Gila Valley Temple...

Last weekend we had the chance to go down to Thatcher to see the new Gila Valley Temple.  It's was so fun to drive past it as we were coming into town!  It's so neat that the place that I grew up in is finally getting their own temple.  There are so many good people in that valley--so many faithful saints that have been traveling 3 hours to go to the Mesa temple forever.  It will be so great for them to have their own temple!
Funny story...I grew up in Pima, where my dad moved where he got his first teaching job.  We lived in Pima from when I was 3 years old, until I moved to Thatcher (5 miles away) when I was 13.  You have to understand the politics of living in a small town.  Pima and Thatcher have been rivals forever.  There is some real animosity between the schools, the students, and even sometimes the parents.  It is no surprise that each town thought that their town was going to get the temple.  People in Pima (which was settled first...) have been saying they would have a temple there for more than 100 years.  People in Thatcher were sure they would have the temple built in their town since it is bigger, and has more people in the stake.  When they announced the temple, they called it the "Gila Valley" temple, thus giving no clue as to where the temple would actually be built.  In the middle of these two towns is a little town (about a mile across or less) called Central.  They have one ward in Central, but there was also a huge church softball complex where I remember spending countless summers playing and watching church softball games.  They decided to build the temple there, in a nice "Central" location...LITERALLY!  I mentioned to Todd how the people in Pima and Thatcher would be upset about this, and he told me I was crazy.  "They won't care where the temple is built."  he said.  "You obviously don't know how small towns work..."  I said.  So when we were down for the weekend, we were talking about this Central location to my friend and her husband.  He is the YM president in their ward, and he told us, "I told my young men, you have to look at the statue of Moroni on the temple--it is pointing toward Thatcher--and turning it's back on those sinners in Pima."  I just looked at Todd and cracked up--(told you so).  Then when we got back to the house I was telling my dad what my friend had said about the statue of Moroni, and he told us, "Well, you know what the people in Pima are saying--Look at the statue Moroni on the temple--he is pointing his trump toward those sinners in Thatcher--and calling them to repentance."  Oh the joys of living in a small town!  I can't say I miss that part of it--but I'm sure they'll work things out--and maybe with the temple there, the rivalry will be put to rest somewhat--although I doubt it will spread to the football field, or the basketball court!
 The open house was so great, I saw so many people who helped to shape my life--from YW leaders, to teachers, and of course, my family.  I am so happy for them!  It was neat to take the kids through the temple, and explain each room to them.  What a great opportunity!  If you have a chance...GO!  It was so fun to see all of the growth that has taken place in the Gila Valley over the years, I hardly recognize it anymore!  We went back to Grandma's house and shared our thoughts and feelings about the experience.  My favorite was Josh, who said (with a big grin), "I liked the hot tub room!"  And Cole, who didn't realize that we had walked out of the temple and into the church building, and said, "I didn't know the temple had a basketball court!"  Most of the girls LOVED the bride's room, which was absolutely beautiful with tiara style lights!  The chandelier in the Celestial Room is just stunning, I have never seen one like it before.  There was a painting that the church had commissioned of a place we've been to called Ash Creek, and when it was finished, President Monson loved it so much that he ended up putting the original painting in his office, and having a copy made for the temple!  Another fun fact, the murals painted in the endowment room were painted in the winter time, by a painter in Colorado, but when he came back to Thatcher before the open house he drove through the same area and noticed that wild flowers had bloomed everywhere in the desert this spring, and it was so beautiful and colorful that he decided he had to add it to the mural.  The flowers were added just the week before the temple open house began. The town is all excited that President Monson, and President Eyring will both be there for the cultural celebration, and dedication.  It is such an exciting time there, and it is just in the air!  All in all, it was such a great, testimony building experience, and I'm glad we went!  I am SO grateful for the temple, and what it means in my life!  Here are some pictures I took:

As a footnote:  Here's a story my Dad shared about his experience working at the Temple open house that I wanted to remember:

May 15, 2010

On the last day of the Gila Valley Temple Open House, I was in the chapel to cover a medical shift as my responsibility was to secure volunteers for medical coverage throughout the days and hours the public was touring the Temple site. Minding my own business, I was approached by a lady who was looking for someone to be a Tour Guide during an extremely busy period. Not knowing what I was doing, I followed her and was placed with another Tour Guide, Sharon Buckley. Sharon did the talking and I brought up the rear following the group through the Temple.

On the second tour Sharon lead, I was approached by an older lady coming out of the Celestial Room. She said her husband was named Hank and I was Hank. She said he had died on Friday and she wanted to thank me for being her Tour Guide through the Temple as I was the Hank that was taking her through the Temple in Proxy for her deceased husband named Hank. I asked her name and she said June Devoe? June told me Hank and her had been married for forty years and they were Sealed for Eternity just two years ago. Her daughter told me that Hank had been bed ridden and June didn’t think she would be able to leave him to tour the Gila Valley Temple, but he died making it possible. She also thanked me for being there in proxy for June’s Hank and she felt that Hank was there through me.

Amazing

Hank Metzger

Every Woman Should Read THIS!...

This article, written by Dave Barry was published in the Miami Herald in February 1998.  It was used last week in one of the talks at Women's Conference, and had the whole auditorium rolling with laughter!  Let's face it, there are SO many differences between men and women, I don't know how we are supposed to make marriage work...but we do.  Here's a comical look at the difference between how men and women judge appearances...enjoy!

Beauty and the Beast

BY DAVE BARRY
(This classic Dave Barry column was originally published on Feb. 1, 1998.)
If you're a man, at some point a woman will ask you how she looks.
''How do I look?'' she'll ask.
You must be careful how you answer this question. The best technique is to form an honest yet sensitive opinion, then collapse on the floor with some kind of fatal seizure. Trust me, this is the easiest way out. Because you will never come up with the right answer.
The problem is that women generally do not think of their looks in the same way that men do. Most men form an opinion of how they look in seventh grade, and they stick to it for the rest of their lives. Some men form the opinion that they are irresistible stud muffins, and they do not change this opinion even when their faces sag and their noses bloat to the size of eggplants and their eyebrows grow together to form what appears to be a giant forehead-dwelling tropical caterpillar.
Most men, I believe, think of themselves as average-looking. Men will think this even if their faces cause heart failure in cattle at a range of 300 yards. Being average does not bother them; average is fine, for men. This is why men never ask anybody how they look. Their primary form of beauty care is to shave themselves, which is essentially the same form of beauty care that they give to their lawns.
If, at the end of his four-minute daily beauty regimen, a man has managed to wipe most of the shaving cream out of his hair and is not bleeding too badly, he feels that he has done all he can, so he stops thinking about his appearance and devotes his mind to more critical issues, such as the Super Bowl.
Women do not look at themselves this way. If I had to express, in three words, what I believe most women think about their appearance, those words would be: ''not good enough.'' No matter how attractive a woman may appear to be to others, when she looks at herself in the mirror, she thinks: woof.
She thinks that at any moment a municipal animal-control officer is going to throw a net over her and haul her off to the shelter.
Why do women have such low self-esteem? There are many complex psychological and societal reasons, by which I mean Barbie. Girls grow up playing with a doll proportioned such that, if it were a human, it would be seven feet tall and weigh 81 pounds, of which 53 pounds would be bosoms.
This is a difficult appearance standard to live up to, especially when you contrast it with the standard set for little boys by their dolls ... excuse me, by their action figures. Most of the action figures that my son played with when he was little were hideous-looking. For example, he was very fond of an action figure (part of the He-Man series) called ''Buzz-Off,'' who was part human, part flying insect. Buzz-Off was not a looker. But he was extremely self-confident. You could not imagine Buzz-Off saying to the other action figures: ``Do you think these wings make my hips look big?''
But women grow up thinking they need to look like Barbie, which for most women is impossible, although there is a multibillion-dollar beauty industry devoted to convincing women that they must try. I once saw an Oprah show wherein supermodel Cindy Crawford dispensed makeup tips to the studio audience. Cindy had all these middle-aged women applying beauty products to their faces; she stressed how important it was to apply them in a certain way, using the tips of their fingers. All the woman dutifully did this, even though it was obvious to any sane observer that, no matter how carefully they applied these products, they would never look remotely like Cindy Crawford, who is some kind of genetic mutation.
I'm not saying that men are superior. I'm just saying that you're not going to get a group of middle-aged men to sit in a room and apply cosmetics to themselves under the instruction of Brad Pitt, in hopes of looking more like him. Men would realize that this task was pointless and demeaning. They would find some way to bolster their self-esteem that did not require looking like Brad Pitt. They would say to Brad: ``Oh YEAH? Well what do you know about LAWN CARE, pretty boy?''
Of course, many women will argue that the reason they become obsessed with trying to look like Cindy Crawford is that men, being as shallow as a drop of spit, WANT women to look that way. To which I have two responses:
1. Hey, just because WE'RE idiots, that doesn't mean YOU have to be; and
2. Men don't even notice 97 percent of the beauty efforts you make anyway. Take fingernails. The average woman spends 5,000 hours per year worrying about her fingernails; I have never once, in more than 40 years of listening to men talk about women, heard a man say, ''She has a nice set of fingernails!'' Many men would not notice if a woman had upward of four hands.
Anyway, to get back to my original point: If you're a man, and a woman asks you how she looks, you're in big trouble. Obviously, you can't say she looks bad. But you also can't say that she looks great, because she'll think you're lying, because she has spent countless hours, with the help of the multibillion-dollar beauty industry, obsessing about the differences between herself and Cindy Crawford. Also, she suspects that you're not qualified to judge anybody's appearance. This is because you have shaving cream in your hair.

Pat's Run 2010

Emie and I got to go and run in Pat's Run this year along with like 30,000 other people!  It was super crowded, but really fun!  We had to get up at 4:30 a.m. so we could get there in time to get registered & get our t-shirts.  It was hard getting up, but we had a great time & I'm just glad that Emie was nice enough to slow down and run with me!  That girl could've ran so much faster!  You're amazing Em...thanks for running with your OLD mama!  Love you!

Peace...

Okay, I admit, to say that it is peaceful around here may be a stretch, but in the last few weeks I have finally felt at peace for the first time in awhile.  Peace in my heart at least about what we are doing with our lives, and peace about some of the decisions that we have made of late.  Todd and I were discussing getting answers to prayers a few weeks ago, and how sometimes God just lets us go with our gut and we have to make decisions, sometimes even big ones, on our own.  He has often told us that he is not going to counsel us in all things, but we are also told to pray always.  I have wondered about that many times.  Sometimes we may not feel that we get answers to our prayers, at least the out loud kind, where God is telling us what to do.  Often those answers do come, however, in ways we least expect them, or in quiet thoughts or impressions in our minds, that are so simple, so subtle, that we may not even give God the credit--we may think we came up with them on our own.  I have been thinking about that this week because of a lesson we had in Relief Society last Sunday on the Holy Ghost.  The teacher was talking about how the Holy Ghost communicates with us, and how He is a mediator between us and our Heavenly Father.  The Holy Ghost is the go between.  As long as we are worthy, He is there to communicate messages that our Heavenly Father would have us hear.  As long as we are willing to be worthy, and to listen, He will speak to us.  He doesn't speak to us out loud most of the time, but He speaks with us spirit to spirit.  I thought that was powerful--sometimes I will have thoughts, or feelings, or I will have a moment where something will become clear, and I think "Wow--I have never thought of that before!"  Those moments are the Holy Ghost--teaching me, inspiring me, communicating to me, spirit to spirit, the things that Heavenly Father wants me to know.  What an amazing gift I have been given, what an amazing thought, that the Father does communicate with me, more than I even know.  I have the ability, through my faithfulness, to have a member of the Godhead with me at all times!  Isn't that amazing! 
What I have been learning is that I need to keep this channel of communication open--through prayer, and study, and I also need to make sure that I am listening.  Listening is hard sometimes.  There are so many demands on my attention, and I find it hard to just be still.  Those are the moments, however, that I am most able to hear that communication.  The other thing that I have been trying to do is to act.  When I do have a thought, or a feeling, or a prompting, I need to show Heavenly Father that I am willing to do what He wants me to do.  He will then be able to trust me, that I will act on the promptings that He gives me, and I will be able to receive answers and promptings more frequently.  In a talk called "Prayer and Promptings", Elder Boyd K. Packer tells us:  "This process is not reserved for the prophets alone.  The gift of the Holy Ghost operates equally with men, women, and even little children.  It is within this wondrous gift and power that the spiritual remedy to any problem can be found."  I loved that.  Every problem that we have can be solved if we will just listen to and obey the promptings of the Holy Ghost.  Even if the problem doesn't go away--the Holy Ghost is our comforter--he is the one who can heal the hurts, and bind the wounds that ail us. 
Later in the talk, President Packer related this poem:
With thoughtless and impatient hands,
We tangle up the plans
The Lord hath wrought.
And when we cry in pain He saith,
"Be quiet, man, while I untie the knot."

So many times in my life, I have been that man.  Trying to do things on my own, trying to muddle my way through, tangling up the plans that my Father has for me.  I need to remember to use the wonderful gifts that I have been given.  I need to remember that I am never alone.  When I do these things, I can have peace, even amidst the chaos that is my life.

Jack vs. The Pavement...

Jack decided to stand up in the wagon while on a walk with Abby--and low and behold, he fell out!  Surprise, surprise...I can't tell you how many times that kid has wiggled out of a seatbelt since he is SO stinkin' skinny, and smart too!  Anyway, it was my little Jack vs. the Pavement--and the Pavement won!  Poor little guy!   Maybe Jack will sit down when I tell him to...then again, I know enough about 2 year olds to know that is NOT the case!  Oh well, live & learn!  Sometimes in life...we fall flat on our face!

Spring...

I love Spring.  I love the flowers, and the feeling of everything coming alive again, renewed, and beautiful.  I love the orange blossoms, and the smell of spring that is in the air right now--(even if it makes me sneeze, and my nose itch, and my eyes water because spring also means allergies in my world...always has...but that is for another post...).  I love that the school year is winding down, and the kids are counting the days until summer.  I love that we there is talk of summer vacations, time as a family, days at the lake, sleeping in,  friends, and FUN!  I love that there are ball games to go to, and the weather is just perfect for sitting outside and playing at the park.  Especially because too soon it will be way too hot, and my house will feel like a prison to my kids!  Thank goodness for a cold pool in the summer--I don't know how I ever lived here without one!  I was thinking a lot about this over Easter, about how amazing Heavenly Father is, and that even the seasons testify of our Savior.  Truly all things testify of Him, of His divinity, of His mission.  I was thinking about how all of the good things in my life, every single one, has come because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I am so lucky to have the knowledge that I have! 
During General Conference I felt so uplifted, and spiritually fed.  It was like spring for my soul.  I felt like it stirred something within me, and my spirit was awake again.  I vowed to be a better wife, and a better mother, and a better daughter of our Heavenly Father.  Then, Monday came, and Tuesday, and Wednesday, and real life.  Man, is it hard to keep those feelings when real life comes around and hits you smack in the face! I feel lately like I am just in the thick of this parenting thing.  I'm not sure how anyone in their right mind looks back and misses this stage of parenting!  I've got teenagers, who think they know everything, and toddlers, who can't do anything for themselves.  Kids in the middle somewhere too, who need my love, and occasionally some attention!  I am up half the night waiting for the teenagers to get home, and the other half of the night with the toddler, who decides that he needs to sleep in my bed if he's going to sleep at all.  Add to this chaos the stress and worry of investing money in a new business that may or may not make it--while trying to collect money owed from an old business, that may or may not make it as well, and a husband who needs my love and support.    Add to that all of the daily stresses, excercise, eating right, practicing, cleaning, laundry, church callings, etc. etc. etc.   It seems so easy for the adversary to make me feel  tired, and stressed, and worried, and afraid.  It's almost too much sometimes, and I really don't know how I can possibly do it all--then I remember.  I remember that He said that He is always there.  I remember that He said to His Disciples, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself."  When I think of Him, I feel comfort, and peace--even amidst the chaos and worry.  Just as we have the surety of spring coming, and the flowers blooming, and everything having a new life--tomorrow will be better.  There is always hope in a new day.  That's the beauty of Spring, and that's the beauty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Easter 2010!

This year for Easter, we went up to Payson to be with my sister, Kimbie and her family.  My parents also were able to make the trip!  It was a great Easter weekend, and I love when General Conference falls on Easter as well.  It seems to just add to the spirituality of the whole weekend, and help us to really focus on what is important at Easter time, our Savior, Jesus Christ, and His sacrifice, and resurrection.  I am so grateful when I ponder on His mission here on Earth, and think about the love that He has for each one of us.  Last year, when we visited Israel, and were able to visit the Garden of Gethsemane, I wrote down some of my feelings:
"As I sat and looked at the trees that very well might have been here at the time of Christ, I thought about the apostles and how they slept as Jesus suffered for the sins of the world. How could they have known what he was doing? How could they have comprehended it? It’s hard for us to understand exactly what happened in this place, it’s just so amazing. It’s hard for me to wrap my mind about the magnitude of his suffering, but I am so grateful to him for his sacrifice for my sins. I am especially grateful for his example when he said, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” One of the monuments in the garden had this quote, “O Jesus, in deepest night and agony, you spoke these words of trust and surrender to God the Father in Gethsemane. In love and gratitude, I want to say in times of fear and distress, ‘My Father, I do not understand You, but I trust You.’” I loved that. If I will just trust in my Father in Heaven, even when it’s hard, he will take care of me. Because my Savior suffered, I don't have to.  I will be eternally grateful for Him, that He was willing to do that for me.  Truly, "I Stand All Amazed!"

Of course, this Easter weekend was about fun and family as well.  We went to Kimbie's neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt.  They had the Easter Bunny there, as well as a little petting zoo.  It was great weather, and we had a lot of fun!

Easter Sunday started with another Easter egg hunt, and the Easter Bunny was nice enough to bring all of the kids a notebook and pen so they could take good notes during General Conference!  They all did a great job, and I was sure to bring candy bars along so they would share what they learned with us!  All in all, it was a fun Easter Sunday, with great messages about the true meaning of Easter, and it was great to hear our leaders tell us what we need to know!  I am so grateful for my sister having us all at her house, and that Grandma and Grandpa could make it as well!  We had a great time!

Lastly, check out this picture of a home that's down the street from my sister's house in Payson.  The flag is flying half staff!  I guess the flag has been that way since Obama was elected, and the sign was added when the infamous healthcare bill was passed!  I don't know about you, but I think it's something many of us are thinking...but don't want to say.  It takes some guts to express your political views so publicly!  I wonder what kind of feedback they have gotten?  Interesting...

Emie's College Essay...

Emie had to write an essay a few weeks ago as if she were applying to a college.  This was what she wrote & I wanted to post it so I would remember it:
Emie Allen


Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.

If you ask any child who their idol is, you can probably bet their answer would be 'mom' or 'dad'. As they get a bit older, their answer might change to a popular movie star, or sports star. But at my age right now, I've come to appreciate the simple answer young children give when they choose their idol. One of the people who has had a significant influence on me is my dad. It's taken me a while, but I've come to truly appreciate what a great example he is to me, how much he's taught me, and how much I can learn from him.

One of the best lessons I've learned from my dad is the oldie-but-goodie, 'honesty is the best policy' lesson. My dad's honesty and integrity is apparent in everything he does. Especially when it comes to business, it's easy to lie, steal, and cheat your way to get to the top. But I've noticed that customers of my dad's businesses appreciate well-run, honest business. His employees also respect and trust him because he has proven himself to be reliable. Another way he has taught that me honesty is always best is through my own experiences. Whenever I do something wrong, I can either confess, or try to lie. If I'm honest from the beginning, the punishment is always much less severe than if I'm caught lying. In every part of life, honesty is crucial; I'm glad I have a great example to look up to.

Working hard is something I can have issues with at times. So I'm glad I have an idol who is one of the hardest workers I know. My dad has always worked hard, whether it be in athletics, school, or career. In high school, my dad was first in state for his position on the football team. He also kept up his grades, despite being extremely busy. When he was in college, he'd work at night, along with his attending day classes, to support my mom and I. He's always been the breadwinner of the family, and has never let us down. Another thing that adds to his great work ethic is his ability to get the job done on time, without complaint. He works just as hard as all his employees do, which makes him a fair boss. From his success, I've learned that if you work hard at everything you do, you can accomplish anything.

Although it may sound like it, my dad really isn't an all-work-no-play kind of guy. On the contrary, my dad is one of the most fun dad's I know. I might be biased, but I don't know too many other dads who like to take their families to the lake, California, Mexico, on road trips, and many other activities just for the fun of it. My dad likes to have a good time, especially with our family. And, he has the best sense of humor, which I've had the privilege of inheriting. It's unique, and something we can enjoy together since not very many people quite get it. This small characteristic has taught me an invaluable lesson; never forget to laugh at yourself. Whenever I'm stressed about homework, friends, and everything else teenagers get stressed out about, I just remember to take things lightly, and enjoy life. After all, you shouldn't take life too seriously; no one gets out alive anyways!

If someone had asked me ten years ago who my idol was, I'm almost positive my answer would be the same as it is today, despite the time that has passed. That’s because my dad has always been there to support me, encourage me, and inspire me. I don't know where I'd be without my honest, hardworking, fun-loving dad. Because of him, I try to reach new heights, and be the best I can be. No matter what life decides to throw my way, I'll be able to handle it, because I have the best example to follow. And that’s all I can ask for.

Healthy Eats...

So we went to McDonalds today, and I have been on a diet (aren't I always kind-of on a diet--maybe that's part of the problem) so I'm trying to find a nice low calorie lunch.  I end up with this:

Good choice, right?  It's like 170 calories--which you get in one BITE of a Big Mac...  Anyways, I get the kids happy meals--and they eat a little bit, and go off to play.  I ate my little fruit and yogurt salad, which I finished in about 2 minutes, since it is like 5 apple wedges, 3 grapes, and a tablespoon of walnuts, with about 1/4 cup of yogurt.  Hmmm...WOW am I still hungry--(imagine that).  Meanwhile, Ashlie's happy meal box is staring at me because it has a whole box of THESE:

Seriously?  You guessed it, in about 5 more minutes, I had downed not one or two, but the whole freakin box (which was a small box--but still...).  Ashlie comes back from playing and says, "Where did all my fries go?"  I had thrown away the box, so I said--"I don't know--didn't you get any?"  She says, "Should I go tell them I didn't get my fries?"  I say, "Ummm...no, they probably just forgot--sometimes they do that...here--have a few of Jack's fries." 

I am evil--and tomorrow I will probably be up two pounds--I deserve it.

In Case You Haven't Heard...

The new store will be OPEN TODAY!  YAY! 
Check out the new pics & info at:
http://www.oldjerusalemtreasures.blogspot.com/
Now I really have to go to BED!  It's 2 a.m.!  LONG DAY!

A Working Mother...

This past week was not a typical Spring Break for our family.  Instead of being on a beach somewhere, or at the pool, or on a vacation, Todd and I, and a few family members worked like crazy to try to get the new store set up and open.  My husband is not a man who enjoys waiting for things--we got the shipment of merchandise in last week, and he saw no reason we couldn't have it all ready to open this week.  Well, can I just tell you that we have never set up a retail store before, and it is so much more WORK than we expected!  We had to count each piece, give it a number, enter it into our computer system, sort each piece, group it with similar pieces to put on display, and then work on displaying it in a way that would be both easy to keep track of, as well as pleasing to the eye when you come into the store.  When you take into account that we have done this with well over 400 different items--with multiples of each-- (and we are not through yet)--this has taken a LOT of time!  Todd and I told our teenagers that this week would be a good opportunity to earn their girl's camp money, as well as work on a YW value project by doing household work, and babysitting during their spring break.  You can imagine how THRILLED they were at that!  You see, I have never been a working mother!  My children have had to babysit their brothers and sisters here and there, for an hour or two, but then we always come home & rescue them.  Rarely have I ever left them with the kids for more than a few hours at a time, and rarely have I left them with a chore list as long as the one they had this week!  This week--they truly got to see what it is like to be "MOM"! 

This week, Todd and I got up and excercised at 5:30, then left by 8 to go to the store, we rarely stopped working, except to eat a meal or two, then we would come home around 7.  Can I just say that my heart goes out to you working mothers?  I don't know how you do it and keep it all straight!  By the time we got home I was DEAD TIRED!  Not to mention that I haven't seen the kids all day, and boy did I just eat Jack up when I walked through the door!  That being said, I can't say that I could give my full time and attention to the kids either, since I still had to get dinner on the table, the kitchen cleaned, and laundry done.  We tried to do something fun with them each night, mostly to ease my guilt from being away all day, but as I sat at the table playing a board game, I was mostly in LA LA LAND, falling asleep as I tried to concentrate!  Most nights I fell asleep before 10 p.m.--and slept like a baby! 

Now, mothers who are reading this and saying, "WAIT, I AM A WORKING MOTHER," because you stay home with your kids--I am not making light of what you do--I have DONE that for the last 15 years!  I KNOW that you work hard, and your work is different than any other--and I believe more important than any other!  But can we at least give much needed PROPS to those mothers who do BOTH!  I just realized this week how hard it is to juggle work and home, and how heart wrenching it is to leave your babies in the care of others every single day.  I thought of my own mother, and sisters, who work for a living, and I am so proud of them for making it work for them, and managing to do the impossible!  I think that stay at home moms, and working mothers alike deserve SO much credit for making their families run!  You are AMAZING!

On another note, can I just say that all of the working this week was not all bad?  I rather enjoyed going into the store, where it was quiet, I could concentrate on a task and accomplish it without 1,000 distractions, I could listen to myself think, and not have kids talking over me all day!  Do you know that I didn't change a dirty diaper ALL WEEK?  That is amazing!  (Sorry Emie and Erin--I know you changed A LOT!)  The few times I had to go to the store to pick something up it only took a few minutes, and we didn't have any meltdowns at the register, or crying kids!  I talked to adults all day, and actually had intelligent conversations!  Most of all, it gave me a chance to do something different, not the same thing that I do every day.  Sometimes I feel like my life is like that movie "Groundhog Day"--different day--same CRAP!  It gets so mundane--so boring, that to get out once in awhile and be able to do something different and creative, where I could use my talents was very fun and exciting!  Maybe when Jack is older I will be able to use more of that side of myself, and actually get to do more of the things that make ME happy!
For now, I will remain a stay at home mom.  A week of being a working mother was enough for me to know that people in this house need me to be here--namely the little ones.  And even though the big ones don't need me as much anymore, I think that after this week, they do appreciate all of the little things that I do for them every day that they didn't particularly notice until I wasn't here for a week!   Thanks girls, for a job well done--and for taking good care of my babies & being nice to them!  You did a great job--and I love you! 

Sneak Peek...

I know some of you might be sick of me talking about the new store--but I just went in this week to take pictures of some of the pieces of olive wood, and you just have to click over to the blog to see them!  They are amazing!  Can't wait until you can come see them in person--only a week or two now!  So CLOSE!  YAY!
Old Jerusalem Treasures

Change...

I'm not one who's very good at change.  In fact, I stink at it.  I rather enjoy things staying the same, so I can deal with them.  I like to have the same routine--take the laundry for instance...I do 8 loads a week, (usually on Monday) darks, followed by colors, followed by whites, followed by towels.  I never change the order--I never mix it up.  It works for me, it's comfortable, it's my routine.  Todd is the opposite--as spouses sometimes tend to be.  (I don't know why that is, I guess to balance a marriage out?)  He LOVES change...he thrives on it.  He gets bored with the same old thing, and wants to try new things.  He is constantly thinking of new ideas, new ways to challenge himself, new things he wants to do or try.  Sometimes in our marriage, this presents a challenge.  The last few years the change has been regular and constant.  We sold our business--one we worked for 10 years to build, moved to a new house, in a new ward, in a new school district--which ruffled everyone's feathers a bit, traveled--a LOT, to places we have always wanted to go, and spent WAY more time together than anytime in the last 16 years of marriage.  Now, with our new business, comes another change--and can I tell you that the craziness of starting a new business is starting to hit our family?  HARD.  The last few weeks have been a whirlwind.  Signing the lease, getting the store set up and remodeled, trying to deal with shipments, and inventory, and getting a computer system, and phone lines, and decorating, and paint, and shelves, and mirrors, and glass, and banners, and signs, and on and on.  Todd has been so excited and so busy that we have hardly seen him much of the last few weeks!  While I am so excited for this new opportunity, it has also caused more than a little fear and trepidation, and stress over here.  You see, we have done this all before.  I know what it takes to start a new business, and get it up and running, and make it profitable.  It takes WORK--and BLOOD-- and SWEAT--and more than a few TEARS (most of them shed my ME)!  It takes long hours, and late nights, and sacrifice, from both of us to make it work.  Most of all it takes dedication--and can I tell you how dedicated my husband is when he sets his mind to something?  He is an amazingly hard worker--and when he sets a goal, there is no stopping him, he will work as much and as hard as he needs to in order to reach it.  I love that about him--it's one of the reasons I married him, he has a fire, and a determination to accomplish great things.  So why has it been so hard the last few weeks?  One word.  CHANGE.  Our life is changing, once again.  There will be a new routine, a new schedule, a new focus.  For some, this might come easily--but for me, it is hard.  I tend to fight it--and I have been--trust me.  I have been frustrated, and stressed out, and on edge.  I have been hard to deal with, and stubborn, and impatient.  I am just struggling to find my place amongst these changes once again, and my poor husband has to deal with my craziness--along with everything else on his plate.  The worst thing is, I have made him feel like I am mad at him (which I have been for various reasons--some of which were legit--), but most of all, I am going crazy because I feel like I am going to be losing him for awhile.  Not in a literal sense of course, but I have rather enjoyed having him around the last year.  He is sure fun to be with.   He is my favorite workout buddy, (even at 5 a.m.), he is my favorite person to eat lunch with, he is my favorite person to watch You Tube videos of Jim Gaffigan or Brian Regan with, he is so patient with me and the kids, he loves to do dishes (no really, he does them all the time), he is so much better than I am at getting the kids to do things, like read scriptures or pray (you already know from a few posts ago that no one in this house listens to me when I say things), he is even my favorite skiing buddy.  He is my favorite person to diet with (mostly because we sabotage eachother all the time--and that is the best kind of diet), and my favorite person to talk politics with (because he loves to play devil's advocate--just to drive me crazy) but he usually agrees with me in the end (so he doesn't have to endure endless hours of debate, and so we can stay married).  He is the funnest person to talk to, because still to this day after 16 years of marriage I CANNOT tell when he is telling the truth--or messing with me.  He can still fool me, and get me all fired up about something--(like politics...).  He knows what I like, and what makes me happy, and will bring home a Sonic soda, or chocolate, or onion rings at just the right time, on just the right day.  Most of all he can look past my faults (and there are too many to list here...) and love me in spite of me being me.  He is an amazing father, and an amazing husband, and my best friend.  I'm not sure how I ever got so lucky to have him in my life--but I am grateful every day.  And I will miss him.  This change will be hard to get used to at first, like all changes are--but life will go on, and I will establish a new routine, and it will be OK--it will just take some getting used to.  Todd, I want you to know that I will be behind you, and you will always have my support--even when it's hard.  I can't promise you I won't be difficult--because I have always been difficult--but let's face it, you love me that way, it keeps you on your toes.  And who knows, someday I might enjoy all of this change as much as you do--maybe I'll even find a way to get better at it.  Hmmm...Monday, maybe I'll wash the whites first--just to mix things up.   Yikes...

Sisters...

I found some pictures today while I was putting them on disks.  These two try to pretend like they can't stand each other--but I know there's some LOVE here!  Ummm...I also think they were having a photo session in a public restroom...yuck!  HA!  I sure love these girls!

Star of the Week...

Last week Josh was the Star of the Week for his 1st grade class! He got to take their class pet, Toto home and spend the week doing fun things with him. Thank goodness he is only a stuffed dog! This was the scrapbook page we made for his class scrapbook of all the things Josh and Toto did together. It was a wild week for little Toto! Good job Josh! We love you!

Getting to the Temple..

Sometimes do you feel like when you really need to go to the temple it seems like there are always obstacles thrown in your way? Well, yesterday was one of those days. We knew we needed to make it to the temple before 6 in order to get a session in, it's always so crowded on Fridays, so we were ready to leave by 4:30, and thought it would be an early night. Then, we got a call from Emie, saying she and her friends needed a ride home from track. Okay, no problem. Todd was on his way out the door to pick them up when he got another call from our friend Trasi. Her car was broken down a few miles from our house, and she needed us to tow her car home. We told her to hang tight, and we would be there as soon as we picked up Emie. We could tow her car home (she lives right by the temple), and still make it to the session by 6. Well, Emie's track usually gets out at 4:30--but wouldn't you know it, they kept them until 5 yesterday. So Todd got home around 5:15, and we finally made it over to help Trasi at 5:30. We get her car all hooked up, and start to tow it, pull out onto Val Vista about 5:45, only to realize that there was a huge traffic jam, and Val Vista was backed up all the way from Baseline down past Southern. We needed to get to Broadway. So we went 5 mph for a few miles until we were almost to Southern, got stopped at a little side street light--and BAM--the tow strap breaks. Poor Trasi got a little whiplash since Todd's truck is jacked up and she was in her car driving it and it took a little plunge back down to the ground. So Todd and I drive onto the little side street, I take the wheel, and he gets out and pushes Trasi's car down the street a few blocks where we had to leave it. I couldn't help but laugh as I snapped this picture...isn't this just the best getting to the temple picture you've ever seen!The good news is, we still made it to the temple, barely making the 6:30 session. We left Trasi's car there until we got out, and we went and got David at 9:30 to help us tow it back to her house. Then, we barely made it to 5 Guys right before 10 when they close--to get some delicious burgers and fries! YUM! All in all, an awesome night! Thanks sweetie, you're the BEST! And, SO strong--good thing we've been working out!

Validation...

Update: I was talking to my sister in law about this post--and she told me about this little short film she had seen on You Tube called Validation. I think it's not just mothers who want to be validated--it's everyone. When was the last time you sincerely complimented someone? When was the last time you really listened to what they had to say? When was the last time you made someone smile? This little film was 15 minutes--but I think they said a lot in that amount of time! Loved it!

Wikipedia defines Validation this way:
In psychology and human communication, validation is the reciprocated communication of respect which communicates that the other's opinions are acknowledged, respected, heard, and (regardless whether or not the listener actually agrees with the content), they are being treated with genuine respect as a legitimate expression of their feelings, rather than marginalized or dismissed.

Sometimes, as a mother, a little validation can go a LONG way. Just because I became a mother doesn't mean my brain fell out of my head. A little respect, a little appreciation, and a little validation--is that too much for a mother to ask?

Funny...

We saw this driving down the road, and I just had to take a picture. It's a single wide trailer welded onto a school bus--a homemade RV! AWESOME!

My Baby is TWO--(it's official now!)

Sunday was Jack's second birthday--Sunday birthdays are pretty uneventful! We made waffles for breakfast after church, which he slept through, (it's all he can do to make it through nursery). Then for dinner we were invited to go eat at David and Jessica's so he had some cousins to have cake & ice cream with. It was lots of fun! He got a little bike for his birthday, since he won't stay off of Ashlie's bike--but wouldn't you know it, he is about 2 inches from reaching the pedals--ugh! These darn boys of mine are too SMALL! Check out the cake we found at Walmart at 11:00 on Saturday night! It was too perfect! I was afraid that our lack of planning would leave us with a crappy cake--until I saw this beauty! Loved it!








Things we LOVE about Jack Jack right now:
1. He LOVES to talk--ALL THE TIME! He is a boy after my own heart! He loves the sound of his own voice!
2. He has the best laugh--I love to listen to him giggle.
3. He has the best mean look--it cracks me up every time when he glares at me when he's mad. It's hard to take him seriously--until he starts screaming at the top of his lungs!
4. He is a CLIMBER! This is good and bad--GOOD when he can climb out of his bed in the morning or after his naps--BAD when he can climb out of his bed in the middle of the night or when he doesn't want to take a nap!
5. Jack LOVES his sisters! They are all smitten by him, and he is SO stinkin spoiled around this house. He has them wrapped around his little finger!
6. Jack is a Daddy's boy (well, as close as any of my kids have gotten anyway). He LOVES his dad, and they have a special bond since Todd has gotten to spend much more time with this last baby than he did with the first few!
7. He LOVES to RUN! It's hard to slow these boys down--even for a minute!
8. He is CLEAN--he still loves to take 2 or even 3 showers a day. If ANYONE in this house is in the shower, Jack will strip off his clothes and jump in with them--whether they want him or not!
9. Jack is loving watching movies in the car now--which makes all of the errands with a two year old almost bearable. Too bad we don't have movies playing in shopping carts or strollers or well, just about everywhere!
10. He is the BEST TERRIBLE TWO YEAR OLD we know! We love you Jack Jack--Happy Birthday Buddy!