It's all good...

This is an after photo.
I didn't get a before one.
A before of what? You ask. Well it all started yesterday afternoon when I received a call from Easton's school teacher. First he told me that there had been an accident at school. He then used words like "letting off rockets" and "Easton chasing after rockets".
So lets recap. We have:
1. accident
2. rockets
3. child chasing rockets
Not exactly the words a mother wants to hear. He then proceeded to tell me that Easton had been chasing after rockets, and with her eyes fixed squarely toward the heavens she failed to see the fence approaching at a dangerous speed toward her face "KURPLOW!!!"
When the stars cleared, my Easton's beautiful front,
PER-MA-NANT, tooth was chipped in half. Her teacher felt so bad, but at that point I was just glad that she hadn't blown off her hand or her face seeing as how she had been chasing a rocket (I found out later that the rockets were little tennis ball type things, quite harmless).

When we got home I immediately called the dentist and was told that they couldn't fix her tooth until Monday but to go ahead and bring her in for xrays. Easton asked me to take a picture before we left but I told her that we were in a hurry and that they weren't fixing it yet anyway so we'd get one later. Well after the xrays the dentist said he could fix it right then and I thought "why is it that a mother of six doesn't have a camera phone?" With six kids the odds are that I am going to need a spur of the moment camera at my disposal from time to time. Am I right? Yes I am.
Oh well the good news is that she is all fixed up and doesn't have to walk around with a cracked tooth all weekend. She also avoided a root canal which apparently is very common with these injuries because the nerve in the front tooth is very large and is almost always exposed when a break happens. This didn't happen to her though so we feel very blessed. Her teeth are oh so owie tender and a bit loose (nothing to worry about) so she has to be on a soft diet for about a week or so, but she is still healthy, strong, beautiful and not blown up by a rocket so all is well.

Do you know anyone with a chipped tooth? I guess it's pretty common.
Hey Lynn, didn't you chip your tooth in the Karmann Ghia accident? I think you did.

Runway fun...

For our YW activity tonight one of our young women put on a fun fashion show for her personal progress project. She talked to the girls about the importance of modesty and had some of the girls walk the catwalk wearing cute, modest outfits. Paige modeled a trendy tube dress that was made modest by adding leggings, an undershirt and a jacket. She looked adorable and very comfortable strutting her stuff.

Marlee modeled a modest formal look wearing her fabulous vintage dress. To complete the look we did her hair in this 1940's up-do with her cute pillbox hat. She looked absolutely gorgeous.
~
At the end of the evening we all (yes us leaders too) took turns strutting on the catwalk (a large sheet of plywood with white Christmas lights around it). Can you say embarrassing? I so hate being in the spotlight. I can act ridiculous at home to my hearts content (and my heart is content when I'm acting ridiculous) but ask me to behave that way in public and I freeze up. I so wish I could be authentic with people. I mean what am I trying to hide anyway? I'm goofy and I like it, so what's the problem. I dance around my kitchen and sing at the top of my lungs while I'm doing dishes, I run like Rocky, throwing punches into the air, every time I have to go upstairs, followed by the perfect Olympic dismount when I come back down, I practice cartwheels with my kids--I never learned how and let me tell you it's a lot harder to pick up at my age-- I sing crazy songs, talk in weird voices and jump on the beds to wake my kids up in the morning, and I most certainly have done a fierce runway walk or two around the house, no embarrassment at all. That's right.

I'm a nut trapped in a conservative outer shell. And so it has always been (except for my college years. Especially when my Heidi and I would go out dancing. Good times I tells ya. Good times.) But it's late and I ramble so let me end by saying that I plan to lick this. I will be spontaneously weird (accidental weirdness aka dorkiness doesn't count) wild and carefree- in public- before I die so help me I will.
Well... Maybe.
~
"Dance like nobody's watching; love like you've never been hurt. Sing like nobody's listening; live like it's heaven on earth."
~Mark Twain

Cheers to you...

SPT for Tuesday Sept. 9~ Because of a Blogger...

entertaining/parties

I don't have a lot of time so I won't be able to refer to all of the wonderful bloggers who have inspired me in this category, but I still wanted to participate so here goes...

There is an item for entertaining that I have seen used time and time again on blogs. An item that I have access to but never use. Never. But because of the inspiration found through other bloggers I am excited to take the plunge and...

Finally use my wedding china!

That's right~ in 18 years of marriage I have never used my china. But all of the pictures I have seen of beautifully set tables for those special occasions, or even better, for those no occasion, just because I love you moments, have inspired me to start surprising my family with an excitingly gorgeous formal table every so often. And who knows maybe I'll even invite a family or two of friends over for a formal dinner some time as well. I'm telling you, I've caught the bug. I want to be an entertainer extraordinaire. I always have been one- in my mind. I'm ready to start putting some of my ideas, the old and all of the new that I've learned from you fabulous bloggers, to use. Life is precious and way too short~ it's time to party baby!

Here's to parties,

to joyful dinners served on beautiful wedding china,

and to you my lovely, inspiring, life changing

fellow bloggers.

CHEERS!

Peace

We sang my favorite hymn in church today...
~
WHERE CAN I TURN FOR PEACE?
~
1. Where can I turn for peace?
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger, or malice,
I draw myself apart,
Searching my soul?
~
2. Where, when my aching grows,
Where, when I languish,
Where, in my need to know, where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.
~
3. He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane, Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds for my beseeching.
Constant he is and kind,
Love without end.
~
Text: Emma Lou Thayne, b. 1924. © 1973 IRI
Music: Joleen G. Meredith, b. 1935. © 1973 IRI
~

I love this hymn because it is so TRUE.

I love my Savior. He is the source of all love, hope, joy, happiness, comfort and peace.
He, only one.

Memories...

Rick bought the movie Savannah Smiles for me because he knows it was one of my favorites while growing up. We watched it tonight as a family and although watching it as an adult was a little different (I noticed the far fetched moments this time) it still warmed my heart and I still bawled like a baby at the end. I love this movie. The little girl is the cutest! And the fate of Boots and Alvie gets me every time.
Watching this movie was just another of many nostalgic moments that I've had these past two days. Yesterday we took a quick day trip down to "the valley" to meet with our Gilbert renters who are sadly moving out, and to hire a property management company to take care of the business of getting someone else in there (know anyone looking to rent a 5 bedroom 3000 sq foot home in Gilbert?). The meeting was in downtown Mesa and it was sad to see how many businesses are closed up and gone in that area. Fiesta Village is no more (I think it's been gone for awhile, but I never go over there). Rick and I had fun reminiscing about how that used to be the happening place. Cruising around the parking lot, checking out the hot guys (girls for Rick). Good times.
After the meeting we drove past my Grandpa and Grandma's old house. It was weird to see a new house built on the lot where my grandpa's amazing garden used to be, but it was still neat to see their house and the school across the street where Landon attended preschool.
From there we drove down Southern and I checked out my old high school as we zoomed past. Memories of driving my Karmann Ghia down that road everyday flooded my mind. Southern was my road. I know it so well. I couldn't help but ask Rick to drive me past my childhood home and of course he complied. It's hard for me to see my old home. I want so badly to pull into the long driveway, run inside and find my dad waiting for me. He is so much a part of that house. I can't help but feel that if only I could get inside I'd be transported back to a time when my family was everything and my dad was the hero of my world. If I could go back I would bring him a large glass of ice water (mostly ice with just a little water) and sit on his bed where we would visit for hours. I'm telling you it's the simple things...
~
Later in the day we did a walk through at our Gilbert house. It was fun to see it again. Man I love the tile in that house, the dark counter tops and the warm paint colors, but seeing it again gave me a renewed appreciation for the custom feel of my new home. It has character and I like that.
Although I am getting used to small town living, "the valley" will always be home to me. I transform into my normal, familiar self there and it feels good. But I am starting to find and embrace my new normal here and you know, that feels pretty good too.

Welcome home surprises...

Yesterday's welcome home snack started with this note that led the kids on a treasure hunt throughout the house. I hid several clue scrolls that had them running up and down the stairs, laughing and squealing, "this is fun" the whole time. After a long search they finally ended up in the pantry where they found this:

Yummy welcome home snickerdoodles.

It was so fun to watch their excitement. How wonderful it is that with just a little preparation you can make a child's whole day.

I went ahead and re-hid everything to surprise the older girls when they got home, and if you think that kids get too old for these kinds of things, you should have seen them running through the house trying to discover the prize. It was a great way to welcome everyone home.

~

When I picked Jamie up from school today she said that all day she kept wondering what snack she would find waiting for her this time. So cute.

Today I didn't have much time so I quickly whipped up a batch of Paula Deen's microwave peanut brittle, arranged it on our official after school snack cake plate and placed it next to a vase of fresh flowers and our welcome home sign. The kids were as thrilled as ever to find it and their smiles made my day.

~

If you like peanut brittle you must try this recipe. It is so quick and easy and yummy too.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

1- 1/2 cups salted peanuts (dry roasted)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1-1/2 teaspoons butter

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

~

In a microwavable, 2-quart dish, combine corn syrup and sugar; blend well. Cook in microwave on high for 4 minutes. Stir in nuts and salt, return to microwave, and cook for 4 more minutes on high. Add butter and vanilla; blend well. Cook for 1-1/2 minutes on high. Remove from microwave and add baking soda, stirring until light and foamy. Pour onto a lightly greased cookie sheet or marble slab, spreading as thin as possible. Cool completely and break into pieces.

~

It truly is the simple things that make life worthwhile. I love being a mom. I couldn't ask for a better job or better kids.

Bliss I tells ya, pure BLISS!

Gotta love those bloggers...

The SPT challenge this month is to highlight one thing per week that you have been inspired to do "because of a blogger." maybe it is a blogger you know (an old friend, a neighbor). maybe it is a blogger who is on your RSS feed. or maybe your creativity was sparked by a "drive-by" - a link to a link to a link. (wherever you found your inspiration, please try to give a nod to the appropriate blogger.)
Lelly has broken the month into 5 "categories."

tuesday, september 2 home decor/tabletop
tuesday, september 9 entertaining/parties
tuesday, september 16 arts and crafts
tuesday, september 23 in the kitchen
tuesday, september 30 personal growth

*********************************************
What a fun SPT! Y'all know how much I love my fellow bloggers. This is a great way to highlight some of the ways that others have helped to improve my life.
I have to admit that I feel a little inept to do this challenge because I have no idea how to post links with the cute little 'click here' and whatnot so I'll have to simply post the entire blog address when referring to those I love. Perhaps someday a fellow blogger will teach me how to properly post a link as well (hint, hint).

Now on to my post. While reading over the subjects in this challenge I continually had the same blog come to mind: nie nie dialogues ~ nie nie dialogues~ nie nie dialogues!
She has inspired me in all of these areas and so many more. I love her. But because there are also many others who have inspired me, I'll try to refer to them throughout the month as well.
For today's challenge though, home decor/ tabletop, it is nie nie all the way at: http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/

I could go on and on and on about her decor and cute tabletops. Reading her blog gives me warm fuzzies. It reminds me of the days when I used to do cute, crafty, creative things all of the time. I showed Rick her blog and said, "do you remember when I used to do things like this?" He said yes and then asked what had happened to me. Why I had stopped. I couldn't answer that, but I do know that I miss it~ a lot.
Not only has nie nie's blog inspired me to get back to my authentic self, but it has also given me the desire to strive for domestic greatness.

As I mentioned before, she has some amazing tabletops pictured on her blog, but the pictures that really got me thinking were those of her yummy treats displayed beautifully on cute cake plates. I'm telling you I am itching for a collection of cake plates now! Her attention to detail reminds me that there is an art to homemaking. An art that I want so badly to perfect.

While thinking of how this attention to detail can show our families how much we love them I was reminded of how when my older children were little we had a fun fish shaped bowl that I would fill with a snack each day after school. The kids would get home and run to see what was in the fishy bowl. It was a cute little tradition and one that they still think of with fondness. Nie nie's blog helped me to remember this and it inspired me to start doing it again.

Because the fishy bowl has gone on to fish bowl heaven, I decided to take nie nie's so cute idea and have the kids' after school snack waiting for them on a covered cake plate. I also made a welcome home sign because I love it when my kids come home from school and I wanted them to know that.

My younger girls got home first and they were so excited to see the table. It was a fun surprise and a perfect time to sit and visit about their day.

When my older girls got home they were as equally pleased and Paige said, "Mom you are really getting good at organizing and stuff."

Isn't that what life is about? Improving, growing, getting better everyday?

Thank you fellow bloggers for helping me along this road of growth and change.

And thank you nie nie for your great example of womanhood. My prayers are continually with you and your dear Mr. Nielson. May you both recover soon.

LABOR DAY

A lazy morning with my hubby
Playtime at the park with kids
Obstacle course competition fun
A trip to Lakeside
A family BBQ
Their home renovations are looking great
A game of "Oh heck"
And guess what~ I won
A drive home filled with awesome tunes
A nap
Then a walk
With kids and dogs
Dinner
A movie
yummy popcorn~
And an oh so adorable...

lost front tooth.

Daily livin'...

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.

...But A CHOCOLATE MILK 'STACHE

ON A THREE YEAR OLD FACE?

Oh so deliciously

PERFECT.

LAUGHING...

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...
*****
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!

Here's to a fabulous future...

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!

Yesterday I went to my friend's fabulous smelling house and loved it so much that I stopped at the store on my way home and bought a yummy smelling candle of my own. She inspired me with her wonderfulness and it doesn't matter if her home always smells like that or not (even though I'm pretty sure it does) at that moment I was moved by its loveliness and now my home is blessed because of it. Friends can do that for you. Which is exactly why I love blogging so much. I don't care if by only sharing happy, blessed, and treasured moments people appear to be perfect. I am still made better for it. I don't care if the dinner table pictured beautifully set with fine china, flickering candles and family love notes can normally be found with paper plates, mac-n-cheese or take-out~ if the perfectly pictured baked goods only get made once a year~ or if the happy family playing in the yard together were just grouchy with each other moments before. I am still motivated and inspired by these stories. Knowing that the mundane have-t0-do's and the not so pretty times in life can continually be transformed, and made better through these magic, perfect moments is what makes life exciting to me. I love that each new day promises the opportunity for me to grow faster, higher and stronger and I love how other bloggers help to motivate me through their examples as they strive for the same things. I recently came across the blog of a domestic goddess and oh how excited I was to implement some of her genius into my life, but as I continued to read my inspiration turned to intimidation with her description of the fresh flowers placed on the table each night. Well I have a hard enough time getting dinner on the table each night let alone fresh flowers. I felt discouraged. "I can never be that good." I thought. But then I remembered one of the sayings on my inspirational poster...

"Oh, yes I can!"

I can do anything I put my mind to. So I marched outside and...

Cut some fresh flowers for my table. So take that, little doubting voice in the back of my head.

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.

Bubble bath anyone?

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.
***********
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.

Something interesting...

Well something interesting has already happened with my inspirational poster. I put this picture of a lady dreaming on there because I love having dreams with meaning and I also love having dreams that help me with my writing (I love the butterfly over her head. It conjures up images of magic and fantasy and makes me feel excited about what might be waiting to break free from this crazy brain of mine). So yesterday I focused on this part of my poster several times and said how much I would love to have a dream to help me with one of the stories I'm currently working on. Well at about 1:00 this morning Paige came into our room and woke us up to report that the bathroom sink was leaking. Rick went to help her and I flopped down to go back to sleep when suddenly my mind was filled with a perfect recollection of the dream that I'd been having. I saw a crystal clear image of a character for my story. I saw every detail of how she is supposed to look, her name, interests, role in the story and everything. It was awesome especially because I hadn't even thought of her before. She is completely new to the story and a very welcome addition. I'm very excited about her and her relationship with the main character.

So I guess there really is something to this whole visualization business. Try it out and see what interesting things unfold.

How inspiring...

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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

Finally finished...

Well I'm finally done with the Twilight saga. I finished Breaking Dawn last night and there is much I would like to say on the subject, but I know there are many who haven't finished it yet so I'll keep it to myself. I had a harder time staying in the "fictional dream" with this one, too many little things that bugged me, but overall I'd have to say that this was a great series to read. It must have been because it's not everyday that I take that much time out of my schedule to read. Although now I am quite hooked on reading and I've already begun searching around for my next book. Maybe I'll get back to my Jane Austen collection. Hmm, I just don't know. Any suggestions?