Addictions

My Son is addicted. I have to admit I had my addictions as a kid too. Remember those smelly markers...you know...the old school ones that smelled like grape, root beer, strawberries, etc. I used to sniff them at school and come home with marker under my nose. My mom would as me if I was smelling markers at school and I would innocently say no. Silly me trying to lie to my mommy.

Well Tui has his own addictions. He loves his Blanket! It goes everywhere with him. It was made by his great great grandma. What he loves more than his blanket is a "Fresh" smelling blanket. He will spray febreeze all over the thing and then he will hold it in the same hand he is sucking his thumb with. He takes a deep breath and.....ahhhhh.....heaven!

Snow Week!

I guess I should be used to bad winter weather, considering I grew up in Canada. But this Iowa weather is ridiculous! It is not so much the snow accumulation. That is the easy part. The ice gets to be annoying ( not to mention hazardous)...but more than the snow and the ice this winter, it is the deep freeze we have had to deal with that irritates me. In Canada it was not uncommon to have a -40 CELSIUS day. That is about a -25 degree F here. Schools have been closing this winter because of the dangerously low temps of -45 FAHRENHEIT!!!!! That is just crazy!!!

We got lucky one day and had a break in the cold. It was actually warm enough to let the kids go out and play....and me shovel the driveway. Time to invest in a snow blower I think!

What's with the poses?

For the Love of Thomas!

I am sure there are many little boys out there who love Thomas the Train Engine as much as Tui. I personally am getting a little tired of all the Thomas stuff around my house. I guess I can't complain too much. Tui is very organized with his trains and cars. He always knows where they are and lately he insists on lining them up along the wall or the couch. He loves to sit and look at them...and Heaven help the person who messes up his trains! Hands off people!!!

I Love Duct Tape!

Please tell me I am not the only mother who has had to resort to using duct tape to keep her kids diaper on. Tui has become very talented at wiggling out of any outfit I put on him. At night he takes his footie pj's off and then his diaper. What comes next is not pretty! I end up doing laundry in the middle of the night. Plus we have the issue of modesty around guests. I babysit a little girl the same age as Tui and she is a very smart girl. The other day we had our first anatomy class. Tui decided he would strip while I was doing dishes in the kitchen. 2 minutes people and the kid was in his birthday suit. The only way I knew something was going on was the laughter of the little girl and the repetition of " Tui funny bum...Tui funny bum."

So as a last resort I duct taped his diaper to him. It worked wonders! Then at night I also duct taped his PJ's on him...just under his arms so that he couldn't get the zipper down. Am I a mean mommy.....I don't think so. I am just doing this for my own sanity!

Sink or swim?

It seems lately, that we are all in the same boat. Sometimes I wonder if the economy is really as bad as they say it is. This week has shown great evidence that it is, although I do not understand how it got that way. All over the country, and other countries as well, people are loosing their jobs...their means of providing for their families and the security of the benefits that come from a job ( health care, 401k, etc.). I know i am guilty of blowing things out of proportion sometimes...usually thinking of the worst case scenario. What if Anthony looses his job....what if I have to go back to work...what if things are so bad that neither one of us will be able to find work. It will be like living in the past when people actually had to live off the land. I want to know how, in a country advanced as ours, did we get ourselves into this sinking boat?

Like I said before, this week has made it obvious that there are changes happening that we have no control over. Anthony was given the difficult task of laying off two of his employees. It would have been easier to do if they were not doing their jobs well, but these were good guys who worked hard. Most importantly they were his friends. Unfortunately the company that Anthony works for is feeling the crunch, like many other companies nation wide. All of this has made us look at our own future. How long will it be until the company decides to close the store completely?????

There are so many what if's and unanswered questions. The future is uncertain....there is no doubt in that. We can not see where our future lies or where our choices may lead us. BUT....we do know that if we STRIVE to live our lives in accordance with the laws and commandments of our Heavenly Father, we will be blessed! Immediately? In some instances, yes...in some, no.

Ether 12:6 "And now, I Moroni, would speak some what concerning these things; I would show unto the world that Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."

I learned a couple of things from this scripture. One...dispute not because ye see not. All I have been doing is disputing...what will we do...how are we going to pay for this or that...where will we work...we should do this or that. Why am I trying to figure this out on my own? Someone slap me!

Second....only after I have tried my faith....only after I have proven that I will do as I am asked, knowing full well that I must struggle and go through these tough times...only then will I receive a witness. A witness of His blessings. I know that the Lord will not give us trials that are too difficult for us to bear. So I need to do my part. The Lord has made his promise, so now I need to keep mine. Improve on the things that will ensure my families safety. Scriptures, family prayer, fulfilling my calling, being a good missionary, giving of all I have as did the widow in the Parable of the widow's mite. These things may be hard to do in a stressful time, but they will be for my benefit.

So I choose to swim. I will tread water, barely keeping my head above water....but I will not sink!

I am so grateful for my wonderful Visiting teachers and Home teachers and all the others in my life who are an example to me and who give me a boost when I feel like I can not tread water any longer. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who has not left us alone and who loves us.

I Wish I had a Crystal Ball!

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time. There are so many things I wish I could do over again. Not that I would change anything I had done. I cherish the good and bad times in my life. The memories I share with people throughout my life time are irreplaceable and one of a kind. I miss the people in my past and kick myself for not being a better friend and keeping in touch better.

But, that is not why I wish I could go back in time. If I could have that chance, I would simply choose to do more. Take the missed opportunities I had. Snatch up all the missed experiences I should have had....say I love you more....say what was on my mind right then and there instead of waiting 10 years to say things I should have back then.

And if I could go back in time, I would want a crystal ball to show me that 5 years down the road I should go back to school, instead of waiting ten years. There is a possibility that there will be some big changes in my near future, and I just wish I had a crystal ball to show me what to do.

Bundled Babes

Our house is not the warmest house you will be in this winter. I refuse to pay out the nose for heating bills. It would help if we put more insulation in our attic...but there is no way I am going up there. So for now we just keep the heat at about 62 degrees. Not too cold, but cold enough that you can't sit still to long or you will get cold. I guess I can say I keep it cool so I get more house work done.

Anyhow, the kids that I babysit were complaining that they were cold. So I told them to get their blankets and bundle up. When I came around the corner to see if they needed help, this is what I saw. All bundled up and ready for some pictures.