My bucket list ...

1. Go a day without Yelling
2. See the fall colors of Prince Edward Island
3. Participate in a triathlon
4. Spend two days with my Husband's complete attention. (sorry kids)
5. Visit every Temple Open House with my family that's close to us.
6. Go a backpacking trip
7. Become fluent in Spanish
8. See a musical on Broadway
9. Pay for dinner at a nice restaurant in nothing but change
10. Write a book
11. Learn to play the piano
12. See the Grand Canyon
13. Plant and maintain my own garden
14. Visit a concentration camp in Germany (and other WWII sites)
15. Attend a ball like the one on Enchanted
16. Go camping on the beach
17. Be with my family in the Celestial Room of the temple
18. Moonwalk on the Great Wall of China
19. Kiss the Blimee stone - Ireland
20. See the Phantom of the Opera
21. Serve a mission with my husband
22. Surprise someone else with something they’ve always wanted
23. Improve my handwriting -- Calligraphy
24. Visit historical sites back east from the civil war
25. Live in a different country.
26. Go on a cruise to anywhere
27. Visit the Statue of Liberty.
28. Ride on a passenger train

Marie-madeline studio

This blog is giving away this beautiful quilt. I would really like to win it, so I'm posting about it. If you would like to win it and give it to me, you can go here. http://mariemadelinestudio.typepad.com/mariemadeline_studio/2009/07/the-happy-scrappy-quilt-giveaway.html

Counting my blessings

I'm not a big fan of clothes shopping, food is another thing. I don't like to buy clothes, so I try to go only when there's a big sale so I can buy a bunch and then wait awhile before having to go again. Today was such a trip. Old Navy was having a sale on all the clearance, so I was able to buy a shirt for $3.00 instead of $18.00 or something like that. I was feeling pretty guilty for spending so much, but really two FULL bags of clothes for about a hundred dollars really isn't that much, when I could have gotten three pairs of pants for that much.

Well, I was trying to check out with my kids who are a handful. Not bad kids but busy. And when I say handful, it means that my hands are full, but not more then I can handle. My stroller over-flowing with clothes that I wanted to buy. I started to fill a little overwhelmed. Starting to question myself, when I saw another mother. She was very cute and has THREE adorable triplets who were about 6 months. They were so cute in their stroller and matching clean clothes. And I just smiled to myself. I might have a two year old and a three year old, but at least I don't have 3 two-year olds. She smiled back, because she's probably thinking "I'm going to be out of diapers at one time, instead of doing diapers for five years strait." I guess we each have our own blessings to be thankful for. I'm glad I have my kids, I really do love them.

Something colorful.

Today was not a good day. You know what's it like when you just want to curl up in a ball and cry. I'm not sure why I just felt rundown. I really wanted to not make dinner or have to clean up after it. I hinted to my sweet husband, but he had to go to work. I knew if I waited he would buy me dinner, but I want to help save money. Is that really the best way to save money, going out to a restaurant any time I didn't want to cook. so I used my cute orange pan to make dinner. Thankfully I had some helpers. I love all the colors of the vegetables. It made it worth having to cook, if I got to have a little fun too.

We all need to Buckle up.

Today I took my kids to the temple to take some pictures. O.K. I did more than that, but the whole idea was to get some cute pictures of my kids in front of the temples closest to where I live. Well, to make a long story short (too late) there were tears, screams, and no cute pictures. Well, I was feeling very frustrated and wondering if I drove the spirit away from those enjoying the temple grounds. As we were leaving my eldest asked me about marriages. There was a couple taking pictures on the grounds. So I told her about the importance of being married in the temple where we are sealed for time and all eternity. So that when I die I'm still going to be married to my husband in the hereafter. If I got married outside the temple, when I die my husband wouldn't be married to me anymore.

Well, that didn't really sink in. So I made a reference to a car seat. Getting married in the temple is like buckling up. Now if you make bad choices you unbuckle yourself; which isn't safe. We get to choose whether we wear our buckle or not. About this time I stepped on my brakes a little to let them feel the buckle holding them back.

With all the talk of dying, my number oldest son started to ask who was going to die in the temple. I told him that no one was going to die in the temple. But he had to ask about everyone, by name.

Everyone needs a little pig in their lives

My mama in law gave this to me. I love it, it makes me laugh

Check out thrifty mom. I really like this blog I check is almost hourly.

A must read

highlight to read better

What should I do?

My sister-in-law told me that she checks blogs a lot and that they don't change very often. Well, I'm going to fix that now. On Monday Courtney and I kidnapped our friend Annie to have a fun night without kids. We went out for dessert and went to a couple of stores. We didn't buy anything, except for food, but it was so nice to just talk and hang out. I had to make a quick stop at home half way through the night, but Bethany is worth it. James said I could do it again soon, even making a habit of it. Since we didn't spend any money and he approves of my friends.

While we were talking, I did some thinking. Am I too quite? I don't think so with my friends, but sometimes I feel like I am with family. Shouldn't I be more honest with them then anyone else? Let me give you the example: My wonderful mother came and visited me for almost a week. During her stay she would under mind me. If I told one of my kids no, she (who was sitting next to me) would say yes. My kids started to ask her for things. I didn't say anything at the time, I didn't want to fight. Well, James and I were talking about it later, and he said that we just won't visit home as often. I don't like the idea of ignoring my parents without them knowing, but I really don't want to fight. What should I do? This is just one example of actions I don't approve of. I feel I should have said something, but we've fought about this before. Any ideas? If I need to speak up about this, should I be more honest on other things? Please help me!

Thankfully Home Alone

After almost two weeks of constant visitors, we're alone in our home again. I love my family and I'm so gratefully for all that they've done for us these past weeks. I'm so glad that they're gone. Actually I really enjoyed my sister coming with her kids. Our kids got along great and I didn't feel bad about her helping out. Probably because it was stuff I needed done. I really wish she could have stayed longer, but it hard being away from one's hubbin. Now I just have to find everything they put away for me. Why doesn't anyone think exactly like me?
I'm also a little bummed. My wonderful mother-in-law hasn't really seen my newest joy except five minutes in the hospital because my father-in-law needed to get something from there. I shouldn't complain because she did take my boys for a couple of days. I guess it's nothing new to her. Just a little complaint. Over all life is good, because right now my house is quite!

Who I use to be ...

I was able to go home to visit my parents this last weekend. It was really fun to be there and the kids loved playing at their house. As we were leaving my mom gave me a box of letters from my youth. Actually they were letters from my friends, none were from me which makes sense. I can't believe how much I wrote when I was younger. The box was bigger then an apple box, probably about the same volume size, but it was still a big box. Half Pint had fun looking through the envelopes looking for cards. I wish I was still in contact with those friends, some I am, but it's strange to think how much I've changed. Makes me wonder if it's for the better or worse? Just thinking...

Which would you choose?

Welcome to my open blog! This blog will pretty much be just be expressing my ideas about how silly life is. I love my life, but there are some times that I just need a break. This could be why we've been encouraged to have a weekly date. On Monday Jefe and I went out just the two of us. If was really fun to just talk about nothing. We went and test drove a couple of cars. We're in needed of a bigger vehicle, so we're trying to decided between a minivan and a suburban. Any idea? What do you like? What do you hate? I voted for a 15 passenger van, but that's not going to happen.

All the manners mentioned in this book are rooted in three fundamental principles: respect, consideration, and honesty. As your children learn manners, it is essential that they also learn these principles, for the manners by themselves are hollow rules to be memorized and soon forgotten.

Children learn from the adults around them. Treat children with respect and they will learn self-respect and to respect others. Treat them with consideration and they will learn to be considerate of others. Always be honest in what you do and say, and they will learn to be honest in all they do and say.