Sisterly Love

My girls are the best of friends and sometimes the worst of enemies. You know how sisters are. Bath or shower time seems to really bring that out. Either they laugh like crazy in the bath or we have two little cats in there fighting.

To backtrack a little and tell a funny little story:

One night they were taking a bath and apparently I haven't taught Lana all of the body parts yet. (No, this isn't going anywhere icky.) Rylee was washing her hair and had a little bit of soap on her forehead. Lana proceeds to say, "Uh, Wylee (This is how she pronounces Rylee), ya got a little bit of soap on your chinhead." Hehehe! I love it! She didn't know the correct word for forehead. We have laughed at that one for a long time now, and I don't know if we will ever call a forehead it's correct name again.

So, now they have moved on to showers. Lana loves to shower with Rylee. The other night as they were getting in the shower, Lana said, "Wylee, you are my big helper in the shower because you wash my hair for me." I love it! Sweet girls. Lana looks up to Rylee so much and wants to be her little shadow, much to Rylee's dismay sometimes. You know when you just want to be alone sometimes? So this leads me to last night's conversation:

Rylee wanted to take a shower by herself so she asked me, "Mom, can I go take a S-H?" Yep, she started to spell it, but didn't finish because she knew that I would know what she was talking about, but Lana wouldn't. But she didn't realize that my sick little mind (and my husband's too) automatically went to the OTHER "S-H" word. Sweetie, you know you don't have to ask if you can go take a "S-H." Oh, good times with kids!

I love having these kids. They are a constant source of entertainment. It is fun to see how much they love each other and yet still want their space. It brings back the same feelings I had as a kid with two younger sisters and two younger brothers. Wasn't that just yesterday? Oh wait, nope, I'll remind myself yet again that I turn thirty this year. Great.

She Got Me Thinking...

On Blackeyedsue's blog, she did a post about her "word of the year." I thought her word was fabulous. I wish I were as articulate as she is and could write as well as she does. And I really wish I were as talented as she is. But, I am just me. And unfortunately that means sometimes I have to steal an idea from her. So, call it stealing. That would be fair. But the fact of the matter is that her word of the year got me thinking about what my word would be. Are you ready? (Just so you know, mine will not be near as interesting to read as hers!) But if you really want to know here it is and why:

My word for the year is "Remember."

I think that if I were to really apply this word I wouldn't be such a stink so much of the time. I think depression wouldn't hit so hard. I think I would enjoy things more and appreciate what I have more.

So my goal is to apply this little word more in these ways:

I want to REMEMBER that my kids are only little once, and so I need to appreciate the silly things, the naughty things, the adorable things, even the hard things we encounter with them.

I need to REMEMBER how blessed I am to have the husband I do and the wonderful romance we share. Sometimes it seems like the giddy romance was a lifetime ago when we get caught up in being "mom" and "dad." But at the end of the day, he really is what matters most and the one I want to share everything with.

I need to REMEMBER that just because I make cookies with a little oatmeal in them I am not guaranteed heart health. Dang it. I need another excuse to eat a whole batch of cookies.

I need to REMEMBER life is for learning. Sometimes I take the "pity me" attitude too much and forget I couldn't appreciate the good in life if I didn't have the bad.

I need to REMEMBER my family and friends and try to be there for them the best I can.

I need to REMEMBER to pray. I am sometimes forgetful with this one. I pray with Bill, with the kids, and we pray as a family. But I forget to pray by myself or for myself.

I need to REMEMBER to not get out of the shower and start analyzing my body and want to cry. I have had four kids, for crying out loud. I will never have a rock hard butt (or abs, or thighs for that matter.) Maybe I could pray for them.

I need to REMEMBER to count my blessings. I have so many that I really should never complain.

I need to REMEMBER who I am in the grand scheme of things and that being "just a mom" is enough for now. Someday hopefully I will be able to see the rewards of being home by seeing my kids grow up to be wonderful adults. I know it is important. It is just easy to forget why.

I need to REMEMBER to journal the things my family experiences together. Such precious memories.

I need to REMEMBER to take time to individually tell the people in my life that I love how I feel and take the time to show them.

I need to REMEMBER to make every day count and to make a difference for the good each day.

There are so many things I need to REMEMBER. But the hardest one of all:

I need to REMEMBER to REMEMBER!

P.S. See. Not only do I copy blackeyedsue's idea, but then she reads my post and makes a cute little "Remember" thingie (what would you call it?) for the top of the post. I have a cool friend!!!

A Few Thoughts On President Hinckley

Last night, Bill and I were watching "Extreme Makeover - Home Edition" when they broke in with the breaking news that our sweet prophet, President Hinckley had passed away. We just stood there kind of shocked. I think we probably should have seen it coming because he was 97 years old. However, he still seemed so full of life and the man never stopped. I think we both maybe felt like he was sort of invincible.

I woke up this morning and was watching the "Today Show" just for the first forty-five minutes or so just waiting to see what they would say about it. Guess what they said? Nothing. No mention of it. They talked about overseas markets, gas prices, who will win the super bowl, etc. But not a mention of the greatest man who was living on the earth's passing.

Now I know I live very close to the situation and I can't expect the rest of the world to take note of someone I admire so much. So instead of waiting for the news to do their tribute, I will do one of my own because I definitely think his life is worth noting.

President Hinckley was a prophet I loved to listen to. I always felt like he had such a genuine love for each member of our church - and even those not of our faith. He was so real. He seemed to be so aware of events and circumstances in the world and always knew how to lead through trials. He saw the good in the wicked world we live in and was excited about the future. I think that is what I will miss the most. He brought such a calm to such tumultuous times. He taught how to be a kind and caring spouse. He taught how to be the kind of parent we are expected to be. He taught so many things, and was truly someone to try to emulate. His humor made him personable, his smile made him seem approachable, and his testimony made him a spiritual giant of a man. Nothing I say can ever do justice to the man who has been a prophet for so much of my life. I just know he was a prophet called by God to lead this gospel in this time. No one could have been better in that calling than he was.

And call me crazy, but I wonder if the big storm I mentioned in my previous post is the world's way of mourning the loss of such a great man. Who knows? But either way, he will be missed by many. The sadness over his loss is purely selfish on my part because I won't get to hear more sweet conference addresses or fun little quips of his, or feel of his comforting enthusiasm for what is in store in the future. But he is with his sweet wife again. I am so happy that he gets to again be with his eternal companion whom he has missed so much for the last four years. It definitely is a bittersweet event.

Thank you, President Hinckley, for being such a good example of the kind of person I want to someday be. You will be sorely missed.

Who Did It?

I really want to know...WHO DID IT?

Who prayed for more snow? Have we not had enough already this year? And now there is more to come tomorrow and Monday. It is never going to end!!!

I am grateful for the moisture. Heaven knows I hate a drought situation. But why can't it just stay in the mountains for people who actually like it to go skiing on?

I don't ski. I did a few times before I was married. It's fun. But now I am too afraid that I will hit a tree and die and orphan my kids or something. I can be a klutz like that.

I don't like to drive in the stuff, and I certainly hate worrying about my husband commuting in it. I wish we lived in a place where everything shut down at the slightest skiff of snow. Think how many days off my kids and husband would have had so far this winter. What fun - we could get out the games, blankets, and hot chocolate and just stay inside. But no such luck. Utah doesn't shut anything down unless the snow is so deep it knocks down the power poles. Oh, frustrating. And don't get me started on the kids standing outside in line before school in the crud. That is another story for another day.

But, really, whoever (or whomever - whatever the correct term is) is praying for all this. I beg you to PLEASE STOP! Not only am I sick of it, but my son is distraught because our blow-up Frosty in the front yard has been buried for a month. He is very concerned and misses his buddy.

If that dang groundhog sees his shadow next week, I swear I will fly to Pennsylvania and shoot him!

Have a nice winter (that seems like it will never end)!

50 Random Things...

Okay, so here are fifty little random things about my family and I. We are quite the bunch:

1. I have all the kids (except for Kate - but only because she isn't old enough yet) converted to my favorite breakfast: Toast and chocolate milk. I've eaten it for years and love it. Don't know why, I just do.

2. Our last two kids were definitely not planned.

3. We wouldn't send either one back!!!

4. We are doing everything possible to prevent more surprises.

5. We lived in Texas for a year, and loved it.

6. We hated the cockroaches though. Yuck!

7. I hate pecan pie because I think the pecans look like a bunch of roaches. (I am scarred for life!)

8. Bill is 1/4 Irish, so I have had to learn to embrace St. Patrick's Day - a holiday I used to HATE!

9. When Bill and I watch a movie, we love to eat popcorn with Junior Mints dumped in it. YUMMY!

10. My family all loves to play the game "Would You Rather..."

11. We have home-made cookies in our house at least twice a week.

12. But we have cold cereal for dinner at least twice a week too. (Where are my priorities?)

13. Rylee thinks the word "Mississippi" is spelled: "M-R-S-Period-S-I-P-P-I."

14. Lana thinks the restaurant Red Robin is really "Wed Wobin Hood."

15. Hayden's favorite song is "Barbie Girl."

16. That makes Bill so proud. Yeah right! He just says Hayden thinks Barbie is hot.

17. Bill and I love to play "Dance Dance Revolution" or play racquetball together.

18. We haven't done either one in almost two years because it seems like I have been either pregnant or constantly nursing the past two years.

19. I will make sure we do one or both in the next two weeks. YEAH!

20. I hate grocery shopping.

21. So Bill does it - what a sweetheart.

22. And he usually takes a kid or two with him.

23. He is Superman!

24. Rylee loves Spongebob.

25. Lana loves Lazy Town.

26. Hayden loves anything Elmo.

27. Kate loves people to talk to her.

28. The first movie Bill and I saw together was "Titanic."

29. I can't stand that movie any more ever since I had kids. Way too sad.

30. I love to let the kids have late nights and make a big tent with blankets over the t.v. so they can sit inside and watch a movie.

31. Bill and I want to take ballroom dance classes together this year.

32. I love it when the kids start laughing uncontrollably during family prayer.

33. I love office supply stores. I'm sick.

34. My brother-in-law is a dentist.

35. I still hate going to the dentist.

36. I hate hearts on jewelry.

37. When I was a kid, my nickname was "Wee-wee" because my little brother couldn't say "Hilary."

38. The name fits. I have a small bladder.

39. Bill's nickname as a kid was "Poodgie."

40. He is going to shoot me for revealing that one.

41. Bill and I like to write funny little poems together. I will post the one we wrote to introduce our family in church on a later post.

42. My biggest pet peeve: When I have just cleaned a bathroom and someone goes and pees or poops in there. What is it about a clean bathroom that makes a kid have to go?

43. Someday I want to go to Australia and hold a baby Koala bear.

44. My girls love to sleep on an air mattress in the family room sometimes on the weekends.

45. The kids don't think it is a real birthday party unless there is a pinata.

46. We are all sick of the snow.

47. We all love the Cinnamon Burst bread from Great Harvest.

48. Whenever I take the time to paint my girls' nails, they have it picked off in an hour or less.

49. I hate dressers.

50. My kids all have Rubbermaid drawers in their closets instead of dressers.

Hope you enjoyed our silly little family secrets!!!

Like Mother, Like Daughter

So, where do you think she could have learned the love of the phone? Hmmmm...I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count!


Hey, this is fun! I like the "Barbie Girl" ringtone. But it is even more fun to stick the sound in my mouth and only hear the song when I open my mouth! What a great trick! If I keep my mouth closed, my mom won't hear the song and know I am playing with this magical thing!


Wow, I almost have this thing figured out! How do I text my buddy, Squishy, down the street? I can't ask my mom because she has no idea how to text! Those of us in this younger generation are so much cooler!






Oh, shoot. I am officially busted! What should I do? Do you think my mom will care?








Maybe if I just look sweet and innocent, Mom won't notice! Oh, wait. She must not be mad. She is sitting here taking pictures of me.


THAT'S MY GIRL!!!

WHY ME? I AM REALLY FLATTERED!

First of all, I am really flattered. Why blackeyedsue nominated me for this little Daily Dose Award, I will never know. I have visited many of the blogs she visits, since I am new to this whole thing and only know a few blogs myself, and she had so many other neat people she could have passed this award on to. I think it is funny that she would give me this award because it isn't like I really need to even look at her blog to know what is going on in her life or visa verse because we are always on the phone. For some silly reason I still look at hers all the time and love it. Maybe it is my sick way of spying on her to see if there is some dirty little secret in her life that she dared not tell me!!! But thank you, Blackeyedsue. You should be the one getting this award from me.

I would love to pass this along to several people but, oh wait, I really don't know that many people yet! (I really am working on this one because I am becoming addicted to this blogging stuff.) So I think I will pass it along to:

Marja: If I ever need a tremendous laugh (which just happens to be a daily thing), I can go to her blog. I absolutely love it! What a fun way to stay in touch with such an amazing woman! I would highly recommend visiting her blog. The whole thing is so funny, smart, and genuine. She is one of the most amazing, funny, and intelligent women I have ever met. That amazing personality really comes through on her blog. I love that she is still so in love with her husband and is an amazing mom to her son (who I really hope one of my daughters can marry someday) and is an awesome, supportive friend. Did I say she is hilarious?! Seriously, love this girl!

This award needs to go to making memories as well. This one is kind of funny. I never really got to know this one until after they moved out of our ward and my daughter was in dance with one of their daughters. But I absolutely love her. I think she is awesome, and I love that her husband likes to blog. He leaves the funniest entries. Their "Pet Peeve" list for 2007 is my favorite. Such a fun sense of humor on that blog. I visit it every day to see if there is another clever little list. They should write for Letterman!

I also think not ha ha funny deserves to have this one. I love her! She is an awesome example of a wife and mom and someone who can definitely find the humor in life's little experiences. Her personality is one that I think would get along with and charm the socks off of anyone. Such a sweet, kind, and fun girl. She is the kind of mom that I would ask advice from on anything. I just admire her and think she is incredible.

****************************************************************************

NEXT ITEM OF BUSINESS.....

I got tagged by blackeyedsue for this writing meme! She is really trying to challenge me, I think. So, here is my little meme thing. (Okay, I am really new to this blog business. Would someone please write me a list of blog terms, etiquette, etc? I am dumb as a dirt fence when it comes to this stuff. I'm trying to learn, but there is a lot more out there than I thought!)

So, I was informed of the "rules" of the meme! Thank you! Because if I had got this thing, I would have had no idea what to do with it other than enjoy your fun list!!! (I loved it, by the way!) So, I guess I will list three things that I believe are necessary to make writing good. (This is in no way coming from an accomplished writer, by the way. It is just things that make reading more enjoyable for me.)

1. HUMOR! I can't stand it when people take themselves and others too serious. I think that is why so many people get so darned offended so fast. They have absolutely no sense of humor whatsoever. Sometimes there is nothing else to do but laugh at the things life throws at you. So, let us see your fun side and the things you find humor in!

2. On the other hand, feel free to share when you have a crappy day. Don't be fake. I don't like it when people always say everything is great and they seem to be perfect. That makes them unreal and untouchable to me. I keep my distance from people who think they know it all and that is why they are always so very happy. Come on, we all have a gripe once in a while. So GRIPE ABOUT IT, have your pity party, and then laugh at it later!!!

3. I love when people ask questions or need advice. We all have different life experiences and I love to hear people's responses to questions I ask on my blog. And I love to hear people ask for advice on their blogs. Even if I don't have an answer I like to let people know their concerns are valid and I am thinking about them. I just think questions open up lines of communication pave a road for great friendship development. If you don't ask questions, how do you get to know someone?

Now, for the HUSBAND Meme!!! I love this one!!! If you read all of mine, please consider yourself tagged and do the same on your blog! I love hearing about other people. You don't have to do the same meme, but just let me get to know you better through any meme!

What is his name? His name is William, others call him Bill, I call him "Honey." He knows if I call him by his first name, I am mad at him. So he hates it when I call him anything but Honey.

How long have you been together? We started dating almost 10 years ago. Can't believe it!

How long did you date? We dated for a little over a year, and then were engaged for three-and-a-half months. Hey, I had to talk the guy into marrying me! My powers of persuasion are obviously weak!

How old is he? Dang. I hate this part. He is younger than I am by eight months, which makes him twenty-eight, almost twenty-nine.

Who eats more? He eats more regularly - three meals a day, not much munching in between. I munch all day. If I eat a meal it is a miracle. You know how it is when you have kids? You finally make yourself a meal and someone else wants it even if they have already had their meal.

Who said I love you first? I did. Felt like a moron. He said something like, "That is really nice." I wanted to say, "Okay, I will go crawl in my hole now." He later explained that he didn't really think he had ever been in love, so he didn't know for sure what it was supposed to be like. He thought he loved me, but he didn't want to say it unless he was sure. Still didn't bring back my dignity. Ouch!

Who is taller? He is. I couldn't marry someone shorter.

Who is smarter? Definitely him.

Who does laundry? I do most of it, but he knows how much I despise it and he has really been trying to help me with it the last week. (See, I noticed Honey! And if I haven't thanked you yet, thank you!)

Who does the dishes? Usually I do. He would do them after dinner, but I would rather do them and have him get the kids in the bath. Even dishes are a break if I don't have the kids whining at my feet!

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does.

Who pays the bills? He does.

Who mows the lawn? Again, last summer, I did most of the time. It was my break. I couldn't hear kids whine since the lawnmower was running and I got outside. Being stuck in the house after he is home from work for a longer period of time made me nuts. So I tried to do it while he was at work so we could enjoy our time together after he got off work. It worked pretty nice.

Who cooks dinner? I do.

Who drives when you are together? He does.

Who is more stubborn? Definitely me!!! That quality in me drives him nuts! (Not in a good way)

Who kissed who first? He kissed me on the cheek, then that night on the classic doorstep scene, it just happened. But I think he instigated it. Loved it! Best first kiss ever!

Who asked out who first? I think we just kind of decided to hang out. No official asking out was done.

Who proposed? He did. He even proposed on his birthday! What a sweetheart!

Who has more siblings? I do. Two sisters, two brothers. He has two brothers.

Who wears the pants in the family? I guess we both do. Some things I do, some things he does. We each kind of make decisions for certain things and neither one of us really tells the other one what we can or can't do. I think I am lucky in the remote control department. He usually lets me pick what we watch. Love it! But if there is a game on that I know he wants to watch, I watch it with him. But I am usually still in control! Hehehe!

How did you meet? We met at Albertsons. We both worked there. I was "waiting" for a missionary, and we just started talking. We eventually started hanging out and one thing lead to another, and the next thing you know I was "Dear Johning" my missionary and telling Bill I loved him and crawling in a hole. Hehehe. Just kidding. It was great. I'm telling you, Albertsons should be nicknamed the Love Mart! We knew so many people who met their spouses there, including our current bishop.

Looking back, I definitely am glad I ended up with Bill. He puts up with more from me than any other guy I ever dated would and he knows how to look past my moodiness and love me through anything. I don't know that I have seen such an unconditional love in anyone else ever. He is amazing. He knows how to love so well, and I am so lucky he is mine and that my kids have such an amazing dad. He is the solid one in our family and many days my only sanity. I still get all giddy when he wants to take me on a date and hold my hand. He still loves to hug and kiss me and snuggle on the couch after all these years, and I love it! He always wants to make me happy and is constantly trying to figure me out so he can make me as happy as possible. What a great guy! I still think he could do better, but I am glad he chose me.

Hopefully, I didn't bore you all to death. I would love to hear more things like this about you.......So, let's hear it! I will be looking forward to it!

Where Do I Draw The Line?

So I have a moral question to pose: Is it okay to teach my daughter to beat the crap out of a naughty little boy? Before you answer, let me explain:

A few months ago, Rylee came home from school complaining about a mean boy. We brought the problem up with her teacher at parent-teacher conference and were told that, "The boy's parents don't really know what to do with him either." Well, fantastic, but I don't find that acceptable. Let's just excuse kids who act like turds and look away. Maybe if we ignore the problem long enough, it will go away. I DON'T THINK SO!!!

So, the school year progresses and just after Thanksgiving, Rylee stops eating breakfast and dinner and brings home most of the lunch I send with her to school every day. You need to understand, she is the one who appreciates food. She tries new things and loves all kinds of food. She is my one who isn't a garbage gut, and she really appreciates a good healthy meal. So for her to never eat is weird. She kept telling me her tummy hurt all the time.....

Finally, last Wednesday it all came to a head when I tried to feed her yet again and she said she wasn't hungry. So after asking about a million questions I finally found out that she was afraid to go to school because of this same stinkin' boy. She said that right after Thanksgiving he started finding her on the playground every recess and tripping her or pushing her down. Then the dang kid recruited two other boys to gang up on her. I asked her why she didn't tell me this earlier and she proceeded to explain to me that there was nothing we could do about it. When I asked her why, she told me that we had already told the teacher at parent-teacher conference and she had told the teachers after recess numerous times with hardly no consequence to the boys. (They have to "pull a bear" if they are naughty. If they pull three bears in a day they get an "oops ticket". Wooptie freakin' doo!) So basically they can torment her all they want with no real consequence and get a fresh start the next day. Don't get me wrong, I believe in second and third chances. But seriously, when it is a recurring, daily problem, how many chances does a kid deserve? Anyway, I also asked Rylee if she walked away from them on the playground and told them to stop. She said she did. She said she always tried to completely steer clear of them, but she was always found and tormented. No tolerance for bullying - MY FOOT!

Well, after getting all of this out of her, I kept her home from school the next morning for a mental health day and we went to the school to talk to the principal. He wasn't there, but we left him a note to call us and we went for donuts. She then wanted to go back to school after lunch as long as she didn't have to go out for recess. So I took her back and talked to the teacher again. To her credit she did talk to the boys and make them apologize. I think she could see that we meant business. To make a long story short the principal called after school and I explained everything. I told him I was trying to keep "Mama bear" inside and be objective. Maybe she was teasing them or egging it on somehow. But the principal said she probably wasn't exaggerating and that he would talk to her the next morning first thing.

I am so proud of Rylee! I was afraid she wouldn't want to talk to the principal, but she wanted to do it herself. I agreed she should. I think too many people forget that kids have something to say and we sometimes forget to keep our mouths shut and let them talk instead of talking for them. Now she knows she can have a say in her own conflict resolutions and that she is surrounded by adults who will listen. The problem is now resolved. The principal handled it beautifully and Rylee ate meals all week. She is a different kid. But I still have one problem.

My daughter isn't perfect. I am definitely not a parent who thinks her kids can do no wrong. However, she showed a lot of maturity in this whole thing. She thought it through and figured she had no other options and that she was just going to deal with it even though it was making her sick. Bill and I have raised her to always respect people and that she doesn't ever need to resort to teasing, bullying, etc. But have we raised a big pantie-waste? (I have no idea how you correctly spell that, but you know what I mean!) Before Rylee went in to talk to the principal, Bill said he was going to teach her where to really kick a boy to hurt him. I have to say, I didn't entirely disagree. Up to that point, she was shown by the school's actions (or lack thereof) that "boys will be boys" and they can get away with being mean. So then what happens when she grows up and, heaven forbid, is on a date and a boy tries something. She does NOT need the belief that "boys will be boys" and she just better take it. So what if nothing had been resolved with the principal and the boys kept bullying her? We would both feel out of options. Am I a bad mom to say that at that point I would tell her to give that boy a taste of his own medicine and to really make it bad? When do we teach our kids it is time to be assertive and defend themselves? How many chances do people have? Honestly, after seeing my daughter not eat for a month and a half, I think I would rather have her kick the kid's butt (or something else) than be sick. What do you think? I could go on and on about this one, but I just need some feedback. I didn't bargain for these questions and issues when I signed up to be a mom. And she is only in first grade!!! Holy crap!

On The Downward Slide...

Okay, so as I was cleaning the house today (yep, it's cleaning day again), I broke some terrible news to myself. It is not something I have wanted to face, and don't pull a Dr. Phil on me and tell me "the first step is to acknowledge it" because I DON'T WANT TO! So the news I broke to myself: I officially have less than six months until I turn thirty!!! AAAAHHHH! I definitely will not be a graceful ager (is that even a word?) and I am having a hard time accepting the fact that I am no longer a hot chick (oh wait, I was never a hot chick) that guys want to check out while I am sitting at a stoplight. Could it be the minivan (dirty mini van, I might add) with the four kids in the back? Or could it be the bags under my eyes, or the lovely little wrinkles that are popping up on my face, or the saggy boobs (not that I have much to sag) or the constant spit up stains on my clothes? Holy crap, when did I start getting old? How do I stay young? I really am not taking this well. Is there life after thirty? Is it okay if I just say I am twenty-nine for the rest of my birthdays?

And to make matters worse, my husband just turns twenty-nine in March. So he still has more than a year until he is thrity. Hate that! I feel like I am on the downward slide of life now. Not only am I getting old, but my body is literally on the downward slide. Girls, you know what I mean - everything starts heading downward. Seriously, no amount of Botox can help some things.

So my question is, when do we officially become old and how the heck do I avoid it because I am finding the "thirty" word is really freaking me out. And please don't tell me to have another baby in order to stay young. NO WAY!!! But please, anyone who has overcome the "thrity" word, please clue me in to your secrets. I need to know life will go on and, if possible, get better after thirty. I really need to feel like my life isn't ending in less than six months. HELP!!!

Our Pets

So, I have introduced you to my kids and my husband, and have rambled about my friends. The two things you haven't been introduced to are our pets. So, if you know me at all you know I am not a big fan of indoor pets. So you will be shocked to hear that we have not only one indoor pet, but two. And would you know that one of them is even a little pig? Am I insane, probably, but my kids love them. And when your kids have you wrapped around their little fingers, sometimes a mom does crazy things. As soon as we moved into our house, we discovered our love for our little pets. It's nice to own a home for that reason, you know. Pets are your decision. So, here are our sweet pets....


Keep scrolling down.....




And some more.......



Be patient, you will meet them soon......




Okay, drumroll please......




This is our pet pig. Isn't he cute? Rylee discovered him! Do you see it? He lives in our kitchen! And our next pet.....

This is Rover, the dog. He lives in the kitchen under our bar, in the main bathroom, and on the inside of a cabinet in the master bathroom. He is a triplet, but we ignore the other two. Rover is our favorite. Do you see him? He is our little friend, and we love the sweet thing. We don't have to clean up poop or take him to the vet or get him groomed. All the grooming he requires is a little Pledge once in a while. And we will never have kids crying over his death unless mommy gets mad and puts a hole in his face one of these days. But we hope that never happens. Hehehe. AAAWWWW, sweet huh! You have now officially met our whole family. Any suggestions on a name for our little pig?

Bill's "Sexy Shirt"

And I said I would save the mushy gushing over Bill for Valentine's Day...

Okay, so I bought Bill this shirt for Christmas, and I LOVE it on him! It makes me gush. I am nicknaming it his "sexy shirt." I know there are water spots on it in the picture, but that is because he just got done helping kids wash hair in the bath and snuggled Hayden for a minute while his hair was still wet. So I thought it made the picture even more endearing. It is a perfect illustration of the way he gets involved with the kids and helps me all the time. He is such a fantastic daddy and husband. How I ever talked him into marrying me, I'll never know. I guess I just got extremely lucky there!

Seriously, love this guy. He gets kids out of the bath/shower and helps them get jammies on and plays ring-around-the-rosies with them. How nice after a day with a headache. This definitely helps the head feel better.

See...Even the baby girls like the shirt! She was snuggling up to him, but I took the picture too late. Isn't that just how it goes! And who doesn't love to see her husband snuggle their baby. It doesn't take a shirt to make them hot stuff when they do that! It's just sweet.

Oh My Head!

Today, I have a headache! You know when you wake up with a headache, the day will be a doozie! So here are some things that are making my head hurt worse:

- I woke up to a buddy boy screaming for half-an-hour no matter what I did to try to calm him down.
- The Wiggles video finally calmed him down, so guess what has been on for the last three hours over and over and over and.......
- Drama of a first grade girl this morning. Need I say more? Just in case you don't know what I mean, this is what happened: She said she hopes she doesn't come home from school sick because she has a little sniffle. This lead to her saying she wants to be home-schooled. Then the whining about home-school because she couldn't make more friends. DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA. It continued until she got to school!!!
- Hearing, "Mom, I want..." about five thousand times before 9:30 this morning! My children seem to have forgot that I did teach them the "please" word.
- Three poopie diapers already this morning. Good crud, can a mom ever catch a break?
- Okay, nothing worse than hearing your three-year-old chomp her food and smack it around while she eats breakfast. Makes my skin crawl! And she does it worse the more I ask her to chew with her mouth closed PLEASE! Oh, and the "sea food" joke - NOT FUNNY!
- "Cleaning Day," which for me is Monday. However, I am still recovering.
- The fact that I had all the laundry DONE last night - empty laundry baskets- and now one is full already. HATE THAT!
- The worst headache contributor: I have no cookies in my house! Guess what I will be doing this afternoon? OH YEAH! Cookies with Pepsi. That ought to cure it!

Funnies

I thought I would share some things that have made us laugh in the past day:

Last night, we gave Kate her first try at the Gerber Puffs. We even gave her the kind our other kids have loved - the strawberry/banana ones. But as you will see, she may be our first one to dislike them. Do you think Gerber would put her in a commercial for their puffs? Hehehe!

"I've tried strawberry jam and loved it, I've licked fruit snacks and thought those were pretty yummy, I've had some ice cream (thank you Grandma Eccleston) and liked it. So more new food must be good."


"I'll just let this roll around in my mouth for a minute or two and see what I think about it. Hmmmm."





She kind of doesn't like it...






Okay, she officially hates it!

"Dad, what is this crap you are making me eat and why do you just sit there and grin at me?"


Then, this morning I was taking a bath with Kate because it is just easier that way. Now I don't understand why that means it is "family gathering time" but for some reason it does. So as I was in the bath with Kate, the other two girls were sitting on the side of the tub with their feet in the water. We always have interesting conversations during these times. Today it was about "Benchtables" as Lana calls them. Translation: vegetables. She said, "Mom, guess what's my favorite kind of benchtables?" This was a question I had never really pondered before because Lana doesn't like to come anywhere near any vegetables. So, I started down the list of the "normal" vegetables. I said, "Is it carrots, corn, peas, potatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, beans?" As soon as I said beans, she said, "Yup, I love beans...Jelly Beans." Figures. I should have known. A mom can always hope her three-year-old will be excited about benchtables.

My Friends

So, this really may go down in history as the "sappiest" post ever written, but it is something I feel like I need to do.

This past few months have been quite a roller-coaster ride for me and my family. I absolutely ADORE my sweet baby and my darling kids and my wonderful husband and I really do have a great life and nothing to complain about. However, I get post-partum pretty bad. I had it bad after Hayden, and then it came to visit again after Kate. For those of you who have never had the joy of experiencing this wonderful condition, be so grateful. I don't want to dwell on it or go into details about it, but I do want to mention a few people who have helped me and in what ways they have so that if you ever know anyone who goes through this, you may get some ideas of how to help.

For starters: There is my husband. He has had to see ALL of my ugly sides that come out during this and try to love me through it all. I don't know how I got so lucky to have someone who loves me so unconditionally and truly tries to help me by calling my doctor, giving me a break when I need it, letting me flip out for no good reason, and then talking me down from my flip-outs. I could write forever about all he has done, but I will save the gushy stuff for Valentine's Day!

Next, there is Jenn. She is one of those friends that makes me tired to just talk to because she is always so happy and busy and full of so much positive energy. But if I ever have a bad day, she understands and doesn't judge me. I feel like I can just be me with her and she just wants to help and be there in whatever way she can. She is one of those friends I don't get to talk to as much as I would like, but every time I talk to her I know we will be such good friends forever. I wish she lived closer so maybe I could absorb some of her positive energy! I learn so much from her because she is always so concerned with how others are doing and wants to see her friends happy. She is an awesome mom and wife too. I constantly learn from her example.

Then there is Marja. Maybe she doesn't realize what she has done for me this year, but you know when someone seems like they have so many more important or more interesting things they could be doing than paying attention to you? Those people make you feel so important when they take time to listen. Well, that is Marja. She takes a genuine interest in my life and that of my family. Whenever we get a chance to see her, she sits and looks at you and is genuinely interested in what you have to say. When I told her I had some depression issues she emailed me some information she had found on it for another friend. She is just like that. And her smile - it just lights up a room. I love to sit and laugh with her. She is one of those people that just makes you forget about your problems when you are with her because you are having so much fun laughing.

Then we have Amy. She is one of those friends that thinks about other people a lot more than most. She does something kind for someone else just about every day. I am amazed at the amount of service she gives to others. She has such a kind heart and is the kind of friend that really does pray for you and is very in tune if you need something. She's the kind that will call you and say, "I just had a feeling you needed me today." Everyone needs a friend like her. Unfortunately, friends like her get used a lot because she is always there and so willing to lend a hand. I just hope someday I can be more like her. Not only is she sweet, but she is so funny. I remeber one of the first times I ever talked to her she was talking about her kids picking up on the choice words we all let slip sometime. She said she told her kids they couldn't swear until they are eight because she is accountable for them until then, but once they are eight they can swear all they want because it isn't on her shoulders any more. I adored her from that minute on. She is awesome.

Okay, there are many, many people who have helped me through rough times who I could mention. Bill has done the things for me and has supported me in a way that only a husband can, but there are also ways a close girlfriend can help you in a way no one else can. That one friend who has seen more than anyone else besides Bill already knows who she is. She has seen me through post-partum with two babies, and has been a constant source of encouragement and support. She is there whenever I need to talk through something or to just have the company of a friend. Really, besides the whole blood issue, she is a sister. I believe 100% that she was placed in my life for a reason. I don't know how I would have survived so many days without her. And don't get me wrong, we don't always just sit and bawl on the phone, or complain about life, or have pity parties. Most of the time we have very upbeat conversations and we laugh and laugh. But believe it or not, we have even had a couple of arguments (which I think are mostly because I am hormonal). But she is a good enough friend that we can talk about stuff, get it out in the open, and get over it just as fast as it came. I really don't know that I've ever had a girlfriend I am completely comfortable being honest with. (She is one of those friends that would tell me my butt looks big while trying on jeans, and I wouldn't be offended. Not that she ever has, but we just have that kind of a friendship.) Everyone needs someone like her to talk to. When I am having a real downer day, I don't get the judgmental comments from her like I do from some other people. (You know: You must be doing something wrong if you are feeling like that, etc.) She just listens and tries to understand. She gets it! When most women are feeling down, they need to just get it off their chest and have someone listen. That in itself helps so much. And then instead of criticism, from her I even get compliments! She is always building me up and trying to make me see the good in myself. She doesn't encourage the self-pity, but she validates my feelings (a very hard line to walk, I think). I could go on and on about the things she has done for me, but it all boils down to the fact that she has made such a huge impact on my life that at the end of the day I am a different person, a better person because of her. I honestly don't know how me or my family could have made it this far without her. She has a genuine love and concern for me, my husband and my kids. Kindness and friendship like that is priceless. I don't know what I have done to deserve to be counted among her friends, but I am so grateful, and hope to someday be the kind of friend she is to me.

So, since I HATE New Year's Resolutions because I can never keep them, my goal is to just try to learn from the friends I have been blessed with and try to be a better friend for them and because of them. That is my resolution. HAPPY NEW YEAR, and may you all have meaningful, lasting friendships throughout the year!!!

A Little Bit More About Us

Just for fun and for the memories, I thought I would share some sweet pictures of my family taken over the holidays. That way those of you who don't know us can get to know us a little bit better!


I love this picture of Bill and Hayden. It was taken on New Year's Day. I love it because Bill has a tradition of making the same dip every New Year's Day and watching football. This year, he had his little buddy to watch football with. They both enjoyed the traditional chips and "Dip, Dip, Dip, Dip," as Hayden calls it. I love the manly bonding!

Our oldest, Rylee, obviously thinking she is much younger than she is. She is way too big for the Elmo chair but, "It isn't fair if everyone else gets a picture sitting in it!"

Our spirited red-head, Lana, thinking she needs to pose for a picture in the oh-so-fun Elmo chair!

The three youngest kids: Kate, Lana, and Hayden. What sweet, snuggly kids in their new Christmas jammies!

This is one of my favorite pictures of baby Kate. She is our sweet baby, and obviously the center of attention a lot of the time. Hayden was nice enough to share his new Elmo chair with his sisters!

Sleepy eyes on Christmas morning. This is Rylee relaxing with Bill. A girl needs to gather her energy before tearing into her presents, you know!!!

This is my "Glamour Shot" of the year!!! I am helping our sweet boy, Hayden, open a present on Christmas morning. He loves clothes - just like his daddy!