Things that make us happy!

JD took a day off work this week to spend time with me and go shopping. We haven't really done much "extra spending" this summer and we were both itching for some new things. Because we won't be back in Utah until right before school starts, we figured this trip could count as our "back to school shopping," seeing as we won't have time to go before we start up again. (Ps. Everything we bought was on sale!)

Recipe to make Summer happy: colorful new pad of scrap paper, stickers, jewels, pretty curly embellishments, drawing pad, charcoal pencils, lovely little flower headband, turqoise essential cardigan, happy striped tees, sailor shirt, perfect army green dressy pants, red drop earrings, Tae bo work out DVD, cute little summertime heels, Victoria Secret lipgloss, and dried mangoes :)

Recipe to make JD happy: 2 pairs of smokin' hot jeans, Hurley black shorts, cargo black shorts, Adidas red shirt, 2 DVDs, ipod cover and skull candy headphones, new socks and underwear (he's embarrassed I mention this...), 2 hats, a Cardinals tee, G2 gaterade Costco package, Orbit gum, and seafood for dinner.

I took a picture of Thursday's findings, but left my camera at home. It kinda makes me giggle how girly my list is and how boyish his is. :)

Red boots.

I love the 4th. It's one of my favorite holidays! Our day was very relaxed. We debated long and hard about going downtown to DC, but finally decided against it because of the unbearable heat and the crowds. Instead, we just churched it up, napped, and relaxed at home.

Later in the evening we headed over to Tyler and Kristy's for hamburgers,

drove to Gaithersburg to relax on the lawn,

wait for fireworks,

listen to the live band,

throw a football around and enjoy the evening.

It was such a good day!

The fireworks were phenomenal. I love the white ones that boom and sparkle and then burst at the end when you think they're about to die.

ps. Any day I wear my red boots is a good day!

pps. Take note of JD's buzzed head in the first picture. I think he looks cute :)

Agency.

I believe there was a war in Heaven and a big battle was fought over the idea of agency. Satan had a plan; his plan was for everyone to come to earth and be forced to do the right thing and return to Heaven by sheer force. He wanted to force men to do as he said. Christ had a plan, too. His was better. He thought it would make more sense for every being to have the ability to choose Heaven, to choose good, to choose Him, to choose the right. He thought happiness would be more valuable to us if it came through our own decisions.

Isn't it interesting that the same war we fought before we came to this world continues today? Thank goodness for the brave men and women who fight for freedom, essentially for the agency, of every human being to be able to make their own choices and decisions. They truly are defending a sacred notion.

Dear little ones,

I can't wait for you to be part of our family, but I still need some time. When your dad and I were first talking about getting married and starting a new life, I was worried about lots of things. I was worried because I'm not a very good cook. I hope by the time you're here I'll have had enough practice that I won't be so bad. I was worried about chores, and bills, and taxes, and life... and I wasn't sure if I could do it. It's been almost a year now and lots of things worry me, but I don't get as stressed because Daddy balances me out and keeps me sane.

I think often of what our life will be like and I'm excited. I'm excited to tickle your toes and give you butterfly kisses. I'm excited to practice your reading and listen to the stories you come up with in your head. Let's make stories up together. I'm excited to take you to the park and to the fair and to the pool.

I'm excited to bake cookies and eat watermelon from the rind. I hope we live in Texas, and you love the heat and the sun and the southern manners as much as I do. And if we don't live there, I hope there's a place for it in your heart. I hope you guys get a long enough to endure car rides and road trips and we can have (mostly) pleasant travel memories.

I'm excited to teach you about the Savior and to hear your little prayers. I'm excited to watch you grow in your understanding and love for the Gospel. I'm excited to see the sacrifices you are willing to make to hold true to your standards. Don't be mad when I want you to choose a modest prom dress and I won't let you buy a string bikini. I hope your teenage friends like to hang out at our house. I hope we throw parties and you like having neighbors and friends over as much as Dad and I do.

I hope you push hard at whatever you do. I hope you are strong and you work hard. I hope you pursue things that make you happy. I hope you don't give up when you want to stop. I hope you don't get embarrassed by your obnoxious mother on the sidelines. I hope you like football. I hope you are healthy and you care about what goes into your body.

Dearest kiddos, there is so much joy I see in the future. But right now I'm not the best mom I can be, and I'm not quite ready. I need to work on improving my habits and my life right now. I need to make time for meaningful scripture study every day. I need to exercise because I want to be around for a long, long time. I want to learn how to sew and make things with my own two hands. I also want a little time to work as a recreation therapist. I know the things I'm learning in school will help me in the relationships I have with you. I want to help people... I hope that rubs off on you a little. I feel like I need to run my life a little better than I am right now before you get here. But just so you know, I think about you all the time. Sometimes when I see other peoples' babies, I get really anxious about having you all to myself. But for now, you'll have to keep waiting patiently. Don't jump too hard on the floors of heaven.

I'm working hard to be ready for when you're here.

I love you,

Mom

K.

I want a K wall like this someday.

Found a new blog to follow.

(Because follow sounds better than stalk.)

elizabethkartchner.blogspot.com.

What I do at Work.

Receive shipments of inventory. Perform technician audits. Perform office audits. Organize inventory room. Re-arrange boxes. Vacuum. Tidy up the office. Receive calls from sales reps. Schedule technicians for jobs. but mostly... 

daydream, read, browse, and doodle.

(Things that remind me of Lindsey).

Interesting thought.

I like reading other people's blogs. I'm always sad when someone's blog is blocked, and I'm not really close enough to the person to ask for permission into their lives. I often find myself looking at the blogs of people I don't even know. JD will come into the room and ask "who's that?" and I sheepishly admit I really don't know. He thinks I'm weird. I'm just into people. I like knowing the creative things they've done to spruce up their homes for little dinero. I like reading funny stories about the things kids say and do. I like looking at pictures and scanning for ideas of outfits to try or ways to do my hair. I like to look at things people make. I am fascinated by culture and how different, or alike, people are to me. Today, I had an interesting thought: if I am reading the blogs of strangers, strangers are probably reading this blog of mine. It's a little freaky to think that and it makes a part of me want to go private. . .but mostly, it just makes me smile. Maybe my life in some small way influences another person's somewhere and I don't even know it.