Wedding Extras.

In a previous post I mentioned the wedding we attended while Evan was receiving his awards at the fair. Our good friend Josh was married to the beautiful Rachel in the San Diego LDS temple. We have known him and his wonderful family for 19 years. It is always a joy to see a young couple starting their life together by being sealed for all eternity. It is also a great opportunity to reunite with friends you don't get to see very often!

I apologize for failing to get a photo of the bride, but here is a picture of the groom and his handsome groomsmen. Aaron has been friends with most of these guys since he was four years old.

Here are Michael, Meryl, John and Aaron. Four friends enjoying the wedding reception. These awesome young adults (and Josh the groom who was probably busy dancing, cutting cake, kissing the bride or something) were all homeschooling buddies and grew up together. Meryl was the first to get married early last year and she and her husband now live in our ward! John also recently returned from his LDS mission to Texas and he spoke at church on Sunday (which also happened to be Father's Day). What a weekend!

But it wasn't just the kids who had a reunion.  I loved getting to see some of my best friends. I didn't get any pictures at the wedding or reception, but here are a couple from the beach on Monday.

Jenny, Sheree, Angela and I homeschooled our kids together and worked to create a new commonwealth school where our teens met for weekly classes. These women are awesome mentors who helped me raise my kids. I love any excuse to get together with them!

I think you are officially middle aged when your social life revolves around weddings. How many years before funerals become the big events?!

Happy, Happy Birthday Daddy Dear!

My dad has always been a teacher. After his PhD thesis was written, he taught courtroom judges about non-verbal communication. His early working years were spent as a university professor. Later, he offered seminars and classes in forgiveness and relationship-building. Over the years, he taught thousands of people in his church callings. Most importantly, he worked to teach his five children many important life lessons. This was no small feat for someone who was without a father during most of his formative years.  This post explains how he taught me to read, keep the commandments, work hard and be prepared. Dad taught me lots of other things as well.

"Quality" is the lesson stands out in my mind. It was taught bit by bit over many years. As I was growing up, my dad frequently talked about quality. He encouraged us to choose high-quality friends and to always do quality work. He made a point of getting to know my friends and he let me know he was proud of the great people I spent time with. Dad didn't judge my friends based on their religion or family circumstances. Instead he appreciated their individual strengths. One of my good friends was incredibly intelligent, mature and a very hard worker. Her family struggled financially and Dad helped her find work during high school and college.

As we got older, Dad reminded us of the importance of finding a quality spouse. He often reminded me that I should get to know the family of those I dated, because "you don't just marry a person. You marry a family."  Dad told me that he trusted me to choose a great spouse because I had always chosen outstanding friends. Fortunately, he approved of John as soon as he met him. John was relieved to "pass" the not-so-subtle "interview" with my Dad.

Dad taught us to do quality work in every situation. I remember him teaching my brother Scott how to mow and edge the lawn. Scott learned to do a better job than the gardeners and the neighbors hired him to take care of their yards. My siblings and I were given the chance to work at Dad's business. One of the first jobs was stuffing envelopes.  He had a particular way he wanted us to fold the mailers. He explained the reason behind the folding and the importance of doing it correctly.  Then he made sure we knew how to do it right. I think of  my dad any time I stuff an envelope.

Of course, Dad always wanted me to do a quality job on my schoolwork. I remember Dad reading over my assignments to discuss the ideas I was presenting. Dad knew he wasn't the best at proof-reading and he left that to Mom, but he was all about the big picture!  He encouraged me and challenged me to always do my very best, particularly in my writing.

Dad even wanted me to be a quality driver. He and Mom carefully prepared me to get my driver's license when I turned 16. I hated driving the bright yellow station wagon to school, but then my Dad came up with something I thought was even worse.  He told me a could drive the nicer, smaller car, but it had a manual transmission. He explained the importance of learning to drive a stick-shift, especially if an emergency were to arise. He took me out to practice, but I was grouchy and humiliated when some boys from my high school showed up in the parking lot where we were practicing. I refused to practice any more with Dad, so he told me I could learn on my own. I was only allowed to drive the stick-shift from then on. We lived in a very hilly area and I stalled the car and rolled backwards down many hills before I finally mastered the art of a using that clutch.  At the time, I thought my father was mean for "forcing" me to drive the (very nice, new) car with a manual transmission. Twenty five years later, I finally realized the gift of quality my Dad had given me. My oldest son was a car enthusiast, and he wanted to learn to drive a stick-shift so that he would be ready to drive expensive sports cars. We borrowed my brother-in-law's Honda and headed to a church parking lot. As we drove around, Ryan began to get frustrated and clearly it was my fault. Finally I asked him to stop the car. I grabbed my cell phone and called my Dad. It was a short conversation.

"Dad, I just wanted to apologize for the way I acted when you tried to teach me to drive a stick-shift." Dad started laughing.  It was a long time to wait for an apology, but he didn't seem to mind. And Ryan eventually learned how the clutch worked. His dreams later came true on several occasions when he got to drive Porsches.

I many not have always appreciated my Dad's focus on quality when I was growing up, but I surely do now.  I love you Dad!  Happy Birthday!  Have a QUALITY Birthday!!

Our quality family circa 1982, around the time I learned to drive a stick-shift

Best Daughter Ever!

When I pick up my phone, I never know what I will find as my wallpaper.  It changes every day, sometimes more than once a day and it almost always makes me laugh.  My wonderful daughter loves to surprise me. Marianne is the queen of selfies and she has the greatest expressions. Where did she learn to make such fabulous faces?  I'm not sure, but I do know that several years ago she got the complete "I Love Lucy" series for Christmas.  I suspect that Lucy's funny faces and great acting skills have rubbed off on Marianne. And just so you know, she is an equal opportunity photo poster.  She often includes funny pictures of other family members, but her selfies are my favorites.  Here are a few of her recent (very successful) attempts to put a smile on her mom's face.

Negative Self-Talk or Something Else?

When I was in college, I read Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. During our classroom discussion, the professor emphasized that most negative, dark, evil feelings and ideas come from deep within each of us. At first I struggled with this concept, but eventually I decided he was right. Just a few weeks ago I realized that I have believed this lie for almost 30 years.

Darkness and negativity come from one source—Satan, the enemy of all righteousness (Acts 13:10, Alma 34:23).

I recently read Joseph Smith History and I had the impression that Joseph’s experiences followed a pattern, so I made a list. 

God and his messengers:

Call us by name (v 33, 49)

Command, urge action (v 17, 19-20, 42)

Quote scripture (v 36-41)

Warn (v 42, 46)

Use repetition (v 45, 46, 54)

Encourage us to tell the truth, not keep secrets (v 49)

Urge patience (v 42, 54, 54)

Invite us to ask questions and provide answers (v 18-19)

The adversary:

Causes powerful feelings (v 15-16)

Brings darkness (v 15)

Is negative, i.e. despair, doom, destruction (v 15, 16)

Binds us (v 15, 17)

I doubt that any of us will have experiences quite like Joseph’s, but we can all be influenced by God’s Spirit and by the adversary. We need to recognize and acknowledge the true source of negative thoughts and feelings rather than blaming ourselves. Instead, we can “labor diligently, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness.” (Moroni 9:6)

Linda Reeves said, “We sometimes . . . have a tendency to be very critical of ourselves. During these times, we need to seek the Spirit and ask, ‘Is this what the Lord wants me to think about myself, or is Satan trying to beat me down?’ Remember the nature of our Heavenly Father, whose love is perfect and infinite. He wants to build us up, not tear us down.”

I have a challenge for you:  This week, pay attention to your thoughts and feelings and try to identify their source.

In Training

I graduated from my Mothers Who Know class almost two weeks ago, but I was hungry for more.  So I decided to get serious and start Boot Camp.  I spent Saturday at "Prevention Boot Camp" and I will continue my training over the next two months. What am I training for?

I am training to become an Eternal Warriors Addiction Prevention Mentor.  That's a mouthful, isn't it?! It may be a big title, but it is an important job.  There are many programs available to help those struggling with addiction, but wouldn't it be wonderful if we could prevent the addictions in the first place?

We all hope our children will be strong enough to avoid such problems, but what can we do? Can you imagine a generation of youth who have have the discernment, endurance and skills needed to avoid becoming entangled in pornography or other addictions?  I know it is possible, IF our children and teenagers have the training and practice they need to defeat the fiery darts of the adversary.

That's why I'm in training.  I need to be in tip top shape to help families arm themselves and learn to win the war against addiction!

Click HERE to learn more.  Email me at tohappyhartz (at) gmail (dot) com if you would like to learn how to get a copy of a book that explains more about the addiction fighting principles of the Sons of Helaman Program.

HAPPY! birthday

My birthday was at the beginning of August and my family took good care of me.

Evan got the day started right by making crepes for breakfast. Actually, he made two kinds of crepes!  He made a small batch of gluten-free ones for me and a large batch of regular ones for the rest of the family. They were delicious with fresh fruit!

Molly made my whole week special by asking members of our extended family to write me a birthday wish. Every day she emailed me letters from a few of my loved ones!

My sister Jenny said she would take me to see a Shakespeare play and she more than kept her promise. We saw a really fun musical version of A Midsummer Night's Dream and a few days later she took me out to lunch and to see a film version of Much Ado About Nothing.

John took some time off from work and we went out to lunch, walked along the beach and played frisbee in the sand and then went out to dinner.

When we got home, we found that Marianne had made yummy German chocolate cupcakes from scratch. My favorite flavor and gluten-free to boot!  I know they were a lot of work and it was even harder because Lavender really wanted to eat them all.  Marianne kept telling her that they were for my birthday and tried to teach her to say "Happy Birthday." Lavender got half of it right.  She did wish me "happy" when we got home.  Then she ran to the kitchen, frantically begging for cupcakes and shouting "happy, happy, happy." She seemed to think the cupcakes were called "happy."  Now, almost a month later, any time she wants a treat she still asks for "happy."  John brought home a big box of donuts yesterday and she was thrilled to have "happy" for dessert last night..  Guess what she wanted for breakfast this morning?

Do you like the way she is attacking that donut in the top picture?  She may not be smiling, but she is definitely HAPPY!

28 Perfect Days!

What would you give for a perfect day?  Most days, even good ones, have their ups and downs.  In fact, the imperfections in life are often the source of laughter and family memories.  I know I will never forget the time I almost ruined Passover or the sleepless Christmas night!  Still, I long for days when I feel successful.

I always want to improve and often I set goals, but it can be hard to follow through.  Fortunately, I found something that really helped me.  For the past month I have been part of a class called "Mothers Who Know."  We set goals, keep track of our progress and have weekly conference calls where we learn to combat negativity and draw closer to the Savior.  Everyone in the class has three goals in common:
1. Pray 5+ minutes morning and night
2. Write a page in your journal daily
3. Study the scriptures (or words of the prophets) daily

Each of us also chose three personal goals.  This month mine were:
1.  Make my bed every morning.
2.  Log my food and exercise daily and stay within my Weight Watchers point total.
3.  Sweep the kitchen floor every night.

Do these sound like simple goals?  Well, they are!  They were simple enough that was able to do them perfectly for 28 days in a row.  It was empowering to keep my personal commitments and it motivated me to do more.  Once the bed was made, I picked up the rest of the room.  When I swept the kitchen, I continued sweeping the dining room.

Best of all, the principles we learn in class help us defeat the adversary and overcome bad habits.  In fact, the class was originally developed to help people struggling with addiction.  I can use what I am learning to help my children become self-disciplined.  This is something I can do to help my sons and daughters prevent addictions before they begin!

Our mentor, Celestia, starts new classes every month or so to help women become "Lionesses At the Gate" and "Mothers Who Know."  HERE is a link to her blog with more information about an upcoming class. Why don't you take a look?  It is exciting to have perfect days!

Surprises, Big and Small

In the past few years, I have learned to appreciate the unexpected!   Here are three recent surprises in my life:

#1

I was called as the Ward Music Chairman at church.  I was very surprised, but also relieved by the calling because I knew our Young Women's Presidency was being reorganized and the thought of those responsibilities overwhelmed me.  I was surprised because each of the Ward Music Chairmen I've known has been a great musician.  You know, the kind of person who can step in at a moment's notice to sing or play the piano or conduct a quartet. Ummm. That is certainly not me!  However, I am the kind of person who can plan, organize and invite (that sounds so much nicer than nag, doesn't it?) people to share their musical talents in Sacrament meetings each Sunday.  Beautiful music really does bring the spirit and I am grateful for the opportunity to help our ward members feel closer to our Heavenly Father.  And if you'd like to volunteer (or volunteer in behalf of a friend or family member) please let me know!  If necessary, I promise your anonymity will be protected.

#2

I have been wheat-free for six weeks now.  I have been surprised how easy it has been to stay off of wheat.  I took a couple of bites of a bun once without thinking and I cheated on two occasions.  But overall, I've done really well.  I have always eaten 100% whole wheat bread and I would have told you that I eat mainly whole grains.  When I cut out wheat, I realized that I wasn't eating things like hamburger buns, waffles, brownies, birthday cake or flour tortillas.  None of which are whole grain, of course!  Within a few days, I noticed that I had more energy and less desire for sugar.  The big surprise was that I have no joint paint.  I have had minor aches and pains in my hips for for quite a few years.  Since I gave birth to Lavender, I have had swelling and pain in my fingers and shoulder.  After I had been off wheat for a month, I suddenly realized that I hadn't had any joint pain in weeks!  Sadly, giving up wheat has not led to much weight loss for me.  I am back on Weight Watchers Online, but wheat-free this time.  I have to mention that the WW app makes it really easy to track your food, exercise etc.

#3 - The Grand Finale!

My dad and Carolyn went skydiving!  I never would have expected my dad to do something like that, but he did!  I am impressed with their courage and sense of adventure.  They did tandem dives while strapped to an instructor who was in charge of the essentials:  pulling the chute, landing and filming the jump.  They both had a great experience, with the photos and video to prove it.  My dad highly recommends it (once the kids are grown) and even found it full of spiritual symbolism.  For me, watching the video has cemented my decision to never, ever jump out of an airplane.  You can watch the video HERE and decide for yourself.

This and that

Elder Aaron and his companion found an apartment, so he doesn't have to sleep on the couch anymore! They had to move in with other elders at the last minute to make room for all the new sisters serving in Toronto.

I had a date with my sweetie to the symphony.  It was one of the best performances ever.  We enjoyed Bach, Schumann and a Concerto for two pianos by a modern composer, Poulenc.

Brianne started ballet lessons. She is the cutest little ballerina ever.

I went wheat-free this week after reading this book recommended by a dear friend. I had been praying about my health and wondering what to do.  Just a few hours later we were finishing a conversation when she said, "Wait, I have to tell you about this book."  The results have amazed me.  I have much more energy and none of the cravings for snacks and sweets.  We shall see how the weight loss goes.

Lavender took her very first steps just a month ago and now she is running around everywhere.

Marianne and Evan dissected a sheep brain with their cousins as part of their biology class. Their Uncle Brian is a great lab instructor.

I got to go the temple this week!

Favorite Books

I made this list of my favorite books back in 2006.  I kind of forgot about it until a friend asked me for a copy a few weeks ago.  I thought I'd share it here.

Melanie’s Favorites

Picture Books

See the Before Five in a Row Book List (for ages 2-4)

See the Five In A Row Book List (for ages 4-8)

Thank You Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco (Fabulous author!  All of her books are great!)

Abraham Lincoln by Ingri & Edgar D’Aulaire  (Read all of their beautiful biographies!)

Miss Twiggley’s Tree by Dorthea Warren Fox

Any book by Margaret Wise Brown

Series you won’t want to miss:

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Short & Easy to Read:

The Box-Car Children Gertrude C. Warner

The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

The Chalk Box Kid and The Paint Brush Kid by Clyde Robert Bulla (great author!)

Great Read Alouds:

Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

Carry on Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham (also a math classic)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (my son’s favorite author)

Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White (don’t miss his other great books)

Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks (this is a series of 5 books)

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O’Dell (writes great historical fiction)

The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling

Little Britches by Ralph Moody

Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry (sweet story set in WWII)

Paddle to the Sea by Holling C. Holling (Wonderful illustrations. See his other books)

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster (also a math classic)

Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter

The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbitt

The Secret Garden and A Little Princess  by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Strawberry Girl  by Lois Lenski (teaches neighborliness, homesteader vs. squatter)

Treasures in the Snow by Patricia St. John (beautiful tale of  forgiveness)

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle (great author, look at her other books)

For teens & adults:

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (read her other books too!)

The Chosen and The Promise by Chaim Potok

The Hiding Place and Tramp for the Lord by Corrie Ten Boom

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Poetry:

Casey at the Bat by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, Illustrated by Christopher Bing

A Child’s Garden of Verses by Robert Louis Stevenson

Favorite Poems by Emily Dickinson

Hailstones and Halibut Bones by Mary O’Neill (Lovely poems about color)

Mammalabilia & Insectlopedia  by Douglas Florian (Great paintings & funny poems)

A Pizza the Size of the Sun by Jack Prelutsky

Poetry for Young People by Edward Lear (kids love his funny limericks)

The Spider and the Fly by Tony DiTerlizzi (based on the tale by Mary Howitt)

Tales from Shakespeare by Mary and Charles Lamb

Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein

Art:

Degas and the Little Dancer by Laurence Anholt

Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Christina Bjork

Science:

The Cloud Book & The Quicksand Book by Tomie de Paola

Pagoo, Minn of the Mississippi by Holling C. Holling

History:

See Let the Authors Speak by Carolyn Hatcher

Childhood of Famous Americans Series

The Declaration of Independence Illustrated & Inscribed by Sam Fink

Thank You Sarah: The Woman Who Saved Thanksgiving  by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Tree in the Trail by Holling C. Holling

We the Kids Illustrated by David Catrow

Homeschooling related:

Dr. Seuss’ Hooray for Diffendoofer Day! By Jack Prelutsky & Lane Smith

Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus

A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon

A Thomas Jefferson Education by Oliver DeMille

Math:

www.livingmath.net is a great resource for math literature!

http://www.stuartjmurphy.com/index.html The Mathstart Series by Stuart J. Murphy is fabulous!  These books aren’t just math problems disguised as stories; they are real children’s literature.  Kids will read these beautiful books over and over and the math concepts become part of them.

Carry on Mr. Bowditch by Jean Lee Latham

One Grain of Rice by Demi

The Man Who Counted by Malba Tahan

Mathematicians Are People, Too (Vol 1 & 2) by Luetta Reimer & Wilbert Reimer

The Number Devil by Hans Mangnus Enzensberger

Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Little Insomniac

3:38 AM

Cozy blankets

Snuggles and warm milk

Usually work like magic

But not this morning

She pats and pinches

Tugs and pulls

Kneads and squeezes

Kisses then bites

Blowing bubbles on my arm

Mama, dada,  uh-oh and hi

She reviews

Her vocabulary

Varying the pitch 

Volume and rhythm

Child's pose

Happy baby

And downward dog

She practices yoga

While nursing

We rock together 

But she sings

Rolls around

Even sliding down

To crawl and walk

At 5:02 she relaxes

Burying her head

Almost closing her eyes

While I sit wondering . . .

Why did I buy monkey pajamas?

This week I . . .

. . . dropped my iPhone in the washer while doing laundry.

. . . was grateful my phone still worked, but unhappy because the screen was messed up.

. . . renewed my passes to the Wild Animal Safari Park.  It's been 5+ years since I was a member.

. . . took Lavender to the Safari Park for the first time.  She liked her nieces more than the animals.

. . . learned quite a bit about wisdom from the 14-16 year olds I teach every Thursday.

. . . left my sister and a van full of kids stranded because I had her keys in my purse.

. . . chose a vanity and countertop for our bathroom.

. . . completely changed my mind about the cupboards and counter a few hours later.

. . . finally got a new windshield for my van.  It has been cracked for a few months.

. . . resolved to try one of the new quinoa recipes suggested by my friends.

. . . was relieved and very thankful when my phone dried out completely and the screen was clear!

Worse Than the January Blues!

We were hit by the plague earlier this month and it has taken us more than two weeks to recover.  Now that we are no longer zombies, here is our family update:

Lavender now has four teeth.  Teething was very painful for her and she is much happier now that they are in. She is very aware of them and alternately grinds her teeth and smacks her lips. We try to distract her because it drives us crazy! She is also standing by herself.  She usually does it when she is busy playing and needs her hands to grab or shake a toy.  Although she does it often, I have yet to get a picture of her standing.  Her hair is also growing longer and getting lighter.  She is into everything, but we are grateful she usually sleeps all night.  I can't believe she will be a year old in less than a month!

Smacking her lips

Evan spends as much time as possible unicycling and slacklining.  He must have excellent balance because he is very good at both! He and John recently went to Torrey Pines to watch the pro golfers in the Farmers Insurance Open.  He especially enjoyed watching Tiger Woods.  He was surprised at some of the spectators.  One man brought a step stool to stand on.  Another used a periscope to get a better view. Despite the wind and cool weather, one mother and grandma brought a nine week old baby on the course.

On his slack line

Marianne was hardest hit with illness and has been busy getting caught up on everything.  She is preparing for a flute solo in church and her driver's test to get her license.  She has spent lot of time studying as she finishes up a challenging three semester scholar project called "Thomas Jefferson Youth Certification." She spent the last week doing a Facebook fast and is currently lamenting the fact that she STILL hasn't seen Les Mis!  She also refuses to let me post a picture of her, so here is a bonus shot of Lavender:

Elder Aaron has been transferred back to Toronto and to Korean work.  The Korean branch has been dissolved and there are only two Korean language missionaries in the whole mission--Elder Aaron and his companion! The ward he is serving in is very large and about 90% of the members are converts.  It must be huge, because the ward has 8 missionaries--4 English, 2 Farsi & 2 Korean!  I've never heard of a ward having 8 missionaries.  In fact our ward usually shares 2 missionaries with another ward. Aaron is excited to be back in Korean work, but he was sad to leave Timmins.  He loved the ward members there and he will miss the beautiful scenery since Timmins is surrounded by forests and lakes.

Ryan, Molly and the girls got to take a fun trip to San Francisco this month.  I once took Evan a toddler  to SF and it nearly killed me.  Fortunately, Ryan and Molly are much more patient parents!  We missed spending time with them when we were sick.  Our granddaughters are incredibly gorgeous and exceedingly smart.  Lavender loves being with them and they are starting to play together.  Brianne recently locked Marianne out of the house when Marianne was babysitting her.  I tried really hard not to laugh when she told us about it.  Here are the girls with their favorite movie:

John and I get to deal with fun things like plumbing repairs and finances.  We did go to the symphony this month, but I was so exhausted that John took me home during intermission!  My highlight of the month was getting my first blog book in the mail.  I have wanted to do this for years and I even tried a few times on Blurb, but I got so frustrated that I gave up.  My friend Tawnya recommended blog2print and it is so easy!  It is a bit on the expensive side so I just did my first year of blogging--2008.  By the end of this year, I want to print a book for each of the other years 2009-2012.  I was very impressed by my sweet husband who read every page of the book and congratulated me on recording our family history.

Grateful

For the strong, but gentle Spirit

Who whispered

And called to me for years.

Patient, yet insistent

That she not be forgotten.

For the tiny body

Who sprouted and grew,

Even thrived within me

Amidst doubts,

In spite of the odds.

For the precious newborn

Brought forth from my body

And from the realm of spirits

Delivered by her grandmothers

A harbinger of peace.

For the darling infant

Enfolded in my arms

Encircled by my heart

Her smile radiates joy

To everyone 'round her

For the toddling baby

She is fast becoming.

Moving and grabbing

Hold of life with a squeal

And thrill in each discovery.

For the exuberant child

We will shortly meet.

Growing, learning

And embracing her world

With eyes wide open.

For the feisty teen

We will surely find

Questioning, serving and

Searching for truth as she

Prepares for her future.

For the lovely woman 

She will ultimately grow to be.

Fulfilling the dreams and

Desires placed by God

Deep within her heart.

For her gift of healing

Like the balm in Gilead

As a soothing herb

With a delicate fragrance

Of purity, grace and peace.

For sweet Lavender

A blessing to us all.

Party Animals

Marianne planned her first party at the age of three.  She didn't get her party planning skills from me.  It must have skipped a generation since her Grandma Anne was a great party planner.

When I was a little girl, we lived in a split level house in Des Moines, Iowa.  It was a great house for a party because it had so many different "spaces." If my parents had friends over for a dinner party, the kids could be down in the family room or even the basement.  For kids' parties, there was a screened porch on the back of the house.  My brother Scott and I had several birthday parties in that house, but my favorite party was hosted by my parents.  It was a backwards party.  I remember my mom thinking of all the different things they could do backwards.  Everyone was encouraged to wear their clothes backwards.  They had dessert first, followed by the main course and then appetizers.  Guests were greeted at the door with a cheery, "goodbye!"  I think the table was even set backwards.  My mom had a lot of fun planning it, and I was thrilled to be included in her preparations.

Another time, I wanted to do something to raise money for Muscular Dystrophy.  My mom helped me organize quite a party.  We hosted a backyard carnival complete with games and prizes.  We invited our friends and neighbors to join us under the crab apple tree for a fun afternoon.  Of course, they needed to buy tickets to play the games and all the money went to the MDA.  I am sure the amount we raised was fairly small, but I really don't remember.  I will never forget how much time my mom spent helping me prepare for the carnival!

As a teenager, my mom encouraged my brother Scott and I to have occasional parties with our friends.  She always made sure there was plenty of good food and helped us come up with fun games to play and movies to watch.  I think she was often more excited about the parties than we were!  She threw me a Sweet Sixteen birthday party and I remember how beautiful the cake was with big roses.  We almost always had homemade cakes, so having a large, professionally decorated cake was a big deal to me.

My mom and Marianne had a special bond with their shared love of party planning.  One time we were on a car trip together and Mom started discussing her funeral with Marianne.  I told her that was too morbid and to stop talking about it, but she insisted.  She said that Marianne was the only one she could trust to follow through with her plans.  She said she wanted a celebration at her funeral.  I told her I didn't want to talk about it and refused to be part of the conversation, but I had to listen since we were all in the car together!  Mom said she knew the family would insist on a traditional funeral and that was fine, but that she wanted a party afterwards with balloons and Peanut M&Ms. She wanted everyone to have fun and not be sad.

The conversation was nearly forgotten, but when my mom passed away about five years later, Marianne reminded us that Grandma wanted a celebration at her funeral.  And so we had one.  After the funeral services in the church chapel, we had a luncheon.  The cultural hall was decorated with balloons and many beautiful quilts my mom made.  Every table had a bowl of M&M's and we had wonderful food provided by members of her ward.  We sang a few fun songs together and shared a few stories and memories.  After the graveside services, we had a balloon release.  My cousin Kristen took lots of wonderful photos that you can see HERE.  My mom was definitely there with us.  She never would have missed such a great party!

Mom and Dad in 1974 or 1975 - Doesn't she look ready to party in that dress?!

Best. Present. Ever.

I am pleased to announce that I have finished my Christmas shopping.  Unfortunately, I still haven't  received all of it yet, nor have I wrapped and/or mailed everything.  But I'm working on it!

In case you are still contemplating what to get that special someone, I have a suggestion.  My kids (my oldest two, who just happen to be married to each other) gave me a wonderful gift on Mother's Day.  While it was perfect for Mother's Day, it would be an equally wonderful Christmas gift.  Best of all, it won't cost you too much!

Ready for the details?

Gather 52 cards and envelopes.  You can use simple cards or fancy stationery, just as long as you have something to write on.  Next comes the hardest part.  Think of 52 things you love (or are grateful for) about this person.  Again, these can be as long or short as you'd like.  When you're finished writing, you will probably feel really happy that you have this great person in your life.  Next, put each card in an envelope and then put all of them in a basket or other container.  Add a ribbon and you're set!

Ryan and Molly told me I could open the envelopes whenever I chose.  Since there were 52, I decided to open one every Sunday.  I have "cheated" a couple of times when I was having a bad day.  Just opening that little envelope really cheered me up.  I know it would bring some Christmas cheer to anyone on your gift giving list!

Happy shopping!

Aunt Lavender

Here I am (sans makeup) with my sweet baby girl.  I am her mother.  Plain and simple.  I may be a little older than the typical mother of a six month old, but I don't think about it very often.

On Saturday we were excited to celebrate our granddaughter Leighton's first birthday.  We were hurrying to get ready for the party.  I wrapped her gift and got out her card. Then Lavender reminded me that she was hungry.  I sat down to nurse for a few minutes.  When we finished, I picked up the birthday card and started to write, "L-o-v-e" then I paused realizing that I needed to write "Grandma."  I love being a grandma to my two sweet girls, but it was a strange thing to finish nursing my baby and then sign my name as Grandma.  It made me stop and smile!

This evening John and I took a walk with Lavender and Marianne.  As John pushed the stroller down the street,  a neighbor got out of his car and was heading towards his house.  He stopped and asked if he could see the baby.  He admired her and then looked at the three of us.  He looked a little confused and his eyes settled on Marianne.  Finally he asked, "Is this your daughter?"  I quickly pointed to Marianne and explained, "She is our oldest daughter."  Then I gestured to Lavender saying, "and this is our youngest daughter."  The man was amazed at the age difference and congratulated me.  As we continued our walk and turned the corner, Marianne started laughing.  She said, "I wanted to tell him that you also have two granddaughters.  That would have really confused him!"  We all laughed and agreed it was probably best to keep our story simple!

And it is simple.  We are one big happy family!  Lavender has five older siblings (including Molly of course) who love and care for her and two little nieces to play with.  I am excited to see them grow up together!

At Six Months

14.4 lbs. 25 ins.

I know clichés sound insincere

But the words fit perfectly.

She is my sunshine

The apple of my eye

My pride and joy.

I miss my precious newborn

But I adore my darling girl

Who sits up to play,

Eats carrots and applesauce,

And takes her pacifier out and in again.

Her voice adds music to my day.

She giggles and chuckles

When we sing or play patty cake.

Screams, squeals, coos and complaints

Sounds I want to remember forever.

Her square, little feet and

Strong, chunky legs

Are in constant motion

Thumping and kicking shake her bed

A signal that naptime is over.

Her keen eyes watch

The dog and her brother

Waiting for a chance

To get her hands on

The fur or the cereal.

With a mixture of

Love and hunger

She grabs my face

For fierce, slobbery kisses

That end in sucking on my chin.

Wide-mouthed smiles given freely

To strangers, friends and family.

A shout of recognition

When Daddy, Marianne or Evan

Enter the room.

But her eyes light up

Desperation mingled with delight

When she sees my face.

A special look reserved

Just for me--

Her Mama.