Our Phenominal Minds

So, remember my post a couple of weeks on the birthday bag? If not click here to remind you. I now have an explanation why most people could not see what was wrong with the bag right off.

Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.

i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd w aht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is t aht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

Pterty cool, huh! Do you hvae a phaonmneal mnid?

A Monday Memory

I have been wanting to start this since the beginning of the year, so better late than never right? I decided that since I am so new to blogging and we have so many great memories that I have not been able to share, ever so often I will do a post about a memory from around that date in our history. First I started out thinking of doing it on Friday, and calling it "Flashback Friday" - Too Generic, then I thought about doing it on Sunday, and calling it "A Sunday Stroll", you know, like a stroll down memory lane - Too Vague. So I finally settled on "A Monday Memory". So, now and then on Mondays, I will find a memory to share with you from our life. Who knows, it could even include you sometime, since most of the people who read my blog regularly have been a part of my life for many years!

So, this week I decided to share the memory of Madilyn's Baptism. Madilyn was baptized on January 20, 2007. It is hard to believe it has been two years since then. The weekend we baptized her was very busy, hectic, stressful, and memorable. Here is a little about the big day:

Madilyn was baptized by her dad, Donny at the Sharpsburg Ward chapel in Newnan, GA.




Madilyn was blessed to have both sets of her grandparents come. My parents came from Southaven, MS and Donny's parents came from Linden, AL



My sister and her family came over from Hattiesburg, MS. How many kids can say that all of their cousins were at their baptism. It's time like that you realize how small your family is, and how grateful you are for each of them.




Philip was there, but due to his early entry into terrible two-dum, he was being just that all night, a terrible two year old. So, no pictures with Philip, or me for that matter. (Note to self: Designate someone else to be the photographer at important events!) It was a beautiful baptism, and Madilyn looked like an angel in her baptismal dress. Since she is my only daughter, hopefully I will get to see her daughter wear the dress I made for her mother when she was turning eight years old.


Now on to the fun stuff. It's weekends like this that you realize, No matter how big your house is, it is never big enough. Eight adults, two teenagers, and 5 children all crammed into our house. Let's just say we were cozy! And, as seems to be the tradition when me and my sister get together, check out our attempts to get a good picture of the cousins. This was supposed to be a pyramid, but ended up just looking like we had dump them on the floor.


And of course, you can't try to take pictures of seven kids without one of them losing it



Ah, family. What else would our memories be made of without them!

Hope you enjoyed my Monday Memory. Until next time. . .

My Black-eyed Baby

So, Donny calls me at work on Monday afternoon (MLK day - which means all three kids at home all day with just him). He said that Philip had fallen and hit his face on something and he had a nice rosey cheek from it. Madilyn said he fell and hit the wall. I, of course, have my doubts about that. He seemed fine when I got home, so I didn't think much else about it, until Tuesday afternoon when I picked him up from daycare, and his face looked like this


I Know, right! Poor little kid. Well, the next day when I picked him, he looked like this (he's chewing on a banana, in case you were wondering why he looks like he has a rocky mouth)


and then the next day


and the next


Of course, it could be worse. He could look like this


This is Madilyn after she got stung in the face by a wasp last spring. Crazy, huh! Hopefully no one from Child Protective Services reads my blog. We might not be safe, especially with Donny's history. By the way, he will not appreciate me adding that little comment. And Madilyn will certainly not appreciate me posting that picture of her. She would die, so don't tell her, okay!

You have to admit though, that even with a total black-eye, Philip is still the cutest kid ever! Madilyn, all swollen and bruised, not so much. Sorry babe, but I must speak the truth!

Historical Day

One day I can imagine hearing children and teenagers asking me, "Where were you the day Barack Obama became the 44th president of our country?" My answer will be, at work, doing what I always did, hoping that this man who claims we need change, can indeed bring some change to our nation, and praying for a future where the world is safe again.

Today truly is a historical day of sorts. Our country has come a long way. A few years ago when Donny was in school, he wrote a paper on a civil rights march from the 1960's that started in Selma, AL and ended in Montgomery. We drive over the Edmund Pettus bridge where the march began everytime we go to his parents home. I always think about the people who were there that day, what they were feeling, what they were experiencing. It must have been something quite extraordinary to bring a large group of people together and march so many miles for a cause they believed in. They were seeking change, change that WAS desperately needed. Equality. Civil Rights. Freedom.

I've heard many black people say they never thought they would live to see this day, a day when a black man became the leader of the USA. I wonder why they thought that. I believe that I will someday see a woman become the president. Or yes, even a Mormon. I wonder if Mitt Romney had been successful with his campaign for president, and won, would I be doing anything differently today? Would I have called into work just to stay home and watch the Inauguration? Would I be wearing a shirt with both Joseph Smith's picture and Mitt Romney's picture on it, saying "It all started with a vision"? Being a member of a religion that has suffered much persecution from people in this country, I do feel a kinship to black people. I know what it feels like to be different. I know what it feels like to know the fight that people before you had to go through to get me here today. I often think about how the early Saints of the Church were persecuted, and I do see a similarity between our plight for religious freedom and black people's fight for equality and civil rights. So I can understand why this day is such a historical one for the black people of this country. They see this as a day of fruition, a day to always remember.

Having grown up in the South my whole life, I have always been surrounded by black people. I have also been surrounded by white trash and good-for-nothing rednecks. Do I distinguish these people differently because of the color of their skin? I try to see people for who they are. What they offer this world. How they are raising their children. What they are contributing to society. I try to believe that all men are innately good people, they have to be, because they are all children of God. Nothing evil comes from God. But all men have their free will, including white men. When I think back over history, it saddens me to think of all the times innocent people have been harmed because of hatred for who they were, the color of their skin, the religion they choose the follow, their sexual orientation.

Do I really expect to see Obama "change" this country? I have yet to understand what kind of change he thinks he can bring. I do believe that one man cannot change much of anything by himself. I think it takes everyone to make a great change. I think people have to open their hearts and minds to the truth before any great change can really happen. If Obama can truly bring about the "change" this country needs, then I say, more power to him. May God be with him as he embarks on his new presidency today. After all, isn't a stronger faith in God and obedience to His commandments a change we all need to make? So I say to my future, when you ask me about today, I hope I will be able to say it was the beginning of a better safer world that my posterity deserves to live in. Only time will tell.

Wait, what?

Check out this gift bag I bought at the Dollar Tree for Madilyn's birthday


Looks like your typical birhday gift bag, right? Well, take a closer look


Still don't see it? Come on, look again. You have to see it now! You see it now don't you! In this case, I guess I got what I paid for.

Happy Bithday, Madilyn

Holy Madilyn

Let me start by saying that Madilyn did want to get her pierced, maybe not in this moment, but she has been wanting to do it, so I did not force her to do something she didn't want.

As soon as Madilyn opened the bag and read that she was getting her ears pierced, you could see the panic on her face. When we got to Claire's, she was very unsure about the whole situation.


I knew it wouldn't be long for the tears to come. I was right. As soon as the girl started cleaning her ears, the tears started flowing.



But being the mean mom that I am, we continued. What kind of mother stands by and lets people put holes in her daughter's ears while she is crying and protesting the whole time? A mother that knows she will be happy when it all over with. Luckily, they tag-teamed her so it was over quickly and she only had to get shot one time.



Not only do I let people "hurt" my child, but I stand by and take pictures of them doing it!!



Don't worry, she survived. And is now happy I made her go through with it.

A Perfect 10!

Can you believe it? My baby girl will be 10 years old on Monday. Can it really be happening? To celebrate Madilyn's turning 10, I planned a day filled with 10 fun and fabulous things to do. I mean, come on, you only become a double digit once in your life, right! You gotta make it memorable! I had each thing we were going to do typed out and folded inside a bag. The bags were numbered 1-10 in the order that we were going to do them and were set out on the table for her to see when she woke up.


After we finished one thing, she opened the next bag to find out what was next. So here is our 10:

1. Every birthday girl needs to look her best for her big day. How about a new outfit to wear today.


2. Let’s paint your fingernails



3. Hungry? How about breakfast at McDonald’s


4. The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize. It’s time to get you accessorized by getting your ears pierced


(I'll share more of the ear piercing drama in another post!)

5. What are little girls’ made of? Sugar and spice and everything nice. Got a sweet tooth? Let’s head to the Candy Factory to get all sugared up.




6. We got our sweet stuff, now how about something salty to enjoy at the MOVIES



7. Time to share the love with some special letters and gifts for you.



8. Make a wish, blow out your candles – and let’s eat CAKE



9. Now that you’re ten, you’re not a little shrimp anymore. But that doesn’t mean you still can’t eat them. Time for your birthday dinner!



10. Now that your special day is coming to an end, it’s time to soak up all the excitement of the day in a long, hot bubble bath. (I gave her a present filled with Bath & Body Works stuff)

NO PICTURE AVAILABLE

Did you really think I would put a picture of my 10-year old daughter taking a bubble bath on here? Well, I was, but Donny freaked out - Too many sicko's out there he said. I said there aren't any sicko's that read my blog. He said, "Put a picture of her in a bubble bath on there, and then there will be". Good point, o wise one, good point!

The day was a perfect 10 - just like my girl. How did she feel about it? Says Madilyn, "This is the best birhtday ever!"

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl! I love you!!!!

The Cake

Oh, yes, this cake deserves a post all of its' own. After I made Emmie Leigh's birthday cake, a store-bought cake wasn't going to do for Madilyn anymore. She wanted one too. So what kind of cake do you make to celebrate a perfect 10 birthday?After 7 long hours (there were a few cake issues along the way), here it is -



When it was time to eat it, the neighbor kids just happened to come by to get in on some cake action. One kid said "Two thumbs up on the cake, Mrs. Langley", to which Colin replied, "No, a million thumbs up on the cake", then another said a billion, then a trillion, and I'm sure you can get the pattern of where it went from there.

Every time I make a cake, I learn something for the next time. What did I learn this time? If you're not willing to do it for your own kids, don't do it for someone else's!

Some humor for you,

Preface to the joke: We sometimes call Madilyn "Mack" as a nickname.

So since Madilyn is turning ten, we were joking with her that her horns are going to start coming in. We told her that we all have horns. The rest of the conversation went a little something like this:

Madilyn: "Well, you and Dad don't have horns."

Me: "Yeah we do. We just know how to control them and keep them from coming out unless we want them to. As you get older, you have to grow into your horns and learn how to control them by controlling yourself. But until then, you will always have horns."

Colin: "Yeah, so you will be Horny Mack."

Hee Hee!!

How can my baby be a Sunbeam?

I must have blocked it out of my mind, because it wasn't until Saturday night that it hit me - "Philip is going to be a Sunbeam tomorrow" No, no, no this is not possible. How can it be that my baby is already a Sunbeam? A sunbeam equals a big boy, and my baby cannot be a big boy. He has to stay my baby, right? But, like it or not, he became a Sunbeam. I think he was excited, or at least as excited as he knew how to be about becoming something he didn't really know what it was.




Isn't my baby the cutest little Sunbeam ever?

Family Pictures

We had family pictures taken back in November, but they were a surprise for Christmas for our parents, so I am just now posting them. Donny's sister and her family came over and we all went to have pictures done. Four adults, four children, four boys, four girls, and magically, miraculously, we got a good picture, without any threats of torture or death. Of course, there was some serious bribes being passed around. So here are some of my favorite pictures we took. The pictures gods must have been on my side that day, because as you can see, they turned out great! I was so happy!