i'm invisible

my sister posted this on our family blog and i loved it. thanks gretch for sharing! i really needed to read this. i hope you, especially you moms, enjoy it.

I'm Invisible
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.' I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone! One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.' In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it.' And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.' I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.' At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there.' As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

man i wish i would have found this sooner!

holiday party excuse generator
this is too funny & oh how i wish i would have found it sooner! just kidding, well just a little. maybe someone out there will find it useful. lol! i know my husband will love this. merry christmas!
*click on the link, holiday party excuse generator.

reindeer facts

i received this email from a friend of mine. i love it!

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year, male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the spring. Therefore, according to EVERY historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, EVERY single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen, had to be a girl. We should've known... ONLY women would be able to drag an old fat guy in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night and not get lost.

our weekend

yes that's right, 2 posts in 1 day. trying to make up for no posts for 11 days! sorry life's been crazy busy.

baylie's dance company, jds, does a christmas party for all the team girls. it was so cute! it's dinner & dancing for them & their prince. bay & i had so much fun shopping for her "fancy" dress & all the accessories. she was in heaven! i loved helping her get ready. she & her prince, her dad, looked great. she couldn't have been happier that her dad got to go. the parking isn't that great when you have a ton of people so i said i would drop them off & pick them up. bay was so cute & wanted todd, her date, to sit in the back with her. they had a lot of fun & made some good memories. (i will post more pictures of this later)

i made christmas treats for the first time this year. can you believe that? i made drizzled chocolate pretzels & chocolate & peanut butter rice crispy treat squares. i actually had a lot of fun doing it except i don't like the mess when i'm done. i guess that's why i usually do treats from the store. lol!

i just got done playing candy land with baylie, haven't played that in years! she won twice in a row & wanted to play again so that i could win. sweet huh? that's just how she is. she is always thinking about others & trying to make them happy, especially her brother, i love it!

smotherhood

do you ever feel like your smothering your children because you're scared? that's me. it makes me sad that we live in a day & age where you have to be on guard all the time & that you can never be too safe. i seriously worry all the time about everything. for instance today, bay wasn't feeling good so tyson went to church with my neighbor. she had to leave early for work so i said i would pick the boys up. as i was driving to our church i was worrying about tyson running into the parking lot to me & what if a car didn't see him & hit him. am i crazy? i was thinking that would be one of the worst things ever, seeing your child hurt right before your eyes. i worry about him on field trips, especially going into bathrooms where i can't protect him. he came home one day & said that the guy that helps in the lunch room touched him on the head while he was going to the bathroom. oh my i started worrying about adults at school in the bathrooms. my sister recently sent me an article about this horrible thing that happened to 4 sisters, little girls, while at church waiting for their mom. i hate that i can't protect my children all of the time. i don't know how to not worry so much. if you have any helpful tips or suggestions i would appreciate them. btw, happy holidays!

lame blogger

that's me, sorry for those of you that like to read this. i believe the total number of people is probably about 5! it's been hard finding time to post. i need to download the pictures i've been taking, i have some fun ones. just wanted to let you know we're alive and hopefully i will have something fun to post shortly, with pictures! :0) merry christmas everyone!!!


recent happenings:
*purchased our fabulous christmas tree, i love it! thanks to my sweet husband for putting the lights on...the way i like them...each branch wrapped...crazy i know! fyi, it's still not decorated. yikes!

*working on our christmas cards. this is the first year i have created our "picture card"...simple and clean is the theme. i think they're cute though.

*sunday i delivered our neighbor gifts, wow that's early for me.

*almost all of our christmas presents have been purchased, wrapping is another story. lol!

*sick kids, that's no fun. i think our sweet b is on the mends.

*christmas parties.

*lots of playing in the snow, the kids that is. they are waiting for the next storm.

are you ready?

for snow that is? i'm not really, but it does make it feel more like christmas. i don't know if it's snowed in your neck of the woods, but it began here yesterday. today it hasn't let up. there are a couple of things i don't like about the snow:
*when it gets dirty & then it's grey, i prefer the pretty white stuff!
*it's hard to keep your car clean especially when it's black, although the rest of the time i love having a black car.
*crazy drivers in the snow & all the accidents. some days it takes forever to get to work!
other than that i love the snow. if i could have it my way, and really should it be any other way, i would have snow just on the grass for the month of december & i would love the mountains to have nice snow from november thru march for a wonderful ski season. lol!

i am loving all the christmas lights! it makes me so happy to see all the lights & listening to so much christmas music! at this time of year there is no other type of music for me. there are more houses in our neighborhood with lights on than ever before. it's so pretty! i took the kids to drive through layton's lights on sunday. we went through twice. if you've never been it's worth the drive, unless you're amy or gretchen, both out of state. we usually go at least once a week to see the lights.

oh another item worth mentioning...i have cooked for 3 nights in a row & will be cooking again tonight! my family has been loving it. it's really not that bad when you plan for it. ha ha! who knew that i had it in me? let's hope this streak doesn't end.

grateful

so i've been meaning to post this & things just keep coming up. i don't ever think it's too late to say what you're thankful for & i guess it really doesn't have to be at this specific time of year. seen how this is my 29th year i thought i would list 29 things that i'm thankful & grateful for.

1. my wonderful husband!
2. my two darling kids!
3. my family and my in-laws.
4. my job.
5. a beautiful home where i feel safe & have warmth.
6. my beliefs.
7. my talents.
8. my health.
9. technology, it helped me get through two years of my parents being gone!
10. transportation.
11. conveniences we have in america.
12. being an american, i love america!
13. laughter.
14. holidays.
15. forgiveness.
16. education.
17. books.
18. good & loyal friends.
19. opportunities for my children, they love sports & bay loves to dance!
20. music.
21. pictures, capturing a precious moment or just a moment in time is priceless to me.
22. hospitals & modern day medicine, i can't imagine having 2 c-sections without it!
23. good examples.
24. being able to travel & vacation.
25. food.
26. the ability to learn.
27. seasons, although i'm not a fan of driving in the snow, or i guess really dealing with other drivers in the snow.
28. family time.
29. history.

i had a wonderful thanksgiving with my in-laws, thank you! thank you for loving me for me & accepting me into your family. i do have to say that i am very excited to think that next thanksgiving we will be able to also celebrate with my parents, i have missed them. just 35 days until they are home, but who's counting, ok i am! i love you mom & dad & can't wait for you to be home. who would have thought that it would have gone by so fast? in the beginning i thought i would never be able to make it without my mom, but i have learned so much. i realized i can make it & even though she's not an hour away she is always "there" for me. my relationship has grown so much stronger with my parents, especially my dad! who knew he had such a soft side? :0) thanks to todd for putting up with me this whole time. i was a mess in the beginning & he just loved me & let me cry, a lot! he is wonderful & there are so many things i love about him! thanks to my 2 precious kids for loving me unconditionally. i never knew that being a mom would be so wonderful! i love you 2 & thank you for letting me be the one you call mom!
i really am blessed! thank you to each & everyone of you that has touched my life, helped to make me a better person, been there for me, & for just being a part of my life. i am one blessed & lucky girl.

a must have...

& i have it! what is it you ask? boutique edition monopoly! have you ever seen anything so cute? it is one of my new favorite things. thanks to my sweet husband that humors me with such strange requests. who would have thought i would get so excited over a board game? after i played it for the first time i made several phone calls to people i thought would love it too. what am i thinking, who wouldn't love it, well besides the men out there? lol! please make note that this is a toys r us exclusive & it's on sale right now with free shipping! does it get any better? ok maybe free would be good. i hope you love it as much as i do.

i heart gwen & my sister-in-laws!

i love gwen! this morning as i was getting ready i was listening to her, she's awesome. one thing that i love about her is that she reminds me of my sister-in-laws that i love! we went to the gwen concert in april & we had so much fun. talk about a fun night! i think this was the first time in 9 years that we did something just the girls, without kids! i am so grateful to have sister-in-laws that are fun & consider me one of them. you girls are the best! i love you! oh funny thing about the night of the concert...we were all so tired & actually left a little early. i guess we're getting old! well maybe except for don's wife. maybe it's because she is still young & wears "white" beaters! sorry tor, i just had to say it. i laughed so hard & am laughing now just thinking about it. you won't get this unless you were there, but believe me it was funny. btw, i do know that they are called "wife" beaters, that was part of why it was so funny.

congratulations!

congratulations morgan family! we are so happy for you. they received a baby girl yesterday! this was unexpected for them & they were actually on a family vacation when they got the call. talk about surprise! they are wonderful parents to their other daughter & will be with their new bundle of joy. talk about an amazing early christmas present!

how cool!

i found out about these awesome books from my friend rachel. they can make your blog, trip pictures, wedding pictures, etc. into a book. check this site out! fun stuff!

i am also excited about a clock party i am having in december, thanks rach! mark your calendars ladies for a fun night in, december 13th. i will be sending invitations, but if you read this before you get one & you're interested leave me a comment. talk about awesome christmas presents! i will be making the red one for our house. i can't wait.

so a few of you are interested in what the "gift" was & who it is for? yes, gretch, it is a wii & it's a family gift. i am so excited about it & want to play it now! ok so something about me, surprises for other people kill me. well not the surprises, but waiting! i get so excited when i find the perfect thing for someone & i just want to give it to them, now! lol!

oh happy day!

that's right, happy day! so we've been on the hunt for a very hard to find gift. well not hard to find, but hard to get. you have to be in the right place at the right time. today was my lucky day! i remembered there was a store at the gateway that sold this item. i called them & they had two left! because they don't hold this item i ran there to get it. when i walked into the store my heart sank as i got in line behind 6 other people. i thought for sure i wouldn't be getting one today & the hunt would continue. the guys in the store were laughing at me because i was a little stressed about the situation. thankfully nobody in front of me purchased this item & i was able to get one. yeah! i was one happy girl, still am. it's already home & wrapped along with some other gifts. holy cow, i have never had gifts wrapped this early. i love feeling prepared. we should be pretty much all done by thanksgiving. how cool is that? i'm grateful to todd for his help in the christmas shopping process. i'm excited to just enjoy the holiday season. thanks to my sister amy for picking up a couple of items for me & to those of you that were keeping an eye out for me.

angels

my dear sweet friend amy b. sent this to me. it gave me the chills & i loved it. thanks amy! my hope is that i will be the angel in many people's lives!

I was driving home from a meeting this evening about 5, stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd., and the car started to choke and splutter and die - I barely managed to coast, cursing, into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a somewhat warm spot to wait for the tow truck. It wouldn't eve n turn over. Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the "quickie mart " building, and it looked like she slipped on some ice and fell into a Gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay. When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen; she was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel. At that moment, everything came into focus for me: the crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95. I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying " don't want my kids to see me crying," so we stood on the other side of the pump from her car. She said she was driving to California and that things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, "And you were praying?" That made her back a away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person and said, "He heard you, and He sent me." I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fuelling, walked to the next door McDonald's and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee. She gave the food to the kids in the car, who attacked it like wolves, and we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little. She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City Her boyfriend left 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet. She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent Jan 1, and finally in desperation had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived in California and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there. So she packed up everything she owned in the car. She told the kids they were going to California for Christmas, but not that they were going to live there. I gave her my gloves, a little hug and said a quick prayer with her for safety on the road. As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?" This definitely made me cry. I said, "Sweetie, at this time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people." It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle. And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.

Sometimes the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings...

*written by a metro denver hospice physician.

so grateful!

so seen how this is also a journal for me & my little family this may be a boring post to some of you.

do you ever have those times in your life where you are overwhelmed with gratitude? this is how i feel right now. there are several reasons that i feel grateful. i feel so blessed to have a husband that loves me, that puts up with me, that puts me & our kids first, that loves spending time with us, & i think he's amazing in so many ways! i'm grateful i have him in my life! i'm grateful for my kids. i love them & i'm grateful for all the joy & happiness they bring into my life. i'm grateful for the unconditional love & acceptance that kids have. i'm grateful for my parents. my mom & i have always been so close & i don't know what i would do without her. i'm grateful for the relationship that my dad & i have grown to have. he has really changed over the last two years & i love it! he sent me a letter today & it meant so much to me. i think it's funny how sometimes things happen in your life just when you need them, you know, little angel moments. thanks dad! i'm grateful for my in-laws that i love & adore! i love spending time with them, they are so much fun. i'm grateful for their acceptance & love. i'm a lucky girl!
i really have so much in my life that i'm grateful for & an ongoing goal for me is to focus on what i do have. i love being around positive people & i want to be one of those people. i know we all have our days or moments, but i'm really trying to be better. happy to be alive & happy to have all i do!

christmas music=one happy girl!

that's correct, i love christmas music & it makes me so happy! well guess what is now programed into my radio? 106.5, the all christmas music station. how awesome is that? i know some people think it's too early for christmas music, but i love it! i even had a cashier at the mall wish me 'merry christmas' on saturday! i wished her the same. :0) i love all the christmas decorations that are going up, it's just a fun time of year. todd put up our christmas lights on saturday. don't worry, we don't turn our lights on until after thanksgiving, i do draw the line there. we also don't get a tree until the first part of december. that is another one of my favorite things...taking the kids to pick out a tree! i have the most awesome husband too & he's so good about putting on the christmas tree lights & he does an awesome job! i'm pretty anal when it comes to my lights. i like each branch wrapped with the lights. not the funnest job & he still does it for me. he's the best! i have it good, don't i? so here's an early merry christmas to all of you!

before i was a mom

i received this email from dear friend amy b. thanks amy, i loved it & wanted to share. being a mom is the most amazing thing ever. it's the hardest thing, but also the best! i love being a mom!

Before I was a Mom I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.
Before I was a Mom - I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.
I slept all night.
Before I was a Mom I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.
Before I was a Mom I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't Stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.
Before I was a Mom -I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small could make me feel so important and happy.
Before I was a Mom -I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache, the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

i just had to post this picture of todd, i love it! i was surprised he let me take it. let's just say the camera isn't his favorite thing. i was so happy with how it turned out. cute guy & i love him!


yesterday todd took baylie in for her 4 yr. old well child check up. i had him take tys too so they could both get flu shots. tyson said that the shot hurt so bad because they got him right in his blood streamers! lol, i was laughing so hard! thanks babe for taking them both in. i know it's not a fun job. the kids didn't understand why we would have them get shots. i was trying to explain that it's to keep them healthy. i don't think they heard any of it. baylie hates the dr! she was excited though because she got her kindergarten shot & she thought that was cool.


another funny from yesterday....baylie had already had a bath & was in her jammies. tys was in the bath & bay wanted to put her feet in. she told me that if i let her put her feet in she would pull up her leg sleeves! i busted out laughing! yeah i guess they could be called leg sleeves huh? i love that little girl & i love the things that my kids say in pure innocence.

happy halloween! i hope everyone has a safe & fun night!

fall pictures

bay picked out this outfit & wanted me to take some pictures of her. so we went out front for a few minutes & captured these cute pictures. i think she is loving seeing herself on the computer. lol! i love her so much & i love her personality. maybe one of these days tys will want some pictures of him, yeah right!

red butte gardens after dark

monday night carrie & i took the kids to red butte gardens after dark. we had a lot of fun. my friend at work gave us free tickets & that was even better. it was fun, but not something i would pay for. they had different things for the kids to do. each kid received a map & had to find all 6 fire barrels & receive a stamp at each one to receive a prize at the end. the kids, especially tyson, were very let down by the prize...a flower bulb! okay i realize we were at red butte gardens, but hello, what kid wants a bulb as a prize. lol!

bay & keey

the girls, baylie & keeley, had dance pictures a couple of weeks ago. we went to a studio, avante, that i'm not happy with, that's another story. anyway, here are some cute pictures of the girls getting their hair & make-up done. i'm so glad they are such good friends. we love you bay & keey!

baylie's photo shoot

so i was having baylie try on her new dance warm ups. she looked so cute! she started posing so i asked her if i could take some pictures. hello little model. she has never been like this for me before, i loved it! all of these poses were done by her. i was just letting her do whatever, maybe that's the key with her. this was the first time i've never told her what to do & she was so happy & fun. man i love this girl. i love these pictures of her!

tag i'm it & now 6 of you are too!

thanks brit! my beautiful, long time friend tagged me & now 6 of you are going to get tagged. sorry, it's how it goes. lol! hey just look at it as a way that we can all learn a little more about each other.



the rules...

each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.

at the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people & posts their names, then goes to their blogs & leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged & asking them to read your blog. have fun!



1. i love being pampered! yes it's true, who doesn't though? i love going to the spa, i love having my hair done, i love having my nails done, however i just filed all of them off! good thing kailey doesn't read this. i especially love the spa at the grand america!



2. i love photography! i love capturing people's personalities & their special moments in my pictures. my brother is an amazing photographer & i hope that some of his talent will rub off on me. :0) i think we have different styles & i think that's fun. i really admire him. i also have a co-worker that has a very talented wife, jessi, and i admire her as well. she is an awesome photographer & is always so giving of her talents. she's a 'friend' i have never met in person.



3. i love fall & i love halloween! i love the decorations, the colors, the cool air, caramel apple cider from starbucks, the list goes on. i love all the fall festivities, especially pumpkin picking. fall is a very happy time for me!



4. i love 80's music!



5. i hate being scared! i freak myself out all of the time. i think i hear something & let things build in my head & it just gets worse. crazy i know.



6. i do not like pot lucks! who knows how clean people are? what if they have pets & what if they are walking on the counters? it just grosses me out. i'm sorry i'm not a fan of animals, i just don't think they are very clean. when i have had babies i will only eat food that is brought to me from people i know really well. i don't mean to snobby, but i just can't do it. just another thing to add the list of crazy things about me. lol!



so i am tagging don's wife, court, jessi, natalie, amy, & denise.

the reception & some way cute families!

wow, troy & rachel get 2 posts! you 2 should feel lucky, lol! here are the reception pictures. i especially love the family pictures & the picture of bay & her grandma!



*please don't be too critical of these pictures & the ones in a previous post. i am not a professional by any means, just a girl that loves to take pictures & is learning along the way!

congrats troy & rachel!

congrats to the cute new couple! we love you guys so much & we're so excited for you. thank you for letting us be a part of your special day! rach, you looked beautiful! we are so excited to have you as a part of our family. troy, we love you & we're so proud of you!

does it ever slow down?

life that is? i keep thinking after this event or that event that things in our life will slow down. not so. sorry don's wife that i've been such a slacker at posting. i will be better. i will also get you the wedding pictures, i promise!


i just have to share a sweet conversation that took place tonight on the way home...

bay: mom, i have a secret to tell you....you're a beautiful princess!
me: you are so sweet.
bay: i love when you where your hair like that. it's so pretty.
me: thanks sweetheart.
tys: mom, i love your hair style, your clothes style, & your shoe style.
me: thanks buddy! you 2 are the best!

how sweet are they? talk about making a girl feel good! it seems like when i'm having those days or hard times my kids always have something to say to make me feel better. tys is so awesome about coming in from playing just to tell me he loves me! bay is always giving me compliments & is very thoughtful! i feel so blessed to have 2 amazing kids. i love you guys!

happy birthday em!

i just wanted to wish my little sister emily a very happy birthday! it was fun talking to you this morning. i hope your dinner was fun & enjoyable. love you em!

oh the smell!

it's enough to do me in! poor baylie is sick & has been throwing up all evening. i feel so bad for her. she seemed just fine when i picked her up from school & even after we got home. she went & played then came home & said she was sick! she did look pale & so I just had her lie down. it was moments later that i was rushing her to the bathroom & felt the throw up running down my neck & chest. i was doing all i could to not lose it too! it makes me cringe just to think about it. she felt so bad. i hate when my kids are sick it makes me feel sad for them. i hope she gets better soon. i was grateful for my wonderful neighbor, aimee, for going to get bay some gatorade. the little bit she drank came right up so we are done with liquids for tonight. i hope your evening was better than mine. :0)

bay's birthday & black island farms

it's been a tradition the last couple of years that we go & get our pumpkins on bay's birthday. so the tradition continued. we went to black island farms & had a blast. the kids enjoyed the huge slides, the animal tractor ride, the corn box, the corn launcher, and the pumpkin picking. we also learned a few things. did you know...

*a raccoon can destroy an acre of corn in one night? (we even saw one in one of the traps.)
*the hairy stuff on top of an ear of corn is corn silk?
*each little strand of corn silk is connected to a single piece of corn?
*to make the corn mazes they use round up to kill the baby corn?
*black island farms has the biggest corn maze in utah?

check out the pictures of tyson with the corn launcher. you can even see the corn in the air! he hit the target twice. way to go buddy! if you want a fun place to enjoy the fall festivities we would highly recommend black island farms.



after our fun adventure we went to dinner at applebee's. baylie wanted to make sure they didn't sing to her. she even remembered the torture of last year. we went to a mexican place & they wanted her to wear a sombrero. at dinner this year she said, "i don't want them to make me wear a hat!" good memory. our fun day went late & we didn't even get to do pie. she wanted pie instead of a cake. it's yet to come. happy birthday sweetheart!

our princess is 4?

where did the last 4 years go? todd & i can't believe that our baby, our princess, is 4! i want her to know how much we love her. we am so grateful she came into our lives. she has so much personality and i adore her! thank you for making us smile, for keeping us on our toes, & for being the little girl that you are. i love that you adore me & want to be like me. i love that you are all girl, but can hold your own with the boys! i love that you love life, that you love to dance, that you love to sing, & that you're not afraid to have fun. i love your laugh! i love that you cuddle with your dad & me. i love seeing you with your dad! i love that you adore your brother. i love the relationship that you have with grandma johnson & i love how you are so sweet & caring with grandma joyce. you have made your family so happy & we love you sweetheart! thank you for giving us so many sweet & fun memories over the last 4 years. we are looking forward to an amazing future for you!






*The majority of these pictures are courtesy of kirk.

buffalope island pictures

remember the buffalope island post on my other blog? well i have pictures, yeah!

miss b's 4th b-day party

yesterday was party day. baylie had her 4th b-day party at build-a-bear. she & her 5 guest had so much fun! this is my kind of party place...they do it all. they even do online invitations & thank you cards. nice huh? we did miss kaleb & we also missed having some nicer weather! talk about cold. rain & snow aren't the best thing when you're at the gateway. even with the cold weather we still had fun.

the kids each got to pick out an animal, oh the decisions, give it a heart (for the parties they also have each kid make a wish on a heart & put it in the b-day person's animal - too cute!), stuff it, bath it, dress it, get a birth certificate for their animal, & take an oath. little side note...i think this is so much fun for kids, but you would not believe how many young adults on dates & what not were in there making them. lol! maybe i shouldn't judge, but this is my blog & it just seemed weird! so anyway back to the party. bay was so embarrassed when they had her ring the b-day bell & had the entire store sing to her. she doesn't like all that attention. she had fun opening her gifts & we are grateful for the fun things she received.

after the party we did some shopping & went to dinner. thanks kirk, susan, amy, & keeley for joining us. it was fun. thanks carrie for bringing the girls down and thanks amy for bringing lauren down. i hope you & the girls had fun shopping!

this is for you mom...bay made a ghost, tys made a monkey, keeley made a cat, saige made a ghost, lauren made a dog, & addison made a bear. sorry i can't remember what they named them.

oh i forgot to add that they have a yellow bear that each of the guests get to sign for the birthday person.

thanks to all of our guests for coming to help our princess celebrate her birthday!

saige's 4th b-day party

my cute niece, saige, turned 4 last week. she & miss b are only 6 days apart & are like little twins. it's been so much fun having them so close, not only in age! i really hope they always stay such good friends. we love saige & it was fun helping her celebrate her b-day. we love you cutie! here are some pictures from saige's party. the kids loved wearing their halloween costumes.

no candles, i think it was dan's fault! lol!

gathering for singing & pictures

my goof ball "bat" & "army man"

nice make-up you two!

sweet addison enjoying her cupcake!

she preferred just eating the frosting, yummy!!