Author: Launi

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Playing in the Dirt…

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We finally, FINALLY put our cute little garden in last week and just sat back to cross our fingers.

may-31-049tomatoes

garden-017garlic
garden-008peas
garden-011ornamental white mini pumpkin
garden-012ornamental regular mini pumpkin
garden-013regular big pumpkin–ok, we’re pumpkin freaks here. I know.

garden-016cucumbers

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Bless their seedy-planty little hearts—they are growing! For those of you who are thinking, “DUH-what did you expect?” I’d say–whenever we bury a little seed or plant into the ground and it really actually grows–isn’t is still a wonder?

garden-010peppers
may-31-069radishes
may-31-070Oh, I’m just so proud of you– you cute little radishes!

Tell the truth–when you plant a package of seeds don’t you go check every morning to see if something is poking it’s head up out of the dirt yet? And when you find some brave little sprout…aren’t you so excited and happy and…well….isn’t it just SO COOL?

Ok, I’m done.

My seed-dirt-plant-sprout worship session is over.

“Thanks for noticing me,” and my baby garden.

Tell me–What are YOU planting these days?

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Boxed Babies

When a couple of sweet…

whirl-windy babies…

can have all the pretty toys…

and books…

and stuff in the world…

why is it that in the end, they still opt…

to…play…with…the…box?

Sheesh.

We could save a ton of money here.

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Rose Parade

There is a ton of color in our yard these days. Most of it is coming from the rose bushes that are everywhere. They remind me…

When I was a little girl, my dad took the family to the Tournament of Roses Parade. It was a pretty big deal. However, in order to get a real spot on the curb to watch the whole thing we had to stake out a chunk of space on the sidewalk in down town Pasadena. It was so strange to be sleeping outside with a million other people—on the pavement. Uncomfortable and awkward–but exciting at the same time.

I remember there were some scary looking hippies—sorry, that’s what we called them back then—who were smoking something when we got there. They played guitars and sang nearly all night. My dad rigged up some kind of Bunsen Burner deal and made hot chocolate for us and shared some to them as well. The smoking stopped immediately because there were “little dudes around.”

My cute dad was always one for heading off any signs of trouble–at the pass–and making friend with everyone. Sometimes it scared my mom half to death–but he felt like being kind and friendly right up front, was the best way to keep us all safe.

As we kids started to fall asleep the singers’ music got softer and more lullaby-like. I vaguely remember a slow, sweet version of Puff the Magic Dragon as I drifted off to sleep.  While we slept, some other group of people set up chairs right in front of us, completely blocking our view of the street. We woke to the sound of the “hippies” physically escorting the curb poachers far, far away from our space.

I’m sure it was a wonderful parade–maybe it even had something to do with roses. Sincerely, I can’t remember one speck of it. What I do remember is my dad shaking hands and patting the backs of some new, very different  friends. Friends that didn’t look so scary any more.

Read about  The Rose Named Peace
Photos by Jillian
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Lasting Happiness

“President Gordon B. Hinckley believed in the healing power of service. After the death of his wife, he provided a great example to the Church in the way he immersed himself in work and in serving others. It is told that President Hinckley remarked to one woman who had recently lost her husband, ‘Work will cure your grief. Serve others.’

“Those are profound words. As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness.

“In today’s world of pop psychology, junk TV, and feel-good self-help manuals, this advice may seem counterintuitive. We are sometimes told that the answer to our ills is to look inward, to indulge ourselves, to spend first and pay later, and to satisfy our own desires even at the expense of those around us. While there are times when it is prudent to look first to our own needs, in the long run it doesn’t lead to lasting happiness.”

Dieter F. Uchtdor

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HypnoBirthing Giveaway

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HypnoBirthing is a wonderful way to learn the skills and techniques that can help expectant moms to have a calm, easy, comfortable, birthing experience. Sound too good to be true? Well the new Gracious Rain Giveaway should be very helpful then. The folks at HypnoBirthing are giving away the book, “HypnoBirthing–the Mongan Method,” along with a relaxation practice cd, so that some lucky person can learn how it works for themselves.

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You don’t need to be an expectant mom to enter either. This would make a perfect gift for someone you know who would like to learn how to have a more gentle birthing experience.

Just leave a comment on this post and we’ll choose a winner at random on Friday June 5, 2009–at 10 am.

Good luck everyone!

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If you’d like to learn more about HypnoBirthing, or would like to read over 50 lovely birth stories–or would like to sign up for a class just click on the HypnoBirthing tab at the top of the page.