Sunday, April 25, 2010

Happy Birthday My Grace!


Today is my Gracie's Birthday!! I can't believe that 6 years has gone by and she has only had stitches ONCE (knocking on wood now)!! To be honest I try to forget the last few weeks of my pregnancy with Grace because I was 3 weeks overdue and a total NUT CASE by the time I had her but I suppose that was the warm up for her arrival!!

Grace is funny, silly, imaginative, wild, thoughtful, loving, affectionate, passionate and so many other amazing qualities. My life would have been way too boring without Grace, she humbled me, strengthened me and just plain toughened me up in just a few short years! When you are blessed with a child like Grace, everyday is eventful, mind twisting and sunny! Her moods are vast and her senses are tuned like a cheetah stalking its prey, one moment she is quiet, gentle and concentrated and the next the beast is released and duck and cover is your only option!

The Lord has something fantastic planned for Grace and I feel so honored to have been chosen to have a front row seat, although sometimes I have to close my eyes. I love being her Mother, even when she is testing all human boundaries and my patience! Happy Birthday Grace

Friday, April 23, 2010

Flashback Friday! The Power of One!!

(Me at 18)


Oprah has her talk show.

Michael Jordan, the basketball court.

Julia Roberts, the movie screen.

Amelia Earhart, the sky.

Marylin, the WCW Wrestling Event.

I was just a white girl with a dream really, and never in my wildest imagination thought I could reach it so young at just 18 years old. Don't ask how or why, but I attended many Professional Wrestling events in my day, and there was one that will forever stand out in my mind. It was shortly after graduating High School in 1997 watching two grown men in spanks, bounce off ropes and tackle each other when the match took a turn for the desperate and I suddenly shouted "Bite His Ear!", it was just weeks after the Tyson vs. Holyfield fight and the words slipped easily from my lips. The people around me chuckled and then as if I were the director standing before them they all began shouting "Bite his ear, Bite his ear!" It grew and grew and next thing you know the entire MGM Grand arena was shouting "Bite his Ear!!" It was a moment that only happens in movies, it was then I knew I was meant for greater things! The people in front and behind me were throwin me high fives for my addition to the match, the wrestlers were forced to acknowledge the crowd, I don't remember what was said, but I remember the pride in knowing I had the Power to influence those around me with my words!!

I realize that this all must seem silly, but you found yourself reading every word didn't you??? Hey and I still know some moves, so don't mess!!!




P.S I have some great news on the "Saga of the Bully" so stay tuned!! :)

Love to you and Happy Friday!!



Monday, April 19, 2010

Round 2 with the Bullies

So here is round 2 along with a quick recap of the weekend!! :) Please notice my glamorous appearance, next time I will give lessons on makeovers "How to look like you just got out of bed at 4:00pm."





Love to you

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Sunday Scripture: Forgiveness


D&C 64:10-11

10 I, the Lord, will forgive whom I will forgive, but of you it is required to forgive all men.

11 And ye ought to say in your hearts—let God judge between me and thee, and reward thee according to thy deeds.

“Is there someone in your life who perhaps needs forgiveness? Is there someone in your home, someone in your family, someone in your neighborhood who has done an unjust or an unkind or an unchristian thing? All of us are guilty of such transgressions, so there surely must be someone who yet needs your forgiveness.”

Jeffery R. Holland



The lesson of forgiveness is perhaps one of the most important lessons we receive has people. I know that I have been faced with this, at times challenging commandment from the Lord more than a few times in my life. Sometimes it seems less difficult to forgive and other times I struggle to let go of frustration, anger and heartache which comes at the hands, words or actions of others. I know that if I allow the Lord to handle "it" then my burdens will be lifted and in some instances it has taken a long time for me to truly forgive. I remember hearing once that if "Just leave room in your heart, and when the times comes that you can forgive, forgive."

Tonight I am working on this one.

Happy Sunday

All My Love


Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Mom 1..........Bully 0!!!!

I decided to share this next story via video





I would love to hear any thoughts on how best to deal with this situation, maybe your child has gone through something like this or perhaps you are a teacher or you have some insight on what I should do.

Oh on a side note the dresser behind me is a sneak peak at my newly decorated room :)

Love and Thanks


Friday, April 9, 2010

Forgetting the Flash!!! Bad Parenting Moment #4762

There have been many moments of bad parenting, well, maybe not bad, just the "seriously you can't take your eye off of them for a moment", moment!

This afternoon James and I were out front putting a few flowers into our flower pots on the front porch, James was playing in the car with the windows down and listening to music while I was placing the flowers. I turned my back for 3 min, maybe, when I hear "Mom!, Me!" his way of saying "Mom look at me!" I turn around and this is what I find!!!!!!!




I could NOT believe my eyes! I mean he has been doing some "stuff" lately but this takes the cake!!! I had to grab my camera (that was in my purse in the front seat) and take a picture so Jimmy would believe me. Then I swiftly removed him from the roof of my van!! I HAVE NO IDEA how he managed to climb up there, let a lone so quick and without falling! Sheesh, I swear this boy is out to prove his monkeydom or something!!

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

The Hunt!

Last Wednesday my AMAZING and Thoughtful friend Kari organized an Egg hunt for the kids in the ward. We all met at a park nearby and put out our own kids marked eggs, (side note, Lexi and I had marked all of ours but when we got to the park the names had ALL rubbed off, so annoying!!) OK, back to the event, the kids were beyond anxious to get out there and find their eggs, so after a little instruction, they were off!!



(I am small and cute so I need a head start )








EYE ON THE PRIZE!! There was no distracting little Sophie from the challenge at hand!!!





I asked James to look at the camera, he said "No"





(Kari & Soph having a little lunch)

(and a little treat)

(My sweet friend Miriam and her girls)

My old friend (she's not old, I have just known her for a very long time), Rachel and her girls, who were not interested in a photo op, but Rachel always looks SMOKIN!!

So I waited until they didn't know I was there (sneaky sneaky, I am)

Even though Lexi was busted up and I was a basket case, (no really I was), trying to help them all at the same time, it was a great reason to get out of the house and the kids had a BLAST!!




Monday, April 5, 2010

I WANT I WANT I WANT!!

A BABY!! Why you ask???

Because of this.....

this.....
this....
this....
this......




this.....

this....


this...

and this...


Any more questions???

No I am not Expecting ( I wish)

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Sunday Scripture: He Lives

John 11:24-25

24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:








I am grateful for the Spring, for Easter, for this time in which we have to remember the sacrifice that was made for us, for all of us, by our older brother Jesus Christ. I know He lives and loves me, and I pray that I might live up to His example. I know that I am not perfect, but with Him the road is mapped out and if I trust in Him and have faith, He will walk with me, guide me and strengthen me.

Happy Easter

Happy Sunday

All My LOVE,




Friday, April 2, 2010

Flashback Friday!!! Uppers & Downers

The last week with the Kelley's has been abundant with UPPERS & downers, mostly up, but how could we call it life if we didn't have the down along with it??!!

Last Thursday Lexi was leaving school to head to the bus when two boys were coming into the school pushed open the heavy metal door and it went right over the top of Lexis left foot!! She was only wearing flats so there was no protection for her foot and a big chunk was taken out of the skin!! ( YUCK, I can't really look at it) The nurse was off that day but the office staff made up for it and took really good care of her until I could arrive to pick her up. Long story short, she was doing pretty well until Wednesday of this week when it started to look infected so we took her to a medical clinic close to home (it stinks not having insurance). They were really great with her, cleaning the wound up and prescribing her some antibiotics to help the infection and taking an x-ray to check for a fracture, which there wasn't one. She is still on crutches and will be for a while longer while it heals, but she has been a trooper throughout the entire thing. I have missed her help with her siblings and around the house, and it has been a bummer to be hurt over Spring Break!! However it forced us to just relax and spend time at home with each other, and we have managed to come up with projects to work on here.


(The white stuff is medicine)


Speaking of projects, with the weather being absolutely PERFECT, and some fabulous finds on Craigslist I have been busy refinishing, rearranging and organizing many of the rooms in the house! The Spring Cleaning Bug has bitten and the itch has been ferocious, Monday I refinished both girls dressers and then attacked just about anything I could get my hands on with spray paint. I also started and finished some sewing projects, began the revamping of the Master bedroom, hung curtains in the living room, and continued organization of my office/guestroom/sewing room!!

Lexi's new dresser from Craigslist ($10), I had already removed the handles...

...to do this






(The finished product along side Graces' dresser from a thrift store for ($7), it was white)

My new favorite piece of furniture (Craigslist $40)



(Latest Baby blanket)

Whew I am tired just typing it!!


By Thursday I finished the overhauling of the girls room, and wanted to crawl into bed but instead I continued on with more sewing projects and spending some much needed time with the husband.





This week we also participated in an Easter Egg hunt and I had Young Women's on Wednesday evening. Jimmy has been working lots of hours on his website and other side projects, as well as hearing good things about the continued contract at the Base.
(James and Grace waiting and listening to the instructions)


Something very exciting for me, I have been offered the opportunity to write for an internet company, and get paid!!! The details are still be worked out but it looks like I will be able to do it in my "spare time" ha ha, and make a little extra spending money.

Don't worry, just in case you think I have it all together, this week has also been sprinkled with crying, fighting, tantrums, yelling and pure exhaustion not to mention the kids have been acting up as well!! LOL

(My Fantastic new hat that I won from Sew Sanity)

The Master Bedroom is still in the works but I can't wait to finish cause I am already in....