Crazy Weekend

My wonderful Sis and her hubby are here! What a big blessing to our family. Hopefully it is to theirs as well. Saturday, we went to move their stuff from the moving trailer into a storage unit. Silly me. I really thought it would take 2-4 hours. I just have forgotten what a big job moving us, and we had the baby while a babysitter had the big kids, and there wasn't a storage unit super close to where the trailer was. So...we worked and worked. DH and Sis's DH worked longer than us, as we had to get back to relieve the babysitter.

While we were doing all this moving, my parents were driving Sis's other car here. They ended up stopping just two hours away in a hotel and staying overnight that night and getting to our house on Sunday afternoon after church. It was nice to see them, even though they were here for less than 24 hours. Since they were here on Sunday and DH would be working Monday and Sis's DH would be leaving to go out of town Monday, we had to finish the unloading, even though we usually wouldn't since it was the Sabbath. It still took awhile, but the four of us did it! Sometimes the boys might have thought we were in the way...but, really, it took all four of us to do the work and my parents keeping all the kids (except K...she was sick, so we kept her in the car watching a DVD with us) to get it all done!

It was such a short, busy visit that I really didn't take many pictures (Darn it!). I am always sad to see my parents leave, since I don't get to see them much.

And...they're here!

After many long days of driving. Sometimes through horrid weather. All with three kids (ages 3 and under), my sister and her hubby made it! :) Finally, they are here. They have to live in an apartment for a month while their house is finished, but they are here and in their "home." -sigh- What a relief! We got to have them over for dinner last night and it was so fun. The "girl cousins" took off to K's room to do....well, who knows what...girl stuff, I guess. C and S played football, basketball, and tackling, ya know, boy stuff. Little Dan joined the boys in running around and screaming. And....I got to hold my newest niece (2 months old) for the first time! It will be so fun for my kids to have cousins to grow up with. I am so grateful that they are here and that I don't have to worry about the long drives any more....although my parents are driving here on Saturday with their other car and some of their stuff....I guess I do have to worry for a couple more days. How exciting, too, to end up with an unexpected visit from my parents. It will be a crazy weekend, but extremely fun, too!

Like Mother, Like Son

There are some traits that I would love to pass on to my kids. Others...not so much. The verdict is still out on this one, but I think it is absolutely hilarious! C has started making lists. He has spent 3-4 days making them. Here are copies of today's and yesterday's. Aren't they cute?!? If you know me personally, it is no suprise where he gets it from (Guilty as charged!).

A Prophet Dies

Tonight I heard the sad news. President Gordon B. Hinckley, prophet and leader of our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died tonight at age 97. I am saddened. It is almost like the death of a friend. He was such an inspired man and a great leader. He loved all the people in the world. He taught what the Savior would have him teach. He will be missed.

I feel so blessed, however, to know that the Lord has established an order. The church never is without leadership and a new prophet will be called and set apart and given inspiration to lead the world at this time. How blessed I am to have this knowledge.

Speaking in church, mission calls, and moving

I spoke in church today. Thank goodness it is over! :) I actually got really nervous. I usually am nervous, of course, but today I was more than usual. Once I got up to speak, though, I wasn't nervous at all. I saw so many faces of people that I know and love. I had prepared as much as possible and I was just blessed to be able to deliver my talk clearly. Like always, the research, thought, and prayer that goes into the preparation really helped me to focus on things I need to improved. My topic was from Alma 34:18-27, on prayer. I really felt the love of our Heavenly Father and what a great desire he has to be a part of our lives. The rest of church was wonderful as well. I love church. I love taking the sacrament. I love the fellowship. I love the positive uplift at the beginning of a new week. I love coming home and pondering on what I can do to make my life better! :)

My kids also got "mission calls" today. What a fun idea our primary presidency had! :) K had to decide between a school function that she really wanted to go to and the primary activity. She chose this activity and it will be so fun. Anyhow, they got their "calls" at church and then got to open them in front of us, as a family, when they got home. It was a very special feeling and they were so excited. I am so grateful that we have wonderful sisters and brothers that give of their time to teach my little ones. There is so much they need to know and they have such great influences in their lives. I love that what I teach them at home is enhanced and reinforced by good teachers.

Finally, it is official! My sister is moving here! I am so excited. I love her so much and the opportunity for them to be close to us is so wonderful! As moves are, this is a lot of work for her and her DH and I wish so much that I could be there to help out. I worry a little that for some reason they will hate living here or not like being close to us...and then it will be our fault that they moved here. I know that is silly, but I do worry a little. I so want them to be happy and I do want them here, but I don't want them to regret it. I am sure they will love it like I do! :) Anyhow, pray for them this week as they make the long drive with their three small children: 3 years, almost 2, and 7-8 weeks old. I pray for sunny skies with no snow.

The End of An Era

I am so ready and yet so sad. LD, I think, is done nursing.

It is funny how life changes you. With K...12 months came along and that was it. I was NOT going to nurse one week longer. I had that idea in my head-12 months is perfect. No more. No less. Then, C came along and weaned himself at the age of 7 months. I think it partly had to do with my work schedule and partly because he was the only one of my kids to take a bottle. But, it still shocked my world that he didn't last the full 12 months.

Now, LD. He loves nursing more than the two of them combined. He is almost 16 months and up until a couple of weeks ago would still nurse 6-7 times a day, 20 minutes each time. He loved it. And I didn't stop him. A few weeks ago, though, I consciously decided to try to gradually wean him. I would only nurse him when he asks and a short time before bed and nap.

Well, yesterday he asked at about 2 pm. That was the only nursing yesterday. (He actually did ask again when we had company over at about 5, but I really believe he doesn't need to nurse in front of others at this age! Thank goodness I am the only one who understands his word for "nurse.")

Now it is almost bedtime and he hasn't nursed today. I think it is over. I am so ready in many ways. It really is time for him to be done. But, as much as I long for more children, I think there is a very real possibility that he is last. That means no more nursing EVER! That is a sad thought. I think it is the end of the era.

If the Savior stood beside me

I have a busy life. I know that I am not alone: I definitely do not have a monopoly on a busy life, but mine is pretty darn full. I have three kids (one a young toddler!). I have a DH that works 13+ hour days and also works on Saturday. I am increasing the frequency of wearing the "Taxidriver" hat: Activity days, basketball practices, basketball games, friends houses. I keep all the books, do all the transcription, and so forth for the clinic. I have a home and yard that either gets taken care of by me or not at all. I have a calling (i.e., "job" at church) that takes a lot of time (although sometimes not that much). We have awards ceremonies, school functions, church activities coming out of our ears. It is hard to fit it all in the 24 hours a day that I have been given. I also want to add to that time with MY friends, quilting, exercising, organizing. Things just for ME!

Yet, today we got our Primary Program CD and this song was on there: "If the Savior stood beside me." I actually sang this song years ago when I was in Young Women's. It is so beautiful. We immediately put it in the van and listened to it on the way home from church. As we drove, the truthfulness of the words really impressed upon me. I sometimes let all that I have to do shape my attitude, my actions, and my words. I want to try harder to take these words to heart and be the person that I would be if the Savior was right here, for indeed, He truly is. And, there it is: my insight of the day!

Here is the second verse:

If the Savior stood beside me, would I say the things I say?
Would my words be true and kind if He were never far away?
Would I try to share the gospel? Would I speak more rev'rently
if I could see the Savior standing nigh, watching over me?

Pre-Pre Teen

It is so interesting to watch my "babies" grow up. K is very social and loves to have friends over (something that I am working VERY hard to make time for in our crazy busy schedule!) This week she invited a friend from school, plus we have S (her friend that I watch every day after school). This is what 8/9 year-olds like to do: turn the music up really loud and play with the baby. They did these two things for almost two hours (with a little Nintendo DS, games, and playing with the pets thrown in for fun). They have such fun personalities and have so much fun with LD. Next time they all get together, I am going to plan a HUGE project for myself since I will unexpectedly have a couple free hours! :)

In other news, LD has been "using" his fork for awhile now, but I haven't let him try anything with a spoon. Here is the result of a 15-month-old with his own carton of yogurt! At least he had a blast. About half way through, he started handing me his spoon every bite and grunting, meaning, "Mom, could you feed me now. I am not getting enough in my mouth!"

Basketball Games

Both C and K decided to participate in basketball this year. If you know my family, you know that all five of us are short for our ages. This makes basketball a bit of a challenge, particularly for K. She really struggled with liking it for the first few practices and we struggled with determining where the line is between helping your child grow by finishing something that is difficult for them and being just plain mean and making them do something they hate.

Well, both of them had their games last Saturday AT THE SAME TIME! I really wanted to see both of them play and it became even more of a problem since DH had patients at that time. Thank goodness one of my really good friends volunteered to go with C so that they could both play. As it turned out, DH was able to reschedule some patients and got there just in time to see C's game start.

Both of them were extremely nervous. K was visibly upset. To make matters worse for her, the game before theirs was running late so she had an extra half hour to contemplate the nervousness. She cried most of the first half, but really got into the second half and on the way home commented that she'd like to do it again! Hurray! I can't wait to see C play this week.

A New Year

It is a great new year. We are less than a week in and I already feel blessed. I think as our family really tries to move forward, striving to do what God wants us to do, that we will be blessed. I hope that I will be a better person next year at this time than I am now. I hope I have much opportunity to grow and improve in all aspects of my life.

That being said, we rang in the New Year with some dear friends. How great it is to have friends that you can completely be yourself with. It doesn't matter how messy the house, how cranky the kids, how non-make-uped I am...these are true friends. I feel so fortunate that A is one of my very best friends and that our DHs get along so well. The only funny thing about our relationship is that (in the words of C), they are a "tall" family and we are a "short" family. Their 4-year-old daughter is almost as tall as our 8 1/2 year old. Here are some picts from that night. The kids were so excited to ring in the new year together.

Also this week, K got to spend a lot of time with her best friend, E, that moved to Mexico and visited during the break. They have a very special friendship and I hope that they can continue to keep in touch. We probably won't see them again for 18 months.

Finally, we began our new church schedule at 8:30 in the morning! Here is Little Dan this morning...he never sleeps this late and is also an extremely light sleeper, but somehow this morning slept through me changing him into his church clothes. Welcome to the early schedule, LD!

A Christmas to Remember

Holy Cow! What an amazing Christmas we had! It was even better than we'd envisioned. I think we took 250 some odd pictures and by the time I weeded out the odd or bad ones we still had 175 or more! If you are not big on the pictures, skip this post. I weeded it down to 20-25 that really tell the story in pictures. Remember...this is part of our family history...so if it bores you, just skip it. I just have to document it all in pictures and words while the memories are still fresh.

(I have to leave this post before completion....but check back for the commentary and perhaps a couple more pictures to show the grandeur of this cabin! Until then...enjoy my picture history!)

Merry Christmas, Y'all!

Well...it hasn't been without challenges (I have pinkeye. LD is still sick. DH had to work much of yesterday)...but we are almost off to the cabin! I haven't been this excited about something in a long time! I do still have to pack, but once the car is loaded...we will be off, ready to relax, celebrate, and be together.

So, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, whomever you are with: Merry Christmas! Remember to reflect on the greatest gift of all, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Still Awake. Wide Awake.

Just in case you were curious at how long I can get myself to stay up in the middle of the night on only 1/2 hour of sleep! But...LD just went down, hopefully to stay (cross my fingers), but now I am quite awake. I guess I'll work for a bit then go to bed. I usually wake up at five, but that would only leave me one more hour of sleep. Not gonna cut it. Now, please don't let me get sick for lack of sleep. I'm a firm believer in sleeping enough to boost your immune system! Too bad tomorrow (oops..today) is crazy busy full of "stuff" to be done...or else!

Awake at 3 am

Why am I awake right now? Why did I go to bed at midnight, only to get up again at 12:30 and why am I still awake? I give you one answer: LD. He woke up extremely congested and was inconsolable. So...what did I finally do? Use my new friend, my DVR, and play him an episode of Plaza Sesamo, which he LOVES! Now he has been wide awake and playing for two and a half hours. I have been able to doze a little on the couch, but leaving him the only one awake in the house is a very scary proposition.

Speaking of LD, however, he got his first haircut yesterday! He definitely needed it..it was getting so long. Up until a couple of weeks ago, it was really curly on top and I didn't want to cut off the curl, but either he has now lost his baby curl or it just got too long to curl...it all of a sudden started looking like a mop on his head.

K started basketball practice yesterday. She has never played organized sports before. She hated it. She is by far the shortest and also the least experienced, although not that far behind a couple of the other girls. She also feels a lot of stress when she doesn't know exactly what is going to happen ahead of time. This practice with people she doesn't know, a coach she doesn't know, and drills that she's never done was quite overwhelming for her. Her coach was awesome, however. He was so patient with her and never rude. He also seems to love the game and teaching it. I think it will be a good year...but some difficult lessons for K. While she would like to be done already, I will not let her back out after just one practice. I expect a lot of tears coming up, though.

It's not fair!

I don't want to seem like I'm pouting, but life just isn't fair. I have worked my tail off to be ready early for Christmas. I knew life would be hectic so I've planned and organized for months, but NOW because of the dang clinic things are so messed up and it just isn't fair. I can't get it all done. It is impossible and now we are either going to be super stressed or not going to our cabin. It is impossible. UGH!

Contributing factors:

1. LD is sick
2. I have to take on marketing for the clinic (Marketing director left to go out of town before finishing distribution of gift baskets, etc)
3. I have to take on billing for the clinic (billing person in car accident and having a baby)
4. I have to take on working at the clinic (see #3)
5. I have to take on training new employees at the clinic (see #3)
6. I have my own stuff to find time to fit in for the clinic: keeping the books, transcription, reconcilling, etc.
7. DH isn't handling these turns of events well and thus compounds my stress!
8. I have had no sleep (see #1)
9. I still have gifts to wrap
10. I have Compassionate Service calls to finish up...(I have had so much to do with this calling over the last two weeks it is insanity! I literally spend an hour on the phone per day, just for this calling.)
11. I wanted to make big plates of goodies (don't think this is going to happen!) for neighbors
12. Oh...what about teacher gifts? Friend gifts? etc...those I thought I could easily do last minute! WRONG!
13. I still have to buy, but only for DH!
14. I have to finalize and put on the classroom party for C
15. K has Activity Days and basketball practice
16. C has basketball practice and Friday Fun Day at the library
17. My house is a disaster
18. I still have to grocery shop for the cabin
19. I have to pack for the cabin
20. I have a cell phone that doesn't work well and is brand new, but I can't return it or we won't have a cell phone for emergencies as we are driving to the cabin.
21. Did I mention that the Jazz are losing...this is not helping! Just win some games for us. I could use a cheerful DH for a night!
22. There's more...but I can't handle adding to the list. I just have to stop and go have a good cry about it all and deal.

This is the hand I've been dealt...

so I just have to live with it!

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I have so many things I want to document and blog about that I am about ready to explode! So...a warning to anyone reading this...you might be in for the long haul.

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First, I am a very health-conscious person. I love to exercise. I fix healthy whole-grain and vegetable filled meals. We don't eat a lot of desserts of sweets....UNTIL I GET STRESSED....then...Why does it all go away? Why is chocolate such a great comfort food? Okay...so I have problems.

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Second, I have been working a TON in the clinic. It is a long...too long...story, but we have been going CRAZY. DH worked Tues and Wednesday all by himself (until our high school after school employee could make it in). Yesterday and today I worked all morning with him. And...in the midst of this I am trying to prepare for Christmas, plan the Holiday parties at school, my own stuff I do for the clinic, and now all of the billing that our employee was doing. It is insanity. I feel like I am being a horrible mother, I am not doing as much as I should with my calling (which has all by itself been insanely busy the last few weeks!), the house is a wreck, and there is still a ton more to do for billing at the clinic. UGH!

Third, here are some fun pictures I have been meaning to post (can you tell why I haven't had the time?)

I couldn't figure out how in the world we were quite so late in getting our tree up this year! I realized that it was mostly that we went to Houston for Thanksgiving and so didn't have the couple of days afterward to really decorate the house. Here is C helping put up the tree. What you can't see is that it was after 9:00 at night on a school night. I finally decided that with all the craziness that we just had to work on it and they really wanted to help. Both C and K were very helpful and even LD didn't really destroy anything so it was a pleasant experience! DH was still working, so I really needed their help and was pleasantly surprised at how much they could do this year. My babies are growing up!

Here is the promised toothless wonder picture! Isn't it a classic? If you know C, you know this captures his personality perfectly

"Yes, Mami, I am cute in my pajamas....but did you see my mischievous grin?"

Happiness amidst the chaos. K has been wanting a miniature tree to put in her room. I actually found one at the dollar store and figured she'd like it even if it is small and cheap, but with all the stressful events of this last week, I hadn't had time to give them to them. Last night, I once again rebelled against bedtime and gave them their trees. They were so excited. I wish I could've captured the excitement to share. Hmmm....very rewarding for $3 each!

C working very hard on his little tree. He is a perfectionist and he couldn't get it quite "right" last night. It is beautiful, but he was so frustrated we almost had to just throw it in the trash.

Weekend Update

So...So much for the blogging every other day at least! It is already approaching a week since my last post. -sigh- Life is just so crazy. We had at least one thing every afternoon/night this week.

Oh well, here are some pictures from the last week/weekend.

Little K has turned into a wonderful babysitter overnight. All of a sudden she finds it fun. I was very grateful for her on Thursday when she entertained both LD and my friend's toddler, P (His Mama was having a baby!). She had a blast and they loved her and it allowed me to have a few precious moments to make dinner.

On Friday, we went to the Christmas Party at our church. K had been practicing with other girls her age a special dance. She had such a fun time and she had a blast performing. I ended up on the other side of the performance from where she was dancing so the pictures aren't that great...you'll just have to take my word for it. She is the girl at the end in a blue shawl with a white ribbon in her hair.

Santa came to this same Christmas Party! I have never had a kid cry on Santa's lap. They have looked nervous, but never cried. Well, not only did LD cry...he SCREAMED! At least I caught the classic picture in the two seconds I left him on his lap!

Oh, and Saturday, C lost his first tooth! I don't have a toothless picture yet, but he was very excited!

And that was only a small portion of this week. We also had meetings at the school, Science night at the school, Activity Days for K, cooking meals for other families, organizing meals for other families, dance practice, RS dinner, watching kids for one of my BFF to have a baby, Friday Fun Day at the library, the Christmas dinner, putting up Christmas lights, etc....What a week!

Thanksgiving revisited

Life has been absolutely crazy lately. I think it will slow down some as I got the out-of-town gifts mailed out today. One more thing down and only 20 days until Christmas. I haven't done any decorating, but I think most everything else is done! Hip Hip Hooray!

Anyhow, we headed to Houston for Thanksgiving this year. We spent it with DH's cousins and aunts and uncles. It was an enjoyable time. I especially like establishing a sense of family for our children. The first two of these pictures was at the Thanksgiving parade that morning. It was actually COLD! The last one is at the Christmas Lights Lighting at night. K and C love DH's cousin, AK. She is 17 and is so good to them. They really look up to her and she is a great example for them.

I am so grateful for the wonderful life I have. I am excessively busy and my to-dos are never done, but honestly, I don't think I'd be happy any other way. I am so blessed. I have the gospel of Jesus Christ, my family, and enough of the essentials of life to be comfortable and happy. What more could I ask for? (Actually, I know...a stellar, experienced front-desk CA for the clinic! We are having more employee issues, but I have faith that it will all work out for the best...it just adds to the stress in the meantime).

Miracles do happen

I usually don't post (or lately...I usually don't post at all!) really personal stuff, but I had a miracle happen to me this week that I just had to share.

On Saturday, I had my first yard sale. Oh my. What a lot of work. Some friends and neighbors joined me in the endeavor, but...it was still a lot of work.

Sunday morning I woke up with immense back pain. I could hardly move. DH had to give LD a bath for me since I couldn't even kneel down to wash his hair. It was bad. DH thought that for sure I wouldn't be able to go to church. He is a chiropractor and sees many cases of back pain and recovery a day. He told me that I was going to be in pain for a few days, even with treatment, as this is the typical pattern of my type of back pain.

Since church doesn't begin until 1:30, we were planning on going to the clinic for me to get therapy and a chiropractic adjustment. I wanted to go to church so bad. It is the highlight of the week. I love feeling the strength of the spirit, partaking the sacrament, and also socializing with the ward members. I was so bummed that I wasn't going to be able to go to church.

Then, all of a sudden, I felt better. I could move. I could bend. I could walk without hunching over. It was a miracle. I thought to myself, "Too bad we haven't gone to the clinic yet...then DH could claim this as his miracle!" Immediately, however, the answer came to me..."If you'd gone to the clinic already, you wouldn't see that it was MY miracle." It was definitely an answer to an unuttered prayer and the righteous desires of my heart.

And, I was worried that once I got to go to church that the pain would return, but it hasn't. What a blessing and a witness to me that God knows me and is ready and willing to help me at all times. Miracles do happen.