Just another Sunday. . .

Today was a Just Another Sunday,
but it was a good day!
-Church was very good, and Primary went well :-)
-Andy watched the boys and I took a 2 hour nap!
-We spent the rest of the day outside enjoying the nice weather.

While I was outside. . .I kept thinking about a quote that I came across the other day.
(Here are my thoughts. . .then the quote.)

I am a people pleaser.
I always put a lot of pressure on myself to make everyone happy around me. What I have come to realize in the last few years or so is that I can never please everyone.
I have been trying to focus more on me, I know that sounds selfish. But I really believe that if you are not happy with who you are it really effects you as a mother, wife, and friend. I still struggle with this everyday.
For Example, a sweet 20 year old girl in our church called me the other day. She wanted to come to my house and do a Cutco knife demonstration for Andy and I. When she first asked me, my thoughts were I have no extra money for knife's right now, I don't really need them, and I don't have time to listen to her demo -I am going to tell her no. But as she went on in the conversion she told me that she gets payed $15.00 just to do the demonstration. . .and I ended up saying OK you can come over. After listening to the HOUR long demo . . .I felt really bad telling her that I really don't have the need for a new knife. I felt bad. . .WHY?? She was the one that came and took up time in my day, and she got payed for it!
Saying NO to things that are not nessesary in life is a hard thing to do. I found this quote that makes me feel more inspired to simplify my life.

YOUR CHOICES ARE UNLIMITED

You don't have to buy from anyone.
You don't have to work at any particular job.
You don't have to participate in any given relationship.
You can choose.

You steer the course you choose in the direction
of where you want to be today, tomorrow,
or in a distant time to come.
You hold the tiller.

You can decide to alter the course of your life at any time.
No one can ever take that away from you.
You can decide what you want and go after it.
It's always your next move.

Also,
here are a few pictures (for the Grandparents) of the Olsen boys while we were outside today:

Isaac is getting so tall!
I am starting to prep myself for him to start 1st grade next year. It is going to be so weird having him gone ALL day.

Seth was being so crazy today, I barely got this picture of him before he ran off. He is always moving and going. It must be Spring Fever!


Andy is gone a lot so when he is home we all really love it. Andy is really good at having those one on one father talks with the boys.

To add to the randomness of this long post
here is a really yummy Bar cookie recipe I made today.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Bars
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

1 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chunks
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional - I left these out)

Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. Beat butter, sugars, egg and vanilla till fluffy and add dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chunks and walnuts. Press into a greased 9x13 inch pan and bake for 16-17 minutes until light golden brown. I have also doubled the recipe and pressed into a large sheet pan (11X17) with great results.

A few tips: Don't overbake!!! They make look slightly underbaked but when they cool off they are so good and moist. If you overbake they might be dry.

This was a crowd pleaser . . . I definite make again.