I just laughed so hard my stomach is still cramping. Why? I came home from mutual and opened the fridge. At the bottom of the fridge, perched perilously in front of the vegetable drawer, was a mystery object covered by a dishrag. I asked Kellen what it was; he had no idea. I reached down to uncover it and found a large cup, with a SMALL amount of milk in it. The fact that it was in there wasn't what killed me, but the fact that Jonas had thought to find something to cover it up with was what got to me. I just cracked up and lost it. Kids just have the most hilarious thought processes.
I will get in bed tonight with a smile on my face :)
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
He Is Risen - Spiritual Sunday
Today is Easter Sunday. Two things that I love about Easter is that it gives me a day to remember two of the most important things in my life: my Savior and my family.
My oldest son was born on Easter morning 2008. I was so happy that his birthday was on Easter, because what better way to remember our Saviors life and sacrifice than by holding a newborn baby. Perfect and free of sin, just like Christ. And because of the suffering that Jesus endured in Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary, I can always have my babies with me, in this life and after death.
I can't even begin to imagine what his disciples must have felt as they watched their Lord and Master hang from the cross, each haggard breath bringing Him closer to the finality of death. This man that they loved and looked up to, that they learned from and walked with. I am grateful this Easter Sunday that my Savior accomplished the final task. He didn't turn away, even through excruciating pain and suffering.
The Atonement of Christ gives us an escape from the chains of sin that can bind us. But it also gives us comfort in our darkest moments and hope when all we see is despair. I find a great peace in the knowledge that no matter what my circumstances in life are, the Savior has felt my emotions. He has experienced wonderful moments of joy and happiness, and also moments of pain, sadness and hopelessness. Everything I feel, I share with him.
I experienced something in my life 6 months ago that I thought I would never have to go through. I spent weeks (ok, months) feeling angry, hurt and confused. There were days where I literally could not get myself off the couch and out from under the grief that seemed to be swallowing me whole. I knew that the only way to overcome the trial I was facing was to rely wholly on my Savior. And so I did. I intensified my scripture reading. I played hymns in my home every day. I kept a prayer in my heart at all times. It was nothing short of a miracle when I felt my pain slowly subsiding. In some of the most horrible moments, I can remember feeling as if someone were sitting with me, arms around me, holding me and sharing my grief.
Those moments were a witness to me that CHRIST LIVES! That the Atonement is not just for those who have sinned. The Atonement is for me. For every moment of pain that I live through. For my broken heart. For my joyful heart. D&C 101:36 reads: "...for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full."
Our Savior wants us to have joy in our hearts, not despair, guilt or fear. And so He gave us the ultimate gift. He gave it to me, and He will give it to you. He died and lives again, so that we too may live again.
My oldest son was born on Easter morning 2008. I was so happy that his birthday was on Easter, because what better way to remember our Saviors life and sacrifice than by holding a newborn baby. Perfect and free of sin, just like Christ. And because of the suffering that Jesus endured in Gethsemane and on the cross at Calvary, I can always have my babies with me, in this life and after death.
I can't even begin to imagine what his disciples must have felt as they watched their Lord and Master hang from the cross, each haggard breath bringing Him closer to the finality of death. This man that they loved and looked up to, that they learned from and walked with. I am grateful this Easter Sunday that my Savior accomplished the final task. He didn't turn away, even through excruciating pain and suffering.
The Atonement of Christ gives us an escape from the chains of sin that can bind us. But it also gives us comfort in our darkest moments and hope when all we see is despair. I find a great peace in the knowledge that no matter what my circumstances in life are, the Savior has felt my emotions. He has experienced wonderful moments of joy and happiness, and also moments of pain, sadness and hopelessness. Everything I feel, I share with him.
I experienced something in my life 6 months ago that I thought I would never have to go through. I spent weeks (ok, months) feeling angry, hurt and confused. There were days where I literally could not get myself off the couch and out from under the grief that seemed to be swallowing me whole. I knew that the only way to overcome the trial I was facing was to rely wholly on my Savior. And so I did. I intensified my scripture reading. I played hymns in my home every day. I kept a prayer in my heart at all times. It was nothing short of a miracle when I felt my pain slowly subsiding. In some of the most horrible moments, I can remember feeling as if someone were sitting with me, arms around me, holding me and sharing my grief.
Those moments were a witness to me that CHRIST LIVES! That the Atonement is not just for those who have sinned. The Atonement is for me. For every moment of pain that I live through. For my broken heart. For my joyful heart. D&C 101:36 reads: "...for in this world your joy is not full, but in me your joy is full."
Our Savior wants us to have joy in our hearts, not despair, guilt or fear. And so He gave us the ultimate gift. He gave it to me, and He will give it to you. He died and lives again, so that we too may live again.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Banoffee Pie - Tasty Thursday
I made this pie last weekend, and wow. It was REALLY good, but REALLY rich. I ate a super tiny sliver of pie, because the sweetness was intense! It was incredibly easy, though, which was awesome. The recipe I'm about to link to calls for a can of sweetened condensed milk. You boil the can in a pan of water for 2 hours and it turns into toffee! Yeah, how cool is that? However, I didn't feel like watching it boil for 2 hours so I used a can of Dulce de Leche.
I used the Albertsons brand Fudge Striped Shortbread cookies to make my crust. It was yummy, and a nice change to just a normal graham cracker crust. I think the crust would also work good for a homemade ice cream pie.
The pie was almost gone the night I made it, but we had a few slices that held up for another 2 days. I would not keep it any longer than that, the bananas on the 2nd day were pretty brown and not as attractive, but Kellen said it still tasted just as good.
Anyways, you can find the recipe here @ Smashed Peas & Carrots.
I used the Albertsons brand Fudge Striped Shortbread cookies to make my crust. It was yummy, and a nice change to just a normal graham cracker crust. I think the crust would also work good for a homemade ice cream pie.
The pie was almost gone the night I made it, but we had a few slices that held up for another 2 days. I would not keep it any longer than that, the bananas on the 2nd day were pretty brown and not as attractive, but Kellen said it still tasted just as good.
Anyways, you can find the recipe here @ Smashed Peas & Carrots.
image from Smashed Peas & Carrots, and I put just as much chocolate on mine, and it looked AMAZING :)
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
The Sickies - Whatever Wednesday
spoiler alert, this post is a bit of a downer...but whatever! it's what's on my mind:
Sometimes life sucks. I am so tired of Gage being sick. It has been almost 6 weeks since he has been totally healthy, and that is 6 weeks too long for this mama. I am tired. Tired of trying to comfort him when nothing seems to work. Tired of listening to him cry because nothing is working. Tired of his 20 min naps that should, in all reality, be 2 hour naps. Tired of Jonas being so mean to his little brother. Tired of Jonas being so mean to everyone! He used to be such a fun kid to be around but as of late, he has many more bad days than good ones. I literally can't stand to be home with him the majority of the time. Yes, I know that's horrible for me to say. I should be grateful that I get to stay home with my kids! I should cherish every second that I have with them on this Earth! I should thank God that I have been entrusted with such innocent spirits. But...that is all just too much today. And I do have those feelings, they are just rather infrequent sometimes. I've thought about getting a full time job somewhere. I feel like if I'm working away from home, I'm a better mom when I am home. I appreciate my kids more, I value them for what they are, and my patience isn't pushed to the limit. But working would require daycare, and I don't like the thought of putting Gage in daycare where he will be left in his carrier the entire day. I also refuse to give him formula and I doubt I could keep up with him if I had to pump, and I'd worry if I had left him with enough milk at daycare. Siiiigh, what to do, what to do....
I have come to the conclusion that not every woman is made to love motherhood and feel like that is her one and only role in life. But then I wonder, maybe all mothers feel this way, and they are just all putting on a front for everyone else to see. And if that is the case, well then...let's have a toast for honesty. Sometimes it just. sucks.
I suppose I will immerse myself in some Mumford & Sons and hope that an escape is just around the corner...
"You'll be happy and wholesome again when the city clears and sun ascends."
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
General Conference - Spiritual Sunday
Last weekend was General Conference. I seriously LOVE General Conference. When I was younger I really never watched the sessions. I don't think it was until I got married that I really started to enjoy sitting down and watching it in it's entirety.
One thing I love about it is that it always seems as though SOMEONE speaking says exactly what I need to hear. Elder Holland said "If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you." How true that statement is! And how wonderful.
Wonderful that one person can speak to millions of people, and send a message directly to someone in need.
I loved Elder Scotts talk, "The Eternal Blessings of Marriage". He shared some things he had done for his wife over the course of their mortal lives together. He told of an experience he had with his son who was sick at the time; caring for him in the middle of the night and consoling him. Several months later, their son passed away and he was grateful for that time he had with him, to love him and care for him.
You could feel the love that he has for his wife on the other side of the veil. That is the kind of marriage I want to have, the kind I want to work for.
I could write for days about all the things I loved about conference, but that was ultimately my favorite talk from the 4 sessions that I watched. Conference weekend is so uplifting, so positive and filled with hope. Monday rolls around and I always wish that I could keep that spiritual high for the next 6 months, until the
October Conference.
All the talks are available to read, watch and download on the Church website. Read them. Embrace them. Your life will be greatly improved.
One thing I love about it is that it always seems as though SOMEONE speaking says exactly what I need to hear. Elder Holland said "If we teach by the Spirit and you listen by the Spirit, some one of us will touch on your circumstance, sending a personal prophetic epistle just to you." How true that statement is! And how wonderful.
Wonderful that one person can speak to millions of people, and send a message directly to someone in need.
I loved Elder Scotts talk, "The Eternal Blessings of Marriage". He shared some things he had done for his wife over the course of their mortal lives together. He told of an experience he had with his son who was sick at the time; caring for him in the middle of the night and consoling him. Several months later, their son passed away and he was grateful for that time he had with him, to love him and care for him.
You could feel the love that he has for his wife on the other side of the veil. That is the kind of marriage I want to have, the kind I want to work for.
I could write for days about all the things I loved about conference, but that was ultimately my favorite talk from the 4 sessions that I watched. Conference weekend is so uplifting, so positive and filled with hope. Monday rolls around and I always wish that I could keep that spiritual high for the next 6 months, until the
October Conference.
All the talks are available to read, watch and download on the Church website. Read them. Embrace them. Your life will be greatly improved.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Coke Slushies & Grilled Cheese Waffles...? - Tasty Thursday
I came across this article with ways to repurpose some of your everyday kitchen appliances, and I really like a few of the ideas. My favorite:
Using your ice cream machine to make Coke slushies...I'm thinkin' Dr. Pepper slushies for me, and Sprite slushies for J, mmm! Check it out here (it also tells you how to make frozen hot chocolate..hmm).
The next one that I thought looked interesting for sure was: grilled cheese in your waffle iron. My husband thought it sounded gross, but he also thought you used waffle BATTER. Um. No. The instructions can be found here, although I think there are a few typos in the 'how-to'. If you read it, it doesn't quite make sense, but it's pretty basic. Make sandwich ---> put in iron. It's not rocket science.
Anyways, I definitely want to try the grilled cheese.
Using your ice cream machine to make Coke slushies...I'm thinkin' Dr. Pepper slushies for me, and Sprite slushies for J, mmm! Check it out here (it also tells you how to make frozen hot chocolate..hmm).
(image from real simple article)
The next one that I thought looked interesting for sure was: grilled cheese in your waffle iron. My husband thought it sounded gross, but he also thought you used waffle BATTER. Um. No. The instructions can be found here, although I think there are a few typos in the 'how-to'. If you read it, it doesn't quite make sense, but it's pretty basic. Make sandwich ---> put in iron. It's not rocket science.
Anyways, I definitely want to try the grilled cheese.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Talk, Talk, Talk... - Toddler Tuesday
My 3 yr old, "J", loves to talk. He was a quiet kid for a lonnnng time, and then once he started talking...he never quit. I hear his voice in my head even when he's not around! He always cracks me up, and he tries so hard to talk like an adult. He has also started using his hands when he talks, which makes him seem so much more serious/hilarious. A few funny things that have made me laugh lately:
We were all pretty sick with a nasty cold last week, and my home teachers wife called and asked if we would like dinner. I said yes, of course! I was so exhausted that I knew it would just be another grilled cheese night. She let me know that they would bring some spaghetti over. Jonas asked if he could have some dinner with us and I told him "yes." He asked what the home teachers were bringing and when I said spaghetti he threw his hands in the air and said "Oh! That's HORRIBLE! I don't like that!"
He has also been saying "Lady Gaga" lately, which completely confuses me since I don't listen to Lady Gaga? Maybe we rocked out in the car once and he remembers?
There are countless other things that he says and I just have to laugh. He is such a sweet boy, though. I was having an especially rough time a while back, and as I was crying he came over and said "Don't be sad, Mommy. Dad will be home from work soon to hug you and make you feel better."
Little kids are so sweet :)
p.s. why don't kids come with volume control???
We were all pretty sick with a nasty cold last week, and my home teachers wife called and asked if we would like dinner. I said yes, of course! I was so exhausted that I knew it would just be another grilled cheese night. She let me know that they would bring some spaghetti over. Jonas asked if he could have some dinner with us and I told him "yes." He asked what the home teachers were bringing and when I said spaghetti he threw his hands in the air and said "Oh! That's HORRIBLE! I don't like that!"
He has also been saying "Lady Gaga" lately, which completely confuses me since I don't listen to Lady Gaga? Maybe we rocked out in the car once and he remembers?
There are countless other things that he says and I just have to laugh. He is such a sweet boy, though. I was having an especially rough time a while back, and as I was crying he came over and said "Don't be sad, Mommy. Dad will be home from work soon to hug you and make you feel better."
Little kids are so sweet :)
p.s. why don't kids come with volume control???
Friday, April 1, 2011
First Post
I quit updating my personal blog back in 2009. We moved back home (Eastern Idaho) and I figured, why should I blog when my family and friends are here to see everything? But I miss writing out my thoughts, and I miss sharing those thoughts with other people. Solution? A blog with varying topics that I want to write about.
I have no intentions of posting daily, but when I do want to post, all I have to do is check the list and see what that days topic is.
Spiritual Sunday - most likely something from church that day that I learned...
I have no intentions of posting daily, but when I do want to post, all I have to do is check the list and see what that days topic is.
Spiritual Sunday - most likely something from church that day that I learned...
Make It Monday - I'll share something I have made, whether it's crafting or sewing or...whatever!
Toddler Tuesday - What I've learned from my babies :)
Whatever Wednesday - Wednesday is a break day for me, I can post about WHATEVER is on my mind.
Tasty Thursday - I love to cook, so I'll share my favorite recipes/cooking blogs/etc.
Faithful Friday - I most likely won't be posting on Sundays very often, so Faithful Friday gives me more of an opportunity to share my thoughts and feelings about my faith.
Snapshot Saturday - I love photography, so this will give me a spot to share some of my favorite photos, or even just pictures of our everyday life.
If you're reading this, I hope you enjoy the posts :) Become a follower, and if you especially like a post, just click one of the 'share' buttons underneath each post, and spread the joy :)
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