Weekend Roundup --Scout Camp, Summa School, Baby toes and Nana-nanniness!

Summer is busy here in Colorado Springs.

These little finch eggs are living

in this...which is right next to my front door. Poor Mama Bird zips away everytime the door opens...which is approximately 5,321 times a day at our house.

Again, it has been a busy summer week around here...
Monday:
It rained and rained and rained some more leaving our little corner of the world wonderfully GREEN. Sunflowers seeds I got for Mother's Day...s'posed to grow up to 15 FEET Tall!

Raspberry bushes starting to bloom...

Clematis. Alive and blooming with all the rain!
Bleeding hearts bush out front. Are they not the cutest?

Love it. Summer school started for the youngest Yahoos...9-11:45am. I love Summer School! Peace and quiet for almost 3 straight hours rocks. I have absolutely no guilt over that statement.
Tuesday:



That's Joseph with the green bandana and neat hat that used to belong to his Granpa Joe who liked his fedoras...the hat is nearly as old as me, I think.

Scout Camp started for Boofus...I volunteered to help out wherever they needed me.
Camp was held at the Air Force Academy just down the street from our house. It started at 8:30am--we didn't have to leave the house until 8:25. woohoo!
He loved it: new friends, new skills like whittling, archery, golf, and bowling; and got to practice skills he hasn't done in awhile like knot-tying (he tied Dara to the kitchen chair to show us his new skills!), horseshoe throwing, and just using good sportsmanship.

Wednesday: SUPER BUSY DAY! Took the Boof to Scout Camp, and as I'm dropping him off, I say, "See ya at 3!" and drive off. Took the Caboose to SS, and say, "Ok, see you at 11:45, sis!"
and off I head downtown to the BirthMatters! clinic for the day. FOR THE DAY. It was then I realized, "hey! I won't be home to pick the kids up! Shoot! How are they gonna get home?"
I made some initial calls, but realized that all the moms I called, were volunteering at Scout Camp! Finally, I thought of my neighbor down the street and she was very kind to go and pick up the Caboose from school. Next, I realized I just needed someone who was at Scout camp to just drop Boofus off afterwards. Since we really live so close, I just knew that wouldn't be a problem as long as I could get ahold of someone's cell to call them. I called Nan in a pinch and she took care of it. WHEW! What a responsible parent I am these days, yeah?? ugh. I shouldn't be trusted with the care and feeding of a goldfish

...much less kids. Thanks to Nan, Marci and Wendy for stepping in for my lack of planning.
Okay, so I loved my time at the clinic. http://www.birthmattersmidwifery.com/. Time flies by supersonically. A woman walks in a stranger and leaves a sister. And babies--don't get me started on Babies! Have you seen baby toes lately? O. my. goodness. And those baby necks? is there anything softer in the entire world? oh and their baby smell. mmmmm.
And their Mommas---women at their finest--new mommas...glowing despite lack of sleep with newborns, or glowing with round bellies. love. love. love.
Okay okay...so then I ran and got some groceries after work cuz the shelves were nearly bare at home. I'm calling this my Skinny Summer, so most of what I'm making is LITE...as in grilled fish and salads. I need to lose this winter food baby I'm hauling around. I'm looking forward to the day when there is DRIVE-THRU LIPOSUCTION:
"Yes, I'll have a kids happy meal with chicken nuggets, a sprite, and a little off my thighs, thank you." "That'll be $29.95 at Window 2, please drive thru."
But until that day, I gotta do my part to peel this blasted bahooey off.

The Caboose had Acheivement Day Girls at a members house that I have never been to...but the report went like this:
"Their house is HUGE! It has a SWIMMING POOL in their Basement with a SLIDE! And a zipline! And a treehouse! and an ELEVATOR, MOM! They have an elevator in their house!", "Wouldn't it be great if we could BUY it for SIX DOLLARS? Wouldn't it?!!"said with as much enthusiam and incredulousness as she could muster. Un hunh. Six Dollars would rock my world, Sister!
After said dinner, we took the kids to Cottonwood Creek Park (took the camera but forgot to take pics!) b/c the Ward Mutual night was "ICEBLOCKING"...so since it was a spectacular summer eve, we took the whole family--even the hound. The Park was PACKED everywhere...little league baseball, girls fast pitch, soccer fields full, playground busy, and just a whole lot of people doing their thing. I love summer nights like this one.
And that was my Wednesday.

Thursday:
So Thursday was the last Scout camp day, and also the last day of the week for Summer School. I shuffled each of the kids accordingly and came home to get my Doula certification papers ready to send in, only to find I am missing some stuff. Wahhh. I'm anxious to get this turned in, because I want to take another series of classes to become a Childbirth Educator. I love teaching...so this will be a dream come true if I can take these classes and move forward into another venue of what I love.


Before I knew it, it was time to go pick everyone up...then the Scout Committee put together a luncheon for Moms and scouts at the Stake Center. I took pictures...the committee outdid themselves! It was Perfect with a capital "P". I'm am so grateful that Boofus is in a Troop/Pack that has such active leaders involved and engaged so wonderfully. He loved Camp and that makes my day!

While on the way there, my cell rings. It's Nana: "Guess What? Guess What?!!" She has been chosen as one of ten girls by the Nanny Agencyhttp://www.yourchildsnanny.com/ for a nanny position, specifically an LDS Nanny. Did you know that's a big deal? To be a Nanny that comes from a heckamongous Mormon Family? Well, she fits the bill being the 4th of 7 kiddos. She made $100 bucks yesterday babysitting. Anywho, we don't know where yet...altho she did request the East Coast. So we'll see what happens next. But she is supposed to begin in June. It is June! ACK!! So if she decides to go the "nanny-way"...she will postpone school for a year. Good news for her. She was hoping to have this option to make some much-needed college money and now she will!

Friday: Yikes! What's next??

Weekend Roundup...Girls Camp, Chipmunks, Babies, Walking & Waiting

Tried to stay away from the blogging world, but found that certain family and friends look at this lil thing of mine for news on the familia.

So at Mr. W's suggestion, I am going to post once a week with a recap...so here ya go:
*Monday: Tried to rest from the weekend of camping. Just did laundry and helped my neighbor move out of her house...called the RS and some sisters came over and helped. Diana left for "Daughters Of Promise" at Camp Wondervu in Golden, Colorado. She was really looking forward to it alot. This is her last year for Girls Camp and stuff since she is a graduate now. She went as a YCL.
*Tuesday: I actually don't remember Tuesday. Oh wait, Daisie left for Daughters of Promise camp too. I didn't cook dinner...we had leftovers.
*Wednesday: Worked at the BirthMatters! clinic doing prenatals. One of the mommas began early labor--her son was finally born last night and all was well there, but alot of wakeful nights this week waiting for the call to go. Diana came home from Camp, sick as a dog. And sad to have to come home. She really didn't want to leave but was too sick to stay. Barfing and passing out is not something you want to do at camp.
*Thursday: Met with sisters from the ward at my neighbors' house where we worked for 4 hours to clean her house. Then took the kids to see "Night at the Museum 2" matinee.
Joseph wiped out on his bicycle on the trail by the pond by our house which was a a bad wreck--lots of bumps, scratches and bruises...and lost his glasses. When he came in all mangled, I put him in bed, clean his wounds and then took Ari and went to the trail to search for his glasses. Not having any idea where he crashed, we looked around until it started raining and lightening. Came home. When it cleared, I took Joseph back over to the trail so he could show me where to look. We said a prayer out on the trail, "Heavenly Father, we know that YOU know where Joseph's glasses are...please help us to see them too." The rain returned so we went home. Mr. W came home and we returned to the trail looking for the glasses. Finally, I went and got Joseph's friend that was with him when he crashed, Anthony, so he could maybe help us with where exactly Joseph tumbled over. This is where our story takes a turn. Anthony said Joseph was flying down the hill on his (Anthony's) bike (whereas before, Joseph had said he was walking his own bike down the trail!--because the hill is really steep and I'm sure he knew it was risky and didn't want us to know.) --and then Anthony said, "I think he was on the trial for um, 28 seconds." Twenty-eight seconds? Not 24 or 25 or 30, but 28 seconds. So Anthony runs up to the top of the trail hill and starts running as he counts to 28 then stops. It's just about 10 feet from where we've been searching. So we start looking over there on both sides, thru the brush and wildflowers that have grown with all the rain we've been getting here in Colorado Springs this summer. I'm determined not to give up. We can't afford new glasses for Joseph. The Lord knows this...and then! suddenly, there they were...just laying on some brush. perfect. no scratches.
Just a heart full of gratitude. My Father knows my limits. He helps when I have done all I can do. After the celebration of finding the glasses, I take Joseph's arm and say, "You know, you just had a prayer answered today." He smiles and nods. "Yes."
Friday: Lunch with Nannette. Diana is feeling better. Joseph's owies are not as bad as we first thought, tho his neck is sore from the tumble. Dani and Mr. Idaho came down for an overnight visit.
We grilled TILAPIA --which Joseph liked until Mr W told him they eat the feces of salmon at fisheries. Joseph immediately spit it out.--lol. We just served it on baby lettuces with cut up mango, fresh tomatoes, red onions, and salad dressing.
Saturday: Fed the missionaries my homemade buttermilk biscuits/sausage gravy, fresh fruit, and scrambled eggs. Did some yard work. Ran some errands with Dani & Mr. Idaho. Daisie came home from Daughters of Promise camp--dirty, sun-burned cheeks, tired and happy and lots of stories. And her testimony that her Heavenly Father loves her and knows her. THAT'S what camp is all about right there. She was beaming--full of joy and light. It's good to have her home.

Joseph and Mr W went to Home Depot to buy the supplies to build a rabbit/ chipmunk trap. Joseph wants to capture chipmunks, "make a saddle" for them so his Lego people can ride them. I'm not kidding. I couldn't make this stuff up. I told him you can't capture and tame chipmunks, that they have rabies, etc...he still wants to make the trap. So Mr W and he have started that little project. I'm hoping he can earn a Boy Scout badge for this contraption. Who knows? Why? Why do we have to capture chipmunks?
Dani & Mr. Idaho did their laundry, ate some pizza with us and went back to Golden. She is feeling better. They're tossing around different names for the baby. They want a name that means something special to them...they're talking about Jacob, Hyrum and Sterling. So we'll see.
They're happily married and it's fun to see them poke at each other, love on each other and grow in their relationship.
We had a HUGE hailstorm Saturday night...I should've taken pictures...loads and loads of hail...looked like it'd snowed here afterwards.
Sunday: Well, this was a nice Sabbath. Church was all about Daughters of Promise camp...all of the girls and their leaders were invited to share their testimonies. Diana wishes she had been able to stay for the whole week. She is at that age where she is charting her own course...where does the Gospel fit in her plan? How does she want to live it? She says logically she knows that to truly be happy, she has to do her part. But sometimes that's alot of work to her. And at this time in her life, she doesn't know if that's work she wants to engage in. I sit on her bedroom floor and listen. She knows how I feel. She has heard my testimony hundreds of times. So I just listen and offer my heart as she is searching hers. This morning she was really late in getting up and getting dressed for church. IN all fairness, she babysat for a family last night that didn't get home until 2:30AM...we leave for church at 8:30AM...so she slept in...now normally, I would've been peeved at being late. But today, knowing where she is emotionally, I woke her up and told her we'd wait for her. We were late by 20 minutes. As we walked into the Church, I hugged her and said, "You're worth the wait."
It could've gone so much differently. I know this. But I've been thinking about how much easier it is to hold onto my children when I show an increase in love than demanding obedience or performance. I will lose every time. We all do. So I slow down to their pace. Her pace is slower these days. She's not just going with the flow. She is determining her path. She is worth the wait. I will walk with her as she discovers her own strength and gains confidence in her choice.
Maybe you don't have these issues in your family. Maybe your daughters are faultless and impervious to temptations. My house is full of spiritual beings having human experiences and trying to learn or evolve into what they want to become by careful examination of their choices.

Sometimes we have to slow down while one of us is struggling.I've learned from experience that it's so much easier to slow down and carry them for awhile, than to leave them in the dust only to have to turn around and go back to find them. So we slow down. We make our efforts for Family Prayer more fervent, we make Family Home Evening more worthwhile, we circle our wagons around one another and take inventory.

Our family motto is "It takes a Family to take care of a Family." It does.

Joseph shared his experience with an answered prayer in Primary sharing time today. He was so grateful that we found his glasses...he knew they were expensive and we don't have the money to replace them. We needed to find them. Heavenly Father is aware of us. Aware of our needs. What parent withholds from their child that which they need in their hour of need?
It was abusy week and this coming week will be just as busy. The kids have Summer School, Joseph also has Scout camp this week...and there are babies waiting to come into the world.
Life keeps coming at us...so I take a deep breath, ask for Guidance and do my best to hold onto my family. May your week be full of joy and love.

Taking A Bloggin Break

My blog is taking a summer vacation.
I'm ready to enjoy the summer with my kiddos.
HAGS!!
~Momza

Who Can Find A Virtuous Woman?

For her price is far above rubies...






We're talking about Virtue alot around here lately...and choices related to Virtue.
I want the best for my daughters. Their happiness is supreme to me. As they grow and mature into women, their self-confidence will in large part come from the value they assign to their worth. We also happen to live in an age where Virtue, Modesty, Chastity and Purity are not only NOT valued, but mocked.
This message touched my heart. Show it to every single woman, young and old alike--it's that good.

All 4 Seasons in 2 Days...hey! there's snow in my hummus!

Our Camping Trip to Rocky Mountain National Park... This mama elk and baby greeted us at our site.

Boofus couldn't wait to roast marshmallows so he put his pjs on at 8pm before it was dark.

Our little campsite...on a hill that overlooked the rest of the campers...to which Joseph exclaimed, "Bow down before me all you peasants!"...luckily noone heard him. I hope.

My new red camping stove. I love it.

Using his new hatchet.
Manning the grill.

"Boof Dog", "NationWide" and "Ock-Word"...their rapper names.

The Mountains that hold Alberta Falls, Mill Lake and Loch Vale...among other awesome places.

New Aspens line the trail.

Mountain Man in the Makings.

Bee up at Alberta Falls. Born to be wild.

Snow run-off.

On the way to Loch Vale

Another cow elk by us, taking it easy.

Heading up to the Alluvial Fan Falls.

Boulders along the stream

I don't know.

Word.

Snow coming!

We are home. I slept like a babe in my own soft bed last night. Nothing like sleeping in a tent and sleeping bag for 2 nights to help you appreciate a quiet house and soft covers.

The weekend went by fast...the kids and I got up to the park about an hour before Dad did and had camp totally set up before he got there. Daisie, Boofus and Bee were great helpers. Nana didn't go because she had a weekend babysitting job (that caputted on Friday night! so she could've gone if we'd known), so it was just the 3 youngest. So easy.

Friday night, gale-force winds blew thru the Park and we didn't get much sleep. Saturday morning it was still very windy, but we ate breakfast, and headed up to Alberta Falls with a plan to zip past there and continue up to Loch Vale, another 1.7 miles up the mountain. Well, the plan wasn't fail-proof. We didn't count on snow on the trail. We didn't count on Bee accidentally wetting her jeans while trying to potty outside (she complained that boys have it easier cuz "they can aim")--which made her very uncomfortable and self-conscious, so that she wanted to turn around and go back to the campsite immediately), we didn't count on Boofus getting worn-out because he'd been sick over the winter and his endurance is still not what it used to be.

So Ari and I hung back at the Falls, while Kent and Joseph hiked on to try and catch up with Daisie, who had hit the trail hard and was way way way ahead of us. Joseph petered out on Kent, about .5 from the Loch, and with so many others on the trail, he thought he'd leave Joseph and quickly catch up to Daisie. Well, Joseph "freaked out" in his own words, and bolted down the mountain to Ari and me. Once Kent caught up with Daisie, they were .2 from the Loch, and his conscience got the better of him, forcing him to bolt down the trail after Joseph and upon finding the place he'd last seen Joseph empty, he "appeared to have skis", according to Daisie, as his adrenaline caused his feet to take flight...so that when he came into veiw at Alberta Falls, I thought something was wrong. Nope. He was just worried about Joseph.
Doesn't this just sound like a poorly written Scooby Doo movie? About 10 minutes later, Daisie came behind with an exasperated,"I was SO close to the Loch only to turn around!" Which she repeated about 100 times the rest of the day.

I'd given her the camera once I knew Ari and I wouldn't be making the trip. She took some great pics of the trail and the veiw about the treeline. She & Kent are planning a backpacking trip to Thunder Lake this summer.

Sunday started out quieter, with the winds dying down. We ate breakfast, packed up camp and headed for the Alluvial Fan Falls in the Park. We walked around the huge boulders for a bit then decided to have a picnic before going fishing in a nearby river that runs thru the area.

We'd barely gotten the cooler out, when I looked up and saw a snow mass coming towards us! I am not kidding. There were lots of tourists around us, setting up their own picnics, but when it started snowing, POOF! they were gone. Not us. We just laughed at the crazy weather, made our sandwiches and then Boofus, Ari and Daisie got in the car and ate. I actually was okay--my fingers got a little cold and red, but I was okay--until I noticed there was snow in my hummus.
Pffft. I tried to ignore the fact that there was snow in my hummus, but somehow a littel voice of reason said this was utter nonsense--to be eating outside in the snow--so we caved in and packed up. And just about this time, another rotation of tourists arrived as the snowclouds passed, and they unloaded their families and coolers. I was half-tempted to do the same, but saw there was another snowcloud on the way, so we decided to call it. Our camping trip was over, it was time to go home.

Darker clouds were rolling in just as we left the park and were into Estes Park...it hailed like crazy between Longmont and Denver...so much that cars were pulling over and parking under the freeway overpasses. But we just trudged home to the Springs...where it was warm and sunny on arrival.

They say if you don't like Colorado weather, wait a minute. It's true, which makes camping that much more exciting if you ask me. David Scott and Tisha...we want you guys to come to CO and go camping with us...let us know when you can!!

Next trip is gonna be the Collegiate Mountains down south.

Grab Your Family and GO!

Tents...check.
Sleeping bags...check.
Grill...check.
marshmallow-pokers...check.
graham crackers...check.
hersheys chocolate bars...check.
cooler...check.


We're headed up to our favorite place in Colorado--Rocky Mountain National Park--later this morning. Mr Wonderful's idea of a vacation is sleeping in the dirt. Sleeping under the stars is not cliche to him, my Montana mountain man. Sleeping in a tent is "cheating". The only thing that could make this trip even better would be if it rained at night too...he likes to sleep with the sounds of raindrops hitting the tent. He's the first one up in the morning. He gets the campfire going. He gets the water boiling for hot chocolate. He starts the griddle and gets the bacon and eggs going as we all start to pour out of the sleeping bags and tents, with bed heads covered in tooks. (sp?) Mornings are the best when you're camping. We poke around until we're good and ready to close up the food in the car, zip the tents and then grab the fishing poles and hit the trails, rivers, and lakes for the day.

I didn't grow up camping. Ever. When I was 15 my folks moved from Charlotte, NC to Denver, CO (because the Broncos won the Super Bowl and my dad was obsessed with them. no kidding.)
anyway, my folks bought a tent so we camped all the way across the country in order to save money. Back then, we kids thought of it as a great adventure. We had a small car with 7 people in it. It was a Dodge Coronet. My youngest brother, Keir, rode across country lying in the backwind sheild dashboard. The rest of us thought he had the best seat, b/c at least he could lay down, while we were sitting shoulder to shoulder. (seatbelt laws didn't exist).

Anyway, when we got to Colorado, we camped out at Cherry Creek Reservoir for the maximum days you could--21--which was just enough time because my dad had found employment in that time, and we moved into a home.
We never camped again.

My first husband didn't like the outdoors at all, so it wasn't until I met Mr. W that I got to experience true camping. And I really like it.

The kids love it...LOVE it!-- the tents, the sleeping bags, the cooking outside, the eveing stars and flashlights (!), running all over all day long with each other! What a nice change for all of us to be together with no distractions.
Even your teenagers will love it!

So, go camping this summer. It's worth the investment in a tent and bags and get a little Coleman grill, some flashlights (AND BATTERIES!) a cooler, and you're set! Or borrow it all if you can! You'll be so glad you did!

If you haven't been before, it's a great investment for family time. And unlike a trip to Disneyland, you can go and come back in a weekend--with the economy the way it is--short trips can make alot of memories over a whole summer than one big expensive trip. Just a thought. For RMNP, it's only $20.00 a night. That's less than a trip to McDonald's for our whole family!

So come on! you can make reservations for YOUR National Park online...simple, simple!

Right here: http://www.recreation.gov/.

America's Best Idea - The National Parks - Gets even better this summer with several fee-free weekends. All 391 National Park Service sites across the country will offer free admission on June 20-21, July 18-19, and August 15-16, 2009. Many park partners including tour operators and vendors will offer additional discounts and special promotions on those dates.

HomeBirth: A song of the heart

I spent the whole day doing my favorite thing...hanging out with pregnant women and babies.
As a doula, I have had the opportunity to attend hospital births--which I am so grateful to have been invited and loved every minute.
Now that I'm training with a midwife as a Birth Assistant, I am loving the homebirth experiences...what a remarkable difference.
I've had hospital, birth center, and home births myself. Each resulted in a miracle: A baby!

And I would NEVER stand on a soapbox and tell every woman I meet that there's only one way to have a child...but I will tell you this:
if you have a choice (meaning you are risk-free) just know you have options. And those options are worth investigating.

Knowing those options and choosing for yourself is empowering.

Witness this awesome momma.

Are you a Target at Target?

Simplify. We hear it over and over again. And yet, as I blog-hop and get a small peek into other women's homes, I am concerned. Consumerism is intoxicating and suffocating our homes, it seems. We've gone from the desire to create a haven and a refuge from the world for our families, to an ego-driven distraction to out-do one another in creating homes of the Rich and Famous.

Mommas, every day does not have to be a parade. We do not have to have homes that look like they came out of HOUSE BEAUTIFUL to be good homes to raise a family.

Our children can look like children and not like America's Top Model and still be happy. My mom said "You don't have to be rich to be clean." Keep the kids clothes clean and their noses wiped and you're good!--no need to be OCD about it. How do I know this? Because I was an over-acheiving young mother--I sewed alot of my kids clothes to match one another, even sewed Mother-Daughter Easter dresses that took me well into Easter morning to finish! I ironed my sons and daughters play clothes, and tried to coordinate them when we went out in public as though we were going to a photo shoot instead of the mall. I thought that was expected of me. I was so wrong. Then, I discovered Mervyn's--a now-closed store--but one that I loved to shop their clearance racks! So when I sound this voice of reason, it comes from a place of experience! Don't do it! Don't wear yourselves and your wallets out just clothing your kiddos. My youngest daughter wears church dresses that my oldest daughter wore, and 2 other daughters in between. She loves her hand-me-down dresses.
Our Kitchens do not have to be full of "gourmet foods" to be appreciated. I ask our missionaries all the time, what's their favorite dish that their moms make for them. You know what they say? Sunday roast with potatoes and rolls. Chicken enchiladas. Tacos. Easy stuff. Comfort foods. Never once has a missionary said, "This one dish my mom makes that takes her hours in the kitchen, yeah, that's the one!"

Why put the pressure on ourselves to out-do? Excellence does not Equal Exhaustion.

Shopping used to be an activity borne out of necessity once humans no longer grew their own food and substance. Now, it is a bonafide hobby.

LISTEN UP: Target, specifically, caters to young homemakers with their marketing. Each aisle is carefully designed to reflect the current season...the messages perfectly hanging from the ceiling which combine to say, "If you buy this stuff, you and your family will be happier." Think about it. Do you really need a handtowel with easter eggs on it? Does your bathroom floor mat need appliqued snowmen to make your shower somehow better? Will your food taste better if there are 4th of July relics all over the plates, glasses, tablecloth, placemats and stemware? I call it "sucker marketing"...and if you spend alot of time in Target you will come home with something you don't need...everytime.

Good taste is classic.Be careful of where your money goes...is "it" a necessity? Our Bishop just gave us that counsel last month--to be more thoughtful about where our money goes, even if we think we have more than enough to cover being frivilous--it is not what the Lord wants us to do with our resources.

The next time you go to Target (later today--lol), walk into the store with "new eyes"...be sensitive to their marketing...notice the "feeling" they are trying to evoke in their shoppers. Look at the junk in their $1 bins...all of it is color-coordinated by theme to match the rest of the wares they're hocking. Be a smart shopper.

Don't get me wrong, I love Target. If I have to go shopping, I will choose Target over Walmart [usually]for household things. Talking with a friend of mine who was a Marketing Manager for Target stores in the midwest, I told her of my observation that Target uses holidays to manipulate homemakers into buying their wares, and she said, "You got that right. That's exactly what they do. That's why they're called "Target" --they know their demographics." Good to know, yes?

Looking for something to buy just to buy something is habitual. It's an expensive habit.

We are charged to be profitable in our calling as wife and mother...profitable in the sense that our time and resources are used wisely to create a loving, faithful home that releases into the world responsible, faithful, loving citizens who are prepared to take their place in society.

There was a family in our Texas ward years ago--the Cannons. They had alot of kids and little money.

But let me tell you what--they remain in my mind one of the happiest, most well-adjusted families I've ever known. Their manners were impeccable, their countenances glowing, and their smiles unforgettable. They drove a huge white van that had seen better days. Their home was modestly furnished. Bro. Cannon shared his testimony one Sunday and said then that he'd always wanted to provide better for his wife and children, and how grateful he was for their love.

The he said he was the most blessed man he knew. I think he was.

That was nearly 26 years ago. The Cannon's got it.

I also think of Mr Wonderful's Aunt Pauline & Uncle Al in Spokane. We went to their home for a visit a couple of years ago. A lovely home. The dishes we ate off of were at least 40 years old. I'm not kidding! They reminded me of the plates my own mother had when I was a kid. The meal served was simple and nutritious and homemade. They had a garden out back that was the highlight of the trip for my kids--they stayed out there plucking beans and berries for most of the morning. I admire their priorities.

Whenever the "envy monster" rears his ugly head to me, I think of President Hinckley's life and home. Modest. No winding staircases with designer railings and window treatments. Simple.

Efficient. When I think of Sr. Hinckley, I imagine she had her favorite special linens and dishes that she cared for and used up to serve her family. Her home met her expectations. Just like she used her life.

Be wise young Mommas...your legacy will not be how your window treatments matched your lampshades, or if your child's room was a palace, or if all your tupperware matched. Legacies are bigger than that.

I'd really be interested to know if other Momma's agree with my take on this, or if I'm just weird. Comment here, or make your own post on your blog!

You can tell alot about a person by what they read

Remember that oh-so-fun trip to the library last week? I actually did pick up some books for moi. When I got home and looked at my booty, it occured to me I need help. Apparently in alot of different areas of my life.

One of the books is called "Getting Along with Almost Anyone"...it's a personality profiler that was kinda interesting-- I learned nothing new about myself tho I did my own "profiling" of Mr W and a few of my friends and yahoos...which may or may not be scientific but still provided "AH-HA" moments. Reading a profile and thinking "Who do I know like that?" was way fun....got to read about all their good and bad...in the end it was more fun than I thought. (Oh, couldn't find it online to show the cover--and it looks like I'm the first one to check it out...so either its a brand new book or --not. So I chose a smiley face to represent the cover, cuz who can't get along with a smiley?)

Because I'm losin' my stinkin mind, I tell you. I've cracked this open just a couple of times, and if I could remember, I'd read it more often. It talks about little tricks to help recall things, diet, exercise and other stuff I can't remember. Works real good.

A comedy. Very funny. Sometimes too gritty for me. I want to grow old gracefully like Marjorie Hinckley, not like Joan Rivers. (Who, b-t-w, grates on my nerves like chalk on a chalkboard! Absolutely no class whatsoever. I can't figure out why she is even a celebrity. Seriously, my 9 year old is funnier, classier, & cuter than her. just sayin.)
Not a novel, but a fun how-to-age and still be relevant in your own mind read.

Another comedy. And it's not potty-humor. I really like Dave Barry's writing style. It makes me laugh outloud. Especially when he talks about his family. Cracks me up! Plus, he writes for the Miami Herald, my native hometown. He gets points for that. He's not as funny as Bill Bryson, but they didn't have any of his books, or that I could focus on finding because by the time I got to this aisle the kiddos already had 52 books they were hauling around and wanted to go. So I grabbed this one.

I like their show. I like them. My body went from being a "wear whatever I want" kinda body, to a "I hate to shop" body. I need help with this. They're both pretty funny, and always right about looking great. I have a secret wish that someone I know would write these guys and have them film me in my "mom-duds" around town, then come to my house for an "intervention" and force me to throw out every stinkin peice of clothing I own for brand new designer duds. I would NOT be like some of the ninnies they have on there that cry about tossing out their old wardrobe, or bawl about "the long day of shopping" and "sticking to the rules"!! BAH!!! I'd be like, "Let's get this show on the road! Whadda we waitin' for???" Then go get my makeover and show up at a party to shock my family--who would absolutely be shocked that my "mom jeans" have given way a chic, sophisticated look--I mean, seriously, someone call and tattle on me! I won't hold a grudge! Hand me that 5k charge card and I won't look back!

Because I have 3 more kids to get ready for college. I need more help being a "cheerleader" with knowledge than a drill sargent with passion. I've got to get these kids ready for college so I don't end up in a trailer park someday but at some old folks villa in the south of France. That's what I'm talkin about.

So that's my loot. No novels. No outright fiction. Mostly how-tos--dont' get me wrong I own some novels...I used to like Nicholas Sparks until he hired someone else to write for him. jk. I don't know, but his originality is long gone. I'm staing at my bookcase, searching for a work of fiction...oh! there they are...like 4 books of fiction. (Jane Austen, Shakespeare, C.S. Lewis, Jerry Seinfeld) What does that say about me?? Is there something wrong? Is there a How-To book for this?? "How to love fantasy writing in one week or less" "How to really get into romance novels by chapter 3"....I don't know. But, I think I might go find that memory book if I can remember where I put it. Or maybe I could write my own email to Clinton and Stacy, whaddya think?

Ollie Ollie Oxen Free!!

The Elders over for breakfast Saturday morning.
They call themselves "Lunch Money featuring the Delinquent"as their rap names. One of them is leaving tomorrow.
E. Babbitt is going to Rye, Colorado.

He is thrilled.
Since today was his last P-day in our ward, he and E. Nevels spent the day with us...we went to one of our favorite places:

Garden of the Gods.






We even brought the hound.

I love Garden of the Gods...or Gog, as we call it. (That's where Mr. W proposed to me...serious.)

And we played our favorite family game--

Hide-N-Go-Seek.








On this.

At first, I think the Elders thought we were kidding...
Oh no. We don't "kid" about Hide-N-Go-Seek.

If you only know one thing about us...it's that we play this game anywhere. Parks, Walmart, Albertsons, you name it, we've played there before.

We're uncouthe that way. Absolutely uncivilized.




It was a great morning. I didn't get tagged once. The elders can hardly wait to come again. Much like the hokey-pokey, that's what it's all about!