Easter Time

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It's 7:30 am and our house is quiet as a mouse. The only sounds I hear are the clicking keys on my laptop and the humming sound of my humidifier. It's a miracle none of my kids are awake yet--especially that sweet little boy. However, don't mistake my earlybird state as a sign of an industrious mother ready to take the Monday after Spring Break by the horns. Unfotunately, I'm much lamer than that.

We've spent the last couple of weeks battling mild colds bouncing from one person back to the next--however, nothing serious. Sadly, I woke up with a fever this morning and it seems the mildness is gone. During my sleeplessness, I couldn't help but dwell on the dozens of kisses I've liberally handed out to my family the last couple of days and will think it nothing short of a miracle if I haven't infected my entire family with this nasty illness right in time for all the Easter fun.

Speaking of Easter fun, I've been desperate for some Easter decor. All of my holiday decor is suffering in my efforts just to get my home decorated. My first idea was do to this really cute bunny bunting, with  little pom pom tails, but in the middle of me trying to finish it yesterday, my sewing machine quit on me. Just stopped. Not warning--nothin'. It was at this point I cut my losses and crawled in bed to take a nap. 

However, I do have one cherished item for Easter. I was lucky enough to get these marble eggs from my Grandma who passed away last spring. Aside from holding a lot of sentimental value, I just think they're SO cool.  To say I love them is a bit of an understatement.

I was inspired by their bright spring colors and knew I wanted some sort of Easter saying regarding Christ's resurrection. I initally thought "Christ the Lord is Risen Today. Alleluiah!" But then I saw someone use "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" and loved the simplicity of that statement even more. Plus, it makes me think of the song every time I look at it. 

I love Easter and all that it represents. Did you by chance see this video? It's so wonderfully done. I can't help but think no matter your religious affiliation it's something I find most people would appreciate. 

Happy Easter!

True Self

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I remember being young and hearing a thought or quote that essentially said why are we our worst selves to the people we love the very most? I remember immediately thinking of my sister and I. How we'd both make sure to be pleasant and kind people to our friends, but when it came to borrowing a couple swipes of deodorant, especially without asking, whooeee you had entered uncharted territory. 

Part of me thinks well, that's what families are for, and thank goodness for 'em! Because if we're being honest, there needs to be someone to see your bad side, and if its not going to be your family, then who is it going to be?

However, fast forward a few years and sadly, I think it's safe to say that cute Phil of mine has seen some not so great sides of me that no one in my family growing up ever had to deal with. Granted, the situations and trials you go through as an adult are a bit heavier than what one should face in their childhood, but still I know he's the person I should be treating the very best and certainly, not the very worst. Not to mention being my happiest and best self for my children. With that being so much easier said than done, I love this quote from Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin: 

"Nothing exposes our true self more than how we treat each other in the home."

I know all of us have bad days and get into certain moods, but reading this quote reminds me that my  bad moments (which I assure you are rare, hardly ever, few and far between;), aren't something that should be tossed aside as oh he'll understand I was just having a moment but rather something I keep in check and that who I really am in my home--the majority of the time-- is someone who is loving, happy, and willing to serve. 

 {sigh}...add it to the list of all the other things I need to work on :)

I Love (Leaf) Fall

Do you ever ground yourself? You say something like, I can't do anything I actually really want to do until all of the stuff I need to do is done. Well, today I was SO grounded and I'm pretty sure if I was a teenager and paid the same mind to my mom as I'm doing to myself right now, I'd be in double-dutch.

But it's the holidays! So who cares! And so I shall spend my potentially productive moments making a "I 'heart/leaf' fall" sign until my hearts content and no one can stop me!* If you feel like you need a zest of fall spirit to your office or home bullitin board, download here.

I may not be getting much done around the house, but we did find time yesterday to halloween-ify our house a bit more with some owls. I'm pretty sure these are as simple as owls get. Penelope even enjoyed making her own until her stinker streak sat in and she emptied the container of crayons on the floor right before choosing to stay out of dodge for awhile.

Ryder was clever enough to make his owl a neck tie.  In the back there was Penny trying to figure out whether or not she should put herself into time out after the crayon incident.

Instead she just kept poking this face around the corner.

And here is Ryder's owl with it's awesom neck-tie. Can you guess which one is mine (think looney).



* This one I actually got the idea on wonderful Pinterest. I purposely didn't go back looking for it because I didn't want it to be the exact same. I was going for simplistic and modern, which is fitting for my skill level. It was also my first time working with the gradient tool, which was very fun.