She Don't Know She's Beautiful

I threw together a dress for Railey today during Kenna's nap. Railey likes to sit there and "help" me the whole time especially when she knows the dress is for her. She of course had to try it on like 5 times before the dress was done, but now that it's done she won't take it off. I have to get it off of her so that it will still be clean for Sunday. Anyway Railey judges a dress by its twirl ability --"if it don't twirl she don't wear it!" The dress can be ugly but full in the skirt and its beautiful to her cause it twirls. I've made her some way cute things that she won't wear now because they aren't good to dance in. Silly girl! So after making and finishing the dress I was over cleaning up my mess when I looked over to see Railey and Kenna dancing to the song "She don't know she's beautiful" It was so cute. Though both girls know they are beautiful, they are even more so when they are happily dancing! But if you listen carefully you will also hear Railey singing the words. This is a song she has always fallen asleep to even from the time she was a baby, she loves it and loves to sing "Beautiful" loud and clear. Also you can't help but notice what a little ham Kenna is. Most people don't get to see this cute side of her because she is so serious scowly in front of everyone else but this is what we see all the time.

Wink Wink

A while back Steve was winking at Railey, he's cute with the kids and me like that. Ya know how some people are winkers, he's one. I'm not but I find it quite charming. Anyway back to the post. Railey started trying to copy Steve and eventually got it down. She is so determined. So here are a few pics of her winking at the camera. It's still a very concentrated wink but a wink nevertheless. The other thing she's picked up is snapping her finger. And yes you can even hear it snap! She's good! I don't know that Damen and Seth even know how to snap but she goes around showing everyone. That is one thing I love about kids they are not shy to show what they have learned and accomplished. What changes in adults that we think we aren't modest if we show what we've learned. Who decided that anyway? It's stupid. One more reason Christ says we need to become like little children.

One nice Day

The weather here has pretty much, lets see how to put it nicely,--SUCKED. It has been cold and rainy all spring long. I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't change what we think of as spring to later months because that way we wouldn't be so disappointed that it's cold and rainy. Let's just say spring is May and June instead of March- May. But everything would have to change, even school schedules, because I don't want a cold summer. What else would have to change? Growing season--Oh yea it already has. We have planted some things but have yet to plant our big garden because I'm afraid we'd lose it all (that and it's not quite ready--one more tilling).

OK--enough complaining--sorry. Just had to get that off my chest but it sure puts a damper on work and everything else. But on one nice day we did take the kids to the park and let them play. It was beautiful and just fun to be outside! Here are all four swinging away. It was a nice break for them and for me as well.

Faith

Over the years we have tried to teach our kids about Faith. We have explained it in several different ways given example after example of what faith is and how it works and basically tried our darnedest to help them understand. To be honest there is so much I still have yet to learn about faith but as I learn I want to teach it to our kids.

The last few years business has been very slow. But Heavenly Father continues to bless us and give us little glimpses of how he truly is aware of us and the circumstances we are in. For example the other day I decided to fast. It was the first time since I had gotten pregnant with Railey, I was actually kind of excited to fast, I know call me crazy. But up to that point the phones had not been ringing. Normally by that point we have been lined up and backed up with over a months worth of work but not this year so I decided to fast for work and for the phones to start ringing.

I know that the Lord works on his own time table and I wasn't expecting the phone to start ringing on Sunday but figured within a week or so we would get a decent job. Little did I know that while I was leaving church two people would stop me and ask me to have Steve call them because they needed work done. The jobs weren't big but they were jobs. I went home from church wiping away tears as I realized that though these jobs weren't going to pay the mortgage, God was telling me that he would provide just as he always does!

Last week Damen approached me and said "Mom ya know how you and dad are always saying prayers that we will get jobs?" I answered yes wondering where this was coming from out of the blue and where it was going. "Well have you noticed that Dad didn't have any work and now he has lots and he's never home?" "Yes Damen, isn't Heavenly Father amazing," I tearfully replied. My son, without us ever saying a word to them about praying for work, has noticed the hand of God in our lives and was pointing it out to his Mom (though I was completely aware). We then talked for a while just the two of us about faith and how it works along with prayer. I only hope that somehow we can keep pounding this into our kids heads and that they will continue to be receptive and then notice on their own how much God truly does care about them and their needs. They will need to know this more than at any other time in history and it is our job as their parents to help teach them this. Heaven knows we all need the reminder even as adults.

Stake Conference

We had Stake Conference last Sunday. Our Stake broadcasts the conference to 3 different buildings. I must say I used to enjoy conference growing up, now it's a bit frustrating and almost dreaded. Oh that sounds so bad. I'm sorry it's just that trying to entertain and keep 4 kids reverent for 2 hours in a dark room just wears me out! I think in the five years we have lived here in Lehi we have attended the actual meeting in the actual building only 2 times, probably because we are the biggest ward in the stake and fill our own chapel on a normal Sunday clear to the back of the gym (it is a smaller gym). But we are a big ward and a very active ward.

Anyway lets just say they have some serious issues with broadcasting it over the Internet. After a 5 minute pause in the middle of the prayer (you should have seen all the people looking up to notice why the guy was so emotional), then after missing all of the sustainings, half of the stake presidents talk as well as some of a couple of other talks, we were getting a little perturbed. Why they can't hold two sessions like they did in our last stake I don't know but we were a little frustrated the noise level kept raising and raising with each LOOOOONG pause.

But we all had to laugh when Railey in her normal loud voice (she's is incapable of using a normal quite or even everyday voice--for her it is LOUD, LOUDER AND LOUDEST) said, "Mom I really don't like this movie can we get a new one." Sadly I had to agree at that point.

Mother's Day Recap

I hated last years Mother's Day! I was ornery all day long. Steve and the kids did everything right but I still hated it and let them all know it. By the end of the day I realized how ridiculous I had acted all day long and vowed I would never do that again. This Mother's Day Steve and the kids did everything right again starting with breakfast in Bed before 7 (we don't have church till 1), going for a walk with Steve, watching them straighten the house for friends that were coming over, seeing my beautiful fuchsias hanging basket and cuddling my cute kiddos. The difference between last year and this year--My ATTITUDE! I know that makes all the difference in the world. But hey don't worry I was back to my yelling and ordering first thing this morning.

During sacrament meeting Steve always writes me a Mother's Day poem, but since he wrote it early (I posted it for Easter on the blog) he hadn't planned on writing another one. Damen leaned over though and said, "Dad where's your pencil and paper? Why aren't you writing a poem." Steve told him he already had but that wasn't good enough for Damen, he thought I needed one on that day. So with a little help from Steve this is the poem that Damen wrote me for Mothers Day. I love it!

Sons first attempt

A mother's Day poem

Tradition passed on

Before I go roam.

I love you mom

With all of my heart

Even though sometimes

I act like a fart.

You're the best mom

A boy could get

Especially when

I throw a fit.

That's my attempt at

A mother's day Poem.

I promise we'll love you

No matter how far we roam.

Later in the day I found a poem that Seth had written for me and just placed on the counter for me to find later. This is what he wrote:

Roses are red

Fuchsias are Pink

You're the best Mom

We think.

Ya know this poem could be taken several ways just depending on how you say "We think" But I am so proud of my boys. They take after their dad when it comes to poetry, because I ain't got no rhyming skills!!!!

I'll have to share more of the poems I've been stacking up over the years. Some are quite tender others are well down right hilarious, but they all mean the world to me because they are for my from "My Boys."

I guess while I'm at it I have to tell my Moms how much I love them and how grateful I am for their amazing influence on my live and Steve's and our family. You mean the world to us and we cherish your words of wisdom and advice. We need your input and council in helping to raise our kids. You've been there and done this and we need all the help we can get to raise these beautiful kids we've been given. Thanks for loving us even when we may disappoint. Thanks for seeing our potential and helping us to reach it. Thanks for just being there when we need to vent. We love you!