RENOVATION

 

 (All these pictures are curtsies of my ten year old camera that can actually zoom out. Thankfully I held onto that puppy.)

Attic. Operation get the flooring out.

 Two hours later.

 Still plenty more work to be done.

Yes,  I personally pulled out all that crap and hauled it down those narrow stairs. You should jump up right now and throw your hands in the air and give me a little shout out.

 Ultimate Selfie

MJ shared her jacket with her brother. He was cold. So sweet. 

If you are in the mood for a full tour. Here you are.

RELAXING SUNDAY MORNING. A FEW THOUGHTS ON DEPRESSION AND OTHER MENTAL ILLNESSES.

Aren't these two precious?

They wanted some rice crispy treats for breakfast. Why not?

They have been laying and giggling on the ottoman together all morning.

 

I was asked to give a lesson on this talk, for Relief Society last Sunday.
(Relief Society: The woman's organization of our church. I love belonging to this worldwide organization; whose name bears our desire, to follow Christ in reliving all suffering.)

I didn't make it because I was to busy fighting a war waged on my intestinal tract.
I love the opportunity I have to teach Relief Society.

It gives me an amazing opportunity to take the time to learn.

 

I have, so far, not suffered from the debilitating affects of mental illness.

I have many of whom I love deeply that have.

My heart yearned to bring them some comfort last Sunday.

 I love Elder Holland's words.

 

In speaking of mental illness he said,

But today I am speaking of something more serious, of an affliction so severe that it significantly restricts a person’s ability to function fully, a crater in the mind so deep that no one can responsibly suggest it would surely go away if those victims would just square their shoulders and think more positively—though I am a vigorous advocate of square shoulders and positive thinking!

 

I love these words also,

Trust in God. Hold on in His love. Know that one day the dawn will break brightly and all shadows of mortality will flee. Though we may feel we are “like a broken vessel,” as the Psalmist says, ¹⁰ we must remember, that vessel is in the hands of the divine potter. Broken minds can be healed just the way broken bones and broken hearts are healed. While God is at work making those repairs, the rest of us can help by being merciful, nonjudgmental, and kind.

 

But these words stayed with me the most...

In any case we have all taken courage from those who, in the words of the Prophet Joseph, “search[ed] … and contemplate[d] the darkest abyss” ³ and persevered through it—not the least of whom were Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and Elder George Albert Smith, the latter being one of the most gentle and Christlike men of our dispensation, who battled recurring depression for some years before later becoming the universally beloved eighth prophet and President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 

I didn't know that about George Albert Smith, did you?

I started to research.

It lead me to this lecture given at BYU.



I learned so much about him from Dr. Mary Jane Woodger and his struggles. I thought 40 minutes that is a long time. It went by so fast. I know that many would be blessed to know these words. I embedded the lecture and it is worth a listen. If you are struggling in anyway, know that a man of God did too and maybe his trials were given to him just to give you hope and all of us who struggle in so many ways, mental illness or other wise.

 

Be at peace and know that Heavenly Father loves us all.

GENERAL RELIEF SOCIETY BROADCAST

Today was a historic day for me and this little girl.

We got to go to the General Relief Society Broadcast together.

She is eight.

This is the first year they have asked the eight year olds to attend.

It was so fun going with someone I love.

We got to cuddle together on the pew and watch women of God testify of Him.

It was long for her, but she still enjoyed it.

We got hotdogs and ice cream afterwards.

I love her.

She is my best helper.

She is a good babysitter.

She is a fun playmate.

She is creative and bright.

She is genuine and kind.

I don't know what I would do without her.

WE BOUGHT OUR AMISH PARADISE

 We closed on our house today and four members of the family couldn't be happier.

Watching their smiles is helping the fifth come around.

 I wish I could photograph the inside. I will try soon. It needs a little TLC. The only hard part. The rest of the decision was easy. We love the land.

 Hobbit Hill. (Cold storage.) The girls asked if they could turn it into a library.

Hmmm. Nope. But, it is cool. If we removed the door it could be a cute hideout, if it is structurally sound. We will see. If it is, Kimberly do you want to come out and doodle all over the inside?

Our Home.... for now.

 Sierra said, "Why are you going through the fence into our neighbor's yard?"

I said, "This is our yard."

She said, "What?"

I said, "Yes."

She said, "Madison run with me!"

As she ran she screamed, "I am free!"

It brought tears to my eyes.

 Fisherman's Pond

 The cutest kid I know.

 Where her horse is going to live. Someday.... When she is older.

They are so happy. Don't let James kid you, he is just as excited as the other two.

Our cute neighbor raises Labs. She has a beautiful Black Lab that she couldn't sale. It is grown now and trained. She said, "I would love it if you would take it." It is a pure bred. Beautiful.

I think we will.

First pet.

Let the adventure begin.

BARN

My heart is a little broken.

In order to obtain the loan we need, there could be no flaking or peeling paint on any building, period.

The barn had to be painted.

It was this beautiful red with peeling paint and now..... it is this drab color.

It was going to be a great photography spot.

It was my favorite building on the property.

Now it is gone.

Yes, we can paint it, but the words of the fisherman, its not a priority now.

I get to look at this sad color for the next year, plus.

Sigh.

Everything is this color now....

The house.

The barn.

The trim on the milking house.

Blah.

I have a feeling it is only the beginning of a long journey of concessions.

Maybe nothing is going to be quit the way I envisioned it.

However...

I do have to say, last night I and my fisherman went out to get things ready to paint the barn and the sky was so clear.

The stars were so bright.

I couldn't stop looking up.

I could see every constellation.

The air was so clean.

I thought of sitting on my back porch and rocking my babies under this crystal clear country sky.

A view like that is worth an eggshell barn.



BARBARA's VIETNAMESE GINGER SOUP....CURE FOR THE STOMACH BUG

I now know what cruel and unusual punishment is. It is when volcanos are going off in both orifices of your body and the same is happening to two of your children. Your stomach is in turmoil. You have to clean up all the eruptions from your children. At the same time, your baby wants to be held feed and have his diaper changed. All of which send you running back to the bathroom. Yesterday, I was in the depths of one of these moments, and I remembered the cure. I made myself a batch of this soup and I was better almost instantly.

What you will need......

• A breast of chicken
• Chicken Bouillon
• Ginger
• Green Onions
• Jasmine Rice, it isn't an option it is must. I have tried other rice and the texture isn't the same.
• Salt
• Pepper

Ginger is generally found in the produce section of the grocery store. It looks like the above picture. Don't use ginger powder it won't be the same. Real ginger is the key.

Recipe-
1 Breast of Chicken
10 Cups of Water, plus another 2 Cups of Water at the end.
1 Cup of Rice
1 Tbsp of Chicken Flavoring
1 Whole piece of Ginger
1 Bunch of Green Onions
Salt and Pepper to taste

Place the breast of chicken in a pot with ten cups of water and one cup of rice. Along with one tablespoon of chicken flavoring and one whole peeled piece of ginger. (Peel the ginger like you would a potato.) Boil those babies together for about thirty minutes. You want a steady boil. My oven unit was at a seven. (You don't want a crazy insane, on high, boil. The rice will stick to the bottom of the pot and you will have a nasty burnt foul tasting concoction that even the dog won't eat.) Stir the boiling mixture every five minutes or so. The rice will burst and fill the pot. (This is one of those meals you will want to keep on the shelf in times of famine, one cup of rice will feed your whole family.)



 

When your pot has boiled for about 26 minutes remove your breast of chicken and chop it up along with your green onions. Salt and pepper the chicken. Then add it back into the pot along with the green onions. Continue boiling the mixture for another two minutes. Trust me, you don't want to chomp down on a hard strong onion bit when your stomach is upset. You want those suckers cooked down a  bit.

 

A lot of your liquid will have evaporated by this point. Add in another two cups of water.

 

Remove the ginger, and eat yourself better.

 

I remember when Barbara brought me over this soup the last time I had an attack on my digestive track. I thought, I really don't want to eat anything. I took a bite anyway. Then another bite. Every bite made my body feel a little better. Two bowls later..... yes it is that good..... I felt  better.

 

LIFE

THOUGHTS for the DAY..

 

We still haven't closed on the Amish Paradise. I was warned. I didn't think it would be this crazy. We have one more hump to jump. Again, we wait, but that is okay.

 

I shared a few thoughts on the ordained women's organization and I wanted to record them here too.

 

I love the role I play as a women and don't think it is lessened by my husband holding the priesthood. I hold the keys to motherhood and I am happy with my stewardship. I think it is equally as miraculous and powerful as the priesthood. I think the fact that we have held the keys to creating life for so long that we take this miraculous gift for granted. Or maybe it is because this gift has never been taken from the earth but has always been given freely to all women. I have pondered this gift a lot and my role as a woman. I love this talk. No, it isn't a conference talk. I usually don't venture to far from what the brethren say, but I like what she has to say. It is just from a woman who values her role as a mother. I love some of the concepts she shares. LONG.... but worth a listen.

 

We went to the dentist today.

I know my husband is a dentist.

His children have a rough time being in his chair.

We tried it once.... it wasn't good.

I get it because as a photographer it is way easier to photograph kids that aren't my own.

We went to Doctor Jeremy Cox.

My kids loved it.

He is a really good children's dentist.

They can't wait to go back.

 

35th BIRTHDAY

I am sad this is the only picture I got. The waitress took it.

I should have gotten a picture of the delicious food or the sweet gifts my friends got me.

I am grateful for at least this one picture.

My friends took me to sushi for lunch.

My friend Annie got me chocolate waffles from Belgium that were delicious, my favorite flower, and an incredibly sweet note.

Mary got me a gift card to Hobbie Lobbie.

Lily got me a gift card to JoAnns and pins because she knows I am always searching from mine.

Barbara gave me a buddle of Gerber daises, my favorite flower.

We laughed an had a fabulous time.

 

Nate worked late but brought me flowers when he came home.

We will celebrate my birthday together on his next day off.

 

I felt loved and so blessed.

 

Thank you for all of the phone calls and all of the Happy Birthday wishes.

Thank you for the cards.

I love all my family and friends.

I am so blessed.

EMBROIDERING

I started working on my hexagon quilt again.

I will never finish it.

What was I thinking?

Madison wanted to quilt to.

I told her to embroider instead.

She was so excited about knitting.

She kept saying, "Aren't I doing a good job knitting?"

I said, "You are doing a beautiful job embroidering."

She decided to embroider James's name.

She wants to finish it into a quilt.

I'm thinking a pillow.

We will see.

Isn't she great.

GOLF

We went to the thrift store and the girls found a putter and some golf balls.

They asked if they could have them.

They said they were going to build there own golf course on the Amish Paradise.

I thought for two dollars, why not?

They have one putter and a dozen golf balls.

That should be a good start.

 

GRATEFUL for the HELP

 Yesterday was kind of a rough day for me, no specific reason why.

I was just feeling melancholy and didn't want to do anything.

I finally got up and cleaned my house, took a shower and did my hair.

My girls chipped in.

I loved their help.

They were so sweet and didn't even complain and even offered to do a few extra chores I didn't ask them to do.

Tender Mercy.

FAMILY HOME EVENING

 It has been a long day. We had our immunizations today.

This girl was a trooper she didn't even fuss.

Sierra screamed so loud the whole office heard it.

We stopped off at Endstorm's and got ice cream on the way back from the doctors office.

Sierra took the day off of school and both of them rested all day.

 

This little boy didn't get any shots but he cried all day anyway.

I am exhausted.

 

I hate daylight savings time.

It throws my whole rhythm off.

I am sure it wasn't invented by a mother.

 

On a happy note, we did have a nice family night about our Father-in-Heaven.

We ate chocolate chip cookies and milk.

HAPPY SUNDAY

 It was the annual celebration of McKnight's late for Church Day.

I don't know why we can't ever get day light saving time right. 

Nate said, "Never fear we will make up for this lost hour in the fall, when we are an hour early."

It was ward conference today.

 

We talked about being daughters of God and we watched this video.

 

In light of several things I have seen and the conversations I have had with Nate, I am working on a book about procreation or the power of becoming one.... or as the world would say.... sex.

I have a little girl that is eight and I think it is time to have that conversation.

I haven't found any resources I have found helpful.

Everything I have come across doesn't convey the message I want my daughter to hear.

I have spent a lot of time reading health books and perusing lds.org.

I think it is vital in these later days to address this topic boldly and reverently.

My goal is, by the time Sierra turns nine, to have a children's book completed that addresses this sacred topic.

So, sometime around her ninth birthday we can sit down and discuss it.

Hold me accountable.

When Nate told me the first time he was exposed to pornography was in elementary school, I became really concerned for this small boy.

I must be better at holding family home evening and discussing these sacred topics.

BABY DOLL

 Sierra saw this doll on the way back from shooting with her dad.

She was too shy to ask her dad to stop the car.

When she got home she came to me and said she saw a doll all alone, abandoned.

I said, "So?"

She said, "Can we go and get it?"

I said, "What are you going to do with it?"

She said, "I will clean it up and take care of it."

Then her eyes brimmed with tears.

I remember thinking my baby dolls had real feeling at her age.

Her heart was breaking for this poor abandoned doll.

I said, "Fine."

We got in the car and drove and drove.

We finally reached the spot her and her dad were shooting at and she said, "Stop."

There was a doll resting in the bushes.

It had obviously been there for a long time.

It was dirty.

It is obviously an expensive doll.

I put a shout out on facebook to see if we can find the owner.

We will see if anyone responds.

Until then, she is in good hands.

CROCUS

“If you become a crocus in a hidden garden,” said his mother, “I will be a gardener. And I will find you.” (from The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown)
Our little farm is welcoming spring.

 

I had to run out to the Amish Paradise and have some papers completed by the foundation inspector.

 This little girl swung on the tire swing.

This little boy ate dog poop out of the yard.

Then they both played in the sand pile together.

They were so happy.

 

I called my brother-in-law the other day and he asked, "How much do you think the floors are off?"

I said, "Five inches."

He had no words.

Then he finally said, "The worst I have seen is two inches. Are you sure?"

I said, "I didn't measure, but I am pretty sure."

I asked the inspector how much the floors are off.

He said, "Six inches."

I was pretty impressed at my gestimation.

 

Who needs straight floors when you have children this happy?

They didn't even notice they were going to be living in a fun house.

They couldn't see the house for the yard.

I will try not to either.

YOUNG WOMEN ARE BEAUTIFUL

I was invited to take a few photos of some beautiful young women in our ward.

I haven't had very many opportunities to use my new lighting set up and it was really fun to photograph these beautiful girls.

I was even more happy when I came home to both my babies sound asleep and my oldest watching Full House.

She is the best second mother and I love that she takes such good care of her siblings.

I wouldn't do fun things like this without her.

She is the best daughter anyone could ask for.

I love my Sierra.

PRINCESS and the PEA

Natalie and I took our kids out for a princess and the pea reenactment.

If you want to see Lucy's pictures click here, that girl was made for the camera.

Madison was giggly, like always.

However, it was the cutest thing we have ever done.

We celebrated afterwards with McDonald's Sundays.

We only had a few hiccups.

Lucy had an accident.

Madison stepped in a pile of mud, I mean a pile, the remnants from that adventure are in the bottom of the tub and caked to her pink shoes on the front porch. I will attacked the mud.... tomorrow.

Aren't they to die for cute!

FASTING

I was so happy that today was Fast Sunday.

I am ashamed that it took me twenty-three years before I really started to understand and appreciate the power of fasting.

I still think I am barely touching the surface of this amazing gift.

I read this talk this morning and I testify that the principles found in Elder Bowen's words are true.

I love these beautiful words of Isaiah about fasting.

 “Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. . . . If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday: and the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not” (Isaiah 58:8-11).

 

I find being human so discouraging sometimes, don't you?

How do I become more like Jesus? I want to, but I mess up so often.

 

I know the answer for me at least, can be found in fasting.

My dad has taught me a lot about fasting. By example, he taught me to consider not just fasting on Fast Sunday's but when I felt a need to draw upon the powers of heaven.

The spirit has taught me to use the pain of hunger to remind me to pray

and cry out to my Father-in-Heaven.

These two simple ideas have blessed my life in countless ways.

 

James has been a bit of a pain at church lately.

The Relief Society President brings a little bowl of candy to church every Sunday.

James knows there is candy in that bowl.

He is unrelenting in his pursuit of her candy to the point of distraction.

So, I have been taking him to nursery.

Thankfully, the nursery leaders have let me as long as I stay with him.

He loves it!

I love how happy he is there.

I love the picture I took of him chasing bubbles.

 

Sierra chose to Fast today.

I asked her what she was fasting for she said,

"That all the people who can't afford homes can have one."

I am ashamed to admit my first thought was, "Okay, but that is a bit generic."

Then as I left church, her words came back to me and I felt the spirit of her sweet plea.

I was humbled by her.

I feel so blessed to be her mother.

BATH TIME

 Madison and Sierra went outside today to play in the yard.

They came back in covered in mud and asked if they could take a bath.

I motioned them right along to the bathroom and said, "Good plan."

There was a lot of noise. There always is when those two take a bath together.

I heard banging and splashing.

I finally knocked on the door to see what they were up to.

They filled the tub with water, lathered up their little bodies, then emptied out the tub and slid along the ceramic base with their slippery bodies.

They were probably playing their little game for at least thirty minutes.

They looked cold.

I filled the tub with warm water and put this little dude in with them.

I scrubbed their hair and then washed him up.

Then I snuggled them in towels and breathed in their clean skin.

I love clean babies.

I had a miracle happen today.
My phone has been out of commission for close to a week now.
I have missed it.
I thought the cord was the reason it wasn't charging, but it wasn't the cord.
I was told it was the internal connector in the phone.
There was no fixing it. I had to get a new one.
I prayed.
I prayed again.
I told my Father-in-Heaven that I didn't need a fancy smart phone. I just needed my phone to work.
I told him I knew he could fix it. I asked him to please fix it.
I thought I should go get a knife.
I did.
I thought I should bend the connector.
I did.
I plugged it in.
It didn't work.
Then I remembered the plug next to my bed doesn't often work.
I plugged it into my bathroom plug and gave on final plea to my Father-in-Heaven.
The phone started to charge.
I cried.

I know it is something simple and to most people not a big deal, but to me in that moment it meant everything. Not only did it mean I wouldn't have to put out the money for a new phone, but that my Father-in-Heaven hears my prayers and I was again reminded that miracles happen when I trust in Him.