Life and Gardening

Today I'm thankful for...

1. The ten dollar bill I found in the dryer this morning.  It's nice to get "paid" for the work I do around the house. :)

2. Lillian's prayer when she said she's grateful for the rain because it helps all the flowers and trees grow.

3. The way Liam holds onto the corner of his pillow as he's falling asleep.

4. Sydney's big, blue eyes with long eyelashes and the freckles on her nose.

5. Flower seeds and gardening.  It's amazing how many parallels and metaphors can be made between planting/growing seeds and life.  Four young women from church came to my house tonight and we planted flower seeds in little clay pots together.  We talked about how growing flowers is like growing faith- they both need specific things in order to grow (flowers need soil, sun and water; faith needs desire, prayer and opportunities to be taught by the Holy Spirit)- they also both need to be nurtured and cared for on a consistent basis.  It's amazing how a seed the size of a pin head can grow into a tall, beautiful, blooming flower- and then that flower can produce lots more teeny tiny seeds that will grow into even more flowers and more seeds....and the cycle goes on forever.  This process of creation reminds me of a quote I heard from a talk a few years ago:

"The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul. No matter our talents, education, backgrounds, or abilities, we each have an inherent wish to create something that did not exist before.

Everyone can create. You don’t need money, position, or influence in order to create something of substance or beauty.

Creation brings deep satisfaction and fulfillment. We develop ourselves and others when we take unorganized matter into our hands and mold it into something of beauty..." -President Uchtdorf; "Happiness, Your Heritage"

Grateful Sabbath

Today I'm thankful for...

1. My Savior.  Because of Him I understand that I am a divine daughter with an invaluable sole.  Because of Him I can reach for perfection and become perfected in the process.  Because of Him I don't feel fear or despair when I remember my family members and friends who have passed away.  Instead, I feel a comforting peace and hope in the belief that death is not a dark ending, but rather a beautiful, bright beginning to a new phase of our existence.  Because of Him I know joy.  I know love.   I know.

Easter is over, but this is still a very powerful portrayal of Christ and what he did.  For you, for me, for all of us.  It's only 2 1/2 minutes long, and it's definitely worth watching!

2. BBQ picnics outside on our front porch.  For dinner tonight Bobby grilled his famous chicken and I made our favorite lime-cilantro rice with pineapple (recipe here at Our Best Bites...SO good!).  Bobby also grilled up some teeny-tiny potatoes (real name) from our neighbor along with sweet peppers.  Eaten on a paper plate with the sun on my face, it was the perfect meal!  The kids picnicked on top of the slide while the neighborhood kids lingered around waiting for them to finish so they could have a turn at our new softball-on-a-string batting tee.  After meal time, the neighborhood batting practice session was in full swing (no pun intended).  We sure have some sluggers on our street.  One of my neighbors told me a story about her very first babysitting job when she was 13.  She was watching a little 3 year old.  They were outside in the yard and he had a batting tee like ours.  The first hit he made off the tee sent the ball flying straight through a window in the house!  Imagine that for your first babysitting job!  I didn't ask if she ever babysat for them again.

3. Barbie's new couch.

Barbie is lounging in style.  She doesn't have any kids with messy fingers and leaky sippy cups, so she can enjoy the luxury of white upholstery. :)  I found a really easy tutorial online. (thanks, Pinterest!) All you basically need is an empty tissue box, fabric, tape, and a hot glue gun.  A 4 year-old assistant helps, too.  Sydney sat in my lap during the project, directing where the hot glue should go, giving design advice, and holding fabric in place.  The pillows were entirely her idea and she came up with the designs.  She even helped sew them together!  It was so cute to watch her little delicate fingers work the needle.  I think she has more pillow designs in mind, so the Mom Factory will have to get back to work soon.  The next Barbie furniture project might be bunk beds, so stay tuned.  We're furnishing Barbie's mansion piece-by-cardboard-piece....Barbie has been struck by economic hard times like the rest of us, plus she likes to upcycle her recyclable goods. :)