Mommy Monday!

Oops, I lost my Monday! So here is my Mommy Monday on a Tuesday!

Let every mother realize that she has no greater blessing than the children who have come to her as a gift from the Almighty,...I remind mothers everywhere of the sanctity of your calling. No other can adequately take your place. No responsibility is greater, no obligation more binding than that you rear in love and peace and integrity those whom you have brought into the world"
-Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley

Music!

Aunt M.P. has a rockin' IPod and the boys just love that thing! She has about a million songs on it, some movies, and music videos. R loves this song and the video that comes with it!
boomp3.com
(I think he could listen to it all day!)

Bloom!

My tulips have started to bloom as well as my little cherry tree! I love it!

Science Center!

On Friday the boys and I played hooky and went to the science center with some friends. I love that place! It is the coolest ever, we got to see the first part of it, but then had to leave so I could go on a date w/my J :-) The boys loved the sea creatures, dino room, the bug exhibit (but R thought the butterfly room was creepy!) the shadow making room, bowling ball experiment, L loved the 5 & under play land, I thought everything was great!
The boys thought it was just totally awesome too, we got a years pass so we can go back, I can't wait!

Catch-up!

Life sure does get busy, I missed Friday Favorites, among other things!

J has been busy making me a raised square foot garden, getting out a big stump on the side of our yard, cutting down a 1/2 dead giant tree, and ordered a load of gravel and top soil. So needless to say it looks like a construction zone out there...the boys LOVE it! I can't wait til its all done and looks normal :-)

Getting Ready!

Kindergarten registration is here...Yikes! L will be 5 next month so that means he gets to go to school this September, how in the world did my baby get so old?!
So I asked him if he was ready:

Me - Are you ready for Kindergarten L?
L - I don't know?
Me - Well, lets see...hmmm....uh, can you eat a snack?
L - Yes!
Me - Sweet! Ok, can you...uh...go potty all by yourself?
L - Yeah!
Me - Oh-Yeah!....OK, can you.....color?
L - (Big smile) Yes!
Me - Wait, I mean,....can you color with markers?
L - (hands in the air) Yes!
Me - Can you spell your 1st name?
L - Yes, (then he does it)
Me - Can you spell your last name?
L - Uh...its hard...
Me - That's OK, we'll practice -K-!
L - OK!
Me - Do you know all your letters?
L - I Fink So
Me - Should we practice more?
L - Yes! (then sings his ABC song)
Me - Can you count?
L - Yes, but I need to practice.
Me - OK! Now....can you...cut with scissors?
L - YES!
Me - Wait....can you play on a playground?
L - OhYeah!
Me - So are you gonna be ready?!
L - YES!

We also have large windows and so I painted the alphabet, some numbers, our names and last name, and the days of the week. He is so stinkin' cute, and he is pretty excited for school to come his way, he has been very willing to practice anything that will help him be ready!

Dragon!

Every Monday morning we have aerobics at my friend M.W.'s house. L playes with her daughter A and her toddler son T. A loves to dress up in her princess costumes, and this morning she pulled out a dragon costume for L. He instantly put it on and fell in love with it. So M told L he could take it home and keep it! So sweet! So after running some errands, we got home and L instantly donned on his new identity: ...Bad Dragon!

Mommy Monday!

The Joys of Motherhood
By Petrea Kelly
Motherhood is joyful. It is exciting, challenging, and fun; it demands all our best efforts. Motherhood is creation of children and of the homes to nurture them in. Motherhood is partnership with husbands and the Lord. May we all catch a glimmer of the splendor we can create in our own outposts of the kingdom of God.

Friday Favorites!

1. Feeling Good - I'm starting to feel so much better, my fight with April is coming to an end! This morning I woke up and didn't feel like someone had stolen all my "batteries", I feel like I'm starting to Wake Up! I'm down to 3 pills instead of 4, and my inhaler use has slowed down too! I love feeling healthy, especially after feeling so sick!

2. Diet Squirt - When I was a little girl I remember my Dad drinking Squirt, I loved it then just because he drank it. I always thought that the name Squirt sounded sour, so when I'd take a sip of his soda I would make a face and say, "ooh, that's sour huh Dad!" And he'd always agree! Now as an adult I love to grab a diet Squirt every now and then, and this week I've had a hankerin' for some and so I got a few 2-liters of it. My boys love to sneak sips of my soda, just like when I was little with my Dad! (I know I've posted about Diet Squirt before, but this week its a favorite again!)


3. Bikes - J aired up the tires of L's bike, and I got him a new helmet (Lily the dog ate the other one!) and got R a bigger bike at the Goodwill for $7.50, they are loving it, and the weather has been so nice that it is so easy to go outside and hop on the bikes and ride around!

4. Blogging - I love blogging! It is fun to read others' blogs, but I love posting on mine! It is so fast and it looks so nice, I never have time to write journals, or make scrapbooks like I'd want to, so Blogging is the perfect alternative. I print every post and put it in a binder, this is the family journal/scrapbook! When we got to make a package to send to J I just gabbed all the postings I had done since he left and sent them to him and that way he could read up on all the funnies and happenings at home. The boys love going on our blog and seeing their pictures, R will even sit down and look at the binder like it is a book.

5. Visiting Family - Any visits with family and friends is just fabulous! A few days ago after J got off work we drove down to his Sis M's house where his 2 other sisters D and J were there with Bro-in-Law B. We got to meet our niece M for the 1st time, she was a cutie! Niece H and L hit is off big time, we hung out and had dinner at Applebee's, it was a nice little visit!

I'm so Glad When Daddy Comes home!

J is home! Hooray!!!!!

This song kept going through my head "Daddy's Homecoming"

Yesterday we cleaned the house top to bottom, packed a few snacks and drove to the base to be checked through a few security checkpoints, bused down to the pier, and then wait for hours for J's sub to dock. The Navy had a clown couple doing face painting and balloon animals for the kidos, the boys picked sword balloons, then R got a leprechaun on his hand and L got a Lion on his hand. There were cookies, soda, and juice as well. We only froze a little, the boys were practically angels, and then there he was, the man of the hour! After some huggin we got to go on the sub with J and get his stuff, the boys loved crawling around his bunk and using the subs bathroom! Afterwards we got bused back to the jeep and went to Applebees for some grub. It is so nice to have him home, J is one great fella, we just love him so much!

Mommy Monday!

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Heber J. Grant

Motherhood is near to divinity. It is the highest, holiest service to be assumed by mankind. It places her who honors its holy calling and service next to the angels. To you mothers in Israel we say God bless and protect you, and give you the strength and courage, the faith and knowledge, the holy love and consecration to duty, that shall enable you to fill to the fullest measure the sacred calling which is yours. To you mothers and mothers-to-be we say: Be chaste, keep pure, live righteously, that your posterity to the last generation may call you blessed.
Message from the First Presidency, in Conference Report, Oct. 1942, 12–13

My wonderful Calling:

One Awesome Day!

This morning I woke up "One year older and wiser too". The boys and I started the day off right...we had ice cream cake (from the girls camp auction last night) straight out of the box on the couch while watching SpongeBob! Then we went to R's team pictures, had a wonderful lunch at the Airport Cafe watching 2-seater airplanes take off and land, a nice visit to the library, and then off to R's 1st game! It was in the 70's today, so sunny and bright, perfectly awesome!
R amazed me, he's only made it to a few practices with me getting sick and J being deployed, so I wasn't sure how the game would go. His first time at bat he smacked that ball! He never struck out, and he did pretty good on the outfield too. It was just so much fun! We all had a great time!

Friday Favorites!

1. Crystal Light packets - Sometimes I have a hard time drinking water, and I'm a bit of a pop-a-holic, and so these little H2O flavor packets are just perfect!

2. Courage - I get lost so easily, I mean VERY easily, like if I blink too much during traffic I will lose my way! Before we got our cell phones I had gotten Very lost in a city not too far from me, I didn't know where I was or how to find my way for 45 long minutes, if the boys hadn't been with me I'd have been bawling! But they were there and so I kept my cool. Well, I went back to that city today (with my charged phone just in case) and I drove around, went to a few stores and made my way out like it was nothing!

3. A new book series - My friend M lent me the "Fishers of Men" series by Gerald N. Lund. It is a 3 book series that is set during the time Jesus was living on the earth. I have just started the first one, but am very excited about them!

4. Long Showers - I have to admit that I love to take very long showers to unwind. But I'm not the only one. When R is getting very cranky I tell him to go take a shower, he usually gives me a terrible look and pouts his way in there, but 30 minutes later he emerges a clean smelling happy kid! Yesterday I did this after he had forgotten his homework, and so last night he had a whole weeks worth to do, I made him do all of it and by the end he was as crabby and stressed as can be. So then I said, hop in the shower and stay there til the hot water runs out. He came out feeling so much better and was our R that is fun to be around!

5. Unplugged - I told the boys the X-Box got broken and I stashed it away. L went through serious gaming withdrawals, but it has been so good! He has become unplugged! J also took L's DS with him when he went underway, so right now there is only one DS for 2 boys and they are pretty much waiting til the the other one comes home to play with them. I am seriously considering canceling Satellite, but I have to wait to talk that over with J when he gets back!

Yummy!

Oatmeal either gets eaten fast in our home, or sits on our shelves forever. J, R and I have all go through oatmeal phases. L has never liked the stuff, but I would offer it to him.
The other day I asked L if he wanted oatmeal. He said, "NO! That stuff looks like boogers, I think I don't want to eat boogers!" It was so funny, so I promised him that I'd never make him eat oatmeal since it disgusts him.
So now you know...
This turns into this

My Little Side-Kick...

L is my fun little side-kick! He is so headstrong, sometimes so independent, smart, funny, sarcastic, cute, hilarious, frustrating, joy infusing, make me laugh, awesome, make me grateful to be a Mom, almost 5 year old! Yesterday he was my little helper, he washed dishes with me made is own toast picked flowers for me

And lately he has been obsessed with band aides. Any scratch, bump, bruise, or owie deserves its very own band aide. I have been finding them all over the place, the one on the wall just cracked me up, what was he thinking?!
I just love my L!

Childrens Museum!

We got to go to the Children's Museum at our State capitol! It was so much fun! We went with the W family and the W family; with my 2 boys we had a total of 10 kids to us 3 Moms, crazy and so worth it! It was very busy there, but the kids all played non-stop for 3 hours. When we left I asked R is he liked it and he said he did, but next time he wishes we'd stay longer, and L agreed. So next time none of this measly 3hr play time, they want me to make it an all day fun-fest! I liked it because they used up so much imagination, and there were places I could sit (still sick) while I watched them play. I am seriously considering the year pass, that place rocks!

Conference Weekend!

For Conference weekend I invited some friends over to watch it with the boys and I. They came over for second session on Saturday and would have come over on Sunday if L hadn't been up til 5am feeling yucky on Saturday night!
So on Saturday I had the boys play with playdoh while I had the TV on up loud so they could hear it but not be restless. We had lunch with our friends, had a pinata for M's b-day and watched conference. I totally loved it, I'm so grateful that we were able to watch it at home and feel the spirit. I am so grateful for our church leaders, and for our new prophet Thomas S. Monson!
Sunday I was able to watch exactly half of each session, the other half for each I totally slept, that happens when you get only a few hours of sleep the night before! I sure am glad that I can read/listen to it online.

Trip to the Zoo!

On Thursday the 3rd we went to the Point Defiance Zoo with Aunt MP and friend G with her 4 kids. It was way too much fun! It was super busy there, more kids than I'd ever seen at the zoo; so everyone had the same great idea as we did!
I packed up some lunches in my big bag, then had L and R take backpacks in with all the gear and food they'd need. Too bad R decided he was hungry early and ate most of his food before we even got to the zoo! But I had enough food to share and that ravenous 8 year old didn't starve!
The weather was perfect, sunny but not hot. The animals were all out, we got to see the whales do a few tricks,and the outdoor show with the birds. We even found Aunt M with her kids and her friend with her kids! I started to get sick, but was able to survive thanks to R's inhaler and some Excedrin. All in all it was one great day!

Mommy Monday

“Because She Is a Mother”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

When you have come to the Lord in meekness and lowliness of heart and, as one mother said, “pounded on the doors of heaven to ask for, to plead for, to demand guidance and wisdom and help for this wondrous task,” that door is thrown open to provide you the influence and the help of all eternity. Claim the promises of the Savior of the world. Ask for the healing balm of the Atonement for whatever may be troubling you or your children. Know that in faith things will be made right in spite of you, or more correctly, because of you.

You can’t possibly do this alone, but you do have help. The Master of Heaven and Earth is there to bless you—He who resolutely goes after the lost sheep, sweeps thoroughly to find the lost coin, waits everlastingly for the return of the prodigal son. Yours is the work of salvation, and therefore you will be magnified, compensated, made more than you are and better than you have ever been as you try to make honest effort, however feeble you may sometimes feel that to be.

Remember, remember all the days of your motherhood: “Ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.” 2 Nephi 31:19

Rely on Him. Rely on Him heavily. Rely on Him forever. And “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope.” 2 Ne. 31:20. You are doing God’s work. You are doing it wonderfully well. He is blessing you and He will bless you, even—no, especially—when your days and your nights may be the most challenging. Like the woman who anonymously, meekly, perhaps even with hesitation and some embarrassment, fought her way through the crowd just to touch the hem of the Master’s garment, so Christ will say to the women who worry and wonder and sometimes weep over their responsibility as mothers, “Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole.” Matt. 9:22 And it will make your children whole as well.

In the sacred and holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

April, We Meet Again...

I've missed Mommy Monday and there won't be a Friday Favorites, and I've yet to post about our Zoo trip, all because I'm allergic to April.
It started a few years back, every April I'd get a bad cold. Then a friend told me it was probably allergies, she was right.
Last year my bad cold turned into something else when April came to visit, I got sick as a dog with Bronchitis and Asthma. It happened on my trip to Utah and I got to visit an emergency room, woohoo!
But of course I never really think about how mean April is to me until April gets here. Boy was I excited that April arrived, I welcomed her with open arms, and then I felt a funny tickle in my chest. No worries I thought, then at the Zoo I was stealing R's inhaler ever 2 hours! So yesterday I told on April to the Doc, who gave me 4 Rx's and told me next year during the safety of March to come in and get the meds I need to battle April.
Man April is tough, I sure got my butt kicked!

Yee-Ha!

So I survived Finals week, but by how much?
Well....for Teaching as a Profession I got 1000 points out of a possible 1000!
For Algebra I got 948 points out of a possible 1000, so an A for that as well!
I've had straight A's since I started University of Phoenix in November 2006. I've had two A- so my GPA is 3.95.
Yee-Ha!