blessed

blessing day, March 1, 2009

love love love this...

I was so inspired by this talk last fall, and am again motivated when I hear President Uctdorf's words in this video. Enjoy!

P.S. You can download this here.

Samoas

It's all because of the car seat...

With Bubbsy #3 we've ditched the expired Graco infant seat in favor of our fab new Chicco. Love it. Except, the one feature I didn't realize I was giving up is the little slat in the back that allows you to snap the seat onto the grocery cart. Now days, grocery shopping entails using 2 carts (one for Bubs, one for groceries) or the baby Bjorn. If Sis comes along, she pushes the food cart while I steer the 'steel stroller' and help her avoid crashing into the produce. If I strap Bubs in the pack, I am forced to only select items from the middle shelves as I can't reach as high or bend as low.

So, because of the seat, I try to shop when Daddy is home. In the afternoon. Which explains why I was coming out of the grocery at the exact moment the Girl Scouts, straight from school, finished setting up the goods on a card table in front of the store.

"Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies? They are only $3.25"

"If I have that much cash, I'll buy one."

I dug. $3.22. They had pity on my Samoa-lovin' soul.

mmmmmmmmmmm

I shared. A few.

Overheard at our house...

"Before Jesus was born, Heavenly Father had to do ALL the work."
---according to a 5-year-old

Hot From the Oven

There are a lot of things I'm not doing much of with a newborn, including blogging...

But, I've been asked for this recipe many times lately so I thought it would be nice to put SOMETHING up on my blog. This is a no-fail bread recipe from the bread queen herself: my sister-in-law, Cheryl. Enjoy!

Cheryl’s Bread
2 cups water
1/2 stick butter
2 1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. oatmeal
1/4 c. 9-grain cereal (or wheat germ, or oatmeal)
1/8 c. vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 c. white flour (plus extra for kneading)
3 c. whole wheat flour
1 TBSP yeast
1 or 2 eggs

Microwave water and butter on high for 4 minutes. Meanwhile, mix salt, sugar, oatmeal, cereal, flour and yeast. Add egg(s) and water/butter and mix (I use a Kitchenaid) for 1 minute, until combined. Put bread hook on mixer and mix (knead) for 10 minutes, adding flour (about 3/4 cup) until it doesn’t stick to the bowl any longer. After 10 minutes of kneading, cover and let rise 1 hour. Divide dough in 2 loaves, roll under, and put in prepared loaf pans. Raise, lightly covered, for 30-60 minutes, until double in size. Bake at 350˚ for 25 minutes. Cool on wire rack (but cut a slice for yourself while it's hot....you deserve it!)

a glimpse at tomorrow...

Today I had a little peek into the future. I hadn’t seen Kate around for a while and realized I could hear her music in her room. She has a new CD player. It is still little girl-ish: pink Barbie-brand with two attached microphones on the sides. But, as I listened to her cute voice belting out the words to “Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed” along with the music, I couldn’t help but think that in the not-so-distant future I’d probably hear her singing other songs blasting from other music players. As she grows, will she prefer the solitude of her room like she has this afternoon? I’ll admit I enjoyed the free time. The baby was asleep; Dal was at school. Kate kept herself occupied with her music and her drawing pad for a whole hour. I got Primary things done, unloaded the dishwasher, checked my e-mail, changed the laundry: all without my little tag-along. But, I missed her. I wondered how many more years (or days) she’d want me to be around; ask me to play dress-ups or to color with her. And, as much fun as it is to see her independence and the enjoyment she gets from just creating all on her own, I want to still be needed and wanted. Because she is still needed. I need her. I need to be her ‘best mommy’ and friend for a long, long time.

Finally, I got too lonely to listen from the other room. I joined her for a little 'Fairy Barbie' (where the evil sea witch, Ursula, who was married to Captain Hook, chased the blue Fairy Barbie, being flown across the seas on the tail of Arial). Then, I asked if she wanted to help make cookies. And, my girl was mine again. For today. And, hopefully, for many more cookie-and-imagination-filled days to come.

to have and to hold

Spoiled. My baby is spoiled and so am I. I've had a mom or mom-in-law here nearly non-stop for the past 3 1/2 weeks. So, what do I get to do? I hold the baby. He loves to be held and I love to hold him. All day.

This morning when I woke up and looked at his sweet little face, he looked bigger. He grew overnight. And, it is all passing too quickly.

So, while I've read lots of inspiring New Years resolutions on the blogs of my friends (as I'm holding my baby), I can't seem to resolve to do much of anything besides enjoy him. 'Cause babies don't keep...