I love being a mom...

"Each of you should be grateful to be a woman! Self-pity is always a sad thing to see, and especially when there is no justification for it. To be a righteous woman is a glorious thing in any age. To be a righteous woman during the winding-up scenes on this earth, before the second coming of our Savior, is an especially noble calling."

I have been pondering over this for some time now.. I feel like I need to speak what is on my mind. And, well, this is how I feel, what I believe. I say this only because I feel like no one is speaking for the truth. So you won't find any apologies here.
The world seems to have something else to say.. about women, their roles, how they should mother, how many children they should bear, how long they should stay at home mothering their children..
Today's economy says enough on it's own. There are more families who feel it necessary to become a multiple income household. Just in case.

"No matter what you read or hear, no matter what the differences of circumstances you observe in the lives of women about you, it is important to understand that the Lord holds motherhood and mothers sacred and in the highest esteem."

With all of this "noise" going on all around me, I went to a book, and not just any old book. This is a book dad gave to me when I was pregnant with Lynn, and was being bombarded from all directions about these "details".
"You should work up until the day you go into labor."
"You should work so you can take full benefit of you maternity leave."
"You have family around.. they can help you so you can work after you have the baby."
But none of this was my plan. It never had been. This one detail was the biggest deal-breaker of a previous engagement.
I wanted to stay at home.
He didn't think it was the right thing to do.. (hhmmmm.. funny as this is what our prophets have admonished us to do...)
Lucky for me, Merrill wanted the same thing.
This book brought me comfort then, reassured me that my choice was correct, and it silences all of those outside voices now.

"One of the important messages that emerges from the history of great women in all ages is that they cared more for the future of their families than for their own comfort. Such good women had a grasp of what matters in life. "

I stay at home.
Sometimes, when I stop and think about it, it's kind of scary... and I am not talking about the dirty diapers and tantrums ;) I am talking about how, financially, this works. We haven't had a raise in pay since right before Lynn was born. We have had our medical benefits dropped, to where we cover them. Every child we have is an out-of-pocket expense.. those are exciting, yet very stressful times. Would me, going outside of our home to work, help ease this stress? It might; but cause only more...
But I believe in exercising faith. We are blessed. We make it.
I don't get a lot of extras. When I come to think of it, even the hobbies I enjoy "doing for myself", really are for the benefit of my family.
If the girls need new shoes, but I would like to replace the ones I have been wearing for the last five years, new shoes for the girls it is.
That's part of being a mother.
Sacrificing wants for needs.
Would I love a new car, a new home, a dream vacation? Of course. But at what cost?
My children, spending time with them, being the one to raise, nurture, and care for them, is what matters most to me. Not sending them off to pay someone to do it half-hearted for me.
So, some people might say, "What about the time for yourself? To find 'you'?"
I echo what President Kimball has said:
".. we can find ourselves only by losing ourselves."
Lose myself in serving my husband, my children, my neighbors, my friends, and my family. I have discovered so much about who I really am, when I shut out the world, the materialism, and concentrate and focus my efforts on others.
I am not saying that the loads of laundry don't seem monotonous, that I don't sneak off to the craft store after dinner is cleaned up and dad can take over for a bit.. I am saying it is all more than worth it.
I am making my home.

"It is true of all of us that, as we progress spiritually, our sense of belonging, identity, and self-worth increases."

Time for myself, whether I am blogging, scrapbooking, reading, or just relaxing, helps me to connect spiritually. Having that extra hour, maybe an hour and a half some days ;) before the girls wake up.. that helps the day go much better. I am able to center myself, prepare myself for the craziness that usually ensues.
I don't need to leave my home, place my children in the care of another, in order to "find myself".
Motherhood is full of experiences that allow for growth and self development... if you open yourself to it.

"It was never easy to bear and rear children, but easy things do not make for growth and development."

And there are days which I think I will never recover from.. but I do. I learn that I have strength to do more than I ever thought I would be able to.
I have many fears about motherhood. Some have been jumped over like a literal hurdle..
- nursing
- c-section
- relationships with more than one daughter (aahhhh!!!)
Point is, I knew who I was, I had an identity before I got married, before I had my own children. I learn more about myself everyday, through the eyes of my children.. we get to learn together. What a blessing!
I am thankful, to be blessed enough, that it isn't a necessity for me to leave my home, and my children, to go to work.
I know that there are many, who must, and my heart breaks for them. I have a good friend who would give anything to be in the position to be home with her children, to be there when they get home from school, to be there when they are ill. But she can't. She isn't working for the new car in the garage. For the mortgage.
It puts a smile on my face, makes my spirit soar when I hear my daughters' desires are to be mothers...

"We have grown strong as a people because our mothers and our women have been so selfless."

I hope my example, like those before me, and those great examples of womanhood that surround me, carry on.

(My quotes were taken from the book: "My Beloved Sisters" words spoken by President Spencer W. Kimball at two separate women's conferences in the 70's.. my how they still apply today!)

Word for the year..

Yup.. play.
We do a lot of this, as it is already, but I wanted to make a more concerted effort, to play this year.
To play in many ways..
Play in the kitchen, try new things.
Play in the craft room, try new techniques, learn some new skills.
Play with the kids, put work down and just play.
Play with Merrill, relax, let go and play when we are together.
Play as a family.
In The Family: A Proclamation to the World, it states:
"Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities."
See, play..
We have been doing a lot more playing so far this year. I find it very relaxing to play house with the girls, although I end up being "the babysitter", while they go out on "dates". The plot lines they implement while we play Barbies together, help me to forget about my current worries or stresses. We have also begun playing before bedtime, still reading, but added playing. It has been so much fun to play with Peyton, especially. To see the understanding of new concepts in her eyes is very fulfilling.
I also plan to continue to play with my friends..
On that note, I would love to have a "scrappernoon".. leave me a comment for when works best.. after Peyton's birthday and Valentine's is over of course! :)

Again?!

So here I am.. up at 7:30 on a Saturday, of all days, the day we get to typically sleep in..
Up because Ash has a cough, again.. I'd like to blame it on this poor air quality.. thank heavens there are storms coming to push all the gunk out.. her poor little body can't take much more of this.
Mucinex, Tylenol, and "Superman Air" (breathing treatments) seem to be the never-ending cycle for the past 48 hours now..
Peyton isn't faring any better.. runny nose and diarrhea.. I know why, I can see why, she's cutting another tooth! I can't wait for her to cut molars.. those were even funner with the other two!
I am bummed because I think I am going to miss Josh's party tonight and our ward conference tomorrow.. I love church every week, but I really love ward conference. I get to hear form our local leaders, sustain them, and sustain the many auxiliary leaders of our ward.. they do so much for our ward family! I was really looking forward to sustaining Julie again.. :)
Well.. we will just have to see how it goes..

From the corridors of Mindy's brain...

I've been dong some thinking lately...
(Like that nice shot of my inner nose area.. I know, totally flattering...)
This whole private blogging thing...
I understand the need to go private.. I have been kicking the idea around for a LONG time now. Off and on, the need arises. Mom was soooo worried when I was preggers with Pey that some psycho would stalk me, somehow render me senseless, and give me a totally involuntary c-section and steal my cute baby girl.
I told her that I don't post info, especially specifics, until after the event has transpired. I try not to post too much information (unless it's about my children's bowel movements, questionable language, or my sex life ;)..) like addresses, details about where I hide my huge stash of cash... etc.
I have decided, for the time being to leave my blog open. But I totally understand why a lot of you are changing...
Let me explain why I am not...
Not saying I am awesome or anything.. but I am continuously drawn to the fact of the friendships that are made or strengthened through this outlet. Ally, I wouldn't even know you if it weren't for blogging! Look at all that I would be missing? I think of how many people need other people out there, who could benefit from the examples of others. I wouldn't want to close that door, even if there's the chance that some crazy yahoos might enter through that same door. Speaking of crazy yahoos, I have crazy friends who have moved away, I wouldn't have found them, and have been able to keep in touch without blogging.
I find blogging as a way to share my testimony... first of all, to have it recorded for my kids, and my grand kids, but to have it out there for others. Hopefully the influence is for the better... there will always be negative people out there, criticism is a part of life. I have had to take some every now and then, I don't crumble when some body leaves a negative comment. I am so oblivious most times, I don't even take it the way it was meant to be taken. If I don't like what someone has to say, I can always delete the comment, and then let everyone wonder what the comment said... ;)
Another reason, to connect with others. Old friends, new friends, potential friends...
How many homemakers/mother are out there, and have a not so good day? How many find another blogging homemaker/mother that can twist it into a positive, and helps you to remember that it is just a moment? To let it go? I have found that when my kids have gotten into something, or behave in a way that makes me want to scream, I think, "This is bloggable..." and my attitude towards my child and the situation changes, for the better.
At the risk of sounding totally naive, I believe that if some sicko out there wants either my personal information, or desires to stalk me, they will find a way to get it, or to get to me ( and good luck, I'd totally kick your ass(es).. 3 brothers, who taught me well, my 9mm..). Blogs were not the beginning of this kind of activity. We just have to be careful about what we post.
I personally have no beef posting pictures of my kids. I also am aware of freaks out there who would think certain thoughts when they see how cute my girls are. I am not going to bait them, I am not going to post pictures of my kids that I would not scrapbook. Fact is, people see my kids everyday out in public, I am not going to put a brown paper sack over their heads to hide them from everyday people, some who are the sickos aforementioned... I also cannot control the thought or feelings of people. I don't stay awake at night worrying about what the checker at the store was really thinking about Ashley when she said that naughty word...
Bottom line, we are here for each other. We share our talents, feelings, inner-most thoughts, joys, hardships, memories, laughs, but most of all, we share support. I love that when I am having a hard time, I get encouragement. I love it!
I cannot privatize my blog.
There might just be someone, someday, who might just need something that I might write... maybe.

South Ogden Days '08

These fun and busy days of summer... I love it.

Today, we went out to get more ribbon... Ally, watch your mailbox... and we went to the activity days girls service car wash. We got soo much more than just a clean car, we got snow cones and a fun playtime complete with blow-up water slide, trampolines, a hammock, and swingset. It was so much fun. Those girls did a good job on my car too. There was either a big bird, or a bird with an exceptional amount of poop in it's bowels that did a number on the side of my car.. now it's gone!
Speaking of poop... :) with all of the in and out of the house kind of activities going on around here, the flies sneak right in. The girls are terrified, they think that the flies are going to eat them, or kill them, or both... So we taught them, quite correctly, that flies only eat poop. So the other night, a fly got into their room. Daddy was the hero, good thing too, because according to Ash, the fly was going to fly up her nose and get into her brain and kill her...
Another night, another fly, and this time Lynn was terrified. When I asked her what there was to be afraid of, she answered, "I am afraid it's going to fly down my shorts, into my butt, and eat my poop." She was seriously scared.
Ooohhh......
Back to my fun day...
Finished making my "curly bows"... the girls are wearing them in the pics. Then we were off to get some KFC (yum...) and go to the parade for South Ogden days. Both Kaitlyn and MiKell were in it for Bonneville. Kaitlyn with Lakettes, and Spanky with the Cheerleaders. Needless to say, we got a lot of candy. Still haven't finished the candy from Terrace Days or our primary party.
Had quite the curb crowd too. The usual suspects, Stacy, and Brooke's family who are in town. The more the merrier!
The kids were all so cute together. They are such buddies. We just hope that someday, Lynn and Ash, and Pax and "Dub", realize they really are related. They are quite lovey with each other. Ash told us that she and Wyatt kissed. Hmmm.. Lynn and Paxton just share everything and have to be near each other.
We had to go for a swim after this, for we were all terribly hot! (love the dramatics...) Ash fell in love with the diving board... and then to home for baths and bedtime books. They are all out... with a day like that, I should be too. But I am way too excited!!! Clint comes home tomorrow!!!
Oh, residual "Dan in Real Life" stuff... tell Randy (Christie) that now I am hunting down that music to have as a ring tone... see what he's done!?
I also tried the technique that a lady in our ward uses with her daughter who enjoys, or should I say can't stop, tattling. She gives her daaughter two tattles a day. That's it. I am so sick of Lynn tattling about EVERYTHING, that I tried it. I was generous and gave her three.... they were gone by 9:30 this morning.