New job...

As many of you know, James has been looking for work since we made the decision to close down ONEiTY. It was a difficult decision, but the right one. This has been a difficult time for us and there have been many prayers and tears shed, but through faith, prayer, hope, help from wonderful family and Heavenly Father, we have made it through this difficult time. James got a GREAT job in Brea, California. It is in Orange County, about 10 minutes from Anaheim. It is with a company called Avery Dennison (the company who makes the printing labels, sheet protectors, etc.) and we know this is the right opportunity for our James. He will help market a new product they have just come out with. What this means for us, we aren't sure yet. James will have to commute for a bit until we figure things out. Anyway, I do know the Lord is watching out for us. Even though answers don't come right away and you wonder if He is even listening during hard times, I know for a fact He is and He knows all. My dad told me, as he told his missionaries, to look for the hand of God in your every day life and you will see how much he blesses you. I think this has been a refining process for me and I look back and see how much I have grown and learned from this experience. It has made our marriage stronger and our relationship with Heavenly Father stronger, too. And for that, I am very grateful.

I just have to post this because it made me laugh.
Last night was one of those nights as a mom that you want to run away. We got in later than usual and therefore, put Daniel down way after his bedtime. He would NOT go to sleep. Hannah, in the meantime, was having some issues of her own, being rather difficult and couldn't sleep (she had fallen asleep earlier in the day) and Joshua was just on his bed quietly reading (thank heavens), but obviously wasn't tired either (he had also fallen asleep during the afternoon). Finally, after rocking Daniel to sleep for the 5th time (we were interrupted many times by Hannah bursting into the room) I just laid him in his crib and let him scream for a long time until he fell asleep (which was at 10:30 p.m.!!! He usually goes to sleep at 8:00 when my other kids usually go to bed.) I then went to work things out with Hannah. I think she was sent to me to try and teach me patience and boy oh boy, I still have a lot to learn!!
Anyway, the reason I was wanting to post this was something Joshua said. When I was talking to Hannah and trying to reason with her, I told her she could pick another book on tape to listen to. Joshua started whimpering, getting his puppy dog sad face and started crying. He then looks at me and says, "Mom, you are piercing my heart." I was very surprised at that, went over to him and hugged him and in my mind thought he was saying this because my tone of voice was a little strained at that point and he said, "but it was my turn to pick the tape." I just had to sit back and chuckle. Where he got that phrase from, I don't know. It cracked me up.

Sunflower Market

I am going to share one of my favorite shopping secrets. It may not be a secret of some of you go there, but I don't know if many people no about it, so I am going to share. There is this awesome grocery store out across from Fashion Place Mall called Sunflower Market. It is a farmer's market with naturally grown food. Anyway, the prices on their produce are AWESOME! You just can't beat it. Every Wednesday is double add day, which means that on that day, you get the sale prices from last week as well as the new week. So I make a once a week trip out there on Wednesday, get all the produce I need for a week for around $20 to $30. I get their add emailed to me so I know what I want to get. For instance, this week their pint of strawberries were .99 cents, broccoli .79 cents a pound, apples .77 cents a pound, etc. Awesome produce prices.
Here is a picture of what I bought this week for only $32. If I were to buy this anywhere else, it would be almost double.
Tangerines, lettuce, apples, bananas, broccoli, carrots, potatoes, pears, grapes, garlic, 6 pints of strawberries, cantelope, tomatoes, limes, cabbage, red onions, and flank steak.

Little bit of relaxation time...

James had a meeting in LA and the company was flying him with all expenses paid. So, he asked me to come with him. Being the worry wart that I am, I told him "no" and that I couldn't leave the kids, seeing that Daniel was still nursing once a day. He said that they will be fine with his sister and that I should come. Well, why not? It was just the little break I needed. We don't get out much let alone getting away together for a couple of days.
We had a great time and while he was in meetings, I read by the pool. I call this mom medicine. We walked by the beach, ate at the cheesecake factory, drove around in our rental red convertible bug (lucked out on the awesome car...my kids were jealous) and enjoyed not having kids around for 2 days. Ahh, a little taste of heaven away from reality. Now we're back and into the chaos of life, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Josh and the girls?

I just have to post this, even though it may not be appropriate. Just my good friends look at this, right? (I hope). Tonight at dinner we were talking to Josh about preschool and lately I can't get an answer out of him because everytime I ask about preschool he tells me "it's a secret." Anyway, we always tease Joseph about a girl in his 1st grade class. Tonight we asked Josh who he liked in his class. He said that he is "in love with Kennedy S." Who Kennedy S. is, I do not know. James started chuckling saying that she is a foot taller than Josh. We asked why he loved her so much and he said "that she doesn't play with me and she doesn't have boobs." (He was completely serious and wasn't trying to be funny.) To say the least, the laughing from James, my brother and his wife lasted about 5 minutes. We then had to have a little chat about only talking about these things with family and no one else! I can just picture him telling this to his teachers at preschool.