Friday Five

So I thought I would take a break from all the heavy thinking I've been blogging about and just be totally superficial, shallow and not about anything where thinking was involved. So here we go with my Friday Five-

1. First order of business: My lanterns are lonely and my creativity is low so I need some feedback on what to fill my lanterns with-would a candle be to basic and boring, or would it be classic? Should I aim for something whimsical and funky? Yes, this is something I stay up nights thinking about among other things? I know you all are creative so I'm begging for some help.

Doesn't it look lonely?

2.If I had a Million Dollars-do you ever play this game? Ok after all the obvious things-if money weren't an object and I could just buy without guilt these are some of the things I would be buying. It never hurts to look(that's free).

This would be Phoebe's Easter dress-it's based on a vintage 50's dress from a new catalog in the mail from MINI BODEN. So cute to imagine Phoebe twirling.

These are shorts that my boys would love also from MINI BODEN(I'm telling you,it is all cute stuff).

These are beautiful pillows that would look absolutely lovely in my living room from Ballard Designs. (I tell you catalogs are wickedly fun).

This little gem is from Sundance catalog where everything is dreamy to look at. Wouldn't this be cute for the month of February with all the little kiss marks?

Another beauty from Sundance that would love my finger .

Can you tell I love jewelry?

Okay-thank you for window shopping with me-that was fun.

3.I totally love winter except for winter hands and lips. My hands look like sad, sad hands. My cuticles are peeling and bleeding, my nails rip constantly and my hands are so dry they look like alligator hands(that's what I call dry skin to my kids). And my poor kids lips look like they have stolen my red lipstick because they are so chapped. I should invest in a chapstick company.

4.Some of my favorite shows have started back up again-It doesn't take much to make me happy. I need something to look forward to-The Closer, Life, and Life on Mars.

5.And last, but not least another thing to get you thinking and hopefully your feedback. I was telling some friends how on MSN I had read an article interviewing people about what BOOKS that have INFLUENCED them? A lot of books I've loved, but ones that have really influenced me are: Harriet the Spy(I thought she was the absolute Coolest), Nancy Drew Books(I still want to be her. These books started my love for mysteries), Julie (First book I remember being emotionally connected to and crying over) Anne of Green Gables(I bought these books when I was young to save them for the girls I would hopefully have someday that now sit on my daughters shelves-I remember thinking I couldn't wait for my daughters to read these books-I loved them so much. Who doesn't love the redheaded spitfire of a girl growing up on lovely Prince Edward Island?) Okay, so now that I've shared, now if you feel so inclined what books have inspired you, for whatever reason?

I told you it wasn't going to be deep, but it was nice just to sit for a minute and think about things that really don't matter. Sorry I didn't mean for it to be such a long post. Have a happy weekend.....

Magic of Ordinary Days

I really haven't been trying to ignore blogging but yet again the computer has been down again( the computer really is a love-hate thing). I've had a couple of days off this week and what I realized is I love the magic of the ordinary. I loved while the days were warm-to take the kids to the park and watch them run around in the sun. I love being home when Isabel walks in the door in the afternoon to tell me about her day. I love sitting on the couch and have Phoebe come snuggle right up to my side to lay her head in my lap while we watch TV. I love being there to watch Oliver receive his Bear in Cub Scouts. I love making dinner and being there to sit through all the craziness of kids talking over each other during dinner. I love getting up and having nothing to do but clean my house. I used to think I just liked the effects of a clean house but I actually really do like mopping my floors, vacuming, dusting, making beds. I do it mostly for myself but I also love doing it for my family. I like to be there at bedtime when I can go in and have a few minutes with each child and have hugs and kisses. I like all the little moments that make a day. I used to complain that I never had anything exciting going on and that all I did was stay home. I've decided that when I'm the happiest is when I'm doing the "ordinary" things. In D& C 64:33 it reads "Wherefore, be not weary in well-doing, for ye are laying the foundation for a great work. and out of small things proceedeth that which is great". That is my biggest hope..........

Phoebe At The Park

Miles Lovin' The Warmth In January

Oliver Shooting Around With His Friend

Isabel After A Long Day At School

Oliver Getting His Bear

Just a thought of gratitude this day- I've had my family (my siblings and parents) on my mind a lot this week. I'm so grateful for each one of them and I count my lucky stars to be part of such a wonderful family circle. Every single one of them holds a big piece of my heart-I love them all.

Doris Does the Job

I felt like yesterdays post was a little bit of a downer(which I truly didn't mean it to be)but if there is anything that will pull me out of a slump-it's watching a Doris Day movie. She puts a smile on my face immediately. My two favorites are That Touch of Mink and The Thrill Of It All. I can put them on and she whisks me off to a better time(I've even got Isabel on board). The two movies are really light breezy comedies that don't expect to change your life but will definitely change your mood. Doris is so perky and happy-it's infectious(wouldn't that be a nice way to be remembered?). It also helps that she always has some dashing men as costars, a young James Garner and Cary Grant at any age are yummy to look at.

Also if I could go back to anytime it would be to the 1950's and early 60's. I love it all-the women who wear dresses even to clean house, and wear evening dresses to go to dinner with their husbands. They carry matching purses, and have a coat to match every dress, they wear gloves and have perfectly done hair do's, with the perfectly chosen lipstick to match. The cars, good manners, it's all divine. I think it was such a happy time, not perfect, but it looked really, really happy. So one afternoon and some popcorn is all I need and after watching Doris, she has the power to put a spring in my step, at least for awhile anyway............I'll save Audrey Hepburn for another day.

The state of my life........

I have been meaning to blog for a couple of weeks now-trying to write something positive when I feel like I'm in a slump is hard. But as I read other blogs I find I'm not alone in feeling like January brings a little bit of the blahs. Don't get me wrong, I totally love winter time. Christmas is gone and so is some magic, the decorations are down and my house suddenly looks a little tired and needs some awakening(I just don't know what), and for the most part nothing exciting is going on or nothing to look forward to. I feel like all I do is clean my house and go to work and come home to more. (Am I whining, I think so, not good, I'll stop now) Anyway so let's see what of anything is going on enough that I want to remember:



1. The boys are off track(they have year round school and have 5 weeks off) and usually I've complained about going crazy and can't wait for them to go back. This time I'm actually loving having them home. I don't mind the happy screaming the running around, the constant nerf gun wars, the hide and seek, the adventures they dream up, It actually makes me happy.




2.Isabel is back in school and I miss her (she's the only one gone all day). She's in the middle of finals(I never had finals in Jr. High-what's with that?), she's hard at work studying, with a little stress mixed in.



3. Phoebe is in her own world as always, happily going about-loving the snow, eating it, making snow angels and having snowball fights with me (she just giggles every time she throws one at me). All the other kids have been having a 24 hour stomach bug go round but Phoebe informed me she has a "magic" tummy (Whatever, I just go with it).




4. I just finished reading An American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld, which is loosely inspired by Laura Bush. I need to do some investigating and find out how much is true. I actually really, really, liked it. I'm onto reading Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos-(I loved her last book-Broken For You).




5.I'm making and trying to keep my resolutions-(trying to be more grateful, seeing all that I am blessed with, reading my scriptures, saying my daily prayers) It all takes effort, which hopefully will make me a more focused and disciplined person-So far so good but it is only Janurary 14 after all. Exercise is always in my mind I'm just waiting for the weather to get a little warmer (did that sound like an excuse? I think so-I told you I'm not very disciplined).




I think a better way of thinking about January is found in the book Simple Abundance which says "January, the month of new beginnings and cherished memories, beckons. Come, let winter weave her wondrous spell: cold, crisp, woolen-muffler days, long dark evenings of savory suppers, lively conversations, or solitary joys. Outside the temperature drops as the snow falls softly. All of nature is at peace. We should be, too. Draw hearthside. This is the month to dream, to look forward to the year ahead and journey within." Doesn't that sound cozy-love it!

Snip, Snip

So as I was looking through our Christmas pictures I realized one thing. I had been an inattentive mother and let Phoebe's hair get out of hand and scraggly. So Trent's mission today while I was at work was to go get her hair cut. He was a little nervous, claiming to know nothing about girl's hair. All the instructions I gave him were to tell them "to somehow make it look better". He went off to Sweet and Sassy a "girly " kids salon where they did her up right. They came into work to show her off to me and she looked all sassy, twirling around. The wonders of what a haircut will do for a girl(as we all know). Trent said she came home and didn't want to lay down on it or let anyone touch it. Phoebe's hair has been somewhat of a battle-she has really fine hair with huge cowlick in the back which makes her hair pop up like someone from a Dr. Seuss story. It's definitely getting better though and with the new haircut-she looks like a brand new Phoebe!

Before

After

I hope these pictures show the new Phoebe - justice!

New Years Tradition

So this morning was almost as exciting as Christmas, with the kids waking up early and trying to hurry us out of bed- why you ask? Because it's New Years Day and with that comes New Years Books. My parents started this tradition long before I was born. Every New Years morning on your breakfast plate is a book, thoughtfully picked out by your parents, wrapped up like a present. Inside is a message from your parents wishing you a Happy New Year. As a kid the books sat under the tree with the Christmas presents and were the lone ones after Christmas day. I eagerly awaited and felt, stared, willing it to be New Years. I've talked to most of my siblings as we all feel the same way about the New Years Books. It's one tradition that we can't imagine living without. I still have all the books that were given to me for New Years and I happily let my kids enjoy them like I did. The thing about a book is that they never go out of style or grow old. I thank my parents for this wonderful tradition, and for instilling in me my love for books. As a parent, I find it equally exciting to go and look for books trying to match them up to what my kids will hopefully love. They are always so excited to open them up knowing that it will be a book, and not a toy. So on this years breakfast plates we found:

For Isabel-The Tree Shepherd's Daughter by Gillian Summers

For Oliver-Rune Warriors by James Jennewein and Tom S. Parker

For Miles: The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales

by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith

For Phoebe:Peter Rabbit Lift-the-Flap Words, Colors and Numbers

based on the original by Beatrix Potter

For Trent:Ball Four by Jim Bouton

For Elizabeth: Broken Things to Mend by Jeffrey R. Holland

I hope this will bring many happy days wrapped up with a book. And with it a Very Happy New Year for everyone!