Ordained

My son is twelve.

Yesterday, on Valentines Day, he received the Priesthood. This is not something that he took lightly...he had to think about it for a few months before he made his decision.

Michael is amazing, talented, and complex. His empathy is God given and so (I like to tell myself) is his stubbornness. No one can dig in his heels like Michael. He has his agency and he wants to decide everything for himself. There is no forcing Michael...whether it be something fun or not. He once stood at the entrance to Disneyland and refused to go further because he "hated Disneyland". Just a good ol' case of wanting to choose for himself without being forced. Being stubborn can be a very positive attribute as well and once Michael decides something is right or wrong, he is very difficult to persuade otherwise. Last night Michael took a plate of cookies and a card to his friend Nathaniel. Nathaniel's dog was hit and killed by a car and Michael wanted Nathaniel to know how sorry he was and that he cared. Michael's gift of empathy in action.

Now he has the Priesthood. I pray that he can use his gifts...his empathy, stubbornness, and all of his others...for righteousness. Matt ordained him with the help of Devin, Mike, the Bishopric, and Michael's new Deacon Advisors. Michael was blessed with the ability to recognize the Spirit. What a gift. I take it for granted far too often.



Michael,
You are God's gift to me and I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to be your mother. You challenge me every day and I am a better person because of you. Please make good choices. Please listen to the Holy Spirit and do what is right. I love you so much and so does Heavenly Father. Now you have His Priesthood, I pray that you will be able to bring honor to Him and to your family through your actions every day.
Love forever,
Mom

What We Wanted

What he gave me:

What I gave him:

These gifts may not seem like much, but they are exactly what we both wanted. I absolutely love to get cards from Matt (and those candies are my current favorite). Matt absolutely loves it when I make him a nice dinner.

So, Happy Valentine's Day Hon!
I LOVE YOU!!!

Some days being a stay-at-home-mom IS worth it

After having a Family Home Evening lesson on LOVE, we all drew each others' names so that we could do something kind for that person this week.



This is what I found in my freshly swept kitchen shortly thereafter.



The attached note says:



Love U Mom
U sweep me off my feet
Love, Michael

I'm Sick Today

...a sore throat turned head cold turned hacking (think smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day sounding) cough.





So, instead of doing all of the things that I want and need to do, tonight I am going to go here


to get this

and see if it can't help me cry out some of my germs.

Update:
Strike that. Redbox didn't have The Time Traveler's Wife and so I elected to grab this instead.


I guess I will have to laugh the germs away.

Update #2:

While I did enjoy this movie, laughing does not help a bad cough. I was up until 12:30 last night hacking up a lung. Poor Matt didn't get very much sleep either. :(

THIS is why I coupon

Yesterday's grocery run yielded:

20 boxes of instant quaker oatmeal

4 bags of salad mix

1 container of sour cream &

1 bag of tortillas

Total spent.....$1.21 (plus tax)

One of the Joys of Pregnancy

I got to have this for breakfast this morning. Ummmm...yummy???

Then I got to have my blood drawn to check my insulin levels and also to see if I am a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis. I felt this was prudent since my cousin's sweet baby has been diagnosed with the disease.

I am, however, two thirds of the way through this pregnancy and I must say, seven years between babies is a BIG gap for my body to adjust to.

On a personal note of triumph...I only gained 5 pounds during the last 4 weeks and that was with a cruise right in the middle of it. Hooray for me!!!

On other fronts, Philip has the flu...again, I have fun pictures to post of the boys' birthdays, and I can't wait to share all of the details of our relaxing vacation in the Caribbean.

Day of Requests

James at 15 months. May 2002.

This morning my baby boy turned NINE!

That's right...James is nine years old today.

Michael and James...partners in crime. Linda's Wedding, 2002.

We have a one, two punch with birthdays in February and it always leaves me feeling like they are growing soooo fast...which they are, by the way.

To celebrate James' special day, I let him choose what he would like for his birthday dinner and also what type of cake he would prefer. It turns out that Salmon is his dinner of choice and after much deliberation, a yellow cake with chocolate icing will be presented this evening as well.

I am going to pick him up from school today so that we can have a special lunch together at a restaurant of his choice. It is going to be a very fun and happy day...I can feel it!

Happy Birthday James! I am so glad that we have you in our family!!!

First day of 3rd Grade. August 2009

Late Night Surprise

Michael is 12 today and this is what his brother, James, made for him at 10:00 o'clock last night so that he would be surprised this morning. James didn't tell anyone about his intentions and created his message without any promptings.

I can't tell you how much I love seeing my kids love each other.

Happy Birthday Michael! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Aruba, Jamaica, oooo I Wanna Take Ya!

OK, so this year we aren't going to Aruba or Jamaica, but we are going to the Caribbean (Grand Cayman, Roatan, Cozumel, and the Bahamas) and so I thought the title would be fitting. We get a lot of inversion where we live and it just feels plain ol' icky and depressing. I look forward to our couple vacation sooooo much throughout the year and this year has been no different.

Matt and I went on our first cruise in September of 99 and we have been hooked ever since. We go to the Caribbean islands every single time...the water is gorgeous, the snorkeling is fabulous, and the weather is beautiful. Also, a 7 day cruise to the Caribbean is just about the cheapest vacation you can manage. I'm talking $400 a person cheap. Woohoo!!!

I have my packing list (and growing pile of items to go), instructions for my mom (babysitter extraordinaire), and my list of last minute things to do (there is still so much to do!). Unfortunately, I also have a rotten cold and a beautiful accompanying cold sore...on. my. nose.
Oh well, I will not let it deter my excitement.

Until we return, here are a few shots from our previous cruises.

Try to ignore the weight fluctuation. :)

With our friends, Mike and Cassie in 2002.

Plantation in Barbados in 2004.

With our friends, Brian and Anna, in the Bahamas. (2006)

All dressed up for dinner in 2006.

A shot of our cabin in 2008...I know, very glamorous!

Apparently Matt did not get the memo that we were being sexy :) Bonaire, 2009.

Matt, Carol, Mike, Joanne, Anna, and Brian in Old San Juan...2009.

Merry Christmas!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!!