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Its driving me crazy, I can't find my camera anywhere!

Sarah gave a wonderful family night lesson Monday morning about seeking out our friends who need us to invite them back to church. She didn't know, but Rachel had just made a card to a girl in her Sunday School class to invite her to a primary activity. Rachel felt so good about the missionary work she is a part of, better yet she is learning young that it isn't difficult. Just a friendly invite.

Today we got a new battery for my car. We had to get up early so Dad could give us a jump start before he left to work. We went straight to Walmart (where they install it free) and took care of the car as well as grocery shopped. I let Rachel buy the beloved Cheetos that she begs for, with her own money. We got the smallest bag and they opened it when we got in the car and it was gone by the time we got home. After I washed those 30 orange cheesy fingers we started school and tried to return some normalcy to our day.

Adam has learned so much this week. Too much! First he learned how to open the fridge. He got out the "TAC" which are tic tacs. He opened them dumped them out and shoved as many of them in his mouth as possible as Mom is scrambling to take them away. I even tried to get him to spit them out, but you can guess how successful that was. Then he learned how to open the DVD cases and found out its really fun to spin those babies around and around, uh oh. Then he ran into the road, testing the waters for the first time. Big time out and lecture. Today he learned how to open the pantry door. Oh no! Door knob twisting, my worst fear!!! Now he can get outside, though he hasn't figured it out yet, maybe that'll be tomorrow. At least he can't reach that dead bolt yet.

As for that pantry, it holds the pre-packaged goods loaded with soy that Adam is allergic to. He can have a bit, but I'd rather it be in a roll for the dinner I make him than in a pile of crackers for a snack. It is so hard to get him to eat foods he can have, and hard to not eat foods he can't have in front of him. Sometimes I give up and let him have a little soy, then he gets itchy and red all over and miserable. It is so hard to teach a 2 year old that I can't give him a cracker because in 2 days he'll be itchy. I make him wonderful healthy meals, but like every other toddler on the planet he'd rather have crackers, or worse yet he begs for the peanut butter. No way! His peanut allergy will get worse and worse if I give in to that one. Blah blah blah no one cares, but for history's sake I'll write it. So in the end the taboo food was the luring motivation that taught him to finally master the knob twist. Yikes.

Friday is the High Priest dinner. Not many high priest wives asked if they could bring their kids, but I did. That is the one night a week that we get to eat dinner with Dad and be together as a family. I told the kids about it, they said, "but that's family movie night!" Maybe I'll have to admit we have a previous engagement. It breaks my heart to see their disappointment. We have three little priorities to take care of that night.

I'm worried Adam is wheezing and starting to show asthma symptoms. I am having a sore throat.

Overall these past weeks since conference have been a breeze. It's usually so hard for me to fight the inner mean mom. I have enjoyed by children again, my patience is back. I love feeling like myself again. This has also coincided with the temple re-opening. Boy am I hooked. It shows me how much it lifts and helps me to go be of service and be close to my Father.

I watched the PBS special about Buddha this week. His philosophy is that you die and are reborn until you become enlightened at which point you learn to be above the desires of this world and become a Buddha. Content, compassionate for suffering, at peace.

While I am firstly a "Mormon" or member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints I am also, in this sense, a Buddha. I often ponder on the bliss in which I live. My life is ideal. I have a wonderful marriage, awesome job at home, wonderful children to care for teach and enjoy, beautiful home, yummy food, clean water, fast internet, working cars, financial security. I really want for nothing. Time maybe, but time is a slippery treasure and enough is never enough. I am learning to see even more time does not yield the happy returns we think it will. I don't think there is anything out there to acquire that could make me more happy. I am content.

Until 3rd week of May at least...Disneyland anyone?

***We ended up taking our three little priorities to the High Priest Dinner with us. I think they behaved well, the more mature crowd enjoyed them, and they enjoyed themselves. The dinner was so well done and fancy I almost wanted to leave a tip. I'm very glad we went.