Lucky

Yesterday I was reading an article in an old Newsweek about lucky people -- people who seem to survive anything and come through feeling blessed. The article focused on a lady who was running late to a knitting club meeting, fell on the stairs and impaled herself on a knitting needle. She survived, though the needle knicked her heart, AND they found the beginnings of breast cancer and were able to treat it before it spread.

In the article, there is a test. When you read the following domain name (just read it, don't actually go there) what do you read:

http://www.opportunityisnowhere.com

Scroll down . . .





Alright, did you read opportunity is nowhere OR opportunity is now here?

According to the article, your attitude depends on what you read and how lucky you are since lucky people are happy people who tend to be in the right place at the right time and are open to the world around them.

So, how lucky are you?

Calling My Bluff

My house just is not as clean as it used to be. Being under contract, it is liberating to be able to leave the house a mess and know that it is okay, but at the same time I miss having a clean house a little bit.

So yesterday I decided to get some of it back, but thought that it was unfair that I face the daunting task on my own. So I told the girls first thing in the morning that they could not watch television until their room was clean.

Well, they called my bluff and just played all morning with toys and with each other.

And I learned something. Having them watch PBS in the morning is not for them, it's for my sanity! Oh, that little threat backfired in so many ways. Because they were not kickin' it with Sesame Street, they made even bigger messes. Sigh.

Happy Birthday, Emma!

On Sunday Emma turned five years old! Because her birthday was on a Sunday, she essentially had a birthday weekend since she took cupcakes to school on Friday, had a party and went out to dinner on Saturday, and then had her actual birthday and friends over for pie on Sunday. Cupakes, cake, ice cream, pie! What a weekend! In fact, on Sunday morning when Emma told Macey that it was her birthday, Macey honestly said, "Again?" Emma opening presents on her birthday.

Taking cupcakes to her school. How fun!

Hanging with her sisters at Chuck E. Cheese's.

Party time at Chuck E. Cheese's!

Emma is a fabulous girl. She loves to draw and play with Molly. They are best friends, and I am a little jealous over how much Molly loves her big sister. When Molly sees Emma's bus in the afternoon, she starts waving like crazy and yelling "EMMA! EMMA!" Um, she doesn't do that when Garry & I come home.

Emma loves to climb trees, she is trying to learn how to swing all by herself, and she is getting really good at the monkey bars. She just started dance class, and loves to be a ballerina princess. She also does well at soccer and has a mean kick -- scholarship material for sure!

We love our Emma!

My Sad FHE

I have been trying to hold Family Home Evening (FHE) the last two weeks though Garry has been gone and he has always been the biggest fan of faithfully holding FHE. The girls really enjoy it, and so I have tried to keep up the tradition.

Here's my sad story and my sad attempt. Sunday night I had a dream that Christ was coming. I was afraid that He was coming to my house and so I spent the day scrubbing and cleaning and getting rid of any R rated movies that might be around the house. (For the record, I do not think that we have any). But He did not come to my house and so I went to church and walked in and there was the Prophet.

I was disappointed, and I walked out.

So, I woke up ashamed on many levels. That I did not realize that the message from Christ or His Prophet would be the same, that I did not choose to stay and listen, and that on Sunday I spent the afternoon cleaning the girls' rooms instead of listening to General Conference.

To make up for it, I determined to teach my girls about service for FHE since that is what President Monson was talking about while I was cleaning. I made some banana bread, had a quick lesson with the girls, and loaded them up in the van.

We were going to take the banana bread to a family whose son has not been feeling well lately. They were not home. Sigh. So we tried to take it to someone who has not been feeling well lately and has really struggled the last few months. She was not home. Sigh. So we tried to take it to a family who helped us fix the furnace problem last week. They were not home. Sigh. So we tried to just take it to some friends. When we were pulling into their street, we saw their van pulling out. Big sigh.

Can I mention that this whole time Molly screaming from the back seat?

So, we went home and ate banana bread. A lesson, an activity and a snack. Not bad.

Macey Goes To School!

Macey has started preschool again! After watching Emma go to school for several weeks now, she has been anxious for her turn. We took her to the mall and let her pick out a new outfit. This is what she picked out -- a little Tinkerbell outfit and matching vest. Very cute.

This year at school is a little different for Macey. Last year she went with Emma and had lots of friends there from church. This year it's just her! I felt a little sad as I dropped her off, she seemed so alone, but she yelled out "Bye Mama!" and waved as I headed out the door.

When I picked her up I asked her if she had made any new friends and she said, "No, but I rode a bike." Well, that's something!

That's My Girl!

I have been teaching Emma how to play the piano, and generally she is doing well. (Though it would be nice if she would practice more). In the last few months we have really been drilling finger numbers. Thumbs are one, pointers are two, tall guy is three. . .well, you get the idea.

I thought that she understood them pretty well but was still amazed when she hurt her finger and cried out, "Mama, I hurt my number four finger!"

Ah, that's my girl!

Falling Through The Cracks

Today Macey started preschool at First Flight. (Pictures to follow soon!) Having one daughter in preschool and one in Pre-K creates an interesting schedule.

First, we take Macey to preschool. We leave at 11:40, get there at 11:55, sign her in, and go home.

Then I have a short, useless amount of time until I walk with Emma at 12:30 so that she can make her 12:40 bus.

Then I take Molly home and we chill until I leave to pick up Macey at 1:40. There's a longer break and then I leave to get Emma from the bus stop at 4:15.

This afternoon around 1:30 I was congratulating myself for getting the girls where the needed to be on time when I looked at Molly and thought, "Hmmm....when was the last time you ate?"

Poor Molly. It's a busy schedule and something has to give.