tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54568982303635393142024-03-05T02:35:18.532-07:00Mmmboppin'mother of twins Utah blog, tantrums, what to do with your kids, fun things to do with your kids, stay at home mom, making crafts, eating cupcakes, loving life, mommy blog.Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.comBlogger978125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-53854465181365726642014-07-21T22:30:00.000-06:002014-07-21T22:30:05.640-06:00Maggie's Hello Kitty Party!<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
For Maggie's 7th Birthday party last October, she decided on a Hello Kitty theme. I was 100% on board because when I was a youngster I was pretty obsessed with the little feline as well. She is seriously cute.</div>
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I made these cute little favor bags for the guests. Inside we put a little kitty ear headband that Mags and I made and a cute pair of sunglasses with a bow on the side. We also left room for candy since Maggie wanted a pinata. Why wouldn't you want a piñata for your 7th birthday?</div>
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Speaking of piñata, here it is: </div>
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Although it's not a complete masterpiece and wonder of the world like that {<a href="http://www.megs-hinckley.blogspot.com/2014/07/will-and-colemans-aquabats-super-show.html">floating eye of death one</a>}, I think it turned out fabulous. I made this one with the {<a href="http://amelieshouse.blogspot.com/2012/03/how-to-make-character-pinata.html">cardboard method</a>} (as opposed to the paper maché method I used before). I just cut out the shape from cardboard, tossed in the candy, taped it up, and then decorated it in the traditional way with fringed crepe paper and construction paper for the cute kitty features. This one was about an hour of work compared to the 8 hours for the Floating Eye of Death. I really enjoyed making each type of piñata, but if you're thinking of making a foray into the fabulous world of piñata making, try the cardboard. It was pretty simple. </div>
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One of my other favorite party details was this window: It is at the front of our house and I thought it was a great way to welcome guests. It was so cute I left it up for a few days. I was really sad to take it down--could have been a great addition to the neighborhood and a local landmark ("go east and take a right after the Hello Kitty house").</div>
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I printed out a lot of cute Hello Kitty coloring pages for guests to color when they arrived. My adorable niece Mary did an excellent job on hers.</div>
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So did Maggie and her bff Maiya.</div>
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Maggie chose chocolate cake with pink frosting. I got the sugar Hello Kitty cupcake decorations at Walmart. </div>
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I made this banner using a cursive font that reminded me of the font used for Hello Kitty. </div>
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This was the very first "friend party" I have ever allowed my children to have. And maybe I should have started a little smaller? We had a house (or trampoline rather) full of giggling, jumping, squeeling girls. Maggie loved every second.</div>
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Maggie requested a photo shoot. All the girls (and two younger brothers) brought out their inner model:</div>
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Maggie</div>
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Coleman</div>
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Clara</div>
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Mary</div>
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Kamrie</div>
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Maiya</div>
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Rebecca</div>
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Will</div>
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Ashlin</div>
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Jada</div>
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Lilly</div>
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Kallie</div>
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The Dudes</div>
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Say hello to all of these cute kitties!</div>
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After the photo shoot we went out to the garage to bust open the piñata.</div>
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Then it was time for dinner! </div>
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We had goldfish crackers (kitties love those!), sandwiches cut out with hello kitty cookie cutters, strawberries, strawberry soda, and of course cake and ice cream.</div>
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We watched episodes of "Hello Kitty's Fairy Tale Theater" while we ate. In case you wonder, that just might be one of the dumbest shows ever made. But these kitties sure did lap it up. ha ha. </div>
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Happy 7th birthday sweet girl. We love you and are so proud of the beautiful, smart, helpful, and hilarious girl you are.</div>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-7633981810687920612014-07-08T17:21:00.001-06:002014-07-08T17:23:27.183-06:00Crying about Neymar<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Our family has been cheering for <span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Brazil</span> pretty hardcore during the <span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">World Cup</span> this summer. Coleman in particular has been really into it. <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">Neymar</span> is his favorite player. He talks about Neymar. He asked Dan to give him a haircut like Neymar. He kind of wants to <i>be</i> Neymar.</div>
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<a href="http://media.indiatimes.in/media/content/2014/Jun/neymar-goal_1402719417_540x540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" class="irc_mi" src="http://media.indiatimes.in/media/content/2014/Jun/neymar-goal_1402719417_540x540.jpg" height="300" style="margin-top: 0px;" width="400" /></a></div>
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So, when Neymar was injured, recieving a fractured vertebrae during the game against Columbia last week, Coleman took it very hard. </div>
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Though, maybe not as hard as this poor Brazilian baby:</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/N3uRwYGY5Ys?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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But pretty hard. </div>
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Today is Coleman and Will's birthday. I've been pampering them (breakfast in bed, restaurant for lunch, skipping out on football camp, no chores, etc.) and I think its been a pretty great day. But i found Coleman crying today on the couch saying "This is the worst birthday ever."</div>
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I asked him what was up.</div>
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He looked at me with a look that said <i>duh</i> and cried, "<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Mom! Its because of Neymar.</span>"</div>
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I didn't have the heart to tell him about the Brazilian massacre at the hands of the Germans that was on TV in the next room. No birthday kid should have to deal with that.</div>
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Neymar, we love you. Get better so that kids around the world can stop crying.</div>
<br />Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-8478576197420328992014-07-06T17:40:00.000-06:002014-07-06T17:40:37.013-06:00Jesus Said Love Everyone<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmmj71hWyoqJNiI6UB85rT3_buYUlXtMt9FkhzhrGEpRmqMlIC7dp392ufbEIfIZN2jb1Pe59xezAxcjzDa4mnhxKyQwFpR_M3fwX20Z_O4TgQjYXSNXSHwzOMSRip1K9J4vZXoqOnBY/s1600/pool-of-bethesda-carl-bloch-83121-gallery.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmmj71hWyoqJNiI6UB85rT3_buYUlXtMt9FkhzhrGEpRmqMlIC7dp392ufbEIfIZN2jb1Pe59xezAxcjzDa4mnhxKyQwFpR_M3fwX20Z_O4TgQjYXSNXSHwzOMSRip1K9J4vZXoqOnBY/s1600/pool-of-bethesda-carl-bloch-83121-gallery.jpg" height="313" width="400" /></a></div>
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I had a chat this week with Hillary, one of my best friends from growing up. She texted me wanting to have an intelligent conversation about recent events about the Mormons in the news. We talked about our understandings and opinions of things and how sad we were at the portrayal of the church in the media, and the hurt feelings and heartache on both sides of the divide. We ended our conversation with expressing our hope that Mormons could just be nicer to each other in general. Hillary said, "I think they should sing <span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">'Jesus Said Love Everyone'</span> at church for every song." Amen, Hill. That'd be great. Plus, its short so my kids would like that.<br />
<br />
After I talked to Hill, I got to thinking about the presidency lesson I needed to give in Relief Society--I decided to teach about <span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">kindness</span>.<br />
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Here is my lesson:<br />
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Our world is very
diverse. Our church is diverse as well. We have members throughout the world.
We speak many different languages. We have many different jobs. We believe in
the same doctrine and sustain the same prophet but we also have different ideas
and convictions. We belong to different political parties. We may think
differently about the things we eat. We may think differently about the media
we may choose to use. We raise our children differently. We think differently
about what type of behaviors and manners are appropriate and acceptable.</span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We are just very different.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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The differences we have used to
really bother me. I used to wonder how it could be that all of us don’t feel
the same way about ________________________ (fill in the blank). Shouldn’t we
all feel the exact same way about everything in the world? We are members of
the only true church--we should be the same. Or should we?<o:p></o:p></div>
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As I have pondered our differences
and why they exist I have realized that Heavenly Father puts great trust in us.
He directs us on the important things and has blessed us with the Holy Ghost,
the scriptures, prayers, prophets, and our smart little brains to find and live
the truth that we seek about things. Some things, no matter how important they
may seem to us just are simply not that important in the grand scheme of things.
They don’t have any eternal consequence. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What are some things that you or other people have strong opinions
about that probably don’t really matter in the eternal scheme of things?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Breastfeeding/bottle feeding<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Sports team loyalties</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Comparing yourself with other’s accomplishments<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Political parties<o:p></o:p></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Being vegetarian</div>
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Okay, I have
established that we are very different. And we are very passionate. And some of
the things that we are passionate about are not eternally significant. <o:p></o:p></div>
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During the General Women’s Meeting this spring, Sister Bonnie
Oscarson said:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">To be sisters implies that there is
an unbreakable bond between us. Sisters take care of each other, watch out for
each other, comfort each other, and are there for each other through thick and
thin. The Lord has said, “I say unto you, be one; and if ye are not one ye are
not mine.”</span><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 7.5pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/sisterhood-oh-how-we-need-each-other?lang=eng#2-10985_000_62oscarson"><span style="color: #486fae; font-size: 7.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">2</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></sup></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The adversary would have us be critical or
judgmental of one another. He wants us to concentrate on our differences and
compare ourselves to one another. You may love to exercise vigorously for an
hour each day because it makes you feel so good, while I consider it to be a
major athletic event if I walk up one flight of stairs instead of taking the
elevator. We can still be friends, can’t we? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">We as women can be particularly hard on
ourselves. When we compare ourselves to one another, we will always feel
inadequate or resentful of others. Sister Patricia T. Holland once said,
“The point is, we simply cannot call ourselves <a href="http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ"><span style="color: #2f393a;">Christian</span></a> and
continue to judge one another—or ourselves—so harshly.”</span><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 7.5pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"><a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/04/sisterhood-oh-how-we-need-each-other?lang=eng#3-10985_000_62oscarson"><span style="color: #486fae; font-size: 7.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">3</span></a></span></sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> She
goes on to say that there is nothing that is worth us losing our compassion and
sisterhood over. We just need to relax and rejoice in our divine differences.
We need to realize that we all desire to serve in the kingdom, using our unique
talents and gifts in our own ways. Then we can enjoy our sisterhood and our
associations and begin to serve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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I love that!
We are sisters. Raise your hand if you have a sister in your family. Raise your
hand if you are exactly the same—same opinions, same problems, same accomplishments.
Raise your hand if you sometimes can’t believe how different you are having
been raised in the same house. Now, Raise your hand if you LOVE your sister.
Sisters are the best thing. Nobody makes me laugh as hard as my sister. I joke
with my sister that I have to borrow some of grandma’s depends when we get
together—I laugh that hard. My sister and I don’t always agree but nothing
can or will ever change the love that I feel for her or the support that I hope
to be to her throughout our lives.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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When we were
getting together for presidency meeting a few months back, Teren texted this to
Melissa, Raquel, and me:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span><o:p style="text-indent: 0.5in;"></o:p><img class="irc_mi" height="393" src="http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/83/99/07/8399074a36178904069b52086b432de0.jpg" style="margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 0.5in;" width="393" /></div>
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<br /></div>
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We all agreed
that we feel that way about our sibling sisters as well as about each
other—sisters in the presidency and sisters in Relief Society. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Sister Oscarson said, “There is an
unbreakable bond between us... there is nothing worth us losing our compassion
and sisterhood over.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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And yet I see
so often on facebook and elsewhere on the internet (chiefly in non-face-to-face
communication) such ugly and unkind ways of communicating. When addressing
those with whom we share a difference of opinion, we often let the difference
of opinion overshadow the “friend” we are communicating with. We are often
disrespectful, rude, and hurtful and I think we must do it without thinking. I
think it is easier to say unkind things when you are hiding behind a screen and
not looking the person in the face. When I
disagree with a statement made by a friend on facebook or an article or post on
the internet I ask myself if I really need to state my opinion in response? And
if I decided that I need to how I can do it in a loving way. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">How do you respond when a friend states an
opinion that you don’t agree with? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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My
kindergarten teacher had a poster of Thumper the Rabbit from the movie Bambi
hanging in our classroom. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Does anyone
remember the great quote that Thumper’s mama taught him? </b>“If you can’t say
somethin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is a simple thing, but one that I try to think of more often. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Elder Joseph
B. Wirthlin said:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">When
we are filled with <span style="background: #FEFBBF; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">kindness</span>, we are not
judgmental. The Savior taught, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn
not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.”</span><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 7.5pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> <a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/the-virtue-of-kindness?lang=eng&query=kindness#4-"><span style="color: #486fae; font-size: 7.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none; vertical-align: baseline;">4</span></a> </span></sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">He also taught that “with
what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it
shall be measured to you again.”</span><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 7.5pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> <a href="https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2005/04/the-virtue-of-kindness?lang=eng&query=kindness#5-"><span style="color: #486fae; font-size: 7.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none; vertical-align: baseline;">5</span></a></span></sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“But,” you ask, “what if people are rude?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Love them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“If they are obnoxious?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Love them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“But what if they offend? Surely I must do
something then?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Love them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Wayward?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">The answer is the same. Be kind. Love them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Why?
In the scriptures Jude taught, “And of some have compassion, making a
difference.”</span><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 7.5pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></sup><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Who can tell what far-reaching impact we can
have if we are only kind?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
There are
quite a few primary songs that go along with that same message. These are the
songs that we all probably still have swimming around in the backs of our
brains somewhere. My friend Hillary does and she sings them to her cute baby. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
-Jesus said
love everyone<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
-I’m Trying to
Be Like Jesus<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
-We are
Different<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
-Kindness
Begins with Me<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
These songs
remind me that one of the greatest lessons Christ taught was the importance of
being kind. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Can I have someone read Matthew 22: 37-40? <o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FEFBBF; line-height: 16.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">37 </span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Jesus said unto him, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 16.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="38"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #486fae; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: 38;"></span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">38 </span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This is the first and great commandment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 16.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="39"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #486fae; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: 39;"></span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">39 </span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">And the second <i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">is</span></i> like
unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 16.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="40"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #486fae; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;"> </span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: 40;"></span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">40 </span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: Georgia; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">On these two commandments hang all
the law and the prophets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
Before I go on, I want to
clarify that I am not advocating that we never speak up when things are
contrary to our beliefs. When others are engaging in activities or beliefs
contrary to the doctrines and policies of the church we should not go along
with it just so as not to be rude. However, I see the need for us to consider
more carefully <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> we respond. This
has been on my mind a lot lately. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
President Hinckley said:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">“Let us reach out with love and kindness to
those who would revile against us. I think frequently of the words of Edwin
Markham as he put them in that little verse:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">He drew a circle that shut me out—</span></i><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout.</span></i><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">But Love and I had the wit to win:</span></i><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">We drew a circle that took him in!<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 13.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">In the spirit of the Christ who advised us to
turn the other cheek, let us try to overcome evil with good.”</span><span style="background-color: transparent; text-indent: 0.5in;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
While I was on
my mission it often helped me in my teaching to think of my own sister or
brothers and imagine that the person I was teaching was actually my brother or
my sister. When I would become frustrated with an investigator or wondered if
my visits to a less active member made any difference to them I would think,
“if this was my sister would I want missionaries to give up on her? Never.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
We are all
brothers and sisters. We need to draw a circle of love around our differences. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
President Hinckley told the
following story:<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">I have
permission to tell you the story of a young man who grew up in our community.
He was not a member of the Church. He and his parents were active in another
faith.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">He recalls that when he was growing up, some of
his LDS associates belittled him, made him feel out of place, and poked fun at
him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">He came to literally hate this Church and its
people. He saw no good in any of them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Then his father lost his employment and had to
move. In the new location, at the age of 17, he was able to enroll in college.
There, for the first time in his life, he felt the warmth of friends, one of
whom, named Richard, asked him to join a club of which he was president. He
writes: “For the first time in my life someone wanted me around. I didn’t know
how to react, but thankfully I joined. … It was a feeling that I loved, the
feeling of having a friend. I had prayed for one my whole life. And now after
17 years of waiting, God answered that prayer.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">At
the age of 19 he found himself as a tent partner with Richard during their
summer employment. He noticed Richard reading a book every night. He asked what
he was reading. He was told that he was reading the<a href="http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/book-of-mormon"><span style="color: #2f393a;">Book
of Mormon</span></a>. He adds: “I quickly changed the subject and went to bed.
After all, that is the book that ruined my childhood. I tried forgetting about
it, but a week went by and I couldn’t sleep. Why was he reading it every night?
I soon couldn’t stand the unanswered questions in my head. So one night I asked
him what was so important in that book. What was in it? He handed me the book.
I quickly stated that I never wanted to touch the book. I just wanted to know
what was in there. He started to read where he had stopped. He read about Jesus
and about an appearance in the Americas. I was shocked. I didn’t think that the
Mormons believed in Jesus.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Richard
asked him to sing in a stake conference choir with him. The day came and the
conference started. “Elder Gary J. Coleman from the First Quorum of the Seventy
was the guest speaker. I found out during the conference that he also [was a
convert]. At the end Richard proceeded to pull me by the arm up to talk to him.
I finally agreed, and as I was approaching him he turned and smiled at me. I
introduced myself and said that I wasn’t a member and that I had just come to
sing in the choir. He smiled and said he was happy that I was there and stated
that the music was great. I asked him how he knew the Church was true. He told
me a short version of his testimony and asked if I had <a href="http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/book-of-mormon"><span style="color: #2f393a;">read
the Book of Mormon</span></a>. I said no. He promised me that the first time I
read it, I would feel the Spirit.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">On a subsequent occasion this young man and his
friend were traveling. Richard handed him a Book of Mormon and asked that he
read it aloud. He did so, and suddenly the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
touched him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Time passed and his faith increased. He agreed
to be baptized. His parents opposed him, but he went forward and was baptized a
member of this Church.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">His testimony continues to strengthen. Only a
few weeks ago he was married to a beautiful Latter-day Saint girl for time and
eternity in the Salt Lake Temple. Elder Gary J. Coleman performed his sealing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; margin-bottom: 15.0pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">That is the end of the story, but there are
great statements in that story. One is the sorry manner in which his young
Mormon associates treated him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Next
is the manner in which his newfound friend Richard treated him. It was totally
opposite from his previous experience. It led to his conversion and <a href="http://lds.org/study/topics/baptism?lang=eng"><span style="color: #2f393a;">baptism</span></a> in
the face of terrible odds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #F9F6ED; line-height: 13.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">This
kind of miracle can happen and will happen when there is kindness, respect, and
love. Why do any of us have to be so mean and unkind to others? Why can’t all
of us reach out in friendship to everyone about us? Why is there so much
bitterness and animosity? It is not a part of the gospel of <a href="http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ"><span style="color: #2f393a;">Jesus
Christ</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Does anyone have a story they could share about how kindness affected
their life in a positive way?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin shared this experience: <span style="background: #F9F6ED; color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Kind words not only lift
our spirits in the moment they are given, but they can linger with us over the
years. One day, when I was in college, a man seven years my senior
congratulated me on my performance in a football game. He not only praised how
well I had done in the game, but he had noticed that I had showed good
sportsmanship. Even though this conversation happened more than 60 years ago,
and even though it’s highly unlikely the person who complimented me has any
recollection of this conversation, I still remember the kind words spoken to me
that day by Gordon B. Hinckley, who would later become President of the Church</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -22.5pt;">
I would like to close with
these words of President Monsen:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #2f393a; font-family: "Lucida Grande"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Beyond comprehension, my brothers and sisters,
is the love of God for us. Because of this love, He sent His Son, who loved us
enough to give His life for us, that we might have eternal life. As we come to
understand this incomparable gift, our hearts will be filled with love for our
Eternal Father, for our Savior, and for all mankind. That such may be so is my
earnest prayer in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-11713811008754052742014-07-01T22:58:00.000-06:002014-07-01T22:58:13.343-06:00Kindergarten Boys<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I taught kindergarten and my mama was a kindergarten teacher. I love kindergarten. But for some reason when it comes to being the parent of a kindergartener (or two) its a whole different ball game. I get so nervous about sending my babies to kindergarten! I know they will love it. I know its all going to be great. But letting my kids go to kindergarten just about kills me.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFsMb53Hicm22lq5Q-tH8mtv5AXBS7HWws7BEzc5WN-MJwzod2K-Ri3uxBG6y_xWoqG_aa42Uc1MgzvUu3jheqInwA8J0P_eP5dOH9wb5w4FtfH8gXq478beW6xOPYbe5YOI9xBO_siA/s640/blogger-image--150059343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFsMb53Hicm22lq5Q-tH8mtv5AXBS7HWws7BEzc5WN-MJwzod2K-Ri3uxBG6y_xWoqG_aa42Uc1MgzvUu3jheqInwA8J0P_eP5dOH9wb5w4FtfH8gXq478beW6xOPYbe5YOI9xBO_siA/s640/blogger-image--150059343.jpg" /></a></div>
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When I dropped Maggie off at her first day of kindergarten I cried. The next day I cried, too. And the next day. It was so traumatic to send my baby off all by herself.</div>
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But when I dropped my twin kindergarteners off to school, they hugged like this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeS6llFVydxEKvPo1g2lJGxHmXMY0Ubh8hX7QX6VCz_jHbdN0SEd6a8duj53X33yHENdYC7NTu-Am1pkwB6Wtjbu0oUDDv_tbqXDOqxvytLbgeXGq78ecBRdpzNDBQYRSP6HEJtAAEVY/s640/blogger-image-1324589416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpeS6llFVydxEKvPo1g2lJGxHmXMY0Ubh8hX7QX6VCz_jHbdN0SEd6a8duj53X33yHENdYC7NTu-Am1pkwB6Wtjbu0oUDDv_tbqXDOqxvytLbgeXGq78ecBRdpzNDBQYRSP6HEJtAAEVY/s640/blogger-image-1324589416.jpg" /></a></div>
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They had each other. And I knew that if one of them got nervous or scared or hurt or sad his brother would be there for him. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GC2r9JTA2z79AoRpSRwkaDeoSXhJGXcCRW_dL5AtjLmQPzrrvm4EbBfdIvADL1S6lhThNIkarVdzbzwz1SHizfEaQZeAS-nTBBgaDt6xrbPGgNXIM6a-K4VuT7TnDj-eP_3tYtJRRoI/s640/blogger-image--1877085289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4GC2r9JTA2z79AoRpSRwkaDeoSXhJGXcCRW_dL5AtjLmQPzrrvm4EbBfdIvADL1S6lhThNIkarVdzbzwz1SHizfEaQZeAS-nTBBgaDt6xrbPGgNXIM6a-K4VuT7TnDj-eP_3tYtJRRoI/s640/blogger-image--1877085289.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdnHyLJo9nz6cZpQJNqNKLLlGRporvrHBjXA_5eYUQmX3y9UMYlORKmpqP0mCW2UNJveF-H2F1jgReH2N1pO2eoeTd-0k0eIUTUPrXc5fEPPHAkB2dvg0_WAwFl_wNQezDr1kqd_AsHo/s640/blogger-image--720188406.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYdnHyLJo9nz6cZpQJNqNKLLlGRporvrHBjXA_5eYUQmX3y9UMYlORKmpqP0mCW2UNJveF-H2F1jgReH2N1pO2eoeTd-0k0eIUTUPrXc5fEPPHAkB2dvg0_WAwFl_wNQezDr1kqd_AsHo/s640/blogger-image--720188406.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoXoq2iHQTY-HVv1Q8LsRveQRqbjDwhngJ3rjWfulG7TgzdX3lY1VodATFdrBdlSswgt7VpqRsepPwfSFKqXk5p7F1aEprfnvsxo1GYWQsGCeXJQbHJ41EvlJ2F8j7uNHdicITjBUO9Q/s640/blogger-image-736423325.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoXoq2iHQTY-HVv1Q8LsRveQRqbjDwhngJ3rjWfulG7TgzdX3lY1VodATFdrBdlSswgt7VpqRsepPwfSFKqXk5p7F1aEprfnvsxo1GYWQsGCeXJQbHJ41EvlJ2F8j7uNHdicITjBUO9Q/s640/blogger-image-736423325.jpg" /></a></div>
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These boys were so happy to go to kindergarten together, so I didn't cry at all.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-42576706520550912532014-07-01T21:13:00.002-06:002014-07-01T21:13:15.016-06:00First Grade Girl<div style="text-align: center;">
My Maggie girl was so nervous about the start of school this year. In fact, she ended up crying and tantruming every day when I would drop her off. After a few weeks she was feeling more confident and less nervous. And I was learning some strategies to help her relax.</div>
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After a few rough weeks of anxiety Maggie settled in to a great year in Mrs. Herzog's class!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgq3tBOLl82fmyMAidNFbLbxFrLK_NR5CAqWITZiBxr8X4bWtxXF4xm0AC9Wz8wPUNm3dh5f2-J3Uwy9osOH6qnCnlteFNIuLXYNDyjPnXTSrnWnpuNRHjE5EDb1KvlKKuQowiG000qc/s640/blogger-image-998654308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijgq3tBOLl82fmyMAidNFbLbxFrLK_NR5CAqWITZiBxr8X4bWtxXF4xm0AC9Wz8wPUNm3dh5f2-J3Uwy9osOH6qnCnlteFNIuLXYNDyjPnXTSrnWnpuNRHjE5EDb1KvlKKuQowiG000qc/s640/blogger-image-998654308.jpg" /></a></div>
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I love my first grade girl!</div>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-27929608864644008762014-07-01T20:41:00.002-06:002014-07-01T20:41:55.009-06:00Back to School Dinner<div style="text-align: center;">
Taking a cue from my friend {<a href="http://www.ericasbloggityblog.com/2013/08/school-word-2013.html">Erica</a>}, we were inspired to have a back to school dinner to kick off the new school year and having three (3!!!?) kids in school. </div>
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Our theme for the school year is "<span style="color: orange;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: large;">Let's Rock</span>.</span>" One of our favorite movies is "School of Rock" and I really love the handshake that Dewey Finn teaches to Lawrence. At the end he says "let's rock, let's rock, today" while he dances his fingers across Lawrence's hand. Makes me cry its so inspirational. Just kidding. Not exactly inspiring but it definitely gets you pumped up to go out and stick it to the man! </div>
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I'm so nervous/excited about the school year and to have a first grader and two kindergarteners. I can't believe that my babies are growing up. But let's be honest, <span style="color: cyan; font-size: large;">they're gonna rock at school</span>.</div>
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Love my kids.</div>
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Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-5317468202919309022014-07-01T20:21:00.000-06:002014-07-01T20:21:00.489-06:00Namesake<div style="text-align: center;">
This baby <span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">Freddie</span> is the sweetest boy in the world. His name means "<span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">peaceful ruler</span>." He has always been exactly that-- a peaceful presence in our home.</div>
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He's so calm and happy. He loves to smile and laugh. His siblings adore him.</div>
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Freddie was named after his great grandfather <span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Fred Ivan Lambert</span>. Grandpa Lambert was a handy guy--an appliance repairman. It looks like Fred not only lives up to the meaning of his name but also the inclinations of his namesake. Whenever Dan works on something, especially if tools are involved, Freddie is right there in the action.</div>
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Cutest handyman you'll ever see. His dad's a major hottie, too.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-48608381634009300542014-07-01T01:34:00.001-06:002014-07-01T01:36:15.103-06:00Will and Coleman's Aquabats Super Show Party<div style="text-align: center;">
If you have never seen The Aquabats Super Show, run! don't walk! to your television and binge watch it on Netflix right now. Didja do it?</div>
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Your welcome.</div>
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Dan introduced our kids to the show last year and I would overhear it while I would do the laundry or dishes or other mom-ish type things and I would think "what is that ridiculous thing my kids are watching? is it killing their brains with its stupidity?"</div>
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Then one day I sat down and watched it with them and I laughed my tail off. If you see me walking around today you will not see my tail. Because it fell completely off from laughing at the ridiculousness and awesomeness of the Aquabats Super Show.</div>
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Our family quickly became obsessed with the show, and Coleman and Will decided on an Aquabats theme for their 5th birthday party. I made posters from the show to hang throughout the house with phrases from the show slightly changed to fit the party.</div>
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All of the food we served was given funny names we took from the show episodes. We served sliders but called them "tiny burgers" from episode 1. If you're familiar with the show you will understand the ectoplasmic residue and the good life donuts and the snakey snacks. We showed a few episodes of the show while we ate our lunch because our grandmas and aunts and uncles had no idea what the whole show was about. The aquabats gained many fans that day.</div>
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We decided that our family should go all out and wear aquabats costumes. I sewed the hats using fleece. I cut out the goggles from felt and made enough for all of the kids at the party. The t-shirts were made with a freezer paper stencil. </div>
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One of my favorite things that I have ever crafted in my entire life and one of the things I am most proud of creating is this <span style="color: lime; font-size: large;">Floating Eye of Death </span>pinata:</div>
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In each episode there is a villain that must be defeated and one of them is The Floating Eye of Death. I made the pinata with a big punch-ball balloon from the dollar store. I covered it with layers and layers of paper mache. I made the bumpy eye socket remains on the back of it with twisted strands of newspaper that I taped on to give it a good ridgy texture. Then I used pink crepe paper for the tentacles that hang down from it. I painted it and ta!da! its a Floating Eye of Death. </div>
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Senor Urish from Dixon Middle School in Provo, Utah, thank you for teaching me how to make a pinata in 8th grade Spanish class. Who knew it was such a fulfilling and enjoyable hobby? I guess you did.</div>
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Will is the most hilarious comedian. He loves to be silly. He's a great dancer. He's a very good and faithful friend. He brings me joy every day. Coleman is such an affectionate boy. He brightens every day for me with his hugs and kisses. He works hard and is a big helper. He expects a lot from himself and takes himself very seriously. These boys are best friends and the most adorable and sweet little team. They help each other. They cheer each other on. They are so lucky to have each other. And I'm so lucky to be their mom.</div>
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The Floating Eye of Death was defeated; and a super time was had by all.</div>
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Happy 5th birthday Will and Coleman. </div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-91409633721699195242014-07-01T01:05:00.000-06:002014-07-01T01:05:07.565-06:00Family Reunion-age<div style="text-align: center;">
Last summer we were so lucky to get to spend time together with our whole family. Courtney and Matt and their kids came and we went camping and swimming and playing. It was a dream.</div>
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Here are all of my mom and dad's grandkids. Such an adorable bunch.</div>
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And here's my sister with her famous "quick! put something on your head!" pose from childhood. Its a classic.</div>
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Her nieces and nephew learned from the best.</div>
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We went to Trafalga and rode my all time favorite ride that makes me scream and giggle every time: The Frog Hopper. Better than Prozac I tell you.</div>
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We want to adopt Sue. That little niece has us wrapped around her finger.</div>
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And we even got to see our Rasmussen cousins and wish cousin Whit well on her mission. Love that girl. Love all these girls. Best friends of mine for sure.</div>
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I totally get why the family is central to God's plan. Families are the best.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-48626899410556224542014-07-01T00:57:00.001-06:002014-07-01T00:57:08.592-06:00Freddie and Ira<div style="text-align: center;">
Freddie has an adorable little cousin named Ira. They are a month apart. Its been cute to see them grow up together. Here they are as <span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">tinies</span>.</div>
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Couldn't you just eat them right up!?</div>
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Twin cousins with<span style="color: #45818e; font-size: large;"> twin old man names</span>. The cuteness kills me.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-41173178302128743482014-07-01T00:54:00.001-06:002014-07-01T00:54:14.606-06:00Some Peeks at the House<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
We feel so blessed to be in our <span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">new house</span>. We love it. Besides still having a carpeted dining area like we had in our last house, I absolutely love the layout and flow. I love our neighbors. I just love it all. I took these pictures soon after we moved in to our house (look at that tiny Freddie on Maggie's bed!). I forgot to post them. Some things have already changed, but here' s a peek at some of the areas of our house: </div>
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This is Maggie's room. I really love it. Its so <span style="color: magenta; font-size: large;">girly and fun</span>. And since she is an artistic 7 year old girl we sometimes have struggles with each other and the way we think her room should be decorated. She has a tendency to add her own artistic flair by way of Hello Kitty wall decals and loads and loads of drawings and lists of room rules covering every surface. I'm learning to let go and let her be 7. She's a stinking cute 7 year old.</div>
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Here is my growing letter H collection. I got the chevron striped USA map thing at Swiss Days last year. I'm so excited about Swiss Days again! Dear cousin Emily, I still am obsessed with the ceramic H's you made me. Miss you.</div>
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Dan made me this gorgeous headboard. I feel like a real person now that I have a real bed. We used a plan from the Ana White website. She has an amazing database of plans for building just about anything. Check it out.</div>
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Dan also bought me that mirror as a surprise. It might be one of my favorite things in the whole house. I'm crazy about my husband.</div>
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Freddie shares his room with Dan's office and it is kind of a neglected space. I need to put more effort into it. But here's the <span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">twins' room</span>. Pretty adorable. Its covered in Legos half the time, though so watch your step. If you want to come visit us (which you totally should by the way!) this is also our guest room. I'll even put mints on your pillow. And I'll clean up all the Legos.</div>
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I'll have to take some pictures of the rest of the house, including our yard that Dan is working his tail off on. Its so fun to make a house your own by putting <span style="color: orange; font-size: large;"><b>your own stamp </b></span>on it. </div>
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Come visit us. Or better yet, buy one of the cute houses next door. We make great neighbors. </div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-58591883311049772832014-07-01T00:33:00.001-06:002014-07-01T00:33:14.297-06:00Goblin Valley<div style="text-align: center;">
Last year we went to <span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Goblin Valley</span>. I had forgotten what a great place that is. My kids were in heaven climbing on every formation and scaling every wall. My nephews chased lizards. Cam and Elston brought their darling doggie Pinto. Dad wore his authentic Mexican cowboy hat. And I carried Freddie around in a sling. It was a dream vacation.</div>
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We'll see you again soon, <span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Goblin Valley</span>. I promise I'll never forget how cool you are ever again.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-86205477111745962302014-07-01T00:28:00.002-06:002014-07-01T00:28:23.657-06:00Ornament Party 2012<div style="text-align: center;">
Every year my family has an <span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">ornament exchange party</span>. It all started because our neighbor and wonderful family friend, Kristen, would invite our parents to her ornament exchange party and it seemed like a truly magical event to us kids. Mom and Dad would slave over creating beautiful Christmas ornaments and then they would go to the party and return with beautiful ornaments that others had slaved over to create. It was so amazing and Christmasy. I always wanted to participate. Eventually we decided to do one as a family and I look forward to it every year. </div>
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Because this is our family and we have <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">a million stories and inside jokes</span>, we think its fun to occassionally incorporate these into our ornaments. So, some ornaments require a bit of an explanation.</div>
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This was mine:</div>
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Our dad grew up in Tooele and each year we go back over memorial day weekend to visit our grandpa and grandma's graves. It is customary to sing the <span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">Tooele High</span> fight song on the drive. What? You don't do this? That's weird. The song starts out, "Here's a tiger to Tooele High" so of course I had to put a tiger on it. I think it turned out quite fantastically. And I was happy my dad won it to keep.</div>
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Dan got Joel's beautiful copper wire chili pepper.</div>
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This was my dad's amazing carved Santa spoon. We all look forward to Dad's carvings.</div>
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Mom made this adorable little pine cone elf.</div>
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Beth's ornament was an inside joke and I'm so glad I won it. See, in chemistry class back in '98, there was this kid that asked the teacher all sorts of off the wall questions. One day he began his weird question by saying "Ms. Werner, if your urine smells sweet..." and before he could get any further I burst out laughing. Uncontrollable laughter. I never thought that I'd hear a discussion about urine in 11th grade chemistry class, but there I was. Ms. Werner, to her credit, remained calm and said quickly, "Ignore her!" Then I think she went on to discuss the topic with this student. But I don't know. I was laughing too hard. </div>
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Anyway, here's my lovely bottle of sweet urine that I get to decorate my tree with. Still makes me laugh to think about it. I also wonder what it was that was making that kid's urine so sweet and what he was doing smelling it.</div>
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My kids made these cute little cupcake ornaments.</div>
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Clara, or was it Mary? I'm forgetting now, made this cute little clay ornament. I'm pretty sure it was a boat. I'm also sure its way adorable. </div>
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Link and Ash made these cute stilts to commemorate the stilts that Joel made and mastered the skill of using in his youth. But then Courtney broke them and Joel held the split wood in his hands and wept, yelling, "AW!!! I WAS A PRO!" He was a pro. And now we have this ornament to remember it.</div>
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One night in the early 90's Joel and Cam decided to stay up late and record a "radio show" on our cassette player. In order to do this, Joel got off the top bunk and moved down to the bottom bunk of the bed with Cam. The "radio report" began thusly, "This is Cam and Joel, I repeat, this is Cam and Joel. We are both in the same bed which is <span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">very daring against Mom</span>."</div>
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It was daring. But they lived to tell the tale. And their radio show was great. So is this ornament.</div>
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Dan's masterpiece comes to us from a styrofoam ball and a bunch of green feathers he constructed into an enormous bird. A commanding presence on any Christmas tree.</div>
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Elston made this cool candle holding ornament.</div>
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It was an excellent time with excellent ornaments. Can't wait for next year.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-12417128513229578062014-06-30T23:42:00.000-06:002014-06-30T23:44:51.232-06:00Sunset Second Summer Book Club<div style="text-align: center;">
I am not great at <span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">book clubs</span>. I'm not great at them because I have a hard time remembering to actually <i>get</i> the book I need to read before its too late. But my wonderful, witty, smart, and fun friend Michele started a neighborhood summer book club when we lived in Lehi and it was absolutely delightful. We read short-ish fiction that was do-able for me with 3 little kids. We ate yumm-o treats and laughed a lot. I love Michele and I miss her--she was a great teacher and I learned a lot from her.</div>
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But then each summer I would choose one of my favorite holocaust books for the book club and no one would come. Oh well. I guess people don't love that genre as much as I do. I realize it was one of the most horrific things that has ever happened. But there is so much good and strength in the stories. The stories change me.</div>
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Despite the fact that there were <span style="color: #e69138; font-size: large;">only 3 of us</span> in attendance, I still made decorations. And Michele and Lela and I still had a great time. And<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"> I ate many cupcakes</span>. </div>
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Tell me again, why do I have trouble with my weight? I don't get it!</div>
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I do love parites. And I do love the book <i>Yellow Star. </i>Read it. </div>
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And tell me about how it changed your life. And then maybe I will throw you a party. Small parties are great too.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-32211188181227679352014-06-30T23:30:00.000-06:002014-06-30T23:30:05.225-06:00Guilt and Stress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I have an overactive guilt complex. This has been my life for as long as I can remember. In general, I go about feeling like a bad person. I worry about what I have done and what people think about me. I worry about what I haven't done and what people think about me. I worry about every. dang. thing. in the world. I'm not proud of this fact or happy about it. But I try to ignore it and get on with my life. That's why I like to laugh a lot--it helps me forget that I feel bad.<br />
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Lately I've been feeling bad that I've neglected this here ol' blog. I love this blog. When I look back and read it, it makes me deliriously happy. I'm so happy that I have the memories of raising my sweet kids and decorating my little Lehi house, making friends, and throwing parties. And writing. Oh how I love writing!<br />
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But part of my guilt is that I feel too overwhelmed to start the blog up again. Its been too long. There's too much to say. And my adorable sweet Freddie isn't on this blog as much as he deserves to be. That makes me feel bad. At girls' camp last week one of the leaders asked me how I keep a record on my family and I thought about my blog and how I haven't written on it in a year and it almost made me cry.<br />
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So, to heck with the guilt. I'm going to post some things that are old--some things that I want to remember. I know its like 2 years or so overdue. Oh well. You're welcome to read. I just need to get some things posted so that my guilt can subside.<br />
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P.S. Good to see you here again.Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-43245176868564287092013-04-07T16:12:00.000-06:002013-04-07T16:12:00.181-06:00Price(y) Birthday PartiesMaggie has been invited to several birthday parties for her classmates at school, where the whole class is invited to parties at the bowling alley or the wave pool. Seems kind of expensive to me, but I haven't really priced it out to see how bad the damage really is to the pocket book.<br />
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Anyway, I went along to chaperone Maggie at Maddix's party a couple of weeks ago. It was at the wave pool and a real live Power Ranger came. Maggie thought it was super cool even though she was too shy to go over and give him a high five with the other kids.<br />
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Pretty impressive. Its looking like the stakes are pretty high here as far as parties are concerned. And I thought my parties were good if they had cupcakes. </div>
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Do kids have big parties with the whole class invited where you live?</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-86312970331644422162013-04-06T15:57:00.000-06:002013-04-06T15:57:00.647-06:00Rub a Dub Dub 3 Boys in a TubFreddie is doted on by his older siblings. And one of the favorite things about having a baby brother is taking a turn to hold him in the bathtub.<br />
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We sure feel lucky to have such sweet and cute boys in our family.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-22223542663896181432013-04-05T15:54:00.000-06:002013-04-05T15:54:00.892-06:00How do you Spell That?Dan brought home 2 big boxes of old highway sign letters. For family night we cleaned them up and sorted them in alphabetical order.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLss8Ll9rvnt_1vQsrAROH6f_t785kseCp4sfgapmyusVtkTZA7z2H_-16sZ5VOIcjOuHN1Kup5mFX_lz5YXhLD8XcqPSx16lq1vS5356ZN4f9ObmaI_UIqvG20kAtdmmMeYiVNl3u4RU/s640/blogger-image--1923466285.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLss8Ll9rvnt_1vQsrAROH6f_t785kseCp4sfgapmyusVtkTZA7z2H_-16sZ5VOIcjOuHN1Kup5mFX_lz5YXhLD8XcqPSx16lq1vS5356ZN4f9ObmaI_UIqvG20kAtdmmMeYiVNl3u4RU/s640/blogger-image--1923466285.jpg" /></a></div>
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We can't wait to decorate our house with words and come up with other fun ways to use this haul. Nice find, Dan!</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-66767500212381354932013-04-04T15:52:00.000-06:002013-04-04T15:52:00.271-06:00Toothless Wonder<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7UG1UJOH_dN2uM87Te85Kx4nKsaATk9aGo2nLW-GXTI_OBKFDRkiuhXvV5FtWq0OOxzRPx9xNfafw7L1YaPwSmjCnJvpcYq0fGiC_QFOD66kMeyZoKn6cPM7B-sJ5kjGVZk93-zl5Wo/s640/blogger-image--1378808364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7UG1UJOH_dN2uM87Te85Kx4nKsaATk9aGo2nLW-GXTI_OBKFDRkiuhXvV5FtWq0OOxzRPx9xNfafw7L1YaPwSmjCnJvpcYq0fGiC_QFOD66kMeyZoKn6cPM7B-sJ5kjGVZk93-zl5Wo/s640/blogger-image--1378808364.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0aDEQo5eq6SPub2uxcJvxR0R1NPXzrJXFaFQ28xdfFb7eQPrC9Xj-V3y65vvkXPIxNj8EPAmrdYQSHLglLNpPduNOqLoILzVG0Za7cOvke1bRAPcOQnQD8Cib3_JoEjVsOeTeOv9xyc/s640/blogger-image--455028087.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie0aDEQo5eq6SPub2uxcJvxR0R1NPXzrJXFaFQ28xdfFb7eQPrC9Xj-V3y65vvkXPIxNj8EPAmrdYQSHLglLNpPduNOqLoILzVG0Za7cOvke1bRAPcOQnQD8Cib3_JoEjVsOeTeOv9xyc/s640/blogger-image--455028087.jpg" /></a></div>
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Maggie's front tooth came out a few weeks ago. She got accidentally knocked over on the playground. Her teacher called me because her mouth was bleeding and when we got home we found out that her front tooth that had been loose before was now hanging on by a thread.</div>
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Our girl is now toothless. And we think she's super cute.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-46702182898713377352013-04-03T15:20:00.000-06:002013-04-03T15:20:00.050-06:00Our Little WriterOnce Maggie got a grasp of the alphabet she just started writing--letters, numbers, and soon words. As her writing develops I love reading it and seeing her grow. Here's a bit of her latest school work:<br />
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"I feel lucky when I get to see my grandma." </div>
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(My mom was coming that day, I think Maggie was a little excited about it.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwJ6FPkdoDnnQFbrWQt0IybLRxtYjV2KNWHyeof58X9nZ6nfsXieWvGZ9OvePg0Silvy1m6svKzW37I3ZM0ju8QSORFyKlE6x0C71ldxbSJLZvhyphenhyphensuwfP4GmiyVMJcOf8hhpXTXpGc0o/s640/blogger-image--142915757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwJ6FPkdoDnnQFbrWQt0IybLRxtYjV2KNWHyeof58X9nZ6nfsXieWvGZ9OvePg0Silvy1m6svKzW37I3ZM0ju8QSORFyKlE6x0C71ldxbSJLZvhyphenhyphensuwfP4GmiyVMJcOf8hhpXTXpGc0o/s640/blogger-image--142915757.jpg" /></a></div>
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This one made me laugh. "I have Learned to not posh My Bthr." I asked her if it said, "I have learned to not push my brother." She said, "Not push, PUNCH!"</div>
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So I guess pushing is still ok.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-41813612140578544102013-04-02T14:07:00.000-06:002013-04-02T14:07:00.487-06:00Kindergarten Immunizations Times TwoI can't believe its almost time for Will and Coleman to go to kindergarten! But before I could sign them up we had to head to the doctor's office for shots. Immunizing twins is no joke. Their appointments take forever and then by the time they are both weighed and measured they are pretty ready to just go home.<br />
But there's the shots.<br />
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Normally, the first twin gets the shots and starts screaming and the second twin is in an absolute state of terror before the nurse even has their shots ready.<br />
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But at our new doctor's office in Price, this nurse was smart. She sent Coleman out in the hall to read stories with another nurse while Will got his shots. Then Cole came bounding in the room unaware of what he was in for. Brilliant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZisgIqArV1kv0shD-kWggg22ZmZgMj4lCLMQRhEiqlqFvvH5Sojq0lASl8zgEWS4XLZvodmcJiVI7GVeHT9bSQixOnvNtmLxZhkbAj9EApotP4Pv1i9yq6SbpbgJL8hNBb1CwbbnrPGU/s640/blogger-image-629076923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZisgIqArV1kv0shD-kWggg22ZmZgMj4lCLMQRhEiqlqFvvH5Sojq0lASl8zgEWS4XLZvodmcJiVI7GVeHT9bSQixOnvNtmLxZhkbAj9EApotP4Pv1i9yq6SbpbgJL8hNBb1CwbbnrPGU/s640/blogger-image-629076923.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyOdwO87ZSqv8aylxo1I0KfaeDESnopX0KZmMSyc7LwoqilHkeI9xnOuFm3nSN4DQPlCZbJ__VfM2q3WBvppAzsLyfkh9Hd37rs24opOxmevsOPo-1oVDBny4GR7e9uJqkUSJ0cD6014/s640/blogger-image-1373069456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtyOdwO87ZSqv8aylxo1I0KfaeDESnopX0KZmMSyc7LwoqilHkeI9xnOuFm3nSN4DQPlCZbJ__VfM2q3WBvppAzsLyfkh9Hd37rs24opOxmevsOPo-1oVDBny4GR7e9uJqkUSJ0cD6014/s640/blogger-image-1373069456.jpg" /></a></div>
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To celebrate being kindergarten ready and surviving the shots, we stopped for ice cream.</div>
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The sad part came a few days later when Will got a big bump at the injection site and had to get antibiotics to combat an infection. He came through it great though and now we have 2 boys ready for school in the fall!</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-51770994921068583712013-04-01T16:35:00.001-06:002013-04-01T16:35:11.219-06:00Ode to Easter Monday<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmc1-5fkPt9zY9-UC4DJ4FewQIdO_-1Ymnh-hhSVHpmKWJ04l6bPnB0G9gyTeQ-9NZE1wfyQJ_231bsy5l4-7_0OrNO3E5SeXn3IBOXPkmLkcX_OEUMr8ZJpH1vaf8LaJVXNaJr3HECeU/s640/blogger-image-1387887616.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="513" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmc1-5fkPt9zY9-UC4DJ4FewQIdO_-1Ymnh-hhSVHpmKWJ04l6bPnB0G9gyTeQ-9NZE1wfyQJ_231bsy5l4-7_0OrNO3E5SeXn3IBOXPkmLkcX_OEUMr8ZJpH1vaf8LaJVXNaJr3HECeU/s640/blogger-image-1387887616.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I really like weird holidays. Tiny little orange-bearded men who play tricks and hoard gold? yes. Celebrating skeletons, ghosts, and other dead and creepy things? sign me up. Eating an insane amount of food in recognition of my gratitude? definitely. Throwing buckets of water or dousing girls with perfume at the advent of Easter? why the heck not!?</div>
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Easter Monday is my kind of holiday. Hungarians visit their lady friends, recite poetry, and then spritz or douse or drench them in hopes that they will continue to grow and blossom like a flower. Romantic. Sweet. And maybe a little mean (if its done with a bucket). Then the girl repays the male visitor by giving him an Easter Egg dyed red. What great fun. </div>
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In honor of Easter Monday, I've written a little verse:</div>
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This perfume sprayed upon your head,</div>
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Will be rewarded with an egg that's red.</div>
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The moisture spritzed with scented power,</div>
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Will make your beauty blossom as a flower.</div>
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And you, my dear, must always know,</div>
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Easter sprinkling makes the flowers grow.</div>
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If you can't come up with a cheesey poem of your own to read to your sweetie on a special holiday like today, you're welcome to borrow mine.</div>
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Happy Easter Monday!</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-83913917419396614912013-04-01T16:05:00.000-06:002013-04-01T16:05:28.239-06:00Helping Ourselves to a Helping of HelperIn our efforts to get to know our new digs, we've been exploring nearby towns. Helper and a pretty endearing and historic mainstreet with some cool antiques stores. We also stopped in at Marcia's Sammich Shop. It was too early for lunch so we shared a donut, a muffin, a german chocolate cake, and a pecan sticky bun. Quite yummy! And the people were friendly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_tx5PmFmj7hdCEdbIqGyVHSiuIBSxwyZiIGAk2zj8TCr1hZ9Hja2yTDEmTj4j77Nd_76vCLzitkoze0rdldH5cK0Yqsi44nJEcIn1mBEbZ1_Qb2TpwDBoqR2LbBXV5lOux14rsGBIms/s640/blogger-image-1050913610.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO_tx5PmFmj7hdCEdbIqGyVHSiuIBSxwyZiIGAk2zj8TCr1hZ9Hja2yTDEmTj4j77Nd_76vCLzitkoze0rdldH5cK0Yqsi44nJEcIn1mBEbZ1_Qb2TpwDBoqR2LbBXV5lOux14rsGBIms/s640/blogger-image-1050913610.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPPxxOGzzzQvqEau_iId299q7ULxj5IseIAF03oreUtkA5ptGuh0HGu6KWwNSYAjvY5pJbG4CJ5F1bBIVbWOdaSJZ6jn16yNeCMfYvHFXEGvrdcInYmhHygeyc5o8E7blwuBmepDRd_8/s640/blogger-image--318906680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPPxxOGzzzQvqEau_iId299q7ULxj5IseIAF03oreUtkA5ptGuh0HGu6KWwNSYAjvY5pJbG4CJ5F1bBIVbWOdaSJZ6jn16yNeCMfYvHFXEGvrdcInYmhHygeyc5o8E7blwuBmepDRd_8/s640/blogger-image--318906680.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ptoxX8z81jSMwrTXjShEMdUtR_YLR1S2oKFLJT-ZXfXjtp_oQRtLQBjUh7MsjQmdXTf_rmz1ZnNnvn55itjbdypRrL3rguzNy3hae-Y4DRmTbZyHa-9F7M8GfkgGt63yP5uUbN4qOpU/s640/blogger-image--116720113.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ptoxX8z81jSMwrTXjShEMdUtR_YLR1S2oKFLJT-ZXfXjtp_oQRtLQBjUh7MsjQmdXTf_rmz1ZnNnvn55itjbdypRrL3rguzNy3hae-Y4DRmTbZyHa-9F7M8GfkgGt63yP5uUbN4qOpU/s640/blogger-image--116720113.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCJzAPO1V2l23prGEdEC0pSu-IZ7iDp0XJj3BNMXIeGNJnhC_XS1PoQrf88ZQc-B1bVUm8cRZNVfk7S0TcoAdoVVdlYYD6T1V6L7WRCsAw4BWyMCaFxWqHfaliZUcw10Fl8hmAJ1Usww/s640/blogger-image--1460104508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpCJzAPO1V2l23prGEdEC0pSu-IZ7iDp0XJj3BNMXIeGNJnhC_XS1PoQrf88ZQc-B1bVUm8cRZNVfk7S0TcoAdoVVdlYYD6T1V6L7WRCsAw4BWyMCaFxWqHfaliZUcw10Fl8hmAJ1Usww/s640/blogger-image--1460104508.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLg-w-0WTkootDtTJk5RaEK5YDg9CubUjWpWskI-Gyk3nFdrcFlIsUC3xlVwGM4TFlqMDj75U1Gqkpo-9zG_eFPs5TLkV3t1e9t40OkagihO6W_MVegkc_LVA_wqBwaZ2QZHUuqa0x8x4/s640/blogger-image--1646838745.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLg-w-0WTkootDtTJk5RaEK5YDg9CubUjWpWskI-Gyk3nFdrcFlIsUC3xlVwGM4TFlqMDj75U1Gqkpo-9zG_eFPs5TLkV3t1e9t40OkagihO6W_MVegkc_LVA_wqBwaZ2QZHUuqa0x8x4/s640/blogger-image--1646838745.jpg" /></a></div>
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I'm looking forward to trying more new places and digging around some more at the antiques shop sometime. Its hard to enjoy yourself in a store with 4 year old twins running around touching things while you're telling them to please not do the things that they are doing.</div>
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That's my life.</div>
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And that's Helper.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-42294859504069269092013-03-18T23:42:00.000-06:002013-03-18T23:42:00.138-06:00Both of We is Workers Too<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRl3mYUc4NKTLGXfVCmuioulOVIMkSXFVE3w3gOIBR-MUR0GXp_3uCf_0OQCf-I6IRoMIrwi3G6VHob-iLvfmK7arUCXQlS2q3Oao3co0YqJegKmlaLvKTHOSjWiRn6Y-z_S1MfUeVPH5L/s640/blogger-image--348992236.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRl3mYUc4NKTLGXfVCmuioulOVIMkSXFVE3w3gOIBR-MUR0GXp_3uCf_0OQCf-I6IRoMIrwi3G6VHob-iLvfmK7arUCXQlS2q3Oao3co0YqJegKmlaLvKTHOSjWiRn6Y-z_S1MfUeVPH5L/s640/blogger-image--348992236.jpg" /></a></div>
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When Dan started his job January 7th we were still living in Lehi. He commuted for a couple of days before resigning to the fact that the commute was too horrible to be a real option for our family. We got him a hotel room in Price for a week while we tried to figure out what to do. </div>
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Dan approached the builder of the home in Price we were going to buy and asked him if we could rent the house from him until we could buy it in February. In an answer to our prayers the builder said yes. We moved in. The only problem was that the basement was not yet finished. That was a problem for me because the basement constitutes have of the house; but it wasn't an issue for the boys because they loved waiting at the window every morning for the workers to come.</div>
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When the painters, electricians, plumbers, and contractors would come the boys would get those hats on and say, "Both of we is workers too!" I didn't want the boys to be in the way, so I told them not to bother the workers downstairs. "But Mom!" They said urgently, "We have to be downstairs, 'cause we is workers, too!<br /></div>
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I've never seen such cute little workers in my life.</div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5456898230363539314.post-24556397887595851312013-03-14T00:30:00.000-06:002013-03-14T00:30:00.874-06:00Green Eggs (but no Ham)Our Americana chickens have started laying! Their eggs are green and so pretty! I love having chickens and fresh eggs. I'm so grateful we were able to safely transport them here from Lehi, even though they had a breezy ride when the window of the coop blew in on I-15. Luckily my brother Joel who we charged with their transport was smart and able to MacGyver a window replacement with an old tarp and some nails.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilluhq1XMn2gjtYUjd5SvujKkFz84O4BKHVAn_hXAhyphenhyphenXRro13n9bUWscLyZwVK1jc4ggFBjyski-8fT5Z-GEVzqSnfYskW7SEgAr4UUrVn-7hyphenhyphenphKr5wqKaLpurV-9e26E4yt05KNucQ/s640/blogger-image--1694451275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgilluhq1XMn2gjtYUjd5SvujKkFz84O4BKHVAn_hXAhyphenhyphenXRro13n9bUWscLyZwVK1jc4ggFBjyski-8fT5Z-GEVzqSnfYskW7SEgAr4UUrVn-7hyphenhyphenphKr5wqKaLpurV-9e26E4yt05KNucQ/s640/blogger-image--1694451275.jpg" /></a></div>
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We're getting 4 eggs a day now--brown eggs from Sweetie Pie and Goldie and green eggs from Betsy Ross and Dolly Madison (though Cole and Will insist the Americana girls are both named Arthur). </div>
Meganhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687584032785086639noreply@blogger.com2