Why get a flu shot

when you are going to get the flu--multiple times--anyway?! Grrrr . . . .

I know the answer to this question. It doesn't make me any feel any better when I'm hacking up a lung and sucking down DayQuil.

Interviews with Children

Isaiah:
1. What is something mom always says to you?
I: clean up your room
2. What makes mom happy?
I: obeying her
3. What makes mom sad?
I: not obeying her
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
I: by making me excited and doing funny things
5. What was your mom like as a child?
I: I don't know
6. How old is your mom?
I: 27
7. How tall is your mom?
I: 5 or 6 or 7 feet tall
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
I: Play the Wii and play games
9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?
I: feed the baby or do something with the baby
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
I: She would be famous for anything!
11. What is your mom really good at?
I: feeding the baby
12. What is your mom not very good at?
I: Playing the tank game on the iPod
13. What does your mom do for a job?
I: help us
14. What is your mom’s favorite food?
I: tacos
15. What makes you proud of your mom?
I: by doing something that she's never done before and it's good for people
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
I: Wendy on Peter Pan
17. What do you and your mom do together?
I: play games
18. How are you and your mom the same?
I: We agree on what we want to do
19. How are you and your mom different?
I: She makes dinner and I don't.
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
I: Because she just loves me.

Katie:
1. What is something mom always says to you?
K: clean up your room
2. What makes mom happy?
K: doing what she asks me to do
3. What makes mom sad?
K: not doing what she asks
4. How does your mom make you laugh?
K: by doing silly things
5. What was your mom like as a child?
K: she liked to play with toys
6. How old is your mom?
K: 16 or 21
7. How tall is your mom?
K: like, this tall (holding her hand up to my head)
8. What is her favorite thing to do?
K: eat good stuff
9. What does your mom do when you’re not around?
K: have a nap
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
K: I can't answer that question.
11. What is your mom really good at?
K: feeding the baby
12. What is your mom not very good at?
K: playing Chutes and Ladders
13. What does your mom do for a job?
K: cleaning up the house
14. What is your mom’s favorite food?
K: orange chicken
15. What makes you proud of your mom?
K: cleaning up the house
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
K: Minnie Mouse
17. What do you and your mom do together?
K: not that much
18. How are you and your mom the same?
K: we both have shiny hair, and their both the same color
19. How are you and your mom different?
K: we don't wear the same clothes
20. How do you know your mom loves you?
K: She kisses me.

Entrepreneurial Spirit

Well, I think Isaiah has got some of his dad in him (besides the computer genius part, obviously). Saturday morning he and Katie decided to earn some money selling art. Yes, you heard that right. Not lemonade, cookies, mud pies, or even old toys. Art. For 5 cents, you could own an original by Isaiah! Here they are chanting "five cents" (in case passersby couldn't read the sign).


Despite their amazing marketing skills, business was slow.



However, the neighbor across the street bought two pictures. And Isaiah gave one away to a friend (because every good businessman knows the power of promotions) before he recruited Katie as a customer.


All in all, I'd say it was a successful venture if only for one reason: today Isaiah paid his tithing for the first time, being that this is the first time he has earned money. We didn't tell him that by paying a quarter, he was paying not 10% but 167% of his earnings. We're just so proud of him for coming up with all of this on his own!

The Holy Temple

I don't often write much about my faith. However, this week I've felt prompted to share my love of the gospel, and my love of the temple in particular. I am so grateful to have a Savior who loves me and died for me. I daily have need of the Atonement in my life. And I am so grateful for the saving ordinances of our church. Until I went to the temple, I didn't know how much it would affect my everyday life. From what I wear to how I treat my family, and how I think about my possessions, everything I do is changed by the light of what I have experienced in the temple.

This week will be the 8-year anniversary of Adam and I meeting. There is no one I would want to be with for eternity more than him. I am so thankful that Christ's church was restored, and by extension the blessing of eternal marriage and eternal families.

Here is a short video explaining why Mormons build temples. If you have ever wondered about temples, or are curious about what they are for, this is a great short explanation.

Beautiful Young Ladies

Today I went with the Activity Day girls to the temple grounds and took pictures. They are all such beautiful girls, and so photogenic! I was (mostly) pleased with how the pictures turned out, so I thought I'd share them with you in a slideshow (because I couldn't pick favorites with the girls, and that's a lot of pictures). Keep in mind that these are completely unedited (I haven't had time to mess around with them yet)--these girls really are this lovely!

After the photoshoot, we went into the visitor's center and watched "A Pioneer Miracle," a fascinating illustration on the importance of obedience, perfect for young ladies these girls' ages (8-11). I hope this, as well as all the other great activities they participate in, helps them to focus on their inner beauty as they grow and become more beautiful on the outside.

ETA Photobucket apparently crops the pictures as it puts them into the slideshow, don't mind the messed up cropping.

Flashback Friday ~ September 2004

Today we closed on our new house!! We are so excited for more space and a change of neighborhood, but it does make me nostalgic about our first days in this home. We were first time home buyers, a young couple with a baby. It was a very exciting time. We had a tiny budget, so we were thrilled when we got this house for a steal. It was in great condition, but we quickly found things to work on: paint, baseboards, flooring, landscaping . . . .


We knew before we moved in that carpet in the dining room was a dumb idea, so once we had saved up a bit after the initial paint and getting settled in the new house, the laminate flooring was the first renovation we did. Here I am, ripping up the old flooring:


And here's Isaiah (15 months old) watching the installer finishing with the new flooring:

Here's to more exciting new-home times ahead!

Wordless Wednesday - At 4 months . . .