My Latest Obsession

I have expended creative energy in a LOT of different mediums over the years. And I have enjoyed each one. They each give me a high that I swear I can live off of. Not too long ago, I was realizing that I currently didn’t have any hobbies, and what a sad thing that was. I told myself that organizing my house each Wednesday was my hobby, and that was enough. I would go to bed each Tuesday night, dreaming about what I was going to organize the next morning.

A couple of months ago, I started a new creative medium. One I always thought I could never do. I started writing.

I still get a thrill every time I walk into Cory’s and Alecia’s room or Kyle’s room and it feels like I’m walking into a storybook. And I love sculpting. And watercolors. And card making and scrapbooking and even sewing and lots and lots of other little things. But nothing, NO creative outlet even comes close to comparing to the high I get when I write.


With all other hobbies I have, I do them when my kids are asleep and I have no housework calling my name. But not with this. For the first time, it is a hobby that is not on the very bottom of my list of things to do. I have sworn not to let my family, my calling, school, or other service things (like PTA) take a hit because of writing. But if you’ll notice, my house isn’t on that list. With writing, I have a hard time standing there folding clothes when there are stories happening in my head, and my computer is only a couple of rooms away. I fall asleep Tuesday nights giddy with the prospects of having 2 ½ hours to write the next morning. When my kids are outside playing, I take a laptop out while I watch them. I even love the 15 minute drive to school and back, because that means I can be figuring out the next part to the story while I am driving. I am totally, completely, and hopelessly addicted to my new hobby, and I am loving every minute of it!

Favorite Family Pictures

These are some of my favorite pictures from our family photo shoot with Erin Summerill.

Mom, There's a Dragon in My Room!

It's not often that I actually have something that I can put in a "Project Finished" post! I finished painting Cory's and Alecia's room over two years ago. Well, finished enough that the room actually looked finished. I always planned on putting in more details later-- like the vines I painted twisting up one of the turrets. Cory's dragon and Alecia's dragon have actually been penciled in on their walls for probably a year; I guess they never made it to the top of my priority list. Anyway, Alecia's came to life about a month ago, and I finished Cory's on Friday. I still need to do Kyle's dragon (it isn't his room, but he really wants representation!). His is going to be sitting on the light switch cover. It isn't even penciled in yet, so who knows how long it will take to come to life....

Here's the "boy" dragon on Cory's side of the room.

And this is the "girl" dragon on Alecia's side.

Girly Stuff

Check it out! My daughter, of her own free will and choice, bought with her own money her very first Barbie! And, I have the pictures to prove that she actually played with it! I secretly think that she just bought it because she thought the dogs that came with it were so cute, and she is an animal lover. But she assures me the Barbie is important to her, too. You see, you are much more likely to find Alecia at home playing sports or running or playing with animals than oh, say, watching a princess movie. Am I ever sad that she isn't more girlie? Never. She's absolutely perfect just the way she is. And she does like to dress cute-- as long as it's only once a day. And she does like to have her hair look pretty-- as long as it doesn't take more than five minutes.

And it's not like I didn't see the doll thing coming. I very distinctly remember my dad uttering the phrase "I hope you have a daughter just like you." Although I don't remember seeing it, my mom assures me that she has a picture of me holding a baby doll. When I was a little tyke she cajoled me into holding it just long enough to snap a picture before I tossed it down. And, I did have my very own Barbie once. I got it when I was eight. I used it as a manequin to model the clothes I sewed for it.

And.... that's the end of the Barbie playing. The dogs are all that matter in the end!

Two Great Thoughts

This past Sunday was ward conference. A lady from the stake Relief Society gave a short talk, and in it, she read from a 20 year old article in the Ensign. It was about Aesop's fable with the ants that worked hard all summer and the grasshopper that didn't and then didn't have food in the winter. The article was called "Thoughts of a Grasshopper," and tells how she is a grasshopper.

It was the best article I had heard in a long time that helps you to appreciate the grasshopper traits in yourself and others, and to realize their importance. Because, let's face it: if we all had only ant traits, the world wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable! Here is a link to the article. You'll really be happy if you take a moment to read it! Come on, you know you want to. :-) http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=0f83d7630a27b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1

Last night we had an Enrichment activity where Shauna Newbury's dance group performed for us. In between each dance, one of the dancers gave a little talk. In her talk, Shauna was talking about the need for perfectionism, and the bad place it took her in her life. The thing that stuck with me the most from the whole night was when she said "Don't confuse perfectionism with doing your best, because they are not the same thing." I may just have to remember that.

Signs of Spring

All the snow at my house is gone! Yay!

Now, normally I don't mind snow, but normally, it doesn't hang around for this long! I especially love snow when it is falls in big chunks and when it makes everything all white and pretty. But when it hangs around for months, it is more dingy and dirty than white and pretty. And outside has looked so colorless these past few months. I need COLOR in my life!

I just took down my winter indoor decorations, and my house is so happy! It doesn't really like the winter stuff, it just tolerates it. I swear, as soon as I put up the colorful springy colors, I could actually feel my house go "Ahhhh. That's so nice. I feel so much better!" And who wouldn't with colors like these around?

And, there are even new signs of life outside! These are my Hyacinths just starting to poke their little leaves out of the ground.

Last fall, I was inspired after hearing Kellie tell about all the things she feeds to her garden to do the same. I fed it banana peels, apples, chopped up jack-o-lanterns, honeydew, potatoes, carrots, and any other fruits and vegetables headed for the garbage cans. Of course, I tried to feed it as few seeds as possible, but who knows? I may get a few surprises this spring! Anyway, my dirt looks so pretty and happy-- I can't wait to plant something in it!

Happy Sixth Birthday!

It was hard enough late in December when my oldest could no longer show how old he was on his fingers. But this past week, my YOUNGEST can now no longer show how old she is on one hand!

But it's all good. I've always enjoyed each age my kids are at. I've never wished they could stay the same age, or go back.

These are some pictures of Alecia's sixth birthday party with her friends. We had a Spongebob theme (her favorite show, much to my chagrin). I planned lots and lots of Spongebob games, but the easiest one of all was the biggest hit! (Of course). One of Spongebob's favorite activities is blowing bubbles, and the kids LOVED it! We should have just done it the whole time.

Happy Sixth Birthday, Alecia!