4 Bs and an H

Today has been a crazy, busy Saturday and I am spent.




B-1

I started my day by having a great phone appointment with Betsy from 9-11. The time always flies, we've never had a lull in 20 years of phone calls, and I always, always laugh.


B-2

I went to a baby shower for my next door neighbor. I have been her visiting teacher for 5 years now and wanted to go support her even though I didn't know anyone there. Wasn't that very grown-up of me?


B-3

I was able to make it to Landon's basketball game today. He's already had 3 games and I've had to miss all of them because my Saturdays have been crazy this month (Body World, Women's Conference and then babysitting the cousins). Randy is his coach, so I feel like our family is represented and he's not flying solo, but still.


B-4

I was the primary representative at a baptism today for a boy in our ward. His mom had asked me to lead the music (clearly she never heard about the 'Abide With Me' debacle) for the three songs on the program. Oh my...it wasn't too bad since I knew all 3 songs and because the pianist didn't play the songs at half speed, but I still felt like an misfit. My hand never ended in the same place twice, that's just not right. The baptism itself was wonderful and touching on various levels, so I was really glad I "had" to go.


H-1

Of course I ended up with a headache (@#$!). I've been doing so well lately and have been headache free for weeks, but by the time I got home today my eye sockets felt like they needed to be massaged (this is hard to do). I put on some lounge clothes, took some Aleve and got in the cozy and talked to Randy until Claudia called.

I made an 80% recovery and now just have a dull ache in my cranium but I'm functioning. Good times.

**How was your Saturday?
Do you ever make phone appointments?
Did you remember the Abide With Me debacle?
Do you mind showers where you don't know anyone?
Have your weekends been busy this month?**

Creative Friday--Out Produced Edition

Hey look, I'm actually posting about Creative Friday ON Friday!


It is a rare Creative Friday when Michelle is able to out produce me, because she has to contend with many interruptions from Eva (i.e., food and drink requests, TV show changes, nap time reading and so on) so imagine my surprise when Michelle ended up producing 6 good mail items to my 4 today!


It's not a competition, but it left me wondering what I did with all that time. Michelle asked me if I thought writing cards became easier the more I did it, and I answered "Definitely Yes!" It is such a habit with me now that the thoughts just flow and I end up with messy handwriting from moving too fast for my pen.


We took our self-portrait at the beginning again this week...we CAN be taught!


Michelle made the cutest loaf of bread ever using Hannah's recipe, so I got to have several slices of freshly-baked bread with butter. It was heavenly.


I ended up having a quesadilla for lunch and Michelle had a piece of bbq chicken pizza (I'm not keen on chicken so I didn't have any).

I always love photos of the Creative Friday table, it's like a weekly time capsule.

Eva was in great form today (maybe that's why Michelle got so much done) joined us off and on for Peanut-Butter M&M breaks, pretend haircuts and to look at pictures of herself on Michelle's camera.

**Did you send any cards this week?
Do you love bread and butter?
Do you like Peanut Butter M&Ms?
Do you find writing cards an easy task?**

To-Do, To-Do, To-Done!

This post is a follow-up to this morning's "Too Optimistic" post. I actually felt like a bit of a slacker after reading some of the comments because it reminded me how gloriously uninterrupted my days are since my kids are at school. (I appreciate this fact most of the time, but still forget how crazy it is to have endless demands from little kids.)


My to-do list is to-done! Why is it so satisfying to check things off like this? Perhaps it's a way of giving myself a little pat on the back since no one else knows what I do all day. I know the kids (and probably Randy too) think I sit at the computer and blog all day, but that's not true.

Today I...


--Scoured the shower and tub, cleaned both bathroom sinks, toilets, floors and washed the bathmats and towels.


--Cleaned out the kids' closet and made a pile of clothes for Lucas, a pile for Adam and Amy's girls, and a pile for D.I. and dropped off the bag there too.


--Finished a 2 page primary newsletter and think it's looks fabulous.
--Sent two good mail packages today.


--Did 2 new listings on Etsy.


--Posted 2 auctions on Ebay.
--Went to Walmart for some groceries and to pick up my photos and drop off plastic bags for recycling.


--Bought a bag of ice from Sonic.


--Raided the house for items to go on top of the armoire AND came up with an arrangement that I think looks decent.


--Helped Whitney with her homework and dropped her off at a friend's house.


--MADE DINNER!! (I do this so rarely that it really deserves all caps.)
--Posted on my blog twice!


Listened to the book Bel Canto the whole time! (I read this book years ago, so it's a treat to listen to it now.)

Not too shabby eh?

**How was your day?
Have you ever documented a day like this?
How did I do with the armoire toppings?**

Too Optimistic?

I have gotten out of the habit of making to-do lists and having meetings with myself and I can really tell a difference in my productivity level and sense of well-being. Most of the time I do the main things that need to be done, but there are always bigger projects piling up in the back of my mind that aren't usually addressed unless I start to get mad about them.


Like when the house starts to feel like it's full of booby traps (i.e., open the hall closet and get hit by a bar of soap, go to set something in the garage and find there are no empty spaces to be found, go to hang up clothes in the kids' closet only to find there's no room yet they have nothing to wear). When I trigger one too many booby traps (don't you just love that term?) I get fed up enough to take care of them, and that day is today.

{Amie's photo}

But what I should do is have a long-term to-do list going to remind myself of the bigger projects I intend to do, so hopefully I can take care of them before they make me insane. Amie recently posted her list of big projects for the year and even made a space on her sidebar where she will be updating things as she does them (brilliant!).

I think sharing these projects on our blogs helps make us more likely to do them, helps inspire each other, documents a lot of the behind-the-scenes women do, and is just plain satisfying to see.

**Do you had long-term to-do lists?
Are you inspired by others' productivity?
Is my list for today too optimistic?**

Armoire Unveiled

Sweet Fancy Moses it's here! After being on my wish-list for so many years, the armoire is finally here!


Randy and Jared went to pick up last Saturday, but since the girls were here and their stuff was everywhere it didn't feel like it was officially in place (with the room cleaned) until Monday afternoon.


We're still adjusting to having it in the room, because though it freed up space horizontally, it is taking a lot of space vertically. This is a good thing, except that since the room is so small it kind of feels like an extreme presence right now.

This is what it looks like inside on the top with the doors open.

This is what it looks like inside on the bottom for now. We have a ton of videos and dvds, but need to have baskets or something to put them to make drawers out of those shelves. Randy just put these overflow movies in there when we emptied out our old entertainment center (it turns out it held a ton of movies and books, so now I have a large amount of homeless books as well).


This is the view from the front door. The blue chair recently got bumped from Lori's place to ours since she doesn't have room for it. It's not what I would pick, but I've always wanted a chair in that corner so it's okay for now. I just don't feel like the room is as homey as I'd like it to be. I had imagined that I'd put things on top of the armoire (ala Michelle) but it's so high to the ceiling that I fear it would look ridiculous. We also lost a lamp in this switch, so that side of the room is rather dim. Please help, I need advice!!

Happy Birthday Jen!!!

**What do you think?
What do you advise?
Have you crossed anything off your wish list?

SPT--I Resolve Week 4

"I resolve to take more self-portraits doing things I enjoy"

It turns out I'm pretty good at taking self-portraits of me doing things I enjoy because as I tried to think of what to do for this week's challenge I realized I've taken pictures of it all before. (I decided that's a good thing.) This photo represents not only my love of reading in the cozy, but of being home alone because if I hadn't been home alone, my bedroom door would have been partially or completely shut while I was reading.

The things that came to mind...
Creative Friday--Check
Book club gatherings--Check
Blogging--Check
Working in my studio--Check
Cleaning my house--Check
Working on good mail--Check
Time with the family--Check

Reading in the Cozy--Check
Eating Sonic ice--Check

**Was this challenge easy for you?
What things would be on your list?

Smaunthood

Hopefully you figured out that my clever title "Smaunthood" is a take-off on Michelle's keen term Smotherhood. It was the best title I could come up with after having Adam and Amy's 3 girls here from Friday afternoon until Monday at noon.


Friday night was game night, so Robyn and Jared were here with their 3 kids, along with Lori, and then Landon had a friend over, so we had 9 kids and 5 adults in our micro home.


It ended up being a fun night and the kids were not a problem. They played together and watched a movie, and really didn't bug us at all.


We played a new game called Citadel, which ended up being really fun. We were all glad to be learning it BEFORE Adam so that we might end up having a chance to win the next time they join us.


The girls always seem to be eating (which makes me crazy) so I tried to be prepared by setting out boxes of cereal for them. They still managed to need help and complained about the cereal choices (hello...we had 5 good choices!).


Landon went to play at Lucas' house (sweet escape from the girls), and Lori and I took the girls swimming at the bubble. I don't know why we decided to do this, it required much effort and involved blue lips and teeth chattering from the smaller girls. I think they had a good time, but it wiped me out and made for a whole lot of laundry. (Towels in winter can't dry on the fence.)

Robyn saved me by recruiting Lori and taking all the kids (minus Landon) to a dollar movie Saturday afternoon. That gave me a chance to clean things up enough to feel sane again and to flee to the cozy for reading and a nap. I don't know if my blood sugar had crashed or what, but I was seriously wasted.

Also, Randy and Jared went to pick up the new armoire!!! You can see it in the background of this video, but I'll post about it later.

Sunday morning was fine, though Randy and I would occasionally find ourselves huddled in a corner away from all the kids conferring about why we were both feeling so crazy. We decided that our previous times babysitting the cousins have taken place in the summer, so they're outside more to play and to eat, and they don't need coats and things. Our coat closet is so small it literally couldn't hold 3 more small jackets! (Serenity now!)


The girls were sung to during primary, so that was pretty cute. Both Tess and Megan looked very serious during this and told me later they were nervous. Tess ended up getting to be in the class Randy teaches, and told me he did a good job because he brought pretzels.


Bella went to class with Whitney and ended up being helpful and quiet in class. She smiled when we sang to her in primary, and even answered a question later and was called "the smart visitor" by our music person.


It was quite a switch for us to have 7 of us at the dinner table instead of our usual 4. We found out the girls don't like mashed potatoes (what?!) and that Randy's roast is better than theirs because it's not so dry. Ha.

We had Family Home Evening together and that ended up being quite fun. Landon gave us a lesson about Joseph Smith, then we played the compliment game (someone stands in the middle of the room and then compliments everyone else). Everyone seemed happy with the many compliments they received.

The girls have moved on to stay with Robyn. My mom was supposed to be taking care of them M-W this week, but hurt her back so badly last week that she's incapacitated. Not good.

**Do you ever tend cousins for several days at a time?
Do constant requests for food drive you crazy?
Have you played Citadel?**

Sunday Thoughts

I woke up late (snooze gone wrong) last Saturday (8:32) and had a moment of reconsidering my desire to attend our 9:00 Relief Society Women's Conference, but then the words to a primary song came into my mind "I will follow God's plan for me, holding fast to His word and His love." (I started rereading The Book of Mormon last week and have been thinking of how the iron rod is the word of God, so it's important to take in all the words I can. This was epiphany #1 for the day.) So I hopped out of bed and raced to get ready. I am not one of the lucky souls who can look decent without showering, so I showered, dressed and put on make-up and got there 9 minutes late but just before the opening prayer was said.


My pen hardly stopped moving over the 2 hours of speakers and music, and at one point I pictured myself sitting there with some of you bloggers lined up on either side of me because as I listened to the speakers I kept thinking of how these things might help you. It was a tender moment for me because I realized that I'm often thinking of things I can say or do to help people I know are struggling, and by being at this meeting I will be better able to do something. That was epiphany #2 for the day.


The speakers all spoke about the trials we face in life, what they've learned from theirs, and how we can better deal with them (definitely an inspired program topic). My notes from these talks could provide Sunday Thoughts posts for the next month, so here is the info from just one of the great talks.

This woman spoke about how our perspective during trials effects how we handle them. She gave the example of getting to go to the Conference Center for a great meeting, but how they came outside to a lot of slushy, wet snow and had a long, long walk to their car. She spent the whole time looking down, trying not to slip and feeling irritated that her feet were so wet and cold.

It wasn't until she got to the car that she finally looked up and saw a miraculously beautiful sky and the snow covered tree branches, then she realized she had missed looking at the temple! She said, "We were going to get to the car either way, but I chose the wrong things to focus on."

She also said...

--We all have losses, health, finances, life, love and so on and will be compensated for those losses in our next life. (It's interesting that no one really has everything. We all have losses, but tend to focus on
--Our challenges are for us to learn how we will handle them; the Lord already knows.
--Trials drive us to our knees.
--What's normal anyway? We can change our perspectives to accept our "New Normal."

She outlined 6 way we can help ourselves, as taken from a talk by Elder Wirthlin.
1. Stop worrying. Have righteous concern, but let it go.
2. Trust in the Lord.
3. Have hope (abiding trust) in the Atonement.
4. Do good (lift others).
5. Commit yourselves to being faithful.
6. Rest in the Lord (we have to humble ourselves to put on the yoke with Jesus. We can't be stiff-necked or prideful and still put on that yoke.) (I think this is a powerful image and is so true. This is a great metaphor for giving our burden away.)


Matthew 11

28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

She added these two steps to Elder Wirthlin's 6

7. Forget yourself and go to work. (Pray to know who you can help or who needs your kindness.)
8. Gratitude--Stop and count your blessings. If we're lacking in one area, focus on the things you DO have. Desire to believe. Don't miss opportunities and blessings because of dwelling on the wrong things.

**What do you think?
Any standout thoughts for you?**

Creative Friday--Generalities Edition

Michelle and I finally got smart (it's only taken us a few years) and decided we should take our self-portrait at the beginning of Creative Friday, rather than at the end when make-up has been smeared and weariness has set in.


We took this picture in the first 5 minutes of me being there and all I can say is "Why didn't we figure this out sooner?"


We had sat on the stairs to take our picture because it's the best spot for lighting, but then Eva arrived and wanted Michelle to read her this book. I thought they were so cute together and had to laugh that Eva was happy to read the book anywhere and didn't see anything odd about sitting on the stairs to read.

It was Max's turn to be home sick for the day.

I brought Taco Amigo for lunch. Michelle had emailed me several suggestions for lunch, but they all involved medium to high effort on her part and I just couldn't justify her losing time catering to me (she does that far too often already).


Michelle worked on making thank you cards and kept saying ridiculous things like "I don't know what I'm doing at all, maybe I don't know how to make cards." I had to remind her to give herself a smack and tell her to quit making such silly generalities. She's a creative genius whether she likes it or not.


I made some cards and wrote a bunch of cards so it felt like a very productive day to me. I'm always surprised that I have so much to say, but when I take the time to think about it someone always comes to mind.


Michelle took this picture of my new ring with my word for the year on it. I think having the constant reminder will be helpful for me, though it didn't seem to factor in at all when I had several of the extra donuts I bought for Whitney's teacher's birthday on Thursday...oops.


This was my final output for the day, is that pleasing or what?! I have an envelope full of various denominations of postage and was surprised and annoyed to find that I am out of .42 cent stamps! What the?


As I was getting in the car to leave Michelle's house I noticed how blue the sky looked and took this picture. We've been having fog and rain this week, which is very weird for January (it should be snow) so the bright blue sky seemed very cheery and nice.

**Can you believe Michelle's generalities?
Do you like my ring?
Do you keep many postage stamps on hand?
Has your sky been blue?**