What did you do on St. Patties day?

I love St. Patrick's Day! I love almost all holidays! The leprechaun came in the night and left her mark just like last year! See the results!

The loot she left!

The note and green stuff she left in Hinks room
Oh man did she leave a mark! He kept moving his head....
She got chandler too
He thought he was funny by climbing up a ladder
Lucky charms for breakfast with green milk!

I took my girls out for a picnic and some play time at the park for spring break!

Chicken with my head cut off

This week has seriously been C-R-A-Z-Y. We've had a million things going on. In some ways it is kind of nice because the week goes by fast but in some ways its tough because something gets left out. Here are a few pictures from our 2nd trip of the week to Explora...

WOOPS! Extra photo. Grandpa getting some snugs from the boys

hinks self portrait
Can you spot somebody peaking out the window? And yes we put this together and yes the roof didn't fit. LOL

Can you spot 2 window peekers?

We had a beehive planning/leadership training pancake party on Saturday. We had a great turn out and it went AWESOME! The girls are so great. I am very impressed with them. We got some fun things planned and since I do not have permission to put their faces on the internet I will not put any pictures of them up. But when I was driving them all home they wanted to do Chinese Fire drills... Oh it took me back to when I was a beehive. Here are a few pictures of the fire drills but the girls really can't be seen much.

Is war really worth the cost?

So I started this post this morning and entitled it is war really worth the cost? The outcome now of this post is completely different then what it was going to be. I was so angry this morning. I had cried myself to sleep last night (I officially think that is the only time in my life that I truly cried through the night) I hated the fact that Troy was gone. I am tired of being alone. I am tired of hearing these stories of war. The horrible things that happen to people (get blown up, loose their eye sight, loose their spouse, loose their sanity) you name it I have seen it with this deployment and we are only half way through it! I am tired of consoling my 4 year old as he is sobbing in the middle of the day or night saying he misses his daddy. I get infuriated when people spread rumors about families who are going through this deployment. I am tired of getting these promptings that I need to get on my knees and pray for my husbands safety. Yes even in the middle of the shower!

Okay now that I have gotten that out of my system... If you were to ask me this morning if war was worth the cost I would have said with a great big HECK TO THE NO. Ask me tonight? Yes I do. I've had a change of heart in the last 10 hours. Thank you to a sweet Young Womens leader who was inspired today. THANK YOU THANK YOU!

A possible break

So we leave for Las Vegas on Wednesday. WE ARE SO EXCITED! I doubt I will do much blogging in the next 2 weeks. Plus when I get back I will be hitting the ground running... Literally and figuratively. If my knee isn't better by the time I get back I am going to the doctor, even though they will have no way of helping me I am sure. I am icing it and taking ibuprofen. It hits me at mile marker 2. Its this horrible sharp pain right under my knee.

Figuratively... Well, in our Church we do a lot of volunteering. We are asked by our Bishop to do certain things or be over certain groups. Troy and I have done cub scouting. I lead the music in church for a while. We have taught nursery ages 18 months to 3 years old. And various other callings as we call them like teaching the old ladies to being over the men who are middle aged. This past week the Bishop asked me to be a 2nd counselor in the Young Women's organization. This is for the ages 12-18. I am specifically over the 12 and 13 year olds. I HAVE BEEN SCARED OUT OF MY MIND. TEENAGERS SCARE ME! But I am already in love with these sweet girls! Hence while I will refer them to "my girls" from now on. They are really excited to have me there and I am getting more excited too. I will be busy. Like super busy. We have a lot of meetings usually 2 a week. We have activities once a week on top of our Sunday meetings. We have lots of things to prepare for like girls camp, trek, new beginnings, personal progress, baptisms... LOTS of things to plan and put together. I have faith that Heavenly Father knows my needs. I know he knows the specific need I have to be close to my children right now. He knows that my parents are both very busy and active in their callings. My mom is 2nd counselor in the primary a group ages 3-12. And my dad is 2nd counselor in the old mens society or what we call high priest group. See a pattern here?

So if I have periods of no writings or just pictures or such that is why. I am still hoping to stick with blogging. I find it as therapy of some sort. Plus it is a way for Troy to stay up to date on us.

SO YOU ALL HAVE A FANTASTIC 2 WEEKS! Go out and join a book club, pick up that dusty old Bible, go swimming, call an old friend, write a solider, watch a classic movie, go to lunch with some friends. Hug your loved ones and I will see you all in 2 weeks!