Zara Online!

One of my besties just gave me the perfect news today to make my Christmas shopping unbelievably amazing.  She told me they have Zara online now.  I am so excited.  My SIL first introduced me to Zara in Paris.  I loved it and wished so bad they had one in America then I realized New York had one and then DC and then Vegas.  I run as fast as I can from the airports to the nearest one, preferably with children's clothes of course.  She just was at the Vegas one and she told me there is now Zara Online with free shipping.  Happy day.   Here are some of the favorites I found within the past twenty minutes.  There is so much to look at so so much to buy I can't decide.

for my daughter

for me
(because I need all these shoes right?)

for him

for my baby

for my son

Most Beautiful Woman in the World

I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I have the assignment to do the activities for the 8 year old girls.  We do crafts and learn new things and serve.  This past time they all brought their favorite treat to share and one other thing that they love to show us.  I, of course, brought my movie "Sabrina" staring guess who?  Audrey Hepburn.  This is not necessarily my favorite movie of hers because I don't think I can pick just one but I wanted to show them that I love Audrey Hepburn and why.  I said at one point, "She is the most beautiful woman that has ever lived."  At this one of the girls scoffed and said, "Uh she is NOT prettier than my mom."  Without thinking I said, "Hmm I don't know."  She looked at me with complete conviction and scoffed again, "No.  She is not."  Now while I'm not going to comment on who is prettier because that is matter of opinion.  I absolutely loved how she had no doubt about her conviction.  It was a statement of fact and was not negotiable.  I guarantee her dad is the one telling her she has the most beautiful mother in the world and I love that.  I love children and their sweet and pure love for their parents.  I love their vulnerability and their honesty.  I wish we could all be more honest like that and not be scared to come out and say the things we know and believe.  It was a great lesson and one of the many I have learned from a child. 

"The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman is seen in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It's the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows & the beauty of a woman only grows with passing years. ~" Audrey Hepburn

*~Monday's Miracles~*

Small and simple miracles

This morning I woke up to my baby having his eye sealed shut with an eye infection.   I went to the bus stop at 7:15 with my 1st grader and my baby to talk to my neighbor who is a doctor.  He is at the bus stop every single day except today of course.  I decide I would just take him to the insta-care.  I proceeded to go get ready.  As I was finishing up getting ready I turned around and the same eye infected baby was holding my phone under the running bath water he had turned on.  Crap.  So thanks to the internet I chatted my husband and told him I needed to meet him at the Verizon store to get a new phone.  He had birthday money he was going to use to get a new one and I was going to take his anyway so this would be a good push to get it done.  I met him there at ten thinking I would go straight after to the instant care.  We got to Best Buy.  We realized they couldn't do what we needed so we drove all the way to the Verizon Store.  They could do what we needed but the phone was 70 dollars cheaper at Best Buy.  We compromised and decided its better to save that money than get all the things done we wanted.  Thankfully my favorite cookies were around the corner so we stopped quickly there to grab a six of them a few.  Then we were on our way back to Best Buy.  We drove by a Verizon store that was around the corner from the Best Buy that we didn't know about.  So annoying, but we did get the cookies so...  We got back there and they started asking for my husbands information.  He realized he left his wallet at the office.  No big deal we called my sister and she was able to get the information we needed but of course our bill was due on the 1st and it was the 3rd so they wouldn't let us proceed.  UGH!  I drove my hubby all the way back to the office thinking I would just be without a phone for a day. scary I know.  I drove to instant care.  Parked very far away because it was so crowded, walked in my heals with my sick baby to the front door.  There was a woman outside with a bucket under her chin looking like death.  We walked in and passed a hacking lady who was spewing her germs in our direction.  Thinking, I'd rather just have an eye infected baby than a hacking, vomiting infected mother and baby.  This might be a bad idea. They told me the wait was 2 hours.  Yeah right.  So I walked all the way back to my car in my heals and drove home.  So this is where the small and simple miracles really start happening.  I walked inside and went to my medicine cabinet.  I had some drops from my baby's last eye infection I could give him til we could get more.  I put them in and laid him down for a much needed nap.    He fell asleep peacefully.   I went to the computer to check if anyone had chatted me.  My husband wrote me and said he just got me an i phone.  I had told him just before how much I loved white phones.  He got me a white i phone.  I was so happy.  Then because I knew I wouldn't be disturbed I went to take a nap.  It is kind of nice not having a phone for a day.  All because of a surprise phone, a couple naps, some eyedrops and some paradise bakery cookies I feel like this has been a good day so far.  Heres to the rest of my miracle filled Monday.

"I believe tomorrow is another day and I believe in Miracles."  Audrey Hepburn

*~Monday's Miracle~*

Miracle of Little Ones

This past week I was able to go see a baby that was a few hours old.  My almost two year old, could not get enough of him.  He kept kissing him and touching him and just wanted to hold him and not give him back.  I loved seeing the pure love that he had for that baby he had just met.

We also had the opportunity to go see a baby blessing.  My husband's youngest sister had their first baby girl a couple months ago.  It was such a beautiful blessing with all our family there.  She looked so beautiful in a vintage ivory dress with her dark curly hair.

There is nothing better in this world than a newborn baby.  They are the best thing that could ever be given to us in this world.  They just came from the presence of our Heavenly Father.  They are so innocent and sweet and perfect.  I love them so much and it apparently is ingrained in our children to love them.  They can feel how innocent and perfect they are.  They can feel how it must feel like to be so close to our pre-existence.  I love it and hope and pray I can have many many more newborn babies come into my life.

*~Monday's Miracle~*

School's Starting!  Its a miracle!~


I never thought I would be one of those mothers who was excited for school to start.  I love my kids and having them around.  I hate being on a schedule.  So why am I saying its a miracle that it is starting? Well, it is because my poor Jack is so bored.  I am not the kind of mother who engages my kids.  My philosophy follows my sisters.  I gave birth to your friends, play with them.   Some of you probably think that is horrible but I really feel it is important for them to play, imagine, help each other and learn to be each other's best friends.  But I only have three of them so far and one still naps so Jack can get bored sometimes.  


I took him last Friday to meet his teacher.  He was not excited.  He didn't want to go back to school.  Then we met his teacher AND one of his best friends who is on his bus, goes to our church, and whose mom I love, is in his class.  At church, he waved bye to this friend and yelled, "See you at school!"  He then said, "I can't wait for school to start."  His teacher is adorable and I am so excited for him to have her.  So tomorrow morning starts our 7:30 off to school routine again.  I am so happy for Jack.  I know this year is going to be killer.

"I believe that tomorrow is another day, and... I believe in miracles." Audrey Hepburn

*~Monday's Miracle~*

Small Standing Ovation Miracle


10 year old Lily Anderson was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma Cancer in 2009.   She has been undergoing treatment since then including chemo, radiation, and surgery.  Despite all that she was able to give an incredible performance singing the National Anthem at the Braves-Pirates game in Atlanta.  Watch it. It is amazing.

"I believe that tomorrow is another day, and... I believe in miracles." Audrey Hepburn

*~Monday's Miracle~*

Love Multiplies Miracle


One of my favorite girls who lives close to me taught our lesson in church yesterday.  Her mom is a doodler and made this doodle and then made it into a quilt.  She calls it "Love Multiplies."  

She says,


“This doodle resembles the Indian sculptures of the storyteller. When I first saw one of those figures, I thought it was a mother with many children and was thrilled at the concept because of an experience I had when I was younger.

I was taking a Lamaze refresher course in preparation for the birth of my fourth child. The teacher was expecting her second. Her reaction upon hearing that I was expecting Number four was “We are only having two children. We don’t want to have to divide our love between more than two, it wouldn’t be fair to the children.”

I was literally speechless. Didn’t she know love multiplies? It doesn’t divide or subtract, it adds and multiplies. The more you give it away the more you have to give. So this piece is dedicated to my mother and all those she has taken in and loved, and all her children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She taught me that ‘Love Multiplies.”  Kathy Porter

Defending the Family

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has a magazine called "The Ensign."  This month there was an incredible article in it.  It talked about how the family is becoming less and less important.  People don't have family values.  They don't find value in the family dynamic.    Many prophets in the Bible prophesied this was coming.  People would think of themselves first.  Loving Pleasures before God.  A very eye opening one was when Paul said, "“Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."  Isn't that so true?  Sometimes I am so appalled by people that just don't get it.  They don't want to get it and they just can't see outside the box.  I know I am not perfect in this but I try most of the time to see beyond what lies in front of me.  


More and more people are living together, having children out of wedlock, getting divorced, raising children in a single parent home, or not even having children because they feel it will take away from their own freedom and achievements.   We are constantly told to do your own thing.  Put yourself first.  These are not what Heavenly Father wants us to think.  In Matthew he says, “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”  


Bruce D Porter says, "Selfishness in any form or degree weakens the bonds that hold families together."  At first when I read this I thought, "What?"  Then I instantly knew that he was right.  Everyone comes first before yourself.  Selfishness is wrong and does not build anyone up, not even yourself.  He talked about tolerance.  People always want you to be okay with how they are living or the views they have.  He says, "Curiously enough, this new modern tolerance is often a one-way street. Those who practice it expect everyone to tolerate them in anything they say or do, but show no tolerance themselves toward those who express differing viewpoints or defend traditional morality."  Isn't that so true?  We see that everywhere.  This is how Satan is taking over the hearts and minds of people.  Isaiah said, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”


Elder Porter says, "When we truly love all of God’s children in a Christlike way, we will desire to bring them unto Christ, the fountain of all happiness. This means proclaiming the truth, defending that which is right, and in a mild voice inviting all to walk the path of Christ. By defending the traditional family, Latter-day Saints bless all people whether others recognize it now or not."    I love that.  


I love the family values my church teaches.  I wish there could be more selflessness, morality, marriage, and more children in this world.  I hope more people will come to realize the importance of family and the true meaning of it.  To read the full article click here.

"I tried always to do better: saw always a little further. I tried to stretch myself."  Audrey Hepburn

*~Monday's Miracle~*

Miracle of Angels


Last Saturday we went up with some of our friends to our ranch.  We decided to go horseback riding and my son wanted to come.  I put him on the horse with me.  There was a large tree branch in the way that I thought, "Oh I'll just pull that down and get it out of the way."  Not realizing the whole entire log was gonna come with it.  So needless to say my young 5 year old horse jumped out of the way and my young 5 year old son started crying.  I jumped off the horse to calm her down but she did not want me back on.  I knew it was probably best if we turned around for both 5 year olds sake.  So I walked her down to the next meadow to try to get on.  She finally let me on.  Another side note about this horse is that she is fat so her back is not as flat as others so the saddles have a hard time staying on.  So we were almost out of the clear when we were going down the last really steep hill and the saddle started to slide off.  With my son on with me I couldn't straighten it out in time and I fell ridiculously hard on my side on this rock.  Jack on the other hand landed on the top of his head and then face.  The horse freaked and took off spooking the other horses at the same time.  She ended up back at the stable saddleless.  I got the wind knocked out of me so while I was trying to talk to calm Jack down and calm the other horses down, my adrenaline kicked in.  I went and got my friends nine year old horse out of the trees and back on the path and sent them on their way while I picked up Jack and started to walk.  Telling him it was okay.  He looked like he had just fought a war.  He had black dirt coating his entire tongue, mouth and face.  His nose was bleeding all down his mouth and chin.  I put him on my back and started the trek home.  


We have had horses for longer than I have been alive.  We have had countless people ride them through the years.  The man who lives there and takes care of them told me yesterday that this is only the 2nd time something pretty big has happened.  He said there must have been people watching over us for all these years.  I believe that.  I believe angels are keeping us safe, and even helped us to not get more hurt.  


"I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles." Audrey Hepburn

Random Thoughts on a Random Saturday

-Once again, I hate sewing.  I have been at my sewing machine since yesterday and while I love the finished product I hate doing it and would so much rather pay someone to do it.

-I am so appalled at all the anti-semitic crap that is going on all around us lately.  I went to a Holocaust museum the other day and well, gosh didn't we learn the first time?????  I do not get it at all.  I stand with Israel and I am not proud of my president and what he wants to do to that country.

-:My daughter has her first ballet recital today.  She is 3 and she is the youngest in the class.  She is a little uncoordinated which makes her that much cuter and that much more fun to watch.

-I laughed really hard last night and a lot and I loved it.  It felt so nice.

-I love when people are at my house.  I want to be forever surrounded by people.  I love when people come to dinner, or to play games, or to stay for as long as they want, or to just drop by.  I want people to always feel welcome at my house any time day or night.  I want my family to come visit and I want people to feel comfortable dropping in.

-I'm wondering what is the point of this blog.   I'm wondering if anyone would miss it if I just stopped doing it.  I'm wondering if I even enjoy this whole blogging world of 100 followers where 10 of them actually look at this.

-I had a ton of fun finding my Audrey inspired Giveaway bag.  I love that I can walk in any store and there are multiple things that remind me of her.  Her classic style will never go away and I love it.

-I love Marshals.  I went in there looking for something not for myself and came out with some leopard print Jessica Simpson pumps on clearance for 20 bucks.

-I wish we, as a nation, could be united.  I wish we could come together no matter what our political or religious views are.  I wish we all could be proud to be Americans.

-I love my MAC lipgoss.  I love Sephora.

-When my husband saw my daughter with makeup on for her dress rehersal, he threw a fit because he thought she looked like "Toddlers and Tiaras."

-Good and Evil.... Black and White....Right and Wrong....How does anyone not know the difference or scarier yet not care?

Laughter

from "A Vanished Time"

One of my favorite things about my husband and the family I married into is how much they joke around and how much they laugh.  I have grown to love to laugh about anything and everything.  You can make almost any situation funny.  You can make fun of almost any situation.  I love analyzing people and events.  I love to find the humor in many things.  Audrey once said, ""I don’t take my life seriously, but I do take what I do – in my life – seriously."   I think far too many of us take our lives too seriously.  It is always better to laugh at our quirks, to laugh at our past and to laugh about our daily lives.  Sometimes I get so caught up in all the crap around me that I forget to laugh and not take life too seriously.


Audrey also said, "I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think it's the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person."  I concur!  I too love people who make me laugh.  Most of my friends and family can make me laugh a lot.  If they can't I just try to make them laugh and then we can have fun.  I don't like it when people are serious all the time.  But even so, you can go home and tell someone else all the awesome jokes you said and the other person just sat there and that in itself is funny.  So serious people themselves can be funny in the end too.  I think everyone should value laughter.  I think everyone should want to laugh and joke and have fun a lot of the time.  

Audrey said,  "I'm half-Irish, half-Dutch, and I was born in Belgium. If I was a dog, I'd be in a hell of a mess!"  “I had a marvelous family with a great sense of humor.”  I think it would be a gigantic compliment to have one of my children say, "I had a family that had a great sense of humor.  We laughed all the time even though everything around us was a big ol' mess."  I would rather have a disheveled home that is laughing all the time than a serious perfectly organized home.  

My husband and I gage how much fun we have by how much we laughed.  Don't get me wrong I love talking about serious stuff too as you can see from this blog, but when I am surrounded by friends and family, I want there to be much laughter.  I think Audrey would agree.  I want to put this quote on my wall.  It is from the late prophet of my church.  ""In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured." 

Children are the perfect example of how to laugh.  They definitely don't take life too seriously.  This pretty princess girl thinks it is just hilarious how her daddy is kissing on her cheek.  That is the type of things we should all laugh about. 

So, if you haven't laughed today, think about something that happened today and think about how it could be analyzed and be funny and laugh!

"I believe that laughter is the best calorie burner."  Audrey Hepburn

*~Monday's Miracle~*

Miracle Binky Age

Eighteen months is the miracle age to take away a binky.  I have now done it three times and it works like a charm every time.  My cousins, bestie, and sisters have all tried it and it works.  They may cry for a minute right when you put them down but that is all.  They don't really care to have it taken away.  They are old enough to be independent enough to do it but not too old to know how to beg for it.  My son turned 18 months last Thursday and he is happy today and not binky for four days.  LOVE IT!!  It is such a liberating feeling for me too that I don't have to search every night and nap time for it.  Here is how you do it.

The morning they turn 18 months, you cut off all the rubber parts of the binkies.  Then you give it to you baby.  They either think it is funny, or it just confuses them and they throw it aside.  I let them have it all day if they want and just keep telling them it is broken.  Then if you want to give it to them at nap time and bed time and VIOLA!  You have weened them of their binky.  My babies always have blankies too so they still have those for comfort.  Try it!  You won't regret it!

"I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles." Audrey Hepburn

PS- stay tuned for my first giveaway this week.

Different take than most...

Today is Mother's Day.  To put it lightly I have come to hate Mother's day.  I hate the way it makes me feel.  From the second a child wakes me up in the morning to the second the last child falls asleep at night, I feel entitled, selfish, and bratty.  I have the feeling like I want to check out.  I feel like I shouldn't have to raise a tiny finger to do anything today.  I should not have to pick up one dish and put it away.  I should not have to get out of bed until I am good and ready.  I should not have to help one person but myself all day!  All ridiculous and horrible things to feel.

Mother's Day always falls on a Sunday.  Because of my beliefs, we do not spend money on Sunday, we don't go out to eat or play sports or exercise.  We honor the Sabbath and have a day of rest and a day to worship and not go about our usual daily activities.  It is usually one of my favorite days, but every year on the 2nd Sunday of the month of May I come to hate it.  I still have to get my kids ready for church, and we all know how particular I am about appearances, so I don't just let my husband have free reign with that.  This also means, we have to have dinner at home, but even if my husband makes it and cleans it up, it still makes the house that much dirtier and the kitchen is never sparkly when he is done as hard as he tries.

I liked Mother's Day so much better when I could just focus on other mothers and my mother.  Now that I am a mother I feel forced to be selfish and with all the constant ads on the radio and TV about how "Mother's Day is coming and you need to give back to your wife....blah blah blah," it just drills it in more.  I want to just be okay with getting up with the kids and making dinner just like every other Sunday.

My perfect Mother's Day would be to sleep in, go for a walk with my favorite music, get ready, go shopping, have a salad with my favorite book at my favorite restaurant, shop some more, come home to a spotless home, go out to dinner with my kids and my best friend (husband), come home put the kids to bed, watch an old movie, get a massage and go to bed.  Now is that selfish or what???  I hate feeling like I deserve that.  Even if I do I don't think it is okay to feel it.  You come to expect it too.

I had a discussion with the best friend this morning and we concluded that starting in 2012 we will celebrate Mother's Day on the Saturday before.  This way I can wake up on Mother's Day Sunday and focus on my mother's and the other mothers around me who have influenced my life and are such great examples to me and have a completely selfless Mother's Day.

I need to heed this quote from Audrey every 2nd Sunday in the month of May.

"It's that wonderful old-fashioned idea that others come first and you come second. This was the whole ethic by which I was brought up. Others matter more than you do, so 'don't fuss, dear; get on with it'."  Audrey Hepburn

*~Monday's Miracle~*

Miracle of Forgiveness

Last week an incredible miracle took place in the comfort of our own home.  Our son came home from playing at our good friends house.  He seemed different than usual.  Not his crazy happy self.  I noticed right away but didn't say anything because he proceeded to tell me of what happened.  I am not going to go into detail for the protection of our friends but just know that he little friends' older brother who is 10 taught them something he had learned through a series of different events.  Anyway, I called the mother, feeling like a school girl that was tattling. I expressed my concern for her son.  My son would be alright and I knew that, I was just worried about her son and just about her being aware of it.  She called me at 7 in the morning the next morning.  She asked if, before school, she could bring her son over and apologize.  Of course we said yes.

Here is where the miracle took place.  The sweet, cute little boy started crying which made all of us cry and apologized the sweetest short and simple apology I have ever heard.  He promised to not do it again.  I felt God's love for that boy.  God made me and everyone in that room know of His love for this little boy.  I had an indescribable love for this little boy.  Everyone in this room felt the miracle of forgiveness happen right before our eyes.  We knew this child had been forgiven.  We knew God loved him.  We loved him.  We all forgave him instantly without effort.

Our Savior Jesus Christ died for us so we can be forgiven.  We need to forgive everyone and even forgive them multiple times.  It is truly a miracle that we can be forgiven of our faults when we repent.  It is a miracle that Jesus has taught us to forgive others so we can all feel the joyous feeling we felt and the love we felt for anyone who has done anything to hurt you.  Just think what this world would be like if we could all forgive everyone and love everyone like our Father in Heaven and Jesus do.

Lets all work on forgiving someone we haven't in the past forgiven.  Lets all work on looking at people through God's eyes and loving them like He does.

"I believe that tomorrow is another day, and I believe in miracles." Audrey Hepburn

Mabo Kids

I am absolutely in love with this new online store that my cousin told me about.  Check it out.

Mabo Kids

Motherhood

"Like all mothers, I couldn’t believe, at first, that he was really for me and that I could keep him.  I’m still filled with the wonder of his being, to be able to go out and come back and find that he’s still there." Audrey Hepburn

 K If you squint, can you see the two oldest and possibly happiest people in the picture?  They are in the very back between those to branches of those very old trees?  Well, I want to be them someday in a picture like this. 

My husband has 14 brothers and sisters.  Yes, he was 13th of 15.  I know what questions are running through your head right now and here are the answers.  Yes, all single births.  Yes, all the same mom and dad.  Yes, she did know how to prevent this and chose not to.  Yes, they all paid for their college careers on their own.  There is 22 years about in between the oldest and youngest.  There are soon to be 55 grandchildren and eventually more.  BTW there were a few families missing in the picture too.  Every year all 86 of us get together in some location we are lucky enough to find holds that many on a budget.  It is the time all of us look forward to every year.  We all laugh til we hurt every year for three days straight.

I want a lot of kids.  I want to have a lot of grandkids.  I have two SIL's that have eight and I just love it.  I love seeing how happy they all are.  I love seeing how the older siblings take care of the younger.  I love how everyone learns to work hard, share, and be selfless.  I was just reading a blog that was very inspiring.  Check it out.  They all call me mom  She has nine. 

Another interesting fact about my husbands family if you care is that the grandma you see in the picture is actually not his blood mom.  His birth mom died when he was six and the youngest was two of Ovarian Cancer.  His dad married this fabulous lady a year later.  She had never been married and never had any kids and she took on all fifteen and raised them all.  She is an absolutely amazing woman.  My kids just love Grandma Sharon.  I can't wait til the day I get to meet my other mother in law.  I know what an incredible person she is and I have so many questions for her.  I thank both my mother in laws for the faith they had in our Heavenly Father.  You have to have to have incredible faith that you are raising our Father in Heaven's children to have that many.  I know there are more little spirits up there waiting to come down to my family and I am going to try my hardest to not turn any away.  I just pray I can be a good mother to them and make them happy and feel loved.  Feel loved by me and my husband, their siblings, their Father in Heaven and their brother and Savior Jesus Christ.  

I love Audrey's enthusiasm when she stated her quote above.  I would like to think ALL mothers feel that way but I know some don't.  Audrey was only able to have two children.  She felt so blessed to have those two.  I think that is why she went on to help UNICEF so much and take care of so many children in need.I have been able so far to have more and I hope to be able to continue to have lots more.  Wish me luck as I work toward my "Mega Family." (over 7 kids as Katrina calls it)