HOW MANY MORMONS DOES IT TAKE TO LAY SOD?

BEFORE
Our eyes were bigger than our muscles. We rented a sod cutter on Friday so that we could cut out our dead lawn before we brought home the free sod from North Park. Danny(1) had to work all day so we only got half of it cut and then the grass was so dead that it just crumbled when we tried to move it and so that was becoming a nuisance, but never the less we worked until it was dark that evening. We woke up very early the next morning to go and cut the sod from the park expecting to haul it away by taking the seats out of our cars and laying down tarps but when Danny called me(2) from the park and measured out what we would need and saw people with much less than we needed using multiple huge trailers we knew that we could not do this alone. Danny's dad(3) and brother(4) were already there that morning but it was obvious that we needed more man power. So I called our neighbors the Black's to see if we could use their trailer and if their son would be able to help us for the day. They agreed and I hooked up the trailer and headed for the park. Just as we started loading the strips of sod into the trailer the Black's arrived but not just the one boy we planned on but his dad and brother as well plus their daughter offered to tend the kids that day. They have a large family and they all got involved(5-14). We were relieved to say the least but it was still an all day adventure to haul that sod back to our place. It took5 loads with their big trailer and luckily we saw a friend of ours(Ken 15) down at the park who was helping his neighbor and he saw we needed help and took one load for us in his truck. Once we had all the sod at our house it was time to figure out how we were going to get all the dead grass off the lawn. We borrowed to wheel barrows from neighbors(16,17) but we couldn't fill them very much because of the weight. It was going to take forever to get all that grass out. Our neighbors the Norris'(18,19) down the street were also putting sod in their yard and used a bobcat to scrape their lawn out. So they let us use it for ours too. We spent the rest of the day trying to figure out how to drive that thing and scrape off the grass without digging huge holes in the process or breaking any sprinkler heads(we broke about 8 by the way). Well that took the rest of the day and we had to quit to clean up and make it up to Danny's sister's house for the Hacienda Heights Ward Reunion. Sunday we rested and all day I was really feeling stressed out about Danny leaving in the morning and trying to get the yard done alone so I prayed that I would get some help with this project. Monday morning we woke up early to get kids off to school and when we walked outside there was Danny's Dad trying to level out the dirt so we could start laying sod. Danny was leaving to go to St. George for 3 days and it was going to be up to me get this sod laid out before it was dead. So after the kids were gone Dick and I started leveling out the dirt. We heard that some of the young men from the ward would be showing up at 3:00 that afternoon to help finish. This was arranged by Jerry Black the young man that helped us on Saturday. Well we kept on working hoping to have it level so the boys could help lay the sod but of course we only got about halfway done. While we were working I saw a friend from our ward drive by several times and finally she stopped to talk and informed me that her family would be over as soon as her husband got home from work along with 3 other families. This was an answer to my prayers. We had 10 boys(20-30) there ready to work at 3:00. We got the first half leveled and the sod laid. Dick was exhausted so Dorothy(31) came out to get him and drive him home and decided to take Aida home with her. That was a big help as well. Anyway, just as we were starting on the other side our extra help started to arrive. The Allen's(32-36), Popes(37-41) Parkinson's(42-48), Irwin's(49-52). We had some experts on sprinklers among us who noticed that everything was broken and that we were not hooked up the irrigation line which was costing us a pretty penny using the culinary water. So they jumped right in and started fixing that as well. We had other neighbors walk by and stop to help as well(Lee's53-58), (Coon's 59-65) and (Soward's 66). Sister Black brought over dinner as I obviously had forgotten to feed my family. As you can see we had a lot of kids there as well and instead of destroying the house they cleaned it and by 9:00 that night we had the sod in and pulled weeds from the flower beds, pruned some trees, fixed the sprinkler hook ups (the broken heads we'll do when Danny gets home), cleaned my house and all of the outside. Every one not only served but went the extra mile and lived their religion that day. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude that I found myself crying several times.

So in the end we found out that it takes about 66 Mormons to Sod a lawn.
I am truly grateful to my Heavenly Father for hearing and answering my prayer and to these 66 Mormons(that includes you too Sarah, I know you wanted to be there) who truly live as they believe and for listening to the spirit that day. It really is amazing what we accomplished together.

AFTER

MILK BUBBLES

We enjoyed our long holiday weekend and are just starting off the week great with some fun from the girls. Their little bubble contest this morning was adorable. I was sick all weekend. It finally caught me, but I am feeling fine now. So I don't know how many of you know this but we let our lawn go completely dead this summer. It had a fungus that we couldn't fix and the lawn was dying and our sprinklers were busted anyway so it just didn't seem like it was worth saving. Of course it looks terrible and I am sick of it. We haven't been sure about how we would get it back since it is out of our budget to re-landscape. Well in the City Newsletter we learned they are tearing out a huge park this week and that the sod is up for grabs. It is beautifully perfect grass and so for the cost of renting a sod cutter we are going to get a new lawn. I didn't think we would get to do this until next year but, WOW, I am really excited. So I will be pretty busy prepping the lawn to take the sod. It will be a lot of work but well worth it. I look forward to having a beautiful lawn again and surely all my neighbor's comments should come to an end.

Thank goodness for public schools

The kids are back in school today and I am singing praises.
The house is actually somewhat quiet, except for Audrie's tantrum at the moment. She doesn't officially begin Kindergarten until next week but she wanted to go so badly that we used today as a dress rehearsal. She got all ready to go this morning and of course we took a picture. She did get to go to the school this morning and take her assessment test. She is so excited. As much as I love sending kids to school, sending a kindergartner is a little bitter sweet. I am glad to see her go but of course I do have a little bit of worry that maybe I didn't prepare her well enough to go out into the big big world. I wonder if this is just a glimpse of what it will be like when I send her off to college.

Reed and Paige looked adorable in their new school outfits. They have grown up so much and I can't believe how smart they are getting. Not to mention the very grownup attitudes and personalities that are emerging. They really are fun. I only wish my camera worked so I could get a better picture(I need a new one badly, Ashley I know you research these things so let me know if you find a good deal) They really looked sharp.

Today I am thankful for sick babies(I think) and a husband that doesn't have to leave early in the morning. Aida started throwing up at 5 this morning and did it all morning long. So I was trying to help her and get kids ready for school. Danny was a big help but Aida sure slowed us down. She gives me an excuse for having the kids start their first day of school a little late instead of the real reason(Paige wanted her hair curled and I took too long). It also means I get to sit and hold her all day instead of cleaning the house.
I just love her sad sweet face.

YUMMY!

I am not sure they are really awake yet but they loved our back to school banner and their favorite breakfast (French Toast).

Well things are pretty quiet now that the morning is over. Maybe if Aida will sleep a little later I will attempt some small sewing projects that I have been putting off forever.

Balance

Okay so my last post was not very uplifting but I have had a tough week trying to get some order and routine back into our lives so that we will be ready for school to start and I was feeling pretty overwhelmed and I let that feeling take over. I pretty much went crazy on my family the last couple of days. I'd like to blame it on something like PMS but I was just overwhelmed. Anyway, everyone's comments were great and got me thinking. I am always looking for the balance in life. For example, perfectly reverent zombe like children in church or kids who's parents let them be themselves so much that they don't learn to sit still when appropriate. Neither one is okay so I am always looking for the middle ground. I never seem to find it though because everyone has an opinion about what is right and I actually listen to them. I think Shanda's comment works for me. I have to stop listening to everyone else. I already know this but sometimes it is hard to do when you feel like others are judging you. But the part I really liked was that there will always be someone skinnier but there will also be someone fatter too. There will always be someone smarter and dumber, worse parents and better parents than me. The balance is in between all of those statements. The balance is me. I am the balance in the middle of all of that. What I am is okay. So, really nothing too profound I just need to remember to be okay with myself. Which can be hard to do sometimes but I think If I can learn not to run faster than I have strength I will be able to remember it easier. I think I need to reread "Remembering Wholeness" because it obviously hasn't quite sunk in yet.

There is no such thing as SuperMom??

I believe in SuperMom. Do you?

She has it all together! She wakes up at the crack of dawn to exercise and train for that marathon she will be running in a few weeks. She is dressed and ready to go before her family wakes up with a healthy breakfast (not just cold sugar cereal) on the table. Her kids arrive to school on time, in perfectly matched outfits that are clean and pressed. Their hair is brushed and the girls even have ribbons in their perfectly parted ponytails. She wouldn't dream of taking her kids to school
in her pajamas. She is that beautiful woman who always dresses cute and has perfect hair and make-up and after giving birth to 8 kids still turns heads in her size 6 jeans. She serves in the PTA and is a room mom and she volunteers each week in her kids classes. She is the Relief Society President and fulfills her calling perfectly with ease. She doesn't just fulfill her calling but goes the extra mile in everything she does. She also goes to the Temple once a week and wouldn't miss a day of personal prayers and scripture study. She plans effective FHE Lessons and she has trained her kids to sit and listen. Her family kneels to pray everyday and studies the scriptures as well. She takes her family to church every Sunday and takes the commandment to "Keep the Sabbath Day Holy" very seriously. She cleans her house, washes the clothes, shines the shoes, on Saturday and on Sunday she is not only on time but is sitting on the front row 10 minutes early. Her children are perfectly behaved and reverent during church because she is the perfect disciplinarian. She must have x-ray vision. She never yells at her kids. She teaches them in a Christ like manner. She is kind but firm and always consistent. She listens to the spirit for inspiration on how to raise her kids.

I know you are all thinking this woman couldn't possibly exist.

How does she do it all? But guess what this is not all she can do.

Come on this is SuperMom we are talking about.

She is faster than a speeding bullet. Her house is never dirty or messy because she has also taught her kids to help around the house. They can clean the toilet, mow the lawn, do the dishes, and any other chore they are asked to help with and her kids won't complain about it because she taught them the value of work and that it can be fun. She is a chauffeur and takes her kids to all their various practices and lessons. She wouldn't dream of missing a recital or ball game. She may even coach her kids teams from time to time. At the end of the day she still gets a healthy Dinner on the Table where good manners are expected and her kids clear their plates and of course they have meaningful conversations around the dinner table. After Dinner she helps her kids with their homework and of course she can help her high school kids with difficult math like calculus because she is educated and went to college and did exceptionally well. Then she makes sure all the kids are bathed and ready for bed after which she sings them all lullabies with her beautiful singing voice and remembers to tell each one that she loves them. She even takes time to listen to them talk about their day. And helps the little ones read personal scriptures and say personal prayers.

Okay, so this is starting to sound ridiculous but I'm not kidding she does all this and I am still not finished.

Dr. appointments, remembers to give vitamins, Gives kids hair cuts to save money, doesn't complain when husband has church meetings, takes dinner to a neighbor, keeps in touch with old friends, babysits someone else's kids so they can go out, plays the piano, has dates with her husband, mends clothes, recycles everything, keeps a journal for herself and her young children, does genealogy, paints for her own hobby, kisses boo boos, plants flowers, keeps a vegetable garden, food storage, clips coupons, quick, witty, always smiles, never gossips, volunteers in her community, Leaps buildings in one single bound.

I could go on and on.

I am telling the truth. She does exist! Really I am not kidding!

She exists in my mind. Where did she come from? A composition of every woman I have ever admired all put into one. She is the one I use as a standard to measure my own success. She exists in my own personal comic book and that is exactly what it is a comic. It is almost comical that I have made her real even though I know better. I know she doesn't really exist. Every woman no matter how perfect they appear to be, has problems. I know this but why do I keep setting myself up for failure by expecting too much. This must be a lesson I need to learn because I seem to keep on repeating it. Every time I try to do it all, I fall and get discouraged to the point of deep depression and anxiety. I do it over and over again.

Aghhhhh! I just get so frustrated with myself.

Where is the Balance?