Little Man

My little man is the best little man there is.  Mostly because I am incredibly biased and see him as one of the greatest blessings in my life.  He has a very contagious laugh and one of the cheesiest grins I have ever seen.  There are gaps where teeth still need to come in all over the place.  The poor boy only has half a mouth of teeth.  Despite those obvious flaws, I love him A LOT.  I have been really struggling with how to cut his hair (boys hair is definitely more of a challenge than girls!) - so he has been through some really awkward styles lately.  I think tonight, I have finally achieved a good "stopping point" where I am comfortable with how he looks.   I will have to take a picture in the morning, but.... during his "awkward" phases..... his hair did this alot:

Static hair - just like his sisters!

 

DC Part 1

We came up to D.C. on Christmas Eve for a week away from home and to enjoy the nation's capitol.  That weekend was spent mostly in the hotel hanging out with family.

 My SUPER cute kids in their Christmas jammies.  Each year we get them a pair (as close to matching as possible) to open and wear on Christmas Eve.  This is this year's pick.

 #1 LOVING her gift from Santa - play makeup!!  I do think we have a girlie-girl on our hands. 

 J and his sister and the dog for Christmas dinner.  We are so grateful the hotel allowed pets for a minimal fee.

 The sleeping arrangements.  Each room had a queen bed and full sleeper sofa.  The girls (and dog) got the sleeper sofa.  They insisted on bringing their sleeping bags - thumbs WAY WAY up from mom and dad. 

 Trying out my new camera on the little guy had him blinking up a storm.  I caught him laughing here and having a good time in his pack -n- play (bed).  I love this kid.

Pretty much where my hubby has been planted since we got here.  STINKIN TV!

New Year....... New Me

I am truthfully so excited to start a new year.  I recently watched the mormon messages on the New Year and can definitely say that they are exactly right!  Never look back.  What has happened, has happened, now is the time to move forward.  So I am.  There are some aspects of my life where moving forward will be a bit of a challenge for me, and others where I am just downright excited to move on.  2010 is definitely a year that I would like to forget. The trials that I have had to face this past year are not ones I plan on repeating. I learned a lot and for that I am grateful.  My goal this year is to become a better me.  It is most often said that the Lord works in mysterious ways.  He definitely worked in mysterious ways for me this year - I couldn't have had better outcomes. 

Some of the wonderful things the Lord has helped me with this past year are:  weeding out the negativity and pessimism, helping me find out who my friends are/aren't, more strength in standing up for what is right, to not believe everything I am told, search out the truth, forgiveness, stronger appreciation for the good influences in my life, and re-prioritizing.  I have been chastised, humbled, hurt, lonely, and exhausted.  It is because of those things that I have been teachable.  I am not perfect..... actually, I am quite far from it.  The important thing is that I am trying to do the things that the Lord asks of me and to become a better me.  I am seeking out those who are positive, uplifting influences.  Motherhood is definitely something I have difficulty with, so I am seeking ways that I can improve and better teach and serve my children.  Somehow I feel that I have been caught up in playing the part of a "lemming" during my time in this area when I have been raised to be a "leader".  My parents taught me what is right and wrong, it is time I start leading my life instead of letting it (and the people in it) lead me.  I've lost site of myself over the years and I am determined to get myself back.   Deployments change people.  Unfortunately for me deployments didn't change me for the better.  I got so caught up with how lonely I was that I didn't take the time to make the most of what I had. 

I am so blessed to have the opportunity to start a new year and start a new commitment to myself to become a better person.  My goal is to become someone that not only KNOWS Jesus Christ but is the kind of person that I would want to be friends with.  I am going to be grateful for the talents that I have and learn how to improve from those who are more accomplished than I.  I will CARPE DIEM and have a life full of JOY in 2011!!

Shocked

Today I ventured out to a local mall and struck gold when I hit the Disney store.  They had a little sale going on with their Princess/Prince dolls.  Since my children are in VERY short supply of boy dolls (they have torn the other "ken" dolls apart.... in their defense, they were older "ken" dolls) I decided I would buy each girls' favorite princess and her accompanying prince.  Then I couldn't be 100% sure I got #1's choice correct so I tried calling my hubby.  No luck, the kids were sleeping.  I made my purchase and hoped they would love it.  Ariel and Eric went to  #2 = she loved them!  Belle and Beauty went to #1 = not so grateful.   Off we went BACK to the mall (which was getting even more crowded than earlier in the day).  As we were walking through Macy's to get to the Disney store, my little girl clung to my hand and walked safely with me to our destination.  After we made the exchange and I allowed her to carry her dolls in her bag BY HERSELF, she didn't want to hold my hand for safety anymore.  (Maybe she saw all the other kids walking without holding their parent's hand)  I kept my hand on her coat as we made our way to the escalator to head back out to the parking garage.  She wanted to get on the escalator by herself too!  As we went up - I couldn't help but feel my heart tugging a little.  #1 is growing up SO fast, soon she will be making purchases with her own hard earned money and walking to school by herself.  Not too long after that, she will be driving!   I think I will break down and cry someday about it, but not today.  For now, I will just really try to make all those little moments into memories and to hold onto that little girl as long as I can. 

Oh yeah... for anyone wondering what her favorite Princess and Prince are:  Tiana and Naveen

CHRIST is the reason for the season

I really hope that everyone had the time to reflect on the reason for this wonderful season.  Christ was the perfect gift for all of us and has given us SO much - the LEAST we can do is to remember Him and all He has done for us this time of year especially.  I think it is most appropriate to remember that all year long, but at the very least this Christmas season.  I wish you all  a safe and blessed Christmas day surrounded by those you love and safety for those you love who can't be with you right now.  Our family has a few of those right now.  Some live too far away, others are serving our country in different parts of the world.  We love you all and pray that you are remembering Christ and his many gifts to you. 

Have you thought of what you are going to give CHRIST this new year?

Teacher Gifts

I always struggle to find a practical gift for #1's teachers.  This year I opted to go for ultra-practical and to take a chance on them being a little sentimental too!  I got a mug (dollar store) and took my cricut vinyl that I have had for what seems like forever and cut their names out of it.  Then I stuck each of their names on their mug and filled it with store bought (because of the silly rule with bringing food to school - I figured the teacher's might have the same standard) hot chocolate mixes in several different flavors with a candy cane to mix it with.  Then, I gave them a homemade ornament with #1's name and year on it so they could remember which year they taught her.  Then I printed out the CHRISTMAS card and had #1 sign her name.  It was SO cute to watch her take the bags up to school with her on the last day before CHRISTMAS break.  She is so grown up!

FHE

Maybe FHE should mean Family Hibernating Evening instead of Family Home Evening.  At least that is what #2 got out of it two weeks ago! Notice: Her right hand is on her bum. Poor girl was WIPED OUT!  She cracks me up......... sometimes.

First taste of Snow

Our first bit of snow (that stuck) hit a week or two ago.  It wasn't much, but it was all that was needed to cancel school for the day.  Hooray for snow days!  I let the girls go out (eventually) and we made a VERY small, pathetic looking snowman.  Go easy on me, I was wearing thin gloves and I was cold (the girls had to use my warm weather attire since they didn't have any in their size - now they have PLENTY).  Keela (dog) seemed to like the snow alright.  She kept licking it (crazy dog)!  
As for the yellow snow, I didn't see any.  =)

ANYWAY..... take a look at our handi-work.  We didn't have much to decorate a tiny snowman with.... so, it looks a little poverished. (is that a word???  probably not)  Don't ask about the name...... for some reason they seem to name everything that lately.  I have NO idea where in the world it came from!

Her name was Rihanna Sunday 

My Birthday Cupcakes

Well, my birthday this year was a disaster.  That is alright though, since I am rapidly getting used to the way people are treating me lately.  After coming home from work (late day) the night before my birthday I was informed that it was requested of me to bake some goodies for the people J works with.  Hmmm.... do I really want to be baking something on my birthday!?  Not really.  In lieu of it being my birthday, I wanted to make something special, so I wracked my brain about what I could possibly do and remembered this yummy recipe a friend gave me.  They have a cookie dough filling - Yummy!  Needless to say.... I ended up cooking these VERY late on the 8th and waking up early on the 9th to frost them instead of hitting the gym.  Ugh!  I also had to bake more stuff to ease the burden on some other people going through some challenges and then had to show up AGAIN to another activity as the only leader from our ward.  

Most of my day was spent doing stuff for everyone else.  It was really hard for me, because birthdays were a big thing in my family growing up.  My family always treated it as a special occasion. Thank Heaven my husband came home and gave me a few hours to go out and do something on my own.  Even though that time was also spent finalizing our Christmas shopping for the children.  I can't complain though - because I had these waiting for me, and at least it was time ALONE.

Rewind

Rewind about a month with me for a second.  Yeah, I guess I really need to do much better about loading my photos on the computer more often.  I just loaded them all on a couple days ago and have pictures from over a month ago on the memory card.  Hm... time flies I guess! 
A friend of ours had a First Birthday Nursery Rhyme themed party for her little girl.  We were invited to join in the fun.  There was a lot of hard work and creativity put into this shin-dig and I think all who were there had a wonderful time!  The little girl is so beautiful too!  Another friend of ours did the majority of the cake (serious cake decorating skills here) and momma made a bunch of different food for the guests to eat. 

The amazing cake (only really half of the decorations)

My daughter (2nd from left) beaming about the egg race)

And...... they're off!

Birthday Girl, blowing out the candle!

Flat Stanley

My eldest child has a flat stanley project.  For those of you who have not been introduced to flat stanley...... i will enlighten you to the best of my ability.  For starters, Flat Stanley is a book in which a boy named Stanley gets squashed like a pancake by a bulletin board.  He then learns some of the advantages of being flat.  Sending Stanley in the mail to different places instead of buying a plane ticket is one of them.  For this project they will be sending Flat Stanley to come visit for awhile with hopes that he will come back with some cool stuff from the area. 

So, in talking to my mother about stanley's upcoming visit, my first born said, "I think that Stanley likes eggs and ham...... and pancakes"  She went on to tell my mom that she would get in big trouble if she lost her Flat Stanley and that she had to be sure to send Stanley back.   It was too stinkin cute to hear her talk about Stanley and to realize how much she is growing up.  Unfortunately, she seems to have gotten a lot of her personality from me. =/  

December already?

I've been going full speed ahead all day today and have now decided that sitting down feels REALLY great.  My posts have become less and less frequent.  As I sit here and enjoy the relief it gives the rest of my body, I will fill you in on the last little bit. 

The Christmas decorations are up (minus the tree.... which I then realized is pretty much the ONLY Christmas decoration that I have!!  haha... we are working on that) and I am starting to bake already.  I truly do enjoy baking.  I have some crafting I hope to get to today as well in preparation for an ornament swap later this month.  I am very excited to see what others have thought of! I was cleaning my house and baking to the sound of Christmas music.... it's wonderful when I feel that I can break out the music and start feeling the warm fuzzies of the season. 

This Thanksgiving we decided to spend it with friends.  Unfortunately, we were unable to get out to see my parents this year (we alternate holiday's each year).  We hope to see them sometime after school gets out so that we can have a little more time to enjoy them.  I was looking forward to having a great time with friends, and overall.... that is what happened.  Unfortunately, I came away from the event feeling a little lonely.

Since that day, things have been trying.  I decided a little over a month ago that I was going to cancel my gym membership.  I made a plan to attend the gym on base (literally 2-3 minutes drive) in the morning before my hubby has to be at work.  That entails me getting up at 4:45am and to be home about 6:30 am everyday.  The early mornings have required me to get to bed early in the evenings and have taken away some of the "me" time I used to have after the kids are in bed.  I have found that it is perfect for me though.  I wake up, throw my clothes on, head to the gym, enjoy a great workout, and then come home to stretch and prepare for my day.  I am already losing weight!  The best part is, I don't have to pay any money to lose this weight!  Before I was going to the gym on a pretty regular basis (when I could) and could not lose a pound.  Now, everything has turned around!  I am not sure how long this will work, but for now it is great.  I find that I have less of an appetite when I go to the gym right after waking up.  I also feel a lot better after my workouts than I was at the Y.   I will always love the Y and the atmosphere that it upholds, I am just grateful that I listened to the spirit and decided to cancel my membership for now.  It truly is what was best for me.

Things with my calling at church have been trying for some time now.  There have been frustrations and misunderstandings.  Through all of this I have tried to understand each side of things.  I believe that is what Jesus Christ would do in this situation.  I try to be optimistic and to bring peace to the calling and the people it influences.  Unfortunately, I am exposed to a lot of criticism which makes this an especially difficult trial.  I have been wanting to get away from criticism and negativity for a long time now and have been looking for people with the same goals to surround me.  I have been praying about it and asking for guidance.  I feel that the Lord is helping me to do what is right and what is pleasing to Him.  These past few days I have found myself amidst all the mess and am enjoying life a lot more.  Much more than I have for a long time. 

I apologize for all of this being so cryptic, this is my blog for me to be able to look back at as a form of journal.  I hope to be able to gain inspiration and strength by seeing what lay in these posts.  I guess this post is more for me to document my feelings and hardships and to remind me that I know I will get past them and how I already have gotten past some. 

I would like to share a small part of my testimony with you.  Jesus Christ lives, He was resurrected and did indeed atone for our sins.  He loves us and wishes for us to be with Him again someday.  If there is ever anything you need help with or strength to get done, He will be there for you.  Amidst the world filled with flawed people, He is the perfect friend.   I love Him dearly and hope to one day hear Him say, "Well done".  In the mean time, I know I have a LOT of work to do!  I leave this with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Thanksgiving Day

I can not even begin to explain how excited that I am it is finally Thanksgiving Day.  For some reason, having the end of the year full of holiday cheer is just great for me.  I really need that time to reflect on my many blessings and on why I do indeed need to be grateful for all that I have.  In talking to the girls about Thanksgiving, I told them we would be watching the parade on TV in the morning.  They weren't really sure what that was since most years we have been traveling in or somewhere other than our house and unable to watch.  I am VERY proud to say that we will get to see it this year!  WOOHOO!   Why I get so over-excited about some huge balloons and quick entertainment?  It's because of all the stinking AWESOME warm and fuzzies that overtake my body just thinking about the season!  Life really is good (even though I argue that point the other 10 months of the year).

  I have made a big change recently that I was pretty reluctant to make.  I quit the YMCA because I wasn't able to get there enough and I couldn't take part in the classes that I enjoyed.  My resolution?  I will be taking a more active role in my fitness and overall well-being.  I will get up in the morning to exercise before the hubby goes to work.  I will read my scriptures, ready the lunch for #1, get everyone dressed and fed to start our day, and most of all - get to bed EARLY.  That is right..... I will be aiming for 9 hours of sleep each night (obviously not tonight since it is already 1am) so I can wake rested and ready to go.  I know it is a bit much to bite off at this point, but I am going to use baby steps.  Anyway... getting to the THANKFUL part of this story anytime soon!?  Yeah, really.  Ok, so I am THANKFUL for the opportunity to be able to be a better homemaker and use my time more wisely.  I look forward to more time spent playing games with my children and teaching them the things they need to know.  I see the gym membership as a small sacrifice for the BIG change that will take part in our family - for the better. 

What's for........... DESSERT???

Ever been one of the poor souls that walk by the YW room on Sunday to see a bunch of teenage girls enjoying goodies?  Well, I have FINALLY taken the time to write down some of the recipes for those creations on my recipe blog.  Check it out.  I need to add a lot more and post my yummy spanish rice recipe that I found on allrecipes for last night's dinner. Check it out! Please ignore how long it has been since it has been updated, I have a lot of work to do to keep up with that blog.  I will do my best, and I am trying to do better about posting pictures with the post.  I do not like cook books that don't have pictures in them.... so I am not expecting you to! Feel free to send some of your favorite recipes so that I can try them and post them (with credit to you of course) on the blog.  Thanks!

Duel for Monday night dinner

 VS




Like the crazy people that we are, we decided to attempt a dinner at golden corral last night as part of our FHE.  It was going to be free for the hubby, plus.... we all could eat as much as we wanted.  Naturally, I cut back on what I ate that day to leave PLENTY O ROOM for the night's smorgasbord.  We attempted two different golden corrals only to find their lines way too long for children ready to eat.  After weighing our options, we decided on cracker barrel (because I hadn't ever been).  My thoughts on my first visit there?   DO NOT go there if you are ready to eat at a buffet!  By golly I think we scarfed up most of the girls fries (oh, and their kids meals were bigger portions than our adult meals) that they played "too full" to eat.

Hmm.... letter to the company?  I think so!
           Dear Golden Corral
    Why do you have a DAY to honor military members?  Most of them end up standing outside in the cold for an hour or so - for what?  To save 10.95???  Seriously?!  I think that allowing military members the weekend of Veteran's Day to redeem their free meal.  Perhaps creating an online coupon that can be printed after registering so that not every military member in town is eating free for a weekend.  My family was hoping to have a nice evening out at one of your restaurants, but were unable to stand in the lengthy lines at your business and eventually forced to give business to another competitor.   Every year, competitors praise your "military dinner" promotion because it gives them MORE customers.

                                                        sincerely,
                                                           A Navy Wife

disclaimer: logos borrowed from their respective websites. also, opinion expressed in this blog is that of the author and not an official statement from either restaurant.

more grateful for's

#9.  Hot Chocolate made with warm milk (favorite)
#10.  Alone moments (no, I didn't get one today, just reminiscing)
#11.  the idea of yard sales
#12.  My grandparents (both sets) - they are the most wonderful people that I know and I want my children to be able to know them.
#13.  warm, cozy blankets accompanied by GREAT books
#14. friends

Happy Veterans Day!

I am sending out a HUGE thank you to all of those who have served in the US military at any point throughout this country's history.  It is because of you that we have the freedoms that our forefather's wished us to have.  ( (Today) I am choosing to ignore the fact that the majority of this country's citizens are voluntarily giving up a lot of those rights)  Thanks to all the military members, (old and new) there is at least someone fighting for what is right.   Please, in honoring our military members, do not forget to also honor those families that go through many struggles to share their loved one(s) with this country.  It is most definitely not an easy task and many important milestones/anniversaries/birthdays are missed regularly to ensure your freedom.   As you sit down with your loved one every night for dinner, remember that someone is without their loved one tonight in order to defend our freedoms.  Everyday, there is a servicemember missing the birth of their child, 1st birthday, or anniversary. Each holiday season there are empty plates at the dinner table for Christmas and Thanksgiving.  Many miss the 1st day of school for their eldest child just to defend our country and our freedoms.  It is because of these remarkable people that you have the opportunity to be with your loved ones each and every day and to have them at every important day in your lives.  As long as there are ones willing to serve,  the rest of the country will be spared in having to protect their families and belongings on their own, or being forced to serve in the military themselves. 

THANK YOU VETERANS AND MILITARY PERSONNEL!!  AS WELL AS ALL EMERGENCY PERSONNEL!! 

Oh, and you're welcome for sharing my husband with all of you and going through a lot of important holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries (to name a few) without him.

Thanksgiving

#6.  Thankful for time with family
#7.  LOVE indoor plumbing (hot showers, flushing toilets, etc)
#8.  Thankful for phones, webcams (modern technology)

Contagious

I distinctly remember telling my husband yesterday that I was sick and that he probably shouldn't kiss me.  So, what does he do?  He says, "That's ok, I'll be alright."   Then imagine my surprise when he wakes up today and then later complains of a sore throat and achy body?!  Yup, I told him!  Sometimes boys are so silly. 

Next Project....

Ugly Dolls.  I want to make one for my little man and found a fleece throw at the thrift store today for $1.99 that I am going to use for the body.  Any ideas on how to stuff that thing without having a funny seam somewhere (proof of where I stuffed it)?   I think that these things are the PERFECT gift for little boys.  All the ward has to do now is supply the boys for me to make them for (that is if they turn out cute - the dolls, not the babies).   =)

Thankful List

Ok... since I am apparently, TRULY awful at updating this, I will play catch up with my Thankful list.

2.  Grateful that my children have their health, while I am sick.
 (makes things a little easier)
3.  Grateful that I have a husband who likes loves me and finds me attractive.
4.  Grateful my family supports me with crafting
5.  Grateful to have a roof over my head and a steady paycheck (not mine... my husband's)

Give Thanks

I really love this time of year.  I know that we most definitely should always be thankful, but it is easier to think that way when Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  The same goes for Christmas and the wonderful spirit that accompanies the last month of the year.   I would love it if we had these two holidays all year long - but I will settle for just trying to live these holidays in my heart year round. 

I would like to take a moment to say one thing that I am thankful for in my life.  I am going to try to do this each time that I post (since I am horrible about posting everyday).  

#1.  I am thankful for the scriptures and the Atonement. 

Happy Halloween

 #1 with her costume.  I am SO happy she was happy with it.  Even though it wasn't perfect by any means.

 #2 In her fairy outfit.  She decided she wanted her hair done like Fawn.  Well... you know how it goes.  =)

#3 in his Chicken Little outfit.  No hat with the red rooster stuff.  If you look close at his bum, you can see his rooster feathers on his outfit.  TOO CUTE!  Love him up!

All Hallows Eve

Want to know one of the best things about being LDS?  

   Having trunk or treat on a non-Sunday no matter what day Halloween falls on! 

Alas.... tonight will be a Tri-Ward Trunk or Treat for our little munchkins.  Since we have an awesome Activities Chair - You Rock TARA! - we will be having a little carnival for the children as well. All homemade of course.... lots of really fun games for the children to enjoy before packing it up and taking it outside for the children to make their rounds "Trunk or Treating".  Clue:  Some people will decorate the trunks of their cars in the parking lot and then have the children come by for candy.   Bottom Line:  No need to worry about the candy in that bag, it's all safe AND no one will be darting out across streets or getting lost, they are all in the parking lot! 

Tonight's line up, you ask?  

#1 - Tinkerbell - her outfit isn't perfect, but the best I could find since I am a HUGE procrastinator.  It will be dark green velvet, with lime-green wings.   Go figure.  

#2 - Fairy - she wasn't too particular about which fairy, so she will just be your average one tonight.  

#3 - Since I got all of the stuff from the thrift store.... YESTERDAY.... I found this really cute "Chicken Little" costume in little man's size.  Not really thinking I will figure out the head part.  

All of my children will be missing accessories to their ensembles and will look incomplete.   My opinion ?   OH WELL!   I vow every year once trunk or treat is over to make the cutest costumes ever.... and each year, I let it slip away from me.  Maybe we will try again for next year.  Any ideas?

Hard

There is a saying that says, "there is a time and a season for all things".  (not a direct quote... cut me some slack, I talk to children 5 and under day in and day out!)  Unfortunately, this "season" of my life seems to be one void of joy and happiness.  Every day that passes,  I am more certain that I was not cut out to be a mother....or any form of nurturer.  Shocking?!  I know, right!?  Honestly, I don't really think it is all that shocking.  Why? 

 *Most of my career as a "mother" I have gone it alone.  Yeah, sure, there was a paycheck coming in from the other side of the world.... but in the grand scheme of things... what I really needed was help.  The Lord blessed me in many ways with some amazing friends to help me along the journey of the "single parent".  But, the first sea tour in the military for us has left me severely damaged.

* I have an obsession with wanting a nice, respectable looking home.  I envy those with the talent of interior decorating.  I pretty much don't have a gift in that area.

* It is that obsession that drives me over the edge when I get to add another task to my housework list instead of maybe for once having some time to make something for the house.  We don't have much, but I am trying with what we do have.

* Laundry piles, that get chucked around in other bins (or closets) to be folded another day.  Ever wonder why we never have pressed shirts/pants?  Yeah... if I don't have time to fold, you can bet I haven't dusted off the iron in YEARS.

*  We own a dog that is not potty trained, and maimes herself if we stick her in a kennel - as well as pottying in the kennel creating HOURS of work to scrub and clean.  I can't own a nice rug - because she'll ruin it!

* I believe that I should be given the kind of children that behave as I did as a child, which according to my parents was great!  My childrens CONSTANT misbehavior is very bothersome.  Lots of time in their room. 

Is there hope for me?  I feel that I lack friends because I am the mother to the children with the leash, whining and running away in the store,  teach bad things to sweet - angelic children,  and who can never sit still when we go out to eat.  Will there ever be a season of "happiness"?   I am honestly buried in housework, punishments, dog doo, laundry,  depression, and extra weight.   Could really really use a vacation - to a place where there are no children.

FOUR

My #2 turned 4 today.  I can not believe it!  Definitely seems less than 4 years that I was in the hospital waiting to meet her, with my sweet husband desperately trying to reach me.  It was truly a blessing that he was able to figure out where I was and talk to me not quite 2 hours after I gave birth to her.  She is my blossom amidst adversity.  Being born on Friday the 13th,  her superstitious mother would think she has a hard life ahead of her.  I am amazed to see her rise above any trials thrown her way.  Not only does she have one of the greatest smiles, she has one of the purest hearts I have ever had the blessing of being around.  There are many more life lessons that I am sure she will teach me.  We are very grateful to have her in our family.  Happy Birthday!! 

Beauty and the Beast

Tuesday was the most recent debut for one of my all-time favorite Disney Classics.  For those of you who do not know, Disney has this awesome thing they do each time they release a new movie.  You simply visit their website and click on special promotions.  I am also a Disney Movie Club member, so I think that may help a little.  Anyway... I paid $13.99 for the Blu-ray/DVD combo pack of Beauty and the Beast.  Wanna know how I did it?  First, I went to BJ's.  They had $4 knocked off the regular price ($27.99) which put me at $23.99.  Then I used my $10 off the combo pack in addition for a grand total of $13.99.  That is an even better price than buying just the DVD!   Dork that I am, I just LOVE getting a deal, don't you?

Nook App

I realize I am VERY behind the times.  However, my husband and I have been eying the nook as of late.  Who knows?  Maybe he will even get it for Christmas...... right Santa?!  Anyway.... they have an app available for your pc so that you can enjoy having a book ready to read without it taking up valuable space in your home (and without having a nook..... yet).  Those military families out there know what I am talking about.  Anytime you move (which in the military is supposed to be VERY OFTEN yet in my case is HARDLY EVER) there is a weight limit.  Anything that goes above that comes out of your paycheck.   That is right, we have to pay for it.  I don't know about you, but I would rather spend that valuable weight on household items (beds, tables, kitchen ware, etc) than on books, and plenty of them.  I have had to try to find places to stash books to keep down on the amount of bookshelf space we need.  If all goes well, we may just have an extensive ebook library instead of taking up space (and weight) to correspond with our love of books.   Come to think of it... books seem to be my only friends these days.   Maybe it is because you ignore them when you aren't reading them, instead of them ignoring you.  Interesting.....

Ward Campout

We headed to the ward campout friday night.  Got there about dark, set up our tents (we got a small 2 man tent for the girls to sleep in - worked out beautifully) and visited with the others that attended.  Overall it was fun interesting, but boy did we realize what a mistake it was for the dog to come along.  My hubby really wanted to bring her... help her have outside time...blah blah.  Except she barked and woke up the baby, (yup...he was asleep already) and then continued to growl for about half an hour or so.  Baby slept with us for half the night and because my hubby just wanted to pack a long sleeve t-shirt (and no layers/pjs to keep him warm in the 50 some degrees it was that night...) he FROZE and kept trying to snuggle up to me.  Since I am a really awesome wife though, i had a change of underwear and shorts and multiple shirts for the next morning. Yeah, I realize I am complaining a little bit.  The campout experience this year (first year with my hubby) was kinda hard for me.  In more ways than what I wrote.  I have a lot of changing/growing to do I guess.   Oh yeah, sorry, no pictures to share.

Living the Doldrums

So, yet ANOTHER day to notch on the calendar as a rainy one.  Pretty much ALL last week was full of rain, to only give us a break for about 48 hours.  Honestly, if #1's school is closed for the THIRD school day in a row.... I think I am going to scream.   Oh yeah, did I mention that rainy day = dog not wanting to go out = "accidents" on the fake wood floor = mopping, AGAIN. 

yucky day

Today it is raining.  Yucky rain. I know that it keeps plants growing and all that jazz, but really!?? I do not like those rainy days, I do not like them Sam I am. Apparently, this is supposed to go on for most of the week. Ugh. Although all of this was supposed to start Saturday night and it didn't until yesterday afternoon. Maybe there will be a few days without so much "wet". Here's to hoping. Really trying to find the motivation to get up and start cleaning - instead of wanting to read a book blog.

New Book (series)

I have finally decided to give in and read the Hunger Games series. Honestly I am a bit apprehensive about it and probably still will be as I hit page 100. I was finally able to finish the other book I was reading to make way for this series. I am grateful that I have some friends with the books to lend out! I will review it once I am finished with the series for any of you who are still holding out.

FINALLY FINISHED THE SERIES!  You'll just have to read 'em.

New Project

I have put my nose in another project (of course) and am really hoping to finish it before the rain arrives this weekend. Today I will have to do a little sanding (only a little) and a LOT of painting. I am trying to flip an old dresser and paint it/re-hardware it and get it ready for my girls room. After it is done drying and we put it in the girls room we are going to stamp/stencil butterflies and flowers all over it and then run with that idea for the rest of their room. I think that theme can stick for a few years at least. I plan on doing so much! hmmm..... all the tasks I seem to take on. What am I thinking?

Thoroughly Enjoying Julia

I realized that the previous post didn't shed light on the fact that I can actually enjoy my time with my middle child. I am here to state that indeed I CAN and DO enjoy my time with her. The other day we sat down and played food (she occasionally calls it "tea") and then had a quick game of hide and seek. I have really enjoyed having the time to do simple things with her. Most of the time she is playing on her own or I am busy doing house work. I am just so happy that I decided to take the time to be with her. When she plays food ("tea") she doesn't spend anytime eating, but rather tells you what to eat. Always concerned with her guests I suppose. When she plays hide-n-seek, she will hide and as you get near to her hiding spot and ask, "hmmm.... I wonder where my Julia could be!?" She'll pop out and show you!! No surprises there. Thank you Julia for showing me what life is about, love you!

Hurricane Julia

Some of you are aware of the Hurricane by this name that lives in my house. Others of you may not be aware of the Hurricane by the SAME name in the Atlantic right now. It is an answer to our prayers that it shouldn't be found hitting the US coast at any time in its future. Especially since we already have one IN the US. I am sure she could give the real Hurricane a run for its money.

Doggone Mess!

I have a confession.... I am a VERY MESSY baker. I really enjoy baking, yet I can't seem to keep things clean as I spin my way around the kitchen. Today I was throwing together a double batch of chocolate chocolate chip cookies (a favorite of Jeremiah's coworkers) and in the process, an item fell from above the microwave, tipped my bowl of flour and cocoa powder and most of the cocoa landed on the CLEAN DOG. Lately, Keela will lay down on the rugs in front of the refrigerator or the oven. She had had a bath not 30 minutes earlier and was now covered in powdered chocolate! Poor thing had to be hosed off AGAIN and dried and then I had to proceed to clean up the kitchen, living room rug (which she promptly ran to and shook off on as soon as the accident happened) and the floor between the two. Today was most definitely a doggone day in baking.

Best part was.... I laughed the whole time! There IS hope for my sanity.

Newest Project

Betcha didn't know my hubby was good with some woodworking tools, huh? NEITHER DID I!! I found some really great ideas and plans at Ana White's Knock-off Wood. There are plans here for people of every skill level. I think I might go outside, get me some power tools and try my hand at making something too. We left out the wheels and I still need to add a protective clear coat as well, but the girls are LOVING it. I told them they don't have to play on the floor anymore, and so that is what they tell others about their new table (naturally)! We decided on the red, not quite sure why.... just for some fun maybe in a completely white walled house (that I may have to remedy later).

Bubby's 1st Birthday!

Little man @ the hospital after his birth
Bubby (little man) had his first birthday on the 10th. Some very good friends invited us over to have a double celebration. Their daughter (a Beehive in our ward Young Women program)shares a birthday with Hunter. She turned 14. They were kind enough to make him a birthday cake which he REALLY loved. You may notice in the photos that half of the cake is missing, we finally cut off half so he could dig in a little better. LOVE how the pictures came out. The diaper the next day was tons of fun.


Little man on his big day

-Little man has been such a tremendous blessing in our lives this past year. I can attest that he has brought me lots of joy the past 12 months. It is wonderful to see a personality forming in him. He likes to laugh and play. Now that he knows how to get around, he doesn't enjoy being held very much - but would rather crawl around on the floor and get into trouble. We generally throw him in his walker to help exercise those muscles, sometimes he gets upset. His mother appreciates it though so her somewhat clean house can mostly stay that way. HOORAY buddy, you are ONE!!!



Bubby and the birthday girl - Courtney

First day of Kindergarten

My darling #1 had her first day of Kindergarten today. When I dropped her off this morning, I walked down the hall with my hand outstretched so she could hold it and she kept ignoring it. Silly me! I should have remembered that she was a big girl and didn't need to be seen with her mother holding her hand on the way to Kindergarten. When it was time for me to go - she came over, gave me a hug and "high five on both hands". I pick her up in a few minutes and we'll see how her first day was! Then on to MY homework - the never ending pile of paperwork!

Last Shot at Summer Fun

Yesterday was the last day of "summer" for us. We decided that we would end the summer with a bang. Off we went to Busch Gardens for a day of "hopeful" fun. The last time we took the kids to Busch we were sadly disappointed with children who did not want to ride anything due to fear. This time around was much different. I was so relieved and I think that a season pass may be in our future. #2 took a trip on the tea cups with a bunch of total strangers and had a blast while all of the other kids yelled her name and waved. #2 also loved the roller coaster while #1 looks around as though she isn't sure if she should smile or grimace. In the Sesame Street area of the park, we saw Grover, Zoe, and Abby. Of course they needed to be hugged before moving on.

Overall, we had a really great time and I was happy we could be together as a family. Hooray!

climate blues

I absolutely abhor hot weather. Honestly, I really really dislike it which is why my children have been out to the park (located in our backyard) maybe 10 times this summer. I do not want to sit out there in the heat and watch them play while I fume about all the things I would like to get done inside the house. When I actually get them out of the house and try to go do something "fun" we all end up grumbling about how hot and sweaty we are. Let me tell you, my little family, when hot and sweaty is REALLY not pleasant. Oh... and that also is with myself included. I have decided recently that since my back door pretty much overlooks the playground in entirety, I would very much enjoy staying inside and doing the cleaning, while my children make a tornado welcome at the playground. I know that I suffer their cleanliness, but... a tub every night in exchange for the opportunity to clean some house? DONE! I love the fall and winter months much more than those pesky hot summer days where the bees hover over you if you even smell remotely of a bouquet.

My dream place to settle (if I ever attain the dream) would be somewhere where it is either 65-75 degrees everyday of the year with maybe 60 days of rain each year. That is at least a good rain per week. Either that or the summers range from 65-75 degrees with fairly mild winters that see enough snow for a couple snow days and to make a snow fort and snowman. That would be the life. Oh and I must mention the near to zilch population of flying bugs. I do not like sharing the outdoors with them.

I LOVE Christmas, and it can't come without snow. There have been far too many green Christmas' down here. I am ready to see some white come Christmas morning! Most of my favorite things are those that happen during fall and winter. There is hot chocolate, pumpkin pie, roasty fireplaces, snuggling on the couch with a warm blanket and awesome book, cozy socks, warm pjs, and jeans. I really miss that about my slightly "yankee" upbringing. I love having seasons that actually feel like the seasons should! Bring on the fall weather and let's have it stay!

Got good books?

I am in dire need of some FABULOUS childrens books that would keep the attention and feed the imagination of children 5 and under. My brain works HORRIBLY when it comes to remembering authors and book titles, most times our trip to the library consists of me browsing through the books and trying to pick ones that "look" entertaining. Having three small children does not allow for much time to actually READ the books before checking them out. Most trips include a short play time (while I pick out books), checking out, and dragging everyone home. This of course cuts down on the time they have to fight with other children (or for other children to try to fight with them). When they get a little older...... *dream*

Little man under the weather

My poor baby boy is feeling a bit under the weather. He has a little fever and has just felt awful the past few days. I, of course, am loving it up because that means he is easier to get to sleep while I cuddle with him. I hope that it is due to teething, the poor guy has only 2 teeth and is going to have a 1st birthday within the next two weeks! My girls had pretty much all of their teeth by the time they turned one!

Little man is so fun to watch. I LOVE to watch babies learn. So much joy comes from watching them crawl, learn how to hold things, learn how to stand on their own, try to walk, play, etc. Most of the joy in my life has come from watching my children learn.

We are just so happy to be his parents. The spirit that he brings to our home is wonderful. He has so much love, laughter, and curiosity to make the whole family feel appreciated.

BI-cycle

I taught my 5 year old how to ride a two wheeler by herself this morning. It has been a gradual process. In May we got her a bicycle with training wheels a little earlier than her birthday to coincide with a family trip. Anyway....she got pretty good at riding with training wheels. Shortly after getting our dog (in June)I realized the best way for me to enjoy walking the dog would be to take her on bike rides with us. Every morning we hop on our bikes and ride around the neighborhood. Since she has put so many miles into her bicycle these days, her training wheels are pretty beat up. They are so much so that most of the ride, I watch her balance on the tires and her training wheels don't touch the ground. This morning, I decided now was the time to take those babies off. Off they came, and on she rode! Stopping and starting is a little more involved, but she is catching on quickly. Wow... she beat me at riding a bike by about 2 years. GO MEL!

More importantly though - I felt such a HUGE sense of accomplishment. Even more than I do with watching them take their first steps. I TAUGHT my daughter how to ride a two-wheeler! From the time I put into our walks in the morning, I was helping her learn how to ride without the assistance of training wheels. SO SO SO SO proud of her. I couldn't stop smiling as I watched her ride around the block. Her sense of accomplishment probably much matched mine as she wore a HUGE smile on that little face of hers as she showed her mom AND dad how she can ride a bike. Being able to say that her father was there to see her ride for the first time without training wheels is something that means so much to me. I am immensely grateful for that blessing.

I will snap a photo and post it soon.

Disappear for a day

Some days I just want to pull the covers up over my head and sleep. In doing that I give up my mommy responsibilities until I choose to wake up and conquer the day. The days that I wish I could do just that are:

* When it is over 100 degrees outside
* When the family has been up FEWER than 30 minutes and already there is fighting
* When you head to the gym and everyone and their brother seems to be cutting you off - WHILE ON THEIR CELL PHONES!
* When I vacuum the rug for the 5th time that day due to dog hair. (white on red.... not so good)
* When there is so much laundry to fold that it would take the better part of an hour and a half
* When your husband is deployed and if anything is going to get done, it is ALL up to you

Silhouette Giveaway!

There are a few blogs giving away Silhouettes within the next week. If you are desperate for some fun ways to spend those hours you'll have away from your children come September.... take a look at How Does She - they have a list of the VERY lucky host sites.

There are SO many different kinds of things you can do with a Silhouette. Check it out!

Good luck to all those who have entered. There will be at least half a dozen winners of Silhouettes this week. Below is a list of 6 ways to enter.

#1 #4
#2 #5
#3 #6

Dressing up

Julia came trotting into the back room at our friend's house wearing this:


Melanie came waltzing out in a Minnie Mouse getup - we didn't get a picture of that one...hmmm... the need for me to have a much smaller camera for moments like this is pretty much - NECESSITY right now!

Sidenote: this photo is courtesy of my friend's iphone.

Our Black Hole

We are going on about 3 weeks worth almost with this hole in my ceiling. It all started when the ceiling in my living room started to crack. Maintenance finally came out and determined (after creating the hole in my ceiling) that my duct was leaking. They sent out some contractors about a week later and they determined they think the leak is coming from the upstairs duct that is dripping directly onto the duct downstairs here. There is absolutely no insulation there and it's now been an open hole in my super pristine house for nearly a month. The contractors said that it would probably be about 2 weeks before they could get back and everything would take about 2 days. Did I mention that they are going to have to rip down a wall in my bedroom? Yeah... my room is a DISASTER!! My dear husband thinks that since no one is supposed to be in our room... that it doesn't really matter what it looks like. There are heaps of stuff that has been on his dresser pretty much since we moved here (I don't dare touch it - since I would get in trouble if I threw something away I thought was trash).

Loathe my phone

Pretty much since the day I got this phone (refurbished) I have had problems. So stinkin fed up with how crazy it gets and how quickly it will lose charge as well. In the past I have had pretty good experiences with LG's - this time... they crashed and burned! I have AT&T, any ideas on how to get a better phone (didn't check to see if I can upgrade yet) without having to also get the internet option?! I feel that I already pay too much for internet (THANKS local provider) and have super slow computers that take forever to load the stuff. Oh well..... I really am going to stop complaining!

My Best Friend's Wedding

I took a whirlwind trip to PA this past weekend to play my role as Matron of Honor for my best friend's wedding. (I am writing this while I listen to my three children fighting and screaming about who knows what downstairs) It was beautiful and I am so excited for the new Mr. & Mrs. Amoss. Here is my best friend:



ISN'T SHE GORGEOUS!!!



This is my favorite picture. All day long I was pretty much the shadow of the photographer - trying to get my own shots. Most of the time I was able to get some really good ones. This one cracked me up!!! My best friend with her "fish". (She was Mrs. Amoss by the time she got this picture taken)

And this is the speech I wrote for her on her wedding day (to which I made everyone cry apparently..... including her DAD! He said he didn't cry walking his daughter down the aisle, but he cried for my speech) Hmm... maybe I have a new profession in the making??? Nah, just got lucky this time I think.

First I want to give a big THANK YOU to everyone here. I know that you being here today means more to Erin than you’ll ever know. Thank you to all the bridesmaids and family members that have helped with the wedding preparations that I couldn’t living two states away. Most of all, thank you Erin for allowing me the great honor to serve as your Matron of Honor on the most important day of your life.

Erin and I met in High School. I was the bitter teenager whose parents moved and forced me to attend my junior and senior years in a new school. I vowed to myself that I wouldn’t make any friends. Boy was I wrong. On my first day in English, I noticed a girl in a tye-dyed field hockey shirt sitting behind me. She had a huge smile on her face. Anyone who knows Erin knows that she has ALWAYS been full of life. She talked with me and made me feel welcome. Actually, I think she was the first person that had talked to me, and this was one of the last classes of the day. I had almost gone an entire day without a single person saying hello. Regardless of what others say and do, Erin is the first to welcome a new face and pull them under her wing. That is exactly what she did with me.

The first time we hung out was a result of a misunderstanding. She was talking to me about making cookies. I thought she was asking me to make some cookies for her. Although I hadn’t ever made cookies all on my own, I found myself saying, “Well, sure…. I guess I could make you some cookies….” Laughter filled the air and she said she was inviting me over to make some cookies. That’s pretty much how our friendship took off.

We were in quite a few classes together those last two years of High School. We always had a blast in English and just loved torturing our poor Trig teacher, Mr. Shuman. She was involved in Field Hockey and Student Council (which is proof of how friendly and likeable she is) as well as track during the spring. With Erin at my side, I made it through my last two years of high school with many great memories.

Outside of school, we enjoyed spitting awful tasting jelly bellies out of the window of her buick, learning squirrel calls, and scaring children on bicycles when I poked my head out of her car wearing a pair of goggles on my face.

Becoming a teacher has been a dream come true for Erin. I don’t think that there could be a better profession for her. Everything about Erin screams Teacher. She is nurturing, patient, kind, and has a great outlook on life. Words cannot express how proud I am of her. She is going to bless the lives of the children she teaches. All it takes is one fabulous teacher to inspire a young child to be a teacher. I guarantee that the new Mrs. Amoss will be that inspirer.

In thinking about this speech, the word that kept coming to mind was loyal. Erin truly is loyal to those in her life, but even more so I feel that she is devoted. She has always been devoted to everything in her life. She has never done half of a task, but rather always sees it thru. It is because of the great qualities that she has that will make her a wonderful wife and future mother. Brian – she will always do her part in being your life companion. She chose to spend the rest of her life with you – that is exactly what she’ll do. Just as she has never let anyone down in her life, make sure that you don’t let her down. Thank you for bringing her the happiness that I know she deserves.

Please raise your glasses to my best friend, Erin. A true gem that I know everyone in this room cherishes. Brian, may you keep her as happy as she has made all of us just by being a part of our lives. May your marriage see more happiness than sorrow, and may your love grow deeper each day for the rest of your lives. Here’s to Erin and Brian Amoss.


That wasn't exactly how I said it, and I made a lot of edits to it before the reception. I'm pretty proud of myself.