Etc. Archives | Page 29 of 254

She didn’t want to meet Santa

January 6, 2016~ Etc.

The little kids from the primary(kids ages 4-11) sang a few Christmas songs and our boy, who is not even in primary, went up and stood right in the front center stage and mouthed “AHHHHHHH!!!” throughout all the songs and when it was over and people clapped, he was the loudest screamer and clapper.

Hello guys! We went to Hawaii for Christmas and then I was busy throwing a party for my dad’s 70th birthday, then families visiting, us getting sick, it’s been quiet busy but it’s slowing down, which I am very glad about. One of my goals this year is to slow down and focus on things that truly matter(like doing fun stuff with my kids more while they still want to hang out with me 24/7, gotta take advantage of this precious time!), and I feel 2016 is going to be an amazing year.

These pictures are from a Christmas party from our church right before we left on our vacation. We knew Santa was coming and our son was getting so excited to see Santa. After dinner and a program, Santa showed up and all the kids quickly jumped to their feet and lined up to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what was on their wish lists. As we went and stood in line with our kids, our oldest said to Jay and I, “I don’t want to sit on Santa’s lap.” We asked her why and she said, “I just don’t want to.” Jay and I looked at each other with sad eyes, our girl is growing up and seeing Santa doesn’t excite her anymore! I must have looked really sad(maybe even about to cry, I cry at things like this all the time haha) because she quickly came close to me and said, “Mommy, I don’t want to make you sad, so I will go sit on Santa’s lap.”

Later that night, I asked her why she didn’t want to sit on Santa’s lap in the beginning and she told me it was because she didn’t know yet what to ask from Santa. Hallelujah! It wasn’t because she was getting older and too cool for things like this! I was so relieved and kissed her many times and happily exclaimed, “You are still little! You are still my little baby!” To that, she said, “Oooooooh, mom.”

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What is dear to my heart

December 23, 2015~ Etc.

This post is in partnership with GoFundMe. This story is what is so dear to my heart and has touched me deeply, and I am so excited to share this fundraiser with you!

I am already crying and I just started typing. I started a GoFundMe to help a friend who is so deserving of prayers and support. This is Briana Johnson, an amazing wife to Mike and to her wonderful 5 kids.

Please be patient with me!

December 20, 2015~ Etc.

Hi everyone!

I am in the process of migrating my blog to WordPress and am fixing the kinks here and there. But all my posts are still here and I will be regularly posting, just be patient with me in the side bar ads and such, I am working to get it to looking just right! 😉

Do you like my blog design so far? I just wanted it super minimal and simple.

xo,
Sarah

A Mother’s Point of View

December 17, 2015~ Etc.

I took my son to the Dinosaur museum today. I promised him that I’d take him last week, but it was such a crazy, hectic and busy week for me, we didn’t get to go, so I felt the mom guilt all week because if I say something to my kids(or anybody), I always keep my word and I take my words very seriously. I don’t need to promise someone anything because my word is a promise in and of itself. Anyway, I am probably being too hard on myself but I no longer feel the guilt! haha

As we entered the museum and were walking to the entrance, there was a locked door called the “Junior Paleo Lab”. Being a curious and inquisitive boy that 2 yr. old kids are, he tried to open the door but wasn’t able to open it because it was locked. He couldn’t see what was inside, and he was too short to even know there was a little window that you could see through. But I could see through the window and saw what it was. I lifted him up and he was able to look at what was inside, and satisfied and his curiosity met, he ran away to explore somewhere else.

I immediately thought about how as a parent to my 3 little kids, I know a lot more about the world and am able to look at things in a larger point of view than they can. While my kids can’t see it, I can see if something will be too dangerous, whether it’ll be good for them or not, whether it’ll be best to leave it alone or to have the door be opened to see what’s on the other side. As a 2 year old, he might get mad and not understand why he can’t see it too if I decided to not lift him up and let him see what was on the inside of the room. But what if on the other side was something that should not be seen by a 2 year old? What if it’ll be better for him that I don’t allow him the access to the view? He might get mad at me and think I am mean, but in the end, I am doing what is best for him, and I am doing it only out of love, it’s not to punish him or to provoke his anger. It comes from a pure motive, in wanting to protect him and having his best interest at heart.

But I am not perfect. And sometimes I may put my interest over my children’s. I might be way too tired to lift him up to see what’s inside that room. Or not take him to the dinosaur museum in the first place because I had too much on my plate and I couldn’t get to everything that I wanted to get done.

Then I thought about how much I don’t know, compared to my Heavenly Father. And how sometimes I am scared or hesitant to do what he wants me to do or complain. In the end, I will always do whatever he asks of me, but if I truly had enough faith and trust in him, I wouldn’t hesitate or have any fear or doubt. The life that he wants me to lead might not be what I have envisioned, but he is able to look through the window and see what is ahead of me and guide me and protect me, warn me and encourage me. And if I let him guide my life, my life will be far more bigger and better than I could ever imagine it to be. His dreams for me are way bigger than the dreams I have for myself. I am just a little 2 year old in his eyes who knows so little, and everything he does to me is for my best interest, never his. He always puts my needs and my interest first, over his. And since he’s a perfect being, he can do everything and anything that he wants to do. No physical imperfections are restraining him from not being able to lift us up to see through the door, because he has a perfect body. He is capable of doing many, many things all at once, and be at many places in one time, his limit is limitless. His power is endless. Then how much more I should trust him and let him guide me in all that I do. I still have so much to learn and grow.

Are there some things in your life that you know deep inside you’re suppose to do, but you’re delaying it out of some kind of fear and doubt?

My Little Fashionistas

December 14, 2015~ Etc.

This past week has been crazy busy for me. Too busy. You know you’re a good mom when your 2 yr. old tells you to “Speak nice.” and “Say sorry to me.” and your 8 yr. old says, “Wow, what a JOLLY Christmas.” with all the sarcasm when you lose your cool, all in the same week. I got this motherhood thing down guys.

And have I told you my oldest daughter started her own fashion blog? She started it several months ago when she was 7 years old, but she had been asking me if she could start a fashion blog since she was 6 years old. After telling her no her many times but after her persistence, I decided she could post as long as she doesn’t show her full face on camera and she doesn’t post anything personal. And of course I proofread before she posts. She told me, “Mom! I could call it The Fashion Blog!” but of course that was taken(surprise! haha), so we decided on Little Miss Style. I’ve been slacking at updating the blog and she’s such a cutie, she tries to leave comments on her own blog posts and follows her own blog. So if you have time, leave a comment on her blog, it would totally make her day! Like I think she would almost cry. I’ve only told two others about her blog and she always says, “Only 5 people follow my blog, me, you and Ana doesn’t know it but she follows me, and the two ladies you told about who said they’ll follow my blog.” Haha, isn’t she the cutest!!!???

She also wants to post about her friends fashion so I asked her how she’s going to do that because she can’t post their pictures and she simply said, “I’ll draw their outfits!” So there you have it, my upcoming little fashion blogger! 🙂

I purchased these two dresses for my girls to wear at my dad’s big 70th birthday party next month, I love that they compliment each other and they match, but they’re not exactly the same! My two girls have different styles from one another, so they got to pick out which dress out of the two they’d rather have.

The online shopping at Justice was a pleasant experience for me, I do most of my shopping online since it’s much easier to shop online after the kids are in bed, then to take all 3 kids with me and try to rummage through clothes and contemplating which to buy(even thinking is hard to do with 3 kids fighting or asking you a question every 30 secs. and demanding your attention, am I right, ladies?), so you could say I am a pro online shopper! 😉 Justice had some really cute clothes and I got both of the girls these cute fur hooded puffer coats for $28 each on sale! I just got a fur hooded puffer coat and oh my goodness, it has made this cold Winter a lot more bearable, and I regret not buying one sooner, so I was excited to get my girls the coats and they love their coats, they have now forsaken their old coats.So if you plan on shopping for the stylish tween girls this holiday season, Justice is a great place to go! You can Snap a photo of your tween’s holiday wish to enter into the Justice Wishes Sweepstakes between 12/1 and 12/24 to win weekly amazing prizes like $250 Justice gift cards or a shopping spree!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.