Macey & Me

Our Stake had a first annual Mother/Daughter Day Out!  So guess what Macey & I did?  We went. 

 Macey and I might butt heads about a lot of things but she seems to love it when we get to do things 'just the two of us'!  She's always asking, "when can just you and I . . .?"  I am grateful she wants to do things with me.  I hope this will always be!

We missed the scout garage sale (darn! only 2nd one in 10yrs I've missed and longest one ever!).  We got to take our friends the Rice's with us to the 'girl' activity and met some other friends there.  It was held about an hour away.  It didn't take as long to get there as we thought (we had planned for 90 minutes).  It was held at Caloosahatchee Regional Park in Alva, FL.  (Basically out in the boon docks - but boon docks with some really nice houses along the way).

They took our picture and had a portable printer to print them on the spot.  We made picture frames and hung them on string with clothespins to dry and display - cute!

We made flower rings, pins or barrets out of pipe cleaners (courtesy of Martha Stewart, I'm told).  They were the most awesome creations!

We painted nails - Macey chose a deep bright red.  It actually was a pretty color.

We also got to put 'temporary' tatoos on the girls and the girls on their moms.  Thank goodness Macey chose 3 small glittery flowers for me since they were still there the next day at church.  (I noticed them after I had sat down from speaking).

 

We did a relay race where the girls had to be the mom and the mom got to be the girl.

We took a little hike but got a great picture of all the girls we had.  I had a great time spending time with my favorite gal - my daughter, Macey.

How Do They Do It!

In talking to a fellow friend blogger - who has surpassed even my most lofty goals of being a great design blogger in a mere 3 months vs. my 3 years of blogging about just the days in my life.  I learned in five minutes from her what I couldn't figure out on my own pertaining to the labels on my blog.  Now I just need to go back through 3 years = 75+ posts and correct what I did wrong.

I am amazed at how much so many other people accomplish in their life.  How do they do it?!  How do so many seem to fit a whole other life within a life.  They have amazing blogs with amazing ideas.  There are others that are continually creating and accomplishing a new project every day.  They design things, sell them, blog about them.  Then there are those that have a job, young children, big life challenges, go back to school, know the latest world news, and more.  Do they have the same 24hr day that I do?!

And me . . .I get up, make my bed, pick up the house, do laundry, take care of my church responsibilities, try to stay in touch with family & friends on a limited basis, update my blog now & then and my days are gone without having accomplished any of these great things that so many others seem to. 

My single greatest accomplishments in a days time are that my bed does get made every day, there's rarely more than a load of laundry in the hampers at a time and we sit down together as a family almost every night for dinner.  Not that it's a great dinner by any stretch of the imagination.  Just another thing I only do marginally well.  Grateful that my family (particularly my husband) loves me anyway and tolerates having tacos once a week!

I am thankful that so many others do all that they do.  Because in reality, if not, I wouldn't be able to seem to do a few great things.  I wouldn't have their ideas for my Young Women's lesson or the joint activity I'm in charge of tonight and be able to tweek and make it my own.  I'm a good copier just not a good inventor of original ideas.

I aspire to greatness but I have yet to discover it.  To find where it lies in me. 

I'm a lover of simple things - reading, family, friends, the greatness in others, children's books, poetry, diet coke, boston baked beans, Panera Bread's cinnamon crunch bagels w/honey walnut cream cheese,  carrot cake, key lime pie ice cream and the likes.

In years to come when someone asks my children what would define their mother, I really wonder what they will say.  I hope they will say that they always knew I loved them, wanted the best for them and just as the warriors of Helaman, they knew & never doubted that their mother had a testimony of Jesus Christ.  In reality, the only success I am seeking is yet to be determined in the years to come as my children grow, learn and begin lives of their own.  The manner of men (and woman) they become will be the measuring stick of my life's accomplishments, my greatest reward.

I am not fishing or requesting comments, compliments or validation. I am merely voicing the musings of my mind at the moment.

My Funny Valentine's!

I bought (3) pink chocolate chip pancake mixes to give as a few fun gifts at Valentine's.  I did give (1) away and then when the day arrived my (2) sweet young 'uns wanted to know if I was going to make them some 'perfectly pink pancakes'!  How could I refuse!

So for my (2) sweetest & funniest valentines - perfectly pink pancakes with a little creativity thrown in.

Macey had a very long drawn out discussion about who my Valentine was (dad or her) and who was going to be her Valentine.  I told her I would be her Valentine.  In true form she argued with me.  I couldn't be her Valentine because I was daddy's Valentine.  She protested that one person couldn't have (2) Valentine's.  And on it went.

I hope she knows deep in her heart that she will always be my other Valentine!

Happy Valentine's Day !

I got the best surprise this afternoon - flowers!  It's not every day that my husband sends me flowers so when he does it makes it that much more special.  It was not something I was expecting.  I'm still smiling.

John and I had already had lunch together after an appointment.  He had suggested Cheese Cake Factory which we don't do very often either.  Today has been a sweet treat and I'm glad he's my sweetheart.

The Night the Lights Went Out in Florida!

One night just before dinner - the lights went out in Florida.  It was an odd occurrence since there wasn't a storm brewing.  Turns out it wasn't a wide spread blackout - just 45 houses in our area. John had a business dinner so no sweat for him!  What about the rest of us you ask.  Well we decided to rough it (no McDonalds's necessary).


Before it got too dark we dug out the flashlights and lantern, pillows and blankets and parked it on the front room floor, camping style.  They really wanted to break out the tent and set it up (uh, no!  wouldn't fit for starters and it was a school night - thankgoodness for me!)


We ended up fixing peanut butter sandwiches and enjoyed our little camping excursion right in our own front room.

Sewing Basics!

Macey will come up with an urge to do something and wants to have done it yesterday!  She decided she wanted to learn how-to sew.  The way she worded it to me, "I want to learn how to sew, but you probably won't teach me."  When have I ever denied such a request.

It did make things a little difficult to grant such a request since my sewing machine is currently not working.  However, Macey's friend Janiel has a mom that is an excellent seamstress.  I suggested we team up with them.  Smart move on my part, if I do say so myself.  She already had a pattern and had previously taught a 4-H sewing class back in Utah.  Bonus!

Monday night Macey and I made a run to JoAnn's for fabric = $7.  Tuesday we got started about 11am at the Prime's house.  The girls pinned on the pattern, cut out the fabric and sewed their pj pants all on their own with minimal interference from the moms.

Pinning

Cutting

 

Nicole was an awesome teacher.  The most help they needed was feeding the elastic through the waistband.

Nicole Prime & daughter, Janiel

Janiel sewing

Macey sewing - first time!

 We started about 11am and finished about 2:30p.  We even had lunch in between.  I was so surprised they were able to go home with their finished product!  What an accomplishment.

Two fun friends!

Two silly girls!

Bowling Bonanza!

We had a long weekend with the kids being out of school on Monday & Tuesday.  We had considered going to Orlando but didn't really make firm plans (not unlike us).  It was probably a good thing though because Macey came down with a fever on Saturday through the morning hours of Monday.

So Monday our two choices were Miniature Golfing or Bowling.  We had decided on Miniature Golfing until we got in the car and on our way.  The sky had gotten quite dark & cloudy and it seemed like rain was in the near future - so we headed bowling.  Good choice as it did soon start pouring down.

John

Macey

Melanie

Parker

Macey won the first game and John won the second.  We had a really good time.  Perfect rainy day activity.