{table for two}

Maile kept pointing to her cup this morning and telling Maren that her cup was called clear. Maren kept saying, "my cup is not "Claire". Out of frustration Maile said, "Maren not your friend Claire..ccleeaarr"

The conversations between these two are quite entertaining.

The best was when the girls scurried down onto the floor to reap the rewards of a large shattered candy cane. Without thinking I said, "girls stop picking things up off the floor like little rats. Maren looked up at me and said, " Mom we're not rats we're mouses". Well then, carry on, carry on, I thought. What was I suppose to say to that one except its mice, not mouses. They really put me in place on a daily basis. I mean why did I even have to tell them not to eat the candy cane off the floor when there are many more real problems out there in the world.

They are the best teachers.

Motherhood & family pictures

Life has been so busy but really quick here are a few of my thoughts on why I love what I do:

"The biggest thing that I do right now is being a Momma and the thing that I love the most about it is that my kids have given me an opportunity to learn how to love and serve more fully.  Lots of satisfying life's lessons have been learned through this venture & it's been a very refining process.  Makes me realize how far I really need to come in this life but how far I have come all @ the same time.  It's also very satisfying to know that I can do things that I never thought I could do.  Motherhood is not always the easiest so when I experience little successes along the way I am on cloud nine.  I love that being a Mom makes me feel stronger.  Also when you try to look through the eyes of a child it makes things more magical & you want to celebrate the "ordinary" a little more."

Family pictures this year were very fun...sort of:-)

My boys....

so sweet...so tender..

This is what we deal with on a daily basis.  I like the vein sticking out of Christian's neck...no he's not mad.  The joys of two year old boys.  At least they're cute.

Halloween

Halloween is not my most favorite holidays.  The boys costumes were a big hit.  Maren wanted to be Fancy Nancy and well Maile just wanted the zip up rabbit costume and let me tell you I was just fine with that.  Her costume was so low maintenance and took zero creativity.  I kept thinking she looked like she was wearing the aardvark costume from Better Off Dead.  All in all it was a fun night especially because Papa & Grandma came for a visit. The girls kept wanting to hear the "Beetles" play.  Next year I swear I will have every ones costumes lined up at least a month in advance rather than 2 days in advance.

{savor, relish, enjoy, bask}

Today I had the overwhelming feeling that time just decided to hop on the Concorde.  There's a small problem though...I don't want to be on that fast plane.  I want things to S L O W down.  In fact sometimes I would like to hop on a time machine and rewind to go back and hold my small babies (or go back and even be a baby myself...but that's only when I'm feeling a little done with the day...you know when every single kid screams while trying to keep the basic groceries just to survive.  I love it when people stare.)  

Anyway,  here we are in the holiday season again but I swear we were just there yesterday.  When I was a kid it felt like I was riding a boat, maybe even a sailboat all the way around the world to get to Christmas.  It seemed like it took forever.    

*******

On Sundays we are always in a big hurry to make it to church by 8:30 AM but for some strange reason that is the only morning the girls sleep in or are not hungry & do not want to eat their breakfast.  I always have what I call the big Sunday knot in my stomach.  I'm thinking that is probably no way to start one of the most uplifting days of the week out.  I always have to convince myself that who really cares anyway...at least I am going even if we are 20 minutes late.  "Remember S L OW down", I reminded myself again this morning.  That is why when I came out of my room ready to go & found 4 out of the 5 sitting on the green chairs, I didn't care that we were already late because I was going to live in the moment and enjoy these crazy houligans. 

NOTE TO SELF:  In case I get all grouchy and forget about my feelings in this post then please refer to the above "buzz words" in the blog post title and try again to savor, relish, enjoy & bask in the moment, which means to S L O W down.

Sisters are my inspiration

Towards the end of the day I am tired.  I have dirty kids.  I do not feel like putting them in the bath because let's face it there are those days that I am done and just want everybody in bed.  Then I think of my sisters and my recent visit to Oregon.  If I were in Oregon right now observing my sisters, they surely would have all of the kids bathed by now with dishes done, floors vacuumed, and stories told.  Of course that was only after a nice meal had been cooked.  I don't think I have fully seen what my sisters were capable of doing as mothers until I was observing their every move as I sat all by myself without any distractions from my kids.

*******

As I sat in the back of my Mom & Dad's car after picking me up from the airport I recounted my trip back to them.  "Annie is sure efficient", I told my parents.  She knows how to get any job done quickly and is always cultivating herself in the knowledge sector  My sister Liza once said, "Annie is pregnant and she still runs circles around me".  I have no idea how she is able to do it all.  She is the real deal.  The kids are constantly getting all of the stimulation they need and more.  She really loves being a Mom and it shows.  When we had gone to church she busted out a notebook where she had already studied the lessons and jotted down some notes.  She made me want to be better.  

Then there is Liza.  How could just one little Momma make everybody feel so loved and important.  I really do not know how she does it.  I know she is tired but she always finds time to make a welcome or birthday banner to any special person in her life @ that moment.  She also seems to be so in tune to receive personal inspiration.  Liza's plan of action is completely different from Annie but easily just as affective.  She is fine staying at home having and basking in laughter, dancing & games.  She tells me of feelings that she really needs to keep things simple so that she can enjoy life @ home with the kids.  She also makes me want to be better.  (I also need to include that when we last took the kids to the park she and I had a race on the swing set to see who could get the highest first, just in case I were to forget)

Two sisters that go about doing things different but pretty much hoping for the same end result and that is what is most important, THE END RESULT.  In the meantime I just need to figure out how to get from point A to point B in the best way possible for my family to achieve my own personal goal. I know there are different ways of doing things to achieve the end result of having well-behaved, well-adjusted & well-learned children who understand the Plan of Salvation that was defined by our Savior.  Both sisters approaches seem to be working.

I am inspired my them & want to be better.  I came home and truly wanted to be a better Mom. 

Thank goodness for sisters who help to fill my cup.

P.S. - We mustn't forget about Mary.  She will make an excellent wife & mother, for this I am sure of.  She inspires me in many other ways and because of her I wished  I would approach things with less judgement & with less guile.  I love all of her sweetness.  She is pure sunshine.  All of her service to me will never be forgotten. Last time Mary was in town she called the girls up to take them on a date to Jamba Juice.

I pee my pants.

No need for frowning @ our house when there are such character(s) that live here.

{Fancy Nancy in the house}

Oregon

When I was 10 years old I told my Dad that I wanted to move to Oregon. He was a bit perplexed as I had never been there or had any family that lived there. I think deep down at an early age my soul must have known how much Oregon would speak my language. Last night when my Dad & Mom picked me up from the airport from my very first trip to Oregon, I told my Dad that I still would like to live there. It was so much fun being with sisters & their kids. I have a dream that someday we will all live on the countryside 40 minutes outside of Portland.  Isn't Fall so beautiful...I could not help but want to jump up into the air when I saw streets lined with brightly colored trees.

All was well when I arrived home.

I miss you sisters.