Yep

It really was perfect

In saying goodbye to this long-awaited day, I wanted to write down my favorite parts to make it less bitter and more sweet.  :)

My son got his DS.  He's wanted one for years.  Literally.  Santa rocks.

My daughter gave of herself, one of the very best things I love about that girl.  Love her!

My tiniest got to open a "blue present" and then some and loved every minute of it!

Baby Jesus was found under our tree before any other gifts were passed out. 

My daughter said her favorite tradition was the advent train - something I worked very hard to make special.  That made it all worth it!

I got new socks!

I was able to stay happy in spite of the severe lack of sleep I got last night.  My rockin' husband helped me get TWO naps, today!

I didn't have to cook!

What a special day.  Thanksgiving was perfect, today was perfect, and the New Year will be perfect, too!

Bring on 2012 and all it has to teach me!

Meet my neighbor, Harry

Our ward Christmas party was fun, this year - free food, a live Nativity, carols, and Santa!

Getting Quin to look at me was a chore... the other one I took, he was looking down: 

Natalie used to be terrified of Santa, not so much, anymore:

How big is too big? :)

Merry Christmas!!

New year, new you!

It's that time of year, again.  No, not Christmas.... resolution making time.  ;) 

I wasn't going to do one this time around, but I can't help myself.  ;) I have an idea of what I'm going to do, but I need to fine-tune it. 

Here's a link to something that may help those who are doing the same... but here's a snippet that I personally liked best:

"Summing it up: make sure your goals are clear and specific, do them in some kind of measurable time so you can actually measure progress, but the big thing is you’re either going to be master of yourself or a slave to your impulses. You’ll either have discipline and commitment or you won’t and that’s a quality of character. I know people don’t like to hear the word “character” – they want to hear the word “addiction” because that takes out any issue of character; that means there’s nothing in your control. We all know that’s bull. Your character is what is measured by you following through on what you put your word to." (italics added)
-Dr. Laura

All I want for Christmas...

Me:  What do you want for Christmas?

Quin (whispers):  Presents!

Me:  What kind of presents?

Quin:  Um, blue ones.  And green.  The big kind.

The kid's easy to please.

Watch this:

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

All of October, Quin wanted to watch this show, every. single. day.  He called it "the Halloween show".

Now that we've moved on to Christmas movies (since we don't have cable/TV channels of any sort), he's found a new favorite.  Well, three new favorites.

All involve Mickey Mouse. 

"Wanna watch a Mickey Mouse show?" is what I hear every day.  We watch a show a day (sometimes more, depending on the state of my well-being), and these three Mickey movies are the ones he chooses every single time.  (1, 2, 3)

Yeterday, I asked him if we could watch something different.  He said, "Ok, something different."  Then he proceeded to pull out the three Mickey movies and asked, "Which one you wanna watch?"

Today, he picked two of the Mickey movies and asked me which one I wanted to watch, and I picked one.  He kept asking me until I chose the other one.  *sigh*

I use his movie time as my computer time, so I'm able to tune out the movies he insists on watching over and over again.

What's funny is he watches them like he's never seen them before, every single time. 

Silly boy.

Guess what we're watching this very minute? ;)

Highlights

I'm feeling pretty pregnant, today, but wanted to jot some things down before I forgot them.

• Our furnace is broken.  But we have the money to fix it.  I give credit for this blessing to tithing.
• My toddler is quite the talker.  Today I said, "Quin, you're a chatter-box!"  He says, "I'm not a chatter-box!"  I say, "Yes, you are!"  He says, "Ok, I'm a chatter-box."  He's so sweet!
• I've only gained 8-10 lbs. so far, this pregnancy.  I'm happy about this.
• For my son's birthday, my daughter wanted to give him something.  She didn't have anything, so she gave him what she had.  $.22.  I love that girl.  :)
• My son is ten.  T E N.  He's such a good boy.  I took a couple pictures, but don't feel like getting up to get the camera to upload them, yet.  I will, though.  It sickens me (quite literally) to think about getting up to make lunch for me and the munchkin. 
• 46 more days!!! It's unbelievable how fast this pregnancy has gone, but looking back on how long I've been with child seems like forever. 
• My bathrooms need a good cleaning. 

How blessed we are

Our furnace is breaking.  Or something.  Either way, we woke up to no heat, this morning.

This got me thinking - I am so incredibly grateful for a husband who's a mechanic, the one day he had left of vacation time, the mandatory overtime he's had at work, and our house that keeps us from totally freezing to death (literally).  Not to mention the space heater my in-laws gave to us a few years ago.  :)

We can handle a broken furnace.  Someone knew what we'd have to face and has been watching over us for years.  :)

Macareeny

This is one of those "I deserve Mother of the Year" posts.  haha

Quin wanted to go outside, today.  Insisted, rather.  So, after some stalling, I caved.  We bundled as best we could - afterall, it's a whopping 14 degrees out there (feels like 1).  He wanted to bring a scooper out - so I parted with my smallest of wooden spoons.  (The shovels to the pails left out are buried in bitterly cold white stuff, at the moment.)  He went out, and started to have much fun.

He even mowed the lawn:

I was just sitting at the kitchen table, checking on him occasionally.

Then I realized it had been a few minutes since I had seen him or checked on him... and I thought I heard his high-pitched scream. 

So, I went to check on him. 

He was on the side of the house, out of my sight, and I couldn't decipher what he was saying, but he was crying.  So, I ran and grabbed my fasted shoes - my crocs - and ran to save my boy from whatever was making him so sad.   I found him sitting on the ground, sans one boot and half a sock, foot "getting all snowy". 

"It's all burny out!", he says.  I grab him and his boot and we tromps back into the house. 

"Can you warm me up?"  "My boot came off!" "My foot got all snowy!"  "My bus doesn't work!"

All were said amidst teared-soaked, rosie red cheekies, and a river of cold weather-induced snot.

We got new sockies, warmed him efficiently, and he requested nappy time.

I said we have to have lunch, first. 

"Macareeny?"

He used to call it mac and cheese. 

How could I but make it for the poor, sweet, little half-froze lad?

So, I am.

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My wooden spoon has met the same fate of the other "scoopers" in my backyard.

For future reference...

My Promise to my children

~as long as I live ~

I am your Parent 1st - your Friend 2nd.

I will stalk you, flip out on you, lecture you, drive you insane, be your worst nightmare & hunt you down like a bloodhound when needed because I LOVE YOU !

When you understand that, I will know you are a responsible adult.

You will NEVER find someone who loves, prays, cares, & worries about you more than I do!

If you don't hate me once in your life - I am not doing my job properly

Branching out

Who said you could only put ornaments on a tree?

Someone knew...

First, read this.
Now read this.

Now you know why, when I opened up one of my Christmas decor boxes, I was surprised to see this:

Notice the extra little snowman on the right without a name? I don't remember making this, although I'm sure I did.  (It had to have been two years ago...) But why? Was it around the time of the first post I had you read? Was it just for fun? My memory fails to recall why I was prompted to make an extra one...

BUT - the point is, somewhere in my brain, I knew I'd need another tiny snowman.  Go figure.  Whatever the case, my set is complete.  :)

It's not a "kid" tree, it's a Christmas tree

In years past, it has been my nature to be picky about where the ornaments were placed on our Christmas tree.  I was always grumpy and quite the party-pooper on that day that's supposed to be special and fun.

I've heard of people having a "kid" tree for the odd placement of ornaments and having another for all matching junk.  To me, that's a bit extreme, but to each their own.  My tree growing up had everything from almost broken to hand-made and we all helped.  I've even heard of people who let the kids have at it but then go back and fix everything.  Not me.

This year, I took it upon myself to tell my sweet littlest one all about putting up our very own Christmas tree and how he'll get to help us decorate it.  This kid LOVES him a Christmas tree - we can't walk through Walmart without doing our usual rounds through the garden section where they're set up.  

My husband asked me if I was going to freak out about uneven placement of ornaments.  I told him I had made my peace with it.  And I had.  It was so much fun to see how my kids were having so much fun! Who cares where the dumb ornaments go?  

Even if they're all on one branch... ;)

(He was in the process of getting up for more ammo.)

Isn't this just cute? I just sat back and enjoyed it this year.  :)

Just to name a few...

Family.  My sense of smell.  The wisdom to bake the pies first.  My laptop getting fixed for free.  Tylenol PM.  Cozy pants that actually fit and stay up.  Funky socks.  IZZE drinks.  Vege trays.  Walmart.  January 24th.  Christmas music.  The internet.  Folded laundry.  Ultra sounds.  Public school.  Clearance sales.  Books.  Libraries.  The Gospel.  My life.  Paid bills.  Road trips.  Holidays.  Music.  Dictionaries.  Memories.  Movie nights.  My pillow.  Baby formula.  Disposable diapers.  CAT.  Overtime.  Windows.  Trees.  Flowers.  Sunshine.  Rain.  Forgiveness.  Tax refunds.  Friends.

i.e.  Things I'm thankful for.  :)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dreams favor the Delusional

I'm facing my first illness in what seems like forever.  It's just a cold, but it's been enough to kick my behind a little.  So, last night, I got as drugged up as I could (i.e. two Tylenol), slathered on some Vicks, and attempted to sleep.

Dream #1 - Spent half the night doing interviews with football coaches... you know, because so many had offered me a full scholarship for my skills.  (Watched "The Blind Side" before bed, can you tell?)

Dream #2 - Every time I coughed, I was reminded, subconsciously, that my other self (who looked much like Jack Sparrow) had worse symptoms than I.  Poor sap.

Dream #3 - I was eating at a restaurant that I've frequented many times in my dreams, though why, I don't know- the service is terrible.  I had a huge clump of hair embedded in the meat portion of my meal.  No waiters in sight to complain to.  It was maddening.

Dream #4 - I was apparently supposed to be dead, but was found by my child - one I've never seen - in a closet in some sort of compound.  My supposed husband, the one who did away with me in the first place, was after me.  I hid behind a fence surrounding the compound, because, obviously, no one would find me there.  And they didn't.  That's when my blessed alarm went off.

Needless to say, I'm postponing my bi-weekly grocery trip till my sweet and helpful husband can either watch all the kids or come with me to make sure I don't fall asleep in the bread aisle and so I don't have to talk to anyone, as I do not have much of a voice, today.

Sweet and Salty

My two year old was showing signs of a skipped nap, today... in that, he was not going to take one.  Two good things came from this: 

1) He actually stayed in his bed until he called me in their to get him with, "It's morning time, Mommy!", even though I know he hadn't slept (a combination of the fact that it had only been 15 minutes since I laid him down and the rather loud rendition of "Twinkle Little Star" sorta gave that away...).

2) I was babysitting a friend's 9 month old during his nappy time, so I went in with the little surprise in my arms to "get him up".  I said, "Guess who's here?" His face just lit right up and he says, "OWEN!!" (the mystery child making my belly fat).  I had to correct him and say, "No, this is Ben."  He knows Ben from church, so it sort of clicked right away.  He ran downstairs because he wanted to hold him.  He handed him many toys, his bottle, his blanky... and kept having to correct himself when he'd call him "Owen".  Needless to say, the child gets that there's a baby coming.  At one point, he must've forgotten because he looked at Ben and then my tummy and said, sort of bewildered, "Who's in your tummy?" Whenever Ben would make a sound, he'd say, "What's a matter, boy?" I was actually glad he missed his nap.  He's so sweet!

After the baby went home, I let Quin have a small amount of water in a cup.  I knew he'd spill (the spoon he grabbed to stir it with was my first clue), so I set him at the table with it, thinking it's just water - let him play.

Note to self:  It's never just water with a two year old.

The water:

Add a little salt: 

And a little more:

Plus some more to that:

All stirred up in the cup:

*sigh*

I must've swept up at least 1/4 cup of salt.  No joke.  That's not including the salt I kept finding as I mopped up the water.  Or the salt on the table.  Or the salt covering my child.  Or the salt he put in our toy car bucket.  Or the salt I had to rinse off a toy truck... and his hands.  He was about to be sad when I found him, but I simply said, "We don't play with the salt."  He replied, "But it's yummy."  That's when I saw the salt on his face. 

Never.  Leave.  A two year old.  Alone. 

Ever.

Today...

...it snowed.  A lot.  :)

...I had the urge to bake cookies.  So, I did.  (This only happens once a year.) (If that...)

...I decided my bathroom mirror was clean enough to take my picture in. 

...I also decided the camera really does make me look fatter.  I would see myself in the mirror vs. how I looked on my camera screen and the camera screen was definitely being slightly vicious.

...my husband is working overtime and we're lonely for him.  :(

...I might just get another bathroom clean. 

...but, then again, I might not.  (It's not like it's going anywhere.)

...I only have 66 days (at the most) left of harboring my fourth child within.

Children Learn What They Live - Dorothy Law Nolte

If children live with conditional love, they learn to distrust.
If children live with deceit, they learn to be false.
If children live with criticism, they learn to fight.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy.
If children live with neglect, they learn to abandon themselves.

If children live with inconsistency, they learn to be furtive.
If children live with violence, they learn to be numb or scared.
If children live with shaming, they learn to feel incompetent.
If children live with perfectionism, they learn to feel inadequate.
If children live with excess worry, they learn to feel anxious.

If children live with unconditional love, they learn to love back.
If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with praise, they learn to appreciate.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith.
If children live with genuine approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with acceptance and friendship, they learn to give and receive closeness, care, and love.

Awesome Holiday Give-Away!!

Not on MY blog... but on this one. 

If you have kids (toddlers, mostly) and need activity ideas or ways to teach certain things, this is a great reference site.  :)

Val's button is to the RIGHT of my blog and she can even be found on Facebook, now!

Woohoo! She's giving away great things so don't bother entering... you know, to up my chances of winning it for myself! :)

Bread heels

Usually, my family throws away the heels left over in the bread bag. 

I hate doing this. 

I'm so grateful for those heels, and the bread in between, and the car that gets me to the store that's only 10 minutes away, and the money that buys that bread, and the job that gets us that money, and the husband that does that job, and the car we've had for 10 years that still miraculously works that gets him to that job, and the home he gets to come home to every night, and that I get to stay in that home and raise my kids, and for those very same kids, and that our newest kid is developing as he should, and that my body functions as such to grow a healthy baby, that I can see, hear, walk, talk and do the things I need to do to take care of this body, and for the parents that took care of it for me when I wasn't big enough to and then taught me how to take care of myself, and for their parents, and for the temple we were able to be sealed in for time and all eternity, and for my Heavenly Father who's given me all these little yet huge things in my life.

And I'm thankful for drumsticks.  You know, the kind of ice cream cone that's been dipped in chocolate and peanuts with vanilla ice cream in a chocolate-coated cone? Mmmmm.  Yep, and those.

That's my girl!

I love that she couldn't wait long enough to take her coat and backpack off before she got back to reading... she's so my daughter!

Halloween 2011

This whole Halloween season, I only took one picture.  ONE.  I didn't get our carved pumpkins (we got eleven in our garden, this year!!), or any trick-or-treating fun, just one picture of the before the spoils.  Oh, well.  It turned out mostly ok, so it'll do.  :)

Things on my mind

I forgot my camera for our church's Trunk-or-Treat/Carnival/Fall Festival party.  I'm not surprised, really. 

Quin's been in a big boy bed since Friday night... more stress than I thought.  But, it has to pass, eventually, right? Right??

My diabetes glucose test is in a couple weeks.  Yum. O.  (not)

I had the best shower ever, today.  I truly felt the stress being washed away.  I hate showers.  I decided it was because I chose to enjoy it that it was so fantastic.  That got me thinking I should choose to enjoy every moment of my life... even the prickly moments no one really wants to embrace.

I love the song, "Good Life", by OneRepublic.  "When you're happy like a fool, let it take you over..."

A change is coming in my life that I can't really talk about yet... but it's a good change.  (It's right up there with not having to babysit, anymore.)

My brother was in a bad car accident.  ICU, bad.  Respirator, bad.  Surgery, bad.  Internal bleeding, bad.  Broken bones, bad.  Please pray for him.  I am.

I want to be a better mom.  I hate yelling.  I love my kids.

I'm afraid the meat in my fridge has gone bad... I'm afraid to check...

Did I mention I love my kids?

I miss my laptop.  I don't know when I'll be able to get it fixed.  Stupid money. 

A job that is highly UNDERrated...

Since I was old enough to, I've been babysitting.  Oldest of nine's usually do.  ;)

When I was 16, I worked at my first daycare center.  I figured, stick with what you're good at.

I've worked at three daycares since then, and have been babysitting in my home almost my whole married, mothering life.

Until today.

I'm sure you've figured out I'm pregnant.  I do NOT do pregnant well... though, for the most part, I've been keeping that part of my life out of the published world of the internet.  Facebook? Not so much... but I'm doing better.  hee hee

I knew babysitting was stressful for me - as in, I just wanted to hide in computer land and not pay attention to any of the kids messing up my house, not even my own, kind of stressful.  But I didn't know how stressful it was until I woke up this morning and didn't have to do it.  Ever.  Again.  I thought it was because I'm pregnant that I was so stressed - nope.  I just don't want to babysit, anymore.  I don't want other people's kids messing up my house, anymore.  I don't want to have to clean up after other people's kids, anymore.  I don't want to deal with other kids' moms, anymore.  (Most of them  - one is still my friend, and she rocks.) But, to say I had gotten a little burned out would be putting it lightly. 

Today, my little boy and I have been watching Halloween movies together, eating a picnic lunch in the living room, going for a walk, playing games... and just being us.  He's been playing with his toys, which he hasn't done for so long! And I haven't felt the need to yell at anything trivial or otherwise, haven't had my patience tested, and have actually had the desire to do things! Start projects, again! Finish projects I've already started! It's been so great! I actually don't know what to do with myself now that I have just my independent child!

And I love it!

So, here's to being just a stay-at-home-mom.  Just? Who'm I kidding? There's no "just" about it.  ;)

Frat party at my house!

Top 10 Ways That Being A Parent Is Like Being at a Frat Party...


10. There are half-full, brightly-colored plastic cups on the floor in every room. Three are in the bathtub.

9. There's always that one girl, bawling her eyes out in a corner.

8. It's best not to assume that the person closest to you has any control over their digestive function.

7. You sneak off to the bathroom knowing that as soon as you sit down, someone's going to start banging on the door.

6. Probably 80% of the stains on the furniture contain DNA.

5. You've got someone in your face at 3 a.m. looking for a drink.

4. There's definitely going to be a fight.

3. You're not sure whether anything you're doing is right, you just hope it won't get you arrested.

2. There are crumpled-up underpants everywhere.

1. You wake up wondering exactly how and when the person in bed with you got there.

I love this quote:

"Act as if: do all the things you would do if you were convinced of a positive outcome. Then watch the results."

Plethora

Do you ever feel like there's so much junk in your head that you're trying to sort through or keep track of but eventually you just have to get it out? That's what this post is all about.

My daughter's imagination runs wild at the sight of a box that has borrowed sheets in it... add a couple of chairs, a brother, and a doll, and you've got fun in the front yard.  :)

A couple people made mention when I first found out I was pregnant, that I was going to have two families since my kids were so far apart in age.  Not so.  My two older kids are always quick to include and play with their younger brother.  Yesterday, I didn't have my camera, but they were all three hunting (I'm guessing) in the front yard until it started getting dark and I made them come in.  With the addition of this new baby, our family will not separate but only grow - bigger and stronger.  :)

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I have an unruly lilac bush in my front yard that will be lopped off this fall in hopes of controlling it in the future.  For now, though, it's been a hide-out for my kids.  Quin's been introduced to this magical place and I was able to capture one of his adventures on camera:

Lilacs are my favorite.  We had a bush on the side of the house I did the majority of my growing up in.  Whenever it rained, I would relish the scent that would emanate from the petals and loved touching the flowers delicately so the collected rain drops would sprinkle onto my fingers.  I'm glad my kids have a lilac bush to grow up with, too.  :)

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Witch's brew ingredients, for those who aren't in the know, are leaves and dirt.  Mix well with rake.  Then toss into air.  Baths may be required following the "meal".

Box not necessary, but cheaper than a cauldron, or so I'm told.  ;)

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Natalie has a bench that Quin has claimed as his.  I call it the naughty chair - it increases naughtiness ten-fold:

 I actually let him do this, but he does use this bench to reach things that were not meant for him to reach.  Makes life real interesting.  Especially when I tell my daughter to hide the stupid thing and he still manages to find it.  Good times.  :)

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Andur recently acquired a highly sought-after skateboard.  He's actually getting pretty good at it.  Quin's been longing to use it, but we don't let him.  He recently discovered a way to use one of his very own, one that I'm perfectly ok with because it's seemingly heart attack-proof.  ;)

p.s.  Andur's elbow pads have saved us about $473 in doctor's bills, so far.  His wrist pads have saved probably around $1,576.  Totally guessing, but I'm sure I'm close.

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The end of an era.  I'm finally almost done babysitting! The boy I babysat full time has found an alternate form of child care and I couldn't be happier! I've noticed, today, since I'm babysitting my part timer, that my patience is thinner, I snap at my OWN kid more, and I've been more than happy to hide in computer land all morning.  When it's just been me and Quin this week, bliss is the word that keeps coming to mind.  I was motivated to get more housework done than I have in a whole month! And my sweet littlest one helped. :)  I'm grateful for the friend Quin has to play with a couple days a week and the money it brings that we sorely need at the moment, but I'll be glad when January comes, for more than one reason.  Quin never even noticed that Eli wasn't here.  And he doesn't hit, anymore! He went to hit me, this morning, but totally stopped himself! Woohoo! (He was having brutality issues with the little boy, which bled into the evenings where he took his aggression out on his family, too.)

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Prettiest zoo I've ever been to (Zoo Montana).  Since I've only been to, I don't know, three, that doesn't say much, but see for yourself:

Funniest thing - Matt gave Quin his share of duckie food, and he just popped it right into his own mouth.  Didn't like it too much. 

So he decided to chase the ducks, instead:

Natalie said the horse tried to bite her... I think she might have just caught a glimpse of his teeth and her imagination did the rest:

There weren't many animals, but this wolf was staring us down.  We heard them howling - THAT's the scariest noise I think I've ever heard:

Montana's beautiful.  We loved our little over-nighter, there.

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Something I wanted to remember that Quin said the other night - we were rocking before bed and he covered his ears.  He says, "I hear my spirit!" Where he would've gotten that is beyond me, but I loved it.  :)  Having just him, yesterday, was so sweet.  I hung up my Halloween decorations (geeze, finally!) and as I was doing so, found them to be quite pitiful.  But when he saw them, he exclaimed, "Oh! That's so cool!" and it made my living room feel that much more festive.  We turned off all the lights, last night, and lit all the little candles.  He was in Heaven.  My son, daughter and husband and I watched "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" and I was in Heaven, too.

Life is good.  :)  It'll be even better come January.  ;)