Eighteen Years Old? SURPRIZE!

Our sweet Heidi turned 18 years old on Sunday, February 28th! But I woke up that morning ready to blog and our computer had crashed! Not a good thing. But I will blog about that later. I will also have to add pictures later. hopefully.

We LOVE our Heidi girl! Turning 18 is pretty special... so I planned a SURPRISE Party for her! We had it on Saturday. Thanks to her sweet friends it was a huge success! Hillary and I made cupcakes, we had nachos, chips and dip, veggies and dip, skittles, pretzels and hot dogs! Outside we made popcorn and cotton candy! We had a movie set up to watch outside, but the big hit was the Wii - Just Dance. What a fun game! The kids never stopped! It was pretty fun to watch them.

On Sunday we had our family celebration. Yummy pasta and salad. I was so exhausted from Saturday's party that I didn't make a cake. :( sorry Heidi!

It's hard to believe it's already been 18 years since you joined our family Heidi! You were the first baby I had at home. It was a beautiful sweet experience. You are a beautiful daughter. You brings lots of joy and laughter to our home! You are a beautiful woman and I love that our relationship has gotten so much better this past year. Thank you for being my friend and my daughter. You are an amazing example to me. I hope your 18th birthday was the best! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!

Who's Fifteen??

Fifteen years ago today a beautiful little girl was born! We named her Holli Joyce. Holli, because we liked the name and Joyce after her Grandmother who had passed away a year earlier.

Holli has been such a special gift in our home! I love her and I'm so grateful to have her as a part of our family. It certainly wouldn't be the same without her!

I can't believe she is 15. Time is flying past me faster than I can endure some days! Our family is on the verge of many changes! Hopefully, I will be able to endure them well!

I hope you have a Happy Birthday Holli. You are certainly a special daughter. You are growing up to be an amazing young woman. Thank you for all you do for me and our family. Thank you for your amazing example.

I love you, sweetie!

Be Mine. . .

Don't you love this banner? I do! My sweet daughter and friend Theresa made it for me. It is what inspired me to decorate for Valentines day this year. I love just looking at it in all it's creativity!

I miss being creative. There is a part of me that is starving to do something creative. I get these ideas but don't have time to act on them! I've been thinking a lot about needing some ME time. Now if I can just figure out how to work it in! I know I need to or the fun part of me will just shrivel up and die! It's the little things that make life fun!

I went with Heidi to the Walter's cabin for their Laurel/Mother weekend. I really didn't want to go. Same old excuse - to much to do, not enough time. But I'm glad I went. It was fun and relaxing. And yes, I even played a game. I know - those who know me well are shocked.

It was fun to just talk and watch movies! I enjoyed being with Heidi and the cute Laurels and the Mom's who went. I had fun talking with Caroline there and back! Thank you Caroline for talking me into it! And thank you Heidi for not caring if I tagged along! :)

Now I am ready to have a great week!

Today is James Birthday!

And a happy 26th birthday to him! We celebrated on Monday! It was lots of fun to fix dinner for someone who appreciates food!

If there is one thing I've learned about having a son in law it's that they can eat and they like it! Girls are so picky. And they don't eat half what you fix. So it is nice to have someone that actually eats!

Hillary made a yummy cake and James was nice enough to blow out all the candles!

A rousing game of Wii Mario Brothers ensued. All I know there was lots of laughing and yelling.

(I retreated to my bedroom where it was much more quiet - and worked on a project for Activity Day Girls!)

So, Happy Birthday James! Thanks for being a Great Son in Law! We love you!

I Love A Rainy Night! (and day!)

This is probably one of the dumbest songs (sung by Eddie Rabbit if anyone cares to know!) of all times... but for some reason it keeps going through my head. Probably because of all the rain we've had lately! I LOVE it! It's been so nice! It's actually been cold and that is my favorite part!

I especially love when it rains in the evening through the night and then when you get up in the morning the sun is there all day. Everything smells clean and fresh and you can see the Superstition Mountains! Ahhhh, breathtaking!

All I can say is Thank you for the rain! It has been a welcome treat!

Well, I love a rainy night
I love a rainy night
I love to hear the thunder
Watch the lightning
When it lights up the sky
You know it makes me feel good

Well, I love a rainy night
It's such a beautiful sight
I love to feel the rain
On my face
Taste the rain on my lips
In the moonlight shadow

Showers washed
All my cares away
I wake up to a sunny day
'Cos I love a rainy night
Yeah, I love a rainy night
Well, I love a rainy night
Well, I love a rainy night

Puts a song
In this heart of mine
Puts a smile on my face every time

'Cos I love a rainy night
Yeah, I love a rainy night
Ooh, I love a rainy night
Yeah, I love a rainy night

I love a rainy night
You can see it in my eyes.

Pitty Party

Ugh! I feel like having a pitty party and I don't even know why.

Do you ever feel this way? I hate it when I do!

I'm just sitting here fighting this wave of negative thought and feelings. Yuck.

It usually comes without warning.

Everything was going good today and then **SMACK** right upside the head.

I totally want to throw a temper tantrum, hit something or sit here and cry.

But I don't have time. Too much to do. Things more important.

So I guess I'll just push through and try to smile. Or at least keep faking it. :{

{sigh}

My New Job

On January 4th the kids went back to school and I started a new job. Can I just say I LOVE IT!

It all started in November. I knew I needed to find a job. I decided that I would start really looking in January. My requirements for a job were:

a. It had to fit in my already full schedule. -i.e. babysitting on Tues, Coupon Sense responsibilities and assisting dance on Wed.
b. It had to allow me to still be a Mom & Wife first.
c. It had to be financially worth my time - i.e. make enough money to be worth being away from home!

Not too picky right?

I have known that my first priority is to my family. This past 1 1/2 years Vaughan and I have talked and talked and prayed and prayed about whether I should get a job. Each time we have both felt like I was suppose to stay home. I have tried different things, none of which have been too successful. But in November I knew what I needed to do. BUT I knew it had to be the RIGHT something and that Heavenly Father still wanted me to be a "stay at home" mom!

I will say I met with some opposition. When expressing my thoughts I got looks of "yeah, right." and comments telling me that I might have to let some of my requirements go! I couldn't have everything I wanted!

BUT, I knew what I needed. AND I have to say, it just felt right. There was peace in my heart. And an urgency to get my house organized and ready for Mom to be gone from home more! (I wish I would have heeded this prompting better!)

Then a casual conversation with my sister in law Karen took place at Thanksgiving. I sarcastically said I need a job. And she sarcastically said I have one for you. (We are both kinda sarcastic...something which we talked about today!) Then I asked a few questions and it started sounding like something that could actually work!! BUT, she didn't need anyone until January 4th! HELLO- Perfect said I.

So, about a week before I was to start I called Karen and asked her if she was serious. She said she was and the rest is history!

I was so nervous. But it has turned out to be the perfect thing. I still am not up to speed and I have lots to learn, but I can see how much this is going to help our family! I am so grateful for Karen and her willingness to help our family! I love renewing our friendship! Karen has always been one of my FAVORITE people. I have learned so much from her throughout my life. She has been such a great example of generous service! I am a better person because of her!

Oh - what am I doing? Yeah, I guess I should explain. Karen has a hemstitching business. She has been in business for 10 years! I have learned how to hemstitch burp clothes. I am almost a pro now! And I am currently learning to hemstitch around single baby blankets - medium and large! I'm not a pro yet... but I'll keep working at it! I run a hemstitching machine, which makes and finishes holes around the edge and then people (not me, 'cause I really don't know how!) crochet around the edge. It makes them beautiful and I've see some pretty amazing things. I've been told once you get started you can't stop! (crocheting) I'm currently resisting the addiction, but I am afraid I will succumb soon! You can't spend THAT much time with Karen and not give in. She has this way with her!

Thank you Karen! You are the best! I hope I can be half the person you are! LOVE YOU!