A Path to Peace, Hope, and Joy

Did you listen to Womens' Conference Saturday night? I came away from it so uplifted. On the way to church that night I listened to the news and was growing more and more anxious about the stock market and the economy. When I heard the hymns and talks that night though, I noticed how hopeful and happy the evening was and felt that God is in control of everything and we need not fear our circumstances here. I know he hears our prayers and will watch over His humble followers.Click here to read or listen to President Uchtdorf's talk. It was especially encouraging. He told us that the two biggest things we can do to be happy as God is happy are creating and being compassionate. He called it "a path to peace, hope and joy" even while carrying burdens. These are two of the qualities of our Heavenly Father, who is happy. As his children we can take part in that happiness, even in the lone and dreary world. He said he knows we can't snap our fingers and go from sad to happy, but these principles generally lead to a happy life.


Now that my boys give me a little break during most days and can entertain themselves for a little while, I am able to do so much more. A few weeks ago our ward had a pool party/ cooking contest. We had to bring something made with apples. I didn't know what to make so I just made an apple pie but I did it wearing one of my homemade aprons and I was so happy with my creations! I won a prize: "Goes best with ice cream" Ha! I think it was the lamest prize but I saw a couple of people sneaking seconds of it.

I haven't always made pies. I just learned how to sew aprons. I have learned how to cross-stitch, embroider, make freezer jam, and bread from scratch. I find it so satisfying to turn fruit into jam and line it up in my freezer. It's my lame way of preparing for winter! None of these things ever turn out perfectly, but President Uchtdorf asked us not to worry about that part. I know a lot of women who feel trapped at home and unfulfilled as mothers. I was trapped at home when the boys were newborns! But, I have learned that the secret to enjoying homemaking is to actually make something! I get a huge sense of accomplishment when I make something or do something new. I think that's part of why I like to blog. I can look at my blog and say, "I did that!"

When time allows, being creative is a great outlet for self expression and can be done right at home. Women who trade it for fluorescent lighting and deadlines at work don't realize what they're missing. I have never felt more trapped in my life than when I had to work year after year while my friends were out apple picking or singing lullabies to their kids.

President Uchtdorf said we can take our everyday tasks and use them as an opportunity to beatify our surroundings.

All of you create things. You have rainy day duck races in gutters with your kids, you decorate your homes, you quilt, you scrapbook, you make dinner every night, you find a way to make your kids laugh, you create homes where the Spirit can dwell. Do you agree with me? Do you find satisfaction in a job well, or not well, done? In making your homes a little more beautiful?

My Sistah's Blog!

My awesome sister has just entered the blogging world. See her and her cute kids here. She'll love hearing from you so get your comments ready!

Shared Laughter

Michael is really learning a lot of new words these days but our best communication is through shared laughter. I just put him down for his nap and when I started singing him a lullaby he went limp and pretended to snore! I thought it was so funny I started laughing and he joined in. That gave me the giggles and we both laughed together for a while. Just like his dad, Michael always knows when I need a good laugh and is an expert and finding something that will give me the giggles. I know he knows we're sharing something special and I love that little baby so much!

Failed Experiment

When we got home from our trip I wanted to tidy up the house so I threw out the plastic floor covering under the boys' high chairs. I haven't had to clean it up after meals as regularly as I used to and I thought I would try an experiment to see if we could do without one now.

No, we cannot.

It's been 3 days and the carpet now looks like a patchwork quilt with sticky oatmeal, applesauce, black beans, rice, and red nectarine stains.

Today I went out and bought new plastic squares to put underneath their chairs. I guess I'll have to keep wiping it up after each meal, but at least I won't be adding any more to the gooey mess.

Happy 50th Anniversary!

Last weekend my whole family went home to celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary. It was such a joyful experience and left us wanting to put our family first and live for a golden anniversary of our own.

The boys were in heaven playing in the huge backyard and on the neighbor's playground equipment. Sam fell in love with this "baby" as he called her and gave her kisses. I guess he felt like I was intruding because he wouldn't do it with me around.

Here he is with Grammy and "Papa" before bed our last night. He has been asking for Papa each day since we got home. We'll have to go back soon.


Maybe this huge lawn mower is why Sam is so anxious to go back. He waves to the men mowing our lawn each week and was so thrilled to be able to sit on a life-sized mower!


Here's Michael looking out the airplane window. He was such a good boy on the plane.

This is at the zoo with his cousins. Michael loves to walk like a penguin so he was excited to see real penguins in action! We saw five baby tigers. They were playing and Michael kept shouting at them "No push!" I guess he's been listening to me after all! They also had a baby zebra and a baby camel. They loved seeing all of the animals we don't have at our zoo and the bratwurst I just had to buy us for lunch! They don't make them like that here!


He amazed us all with his new-found tower building skills with Grandma's duplo blocks. His cousins held him up high when he couldn't reach the top anymore.


Here's the "B Team" cousins after a fun game of Celebrity.


Cousin D with Michael and Sam. They all look way too old. I'm not ready to have pre-schoolers but they love acting big with their cousins.


Here's Michael with Grandpa and Grammy. He enjoyed calling down the laundry shoot to her and hearing her answer back!


Grammy reading Sam a story our first night. He was hooked.

Michael sitting in my old high chair!

Dave bought a special-order Princess Torte (a half sheet!) that we ate over the course of the three days we were all together. It's white cake with one layer of vanilla custard, one layer of whole, fresh raspberries with whipped cream, all covered with marzipan. We all sat around the kitchen table to eat it together. We didn't think we'd finish it, but somehow it slowly disappeared!

After getting some family pictures taken in front of the temple, we all headed out to dinner together. We had so much fun sitting all around together without any kids to distract the conversation. Then, we came home for a small program in the living room. We sang "Love at Home" which we used to sing every Family Home Evening, then we watched a thirty-minute DVD slide show of pictures set to music depicting Mom and Dad's lives so far. We were all crying looking at the sweet pictures that brought back so many memories and described how hard Mom and Dad have worked to raise their family. Their love for each other and for their children is truly binding. We all want to be with them and each other forever.

It was interesting that there were no pictures of Dad's work on the slide show. His most important work has been being a devoted husband and loving father. There really is no greater success than a happy family. It doesn't matter what we do to put food on the table as long as we're honest doing it. What matters are our relationships with each other and our dedication to the gospel. That is what will give us families that want to be together eternally and the best chance of being worthy of that blessing.


Sisters.

Married for ten years and back at our temple together.

It's Official

Yesterday we officially entered the stage known as "Getting Into Everything." While I was standing on the back porch talking to a neighbor, Michael and Sam started playing with the dirt in the vegetable planter box. I put them inside and swept up the dirt with a broom. When I went back inside, they were sitting at their little table playing in baby powder which they had poured all over the table and the toys on the table. Another big mess! They looked so innocent and I was worried they had inhaled too much of the powder, but they seem to be fine.

Yesterday was also fun because I gave Monkey a bath. I snuck in to Michael's room while he was asleep and took Monkey. When Michael woke up, he cried and panicked because Monkey wasn't in his crib. I told him I gave Monkey a bath in the washing machine and that he drying off in the dryer. A few minutes later I saw Michael walking around holding Monkey! The dryer was still going so he must have opened the door, found Monkey, closed the door and restarted the dryer. They are inseparable!

Sam was cute while we were playing at a friend's house. They had a toy gun and he didn't know what it was. He thought it looked like my hair dryer so he started making a "whoo" sound and waving it around my head. I had to explain to the other mom that he was drying my hair. So cute! Sorry, Papaw. I'm sure he will eventually learn all about guns, and swords for that matter.

Sam was really sweet too. At bedtime tonight he was laying in his crib in the dark while we sang and said goodnight. He kept saying "Mommy happy. Michael happy. Daddy happy. Happy!" He even whispered it one time in the sweetest way possible. I told him we're all happy because we've all made it to earth and we're ready to keep going. I said we're going to be all together forever and he said "Yeah!" I'll remind him of that conversation one day, I'm sure.

Life is good.

This and That

Josh decided to get a few pictures of cute things the boys do every day. Here are my favorites.
This is Michael playing in the water in the bathroom sink. He does this every time I put on make up or do my hair which is, I grant you, not actually an every day occurrence, but he likes it because I let him play with the water.

Here is how he's standing. Not the safest arrangement with all of his weight on just a few toes, but adorable.
Ha ha ha! This is Sam trying to climb onto our bed with a bucket "hat." EVERYTHING in the house takes a turn as a hat. This one was the best. They surprised me and came around the corner to make mommy laugh. It worked.

Last week we went raspberry picking. I planned on making freezer jam but couldn't find the right pectin so I just froze them and am slowly eating them on my cereal. It was a perfect example of why having twins is both hard and great. Unlike all of my friends' kids, Michael and Sam took off like shots as soon as I got them out of the car. I spent the first half of my time chasing them over this hill - one at a time, mind you, and always in opposite directions. I literally sprinted when I realized I couldn't see Michael anywhere on the horizon. He was standing in the middle of a road and was about to trot off into the woods when I saw him. I was so sweaty and so tired of chasing them instead of actually picking berries. Why couldn't they just stay with me and help me pick like the other kids - that's why I brought the cute buckets that I had to track down a few times anyway. They eventually got overheated and tired out like the rest of the kids and were whining. Then something amazing happened. Sam pulled up some grass and threw it onto Michael's head. Michael laughed and all of a sudden I had the happiest toddlers in the bunch because they could play together and entertain each other. I thought this was pretty cool and was again grateful for having two at once. It was a gorgeous day and I loved being in a place so big and open. Maybe we'll move to northern California where every small town has fruit orchards. Then I can spend more of my days chasing the boys down dusty roads and enjoying the great outdoors together.