Oak Glen - Fruit Picking

After Labor day, it's the first time of the year that Oak Glen is open for fruit picking. I remember going as a little girl for a class trip and James and I have been wanting to take the kids. We knew they would love it. It was a perfect day. A day that you want to freeze and don't want to end. The weather was beautiful, we got there without getting lost, the kids were happy, we were happy. We picked apples, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. There weren't a lot of blackberries but a lot of raspberries and strawberries. Afterwards, we ate and the kids played outside. Jocelynn climbed the tree and Carter was throwing rocks in the creek. They threw rocks in the pond also. They both slept the way home and when we got home I put Carter in his crib and he slept more. He was exhausted.

Carter was cracking us up because he loved throwing rocks and kept laughing at Jocelynn. It was making us laugh to see him so happy.

Happy boy throwing rocks. He is always into dirt and has dirt everywhere.

Carter's eating a strawberry. He kept picking them and eating them . . .:) Not washed . . . oh well.

Carter just as happy as can be in the dirt.

Jocelynn picking strawberries!

They were pretty, red, juicy strawberries!

PLaying in the creek.

Bag full of Gala apples.

Her first apple picked

They loved the goats

Picking blackberries, these were harder for her to pick. Raspberries and strawberries were easier.

Yummy raspberries

Picking raspberries!

Corn and pumpkins will be here in a couple weeks! I think we've found a new family tradition every year!

Just Kickin It! Dance class

This is Jocelynn's 3rd time taking dance. I took her to 2 other places and she was not a fan. Nope, she cried and clung to me the whole time. I tried again this year and got her tap and ballet shoes!! She was so excited! Really? She has grown so much. Her confidence and excitement to try other things. I was so happy. I got her a couple leotards at the new "Itty Bitty store" used children clothing. It was perfect!! I can't wait to see her in a recital. She goes for 45 minutes every Tuesday. A woman from church has a little studio upstairs in her home. It's perfect! Jocie has 4 other girls in her class!

Patience

"Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter."

My friend posted this quote on FB a couple weeks ago. I've thought about patience for a long time now. I think patience is a very important quality to have and learn. I used to think I had patience until I became a mom and I couldn't figure out my newborn's needs and she was screaming for hours. I remember praying daily for Heavenly Father to give me patience to meet her needs. We all have to practice some type pf patience in our lives. Just recently, I've had to be patient with the selling of our home. One day I was so frustrated and mad at what was happening. I went on FB to find this picture below.

This is my friend and her little boy. They almost lost him and didn't know most of the time what was going to happen. They had to wait and wait and wait. He was in ICU for 2 months, and thankfully is now home. For the whole story check out http://williamantoniotodd.blogspot.com/

Today we live in a society that has a hard time waiting. We want what we want . . . now. I've thought about when this starts and I was thinking about how our children have to practice patience at an early age. I can recall when my daughter was 3 and she wanted dinner . . . and she wanted it now! All you moms can understand . . . your children get hungry, you do your best to have dinner ready before it gets to that point but that's not always the way it goes so then you are cooking dinner but they want to eat. I told Jocelynn, it's almost ready. She wasn't happy with that answer. We then started to talk about what patience means. I've watched several Mormon messages. One message I like is called "Continuing in Patience." President Uchtdorf talks about an experiment given to 4 year old children in the 1960s. A marshmellow was placed before them and he told them they could eat it right away or if they waited then they could have 2. Some ate it right away and others waited. Only 30% were able to wait. This study suggested that "the ability to wait, to be patient, was a key character trait that might predict later success in life." I've thought about when we have the character trait of patience then we are able to enjoy the blessings we are given at that moment. Even if there is something that we want really bad. . . patience can help us be grateful and experience true joy. The other day Jocelynn says to me "Mom I want Carter to run and talk to me." I said to her "that will be so much fun but isn't he so cute being little." I think as we are patient we can appreciate the beauty our Heavenly Father has blessed us with already. Today was a moment where I needed to practice some patience. It was 2pm and Jocelynn was eating a snack. She said at the table, "I want to eat this but I don't" and the melt down started to occur. She just doesn't cry, she cries hard and becomes irrational. I held her in my arms and carried her upstairs. I knew she was tired. She wailed her arms up and down and said she didn't want to go to bed. I said no it's bedtime. Carter followed us up and began playing with her toys in her room. I held her in my arms and was trying to calm her down and sing to her. There have been times when I've yelled, shut the door, lost my patience but this time was different. She closed her eyes within a minute and fell asleep. I couldn't believe it either. I thought about patience and because I practiced patience at that moment. I experienced love. Love is patient. And when we are patient we experience love. I wondered if that would be the last time I held her in my arms while she slept. It was a sweet moment. So I hope we can all try to practice patience in our lives and I think as we do we will be happier and grateful for what we've been blessed with. President Uchtdorf closed by saying "Patience means staying with something until the end. It means delaying immediate gratification for future blessings. The work of patience boils down to this: keep the commandments, trust in God our Heavenly Father, serve him with meekness and Christlike love, excercise faith and hope in the Savior, and never give up!"

My Brave Little Girl

I wanted to write this moment down before I forgot it. TOday I was proud of my little girl. Jocelynn has always been shy, and quiet. Of course, she is loud around us but as soon as someone would talk to her she keeps her lips sealed. Many times, hides behind my legs. I feel bad for her because I was that way when I was little. I didn't like it and I hated that I would get nervous just to answer someone question. I don't want her to feel the same as I did. As a baby, she would cry if others looked at her and only wanted me to hold her. When she was 3, we would go on walks and people would be outside, she would want to practice saying Hi to people. I told her okay, I'll say Hi and then you say it next. She would do it and be very proud of herself. She would also wave at cars and it would mean so much to her if someone waved back. THere are times she would say Hi to people and she would say "Mom they didn't say Hi." I remember doing that a lot in High School, I'd say Hi when I'd walk by people and they wouldn't hear me. I was old enough to laugh about it though.

Jocelynn gave her first talk in Primary months ago. She had the whole thing memorized. She got up took some deep breaths and did it all by herself. I couldn't believe it! Well now that are getting ready to do a sacrament program at church. I've learned with her that I can't talk to her about something coming up. She gets a lot of anxiety and very nervous! Last week they came and got me from class and she was crying. I convinced her to just sit there with her teacher. She didn't want to get up and say her part. The part was "I can listen to good music." Well today after sacrament she started crying a lot! I felt bad of course but we walked to the hall, her Daddy and me. I said Jocie you are being silly. Remember how you cried going to preschool and now you say that that was silly because there was nothing to cry about? This is nothing to cry about. I know you can do it. It's no big deal. Your teacher is there to help you. I want you to go in there and do it. You are brave! I thought for sure she'd say "No!!" I felt bad for pushing her. It was hard to say that. But she looked at me and said "Ok Mom!" She hugged me and her dad and I could have cried. She walked in there and I knew how hard it was for her. We left and then both wanted to see if she'd do it. She washolding tight to her teacher. We peeked in and she did it! She spoke on the microphone. We both got tears in our eyes. After church she said I did it mom, I did it! She was so proud of herself!! I was so proud of her.

It's only 1:30pm?

I know all moms can relate to this. We try to do so much and do it well. Most of the time I have it together but today I kind of felt this way . . . .

I remember working before staying home and thinking how nice it would be to stay home. Don't get me wrong I love it but a lot of work.

Today was another busy day and I only have 2 kids. I put Carter to bed at 8pm and sat on the couch, grabbed the computer (my time to relax) and was supposed to start homework but had no energy too. I just wanted to do nothing. I started thinking of all the things I did today and realized why at the end of the day, doing homework is just more work added to my day. It's crazy though because as exhausting as my days can be, I love my job. I really do. Of course, I'm tired but there are so many great moments to my day: 2 of them 1. hearing my kids laugh and seeing them smile and 2. Carter falling asleep on me.

My kids were up by 645am this morning. That's pretty typical. Jocelynn has preschool at 8am so we got all ready and had breakfast. After I dropped her off, Carter and I went to the gym and I ran 4 miles. By 9am, I got home and held him for 5-10 minutes. He quickly fell asleep and I had some time to myself. I got on the computer (not for facebook but for school and to look for invitations for my sister). I did the dishes, picked up, and my friend, Melinda stopped by. After visiting together for an hour, (the whole time I was scrubbing my floors), I took a quick shower and picked up Jocelynn. We ran 3 errands when I picked her up (Signed her up for soccer through the city, stopped by the Teacher Store to get a few educational things, and went to the grocery store for some food. By the time we got home it was 130pm and it felt like it should have been 630. I put Carter down for his nap and put a movie on for Jocelynn. During the movie, I cleaned the bathroom and started to get dinner ready. Jocie is in bed by 6pm when she doesn't nap so she eats dinner around 430pm. I played with the kids and got her to bed shortly after that.

No wonder I can't think right now to do homework right? All you moms out there understand. One class is enough for me. Taking one class a semester I'll be done in 2 and a half years, including summers. THere really is no rush though, considering I plan to stay home with my kids. Today I had a list of things to do and tomorrow I think I won't run as many errands.

And a special shout out to my husband! A couple days ago he got Ben n Jerrys and caramel drumsticks! I think today is a great day to enjoy!

Triana Condo - For Sale

I've waited for months to do this post, probably because these pictures are so special to me. We had so many wonderful memories here and it's "so hard to say goodbye to yesterday." But like many things in life, where one door closes another opens. We move forward and the chapter hasn't quite ended with this place yet but I think it's getting close. In 2005, we bought our first place together. Our plan was to sell it in a couple years and get a bigger place. Towards 2006, the economy started taking a fall. We brought two children home to this place. I have so many memories of walking up 3 flights of stairs pregnant, carrying groceries, carrying a toddler throwing a crazy tantrum but also wonderful memories of going on walks, looking at many rainbows from our view. I loved how small and simple it was. We never had many material things but there was so much more we had. Many memories of paying in the garage with toys. When Jocelynn would get bored we'd head down to the garage. In 2009, after lots of thought and prayer, we decided it would be best to sell it. I thought it would take 6-9 months but I was wrong. It's been a very long road. Yes, it's been 2 years!! We've had about 6 buyers, TONS of paperwork to sign, and a lot of waiting. It's taken a lot of patience. There was a time we had 2 weeks to move. I was up late putting things in boxes, packing throughout the day and it fell through. It started to become chaotic, especially after having a new baby. I like things in order and just felt like everything was everywhere. My parents asked us to come live with them for awhile and that is a great help! We moved in January with my parents and it has been such a blessing. Fingers are crossed that the sale goes through this month.

2 years ago we hung a birdhouse that Jocelynn painted, in the tree. Everytime we come back we look in the tree and it is still there!

loved this kitchen!

So many nights of rocking Jocelynn in this chair! and reading her books! My mom made those curtains.

Her crib! We didn't take it down when we put the toddler bed in.

Our bathroom and walk in closet.

#301 will always be special to me. It's many chapters in our book of our life together. I pray that the sale will go through finally so we can officially move on!