Saving the Easter Chicken...

I was so excited to get out my Easter box and put out some spring decorations this week.

I love Easter!

It was one of the only holidays when my family lived near me that I would have a family gathering at my house. I am not sure why, but I do love the holiday... deviled eggs, and ham probably was a big draw for me.

My boys, at my request have put all the holiday decorations in the attic... but I just couldn't wait for someone to get home to pull them down. So I finally talked myself into climbing the ladder (I kept the garage door opened in case I fell and landed on my head, my neighbor outside trimming her rose bushes might find me before dark time).

I don't know why I leave such delicate tasks to my boys, like putting boxes away, because as I was teatering on the top rung of the ladder, I finally found the box marked Easter tipped upside down fallen over behind another box, with a big heavy Christmas box crushing on top of it.

UHHHHHGGGGG!!!!

After much struggling and tugging on my tippey toes on top of the ladder hanging on for dear life, I got me precious Easter Box down.

I have some really cute bunnies my cousin made and painted tulips on their bums... my favorite.

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Petunia

And who doesn't love character bunnies? These guys don't have names yet. And I also found that I have a thing for carrots, maybe it is their vibrant color of orange... but I found these at a dollar store and had to have them.
I made these silk tie eggs one year, after I decided dying eggs every year without my son would not be any fun, so these are lovely to have on display in place of dying eggs.

This was my crafty project this week, redesigning my old tired spring wreath with some fresh new pastel eggs to hang by my front door

Because I am too afraid to hang this one out there. My sis sent this one to me... it's real hand blown out eggs woven into a wreath. So it is my table center piece... I love this too!

But the funniest thing happened while I was putting out the decorations.

We have had this easter chicken since my teenager was pretty young, my sister found it and we have never had to replace the batteries in it. It just keeps going and going and going... you place it in your hand and the two contacts conduct and set off the chirping.

Apparently when it gets wet (any ol' dog slobber will do) it will start chirping too... I am in another part of the house and I hear the Easter Chicken chirping and chirping in distress... I couldn't imagine what was setting it off? Had that little puppy of ours found her way onto the table, even she couldn't be that naughty? Rudy is way to short, and Morgan... no way!

I grabbed the camera and this is what I found!

Morgan my sweet little girl, the most obedient and good natured, never ever in trouble lab/viszla mix... found the "Easter Chicken"! She adopted it and made it hers! She loves it! She stole it right off the table!!

She is never ever that naughty!!

Just in the nick of time I was able to save the "Easter Chicken", it might have to have a new home way up high somewhere!

Another Dog Day Afternoon...

I don't have allot of exciting things to journal about every day.

I have many very ordinary days.
But regardless of what my boys think, I AM busy all day.

This is a RARE occasion that the dogs are all quiet and sleeping!

Rudy is all curled up on a pile of clean laundry that never seemed to get folded and put away.

Everyone else curled up on the couch.

See! I couldn't be sitting around watching Oprah... there's no seats left in the house!!

I love these rare occasions, but I "can't leave a sleeping dog lie"... I should go quietly get some work done, but I have to sit down next to them and play with their lips and eye lids and kiss them on the chops.

Did I mention I love these dogs?

If I was really balanced and had it all together, a perfect day would include:

A shower, shampoo and shine for me

Feed and water the dogs

make lunches for the boys

eat breakfast together before sending the boys off for the day

exercise

getting some phone calls done

paying the bills

dog play time

balancing the checkbook

finishing a clients taxes

get dinner in the crock pot

walking over and serving at the assisted living home

going for a walk with the dogs

attend my church presidency meeting

take the forgotten item to the teenager at school (okay this would be omitted on a perfect day)

laundry, folded and put away

call my bff

send out cute cards to everyone I was thinking about

get the newsletters done, I am responsible for 3 now

making calls for my church calling

brush the dogs

grocery shopping
running errands, banks, post office etc.
take pictures outdoors to fulfill my love of photography
pick up pay checks
read my scriptures
lunch out with my Strong Silent Mysterious Man
pick up the teenager from school
take the dogs to the lake
call my sister, just to chat
read the newspaper
drop off finished work to my clients
go get my hair done
take the dogs to the vet for a check up
type up the agendas for the next days meetings
mop the kitchen floors
drop the teenager off at golf practice
get all the birthday cards for the next month created and ready to mail
dust and vacuum the dog hair
a trip to the YMCA to swim
make homemade Christmas gifts and have them all done before July
meet my man back at home for alone time
pick up the teenager from golf practice
have dinner together
go to the Temple with my man
take the dogs for a walk as a family
have quality family time and prayer before bedtime
go to be early

Unfortunately, I never ever ever seem to have a perfect day.

If I work and get allot accomplished for my clients, the chores don't get done, and it is everyman for himself for dinner, no fun time for me or the dogs.

If I work on the chores, I don't get any work time in, and no fun for me or the dogs.

If I go play, the chores back up, no dinner, no work gets done for the clients, no money to do anything fun again, guilty, and no fun for the dogs.

It is such vicious circle. I do my best, I try and get a little done in each area to get by. But I never ever feel on top of it all. I always feel like I left something undone. I wish I could let go of the guilt and feel really good about what I do get done, and not worry about the rest so much.

I am working on that, it is not easy, I know I complain about it allot!!!

But I really want it all!

I love words!!!

Here are some of the words I have around me...

Wish it... Dream it... Do it.

Peace Joy Faith
Believe
Courage
Forget Todays Troubles, Remember Today's Blessings

(for the worrier in me)
Family, forever, for always & no matter what!

(I love that my family will be together in Heaven)

This just reminds me I AM STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

I have blogged about "The Daffodil Principal" ... I love this!

"Team Hoyt" a complete inspiration for getting moving!

Left over Valentines messages

This one is for my son... but it helps me to remember the stripling warriors were taught to have great faith by their Mama's and that helped them to survive and endure the battles. So I don't ever forget to keep teaching him to have faith!

I have words all around me (some words left out to protect the innocent) to encourage me, to remind me, to uplift me, to get me off my butt... and help me to know it is all about the journey... if I had everything done in one day, then what would I do?

Today I will remember...

Life really is about the journey and not the destination.

(hey that would be some more good words to have around me huh!)

SPT ~ Self Portrait Tuesday ~ Something that is extra special about me

The spt challenge for this week is to photograph something that is extra special about you.

I know I have special qualities... My Mom was so good at helping me to feel that about myself while I was growing up, and even still today ~ the special women in my life help to show that to me, when I can't see it for myself.

But extra special... hmmmm.

I think the divine nature that God gave me as a women, would be the 1st thing that comes to my mind. I am special, but my God given uniqueness makes me extra special.

As the only girl (not counting the dogs) in the house, I am fortunate to feel and observe my divine nature as a mother and a wife. When the boys are being crazy boys wrestling and about to break something... I am able to use the touch I was given as a woman to soften the rough edges, calm down the situation, save a nearly broken vase, and even at times turn it around into reading scriptures together.

This week I was able to turn a scowling, grumpy, mouthy teenager around with gentle persuasion and kindness, into giving our family night lesson.

I think I am in line with my Teenager training...

President Hinckley said "Nurture your sons with love and counsel (check... lots of council at our house). Teach them the importance of personal cleanliness, of neatness in their dress (check... always telling him to pull up his baggy pants). Sloppy ways lead to sloppy lives. Instill in them a sense of discipline. Keep them worthy of service to the Church as missionaries (check... never let him talk me into skipping church). Give them things to do so that they may learn to work (check, check... always have plenty of chores). Teach them to be frugal (check... yep I am the mean Mom that makes him wait to buy pizza hut at school lunch only every other Friday, unless he has worked for his own money). Labor and frugality lead to prosperity. Teach them that nothing really good happens after 11 o'clock at night (check... luckily he hasn't discovered this as an option yet). And do not spoil them (okay... I have to have something to work on, not so perfect at this... I tend to spoil). If they go on missions, they may be compelled to live in circumstances that you would not wish for them. Do not worry about them (need more work here too, I am a worrier). Give them encouragement."

(this is me spoiling him... running out the door to take him the favorite hat to golf in)

I just love this encouragement by Pres. Hinckley, and believe a man can give these boys something their mothers can not give. But I think it is what God gave me to help me in these areas... teaching, loving, and guiding is what helps me to be my extra special self.



I don't think that this gift stops with my teenager and my husband... I love love love my dogs, and while it is easy to love them, and hold them on my lap and give hugs and kisses when they are sweet....

I believe my divine nature allows me to love them when they are naughty too (you know after the initial shock of the moment).

So divine nature... that's what makes "me" extra special. I wish I could take credit for it... but the Glory is to God. As it should be.

Signs of Spring...

I haven't seen any snow in the forecast for a week or so. The air seems a tiny bit warmer, I am seeing spring dresses at church already (with sweaters), and Easter candy in the stores. And what is this, amongst the weeds and winter freeze dried plants still lingering in my planters?
It is a tulip coming up!!! No bloom, just green... but what do ya know....
and in my yard, is that a flower popping up from the dead grass that surrounds it...
I do see signs of spring... Signs of green...
Even amongst my dead brown grass! My poor dead grass, winters here are really brown.

I love springtime, and I love Easter Sunday, and all the signs of renewal they bring to me.

I love the color green, and bulbs as they pop up through the dirt.

I love looking at flowers in the garden centers, but it is painstaking for me to pick some out to go in my planters and flower boxes.

I love the thought of having a big garden to tend to, but my fear of snakes keeps me in a few small containers every year.

This year I am pushing my Strong Silent Mysterious Man into helping me plan and layout and build raised gardens for our backyard. I have done some research, and really want to make this happen this year.

I love Spring, and I love Hope!