Messes and Miracles

Messes and More Messes

2011-01-07T22:14:00.001-08:00

I wanted to take a minute to explain my new blog heading. I wanted to take a minute to explain my purpose and to let everyone know that my house is not always so messy... only most days :) I feel like the picture in the middle of the stacks of laundry explain my current feeling on life. It sometimes feels endless, and like our trials are neverending, but once we get through it and get our lives put back together again, we look back and realize it wasn't THAT bad... and the next trial will be less stressful. And also, as soon as we get through one trial, we realize another one has been building up as we are living through this one... note the laundry pile in the background that has somehow multiplied while my back was turned! Someday I will be able to keep up on the laundry- I am really getting better and its not nearly as dreaded of a task for me anymore. All it took is me spending a night tearing my laundry room apart and loading up my van with bags and boxes of useless crap to send to DI, and *poof* laundry is bearable again!! Someday my house will have mopped and vacuumed floors that stay clean for more than 10 minutes. But I love that Tyson tells me that he loves me 20 times a day, and that Brock can't go to sleep without me giving him hugs and kisses, and that Marleigh loves sitting on my lap reading stories, and Sophie loves being cuddled on my lap for hours at a time, and Carter loves telling me all about the pictures he draws. Yes, my house may look like a mess, but it is filled with love. I love my little messmakers!!

Happy Holidays!

2010-11-28T21:06:00.000-08:00

I thought I would start off the month with a quick post, because I know the month will get away from me quickly. Thanksgiving is now behind us, and I am so thankful for so much. I am so grateful for a loving family. I am grateful for those that are so willing to help even when I don't realize I need their help. I am grateful for the gospel and the sacrifices made so that we could all have eternal life. I am grateful for the trials and blessings that have come our way this year that have strengthened our family and increased our faith.
I love this time of year. I love the decorating, the music, the snow (sometimes), and the feeling in the air. I love the excitement and magic. I love the focus on Christ and family. Its somewhat of a struggle for me every year with the commercialism all around us, and every year I tell myself, "Next year will be different. Next year we will focus more on the true meaning of Christmas." So today, right now, I make that commitment- this year WILL be different. This year we will put put the Christ in Christmas.
Happy Holidays to all of you!

A Quiet Moment, Quick Update

2010-05-23T21:40:00.000-07:00

The house is quiet, kids and hubby are asleep, so here is a quick update... May 1st we got to bring Sophie home. She has been such a fun addition to our family. She is such a good baby and so fun to cuddle! I try to enjoy every minute because I have learned from past experience that they dont stay little very long. It is a little sad knowing she will be the last baby in our family, but I am so glad that we have created "sisters." I think back to my own childhood, and I am so glad that I had a sister close in age to me. We were (and are) best friends, and I couldn't imagine how different life would have been without her!! And now I have 2 little sisters that I am raising, and I am so excited about that! Marleigh is so motherly, and wants to hold and cuddle Sophie all the time. Unfortunately she doesn't know her own strength and is a little too rough without meaning to. The boys all love having a baby in the house, too, and love to hold her and try to make her smile.

I am looking forward to summer and having the kids home, but it is also a little overwhelming, too. It is always fun to get out and do things as a family, and enjoy the warm summer months. It's just a little stressful keeping track of and taking care of all 5, all day every day. They are growing so fast, though, and before I know it, they will all be teenagers and I won't be able to see where they are at all times, and know what they are doing. I just hope I can raise them to be good people, and that when they aren't under my feet, they will be making good choices. What a task we have as mothers! In a lot of the talks in conference, they talked about the important role parents have today, and all the struggles we face and will be facing, and how important it is to raise our children with good values so that they will be strong enough to make good choices when they are faced with the challenges of the world. I know that the challenges I had as a teenager are so minimal compared to the challenges kids face now, and that my kids will be faced with in a few years. They are so much smarter than I was, though. I know that each generation is stronger than the last, and that my kids will be able to handle situations wisely, as long as I do my part as a parent. Anyway, I am rambling and getting sidetracked... but thats what has been happening here, and a few thoughts I have been pondering, and here are a few pictures of my cute little "babies"...

Welcome Baby Sophie!!

2010-04-17T13:55:00.000-07:00

I guess I need to come up with a new blog title since we are now Marleigh, SOPHIE, and their brothers! I need to back way up though. We began our exciting spring break week with our kids back on April 3rd with a great conference/ Easter weekend. Unfortunately, the kids and Nate were sick all weekend. Nate had a burst eardrum, and the kids all had a random assortment of coughs, fevers and ear infections. We had a fun itinerary planned for every day of the kids spring break, and Nate even managed to get the week off of work. We woke up Monday morning to cold rainy weather, and decided to have a jammie day, order chinese food, and ended up staying home. Marleigh had a fever and slept literally all day, and was sounding really wheezy. I took her to the after hours clinic at 9:30 that night, and within 30 minutes they were giving her a breathing treatment, and had her hooked up to oxygen. Her oxygen levels were dropping, so the doctor said we were going to have to admit her to the hospital. The nurse and I traipsed out in the snow next door to the hospital, me in flip flops, 8 months pregnant, though 4 inches of snow, carrying a sick little Marleigh. They took chest x-rays and got her hooked up to an IV and oxygen, and determined she had RSV, pnemonia, and the beginning stages of asthma. Nate came and took over for me around midnight so that I could get a good nights rest. Tuesday and Wednesday showed little improvement. Nate took the boys out for the day on Wednesday, and I stayed with Marleigh, and slept Wednesday night with her at the hospital. 5 am Thursday morning, I started having contractions. They were close together, but not very strong, so I went back to sleep and tried to ignore them. By 11 am, they were pretty painful, but still not very regular, but not going away. I tried drinking lots of water, walking them off, nothing was working. I called Nate and he arranged a babysitter for the boys and came up to the hospital. I went down a floor to labor and delivery to have them check me, and I was completley dilalated with a baby sitting sidways. My midwife was stuck in Salt Lake, so they called in another doctor. He came in around 1:30, and told me they couldnt safely turn her, so they quickly wheeled me in for an emergency c-cection, and little Sophie Jane was born at 2:31 pm, 4 1/2 weeks early, weighing in at 4 lbs. 6 oz, and 18 inches long. Nate referes to that day as the biggest WTF day of our life. It was. Later that day, I was laying alone in a morphine fog, Nate upstairs with our sick little 18 month old, and our new little Sophie in the NICU hooked up to oxygen, and the boys at home with grandma, not realizing the extent of all that had happened that day. Wonderful neighbors stepped in and took care of the kids, cleaned our house, and began organizing meals. We were truely blessed through our trial. I will never be able to repay my friends, neighbors, family- especially my amazing mom!! She stepped in and helped so much, and stayed and helped me through my first (and last!!!) c-section recovery. At the moment, I am doing much better, Marleigh is healthy and strong, and suddenly so grown up and self-sufficient, and Sophie, still in the NICU is getting bigger and stronger every day. We are so excited for the day we will be able to bring her home. She needs to be able to drink from a bottle at every feeding, and retain her body temperature. Updates to come soon! Thanks to everyone for thoughts, prayers, and well-wishes!

Being a Mom

2010-02-22T23:12:00.000-08:00

So I realize I am not a very good blogger, but I do like to pop in and check on everyone else's every once in a while. I think I am not good at keeping up on my own blog because I have adult ADD. I can't seem to start one thing and finish it, I get bored watching commercials, I forget what I am saying mid-sentence, and as I am typing this, I have to keep going back to the "facebook" tab. My brain is a jumbled mess, but I am going to blame that on my children, merely because I know I wasn't this forgetful and scatterbrained before children. Maybe I was, I can't really remember my life without them! I am so grateful for all of them. Each one adds a special touch to our family, and and I couldn't imagine life without them. They give me a sense of purpose and meaning, and make my life more enjoyable. Hopefully my brain can function well enough to remember the experience! Its amazing how much you give up for your kids- your body, your time, your job, sleep, sanity, brain, sex life, freedom. But, really, its all worth it. To bring a child into this world, and look at their tiny little face, and hold their tiny little hand, and realize that two people created this amazing little person, and it is up to you to raise this child, teach this child, and love this child unconditionally. What a wonderful gift Heavenly Father has given to us!! What a huge responsibility, but worth every single second! So yes, my brain may be mush, my body misshapen, I wouldn't have it any other way. The joy of being a mom is absolutely amazing!! Here's to all you wonderful moms out there! Way to go!!

Thankful Thursday

2010-01-14T09:41:00.000-08:00

This is my very first attempt at a Thankful Thursday, but I just have a lot on my mind that I am thankful for this morning.
1. I am thankful for the invention of deodorant and brushes. I now brush my hair and put on deodorant and call that getting ready for the day. Its amazing how things change when you have little ones at your feet!
2. I am thankful for the elementary school behind my back fence. I love being in my kitchen and seeing all the kids running around at recess.
3. I am thankful for teachers that care about my kids future. We had a bad year last year, so this year, having 2 teachers that are honestly concerned and try to help if they are struggling really means a lot to me.
4. I am grateful for deals! I love the after Christmas sales and finding a good deal. I think I will be heading over to Old Navy later to check out their clearance- I heard it was 50% off clearance prices- can't beat that! And also, for any of you that shop at kid to kid, the 28th - 31st they are having their big clearance sale- at least the Bountiful and Layton locations are, don't know about the rest, but they have some amazing deals, and have a lot of things marked down to $1.00!! And the more you spend, the more you save- they give you an extra 25% off when you spend $30 or more, and 10% off everything that's not clearance- I think I might be getting my double stroller during this sale! okay, okay, sorry, back on track....
5. I am thankful for individuality. I am so amazed how 4 kids all from the same genes are so different, and add their own special touch to our family. I love being a mom, and watching them grow.
6. I am grateful to have the chance to stay home and be a mom. I am definitely underpaid and often underappreciated, but I wouldn't change it for anything.
7. I am also thankful for TV. I know, I really shouldn't be thankful for it, but it helps me to be able to take a shower in peace, throw in a load of laundry, or clean the kitchen without worrying about what the kids are doing.
8. I am thankful for church. I don't love having to get the kids dressed up every Sunday and racing to get out the door on time, but I love the lessons learned there. There are the scripture stories and learning about Jesus, and also the life skills- sitting still, working as a group and getting along with others, and listening skills. I also love our ward and all the fabulous teachers, and the lifelong friendships that have started to develop.
9. I am grateful to have a roof over our head! This is the longest we have ever stayed in one place, and I love the stability, and how much this feels like home. It may be a mess most of the time, but I love having somewhere to call home that we know we won't be leaving in a few months.
10. I am also grateful for friends and family! I am totally a homebody, and am a little on the anti-social side, but it is nice to have people that care about me, and to be able to have people there to listen to me when I need them, and also to be a friend to, in return. And thanks to all of you that made it though my rambling blog post- thanks for listening and being a great friend!!

Goodbye 2009, HELLO 2010!

2010-01-04T20:08:00.000-08:00

Yes, I can hear the shocked gasps from all of you... Emily is actually blogging. Believe me, it took a lot to yank myself away from Facebook, but I did do it!
I have been reflecting on all that has happened in 2009, and I can honestly say I am glad its over. There were a lot of good memories, a lot of struggles, a lot of growth, but I am looking forward to the coming year. I am not big on goal setting, but, here are a few loose goals for myself:
1. I am planning on gaining AND loosing weight this year, since in May we will be welcoming baby #5. Although we thought we were done having babies, I guess telling everyone that you are done having babies is not very effective birth control! We are so excited to be having another girl!
2. Plant a garden and have it produce more than peas and zucchini. Last year was our first attempt, and we didn't do so well. Apparently peas and zucchini are no fail plants though! I would also like to actually do something with all the apples from the 2 huge apple trees in our backyard- maybe this year I will learn to can. Or maybe next year...
3. Be more patient. I am not good at being patient, never have been. I hate to wait for people, hate not knowing what will happen next. I also need to be more patient with the kids and my hubby- remember that the messes are temporary, just enjoy the little things in life- laugh more, listen more.
4. Less late nights, less caffeine. This one is pretty self explanatory.
5. Be a better meal planner, and be better budgeter. Again, self explanatory... and finally,
6. Blog more? Well, we'll see.

Pictures, finally!!

2009-07-27T13:09:00.000-07:00

SO here are a few pictures to go with my last post- I'm so lucky to have friends that take pictures of my kids! Thanks Josh and Jen!!
Here is Nate with the first catch of the day. It was a little too small to eat, though, so this one went back in the water.

Here is Brock, Carter, Tyson, and Seth with the big fish that Carter caught. This one they broght home and cooked

Tyson and Carter with their fishing pole- so cute!!

What an exciting couple of weeks!!

2009-07-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

So here is a summary of our last couple of weeks, minus pictures, so sorry, because again, I lost my camera, but found it again, so more pics to come soon! The weekend of the 18th, we went to Star Valley, WY, for my bff Dena's sons baptism. We got there a few minutes late, but got there in time for the baptism. I gave an frazzled, unorganized talk on the holy ghost, and Nate confirmed Spencer. It was so great to be a part of this special day! We had a bbq at the park after, then spent the night at Dena and Johns house. The kids all started off in the tent, but one by one, they ended up in the house because they were scared. I cant really blame them, they do live in the mountains, a little scarier than sleeping in our backyard in the city! The next day, we went to Denas parents and rode horses. It was a first for my kids, and pretty exciting for everyone. The following Thursday, we were off for another adventure at our friends the Burbanks in Idaho for fishing. We got there in time for dinner Thursday, and went to a great, fun, pack meeting at their church, then the boys got up at 5:30 am to go fishing. They all had great success, but only one was big enough to eat, so we had sandwiches and shared their "catch" for lunch. I didn't eat it, but the kids and dads liked it! Marleigh and I had a lot of fun hanging out at their house with Jen and baby Melanie. Its always so fun to get together with them! This weekend, we had a family swim party in Spanish Fork, then on to my uncle Matt and Aunt Karla's for pizza and cake to celebrate my sister. Lindsay's bday. The swim party was so fun, and well planned by Leah, and Karla went to so much work to having stuff for the kids, and making a great cake for Lindsay, and getting Lindsay's favorite ice cream, and plates in her favorite color, she's so great like that! Sunday we went to my mom and dads ward to hear them speak, then on to their house for a bbq with everyone- my brother Austin moved to Indianapolis last year, and was in town, it was so great to spend time with him, and my sis and her boys, and grandpa and grandma, and my aunt Tawnya, her husband, and their 3 kids- they just moved from Germany, and after their family vacation, they are on to Japan. How amazing that is! It was so good to see them! SO that is my summary, and maybe my next post will be a pictures only post to make up for my lack of pictures- sorry again! Only one more month of summer, so we will be cramming in a few more things before school starts, and taking lots of pics!

Dinosaur Park

2009-07-09T22:58:00.000-07:00

I have again lost my camera. I am sure it was abducted by aliens, because I remember taking some cute pictures of the kids last Thursday buying ice cream from the ice cream truck and setting it on the table. I haven't seen it since and its making me crazy!!! The kids are still trying to figure out why the ice cream truck comes down our street and doesn't go down the street their friend lives on. I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that every cent of their allowance has been spent buying overpriced ice cream. They are good at bargaining though. Carter only had 75 cents, and the lady let him pick a $1.00 ice cream. I thought that was nice! Okay, back on topic... So, Nate has Wednesdays off, and we have been trying to plan a fun family thing for Wednesdays, and have been doing a lot of fun things. Last week, we went to the Ogden Dinosaur Park. It was a little warm and it's almost completely outside, but it was a lot of fun! We went there a couple of years ago with Dena and Spencer, but haven't been back since, which is crazy, since it is so close and so fun. I guess cost is becoming more and more of an issue, though now that we have to pay for 3 kids. I payed $6.00 last month for the Utah Kids Club Card. It has tons of discounts, even buy one get one free discounts at a bunch of places. I hadn't used it even once, but the Dinosaur park had buy one adult admission, get a child's admission free, so we saved $10.00, every little bit helps, right? So, again, back on track... Here are a few of the pictures from our day, and if any of you happen to run into the alien that abducted my camera, would you mind telling him/her that I really really need my camera back?

After the dinosaur park, we went to Chuck-a-rama. Not my first pick, but everyone gets what they want, gets full, and no waiting (that's the best part!) And yes, Carter can ate this entire piece of chicken, down to the bone!!

My little monkeys in their cage

I don't think they realize that they are about to be attacked by a T-Rex

Carter, Tyson and Brock posing with the stegosaurus

Hopefully I have my camera back soon, so I can keep posting our summer adventures! Here is the website for the dinosaur park if any of you are interested in checking it out:

www.dinosaurpark.org

A New Dress!

2009-06-26T23:48:00.000-07:00

So I found my camera, but there aren't a whole lot of pictures to post, because the dang thing has been missing since, well, since I took these cute pics of Marleigh 2 weeks ago in the dress that Nate's mom made. Isn't it amazing?? We keep telling her she could make some good money with her knitting talents, but she would rather spend her time on facebook playing farmtown, so only the privileged receive beautiful, handmade, time-consuming gifts. We are so lucky! She is so very talented! Thank you thank you grandma Davis!

First Month of Summer Break

2009-06-26T09:35:00.001-07:00

I apologize now for not having pics, but have misplaced my camera, have no idea where it is. And I tend to forget it for all the good stuff anyway. I always enjoy the pics on other peoples blogs, so again, I'm sorry. But here is month one of summer break in a nutshell. he last day of school for the kids was June 5th. On the 6th, Hill Airforce Base had their huge airshow, so we had my parents, my sister, Lindsay, and my sister Ashleigh and her 2 boys over for a bbq, including Nate's famous smoked ribs. He's always looking for an excuse to fire up his smoker! Around 3, the airshow really got underway. We could see most of it from our backyard, but there are a lot of trees blocking the way, so we ended up walking over to the school to watch. It was absolutely amazing!! Later that night, Brock told my sister he thought he had swine flu because he felt like he had a fever. He really did have a little bit of a fever, but seemed fine otherwise. That night we actually had to take him to WeCare- the 24 hour doctor, because he was having problems with his asthma, and nothing we could do at home was helping. We were there at 1 am, and by 7 am Sunday morning, Nate took him back to check his oxygen levels, and he was doing horribly, and they said to go straight to the emergency room. They checked him into the hospital, where he stayed until Wednesday morning. It was so sad to see him laying in a hospital bed so miserable. At one point Sunday, they were talking about airlifting him to Primary Children's in Salt Lake because he wasn't getting better after the heavy doses of steroids and breathing treatments. They did check him for the flu, and no, he did not have swine flu! He was so bored and wanted to go home so bad, so we were glad to come home Wednesday! Wednesday night, Tyson was having the same issues. He has not been diagnosed with asthma, but they did have us do breathing treatments every 4 hours on him until in got better. So every 4 hours, breathing treatments on 2 kids- loads of fun!! By Friday, though, everyone was feeling better, and we went to the discount night at the Treehouse museum in Ogden. It is a great, fun place that is fun for the whole family! Highly recommended by me and my family! The 17th was our anniversary, and a couple days prior to that, we got a call offering a free night stay in Park City, all we had to go on a tour of their resort (aka a timeshare presentation). We stayed there Tuesday night- the whole family, and had a great time swimming, going to the Olympic park- they have a fun, interactive ski museum, and a place that you can watch the ski jumpers training. The kids loved it!! Yeah, we didn't spend our anniversary alone, but it was fun to get away and enjoy the mountains! Ant the kids are the greatest things that have happened in our lives since we got married 9 years ago. We have spent a few days at my grandmas visiting with family that we only get to see once or twice a year, we went a couple of days ago and saw Transformers- amazing, by the way, but LONG for the little ones. Wednesday was free family night at the Surf and Swim here in Layton, so we went to that, and have been enjoying the warm days when they come our way in the kiddie pool in the backyard. We have also been doing workbooks to keep the kids learning and hopefully be ready for this next school year, and have been doing chores- some days are better than others! As I write this, the kids are downstairs arguing more than cleaning, and may just be downstairs all day! They could be done in 30 minutes if they wanted to! So that is month one in a nutshell. Its amazing how quick the time goes! I will try to find my camera and do better at documenting! Hope all of you are having a wonderful summer!

Fun day at the Zoo

2009-05-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

Saturday morning my sister and I planned a spontaneous trip to the zoo with the kids, then invited my mom and sister, Lindsay to go with us. It was a cool, overcast day, and there was a little bit of a breeze, so it ended up being a perfect day for the zoo. It was a little rough pulling a wagon with 2 toddlers up and down the hills, but we all traded off, and got a good workout. Lots of fun, can't wait for the rest of the summer activities!!

Here's grandma with Marleigh and Ollie in the stroller, and me with Tyson and Kahner in the wagon.

Ollie and Marleigh enjoying the stroller

My crazy boys!!

Brock and Carter with Aunt Lindsay

The boys all wanted to use the camera, so I'm not sure who took this one, but I love it!!

Brocks Baptism

2009-04-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, a week later, I am finally getting around to blogging Brock's baptism. Yes, I am a slacker mom, and I am blogging because my sister posted Brock's baptism before I got to it, so, Ashleigh, thanks for motivating me- and no, not sarcastically, really, thank you!!
We planned the baptism for 5:00 pm so my grandparents would be able to make it, because they are temple workers at the Jordan River temple on Saturdays. I didn't want to have everyone crammed into my house, so after the baptism, we ate and hung out at the church. I didn't really spend any time cleaning my house because everyone was going to meet at the church. However, several people showed up early, so I had about 30 or so people in my house in its "natural state"- so yes, now everyone knows how much work goes into me getting ready for as group! I was slightly embarrassed, but then chose not to care and put the focus on getting ready for the baptism. We started out in the Relief Society room, and the bishop asked if we had a program, since he was conducting. No, I didn't have a program, or songs picked out, or pianists, choristers, or prayers assigned. Hello!! I quickly jotted down who was doing what, called on grandparents to pray, and thankfully, Christine stepped in to play the piano, and I used my skills from 8th grade choir to muddle through leading the songs! I asked my brother Jared to give the talk on baptism a few days before, and he did an awesome job. He is getting ready to leave on his mission, so it was pretty special to have him participate. Brock really looks up to him, and he is a great example to Brock, as well as the his other nephews. After Jared's talk, we walked to the other side of the church to the font. Brock was baptized by Nate, and they both did everything perfect. Brock is such a great example to his brothers, and they were so excited to get to see him go under the water. We then went back over to the Relief Society room while they were changing, and our bishop said a few words about the important role everyone in the room plays in helping Brock make the right decisions, and to guide him in his life. I really appreciated the words from Bishop Houston. I had a hard time holding the tears back, because I have a niece and nephew that were there that have not been baptized, but are old enough to be, and I love them so much, and wish that they had the same blessings. My little nephew told his mom later, while we were eating dinner, that he wanted to get baptised. He is such a sweetie, and has such a strong spirit, but his family is not active right now, and unfortunately, that is holding him back. (They aren't against him being baptised, they just want him to understand what it means, and take it seriously if he chooses to get baptised.) I am glad that Brock was an example to him, and that it has never been a question for him. He knew he wanted to be baptised when he turned 8. After Nate and Brock came back in the room, I gave a talk on the holy ghost, and talked about repentance, then he was confirmed- also another special first for Jared to get to participate in. We all went into the gym after the confirmation, and ate and enjoyed each others company. After everyone left, and the cleanup was done, we headed home. That night, I noticed a different boy. Brock was so calm and peaceful- I had never seen him as peaceful as I did that day. It was so amazing. The next day was Easter, and still, this calm little boy, that now had the holy ghost with him. You could feel the Spirit so strongly! Sunday night at bedtime, Carter said to me, "but mom, what if we get scared?" and Brock answered, "it's okay Carter, we'll be safe, I have the Holy Ghost with me now." and yes, I am tearing up as I remember and type this. I hope that I can always be an example to my children, and that they will always have a strong desire to stand up for their beliefs, make good choices, and be an example to others. Brock also commented that night that he is glad he got baptized, because it is the first step to getting to heaven. If we could all remember those basics and simplify things in our own lives. Thank you Brock, for being an example to your brothers and sister, and also to your mom and dad!!
This is Brock with Sister Mirenaka, his Primary teacher. She is so sweet, and is such a great example. We love her!! She gave Brock a baptism pillowcase, and Brock was so excited to come home and color it and put it on his pillow.

Nate and Brock before the baptism- Brock was SO excited!

Spring Break

2009-04-12T20:45:00.000-07:00

I always love having a break from the schedule and having the kids home, at least for the first few days, anyway. I had big plans for getting the house organized this week- I thought maybe it would be easier without having to drop everything to go pick up Carter at 11:30, then Brock at 3:30. Unfortunately, I didnt get my house organized, but we did have a fun week. Monday the kids spent outside playing with the neighbor kids while I caught up on laundry. Tuesday was definitely the funnest day. When Nate got home from work, we went to the Hill Aerospace Museum in Roy. We have been there a few times, and love it every time. The best thing about it: its absolutely FREE!! Love it!! Anyway, anyone with kids, you need to go- it is amazing! Its right off the Roy exit- you can see all the airplanes outside from the freeway, and its super easy to get to. There are tons of airplanes inside and out. My kids love military/war stuff, so they think its great. Nate likes to read all the signs and learn the history side of things, so the kids and I usually end up a ways in front of him, but it all works out. My dad was always like that on vacation growing up, so it doesnt bother me. The kids just dont quite have the attention span to sit and wait, or to read the plaques at this point- someday though!! The best part was this room we found that wasnt there the last time we went- there are flight simulators, toys, computer games, and cute kid sized flight suits for them to try wear as they are "flying" the planes- so cute! We spent a couple of hours there, then went to West Valley to see Nates brothers new truck. He is a truck driver for CR England, and they have a truck leasing program, and he just got a brand new truck. He had a manatory 32 hour break, so we went out and saw him, and we got a little tour of the CR England facility- pretty cool- they have big laouge with big screens, workout rooms, arcades (why do truck stops always have arcades? I don't get it!!) and they have dorms for them to sleep in, a bank, a little store- I was pretty amazed!! Corey let us climb into his truck and showed the kids his bed, and tv, and let them all honk the big horn- Tyson just tryed the little one on the steering wheel, but they were all pretty impressed. I was pretty impressed, too! Its amazing how much space is really in the cabs of those trucks!! It was a lot of fun to see Corey, and he seems so happy! I guess he is just made to explore! We did have to cut it a little short with Corey to get Brock to scouts- its not really an option for him to miss scouts- he totally loves it! The rest of the week was spent at home for the most part. We wanted to get out to Antelope Island, but it was a little too cold. We did make it to our new favorite pizza place in Syracuse for the lunch buffett Wednesday. All you can eat gourmet pizza- can't go wrong with that (and the 2 youngest are free- so $18.00 total for unlimited pizza, salad, breadsticks, drinks and pasta- love it!!) Friday night, we had a cousin sleepover with Kristiana and Kaleb. We love having them over, and everyone plays so well together. They all walked to the school on Saturday to play on the playground, which happens to be across my back fence, so they played for a few hours there, and had a ton of fun. Saturday night was Brocks baptism, but I will save that for another post. It was absolutely amazing, though, and he seems like a different kid! He told Carter tonight that he didnt need to be scared, because "I have the Holy Ghost now." How sweet is that?? I'm so proud of my kids, and I so loved having this week with them, but I look forward to getting back to the routine tommorrow!

Conference Weekend and Hmong Food

2009-04-06T12:23:00.000-07:00

This conference weekend we went to Brock and Christine's house up in Green River, WY. We always have a lot of fun with those guys, and our boys love their boys. Poor Christine is pregnant and is feeling pretty sick right now- I felt so bad for her! I can honestly say I don't miss those days, even a little bit! Nata and Brock made egg rolls, phu, sticky rice, and papaya salad. The egg rolls were awesome, as usual, the phu was a new one for us, and everyone tried it and liked it okay- it was a meat and noodle soup, I just tried a bite of one of the kids, but it was kinda bland without all of the toppings that get added in. the sticky rice was good, but we forgot the bamboo rice cooker, so we improvised with a pot and colander, and it took forever, so everyone was full by the time it was done, so we all just tried a little bit of it, but it was good! The papaya salad was an adventure. It smelled so gross, looked nasty, and I think 4-year-old Carson described it perfectly when he called it muddy, gooey stuff. No one, including Nate and Brock, ended up liking it. Maybe the measurements were a little off, who knows, but it was something I couldn't make myself try after smelling it. It was so great to get away and with the drive home, and sunny weather, I have a renewed sense of energy and optimism. I came home and cleaned and dejunked my room, and and hoping the rest of the house will follow. Today is laundry day, so haven't taken on any new projects yet today. The kids are on spring break this week, so hopefully it will be a great and productive week for all of us!! Thanks Brock and Christine for opening up your house to us, and putting up with us! It is always fun to get together with you guys!!

Happy Birthday Brock!

2009-04-02T09:15:00.001-07:00

So better late than never, right? Brocks birthday was on the 21st, and I have just kinda spaced blogging it. We are baptizing him on the 11th, so it is a little bit of a spread out celebration. We kept the day pretty simple. He hasn't ever went to school on his bday because it is the end of the term at school, so they always get an exra day off. His bday was on a Sauturday this year, but he got the monday after off, too, so extra days to enjoy his bday. On the 13th, I went to school and had lunch with him at the birthday table. Our elementary school has one friday a month that they celabrate that months birthday, and the school pays for lunch for mom or dad to come have lunch with their birthday kid. SO fun! School lunch is not necessarily something to get excited over, but it was fun to have that special time with Brock. (I also love that our school have free breakfast in the mornings for all the students- even the kindergarteners- my kids can get up 10 minutes before they need to leave for school, and still get a healthy breakfast- LOVE it!!)
Nate and I went to our friend, Jeremys, surprise party on Friday night, the 20th, so my little sis Lindsay came to stay with the boys (and play American Idol on the Wii), and stayed the night, so she was here Saturday for Brocks bday. We told him he had to wait until 12:13 pm to open his presents, but didn't end up sticking to that! He was most excited about Cabelas Big Game Hunter (A video game for the Wii) and the gun to go with it. He has been having a lot of fun with it, and is getting really good at it. We didn't go anywhere that day- just vegged at home, and gave Brock unlimited game time. It was so great to just hang out together at home. Everyone was happy, and it was a heck of a lot cheaper! We decided not to do a party beacuse we wanted to keep the focus on his baptism, and focus on celabrating that. He was a little bummed for a minute, but he did have his bff, Spencer, here the Sunday and Monday after his bday, so that was good enough for him.
Here is Brock opening up his new game- look how happy!!

These are some Star Wars minifigures that Cater picked out for him. Also a huge hit

So Brock wanted a hunting cake- I went all over the place trying to find forest animals, but couldn't find them anywhere! I ended up at Walmart, and bought a $2.00 bag of safari animals and picked out the best ones. I was cracking up as I was looking through the bag of aniamls, because there was a little rhino that was smaller than the tiger, the tiger and the elephat were the same size, and the gorilla was bigger than the tiger and the elephant. So, yeah, I did have to be pretty selective to find animals that would work! I made a devils food cake, frosted it with vanilla frosting- I tinted a little bit of the frosting blue for my tiny little pond, then I took oreos with chocolate filling, and crushed them and coved the rest of the cake with the crumbs to look like dirt. I am a horrible cake froster, so I am a big fan of the cookie crumb coverup on cakes!

I still can't beleive that my "baby" is 8- I remember when Nate and I were first married, and I was in the nursery in our ward, and I would look at families with older kids, and I couldn't imagine ever getting to that stage. Now we are here, and the time went so fast! I always tell my kids they can't grow up, but they just keep doing it! We have the baptism in a week, then Tysons bday a couple of weeks later, then Carters a couple of weeks after that, so this is just the fisrt "birthday season" installment- hopefully I will be able to stay on top of it all!

1 Word Tag

2009-03-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

your cell phone is: useful
your significant other is: awesome
your hair: blah
your mother: amazing
your father: witty
your favorite thing: camera
your dream last night: dreamless
your dream goal: skinny
your favorite room: bedroom
your hobby: blogging!
your fear: loss
where U want 2 B in 6 years: Here
where U were last night: home
what you're not: wise
1 of your wish list items: cleanliness
where U grew up: Bountiful
the last thing U 8: waffles
what U R wearing: capris
your TV: off
your pet: none
your computer: lifeline
your mood: calm
missing someone: yes
your car: van
you're NOT wearing: shoes
your favorite store: target
your summer: short
favorite color: pink
the last time you laughed: last night
last time you cried: dunno

I tag anyone who happens to read this- Its easy and fun- and thanks Jenny B. for the tag!

Jedi Robe Pictures

2009-03-12T21:18:00.000-07:00

So here are the boys in their Jedi robes "Smiling" for the camera

In this one, I told them to make a "Jedi" face- look how serious Brock looks- he cracks me up! He is sooo into acting things out and cries if we tell him the Star Wars world doesn't exist! The pattern also includes a piece that they wear under the robe, but I didn't have the material for that, but Brock asks me every day (okay, so twice...) when I am going to make the other piece. Thanks all of you that left such nice comments on my last post- I look up to all of you and think you are great moms, too!!

Here is the link for the pattern: www.degraeve.com/jedirobe/

The Things We Do For Our Kids

2009-03-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

So as a little follow up to the Jedi Training Brock and Carter did at Disneyland... Brock was so sure that if you got picked, you got to keep the Jedi robes, because they saw a girl walking around in one. They did get picked during the Jedi Training Academy show, but, sadly, had to give back the robes and the "training" light sabers. I promised them we would go to the Star Wars store (at Disneyland) and I would let them pick something out. I didn't want to carry the stuff around all day, so we said at the end of the day we would go back and they could get something. It was a long day of "can we go to the Star Wars store yet?", and a lot of "If you ask us again, we won't go at all!!" "We will go back, just not now!!" Nate wasn't very happy that I had "promised" them we would go in the first place, but I'm a pushover, what can I say? So we went to the store, and immediately they started looking for the Jedi robes. We found them in the back of the store, and they were just the cheapie Halloween costume type robes, and they were $45.00!!! They were heartbroken when I told them no, but there was no way I was going to pay that much when I could go home and buy them for less than $20.00, or just make one. Brock ended up going with a pack of Star Wars mini figures, Carter picked a Ewok stuffed animal, and Tyson picked a little Yoda "Stitch" -its so cute! (It's also already in pieces somewhere in the van- Carter said he found the head, but now its lost again- haven't quite made it to the cleaning of the car, so I'm sure Stitch/Yoda will be back with us soon...) So, anyway, back on track... I got online yesterday and found a pattern for a Jedi robe. It looked simple enough for me to attempt, so I printed it out, read through the instructions, and in the notes at the bottom, it said that one reader had used a flat sheet to make theirs. So, off to Walmart I went with Carter, Tyson, and Marleigh in tow. I hate Walmart and try to avoid it, but I found it is less painful if you go during the day, and if I don't have all the kids- even one less helps!! I bought 3 flat sheets at $3.00 a piece, and went home to get started. It took me about an hour to make Carter's, and it turned out pretty good. He loved it, and he was outside playing in it all afternoon. Last night I made Brock's, and his went together pretty quick, but I did have to unpick and resew the hood on twice because I sewed it on inside out. I made Tyson's this morning, and whipped his up in about 30 minutes. The sleeves ended up a little short because I was a little hasty, but still, he loves it. They all had them on outside while they were playing with friends, and when Nate let Tyson go out, one of the neighbor kids said, "Even Tyson has one?" and looked like he was about to cry! Nate told me I should make some for all the neighbors- I'll have to think about that- that would be 4 more- it seems like a lot more work when it's not for my own kids! Just wanted to share, and yes, brag slightly- (I will post pics soon) I surprise myself when I actually pull off a sewing project- my mom is a whiz with a sewing machine and can do anything, but I am so impatient with it, that I usually end up having my mom fix things for me. Maybe I am just slowly turning into a grown-up, though. I am only 8 weeks away from 30, after all! (I told my mom one day I don't feel like a grown up, and she said sometimes she doesn't either. Maybe we never really have to grow up all the way.) Maybe someday I will like sewing and maybe even be kinda good at it, and maybe I will find joy instead of frustration when I make a pie from scratch- okay, that last one is definitely a stretch... but I do love to do things to make my kids happy, and if it means letting the housework go to make Jedi robes, so be it!! Nothing is as fulfilling as a sincere "Thanks Mom!!" Or "You should make this again, Mom!" Someday they will be embarrassed by me, maybe at some point say they hate me, so I treasure the time that they are little and think I know everything, and WANT to talk to me, and think I am the greatest girl in their life.

Things I Learned on Vacation...

2009-03-08T21:27:00.000-07:00

Grandma and Grandpa Davis with 5 of the 10 grandkids
A common sight in the backseat...

Newport Beach... Love that place- it is so beautiful- I want to live there someday!!

Here we are is our matching (and way overpriced) ponchos, oh, guess I'm not wearing mine for this pic, if you look really close you can see Marleigh in the baby pack.

Here we are with a long lost relative

Tyson, Marleigh and Nate posing with Mater and Lightning McQueen

Here are the boys in their matching Goofy shirts acting goofy

Carter is training to be a Jedi at the Jedi Training Academy

Brock was also picked to train to be a Jedi- He took it very seriously

Me and the kids with Pluto at California Adventure

Me and the boys in Holden, Utah at the remains of the cabin Nate's Great-Grandmother grew up in- The boys were facinated by it

20 things I Learned on Vacation...

1. The only thing better than Disneyland is watching your kids experience Disneyland for the first time.

2. Boys are not afraid of anything and will try anything- least once

3. Ten hours at Disneyland will make a 5 month old baby sleep through the night (The first time she's done that!)

4. Kids are very impressed with a maid that spreads their blanket from home out nicely on their bed.

5. Vacations and potty training mix quite well (Tyson wanted to go potty every time the big boys did, and peed almost every time we sat him on the toilet!!)

6. Rain plus Disneyland equals short lines

7. Tyson really likes saying "Aunt Colleen"- rolls off the tougue, I guess!

8. Watching your son be trained to be a "real Jedi" is priceless.

9. Theme park employees are true sticklers on height requirements (Carter waslike an eighth of an inch too short to go on california screamin' at california adventure- he was sooo sad!!)

10. Going down the big hill on Splash Mountain WILL make Carter pee his pants.

11. It is possible to take a potty break without actually stopping if you have sons and an empty Gatorade bottle.

12. Nothing makes a grandma happier than having a house full of grandkids.

13. Nothing makes Nate happier than a scoop of "Thrifty Drugstore" ice cream from Rite Aid

14. No matter how fun the vacation, it always feels so nice to come home.

15. It is possible for the house to stay clean for a week as long as no one is in it!

16. A visit to the Lego store or Starwars store are just as exciting as any ride.

17. To take a trip with young kids requires 10 times your families combined body weight in luggage, snacks, pillows and blankets.

18. Seeing yourself in a mirror 15 times a day makes you realize your body is more lumpy than you thought.

19. A roller coaster will not make me sick, but the kiddie rocket ride that spins around, will.

20. This week spent as a family has created lifelong memories- hopefully all good ones!

What happened to my day?

2009-02-19T21:04:00.000-08:00

I found this article on a fellow bloggers page, and found it quite informative... I often find myself, as a stay-at-home mom, getting to the end of the day and thinking- my house is still a mess, I have working all day, I am exausted, but WHAT have I been doing all day? This article pretty much sums it up, and helps me feel a little better. It also makes me feel slightly bitter towards the judgemental ones without kids. But, I am also bothered by peoples kids when I am out in public without my kids!! Anyway, read the article above- its a great one!

Potty Training

2009-02-14T09:27:00.000-08:00

When is the right time to start potty training? I think I had the question answered for me this morning when the diaperless Tyson came up to me with a clean diaper and said "Put my diaper on my buttcrack and penis." Don't know where that came from! Sorry if this is offensive to anyone reading, but I thought it was pretty funny! We are going to California in a couple of weeks (2 weeks from today- yeah!!) and I think when we get back we will be going full force with potty training. Nothing is grosser than changing a poopy diaper on a big kid! Wish me luck on this upcoming adventure!!

Hubby Tag

2009-01-28T09:08:00.000-08:00

Found this on Jeremy and Jenny's blog, thought it would be a fun pre-Valentines post...

How long have you been together? 9 1/2 years- wow, time flies!
How long did you date? 4 1/2 months- we were engaged after 2 weeks
How old is he? 30
Who eats more? Nate does, but post pregnancy, I'm not far behind him most of the time
Who said "I love you" first? Nate said it first- in Hmong, I replied I love you too, In english
Who is taller? Nate
Who sings better? Definitely Nate, but I don't think I sound too bad if I am singing next to him
Who is smarter? Depends- I am more logical, but Nate knows a little about everything- enough to carry himself well in any conversation.
Who does the laundry? me, unfortunately
Who does the dishes? again, me, unfortunately
Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Nate
Who pays the bills? Me- I actually enjoy that part for some reason
Who mows the lawn? Nate does- but he does not mow twice a week like our neighbors do!!
Who cooks dinner? Me most of the time, Nate usually helps, though- I love being in the kitchen together- so fun, and Nate always makes it a little better with his own special touches he is a REALLY good cook!!
Who is more stubborn? Depends- I think Nate is a little more than me, but not much more
Who kissed who first? Nate kissed me.
Who asked who out? Nate asked me out
Who proposed? Nate did, but I already had a date reserved at the temple- June Saturdays go fast, and it was already February!
Who is more sensitive? Again, depends, I am in most situations, but Nate has been known to be pretty sensitive on occasion
Who has more friends? Not sure- I think I may have a few more
Who has more siblings? Nate
Who wears the pants in the relationship? Uh, depends- I think we are both pretty good at keeping each other and all the kids in check!
Who are you tagging? Whoever!

Sewing Projects

2009-01-23T21:56:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of some babylegs I just got done making (aka baby legwarmers). They are $11 to buy, and I had seen a website that had directions on how to make them out of socks. I found a 2 pack of girls knee socks for $3.84 at Walmart today and thought I would try them out. They work pretty well, but I think next time I will buy large girls socks or womens socks. The ones I bought were medium, and the foot was almost too short to use as the binding at the bottom. I tried them on Marleigh after I had finished the first one and they worked pretty well, but they won't fit for very long. I had to get her to sleep so that I could finish the rest of my project, but I will post some pics soon of her with them on. You can also use them on your kids arms for that cute layered look. I am so impatient and unskilled when it comes to sewing that I was amazed that I could actually pull off this project! Here is how my sewing kick started- Those of you that have been to our house have probably noticed that we only have one bedroom upstairs. All the boys are downstairs in a shared room, and there is a room-in-progess that will someday be where Marleigh sleeps, but for now, she sleeps in a pack-n-play in our room. She doesn't like to sleep in the bassinet part, and I figured it was because it is too small now that she moves around a little bit in her sleep. I went looking for pack-n-play sheets, and was surprised that they were like $10!! I went looking on eBay, and found someone selling a pattern to make them. Aha! I thought I would search for a free pattern online and found one pretty quickly. It was made from a twin flat sheet- which I have plenty of them since my boys aren't big fans of flat sheets. I found a neutral one and tried it out. It works awesomely! (The lady also has patterns for crib sheets out of a flat sheet, so maybe I will try that next.) I was so excited to try my new pack-n-play sheet out. It fit perfectly! I laid Marleigh down, and she stayed asleep!! For 30 minutes... then she was back in bed with Nate and I! Too bad we don't have room for a king size bed in our room!! At least she doesn't move all over yet or kick us in the ribs. Oh well, maybe the pack-n-play will be somewhere she likes to sleep someday, just not today... anyway... check out this ladies website- everythingyourmamamade.com I think- there is a link on the right side of my blog- she has some fun things! The other website I have a link to has a cute pattern for baby yoga pants you make out of an old tshirt- too bad I just sent a ton of Nates to DI last month!!

Weekend with Friends

2009-01-23T21:34:00.000-08:00

Here are some pictures from last weekend when John, Dena and Spencer came to visit- Miss you guys already....

Best Buddies
Dena made pajama pants for all the boys- it works out well because Carters favorite "hunting" jammies are way too small for him- I really hadn't noticed until Ashleigh pointed it out a few weeks ago when Carter had a sleepover at grandmas- they are 4 inches too short! The PJ's Dena made are a little on the long side, but my kids are growing fast, I'm sure they, too, will be too small before I know it- so sad... Anyway, to get back on track- the kids love their new jammie pants, and have worn them almost every night Carters has a new "hunting" jammie replacement, Brock's are astronauts and space, and Tyson's are Dragon tales- They all love love love their new jammies- Thanks Dena!!

Tyson showing off his couch jumping skills

Here's John showing us his best picture taking expression...

Here is Marleigh and Spencer- He's going to be such a good big brother some day!

Dena made these cute hats for me and Marleigh- the big one fits Tyson a little better though- I call them my baby raspberries- so cute! Thanks Dena!!

Blessing Day

2009-01-04T21:49:00.001-08:00

What an amazing day today was! Nate blessed Marleigh today. He gave her such a wonderful, beautiful blessing, and we all were blessed with having so many of our friends and family there with us. She was so happy and content during her blessing, and I could feel the spirit so strong- thanks mom, dad, Lindsay, Ashleigh and Kristen for letting my boys sit with you- it really helped! The last couple of babies we have blessed, I have missed big chunks of because I was trying to keep kids quiet and reverent. When Nate sat back down with her, she was so smiley and happy. We soon realized part of the reason- I'm sure part of it was the spirit that was there, but also she knew she was about to have a blowout all over Daddy's new white shirt and her blessing dress (the same dress I was blessed in, by the way)! I took her home to change her clothes, and change her diaper- twice, then headed back to church in time for the closing song and prayer. Afterwards, we had about 40 people at our house for dinner. It was so great to be able to spend time with everyone in our home, and thanks to all of you who were able to come. This is the first time we have had everyone at our house- all the other times we have blessed babies, we went to my moms for dinner. I was so stressed that there wouldn't be enough food, or we would run out of plates, but we pulled it off with food, forks, and plates to spare! Now the house is still fairly clean, and quiet, and the kids are back to school in the morning- I may just take the morning off and relax (in between loads of laundry, anyway!) Now we get a break until March when Brock is baptized! What great events and milestones to celebrate, though- makes all the work worth it! Thanks again to everyone for your help and support and sharing this special day with us! It really meant a lot to us!

Happy 2009!

2009-01-01T19:53:00.000-08:00

So, 2008 has come and gone, and, as usual, I am amazed at all that can happen in a year! New jobs, new family members, new likes and dislikes, new memories, new phrases (e.g. frumpen fairy, candy cames, and teeter totter), new friends! We spent New Years Eve with our friends Jeremy and Jenny, and baby Ellie. The babies surprisingly, slept through everything (even though their moms had dressed them in cute outfits so that they could get some cute pics of the babies together...)! We stayed up way too late, ate way too much sugar (and cheese) and drank too much soda, but it was great! Carter and Brock had been looking forward to the "party" all day, but Carter was asleep on the couch by 9:00. We woke him up to do sparklers at midnight, but when it was time to go back to bed, Carter said, " Is the party over already? Oh, man!" Quite disappointing for him! We spent New Years day sledding with the Turner side of the family, well, actually my moms extended family, the Froelichs. SO much fun! I only went down the hill once and thought I was going to die, but the kids all had a great time going down over and over! I made everyone laugh when I accidentally knocked Carter down when I decided halfway up the hill that I would slide back down and find another way up to the top- on the way back to the bottom, I knocked Carter down... he was pretty shaken up, but not hurt. With as fast as the kids were going down the hill, I was surprised no one ended up with broken bones! It was pretty crowded, and hard to keep track of all of the kids! It was a ton of fun, though, and glad we were able to try out the new sled. This is only the 2nd time my kids have been sledding, and the first time was last year, without Nate and I. What a great way to celebrate and enjoy the last few days of Christmas break and ring in 2009!

Songs that make me happy and anchors

2008-12-27T00:32:00.000-08:00

We had a Home Teacher growing up that was also a therapist (it seems like our families were always assigned Home Teachers that happened to be shrinks for a living... hmmmm? anyway...). I remember him talking to us about anchors. A song, a smell, a sound, a small thing that happens that brings back a particular memory from your past. Some of songs that I have added personal anchors to me, and the rest just make me happy! A lot of my song anchors take me back to our families kitchen during my teenage years and heart to hearts with my dad, or singing and dancing around the kitchen when it was my turn to clean up after dinner. The Peter Brienholt song reminds me of my first day of college. Hey Mickey reminds me of bathtime when I was probably 3 or 4. The Creedence Clearwater one reminds me of going to my first concert- yes, a CCR Concert with my sister, my dad, and my Uncle Ted and his wife, Diane- sightly pathetic, yes, but it was a lot of fun! And, of course, "The Night at the Roxybury " song (and anything Chris Leduex...)- reminds me of being roomates with Dena- we were quite addicted to that movie.It is amazing how our "anchors" can take us back to a time and place, and we can recall such great memories so vividly. It is one of those joys in life! I hope you all enjoy some of my anchors- it would be great to hear about some of yours, too!

Marleigh and Vincent

2008-12-23T19:03:00.000-08:00

Nates brother, Corey, his wife Laura, and their new baby, Vincent, were here visiting for a couple of days. It was so much fun to have them at our house, and the kids were so excited to meet their new cousin Vin. He was born on September 13th, and already looks so big next to Marleigh. He was 10 1/2 lbs at his 2 month checkup- exactly the same as Marleigh weighed at her 2 month checkup- so I'm sure she will catch up quick! It was so fun to see how alike they were in their personalities, but how different they look! Now they are off to California to visit Grandmas and grandpas- we are so jealous!!

A few random pics...

2008-12-19T20:11:00.001-08:00

How cute!!

Grandma, Lindsay and the boys at Zoolights

Marleigh and her band of brothers

Yuletide Tag

2008-12-17T17:25:00.000-08:00

I found this on Jenny and Josh's blog, how fun!!
When do you start listening to Christmas music?
The day after Halloween, but I am a little bored with it now- a little too much of the annoying ones, not enough of my favorites!
When do you put up your Christmas tree?
The day after Thanksgiving generally. This year I put it up the day before Thanksgiving since Thanksgiving was so late in the month, and it kept my kids busy and entertained for the day!
Favorite Christmas movie?
I think I would have to say "A Christmas Story."
Favorite Christmas song?
"Mary Did You Know"
Favorite Christmas tradition?
One of my favorites is opening a new pair of pjs on Christmas eve. It makes for good Christmas morning pics, I guess!! My mom made them most years. Even though we knew it was coming, it was always fun to see our new jammies. When I was a teenager, I was able to convince my mom to let us open the presents from siblings. I have a hard time convincing my husband of that tradition now, though, when I try to convince him to let our kids open their presents from each other.
Favorite Christmas book?
I really love "Bear Stays up for Christmas"
Fun Christmas memory?
The one that is relived over and over, is the year that I found the Popples. I must have been about 8 or so, because that is the year that Crystal Searle, my best friend, told me the Santa secret. My mom said they were hidden, but I remember innocently happening upon them in my moms room. I went to Austin and Ashleigh and told them we were getting Popples for Christmas. Austin (he would have been 3) ran to my mom and said, "Mom! We're getting Popples for Christmas!!" My mom was SO mad- we went to bed at 7:00 that night, and the Popples were under the tree Christmas Eve with a tag that said from Mom and Dad. I talked my mom into letting us open them, pretending I had forgot about the Popples. (Okay, I guess my manipulation started before I was a teenager...). Okay, maybe not a fun memory, but funny and a family favorite!
If you were one of Santa's reindeer, which one would you be?
I know he's not technically one of his reindeer, but I would have to say Rudolph because I know the most of him, He has his own song and movie!!
I tag anyone who wants to do this.....

Little Girls...

2008-12-01T12:09:00.000-08:00

At 4:30 this morning, (yes, A.M.) as I was starting the days laundry, I realized that this baby girl of mine is the only one who has gotten away with being up for an hour and a half at such an unreasonable time. I guess she is setting me up for life with a daughter! But my laundry was done and folded by 11:00 this morning. Maybe I will start enjoying mornings more and have more productive days! She's so stinkin' cute- it makes it all worth it! And someday soon she'll be big, so I savor this time when I am her favorite person, and she wants to cuddle on mommys lap.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-28T17:48:00.000-08:00

Its too bad Thanksgiving is only remembered and celebrated for a day or 2. On Sunday, a lady in our ward gave a talk on gratitude, and she said she loved thanksgiving because it was a holiday that is personal, and can't be commercialized. It did make me sad to see all of the ads for Thanksgiving day. Let people enjoy their family! However, I am slightly hypocritical here. My mom, sister and I went to Michael's thanksgiving night to get Cricut cartridges, but they WERE closed all day and opened for their sale from 6-9 last night. At least that way people enjoyed their families before having to work. And they only had 5 or 6 employees there that I saw. Not horribly busy or crazy. Anyway, back on track... I am so glad for the chance I get every year to spend holidays with my family. Our 2 years in Mississippi were a little hard, but we still had our own little family to spend the day with. I felt so sad last night at my moms when my brother Austin called. He just moved to Indianapolis in October, and spent the day off work alone. He was really missing everyone. I just wanted to reach through and give him a hug!! We spent the day crammed into my moms house with nearly 40 of or family members. It was so much fun and so great to see and hang out with everyone! There was so much food, and lots of catching up. I love this time of year, because or big group gets together quite a few times. Now the tree is up, and Christmas is in the air at our house! I braved the crowds the day after thanksgiving, and am now almost done shopping. Yay!!

I have Blog A.D.D.

2008-11-20T22:38:00.000-08:00

I have found that having a newborn creates a lot of down time. I spend a lot of time in front of my computer, and I just can't leave the background on my blog alone! I see all of your cute blogs, and I am suddenly unhappy with my own. I listen to a song on someone elses blog, and I HAVE to have that song on mine! I think I am suffering from blog envy. I will be starting counseling soon! I can't believe I lived so much of my life without blogging. Its almost in the same catagory as life before cell phones and the internet. I don't know how my mom was a stay at home mom and kept busy and entertained all day. Oh, I guess she had a neighborhood of stay at home moms, and they actually ventured out of the house together instead of sharing experiences via computer. Or maybe she was able to keep up on laundry, or do things like sew and cross stitch. Blogging is such a fun way to share the everyday things that happen, and such a fun way to keep in contact with people. Thanks to all of you fellow bloggers for sharing your little joys in life!!

All I Want For Christmas Is...

2008-11-15T23:58:00.000-08:00

We were watching tv tonight, and a commercial for Dominos oven baked subs came on. (You know the one- the pizza guy is delivering the sandwich to the "Submart" employee.) Tyson looks up at me and says, "I want that Christmas!" So easy to please! 2-year-olds are great, huh?

Is it Christmas Yet?

2008-11-15T23:40:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how quick Christmas sneaks up every year, and how, even though it happens at the same time, every single year, it is always such an exciting time for both me and my family. My kids both asked at separate times today if we could put up the tree, and I reluctantly told them no. I am so ready to get out all the Christmas stuff and get the house all festive. There is nothing more peaceful than a quiet house at the end of the day with the lights of the Christmas tree glowing. My goal this year (and every other year) is to help my kids appreciate the true meaning of Christmas. Every year, I have great intentions, and as Christmas gets closer and closer, I realize I was not successful, again. My sister and I have decided that instead of exchanging gifts this year, we are going to help someone else. Maybe an angel or two off the angel tree, something along those lines. Nothing too big, but something that will help our kids appreciate Christmas for what it is, and that its not all about the gifts. If anyone has any ideas or traditions they would like to share, I would love to hear them!

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-03T21:13:00.000-08:00

Here are the kids in their Halloween costumes. Tyson and Spiderman, Carter as Commander Rex, Brock as Boba Fett (both from Star Wars, of course) and Marleigh as a cute baby sister! She is wearing a "Babys First Halloween" onsie, but its all covered with her blanket. We went to Trunk or Treat at the church, then Nate took Brock and Carter around the neighborhood. Their handles were broken by the time they made it home. They all had a great time. When we asked Tyson if he wanted to be Spiderman, he responded, "nope." How about a dragon? "Nope." Diego? "Nope." So luckily when it came down to Halloween night, he was okay with the Spiderman costume, which has now been worn by all 3 boys- what a great investment! We didn't get a pic of Nate, but he went as "Ward Hostess"- he had a bakers hat, and wore a sign with Ward Hostess (Hostess logo), and handed out Hostess cupcakes- it was great!!

Bows...

2008-11-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

I found this lady online that sells the cutest bows. I decided to have a bow party at my house this past Saturday because I thought everyone would be as excited as I was about her bows. I had one neighbor show up, and my mom and sister. At least I had a good excuse to clean my house- it is the cleanest it has been since Marleigh was born! Here are a few pics of some of the bows I bought. I will definitely be buying from her again, but most of the bows looked ridiculous on her because she has such a tiny head. It will be so much fun once she has enough hair to pull up in little pigtails. Sorry there aren't any pictures of her actually wearing the bows, but she is sleeping so well right now, and was awake a good part of the night last night, so for now, here are the bows and headbands. I have her blog bookmarked on my blog (bowlicous bowtique) if any of you want to check out her stuff. She makes it herself and has such fun stuff- and cheap shipping (like 1.50 cheap), so check it out!

Yes, Christmas Music

2008-11-01T23:34:00.000-07:00

I just updated my playlist with Christmas music, so those of you that can't handle it this early, click mute and bear with me! I figure Christmas is such a great holiday- its so meaningful and special, and my kids have been planning for it since their birthdays, so why not prolong the celebration? Hope you all enjoy!! I do have music ADD, so I will probably change it 12 times between now and then! So much to choose from... I do have a fall background though for now (the website I got my background from only has 1 Christmas one to choose from at the moment!!)

Marleighs First Check-Up

2008-10-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

We had our first offical Dr's appointment for Marleigh yesterday. She was 5 lbs 15 oz at 3 days old, and is now up to 7 lbs 8 oz. I guess she is getting plenty to eat! The sleepless nights now seem routine and managable. I can't even imagine what a full night of sleep might feel like. The routines of laundry and housework are falling into place. The weather has been nice this week, so I don't have to worry about taking her out- although my boys woke up with coughs this morning. Can't protect her from everything! I am so amazed at how quickly these past 2 weeks have gone, and how much she has changed already. Our family feels so complete with her here!

Marleigh is Here!

2008-10-18T16:44:00.000-07:00

So its been almost of week since Marleigh has joined our family, so time to blog! Marleigh was born on Sunday, October 12th at 3:28 pm. She was 6 lbs 6 oz, 19 1/2 inches. She is a pretty happy baby when she is awake. Brock and Carter have had a great time with her. Tyson has begrudgingly given up his place as "baby", but every day is a little better. He thinks its silly that Marleigh eats from mommys "tummy." We have had to ban the lightsabers around the baby, and Tyson had a time-out the first night we had her home for hitting the baby, but now it seems to be okay. I can't wait for Monday to get here, though. This was UEA weekend, and being cooped up with all of the kids the last 3 days has been rough. My mom pointed out today that maybe nighttime is too quiet for Marleigh and that is why she doesn't sleep so well. I think I agree! I don't know how she sleeps through the constant noise of her 3 brothers! We did have to have her under the biliruben lights for a couple of days, but we are done now, and life is great!! I will keep all of you updated!

Lets Get Tagged!

2008-10-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

1. Where You Ten Years Ago?
Ten years ago today, I had graduated from high school 4 months prior and I was just starting an accounting degree at LDS Business College. I was pretty convinced that I was never going to find a soul mate, and I had just moved in with roomates Kimberly Meservy and Lori Bodily.
2. What's on Your To Do List Today?
It is 9:36 pm right now, so I am planning on hanging out with my computer and eventually going to sleep. I would like to have a baby before tommorrow, but I think thats out!!
3. What If you Were A Billionaire?
I would pay off the house and cars and all other debt, replace windows and remodel the basement and add on to the house, have Nate quit his job, and take a summer long vacation visiting everyone we don't get to see enough, and help save the world!!
4. Five Places You have Lived?
Magna, UT, Bountiful, UT (4 times), Layton, UT (twice), Evanston, WY, Mountain View, WY, Tooele, UT, Jackson, MS, Winona, MS. Okay, thats 7 but I couldn't leave any out- they are all part of who I am!!
5. Three Bad Habits?
Pepsi and Dr Pepper addictions, staying up rediculously late, not spending enough quality time with the kids.
6. Snacks You Like?
Ice cream, hershey bars with almonds, cheese and crackers, etc... I could go on all night with this one.
7. Who Will You Tag?
Ashleigh and anyone else who may want to try it out!!

Baby Shower

2008-10-06T12:34:00.000-07:00

So I was on my sisters blog this morning and she had pictures of my babyshower posted, and I thought that maybe my blog would be an appropriate place for the pics as well. Thanks for the innovative idea Ash! My little sister Lindsay was the photographer, so not very many usable pics, but here are a few! Thanks Ashleigh and Mom for hosting and making it so fun and thanks also for all the great food- it was fabulous!!! So here are a few pics of gifts and one of my cousin, Leah and Aunt Becky racing to put a diaper on a baby blindfolded. Aunt Becky won by about 2 swconds! Great job, guys!

Fall Carnival

2008-09-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

Today was the fall carnival at the kids school. I thought for sure they weren't done setting up, because after we had paid $25 for unlimited ride wristbands and we got to where everything was set up, they had a couple of bounce houses and 2 of the big inflatable slides. I was thinking we had just wasted $25. Turns out, the kids don't really mind going down the same slides and jumping in the same bounce houses for 3 hours straight!! Tyson had a hard time climbing to the top, so he went down with a neighbor kid a couple of times, went with Carter a couple of times, and Brock took him once. There was a big pirate slide that he had been down once with Brock, and I volunteered to take him a second time. I thought I was never going to make it to the top! It started out with an obstacle course that I couldn't walk through without falling down every couple of steps! Once we finally made it through that, there was a 6 inch gap to squeeze through to climb up to the top of the slide. Yeah right!! We did finally make it to the top, and this pic is of my legs with my pants halfway up my thighs and Tyson on my lap. Nate took it with his camera phone, so its a little limited, but it makes me laugh now!! After that experience, I decided it was time for me and Tyson to go back home. He threw a fit, but once we got home and I turned on Diego for him, he was fine. The things we do to make the kids happy!! Nate stayed behind with the 2 older boys for a couple more hours, and they had a ton of fun. Next year should be great for Tyson, too, being a little bigger. Can't wait!

Ultrasound

2008-09-11T21:07:00.001-07:00

Here is an ultrasound pic of baby Marleigh's face- isn't she cute? I was measuring a little big at my last visit, so we had another ultrasound yesterday (Sept 10th). It's definitely a girl, and we saw a lot of long hair on the top of her head- yeah!! We are a little bit worried because the ultrasound tech only saw one kidney. I guess sometimes they can be hard to see because they can float around a little, and sometimes they are down in the pelvis and you can't see them on an ultrasound. They will take a closer look after she is born to be sure. Since ultrasound technology is relatively recent, it makes you wonder how many of us are walking around with only one kidney. I feel okay about everything and am not terribly worried. You really only need one anyway, I guess. I know she is healthy, and strong. She is already keeping me up at night with her strong kicks!

Okay- My First Attempt at a Tag...

2008-09-07T21:59:00.000-07:00

Okay Ashleigh and Dena, I am only doing this because I love you guys so much, and, okay, it might be fun!! It does seem like a lot of work to keep track of when people tag you, it seems like it would be easier to have something colorful and obnoxious flash on the screen announcing "You've Been Tagged!" That would be much more user-friendly for me!! So, anyway, I am done complaining, here it goes!

Joys, Fears, Obsessions, Surprising Facts
These are the rules: list 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 surprising facts and then tag 5 other people. Leave a comment for the people you tag so they know they have been tagged.

Joys....1. Being pregnant... while uncomfortable at times, nothing makes me happier than feeling a baby move around and knowing that Nate and I have created a little person we get to keep forever! 2. Nate and My kids- couldn't imagine living without them. 3. Laughing so hard I cry.

Fears....1. Having the baby be born with some unknown illness or abnormality- Nate really likes the Discovery channel, so I hear about things I never knew I should be worrying about. 2. Having something happen to my kids or Nate and having to live without one of them. 3. Not being able to loose the baby weight- okay, not very dramatic, but still something I worry about- I miss my favorite jeans!!

Obsessions...1. Spending too much time on the computer. 2. Vanilla Dr. Pepper from the gas station by my house- its amazing!! 3. Making sure my kids are making good choices and ont being overly influenced by the bad habits of those around them. I am always telling them that they need to be an example and stand up to their friends when they are doing something wrong. Carter did start chasing down our seventy year old neighbor after church today to tell him he was a liar because he told Carter yesterday that his grandson was sick and couldnt play, then about an hour later that same kid was outside playing with friends. I guess I need to explain that you don't need to point out the faults of others!

Surprising Facts...Okay this one is hard because Ashleigh and Dena, you already know everything about me, so maybe the 2 of you can pretend to be surprised while you're reading. 1. I hate seafood, can tolerate the smell most of the time, but can't eat the stuff. 2. Up until Tyson threw things off, Me, Nate and the kids were all born on days that were divisible by 7- Me- May7, Nate- August14, Brock- March21, and Carter- May14. Tyson was the 24th of April, but maybe Marleigh will follow suit. 3. I am addicted to the late night Lifetime Movies- I can't help myself!! I watch them until I can't keep my eyes open- maybe my body is just preparing for all the late nights that are to come.

Okay, that wasn't so bad... I am not going to tag anyone of this one, but anyone that wants to tag me? Bring it on!!

A New Look at Modesty

2008-09-07T21:14:00.000-07:00

I was informed today that I don't dress modestly enough for some people. During our lesson in Relief Society today, we were talking about the Armor of God, and got on the subject of modesty. This older lady, probably in her eighties, maybe late seventies, was sitting 3 seats down from me, and raised her hand. The tacher called on her, and she shared with us that it made her really uncomfortable to see someone with bare legs and toes. Here I was sitting, 3 seats down, in a medium length black skirt with no nylons on, and open toed shoes. I guess I need to find somewhere else to sit next week so I don't make her feel so uncomfortable!!

Back to School

2008-09-03T18:08:00.000-07:00

Well, the kids are offically back in school, and I am amazed at how much I can get done in small amounts of time! The kids are happy and socializing. Tyson is enjoying the one on one time with mom (with a little help from Diego and his other Nick Jr friends), and I have enjoyed a quiet house! I love the teachers the boys have this year and am excited to see the progress they make. I love having a schedule and routine in our house again. Summer is a little too unorganized and chaotic for me by the time we reach the end. It will get a little tricky in a few weeks when we add a baby to the mix. but I'm sure we will muddle through.

A Few More Crazy Carter Moments

2008-08-29T19:33:00.001-07:00

Brock started school on Monday and is loving second grade so far. Carter starts school officially on Tuesday. We had an orientation thing on Monday, and when Brock came home from school, Carter told Brock, "There's not even anyone ugly in my class!" Whew- I was worried his retinas might burn the first day of school and he would never see again!! I am glad he approves of everyone!
Tonight at dinner, Carter asked what city Daddy lived in when Mommy found him. Luckily I found him, or he may still be wandering aimlessly down a deserted road!
Carter is also pretty convinced that he left his suitcase in my tummy when he was is there, and he is letting Marleigh borrow it. Hopefully she brings it out when she is born- I think we may be able to help her out with that... I think it would be great to show Carter the suitcase he "left" in there.
He cracks me up!! I don't know how he can talk with a straight face- I can barely listen to him without cracking up.

More information on the Wedgie...

2008-08-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

I found this at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedgie It's worth taking the time to educate yourself further!!

A wedgie (also known as a "snuggie" or "gotch pull") is having one's underwear or other garments "wedged" between the buttocks. This can occur naturally, due to tight garments or physical activity; this is referred to as the underwear "riding up". It can also be performed as a prank or as a form of bullying; this is referred to as "giving (a person) a wedgie". Wedgies are commonly seen in popular culture for example on the popular American animated TV show "The Simpsons" and in "Dilbert" comics.

Give Me A Wedgie!

2008-08-22T00:08:00.000-07:00

I had to add "Pocketful of Sunshine" to my playlist because it makes me smile. I was getting in the car with Carter a couple of weeks ago, and "Pocketful of Sunshine" came on the radio, and Carter said, "It's the wedgie song!" I had to have him repeat himself, then he started singing, "Give me a wedgie, a secret wedgie!" I will never sing the song the same way again! Kids are so stinkin' funny! They keep my life exciting.

2008-08-04T22:01:00.000-07:00

Our Summer Vacation

2008-08-03T15:48:00.000-07:00

It is Sunday afternoon, and we just got home from our 26 hour vacation. We went up to Star Valley for Dena and Johns reception. As we were getting ready to go out of town, I took Brock and Carter to get haircuts. The lady cutting Brock's hair asked if we were doing anything fun today, and Brock said "We're going on vacation!!" I figure I should take advantage of the days when we can call a road trip a family vacation. The drive up was awesome, and we made it all the way there without hearing the kids fight. We did have a good selection of DVDs to keep them entertained, though. We stayed at a condo in Afton, Wyoming. It was so great to have some time together as a family! We got up this morning and tried to teach the kids how to skip rocks in the pond out the condos back door. A little more practice, and I think Brock will have it down. Carter and Tyson were content to see how big of a rock they could find and make a huge splash. We drove home through Idaho- past Bear Lake, then down through Logan. It was a little bit longer that way, but it was fun as well. This time the DVD player stayed off, and Brock and Carter looked for wildlife. Brock was really upset that we didn't see any moose- maybe next time... The kids made it until we were 10 minutes before we got home until they started fighting. What great family memories!!

Summer is Almost Gone...

2008-07-30T21:27:00.001-07:00

I am always amazed at how quick summer goes now that I am a grownup. I remember summers being so long, fun, and full of memories. My kids are excited for school to start and don't seem to have the attitude that summer was too short.
I am sad it is almost over, but I am so excited for school to start. I was thinking earlier tonight that maybe I will start a chain- you know, like the Christmas countdown chains from when you were a kid? I am going to start a countdown chain counting down the number of days until school starts. I am also sad for my kids to leave me every day, though. It will be so quiet with just me and Tyson at home. Carter is so excited to be in kindergarten. He is so social and friendly, I'm sure he will do great. Brock is neutral. He is okay with the fact that school is almost here, but would also fine if they decided school was optional. I am looking forward to not having the neighbor kids knocking on the door all day long. That will be nice. They are great kids and all, but this summer has been full of childhood politics. A couple of days ago, the kids in the neighborhood decided they never wanted to play with Carter for the rest of their lives because the day before, Carter was being bossy. I told them they needed to include him, and if he was being mean, he would come in the house- they all played together fine the rest of the day. Almost every day there is something along those lines- "they won't let me use their light saber," "Carter called Hunter a dummy, so he can't play with us anymore," "they don't want to play Transformers, and I do- their mean!" Okay, maybe the house won't be TOO quiet.

Okay, Okay, I'll Give In...

2008-07-30T21:19:00.000-07:00

I keep thinking I need to start my own blog. Everyone seems to be doing it. I don't want to feel left out! I also have been thinking I need a great place to post all the wonderful pictures of our baby girl that will be here in October. I know she will be beautiful and amazing, and I want to share with everyone. So now we are official- kinda. We have a family blog. This is fun already!!