There's something about the ocean and it's tide, that will always bring me home. I've never lived by the ocean, but sometimes (and this might seem silly) I can feel its heartbeat. Swoosh. Washhhhh. Again. And Again. Once I slim down and can fit into my size 8's again, I shall take the Mister of the House to the beach and make out. But in the meantime, I'll share my delights from the web that always, constantly, forever, provide the following:

Laughter till it hurts. I could watch this ten times a day and laugh every time. Out loud. It shall never age for me.

The fact that he picks up the mic, then signs off his newscast officially earns him a post as newsanchor by my books. And don't forget the big cushy chair. He'll need it. That Stud.


Motherly love boils over whenever I watch Charlie and his sweet older brother. Plus those accents! If only we could adopt from the UK and have a guarantee they'd keep droppin' the R's like these little mutts. We've all seen this, but I swear it's like wine, and improves with age (i.e. the more bitter and ugly I become, the sweeter these boys remain).




Motherly Love Part Two comes from this kid. Too young and natural to not be telling the truth (in this commercial) makes me want to scoop him up and take him to a good (but clean) action flick. *P.S. he says a word that isn't a big deal in my house because I'm potty training a little boy. But maybe it's a big deal in yours**




Excited. Having been a business owner for years, and wondering how some younger people seem to despise an honest day's work, not to mention the occasional wash of apathy over issues like the war and the environment....well this next clip, in all its simple creativity, makes me stop being annoyed, and start getting excited. For the future.




Humility. Beautiful photos ask: What would it have been like to be there? I often wonder, and yet am grateful for the many written and living witnesses that tell me what my heart already knows : God is our Father. I am His Kid. He Sent His Son. And tough though it may seem at times, sacrifice, patience, humility is really the tough stuff of life.

So I am resident mommy blogger this week gushing about my kid and her passion with music. When you're on a roll....keep goin' right? I needed to record one last recent memory with Rainbow Girl, mostly for her sake. Also because it was one of those tender mercies to the heart of a mother. BTW, don't you love that "tender mercy" has become the latest mormon lingo ever since Elder Bednar's fabulous talk a while back? I hear it at least once a month in testimony meeting.

So the chickens. And winter. It's been tough for Rainbow Girl a little bit. Mrs. Olsen has been doing the tango trying to draw the line between quality time vs. building a work ethic.

Rainbow Girl: Mom, can't you pleeeeeeeeez just come out to get the eggs with me?

Mrs. Olsen: No ma'am, dad already took fresh water this morning (instead of you) and you need to finish your job by yourself. You can do it!

Rainbow Girl: MoooOoom! It's dark outside and I'm scared.

Mrs. Olsen: [pause] I'll turn on the back light and keep an eye on you. I need to fix dinner okay?

Rainbow Girl: PleeeeEEEEz Mom! PLeeEEeeZ!

See the thing is, at this point in the conversation Mrs. Olsen is starting to think that it might be good to get some fresh air, and why don't we just twirl in the snow and go get the eggs together, and she's just a little girl, and she's scared...so just make it fun and be outside together.

And then? I change gears right? I go with her to get the eggs...and then what happens? She absolutely whines and pouts and gets some major sass the next day when she has to get the eggs by herself. So repeat the above conversation, but now you have a pre-emptive teenager finishing off with a 20 decibel FINE!!!! while slamming the door.

So, in order to save her from a yo-yo of emotions, and because our lovely hens and their bounty are all going to Rainbow Girl's savings...I essentially cut her off and said Nope-Nope-Nope! Hurry back and I love you!

That was a couple of months ago.

Aside from cutting her off, I try to remind her to get the eggs before dark. But once in a while, if we're all getting home late from a family party, I'll leave The Mister of the House to unload the car and sneak out with Rainbow Girl to get the eggs together.

The last time this happened was after a Christmas Party. We crunched through the snow, crossed the baby bridge, and picked up the eggs. We lingered outside and Rainbow Girl was obviously relieved and happy to have company.

Rainbow Girl: Sometimes when I come out here and it's dark, I get really scared. But I found that if I sing a Christmas song I feel happy inside and I'm not scared anymore!

Mrs. Olsen: Do you know what that feeling is sweetie?

Rainbow Girl: No.

Mrs. Olsen: It's the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost speaks to our insides and will always tell us what is truth. Sometimes we call The Holy Ghost "The Comforter". Christmas songs will speak to our hearts because they sing about Jesus!

Rainbow Girl: [silence] [smile]

Mrs. Olsen: I love you!

What a beautiful tender mercy that was. For real. I am so grateful that a loving Father helped Rainbow Girl identify a distinct change of heart, and helped me to teach her how to recognize the Spirit in our lives. Thank you!

Leave it to Mrs. Olsen's divine maternal instincts to throw a terrified kid into the dark and her overactive imagination. Grateful we have back-up in a loving Heavenly Father who made it all turn out all right (no...I'm not feeling guilty about throwing a kid scared of the dark into the vast dark backyard. I'm not getting the eggs!).

This video clip is mostly for my parents in Hawaii, who missed Rainbow Girl standing proudly in front of our ward (a.k.a. congregation) and sang "The Little Drummer Boy" with me. Here we are repeating the act at the extended family Christmas Party. Love you kid!

Have you ever really looked at a radio and marveled how it can just pluck tunes out of mid-air? How come a song doesn't smack me across the head on it's way? Yet through wavelengths and antennaes it worms its way into your box and comes softly singing you to sleep at night. Just take a second and think about it. It's weird. And wonderful.

My little Rainbow Girl is like a radio. Her spirit, her happy little self, is tuned to music. Before she could even talk she would hum this little baby song that had a distinguishable tune and she would repeat it over and over.

Here she is at ripe young age of 3 and 1/2. We bought the movie Annie and she would watch it and sing the sad little orphan songs. Here she is singing the happy orphan song "Tomorrow!" at the top of her lungs. I swear I didn't pose this pic, I snuck it while she was just going to town. So stinkin' cute!

Just before she finally got a sibling, we took her to Zions National Park. I swear we never do fun stuff like this anymore. But this time, I snuck The Mister of the House and surprised him at this bed and breakfast by the lake. I'm sure he'll be ticked I posted this picture, he's weird like that. Take my word for it sweetchucks, good picture!

So when we weren't terrifying Rainbow Girl on the water, we were wandering through the park. Every now and then Rainbow Girl had to burst out in song. Here she is singing "I'm a little teapot". Go girl.

For the most part she chugged along. We didn't take a stroller or a pack, and she walked a lot that day on her little legs. Every now and then her little toddler legs wanted to stop hiking and watch movies instead. This is Rainbow Girl on a short little jaunt to Weeping Rock. When the park guide talked about this formation, The Mister of the House and I were fascinated by these facts:

1. Water is constantly seeping out of the cliff face, supporting a beautiful array of flora and fauna. When is the last time you said flora and fauna out loud? Please do it now.
2. They have actually carbon-dated the water coming out of the cliffs, and it's really old. Man it's been a long time, so exact numbers are fleeing my old lady brain. But it's up there, I'm talking hundreds and maybe even thousands of years old. I wish I had tasted it! Maybe next time.

So me and The Mister of the House kept talking about osmosis, and seepage, and Weeping-This and Weeping-That until finally Rainbow Girl stopped and looked up and asked "What does weeping mean?"

Well sweetie, it's just means it's crying. The rock is sad and it's just cries and cries. Waaa Waa Waa we laughed and joked on our way to the top. She thought that was funny and for a short moment forgot that she had walked 10 miles that day.

When we got to the formation, we joked again about this sad rock that couldn't stop crying. We paused to look at the flowers, the rocks, and the ferns growing out of the rock face. Then we looked over to see little Rainbow Girl standing a ways off and looking up at the rock and saying something really soft, we couldn't really hear it over the drip.

Me and the Mister did the eyebrow curl at each other: What is she doing?

Then we figured it out. She was singing! That oldie but goodie song "I Am a Child of God". So we had our proud parent moment, snapped a picture, and gave her audience. She didn't budge or explain until she was done with the full verse.

" I sang it a song so it willn't be sad anymore" she explained completely serious. What could a mother do but give her a big fat hug and tell her I love you kiddo?

Willn't is trademarked by Rainbow Girl by the way. Email me if you want permission to use it.

In case you forgot, or you're feeling a little sad, here's a reminder:

I am a Child of God, and He has sent me here

has given me an earthly home, with parents kind and dear.

Lead me, guide me, walk beside me

help me find the way!

Teach me all that I must do,

to live with Him someday.

Just in case you forget your divine potential...

Being married to an entrepreneur who has started multiple businesses has permanently damaged my brain. I am in constant wonder of product development and consumer education. Having operated a retail operation for five years, hauling around Rainbow Girl all over town to buy supplies, make home-made signs, research the competition, improve your product and then wonder how you can educate the public on your amazing wares with an advertising budget of twenty dollars...it's enough to make you cross-eyed, or at least make your house dirty.