My Not So Little Man

I can tell you right now, there has never been a baby more loved than this one right here. There was not one jealous sibling on his birthday, they were just thrilled to celebrate it with him! Several times I suggested we skip his birthday in the hopes that it would keep him a baby forever but no one else seemed to think it was a very good idea. In the end I gave in and decided to join in the party.

 At first he was puzzled, whether by the candle or the fact that we were basically having cupcakes for breakfast I'm not sure. But the recipe called them chocolate chip muffins, so that makes it okay right?! He got over it quickly and even learned how to puff at the candle a bit.

 Pretty soon after breakfast, Noah decided that the ideal way to spend his birthday was napping for most of it. This was pretty disappointing to the other kids, especially when they knew I had birthday hats and other party paraphernalia waiting. When the other kids told Emma there would be party hats, she took matters into her own hands. I quite liked her version.

 So, we busted the hats out a little early, but I don't think he minded a bit.

And he was in great spirits when he finally decided to join us.

 I snapped this picture to remember what a sweet big brother Parker is. He gave Noah that present and even wrapped it himself. Never-mind that the truck came from the toy room downstairs, it's the thought that counts. Each holiday and birthday this year, Parker hasn't wanted to be left out of the gift-giving and has found some way to contribute, whether it be by re-gifting or drawing a picture. I love to see that he wants to do that!

 Mom and Dad's present was pretty boring....a pair of shoes since at the time he was just on the verge of walking and hadn't had the need for any before.

 He almost pulled that cake right off the table several times while I tried to get a cute shot of him with it. ;)

 Noah has been such a joy to our family this year! I think that every older sibling remembers him in their prayers most nights, whether or not they do anyone else. He has also really melted his Daddy's heart lately. When Brandon leaves for work in the morning he walks right over to the door like he expects to go along with him. He runs right over again when he comes home and gives Dad a snuggle to welcome him. When Brandon tries to put him down, he usually circles around him a few more times until he gets some extra hugs. And anytime Brandon says the word, "snuggle" he'll lay his head down on his chest sweetly.

{Can I interrupt this Noah post to tell you how sweet Emma is to her Daddy too? At the last home we lived in, she had a habit of meeting Brandon at the door and taking his work boots off for him and then she'd place them just so by the door. He never asked her to, but she loved to do it! He hasn't had the need for them as much lately, so that has stopped, but now every morning she helps me to pack him a quick breakfast and a lunch. She insists on being the one to give it to him, and will even carry it around until he's ready to take it to make sure she gets the privilege!}

This week, Noah has really gone from being a baby to a little boy! He's gradually stopped walking with his hands up in the air, ready to brace and has started to pick up the speed. The other night I caught him tackling, tickling and teasing Emma and he about had her beat too! He loves to play peek-a-boo and chase games, and he has the funniest little evil genius laugh. He is the life of our party and we love him!!

In other news: I am officially an old lady now. A few weeks after Noah's birthday, I turned 30! Can you believe it?! Just kidding about the old lady thing, I think it's fabulous! I look forward to the next ten years and all of the exciting things we have coming up for us! This year Brandon and I celebrate 10 years together! And our oldest of six children will turn 8 years old. There's a lot of happy in my heart there.

Womanhood

I was asked to speak in our ward's sacrament meeting program today on womanhood.  As this is a topic near and dear to my heart, I thought I'd share my thoughts here in this space.

I am speaking on Womanhood today, but I don't want anyone to assume that this topic doesn't apply to them.  As sisters, whatever stage of life we are in, we can improve and encourage one another; particularly younger generations.  Brethren, you need to be supporting and encouraging these values in your wives, daughters, and granddaughters.  Young women, you need to be developing these traits and young men, you need to be supportive of these in your friends, and looking for these in your future spouse.

President James E. Faust, in April 2000 General Conference gave an address titled "Womanhood: The Highest Place of Honor."  He quoted a statement from the First Presidency during the time of Heber J. Grant that said, "The true spirit of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gives to woman the highest place of honor in human life.  To maintain and to merit this high dignity she must possess those virtues which have always, and which will ever, demand the respect and love of mankind....[because] 'a beautiful and chaste woman is the perfect workmanship of God.'"

When I think of the virtues which have always and will ever demand the respect and love of mankind, I think of charity, the pure love of Christ.  We follow the Savior, not out of coercion, but because of his perfect love.  In Moroni 7:46-47, we read, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth.  Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail- But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."  And just before that in verse 45, we get a description of charity, "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

President Faust also said, "I wonder if you sisters fully understand the greatness of your gifts and talents and how all of you can achieve the 'highest place of honor' in the church and in the world.  One of your unique, precious, and sublime gifts is your femininity, with its natural grace, goodness and divinity.  It is the divine adornment of humanity.  It finds expression in your qualities of your capacity to love, your spirituality, delicacy, radiance, sensitivity, creativity, charm, graciousness, gentleness, dignity, and quiet strength."

He shared the counsel of a young mother to a group of young women, "...that goals should coincide with the joys of womanhood.  But, she said, the goals should not be so rigid and fixed that you do not listen to the whisperings of the Spirit.  Keep your hearts and minds open to know the overriding will of the Lord in your lives."

This guidance is key.  Not every one of us is going to have the cookie cutter life that we plan and dream for. We all have different opportunities and obstacles given to us to help us grow and learn and reach our eternal potential.  To plan is good, but being open to the guidance of the Spirit will ultimately lead to greater happiness.

After this guidance, President Faust gives a promise, "My dear young sisters, your future is bright.  It can exceed your fondest dreams and expectations.  Not everything that happens in your life will be as you have hoped and have planned.  But if you live so as to know the Lord's will, you will find peace in your soul and great happiness.  You will be among those who will enjoy 'the highest place of honor in human life.'"

To speak more of how we obtain this high place of honor, I use the words of Sister Margaret D. Nadauld, a former Young Women General President.  Her talk in October 2000 General Conference was titled, "The Joy of Womanhood."  She said, "Where much is given, much is required.  Our Heavenly Father asks His daughters to walk in virtue, to live in righteousness so that we can fulfill our life's mission and His purposes.  He wants us to be successful, and He will help us as we seek His help."

She also said, "Our outward appearance is a reflection of what we are on the inside.  Our lives reflect that for which we seek.  And if with all our hearts we truly seek to know the Savior and to be more like Him, we shall be, for He is our divine, eternal Brother.  But He is more than that.  He is our precious Savior, our dear Redeemer.  We ask with Alma of old, 'Have ye received his image in your countenacnes?'"

As we read in Alma 5, we can determine if we have received His image by answering to ourselves the following questions: Do ye exercise faith?  Can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?  Have your works been the works of righteousness?

Sister Nadauld's words teach us that we need to exercise faith and follow the Savior.  That we can follow the admonition to "Be ye perfect" as we apply the atonement in our lives, seeking forgiveness for our wrongs, and also having the faith to move forward in righteousness.  To let go of all the petty, worldly temptations that keep us from behaving the way the Savior would have us do, and progress toward perfection making His will our own.

I would like to point out here that Sister Nadauld made many other wonderful points about how we can obtain the 'highest place of honor', but as time would not permit, I did not mention any others today.  I'll briefly mention a few of them here, and refer you to her talk.

She said that a woman grateful to be a daughter of God can be recognized  because, 'They care for their bodies as they would a holy temple." "...by their attitude......[they] love His children and minister to them, teach them the doctrines of salvation, call them to repentance, to guide them in the performance of His work, to deliver His messages." "Women who are grateful to be daughters of God bring glory to His name." "They fulfill their divine potential and magnify their God-given gifts."

And now, I could not speak on this topic without using Sister Julie B. Beck's words from her October 2007 General Conference address, "Mothers Who Know."  I don't want anyone to get hung up on the use of the word 'mother' because again, these are attributes we should all be striving to cultivate and support.

First, she said that mothers who know bear children.  "Mothers who know desire to bear children.  Whereas in many cultures in the world children are becoming less valued, in the culture of the gospel we still believe in having children.  Prophets, seers, and revelatiors who were sustained at this conference have declared that 'God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force.'  President Ezra Taft Benson taught that young couples should not postpone having children and that 'in the eternal perspective, children - not possessions, not position, not prestige - are our greatest jewels.'"

I can tell you that children are certainly becoming less valued in our society.  I cannot leave the house anymore with my children in tow without hearing some sort of comment made.  Eight times out of ten, this is negative.  The stares are no longer discreet, the whispers are audible.  There are outright rude and impertinent statements made.  There are also occasionally those who will give me the silent thumbs up, or offer to help me put my groceries in the car while I load the children.  I once had a sweet sweet woman notice me at Walmart, pushing one cart full of children while pulling another full of groceries.  She actually offered to leave her shopping to her husband and accompany me around the store and push a cart for me.  I once had another gentleman follow me halfway around Target, (I was rudely pretending not to notice as I was assuming I would hear more of the impertinent comments I was used to) to take the opportunity to compliment me on my family and reminisce about his own.  These moments are so appreciated.  It is saddening to me to notice that when I leave the house with just one or two of my children, I am complimented on how beautiful or well-mannered they are, but when I take them all, more often the comments are negative.   People assume that I become frazzled because of my children, but I will tell you, that as a mother of six I know what to expect of them when I take them out.  I am with them all of the time. I am not frazzled by their behavior, but I am frazzled at the things people are willing to say to perfect strangers, without even bothering to notice that the children they are speaking of are perfectly capable of hearing them and understanding as well. (I will note here that this was more detail than I went into over the pulpit.)

Sister Beck taught that the value women place on motherhood in this life, (and I emphasized here whether or not they have the opportunity to experience it) and the attributes of motherhood they attain here will rise with them in the Resurrection.  Women who desire and work toward that blessing in this life are promised they will receive it for all eternity, and eternity is much, much longer than mortality."

Next, she taught that mothers who know honor sacred ordinances and covenants.  "They know that if they are not pointing their children to the temple, they are not pointing them toward desired eternal goals.  These mothers have influence and power."

Sister Beck emphasized that mothers who know are nurturers.  "To nurture means to cultivate, care for, and make grow.  Therefore, mothers who know create a climate for spiritual and temporal growth in their homes.  Another word for nurturing is homemaking.  Homemaking includes cooking, washing clothes and dishes, and keeping an orderly home.  Home is where women have the most power and influence." She spoke of our homes as temples, quoting the dedicatory prayer of the Kirtland temple in D&C 109.  Verse eight reads, "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God;"

Again, this is another area where our attitude is key.  If I as a mother am constantly complaining about the tasks associated with keeping our home - cleaning toilets, doing laundry, making dinner, etc. etc. what am I teaching my daughters?  Am I impressing upon them the importance of these tasks?  We may not think of these tasks at glorious or important, but in keeping our home a place where the Spirit can dwell, they certainly are.  We should take pride in making our homes a beautiful place for our family to be.  A place that they desire to be.

Sister Beck taught that mothers who know are leaders.  "They lead a great and eternal organization." I often hear women seeking more influence.  A calling, or a position that will give them the opportunity to do more than be "just a mother."  I think these women forget sometimes that the work we do shapes and influences generations.  What has more influence than that? "These mothers plan for the future of their organization. They plan for missions, temple marriages, and education.  They plan for prayer, scripture study, and family home evening.  These wise mothers who know are selective about their own activities and involvement to conserve their limited strength in order to maximize their influence where it matters most."

It is good and right to do many things in our lives.  But we need to consider that there are times and seasons for different things.

"Mothers who know are teachers.  [They] use family scripture study, prayer, family home evening, mealtimes, and other gatherings to teach."

"Mothers who know do less.  They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally.  They allow less media in their homes, less distracton, less activity that draws their children away from their home."

There is so much to distract us anymore.  Much of it is good.  But we always need to be thinking in the 'good, better, best' mentality and seeking for that which is 'better' and 'best' for our families.

"Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less in order to spend more time with their children.  These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all."

And finally, "Mothers who know stand strong and immovable.  We are led by an inspired prophet of God, (she was referring to Gordon B. Hinckley specifically here) who has called upon the women of the Church to 'stand strong and immovable for that which is correct and proper under the pan of the Lord.'"

Lastly as we srtive to uphold these principles and encourage them in others, let us as Ezra Taft Benson counseled, "Beware of pride."

C.S Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, "It is the comparison that makes you proud."

As women we are constantly tempted to compare.  We seek security and validation, thinking that we must be "doing it right" if we're doing things the same way.  We either compare our worst to another's best or vice versa.

President Benson taught, "The proud make every man their adversary by pitting their intellects, opinions, works, wealth, talents or any other worldy measuring device against others.  The proud stand more in fear of men's judgement than God's judgement.  'What will men think of me' weighs heavier than 'what will God think of me?'"

He also said, "When pride has a hold on our hearts we lose our independence of the world and deliver our freedoms to the bondage of men's judgement.  The world shouts louder than the whisperings of the Holy Ghost.  The reasoning of men overrides the revelations of God and the proud let go of the iron rod."

"Our degree of pride determines how we treat our God and our brothers and sisters.  Christ wants to lift us to where He is.  Do we desire to do the same for others?"

I would encourage us to think about this as we try to lift and support each other in womanhood.  Gospel principles are eternal and unchanging, but individual adaptation may look different for each family as we are all unique and meant to have different life experiences.

I know that these principles are true and encourage you also to seek confirmation of this for yourself.

Mother's Day 2013

I sincerely hope that every woman I am lucky enough to be acquainted with had a wonderful Mother's Day.  Whether you have children or not, you love and nurture others.  Being a woman is a hard job sometimes.  But it's the best job!  Speaking of which.....sometimes I think we make the job harder on each other and ourselves.  We compare ourselves far too often.  We're either getting down on each other for not doing things "right" or we're getting down on ourselves for not being "enough."  We seek security in sameness.  But who ever said that we all had to be the same?!  We're certainly not born the same.  We are all individuals with different strengths and weaknesses.  We were never meant to have exactly the same life experiences.  So why in the world would there be one right way to do everything?  So whether you're the super clean mom, the super fun mom, the super healthy mom, the super frugal mom, the super crafty mom, or for goodness sake, the mom who's just hanging on by the seat of her pants for the wild ride, (ME!) celebrate YOU!  YOU ARE FANTASTIC!!!  It's a hard enough job without the comparisons.  Let's build each other up a little more often.  I promise, there's someone you know who could use a "great job!" a lot more than some well meant advice.  ;)

Ahem....I'll get off my soapbox now and show you some adorable pictures of my children from yesterday.  We had a lovely day.  We went to church together and spent the afternoon enjoying each other's company.  We had the missionaries from our church over for dinner, and then my husband and I spent the evening alone watching our favorite show before bedtime.

I'm not sure why I didn't get any pictures of Parker during our makeshift family game of baseball....probably because he can actually play and therefore wasn't as funny looking as his sisters.  Drew had thrown a fit and didn't want to play after he was tagged out.  So no pictures for him.

So far, all the girls in the house are still excited to play sports with their big brothers.  But Paige has to do it with her purse on.  ;)

And Claire is just too stinking cute for words.  She's quite the little player.

Emma was hilarious.  She hit the ball, then ran in a straight line toward second base and kept on running in spite of our protests.  They were short-lived anyway because we were all too busy laughing at how cute she was.  I'm not sure how long she ran before she realized she was no longer part of the game and decided to come back!  Don't worry, those chubby little legs would never make it to the end of the field before we could get to her.

This is the view from the back porch.  No, the whole field isn't ours.  About where that pole is behind Claire is the end of the property that we rent.  The field belongs to the school, but it's rarely used, so the kids are usually free to romp and play as they please.  So fun.  I'd meant to get kites to fly on Mother's Day, but completely forgot!

Now I get to brag on my man.  This was my Mother's Day gift.  A new fancy pants bag for my camera!!  Have I told you before what a great gift giver he is before?!  The first Mother's Day we had together, when we were engaged, he got me a framed print of the Salt Lake City Temple where we were married, and said the sweetest things to me about being his wife and the mother of his future children and how he wanted to treat me.  He always knows just what to get, and just what to say.  He pays great attention to detail too.  He knew the EXACT camera bag I had shown him probably a year ago.

Isn't she purty?

Hoping your Mother's Day was as fabulous as mine!!!

2011 Book Review

Alas.....it is once again time for the yearly book review.  Okay, way past time, but at least I'm doing it.  And mostly for my dear friend Ashlee, because I know she is probably the one person who reads this post all the way through each year.  But in case anyone else out there needs a good recommendation, (or perhaps wants to know what to avoid) here it is.

This year I read:
Husband Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth by Robert A. Bradley- Good book.  Obviously for a very specific audience but should anyone be looking for a book of this genre.....Did it help me?  In the end, not at all.  I don't know that anything could have prepared me for that experience.  I do think that if you're interested in attempting this the key is to get your spouse, or whomever you choose to be as a support, to read it.  Because when it comes right down to it, you don't give a flip what a book said.  It hurts.  And that's all I could deal with.  I knew what the book said to do, but gosh dang it I couldn't do it on my own.

12 Steps to Raw Foods:  How to End Your Addiction to Cooked Food by Victoria Boutenko- Again, good book.  Lots of good info.  It wasn't quite what I was looking for however.  I wanted an itemized list of things I actually needed to do to really get into raw foods.  How to grocery shop, meal plans and ideas, preparation techniques.  There was nada of that.  Okay, to be fair there was some of that.  A recipe section at the end.  But really this was a 12 Step program in the true sense of the words.  Like AA 12 Steps.  How to emotionally deal with food addiction and what not.  Just not what I wanted, but again it did have some good info on why raw food is good for you.

Mrs. Mike by Benedict and Nancy Freedman - 4/5 stars.  It really was a delightful read.

The Thorn by Beverly Lewis, (the first of The Rose Trilogy) - My first piece of Amish fiction.  And I loved it.

Alex & Me:  How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process by Irene M. Pepperberg - 2/5 stars was what I gave it on goodreads.  Looking back I'm not even sure why I gave it the two.  Really folks.  Here was my goodreads review:

 "A book I never would have chosen on my own, but rather read as a result of a book club. While I think it was good to branch out and read something a little different, this just didn't leave me caring to recommend it to others.      The author starts out by sharing her intense feelings of grief and letters of condolences for the passing of the bird she studied professionally for many years. While I felt some form of sorrow for her - there wasn't enough of an established connection for the reader to the bird to share these feelings right away. For me, someone who does value life in all it's forms...but in a more circle of life sort of way, it was a bit over the top and seemingly dramatic. The book then goes on to narrate the research done and time spent with the bird. This was all very interesting, but left me feeling a bit....."so what's the point?" The conclusion was also lacking for me. While I respect the author as a scientist and a professional, I just didn't get the vibe that one needed to be shown her research to be able to value life in all it's forms or to be able to respect animals and their capabilities or the planet itself. This book didn't leave me with any changed perceptions about animal treatment or the world we live in. My religious beliefs are enough to give me a respect for these things."

And to be completely honest with you, that was being nice. I won't even go there with what I really think.

Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua - Again, my goodreads review:

"This book isn't quite what I thought it would be.....I was expecting a discussion of parenting techniques, including both a "how-to" and a "why this is better" sort of thing. Instead it was really just a narrative of one mother's experience with a conclusion that to me seemed rather inconclusive. It didn't leave me feeling any different than before about either "western parenting" or "Chinese parenting". However, it was entertaining enough to read through to the end."

I've decided I'm a picky reader.  As for this book, I find myself wishing that the author would have taken a stance about her parenting one way or the other and argued a point.  Just as a narrative it didn't leave me wowed.

The Judgement by Beverly Lewis - The next installment of The Rose Trilogy.  I will say that as the series went on I liked these stories less and less.  The story became a bit predictable.  But it was still entertaining to be drawn into a world so different from my own.

The Birth Partner by Penny Simkin - This book was VERY comprehensive and I would recommend it to anyone looking forward to the birth of a baby.

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin - (Can you tell we had a baby?!) Mixed feelings about this book.  I for one did not enjoy the birth stories at the beginning and skipped to the next section.  Maybe that's just me?  Also, this book really sets out to vilify birth with an epidural.  It describes out of date medical practice in detail as if that is how things are still done.  Couple that with the over-sexualization of the birth process and I was quite put off by most of this book.  There was however some good information in the last portion of this book particularly relating to diet, and overall health during pregnancy.

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall-Smith - If you haven't read any of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, you should.  They're nothing epic, but they are entertaining.

The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall-Smith - Another of the delightful No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett - FIVE STARS!!!  For once I am glad I didn't not read a book based on it's popularity.  This one deserved every bit of attention it got.  LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!!!  If you haven't read it you should.  And no, the movie is not quite as good.

Still Alice by Lisa Genova - Get a box of tissues first, but read this book.  An insightful look into the world of a woman suffering from early onset Alzheimer's disease.  (I feel compelled to warn any sensitive readers, there MAY have been a swearword or two??  If I remember right??)

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drumond - Tee hee hee!!  Totally a brain candy read.  But a delightful one.  It's like kicking back with your girlfriends and a big ole bowl of cookie dough while you giggle over each other's love stories.

North and South by Elizabeth Gaskill - FOUR STARS FOR ONE REASON ONLY.  THE ENDING STUNK LIKE A BIG FAT PILE OF MANURE.  Thank you BBC for improving upon the ending.  The rest of the story is fabulous.  I actually marked passages because they literally made me swoon.  Which was all the more reason for the let down at the end.  GAH!!!!

The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas - Meh.  Brain candy.  Kept me reading, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.  Some parts didn't flow smoothly and some of the story wasn't really well developed.  Or maybe my brain was just a bit bored with it and I didn't keep up with the story well?

The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy - If you read The Geurnsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society skip this.  You get the same history without this trashy fiction that wasn't believable anyway.  The GLPPPS was a thousand times better.  If you haven't read TGLPPPS do so.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith - 4/5 stars.  I enjoyed this book.  It was real.  That is all I ask from a book.  Make me feel a real emotion.  Make me believe the story you tell.  This one did that.

Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flag - 3/5 stars.  If you are DYING (ka-ching!) for something to read....go ahead.  But don't have too high of hopes.  It's funny, it's quirky, but it isn't anything fabulous.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emmuska Orczy - Add this to the list of classics that have been profoundly improved upon by the theater.  Not well written, the characters weren't terribly well developed.  I seriously prefer the storyline of the movie to that of the book.  And what a shame!!  The concept of the story is fabulous!!  In reference to the movie - the Jane Seymour version to be specific.  A MUST SEE.  Perfect for Valentine's Day in fact.  If you don't mind a little French Revolution in the midst of your love story.  But Percy Blakeney is on my list of fictional characters to be in love with.  Right up there with Mr. Darcy of Pemberly.

Kind of a hodge podge list of books when you look at it.  But all in all a good year of book reading I'd say.  Some good variety, and while it may seem meager to some, I'm proud to say I read 20 books this year with everything else we had going on.  Here's to more and better books this year!!  Got any recommendations??

Moments Like These...

I get that our family is a little unusual...and that we can be a shock to most people meeting us for the first time. But wow. I don't think that anyone really has any idea how often we hear things like, "My you've got your hands full!" or "Are they all yours?" or "You must be really patient," (with the glassy eyed look that really means that they think I'm nutso.....or soon to be driven so). There's also the diatribe most middle-aged women will give me about how I should enjoy it all now, because it goes by so fast.....and they're lonely now....but man! They're sure glad they only had 2. My personal favorite is the repeated startled look that comes when they first notice the two boys, with an exclamation of "Oh!" wondering how close in age they could possibly be; then their eyes find little miss Paige, who is small enough to be hardly noticeable at first, with another "Oh!" Then another "Oh!" when their eyes land on Claire sitting like a princess on her throne in the shopping cart seat, and then an exclamation of, "Oh my!" when they notice my pregnant belly and you can practically see the gears turning furiously in their heads as they work to calculate whether or not these 4, (soon to be 5) small children can possibly really be all mine. I kid you not, every time we leave the house we get at least one of these. Now, I know that these perfect strangers who find themselves at liberty to comment openly on my personal fertility choices are well-meaning. In fact, in some strange way, they're usually trying to pay me a compliment for my fortitude in the mothering arena. But that compliment always comes with that note of surprise that also denotes a certain amount of doubt or criticism. Maybe I'm far too sensitive....or reading too much into it all. Probably so. Forgive my little rant here, because it's just getting old. Maybe it's the end of pregnancy hormones? Because while I smile and nod and reply with some good-natured joke at my own expense, what I'd really love to do is shout out that these people don't know what they're missing out on!! Now really folks, I'm not saying that this is for everyone, or that I expect anyone else to do things my way or want what I have. Or that there aren't others out there who would do the same if they had the chance. But is it so hard to believe that I do this because I love it? Because the rewards completely blow the challenges out of the water? Because I live for moments like this:

Earlier this week the older kids were playing dress ups. And they felt it an urgent need for Claire to be included as well....so they begged for me to put some butterfly wings on her. And then they "ooh"ed and "ahh"ed over how cute she was and sat and hugged each other and begged to have their pictures taken together.

They couldn't get enough of how cute they all were together, and they kept wrapping their arms around each other for more pictures, (which by the way totally don't do the moment justice).

This seriously went on for about 20 minutes.....and ended with disappointment when I put the camera away.

And then there are the times when they're just watching a show....but find some cute way to cuddle up together, and then Parker starts telling me how much he loves to snuggle with Paige.

I've got to tell you....for all the times she has to cry a few extra moments because mama simply can't do it all at once, I think this little butterfly princess is one lucky girl. Because every time she takes a turn at walking down the hall holding on to mama's hands, she's got 3 extra cheerleaders behind me telling her she's such a big girl!

And every time she does a new trick she's got 3 extra people to exclaim with surprise at what a smart girl she is. 3 Extra people that love on her and smother her with kisses all day. Yes, she sometimes gets a little tough love.....and those 3 extra helpers do their share of bossing her around and taking toys away from her....but given her apparent desire to be in whatever room the big kids are playing in, I think it's safe to say she loves it all.

These moments are not rare. They happen multiple times a day in fact. But they're often so spontaneous, the camera couldn't capture it even if I had it constantly at hand. And it wouldn't do them justice anyway. They're the kind of moments you just soak up and enjoy and tuck away in the memory bank.

Moments like earlier today when Parker, Drew and Paige were racing to the sprinkler on the lawn and I hear Parker shout out, "Parker and Andrew are the winners! And Paige is too!" when he clearly beat them both by several strides.

Moments like last night when after tucking Andrew and Paige in bed I hear repeated whisperings of, "I love you Andoo" and "I love you too Paige."

I can't help but get the feeling that even though each of my children get slightly less of me due to the fact that they have each other.....that having all that extra love and support more than makes up for it. That all the ways they have to share and stretch and learn and grow and do without will serve them well throughout their lives and that through it all they'll have each other for support and love. And that that is something so worth it.

With the due date for number 5 rapidly approaching....this is the most prevalent thought on my mind. I'll admit, this due date has come at me fast. And I'm not feeling quite ready. But it's not because of any feelings of apprehension or concern for the added chaos one more will bring to our family. Truly. Any time such a thought has been brought to my mind it is quickly swept away by the feelings above. I have had such an overwhelming feeling lately that what we are doing is so right for our family for all of the reasons previously named. I've felt so many moments of peace lately pointing out the fact that this is what Heavenly Father wants for our family. No, the feeling of not being ready honestly comes from the fact that I can't believe how fast all of these special times go by. How even though I've been pregnant so often each time has been distinct and special. They don't just run together into one long pregnancy fog. And even though I marvel at every new stage and love the little people my babies are turning into, I feel the bittersweetness that comes with seeing how quickly it's all gone by. The not feeling quite ready comes from knowing that in just 3 short weeks, this new little baby will be here in my arms...not kicking my belly. And a few short weeks from that won't have that brand-new newborn look anymore. And a quick year from that she'll be walking and talking and trying to keep up with the bigger kids. I know I'll love it all....but I'm just soaking it all up while I can. Because I know that as much fun as every stage will be, this one will be over before I know it.

My New Love

This is it! The blender I've been waiting for all my life. But it is oh, so much more than a blender. This baby is going to revolutionize our lifestyle. Already has. Check out that green smoothie! Mostly romaine. And my kids gobbled it up. I had to make it twice. Parker told me he liked it because it tasted "fresh". So we do this twice a day. Not this exact smoothie of course; for breakfast it's usually a fruity concoction with lots of added spinach, (even did broccoli one day!) flax and spirulina. Then for lunch we go a little more heavy on the veggies. I'm determined that not only should we cut out the bad for you things, but add in as much of the good as we possibly can. If that means drinking our veggies, by gosh we're going to do it!

I will say, I feel better already. I've had more energy. I finally know what it feels like to really be full. I don't feel snacky all the time, and when I do eat something unhealthy, oh baby do I notice it. And pay for it.

The other great thing....I can make my own baby food in this bad boy. Last week in our Bountiful Basket we got two bunches of asparagus. Then this week we got another three. Now, I like asparagus pretty well, but I knew there was no way I was going to get my family to eat it 5 times in two weeks. So I steamed a bunch of it up, tossed it in this bad boy, and viola! Baby food! Seriously, I am one happy mama. You would be too if you could see Princess P's smoothie stache every morning, and hear your kids get excited over drinking up some veggie goodness.

For anyone who's interested, here's the recipe for this green delight courtesy of my Vitamix cookbook:

Sweet Lettuce Smoothie:
1 c green grapes
1 c romaine lettuce
1/2 medium apple, halved
1 c ice cubes

Put ingredients in the blender in the order listed, blend and enjoy!

Oh, in case you're still reading about my love affair with small kitchen appliances, one more thing..... I can also make soup in this. Like start to finish, 5 minutes and we're done. Toss everything in, turn it on and leave it going for 5 minutes, and it's hot and ready to serve. My life has been so much easier since we got this. Thanks to my honeybear for spoiling me, and for being willing to go along with my unusual dietary habits. He's such a good sport. Love you babe!

My Dear Friend

This weekend, one of my bestest friends in the world had a birthday. Since I can't be there to celebrate with her, I wanted to take the time to say THANK YOU.

You see, I really only have two friends that fit the bill for BFF. They come from two different times in my life, but both are the kind that will always be there for me no matter what. My dear friend Ash is the "known you forever friend". The one that knows way too much about me already. We met on our very first awkward day of Junior High School. You know you have a true friend when they can stick with you through that stage. She's been there for all of the embarrassments, like the time we were at EFY together and I tried to impress a really cute boy by leapfrogging over a pole - which ended up with me being horribly bruised in a place no best friend should have to see. She's been there for all of the silly times, including the time my dog fell down my overalls. She was the first friend I went to pick up when I got my first car. She's the first friend I told about my first kiss and all of my silly little crushes. She's the friend I called after I first met Brandon to tell her, "Yeah, he's really cute, but he's kind of a punk." She was the one friend that I really cared about having at my wedding. She knows all about my kids and is almost as proud of their accomplishments as I am. She's the kind of friend who loves to talk about every minute detail of the days they were born. And the entire nine months leading up to it. She's the friend who called me her Samwise Gamgee and it totally fits the bill because I'm the chubby one who can't swim. ;)

She's one of the few friends who knows how I really feel about most things. And isn't offended, freaked out or put off by it. I can talk and talk forever and know that even if she doesn't particularly care about what I'm saying, she cares. About me. Enough to be interested anyway. Enough not to remind me that I've interrupted her for the 500th time to talk about myself. And she's one of the few that I do that to because it is so nice to have someone know so much about you, and love you anyway. It's comforting to really be yourself around someone else and not feel like you're making them uncomfortable.

It was always so fun to get together because we never had to do anything. Most of the time it was a bowl of cookie dough, two spoons and us laughing our heads off over something really ridiculous like The Angry Beavers, or Good Burger. Or singing at the top of our lungs to Hercules. Now you really know she's a besty cause I don't sing!

Pretty much since high school graduation, (and maybe even before, because I went through a really awkward "I hate high school" anti-social phase my senior year) we haven't been able to spend much time together. But she's still there. We make do with emails, and once in a blessed while a phone chat. It would have been easy to lose contact and move on with life. But she's the kind of friend that you plan to live next door to someday - who doesn't forget it. She has always been there.

Who knows where life will take us from here. Maybe someday we will have a chance to do real life best friend things together again. Play dates with the kids, girls night out, or a double date with our husbands. But even if we never do again, I know that she will always be there. She will always care. It wasn't just chance that we were asked to pose for an incredibly dorky yearbook photo together that first day of Junior High so long ago. She was put in my life for a reason and I am grateful that she's done her job so well. I have learned so much from her and hope to be more like her someday.

2010 Book Review

A new year means time for a new booklist! I didn't get to read quite as much as I'd hoped in 2010, but hey....it's not easy to find time for that with 4 kids. And by the time they're in bed, I'm so pooped I'm not always up for it. To be honest, I didn't even keep up with my online bookclub, but I did start a real live one with friends in my area! I much prefer live interaction. Hello... are you really out there? But, anyway, here's a rundown of what I did manage to read; each title will be accompanied by a rating out of 5 stars. Keep in mind, the really terrible ones never even manage to make the list. I'm not one to waste my time on something I consider - well, for lack of a nicer term - worthless. Without further adieu.....the 2010 list:

• The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society-***** An absolutely delightful read. Finally something that proves that not everything written in the last 50 or so years is trashy; and that a dark time in history can be addressed without being graphic or "shocking". Do you think me prudish? That's okay. I can handle it. I have to admit, I am a sucker for historical fiction, WWII times especially.
  
• Three Cups of Tea-*** I really, really did want to give this book 5 stars. Truly a great, moving true story about a man who has worked to build schools in remote villages of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Awesome subject, horrible writing. I hate to say it, but there it is. The "voice" of the story was confusing. Sometimes it was 1st person, sometimes 3rd, sometimes it felt like a brief newsclipping. It was disjointed and really took away from the subject matter. I would love for better author to get their hands on this story and do it justice.
• Book of a Thousand Days-*** Intended for juvenile audience; a fairytale type of story. It was good brain candy, but to be honest, just didn't really light my fire. To be fair, juvenile fiction has never been my favorite. Certainly not a bad read, but I wouldn't put it on a "must read" list.
• The Second Comforter:Conversing with the Lord through the veil-*****WOW. Enlightening. I had to take breaks in between chapters to digest what I was reading, but I loved this book. Will read it again I'm sure.
• A Sane Woman's Guide to Raising a Large Family-***** Great practical advice on how to handle a large family efficiently. Honestly the suggestions could be applied to a family of any size, so don't think you have to be aiming for anything out of the ordinary! I follow a blog written by the author of this book, which was what got me interested in the first place. She is raising a large family by today's standards and homeschools her children. See my interest? To get a taste of what she's about, check her out here.
• The Backyard Homestead-**** I quickly found that this wasn't a read cover to cover sort of book, but more of a manual on all things "homestead" from growing your own food to canning it, etc. Some of it wasn't quite as step-by-step as I'd hoped. The book assumes you have a basic level of gardening knowledge, which I didn't. Not a "dummies" level book, but a lot of good info and a great resource to have on hand.
• A Town Like Alice-**** Again, historical fiction. With some romance to boot!
• Jane Eyre-**** Definitely a well-written book with a crazy twist in the middle that left me raising my eyebrows a bit. I'll admit I was wondering if this book may have been considered a "novel" back in the day. The content surprised me a bit for having been written so long ago. Nothing bad, just a bit strange. I think the strangeness of it all threw me off a bit, and that's what kept this book from getting a 5th star, (sorry Ash!); I am giving it another go right now though.
• Eat to Live-***** If you dislike my vegetarian lifestyle, you have this book to blame. Read it before you judge me and see if it doesn't make sense though. Really. Trust me. And I only wished I lived up to what it teaches completely because I do believe in it. Baby steps!
• Disease Proof Your Child:Feeding kids right-*****By the author of ETL, with a spin on why this lifestyle is important for kids. Also geared more towards those not necessarily looking for weight loss, but an overall healthy lifestyle. If ETL scared you off, try this approach to the same exact thing.
• The Westing Game-** Sorry, I don't remember liking this as well as I did when I was a kid. Really, I just don't love juvenile fiction! The characters were hardly developed, the scenes were short and choppy like a soap opera, (another of my dislikes) and it just felt rushed. Like it was written specifically for someone who didn't want to invest a lot of time in the story. Which I guess it probably was.
• The Hunger Games Series-*** I'm going to lump these all together although I might rate them each a little different separately. I did honestly enjoy #1. The first piece of juvenile fiction I've read lately that didn't feel like a blatant ripoff of something else. Not to point fingers, but isn't Percy Jackson remarkably similar to someone else we all know and love, (cough, cough, HARRY!!)? I did wonder if the subject matter was a little heavy for juvenile lit, but I don't think it's bad to introduce uncomfortable/hard ideas to our children if done appropriately. #2, was a ripoff of #1, though. I was reading the same book all over again. And #3? Was she on a deadline to finish or what? All this drama and buildup for an overly rushed ending that left me highly unsatisfied. Will not read this series again.
• At Home in Mitford-*** The first in a series; a delightful read proving again that not everything recently written is trashy, and some authors will even willingly allow God into their novels! I will say though, it was pure brain candy. It didn't make me think at all, something I really value in a true good read. It didn't leave me dying to read the rest of the series. And as of yet, I haven't.
• Steady Days:A journey toward intentional professional motherhood-** Honestly I didn't even finish it. It probably shouldn't have made the list, except for that it wasn't HORRIBLE. Good info, but it felt like a compilation of everyone else's work. The same parenting advice you hear over and over, and in brief synopsis. Not even expounded on as it could have done extensively. I was disappointed.
• The Blue Castle-**** Again, a delightful read. Pure brain candy, but of the Anne variety. If you're a kindred spirit you'll know what I mean. ;) The ending is a bit too over the top in the happily ever after sort of way, but it was still enjoyable.

So what did you read this year? Faves/least faves? Any must reads for 2011 I should know about? I'm dying to know! I don't have much on my to-read list yet!

A Date with my Boys

Because you know that any date that involves a sassy red pair of shoes and dessert has GOT to be good, I thought I'd share.

I had me a date with my boys on Saturday. It was so much fun to go out with just the two of them. P Doodle and I needed a new pair of shoes each and Payless was having their BOGO sale, (which I've decided isn't that great of a deal by the way...when you can get cheaper kids shoes at Kmart or Wal-Mart.) so we left the girls home with Dad and went to check it out.

P Doodle was hilarious. The kid is so worried that he's going to walk out of the store with nothing that he latches on to the first pair of shoes he tries on and won't consider trying on anything else until Mom pulls down from the shelf......TADA! Buzz Lightyear. And they light up. And he can run really fast in them. SOLD!

Now, are there any other moms out there like me who have to fight the inner urge to be a control freak and not tell him about the Buzz shoes so I can pick the pair I want him to have? I want my kids to be independent and make their own choices, but at the same time, I want them to look good too. And I hate character shoes and clothes. But, when I thought about how happy these shoes would make him, I was able to let go of what I wanted and give in. And I'm glad I did. The excitement over this dang pair of shoes was worth it. He, of course had to wear them out of the store, wouldn't take them off when we got home, (not that I even tried to go there) and had to sleep in them that night. In fact, he's only taken them off for the bath and church since we got them.

Now what about Babycakes, you ask? Because this was a date with my BOYS. Poor, poor, Babycakes. He didn't need shoes. And mom didn't want to spend money on something we didn't need. But he's 3. He doesn't understand that. As soon as he saw P Doodle trying on shoes, he sat down and quick as lighting pulled off his "lellow shoes" and had on a new pair before I knew what was happening and could avert the coming crisis. So I let him walk around in them for a bit and bask in the fun. When it was time to go though, I took them off and put them on the shelf. And we had a meltdown. Until Mommy said the magic words, "Show me happy." Too which he predictably replied, "I wanna show happy." And as soon as I said, "Okay, let's do it," he did. And you bet your buttons that he had to get in on the fun of sleeping with a pair of shoes on, so he slept in his "lellow shoes" too. Whatever.

After the shoe-shopping, the boys good-naturedly followed me around a couple of clothing stores, and then we hit McDonalds for a $1 ice cream treat. I wish I'd taken my camera. Babycakes can't just eat an ice cream cone. He has to wear it as well. And he usually has to take a bite or two out of the cone before the ice cream on top is gone. It was messy, but too cute to bother about it. Let's just say it's a good thing it was a date with Mom, cause Daddy doesn't do messy. ;)

The best part about a date with my boys? The look on their faces when they just voluntarily look up and say, "Mom, I love you." cause we're having so much fun.

I LOVE MY KIDS.

Thoughts Approaching "D" Day

Because of our situation with Daddy being out of town, the birth of our precious Baby Claire has been planned. Call me crazy; He's only four hours away, but there is just something that puts me into a panic thinking about even the chance of going through a labor and delivery without my best friend, epidural or no. That day is one month from today, and lately it's all I can think about.

Each one of my children's birth days is so special to me. I have the most horrible memory in the world. I can't tell you what I did on Monday of this week, and I can never remember the date, but I can tell you every minute detail of each of the days my babies were born.

I look forward to this special day, but I'm also anxious. If you think that having four kids in four years sounds crazy, think about the view from where I'm sitting. But I KNOW that Baby Claire is supposed to be coming to us now, as all of our children have come exactly when they were supposed to have. She has already stolen a special place in my heart and made it her own, without having met her yet.

I read this post today, and it reminded me what a privilege and responsibility it is to be a mother. That some of the most important things we do are often the ones we overlook. It has motivated me to do better. To more often put aside my own wants of having a nap, or a little blogging time, or a nicer wardrobe, (you get the picture) and put my family first. To make sure that our home is clean and orderly, yet comfy and cozy so that it's the first place my family wants to be. To put aside my vanity for frugality so that I can continue to stay home and love my littles for the too-short time I can call them mine. To be a better example so that my girls will know that their role is important and not mundane. So that they will be proud of it, instead of frustrated by it. So that my boys will honor it the way my husband does.

I also read this post not too long ago, and it got me thinking about how hard mothers are being attacked right now. Mainstream media would have us believe that not only is it impossible to live up to the "supermom" ideal of long ago, but that we shouldn't want to anyway. That in doing so we're somehow being stepped on or taken advantage of, so we should all cry out in protest and think more about "me". I am not trying to say that we shouldn't be realistic in our expectations, and that we shouldn't also take care of ourselves........BUT.....I truly, truly believe that women were given this specific role because it is the best way for us to learn to be like our Savior. To be selfless, to sacrifice, to find joy in serving and loving others. Therefore, we should try a little harder. We should whine a little less, smile a little more, and scrub that toilet with a little more enthusiasm. I know that this is something I've had to work on, and I still have a long way to go......but in the long run, I have never gotten more joy out of any other aspect of my life than that of my role as a wife and mother. Nobody has ever made me feel more special than my husband or children, and I know it is worth it to work harder for them and get that special feeling in return.

For Ashlee

I know that many of you are screaming for more posts of the kids.....but not much I can do until I get my camera fixed. Sorry folks. In the interim, I'll fulfill a special request from my BFF Ashlee. My dear friend was interested in a book review of things I read last year. To be honest, I wasn't too good at keeping track until the last half of the year, but if I can't remember it, it wasn't really all that noteworthy right? Or I just have a "mom" brain. Take your pick. So without further ado, I will list each book read with a star rating, (out of 5) and a quick "whadyathink?":

• Wives & Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskill - **** If you like Jane Austen, you'll probably like this. Not quite up to par with Austen in my opinion, but still a good read. And if you don't want to find yourself angry like I did, note that the author died before finishing the book.......so get over it and make up your own ending.
• The Absorbent Mind by Maria Montessori - **** A bit of stuffy reading.....much science, some of which is a bit outdated, but overall an interesting read. A big insight into why kids' brains work the way they do; and how we as parents, (or other influencers......like that vocab?) can work with them, instead of against them to unlock their potential. Definitely worth a read. Skip the science if you must.
  
• Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - **** Weird. And a bit disturbing, but VERY thought provoking. If you don't think our society is headed to hell in a handbasket, you will after reading this, (or you'll just think I'm nuts for thinking we're not terribly far off from this). Interesting that the author had the insight to write this almost 70 years ago.
• The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis - ***** Wish I was quite smart enough to understand all of the symbolism. It's one to read more than once. Who doesn't love C.S. Lewis? To read further thoughts on this book, read this post here.
• The Mommy Manual by Barbara Curtis - ***** This book is exactly what it boasts to be. One I like to read each year. Not so much a "how to" guide as a "how to figure it out" guide, because really, what two kids are alike? Also a very uplifting read. You're going to finish this book feeling warm and fuzzy and enthused to try more and do better, not feel like crap. One section I particularly enjoy talks about how to pick good reading material for your kids. Ever noticed how many kids books are just crap? It also gives reading suggestion lists based on age group.
• A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens - ********** THE BEST BOOK EVER. The end. You want drama, romance, action, comedy, the whole works without the sleeze of today? Read this. And read it again and again.
• David Copperfield by Charles Dickens - ***** Another good read by the Chuckster. You just can't go wrong with Dickens. And you will laugh, I promise. And fall in love.
• Little Britches by Ralph Moody - ***** Loved it. The author was just so good at getting you into the mind of a little boy. I could totally picture my brother or my little boy doing and thinking everything Ralph did. I laughed and I cried. That usually gives a book 5 stars for me!
• Pride & Prejudice - ***** Another annual read. If you like the movie, YOU WILL LOVE THE BOOK. So much more. The only line that is better in the movie...."You have bewitched me body and soul. And I love....love.....I love you." That gets me every time! I swoon actually. But every other line in the book is soooo much better.
• The Book Thief - **** I'm going to give it four stars only because the ending left me hanging a bit. I'm not sure why......I just felt it was missing something. But I loved all the rest.
• The Proper Care & Feeding of Husbands by Dr. Laura - ***** I know I'm going to get hate mail from the female population reading this, but I love Dr. Laura. I mean really, her attitude of "you can only worry about what you can do to make a situation better" is so right. Plus really, doesn't our belief system advocate a man/woman relationship like the one she describes? I know things work better for us that way, so I pledge my allegiance to Dr. Laura. Hate me if you must.
• The Twelfth Angel by Og Mandino - **** Okay Ash.....I know I'm letting you down with this one, but I do like cheesy. And I'm a bit surprised that you don't. I sobbed like a baby through most of this book. And I liked it. In fact, add another 1/2 star up there. But know that Brandon sides with you on this one.
• The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan - * Picture me blowing a big fat raspberry. Harry Potter has so been there and done this. And about a thousand times better. I'm glad that Greek Mythology is getting a little limelight, but it could have been done without ripping off another story.
• Persuasion by Jane Austen - ***** Notice a theme yet? When I don't have anything to read, I pick up my dear friend Jane. This one is super romantic and I like it.
• The Blithedale Romance by Nathaniel Hawthorne - **** Another kind of weird book. I wasn't sure where the author was going with this one until the end, and then I still kind of went, "huh?" But maybe I'm just not smart enough for Hawthorne. It was entertaining though. I like the way he writes. Remember reading The Scarlet Letter in school? I haven't read it since, but I remember really liking it then; which seems to be contrary to most others I talk to.
• Weapons of Mass Instruction by John Taylor Gatto - **** Could have been written/referenced a little better, but good, good info. I've heard his earlier book, (sorry, too lazy to get a title for you.....google it) is better. When I read this I was already looking into the advantages of homeschool, and this sealed the deal for me. I know, I know, I should walk around with a stamp on my forehead letting everyone know how weird I am. But you still love me, right? (Ash.....this means you....I'm sure you're the only one still reading.)
• The Successful Homeschool Family Handbook by Raymond and Dorothy Moore - **** A bit of a yawn....in some parts. But a pretty good manual for homeschool parents. It gives you a heads up for what you're really in for and some excellent advice on everything from organization to curriculum. And not just about school, but family life in general.
• In Praise of Stay-at-Home Moms by Dr. Laura - ***** Really, most women should start out reading Dr. Laura with this book. It feels more like she's on your team. And she is!! Oh, she is! Another book to leave you feeling on top of the world, and ready to do better.

So that's my two cents for what it's worth. Know that I would recommend anything on my sidebar for this year so far to anyone still reading and interested. (Book of a Thousand Days is definitely directed for a younger audience, but still good brain candy reading.) Click on any of them to see my GoodReads rating.

A Beautiful Day

I have to admit, I've been a bit down lately. The super cold temperatures here have been getting to me, added to the fact that until this week, my kids have been sick pretty much since Thanksgiving. I've been in a bit of a rut. But today changed everything. Today gave me a bit of sunshine that seemed to erase it all, and give me the breath of fresh air I need to perk up.

Today, for the first time, I heard my baby's heartbeat. Is there any sound in the world better than that? It doesn't matter how many times I go through this; it's a miracle every time, and I feel so blessed and grateful to announce that baby Morgan #4 is on the way!

I get to have an ultrasound tomorrow to make sure that everything is on track, but if all matches up, I am 14 weeks along, and the due date is July 23. Yes, I know, July is a lucky month for us! ;)

Why announce this on the blog you ask? Well, we thought that to show up at Christmas and announce for the third time in five years that I'm pregnant and due in July was getting a bit redundant. We were losing the element of surprise there. So, we thought we'd shake things up a bit. And now we get to see how many of you actually read this blog! (Also now you can question our sanity privately before you call to say congrats! ;)) Rest assured, if you're reading this, you are the first to know. We love you all! Thanks for sharing in our excitement! And feel free to spread the word!

Rub-a-Dub-Dub

I've been trying something new lately, and I thought I'd share. I'm no longer washing my hair with shampoo. Don't worry, I do still wear deodorant and shave my legs. That's not about to stop anytime soon! No, seriously, I'm washing my hair with baking soda. Why baking soda you ask? Well, it all started with the homemade laundry soap. Once I got looking more into that and trying different recipes, I started running into posts about "no-poo" as well. I thought that the money saving sounded great enough, but when I read about all the other benefits, I was totally on board for a test run.

You see, when you wash your hair with baking soda, it simply cleans your hair. It doesn't have any other of those nasty chemicals that strip your hair or weigh it down. This means your hair doesn't get oily the same afternoon you've washed it! I've always heard that the less often you wash your hair, the better, but I could never get mine to adjust to anything longer than every other day; and on the off day it looked terrible. So I couldn't wait to try this.

The result? I'll never buy another bottle of shampoo again! The first time I tried it, I went two days in between washings with no problem. I've since been going three. The third day still looks better than my "off day" from shampoo. And really, I think that if you stuck with it long enough, you could accustom your hair to whatever schedule you like. I was a bit nervous at first about drying my hair without any "deep conditioning", (with the baking soda wash you use an apple cider vinegar rinse afterwards) so I let it air dry and didn't really do much to style it. The next time I got brave, because I don't think that I'd stick with something if I couldn't blow-dry my hair. I didn't use any mousse though, because I thought that adding more gunk to my hair was a bit counter-productive. And guess what? My hair was so much more manageable than it has ever been before. I dried it, gave it a little fluff with my fingers, and some hairspray, and I was just as happy with how it looked as I ever was when I took the time to round-brush and style before, (if my camera wasn't on the blink I'd post pictures to prove it.....hopefully soon!). I also was a little concerned about brushing my hair when wet, but I've never gotten a brush through my hair so easily in my life. I think it's the vinegar. My hair was soft and smooth, and it felt so clean!

One more thing.....some people complained that washing the "no-poo" way stripped their hair color. I am here to tell you this is NOT TRUE. My hair is dyed a dark brown, with a smidgy bit of a red tint, and it is growing out faster than it is fading. I think it's like anything, the more you wash, the more it fades. Or perhaps it depends on the color, although I've seen bleach-blonde types say it doesn't hurt their hair either. So don't let that scare you.

The downside? My hair has picked up static electricity much easier. But that's taken care of easily enough. The real downer......when you wash your hair this way it doesn't smell like anything. At all. So, after a few days it will start to pick up the smells around you. It's subtle, (Brandon has never noticed it or complained) but if you cook with a lot of onions, or spend time around a smoky smell, you'll notice it. I think I'm going to try adding some essential oil to the vinegar rinse. I've seen a lot of comments that say that takes care of this problem. But does anyone know where to begin looking for essential oil in a small town like this? We have a Wal-mart, (can you buy it there?) a couple of grocery stores, but other than that the only "specialty" stores we have sell things like camouflage truck seat covers. You get the idea. I guess there's always online shopping!

If any of you are interested in trying this, I followed the directions found here. The top portion of the article is the "why", skim to the bottom if you're only interested in "how".

Note: Some posts I read said to use the vinegar rinse once a week, others used it every time they washed. I've been using it with every wash. And I didn't worry about getting just the ends....I rinsed my whole head because I think that's what is making my hair feel so soft. Just play around and see what works for you! Also, check Costco, or similar stores that sell in bulk for big bags of baking soda. I buy a 12 lb. bag of baking soda at Costco for cheap. Between using it for cooking, cleaning, and now this, it's a fantastic way to save money!

Strength

Are any of you reading Apron Girls yet? If not, you should be. I think this is only the third or fourth time I've linked you there. This time I'm loving their New Year's resolutions. I like the idea of the theme. So here I go copycatting.

My theme for 2010 is Strength. I have more demands on my time and energy than ever before. I could sure use an extra dose of it. Looking back, I think that I tend to focus too much on my own weaknesses. I flounder in insecurity and disappointment, waiting for someone else, (usually Brandon) to come along to the rescue. This year I'm going to put on my big girl panties and take care of business. And rely on the Lord for what I lack. I'm going to put Ether 12:27 to the test.

"And if men come unto me, I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

Here's how I'm breaking it down into manageable goals:

• Spiritual strength - No missed days of scripture study and personal prayer. Also, no missed weeks of Family Home Evening. The blessings that come from these are needed too much to be apathetic about it.
• Physical strength - Exercise a minimum of three times per week. Also less sugar. Sugar is evil. The end.
• Emotional strength - Really, I've no idea how to work on this one here; I'm kind of hoping that it will fall into place as I work on my other goals.
• Mental strength - Read more informative works. Reading for entertainment is easy for me and I get lost in it. So, this year I want to try and read things that stretch me a little more, teach me something, and really make me use my brain or improve a skill. I'm not sure how to realize this goal yet.......maybe one non-fiction work per month?
  

I'm thinking that these goals will be the most effective in really improving me as a person, helping me to be happier, and serve my family better this year. Wish me luck!