Oh yes, it's going to be good

     This is the invitation for Little E's birthday party.  She's turning, 3, if you couldn't tell.  Our baby is three.  Whoa.
Anywho, can you tell what kind of party we are having?  I couldn't help myself.  She watches Toy Story 3, at least five times a week.  And she loves Jessie.
   One of my goals this year is to make my family know that they are special to me.  And what better day to start than their birthday!
   So, for her birthday, and I only put this because I  know she won't see it, she is getting a Jessie hat, a Jessie doll, a Sheriff Woody doll and Bullseye.  They're just plush things, but I think she will love them.  The girls will have a hat like Jessie, and the boys will get one like the Sheriff.  I think they'll have fun.  I hope so.  We'll have pizza from Pizza Planet and then, well, that's all I have planned.  Starting now so it's super fun and stress-less.  Presents are ordered, cake is designed (on paper), and the invites are made.  I have a wreath made of balloons to hang on the door ALL WEEK, and it will be all about her!  Do you anything special that you do for birthdays?

Photo from Disney Pixar.

Learning

I wanted this year to be one that was a growing experience for me.  It's already turning out to be that!  But one of my goals was to  learn something and learn to do it well.  My dear hubby got me this for Christmas.  It stopped.my.heart.

 Literally.  I was flabbergasted.  I've been saying for a few years now that I wanted to pick up the violin again, and this time not give up.  To get good at it.  And he searched forever, so he told me, until he found this one.  I love that he took the time to find one so unique.  Isn't it beautiful?

Learning used to be not so fun, but I suddenly have so many things I want to learn and be good at.  This is one of them.

Something I love

I think I alway have and always will love Sunday dinner.  Just something about coming home from church, the house is clean, and there is good food to make.  I think I've struggled getting into my own Sunday dinner-making groove. I always remember being younger and by the time we got home from church, the house smelled like a yummy roast, and homemade rolls.  my favorite thing then, was finding a blanket and curling up in a chair in the living room and falling asleep until it was time to eat.  My mother was and still is an amazing cook.  I wish I felt like I had inherited some of that.  I think I do OK, but man, I love going to my parent's house on Sunday for this reason.  Making it takes all the tastiness out of it!  And then I feel guilty, because I wonder if it's the same for my mom.  We should probably cook for her and Dad, waaaaaaaaaay more often.
Anyways, yesterday, I actually had a plan for Sunday dinner.  And it was yummy.  But I can't take all the credit.  My wonderful hubby cooked the meat, which was, in my opinion, the best part of the meal.
But, the whole afternoon just made me remember how enjoyable Sunday afternoons can be.  Quiet music with no words, slightly foggy outside, warm smells from the kitchen and sitting around the table.  I love this!

Let me Introduce You

This afternoon, Baby E was helping me unload the dishwasher.  I'm busy when I hear her laughing.  I turn around when she yells "Wazowski!"  May I introduce you to...Mike Wazowski.

And from yesterday:  Buzz Lightyear

I love that this girl is so creative.  Can't wait to see what she comes up with next.  

And from lunch today, Baby N couldn't bear to give up a bottle, or the pickle, she had to hold both.  

Love those blue eyes

Pardon Me, do you think I'm that stupid?

Oh my...selling a house sure is a painful process.  I figured it would be, at least a little bit painful, but wow.  Now, for beginners, I know that the market is AWFUL, and we bought high and will have to sell low.  We are trying to do for sale by owner, to try and bring the price down for negotiation and all that fun stuff.  Needless to say the agents are having a hay-day with us.  We get at least two-four calls from agents.  One particular, we knew we wouldn't use.  He just, well, to be frank, he was a, um, a buttocks.  That's a nicer word for it, I guess.  He gave us some awful numbers and I had the fortunate opportunity to be on the phone with this man.  Then my poor Mr. came home from work right then.  I'm sure enjoyed the rant.  Then another agent called this afternoon.  Maybe an hour ago.  She was much nicer, gave us numbers that were a little better, but not quite what we were hoping for.  I know that we won't get what we want, obviously.  Anyway, while I'm listening to her, I'm trying to wipe peanut butter and jelly from Baby N's fingers, when I heard her say, "So, with my fees, I have you coming to the table with at least $36,000.00, so what can help you guys get started with?"  My instant rage came in the blink of an eye.  I tell you, my eyes probably flashed red for a few seconds there.  I fought with everything in me not to say, "Excuse me, do you think I am STUPID?!  I'm not using you!"  Don't get me wrong.  I know they have to make a living, they're just doing their job, but seriously!!  I finally gathered myself enough to say, "We'll let you know. Thanks for your time."

Laugh Out Loud

When was the last time you laughed out loud?  I mean, really laughed.  Like, made you cry laugh?  I will be completely honest.  I don't remember.  I mean, I'm sure there is humor surrounding me all day.  Look at this little beauty I get to hang out with all day.  She is funny.  Really funny. I think I laugh in my head.  I want to change this.  I can already think of things that I could've laughed really hard at, but I don't think I did.  My Baby E (pictured) one day, while following me while I was weeding, picked up a handful of dirt, and ate it.  Then went back for more.  Not long ago, she emptied a brand new bottle of soap because she wanted a princess bubble bath.  And boy did she get one.  I should've laughed more when I came in and she had a bubble hat, and beard and called herself  Santa.  I look back at it and laugh.  I adore her.  She's what I want to be.  Carefree, happy, curious, funny, and she can laugh at herself.  To be a child again, eh?

Twenty Five

    I'm finding that being 25 is becoming a defining age for me.  I can't say that any one thing has made this so, but it seems with every passing week, and month, I'm learning something new about myself.  
I've always said that I know who I am.  I'm a child of God.  I'm a divine daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me and knows me.  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Saints, and I'm not afraid to say it.  I have a testimony of it that I won't ever deny, can't deny.  If I've ever been questioned about these things, I've found me asking myself if I did really believe these things, and I do.  It always come back to that.  
   But even though these things are, I believe, my spiritual core, it's the only thing I can say about myself.  And not that this is a bad thing.  I'm glad that I have it.  I truly think I'd be lost without it.  I guess, this last year has kind of wakened myself to this realization.  I had my second baby, I went to way too many funerals, and I found out a lot about myself that I didn't like, and found a lot of things I want to work on, while enjoying life, because it's way too short.  Life is a journey, right?  I think it should have meaning.  It should be enjoyable.  I should laugh about things that would make me lose my temper too quickly. I've been told more than once that I need to lighten up, be funny, laugh when I think something is funny.  I should be able to wade a little further than ankle-deep water and not be so afraid that a shark is going to eat me. (That's what I think of when I see the above picture.)  I want to leave a mark.  Do something great.  If nothing else, I want my husband and kids to have a wife and mother that is confident in who she is, and is happy with herself, and life.  Join me.  Tell me what defines you.  What do you like?  What do you want to do with your life?  What do you want to be to others that know you, and those that don't?  I want to learn, I want to be good at something, I want to learn from others and maybe be a person that others can learn from too.  I want to know everything about me, and my family, what makes them tick, and I want to make them know that they are the most important thing in my world, I want my home to feel like home, and I want it to feel that way to others, I want to be the best wife and mom,  I want to live my life, and love it.   This is where I am going to track my progress on becoming the me that the Lord intended for me to be when he sent me here.  I'm going to put things I like, things I don't, things I find that I love, things I want to do.  So, here we go.