Just Knock

Today was one of those days. I overslept and shot out of bed, landing in a disastrous kitchen. While doing dishes so I could get to the toaster, I splattered something all over myself.

Before I could pop the toast in, I heard a little voice whine, "Not cold cereal again. We have that every day!" And another voice pleading, "I want German pancakes with peaches."

I thought, "What the heck? The place has already exploded, what's a few more dishes?" Besides, those who had to be at work and school were already gone, so why not enjoy a special "weekend breakfast" right now with those of us left?

"Sure," I said.

Before I could change my mind, the girls grabbed bags and went out to the front yard to pick peaches.

By the time it was ready (or so I thought), we were pretty hungry. Unfortunately, I forgot that the pan I usually use had previously hit the tile floor, so I had to use a smaller pan. They were thicker and not quite done in the middle.

Carly commented on how nice it was that nobody had taken our peaches this year. I told her that they were much smaller (someone asked me if they were apricots), and we didn't get as many, but yes, it was nice that we didn't seem to have any robbers.

She continued, "Dad would always tell them, 'if you'd just knock and ask me, I would share them with you, and they're not ripe yet, anyway.' "

Right when she said that, a scripture popped into my mind. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (St. Matthew 7: 7-8).

The Lord loves us so much and has so many blessings he wants to give us; all we have to do is ask! He also knows when the timing is best for us, too.

Although my day started out as a whirlwind, and not everything went as planned, that one thought helped me enjoy the sweet blessings sitting right beside me.

Robyn's Special Day

Top 10 Reasons it's Great to be 8

10. You don't have to ride in a booster seat anymore.
9. You still have some good Tooth Fairy money coming and don't have to wear braces yet.
8. You're not so elementary at elementary school anymore.
7. You got to decorate your own cake.
6. You get to go to Activity Days.
5. You don't have to unload the dishes from the dishwasher anymore.
4. You're still the oldest child.
3. Your'e one year closer to being ready to babysit.
2. You can do your own hair and can start signing your name in cursive, for reals.
1. You can be baptized!




I am a child of God.
I know Heavenly Father loves me and I love Him.
I can pray to Heavenly Father anytime, anywhere.
I am trying to remember and follow Jesus Christ.

My Baptismal Covenant:
When I am baptized, I make a covenant to take upon me the name of Jesus Christ, to serve Him and be obedient.
Heavenly Father has given me the Holy Ghost.
Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, I can be forgiven of my sins when I repent.
If I keep my baptismal covenant, I can return to live with Him.

Robyn's Thoughts:
Today I had my baptism. I felt happy, peaceful, and warm.

My Thoughts:
Robyn was so happy! I'm glad we could celebrate this special day with so many friends and so much family. I know she is a daughter of God who is on the right path to returning to Him someday. I am grateful for her being such a wonderful big sister and daughter, and for Myles being such a wonderful husband and father.

Our Forever Family

I have a family here on earth.
They are so good to me.
I want to share my life with them
through all eternity.

Families can be together forever
through Heavenly Father's Plan.
I always want to be with my own family
and the Lord has shown me how I can.
The Lord has shown me how I can

While I am in my early years,
I'll prepare most carefully.
So I can marry in God's temple
for eternity.

Families can be together forever
through Heavenly Father's plan.
I always want to be with my own family
and the Lord has shown me how I can.
The Lord has shown me how I can.

Thanks!

Thanks, Melissa, for being such a wonderful photographer and friend! You are an amazing, talented woman. We are so blessed to know you and your fam!

All I Want for Christmas is...

a metal detector!

I always made fun of people like this guy...

Happy Birthday, Nan!

We love you!

Rose

Macy: Oh, Mom, she is beautiful! Can I sit by her?

Better Than Disney Land!

We had a great trip to Grammy's ol' stompin' ground to visit Uncle Gaven, Aunt Frances, and the Jacksons in Moore, ID. It was nice to see where Janell grew up and to spend time with fam. The girls had so much fun playing dress-up, etc. with their cousins. We were sad we couldn't stay longer, but glad we could see each other again.

Gaven let us ride the go-carts he'd made for his fam. reunion. I couldn't believe how into it Robyn and Carly were. I thought they'd be hesitant and want to ride on our laps, at least at first. But, they hopped on and rode off by themselves right away!

As a kid, I remember liking the car ride at Disney Land the best since I thought it was so cool to get to drive. We were sure spoiled at Gaven's with no entrance fees, no lines, and limitless rides! Thanks, Aunt Frances, for all the delicious food, too!

Macy: Maybe someday we could stay here forever because Uncle Gaven and Aunt Frances are so nice.

Dancing Queens

Macy and Carly are so glad that it's time for dance again! We love you, Miss Amber and all of our dancing friends!

blueberries

This is one of our family's very favorite books! Macy reminds me of little Sal, and especially did when she was younger and her hair was shorter. We had a blast sharing it with her preschool gang and making blueberry muffins. Thanks, Grammy for the OR berries!

Sand Dollar Cookies

I should've taken a pic. after these cookies were baked because then they looked even more like sand dollars. (I guess we were too busy eating them to be taking pics. of them).

We had so much fun making them. (Thank you, Grammy)! Not only are they cute, but they are really yummy. They taste like a cross between snickerdoodles and sugar cookies.

We got the recipe from The Friend, a children's magazine put out by the LDS Church. Here it is:

1 c butter
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c milk
3 3/4 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp cinnamon with 3 TBS sugar

slivered almonds (to decorate)

Mix wet ing.
Mix dry and add to wet.

Roll into balls and put onto sheet.

Dip and press into cinn/sugar

Press in slivered almonds.

Bake @ 375 for 7-10 min.

What Would You Do?

So, you know the end of The Cat in the Hat when it asks, "What would you do if your mother asked you?" Well, now that you are the mother, or the adult, what would you do if:

1. You came home from grocery shopping to find the toilet seat up...and your husband is at work...and you have no sons?

2. You locked your keys in the car at McDonalds on the way home from ID during the Labor Day weekend?

3. Your daughter forgot to give you the memo that the peppers from your friend were hot peppers, not banana peppers, and you popped one in your mouth, seeds and all?

4. You heard a huge thud in the night?

5. Your whole family showed up for dinner at your friends' house and you realized they weren't expecting you?

When I grow up..

Macy: Why is there a bunny in this page, but not in this page? Oh, well. I guess the illustrator gets to choose...When I grow up, I'm gonna be an illustrator!

Macy: Hello, my name is Jean.
Me: Do you work in a button factory?
Macy: No, a strawberry factory because I LOVE strawberries in real life. I work there so I can give strawberries to people who love them, too.

Macy's First Day

Macy: Mom, I like you.
Me: I love you, too.
Macy: No, Mom. I said, 'I LIKE you!'

Macy: Mom, I love you. I want you to remember that, to always remember that EVERY day."

The gang: Caleb, Zach, Maille, Zoe, Macy

Myles (this morning): Macy, did you do your job?
Macy: No, because I'm sick.
Myles: Then why did you set the table?
Macy: I'm just starting to feel a cold coming on.
Myles: Really? I thought today was your first day of preschool.
Macy: Oh, I just changed my mind. I'm not sick anymore!

Macy's much-anticipated first day of preschool finally arrived! She strapped on her backpack and said, "Mom, take my picture by the plum tree." (The other girls had their pics. taken on their first day of school outside).

Then she was excited to hop on her scooter (like the other girls) and ride to her school (at the end of the block).

I thought it was pretty funny that we both happened to pick out the same outfit for ourselves!

Snail Mail

While Macy was at preschool, I slowed down and had some fun Mommy and Me Time with Carly.

First, she wanted to learn how to tell time. Then, she wanted to play with clay. The colors were beautiful, and I think I had as much fun as she did. Our snail with a letter on its back turned out looking like a cross between a snail and a bunny, but that's OK. Carly did warn me that the head was "a little bigger than usual."

As my kids get older faster and faster, I'm glad for the time we get to spend together. When I told Carly we needed to pick up Macy, she said, "Don't you think time just flies, Mom?"

Wake-up Call

The other day, I was flipping through the newspaper and came across an AP photo of a man wearing bandages with his forehead resting in his head.

The caption read: Lai Mohammad, 40, whose nose and ears were cut off by the Taliban on the Afghan presidential and provincial council day, is seen in a hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan, on Monday. Taliban cut off his nose and ears after finding a voting card with him on his way to a polling station.

Whoa.

Obviously, there's sad news every day, but this one really took my breath away. I feel so sad for him, for his family, and for others like him who are abused and live in fear. I also feel a renewed sense of appreciation for my freedoms, my life, my safety. It is easy to get caught up in my own little world, my own little problems. We are so connected to the world, and yet still so far away.

I won't grow up...

...or at least out of my pants!

I knew Robyn had these shorts for awhile, but I didn't realize just how long of awhile until we were looking at her old scrapbooks, and I spotted her wearing them as capris at her 3rd B-day party!!

Robyn: Before they had baseball bats...

...they used zucchini, I bet!

Once we started getting a couple baseball bat sized zucchini, we decided we better start making some big batches of bread! The girls and I had fun making it, and they enjoy it even better than toast in the mornings.