I know, I know, third time's a charm...

Here I am posting for the third time today. I must be bored. I am about to start a book (to say nothing of the dog), and just started a different one last night (cry, the beloved country), but I went surfing a little and look at the cutest thing I found. How adorable! 

Check out this blog for more cute things you can order. I have been thinking about a permanent job chart for Jake. I think he'd really like it. There are other great chore charts and aprons and signs here. Fun stuff! Don't say you've never surfed...

FYI

Welp, my nap today is foiled by the LAME Crystal Light energy powder. I thought it sounded so good--little energy boost. Then I found out it has caffeine in it, which is how it gives more energy than regular Crystal Light. I am not a caffeine user. I am feeling sick. Jake, for once, fell asleep and Alisa is asleep and I am up feeling sick. I drank it at noon. Still feeling it. Next time, check the ingredients!

Mother of the Year

You may think that I earned my Mother of the Year status because I, along with three friends, decided to brave Disneyland sans husbands with a toddler and a babe, which was no picnic, I will tell you. While we survived to tell the tale (and actually had a lot of fun), that is not why I now have the status. (By the way, this was a long time ago, I just forgot to post it. I think it was around April...) 

Our "single mom" day at Disneyland was actually pretty successful. Mercifully, someone helped us on and off the tram and we survived. The kids loved it. Before I tell of the scary moments I had, let me just say that I lied. Flat out. I have since repented, but Jake was barely three and I said he was two. That's how I know it was April. Welp, never again. I got my punishment, which was the following: 

We were getting on the elevator. Jake was walking in front of the beast I call a double stroller (see picture). The thing doesn't turn on a dime. So he gets on the elevator. I go for it, but the stroller hits the side and doesn't make it in. Jake is on the elevator alone. I run to grab the door as it's shutting, but only get the outside door, not the inside (who knew? There are two!). So the door shuts. The elevator has an unknown destination. Jake is BARELY three, and alone. I freak. The girls stay with Alisa at the elevators and I blindly sprint up the first escalator I come to. By the end of it, I am out of breath and I don't remember that many stairs. That's because I took the LONGEST escalator and ended up on the seventh level of the biggest parking structure in the world. Yeah, I was panicked by then, to say the least. 

I push the elevator button and nothing happens for an eternity. The escalator only goes from the seventh level to the ground, no stops in between (there are other escalators, each going to a different level). Just as I get on to go back down, the elevator doors ding and open. It is empty. No Jake. Ah! So I get on and press every level. It opens on the sixth floor: No one! It opens on the fifth: three people enter and see my horrified state. WHERE IS MY SON??? They haven't seen him. We go down another level: No one. I am just SICK! You can imagine.

Finally, Christy calls. He is down at the bottom. Whoever had called the elevator up (to who knows what level--not the seventh!) had taken him back down. Poor guy! I was beside myself and SO RELIEVED all at the same time. 

I got home and told Scott that no matter what, I was paying for Jake from then on. I learned my lesson. Dishonesty does not pay. Ever. Amen.

P.S. (which has nothing to do with the aforementioned) Thank you to all those who came and supported Scott! It was, in my opinion, a great and spiritual concert. I love his rich voice. I was a bad wife and didn't take a picture, but I will post one when I get my hands on one. Thank you all again!

Free Concert Tomorrow!!!

Scott and a friend are putting on a free concert entitled "Songs of the Savior." Please come! It's tomorrow night (Saturday, 26 July) at 6 pm in the University Church Chapel at LLU (not the main sanctuary but the square building behind it). Refreshments after. We'd love to see you there!

Sad, Sad Day

I tried to get some good pictures, but these don't really capture it... Read on, Lizzy! (name that movie... it's my favorite!)

Yesterday I almost lost it and broke down in tears. We were at a Pioneer Day Celebration at the park and all was going well. Right at dusk, Jake and a friend were playing with a big bouncy ball. Our friend was throwing it high in the air and they were chasing it (you may be guessing how this ends already). Sure enough, they both went for it once, and collided. I mean, a MAJOR collision. Jake's mouth hit hard on the head of his friend. I have never heard Jake cry like that. It was awful! That's why I almost lost it. It was horrible to see and hear him in such pain and not be able to do anything to relieve it! He kept holding his teeth saying he didn't want them to fall out. 

Since it was dusk, Scott couldn't even see to check them out. I got a sickening feeling when we looked in the light and his front teeth were SHORTER and pushed back (toward his tongue). Ah! My beautiful boy! It was soooo sad. 

We called a dentist friend (who had just left before this) and asked her to take a look, which she willingly did (thank you Melinda!). She bribed him with sugar free lollipops (which worked like a charm) so she could "count" his teeth. Well, his teeth are pushed up and a little back. If they didn't hit the permanent tooth buds, they may just pop back down eventually. They could turn brown (like my little bro's tooth growing up... lovely! :) ) and either go back to normal or stay that way until they fall out. Hopefully they didn't hit the permanent tooth buds. We should take an x-ray, though, to make sure there's no damage. 

S.A.D. So for now, he is all swollen and can't eat or drink much because it hurts. He wouldn't even eat his lollipops this morning. I gave him Motrin and some Orajel (which he hated) and put him in front of a movie with an ice pack. Poor little guy! 

Great Day!

Welp, just in case you were wondering, I am having a great day! I normally lead the music for the primary kids (age 3-12) on Sundays, but today I got to be pianist AND lead. Yep, for awhile we didn't have a pianist so I did both. It was really fun and had to be casual, since I was alone for a bit. I am so grateful my mom MADE me take piano lessons. I really should make time to practice, since we have a piano and I really need it! Anyway, the kids are fun and crazy and sweet. I love our big primary!

On Friday we dropped the kids off at Devin and Christy's (THANK YOU!) and went to the temple. It was really nice because we took a little nap before hand and I was really able to focus and feel the love and peace of God.  I feel so blessed to live in this time, when the gospel of Jesus Christ and his Church and authority have been restored on the earth. When we went to pick the kids up, Christy had dinner for us there (so nice!) and we got to chat a bit while our kids played until way past their bedtime!

I recently finished reading The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom and have been thinking a lot about what it really means to love your neighbor and turn the other cheek. The author and her sister were such powerful examples of love and faith in Jesus Christ. I can't even begin to imagine the hate they experienced and yet they forgave and loved the hater. They spread the message of love and hope in Jesus. They felt more sorry for the one abusing than for being abused themselves. Why is it so hard today to do the same, when the offenses don't compare and are (usually) so minor? I don't feel like I have the hugest problem being offended, but I think I tend to pre-judge, to jump to conclusions about others' characters, which seems to make it harder to truly love others (for me, anyway). 

And then I keep asking myself: If I truly do love other people, why am I not trying to share the gospel with them more freely? Why not share the message that Christ loves us so much, he continues to guide us through a prophet, just like those of old? He hasn't stopped speaking because he wants to help US in OUR day. It's so amazing yet seems so hard to share with others. 

So, I am trying to more easily converse about my beliefs and my personal feelings about Jesus Christ. I feel like we come from an emotionally closed society. We don't hug, kiss on the cheek, etc. (especially those we just met!). We don't share our tender, innermost feelings with just anyone. In fact, we share them with very few, even those we are closest to. Am I just speaking for myself? I think we don't like to feel exposed and vulnerable, but it's healthy to. 

Your thoughts?

Going Private

This blog is going private! If you want to continue to read our little treasures, please leave me a comment with your email and I'll invite you (especially if I don't have your email or see you on a regular basis!).

I got a puzzle for Jake on Friday. He's done it over and over and over. It was a great purchase. This morning he did it all by himself. I came out and praised him for it, and he said, "Jesus helped me!" and after a minute, he said, "Jesus answered me!" It was so sweet. I am glad some things do actually sink in, even if it doesn't seem like it! We were listening to primary music, which inspired him, I'm sure!