Mypublisher.com

Holy Smokes!!! Can I say how much I love mypublisher.com!! I have started making our blog into a memory book and it is seriously easy and fun!! I've been dreading the process because I get very impatient with things on the computer. I really would just like to tell the computer what to do and it will do it quickly and exactly how I want immediately:) Anyway my memory book is almost finished and the whole process was just a few hours. I have a beautiful book that my sister-in-law made me from Jack's birth- they use really nice paper and the book is lovely. I highly recommend!!

Thoughts from a quiet hallway...

As I was walking the halls this Sunday with my noisy little Jack he discovered the drinking fountain. He had his favorite toy- my keys - in one hand and was turning on the water with the other. I was watching him trying to get the water with the same hand he was using to turn the fountain on- so of course everytime he reached for the water the fountain turned off- it was quite humorous. He is a persistent little boy so we were there for awhile. As I was watching him I thought about how many times I hold onto things in my life and then wonder why I sometimes feel that I'm not fully immersed in the "living waters" aka the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is somehow comforting to hold onto those things and really scary to let go of it all and rely on my faith in our Savior. I'm hoping to someday get out of my toddler stage in the ways of the gospel and actually become an adult!

Issues!

Okay, so we have this great lesson on Sunday about avoiding crisis living aka procrastination and really I haven't had much of a problem with this until this week!! What the heck!?! I've found myself doing things at the last minute, mindlessly wasting time, and eating without regard to what is going in my mouth. Why is it that I somehow feel better that Oprah has come out and stated she can't believe she is in this place again with her weight- that's right the big 2-0-0!! I mean really if Oprah can't do it do I even have any hope?? I'm seriously fed up with the whole issue and just as I was feeling quite sorry for myself and my poor hopeless food issues and horrid body image I went with the young women tonight to a nursing home to sing Christmas carols to their residents. Let me just say what a complete fool I am!! Okay, so I'm now almost forty and at least that many pounds overweight but I have a body that works!! I can walk, play with my children, and even go work out and outlast some pretty skinny girls:) I have wasted so much of my life worrying and feeling so utterly helpless about this constant struggle and tonight I realized how utterly selfish and ridiculous I'm being. So, somehow I will reprogram my brain to appreciate being healthy, being able to move, being able to participate in physical activity, and start looking at food as something other than my enemy! Any tips would be greatly appreciated as I have years of thinking errors to correct!!!!!!

Update on the kiddies!

As the year is coming to an end I am getting ready to turn this blog into a book. Does anyone have experience with this? I've seen some websites that do this but which one to choose?? The main reason I started this blog was to stay in touch with family but also because it is like scrapbooking and journaling all in one- two things that my many journals with 2 pages written on will testify that I do not do well!! Anyway, onto the fun little things our big and little ones are up to:

Ryker: Life still seems to be a struggle for this boy but I am slowly figuring out how to encourage him and accept that he is in control of his life and I'm in control of the way I react to it! He started a job this past week-end as a dishwasher for Village Inn. I was surprised and relieved to find out that he skipped a hotel party in Alyeska with his friends because he had to work. He also has taken the placement test required to attend Highland Tech High school- the same school Hayden is going to. This school is standards based and is a fantastic way for him to get back on track with his studies. I continue to learn from him and see how I have some of the same things in me that I see are holding him back- for example he definitely does not like authority and I have realized both Ken and I are the same way even now in our old age!! A hard realization for a trying to reform control freak!

Hayden: This boy loves going to school and has really come out of his shell and gained a bunch of confidence. He is doing great with his taekwondo. He is a second degree black belt and working on third degree! He gets himself up for school, takes full responsibility for his homework, and is keeping on track and organized. It is really a joy for both Ken and I to see him taking control of the things in his life. He is so helpful around the house especially with his little sisters and brother- sometimes it is hard not to take advantage of that. Actually, he is helping Paul and Laura move into their new apartment as I type, that is totally Hayden.

Autumn: She loves to draw, take baths, help make cookies, and put on ballet shows. She has finally mastered the rings that are like monkey bars at the Arctic Oasis (a play place on base). Her face is changing and starting to look more grown-up which is both exciting and a little sad. She has a very loud laugh and loves to go to her primary class at church. She and Ken love reading The Boxcar children together. She is truly a joy to have in our family.

Marah: She is such a funny little girl. When Marah is at home she is always wearing pajamas. When we go out as soon as we are in the door it goes something like this: off with the coat, off with the shoes, off with any hair accessories, off with the clothes, and on come the pajamas. She also loves to draw and sing. Her favorite cd is Lamb-Chop's sing along (a favorite when the boys were little) and her favorite song is The Song That Never Ends. She has a little kind of squeaky voice which sounds so cute when she calls me mama!! Marah can always make me laugh and she can have quite the stubborn streak but when left to her own devices she always makes the right decision.

Jack: This boy may be the death of me yet. As I type this I am looking through not so little scratch marks that he has made on my only a few months old flat screen monitor!! He must have scratched it with scissors or some other sharp object he is not supposed to have! His favorite naughty things to do are: standing on the kitchen table, stealing your spot on the couch when you get up, dumping out all of his Grandma's dvd's, standing on my desk, dumping out anything he can get his hands on, getting in the bathtub and turning on the water fully clothed, pouring out the dogs food and water and then telling you he's made a mess, taking his little chair around the house and trying to get stuff he can't quite reach, and neither last nor least he loves to tell you when he feels people have done him wrong- for example the other night when Ken and I came home the first thing we hear is Jack saying over and over Hayden and phone which means that Hayden would not let him play with the phone- the poor boy!! He is such a little trouble maker but so deliciously cute that we can't stay upset for too long. He has brought such joy to our family in a time when we desperately needed it and for that I am forever grateful to him!

This year had been such a learning experience for our family. I am grateful for all the ways I have been stretched- even though it hurt tremendously at times- I never would have learned all that I have any other way. I am so grateful to have a husband who really is there and involved especially when things are all coming crashing down. Having teen-agers has brought back some of my own teen-age memories and I have realized how truly blessed and watched over I have been in my life. When thing are going bad I have a tendency to fall into the trap of self-pity and wondering why I have to have this yucky stuff in my life so I'm going to try and remember all the times that I have felt the love of our Heavenly Father and realize that my trials and tribulations are for me to grow and he will be there to help me I just need to ask and let him- a hard thing for me for whatever reason!

Happy Thanksgiving

I have very much enjoyed thinking of five things to be grateful for the past eleven days. We are having a quiet Thanksgiving dinner with just us and thinking about our friends and family far away and close by. Since it is Thanksgiving I thought I'd double my gratitude list for today:

1. We are almost finished putting up the Christmas decorations
2. Old and new family traditions
3. My brother who leaves such wonderful comments on this blog
4. My sister even though she NEVER calls and has deserted us for Christmas
5. My mom who is usually not here for this holiday
6. Christmas music- it always lifts the spirit
7. Even though just about everyone in our house has a cold they are all pretty pleasant to be around
8. All three little kids were so excited to put up the tree and decorate it
9. My husband- what would I ever do without him, he is the love of my life
10. My children- I really never thought parenting would make me stretch myself so much and who could ever make me laugh and want to pull out my hair as much as them

I could go on and on but I will just say I am really focusing on all of our blessings today. It was just one short year ago that our family was in a difficult place and how grateful I am to have peace in my heart today!!

Gratitude Day Two

1. Ken stayed home from work so I could rest
2. Hayden chose to do service instead of going to Taekwondo
3. Ryker got all the Christmas stuff down and put up the tree
4. Naps
5. My mom will do most of the cooking tomorrow

Gratitude Day Three

1. My cousin Lori had her baby
2. A wonderful e-mail from a great friend
3. Ryker watched the little kids so I could rest today
4. The beautiful snow outside
5. I'm feeling slightly better

Gratitude Day Four

Can I just say how much I hate being sick!! The older I get the less tolerant I am of any kind of physical ailment. Seriously, I don't know how people who have real, life-altering diseases do it. It is not fun being sick with a one and a half year old little terrorist!! On the sunnier side of things:

1. Ryker seems to be over his little tirade and back to smiling and being helpful
2. Thanksgiving is almost here and we are putting up the tree that day
3. I am abundantly blessed with good friends and family who completely "get" me
4. All of our physical wants and needs are met 100%
5. The constant leaking of Jack's diaper is keeping my sheets cleaner that ever

I should clarify Jack does sleep in his own bed. It just so happens to be next to our bed and some nights he climbs in with us. What can I say he's my last one!!

Gratitude Day Five

1. I felt well enough to go to church today
2. Ken will be at work tomorrow!!!
3. The beautiful snow we had today
4. The wonderful young women we have at church
5. I get to serve with the best sisters ever!!

Gratitude Day Six

1. Time to put away the laundry
2. A nice hot bath
3. The ability to lose myself in a good book
4. Healthy children
5. Ken and Hayden helping out our good friends this morning

Gratitude Countdown Day Seven

1. A yummy dinner with a great friend
2. Good books that are always better than the movie
3. A giant washer and dryer
4. Watching my little kids singing and dancing around the house
5. The New Era which has great articles about how to bring youth closer to the Savior

Gratitude Day Eight

Okay, first off I have to say how my day started. That would be with Ryker chewing my a** this morning about how I've ruined his life and I am the reason that he is behind in school, has a limited resource of friends, and has a messed up sleep schedule. According to him, his life was going perfectly fine at this time last year and if we had just left him alone and listened to his parenting advice everything would have turned out just peachy. Seriously people, I have to say that even coming home from working out tonight I had a brief though about how nice it would be to have a nice cold Killian's Red (for those not familiar- my favorite beer from days long past!). I'm having major issues with all or nothing thinking and having a hard time implementing all the great parenting skills I've learned over the last year. It is really days like today that can have me a paralyzed mess on the couch just losing myself in pointless television shows- so I am grateful that:
1. I committed to having a gratitude list that is somewhat public
2. Sweat- I know it's weird but working up a good sweat feels somehow cleansing to me
3. Wonderful families who will invite us to spend time with them
4. That my girls had such a great time playing over at a friends today
5. That when I'm really ticked off I like to clean so my house is looking pretty spiffy today!!

Gratitude Countdown Day Nine

1. My little Jack no longer has a fever and is smiling
2. Ken took the day off of work
3. Free step aerobics classes courtesy of Elmendorf AFB and 18 well served years in the military
4. Hayden thanking me for making his favorite dinner
5. Having the great privilege of working with the young women at church- a true inspiration to me

I love this gratitude stuff. Truly, I don't know many other things that can either enhance an already good attitude or change a grumpy one!! Thanks to Eden and Debbie for participating- I love reading what you are both grateful for- it inspires me!

Gratitude Day Ten

My five things for the day
1. Computers to stay in touch with friends and family
2. The beautiful frosty trees that are outside today
3. The little giggles that come from my children
4. Great homeschooling programs
5. Anti-lock brakes

Eleven Days of Gratitude

Okay, so it's eleven days until Thanksgiving so I thought I would post 5 things each day that I am grateful for. Anyone who is game feel free to join me- I'm sure we'll all be better for it:)
1. Good friends
2. Ken is almost finished working nights
3. Today is almost over
4. I have a giant bathtub
5. A clean floor- which I only have because Jack dumped out the dog's water bowl

I'm sure as the days progress I can think of more meaningful things but frankly it was a bit difficult today!

Autumn's Birthday

We had a great night tonight celebrating Autumn's birthday a few days early. Sunday's seem to be the only days when we are all home in the evening!! I love the simple family party and for right now the kids don't seem to mind. Marah and Autumn always get a present on each others birthdays so both the girls are playing sweetly with the Barbie Princess doll for Marah and Snow White for Autumn. I so enjoy those little giggles coming from the other room! I love days like today- I feel like one incredibly lucky lady!!

A month in review

Here's an update on our latest happenings: Halloween was great. We used things around the house for costumes and the kids had a great time trick or treating around our neighborhood. Actually, Marah didn't want to go trick or treating so she helped hand out candy and of course we all helped eat it! Hayden had some friends spend the night and they had a great time playing Guitar Hero World Tour on the wii. I love the wii- it is something everyone in our family can use together which is not easy with big and little kids!! My favorite thing so far has been watching Hayden on drums, Ryker on guitar, and Ken singing. The best part is they all have to work together which is a great lesson for Ken and Ryker who prefer to work alone! Hayden came in second place at his taekwondo tournament. He would have been the grand champion but he decided not to participate in sparring because he just got his braces on a few days prior. He also loves school and it is so great to see him excelling in that area. Ryker is actually doing his school work online and it seems to be working for him. He is mostly a pleasure to be around which thrills us all especially when we were in such a bad place with him a year ago! The little girls are the best of friends and love to draw and make little books. Jack is a maniac and I'm so glad I can find humor most of the time with his little antics- like dumping out all our powdered milk on the floor the other day! Ken and I are embracing a healthier lifestyle with better eating habits and exercise. He has lost 15lbs and I've lost 19lbs. I love yoga and step aerobics and Ken loves his 10 minute exercise plan! I'll leave that explanation for another day!! I'm thrilled for this election to be over and cannot even describe how I felt watching Barack Obama give his acceptance speech. I though it was a defining moment in history and can't wait to see what happens next. I also thought John McCain showed so much integrity in the speech he gave. He showed true class in how to handle a situation when it doesn't turn out the way you want! That's it for now- I truly appreciate all the comments that are left on our blog so keep posting them!!

Little Surprises

Okay, so picture this- Me sitting on the couch winding down before taking Jack to bed. I look over and see that Jack has something in his hand that looks to be small and he seems very interested. I say in my nice mommy loves you voice- Jack let me see what you have- I need to use the nice mommy voice because if he thinks you are at all interested in what he has he will run at record breaking speed and either throw or shove whatever it is in his mouth! Nice mommy loves you voice works and Jack comes over with his little treasure. Well, I like to keep our family room dimly lit before I'm going to bed- I believe it helps me sleep better and yes I know I'm getting old- anyway-- I put out my hand and Jack deposits his little treasure in it. I casually look down and what do I see a spider, yes people, an actual live spider crawling in my hand!! Mommy jumps off the couch flinging spider as far away as possible and Jack looks at mommy like she is crazy- is it any wonder that I actually am a bit on the crazy side!?! Needless to say I'm still a bit disturbed by this incident and the fact that our 18 month old thinks it's so very interesting to hold a live spider by the leg and watch it squirming around- YUCK!!

I looked out the window...

After a glorious week-end of being spiritually fed from General Conference (for those not familiar our semi-annual church broadcast from Salt Lake City) I looked out the window and what did I see- SNOW!! Seriously, how can this be? The trampoline is still up, the backyard needs to be mowed, my plants need to be cut back, and all the deck furniture is still out!! My last hope is that it doesn't stick and I have one last chance to get the men in this house to step up their games and put that stuff away. I fear my chances are slim- ah the joys of life!! As far as family updates- the girls are in ballet and love it, Jack is now climbing in our big bathtub and turning on the water when he is fully clothed, Hayden is going to Highland Tech High(a charter school with about 200 kids grades 7-12 and so far he loves it, Ryker is talking about checking Highland Tech out( I think he's a little jealous of Hayden's enthusiasm), Ken passed his fitness test, and I have so far lost 15lbs. Well, I'm off to watch those lovely snowflakes cover my long grass, uncut plants, and trampoline.

When things are going great

You know when things are going great- why is there always a part of me that feels I will jinx myself if I rejoice in the greatness? Well, NO MORE!! I've been so happy lately and really enjoying the simple things in my life. I love to watch my kids play together- especially when the big kids play with the little kids- it is so sweet. I love when it just feels as if all areas of life are working together. I am really learning how much more effective it is to let my kids make their own choices as opposed to Ken or I telling them what to do. It's amazing- they really want to do the right thing and they also really want it to be their choice. That is teaching principle instead of just focusing on behavior. If only I'd known this years ago- but even if I did I wouldn't have listened because I thought my way was better- what a dummy!! Did I mention this works on husbands also? Ken decided to go with me to the adult session of stake conference. It was the first time I didn't beg or try guilt to get him to go with me and what do you know there he was sitting beside me Saturday night. He did lean over and ask me how I got him to go to church on a Saturday night. I just smiled to myself and thought about how much smarter I'm getting as the years and trials pass by!! Did I mention how much I love the simple things?!?

A Blogging Depression

Okay I admit I've been lacking in my postings but I've been in a bit of a blogging depression!! After seeing everyone's posts from the Fourth of July I felt like a big loser. We don't camp, fish, raft, hike long distances or any of those kinds of things that most Alaskans like to do. We like to drive around and see different sights and stay in hotels which is really something that is best done in the lower 48- so maybe we are living in the wrong place. We do still love it here and thankfully we all do like to be home together so I realized we are still making memories- maybe just not the kind other "true" Alaskans do!! So in the last 2 months we've had a few exciting things happen. The girls got their ears pierced. Marah went first which was so surprising to me and she didn't even flinch. That set a high standard for Autumn so she did just as well. I found a great bargain on swimsuits for the girls- $3 each at Wal-mart!! This was very exciting for me because I never find bargains so it was very fun and hilarious to watch those silly girls in the tub with their suits. We made a last minute decision to go to the fair and had a great time. We stayed until 10:30pm to see the fireworks. It was the first time that the girls had seen any fireworks and they loved them. They kept saying it was the best day ever. When we asked them what the best part was they said the cotton candy and spending time with everyone. Hayden had a great time while visiting Chicago. We missed him alot and I think he finally started missing us toward the end of his trip. We have all officially started school. The girls are great to teach- they just want to keep doing more and more!! That is so much different than the boys. They also love to draw. I seriously thing we could dispose of all other toys except for paper and crayons, markers,paints, and colored pencils and they wouldn't even notice. Jack is really quite the character and likes to be in the middle of everyone and on top of everything!! Hayden has started working on his school as well. It's so amazing to me how much of an independent learner he has become. I guess I shouldn't be surprised because I think homeschooling definitely encourages that but it is so nice to watch him and have discussions about what he is learning. Ryker is still Ryker but he is contributing to the family and being kind to his brothers and sisters so we are focusing on that while he tries to figure out his life. I've been fascinated with the election. I love to watch MSNBC and think it was very smart of John McCain to choose Sarah Palin for vp although I'm still voting for Obama!! I also started Jenny Craig and it's been surprisingly great!! The food is pretty good and I've been eating lots of fruits and veggies and I've lost 12lbs!! Ken is still not smoking but a little discouraged with the weight gain that came from quitting but I know that will pass and he will start feeling better. Well, that's about it for now and since I have yet another messy diaper to change this morning I better get to it!!

Things I think about when I can't sleep

So I couldn't sleep last night because I took too long of a nap- I remember when I could take a long nap and still sleep at night- what happened? Anyway as I was laying in bed I remembered something that made me laugh out loud that I haven't thought about in years. When we lived in Korea when we were first married we slept on a blow up mattress. This blow up mattress had a small leak in it so we had to blow it up every night. Now keep in mind that our heat came from the floor so the mattress would be heated up at least at night- which I'm sure can't be good for a plastic blow up mattress. Now we were trying to save up money for a regular bed but Ken was making next to nothing so we had this blow up thing for a few months. Well, back in those days we did enjoy- how shall I say this- overindulgence in adult beverages so when we would come home after a night out we would both be somewhat intoxicated and it would be a big argument over whose turn it was to blow up the bed. There was many a morning when we would wake up with our bums on the floor from not blowing up the mattress properly. I was laughing about this but also about how stupid we were that we didn't have enough money for a bed but we sure did have money to go out drinking!! It also reminded me how much different our lives may have turned out had we not got ourselves together and what a blessing the gospel has brought to the life of our whole family. Oh, and I did get a bit of a reminder of why Ryker is the way he is!!

Bones and Things

The girls have been having the best time with this neat little block of hard sand that had "dinosaur bones" hidden in it. It took some patience but once they made their first discovery they were hooked. I've been finding dinosaurs and bones all over the house. I would just like to say that I think it is so sad that I have to talk to a 5 and 4 year old about modest dressing. There are such hoochy girl clothes out there for little girls it is so sad. I've been trying to praise them whenever they come up with modest outfits because sometimes they like to sneak in not so modest outfits because that's how "princesses" dress- UGH. Jack had his first ear infection and then a reaction to the amoxocillin which gave him a rash all over his body- poor little guy. This had been the weirdest summer- not very sunny and kind of cold. We've just been taking it easy and I've been trying to get on some kind of good schedule. I've been going to step and kickboxing classes on base- it's been fun and I feel like I'm getting into better shape. The girls' school books came today and they seemed a bit excited. I'm planning on starting school with them while Hayden is in Chicago having a wonderful time!! I've been able to help a few of my friends pick out paint colors for their houses. It's so fun to put up a new coat of paint and I've discovered that most people know what they like- they are just a little hesitant to try new things. Oh, and I'm also reading Les Miserables which is 1500 pages. It was my friend Jill's idea and I got the unabridged version and her version was much shorter so she is finished and I'm on page 500!! Only 1000 more to go!! I almost forgot the most exciting thing- Ken has not smoked for over a month and I'm so proud of him. The medicine he is taking to help with the cravings makes him feel pretty bad and he has still endured and stayed on the quitting path which is no small task after 26 years of smoking. He was always so good about his smoking- I mean none of the children have ever seen him smoke and our oldest is 16 so that was not a small feat. I am so happy for him that he has been able to accomplish his goal!!

Cavity Free!!

Hayden, Autumn, and Marah all had dentist appointments today (Marah's first). I'm so happy to report that everyone was cavity free. Ken took time off of work so he could take all three kids. Now, he is not the most romantic man or the most affectionate man but I so appreciate that he is always more that willing to take any of the kids to appointments and run errands- two things which I really don't like to do. I will take that over candy and flowers anyday!! My poor little Jack is getting his big teeth in the back and today he has a fever and runny nose. He just sat on my lap most of the day looking sad. When I was telling Ken that Jack was getting his big boy teeth in Ken's reply was that his old man belly is coming in- another reason why I love him he is a funny man! We've been talking lately about where we will live when Ken retires in 5 years. I know that may seem like a long time but I think it will go by fast. Anyway, to my surprise Ken would like to move and get a job somewhere in Illinios. We were talking about the Champain, Urbana area as they have a University with lots of computer positions. We even looked at houses online last night. I realize plans change but it is exciting to think we may live somewhat near our family before we are in nursing homes!! I was going to say old and grey but I have the grey and Ken has the old!!

Week-end Happenings

We had a celebration of Marah's birthday which was Sunday and Autumn's Gotcha day that was May 30th. The girls love to celebrate their things on the same day so Marah thinks on Autumn's birthday she needs presents too. Hayden went camping with Paul and Laura this week-end. He loves the outdoors and everything that goes with it- fishing, camping, bike riding etc. Thankfully, he has Paul and some great scout leaders since Ken is not very excited about any of those things. I have a good friend whose neighbor is changing his house into a duplex and called for Ryker to come on over and work. Ryker was busy with friends so Hayden went over and did some work (mostly grunt work) and got paid $8 per hour. Not bad for a 12year old and what made it even better was the life lesson for Ryker that if your not willing to work someone is always waiting to take your place!! I love natural consequences- it makes my life so much easier! I'm reading this great book "The Potentially Sane Mother's Guide to Raising Young Children" it has been perfect timing for me as I read this quote "Saying yes to others means saying no to your children". The young women that I serve with at church are going to camp this week and I've been feeling a little guilty that I can't go- although I know they are in great hands. This quote just reminded me that right now I need to say yes to my family and no to lots of other things that I would like to do. I know this is just a season in my life so I'm going to choose to live it happily and as guilt free as possible!!

Summer is Finally Here!!

It is officially summer in our house. My best helper Hayden put up the trampoline this week-end. Autumn, Marah, and Jack were sooooo happy they couldn't wait to jump. I spent the last week painting our family room and I must say I absolutely love it. Once again it was Hayden to the rescue helping with the little kids so that I could tackle my 3 day painting project. There is just something about a new coat of paint on the walls that makes your whole house seem fresh and clean. I'm hoping for sunny days this week since I spent all the sunny days last week painting!!

My Husband

What is his name? Ken
How long have you been married? 18 years
How long did you date? Since I was 14- we did have a few break ups but always made it back to each other
How old is he? 41
Who eats more? Depends on what we are eating
Who said I love you first? He did
Who is taller? Sadly, we are the same height-short!!
Who can sing better? We are both equally horrid
Who is smarter? Ken in some areas and me in others
Who does the laundry? I do
Who pays the bills? I do, but he provides the cash.
Who sleeps on the right side? Ken
Who mows the lawn? Ryker and Hayden
Who cooks dinner? I do- on a good night
Who drives? Ken
Who is more stubborn? Ken for sure
Who kissed who first? Ken kissed me
Who asked who out first? We never had an official first date we were just kind of together
Who proposed? We both did in letters when he was in basic training
Who has more friends? Me- and they're fabulous
Who is more sensitive? Me- and that's a good thing contrary to Ken's opinion
Who has more siblings? We have the same 1 brother and 1 sister each
Who puts the kids to bed? Ususally Grandma Joan with one of us reading books
Who wears the pants? I like to think we both do maybe just at different times!!

Mother's Day, Birthday's, Anniversary's OH MY!!

Well, Jack is one year old. I can't believe how quickly his first year went by as crazy as it was. We celebrated his birthday this Sunday but his actual birthday was on Thursday. Ken called me at about 3pm to ask if it was Marah's birthday which led me to remember it was Jack's birthday-oops. When I told Hayden this he told me he thought we should be done having children. Have I mentioned Hayden is a very smart boy. We had a lovely anniversary dinner at Simon and Seaforts. We had a window table and rose petals scattered on the table. Thank goodness for Grandma Joan or we would never be able to do these things. It was so nice to be out in a nice relaxed atmosphere and just talk about all our memories of the last 18 years. We've grown so much and realize that marriage is hard work but anything that is so rewarding is worth all the effort. I feel so blessed in our family life- we have our trials that's for sure but when push comes to shove it seems we all find our way to each other. Okay, enough of this sappy stuff- I'm thinking about cancelling our cable am I crazy??

Snow!!

Can you believe it snowed the second week of April? I think it was about 7inches. It looks very pretty and the little kids and I went for a walk in it today. Autumn and Marah sure had a great time playing in it. They were both soaked by the time we got back. Marah is a true Alaskan- she didn't even wear a coat- just a hat, gloves, and clothes of course. Ryker is enjoying his lifeguarding class. He has decided to homeschool and possibly take a couple of classes at Bartlett next year. I'm fairly certain he can get caught up with his classes and the best thing is that all his classes can be taken online so he can do them at 2am and I don't have to correct anything!! Hayden was asked to give a talk at church- poor kid. He said yes and is now having big time panic. I told him it is up to him what he wants to do. My guess is he will be calling the bishop tonight and tell him he can't do it. My poor little Jack has a horrible diaper rash for no apparent reason. We are loading him up with desitin. He already hates to get his diaper changed so this is just making things worse. We had a great young women activity last night. An Amazing Race of sorts and the best thing was how much the girls enjoyed it. I'm feeling very blessed in my life these days- I'm trying to enjoy the moment because it can always change in an instant. Oh, and for my sister I had a dream you are pregnant. What do you think?

Prioritizing

I think as moms it is so hard to prioritize sometimes. We want to hang out with friends and have fun but the little people at home and husbands are needing us. A very good friend reminded me today why making our children and husbands top priority is so important and I'm very thankful for the reminder. As I type Ryker is vacuuming and Jack is following him all around- very cute to see. We had standardized testing this week and I'm so thankful for a husband who will take the time to drive our children and others all the way across town for this great event! The girls are out with grandma today on their Friday adventures and Hayden is recovering from having a busy week. Ryker signed up for a life guarding class- hooray!! We had many big changes at church over the last week and I am so thankful that I have felt the inspiration behind those changes. It took me longer than I would have liked but I'm happy to say I've felt the spirit in priesthood revelation and it feels wonderful. I really do have a life full of abundance and I'm one lucky girl!!

Easter Eggs and Kissing Power

We had a fun week-end decorating eggs and preparing for Easter. Of course the bunny came and we tried to instill the real meaning of Easter along with goodies from the bunny. I hope they got the important part of the message. The girls now have prayer pillows to remind them to pray at night- they are fleece Cinderella and super cute. We watched the movie Enchanted for family night last night. It was really good- enjoyable for all ages. Now onto kissing power. The other night when I asked Marah for a kiss goodnight she got very serious and informed me that she couldn't because she didn't have anymore kissing power because Jack took it all. She is quite humorous except when she is telling me she has no more cleaning up power when it is time to pick up the house!! Jack is officially walking now and has 2 more teeth. He is growing up so fast. Hayden has been having fun teaching him new words and Jack loves when Hayden plays the guitar for him. We are all enjoying longer and sunnier days and are looking forward to summer. As for the oldest child in the house we will save his stories for another day!

Ryker's New "Plan"

Okay people, how does this sound? Ryker's new plan is to get a full-time job and get his GED because colleges really don't care if you have a GED and then he can earn money for school since he doesn't want to be in debt when he graduates. Oh and Hayden has decided he is not going to play baseball this summer. Shocking news to both Ken and I since he has played since he was a little boy and he is good. I think I'm missing something. I cannot understand why children who are good at things decide that they don't want to do them!! It is really such a good thing that I don't drink- if I did I may never stop. Well, at least it is a very sunny day here and the little girls had a great time this morning playing with playdough that they helped make. They both have a bit of a runny nose and Jack is working on his walking skills- very fun.

Obama needs to be our President

I watched Obama's speech this morning. He seems to be a man who sees things for what they are and a man of integrity. I hope that he will be able to lead our country in a new direction. If you don't know much about him I would suggest taking a look at his website and start getting a bit of hope for the future. I went to work out this morning at church. I think there were more children than adults- it's pretty amazing that we can get in a good workout with all those kids but we can. The girls are so excited to go to the Arctic Oasis with their dad tonight, they've been talking about it since they woke up this morning. It's going to be a long time until five o'clock!! Just curious what books are any of you reading?

These are the nights of our lives...

Here's how it goes. Ken and I plan to see the movie Vantage Point at the Diamond Mall- the only theater playing this movie in all of Anchorage. The movie starts at 7:05, Ryker calls for a ride at 6pm, Ken picks up Ryker and is back at the house by 6:45, we head to theater, arrive 7:01, standing in line for tickets when out comes the sign Vantage Point sold out, short discussion about seeing other movies all ideas vetoed, head to GCI store to use their internet to see what movies are at other theaters, come to conclusion best to stay at the mall and see the 9:25 show even though it is past my bedtime, walk around mall, get Jack some new pajamas, spend what seems like very long time roaming around Best Buy, finally arrive at theater, get popcorn, walking into theater, a call from Grandma Joan that Hayden is not home yet and his phone is turned off, ugg, mother worry sets in and I am calling Hayden repeatedly to no avail, Hayden finally calls right after movie starts, rush out of theater so as not to disturb others and run smack into door that was not closed just a few minutes ago, Hayden very sorry and is on the way home- he went to a later movie than expected, mom does not yell just tells Hayden we were worried about him- good job mom, finally settle down to watch the movie, movie is so dumb have thoughts of leaving before it's over but after all this how can we, arrive home to find big kids already home and settling down for bed and all little kids asleep in Grandma's bed, mom finally gets to bed at 1am and is woken promptly at 7:30 by little cutie pie Jack. I think today will be a long day!!

We're bloggers!!

Hello family and friends,

Well since we are terrible about staying in touch I thought we should try this blogging thing. It's a beautiful, sunny day in Anchorage and we are happy. Ken just got back from a two week trip to Florida and Chicago. We missed him a bunch and are glad he is home. Ryker is back at home and having a pleasant attitude and we are happy he is here. I have some wonderful friends who helped me paint my bathroom and bedroom while Ken was out of town and I must say I think it's some of my best work yet. The best thing was that all involed felt inspired to do some painting at their own houses and we helped each other. I love my friends!! Although, Ryker did tell me he was finished with painting which I found somewhat curious since he didn't even lift a paint brush, until he clarified that it was all the projects that went along with the painting he didn't like!! Oh, the joys of teenagers! Well now that Jack is roaming all around the house he is causing all kinds of havoc but luckily his sisters are great about keeping him safe from all the hidden dangers like choking hazards, stairs, pencils, and toilets. My time is running out so I better go figure out how to get pictures on this thing!!