Happy St. Patrick's Day!

This is what happens when you don't clean your rooms before the leprechauns come:

And no Lucky Charms for messy kids, eh?! Usually we get a box of yummy Lucky Charms to eat for breakfast...too bad the rooms were so messy!

The elves did make our toilet water and milk green for us. We decided we'd make green eggs and green pancakes for fun. (Note to self: we need more food coloring!) Apparently, the little guys left stickers for us, too...that was really just an adult helper we know who didn't put her supplies away, but we had to play it off. fyi...she also forgot it was St. Patrick's Day today until way too late last night to do much about it. Gratefully, we never got around to using the gold coins at Christmas, and then there were the messy rooms...so I guess it all worked out! Hope your day was filled with leprechaun fun!

Financial Assistance**

Jeremiah and I were having a financial discussion late last night. Financial discussions seem to beg to be had these days, what with our economy in the state that it is. Ours went something like this...

J-Let's spend money.

H-Let's not...let's save money. We don't have a lot of extra, AND we might need it the way things are going in our country.

J-(disappointed) Yeah, that makes sense. Nobody is safe these days (financially speaking).

Okay...so that's the condensed version, but you get the idea.

It was way past the time that our children should have been asleep in bed. We believed that they were. Apparently, we were wrong. I don't know what, exactly, Jeron heard...but, this is what Jeremiah found on his pillow when he went to bed:

I'm not really sure how I feel about this...proud of a generous boy, sad that he thinks we are desperate, disappointed that I didn't make sure that little ears were not listening to this adult conversation. The whole situation brought tears to my eyes. I guess the bottom line is this...when all is said and done, what will always remain is family. I am grateful that Jeron already demonstrates that loyalty and willingness to pitch in. He is amazing.

P.S. Then Jadee says in family prayer this morning..."And please bless Daddy to do good at work so we don't lose our house." Seriously...where do they come up with these things? I think it's time for a FHE on finances.

**Disclaimer: We are in no way in financial straits. We are simply trying to follow the counsel of the prophets to be prepared and save for a rainy day. We do not need financial assistance...if ever we do, we'll let you know!

I Like Shiny Things

My dad is good at a lot of things. I mean, A LOT of things. Today we'll just call him SUPER FLOOR MAN. We all joke about the lists of things we have for my dad to do in each of our respective lives...because we wouldn't want him to be bored, of course. My list is very real. It consists of home improvement projects, mostly, and golf with Jeron and skiing with Jadee. My dad is a good sport...AND he loves his kids. So, today we started on my list. I think this particular project was first because originally it was Mom's idea. Mom had a list of her own, mind you. Dad is working on that one, too. Maybe this project is a way to cross one off of two lists?

"One of these days Dad will have to come and do your floor," she said. "Do your floor" was her way of saying scrub it crazy, slop on the shiny and make it sparkle. Dad is a retired facility manager (among other things). So, he has access to fabulous professional cleaning products, and I am the beneficiary of his connections and know-how.

Tonight we scrubbed the floor crazy: ammonia and water with the floor scrubber, Magic Eraser, wash cloth on hands and knees, one more scrub and some water extraction with the Hoover, a dry mop, and a little more elbow grease on the tough spots and we had one clean floor...I don't think it was that clean when we moved in!

Tonight Dad slopped on the shiny: pour on the Vectra, push it around with a dust mop, let it dry, do it again. Very shiny floor...you can see the difference in the picture...he's GOOD, no?

Oooo...how it sparkles! So, Dad "did the floor" and Mom and I each checked an item off of our lists. I feel like inviting people over just to see my floor. It's so SHINY! Thanks, Dad! I L.O.V.E. my floor!

Next on my list: Cupboards for the Laundry Room

"You only live once,"

said the dad as he shot whipped cream directly from the pressurized can into his son's eagerly waiting mouth. Pure delight.

I could hardly disagree.

It made me think of my mom. I know that if she'd known she was only going to live to be 59 years old, she would have taken more vacations. Not the big, save-for-years, Disneyland, European cruise variety, but the smaller, closer, be-with-your-family, take-them-more-often kind. I know because she told me. I was interviewing her for a book about her love story with my dad, and that was one of the things she learned in 40 years of marriage.

I am happy to report that my mom got to take a few vacations, both big and small, in her last years on earth. The big ones were Hawaii and Florida. The small ones were mostly to Utah...half the grandkids lived there for quite a while. Any time she could be with her kids and grandkids...no matter where it was...was a vacation for her. We did our best to make her treatments at Huntsman Cancer Center in Utah a bit of a vacation...that would be a small one. She went to the Children's Museum with all of the grandkids, the Museum of Ancient Life and Clark Planetarium. She went for the births of the grandbabies, Robbie's graduation, and to be the grandma. I guess she learned her lesson well.

Cancer is a forgiving disease in one way...it allows you time (not always a lot, but some) to do and say the things you might not have otherwise. I learned to cherish every day I had with my mom, even the bad ones. I learned to be aware of the things I said and did and the memories I created with her for myself and my children. Because of my mom and all that she went through and all that she taught me along the way, it's easier to let the dad shoot the whipped cream, because he's living and creating a memory...a pretty fun one, at that.

Our days are numbered...problem is, none of us knows what our number is. So, what will you do today? You'll only live it once...

Love & Blueberry Pancakes

Happy Valentine's Day...a little early and late! Early because we actually celebrated with the kids on February 13, as Jeremiah and I were in CA on February 14. And late because I am slow to post this post!

We always have a special meal on Valentine's Day with the kids.
This year it was breakfast...fresh blueberry pancakes with whipped cream, to be exact.
They were a real hit with Davis!

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays...EVER! One of the reasons I have been pondering this year is that it is such a personal holiday. By that I mean that there is no third party to give credit to...no Santa Claus, no Easter Bunny, no neighbors giving out candy, etc. It's all about MY LOVE and how I spread it around to ALL the people I LOVE! Not that I want all of the credit...I just like to express love and appreciation in fun ways and know that those I am loving know how much I love them. Think about it...I'll bet you agree!

Rita Jean Mellor Heywood

May 28, 1949-January 30, 2009

There are not words to adequately describe the love and gratitude that fill my heart to overflowing for all that my mom is to me. She is my mom, my friend, my example, my rock, my listening ear, my compass, my #1 fan, my teacher, my children's #1 grandma, my husband's favorite mother-in-law. She is the woman I most admire. She is the person I desire to be like. If I had to choose the one thing I have been most grateful for throughout my life, it is the sure knowledge that she loves me unconditionally. I know of no greater gift a mother can give her child.

Thank you, Mom, for the eternity of love and teachings you were able to pack into 36 years. I will make you proud. 'Til we meet again...I love you.

Kids & Vacuums

My children have had a hate/love relationship with vacuums. I put "hate" first because they have all hated the vacuum before loving it. They were afraid of the noise, the movement, people chasing them with it... At some point in each of their short, little lives, no one knows exactly when or why, they have all come to love the vacuum...to the point of fighting over it. Davis hated the vacuum until today. Today I asked Jadee if she would like to help vacuum and Davis was the one to go find it and drag it to the living room. I must say, for a twenty month old, he did a pretty good job!
Of course, Jadee insisted on a turn, too. I didn't get the picture of Davis hitting her and trying to pull her away from the vacuum while screaming his little lungs right out of his body. However, I did get this one...oh, the tragedy of having to put the vacuum away! You can see the cord clutched in his little hands, tears tumbling down his little face. It was a sad time!