GREAT BOOK!!

I just finished reading a great book "Finding Light In A Dark World" by President James E. Faust. For a while now I have been feeling spiritually dull and recently have been praying for a renewal of my spiritual strength and to feel the spirit more in my life. My mother in law had this on her bookshelf so I decided to read it this week. I LOVED IT! I feel I need to get myself a copy and read it every month. President Faust is such a wise and spiritual man. If you are ever looking for a good book to lift your spirits and bring your life back into focus on the things that matter most I hope you can find time to read it.

Mine, Mine, Mine

Murphy's Toddler Laws

If it's mine it's mine,
if it's yours it's mine,
if I like it is mine,
if I can take it from you it is mine,
if I am playing with something ALL of the pieces are mine,
if I think it is mine it is,
if I saw it first it's mine,
if I had it then put it down it is still mine,
if you had it then you put it down it is now mine,
if it looks like the one I have at home it is mine,
if it is broken it is yours.

Is anyone else's toddler a professional at using Murphy's Toddler Laws? Maddy's favorite word is "mine". She said it so much today that I had to walk out of the room before I went crazy. So right now I am looking up articles on what to do to take this word out of her vocabulary once and for all. Maybe my hopes are too high, but remember the song about the ant who moved the rubber tree plant and because of his high hopes he not only moved one rubber tree, but several? There has to be a solution out there somewhere and if any of you know one please let me know!

Giving Thanks

We just arrived at my in laws house in Valley Springs, CA yesterday and will be here for 2 1/2 weeks. If you have never been to Valley Springs it is a small community with rolling hills, wild flowers and big ancient oak trees around every bend. It is so peaceful here and the weather stays around the 80-90's in June. Jay and I make sure we take a few weeks each Summer to come here and relax. It gets harder and harder to leave each time I come here. The children play outside all day, everyone has a garden and tons of animals. Yesterday Maddy was feeding the neighbors cows through the fence and bossing them around (her favorite thing to do lately) and then spent the rest of the evening playing outside. I heard her say something I don't think I have ever heard her say "Mommy, I'm tired!". I don't think I have ever heard a two year old say that.

I have always loved nature because it relaxes me and allows me to step back and analyze my life. Today I was thinking of a few things that I am grateful for and I wanted to write them down. First and foremost I am so grateful for the gospel. This morning as I woke up with Maddy at 5:40 AM I decided to start reading the book "Finding Light In a Dark World" by James E. Faust (I have read about 25 pages and highly recommend it). The gospel just brings so much peace to my soul and eases my worries that life brings to my plate. It fills me up in ways that nothing else can. I love reading about my Savior and ALL that he has done for me. I was thinking today how I need to live each day as if I was going to see my Savior tomorrow. How much more peace this thought would bring.

Second I am grateful for my husband and children. Jay is more than my best friend. He is my soul friend. I trust him with my soul thoughts and words. I never feel that he is judging or comparing me to others. I am salt and he is the pepper. We are so different in many ways and yet so alike that our conversations never lull. I am soooo grateful that my children have the father that they do. I am grateful for the chance I have to be a mother. My girls bring so much love and joy into my life. I find that since I have had children my SOUL laughs more than it ever has. I am sooo grateful that I can be with my family forever!!!!

I am grateful for the choices that I made in my youth (going to college, going on a mission, dating decisions, pursuing my dreams, getting married in the temple, having children ....). My cup overfloweth when I think of how the good decisions I made years ago have made my life so complete now. I am living every dream I have ever dreamed of. Now I need to start thinking of others. I just got released from being in the Young Women's and now I am working in the Primary. I have said so many prayers for the youth in my ward and it is so rewarding to see them make excellent choices in their lives. I love working with the youth of the church because it was the leaders in my youth that helped me make the choices I made that have brought me so much happiness.

Lastly, I am grateful for wonderful friends. I love reading all of your blogs and learning from each of you. Stephanie Waite's blog on the death of her daughter this past week has given me so much strength in my own life. I am so grateful that she is being so open with all of her friends and allowing us to learn from her. That is what the scriptures teach us "to morn with those that morn and comfort those in need of comfort..." I love being able to hear about all of your lives. To pray, mourn, worry, laugh, and learn with and from you. Thank you for your blogs!!! I love you for them!!!

Tag

Tag

I've been tagged by "Tara Lemos" www.ptllemos.blogspot.com/
Okay here are the rules:You link back to the person who tagged you
Post these rules on your blog
Share six unimportant things about yourself
Tag six random people at the end of your entry. Let the tagged people know by leaving a comment on their blogs
Enjoy the results!

6 UnImPorTaNt tHinGs aBouT mE....
1.I do not really like chocolate I will eat it on occasion, but put a brownie or piece of chocolate cake in front of me and I have to hold back from gagging.

2.When at BYU I was in the African American Choir on campus for a few semesters (I was one of two who wasn't African American). It was SOOO fun to sing and perform with them.

3.Growing up my family was really big on riding motorcycles. We would go once a month for a long weekend to the desert and ride. I had my own bike and gear and loved to ride on the dunes of Glamis National Park in California or on the beaches of Mexico.

4.I played the oboe for three years in my middle school band.

5.At 18 yrs. of age I broke my jaw and had it wired shut for 4 weeks (lost 20 pounds on the all liquid diet).

6.Got robbed twice on my mission, but the second time I caught the robber off guard and asked him for the items back and he gave them to me. I almost passed out it was so intense!

I tag Melanie, Raena, Rachel, Heidi, and Gina

Affordable, Comfortable and Cute!

To any of you who are looking for cute clothes at a very reasonable price Downeast Basics is the place to go. Right now they are having amazing sales on blouses, dresses and undershirts. I just bought this dress for only $12.99 and I love it. It fits so well, is plenty long and the fabric is so soft it feels like you are wearing pajamas. You can wear it casual or spice it up with a long necklace and earrings. Check out the website www.downeastbasics.com

Daddy loves to take pictures of his princesses

Jay LOVES to take pictures of the girls! I love that he does too because I have never been one to take a lot of pictures. One thing he loves to do is to take pictures of Maddy right before we go to church. As soon as Jay sees Maddy in her church dress he goes right for the camera. She has become our resident model. What a princess! Her daddy loves her so much!

Kaelyn says the cutest things

It is funny how different each child is. Everyone always told me that each one would have their own unique personality. Kaelyn and Maddy are sooo different. For example compare the audio clips of Maddy and Kaelyn at the same age. We love having Kaelyn in our family! She is such a happy little baby!!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO KAELYN

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO MADELYN (4 mo. old)

Potty Time!

Maddy officially went potty in the potty twice today. I keep thinking she is too young to start potty training, but she keeps asking to go on the potty and today she actually went. She was so excited!

My Love Bugs

I love having two kids! Maddy has been the best big sister from day one with Kaelyn. I was so worried that she was going to hurt the baby, but although she has threatened to hit her a few times to get my attention she has never physically done anything. In fact she loves to play with her, feed her and hold her. When Kaelyn cries from waking up from a nap Maddy is the first to hear her and boldly announces, "Baby crying" and then usually sprints to her room to get her. Their grandma got this walker for Kaelyn since our floors are all wood and she just recently got strong enough to hold herself up in it. It has fun buttons on the front of it that play different tunes and are sensitive enough that when Kaelyn jerks her hands around they go off. One of Maddy and Kaelyn's favorite things to do is have Kaelyn press the music buttons and then Maddy dances or they both play with the buttons. While they are playing they will laugh and look right at each other. It is soooo cute!! A year ago when I found out I was pregnant with Kaelyn I remember worrying if she was going to get enough love and attention as Maddy did and a good friend told me that the second child now has three people instead of just mom and dad to show them love. She was right and Maddy is doing a really good job at loving her sister!