February Recap

I can't believe it is already March. The past month has been a blur. Josh leaves for the MTC in a week and a half. Boy, am I going to miss that kid!

Well, before I start bawling again, here is a picture recap of February.

February 2 was our Stake RS Leadership meeting. We used the theme: "Come Unto Me. Serving in the Lord's Way; A Recipe for Our Day."  I got to decorate again, and Carolyn helped me as well. I borrowed some of my mom's old kitchen utensils and linens. Carolyn had added some of her beautiful linens. I thought it was very cozy, I hope those attending did as well. We served muffins and water for a light snack afterwards.

As the meeting was just getting underway, Carolyn nudged me and told me that Barry was in the hallway. Of course I immediately thought something was wrong, so I ran out to see what was going on. Nothing at all was wrong - he was just there to surprise me with some beautiful tulips. My very favorite!

 



They were a beautiful addition to my Valentine's Day mantel. I have saved the bulbs, and hopefully next year I will have more beautiful pink tulips!

There was lots of candy in those glass containers on the left side of the mantel - at least for a few days. The boys {meaning all of the males in this house} made short work of emptying them. I made them go buy more, and that only lasted a couple of days as well.

Valentine's Day was kind of quiet. There were only 4 of us home for dinner - Josh had to work that night. I made manicotti for dinner and a red velvet trifle for dessert. I decorated the table with candy (M&M's, Sweet Tart Hearts, and chocolates) and candles for our traditional Love Day dinner. With all the candles lit, I grabbed my camera to take a few pictures while we were finishing up dinner. Kyle decided that he needed to try and ruin my pictures by throwing candy in front of my camera. He missed getting any in the shots, but he did manage to land one in a tea-light. That turned into a contest between him and his dad as to who could get candy into the other one's glass. Boys! The managed to get candy all over the floor, wax all over the table, and only two M&M's into one glass. I won't tell you which one won the contest, but someone was a bit of a sore loser, and made the winner clean up the mess on the floor.

My birthday was kind of hard this year, and that caught me off guard. I cried most of the day - not because I was turning another year older, but I just really missed mom. The boys were sweet and made me lunch and dinner, and Meg made me a birthday cake. Barry took me out to eat several times that weekend. I tried to be happy for them, and show them my appreciation, but I just couldn't stop crying. I also missed Kayti, and cried even more when I thought of Josh being gone soon. What a mess I am! Barry did give me a wonderful birthday present, though. Money to spend on stamping/craft supplies! I'm looking forward to playing soon!!

Mission preparations seemed to hit high gear this past month. Josh's suits came in (we ordered them from a company online). The fit was not quite right, so we had to send them back for another size. The new ones look great. He is so handsome in them! He went to the temple for the first time. That was a great night! It was a packed session. Another missionary was going through for her own endowments that night, and we both had pretty big groups with us. I made the appointment for him back in January, and when we got to the temple that night, they informed us that it was Spanish night - that meant that the entire session was done in Spanish! Wish they had told us that when I made the appointment! The other missionary was English speaking as well, so they gave them both headsets, and offered them to anyone else that wanted one. What an experience!

I guess that about sums up the month. The next week and a half will be busy and emotional. But, I am so proud of Josh and the choice he has made to go on a mission. He is going to be a wonderful missionary, and I'm excited for all the experiences he is about to have.

Worth of a Soul

It's late, and I'm trying to go to bed, but I've had some thoughts running through my head today, and I want to get them written down.

I've had a couple of quotes running through my head today, and while I can't remember them exactly, to paraphrase they go something like this...

Love me when I'm the least lovable, because that is when I need it the most.

and

If you can't handle me at my worst, you don't deserve me at my best.

Several years ago I was called to work in Young Women. I was asked to just be an additional leader - there was a rather large group of Beehives (around 13), and they needed an extra leader just to be with them. I didn't teach, I just got to hang out with them. They were, for the most part, rather loud girls.

How loud, you ask?

Well, to give you an idea, when we would have a combined activity with the Young Men, the Priests wouldn't come because they were very annoyed by these girls.

They weren't bad girls. They just liked to talk, and giggle. And they were rather loud in their talking and giggling.

When these girls moved up into Mia Maids, I moved with them, and became the 2nd Counselor in YW. About this time, they started to get noticed, in a bad way, by stake leaders. They were labeled as "bad girls" and even told they were bad. If something went wrong, they were blamed for it, even if it wasn't their fault. It really hurt to see them judged so unfairly. I loved these girls, and even though they were not perfect, they were "my girls". I was blessed to be their teacher when they were Laurels, and then I was called to serve somewhere else.

I will say that these girls were not perfect... they did screw up a time or two. But overall, they were great girls, and should never have been told or made to feel that they were "bad".

Thankfully, they all survived their teenage years. They all graduated high school and have gone on to live their lives. Most of them are married, and some even are now expecting babies of their own. Several are still in college, one is serving in the Marines. I am so proud of each and every one of them. One of these girls is preparing to serve a mission. She leaves in a couple of months, and today I had the privilege of hearing her bear her sweet testimony. She came home this weekend from college so she could go through the temple for her own endowments. This will be her last trip home before she leaves on her mission. Another one of these girls was home this weekend as well for her baby shower, and my heart was touched to see them both. Still another one of these girls is now in our ward as a newlywed, and I have been asked to be her visiting teacher. It will be fun to get to know her now as an adult.

I am blessed to be the mom of one of these young women - and I am so proud of her and the choices she is making in her life!

 All of these girls are such wonderful women, and I couldn't be more proud of "my girls" and how they are living their lives now.

Their story reminds me that we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. We shouldn't write anyone off because we get annoyed by how they act. When we are called to serve others, no matter how difficult we think it may be, we should pray for understanding and to have the kind of love for them that our Heavenly Father has for all of us. Finding fault with them will never bring about the Lord's purposes, and will never help anyone return to our Heavenly Father.

I'm excited to continue to watch "my girls" grow in the gospel, and know that they are not only my girls, but my sisters as well.

Missed ya!

I've been horrible about blogging this past year. I've wanted to... I have several posts that are saved in my drafts folder, but they just never got around to getting posted. And now they are out of date.

I thought I would post something that makes me happy on this gloomy, rainy day.

 

 

Just looking at the bright blooms cheers me up. I love flowers, and if I had the time, money and space, I would have a huge flower garden. These remind me that Spring is not too far away. Does anyone else find January dull, boring and too dang LONG?

 

They also remind me of Valentine's Day, which is just around the corner. I've started decorating, and come up with a couple of ideas to show my family how much I love them. I hope to post those soon!

 



Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

For the past few years I have used my blog to post our family's Christmas newsletter. December has just flown by, and I'm a little late getting this posted. But oh well, better late than never!

2012 has been a mixed bag for our family, but overall we have had more ups than downs.

Kayti graduated from Calhoun Community College in May with her Associates Degree. After a lot of fasting and prayer, she decided to go to BYU-Idaho to finish her Bachelor's Degree. She travelled by herself (on an airplane for the first time!!) to Idaho in September. She has loved being out there! She did well in her classes, and has many situations come up that have reaffirmed to her that she is where she is supposed to be. Her plan was to stay out there during the Christmas break, but the closer she got to the break, the more she wanted to come home - and the more I wanted her here!! We are both thankful that she was able to come home and spend 3 weeks with us! We are so proud of her and the decisions she is making.

Josh has had a big year! He was able to go to Chattanooga in March with his drama class and compete in SETC, which is the Southeast Theater Conference, or the equivalent of competing in a national drama competition. They had a great time, and came in second place. They actually were the best dramatic performance (the play that beat them was a musical). In May he graduated from Bob Jones High School! He got his first job in June and has been saving his money for his mission. In December he got his mission call - he is going to Boise, Idaho!! So crazy for me to think about - for those that do not know, I grew up in the Boise area from the time I was 4 until 12, and still have family and good friends in the area. It really was a relief to know that is where he is going. I know he will love it there, and he will be in good hands! We have him home with us until March, and are making the most of the time.

Kyle has enjoyed the world of driving and dating this year! He is now a Junior at James Clemens High School (the new high school that was opened this year). He is also involved in the drama program, and is enjoying it. He is now the tallest member of the family - he loves to rest his chin on the top of my head... I don't like it so much! He is doing well in school, but is now having second thoughts about what he wants to do in the future. He has wanted to be a doctor for years, and has been involved in the biomedical program at school. He will continue to take the classes next year, but now he's wondering exactly what he wants to do. He still has time to figure it out, and he is enjoying being a teenager! He just got his first job at Zaxby's... and we are anxious to go visit him at work!

Meg continues to keep us on our toes! She turned 15 this year and is a Sophomore at JCHS. She loves art, photography, music, drama and being with her friends. She and Kyle are in the same drama class and they are great friends. She is also enjoying having a big brother who drives - they have been able to go to more parties, or just run into town together. She has her permit and is looking forward to taking driver's ed and getting her license next year. She wants to get a job and start saving for the future. She has so many big plans for her future - she wants to buy herself a motorcycle; she wants to travel Europe; she wants to go to art school in Savannah, Ga; she wants an incredible wardrobe and make-up collection!  While she has enjoyed having her own room, she has missed her sister!!

We've stayed put this year - no big trips to report on. We did enjoy visits from my family and spent a weekend with the Mayfield clan for our reunion. One of the big lessons that I have learned this year and wanted to pass on to the kids this Christmas is that life is not about things - it's about being together and making memories together. Those memories will sustain and comfort you through hard times. They will bring joy to your heart when you need it. And it doesn't take a lot of money to make memories - just being together and enjoying the time together is what is important.

We are looking forward to 2013. As hard as it has been to see my children start to leave home, it has been rewarding to see the adventures they are headed out on. I'm looking forward to hearing from Josh as he is on his mission, and the new people he will meet and experiences he will have. I'm looking forward to hearing about Kayti's classes and her adventures with roommates. I'm looking forward to Kyle and Megan's experience of being the only kids at home, and their struggles/triumphs with school and life in general. I'm looking forward to spending time with Barry.

We wish all our friends and family a happy new year. We wish you joy, peace, and the good things life brings.

Mixed Emotions

I watched two wonderful sessions of General Conference today. I was uplifted, inspired, touched and taught by the Spirit. I appreciate the ability to watch our Church leaders speak to us, right from the comfort of my own home.

As the last session ended, and the choir sang, "God Be With You til We Meet Again", I just lost it. I was reminded of the last General Conference, 6 months ago. I watched all 4 sessions at my sister's house, with my mom. The hymn hit home to me, and I felt a longing for my mom. None of us realized at the time that she would be taken from us before the end of the month. We knew she was declining, but we didn't think it would happen so quickly.

I am grateful for the gospel in my life. I'm grateful for the knowledge that I have that one day I will be reunited with my mom and all my family members who have passed on. I'm grateful for the blessings of temple ordinances that bind our family together. I am thankful for the healing power of the Spirit that brought our family together again before my mom's passing.

While I am grateful for this knowledge, I have a bit of a heavy heart... just because I miss her so much. I wish she was here to talk to, and give me advice. Or go shopping with. Or just here to appreciate the turning leaves with me.

Someone close to me once said that with the gospel in our lives, they didn't understand grief, and how we could be so sad when someone passes. Especially knowing what we know about our Heavenly Father's plan, and where we go when we die. While I can agree with part of that, I understand the sadness more now, too. It's not a sadness that I will never see her again... it's just missing her so much and feeling so sorry for myself for the "now" of my life without her. It's also weird going through a lot of firsts without her... my first child leaving home; my first son preparing to go on a mission. There are also other firsts - the first Mother's Day without here; the first summer without her; the first conference without her; the first holiday season without her. Those are hard to take, too.

I know that grieving is a natural process. I know it takes time. But I am thankful for the gospel. I can't imagine going through this without it.

Chicken Parm Sliders

I decided to try a new recipe today. One I came up with on my very own. Not that someone probably hasn't come up with this recipe before, and probably did it much better than I did, but I just kind of threw things together and made up my own recipe as I went along.

Josh LOVES chicken parmesan. L.O.V.E.S. it! He is always asking to have it for dinner, but it's not a favorite of his daddy, so we don't have it as often as Josh would like. Pretty much he gets it on his birthday and maybe one other time a year. I went grocery shopping yesterday, and I usually get ground turkey, but they were out. They did have ground chicken, though, so I grabbed some. I had sliders on my menu for this week, and thought that maybe I could make up some chicken parm sliders to make Josh happy.

I'm not a good one for measurements; I just kind of throw things in. I thought I'd share the recipe with you, but please don't judge me because I don't really have amounts down. I'm more of a "that looks good" kind of gal when it comes to cooking.

My recipe:
1 lb of ground chicken ( I know it was a pound because that was on the package!)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
thyme - pulled the leaves off several sprigs
parmesan cheese - dumped a bunch in
Italian breadcrumbs - again, just dumped a bunch in
one egg
splash of milk

I mixed all of this together, formed small patties and cooked them in a bit of olive oil in my non-stick pan. I realized that I forgot to add any salt or pepper, so I sprinkled some on top as they cooked.

After they were done, I put them on a wire cooling rack, which was placed in a baking sheet. I then put a small dollop (offical term!) of marinara sauce* on each, then topped that with shredded mozzarella and parm cheeses. I baked them in a 350-degree oven for maybe 8-10 minutes until the cheese was melted. Served them on slider buns (ok... they were cheapy brown and serve rolls, but they worked!), and they disappeared like magic! Josh loved them, and so did his daddy!

Think this is one recipe that I will make again!

*I actually made my own cheater marinara sauce. I used a can of Italian seasoned tomato sauce, and added in fresh basil and rosemary.

Little Monster Bash

Today we had a fun baby shower for a sweet friend and her twin boys! We are so excited for Emily and the addition to her family. These boys are going to be so loved!!

I left my camera in a back room, so I only got a few photos before we cleaned everything up, but wanted to share. It was so much fun getting things together for this event.

 

Cute monster sugar cookies

 

Yummy homemade cupcakes - mint chocolate chip and coconut

 

Fun picks for the cupcakes

 

The mantel - chalkboard with vinyl, candles, jars, flowers, banner, balloons, and a few eyeballs (there was one on the balloons, too)

 

The sister-in-law of the mom-to-be made these adorable fruit salad "babies" - they each had a binky in their mouth.

 

Only a few more weeks until the boys will be here. Poor Emily looks like she is about to pop, but she is so cute, and so excited to be a mom. Can't wait for them to get here!!