Tuesday, December 30, 2008

How?

The day after Christmas Megan, Josh, Hannah, Joe and I went out to the Soden's (a family in our ward) farm. Our ward was doing a service project out there and a potluck afterwards. It was such a warm day....60 degrees....all the snow melted and you just can't imagine all the wonderful mud there was there.....anyway....that's beside point! We had a good time helping make wooden toys...they were also quilting, but we didn't do any of the helping with that....again I get off the point! So, after being there for several hours we drove home....when I got out of the car and into the house I heard Josh yelling that he needed some scissors...I go out to to the van to find this..............
After trying and trying to get that off...how did he do that???.....we picked him up and sat him on the arm rest next to the seat and then folded the seat down so we could get to the bolt in the floor that held the seat belt in. Josh could not find Aaron's socket wrench and there was NO WAY I was going to cut off the seat belt unless it was cutting off his airway, which it wasn't.....so I texted a picture to Aaron and he came home from work and unbolted the seatbelt and Joe was a free man......what were Joseph's first words to Aaron when he got into the back in the van to save him???? "Dad!!! We had chocolate cake for dessert!!!" At least he knows what's really important!

Quote

I like work: it fascinates me. I can sit and look at it for hours.
Jerome K. Jerome

That's why the laundry and dishes are NEVER done!!!!!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas

I have received many cards this year and have them all hung on our front door. I always enjoy reading what people have been up to during the year. I have spent many years sending out cards to loved ones but didn't get to it this year. I didn't even send cards to my family and for that I feel so bad! I'm thinking maybe New Years cards???
In the beginning of the season I thought this year would be gloomy...no extended family....no money.....but it's turned out to be a beautiful Christmas. I have felt more joy this Christmas than I thought possible. I love my family more than words can even express. How grateful I am for them! How thankful I am for my extended family who has been so understanding of our plight this year......no money!.......My feelings for them are so strong and so loving. How thankful I am for my friends...I am so blessed to have so many! There's this line in my favorite movie of all time...maybe you know it....."George, (replace that with my own name) you've really had a wonderful life"...........yes, I've really had a wonderful life!! I know I get down and sometimes I get downright hysterical (my wonderful sister can attest to this)......but when I really think about it...I'm blessed and for that I'm truly thankful. So, this Christmas I am remembering our Savior and what he has done for us....I'm remembering family and friends.....I'm remembering LOVE.

Monday, December 22, 2008

Last Week

Last week was a busy one...it was Hannah's birthday. She had such a nice time opening gifts and eating her pink cake. Thank you to the Scarletts for the fun memory game and thank you to Aunt Jenny and Zane for the Sleeping Beauty doll and movie..she has had tons of fun.
We also had our first real big snow....much to Matthew's delight! He got out there and shoveled our driveway and sidewalk and then did our neighbors too! He also built a snow fort! Matthew LOVES to be outside and even though it's so cold and I can't stand being out there for more than 2 minutes...he can spend hours in that lovely snow!

Megan wanted to make Christmas treats this year....she made chocolate dipped marshmallows and pretzels...they turned out yummy...she had to hide them from the other kids so there would be enough to put on our treat plates...we also made fudge, english toffee, peanut butter kiss cookies, and m&m cookies. It was fun to take our treat plates out to our closest neighbors last night.






I won't embarrass him too much...but it's my job to embarrass him some...so I will only include one of the pictures Josh took of himself after playing with his long hair! He needs a haircut...but he is in the long hair mode again and I will just wait patiently for the day when he decides it's time for another cut (I have faith that this day will come). I actually kinda like his long hair, but it's getting to the point where it's a little too long!



Saturday, December 20, 2008

Thoughts

"I believe that always, or almost always, in all childhood, and in all lives that follow them, the mother represents madness. Our mothers always remain the strangest, craziest, people we've ever met." Marguerite Duras

As my kids continue to grow up I sometimes wonder how it will be when they are out of the house with their own families....I wonder if they will someday look back and think "man, my mom was so awesome!!! She put up with us and she deserves a medal!!! Or will they look back and think.."man, she was a weirdy!!"

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Sudden Death

This morning I was making breakfast for my Seminary boys...home fried potatoes and eggs....anyway, I reached for the salt and pepper in the cupboard right next to the stove and the "SUDDEN DEATH" decided to come flying out at me and bounce off the stove and land on the floor sending "SUDDEN DEATH" spewing all over the floor and the drawer below the oven. For those who don't know Aaron very well...he has an insane liking of spicy food...I mean really spicy. SUDDEN DEATH is a VERY VERY spicy hot sauce made from habanero peppers. Well...I cried a little...due to the pepper in the air....and cleaned it up. YUCK and NASTY! Fast forward to tonight......I made dinner and then Aaron and I went to pick up Zack at the library, we came home and Zack turned on the burner to heat up his dinner... I was sitting on the floor in the living room playing Memory (thanks Scarlett Family!) with Hannah and Joe when I noticed a commotion happening in the kitchen. Zack, Megan, Josh, Matthew and Aaron were standing by the stove yelling...."WHAT IS THAT!!" as they were coughing up their lungs! I realized right away that some of that "SUDDEN DEATH" had landed on the burner....oops! Is it bad that I sat there laughing until I was crying? Pretty soon we were all hacking up our lungs and laughing. We had to open the windows and there's an ice storm going on outside right now! I finally escaped down here to the basement, where the air is clear. As I'm sitting here writing this Joe came down to ask me "WHY DID YOU DO THAT MOM!!" I say, it wasn't me!! It was "SUDDEN DEATH!"

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Happy Birthday Hannah Banana!

Three years ago I woke in the middle of the night feeling that something was seriously wrong with my baby....she was not moving! I wasn't due until Jan 4th. I poked and pushed and still no movement. I was panicked! After trying everything I could think of to get her to move I finally woke Aaron at around 5 and we were off to the hospital. When I got there I was so relieved to hear her heartbeat! Though she was not well....in was time for an emergency C section. I always wondered how I'd feel about a Csection...I have strong opinions in this area..but won't get into that now...but, when it came down to it...I didn't care how she was born as long as she was okay. From the time a C section was mentioned until she out and wisked into the NICU took about 20 minutes! Boy they can move fast! I have never been so scared in my life. I just wanted her to be okay. I can still remember when they wheeled my bed into the NICU and I got to see her for the first time...I think she was about 2-3 hours old. She was so small (6lbs 9oz)...and she looked like Josh. I was so scared for her that first week. She had to have so many tests and had to have I.V.'s...they had to change those everyday because her veins colapsed..she had them in her head, both arms, and both legs..all at different times. At first they were not sure if she would have brain damage...they were not sure how long she was without oxygen. When she was born she was not breathing and she had to be resusitated and was on a respirator for her first hours of life. Our Bishop came right away and Aaron and he gave her a blessing. After one week we got to bring her home on Christmas Eve, that was the best present ever!! There is not one single day that goes by that I am not thankful for the miracle she is. She brings so much joy to me! She has grown up so fast and I can't believe she is 3 years old today. Happy Birthday my beautiful girl...I love you more than words can say!






















Tuesday, December 16, 2008

One Act Update...

I once again didn't get pictures when I really should of...dang it! The high schools here have a competition between schools with a one act play...I'm not sure if they do this in Utah as we never had kids in high school there....anyway, North Star did a play called Dark of the Moon. It was a strange play that has been around since the 40's but I'd not heard of it. It's about a witch boy who loves a human girl and wants to become human. I won't bore you with all the details but feel free to look it up on line if you want to....One of my friends told me that the school would be on the news in Utah if they did this play...LOL..and she's probably right. We aren't in Utah anymore....Anyway, again! Zack got a lead role in the play. He was Preacher Hagler...he was the fire and brimstone kind of preacher and also a bit hillbillyish (the play is based on an old Appalachian folk tale). I was impressed and a bit disturbed by his performance...he was so convincing. A man in our ward went to see the play and went up to Zack afterwards and said "Zack, you were so convincing...I'm glad you aren't really like that."....and I have to agree, it's a bit disconcerting to see your kid acting so....evil, for lack of a better word. Now that I've gone off on a tangent...I know, shocking! North Star won their district competition!!! Yay! Last Friday they went to the State competition where they came in 3rd. They were disappointed that they didn't win but Aaron said they did so awesome (I wasn't there, I had to work :( . So that's the scoop on that part of our lives....I'm so glad the boys will be home now. They have been gone every night since we got back from Utah and they've also been gone all day every Saturday. Josh was a techie for the play...he likes it better behind the scenes. I'm so proud of both of them.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Monster Fighters

The other day I found Hannah and Joe like this....
They were running through the house fighting monsters....I'm so glad our home is now free of monsters....well most of them anyway.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

BABY...IT'S COLD!!!

Our back door (storm door)...the kids couldn't resist.

This morning when I left for work at 430 am...I was surprised with how warm it was outside...50, according to the temp gage in my van....that was short lived!! When I left work this afternoon at 130 the temp gage read 10....10!!!! And that is not even counting how cold it feels with the wind chill......Holy Hannah!! It's too cold! I came home and some of our windows have ice on the inside! I miss California right now. The cold here is just different than the cold in Utah...I don't know if I will ever get used to it. Last week it was cold, 30, but with the wind blowing it feels more like 30 below. Imagine your jeans feeling like ice upon your legs...it's worse than that! We had to go to the store and when we exited our vehicle I seriously considered making a run for it....leaving the little ones to fend for themselves. As it was I picked up Hannah, told Matthew to hold Joe's hand and we ran for the entrance of Walmart like our lives depended on it. And here we are just in the beginning of the cold season...yay!!! (hear the sarcasm?)............Can someone get me my sweater?

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Giving Thanks

We had a lovely Thanksgiving even though I was feeling so bummed we could not be with extended family this year. I decided to make all the good stuff...stuffing, mashed potatoes, Megan made the sweet potato casserole (it was my favorite), we also had jello salad, corn pudding, rolls, cranberry sauce, Aaron made the gravy. I made chocolate pies in honor of the Murray Schafers! We also had pumpkin pie, but Sam's club made that one! It was so so yummy! The kids were good and posed for tons of pictures for me....I'm not exactly sure why Hannah was combing her hair at the table...such is life with a three year old.







On the Sunday after Thanksgiving we got out all the Christmas stuff. The little ones were so excited to decorate our tree...the giant ornaments were made at Sister Scarlett's home....Hannah and Joe love going over there on the days Aaron and I both work and she always does such fun things with them.....thanks Brenda! Every year I love getting out all the ornaments and decorations and remembering how the kids made some of them and how so many of them came from my girlfriend exchange (that I'm so sad to miss this year). Many of my decorations were handmade by thoughtful friends and family. I love getting out the old Santa I made long ago, the Christmas before Zack was born, with my wonderful Sister in law, Michelle. Hey Michelle...along with the memory of the Santa class comes the memory of the bow class we took the same day! That's when Michelle found out what a tantrum I can throw (I can not tie a bow to save my life, and I find that quite unfair!)
Although this Christmas Season is such a hard one for us....being so far from family and old friends......the economy being so bad (Aaron works commission only)........and I'm having my share of break downs...thanks Jenny, Cindy and Rebekah for being there so much for me.......I am truly thankful for all that we have...I'm thankful for my testimony......I'm thankful for my family and for my faith. I'm thankful for our Savior and this time we get every year to reflect on him and his example to and for us. Life is good.....trials and all!


Saturday, December 6, 2008

Don't Stop Believing

I saw this on Nicole's blog and thought it looked like fun...I used my playlist to do it...it's a bit funny and creepy how some of the answers turned out...you should all try it..it's fun.

1.Put your iPod on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT IS!

IF SOMEONE SAYS "ARE YOU OKAY" YOU SAY? Two Steps Behind by Def Leppard

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY? More Than a Memory by Garth Brooks

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL? Paralyzer by Finger Eleven

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE? In My Daughters Eyes by Martina McBride

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO? Our Country by John Mellencamp

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU? Desperado by The Eagles

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN? You by Evanescence

WHAT IS 2+2? Fire and Rain by James Taylor


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND? Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE? Always by Bon Jovi

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY? You Light Up My Life by Debby Boone

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? Meet in the Middle by Diamond Rio

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE? Tears in Heaven by Eric Clapton


WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU? The River by Garth Brooks

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING? She Believes in Me by Kenny Rogers

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL? Amazing by Aerosmith

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST? Faraway by Nickelback

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET? Blessed by Martina McBride

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS? Dreaming with a Broken Heart by John Mayer

WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN? Open Arms by Journey

HOW WILL YOU DIE? When you Believe by David Archuleta

WHAT IS ONE THING THAT DISGUSTS YOU? Across the Universe by The Beatles

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET? Cry by Faith Hill

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH? Wasted Time by The Eagles

WHAT MAKES YOU CRY? Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd

WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED? The Long and Winding Road by David Archuleta

WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST? Crush by David Archuleta

DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU? Friends by John Michael Montgomery

IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE? What Might of Been by Diamond Rio

WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW? Ships of Heaven by Blackhawk

WHAT MAKES YOU NERVOUS? Last Dollars by Tim McGraw

WHAT WILL YOUR CHILDREN BE LIKE? Imagine by David Archuleta


ARE YOU GOING TO HEAVEN? Billie Jean by David Cook

WHAT WILL HAPPEN THE NEXT TIME YOU KISS SOMEONE? How was I to Know by John Michael Montgomery

WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? Only One by James Taylor

WHAT WILL YOU POST THIS AS? Don't Stop Believing by Journey

Friday, December 5, 2008

hormones

Yes...this will be one of those posts..the one's that may make some feel uncomfortable....but I just have to say it...I've been fighting PMS this week...I hate it, so I try and fight it, but to no avail...I know it's "that time of the month" when..................
1. I talk to my kids through my clenched teeth.
2. I go on these hour long rants on how I do everything around the house and no one helps me and if I have to pick up one more thing off this floor...I'm going to hurt someone!!!
3. I look at my sweet darling little ones and want to drop kick them across the room.....
4. I want to scream at the top of my lungs...and sometimes I do.....STOP TOUCHING ME!!!
5. Every worry seems about five hundred times more upsetting and worrisome than it did last week..........
I'm always so thankful when I finally start feeling more like myself...like today...I'm feeling much better..thank heavens!