Spring Break is Here!

We welcome Spring Break! I love having the week off. It's a time to rest, clean and enjoy a break from the everyday routine. This weekend was great. We spent the night with my mom and dad. My mom and I made cards and Forrest and Sadie wa able to spend some time with Grampie doing some service projects around the house. Saturday night, we went to the Becksteads for dinner. It's been awhile since we have been over and it was such an enjoyable evening. It was nice to remember how nice a family outting with friends feel when you get so busy and stay within your comfort zone. It's also nice having the "other side" pulling on you to get you out of your zone. Tomorrow, the kids and I will head out to my sister's house in Georgia for a couple of days.

Our home teacher and the missionaries came over this afternoon. He came to visit wtih Forrest and Sadie. His question to them was "What are your parents doing to teach you spiritually?" Wow! Could he be more point blank? The first words from Forrest and Sadie were "We haven't read the scriptures this week". Kids say the darndest things, don't they? I did have that same thought on my way back from mom's house Saturday but I never mentioned it to the kids. Even though it was the truth, it was so nice for the the kids to take notice! Forrest did say that he and I read a couple of days together for his Duty to God. Trust me, we have paid for not reading the scriptures together. Forrest and Sadie have been very impatient with each other and the level of arguing has gone up a degree! What a great HT we have to be so to the point and concerned about our family's spiritual welfare. He was smart to ask the kids as adults seem to "justify" the answers. So to all of you, do what you need to or your home teachers will ask your kids to point out all of your faults!

High Tea

 

 

 

 

Last night was my first Enrichment meeting ever! We celebrated RS Birthday with "High Tea." The early pioneer sisters had high tea and I thought we could too. I had a table set up with "then and now" items and pictures of Nauvoo and the Nauvoo Temple. The table clothes were out of some material I bought years ago and it sorda fit the era of 1800's. I rented tea cup/plates and had the sisters bring homemade bread and honeybutter. We made homemade hot apople cider for the "tea". While the sisters enjoyed the fruits of their labor, I quized them about the early Relief Society. I then had Jonas Harmond come in and gave a narrative about the organization of Relief Society. After that, three sisters bore their testimonies about their experience with RS and the Bishop gave some closing comments. Before we had the birthday cake, I gave a description of what the early pioneers made with "feedsack" material and then gave each sister a small feedsack with a bookmark, a color key scripture marking system on the back of the bookmark along with a pack of four highlighters to mark our scriptures. The only thing I forgot was to have a closing prayer! When the sister I had asked reminded me, I quickly rounded us up and we ended with prayer. We had 23sisters there. I love these sisters. The support they gave to me is priceless. I feel this is my home in the Fayeeteville Ward, of all places. I want to give a shout-out to my family. They helped me in so many ways. George, Forrest and Sadie provided the nursery along with being on the clean-up crew. What a successful night. The Spirit was so strong and testified of the importance of this great organization of the Relief Society.

My Resignation Letter

To whom it may conern,

As of May 23, 2008, I hereby resign from my position of physical Education K-5 teacher at East Clinton School with the Huntsville City School System. Let it be known that the decision is due to personal and family obligations. Thank you for your confidence in my employment for these eight years. I have really enjoyed my tenure with Huntsville City Schools.

What do you think? I think that after I walk it to the Board of Education at lunch time it is really official! I mean, the decision we made almost 2 years ago to bring me home was official, but it feels so much "realler", if that is a word, now more than ever! I need to get my ticker back on my blog and count down the days I have left. Usually after Spring Break, the days fly by! I am so excited to begin my next chapter in my life,(our life), to make our family stronger and to help bring us even closer to the Lord. I am amazed at all the windows of opportunity the Lord has opened for us to make this possible. It reminds me of 1 Nephi 3:7 "I will go and do the things the Lord hath commanded...save He shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which He hath commanded them". We're not on our way to get the plates from Laban, but I promise you at times we feel the pain of Laman, Lemuel, Nephi and Sam. We're not done yet, but we do see the light at the end of the tunnel!

My sister

 

I just love this picture of my sister Mary Kate. She is the best sister anyone could have, so please do not be jealous that I have her as my sister. She is so awesome. She is caring and very unselfish. She is a wonderful sister, mother, wife and daughter. She serves unselfishly. She puts herself last. For the ones who know her, you know that I speak the truth. She survived all the years of me pouncing her. Growing up, I really don't remember having a relationship with her. I had a one-way relationship and that was with myself. I was very selfish. But as soon as I married George and moved out, I called home everyday, several times a day for years. Mary kate became my very best friend and she still is today.. She has loved me when I was down in the gutter and she helped picked me up and she loves me for who I am today unconditionally. Before I dropped Verizon last month, we talked every morning on the phone on my way to work and then on my way back home. And when we hung up, we always say, "I love you" When we are out of school, her house is our destination. We love how our children have a relationship with each other. We didn't know any of our cousins, so we are breaking the cycle together. I would have a void to fill if she wasn't in my life. I thank my Heavenly Father for her everyday. I just hope that I return just a little of what she gives to me. I love you Mary Kate!

Snow Day

 
Forrest is making something really special for Sadie! Sadie! Where are you? I have something for you! Come and get it!
 
Sadie is attempting to make a snow angel...Notice there is more green grass than snow!
 
Forrest thought it was a clever idea to use the rack to scrape the snow off the roof. Some snow did make it into his hands, but the rest went inside his jacket! Brr!
 
This is one side of the front yard with a "dusting" of snow on the ground. As I am blogging at this moment, the ice is melting and the snow is disappearing. I am waiting for the day when we get 6-8" of snow and ice and the whole North Alabama is shut down for a couple of weeks like it did with the ice storm of 1985. Does anyone remember that?

Book Tag

I was tagged by Amy. I think this is interesting to see what we all read. So here is how it works.

1. Pick up the nearest book (that has at least 123 pages)
2. Turn to page 123
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the next 3 sentences
5. Tag 5 other people

Book of Mormon, page 123, 5th verse (each verse is a sentence)
12 "And now I, Jacob, spake many more things unto the people of Nephi, warning them against fornication and lasciviousness, and every kind of sin, telling them the awful concesquences of them.

Wow! of all pages and of all sentences! I now tag Mary Kate, Granny, Rachel, Kim, and Chris

My Favorite Room

 

 

 

This is what our livingroom looks like today. I love to come home to a clean house. I absolutely adore our livingroom. In a couple of months, it'll be a year since we put in our hardwood floors in the livingroom and hallway and let me tell you, I covet them everyday! Covet is such a harsh word, so I'll replace it with admire. I admire them everyday. Even when the room is trashed, the floors are fantastic in my eyes! Maybe it because we had to save to get them and we put our blood, sweat and tears into putting them in ourselves that makes it so personable to me (George too). I also love the natural light that comes through the windows. The floors reflect the sunlight that makes for a nice shine. If I could, I'd have a house made of only windows. It makes me feel so good, like I could take on the world! I've told you my favorite room, tell me about yours!