Nightmare Realized...well kinda

Yesterday I read a story to the kids at church about a young girl who was left to babysit her younger brothers, when the garage, and one of her brothers, started on fire.  One of the older girls said "That would be my biggest babysitting nightmare!!"

This past Friday night I had "My biggest "mom" nightmare" or at least I thought I did...for a few seconds.

Friday afternoon I was busy packing for a very special "Father/Son" camp out (why was I packing, you ask?  Well, because boys just don't know how:)).  We packed up the car, hugged and kissed our boys goodbye and started our "girls night".

 

After a little shopping, homemade pizzas, a lot of ice cream, and a movie, I tucked my girls into bed, locked up, and was asleep seconds after my head hit the pillow.

An hour or two later, I woke up to what sounded like a door slamming...I looked at the clock--12:30am.

I listened carefully...footsteps...more footsteps...loud footsteps.

It didn't sound like the girls quiet bare feet stumbling out of bed...it sounded like grown up feet...wearing shoes!!

My stomach dropped, I swear my heart stopped...this was my worst nightmare (well, one of them).

Whoever was in my house was coming up the stairs, slowly, but surely heading to my bedroom.

I opened my eyes slightly, just enough to see a silhouette of a man.

The man said nothing and slowly walked toward me...

What do I do??

Holy cow was I scare!!  It was that kid of scared when you think you've lost a child.  Pure Terror.

A few steps later, I realized it was my husband...coming home early from the camp out.  Of course, then my mind jumped to "was Tyson okay?".  Well, it turned out some crazies started a huge bonfire on the road and they kicked everyone out of the camp site in the middle of the night--pretty lame for Tyson's first father/son camping trip...but at least it happened after all the great fun was had (roasting hot dogs, s'mores, exploring, fireside, throwing sticks...and whatever boys do in the wilderness).

Needless to say, I couldn't get back to sleep for a couple hours after that ordeal.

There's Nothing Like Lilacs

Today I literally had to hold back my tears when I smelled a bouquet of purple lilacs at the grocery store.  You see, I don't think I've smelled real lilacs since I was living at home maybe 14 years ago.  I have such wonderful memories of giant bouquets of lilacs plucked from our yard and placed in Mom's special crystal vase and then on my lap as we drove to both my grandmas' homes for Mother's Day.  Oh, how I miss those days...and those wonderful Grandmothers that I had!!

(All the pics are lilacs from my parents' yard)

 

 
Memories really are wonderful and painful at the same time.  I am so glad I had such a fantastically happy childhood, yet sometimes it's painful to remember that those days are over.  I am so blessed to have been given 3 beautiful happy babies, yet they are growing so quickly that sometimes it just hurts to watch them move to the next step.  I was lucky enough to go to college and meet so many unique and inspiring people and have so many exciting times, yet it saddens me to go years and years without seeing any of those wonderful people or stepping foot on that amazing campus.

 

As my (what I consider) significant birthday approaches, I am a little sad.  Sad that so many of these magical experiences are now in my past...sad that as life continues those memories will get dimmer and dimmer, sad that I am so far away from so many that I love.  I know the answer to this sadness, is to live in the moment, make new memories and enjoy every minute I have with those I love and have near.  I WILL do that...I really feel like I DO do that, but forgive me if I go back to the store and buy those lilacs too...

Newport Beach Temple

Did you know that there was a Deseret Book 45 min. away?!  And it is only 15 min. from the Newport Beach temple?!  I had no idea...and when I found out, we piled in the car and headed down to visit them.

By the beautiful fountains---look at that blue sky!!

 In the front of the temple

  The girls tried everything to get Tyson to keep his head straight...it didn't work:)

 Can you find Tyson?  There's something about a large patch of grass that makes kids crazy!!

 

Tyson wouldn't leave without getting a picture of him praying.  

With the light in the background it looks like "The First Vision":)

 

Done...well mostly

After a total of two weekends, my garden is mostly done.  I say "mostly" because I want to add some big rocks to the back of it, but we'll see...I might break down and buy more flowers too:)

Around my neck

I've never been much of a jewelery girl.  I usually have one or two things that I love and wear every day.  I even wore the same hoop earrings for something like 6 years!!  When Mike and I were dating and first got married, I wore his Chinese CTR ring on a chain around my neck...morning and night, every day all day (how sweet right?!).  I don't remember when I stopped wearing it, probably around when I started having kids.  Well, since then I have worn necklaces here and there, but usually just to church...until NOW! 

For Valentine's Day I got a very sweet necklace from my hubby (there is a story there, but I've been sworn to secrecy!!).  It says "best friends now and forever"...even sweeter than wearing his CTR ring, right?!  I started wearing this new necklace all day every day.  But wait, it gets better... Mike went to Australia a couple weeks ago, and guess what he brought me back?!  It's the cutest boomerang necklace with a kangaroo on it!!  As soon as I saw it, I knew it would go perfectly with the necklace I already had on.  I took the pendant off the chain, added it to my own and voila--MY PERFECT NECKLACE.  Now I wear that thing all day every day and I don't see it coming off anytime soon (well, except when I go to the gym...I don't want it to get all gross and sweaty).  So, no diamonds or pearls for me.  I honestly couldn't be happier with exactly what I have:)

We counted it!

 Every once in a while, the kids convince us to count our "vacation money" (all our loose change). 

 It is surprisingly fun:) 

 

  

Grand Total= $770.19.  

I think we need to save a little longer before we can go to the kids' destination (Hawaii)!!

It's that time of year again!

t seems like every spring we spend a few weeks practicing our swim strokes at the pool (by "we" I mean the kids). The girls think they are"expert" swimmers, so this spring it's just Tyson in lessons. Luckily his lessons are at 5:30pm and open swim starts at 6pm, so the girls get to practice their swimming too! They have a lot of fun swimming together, and the pool is shallow enough that I don't worry about Tyson swimming without me!

Grant me the serenity...

...to accept the things I can not change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

I know this is the well known Serenity Prayer from the AA crowd, but I really think it can apply to marriage:) As we go through married life, we are constantly learning things about our spouse...some good, some bad. Well, I don't know that I will ever accept the fact that my husband is a "napper" or that he just can't "hear" me when he is doing something else, but wouldn't life be better if I could? The good news for me is that recently I discovered something I COULD change about my wonderful husband...not that he needs changing:)

When I was dating, my list of qualifications for a husband did not have any where on it "must be able to cook". It really wasn't even a thought that crossed my mind (I even thought it was funny that Mike's idea of making dinner was Hamburger Helper or Top Ramen). Well, after being married and cooking meal after meal after meal for picky children, I starting thinking "I should have married someone who could cook." Long story short, for Christmas this year I bought Mike a "Grilling Cook Book." Can I tell you that he has made it his goal to cook every Saturday night?! So far we have had TWO AMAZING meals!

I am one happy girl. Now if I could just accept the whole napping thing...

This is the first meal he made for us. BBQ baked potatoes, grilled chicken breast, asparagus, and pineapple--so so so good!!