Hello Santa, It's Me, Natalie

Dear Santa,
You may think this is a little premature considering it is only May or even strange since I am a 29 year old mother of three writing a letter to you.  However, I have exhausted all options. I really really really really (ok you get the picture) would like something but no one is listening to me and I am desperate and have nowhere else to turn. I'm writing early because my birthday is in August and I'm hoping that in order to make your holiday less stressful, you could just give me my gift for my birthday instead. I'm not asking for anything too tough; not world peace, not my "pre-baby" body back, not even kids who magically clean up after themselves and potty train themselves as well. I am asking for one teensy tiny, itty bitty, magic machine found at any JoAnne’s, Michael’s or even Ebay (soooo much less expensive on Ebay!) I would like a (drum roll please.....) CRICUT CAKE MACHINE! I have drooling over this thing for a year and a half; I have been a very good girl and promise to be a very good girl FOREVER if I could just have one for my birthday.

My husband says it is totally unnecessary and says "it'll never happen". But I thought his golf clubs, shoes, nice golf bag, golf clothes, constant golf outings with friends, lost balls/broken tees and buying replacements for all of the above seem UNNESSECARY and yet he still owns them, still plays, still replaces and does all of this generally unhindered and supported by yours truly! Now that I think about it, he went golfing Wednesday night and is going again for 5 hours Saturday morning! So if the world of golf can eat hundreds of dollars a year for my dear sweet supportive husband to have a relaxing, enjoyable, usually peaceful hobby which I totally support, I would think that I could have one little $150 Cricut Cake Machine that will make all my wildest dreams come true.  That's just five or six golf outings--certainly fair under the current circumstances right?  I promise to decorate cakes and cupcakes for the poor and needy—you can even stop by for your birthday and I’ll make a cake just for you!

Thank you for granting me this one small, insignificant birthday/early Christmas wish that will benefit those around me for years to come. And just in case you are REALLY busy and forget, I'll be sure to have all my friends and family remind you the closer it gets to my birthday...August 15th...I'll be 30...I'll be really good I promise......Thanks!

Mothers Never Sleep

I have to attribute this adaptation to my cousin but it was too perfect not to pass along. I love my mother and grandmothers--all women to aspire to be like (clean homes included :-)

You may be familiar with President J. Reuben Clark’s notable quote on how interest on debt never sleeps. I believe that there is a parallel with Motherhood:

"Motherhood never sleeps nor sickens nor dies; it never goes to the hospital; it works on Sundays and holidays; it never takes a vacation; it never fails to visit or travel to you; it is never laid off work or discharged from employment; it never works on reduced hours. [. . .] Motherhood is your companion every minute of the day and night; children cannot shun it or slip away from it; they cannot dismiss it; it yields to polite entreaties, but not to demands or orders; and whenever you get in your Mom’s way or cross her course or fail to meet her demands, she crushes you with love."

Motherhood may not yield monetary rewards. But like the compounding power of interest, one day moms will turn around to see what their children have become. Sister Hinckley said that:

"Being a mother at any age is a blessing, but as we age and our children become interesting and productive adults we really begin to savor the joys of the harvest, the fruit of our labors. How could we have known when they were young and the demands so constant that we would ever have the luxury of simply enjoying their loving companionship?"


I loved this Mother's Day most of all--I think it will continue like that, each one better than the last as my children learn to create, serve and express their love for family. Thanks to the preschool and Primary teachers to went above and beyond, helping them make adorable cards, taking pictures and printing them and teaching cute songs to sing to me. Thanks to a great husband who is appreciative, gives me flowers, cooks me bacon just the way I like it and knows that the way to my heart is through gourmet food!