All in a day's work (I mean play)

this is my house at the moment . . . and it's only 3:00!
the abandoned bedroom

the abandoned "school room"

the occupied bathtub

(London does have clothes on - sort of - it's a swimsuit!)

oh - to be young again!

Good Things

1. I lost 3 pounds last week (only 10-15 more to go!)

2. I actually did my visiting teaching already. (it helps that I love both the ladies I visit and my partner)

3. Yesterday I took a mini-nap before church and when I woke up, I had a gorgeous framed picture of Reagan that Amy had Photoshopped and framed and brought over. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. You do so much for me that I can't begin to thank you enough (and I'm not just talking about the picture).

4. I get to teach preschool this week for London's class.

5. I get to have my first "parent-teacher conference" on Friday with Mrs. Cammack.

6. Savy wants to be a witch for Halloween. This will be the first year one of the girls will be an actual "scary" thing for Halloween - big steps here --- big steps AWAY from princesses and brides. . .

Service

"In the New Testament we learn that it is impossible to take a right attitude toward Christ without taking an unselfish attitude toward men. In the book of Matthew, Jesus taught, 'Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me' (Matthew 25:40)." -Pres. Monson

"Albert Schweitzer, the noted theologian and missionary physician, declared: 'I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.' "
-Pres. Monson

"Along your pathway of life you will observe that you are not the only traveler. There are others who need your help. There are feet to steady, hands to grasp, minds to encourage, hearts to inspire, and souls to save." -Pres. Monson

Can I just say I love Pres. Monson?

Anyway, onto my soapbox I go. . .

Last Thursday evening a storm began brewing at around 5:00. The wind whipped like crazy and we were hopeful that it would rain. I heard a knock on the door and my friend Melissa is standing there, and I think I hear her say "where's your garbage can?" (yes, the wind was whipping loudly and I worried it had blown away), but she was really asking where my garbage can goes so that she could go put it back behind the gate, safe and sound. Once I realized what she wanted, I tried to hand over Reagan so that I could go and do it myself, but she refused and told me "I'm on a mission to save garbage cans."

I don't know how many other garbage cans were saved that day, but I do know that it was a nice gesture and make me wonder if I do little things like that enough for my friends and neighbors.

Then I remembered another lesson Melissa taught me a few months ago. I had just had Reagan and at that time neither Wal-mart nor Fry's were built by our house so going to the store wasn't a quick, easy thing. I remember she called me one day and casually said,

"I'm going to the store and wondered if you needed me to pick up anything?" Not a big deal, but it really made me feel good inside (yeah, that's what service does) just to know how sweet that she even thought of me.

I ususally think of service as something that needs to be planned, organized and carried out. You know, like a "service project" or bringing dinner to someone after they had a baby or a surgery or having the compassionate service leader call you to watch someone's kids. Yeah, that's service.

Epiphany. I've known it my whole life from watching my mother's example and at times of my life I've recognized and tried to implement, but last week it was brought to my attention once again: the truest form of service.

I believe the truest form of service is the kind that is impromptu, from the heart and almost so simple that it seems too easy to be labeled "service." And yet that is the service that really shows someone you care because it would have been just as easy to go on with your life and not put forth that extra effort.

Like Melissa could have just skipped phoning me and gone on her happy way or she could have just gotten out of the wind and into the safety of her car, not caring about the garbage cans. Growing up, Cyndee constantly taught this to us as we quite often would go and buy Thirstbusters for some random man working outside in the 100+ weather or any number of small such things.

I realize that starting today I need to do more to recognize the little things and just do them without thinking twice like Melissa.

For example, last Saturday was the Primary practice and I considered, yes even walked to the doorway of my awesome next-door neighbor to see if she wanted me to take her son, but then my little voice inside me (not the still, small one) told me not to disturb her on a Saturday morning so I turned around and left. When I saw her walk in with him about 10 minutes late, I felt horrible that I just didn't DO IT. (hopefully she doesn't regularly read my blog or she'll know how horrible I am.)

That's my lesson, iddy-bitty confession and challenge for today.

And here are a few more inspiring quotes I found (gotta love quotes)--

"Serving others need not come from spectacular events. Often it is the simple daily act that gives comfort, uplifts, encourages, sustains, and brings a smile to others. May we always find opportunities to serve." -Michael J. Tey

"Stretching our souls in service helps us to rise above our cares, concerns, and challenges. As we focus our energies on lifting the burdens of others, something miraculous happens. Our own burdens diminish. We become happier. There is more substance to our lives." - David S. Baxter

"Many of us will not survive our tests in mortality without help from others. And just as true: in helping others we keep our own spirits alive." -Kathleen H. Hughes

Friday

Everyone knows Friday is
Grandma Cyndee Day

Last Friday, we spent it in downtown Mesa with Mimi and Grandma.
I love downtown Mesa with all it's little shops, benches and statues.

Lunch was eaten at a trendy little
pizza place/really old ice cream shop/cake bakery.
The kids thought they were hot stuff, sitting at their own table.
I liked the brick walls and the funky artwork hanging around us.
The pizza was also pretty dang tasty.
Oh, and Reagan LOVED the ice cream.
An outing wouldn't be complete without us
going to a store with ALL our children.
This time it was Hobby Lobby.
I LOVE it that my girls are holding hands - best buddies. I think all the exciting fun blotted out the fact that our children also got shots that day. London seriously went madly hysterical like I've never seen. Reagan did well. I'm lucky, my girls never even get fevers or any sort of reaction to shots so it's really not a big deal to us. Savannah was on top of the world because she's the only child who escaped shots and doesn't need them until she's 12. Aidan and London have now joined her in that prestigious position.
Poor Reagan. Many more shots to come for that girl . . .

Do YOU know London???

Perhaps my London's true personality has never truly come out in this blog. So, for those of you who don't REALLY know my girl who quite often makes Nate and I just look at eachother, shake our heads and wonder where on earth (or some other planet) this girl came from, let me introduce you to her:

(yeah, that's a burp cloth hanging down in the back - meant to be her tail)
And that's my London.

London's First Day of Preschool

London and her preschool buddy, Davyn.
(I stole these pics from Amy's blog because I didn't take pictures)

Last week London had her first day of preschool. Despite overwhelming excitement, the mother in me could sense her nervousness. She had to wear her orange shirt because, well, anyone who knows London, knows orange is hands down the best color in the world. The only question she asked was how she would know which classroom was hers. When I told her Amy was her teacher and it was at her house, she asked "what if I don't remember which house is Mimi's?" We found the house okay and the first day went fabulous except that Amy told me that London decided to bite every apple slice at snack time. Maybe she was doing the poison-testing for everyone - what a brave girl!

The best part of preschool is that London gets homework. She's been dying to do Savy's homework for weeks and now she has her own and feels so special when we sit down every afternoon and mom helps both girls with homework. She feels very important, and she is.

FIRSTS

Reagan has had a few "FIRSTS" lately.

1. A bout a month and a half ago, she started rolling over. That's always frustrating for me because my babies sleep on their tummies (shhh! don't tell! but I swear it's the only way to get them to sleep through the night!) and this rolling over business always disturbs their sleeping when they suddenly wake up without the comfort of a mattress to snuggle up to -- just a bunch of air. Not fun. But she's adjusting well now.

2. Along with the rolling over comes the crawling backwards thing. You know, you put them on a blanket and come back five minutes later to find them a foot off the blanket and legs wedged underneath the couch? Yeah, that crawling backwards thing. I just need the girl to sit up alone and we'll be good because I'm not prepared for a crawler just yet (my stairs needs gates!).

She's also very good at the airplane to check out the vast array of toys Savy and London set up for her everyday for her "floor playtime" as they call it. Just a side note -- the other day Davyn was over and I wasn't that excited about his idea of spicing up floor time. I caught him jumping over her! Exciting, maybe. Safe, definitely not.
3. Her first taste of chocolate. Guess who introduced her? Anyone who knows my family, knows it had to have been Grandma Cyndee. And it was, of course. And she loved it, of course.

4. A couple weeks ago, I showed pictures of her first solids: rice cereal. She loved it and still does, but we just started oatmeal and I think she loves that even more. The girl's also chuncking up like nothing else since we started cereal.

5. Her first yoga pose. I'd like to admit that I've been doing yoga everyday and this is the result, but honestly I'm just getting back into my "exercise mode" and am determined to lose baby weight!!
6. Her first meal observed from the high chair and Grandma and Grandpa's house, thanks to a towel wrapped around her to keep her from slipping down too much. She did really well for a minute and then began gnawing, but the binky eliminated that problem. I just couldn't resist how cute she looks in all these, so here they all are.





































7. And last, but not least, my favorite first: her first pony tail!!!! So cute, I had to take lots of pictures.

Thumb-sucker?

does this mean what I think it does?
just curious because NONE of my babies have ever done this
maybe it will pass, but for now I think it's darling

Target makes every girl happy, doesn't it?