Author: alicewgold

I would like to state that I am a brunette, but now I am a mix of grey, white, brown, and blonde. I would also like to say that I am 150 pounds, but that would be a boldfaced lie. How about I say I am work in progress because that is the truth? A beautiful work in progress. I love the sound of my fingers tapping on the keyboard and my greatest hope is that something that I write will lift someone else on their journey.

Far more exceeding and eternal

On Friday, we got the very not expected news that LG will have to take the bar for the 2nd time! So, we have a choice: 1-Be defeated or 2-Move forward with faith. I thought that this picture was a great way to represent the notion of moving forward with faith.

Here are two sisters enjoying each others company while walking home from the Mechanic’s on Friday. They weren’t worried about the fact we had to walk home because our car was in the shop for the second time in the same week…they both found dandelions to pick and liked showing them to each other. In fact, they had no idea that a dandelion is a weed. They think that they are pretty flowers and always pick them and bring them to me whenever they see them.

Children are a wonderful blessing in keeping a positive attitude (something I have been working a lot on lately) I guess the Lord has decided to test me in whether or not I am serious about changing my negative ways…he sure has given me a lot of challenges lately.

The good news is I finally feel that I have passed the husband test. I can truly say that I love LeGrand no differently, even with the disappointing news. I have found myself loving him more and for the FIRST time in 10 years I truly believe in him, even at the hardest time to do so. It feels so good. It is worth this challenge just to feel the way I do.

So, as for the title of this entry. Taken from, believe it or not, Sunday’s Sunday School lesson. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 & 4:17-18

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body…For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are
eternal.

Family Room Fairy

Thank you to Mrs. Webb again today for a great teaching moment. It is amazing what good teachers can teach parents. On the way home from school today, while we were riding in the car, Abigail handed me a stack of papers. She is notorious for keeping a filthy desk. (In kindergarten and first grade I would sneekily clean out her desk on the days I would volunteer)

As Abigail handed me the large wad of papers, she said, “Mrs. Webb said that the Desk Fairy may be visiting tonight, so I cleaned out my desk.” I replied, “The desk fairy?” Abigail said,”Yeah, if my desk is clean, she will leave me a piece of gum at the very back of my desk.”

I immediately responded with such a wise mom thing to say, “Well, you guys will have to clean your play room today and see if the FamilyRoomFairy comes to visit tonight.” It worked like a charm. Check out my family room! Yeah, Thanks to Lindsey’s Mr Gobbles, LG did just gather up two garbage bags full yesterday and put them out of sight, but, still, the girls were moving a whole lot faster tonight and they had purpose in their cleaning…they want a visit from that fairy!

So, the FamilyRoomFairy is leaving some Holly Hobby Bubble Bath tonight: courtesy of my Birthday Box. Now, if I can just keep the room’s mess to a minimal, maybe they won’t get overwhelmed and will move on it every time I make a mention of the FamilyRoomFairy. And if we keep those two garbage bags full of toys out of the Family Room, it’s gotta only help, right?

I have a feeling though that the family room fairy won’t last for too long. I was just talking with my mom today about how I am so frustrated as to not being able to keep any real working systems at my house…she reassured me that the good parent is the one that realizes that the “system” no longer has the initial fun and motivation and adopts something new. I hope she is right because I can’t even begin to count how many strategies I have used to motivate my kids to clean up this place! Tonight my money is on the FamilyRoomFairy. Let’s put good old Mrs. Webb to the test!

LeGrand Voyage

This is a sign for some event that was being held on campus a few days before LG’s Law School Graduation. I thought it showed the appropriate mood at our house right now. We are all on a LeGrand Voyage as we await LG’s bar results. The countdown has been on for aproximately 3 months, but every second that goes by makes “passing” seem so much more important.

LeGrand said it correctly the other night, “Alice, it doesn’t matter if I was to stay up and pray all night, my future is decided by my maker.” I guess I better hand over my future also. AGH – It just seems so out of my control!!!

Well, whether or not LG has an official “future” in the law 2 days from now doesn’t change the fact that we have these three beautiful girls. They make every step of the voyage worth it. And, I guess LG is the bonus for me…a bonus that will be even better if he’s happy.

Natural Tunnel State Park

There is a wonderful State Park on the border of VA and TN. It is called Natural Tunnel State Park. You can particpate in all of their activities for FREE on Labor Day. We took the opporunity to explore with Duane and Faye’s ward! It was an almost perfect day. The scenery is breathtaking!

The park dates back to the 1800’s when it was used as a place to stay for frontiersmen. They later discovered that the “Natural Tunnel” was a perfect place to lay the railroad tracks (its a shame if you ask me that they ruined the natural beauty with a train), but it adds to the mystique. All of the outlaying areas are still unharmed though, and it is a beautiful place. We all had a blast and even got some exercise with a glorious hike!

Fridge Art Mess

Here is the long awaited fridge entry. Lori posted her fridge on her blog and so I thought I would show you all what a fridge slob I am. Here is the content lists:

View A
1- Abigail’s Spelling List
2- Family Scripture Reading Chart (We’ve been working on finishing the Book of Mormon for 3 years – we are finally in Mormon!)
3- Gospel Magnets (gift from my sister in law in ID years ago – made from stamps on floor tile with magnets)
4- Kids School Work (didn’t Bella do a good job of painting herself?)
5- Café Menu/Class News
6-Primary Pic (notice Abigail is thankful for her family and asked that I could hurry and finish our floors)
7-Letter Magnets ASB (Abigail, Sophia, & Bella of course)

View B
1-Chore Charts (when we had an FHE to discuss what we should do better as a family, the girls requested new chores?)
2- School Schedules (what time I volunteer and lunch times and teachers e-mails to keep me straight)
3- Cell Phone #’s 4 sitters
4- Fathers day Post it gift (handmade by yours truly with three little girls help)
5- Sm. White Board (for scribbling)
6-Dry Erase Marker Holder (never used)
7-Metal Pen Holder (holds all kinds of junk)

View C
1-Library Handout (open library time at the school on Mondays)
2- I have no idea! (just went and looked – an invite to a Bday dinner for LG and I)
3- Halloween Party flyer
4- Favorite Church Handouts(*The kingdom of God or nothing*A home is made of brick and stone a house is made of love alone*Saying you can forgive, but not forget is like saying you cannot forgive*Leave people better than you found them)
5- Favorite Fam Pics
6-Family Rules

Golfer Envy

Abigail was watching the Samsung LPGA World Championship with LG earlier today.

“Dad,” said Abigail, “she really likes LG,” refering to Angela Park and her shirt that was plastered with LG Electronics logos.

“I don’t think she likes LG, Abigail, they pay her to wear that shirt.”

“Golfers get paid to wear clothes!?!?”

“Yeah.”

“Dad, I want to be a professional golfer.”

That’s my girl.

Cool Room

This is going to be quick….check out this girl’s scrapbook room.

I am so in love with organization that I felt like I went to heaven just checking out her mixture of space and art….and the fact she shops for a lot of her finds at the Goodwill. WOW!

Now, check out the pic of my organization right now….the only thing I have in common with this lady is that we both shop at the goodwill…she must find all the good stuff…

The good news. I still have plenty of room for inspiration!

Hey Judicial LG

Hey Jude!

Alrighty, Here is the long awaited video that LG was hoping I would forget about. Hit the “Hey Jude” link above. You should have seen LG’s face when he finished helping me post this on googlevideos. It was a three way tie between total fear, complete embarassment and ‘imsofunny”. You know I have to thank LG for two things: 1 -for acting like a complete dork and 2 – You know I couldn’t have uploaded this video without his help. It only took us five days to figure out how to do it. I hope it was worth the trouble.

As I saw the embarassed smirk on LG’s face, all I could say is, “At least it’s not YouTube, right?”I think that this is absolutely hillarious, if you didn’t already know that bymy laughter that drowns out LG as a star on the video. Those of you that know LG will really enjoy it. The rest of you, may just have to suffer.

One of the best parts of the video is Uncle Dirk’s comment at the very end…it is in the background very quietly…In Uncle Dirk’s best southern boss hogg accent, “There’s a trial lawyer in you yet, boy” or something like that.

LG was totally hamming it up at Claytor Lake with the family Karoake Bar. I LOVE Karaoke! Can you tell that LG was happy to have the Bar Exam finally completed! And of course, The Beatles bring out the best in him.

Knoxville Symphony

Abigail’s class went to the Knoxville Symphony today. It was so fun! My favorite piece of music was definitely Bernstein’s West Side Story. Why is it that I wait for my children’s opportunities to force me to bring culture into my life? I had a blast today. Now, if I can just get to the Symphony without 800 school children there at the same time. hint hint

On a side note, I have discovered a great new aspect of the blog. (thanks lori – she gave me the idea with her etsy find) Blogging is a great way to leave subtle hints for stuff that I want from my husband. Someday I am going to post a picture of a 2 karat diamond!

Anyhow, Abigail really seemd to enjoy herself today. Because she has been at the “No Child Left Behind” school, she has never been on a field trip before. She is in 3rd grade…about time, don’t you think? She was totally intrigued by this thing called “the bus” and loved the symphony. She asked all kinds of questions; the only one of which I had an answer for was, “Mom, what is the name for the guys with the big drums?” I actually could sound smart when I said, “Percussionists”. Can’t spell the word, but lucky for me, she won’t know the difference.

The experience wore her out, as you can see from the yawn. It wore me out too, but no one had a camera to take a picture of me yawning throughout the experience. I now know why I refused to let my kids be carted to and from school on a school bus. It was crazy and the nauseousness was nostalgic as I thought back to my school days.

In The Clouds

While in the car on Saturday, I noticed this cloud on the bottom right. I saw an upside down pig that looks like he is cracking up after booting a football. I named the cloud pig on pig. (get it, they call a football pigskin) – perfect cloud for this time of year, huh? And, guess what, the Vols won later that day.

The other pic, I thought is a great catch of an obvious heart. The pictures above just 1 – of the beautiful southern sky with clouds and trees and 2- Sophia’s other piece of “in the cloud” artwork. A quadruple decker cracker and cheese sandwich….YUM! And, yes, I have to sidenote that this sandwich was made with her spreadable cheese, not the sliced kind. She really needed a bath before we hit the baptism we were heading to, but what do you do?

Cute, that later in the day, Sophia and Uncle Logan were at a neighbor picnic. They were laying in a hammock, observing the clouds. Sophia asked Uncle Logan if she could take pictures with his cell phone and then she proceeded to capture every available cloud and tell Uncle Log what she saw. Man, don’t ever forget that your children are always watching!