"Deer" Diary...

Celeste got her very first Diary this week. She is soooo "insiydid" about it! She takes it everywhere she goes, she stops in the middle of her daily activities to record her thoughts and feelings, and then she'll read it to whomever will listen. I'm sure it won't be long before she'll want a lock and a key on it, but for now, I'm enjoying getting a peek at how she expresses herself!


Translation:
"Dear Diary, I love my diary. My diary is very special. I can take it to Nana and Papa's house. We will go in a couple weeks. I'm so excited. And I will miss my Daddy."


We had a sweet moment tonight. After she read her first entry to me, I got out my childhood diary and read my first entry to her. I remember saving up money to buy this diary (on the left... obviously) from the book fair at my school when I was 7. She loved the thought that I had a diary as a child too, and it was really special for me to reminisce back to the time I was her age. Wow. Life was so simple and carefree then! (A peek into my current diary would reveal a few more complexities.) ;)

Celeste- Age 5

Me- Age 6

This experience got me thinking about the need for solitude in life. This world we live in is SO NOISY. I was shopping at Meijer the other day, and noticed they have now installed televisions in the checkout lanes. So after we finish shopping, we get in our cars to our radios blaring, then home to our televisions blasting, and cell phones ringing and interrupting us at any time of the day. Not to mention that the internet has opened up another world of distraction. I mean, what better way for the adversary to keep us from focusing on what's most important in this life? So I've committed to make more time this week for meditation, and for quiet communion with Heavenly Father in prayer. That's a little difficult to manage with 4 young and noisy kiddos. But it seems to work the best when I wake up earlier than they do (that's the hard part!)

I know that He will reveal spiritual things to our hearts and minds during those moments of quiet reflection. I also believe that when we record the promptings we receive and the sacred impressions we have, we are better able to act on them, and that by so doing, we can share our most precious thoughts and feelings with future generations. I'm grateful for the power of prayer and the inner peace that comes from keeping a journal.

I hope Celeste's newfound love for quiet reflection will become a lifelong habit, because I know it will be a tremendous blessing to her as it has been to me.

Lemonade baby!

I was given this blog award by a kind friend. I don't always succeed at making lemonade out of lemons (ask my hubby)... but I'm trying! The best part about getting this award is being able to pass it on, and gush about people I care about. Unfortunately I can only select 5, but there are so many others who are so deserving... anyway, here goes...

1. Jill- is a dear friend. She is one of those extremely loyal people who show up at your doorstep with cough drops, and herbal tea within five minutes of learning that you're sick. She is also the kind of friend who drops off homemade banana bread when she senses that you're a little depressed. She is the kind of friend who is genuinely happy for other people's successes. Her blog is full of great ideas for family fun... and scrumptious recipes.

2. Julie is an amazingly positive person that I so admire. We both had each of our 4 kids at around the same time, and I just feel a special bond with her because she knows how crazy life can be with kids at these ages. I just love her, and sooo wish we lived closer! But I'm grateful to feel closer to her through blogging. Her sweetness shines through every one of her posts, as does her love for her family and the gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. Saquel24 cracks me up. Her posts are totally down to earth and real. Great writing, great pictures, and adorable kids, make for one fabulous blog! They moved a few months ago, and I miss them a ton! Thank goodness we can still keep updated on all the Asp family antics! ;)

4. MommyBee- my former college roommate. She has had some major lemons thown at her (in the form of multiple miscarriages and other trials) but she is using her life experiences to bless others. She often writes about controversial matters and she truly has the courage of her convictions. In other words, she has the confidence to say and do what she thinks is right even when other people disagree. I'm grateful we met years ago, and that we've reconnected through the blogging world because she inspires me and she makes me think.

5. M&M's- This is a new bloggy friend of mine. She's witty, she's a talented writer, and she continually makes me laugh out loud. She seems to have some really bizarre things happen to her, but she has a good attitude and finds the humor through it all.

Well, shoot. There are so many other blogs I love. Who says I have to limit it to 5 anyway??

Over the river and through the woods...

...to Grandmother's (and Grandfather's) house we go! The kids and I went to Gettysburg, PA (an 8 hour drive) last week to visit my family. No, the drive was not fun. Thankfully however, daddy set up a dvd player for us to make it bearable. I could write a whole post about our adventures... but I'll spare you. I'll just share that the worst part of the trip was when the highway got bumpy, and baby Jacob threw up all over the place... twice. Ugh. Poor little guy. (I still can't get that smell out of the burbage!) Anyway, my mood drastically improved even before we stepped into Nana and Papa's house, because of this sweet welcome!



Then as soon as we walked in, they took the kids on a scavenger hunt all around the house! They were absolutely thrilled!!










I mean seriously, how thoughtful are they??!! Thanks again Mom and Dad, for your love and generosity. I'm sure the kids will be talking about the Sasnett Scavenger hunt for years to come!

A Noble Ambition

Celeste came home from school today with some special school work that we put on display immediately. She brings home drawings and school work every day, but only her very best work is reserved for the bulletin board. Today, I think she brought home her best work of all!

Here is her picture: It says, "It's fun to think about what you will do when you grow up. Will you be a pilot? A teacher? A movie actor? Where will you go? To Europe? To the moon? In the hot-air balloon, draw a picture about what you want to be or where you want to go when you grow up."

And here is the description on the back.

Let's just say I couldn't be more pleased! :)