Tune In Tuesday

Tune in Tuesday

over at Holly's place

for a guest post from moi.

All about Thanksgiving Tradition.

Thanks to Holly for inviting me to add my 2 cents.

Tune In Tuesday

It's such a treat for me to introduce to you

one of the first women I met

when I started blogging.

Many of you may know her as

The Head Eagle

over at

An Eagles View.

Did you know:

she packs heat

she has a purse addiction

she has two darling boys and a beautiful little angel daughter in heaven and a husband

she's a busy mommy

at one point she was managing multiple blogs-- successfully

she crochets

she's a Ute fan

tomorrow is her birthday!!

I have loved getting to know her through blogging.

Sit back, enjoy her post

and then go on over to her place

and swap howdies.

And go back often!

She likes me…really really likes me.. Those were the thoughts that crossed my mind when Stephanie asked me to write a guest post. Either that, or she is at the end of the list. I would like to think that the latter is not the case. Regardless, I am honored to be posting here today. I blog, for so very many reasons. I’ve learned a lot over the course of my blogging days and I’ve been grateful for every opportunity that it has afforded me.

Blogging with a Cause

Because it is blogging that has brought me here today –as a guest blogger, I thought the topic of ‘Why I blog’, seemed quite appropriate.

I began this journey, very unsuspecting of what I would find. I originally created this little space of mine, as a way to share our family happenings with friends and family. However, something much greater has kept me blogging.

That something great is not so much what I do for my blog, but what it does for me…

My blog provides me with a creative outlet, a way for me to express myself endlessly. Despite the fact that I have finally settled in with my blogs look and layout, I continue to express myself through my writing. It has been said –by those that know me best, that if you really want to see me, you come here….or in today’s instance…there (read: my blog). Although I continue to share our family happenings, my style of doing so is very much my own. All of it done with a good healthy dose of me, and expressions of who I am.

More important, is the fact that my blog is a reminder that this world is much smaller than is seems. There have been many times –as a working mother/sometimes single mother, that I have felt very alone. It takes only one or two clicks-away from my own blog, that I realize my feelings to be far from fact. Because the fact is, there are mothers everywhere –just like me, dealing with runny noses, late nights and potty training. It is these same mothers that have gone from just fellow bloggers to friends.

I never could have imagined the lessons I would learn, or the people I would meet through blogging. The lessons learned, life changing; and the genuine friendships, Priceless. Blogging truly enriches my life, everyday. Making the lessons learned and the friendships forged, the exact reason 'Why I Blog'.

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.

Flying

There are multitudes of brilliant bloggers out there. I would love to know them all. Like sit down and chat with them. And get to know them.

For a while now I have been considering inviting some of these brilliant people to guest-post on my blog. Because I would love for all of you to know them. And if you are reading this, chances are I am talking about you- the brilliant blogger.

Yesterday I read a post that got to me. Because it spoke to me personally. And because the blogger is my niece. And she was writing about people who I owe my present-day happiness to. They are the ones who raised the husband. And I wanted to share her words with you.

And, since I have been wanting a guest-post- I will start with my brilliant niece. Because I am a firm believer in nepotism. And my family are some of the greatest people in the world.

Meet my niece. And through her words, meet my in-laws:

"Grandpa's hands"

This is my father-in-law building one of his model planes.

photo courtesy of my niece. you can visit her photo blog here.

Aerial photography is my grandpa’s specialty. It’s his life, really. He made model airplanes and took photographs for his career. He does it as a hobby after retirement. He did it in service for his church. It’s really who my grandpa is.

Because of this, he has gained a very large collection of photographs. I was sitting with my grandparents today as they sifted through them. Their goals was to cut down on a lot of them, and my grandma is much more willing to give up on some than my grandpa, but sometimes they both hold to them.

They look at a picture and say, “We ate lunch here. This is where we saw coyotes jumping up and eating pears off a tree. There was a garden here. We ate prickly pear cactus.”

One thing I am impressed with is that my grandma has accompanied my grandfather on a great many trips. She was there while he held the controller and flew the airplanes around, snapping pictures of the ground.

So, even though aerial photography is my grandpa’s thing, it has also become their thing. Their life is contained in that one moment when the airplane flies around, the sun beats down on both of them, and they stand out in the middle of nowhere taking pictures of something that everyone has already forgotten. They are together.

And when they look through those photographs, they can remember.



So, Um, Would you like to guest-post here? Like in the future sometime? Let me know. I can pull some strings...(and FYI, I feel silly {not to mention presumptuous} even asking this. I have typed it and deleted it three times. But, what the heck...) Do you want to?

Sleeping Beauty, Confined

I am pleased to introduce you to my lovely guest blogger- Oldest Daughter, age 6. She is the lover of all things gentle and unthreatening. She enjoys reading, coloring and creating games and productions. She has graduated from bath-taking with middle daughter and little son and is finding the world of showers thrilling. She is able to tie her shoes, pour her own milk, and put her hair in a ponytail.

And now I give you Oldest Daughter. In her own words (and typed with her own petite hands)...

"Today I had a lockdown it was long the boys sat down at the desk and the girls sat down at the carpit and my techer got a bucket so we can go potty and three boys went potty but I did not see cuses I was asleep we had to cuvver the windos the end"

And she speaks the truth. I got to the school about 10 minutes before the bell rang- which is my custom. The bell never rang. Around 5 minutes after the bell should have sounded I began to wonder what was up. I began to wonder if maybe the school was on lockdown. Because it has happened before, and will happen again.

After talking with other parents, we found out there had been a shooting in the neighborhood and the police were still searching for the suspect. So, the school was indeed on lockdown. Does this give you a beautiful vision of the neighborhood I live in, or what? Come visit. Anytime!

We sat there for one hour and thirty-five minutes (thank goodness little son and middle daughter were the picture of patience while in the car) waiting for our children to be released from school. All with no information from the school or from any other authorities. I tried to call the school office, but they were not answering calls. After speaking with the husband, he called the city police who apprised him of the situation and assured us the children would be released within the half hour- after they were sure the suspect was apprehended and those children who walk home would be safe.

Sure enough, the children were dismissed within the half hour. Oldest daughter jumped in the car and informed us about the lockdown.

According to lockdown protocol, the windows were covered and the children were encouraged to remain calm and quiet, and the potty bucket was made available. Be assured that the potty bucket was placed in an area that was out of sight of all the other children. And eventhough she was sleeping, I want to let you know that oldest daughter's teacher gave them permission to sleep if they were tired. Because, believe me, oldest daughter would never do anything without her teacher's permission. And then after 1 1/2 hours, oldest daughter was awakened and sent home.

I'm just grateful all the children are safe- especially my sweet oldest daughter. Oh, and I'm totally glad that little son and middle daughter didn't have to use the restroom while we waited. I don't have a potty bucket in my car.

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Sidenote: Did any of you watch Chuck last night? I did. And I loved all the Back to the Future material it contained. Especially in light of yesterday's post- and the comments it elicited. DeMorgan. Cracks me up.