Just Busy!

The month of May is about to end. What a month this has been. The first two weeks I was in SoCal helping Ann-Marie and her family. Yes, I was tired every night and hit the pillow snoring - but it was good. Being a mom and caring for a family is my most favorite job, even when children have temporary attitudes! They always make up for it with the funny things they do and say.

I was grateful that I was able to be there for Ann-Marie and Collins. I tried to be the Mama Bear and protect my child - but her Sugar Daddy was always there to take care of her, and that is the way it should be - depending upon one another in times of need and times of joy.

Julianne and I were able to overlap our stay a few days before I went home to Utah. I felt confident in Julianne's ability to care for her sister and the children. One day, Julianne is going to be an incredible mom. But then she has lots of great examples - her sisters!

I had a few changes while in CA - Collins took my braces off - yea!!! And I got a new color and do'. Thank you Collins and Julianne!

When I got home, Honey Buns had the house spiffed up and shining! He was sick the whole time I was gone with a nasty cold. I hope he was happy to have me home! I think the house being cleaned was his way of saying "Welcome Home!"

Loralee and the girls got in the next night. That was so fun to have them here. Always so many things we want to do and never enough time. Then Dr. Dave, oops, Dr. Love drove in on Wednesday afternoon! His girls were happy to see their daddy again.

I had a RS cooking class which Loralee and Kimmy helped me with. Mexican food - yumm - cilantro, cilantro and other good stuff! Then I had a Stake Primary leadership meeting. What a busy week.

Adrienne and her family drove in Sunday afternoon. More kids, more late nights and more babies to love! So within a week - I have been with all my girls - and this weekend get to see my boy.

The month has passed by quickly. So many changes in each of our lives - hopefully making us more appreciative of each other and what we go through. I will have seen almost all my grandchildren and children this month - what a treat that has been. They keep me centered. Von and I have truly been blessed.

ALLIGATORS

All right - it has been a few years since I had to wrestle with an alligator - oops - I mean a 3-year-old. I have been hanging out here in SoCal this week - being a mom to 4 boys. Yes, it has been awhile.

Let's see, boys are distracted easily, stinky, rough and tumbly. And when you think you will never get through, they suprise you with a tender sweet disposition. My boys are wonderful - I have 8 that I call mine, and then I have 4 SIL - which I will claim in a heartbeat if they will let me! So that is a total of 12 men in my life. I am pretty lucky.

I used to call about 10 other boys mine many years ago - but they all grew up and forgot how much I loved them, played with them, cared for them and prayed for them. Those were some of my nephews. I wish they could remember and understand how much my heart breaks when I see choices they make and how much my heart soars as I watch them progress in life. You never stop loving them, you just learn to refocus your love and attention to those who surround you.

Never did I imagine that my lot in life would be 5 daughters. I thought I would have boys - lots of them since I seemed to be surrounded by nephews - big ones, stinky ones, ones that teased unmercifully. But then I loved doing all the boy things - like digging in the dirt, playing ball, experimenting, exploring, discovering what the world was all about. My favorite book was "My Side of the Mountain." It was about a boy who ran away into the woods and survived by creating his own shelter, learned to eat from the land, etc. I would imagine my own world if I was left to my own devices and created in my mind a world that was magical (I still was a girl!).

Do I regret not having all those boys? No. However, I do have one son who loves to experiment, explore and discover what life is about. That really isn't much different than me!

Now I have 6 grandsons that will be experimenting, exploring and hopefully I will be a part of their lives as they discover what life is all about. But in the meantime, I still need to wrestle the alligator.

You're Killing Me Smalz!

Ever have one of those days? I have been having them all week. I even look a little haggard and puffy eyed like my friend here. This past Monday I had to clean the ovens in the food labs where I work. After three hours the fumes (I thought) gave me a migrane headache. Again on Thursday in the labs, I thought the residue of the fumes gave me a migrane. Then today, on my merry way across town - boom - migrane! I rarely have migranes. My daughter thinks they are a rebound migrane from going off some medication. I think I agree. Well, it looks like I may not be ready to go off the medication just yet - I need my wits and energy with me the next two weeks! Drugs, Dr. Pepper - sounds really good about now!

Art Nest Pincushion RingGIVEAWAY!!!!

Art Nest Pincushion RingGIVEAWAY!!!!

"Girls in yellow dresses with striped colored sashes.."

Here is another dress for Kayte. My other four granddaughters - your turn is coming this summer. I had help on this one. I offered in my sewing class material and patterns if they would make a little girl's dress for me. I had one taker. However I had to add the embelishments this afternoon - sash and buttons. It is adorable and Kayte will look great in it. Just hope it fits. Making clothes for someone not present is sometimes difficult!

Everyone is a Homemaker - even men

Sunday our Bishop spoke on the importance of learning skills that will help you during times of economic downturns, such as learning how to cook, how to sew, how to garden, how to budget, etc. He had felt impressed for a few months to speak on that subject, especially when we have a ward with 50 percent young marrieds. I couldn't have felt more inspired by his comments, that I too have felt that our young people have missed so much in the art of "building" a home with skills you have learned and mastered.

Well tonight that truth was very evident. After my "Cooking with Kids" class, a young married woman came up to me and said, "I don't know how to cook, I don't know how to plan a meal, and I know I can't do this the rest of my life. Please help me."

Help is on the way! I gave her a few things she and her husband will need to do, and then we would meet this next week and plan a menu (yes I know - Ann doesn't plan a menu, she just decides 5 mintues before!). I can plan, I just choose not to :)

And the School Year is over!

Finished my last final today. Got a 94% on my final project for sewing - the little girl's dress. She didn't rip it, just percentages of this and that off. It is all good! Hopefully I did well on the written final.

Now WHAT? Relief is the first thing I feel! And now on to some new projects before I head to sweet California......