LOVE Jane

I love Jane Eyre! I have seen many different versions and this is by far the best. I read the book in two days. My kids did not eat a decent meal and had free range of the house. They were half way wishing there was a Jane Eyre sequel!

I also love the Jane Austen books. My favorite is...OK how can you pick one! I love Persuasion and Pride and Prejudice was brilliant. Sense and Sensibility is so tender and Mansfield Park is so educational.

I hope in Heaven Jane is still writing and by the time I get there it will take centuries to catch up. Maybe Charlotte has written that sequel my kids were hoping for. Who are your favorite authors?

PS I know I am such a girl to love these books but I am what I am, why fight it?

I eat therefore I run!

The true reason behind the insanity is my lack of self control! The only problem is there are not enough hours in the day to work off the needed calories!

When I was little...

That title makes me feel as though I should be sitting in a rocking chair with a shawl drapped over my shoulders. Anyway...

To explain comment in my last blog. My sister Mechelle, follow my link to her blog if you would like to "meet" her- she is more than worth your time, and I shared a bedroom for most of our childhood.

Every now and then Mechelle and I did not go to sleep right a way. At these momenst we usually realized we were starving. We would check to make sure our parent's bedroom light was off.

Then one of us would sneak off into the kitchen to grab a near midnight snack. It most often was me since I was the 'little sister'(I have more to blog on this subject). Growing up in a home that had no candy, cookies, cakes or sweets of any kind, I was always stumpped about what to get to eat. The only thing I could come up with were vitamin C pills.

I would sneak back and give Mechelle her vitamin. We would quietly suck on our snack, giggle, and think we were so tricky and naughty. Little did we know that Mom and Dad were probably laughing in their beds!

Mechelle and I still chuckle when we think of those rebellious midnight snacks!

When I am feeling really naughty I ...

Sneak into the pantry cupboard. Get a pretzel, smother it with peanut butter, caramel dip, and stick chocolate on top! YUM! I don't share one bite with anyone!

Are we not all hypocrites?

I recently have been indirectly accused of being a hyprcrite. It hurts. A hypocrite is something I try everyday NOT to be. I LOATH the idea that I might be a hypocrite.

My consolation is that this person does not know me well and only said that I reminded her of someone who is a hypocrite. Thus the reason for the indirect accusation. Yet it still hurts and haunts me.

I have wondered is this not true? I claim to be Christian. I try everyday to follow Him. I have covenanted to obey the commandments and yet I fail every single day. I have moments when I think a person who claims to believe what I believe would not have done that, or said that, or worse yet thought that.

This is not the first time in my life I have struggled with the idea that I am a hypocrite (it IS the first time I have been accused of it from another though). Nephi in the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 4:17-20 says it so eloquantly how I feel and struggle...


17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.

19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

20 My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

(This whole chapter is amazing and one of my favorite scriptures.)

I think the fact that I KNOW what I know and yet I still sin, may make me a hypocrite. However, the fact that I keep on trying. I keep asking for forgiveness. I keep striving to be more than what I am through God's grace. I keep turning to Him. I keep trusting him. I keep...

I hope this is enough to keep me from being a hypocrite. Or am I fooling myself?

The writing is on the wall!!

I am truly fearful for the teenage years with Ross. Starting at two he was a shameless flirt with pretty teenage girls. The not so cute girls he rudely ignored completely, even if they tried to engage him. I try to teach him this is unacceptable but so far it has not sunk in.

One day driving a way from pre-school this year, my cousin Karen rolled down her window and yelled, "Julie, the girls are all fighting over who is going to marry Ross." Oh my, what is this boy about? My 12 and 10 year old will not even talk to girls and avoid them like the plague, politely of course.

Yesterday as I was driving, Ross yells, "Mom go 60 million mph!" I tried to explain about speed limits but he continued to insist that I need to drive at top speed.

The final straw was yesterday when we were passing a road closed sign that was put in the middle of the road. Ross yelled, "Mom, HIT THE SIGN!" I calmly replied, "Ross, I don't want to dent and scratch the car." Ross replied to me, "No mom hit the SIGN."



Heaven help me, I am in trouble!!!

What am I in for!!!!!

St John, USV

This is a picture of paradise and all I can say is, if heaven makes this earth pale in comparison we have A LOT to look forward to!!!!











How I felt in paradise!

PS If you want to see more of our pictures go to

http://picasaweb.google.com/david.and.julies.pics