I figured out how to do pictures!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! -Annie's tent

   Wow maybe my posts will get an upgrade!!  I figured out how to put pictures in it.  I guess it doesn't take rocket scientist.  You click on the image button....

Any who, guess who is camping tonight?  That is right Annie is!!!  We came home from church and found a neat little tent and fold up lawn chair and a pinata sitting on our back porch from some good friends of ours who spoil Annie and Hank!

She too a nap in it this afternoon and then insisted on sleeping in it tonight.  I even had to zip it up before I could leave the room!

My Mommy

So I thought I would take a few minutes and right a little note to my biggest follower...
"I am a true follower..." so says my mom... (See comments section.)  But she has to say that.

 It is her Birthday today and she gets to turn 32!!!!  I couldn't make her any younger than that because than I would be older than her, and we can't have that... that'd be weird.

These are the reasons why my mom is the best mom in the whole world.  Now I may be biased but I am also entitled to that.
1. My mom always has taught with high expectations and let me know it.  But when I didn't reach the expectation I was never negatively reprimanded or let down.  She just encouraged me to keep on going.
2. My  mom knows everything about cooking.  At least everything that I need to know.  Because I still call her almost 3-4 times a week just with cooking questions.
3. My mom makes me feel like I can do anything and that I can be a good person.
4.My mom loves my kids and husband and doesn't judge us for our mistakes but loves and accepts... and puts her two cents in ... :)
5. My mom taught my sister and I to be best friends and as a result I would rather call my sister to tell her good news or bad news than anybody else... except for maybe my mom.
6. My mom well do anything for anyone (sometimes it takes her a second to realize that she can plan a way to accomplish the task but it always comes together.)
7. My mom is the best hairdresser in the world and all the new hairdressers should learn a thing or two from her.
8. My mom is prepared.
9. My mom loves to read Annie stories on skype and watch Hank walk down the hallway.
10. My mom calls just to talk to Annie and Hank.
11. My mom loves my Dad and honors and respects him.
12. My mom has a testimony of eternal families.
13. My mom has beautiful eyes.
14. My mom gives advice when needed and listens when needed.
15. My mom is innovative and industrious.
16. My mom taught me the importance of living on a budget and living frugally and where our priorities should lie.
17. My mom let me make my own decisions growing up after she taught me correct principles and let me reap the rewards and consequences.
18. My mom can organize everything from a camping trip to a funeral and a wedding in a remarkably short amount of time.
19. My mom maintains her home so that the spirit can be felt there.
20. My mom makes super yummy healthy cookies with only 100 calories...!
21. My mom is always looking for new ways to improve their way of life but never forgetting the important stuff.
22. My mom will always answer the phone even when she is in the middle of canning beets or wrapping a perm or at 11:30pm or when in the shower.
23. My mom has cleaned my house more times than I can count.
24. My mom makes amazing bread and potato soup and really good lasagna and stir fry and vegetable chowder and rhubarb crisp.
25. My mom is my best friend.

I think I will stop there because I will need to leave some more reasons for when she turns 33.  I love you mom!  You are the best!  Happy Birthday!

Nice person

I find my clearer thoughts come to me before I go to sleep.  I lay there thinking about what maybe I could have said or should have said.  Or even what I should have done or didn't do or still might do.  It is a good time for me to solve the world's problems.  The problem is that I usually fall asleep as I come to the conclusion of what the concluding thoughts were going to be.  Tonight I tried to make an acception to that occurance and as I felt I might be drifting off in the midst of a decent discovery,  I jumped out of bed, ran to my computer and would you know it needed restarted to load the Wifi thingy again.  So I happened to catch a wiff of the puke soiled shirt and b.o. from the day and decided to take a shower while I wait.  Now I smell good and feel refreshed and I am going to tackle what I was trying to conclude in bed before all this happened.  This is mainly for me to be able to sort out my own thoughts... because its been that kind of a day.

I was reminded this evening of my little motto... Its not enough to be just a nice person.  I am beginning to see a different side to this.  Example, I walk through the halls at church and most people say,"Hi, How are you?" and before you can even respond they are passed you and if  you answer them back they have a hard time hearing and say, "oh sorry, did you say something?"  Regretfully, I am included in this category.  It is a nice gesture to greet someone but does it make them really care about you?  Does it make them your friend?  Are you really that nice of a person?

The deeper insight I am exploring is that if "just a nice person" would be an enabler.  Someone who really wants to help others so much that they give them fish instead of teaching them to fish and in the end that person ends up starving becuase the enabler was not able to provide the fish for everyone.  There are always good intentions but lack of engaging in learning life lessons to become prudent and provident and self reliant.  After how long does spoon feeding become enabling.  Everyone needs a hand up and an arm to lean on.  When does tough love become the opposer to enabling?  I believe that a person who is "not just a nice person" will be a self less giver, a master teacher and lead by example.  This person forgets about themselves and there inadequacies and  sees the whole of the picture surrounding a situation and then is able to assess the most adequate method of loving.

I would say that the only way that I can reach that level of person is to truly live as though my Savior were standing at my side and do what he would do.  Easier said than done... but not impossible.

Tender Mercy today: I feel like it is hard to choose a tender mercy today.   The day started with feelings of enabling others, hurt and a little angry confusion, continued into tripling a batch of augratin potatoes for a funeral, play group, Annie spraying Hank in the face with disinfectant, naps hardly taken, a nice conversation with a sister, a productive time locked in my room confirming more work for this summer, caring for a sick child, being puked on, disenfecting the house, and recapping my day.  I obviously left out lots...  My tender mercy is that through out all of this I was happy to be apart of it and enjoy the journey.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

2 year old head rub

We had a very fun weekend with James' parents coming up for a quick trip.  But I was wore out between that and conference and making late night trips to Wendy's :) and I was just wore out.  This evening Annie and I cuddled up on the couch to watch "Secret Millionaire"  (Which one day I will be...!)  and I laid my head on her lap and would you know it she started rubbing my head!  She picked that right up and her 2 year old nurturing skills kicked right in.  I loved it!  But then after a while she wiggled away and said, "ouch, hurts."  I lifted my head and she shoved it back down, but this time not on her legs but awkardly into the couch cushion.  She then resumed the brushing/rubbing of my head/hair.  That lasted for about two minutes and then she was off to play with Holland.   That was my tender mercy for the night.  A head/hair rub from Annie!

According to me...

My highlights from conference... according to me.

Paying you tithing is not a gaurantee that you will be rich monetarily.... but you will have the necessities.
- We should not have made it through this past winter on what we were able to save from last summer and the little that we earned doing the little side jobs that we do.  Each month the account is almost drained and then all of a sudden we pay our bills and there is just a bit left over.  Every bill has been paid and have food and money for gas and a home to live in.  Wowsers!  That really should not have happened!  Tithing is a true principal that I cannot afford to not pay.  It is also said that a couple that pays an honest tithe are less likely to get a divorce.  Go figure.  It's all about being submissive, meak, etc.

Love your spouse with a pure love...
- I have really been trying lately to speak James love language and fill his love tank... (I know it sounds cheesy but I don't know how else to say it.  (five love languages))  His languages are quality time and acts of service.  We've shot our bows, I've been a little better at making a lunch for him, making sure he has socks folded when he puts them on so early in the morning... and other stuff.  I think we are benefitting from it.  He seems more motivated and ready to succeed.

Just let it go...
- There are just a couple things that bother me now and then.  They are like a bad zit you can't ever really pop.  It just comes and goes but never really comes to a head and you try popping it but it just scabs over and the infected part never comes out...(you know? Those really bother me, but that's not what I'm talking about.)  I was thinking about it yesterday while I listened to conference and just as I was getting my undies in a bundle over it, the speaker said, "Just let it go."  Or something to that matter.  All I can do is my best and be the most obedient that I can be and the rest well fall into place.

If you have faith, you need not fear...
- That is one thing that has been on my mind.  How well this summer go?  Are we going to be able to pull it all together and find work and be able to pay the gas bill?  Worry is a sign of fear, which is oppisite of of faith.  I know that if I am actively engaged in serving and being obedient I will not need to fear or worry because I can trust that we will come out on top.

Parenting talk...
- I am overwhelmed sometimes about the responsiblity that I have as a mom to teach and instill virtuous principles in the lives of my kids.  The one thing I know is that it is not possible to prepare them to have an eternal family themselves without basing my teachings on those of Christ and helping them learn from His stories.  Positive discipline and reinforcement of Christ like attributes are the most correct ways to build a solid foundation to allow them to develop and mature into the very elect people that they are. 

Preparing to go to Temple...
- My Grandma always taught her family that they were to be sealed in the Temple, nothing else mattered.  At her funeral, my uncle shared his insight that that was the best thing she could have ever taught because of the kind of choices and lifestyle you have to make to be able to reach that goal.  My new goal is to have a picture of a Temple in every room. 

Receiving chastisement...
- I like to think that I am a person that likes to be bettered... but sometimes it is hard for me to choke down criticism.  (I think because I am a "verbal affirmation" love language type.  I feel loved when people compliment me.  I starve for it sometimes and then get cocky when I get it.)  So when I get criticism my defensive mechanism fires up and attacks.  Then the defensive system gets taken out of order and the self improver in me tries to take what I can from it and become better.  This sometimes takes a while and sometimes rather quick.  The afflicted are comforted and the comfortable are afflicted. 

So if you have made it to the end of my little reminder list of some of what stuck out at my while I watched conference than congrats... I think.  All I know is that I have so many areas in my life where I need to improve and better.  The number one goal is to become more Christlike.   Here we go!  We are unstoppable right?

A brief synopsis of the birds, birthdays, phone calls, Jesus, and head locks... Annie and Hank

Can I just say that I have the coolest kids ever in the world?  I am not a biased parent and I am definitely not putting down anyone else's kids, but mine are way cool and just fun.  For example...


Annie's pediatrician tells her when she checks her ears out that there are little birdies in them and to listen closely.  I didn't think Annie really got it until this week when she found a little flashlight and held in up to Hank's ear and said, "Baby, birdies!  Birdies!  Birdies!"  and of course Hank pulled out his "save me defense mechanism" and reached up and pulled her hair and she ran off.

Hank took four feet worth of steps tonight!  Then he crawled back into the backroom, pulled the cords out of the computer and looked up and me with a smile... "uhoh" he said.  Uh oh is is favorite word as of late.  That and momma.

Then Hank was found very secretively and elusively double timing the chocolate chips by the handfuls in the food closet.  All he did was look up at me and smile like he was on top of the world and spinning!  Chocolate was smeared all over his four teeth and lips.

Speaking of food... We were treated to Annie's TV soup last  night.  She took the ladles that she and Hank were playing with and went to the TV and pushed the color control buttons while making a shhhhhww sound as she filled up the ladle with TV soup and then served Kelly, Greg, James and myself.  After a couple servings James got full and decided to dump his ladle full of TV soup on my head which caused Annie's jaw to drop and then the lights flashed and all of a sudden everyone was getting soup dumped on their heads.  What great fun with TV soup.  But she did have a very interesting invention.  She filled the ladle up with soup and then sucked on the top of the handle as if it were a straw sucking up all the soup in the scoopy part.  I think she could be on to something.

Oh and potty training...  we put her in real underwear today... and changed the real underwear four times.  I hope she gets is sooner than later.  We have a lot of carpet.  But, she sure like to go poo poo which directly correlates to chocolate in her brain.  Weird.

But we did have changing into about thirty different outfits (slight exaggeration).  A friend gave Annie some of her daughter's old clothes and Annie had to try on all of them.  Her favorite... the butterfly pj top with the flowers pj bottoms and the butterfly shorts shoved underneath the pants.  She can now dress herself! and undress herself!   and undress herself!  and dress herself!...

Hank loves frozen (half way thawed) blueberries and strawberries.  So much so that he sucks them right up like a vacuum, sounds and all.  And he really loves pancakes and chocolate chip cookies and he drinks more milk than a herd of calves.  He's a thirsty one.

Annie loves going to Grandma's beauty shop and getting her hair done.  She sits perfectly still and looks in the mirror while grandma snips away... and styles away.  She always comes out looking just like I did when I was her age after mom did my hair.  Go figure!  She then helps the nail tech pick out the colors to paint her clients nails.  What a good helper...  (She also likes mommy's beauty shop... the toilet, a blow dryer and a brush.)

And they both love to talk to Grandma on skype.  Annie packs around my little laptop and shows grandma all over.  They go into the fort together and then read stories together and then Hank usually wonders over and will slam the screen closed.  But, it poses as a great babysitter for a bit so I can do dishes or sort clothes.

They both love to tackle and wrestle each other.  They giggle and laugh and pull hair and put each other in head locks and leg locks and get drug by their shirts... (well Hank gets more drug than Annie but paybacks will happen one day.)  Lots of visitors to our home usually are surprised as to how hard they play and gasps are not uncommon.  But the rule is when someone starts crying then we quit, which then usually turns into a laugh anyways.  Lots of fun...  They'll be tough right?

Annie can successfully count to three in spanish and english... but they are usually mixed together.... Like this: uno, two, tres...

Hank loves his tummy to get tickled and raspberries.  He throws his head back wholeheartedly and laughs from deep within.  I love it!  I love that both of my kids have a hearty laugh.  They can belt it out!

Annie has a birthday almost everyday now.  She sings..."birfday, birfday, annie birfday!  mommy birfday!  daddy birfday!  Daddy birfday!   birfday....

She talks to Juan, Cami, Grandpa Gene, Tris Tris, Daddy, Daa and puppy on the elmo phone almost twice a day if not more.  But, she rarely never wants to talk in depth with the real person.

Annie says her own prayers now... this is how it goes...  Henvly Fa, Ble Mommy, daddy,Mommy, daddy baby, annie, baby, ble food, Jeeses, AMEN!

Movies are a favorite... sunday we only watch churchy movies... I watched finding faith in christ 4 times today.  It is her favorite.  She loves watching Jesus.  After the mission and watching it soooo many times then I thought I would be alright without it for quite a while... now I am sure of it.  But, I can't complain.  It could be worse.

Hank still watches intently everything that Annie does and loves her.  He is definitely leaving baby stage and entering toddler stage!  Yikes....!!!  But so much fun.  He is tough.  I just caught him pushing around and manhandling a baby stroller for dolls his Grandma Sherrie gave Annie.  He can hang from James' fingers with just hanging on by his hands.  And...  dudnu da!!  After almost ten months of refusing a bottle... he only wants a bottle and mommy has been booted.  Can't say that I am very sad... kind of but that's ok. 

... and it is 1:30am and I probably should go to bed.  I don't sleep well when James is up doing homework all night.  But I might now.  Sorry for the ramblings I just felt like I would forget all of this stuff and maybe someone out there might just want to know what the heck is going on with the kiddos.
Speaking of you out there!!!  I just got to the 10 follower mark!!!  Man is this blog getting popular... haha.  Just jokes!  But I was excited to see more people follow me.  Not at all like the crafty blogs I try not to waste all my time with. (They all have hundreds if not thousands of followers.)
Maybe once I find my camera I will add pictures to this blog.  We shall see.  It seems to be the cool thing to do.

Good night... morning?

Last night I felt peace

It has been a long time since I have actually felt peace... the peace that leaves you feeling like you are unstoppable, that everything well be alright and that you can completly trust that you will make it through.  It's like after going to the chiropractor and she adjusts the upper mid section of your back... right in between your shoulder blades up to your neck and you get off the table and feel marvelous, because you had no idea how much pain your back was really in because you just dealt with it and didn't have time to pay it any attention.  Life goes on. 
I remember feeling that kind of in depth peace a few times in my life.  The most prominent when I was sitting in the temple in Provo contemplating having left my boyfriend to go on the mission...  Did I make the right choice, should I go back?  I felt a rush of peace surge my body and the feeling come over me to trust and have courage.  That has stuck with me through the rest of the years to the present.  But I have been needing to feel that pure, saturating and penetrating peace again.  I needed recharged.
I laid in bed last night next to my husband praying and that feeling came over me again and the thoughts, Trust, courage.  I was so greatful that my Father in Heaven loves and knows me so well that he allows me to feel a portion of the peace and trust that he has for us. 

Now as I lay in bed, I don't feel that magnitude of peace, but I know that it was spoken to me and I can remember and rely on it.