Makin' Me Smile. . .

Things that are making me happy today:

1. The whistling coming from the kitchen.

The first time I heard this whistle was when my baby wasn't even 2 years old. I was at home cleaning the house and I heard someone whistling. The only one home with me was my baby who was about 1 1/2 at the time. I couldn't figure out where the whistling was coming from because it certainly couldn't be my baby, right??? I was oh so wrong! About that time, my baby came walking down the hallway whistling to his hearts content. It was the cutest thing ever!!! He still whistles all the time and to this day when I hear that whistle, I will never forget that chubby little toddler walking through the house whistling away!

2. My middle child doing his homework at the computer.

I didn't even have to remind him!!! WAHOO! It feels great when your kid takes responsiblilty for them self. . .makes me feel like I have done at least ONE thing right as a mom :)

3. The sound of the washer.

Normally this sound would be a thorn in my side. I detest doing laundry! Why is this sound making me happy this morning? Because I just put my LAST load in!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSS!!! There will be more tomorrow, I know, but for now. . .it is almost done!

4. The sunshine filling the house.

Nothing makes me happier than opening up my blinds first thing every morning to let the sun come flowing into the house. It gives me a sense of a bright and sunny start to a new day.

5. No classes today!

Don't get me wrong, I love school. However, this week has been intense! What was I thinking signing up for not one, but TWO Math classes this semester??? I was in need of a break and I get one today! Even if the day will be spent cleaning and getting ready for the big move tomorrow. At least I won't have to use my brain! Sometimes that is harder than ANY physical labor!

College.

As I was walking across the campus today, I just had to smile at some of the things that I saw. The first week of school is always crazy busy! The campus is FILLED with tables and displays of vendors trying to get you to bank here or there, start cell phone service, join a club, etc.

The students all have a dazed kind of look. The newbies looked confused. They aren't sure which building is which. They are usually wandering around with a map in hand. Those who aren't newbies look overwhelmed by what their new classes have in store for them for the next 4 months of their life.

Me? Well, I just take it all in. The first time I set foot on that campus as a student was in 1986. I was still in high school at the time, but I took classes at the college in the mornings and headed back to the high school in the afternoon. I have spent a lot of time on that campus since then. I have had times where there have been YEARS in between my stop time and my restart time; however, one thing always holds true, the first week back is pretty much always the same.

As a returning student (that is the "Politically Correct" term they use for the OLD people like me who are now back in school) I have come to understand a few things over the past 23 years since first stepping on that campus as a newbie myself.

1. The students get YOUNGER.
2. My backpack gets heavier.
3. The chairs are much harder.
4. Walking across campus takes longer.
5. Homework takes more effort.

Now I am CERTAIN that none of these things has to do with the fact that I am the one changing and getting older, right? ;) I haven't changed much at ALL over the last 23 years. I am certain that I am just the same. HA!

RAK Winner Posted!

As promised, I posted the winner of my RAK on my craft blog. If you want to see who won. . .head on over and check it out! :)

Click HERE to link over

Thanks for playing along! It was fun :)

A Little More CRaZiNeSS! :)

After having everything scheduled and ready to move out into the garage across the street (okay, so WE weren't moving into the garage, just our stuff was) things kind of fell apart. . .

We had told the owners of the home we are in (my good ol' college housing) that we would help get this home leased out since they were letting us out of the lease.

Last week I met a family from Idaho that wanted the house and they filled out an application and left me with a check for 1st/Last rent. All was going well EXCEPT for the fact that they needed us out by the 25th of THIS month. A little earlier than we wanted to be out. It put us into a bit of a bind, but we were willing to work with them so they could get moved in and get their daughter into school as soon as possible.

Well, we made all of the arrangements to move our stuff into the garage of the house we are moving to and to stay some place else for a week because we couldn't move into the new house until the 1st.

Everything was on track and set to go. . .UNTIL. . .the people from Idaho called and said they decided to move to a different house that they found Friday night! WHAT!!!???!!!

It really doesn't change much except for the fact that we had spent time getting ready to be moved out of here and made all of the arrangements and now we get to live in a little more of a mess for a week than we thought we would.

We did get our garage stuff and a bunch of misc. stuff moved over to the garage of the new house, so that just means less moving next weekend.

We needed a little more craziness anyway, right?? HA!

So, if you know anyone looking for a rental home, let me know. I know of one that is STILL available :)

I start school again tomorrow!!!! WOW! This summer went by FAST! I had a three week break between summer and fall semesters and it FLEW by!!! Guess I better go try to find where I left my thinking cap so I can figure out how to be a student again tomorrow :)

Because I Cannot Help It. . .

"I am just going to write because I cannot help it" -Charlotte Bronte

When I came across that Charlotte Bronte quote on a Literary website, I knew I had to have it on my blog! I can totally relate to it. I have always been a diary keeper, journal keeper, poetry writer, story writer, scrapbooker, etc.

Writing has always been something I have done when I am happy, sad, stressed. It is a way for me to sort out my feelings. A way to express myself. There is something about taking all of the thoughts and feelings I have and writing them down that just makes me feel good :)

I still have poems that I wrote about my first love, my first kiss, my high school days that seemed oh so important at the time. I have journal after journal filled with who I had a crush on (that week), who I thought I was going to marry, who I thought I was in love with. I have journals filled with thoughts and dreams, fears and failures. I have journals filled with things that I felt and could only express on paper.

My journals and now my blog tell my story. One day they will be there for my kids to do with what they wish. All of the trials that I faced, all of the things that brought me joy. All of the memories that were mine. They will be able to read page after page of the life that I lived from my point of view. My journals and my blog are all about the simple things in life. Things that may have not seemed important, but were to me. Things that may have seemed very important and in the larger scheme of things were not.

I love to write and even more than that, I love to go back and read what I have written. It helps keep the memories I have made over the past 39 years alive in my mind. They are me, uncensored.

I don't think I could have said it any better than Charlotte Bronte did.

"I have to write because I cannot help it."

Busy Day Ahead! :)

So much to do!!! So much to do!!! Good thing I had to start my day off EARLY by taking my daughter to Drivers Ed by 6 AM. I have a ton to do before tonight rolls around.

I have decided to do a RAK on my crafty blog. What is a RAK? Well, for those of you who don't know, a RAK is a. . .

RaNDoM Act of Kindness

I am giving away one of the necklaces that I used my creative mojo to make earlier this week. I figured I would share the love. Don't you just love FREE stuff???

Anyway, if you are interested in entering for the RAK all you have to do is CLICK HERE for details. That will link you over to my Crafty Blog :)

GOOD LUCK!!!

Creatively Messy :)

I have spent the past two days using my creative mojo making necklaces in between doing laundry and cleaning the house. Now I am done with the necklaces (I ended up making 15) and my laundry is just about done, but my necklace mess is still all over the place! LOL!

If you want to see my creations, head on over to my craft blog:

PAISLEY INSPIRATIONS

Let me know what you think. I would love some input.

I have 3 days until I am moving again and 6 days until I am back in school for Fall semester. Life will be crazy trying to move and unpack and start school all at once. What else is new??? Crazy is normal around here.

Well, I suppose it is time to get my creative mess all cleaned up before I head out to my Tuesday night activities with the young women.

Make Snow Angels :)

Why would I be talking about snow angels in August??? Well, because of a true story that I heard today that made me SMILE :) It was such a great story that I thought I would share it for my post today.

There is an older lady who lives in Idaho. She suffers from osteoporosis and is in pain most of the time. She is frail and had to be put into a retirement home because she can no longer take care of herself. One day she had a visitor who asked her how she was doing. She told the visitor that she likes her new apartment and that she didn't know why, but people were always drawn to her place to come and visit. The lady visiting her told her that she knew why, it was because this little frail woman's apartment was the happiest place in town because of how happy and positive this lady was.

The little old lady was asked where she attended church now that she was in her new apartment. She told the visitor that she and a group of ladies from the apartments go to church across the street.

She said that a woman from their church had been assigned to go come across to the apartments and help several older ladies cross the street to church on Sunday mornings. One winter Sunday it was particularly slick and cold because of a snow storm that had hit the town the night before.

The lady from the church came over and was doing her best to help the older ladies get over to the church. At one point one of the little ladies slipped and fell into the snow. Her fall had a domino affect on all of the ladies and one by one they all lost their balance and fell.

The little old lady said that as she laid in the snow, after she assessed the situation and realized that nothing was broken, she began to make a snow angel. She wanted to make the best of the situation and making a snow angel seemed to be a great way to do it. After a few minutes, she realized that all of the old ladies who had fallen were joining in on the fun and ALL of them laid in the snow making snow angels.

What a happy thought! Imagine driving by and seeing several old ladies all dressed up for church laying in the snow, laughing and making snow angels.

The thought for the day? Make the best of what you are given. Even when things are not what you expect, take the time to make a snow angel.

Go Thunder!!!

Today was the first X-Country meet of the season for DHHS! It was fun to go and watch our daughter participate with the rest of her team. What ultra-great kids they are! So hard working and so supportive of each other! It was so great to see. LOVED IT!

Anyway, I know I have been posting tons and tons of pics lately, but there has been so much going on that I had to!

Hope you have enjoyed all of them. Take a look below for X-Country pics, 1st Day of School pics, and Last Day of Summer Fun pics! All just since Wednesday.

Have a FABULOUS weekend, or what is left of it anyway :)

First Day of School Pics!!! :)

I can't believe another school year has officially started!

Only 4 kids to take pics of this year, kind of STRaNGe that Kam didn't have to start today since he graduated in June. Oh well, he will be starting college soon enough. . .wonder if he will let me take pics of the first day of college? LOL!

Probably not *sigh*

What IF. . .

What if you didn't have all the answers but you believed anyway?

What if you only looked for the good in all things?

What if the people you loved sometimes drove you crazy, yet you loved them all the more for it?

What if you had to move over and over and over again?

What if your life didn't work out as planned, but you enjoyed the journey anyway?

What if the world intrigued you so much that you wanted to see every last inch of it?

What if your children never understood the depth of your love for them?

What if your job changes your position without any real explanation?

What if your entire life gets flipped upside down because of this change?

What if you move forward and do things you don't completely understand, but know you should do them anyway?

What if sometimes you question these things because you would like to understand the answer?

What if you are truly blessed by family and friends?

What if you spent time being grateful for the blessings in your life?

What if you ponder on the future and wonder what it will bring?

What if you know that falling to your knees in prayer is sometimes the only way to find peace?

What if you smile because you really are happy?

What if you touch someones life without even knowing it?

What if someone touches your life without knowing it?

What if you focus on helping others and not worrying about yourself?

What if life is this incredible journey that teaches us to be strong?

What if you are so independent that sometimes you forget to lean on others for help?

What if you fear things that you cannot control?

What if you still find happiness no matter how crazy life gets?

What if you remember that the simple things bring joy?

What if you feel completely loved?

What if you don't have all the answers, but you believe anyway?

What if???

Time to Pack. . .AGAIN!

Well, I think that we are setting some kind of record for ourselves this time. After being in this house for 5 months, we are packing up and moving again. I haven't even finished unpacking the garage from moving here. . .probably a good thing because then I would just have to pack it all up again.


If things work out, we will be taking a lease-option on the home across the street from where we are living right now. The reason for the lease-option??? Well, my flippin' home up north still hasn't had any offers on it! UGH! So, we figured if we do a lease-option on this house down here, then at least we will know where we will end up long term after our home up there is sold (or at least where we HOPE we will end up!).


My poor hubby has resigned himself to the fact that he may be commuting for a long time to come. We don't like the idea at all, but we can't really do much to change it right now. Hopefully when I am done with school and actually bring in some $$$, he will have some more options. I still haven't given up on the idea of a miracle yet, that is always a possibility. If we could just get our home up north to get an offer on it then we would have so much stress taken off our shoulders.

It will all work out. It has to. We know that this is where we are supposed to be.

Life is crazy sometimes, isn't it? At least the craziness keeps us from getting bored :)

This Girl.

She is as complicated as an algebraic equation, as sweet as a campfire smore, and as colorful as a rainbow peeking through the clouds after a Summer rainstorm.

A Wonderer, decorator, creator of what she considers ART. Her eyes see things others do not. Books fuel her, her husband and children complete her. She is who she is without apologies.

She has hopes, dreams, and ambitions. . .never told to others, because of the fear if they are spoken they may never come true.

She learns, she grows, she makes mistakes and then tries again, but oh how she hates making mistakes! Perfection is unattainable, yet still something she strives for. Perfection frustrates her, complicates her life and makes her wish that sometimes she could just be free from its bonds. She knows that no one is perfect and is harder on herself than anyone else would ever be. Perfection is her greatest fault, yet one of her driving forces, and one of her greatest assets. Perfection is her double-edged sword.

She is a friend. A confidant. A great listener. People come to her with problems and she sincerely cares and wants to help. A loyal friend is one she will cherish for a lifetime. A friend she can laugh with will capture her heart forever.

Alone time rejuvenates her, gives her time to sort out life’s complications. Lets her remember who she is and what she believes. Reflections on the past, ambitions for the future, being happy with the here and now, they all make up who she is when she stands in front of mirror and looks at herself staring back at her.

She loves to photograph, but despises being photographed. She finds comfort behind a camera and fear in front of it. She has constant dreams of travelling the world, meeting people from all cultures, learning from them, about them, calling them her friends.

Wrinkles, age spots, an occasional gray hair, remind her that 40 is coming quickly and she cannot run or hide from it. She still feels 20 something. She never wants to feel old. She fears cancer. It is a word she hopes never to hear uttered as a diagnosis to her family, friends, or self in her lifetime.

A dance in a rainstorm, laughter in the face of pain, hope for the future. Seeing the glass half full even when it isn’t always easy.

She is a person who genuinely loves life. Laughs as often as possible. Tries to find the good when there only seems to be bad. Knows that when life hands you lemons, you make lemonade.

This girl is me. Hoping, laughing, dreaming, living. A voyage of self discovering, an awakening as to who I am and what I want to be.

Who are you?

(This post was inspired by my friend Randi who was inspired by Gillian. Check out their posts and then do one of your own. If you do, let me know in my comments because I would LOVE to read it :)

Good Advice.

'Nough said :)

Until next time. . .

Almost Done. . .

Yesterday was spent registering my kiddos for school at their new/old schools. Confusing? YES! It was hilarious because at the Elementary school (where I was a substitute teacher for 3 years) the secretary was SO confused as to why my son was a new student. He had gone to school there since Kindergarten and then just missed one year while we were up north. . .she knew who we were and was very puzzled when I said I had a new student to register. I reminded her that we were gone last year and then all was well :)

The same thing happened over at the Intermediate school. The secretary looked at "Bones" and was like, "Wait, you aren't a new student, because I know you have been a student here." LOL!

Leave it up to us to confuse everyone :) It's okay, because we are feeling a little confused ourselves.

I cannot believe how expensive it is to register my kids for school! CRAZY! I paid almost $500 in fees yesterday at the various schools and I am not done paying yet. SHEESH! I was in shock. My daughter had $200 in fees yesterday, and then I was told she will have another $165 in fees after school starts because of volleyball (if she makes the team) and for an orchestra concert dress. I don't know how families with more than 5 kids afford all the school fees every year!

The Finau's officially left this morning. After just over a month long visit, they have hit the road and are heading back to the Dakota's. It was fun to have them here. I was impressed how well the kids got along. Considering that we were all staying together in such a small space, it was amazing that there wasn't really any arguing or fighting. They all had a great time.

Summer is almost over, at least as far as the Summer break from school is concerned. The kids have one week left until school starts and then it will be back to business as usual.

Until next time. . .

Luau and other RAndOmnEsS :)

We had a great time at the luau again this year. The only sad part is that I didn't get any pics of the volleyball tournament because I was playing in it. I guess next year I will have to hand my camera off to someone else so that they can take pics of the tournament.

It was kind of strange being back up north in my house up there. I haven't been up there for over two months. I sure hope that someone decides to buy it soon!!! It would be SUCH a HUGE relief for us. We are staying positive and hoping that an offer comes sooner rather than later :)

On a completely different note, time to brag a minute. . .I survived 15 credits this summer. It was crazy and I felt like I would go crazy at times, but I did it. Grades just came out, and, well, drum roll PLEASE. . .

5 Classes

15 Credits

5 A's

4.0

BOOOOOYAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

I don't mean to brag, but I was SUPER-DEE-DUPER excited when I pulled my grades up. I didn't think I would be getting all A's. It was pure craziness trying to keep up with all of the homework and life in general this summer.

School starts again for my kiddos in a week and a half. They are anxious and excited to get back and get going. Then I will start my Fall semester a week or two after they go back. It will be good to be back on a schedule of sorts.

The crazy part of this upcoming school year is that my kiddos will all be at different schools. I will have one in elementary, one in intermediate, one in junior high, one in high school, and one in college. . .5 kids, 5 different schools.

Busy days ahead! :)

Until next time. . .