LIFE IS GOOD

Today I woke up and thought I would take charge of my day. I woke up at 6:30 and went for a run-walk, okay more like a brisk walk with my sissy and of course Madison woke up and tagged along. We threw her into the stroller. (She is still obsessed with me and loves to "hold-a me" several times a day.)

I thought I would get several other things accomplished, but nothing else went right. My battery to my car keeps dying for some reason. We can't figure out why. I was going to miss my voice lessons, yes you heard that right, I am taking voice lessons at the University. I begged the keys off my grandma. She let me use her truck. I was running late. As I was running across campus, a little fly flew into my eye. I was crazy trying to get it out. Then I arrived. I have been told my whole life that I am tone deaf, I can't sing, and I shouldn't sing. But, I have always felt my Father-in-Heaven telling me I can sing and I should sing. I have been trying to listen to him more and the everyone else less. My voice lesson was so fun. I am glad I went and I am very excited to go again next week.

LOVE TAKIN' PICS

 A group of beautiful girls let me take their pictures this afternoon. It was fun. They are smokin' hot. I have been keeping busy. I got to go to the temple twice this week. One time, I went with my beautiful sister Karalee. We may have gone to PF Changs afterward and I may have wanted to die when I took my first bit into their lettuce wraps. They are so yummy. Today, I and my sister Tamara went shopping. I swore off buying anything but I caved and bought a really comfortable dress. I am excited to wear it on Sunday. Mostly, I own knee length skirts and when my children climb on my lap... watch out. They slide all over the place. This skirt goes to my ankles. Tomorrow, I will welcome their little restless bodies into my lap. If you want to see the rest of this shoot, click here. Enjoy.

WOODS

The girls and I went for walk-run up the Provo canyon trail. The girls fought through the first few minutes but then nature started to distract them from irritating each other. Sierra said as we were rounding a corner, "When I look at these woods, it reminds me of Joseph Smith going into the woods to pray. Do you think he prayed in these woods?" I told her these weren't the woods but I know it was in beautiful woods just like these. It reminded me of all the times I had roller bladed up this canyon in my youth and been filled with those thoughts too and especially the words to a hymn, "When within the shady woodlands Joseph saw the God above." I love the peacefulness of nature and how it allows us to reflect. 

JUMPING

 They were jumping on the trampoline with the sprinklers under it. Great-grandma came over and gave them some fresh homemade cookies. Sierra exclaimed, "Thank you so much!" They ate their cookies and went back to jumping.

I HEART PHOTOGRAPHY

I really have my own special addiction to photography. Sabrina, was right that every time you look through a lens you capture a story. Nate thought it would be a good hobbie for me and bought me a Canon Power Shot S2IS when Sierra was born. I laugh to think about my pathetic attempts at using it. I finally realized I wasn't going to get better with out help. I went to the library, that is where Nate always go when he wants to learn something new, so I thought it would be a great place to start. I started reading every book I could get my hands on. Then my best friend in Pittsburgh, Jess, gave me her old camera a Canon D20. I bought a 50mm 1.8 lens and I have taken at least a handful of pictures every day since. She was my angel. I am so grateful for that camera every day. Thanks Jess.

My sister's friend asked me to take some pictures of her today, these were some of my favorites. I didn't realize my parents own an antic typewritter and an old camera. Yeah! Enjoy.

TWO BEAUTIFUL GIRLS

These are my baby sisters. They are twins. I am so glad Tamara cut her hair a month ago, because now I can tell them both apart all the time. They are such good girls and they love being members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint. They are true friends. They started  a club which included all the young women in the ward and they would invite them over to our home for get-togethers on a monthly bases. They would bake a dessert and chat about life and how to answer life's greatest questions by living the teaching of the gospel. They are such good examples to me. They are the best aunties any child could dream of. They make up dramatic imaginary play with my girls, build forts, and have slumber parties and tea parties and princesses parties. I love them so much.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDPA

 My grandfather's birthday was yesterday. We had a barbecue at my uncle's home to celebrate. I love my grandfather so dearly. He is the father of seventeen children and the grandfather of well over a hundred grandchildren and yet he takes the time to make us each feel special and loved. He always has a quick smile and cleaver word. He is the most humble, kind, gentle, serviceable man I know.

POSCHKA

Yesterday, Sierra walked into the kitchen and Poschka (the dog) had her head laying in Phillip (my brother's) lap. She started crying. Her face was red and tears were streaming down her face. Phillip looked at me questioning, what is going on with your daughter. Sierra burst out, "Poschka, I let you out the door when no one else will. I pet you all the time and you love him more than me. Why? Why?" Later that night, Poschka had her head in Sierra's lap, so I think all is forgive, but it was touch and go for a minute.

Man, my chubby little nephew has really stolen my heart. He is so beautiful and I just want to kiss every chubby roll, but I can't lift him.

I and my sisters and all the little kiddos went for a run this morning. We are really out of shape. I was so winded 15 seconds into our run. I said, "When I ran with my friends in college I was too proud to admit when I was winded. I just kept running. I am not too proud anymore. Let's walk." We walked.

If you want one of my comfort food recipes, click here.

BETTER HEIGHTS

Today I went to the temple. I love the peace I feel there. As I was leaving the temple, I and my mom paused and sat on a bench. It was raining and my father was bringing the car around. Due to the rain, there were a lot of umberellas in the lobby. A missionary came out and went to retrieve his umberella from the stack.  I said, "Elder, what color was your umberella. He sighed, "Black." Poor guy. There were like 50 black umberallas. He was still there searching through umberellas when we left..

I LOVE MY FAMILY

Today, I laughed when we were talking and my youngest sisters, Tamara and Kimberly mentioned they were going to make eclairs. I said, "I got here Monday, there was chocolate chip cookies on the counter and cinnamon rolls. Tuesday, you made apple turnovers and we bought coconut ice cream bars. Today, you are going to make eclairs." Karalee my other sister said, "That is why I am glad I don't live there." Tamara said with the biggest grin,"Me too.... (pause) except the opposite!"

Karalee, then hauled MJ out to the car and used her as an umbrella. It has been raining a lot here. Kimberly and I were laughing. When you live in a desert like Utah, you are continually praying for rain. Today, I am trying to be grateful the Lord is answering those prayers, but secretly I am wishing it was sunny.

Last night MJ said in her sleep, "Please, I play with your hair. Okay." Then she grabbed a chunk of my hair and went back to sleep.

I LOVE UTAH

Oh, my dear, sweet, adorable girls.

What would I do without them?

They mean the world to me.

Look at how beautiful they are.

MJ is so cute. Lately she says to me, "Mom, can I have candy? Say yes. Can I have candy?"

Yesterday, my brother took Sierra out and taught her how to ride a bike with two wheels.

She was so excited. She kept screaming, "Can you believe it? I can ride a bike with just two wheels."

We are in Utah right now!!!

I love this state with ever fiber of my soul.

A friend once said, "Utah is the only state where God went all out and used ever color on His palette."

I love being in the shadows of my mountains.

They make me feel very safe.

I LOVE BEING A LATTER DAY SAINT!

I love my faith. I feel like it is my guiding star on a turbulent sea. It gives me something to fix my choices on and helps me know that if I continually fix my sights on it, it will lead me to a safe harbor.

It teaches me there is a great purpose to my life. I am a child of God. I need to be nice to the person next to me because they are too. We are all one big family, ever member of the human race.

HIKE THROUGH MCINNIS CANYON

I and the girls went on a hike today. The girls were so cute. I think MJ said, "I love you mommy!" at least a dozen time. She is so verbal about her love lately. I love her too so much. She got so excited at times on the hike she would exclaim arriba and abajo at the top of her lungs. (Spanish words, I am sure she has picked up from her Dora obsession. I don't even know if I spelt them right.)

CC chased lizards and was determined to catch one. I told her even if she caught one it would be hard to hold onto it. I remember catching one when I was little and opening my hands to peek at it and having it jump out of my hands and disappear.

I told CC to stay out of the water holes but she went straight through them anyway. Her poor boots were soaking wet.

Rain clouds started to gather, so I encouraged the girls to head back. Sierra said the clouds looked like giant sharks comming to eat us, and they did. She encouraged us to run. I thought it would make a cute children's story. I could call it "sharks in the sky."

I had a yummy lunch today. I splurged and planned something extra special because I was suppose to have guests. They had a change of plans last minute and didn't come. :P I bet after seeing this, they will wish they had of come. Click here.

LITERALLY, the cutest thing ever!

Nate has been working non-stop on this little beauty for three straight days. Isn't it gorgeous? It's a little fly rod for Sierra.

He picked out the threads in colors she loves. Then he spent hours looking through design books to pick out the perfect design, one she would love. I think he hit it right on the nose. I think it is the cutest thing ever. He has spent hours weaving little pieces of thread perfectly to create this design.

He loves that little girl.

She has spent the last few evening in his "dude room" tying flies with him. I have to get a recording of her tying flies it is so cute the way she mimics him.

I asked him when he is going to build me a fly rod, he said, "When you catch as many fish as Sierra has, I will build you one." It may take me a while, she is quite the little fisher girl.

I may have a new recipe on my recipe blog, and you may want to go check it out.... I take that back, you want to go check it out, here. Also, if you like photography and you are a novice like me, tell me which is your favorite here.

HAPPY UNBIRTHDAY

Sierra had her un-birthday yesterday at school. She has been so concerned that the school year would end without her birthday being celebrated. I was bombarded with questions of how many days till my birthday and how many days till school is over.

I talked to her teacher. She said that on Sierra's next snack day we could celebrate her birthday. We brought the gorgeous cupcakes pictured below. Yes, they are as yummy as they look. Yes, I should open my own bakery. It is on my bucket list you know. I don't know if it will ever expand beyond the walls of my home or my customers will ever grow larger than my little family and a few neighbors and friends, but boy are they lucky.

This is a conversation I had with MJ this morning.

MJ: Mom, I need a bath.
Me: You had a bath yesterday. (Yes, I am one of those mother's that doesn't bath their kids everyday. If you ever bathed my children, you would know why.)
MJ: I am so dirt. I am disgusting.
Me: You are not.
MJ: Yes. Look at my check. (She grinned the cheesiest grin and pointed her cheek my direction.)

Hilarious. The recipe for the gorgeous cupcakes will be on my food blog. Enjoy!

PLAYING at DARCY's HOUSE

I woke up onery this morning.

I got a creak in my back because MJ put her knee in it half the night. Why was she in our bed? I don't know. She said she had a bad dream, but I am pretty sure she doesn't even know what a bad dream is.

I cleaned the house. Then I went to Darcy's house to finish the back drop for a photshoot she is doing tomorrow. It was a lot of fun.

Don't you love the chair, pictured below. I found it at the thrift store for $2.00. Darcy used it to take our family pictures yesterday. (They will be posted soon.) There is one picture I am dying over, I will post it soon.

By the time I left Darcy's I was happy again, there is something about taking pictures and untangling knotted butterflies that eases the soul.... or maybe it is just being with a good friend doing something you both enjoy. If you want to know what we had for dinner last night, click here.