Birthday Month in Review

My family has a habit of unintentionally making birthdays a month long celebration. I'm OK with that. The longer the merrier, if you ask me, and this year was no exception.

My celebration started on May 6th when my parent's treated me and the kiddos to dinner at a favorite local BBQ place. The barbecue chicken salad was delicious but this was the hit of the evening for all involved. Lots of ice cream, brownie, whip cream, and saliva to go around. Yum.

When William decided to climb on the table and dig in was about the time we decided that we'd had enough, after my mom snuck in one last bit, of course.

A week later it was Brandon's turn to help me celebrate my 28 years. In keeping with our own special tradition, we didn't bring a camera. We never remember to document events without the kids. No wonder if feels like we never have any. Anyway, Melting Pot was the restaurant of choice. Not only did we have delicious food, but also 3 1/2 hours of uninterrupted conversation. Bliss. (Thanks, Rachel, for babysitting!)

On the morning of my birthday Brandon took the kids shopping and then to the park. I had an entire morning all to myself. As I was showering that morning I reflected on how much my life has changed since I've had kids. To think that my birthday wish would be to spend half the day alone! Yet, that is what it was and it was wonderful.

The evening came and I was treated to a delicious rib-eye steak dinner complete with my favorite drinks (Diet Coke and Fresca) and my favorite people.

And let's not forget the cheesecake. Oh that cheesecake. Mmmmmm ................................................

After all that eating, it's a good thing Brandon gave me a bike trailer as a gift. Time to burn off all the celebration calories! It was delivered to our doorstep just a couple of days ago, which finally marked an end to my 28th birthday.

Thank Goodness

We need to remember that the full commitment of motherhood and of putting children first can be difficult. Through my own four-generation experience in our family, and through discussions with mothers of young children throughout the Church, I know something of a mother’s emotions that accompany her commitment to be at home with young children. There are moments of great joy and incredible fulfillment, but there are also moments of a sense of inadequacy, monotony, and frustration .... recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there will be shining moments of joy and satisfaction."

(Daughters of God, Ensign, May 2008, M. Russell Ballard)

Thank goodness, thank goodness, this weekend was one of those "moments of joy and satisfaction". I needed that. I needed my kids to be healthy. I needed my kids to sleep well. I needed my kids to eat well. Thank goodness they did.

Thank goodness I have a fabulously helpful husband who never, ever makes me feel like I am pulling more than my share.

Thank goodness I have the knowledge of the Gospel* and the ability to read so that I can draw from the wisdom of prophets both ancient and modern*. Henry B. Eyring is currently on "repeat" in my head,

"My purpose today is to assure you that our Heavenly Father and the Savior live and that They love all humanity. The very opportunity for us to face adversity and affliction is part of the evidence of Their infinite love. God gave us the gift of living in mortality so that we could be prepared to receive the greatest of all the gifts of God, which is eternal life. Then our spirits will be changed. We will become able to want what God wants, to think as He thinks, and thus be prepared for the trust of an endless posterity to teach and to lead through tests to be raised up to qualify to live forever in eternal life. It is clear that for us to have that gift and to be given that trust, we must be transformed through making righteous choices where that is hard to do."

(Adversity, Ensign, May 2009, Henry B. Eyring)

along with Mosiah,

26:30 Yea, and as often as my people repent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.

Thank goodness.

I love being a mother. Love it. I have dreamed of this time for as long as I can remember. I love that I get to stay home with my children. I have done the working mom thing. It wasn't for me. Not once since I "retired" do I wish that I could be in the classroom instead of here at home. Not once. Not even on the hard days.

I just wish, sometimes, that I had more answers, more solutions, more guidance. A user's manual, perhaps?

Those desires only come when I forget that I do have all the answers, all the solutions, and all the guidance I could ever want. I just need to seek them out.

Lately I have been seeking and that has made all the difference.

Thank goodness.

*I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and often make references to my beliefs. If you would like to know more about the my religion, please ask. You can also check out www.mormon.org,for more information.

It's a Miracle!

It is late and I am going through the plethora of pictures that I have managed to take this month. It has been a picture worthy month for sure.

This picture takes the cake though, mostly due to the story that accompanies it.

Only seconds after this picture was taken Marie's face was clean as a whistle. I know, you don't believe me because you have played in the sand before. Your kids have played in the sand before. Your kids have done a face plant in the sand much like the one that preceded the taking of this fabulous picture. We all know sand gets everywhere and it sticks!

Enter: Baby Powder

Pour a little in your hands, rub on the sand afflicted area and you have saved yourself from a day like this one.

That isn't even the real miracle. The real miracle is that we got home from the beach, brushed the munchkins off with baby powder and put them down for naps. No baths necessary. (Until later that evening, of course. Baths really are a necessity after the beach, but naps take precedence over baths when it is already 2:30pm.)

And now for the sad part of this story ... I grew up in California and just learned this trick. Obviously I didn't spend enough time with the surfer-type.

Dear sweet baby powder, where have you been all my life?

Let Them Eat Cake

**click the picture for a link to the post**

Oops, I just posted about this loveliness on Toodles instead of on here. I guess that is what I get for having two blogs. I'm surprised this is the first time I have done this. Anyway, go look! Pretty please?

airplane ride, gardening, cute kids, birthday .... so much to write about

not going to today though

i got my craft on instead

check it out on Toodles, if you want to that is. if you don't i won't tell anyone.

Assume the Position

There are only two times in William's life when he can manage to hold still. The first is when he is sleeping. The second is when he is playing with his car/trucks/planes/bulldozers/(you get the idea).

He lays down on his side so that he can get a good view of the wheels turning. It is his comfort position and when I looked out the window and saw him "assume the position" in the sandbox I knew it was his stamp of approval.

Good work, Brandon!