Hudson Headlines

Spinach Lovers!

2011-09-19T23:12:00.005-05:00

Here's a tip to get kids to eat veggies- even canned spinach, (bleh). At dinnertime from the time they're really young, instead of saying, "If you eat all your spaghetti, you can have some ice cream" (or whatever), you say... "If you eat all your spaghetti, you can have some... spinach!!" :D Works every time! A little reverse psychology there, he he. Hey, at least my degree was good for something!

Watermelon Frenzy!

2011-09-09T23:06:00.000-05:00

Oh man, this little guy sure keeps me on my toes! Went upstairs for a minute, and came down to this. He was having the time of his life with this watermelon! He kept saying, "uh-oh" and just laughed and laughed. I couldn't help but laugh too. And then needless to say- it was bathtime!! He was such a sticky mess!

Here he is- caught red-handed (literally!)

He was sure pleased with himself!! Little stinker!!

Love this sticky little boy!

High on Health!

2011-08-31T00:23:00.004-05:00

"When I learn something, when I know something, when I find something, I always want to share it. Because life is better when you share it." - Oprah

As you know, (and probably sick of hearing about) I have had amazing results with a nutritional cleanse product called Isagenix. Wait- don't stop reading if you're skeptical. I was too! Very skeptical. But I'm grateful I had an open mind and gave it a try. But admittedly- if there wasn't a moneyback guarantee, I probably wouldn't have, lol. But the results blew me away!! And I can't stop talking about it. So that has obviously been a real blessing in my life- but the BEST blessing now is watching my loved ones get healthier too!! My husband has lost 42.5 lbs. now since June 9 when he started Isagenix!! I'm so proud of him and his commitment to his health! He donated a kidney back in 2007, and his doctor advised him to maintain a healthy weight. So it was extra important for him to get the weight off and keep it off. And unlike a diet- he will be able to keep it off for life this way. Like me, he is also experiencing other health benefits- more energy, control over cravings, curbed hunger, and better sleep. It's amazing how the body responds when it's given the nutrients and minerals it needs.
My parents are both on it now, and getting great results as well- Mom is down 21 lbs. now! And my brothers are even on it too. :) This is not just for weight loss- it's for everyone who is concerned about their health. I'm confident they will all experience the benefits of this lifestyle too!

Check out this video. This is one of the videos that helped me understand the need for this product:
http://isagenix.com/us/en/areyoutoxic.dhtml

And read this short article by a nutritionist...

A Declining State of Health

by Jim Rhoades*

Recently, I was invited to speak at a symposium at Harvard University’s Medical School, where I discussed various topics related to the current state of health in the U.S. and the factors behind the recent rise in various lifestyle diseases. Specifically, the purpose of that presentation – and of this information – was to point out several different problems contributing to the poor state of health.

After spending approximately 10 years researching and investigating the questions pertaining to our declining health, I have pinpointed seven problem areas that can be addressed to allow each of us to restore our health and enjoy a revitalized sense of wellness.

The Seven Problems

(1) Poor Immune Function

Today, approximately 50 percent of people will contract some form of cancer in their lives. This number is a significant jump from just 50 years ago, when only 1 in 12 was at risk of developing the disease. Considering all of the money, research and focus we've dedicated to solving the cancer problem, you'd think the numbers should improve, not worsen. So what's the problem? Poor immune function!

Most people overlook the crucial role our immune system plays in warding off disease and maintaining our health. If someone we know is diagnosed with cancer, we often ascribe its onset to "bad luck" or being a product of "bad genes." While genetics certainly do play a part in the formation of disease, the research shows that living a healthy lifestyle drastically reduces one's risk. How? It typically improves the function of the immune system.

Every minute of every day, the body's immune components work non-stop to halt the formation of dysfunctional cells, infections by viruses or bacteria, or the exposure of chemical impurities. There are many things that contribute to a poorly functioning immune system (many of them outlined in the other"problems" listed in this brochure), but the fact remains that if you have an active, optimally-functioning immune system, your risk of becoming a statistic to modern diseases will be slashed considerably.

(2) Nutrient-Depleted Soils

Researchers at UCLA in 2007 began to investigate why certain women were showing high rates of anemia despite their regular consumption of spinach – normally a food high in iron. The researchers had obtained a sample of spinach from this particular area grown in 1953 and they compared it to a current sample. The results were alarming – it would take about 43 bowls of the modern spinach to equal one bowl of the spinach from 1953 to obtain the same iron content.

The fact is that modern farming methods have in many ways led to the depletion of our soils. For instance, the development and widespread use of pesticides and herbicides seems great at first glance – they easily kill unwanted pests and allow for more produce, right? While that is true to some degree, these chemicals also destroy the complex ecosystem of bacteria and other microorganisms that reside in the topsoil. This ecosystem aids in the conversion of inorganic material into organic material (such as minerals) that the plant can then take up and utilize. Of course, these are the nutrients that should normally be stored in the resulting fruits and vegetables. Today, sadly, their levels have dropped dramatically.

(3) Nutrient-Deficient Food

Not surprisingly, nutrient-depleted fruits, vegetables, grains and other foods are the prime reason our food supply is deficient in the nutrients we each need to function properly. Experts estimate that there are about 90 nutrients – including 60 minerals – that our bodies need to perform their various tasks.

On top of the nutrient-depleted soils, other factors have made our foods void of nutrition. One simply has to enter one of the thousands of grocery stores that dot our landscape to see that the majority of available foods are highly processed, are high in simple carbohydrates, sugars, unhealthy fats, synthetic chemicals and flavorings, and are low in natural ingredients (whole grains, nuts, real juice or sugars and so on).

The end result? A poorly functioning immune system, obesity and an increased risk of disease.

(4) Environmental Chemical Impurities

This one is particularly scary. Mounds of data demonstrate that our environment – the air we breathe, the water we drink, our soils, the inside of our homes and offices, and even the foods we eat – are filled with thousands of different chemicals. Hundreds of new ones are introduced every year, and their safety – not to mention the endless potential combination's of chemicals – are rarely tested.

Inside the body, synthetic chemicals can wreak havoc on our immune system (and virtually every other body system), create oxidative damage, encourage an inflammatory state, negatively affect our mental abilities, and much more.

(5) The Obesity Epidemic

This one is huge (no pun intended). Despite repeated warnings by experts and government agencies, our collective waistline continues to expand. Levels of overweight and obese individuals are at an all-time high, and the upward trend is linked directly with other lifestyle diseases. In fact, the surgeon general has declared obesity as the leading cause of preventable death – even ahead of tobacco use.

(6) Most Supplements Are Lacking

After reading the preceding material, you may be asking why nutritional supplements can’t be a part of the solution. They can be. The problem is that most supplement lines – even those that are high-quality and that contain the necessary 90 nutrients our bodies need – often are lacking in a few key areas.

First, they aren’t organic. By that, I mean that the ingredients aren’t extracted from plant sources, which means they probably are not water soluble and therefore much less available to the body. Nutrients that have been transformed from an inorganic to organic state by plants are then water soluble and much more absorb-able through the walls of the body’s cells, where they can be utilized as needed.

Also, most of these supplement lines do not contain enzymes. Simply put, enzymes are critical to the utilization of nutrients in the body. They transport the vitamins and minerals and assist in their transformation to be utilized by the body’s cells.

(7) Our Children’s Health Crisis

Simply stated, the health of our young people is in serious jeopardy. The statistics are extremely telling, as rates of disease (such as obesity and type 2 diabetes) are ballooning among our youth. Perhaps the scariest statistic is that for the first time in our country’s history, our younger generations may have shorter life spans than that of their parents.

There are many causes to this problem. Horrific diets full of processed foods, sugar, fat and synthetic ingredients, little or no exercise, over medication, and poor sleep habits are high on the list.

Accompanying sugar is carbonation – typically in the form of soda or soft drinks. The reason that carbonation is so bad is that is can paralyze the immune system. How? Carbonation ties up calcium in the body, which is also necessary for every chemical reaction within the immune system. The short of it is that soda can adversely affect our children’s immune function every time they drink it.

The Solution: Isagenix

Put together, these problem areas create a dire future for us and our children unless we directly and effectively address them. Fortunately, Isagenix embodies a remarkable solution that may help solve these problems and contribute to a higher level of health and vitality.

Cleanse the Body of Harmful Impurities

First of all, the Isagenix product line emphasizes the need to cleanse the body of harmful impurities and synthetic chemicals, all of which are harmful to the body. As literally hundreds of thousands of Isagenix customers have discovered, the Isagenix line does a magnificent job of helping to clear out impurities from the body’s tissues and cells, thereby allowing them to correctly utilize vital nutrients and function as they were meant to function.

Offer All Building Blocks to Rejuvenate Body

As mentioned earlier, the body needs 90 different nutrients to perform all the tasks necessary for survival. Sadly, the Western diet, which most of us adhere to, is severely lacking in many of these nutrients. This means that while the body is able to get by, it gradually breaks down, its organs and systems can’t function properly, and the end result is more disease and earlier death. Fortunately, the Isagenix product line is comprised of formulations that contain all 90 vital nutrients in various combination's. This means that if you, like so many others, are lacking some of these vital nutrients in your diet, the Isagenix line can help make up the difference.

Provide Enzymes that Transport Nutrients

Finally, I previously discussed the importance of enzymes for the transport and utilization of nutrients in the body. Without enzymes, the vitamins, minerals and other compounds that cells need to operate simply aren’t able to arrive to where they are supposed to arrive, and they won’t be available to the cells for utilization. All Isagenix supplement products are specially formulated to include those enzymes that will facilitate the transport and use of enzymes for the body’s cells, tissues and organs. The result? More energy, rejuvenated cells and an overall enhancement of your health and vitality.

Because you’re reading this, you’re probably somewhat concerned about your health and the health of your family. And though the overall picture may seem quite gloomy, the truth is that there truly is a solution that can transform your state of wellness. The revolutionary products of Isagenix – which provide effective and safe cleansing and an impressive array of nutrient formulations – may be just what you need to discover a new level of health and vitality you never knew existed!

Your health is your greatest wealth!

* Jim Rhoades is the former President and CEO of an international nutritional company. He left that position to work with Isagenix on a full-time basis as an Independent Associate. He is an internationally acclaimed educator, nutritional counselor and motivational trainer. He has written many articles for health publications and is a popular guest on many radio shows. He was invited to speak at a symposium at Harvard Medical School with representatives from over 50 universities on the subject of “The state of nutrition in our foods today and why we need nutritional supplements.” He is a former member of the Isagenix Field Advisory Board and is the recipient of the 2007 Spirit of Isagenix Award. He has a gift for making complicated subjects seem simple. He has helped thousands of people in their quest for freedom and a better life style.

Back to School Deal!

2011-08-22T22:14:00.001-05:00

Ok, so anyone who knows my hubby knows he has a serious gift for frugality and thrift. He's very financially savvy and smart about money. I'm not really that into shopping- I don't get much enjoyment out of it- but I definitely appreciate his deal seeking skills! Who doesn't love a good deal?!

He has spent years perfecting his craft and even ran a home business on Amazon- and now that we're going to move on from that (another post on that later), I'm going to start sharing all his secrets with YOU!! There are many blogs devoted to finding good deals- but I won't waste any time sharing mediocre deals- just the very best here!! And I'll add extra coupons and rebates to make the deal sweeter. :)

So here's one for today from Staples for all the back to school needs:

This runs in store from Aug. 23-27th!

Click here for the weekly ad!

Click here for rebate deals at Staples!

And click here for a $5 off $25 coupon to add to the savings! Just print the coupon and bring it into the store for the additional savings!

Can you believe it's that time again for back to school shopping??! The start of the school year is always bittersweet for me... I'll miss the kids, but I'm also SO looking forward to the routine and structure the school year provides.

Our little Charity- my Curliecue- is starting kindergarten this year! Can't believe it. Here she was at her preschool graduation in June. Isn't she a little cutiepie?!

Mint Brownies

2011-08-17T21:36:00.011-05:00

Made a yummy treat for Book Club tonight and thought I'd share with you:

Mint Brownies!

2/3 cup butter
3 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Melt butter and chocolate in microwave. Remove from heat and stir in wet ingredients. Mix together dry ingredients and add to mixture. Bake 350 for 25-30 min. in greased 13X9 pan. Cool completely.

Mint Frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup butter

2 Tbsp milk

1/2 tsp. peppermine extract

green food coloring

Cream together until smooth. Spread evenly over cooled brownies.

Glaze:

2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate

2 tbsp. butter

Melt in microwave. Drizzle over brownies.

Gotta make it fun and pretty!

Add mini chocolate chips- and wallah! Best with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!!!

The kids were happy to have the leftovers. I don't bake much anymore now that I'm not addicted to this stuff- but I still do this once in a while! No complaints around here. :)

Europe (finally!)

2011-08-13T21:34:00.001-05:00

So I figured I'd better finish this post about my trip to Bulgaria before I forget all about it! But as usual, I'll let the pictures do the talking. So grateful for this opportunity- and all the amazing people I met!! Here are some pics of my unforgettable summer adventure:

Renowned Varna Opera House

After the Broadway Show

Rehearsing!

My favorite girls!

Check out our outrageous costumes!! Lady Gaga-ish, huh?!! Soo weird- but fun!

FLORAL!

Fun pic. with my bros.

I'm usually not one to focus on the negative. I think there is great power in positive thinking and looking for the good. But I just have to point out something-

We all couldn't help but notice how many things went wrong on this trip. It was almost comical- it was seriously one thing after the next!! At the time it wasn't exactly laughable though.

So here are just a FEW of the things that went wrong on this trip:

My passport disaster
Crazy layovers – some 6, 7, 10, 12 hours long
3 girls were lost in Europe after 2nd leg of trip – and no one knew where they were for a few days.
12 people lost luggage – and many didn't get it returned for a few days.
Flu outbreak
No restaurants or places to eat at Sophia hotel
Rehearsal schedule changes without being notified
Separate Cold/cough outbreak
No toilet paper/soap or SEATS
Multiple attempts of theft/pick pockets
Many thefts- including a stolen bag, IPhone, camera, and wallet
Due to time constraints the Maestro cut most of the 2nd Act at the last minute
My friend Chelsea had pinched nerve in her arm- caused her severe pain – she went to 3 different hospitals – no one spoke English
Starting time mix-up for 1st Magic Flute – first scheduled at 7:00 – then 7:30 – but actually 8:00 and only supposed to go until 9:00!!
After everyone spent months memorizing spoken lines, they cut over half of them
Broadway stage unsafe – huge cavern (originally pit) under flimsy wooden floor – we were supposed to have 40 people jumping up and down on it! Had to restage
No A/C for Broadway actors – they were all sweating horribly
Nails/staples on stage – there were at least 100 nails on the stage
No time (or place) for Master Classes
Changed venues/itinerary/times without telling us
Forced to rehearse in courtyard (90 degrees) because rooms inadequate/small with no A/C
Inadequate rehearsal facilities- in a TINY room (dressing/practice room) with piano and 40 people in 90 degrees
The worst thing- Conductor demanded to switch Tamino and Sarastro in intermission at 2nd performance!!
Staff refused to stop smoking in Opera House
No blackouts/curtains for performance as rehearsed
No rehearsal with orchestra/conductor for final cast at Opera House
Papageno swallowed bug during Opera performance – lodged in throat – couldn’t sing for few measures
Mom had to step in and sight read for Chealsea during the 1st performance of Magic Flute

And that wasn't even half of it!

But um, other than that, the trip was awesome! We all survived! And grew closer to each other through it all. We even thought of making t-shirts for everyone that said, "I survived Varna International - and still had a blast!" Seriously- if we could do this and still put on a great show- we can do anything.

I missed my family so much though. The kids were so sweet. They threw a big party for me when I got home! They even decorated the living room...

And there were lots of hugs and loves when I got back and I couldn't get enough. There's no place like home.

Baptism Day!

2011-08-08T22:10:00.008-05:00

Isn't this the sweetest picture? I just love this one so much. This was Celeste on her baby blessing day. She was so innocent then.

Well, our little Celeste was baptized this Saturday, and now she's perfectly innocent once again. If you're wondering- this is what we believe about baptism. What a journey she has ahead of her. My mom gave a talk on the Holy Spirit, our family sang a quartet, and Celeste even she sang a solo called "My Heavenly Father Loves Me." We videotaped it at home- so I'll upload that on here soon. It was sweet. So are some pics of her special day:

Notice Daddy's tie- it has pictures of Celeste as a baby all over it. It was fitting for the occasion. :)

We took about 10 picture attempts of the whole family, but NONE of them worked out. Believe it or not, THIS is the best one we got, haha!

After the baptism, all the people who were in attendance wrote little notes for her to save in her scrapbook as a keepsake. We were grateful to all the people who came to support her.

Celeste, we're so proud of you for making this important step in your life. You've chosen to take upon yourself the name of Christ and try to be like Him. His love truly shines through your bright eyes and sweet smile!

Love you love you!

Today a Reader, Tomorrow a Leader

2011-08-03T22:45:00.009-05:00

This was Jon's favorite book as a child. His mom used to read it to him over and over, and it became really special to him. So just recently, I walked in and he was reading it to our own children! He ordered it so he could share it with them. It was a sweet moment so I had to capture it.

So here are 10 great reasons to read to your child:

1.Holding your children close while you read is an expression of love.

2.You bring the magic of books to your children. You are the storyteller!

3.You show your children how important reading is by modeling. Children learn by watching you.

4.Books are a great way to talk about characters and their problems. You can laugh and cry together.

5.Reading to your children gives them a chance to hear a variety of new words. They are learning new words in a fun way.

6.Books can help you pass on your values in an easy and comfortable way.

7.By reading books to your children, you can increase their listening skills. Their attention span will get longer. This will help them in school.

8.By reading to your children, you help them stretch their imagination and thinking. It gives children a chance to dream.

9.You are giving your children skills that will help them succeed in life.

10.You are starting a wonderful tradition that your children will want to give to their own children.

"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."

— Frederick Douglass

It's all about moments!!

2011-07-30T17:30:00.001-05:00

"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." e e cummings

Birthday Girl!

2011-07-27T21:08:00.004-05:00

Can't believe our sweet Celeste turned 8 last week!! She's always had such a great smile and endearing personality...

This contagious smile has brightened our lives from the time she was a baby! Wherever we went, people would say, "That is the HAPPIEST baby I have ever seen!!"

And then she turned 2, and developed a bit of a 'tude... ;)

She definitely has some serious spunk! She's a strong person and she can assert herself with the best of them. And so smart!

And for as young as she is, she has gotten around a lot! She was born in Texas...

Travelled across country in a motorhome- twice! And visited 34 states!

(And thoroughly enjoyed it!)

And she's lived in 3 different states already. We can't wait to see where life will take her next!!

She had a friend pool party last week, and had a blast. Twelve giggly girls makes for one fun (and noisy) birthday bash!

Happy Birthday to our beautiful Celeste! You have such a bright future ahead!

We love you. Always have.

Always will.

Isagenix Results

2011-07-24T01:57:00.004-05:00

Check this out! This video made me cry.

This woman is so inspiring! She achieved these results by adopting the lifestyle of nutritional cleansing I'm so passionate about. And it completely transformed her life. The amazing thing- she she was an audition finalist for the Biggest Loser and ended up losing more weight and inches than any contestant on this season's show. I really believe this is the best way to lose weight- and keep it off for life. Diets don't work! This is a healthy lifestyle change that cleanses the body and then replenishes it with the nutrients and minerals we need for optimal health. I can't stop talking about how great I feel by adopting this lifestyle. My sugar cravings are finally under control, hunger curbed, and I feel vibrant and healthy again. And now my (super sketpical) Mr. Wonderful has tried it and lost 32 lbs. in just over a month! And he loves it!! Totally don't blame him for being skeptical- I was too. When you hear claims like this- it seems like a quick fix- or a fad diet. But it's honestly not. It has been a lifesaver for me and my family- literally. With diabetes, and heart disease in our family- this lifestyle change could literally add years to our lives- not to mention dramatically improve the quality of those years. That's why I feel a moral obligation to share this with people I care about.

So I'm now coaching people through this process- and LOVING it. It's so fulfilling to help people regain their health and encourage them along the way. These are what two of my recent cleansers had to say:

"I'm so grateful that I joined Isagenix! I had been looking for a natural and healthy way to have more energy to keep up with our 5 energetic boys. After 9 days on it, I have found that I no longer need/want an afternoon nap! What?! I'm moremotivated to get things done and as an added bonus, I lost 4.5 lbs and 13 inches in those 9 days! It's an amazing product!" -Shannon P.

"After each pregnancy I went up a size in clothing, which with three kids, means a lot of weight! A wonderful friend convinced me to give Isagenix a try. Results? In my first 7 days I've lost 10 pounds, have a lot more energy, and reduced sugar cravings. I LOVE my results! Can't wait to see more weight fade away :D" -Jessica T.

See why medical doctors and nutritionists are recommending these products:
http://www.isagenix.com/us/en/areyoutoxic.dhtml

And this helps explain the difference between nutritional cleansing and dieting: http://allinonebusiness.net/PDFDocuments/DietVsIsagenix.BriefProductIntro.pdf

This stuff works. The results speak for themselves!

FHE Lesson- Baptism

2011-07-19T22:05:00.003-05:00

We try to hold a family home evening every monday night- it's a night designated in our church for families to draw closer together.  I've decided to start sharing fhe ideas on this blog- feel free to steal any ideas you like! Some are my own, others are borrowed from church magazines and church Family Home Evening manuals.

Family Home Evening usually consists of a prayer, song, lesson, activity, and a treat- (saved for the end- a great way to bribe kids to cooperate!) Unfortunately, many of these nights don't always go as planned- and turn out something like this!

But every once in a while we get it right. And this was one of those special nights. Celeste is turning 8 this week, so she'll be baptized soon!  In our church we believe children are born innocent and have no need for baptism until the age of accountability. So for FHE, we wanted to make sure she felt prepared and ready for this important step in her life. We wanted to make sure she understood the covenants she would be making with the Lord. We started out with a song: "When I am Baptized" and a prayer.  It's so important to emphasize the need to pray for the spirit to be with us. With all these young crazy kids, we need all the help we can get!

Then Celeste read a couple scriptures about baptism. We always try to incorporate scriptures in family home evening.  The word of God will touch the hearts of our children more than anything else. Then we watched this beautiful video on baptism that helped the kids quiet down and bring a spirit of reverence. Music is also a powerful tool to teach and testify spiritual truth.

For the lesson, I held up 2 pennies, one shiny and new, and one dirty and tarnished. Each kid got a tarnished penny and I explained that although we come to this life clean and pure, we make mistakes along the way.  But through the blessing of baptism, we can be washed clean of our sins through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
Then they each dropped their pennies in this solution- 1/4 cup vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and the tarnish disappeared. The pennies were shiny and new again. Love object lessons!  It captures kids' attention and helps them understand and remember important principles.
(Oh- one tip- don't spill vinegar on carpet.)

Then Celeste had a chance to answer some possible interview questions about baptism, and then she got to practice what it will be like to be baptized. Daddy didn't say the actual sacred prayer of course, but they just went through the motions:

And then the mayhem began...

And lastly, for a special baptism tradtion- when the kids turn 8, they get to choose a temple from our temple book- and it gets framed and put up in their rooms. Celeste chose the St. Louis Missouri Temple.

And for refreshments, we had pudding- Celeste's choice in honor of her special day coming up.

But here's a cuter idea I found:

Immersion Cookies!

Just make sure they get fully dunked. ;)

Not So Soccer Mom

2011-07-17T01:26:00.002-05:00

It seems there has been a lot of talk in recent years about how families are overscheduled- constantly on the run and involved in too many activities. We've made this mistake.

Looks a little like this- Jon gets home from work, we give each other a quick peck- or not- sometimes I'm annoyed that he's late and didn't call, lol. So things are slightly contentious anyway, and since we're late- I'm barking at the kids to hurry and get their stuff and we all scramble out the door and head off in different directions. Jon takes a couple kids to one activity, and I take the other kids to another, and we both pick up nutritionally void fast food- a sorry excuse for dinner on the way home. We finally get home past the kids bedtimes and say a quick family prayer and rush to get everyone in bed- and get up to do it all again. So that might be an extreme example, but it has happened.

But now I refuse to live that way! I'm all about giving my kids opportunities to grow and develop, but it will not come at the expense of our family happiness. I understand the pressure parents feel to keep up- to continually keep kids busy with worthy pursuits. But it comes at a cost. The rushed madness can take away from the peace and stability of home and family life. So I guess that means I'm not a cool soccer mom. But that's ok with me. :) The way I see it, I have one shot to be a parent of young kids- to teach them truth, and instill values in them, and I'm not going to let social pressures or too many extracurricular activities take away those special moments.

I heard once that it's easy to say "NO" to unnessesary activities and other people's expectations, when you have a burning "YES" inside for something more important. And to me, that burning YES is for time together. Alvin Rosenfeld, the author of The Over-Scheduled Child: Avoiding the Hyper-Parenting Trap: said ''Parents rush so much to pay attention to activities that they neglect the relationships. And all the data shows the relationships (with parents and friends) make the difference.'' I like how President Hinckley’s put it in his book “Standing for Something.” even more. He said, Our lives have become intensely fast paced filled with business and a frantic flitting about that was uncharacteristic of earlier ages. We pack our lives with so many activities and pursuits that many of us have lost sight of something that is of critical importance to families… time together.

I'm also a huge advocate of letting kids be kids! Allowing them space and freedom to enjoy their childhood- letting them run, play, explore, and imagine. When they're overscheduled, there's little free time for kids to be kids.

I think it's especially important in the formative years to provide that structure kids need. Family dinner, reading together, bedtime routines, and Sunday worship are important family rituals that provide a wonderful sense of security. As our kids get older, we may be a little more flexible- and keep them busier... so they'll stay out of trouble. But for now, we're really kind of possessive of our time together. :)

In an effort to prevent an overscheduled family life, our current policy is to allow each child 1 activity of their choice a year (besides church activities)- starting in kindergarten. So this year it's t-ball for Benji, piano for Celeste, and ballet for Charity. We do our best to have dinner together first, and then go together to practices and games as a family to show our support for one another. As they get older, they might not want all of us on the sidelines cheering them on, lol, but for now it really seems to mean a lot to them.

So here are a few random pics from Benji's t-ball practice-

Of course, the kids are thrilled to go along to show their support. Or maybe it's cause we stop for ice cream on the way home. Yeah, so getting ice cream after each game might not be the healthiest habit- but at least we're together!

The truth about LOVE

2011-07-14T01:52:00.001-05:00

I believe the most important thing parents can do for their children is to love each other and maintain a stable and happy relationship. A strong marriage provides security for children and a model for their own future marriages. To be totally honest, we've had rough times in our marriage- I won't lie. We can both be very ~~stubborn~~ strong-willed. We're continually learning how to better communicate to keep our marriage strong and happy. It takes serious work. But these little ones are worth every effort.

Someone once told Stephen Covey he had fallen out of love with his wife. He said, "The feeling we once had just isn't there anymore- our love is dead. I think our marriage may be over. But you know, we have 3 kids... what do you think we should we do?"

Covey responded, "Love her."

The guy said, "But I just told you, the feeling just isn't there anymore. So now what do you suggest?"

Covey repeated, "LOVE her. Love is a verb. Love the feeling is a fruit of love the verb. Start thinking selflessly- give of yourself, sacrifice for her. Show love."

I think this is such a powerful truth! I know of so many marriages that have been rebuilt by couples choosing to love. Forgiving is a verb. Patience is a verb. We can choose our own response. We can choose to love first- instead of waiting for the other to be loving. We can choose to look for the good in each other. I have not always been good at looking for the good. Jon and I even have a nickname for my feisty side- Nicolette. Lol. But we're both learning that when we wake up each morning and think to ourselves, "What can I do to make my husband's/wife's life easier? What can I do to show him/her love?" It is a much happier way to live than being critical and negative.

Now I should add- I'm not naive enough to think that this is always the solution to every problem or that every marriage can or should survive. I worked as an advocate for domestic violence and sexual assault victims, so I'm well aware that there are situations where marriages have serious problems, and just love and patience will not always solve those problems. There are legitimate reasons for divorce.

But I believe many marriages can be saved if we would choose to be selfless. Love within marriage can be recreated through service, sacrifice, and devotion. We can never go wrong by choosing to love generously, even when we don't feel like it. Charity never faileth. That's the truth.

Our Little Wallflower

2011-07-11T22:49:00.001-05:00

Most people who meet our Sweet Charity Lynn assume she's quiet, reserved, and shy.

And she can be, until you get to know her.

And then you realize, first impressions can be deceiving...

When she warms up, watch out! This little girl has SPUNK! I read a quote once... "It's beauty that captures your attention; personality captures your heart." Well- this little girl has captured our attention AND our heart. She is a beautiful girl, with an endearing personality, and I love every facet of it- including her feistiness and super strong will. She will most definitely be a leader.

She had a nice birthday on July 8th. It was just a family party this year. Every even year starting at age 4, the kids are allowed a friend party. But on the odd years- we have a family party with the usual Hudson birthday traditions, and a family outing. So Charity chose to go swimming this time. It was fun to celebrate together- just our family. Sometimes friend parties can get a little out of hand, so it was nice to just have a simple party together to celebrate the birth of our sweet and spunky girl.

We love you Charity Lynn. Happy 5th Birthday!

Europe Part 1

2011-07-09T23:30:00.004-05:00

I'm back! And my trip was amazing!! A memorable adventure for sure. It's been a bit of a struggle to get back to reality around here and plunge into our summer routines, but it's so good to be home.  So the trip was amazing... but it didn't go quite as I had planned. (Does it ever?)

I spent the last couple days before the trip tying up loose ends- making meals for the kids, arranging a schedule for the babysitters, grocery shopping and last minute packing, and thought I was finally all ready to go. After months of memorizing and preparing for this ONCE in a lifetime experience, it felt so great to finally be ready to fly away. So the night before I left, I went to pack the last and most essential items...

and noticed my PASSPORT was MISSING!!!!!!

I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT. I had it carefully tucked away in a drawer for months. I would even check on it often- just to ensure that wouldn't happen. So when I noticed it was GONE, I just. about. died.

Jon and I stayed up most of the night frantically looking for it. I figured it was somewhere in the office, so I was keeping my cool because I thought we would find it. But after realizing we were running out of time, we got the kids out of bed at 4am, and asked if anyone had seen it. That's when Celeste remembered seeing Jakey with it when the kids were coloring in the office. And I connected the dots and figured out what must have happened.  The passport was on the floor with all the coloring papers while the kids were coloring with papers scattered everywhere. I asked Jakey to help clean up, and he scooped all the papers- and the passport- and threw them all away. And of course, the garbage man had already come that week. So when I realized what had happened, I just lost it. :( Could not stop crying. I was just devastated. It meant all my work memorizing for MONTHS, my excitement, the chance to finally spend some quality time with my family, not to mention the COST was all wasted. And I assumed there was no way to make the trip happen since it usually takes 2 weeks- minumum- to get a new passport.

But Jon was so sweet. He just held me while I cried. And he was determined to find a way to still help make it happen. So he looked into getting an expedited passport. And when he found out about the outrageous cost, plus the cost for the change in airfare he said, "It's ok, Sweetie. I'd gladly pay $1200 to get a couple extra days with you. Actually... it's a good deal."

I mean, seriously!  He earned brownie points for LIFE just for that one single comment. :)

But after a little research, we found a passport agency in Chicago, so I decided to drive there myself, and there happened to be a flight out on Tuesday afternoon- just 3 days after my original flight!! So that was such a relief!!  But it was still risky to assume I'd get the passport in time for the flight. We called the passport agency, and they said we most likely would make it if we got there first thing in the morning. So we decided to go for it.

On Tuesday morning, I got up at 5:30 and said my goodbyes- hoping all would go well, and drove to Chicago to get my replacement passport and hoping to fly out by 1pm. After getting lost in this enormous city and parking, I finally made it up the office to the 8th floor of this huge skyskraper, totally out of breath. But by the time I got there, the line was out the door. :( But I thought- there is NO way I'm missing this flight too! Where there's a will, there's a way. So I just prayed and prayed. When I finally got near the front and it was almost my turn to submit my paperwork, I overheard the woman in front of me say to the clerk, "My flight leaves at 2pm today, I'll be able to have my passport by then, right?" To which the clerk rudely and adamantly responded without looking up, "Not a chance Ma'am. The next batch of passports won't be completed until 2pm. Next!"

Well- I was supposed to fly out at 1pm!! My heart completely sank. But I just kept praying, and asking Heavenly Father to help me make it happen if there was any way.  So I walked up to the counter... and just begged. I told her the situation- calmly, but pleaded with her from my heart. The lady paused and actually looked up.  She gave a little smile and said, "We'll do what we can Ma'am. Just take a number and have a seat." So I did- but I kept praying. About 20 minutes later, the clerk came with my completed passport in hand. I burst into tears, and thanked her profusely. She had personally made my passport. I'll be forever grateful to that woman- whoever she is!!

So anyway- my trip got off to a stressful start to say the least!

But I learned a lot. I know that God works in mysterious ways. On the airplane to Frankfurt (a 7 hour flight), I was reading the Book of Mormon, and the woman next to me asked me about it.  She told me she had been investigating our church. She had so many questions, and we talked for hours- and completely connected. I ended up giving her the Book, and she committed to reading it and praying about it (There's a promise in the book that if you read with real intent, the Lord will manifest the truth of it to you by the power of the Holy Spirit.) So I don't know if that opportunity was why I missed my original flight, or if it was just wonderful coincidence. But I DO know that things happen for a reason. And we are to trust the Lord- and all things will work together for our good. Not always in our timing, or how we expect or prefer things to happen, but in His way, and in His timing- under His divine guidance and wisdom. The whole experience was a powerful reminder to me of that truth.

Oh- and one other special benefit of missing my flight...

I got to spend June 11th with this cute Birthday Boy!

So that was the start of the trip. Unfortunately, that was not the end of the troubles and frustrations though. Let's just say, the drama was not limited to the stage! ;) More on that later.

That's it.

2011-07-09T22:01:00.000-05:00

All right. So I'm a little disappointed in myself for slacking on this blog so much! I just haven't been making time for it lately. But I have really strong feelings that I need to make this more of a priority. So I'm going to do something about it. I know that there is such power in goal-setting- especially when goals are written down. So I'm deciding TODAY that I won't let more than 2 days pass without updating this blog.

So there. Now I'm committed, and I have to follow through. It might not be something really substantial every time, but it will be something! And now that I've written it down- it will happen. I will make it happen. :)

Treasure Box

2011-06-11T00:13:00.001-05:00

So school got out this week. Now that it's summer time, and the kids will be home ALL day, I thought it was time to implement a new positive reinforcement system to help motivate them to get along with each other. (The first day of summer was pretty rough, haha! The kids were pretty wired and unruly.)

So I took them to the store with me today to pick out some special surprises for the treasure box (mostly consumable stuff- like bubbles, chapstick, treats, etc.) They're SO thrilled about it. And it really works! Today was AMAZING. The kids were SO good, haha!!

When I asked them to do their chores, (I often get complaints or sighs) they said, "YES Mommy, I'll do it right away!" Aw, love it. Isn't that music to every mom's ears?! I've learned the first couple days you have to be very serious about it, and only allow a reward if they're on their best behavior. That way they know you mean business, and you won't just dole it out at the end of the day no matter what. And the newness can wear off over time, so you have to make sure the reward is really something that they're excited about!

I think this is so much better than the alternative of constantly criticizing, nagging, and scolding them to behave all summer. Hopefully this system will make the summer more enjoyable for us all.

Cutest Stowaway

2011-06-10T22:30:00.000-05:00

Look what I found in my suitcase tonight! I'm leaving for Europe in the morning, and he was hoping to come along too. Aw, I'll miss my little sweeties!

Amazing Brothers!

2011-06-10T01:09:00.002-05:00

These videos were just posted on Youtube- and I had to share them. These are my extremely talented brothers. God has given them both a gift- and they have worked hard to develop their talent, and it inspires me everytime I hear them sing. They are both voice teachers- helping others develop their talents too. Love them both! I'm actually going to have an opportunity THIS weekend to go to Europe and sing with them!! It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for me- so I'm thrilled! Plus, I've basically been a single mom for the last 5 months- (Jon has been working crazy hours) so I could seriously use a break.

(Just thinking about it though- I miss Mr. Wonderful and the kids already.) :(

Anway, so here they are:

Ben as Tony in West Side Story:

Um yeah- he's pretty much amazing!! His acting is incredible too. I know I'm biased- but I'm not the only one who thinks he's talented. Leonard Bernstein's (the composer of West Side Story) son and daughter were actually in the audience one night! And after the show while we were standing there, his daughter approached him and said that in the last 25 years that she had been touring around the world and watching different West Side Story productions, Ben was the best Tony she had ever seen! Talk about a compliment!

And here's one of Joey and Ben together performing the lead roles in The Secret Garden:

Aren't they great? I also need to get a video on here of Joey singing Stars from Les Mis. It's incredible. I'm so proud of them both!!

(Can you tell?)

Isagenix

2011-06-10T00:09:00.002-05:00

Before:

After:

I'd like to share something I'm so excited about! I mentioned a little about it in my last post, but here are more details. So I love being a mother- there is nothing else I would rather do with my life- it is the most rewarding thing I have ever experienced. But it has also been the most exhausting and challenging experience of my life. After Jarom was born, the stress of motherhood and 5 pregnancies in 6 years had definitely taken a toll on me physically, mentally, and emotionally.

I have always been passionate about health and fitness and even became a part-time Turbo Kick instructor after my 4th child was born in hopes that I could help people achieve their health goals. I don't believe in diets- since they're not an effective long term solution. My motto for weight loss and good health after each pregnancy was always- "Eat less- move more." And after each of the first 4 pregnancies, the baby weight fell off quickly as I tried to apply this principle.

But after I had our 5th child, eating less and moving more was simply NOT working. I could not get the extra weight off despite my best efforts. 10 months went by- and I had lost very little of the extra prego pounds.

The change for me came just this last April after watching "Food Inc". I learned more about how nutritionally bankrupt our food has become, and I wanted to DO something about it. I was concerned about the state of our health, running on low energy much of the time, dealing with sugar highs and crashes, and feeling overwhelmingly frustrated that I couldn't drop the baby weight. I believe in the power of prayer, so I poured out my heart in prayer about all these concerns, asked for help... and the next day I stumbled upon a video about Isagenix. I knew immediately that it was an answer to that prayer. The fact that it was not a diet, and not a fast- but a total body nutritional cleanse really appealed to me, so I decided to give it a try- plus with a 100% moneyback guarantee, I felt I had nothing to lose. I knew it was time to make a change and regain control of my unhealthy eating habits.

I was so excited to start a new lifestyle! And the results blew me away. I lost 10 lbs. and 11 inches on the 9 day system, and went on to lose another 11 lbs. and dropped 4 dress sizes. More importantly, I feel more energy than I have had in years and my cravings are supressed. It feels so liberating to develop greater self-control over my sugar habit- (and hopefully save money on dental bills). I rarely crave processed, refined, nutritionally void foods now because my body is finally getting the nutrients, vitamins and minerals it was really hungry for. I can FEEL the difference. The visible results are just a bonus. :) What kept me on track during the cleanse was a clear motive that I kept in mind. My motive was to have greater health and more energy to better serve my family. I wanted to be an example of excellent health for my children. Another critical factor in achieving this goal was the support of a fabulous coach and a network of new Isagenix friends from a support group to keep me accountable and inspired.

So it has clearly been a great blessing in my life. So much so that I've decided to share it forward and become involved in promoting and teaching people about it. So I'm now a nutritional cleanse coach- helping others achieve their health goals too. What I love about this is I can work from home during the kids quiet time- and coach people as they make this healthy lifestyle change. In this business, we can only succeed by helping others succeed! What a blessing to have a chance to make an impact in the world and enrich people's lives through sharing this phenomenal product and opportunity. There are a lot of misconceptions about it, so I'll clear some of those up in a follow-up post soon. But if anyone wants more info- check out http://www.isagenix.com/ and watch the Isavideos. And let me know if you have any questions about it. It could change your life. :)

Spring Break

2011-05-14T00:14:00.003-05:00

I keep meaning to update this blog more often. Life has gotten so busy lately that I keep forgetting to write about it! So I have some catching up to do. The most exciting thing over the last few weeks... we were able to go to Gettysburg to visit my parents for Spring Break! Mr. Wonderful had to work, but that didn't stop me. Yep, just me and 5 crazy kids in a car together 15+ hours... twice. I know what you're thinking... I'm NUTS. But a little adventure has never stopped me before! The things we do ~~for free babysitting~~ for time with our loved ones! They have this tiny apartment, but somehow, we all manage to cram in there. I know every time we come we completely disrupt their lives- the kids manage to trash the place in a matter of minutes and baby Jarom keeps them up at night. But they're so sweet and welcoming and never even mention what a hassle it is to have us there.

We had the BEST time. My camera broke, but I managed to get a few shots with my Dad's phone...

We went to the annual Civil War Battle reenactment that's played out right in the middle of the street downtown. The cannons and gunfire were deafening... but little Jarom was as happy as ever. Some guy even commented, "No baby could possibly be THAT happy!" It's true- he's one smiley kid!

Here are the troops parading down the street after the battle.

Celeste was a little weirded out by the whole thing. She asked questions like, "Mommy, why did they kill each other?, Why do they celebrate this every year?, Couldn't they just talk about it?" etc. Loaded questions for sure! I did my best to answer, but found it difficult. It's hard for little kids to wrap their minds around the concept of war. It's hard for me too.

In a field nearby there were tents all set up and men were dressed as soldiers teaching us about what life was like back then. So we were all excited to see what fun demonstrations they had in store for families. First up?

An amputation demonstration!!

Nice, huh? Not exactly the family friendly activity we were expecting. What in the world? (I still can't get over that!!)

Thankfully, the kids weren't too traumatized by it and we quickly moved on to the next tent.

Dad usually does the cooking when we visit- he's a super talented chef- but one night we ventured out to BK...

And to the park...

But one of the highlights of our trip was a special Make-A-Wish foundation event. Make-A-Wish is such a wonderful organization!

There was a little carnival for families, and then the Wish Kids got to ride in semi-trucks and honk the horns as we lined the streets and waved to them. So that was really wonderful- but heart-breaking too. We tried to hold back the tears watching these sweet children pass by.

Lastly, my Mom and Dad both celebrated birthdays during our visit. On my Dad's birthday, we had the bright idea (literally) of putting 63 candles on his cake. NOT smart. Seriously- there was wax all over the place, we even had to throw out 1/3 of the cake, cause it melted everywhere. Besides, it was a SERIOUS fire hazard!

Love this pic... My dad looks a little scary, but it shows how fun they are! Lol!

We have a tradition of going around the table and expressing something we love about the birthday boy or girl. I was a little embarrassed by the kids responses this time- "I love Papa cause he always buys me stuff." "I love Papa cause he gives me whatever I want." I love Papa cause he sends us a package every month!" Ugh. We'll have to work on that!
I told them, "One reason I love Papa is cause he is THE most empathic and compassionate person I know. He constantly thinks of other people first, and makes great sacrifices to help others." It's true. He's the one humbly doing all the work behind the scenes making sure everyone is comfortable and happy. He's the one who drove ALL night from Florida to Texas after Celeste was born and he knew I had a horribly traumatic experience giving birth- and he wanted to be there to support us. He's THE best father. I honestly don't think he ever yelled at me growing up- even though I SERIOUSLY deserved it. I can't remember one hurtful thing he ever did or said to me. Ever. He is truly a great example to me. In so many ways.
And don't even get me started on Mom- here's just one quick example of the kind of person she is... so
I found this amazing nutritional cleanse system that has been SUCH a blessing in my life. I lost 10 lbs and 11 inches in 9 days, and it's completely safe and healthy! I honestly believe finding it was an answer to a prayer. I feel better than ever and I have more energy to keep up with the kids. I've never promoted anything in my life... but I'm just really passionate about the state of our health in this country- and I know these products could make a tremendous difference in people's lives. So I'll do a post on it soon so I can share it with everyone! I'm just so excited about it!!

Anyway, it turns out there was an Isagenix seminar in Pittsburgh, and it would be an amazing opportunity to learn more about it. I just felt really strongly that I needed to be there. So my mom knew it was really important to me, and she wanted to help. So she insisted on driving 4 HOURS to Pittsburgh, watched the kids while I was in the meeting, and drove 4 HOURS back to Gettysburg that night!! And the kids and I continued on home to WI the next morning. I mean seriously, where do you find that kind of love?! I'm so glad I went- it further strengthened my convictions about these products- and I'm grateful to her for helping to make it happen!!

Thank you again Nana and Papa for EVERYTHING!

Until next time Gettysburg! It might be a while though. The drive home was pretty miserable (the dvd player stopped working halfway through) so it was pretty difficult... but definitely worth it.

My fight with contention

2011-04-21T00:15:00.007-05:00

Having 5 kids this close together is not easy... but I'm sure learning a lot. I've been blessed to be the mother of children with strong personalities. Some days they get along great- but other times it seems like they argue constantly! And it drives me crazy. But - deep down- I'm grateful they're so strong. It may be more difficult now to teach them how to control their emotions and their tongues- but strong-willed children turn into leaders with steadfast convictions- (if they don't kill each other first.) ;) Thinking ahead- we'll have 5 teenagers under one roof at the same time, so I'm determined to teach them while they're young so those years will be bearable!

Sibling rivalry is natural for kids. We believe children are innocent through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, but “when they begin to grow up, sin conceiveth in their hearts” (Moses 6:55). It's true that children can be delightful, loving, and sweet, but they can also be petty, selfish, and demanding. And it's up to us as adults to teach them the way of the Lord.

I am so passionate about this. Seriously- my greatest desire right now is to have a contention-free home. Unrealistic? Maybe- but I can still hope, right? In fact, for every Christmas or Birthday or Mother's Day gift- when the kids ask me what I want, each time I say, "PEACE."

So yesterday when Jakey found out that Mother's day was coming up soon he looked up at me with a twinkle in his eye and said,

"Mommy, for mudders day, "I'm gonna give yew peas."

Hmm- this wasn't exactly what I had in mind!

When we allow contention in our homes, it negates everything we try to do as mothers. We work so hard to create this warm and loving atmosphere. We try to keep our homes clean and orderly and pleasant for those we love. And we try to teach our children true principles and instill proper values in them. But if the spirit of the Lord is not present- what's the point? Without the spirit, our teaching does very little to help children. The Holy Spirit is the great teacher. The Holy Spirit carries truth to their hearts- and helps them develop their own testimony. And our kids will need strong convictions about the truth as we send them off into the world.

We know something about where contention comes from...
For verily, verily I say unto you, he that hath the spirit of contention is not of me, but is of the devil, who is the father of contention, and he stirreth up the hearts of men to contend with anger, one with another. (3 Nephi 11:29)
The adversary (Satan) wants to create discord in our homes. He attempts to destroy the most precious of all relationships in an effort to make us miserable like himself. And we are actually serving him when we argue!

Ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked; neither will ye suffer that they transgress the laws of God, and fight and quarrel one with another, and serve the devil, . . . he being an enemy to all righteousness (Mosiah 4:14).

Yeah- he may be trying to destroy my family. But I will not give up this fight. I am determined to teach my children to get along and love each other.
Thankfully we've been blessed with the ultimate parent how-to guide when problems arise. The scriptures have the answers to all our parenting questions. The Lord created our children. He knows them better than we do and He knows how to help us reach them! But it's up to us to turn to Him and ask for guidance- and recognize we can't do this alone. He will lead us to the answers that He's already given us in His word. There are thousands of parenting books out there- and many are wonderful. But they have different philosophies- and often contradictory information based on the latest study. And the recommendations often change with societal norms. But we have a timeless parenting manual... and the author is God himself. What a blessing!

In my experience, these are some principles that I have found to be true (Unfortunately, I've learned the hard way on most of these):

This DOES NOT work:

Lecturing/Nagging- It belittles our children, sends the message that they can't think for themselves, and it rarely reaches their hearts. Basically- it's ineffective.
And, ye ^afathers, ^bprovoke not your ^cchildren to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

This can also provoke children to feelings of anger and defensiveness. But when we nurture them in the ways of the Lord and gently teach them- it allows the spirit to speak the truth to their hearts.

Yelling- The scriptures teach that a soft answer turneth away wrath. (Proverbs 15:1) It's hard to supress our own anger and frustration with our children- especially when they are disobedient and bickering. But we are the adults, right? They are looking to us to be the example. I find that I must prepare myself each day spiritually- and take the time to be at peace within before my kids wake up. That might include prayer and scripture study, uplifting music, exercise, or whatever I need to do to be the stable and calm mother my kids deserve.

Stepping in/ Being the judge- As we try to determine who was the offender and who was right during an argument, it only seems to create jealousy and blaming and more rivalry among our children. I think it's best to allow them the opportunity to work things out. If we step in every time to solve all their problems, they'll never learn how to get along without us.

Punishments- only causes more friction in the home and often resentment toward the parent.
I love this scripture about parenting:
No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood (or parenthood), only by persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned;
"By kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy, and without guile— D&C 121:41

This DOES work: (Well, kids still have their choice of course, but these principles will give them the best chance of success!)

Example- As much as I'd love to leave this one off the list, I know how important this is. When I'm stressed out or have a short temper, my children feel the tension and they often react accordingly. It's actually a little scary to realize how much influence our attitude can have on them. But we can choose to be a role model of positivity and love- despite our moods and/or circumstances.

Prevention: When our family is consistently praying together, studying scriptures, and holding regular FHE (family home evening) there is much more peace in our home and our kids are much more likely to get along. I know these practices foster unity among us, and increase the spirit of reverence in our home.

I also love this promise from Marion G. Romney (a former church leader):

“I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein.
“The spirit of reverence will increase; mutual respect and consideration for each other will grow. The spirit of contention will depart. parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase.
“Faith, hope, and charity – the pure love of Christ – will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness".

Another practical tip about prevention- We need to be aware of when and what our kids argue about, and try to find ways around it. For example, we used to have plates for the kids in all different colors.  For some reason everyone wanted the green one. (Don't ask me why) And they would argue over it almost every time we had dinner. So I got sick of it- so I gave those away- and bought all white bowls.  Also each kid has an assigned seats, and their own day to say the prayer, etc- you get the idea. In other words- we can look for simple solutions to prevent contention in our homes.

Look for the Good!- It's so important to catch our kids getting along with each other.  Notice it- and reinforce that behavior with praise, affection, and other rewards.

Teach them to apply the Gospel of Jesus Christ-   This is not the same as preaching. We need to help them understand the effect of their behavior on others. We can teach them about Christ and His life of love and sacrifice. We can teach them about repentance, and the importance of prayer. One idea is to pray with our children- individually. Recently, the kids were fighting over a toy, and one of them lashed out and was really upset. So I took him to another room to pray. Just him and me. I asked him to offer the prayer- he didn't want to, but I waited on my knees until he offered it.  Finally, his heart softened, he repented, and love and unity was restored.

Love and Serve one another-

But ye will teach them to walk in the ways of truth and soberness; ye will teach them to love one another, and to serve one another. (Mosiah 4:15.)

One idea to break up an argument- a friend told me when they started quarreling, their parents made them hold hands and sing "Love at Home" or another church song. She said they couldn't help but laugh- and it immediately dispelled the negativity and helped them feel close again. Love that!

Here's another idea- Give them all cut-out hearts and have them do a chore, or write a note, or any kind act of service for someone in the family and leave the heart behind as a token of their love.

We did this recently- Celeste made Benny's bed and left her heart on his pillow. Charity set the table, and I woke up to find this note from Benny on my computer...

So maybe they really are learning something.

My hope is that these teachings will sink into their hearts-

so we can live in ~~Peas.~~ Peace.

Camping Traditions

2011-04-07T15:44:00.007-05:00

We went camping this weekend! Mr. Wonderful has been working seriously ridiculous hours lately- we hardly see him these days. So this was a much needed opportunity to reconnect and have some down-time as a family. It has become a family tradition to go camping together for General Conference. What's general conference? Well- the short answer- we believe we have a prophet and 12 apostles on the earth right now- just like Christ's original church. That's why we call our church the "restored" gospel of Jesus Christ. These inspired leaders give the entire church (over 14 million baptized members) timely and inspiring messages twice a year. The sessions are broadcast worldwide to anyone who wants to listen and learn. There are video an audio streams available online, so we cuddled up in the camper and got to learn together. Each session leaves me feeling so uplifted- and hopeful about life... hardships and all. So not only did we get to rejuvinate and have a little rest and relaxation this weekend- we also had the opportunity to grow spiritually as well.

Here are a few pics of our adventures- (and I'm excited to share a new camping treat idea with you below!)

The kids all decked out in our camo. One of our wacky family traditions!

This awesome campground had a trampoline-like bouncy thing, and the kids could not get enough of it. Notice little Jakey in the background flying a kite by himself...

They literally spent HOURS on this thing!

But the kids weren't the only ones having fun!

Daddy played this fun game with the kids. He'd jump as high as he could...

And send them all flying! They loved it!!

My camping cuties...

One advantage of going camping this time of year- we basically had the entire campground to ourselves! Usually I'm hyper concerned about the noise level- constantly shushing the kids so we don't disturb people. But this time- we could fully relax and just enjoy our time together. We played, and played, and played some more- soccer, ping-pong, playground games, tetherball, freeze tag, etc.

And here we are really roughin it... we actually ordered PIZZA for dinner! I know- aren't we the most pathetic campers ever?! Haha! But, I had a craving. (And I'm not a fan of hot dogs.)

And the kids weren't interested in s'more s'mores this time. I think they're getting sick of them. (And I'm sick of cleaning up sticky marshmallows all over their hands and clothes.) So the second night we tried something different- and started a new family camping tradition.

I'd love to share it with you! You only need a few ingredients:

Take a small (empty) can and put a roasting stick through it so it's secure. Then wrap 1/2 of the crescent roll dough around the bottom- making sure to seal the sides.

Then roast over the fire- it takes about 5 minutes to cook thoroughly.

Spoon- fill with whatever kind of pie filling flavor you prefer.

And finish it off with lots of whipped topping! (Each crescent roll tube makes about 5-6 treats).

Enjoy!

What a wonderful weekend away. The best part about playing hard- is crashing hard. We somehow all sleep better when we go camping.

Here's little Jarom... all camped out! Till next time.

The thing about stuff

2011-04-05T10:24:00.007-05:00

So Nana and Papa sent another box for the kids yesterday. As if they don't have enough going on- to take the time to do this for our kids every MONTH is seriously amazing. They send all sorts of fun surprises that go along with the theme or holiday for that month. And lots of treats. (Which is part of the reason I'm struggling to get the rest of this baby weight off... not that I'm complaining. :))

One thing I really appreciate-- aside from a couple special toys for the kids, they're really good about sending consumable gifts (candy, treats, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, coloring books more TREATS, etc). Cause with 5 little ones- STUFF can pile up so quickly. Over the years, I have become the opposite of a hoarder. Jon is a bit of a pack-rat- so we have had a few "discussions" about this issue. But I truly believe one of the keys to a happy family is a simple life. There's too much presure in our society to overschedule our families, spend too much time outside the home, and own too much stuff.

I have such strong feelings about this- our time as mothers with our children is so limited anyway- I don't want to waste the precious time I do have cleaning, organizing, maintaining, and being distracted by unnecessary STUFF! I'm not going to allow anyTHING to rob us of that quality time. Building relationships is much more fulfilling and purposeful than accumulating things anyway. I am fiercely protective of my time with my family. Probably even a little on the extreme side- but I've lived both ways- and I MUCH prefer a well-organized home. But it takes serious work to make and keep it that way.

These are a few family systems to keep the stuff from taking over our lives:

A "one toy in- one toy out" rule. Our kids aren't exactly a fan of this rule as you can imagine- but they'll thank me someday. It gives them a chance to give something they value to other children who might need it more than they do.
I once heard a simple rule when deciding to get rid of something. If it doesn't beautify or hasn't been used for over a year... donate it. And if you think you might need it, but aren't really sure- donate it!
There is a permanent donation bin in our entryway closet, where we see it every day. This serves as a reminder to fill it regularly- at least once a month.
What about those special childhood items? One idea is take a picture of it- and then... you guessed it... donate it! A picture allows you to preserve the memory- without having to store, clean, and maintain it.

Now before it sounds like I've got this all down- admittedly, I have a serious weakness with my closet. I can't seem to give away my "thin" clothes. But I'm ok with that. I refuse to give up the fight to get my old body back! So my plan is to drop the rest of this weight- and then get rid of my "fat" clothes instead. And never go back. But these packages loaded with treats (like my fave- Cadbury Eggs) are making my plan unlikely!

But I digress. So here are a few pics of the surprise package:

Ha- Celeste gets pretty animated about things!

"Anything in there for me, guys?"

He got lots of presents too, but he liked the box the most!

So the kids had a blast with their all new (mostly consumable) activites.

But baby Jarom was happy consuming the box. :)

Kids say the darndest things...

2011-03-30T20:51:00.008-05:00

Random interview with Celeste (age 7):
1st Birthday: (July 2004)

7th Birthday (July 2010)

What does it mean to be happy?
It means to smile. To be good.

What five words do you think most describe you?
Friendly, piano, child of God, creative, good listener… uh, sometimes.

Where do babies come from?
Mommy's tummy.

Describe the perfect meal:
Pancakes and sausage with syrup and cake and ice cream... and a slushie.

What's the best part about being a kid?
Playing! And losing tooths and getting dollars! And also being creative. And not taking care of kids- cause it’s really hard.

What would be the best part about being an adult?
Going on dates and eating as many treats as you want.

What's the worst part about second grade?
Math... Math... MATH!!! (Ha! I have a feeling Daddy won't like this answer.)

What do you think about boys?
Handsome, cute (Grr- Daddy won't like that one either!)

Are you a republican or democrat?
HUH?

What's life all about?
Loving

What are the greatest inventions ever?
Candy. And family (in that order??)

If you could change one rule that your family has, what would you change?
Eat candy whenever we wanted. (Hmm- I'm seeing a pattern here- is she her mother's daughter, or what?) And have one hundred dresses.

What is something that makes your family special?
We believe in Jesus.

Are you a good friend? Why do you think so?
Yes- because I let people get their way sometimes.

What is the hardest thing about being a kid?

When you have little brothers and sisters- they ruin all your stuff. You wouldn’t want one.

If you could grow up to be famous, what would you want to be famous for?

Singing and art and piano

Would you cheat on a test if you knew you would not get caught? Why or why not?

No. Because I know it’s not the right thing to do, and I would feel sad.

If you were a teacher and the kids in your class would not listen to you, what would you do?
Hmm, I would tell them to stop and if they don’t- then I’d yell. Well, not like really really yell, but like kinda talk loudly.

If you could invent something that would make life easier for people, what would you invent?

Invent only one child in every family- that would make life easier! Brothers and sisters are crazy. (Me: But you still love them right?) Yeah, I do- but they still drive me crazy.

If you could create some new rules for the whole world, what would they be?

To be able to eat on school buses. And only have to brush your teeth once a day- cause I don’t like brushing my teeth twice a day. No tornadoes.

What is Heaven like?

White with clouds. And maybe even lots of white horses. Pure. Peace.

What do you do when you’re married?
You dance around in a ballroom. You can kiss and go out for dates.

Why do you think God sent you to this family?

So I could make my family laugh.

Yep- you're definitely right about that one!! That's one of the MANY reasons you were sent to our family. We sure love your bright personality Celeste. Thanks for the joy, enthusiasm, and laughter you've brought to our home... and thanks for putting up with your little brothers and sisters!

Now please excuse me while I resume eating as many treats as I want.

The Gift of Life

2011-03-28T22:42:00.003-05:00

You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
~Kahlil Gibran

I’ve been thinking about all the natural disasters happening in the world- most recently of course the horrendous earthquake and tsunami in Japan that happened over 2 weeks ago. The images and videos give us a glimpse of what it might have been like to live through that kind of horror, to witness your entire neighborhood- loved ones and all- being swallowed up and taken away. But we can only begin to comprehend the devastation they suffered. Not just physical, but emotional-- spiritual. It seems that after these disasters occur, there is a flood of compassion, sympathy, and prayers from all around the world. The world almost stops turning for a day or two as we all grieve with them. There is almost constant widespread news coverage of the event, the relief efforts, and an outpouring of donations and support.

Then- a couple weeks go by, and the event seems to gradually fade from public consciousness. We still care of course, but people seem to lose interest, and other news coverage (usually the latest scandal or titillating news story) takes its place. But those who suffer are left- almost forgotten, when they need support and prayers the most.  In some ways their suffering may be worse. The shock begins to wear off, and the victims have to cope with the new reality that has forced itself upon them- and begin to rebuild their homes and lives.

So I don't really know what I'm trying to say here. It's not like we can dwell on these disasters forever- but it just saddens me- and I hope these survivors aren't forgotten. And basically- I just want to DO something. I have this deep longing to do more than I am physically and financially capable of. Every time I hear of any major natural disaster- Indonesia, Katrina, Haiti- I literally feel SICK inside and have an overwhelming desire (as I'm sure you do) to help somehow- in some way.  So we write out checks and send them away- hoping it will help someone out there. Some family. Some child. But there's something so impersonal about that kind of giving, even though it's all we can do right now. It's not like I can pack up my 5 kids and whisk them off to these devastated areas to join in the efforts to provide relief. Not exactly feasible. Someday though- in another season of life, I hope to be in a position to do just that. But for now I will pray. I know God can help these people know hope once again.

So I can't do much to help in Japan and other areas around the world other than give financially and pray. But I've been thinking about other ways we can DO more to bless and serve others right here. And I thought I’d share a story about someone who gave of himself (literally) to bless the life of another.

I’ll take you back to when I first met him. So I was in college- not a typical college girl- not into partying or dating around- just a hopeless romantic getting impatient for my prince charming to take me away. I was sitting on my windowsill in my room thinking about my future husband and I wrote a ~~totally cheesy~~ heartfelt poem entitled “Where are you?":

Where are you when I need you so?

Come hold me in your arms and never let go.
If only I could gaze in your loving eyes
And feel the warmth of your touch.
I don’t even know you
Yet I love you so very much.
I wish you could be here to calm my fears
To hold me close and wipe away my tears.
You’re out there somewhere
Perhaps far, far away-
Or maybe even next door
When you find me, will you stay?

It turns out- my future hubby- my own dearest Mr. Wonderful really was next door! He lived in the same apartment complex, and we had been neighbors for 5 months, and didn't know it.  I still have the original poem- and it will always be a treasure to me. Anyway, I can still picture myself writing that poem- sitting on my windowsill- and I could actually see his window from mine! We met in a college class 3 months after I wrote this poem and we both felt an immediate connection. Everything about him made me think he was THE ONE, except that… he had long hair. Really long hair. Call me shallow, but frankly- that just wasn’t the look I was attracted to, plus I didn’t think he was the kind of guy I would feel comfortable taking home to my parents. But we developed a close relationship and quickly became best friends. Shortly thereafter, he revealed why he was growing out his hair… it was for Locks of Love, an organization that makes wigs for children with long-term medical hair loss. Needless to say, I felt about this small. I regretted being so judgemental, and fell in love at that moment! He was also a regular blood donor and for one of our very first dates he took me to donate blood. (I mean seriously- talk about a keeper!)

So I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised when years later- in 2007, he brought up the idea of donating a kidney to a complete stranger. He was doing some research about other ways he could give- since his hair had been rejected since it was turning gray- (I call them highlights :)). He was shocked when he learned that due to lack of available donors in the United States, 3,916 patients had died while waiting for a kidney transplant that year. When he mentioned that he was considering donating one of his, I immediately had some questions. But I remember his matter-of-fact response when I asked him why.

“Well, I have two, I only need one, and it could save someone’s life. So it’s a no-brainer.”

We did have to think through a few things though. We had lots of questions including, "What are the risks involved? (minimum) Will the remaining kidney be able to compensate for the loss? (yes) What happens if down the road a family member needs a kidney?" (we'd hope another family member or friend would be willing to donate.) So we had lots of questions to consider, and recognized it was not a decision to be taken lightly. But after praying about it, and consulting with our family members and church leaders, we decided that it was the right choice for us.

On November 15, 2007, after months of testing and evaluations, the day finally arrived. I think I was more nervous than he was, but I tried to focus on the life he was going to bless. During our stay in the hospital, we had the opportunity to meet that life and his family. It was a special moment that was sweet beyond description for all involved. Now, a few years later, both the donor and the recipient are enjoying excellent health and have a special bond.

And now 5 kids later, I am so grateful that the man with the long hair turned out to be the man of my dreams. He is not only my hero, but he was a literal hero to someone in need.

My purpose in sharing this story is to inspire you to consider all the opportunities that are out there to give to those in need right here- all around us. (And remember to keep praying for the victims in Japan!)
Here are some opportunities to give of ourselves to help save lives.
Click on the links below for more info:

Donate Blood:
Find a blood drive near you!
If you’re ineligible to donate, click here for other ways you can help.

Donate Hair:
Learn about organizations that make wigs for those in need.

Donate Bone Marrow:
Learn about bone marrow donations.

Donate an Organ:
Learn about organ and tissue donations.

Common Myths about Organ Donations

The recovery was pretty rough- but the hardest part was keeping the kids off him. They had a hard time understanding why they couldn't roughhouse together like they usually do!

Here he is wheeling the kids out after his operation. Ha! Shouldn't it be the other way around?

(Have I menioned that he's wonderful?)

The Prayer Pillow

2011-03-23T17:53:00.005-05:00

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. (Matthew 22:38-39)

Recently I read through a journal I've kept over the last few years and noticed something that really made an impact on me. I had marked each day that I had prayed and studied the scriptures- and noticed the periods in my life that I had been doing these things consistently, were the times I wrote about deep contentment and serenity. My marriage was rock solid, and I seemed to have more patience with the kids. It's not that my life was free of trials during these times, but I seemed to have a greater resolve and strength to be like the Savior- a strength beyond my own.

Prayer and scripture study are gospel basics that I KNOW I need to do. But the challenge is in the DOING- doing it consistently and doing it right. Admittedly, I've done it all wrong too often. There are days when I'm completely sleep deprived- I've been up with an infant or a sick child, so I wake up with just enough time to scramble to get myself and everyone else ready. So in other words, I make time for everyone... except the Lord. And the rush of the day begins, and I have every intention of praying and reading scriptures during the day, but sometimes I get distracted or pulled in so many directions that it just doesn't happen. Rather- I fail to make it happen. "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:4) My intentions are good- but I just don't always have the discipline to follow through.

Another mistake I've made is to be too casual with prayer and use "vain repetitions". Or I'll start a prayer, and allow my mind to wander off onto something else (that's embarrassing), or on occasion, if it's a bedtime prayer, I've even fallen asleep in the middle of it. Although I believe the Lord is pleased with any sincere effort we make to communicate with Him- I think He expects more from us. He asks us to be sincere and penitent. Thankfully, He is eternally patient and kind with me and with all of His children. He wants to bless us! And He already knows what we need- but we must ask Him in prayer. I love this quote from the Bible dictionary, "The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them." and " … your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him." (Matthew 6:8).

There's No Place Like Home

I think as mothers in particular, we have a great need to renew ourselves spiritually each day. As much as I adore my children and LOVE what I do- motherhood and homemaking can be exhausting. So we especially need to draw upon the power of God so we can best serve our families. They deserve nothing less- than a balanced wife and mother who has made time to commune with the Lord.

So I made a decision to be more consistent in prayer- and it has been a great blessing in my life. Sometimes all it takes is ONE small choice- we just have to make up our minds- and choose to put Him first. The change came about as I asked myself, what is the single MOST important thing in my life? And the answer came- it is truly my relationship with God and my love for Him. So who then should get first priority in my life? Not my husband, not my kids, not even myself... God should! So I decided- the very first thing in the morning-- every morning-- my knees will hit the floor, in an effort to show my love and devotion to Him each day. It's a simple ritual, but it makes a tremendous difference in my life.

I know there is power in prayer. When I sincerely pour out my heart to Him... I literally feel the burdens lift. The problems are still unsolved, but I can let go of the negative and worrisome thoughts, and choose to be happy and trust in the Lord.

I even put a little pillow down beside my bed- as a symbol and a reminder of my desire to keep the first and great commandment. The kids know not to move it- it is now a permanent fixture beside our bed.

"Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He can make a lot more out of their lives than they can" Pres. Benson declared. "He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life in the service of God will find eternal life" (Teachings, p. 361).

He truly does make more out of us than we could ever make of ourselves. And that is what I noticed in my journal- I discovered me without Him... and me with Him. And I definitely prefer the latter! (And I think my hubby does too... he even has a nickname for my "feisty" side when I start snapping at him or the kids- it's Nicollete, haha!)

Basically, we can choose to go it alone in life- with our own strength, our own intellect, and our own abilities- or we can trust in Him to walk us through this life and compensate for what we lack. He wants to bless us and fulfill the petitions of our hearts but we must take the initiative and let him in.

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. (Revelation 3:20)

Slumber Party?

2011-03-18T21:15:00.012-05:00

So Mr. Wonderful went on a ahem, "business trip" in Pheonix this week. While he was out enjoying 85 degree weather at some ritzy resort, we were here in Wisconsin where winter never ends- cooped up inside. We decided to have a little fun of our own while he was gone- so we had a slumber party on St. Patty's Day! And I let them ALL sleep in my bed.

At the time... it seemed like a good idea. After I woke up this morning with a monsterous headache... um, not so much. But truthfully, it wasn't just about making special memories for the kids. I just don't like sleeping without my hubby. Every little mysterious noise freaks me out and I can't sleep. So yes, I admit, my motive was a little bit selfish. But we had fun nonetheless!

So here's a video of them during our movie night. We watched "Tom and Jerry" and "Pollyanna". Yep, I'm an old-fashioned girl at heart, and I go for the classics. Plus, it wouldn't hurt if that whole "glad game" idea rubbed off on my kids a little.

This video makes me so happy. They've been bickering quite a bit lately and it drives me absolutely. crazy. If I only knew what fighting kids did to a mother, I would have been a much better child!!! Anyway, so I was pleased to see them getting along so well last night. Seriously- the sound of their laughter is truly music to my ears- and harmonized laughter... even better.

And I even let them eat popcorn in my bed. (A decision I would later regret.)

Little Jarom had fun too. I think all the laughter was contagious!

Definitely takes after his daddy-

Here he is thoroughly enjoying himself. He has so much personality already, it's just ridiculous! He is one jolly kid.

So it was a fun slumber party (although there was not much slumbering going on). But we were up way later than their bedtime, and they got to school late. I guess they're young enough now it doesn't matter too much... it's not like it will affect their SAT scores or anything!

I should have gotten a picture of us when we first woke up. Surely- it would not have been pretty! Everybody sprawled out, popcorn kernels in my hair, serious bags under my eyes from lack of sleep, and somebody's foot in my face. But I think it was still worth it. So maybe I'll allow a slumber party once or twice a year when Daddy goes on business trips... but probably not on a school night next time.

Oh yeah- and no popcorn in bed again. Ever.

Leprechaun House

2011-03-16T22:18:00.003-05:00

The kids spent all afternoon together making a Leprechaun House in the backyard. They thought of everything to make the accomodations suitable for him. His new humble abode is furnished with a little couch, some leaves for his bedding, and green decor throughout. They even put some rice in there for his lunch. Isn't that sweet?

Well it turns out... they had another motive other than just his comfort. They did all this in hopes that he will leave gold candy coins in exchange for their generous hospitality. Ha!

So guess who will be searching all over town tomorrow to find those darn things? Do they even sell those anymore??

UPDATE:

So sure enough (thanks to your comments!) the Leprechaun delivered. And made a couple kids really happy. Happy St. Patty's Day!

Who needs alcohol to have fun anyway? Just give me a few kids instead. Life becomes magical again and each holiday- special and memorable.

Return to Virtue

2011-03-13T16:22:00.003-05:00

The young women had another special evening recently where they welcomed in the new young women for the year. It went SO well. They performed a program for their parents and friends called "Happily Ever After" that highlighted the theme for the year. Each young woman had the option to sing or speak during the program. I think it's so important for them to have these opportunities at church. Seriously- what better place to develop our talents than among people who love us unconditionally? It was so inspiring to watch them shine!

I mean really- aren't these girls just adorable?!

One of the songs from the program was called, "Return to Virtue". Here are some of the teachings about virtue we shared with the young women:

What does it mean to return to virtue? We are calling for a return to moral purity and chastity. Virtue is purity. Virtue is chastity. The word virtue has also been defined as “integrity and moral excellence, power and strength”. The core of a virtuous life is sexual purity, and yet this definition has almost been erased by the world. The prophet Mormon taught that chastity and virtue are “most dear and precious above all things” (Moroni 9:9).

President Boyd K. Packer has said that "nothing in the history of the Church or in the history of the world … compare[s] with our present circumstances. Nothing … exceeds in wickedness and depravity that which surrounds us now. Never before has there been a greater need for virtue and purity in the world."

President Thomas S. Monson said, "You will need [courage] to be chaste and virtuous. You live in a world where moral values have, in great measure, been tossed aside, where sin is flagrantly on display, and where temptations to stray from the strait and narrow path surround you. Many are the voices telling you that you are far too provincial or that there is something wrong with you if you still believe there is such a thing as immoral behavior.

"Isaiah declared, 'Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness' (Isaiah 5:20). Great courage will be required as you remain chaste and virtuous amid the accepted thinking of the times."

He also counseled: “You be the one to make a stand for right, even if you stand alone. Have the moral courage to be a light for others to follow. There is no friendship more valuable than your own clear conscience, your own moral cleanliness—and what a glorious feeling it is to know that you stand in your appointed place clean and with the confidence that you are worthy to do so.”

Elaine S. Dalton gave us instructions from the scriptures to help us remain virtuous: “Let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly.” “Cleave unto [your] covenants.” “Stand … in holy places.” “Lay aside the things of [the] world.” “Believe that ye must repent.” “Always remember him and keep his commandments.” And “if there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, … seek after these things.”

After the program, each girl was given a white rose as a symbol of purity and to remind her have courage to stand up for what is right and virtuous in a world that often mocks virtue.

Sister Elaine S. Dalton, "As you grow and blossom, your personal purity will enable you to become a force for good and an influence for righteousness in the world. I truly believe that one virtuous young woman, led by the Spirit, can change the world."

And the important reminder about the power of Jesus Christ and the atonement: You are God’s precious daughters! Because of the knowledge of our divine identity, everything must be different for us: our dress, our language, our priorities, and our focus. We must not seek guidance from the world, and if our true identity has been clouded by mistakes or sins, we can change. We can turn around and repent and return to virtue. The Savior’s Atonement is for you and for me. He invites each of us to come unto Him.

The decorations we chose to go along with the theme were all black and white to go along with the theme. And this is the handout that went along with it:

In a world that is blurring morals and lines
between right and wrong, the Lord’s standards
are clear. There are no gray areas.
We don’t believe in being partially honest.
We don’t believe in being chaste only
when we want to. The 13th article of faith
makes it clear what we believe. The
difference between righteousness and
wickedness is “black and white.”

We believe in being honest
We believe in being true
We believe in being chaste
We believe in being benevolent
We belive in being virtuous
We believe in doing good to all men

And of course us leaders dressed in black and white. Have I mentioned how much I love these women?!
And the refreshments had to go along with the theme too... so we had black and white cupcakes and sundaes with black and white toppings- (marshmallows, choc. chips, oreos, sprinkles, hot fudge, etc.) So fun!

I hope these young women choose to rise above the things of this world- and strive to live a virtuous life. I know they see the consequences in the lives of their peers who have chosen otherwise. Rarely do they see happiness as a result of immorality. I hope they always remember who they are- each young woman is God's own child.

Child Labor

2011-03-01T12:33:00.008-06:00

Yes, that's my 4 year-old mopping the kitchen floor. And that's my 3 year-old vacuuming. And this is my view from the couch. I could get used to this!

These kids are little tornadoes. Everywhere they go, they each leave a trail of messes. I clean and organize nearly every. single. day. But I still can't keep up. I love the quote, "Cleaning house while the kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk while it's still snowing." Truer words have never been spoken!

So I'm constantly picking up after them, and ~~nagging~~ reminding them to clean up after themselves throughout the day. Then by the time I get them all in bed, I'm usually too exhausted- the last thing I want to do is clean- again. So I'm often left feeling discouraged and overwhlemed at the end of the day. I'm a homemaker... making our home comfortable for those I love is what I do- one of my primary responsibilities. So when my home isn't exactly up to my standards, I often feel inadequate and depressed. Then when I'm struggling with those negative thoughts and feelings- I feel even less motivated to try and clean up. It's a brutal cycle. So I realized I needed to do two things:

1. Lower my expectations- at least while the kids are this young.
2. Ask for help!

So I'm working on both. Mr. Wonderful is working ridiculous hours lately, so expecting more help from him is not exactly an option. And honestly, sometimes it seems easier just to do the housework myself instead of asking the kids to help... but that leads to burnout for me, and indulgence for them. It's healthy for children to learn the value of WORK.

So here's the solution for us that has been a great blessing for us: I've implemented a very simple ritual we call the "15 minute clean-up". So now, as part of our bedtime routine, we blast some upbeat music (usually Veggie-tale jams- not exactly my personal fave, but at least it motivates them), I set the timer and we all race around the house and tidy up. It's actually quite surprising to see how much can get done during that brief time when we all work together. And they actually enjoy it, so no nagging necessary. And I feel so much better at the end of the day, especially knowing that the house will actually stay that way for at least 8 hours... until the little tornadoes strike again!

Seriously Spoiled

2011-02-28T22:17:00.004-06:00

So I know I write a lot about how wonderful my Mr. Wonderful is. But I just can't say enough. He's not perfect, but he is truly perfect for me! We've gone through our tough times- marriage is hard work- but it's only made us stronger and more united as we've learned from our mistakes.

Jon has always had a serious tendency to spoil me- like almost overboard spoilage- (not that I'm complaining :)). Here's a quick explanation of how he went ALL OUT to make our recent celebrations special and memorable-

Anniversary:
Our anniversary tradition is to take a trip to a new temple each year to remember the covenants we made to each other and to the Lord. So we take turns selecting the temple and planning the accomodations. This year it was Jon's turn. So besides planning and executing a 5300 mile motorhome trip across the country (with 5 kids in tow), he also planned a trip to the Portland OR temple for us.

And he chose this charming bed and breakfast: Ok- it turns out it was originally a floating bordello (a whorehouse) that is supposedly haunted. Nice, huh? Haha! But we got a good laugh about it. And it was really was wonderful- no ghost sightings... a cozy room, fireplace, hot tub, and delicious breakfast, and we could actually sleep-in without being awakened by babies or the kids crying 'cause they wet the bed. It was just the getaway we needed to recharge our marriage and renew our closeness. Thanks to Nana and Papa Sasnett for watching the kids again to make it possible!

And here's the Portland temple surrounded by Evergreens. So beautiful, and clean, and sacred. I just love the temple and the serenity I feel there.

Then for my 30th birthday, he showered me with gifts- including a little light reading...

So I came across this article from Time magazine recently specifying the 10 greatest books of all time, and it inspired me to read all these books at least once in my lifetime. (I'm trying to become more well-read and more familiar with the classics, and I figured this would be a good start). So I mentioned my goal to Jon a few months ago- without expecting him to get them for me. It was a great surprise to unwrap them- and a little daunting.

Then he took me out to dinner and on a surprise birthday outing to see these guys perform their live improv tour!

This is Colin and Brad from "Whose Line is it Anyway?" They are absolutely brilliant! I really love clean and wholesome humor- it's hard to come by these days. I laughed so hard my cheeks hurt. I don't have a mind that works that way- so I really admire anyone who can think on their toes the way they can. A-mazing.

So if all that wasn't enough- on Valentine's Day this year, I got a special delivery- gorgeous fire and ice roses (my fave).

Then he took me out to dinner that night, and as we were enjoying a meal together, these guys surrounded our table and began to serenade me!! He hired a barbershop quartet to sing 3 romantic numbers for me! I mean, c'mon! How could I not be touched by that. It made me cry- big time.

Here I am just beaming. Love that man!!

The thing is, I really don't expect much at all. Honestly, I would be perfectly content with a card, or a hug or some small acknowledgement of our special days together. I feel seriously undeserving of his adoration- but it sure is nice!!! And I truly appreciate his efforts to make me feel special and cherished.

So Mr. Wonderful spoiled me as usual this year. Mother Nature however, wasn't so kind...

The Gift of Music

2011-02-17T13:48:00.006-06:00

I first started teaching Celeste piano in November when she first expressed an interest. I assumed she would be like me as a child- that I'd have to pressure and persuade her to practice- but she's totally self-motivated and she LOVES it! It's the first thing she does almost every day after school. When Nana and Papa came to visit for Thanksgiving, Celeste was thrilled to show off her newfound skill.

My children have been blessed with a rich musical legacy from the generations that came before them. It warms my heart to see them develop their own love of music. Here's Nana- the most gifted musician I know- giving her a few basic pointers.

I seriously can hardly believe how much she has learned in just a few months! I'm so proud of her for being so diligent and I'm thrilled that she's developing a gift that will bless others throughout her life. I know she will be a great example to her younger brothers and sister as they look up to her and develop their own gifts.

I hope my children always seeks to use their gifts, whatever they may be, to bless others and glorify God- He is the source of all that is good, and the giver of all gifts.

No Regrets

2011-02-17T13:17:00.001-06:00

A few months ago, we found out that Jon's "Graham-cracker" was diagnosed with cancer, and that the disease had spread througout her body. Her health seemed to be deteriorating quickly, so we were all very concerned about her. We had already been considering taking a motor home trip to see our family and friends in WA, since it had been years since we had spent Christmas with them. But after hearing this news, we decided the trip was a must.

We made some unforgettable memories and truly had the time of our lives out on the open road together. In our opinion this is definitely the way to travel with young kids. Granted, it was a lot of work, planning, and expense. But I could prepare meals, play games with the kids, and take care of everybody, and even sprawl out on the bed and take a nap while Jon was driving. :) No potty breaks, no hauling around luggage, no hassling with delays and waiting in lines at the airport, etc.

We had such a wonderful time reconnecting with loved ones. And we're SO glad we took this opportunity... especially since a week and a half after we got back home, our dear Graham-cracker passed away.

Cost of Motorhome Rental: $2500

Cost of Gas: $1500

Cost to use the generator when we got stranded in a blizzard: $300

This moment in Jon's life...

Priceless.

Random Funnies

2011-02-02T19:32:00.007-06:00

So I was in a bit of a funk the other day. I was feeling a little discouraged and upset with myself cause I was running late again... why is it that I forget something or someone has a dirty diaper every time I need to leave the house? And why does someone always have to stop by when the kids just finish trashing the living room? Anyway, so I was letting the little things get to me. And then Charity walked in like this...

I mean seriously, how could I possibly stay in a bad mood after that?! This little girl is such a hoot! I love her quirky sense of humor! Here are a few random funnies that have brightened my days recently:

Charity: Mommy, can we pwease have Roast Beast for dinner?

On Jakey's birthday, Celeste asks if she could open one of his presents. Jakey: NO! It's MY birthday boy!

Charity (At the top of her lungs): OH WHAT FUN IT IS TO RIDE IN A ONE HORSE OPEN EGG! ?

Daddy during an FHE lesson: So kids, we need to learn how the Holy Spirit speaks to us- the language of the Spirit.
Celeste: Oh, so does the Holy Spirit speak Spanish?

Charity during a prayer in the sweetest little voice: And pwease help us not to punch someone in the face.
(The girls played dress up with baby Jarom the other day, and dressed him up like this, haha!)

Charity: Mommy, I think I'm allergic to snow. You know why? My hands get fweezing when I touch it.

And you'll never guess what was on her Christmas list this year. She asked Santa for a Liahona. (Sorry- only Mormons will get that.)

Benny: "Can we please have some yucky charms?" (I was seriously so disappointed when he learned how to pronounce his L's.)
Benny's blessing on the food recently...
"Please bless us to drive home safely (We were already home), and thank you that Mommy made this nice dinner (Daddy brought home Boston Market that night), and please help us have a nice weekend. (It was Tuesday night) Haha!

Sometimes you just gotta laugh! I like this quote by Sister Hinckley, "The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache."
— Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Go Packers!

Christmas Traditions

2011-02-01T22:01:00.009-06:00

(Ok, so I know it's nearly Valentine's Day, but I'm still trying to get caught up on Christmas memories! This year was such a whirlwind with our trip and everything, so I'm still about 2 months behind.) :)

Christmas is truly a magical time of year. Rich family traditions unite the family and make the season even more meaningful and memorable. I thought I'd share a few of our favorite Christmas traditions:

Each year while I was growing up, my Aunt Linda (who I admire SO much) would send a special package in November. The package would always include an advent candle and a folder filled with Christmas stories- most of which were serious tear-jerkers. I remember looking forward to this package every year. We would gather around the candle each night and my parents would read us a story while we burned the candle. Our family was very busy with musical theater rehearsals, and the usual hustle and bustle of the season, so it was really a wonderful way to help us slow down and spend some time together. I don't remember many of the stories, but I will never forget the strong spirit that was present each evening as we read. So we have continued this tradition with our own family. This year, we missed a few nights due to other activities, but that just meant we had to read longer the next night to make up for it. And we didn't let our motorhome trip stop us! We took it along with us, (and thankfully didn't burn down the motorhome.)

Then after we read the story, the kids take turns opening the Hudson service advent calendar. (I have a thing for the whole advent idea... building anticipation and excitement is SO fun for kids!) So it's nothing elaborate... just a simple act of service that is expected to be completed by the following day. Here are some examples:

Help mommy make dinner.
Draw a picture for your grandparents.
Write a thank you note for a teacher.
Pay for the person behind you at a fast food restaurant.
Shovel a neighbor's walkway (since it's pretty much guaranteed that we'll have snow here.)
Leave extra coins in a vending machine for a stranger.
Read a story to a brother or sister.
Tell each family member how much you love them.

I like how this tradition reminds us that the true spirit of Christmas is about charity- it helps us look outward and focus on serving others. I think next year I'll include a small treat in each date too... a little positive reinforcement for an act of service wouldn't hurt.

The last tradition is a new one for us. I adopted it as one of our own after hearing this poem at a Relief Society activity. I'm so thankful for inspired church leaders!

Twas the night before Christmas as I walked through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The presents had been wrapped and placed under the tree
I paused, tired, excited, and then giggled with glee.

The stockings were hanging and were beautifully filled
No one had been forgotten, though the credit card was billed.
As I looked at the scene with the stockings on the ledge.
I noticed one was empty, the one on the edge.

Where’s the Spirit of Christmas? What have I done?
The childrens stockings are all full, except for this one
It was the stocking intended for the child of Bethlehem.
The White stocking for Jesus that was hung up by them.

Of all the people at Christmas, that might be forgotten
How could I not remember the Fathers Only Begotten?
Only He had been left out of the festivities.
As we planned and prepared all, for our families.

As I pondered, I realised this just was not right!
It was His birth that was being celebrated, after this night
I resolved then and there to remember the Lord
And quickly made changes that were easy to afford.

I hung the white stocking in a special place in our home.
And corrected the atmosphere to provide a more spiritual tone.
On Christmas morning I gathered the family together
And each of us wrote on a special piece of paper,

We gave Jesus a gift which we placed in the stocking.
A sincere change of heart, not there for the mocking.
The white stocking hung in our home as a symbol for us
Of the true meaning of Christmas, the Saviour, The Lord Jesus

So take your white stocking and hang it with pride
Remember the Saviour, put his gift inside.

-Unknown

We had the opportunity to begin this tradition with our extended family on Christmas Day this year. After all the gifts had been exchanged, and things were settling down, we asked everyone to share a gift they'd like to give to our Savior, and Nana read them all aloud. It was a touching and sacred way to end the day. This was Benny's simple gift: "I love Jesus. Say Sorry."

I think it's so important with the increasing secularization of the Christmas season, that we seek to create lasting traditions for our families that bring us closer to each other and most importantly closer to Christ.

Gingerbread House

2011-01-31T14:30:00.004-06:00

By the looks of this picture, it's seems like the kids and I had a mellow and quiet evening together making this gingerbread house...

But looks can be deceiving. Things are rarely quiet and mellow around here I'm afraid. These pictures are a better reflection of our evening together...

It would be nice to have things a little more calm around here- but truly, these kids bring so much LIFE to my days and joy to each season. I wouldn't have it any other way.

This was Jakey's first time making a gingerbread house, and he really thought it was great fun...

Until he found out we had to wait to eat it. Poor guy, haha!
But it's a good life lesson for him. We don't always get what we want. The sooner he learns that, the happier we will all be!

My Jewels

2011-01-27T13:51:00.002-06:00

This was our family portrait this year. I was pleased with how it turned out. For the first time since kids came into the picture (literally), we finally had a relatively calm family portrait experience. Usually, it's such an exhausting ordeal getting everyone ready... and nearly impossible to get everyone to smile, let alone look in the same direction. But we actually pulled it off this time, and it was quite painless. This was even the very first picture she took!! We bribed the kids with the opportunity to meet Santa after we were done. We'll definitely have to remember that trick for next year.

And here was their reward... (although it looks like it was a bit of a letdown for them, haha!)

Even though no one is smiling, I just love this picture. It was a special night for us... Jon and I were walking around the mall side by side, one of the kids up on his shoulders, laughing and playing. We were all taking in the sights and sounds of the season, the kids were cooperating, and we were all just happy to be together. All was right with the world. So this will always be a special picture to me and a reminder of the goodness of God. He has blessed me with much more than I deserve. I love this story shared by President Hinckley:

In ancient Rome a group of women were, with vanity, showing their jewels one to another. Among them was Cornelia, the mother of two boys. One of the women said to her, “And where are your jewels?” To which Cornelia responded, pointing to her sons, “These are my jewels.” Under her tutelage and walking after the virtues of her life, they grew to become Gaius and Tiberius Gracchus—the Gracchi, as they were called—two of the most persuasive and effective reformers in Roman history.

My children are the jewels of my life. I am richly blessed to have the opportunity to raise them with a faithful husband by my side leading us through this world and putting his trust in the Lord. I truly couldn't ask for more.

Deep Beauty

2011-01-25T11:52:00.005-06:00

The Lord “seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

We had a special program for the Young Women in November called, "Young Women in Excellence". The purpose of this yearly event is to celebrate the young women and recognize their personal progress accomplishments.

So the idea we came up with was to have a "Deep Beauty" pageant for the girls. A funny/mock pageant focusing on lasting inner beauty instead of the superficial. The girls were the stars of the evening and they'd each get to choose to represent a value: Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue. Each value has a color assigned to it, so each girl had to dress in the most outrageous outfit she could put together in that color.

Just to make sure they understood, the leaders dressed up a few weeks before the event to demonstrate. I'm sure they thought we were a bit WaCKo! You should have seen the looks we got when we showed up for our activity that night, haha! Here were our outfits... (however, you can't see M's leg warmers, my red high heels, and L's eye shadow.) Too fun! The girls got really excited to come up with their own ridiculous ensemble.
So this is how the program unfolded... each girl walked down the red carpet and came up on stage, shared the scripture and motto for the value she represented, answered a question by the emcee and received her award. Then I spoke about the meaning of deep beauty. Following my talk, the Bishop gave some closing remarks and then we were dismissed to look at the girls' personal progress accomplishments displayed on tables around the room. Lastly, we all had refreshments while we watched a slideshow of pictures from all our activities that one of the young women put together for her personal progress project. It was a really wonderful night! I hope it was special and memorable for the young women.

Here are some pictures:

Goofy pic of the girls (and the hot emcee). These are all the yw except a few girls who couldn't make it that night...

Enjoying some refreshments after the program...

Here's one of the beauties!

A couple cuties were asked to help hand out awards...

Celeste was SO excited to help with the program. She kept saying, "I can't WAIT till I'm in young womens!"

It was fun to see how creative the girls got with their outfits! Some went all out... blue lipstick, blue hair dye, etc...

Taking a final bow...

During my talk, I shared a few quotes and stories from the prophets and other church leaders. I've listed a few highlights below.

Sister Dalton was introduced to President McKay as a young woman, and had the privilege of meeting his wife. The following is her story:

President McKay reached for his wife’s hand and said, “Now, young women, I would like you to meet my queen.” There seated next to him was his wife, Emma Ray McKay. Although she did not wear a crown of sparkling diamonds, nor was she seated on a throne, I knew she was a true queen. Her white hair was her crown, and her pure eyes sparkled like jewels. As President and Sister McKay spoke of their family and their life together, their intertwined hands spoke volumes about their love. Joy radiated from their faces. Hers was a beauty that cannot be purchased. It came from years of seeking the best gifts, becoming well educated, seeking knowledge by study and also by faith. It came from years of hard work, of faithfully enduring trials with optimism, trust, strength, and courage. It came from her unwavering devotion and fidelity to her husband, her family, and the Lord.

On that fall day in Huntsville, Utah, I was reminded of my divine identity, and I learned about what I now call “deep beauty”—the kind of beauty that shines from the inside out. It is the kind of beauty that cannot be painted on, surgically created, or purchased. It is the kind of beauty that doesn’t wash off. It is spiritual attractiveness. Deep beauty springs from virtue. It is the beauty of being chaste and morally clean. It is the kind of beauty that you see in the eyes of virtuous women like your mother and grandmother. It is a beauty that is earned through faith, repentance, and honoring covenants.

The world places so much emphasis on physical attractiveness and would have you believe that you are to look like the elusive model on the cover of a magazine. The Lord would tell you that you are each uniquely beautiful. When you are virtuous, chaste, and morally clean, your inner beauty glows in your eyes and in your face. My grandfather used to say, “If you live close to God and His infinite grace—you won’t have to tell, it will show in your face.” When you are worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost, you are confident and your inner beauty shines brightly. And so “let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and … the Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion.”

We have been taught that “the gift of the Holy Ghost … quickens all the intellectual faculties, increases, enlarges, expands and purifies all the natural passions and affections. … It inspires virtue, kindness, goodness, tenderness, gentleness and charity. It develops beauty of person, form and features.” Now, that is a great beauty secret! That is the beauty I observed in the home of a prophet. That day I learned that the beauty I saw in Sister McKay was the only beauty that really matters and the only kind of beauty that lasts.

Happiness comes from accepting the bodies we have been given as divine gifts and enhancing our natural attributes, not from remaking our bodies after the image of the world. The Lord wants us to be made over—but in His image, not in the image of the world, by receiving His image in our countenances (see Alma 5:14, 19). (Sister Tanner)

From Elder Nelson's talk to Young Women:
Frankly, the world has been brutal with you... you are bombarded in movies, television, fashion magazines, and advertisements with the message that looks are everything! The pitch is, “If your looks are good enough, your life will be glamorous and you will be happy and popular.” That kind of pressure is immense in the teenage years, to say nothing of later womanhood. In too many cases too much is being done to the human body to meet just such a fictional (to say nothing of superficial) standard. As one Hollywood actress is reported to have said recently: “We’ve become obsessed with beauty and the fountain of youth. … I’m really saddened by the way women mutilate [themselves] in search of that. I see women [including young women] … pulling this up and tucking that back. It’s like a slippery slope. [You can’t get off of it.] … It’s really insane … what society is doing to women.” In terms of preoccupation with self and a fixation on the physical, this is more than social insanity; it is spiritually destructive, and it accounts for much of the unhappiness women, including young women, face in the modern world. And if adults are preoccupied with appearance—tucking and nipping and implanting and remodeling everything that can be remodeled—those pressures and anxieties will certainly seep through to children. At some point the problem becomes what the Book of Mormon called “vain imaginations.”
A woman not of our faith once wrote something to the effect that in her years of working with beautiful women she had seen several things they all had in common, and not one of them had anything to do with sizes and shapes. She said the loveliest women she had known had a glow of health, a warm personality, a love of learning, stability of character, and integrity. If we may add the sweet and gentle Spirit of the Lord carried by such a woman, then this describes the loveliness of women in any age or time, every element of which is emphasized in and attainable through the blessings of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity. (Sister Nadauld)

God sent women to earth with some qualities in extra capacity. In speaking to young women, President Faust observed that femininity “is the divine adornment of humanity. It finds expression in your … capacity to love, your spirituality, delicacy, radiance, sensitivity, creativity, charm, graciousness, gentleness, dignity, and quiet strength. It is manifest differently in each girl or woman, but each … possesses it. Femininity is part of your inner beauty."

I hope these deeply beautiful young women always remember the value and importance of seeking after the gift of charity and developing other Christlike attributes. Usually in a pageant, there is only one declared the fairest of them all. But there was no competition in this beauty pageant because each girl has an equal privilege to have His image engraven upon their countenance. And His image is the truest and deepest beauty there is.

Halloween 2010

2011-01-18T12:51:00.005-06:00

Love this family tradition! Can you believe I got my hubby to dress up like this? I mean, seriously?! We did this a few years ago, when we only had 3 kids... so I just had to get a couple more costumes for the little ones. We try to buy them on clearance the year before so it doesn't get too pricey.

At some point, the kids probably won't want to do this... but for now, I'm taking advantage of the opportunity to make it special for them and create fun memories together!

This year, instead of dealing with the mess of carving the pumpkins, I just had everyone get their own and decorate it however they wanted...

My little "Minnie-Me's"

Cute bunch... if I do say so myself. :)

Being this adorable is exhausting!

Happy Halloween!

Perfectly Imperfect

2011-01-18T12:20:00.003-06:00

I just love the fall season. It's absolutely gorgeous here in Wisconsin. It's been known to snow here before halloween... but thankfully this fall was pretty mild. We took advantage of it, and went on special family outings- picnics, trips to the park, and family bike rides. If you're wondering how in the world we made that happen, Jon and I both rode bikes with a kid seat attached, Celeste rode her own bike along side of us, and there was a bike trailer attached to Jon's bike to haul the other 2 kids! People did double-take when they saw us ride by with all those kids in tow!

So we went to this cute little pumpkin farm and petting zoo to pick out our pumpkins. It was a nice little family outing on a perfect crisp autumn evening... total bliss... until Jarom pooped through his pants, kids started fighting over pumpkins, and Jakey had a meltdown. Let's get real... life with little kids can be seriously stressful and out of control at times. I rarely take pics of those moments though! Haha! Only the good stuff here...

But honestly, I wouldn't change it. I'm learning that the stress and difficulty of those hard parenting moments help me to grow in patience and love. We wouldn't develop these attributes without the problems. I like this old saying, "There are no problems, only opportunities." Sometimes I get so frustrated with the kids (just for acting like kids.) But they're innocent... and not even accountable for their actions until they're 8. The bickering and whining is a TEST for us- the adults all around them. So some days are better than others and I remember to be patient and teach with gentleness and other days are not so good. But I hope I will grow in love and patience every day... and in the end, ironically, I can thank my kids for who they help me become.

I'm learning that happiness in life is all about perspecive. "Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections." -Unknown

The Many Faces of Baby J

2011-01-17T14:50:00.002-06:00

So Jarom is 7 months now. Can't believe it. I think my favorite thing about him is his temperment. He's just an all-around jolly kid! Never stingy with those smiles... just gives 'em freely to everyone he meets. And the best part of my day is waking up next to him! He's just so happy to be alive! And it's the best way to start the day because it's seriously contagious...

I think he has his own little look, but mostly resembles his sister Charity...

You know you're in love when you even find this expression adorable and endearing...

I just love this kid beyond expression. I can't imagine our family without him! And I'm so grateful the Lord sent him to us.

Love you, love you Baby-J!

I'm back!

2011-01-17T14:14:00.006-06:00

Ok, I know I've been a pathetic and neglectful blogger. Things have felt pretty out of control the last couple months. (Mostly because we travelled 5300 miles across the country for over 2 weeks.) I just haven't taken the time to write about life because I've been too busy living it! But I've decided to try to take more time for solitude- time to ponder about things. I've committed to wake up early again (before the kids get up!) to read, pray, study, and write. I used to do this consistently, but it's become more of a challenge since Jarom was born, mostly because I don't sleep as well at night. But it's amazing the difference in my life when I've made this a priority. So I seriously need to get back to it.
Another reason for my neglect is my hardrive crashed recently! It had all the recent pictures of the kids on it, so I was pretty depressed about that. Thankfully, Mr. Wonderful had backed up the computer, so we located most of our picture files, and we're still working on restoring the rest. But excuses aside... I know I need to get back to blogging. It's such a great way to feel connected with friends, to record our family experiences, to gain clarity and perspective, and to share my love of family and truth. So it will take me a while to get caught up, but here goes!

Conference Tradition

2010-10-13T22:42:00.006-05:00

It's been hovering around 70 degrees here for the last few weeks, and naturally, the one weekend we reserved a camping spot, the temps dropped below freezing. :/ But it was worth it. Luckily, we have a camper so we all survived. In my opinion, it's the only way to camp with young kids! You've got to keep them comfortable or it will be a miserable trip for everyone!

Here we are all ready to go and wearing matching camo... one of our crazy family traditions.

Check out this set-up. It's a ton of work! But thank goodness I'm married to a manly-man who works hard to be prepared and who sacrifices his own comfort to make life fun and memorable for us.

We went out to enjoy the great outdoors, but this is where we spent much of our time. Haha! Cuddled up in our little camper, watching conference... and trying to stay warm. Conference was amazing and inspiring as always. SO grateful to have the gospel in my life.

Sweet little snugglebunnies...

Jarom loved his first camping trip! It's a good thing too, 'cause there will be many more for this little guy! He woke up all bright eyed and bushy tailed both mornings...

Playing ladderball, a very fun and popular game here in Wisconsin...

Another camping tradition... yummy eats and lots of treats! I buy certain junk foods we never eat unless we're camping... oreos, pop, and of course s'mores. Mmm... calories don't count when camping.

Daddy found a little grasshopper and Jakey was absolutely mezmerized. I had to take a picture, because it was a sweet moment of discovery.

Then Celeste found a much bigger one! Eek!

Pondering and singing together by the campfire...

Checking out all the sights at Old World Wisconsin on Saturday...

Flying Kites! At least the freezing cold wind was good for something!

One of God's special masterpieces. No, I'm not referring to the sunset. ;) (Love you Jonathan!)

The kids seem to sleep better when we go camping. Probably because they completely wear themselves out.

Whew, what a trip! Can't wait to go again!

Now back to real life, and loads and LOADS of laundry.

The Nest

2010-10-09T21:10:00.009-05:00

This is Celeste and her two bffs. They're standing next to "the nest" they created for the birds in the neighborhood. You can't really tell in the pic, but they're allowed to pick the flowers (the weeds) from our yard and tape them to the nest. They get so excited about this! They spend nearly every afternoon together and think up all sorts of wild ideas. They even formed a band. Celeste is the vocalist, and the other two play the guitar and the keyboard. They call themselves "The Ocean Waves." It's hilarious.

I think this kind of play is so good for their developing imaginations. I'm a firm believer in turning the tv and video games OFF and letting kids play and explore and discover. It forces them to use some creativity and ingenuity rather than expecting constant entertainment. I try to be authoritative as a parent, but when it comes to play, I usually take the "let them be little" approach. I let them run around in the grass barefoot, catch frogs and crickets (as long as they don't bring them in the house), play outside in the rain without an umbrella, and jump in puddles. I let them be kids! So what if their hands and faces get a little messy!

But yesterday, I had to intervene. Jakey was playing outside and helping the girls make the nest. I had to run inside for a minute to get Jarom, and when I came back out, he was walking around the neighborhood holding a PLUNGER. He was pretending it was a big flower, and he wanted to put it on the nest too. I'm sorry, but THAT I will NOT allow! I couldn't help but laugh and wonder what the neighbors must think. But they had kids once too, so hopefully they understand.

Superheroes

2010-10-09T20:26:00.003-05:00

This is how the boys spend much of their time these days. They love dressing up as superheroes and running around the house trying to save the pretty princesses (or as Jakey says, pwiddy pwincesses). I'm so glad they have each other!

Check out this dangerous duo...

Dangerously cute, that is.

Out of the mouth of babes

2010-10-08T22:47:00.005-05:00

I overheard Charity singing about Jesus today during quiet time, and had to capture it on camera. She does this often and I just think it's the sweetest thing. She has the most tender little heart of gold. I imagine Heavenly Father must be so pleased to hear one of his little ones singing His praises. (Just disregard the messy house, haha!)

Greatest Day

2010-09-24T22:17:00.005-05:00

As we have welcomed each new baby into our family, it's been increasingly challenging to find enough one-on-one time for each child, to ensure that they get the individual attention they need. So one of my 30 by 30 goals was to implement a family system that would allow each of them their own special time with us each week. So we decided, simply, that each kid will get to stay up past bedtime once a week. We set the timer for 30 minutes and the kids get to do what they choose (most anything except watch movies). Sometimes they'll want to read with us, or show us something they learned in school, or just talk about their day. They look forward to this more than almost anything! The first thing they say every morning, "Is it my night to stay up?!" So the kids each get a day, and then Mommy and Daddy get Saturday and Sunday. But interestingly, on our night, we don't want to stay up... we want to go to bed!

We thought we'd take it a step further and allow them a special "Mommy and Me" outing once or twice a year too. So since horses are her favorite animal, (and Jon found an awesome deal online), we took advantage of the opportunity for Celeste and I to have a 2-hour horseback riding lesson together! Here she is in action...

She was an absolute natural! She had no fear whatsoever. The trainer was amazed at how quickly she learned. She even taught her to stand up on the horse, she spun around on the saddle, and she was galloping all around by the time the lesson was over. I was absolutely floored at how quickly she picked it up, and how easy she made it look. Shoot. This might be an expensive hobby!

And then there was me. I was an absolute joke. The trainer had to stand close by most of the time, because I was so worried I was going to fall off, and I couldn't even hold the reigns right. And every time I would tell him to go right, he would turn left! (All males are the same, I guess ;)) I have to admit, it was a bit embarrasing to have my 7 year-old galloping circles around me, while I was struggling with the basics! Haha! But that's ok, it was about her not me. And she really shined!

I think this will be an experience she will always remember. When we got to the car, she was all smiles and she wanted to keep her helmet on. Then we stopped for ice cream and we sang primary songs all the way home.

When we were almost to the house, I said, "Wow, wasn't this a great day, Celeste?!" And she replied, "No mom, not a great day. The GREATEST day." :)

Family Service Project

2010-09-19T13:03:00.005-05:00

Here's an idea for any family who wants to:

-Teach children the value of compassion and kindness

-Get rid of extra clutter in the home

-Build family unity through serving together

-Help those who are suffering or in need

Step 1:

Show children (age-appropriate) pictures of suffering in other countries. Help them understand that most people don't have the comforts and privileges that we enjoy here. Read scriptures, and teach them what Jesus taught about loving and serving others.

Step 2:

Gather up the extra "stuff" from around the house. Let the kids participate, by having them select some of their own toys and clothes to donate.

Step 3:

Have a "Charity Garage Sale" Make sure to specify which charity you are supporting, and that 100% of the proceeds will be donated.

Step 4:

Take the money you earned and buy items to make a humanitarian kit. Here are directions from lds humanitarian services for 3 different kits:

Hygene Kits:

(Hygene kits are sent to orphanages, homeless shelters, medical facilities, and disaster areas)

Place the following items in a heavy-duty, one-gallon
sealable bag. Remove the air before sealing.
· 2 unbreakable combs without sharp handles
· 4 toothbrushes (sealed)
· 1 tube of toothpaste (6-8 ounces, no pumps)
· 2 bars of soap (3.5-5 ounces each)
· 2 hand towels (approximately 15x25 inches)
Dishtowels and washcloths are not
acceptable.
If sewing towels, use terry cloth and serge
or zigzag edges to prevent fraying.

Newborn Kits:

(Newborn kits are sent to orphanages and hospitals, particularly in developing countries)

Place the following items in a heavy-duty, two-gallon
sealable bag:
· 4 single thickness cloth diapers
Approximately 25x27 inches
Birdseye Cloth or diaper flannel, 100% cotton
No pre-fold or disposable diapers
· 4 diaper safety pins
· 1 pair booties or baby socks
· 2 bars of soap 3.5-5 ounces each (Ivory or other
non-allergenic brand)
· *1 receiving blanket (36x36 – 45x45 inches)
· 1 layette gown
No footed sleepers, buttons, zippers or strings
Size: Newborn to 6 months, Fabric: cotton knit
Layette gown patterns are available at the
LDS Humanitarian Center, Humanitarian Service
Rooms and at www.humanitarianservices.org

School Kits:

(School kits are sent to schools and orphanages. On occasion school kits will be sent to disaster areas.)

Place the following items in a durable cloth bag:

- 4 unsharpened pencils
· 1 rubber pencil eraser - approximately 1x2 inches
· 1 pair blunt nosed scissors with metal blades
· 1 pencil sharpener
· 1 straight edge ruler - 12 inches, with metric
· Glued or spiral bound notebooks with lined sheets, 8 x 10 ½,
or 8 ½ x 11 inches
Notebooks should total approximately 450 sheets
Do not include more than 6 notebooks
· 1 set assorted colored pencils
at least 12 per set, approximately 7 inches long

Step 5: Include children in purchasing items and assembling the kits...

Step 6: One of the requirements is to remove the air from each kit. So have the kids to give each kit a giant hug to send their love...

Step 7: Send completed kits to:

Latter-day Saint Humanitarian Center
1665 South Bennett Road
Salt Lake City, UT 84104

Step 8: Feel the joy of service! And teach the children that those warm feelings are a confirmation that they're doing what Jesus would have them do.

Expectations

2010-09-12T22:41:00.003-05:00

The evening before Jarom was born...

3 months later (and still in my maternity clothes. :/)

Little Jarom is SUCH a blessing to our family. We love our sweet boy. He is everything we hoped for and more!

What the hail?

2010-09-10T20:39:00.002-05:00

Sorry for the title, couldn't help myself. Haha! Check out the crazy weather we had here recently. So the hail started out like this...

And then it kept getting bigger and bigger...

And it lasted for about 5 minutes. The kids were bewildered and a little frightened, but I thought it was the coolest thing ever! We were all gathered around the front door in amazement. I've never seen weather like this... much different than the usual mild Seattle weather. Outrageous snow storms, a tornado, and now this! Pretty wild, huh?!

First Day of School

2010-09-08T12:58:00.003-05:00

The kids started school last week. As excited as they were, it was definitely emotional for me. But as much as I miss them during the day, there is something about school that provides such structure and routine for our family. Plus, I'm really enjoying the extra time I have with the younger ones.

Here's Charity and Benny going off to preschool and kindergarten...

And here they are after school with their best friend N...

I think the one who has had the hardest time adjusting is Jakey. He has a bit of a 'tude these days...

The first couple days of school he was moping around saying "I miss Chawity, Benny and Ceyeste." But he's pretty much over it now. I think he's loving all the extra attention he's getting. And he LOVES picking them up from the bus stop each day!

Baby Jarom

2010-09-08T01:04:00.003-05:00

Aww, I love this sweet slumbering snugglebug. It's amazing how accurate that 3D ultrasound was. I have to say though, I like him much more outside the womb... except at night sometimes. ;)

We're starting to see more of this adorable smile these days. These next few months are my favorite! I love watching his personality begin to emerge as he takes in all everything around him. It's all so new and exciting. And I love that I get to watch him grow and develop. He has such a huge personality crammed in that tiny body! I just can't get enough of this little guy!

Summer Days

2010-09-03T20:08:00.002-05:00

This summer has simply flown by! I can't believe it's already over. Here are a few snapshots of what we've been up to lately (and why this blog has been neglected)...

Playing frisbee with Daddy

Trip to PA to visit Nana and Papa

Our second home this summer...

A little exploration of nature's creatures...

Letting the creature go (per mommy's request)

A little slipping and sliding!

New bike

Sprinkler under the trampoline (one of my favorite childhood pastimes)...

Our favorite new waterpark...

Our little daredevil Celeste jumped off the high dive! I remember being absolutely terrified of that thing when I was young... actually, it still terrifies me. But she got right in line with all the big kids, and jumped right off again and again. No fear.

If you look closely, you'll see Celeste on the high dive, and some grown-up dude diving off the low dive. :) That's my girl!!

There she goes!

This picture captures what I'll remember about summer when the kids are grown. These endless summer afternoons. All the giggling, playing make-believe (and occasional squabbles) in the backyard- their own special place in this world to run and play and discover.

Hope you had a summer full of special memories too!

I’d give all wealth that years have piled,

The slow result of Life’s decay,
To be once more a little child,

For one bright summer day.

~Lewis Carroll

YUM

2010-08-11T13:26:00.003-05:00

I LOVE baking. I especially love baking treats. Something about the smell of freshly baked goods filling my home...whoa... it just makes me happy. So I made these amazing cinnamon rolls yesterday. They're easy (no rising involved!) and so delicious!! I got the recipe from my dear friend Jill's cooking blog... (Thanks Jill!)

Darn it. I've been trying to lose this baby weight, but at this rate it might be a while! If only I had the self-control to stay out of the leftovers! Oh well... :))-double chin

Ballet Beauty!

2010-08-11T13:14:00.002-05:00

Celeste took ballet lessons this summer with her best friend. They had a blast! She looked forward to the lessons every week. The instructor invited the parents to the final class of the summer so we could see all they learned...

Celeste with her best friend N. Two beautiful ballerinas in training!

Such a Daddy's girl!

Baby Blessings

2010-08-11T12:20:00.003-05:00

Baby Jarom had his blessing in church on July 4th. I can't believe this is the 5th time we've done this! Time is going by so fast, but so slowly at the same time... (that doesn't make any sense, does it! Haha!) But in some ways it feels like it was just yesterday that the other babies were blessed. In our church we believe babies have no need of bapism. They are pure and clean, and won't be held accountable for their sins until they reach the age of accountability (8 years old.) But babies are given a name and a blessing by their fathers. It's a very sacred and sweet experience. Anyway, so here are the babies on their special day, in order of appearance...

Jarom Thomas Hudson

July 4, 2010

Father's Day

2010-08-11T11:56:00.002-05:00

I've gotten really behind on blogging lately. Hmm... wonder why??

I'm not sure if it was a blessing or not to have baby Jarom the week that school got out. I don't have to get anyone ready for school in the mornings, or get them out the door on time... which is a blessing. But on the other hand, they're home all day! So it's been a challenge... but the kids have been so helpful, and I've really loved the unstructured time we've had together this summer. We've definitely been busy with all sorts of fun activities. I'm going through some of our pictures and playing catch-up today...

On father's day, I dressed the kids up in their new t-shirts, and they made breakfast in bed for daddy to celebrate his special day. Then after church they played this ridiculously goofy game Jon came up with. (His creativity amazes me!) He stands at the top of the stairs and wraps a blanket around his head. Then the kids yell, "Rapunzel, rapunzel, let down your hair!" And they kids take turns holding on to the blanket and trying to climb it and swing around until they drop onto the cushions on the floor. The kids LOVE this game! I know, we're so weird. Haha!

Daddy with his newest little guy...

I just love my husband so much. I'm grateful that he's such a devoted, loving family man and that he works so hard for us. What a man!

Happy Father's Day Daddy!
We love and appreciate you!

And of course, I can't forget my own wonderful father, who has the most kind and compassionate heart. I love you Dad!

Special Visitors

2010-07-22T11:38:00.011-05:00

Nana and Papa came for a special trip recently to meet baby Jarom for the first time. It was wonderful to be together, and they helped us SO much! Their visit was jam-packed... we had a birthday party for Charity, a 2-day family garage sale, Jarom's baby blessing, fireworks for 4th of July, we did TONS of work around the house (painting, yardwork, etc...), and they watched the kids for us all day so we could go to the temple in Chicago. Whew! My parents recognize that this is a stressful time for us and they really reached out to help however they could. My poor Dad even had an injured foot, and he was hobbling around in the yard carrying wood, mowing the lawn, and climbing up and down a ladder to paint our walls. And my mom (who absolutely hates mosquitos), spent most of the day outside (and got eaten alive) to help with the garage sale. I sure feel loved... and grateful.

Here are a few pictures of them meeting their newest grandchild. This little guy has no clue how blessed he is to have such loving and doting grandparents! But he will know soon enough!

Portraits

2010-07-21T22:52:00.004-05:00

(Celeste almost 7, by Nana)

(Nana almost 59, by Celeste) Haha!

Sisterly Love

2010-07-21T16:10:00.001-05:00

Dear Charity,
You are a great little sister. You are the bestest sister in the whole world. You are a good girl. You are super nice. I love you a ton. You are my friend. You are a rock star!
From,
Celeste

Baby Jarom!

2010-06-19T22:04:00.002-05:00

After 24 LONG hours of labor, Jarom Thomas Hudson finally decided to make his appearance! He was born on June 11th at 8:11am. It certainly wasn't an ideal birth experience. I really hate inductions, because I feel the baby should just come when he's ready. But under our circumsances, we felt it was the best option. I'm just so grateful I didn't have a c-section. There was a scare at one point, where my blood pressure dropped dramatically and the baby showed signs of distress. They were extremely close to giving me a c-section, but we had some amazing nurses who did an excellent job of taking care of it, and they were able to help me and the baby recover. So thankfully everything worked out. He weighed in at 8lbs. 7oz. and he was 19 3/4in. long.

Here I am after my epidural. :)))))))))))))))

YAY! Welcome to the world Jarom Thomas Hudson!

The kids came later that afternoon to meet their baby brother. They were SO excited!

Nana Jodie (Jon's mom) was able to travel all the way here from Washington to spend time with us, help with the kids, and meet her newest grandchild. Thank you, thank you, thank you Nana Jodie!

We love you!!

Celeste absolutely cannot get enough of this little guy. All she wants to do is look at him and hold him. She'll even skip out on other privileges (movies, games, etc) just to be with him instead. She'll be such a wonderful mother someday.

Jarom will want to be just like his big brother Benny!

Sweet Charity is very gentle with him. She'll be a great helper too!

But unlike his doting older siblings, Jakey didn't know what to think at first.

He wasn't too thrilled about not being the baby anymore. :(

But I think now he understands that everything will be ok. :) We've tried to be sensitive to his needs lately, and give him some extra loving. And ever since we got home, he seems to be adjusting well. He keeps saying, "Baby Jarom is so tute." So I think that's a good sign.

I know... what a HUNK! There's nothing hotter than a studly manly-man holding a brand new baby. I love this man. He's such a wonderful husband and father. Yep, sorry girls, he's taken... WAY taken. :)

Love my little guy!!! I feel like I've known him forever.

When we got home from the hospital, the kids had each chosen a stuffed animal to give him. They piled them on top of him right when we walked in the door. He's probably used to all the noise and chaos from when he was in my belly, so he slept right through it all.

Welcome home Sweet boy!

Hudson Hugs

2010-06-09T18:33:00.005-05:00

We have a special family tradition every night. We put the couches together and have "snuggle scriptures". We try to teach the kids principles of the gospel, and spend some time together as a family. Then after we're done, we say a prayer, and have what we call "Hudson Hugs". This is when we all put our arms around each other and say "1...2...3... I love you family!!" Then we hug each other individually. It's the BEST way to end the day. If When there was contention during the day, this little ritual helps us move past any negative feelings, and end the day on a good note.

Lately after the kids hug everyone else, they hug my belly and say, "I love you Baby Jarom!" So tonight after Jakey hugged my belly, he hugged Daddy's belly too, and said, "I love you Baby Jarom!" We all had a good laugh! :)

Comparing bellies...

Hope you're ready to join this CrAzy family Jarom! We can't wait to meet you... tomorrow!!

Sweet Girl

2010-06-07T21:05:00.002-05:00

Celeste brought this note home from school today...

Dear Mommy,

I hope that when you have a baby it will not hurt. And I love you so much.

From, Celeste

This little girl is so thoughtful. Just a couple more days till we get to hold our little guy. Can't wait for you to join our family baby Jarom!

Little Graduate

2010-06-05T21:05:00.001-05:00

Our little Benny graduated from 4K preschool this week. I bawled my eyes out. It must be those preggo hormones. Or maybe it was because they had the song "Let Them Be Little" on repeat in the background. (That song always makes me cry.) Or it must be because I LOVE this little boy SO MUCH... and I worry about him.

So here he is with his classmates, and that's him on the screen in the background...

Receiving his diploma from his excellent teachers...

The proud graduate! (Notice the upside down certificate :))

Benny and his best bud J...

Congratulations little graduate! Now on to kindergarten!

We love you Bennybud

"Let Them Be Little"

Billy Dean

I can remember when you fit in the palm of my hand

Felt so good in it, no bigger than a minute

How it amazes me, you're changing with every blink

Faster than a flower blooms they grow up all too soon

So let them be little 'cause they're only that way for a while

Give them hope, give them praise, give them love every day

Let them cry, let them giggle, let them sleep in the middle

Oh just let them be little

I've never felt so much in one little tender touch

I live for those kisses, prayers and your wishes

Now that you're teaching me things only a child can see

Every night while we're on our knees all I ask is please

Let them be little 'cause they're only that way for a while

Give them hope, give them praise, give them love every day

Let them cry, let them giggle, let them sleep in the middle

Oh just let them be little

So innocent, a precious soul, you turn around

It's time to let them go

So let them be little 'cause they're only that way for a while

Give them hope, give them praise, give them love every day

Let them cry, let them giggle, let them sleep in the middle

Oh just let them be little

Let them be little

Lost Cause

2010-06-01T16:13:00.004-05:00

So underneath all the clutter in my room, I noticed this book I've been meaning to get around to reading...

"Confessions of an Organzied Homemaker

The Secrets of Uncluttering Your Home and Taking Control of your Life."

Haha!! What a joke! I try SO hard to keep up with this house, but the minute I get things organized, it all gets undone again! I think I'm a lost cause... at least until the kids get older. :)

The Real Hero

2010-05-31T15:48:00.002-05:00

Bennybud's newest favorite thing lately is to wear this costume EVERY chance he gets. The very first thing he does in the morning is put on the costume, and then after school he immediately puts it on again. He runs around the house jumping off couches and acting like Superman. I was beginning to think that Superman was his favorite superhero...

But today he said, "Mommy, Superman is not the real superhero. JESUS is the REAL hero. He loves everyone and He can help us when we get hurt."

So true Benny. I hope you always remember that.