Shopping with twins pre-walking.

My first set of twins just over a year old!

Getting around with twins, or with any child can be exhausting. I can't say to how different it is with one verses two babies, as I've only ever had two babies at one time. I do know that at the end of a shopping excursion or day out with family - I'm ready for a nap (which I never actually get). I've learned a few tip and tricks to help me not only survive getting out with my children, but to enjoy the experience too. This post is specifically for the pre-walking twins.


Shopping inside: Shopping indoors can be extremely difficult. Maneuvering the narrow aisles and doorways with strollers, diaper bags, and other sundry baby items takes it toll on actually enjoying a shopping trip. This is what works and where:

1. Use a front and back stroller. This allows you easier access through narrow doorways and stores without the wide aisles. I use the Baby Trend Snap and Go double stroller ensemble. It allows you to place your car seats into their stroller frame - and go. Double side-by-side strollers can be effective in larger department stores, but it is harder to steer and does not have a lot of storage for storing your purchases.

I normally will not use the space underneath the stroller for storing my goods to purchase. I most often will push the stroller with my left and and pull behind me a grocery cart in a backwards motion with my right hand. It is a lot of work, but sometimes it's the only way to get in and out with all the things you need. Diapers and wipes take up a lot of room and do not fit on any stroller I've ever used.

2. Car seats in cart. I have taken recently to putting the my boys into the cart. Sometimes one up front in the seat belted in and the other in the cart with the car seat (setting all the way inside the cart). Depending on what I need, I will use the sides and the underneath section to store my goods, or I will pull behind me another entire cart. Pushing a cart with one hand, vs. a stroller, has been easier to steer and maneuver.

3. Cart and baby carrier. While it is a good option, it can be a very back breaking option. But, if you really need to get out and about and get those errands done with colicky babies - it's a very good plan. I used the method several times when one of my babes was having a hard time sitting in his car seat. It was a bit difficult when I had to lean over and pick something off a lower shelf, but again, a good option when you really need to get things done.

4. Double cart seating. There are some magical stores that carry large enough carts to fit both babies up in the front section of the cart. They even make double cart seat covers to protect babies from germs. I was lucky with my first set of twins as there seemed to be quite a few stores with this option. Now with my 2nd set and living in a smaller area, carts are narrower and do not allow to strapping lads to fit up in the front section of the cart.

5. One baby belted in the cart and one seated in the goods section of the cart. This option only works if you are willing to deal with the baby not strapped into the cart. This baby has the ability to stand and while you feel this maybe a viable option - keep a vigilant watch. My little ones love to stand and while I push the cart. When I use this option, I stand on the side of the cart and it pull it this way, while holding onto the baby with more freedom. Eventually a toy, or snack gets more attention and he will sit - but I still keep a good watch out for him. You can also try a booster seat with a belt - I haven't tried this yet!

6. Seek help. Isn't it great to think that you can do it all - shop, make dinner, all while carting around both babies and your other children - if you have them - on your hip. Sometimes you are just too tired to shop with your kids and physically drained to push that grocery cart or get that big box of diapers. It's OK to ask for help. Take along a friend, older siblings, or family members and let them push the stroller, or better yet - let you go all by yourself!

Good luck!

How do you do it?

How do you handle multiple children varying ages?

Did this help?

Note to self...

Picture Mr. T strapped to me in a Baby Bjorn, the Hawk in his car seat perched on top of the shopping cart; Cici and Nini on either side of the cart; and yours truly pushing the shopping cart with my shopping list clenched in one of my hands. I see someone I know and we start chatting. The girls are picking out Father's Day cards and Mr. T's less than small frame is making the conversation more and more excruciating.

I say goodbye to my friend and quickly try to get as many things as I can before the Hawk gets too frustrated with his car seat. Somewhere in between talking to my friend and finding a Father's Day gift, my list becomes Mr. T's afternoon snack. I can't remember how he got a hold of it, but push forward and get as many things on the list as possible and make it to the check-out.

We run a few more errands and finally end up at home ready for some needed rest - but wait?! After unloading the contents of my mini-van, I realize that everything I purchased at my first stop were still at the store. I left everything. Fortunately, they saved everything back for me (thanks Target) and I was able to pick it up the next day.

My note to self...shop on Saturday morning when Craig can watch the kids.

The Value of a Penny.

I arrived at the hospital's antenatal unit before they had opened the doors. Like myself, there were several pregnant women waiting for their diabetic check-up. Several minutes after the opening time, a staff member finally arrived. This clinic is notorious for long waits and long lines, so when the doors opened we all waddled as quickly as we could to be the first in line. I pulled out my medical card on the way to have it handy and accidentally dropped a penny on the ground. My mom started to turn and pick it up, but I said quickly to leave it and that it was just a penny and getting in line was more important.

After returning from having my blood drawn, I came and sat down for my long wait. My mom said that a lot of the staff had been delayed because of a major accident. One of the nurses struck up a conversation with my mom about having a particularly bad morning. However, she said that it was about to change because she had just found a US lucky penny on the ground when she walked in the door! She was overly excited and confident that the penny was a sign of better things to come. This story made me smile! I guess you never know how even the smallest event will change you or somebody that follows in your path. Perhaps a penny still has value.

P.S. The winner of my favorite things giveaway is.....Andrea! Congrats!

No more holes.

A man's real possession is his memory. In nothing else is he rich, in nothing else is he poor. Alexander Smith

Recording memories can be like an author writing his masterpiece, but because of time constraints and lack of information, leaves entire chapters empty. Doesn't it feel like this sometimes? That there is not enough time in the day to record the day, or take the 1,000's of photos from a summer vacation and put them into an album; or to sit down and hand-write special memories. These constraints have created something I never wanted to collect - holes. But with these holes, is a discovery and new passion to fill the ones I can and keep from creating more.

Holes can't always be filled:

Looking at all the things I've done with my family and personal history, I find that there are some parts of my life that will always be filled with holes. I will never be able to fill these holes with fact - only speculation. Except for the care of our parents, early childhood memories can be extremely vague. My experience, although not normal, can explain why it's hard to capture memories of our youth, unless it's recorded for us.

The first photo of me was at 18 months. My birth family claimed that there had been a fire and all of the photos had been destroyed. Even when I had the opportunity to meet my birth father, he handed me a photo and claimed that it "might" be me - he wasn't sure. No one took the time to record any events in my life, outside of children's services, until I was adopted at the age of three. Our original baby books created by my mom, had clippings of babies from magazines. She wanted me to know what I might have looked like. This is a very large hole for me and one that can only be filled in slightly with a few photos and recorded stories.

My mom and dad did their best to take photos. Their are a few classic stories of each family member, but the rest is almost a blank slate. My own attempts to record my life started right after my baptism, where I received my first journal. There are many months throughout that are filled with blank pages and neither my mom, nor I, have anything recorded during this time. Neither are there photos to allow me to remember.

The earliest photo I have of my own children is three months. I have only our experience with their adoption and only small tidbits of what might have happened while they were in Russia. It is heartbreaking to me that they already have a few holes in their personal history and I am determined not to make anymore for them.

Filling in the holes:

I found it a great joy to write about my children's adoption. I recorded it in my leather bound journal all the events that took place, the people we met, the paperwork problems, the plane rides, the frustrations, the joys of of meeting them for the first time, and the pain of having to wait for the courts approval. On our way home from Russia after our first trip, I accidentally left this journal on a plane and haven't seen it since. The vividness of these memories are gone forever, but because I took photos and made a few recordings on my computer; I was able to capture some of these moments. Also, I made an attempt to re-write as much of the events as I could, while they were still fresh in my mind.

Loosing this journal was an eye opening revelation to me that memories, although captured in your mind and soul, can never be fully recovered once the experience has past. There are just too many events and experiences in life to remember them all with vivid colors and feelings.

There are three things I have come to do when recording mine and my family's history:

1. Hand-written form through a personal journal to record special experiences and feelings.

2. Log daily experiences, crafts, fun events, quirky moments, and vacations through blogging.

3. Photo journaling through albums, either chronological or subject.

This is my own personal way of fulfilling my promise to myself to have no more holes. I know that if I don't write in my journal, I am blogging. If I don't create an album, I am at least creating files on my computer of when the photos were taken. If I didn't blog the event, I wrote it in my journal.

How about you?
How do you create a 'no holes' approach?

Are there easier ways?

Coherent the whole time.

Our Monday night meeting at the school to "meet the teacher" ended up being quite the interesting evening. I entered the school as just a parent and came out as one of six members of the Governing Board within the school. I guess it would compare a lot to the PTA in the states. How did this happen? Apparently, I raised my hand when the principle asked if there was anyone else, something I had always tried to avoid in grade school, interested in going through the election process. Apparently, I then made a speech, and was voted in as a new board member. Obviously, I was coherent for all of this and I am very interested in seeing what the we will be working on this school year.

Cici and Nini's teacher is so cute and wonderful and you can tell she loves to teach! Craig sat in Nini's desk and I sat in Cici's as we listened to her presentation. After it was finished, we pulled out the girl's journals that they write in everyday and wrote a little "I love you" not in them that they could find the next day!

Have you "meet the teacher" yet?

Are you on a school board or PTA?

The Drama Files...gas station lock-down.

I am submitting a new label to my blog posts which will track all the "drama" that I seem to attract in my life. Let's start with a rushed morning, me leaving the house without proper payment methods. The night before Craig and I took the girls to McDonald's for dinner and then straight home. I remember Craig mentioning that I really needed to get gas in the morning. I agreed because I remember the gas signal beeping at me earlier in the day. I drop the girls off at school in the morning and circle around to head back home and prepare a few things for going to the gym and getting gas. I then look down at the gas level and it said 3 miles. What! Hello! I take the block and head in the direction of the gas station.

At mile one, I arrive safely and start to pay for the gas. I mentioned before that I didn't leave the house with proper payment: a card that needed to be paid but was waiting for online password verification to pay online and our vacation debit card with little money left on it. I take the first card and swipe it crossing my fingers it would go through. If not, I figured I could probably park walk home in 30 minutes, get the right card, and come back and pump and pay. I was relieved when the pump accepted my card for $130 dollars! Yes, that much! I put the cap back on and wait for the receipt. Instead of the receipt the screen says in french Payez...Interuir? Something like this. I was thrown off at this request because I already paid. I get in my car and start to drive away, out of the corner of my eye I see the attendant inside looking at my car. I leave the gas station parking lot and it suddenly hit me that - my card must not have gone through and I didn't pay.

I couldn't turn in, I had to retake the entire block. I go to the front door of the gas station and it's locked! Yes, locked! A busy gas station. I ring the door a couple of times and finally she comes to the door. I ask, "Did my card go through?" "No, she said." What a moment! I had driven off the station without paying and most likely the station was on lock down pending procedure for pump , not pay, and go patrons. Heaven sakes... Remember my payment problem? The 2nd card wouldn't go through either. Embarrassed, I say little - what else can you say in this situation. I ask her, "is there anyway you would trust me to go get money?" She quickly answered yes - she had my license plate - I couldn't go far. Anyway, I went home, got the right payment forms and settled my "debt" with the gas station.

Rattled, I figured I would continue on with my plans to swim at the gym. I arrive 15 minutes later and realize that I had packed my items in the wrong bag and my pass was in another bag. I decided at this point to give-up and headed home to hide a few! Whew! That's my drama from Friday and I have since made steps to not be in this situation again. I got myself together and decided that the best medicine for a day like this was to organize my office, talk to Jennifer, make pizza, and cupcakes -oh, and conquer the treadmill and pray that this never happens again!

Have you had a similar situation at a gas station?

Have you ever found yourself in an awkard situation because of language barriers?

A very unfortunate stabbing...

In our kitchen, the girls usually unload the silverware as one of many small chores they do very well. It helps them feel like they are participating and it means that I don't have to unload the silverware! The sharp knives the girls know not to touch unless it's in the silverware container in the dishwasher. They are allowed to hand them carefully to me and they always are careful...until today.

Nini had been a bit spacey today because Craig has been out of town on business this week. She has a tendency to close herself off and it's hard to get her attention. I was trying to focus her in helping me and she was doing a great job. She said to me, Mom, there's a sharp knife. They are supposed to warn me when they see one, pick it up, and hand it to me gently. OK honey, I reply, turn and take the knife....unfortunately, Nini had picked up two knives and I didn't see the second smaller knife she had in the same hand. It drops and lands right on the top part of my ankle where the foot bends.

Luckily, it didn't stab her foot. The small wound I have has gotten worse through day and it's been very hard to walk on it. I am not an expert on feet, but it must have hit a nerve or something, because I can hardly walk on it! Heaven sakes! I hope that it will get better over night with rest. Can you believe that tiny thing has caused so big a problem?

Lessons for mommy - #1 Never let a 5 year old handle sharp knives and #2 Wear Shoes!

Have you been stabbed? Seriously?!

Skunks and fire: Not a good mix.

Summer at home is progressing with lots of little adventures, yesterday was the cheese factory (a story that needs it's own post) and Monday heading over to new blogger Natalie's house. My camera battery decided to die, but I had a spare, and was able to take this self-portrait. Our children get along just perfectly and despite all the spider's we encountered in her beautiful backyard - it was great fun!

During the time that I've had some normal at home time, I've managed to almost get sprayed by a skunk and put serious damage to our kitchen, if not burn down our house. While repacking from our Maine to NY trip here in Montreal, I needed to go from our house to the car to locate a missing item. When I opened our front door I saw what I thought was a porcupine about 10 feet away from me. The wheels in my head are churning, it's almost dark outside, and I'm thinking "what would a porcupine be doing in the city"? Fortunately, my wheels in my head were turning quickly, and that white stripe and black fur, wasn't a porcupine, but skunk! His fur and tail were sticking straight up. I quickly (very quickly) turned and slammed the door. Thankfully, I didn't have to travel the rest of my vacation smelling like a skunk!

We also ordered pizza that same day and we ate it that night and also for lunch the next day. I'm not sure what I was thinking, but...I put the pizza..and the box in the oven-hoping to quickly blog while it was heating up. I was up on our top floor and Craig was in the basement coming upstairs ranting about smoke! The flames were reaching outside the oven and we couldn't find the fire extinguisher; this painfully embarrassing story short, shutting the oven and throwing water on it, did the trick! I give this my Git Award, because it deserves nothing less! You can check out the rest of Michelle's follies that deserve the Git Award on my side bar.

Ever encountered a skunk?
Known or been sprayed by one?
Do you have any Git Award stories of your own?

Running in Neon.

Your first thought when viewing this photo might be that I am going to be dabbling in construction! This vest Craig purchased for me to use when riding and running through the city. I've been inches away from buses zooming past me on my bicycle and often take to running in the evening. This vest will insure that everyone miles away can see me! And now for a conversation with Craig:

Me: "Man, I feel like I've lost some brain cells this morning", referring to my foggy, time of the month state, which seemed to be much more than I'm used too.

Craig: "Well, you know you are certainly acting like it too!"

Which I couldn't really deny as I was staring a lot, taking five minute naps, and not being very animated, - all while driving! OK, maybe not the nap part, but next time I think I'll let Craig drive.

What are you up to this weekend?

She called me...

Our first pet, Inga - still alive and kicking! 1994

My blog URL may be a bit oddly named to many who visit for the first time. My original choice was "A Happy Heart", but I signed up before I was ready to really begin blogging and proceeded to forget my login information. I came up with my blog name SheCalledME from the following story:

Portland State Graduation - 1996 (don't laugh at the glasses!)

15 years ago on January 18, 1993 at late morning I phoned Craig, my husband. I met him in a singles branch in Vancouver, Wa after he had returned home from his mission in Washington DC. We talked several times at church and it was very refreshing to meet a guy who smiled, laughed, and had the cutest dimples - he, to me, seemed like a very content guy.

Proud owners of our new $900. Volvo - 1998 - Alexandria, VA

The reason for my call that morning was to ask him out on a date, it was clear that my "flirting" wasn't getting through to him! My opportunity to ask him out came when my recently returned missionary brother -who didn't drive - needed a ride to the movies to meet a girl and he wondered if we could do a double date. I immediately thought - here's my chance!

On top of the world-Liechtenstein, 1999
A rare occassion - A work event - 1999

Apparently, Craig wasn't doing anything that day and his cool shock on the phone was clear, he was very surprised that I called and would meet me at the theatre. Aladdin had just come out and this was our movie of choice and a movie we see and hear in the car at least once a week.

Freezing in Bratislava, Slovakia 2000

For the benefit of the girls, we hold hands during the "magic carpet ride" and sing our parts as Aladdin and Jasmine for "A Whole New World". Although the girls seem to expect this now and will reach out to us and say "do you trust me daddy (or mommy)" It's quite cute!

Another work event- 2000

The "she" in the title refers to me -that called Craig, who would be the "me" in my blog title, which action in turn, created "us" six months later in the Portland, OR temple. It was just "us" for 10 years.

Loosing our hair at Stonehenge - 2002

We had a lot of time to get to know each other, to travel, and experience life both the good times and bad. I couldn't imagine my life without him and am grateful that I married a man that feels the exact same way about me.

Sealing Day June 26, 2003

Happy one phone call that started it all!

Toilet seat temper tantrum and an impersonation.

Self-Portrait before "Bee Movie" starts

'Hmmm, where is this title taking me?' is what you might be asking yourself right now. Don't be alarmed - keep reading! Since we moved into our house in Montreal there has been one thing I have absolutely detested about this house - the upstairs, rusted toilet seat. This isn't our home, we are renters, so Craig stance has been to just leave it - since there is no equity to be made in this home. However my opinion of his opinion changed drastically earlier this week. Let's go back a bit to the treatments that Craig and I have been going through. It's been really hard to get to the end of the month and see that I am still not pregnant. Monday was the end of our fourth cycle and the end of these current treatments. Now, since I am not pregnant, there next step is surgery for me - long story, for a later date. Going on now to Tuesday, I walk into the bathroom to brush my hair, and I look down at this old toilet seat and I say to myself - enough is enough - the thing didn't have a chance after the week I had; so be it hormones, stress, or just being peeved I was forced to feel "in control" of something...

I run downstairs and grab the screw driver and start taking the seat off - it's time for a new one! I've changed these before, I think - no problem. After about a minute of turning the screw that held the toilet seat in, I realize that the thing hasn't really gone anywhere. I keep turning and turning and my frustration level rises. The darned thing isn't coming off - WHY! No I didn't yell this aloud - but I certainly thought about yelling. I lift the toilet seat lid and start pulling the lid up, gently, and then with much frustration. The lid flies off and lands on the bathroom floor, but to my dismay, the screws were still in the toilet seat, which meant - I can't put the new one on. And then, the light bulb in my head goes on and I realize that underneath the seat is a bolt that is holding on the screw- oops!

Frustration can build and I took out on that poor toilet seat. One thing about me you may know if you know me personally, is that I can often try to solve a problem without thinking it through all the way. OK, so the toilet seat is off - but I didn't think to buy a new one yet. I only had 30 minutes to get across the freeway to Canadian tire to pick-up a new toilet seat. Craig has teased me persistently because of situations just like these - I wasn't going to get this one messed-up. I made it to Canadian tire and realized that I didn't measure the toilet - so my genius tells me to purchase the biggest toilet seat lid on the row - because all the other ones are too small. I run home tare open the toilet seat cover and put it on - crisis averted - no need for teasing this time - it's perfect. I feel a bit sheepish about getting so frustrated, but - what I can I say - I was.

David Caruso, the famous sun glasses.

This weekend was all about spending as much time as we could together before Craig leaves on a business trip, this time I feel more excitement since I will be joining him in only four days! Yeah! It's time away as a family, but the thought of a reprieve is most blessed in my mind. We took the girls to see the "Bee Movie", took them to an art/princess birthday party for one of their friends, and we did some errands.

David Caruso, the famous end of a scene pose.

Before church today, Craig gave us his best David Caruso CSI Miami impersonation. He drives me crazy, I can't even stand seeing the previews of this show - when are they going to take him off the series???!! Am I alone in my Caruso annoyance? The clip below is from the Letterman Show and Jim Carrey's best Caruso impressions. Enjoy!

How do you take out your frustrations?

Have you seen the Bee Movie?

What do you think of Caruso's one liners and sunglass habit?

Are you normally this pale?

Monday and Tuesday my throat started to hurt, Wednesday and Thursday my right side of my throat was really sore, and Friday I woke up with both sides of my throat hurting. That night I managed to fall asleep around 11:00 p.m. and woke up around 1:00 a.m. - never to return to bed, because it's hard sleeping when something hurts. I should have gone to the hospital then, but I'm a bit stubborn this way. Yesterday, after not being able to swallow without making myself cry. I went down to the great socialist medical system here in Montreal and waited in line with about 20 other people to see a doctor. I was a bit loopy since I had taken some cold medicine I didn't realize was for night time and I was on an empty stomach. I think I drifted in out of sleep the whole time and hopefully didn't snore too loud - it was a very crowded waiting room.

Three and a half hours later, my name was finally called! The first questions the doctor asked me was "are you normally this pale?" Anyway, the diagnosis? Tonsillitis. Yikes! Fortunately it's my first time and they aren't thinking surgery yet. Maybe I'm destined to have all my unnecessary organs removed - I've already had my gallbladder removed - so why not my tonsils. Has anyone else had tonsillitis? Or had their tonsils removed? Almost 24 hours later, I'm still in a lot of pain, but I can at least eat something. I'm on some gargling solution and antibiotics and lots of advil. I haven't eaten much in two days, but somehow managed to gain two pounds - what's up with that? I'm home from church today and am planning on snoozing the whole time.

Friday night, I didn't feel much like cooking or paying a lot to order out, so I picked up this frozen pizza. I let the girls watch a movie during the time they were waiting for Craig to get home, it's hard for them to wait, there's just too much anticipation. The lines at the airport were short so he got home pretty quick. Here some more souvenirs and "I'm home" gifts he brought back for me and the girls. Notice all the chocolate? Nummy!

Despite our little family drama on Saturday, we were able to get a lot of family time. The girls hung out with Craig all morning and then we watched a movie while Craig while I got caught up on sleep. We had a great time sitting on our back deck and letting the girls play when to our right, we see the tree moving. We look over just in time to see Nini's head popping up over the railing. Have you met my little monkey yet?

Here is Cici sitting with one of our dogs Inga. It was 13 years ago that we brought her into our family, she was a 1 year anniversary gift to ourselves. She's old and she doesn't like people around her very much, so this was quite the treat for Cici to have Inga sitting with her. Cici was so proud!

Translating Emotion.

St. Basil's Cathedral May 2003

There is a sister that recently moved into our ward in Montreal from Russia. A couple of months ago we met and briefly spoke to each other. She doesn't know English and I do not speak Russian, so our communication was limited. She had an English/Russian dictionary and we were able to communicate through that.

I told her I had two girls who were adopted from Russia. She looked inquisitively at me so I knew that she didn't understand. I looked up the word adoption and children and pointed to me. Her face lit up and immediately tears welled-up in her eyes. I thought how sweet of her to feel so moved by the girl's and introduced her to them as soon as church was over. We had an instant friendship.

I love talking to the girl's about their adoption and they seem to love anything or anyone who is from Russia. I was able to introduce the girl's to her that same Sunday and they immediately took to her. This last Sunday, I went up to her and put my hand on her shoulder, I said hello and said a few words to her. She said she was good and then she stopped talking almost mid-sentence. I asked her if she was OK but my non-existent Russian was not able to understand what she was trying to communicate to me. She reached into her bag to pull out her dictionary and then said to me "just a minute".

She walked quickly down the hallway leaving me behind, concerned I followed her into the bathroom. When she ran into the stall and locked the door, I knew she had become emotionally unable to communicate with me. I thought to myself, what should I do? Immediately I remembered that a Ukrainian couple had moved into the ward last week. They were both fluent in English and had been members for years. I ran to get her from Sunday School and I explained what happened. I asked her to find out how we could help.

They talked together and she translated the woman's emotions for me. I must say it was an experience I won't soon forget. I know that this woman was sent help because she was doing all she could to make her life the best it could be here in Montreal. Without the woman from Ukraine, we would have never of been able to help. Isn't it always that way, just when you think you can't do it anymore, the answers come, things change, and life gets a little better and a lot clearer.

ME? Bend It Like Beckham - not really!

I am casually walking with the girls home from school. We pass by the small school that is at the end of our street. There are a bunch of girls playing volleyball right by the fence. The ball accidentally comes over the fence, crosses the street, and lands right in front of us. They yell nicely in french for me to return the ball and I answer back (in English) that I'll throw it to them.

I cross the street and say, "Hey, let me kick it over the fence!" "They say sure that would be great!" I kick the ball right into the fence, it bounces back and I catch it before it goes back across the street. So I say, "Let me try that again!" "OK!" they say back. I was so sure I would get that ball over the fence! I pull out the best kick I possibly could and the thing goes straight up in the air and lands right in front of me. Seeing that I was only going to make a fool out of myself if I tried it again, I said "Ya, I think I'll just throw it over!" They kindly say "OK" - again and I, luckily, threw it over the fence without incident.

What a sight! The girls in the school yard were great sports, and the teachers standing near by got a great laugh! I crossed the street to my girls and started laughing. Should I be embarrassed? This absolutely deserves the Git Award. Assume that this will be a normal feature on my blog - this type of stuff happens to me more than I would like to admit! What's your Git Award experience?

Thank you to Jill for sending these great good mail labels! What an angel she is and it came on the perfect day at a moment when I needed a good boost. Thank you Jill! Jill's enthusiasm for good mail and her labels inspired me to get my tooshy (as we say in our house) moving and get my good mail out the door. I walked to school with the box and letters, picked up the girls and went to the post office. They said the box was going to be $25 dollars - for less than a 1lb! What a crock. The small envelopes were going to be $6 dollars each. I just about freaked - OK - I did.

Our postal office is a shoe store and a post office and ballet outfitter! Crazy eh? The gentleman who run the place were really nice. We repacked the box into a bag and flattened the envelopes by rearranging their contents - the total bill was $25.00 for the lot. Lesson learned! It's much cheaper to send things to Canada than sending them in Canada or to the US. With all of that, my good mail and friendship pillows to my sis and Abby are out the door! And other good mail that just might be coming your way!

My mom has gotten into the spirit of good mail. Thanks for the Easter socks mom! They look great on these cute little toes.


My morning was spent with my two little hockey players. The saying "While in Rome" we are applying to hockey in our family. It's such a big sport here, why not make family fun activities out of it. Please don't mind the clutter in these pictures! As I like to say, "I can't do it all" - I try, but I can't!

Stay tuned for sewing with my daughter and general conferance recap!

One Word and an Unexpected Outcome.

I find that the answers to personal hardships come most often unexpectedly and sometimes can be solved by just one word. In 1993, when my husband I married, I had no idea what it would be like to leave my small town in Washington State. I had lived there since I was in 1st grade and had never felt what it was like to be new. I made several friends right away and they were all with me as bridesmaids at my wedding fourteen years later. Pass fourteen more years, eight moves, four states and two countries later - I felt worn out, a bit out of sorts, and loathing being new - again.


This is where the unexpected part comes in; while I was shopping at an April Cornell outlet store, I found this pillow. When I saw the 75% off price tag I bought it and took it home to put on our living room couch. I thought it was a great deal and a wonderful way to make our guests feel at home. Every time I came into the room, I would consciously read the word. As I went through my day, I thought about my friends; about the friends I lost contact with, the friends I contact occasionally, and the friends I will make here in Montreal.


I felt a wave of peace fall over me and I knew that Heavenly Father understood all my worries. I began to see my situation differently. I understood the importance of friends, but more importantly that I was capable of being a friend. I knew I had to change my perspective regarding how many people would call me their friend to how many people can I befriend. There will always be someone who needs a friend more than I do and if I'm trapped in my own self-pity - I'll never be able to be that friend.


The Pillow of Friendship project:


This pillow and the wonderful web of ideas and inspiration the women on the blog networks have already created - gave me a great idea - the Pillow of Friendship project:

For every place I've lived and for every place I will live; I've made friends and been uplifted by others. Today, I start my goal to make one-hundred pillows with the word "friend" and send them to old friends, to people who are in need of friend, to family, inspirational teachers, great babysitters, and to people who have gone out of their way to be kind to me, my husband, and my girls.

I'm not a great seamstress - but I will be by the time I'm through! Would you like to join me? The first person on my list is my wonderful niece Abby! Not just because her birthday is coming up - but for her sweet smile, beautiful stories, and being the best little niece ever! Off I go - I'll post it when it's done!