Children's Place Sale

ok, this may be a totally random post...but I always like when people share bargains or good tips with me, so I'm passing this one on. For anyone local...Children's Place in Brighton (and I'm sure Howell?) is totally clearancing all their winter stuff to make room for their spring stuff. I went in there yesterday and everything winter (all coats, sweaters, sweatshirts, pants, etc.) are $4.99...plus you can walk into the store and get a 15-20% off in-store coupon at check out if you ask...so basically everything is around $4. And I'm talking nice, nice coats and things for $4...I'm stocking up for next year at those prices.

Also, I don't know how I never knew this, but McDonald's has family night every Wednesday evening from 4-7. Happy meals are only $1.50.

Just passing it on...feel free to do the same in return if you see a bargain anywhere:) Us bargain shoppers have to stick together you know:) hehe

What Do Mormon's Believe??

Most of my friends know that I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka...I am Mormon). Just recently I have had some good friends ask me exactly what we believe. This has led to some good discussions. I am always willing to talk to people and answer their questions about our church, even if they are inquiring just for informational or curiosity purposes. I've come to learn that there are many misconceptions about Mormons (some of which I've been able to clarify to friends thankfully). So I thought I'd post a link on my blog for a good website that explains the basic beliefs of our church.

www.mormon.org is a great one for explaining our basic beliefs

www.lds.org is another good one, although it's purpose is more to include lessons, articles, etc. for church members.

When searching for information be careful because there are many websites that have mis-information...so these two are good, legitimate ones:)

I refer to my church and church related things so much on my blog so I thought I'd add this posting for anyone who may be interested in learning more:)

One More Day

I received this fraom a friend and thought it was good...


One More Day (Daily Reminder for Busy Moms)

*This morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.
*I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.
*I will laugh when I feel like crying and take a deep breath when the day and all the worries of the future feel too overwhelming.
*I will smile every time your beautiful eyes look into mine, and every time you speak I will listen attentively, for your voice is music to my ears.
*This afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.
*I will jump in puddles with you and make mud pies until we are both covered in our creations.
*I will not raise my voice or grumble under my breath as I try to focus your attention on the task at hand or call your name for the second time.
*I will not worry about what you are going to do when you grow up, or second-guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.
*This evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.
*We will have a water fight at bath time until my clothes are completely soaked and our laughter is deafening.
*I will hold you in my arms and tell you the story about how you were born and how much I loved you from the very beginning.
*As I run my fingers through your hair, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given, and I will tell you over and over how much I love you.
*I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their child's grave instead of their bedroom, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.
*And when I kiss you good night, I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. I will thank God for you, and ask Him for nothing, except one more day..............

Top Ten Reasons I Love Scott!!

Valentine's Day is coming up so I changed our blog header and put a lovey dovey picture of Scott and I:) I love Valentine's Day...the day of Love...so in honor of this upcoming holiday, here are the top ten reasons I love my hubby, Scott!

10. Scott is devoted and loyal and puts his family first before anyone or anything else.

9. Scott is extremely prayerful. He prays on his knees many times a day and truly inquires of the Lord regarding everything in our family's life.

8. He gives me great back massages.

7. He works hard for our family and is a good provider.

6. He is always willing to watch the kids when I go places at night so I can have a break (did I mention the Sunday afternoon naps:)...he tells me to go in and take a nap after church, even though I know he would like to be able to as well.

5. Scott is neat and organized

4. I love to watch him interact with our kids...especially playing with Tanner and Logan building Lincoln Log or Lego cities or teaching them to work in the yard mowing the grass, raking leaves, etc.

3. Scott allows me the freedom to pursue my interests. He is always supportive of everything I do.

4. He is always aware and concerned for our family's health.

3. He has been a good example to me in the principles of tithing and fasting. He does these with exact obedience.

2. I enjoy whenever we go on dates together and can talk and just spend time together.

1. And the #1 reason I Love My Hubby Scottie is because we are eternal companions and will be together forever. We were married 12 years ago in the Washington D.C. temple. I love you Scottie!!

My Little Studmuffins:)...and....I Love Sundays!

Ok...I think I'm officially having a blog-a-thon tonight! I seem to go in phases with blogging...it's either feast or famine! Now that I've gotten started tonight, I keep thinking of new things to blog about...I'll try to space it out from now on:)

Anyways, Here's a picture of Logan and Tanner wearing their new white shirts and ties from Christmas...thanks Mom! They are perfect! They wore them Sunday for the first time and I thought they might be annoyed since ties and white shirts are more restrictive...but they were soooo excited! They kept saying how they were like Daddy. Scott talked to them about the significance of wearing a white shirt in doing their priesthood duties for church and how they are "practicing" wearing a white shirt and tie for when they will pass, prepare, and bless the sacrament as well as when they are missionaries. Scott is going to try to find his old missionary badges for them to wear next Sunday:) They are my little future missionaries and stud muffins:)

I also wanted to say how much I love Sundays now! We have morning church this year and it has made all the difference. See, there is a Howell congregation and a Brighton congregation and we trade every year as to the times we go to church. The first group goes from 9-12 and the next group from 1-4. So starting at the beginning of this year, we now go in the morning and it has been fabulous! Each Sunday we have come home from church and after we eat I have been able to take a nap for a few hours while the babies nap and Scott and the boys have their bonding time:)! This may seem like no big deal to some people, but considering I never get enough sleep, these Sunday afternoon naps have been amazing!! I also love having more time after church to eat dinner together, read scriptures, and relax together as a family. The Sabbath Day has now reclaimed it's spot as truly "the day of rest" for me. I love Sundays!

Mallory's First Steps!!

Mallory took her first steps today! She has been kind of letting go and standing on her own for a minute or two before she falls...well today when we were playing on the carpet, she was standing there and then just walked like 5 steps in a row towards me before she fell. I was so excited for her. She's such a big girl and seemed so proud of herself! So I ran to get my camera to try to get her in action...that proved a little harder:) It's days like today I'm especially glad to have the opportunity to stay home with my kids...to capture each little milestone...like first steps:) So this series of pictures is my attempt to capture a picture of her learning to walk. The last picture is of her ripping her bow out of her hair. All of a sudden she has decided she doesn't like things in her hair. Doesn't she know that she is mom's doll and she doesn't have a choice in the matter!!? I guess she must not have gotten the memo!!

Lucky You!

My friend Prescilla has a really fun sort of giveaway/tag going on. So, I'm playing along. Check it out!

Lucky you!

The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!

2. What I create will be just for you.

3. It'll be done this year. {might be a little while}

4. You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article on properly cleaning your face before a masque. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.
The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!

*Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it!*

More Free Blog Backgrounds

Here are a few more websites where you can get free blog backgrounds if you're interested. Some of you made comments that you used some of the first set I posted on here. I borrowed (stole) these from my sister's blog again:) Thanks Kathy!


Scrap-E-Blog
http://scrap-e-blog.blogspot.com/
Sam's scraps
http://sams-scraps.blogspot.com/
Kindra's backgrounds
http://mybloggingdesigns.blogspot.com/
Blogger Boutique

http://bloggerboutiquebackgrounds.blogspot.com/
LeeLou Blogs
http://leeloublogs.blogspot.com/
Layla Kay Designs
http://laylakaydesigns.blogspot.com/
Pyzam Layouts
http://www.pyzam.com

25 Random Things You May or May Not Know About Me

I posted these on Facebook after being "tagged" by some friends to write 25 Random things about me...so I cut and pasted them here just for fun...It was hard to think of things that some people might not know about me...but I always like doing these cheesy little things:)...so here it is...my deep, dark secrets revealed!!



1. Our family adopted my sister, Tami, when I was 16 years old. Love her!! Long story...maybe I'll do a post on my blog about it sometime:)

2. The most physically adventurous thing I've ever done was to bungee jump by my feet in college...exhilarating! Have the video to prove it!

3. I cannot go to bed until every stitch of laundry is done and every dish is done and everything is put away! I'm a constant tidier and obsess about eliminating clutter and keeping organized.

4. I don't like to talk on the phone and rarely answer my home phone or even check who's calling. I do however love to e-mail, get messages on my blog and facebook...and love hanging out with people in person. I think my phobia of answering the phone stems from my inability to say no if I'm asked to do something...I don't like to be caught off guard...so therefore I also don't like when people stop by my house unannounced.

5. With my first set of twins, the day I found out I was having two boys I came home and cried because I was hoping for at least one of them to be a girl. Of course I love my boys to pieces, just have always had a longing for a girl I suppose. Before we conceived our second set of twins, I prayed for months to have a daughter...and we did:) (shallow I know...but I'm sharing all my secrets here:)

6. I started out college majoring in physical therapy...then switched to education, however I wish now that I would have become a labor and delivery nurse...I'm so interested in women's health, pregnancy, babies, etc. I have a Master's Degree in Elementary Ed.

7. I function on very little sleep...I usually go to bed between 2-3am and get up around 8am every day (waking up a few times each night to nurse my babies:). I do this because I want peaceful time to myself:) I haven't slept 8 straight hours in almost 5 years.

8. I plan to nurse my babies til they are two, but tell everyone 18 months so they don't think I'm too weird:) They are my last babies, so I'm in no rush to stop.

9. I write almost EVERYTHING down that I do each day and look at my planner/calendar about 50 times a day...I love checking off things...makes me feel accomplished (weird I know).

10. I belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My Faith, Family, and Friends are the most important things in my lfe. I'd like to share more about my religion with friends, but often get nervous talking about it because of what others might think.

11. We had to use fertility drugs to get pregnant because I have polycystic ovaries.

12. I weigh almost 40 pounds less than I did 5 years ago. I want to lose about 30 more:) My cholesterol went from 245 to 201:)

13. About once a week I go to Costco and go around the whole store just to try all the samples and feed my kids lunch. Costco is one of the few places that all four of my kids fit in the cart!

14. In college, I had a running list of all the guys I went on dates with and a rating system.

15. When I was in second grade, my mom was pregnant with my brother. I told my teacher and the whole class she had had the baby and that it was a girl (just to get attention)...later that week my mom went in for parent-teacher conferences (still fully pregnant)...that was my first lesson on always telling the truth!

16. I'm a Republican but don't like George Bush. I went to Mitt Romney's announcement that he was running for president...I was hoping he would win:(

17. I rarely go anywhere without makeup...not because I'm vain, but because I'm self-consious without it:)

18. I would really like to move to another state sometime and have a new adventure since I've lived in MI most of my life.

19. While attending my friend and team teacher's wedding two years ago, I walked into the country club and my skirt fell straight to the ground!...my most embarrassing moment by far!

20. My main guilt usually comes from letting my kids watch too much tv, eat too much junkfood, or being impatient with my kids...I feel guilty about my shortcomings as a mother...that my kids are being shortchanged because I am stretched too thin with four little ones at home.

21. I was addicted to Coke and Pepsi in a major way and recently gave it up...at the price of a week of headaches and vomiting.

22. My favorite ways to relax are taking a bath and reading a book, getting on the computer, shopping, getting together with friends and family, and going out to dinner or a movie with Scott.

23. I've been to all but 4 states. (haven't been to Oregon, Washington, Alaska, or Louisiana)

24. Loves when Scott brushes my hair and would prefer this over a massage any day.

25. I have ugly, crooked toes:)


Now...I tag all of you who are reading my blog to post your "25 Random Things":) Have Fun!!

Free Blog Backgrounds

My sister Kathy is the blogging queen:) She has a great blog that she updates often and is always changing her backgrounds, which are always cute as can be! She posted these websites below on her blog...they are links to get free blog backgrounds. I thought they were too good to not pass on:) Enjoy...Happy Blogging my fellow bloggers!


Cristi's Creations
http://cristiscreations.blogspot.com/

Aqua Poppy Designs
http://aquapoppydesigns2.blogspot.com/

Chic Blogs
http://chicblogs.blogspot.com/

Delightful Dots
http://delightfuldots.blogspot.com/

Izzy Grace Blogs
http://izziegraceblogbackgrounds.blogspot.com/

Shels Scraps
http://shelsscraps.blogspot.com/

Simply Chic Blogs
http://simplychicblogs.blogspot.com/

Cutest blog on the block
http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com/

Allie Brown Layouts
http://alliebrownslayouts.blogspot.com/

looking forward to seeing your cute blogs....

Bouncing Baby Boy!

So we found out that my sister, Brenda is expecting a BOY! She is due in June with her first baby...which we now know will be a bouncing baby boy:) We are so thrilled for her and her husband Don as they embark on this new adventure of parenthood. I know they will be fabulous parents:) Congratulations you guys!!!

Tender Moment

This morning I got up and got ready for church and then went to wake Tanner and Logan up to get them dressed. When I walked in their room, Tanner was kneeling by his bed. He looked up at me with a sad look and said "Mom, we need to say a prayer". I asked him what was wrong and he replied that he had lost "Cooper". Cooper is a little dog that he got in his McDonald's happy meal when he went to his friend Max's birthday party on Friday. Tanner LOVES dogs and therefore instantly attached himself to this little dog. Well, he went to bed with it last night and when he woke up he couldn't find it. So, together we knelt down and I listened to him say his prayer...

"Dear Heavenly Father, Please help me to find my dog Cooper...he's lost and I love him so much....(or something like that)...

As he was praying, I was silently saying my own prayer that we would quickly find his little dog and that this experience would teach him of the power of prayer and that he would know that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers.

Well, within a few minutes after his prayer we found Cooper who had fallen down between the bed and the wall. It may sound silly, but I got teary-eyed because I was so proud of him that his first reaction when there was something wrong was to pray. This was a sweet mothering moment for me today:)

Mothers Who Know Do Less

Ok, it's about this time of year that I totally wish I lived somewhere warm! This freezing, frigid tundra is insane! The last couple of weeks I feel like I've tried to hibernate as much as possible...and I'm trying to be ok with it:) I am by nature an "on-the-go" person and have always been happier when I am busier and out doing things. My Grandma Lowe was like that and I think I got that from her. It's really a challenge for me to stay home alot and be content. I get easily restless and antsy to get out. Well, I have really been trying these last few frigid weeks to just embrace the idea of staying home and enjoy being with my kids. It has been a good opportunity to do all those things that I want to do with my kids but never seem to get around to. We have been reading LOTS of books, including the 16 book scripture series I've been wanting to read them. We've played all their new games from Christmas...Connect Four, Twister, Perfection, Memory, Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Don't Spill the Beans, the list goes on... We've built cities with Lincoln Logs, made creatures out of playdough, practiced our cutting, drawing, and gluing skills a ton:) I've laid on the carpet and played "airplane" with the babies and just let them crawl on me and tickled them til they laugh so hard. We've played reading and word games, and the boys practiced writing letters to relatives. Below is a picture of the fort we made this week. They loved making it and then getting it all set up like a bed inside and then we cuddled up and read stories in it. At one moment we were reading in the fort, and the thought came to me that this is really what life is all about...there is nothing better than cuddling with two four year olds who think you're the best...and they are hanging on every word of the scripture stories being read. It has been one of my new years resolutions to focus on the important things in life and let go of the unimportant things (like keeping the house clean all the time, etc.) One of my favorite talks is by Julie Beck "Mothers Who Know, Do Less" and I have really found that to be true this week. So often I get caught up in all the things going on and places to go that I get sidetracked from the important things in life and the best things about Motherhood...my four kiddos! I love them so much and am so grateful that I am their mom!

Gary and Diana!!!

My little brother Gary is a married man! He and Diana were married last Saturday, January 3rd in the Manti temple in Utah. Here are a few pictures from the special day. I am looking forward to meeting Diana...she must be one special girl to move here all the way from Venezuela where it's nice and warm to freezing Bozeman, Montana where Gary is getting his PhD in astrophysics. I'm glad Gary found such a special person that makes him light up with happiness. I know they will have a wonderful life together and I wish them the best as they start out their life together!

Christmas in Virginia 2008

We just got back two days ago from our two week trip to Virginia for Christmas. I feel like I have spent the last two days doing laundry and am still not caught up! We had a great time and did some fun things. We had a good Christmas with Scott's parents and family exchanging gifts and eating way too much food! I took way too many pictures as usual and am too lazy to do multiple blog postings about everything we did...so here's just a few...

While we were there we visited with my cousin Alan and his wife Jana and their 5 (soon to be 6) kids... So together all nine of our kids had a blast playing together. We also visited with my old college roommate from BYU, Audrey, and her kids. Ironically Audrey and Alan both live in Fairfax and actually go to church together and their kids share primary classes and things:) So our three families went to the air and space museum in Washington D.C. which was great and the kids really loved. We were quite a sight trying to keep all 11 of our kids going in the same direction:)

We also visited with some of Scott's old friends from highschool that he went to church with as well. Lots of fun seeing them again:)

We also visited a potato chip factory where we took a tour to see how potato chips are made (which the boys thought was so cool:)

It was a good trip and fun to see lots of family and friends. I also love this time of the year (I'm weird I know)...when things get back to normal routines again and I can hibernate in the house for a while playing board games and reading with the kids and just relaxing after the business of the holidays:) Happy New Year 2009 everyone:)