A Simple Woman's Daybook~May 11, 2009

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So, For Today...Monday, May 11, 2009

Outside my window...the dawn is breaking and the leaves are rustling gently in the breeze. I am noticing how beautiful it looks out through clean windows. I love having a large window near my computer desk where I write each day.

I am thinking...about how much I enjoy doing this Daybook each week as it forces me to stop running and to reflect on my thoughts and plans for the week.

From the learning rooms...I am thinking about how our thoughts shape who we are 100% of the time.

I am thankful for...the knowledge that we can make huge changes in our lives by practicing little changes each day.

From the kitchen...it is beginning to look a lot like a brand new beautiful place to be. We are 90% done with our remodel and loving it. We will get our new refrigerator tomorrow and the cabinet doors are the last of the big things to go. We should have the cabinets ready to put things back into them by the end of this week. PTL!

I am wondering...how our grandson, Spencer, is enjoying his 10th birthday on his way to Germany and Austria for 2 weeks.

I am wearing...jammies for now.

I am reading...The Doctrine and Covenants, some conference talks, and Ciao America....still. I have finally been able to spend a few more minutes on it each day and it is so funny! The Italian born author reflects on his impressions of Americans while living here for one year. Comparing and contrasting the two cultures is very interesting and very insightful and mostly hilarious.

I am hoping...our daughter, Jennifer, had a nice Mother's Day. She sent a photo yesterday entitled Mother's Day Dinner by Chloe. Chloe turned four yesterday and their family tradition is the birthday person gets to choose the menu for dinner. The photo showed a piece of bread with a little squiggle of ketchup and two Cheetos on it. Check it out!


I am Praying for...my friend, Lanette's little grandchildren that will be born sometime within the week. A little boy and a little girl. The twins are her first grandchildren and I am so thrilled for what lies ahead for them all.

I am creating...a plan for better organization of our drawers and cupboards when we put everything back together. I got rid of a lot of stuff in hopes of less crowded spaces.


I am hearing...'I Love You Just The Way You' Are from my playlist and one of my favorite songs of all time.

I am going...to do some paper work for my hubby today to help him catch up on things after spending every free moment on our projects.

My spiritual thoughts include...a tremendous amount of graditude for life's blessings in this season of our lives.

Around the house... I am needing to plant some colorful flowers.

I have been procrastinating.....cleaning out the frig for it's new owners. We sold it on Craig's List is less than a day~what a fun way to go and no shipping. It was our first Craig's List experience but will not be our last. We tried to find someone to give it to with no success so thought just for fun we would try to sell it. Serendipity! We also sold a car the same day on there...nice.

One of my favorite things...blogging between friends and family. Being back in our home ward at church.

A few plans for the rest of the week...go to the DMV to register the sale of the car, call and order some more of the windows for the house, prepare for a design class I am teaching next week, and going to see Angels and Demons with Jim this coming weekend. We enjoyed the book and have been anticipating this new movie. We view it as a work of fiction only~strictly for entertainment~Tom Hanks style.

Here is a picture and a thought I am sharing with you...

We have lived on this beautiful street for over 30 years. I have never once taken it for granted. What a blessing to have such beauty all around and to soak it in each day as we come and go. Our driveway is to the left just past the tree arch. Living here makes each day a little better!

We've Had Spencer for a Decade on Monday

I am posting a big Happy Birthday to Spencer again just in case he missed it yesterday and doesn't want to scroll down through all the other posts I have been doing. The reason... the time difference between here and Italy and he is going to Germany and Austria with his family for his birthday and a little family holiday. They will be gone for two weeks and will be going to Lego Land in Germany! Spencer is very excited about that.

So......Heeeerrrrre's Spencer!
Happy Birthday!

Such a grown up handsome guy!

This is the cake his mom made him
for his friends Birthday Party.
It is nice to see the soldiers
defending our freedom!
Those who cannot stand behind them are
welcome to stand in front of them!

The Tuscan GQ Look!

Little Scamps!

Good Buddies

When our kids were little I use to interview them on their birthdays. Laura did that with Spence and sent the following for the post.

"All the Places I've Been
27 states in the United States
Italy (Rome, Naples, Florence, Venice)
Switzerland
Germany (this week)
Austria (next week)
My Favorite Things
color~ Green
book~ Fire Within Series
food ~ Pizza
movie~ Holes
friend ~ Shad and Jonah
thing to do on Saturday~ Watch movies and jump on the trampoline and sleep in
number ~11
day of the week~ Saturday
place to be ~ Home
Sweet Treat~ Mom's cookies

My Birthday Wish
Have a BIG birthday party with my WHOLE family!! We would play games, watch movies, have cake and ice cream, bake cookies, play kickball, go through obstacle courses, draw pictures and give and open presents. That is my birthday wish.


Goals for my 10th Year
Make 12 new friends (one each month)
Save $100
Get good grade (all A's)
Do 100 sit-ups
Jump at least 3.5 feet high
Be a good example for everyone around me

My After School Activities
Math Olympiads
Scouts
Guitar"

Spencer we love you and are so proud of your fine character. We love your new goals and your birthday wish~let's do that one day, OK? We are so proud of your accomplishments~keep up the good work and know we will be thinking of you on Monday (and every other day)! You make Grampa and me very happy!

Happy Birthday, Sweet Grandson!

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO and one to Grow On XO!

Reflections

Today is my Mom's Birthday anniversary.  Were she not in heaven she would be 93 today.  Her twin brother, Joseph, is still alive and I must call him today.  Last year when I called him and said "Happy 92nd Birthday, Uncle Joe"  He replied,  "92, 92"?  "Darn, I  thought I was 93".  As long as he lives I feel a little part of my mom is still here.  They are so much alike in so many ways.

My Mother is Always With Me

My mother is always with me.
She's the whisper of the leaves
as I walk down the street.
She's the smell of bleach
in my freshly laundered socks.
She's the cool hand on my brow
when I'm not feeling well.

My mother lives inside my laughter.
She's crystallized in every tear drop.
She's the place I came from
She's my first home.
She's the map that I follow
with every step that I take.

She's my first l♥ve
and my first heart♥break.
Nothing on earth can separate us.
Not time, not space,
Not even death
will ever separate me
from my mother.
I carry her inside of me.
~Author UnknownWhen I see beauty like this around me
it makes me know she is still with me.

Somebody's Having a Birthday on Mother's Day...

Presenting Miss Chloe Jane

Chloe is 4 today!

She is a little dolly from head to toe!

Mommy made another fabulous bunch of cupcakes!

Having fun with little Hazie
(and her tamed down head of hair with piggies!)

Playing Outside

Always on the run...with places to go and people to see!

Chloe has a beautiful story that you can read about here. Chloe Jane~Meant to be Ours . She was dropped into our arms from Heaven above and we have been richly blessed. There simply are not sufficient words to tell how much she is loved.

Chloe loves her best friend, Shelby, Her big sisters, Piper and Julia, and baby Hazel. Chloe and Shelby are quite the little tomboys and love to play long and hard! She loves to eat her "envelopes" which look like this...

All she wanted for her birthday were some of these.
You got it, Baby Girl!


Happy Birthday, Miss Chloe!!! Grampa and I love you so much and wish you a very Happy Day. Mommy is extra happy today because of you...and so are your Grammas. You make being a Mommy and a Grammy very special!

XOXOXOXO and one to grow on XO!

Happy Mother's Day

A Very Happy Mother's Day to one and all! Most women I have known, whether a mother or not, are to be celebrated for their bounteous, nurturing qualities. The love and joy that women bring into this world shapes and molds it like no other human force for good. Literally, the hands that rock the cradle bless us all.

Being loved unconditionally by my own mother was a very sacred experience, one like I have never known the likes of, until we had children of our own. I think most mothers would do anything for our children and in some cases have. Being mom to Jennifer, Christopher and Laura has been a priceless gift that never wears out or grows common place for me. They have taught me so much and given me so much love and respect and comfort through this life and I am grateful for them and their goodness.

They make every Mother's Day a Happy one for me. And now watching them raise their little families is even more thrilling. They work so hard and I feel exhausted just watching it.

I love you guys and your Dad for the many happy, happy years you can given me. You just keep getting better and better ~ you amaze us constantly.
Jen, Missy and Laura~Happy Mother's Day! You are the best!

Unfinished Woman

"An Unfinished Woman"
by: -Jaroldeen Asplund Edwards


Here am I, Lord,
The dishes barely done and night long since fallen,
The children would not go to bed
And would not go and
Would not go
And now they are gone.
Gone to places of their own with children of their own
Who will not go to bed and will not go...
And I have taught them what I could and
They have learned the things they would
And now they've gone their way alone to learn the rest
Most on their own.

And I remain, not half spent.
And I remain, not yet content,
So much to do, so much to learn.
So much to fell, so much to yearn.
My past mistakes make stepping-stones,
Not millstones great around my neck but
Stones to guide my searching feet
And I must search; I'm incomplete.

I watch my years go tumbling by
And I must use them better, I
Have yet so much to learn and do
Before I can return to You.

The hour is late. The night comes on,
My celestial self I would become.
Ah! What wisdom thou gavest to mortal life---

I,
As sister, mother, daughter, wife
In earthly roles have seen Thy face.
In my womanly life Thy heavenly place
Is taught through humble tasks and pain.
So, if royal robes I would obtain,
To wear as all Thy glories burst
I'll need to do the laundry first.

Making Up~With Julia Mae

Have you ever thought about how weird it really is to put on make-up every day? I have.


I have found it quite interesting that the trends keep changing and just knowing how to do eye make-up requires a booklet once a year, if you want to be in the know. But for me, that is not so important. One thing I learned a while ago is that brown eye shadow works best for me even though I am fair and have blue eyes. I am sure some experts must be gasping right now. Sorry I just can't do the colors.

I also discovered (last woman on the planet to do so, no doubt) something called "bronzer" not too terribly long ago and I love it. It give you a bit of sunshine on your face and for a pale person like me, this helps. Applying it on the apples of your cheeks and a slight dab on the forehead nose and chin makes you look a little more colorful and healthy.

Now when I discovered that as you age your lips actually get wrinkled I was aghast. Never in my life did I suppose such a thing. I found that if you use a lip liner which is drier than a moisturizing lipstick, it acts like a little dam and keeps the oily part of the lipstick in the right place. It kind of reminds me of the way ants will not cross over a line of flour sprinkled on the floor.

So all this is leading up to this adorable self-portrait that Julia did for her art project in her third grade class for the Art Show. Whenever we have visited their house since she was tiny, little Julia has been at my elbow observing the making up ritual of her Gramma. She always wants me to put some on her too.

I have loved this time with her and enjoyed her 'girliness' to the maximum. I really had a wonderful laugh and sweet feelings when I saw her portrait. I was not laughing at the wonderful job that she has done on this art project but it just tickled me that she was 'silent notes taking' in those precious little Gramma and Julia moments we have shared. Here is the portrait:

Isn't she beautiful? Love the new glasses!
Check the bronzer, the liner...the brown eye shadow...
the subtlety...

This beautiful little girl doesn't need any make-up at all.
I love her with all my heart!
She is my Sparkly Jewel!