At Grandpa and Grandma Alfords July 2008

I took the kids to see David's Dad last summer and they had a ball. I didn't blog about it at the time because we went from their house to my dear friend Michelle's and then came home to start getting ready for school and the chaos that follows. I had always planned to do it and then the house flooded and it went way down on the priority list and then I forgot. So I was talking to Michelle tonight and pulled out the pictures from last summer and thought that I would finally post a blog about the fun the kids and I had with their Grandparents. For those of you who don't know Grandma, She loves to have fun activities for the kids when we come. I am missing some pictures of some of them but I do have pictures of their water day. They also made windsocks, and played in bubbles and a few more things.

Here is Brandon holding up a sponge bomb that Grandma made. They had a great time throwing them at each other and then playing in the hose!

They took turns for a little while.

But then they started to play in the buckets!

I guess they thought that it was cooler in the buckets.

But the best fun of all was when Grandma took the hose and started spraying the kids. She had a great time and so did the kids.

All that water was fun but Grandma had even more fun planned! She loaded everyone up in the trailer and then drove them down to the river behind the property to play!!

While we were down there the kids saw this butterfly! It was very friendly and landed on Alecia! She had a great time playing with it.

She even got a chance to look at it really well! She was very fascinated.

The Butterfly also liked Katie's flowers!

Bethany was completely worn out!

Jared got to go fishing with Grandpa and he caught a Fish!!!!

Jared also had fun cooking with Grandma.

Grandma works really hard on her gardens and here is a sample of what she gets back from them! I just loved the sunflowers!

All good things must come to an end and we had to leave to finish our vacation. We really had a great time and hope to be able to do it again this summer!! Here is a picture of the kids and Grandpa and Grandma! We love you guys and hope you are enjoying Japan and our Cousins and Aunt and Uncle!!!

The Dream!

Slothful, not a wise servant, lazy, sinful, procrastinator, glutinous, .... the list could continue but I just don't want to think of any more. What is the list of you might ask. It is a list of things that I am. I must strive harder to be the person that I dream of being. You know the Cool Aid mom! I want to be the mom that all kids think is awesome. The one that can have dinner on the table, homework done, laundry completed, baths finished, play time included and still have time to be beautiful when my dear hubby comes home and not grouchy. (Sigh) Yeah you know The Dream. The one that says we must be perfect in all ways in order to be who we are supposed to be. Well this post started off pretty weird but I am starting to feel a little better.

Okay I want to be the mother who manages to get up with scripture study and personal prayers every morning, breakfast on the table, clothes out and ready to go so that there are no delays as we get together and have family prayers in the morning before we all go on our merry little ways. And then when the kids are at school I want to volunteer at the hospital and keep and immaculate house and yard. Have a beautiful productive garden in which I am able to put up a full year of yummy food from the bountiful harvest. I want to have my visiting teaching done by the 15th of each month and still have time to spend with my mom and sisters. I want to be full of energy the mom who is perfect in looks at all time you know the ones. Their hair is never out of place and they always look like they have an endless wardrobe and never are overweight. I want to exercise everyday and stay away from chocolate and offer my service to the ward members who are in need of a helping hand. I want to be the best member missionary and the best family history specialist go to the temple once a week and still find the time for my children to have their activities. You know dance, karate, personal voice lessons, piano lessons and gymnastics. I want to give my children every opportunity so of course I want to teach them how to bake bread and make meals from scratch and definitely not have sandwiches 5 out of the 7 nights of the week. I want to be the person that I see in my head but I don't see in me.

I want to be the person with the stories of how they were sitting and felt the spirit tell them to do something and they did. I want to think I need to finish something and then do it. I want to sew, decorate, and in short be a wonderful home maker. Wow I want to be perfect. Can you believe that I want to be perfect and I want it now. How in the world do I go about my daily life and give myself so much grief. When I start to think of what I am not I get overwhelmed to the point of thinking well I can't have it all so I just going to read and that is my biggest vice of all reading I love to read. I love to sit for hours with a good book and go into another world in which the characters have problems and then they overcome them. I love to think of how it would be if I were that person and were able to do the same miraculous things. Soooooo with all that said, I know that it is necessary to take life one day and one thing at a time. I know that I am not a bad person in fact I am way better than just average because I am a daughter of God with all the potential that it entails. I know that with faith in the Lord Jesus Christ I can do all things that are expedient to return home to my Father in Heaven. One day, one goal, one step at a time I can have the dream. I can have it all but it may not be in this life and it may not all be at the same time. I pray that we all strive to give ourselves some slack and realize that we have great potential if we strive to perfect ourselves one day, one step, one thing at a time.

Cool Give Away!

I just learned about Mormon Mommy Blog and found that they have a really cool give away for food storage stuff going on right now. So go over to my side bar and click on the icon and follow the instructions for Shelf Reliance give away.

Young Women General Conference

I have always loved to go to general conference sessions. I learn a lot and renew my devotion to my Savior. Today was wonderful. I remembered all day that the 2009 Young Women General Conference of the Church was to start at 7pm. I wasn't feeling well so I took a nap and woke up from it quickly and asked Katie what time it was. She said that it was 6:44 pm we had 16 minutes to get dressed and to the church thank goodness we live so close. We were there by 7:03 a little late they were already singing the opening song.

I really enjoyed the talks. They encouraged the girls and mothers to return to virtue. It is imperative it our times to be virtuous as mothers to teach our daughters to be virtuous also. How hard it is to remember that many of the things considered normal and acceptable in today's world are so far off the mark of virtue. I renewed my desire to be more virtuous and have decided to work on the Young Women Value program with my daughter Alecia and then as many times as necessary to do it with each of my other 4 girls. I love them soooo much and want them to understand that they are daughters of a Heavenly Father who loves each one of them personally. He wants them to be the best that they can be and desires for them to be examples to His other children who do not have the same standards as they have. What a great responsibility I have as there mother to teach them to follow in the Saviors footsteps along the paths of Righteousness. It is my continued prayer that they will stand firm, steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments. I love them so much and pray for guidance as I try to direct them in their lives.

Man Sense!!!! Really????

Okay, so I know that is a really strange title so let me explain. Friday, Alecia and Brandon had a youth activity out at a lake near our town. As we were leaving Brandon informed everyone that he knew exactly where we were going and would not let anyone dissuade him from his belief. Alecia even said that the lake was awful big but he still was adamant. Then I said something similar to Alecia and asked him how he knew where we were going and his answer, are you ready for this yeah I guess I already gave it to you, "Man Sense" LOL So after I finish laughing, (you got to admit that it is hilarious) I tell him that he could tell me where to turn but he had to tell me before I did anything to give away the turn like slow down or put on my blinkers. So he's like really into it still acting all macho HeHeHe . Of course the first few turns were right He knew the general direction but then he told me to turn at the first sign and I had to go another 10 or so miles to the next one. So he officially got the title "full of crud" Ya I know I shouldn't have used something so close to the bad word but I let it slip. Then I let him know that this event was totally blog worthy and his cute statement was " There goes my Life" LOL So melodramatic. I just love it.

Photo update

This cat has adopted our family. I refuse to say that it is our cat however the kids have been feeding it and it has definitely stayed. The kids decided to name him Napoleon. Not sure why!!!


Krystal had a birthday. Isn't she beautiful. Here she is with all her LOOT! She loves that shirt and bought a skirt and shoes to match with her Birthday money from Grandma H. and Auntie Sandy and Uncle Ray. She also got some tennis shoes, pencils, and a notebook with her money Saturday!

Katie had her first birthday slumber party since she is in the 5th grade. She invited several girls but one got sick and I forgot to ask two of the girls moms so only one came. However it was still a very fun time for her. Here she is with her friend.

Katie loves her Nintendo DS and wanted to get a Pokemon game. David and I got her the one that she wanted. I really love that smile!

Bethany (with her Christmas Guitar), and Krystal.

Jared and Jessica just love to pose for the camera!

So does Bethany!

Here is a picture of all 6 cakes at my brother's house for the family February party. Reighn and Katie turned 11, Tori turned 15, Russell turned 17, Krystal turned 9, and Theresa turned ????? not gonna say.

Success!!!

The Storage Shed is Empty!!!!! Yay!!! I can finally breathe and not worry about the darn thing. Sorry Michelle my bear wasn't in it. I was really hoping to find it.