Bring it on!

Look closely at the picture above. No not at the snow that had just melted and come back on Monday! I know it is diffcult to see, but I was inside so the picture is quite far away and had to be cropped a bunch. You may have to click on the picture to truly see what I am talking about. Look at the 3 birds in the picture. These are the first Robins that we have seen this year and a very good sign that Spring is on it's way. I say BRING IT ON!

1. a walk in the brisk air

2. the kiddos getting off the bus in a pleasant mood

3. sunshine MELTING the snow again....

This afternoon my lounge chair and I got reacquainted. It was so wonderful to rest and bask in the light of the warm sunshine. When the warmth penetrated me to my soul I thought this is what it feels like to have the Holy Ghost with me. I love that warm feeling. It is such a nice reminder of the love that Heavenly Father has for us to guide us and direct us. This scripture comes to mind:

...For behold, I am the Father, I am the light, and the life, and the truth of the world.

Ether 4:12

Who's your dentist?

I really dislike going to the dentist. I don't like people poking and prodding around inside my mouth. It causes me great anxiety and a big fat headache, but I still go every six months because I know how important it is. We have wanted to switch our dentist for a while now, but I really like the office staff and the hygienist that we see. On the other hand our dentist, Dr. O is standoffish and somewhat of a jerk. When the kids go he has NEVER once said great job no cavities or anything remotely like that. He just rubs me the wrong way. I spoke with one of my friends at church who first recommended the practice when we first moved here. (At that time there was another dentist in addition to Dr. O) My friend had the same feelings about Dr. O and is now in the process of switching dentists too.

I dislike it even more now since Paul's work assigned a new dental carrier this year and now the dentist we had is out of network and it will cost $150. for Paul to get a replacement silver filling. $250 for white. Gimme a BREAK!

So I would appreciate it if you'd let me know who your dentist is and if you like him/her and the staff. We really need to change and if I am going to have to pay out of network I had at least better like the person! Thanks!

1. volunteering in Xander's class

2. Movie night tonight

3. Nice weather on the way!

Hot dog anyone?

This year for the Pinewood Derby the kids had definite ideas in mind. Xander wanted a cool car with a skull on it and Alyssa wanted a hot dog! With some serious help from dad they succeeded!

Meet Rated Arrrr!

& Hot Diggity Dog

1. A fun time at the Pinewood Derby

2. A creative dad

3. Kids who make me smile

D.C. Unscheduled

On winter vacation week we got a chance to go to Washington D.C. for 5 days. It looked like we might not make it since the germs kept trying to keep us down but we prevailed in the end!

Paul was truly amazed when he asked me what we were doing the first day and I said, "I don't know." I am a planner and like to have things organized and scheduled, but this trip I just wanted to go away...see some sights...and relax. The only two things we had planned were meeting a friend for dinner one night and a tour of Sirius XM another day. Otherwise we had things that we wanted to see in mind but no itinerary (for once!)

So on the first day we visited the Natural History Museum a definite favorite in our book! The best thing about the Smithsonian's are the price- FREE! So you don't feel the pressure to have to stay all day and get your moneys worth. We stayed for a few hours and went back to let the kids swim before we were off to meet our good friend Jen for dinner.
The next morning was an early one due to those pesky germs I mentioned before... at 4:30am we woke up to that sound every parent knows and knows what is to come or in this case already came...Barfing! Amazingly enough Xander slept through the whole thing. (He didn't have to worry he already had it the week before) In between escorted trips to the bathroom Paul and I were discussing the fact that it wouldn't be D.C. with Alyssa barfing. (Our first trip to D.C. with the kiddos when they were 1 1/2 poor Alyssa spent the whole time in the stroller during the day and the nights throwing up.)
But by 9 am all seemed well with her and we were off in the snowy, slushy, windy and rainy day to the Air and Space museum. Mind you we were on foot so this did cause a bit of whining when we were all trying to share the umbrella but we survived and had a good time. Later we were back to the warmth of the hotel for more swimming...well for the kids that is.

We are the four on the right. It is a thermo picture.
Wow are we one hot family!

Thursday was our marathon walking day! We walked and walked and walked from 10-5:30. A short Metro ride was thrown in there but otherwise we were on foot. We walked about 7 miles or so that day. It was so windy with 40 mph winds which we could lean into and not fall over! We started off at the Bureau of Printing and Engraving to watch money being made and from there we walked to the Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument and then on to the Lincoln Memorial, around the Eclipse for a view of the white house, many more blocks to our lunch destination and from there we walked all the way back to our hotel. WHEW! Makes me tired just writing it! It was so nice to be outside and walking around so much. Even though it was still cold about 42 degrees and who knows what with the windchill, but we were on the go so much that it didn't seem to bother us.

Friday morning we went to see Ford Theatre where President Lincoln was shot and the house across the street that he was carried to while he waited to die. After that we went to the National Portrait Gallery and then we took the metro to Sirius XM and got a tour of the studios and to see where Paul goes when he is at corporate. After lunch we made a trip back to the Natural History Museum to finish what we didn't see and to the American History Museum and then we made our final museum stop at the Museum of American History. We ended up back at the hotel just in time for "snack and soda time" which was a must every night! The kids really enjoyed the free Shirley Temples and pretzels, gold fish and cheeses. It was a nice tide me over until dinner every night. That night we took it easy and ate pizza while watching a movie in our room since we had an early flight at 7:30am. Thankfully we took a taxi. All of our metro walking adventures were over for this trip!

1. Finally getting this blogged!

2. Grocery shopping done!

3. An argument free day-kids and parents included! :-)

A Wonderful world!

Tonight's scripture reading came from the Gospel Art Kit #600 the Earth. As we read the scriptures we were discussing the world we live on and how we are stewards and need to take care of it because one day it will be the Celestial Kingdom. That really puts things into a different perspective for the kids.

We were also talking about how one day we will be able to create our own worlds and here is what Alyssa's will be like: 80 degrees everyday, a warm breeze with palm trees and Hawaiian flowers all over and NO SNOW! Sign me up baby!

How Firm a Foundation

How Firm a Foundation

third verse:

Fear not,

I am with thee,

O be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee,

and cause thee to stand

Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

This is becoming one of my favorite hymns this year! I have always liked it but the more I sing it and the children learn it the more it brings to my life. Today the third verse had great relevance in my life. Yesterday I was feeling really lousy with flu like symptoms and I knew I had to give the talk I prepared for church today. It had an important message that I felt really needed to be addressed and I was hoping and praying that I would feel well enough to deliver it. I truly believe I was strengthened and helped so that I could deliver my talk.

Just a tidbit o' knowledge:This hymn was sung at the fun­er­als of Amer­i­can pres­i­dents The­o­dore Roo­se­velt and Wood­row Wil­son. In ad­di­tion: It was the fa­vo­rite of De­bo­rah Jack­­son Pre­si­dent An­drew Jack­son’s be­loved wife and on his death-bed the war­ri­or and states­man called for it. It was the fa­vo­rite of Gen. Ro­bert E. Lee, and was sung at his fun­er­al. The Amer­i­can love and fa­mil­iar pre­fer­ence for the re­mark­a­ble hymn was ne­ver more strik­ing­ly il­lus­trat­ed than when on Christ­mas Eve, 1898, a whole corps of the Unit­ed States Ar­my North­ern and South­ern, en­camped on the Que­ma­dos hills, near Ha­va­na [Cu­ba], took up the sa­cred tune and words.

(I bet the Spirit was so strongly felt that night!)

1. feeling better

2. answers to prayers

3. wonderful women I serve with

4. talks being over!