Tagged

I have been tagged multiple times with this "6 interesting things about you" so I guess I will finally just get it done!
I am not tagging anyone with this either so unless you REALLY want to do it...you don't have to!

1. When my husband and I first met...I was a freshman at BYU and I did not have a car. I was a little nervous about dating an RM but I had no problem calling him up and asking if I could borrow his car. I even used it a couple of times to go on dates with OTHER guys. Evil I know. He has forgiven me...he always says he got the last laugh!

2. I LOVE to dance. If there was some kind of dance club for married LDS Mormon Moms...I would be there! Nate and I really want to go on a cruise one day so we can dance the night away. Of course...we always have dance parties at home with the boys...but that doesn't count.

3. I have a mild obsession with the lawn. I guess I get this trait from my dad. If you know my dad...then you know exactly what I am referring to. I actually enjoy mowing it and I love the gratification I get when I can look at my house and see a healthy, green, perfectly edged lawn. Nate would get so mad at me during my last pregnancy because I would always mow the lawn before he would get home from work. He would always say, "Our neighbors are going to think that you have some ROTTEN husband who makes his 8 month pregnant wife mow the lawn!"

4. I take a bubble bath almost every night. I have for years. I love being able to just sit back and relax at the end of a long day. It is a lot more enjoyable now that I have a big soaker tub.

5. I used to think I was a bad mom because my whole day wasn't structured and all planned out. I would look at the moms that had strict routines and think they really had it all together. I have since changed my mind and decided that there is absolutely NOTHING wrong with taking things a day at a time. Of course I do like having a nap time planned in but I also realize its not the end of the world if it doesn't happen. I like being spontaneous and changing things up every day!

6. If I had a million dollars the VERY first thing I would do..even before paying off the house and student loans... would be to buy my Grandma a cabin. She has always dreamed of having a cabin and she deserves it after all of the selfless things she has done for us and countless others. She is amazingly in tune with the spirit and knows when to extend help and service.

Super Bissell!!

I realize Thanksgiving is over but today I have a new found GRATITUDE for my Bissell Carpet Cleaner. During Law School, Nate acquired points while using Westlaw and Lexus Nexus and he turned the points in for a Bissell. I know he probably wasn't too thrilled about using so many points on it but it has honestly SAVED me so many times....especially with 3 boys. (And the temporary dog :() It was worth every point!
Today Parker smeared toothpaste all over the carpet in the office. After a thorough cleaning I came downstairs to find TWO dinner plate sized go-gurt smears all over the carpet downstairs. One PINK....one BLUE. Once again....Bissell to the rescue!
Perhaps I shouldn't be writing this because if I just stayed quiet....Nate would never know!
O yeah....and Parker is in BIG trouble.

Home again!

We had a wonderful trip down to Utah for Thanksgiving. I seriously married into the BEST family. We had so much fun eating lots of yummy food, playing games and just hanging out. I wish I had taken some more pictures but I forgot to charge the batteries (as usual). I learned a few things during this particular trip:

#1. There was a reason my parents would always leave on long car trips during the EVENING. We left at about 4:00 and we had so many less stops...potty breaks...fights to break up. The boys slept while Nate and I enjoyed having some one on one time. I have always been hesitant about driving that road at night but as long as the roads are clear...we are doing that from now on!

#2. I can be one of those crazy, competitive, insane all night shoppers and it is A TON OF FUN!!! My mom in law and sisters in law pulled an all nighter hitting all of the great sales. We hit the ModBod sale at 12:00...went to the mall at 1:00, waited in the Kohl's line at 4:00 and made it to Target by 6:00. We were all sugared up on Dr. Pepper and totally delirious but we had so much fun. There were only a couple of mild battle wounds but the great deals were worth it!

#3. I am a ROCK STAR. I never knew I had such mad skills. We played Guitar Hero 3 and I was getting 75% on the EXPERT LEVEL!!! If this whole child raising thing doesn't work out....I think I have a career to fall back on.

It is nice to be back home. Time to bring on the Christmas season!! Before we even unpacked the car we started getting out the Christmas tree and decorations. We couldn't really unpack the car while the boys were awake since the majority of luggage was from Santa. Here's the finished product:

It's kind of nice not having any furniture in our front room. It is completely devoted to the Christmas tree!

This morning we woke up to some BIG BEAUTIFUL snowflakes! I was so excited for the boys to come downstairs and look out the window at the white covering the lawn. Parker was ecstatic. He wanted to go outside and "make a ball, and throw it." Dallin's eyes started welling up with tears. He says, "But Moooooom, I don't want it to be Christmas! I want it to be Thanksgiving! I want to see Grandma and Grandpa and eat turkey." I assured him we would still have Thanksgiving. Funny kid.

I have so much to be grateful for. I have truly been blessed this year. New baby, new job, new home, good health, great kids, wonderful husband....I could go on and on. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Baby Landon...the Transformer

My sister sent this to me today. It made me laugh!

Cute bags....great cause...what could be better??

It's late and I was just checking my email tonight and I was reading one from an old friend from the Spokane days. She and her husband have had quite a trying year as her husband was diagnosed with cancer. I know finances have been really tough for their little family. She is trying to earn some extra money and has started selling these cute homemade bags. I thought I would just pass the word along to all of my blogging friends! Her webpage is http://www.beansproutdesigns.com/. Here are a couple of the bags:




O yeah...and they are all each $50...no matter what the price says on the webpage!

Fish

We have two new members of the family to announce.....2 beta fish named "Logger" and "Dolphin." (No idea where the Logger thing came from.) Now THIS I can handle!!! The day after Tilly left us Dallin came into my room and said, "Mom...I still miss Tilly but I think a fish would make me feel a lot better." Both of the boys were ecstatic about their fish. It's funny how quickly they can get over things.

Good-bye Tilly

Well....so much for "super mom." We sold our sweet puppy today. I seriously can't stop crying about it. I have never had a dog in my life and I never knew how attached you could get to a furry 4 legged creature. I freely admit it...it was just too much for me to handle. I tried for 6 weeks to be strong and tell myself I could get through this. 3 children 5 and under and a puppy (which is the equivalent of like 2 more children) was just too much for me to deal with. She kept going to the bathroom all over my new house. She was doing pretty well with the potty training thing until it got cold outside. (I don't really blame her...I wouldn't want to go outside in the cold wet grass.) Nate and I have just worked too hard for too long to have a puppy ruin everything. Kids do enough of that already. The boys also continued to be a little bit too rough with her and I was constantly worried for her safety. I posted an ad in the classifieds and a little old lady called. She and her husband are retired and already have a little chihuahua and wanted another puppy. I can't even put into words how heartbreaking it was to watch Dallin say goodbye. We both cried together as I held him. I feel like the worst parent ever. He kept saying, "O please Mommy...I love her. I don't want her to go to another house." I tried to tell him a story to get his mind off of everything and he would interrupt me and say, "I feel so sad Mommy. I hurt in my tummy." I knew exactly how he felt becuase I was feeling the same way. Even though it was such a hard thing to do..it really is best for us. Landon is trying to crawl and I couldn't leave him on the floor with the puppy because she would nip and him and lick all over his face. Landon deserves to learn how to crawl and walk without being attacked. I wish I just would have listened to my instincts when we decided to get her. I knew now wasn't the right time for us. O well...you live and and you learn. So long Tilly...we love you and we will miss you very much.

Some people should not have children.

Some people should not have children. There are so many children living in households where they are unloved, neglected or abused. Some come from households where there is not enough money to buy food. Well...yesterday at the park I was introduced to a new kind of parent who should not be allowed to have children. I met a couple of ladies who were talking about children. They each had 2 kids and were discussing having a third child. Here is the conversation:
Lady #1: "My husband and I would love to have a third child. We have actually been trying but I really hope I am not pregnant already."
Lady #2: "If you want a child then why are you hoping you are not pregnant?"
Lady #1: "Its a silly reason but I really don't like the birth stone of the month of August."
Are you KIDDING me? I decided then and there that my conversation with these ladies was coming to a close. Of all the things to worry about when it comes to a precious baby...I am thinking that birthstone would be dead last. Maybe thats just me.

Church survey

I am not even going to call this one a tag....if ANYONE wants to copy and paste it I would love to hear it! If you have nothing else to blog about today...just do it! (although this counts for your tag Kelsey! hehe)

1. Where would you say your testimony is the strongest? Right now I would have to say in the area of prayer. I know Heavenly Father hears our prayers.
2. What do you struggle with the most (church related)? I have to pick just one?? ;) I struggle with lots of little things, like finding the time to read my scriptures or getting to the temple each month...its easy to blame everything on babies!
3. Do you have your food storage? Working on it. I do have about 8 72 hour kits if that counts for anything!
4. Do you have a favorite scripture? What is it? Yep! D&C 68:6
5. What is your favorite Church hymn? "I Need Thee Every Hour"
6. Do you have Any Sunday Traditions? Roast dinners & baking cookies, yum! And of course, gotta have that Sunday afternoon nap!
7. Do you have a Patriarchal Blessing? Yes, I got it right when I got to BYU.
8. Do you believe in angels? Yes. I believe that a lot of us are angels to others & don't even realize it.
9. Do you like the ward you're in? I LOVE IT! I was so worried about switching wards but there are so many awesome people in our new ward. No complaints at all!
10. What callings have you had? Young Women's, primary, Sunday school teacher, Relief Society teacher
11. What calling do you want? I have to want a calling, jk! I don't have a preference-any one that will help me grow. Actually...I wouldn't mind compassionate service.
12. What calling do you hold now? Beehive advisor, so FUN!
13. Who out of your friends do you get spiritually lifted from? I think at one time or another they all have uplifted me, that is why I LOVE my friends...Marcy and Ashley can always make me smile even when I've had a lousy day.
14. Personally what do you need to work on with the church? Getting there on time! haha
15. Were you married/sealed in a temple... if so, which one? Yes. Salt Lake City
16. Do you have a favorite temple? I LOVE them all...of course, who wouldn't....but I was amazed with how beautiful the San Diego temple was...and I really love all the history and stories associated with the Manti temple

Copy & paste & fill in your own answers!

2 1/2

It has often been stated that Parker is the trial in my life. At 2 1/2 he thinks he can do everything his big brother can do. When people ask him how old he is he always says he is 5 just like Dallin. He loves to push my buttons and will do things deliberately just to get me all riled up. For instance, my visiting teachers came over the other day and I told the boys to stay upstairs and watch Sesame Street while the nice ladies came to visit me. I told them to stay on my bed and not to get into my bathroom. Halfway through the lesson, Parker comes downstairs naked...covered in toothpaste from head to toe. He is very sneaky and smart. I wouldn't let him play outside in the front yard today so while I am busy guarding the front door he goes out into the garage, opens the car, pushes the garage door opener and proceeds to head on over to the park. He runs off at grocery stores and especially the mall. If I say I am leaving without him he just stays put....he couldn't care less. Trust me, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Despite getting a lot of his mom's stubbornness, I sure love him a lot. He can be VERY sweet and loving. As I put him to bed tonight I said, "You better get to sleep so you can keep growing big and strong!" His reply was, "I don't want to grow up big and strong. I want to stay little so I can stay with you forever." When kids say things like that....it is VERY easy to forget all of the trying events from the day.
Ironically I found this cute poem over at my mom's house today. It is about 2 1/2 year olds.
Hold him a little longer
Rock him a little more
Tell him another story
(You've already told him four)
Let him sleep on your shoulder
Rejoice in his happy smile
He is only two and a half
For such a little while

-Author Unknown

So true!

Buckle Up!

Today I decided I'd better get my Christmas shopping done for my brother who is serving his mission down in Mexico. You never know how long it's going to take for a package to arrive and I want to make sure it gets there on time! My mom and I planned on meeting over at Seagull Book at about 2:30. As I am driving down Eagle I turn around and see that BOTH Dallin and Parker are not in their seat belts. Eagle Road is busy and fast and there was nowhere to pull over. I asked nicely about 5 times and after continually being ignored, I desperately decide to use a scare tactic. "If you boys don't get in your seat belts a policeman could take mommy away for a VERY long time because YOU BOTH are disobeying the law!" They continue to ignore me until we pull into the parking lot. Right as we pull in a COP just so happens to pull into the parking spot beside us! He is headed over to the motorcycle store right next to Seagull. The boys both start crying hysterically and they both put their seat belts on IMMEDIATELY. Perfect timing.

New Family Pictures

New family pics are back! Here are a couple of them:

Happy Halloween!

Here are pictures from Halloween night! We started at the Cooke's for a Halloween Party and then headed over to the "trunk or treat" at the ward. We wanted to go door to door afterwards but Dallin and Parker wanted to go to bed. (Strange I know.) It was a fun night!