I'm going to be cheerful today if it kills me!

I have decided that after wading through massive amounts of crying and boogers

that today is the day

I am not getting

one

thing

done.

Every day I have tried to stay on top of things

but have ended up

grumpy and

exhausted.

Well, not today!

Today I will

drink myself silly with hot chocolate

and sit and watch a movie

while two babies crawl on top of me

(and other children make endless messes

and lots of noise.)

I know. I may have to pause said movie 2, 756, 111 times.

But I will enjoy it nonetheless.

Okay, I'm going to go

"get to work."

See? I'm already smiling.

ps - have you been here lately?

pps (or pss?) - did you notice I have some original art for sale at the shop?

I'm going to list some prints, too. but not today:)

It Looks So Innocent What Causes Me Strife

-Little neatly packed boxes with labels that say “priority mail”
-Lego bodies strewn upon the floor, cast off and forgotten. Alas, but not forgotten by the tiny fingers of a crawler who so readily enjoys finding things that fit nicely into her drooling mouth.
-Something so miniscule that we cannot even see it with our eyes yet can cause things with horrible names. Names like “pneumonia” and “sinus infection” and “mucus” and “hacking cough” and “ear infection”

Dear Fellow Visiting Teachers,

lap full o potential

I was sitting at the computer, perusing the blog circuit and a putrid smell enveloped the entire room, snapping me back into my life: right here, right now. I took two stinkers to the changing table and congratulated them each for their good, hard work. They wiggled and squirmed and made a simple thing difficult.

Listen to this ridiculously awesome quote by the prophet Gordon B. Hinckley:

"Never forget that these little ones are the sons and daughters of God and that yours is a custodial relationship to them, that He was a parent before you were parents and that He has not relinquished His parental rights or interest in these His little ones. . . . Rear your children in love, in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Take care of your little ones. Welcome them into your homes, and nurture and love them with all of your hearts. They may do, in the years that come, some things you would not want them to do, but be patient, be patient. You have not failed as long as you have tried."

ad•mo•ni•tion (ād'mə-nĭsh'ən)
n.
1. Mild, kind, yet earnest reproof.
2. Cautionary advice or warning.


I can’t even think of words after that quote. When I first heard that quote several years back, it was like a whack upside the head. I looked at my children and SAW them. Why didn’t I SEE them before? Who did I think they were? They are not really even mine; I’m just in charge of them for a while, and most likely they are superior to me in every quality, every aspect, and every way. It got my mind reeling with the truth that the potential of these souls is more than I can comprehend and I better do my best to not hold them back. Put those feet on the ground running and watch them go!

As I placed the fresh smelling people onto the ground and watched them crawl away, I thought about their knowing smiles, their playful giggles and the wisdom in their eyes. They’re not even a year old!

I thought about the love letter my 5 year old gave to me this morning when my eyes wouldn’t yet open to the new day. Filled with “X”s and “O”s and hearts to let me know that through our troubles together, there is an underlying love that overshadows everything.

I hope I don’t hold these unbelievable little people back!

Have a great visit with your sisters this month!

XO,

Britt

{Feel free to download the quote above for your personal Visiting Teaching pleasure.}

For this month's Visiting Teaching message, click here:
www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,2044-1-4973-1,00.html

For more information on what Visiting Teaching is, click here. www.lds.org/pa/display/0,17884,4691-1,00.html

a harvest kind of weekend {a picture story}

friday feet

punky brewster's got nothin on my girl. (she's wearing a bright pink tunic with sequins on top.)


bouncin high


ridin the polly 'cycle


downin the cream o' wheat

my feet are running fast. gonna teach a lotion making class tonight. I'll probably have some available in my shop by monday along with a bunch of origional artwork.

happy friday!!

8.24.1,000,000.2

my son turned
8
eight!
yesterday.

He wanted me to bring in

24

twenty-four!

cupcakes to share with his classmates

to celebrate his special day.

The babies were having a

fit.

Lots of crying was endured.

But the cupcakes were made

and frosted

and delivered.

(I was sweaty and stressed out)

Then half an hour later

the babies were in bed

(thank the heavens)

and his teacher (who i love) called me

and told me that

she

can't

pass

out

the

cupcakes.

(new school rules about allergies and sugar issues)

(they will be sending out a notice

now that the mom with tiny twins

trekked a million

1,000,000!

(that's what it felt like)

cupcakes to school for no good reason)

I now had the responsibility

of picking up

24

cupcakes

from the school

(a tall order with sleeping babies)

my awesome neighbor obliged.

By the end of the day

my boy felt loved.

(and full of lots of chocolate cake)

and I felt fulfilled

(and full of lots of chocolate cake)

and tired.

I sent some cupcakes to work with Jake.

(hopefully you girls are nice and full of chocolate over there?:)

---

In other news

we're on week

2

at a hop & a skip

just because we

like

taking

pictures.

the ideal

The other evening my babies to needed some soothing at bedtime. A song that I sang in Primary years ago came to mind:

I see my mother kneeling
With the family each day
I hear the words she whispers
As she bows her head to pray
Her plea to the Father
Quiets all my fears
And I am thankful
Love is spoken here.

The song is beautiful; the lyrics and the simple tune are so pure. Music invites peace and touches us in a way that is deeper than words alone. As I was singing, tears sprang to my eyes. Not only because of the peace that came knowing that I am doing the right thing at the right time, but also because I could see my shortcomings as a mother.

The song was teaching me an ideal. Not every child who sings this song has this ideal condition in their home. Most, I would venture to say, don’t have anything close. But as I sang it as a child I felt love for my mother. I remembered prayers that she quietly spoke when peace would ensue. I recognized the love she has for me. As I sang this song as a mother, I recognized the love I feel for my children and the hopes I have for them. But I also was reminded of my responsibility as their caregiver to speak lovingly, to plead for their well being, to bear my heart during prayers with the family so that they can witness my beliefs and my love.

The ideal is not to make us feel guilt ridden, but to inspire us to raise our standards. Not one of us is perfect. Maybe we have a problem with raising our voice and yelling when we lose our temper. *raising my hand* Perhaps some of us are unorganized and have a hard time scheduling in things like family scripture study or setting goals and following through. *raising my hand* Maybe there are some people who loose important papers and library books. *trying to hide my raised hand*

I love reading blogs that inspire me to be a happier mother. I love it when I see a photo that shows a perfect moment. I adore being moved to action when I see a beautiful marriage. I think it’s divine to hear a song that helps me see the ideal behavior of a woman. It helps me to see where I can improve and motivates me to get up when I fall.

I think The Ideal is an important aspect of inspiration. I feel that focusing on the positive and knowing that we can get there is an important piece of motivation. Because I believe we can. I believe that we can be who we want to be. I believe our potential is bigger and higher and greater than we can fathom. Individually and collectively.

happy friday, friends!

Fall has really come in full force this week.

I love it.



I have been a bit under the weather. I have had low thyroid for...ever, I guess. But suddenly there was a "nation wide back order" and I have had to go without. Apparently suddenly going off that medication wasn't good for this here body. Last night my blood pressure was so high that my vision was affected. It was like I was staring into a bright light and then holographic patterns were moving all around. So I was trying to spoon cereal into the babies mouths and I couldn't see their faces any more. I had noticed I was a little light headed and listless and dizzy and blah-ish, but I thought it was just because my thyroid was off.

Anyway, I got serious about things and am on the mend.

But I am taking it easy.



One of the ways I am going to take it easy is by starting Laini Taylor's new book, Lips Touch: Three Times. I love Laini's books. Need to go on vacation from life but you can't afford a new adventure? Go get The Faeries of Dreamdark series. (the second one, Silksinger, just came out and it was awesome!)



Did I mention that I'm taking Marisa's e course, In the Fish Bowl: life as an artist online? Well I am. And I like it. Hopefully you'll see some little changes here and there in the next week or two while I'm tidying up my little bloggie home.

xoxo