My little one is growing up!

I had a reality check yesterday - I had to register my little Avannie for KINDERGARTEN.  How does time go so fast?  I just brought her home from the hospital.

(Humph. and now I'm all teary - must be the pregnancy hormones out of whack again.)

Princess Story by Avannie Ure, age 4

Once there was two princesses, named Blueberry Muffin and Gabby.   A sheep came to rescue the princesses from a lion.  The Lion was outside trying to get into the castle because he wanted to get some food.  The princesses were screaming.

The men pushed the sheep in the castle to save the princesses.  The sheep had to climb up the ladder where the princesses were and they climbed on his back to slide down.

When they got down, the dinosaurs came to attack the sheep.  So the dinosaurs could put the princesses into the lion's mouth.

Magic frogs came to turn the dinosaurs into princesses.  Then the frogs had to go to another castle to save the fire people.

And the lion got dead.  And the frogs and princesses didn't know if the lion was asleep or awake.  So the frogs changed the lion to be a nice boy.  The lion married the princess Blueberry Muffin.

YMCA Inspiration Board

I don't know if you know this or not, but I volunteer at the local YMCA doing marketing projects.  I love what I do!  I love to design publications on the computer!  Besides flyers, posters, mailers, etc.... I also have the responsibility to create eye-catching yet professional bulletin boards (5 total) around the building.  These range from upcoming events, fitness, volunteering, random topics, and my favorite: the inspiration board.  Why is that one my favorite?  Because every single month I post inspirational quotes from the prophets and apostles.  no joke.  This month even has three scriptures: 2 from the bible and 1 from Moroni.  It is one of the ways I share the gospel with others.  I've even had several comments on it and how people like the board and I think to myself, "Duh, that's because you are feeling the spirit as you learn from a Prophet of God."   :)

Here is this month's Inspiration Board.   Its all about LOVE in celebration of Valentines day.  

- Gordon B. Hinckley says there is no such thing as "Soul Mates" but if you work hard at your marriage, you will find true LOVE.

- Joseph B. Worthlin:  "Come what may and LOVE it.

- Thomas S Monson:  The best way to help people is to LOVE them.  also another really long quote.

- Moroni 7:35

- John 13:34

- and some other funny and good ones from Dr. Seuss, Martin Luther King, Shakespeare, and Albert Einstein.

This one was from President Gordon B. Hinckley.  

And another month, I focused entirely on families.  Notice the Family: A Proclamation to the World.  :)   I love what I do.

And other famous families you might recognize:  Bill Cosby, Brady Bunch, Incredibles, Leave it to Beaver, and the Berenstain Bears was up there but fell down.  

Belly Drop

My belly has dropped. It can no longer sit atop the bathroom vanity as i wash my hands.  2 more months and 4 days left.  

Exhausted

Today was a l.o.n.g. day because I felt like I was constantly cleaning up messes (shattered applesauce jars, Sadie cleaning out her own potty, craft time with scissors and paper, soap/water on bathroom floor during tub time) and always finding toys and books everywhere.  But as I think about this day, I really truly have so much to be thankful for.

Blessing #1:  Today, the car was fixed.  And the blessing for much less than I thought that it would be.  It's never fun to lose $603.11 on the account of a much-to-close encounter with a curb-hidden-by-a-snowbank when your car starts sliding and there is nothing to do but brace yourself.  But I am thankful that it wasn't a fix that would have taken thousands of dollars and DAYS to fix.  Instead it was just in the hundreds and in the time frame of HOURS.  

Blessing #2:  Learning that USAA has Roadside Assistance to help its members with the small things that AAA does.  Towing, battery replacement, lock outs, etc.  And it didn't cost me anything.  And the tow guy was here in TEN minutes.  Thankfully, my muffins didn't burn.

Blessing #3:  Watching both of my girls, at different times of the day, pick up their babies and "bounce and shhh-sshhh soothe" them.  They are going to be good little mamas when they grow up.  It is so heart warming to see them do that instead of scolding and spanking their dolls.

Blessing #4:  Sadie is potty trained.  And is even waking up from naps and in the mornings with dry diapers.  Something small, but significant.

Blessing #5:  I received two phone calls from dear friends (Teresa and Ricky) to make sure that I am okay (being without Joseph and having car problems) and making sure I don't need anything before the snow storm hits tonight.  That is what family is for.  I'm so grateful to have such wonderful friends to take that "family" title as we live so far from our real family.

Blessing #6:  Wood stove.  It keeps us warm and toasty and saves us oodles of money.  And to go with this - Thanks to my sweet husband for making sure the wood was significantly stacked inside so I wouldn't have to haul wood from the wood pile.

Blessing #7:  Modern technology to google chat with my best friend, Joseph who is in San Francisco.

Blessing #8:  Avannie.  After her tub, she put her face 2 inches from mine and was way too excited to request the honor of picking out all my jewelry that I should wear tomorrow to "look SOOOO beautiful."  And she even offered to pick out the jewelry I should wear to bed because we will have to change the day time stuff to small things so it doesn't get lost or tangled.  (Where did this girly girl come from???)

Blessing #9:  Coco Butter Lotion enhanced with vitamin E and my Brazilian Nut Oil.

Blessing #10:  Early bedtimes for the girls to let me go read a book.  

And with that last one said... I am off to travel back in time to 1776 as I ride along the side of John Adams.  

xoxo

Dad's Words of Wisdom

"Always be the valuable person in a group."  

Be the sweet pork person rather than the chip or cilantro person.

These two princesses joined us for dinner on the way to the ball.