The Past Week's Activities...

I have had a really good week. I have really felt a difference in my life, now that I have decided to have a purpose. I know it is strange to say that. I'm 31 for heaven's sake! It has been really hard for me to find it living here, I think. I have always felt like everyone else. Kind of like the "cookie cutter" home developments. The outside may be different, but you get inside and it's the same as so-and-so's. I believe there must be that likeness and unity in the gospel, but I believe Heavenly Father gave us our own strengths. I think I have spent too much time trying to emulate strengths of everyone else, and forgot to use my own! Maybe that is why I try to convince Dustin to move out of state. I thought that if I get away where the Church isn't as strong, I could be more useful. He's not budging!

I started the week off by feeling prompted to make some goodies and give them to some families who are less active. We did it for FHE. We explained to the kids why we were doing this. I think it was important for them to know that we love people and care about people even if they don't come to church. We wrapped them up, put a little note saying," YOU ARE LOVED," they knocked on the door and ran! They had fun. I have decided to include the recipe for the cookies. They are my favorite. They are just choclate chip, but it's better than the usual one.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3 1/3 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 small pkg of instant vanilla pudding

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cup margarine

1/2 sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

1 bag semi-sweet choc chips

1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Combine margarine, sugar, pudding, and vanilla. Beat until creamy. Beat in the eggs. Gradually add in dry ingredients(flour and baking soda combined in bowl). Stir in choc chips and nuts. Bake @ 375 until tips are just barely golden(about 8 min). They are yummy and soft. I love to eat them on the next day!

I have now insisted Dustin read the book No One Can Take Your Place. I feel he needs to understand how important I am! J/K. I just want to be able to talk to him about it, and him be able to follow me. I think he might be farther than me!

The boys started flag football. They had their first game last night. I think they got a big shock at how physical the game could become. They both were able to get the flag of another player! I didn't think the task would be so hard, but it was kind of tricky. Ryan scored the winning touchdown for his team. We were all pretty excited! I have pictures, but I can't find the camera!

The girls are just hanging out with me all day. Grace is off track. So we have been doing absolutley nothing during the day. We've gone to the park and shopping. Grace has learned to tie her shoes. I have been kind of lazy. She has always picked shoes that didn't need to be laced. It's been fun watching her grow up. She is pretty skinny and doesn't have much muscle, but she has now mastered the monkey bars! We were pretty excited for her. She is a girl who likes to do things all by herself, and she works hard and is diligent til it's done. She is trying to ride her bike right now. She is funny, because you don't help her unless she asks. Kate and Becca are a handful as always! Kate has learned that she is in control of her own body. She can make her eyebrows go up and down, make her nostrils flare, and move her jaw back and forth. Her last and final trick is she turns her bum to you and says, "Look!" You can't see it but she has learned to clinch her bum cheeks together. She shows everybody! Her primary teacher last Sun. got the whole routine, and lost it at the last one.

It has been a full, fun week!