Legacy.....

Ladd and I have felt like our kids needed a wake up call lately....about how blessed they really are! They have been saying "Its not fair" a lot lately about everything and anything that they dont like, etc. When actually their life is SO FAIR!!!

We decided tonight that we would watch "Legacy" for our Sunday night activity to give them some perspective. It was the first time they have seen it and it was wonderful to watch as a family.

I had a lot of insights as I was watching it and realized that it was just as much for me as it was for them.

How blessed I am as a mother and wife to have the things I have to keep a home. To have a roof over our heads...a roof I didnt have to make with my own hands. A heater that kicks on when I tell it to and keeps us warm. Carpet that is soft and comfortable for our feet. Vacuums that clean up for me instead of my own darn hands. A mixer that makes me dough for bread in 10 minutes and I dont have to do anything other than put the ingredients in the bowl. A dishwasher that cleans the dishes without my hands. An oven that turns on by the push of a button instead of cutting up wood and starting a fire, etc. Clean running water that is hot or cold within seconds. A toilet that flushes intantly and I dont have to go outside to use it. A car that turns on with the turn of a key and all I have to do is use my weasly little calf muscle to make it go..AND it has a heater that turns on...even air conditioning in the summer...and the doors even open by themself by a push of a button. My husband doesnt have to go off and fight to protect us because of what we believe. I can peacefully live what I believe and believe in Christ with out the fear that I will be persecuted or my house will burn down.

How blessed I am along with my family!

The list continues on and on....

On top of that, I have gained a greater appreciation and desire to be better. As I watched those pioneer women, how hard they worked and how strong their faith was how they took care of their children...I realized I need to be better...and it isnt in a guilty kind of way...it was with the sweet spirit telling me that I can be better, I can do better, I can work harder, I can raise my children better....teach them the gospel more and in turn I will find greater happiness in being a wife and mother and enjoy my children even more than I already do.

I feel the love of our Savior for me as He gently pushes me to want to be better tonight, to be more like Him. I am grateful for the kindness I have felt as I know that He expects more and has shown me this in a way that encourages me to do better.

So my goal this week is to be better, to do more with my children and just BE with them. To keep a cleaner home, to pray more often and have a kinder voice with my children....

Stay tuned for my report next Sunday.

Where's the Sun?

Its the time of year where I am about to jump out of my skin if it rains another day....and right when you think, "if I have to live another day in the rain, I am moving out of this place" the sun comes out and this place is breathtaking beautiful and I say to myself "geez, what were you thinking, the rain is worth it"! It is Gods country up here and I dont know if there is anything that is more beautiful. But we are not going to have one of those "sun saves the day/soul/mind/sanity" days........I was just looking at the weather and the weatherman (btw, the weather man up here never knows what is going on) says it is suppose to snow on thursday! Snow you say? Yes Snow! I know it is Spring. Snow! UGH! no thank you please, go somewhere else. I want to see flowers and blue skies and hear the birds in the morning.

Oh spring where are you?

Here is a pic I found of our beautiful Issaquah surroundings with blue sky....I will post my own beautiful spring pictures later with the sun shining....if they ever come :)

I gave in....

So I have been one of those mean moms who wouldnt let my daughter have anything "Hannah Montana" After much pleading with me, I gave in and became the "sucker mom" and let Lauren watch Hannah Montana! Now she lives for it. She counts down the hours to 7 every night when it is on, this is Lauren "Its 6:53, Its 6:54" etc in a very excited voice. And she proceeds to start dancing around the house singing her songs with the words that she knows.

I keep asking myself "Am I a bad mom to give in to this? To give into commercialism, What is this going to do for her self image, self confidence, etc?" I go both ways, saying it is a good thing, atleast she doesnt know Britney Spears exists, on the other hand, she is only 7, ahhhhhh!!!! I don't know....What do you all think?

Oh yeah, Isabelle saw a picture of Hannah Montanna and starting laughing and saying "Hannah otanna" and all excited....I am really doubting my parenting right now.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Dad's birthday! He would have been 58. It has been a very emotional day and when I think about my dad I lose it and cry like a baby! I wish I could call him today and talk to him on the phone and tell him how much I love him and miss him! He is my hero and before I lose it again, thats all I can say!

Happy Birthday to the best dad ever!!!!

Twilight, Twilight, Twilight.....

So most of you know I am obsessed with the books by Stephenie Meyer, Twilight. If you have not read them yet, you need to(yes even you Melynda)! I am apart of twilightmoms.com and met with a bunch of ladies up here in the NW yesterday for lunch down in Vacouver. Yes I drove 3 hrs each way just to have lunch with them. It was great to share my eat, sleep, drink obsession with them. We were lucky to have some of our Twilightmom insiders at the lunch yesterday and she took us to the place where the baseball scene is being filmed.....here are some pics of us after lunch.