WINNER!!!!!

Here are your random numbers:265
Timestamp: 2009-01-30 19:28:40 UTC

The winner is comment number 265!!!


pestkaj said...
please enter me!pestkaj(at)yahoo(dot)com
January 28, 2009 7:22 PM


YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IM EMAILING YOU RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANKS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WILL BE HOLDING ANOTHER GIVEAWAY NEXT WEEK!!!!

AMAZING giveaway on this neat website

ok this neat site www.shakethesalt.com is giving away 833 dollars worth of goodies in one big mega prize pack!!!! How amazing is that!!!!!!!!!
Check out the site, it is pretty neat!!!!
jaelle
momtothreebabies@netscape.com
www.momtothreebabies.blogspot.com

Today is the day!!!!!

The bloggy giveaway winner will be announced!!!! Im going to wait until noon today. Then close the comments and Choose the winner. I will be using random.org and I am sooo excited. Im thinking of offering more of these giveaways!! it is just to much fun!
Good luck to everyone and I hope to get a chance to email you all a big thank you!
Jaelle
momtothreebabies@netscape.com

adoption

ok, this is a very close to my heart post. i have always wanted to adopt a special needs child. it is just in my heart. i found this amazing site www.reecesrainbow.com and it tells how to help raise money for these special children to be adopted. well, i have chosen the baby i want, lol. now im going to start trying to raise money to help him get adopted into a loving home. i dont yet have all the qualifications to bring him to my home ( namely i need to make an extra 900 bucks a year. sheesh.) but im going to work hard to put money in his account so he can be loved.
I will be giving updates here, and posting a pic of him here hopefully but i wanted to post the link so that you could go look at these beautiful babies.
With Love,
jaelle

A hike in the snow!

We sat down and did school this morning, then we bundled up to go for a little hike in the snow to look for tracks. We found the neatest bunny tracks ( they were huge) and we followed them into the woods and found three HUGE bunnies!! it was so fun, we were giggling as they were running all around the clearing and it was super fun to crunch in the snow ( i love that sound, lol) and follow the tracks. the kids were so cute! they have done so well with school today, we had some fun time outside, ive cleaned the living room and dining room and mopped and read my scriptures. im trying to get stuff done today. whew. this afternoon i will probably lay around and play on the computer, signing up for more goodies and working on my blogs, etc.

here are some neat pics!

The trail

following the trail.......

the bunnies hideout!!

another favorite!! www.thriftyandchicmom.com

http://www.thriftyandchicmom.com/2009/01/itty-bitty-bookworm-giveaway.html?showComment=1233012120000#c7520107733271887041

This is such a great giveaway! im such an advocate for homeschooling. The bo curriculum would be perfect for my four year old and also for my 6 year old who has autism, just right!!!! I cant wait to check it out more!!

Ugh, so fun!

Bloggy Favorites babycakesart.blogspot.com

ok, im having way to much fun doing the bloggy giveaway carnival, and im finding sooo many neat things that i want to pass on to all my friends!!
Here is one of them!!!!!
http://www.babycakesart.blogspot.com/
Their stuff is ADORABLE!!!! Oh to be so talented!!! Go check it out, their prices are pretty sweet too!!!!!
Love, Jaelle
momtothreebabies@netscape.com

EZ Beans and Weenies

EZ Beans and Weenies
1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
1 lb pork and beans (use 1 pound can)
2 large hot dogs, chopped
1/3 cup favorite barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 cup minced onion (or to taste)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (or to taste)
Directions
1Set oven to 400 degrees.
2In a bowl mix together pork and beans with sliced hot dogs, BBQ sauce, brown sugar and onions.
3Remove the dough from the package and press each biscuit into a greased muffin cup.
4Fill each cup with the bean/hot dog mixture.
5Bake for about 10-12 minutes.
6Sprinkle each with grated cheddar cheese and serve.

Saucy Meatballs- quick and yum

Saucy Meatballs

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup dry bread crumbs
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 pounds ground beef
1 bottle ketchup
1 jar grape jelly
1 med onion finely chopped

-------------------------------------

Directions:
combine everything except ketchup, jelly and onion.
roll in balls and place on a greased pan.
350 for 20 minutes
in saucepan- jelly ketchup and onion heat up
pour over meatballs
bake uncovered for 20 minutes longer.

BBQ Chicken Sandwiches, quick and easy

YUM!


1/2 cup shredded cooked chicken

1/4 cup shredded carrots

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce

2 teaspoons light ranch dressing

1 small whole-wheat sandwich bun

1 leaf romaine lettuce
Recipe Directions
Combine chicken, carrots and barbecue sauce in a bowl. Spread ranch dressing on the bun. Top with the chicken mixture and lettuce.

Bloggy Carnival Give Aways!!!! FUN!!!

I decided to join the bloggy carnival giveaways! This blog that is hosting it is super fun!
http://www.bloggygiveaways.com/
Anyway, after much consideration, Im giving away..............
A Bath and Body Works Bundle
It will include 5 items from bath and body works!!!
I adore bath and body works, and I especially adore bubble baths!
Hey being a momma to three babies makes me deserve a bubble bath!!
Just post a comment and I will choose on the 30th!!!! YAY!!
I will email the winner!!!!
Thanks for checking out my blog!!!!
Love, Jaelle
momtothreebabies@netscape.com

OKIE DOKIE IT IS 1:25 PM!!!! IM CLOSING THE COMMENTS!!!! I HAVE HAD 333 COMMENTS!!!! IM GOING TO GO DRAW A WINNER USING RANDOM.ORG AND I WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER!!!!! ANY COMMENTS MADE AFTER 1:25 PM FRIDAY JAN 30th WILL BE JUST FOR FUN<>

Menu Plan Monday!! Yum!!

First of all, i have to give big shout outs to the amazing lady who runs http://www.orgjunkie.com/ it is one of my FAVORITE websites and she is amazing!! They are having some fun giveaways on the blog this week!
Here is my weekly menu!!!!

Sunday:
bean burritos
tortilla chips with cheese, beans and salsa
peaches

Monday:
BBQ Chicken Sandwiches
Yellow Rice and Peas

Tuesday:
Saucy Meatballs
Cheese and crackers
veggies and dip
Fruit smoothies

Wednesday:
Texas Tater Tot Casserole
fruit and veggie

Thursday:
Beans and Wienies with Biscuits

Friday:
Homemade Pizza and Movie Night!!

ps- Im going to be working hard on getting these recipes posted on the blog!!!
Thanks for looking!!

Another Memphis PIc

This is memphis, and he is smiling at you! please excuse the messy bedroom behind him. i was lying in bed and he came up to smile at me, so i took his pic. keiths jeans and everything are in a heap behind him, but he is happy! !!!!!

The Velveteen Rabbit

For family reading time in the evenings i have been following a list of classic literature and we finished the Velveteen Rabbit tonight. I always tear up when I read this story, it was my favorite when i was a child and it was the first book i ever bought dylan. i read the long classical version of it and tomorrow we will start on a new story, Raggedy Andy stories. Im excited because this is one of the few books from the list that i havent personally read! So it will be super fun!
I love this tradition in our family. This quiet comfy time before bed where we snuggle in the living room and use our imaginations and I love reading to my children. Sometimes when i think im not a very good mommy, i think of how I personally feel when i do this, and it brings a smile to my heart. I love my babies and i will continue to keep trying my best for them.
:)

Memphis the Bulldog.

I have had a couple of people ask about the ole boy. So here is the details. He is 18 weeks old, bought from a breeder and has all his papers. He is from a long line of champions. He is darn cute. We paid. gulp. 1300 for him. ( cue jaelle barfing at this point)

We are asking for offers, because i have no idea what to charge. We have had him not even a week and Dylan and keith are both allergic to him. He is super sweet, just not to good at the potty training thing yet. he was crated for his whole life i believe. so sad. he loves to be close, if you stand there, he wants to snuggle right in between your feet and not move! he doesnt bark or anything, very quiet but he is a snuggler. aww. he is super cute did i mention that????

here is one pic, and it isnt very good cause it was taken on my phone, i have to find my card reader because i took some cute ones the other day. and yes that is my hand in the pic trying to get him to look at the camera, so his face is even more squished if that is possible! he has a precious wrinkly face!

ok. momtothreebabies@netscape.com

Family Update for my friends and family

Hello everyone! I have invited some friends to view my blog, so I thought I would do a little "catch-up" for everyone and also for posterity LOL!!!!

We still live in hannibal, in a little house off west ely . It is perfect for us, has a big yard, etc and we love to play outside when it is nicer out of course. Im married to Keith, the brother of my best friend in later high school years. It worked out just great! He is amazing, the best daddy and husband. He just graduated college last year and works in quincy. I am really lucky to be a stay at home mommy and this year i have closed my online store so i can just be home and happy. i used to have an online used book store, that did really well, but took alot of time, so now, i am concentrating on my babies. i homeschool them, and we really enjoy it. My son dylan has an immune system deficiency so it really keeps him healthier to hang out at home in the cold and flu season especially, but he still has lots of great friends at church, etc. he is my transformer nut, loves anything to do with science and numbers, and is the most compassionate little boy i know. marlee is my beauty. she is six and has autism. it doesnt get her down though! she has made such huge leaps and bounds, you can hardly even tell she has it! she is an artist, both in drawing and in music. she has perfect pitch and angelic voice and loves to share it! sydney is our little troublemaker! she is a joy, says the funniest things ever, has a big ole belly laugh and gets into trouble at least 5 times a day!! she is very energetic, but brings the joy into our family as we laugh at the messes she gets herself into !

we have three dogs now ( which is interesting because i dont like dogs. LOL) our black lab sam is an " inheritance" from keiths aunt who passed away very tragically last summer, just five weeks after we lost our nephew ( what a year it was last year.) and he is an outside " farm" dog and he is gorgeous and we love him! Roxie is our half bulldog, half bassett hound and she is the queen of the house ( also the moose! LOL. ) and our new addition that im currently SELLING, is memphis, he is a full blooded english bulldog with champion bloodlines, so anyone interested make an offer!!!!!!!!!!

as for me, i still love the same things i used to, reading, writing, gabbing at my friends on the phone, scrapbooking, playing piano and writing songs ( still cant sing, lol) and my new love is blogging. i also adore photography and learning how to take better pics of my kids. i am in the process of attempting to lose weight, i gained alot of weight when i got sick two years ago ( much better now, but still on meds) and it caused a very large weight gain, which im now actively trying to lose! im a member at myfitnesspal.com and try to track my workouts etc.

my house is comfy and somewhat messy and we love it, you will have to move books over to sit down, or possibly move a science project off the table to eat, but you are always welcome to come eat and be with us at our house!!!!

to all my friends and family, i love you so much and im so thankful to have you in my life!!!!

100 posts!!

w0w, that is pretty cool! 100 posts on this blog so far!
This weekend was interesting, we got a new dog, i freaked out from having way to much responsibility, and now it is wednesday and im trying to get in a routine. a nice routine.
so far today i have taken both doggies out, got their breakfast and had their playtime, they are in their pens for naps, and i have now given my babies breakfast, and we have all exercised! woo hoo! now i am resting from exercising and then we are going to start school around 8 am. today i still have lots of housework, etc but im thankful for so many things.
we have paid all our bills, ive done some of my visiting teaching for the month, we went to nauvoo yesterday just me and keith and had a date, my babies are happy and somewhat healthy right now, we have a warm house, so many blessings. im so thankful.

so much news....

i have so much to write, but im so dang sick!!! i have a severe kidney infection that is screwing with my iron levels, so i feel not so great. but.... we have a new baby in our family!!! no pictures yet, we will take some tomorrow, but keith and i have been searching for just the right male english bulldog to add to our family and we found him today! His name is Memphis and he is gorgeous!!! he loves roxie already and she loves him too and so we are hoping things will go well. the kids love him too!
I have been working hard on the lds family and homeschool zoo day, and it is so exciting. www.ldsfamilyandhomeschoolconference.blogspot.com
lets see what else. we had a nice time in st louis today getting memphis and going to petsmart for the fur babies. we now have three dogs and three kids! what a family!!!
a big happy chaotic family! how i love them all!!!!!
well im headed to bed, im feeling very very not well, so im hoping to get some good sleep.
our neice ivy's birthday party is tomorrow and of course church, so we will see how things go!
Love, JL

Exercise Checklist For Fun!!

Cold and Windy with a chance of snow......

Its freezing here!!! It is freezing in many places in our country and Im in constant prayer for those who dont have the warm heat that we have in our home. I am so blessed that not only does my husband have a job ( yeah it doesnt pay great, but it is a full time job) but that he is an HVAC man, lol, meaning he can fix our furnace if something should happen. We live in comfort. Some people may look at our home and laugh and think it is not amazing, not a mansion by any means, etc but our home is happy and comfortable. That is what counts.
The kids are playing nicely this morning. Dylan is battling something on his gameboy, and the girls are turning Syd's room into a baby nursery. Very cute!! I have held many baby dolls this morning as they have had their " baths" and had their new clothes put on, and a ride in the stroller, etc.
They wind is so strong outside, Im just so thankful that my babies are warm and playing nicely, that we are blessed to have toys and food and such. I will be making 4 or 5 meals today to put into the freezer, another blessing. So far today I have worked on the dishes while doing a challenge from myfitnesspal.com a group of awesome friends who work together to be healthy, anyway, you do lunges and squats while you do dishes, talk on phone, etc. whew. im burning already and it is only 8:30 am!!! Today my main homemaking goal is laundry and baking the meals from the 5 lb hamburger roll. The kids will sit with me later and do school. We are working hard and they are doing great. They are pretty ahead for their age, but they are happy and enjoy it and i only have them do about an hour of work a day, then the rest is super fun!
Im going to go check to make sure we have nothing blown away, and once again thank my Heavenly Father for all He gives me and pray for those who dont have warmth or shelter.

Hands of a Child- Big Sale!!!!

This makes me so sad, because once again it is because of this stupid law, but this really awesome store is having a sale on their project kits, because of the law. So..... Here is the announcement!! Im ordering the trip to the zoo kit for the kids for our homeschool zoo day, and then im not sure the other im ordering!! there are way to many to choose from!


Kit Pack Sale Announcement

www.handsofachild.com


January 12, 2009
Dear Valued Customers,
Due to the new CPSIA law In the Hands of a Child, for the time being, is discounting our Kit Pack inventory in order to lessen our possible loss in the event that an exemption is not granted.

While we are still praying for this situation to work out for all small businesses we feel that it is in our best interest to lessen our possible loss. And what better way than to pass the savings on to you, our wonderful customers, who are praying with us through this difficult situation!!

Please help us clear our shelves and enjoy a 35% savings on all Kit Packs!! Savings will be automatic! Spread the word and help us empty the shelves!!

This sale will continue until our Kit Pack inventory has been exhausted, so purchases will be on a first-come-first-served basis.

Once they are gone, they are gone!

In the event the law is modified, In the Hands of a Child reserves the right to bring back Kit Packs in the future at full price without any discount, implied or expressed, during this sale.

Cannot be combined with any other offer, special, discount, coupon or sale. Super Member discount DOES NOT apply to this sale.Tax and Shipping not included in calculating discount price. Not valid toward prior purchases. No rainchecks.

DO YOU HAVE A BLOG? YOU CAN RECEIVE A FREE KIT PACK!

Help us spread the word by posting the above notice on your blog. Then place an order for at least 1 Kit Pack, email us the link to your blog where the notice is posted along with your order number and your choice of Kit Pack and we’ll add it to your order.
How easy is that?*

*Please note customer is responsible for shipping costs for free Kit Pack, shipping will be combined with original order if email is received same day as order is placed notifying us of blog posting.

Wierd New Law-- could mean the end of all used kid items!!!!!

Ok, this absolutely KILLS me, but this new law was passed and anyway, here is the article from the LA times, I am NOT happy about this.



la times:

Some owners say the cost of testing for toxic lead and phthalates will shut their businesses. The law goes into effect Feb. 10.
By Alana Semuels January 2, 2009
Barring a reprieve, regulations set to take effect next month could force thousands of clothing retailers and thrift stores to throw away trunkloads of children's clothing.The law, aimed at keeping lead-filled merchandise away from children, mandates that all products sold for those age 12 and younger -- including clothing -- be tested for lead and phthalates, which are chemicals used to make plastics more pliable. Those that haven't been tested will be considered hazardous, regardless of whether they actually contain lead.
"They'll all have to go to the landfill," said Adele Meyer, executive director of the National Assn. of Resale and Thrift Shops.The new regulations take effect Feb. 10 under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which was passed by Congress last year in response to widespread recalls of products that posed a threat to children, including toys made with lead or lead-based paint.Supporters say the measure is sorely needed. One health advocacy group said it found high levels of lead in dozens of products purchased around the country, including children's jewelry, backpacks and ponchos.
Lead can also be found in buttons or charms on clothing and on appliques that have been added to fabric, said Charles Margulis, communications director for the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland. A child in Minnesota died a few years ago after swallowing a lead charm on his sneaker, he said.But others say the measure was written too broadly. Among the most vocal critics to emerge in recent weeks are U.S.-based makers of handcrafted toys and handmade clothes, as well as thrift and consignment shops that sell children's clothing."We will have to lock our doors and file for bankruptcy," said Shauna Sloan, founder of Salt Lake City-based franchise Kid to Kid, which sells used children's clothing in 75 stores across the country and had planned to open a store in Santa Clara, Calif., this year.There is the possibility of a partial reprieve. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is responsible for enforcing the law, on Monday will consider exempting clothing and toys made of natural materials such as wool or wood. The commission does not have the authority to change the law but can decide how to interpret it.But exempting natural materials does not go far enough, said Stephen Lamar, executive vice president of the American Apparel and Footwear Assn. Clothes made of cotton but with dyes or non-cotton yarn, for example, might still have to be tested, as would clothes that are cotton-polyester blends, he said."The law introduces an extraordinarily large number of testing requirements for products for which everyone knows there's no lead," he said.Clothing and thrift trade groups say the law is flawed because it went through Congress too quickly. By deeming that any product not tested for lead content by Feb. 10 be considered hazardous waste, they contend, stores will have to tell customers that clothing they were allowed to sell Feb. 9 became banned overnight.These groups say the law should be changed so that it applies to products made after Feb. 10, not sold after that date.That would take action by Congress, however, because the Consumer Product Safety Commission's general counsel has already determined that the law applies retroactively, said commission spokesman Scott Wolfson.The regulations also apply to new clothing. That won't be a problem for large manufacturers and retailers, industry experts say, but it will be a headache for small operators such as Molly Orr, owner of Molly O Designs in Las Vegas.Orr has already produced her spring line of children's clothes. She says she can't afford the $50,000 it would cost to have a private lab test her clothing line, so she's trying to sell her inventory at a steep discount before Feb. 10. After that, she is preparing to close her business."We have a son with autism, so we are all about cleaning up the toxins that our children are exposed to," she said. "But I think the law needs to be looked at more closely to see how it is affecting the economy in general."Thrift store owners say the law stings because children's garments often come in new or nearly new, because children typically outgrow clothing quickly.Carol Vaporis, owner of Duck Duck Goose Consignment in New Port Richey, Fla., said her store stocks barely used brand-name clothing from places such as Limited Too and Gymboree."We really provide a service to the community to help people get clothes for their children they otherwise couldn't afford," she said.Families have been bringing more clothes to consignment stores, where they get a chunk of the proceeds, to earn a little cash this winter, she said. She plans to contact her congressional representatives and senators to ask them to amend the law but says there's not enough awareness about the repercussions of the law to force anything to change.Many retailers and thrift stores appear to be unaware that the law is changing. Of half a dozen Southern California children's thrift stores contacted by The Times, only one had heard of the law. Organizations such as Goodwill say they're still investigating how the law will affect them because there is so much confusion about what will be banned.Cynthia Broockman, who owns two consignment stores and a thrift shop in Virginia, recently stopped accepting children's products for resale. That raised the ire of a man who was trying to sell his son's castoffs there and had not heard of the new rules."I think it's not understood by people how sweeping and far-reaching this is," she said. "The ripples that are going to go forth from this are just astonishing."alana.semuels@latimes.com

Homemaking chores for Tuesday January 13,2009

Busy day so far! I love when I feel productive, like im doing what my heavenly father wants me to do as a wife , homemaker and mother! Ok, so this morning woke up and made the kiddos breakfast, sausage and yogurt. They watched a movie while I got cleaning. I straightened up the living room and dining room, swept them both, then SCRUBBED the kids bathroom. My four year old has a thing with toothpaste and toilet paper. 'nuff said. gross. Anyway, after that was done, I got to work on making some homemade amish bread. I grew up in Ohio, about an hour from Amish country. I love their way of life, i long for their way of life, the simplicity etc and I adore their bread HA HA. So I made some today and the kids helped me which was super fun, they love kneading and punching down the dough! so do it, great stress reliever. After that I got a chicken out and put it in the oven to roast while the bread was rising. We will have bbq chicken tonight and then I will use the leftovers for more meals for the week. Tomorrow I am taking out a 5 lb thing of hamburger and making meals out of it. So I should have at least 6 or 7 meals in the freezer for us to have. Yay! After that I sat down for a bit while the kids worked on puzzles and watched nanny mcphee and I crocheted a washcloth. I love crocheted washclothes. That is all i want to use to wash dishes i swear. My obsession began when my grandma first made me one when i first got married. now i get one from her every year for christmas, plus i can make them myself now too. This one took about an hour and then I used it to wash dishes!! After I washed the dishes I made leftover pasta for lunch for us and after the kids ate, they played in their rooms for quiet time. I sat down to check email etc. So im waiting now on the bread to be ready to pop in the oven, and the chicken to come out of the oven. Not sure what else I will do today, oh yeah, we have to have school still of course, but other than that. Not bad for today!!

FHE: Campout Night ( pretend of course)

It was defintely a pretend campout night- it is about 2 degrees outside right now! For FHE Keith took over and taught the kids knot tying, and other fun little boy scoutish things! We had a prayer and song and then we made smores in the microwave! It was just a fun and simple FHE but the kids LOVED it. I took pics, but need to find my card reader.
Still doing our best to stay in the habit of FHE every monday night. Since we do a gospel lesson daily for school, we have had some fun every now and then with FHE. Most times we do a lesson, etc the normal, but we do like to have some fun family nights too!
Last night we also started our family evening reading time. Im sooo excited about that. After the kids get their jammies on, we all gather in the living room to read from a classic book. Last night we started on the Velveteen Rabbit. Im using the classics list from an old fashioned education site. I am soooo excited! Ive read almost every book on the list already, from my childhood, and I cant WAIT for my kids to experience them. Velveteen Rabbit was my favorite book as a child and it was the first book I bought when I found out i was pregnant with Dylan. I was so happy it was first on the list LOL!!!
Ok, off to work!!!!

Its almost the weekend...

Hallelujah! There is nothing exciting going on this weekend, I just need a break! Im actually getting one tonight for a bit, my grandma is making us dinner and the kids are going to hang out at Keiths parents while Keith and I drive to Barry together to pick up dinner! It will be a kind of date!! Fun!
The girls are under the dining room table with blankets and pillows watching a movie and dylan is hanging out on the loveseat with his transformers watching a movie and Im getting a chance to update the lds zoo day page and get the latest gossip, like..... they are keeping Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black in new moon!! Yay! I love him! He totally makes a great jacob. Ok, now back to my world, lol.
Im waiting for the mail right now, keep hoping that the w-2 will be in the mailbox, that means tax return time!! Finally. We can get some things we have really been needing. Heavenly Father has taken care of our needs, but now that my car is broke down again, and there are a few bills that need paid, etc. we are eagerly awaiting tax return!!!!
Hmm.... cant think of anything else to say at this moment. Life is calm right now. Just the way I like it.

My mission in this life

We have had alot of trials in our life lately, but also so many blessings. As we have been going through these trials, I have tried very hard to be very appreciative of every little thing we have. Every little thing like the way my blanket that my grandma made me feels against my skin as i crawl in to bed at night. The fact that I have a bed. So many blessings. We have also had so many prayers answered, that not only am I noticing the blessings, but my children are getting prayers answered and developing such strong testimonies. I have had two special experiences this past week that I want to write down. One was a neat conversation with my dad, and the other was a simple thing that we take for granted.

The first thing is what my family personally takes for granted. We sat by the river the other day watching the bald eagles fish. My kids were happy, but they had seen it before, and they see it every year, and were not as "excited" as another kid would be if they had never seen this phenomenon. It is beautiful. It is breathtaking, being so very close you could touch them. So many of them, male and female brushing the water, soaring in the air, while the ducks and seagulls all swam and flew in harmony with them. I sat in awe thinking, my kids take this for granted, my family takes this beautiful part of nature for granted. We take our beautiful life for granted. I am going to try even harder to be more thankful for all I have.

Second, I talked with my dad the other night. I was having a bad night, said a prayer and had a sweet experience. I decided to talk to my dad about the experience because he is very "in tune" to things of that nature. As we talked, the conversation drifted to my children as it often does, my whole family really gets a kick out my babies! We talked about how they were saved just for this time in the world. The strongest spirits. I talked to dad about how I felt personally about being a mother to these spirits. He brought up such a neat point. He said that he likes to think about how his ancestors, etc, how basically our whole family lines up . I dont know how else to put it. He talked about how certain great grandparents, down through the lines, didnt have the gospel, but still instilled something in their children, a love of God, that down through the ages, has stayed instilled in his family. He talked about how his family prepared him through bible study and a strong faith in God, and how he was the one who was chosen to be the family member who accepted the Gospel. Now he has a sacred responsibility to bring his ancestors the truth and to thank them for instilling faith in his family. Then he talked about how my sister and I were brought down at a time where we could work hard, learn the gospel, and be prepared to teach the "last ones" the special ones that were held in reserve. You always here people talk about how much smarter children seem to be these days. There is a reason for that. I have thought of my friends who are my age, who attended youth conferences with me, etc and thought about how they have beautiful children and how very IMPORTANT our job is. Somethine that I sometimes take for granted, but not anymore. I am blessed to have the opportunity to homeschool my children. Im not saying it is right for everyone- but I am blessed because I get to look at these special spirits that Heavenly Father has given me, and I get to take time each day to teach them the gospel, the things that they will NEED to know as this world gets scarier and scarier as we come so much closer to that beautiful day when we will be called up from the Savior. I have also taken time the past couple of weeks to really study the new testament, the parts where the Savior is teaching and I have gained such insight from the parables, in ways I never have before. Heavenly Father is preparing us, my friends and I who are around my age, and he is preparing us to be the teachers of the greatest generation. The strongest generation. This is my mission in life. Im not supposed to be some amazing singer/celebrity or whatever the world looks at as cool. Im supposed to be wiping the noses of the chosen ones. lol. Im supposed to be holding them and preparing them and protecting them in their very young years as they learn and grow and become strong. This is my mission and it is such a blessing, to also know that some of my most beloved friends are also working hard at this same mission. We are so blessed.

Im going to try not to take it for granted. Like the sight of a rare bald eagle swooping down to the beautiful mississippi river, I will not take it for granted. My mission is important, no matter what anyone else says. No matter how I feel about myself, I must know that it is important, the most important work I will ever do.

My baby girl.....

Today Sydney was asking me what she was like as a baby, well, I told her, you were sooo beautiful and happy and smiled all the time and were just such a joy to us.
Then she looked at me in all seriousness and asked me, " was I born a baby girl???"
umm.. yes you were sydney. yes you were.

My little political genius

Today Sydney looks at me and says, mom we have a new president. Why yes we do, do you remember his name??
She looks at me and says" Barack Madonna "

hmm...... SO CUTE!!!!!!

Menu Plan Monday

Ok, this is my first official menu plan monday!!! sponsored by www.orgjunkie.com which is one of my favorite sites!
This is actually a menu from last week, but i was sick, so we are using it this week!!
I will also be trying to post more menus as I get them organized!
I am also working on my other two sites: www.ldshomeschoolersRus.blogspot.com and www.ldsforeverfamilies.com and putting some new menu plans on those too!

Have an awesome monday everyone!!

Breakfasts:Pancakes ( made ahead and in freezer)
Waffles ( made ahead and in freezer)
oatmeal
toast with jam
eggs
cereal
sausage
Lunches:
soup and sandwiches
pb and j, with popcorn
mac and cheese with veggies
fish sticks and tater tots
bean burritos and chips and salsa
chicken patties with veggies
Dinners:
crackers, cheese, sausage, fresh fruit ( peaches and strawberries), fruit smoothies, carrot sticks and dip
tacos, chips and salsa, bean burritos
bbq chicken, french fries, veggies and fruit
hamburgers/cheeseburgers, mac and cheese or veggies with rice, fruit and veggies
homemade pizza and brownies!! ( friday family pizza night with a movie!)
cheesy italian shells, homemade bread, fruit and veggies
chili with cracker and peanut butter and fruit
Snacks:pudding
jello
carrot sticks
raisins
apples
popcorn
fruit snacks/dried frui
tcookies ( made up ahead and in a bag)