Stormin' the Castle

We've got it done! After stressing and stressing about it, it didn't end up being that difficult to pull together. James liked helping more than Paige did. He's excited for when he gets to make his castle...two years away!

Medieval Day

This, by way of visual aid, is what I have been doing for the past week.  I haven't made dinner, I've done minimal dishes, haven't cleaned my house, everything, everything else has been put on the back burner.  I haven't even read any books!!!  (Now that is really saying something.)

My darling mother has come up almost every day to help me this week.  I bought the pattern and the fabric, and then realized I couldn't sew.  My mom gets a frantic call pleading for help, and she drops everything to come and sew with me.

But oh!!  Paige sure looks pretty!

Now we just have to finish painting the castle!!

It makes a mother proud

The other day the kids had gotten out their science paraphernalia (Paige's toy microscope, James' light kit with prism, lightbulb, electrodes and battery). Thomas was whining: I want some science stuff...why can't I have science stuff...I like science too!!!

A rare moment...

I don't remember what movie they were watching, but I love it when they get along like this.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter everyone!! Our Easter services were so spiritual. My heart burned within me, and my testimony was reaffirmed: Jesus lives!! He loves us, and suffered for our sins that we might be forgiven, and find peace and joy in our lives. I know of the power of that forgiveness, the anguish of soul that is turned to peace. I am continually grateful for a loving God, that sent his son here to give us this beautiful gift. I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers, for mine have been heard, and often granted. I know that God acts in our lives, that he is not a passive God, for I have had divine intervention in my life. I seek for ways that I may be his hands on earth, that I may bless the lives of others as my life has been blessed. I am thankful for the Holy Spirit that I felt today burn so strongly within me, grateful that I can have its guidance daily, helping me through hard times, and difficult decisions. I love you all, my friends and family, and wish for you all that the Spirit can bring: Joy, Love, and Peace.

More important things than teeth

I have a tooth that needs a root canal. When it really hurts the whole side of my face hurts. It started hurting last weekend so I was able to get an appointment for the dentist on Monday. Well, because the whole right side of my face is hurting, I can't tell him which one is causing all this pain, and as he says, "There are a number of candidates." So I'm supposed to wait until it gets bad enough that it's fairly obvious which tooth it is. I have an appointment with the endodontist this evening, and hopefully we'll figure out which tooth it is. But I'm just begging for them to actually do the root canal.

I was telling my kids how much my tooth hurt, and James says, "Just ignore it, mom. There are more important things than teeth."

Yeah, there are more important things, but OW!!

Latest project

So I found this fabric at Roberts while I was buying stuff for all the other projects I have planned, and Annabelle wanted it done NOW! so I made her a new pillowcase. Quick and Easy!

Temple Dedication

When I was eight, my family lived in Korea for a year, and I was able to go to the Seoul, Korea temple dedication. I vividly remember hearing the choir sing the Hosanna Shout, and singing the Spirit of God, and feeling my soul burn within me. I wrote in my first journal that it felt as if angels were present. This was the first building block in my testimony, and one of those moments that shaped my life. Those are the kind of moments I pray that my kids will have.

Yesterday we were able to get tickets to be in the temple for one of the Draper Temple dedication sessions. We knew it would involve a lot of time (over 5 hours!) but we hoped it would be worth it.
The kids waited so patiently, but by the end, James was struggling. The Hosanna shout didn't have quite the impact I was hoping for because of acoustics, but I think they felt the spirit, even if it wasn't a watershed moment. But they did get a cool experience. Our room was right off the hallway by the elevator, and they got to shake President Monson's hand as he walked by.
Maybe as the years pass, they'll remember less and less of how long it took, and how bored they were, and more and more of how they felt to be in the house of the Lord, in the presence of a prophet of God.

Old school recycling

So I've had this great idea for a project that I'm excited about. I totally got the inspiration from Naartje's clothes (I took Paige shopping Saturday night). Their style is totally bohemian, mix and match fabrics with raw edges and extra ruffles and such. So instead of throwing out all the leggings, pants, shirts and skirts that are too short for my girls (don't think it'll work so well for my boys) I'm going to add a little something to make them a little longer, (a ruffle or two, stretchy lace, patches?) and hopefully cuter. My first project that I have is a dress my sister made Annabelle that is darling, but the smocking top is too tight now to get her arms into. I have a knit T shirt that is a size too small (too short) and I'm going to sew them together and add some embellishments and Voila! (well, we'll see!!) I'm not a great seamstress, but my new machine has inspired me. Plus, how very ecofriendly and pocketbook concious I will be!!

Spring Break

So our trip to SoCal was great! On the way down, we took a detour to Chinatown in LA and went to our favorite restaurant, Yang Chow, so that was a treat.

We spent two nights and three days in Disneyland. Just a great time! Annabelle loved the castle and the princesses.

She was a little upset everytime the big kids left to do their rides, so we tried to do lots of little kid rides together as a family too.

The teacups were one of her favorites, but they made me feel sick, so we didn't do them too often.





The kids absolutely loved Legoland. It was a good change of pace from rushing around at Disneyland and it was not even close to crowded.


After seeing all the stuff they made out of Legos, James said, I've just gotta get more creative!

The kids all wondered if they would ever have enough legos to build a building this tall... (Not if I can help it!)