On Top of Eachother

Do you ever feel like you are at the bottom of a pile of life? Well I do this week. Between kids, toys, cramped spaces, spiders, sewing, cleaning, making summer plans and trying to please everyone I feel a lot like this picture.

But busy is good. Really I am always a lot happier when I am busy. Well for the most part I am. Happier but crankier at the same time. Is that even possible? The sense of accomplishment is what makes me happy I suppose.

If anyone has ever lived in a small space with small children you know what I mean when I say on top of each other. Between the toys being everywhere, the kids always being under my feet and the lack of personal space "on top of each other" is the only way to describe home life right now.

I will be so happy when the weather decides to be warm enough again for my little ones to go out and run the risk of catching the cold or the flu every time. I love it when they get out. I stand at my kitchen sink and watch them decorate their little swing/slide set with sidewalk chalk and dig for worms and other creepy crawlies in the garden. I especially love it when my little man Tennis comes in with a hand full of earthworms and wants a kerr jar to put them in. Even though he ends up killing them by accident I can't help but love his fixation with all animals and bugs. He has had that intense fixation every since he was big enough to focus on them. More so than any other kid I have been around. It makes me wonder if he will grow up to be a marine biologist, vet or some other type of person that helps, studies and takes care of animals. I could totally see him becoming a marine biologist more than anything. I can't wait to take him to the zoo and even the beach for the first time.

Life as a Worker Bee

Life is pretty busy right now. It seems like I can almost see the end of the tunnel but it turns out that it is just a overhead light. I am not trying to complain though. I am happy when I am busy as long as I am on top of things.

For starters Chad's finals are this week. So he is super busy with work and studying and completing online stuff. We are also busy getting all the proper forms filled out and sent in for the next semester that is just right around the bend. I am so proud of Chad for getting through another semester and working at the same time. I know lots of people do it but it doesn't mean that it is an easy task.

My list of to dos are most self imposed. First I just got a second calling to be a camp director assistant or whatever the title is. It basically means that I am going to be helping, planning, organizing whatever needs to be taken care of for girls camp. It started for me yesterday at a YCL meeting that took roughly 4 hours. We got a lot figured out and now everyone has jobs that they have to take care of including myself. I am excited about it though. I love girls camp. I am not looking forward to leaving my little family at home but it will be nice to get to know the girls and work with them for a week. But it is going to be work.

Second, I got a job as a Seamstress Contractor. I think that that is what it is called. I sew swimming suits, swimming shorts, dance tops and bottoms, dance costumes and anything else they need me to do. I am working with just swimming shorts and suits for right now but once summer is over the dance gear is going to be in high demand so I will be busy doing that. It is fun because I love to sew and I get paid for it. I am not taking to much on until I get the whole sewing schedule figured out with the kids and everything but I am hoping to be able to help out quite a bit with home finances.

My favorite part about this time of year is the garden. Penny and Tennis have been digging out in the garden for almost a month now catching worms, ants, potato bugs and anything that crawls. It has been nice for them but those days are almost over. Well they will be over until my plants come up and are strong enough for the kids to be in the garden with them. I always get so excited when I get my seeds in. We should have another awesome garden this year. Thank you big back yard!!!!

That is all for now. We are busy, busy equals productive, productivity equals a sense of accomplishment which equals happiness. So we are happy.

Our Talented Young Women

Every year our young womens in the ward hold a cake auction to raise money for girls camp. We do a big ward dinner and then auction off the cakes that each young woman and leader makes. Last year they made enough money to cover most of the activities and girls camp. They are hoping to have an equally rewarding year this year. I taught a cake decorating class two weeks ago for the young women and last night I had a few girls come over to my house to have me help them with their cakes. This one is the cutest one I think. I was so excited when it turned out this super cute for Cassidy. There is a spongebob cake and many others that I will post pics of once the girls have them done. But I thought this was so cute and she did such a good job frosting it.

April Fools

To be honest I had completely forgotten it is April Fools day. Well until one of the kids morning cartoon shows had an April Fools Day episode. After it was over we played hide and seek until Tennis's bus came. He was saying Api Foos as we left the house. Tennis's bus driver told me that she couldn't drive him home today and wanted to make sure it was okay so I of course said I would figure it out, thinking can't they just call a sub driver like they have in the past? I was a little worried about finding someone or having to walk down there in the wet cold to get him, not a big deal just caught me off guard. Then she laughs and says April Fools. She got me. They started to pull away and then they stopped and she opened the door and says, "Tennis hid in the back of the bus and when Debbie got close, she is the bus aid, he jumped out and said Api Foos and scared her. I guess he got her back." He is such a funny boy.

Chad

Today is Chad's birthday. A day to celebrate him, the life he has had and the effect that he has had on others. He of course has changed my life for forever. Most that know him know he is truly a good person. I couldn't be more blessed and grateful for him. Yes, I do take him for granted most days but today I am not! He is my best friend and I wouldn't be complete without him. So thank you from the bottom of my heart Chad. Thank you for being you and allowing us all to be a part of your life. Thank you for making the decision to come here to this earth. You are stronger than us all and more capable than anyone I have ever known. I love you to pieces. You are the person that I see when I look at our two beautiful children and the voice in my head. You are my all, without you I wouldn't be me. Mahal na mahal kita!!! I wish I could do just with words how I feel about you but I can't so this will have to do for now.