And the run is over

I have a lot of things to blog about....my relatives' visit, my trip to Houston, my kids, the clinic, etc. (I'm even in the clinic right now..."working.")

But, I have to take a moment tonight and mourn the Jazz's loss . The season is over. They are going home. But, while I mourn the loss, I am so proud of this team. They haven't been to the playoffs since Malone and Stockton. They have a very young team and yet...they beat Houston in the 1st round and Golden State in the 2nd to make it to the Western Conference Finals, where they met their match with the Spurs, a very experienced team with three championships already under their belts.

Really, the Jazz did awesome this year and I am so proud of them. I hope that this experience that they have now will propel them to even greater things in the future. There also were a few key guys that didn't show up in the playoffs at all...while I am not naming names, I do hope that they get traded during the off season. We need winners to win. Our winners included Williams (already a superstar and it's only his second season), Boozer, Millsap, and Fisher. Others also contributed at times. See, if we can stay together...we can go far!

Go Jazz!

10 years! Happy Anniversary, DH!

Today is my 10-year-wedding anniversary! I can't believe that it has already been this long. The wedding day, itself, did not turn out even close to as planned: the wedding planner changed my colors, my veil didn't fit and made me look like a hippie, it rained, the photographer did not do a good job, etc...But, amid all this something very, very good happened: I got to marry and be sealed to one of the very most amazing men in the world! What a lucky girl I am.

We have had our good and bad times in the last ten years, but as I browsed through all the photo albums, I saw that there were many more good times. We are now through with school, lived in three different states, have three kids and a dog, love our first house and our brand new van. While it might not be exactly what we dreamed of ten years ago, I think it is pretty darn close and how blessed we are!

I am so lucky to have DH. He is very funny and is a great storyteller. He is supportive of me and everything I want to do. He is a wonderful father, who has a great balance between teacher, discipliner, friend, and fun-provider. He is always working hard to support our family, particularly allowing me to be home with our kids. All in all, he makes me very happy. Once again, I am so blessed. Love ya, DH!

As I look forward to the next ten years, I end the post with some of our history in photos:

First of all, thanks to everyone...especially my very dear RLFs (it is always odd to me to write this...if you know me, you might know why!) for offering to help. Unfortunately for me, the reason I have so much to do...is that no one else can really do it. Maybe I'll have a meet-me-at- the-clinic-at-midnight-for-ice-cream party! That would be fun.

And...I am really trying hard to blog more frequently. For one thing, it is a wonderful me-time outlet. For another...I think it serves a marvellous family history/journaling purpose. How fun it would have been to learn of our great-great ancestors through blogs...we could read their thoughts, see what they did day-to-day, and even have pictures of the events. So...here I am 2-3 days in a row! :)

We had free tickets to the local minor league baseball game last night. We debated going: we have so much going on, we are not a baseball family, etc. But, DH and I really needed to do something different and it was a gorgeous night and it was FREE. So, we went. It was so boring. It was nice to do something different, but the kids hated it: they think baseball is boring, "all you do is watch someone throw a ball and others hit it." We tried to explain to them that we are a basketball family, but really all that is is watching people throw the ball around and then through a hoop. How boring is that? They whined the whole time. But, in their defense it was boring. We were there for five innings and our local team never got a run. There were a lot of "walks," which means really bad pitching on both sides. Looking back, I should have just kept working and let the kids just read or something, but then I wouldn't have these gorgeous pictures of K pouting!

We had the missionaries for dinner tonight. I made yummy Cashew Chicken, but DH had to go Home Teaching right after so we had to eat fast. I don't really know if the missionaries liked it, but it is so delicious that I will have to post the recipe at some point!

What was I thinking?

Word to the wise: Don't combine merely 4ish hours of sleep with tons of things that are URGENT to be done with your business with Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul.

C had a sleepover here last night and LD and I are sick and I am still working for the clinic like mad...thus the no-sleep. Then, we have a million things that HAVE to be done...so I am still working constantly at the clinic like mad. (We have missionaries for dinner tomorrow...so we usually try to have a clean house...but, I guess they'll see it less-than-perfect this time: I have to stay at the clinic until midnight again tonight...when, thankfully, it becomes the Sabbath and I refuse to work on the Sabbath!)

Then, while trying to get LD to sleep (made more difficult since he is sick) I read a couple of stories from the Chicken Soup book DH gave me for Mother's Day. Now I am just in tears as I consider my children growing up! I love them so much and wish I could make time go slower instead of faster. I will even miss K talking back, C needing A LOT of help with little tiny "owies," and LD spitting up lovely orange squash all over my almost-white carpet!

DH and I are really trying to find ways to minimize the hours we are working...and hopefully we can as I really don't want to turn around and find my kids grown and wish I'd been there more. But this week, my aunt and uncle are coming from out-of-town for a couple days, we have field days at school, we are still training our temp employee, and we are going out-of-town ourselves this weekend! Sometimes its just too much!

Here are some pictures from C's sleepover (K was at a sleepover party with her friend S).

No comments...

I don't know why there isn't a space for comments on the previous post. I didn't change any settings and this one has them....so if you have a comment...comment here! Thanks.

Musings of a frazzled woman

I have once again been absent for a long time. And, to be honest, should be absent again today! -sigh- It is going to be one of those 3-4 week stretches of time that years later you look back on and wonder how in the world you made it through.

It has been tough this week: our lovely CA left Monday for her lunch break and never returned...emailing us hours later that she had to leave out of town for a family emergency! This left us in such a bind. We never recovered from her week and a half vacation that she took a few weeks ago and now so much more is on DH and I's shoulders. The cool thing in all of this is that once I found out that she had left I had a distinct (almost audible) impression: "Don't worry. I'll take care of you." and take care of us He has. We have been so blessed. DH had the inspiration to ask a patient if she wanted to work for us for three weeks and it is perfect for her and her family at this time, as well. She is a SAHM, but likes the break (and a little spending money), but isn't offended that we only need her for three weeks. She just started and is already doing a good job. The problem is that there are many things that our CA took care of after being with us a year that now we still have to take care of them.

I have spent many nights going to bed at 1 am and then beginning the day over again at 6. Sometimes...like last night...I was at the clinic working until after midnight. But other times we were up watching the JAZZ WIN! Go Jazz! We are so excited for them...hopefully then can continue to win. It is fun, too, since most of the fans in this area turned into Jazz fans when our local team lost!

I have a few random pictures to post from this last week. Another of K with her limo. Then C had a party on Saturday at Jumping Party for his friend A. Here he is with her; his best friend, G; and a bunch of them at the party. I also have pictures of Little Dan playing around! Isn't he cute?

He is a blog post in and of himself! In the span of about an hour yesterday, he ate dog food, dumped a houseplant on top of himself, broke the antenna to the TV, and ran me ragged. I love him so much, though, and this terror stage also comes with a fun side...like side-splitting laughs when playing peak-a-boo, open-mouth slobbery kisses on my cheek, or the first little words: "mama," "mas," or "bano" (pronounced "baba"...but he only does it when the water is running for his bath-so I am pretty sure that is what he is attempting to say).

Finally, I just want to say that I am so blessed: I am running myself into the ground, but I am so blessed. I have a DH that never hits, yells, or puts me down, but rather is very supportive and loving. I have three wonderful kids that love to talk back, but also love to give me hugs. I live in the USA. I have a home, a garden, a yard, and a dog. I also have a fishtank with no fish...but that's another story. I have the gospel and the May Ensign. I have plenty to eat, wear, and drive. See? I am one of the lucky ones. How can I complain?

BTW: speaking of kids...K and C are both on a field trip today. It is the Accelerated Reader (A.R.) field trip and only 10 kids in the whole school qualified to go. I am proud of them and their reading. C is only in Kindergarten and he has 57 points. K is in 2nd and has 90 something points. C is currently reading Harry Potter. When he bought it at Half Price Books, I thought it would just go on his shelf...he is only FIVE, you know! But...he has been reading and reading and reading and is more than 1/3 through in less than a week. Impressive!

Sorry for the novel...it has all been saved up for over a week!

Limo Party!

K's best friend from Kindergarten is turning 8 this week and today is her party. It has been planned for months as a surprise to the birthday girl and all her friends! The biggest surprise of all is that they were picked up from the house in a LIMO! I keep K's friend, S, after school and so she was here, too! They had no idea. What a fun party! Here are some picts as they were leaving.

S & K waiting for the party--no clue what is to come. They thought they were just going to "hang out" at C's house!

K's Surprised look. Look carefully at her mouth.

Friends in the limo--the birthday girl is wearing the crown.

Epitome of jealousy.

OFF THEY GO!

Misc. Wednesday

I got to go to lunch yesterday (again at Jason's Deli) with another one of my great friends who had a birthday recently. It was so fun, but I neglected to take pictures. There were almost more high chairs than moms! We had 4 babies/toddlers, 4 preschoolers, and 5 adults. I am sad because said friend is moving in a year or so! :( And now I am doubly sad, since I found even more friends are moving and even sooner. -sigh- I guess the world always changes.

On another note, our Chiropractic Assistant is leaving us...we have two weeks to find someone new. It is very stressful, but I think we are being led to the right person and it will work out okay. The CA that is leaving us is very good, but has family issues that will be taking her out of state. Hard to be in the office and in another state at the same time. She has done well for us and we are sad to see her leave.

Last night, we ate tortillas and water for dinner and did not turn on the electricity. It was an object lesson from a previous Family Home Evening. DH wanted to help our kids be grateful for what they have. The food part did help them understand, but the no electricity and living by candles...they found that to be great fun! At least I think it is a unique memory that they will remember for a long time.



And, since I haven't posted a picture for awhile and that is my favorite part of blogging...here is Little Dan's 7-month snapshot.

"Crying it out"

I changed from being loving Mami to torture guru in the eyes of Little Dan last night. He is 7 1/2 months and it was time to begin the "crying it out." He is the oldest one of my babies to have to go through this. K did it at 5 1/2 months and C...hmm not so sure, but, anyhow...with all his growth this week, it just felt like the right time to do it. DH didn't even know that I was going to...and neither did I until about 3 minutes before I did it.

I gave him his bath, nursed him while singing "Soy Un Hijo de Dios" and then gently rocked him into his crib, reassuring him that I loved him and that I'd see him in the morning. He was mad, but calmed down quickly and was completely asleep before 25 minutes had gone by. Not too bad. And...he didn't even wake up until 6 this morning-his first time sleeping through the night. I have my fingers crossed that this wasn't just a fluke...but that this will really help him to sleep better by not having to nurse to fall asleep!

Addendum:
Day #2: 18 minutes; woke up at 5:30
Day #3: 7 minutes; woke at 6:30
Day #4: LESS THAN ONE MINUTE OF CRYING!!!! :) ; woke at 3:30

Go Jazz! Goldfish and a new baby

GO JAZZ
Last night we got together with some friends to watch a Game 7 match up between the Houston Rockets and the Utah Jazz. As many of you know, we are HUGE Jazz fans! The game, however, was in Houston and we thought it was a sure loss...time to "go home." But, we were wrong! It was the best game in all senses of the word...very, very close with the Jazz pulling it out at the end. I am so proud of them, how they kept their composure even when Houston made their runs, how the whole team contributed at crucial times, and how they really wanted the game. Their hustle was outstanding. They play again tomorrow night! Go JAZZ!

GOLDFISH
We bought our second and third pets yesterday, actually the kids bought them and all their accessories...goldfish (K named hers Crystal Light and C named his Goldfish with the Big Black Eyes). We bought them prior to heading to the Jazz game, so we set out some water to get room temp and got everything preliminarily ready. When we got home, it took forever to set it all up, but we finally did and the fish seemed very happy and acclimated in their new home. The kids were smiling from ear-to-ear and we were finally going to bed at 1 am. Guess what, though? If you are a previous goldfish owner, you probably know the answer....we woke up not even six hours later to two dead fish! -sigh- What a waste of time and money (although they are guaranteed for 90 days!)

NEW BABY
Little Dan learned to do these four new things this week...all within the span of 24 hours. I swear he is a different baby than before: He sits without support, he can actually release food into his mouth (before he could pinch it up and get it in his mouth, but could not let go of it), he crawls the traditional way now instead of his custom crawl, and he pulls up onto anything and everything. I can't believe he is sooooooooooo big. I love him even though his new nicknames are Terror Terror and Monster Baby.

Senior Year Meme

A bunch of my blogger and RLFs had done this meme and I think it is a fun one! It is especially appropriate this time of year with all the graduations. My littlest brother graduates in a month! Crazy. I graduated 13 years ago next month. Another Crazy!

1. Who was your best friend? Aimee. We were two peas in a pod. We planned our "free" periods together for senior year. We went to play practice after school together (We were the only two to be involved in every single play production throughout our four years in HS). We went home after play practice together and then...when we got to our own houses, we talked on the phone forever. This changed a little with boyfriends, but not too much. They usually just tagged along with us. The only place she didn't go with me was seminary. (6 am was too early for her...especially not being LDS)
2.What sports did you play Senior Year? None-unless church basketball counts. I opted not to play church softball or volleyball that year.
3.What kind of car did you drive? My parents' stick shift mini-van. We only had one car, but my parents were VERY good about letting me drive it all over. Looking back, I wonder how many times they had places to go, but I got to take it with my friends to a cast party or a church dance.
4. It's Friday night, where were you? On a date with Rick...unless it was a play performance weekend..then I was there and at a cast party.
5. Were you a party animal? Not in the traditional sense. I hung out a lot, had a lot of friends, and went to cast parties...but I never joined in the drinking and etc.
6. Were you considered a flirt? Yes. I thought I was just "friendly," but it sure made my boyfriends jealous, so I guess I probably was a flirt.
7. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Nope.
8. Were you a nerd? Three AP classes my senior year---I guess I was a nerd.
9. Did you get suspended or expelled? No
10. Can you sing the fight song? No. Fight songs weren't a big deal in my High School
11. Who were your favorite teachers? My calculus teacher, Ms. Brooks. The theatre advisor, Ms. Frank.
12. Where did you sit during lunch? Either Aimee's house or my house. We both lived close to the school. When we went home, we usually brought a whole bunch of friends with us.
13. What is your schools full name? BHS
15. Did you go to Prom? Of course! It was so fun! We ate up at a very expensive restaurant up on the mountain. I remember being scared that we'd have to wash dishes to pay for the meal...since it was so expensive, but my date had planned well. After Prom, our school always has JAM (Just After Midnight) where the school is totally transformed...you don't even know where in the school you are-it looks that different and the kids are locked in from midnight to 5 am. There are a billion games, from "gambling" to sumo wrestling to Karaoke, and more than you could ever eat or drink. There's a fake wedding ceremony for the Prom dates to join in. It was a blast!
16. If you could go back and do it over, would you? Nope. I had such an awesome high school life that I am afraid I'd mess it up!
17. What do you remember most about graduation? Singing with senior choir.
18. What was your fav. class? Student Council or math, of course!
19. Where were you on senior skip day? The zoo. A funny place for a group of high schoolers to ditch to, but we did!
20. Did you have a job your senior year? After graduation I did...I worked at Good Times, a brand new local burger stop.
21. Where did you go most often for lunch? home
22. Have you gained weight since then? Do I really have to answer that? Haven't we all? (yes, I have)
23. What did you do after graduation? Went to a million senior parties, including my own. Then, I think I spent the evening with my boyfriend...but I can't remember for sure. I am certain I was with either Aimee, Rick, or both.
25. Who was your Senior prom date? Rick K. He asked me to Prom in the most romantic way. I was light manager of a million plays so I was considered light guru of the school. A friend came running down the hall, saying that the principal needed me immediately in the light room (this had happened many times before)...so I went up there. When I got there, the door was already open and there was a note on the spotlight saying "Turn on the spotlight. Don't move it. Just turn it on." When I did, Rick was on the stage with a dozen roses and a big sign saying "Will you go to Prom with me?" Now isn't that sweet? He wasn't my boyfriend at the time, but became my boyfriend in the weeks prior to Prom, so by the time Prom came around, we'd been dating awhile.
26. Are you going to your 10 year reunion? I went to it last a few years ago. It was awesome. I wish that more of my friends had been there, but I had a great time with those that I got to reconnect with.
27. Who was your home room teacher? I don't think we had home room.

Big Changes

Sorry about neglecting the blogger world. Don't worry...you can commiserate with my house...it feels neglected too! I went AWOL again. Sorry. I have been so busy that I have been going to sleep late (last night at 1 am) and waking up early (usually about 6). I have been busy working at and for the clinic, looking and test driving minivans for the fam, visiting relatives here from out of town, attending multiple school functions (it is the end of the year crunch time), dealing with a grumpy, teething 7-month old, watching Utah Jazz playoff games, etc.

But....now for the big changes:

1. I have a new calling: Compassionate Service Leader.
2. I cut 12-14 inches off my hair.
3. We bought a Honda Odyssey. It is really nice with power doors, DVD, Leather. We love it.

I have so much to post now, I could write a novel...but the aforementioned house is also needing attention and Little Dan is actually sleeping, so I will post a few pictures of my head (I am sunburned from all the van shopping) and the van (sorry it is so dark...not a very good representation of the van) and one from C's race where he biffed it right at the beginning. This is his wound. He fell early on and was at the end of the pack, but by the time the whole mile was run...he came in about 20th out of all the Kindergarteners. Not bad. He is a good runner. I think he could have won without the fall. K came in 5th of all the 2nd grade girls (here she is coming towards the finish line all alone!). She did a great job and really pushed herself hard.

One more note...I am now down 13 pounds! How exciting!