I Got It!!!

I can proudly and excitedly say that I now own "The Wednesday Witch!!" I took all your advice and found it on Ebay. I put a bid on this book, which was being sold with another book titled, "The Blue-Nosed Witch." I figured two is better than one, right? Well, I was the only bidder and I got it. They just arrived in the mail today. Both are in EXCELLENT condition. I'm so excited. As I cracked open the spine and started reading the first chapter, I couldn't believe all the flood of memories that came rushing back to me. Even down to the smell of my old school library. I had the same rush of giddy excitement I used to get when I would check this book out of the library. As I was reading, I remembered sitting on our old couch in the warmth of the sun coming in the big picture window washing down on my back. I felt like I was in grade school again!!! I can't wait to read the whole book again and then get to read it to Olivia. This is definitely one of my new prized books that I'm going to treasure.

Tagen, meet... Tagen!

Tagen loves to play with my pots and pans. I don't mind letting her because she is so entertained by them. Yesterday, she pulled out this lid and was entertained for the better part of an hour while I made a birthday cake. It was so fun to watch her find her reflection in the lid. She quickly started talking to it and kissing her reflection over and over.

The following pictures are some of what I was able to capture of her playing.

"Oh look! There is a cute baby in the lid!"

"I need to take a closer look."

"How'd you get in there?"

"Mom! Have you seen how adorable I am?!"

"See mom, I told you there is a cute baby in this lid!"

"Give me a kiss!"

"You still there?"

"Hi mom! I see you!"

"Very very interesting...."

"I think I'll use this as a chew toy now."

Happy Birthday Love!

To the love of my life....

I love that each passing year of your life, (and there have been many,) have just made you even more handsome.

More intelligent, caring, compassionate, giving, understanding, wiser and loving.

My man in kindergarten

My man on a mission....

Us in Moab in 2004

My man and his girls

Happy Happy Birthday Brad!

I LOVE YOU!

You are EVERYTHING to me.

My sunshine, my joy, my reason to be, my best friend.

I hope your day is fantastic!

You know, 36 isn't THAT old... Not really!

Honesty

Life is so full of ups and downs. I feel like on my blog I only show the ups. Probably because I plan on having this printed one day and I don't really want to remember the down times. The other reason is because sometimes the down times are so personal and private, sharing them on a blog isn't right. But to be honest... there are days I question myself and my decisions.

I think my children deserve a mom that is always happy, doesn't EVER yell, has all the answers, has enough energy to keep up with them, has endless entertainment ideas and tons of talent to teach them what they need to know in life. I know, there isn't a mom out there like that, but I still wish I was better than I am.

A year and a half ago I wrote THIS. I still feel that way. Yes, I'm still at home with my girls. Most days it's okay, but there comes a time when the sirens go screeching by the house and my heart does a little jump and I get a lump in my throat. I truly miss working. Sometimes I feel like my days, talents and education are wasted at home. That it's the same old things, day after day, and none of it even matters. That I'm not making a contribution to society. Nobody would know if I stayed in my jammies all day... (it's been known to happen...) BUT, then I look at these two girls and I remember that the Lord has prompted me to be home with them. To be here raising them. To teach them. To love them. It reminds me that what I'm doing matters to them. They don't really care if I'm in my jammies all day... at least I hope they don't. Motherhood is all about sacrifices. Sometimes those sacrifices are small... like, I eat after everyone else has finished, or, I don't get a moment to be by myself all. day. long. Sometimes the sacrifices are bigger... like giving up my dream job. BUT, whatever we are asked to sacrifice, the Lord makes it right. He blesses us for the sacrifice given. We might not recognize the blessings right off, but they do come eventually, and they are exactly what we need. That's what I've learned over the past year or so. It's all about Faith. Faith in the Lord to make us and our lives better than we can on our own.

Dancing Queen!

My little dancing queen got groovin' over the holidays.

I'm just now remembering to post this. It still makes me laugh every time I see it.

I'm not sure where she got her killer moves from, but they are im-pres-sive!

And her style.... That's ALL hers. Gotta love a dancing queen who can pull off the mittens and sunglasses!

Olivia's Own Room

Right after Christmas we moved Olivia downstairs to her own room. This was to accomplish two major things...

1 - To keep Olivia from waking up Tagen

2 - To keep Tagen from waking up Olivia.

It took a LOT of talking and reasoning with Olivia, and things are going mostly okay. She loves being able to have all the space to play with her toys. She loves showing off her room to whoever comes over. The only time she doesn't really like it is when she goes to bed. She is worried about being downstairs all alone. But, since taking this picture, we've added a couple pictures of Jesus and also one of Grandma Elizabeth and Papa Alex to keep her company. It's fun to see her continue growing and experiencing new things. I sometimes wonder if this mom had more issues with moving her downstairs to be "So far away" than Olivia did.

Read it?

Does anyone remember reading this book? Does anyone have a copy? I remember checking this book out of the school library almost every week. I'd take it back on the due date and then immediately check it out again. It's taken me so long to remember the name of this book. (I'm getting old... or at least Brad tells me I am.) The story line, as I remember it, is about a miniature witch that rides on a vacuum. She has a cat named Cinders. I believe that she lives in a doll house. I LOVED this book as a child. I found out it's out of print, which makes me really really sad. I'd love to share it with my daughters... if I can find a copy.