Smelling the Roses

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I tried something new today.

Getting out of bed, I made my usual "To-Do" list. Chore after chore, the list kept getting longer. Nothing new in that, just the same as the day before, and the one before that too.

Then Kai ran in to my bedroom. "Ohayou, mama!" (good morning, mama!) his smile was bright as usual.

I looked down at my list full of black squiggles and paused.

"You know what?! Not today!"

I crumbled up the list and tossed it away.

"WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO TODAY, KAI!?"

A blank look on his little face.

A big smile emerges.

"Play with trains! And eat cookies! And paint!"

"LET'S DO IT!"

We painted a portrait on a great white canvas. No rules, no regulations.

Just painting.

We ate cookies and marshmallows for breakfast.

Then, we did what I know little how to do.

Played with train tracks, robots, guns and pretended to be monsters.

What beautiful and sweet kids I have?!

It seemed though I had almost completely forgotten how cute they were lately.

I've been so busy with my to-do list.

Chasing things that will never be done and always requiring my attention.

Although I firmly believe in "personal time," a time when each of us spends our own time away from each other to teach independence, and although I feel that children need to see their parents working, most of the time, I feel as though I create myself a busy schedule, JUST to fill up my time when I'm with them. Anything to get away from having to have to play trains...

My dear friend reminded me the other day, something her mother always told her:

"There will ALWAYS be things that require your attention, but your children will not always be around."

I hope I can remember this better.

Folks, it's a DATE!

So I realize that this isn't the most prettiest picture for all to see, but here it is:

Ronny and I finally got to go on a date last night!!! It's been about five months since the last one (OUT), and we were SO DANG EXCITED! We didn't know what do!! But I tell ya, the simplest things in life is what's most beautiful sometimes. Like dinner in the car at SONIC'S. Nothing romantic about it, nothing fancy about it, but we were TOGETHER.

I'm glad after 5 years of marriage, we can still "remember" how fun it is to be together!

LEMON YELLOW

Before

After

So I did it. At first, I saw how YELLOW it was and I panicked.

IT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO BE THIS BRIGHT!!

But, after a friend came over and told me she liked it, I began to see the beauty in it!

Isn't it funny how that works?

I'd like to add a lemon tree in the corner and do more fun things, but one step at a time! :)

LIVE

I haven't shared one of my newest goals this year:

TO LIVE

this includes seeing and spending more time with those who matter to me, whether they be friends...or...FRIENDS, because we're just so stinkin' far from our families--

I feel there is SO MUCH to learn from each person who crosses your path in this life. Why am I sitting in my house all day?

I want to be with them, spend time with them. Learn from them.

I want to get out of my comfort zone, and ROUTINE to meet up for playdates, lunches, adventures, walk downtown, dinners, or simply get together to chat and learn different things from these amazing people.

I want to SPLASH my life with COLOR.

I want to stop being so darn afraid of IMPERFECTION and MISTAKES.

I want to splash my life with color. No rules, no regulations. (no baddies)

If I want to paint my walls, PAINT ALREADY! If I want to take piano or dance classes, DO IT ALREADY! What do I always wait for?!

I want to LIVE!!

Here am I

My hands are small,

my gifts are few,

my knowledge is limited,

but my desire to follow is strong,

and my will to serve is greater.

"Here am I,

Thy will be done"

Saturday is a Special Day

Saturday is a Special day,

It's a day we get ready for Sunday!

Kind of weird, if you stop and think about it...why always be thinking AHEAD of the moment? Isn't that "not living in the moment?"

I don't think so.

I used to be good at getting ready for Sundays ON SATURDAYS, but have had to renew my commitment to doing so this new year, in order to reduce stress...

Utilizing Saturdays to prepare for Sundays is a great way to reduce unwanted stress come Sunday morning (because let's be honest, in my house, Sundays feel like the WORST days of them all!).

Sundays should be such a special day for all of us.

It's a day the Lord intended for us to REST. Not be LAZY, but REST.

How can we better do that?

1. Know your menus for the upcoming day (left overs are great to not have to cook!) it might even be nice to have food ready for when you come home from church. You know how them kids like to get after church...OKAY OKAY, ME TOO. :I

2. Get yours and the kids' outfits cleaned, ironed, out and ready to go

3. Clean the house-it helps

4. Get your scriptures and other church materials out and ready

5. if you have kids, get the diaper bag ready

6. Do you have to teach a class? Don't wait until Sunday morning to prepare it!

7. Girls, do your nails if that's what you do-or whatever else grooming you do.

And finally, Ronny says; "TAKE A NAP." (^_^)

Get ready for Sunday on SATURDAY.

OH, and this somehow helps in getting to church ON TIME TOO!

POOP

So for your sakes, I did not post a picture to go along with this post.

But if you would have seen it, you would have agreed that I reserve the right to go CRAZY in the membrane.

my friend Norma and I were having a lovely time catching up and laughing when I began to smell something stanky..."Norma...?" NAH! I kept turning around looking for the source of the stench, but couldn't find it. Norma who's ability to smell things keenly might have been compromised right now for certain reasons, kept telling me "I don't smell anything!"

"No, I definitely smell something stinky! IT'S BAD!" I said. When I couldn't find the source of it though, I finally put the trash can outside.

"I must be going crazy...I must have thrown away a really bad diaper in here?"

I think to myself.

I don't know when it was that I realized it, but suddenly, a thought came into my head and I ran up the stairs. YUP. The smell was stronger with each climbing step...

UGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

EVERYTHING IN HIS ROOM WAS BROWN.

AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

why? why? why me? why? why?! why!? why?!?!?!

POOP WAS EVERYWHERE. All Over Jaiden, all over his toys, all over his crib, all over everything.

Don't I reserve the right to go crazy? I think YES. heck, maybe I'm ALREADY CRAZY!? hmm, I have no doubt of it.

My Friends

I often wonder how I'm so blessed with such wonderful friends.

I can't express in enough words how friends have supported me through this life. Different friends, different times, but for sure, the Lord has blessed me SEVERELY

(?)

with some amazing friends.

So thank you, to all my friends.

That sounds cheesy, but how else could I make you understand that I'm only here today (okay, and my children ALIVE too!), thanks to you. You've touched my life in so many ways, and when my book is finished, it will be dedicated to you.

Thank you.

Warm Homemade cinammon-ey Strawberry Lemonade

So we tried it out and it was pretty good.

Warm Cinammon-ey Strawberry Lemonade!

2 C. Water

1 1/4 C Sugar

Dissolve on med. heat in med. pot

Add

1 1/4 C. Lemon juice

a few strawberries (sliced or mashed)

1 cinnamon stick (of course this is optional)

Add about 2 C. of water as needed

heat to a boil and then let it cool a bit. serve warm

It's great in the winter time!

Karaoke Nite

Singing the Blues away is one of my favorite things! It could be because I'm Japanese too (lol) I went Karaoke-ing the other day!

No embarrassing pictures this time, sorry! :)

Just Cute girls getting together for some un-adulturated fun!