Do your kids use a different cup
every time they get a drink?
Mine sure seem to.
...not one of those perfect, magical moments I referred to earlier.
Dirty dishes = MUNDANE... not so pretty.
I read my sis-in-laws comment about my last post and laughed myself silly, tears and all. She said:
I love the post, especially the flower vine coming out the side of your head...
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Love that girl! She is so funny.
Now anyone who has tried to take a picture of themselves without a tripod knows how very difficult it is. One's features can look quite out of proportion and you can never tell exactly what is in the frame with you or if something will show up, say, growing out the side of your face or whatnot.
So after many failed attempts, I finally chose the picture I did because my forehead was disproportionately large by only about a foot or so and my nose looked only a few inches too long. The flower vine growing out the side of my head was unfortunate, but I decided I could live with it. And I'm so glad I did because I love a good laugh! Thanks Cameo~ you're the best!
The SPT challenge for the month of August is a great one and I'm sorry that I haven't been able to participate until now, but August has been busy, busy. In recognition of the summer Olympics the challenge for August focused on the ideals of the Olympic motto:
citius, altius, fortius[faster, higher, stronger]. Love that motto!
And that is why I say my life is bliss. Not because it's perfect, but because it is filled with perfect moments that only continue to get better as I work to make myself better. I love the Olympic motto: citius, altius, fortius. I'm adopting it as my own this year. This is a special year for me because I recently turned 39 and I am ridiculously excited about being on the road to 40. I can't wait to be 40 and I want to use this year for personal growth in all areas of my life so I'll reach 40 feeling faster, higher, and stronger than I ever have before. So keep being fabulous you fellow bloggers you. Your stories bless my life and I thank you for it.
This is what happens when you let your kids take a bath in your jacuzzi tub, a bottle of shampoo within reach, while you sit in the adjoining bedroom and visit with your hubby. Did you know that when you add shampoo the jacuzzi jets make really awesome bubbles? A lot of really awesome bubbles. Almost flowing over the rim of the tub awesome bubbles. Looks pretty inviting. Maybe I should kick the kids out and hop in.
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Anyone who really knows me will know that in reality I would never do this. Fact 100 and whatever about me is that I hate to take baths. Always have, always will. I'm a shower girl all the way. There's nothing better than a long hot shower.
Take some old magazines, scissors, poster board, glue and a bunch of kids~ mix them all together on the living room floor and yippee! Fun times for all!
For our YW activity Wednesday night we made posters using magazine cutouts. I ended up with extra supplies and of course my younger kids were all over that. They've been having the best time creating posters. It's been a great way to keep them entertained for the past two days.
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I also got into the act and created an inspirational poster of my own. It's surprising how much fun it was. I filled it with inspiring phrases and images that I hope will help me jump start each new day and strive to be the best me I can be. In the center of the poster I put a picture of the Savior lifting open the blanket shelter of a beggar. This has always been one of my favorite paintings because the beggar in the picture is me. Below the picture I put the caption "waste not thy gifts" and beside that a picture of a wrapped present. With this I hope to remind myself never to waste the priceless gifts that my Savior has given me.
I also added several items to help inspire me in my writing and overall success in life. I especially like the opened bird cage with the soaring bird in the upper left corner because often times in life we feel as if we are locked in a cage, unable to do things, but the truth is that we hold the key in our own pocket the whole time and can unlock the door whenever we want. I'm ready to unlock my cages. I'm ready to soar high. I'm ready to live the best life possible.
Wow I feel so inspired. My poster must be working.
You should make one. It's fun.
Yesterday we took a day trip to Flagstaff and visited one of our favorite places, the Riordan mansion. It's a mansion that was built in 1904, in the Arts and Crafts style, by Tim and Mike Riordan. Tim and Mike were brothers who married sisters (Caroline and Elizabeth Metz) and apparently they all got along very well because they decided to build their homes side by side with a common gathering room connecting the middle. The home was donated by the Riordan posterity and is now a state historic park. We love going there and taking a walk into history. It's fun to see how people lived in 1904, especially rich people who had all of the modern conveniences of the time. It's also interesting to see the birth of the Arts and Crafts style of architecture.
Our tour guide is an avid historian so she was fascinating to listen too. One thing she shared that really struck me was that the wives in the Riordan family don't have much written about them. They didn't keep journals so there is no way to learn what they were thinking, feeling and experiencing at the time. Our guide said it is very frustrating to her as a historian because she so badly wants to study and learn more about them.
So I had an Ah-ha moment of the importance of keeping journals. I think of all of the history that I have already lost, cute things my kids have said and done, places we've gone, people we've met, thoughts and feelings, lessons learned along the way. Priceless treasures lost forever because I didn't take the time to write them down. I'm going to try to do better because when I fade into history I want my posterity to know all about this fascinating life experience that I've been blessed with. I love this life.
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And another thing I love is teaching. I got to teach the Mia maids at church today and I always experience a euphoric high that lasts all day when I get to teach and testify of my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and their fabulous plan for us. It also helps that I am so in love with our young women. They are an amazing group of girls!
I received word that the house I recently staged sold in only 6 weeks. Hooray! I'm so happy for them and humbled that she credits it all to my work (I know there were other factors that helped as well, but it's sweet that she thinks I'm so wonderful). Now her realtor wants me to stage a home for another one of her clients because she says their home is a hodge podge of furniture and needs help. She's going to approach them with the idea so I may or may not be getting a call soon.
So here's a question. Should I get into the staging business? Should I go for it all the way with business cards, signs and all (I'm in good with a sign maker and have ways of getting special favors from him)
Should I use my growing list of credentials and become a stager extraordinaire? Or should I just stick to my favorite job as a full time mom and not complicate my life? I just don't know. I'll have to ponder this one for awhile.
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And speaking of staging, or decorating...
I finally got to the point where I could no longer tolerate my striped and floral couches. If I had to enter my house and be greeted by my "old Victorian woman" nightmare of a living room one more time I was going to lose it! So I took advantage of the fact that I have my very strong sister living with me and made her help me move furniture around for an entire day. I recently bought this leather couch and recliner (pictured above) from a very nice couple for only $150. (a steal) but because they don't provide a lot of seating I originally put them up in my loft, but now I've decided that I don't care if there's not enough seating. People can drag chairs in from the kitchen if they have to. I'm not an old Victorian woman and I just couldn't continue to live that lie. So now the loft is graced with the lovely striped and floral furniture, but that doesn't upset me as much because I don't spend a lot of time in there. I also removed the old Victorian woman mirror from the back of the old dresser in the living room and I like it soooo much better. I now have Rick's grandmother's clock on display and I love to listen to it chime throughout the day. So lovely. Now all is well in the world, except for the paint color. I still don't like the sterile butter cream walls, but one manic moment at a time... I'll take care of those later.
I know this picture isn't the greatest with the sun shining through the windows, but it'll give you an idea of how things look now. Happy, happy.
Our first day back to school started out early. Very early. At 3:15 this morning a group of Senior girls came and kidnapped a new Freshman, our own lovely Marlee. One came dressed as a monkey, others in flowing nightgowns and such, and made quite a ruckus as they dragged Marlee out of bed and carried her downstairs and out the door. After breakfast and this lovely makeover pictured above, they brought her back home at about 5:30. It was cute and fun, but by this evening we were all soooo tired. The monkey made such a ruckus that Jamie woke up and asked, "What the heck is going on down there?" I told her that a monkey had kidnapped Marlee. She said, "Oh, I knew I heard a monkey." Then went back to bed. I guess sisters being kidnapped by monkeys is normal in her world.
Here are my High school kids. Landon's finishing up just as Marlee is beginning, but at least she has one year of big bro looking out for her.
Paige is on her own at the junior high now, but with all of the fun things she'll be involved in this year, I think she can handle it.
And here are our elementary girls. Jamie's in all day school this year and she is so excited about it. She wouldn't even let me walk her to class today. I said, "Are you sure you don't want me to walk you in?" And she told me no. So I said, "But I want to walk you in." And she said, "I'm sorry mom, but you just can't this time." Talk about role reversal. I'm so proud of her. She is really growing up. Easton had a great day too. She thrives on education and was so happy to get back to it.
DON'T HATE ME BECAUSE I'M BEAUTIFUL!!!My Sis-in-law or brother (I don't know which because they log in with the same user) left a comment about the fact that the crunch-o-meter on my sidebar appears to be broken. Sadly it did break. For some reason it seems to only work when I'm working and well I've been on summer vacation what more can I say. But plans are already underway for my big comeback. As soon as the kids return to school I will have structure, I will have schedules-- drive and determination will be a part of my life once again. So keep your eye on that crunch-o-meter, it will be moving again soon.
Because when I grow up I want to look like this....
The woman on the left, in the blue suit is 72 years old in this picture and her daughter standing next to her is 44.
72~ are you kidding me!
