Happy Birthday Wesley!

Wesley turns 6. Wow, he's getting to be such a big boy. Sometimes I just watch him and am amazed that I am his mother. Then I just feel greatful.

This year he wanted a pirate cake. The sails' say "Captain Wesley and 1st Mate Preston" the smaller sail says, "Princess Whitney".

Wesley shares his birthday with two of his cousins Preston turning two, and Whitney turning one. Here he is standing with Preston.

And here is cute little Whitney devouring her one year old cupcake, and using it as a facial mask as well. Maybe frosting on your face really does keep you looking young, he he.

Thanksgiving crafts

I have a friend who loves to do crafts and has many projects. Right now she says she's trying to de-junk and wanted to finish these crafts quickly, so another friend and I went to help, very willingly, I might add. She had started these cute little scarecrows. She already had the head and bodies stuffed, the legs and arms sewn and the shirts made. So we stuffed legs and arms, sewed them on, dressed them, gave them hair, faces, and a hat. They turned out so cute. We did have to get together two different times to finish them but we did 17 of them. It was sooo much fun. Everyone should have such a friend.

She also had lots of little straw hats left and another project, lots of felt feathers and turkey parts. So she gave me the parts and my kids and I put turkeys together. My cute chilluns picked out their own feathers, colors, all parts, and then I hot glued them on.

My cute kindergartener has been learning about patterns and picked great color patterns for his.

Lily just loves pink. We each did two, so that makes 6 all together. So now we have turkeys hanging on walls, from door knobs, and anywhere else they can think of to move them to. The kids really had a fun time and it wasn't that hard.

The Parable of the Pool

Just some more of my thoughts. I wanted to record this where i could find it, before I forgot it altogether. About 4 summers ago we bought an above ground swimming pool, it's 16ft. in diameter and 3.5 ft in depth. The first time in the pool Wesley fought it, and even with a life jacket on he clung to me with his arms wrapped tightly around my neck and cried. With floaties, however, he was finally able to have fun and not cling to my neck.

After days of going in the pool, Wesley got really good. Then he realized that he could touch and would walk around the pool and have fun without a life jacket or floaties on his arms. Then one day we added more water.

The next time we went out to go swimming, I knew that the water was deeper than Wesley was ready for so on the way out I convinced him to put on a life jacket. He finally decided to put it on and climbed into the pool. He quickly realized that the water was deeper than before, but the life jacket kept him from going under. However, the new situation made him a bit nervous and he clung to me for a little while. But he soon realized that he was ok with the jacket on. After a while he figured out that he could stand on his tippy-toes and tilt his head up and still touch without his jacket, and off he went to have a great time.

As I watched this process unfold I couldn't help but wonder about how our Heavenly Father feels as he watches, nudges, and helps us from beyond the veil. He has given and continues to give us all the tools and help that we need to get through the trials he knows we will face.

Just as Wesley was scared the first time in the pool, we are scared as we face a trial we know is there. We cling to what we know and hopefully to the Lord, and cry, not knowing or realizing that he has already given us what we need to succeed and have fun. When faced with a new calling or new trial we are first overwhelmed with what lays ahead. But as we strive to do it anyway, staying in the pool, little by little we realize that we do have what it takes, and then we learn that we can touch, and off we go. However in life, as in the pool, nothing stays the same. Eventually the water will rise.

I'm always amazed, humbled, and feel truely blessed when I react to a prompting, or even just in keeping the commandments, I find myself prepared for a trial that I didn't even know was there. I'm sure the Lord knowing what lays ahead of us is always trying to convince us to put this "Jacket" on. " Yes, I know you didn't need it last time, but you may need it this time". And if we listen we may feel a bit unsettled or a little overwhelmed by the new situation but then quickly realize that if we stand on our tippy-toes, and tilt out heads back we can stay above the water and continue on, and even find joy in the journey. Then there are always the times we might not listen and find ourselves drowning for an instant, before we reach up and take the before offered "jacket". Thankfully even when we don't listen Heavenly Father, like mothers at the pools edge, is always there to help and pull us up. I'm so grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who prepares and helps me through my trials, the known and the unknown, in this journey of life. He even knew from the beginning that we would need a savior, and prepared the way. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ.

Ahhh the price of SWOOP

My beloved kindergartener wore through the toe is his tennis-shoes. Therefore, alas it is time to re-invest in footwear. So off we go to the store, looking for a deal. We get to the kids section and I see that all of the kids "charater' shoes are on sale. And as much as He liked the shoes with the hulk (his choice of halloween costume) he informed me that they didn't have swoop.

Now my mind instantly goes back to a few weeks ago as I was wearing my tennis-shoes and Wesley said he liked them because they had swoosh. I remember thinking that was interesting and asked a few questions to try and disern just exactly what swoop was. I wasn't sure but figured out it had to do with the toe of the shoe.

So, now standing in the store the investigation becomes more intense. "Does this shoe have swoop?" "No" "ok, does this one?" "yes." Wonderful, I have now figured out that swoop is the shape of the toe. A perfectly rounded toe to be exact. Then that I discovered that the shoes with swoop were not "character" shoes and therefore not on sale. So this time SWOOP cost me an extra $5.

My sister, Jo was with me and just laughed, "Wait until he's in highschool and has to shop at Holisters for "swoop". Well, at that time he will have to pay for his own swoop.

Life is good.

Happy Halloween!

Here's my cute goblins.

The Hulk, Snow White, and our cute little pegasus.

Thanks Jessica for the costumes.

Madi ran around the house saying wheeehehehe

Check out those muscles!

What a little princess!

We had a blast and got lots of candy. Which we were amazed that when offered the choice of a surprise under their pillows they traded their candy for it. The surprise ( from the halloween witch, which they knew was really daddy) turned out to be their own pack of mints and then some gum the next night. Which they were surprisingly pleased about. Yeahhhh! But we did keep their candy and are giving some back to them a little at a time. So moms happy and their happy. We sure lucked out this time.

Getting ready for Halloween

We finally carved some pumpkins. It's fun, Wesley and Lily know their shapes so they got to pick the shape of each feature. Dad drew and mom cut.

This must be our serious faces. Soo cute, oh ya and the pumpkins are too. :)

The Great 8 Tag

Ok-i'll be tagged, but only cause i love ya Tiffanie.

8 favorite TV shows
1. Probably PBS-Curious George, cause my kids love it and I can get something done in that 1/2 hour.
2. Sid the Science Kid - it teaches investigation and asking questions about your surroundings.
3. Super Why, and Word World - they teach letters and putting words together. My kids love to point out "super-letters" as we drive around town. It's tons of fun!
4. Cyber chase - cause it teaches math in such a fun way for kids. I love MATH!
5. The Biggest Loser Hmmm... nuf said eh? :)
6. Chuck
7. Life
8. The office

8 favorite places to eat
1. My mom's
2. My mother-in-law's
3. Relief Society Enrichment Meetings (always such good food)
4. The Olive Garden
5. Johnny Carino's (my sister works theres)
6. Applebee's
7. Ling Hung (mongolian BBQ) Loooooove it!
8. Anywhere with my cute hubby as a date.

8 things I did yesterday
1. I got up..... he he....and got wesley on the bus.
2. I did lots of computer work for my church calling. (but it's done now :))
3. I folded a batch of laundry.... and got it put away.
4. I went on a "fall colors" scavenger hunt with my kids for Wesley's homework.
5. I had a Math tutor session, and worked with factoring polynomials, oooooo, so much fun I know. Actually it is for me. he he he wierd I know.
6. I cut up veggies for a stew, and I let Lily and Madi put them in the crock-pot.
7. I pushed Madi in the swing outside. Her favorite thing to do.
8. I finally got in bed and went to sleep. Ahhh heaven, I love our bed.

8 things I look forward to
1. hm.... getting comments on my blog. Now that i'm addicted. he he
2. seriously? moments that I get to play with my kids.
3. My birthday
4. My husband's birthday- 4 days later.
5. Holidays
6. Family vacations
7. My husband getting a day off. Cause he works aaaaalllllll the time. Really, just ask my family.
8. Dancing

8 things I love about Fall
1. I love fall.
2. The feeling in the air that something is about to happen.
3. The relief from really hot weather.
4. The colors
5. The mums (fall flowers)
6. Watching the kids play in the leaves
7. Playing in the leaves he he he
8. Thanksgiving. (yams with brown sugar and marshmellows, and stuffing, etc....)

8 things on my wish list
1. A separate room for all my health stuff. ie) My zone therapy stuff, massage table, my husband's inversion swing, etc...
2. To lose X amount of lbs.
3. To visit my old mission areas with my family - anaheim CA
4. Family vacations
5. hm.... I guess I have every thing else I want.
6. oh, ya some extra $$ to pay off bills.
7. And to go shopping and not have to worry about the $$$
8. a small farm with horses.

thanks Tiffanie that was Fun. More fun than I thought it would be.

I tag janet.... and any other of my sisters that reads this. But I know that janet will.