Something's Missing

Image found here

I have come to the conclusion that the children are missing something in their magical little lives. And I'm determined that they get that something.

In preparation, I have spent the week dreaming and researching and sketching and plotting it out. Because a Fairy Garden takes dreaming and researching and sketching and plotting. You have to find the right miniature plants to welcome little fairies. I think I have settled on some. And I have found some magical accessories.

Once I had these ideas gathered, I presented them to the children and I watched as smiles spread across their cute little mugs. And the girls have added their ideas of the perfect fairy garden retreat.

It's a tricky thing, fairy gardens. Especially in this desert environment. But I feel confident we can pull it off. And now is the perfect time for planting. So, we will spend next week during their fall break getting it all planted and built. And then all the little fairies with no place to go will come and inhabit a little section of our very own backyard.

Everyone needs to dream of a fairy garden. I'm confident that once the garden is planted, the children won't want for anything- it will definitely take care of what was missing in all our lives.

What would you plant in your fairy garden?

Tune In Tuesday

You're Back!

Welcome to

Tune In Tuesday!

I'd like to introduce you to Nathan over at Talkaholics Anonymous.

Nathan's brilliant execution of the *Tangent* is something I can relate to.

So, in a way, I feel like we are kindred spirits.

(Tangent)

One of my favorite series of all time is Anne of Green Gables.

Have you read it? Seen the movies?

Nathan is like the Moody Spurgeon to my Anne.

(End Tangent)

My favorite of all his stuff is his series entitled Cult Chronicles.

You can find them here, here, here, here, here and here.

And now he's following it up with a new series entitled Office Outtakes

that I have to admit I am quite interested in because it focuses on the foibles of his co-workers.

And the husband is one of those co-workers.

Office Outtakes could provide for some insight into the working wonder that is the husband.

Plus, what can endear you more to a person

than if he watches Barbie movies with his daughter?

I know.

Nothing.

After you read his post

head on over to Nathan's place.

And don't forget to Swap Howdies!!

*****************************************

It's fitting that LLLW (Laughing at Life's Little Wedgies) wrote about Christmas last week, because it felt like Christmas when she asked me to guest post on her blog.

Since she is so good at telling a funny story and applying a moral, all in a nice little package, I thought it'd be best to try the same format for my post.

Then, after 3 hours of bashing my head onto my desk trying to think of something deep, I finally gave up and decided it would be best to stick to my roots and just tell an anecdotal story from my past (or in this case, my dad's past).

Let me also clarify that while I'm teasing my dad a little, the apple definitely doesn't fall far from the tree.

My Dad and the Civic

My dad used to drive a Volkswagen Beetle (one of the new ones with a built-in flower vase). He got it silver to match his hair.

(Tangent)
He thought the vase was a pen holder until I pointed out what it was really for. After giving him a moment to let it sink in, I thought he'd be slightly embarrassed about driving a car clearly made for a girl.

No such luck. He asked me to get a red rose bud for it.
(End Tangent)

When he bought a new car, he didn't want to go down and haggle with the dealership, so he negotiated the entire thing over the phone. He wanted a Honda Civic. He wanted it silver (again, to match his hair). He wanted it to have a CD player for his Mo Tab and Gaither CDs.

Once they agreed on a price, he went down and drove his new "silver bullet" off the lot.

A few months later, around Christmastime, he and the Civic spent one evening zipping around town, delivering pumpkin chocolate chip bread (way better than pumpkin chocolate chip cookies) to friends and family. This is one of our Christmas traditions.

(Tangent)
My dad is all about efficiency, and while I don't know this for sure, it wouldn't surprise me to find out he had his map all marked out ahead of time with the route traced in red ink.
(End Tangent)

As he stopped at each house, he got increasingly irritated with the Civic. He had all the plates of bread in the back seat, and he couldn't get the seat to shift nearly as far forward as it did in his beloved Beetle.

So, there he was, at each house, squeezing his shoulders into the sliver of space between the chair and the door frame, using a flashlight to find the plate with the correct label.

He was livid. LI. VID.

Now, fast forward a few days.

My dad was helping a friend deliver Poinsettias to people and they decided to take the Civic. At the first stop, my dad once again wedged himself into the crack to pull out one of the plants.

I'm sure it brought back all the frustration (and perspiration) from the other night.

The next stop, it was my dad's friend's turn to get one of the plants. He got out of the car, opened the back door and pulled it out.

The. Back. Door.

It had been months, and my dad never noticed he now owned a car with four doors.

When One Door's Open, Another Door Closes

After attending an assembly to honor our very own middle daughter as Student of the Month, the husband and I had a hot date Friday night.

That is, until our babysitter canceled on us and we had to make alternate plans.

Still, we had a hot date. We just took 3 extra little people along.

We enjoyed an evening of ballet under the stars. It truly was a lovely evening once the evening air finally cooled off after a day of 105 degree temperatures.

We spread our denim blankets and hunkered down for an evening of pirouettes, jetes and plies.

As we waited for the ballerinas to take the stage, a trio of women claimed a little lawn space near our denim-claimed area. The husband politely moved a corner of blanket out of the way so the women would be allowed a bit more footage. One of the women pulled the blanket back her direction and plopped her little backside right down on the denim- inches from the husband's lap. And there she remained- sharing our little denim blanket for the duration of the ballet. Never mind that we could have used the space she occupied.

The dancers were beautiful and the children sat at attention, noting each leap with sheer pleasure. Oldest daughter's only lament was that she didn't wear that tutu that she originally thought to wear. Middle daughter spread out on her cute little tummy facing the stage, her face in her hands and thrilled with each graceful dancer. And she kept reminding us that it was our pleasure to have the Student of the Month in our presence.

Once the last ballerina had taken her final curtsy, the husband and the children ventured out to see if they could discover a little geocache treasure hidden right behind the stage. As they treasure hunted, I laid on the blanket and gazed up at the stars. Because, who wouldn't take advantage of a night under the stars? And I could see just about 15. Darn those city lights!

But, while I was laying there, I heard little feet running up to me and expected that my little family was returning. The closer the footsteps got, the less they sounded like any of my little footsteppers. And sure enough, a little girl ran right up to me, looked in my face and turned and ran the other way, realizing I was not her mommy.

Following an unsuccessful hunt, my brood returned and we made our way to the sea of cars in the parking lot. As we got nearer and nearer to where we parked, we could see a white van- its sliding door wide open. Could that be ours? Um, yes it could. And it was.

After inspecting the car, we found everything to be intact- right down to the checkbook in the glove compartment. And decided that we must have left the door open. Who does that? And we decided that it was a good thing that the ballet took place far away from our side of the valley, because had we been in our neck of the woods, that car would have been stripped clean. Plus, I think we were blessed.

Once we pulled in our garage and began unloading the car, I went to the trunk to retrieve the blankets. I had an armful and decided to take in half of the load and return for the rest. On my way in the house, I cautioned the children to leave the garage door open because the trunk of the car was still up.

No sooner had I made it inside the house than I hear the husband yelling something with voice elevated at unnatural decibels. And I didn't have to guess twice what the situation was. Our very own Student of the Month had pushed the garage door remote button and the door had crunched against the trunk.

And to make matters worse, I also sternly scolded middle daughter.

I don't know why I did that. I'm fairly certain she understood that she had done something wrong. I should have left it alone. Lesson learned: no need to harp on the children- they know when they have done wrong.

The garage door was bowed a bit, but there was no mark on the car. All was ok afterall- and truly- the car is just a thing. Nothing with lasting significance. I'm pretty sure that our relationship with little daughter will far outlast that of our relationship with the white people mover that is our van.

Another lesson learned: when one door's open, another door closes.

Tune in Tuesday for another awesome guest poster!! You know you can't wait. And neither can I!

Rise and Shout!!

It's Game Day!!

Do you know where your BYU Cougars are?

The #19 Cougars are in Provo

taking on the Rams of Colorado State.

Cougars Win!!

BYU 42 Colorado State 23

Jingle Bells

I can't help it.

I'm thinking Christmas.

We are just three months away

from a visit from Saint Nick!

Do you remember my post last year about

The Santa Claus Book by Alden Perkes?

I just wanted to plug the book again.

Because now would be a great time to order it on Amazon

so that it will be here for the holiday season.

And you can spend your chilly evenings

cuddled up with little ones

while you read from its pages

and fill their little minds with wonder.

It's magical.

Do you mind if I make just one more

itty bitty suggestion?

K.

Hop on over to twitter.com

and sign up to become a follower of

SantaClaus25

It's the real Santa, you guys!

And when you get tweets from him,

share them with your kids.

And they will feel the magic.

Last year oldest daughter's favorite tweets

were the ones where he told how many

kids went on the naughty list

for a particular day.

Middle daughter loves when he

writes beautiful things to people.

And little son loved hearing about those

crazy elves and their shenanigans.

And we made sure that we

tweeted Santa to let him know

our Christmas list.

Just a few suggestions

to make your Christmas season

even more enjoyable.

You're more than welcome!

P.S. Today middle daughter is being presented as

Student of the Month.

We have not purchased a

cell phone

for her.

What kind of parents are we?

Paranoia and Vinyl Stickers

Paranoia can be a positive thing. Right? I have to believe that it can.

I recently shuttled my darling girls to school, arriving with time to spare before the bell.

I am in the habit of stopping the car right in front of the kindergarten gate- so I can watch middle daughter enter her classroom.

This particular day, there was no spot for me by the kinder gate, so I pulled up to the curb- several car lengths back.

Middle daughter jumped out of the car after so graciously bestowing her sloppy kisses on my cheek. And her little kindergarten self was away so fast that I barely had time to blink. My instinct was to call her back so that oldest daughter could walk her up to her classroom, but there was no time- she was off.

So I watched her little princess backpacked back as she skipped merrily away. And then I was granted more wet kisses from a little 2nd grade cutie as she jumped out of the car and met a couple of her little girlfriends with hugs and off they skipped to the playground.

When my attention finally turned back to the little kinder girl, she was nowhere in sight. Immediately I started wondering if she had in fact made it to her classroom. And then I started taking mental note of every car in front of me. Believing that it was totally conceivable that anyone of them could have snatched her up and taken her while I was busy bidding adieu to my 2nd grader.

I noted the truck, with the annoying high-heeled devil/angel silhouette vinyl stickers on the rear window. Am I the only one who doesn't like those? I have to believe there are others out there who don't particularly fancy them. And do they have a name?

And I checked where the teachers on duty were standing. My rational side kept assuring me that for sure she had made it into her class. Don't worry.

So I drove home and tried to put it out of my mind- my rational self trying to convince the paranoid self to just let it go. But I couldn't. I kept running the scenarios in my mind.

All I could think of were the stories about people in terrible situations and in retrospect, proclaiming that they should have listened to their gut.

And so I surrendered. And I called the little kindergarten classroom. And asked the teacher if my little girl had indeed made it into class.

And she was there. In her desk. Safe.

And I was relieved. Paranoid, but relieved.

***my sincerest apologies to the husband who never knew that our middle daughter was presumably kidnapped until now. because i could not bear the embarrassment of telling him about my paranoia. also, i didn't want to reconfirm to him that i can be a little silly sometimes. really, i can- hard to believe, i know. and i guess i was a little paranoid that he might be a tad bit upset if i lost our daughter. i would have told him. eventually.

alert

just a little heads up:

if you and i trade babysitting once a week

and my car battery dies in your driveway

when i drop off little son,

don't offer your car to me

so that i can make it to my presidency meeting on time.

because my car could be contagious

and it is possible

that your car battery

may be dead within 5 hours.

Tune In Tuesday

Welcome to

Laughing at Life's Little Wedgies

second ever installment of

Tune In Tuesday!

Today's guest post is provided by cute little Wonder Woman of

a*may*zing: Wonder Woman taking on the world.

I have loved following her blog- her family is all Super Heroes.

And she has a little Super Hero bun in the oven.

One of the things I love about her blog is that it is all real.

She recently wrote her love story- in full.

The whole story of her courtship with her Superman.

It's a good little read.

So, before you go and clean your bathroom-

read Wonder Woman's post

and then click on over to her blog.

And swap howdies.

And add her to your blogroll.

I just wanted to say thank you to Stephanie for giving me the opportunity to be part of her world. A blog is a person's own special place, and I'm honored that she invited me in. Her blog is a perfect blend of happy memories, family traditions, and humor without feeling like a fairy-tale land that couldn't possibly exist. Stephanie's one of the bloggers that I've tried to become more like. Thanks, girlie, for inspiring me to take note of my children.

I've never been the kind of person to feel overwhelmed. I'm pretty mellow and easy-going, and I like to think that I handle stress well. Along with that, I've never been the kind of woman who thinks she has to do it all, or be perfect. That God expects me to be perfect. I know He expects me to do my best, and if I'm doing my very best, that's enough. When I hear of women complaining that there's just too much to do and no way to do it all, I think, "Buck up and do your best. What's the problem?"

But lately, that seems to have changed.

When I wake up, the first thing on my mind is the list of things I need to accomplish that day. I sit at the computer catching up on e-mail, eating my cereal and making my to do list. Between the household duties, mommy duties, sister/friend duties, Cubmaster duties, Enrichment duties, and wifely duties, the list has been pretty long of late. Oh, and I'm doing this theater in the park project with a friend that's pretty involved. And I have two little boys, and am 15 weeks pregnant. (Luckily this has been my easiest pregnancy and I've hardly been sick.) Did I mention that one of my kids is potty-training? And the other has entered a very belligerent stage?

Just last Sunday I was cleaning up some pictures the boys had spilled and realized they were pictures from our Gospel Art Kit. The ones we are supposed to be using for Family Home Evening. Do you know how often we have FHE? I'd say it's about once every two months. Which reminded me of how often we have family scripture study. (Even less frequently.) Which reminded me that I hadn't had a personal scripture study in weeks. And I actually had the thought, There's just too much. There's no way to do it all.

I guess that's what I get for judging others.

For a while, I was seriously contemplating talking to my primary president about my husband and I being released from our position as Cubmasters. He's already got another calling, and I've got two more, and we've been Cubmasters for about 2 years. Then we got a new primary president and I decided it could wait a few weeks. Then I went to a training meeting and learned once again that our leaders, even Scout leaders, are inspired.

The topic for our breakout discussion was "Cubmasters don't do everything. Break what you are supposed to do, and what you are supposed to delegate."

Like I said, that woman was inspired.

So I'm trying to be better at delegating. And saying "no." It's been hard to put into practice. Most of the things I'm asked to do I either want to do, or I feel it's my responsibility. Then there are all the things (calling-related and otherwise) that simply don't get done unless I do them. But I'm getting better. I'm discovering new methods that are working for me.

Of course, it's a constant evolution. I've started giving myself frequent deadlines for little tasks, just so I can get them done. But because I'm a chronic procrastinator, some things just don't get done. Then I start to feel overwhelmed. I start thinking about the things that aren't getting done. Then I think about the things that weren't even on the list but should be. And I just get so overwhelmed I don't want to do anything. I waste time for the rest of the day, then go to bed thinking about all that I now I have to do tomorrow because I didn't do it today.

I have crazy but telling dreams, then wake up thinking about all I have to do.

I guess the point is, I still don't have it figured out. I try my best, but now it seems my best isn't good enough, and I let that stop me from trying harder to be a little better. (Don't you miss President Hinckley?)

I'm one of those lucky ladies who lives where LDS music is broadcast on a local station each Sunday. I haven't always lived here, so it's not something I take for granted. I heard a lyric today that struck me in a new way. The line was, "If any of you feel burdened/Let him ask of God."

I've always known that the Savior is there to comfort and take your yoke upon Him, and whatnot. But I never felt like I needed that. Not that Christ wouldn't be able to help, but that I was pretty strong and doing just fine. Maybe if I ever had to go through something really hard.

But right now, I feel burdened. And there's no qualifier to Christ being there to succor us, and help us. We don't have to have just lost our spouse or child for the Lord to strengthen us and help bear our burdens. And we don't have to read our scriptures for 30 minutes before the kids wake up for God to hear our prayers. And answer them.

So if you'll excuse me, I've got Someone I need to talk to.

Frogs

What would you do?

Last night I attended a Stake Youth Fireside. It was wonderful. Our newly-called Stake Patriarch and his wife spoke. She was witty and charming and he was sound and valiant.

She had us laughing as she introduced the two of them. She was an able and gifted guide as she took us on a tour of their lives. She introduced us to the small one room church building she went to as a girl. So small the restroom facility was on the podium- back in a small room in the corner- behind the speakers. She took us to Korea, where they spent two years as missionaries. She told of their dedicated service to the Lord.

Truly, behind every good man stands a good woman. Except, I'm pretty sure that she doesn't usually stand behind- probably at his side.

He then took the stand and presented the youth with a solid explanation of their responsibilities as youth of the noble birthright. And then he expounded upon the wonder of patriarchal blessings. Except he had a small scratchy frog in his throat that caused him to have to stop every so often to try and clear it. And successful he was not.

I thought that perhaps he needed a drink of water. And so did the friend I was sitting by. So she offered to go and get the drink if I would walk up the aisle to present it to him. That kind of made me a little nervous, because believe it or not, I was seated on the back row- hardly ever happens. And it is a long walk from the back row to the front of the chapel when you are carrying a cup of water for the speaker.

You may be asking yourself, "Why get involved? Look the other way!"

I'll tell you why. I am the first counselor in our Stake Young Women Presidency. And the friend is the second counselor. So I think we felt a certain amount of responsibility for the well-being of the speaker- especially since we were in charge of the fireside this time.

So, in perfect synchronization, we arose and exited the chapel to fetch a cup of water for the Stake Patriarch. She to fill and I to deliver. And we laughed at ourselves on the way to the kitchen. And she was glad to turn the cup over to me once her part of the task was completed.

As we entered the chapel, I surveyed the pulpit- trying to ascertain the perfect method of delivery. And I realized that there really wasn't a perfect method. I just had to march up the aisle, hope the water didn't slosh on the congregation, and set the cup down just so- making sure it didn't spill on the open laptop that provided the power point presentation. Because that would have been embarrassing- frying a laptop right in the middle of the presentation.

As I walked up the aisle, I heard him comment that he was having problems speaking for some reason. Of course, I immediately mentally patted myself and my friend on the backs for bringing in the water. I handed it up to him and he commented that perhaps that would help.

I turned around and made my way to my seat. And he continued with his talk. It was lovely.

But, he never drank the water. Not one sip.

I'm pretty sure that once that water was delivered, people were wondering if he would drink it. And he didn't.

And as we exited the chapel during the closing song to prepare the refreshments, my friend and I again laughed as we walked down the hall to the kitchen, commenting about the water. And then we pulled the popsicles out of the freezer and set them out for the hungry youth.

Among the frozen treats was a yummy concoction christened Frog Spit. It is a lemon lime sherbet mixed with vanilla ice cream on a stick.

The Patriarch chose one of those.

I can imagine that it hit the spot.

P.S. Tune In Tuesday for another guest post from a brilliant blogger!

Rise and Shout!!

It's Game Day!

Do you know where your BYU Cougars are?

click on the Y for a link to the Cougars season schedule

The #7 Cougars are in Provo

taking on the Seminoles of Florida State.

Cougars lose.

BYU 28 Florida State 54

Another List

This is what I love:

Personal relationships that allow for greater understanding. (understand?)

A little son who asks for help finding his train cars in the toy box, and kneels down beside me to give support while I am searching the deep dark pit. And then a whispered, Thank you Mom, even when no train cars are located.

Cool morning air after months of sweltering heat. Even if it is just for one morning.

A middle daughter who thinks bangs are cuter than breasts. Long story.

Diamond earrings the husband gave me for mother's day- they cuten up even the baddest of bad hair days and make them a little more bearable.

Ceiling fans to chase away the rising heat of the day.

Lotion.

A secret chocolate stash in my purse. Shhhh...

A husband who supports me in my church responsibilities.

Sisters.

An oldest daughter who has voice-recorded a list of miscellaneous items on her MP3 player, plugs it into her speakers and listens to it as she is drifting off to sleep. And then I can stand by her bed and hear her sweet voice before I power the MP3 player down for the night after she has fallen fast into dreamland.

A little son who can't get his backpack off the hook because it is just too stinkin' hard!

Employment that allows the husband to work from home on occasion.

A loving Heavenly Father who hears my pleas for guidance and answers with personal inspiration. At a PTA meeting.






What is on your list today?

The Planets and Stuff

Yesterday was a good hair day. And usually, when the planets align in such a manner, I do my best to preserve the hair. At all costs. Because it hardly ever happens.

So, with fabulous hair we made pbj's for lunch. And that's all. Because little son wanted nothing else- NOTHING else. But, I wasn't in a pbj mood, so I opted for chicken salad and carrots. And then, he happened to fall asleep on the family room floor right after we ate, which hardly ever happens. And I dared not move him.

I watched him sleep for a few moments. Shallow in and out breaths as his chest danced the slow dance of sleep. And I realized I had nothing pressing on my schedule (again, hardly ever happens) and perhaps I might like to get in on the dance. Afterall, my dance card was way open.

And I was faced with a moral dilemma: nap while little son is sleeping- which tends to throw the planets out of orbit and mess up the hair. Or preserve the hair and remain the wall-flower at the dance.

I chose a nap- the family room couch as my dancing partner.

And it was bliss.

Pssshhhh, who cares about the hair, anyway?



P.S. Do you know that the phrase "hardly ever happens" reminds me of the Disney movie Watcher in the Woods? Usually when I say it, I use a little freaky voice, because that's how they say it in the movie. And when you come across a freaky little voice phrase- you should use it as often as you can.

P.P.S. Please, please visit Shorty at Securityville again- today she expounds on yesterday's guest post and talks about how LDS women's blogs have influenced her life. It's a dynamic post- it left me feeling warm fuzzies.

Tune In Tuesday

Welcome to Laughing at Life's Little Wedgies

first official

Tune In Tuesday!

(i think i gotta create myself a button)

I invited Shorty over at Securityville to share a post with us.

And she obliged.

I have enjoyed following her blog.

And I love that she is involved in a virtual sewing bee.

That is one of the coolest ideas out there.

And I love her banner.

She's a vintage pin-up fan who has two dogs, a son and a husband.

Hop on over to her place and swap howdies. Won't ya?

Because, after reading her post, you'll be dying to know her better!

5 Major Ways Blogging Has Changed My Life

Guest Post by Shorty at Securityville

I began blogging in August of 2008. I didn’t really have grand expectations of what I would blog about. I just wanted an ‘outlet’ so to speak. A friend of mine had told me about her blog, so I checked it out and thought to myself, “I want to do that!” A regular means of self-reflection sounded like a completely therapeutic thing for me to try. And, I’m a huge fan of self-help!

That is how Securityville began to take shape. I really had no idea of just what a positive experience I was in for. And still am. So, let’s get on with the countdown….

5. My social network, which wasn’t exactly lacking to begin with, has expanded by leaps and bounds. Acquiring new friendships is really an exciting adventure. I love catching a glimpse into the lives of people around the world. And man, are there some seriously amazing blog writers out there! I love the wit and personality that is reflected in so many blogs. I had no idea there were THAT many clever and inspirational people. Ok, so I did have an idea about them being in our world, but never thought I would have the ability to interact with them regularly.

4. I find myself thinking almost daily, “I can blog about that!” Fortunately, I don’t actually blog about everything that crosses my mind, but boy if I did I would be so stocked up on posts I wouldn’t know what to do with myself! My library of photos has significantly increased, however, in the past year since I began blogging. Even when I don’t blog about something I thought up I usually have a picture of something or someone around my house that I thought would make be a great compliment to a post.

3. Blogging has increased my creativity by 100%. I used to consider myself a very creative person when I was a teenager. I would draw, write poetry, try to make fashion accessories, crochet, sew…. But, several years ago I tucked that stuff away and forgot about it. Finding bloggers who shared what they made, and provided amazing FREE tutorials inspired me to get back into the swing of crafting. I’ve made more things in the last year than I think I’ve made in my entire lifetime! And, I absolutely love this form of self-improvement!

2. This is something that my husband and I are able to share together and it has brought us closer. He has always been supportive of my blog. He’s a ‘techy’ so he’s into all things computer and gadget related, so I think his nerd radar went into a bit of overdrive when I decided to start blogging. But, in April of 2009 he began his own blog, too. (You can find it at www.itstactical.com if you want to check out a totally manly tactical gear related site.) He has followers galore, so much more than I’ve strived to attract, but he’s got a business plan for the whole thing. It’s very exciting for both of us. Anyway, he has helped me to learn more about blogging options and he consistently shares his knowledge with me. We have conversations about blog posts and bounce ideas off of each other. Since he’s such an extreme sports kind of guy, and I’m a barely make it to the gym sports kind of girl, this has really been a bonding experience for us.

1. And finally, the number one way that blogging has majorly changed my life? Becoming a blogger has helped me to renew my faith. And by that I mean faith in God, faith in marriage, faith in family. I have found so many blogs (like Laughing at Life’s Little Wedgies, The NieNie Dialogues, CJane, Lyndsay & The Johnsons just to name a few) who remind me on a regular basis that life is a blessing not to be taken for granted. We are not all here together by chance, but only by Divine intervention. Our families are what keep us centered and real, and we should never forget to cherish each and every moment we have together. God has given each of us an opportunity to bring joy into this existence we have here on Earth, and we should strive to inspire each other to grow each and every day. I’m not sure that all of my blog posts are inspirational, but I hope that I do inspire someone at least sometime. And, I’m truly grateful for all of you who blog about your motherhood, your spirituality, your passion for life and your passion for your husband. What an inspiration!

Thank you so much to Laughing at Life’s Little Wedgies for inviting me to be a guest blogger. This site is one of those positive little retreats that I enjoy slipping away to, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have shared it with all of you.

Have an amazing week,

Shorty @ Securityville

tune in tuesday

coming tomorrow!

what?

you've never heard of

tune in tuesday?

that's because this will be the first one!

so, be sure to tune in...

(thanks for paying such close attention)

for a wonderful guest post by a wonderful blogger.

the end

Rise and Shout!!

It's GAME DAY!!

Do you know where your BYU Cougars are?

click on the Y for a link to the Cougars' season schedule

The #9 Cougars are in New Orleans

taking on the Green Wave of Tulane.

Cougars Win!!

BYU 54 Tulane 3

(um, what the heck kind of mascot is a green wave?!?)

The Tulles of Choreography

How was your nine-nine-oh-nine? Mine was like Christmas.

I knew yesterday was going to be a great day. And that was before I even remembered that yesterday was the premiere of the 6th season of So You Think You Can Dance. My fave show. I'm telling ya'. Christmas! Because, hello, we didn't have to wait a whole year for a new season. This is like Double Christmas!

The day was awesome and then we capped it off as a family by sitting down to watch the show. And no sooner had I snuggled up next to the husband, than I had two little kid magnets wedged up under each armpit and the other affixed to the husband's left rib. The best way to watch a show, I always say. And it only makes it better when you have a freshly-bathed kid armpit magnet who leaves puddles in your pits on account of their newly-scrubbed and washed hair. Heaven.

I had no idea that as we watched SYTYCD, I was in for a little choreography myself. Middle daughter had two strips of tulle- one hot pink and the other turquoise. Remnant leftovers from the tutus we made two weekends ago. And they were the perfect strips of tulle for the little dance number she had in mind.

As she sat under my right armpit, she expected that I was going to participate in her tulle dance. And she had a whole routine worked out by the end of the show. And I admit, I was only half-heartedly participating in her little "1-2-3 bow down" with a little arm movement, since I was mainly training my ears toward the big screen, trying in vain to make out Mary Murphy's botoxed bellowings. Oh, how I love her.

Middle daughter was sure to correct me if I didn't quite complete the move or if I was giving the wrong feeling behind it. She knows her stuff.

I didn't think much of it until family prayers had been offered and three little ones were ushered off to bed. Middle daughter snuck quietly back into our bedroom, offering me the lovely tulle remnants with a request that I put them somewhere safe so that next Wednesday they can be pulled out and the routine repeated when we watch SYTYCD. Yikes.

I believe I have witnessed the birth of a new tradition. The Tulle Dance during SYTYCD.

Who knows, we may even be featured dancers this season.

Watch for us. Because, you know as well as I do, that if I ever made it on that show- it would be Christmas!

Did You Know?

The number 9 is my favorite number. It has been since I was born, I believe.

A few fun facts about the number 9 and me:

I was born on the 9th of November. At 9:00 pm.
My first name contains 9 letters.
There are nine (original) people in the family of my birth.
I was in the Junior Miss pageant in high school. Contestant number 9.
My favorite Phoenix Suns player? Number 9- Dan Majerle- from way back when.

And today is 9-9-09.

It's going to be a great day!

What's your favorite number?

P.S. Tomorrow is the last day to purchase discount tickets for Time Out for Women in Phoenix. Click on over and get your tickets today!!

What I Learned On Labor Day:

Ahem. Bullets, Please.

• If you sleep in til 9:30, it is possible that all your downstairs will be cleaned by the time you make your way, well, downstairs. But, this requires one bonus husband.
• When the doorbell rings and you are still in your pajamas and you go to look out the peephole and you can distinctly see the fingerprint of the person on the other side, it is your dad and your mom. Stopping in on their very own anniversary. The family I grew up in is 42 years old today. Happy Birthday to my family!
• The canine seems to be gaining weight. Finally.
• Burger King does not put onions on its cheeseburgers. Middle daughter was pleased. But they do put on ketchup. Not pleased.
• Voltron is the Defender of the Universe. (read: Votwon is the defendow of the univowse. {with puckered up lips}) Did you know? I didn't. Little son enlightened me while we were taking a stroll around the lake.
• A picnic is almost pleasant in 100 degree weather at 40% humidity.
• Model homes are open on Labor Day. And they are a great place to go after a sweaty picnic. They keep the a/c really low.
• The Sports Authority employee who stuck with me for an 1 1/2 hours, ensuring that I find the best size 11 out there, was just about to get off work when we walked in. Muchas Gracias, Sports Authority Guy! I'm thinking my walk in the morning will go much mo' bettah.
• There's a geocache somewhere near Sports Authority. We had too many thirsties in the car to stop and look. We shall return another day.
• We may be coming down with Swine Flu in the next few days. My visiting teacher has it. She was here last week. The husband was just at their house- he is their home teacher- he took over a few movies for them to watch. Because, what else do you do when you have the Swine Flu? Watch a little movie, I think.
• Barbie Thumbelina is pretty ok, if you're into all that eco-stuff. But it's not as good as Princess and the Pauper. (Can I get an amen, Nathan?)

(Tangent)

I just clicked over to Nathan's blog to find his famous post on Barbie movies and it is no where to be found.

I vote for a re-post!

(End Tangent)

• Family Home Evening on Labor Day. Have a lesson about babies, I believe.
• Holidays are never long enough!

Rise and Shout!

It's Game Day!!

Do you know where your BYU Football is?

click on the Y for a link to the Cougars season schedule

The Cougars are in Arlington, TX

taking on the #3 Sooners of Oklahoma.

Go Cougs!

Cougars Win!!

BYU 14 Oklahoma 13

Preferences

I'm so stressed. I just found out that I am supposed to have a greeting card preference (GCP). Did you know this? I never got the memo.

I have a political preference. A religious preference. A music preference. A food preference. A technological preference. A movie preference. An ice cream preference. A vacation preference. And lots of more preferences. There was even a formal dance called Preference when I was in college. I knew about that. But, a greeting card preference? This thing I never knew.

While I was scooting around in the husband's little rollerskate- headed across the valley to enjoy an awesome girl's night out for my sister's birthday- I heard the commercial. The one where there's a lady, all self-righteous, declaring that she has all her family's greeting card preferences figured out. Can you imagine? ALL OF THEM!! I never knew about greeting card preferences. And even if I did, I don't think I would rub it in everyones faces that I had all my family's preferences all figured out. Some of us are doing the best we can.

So, before Tuesday night, I knew nothing about the GCP- but now I do. And as Maya Angelou says: "I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better." Actually, I didn't hear it directly from Maya Angelou- Sister Winfrey taught me that. She is like, the ultimate Maya disciple. Have you noticed?

There are a lot of people in my family. And then, a lot more people in the husband's family. Seriously, how am I supposed to learn all their CGP's? Is that personal information? Or can you just come right out and ask them? Should I be delicate? Or do people freely share that information? I know I never have.

I am going to just going to have to let this information sink in a little bit. Cause like I said, it kinda stresses me out. The GCP.

Once Upon a Time

I hope you don't mind another post commemorating my anniversary, but I can't stop thinking about the day I got married. It was a beautiful summer day, during the middle of the monsoon season in Arizona. (read: HOT and HUMID) For some reason, I didn't notice the heat much. I was focused on something a little hotter- a man I would eventually come to call the husband.

These are some of the stand-out memories of my day:

• As I mentioned, it was hot- 117 degrees.
• My mom sewed my wedding dress. It was my dream dress- complete with 40 yards of tulle. And the skirt was like a giant bug net. While we took pictures outside the Mesa temple, I kept finding little bugs caught between the multitudes of layers of tulle. Still, love my dress!
• The husband's grandfather was a sealer in the Salt Lake Temple and got special permission from President Hinckley to make the journey to seal us in Arizona.
• For some reason, he called me Melanie (which is not my name) throughout the ceremony. It threw a few people off. But, we made sure he got my name right in all the important parts.
• The husband never lets me forget that I was late arriving at the temple. In my defense, I was only a few minutes late- but he maintains it was like a half hour late. I say no- only 5 or 10 minutes.
• Before the ceremony, the husband and I were able to sit alone in one of the empty sealing rooms and visit. It was heaven.
• All five of the husband's siblings were in attendance at our sealing. As were his parents.
• My parents and two older sisters and their husbands were also there. As were various friends and extended family.
• My mom, master cake decorator and designer, made the cakes for my reception. She made a big wedding cake and then had a separate wedding cake on every table- of assorted flavors.
• After the reception, the husband and I stopped off at my parents house to hose down our car before checking in at our hotel. Someone had really decorated it while we were greeting guests.
• Our first meal together the next day was Subway on our way out of town for our honeymoon.

I think that is how fairy tales begin.

Mine did.