$20,000 Dollars Later....

Who would've thought that getting this little piece of paper would cost so much??? Look out! I have a license to curl!

Testing, Testing...1, 2, 3....

Okay, maybe not 3...just 2. I took the last of my 2 tests for state boards yesterday with a big, fat "PASS"! Yay! You are now reading the words of a licensed cosmetologist. Huzzah! Now I just have to wait for the piece of paper to come in the mail. The words "snail mail" never seemed so right...

Home Is Where Your Mess Is

Do you ever feel like this? I know I do...except I never look as put together as this lady!

So, yesterday I woke up with some kind of stomach bug. I guess it's been going around...(I guess it was contagious Emily...) I'm feeling a lot better today except for one thing. I got up this morning and found my house to be in complete disarray. It looks like a laundry/garbage bomb went off! Ridiculous!!! Something had to be done. So me and my house had a little sit down:

I says, "House, why are you so DIRTY?" And it's like, "Because you've littered me with children..." So, I'm like, "Awwww, I'm sorry......are we cool?" And it says "Yeah, if you clean me today...we'll be cool". And I says, "Clean your DANG self!"... and I ran away to my parents' house...

Hmmm...looking back, I probably didn't handle it so well. So, here I am giving my house a formal apology and professing it to the world!

House~
I am sorry. I know I'm far from perfect, and I could probably be a better housekeeper. But we must share the blame here... You could stay clean a little longer. Let's work together and I know we can make things easier for the both of us! Here's to a more neat and organized future for everyone! I love you!
(*cough* ...at least until a bigger and better house comes along...*cough*)
Love~
Clarissa

Happenings and Such

Where do I start?

We had a fun day the Saturday before Easter. First, we took the kids to Home Depot for their free kids workshop. The kids (or rather mom and dad) made butterfly houses.

Then we went to take the kids to Mother Nature's Farm for their Easter egg hunt. FAIL!!! They line was ridiculous! So, instead, we did an Easter Egg hunt at Nunu and Papa Stay's house. It was so much better than standing in line, scrambling amongst strangers, and the kids had a blast! I think we're going to make it tradition.

At the last second, I decided to go to my Aunt Mary's funeral in San Diego. I'm glad I did. The spirit was so incredibly strong there!!! What an AMAZING woman she is. She has blessed so many lives in her life time and will continue to do so on the other side. Jay said it was a good experience for him. He's only been to 2 funerals in his life, neither of which were LDS. There is a big difference. He was expecting everyone to be so quiet and mournful, but it was just the opposite. This was a celebration of life and family!!!...not a grieving of those who are gone. Yes, there were tears shed. We will always miss those who have gone on before. But what a blessing it is to know we will be together again someday! This life is so short and forever will come soon enough. Again, I am so grateful for the Savior and his sacrifice that made it possible to have forever families.
It was especially fun to be with all the family I get to see on such a rare occasion. Funerals were always more like family reunions for my kin. Family reunions here and "up there". How wonderful!

Cousins. :)

Siblings. (and Julia.)

Joe and Grandma Lorraine.

Brothers and Sisters.

Aunts, Uncles, Cousins.

On a less happy note, (way to be a Debbie Downer)... I missed my cosmetology theory exam so I could go to the funeral. When I got back, I got the run around from the state board. Due to a death in the family, I was supposed to reschedule the exam without paying the 85 bucks again. WRONG!! They withheld some key information to make that true. *Angry sounds* In the end, I am $85 poorer and 100% okay with that. I wouldn't have missed the (above) experience for the world!

Last night, our refrigerator decided to crap out on us. It runs but refuses to cool. I realized this when I walked into the kitchen to find the floor covered in wetness. After yelling at my kids for making a mess, I realized the freezer was defrosting. (Insert Mom of the Year award here...) Luckily, Jay's grandparents had a spare fridge they were trying to find a home for, and after some creative thinking and help from some family, we were able to save most of our food and some $$$ to boot. I think our fridge just needs some more freon or something.

So, does anyone know of a good refrigeration guy?

Also, last week I had great fun turning these:

Into a whole lot of this:

And even some of these:

Mmmmm.... I got a great deal on strawberries at the Superstition Ranch Market. Fifty cents a pound! I love it!!! Of course, 3 days later they went down to 3 lbs for a $1. Figures. But good deal none the less! Happy Day!

All these happenings and such got me thinking. Life is tough, and sometimes things don't go the way I hoped or planned. There is always some wrench in the works, but when all is said and done, I have a pretty good life. Family, friends and fun to top it all off!

♥ Who could ask for more? ♥

Aunt Mary

Last night my dad's youngest sister, Mary, passed away. She had been suffering for a while, and I'm glad she is now in a place of perfect peace without any pain.

As I sit here contemplating my thoughts on death and the resurrection, I am filled with gratitude for my Savior, the Atonement and the gospel. It is only through Him that we can return to our Heavenly Father and be with our families FOREVER!!!

I'll miss my Aunt Mary, but I'll see her again.

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength and I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud where the sea and sky come down to mingle with one another. Then someone at my side says, "She is gone..." Gone where? Gone from my sight, that is all. She is just as large in mass and hull and spar as when she was by my side, and just as bit as able to bear her load of living weight to the place of destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her; and just at that moment when someone at my side said, "She is gone", there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices to take the glad shout, "SHE IS COMING!"

And such is death...

Death is temporary, life is Eternal.

I love you Aunt Mary. Until we meet again...

Love, Clarissa