Stitches

Last night after dinner the kids grabbed some cookies to go outside and enjoy. DH and I stayed inside and ate our cookies at the table and talked. A few minutes later we heard screaming from T and he came running in the house with his head down and his hand on the back of his head and blood dripping everywhere. He was playing in the backyard and fell backwards and hit his head on some rocks. I knew from last time how badly heads bleed, so I wasn't sure how bad it was. We stopped the bleeding the best we could, helped him change his shirt, and then DH headed off for the clinic. He came out of there with only 3 stitches! I'm glad it wasn't any worse than that. I wonder how many more times we will be going to the doctor for stitches or broken bones, or any of the other fun stuff that goes along with having a boy.

Contests!

Who doesn't love a contest?

Pinks and Blues Girls Blog is giving away a darling Dooney & Bourke purse with Victoria Secret Perfume, Heavenly. Of course, I'd love to win!!

Family Dinner

All DH's siblings came into twon for this weekend. We love getting together and partying!! Friday night we had dutch oven dinner and celebrated the May birthdays. The food of course was yummy! If we know how to do one thing, that is eating. We had dutch oven boneless pork ribs, potatoes, and peach cobbler. We also had rolls and salads.

We set up a badmitton net and enjoyed several hours of playing, kids and adults. We had to take family pictures because that was the first time we had all been together in quite a while. It was great to get together, and even more great that we all get along so well.

Kindergarten Graduation

S graduated from Kindergarten. They put on a very cute program where they sang several songs. S's teacher was wonderful and I think she really made a difference this year. He started off the school year with a different teacher and had a very hard time in that class. He was not a happy boy and I was not a happy mom. He started to act sad and depressed and that is not how a 5 year should act. I struggled for a long time with what to do. I tried to stick it out and hoped things would get better. I pulled him out of school for a while and almost home schooled him. In the long time, after many prayers, I felt that he needed to switch to this class. He has done great. He's had his moments but overall the experience was much better for him. His biggest problem was and still is keeping his hands to himself. I hope we can really reinforce the fact that he HAS to keep his hands to himself so that he can have a positive experience in first grade. We'll see!!

No Loss, No Gain

Well, this isn't how I planned my first week to be, but this is what it is. I guess I should be positive and say at least I didn't gain since we had lots of parties this week. Hope this week is better!

Broccoli Salad

We are having dinner with family tonight and my assignment was salad. I decided to make crab salad and this yummy broccoli salad! Sounds weird, but is so delicious!

Ingredients:

6 bunches broccoli, chopped

1/2 purple onion, finely chopped

1/2 c. sunflower seeds

1 pkg. bacon, cooked and chopped

1/2 bag craisins

1/2 c. parmesan cheese

Combine all ingredients.

Dressing:

1 1/2 c. mayo

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar

Pour dressing over salad and chill for a few hours or until ready to serve.

Bishop Who?

Occasionally DH and I like to quiz the kids on random things. One Sunday S was in the kitchen with us while we were cleaning up and we were quizzing him. One of his questions was, "What is our bishops' name?" His answer was "Bishop Rick". Our bishops' name is Bishop Peck, but I guess since he always hears us talk about the bishopric he assumed that was his name. It was precious!

Weekend in Review

As usual we had a very busy weekend.

Friday night:
~babysat for some friends so they could celebrate their anniversary.
~Had movie night with the neighbors. They pulled their big screen out onto the front lawn and we all migrated there with pillows, blankets, chairs, and goodies. We watched "Rocketman".

Saturday:
~dropped stuff off at a garage sale
~planted a garden
~did a little shopping
~dropped T off for a birthday party, then we all joined at the end for water games, pizza, and fun
~cleaned the house
~went to Red Robin for dinner with some friends
~bought a new bathing suit

Sunday:
~went to church, had stuff smeared all over my shirt during sacrament, went home and changed during sunday school, made it back in time for relief society
~had quiet time
~had cousins over for dinner, they are moving to Oregon in 2 weeks and we are very sad
~bedtime for kids
~played games with some friends

No More Excuses

So, at the beginning of this year I was determined to lose weight. Then, I got lazy and that faded. Well, I know I need to do this. Not only for my self-esteem but for my health, to set a good healthy example for my children. My self-esteem is close to nothing and that has got to change. I don't want to feel like this for the rest of my life. I NEED to be healthier so I can live a long and happy life. And I want to be able to enjoy running, playing, hiking, swimming, and all other activities with my kids. I don't want to be too fat to do those things. So, today I'm motivated! I know I can do this, I just have to stick with it. Here's to losing weight:)

Programs

With the end of the school year approaching there always seems to be so many programs and activities. We have been pretty busy trying to make it to all of these fun events.

Last week the kids had their school carnival. They look forward to this every year. This year I bought them the wrist bands so they could have unlimited rides which seemed to be a good investment because we were there for four hours. They loved it! I had to work a booth during the first half. It was hot. We all left a little bit sun kissed.

I have been very impressed with T's teacher this year. She is wonderful. She has done many fun activities and programs with the kids. For Christmas they had a program that they performed on a special night. They also went to the nursing home and performed there. They made a quilt for a homeless shelter, had swap meets, put on skits and many other fun things. The end of the year program was so cute. They had several songs that they sang as a class, including "We're All In This Together" from High School Musical. They even learned the dance that went to the song. Then they split into several different groups to do skits. T and his best friend Riley did "Who's on First". It was hilarious and in my opinion the best skit of the night!! They were so cute up there and had a great time. I'm so glad that T had such a wonderful school year.

Our next program was J's preschool graduation. I can't believe my "baby" is growing up so fast. She was so excited and had been looking forward to her program for a long time. Her teacher has also been wonderful this year. She is great with these cute little kids and can really get down to their level. She has made learning such a fun and positive experience for these kids. J has grown and learned so much this year. I think she is ready for Kindergarten, although I'm not quite so sure that I'm ready to send her. Their program was darling. One of my favorites was "Tooty Tah". It was hilarious to see them singing and dancing around. They did "Brown Bear, Brown Bear what do you see", and J was the purple hat. They looked darling with their heads poking through those animals. The teacher ended the program with a slide show of the year, which of course got me teary. I'm a big baby.

Last night we went to a "Spring Sing" for the entire school. All the kids dressed in red, white, and blue. Each grade performed a few patriotic songs. It was a very nice program. At the end they sang a tribute to the principal. She is moving to a new school next year and we are all going to miss her sooo much. She has been a wonderful principal.

And in between all the programs and activities, we have tried to squeeze in baseball games, practices, homework, scouts, lunch bunch, play group, enrichment meetings, reading, lia sophia party, and much more. And, there is much more to come!!

New Table

For the longest time I've really wanted to paint my hot chocolate table . I love black furniture, but have always been nervous. My table was so nice and I was afraid of ruining it. But finally I decided to be brave and make a go of it.

It actually turned out really well. I LOVE it! Now I've got the painting bug and I think I will try to do my hope chest.

Before I Was A Mom

Before I Was A Mom:

I made and ate hot meals.

I had unstained clothing.

I had quiet conversations on the phone.

I slept as late as I wanted.

I never worried about how late I got into bed.

I brushed my hair and teeth everyday.

I never tripped over toys or forgot words to lullabies.

I cleaned my house everyday.

I never forgot about immunizations.

I had never been pooped on, spit on, chewed, peed on or pinched by tiny fingers.

I got up in the middle of the night just to make sure everything was ok.

I had complete control of my mind.

I slept all night.

I never held down a screaming child for a doctor to do tests or give shots.

Before I Was A Mom:

I never looked into teray eyes and myself cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

I never held a sleeping baby all because I didn't want to let go.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces, because I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew someting so small could affect my life so much.

I never knew the feeling of having my heart outside of my body.

I never knew how special it feels to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't understand the bond between a mother and child.

I had never know the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache or satisfaction of being a mom.

I never knew I would love being a Mother.

Happy Mother's Day!!

Woman to Woman

Tips and Tricks:Getting the Family Together.

In today's lifestyle, it's sometimes difficult to get the whole family together at the same time. Kids' sports, music lessons, church meetings and many other things keep families on the go. What have you found to be successful tools for bringing your family together during those times when it seems that everyone is going different directions? If you are Empty-Nesters, what did you do when your children were still at home? What works today for getting together with your children and grandchildren?

I feel that spending quality family time is so important. In the world that we live in today there are so many negative influences that surround our children. For that reason I feel that as much positive influence that we can have on our children will make a lasting impression on them.

One thing we always try to do is to have dinner together. Because DH has a crazy schedule he is not always there, but the rest of us always eat together. And when he is there we all get to eat as a family. This is a time we can talk to the kids about their day, to ask them how things are going, and to just enjoy each others company.

On Sundays we always sit together as a family at church. The kids often ask if they can go sit with a friend, but we won't let them. This is a time when we can worship together and learn of our Heavenly Father.

We love to go on Sunday drives. Sometimes we look at homes. Sometimes we drive up the canyon and just enjoy the beautiful world that we have been so blessed to live in. We enjoy going on walks together, playing catch, having family movie night, playing games, barbeques, and family outings. I feel blessed to have such a wonderful family. I hope that I can teach my children to stay close to the gospel and that they will have the desire to remain faithful and to always choose the right.

Pedicure

Yesterday I was getting ready to paint my toenails and J came in and wanted to do hers too. So, we sat on the floor to start and then S came in and asked if he could do his too. Being the mean mom that I am, I told him that boys don't paint their nails. Then, in the sweetest voice he asked if he could paint my toenails. So, I let him. Don't they look pretty?

Surprise Package

On Saturday when we got home from our busy day we were greeted with a package. We love to get packages! It was from MSL. She always sends a package in the spring for the kids. We never know when it's coming but are always surprised and excited when it does. The kids were thrilled. They are so lucky to have such a wonderful aunt. They had to hurry and put their new things on as soon as they were opened, which meant the girls were in their jammies by 5:00 in the evening.

T looking ever so cool in his new dragon shirt and ipod! He's into this new thing for pictures where he is being cool instead of smiling. He thinks he's such a tough guy:)

M posing in her High School Musical pajamas. She was so thrilled to get these. She started screaming and jumping up and down. I can't even count the many times we've watched that movies. I've even got parts of it memorized. We are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of High School Musical 2!

S got an awesome baseball t-shirt that came with a hand held electronic baseball game. Also very COOL!! It came perfect for him, right on his birthday which gave him an extra thing to open. What great timing! He will be starting t-ball this week for the very first time and is very in to baseball right now.

J was thrilled with her princess nightgown and wand. She ran around the house zapping people the entire night. She even took her wand to bed with her. She is my princess for sure.

Movie Night

After all of our fun activities on Saturday, DH went to go watch "the fight" with some friends, so the kids and I had a movie night. We watched "Night at the Museum", which is such a cute movie. The kids already have parts of it memorizeed. We love it. We made one of our favorite treats; white chocolate popcorn with hot tamales. YUMMY!! Then, we grabbed our blankets and pillows and settled down for an enjoyable evening!

Baptism, Scouting Expo, Birthday. . .

We had a very busy day on Saturday. We had to be at a baptism in the morning for one of our friends'. When we first moved to Utah she was only 3, and now she's baptized. It's crazy. After the baptism, we were invited to go to a luncheon. The food was yummy and the company was great.

After the luncheon we went to Thanksgiving Point to go to the Scouting Expo. T sold tickets so we had to go get his prizes. They also had a lot of fun activities for the kids to do. We got there with only half an hour to go before it was over, and I wish we would have had more time to be there. It would have been nice for the kids to try more of the things that they had there. They did get to make snakes out of beads, giant bubbles with a hula hoop, and scuttle bugs.

On the way home we went to visit a friend who had to have her appendix out. The kids were very curious about all the wires and were very concerned about her. She seemed to be doing good all things considered, and I hope she has a speedy recovery.

Then we had to stop at Wal-Mart, which I absolutely dread doing on Saturday. The place was crowded. Luckily we just needed a few things and were able to get out of there in a reasonable amount of time.

We got home right before DH got home from work. He took the boys to buy Burger King for dinner, S's birthday choice. The kids are allowed to choose what they want for dinner. This was his choice probably due to the fact that they had Spiderman 3 toys in their kids meals. The girls and I quickly wrapped S's gifts, cleaned up the kitchen, and got the cake in the oven.

S was so eager to open his presents. He ate so fast and then got to the gifts before the rest of us were done eating. But, do you blame him? He'd been waiting ALL day. He got a Ben 10 watch which he has wanted for a long time. I think it was his favorite gift. He also got little mini spiderman and new goblin "guys", which he loved. And, a Spiderman 3 shirt that came with spiderman car. I think he was very happy with his day!

Afterwards we had cake, which S picked out and decorated himself. Vanilla cake with strawberry frosting, chocolate sprinkles and jelly beans. What an imagination!!

Happy Birthday S!

Today my little S turned 6! I can hardly believe it. I know I've said it before but time really goes by fast. I guess with birthdays, you get the birth story, so here is his.

We were living in Rexburg, Idaho at the time. My due date was right around the 12th. DH's brother was getting married on the 19th in California and DH was supposed to be his best man. We didn't want to miss it, so we asked the dr. if he would induce me. I'm not too big on the whole induction thing, but I knew how important it was that we make it to the wedding. Mom and Aunt Ange came up to help out. We left for the hospital in the morning. I remember feeling excited and anxious at the same time.

Once things finally got going I was only in labor for 7 hours, which wasn't too bad. The night before and that morning I had been having contractions before we went to the hospital, so I probably would have had him that day anyways. We just had a little extra push. After a while, the contractions got really bad. I had had my first 2 natural and was planning on doing the same this time around. Somehow the nurse convinced me to have some I.V. meds to take the edge off. I don't even remember what she gave me, but I remember how sick it made me. It was horrible. I felt dizzy and like I was going to throw up. I hated it and it didn't even work. Luckily it only lasted a little bit. When she came back to ask if I wanted to try something else, I thought no way.

Finally I was complete and it was time to start pushing. Yeah!!! The dr. asked if I wanted to watch and I thought sure, why not. When they put the mirror there all I could see was his little head crowning. And then I had to push again. I found it somewhat distracting trying to concentrate on getting him out and watching at the same time. I ended up not seeing much of the delivery. After just a little bit of pushing he came screaming into this world at 4:08 p.m. weighing 7 lb. 7 oz.and was 20 inches long. He was adorable! I was in love!

DH's brother had brought the other kids to the hospital so they got to come in just a few minutes after he was born. T was excited and M was scared. She cried and cried and didn't want to touch him or me. Maybe it was because she saw mom hooked up to all that stuff or because there was now a new baby. I'm not sure. It didn't take her too long to finally come to me, but she was still cautious.

S was my smallest baby, but for some reason my hardest delivery. Maybe it's because he didn't have the weight to help get himself out, I'm not sure. I broke a blood vessel in my eye from pushing so hard. But, it was all worth it. S was adored by his big brother and eventually by his sister too. He was a good baby.

S has a very tender heart. He loves to give hugs and kisses and has the most addicting smile. He is also my little trouble maker. He definitely takes after his dad in that. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father sent him to our family. We would not be complete without him. He brings so much joy and laughter wherever he goes.

Happy Birthday S!!!

Rockin' Robin

The kids were in a performance last night. At first I just signed M up, but then the teacher asked if S and J could also be in the show. I asked them if they wanted to, and of course they said yes.

Then, the next week, T said he wanted to do it. So, they all ended up in it. When the night of the first performance came, T was a big grouch. He started complaining and saying he wasn't going to do it, and that he didn't even want to do it in the first place. This was not true. He DID want to do it, and I don't know why he was being such a pill about it. I told him that he couldn't quit because there were people depending on him to be there and that he couldn't let people down like tht. When it was all said and done, he ended up enjoying himself which I knew he would. The dance was darling. S is quite the little mover and shaker. He had a blast up there. I was a little bit worried about J because she was the only preschooler there, the next oldest was in first grade. But, she did great. She knew all the steps and just got out there and performed. It was a very fun show. Afterwards we went out to Cold Stone to enjoy a yummy ice cream!!

No Make-up

Stephanie from Adventures in Babywearing is hosting a bloggers without make-up contest. Well, here's mine. There you have me with no make-up, without my hair done, and looking very scary. I really hate this picture now that I look at it, I hate my cheek bones. This is why I very rarely post pictures of myself. Oh well, there you have it.

Hershey Track Day

Yesterday T had his first track meet. He competed in the softball throw, 100 meter, and 200 meter. They never told the results of the softball throw, but he did really well. He's got quite an arm on him. He got 2nd in the 100 and 4th in the 200 in his heat. It was really fun to watch, even though we roasted. It was sooo hot and there were sooo many kids there. I think there was about 1000 third graders running around. It was very chaotic, but I think they all had a great time. I can't believe how fast he seems to be growing up. It's crazy. I remember when he was a baby how everyone told me to enjoy it while he was little, because he'd be growing faster than I could imagine. Boy were they right.

Senior Year Meme

Tori tagged me to do this senior year meme, so here goes:

1. Who was your best friend? There was a group of 4 of us who did everything together: me, Sheila, Judy, and Tara.
2.What sports did you play? Sr. Year? None.
3.What kind of car did you drive? I didn't have my own, but I drove my brothers Toyota Truck. I loved it!
4. It's Friday night, where were you? Football games, or haging out with friends.
5. Were you a party animal? I went to a lot of parties, but never did any of the "bad" stuff.
6. Were you considered a flirt? Yes.
7. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? Nope.
8. Were you a nerd? I don't think so.
9. Did you get suspended or expelled? Never.
10. Can you sing the fight song? Yep.
11. Who were your favorite teachers? Mr. Spadoni, first period. He let me and Judy go out to breakfast during class. What a great teacher!!
12. Where did you sit during lunch? Didn't sit really, walked around, or went off campus for lunch.
13. What is your schools full name? Antelope Valley High School
14. School mascot? Antelope
15. Did you go to Prom? Yes, last minute. Went with a friend who ended up dancing with his ex-girlfriend all night. When we got back on the bus, he apologized, but it was no big deal, I had more fun than if we would have hung out together.
16. If you could go back and do it over, would you? NO WAY!
17. What do you remember most about graduation? I had to speak and I had pink eye. The sun was right in my face and my eye was killing me. I was so glad when that was done.
18. What was your fav. class? Ceramics. They made a mold of my face and it was very cool.
19. Where were you on senior skip day? I don't remember having senior skip day, but I skipped A LOT on my own.
20. Did you have a job your senior year? I taught dance and loved it!
21. Where did you go most often for lunch? Judy's house or Taco Bell.
22. Have you gained weight since then? That's a really mean question and unfortunately I have to say yes.
23. What did you do after graduation? Went out with friends? I don't even remember. How sad is that?
25. Who was your Senior prom date? Chad Murphy.
26. Are you going to your 10 year reunion? Already skipped it.
27. Who was your home room teacher? Didn't have home room.

If you'd like to join in, consider yourself tagged!