What We Saw Last Night--Savior of the World

Our local stake is putting on a production of Savior of the World this week and next. Isaac, The Boy, and I went to see it last night.

The performance itself was kind of a mixed bag--that was to be expected, I guess, with such a wide variety of experience in our little community. Some of the show was great--breathtaking, even, especially in the second act--and some of it was a little rough.

But here was the interesting thing: regardless of the quality of the acting, the singing, the dancing, or the script, the feeling in the room was undeniable. It was a feeling that didn't come from any of those things--it came from a perfect God working through imperfect people. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and I felt that so clearly last night.

I'm glad we went.  It was a beautiful way to start the Easter season.

(Have I mentioned that I love Easter? I do.)

**For those of you who are local and would like to see Savior of the World--tickets are sold out, but admission is free, and walk-ins are welcome. Walk-ins will be seated a few minutes before the performance starts. Click here for more information on when and where.

Pie for Breakfast?!

Hiiii! I'm really excited today because...you know how I used to have a separate homeschool blog, called Pie for Breakfast?

(If you don't, just play along.)

Well, my super-awesome friend, Melissa, and I are starting it up again. Today! And I'm pretty sure it's going to rock, because Melissa has the best, most creative ideas ever.

So head on over there to see what's new!

Happy Friday!

It's my best friend's birthday today! So, in honor of that, here are some adorable birthday-themed coloring pages:

Happy (birthday) Friday!

Five Friends. And Their Blogs.

So I've been wanting to introduce some of my bloggy friends for awhile. I've really struggled with what to say about each of them, because I could say so much. So I've limited myself to two sentences each. But I want you to know that all of these people and their blogs are awesome.

I purposely picked a variety of bloggers*: one that's related to me, one I haven't met face-to-face, one that's a dude, one that's my oldest friend, and one that's a more recent friend (and lives up the street). Here we go!

1. Kaylyn is my younger sister, and she's way awesomer and cooler-er than I'll probably ever be. She writes at Daily Love Letters, where she posts pictures that she's taken for Project 365.

2. Melissa is one of my oldest and best friends, which means she's pretty awesome for putting up with me for so long. She blogs at Finding Life's Joy, where she shares home-preschooling ideas that she's done with her little girls.

3. Aunt Lolo is a friend that I've never met in person, but we've been bloggy friends for...um...I actually don't know. Anyway, she writes about her adorable Eurasian family at The Lolo Life.

4. Mike was in my freshman ward at BYU, and he's one of the funniest and best people that I know. He writes about his crazy life at My Life--Or Something Like It.

5. Jen and I are a lot alike, though I'm not sure you could tell that from our blogs. She (like Kaylyn) posts photos for Project 365 at The Shigley Post.

*I apologize to the friends that I wasn't able to include--mostly for variety's sake, but some of you...just don't blog very often. I'm going to do another post like this soon, so get bloggin'!

Something We Should All Think About

I just posted on my homeschool blog, which means that I wouldn't ordinarily make a post here tonight. But something came up over there that I think I should mention here, too.

This is important to me, and it's something that I take very seriously. Some of you guys are my friends, and I want us all to be safe. Some of you are people that I don't know but are probably lovely people. I know that there are several people who read this blog that I don't know. My site stats show that.

And the thing is, some of you (sorry) might not be lovely people. That's why I'm careful about what I post here--for example, why I don't use Little Boy's real name.

Microsoft has some good, straightforward information on blog safety. Scroll down to "Basic Guidelines for Bloggers." It's information that you're supposed to tell your kids, but these tips really go for everyone.

And here's a more personal take from a fellow blogger. Scary, but worth reading.

Is This the Real Life? Is This Just Fantasy?

So...I've been thinking about this for awhile.

Y'know how a lot of people kinda separate their lives on the internet from their "real lives?" I don't mean like making a totally false identity online...I mean how people say, "Oh, we're blog friends...I don't know her in real life." Or, "I met him online. We might even meet in real life!"

I get that. I do.

But it weirds me out. Because, people, this is real life. I'm sitting at my keyboard, in real life, typing a post. And you're reading it, at a different keyboard, also in real life. You're reading it at a different time than I'm typing it, but it's still real.

We hear a lot about how mean comments on the internet can hurt people's feelings in real life. And how cyber bullying affects real lives. The line between the internet and "real life" can get blurry, and that's something to keep in mind anytime we're using the internet.

But I think this concept can have a positive spin, too. Just like a mean comment can hurt someone, a nice comment can lift someone. A positive post can change someone's real-life day.

And I guess what bothers me about distinguishing between "on the internet" and "in real life" is that I've met a lot of bloggers who I consider friends. I've never met them face-to-face, but they've cheered me up and cheered me on. That's what friends do. Real-life friends.

So next time you find yourself referring to your "internet" friends versus your "real-life" friends, think about it. Because friends are friends. Period.

{PS-- I don't know why this post came out double-spaced. Sorry about that.}

More of the Warmer Days

I'm still pining for the warmer, sunnier days we had this fall.

 





This picture turned out so weird--first, because the leaf looks HUGE (it's a big leaf, but he's holding it really close to the camera); and second, because we were in the shade and I can't get his skin to look anything but gray. Oh well...I swear, my kid isn't a vampire.

And this will for sure (probably, maybe) be my last whiny post about how I wish it were not winter. I think.

Strawberries and More Strawberries

Remember last year, when we went to the local strawberry festival? No? Oh. Well, we did. And we had so much fun that we went this year, too! We met up with some friends and some family. Little Boy was brave enough to ride the little train: Look, he has his own personalized barrel! [No, not really.] Little Boy, some friends, and a cousin. Little Boy LOVES taking tours of the farm [on a big wagon pulled by a tractor. Think hay ride, but without the hay]. Well, he loves the tractor, anyway. One of the cousins took a little nap. And we left with some souvenirs. They didn't last very long. Guess we'll have to go back for more next year.

Strawberry Festival

Two weeks ago we headed out to a local berry farm for their annual Strawberry Festival. I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I have a strawberry problem. If there are strawberries within reach, I will eat them all without even realizing it. All of them. And I don't know why. They're just good, I guess.

So anyway: Strawberry Festival? I'm totally there. Another draw was that everything at the festival was free. Except the berries, of course. But that's a good deal for a family outing.


Why are we here, Mom? Oh, you just wait, Little Boy.


Small strawberry sundae = free.


Our best friends just happened to be there, as well. We didn't plan it.


This is what sealed the deal for Little Boy. The farm had a big green tractor. Well, I'm sure they have more than one tractor, but this one pulled us around the farm on a guided tour. Little Boy was all excited to ride behind the tractor, but once we climbed aboard, he took it really seriously. He sat on his little seat with an all-business look on his face. I think he felt grown up.


And then, of course, there was the playground. He's probably staring out toward the tractor again.

So, in spite of his uncertainty, Little Boy had pretty much the best day ever. And Isaac and I enjoyed ourselves, too. Did I mention the strawberries?

Perfectly Imperfect

Photo Source

I've had an idea brewing in the back of my head for awhile. It's a little bit personal, but I'm sharing it because I think it's something that many of us struggle with.

For as long as I can remember, this is the way I've seen the world and seen myself:

Perfect = Good
Imperfect = Not as good
Me = Imperfect
 ~therefore~
Me = Almost good, but never quite good enough

This equation is wrong. What I've come to realize is that those of us who think this way are hurting ourselves and holding ourselves back. Jesus Christ atoned for us so that this equation would never be true.

This is the right equation:

Perfect = Good
Imperfect = Also good
Me = Imperfect
 ~therefore~
Me = Good

I don't have to wait until I'm perfect to be good. I'm good now. God loves me now. And He loves you now.

So let's go forward and be good and lovable just by being ourselves.

Madame Green

When Isaac finally found a job in December, our little family had a lot of adjusting to do. For the last year, we'd been together almost all the time. I was a little lonely. Or maybe a lot lonely. I had Little Boy to keep me company, and that helped, but...he's two. But then my best friend ever, Melissa, in true best-friend-ever fashion, solved the problem. She got me this for Christmas:

Meet Madame Green. You ask the lovely lady a question, then push down on the bubble (kind of like pop-o-matic Trouble.). And then, not only does she answer your question--she also dispenses M&Ms into the tray next to her! Conversation and chocolate--I haven't been lonely or hungry since!

Six Quirky Things

Melissa tagged me. But I don't know if I can think of six quirky things...I'm just so normal! Not.

1. I stole this one from Melissa--we've been best friends for a long time, but we're so different. We don't like any of the same things. But our husbands are like twins--they're exactly the same. It's so weird.
2. I read a lot. A LOT. I don't know why. It just happens. I've actually slowed down a bit lately...I'm down to about one book per week. I don't know why that is, either. Hmm.
3. I used to be a total slob. I'm not totally organized now, but I've gotten a lot better. I think it happened after I had Little Boy--I just realized that it was my responsibility to "make" our home, and it became really important to me.
4. I don't like to wear socks or shoes. Unfortunately, I live in a very rainy place, so I can't go barefoot as much as I want to. Wet feet would be even worse than shoes.
5. I'm Mormon. Is that a quirk? You decide.
6. I love dishes. Doesn't that make me sound so domestic? Maybe I should say this: I love weird-looking dishes. Anyway, I'm not allowed to buy them--no room in my kitchen or my budget. But I do spend a lot of time gawking at them.

So...those six things don't sound as quirky as I thought they would. Or maybe I'm just so quirky that I can't even tell anymore. Hmm.

Photo Monday: Princess Edition

Little Boy went to a princess-themed birthday party yesterday.



Cute, huh?

 
Each of the kids decorated a crown. Little Boy, being a boy, got to put car stickers on his. He loves it. He calls it his "taw hat."



This is the birthday girl, opening Little Boy's present to her. It's a fun little jar filled with "Magical Princess Cookies." Some of the cookies have Disney princesses on them, and some of them are pink with sprinkles.



Happy birthday girl = successful party.
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Birthday Party Quote of the Day


 Princess Party Guest, pulling shiny plastic crown off her cupcake: "We can't really eat this because, well, we could, um, choke and die."