Misc Easter

We bought and boiled 5 dozen eggs this year and simply never got around to coloring them. When I saw a bowl of these white eggs, it reminded me of this picture of the savior and how much I love it. I think I like the white eggs better?? What do you think?

I made these yummy treats that I found the recip for on the blog that is listed on my list of blogs it is the My insanity one! They turned out so cute and so yummy!

I didn't get many great pictures on Easter Sunday, but I did catch a few, she looked so cute!! She LOVED it, it was really longs so of course she felt like a princess!!

Easter Egg Hunt

WE went to the biggest Easter egg hunt I have ever heard of. A local family holds this on there ranch every year, typically with 5000 eggs. Alot already, but this year in honor of her husbands 50th birthday, they had 50,000 eggs, no joke, they were spread out for miles on all these rolling hills it was truly amazing to see!! It was a little crazy, as you can see from the cars, so many people came from all over. They had tons of prizes and an airplane that dropped 50 stuffed animals thru out the hunt. This family does this all on there own with a few donations from local businesses. It was really fun!!

It took a bit to get her to look at the bunny, but once she did her eyes were locked!!! I love this age!!

A tradition...changed a bit...

Ok, so if you look back in my archives I believe I have posted the last few years of our passover dinners. We have been doing that too, since the kids were really young. We usually do costumes etc.. and eat tradition foods. This year, we changed it a bit. It is sort of funny, but Kjell and I went to the store to pick up some flat bread, and some where along the way our whole menu changed and we got really excited about making Felafel's!! Way off, wrong part of the world, but as we started it just started sounding so good, we ended up making hummus and an yummy yogurt cucumber sauce!! We had asperigus and a yummy fruit salad. Everything was soooo yummy! We talked about he passover, but not quite like we have in the passed. But it was a really fun night! We were so glad that Kjell was home for Easter, this was his first home with us in two years!!!

My favorite days....

My APSOLUTE favorite way to spend a day!! I say it all the time, but seriously, NOTHING brings me more just pure happiness then a day alone with my family at some form or water. I don't care if it the ocean beach, the bank of a river, whatever. Cold, warm, windy, whatever I don't care. These are the the images I always want in my mind, always!

We took advantage of the first day that daddy came home, right before spring break, and we packed a pic nic and spent the whole afternoon into the evening there. (missing Vance's swimming party for scouts, sorry again Vance!)

It was so fun watching Kjari join the big boys in there exploring under the bridge, throwing rocks, laughing and smileing! Pure Joy!!! I can't wait until we are together again, and we can do this more often! I guess it will be the Ocean beaches again in Washington, I can't wait, but we will miss these beautiful holes we find to play in here in Montana!!

Conference Donuts

We started a "tradition" of sorts years, and years ago, when our oldest two were just very little. Every Saturday morning before Conference we start out with donuts. I believe it began because one year when we were in Portland, a Krispy Cream had just opened near us, and I believe Kjell just wanted an excuse to go get some!! Well it stuck. There have been years, especially when we were in school, that we did not splurge on store bought donuts, but we would make them!! But either way we have never stopped. This last few conferences, except for this last one, Kjell was actually in town and had taken charge of makeing sure we had our donuts. We have a bakery here in town called Hemple's ( I think that is what it is called!) Wonderful!! Anyway, this last time, I really just had not remembered to even plan. But that Saturday morning, Vance woke me up early and said, hey are we going to get the donuts? I was like, ok, sure. I said I'll just run over to Smith's and pick some up. He said, no way! He reminded me that this would be our last conference here in Great Falls, and Daddy had always taken him with him to Hemples and he really wanted to do that while he could. I couldn't resist, so we headed off, early to Hemples. It was great. We had donuts to munch on all weekend! Strange how much longer they last with out Daddy around! hee hee :)

Middle aged (not quite) Mommy Musing

I have been talking about age alot lately. I guess it is happening, I have entered my mid thirties I guess I should start acting like it. But it hit me this morning, what effects age has done to me, and I am not talking physical, that is a whole other story and time that I probly won't share with you all!

But again, I am realizing h0w wonderful it is to truly begin to know yourself. It can also be scary. I am more and more aware of my faults, and in a strange way, knowing them makes them easier to accept and change if I ever decide I want to.

One fault that I believe I will be working on eternally is learning to be punctual. Seriously anyone who is reading this now and knows me is saying uh huh, about time you figured that one out! Sadly, I see myself in the spirit world, after life, and some great, great grandchild is coming and I will show up late for there welcome. Ok that was a little disturbing, but my point is, I am always late. It doesn't matter how much I prepare ahead of time, how early I get up, I am always late.....(side note, somehow I married a man, exactly like me in this area, my poor poor children) :)

Ok, I am going to take a moment to try to counter act those negative thought in case the "Secret" is true. **SMILE** **I am on time always** ** I make time to relax after prepareing to get ready** Hee hee!!! Ok, back to my thoughts....

BUT... what I am learning now is to let go of the reasons before that I hated being late. I hated disappointing other people, not because it would effect them, I still feel bad about that, but I would hate them thinking less of me. HELLO, anyone who knows me knows that I am this way, and I do still have a few people who love me and hang on to my life. :)

So this last year I am doing it for me, and for my kids, so I can attempt to change this for them. Not that I believe it is passed on, if that were the case, we would not even be having this discussion, my parents have ALWAYS been the type that if you were not 10 minutes early you are late. WHY COULDN'T THAT BE PASSED ON!! But I don't know someone could argue that I have always been a bit rebellious, maybe I am going against that, odd, though I don't think it is punishing my parents now, so what is the point!! :)

Anyway, I have been letting go of perfection and accepting my limitations. My Narcolepsy, really does make it difficult. One of the symptoms that not to many people are aware of is called Automatic Behavior. I may look like I am moving forward doing things, but my mind has shut down, what would normally take someone 10 minutes to do, I might do it in 35. So combine that crazy thing with the distractions of taking care of 4 kids at the same time... well it simply is a recipe for disaster. BUT... I am not giving up.

This morning, as I was dropping the boys off to school, mind you before the last bell had rung, the boys waved there goodbyes, breakfast in hand as they ran. This nice man, leaned over to my truck and said, "quick breakfast today huh?" In the past that would have crushed me. Who knows why, this man was really just trying to be funny and probably related since he too, was just now dropping them off. But today, as I drove away, I thought to myself. YES, that was a quick breakfast. But if he only knew, that we had seriously only woken up 12 minutes before that moment!! If he only knew that this is what we had accomplished in those 12 short minutes:

Got all three boys up

Got myself dressed

Got my oldest in the shower with a towel and orders to wash his long shaggy hair or I was going to cut it...

Found socks for all of them

Actually did cut my 6 year old's hair, mostly a repair from the job he did when he was mad at his teacher the day before...

Ordered them all to brush teeth and wash faces (although can't confirm at the moment if all 3 complide with this one) :)

Signed homework folders

Signed a note from a teacher, telling me that my second son had reached Orange.. again....

Had a quick talk on responsibility and how he was going to make that not happen again..

Another quick talk about the fact that he will keep getting on Orange if he keeps seeing it as 'Her' problem and not his.

Prepared a quick but totally nutritious breakfast for them to carry out.... Peanut butter (protein) on whole grain bread. Yes I said bread not toast, but they didn't seem to mind! :)

AND... Drumb roll.... Got them to the school before the second bell!!!!

I have to say I am impressed myself just seeing it all in print!!!

Don't even ask my we only woke up at 8:12 am......... :)

Daddies Girl

Kjari woke up this morning, (in my bed of course, bad habit that must be broken soon!) and she was so excited. I mean you could see it in her eyes, she told me this:

Kjari: "Daddy came and visited me last night!!"

Mom: "Really what did you guys do?"

Kjari: "We played with toys, and he put on music... all kinds of music mommy!"

It was so sweet, she loves him so much. In her whole life, he has been gone probably 70% of the time, but she knows he is HER Daddy! She always tells me that. She always asks me, if she can call "my daddy". When ever she see's other men, she says that is "her" daddy, or "his" daddy. She ALWAYS knows where her daddy is, and calls him whenever she wants. She seriously will have 20 minute full conversations with him on the phone in a way that most 2 and half year olds can't even begin to communicate. She asks him, what he is doing, she tells him about what she is doing, what her brothers are doing, what her stuffed animals are doing etc.... If she can't think of what to day she says, "Daddy...um...um....um.... Daddy......um....um....um..."Just making sure to keep him on the phone until she can come up with something else to say!! It cracks me up every time. I am so happy for her that she has a daddy, who is patient enough to listen to all her stories and ask her questions. Anyway, just had to journal that cute dream, I told her to come get me next time and we call all play with toys and dance to the music together, and she said, OK!! mommy, I will!!!

Happy Birthday Kim!!!!

Today is my big sister's birthday!! Happy Birthday Kimmy!!

Memories of Kim:

1. All her horse pictures on our wall.

2. Her pictures of Wham!!!
3. Her awesome clothes I always stole from her!!

4. Playing Little House on the Prairie on our bunk beds.

5. Her being so concerned about my fingernails, and making sure they are beautiful!! ;0

6. Getting our "Share" barbie dolls along with our Donny Osmond, complete with purple socks.

7. Her letting me play with her and her friends.

8. That she LOVED to read!!

9. Her love for Drama!! I loved seeing her in her school plays. And knowing my big sister was almost always the lead role!!

10. Making movies!! :)

11. Working together @ Micky D's!! Talking her into things since she was the manager!!

12. Hanging out at her apartment!!!

13. Being in the young adult ward together.

14. Her coming to visit in Seattle, hanging out at Pikes Market!!

15. Knowing now that we are best friends, and still look out for each other even after all these years.

I love you Kim!!! Thanks for being a wonderful big sister and Friend!!

Random Thoughts about....... ME!

I haven't post in a while. Busy with life as usual. My wonderful friend took Kjari earlier this morning so I could get some much needed projects going. It was so nice to work for hours un interupted, music blairing of course!! I got so much done in what felt like so litte time. I am running to the school now for the afternoon. I am going to so miss the wonderful people like Amy. It takes time to develope these kinds of friendships and I am so sad to have to start all over again. I am so grateful for the gospel. I think about how many times we have moved, and how we feel at home right away in our new ward, surrounded by family. That is a wonderful feeling. I am not sure if I could have done all this moving with out that. But even with that it takes time.

I miss my hubby so much though, and it will be so worth it.

I am feeling reflective today. Maybe it is that I had two hours alone..... my mind could acutally think. It doesn't happen often enough. But I am truly grateful for all I have. I am grateful to be older today too. Odd that I would think that, but I really am starting to feel like, I am me. I think only time can help you really get to know yourself. For the first time I don't miss being younger, not really knowing what I wanted to do or who I wanted to be. My life is perfect. I mean sure, I have MANY things I want to change, many things about my body, my home, my kids, my life even, but really it is what it is. It is exactly how I made it. And things will happen when I decide to make them happen, or they won't. I guess I have just grown over the years into me. I don't feel the need to apologize for things that other people really could care less about. I know I am imperfect, I know I have a million things I want to improve in my life, but I am no longer using others scales to figure out what. I know longer feel like I even have the power to really do that alone. I don't feel like I have to do anything for anyone else, so some how that makes me open to want to do everything I can FOR anyone else. Does that make sense?? I know I am rambling, but hey this is my random thoughts right?

I am going to quote a song, I love. It was a song from a play that our RS performed a year or so ago.

"Am I enough.... what do other see...

when they pass me by I wonder what they think...

If they knew... how I really felt inside,

oh I want to change the insecurities I hide...

simple and plain, nothing and beautiful and grand...

what could I be, if place in your hands.....

Could I be more.... Confident and happy

Could I be more.... SURE OF WHO I AM...

Will you polish and refine me, make me stronger then before,

thru you I hope to become more......

Thru You I will become............ MORE."

I am just so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ, and feel like I need to say that to everyone. I know that He Lives and only thru him can I make it in this life so imperfect, and only thru him I can become more of what He and I want for me and my life. I hope that I can always remember that.

Wow, I need more moments alone.... :)