shhhh ... listen ...

I just finished reading (who am i kidding??) listening to The Book of Mormon in 31 consecutive days! 17 pages a day = several chapters to listen to - roughly 45 minutes ... It was the background music to my quiet time most days!  I love The Book of Mormon!!  I served a mission and have read the book on my own but this time i got the story ... I saw it playing out in my head as I listened to the words become more than just scripture!  It's true.  It's the most true book and as Joseph Smith told us, we can be "nearer to God by abiding by it's precepts* than by any other book."  Find out for yourself!

*(n. 1.A rule or principle prescribing a particular course of action or conduct.)

on NOT trusting the van's odometer:

remember when I said that my little troopers were so great for going 2 miles with me??  WELL ... i just drove the loop in andy's car - the not broken down vehicle in our family ... and ... i didn't only go 2 miles ... we went 4, that's right people FOUR MILES!!  shoot, i only gave them a skinny cow for their efforts - they totally deserve something full sugar, full fat, full yummy for doing such a great job and only complaining at mile 2.5 - when they had already gone half a mile longer than i expected to be taking them!  and we did it in 1 hour!  Shoot, we were cookin' right along!

Where were you?

watching the Olympics in the ER

me: Hey Abi ... where were you when Apolo Ohno skated into history in the Men's Speedskate short-track 1,000-meter final Saturday night making him the most decorated U.S. Winter Olympian with seven career medals?

a: I was in the hospital.
me: why?
a: I split my head open.
me: how?
a: I was playing a game with my cousins and when my oldest cousin got the ball away from me he pushed me down and I hit my head on the bed post.

the 'smack-dab' middle of her head

me: yikes! that must have hurt! Did you know your head was split open right when it happened?

a: No ... it hurt and I was crying with my face in a pillow (cuz i didn't want them to think i was a baby) and had my hands on the back of my head and felt the hole with my finger and then started SCREAMING!! "I have a hole in my head!!!"

me: I remember ... you came down the stairs screaming just as Granny and Papa were getting ready to head home. What was my reaction ... do you remember?

a: you yelled, "why are you screaming bloody murder??"

me: I think I was a little more concerned than that ... I remember seeing the blood and hustling you into the bathroom to get a better look. I told Granny that I wanted Papa to take a look at it ... I remember mouthing to her "it's really deep - it's going to need stitches". You kept yelling at me, "I don't want my head to get sewn up!!" You were a little hysterical ...

a: What does hysterical mean?

me: you were crazy a little bit ... I asked Papa to give you a blessing and then we (Granny, Papa, me and you) went to the Emergency Room. Did you have to get stitches?

3 staples ...

a: No, I got staples ... 3 of them.

me: Dad guessed that would happen ... but I thought he was joking ... and then the Dr. said that would be the best option. Did it hurt?

a: YEEEEESSSSS!!

me: They gave you a few shots to numb the area didn't they?

a: Yeah, but it still hurt!!

me: How long will you have the staples in your head?

a: 10 days ... and then I want them to put me to sleep when they take them out.

me: They won't ... it will be all healed and shouldn't hurt to take them out! Are you mad at your cousin?

a: No - I didn't tell anyone in the hospital his name cuz I didn't want to make him feel bad.

me: That was really nice of you ... What did you learn from this experience?

a: Never to play ball in my room!

me: Good idea ...

Happy Cousins ...

they've seen their last run/jog/walk

poor tired shoes ...

Let's face it ... I don't really run ... it's more of a lumber/jog. My poor shoes died when we got home from today's excursion. I went to kick them off and the sole pulled away from the shoe on the left and the duct tape that was holding the right one together came off ... guess I'll be getting some new ones ... dang!

We took a drive this morning and measured a few routes around my neighborhood and this afternoon we went on a 2 mile walk/jog. The boys rode their bikes and did a great job staying with me! A few parts there was no sidewalk and they had to stay far away from the white line ... It was long and hard and uphill sometimes... there was very little whining and only one pit stop at taco bell for a drink of water ... (note to self: bring a bottle to share!)

So, when we got home they got a reward for being troopers!!

my little troopers!!

him - he's #1

i love him, for more reasons than i can count ... and he loves me.

my heart walks around outside my body ...

even when they are crazy ... i love 'em!

#2

Valentine Love 'em or Leave 'em 5k at Greenlake

together start to finish ... we did it!

i love us ...

for a over 10 years we have been
'the party' ...

we started out as only 4, but soon added a girlfriend then had 2 weddings and stayed a only five for 10+ years ... always loving being together and adding kids every few years...


and then we found him ... the one that made us a complete set

and when we get together we can talk about anything,

laugh at each other, and solve the world's problems.

we're not just friends ... we're so much more ... we're the family we would have picked.

and still every time we leave from each other, i say to andy, "I love us!"

#3

i LOVE love hawaii ...

i have yet to post about our fantastic trip to HAWAII!! i will ... promise. but i don't just love Hawaii ... i LOVE love Hawaii - this is big love, fall in love, want to take multiple trips and maybe retire there someday love... (it should be noted that this was my very first trip out of the continental United States ... so maybe i should wait on retirement plans!) #4 Hawaii!!

i heart my friends! #5

clearly i need to drag out my camera when i'm with my friends more often! i have a million pictures of my family, my kids, preschool field trips, date nights, and my messy house ... but pictures with my friends are few and far between!! every GNO from here on out ... photographic evidence will be required!


Friendship isn't a big thing - it's a million little things.

A good friend is cheaper than therapy.

If a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it. ~Edgar Watson Howe



The language of friendship is not words but meanings. ~Henry David Thoreau

A friend accepts us as we are, yet helps us to be what we should.

Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.
C. S. Lewis

The only way to have a friend is to be one.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

or maybe i just need to look harder for pictures!?

i'm a super duper ooper schmooper copy cat!

I got the idea over at "crap i've made" and she got the idea from a friend of hers ...

and as you know ... i'm all about EASY!

Although if you have a grommet/brad hole punch it is easier ...

i started by just cutting slits above and below the fist ...

and the holes were so much easier!!

(thanks honey, for the suggestion!!)

#6 is pedicures

i love me a good pedicure ... shoot i'll even take a bad one ... as long as they soak my feet, rub/scrub them, lotion-rub my legs and paint those bad boys to make them look cute again ... the sheer self-indulgence of it all makes it all worthwhile! just thinking about it makes me a little giddy. my color of choice is usually pinkish ... and since i went to hawaii "island girl - hula festival" is my color! there is nothing quite like feeling pretty, special and pampered!

i love my parents!

who doesn't love these two? i think i have several pictures of both of them that could have been posted showing their goofy side, many of their 'granny and papa' moments, and many more of their loving qualities ... i chose this one for many reasons, including the fact that it was the easiest to find!

my parents are fun, energetic, caring people that love and are loved by many people... (not just because they are Santa and Mrs!) they are good examples of many of the traits i want in my own life! and they still hold hands! #7

Sunday = church day

#8 Church ...
Dictionary.com
-noun
1. a building for public Christian worship.
2. public worship of God or a religious service in such a building: to attend church regularly.
...
6. a body of Christians worshipping in a particular building or constituting one congregation: She is a member of this church.
7. ecclesiastical organization, power, and affairs, as distinguished from the state: separation of church and state; The missionary went wherever the church sent him.
...
–verb (used with object)
15. to conduct or bring to church, esp. for special services.

BIBLE DICTIONARY
Church
From the Greek, Ecclesia, meaning “an assembly called together.” The church is the organized body of believers who have taken upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ by baptism and confirmation. To be the true church it must be the Lord’s church, and must have his laws, his name, and be governed by him through representatives whom he has appointed (3 Ne. 27: 1-12; D&C 115: 4). In this sense, the church began with the days of Adam, and has been on the earth among mankind whenever there were a group of believers who had the priesthood and revelations of heaven.

Yesterday we attended 2 baptisms ... our day began with an 8 yr. old that is in Elyssa's class and ended that evening with a 16 yr. old daughter of a wonderful woman that was recently baptized with her 2 older sons ... now everyone but dad are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. As I look back on the day's events ... it was jam packed - we were non stop action until 8pm and even then we headed home for showers and preparation for Sunday ... but as I evaluate the day, I think the tone of the day was set by that baptism ... I was a little more patient, a little less stressed, a little more loving, and a little less frazzled. And the 16 yr. old's baptism was packed! (funny thing - there were lots of the same people there as were at the 8 yr. old's) It was the first time since my mission that I have had the opportunity to attend multiple baptisms in one day! The Spirit was there - I felt it, and I hope everyone did.

Church isn't just a place, or a group of people that worship the same God ... to me church is a family, a refuge, a home, 'base' if you will. Ammon and Easton have been playing tag a LOT lately and there's always 'base' ... if they are touching 'base' they are safe. The very same principle applies, when we are 'touching' or allowing the Spirit to touch us we are safe, the world can't get to us and we are able to be guided and feel the love from our Heavenly Father. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the true church - with the full truth - and it is led by His representatives, our bishop, whom He has appointed. I feel so blessed to be a part of this church. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Lovin' the B.O.M.

#9


I'm still reading/listening to the Book of Mormon - on target to finish it in 30 consecutive days!! It's amazing the things that have jumped out to me and how the 'story' is shaping and how I'm finally putting some things together ...

It's the BOM!

did you catch that play on words ...

it's awesome ... i love it ... it's the bomb ... hee hee

#10

as i mentioned in this post, i am a HUGE advocate for weekly date nights(#10) ...

here's some ideas for date night at home.

see what Elder Joe J. Christensen has to say about dating ... scroll down to #5

David K. Whitmer has wise counsel here, especially #3 ... his wife's observation is priceless ... “baby-sitters may be the best investment you will ever make for your relationship. Baby-sitters are much less expensive than marriage counselors.”

20 free date ideas

that being said ... we usually just go to dinner and hang out with our friends ... or make out at a rest stop ... whatever suits our fancy!

and where do you laugh more than with the girls?!

this is an old pic ... i need to remember to take my camera on our outings! i sure do have fun with the girls in my ward!
#11 GNO {Girl's Night Out}

Since it's one of their birthday's ...

#12 the sibs

I love my funny, loud, obnoxious, loving, crazy, always there for me siblings!

Happy B-day Mole!

i love ...

to laugh!! #13

Much like Uncle Albert ... but unfortunately it doesn't take me up, up and way for a tea party on the ceiling!

I love to laugh
Loud and long and clear
I love to laugh
It's getting worse ev'ry year

The more I laugh
The more I fill with glee
And the more the glee
The more I'm a merrier me
It's embarrassing!
The more I'm a merrier me!

Valentine's Day Countdown

2 years ago, I made a really cute book {scroll to the bottom to read in order} for my handsome hubby ... this year I'm a little less organized ... and I want to share the love ... so this year I'm blogging a Love Countdown

14 things I love ... in no particular order ...

#14

not just the movies ... but every bit of Christmas!!