Can We PLEASE Keep Our Pants On??

Before I had kids, I would watch couples scramble around madly trying to entertain their kids during Sunday meetings. I swore my kids would NEVER act like that. My kids would be angels, well-behaved from the start.

Yeah right. I believe that the things you say your kids will never do, are the things they end up doing. All of you who do not have kids yet, please take a mental note of that! You will save yourself a lot of trouble if you do :)

I am officially one of those families.

My kids were seriously pantsing each other in sacrament meeting today. Yes, they were pantsing each other... and it was the only thing that would keep them entertained.


I could not stop the pantsing party once it had begun.
Pants down, Pants up, Pants down, Pants up.
I could not keep Caleb's pants up for anything.
Pants down, Pants up, Pants down, Pants up.


Then the whole mental debate starts. Well, the kids are being quiet... and we are in the chapel... is it really THAT bad??
Pants down, Pants up, Pants down, Pants up.
Yeah, probably... but to be honest, I was too tired to get up and leave the chapel AGAIN.
Pants down, Pants up, Pants down, Pants up.


Hopefully we get through Sacrament meeting next week with our pants on!


-- Ever since Nate was called to be in the bishopric, Sacrament meeting has been a weekly adventure. Thank you again to all of my friends who help me out... and thank you for all the help you will be giving me when baby #3 comes:)

Who Makes the BROWN Rules?

We have had some recent confusion at our house as to who makes the rules. Conner is definitely my boy... which means he likes to boss his younger brother around all the time. Here is a conversation we had tonight:


Me: "Conner, please stop bossing your brother around. You do not make the rules."

Conner: "But Mom, I do make the rules."

Me: "No, Conner you do not make the rules. Mom and Dad make the rules."

Conner: "Well, maybe Conner could make the brown rules? Conner loves brown"



Feel free to contact Conner in regards to Brown rules and their regulations. I am anxious to find out what kind of rules he has brewing in that head of his!

Ten Years Ago Today (written 12/30/09/0

Ten years ago, I met the man I'd marry.

I met him at a church activity and without a word, ran my hands through his carpet hair.

As I walked past him, I wanted to turn around and yell "hey handsome!"

but, I demonstrated some form of self-control.

Nine years ago, I went on my first date with the man I'd marry.

I was scared to death by his good looks and charm.

We went to a University of Utah football game.

He kinda sat real close, too close.

When the time to stand and cheer arrived... I skooted down a tinch.

The man I'd someday marry noticed I had moved away a bit and he quickly closed the distance.

The time to cheer arrived again... I skooted down another tinch.

We started out on one side of the bench and ended on the other.

That night when he walked me to the front door, I panicked!

So scared of the front porch scene, I walked right to the garage.

Truth be known, I wanted to kiss that man right then and there.

but I was ohh so nervous.

Two weeks later, the man I'd marry received a mission call for our church.

To serve in Santiago Chile for two years, he would leave in three short months.

I panicked and tried to ditch this hot guy, but he would not be ditched.

I knew I liked this guy more than any other, but was scared to be left behind.

He asked me out a dozen times.

I cancelled half our dates by faking sick, but he was not fooled.

He always stood by my side and wrote me weekly for two years.

When he came home, his hotness took my breath away.

We dated and dated... but things got somewhat complicated.

I was nineteen years old with dreams to pursue and friends to make.

Marriage was not quite on my list of things to do... yet.

The man I'd someday marry planned to move to Texas for some school.

He said he'd take me with him, if I'd only be his wife.

Up against a wall again, I did not know what to do!

My heart ached at the thought of being without him, but I was not ready to leave my single life behind.

I broke up with the man I'd marry at least a dozen times.

Convinced that there had to be someone else, I was not ready to settle down.

Finally, I moved away to BYU-Idaho, I had gone there while he served.

I cried and cried the whole way there. I cried and cried some more.

Then one night while crying over my taco salad, his favorite at the time.

I realized that I needed this man more than anything I had before.

I proposed a couple days later when he came to visit me.

While playing three legged capture the flag with squirt guns, I told him he was the only man for me.

He quickly bought me a beautiful ring and our temple date was set.

We were married on December 30th - six years ago today.

The last six years have been amazing - he has helped me reach my dreams.

He helped me obtain my bachelor degree cum laude style in two and a half short years.

By helping me sort laundry and cleaning anything and listening to my theories about Freud. He always found the time to help me out, even when he was maxed out with his 33 credits a trimester at school.

He works real hard each day to provide a comfortable home and life.

I am grateful for his love and trust.. I love him ohh so much.

So, here is a toast to the man I love. The man who has always been there for me. The man who helps me reach my dreams - with him I can accomplish anything!

I love you Nate! Thank you for being "my man"!

Wisdom

The spirit grants wisdom greater than that of novels and books. It is important to read, but it is far more important to have the spirit of the Holy Ghost with you at all times - that is true wisdom

Personal Worth

My worth is not found in my many accomplishments. My personal worth is not found in sewing, writing, cleaning, or just being fabulous. My personal worth is found in my relationship with my Savior.

I always ask myself "why would they like me?"

I must reconnect with my Savior. Life is not a race or competition, rather life is learning to love and serve. Life is about connecting with our creator and becoming who he needs us to be.

I don't want to live a life that is dependent upon others for my worth or beliefs. I want to live a life that is dependent upon my Savior. He is the only source of truth, strength, and light.

I will never be able to create relationships of worth and satisfaction if I do not have a good relationship with my Savior.

Grandpa Stories - Part One

I was able to say goodbye to my grandpa the day before he died. He was not doing too well, he had a catheter and people around him with cold rags to keep his body cool. My grandma had just put up Halloween decorations, and he was joking about having his costume ready.

Our phone call went like this:

"Hi Grandpa! How are you?"
"I'm all spooky!"
"Yeah, you ready for Halloween? I love you grandpa!"
"I love you too... take care of your self. Goodbye"

The phone call ended. I am so amazed at his ability to keep good spirits about him, even when he was in a tremendous amount of pain. It is so amazing how thin the veil really is.


The weekend before my grandpa died, the nurses came in and requested the he accept full-time care from hospice nurses. He said he'd have to think about it. Accepting full time care meant that he would have to fire his son. He told them he would fire his son if they would send in a cute young nurse to care for him. That made us all laugh :)


My grandpa always had this big spider that they would hang on the wall in between their kitchen and family room. Each Halloween he would try his best to scare one of us with his falling spider. To get the spider to fall, you would have to clap loud enough to make the spider drop.


Grandma put the spider up for him. At one point, the nurse was sitting under the spider and grandpa was heard trying to get enough energy to clap loud enough to drop the spider and scare the nurse. There was another time when Joel was siting under the spider and my grandpa woke up for three seconds to clap and get Joel with the spider (everyone thought he was asleep). And the final spider story happened the day before he died. Grandpa was asleep in the family room. Someone dropped a fork in the kitchen and it was loud enough that it sent the spider off. Everyone jumped and said something like "Ahh!" Grandpa was heard laughing after the spider fell. I love his sense of humor and his ability to have fun... regardless of the circumstances.

Don't Give Up on Me

I recently had a phone call with a man who was worried about his daughter. His daughter lives in our ward but is not active. At the end of the phone call, he asked me not to give up on his daughter.. to keep trying.

I need to be better at giving people the benefit of the doubt. I am not perfect... I should not expect others to be.

I need to pray for more charity and love for my friends and mankind.