Fairy Houses

This first house is on a tree outside in the backyard. There is a cute little window you can see on the side of the tree and a chimney. I'll post more pictures later of the bridge over the water.

This one is under a desk upstairs. Both houses have tiny little lamp posts that work and we just added a tiny piano to one. Haley is thrilled! She knows fairies like chocolate chips so she'll leave some by the door and check every once in a while to see if they have been picked up!

These fairy houses popped up all over my parents house. Dad is so great! The doors all open they are very authentic! He's planning on selling some custom made on the internet! Order yours today! I know I want one!

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!

Yes, this is the play our Ward put on for the christmas party. The abbreviated version lasted almost over an hour! Little Marky was the main boy, Charlie and Haley was a baby angel. I was a gossipy woman on the phone and Daddy was a fireman. It was a hoot. We did get a video of it, we're working on moving it to a cd so I can post parts of it. It's too long to post the whole thing! Anywhoo, we forgot half the lines but if you remember the real play it doesn't matter. It all managed to look great in the end. My job was to get the kids on and off the stage and shuffle them where they needed to be, whisper an occasional line, and help dress the baby angels. We also we're slated to decorate a table with our christmas dishes. It was a completely full house and we even had chairs lining the walls. Haley remembered her lines and was adorable, Marky remembered his lines and even tripped for emphasis (not in the play, but it looked good!) Daddy was hysterical and when it was all over and we we're cleaning up I think Marky and his friend Kobe stayed in character. They we're teasing each other and Marky got angry and they started a fist fight in the foyer. Needless to say I was astounded, there we're a few people mulling around the halls cleaning (Including the bishopric) and I, not thinking, screamed at them to stop all the way down the hall of the church across all these people. This lead them all to laugh and titter at me. What other option did I have, here was my usually calm baby punching another boy in the church! Both boys we're scolded and Marky was severely grounded. His dad now plans a Father Son outing so they can discuss violence. And here I sit, feeling like the worst mother ever. Oh well, now we have to move!

love ya

ER

I have technology on the way!

You will all be pleased to know that I have used my visa reward points to purchase a digital camera. Yes, applause is welcome. I will be posting more pictures after this! Tada!

ER

Moving Forward? or Backwards?

Marky is 8 years old. I feel he is bright. He can work computers, cell phones, and DVD players. He can work my HDTV better then I can. I kept my old VCR and tapes because most of them the kids would enjoy. I asked him to put a video in and he couldn't figure it out. Does that make me outdated? I've shown him 4 times how to do it...still no dice.

We also lost our pencil sharpener and he insisted he couldn't do his homework. I admit this may have been a very opportune excuse. When I showed him how to use a knife to sharpen the pencil, and then explained that only adults can use knives he was astounded. Haley, the other day, said she couldn't play outside because there were no toys...when I was young you went outside to find toys (sticks, fairy houses in the trees, etc. )

What does this say about us today? We buy things, do things, to entertain our children, to teach them. But are we really giving them the opportunity to learn? Are they learning HOW to learn? Where have all the McGuivers gone?

Welcome to the wide world of blogging....

yeah mom! you did it! We're so proud of you!! Now let it go! Write it all!

love ya

ER

Heaven's Watching

So, my posts are usually humorous moments from the day. Today is serious. I want to share with you my personal miracle straight from heaven.

Today I had to deliver invitations to every primary child s house for our party on Saturday. I stuck Shawn in the jogging stroller and set out. The other kids we're in school. A few houses in our ward are on Antelope Drive. If any of you are familiar with this, you know the road is 4 lanes and VERY busy!!! Well, I hate going out there, and was hurrying to be done faster. Mistake number 1. I jogged to the final house and parked Shawn in the drive way. Setting the brake on the stroller I jogged to the front door to the house. I heard a car honking. I turned around to see what was wrong and my heart fell through the floor. Shawn, strapped in his stroller, had rolled out into traffic. I don't know exactly what happened, but what I saw was him parked in the road, against the curb. An angel of a woman had parked her car behind him to shield him from traffic. I screamed, ran, and ripped the stroller out of traffic. She rolled down her window and I thanked her profusely and cried. I'm still crying. I go over it again and again, I don't know what happened, but I will never trust my brake again. Feelings of inadequacy in motherhood, guilt for rushing instead of taking time to really think things through, and every other thought of what if.....what if he had been hit!!! It washed over me, and still does.

I don't know the details of what happened, but I do know what really happened. The Lord saw my rush, and lack of brains at the moment and sent an angel to protect my baby in my moment of chaos. I thank him over and over. Every way I look at it he should have been hit. He is here by the grace of the Lord, and I will always remember that.

So remember, when your rushing and under stress. Take a moment to breath and really think. One small mistake can mean the world. And the Lord is always watching. To teach you. To help you. To Love you. Even if you make a big mistake.

Love you all.

ER