Moments

Enjoy the Moments

Recently, I've had a few of those moments in life....the ones you want to hang onto a little bit longer.  Here's a few to share:

Super E!

A tulip blooming....from a bulb that I planted.

The first signs of spring....a peach blossom right outside my kitchen window.

A sweet smile...so sincere.

This is a terrible picture, but we have a mother pigeon who made a nest and laid eggs in the gutter off our balcony.  We check on her often and love how she takes care of her baby birds.  Even when we come close, she doesn't get scared and fly away.  Even though I really don't like pigeons (I mean I REALLY DON'T LIKE PIGEONS), her dedication to her babies has really touched me.  It's an interesting pattern to see in nature...the mother and baby.

Other Good Moments:

G saying "Mom, my life really began when I was three.  I remember"

Watching the PBS version of "Sense and Sensibility" with good friends

Watching LDS General Conference with D

N performing on the cello

Dancing with the kids in the kitchen

I've also had a few moments that I would rather not remember:

-being thrown-up on

-having leftovers for dinner

-pulling a rib muscle (i think i've already blogged about this, but OUCH, it hurts)

-filing taxes and not getting big returns

-making a complete fool of myself (happens often)

-accompanying N on the piano while he played his cello  (I was soooooo nervous, I think next time I will just be a spectator)

I only list the moments I  want to forget to let you know that my life isn't always perfect.  I suppose I'm really grateful for that.  How dull would life be if it were only made of "wow" moments.  Enjoy Life!

Life is Like a Puzzle

So, I woke up this morning to a sick child, my pulled rib muscle and stuffy nose, a preschooler to get to the other side of town, a car to get into the dealership, a child to get to school, a friend's child to pick-up, 5 phone calls to make before 8:30am, breakfast to feed 4 hungry children, 6 loads of laundry to do, a child to watch later today, a husband that needs to help move a table across town, and a child to pick up from school at 3:45, a trip to the grocery store, and a dinner to feed my always hungry family of boys.

What to do....this is where my problem solving skills come in useful:

D will take E and three other preschoolers across town to school, take the car to the shop, help unload the table that he loaded into a truck at 8:30am.  Nat will pick the kids up from preschool while I pick her son up from playgroup.  We will have Cap'n Crunch for breakfast, G will get a good dose of Motrin, I will take my allergy medicine, 3 motrins, and a sudafed, N will walk home with a friend until the grandpa of the little baby I'm going to watch comes to pick her up.  As for the laundry....lets just hope I get at least 4 loads washed, folded and put away.  

As for dinner....who knows!  Can't have pizza...that's what we had last night!

Do you ever feel like your life is a circus, or that you are just treading water...never really getting anywhere?  How fun....it's a glorious ride.  One I don't think is worth missing.

Have a great day!

Throw it Away, or Keep it??

Last night at book club we discussed Miriam's Kitchen, a great book, that made us question the value of keeping sentimental items.  For example, I have my Grandma's old jewelry, which I only look at when I'm cleaning out my jewelry box.  It does evoke strong, good memories of my Grandma.  Do you have items like this, or do you tend to throw out a lot of "stuff"?  Do you have an opinion about hanging on to old stuff....or do you despise clutter?  

For me, it feels very good to set out a bag of old clothes for Good Will to pick-up, but I will also hang on to my Grandma's Jewelry for as long as I can--I can't let it go.  

My Exuberant Child...Happy Birthday Elias!

E is 4.  When Derek gave him his baby blessing at church, I remember him blessing E with an exuberant heart.  Any idea what exuberant means??  One definition is joyfully unrestrained.  If you know E, then you know how well that defintion fits him.  He keeps me on my toes...as the saying goes.  Something magical happens at the age of four.  I can't explain it, but if you have ever had  a four year old, then you know exactly what I am talking about.  

Happy Birthday E!