Friday, November 25, 2011

100 things I'm grateful for

In no particular order

1. Children who sing & dance with me
2. Sunshine
3. Water
4. Genuine hugs
5. chocolate
6. Hot chocolate
7. Promises from my heavenly Father
8. Thrift stores
9. A man who loves me and accepts my wierdness unconditionally
10. Garlic
11. Dancing in the rain
12. Boating and all it entails
13. Sunday afternoons
14. Shopping
15. Temples
16. Music
17. Making pretty things
18. A man that does nice things for me
19. Holding little babies
20. Photographs
21. Christmas lights
22. Good books
23. Fire places
24. Making snowmen
25. Snow skiing
26. Early mornings
27. My girls smiles
28. The book of Mormon
29. My iPhone
30. Long hot showers
31. Kisses on the cheek
32. flip flops
33. Butterfly kisses
34. Warm sand
35. Pretty clothes
36. Old things
37. Snuggling with my girls
38. Snuggling with Kyle
39. Cool children's books
40. The Holy Ghost
41. Warm blankets
42. Board Games
43. My girls laughter
44. Jumping on the trampoline
45. Skipping
46. Google
47. Hiking in nature
48. Skirts & dresses
49. My road bike!
50. Inspiring emails
51. Creativity
52. Family vacations
53. Massages
54. Home improvements
55. Feeling my feet in the grass
56. Bracelets with words On them
57. Colored pencils
58. Paint
59. Quotes
60. Laying on the boat with the sun shining down on me
61. The first flowers of spring
62. Pencils and paper
63. Microwaves
64. Warm socks
65. Thought provoking movies
66. Wakesurfing
67. Cooking gadgets
68. sweats
69. Rolling pins
70. Concerts
71. Organization
72. Great ideas
73. Holding hands
74. My mini cooper
75. Friends who think of me
76. Sisters who love me
77. Double rainbows!
78. The color blue
79. Funny utube videos
80. Fancy glasses
81. My family who are so fun
82. Piano lessons
83. Glass
84. Laughing
85. Musicals
86. "Find my iPhone" app
87. Hiring someone to mow the lawn
88. Scrapbooks
89. Journal writing
90. Writing in general
91. Adoption
92. A clean house
93. Finding cool things in nature
94. Kyle having work!!
95. Good fitting jeans
96. Getting into bed at night
97. Hats, to cover bad hair days!
98. The fact that my brother & husband are best friends
99. A Heavenly Father who loves me
100. Eternal families
101. I get to be a stay at home mom! Amazing wonderful blessing.
102. My Savior and the Eternal Plan of Happiness

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Bury busy hurry scurry laugh laugh

I was rushing out the door to run my little girls to their schools. The morning had not gone very smoothly. At Miss E's school they were hosting a breakfast for moms and children. I wanted to make sure we made it. I was stressed and rushed.

I turned on the car and the radio sprang into action..., the song playing was a message from above... Literally, I think my Father in Heaven was trying to tell me something.

I'm in a hurry to get things done
Oh why!
Rushin Rushin till lifes no fun

All I got to do is live and die
But I'm in a hurry and don't know why

seriously. That was the song.

Rushing busy hurry girls we got to go. Gotta scrub gotta clean gotta do homework, gotta learn to read, gotta get coats on, gotta make dinner, gotta gotta gotta.... Don't know why, Rushin Rushin till life's no fun.

WAIT!! I DO know WHY - and it's the why that makes all the difference. It's just about keeping the WHY in the forefront of my mind. keeping the why In focus during the actions.

Whats the why? Why are all these things we do so important? Because my purpose is to create an eternal family. And anything important takes lots of work. Smart work.

"See that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that man should run faster than he has strength...." Mosiah 4:27


Does it matter if my house is vaccumed everyday? Of course not. Does it matter if my house stays clean and orderly. Yes, because the spirit will not dwell in unclean places. Is it important that I make a healthy dinner and eat as a family every night.


Without question. That's vital to a strong family. Do I need to make everything gourmet & elaborate? Sadly no. Does it matter that we are dressed and on time, I believe it is. perhaps I should not try to get so much done in the morning & just focus on that.


So I should not do more than is needful because I don't have the strength for that but ...

"{wo}Men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness; For the power is in them, wherein they are agents unto themselves...." D&C 58:27,28


My purpose is to create a strong eternal family.



{old picture!}
My purpose is not to have everything perfect or to compare myself and feel bad about everything that I'm not doing. Is it possible to bring to pass much righteousness without going crazy? Yes because "the power is in them" given to us by a loving Heavenly Father. I certainly can't do it all myself but with Him I can do what is needed and enjoy it along the way.

And I can do it with Happiness because "{wo}men are that they might have joy"

Well. How? How, I am asking myself. How do I rely on Father and raise a strong vibrant family in righteousness, happily without creating volumes of stress?

He has the answer for everything! Obviously I'm not that great at following His advice but I'm trying.

"Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing; and establish even a house of prayer... a house of faith, a house of learning...a house of order, a house of God...." D&C 88:119

Ok, Organize myself. A house of faith. A house of order. A house of prayer.
Organizing myself is hard for me, I tend to get distracted, ooh! Art! Ohh! That baseboard needs washing! Ahh! I have an idea & I must do it right now.

Julie beck says that we need to do essential items the very first thing in the morning. Pray, roll out of bed into a kneeling position. After your prayer spin around into a sitting position and read your scriptures. Then get up, make your bed and straight away get dressed. I love this. And I'm going to incorporate it. Because it will help me do what my purpose is. My great responsibility. They talk about stressed college students. Ha. Try being a stay at home mom with an eternal goal!! {at least one that was trying to do it all with her own strength.}
I seriously am so grateful I am a mother. I have 2 wonderful children that make me laugh and create so much joy in my life. I guess I needed a reminder to slow down and enjoy my time with them. I won't have them in my home forever and that time is going too fast.


{I just found these awesome books at a thrift store, so great, they tell true life stories about people that had these great qualities. My girls have loved them}

The last two days I read to my girls for about 45 minuets. It was such bliss to sit down and relax with them and cuddle with them. Just enjoying. And that is essential to a strong, happy, eternal family.


Brit