Just one year off. . .

Well I have not posted in a year. . .oops! I found myself planning to post about one thing and not getting it done. Then the next event would come up that I wanted to post on but I couldn't post because I had not posted about the previous event and so I found myself with a years worth of posts- left unposted.

So I will try again! The plan is to post as I go no more back logs if I don't get posted what I planned then oh well onto the next. As far as the past year goes I will leave at it has been crazy, hectic and fun. I had better mention that I had a baby boy.

Jensen Matthew Waters joined our family in February weighing in at 8lbs. 15ozs. He has been such a joy to have in our home. The girls of course love him to pieces and mother him constantly. I didn't realize that having a boy would be so different- but it is. I can't say what it is about a son but it is just different than the girls.

We recently took pictures of the kiddos together and I plan to post those as soon as I get them in. Until then here's to hoping I can keep this up!

bad dreams

I have often wondered what little ones dream about, what constitutes a bad dream for a three year old. Well early this morning Eliza woke screaming in terror for me. I ran in she was so distraught and trying to tell me what was wrong. All I understood was "Julie, Julie, Julie." I showed her that Julia was sleeping next to her and was ok. Julia woke up and Eliza just threw her arms around her neck and said “oh Julie."
Once I got her calmed down a bit she finally said, “Mama the gingerbread man caught Julia.”

thanks to my kiddos!

Wow where has the month gone? Life has been a little crazy but who's hasn't, right?
I have spent a great deal of time in meetings for the past month. This of course meant that my girls have had to be very well behaved and left to their own "quiet entertainment" in the church gym. Directly across the hall from my meeting. They have been fabulous! Especially Julia and Eliza (for anyone that knows Julia this is truly a divinely bestowed blessing!) the two of them are not in school full time yet so they have been pulled along for the majority of the ride. So here are some of our meeting house adventures. . .
Eliza-

• in the process of potty training has pooped once on the sunbeam room floor, once on the bathroom tile and only one episode of pee!
• She sat perfectly quiet, ate her picnic lunch and waved to me at least once every 30 seconds while I helped prepare and serve a missionary zone luncheon.
• She said hi to every missionary as they walked passed and said look mama another missionary- that made them smile (OK me too)
• Every week she has sat in my lap for at least an hour meeting. None of my other 3 years old were capable of that.

Julia-

• while playing in the gym was asked by a sister who had come in to help set up for enrichment, "what are you doing in here?" Her reply, "mom's in another meeting but it's OK we are doing the Lord's work and I guess we will get blessed!" (Julia said that?? Are you sure?)

Eve and Anna-

• Bret had another meeting scheduled on the same night as my welfare/ward council. I carefully placed them in a room close enough to still hear them, but far enough away that the Barbie movie playing would not interfere. BUT the bishop moved the meeting directly next to their room with only the accordion door dividing us. So a very spiritual meeting, great things accomplished all with the barbie princesses serenading us in the background!
• Eve said, "Mom we were super quiet like you asked but you guys were not! We could barely hear the movie." Julia said "yeah, I don't think you get a frosty for being quiet" (yes I did use some bribery for that meeting)
• Anna striving not to raise her voice asked "next time can I just wear regular clothes- I don't want to be seen by the bishop in my pj's again." I should of known- but I was just trying to make the transition for our late bedtime easier for me. . .
• Eve says, "Mom I know you are supposed to do this job for Heavenly Father but I kinda liked it better when dad had to do it."

My girls and my hubby have been great while I wrap my brain around how to properly divide my time between, family, calling, school and all the other errands of life!

changes

I have always been one who enjoys a new adventure a change of scenery. . . we have gotten a few of those in the past few weeks.
They have reorganized our ward boundaries, our ward is now the Palmer Park ward and has doubled in size. Bret got a new calling to the high council and I have been called as the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society. I am feeling incredibly inadequate! We have 266 sisters on our roster and as I look over it I see a number of sisters who are far more qualified for this job than me! I still am asking why I have been given this calling- what I do I have to give to the sisters? But both the relief society president and the bishop feel I am the one for the job. So I will give it my best. I have had several callings that were for my "benefit and learning" and not for those I am serving. I am guessing this might be the case again!! I know I have so much to learn and my testimony and understanding of the gospel will grow immensely- I just hope those sisters I am serving will be patient with my learning curve!
In other changes I just got accepted into the BYU bachelor's of general studies program. Yes, I am going back to school for I believe the third time!! I am all registered for my 1st class and hoping to get done with my degree before Eve graduates!! Of course those of you who know me well also know that whenever I start school I get pregnant. I am not- but I am assuming it will be another change to look forward to-- it seems to go hand in hand with my goal of finishing school.
Bret has also decided on going back to school. He wants to get a P.h.d. but he just missed the cut off for the Fall program so it will be a bit before he actually starts. (thank goodness)
Anyways we like to pile it all on when we get the chance!

domestic diva

OK well not yet. This is the sight every week at my house. I spend a few days washing and drying all the many loads of laundry that need to be done but I just can't seem to finish it off. So I wash, dry and stack. . . I can't seem to get it folded! I know, I know it would be so much easier if I just folded it as it came out of the dryer. But laundry is the task I do in between everything else. Aaahh, I really don't like laundry. I hate the fact that it is never done. Maybe that is why I wait until I have it all washed before I fold it. I have been know to stand over the washing machine and take my clothes off and throw them into the washer. My husband thinks I am crazy when I tell him to take his clothes off too so I can for one hour have all the laundry in the house washed and put away!!

It drives my family crazy that they seem to always have to go find their clean clothes in the well organized baskets (as you can see from the picture) down stairs.

So each week I set out complete the task wash, fold and put away- I succeed occasionally but usually not. I will keep trying to reach perfection in the laundry department. So until then "your clean underwear is in the basket downstairs!"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 2 CANDACE!

Today is my little sister's birthday! She turns 25 today. I can't believe it. . .I guess if she is getting older than I am getting even OLDER!!

Here are some of the many reasons I love Candace.

1. She is one of the bravest girls I know. She has endured many, many, many, many trials with faith and paitence.

2. She understands the importance of family and love.

3. She stills love me even though I can be a bossy older sister!

4. She is loving mom to her three boys, all under age of 4.

5. She is smart and creative.

6. That girl can cook. . . of course I have yet to enjoy it. But I hear all about it. (miles and miles away!)

7. She is so very talented and always willing to help others anyway she can even at great sacrifice of herself.

8. She has a beautiful singing voice. She is the only one in the family that can make music in any form.

9. Life gets her down, she just keeps going knowing that there will be an end or a purpose to it all.

10. I have mentioned that she endures. . . she currently has three church callings (one being nursery leader), her husbands the elder's quroum president. So she has a good cry and then gets to work!

11. She lives in a teany tiny town (the Macbeth girls are bigger city folk) so we tease her about it, but she has the love her life and her boys there and although it has been an adjustment Burns has become home & that is perfect.

12. It is not funny-but is too! She and her family spend more time in the emergency room than at the grocery store. I always look forward to the latest Johnson family adventure. But I love that she can laugh about that. Maybe not that day but eventually!

13. She has a beautiful testimony. Her faith is strong, she relies on the Lord and her spirit shines bright.

14. She has three boys so she must be PATIENT!

15. I love her because she is my sister. There is nothing like having good sisters.

Fabulous and Fun and Prizes. . .

My cousin is doing this! She is always so fun. . . I am one of her 1st five which in turn means. . . well read on.

Something for YOU!!Something just for you! Lucky you! The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you.

This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2- What I create will be just for you.
3- It'll be done this year. (might be a little while) (I will be waiting until I get my FAB-U-LOUS prize!)
4- You have no clue what it's going to be.
5- I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must repost this on your blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same on your blog. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it! Good luck!