First Day of School

He's happy and ready.

So am I!

End of Summer

This summer has been such a fun one for our little family. We didn't get to go camping as often as we would have liked, but we did spend QUITE a few nights huddled together under a blue canopy.

Cameron has LOVED his time at the Learning Center, and when he asked me when his last day was and I told him it was Friday, he almost cried. He loved working with those young, enthusiastic people. He's enjoyed his new friends and is sad to leave it behind. But I reminded him that he will get to go there again next summer and I could hear the tears leave in place of a happy boy.

Jake has fallen in love with being outside. Even though we don't play outside at home much (too scary) he's learned that he can play safely outside at Grandma's house, and often stands at her front windows jabbering that he's ready to go out. Any time any of us leave, whether it's Steve for work, or me running an errand, he knows and he will scurry over to the door pointing and TRYING to turn the knob. He loves being on the go and playing outside.

We spent many nights going to the drive-in and seeing fun movies. I'm so glad we live where we have the option of going to these places. They're so much fun, and will be very memorable for our boys as they get older. Those nights where the four of us are together are such cherished memories.

Most of these things will change.

School starts tomorrow. Cameron (and I) are VERY ready for this new school year. Cam is excited to get a new teacher and principal. We're anxious for his learning to continue. I'm excited because Jake will have free time to just play by himself and not worry that he's about to be taken from whatever fun he's got going on and can just play.

I will definitely miss the sleeping in. (I've trained Cameron from a VERY young age to take himself to the living room, help himself to breakfast and keep himself occupied while mommy sleeps...) I'm trying to train Jake to sleep in, but it's slow in coming.

Over all, I've got many fun summer memories, and I'm ready for the next school year. Let the 3rd grade begin!! :)

So Much Talent....And No Uploading Capabilities...

Last night was our ward's talent show. And it was HILARIOUS!! We have some pretty talented people in our ward.

Steve sang a song. (Serious, not funny) and did REALLY well. I LOVE his voice...I just wish he'd sing to me a little more.

I even volunteered to sing my little "baby" singing. It's a weird noise I make that sounds like a baby saying "doo doo doo..." Cute in small bits, but REALLY annoying when little kids do it over and over and don't stop.

Our bishopric did a funny "magic" show skit. I laughed SO hard. Who knew they were SO magical? ;)

And the two highlights of the night came close to the end. One lady did her version of the Napoleon Dynamite dance from the movie. She REALLY looked like him too. And she was AWESOME!

The final talent of the night was orchestrated by my sweet hubby. Several guys from the Elder's Quorum were "Redneck synchronized swimmers." They were HILARIOUS!! Oh....to have the video uploaded to share....but my computer is NOT accepting of the video camera.

You'll just have to take my word for it....it was a FUN night! Although, I'm thinking with all the things that happened last night, maybe next year's show should be the "un-talent" show. ;)

Crashing Kids

Two days ago, I was at my mom's house and when my dad got home, he went outside so the boys can play. (They LOVE being outside....but since we live in a creepy neighborhood, they can only go outside when we're at grandma's house.) Anyway, my dad was being a good grandpa, and playing with them, letting them play...

A while later Cameron comes inside my parents' house just CRYING. He'd been riding his bike too fast and crashed. He scraped up his chin, wrist, chest, and ankle. I put some bandages on his scrapes and tried to calm him down. He would NOT stop boobing and whining.

We were eating dinner and I KNEW he was hungry, but he wouldn't eat because, "It hurts my owie, mommy."

Okay, that's a LITTLE too much. If you put the food IN your mouth and not on your chin, you should be FINE!

*eye roll*

He whined the rest of the night. He even whined this morning. Seriously, it's getting old! You're fine, kid.

This morning I sent Cam off to the Learning Center, came home, and let Jake wander the house. He LOVES to play when Cam's not here bossing him around. Well, I came on the computer and let him go. I hadn't put up our baby gate at the bottom of the stairs, and Jake took the opportunity to go upstairs and play in his bedroom.

After a while I got up to see what he was doing and soon I hear the *thump* *thump* *thump* of a baby falling down the stairs, HEAD first!

He's okay, but a little shaken up. (I'm actually hoping that he'll learn that he CAN'T go down the stairs that way anymore. He has NO fear when it comes to stairs...and he'll walk DOWN them if he can....)

I promise I'm not abusing them! I promise...they're just klutzy....a lot like their mom. *blush*

Did You Know....

.....that it can't rain on Sunday? It was news to me, and I was educated.
(Happening before church yesterday...)
Conversation with me and Cam:
Cam: "Mom...do you smell the rain?"
Me: "Yeah, it's nice, isn't it?!" (our window was open, letting the HEAVENLY smell inside!)
Cam: "Yeah, but it's Sunday..."
Me: "What does it being Sunday have to do with rain?"
Cam: "Jesus told us it can't rain on Sunday."

Now YOU know! ;)

We LOVE Spongebob

And here's the proof! :)

Stupidity of Youth...

It's forever preserved in my journals. I'm cringing just thinking about them.

I wasn't a PERFECT journal keeper, but I was pretty good about it. I would write down my EVERY desire, hope and dream. I confided my secrets there and I said exactly what I thought knowing that I wouldn't have to worry about what anyone else thought.

So knowing I could write whatever I wanted, I REALLY did.

Last week, I was having a hard time sleeping (which is actually a new thing....I can't sleep when I should...) so I pulled out my journal and read it. I figured it would help me remember all the fun things I love about Steve (since it covered the time right before I met him until about the time I started blogging...) and I realized something.....I WAS SO STUPID!

Oh, my heck. Don't say, "You're not stupid...really, you're such a nice person..." No, I was dumb. Like, naive teenager, dumb. I cannot believe that Steve decided to go on a date with me let alone fall in LOVE with me.

I thought I knew it all. I KNEW that one day I would marry ********* (fill-in-the-blank...) I just KNEW it.

Oh, gag me...please!

I guess you could call it the innocence of youth, but I just think I was plain dumb. Brain-dead...dumb.

I would share here, but I want you all to continue to think that I'm smart.

Let's just say, I'm VERY glad that over the past 10 or so years I've learned a LOT. I've grown a LOT! I've learned to rely on my family and my Heavenly Father over my friendships. (Not to say I don't have good friends, but I don't put ALL my trust in them.)

I will say that I had a ball in college. I loved my experience living in the dorms and making new friends.

Believe it or not, when I first went to college I was SUPER home-sick. I hated being on my own, and locked myself in my room crying for the first week. Eventually I learned that I didn't want to live my life like that, and I learned to like myself and to make friends with people who liked me too. After that first week, I became QUITE the little social butterfly. I went to dances, school activities...and I didn't make ANY apologies for who I was. (Although, looking back, I probably should...)

Now I've learned that I like who I am. I quite enjoy my personality (even though sometimes it CAN be a little loud and over the top) but I have also learned that I don't know NEARLY as much as I thought I knew. And that's okay.

I used to think it would be great to go back in time and re-live those days....now, with perspective, I'm happy to be where I am and WHO I am.

Random Pictures and Stories

I have been VERY sparse lately. I really apologize.

QUICK NOTE BEFORE THE REGULAR BLOG POST:

I'm having a discontinued-Scentsy sale through this blog. If you go to this website and click on "My Events" then click on the ONLY event there (LOL) you can buy whatever you would like. (If you liked the scents from THIS list, please order soon...since by the end of the month they'll be gone...) If you live near me, you can have it shipped to me and save $$ on the shipping. Hurry, this sale will end in a few weeks!!!

NOW, BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED BLOG POST. :)

I've been trying to enjoy my family times and the end of summer before school starts back up.

Since it's summertime, and I'm basically just sleeping at my house because of all the other activities, my house became QUITE a mess. I spent a few hours last week cleaning up the clutter and mess. (I even took the before and after pictures.)

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

I was quite pleased with myself. I think the clean house lasted two days....now it's back to the "before picture" status. *giggle* Guess we'll be cleaning again today. It's just so hard to do when you've got a few kids going behind you messing up what you just fixed.

We also went to a big family barbecue with my dad's side of the family. My aunt and uncle live on a pretty cute little farm. The boys were fascinated with all the animals. We had the barbecue because my aunt, who lives in California, was here for a visit, but I don't think I said more than 2 words to her. (She had a headache and was freezing...) It's too bad, I really enjoy her company. I guess the countdown is on for her to move back here though. She's waiting for her youngest to graduate from high school. Ten more months. :)

Jake is talking more and more. His little vocabulary cracks me up. He now says "ball ball," "ha-ma" "puh-pa," "mom," "dadadada," "'poon," and "done." He says things that SOUND like words, but I don't think he knows what he's saying yet. I swear the other day he sounded like he was saying "thanks." Our only problem is teaching him that Cameron's name is not a bunch of babbling yells. *giggle*

Jake has also started to show his temper, and boy, does he HAVE one. :S He comes by it honestly...my dad's family is notorious about their tempers. But I think he gets SOME of it from his dad...Jake can't be just MY child. :P

Cameron has been having a blast these last few weeks too. He is so funny and trying to be SO independent.

This morning I came downstairs and he asked me (begged, really) if he could have oatmeal. In my opinion oatmeal or Cream of Wheat (either one...not both at the same time....) should be sugared to make them tastier. That's the way I grew up eating it, and I loved it, and that's how I've been making it for Cameron. He also loves it that way.

Anyway, I put the oatmeal in the microwave and let it cook. I came online to do some work (Scentsy.....anyone?) and his oatmeal was finished. So he took it out of the microwave, on his own. Poured milk on the oatmeal, on his own. Then he began to eat it....on his own.....

I hear, "Mom, I don't think it's done...."

I asked him if there was water still in it, he said there was, but then I realized, no sugar.

I laughed and told him that if he'd waited I could have fixed it the way he likes.

With Cameron, I've also had to say things over and over again. I've almost decided it would be easier on my voice if I record the most common sayings on a CD and play it over and over. Things like: Don't touch HIM!" "Put him DOWN!" "Stop it!" "Take your pills.""Get ready for bed." "You're NOT in charge."

Overall though, we're pretty happy and just enjoying the last 2 weeks of a non-school schedule. Two more weeks.....

No One is Unimportant

"One of the greatest challenges is to overcome the feeling that we are unimportant, that we are not special and unique. Do you think for a moment that Heavenly Father would have sent one of His children to this earth by accident, without the possibility of a significant work to perform? My dear friends, you are a royal generation. You were preserved to come to this earth in this time for a special purpose. Not just a few of you, but ALL of you. There are things for each of you to do that no one else can do as well as you. If you do not prepare to do them, they will not be done. Your mission is unique and distinctive for you. Please don't make another have to take your place. He or she can't do it as well as you can. If you will let Him, I testify that our Father in Heaven will walk with you through the journey of life and inspire you to know your special purpose here."

-Bishop H. Burke Peterson

Book Review: The Peacegiver

I've mentioned that lately I've been having some hard times and while talking about it with some friends, one recommended that I read "The Peacegiver" by James L. Ferrell. I instantly went to my library website and put it on hold....I'm still on hold for it.
I mentioned this book to my mom, and she said, "Oh, I've got that one....you can read it. It's REALLY good."
I instantly went to find it. (Like I said, I've been having MEAN and hateful feelings....I don't like being a grump, so I've been struggling to let go of my hatred and angry attitude....but like I said, I've "struggled.") I found it and decided to read it as soon as I could.
Once I started, a change began inside of me. I instantly began to see the Atonement of Christ SO differently than I'd ever seen it before.
Let me share a few of the truths that I read in this MARVELOUS book:
The Atonement isn't just for me....Christ atoned for the sins of others. (How could this truth NOT be a "duh" moment?)
The Atonement covers completely any hurt, sin, situation of life that we may or will find ourselves in.
If we are willing to give up our grudges, hurts and pains to Christ, he will fill in the gap and make US whole. He will cover all the hurt and pain with his love and acceptance.
Loving others shouldn't be so hard. If we believe that we are all One in Christ, then we will treat those who hurt us with more care and patience than we naturally want to do.
Christ loves ALL of us completely and wholly.
This is SUCH a wonderful book. I now want this book for my own, so that I can read and re-read it over and over. I know I will fall and fail again, but knowing that the Atonement covers my every trip and fall is an amazing feeling.

Summertime Sickies?

Seems that the summertime sickies are here. (Good thing they came BEFORE school started...) It started last night with Jacob. The poor baby did NOT want to sleep. Since he's been cutting his teeth lately, I thought maybe he was still in pain from getting his eye-teeth (which are out now....so it was a LITTLE suspect, but if he's in pain, what do I know?) So I took the poor boy downstairs (in an attempt to let Cameron and Steve sleep. Poor Steve had to work at 5:00 in the morning, and Cam's just a grump if HE doesn't get sleep....) I tried to give Jake some ibuprofen, but he turned away.

'That was odd,' I thought to myself. He LOVES his ibuprofen. Usually he CRIES when the medicine is gone. Often, he'll grab the bottle and whine for more. But he did NOT want it at all last night.

I finally got him to take some, but he still acted weird. He cuddled with me (okay, so my 'weird-ometer' should have been going crazy with THIS...he NEVER cuddles....except when he's sick.) I sat awake with the boy until 2:30 in the morning, finally falling asleep. When I went to lay him in his crib, he woke up a little, cried, then fell back to sleep.

This morning Cameron came into my room and said, "Jake pooped EVERYWHERE."

'EW!' I thought again, what is going on with that poor baby...

I go in to check on him, and it's not what Cam thought. Instead I discover that Jake has thrown up.

NICE! :P

I clean up both boys and realize in the process that I'm not feeling so hot myself. NICE....whatever icky thing Jake had, I now have.

So Jake and I have spent the day alone (Cam went with my family to a family reunion I was going to go to.....thank you, family...) I'm feeling a BIT better, but Jake is feeling MUCH better. He's already gone into my kitchen several times and found food that he wants to eat.

Do you know how happy chocolate chips make a baby??

So I'm HOPING that the ickies will go away soon. I'm not going to cancel anything else, but I am HOPING that things turn around soon.

Happy Thoughts

I've been going through some rough times lately, and I've been in DESPERATE search of happy, uplifting thoughts. Here are three I've come across that I'm trying to internalize and take to heart...I hope they help someone else!

***

"On my way to visit the Jameses the other evening, I saw a wheat field that appeared to be greener and taller than the others. Thinking about it for a while, I concluded that occasionally some loving farmer drives over the field with his tractor and pumps manure all over it. I thought, 'My, it's just like life. Here we are minding our own business, growing our little hearts out. We're really quite green, somewhat productive and very sincere. When out of the blue, life deals us a dirty one, and we're up to our eyebrows in manure. We, of course, conclude that life as we have known it has just ended and will never be the same again. But one day, when the smell and the shock are gone, we find ourselves greener and more productive than we have been.'

"Unfortunately, no matter how often we go through these growing experiences, we are never able to appreciate the sound of the tractor or the smell of the manure."

--Harold W. Wood

***

"On those days when we're not ready to stop being offended, not ready to forgive, still determined to dish out the silent treatment, what we're actually saying is, 'Thanks, but I don't want to become more like the Savior today. Maybe tomorrow, but not today."

--Sheri Dew

***

"Life often feels like a great pile of obligations, frustrations, and disappointments. But the Lord is there, always the same, His arms still outstretched. When we feel overwhelmed, we have to remember the peace He has spoken to us on previous occasions. His peace brings comfort and strength; the world cannot give that to us."

--Kathleen H. Hughes

Splash Park and Pond Fun

We've had some fun times lately. I've had the pictures for a while, but I've been pretty lazy about posting.

Last Thursday we went to a local splash park. SO MUCH FUN!! Cam loved it, once he warmed up to it. Jake, however, did NOT like it. He loves baths, but he does NOT like cold water in his clothes. After the splash park we rode the carousel. Both boys loved it!

Today we went to a pond with some friends. Again, it was fun.

Scentsy Lovers

These scents will be discontinued as of August 31st. Contact your favorite Scentsy consultant and order while you can. (Everything is on sale this month too....) (SOTM=Scent of the Month)

Blueberry Cheesecake (BBC)
Cashmere (CAS)
Eucalyptus (EUC)
Exotic Vanilla (EXV)
Falling Leaves (FAL)
Fresh Cut Cantaloupe (FCC)
Grapefruit Blossom (GFB)
Grapefruit Pomegranate (GFP)
Havana Cabana (HVC)
Hearth & Home (SOTM) (HNH)
Herb Garden (HBG)
Irish Cream (IRC)
Juicy Peach (JCP)
Leather (Bars and Bricks) (LEA)
Lemon Lavender (LMV)
Lots of Lavender (LOL)
Luxe Vanilla (LUX)
Meadow Pear (MDP)
Mediterranean Spa (MTS)
Mulberry Bush (MBB)
Mysterious (MYS)
Nutmeg & Orange Zest (NOZ)
Pomegranate Orange (PGO)
Red Delicious (RED)
Sandalwood & Cranberries (SWC)
Sangria (SNG)
Sheer Saffron (SOTM) (SHE)
Silk (SLK)
Spiced Orange Harvest (SOH)
Spruceberry (SPR)
Strawberry Sweetie (SBS)
Sweet Indulgence (SWI)
Sugar (SGR)
Sweet Tea Magnolia (SWT)
Tarocco Mint (SOTM) (TRM)
Tea Blossom (TEA)
Toasted Apple Butter (TAB)
Tuscan Garden (TUS)
Verbena Berry (VBY)
Wasabi Ginger (WSG)
Watermelon Patch (WMP)

Warmers
Bombay (DSW-BBAY)
Brownstone (DSW-BSTN)
Dandy – Black (PSW-DBLK)
Dandy – Brown (PSW-DBRN)
Dandy – White (PSW-DWTE)
Dragonfly (DSW-DFLY)
Jakarta (DSW-JAKA)
Luminous (DSW-LUMI)
Patina (DSW-PATI)
Pressed Penny (DSW-PPEN)
Punched Tin (DSW-PTIN)
Raised Dot Black (DSW-DOTB)
Raised Dot Mocha (DSW-DOTM)
Raised Dot Turquoise (DSW-DOTT)
Retro Chic (DSW-RETR)
Scentsy Classic Chocolate (DSW-SCHO)
Shabby Chic (DSW-SHCH)
Weave – Black (PSW-WBLK)
Weave – Brown (PSW-WBRN)
Weave – White (PSW-WWTE)