Ok So I know it is way past Mother's Day!

 

So this is really late but things seem to be slipping through the cracks lately and I figure I should post about my Mother's Day even if it is um like 3 weeks late :)
So every year my husband does a great job of making me feel special for Mother's Day, he will clean the house and bring me flowers and then surprise me with something unexpected. This year was no different he brought home flowers on Sat and cleaned the house and then on Sunday he got the kids ready for church and gave me a digital picture frame! I was excited about it cause I am obsessed with pictures and cameras and it is something I have looked at for a long time and never could justify spending that much money on a frame for my self. He knows me so well, I enjoy finding out just how much on days like this. Alexis made me something at school and was so excited to give it to me that she was begging to give it to me early.

I love being a Mom, I don't think I knew growing up that I would enjoy it so much. I love my kids, they are all so different and I love being in charge of raising them to be productive members of society.

 

 

 

 

Happy Late Birthday Mom!

 

So it was actually my Mom's birthday the same day as Jimmy's but I have been really behind on getting pictures up, and there were some good ones of her and she deserves to have her own post!! I love my Mom and I am grateful to live close to her so that I can bug her as much as I want! She is one of those Mom's that when I was growing up my friends all called her Mom as well. She has a great sense of humor and no matter how many gray hairs we (her kids) give her she continues to forge on (she also colors her hair so that helps :p ) She is a great example to me and I hope that I will be able to someday obtain a small fraction of her parental skills! She is also really cool she has a youtube video of her dancing (

...AND she has a GREAT ring tone on her cell phone! http://youtube.com/watch?v=ySbXw8AHlKM
(Here is the link to the video of the song but don't feel like you need to watch the whole thing just wanted you to the get the idea. :)


Anyway she is very cool and I am glad to have her as my Mom!! Love you MOM

Her birthday cake was the best part of the night! We (Jimmy and I) decided that she needed 60 candles on her not very large cake. We got them all in there and then began to light them but because we didn't plan it out so well the smaller candles lit the taller ones on fire and then it was a large fire ball and so we didn't make it all the way through singing before she had to blow it out! It was really funny, we put the fire out and then just lit the tall ones and then sang again! You have to have a proper singing to or it just doesn't seem like a birthday!:)

 

 

4 Months Old!

So my boy is already four months old!! Yesterday he turned four months and as I looked at him when he woke up it seems that somewhere along the line he snuck in this pesky growing thing. I can't believe how the time is flying by, I try to capture how he looks in every moment so that maybe someday when my mind is cleared I will recall all these moments. I don't want to forget his sweet smile in the morning when his eyes have focused and he realizes it's me standing over his bed. I don't want to forget the moment as he drifts off to sleep with a full belly and a silly grin remains on his face. I want to remember the days that he wraps his little hand around my finger so that when his bigger hands are making messes and maybe breaking something I won't be so harsh. How I love this boy!

 

So sweet, if only for a moment!

So yesterday, myself, Grace and James were just hanging out waiting for our new couch and chair to arrive when Grace asked if she "could carry Grames" i.e can I hold James. So we found them a soft spot to sit and then I laid James next to her and I decided I better get some shots of this before this sweet scene went away. I love that Grace can be so wild and crazy and then the next moment she is sweet and quiet just loving her brother. So here is just a sweet moment that i had as a Mom.

 

Let Me Count the Ways!

Happy Birthday Jimmy! Well today is my husband's 30th Birthday and I thought I should pay a little tribute to this sweet man of mine!

30. I love him because he is great at taking out the trash!

29. I love him because he washes the dishes without me even asking!

28. I love that he is a bad cook but he keeps trying!

27. I love his laugh!

26. I love that he loves to spoil me!

25. I love when he lets me cry as long as I need to!

24. I love his scruff after not shaving for a few days!

23. I love that he won't say anything if I haven't gotten the house just right

22. I love that he respects me!

21. I love how safe he makes me feel!

20. I love when he hugs me, he is like a big bear!

19. I love how he pouts!

18. I love how he loves my parents!

17. I love how adventurous he is!

16. I love that he brings me flowers!

15. I love how he listens to me!

14. I love that he makes me want to be a better person!

13. I love when he calls me during the day just say hello!

12. I love watching him play with our kids!

11. I love how he supports me in my interests!

10. I love the way he kisses!

9. I love that he is tall and I can wear HIGH heels!!

8. I love how he is kind to others!

7. I love how hard he works!

6. I love that he is really smart!

5. I love how he makes me smile and laugh out loud!

4. I love his dancing :)

3. I love that he is such a great Dad!

2. I love when he holds my hand!

1. I love how he loves me!


I love you Honey for all you do and all that you are, for loving me and putting up with me!


Jimmy grew up not really having big birthdays and he has never asked for one since we have been married but I couldn't let his 30th Birthday pass and not do something that he would remember! So one night when he was feeling a bit pouty and was talking about not having very many friends and he said jokingly "I know, why don't you call ALL my friends and throw me a surprise party" he laughed and I laughed a little and then thought "MMM I bet he would never suspect a surprise party" so I went to work the next day at calling all the couples that we have become friends with over the years and I was so happy when most of them said they could make it! Tonight was the big night and I had done so well at not giving any hints to him about anything, he just thought we were going to my parents house for dinner with my parents (today is my Mom's birthday too). So after he got home from work we headed up to my parents and everyone was waiting! I loved watching his face as he realized that all these people were there for him, I think he was a bit mortified at first and then he was excited! We had a great night talking and laughing with everyone! Thanks to all those that made it, we know many of you live far away and we hope you know how grateful we are to have friends like you!

 

 

The End of an Era!

Last night I was able to attend the last Spring Concert that my High School Choir director would be directing because she has decided to retire! I now give much credit to my parents for sitting though all those concerts for all those years! Anyway that is besides the point, I didn't know anyone in the choir but I wanted to be there to feel that magic that Marsha Borovicka has been creating for 33 years! She has taught over 11,000 students and the best part for me last night was when I went to say hello during the intermission she called me by name as if I was in her classroom yesterday! Being there brought back so many amazing memories and feelings. The friends, the fun, and the music! That time in my life left a footprint on my heart and I will carry it with me for the rest of my life. Having Mrs. B as my director changed me and I feel blessed to have been one of the thousands. As anyone who ever went to a Chaparral Choir concert either in the audience or as a member of the choir knows at the end of each Spring Concert she invites all the alumni to come up and sing Friends, and I couldn't resist being a part of the last time that she would lead that song in that setting. I miss being a part of a choir, I miss singing, I mean I sing in the car and at home and to my babies but I miss the harmonies and the feeling I get when every voice is in tune and the sound fills the room and in some cases seems to reach beyond the walls! Ok so I will stop for those of you who feel like you are gonna throw up from my sentiment but I guess the point is that last night was a wonderful night! And I had the best date a girl could hope for!

 

 

 

Still catching up! Arts and Crafts!!

So now these are pics from about a week and half ago, but It was a fun thing that the girls did. On several occasions me and my Grace will go to Target in the afternoons and just spend time looking! She loves to walk up and down the toy isles just looking at everything and it cracks me up because she acts so big by saying things like "Oh that is awesome, but it is too money!" or "I want this for my birday and from Santa" we don't usually buy anything she just enjoys looking! Anyway so we were there last week and she came across a really fun make your own craft set. It was a piggy bank that you could paint and make it personal, well she thought "Sissy" i.e Lexi would like one too so she picked out a set that came with a cup and a plate. We got home and I decided that we should do it that day or it would end up in a closet and sit forever, so we laid out some paper and set everything up so the girls could get to work. I let them do whatever they wanted to their pieces and I just monitored to make sure there weren't any major messes. Grace used every color and had the best time, Lexi had her friend Gabby help with hers and they were quite a good team. It was a fun activity, the sad part was after all the hard work and creativity Grace was admiring her work the next day and it fell and broke. She was very sad so we will have to do it again.

 

Mother Daughter Night!

So this past Tuesday night was a mother daughter night with Lexi's activity girls. It was so much fun we ate some good food and played some games including the limbo! Oh man I was feeling it the next day and well actually I am still feeling it a little now. It was so nice to just be with Lexi while Jimmy watched the other two. I had a great time with the other Mom's that night, we talked and laughed all night, well at least till 8 when it was over!

 

 

Oh man I am behind!

So much has been going on and I haven't had time to post about it all so here I will try to get it all in here! So as my last post talked about being in Utah, I decided to take the kids and drive to Salt Lake. It was the weekend of Women's Conference and while I usually get to attend it this year with a baby it wasn't going to be possible but since my sister Alyssa was coming from Texas and my Mom and our family friend Lori were driving up I decided to head that way. I have several friends that live in the SLC area so I made it a point to visit them this trip! On the way up we drove through a SNOW storm, mind you it was April 30 and that seemed a little strange for the Vegas girl! Thursday we drove to Clinton, UT which is North of Salt Lake to visit my awesome friend Glenna and her family. We had a great day just talking and hanging out and letting the kids play. I was bummed that I forgot to get pictures of the day!

I know this is an old picture but that is me and then Glenna in the middle

 

That night after we left Glenna's we met some of Jimmy's cousins at Noodles N Company for a little visit and then we headed back to the hotel.

The next day we met up with my friend Gentry and her two daughters for lunch and then we decided that the safest place to take 5 kids would be back to our hotel since it was still very cold outside.








It was another great afternoon and then that night we met up with another good friend Anna. We had dinner and then went to her house in West Jordan to talk and hang out for a few hours! It was so good to see them, I feel very fortunate to have so many good friends that no matter how long it has been you can pick up where you left off. On Saturday we checked out of our hotel and decided to meet up with my Mom and Lori to walk around Temple Square, it was AMAZING! It was finally starting to warm up and the flowers were in full bloom!

 

On our way out of town we stopped to see my Aunt Annetta who lives in West Jordan. She has not been well and I really wanted to see her and the time we had with her felt precious. I must say that of all the many trips I have made to Utah this is by far was one of the most memorable and fun trips that I have had. The kids did wonderful in the car and other than an incident with the car alarm at 11pm while parked in the hotel parking lot they were angels!

 

Her Pain

The past few days I have been in Utah with my three children and while that adventure is another post on it's own I wanted to spotlight one of my favorite people and her strength and the example she sets for me. She is my daughter, Alexis. She is my oldest and I am often too hard on her and she also tends to be hard on her self. She is 9 years old and I feel blessed to be her Mom and this past week I was given a very strong reminder of just how much. Many of you may know by now that Lexi's best friend was killed in a car accident last June, it has been a difficult road for all of us. Lexi speaks of her lots and in many ways I think that I have overlooked just how deep her pain is in this loss. It has been hard for me to know what to say and when to say it so sometimes I may not have done all I could to comfort her. Well on Wednesday on our way up to Salt Lake we made a stop in Parowan to see where Kenzee and her sister Kaytee were laid to rest. I tried to prepare myself and wasn't sure how Lexi or I would feel in that moment. As I got my self out of the car and was then assisting Grace out also I didn't realize that Lexi and walked over to the grave marker and was kneeling down, as I turned around and saw her I had to catch my breath. The sight of her kneeling down to be closer to Kenzee was almost more than I could bare. We stayed a little while until Lexi was ready to go, even though she didn't say anything I think there was a part of her that would have stayed forever. I am not sure why but I took a picture of this moment and as I was going through my pictures from our trip these just hit me like a ton of bricks. I need to cherish my little girl so that not a day will go by that she will doubt my love for her. She and I have been through a lot, but her strength and understanding of the eternal plan often far exceeds my own. I know that many of my blogs are silly and lighthearted, but I also wanted to share some of our sorrows.



To my Lexi, I love you and I wish I was able to take this pain from you but my sweet girl I am not able to. Thank you for showing me to Love my friends as you do, to forgive better, forget more and love deeply. Kenzee is looking down over you and I am sure she misses you as much as you miss her! You know my children have taught me so many things and one is that unlike that popular saying about life being about the moments that take our breath away, life really is about the moments that are everyday. You know the little things that we might miss if we are waiting for our breath to be taken from us. I resolve to be better at not being so concerned with the dishes and laundry and be more in tune to my kids.