Aug 23-26, 2010

Having a fabulous week this week. Learning a lot of things about myself. When I was at Maril's a few weeks ago I learned about my illness with clearance goods. I've known this about me but finally figured it out looking at a pair of earrings that I really liked and wanted and they were $20 and I thought that was a lot and my eyes drifted to some clearance earrings that I idn't like as well but still liked and they were $20.60 down from $29 and I realized that it seemed much better to buy the ones I didn't like as well that were actually more expensive!!!!! Freaky right? I KNOW! I'm ILLLLL! :) And while I knew this was a strange way to feel, I realized how strong this is in me- super excited to break that chain/plan/way of thinking. Only buy what I love from now on! IN fact we're going shopping with Eric and Chriosty Taylor later this month and doign all our shopping for the year- mine and Adam's wardrobe. They are good at it, they buy what they like, they look sharp, it's done. It'll be fun. No looking at price tags. And of course if I love something that is out of my budget then I say no but I don't say or do the reverse!

I've also read a few things that have really brought much pondering. #2 from universe book and let got so they can learn to walk fm screw tape- I'll add them in later- kinda long quotes. I also loved the scripture fm my New Testament study "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth and lo, I am with you ALWAYS even unto the end of the world" That was very powerful. If He has got all the power and He is with me if I'll have Him then faith is kindled and fear melts away...oh that I could have found this rock a decade ago. Sigh. But then my path would have changed. Perhaps now is the perfect timing for me.

I run a mile and a half most mornings with Brittany Allen and it's wonderful therapy for me. I got to thinking and feeling, mostly after I want to Tracy's colloquia, that I was left behind, that all these years I've had time and I've left my brain empty, I didn't think to learn and read and these ladies have soo much more than me...sounds strange on paper ( sounds a lot like pride actually) but I called and told maril about it and brittany and adam, and they all reminded me that it's ok, that I have much to offer even if I havn't been reading forever and have great wisdom- that maril drives up from UT all the time to hang out b/c she can't find girls like me in her neighborhood, how adam says it's a bummer b/c I'm addicted to books and he's addicted to me :) I looooooove my Adam. Since he's read the 4 hour work week he has acted differently, felt differently. He wants to live! To really live and not live to work. I told him once that I feel like my biggest struggle in this life is him and his grumpyness. I'm not sure what to do with myself now that that's gone. We loooooovvvvvvee to be together, I read every morning, I'm so excited to homeschool, I'm learning so much and really enjoy this time of life. My eldest is begging me to babysit for pete's sake! :)

Monday I was pretty grumpy but took a nap and got over it- mostly my grumpiness comes fm planning or wanting to do too much and having it on my mind when I know it is not what I need to be doing 1st....something I have got to remember! And when I try to do family work seperately when it's a task that I need to work along side the babies.....like now when I should attend to breakfast and scriptures and work...........lesson learned, I'll chat more after work!

It's Sunday now and I'll journal my week and then I want to read and plan for homeschool which is starting this week!!!!!!!!! YEAH! So I was feeling like I do when I'm spinning too fast and not playing with my babies so after dinner the kids and I went to the craft room, and decided to draw pictures repesenting the life of the Savior. So I started teaching them the things I'm learning fm my New Testiment studies and they are remembering the stories and were amazed like me that worlds without numbe has the Savior created and we talked about how he still had the veil over Him and how he was taught line upon line here just like we were. It was fun.. Adam was having a hard time- he took a nap and ten went to help Chases with their carpet problem so he wasn't there but it was wonderful for me to STOP and love and teach. I hope home school is like that.

Tuesday was good and busy. Went to meet at Katie's about Levi's preschool and Levi was playing with Spencer and chased and started choking him- scared me. I've never seen him play real rough before. Just a kid I hope :) And then Ellie and I went on a blizzard date to Broulims and Hannah came to play and I took dinner to Katie Neville- prego with the flu- no good! And the computer guy came and helped my computer out quite a bit.

Wednesday I was babysitting- paying back a trade for Brittany and Bonnie- double wammy- and it was super fun! Kids played, I taught piano, we built trains, every one had a buddy. Super fun and then we went to a bbq with Eric and Christy, yummy and really fun. They are neat solid folks. They live by the water and there were a TON of bugs. reminds me not to live by the water :).

Thursday I taught the lawn boys voice. Andrew black is cutting the lawn in exchange for voice lessons. I don't really know how to teach them, I told them but he comes and brings 2 buddies- it's kinda fun. It reminds me how good I am at music. Sometimes I think I'm not that great and don't know that much but there is soooo much learn when I sit with these guys and think of all the things to try to teach! Then I went to mindy and got my hair cut, love it, and Adam and I went on a loooong date. Jena still wants to practice babysitting so we let her babysit from 1-5 and then Macie came over for the rest. Jena is so responsible it's NUTS! So we went to West Yellowstone, shared a beet chicken salad, went to Playmill, had all the treats at intermission, saw the Foreigner, parked and watched the moon for a while- a really super fun time!!!!!!

Friday we got ready all day to go camping- I get to dreading the prep process- soo much work but worth it! We had a blast! Went up past Kelly's, took a goat trail (Levi kept asking where all the goats were :) and so we had to say it was actually a goat and cow trail b/c we kept seeing cows :) Finally got turned around and parked at little kelly's, made a fire, kids played in the little stream, we got levi some $1 rubber cowboy boots and he had a ball! Perfect timing, splashing around in the little river, finding cans for money, cleaning up extra trash. We hiked up the canyon quite a ways, looked at all the plants and said we need to come back and take pics of these plants and go to the forest service and have them help us identify them. So the next day we did! But we slept great, ate a huge fun breakfast, explored around some more, went to get our bountiful basket, had some lunch at home then back up to go huckleberrying, which we were suprised to find some! Enought for a cheesecake we think! Grandma L would be proud! And then back to camp, we tried to perfect roasting pop biscuits, Adam made some fine pigs in blankets, we made s'mores, and the kids and I rode home in the camper, bouncing the whole way. I was getting tired and grumpy but then after kids were in bed at home we showered and I started telling Adam about Pride and Prejudice, which I'm reading for book club, shoot, which is this Thurs! Holy language batman! I'm getting my dictionary out for this book allll the time! I just started underlining all the words I don't know and sometimes there are 5 per page! It's a really yummy book though. Love it. So that was fun. Adam likes it when I read to him and I like it too.

Sunday- Jena woke up with a UTI, I'm a professional UTI sniffer, but she said she wasn't too bad so we went to church and so far everything is ok. I'm going to call Uncle Marshall, he is so sweet to call things in for us now and again....luckily we have such fabulous health. God has blessed us sooo much in that department. And I havn't even written about my green smoothies yet have I? Oh boy, we found those a few months ago thanks to Brittany Allen, and it has been great! My big girls will drink them b/c they know they are healthy even if they are nasty, which I have made some naaaaasty ones before :) Blended up kale and spinach and super foods like cacao, flax, and frozen fruits. Also Ellie got her first loose tooth this week- monday I think. She's a shark! Her big teeth just grew in behind her baby ones and she hasn't lost a single baby tooth. Thats where it's going to hurt. In the teeth department in our house. I'm thinking serious braces are in our future. S'ok. It's better than a hole in the head I guess. Oh, I'm off to read and plan, Sunday is getting away from me!!!!!!!!