A-maiz-ing

These are from a corn field at a friends house. So fun!

He said What?

For the longest time Brady has just made a raspberry sound for the word "elephant." Tonight the kid spits it out like he's been saying it for years!! He surprises me everyday with something new.

We're back home

Hi! Yes, we DID go on a vacation. Yes, we DID arrive home safely. Yes, we DID forget our camera cord in Utah. No, we CAN'T upload pictures without it. So until I get my photographic memory back, you get no report of our lovely vacation (no rush Snells, like I have time for it anyway.)

I can say that we (er, I) have been rather busy since getting home. Monday and Tuesday were filled with laundry and a much needed and enjoyed afternoon at the pool with friends. Wednesday I started my job of caring for Little Miss Sassy. She's three. She's cute. Her brothers go to school across the street and I pick them up and watch them for a bit. It's not a bad deal. We have the morning to get errands/playdates in and then come home for lunch, naptime for Brady and Quiet time for Sassy (no, that's not her real name, but she's probably called that more than her real name. I like to call her Sassafrass.), all in time to pick the boys up. I'm still working out the kinks, but it's only the 5th day. Like today, we had an OUTSIDE snack time cuz Mr. Brady was still sleeping. I learned last week that no matter how many times you shush a kid, they somehow seem to forget and the baby wakes up. And he wakes up cranky. No cranky babies for me, thank you.

This Saturday we planted an Azalea bush. It's pretty. Okay Carl did most of the work on it. He dug the hole and put the plant in, filled the hole. I just pretended to help while making sure Brady was safe in his outdoor adventures.

Carl starts school tonight. Two nights a week on campus plus one online class. We WILL get through it! Then only one semester to go!! YEA!! Then begins another chapter in our book called "To PhD, or Not To PhD?" Ya'll should stay tuned for that.

I will say that I have decided that I would REALLY rather not live in a place where the mosquitoes come out at night, or 5:30 in some places. I would like to be able to enjoy the summer evenings without twitching and swatting at every little itch. I recall being in a place without those nasties recently....ahh, it was WONDERFUL to be out at 9:30 in the cool summer night air. I could go for my run at NIGHT instead of o'dark hundred in the morning. Ahh, that'd be great.

Speaking of running....I will boast, because I am very pleased with myself for the effort I have put in. I reached my goal weight! YEAH!!! Now my stretch goal is 5 more lbs. A lady at the Dr. office yesterday said I looked different. I really needed to hear that. When one is getting fit, he or she really benefits from others noticing. Without it one can get very discouraged. It's a good thing I have a good running partner, Maggie the dog, who keeps me motivated. Her looks are SO piercing when I skip a day on her. Ah, cuts me to the heart!

So that is what is going on with us since we've been home. No rest for the weary around here. But we will prevail.

Quick Blip

(This is mostly so that I can remember, but I'll share it with ya'll too.)

Tonight Brady, Carl and I laughed our heads off! We giggled more tonight than we have in a long time. Nothing special, just being silly at the dinner table (there was lots of "see" food), tackling in the living room and some silly mommy cuddle hugs that gave Brady the hiccups from laughing too hard. Ah, 'tis sweet to be a laughing family. And yes, Mom, it's true; there IS beauty all around when there is love at home.

We're having too much fun!

It's been a while since we've posted! We're just having too much fun out here. We've been shopping, scrapbooking, running on the trampoline (I'll get video of that some time hopefully), visiting with grandparents, running through sprinklers, and swimming. We can't WAIT for Daddy to join us. We miss you Arkansasans, but are very much enjoying our time with the Utahns.

Another good post

This was posted by a high-school friend. I love it when people blog about important things and say exactly what I would have said.

Topic of Discussion: Modestly in Wear

"So here I am again blogging in place of Jessica, but hopefully this will bring out a Jessica-ish post.
While at church today, I was sitting in Sunday school by myself while Jessica attended nursery with our insubordinate son. While waiting for the lesson to start a cluster of the ladies in our ward sat down near me. Now I understand ones desire to “look good” for one self or others, but there needs to be a line. Anyway, they sat down one in front of me, and two beside me. The one in front of me was wearing a nice dress that went down to mid thigh! One of the ladies next to me spent the whole time trying to cover up her LDS under garments, and the other one spent the whole time re-rolling her LDS under garment sleeves as for them to stop showing. I see it more and more in wards and branches, the clothing is not adjusted to cover the under garment, the under garment is adjusted to not show under the clothing.

“Modesty in dress is a quality of mind and heart, born of respect for oneself, one’s fellowmen, and the Creator of us all. Modesty reflects an attitude of humility, decency, and propriety.”
– Elder L. Tom Perry

This brings me to the real topic, swimwear modesty. Jessica has followed a very informative blog that focuses on LDS women, and they had this topic for a discussion. Some of the discussions were as follows; why can’t I dress in a bikini on the beach? I’m not breaking any commandments. Or, I have worked hard for this body, why shouldn’t I show it off? Now Jessica and I of course are not anywhere close to having bodies stunning enough for this to be an issue. As Jessica puts it, she wishes she could find a swimsuit that covers from mid arm to mid calf. I am purchasing a wetsuit for her for Christmas. But, as for most other people, the ones that have elegant bodies and feel good about it, they have their own reasons for why they dress the way they do while attending the beach or pool.

I can tell you the classic answers on why it is wrong, like men look at you in lust, and you must respect your body, your body is a temple. Now as clichéd and “For the Strength of Youth” it sounds it is true. It comes down to that, if you have ever listened to a Prophet or an Apostle speak it is not: “You must dress modestly in all things, as long as your garments don’t show or you feel good in what you are wearing.” No, it is:

“In the past year or so we have noticed a dramatic change in the way some of our members are dressing. Styles in clothing change; fads come and go; but if the dress styles are immodest, it is important that we avoid them. When you dress modestly, you show respect for your Heavenly Father and for yourself. At this time, when dress fashions are styled after the skimpy clothing some of the current movie and music idols are wearing, it may be difficult to find modest apparel in clothing stores. However, it is possible, and it is important. The Apostle Paul declared: “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? … The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” You know the truth; live it. - President Thomas S. Monson

So that is what I say, you know the truth live it! There should not be any rational good reason why you should allow yourself to drop the standards you live every day. There is no reason for any member of the church teen or adult should be dressing inappropriate in any wear of life. You know what is right and what you should be doing, so why disobey? If we stretch our obedience on one of the “lesser commandments” like modesty, word of wisdom and tithing etc... We lose the spirit which is the only thing that is there to remind us of our responsibilities as members of the Church.

Stepping down and hope to get some comments, then hopefully Jessica will have a more intelligent follow up post."

Bye-bye cute brown shorts that show just a bit too much leg. They were such a steal too.... *tear*

Let me boast a little bit here....

He's learning his colors!! Cool, huh?? At this rate he'll be a doctor by 17!