Family, Friends and the Oregon Coast

I had such an amazing week this past week being able to take a "Just Me" vacation to Portland OR and the Oregon Coast to visit my brother and his wife and my dear friends, the Nielsons. My wonderful husband agreed to taking on the "Mom" responsibilities while I took time just for myself. (How do I repay him for such a selfish thing?) Anywhooo--it was a crazy fun whirlwind week--I got to Portland late last Wednesday so we didnt do much other than hit the drive thru at Wendy's and stayed up way too late to chat with my brother, Sam and his wife Amy Lynn. The next day they had to go to work so I spent the day with my friend, Sandy. We just drove all over and enjoyed lunch together.That night my dad and his wife, Trina and her granddaughter, Natalee came in. Friday we all drove to Tillamook and enjoyed the "squeaky cheese" we drove up the Oregon Coast and checked out the beach towns. It is so beautiful there. Saturday Sam and Amy and I went to the Portland Rose Gardens, drove into Oregon City and ate at a great little pizza place (so yummy). On Sunday, we went to Multnomah Falls and hiked to the top. (Not that I didn't know this already--but--I am SOOO out of shape. I was sure that my brother was trying to get back for all the horrible things I did to him growing up.)After that I met up with Sandy to hang out with her and her family the rest of my stay. It was so nice on Sunday to go and enjoy a dinner with them and just chat. Monday we went shopping (nothing too exciting) and Tuesday we went to the coast again. Wednesday it was time to come home, even though I had a great time, I was exhausted and ready to come home to my family. It is always so exciting to leave and go away on a trip--but truly-- "THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME"!

Prayer = Blessings

John 14:14 "If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it." John 14:18 "I will not leave you comofrtless: I will come to you." It is so true that if we search the scriptures, we can find the answers to all of our prayers. I feel so blessed in knowing that I AM A DAUGHTER OF GOD. I have been praying for so long that I would find something where I feel like my own entity and yet be able to be at home for my kids when they need me. This week that prayer has been answered. A few years ago I started workng for a great orthodontist here in the Springs that worked out of a Pediatric dental office one day a week. This past weekend there was an ad for a part time front office job--not realizing it was the office where I had once worked. I received an email saying that they would like to interview me this Friday--woohoo! I am excited about the chance to work a few hours a day a couple days a week and be able to get out of the house and yet have most of my attention to my number one job--being a MOM! I know that Heavenly Father wants to bless us and if it is for the better, it will happen. Even though some people couldn't understand why I would quit my full time job at the school, our family knew that we would be blessed. I knew that I would not be left comfortless. I feel so fortunate that my kids are able to see that through faith their prayers will be answered.

Learning to Be a Better Me.

So, here we go...again. I had started a blog in January, thinking that I would write updates every couple of weeks, so that our family and friends that live far away would be able to keep up with our crazy busy lives. Needess to say I wrote a blog once during Christmas vacation and during Spring Break decided to leave the blog world. I'm always saying how busy I am and I just can't handle one more thing, so why would I stress myself out with a blog? Yet, here I am AGAIN! I have reduced my schedule though and am loving being a stay-at-home mom once again. I love being there when they get home from school. And surprisingly, they love it too. Who knew teenaged boys still wanted their mom home? Or is it the chocolate chip cookies that they will come home to? Don't answer that, I'm sure deep down I know. :) I am so grateful to my loving husband that has supported me in decluttering my schedule. I quit my job at the school (I know people gasp when I say that, especially in this economy, but what good is having a job when you spend all your money on eating out because you're so thrashed at the end of the day to even fix a box of mac n cheese?) and was released from my calling. (Nursery--need I say more?) I have been filling up my spiritual cup during these last few weeks and it has been rewarding beyond words! I feel better than I have in a long time and I am so grateful for the gospel and my family. Friday night, I was able to go to dinner at On the Border with my Visiting Teachers and go to Women's Conference where we were able to listen to Sister Julie B. Beck. It was so beautiful to be there with so many other sisters and to listen to her. Sister Beck reminded us that we are daughter of God! To have more faith and that we have heavenly miracles and heavenly angels attending us. Why is it so easy to forget that? She also talked about different schedules in a mom's day and that the afternoon schedule is the most important. It's when we are all the most tired and yet also the most teachable. She told us to make our dinner tables our "HOLY TABLE". We have always had dinner at the table and we talk about the good in our day, I hope that my children know that I have tried to make our family table a holy table. My favorite words of conference: "You are better than you think you are, YOU ARE GOOD!