Twenty-Ten?

A very happy 2010 to you all!

Question of the day:  Will you pronounce it, "two-thousand-ten" or "twenty-ten"???? 

I prefer the long version. Twenty-ten just sounds strange to me. Something to get used to anyway.

I have lots of goals to accomplish this year. But the first thing I plan to tackle is organizing and cleaning my bedroom closet. It's become a dumping ground for everything that doesn't already have a place. I won't even show you a photo of it because it's so embarrassing!  I cleaned off my desk 2 days ago and believe it or not had a full bag of garbage after I was done!

Time to get organized!!

Heaven forbid I die tomorrow and those left behind have to clean up my messes all over! I wish I had  The Container Store nearby. It would really help with the mountians of stuff that I have.

What are your goals for this new year? I wanna know!

~Whatever~

I'm at the point that I feel like just saying, "Whatever" to everything and everyone. I guess I have a short fuse lately (although I can hide it quite well). I just feel like giving up on sooo many things!

I can't please anyone (especially myself). I can't get everything done in one day. I'm no super-mom and I'm no super-wife. I'm not the best friend in the world and I avoid some of the people I love the most. When does a woman start menopause? Now you say? Or is it just the middle age blues? Am I middle aged at 41? I guess so. How did I get this way??

Welcome to the pity party!

♫ It's my blog and I'll complain if I want to. ♫

I am only partially done decorating my house for Christmas. Not that anyone would notice anyway. I'm too lazy to put up outdoor lights. I haven't wrapped gifts or care to. I haven't even started Christmas cards. And just now I put a new Christmas blog header on my blog just to test it, and next thing I know, the program shut down on it's own and I wasn't finished tweaking it. So I guess the header stays unfinished because I don't have the energy to do it all over again!

And how about the family? I have 3 girls who are "moody" if you know what I mean. One boy who has been missing his hockey practices for several reasons (car related, illness related) so he can be grouchy (plus he keeps running out of socks because MOM can't keep up on the laundry). One daughter who likes to put her fingers in her poo and then run down the hallway with said fingers on the walls. And one husband that puts up with all of it and needs more attention than he is getting.

There is much more, and I will spare you the details, but let's just say that my poor pillow must think I'm the biggest freak for screaming into it so much lately.

To top it all off, I can't get Blogger to let me change the color of my font.

Whatever Blogger, WHATEVER.

5 Things

I totally love Megan's frames! Thanks Megan!

There are so many things I am thankful for that there wouldn't be enough shabby frames to cover them all! So I've decided to just narrow it down to 5 (but squeezing my family of 7 into 3) and then maybe, just maybe add more and occasionally post them.

For now, my 5 are (not in any order at all since I love all of my family equally of course...)

1. My beautiful girls
2. My cute as can be son
3. My patient, loving, hardworking hubby
4. The blessings that the Temple gives me. Because without that and the Gospel, I wouldn't be able to keep #1,2 and 3 forever.

And a random #5. I have really been soaking up the beauty of nature this past year. I've been trying to take time to appreciate all that Heavenly Father has given me to view, smell and feel in each of the seasons. One of my greatest pleasures is to look up at the night sky and enjoy each star. Another is to breathe in the smells of nature and concentrate on the smallest things that are so intricate and complicated, yet to some, so insignificant. Have you ever just sat and looked at a spider web? I can't get enough of a beautiful sunset or a rainbow. Sappy and cheesy? Maybe. But now that I'm older, I guess something is telling me to dig deep and really pay attention to the world that Heavenly Father has given me. I'll never know when He might just call me home and I want to have appreciated as best I can, what He has given me today.

Queen of Random??

Today I might be the Queen of Random....because I've got tons of random pictures to share from random events. I'm so bad at keeping up with the events! I guess posting the pictures this way is the only way to document them since I'm so lame!

Get comfortable because this is a loooooong post!
Here we go.....

February 2009. Kind of blurry since I took this one with my cell phone. I thought it was so sweet that Molly wrote this on my van for me. BUT...when she got mad at me an hour later, poof! It was gone. Can't win 'em all.

-sigh-

Rick & I used one of our date nights to head to Detroit for a Red Wings game. It was a blast on St. Patrick's day! Although it looked more like Christmas with people wearing a sea of green hats/jersey's and then the usual red shirts for the Red Wings.

Red Wings triumphed 2-3!

I forgot the camera this night, but was still able to document the event with my cell phone. Molly was the narrator for her 6th grade choir musical Aladdin! She would speak while the show took place to the left (not showing) and the choir would sing behind her. She was very sick that night (swollen glands, fever) but the show must go on! We were very proud of her.

Another one taken from my cell phone. Rick had several Hurricane machines ready to go! It was awesome to see so many built in one place. His dream is on it's way to become a reality!

Ava just being cute.

On my Dad's 82nd birthday. (Left to Rt) My niece Kara, sister Sheri and Dad.

Ava & I in the spring. I love the green grass!

Ava loves the spring flowers. May 2009

Brycen received a trophy from his school reading program in May. He put in a lot of effort this year in the program. He worked hard on spelling too. Most tests were A's & B's. A big effort for a guy who would rather do math!

A rainbow blessing.

*sigh* My kids had a marker fight. I'm pretty sure they were permanent markers too. May 2009

Jillian and Brycen being goofy. Don't ask me why, but my kids thought it would be funny to put paper bags over their heads and get cars to honk at them. Weird!

Jillian was super glad to be out of school and head to the beach. June 14, 2009. We sure are lucky to live only 10 minutes from the big lake.

Molly's 1st year at Girls Camp! June 2009

Macie (middle), Jillian and friend Giselle at Girls Camp. This was Macie's 2nd year and Jillian was a YCL.

During Girls Camp this year (and last) the youth were able to volunteer their time to work on the old ship LST 393 by doing some interior painting. It's docked in Muskegon. Of the 1151 LST class ships built in WWII, this is only one of 2 remaining. (We are so lucky that girls camp is right here in our neck of the woods by the way.)

Doesn't Molly look totally stoked to be able to do this project?!

Molly really had to reach to paint. She came home with paint in her hair. Heck, she still might have paint in her hair!

Jillian with Ava t the Ward ice cream social in June. Ava loooooved the swings! Boy, did she ever cry when we had to leave!

Jillian and the GR stake went to Nauvoo, Ill. for their Youth Conference at the end of June. One of the most beautiful Temples! A few years ago, we went to Nauvoo ~3~ times in one summer! One of my favorite places. I'm so glad Jillian got to go again.

The beautiful view from the city of Nauvoo overlooking the Mississippi river.

I'm not sure who these youth are, but the kids had to pull these handcarts for about a mile so that they could get a glimpse of what the people of Nauvoo had to go through when leaving the city with whatever belongings they could handle. So many people had to leave much behind.

Jillian at the Carthage Jail near the visitors center.The jail in the back round. The statue is of Joseph & Hyrum Smith who were killed by a mob at the jail.

Carthage Jail, Carthage Illinois. The top window is the the one that Joseph Smith fell out of after being shot.

Not sure who this girl is, but here is the infamous bullet hole in the door. I wonder how many people have touched this? Can you imagine?

Typical Jillian :) And her friend Melissa on the bus ride home.

Poor Austin .....he fell asleep so some girls put paper in his mouth. Jillian insists that she didn't do it...she only took the picture. Hmmm.

Bubble fun! July 1st. Ava kept wanting to put the blower part right up to her mouth. I'm sure it didn't taste so great.

June 30th. I liked the pose in this photo.

June 30th. Jillian at the Wasiura's condo for Martin's birthday. She is trying to look studious, but look at the reading material she chose! haha.

4th of July fireworks in Montague/Whitehall this past Saturday.

I realize this one is super up-close....this is because that IS how close we were!!! No zooming needed! Sometimes it felt like they were going to come right down on us! We are lucky to be invited every year to my friend Liz's house which has THE best view of the White Lake fireworks display. I'm not kidding or exaggerating. Even the house next door doesn't have as nice of view. It IS THE BEST VIEW. Sometimes we have to crane our necks straight up in the air to see the larger fireworks. The kids have to lay on their backs in the pool. We sit on her huge deck and enjoy. Everyone (about 50 people?) brings a treat to share and the kids play in the heated pool. It's enjoyable for all. Plus, I get to see friends that we usually only get to see when they come from out of state during the summer months. I really appreciate that Liz invites us every year. She is a really sweet person.

I have more pictures but I think you would get really bored if I posted them all. I'll try to be more diligent in posting photos, but really, I spend too much time digi scrapping and Facebooking! I know, Bad Leanne.

Don't Check MY Spelling!

This is what I'm shouting at myself. Have you ever realized that you have been spelling a word (or 2 in my case!) WRONG for your whole life???

I just realized I've been spelling the word, Background, wrong! I've been simply spelling it, Backround. Geesh.

Several years ago, I realized I was spelling, Grateful, wrong too. Of course simple old Leanne was spelling it, Greatful. Geesh again.

Now I'm wondering what other words I've been spelling wrong! With Spellcheck everywhere these days, you would think I would never have any spelling errors.

Now I'll be paranoid that you all will see my many faults with each post. Eek!

Spellcheck, you are now going to be my *new* best friend.

P.S....have you ever wondered what the most often misspelled words in the English language are? Hint, misspelled is one of them. Check out alphaDictionary.com. Did you remember that the words, a while, were separate? Or are you still spelling it, awhile? Sometimes, I'm guilty as charged on that one. Now when it comes to the words, a lot, I never fail. It isn't spelled, alot. Nope. I remember learning about that one in school.

alphaDictionary.com even has memory medicine to help you remember the correct way of spelling a word.

Now, if I could only remember what I was taught about grammar! -sigh-

I'm learning!

I know this is small potatoes to so many people who are talented in the digital scrapping world (read- MEGAN!), but I'm finally taking baby steps in learning how to make my own stuff.

Here is my first paper! Weeeee!

I have no idea how to share it so that others can use it, but it's kind of a common type of paper anyway, so no biggie. I'm just excited that I could actually make something of my own. A small accomplishment. Oh happy day. :)

Baaad Mama....again!

Dumb....da dumb dumb. I did it again!

This time I receive my own, "Bad Mom" award because I have a big mouth.

Our small, irritating dog, Minnie likes to yipe at everyone and everything. It's annoying so I find myself yelling at her all the time. Not at the top of my lungs or anything, but nevertheless I scold her frequently.

So of course one day I was annoyed at her barking and told her to, "shut up". So now...every time Minnie barks too much, guess who tells her to, "shut up"?? Yep. 23 month old Ava.

I'm such a baaaaad Mama. -sigh-

Cough, Cough

Being sick isn't my favorite thing. I've got a fever and a weird cough with a sore throat and swollen glands. Not only am I sick, but I fell at church on Sunday. So now my foot and ankle are swollen and it's hard to walk. Rick is out of town and the kids are at school, so it's just Ava and I. I'm assuming she will get sick next.

-sigh-

Sorry about skipping Try It Tuesday yesterday, but I just don't feel up to it. I'll be taking a break 'til I'm repaired ;)

PS....I'm excited that my nephew is the Athlete of the Week at his H.S. in CA.
You ~*ROCK*~ Nate!

Vote YES on prop 8

The Church released this updated statement on 16 October 2008:

As the Proposition 8 campaign in support of traditional marriage enters its last two weeks, the Protect Marriage Coalition is encouraging its members to make phone calls in support of the measure. The Church is participating with the Coalition in support of this endeavor.

This is a segment from a broadcast to Californian Church members addressing the Church’s doctrine of marriage and the Protect Marriage Coalition.


My sister in CA has had 3 Yes to prop #8 signs stolen from her yard. There are concerns that if same sex marriage is allowed, then it could possibly affect churches and temples who only perform heterosexual marriages. If bound by same sex marriage law, would the LDS church (and other religions) be forced to recognize same sex marriages? If the law passes in CA, it could pass in other places and directly affect the sacred ordinance of a temple marriage. I believe that Arizona could be the next state to address this issue through voting (but I'm not sure, so don't quote me on that).

I don't live in CA, so I cannot vote YES on this issue (I certainly would if I could), but I can do my part by helping others be aware of the issue. Check out this blog, prop8voterinfo. They have a wealth of information along with links to help a voter decide what to choose when voting.

For more information on what The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believes, visit http://www.lds.org/. If you would like to read what the church specifically says about the same sex marriage issue, visit the LDS.org Newsroom here

What does your bed say about you?

I don't usually believe in these silly things, although I still find them interesting.

THIS one tho.... is ME to a tee!

What Your Bed Says About You

Outward appearances are a concern of yours, but not your primary concern. You try to take care of yourself and your home, but it's not an obsession. You try to be an organized person, but you often fall behind. Certain parts of your life tend to fall into chaos. You are very high maintenance. You like everything a certain way, and you're grumpy if things aren't the way you like them. In relationships, you tend to kick back and let the other person be in charge. You tend to be a dreamy, head in the clouds type of person. You think in terms of possibilities. You are a total homebody. You are happiest when you're at home.

What Does Your Bed Say About You?

Speaking of beds...I like my bed. It's a wood sleigh bed with some bronzish ironwork. Now my bedding? That's another story. My bedding has to go. I've had the same bedding for about 10 years. My dogs have shredded it with their, "playtime". I'd take a picture of it all, but my camera is being poopy.

I can't afford new bedding right now, but if I could, I'd like to get something like this from Michael Kors:
Minus the leather pillows tho. I'm just not that into leatha.

OR...I could go luxurious with something like this:

Or luxurious PLUS comfy with this Tommy Hilfiger bedding:
I can just see myself getting a fabulous nights rest in this fluffiness of that bedding!


Maybe I'll just show you my favorite ensemble:

Just kidding.

Although, the skulls might keep the kids out of my room at night. ;)

More than likely, I'd buy something like this:
And add several different patterned pillows.

Maybe some like this:

For now, I'll just add it all to my wish list and keep dreaming. I'm just happy to have a bed and someone to cuddle with under the covers, no matter what those covers look like ;)