THE ALTON FAMILY

What if...

2011-10-06T13:05:00.001-07:00

I listened to Women's conference, and General Conference, and have spent some time in group meetings for single women who are pregnant, among other things; and there's been a lot to think about in the messages that I've been exposed to lately. I can't really go into alot of detail about this...sometimes words aren't enough to express the feelings, the understanding, the realizations, the blessings. But I have been reminded, because I already knew it, that God is tender, and merciful, and aware...very aware of each of us. During the past few weeks I found this song by Laura Story and it says it for me. It's a good one. Enjoy!

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing, for prosperiity

We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while, You hear each spoken need

Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

CHORUS: Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes thorough tears

What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You're near

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear

And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love

As if every promise for Your Word in not enough

All the while, You hear each desperate plea

And long that we'd have faith to believe

CHORUS

When friends betray us

When darkness seems to win

We know that pain reminds this heart

That this is not, this is not our home

It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops

What if Your healing comes through tears

And what if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near

What if my greatest disappointments

Or the aching of this life

Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy

And what if trials of this life

The rain, the storms, the hardest nights

Are Your mercies in disguise?
Good thoughts right

A time wherein we actually did some fun stuff...

2011-09-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

That's right folks, you read that right. We did some fun stuff, and now you shall witness some pieces of said fun stuff now.

Camping at Navajo Lake...booyah!

Expressions of love

2011-08-31T08:23:00.000-07:00

http://youtu.be/hkOnH36S_pY

I love the message of this video...it's how it should be in love.
And Elder Scott's message got me *sniff*

The Shine Project and my change

2011-08-25T22:56:00.000-07:00

Hey you guuuuyyyyssssss!

Seen Goonies lately. No. Well, that's besides the point here today. I've pledged myself to help with a cause that I think is worthwhile and if you'd like to help (ie. donate $$$) let me know. OR if you'd like to do your own jars then you should. I mean, helping out others always earns you happy points right?

I came upon The Shine Project blog rather accidentally by being lazy one day and blog hopping (yes, I'm embarrassed by that a little). But, Ashley's message resonated with me and I couldn't stop thinking about her Change4Change cause and the help she was asking for. I became inspired by her attitude and perspectives and realized that to get out of a big slump I've been in, I needed to make some changes to my life. So, I decided to start by joining her cause. I think it's great and I feel like every little bit will make a HUGE difference. Take a gander and consider it will ya :) LOVES - G

Summertime

2011-06-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

Last summer

Can you believe it's almost July and we haven't even opened our pool up yet. I know, right?

Well, it just goes to show the dynamics of our family I guess. With small kids, splash pads are the way to go really, and the cost is cheaper (you check out the price of chlorine these days...no? you haven't....weird.) But when I hear fun songs I can't help but think I need to crank open the pool cover and chill in my own back yard instead....

We'll just have to see who wins this battle....cool, new summer music vs. my laziness and practicality......it's a close battle and it's gonna get bloody my friends.

Our grandma's the greatest!

2011-05-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

No! Our grandma's the greatest.....no our's is.....

I know you may THINK you have the best MIL, but I'm pretty sure mine's the greatest! She is so patient, fun, loving, giving, easy-going, etc. and my kids pretty much ADORE this sweet lady
She does all sorts of fun things for and with the kids...I'm beginning to think she lives FOR them....not sure yet, but I'm getting suspicious. Anyhoo....I'd never move far away from her because she makes my kids so happy and they'd die if we did, and so would I. I love you "Wa Wa" (Emily's nickname for grandma).

Kids making Easter treats at grandma's house...she does this with them a lot, and let's them help, and YES, we do dare eat the treats once their made cause I'm pretty sure there's nothing bad about them...even if they are made with little sticky hands.

The REAL life

2011-04-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

***Disclaimer: no children were seriously harmed in the living of this morning.

First of all, I'm impressed with myself for blogging not once, but twice this week. It had to be recognized. Now on to the good stuff.

So, this morning, being April Fool's Day, I should have expected more than normal right? Well, it still caught me off guard when my lil' sweet daughter pulled a lump of poop, actually more of a nugget really, and threw it down on our kitchen tile floor this morning. What the...? Did THAT just happen? And did it make a sound...like a dull thud..and bounce once or twice? I laughed, it was still early. I grabbed the poo and said offender and went back to change the diaper and clean offending hands, all the while my son narrating what just happened and then says to his sister "you're not supposed to touch the poo sis, you have to wait til mom changes it" Thanks bro.

I get Adam some yogurt to eat while I go shower (Emily had already eaten 2 yogurts by now) and when I'm done and dressed and come out I find Emily in the highchair demo-ing another yogurt. My nephew Kaden had saved the dog and floor from being covered in the yogurt that she got from her brother and had put her in a safe spot (kuddos to him). So, I removed her and carried her to the bathroom to shower it all off because that really was the best idea. After drying her off from a bath, she ran naked to the kitchen. I gathered a diaper and clothes and went after her. Right when I grabbed her hand to lay her down to put on a diaper, she pooped....again.....luckily on the tile. It dropped from her naked bottom to the tile with a plop and it took me about 3 seconds to realize what had just happened (I think it was mild shock and disbelief). WHAT???? THE....HAYWIRE????? Kaden was just as surprised I think. No freakin' way. I grabbed a paper towel, but the dog was a little quicker (that's right folks....dogs. are. gross.), so I cleaned up the rest. But not before lil' Miss E dug both of her pointer fingers right in her butt crack. Ok, Kaden gets the gross dog outside, I grab gross daughter by wrists and carry poop covered index fingers and butt to my bedroom to clean and diaper and dress. I'm mildly annoyed now.

I clean up the mess and go to finish getting ready. All is normal for about, oh, maybe 15 minutes until my daughter comes into the kitchen covered in RED, screaming red, lipstick. Now, I keep my makeup in a kid-lock proofed drawer, but somehow heaven smiled upon Emily and she got my most scary bright lipstick out and covered her face and hands and arms and shirt and spots of her pants in it....all the while I hear the grandma voice in my head saying "take a picture and laugh honey, it's not that big of a deal." But I didn't listen to that voice, I listened to the "spank her rear end and teach her a lesson" voice, and I'm not proud of that....I'm just VERY human. (notice disclaimer...I try not to go ape on my kids' rear parts,) I cleaned her off, and threw away the shirt because I'm really annoyed now.

Ok, let's take a break here. Do you ever have those days (could be weeks, or months, or just moments) that you look to heaven and say aloud "REALLY? I mean.....really. I was having one of those moments.

Keep in mind, all of the above events happened by 11:38 this morning...cause I DID look at the clock. I was trying to get ready to go to lunch with some old friends this morning, and it just. wasn't. happening. I was bummed...put out....ticked...whatever you want to call it.

Suffice it to say that by 1pm today, the most normal thing that happened around here was that Adam found a dead mouse on the back lawn and I carried it to the trash with a paper towel.

The great thing about being a mom is, I can still eat refried beans for lunch after dealing with that much crap :) MTV has nothing on this.

Dreamin'....

2011-03-29T10:24:00.001-07:00

I want these

They only cost $121.00 (before tax) from Threadsence

and I want my kitchen to look like this

Not sure how that'll happen yet.....

So I'll just keep dreamin.

Oh...and I want to go dancing. The end.

thank you JJ Heller

2011-03-09T14:18:00.000-08:00

This encompasses my feelings as of late....(cue music)

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor thing to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to seperate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
-Romans 8: 35; 37-39

Can I get an Amen? Preachy, maybe...true, absolutely. Now you read your scripts today, pat yourself on the back. Peace out- G

What the........

2011-02-04T13:05:00.000-08:00

There really are no words to express my thoughts on this.

Christmas cookies

2011-01-12T13:56:00.000-08:00

My s.i.l. Lindsay is such a great sport. She always invites us over to do the funnest things at their house for the holidays...but it's always a messy deal too. She had us come over to decorate cookies for Christmas again this year, and it was fun to see the kids get into it a little more then last year. Next time we'll have to mess my place up instead, but we had fun! Thanks aunt Lindsay, Kashy-man, Ella, and Evie....we love you!

Holly Jolly

2011-01-12T12:48:00.000-08:00

Am I the only one who felt that Christmas just flew by this year? I kept feeling like it just wasn't Christmas....and it never felt like Christmas this year to me. I put up lights, a tree, bought all the presents well in advance, procrastinated giving presents out to neighbors and friends like usual (some of them are still sitting in my living room to be delivered, my husband tells me to give up, but I WILL deliver them come hell or high water)....we even went to the ward Christmas party this year. But it just never felt like it should be Christmas or was. I'm not really sure why, except that since I was put in as YW pres. in our ward, I've been running from one thing to the next and don't ever quite have the time to catch up. Don't get me wrong, I love working in YW and we have a great group of girls....but there's always something going on and I'm on my 3rd set of counselors since being put in 2 years ago, and 2nd set of teachers and somehow I still end up doing more then I'm supposed to be doing. I'm beginning to develop a complex about how much of a leader I AM NOT. I'm definately not a born leader....meaning, I don't particularly care to be in charge. I can do the job, my organizational skills are lacking though...which I think leaves everyone under me scrambling.

Well, I just felt like Christmas was another thing on my proverbial list of things to get done. And that's it. It was one more thing to get done and over with and move on to the next thing. So, we did. We got it done, and now we're moving on to the next thing....which for the past 2 1/2 weeks has been being sick with the nastiest cold ever! It's been a lesson on being grateful for good health and that we aren't sick very often around here. I really have compassion on people who are sick chronically or a lot because I don't like being sick, or seeing my family be sick, and I'm sooooooo grateful we aren't much of the time. Being sick is a great way to put those new year's resolutions into a kick start....you know....the ones like: go to bed at a decent time, eat healthier, spend time as a family more, eat less candy and chocolate....

My other REALLY BIG new year's resolution for this year is to get my life/home/etc. organized. As noted earlier, I've basically stunk at this for awhile, and I'm tired of living a crazy life. So I started, partly as a Christmas present to my husband...slightly lame I know, to get my home organized....and I'm talking: pulling crap from every corner closet out and throw away/donate/clean/organize type of organizing. It's been GREAT!!!! And a LONG LONG time coming....but I'm determined to get my house in order and do it NOW! It's never, and I mean NEVER, been that way since we moved in 7 years ago...we've always had crap stashed around and I'm done with it. It's not healthy and not good. So, as overwhelming as it may seem (those of you who've been to my house know what I'm talking about here) I'm going to get it done. I rarely put my mind to doing something, but once I do, it happens. I'm super excited though. I had some really inspirational moments pre-holiday time to help me figure some things out, and so I'm excited. Did I say I was excited....cause I'm excited. Well, I probably won't blog until after this massive undertaking is done *shocker* so until then...have a happy life :)

HALLOWEEN 2010

2010-11-03T13:06:00.001-07:00

So...... I decided to save some mulah this year by making the kids' halloween costumes. Quite honestly, I'm rather proud of my efforts. Oh, believe me, I know they are nothing great. I'm not a sewer by any means, but I can straight stitch and apparently that, some trips to find my wares at the thrift store, and a little creative thinking can get you

a FIREMAN

and a LADY BUG

Yes, I would do it again...it was kind-of fun and challenging. And it did, in fact, save money. Adam's costume cost $2.00 (yellow poncho and fire hat) and Emily's was $1.00 (red t-shirt). The rest came from stuff I had around the house, including wings for Em which I made from wire hangers and some old nylon black stockings I had. And this works perfectly because they are too young to notice if their costume is home-made (y'all know what that means). Adam actually had a lot of fun being a fireman...he felt pretty cool. Emily was just happy to get some candy. And I was a proud mamma :) I even dressed up in an old dance costume of my mom's. I hope everyone had a happy halloween!

2010-07-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Summer is so full of fun and we have had a great time with family this year. Here's a few pics to show you what we've been up to...family reunions, swimming, fireworks, camping, playing, and a little resting. I LOVE the summer and spending time with my wonderful family!

shake it shake it

2010-07-26T13:31:00.000-07:00

Another word from our sponsors...

O-Town

2010-06-17T14:32:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we went to Ogden for our annual Austin family reunion (Mike's mom's brothers/sisters and families). Now I'm not sure why, but in the past my perception of Ogden always included the word "ghetto," but now I totally look forward to going up each year and hanging out. Maybe it's because I'm starved for vacation time and suffer from a case of wanderlust every other week, or maybe because I love Nola's family so much, but either way it's such a treat for me to go. It's been a family tradition to go fishing (if that's really what you'd call it....it's like fishing on speed...I feel like I'm cheating every time but it's really fun) at a nearby fish hatchery. This started when Mike was a wee boy and we've gone every year...but it's more fun having your own kids share in the fun...as you can see by the included video below. Enjoy the pics...I'm the family's personal paparazzi. Tootles!

We also went downtown to the old train museum because Adam has a passion for trains. It was interesting to see how frickin' huge those locomotive engines were. The weather was not condusive to doing much else, so we just chilled like Bob Dyl (Dylan that is) the rest of the time.

Gimme some peace.love.& happiness

2010-05-28T11:21:00.001-07:00

why let this world weigh on your shoulders
pick it up push it off
before you let yourself colder
just look into the eyes
the good eyes of a child and see
that love rise like a river
and flow for a thousand miles
to give me some
peace love happiness
Breath in deep
feel your heart beat
just to know that life's worth living
feel your feet on the earth
you gotta (better) love it
while it's still here spinning
I got no time to worry about troubles or misgiving
just let it go
let yourself flow
cause if you're hating
then you sure ain't living
gimme some
peace love and happiness
lotta people talking
need somebody to listen
lots of people struggling
if you got
then you better start giving a little more
peace love and happiness

***yes, I've already been accused of being a hippie-loving-tree-hugging-freakaleak in my life thanks.

:)

2010-05-19T10:35:00.000-07:00

You can DANCE if you want too.

Updating...

2010-05-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

Ok...I've been meaning to update for a long time now.....but life gets ahead of me and I'm caught running after it with my bathrobe still on shouting "hey, atleast let me get dressed..." So, blogging takes the back seat and it's no biggy. I'm just loving life, learning lessons along the way and thinking about my friends and family more than I make the phone call to tell them that...is that so bad???? Maybe, but for now it'll have to do. Enjoy the muse and a few new pix. LUV2U! and I will update more someday :)

For time and all eternity

2010-01-20T08:28:00.000-08:00

Ang w/ her parents,

The happy couple, Brian, Michael (aka. poop protector), Ju & Caroline

This past weekend I got to take Emily and go to my cousin Angela's wedding in San Jose. We flew out of Vegas into San Fransisco, rented a car and spent the weekend all over the Bay area (pretty much). She lives in East Palo Alto, but got married in the Oakland temple and had her reception that night in the Menlo Park area....for those of you who are familiar with the Bay area, that might mean more to know the details. My other cousin Brian McLaws got me a great deal on a hotel in San Jose (thank you very much), so it was sort of a girls weekend for me and Emily :) I spent the rest of the short time we were there visiting with my Uncle Paul's family until I had to drive back to San Fran to fly out on Saturday night. I wish I could have spent more time there, but it was a FUN trip and the wedding was beautiful. I love my cousin Ang like no one else.....and the guy (Matt Richards) that she married seems like a genuinely great person and a good match for her. I think he gets her.....they've been dating for two years, so they've had a chance to get to know one another. One of the things I love about Ang was said best by Matt "she sees the beauty in everything." Which is so true. She's guileless and sincere and as you can see by the pics....truly beautiful! We lived with eachother for much of the time I spent up at BYU. Her family cracks me up and it's great to have spent some time together. My Uncle Lowell and Aunt Jeri made the 12 hour drive for the wedding as well and it was so nice to have them there and hang out with someone I knew for the day. Aunt Jeri basically took care of Emily the whole reception so that I could "mingle" and decorate the car of course ;) Emily was so tired from the days excitement she fells asleep on Aunt Jeri. Well, I'm blogging this quickly before the kids discover me gone from the room....so all in all in was a great time.....LOVED it, and learned a few things in the process. The end.

Em & the temple, chillin', Love them!!!, Aunt Jeri & Em(asleep)

And now a word from our sponsor.....

2009-12-26T11:20:00.000-08:00

I will blog important things later....but now it's just time for a good song break. Enjoy the holidays!

Bucket List

2009-11-01T20:44:00.001-08:00

For some reason, I've been thinking about my so-called "bucket list" lately and what would be on it. One thing for sure is learning to play the cello. I have always had a love for this instrument...it's quality of sound. To me it has such a power of spirituality to it (weird I know, but it does). I just think it would be cool to be like the dude on Air Wolf (circa 1980's show) that would walk out to the end of his dock and sit by the lake in his mountain home surroundings and just play his cello to relax.....I would totally do that.....if I played the cello, and lived in the mountains by a lake....which I don't.....but someday I will, play the cello atleast, and I will sit in my front yard if I have to and play it as the sun sets on my desert suburbia neighborhood.

One giant sandbox

2009-10-23T11:30:00.000-07:00

Two weekends ago we went to the Pink Coral Sanddunes for Nola's birthday. It was her idea and we had such a fun time relaxing in the sand, playing, and picnicing. She's a gem of a grandma and mother-in-law

extraordinaire!!!

2009-10-14T11:19:00.000-07:00

My new nickname HA HA HA HA HA!

So you think you can dance

2009-09-02T12:00:00.001-07:00

One of the greatest passions I have in this life is dancing. As awkward as I am, I can't help but love dance/dancing. I've never excelled at it, but I've had my moments....and I want to be able to do it until I die...and then do it some more. I constantly find myself listening to music (another passion) and choreographing dances to it in my head. And when it comes to dance, there's very little discrimination on my part...I love pretty much all of it. That's why one of my favorite shows is "So you think you can dance" which starts again tonight and I'm so excited to see what talent shows up this time. The two songs I've loved lately for mental choreographing are "Lost" - by Anouk and "Now"- by Dave Carroll ...both of which are just pretty to me....playlist only has Lost though. :) enjoy...it's mellow yellow.

Finding Joy

2009-08-21T09:10:00.001-07:00

I've decided that I need to work on finding more joy in being a mom/parent. Some days are better than others, but I do admire those people who can just laugh off the stuff that your kids do to make you crazy.....because it really does more good than bad to do that. Lately my lil' Adam has been told "no" A LOT...which isn't a bad thing, just not fun either and I need to relax on the inside and realize that this is just a stage of life right now that won't last forever and not get so worked up about it. I'm just really grateful to family and friends right now who have helped with the adjustment of a new baby and figuring this all out again...it's made the world of difference and they have helped me to maitain a decent perspective on things....I just want to improve on it. Here's a few good moments though captured. enjoy! yeah...and i stole the song idea from Hopie...who has impecable taste in music (she likes it all :)

BABY EMILY RUTH ALTON

2009-08-04T14:47:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday July 28, 2009 a new joy entered our life at 11:03pm. Her name, Emily Ruth Alton. She weighed 8 lbs. 10oz. and measured 19 1/2 inches long. She is simple beautiful and healthy and precious in every way. A great eater and pretty mellow (for now). Everything went very well with the birth. There were some concerns with my placenta bleeding, so we ended up at the hospital to have her instead of the home birth we planned, but it was a good decision and we are grateful to our midwife and doula for their help in making the birth experience everything we wanted in a setting that wasn't planned. The nurses were pretty nice too and Dr. Chalmers was the one to help deliver her...he was pretty cool too with letting us do our thing and just helping as needed. It was a beautiful experience and we are grateful to have her here with us! I will post pictures and more info. later when I have a minute or two....because I've already used up the one that I had today :) Lots of love to everyone for their support and love and well wishes. I feel angels, seen and unseen, helping us out!!!

Trouble is my business and business is good.

2009-07-10T16:46:00.000-07:00

That's a saying on one of Adam's shirts....and today it fit. So, here's a little story for y'all. This morning my husband comes home from work and says " a truck I was working on started on fire...so check out my singed leg hairs." Me.....not surprised in the least, but somewhat concerned "so....is the truck okay?" Apparently gas was leaking in it, it started fire somehow, but it was okay and didn't do any damage....how? I don't know, but he said it didn't. Mike had come home to take a shower and clean up to head back to work....so he was getting ready to do that while we talked. In the time that it took for us to have this short conversation and make our way back to the bedroom something else happened.

Me: "man...you really smell like smoke."
Mike: (sniff) "uh, that's not me"
Me: thought in my head as I go back out to the kitchen where Adam and my niece were "....where's Adam?"
As I approach our kitchen, I see Adam, my sweet little boy, standing looking up at our microwave and saying "I cook it!" Sure enough, I look in through the semi-transparent door of the microwave and see a fire. He had put one of his toy cars inside and was cooking it.
Me: "MIKE....FIRE."
Mike then proceeds to run out and help me clear off the top of the microwave, unplug it, and he picks it up and carries it out our back door to put it on the grass......all the while he is buck-naked. Remember, he came home to take a shower. With hands over my face and laughing, I said a mental prayer that my neighbors were safe inside their homes.
Adam: "no no no" shaking finger like he was scolding the place where the microwave used to sit. Me: "uh....you think?"
Good thing God gave us a sense of humor right? Well, just thought you all might enjoy just an inside glimpse to how my life is playing out :) I appreciate my mother in so many more ways these days.

2009-06-28T17:13:00.001-07:00

Talk about a room with a view....hey, I'd chill on the pot more if this is what is was all about...hahahahaha!

2009-06-02T14:14:00.001-07:00

This post is dedicated to all the things that I want to say but can't or just shouldn't. Thanks!
(try not to read too much into this).

Word up for the Dad!

2009-05-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

It's funny how true the saying is "time flies." I wonder where it originated from?

It has been 17 years since my dad moved on to the next stage of living....most people call it "passing on." Sadly enough, I'm able to remember the amount of time easily by the ages of my 3 nephews who were all born that same year and have grown into awesome men (yes, men, I talked to Todd on the phone the other day and he definately didn't sound like a boy anymore...same with Kaden and Mike).
My dad was one-of-a-kind. It's strange for me to think about the people in my life now and how very few of them actually met my dad....a man who was so influencial in my life and who I am. Not even my husband has met him, which he will someday and I sure hope Mike is prepared for THAT meeting...hahahahahaaaaa!
I can't say that I knew my dad very well, I was 14 when he died and really, how well can you know your parents at that age...but I think I had a pretty decent grasp on who he is. Because of our family business, we were able to spend time together that most kids don't get the opportunity to with their dads. We worked together as well as lived together. In fact, some of my favorite memories of my dad include those times when we went on road trips to deliver merchandise to national parks...sleeping in vans and eating nut rolls. He always made me feel special by introducing me to the people he knew...and didn't just brush me aside. My dad called me "pumpkin" or "angel" and gave me the opportunity to learn about reflexology by massaging his feet...A LOT, something that I didn't appreciate as much at the time but do now. He taught me about having fun and letting loose after working hard. He was the first person to try and throw someone in the pool with their clothes on or make someone jump by poking them in the ribs. When he got mad, his lips disappeared and that's when you knew to stop. He loved my mom in a way that I have never seen another human being love a person.....completely and with such adoration and care...if my mom could do wrong in his eyes, I never heard about it or saw it. My dad was fun-loving, a motivated and hard worker, and loved family and God more than anything else. I remember one night sleeping on the van floor on a piece of cardboard with his coat to cover me as we drove all night to make it back from Yellowstone in time to go to church. I was tired and I'm sure my dad was exhausted, but he taught me the importance of fulfilling church duties and Sunday worship and the importance it held in his life. He boar testimony of the things he believed were true mostly through his example and the way he lived his life and interacted with others. When my dad would talk about his love for his family he would usually cry...but he let us know often how he felt about us and our mom without any shame that it brought on such emotion. He had a way of making everyone feel loved and accepted, calling them "sis" or "governor", etc. He loved to go grocery shopping with my mom and buy things like Spam or Vienna Sausages in bulk from Costco....which my mom would sneak out of the house via us during Christmas time for the canned food drives. He enjoyed laying on the living room couch and listening to my mom play piano and it always seemed as if it was a part of heaven to him. He was very vocally complimentary of my mom and her talents and abilities. There's a lot about my dad I could share, but that would be a very long read.
I know well enough that my dad was not perfect...but he was a great man who strived to do his best and encourage others to do the same. It's awesome to see parts of him in my brothers. I NEVER doubted his love for me and I hope to raise boys who honor him by emulating some of his qualities.

I'm so vain....

2009-05-05T13:20:00.001-07:00

I got a haircut I got a haircut....

I got a haircut...hey hey hey hey

Who got a haircut? I got a haircut.

I got a haircut hey hey hey hey.

Detoxification

2009-04-25T15:19:00.001-07:00

I think it would surprise most people I know that quite often I deal with trying not to be very annoyed....call it moodiness or whatever. This morning I was having one of those moments that I could tell was going to motivate me to do something unproductive like spend money on crap I don't need or something. So, in an effort to harness that energy to do something less destructive....I decided to get out of town. Going on drives has definately been an outlet for me....long, I don't want to stop drives. I did this a lot when I lived in Provo with roommates, either for their benefit or mine (I guess that's why I love Provo canyon so much), but it has turned out to be a very therapeutic thing to do. So, equipped with a package of beef jerky, a Costco croisant roll, some strawberries, and plenty of sippy cups full of milk and water bottles....Adam and I headed out to spend some time near Zion. Our first stop was in Rockville at the cemetary. Odd I know, but I dig checking out old cemetaries and thought that maybe I would find an ancestor's stone there since they lived in the area a long long time ago...no luck with the ancestors though. We went on into Springdale and played at a park and walked around by the Virgin River, which was very full due to spring runoff. It was pretty windy and maybe not the best weather, but me and Adam didn't really care. I just let him explore around for awhile while I took in the beauty of the surroundings and enjoyed his curiousity. I was going to go into Zion park, but didn't really want to pay the fee today and I could tell Adam was going to take a nap real soon, so after a diaper change, we headed back home. Adam zonked out pretty quick...and when we got home, I finished his nap with him snuggled together on my bed. It turned out to be a short, fun adventure that was just what I needed to combat the demons of anger. Feeling a lot better now....thank you God for creating Zion's and the surrounding nature.

EASTER PARTY

2009-04-17T13:48:00.000-07:00

So my little brother is officially the "master party planner" in my book now. I'm not sure where he got this from because our family doesn't really do parties...so he must come by this naturally, but he and his wife Lindsay and her grandparents hosted quite the Easter Bash! Bob and Dobo (Lindsay's grandparents) let Bud use their home and all of Lindsay's family came up for the weekend, and they invited Mike, Adam, and I over for all the fun. He hid eggs and prizes around the yard for the egg hunt, had a bouncy house, a pinata, a balloon popping game, a dart game, baby chicks....it was sooooo much fun for everyone. Plus Lindsay's family provided us with amazing food as well. It was the best party I've been to for .....well, I think it's the best party I've been to. ;) By the end of it all, Adam was so worn out he fell asleep about 2 blocks away when we left...that's how you know you had a fun time. A BIG THANKS to my bro. and his family (extended too) for the great day.

The master and his little helpers manning the dart board game....Adam actually won a prize too.

Ella holding one of the baby chicks....she was so good and careful with them.

Adam giving a baby chick a kiss....probably right before he started to strangle the poor thing :)

Awwwww....so happy together.....

The amazingly cute cake treats that Lindsay and her sisters made...they were so yummy too!

Checking out the baby chicks....the kids had a lot of fun with these...better than a bunny I think.

Lindsay and her sister and Kash going down the slide on the bouncy house...I love their faces ;)

Playing in the bouncy house, Kash, one of Lindsay's cousins and Adam. They loved this!

Finding the first egg on the hunt....I was surprised at how well Adam knew what to do since this was really his first egg hunt, but he gathered a few by the end of it all.

I love to see (and go to) the temple

2009-04-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

So, after watching gen. conference last week and applying things to my life and such, I decided that temple attendance needed to take on a more important role in my life. When I first went through the temple I used to go on average once a week. That changed when I moved back to St. George, and even changed more after I got engaged and married, etc. We just haven't gone to the temple enough, and I live practically spitting distance away....LAME!!! I admit, it's different when you have kids, but not a whole lot. There's plenty of people to watch Adam and opportunity for us to attend and we just haven't. My dear mom-in-law offered to watch Adam last night so that we could attend a temple session and I was so excited....it's not that I don't "want" to go to the temple more often, I just don't make the effort to do so. So, Mike and I made it to an evening session and it was great. I just wish I could take notes while I'm sitting there so that I could remember everything I learn each time I go. It's like watching the ending of a fireworks show and trying to catch a glimpse and enjoy all the different fireworks going off....while you're watching one, a few more go off and steal your attention there...and then another, and then you try to reflect on the first, and then another goes off.....I learn so much when I go, and remember so much I should be working on. I really do like it though. It's not so much a feeling of guilt that I come away with, but a renewed hope in my efforts to do and be better....like I actually stand a chance of getting somewhere in this life (or the next :) Well, I was just so appreciative of Nola for watching Adam so that we could easily go to the temple, and so appreciative of the opportunity to go that I had to make record of it. I encourage anyone who can, to go more often to the temple...I'm going to set a goal to go atleast once a month, whether by myself or with my hubby or friends....I need the lift in my life that it brings.

Toilet Monster

2009-03-23T21:50:00.000-07:00

My bro. & his wife Mark & Jennie are to me the ideal couple as far as sense of humor goes (and a lot of other ways too)....and they proved it to me once again by the gift that they sent for Adam's b-day. I'm not sure exactly who picked it out, but I could see both of them doing it. I laughed so freakin' hard when I opened it....probably the best laugh I've had for weeks. Jennie had told me to open it and set it up first before letting Adam see it....and so I did. And videoed the response....enjoy! Thanks Mark, Jen, & girls....we love you!

side note: Adam still keeps saying "roar" whenever he sees the gift, but it hasn't scared him from the toilet. It's stuff like this that makes parenting even more fun.

Oh, why not...

2009-03-18T22:19:00.000-07:00

Since becoming a parent, and possibly beforehand, I have come up with the idea that as long as my children are unable to create a long-term memory I wouldn't participate in the usual rituals of creating big to-do's about big events (i.e. holidays and birthdays). I didn't see the point in putting together big b-day parties, etc. for a 1-yr-old (and such) who could care less that it was being done. Not that I'm trying to be a "party-pooper" but it's a lot of work and let's be honest...it's really for the parents....so if I didn't care, and my child couldn't care, then why???? Well, I went against my idea this time and threw Adam a 2-yr-old b-day party...however, I'm proud to say that I really didn't make much of a big fuss. I just invited friends and family to come, bring food if they wanted to or offered, NO PRESENTS (even though some did and that was very nice but unneccessary, but very nice indeed), and bought a pinata so that the older cousins wouldn't be bored. We cooked hot-dogs and I did make a small cake that looked like a soccer ball for the birthday boy (it was my first real attempt at cake decorating and I think it turned out pretty good....this was about me, but Adam really appreciated the "ball" because he loves balls). Anyhow, it turned out to be a good excuse to get people together and it's been a REALLY long time since I've done anything like this. I'm grateful the weather was nice and was happy that those who came could come and celebrate/hang out with us. It was fun, a lot of work, but fun. I still hold to the idea of not doing things too big for little ones though because if you start out big you just have to grow from there....call me lazy (I prefer practical) but it's true....and if you're willing and able...by all means, go for it. I do know that when my kids get to where they care about these things I will have a ton of fun doing it for them and love every minute of celebrating life with them....I don't buy into the whole "if you don't do it now you never will" crap that some have tried to use....

Also, my sis-in-law Lindsay was awesome as usual and invited us over to decorate cupcakes for St. Patty's day. She made the cutest cupcakes that looked like shamrocks and we of course had fun at their house, so I added a few pics of that as well.

Anyhow, enjoy the pics from the party and such....Adam got a handsome new church outfit from Grandma and I think he looks fabulous in it if I do say so....see below. Thanks again to all those who came and made it a fun evening with us....maybe now that my porch and yard is cleaned up we'll do more....?

http://s637.photobucket.com/albums/uu99/ginaalton/?albumview=slideshow

2 YEARS OLD & COUNTING...

2009-03-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

YEP! That's right, he's "2". Our little Adam boy has officially stepped into the so-called "terrible" stage of life, however, it's not so terrible (yet). He just gets into his regular boy mischief, but nothing that doesn't really make for a good story anyway. He's the joy of our life and keeps us going....our lives would pretty much suck without him (insert Kelly Clarkson's new song here). We are so happy to have Adam in our home and grateful that he is healthy and strong. He's so inquisitive and wants to do what the big kids do. He loves to climb, read books, sit on the toilet, play with balls of all kinds, and animals. I'm not going to go over his whole birth story here, or life, but if you care to hear about it let me know...I AM a proud mamma and will talk about my boy anytime I feel it welcome. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADAM...WE LOVE YOU!!!!

Create Your Own World

2009-03-06T21:09:00.000-08:00

"Every day has its own rewards and its own unique challenges. None of us has the same exact worries or responsibilities, because life is shaped around each of us as individuals. It's important to remember that we all create our own worlds. Who we are and the way we act are how we control our lives. There are endless opportunities for us to change and rearrange the day-to-day moments we are given. It's up to each of us to decide which way we want to go; how far or how fast we go in life are the choices we all must make for ourselves." - Dena Ditaconi

I liked this thought I read today in the book I'm reading. It reminds me of things my mom taught me just by being her.....what I mean is, I don't believe she set out a plan to teach me these things, she just did. She was definitely a person who by nature allowed us as her children to be influenced by her, but not overwhelmed by her. She had the ability, for the most part I believe, to see who we were as individual spirits and encourage us to be own selves. For me especially, being the only daughter, I appreciated this because I'm sure there were many times that she may have wanted to "mold" me into something more conducive to her ideal daughter, but she just let me be me. She gave me opportunities to explore things I wanted to, and also explore things she thought I might want to, never really making me feel like I needed to be her....or her version of what she thought I should be. By doing this, she taught me to be patient and appreciative of other people....and celebrate our differences and similarities without feeling threatened by either. It's very human and natural for us to want people to see things the way we do and do things the way we do them and be what we think they should be, but it's not right to make them feel that. I'm very far from being like my mom on this, but I think she definitely helped me on the path to becoming better at it.

I also liked the above thought because it expresses the idea that we are in fact in control of our happiness (or misery) and the choices we make determines this.

Because I did it on my sis-in-laws blog.....

2009-03-04T21:08:00.001-08:00

"The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a handmade gift from me during this year. When and what will be a surprise. There's a small catch though...Post this same thing on your own blog and then come back and leave a comment telling me you're in. Remember, only the first 3 comments receive the gift!"

"Labour of Love" by Frente

2009-03-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

Anyone have ideas on how I could find a downloadable version of this song....it's not on iTunes. It has some sentimental value to me and I went through some old tapes the other day to get rid of them, and this was a song I found and want, but can't seem to get. Thanks!

Reading

2009-02-26T23:32:00.000-08:00

I'm reading a few books right now....but one in particular has thoughts that I wish to share...and will at random for the next little while. I like what it has to say. It's a collaboration of quotes from other people....which lends to easy sharing...Enjoy!

Don't Ever Doubt Yourself

"You have so much to offer, so much to give, and so much you deserve to receive in return. Don't ever doubt that. Know yourself and all of your fine qualities. Rejoice in all your marvelous strengths of mind and body. Be glad for the virtues that are yours, and pat yourself on the back
for all your many admirable achievements. Keep positive. Concentrate on that which makes you happy, and build yourself up. Stay nimble of heart, happy of thought, and healthy of mind, and well in being." - Janet A. Sullivan

Thanks for sharing Janet Sullivan.

Stuff

2009-02-24T14:26:00.000-08:00

I believe I've started my "nesting" stage of pregnancy....or you could call it spring cleaning, either way I've been spending my time cleaning lately (with the exception of when my family was here from NY...why waste important time cleaning). Today I cleaned under my kitchen sink and organized all of the cleaners and was glad I did that before a plumber or anyone else had to venture there.....boy howdy it was gross. My sweet little Adam didn't even care that I was in "forbidden country" while I was cleaning either....he just played with his toys and let me be...until it was time to put everything back and then he came and put every bottle back in for me and shut the cupboard doors.....I was amazed that he didn't want to cause more mischief. Well, I guess it's about time that I start doing something to get ready for this bambino that's coming in July. I have a marathon ahead of me and I haven't done any training yet....I better get started or I'm going to be very unprepared....which isn't a good idea. Any good suggestions or ideas are welcome.

In the Spirit of the Season....

2009-02-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm not going to lie to y'all....being married for Mike and I has not always been easy...so this isn't going to be too mushy. In fact, most days it's been down right difficult. We are prideful and stubborn and make things more difficult on ourselves than is probably really necessary....however, it hasn't all been bad, and there has been enough really good times to keep us trying. For some people, love and loving comes easily...that would be nice. For us, it has taken some work, tears, and more compromise than most...but at the end of the day we still come home to each other and don't want to be anywhere else. This Valentine's day, we were able to have grandma and grandpa take Adam overnight so that we could have some "us" time together. We went to a good movie Friday night ("New in Town" it was really cute and a good normal love story with some funny parts) went to Fiesta Fun because we could and watched another movie cause Mike wanted to ("Fireproof" it was a good story too...a little more religious than I expected, but still good with some cheesy acting). Woke up Sat. and had a long-long-long conversation that wasn't planned but needed and got massages together. Ate lunch together and then did our own thing for a bit before we both went to pick up Adam from Gma's....of the which, he could've cared less that we walked in the door....he was having a good time with grandma. It was a good weekend that refreshed us both I believe, despite the fact that we both have good colds today :) I believe that the more we work on our love story though, the better it's getting. It doesn't have to be perfect but it's ours and it's real.

2009-02-12T17:55:00.000-08:00

Today was such a random weather day, but I loved it. While I drove around town I went through foggy mist, sunny blue skies, and rain & sleet in about 20min. Well, I really had nothing to blog about, but I was getting annoyed at hearing "Bad Boys' so I needed a reason to change my music....b.t.w. Adam still seems bent on adding diapers to the toilet whenever he gets 2 seconds of unnoticed time....and no amount of punishing is deterring it....do you think I'm in trouble?????

Curiousity clogged the toilet

2009-02-02T08:54:00.000-08:00

So, yesterday I went to a meeting before church and left Adam and Mike to chill at home and get ready for church. Mike said he put on an animal show on the tube for Adam to watch while he took a "quick shower" and thought that it would keep his attention....I know you mom's of toddlers are already laughing now. When I got home I found them in our bedroom, Mike holding Adam with a strange look on his face patting his legs. "Do you know how he got wet?" Mike asked me as I entered (my thought: uh, I'm the one who just got home...you were the one that was here...why would I know) my response: No, but maybe he got into the tub which is still wet from my shower this morning? As I opened our bathroom door I found the most magnificently decorated toilet...see exhibit A, B, and C. (b.t.w. the door was closed but he knows how to open them now)
Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Exhibit C

I laughed.....a lot, because I knew there was no way I was cleaning that up and Mike couldn't dispute it. Also, I had to admire the creativity of my little mischievous son who was able to accomplish this in such a short time. As you will notice, he didn't just use toilet paper, but also thought to stop by his garbage can in his bedroom and pick up a few dirty diapers to throw in.....HA HA HA HA! Seriously I've been giggling about it the whole time. Maybe I was just in the right mood, but it was great!
Well, later in the day we went to grandma & grandpa's for dinner and as we were talking with friends who had been invited over for dinner we stopped paying close attention to Adam who was supposedly playing in the hallway with toys and our friend's kids. After awhile, Mike went to find Adam....and he did. In the bathroom......standing by the toilet in a pool of water. HA HA HA HA!!!!! I really was in a good mood yesterday. After assessing the situation, we discovered that our little genius had stuffed plenty of toilet paper in the toilet and flushed it, which clogged the toilet....but why stop there? He kept flushing it, and flushing it, and.....well, hence the mini pond. Good thing I have such a good-natured mother-in-law. She just laughed and then was like "oh, I'll clean it up." I wasn't about to let her do that, but as I started to clean it up, she was like "Gina, go sit down I've got it." I'm not about to get in grandma's way, so she cleaned it up and has yet earned her another right into heaven....she truly is the most angelic lady. Two toilets in one day....for a kid who's been pretty good about toilety messes....he sure made up for the time. It's so funny the things that happen in our day because of him.....it's great!
The innocent face:

Gratitude and Trust

2009-01-26T13:56:00.000-08:00

These are two things that I decided over the weekend I should try to incorporate into my life a little more. Being grateful goes a long way, and I've usually been pretty good at recognizing that I am really blessed, but lately have lost some of that. Something that goes along with that equally is expressing that gratitude, even for the smallest things, and doing so in a timely manner. So, adding to my "I'm going to be even more awesome someday if I do these things" list, I am adding gratitude and the expressing of it.
Trust, well that may take me some time because I usually act in a guarded way because I'm just cautious like that...a deeply ingrained personality flaw that hasn't always served me badly per se, but could use some tweaking maybe. I read a good article about discovering the power of trust that gave me some things to think about just now and a good quote from it taken from Goethe, "Treat a man as he is, and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be, and he will become as he can and should be." The article's author was trying to illustrate that sometimes we need to trust people to be more than what they are in order for them to rise to the occasion, so to say. There's more to it than that, but maybe some of you have had a person in your life who believed in you when you didn't believe in yourself. Trusted you to be more than you thought you could be or do things better than you thought you could do them. I have. It was inspiring and motivating, something that has made a lasting impression on me. So, when I talk about trust I'm not saying I'm necessarily going to trust more in the typical sense of the word (for now) as much as trust in people's abilitiy to be more than comes at face value. Now...glad you read that one aren't you. And, b.t.w. I love Natalie Merchant's voice...she rocks!

Road Trip

2009-01-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure if a road trip with a toddler would be fun or not....but I really want to go on one. I don't really have a destination in mind, and it probably isn't the best time of year for that, but I've had this craving to go somewhere lately....and every time I hear certain songs it makes it worse....like this song by Nickelback....it makes me want to go.

Feed the birds

2009-01-14T14:12:00.000-08:00

So, the weather here in S.G. has been nearly sinful as beautiful as it has been....so I have taken advantage of it lately with my little sidekick Adam and gone outside to play more. It's made me a little Spring-sick however. Today after playing at the nearby park, we got lunch with Mike and went and had a family picnic and feed some local fowl at a golf course pond.....As you can see from the pictures, we had fun and there was an abundance of said fowl to feed.

They were actually pretty friendly too.....I recommend them over the birds at the St. George golf course because those suckers are way too aggressive. Anyhoo....it was a fun afternoon and I was surprised that Adam didn't freak out when the geese got close. He actually feed them pretty well for his first time, and even let a few eat right from his hand. He really wanted to get into the water with the ducks though, so next time we'll have to bring the back leash thingy we bought for such times as these.

I recommend this to anyone who's looking for a new and cheap activity to do with the kids....or adults who think they are still kids....either way, buy your bread from the bread store on the blvd. because you can get it cheap and take more than one loaf because these suckers are hungry hungry hippos and 1 loaf goes fast. It was the Bloomington Hills golf course b.t.w.

Oh my aching back

2009-01-08T14:29:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to get annoyed at my back because for the past week + it's been keeping me down...literally. Over the weekend I had to stay on my back to give it a rest dr.'s orders. And it still hasn't totally let up. It's the weirdest thing because I honestly don't know what I did to make it hurt so bad, but it feels like I have a super nasty kinked neck in my back (that's the only way I can describe it). I've been to the accupunturist a couple of times (which is always a fun experiement in interpreting accents, they're Chinese and super nice) and the chiropractor...it's helped but still is there. Blah! I've come to realize that I get rather impatient when my body isn't up to par....I don't like feeling like crap (who does really) but I'm a bad sick person. I hate just laying around when there's so much to do in my home, not to mention a very rambunctious todler to keep up with. Well, I'm hoping that soon I will be able to get back into the swing of things and stop being a whiny cripple...boo hoo for me.

Not answering my phone

2008-12-17T09:45:00.000-08:00

So....a few days ago I posted a status update on my facebook about my tendency to frequently not answer my phone and my lack of caring about it. Answering the phone has never been a priority in my family or life, and I was feeling frustrated because sometimes I feel that people expect me to change that aspect about myself. So, I will try to explain that here. The only person who depends on me right now is my son Adam.....the only other person I'm accountable to is my husband Mike. For those people, I must always try to be available....so they don't count in this explanation. For everyone else, I feel this.....there's always someone else that can fill in the blank. That takes away a lot of urgency to constantly have the phone at my side. I don't like being subject to the little devices and quite honestly feel that sometime they are rude or present us frequently with the opportunity to act rudely. When I'm talking to someone, unless it's important, I won't answer my phone to interupt that conversation. That's what voice mail is for, etc. And yeah, I don't get back to people who leave messages that well either....that's something that I realize I should work on, but again, I don't hover over my phone....it takes time to get the message (if you even realize one's been left) and then make the moment where it's good to call back....but I'll try. Now, there are those who are exceptionally available to the phone and are excellent and getting back to people and their lives aren't any less busy than mine. That's great! They've chosen that to be something they care about....I don't. Then there are just days or hours in a day where I don't want to talk...on the phone or anything else. So, why should I answer the phone if I don't want to talk. 99% of the calls I get are for just that reason, to talk. It's great on days I feel like doing it, but other days when I don't, I'm fine to not compromise that time to myself. Then there's just the consideration that I may be changing a poopy diaper and can't leave my son hanging out on the dresser to answer the phone, or am sitting on the throne and certainly am not interupting that to answer the phone, or am outside and don't have the phone with me, etc. etc. I just don't feel the need to always have the phone with me at all times in all places. So, joke all you want and say what you will....I'm not changing this about myself right now. Maybe someday the needs will change and that will cause an alteration in my habits....but for now, be content with the fact that I'm okay with not always being available and I don't mean it to be anything but that....I'm just not always available. And I never expect that from anyone else either.......not even my husband who literally has the phone glued to his ear 98% of the day....it's just not realistic to think that he wants to always talk to me when I want it. So, don't take offense or be disturbed by my behavior....it's just a quirk about me that I'm at peace with right now ;) (or course I take into consideration special times and needs when I do need to bite the bullet and be johnny on the spot with my phone). Thanks!

MOM

2008-12-07T22:11:00.000-08:00

Well....5 years ago today on a sunny Sunday afternoon my dear mother Joy McLaws passed away after enduring 6 difficult months in the last stages of breast cancer. She found out that she had cancer when it was really too late to do much about it. Each year, my dear friend Hopie Clyde and I go to lunch (her treat) to remember my mom together. Hope knew my mom in a very personal way, practically like a daughter, so I enjoy this time we spend together sharing things. Since it fell on Sunday this year, we went to lunch yesterday. Hope always gets me a gift as a reminder of my mom. She's given me a bracelet, an ornament, a shirt, and other things usually related to breast cancer...and she always puts a lot of thought into it. This year, she again got the perfect thing and donated money to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation (yes I cried). I know she does this to honor my mom, but it is such a display of her great capacity to love others and care about them. Thanks Hopie! As I have reflected today on my mom's life and influence I have had my heart warmed by the fact that I truly had an amazing mother who taught me so much. Some of the many things she taught me were: how to be graceful when I need to be, how to laugh at myself, how to love and be loved, to enjoy beautiful music and experiences, to allow myself the opportunity to do better...hopefully I've encorporated some of this to my life. My mom really was an amazing woman to me in so many ways....talented, graceful, funny, forgiving, beautiful. I really could go on and on about her. Truly I was a blessed daughter to have her and my dad. When I asked her one day while taking care of her needs towards the end what she would do differently in life, she simply told me that she would worry less and that she would have spent more time playing with her children and not washing walls. I've tried to remind myself of these things often....hence, my home is often in disarray....but hopefully for the right reasons. I miss her being accessable, I miss her wisdom, but I know she is still very much a part of my life. One of my favorite memories of my mom was when she discovered the "butt bread" one night and how she started laughing so hard that she nearly fell to the floor....and then how she kept that piece of bread that resembled a butt and promised to preserve it and display it somehow as a funny reminder. She never got that far, but she did keep it and I found it preserved in a box of stuff while going through things one day....oh how I laughed. My mom brought such Joy into everyone's life....her name said it all.

2008-11-26T11:29:00.000-08:00

So, my husband and men of my family have made it some kind of a tradition to go out Thanksgiving morning and shoot guns, blow stuff up, wreck old cars, etc. It's quite the display of redneck humor and fun (fun for them, humor for the rest of us). This year, however, looks like it will be a dud due to wet weather, but who knows? Anyhow, I wish y'all a happy Turkey day and hope that wherever you're at and whomever you are with, that you enjoy the time!

Good quotes to live by....

2008-11-22T10:11:00.001-08:00

"Let us be a people of honesty and integrity, doing the right thing at all times and in all circumstances. " —President Gordon B. Hinckley

"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." --Martin Luther King, Jr.

Express yourself...

2008-11-20T11:04:00.000-08:00

So, I've spent enough time and wasted energy on others sites expressing my thoughts and opinions lately, and it has gotten me in trouble. So, I've decided to save my thoughts and opinions for those who can handle them, whether they agree with me or not, some people can actually handle not having me blow smoke up thier butts (metaphorically speaking of course). There are some things in my life that I just won't bend in, mainly my faith based belief system and that has lent me to some persecution from friends and foes in life....of course, I've never been popular so why start now. Anytime I have bent on these things, it has turned out to be a bad decision. Yes, this is a vent post...but I just want to put it out there that just because I choose to do things a certain way doesn't mean I'm just doing it because I'm not aware, or educated, or experienced, etc. I choose to live my life the way I do and believe the way I do for reasons that I have given much thought to and have had experiences to back up. Thank you very much!

The Tao of Poop

2008-11-05T11:11:00.000-08:00

I'm reading this book right now and must say that it's a definate good read for moms. I find it funny and full of good ideas and wisdom to help us keep our sanity during the thick of things. Plus, the chapters are short and she shares some funny stories so it's entertaining too. If you get the chance, read it.

A little humor never hurt

2008-10-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

This was sent to me, and I thought it worthy enough to share here...kind o' funny. There pretty much is a song for everything in life I believe, though.

Perspective changes everything

2008-10-19T22:36:00.001-07:00

I've had a few opportunities this week to hear from some wise people in various ways. One of the best reminders I had this week was about perspective and that if we keep the right perspective on things it makes all the difference in our ability to learn from and deal with situations. I'd like to share the analogy:

An avid football fan was on a flight back home during his favorite team's big game that week. Unable to access the game while in flight, the fan quickly found someone upon landing and leaving the plane that could tell him the outcome of said game. He was relieved and happy to discover that his team had, in fact, won the game. Being the great fan that he was however, he had arranged to record the game so that he could view it when he arrived home that evening. While viewing the game, his family noticed that the fan's behavior was drastically different than other times. Usually, the fan would yell at bad calls, get overly excited at good plays, and generally over-react to many of the happenings during a game.

The speaker went on to point out that because the fan had learned of the outcome of the game before watching it, he was able to relax and not over-react. No matter if a referee made a bad call against his team or someone fumbled, no matter if the other team scored, the fan was able to keep it cool because he already knew that in the end, his team would win.

Life application :

If we are able to maintain a perspective that extends beyond the "here and now" we are able to respond better to situations (good or bad) in the appropriate way that will allow us to learn and grow from the situations rather than have it tear us down or destroy relationships and faith. And religiously speaking, we know the outcome of this life's game. If we keep that perspective and live accordingly, we don't need to overreact to the day to day challenges.

I thought this was worthy of posting...obviously....so I hope you find it worthy of reading. Cheers!

2008-10-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

There's nothing like a sleeping baby...especially when it's yours. This is how we found Adam when we got home from grandma & grandpa's last Sunday....funny boy!

2008-10-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

Just some random photos from the past month...I haven't figured out how to do a collage yet either.....Lindsay I need you to educate me. Decriptions are as follows: Adam multi-tasking with his toys, grandma & 'A' at fish pond, dad feeding Adam yogurt bites to get a kiss (Mike HATES yogurt too), Dad & 'A' chillin'. Yes...I do love being a mommy!

Sgt. Pepper

2008-10-01T11:50:00.000-07:00

I've been in denial that I have a garden the past 2 weeks or so....so when I went out today I fully expected dead plants. Instead, I got full plants....full of peppers! These are the 2 big tubs I filled from picking. Big Jims and Bell peppers mostly, with an eggplant or 2. So, if you want some, call me or come get them before they go bad this weekend. I also audibly gasped when I saw 2 little tomato buds growing on one of my 2 remaining plants (I planted 14 tomato plants this year....*sigh* only 2 remain and have produced zilch). Needless to say, I feel very blessed today from my spot of dirt. *disclaimer* only 2 tomato worms were harmed in the processing of these peppers....but the chickens are happy now ;)

Adam's freakin' cute!!!

2008-09-11T21:40:00.000-07:00

Adam has been developing his sense of humor. One night while eating he decided this was funny. Of course, as his mom, I did too.

Obsessed

2008-09-02T08:48:00.001-07:00

Ok, so a few months ago my friend introduced me to the "Twilight" series....with the added warning "it's about vampires but it's really good." This being the first time I had ever even heard of it (I know...I know....where have I been?)....I thought "vampires...hmmm....ok....well, I'll try it out." I'm not much of a sci-fi type person to say the least, but out of courtesy I started reading the 1st book. Exactly 5 days later I finished that book....and it's not a small one if you didn't know. And thus began an obession. I find myself craving even the tinest bit of info. about the whole series....feeling completely idiotic at the same time. Luckily, since I was fairly late on jumping on the Twi-wagon I was able to go from book to book without the dreaded wait so many others experienced. I breazed through all 4 books within a month and half's time (and that was using self-restraint to do other things as well). and now I'm reading the Edward-side of thing via Stefanie Meyer's website (yes, I couldn't resist). I just have to laugh at myself because from a distance this seems completely silly....but if you've read the books you'd understand. They are intriguing for some reason and I can't help but wish my husband was an Edward sometimes....ha ha ha ha. Well...I will be going to the movie when it comes out. I've watched the trailer a dozen times already. So, if anyone else is interested, we should make it a group effort when that blessed day comes. Yes, obsessed is the right word right now.

Simple life

2008-08-15T21:49:00.000-07:00

I love how our lil' 17-month-old Adam takes joy in the simple things of life....he reminds me to stop, breath, laugh a little more, and enjoy my simple life just by being himself. What a great blessing he is in our lives!!! I LOVE YOU ADAM!

Reunions

2008-08-15T20:22:00.000-07:00

Oh what do you do in the summertime when all the world is green? Visit with family of course, and catch up on eachother's lives. We had the McLaws reunion at Jacob's Lake (the usual) towards the end o' July, and the Austin reunion (Mike's mom's fam) last weekend in Ogden. It was nice to catch with all who could come. Here's a few token shots.

Little Shi Tzu

2008-07-31T10:06:00.001-07:00

We got another puppy from our neighbor Ray. A little Shi Tzu like the last one. Her name is Sadie . Everyone say "Welcome Sadie"

Adam like to get into her water and food dishes.....hence, his first experiences with "time out".

The land of the techno advanced

2008-07-31T09:53:00.000-07:00

I'VE JOINED.....

Mike got me an Ipod fer me birthday......now I can really ROCK ON WITH MY BAD SELF!

Adam's 1st birthday

2008-06-24T21:18:00.000-07:00

Soooo....I've been meaning to catch my blog up. Adam turned 1 in March, and I realized I hadn't posted anything about it. He was sick for his birthday, so we ended up celebrating it two weeks later. By that time, we figured it would be best just to do the cake thing at Grandma's and not make too big of a deal about it. He loves the gifts from his aunts and uncles Bud/Lindz & Mark/Jen. Thanks!

Adam's way of communicating....Speakadah English?

2008-01-27T13:26:00.000-08:00

Adam likes to do this growl thing......one day he was doing it for a long time, so I videoed it.......Is that how you spell videoed? Anyhoo.....I think he is very expressive when he wants to be....but he gets this from his dad I'm sure. What a nut!

I'm so vain....I probably think this blog is about me

2008-01-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I'm new at the whole short hair thing....so don't judge Angie's haircutting abilities by my lack of styling abilities......(she does an awesome job), but I thought I'd post better pictures of the short hair since people have told me to. I am really liking the short thing....it'll probably be awhile for me to go back to long because I never do anything with long hair. Anyhoo.....enjoy these cheesy pictures and ignore the kissy face, it's a bad habit I'm trying to kick. LOL

ELLA'S A SUPERSTAR!!!!

2008-01-02T10:57:00.000-08:00

Check out my niece Ella Grace....she's flippin' awesome on the piano (and cute too)! ROCK ON WIT' YOUR BAD MAMA SELF!!!! She's going to be famous someday....just you wait and see.

just Chillin' @ the homestead

2008-01-02T10:18:00.000-08:00

This face says" hey baby, whatcha doin'?"

THE McLAWS TONGUE THING.....HA HA HA -------------------SUPERMAN.....

Soooo Happy.....new haircut!

B.F.F. - ADAM & MOM

We are a happy family

2007-12-11T22:40:00.000-08:00

Stealing a kiss (just ignore the big fat zit on my check 'k') Mike's face cracks me up in this.

Grandpa Ray and Grandma Nola LOVE Adam so much and we are glad to have them around!

My baby is the cutest ever!!!!....but I'm his mom :)

2007-12-11T22:31:00.000-08:00

Isn't this face just so edible!!?? OOOOOH, I could just eat those checks!

Ok....fine.

2007-12-10T23:29:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted for awhile......um, I've been real busy cleaning up poopy diapers...yeah. Anyhoo....here are the most recent family pix. Enjoy!

Everybody's doing it

2007-09-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hey, I figured this would provide yet another way to keep in touch with the peoples I love without actually having to smell them :) or something like that. Anyhow, I figured....everyone else is doing it and why not give in to societal norms and pressures for once. LOL

By the way.....this is a really good deal for a baby....so anyone interested let me know :)