SUNDAY WITHOUT OUR MAN

MJ finally fits into Sierra's old dress. I love this little dress. My sister bought it for Sierra three yesrs ago, I am so glad it still has a lot of life left in it. Starting this summer MJ will be in all of Sierra's hand-me-downs. I don't know why that thrills me so much. I thought she looked adorable today.
Sierra's hair is growning. For those of you who remember she chopped it last year. I think it is finally at the length it was before she chopped it. I french braided her hair into a side pony tail. I thought it was super cute. I love these two little girls. However, being at church one Sunday alone with them made me very grateful for my husband and I am anxiously awaiting his return.

AMORETTE's BABY SHOWER

One of our dear friends Amorette has a baby shower. It was a lot of fun. Everyone brought there favorite international dish. (I forgot to bring something.)Marie was incharge of coordinating.
I thought Marie did such a cute job with the drink table.
I loved the tables. She had random facts about pregnancy through the ages printed on little pieces of paper. They were really fun to read.
I did remember to bring a gift. I don't have a picture. I made her a dress and a head band. Maybe I can get her to take a picture and send it to me.
I loved these little puffs of beauty floating from the ceiling, the orange especially sang to me.
The beautiful Amorette with her sweet little baby still tucked warm inside her. The little princess will be arriving on the third of March.
A lot of friends came to support her. She had such a nice turn out.

Don't you love her expression. It makes me laugh.


This is our Primary President. Her name is Sister Custered, but Sierra calls her Sister Crusty. (I don't know why I am typing this it has nothing to do with the shower it just makes me laugh.)
My friend in the blue is having a baby boy. My friend in the white is having identical twin girls, her shower is schedules for next week. I just keep laughing at her, it would be my worst nightmare. She has another little boy MJ's age. Ahhh. She will do awesome.
Amorette was so gracious. It was so fun to watch her open her presents. I know it is truly the most ackward part of the shower but she handled it perfectly.
Isn't she such a beautiful, first time mother to be. Amorette you and Parker are going to be awesome parents. All the best.

ME EXPOSED

I was tagged. I am suppose to write some honest things about myself. Although, I enjoy reading these things, I hate writing them. However, despite the fact that I know I have several faithful readers that just don't comment, I love that my Aunt Caroline does comment. Since she takes the time to do that for me, I will do this for her. No one has to read this and I would recommend you don't.

1. My dream home is a rustic cabin, with exposed beams in the ceiling, an old leather couch, and a handmade patchwork blanket on each bed. The backyard will consist of a tire swing and a huge garden. There maybe a cow and a few chickens back there too some day. (I have a deep detest for all things animal but I love self-reliance and I know I can't live without milk and eggs. Someday the thing I detest and the thing I love may collide.)

2. I love recycled items. I love taking something useless and making it useful again. I turn old t-shirts that still have a lot of life left in them into dresses or t-shirts for my girls. I admire people that also follow the the motto, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."

3. I have no strong attachments to things. I am not sure why. Also, I disdain clutter. I give or throw things away the minute I am no longer using it or it no longer serves a purpose. When we moved to Pittsburgh we didn't bring a Uhaul, we just got rid of everything and left. When we move from Pittsburgh back West we will do the same thing again. It is kind of liberating to me.

4. I am afraid of over-the-counter drugs and prescription drugs. I don't know whether this comes from the way I was raised or whether it is of my own creation, but it is true. I have a small bottle of Tylenol and some baby's Tylenol in my medicine cabinet right now and that is it. I also don't believe in herbs or medicinal remedies, maybe that is because of the person I married to or it is of my own creation, but it is true. (I know crazy.)We use Tylenol sparingly and try to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and of course some herbs in my cooking, that is my health recipe for life.

5. I love fashion. I admire people with unique styles. I admire people that have a look. My look currently is starved, but I will feed it someday. Right now I feel like a walking candidate for "What not to Wear." I love three inch heels and even though they kill my feet and are unpractical for toting two little girls, I wear them often. I love high heels. I think that shoes are a great accessory and the only sexy thing you should wear in public.

6. I love to write. Mostly, I write children's stories. I write in my journal fairly frequently. I take the time to write at least a page; between my blog, my journal, or my scripture journal, once a day. Yes, I keep a journal other than my blog because somethings are just too private to share in a public forum. I think those words are the most important to write. (My blog is more like a digital scrap book.)

7. I hate reading. I have never liked it. I was really bored when I was twenty and went and got my first library card. My father was beyond shocked. (He is a lover of books.) I am really bored again and have been reading some books my mother-in-law sent me for Christmas. My husband said in disbelief, "You are reading, honey. Good job." When I do read it befuddles me to think any author can say more in 600 pages than they should have fit into 300 pages. Even if I start a book if I hit page 300 and you aren't sucking me in with every word, I probably will walk away and never look back, which leads to number eight. (However, I did read The Undaunted all 802 pages. I am reading Jacob Hamblin's bibliography, which I have really enjoyed, but I have hit page 300, so it could go either way at this point.)

8. I don't have to see the ending of movies, television programs, or finish a book. I feel perfectly content not seeing the ending of things. I never come back to a movie, or any television program, and restart it from the places I have missed if I am interrupted halfway through. If anything bores me in the slightest or feels like it is wasting my time, I will just leave midway through.

9. If you are still reading you deserve something good. The bottoms of my feet are filled with rock hard calluses. You could take a chisel to these babies.

I heard a story once, from a friend, that had a friend, who's husband's feet were nasty. They were so filled with broken calluses that when his callused feet rubbed across the sheets they tore them. I think I gave a shocked look of disbelief, and said, no. However, that is me. I did that to a pair of sheets. Oh, yes I did.

Once my sister came into town. I told her about my problem. She took me to the store. We walked down the foot care isle. I picked up a tool up. I said, "How 'bout this one." She said, "Lisa, that is a cheese grater. I would never touch that to my foot." Well after all the products we bought didn't work I went back and bought the cheese grater. Didn't make a dent in the problem.

That's why you keep the three inch heels on and never take them off because beneath those leather boots is something mind blowing gross. Nate is constantly after me to go get a pedicure but I won't because I can't let anyone fix it. I would be too embarrassed to watch someone else chisel away. Plus, I don't want to spend money on something so frivolous, which leads to number ten. (Which is less funny so you can stop here if you want.)

10. I hate debt. If I borrow something I cannot feel at peace until it is returned. This is how ridiculous it is, I have a book I borrowed from a girl six years ago. I can't throw it away because it isn't mine. I can't keep it because every time I look at it I feel guilty for not returning it, and I can't return it because I can't remember her name, first or last. When I bought my first car I would put every spare penny into paying off the balance. When other girls were buying clothes and paying the minimum balance on their cars, I was doubling the payments on mine and forgoing clothes. It wasn't that I didn't like nice thing, it was just that in my mind I was spending someone elses money until the debt was repaid. Since we began this venture most of our life has been on loans and therefore in my mind there has been no room for the frivolous. I calculate and recalculate how much we own on our loans and how fast I want to pay to them off. (That may have been less funny, so I will go on.)

11. I was a little actress as a child. I love to read to my girls. I want them to love to read. (Weird I know. I didn't say reading doesn't have its virtues I just said I don't like it.) So, when I read to my girls I do all the voices. I have on occasion been known to read the Bernstein Bears in opera. My favorite voice to do is the witches voices. I think I am pretty good at impersonating a witch. (You would be surprised at how many witches there are in children's books.) However, one day Sierra came to me and said, "Mom I had a bad dream last night. I called my grandma and she answered the phone like this." Then she said in the raspiest witches voice, "Hello Sierra." It sent chills up my spine. I have tried to refrain from speaking in that voice since. (Maybe that turned into a downer too. Oh, well I filled my obligation and hey I gave you the callused feet, so laugh on that one for a while.)

DANCING GIRL

MJ loves to dance. She discovered that this train will play music so she will hit the music button and dance around over and over again. I love watching her try to spin on those wobbly little legs.

On a more serious note, the man of the house has left us and we are all sad. Sierra cried and said, "I don't know if I will remember him, if he is gone for a really long time." I assured her that he would only be gone for six days. He arrived in Vegas last night. He will be spending the next five days taking a difficult test. We have spent more money for this single test, than we lived off of in our first year of dental school. There is no way we could afford to retake it. It is really important that he does well and passes. He needs to pass to license as a dentist and to practice in the western states. Please keep him in your prayers. I am so grateful he is willing to do hard things for our family.

I WOULDN'T

I wouldn't draw all over my daughter's face for entertainment. Then laugh my head off. Then think, oh crap, tomorrow or the next day this is going to come back to bit me when CC writes all over MJ or herself and laughs. Then have a flash of her walking through the door with tatoos all over her body saying, "You taught me how." Then run her to the bath. Throw her in with some bubbles and pray she will forget the whole fiasco, but not before I snap a picture, because it was really funny. Never, not me.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU.

Shandra was so sweet to come over to our house for dinner and celebrate her birthday with us, yesterday.
Jennifer and a sweet lady, who volunteers at Jennifer's school, worked so hard to make it a special day for Shandra. This lady went and put together a whole bag of decorations and party paraphernalia for Jennifer, so she could throw her mother a birthday party. All of the things in the bag were well thought out. You could tell she took time putting it all together. It was so sweet. Jennifer was so excited about the whole thing. It really did make her day to be able to do something kind for her mother. The most impressive thing is that it was a suprise and she kept the secret until her birthday. I could never have done that at six. I can't even do that at thirty.
Sierra had to go put on a dress up. She said, "Shandra will want me in a beautiful princesses dress for her birthday, huh mom." I thought it was cute that she thought Shandra would care about her attire at the party. You have to dress up for these sorts of things, don't you know.
I asked Brooklynn to smile for the camera. She rolled her eyes. I thought it was better than a smile.
Happy Birthday Shandra. May every year bring you more joy and happiness and I am sure with these two girls as your children, it will.

POWERFUL

Emma, Sierra's cousin gave her this locket when we were in Utah this past summer. Yesterday, I was in CC's room cleaning it out. She came in and was cupping this locket in her little hand she said, "Mom, do you want me to show you someone that is so powerful that He is going to come back and make Stephen alive?" If you don't know who Stephen is click here.Sierra wanted me to play Candyland with her last night. It was a bit of a fiasco. Nate was on the phone trying to work out some costly expenses, so he can license. MJ was screaming her lungs out because she wanted to be King Kong and destroy the board. Sierra was upset because she just wanted to play the game. I guess the picture depicts how I was feeling. Another successful family night. :)
MJ played dress up's with CC for the first time this morning. I thought they were so cute together.

LEAVE ME ALONE

CC likes to tell MJ what to do. She likes to tell her what to play with, what not to play with, and how to play with it. If MJ goes somewhere CC doesn't want her to go, she will just pick her up and move her. One occasion I found CC on the floor holding MJ around the waist, while MJ was screaming and CC had a determined furrow across her brow. I inquired, "What is going on?" The response, "MJ was being naughty so I am putting her in a time out." Most the time they are best of friends but when they fight MJ exerts her will with these deafening screeches, which would send wolves cowering back to there caves, but not CC. CC will just keep on doing whatever irritates her. This picture was taken during one such moment.

PLAYMATES

We got these boxes from Costco yesterday. The girls have pretended they were cars, forts, doll houses, and picnic tables. They have had a lot of fun.

SWEET GIRLS

Sierra has cleaned her room fifty percent of the time this week without me asking her. She just wanted to surprise me. While I was washing the dishes tonight she was teaching her little sister how to sweep up the floor. She was singing while she was sweeping. She made up a song about how much she loved her mom. How much she appreciates her mother for keeping the house clean. How she is happy when she is helping her mother. The song went on and on and it lightened my heart. I am so grateful for her kindness.

She was so funny today. On the way to Costco the traffic was bad. I kept muttering things like, "moron" and, "get out of my way crazy." She said, "Mom, you shouldn't talk to people like that, just say, "Please, please move." Then miraculously the car would move. She would say, "See mom. You just have to ask nicely."

OH, SO ACKWARD.

MJ something has escaped out of your... nose.

A few Sundays ago this really sweet, recently converted, man came to the Gospel Principle's class. I was teaching. He made a comment. I couldn't understand him. I asked him to repeat himself. He asked if he could come to the front of the class, feeling like he could project better. I said he could. He stood and walked to the front. He was having an XYZ moment. I couldn't say anything. I didn't want to draw more attention. It was really ackward. I didn't tell him. I feel bad, but I didn't. The end.

THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

I watched the history channel trying to discover the origin of Valentines Day. They had this to say...

"One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death."

I like this legend and was telling it to my daughter today. She liked the story and begged for me to tell it to her a few times.

Yesterday, while at the store, I told Sierra to pick out a treat for Valentines Day. She chose a large package, containing eight smaller packages, of candy hearts. When we got home she said, "Mom there are so many, can I share some with my Primary friends?" I said she could so she went about assigning names to the candies and painting cards for each of her Primary class mates. Then she remembered a few of her other friends from church and asked if she could make a card for them too. Then she collected them all together and said, "You know what, the Bishop sometimes comes to our class, can I make one for him too?" I said I thought it was a good ides. She was so overjoyed to share her Valentines with everyone. After sacrament meeting she bounded up to the stand and gave the Bishop his Valentine. This evening I got a phone call from our Bishop he asked to speak to her, explaining that he hadn't had time to thank her at church. She was really shy, I think I would have been too, she didn't say anything. Then I heard him say goodbye and she hung up. She didn't say anything about the phone call. I thought it was really kind of him to call. I was so proud of my girl. I know great joy comes from giving and I am so glad she knows that too.

Lastly, enjoy. I love this song. I know the most important thing we do in this life is give love. I know that when we love each other, we are engaged in the work of our Savior.

GRAFFITI SNOW

Thanks to Shelly and Bethany for this fun idea. I got a spray bottle and filled it with warm water and food coloring and we went out and graffitied the snow. (I put warm water in it because she doesn't keep her gloves on and I thought it would help keep her hands warm.)Sierra loved it. We drew words and shapes in the snow. First we used pink and then we filled the bottle again with blue.
MJ just wanted to figure out what this stuff was. She hasn't left the house for a month. When I realized that I felt a little sad. She was sick and then the snow. She hasn't even left for church, poor baby. She cried when we came back inside the house.
Sierra got herself dressed to go outside. (She doesn't like wearing socks with her boots because they are fuzzy inside.) I usually make her double up on tights and socks, I guess she missed that part. Her boot became logged in the snow and oops. Yes, barefoot.
We hurried her upstairs and gave her a nice bath. She put the remainder of her blue die in the bathtub.
Her Dad brought her home this paper and some fun pencils and told her if she practiced drawing her letters he would give her a candy. She did and he did. He is determined to help her become the top of her class throughout life. He has huge dreams for this little lady.

KISSES

MJ hates it when CC shows her any amount of affection. She often pushes her away when she tries. This morning she must have been in the mood because she kept kissing CC over and over again. So cute.

THROUGH CC's EYES

CC asked if she could take some pictures today. I let her. She hates when I get too camera happy and is more willing to be photographed if she can photograph too. Here is the world through CC's eyes. The rest are her words. (My only question, what is this a picture of?)
Grandma, what did the duck say to the animal? Because it didn't fly. (She is laughing.)(I am laughing because she took a self portrait.)
I want you to come to Pittsburgh and, what did the duck say to the mother duck?(Laughing too hard to finish.)
Castle I built.
Mr. Fishy

SLEDING WITH DADDY

Nate took Sierra out sledding. As I watched them from the warmth of our apartment, I thought of the book 'Owl Moon'. A favorite of mine as a child. Sierra would climb the steep grade of this hill in the security of her father's shadow. Then he would send her flying down the hill and watch until she was safe. Then he would slide down. Then when they were both at the bottom, they would start their journey upward again. At one point Sierra was tired and her father pulled her up the hill using his sled. It isn't easy to walk up the hill let alone pull your daughter up behind you, but he made it look effortless. He is a really good father and often takes his daughter on mini-adventures.
Sierra was freezing when she got home. She was covered from head to toe in snow. She begged for a warm bath. As I was removing layers of clothing, large amounts of snow fell out onto the floor. She said, "Mom, my fingers feel so spicy." She thinks the feeling of carbonation on her tongue is the definition of spicy. When you think about it that way it makes sense. The tingling sensation of her fingers thawing felt spicy.

BO BO

Madison loves reading. She brings me books and says, "Bo, bo." She wanted me to read to her this morning. I was making breakfast. CC voluteered. I thought they were so sweet together.
MJ my beautiful MJ. She loves to rock in this chair. Below are two video clips of my girls. CC is telling a story about a nightmare she had. MJ is just being MJ. Enjoy.

A LITTLE GIRL AT PLAY

Sierra loves playing with little figurines. She loves setting up her Princesses all over the kitchen table.
Princesses having tea with some friends.
Pony world. She often says, "Mom, I want to go to pony world." and "Mom, can I have a unicorn some day, please can I?"
Yesterday, I told her we could go outside and build a snow man. I guess I didn't realize how deep the snow was. The snowman will have to wait for another day.
She had a lot of fun blazing trails through the snow.
She flopped down in the snow and pretended to be a mermaid swimming through the snow. She said she was the Mermaid of ice castle.