Love my Nieces to Pieces....

I had the chance to go and visit my sister the other day. She lives up in Roy, Utah. Which is about a little more than an hour drive away from where I live. I don't get the chance to see her very often while I have kids in school, but Friday was an exception trip. See she had at least 5 bags full of clothes she cleaned out of her son's closet and stuff she had stored that he has already outgrown. Bonus for me I get to go see her, AND I got clothes for my son. A lot of which, we will have to store for a few years, but when he can fit them cha-ching... we have clothes for our growing boy!! But in addition to going and visit her, I get to see her adorable little girls. One who is in Kindergarten, but goes to the afternoon class, and wasn't at school yet when I arrived. The other one is about 19 months old. They are both really cute kids, and so I decided to take a few shots of them, and see what I could come up with. Here is the younger daughter.

BEFORE:
AFTER: Not a lot changed in the editing, but I really loved the lighting that came in from the huge window in my sisters house, and couldn't resist getting this shot.

Now I have my older niece, who had just finished getting ready for school.

Before:

After:

Before: Here she is with my two boys.

After: She is so darn cute!!

This week, I want to get up the canyons close to where I live, and try to get pictures of my kids with the fall leaves. Not sure if that will pan out, since there is a storm brewing starting Tuesday. But if I can find shirts that coordinate between all of them, then I'll just head up hopefully tomorrow, and get some pictures taken. I haven't gotten a decent picture of all my kids taken in a long time. But hopefully they will behave so that I can get them individually, and as a group. If they turn out good, I'm going to venture out to others, just so I can practice. Of course, I'm just doing these with a digital point and shoot, but I'm still learning all the other elements of the photo shooting process, like the composition, working with the light, framing the picture, etc... So in the future I can upgrade the camera and hopefully make a little extra $$ on the side.

So do tell me what you think???

What is something you are passionate about, or want to get into a little more?

Good Habits = Good Change

Okay so we've gone a long time where we've not been in the habit of reading scriptures as a family. Well, I up and changed that this week. I think it was a shock to even my husband too. Sunday after dinner I asked everyone to clear the table and that they were to go and grab their copy of the Book of Mormon. And the stipulation was that we read at the kitchen table. We've tried at the couch in the living room before, and I just got a bunch of whining and moaning, and lots of "Why do we have to's?" and " I don't want to's". Well, so far this week I haven't heard a single whine about getting scriptures out and reading them. Although, we didn't actually start at the beginning either. We picked it up at 2nd Nephi. And everyone is involved, whether they can read or not. If they can't read, we read aloud what the verse says and then we go onto the next person. We go around our table and take turns that way.

I've noticed a great difference, if not in them, at least me. I'm finding myself wanting to make things better around my home, and trying not to be so uptight about the millionth mess that I've got to clean up, or the fact that all the pillow cushions from the sofa and love seat are all over the living room, and that piles of "extra" junk have been dumped all over the main rooms I'm trying to get clean. Well, the weekend is coming and the kids will be home, so I think before movie night tomorrow, they'll have to clean up the living room floor and help fold clothes before they can watch a movie. I'm trying to find ways to be more productive, and be more spiritual.

It's been really hard recently for me to keep the faith, as it has been said. But I'm trying to rely on the strength that comes from my Heavenly Father as I put my trust in him, rather than that of myself. I have "goals" that I strive for, and I have "ideals" of how I'd like things to preferably be, but in reality, I often fall way short of that finish line.

I think the big LIGHT came on when my Thomas my four year old, asked me why I get mad when it's bedtime. OOOHhhh. Hello. Wake up call. I've been thinking on it, and trying to give a legitimate reason why I get so upset and sometimes loud when it comes that time of the day. But really, it' me loosing control of my emotions. I have to sit back, and have more patience. Something I've struggled with a lot in the years since I've had children that can walk and talk.

So my next thought process has been, what's the big difference between having more patience, and being lazy. Okay maybe lazy isn't the right word, but I can't figure out what is. My kids have a habit of not wanting to do what I ask the first time. So I ask again, and they still don't do anything. Ah ha here's where the frustration starts.

A) I've had a long day already. I'm exhausted and tired.

B) I want some ME time, and unwind. And would like a few minutes of adult time with my husband and not have constant interruption from the kids.

C) I'm impatient to just sit around and wait for them to get to what I asked, like brushing their teeth and getting their pj's on. It's so much easier to not care, and just let them run around like wild apes and monkey's till they drop of sure exhaustion than it is to stick to a task at bedtime and make sure they follow through.

D) I'm realizing I don't have a good discipline system in place. I swear things would be so much easier if everything was laid out in black and white and said exactly how everything should work and how to handle each child who might come along and disrupt your perfect system.

And to go along with the whole bedtime theme here, I love what my kids like to say to me either when they need to go to bed, or when it's time to get up.

• But I'm not tired, followed by " You didn't let us sleep enough this morning"
• They're keeping me awake followed by " I'm tired mom, I don't want to get up"
• Mom, I'm having a good dream, why did you have to wake me up ?
• It's too early to go to sleep, I don't want to go to sleep yet.
• Why do you wake us up so early, (this comes only when I've tried for a half hour, and in 15 minutes we have to leave for school) ** They are crazy I tell you!!!

It's hard having three girls in the same room, and trying to get them to all fall asleep as soon as they should. But then I've also realized that they are the best of friends and they are talking, and laughing and building a relationship with each other that will span the rest of their lives. I also realize too, that one day (I'm sure it'll come faster than I want it to) that they'll be bigger girls and will be able to fall asleep on cue, and they won't be giving me the constant excuses anymore, and I'll miss the one on one interactions that will sometimes happen with one of them.

It's been amazing to really see the changes in my attitude. Granted I'm NOT perfect, but it has and will always be my goal to become so. But over time, I think that great things will come, as long as I just keep in mind and remember to have faith, and cherish the moments with my kids. Sometimes I'm selfish but HEY, I think I'm entitled once in a while for my sanity's sake and theirs.

I've gone too many months and even years without getting this habit established within our family, and the times where we have read the scriptures there always seemed to be more harmony in our home, and the times where we haven't well, my house is living proof, of what takes over. CHAOS!!! So out with old, and in with the new. It's a habit I hope to further develop and never stop again.

Wordless Wednesday.... (almost)

Our Labor Day 2009 Fishing Trip to Spring Lake in Utah.

(It's near Santaquin) Ethan's fish came of the hook when we pulled it out of the water because he got

it stuck in a bush and it allowed the fish to "get loose". So we couldn't get a picture with him

holding the pole while the fish was still on it. So Chris just helped him hold it. He was SO EXCITED!!

Thomas ended up with three fish. Heidi had 2. Kaylee caught 1. Ethan caught 1.

Katherine wasn't able to catch one this time. But the fish did make their return to the water

seeing how we only played Catch and Release.

Lessons learned on Monday.....

Okay so really, who decided to deactivate my flying abilities? Really, I wanna know!

Why?

Well mind you it's MONDAY!! Need I say more? Oh, that's not enough?

Well, this morning things were going good, the kids all woke up and got ready for the school day, and I had them all out in the car and ran back into the house to grab a sandwich bag for my dear little Heidi. Why? Well she gets to have a snack at morning recess, and we grabbed a pack of crackers to give the boys, and she wanted to stick some in a bag for her morning snack at school.

Okay so I finally remembered to lock the door and actually pull it shut behind me, and then I take off in a slow trotty run over to the van. WHAM, as everything accelerates towards my face, I realize that I'm in a freefall of some sorts. Then all of a sudden everything came to a quick halt. No more moving, just ....p..a..i..n!!! What did I do? I realize that I was on my stomach, and could only register that my hands were hurting and my right knee. BAD!!

Being like a little kid and not wanting to really see what was causing the pain, I rolled to my back, and commenced the crying that sometimes happens when one gets hurt. Yes, I am a baby. I squeezed my hands in between my legs my knees in the air while my feet were flat on the ground.

Then I heard it, my doors to the van opened, and my girls came running out, asking if I was okay? I was such a baby, that I didn't want to use my hands to push me up from the ground and asked them to help me up. So I had a girl help on each side, and then had someone push me up from the back, while I used my legs to get me up. And mind you the whole time I'm thinking about what happened to the bag, and where was it? I managed to look around right before they did lift me and said, "There's the bag".

Once I was up, and had looked at the damage that was done, I realized that I had scraped up my hands pretty good, and a little scraping on my right arm near the elbow, and then my right knee was also scraped up pretty good. I got up, and was scared to touch anything, and it was a little difficult at first to walk, but managed to get the girls to school.

So I learned a few lessons from this little episode. I don't care if you don't want to know... and if you don't quit reading right now!! I mean it, STOP!!


Okay now for the lessons:

1. Don't try running with sandal shoes on, because you can never tell where the ends of your feet are versus the ends of the shoe, unless, of course, you are wearing shoes that allow your toes to completely hang over the edge and your comfortable with that. I'm not, though.

2. Don't try running on an uneven driveway. Period. Kids fall all the time, and you'd think that, being an adult, you'd be a little more cautious and careful and do a daresay invincible and can do anything. Well I learned I still fall down.

3. If you run back into the house to get just one item, that isn't necessarily vital for the day, but more of a want, you better darn well make sure that you get a Thank you from the person you retrieved it for. If it was yourself that needed/wanted that item, well you might want to rethink next time, and see if it's really worth the work, IF you FALL down again.

4. I'm grateful I have two hands, even if they are scratched up at the moment. Because had my hands not been there to help stop my fall, well I'd hate to think of what my ugly mug would look like after a one on one introduction with the concrete driveway.

5. When you fall down, you need to get up and keep going, no matter how bad you don't want to.

6. When you fall down, you need to get up and keep going, and head straight for the bathtub and soak, and clean the wounds, and then relax for a little bit, and be grateful that you aren't canning salsa, or tomatoes today with all the open wounds on your hands.

7. Just face the fact, that despite all your best abilities, and mind power that you won't ever be able to fly, (on your own at least)

Gifts from God...

Okay so I've taken a little time off from the whole blogging scene lately. Well at least the posting on my part. But I've been keeping up reading all the fun blogs that I like to visit mostly everyday, but at least every week. I've realized that I've been keeping my blog now, for two years. And after going back and looking through my posts I realize that if it hadn't been for the blog, a lot of my precious thoughts, and moments with my family would be lost and gone forever.

After a brief, but very needed, cry session the other day, I feel a lot better. What? Oh, I didn't tell you I had a bad day? Well, not so much a bad day, but just the moment at which the culmination of all things going against the grain for us, seemed to want to cause an emotional outbreak filled with enormous amounts of frustration. I realize that these feelings of frustration aren't from God, but sometimes the feelings need to be expressed before they cause a woman (or a man) to go insane. It just seemed like one thing after another this spring and summer have been going against us. Along with the fact that my husband has had reduced hours, doesn't help my emotional state of mind.

I tend to be a worrier, and sometimes that's good, but in my case most of the time it's bad. I sometimes forget to keep faith, and know that things will work out, and that it might not be exactly on my time schedule, but I know that my Heavenly Father is mindful of my needs. And tries to send me "gifts" that are there to remind me just how much he really does love me.

Some of these recent gifts are when my two year old comes up out of the blue and hugs me, and says "I luv lou" and the cute little smiles and smirky grins that he does.

Or my 4 year old when he goes and offers to help the lady on the corner who isn't married, but still has a severly handicapped child at home that she cares for. My son goes over when he sees her mowing her grass with a non-motorized push mower and sweeps the grass up and helps her clean up. What a great worker!!

Or my 7 year old when she goes out of her way to help her younger brother to get ready for bed, and finds him a night shirt, and tries to get his toothbrush ready. I see her attempts at doing her homework on her own. And seeing the delight in her eyes when she gets a 6/10 on her spelling test!!! Spelling comes hard for her, and I just make sure that she feels good about it!!

Or my 9 year old who is constantly looking up information on the internet about animals, and different countries, and space things, and trying to learn everything she can. She has a spark of "brilliance" that says she's truly a gift who seeks out others at school and tries to befriend everyone.

Or my 10 year old, who is becoming a young lady right before my eyes, and her attitude is changing immensely. She still has a stubborn streak, but for the most part she is willing to help me out with a task, and she gets right on her homework just as soon as we get home. She's managing her time wisely, and doing a great job, helping with her brothers.

Or my husband, who despite having reduced hours this whole year, still has faith that things are going to be just fine. And despite how imperfect I am as a wife, mother and woman in general isn't always the way he would hope that I could be, he continues to love me, and work hard for our family. When a difficult situation comes up he keeps his calm, and keeps me grounded.

The vegetables growing in my garden, and the fact that preserving them has been made known to others so we can enjoy the sweet summer and fall goodness through the blustery days of winter. When no one dares go outside because of the frigid temperature outside.

And who can forget about CHOCOCLATE chip cookies, and all the other lists of things that can be baked. And just CHOCOLATE itself!!

My talent of being able to try and make food despite practically bare cupboards come the end of the pay period. You know those days when all the fresh stuff is gone, and bread is no more found in the house, and you're just so dirt poor that for once you'd like someone to give you a break from making dinner but alas it never happens kind of days.

Or when I have desires, and ambitions of things I'd like to do at some point in the future. I guess they could fall under hobbies, but maybe hobbies I'd like to get paid for in the future. It makes me feel like there is something else to look forward too, after my children are done needing me on a constant basis.

And I'm glad that I have this blog, that serves for the most part as a journal for me. It might not mean anything to anyone else, but for me, it's everything. I've got the happy moments, the sad ones, the so so ones, but it's a record of my life (as far as I've been doing this) and someday in the future, I can look back at it and have this to draw from. Knowing that there were days that weren't so good, and other days that I felt like I was on top of the world. And other days, where I just blended into the day, and didn't know morning from night (because most of the time that's how I am).

So I need to make a more diligent effort to record my memories, and those that involve my children so that they can have some lively entertainment when they are older and parents themselves.

Here's to making life changes for the better so that maybe I won't have such bad days where I feel completely overwhelmed.


What are the gifts you notice in your own life?

I'm just sayin' .....

• Avoid Little Caesar's Pizza during half time of a BYU game. Even if the game is away from Provo (where they play their home games). Because if you go you'll find yourself waiting 15-20 minutes to get their "Hot-N-Ready" pizzas. But if you have to wait, at least that means you're getting HOT pizzas instead of those that have been in the warmers for who knows how long. You know the kind... they almost have a leather like texture to them, and don't
• If you are a woman, always be sure and check that the dress you like to occasionally wear, you know the one with all the buttons down the front, yeah that one. Make sure you have a chance to sit in it at home before you head out to church. Because you might just realize that one button is missing right in the middle of it. And feel self conscious the whole time while at church, and find yourself keeping a book, or paper on that spot in case an opening should appear and show off to everyone that your a big dork, and didn't inspect your clothes ahead of time.
• If you find yourself in a situation where you and dear hubby are going to the same destination at the same time, but for whatever reason need to travel in two different cars be courteous to each other and make sure that both vehicles will start. Otherwise whoever got left behind with a non-working car will find him/herself walking the whole two blocks to church causing a major sweat session to come on before you get to church.
• When starting your dryer make sure that the knob used for choosing your heat setting is set to regular, therefore providing heat to the dryer. Of course, this is probably only applied to a gas dryer, because that's what I'm familiar with, but maybe electric run the same way, I don't know though. Because when you are half asleep and wanting to start the load to dry your unmentionable because you've used the last pair earlier that day and need another pair for in the morning... well if they don't get dry in time, guess you'll either a) have to wear the same ones as the day before with or without getting a shower or b) wear them wet or rather slightly damp and hope you don't find yourself chaffed in the near future.
• Even though you might have a king sized bed, which would normally entitle you to a lot of space, don't even count on it if you have a spouse that is a total cuddle fan. Meaning the human blanket type that think you are their personal body pillow. So just quit thinking now that you'll ever have your own space on the bed, because ... well the other person doesn't understand your logic, that cuddling when your all "touched" out from a day of holding baby or babies at the hip, and kids clinging to your clothes and lucky the pants fasten at the waist or they'd end up being on the floor rather than on you and the little critters won't care wherever you might be. You know what I'm talking about... and sometimes when the looser clothes like sweat pants or really loose and baggy shorts ... well sometimes that's how they end up. But just remember, the other person doesn't understand you need space... so you'll just have to find another way to obtain it. Good luck...
• And when making chocolate chip cookies it's okay to let the 2 year old help, a little. But leaving the baking sheet down where he can attack the prepped cookies ready to go into the oven, is really unacceptable. Or maybe it isn't, you can decide. But I'll promise you the little dude will want to eat that cookie dough and he doesn't care rather Mom just got it already and now it's just waiting for it's turn in the hot cubicle otherwise now known as an oven.