Ode to Stay-At-Home Moms

Sometimes I take being a stay-at-home mom for granted.

It is the funnest thing in the world.

And I will tell you why:

1.I am the co-CEO of my life and house.

2.I get to pretend I am different kind of animals to entertain Smith.

3.I can eat chips and cheese whenever I want.

4.I can read any kind of book, wether it be a pop-up book, or The Odyssey(my current fav)

5.I can shower at 10:00am and walk around my house with my hair wet for hours, and I don't feel pressure from co-workers to look like a million bucks.....but sometimes Smith will give me a look like, "mom, you look like a homeless woman with wet hair, I think you should get changed." When I see that look, I change immediately and probably put mascara on for fun.

6.I can create things, write books, draw pictures, refurbish D.I. items, read peoples blogs, read scriptures, cook, make elaborate grocery lists (ridiculously detailed), read cook books cover to cover, attempt to sew and work out.

7.Love Smith and watch him grow. See what he sees and learn what he learns.

8.Knowing that Bryce wants me home more than anywhere or any work place in the world.

9.Feeling like a domestic goddess

10.And learning that Enough is all you need.

These are just some of the fun reasons why I love being a stay at home mom. I seriously couldn't imagine a better place for me. Some day I want to start my career when my youngens are not so young. But not today. Today I am going to roll on the floor and make silly faces to my sweet little boy. Today, I am going to be a mom and wife. It's going to be a good day.

I Got One

Last night, to my dismay, I woke up to find Smith covered in throw up and hives.

Yeah, joys of mother-hood.

Poor little boy. I felt so sorry for him. We currently have our hot water turned off due to some remodeling, so i couldn't give him a bath. I just heated up some water on the stove and dabbed a wash cloth in the water, then washed off his face and shoulders. I yelled from Smith's room.

"Sweet heart. Come in here and look at Smith. I am worried!" I was worried. Underneath the lovely throw-up was big red and white hives and Smith was itching them like crazy.

"Can you go to the store and get some baby benidryl for me?" I asked. Hoping it wouldn't be inconvenient for him at midnight seeing he had to get up at six.

"Yeah." He just got his wallet and went to the store. He ended up calling me from the costumer service counter."Umm... the baby benidryl says not to give it to kids under the age of 2?"

So I told him to call me back in five minutes.

You test a lot of people's loyalty at midnight when you call them on the telephone.

First I called my Mom. No answer. Then I called my mother-in-law. No answer. Then I called my sister who lives in North Carolina. No answer. Then I called my mom again. No answer. So I called my Dad's cell phone. "What's up?" Yay! My Mom answered.

"Mom, Smith threw up everywhere and has hives, Bryce is at the store and is wondering what to do because the bottle of benidryl says it's only for kids 2-4 years old?"

"OKay, just give him under the lowest dose. He will be fine."

"Thanks Mom. Go back to bed. Love ya bye."

So to make a long story short. My Bryce came home with Baby Benidryl and SMith was fast asleep by the time Bryce got back. I hugged my Bryce tight as he walked through the door.

"Thank you so much. You will be blessed!"

He looked at me and said,"I don't want to be blessed anymore, I want Smith to be blessed."

I thought that was so sweet. And I thought,"I got one. I got a good one." a husband that is.

Call Waiting

I am currently on call waiting for the CHIP office, while I am writing this.

All I can say is, Elevator Music.

Anyway, I think Black Friday is totally weird. I wonder why they call it black friday? I usually like to relax the day after Thanksgiving, in a comfortable chair, and think about all the frantic shoppers while I am enjoying my vacation. But this Black Friday, I shopped. And it was fun.

I only went to one store.

IKEA.

I think IKEA is fun. It kind of feels like an airport to me. When you first walk in there is an escalator that takes you up and you kind of don't know what to do for a second. Then after you get your stuff, you have to walk through their stock items, which the ceiling could totally pass as high as an airport. It's huge. Okay, so then you get to the check out and it literally feels like you will have to take off your shoes and put them in a little tub and get wanded by security. But you don't have to do that. It just feels like it. I don't know why, maybe it's the smell of cinnamon rolls as you leave, or the plastic that guards the cashier.

Anyway.

All I ended up getting was material. You can buy it by the yard, and they have a ton of fun patterns!! I am planning on making pillows from this gorgeous stuff and I am excited. What did you do on Black Friday?

Happy Anniversary to Me and Yikes Stripes!

isn't he cute...? Gosh I am a lucky girl.

Today is the day My Bryce and I got married. Three years ago. November 18 2006. It was a fall wedding and so beautiful. I remember walking out of the bride room in the Timpanogos Temple all ready to walk out and see everyone greet us newly weds. It was the first time Bryce saw me in my wedding dress. His eyes got so big and he smiled like I had never seen him smile before. He said, "you look gorgeous, you are so beautiful." He had me spin in a circle. I felt like a princess. And he still makes me feel like a princess to this day.

The Cake you see at the top is the bottom of our wedding cake. Our actual wedding cake. And three years later we are eating it. It is still frozen, so hopefully it will thaw out before tonight!!

After 2 weeks, of painting pretty much everything in our entire house, we are done, for now. I painted my dream of stripes on the wall. I have always wanted to do this, and finally owning a home can allow you some fun decorating ideas you have collected over the years. I am so happy!

Spinal Tap

As I walked into Primary Childerens Hospital in Salt Lake City I felt a little panic inside of me and I didn't feel too well, mother nature decided to pay me a little visit as I walked in holding my son. Don't worry the gift shop always provides woman products for emergency, so I was okay. But still, having to deal with that and then having your son go in for a spinal tap, an EMG, a G.I. scope and blood samples isn't what I call "ideal". First they couldn't find a vain to put the needle into for the anesthesia, so he was getting poked all over and just screaming. Poor little little. I felt like screaming too, I kind of did on the inside.

They took him in the procedure room and as he was in there, I walked around the hospital a bit. Watching children that were 8 in hospital gowns and no hair. And little ones with large casts on.

But it felt good to see them being taken care of. When Bryce and I were first at Primary Children's right after a neurology appointment. My Bryce and I had to wait in a room to get a blood sample for SMith. And in this room there was a grown boy, about fifteen years old, probably 150 pounds, in a wheel chair just looking up at the ceiling and smiling. It looked as though he had a condition, I didn't know what it was, maybe down syndrome, but he couldn't move, talk, walk, or look anywhere else but up. And the sweetest thing I had ever seen made tears drop on my lap. His grandma was holding his hand, she was a skinny woman. I watched her slide him out of this special wheel chair and hold him on her lap, he looked huge and awkward to hold, but she didn't care, she sang to him and smiled at him and talked to him, and laughed with him and rocked him and put her head on his and she smiled as well.

I looked over and saw my Bryce just staring, you really couldn't help but watch, it was amazing. But I knew what he was thinking.

He saw Smith in that boy.

He saw that as Smith's future. I held Bryce's hand tight and later asked him if that is what he was thinking. He said, "yes", and it was hard for him. We don't know what the future is for our son. We don't know what he will be capable of doing. Only a few results came back from the tests, and all they could tell us was "I am very concerned about your son", I liked hearing someone else is concerned. Thank you Doctor Sukonju and all the other staff at Primary children's.

Stephanie Nielson

I read the Nie Nie Dialogues.

And I love them.

For all of you who do love the Nie Nie Dialogues then you love the author of them.

Stephanie Nielson.

I have a little story to tell.

My Bryce and I were driving back home tonight from Grandma Smith's (you know, Monday night we always have family home evening with her) and my Bryce said, "Oh, we need to get some Milk." He innocently said we would go to Allen's, but I suggested we just stop by the BYU creamery instead because it was right on our way. He agreed. He dropped me off to go in the store while he waited in the parking lot for me. And I don't know why I thought this, but as I walked in the creamery I thought,"What if Nie Nie was in here right now?" I walked straight to the milk and guess who was right next to the milk? Stephanie Nielson. I am not a star struck person and if I saw Cameron Diaz in a store I would probably not say anything to her and tell everyone about it. But Nie Nie is different. I basically read her blog every week and when she was in Coma I read her blog archives and it really genuinely inspired me to be a better mom and wife.

So I decided to just do it. I wanted to thank her. I walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder and as soon as I started to talk tears welled up in my eyes and I could hardly muster up a word. So I said, with a shaky voice, tears, and a deep breath.

"Hi Stephanie, I just wanted to tell you I read your blog, and thank you so much....." cry cry cry.

Guess what that Angel did? She gave me a big hug. Not just an acquaintance side obligation hug. It was a warm nice sweet embrace. And of course it made me cry more. Then she said

"Thank you so much, I was having a bad day, so I really needed that."

Oh my gosh could this woman be more of a saint? She is amazing, seriously.

Then she asked me my name. I said,"Beth", then she repeated it and said,"Thanks Beth."

"No, Thank you Stephanie Nielson."

I walked to the front of the store, bought my milk and hurried in the car. My sweet Bryce was confused why I came back with milk and a puffy tear filled face! I told him what happened and he smiled and said,"that's awesome sweetheart."

It was awesome. And now, I'd like to think we are friends. She is nicer then you would ever imagine.

Thanks Stephanie.

www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com

Confessions

Confession #1- I have only taken baths since I moved into the new house. I know some are not Bath people, but I definitely am.

Confession #2- I started listening to Christmas Music. I once had a conversation with a close friend and she said she hated it
when people started to celebrate Christmas as early as September. Well, my friend, I might not have started
decorating right now, but I am enjoying Mo Tab's Handel's Messiah and Amy Grant's Christmas and I love Chris
Martin's version of "Have yourself a Merry little Christmas" There is so much beautiful Christmas Music out there!!

Okay, so my confession session is over but I have a story that combines them both together. I was taking a bath while little Smithy was sleeping and I put in the "Little Women" soundtrack. Oh dear. Amazing. I closed my eyes and smiled. Of course my thoughts took me to the beautifully made movie that I was basically raised on. I remember sitting next to the fire place at 1082 Via Verona Dr. Chico, CA on a Sunday afternoon, curled up in a blanket watching Winona Rider play the roll of Jo March and crying when Claire Danes, who plays Beth, dies, and always getting mad that Jo March didn't say yes to Laurie. Then I thought I have 3 sisters, which makes four of us. And there are four little women. Four of them, four of us. So I decided to say who each of my sisters would be and why.

Amy- Definitely Laura. Amy is eccentric and adventurous. She loves to socialize and wants to be involved. She is also very
Creative and fun.

Beth- Defintely Megan. She is more reserved and a little shy, loves to play the piano and is very sweet.

Jo- Not only is she my favorite character, but I relate with her the most. She loves to write fantasy and is curious of the
unkown. She loves to have fun. So Me!

Meg- Aubrey. She is responsible, mindful of everyone, she thinks about what is the best for those she knows. And is has
extremely good etiquette.

So those are my sisters. I love them. We, are all very different, but we all love each other.



Me and my sisters........

my wonderful sister in law

Alyssa is the one furthest on the left.

It goes Laura, Me, Aubrey, Meg.

Dryers

When you have a back yard you decide to do funny things. Like hang your clothes up to dry instead of using the dryer. When I was serving my mission for the LDS church in the lovely Canary Islands, I never dried my clothes in the dryer, WHY? Because the people NEVER use them or own them for that matter. So you would see balconies of apartments chalk full of drying racks. I grew to appreciate dryers very quickly, BUT, today I wanted to hang my clothes dry. It was so fun and Smith liked it too.

Little Smith.

My Bryce wrote a song for Smith the other day, and as he was playing it I was holding that little bundle of joy in my arms and rocking him. I love Smith the way he is, and I accept how ever he turns out. HE saw the Geneticist, he is seeing the G.I. specialist, and he has a spinal tap coming soon. He has already gone through so much for such a young little boy. If any of you know Smith you know he has the sweetest spirit, as you hold him you feel heaven all around you. I get to feel heaven every day. I am lucky. Thanks Heavenly Father.

Dinner at Midnight

I haven't eaten dinner at midnight since crazy nights with roommates at the rain tree apartments and probably other fun times with all my Chico friends as well. Anyway, my Bryce and I were unpacking all of our BOXES AND BOXES AND BOXES of stuff and I realized my tummy was rumbling for some food and my Bryce was pretty hungry too. As all of you well know, I love cooking and so my kitchen, of course, was the first thing to get completely established. Some set up the bedroom because they want a cozy place to sleep, some the bathroom so it wont feel so foreign, but me, I chose the kitchen to make my domain first. So I was all geared up to make my very first meal in my very first house.

We only had food that we brought over from the apartment. Good, a challenge.

So I mustered up Italian Rice with Cranberry Bourbon Steaks. It took me a little while to come up with a savory meal that sounded appetizing at 12 in the morning. A success! It tasted rich and delicious, especially after packing and unpacking and loading and unloading. I also bought some items at good ole' D.I. and "refurbished"... I had so much fun refurbishing old things and make them my own creation.

Now I wake up to the sound of whistling leaves on trees and birds, oh the beautiful birds!, and I must say, I do love it here. I really do.

Oh and by the way, I saw the movie "500 days of summer" with my best friend Courtney Lee Jones (C-Jones). I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and I enjoyed the soundtrack. Especially the song "sweet disposition." For those of you who appreciate clean flicks I would wait to see it on there, but it is definitely worth the wait. I loved it.

I am a slacker in the Web World... but the real world I have been rather BUSY.

I am moving.

We are no longer basement apartment dwellers. When Bryce and I first married we managed a bed and breakfast and lived in the basement. I have nothing but fond memories of that little apartment. As my Bryce and I set up the rooms for the guests we would put cold sparkling drinks in each room and flirt and chase each other around the Mansion. Sometimes when no guests were there we would dwell upstairs and turn the fire place on and pretend we were Mr. and Mrs. Hines (it was called the Hines Mansion Bed & Breakfast) and play checkers in the front room. I loved that place. Then we moved to Bryce's Parents basement apartment to save $$. And we did. That is why we are moving. And I am so excited!!!!

No more footsteps above our heads, and window wells.

The house was built in 1944, is white with blue shutters, and has grape vines in the back yard. There is room for a herb garden and the house has wood floors through out.

Here are some ideas I have for decorating.

I like these wall papers

and I like this area rug because it tells a story

I love love love this couch

I like this wall

I like these pillows too.....

Of course these things are on my wish list. The rug however is from that dang cute store called Anthropologie, I believe it was around 1000 u.s. dollars. But I might find something close to it for less? Who knows. Doing the decor of a house is very satisfying and it's fun to make a house into a home. I love things that brighten and beautify. Moving here we come!

Warriors

My sweet Little Little was laying on my bed in the midst of folded towels, folded jeans and pants, a couple of baskets of unfolded clothes and amongst all these folded and unfolded commodities were about 50 shirts stacked on top of each one with a hanger readily placed inside the shirt, waiting to be hung up.

As he was smiling and kicking and enjoying Smith Land, I looked at my Little Little and I told him how much I loved him.... I was thinking of a couple different things as I finished folding all the laundry......

The head nurse at his pediatrics office.

Just picture a bitter spinster/school marm, that is out to get YOU out of everyone in class.

That is the way I feel around this particular head nurse. When I first brought smith into the doctors office to get his circumcision (he was only 5 days old) she came in his room with her skin flexing in between her eyes exposing many wrinkles and asked sourly," Why did you name your son smith? Why?" I was thinking, it's really none of your business and you live in Utah don't you? I mean, kids come in with the name Wasatch or Avenue and you probably don't blink, but a boy comes in with the name Smith and you act as if it is the worst tragedy known to man.

Well, I called this special Nurse the other day to see if she could get me on priority for the geneticist at Primary Children's (normally it is a year wait with out a Doctor referral), and guess what she said?

"That is a normal amount of wait for a child, you will just have to call in and make an appointment." I bit my tongue and called into Primary Children's, and they said it would take about a year, then I asked, "with a Doctor referral can my son get in earlier?" They said "yes". Hmmmm...... I got a little perturbed and called the head nurse, this is close to what I said," Hi, this is Beth Taylor, mother of Smith Taylor. I called earlier about making an appointment with the Geneticist, and they told me if Smith's Doctor called in I could get in earlier. So I was calling to see if you could do that for me."

"We have already spoken, that is just normal to be put on a waiting list."

"Yes, but I don't think you understand, Whenever I come into your office I have to fill out a questionnaire regarding my son's development. Every single, EVERY SINGLE question it asks me, of pages of things your kids are supposed to be doing I mark, "Not Yet" . According to your standards he is still a new born and he is 16 months old. The neurologist has diagnosed him as a medical mystery, he has had cat scans, an MRI and developmental specialists in and out of my home for a year. I think you could call and put him on some priority, don't you think?"

"I can talk to Doctor Glade and see what I can do."

I now have an appointment in November for a neurologist, a G.I. specialist in October, and I am waiting on the Geneticist, but they told me I could get in soon, sooner than a year. My fingers are crossed.

I don't usually force my self onto people like that, but I did it for the love of my son. I felt good afterwards and I know Smith deserves a Mom that will put up a fight for him. I realized then more than ever, Moms are warriors and they have to battle everyday with decisions for their little ones. My "character" will have to change in order for Smith to get better. I can't be the easygoing and carefree person I am with life, but with Smith I have to be a warrior. A warrior that will battle and fight and try to figure out what he needs everyday.

"The formative period for building character for eternity is in the nursery. The mother is queen of that realm and sways a scepter more potent than that of kings or priests. "~Author Unknown

I am so grateful and honored to be the mother of Smith.

This story ends with me leaving the piles of laundry to get a glass of water in the kitchen and to my return all the shirts were found on the ground! I looked at Smith's smiling face and realized he had kicked them off. I shouted, "Yeah!!! You did something bad Smith! Your first "no no"! I loved it. I told him I want to see more "no no's" and I smiled and picked him up and forgot about the laundry while I played with my son.

Labor Day Weekend....

As I sit and eat chips and cheese, a childhood favorite, I am reminiscing on the events of this weekend.

Some things for me to remember:

• I love the game "BLURT", very fun.
  
• Playing Texas Hold'm is much more fun when you play in a different character. Thanks, Lila.
  
• Angels landing is beautiful, always
• How much I love my friends.

Ummm... I pretty much had a blast this weekend, I didn't get much sleep but hey, what would you do?

I loved taking family pictures at the cabin.

The couples that came were so much fun to be with.

Elaine and Sebastian Bradley... their love story is amazing.

Mary and Klint Brearton, the fine couple that provides the beautiful cabin and scenery for us all to enjoy. 

My Love's and I

Late night Texas Hold'm.... in character 

The friends on top of Angels Landing, Zion National Park

Bryce and I holding on for our dear lives!!!!

Stop making me laugh....

Enjoying the view 

I love Life.

Your Wrinkles

I was driving and listening to the radio.  Normally when I do that I block out the little blurps of news between songs, but a story caught my attention.  

It was about a man and a woman both 101 years of age and married for, get this, 81 years.  

The man died yesterday of old age holding his wife's hand.

It made me think of My Bryce and how much I love him, and how I would love to live to see him reach 101 years old.

I can just imagine intertwining our fingers and holding each other's wrinkly hands, walking down a path and chuckling about something like our dishwasher not working that day.

I will always be able to look into his eyes, no matter how old he is, and see the same beautiful hazel color as when we first met.  I fall in love with him everyday and I am so glad I fell again today. 

Thank you Sweet heart.

(Click here for the article)

Running....

The sound of each foot pounding on the pavement, as your surroundings whoosh by your flowing body, you are one with your heaving chest rising and falling with every deep breath and you are left with your thoughts to last the trip.

I may be making running sound more glamorous than it really is.  But as I run I like to make it a thought provoking time.  I like to be my own therapist (when I run alone) and counsel myself in my current events.  

Today I learned something as I ran.

It was a rather muggy day, and pretty hot too.  If any of you run than you know after a distance you will start to drift a little to the right or a little to the left on the trail.  This particular trail runs along a river and as I thought about how nice it would be to fall into the river "accidentally", without me noticing I would find myself close enough to actually fall in.  I thought about how powerful the mind is and how much our thoughts can help us or drown us.

This lesson helped me want to keep my thoughts cleaner because I don't think i realize how many thoughts I might entertain subconsciously and how they are bringing me closer to the edge "with out me noticing it."

I am going to be better. For my family, the Lord, and Me.

Everyday.

The Comparing Disease

                     

Dear Women,

Hello all you beautiful creatures of this beautiful earth.  

I ask you all a simple question.

Do you like yourself?

If you answered no, then I hope this letter will help you.  If you answered yes, then this letter is especially directed to you.

I am going to tell a little story about Trianna.

Trianna is a beautiful woman who lives by her self on the island of Mooma.  She was sent a nice young man to be her companion and she had some beautiful babies with him.  

She never thought twice about her beauty.  

She didn't know that other women existed.  Until one day, two women around her same age were plopped down on the island.  

She noticed they did things different.  

One of the woman had red hair and had pale beautiful skin.  One of the women had brown hair that was curly, she had beautiful brown skin.  Trianna thought there was something wrong with her.  They cleaned differently and more frequent then Trianna.  So Trianna worked extra hard to clean like the two new beauties on the island.  She found red berries in the bushes and tried to die her hair like the red heads hair.  She noticed that the curly haired brunette had a six pack and calf definition.  So she tried swimming and running as much as she could.  All the while her children and her husband were telling her she was beautiful the way she was, and loved her unique domestic skills.  THey told her to stop COMPARING!!!!  But she never did and spent her whole life being consumed by the comparing disease.    

Okay, Sad story.  Right?

I live in Utah.

I love Utah.  Beautiful Country.

But I see more of the comparing disease here then anywhere.  EVER!

As women we have got to stop.  We have got to embrace our uniqueness and love ourselves with greater passion.  When we find ourselves, who we are as individuals, we then can find peace.   And others will feel your inner peace and desire to be around you because they won't feel this competitive spirit around you.  

It brings me to one of my favorite SCRIPTURES.

Proverbs 3:15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

Couldn't have said it better!

So to all you women who are reading this.  You ARE more precious than rubies.  You are not to be compared to.  

Accept that you are a beautiful and unique person.  When you start to compare is when you become the norm.  Be different and blaze your own trail.  Don't be Mormon Barbie...or just Barbie in general.  I love you all.

Definitely NOT Margrette

I looked out the window and what did I see?

NOT popcorn popping on the apricot tree....

A Spider.

Gross.

Why don't I like them? 

Well, everyone tells me I should, mainly because they eat other bugs.  What other bugs, do I ask?  Cute little lady bugs, innocent flies, pesky mosquitos, and anything else that can get caught in there web.

I am feeling a tickle on my neck.... just a hair.  It's all good.

So one very nice day, I looked out my window and I see a black wolf spider hanging out nonchalantly as if I wouldn't notice her new habitation.  I tried to ignore her as the days went on, then finally I gave in and decided to name the darn thing. 

 

Her name was Margrette.  

Margrette started to grow on me and I didn't mind her as much as when I first discovered her.   So one morning I looked out the window to see what good ole' Margrette was up to, and to my surprise a stupid, nasty, dumb, much larger spider was in her web.  Margrette was no where to be found.  He is brown and nasty and I am going to kill him.  His hame is Willy and I don't like him.  He ate Margrette.   It's a spider eat spider world out there.  

(I don't think you want to see the pics from this murder scene,  I will spare your eyes)

Food Glorious Food

Anyone who knows me, knows one thing for sure.......
I LOVE FOOD.
I love the taste, the smell, the sight, the sound, and my favorite - the process of making it edible, i.e. cooking. I can spend hours in the bathtub (while Smith is napping) getting lost in a cook book or one of my subscriptions to "Cuisine at Home". What can I say... I am unalterably addicted to cooking. I can't help it. But it helps me.

Cooking sweeps me away into another dimension. I find the world around me doesn't exist anymore and I am concentrating and figuring out the right....no.... the PERFECT amount of spice to add to a signature dish. And when my taste buds finally reach satisfaction and bliss, THAT, my friends, is when I can serve it to you, plated and hot.

I was thinking about making a separate blog about COOKING my culinary creations, but I decided that is one thing Bryce's Wifey does best, and happily so.  So Do not be surprised to see a recipe that will knock your socks off every once in a while. But that brings me to a funny story.
My mom raised me on the phrase, "only boring people get bored." The first year of my Little Smith's life was a hard one, an amazing one, but a hard one. So while his little head would go to dream land during the bright afternoons, I would be up and around my house to entertain my self. I would paint, not often enough, read, talk on the phone, and...... enter recipe contests. 

Entering the contests was mostly a fun thing and I didn't think anything would come from it. I entered a recipe contest in November of 2008 for "Mama Mary's Pizza Creations Contest." By the time March of 2009 came, entering the pizza contest was the furthest thing from my mind, but it was closer than I thought. I recieved a small manilla envelope from spartan foods, so I opened it and to my surprise I won! My "Three cheese Hawaiin pizza with red bellpepper alfredo" won! I got a year supply of free pizza crust coupons, and........ get this.... a coffee maker. YEAH!! The proud owner of the coffee maker is now my sister Laura who lives in Atlanta, thanks Lo. But anyway.  It just goes to show, sometimes your talents can really add up to something.  And maybe that something will land  you free pre-cooked pizza dough that is ready for toppings and a hot oven.   And really, enough coupons for a lifetime.... anyone want some?

Hubby's and Fathers

Okay.

My hubby did something worth writing about.

He decided to take our little Smith on a father-son-outing.

Just him and Smith.

Smith cannot walk, he cannot talk, he cannot move like most little ones his age.  But my Bryce, despite of what Smith can and cannot do, wanted to take him to the place that he loves second most to the home.  

The Golf course.

I was nervous as I saw them drive off together because frankly I had never let just Smith and Daddy go alone, I was thinking about sharp turns that could be taken in the golf cart, or Smith getting too hot or too cold..... you know, crazy Motherly instincts we all have felt.  But over all, I felt at peace.  Knowing that Bryce really wanted to take him, just him, and spend some one on one time with his son, made me rejoice in Hubby's and Fathers.

Husbands are wonderful in themselves.  They are there to hold you when you feel bad, they are there to kiss you on the forehead when you need comfort, they are there to smile at you when you have done good, they are there to play with you when you feel playful, they are there to love you all the time-despite that time of the month thing.  And then you throw being a father in the mix.....SEXY!  They have a whole new level of WONDERUL.  You get to watch your hubby play with your children,  hold those little wonders in their big arms, read them stories when he could be reading sports or the news,  talk to them with a soft voice when normally they could sound manly, they have a whole new aura about them when they become fathers, and all you mothers can identify with this-they become more attractive, more manly, more gentle, more heroic, more of a.... A MAN.

   

Art Moves ME

Art, in all forms, is a story.

A story tell itself to your heart and mind individually, differentiating itself by the person who is reading it. That is why I love art. It tells me a story with every piece I see. And in some cases they move me.

This Particular piece I painted myself, for my Brycey. It hangs over our Bed and takes me away to this balcony in a far off land every time I see it.

This is the story:

Once a upon a time.........

Girl (yes, her name is Girl) lived in a tiny shack in the corner of the village Ovorp. Girl was a goose herder by trade and loved tending her geese everyday with care and tried to block out her cruel and demanding boss. Girl lived with three women, Ymma, Yllsha, and Ayl; Ayl and Yllsha owned the tiny house on the corner. Girl and Ymma were best friends. Every night after a long day of work, Ymma and Girl would lay on their beds in their tiny room and talk as if they had been on an adventure that day, since Ovorp was so dusty and brown they pretended to be anywhere but Ovorp. They visited the tops of highest mountains, to the swamps and valleys of the land Zatacony. But their favorite place they spoke of and visited the most, were the Swan Islands. Their minds would be swept away as they described the trees and the smells of the Swan Islands; everything from the vibrant pink sunsets to the warm, clear blue lakes that were filled with floating lillies and dolphins. Now dolphins don't regularly swim in lakes but they did in the Swan Islands because their lakes were like mini oceans, with the floors of the lakes covered in starfish and soft, turquoise sea coral. But when they were, most likely every time, interrupted by Yllsha and Ayl with their high demands and yelling, they were brought back to reality to their dusty brown surrounding. Ymma told Girl,"One day you will find your prince and dance on the castle balconies of the Swan Islands."

On a hot summer day Ymma and Girl were tending the Geese, a dashing, funny, and sweet man named Esirb came to help them.  He said he was sent by Ayl and Yllsha.  Girl was very cautious at first, and didn't completely trust Esirb, but she was suprised how fast she fell in love with him.  He found out through Ymma, Girls' hopes and dreams and Esirb saved every penny in order to take her away to the Swan Islands.  In the middle of the night when the moon was full and high in the sky, he tapped on her window.  She sneakily crept out her window to meet her prince, she wore a large grey cloak and left on a white horsecarriage with Esirb.  But trailing close behind were Yllsha and Ayl.  They didn't want to lose Girl because she paid all their rent.  Then Esirb did something unexpected; he said three words......Shatz, Tesoro, LOVE!!! and off they flew towards the moon and into the lands of Swan Islands. Girl thought," you know magic too!!What a surprise! "

And that night they danced on the castle balconies in the Swan Islands. And lived happily ever after.

Last night I held my Sweet Little Little (a.k.a Smith)

I was frustrated.

I was tired.

I was confused.

I asked Heavenly Father, Why?

Why is Smith different?  What do I need to do?  How can I best help him?  Can he please sleep, can I please sleep.

Tears came to my eyes as I walked around my house in the wee hours of the night.  I was talking to Smith and heavenly Father out loud.  Hoping one of them would hear me and understand.  As Smith dozed off on my numb shoulder I thought of the conversation I had with my sweet Bryce during the day before.

My Bryce said he felt sad for the first time about Smith.  He watched a Dad with his son playing, and realized that might not ever happen with Smith.  I told my Bryce I loved him,  I kissed him and said,  "you are the strong one, remember."   He picked up Smith and held him close.

He is the strong one.  He helps me and I help him.  Today I helped him.  And I loved it.  We love our Sweet Little Little..... SO DARN Much!!!!

It made me think of one of the most influential talks I have ever read by one of the most beloved late apostles Joseph B. Wirthlin.  It's called "Live in Thanksgiving Daily."  The first time I read this talk was in the Canary Islands, serving my mission for the LDS church.  I encourage all to READ IT.....SERIOUSLY, it will change your perspective on life.  Here is the link.....just click and you are there.

“Live in Thanksgiving Daily”

Here is a quote from that very talk.

“The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life”

I want to live everyday in gratitude and thanksgiving and I know I can.  I love life and I love being happy about it... there are things that always make me live in the moment and i am going to name a few:

Seeing Smith Smile

My Husband's dashing good looks

Sitting on a porch in a warm summer sunset

Creeksides

Trees blowing in the wind

Warm Summer nights

Vacations with my family

Beautiful Art work

LOVe

The Gospel

I love all these things and more.....

I love you Smith, and Daddy loves you too.

I am me.
Just Me.
It has been a while old friends of the blogging world. But I am here and well.
We had a family vacation to the Grand Mesa of Colorado.... too much fun, everything from orchards and cherries to lakes and forests.
Fun nights with my Bryce. And fun days with little Smithy
Two of my very dear and close friends are dating.... not other people, but EACHOTHER!!!
Sebastian and Elaine..... Two beautiful people make a beautiful couple, I love it.
Summer heat is the best, I feel totally comfortable in my skin during this time of year.
Smith is eating Solids!
I am not eating Gluten.
Bryce loves Taco Amigo.
And I love you all!
Sorry about the shabby updates. I am just having too much fun to be on the computer.... Garden here I come....YUMMMM!

One of our cars is dead.
It just sits there, sad and lonely.
But, there is still stuff, good stuff, locked in the trunk of the dead car.
So one, not so sunny, afternoon, I went out to the dead car to see if I could somehow open the trunk with the old keys. With no avail, it would not budge. But, as I was walking back into my house, I was looking at the key chains and I noticed a key chain I had never before seen. I stopped and looked at it. It was brass/gold looking, with engravings and a little carving of Jesus' face. I read the engravings. It said,"BE GLAD FOR I AM IN YOUR MIDST."
I stopped.
I pondered.
I said it in my head about 3 or 4 more times,"be glad for I am in your midst."
Whatever negative, or stressful thoughts were swarming in my head at that moment or moments ago.....were gone. I was completely at peace, the kind of peace that is glad, with a slight smile on my face. To "BE GLAD". Being glad is a whole different emotion about life. The definition of Glad is :showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy.
And all because He is in our midst.
His very presence causes a reason to be glad.
He is watching over us.
He is with us.
He wants us to be glad because he can lift any burden, ease any pain, love unconditionally, heal, bless, and be a comforting friend.
And that is something to "be glad" about.