Reverse your "buts"

So, what did you guys learn in your class today? My 4 giggly kiddos thought it was absolutely hilarious that this particular topic was discussed in Relief Society along with an amazing lesson on overcoming trials. What did you say, mom? Yes. I said it. "Reverse your buts."

BUT.....

This is what it really means. How you say something can change your attitude and the attitude of the people you are talking to.

"I love you, but you guys are driving me crazy!" Then reverse it. "You guys are driving me crazy, but I love you!"

OR

"I really need to get out and serve someone but I have my own trials right now." Instead. "I have my own trials right now but I really need to get out and serve someone."

Amazing how a simple reversal of phrases can make all the difference. I love listening to lessons and realizing the things I need to change in my life. AND I like when things are as simple as this little "but" lesson.

Especially when it makes my kids smile.

(After church, Sarah immediately pulls out her pony tail holders and whatever barrettes and bows might be in her hair. She loves to get all dolled up but Sunday after church it all comes out!)

Blast from the Past

(Swim Lesson with Missy - July 2005)

(Wells visit to Idaho - May 2011)

Into the future!

Yep! The Wells boys are moving to Idaho--all the way from New Hampshire! Jay and Jordan are particularly excited. Two peas in a pod.

Fun to do, to do, to do!

I don't usually blog about creative little things I find and do because, most of the time, I'm just not that creative. But, I just had to blog about these little gems because this is my go-to recipe any time I need to make treats and transport them. School, church, parties, park days, friends, etc. I started trusting this recipe when my friend, Shaunie, made Christmas star cookies for our entire primary one year. They were yummy and adorable!

I know the best way to eat a delectable sugar cookie is with cream cheese frosting. BUT! This icing is amazing. You color it. Spread it on. And it dries. Completely. And it keeps it's yummy taste and shine. You can stack these babies as high as you need to without disturbing the icing. If you ever want to make them the options for decoration are endless. Today, my choice was spring colored flowers with Starburst middles. I use a sugar cookie recipe I love for this if anyone is interested, but it should work great with any recipe you are used to making. (There is a recipe on the site, too.)

I wish I could say the recipe is mine. All mine. But, of course, it isn't. It's from my all time favorite website (and now book) Our Best Bites. I know most of you know about them, but here's the tutorial for their Glace' Icing. I use vanilla instead of almond flavoring--that's the only change I made. And, if you have a moment, browse a few of their other recipes, too.

These kind of things just make cooking fun!

Cleaning your house....

(Sarah's muddy hand prints after weeding the garden April 2011)

It's how the saying goes. Cleaning your house while children are growing is like shoveling your walk while it is still snowing Or keeping a clean home is like trying to nail jello to a tree. Both of these are true. But living in New Hampshire gave us the perfect object lesson for needing to shovel your walk while it is still snowing--the walk has to be shoveled in between October and April while it is constantly snowing. AND. That house MUST be constantly cleaned even while the children are still growing.

(Bruneau Sand Dunes - September 2010)

And now, for my favorite quote:

Housework, if it is done right, can kill you.

Yes. It can. So how do you keep a nice house AND stay alive and happy?

One of my all time favorite talks by Sister Julie Beck is here. In the talk she said (among other VERY important things) that we must be homemakers not housekeepers. At the time I heard the talk I felt relief.

I thought, "See, I don't have to be neurotic about a perfectly, clean home. My family just needs a nice place to live and feel the Spirit. That certainly has to be easier than worrying about keeping a spotless house all the time."

I was dead wrong. Wrong to think that a General Relief Society President would actually lower the bar at at a general meeting. And wrong to think that being a homemaker is simpler than being a housekeeper. Housekeeper or homemaker you still have a ridiculous amount of cleaning and organizing to do. The only difference is if you are a homemaker you need to pretend to be happy about it. The homemaker aims for the Spirit and happiness of all who reside in the home AND that requires A LOT of work done in the right way. Definitely harder than just being a housekeeper.

(Neighborhood basketball game - December 2010)

Like it or not, cleanliness brings the Spirit into our homes. It saves time and money. It smells good. It lowers stress levels. Everyone loves a clean home to live in. Awhile back my friend, Lori, wrote on her blog that one of her favorite things is to have a clean house on Friday night. Such a great idea--that way Saturday's activities don't kill your Sunday morning with mess. I've tried to do this and involve my kids--homemaking involves teaching kids to work--that alone makes it harder. "It's FRIDAY mom!! Everyone else is playing basketball. Everyone else is riding bikes. Everyone is at the park. Everyone else is going to Disneyland. EVERYONE IS GALLIVANTING OFF TO BORA BORA TO PLAY IN A BUNGALOW FOR THE WEEKEND! (oh, wait, that was me!)

Sorry, the "getting kids to work" topic is a whole book in itself. AND I posted all these pictures as proof that we have tons of fun most of the time and that kids shouldn't complain so much when they need to help out. Work in progress. Work in progress. Regardless, it sure is nice to have a clean home for the weekend.

(Grandpa playing with the kids after "helping" them clean the yard - September 2010)

I've found things that work for us and things that don't work. Nothing is particularly easy about the process. But, when we find the right recipe for homemaking it can be rewarding, refreshing, and invigorating.

(Splash Park - August 2010)

Before I went off on all that all I really wanted to do is post this cute picture of hand prints on my window and talk about Spring Cleaning. I have jobs I like. Jobs I despise. And jobs that are too cute to clean up. Seriously, Sarah's little muddy hand prints stayed on our glass door for over 3 weeks. I just couldn't bring myself to clean them up.

Favorites - organizing closets, shining floors, dusting, garden, and cleaning cabinets

Not good at all - anything AND EVERYTHING to do with grout, changing light bulbs, bathtubs/showers, seasonal clothing change-out, top of my stove

What are your favorite/non-favorite household or spring cleaning chores?

Also, a big part of being a homemaker is not freaking out about the little things when there are bigger things at hand. Like you shouldn't be worried about dingy grout when there are friends to be made, people to serve, piano recitals to attend or, most importantly, a hug or kiss to be given. Things have been quite crazy for us and I've had to really learn that when hard times come it's time to slow down. This talk, by Elder Uchtdorf, has the greatest advise for keeping things uncrazy in times of higher stress. A good reminder for us all!!

(Climbing the willow tree April 2011)

Happy Spring Cleaning!

My Girl!

(Riding her bike April 2011)

How sweet it is to have this little girl in my home. Now, don't get me wrong. I love my boys. I feel so incredibly blessed to have three amazing sons. We're just used to doing the boy thing. I have three brothers and Jason's 3 brothers have only one sister. But it can't help but feel a little refreshing to have a little femininity in the house--two of us for Team Girl--to balance out the sometimes itchy-stinkiness that Team Boy can bring on!

(Rocking her baby December 2010)

She takes care of imaginary baby birds. Our animal bin cannot be complete unless she can find a mommy for every animal--even the nasty hyena. All stuffed animals from the kitty to the skunk are tucked in every night with a kiss. All babies are rocked and cuddled to sleep. Crowns, princess dresses, and beads are donned first thing in the morning. She always wants to do dishes and clean (and play basketball and climb trees!). The other night when I called everyone to the dinner table all the boys ran in with their assorted questions, "What did you make?" "Is that good?" "Can we have ice cream for dessert?" Sarah came in the door, took one look at the table, noticed I hadn't yet set the silverware, and ran to the drawer and grabbed six forks and preceded to set them by each place.

(Happy 3rd Birthday - December 2010)

And she can work her dad like nothing else. I actually witnessed him changing the channel to Bubble Guppies during Sports Center when he was anxious to find out the score of last evenings' games. She sings to him while she holds his face in her hands and then gives him a big kiss. She wants to hold his hand everywhere he goes.

She is definitely a princess. But a princess with spunk. Tonight, the boys having a blast on a father and sons camp out. So I took Sarah out for a little (a lot) of shopping and for a girls' night out dinner. I let her carry the conversation. First topic. "Mom, don't you think Jimmer is awesome?"

Love this girl! (September 2010-Primary Songs)

Easter Celebration

We had a wonderful Easter Celebration. Easter egg hunt with friends, a candlelight dinner and discussion of Easter long ago, hunting for eggs by flashlight, and a special Easter Sunday dinner. What a wonderful celebration!