it was a party!!

i'm spoiled.  we had a big house in michigan, great for entertaining (parents upstairs and the kids in the basement)... our texas house is small, and i've been scared to have over large groups.
but, we had  9 adults and 14 kids from PTA over tonight, and it was nice.  It was a bit crazy with kids OUTSIDE on the trampoline and slamming doors in the bedroom, but it was still peaceful and festive.
we had chili and brisket and rainbow cupcakes and pumpkin roll and soda in glass jars.  and, most importantly, really great people from my PTA Board.  love them and love their kiddos.
we let the kids make gingerbread houses... (all the parents cringed at the sprinkles!!)
it was so fun and the houses really looked great!
 
i  pre-made the houses and had tubes of royal icing for the house decor...
(wilton's merangue powder is the key to fast, easy, cement like icing-- thanks for the tip Grey!)
i gave each kid a little bowl and had them fill it with candy from the candy table...
the thing i liked about this is that we didn't have the major candy dumping that usually happens at the end... cause the candy was at a different table.

some funny things i'm still laughing about...
my friends are all good christian people.  but, we're the only Mormon.
--when my friend ended her prayer with 'in the name of the father, son and holy ghost' on her head and shoulders, my kids said, "Hey, isn't that from Nacho Libre"
--my mother-in-law saw my M wall on this blog, she asked, "What is M for?  Mormon?"  (Yes, her last name is also Moss).
--as Mormons, we don't use crosses.  We do believe in Christ and that he was crucified and resurrected, but we don't use the cross as a symbol of our religion... although, i do think there are so many beautiful crosses, especially here in Lubbock.  Ellie and I were in Hobby Lobby looking for M's, surrounded by crosses.  She said, "Too bad our name doesn't start with T, there are A LOT of good t's."

We love it here in Texas and are so grateful for good friends and good times.
i LOVE christmas!  thanks for coming to our party!
ps-- yes.  i did stay up after everyone was asleep to make MY gingerbread house.  you can't tell it apart from the kids, but i just couldn't let them have all the fun!!

it takes a village!

i love this guy.

and, he loves me...

how do i know?

cause he cleans up spilled beads.

he HATES beads.

and...

cause he LOVES to build gingerbread houses.

when he's done with his schoolwork at 1am.

and, i'm frustrated with icing.

he's the best!!

seriously.

the. best.

thanks santa!

and you should all come to our house tomorrow...

it's going to be a real party!!

we got pictures!!

these are from yesterday... aren't they fun?!!
i think heather was scared to take pictures of our BIG, CRAZY family... but she did a great job!!  She took over 700 pictures!  You can see her website here...

The kids were pretty good... and bribed with smarties and GREAT, BIG ice creams when we finished.
We took pictures in red and black up at Texas Tech so that will always remember our time here.
Go Raiders!

an evening of nesting...

my sweet friend katie hopes to be home from the hospital with her new little baby on christmas eve.
i imagine mary didn't think it was great timing to be due to deliver during tax season.
i imagine she would have preferred a calm, quiet delivery in Nazereth surrounded by family and friends...
but, there must have been an amazing bubble of peace in that sweet stable on christmas eve.
the town was bustling... the inns were overflowing... but mary and joseph and the shepherds and the angels... they had a silent night.
i imagine that's how it will be for katie.
i imagine her christmas with a newborn wrapped in swaddling clothes will be sweet.  peaceful and beautiful.
while christmas chaos swirls around them.
what a perfect gift.

mmMMMy wall...

i've begun.

unwearyingness... and a letter to santa

[yes, i am by nature a strenuous striver, so if my continual 'i wish i were better' rants drive you crazy, don't read on...]

self discipline.
it is perhaps the most eternal, difficult task we must learn.
to control our emotions, our words, our actions.
to get up when we want to sleep.
to sleep when we want to project.
to love when we want to scream.
to wait when we want to go.
to serve when we're selfish.
to practice when we want to play.
to exercise when we're cozy.
to clean when we want to escape.
to listen when we know how to fix it.
to keep on when we want to stop.
to cook when we're not hungry.
to wash when when the mountain is overwhelming.
to have faith.
to be grateful.
to enjoy.
to hope.
to praise.
to continue when it seems like all our efforts aren't enough.


self... is the hardest to overcome... yet, as we overcome our natural selves, we find our true selves.
in forgetting we our found.
isn't that beautiful and hopeful.

that which we persist in doing becomes easier... not that the nature of the thing itself has changed, but our capacity to do has increased. --- henry david thoreau (i think)

Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those thigns which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people.  And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but has sought my will, and to keep my commandments.
And now, because thou hast done this wiht such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and i will make thee mighty in word adn in deed, in faith and in works... (Helaman 10:4-5)

it is easy to see in my children... they are very good at homework.  completely indapendent.  they come home and just get it done.  they find me and ask me to sign.  they sometimes cry at night because they need more time and i "make" them go play.  they have learned self discipline in their school work.  ellie just learned this year.  because she got a hole punch for not doing her homework.  (actually, she has always done her homework, she's just not organized so she leaves it strewn across the family room... now she's VERY concerned about getting her paper signed and in her backpack... it's her responsiblity, her motivations, her grades... not mine.)  piano and chores are different.  drew, he's amazing.  comes home, practices, does his chore and he's out to play.  he doesn't argue or question.  it's quick and painless.  jakob, most of the time is incredible... a few days a week he spends 30 minutes arguing with me... he doesn't want to take piano anymore... he wants his chore changed... why does he always have to do things he doesn't like... anna, really enjoys doing her job and it takes her hours because she dreams and creates.  she doesn't just clean her room, she re-designs her room.  she doesn't just set the table, she creates a table masterpiece, and it takes her ALL NIGHT.  (oh how i am like her)  ellie hates emptying the trash... sometimes she just does it, some days she complains for an hour and her 10 minute job takes her an hour.  jakob is amazing with his bedroom and schoolwork and backpack... he's just organized and clean.  the girls are more like me... huge mess then bedroom overhaul.  somedays i don't even have the self discipline to help them learn self discipline.

watching them, i have learned that
this is not about my kids... it's about me.
i need to get better at just DOING it.
i am always changing my plans.
i set a goal and don't stick with it...
there are so many variables that weigh into my life,
i'm wondering everyday if i should take piano or tai kwan do  (not really, but figuratively)
i make a plan, then it's hard and i doubt myself... i re-plan.
someone calls and needs me and i re-plan.
i'm tired or not feeling well or not loosing weight and i re-evaluate.
there is something to be said for making a plan and sticking to it.
kids thrive on consistency and routine.
and, so do i.

yes.  i do realize that one of my greatest gifts is being patient and flexible.
but, i still want to be more consistent and self disciplined.
i see it in my kids.  i see what i want them to learn and, i need to learn it first. 
i don't think this is a lesson you learn.  i think it's something that we are all continually learning.

self discipline.
hmmm.  i wonder if self-discipline is possible.  i wonder if we need more than self to overcome self.

i'm reminded of a few of my favorite scripture.

psalms 113:9 HE maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children.  Praise ye the Lord.

ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness.  I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

ooo.  i love remembering this.


dear God.
i'm grateful that i can see my weakness.
i'm grateful for your strength.
i'm grateful for your peace and the love and acceptance and grace.

i'm grateful for my home, my family, my friends, my school, my husband...
for those that need me and for a desire to do more each day.
i'm grateful for everything i can do and accomplish in my days.
i'm grateful for the quiet promptings i receive to be better.
please help me overcome.
help me be more disciplined and scheduled and consistent.
help me to go to bed early and wake up rested.
help me find a time each day to study and feel thy will in my life.
help me to create a house of order and peace.
help me to work hard and slow down to enjoy the moments
help me to learn and then teach my children to work hard and be disciplined.
help me to be consistent in exercise and to feel healthy and strong.
i believe that as i do these things, i will be able to serve more.
i believe that as i give up the lazy parts of me, i will become more like Thee.
help my weakness become strengths!
PULLLLEEEEEEZZZZZ.

dear santa.
for christmas, i want a stocking full of self discipline.
(clean laundry, an organized and tidy house, to loose a few pounds, dinner at 5pm, daily, meaningful scripture study, a cheerful disposition, more kindness at bedtime, more empathy for dissertations)
and big muscles. (the invisible kind)
love, jen

and now, i will stop talking and start DOING.

love him...

to the sweet mom at the mall (with a familiar little guy)...

i used to think that my mom loved me best because i was her easiest child.
nope.
you love the kid most who needs you the most.
and drew... for many years... was my favorite child.

he was a beast of a toddler.  a kind, tender-hearted beast.  he followed jakob, who was very obedient.  [once my mother-in-law was tending jakob and when i came home she was crying... she thought he was so good that he might be one of those perfect kids who die young...  he's still here.  not perfect.]  jakob would NEVER step into the street.  he wouldn't even step onto a dark colored piece of side-walk.  once a mom asked me how i did it... i replied with grand pride "You just have to TEACH your children."  HA!  I would take drew to the street, say No, No and let go.  BAM... he was running and laughing.  
I had "learned" with jakob that the reason children are noisy during sacrament is because parents don't expect them to be quiet.  if you just TEACH them to sit quietly they will.  I would NEVER take him out, and he was perfect.  Then I had drew, and i tried to teach him, but he cried when the bread was passed out because he needed a handful of bread, not just one piece... he was "VERY, VERY HUNGRY!!"...
once i remember whispering in his ear that if he wasn't quiet i would take him to the parking lot and feed him to the dogs.  nice!!
[sorry drew.]
he prayed that God would make him strong so he could beat up all the bad guys.

Once, i saw a baby leaving church with red, bloody slices down his cheeks.  When we got into the car the professor calmly explained that drew had gotten into a fight in nursery.  [sorry Aaron!]
MY KID did that...
he clawed babies!!
He had so much energy he didn't know what to do when he saw another kid... so, he just shoved them down and laughed.
I died of humiliation.
died.
i tried punishing him, but the more i punished, the more embarassed and vicious he became.
i prayed and prayed over that poor child...
and,
the answer i ALWAYS got was, "Love Him."
So, i loved him.
when he pushed down babies, I held him and told him to be sweet and soft to babies.
[i learned "give him five"... it's PERFECT for crazy boys... sometimes they have to hit something, and a high five works wonders.]
When he was headed downstairs with a butcher knife to "Kill Jakob", i moved the knives higher and held him.
and... i didn't let other people reprimand him either.  i had a rule, do not tell him what NOT to do "Don't Hit the baby."  tell him what TO do... "Be soft, kiss her head".
i was pretty strict about this, not because i was a perfect mother, but because i had learned through trial and error that yelling at drew didn't work.  he had a good heart in an energetic, rough, body.  i wanted to tame the body without destroying the heart. 
When he SCREAMED himself to sleep, I rocked him and tried not to get angry... for hours, bouncing, singing, rocking, nursing...  he nursed all day and all night long.
once he was out of the crib we spent nights laying by him till he fell asleep.
oh... the horrid bedtimes we endured...   
horrible.  super nanny bad. with four kids in four years we were a night-time circus.
and, when we locked drew in his room, he'd PEE all over.  he won that battle.
[he won MANY battles]
oh, that child.

he ate dirt.  lots and lots of dirt.
i couldn't stop him,
i just acted surprised when a mother pointed it out to me, "Oh, thanks." i would say. "Mind your business" i would think...
he cut things.  lots of things.  and one day, i cut his favorite superman shirt.  i still regret that.
[sorry drew.]
he climbed everything, jumped down and really hurt himself.  as soon as he stopped crying, he climbed again.
i don't know when it happened, but i don't worry anymore about him jumping naked off my kitchen table.  he learned.
jakob and drew were bad together... very bad.
they combined everything they could open from our year supply of food storage into two huge boxes...
maple syrup, flour, sugar, honey, rice, and cups of water from the kitchen... they were 'making cookies'
i cried.
they found blue spray paint and spray painted my house... the OUTSIDE of it, the trampoline and the rocks in our landscaping...
and poor anna, she got the ponytail on top of her head cut off [that was cute!], she got covered in desitin and PERMANENT MARKER... more than once.
once, i found colored spit marks all down my hallway.  i followed them to the bathroom where drew, jakob and anna had blue,  pink and green mouths and were spitting out ink.  they had found an easter egg dye kit and eaten the dye pellets.  Drew said, "Mom, i don't yike dat candy."
everyday my boys would fight about who was stronger, Jesus or Heavenly Father.
once, drew walked into the bathroom where the professor was brushing his teeth.  he pulled down his paints and peed on the bathmat.  the professor asked what he was doing and drew calmly replied, "Oh dad.  Sometimes i do that." 
i couldn't catch them, they were fast little buggers.  once, jakob and drew ran away from me, down the street, yelling "We don't need a Ruler."
when they got home i set them on the porch to wait for the police and explained that if they didn't want a mother to teach and protect them they would have to go to jail where they would be safe.  they cried and cried, telling me "We do need a ruler mom, we do."  i finally 'called the police back' and told them they could catch robbers, my boys were going to obey.
[nice... not sure it was the best way to handle it, but it's a funny story.]
when i got M&M's to teach drew his colors, i said, "this is red, say red and you can eat it".  he screamed "NO, IT's GREEN!" and if i gave him one he SCREAMED more cause he wanted to eat all the M&M's.
he cried every time i brought him to preschool. "i don't yike sku-wool."
at the time i really needed him to go to preschool, because i had a new baby and anna had daily doctor's appointments. i was worried that he would never leave me... but, my aunt carol had given me advice and
i decided to keep him with me if he wanted to stay with me. i'm SO grateful i did this.
once he was yelling "Mom!! Mom!!!"  i yelled back, "Hold on a minute!"  He said, "OK, I'll hold on REAL TIGHT."... he was hanging from the top of a bookshelf when i found him.
that child.

drew, he was hard.
but always adorable, and cuddley and learning.
he really did learn.
i wondered if it would ever end.  i wondered if he would be a beast forever. 
and, he's not.
he's WONDERFUL.
i LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this kid.
i thought he would always be my hardest.  and he's not.

he's sweet and kind and obedient.
VERY smart and VERY funny.
yes.  he's still a stink sometimes.  they all are.  but, he's not a beast.
and, no one believes me when i tell them he was my hardest toddler.

so, if you have a little guy who is climbing your walls...
just love him.
and know it gets better with age.
on the hard scale, all my kids are pretty easy.  but drew, he gave me a run for my money.
i learned so much from him.
and, even though there were MANY years when he helped me learn humility.
now, i am so PROUD of the young man he has become.
he is a GREAT kid.

and, your little beast of a boy, i bet he'll be a great kid too...
just love him.

edit-- the whole time i was writing this i was trying to remember the funny thing drew said to his cousins...  i finally remembered... one christmas he was sick of sharing his christmas toys with his cousins and he threatened them, "do you want a piece of me?"
what a stink.

home for christmas...

Christmas is a beautiful, fun, busy time of year.  Sometimes I worry that it flies past and i haven't taken the time to teach my children the meaning.  I always try to plan traditions that bring the spirit of christmas home... spirit filled, family focused, service oriented, simply elegant, memorable moments.
Here are some of the things we do... [note- these pictures are all from last year.]

1.  Scripture time-- Throughout the year we have scripture time in the morning before breakfast.  We start with a song, take turns reading from scriptures for about 10-15 minutes and end with a kneeling family prayer.  In December we try to focus scripture time on the life of the Savior...  we have a binder that has a song, scriptures and a Christmas story.  I should say, we HAD a binder.  This year I couldn't find it, so we had to make another one... I used this link (for the day by day scriptures) and this PDF for some good Christmas stories.

2.  Christmas books--  I also have a pile of Christmas picture books on my coffee table... we are always reading them.  I like books that have the words to Christmas songs and my all time FAVORITE Christmas book ever is, I BELIEVE IN SANTA CLAUS by Diane Adamson... [only $10.85 at Amazon] it connects Santa with Christ.  he wears red, his hair is white, he loves little children, he brings gifts, he knows i am good, etc.  the ending says "Santa Claus is a symbol of Christmas.  The symbols of Christmas can remind us of the true meaning of Christmas.  So, I believe in Santa Claus."  I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book.  and, i believe in santa claus too.

3.  Gifts for the Savior-- I got this idea from my aunt Mil when i was little.  We have a wooden doll cradle that we use as a manger.  We hang a bunch of rafia on the wall right near it... it sits right next to our tree.  During our first Family Night in December we talked about all the gifts that Christ gave us and how we can give Him gifts...  you know the "if you've done it to the least of these my brethren you've done it unto me".  We encourage the kids to give gifts to Christ by serving others... when they do a service they can get a piece of rafia and add it to the manger.  Hopefully, by Christmas, the Savior will have a nice, fluffy, warm bed at our house.

4.  We make stuff-- I LOVE cozy, winter nights when we all gather round the table to make stuff.

Gingerbread houses are so fun... ours are not beautiful, just fun.  We use graham crackers, paper plates and this recipe for royal icing.  I like to put different candies in my tupperware veggie tray. 
Homemade Marshmellows are a mess, but we make them at least once during the season.  It's so cute having a little heart melting in your hot chocolate.  For the past five years I've used this recipe from Martha Stewart... messy but fun.  And, our favorite hot chocolate is Wal-Mart generic hot chocolate mixed with Hazelnut creamer.  Mmmm.

Painted Cookies... have you ever tried painted sugar cookies?  They are SO fun.  I'm not a big icing fan, although i haven't tried this recipe for Buttermilk icing.  I love having the kids paint designs on the cookies, they look like stained glass windows.  Here are some instructions that i found.  Love it!
Salt Dough Ornaments are something that I've always wanted to perfect... we've made many different kinds, gingerbread men, white ones that we've painted, etc.  There are many recipes, the only thing i recommend is spraying them with acrylic spray when you're finished.  I love these little ornaments as tags on teacher gifts and stuff like that.  I love that the kids can really make these all by themselves and give special gifts to grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, etc.  I remember my aunt giving us an ornament that she made of our whole family by a fireplace... i really want to do that this year.  Here is a recipe, but i may try sculpey clay this year.  i don't know though, there is something so romantic about ornament made out of salt, flour and water.  [last year we painted wood ornaments instead of salt dough... but this year, we're back to dough]

Egg Nog is my kids' favorite... but, homemade is the best.  My mom even has a little thing that holds a real nutmeg and you can grate it into your egg nog.  I need one of those.  Mmmm. 

5.  Secret Santa-- We've done a few different things with our kids over the years.  We like to have them each pick a friend from school, we even ask them to pray about it, and they pick out a special gift to give them anonymously.  Sometimes we have picked 6 families and surprised them with a gift each night for the 12 days before Christmas... my kids love this and all year long they talk about the "midnight" deliveries.  We like to make many of the gifts so that the kids are involved, but sometimes I worry that the family won't eat the treats because they are kid-made and anonymous.  Anyway, the 12 days of Christmas is great because the kids are involved in giving and planning and trying to stay anonymous.  GREAT memories!  And, if you plan ahead, you can get some fun packages on clearance the year before.  12 days times six families is a lot of stuff!

6. Dollare Store-- Yes, it's a crazy idea that i got from the Eyres... every year we take the kids to the dollar store with money they've earned (or we've given them), a shopping list, and a pencil.  They each buy a gift for each one of their siblings, mom and dad, and usually the family we will be seeing, grandmas, grandpas, our special adopted grandpa, Mr Bill, etc..  They love buying gifts and wrapping them when they get home.  It usually costs us around $100, but it's wonderful.  You really can get cool things at the dollar store.  I love seeing what they pick out and how they try to get their siblings to buy them what they want.  I love how some tell everything they got and some die trying to be secretive.  I love how it takes some kids 10 seconds and some kids an hour.  I love the wrapping marathon... they all try to disguise their gifts, so they wrap little things in great big boxes and always throw in some cans of beans to make it heavier than it is.  All year long they tell stories of how cool their wrapping jobs were.  I love that these presents sit under the tree for a long time and that on Christmas morning, these gifts are almost cooler that Santa's gifts.

7. Scavenger Hunts... The professor's family always writes scavenger hunts for one gift.  They are usually rhyming "christmas day is finally here, and on a hunt you'll go my dear.  Try looking high and looking low, you'll find your clue where hot air blows..."  I like that these clues take a long time and everyone is focused and excited as one person tries to find their gift.  The best is when someone has to go out in the snow to get a clue or drive to a different house.  It's a fun way to spend Christmas morning.  And, now that my kids are getting bigger, they are starting to write their own clues... fun, fun. and, oh the memories.  [Note- we were reading todd's grandma's autobiography this fall and it was fun to see that her family growing up had scavenger hunts also...]

8.  Christmas Eve Caroling... We love to go to Idaho for Christmas to ride along with the Gee family caroling.  It is COLD, COLD... but we all bundle up and sit on top of hay bales with lots of blankets.  They drive all along Sugar City ringing doorbells and singing.  I love that they all sing really well... with harmony and stuff.  I love that there are tons of kids and especially that the younger boys get to take turns ringing the doorbells.  One of jakob's favorite Christmas memory was getting left behind when he rang one doorbell.  After caroling we all peel off our layers and have soup at one of the uncle's homes.  Usually they read the Christmas story or act our the nativity or have different musical numbers... so fun and we can't wait for this year!  [even if i do have to buy a WHOLE NEW WARDROBE... to dress my texas clan for an Idaho winter].

9.  Christmas Morning...  the professor says it is a tradition to have an orange in your stocking.  his family alway shakes their gifts and says if they are going to wear it, eat it, read it, etc.  I like to stop my kids in their bedroom and talk about Christ.  I usually have pictures from the gospel art picture kit, of Christ's life, that we look through really fast before they head to the tree.  I thought that it would be annoying for them, but it's a nice way for me to keep them quiet in their room before it's time for them to wake up. 

10.  Food... it's funny, when i wrote a list of our traditions, mine were events and activities.  when the professor listed off traditions, they were all edible.  he's right though... it just wouldn't be christmas without good food. 

i'm grateful for holidays.  for the joy that comes with the cooking and cleaning and planning and celebrating.  in my perfect world, it's christmas every sunday.  i don't need the presents, but i love the family and the events and the symbols of christ. i hope your season is bright.

And, I'm a collector of ideas, so leave me a comment and let me know your favorite tradition...

christmas take one... christmas pictures take 2...

we just got back from christmas at my mom's house.
fun, fun...

sunday morning, we tried again for a family picture...
this is the BEST one.
seriously.
drew and ellie do grand things when you say SMILE.
and, i was NOT happy when i saw that anna had done her gang signs in EVERY picture.
love it.

the difference one can make... UPDATED

i am crying as i write this.  my heart is touched.  this young girl, Katie, lives in Uganda.  She has adopted 14 little girls... all of whom started out very sick and abandoned.  she runs a ministry that feeds over 400 children a day.  katie is my hero.  what an amazing example of how one person can make a difference.  i want to be more like her.  i am a better person because i have read about her.
want to read about her?
http://kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/
she just adopted baby patricia...  read here... august 26... to hear how she got her.
or, read here... august 14... to hear how she ended up in uganda.
someone asked katie in a comment if she thought it was responsible to adopt 14 kids... she responded  "Is it more responsible to let them die in the street?"
oh... my heart aches.
today i will learn and build a foundation... someday i will serve more, love more, make a greater difference.

UPDATE-- i've thought a lot about Katie since i first read her blog Friday night.  i don't think that everyone should fly to Uganda and adopt 14 kids.  i don't even think katie would advocate doing that.  i know that God doesn't want me to adopt 14 kids, at this time in my life, although i KNOW that if i was in Uganda and a lady handed me a starving baby, my heart strings would burst... like katie, i have a mother's heart...  i admire this young girl and her desire to serve and her courage to ACT.  i hope that i am always open to the promptings of the Spirit that whisper small or large ways that i can serve others.  i am grateful for the life i live.  grateful for the reminder of "Wants vs. Needs" that i got when i thought of starving children and how my kids aren't.  even if we all sometimes feel that we are living in poverty while todd finishes his schooling.  we're NOT.  not even close.  i'm not here to judge what she does or if she is doing the best thing with her time or resources... i only need to judge what i'm doing and if i'm doing the best things with my own life. 

and... sometimes i feel that i can do more.  and... then i feel that i will do more, someday.  just not today.
we came back to school so that todd could study social entraperneurship... he wants to do things to encourage companies to bring their business into poverty stricken areas of the world... we want to take college kids to Mexico for the summer and build schools, dig wells, teach the people better hygiene and how to grow food, or something like that.  there are so many things that one could choose to do with the resources that we are given...  i hope that today i am doing what i can, and that tomorrow i will be able to do more.

in a christmas devotional last night President Thomas S. Monson said something like... during the christmas season when you are budgeting how you will spend your money, also remember to decide how you will spend your time.
He encouraged us to serve others and teach our children how to serve.
We have many resources given to us and are acountable for how we use them.
i'm grateful for katie's reminder that i am a part of a world... a world that has babies who are starving.
and that i can make a difference.

have i told you lately?

there are SOME perks about having a husband who is a professor [almost]

lunch dates are my FAVORITE.

mmm.

love him.

and cupcakes.

and sushi.

[i just read the BEST talk... completely perfect motivation on these LAZY winter mornings... READ THIS!! you'll LOVE it!] 

ps.  my laundry is ALL done. and put away.  everything except the clothes on our backs are clean... even the sheets.  it was TORTUROUS. but.  it's DONE! till bathtime...

la la laundry!

so, i took a laundry break over Thanksgiving

i'm not sure it was worth it.

[at least the professor helped me fold while we watched 4 christmases... laundry is always nicer with a friend!]

help mMmmm-me?!

so, i have this idea.

well... my friend gave me this idea and i'm going to see if i can make it work...

my front entry way has a bench with a quilt hanging, and then another wall with stars, but they're not cute.
  
i hate that wall... and i've been needing an idea.
my friend suggested lots of different MMMMMMMMs.
sounds cute huh? 
she bought me my first M to get me started.

and I found a few more (at hobby lobby).

and now, i'm stuck.
i can't find any more M's... 

and, what do i do about the odd colors?  
should i spray paint them all black?
should i leave them different and just cover the plain ones with different scrapbook papers?

oh...  this MMMMM wall is scaring me a little bit.

HELP!