Happiness

Over a month ago, we had a big dust storm in the Valley. I didn't get a video of it, but someone on youtube did! Check it out! It perfectly captured that warm Saturday when the sky turned red and the dust storm moved across the sky in a period of 5 minutes! This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott.

As I type the kids are huddled in a mass of orange and pink floating pool noodles. Arms and legs, entwined, feet and hands splashing white splays of water. Shrieks of glee and squeals of HELP! escape once in a while. I know they are playing, but those shrieks of "help" cause me to be a bit nervous. You see, I am a new pool owner. We are renting, so actually I am a new pool renter. I am new to this whole pool business. Before we moved our Church Relief Society had a meeting on Safety and the police officers sternly spoke of how to watch children in the pool. I was nervous. And I still am just a little. I sit on the back porch, on our unfinished pine picnic table and read or go online and watch. Sometimes I join them in their splashes and games. Sometimes I retreat to the cooled air behind a somewhat closed sliding door and watch from there. It's these summer and schools days blended together than make me wonder. Doesn't school mean wearing corduroy and new jeans and fe...

Ethan, in a part of our yard. I subbed in a sweet preschool class for children with speech issues yesterday and will be there again today and maybe Thursday. It was fun but hard since I could not understand what most of the children were saying or some of the children wouldn't speak at all. One student failed the hearing test they gave that day and he won't be tested again for another 30 days! I wanted to write a quick latest update. Recently: -We had some friends from our foster class over for dinner. They have had a 15 month old boy in their home for about 6 weeks now and it was so sweet to see how happy, even though tired, they were. It was kinda crazy with a toddler running around the house, but it increased my desire to foster. We're thinking October possibly. -Most of our boxes are finally unpacked. We're still working on setting up shelves in the Garage and getting some bookshelves for our office/Guest room, but it's so nice to be settled. We sure don't w...

Dear Readers, I just wanted to thank you- you my dear readers- for reading. Thank you for putting up with all of my mistakes and faults. Thank you for reading, even though it's not that interesting at times. And thank you, most of all, for caring. I love you. I appreciate you. And I thank you! Love, Megan

"We are not a museum of Perfect Saints, but a laboratory of Progressing Saints." Elder Bednar. I love that quote! This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott. *Also, I read this talk this morning- The Purifying Power of Gethsemane by McKonkie- and was touched again by the strength and power of it's sweet message. **I'm also going to start doing more Family History now that the kids are back in school. If you have any new leads, let me know!

Liz Lemon Swindle Art Work at the Mesa Temple You have to excuse me for posting on here so much lately. You see, the mornings have been still and quiet, the dryer whirring in the background, lending the perfect atmosphere to a little bit of writing. And today I've been thinking about Faith. (If you feel like skipping this bit of wordage, please feel free.) And how we have to put ourselves into action to produce the kind of Faith that works wonders. That works Miracles actually. There are so many great examples in the scriptures of people who had GREAT faith- Noah and his arc building goodness, Moses and his willingness to give up a comfortable, stable life and lead his people to freedom, Abraham's faith to do whatever was needed to be done, Joseph Smith who time and time again choose goodness instead of hate, my Mother who was baptized and left her beautiful land in the East to come to the West and be with the Saints there, my Husband, who chose to marry me instead of run off i...

Jonah and a BIG Bubble. A few years ago, Josh's Mom gave one of the kids this Bubble Machine for his birthday. It's been a hit ever since and when my Mom asked me for a few photos (and maybe a video) of this machine, I was happy to oblige! Asher trying to eat the bubble, silly kid! The machine was running really well that morning! This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott.

-stealing a post idea from Natalie Holbrooks. -typing this post with my thumbs (I tend to avoid doing that!) -counting my lucky stars that we have a pool to play in this afternoon since my gas is low and such. -hoping for a quiet Saturday, knowing Sunday is going to be super busy. -finding new friends on facebook :) -replacing curtains that came with the house with new ones (maroon). -longing for Fall. -grateful it rained this morning. -planning a muffin tin snack for my kiddos and a scramble game tonight. How about you?

I've discovered, of late, that many of the problems that I have, or feel like I have, can be overcome through Gratitude. Even if I don't feel grateful, this exercise of naming off things I am Grateful for almost always puts me in the mood of Thankfulness. Usually I can't stop once I get going. God is Good. And so, without further ado, today's edition of What I am Grateful for: -that I didn't get stung by that scorpion that was hiding behind a stack of frames and that my hand tried to clamp down on. -a righteous husband who leads our family in righteousness. -4 healthy children. -A library full of good books to read and love (which reminds me to try their book club!). -A piano in my home to play daily (a new music to play too!). -A family who loves me- Parents, Sisters, Brothers, Nieces and Nephews. -The Church that gives us all the support it can give to help support our families. -Jesus Christ and His Constant Awareness of us. -Quiet Mornings (the kids leave at 7:3...

Before school today I caught Asher jamming on his Paper Jams Guitar (a flat guitar that plays 4 different songs when you stroke it) with headphones on. So cute! If you need a present for a boy in the age 5-8 set, this one is awesome! And pretty cheap too! I can't do a post in the summertime with one of these kinds of pictures. There's been a heat advisory almost every day since last Monday. It is supposed to end tomorrow night and be cooler! What is cooler, you ask? 105. Um, yeah. But, even 5 degrees makes a difference and we're excited! The pool is actually getting cool in the mornings (not bath water) and I got cold last night for the first time in a long time! Please, good weather, hurry up and come! This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott. ps. What do you think about Romney and Ryan? At first, I wasn't too sure. Now I like him. I'm trying not to get too excited about the Presidential Race because I don't want to be disappointed, but I can't help it! Go ...

I woke up this morning to this beautiful Desert Sunrise. Good Morning, World! Happy Monday, Everyone! This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott.

Jonah still wears Red and Ethan still wears Blue. I wonder how long this will last? Today is the third day that the kids are in school. Already the "Honeymoon" phase has ended and the kids have started to wane in their excitement. It has been so hot that they had no recess at all yesterday and do you know what no recess means for kid Elementary School age? It means they bottle up all their energy and spend it when they get home. Luckily I had them swimming Wednesday and in the evening on Thursday. We may take a break today, because swimming every day wears me out (not that I am complaining or anything!). Today I let them walk to school by themselves. I stood by our house and waved Goodbye. I went to take the recycling in and when I turned back Jonah had turned around and was giving me the Biggest wave ever. It's those little moments that make it all worth it. I hate sending my kids to school and having them be gone all day, but I know that I would not be able to teach the...

Ethan- 3rd Grade Elizabeth- 4th Grade Jonah- 3rd Grade Asher- 1st Grade All 4 kiddos- ready for a new school year!! Go, Abbotts, Go! (Wed. Aug. 8, 2012) This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott.

I stood with a cold can of Hansen's soda in my hand, wanting it, hoping for it. It hit 102 an hour before at 8 am and yesterday the Valley had seen a record High of 117. All I needed was a cold drink. And all I had was a dollar. That's it. I had no idea how much the soda cost but I hoped that a dollar would be enough. I stood in line, a crumpled dollar in one hand, a cold soda in the other. The cashier at the end of the line told me that I had exactly enough. Phew! I purchased the soda and moved on with my day- driving through construction, ready to unpack some of the last remaining boxes from our latest move. While maneuvering between the orange cones and slow traffic, I wondered. What if the price of the soda was exactly what each person had? What if someone had a twenty dollar bill and really wanted that soda, just like me, and the cashier said "The price is exactly what you have."? What if someone had a quarter and again, that's how much the soda was? And I th...

Elizabeth smelling a rose in the rose gardens near L.A. Jonah climbing the rope structure at a Festival in Fillmore. Asher was the Big Bad Wolf in an impromptu play using balloon animals. Here I am- trying his head on. They were way fun! (In Fillmore, CA). Spencer wanted to go Boogie Boarding and no one would go with him since the water was cold, so Josh borrowed Dave's wet suit (it was a little small!) and went with him. Fun! Cousins Tyler and Asher having fun on the beach! We played with this sweet baby cousin Chloe. The Kelp Tank at the California Science Museum with cousins. So cool! My sister Molly is using crutches here because of pain in her hip. Checking out this cool Tortoise (that doesn't swim, btw) at a Nature Park. This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott.

Hulihan Reunion 2012- Here are some of the boys getting ready for some mini-Olympics. Thanks to a $10 card reader from Amazon, I have downloaded our pics from our latest vacation (plus everything else!). Hooray! For the past almost 2 weeks, we went on a whirlwind tour of family, friends, beaches, food and fun! We stayed at 5 different homes, went to 2 different beaches, (the kids)stayed in 2 different tents, Josh flew to Chicago and back for an ABA conference and topped it off with a family reunion where ALL of my siblings and kids were there. (Those pics to follow!) We had a wonderful, relaxing time and besides a 24 hour bout of the stomach flu for Mom and a small coolant overflow, we had no injuries, no kids getting lost and no E.R. visits! Phew! Now, we have 2 days to rest, unpack, do laundry, grocery shop and send the kids back to school. Time sure does fly by when you're having fun in California! Molly and Sheelah talking under the tree. Shayla doing the Shot Put ...

Today is our 11th Anniversary. We were married on a sunny, windy beautiful Saturday in August in Bountiful, Utah. It was a great day- filled with anticipation, hope, excitement, joy and just a little of nervousness. We were talking with Josh's Mom the other day and she said. "Josh, you should have seen your face- you were smiling SO big." And I was too! It was a happy, happy day- the day our Abbott family began. Happy Anniversary, Babe! This is my blog. My name is Megan Abbott.