored. Cannot. We have to know who is thinking of us in that moment. Have to. Do you turn yours off purposefully--ever? Or do you keep it within arms reach?
This is what I learned from talking to my teenager.

Nana's phone is an important communication tool. It is the key to her social life. It's part of her apparel. She wears it on her person. When I mentioned yesterday that I was thinking of taking texting off our plan, her very serious face looked like she might spontaneiously combust! "I'll do anything to keep it." Wow. We visited a bit after that, but I had to hurry and leave to go set up my "Store" at the Church.

The gals who were in charge of this activity did an awesome job. I took pics with my new camera, but haven't learned how to upload them yet. Maybe tonight when MrW comes home I can get them up. In the meantime, I will tell you the "stores" we had:
Journeys(Taking Joy in the Journey), Hallmark(He sent the Very best), Mrs. Fields(COOKIES!), Kay Jewelers(We're all Jewels with talents), a shoe store ("walk a mile in her shoes"), and Verizon (Are you getting the right message?).
Each "store" was decorated by the "managers" themselves. The rooms were awesome and so fun.

So this is how it went: all of the "patrons" met in the cultural hall/gym; then were given shopping bags (some were from Pottery barn, Brightons, Gap, Bath & body works, JCrew, etc.)
with numbers on them and a rotation schedule. The work that went into this was really out of my league. We opened with a prayer and a song and were sent on our shopping trip.

My job as a "manager" was to welcome each group of patrons and give a "sales pitch" for 10 minutes, then send them out to the door to the next "store" with a goodie, a handout of some type to remember the store by...kinda like GWP. That's it. Actually, it was pretty fun. The first audience was my guinea pig audience...I told them that by the time I had done this a few times, I'd probably be pretty good! We all had a good laugh.

What was interesting is that the topic of cell phones and texting is a hot topic in many families right now...there are strong emotions associated with "etiquette" and such. Following Br. Willcox's talk/counsel there are some boundaries that should be set with this awesome technology --just like everything else. The PC, video games, etc., there needs to be some limits.
The Brethren/Preisthood stand like Watchmen on the Towers to warn us of different things...the proper use of technology is the latest, it seems. SO while we acknowledge that cell phones and texting are wonderful blessings, we need to also acknowledge their drawbacks and learn to control this technology and use it, not abuse it, nor be abused by it.

Moms, have you heard of "sexting"..I hadn't until last night. It is exactly what you think it is...provactive sexual texting. Another front our youth have to meet head on to defend their standards. Somethings are said thru texting that would never be said to face-to-face. Somethings are provactive and somethings are cruel...because of the "safe distance" cell phones allow the users.
It all boiled down to this:
Be Where You Are...leave your cell at home on Sundays or at least turn it off. Did you know as parents, you can go onto Verizon or AT&T and set the times you want your kids' phones to be unavailable for calls and texting? True Story! Some of the moms told me their kids' phones are "unavailable" from 10pm to 7am and also for the 3 hour time block on Sundays. Think about that! Cool, hunh?

Be Who You Are. Be careful about the messages you send over the airwaves. Use this technology wisely. Don't let it distract from other hobbies/talents/family time, etc.

And sometimes, you have to "stop and daydream once in awhile" like Pres. Hinckley used to say. Have some downtime from all things "technological" so you can have some peace. You know, to hear that still small voice.

The classes went well, until the 4th time. Okay, I lost it in that class. I could not remember if I had said something already to them, and asked, "Did I just say that?"...which, if you know me, it's quite possible that I repeated myself. My girls were in the class and busted up laughing, and I followed. Seriously, I was laughing so hard, I thought I might wet my pants. {COMPOSURE WOMAN!}
Anyway, that was that. The main thing to come from this class is to communicate with your family about how much your family is going to let technology influence your lives. That's right Talk about It.

Cell Phone Etiquette OR "Be Present"

I'm teaching a class in Church tonight on cellphone etiquette for all the RS women and the Young Women...it is part of a whole evening of "Shopping at the Mall" or "Master In Charge".

I was asked to be the "Manager" of the "Verizon Store"...the idea is based on Brad Willcox's talk on not letting texting from taking over your life, aimed at teenagers. Elder David Bednar spoke about technology also interfering with human relationships in a talk he gave at a CES fireside May 3rd. Apparently, it's not just me who gets annoyed that my teens are slaves to their little phones--the ones we got them so that WE could keep in touch with them--but now those little devices are part of their everyday apparel...they wear them on their bodies--tucked into a pocket or even in their hands ALL DAY LONG and into the night.

The kids know there is absolutely no phones at the table, or at church. And, if I'm talking to them and their phones chimes to let them know they've rec'd a text--they'd best leave it sit for a moment while I have their attention. Otherwise, I get to have the phone until they remember their good manners.

Is it just me that feels awkward when you're in a store or a public place, and you can hear what should be a private conversation coming from the person next to you?? HOW CAN I NOT LISTEN? Eavesdropping is inevitable! And it's weird.

And what about when you're in line behind someone who is so busy talking on their cell phone that they cannot finish their business with the clerk until they're finished with their conversation on the phone? UGH

How many car accidents have I avoided because I was the ONE who was paying attention to the other driver who was on the phone?

Have you ever turned b/c you thought someone was talking to you and they were talking on their cellphone??

What really gets my goat is watching young people text or play games in Church. Not Appropriate. And you know what? It's not just young people. I see grown ups messing with their little toys too..out in the halls, instead of being in their classes, or even in the Chapel--{shaking head}...come on folks, grow up. Leave your toys at home.

Am I just old-fashioned?

Be where you are. BE Present. Join Now. as in Join the NOW. the moment. the people you are with.

I know for a fact that when my kids have had friends come visit--especially ones they haven't seen in awhile--and all that friend does is text or talk to other friends who are not there--it makes my kids feel less important. They've said that. They get that from me. I'm the same way. If you're with me, be with Me. Can't anything wait anymore? Unless you're a Fire Chief, an OB, or a Brain Surgeon--that call can wait, can't it?

While at Wally World this morning picking up things for this evening, I got a call from Dani. I told her that I would have to call her back, because I was checking out and the clerk deserved my attention. The clerk smiled at me. I then apologized for being rude when I first got in front of her, and even told her I was teaching this class tonight on cell phone etiquette. Boy! Did she have alot to say about her own experience with her kids--she even asked where and what time the class is tonight. When I told her it was at the Church--she said, "Oh the Mormons? You guys always come up with good ideas for your kids."

I replied, "That's because we're trying to hold onto them."

That's why.

Last Words

Last night as we were dozing off to sleep, Mr Wonderful had his arm around me...as is the case most nights...that's how it starts. Then about 3 minutes later, his breathing starts to change --I say, okay, here's where we part company--and he says a final goodnight and rolls over.
When that happened last night, I thought about all the comments I received yesterday about 'sleep apnea'...
Me: Hey, do you ever stop breathing in the middle of the night?
MrW: "How should I know? I'm sleeping."
Me: "Well I'm just wondering if you have sleep apnea, is all."
MrW: "You just worry about your bucket of drool."

Then we laughed so hard I wondered if we'd wake the kiddos!
I love him. I don't drool.

In the Middle of the Night...

My sleep has been interrupted lately...Mr W snores...it's more like a grumble-growl with a whistle on the end. He has even woken himself up a few times--which is hysterically funny! Because on those nights, I am usually already awake because of his snoring..so when he starts laughing at himself I have a good laugh too. Aren't our bodies so funny?

Boofus snores too. Not alot. Not all the time...but when he is very very tired. Cracks me up.

And now, the puppy, 'Koda--snores in her sleep. Which is usually at my feet or in her kennel which is in my room at night. She also makes a sucking noise...I think she's dreaming about her Momma who lives in Nebraska.

Mr W says his snoring is nothing compared to my drooling. Whatever. I don't drool, fool.
Well, not much. And hey, Mr W--it's impolite to tell your wife, the mother of your children, that she drools in her sleep. I'm just sayin.

Now, I will admit to yammering away in my sleep...I do. And so does David Scott, Dean, Nana, Daisie, and Boofus. Nana even sleepwalks...one morning she woke up with the vacuum cleaner ON her bed. We still haven't figured that one out.

Ever dream that you've lost your teeth?
Or had a horse chasing you-- up the stairs??
Or how about dreamt of shoes? like loads and loads of beautiful shoes?? only to wake up and wish you could go back for the shoes?
Or dreamt of flying? I've dreamt about that alot. I'm always flying to my Granma's house in Miami. What does that mean? She's been dead for, like, 12 years...and I hadn't seen her since I was 15. But, in my flying dreams, I go to her house.
Maybe it means I'm gonna die?
If that's the case, I better get off my butt and do some laundry. I would hate for the Relief Society to come in and see I have laundry to do. That would be awful, that would be a nightmare.

When you host a party and noone comes?

I just had that happen to me. Alot recently actually.

When we moved back here to the Springs, we were warmly welcomed "home" by friends and ward members.
Then Dani got married in December, and because of things beyond my control, we ended up having the reception 2 days after Christmas. Only a handful of people came--I chalked it up to the holidays. My feelings were hurt, but I didn't show it to my family. There are afterall, more than two handfuls of US alone...so we celebrated anyway!
Last month, actually 2 weeks ago, my youngest was baptized. The only people who came were those who had been assigned. Three. Again, my feelings were hurt--not that we'd invited a ton of people, but more than 3 people knew about it and chose not to come. That stung a little, actually, I cried over it later when noone was around. But I called my dearest friend, in Bountiful, who talked me off the ledge, and I put it behind me. Afterall, it was the ordinance of the baptism and my daughter that was most important. So I focused on that.
Then yesterday, I had a Scentsy luncheon.I'm new to this, and would like to build a little business out of it. I made a nice salad bar up and dessert and waited. And waited. I sent out 30 invitations. One person came. An hour later. I'm getting, no, I have a complex now. (On the Plus side, I didn't have to make dinner last night--there was LOTS of salad leftover!)

I sat around and wondered what is wrong with me? Have I offended people that I am unaware of?
Do I smell? Are my kid reckless and smart-aleck when they're not with me?(Well they can be reckless and smart-aleck when they're with me too, so that's entirely possible that I have rotten kids.) Do I have some kind of social condition I am clueless about?? Is my timing all wrong? AM I WEIRD?? Like, seriously, so weird that people talk about me like "she-who-shall-not-be-named" kinda weird?

The thing about this is...I have a problem with my short-term memory. Seriously. I had a cat-scan and MRI a year and a half ago to rule out things like MS...it's more than just forgetting where my keys are...which kinda freaks me out on rough days, but again, I'm like Dorrie, I
just keep swimming".
So, I will forget that people I know don't support me or my family at different events over time.
In a way, it kind of takes the sting of it away. So that's a blessing, I guess. I don't think about this stuff everyday--thank goodness--but I tell you what, I am to the point where I want to keep my head down and my mouth shut kinda thing.

I'm not a snobby person, I think I'm pretty open. But maybe I don't come across that way?? I don't know. At bedtime last night, I asked Mr W what is wrong with me and he did what every loving husband would do...kissed me and said, "Nothing."

P.S. My best two "partners in crime" have been out of town for all of this...we had lunch today and I told them that from now on I will plan my biggest life events around their schedules so I don't feel like such a loser. So this will be my last pity party post. Until the next thing happens.

Senioritis!--4 days and counting...

We're down to the wire folks. The end is near! There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is NOT a train!
This is Nana's last week of high school!! Woohoo! I don't think--no, I KNOW she has little idea how significant this! It seems like a blur of activity--those last few days of getting assignments in, finals, goodbyes, graduation stuff--it all melds together and then--it's over. A sigh of relief is expelled and then, life gets really really interesting!
But she isn't on this end. This Mothering end. I've been here before. And truth be told, I'm a little choked-up over it. I'm not one of those moms who want their kids to stay at home thru college. Nope, I am definitely one that kicks them outta the nest and onto something else...but still.
Loosening the apron strings stings a little. Just a little.

Last Friday, I sat at the pc with her for 5 hours while she put together a wonderful slide show of her Life in her words for an english class. She had put a significant number of days and hours into the assignment. I hope she lets me put it on here. I thought she did a great job...but when we played it back, the music was missing on the CD. The musis was an integral part of the presentation. We ran over to her school's tech department, and they couldn't find it either. She had to turn it in that day. In that hour.
Had to. She had enjoyed the project, so alot of time went into it--but then there was no music.
Eyes brimmed with tears at the dissapointment as she left it on her favorite teacher's desk.
As we left, I said, "You know, you're thinking that everyone else's project is perfect. Now think about that. How many classmates do you think really enjoyed this project as much as you did? How many of them are going to have a perfect presentation? Not 100% of them are going to get 100% on this... If I were you, I would go home, make another CD, make sure the music is on there, and tell the teacher that you wanted her to have a corrected CD because you enjoyed this so much...because SHE means alot to you. And it doesn't matter if it doesn't change your grade. And one more thing, don't let this ruin your weekend. The truth is, as upset as you are right now, you won't even remember this day next year."

Because the truth is, we all do alot of comparing of ourselves to others and assume that everyone else's BEST beats our own. And that simply isn't true in all things. But we think it, and we beat ourselves up over it. What a waste of time.

So as soon as she came home from school yesterday, I asked her what the teacher said..."Oh, mine was better than ALOT of others. No big deal." And just like that, her crisis was over with.

And she won't remember those tense moments when she discovered the music was lost on a high school project. Because Life is about to get alot more interesting than high school ever was. And if you think about it, sometimes we can work really hard on something and in the end, the "music" really is missing, or gets lost or chewed up, spit-up, stomped on and while it may not end up like we'd hoped, the "project" was still worthwhile.

SO my #4 is about to leave the nest. I'm anxious to see where she directs her own path. I am her greatest cheerleader. And my nest will never be the same. She takes a little part of my heart with her. Boy, am I a boob or what?! {straighten up woman!}

Four more days. That's not very long. It'll be over before we know it.

Weekend Catch-Up

Mother's Day Weekend Rocked. Everyone was kinda mellow around the house. I think the weather encouraged that...it was a typical spring day--windy, sometimes cloudy, a little rain here and there.
Mr W steam-cleaned all the carpets for me...what is it about a clean floor that makes me so darn happy? I don't know. But it does.
Mr W and Boofus hit the Santa Fe trail on their bikes for a couple of miles--altho Boof came home hacking and coughing. The wind really got to him. In fact, he was still coughing this morning.
I also got a nap in on Saturday. I love naps.
Nana and Mr W made their Sunday dinner plans and I had absolutely nothing to do with it. If it had been left up to me we'd have had cold cereal. Hey, it's Mother's Day, I'm not cooking and I'm not feeling guilty about it either!
I also worked on my blog gifts that I'll be sending out this week.

Sunday
Church. The Sacrament talks were usual Mother's Day talks...about how awesome Motherhood is...
Okay and off to Primary I went with the Caboose. We were asked to participate in a Sharing Time game...it was based on the Newlywed Game...where one partner goes outside of the room, while the other answers questions and gives the answers they think the absent partner will say.

SO I went out first, with 4 other moms. Then, we came in and sent the kids out while we answered questions.
I have to admit, I knew very few questions with confidence.
My questions:
1. What is Arianna's favorite restaurant? (I said, McD's, she said Chuck E. Cheese)
2. What is her favorite candy?(I said gum, she said sour gummies, I think)
3. What is her favorite color? (we both said PINK)
4. What do I call her when I am most upset with her?(I said Bee, she said "Arianna Hope!")
5. What's one thing I ask her to clean every day? (we both answered her room)

SO then, the kids came back in and we compared answers.

Arianna's questions were:
1. If your mom was an animal, what would she be? ( I said Mother Hen, she said Ape! (her dad calls her a "Grrr-rilla--so that's where she came up with that!)
2. What is your mom's favorite food? ( I said lasagna, she said Pie--she was right!)
3. What does your mom do all day while you're at school? ( I said, "blog", she said Walks the dog.)
4. &5. I forgot! Sorry.

Anyway, that was really fun. Some of the other moms and kids answers were totally a scream. Two kids said their moms were COWS...because they are soft and warm.

After church, Daisie gave me a facial and a pedicure. I fell asleep with little cool pads on my eyes, while she rubbed my feet and painted my toenails. I love that girl!

For dinner, we had grilled salmon, pasta salad, garlic bread and strawberries with anglefood cake.
Our missionaries came over to our house for dinner and to make their calls Home...one of our missionaries has been out for 4 months; his companion 11 months. We handed the phone and the tissue box to the 4-month Elder and shut the bedroom door. We knew there would be tears.
When he came out, he said, "I only used two." as he handed the box of tissues over. Sweet sweet boy from Missouri. His comp is from Illinois--equally sweet, but didn't let on if there'd been tears. ;-)
Then to lighten things up, we played "Curses"--a really fun game if you are comfortable in your own skin and can make fun of yourself. No wonder it's a family favorite around here!

Oh and for gifts, I rec'd a new camera of my very own! Some new socks. I love socks. Weird, but true. Bath and Body works smelly stuff called "SLEEP". Houseslippers! Boofus gave me 2 packets of sunflower seeds--yea! And Taylor brought me some yellow roses which are so pretty!
Oh and I got chocolate. Ferrero Roche...yummmmm.

Dani & Brad came down too...she is coming out of the pukey first trimester and the shock may be wearing off of him of his impending fatherhood. They were in good spirits when we played "Curses". Mr W made her a breakfast burrito (leftover from our Saturday morning breakfast with the missionaries) before they headed back up to Lakewood. Mexican food is her comfort food since her mission.

All in all it was a lovely Mother's day. Dean had a Special Olympics tournament in Denver, so he couldn't come down, and David & Tisha are in Boise, tho he did call and visit with all of us on the phone. He and Tisha and Dean were all missed.

I love being a Mother.

I Have Been Honored...

By being nominated MOTHER OF THE YEAR 2009!
http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=LrNQVU..pKej9KpPILbfXjg3NzA0&referred_by=16555873-q_c.hdx&p=moveon

Thanks to Julia for the nomination. I had no idea.

Higher Loftier Thoughts

Dani took this picture of the Washington DC Temple on her mission... Rocky Mountain National Park

Diana took the pic on Temple Square...

Again, from the Gardens that grace Temple Square in Salt Lake City.

Our ward in Idaho--the TREK experience...

*Believe in yourself. Believe in your capacity to do great things. Believe that no mountain is so high that you cannot climb it. Believe that no storm is so great you cannot weather it. You are not destined to be a scrub. You are a child of God, of infinite capacity.

Believe that you can do it--whatever it is that you set your heart on. Opportunities will unfold and open before you. The skies will clear when they have been dark with portent. ~GBHinckley

The world needs the touch of women and their love, their comfort, and their strength.
Our harsh environment needs their encouraging voices, the beauty that seems to fall within their natures, the spirit of charity that is their inheritance.
The God in whom so many of us believe has endowed His daughters with a unique and wonderful capacity to reach out to those in distress, to bring comfort and succor, to bind up wounds and heal aching hearts, and, most of all, to rear children with love and understanding.
*GBHinckley

I love being a Mother, in case there's any doubt to that. It is alot of work--sometimes it is more work than I think should be legal. Babies are beautiful time-suckers, and Teenagers wearisome wonders...housework is as near slavery as I think I will come to in this life...and yet, if you were to give me the option to walk away from it all, I couldn't come up with a better adventure that I would rather give my life for...nothing else compares to being a Mother. I am a partner with our God in Heaven. Nothing compares to that.

Barney Fife's Advice for Dating

Remember my cheek-biting decision to let Nana go flying with the new guy in town, Pilot Boy?
Well, as it turns out, I never had to say "No." It didn't last that long. Excuse me while I do the happy dance. {happy dance happy dance!!}
Turns out, he wasn't as neat as Nana thought he was...I picked up on it, but just took a back seat and let her figure it out on her own. Now, don't get me wrong-- I didn't just keep my mouth shut--my oldest kids (now adults) will tell you I didn't do that with them and I certainly haven't changed my ways with the next bunch comin' down the line.
You know how you can tell if your child really likes someone or not? Well, it was obvious that while she enjoyed the activites she and Pilot Boy and all their friends were doing together--she wasn't all that excited about him.
So I asked her about it. "So, how's it going with [Pilot Boy]?"
"He's ok. He's funny."
"That's good. Hmmm. You don't really like him, do you? "
"Yeah, I do. He's nice. He's funny. He's freaky-smart."
"Hmm. Well I'm glad you're having fun."
"Oh yeah, that's all this is...I'm not, like, gonna marry him Mom. NO way."

To which I inwardly *exhale*.

We talked about their dates and how that was going nearly everyday. The longer they got to know each other, the more they both realized it wasn't going in the direction they were comfortable with...he was looking for a long-term relationship which translates into a physical relationship...while she just wanted to have fun thru the summer before heading off to Utah for school in the Fall. I sorta skimmed over the physical thing, but I'm gonna back-up and say this--she wants to be married in the Temple, so with that goal comes the law of Chastity.
I'm not sure why he uses his faith to describe himself..."I'm a devout Catholic."...I'm pretty sure Catholics do not have a free pass on chastity. (Amy wanna jump in here?) But he said outright that if she wasn't interested in a physical relationship, then he was not interested in dating her. What a jerk. And a crummy Catholic. ( Amy, can I give him your number so you can tell him what's up??)
So let me just say, I was more than okay with her choice to cut him loose.

This is what I don't understand. He told her he wanted more, She said "no thanks" and happily went on her way, telling him she didn't want to date, hang-out, or talk to him. He continues to TEXT her every morning and evening...WHY??
She actually texted him back and said, "I'm not interested."


How do I know all of this, you ask? Because I have developed the talent for listening to my teens. And let me say this--it takes years of brain-crunching, tongue-biting, and the ability to look absolutely interested in what they are saying--even when you could care less and are mentally making out your grocery list sometimes--to be always available to your teens when they want to talk--because because because somewhere in the middle of it all, they say something important...they sorta slide important stuff in between all the other stuff...kinda like the center of a tootsie roll...how many licks does it take to get to the center??? Are you following me?

And each kid communicates differently, tho their problems/challenges/habits/concerns may be quite the same...but you have to listen long enough to figure them out.

So they talk, I listen. And you better believe that when I "see" a red flag, I am not passive. I let my teens know how I feel and caution them to be careful. At first all I get is the rolled-eyes and exasperation...then, ah-ha! there it is...the "you were right, Mom." And let me say, David Scott has said on a few occasions, "You were right and I didn't want you to be."
Hey, it's my job. 24/7. I'm like Barney Fife in Mayberry. Gotta nip that stuff in the bud. Nip it. Right. In. the. Bud.
What's the BEST Dating Advice you ever got or Gave?

My Best Mother's Day Ever!

Last year...BEST. EVER.
http://momza.blogspot.com/2008/05/best-mothers-day-ever.html

We were living in Idaho last Mother's Day. Mr W had been laid off for almost a year by then, and because of lack of funds, I hadn't been able to see Dean for over a year as he still lived in Colorado in a host home. Dean has cerebral palsy. He is the soft-spot in my heart and I rarely spoke about how much I missed him, but truly my heart ached. A gal in my ward, felt impressed to make my Mother's Day a truly wonderful day I shall never forget...this is that story.

Grab a tissue. I still cry every time I read it...Lorna, I love you still. Thank you my dear dear friend. The family is already lamenting that there's no way they can top that one!! I told them to give it a try, but I secretly know, there's just no way.

I hope it was so worth it to you.

Family. Means. Everything.

The Mormon Mommy Blogs...

...asked for moms of teens to submit an experience or two they've had with parenting teenagers.
I submitted a couple, and one is appearing today on their page. If you haven't been over there before, it's worth the CLICK. http://mormonmommyblogs.blogspot.com/

Sharing What We Cherish the Most

As a family, we have taken the opportunity to share the Gospel with our friends and neighbors as often as we've had the chance to do so. It is something we just do. It comes easy to us for some reason. We just open our mouths and our home.

One of the things we've had are "cottage meetings" or "firesides" in our home--and that turns out well. We invite ward members to bring their non-member friends where the missionaries teach whatever they're inspired to teach, there's a musical number, and a load of refreshments.
It's a bit of work and planning, but it has gone well.

It's easier to do this:
Because we feed the missionaries most Saturday mornings, and because we have a housefull of kids--there's usually overnight guests at the table on those mornings too. Or for dinner or other events where we invite friends, we also invite our sweet missionaries. And on and on it goes. We live our lives and invite our friends into it too. As a natural consequence of our friendships, we share what is most important to us: our faith.

This week, the missionaries are teaching a young friend of Daisie's here in our home. Tonight, as her mom came to pick her up, I invited the Mom to come and sit in on the discussions with her daughter. I just felt that as a Mom, I would want to know what my daughter was being taught.
So she's coming. And it'll be nice to get to know someone new. Isn't it always?

Look, LIFE is scary these days. Our neighbors/co-workers need to know they are not alone in their trials; that they have a God in Heaven who knows them, loves them and hears their prayers--spoken and unspoken. We don't have to shove our faith down anyone's throat--whatever you are, or profess to be--be it wholeheartedly. If it's getting you thru the rough spots, share it-- for there are others who are grasping for heaven's help in this day and age we live in. Oh how we need to hear the voice of heaven to drown out the fear-drenched society we live in! There is peace yet to be found. Let us so live that when others look at us, they see His countenance in us.
Daisie is so happy for her friend, T. Sharing what we love the most gives a joy beyond measure.

Share what you have, will ya?

Home Staging Tips #4 Color

Colors. Colors evoke emotions. It's true. Blue can be calming, if it's the right color blue in the right room with the right accessories, flooring and window treatments, etc. Blue can also be nauseating, just as pink, turquoise, orange and yellow can.

Red. Red doesn't sell a house. Period. If you have a red room, paint it a nice neutral tone before you put it on the market.

Yellow...studies have shown that homes with one yellow room sell faster than any other home color. I personally have found that to be positively true. Not blaring, blinding, traffic signal yellow--buttery yellow, happy yellow.

Make sure the colors are updated. If you haven't painted in 5 years, you probably need to.

Wallpaper. No. No. No.

Borders. Ditto.

Wallies. O heavens no.

Stencilling. Not since the 90's.

And let me just add this:

Themes. As in the 80's country white geese, blue and mauve; Italian-villa with grapevine-wallpaper so that it looks like the Olive Garden; or Mexican Fiesta with sombreros and rugs hanging on the walls; Victorian, big-cabbage-roses, lacey lace lace everywhere {shudder}--um, those are DATED. Take them down if you're trying to sell your house. Oh, and dead animals or "trophies"--lay them to rest in a box to be moved to your new home. They can be offensive to prospective home buyers.

Bathrooms need to have a "spa-like" feeling; starting with the colors you use. I had to help a client whose master bath suite was teal. Teal carpet. Teal tiles on the tub, sink and counters.

My advice, replace it with up-to-date neutral tones. The carpet was hideous. I think it was circa 1993-ish. ugh.

Kitchens...the lighter the better...you don't have to go with bright white, unless you have accent tiles on the backsplash and other accessories that add color.

I actually had a white on white home...white cabinets, white italian tiles, white wood work, white walls...but the backsplash had italian blue and yellow tile patterns, I had custom blue and yellow window treatments, as well as a dining table that had matching tiles of blue and yellow in it.

So it worked.

The house sold in 13 days...it would've sold on the 1st day on the 1st showing, but the buyer had a contingency that I didn't want to wait for...but still, 13 days was good in an 11-month market.

So use color wisely. Remember, your home on the market is a Product that you are trying to sell as quickly as possible for the most amount of money. Neutral colors with thoughtful accessories can make the difference.

People need to be able to envision their belongings and their taste in your "Product"...they can't do that if there are 412 roosters sitting everywhere, or your Precious Moments collections, or any other massive collection you fancy. Pack your collections up for your next home.

Keep it tasteful, folks. Clean and Tasteful sells. Have a good HONEST friend give you HONEST critiques as you go about staging. Go to a Model Home and look around for ideas on what's updated and interesting about the home then go home and adapt your house to that. Afterall, it is your competition.

Any questions? Ask Away!

My Password is like my WHAT?

Passwords.
I have a love/hate relationship with them. Tho I know their value as it relates to my privacy, I have a hard time remembering all the dang passwords for all the technology in my life.
I keep most of them in a dayplanner I own. That's as organized as I am right now. I should have them tatoo-ed on my body somewhere because I have a mild freak-out when I go online to someplace a I haven't been in awhile and have to remember what the stinkin' password is...and I can't find it in my little book. Some are easy to recover...click that little "Can't Remember Password?" button and they'll send you another.
Others are not that easy. EBAY is ridiculous. Ugh. I clicked on their help button--they asked me the SECRET Question...my mother's maiden name--and told me it was incorrect. I'm thinkin' I KNOW MY MOM'S Maiden-freakin' name here--then, I questioned myself and think deeply...is it indeed what I think it is? Yes! it is!

Ugh. So I don't know what to do. When I get the energy up, I may go back in and try again.
But seriously, Passwords are taking over my brain.
I have Passwords for:

The Kids' School District web-site AND their Classes.
My online bank
The ATM
Blogger
MySpace
Twitter
Facebook
Restaurants.com
Coupon Cool Savings
PayPal
Snapfish
Walmart.com
Costco.com
Light-Refreshments Served
my Insurance.com
Scentsy.com
AT&T.com
Qwest.com
Amazon.com
My medical and dental plan.com

I'm too old to have all these passwords in my noggin.
Remember when a Password was a TV game show? I'm old enough to remember that. Betty White was always on it, cuz her husband was the Host...man, can't remember his name. anyone? There's gotta be a better way.

P.S. The winners of my crafty-giveaway...keep your eyes on your mailbox.

TAGGED!

Amy from Fourth Frog Blog has tagged me...and so did Lori from Joy in the Journey...with 2 different tags...this is my lazy attempt to satisfy both of my blogland compadres. Hold on this could get wild.

For Amy:

8 THINGS

I'm looking forward to:

School being out for summer.

Summer! I'm sick of the snow!

Sleeping tonight.

Mother's Day!

Dakota being crate-trained.

Diana's Graduation

Spring Flowers

Being a Granma.


I did yesterday:

Picked up a sick kid from school

Had leftovers for dinner

Used paper plates.

Changed my bedsheets.

Took a long walk with Mr W and Dakota!

Went to bed at 8:30pm

Wore flannel pj's

Ate honeynut cheerios.


I wish I could do:

See David Scott & Tisha for dinner on Sundays.

Surf.

Knit.

Not chew my finger nails off.

Become allergic to sugar.

Read my teenagers' minds.

Correctly guess the winning lotto powerball numbers on the first try.

Sleep all night long without interruption.


Shows I watch:

American Idol

The Mentalist

Lie to Me

Burn Notice

Chuck

Today Show

E!News

Dirty Jobs! with Mike Rowe


People I tag:

Laurel

Lori

Marilyn

Sadie

Moody

Tisha

Tammy

Sue

Okay and for Joy...my PICTURE RIGHT NOW:

Mind Your Manners! Mothering 101

I'm a Southern Girl. I was raised to say, "Yessir, Nosir, Thankyousir, Please." to anyone who was older than me. And if I'm on the phone and don't know, I still address them as "Ma'am" or "Sir". It's a habit long engrained in my DNA--from my parents, my Granparents, my school teachers, coaches, neighbors, store clerks and anyone else I came in contact with--it is a sign of respect--for myself and the other person. I have even been known to say those things to my own children--to model those words for them.

I was taught to wait my turn. I know! Does anyone remember those days when you actually had to wait your turn?

I've taught my kids my Southern roots and habits too, in an increasingly socially lax world where manners are not seen as a refinement but rather a weakness. When my oldest son was in 5th grade, we moved from South Carolina to Phoenix. His teacher called me to tell me that my son was being disrespectful to her--I couldn't believe it! What did he say that ruffled her ignorant feathers?? He called her "Ma'am." She said, "I am not a "ma'am"! He was being smart aleck." I replied, "No, Miss So-n-So, he was showing you respect." She had no clue!!

I have often said to my offspring, "Good manners can open doors that Education cannot."

It's true. I don't care how smart a person is, if they display a lack of propreity and graciousness, I won't deal with them. Think about that...how many times has "poor service" really been about a poor attitude??

Things have gotten dismally worse over the years. I see examples within my kids peer groups--at parties, on fieldtrips, on the playground. Some kids act as though they've been raised by wolves, no kidding. They have a dog-eat-dog-every-man-for-himself attitude...they push, shove, encroach and act otherwise selfish and ignorant of any and all good behavior. Working at an Elementary school, I have seen firsthand the degradation of morals at the youngest age.

Why am I bringing this up? Over the weekend, Boofus was invited to a Bday Party at a Tumbling Gym. I stood and watched as his peers were outright rude to one another--with the attitude of "sucks to be you" pointedly directed at kids who were not as brusk as themselves.

Boofus is the tallest in his grade, but even he was getting pushed around by little terrors. He later lamented, "What's wrong with these kids? They are so rude!" as we drove home.

So this is my plea:

Teach your children good manners at home. Demand them. That's your Job, Momma. It comes with the territory. Home is the Lab for Life. Practicing good manners, graciousness, kindness--it all starts at home. Now you may not ascribe to the "yes ma'am, no ma'am" thing...but there's alot more to manners than that. Waiting their turn to speak, to be served, to get in the car or whatever...just takes a little effort and pays off in the long run. My oldest kids are now adults...and they have proven that little saying about good manners/education. Especially as they were serving as full-time missionaries.

Teach your kids to serve one another. It takes a Family to take care of a Family. Don't do so much for your kids that they don't develop their own strength! You will find it more difficult and exhausting the older they get to meet all of their needs. They need to know how strong they really are...we find our value in realizing we can do hard things all on our own.

My goal as a Mother is to equip my kids with enough knowledge to know how to help themselves create the life they want and learn to live happily. Spoiled children are not happy, nor do they grow into happy adults.

Love them. Serve them. But teach them how to love to serve too.

That's the goal right there.

Why I Owe My Husband Breakfast In Bed

Ever have a dream that is so real, that it jars you awake and you still aren't sure if it was a dream or not?
Last night, or early this morning--whichever, it was 3am I was dreaming that the house was being broken into...I kept trying to get Mr Wonderful to wake up and go check things out in my dream...then somehow I managed to wake-up long enough, nudge him and say, "Someone's broken into the house!"
Well, he FLEW out of bed and headed downstairs like a bat outta you-know-where.
It was right about that time that I came to my senses and thought, "Wait. Was I just dreaming?"

He walked all over the house, checked the doors and windows, went up and down 2 flights of stairs, checked in each of the kids' rooms (4 rooms! two up top and two in the basement), and the garage-- before coming back into the bedroom and asking, "Are you sure you weren't dreaming? You do this about once a year, and it's about that time."
I said, "Man, I hope I'm not going crazy."
"Going? Hun, that ship sailed long ago."

My Protector snuggled back into bed and before I knew it, he was snoring in my ear again while I was left alone with my thoughts. The first of which, "I wonder when he'll roll over and get his heavy arm off of me?"
I owe him breakfast in bed for sure.

Her Second White Dress

Saturday was the Caboose's baptism by her daddy, Mr. Wonderful. It was an intimate experience for our family. It was just us, a counsellor in the Bishopric, a pianist and a Primary counsellor, and one friend.

As I got the Caboose ready for her special day, I laid out her dress and slip, pantihose and shoes on her bed.

We talked about what was going to be happening at Church.

She said, looking at her dress, "This is my Second White dress."

"Yes, I know.", I said.

"My first white dress was my Blessing dress."

"Yes, you're right. Oh my, weren't you an angel in that little dress!" , I said and added, "What is your Third White Dress?"

She smiled and answered, "Oh, that will be my Temple bride dress."

Mr Wonderful and the Caboose in her baptism jumpsuit.
Afterwards--Ari and her Daddy.

In her Second White Dress. She loved it --it has a full crinoline and lining under it...she felt like a Princess....which she is. (Fyi--the dress was purchased at Burlington coat Factory $30!!) Afterwards, with the Boofus. In testimony meeting today, he got up and said how glad he was that she made the choice to be baptized.


Dara, Taylow, Nana, and Princess Ari aka the Caboose.

Me and my baby. The last one. She has my heart. I hope and pray I will be there for her Third White Dress.

My Three White Dresses by Linda Gay Perry Nelson
My mom bought me a white dress,
Not red or pink or blue.
She said it was a special dress
Like very other few.
There has been just one before,
A dress now put away.
That I wore sometime ago upon my blessing day.
As a little baby clothed in my first white dress,
My dad held me in his arms,
there to name and bless.
So pure and clean was I just then,
With time to grow and learn
About the Father's plan for me.
My glory I must earn.
Now I've reached the age
to judge the wrong road from the right,
And I am here to be baptized
in this dress of white.
So once again I'm free from sin,
The path is clear to me.
I'll grasp the road and hold on tight,
I vow with certainty.
Just as mud would stain my dress,
Sin would stain my soul.
The key is to repent or bleach,
For whiteness is my goal.
And if I try my very best,
Then richly blessed I'll be,
Wearing inside God's holy house
White dress number three.
So today I make this pledge:
I'll strive to choose the right,
Through this sacred baptism ordinance
In my second dress of white.