A Memorable Moment

Uncle Dave told the MyMy to go home and write her feelings down of how she feels before she forgets. I am also going to take that advice to heart.

What a special day for a very special girl. What a special day for some very ordinary parents. Special in the sense that family traveled from afar to come and spend time with us for a wonderful event. Special also, because of special gifts and phone calls sent from family members, from afar, to let us know they were thinking of us. Special because of friends, ward members, and family supporting us with food, video dvd, helping to set up and clean-up after. Special because some wonderful Aunties gave such sweet and personal talks to the MyMy about the ordinance and gift she would receive that day. And, don't forget the special children, cousins and friends, who sang so sweetly and, the special Uncle who shared his piano talents so we would have music to set the tone.

I am so blessed!



The day was also very sweet. Sweet because the MyMy has such a sweet and wonderful father who loves her very much. Sweet because the 2 of them spent some alone time the night before preparing for the ordinance. Sweet because he lovingly talked to her and hugged her before the service to calm her nerves. Sweet because he was fighting back emotion as he spoke. Sweet, because he gave a beautiful prayer so fitting for a special young lady.

Once again, I am so blessed!



Last, but not least, the day was beautiful. Beautiful in the sense that one of our Heavenly Father's choice daughters became a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. That our Savior prepared the way for all of us. That we all have the opportunity to one day return to the loving arms of our Savior and Heavenly Father.

Beautiful that I get to be a mother to 2 beautiful girls and share special days, like yesterday, with them.

I am thankful for my blessings.

Cousins Slumber Party

Pink Room, Pink Bed, Pink Pajama's, Little girls.....Need I say more?



What started out as a "go to my room and watch cartoons so you don't wake the others up" to one little girl, soon became (about 30 seconds soon!) 6 monkeys in bed watching cartoons. Go figure!

Christmas Traditions

The older I get the more I realize how important it is to carry on family traditions. Family traditions provide anticipation for the event to come and wonderful memories to remember after. I have tried to instill many family traditions all year long for my family. One tradition, that I grew up with, has been absently missing in my current family and home.

Tonight, I decided to reconcile my blunder and carry on the tradition that I once loved and cherished so deeply, realizing that it had been deeply missed.

First thing- Get girls on board. Explain the tradition.
Second- Cook, cook, cook
Third- Set a beautiful table



Fourth- While the girls were helping me set the table, we noticed the porch light off even though we had turned it on several times. A closer look told us that Joulupukki (the Finnish Santa Claus) had been by to visit.





Fifth- We ate a very yummy traditional Finnish Christmas Eve dinner. I really can cook something foreign!

Sixth- We read the Christmas story found in Luke 2 and sang Silent Night. (I have always kept this tradition).

Seventh- The girls got to open a traditional Christmas gift. Don't they look cute in their new pajamas?



Eighth- We look for Santa using the Norad Santa tracker found on the internet.

Ninth- The girls prepare a wonderful treat for Santa.

Tenth- Derrick and I watch the beautiful Christmas concert, put out by my church, on our local PBS station.

I love traditions. Now that everyone is snug in bed awaiting the new day........





It is time to say good-night and Merry Christmas!

8 Wonderful Years

I remember her face just like it was yesterday. After everyone had left the hospital, and I was finally alone with my new, precious, little one, I studied her face making sure that I had every detail imprinted in my mind. I knew then that I would never forget that sweet little face and so far, I haven't.

As I stroked her soft cheeks, admiring the beautiful gift from Heaven, I wondered what her life would be like. What would she look like when she turned 3, 5, and 8? Would she be a daddy's girl or a mommy's girl? What would her interests be? Could I possibly love her more than I did at that moment?

No matter how hard I worked at looking into her future, I never could even begin to imagine how she would look, what she would be like, or who's girl she would become. All I knew is that we, Derrick and myself, had truly been blessed with a precious child, and that we would definitely make sure she knew she was loved.

Eight years later, I still wonder what her future holds, what she will look like, and where her dreams will take her. I am always hoping that her future will be happy, safe, and bright, realizing, that none of that is really in my control.

Once again, all I know is that each continual year that Derrick and myself have to raise and love our precious daughter is indeed a gift from God, in which we are truly grateful to.

Happy Birthday MyMy. May you always know that you are loved and cherished.

Blondes Have More Fun?

Not according to this brunette!

Gingerbread Fun

The LuLu and MyMy had a good time this evening creating magical candy houses. Not only are candy houses magical, but also the children who create them. What a combination. Merry Christmas!

From Ashes to Rashes We All Fall Down

On Tuesday we said good-bye to our dear pet Kramer (our first baby, really). I got him 11 years ago as a Christmas gift for Derrick, and instead of Kramer being his dog, he truly became my dog.

Kramer is now in doggy heaven running once again like a horse, going crazy for the big sprinklers, and jumping up onto everything and anything. That makes me happy. His earthly body, once full of life and vibrant, is now a pile of ashes.

We are heartbroken, but thankful, that we were able to have him in our family for so long. Each one of us is manifesting our pain and sorrow in different ways. My pain and sorrow manifested itself by starting as a huge hole in my heart and then turned into a horrible, painful rash starting on my ankles and crawling up my legs.

When asked by the doctor if there were any changes in my life to cause this, I immediately thought of the loss of my "oldest child" (Kramer). Derrick was sure it was my binge on vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting Wednesday night. The doctor assured us it was neither, but, each of us know exactly the blame. Me-Kramer, Derrick- Cupcakes.

I guess there is only one way to find out. Make another batch of cupcakes and eat away! Want one?

Christmas in the Desert

Someone once said to Derrick that a desert is beautiful from afar, but far from beautiful. Sometimes I agree with this, and other times I do not.

Tonight, I disagree. The desert is very beautiful at Christmas time. Don't you agree?

A Christmas Tree Story

This is a story about the Voss Family getting a Christmas tree for the Christmas season.

A week ago, the Voss family left early in the morning for Flagstaff to cut down a beautiful tree.

The family decided to feed some deer and have a picnic before cutting down their beautiful tree.




After the picnic, the family finished their travels to sunny, yet cold, Flagstaff to cut down a tree.

The family had a difficult time picking a tree that all would agree on.
"That tree is too tall," said the daddy.
"That tree is too ugly," said the LuLu.
"That tree is too bare at the top," said the mommy.
"I am too busy picking up sticks, pinecones, golf balls, twirling, to notice the trees," said the MyMy. (She really didn't say that because she was too busy picking up sticks, pinecones, golf balls, twirling, etc.)

Gloves were placed on trees that were possible candidates.




Finally, after some soul searching, compromising, and bargaining...... the perfect Christmas tree was found. Yea! Daddy got to use a very cool power tool to cut the tree down.




The family then loaded up the truck, shopped for coats, had some pizza, and headed for home.

A week later, the family finally had time to decorate the beautiful Christmas tree.



And, to them, it is a beautiful Christmas tree, and so are the memories.

The End

Happy Birthday Dad

Today my thoughts are on a very special guy. No, although my sweet guy is very special, my thoughts are not about him today. My thoughts are about another special guy, my dad. Today is his birthday.

In writing this I realize that this really could be a book instead of a few short paragraphs because there are so many wonderful memories to share. However, I will try my hardest to reflect on my dad in the least amount of words possible.

Should I talk about the time we were working side by side in the garden and my dad decided to beep every time I said "you know" because I didn't realize how often I said "you know"?

Or, maybe I should share about the times we would practice parallel parking late at night between 2 parked cars driving away quickly when residents would peek out the window with a worried look.

No, I think I should share the time we solved the math problem my math teacher proposed to us as to how many different license plates the state of Utah can have with each plate having a combination of 3 letters and 3 numbers. After figuring that out, dad said that the answer would not be accurate because some words were inappropriate to be printed. Boy, was I the popular one in class the next day after repeating that information to the class!

What about sharing the many times that I would show up at my dads work with a problem and he would end up taking me for a walk on a different trail close to his work so we could problem solve.

And, I can't forget the wonderful grandpa that he has been to both of my girls. I will never forget the day that my dad sat in the MyMy's playhouse playing school for the entire day, or holding the LuLu's hand and walking with her taking the time to explain about the death of my grandpa, before dedicating his grave.

All I know is that my dad has sure made a difference in this daughters life. I love you dad. Happy Birthday with many more to come.

Barbie Soap Opera

Friday was our last official day of fall break and the girls decided to end the break in style -Pajama Style- that is. They spent the day in their pj's and played Barbie Dolls from the moment they woke up until about 5:00pm. It was one of those days where things like food, getting dressed and doing chores got in the way and were not necessary. The focus was Barbies, Barbies, and even more Barbies. It was their last day of break and why not end it on their terms?

I walked into the room at one point, and immediately saw 2 Barbie's fly a short distance and the MyMy having a guilty look on her face. When asked what was going on, the MyMy was hesitant to reply. After a little convincing I learned that the 2 Barbies had been kissing and she was trying to protect my sweet, innocent eyes. I looked down, saw the 2 Barbies dressed, and relaxed a little giving my okay for the Barbies to have a quick, sweet, goodnight kiss. The MyMy immediately relieved started in on the whole story.

The girl Barbie is really a grandma Barbie whose husband died. She made herself look young so she could get to know the cute, young, boy Barbie. The boy Barbie has been hypnotized and cannot tell that the Barbie he likes is an old grandma. He really likes her and is taking her to the ball....... and so the story goes. A Barbie soap opera!

My head was spinning trying to keep up with all of the craziness and wishing I had minded my own business from the very beginning. Being a parent however, is not minding your own business, but making sure that you know what the business is and setting some workable parameters for that business so that everyone stays happy, yet safe. I concluded by saying that if Mommy can't see some of the things the Barbies do because it would be uncomfortable, then maybe the Barbies shouldn't be doing those activities in the first place. And, play Barbies as if Mommy were watching. That seemed to work, and for the rest of the day the girls played Barbies while Mom stuck around, unobtrusively, of course!

Thanksgiving Blog Forgotten

I had planned on sharing some of our Thanksgiving through pictures and realized that only 1 picture was taken. Oh well, next time!

Sweet Baby K

We are still sleeping with the windows open here in sunny Arizona. Well, it got a little cold last night and Kramer was feeling it. So.... Derrick helped Kramer get warm and comfortable. Sleep baby sleep!

Sisters

Chance made them friends........Hearts made them sisters. I know this saying is backwards, but truly this is how it should be said when you speak about the MyMy and the LuLu. They have become great sisters in every sense. I am constantly amazed at how easy the process has been for them. When LuLu first entered our lives I was not sure how the 2 would get along. In fact, I never imagined it to be so simple. They were attached from day one, and, one and a half years later, the senario remains the same.



One of the cute things they have done, all on their own, is mailing letters to each other. Each girl made a mailbox that came to them from an all-girls craft club. Then, weekly, they will mail letters, invitations, coloring pages, homemade puzzles and activities to one another. It is fun watching them sneak around making items to mail, or watching the other open their letter. This was going on for awhile before I even knew it was occurring. I found out about the letters when I spent a long day in the MyMy's room helping her clean and dejunk. I came across the letters and was about to throw them away, when the MyMy immediately came to their rescue pleading to me of why they were important, and so, needed to stay. Since then, I have become more aware of the passing of letters to each other and am so grateful that their relationship continues to blossom and grow.

Watching the 2 interact has made me realize how much they love each other. This is especially neat to see because the LuLu hasn't had many chances to love, or, to let her guard down enough to be loved. The little sister broke through the barrier, and love has won.

Yes, chance did make them friends, but hearts, has made them sisters.

Goal Accomplished!

Last night, the MyMy accomplished a goal. Her daddy brought home a quarter of Hawaii from the bank. She now has a quarter designed by every state in her collection. Isn't she cute? Thanks to grandma and grandpa Ike for the fun gift.

Bonding Time

So, on Sunday I decided to do some bonding with the girls. I promised them this summer we would begin cooking school and well, to make a long story short, we didn't.

Yesterday, we made an apple pie. It turned out great, and we had fun. I recall only saying "serenity now" one time, and giving the MyMy some needed time to calm down.

While the pie was baking, the girls pulled out the playdough we made last week and continued rolling and making pies and cookies to get their fill. I love Sunday afternoons spending time with the family.

I love America!

I love America! I am proud to be an American! I love what America stands for. I love that I live in a country that cares for its people. I love that America was founded by men who put their trust in God and built a great nation. I love the men, women, and families who have put, and now put, their lives on the line to keep our country free. I love that I can sleep safely each and every night. I love that I can worship the way I choose to worship. I love that every voice has an opportunity to be heard. I love that I have a choice in where I want to live, where I work, who I want to associate with, and how I want to use my spare time. I love that I have roads to drive on, food to shop for, parks to play at, lights to turn on, and dirt to build on. I love that you can always find a friendly face. I love how we fight for other people's freedom. I love how we care for people in other countries. I love that all of us are able to live the American dream as long as we are willing to work hard for it. I love that America has made it possible for people to reach the American dream. I love how there are so many who are willing to serve others in so many different ways and capacities. I love that people who serve, serve, not because they are forced, but because they want to serve. I love how giving and caring Americans are. I love, living in a democracy. I feel so blessed! I love America!

Birthday Blessings!

Yesterday was my 40th birthday. It is hard to believe that I am 40 years old. I am not sure how 40 should feel, but when I was younger, I felt that people who were 40 were somewhat old. Funny, I don't feel old at all.

I cried when 30 came. I hated leaving my wonderful 20's. The 20's, to me, were carefree days, full of spontaneity, laughter, no stress, worry free, fun loving, exciting, anything good etc. To me, turning 30 meant responsibility, time to grow up, plan, schedule, worry, getting older, more responsibility and more planning over and over and over. In other words, not fun!

Turning 40 however, I feel empowered. I feel like I have gained wisdom and maturity. I don't stress or worry over how people see me or what they think of me anymore. I have realized that I can't control really anything and letting go of trying to keep control has made me more relaxed. I love it! I have 2 wonderful girls- a 7 year old who rocks my world, and an 11 year old who continues to figure out where her rock belongs but, is getting closer to figuring it all out. And, I can't forget the man of my dreams. The man who made dinner and did the dishes, got the girls lunches ready yesterday morning (and every morning), who helped with homework, put in a long day at work, took care of the animals and still had time to massage my head and back.

What more could a 40 year old women want? Not much!

Mommy Modes

So......... I lose it sometimes. Yes, I can lose it really big. I become very irrational and do crazy things. The other day as we were driving home from school my daughter LuLu was telling me about how her teacher had mummified a Cornish Game hen last school year and wanted this years class to see the results. After finding the buried box, the class opened it to reveal a horrible stench. To satisfy my curiosity of the whole event, and also to encourage LuLu to continue, I had asked if the chicken had been preserved. To this question came a question, "What does preserved mean?"

Immediately frustration set in, and I started to become irrational. Now, let me explain, LuLu and I have spent time discussing the Egyptian mummies and all of those details for her Social Studies unit. I had also just recently preserved peaches discussing the term preserved. So, I couldn't resist turning into the "I told you before-Mommy" mode, and "How could you have forgotten-Mommy" mode. Believe me, it wasn't pretty. After trying to probe and give clues such as "think of the context" and "remember the peaches, mummies, how did the hen look?" etc. still, not a clue. Thoughts of- Why do I work so hard?!! and How are we going to survive 7th grade? started to set in and make me even crazier. So, in my irrational state, I told my younger daughter MyMy that I would drive to the bank, right then, and give her $100.00 if she could tell me the definition of preserved after hearing our car conversation. (LOST IT!!!!!!!!!) I was so sure that she would know. She sort of had the correct idea by saying that it had to do with what it looked like then, and how it looks now. Close. I wanted her to be more specific. She wasn't able to. Not her fault, she is only 7 years old. Anyway, she didn't get the money. She began to cry thinking she really messed up. LuLu was also crying. What a disaster!

What started as a great conversation turned ugly because "Crazy Mom" stepped in. I am sure LuLu is wondering if she should ever have another conversation with her mother again. I hope so. In the meantime, I am back and working hard to once again become the "I am so Happy you are my daughter- Mommy" mode. Good Luck!

I have always wanted to write but have come against a wall of some sort. Some walls have been insurmountable such as not having a computer, or being too busy to write because there just wasn't enough time. Money always seems to be an issue somehow. I mean, when I have had money, I haven't had time to write. When I don't have any money I also don't have a computer, a printer, or even paper to write on. Other walls have seemed impossible to climb because they all begin with me and my own feelings of inadequacy. I have been afraid to try. I do not know where or how to begin. I do not know where I want this to lead. So.............starting today, after reading several different blogs and realizing that this is a good way to begin writing, I have created a blog. For now, this will be my blog, just for me. Hopefully, over time, I will begin to share. Until then, happy blogging!