Sunday Musings

This post is a few weeks old.  I couldn’t get the pics to load earlier.  And here it is…….

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday.  I wake up drowsy and comfy with my legs tangled up between the sheets and my husbands legs.  I look out the window and watch the clouds roll in over the mountain and the suns rays starting to stream into my room.  The window is open and the breeze is sweet and cool.  I hear a rooster crow in the distance and the flag clang on the pole.  The wind rustles the leaves of the aspen trees.  I sigh and stretch and burst into my best opera voice.  Kenny says, “Don’t ever do that again!”  And then I laugh cause he always says that.  I am lazy and stay in bed.  He gets hungry and heads downstairs.  He cooks eggs, hash browns, sausage and toast.  I think he cooked enough for an army.  We wash the dishes together.  I get the roast ready and he cuts up the potatoes.

I wrangle the kids while I try to get myself ready.  It’s time to go and…… surprise, Kaiden is missing his shoes. I can never find Kaiden’s church shoes.  The shoe hunt begins. They are found in a random location and then we head out the door.

We worship.  I think about the ways I can be a better person that week.  I sit still and listen quietly and am peaceful.

We come home and everyone runs in the house.  I yell, “Change out of your church clothes!”  I don’t think they hear me. We are lazy the rest of the day.  I sit out on the deck in the sunshine with my love.  I listen to the sounds of the mountain and the kids playing.  Heaven.  Until they start arguing.  Oh well, it can’t last forever.  We eat a delicious roast dinner.  The kids clean up.  I wish the day wouldn’t go by so quickly.  I love Sunday.

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Last week as we were sitting in Sacrament meeting-

Kaiden (loudly): Mom! Nobody’s supposed to sleep in church!  Mom, LOOK!  *pointing at the lady behind us* No ones supposed to sleep in church!!

Everyone else changed out of their church clothes last week except Kaiden.  By the time I realized this, it was too late.

It’s all fun and mud until your mom rinses you off with the hose.

The worst and best Sunday

Last Sunday was a day! I had tried to be very organized because it was going to be a busy day. Kaiden was giving his first talk in Primary and I had Young Women's in Excellence that evening. On Saturday I spent a few hours trying to find a talk for Kaiden on the Internet without any luck and I finally put one together myself. I spent the rest of the day helping Kelsey with her belief box to display. Then I spent the evening putting together a slide show for YW in Excellence. I had made sure to block out Saturday so I would be prepared for Sunday without any stress.

Sunday morning was uneventful and we gathered up everything we needed. I was getting ready and getting the kids moving. I sent Kendall to get Kaidens shoes when he returned telling me there was something smeared all over the Hot Wheels track in Kaidens room. I went upstairs and found the "something" was Petroleum Jelly and it was ALL over the place. The Hot Wheel track that attaches to the top of his closet door and runs all the way to the other side of the room, was slathered. SLATHERED! He had used several toys to scoop the jelly out and they were covered and the cars all had greased up wheels. I went to the bathroom to get some toilet paper to start wiping stuff up only to find he had already tried and there were wads of toilet paper smeared with Vaseline all over the floor and counter. I sat on the edge of the tub to survey the damage only to find I had seated myself in a pile of Vaseline. It ruined my skirt. It was everywhere! After getting that mess cleaned up we went on a hunt for Kaidens shoes without any luck. After an hour of searching and with church starting in a few minutes, we loaded up and I dropped the older kids at the chapel and went to the store to buy a pair of shoes. I figured he couldn't give his Primary talk in socks.
We did make it to church about 40 minutes late and with the days events I was not in a holy mood. Slowly the stress eased away and I had a great day.
Kaiden did a great job on his talk. He spoke loudly and clearly. It was so cute. After church I helped set up for YW. The evening was so nice. All the girls were given a plain white box and were to make an artistic expression of what the young women values mean to them. They could choose one or all. I was so impressed with all the different ideas they had.

Kelsey with her belief box

She chose Choice and Accountability.

Here are a few of the other boxes......

I loved this one. Click on the pictures to get all the detail.

Flashback

For a church activity Kelsey had to dress up like me when I was her age. She had no idea what she was in for.....she first showed signs of concern when I put 3 pairs of socks on her and spent 10 minutes making sure each sock was scrunched just right. I mean proper sock scrunching is really important and a life long skill. Then came the pegging of the pants. She did not think this was a super cool way to get skinny jeans nor did she appreciate wearing jeans that have ZERO elasticity. Just plain old, high waisted, no stretch jeans. Too bad I don't have any acid washed jeans.....that would have been perfect.Next came the hair and we are talking totally rad bangs! She was reluctant about the hair but that soon turned to panic when her father joined in the bang construction process. I had curled her bangs with a small barrel curling iron and was plastering them with hairspray. They are way too long for this kind of style (if you can even call it a style) but with large amounts of hair product I won the battle.

Kenny: I think you need cheap hairspray like Aqua-Net to do bangs like that.

Me: Do they still make Aqua-Net? *continuous stream of hairspray*

Kenny: Or you could use sugar water....

Kelsey: *coughing from the hair spray cloud*

When I was in Jr. High my sisters and I would take our Rave- Super Mega Ultra Not Going Anywhere- hairspray bottle (the pump kind) and fill it with sugar water. We were poor and had to improvise but I am telling you that is the strongest hairspray known to mankind!

I had sufficiently plastered the bangs into place when Kenny suggested I go for the straight up in the air, wave to the side look and then asked where the scrunchy was to cover her side pony tail....Ummmm...okay honey, you are a little too into the whole 80's hair thing.

I crimped her pony tail and I curled the side wispys into ringlets. It was pretty much a work of art. She was mortified and worried about what everyone was going to think. I assured her there would be much worse when we got there. While secretly thinking hers would be the worst, I mean best hairdo there....that's right moms bring it on! No one is beating me unless they have a banana clip!

The whole outfit is kind of a mix of years. I mixed the late eighties and early nineties because I was not about to go buy anything for this so we were working with what we had at home. So we have the eighties hair and pants/socks and the nineties grunge/huge clothes/plaid thing. I remember wearing my dads shirts cause they were so big on me and that was cool for some reason. Kelsey about had a heart attack when I told her to tuck in the shirt. I don't think she has worn a shirt tucked in...EVER. Over all the look is awesome. Notice the look of extreme joy on her face.
HANG TEN

Seriously those bangs are awesome. I can't stop looking at them.

The car ride to the church was hilarious. As soon as I backed out of the driveway she ducked down to the floor because she didn't want anyone to see her.

She was very relieved when we arrived and there were other girls wearing similar hair styles. But NONE of them were as tubular as hers.

Giggles

Have you ever taken your child out of Sacrament meeting because they were screaming or crying? What about because they were laughing so hard and loud that no one in your family could keep a straight face and the rows around you are smirking and trying not to laugh?
Kaiden started laughing SO hard at church. I had to take him out to the foyer! On the way out he yelled, "NO! DON'T TAKE ME OUTSIDE!"
Then one of my other children who shall remain unnamed, fluffed VERY LOUDLY and we all got the giggles again. The poor family in the row in front of us will never sit near us again!
We usually are very reverent. I swear!

YW in Excellence

Kelsey had her YW in Excellence program on Tuesday night. I am so incredible impressed by the YW leaders in our ward and the time and effort they put into making this a special event.
My heart swelled with pride when Kelsey walked to the front of the room and talked about a goal she had worked on. She talked about participating in the Wizard of Oz. She said what she learned was committment and that once you committ to something you have to stick it out even if you want to quit. She is such a sweet daughter and a righteous young women.
I felt the spirit as the girls sang. I was watching their faces and wondering if they knew how important they are. That the next generation of saints will be born and raised by these young women. I thought about the valiant fights they will fight and hoped that they would all know their true worth. I was filled with memories of my Young Women years. I loved my leaders and they taught me so much. I feel very blessed that Kelsey has leaders that are doing the same for her, that mine did for me. Everything was perfect from the decor to the refreshments and hand outs.

Super Saturday

I had a lot of fun at my ward Super Saturday. That is my kind of crafting...all the supplies gathered and cut and you just put them together. I invited a non member friend from work to go with me. We had a great time!

Answers

I love it when my Heavenly Father answers my questions. I have had a very humbling Sunday and as I try to put into words the jumble of thoughts and emotions running through my head, I hope it make sense.
I think it has been about a month since I have been to church. I hate when I miss it for that long because it makes it harder and harder to go back. When I woke up this morning, I wanted to go back to sleep and just skip again, but I knew I needed to go. I have had several questions rolling around in my head lately. How to handle challenges that I struggle with in my marriage, how to change behavior that I have realized I do not like in myself, worries about debt and finances, and other things that I have been pondering.
When I was at church some interesting things happened. I was sitting in the foyer, (okay...we were late. really late. but at least we made it!) and I looked around and saw the glass case with the bulletins for the ward. I dont know why, but that combined with the hymn being sung, filled my heart with peace and it felt so welcoming, so familiar. It felt like home. After sacrament meeting I got the kids to their classes and headed to my class. When I walked into Sunday School and sat down I looked around and began to feel really inadequate. I felt like I didn't belong and that I didn't really have anyone in the ward to call friend. I felt like no one there really could relate to me or my life. Suddenly, I heard the music of 'A Childs Prayer' floating softly, quietly through the cultural hall from another room, and again a warm peace surrounded me dispelling all my doubts... My Heavenly Father wants me here. He has answers for me.
We were studying Helaman in the Book of Mormon. The teacher asked us to turn to Chapter 5 verse 12. I was touched as I read this passage. It was really the answer to any and all questions I have.... And now, Tenae, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation..... Have I built my foundation? Is it strong enough? that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, yes... I feel the storms... it shall have no power over you to drag you down....
I have become painfully aware of some of the weaknesses in my character. I realize that in my journey to become a stronger, healthier person I have taken my new skill of assertiveness too far on the scale and I have become aggressive at times. I feel that I have a warring heart. I am ready to take offense at every little thing. I am marching off to battle all the time. We read in Helaman 7:16, Tenae, how could you have given way to the enticing of him who is seeking to hurl away your soul down to everlasting misery and endless wo? O repent ye, repent ye! Turn ye unto the Lord your God. Why has he forsaken you? It is because you have hardened your heart... It is painful to read. Why did I give way to Satan's enticing?
I am humbled and reminded what I need to do. I head to Relief Society and the lesson is on finances. I smile. My Father is answering all my questions. I remember the Ensign magazine on my bathroom counter. I havnt read it yet but in my mind I remember that there is an article about being active when your spouse is not. I feel loved and I know my Heavenly Father is keenly aware of me and the things that I struggle with. I feel very blessed that he answered my questions today.
Maybe he packed it all in one Sunday for fear it would be another month before I went back.

Kylie's Baptism

Kylie was baptized by her dad on MAy 3 2008.

We are so proud of her for deciding to be baptized. Kylie is a sweet girl who loves life and spends her time in a carefree world of her own making. She is bright and creative and loves to run free with the wind blowing her hair and no shoes on her feet.

We love her very much and are so happy she chose to come to our family.