Mother's Day 2015

I had such a wonderful Mother's Day this year.  It started out on

Saturday afternoon when I received roses in the mail from Greg, Lizz, and the girls.  I love getting flowers in the the mail! And they came in a pretty blue mason jar that I will use over and over again!  Chocolates were also in the package!

On Sunday Mike, Carina, and Sebastian came over.  Scott grilled some

carne asada and Carina made beans!  Mike and Carina gave me a rose

plant and a gift certificate to Daisy Nails!  Nice, nice!

Timmy also gave me a Daisy Nails certificate and some of my favorite

protein bars.  So very thoughtful of him to do that for me!

Matty made me a keychain in his shop class at Stapley Jr. High.  So cute!

Sammy carved a candle in cub scouts and made a darling card in his  4th grade class.  Those are always the best gifts!

Scott spoiled me with brand new luggage!  Pink luggage!  I love it!

My friend, Michel, hooked him up real good!

And the best part of Mother's Day was getting to Skype with my

Johnny Boy in Chile! He's so dang cute!  It's our last Skype before he comes home at the end of the year!

Happy Mother's Day to me!!!!

Mother's Day and Skyping with my missionary!

Johnny has been in Chile for five months now!  And I could already tell that his Spanish is coming along great!  It was so cute how he sometimes struggled to find the right word in English.  And he has learned to roll his r's like Spanish-speaking people do. It was fun to see his handsome face and watch the way that he kept looking at Tatum!  The hour that we got to Skype with him went by way too quickly! It was the best Mother's Day present ever!

Day 20:  Serving in cub scouts

I'm currently serving as the wolf den leader in the cub scouting program of my church. This is the fourth time I've held this calling.  No surprises there!  It seems to be one of those callings that no one really wants to have, but I really like it!  I love that I get to work right from my home, have my Sundays free, and I'm in charge of what I do and when I do it.  As long as the boys are getting their achievements accomplished and are having fun at the same time, I'm successful and doing my job correctly.  I love working with the little eight year old boys.  They are so excited to finally be a cub scout, and they really want to be there.  It really is the best calling!  And after five consecutive years of  serving in the Young Women program, I was ready for something a lot more low key.  I may have even asked for this opportunity when I heard there was an availablity. 

Day 17:  The opportunity to earn a little extra income without leaving the house

I'm thankful that I get to watch these little cuties!  I'd been wanting to help out financially, but I knew there was no way I wanted to be away from home.  Then the perfect opportunity presented itself when a neighbor went back to work and was looking for someone to take over her childcare business.  I hopped right on with that idea! The boys really like having these little babies around, too.  

Day 13:  To be a stay-at-home mom

You can bet this is something I thank my Heavenly Father for every day!  When I was growing up my mom was mostly a single, working mom.  Therefore, I was a "latch-key" kid.  I literally wore a key on a chain around my neck, and I would let myself into an empty apartment every day after school.  I hated it! I envied the other girls who went home to a mom with cookies waiting on the table.  I don't say this to make my own mother feel bad or to look bad.  It was just what she had to do at the time.  But this did instill in me the fact that I wanted something totally different for my children. 

I've been a stay-at-home mom for 20 years now.  The first two years of marriage (pre-babies) I worked full time, and then the next four years I worked part-time with my mom or Scott's mom watching Mikey and Greggy.  Then we had the great opportunity to move out of California to Arizona where we had no parents around to help with childcare.  I knew I wanted to be the one home with them every day, so this was my chance! 

I love being here when they come home, with cookies waiting.  I enoy being able to work in the classroom when needed. They love the occassional lunch dates we have. I appreciate that I don't have to rearrange my schedule when someone is sick.  I'm thankful that they don't have to come home to an empty, unsupervised home day in and day out.

I know this is a privilege, and it is one that I am most thankful for. 

Day 7:  My good health

I'm learning not to ever take this for granted.  My mom moved in with me a year and a half ago, and ever since she has been here, she has been really, really sick.  She's always had bad health, but it is rapidly deteriorating.  I feel bad for her, and I feel helpless as to what I can do.  I am thankful that she is here in my home where I can help her more easily and keep a closer eye on things. 

Day 4:  The right to vote

I voted today.  I've been thinking a lot lately about how privileged, honored, and blessed I am to have been born and raised in the United States of America.  I'm reading the book "Veil of Roses," which is about an Iranian girl that moves to America to find a husband.  Wow, do I take for granted the freedoms and blessings I have here.  I believe this is a choice and blessed land.   And I'm thankful for the men and women that have fought for my freedom.  I'm proud to be an American!

Go Romney!!!

Day 2: My lifelong friend, Dawn.

Dawn and I first met in 8th grade.  I had just moved from Virginia to California, and we attended the same school.  We became friends immediately and have been like
sisters ever since.  She was the one who introduced me to the church and introduced me to Scott a year later.  After she was married, she and her little family moved to Arizona.  Scott and I would come to visit, and eventually I convinced him that we needed to move here too.  I am thankful for her constant friendship, her example, and all that she does for me.

 

I Love Girl's Camp!

And who wouldn't?
Nice weather!
Hanging out with fun girls!
Three meals a day cooked for you!
A break from boys!Thanks for a great time, G.V. 1st Young Women!

20 things I'm thankful for.

1.) My family...one great husband, and seven beautiful, healthy children!

2.) My mother.
3.) My membership in the church of Jesus Christ.
4.) My Savior.
5.) The privilege of being a stay-at-home mom.
6.) Our home.
7.) To live in this free, great, blessed country.
8.) My neighborhood.
9.) My friends.
10.)My church calling working with the Young Women.
11.) My missionary!
12.) My marine!
13.) My health.
14.) My testimony.
15.) My extended family.
16.) The scriptures.
17.) Our living prophet.
18.) A temple close to home.
19.) Good children.
20.) My husband's employment.

I should have done this last month, I know. But Christmas is a good time to express appreciation, too.

Fall is in the air!
We've turned off the A.C.,
opened our windows,
and I got new autumn
colors in my hair.
(I really didn't intend for that to rhyme.)

This is where I'll be for the next three months...In the bleachers watching baseball games.
Five of my boys are playing.
Greg - Varsity @ Westwood
(John opted out this year)
Tim - Majors in Little League
Jake - Minors in Little League
Matt - Machine Pitch in Little League
and
Sam - Neighborhood T- Ball!

It's always a crazy time for us and
marks the winding down of the
school year.

You can catch me on my cell phone!

Take your shoes off.I'm not allowed to wear my shoes in the house.

Not that I like to anyway.
But if I happen to have them on, Sammy tells me,
"Take your shoes off." And he follows me around
until I do. He knows that if I have my shoes on, I'm
probably leaving the house. When I take them off, he's safe
to go about his business of playing.

*This photo was taken on one of my girlfriend weekends. We had just gotten a pedicure. Girls do silly things like that. (even forty-something year old ones!)

*O.K., Mom. Do you recognize which one is your daughter's foot?

One of my most favorite people.While we were in California for the funeral, I got to

spend some time with this person...my aunt C.C.

She has always been one of my most favorite people!

She makes me laugh, and I just lover her.
And the boys (my boys) think she's "cool!"

I hadn't seen her for about 20 years!

We really shouldn't wait until weddings and furnerals to

see people we love.

Note: Wanting to use these last two pictures has forced me to figure out how to scan pictures into my computer. It only took me all of Sammy's preschool time to do it, but now I can! So it was worth it! The cleaning and my Young Women's lesson, and the laundry...can wait. Now it makes me want to go back and find some fun pictures to scan and blog about. I'll save that for another day. Better get busy. He's home in 20 minutes.

Today's after-school treat...Julie's cake mix lemon cookies,

sprinkled with powdered sugar.

You are right, Julie, they do taste like

the ones at Paradise Bakery!

Thanks for the quick, easy, yummy recipe.

Thank you, Corporal Romney, for the Mother's Day Flowers... I love, love, love them!

Girls Weekend Away!

Girlfriends...check!
Massage...check!
Pedicure...check!
Shopping...check!
Late night movies...check!
Chocolate...check!
Pop...check!
Back to reality...check.