Thursday, December 29, 2011

Skyscraper......

I am in love with Skyscraper by Demi Lovato. This song just empowers me. It floods back to my mind the memories of my past. This song is beautiful and fills my soul with the peace of knowing that I am overcoming my past. I have a long way to go, but I am on the path of overcoming. It will take a lifetime to overcome everything, and I know that I will not be able to fully overcome everything in this life, but I can grow and learn from my experiences in life. I can let my experiences overtake me, or I can overtake my experiences.

I put the song on my #1 spot on my playlist located at the bottom of my blog if you're interested in hearing the words. I love the whole song, but the chorus is my favorite:
"Do you have to make me feel like there is nothing left of me
You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper"

I know the wrong doings that I have done that have caused much hurt and pain, but I also know the wrong doings that have been done unto me that have caused me much hurt and pain. I am thankful for my experiences as they have helped me learn and grow more than I ever thought possible. I now see life in a different light. It has a new beautiful, profound meaning to it.

I have so much I want to blog about, I just haven't made the time to blog about it.
I have created a new blog, I just haven't done anything with it yet. I am hoping to keep the new blog focused on deeper thoughts, and give more of an insight to the inner, deeper, passionate side of me, and keep this blog focused on my family.

Stay tuned for these upcoming blog posts:
Marshall's 8th birthday
Christmas
Marshall meeting his biological father for the first time since he was 2
The Polar Express
Dance recital
Tumbling fun
and stay tuned for something that I have been wanting to post for a long time..... sorry, that's all the information I'm willing to give for now. 

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Sleep is overrated..... right?

I wanted to post about my son's 8 birthday, but I didn't. I wanted to post about my son seeing his biological father for the first time since he was 2, but I didn't. I wanted to post about my favorite Christmas decorations on our tree, but I didn't. I wanted to pass out some yummy treats to all of my neighbors, friends and family here in town, but I didn't. I wanted to go over my budget, but I didn't. I wanted to get some sleep the past few nights, but I didn't. I wanted to stay home and relax on Christmas Eve with my family, but I can't. I wanted to make some changes to my traditional Christmas dinner this year, but I won't. This year I wanted to do an elegant, candle lit dinner for our family Christmas dinner, but I won't. I wanted all of my kids to feel bright and cheery on Christmas morning, but not all of them will to their fullest. I wanted to be done with Christmas shopping by now, but I'm not. I wanted to have all the Christmas wrapping done by now, but it's not.
The fact is that I'm a bit sleep deprived and overwhelmed.
This month we have basically lived at the children's pediatrician office, and had a glorious trip to the ER to top it off.
Over the course of a month, my girls have had strep throat. Courtney needed stitches. And Madison has had crazy high fevers of 104 since Tuesday. We have made 2 trips to the pediatrician's office over the past couple of days, she has been swabbed for strep throat twice- which came back negative, and the best guess from the doctor is that she has mono. She will probably be sick on Christmas day. Needless to say, there have been many many many many sleepless nights and exhausting days at our home.
However, it could be worse, so I'm thankful to deal with what we are dealing with and I'm thankful that it's nothing worse. I feel so bad for my kids as they are the victims of the sickness and owies around here.
So, my Christmas wish is that my kids will all be well and cheery come Christmas morning, and we can all have a relaxed, much needed, laid back, glorious Christmas day remembering the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
I'm sure this will be my last post before Christmas, and maybe even before the New Year, so Merry Christmas to all and a Happy New Year!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Sitting on Santa's lap





Last weekend we took the kids to see Santa! Santa sure was generous this year with the candy he gave out.
 Marshall and Madison didn't know what to ask Santa for. Courtney told Santa that she wants a dolly.
:)
Merry Christmas! 

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Emergency Room

It's been hard to find the time or desire to blog the past little bit. Well I'm back and here is what's been going on.
Since Thanksgiving the girls have had strep throat. Courtney first then Madison. Strep throat and antibiotics are officially out of here. Whew!
The biggest thing that has happened is that Courtney had a fun night in the emergency room last week because she gashed her head open and had to get it stitched up. It was so sad.
That's 2 Emergency Room visits and 2 sets of stitches on the forehead this year. Marshall and Courtney are the not-so-lucky recipients of these events. Poor Madison was there when both of her siblings got hurt. She gets so scared with stuff like that. She has a great big heart and hates to see people get hurt. I was told that when Courtney got hurt, Madison ran into her Dad's bathtub, covered her eyes and started crying. When Marshall got hurt she cried and screamed louder than him. It just breaks my heart. She is such a loving and wonderful sister.
You can read about Marshall's stitches event HERE.
Anyway, we spent about 2 1/2 hours in the Emergency Room. They had to do a deep stitch below the outer layer of stitches. They did the dissolvable stitches (which I had to have my pediatrician take out), and they put steri strips over the top of the stitches. She had 5 stitches in that cute little head of hers.
When I saw her cut, I could see a hole. It looked like I could look into her skull. It literally tore through all of her skin and fat layers. She is one tough cookie who I love to pieces.
She was running and hit her head on the corner of a wall. Her Dad said it put a dent in his wall. My poor baby. I guess she didn't even cry at first.
Her stitches are now out and she is doing awesome. Her wound looks excellent! It is healing up great!
I never did get a day 1 photo. We didn't get home until about 11:30 that night. With it being such a long night, pictures were most definitely out of the question.

Day 2:


Day 5: Waiting in the waiting room of the pediatrician's office just before her pediatrician took out her stitches. Luckily I'm a paranoid Momma and took her to see her doctor rather than waiting for her stitches to dissolve. I was told that if I had waited, and her stitches would have stayed in longer, it would have probably scarred worse.
I love my kids' pediatrician. He.is.awesome!



Steri strips are off and we are waiting in the office for the doctor to take her stitches out.

                                          
Day 8: This is how it looks today. Her bruise under her eye is still visible. Poor baby!


It is looking and healing great! I couldn't be happier with the results!
The doctor's advice is for the next year to keep out of the sun as much as possible or to have her wear a hat and put sunscreen containing 50spf or higher on her wound before going out in the sun because the sun will make the scar worse. Also, not to waste money on the over the counter scar cream, mederma, because it doesn't work any better than vaseline. And finally, put aquaphor on her wound like 6+ times a day for the next 6 months. That's why you can see the glow around her wound. We are keeping her wound all aquaphored up!

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Holding hands while sleeping

The other night while I checked on the kids, this is what I saw.......

 Madison and Courtney had fallen asleep holding hands. My heart just melted. I love the sisterly love.
I just had to take pictures.

Meanwhile, this little guy walked out in the hallway to see why my camera was flashing in is sisters' room. He is my night owl. Marshall usually takes awhile to finally doze off to sleep. He can be tired as ever and still be wide awake.

I must say, I have cute kids! They sure are fun!

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Our big 1 year!

Happy one year anniversary to Ben and I! It has been a wonderful year. Lots of changes have occurred:
*We bought our first house together
*We bought a new car
*We have a darling baby girl due to join our family in March
Just to name a few big ones.
Something that hasn't changed over the past year is that we have continued to raise the cutest kids EVER. Seriously. Cutest. Kids. EVER!! We are blessed!!

Ben has taught me more about life than I ever thought was possible to understand.
He has made me feel beautiful, strong, and worthy.
He has taught me what it's like to be treated like a lady; a truly magnificent lady.
He has taught me how to have more patience. Well, he and the children have taught me how to have more patience :).
He has taught me how to forgive. Not just other people, but how to forgive myself as well.
But, most importantly, he has taught me to enjoy the simple things in life.
He is kind, patient, loving, generous, playful, fun, geeky (which I love because I need someone to go with my geekiness side), and the best guy around.
I didn't know guys like him existed. I thought they only existed in dreams and Disney movies. Boy, was I wrong! He is here and proof that prince charmings do exist outside of books and fairytale stories. He is my prince charming.
One word sums him up: A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!
So, Ben, thanks for being my truly charming and handsome prince. You rock my world.
Thanks for teaching me so much about the beautiful joys in life.
Thanks for always being my rock.
Thanks for spoiling me with the delicious breakfasts in bed, flowers, kisses, hugs, and love.
Thanks for allowing me to relax and take a breather as often as I need and as long as I need.
Thanks for the endless full body massages which are amazing.
Thanks for pushing me when I need to be pushed, and when life gets too tough, thanks for carrying me through the rough spots in life. You're always there helping me grow and get through those hard spots in life.
Thanks for never giving up on me. I know I'm not easy to live with at times, but you never complain and just compliment me on how you think I am truly amazing.
Thanks for your secret code 'I love you' hand squeezes to the kids and I. 
But, mostly importantly, thanks for being so amazing to the children. I love seeing their smiles and hearing their laughs daily. Seeing them enjoy their childhood to their fullest is truly the greatest blessing a mother could ask for.
Tonight, to celebrate our big 1 year, we are going to THE ROOF to eat dinner. Reservations are at 7. I'm so excited to dine while looking down at the beautiful temple lights and the beautifully lit temple grounds.
Afterwards we'll take a horse drawn carriage ride through the dashing streets of SLC.

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

We transformed our home into a magical wonderland

On Monday night for family home evening we decorated our Christmas tree! Our theme colors are gold, silver and blue.We just love tearing off the lids to our totes that hold our Christmas decor. The kids were thrilled as could be for this yearly activity of transforming our home into a magical wonderland.


 The boys putting the tree skirt around the tree.

 The kids rummaging through the box to find the little decorations


 The kids decorating the tree!









 Marshall and Courtney hanging up the candy canes.
 Madison hanging up the candy cane.

The finished product of the tree! They did a wonderful job!

After the tree was all decorated and sparkling with beauty, the kids ate a candy cane.......
AND





we finsihed off the night with oreos and milk!
Mmmm Mmmmm Good!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

My blanket angel

This morning after I got Marshall and Madison ready and sent off to school with Bennie (he is the morning school dropper-offer around here), I was overwhelmed with exhaustion. I looked like a crazy lady who just stepped out of the scenes of a horror movie. I was in my jammie gear and my hair was all over the place. Some of it stayed clipped up while the rest fluttered down with tangles throughout. My 5 year old daughter mentioned to me that I looked pretty before she stepped out the door to head to school. It was a kind compliment. I had slept pretty well the night before, so I was a bit confused with this current state of exhaustion I was in. I couldn't manage eating so 2 glasses of apple juice would have to do. Once I got the juice in my system, I laid down on the couch using the pile of unfolded towels as my pillow. My face sunk into the sweet fresh scent of clean laundry. I was out. The next thing I knew, my 3 year old daughter, Courtney, was putting a blanket over me to keep me warm while I snoozed away. Moments like these are burnt in my heart and memory for ever. Her sweet acts of love, kindness, and gentleness make me realize just what a great job I am doing at being Mommy. I love being a Mommy and wouldn't change it for anything in the world.
After Ben got home from his morning kids-dropper-offer routine, he asked me what I wanted for breakfast. I mumbled out the words "nothing" while I stay in my overwhelmed tired state. He said I should eat something and asked me if I wanted cereal, an egg sandwich, scrambled eggs etc. etc. etc. After many attempts of him trying to get me to let him make me something for breakfast, he finally realized it was a useless battle. As stubborn as he can be, and believe me he can be, I think I'm a sliver more stubborn.
After he did a load of dishes, he headed up to bed. This is the time he gets to sleep due to him being on the overnight shift at his work. I soon straggled up to bed with my Hubs and cuddled him like there was no tomorrow. Courtney joined in beside me. Soon, we all 3 dozed off into sleepy land.
Courtney and I woke at 11:50 to go get Madison from Kindergarten. Courtney's first words when she woke up from her nap was, "Mom, did you have a good nap?" I replied, "Oh yes, did you?" She replied, "Yes." And we did. It was a much needed refreshing nap. And off we went to enjoy the rest of our day.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Something waiting in my mailbox for me taught me a lesson

Guess what I received in the mail yesterday?



I decided to check the mail on my way out the door to get my handsome son from school, and in my mailbox magically waiting was this beautiful magazine.
I ordered it last week, so I was surprised it had been delivered so quickly.
I flipped through the pages while me and my beautiful daughters waited for my son's school bell to dismiss all those anxiously awaiting children to bounce out the doors and start their beautiful afternoon in the fresh air.
I couldn't get enough of the magazine, but I had to get ready to leave for the night, so when I got home, I took the magazine in the bath with me and flipped through those pages as I soaked.
At first, I wanted it to stay in prefect condition as I had just spend $26 on this beautiful keepsake magazine, but a thought came to my mind that convinced me otherwise.
When my 5 year old daughter, Madison, saw me flipping through the colorful pages while we waited for her brother at school, she asked me if she could look at it later.
I was hesitant at first because of the thought of bent pages, and maybe even a ripped page, occurring to this precious magazine. However, I realized that this is just a magazine. It is a material thing. My daughter is not. After I got out of the bath, I took the magazine downstairs and handed it to her. I said, "this magazine is very special to Mommy, but you can look at it. Please take care of it." And that's just what she did. She took care of it.
Watching her sit on the fireplace hearth, with the fireplace glowing in the background, while her cute little fingers delicately turned the pages with joy and delight in her eyes, my heart warmed. That is priceless. A magazine is not. Her memories, and her enjoying her childhood, are far more important than any material thing.

On a different note, me and my darling sister in law, who lives just down the road from me, went and saw Breaking Dawn part 1 last night. I loved it. If you haven't seen it, you so should. Even if you're not a twilight fan, you should see it. I can't wait for part 2 to come out next year.

The past few nights have been sleepless for me and busy as can be. Interested in what I have been up to that's been keeping me so busy? Check it out HERE. I worked on a couple different projects but am just about done! I won't say which projects just incase the people who I made them for are reading this.
It is that time of year and I am loving it!

Off my son and I go to the wonderful weekly shopping trip at good ol' walmart.
The price matching list is made and the weekly dinner menu is planned. I don't feel like getting all ready and done up to go out today, so on will go my cute crouched hat or a loose bun in my hair. Makeup will come tomorrow.
I hope I get back in enough time to make THIS for dinner. YUM!

 I hope you all have a merry snowy weekend. Well, snowy if you're here in the beautiful state of Utah that is.

And if you're interested in purchasing your own copy of this beautiful keepsake magazine, you can do so by clicking HERE.  I think they've gone down in price since last week because I paid $26.95 (includes shipping) for my copy, and I just looked on their website and the total with shipping is only $21.90.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

My "anywhere sleeper", early morning, and some Christmas cheer


This girl is so silly! She can sleep anywhere. Literally. When she is tired, she crawls up and gets all comfortable and sucks her thumb until she falls asleep. In this particular picture, she decided that the best spot for her was right in the living room/hallway and kitchen. Not just one room. Oh no. She had to take up both spots at once. Right in the walking path.

Today as I was cleaning up the kitchen, Courtney decided that she wanted to help me clean. She usually loves to help me clean the kitchen. So, I gave her a dish rag and she decided she wanted to clean the outside of the fridge. She had me lift her up to get the upper part of the fridge.
Once the kitchen was clean, and it was time to start dinner, she decided that she wanted to color. So, she pulled out the craft bucket and all of her coloring supplies and started coloring away right on the kitchen floor, keeping me company while I cooked some chicken enchiladas.
Once she was done coloring, she got up and said with a yawn, "I'm tired. I'm going to take a nap." She's so silly. I replied, "I want to take a nap, too!"

Today started off way to early for my liking. It started at 6. Courtney woke up to use the bathroom. All of the sudden I hear her coming in my room saying there was no toilet paper. I told her to just go get some toilet paper from my bathroom. She did as I instructed, and after she was done, she came to lay down with me. All of the sudden I hear her sweet voice say, "Mommy, I need to change my underwear. I got poop in my underwear." So, off we went to get her all changed and cleaned up a little better. It's not that she didn't make it to the bathroom in enough time. What had happened is when she pulled up her underwear to let me know that their bathroom was out of toilet paper, some streaks got in her underwear. I guess that's what I get for not making sure that the kids bathroom is stocked up on toilet paper. Oops! What can I say, you live and you learn. Also, she only had one more clean pair of underwear left. Yep, I'm a laundry slacker. Big time. But you already knew that. So, I gathered up all the undies and put a load in the wash at the early hour of 6.
Once we were up, there was no point in going back to sleep. We were both wide awake. Soon after, Madison made her way down and then Marshall. Lets just say the kids were ready for school extra early today and Courtney's hair was done before the other 2 took off to school. That like never happens.

Just a little something to throw out there- I'm super excited for Christmas. I want to set up my tree like.... yesterday. It seriously is the most wonderful time of the year.
Just a few things I'm excited for this holiday season:
*All of my kids being home on Christmas day
*Making our traditional Christmas dinner
*Seeing the lights at temple square with my family
*Making Christmas cards
*Baking holiday treats with my family
*Setting up the Christmas tree and decorating the house all festive with my family
*Fulfilling our Christmas Eve tradition of watching The King is Born and baking Santa cookies with my family
*But most of all, talking about the true meaning of Christmas with my family

As you can tell, I'm not someone who is opposed to listen to Christmas music, set up the Christmas tree (which I have never done before Thanksgiving), and talk about Christmas before Thanksgiving has a chance to come and go. Some people think that it's disrespectful to the Thanksgiving holiday to even speak of Christmas one second before Thanksgiving is over. To those people I say that is so not true. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays as well. I've been looking forward to it all year long. :)
Happy Holidays to you all.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Our Santa Wish List Cards!

Tonight for family home evening we made our Santa wish list cards, watched a movie "The Happy Elf" (if you have Netflix, I recommend you look it up and watch it. It's too cute), talked about the true meaning of Christmas, and went to Wendys for some yummy ice cream.

I know, I know, we are super early on the Santa wish list cards. I usually wouldn't do them this early but we have a very busy few weeks ahead of us and Santa needs the list early so his little elves have time to make the stuff. :)

I found a cute website. It's http://www.northpole.com/ Your kids can type and send letters to Santa straight from that website. It has fun activities for kids, too. Check it out!



 We had fun playing with the paint!

Marshall's card!

Madison's card!

Courtney's card! Bennie and Courtney had fun decorating her card together.

Mommy's card!

Bennie's card!

Courtney's wish list

Madison's wish list

Marshall's wish list. You can't tell he has all sisters and no brothers by his flynn doll request. ;) Flynn is the guy from Tangled.
He wrote the first part of his letter then asked me to write the rest for him. The top of his letter says, "Dear Santa From Marshall, I would like the Captain America that my Mom could not buy and I would like a treasure bell. (It's like a bell that you hold in your hand and shake. Like the bell from The Polar Express.)

Mommy's wish list

Bennie's wish list. He's so silly, but he sure is sweet.

After Marshall and Madison's cards were done they decided they wanted to do another craft project. Madison's art work is above and Marshall's art work is below.


Courtney helped clean up the paints. Marshall made his way in shortly after to help clean up.
Messy, messy! What's the point of being a kid if you can't get all messy?

I asked Courtney earlier today what she wanted for Christmas. She said 3 Alex dollies (I think that's the name of the dolly she wants). Then she decided to start being silly. Not like that's unusual for her. She said she also wants a tongue, teeth, and boogers. That's right folks. You heard right. She wants her boogers for Christmas! That gets a great big ewe, but I have to admit, Bennie and I couldn't stop laughing after she said it.
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