He struck gold...

That's right, Mr. Landon is a gold medalist.
He won gold in the Arts category
at the Arizona Regional Academic Decathlon today.
Not too bad for someone who only took the class because he needed another elective.
Not bad at all.
Way to go Lando!

When life gives you chocolate chips...

I heard Waylon cry and I wanted to cry right along with him. It's just been one of those days. I went out to check on him and found he and Jamie fighting over a stick. Ahh, the sibling dispute. The very cause of my very bad day.

Now that my siblings and I are all grown most of our rivalries are limited to the occasional spousal pillow-talk where silly annoyances are whispered then forgotten. But today "The One", the one whose fallen life must constantly be put back together, yanked on my stick yet again and this time, this time I pulled back.

.

"Whoever lets go of the stick first gets a treat." I called out to my fighting babies. Bad parenting? Maybe. But it was too cold to stay out and discuss the importance of sharing. Jamie promptly stood up "I want a treat." She beamed.

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"Wait here. I'll get you one." My promise loomed over me as I searched the pantry. No treats. Now what? A small chocolate chip filled Dixie cup would have to do. How my offering would be received depended entirely upon the expectations of the excited girl outside. If she expected a plate of cookies my chips might not be enough to please her.

.

I thought of "The One", the one who fights and exhausts me with her constant pulling. I fear she will never be able to offer more than simple chocolate chips. How I receive them will depend entirely upon my expectations. If I expect cookies she will never be enough and I will never be happy.

.

Jamie accepted my simple gift with a smile and I knew that I must smile too. I must accept "The One's" chocolate chip offering for I have been given the tools to turn them into cookies.

Cookies for us to share.

Much better...

I love antibiotics!

I never thought I'd say that--

but yesterday these kids were DYING,

seriously miserable,

and now

well...

Just look at them!

My magnum opus...

Tuesday, January 27

I resolve to take more self-portraits doing things I enjoy.

******

I am my worst critic (can you relate?) so I often talk myself away from what I enjoy the very most~ writing.

Some years ago I started writing a novel. Never do I feel more alive than when I am working on it. It feels me with such joy and is a testament to the fact that I am indeed a daughter of God, of divine nature, born to create.

As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, Second Counselor in the First Presidency of the LDS church, explained at the last women's conference:

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The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.
Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.
Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty.

.

I know that this is true and yet so often I tell myself--whether the excuse be a lack of time, inspiration, or talent--that I cannot create. So my novel gets tucked away in my top drawer for months, even years at a time. Until those quiet moments of reflection when the spirit whispers to me, "Finish your book."

This has happened to me on several occasions as I have pondered and prayed about my life. "Finish your book." The counsel is clear, unmistakable, but even with this perfect, loving reassurance I let my self-doubt win.

"Why?" I wonder. "Why should I finish it? Who am I to think that I can write a book? And what does it matter anyway?"

And yet the promptings keep coming. "Finish your book. Finish your book."

.

So this is where you'll find me in the coming months,

doing what I enjoy the most and...

.

Finishing my book!

Talks, sick kids, and a broken garage...

Marlee got to speak in church yesterday, lucky girl. She spoke on gratitude and did a fantastic job. I was very impressed. Who knew she was that good at public speaking. After her talk Landon took Jamie home because she said she felt like she was going to throw up. Shortly after that Waylon started fussing that he also felt sick. He didn't look very good so I took him home to join Landon and Jamie.
.
I then went back and taught my first lesson as an "official" relief society teacher. I love being the teaching for our times instructor because I love the conference talks and the women in my class make the best comments. I've already read next month's talk "Come to Zion" by Elder Christofferson. Wow, what a great talk! Really great food for thought. I can't wait to study it further.
.
After church Rick and Landon went out to try and fix the garage door that Rick accidentally broke as we headed out that morning. Apparently he was staring at my legs instead of focusing on driving. What can you do when your husband of almost 19 years still loves your legs enough to get in an accident over them? You certainly can't get mad over a broken garage door I'll tell you that much. You just can't. Even if I do have to park outside in the cold now. It's worth it to know I'm so loved.
.
Jamie and Waylon are still so, so sick. Rick and I were up all night with them and they're not doing well this morning either. Hope we don't pass this one around. So not fun.

a HAPPY birthday party...

Now this is what a birthday party should look like...

Happy crafts,

Happy pizza,

Happy games,

a very happy little girl,
.
And a happy momma too.
.

Everyone got along so nicely, they loved the games (especially dressing up to make a movie then watching it), and no party crashers! Only sweet little invited guests showed up this time. It was wonderful.

.

Can you tell that I still haven't gotten over Jamie's party? Well I haven't. I'm quite traumatized. But more on that later.

.

For now I will focus on my renewed faith in the joy of birthday parties.

Good times I tells ya, good times.

Birthday girl...

Today is Miss E's birthday

It started with a birthday breakfast

Then cotton candy treats for her class.
That's a box of happy birthday goodness right there.


Then after a meal of homemade fried chicken (a family favorite)
she ended the day by checking out her new loot.

And she was sooo happy (of course she always is).

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The cake and wishes part of her birthday will take place at a later date during her birthday party.

Happy birthday Woogs! We love you!

Remember I love you...

Tuesday January 13~

I resolve to take more self-portraits with people I love

..............................................................................

I love this picture of my dad and me. It is one of my all time favorite Christmas gifts. This picture combined with this weeks SPT challenge got me thinking about how priceless pictures taken with the ones we love become when the ones we love are no longer with us. So I decided to take this opportunity to snap an individual picture with all those I love so that when I'm 98 and getting ready to kick it out of here I can give these photos as special Christmas gifts to each one of my special gifts.

I hope they appreciate it because posting all of these pictures of my mug is rather unsettling. Unsettling indeed.

.

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Especially this late night beauty. Yikes. But I had to include it because what would a post about taking pictures with the ones I love be without the one I love the mostest in the whole wide world...

Man I love this guy!

.

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And I Love SPT too.

Without this challenge I would never have taken these pictures.

Thank you Lelly for helping me to become a documented part of my family's history.

Sun-kissed...

Rick and I both come from generations of Arizona natives and we love it. We love, love, love everything about Arizona especially the climate. Unfortunately though, that perfect sunny climate can come with a price. Premature aging (blah), dry skin and wrinkles (blah), and worst of all the dreaded, dun, dun, duh- SKIN CANCER. We have always known that it was just a matter of time before it caught one of us and caught it did. It came and bit Rick right in the back of the neck (my poor baby).

He had to get quite a chunk cut out of his neck today, but the good news is that the doctor doesn't think it is anything too serious and he should make a complete recovery.
But oh is he in pain and has to stay pretty hopped up on drugs for now (my poor baby).

To help ease his pain I got his sports channels turned back on today (we had switched to the basic cable package to save money-no sports in that package-my poor baby) and I dare say that watching the Suns game did indeed help a bit.
.
So it looks like the time has come for us to keep a much more careful watch over our forever changing, forever aging Arizona skin.
.
How 'bout you?
Have you checked your skin today?

Back to normal...

January's challenge as explained by Lelly:
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i love a new year. i love the chance to start over. and i know you do, too!! so, if you've been absent from spt, or if you haven't gotten up the nerve to link up, or if you are lurking and haven't yet picked up that camera, now is the time to come along! how about you make a resolution to join in the fun?
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tuesday, january 6 i resolve to take more self-portraits
tuesday, january 13 i resolve to take more self-portraits with people i love
tuesday, january 20 i resolve to take more self-portraits while trying new things
tuesday, january 27 i resolve to take more self-portraits doing things i enjoy.
.
what have you got to lose? absolutely nothing!what have you got to gain? a whole lotta self-portraits! (and so much more...)
...........................................................................................

This was a day


for getting

things back

to normal

and it feels so good.

Whew...

And so ends our two weeks of

PARTY-ING!!!

***

I'm exhausted.