Loving that girl of mine...

Reilly is my middle child...(she would be a perfect ONLY child)

I love her to pieces...even though she can be stubborn, strong willed, exasperating, dramatic, moody, etc.) I always say thank goodness I don't drink or I'd be sloshed on a daily basis pushing around some shopping cart on the side of the road talking to myself!

She's obsessed with gadgets, makeup, anything with compartments in it, and "kits".ie.(nail kits, barber kits, first aid kits, craft kits, etc...)

Everyday, it seems, she's coming up with a new kit theme...(as a result, many needed household items have been disappearing and ending up in little bags thanks to her new "hobby"...


Last week, when one of our cats was sick, she decided to make a vet kit...

Here she is proudly displaying her vet kit...

What would one include in a vet kit you ask?...Read on for more details...

scissors, a hand towel, bird book (for identifying different bird species), cat food, duck food, a recorder for recognizing different animal sounds, cottonballs, medical tape and bandaids...


After I had picked Reilly up from kindergarten on Monday, I was small talking with her and asking her if anyone had been absent from school that day. She told me the name of a boy in her class that was absent and then told me he was the smartest kid in the class. I asked her if she was the second smartest, to which she replied, "No!-I'm not smart! You never teach me anything!... You're always working!"

I almost drove off the rode!--Talk about feeling like I was getting stabbed with a knife! I realize she's only six, but I was hurt by this statement.

I called my mom later on that afternoon and told her about it, and she said that it was a good thing Reilly at least told me what was bothering her now rather than finding out 20 years from now. Whether or not I thought it was true didn't matter, but the fact that she perceived it to be that way, did.

She suggested that once a week, Reilly and I have some one on one time where I teach her something. (cooking, gardening, craft, etc.)


Yesterday, I told told her of our new plan, and she seemed excited by it. She chose making cupcakes as our first project. Fortunately, I had an easy box mix in the cupboard, so we made these up and even had leftover batter for a little loaf cake.

(Baking is always a good idea when it's 93 degrees out, by the way!)



She was so thrilled with her creation, that she couldn't wait for Brian to get home from work to show him...


She actually waited on the old stone well holding the little cake on her lap until he pulled into the driveway...

As frustrating as she can be at times, there are other times when I could just scoop her up and shower her with kisses (if she'd ever let me...she's very non-cuddly and only likes affection when it's on her terms)

I felt so endeared to her at that moment...




I had pre-warned Brian of this, so he could be prepared to gush!

Twas a proud moment for her, indeed!

**Do you have a strong willed child?

**What do you predict our relationship will be like when she's a teenager?--should I keep some whisky handy just in case?

premature heat wave

Whatever happened to springlike weather with crisp mornings and breezy afternoons?

It appears we've skipped right from the extreme cold to temps in the low 90's!


Unfortunately, Brian had to work on Saturday...so I was stuck going solo to Jake's baseball game with the girls...

Ellie was actually good this week. Brian had to take the girls last Saturday (when I had the baby shower) and I guess she was a nightmare...

Hey batter, batter!

Here is Jake sporting his new sports glasses...

He kind of looks like a bug, but he doesn't seem to mind...as long as he's not getting nailed in the face with a ball because he can't see it...

After the game, I took Jake and his BFF Brady (and the girls) for pizza--NY style with sausage!
(with icy orange crushes to drink!--glorious!!)

I just didn't feel like making lunch-(even though I felt a little guilty shucking over $20 for the bill--)--I feel like I've been doing a lot of fast "food-ish" kinds of things lately...

After our lunch, we went into the dollar store and bought some water balloons and water pumpers for everyone's outdoor pleasure...

I wasn't thinking at the time that the water balloons would have have to be tied by me--ugh...
those boogers are a pain in the neck for the amount of mileage that you actually get out of them...



After obsessing over which color everyone was going to get and everyone deciding where their posts were, it was ready, set, go!

Ellie's little friend Bella came over, as did Brady's sister Emalee...

I'm glad everyone had a good time, it's just that by 4:00, I had a bit of an epiphany...

School is almost out! Can I handle this kind of high energy and snack eating and grass and mud getting tracked into my house, and wet toilet seats from water soaked bottoms, and struggling to get a swimsuit off of wet bodies, and bloated gold fish crackers stuck in the bottom of my pool bag and "mom, I'm bored"...all summer long?

It's not like I really have free days now, because Ellie has pre-school 3 days a week for 2 1/2 hours and Reilly has half day kindergarten and is home by 11:10, but at least I have a little bit of time to myself...

I've really got to snap out of this panic mode that I suddenly find myself in!

**Do you look forward the summer days ahead?

**Can you relate to anything I mentioned in my "epiphany"?

Stone Soup Enrichment Night

Once every 3 months, the Relief Society, which is what our church's women's organization is called, has something called an Enrichment night...

The women in our church meet together for enriching activities that range anywhere from cultural arts, personal development, marriage and family relations, homemaking skills, etc.

I am the Enrichment leader for our local ward so I, along with my friend Heather Merrill, who is the counselor in the Relief Society presidency, am in charge of coming up with the enrichment night activities.

In honor of the Relief Society's 167th birthday, we came up with a clever theme that would represent "unity"...

We entitled the evening..."Stone Soup"

We had several people sign up to bring soup, salad and bread...

At the front, we set up a big soup pot with a "roaring fire" for our presentation...

As everyone came in, we handed them a label that had a different food item on it to indicate which table they were to sit at (meat, potatoes, onions, etc.)

Each table had a different "soup theme"...(Each item represented something that would be added to the pot of soup)

In addition to these, we also had a salt and pepper table, a potato table and a barley table.

The story of Stone Soup tells of 3 soldiers that had just returned from the war and were looking for food and shelter. The villagers of a nearby village were leery of strangers so they hid their food. When the soldiers arrived, the villagers told them that they had no food or shelter to offer them.

The soldiers decided to make "stone soup" by using a big soup pot and water and adding 3 stones. This sparked the villagers curiosity and each time the soldiers said, "It sure would be nice if our soup had some carrots" (or potatoes or meat or barley etc.), the villagers would start volunteering to offer up something they had.

After a while, because of each person's contribution, the soup was fit for a king. It was like magic! The whole town celebrated and the soldiers were honored for their ability to turn a soup from stones and water into a masterpiece.

After dinner, we began our program with an original song that was written by a friend of a friend of mine from New York, entitled "Hearts Knit As One". Heather and Emily Wikle sang and Annabele Hansen accompanied on the piano..It was beautiful!

I love the words of the song:

It sometimes seems we walk life's path alone

So many faces going by unknown

But the Lord shows us

That we are linked eternally

As sisters in Zion we are one.

One heart, one mind, together this circle you belong.

One purpose we will find with our hearts knit as one.

Many voices crying out in need,

Two hands alone are not enough to feed,

But imagine what would be, when linked in unity:

Our errand of angels would succeed.

And imagine all the joy we'll find

When with the Lord

Our hearts become entwined!

After the song, I read the story of "Stone Soup". I had prearranged with one person per table to come up and add their food item to the soup pot when I came to the part in the story where the villagers were volunteering their goods. It was a great visual aid...

In closing, our Stake Relief Society president, Marie Doutre, tied it all together by explaining how each of us bring something different to the "soup pot"--Each of our talents and acts of service are crucial in creating a masterpiece...

I made up these handouts using chocolate "stones" with an attached message...

"Relief Society is like Stone Soup...when everyone contributes we are nourished and enriched and make something that is better than what we can make or do by ourselves. We make life, families, wards and communities better because we serve together."

For dessert, we served "Rocky Road Cake"--(To go with our "stone" theme)

It was so moist and delicious...

Rocky Road Cake--Robi Olson

1 C. chopped dates

1 1/2 C. boiling water

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

*Mix and set aside

3/4 C. butter or shortening

1 C. sugar

2 eggs

1 1/3 C. sifted flour (or gluten free flour)

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

add to date mixture and combine well. (it will be runny if using regular flour)

Before baking, add toppings:

Sprinkle Each Topping:

1/3 C. brown sugar

3/4 C. chopped pecans

1 small pkg. chocolate chips (generous 1 C.)

Bake at 350 degrees fro 35-40 minutes in a 9X13 inch pan

I think everyone had a good time...

It was definitely on the lower key end of things...but there was a nice feeling there.

Best of all, it was over by 8:15pm! Everyone still had the option of staying to visit, or leave and get home to watch "The Office" :)

Here we are...partners in crime...I love working with Heather...

We are constantly bouncing ideas off of each other...

It so wonderful to have one of your dearest friends on your team!

Earth Day

"You can't be suspicious of a tree or accuse a bird, or a squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet." Hal Borland

Earth Day started this morning by me reading Reilly's library book "Earth Day Birthday" (Which is actually supposed to be sung to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas). I am hugely opposed to listening or singing Christmas music before Thanksgiving so this really grinded my gears. I was a good sport though, and carried on...



"This day was chosen in the mid-1960's to remind people to help the Earth. They chose a day in spring because it is a time of new beginnings, and Earth Day encourages people to think of new ways to make Earth a healthy place for all living things..."







I've been trying to establish bluebirds in our yard...We actually had them a few years ago, but the sparrows keep taking over the special blue bird box...



I've been getting a full fledged sparrow nest like the one shown above at least every other day! I have to keep removing them (even though I feel guilt because some hardworking sparrow mother out there has to be feeling a bit discouraged in seeing her downy soft nest being destroyed). As much as I don't want to encourage sparrows nesting in my blue bird boxes, I can't help but appreciate the fact that they incorporate my ducks' feathers into their nest. I didn't get rid of this nest in time, because there were already eggs layed.



I actually thought at one point, (and still might do this), of putting out strips of polka dot material (since I'm such a polka dot fan) and seeing if some bird uses it for a nest.




I purchased some jumbo meal worms today for encouraging the blue birds over to our blue bird box. My neighbor, Jeannie, has a special whistle that she uses when she puts the worms out for them. It's so neat to see them fly in and wait for her on a nearby branch until she walks away before they get their worm.

I dropped off some clothes to donate. It always such a cleansing feeling to get rid of things...

I love throwing things out (especially when they can be donated or recycled).

**Did you do anything to celebrate Earth Day?

**Do you recycle?

Rainy days and Mondays...

I know the Lexapro is working because this...

isn't getting me down!

or this...

waiting for 40 minutes (15 of which were in this "breezy" gown) for my annual exam--

I definitely was irritated that I had to wait and slightly panicky because I had preschool and kindergarten pickups to be at, but for the most part, I held it together and didn't do my usual dramatic sighing while in the waiting room...(I can't believe I forgot to take my book with me!--thank goodness for Entertainment Weekly, though!--At least now I'm caught up on all the news that really counts!)



P.S.--The only reason why I even had my camera with me was because I forgot to take it out of my pocket on Saturday...I don't usually make a habit of documenting my pelvic exams!



I treated the girls (and me!) to lunch at my favorite Chick-fil-a! I feel slightly guilty about going out for lunch since we just spent a ton of money on our night out on Friday ($50 for babysitting, plus the tickets to the Brian Regan concert)--

I'll just call this a "therapy lunch"--

**Wouldn't it be a good idea if the doctors offices gave you a courtesy call to tell you that they are running behind rather than make you wait forever in their office?

**Do you hate the words, "Scoot your bottom all the way to the end of the table" as much as I do?

**Do rainy days and Mondays always get you down?

Sunday thoughts...

Rob Merrill was our high council speaker today in sacrament meeting...

He was speaking on the subject of the Atonement, and he talked briefly about his favorite picture painted by Del Parsons entitled, The Lost Lamb...

This is my favorite picture of Christ also...I love seeing it hanging in my living room each day...

I had never heard the real story behind it, though, until Rob spoke about it today, and I love it even more now!



Below is Del Parson's interpretation of his beautiful painting...

"This golden painting captures a tender scene of the Good Shepherd retrieving a lamb from an environment full of treacherous cliffs and rugged mountains. The lamb now rests safely in the strong, yet gentle hands of the Savior.

Sometimes in life, we make unwise decisions and ignore the guidelines given by Heavenly Father. Like a lamb that has gone astray, we find ourselves lost and surrounded by unpleasant circumstances. It is during these times we must turn to the Savior.

The Lost Lamb expresses the importance of the individual. We must remember that the Savior loves and cares for each one of us. When we have faith and repent, he will search for us. The Good Shepherd will find us and carry us back to the fold.

I wanted to paint Lost Lamb because it depicts Christ’s love for each of us. I found a model in my art class at Dixie College. I watched him during a couple of class periods. He was taller than average and seemed to have a wonderful disposition. He agreed to pose.

We drove to a lambing shed to pick up a newborn lamb. As we traveled, I wanted to get to know him better. He told me that he liked to play sports. He had been the quarterback on Dixie’s football team that year and was now a pitcher on the baseball team. He said that he was having a phenomenal year and had been offered a contract to play professional baseball. I thought that was fantastic and asked him when he would start. He said he wasn’t going to accept the contract. His reply surprised me. I asked him, “Don’t you like baseball?” “I love baseball,” came his answer. “But I’m going to serve a mission.”

That conversation told me a lot about this young man. I thought about his willingness to give up a huge salary and something he loved so much to serve his Heavenly Father. His attitude of love and devotion kept coming back to me while I painted this picture, and it was manifest even more in how this painting developed.

I originally had a different pose in mind for this painting. I wanted to show the Savior carrying this lost lamb on His shoulders. But the little lamb we had picked to photograph was small and sick. We tried several times to photograph the pose I wanted, but the little lamb’s head would droop down. I would help the lamb, hold its head how I wanted it, but before I could take a picture, the head would droop again. It was starting to get dark and I felt like this wasn't going to work. It was time to go home. I gathered my equipment and the young man followed me back to the car with the lamb. When I looked back and saw the model cradling the lamb and comforting it in his arms, I told him not to move — that was the painting. That was how the Savior should be shown loving and caring for the lamb.

The painting is much more personal than I had originally envisioned. It not only depicts the lamb’s rescue, but the tender comfort and love that the Lord extends to us all when we lose our way and are too weak and frail to return on our own."

**Isn't the background on this interesting?

**Any thoughts?

good times!

I'm a HUGE Brian Regan fan!--He's got to be one of the funniest comedians I've ever heard!--I love him because he makes everyday, ordinary things seem so hilarious...



My sister, Joanna, mentioned to me about a month ago that Brian Regan was coming to Philadelphia...so I did some research and ended up purchasing tickets!

Our dear friends, Rob and Heather Merrill joined us for the funny fest on Friday night...

We stopped at a Mexican Grill nearby where Brian Regan was performing at the Tower Theatre...

Chicken fajitas!--Yum!

I hate the city of Philadelphia!--It's so gross!! I guess I'm always comparing it to Manhattan where even the seediest parts of town are cool!--(Not so much in Philly!)

Here are the four of us just before going inside for the show...

Brian Regan was soooo darn funny...I was thrilled that he had all new material...

One of my favorite acts was when he was poking fun at the "Sonic Ear"--

He was making fun of the commercial where the woman with a swimsuit was walking by two women on the beach. Because she was wearing a Sonic Ear, she was able to hear what they were whispering about her..."Hey, she looks really fit! She must be working out!"

Then he said, "I'm pretty sure that's not what they were saying-" "They didn't invent whispering to give compliments."

Soooo funny!--There were times where my back was actually arched on my seat because my stomach muscles were so sore from laughing so much!

Amanda Bentrim, one of the girls I visit teach, is expecting her first baby in a few weeks, and I was in charge of throwing her a baby shower today...(Saturday morning)

As my house is not a good gathering place, (rooms are way to small), Heather volunteered her house for the occasion...

We went with a yellow and white color scheme as she is not finding out what she is having...

I made 30 of the little chick invitations above...

It's such a beautiful time of year to incorporate the yellow and white colors...

The daffodils and forsythia are in full bloom so I couldn't resist displaying several different shades of yellow and white in various containers...

I'm pretty sure I broke the law this morning, though, trying to achieve this look...

(I tell you, once I get a vision in my head of how I want something to look, nothing (not even the law) can stop me!

I wanted to have the white daffodils in a vase as well, but I didn't have any in my yard, nor did any of my immediate neighbors...

I remembered a place not far from here that had lots of daffodils (including white ones) out front...I thought it was one of the entrances to a development, but it turned out to be a private estate...! I threw caution to the wind, and jumped out of my van with my clippers in hand and snipped a large handful...(I made sure to clip only a few flowers in each bunch so as not to make it look sparse)...

At one point, I looked down and realized what I was wearing...Black yoga pants, and a lime green flannel pajama top with purple penguins on it...and no bra!--I could just picture being hauled into the police station and having to have mug shots of me looking like this!

After the shower brunch, Amanda opened her gifts

Heather put together a cute little game where everyone put an icecube in a little cup with a little baby frozen in an icecube...The object of the game was to predict what time your baby would be "born". Whoever's baby melts from the icecube first at the exact time they predicted, wins...

These were the party favors I made for everyone...

We had a really great turnout...Heather and I were really pleased with how everything came together, and I think Amanda felt very honored to have so many people show their love and support--

**Are you a Brian Regan fan?

**Are you troubled by my "stealing" incident?

**When you were pregnant, did you like it to be a surprise what you were having?

Play dates...shmay dates

Reilly has been bugging me forever to have one of her friends from school over for a playdate...

After much badgering, I finally agreed that her friend could come home with us after kindergarten pickup...

I don't recall a playdate ever being this much work...

This particular friend is a little more sophisticated than Reilly, and I'm not sure that there are alot of limits about what kinds or how much food she is allowed to eat...
It became obvious to me 5 minutes into the car ride home that I am much more of a disciplinarian than she is used to...

The minute she came in the house, it was a bit of a free for all...

There was much running, hooting and hollering to be had!

As the glee fest was taking place, I decided to make a special lunch for everyone...
I've been wanting to try out the muffin tin lunch and thought today was as good of a day as any--


It was a huge hit!--except for the fact that the only thing our guest would eat was the fruit snacks and ham--(pray tell me WHO in their right mind does not like cheez-its?!)

I even served them punch in tea cups WITH SAUCERS!!!

After lunch, the festivities continued and there were requests to do everything from painting to jumping on the couch, (a big no no in our house) and then to spray windex on my glass garden room door and then wipe it up with A SHOW TOWEL!!!! (a towel that is meant for looks only!-) please don't judge me! :(

they got out the playdough (AKA..."the devil")

this lasted for about 10 minutes...

then barbies and dressing up, trashing the girls room, several more snack requests!, and a fashion show...


Finally they started asking if I could call her mom so they could go over to her house...

I'm so self conscience about the lack of fun that we have going on at our house...(rainy day fun, that is!)--We've got a pond with lots of frogs and critters, and a big yard for romping, but when it comes to indoor things, I struggle with high maintenance playdates, because we don't have a basement and we don't have a Wii. The most high tech thing we own is a DVD/VCR player and a microwave!

Ellie was so forlorn that she was without a playmate that I called her little friend, Bella, who lives next door, to come over...

They played so well together...and then it hit me what everyone has been telling me all along...

"If you think you've got problems when they're little, you just WAIT until they get older!"

(P.S.--I've always hated those people who tell me stuff like that!)

I'm hoping that this playdate was just an isolated incident and not a glimpse of what is to come!

**Have you ever tried a "muffin tin" lunch?

**Are you as exhausted by just reading this as I am?

**Do you have "play date" phobias?

**Am I the only one out there that has "show towels"?

Good Mail

I've been the recipient of some good mail lately and wanted to document it...

a thank you note from Catherine Johnson, (my sister Katie's mother in law)

a handmade thank you card from Patsy...(I'm certain that we would be dear real life friends if we lived closer)

My mom surprised us with this box of Easter goodies--we each got our own bag...along with egg dyes and glitter eggs to add to our Easter tree...

She sent us this card, too, which was so springy and cute...

a note from my blogging friend, Jen, who lives in Alaska...I'm convinced she could conquer the world as she has more on her plate than anyone I know!

another little note from a blogger friend, Claudia

a thank you note from my sweet friend, Heather...

A surprise package from Patsy...

She made a kleenex caddy out of adorable gardening fabric...and sent me her favorite candy bar...(my kids were hovering around me when I opened her package--they badgered me into sharing it with them until I finally agreed)--Scoundrels!

and a thank you note from Jill for a magazine that I sent her--I've always loved how her thank you notes are pictures of the items you send her...

I so appreciate unexpected treasures in the mail...can't tell you how much it brightens my day...

Thank you kind friends, for sending me cheer!

Any good mail for you, lately?