Lazy Sunday for ME!

( Look, someone actually took a picture of me!)
Today, I worked so hard at church. Being a Secretary to a Young Women's Organization of 45 is quite the undertaking sometimes. So I didn't get to even listen to the talks today, I was too busy out in the foyer making flyer's. Then, during Sunday school, we had an impromptu YW Presidency meeting which invariably happens almost every Sunday. Five Birthday cards had to be signed, an agenda had to be filled out, handouts had to be distributed, etc... When we finally went into YW's, I was a little scatter brained. Pulled it off though...of course. It's me! As we were starting, my lovely 2 year old had to be brought to me. He has been kicked out of nursery twice now! This kid is cranky! I found him asleep underneath his sister's bed this morning. I can only imagine what kind of night he had and how much sleep actually occurred. So Mama fed the baby and laid down with him. It took all of 2 minutes for him to be absolutely out! He was out for 4 hours! All the kids went outside with Patrick and made a rain shelter for the Goats. And what did I do? I was lazy and just laid on the couch listening to music, dreaming of the future and soaking up the gorgeous fall sun. The Pacific Northwest is like living in paradise! Having a moment to yourself to reflect doesn't happen very often as so many of you can attest. My daughter even made dinner tonight. I love Sundays!

Boats Mama!

These photos are so precious that they deserved their own post. Evan is starting to put two words together. Although most people can't understand him, I can. I'm his mama...he was just so cute watching the little motorized boat at the lake. I couldn't resist snapping a few shots. My dad is going to love this! He loves boats and knowing that "Junior" likes them too will give him a smile.

The pumpkin patch

Happy Birthday Jack Wolfe! We had a great time at your party. We went on a train ride out to the pumpkin patch and watched the boats in the lake. It was a crisp 48 degrees and quite sunny out, but freezing with the wind. I forgot how cold fall can be when it just sneeks up on you from nowhere. Christian really wanted to bring home this bunny, that is until it scratched him. Evan was asleep for his friends party for the first half. He woke up cold and I held him most of the time. That is quite an accomplishment seeing as he is just over 40 lbs!

Picture Day

Do you ever feel ripped off? Like you just flushed your money down the drain? Well, today is picture day, and I am feeling ripped off. Having 4 kids in elementary school together is a flood of duplicate paperwork, volunteer requests, and quadruple fees. Needless to say, my children will not be getting the deluxe package of pictures this year. We are getting the $8 lame package just so we can have one on the wall, and later, in the scrapbook. Sometimes I feel like the only reason I pay for these usually horrible pictures is to document the losing of teeth and self inflicted haircuts! So if you don't get a picture this year, don't feel bad.Christian is sporting two missing teeth. I told him to open his eyes more and this is what I got!
Brighten is missing her two front teeth. She still looks like a cherub to me....my baby is growing up!

Fear...

Yesterday, I was hailed by a neighbor to stop. Cringing, I expected to hear that my kids had destroyed something or that my dog was harrassing their dog. But I recieved even scarier news than that. A cougar had been spotted on his property trying to kill his dog! My children's bus stop is on his property! The cougar was out at 7:15 in the morning, the exact time my kids get on the bus. Needless to say I was a little unnerved. It gets better...our dog has been missing since friday morning...Roman, not Wilson. A cougar can kill a horse, cow, elk, a dog, a small curly headed child!

So now this gun hating democrat is going to learn how to load a shotgun today incase she needs to blow the hind quarters of a cougar off to save her child, or goat or whatever....

PS...my kids are driven to the bus stop in the morning by their father or me now...it's a 15 minute walk through forest to get to their stop! Too many risks for me. I might be picking them up too...

Conference

I was hungry today...for spiritual strength. I found it in Dieter Uchtdorf's Talk. There is hope through Jesus Christ, not only to survive and thrive in this time that we are called to pass through...( me...I've needed hope to get through these months of trial and tribulation), but also in our glorious future that awaits us. That man is a man of God! His talk to the Relief Society on Creativity and Compassion was amazing. I must admit that I have a soft spot for this man. My favorite companion on my mission is his daughter-in law. And in the middle of all this spiritual uplift, my husband is printing out his notes on the Book of Mormon to give to the Jehovah's Witnesses who are at our door this very minute...way to be a missionary Honey!

My visual reminder of hope...

When we first moved to this home, the strawberry plants were weak and small. Strawberry season was in full swing and I had not one fruit. With careful watering and weeding and a hope that maybe I could revive them, I have reaped the reward. These are huge unblemished strawberries. This is my visual reminder, that there is always hope. And in a little while, with faith and love, I will be rewarded...infinitely!

PS..anyone want to go to Rome when the temple is dedicated? Patrick will probably have to drug me to cross the ocean, ( I have a phobia of deep water that I can't see through.) I have never been farther that Navoo Illinois. So much for world travel... Congrats to anyone that has a new temple coming there way! That is fabulous!

PPS...principle of compensation...Amazing Elder Wirthlin, and Angels by Holland, made me weep...

Back to School Boogies!!! Yuck!!!

It's 73 degrees in the house and I am freezing! Crap! I cannot be sick...but alas I think I am. Lethargy, blah, and now sore throat and fever. It's days like these, that you want to be ten again. What I wouldn't give to stay in bed and watch old movies and eat soup all day. Not gonna happen, I know, but a girl can dream...I haven't been sick in a long time. My children are back in school. That's probably where I got it from. Those evil little snot nosed kids sharing boogies in the hallway with my delightfully social children. Somebody shoot me! Stacey...bring me the Cherry coke stat!