{my blog and distractions}

It's Spring Break and I had BIG plans! 

The week is not over and I still have hope. 

My internet was having technical difficulties until late last night.  (*sigh* Sir Thomas is my hero!)

 I'm just now getting to blog for the first time this week. 

One of my BIG plans was "operating" on my blog.  

I still need to learn how to do so many things! 

Not to mention, I want it to look really great!

Some of the distractions:

1. NO internet

2. Cute kids

3. Pesky pets

India is a #2.  She's abetting a #3.

Can you see why we are distracted?  Raja is TOO cute and India is smitten.

She would much rather attend to Raja than anything on my list!

(I actually sympathize.)

Rambo is NOT my dog.  He is a #3 and belongs to Keaton.  

My problem?  He wants to be a lap dog - my lap dog.

How I wish I had crazy photo-editting talent.  Can't you picture me with Rambo in a cute cozy around my neck like India and Raja?!?!?

Rambo thinks he is like Raja.  Dog = Dog

He stays under my feet, keeps his head in my lap, and begs for attention.

Blogland impressions of me are important so I included the pictures of me smiling . . . making him look endearing.  Rambo, please go find your boy now.

Problem #1 has been corrected and I hope #2 & #3 are willing to cooperate! :)

My fingers are crossed!

{missionary moments}

We love having the missionaries live behind our home!  

I could create and entire "missionary moments" blog 

. . . and it would be AMAZING!

This post is not just about our backyard missionaries.  There are three sets of "elders" living in our area along with another great companionship living in Orange.  

These are real people with real birthdays so we like to celebrate! 

Saturday, March 5, was Elder Orndorff's birthday (pictured on the right).

His companion, Elder Kemp's birthday was Monday, February 28.

How cool is that?!  Birthdays in the same week!

Saturday morning, March 5, was Birthday Breakfast time!

These are not "our" backyard missionaries but we're so glad they come over anyway!

(Everyone has to love the inflatable birthday cake!) 

Such a great group of guys!  We count our blessings that they not only tolerate Rambo but seem to like him!

Not everything went exactly as scheduled.  Sir Thomas created a delicious breakfast quiche . . . which wasn't ready on time.  :(   Never fear!  I served store bought pastries for "First Breakfast."  Does that make me a REALLY BAD hostess or just a BAD hostess?

I should clarify.  If I had my own cooking show I would title it: "The Distracted Chef". 

I get terribly distracted when I cook.  I always intend to come right back . . .

Sadly, I have found myself exercising and wondering what was burning.  Dinner!?  I ONLY left for a moment to start a load of laundry.  HOW did I manage to end up exercising while the food burned?

So, India presented them her precious handmade cards.  Then, we sent them off to be missionaries while we got everything ready for "Second Breakfast" . . . to be served around the time of a traditional lunch. ;)

While the quiche finished cooking, I made myself STAY in the kitchen to make cookies.  I'd been promising Keaton some homemade oreos and this appeared to be a great day to make them.  

Homemade Oreos are my kid's favorite!  

I should make them more often.

I always make the UGLY kind but my darling friend, Janene, rolls hers out so they're PRETTY. 

Who doesn't want to be like Janene??  Exactly!  

I rolled my cookies.

(You can visit her lovely blog and make her cookies: Super Yummy Homemade Oreos)

(P.S. She's currently on vacation and I didn't get permission first but I'm really excited because this is the first time I've copied a link!!!  I feel successful!)

This blog is probably too long anyway so I won't post ALL the pictures from "Second Breakfast" but at least these guys didn't complain!

Happy Birthday Kemp & Orndorff!  I hope your wishes come true!

Some days I feel really lousy.  

No, Saturday wasn't perfect.  I served homemade cookies instead of homemade cheesecake.  

Check out the styrofoam cups!  Nice.  

I'll never be a diva! 

"First Breakfast" was a bit of a disaster, 

thankfully we had enough salsa to garnish the quiche for "Second Breakfast."  :)

Yet, it's still a really great life and these guys are so amazing!  I thank them for showing up, smiling, and always coming back for more of our craziness.  

If missionaries knock on your door . . . let them in!

{beautiful skin, beautiful make-up, beautiful girl}

16 days.  Yes, in 16 days India will become 12.  

She is SO excited!  (I am too!)

Tradition = wearing make-up at age 12.

There are so many things a girl should know:

WEAR suncreen daily, DON'T WEAR too much make-up, 

KEEP your skin clean, HOW to apply make-up, 

WHERE to buy make-up, DON'T share mascara,

WHICH brands are good brands, WHAT colors are best . . .

India is beautiful and has such precious, beautiful skin!

There are so many fun cosmetic brands and counters to visit.

It could be hard to decide where to take her for some girly fun . . .

. . . not for us.  We have Alicia!

Alicia is SO fun to visit with and knows EVERYTHING about skin care and make-up.  

The best thing of all - she shares her expertise!

Alicia makes a girl feel like the princess she is and REALLY listens.

We went to Alicia's today and had the best girly fun imaginable!

India has literally been counting down the hours until her "appointment".

She learned so much about cleaning her skin, 

keeping it moisturized, 

and wearing SUNSCREEN daily!

The magic of being a girl!

Alicia is beautiful and understands true beauty.

NEVER hide behind make-up.

India was happy to learn that magic tip!

India LOVED this day!  Isn't Alicia amazing?!

I'm SO grateful we had this fabulous opportunity.

Having a girl is so much fun!

Her make-up just enhanced her natural beauty.

She's glowing! (And not just because of the make-up.)

Alicia made her feel wonderful!

India is a really happy and confident girl. 

Thank you Alicia & India for helping me have such a wonderful day!

You are both BEAUTIFUL!

{things I loved about today}

I loved so many things about today.

Lunch was wonderful . . . 

a freshly juiced orange and lots of crisp spinach.

This picture makes me want to eat lunch again!

Watching India work on her crafts always makes me smile.

I love this girl!  

She is so creative and always busy doing things.

Few things can make me happier than hearing my children practice piano.  Thank you Landon!  

True music to my ears.

I LOVE listening to him play.  

I love to read to my children more than anything!  

It is truly my FAVORITE thing to do.

Keaton loves reading on his own so of course I love this!

I love Rachel no matter what.  I love having her come visit. Today, I LOVED that she helped me look for an evening gown.

Thank you Rachel!

I miss Nolan SO much.  

I loved rereading his letter today.

Receiving weekly emails is a miracle.  Technology!

I love Sir Thomas - EVERYDAY (of course).

{1 birthday boy and 3 sick kids}

February 25th is a wonderful day at our house!  

It is the day we celebrate Keaton!  

This February 25th allowed him to "become" 17.  I think keeping our traditions alive is important . . . he was really great to pose with THE birthday cake.  He probably outgrew the excitement of this picture long ago but he's a sweetie and kept with tradition.

Friends are wonderful!  Some of HIS wonderful friends arrived EARLY - as in before 6:30 a.m. early - to decorate his room.  We had already left for seminary and they did a great job.  

As a mother, good friends for my children are priceless!  Thankfully, Keaton has the BEST.

His expression says, "You've GOT to be KIDDING me!  Toilet Paper!"

 Just joking! Actually, he LOVED it and was all smiles.

HUGE thank you to Keaton's friends!  The entire day was FUN!

Rachelle is his darling cousin.  She brought green milk and cookies to seminary for him!  

I'm SO thankful they are close friends.

We LOVE these guys!  They really made Keaton's birthday special.

Mark, Michael, and Jay - along with Amy, Britten, and Rachelle made fun plans!  They invited him to IHOP and a movie.  (I really wish we had pictures of their outing.)

These guys had plans that continued all the way through Saturday night!  A BIG thank you to the Crossley's for hosting a good deal of their impromptu planning.  

Jay was the MOST excited about Keaton's choice of "cake" - homemade ice cream cake!  He decided to enact blowing out the candles before we even lit them! FUN!

The birthday boy did get his chance!

I really hope his WISH comes true!

Life has a way of taking the fun out of things at times.  Poor Landon.  He didn't get to go and do all the fun things to celebrate Keaton's birthday.  He had the flu.

He tends to run really high fever when he is sick and we battled 105 and 106 degrees frequently over the past week.  He is such a great patient.  He listened to audiobooks on his ipod when he was feeling decent.

He became close allies with that thermometer! 

How grateful I am for Sir Thomas.  He's a wonderful dad!  His help with these sick children is another priceless gift in my life.  I should mention how much I love him . . . A LOT!!!

Of course, when I show up with the camera they start cracking jokes about "making the blog."

Yep, he might have been sick but he was still making wisecracks.

Congratulations guys . . . YOU made it!

 Have I ever mentioned that I LOVE being a mother?  I'm especially grateful I'm his mother.

My teenagers are sweet . . . even when they're sick.

Landon finally decided that he'd had enough.  He was weak.  He was aching.  He might have even been delusional and he was definitely tired of being sick.  He was lying on the couch for a change of scenery when he stood up and announced, "I QUIT!  I'm tired of being sick so I just quit."

I LOVE that attitude . . . and it's working.

Happily, Landon is recovering from his week long illness.

Apparently misery really does love company.  Landon was still a bit sick when Sunday morning arrived and India awoke with fever and felt terrible.  Poor little girl.  

"Lucky" girl managed to get some sleep and then enjoy some computer time.  Being sick really isn't ever lucky but she has a way of making it appear better than it is.  India is the kind of girl that can do that.

Keaton's birthday weekend was officially and completely over on Sunday morning.  Like India, he also awoke with fever and felt terrible.

He never lost his sense of humor!  He had me laughing when he said, "Well, I guess I'm glad I got sick too so I could make the blog."  

Being a mother is the best decision I've ever made . . . of course that is AFTER saying, "YES!" to Sir Thomas so I could have a chance at HAPPILY EVER AFTER.  

It isn't always happily ever after but then again . . . it isn't THE END.