Over the river and through the woods....

... to Grandmothers house we go.....
We leave in four hours.
I only have a one more bag to pack. And a few sleeping bags to wash. We have to sweep and vacume the house and load up the van.
I stayed up until 2 am wrapping presents.... I was surprised how little there was.... But we spent on big ticket items that are little.
The presents are packed safely and taped up for no peeking.

Did I mention I am so excited? Almost like the feeling I get when I am about to go on a roller coaster ride at Disneyland. I am anxious and excited. And I feel like I have to pee.

Christmas is gonna be great this year.
I just can't wait.
My Mom and Dad are in Florida, so we have no one to welcome us when we arrive. but it will be fine. They come home from Florida on Monday night. We have to drive their car to the airport and drop it off and then we go to the In-laws for a Christmas feast. Which just happens to be over by the airport.
My dad took his computer to work, he didn't want anyone breaking in to their house while they are gone and stealing it so I will have no computer until after Christmas. What will I do? I will post pictures as soon as I can.

So I will tell you now.... that I hope you all have a Merry Christmas.

I know I will.

Christmas Craft... thank you Martha Stewart

i was watching Martha Stewart the other day and she was making bath mitts for kids out of towels.

http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.3a0656639de62ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=67c68670de42f010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=bath%20mittens&rsc=header_29

wow i thought, i don't need to make them that fancy.

so i simplified her idea a little, except i added ribbon.

i also made a "bathroom bag" for the boys to put all their personal stuff in when we travel to grandma susi's house. it was 'sew' easy and I added a fuzzy monogram letter for each person (except the girls).

For all 7 bags and 7 mitts for them it cost me $6.

I used some ribbon I had on hand and some old towels. I had to buy the fuzzy letters and the cord used for the tie.

I love it.

Then I had to get something for the boys to put thier Gameboy SP's in. I couldn't buy a case anywhere even if I wanted to. Not even online!!!! (well for what I would have paid for them anyway)

I took the idea and made bags for the Gameboys and GB games they will get from Santa.

All out of an never really used fleece blanket.

I made 7 total. 5 for my family, jeff and the boys, and 2 for my nephews who have/had birthdays this month.

All the gameboy bags cost me $6 too. I had to buy the cord and fuzzy letters.

So for all 14 bags it cost me $12... SAAAWWEET!!!!

I am so excited.

I love having a homemade gift every year.

Elf Name

Your Elf Name Is...

Spicy Tinsel Toes

What's" Your Elf Name?

My baby is 6 months old!!!

I can't believe how time has flown by.
Wasn't she just born?
My sweet baby girl who has the best smile and who was referred to as the "Gerber Baby" today, is just the best thing that has ever happened to me.
Okay, She is the 6th best thing to ever happened to me, after Jeff and the boys of course, but she has just made me so happy.
I feel kinda lonely in these parts, but only in the slightest way.
I am completely happy to stay at home with my baby and my boys and just be here.

Emma at 6 months:

• She has her 2 teeth and she loves to play.
• She doesn't like to be put down or left alone.
• She likes to be entertained constantly.
• She adores her daddy.
• She just loves her big brothers.
• She is starting to sit up.
• She won't roll over.
• She doesn't care for laying on the floor for very long at all. So crawling and getting around the house might just take a while.

She is the brightest spot in our home these days because of our sweet baby girl.
The next 6 months is going to be fun.

This Christmas....

well ... this Christmas will be very different.

this Christmas ... after much conversing with Jeff we decided to not do any Christmas baking.So no cookies for friends and neighbors...unless my oven gets fixed and I have the time... but lets be serious... it will probably not happen.

this Christmas we can't do a Christmas songs CD for friends because... our burner is not working. Snap!

this Christmas my house is not going to get perfectly clean.... i am leaving and will be at my Mom's in Sac. i will have to help her clean it but.... i like her house therefore i don't mind.

this Christmas we paid cash for everything!!!!! whoo hoo!!!

this Christmas i am not making any Christmas cards!!!!! i have made cards for 5 years!!! i just haven't had time.

this Christmas the cards we do send out will have a picture of all of us... even big fat me.....

This Christmas is really gonna be different, but it will still be a good one.

A really good one. We will be together the whole day.

That is if I can get all my shopping done.
EEEK!

OUCH!!!!

Someone, who is very, very cute I might add, and who is very little, has gotten two teeth!
And since she is still breastfeeding..... ouch!
I had to yell at her.
I am sure yelling at her hurt me more than it hurt her.
Oh... she bit me hard. Just thinking about it....(shudders)Oh man!
She is a good baby today and has not bitten me once.
She suffers so much with this teething....Poor baby!

Oh Christmas Tree...

Last year we decide on getting a fake tree. We had limited funds, so we had to get it from Wal-mart. It was a fine tree. That was the Christmas before we got our digital camera, so the pictures are still not developed.
We gave it to the boys this year to have in their room.
I guess I can take a picture of it now.
This year we thought about cutting a tree down.
A friend of mine at church cut hers down at a place in the mountains called Crater Lake.
It only takes a $10 cutting tree permit.
A very Fresh Christmas tree for $10!!!???!!! You bet we hopped on that train.
The plan was to head out the first Saturday of December. For only two reasons, one being it was just right after pay day and we could afford it and it was a tradition in my family for years.

I guess we were'nt in a hurry, because we didn't leave until around 1pm.
Car was loaded with Egg salad sandwiches,a tree cutting permit, a tree saw, 4 boys, a pretty baby girl, two stressed parents and a partridge in a pear tree.
Okay so we really didn't have a pear tree or a partridge, but it seem like five-ever just getting out of the house.
The view up to the lake was so pretty and as we drove we belted out those Christmas carols.
My favorite part of the lake was all the snow.
My least favorite part was that it was FREEZING!!!
We looked for what seemed like hours but really was only about an hour.
We picked out the prettiest tree. The boys all got a turn with the saw, Jeff strapped to to the roof of the van and we had it back home and ready for lights before we new it.
the boys all wanted to help decorate it but.... I being a weirdo, wanted to do it my way.
they have their own tree. in their room, they decorated that one.
It is a beautiful tree and a memory the boys will have forever.
Our $10 tree.

Christmas Past - Photos of me.

These are a few of the Christmas photos I have from growing up.

I am sharing them with a few friends, so i thought I should share it here too.

December 3rd - Christmas Panic Day

So if we actually count we only have 22 days until Christmas day!!!
EEEKK!
Can I get everything ready on time?
My list of stuff to buy is HUGE,
My list of stuff to DO is bigger,
My time to prepare for this event is day by day getting shorter and shorter.
How did I not see this coming?
How did I miss the fact that Christmas was coming?
I mean everywhere I shopped the day after Halloween was already decorated for Christmas!!!!
Online sites and advertisements were being sent to my email!!!!
What Happened?
Oh..... I know, I have 5 kids.
And a husband who worked 64 hours of overtime to pay for Christmas.
What a Guy!!! He is so awesome.
The boys will some day know what their dad sacrificed so they could have Christmas this year. but they will not appreciate it until they are parents and sacrificing them selves for their kids.

That is if they live long enough.....'cause... so help me Santa....they... um.... naughty...arrg......
let's just say I may go insane.
I might just get coal in my stocking.

Thanksgiving Adventure

Wow, that day flew by.
We had an awesome adventure.

So late Wednesday night we were all prepared for our sweet and small Thanksgiving with all the trimmings.Turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, home made rolls, the works.
Whilst I was making my homemade pies, my mom called my cell phone.

My mom practically sings she is so excited,"Hey, dad and I were thinking... why don't you load up the boys and Emma in the van and drive down here for thanksgiving?"
"Um...." of course I was thinking 'heck yeah, I am so there'... then I had to think about Jeff.
My dad in the background says "don't pressure them"
Now if Dad is standing by the phone they must really want us to come.
"Let me ask Jeff and I will call you right back" I said while dancing with excitement.
Jeff was on the house phone.
He had just seen the doctor and with his request, Jeff had to take it easy until Friday. So no work on thanksgiving.
We could go. yay!!!
Back story: Jeff pulled a muscle in his side and couldn't lift a thing. Wimp! tee hee just kidding!

Okay, back to my Thanksgiving Eve dilemma.... what do i do?
I had to wait for Jeff to finish talking with his parents on the phone. Jeff was just telling them that he needed to take it easy and he was just gonna lay around all day anyway, so it was just as well that they couldn't come up to see us on thanksgiving.

AS SOON AS he was done, and 45 minutes later...I asked him.
He said "okay let's go, why not!"

We were packed, loaded and were on the road with in 2o minutes.
We hit Sacramento by 12:30 am
I love doing that and I love that my kids are so easy to do that with too. They just go with the flow. Well, the fact we would be seeing the best Grandma ever did help.

Oooh man, we had the best time in Sacramento.
We had the Turkey and all the trimmings, plus I got to see almost all my family.
It was a nice dinner with my parents, my boys, Emma, Jeff and I and my Grandpa Astle and he wife.Small but nice.
I got a couple of pictures, but ended up leaving my camera there. (I will post the pictures later.)
Some of my siblings came later for moms "best ever made" pies.
We had to leave to come home that night.
It was a sort but wonderful trip.
One the boys and I will remember for a very long time.

So this Thanksgiving I am thankful the most wonderful husband any girl would love to have.
He is so willing to just go with me on all these adventures.
He is the bravest of them all.
And I love him.

Turkey Day is fast approching, are you ready?

Well, I am not ready.
I was so excited, I made plans and bought a lot of food for relatives that would be joining us and then....
they got sick, and/or they couldn't get the time off.
So, now I have all this turkey to cook and only our little family to feed.
But... I must say there are up sides and down sides to both.

Upside -

1. No power cleaning. I don't have to work my brains out cleaning my house and keeping it clean the whole day. I can enjoy the day and eat slow and wait for no one.
2. Caleb gets most of the pumpkin pie. He loves it, it is so cute.
3. Not having to share the leftovers.

Down side -

1. Jeff has to work most of the day.
2. I got my Thanksgiving decorations for nothing.
3. It is kinda lonley. I love my kids and my wonderful and awesome Hubby, but I was hoping to have people over.
4. Nothin' fancy - The boys are picky and they don't care if we have or green bean casserole, celery and cheese or leftovers. They don't care if the plates are fancy or paper.
5. No one to enjoy and oooh and ahh over my fabulous Lemon pie.
6. No one to really giggle over the Thanksgiving outfit i got for Emma to wear.

Okay, okay... so there are more downsides then up.

Oh well, maybe next year, right?

I must be off to get more food, or do we really need mashed potatoes?

Thank heaven for little girls!

My sweet baby girl Emma, is Five months old today.
I can't believe I have had her for that long already.
time does go fast, when you are in heaven.

Okay, so you know me well enough to know, it really hasn't been heaven all the time.

She has been fussy with teething and colic lately.
But the great times are heavenly.

• she thinks her brothers are very funny and just laughs at them.
• she enjoys the very end of her bath by discovering her feet feel good floating in the water.
• she loves to kick her feet when she gets a fresh diaper.
• she likes to put her feet on anything she can.
• she loves her bed.
• she really likes to watch mom eat her dinner with one hand.
• she loves Daddy.
• she loves to play with her toys.
• she still loves the car.
• she was the cutest little purple and black witch for Halloween, even if she didn't go trick or treating.
• she is cuter to Mom in pink.
• she is cuter to Daddy in purple.
• she wears a 9 month size in clothes.
• she has really wild hair that just makes you laugh.
• she still has pretty blue eyes.

I just have to thank heaven for little girls.
and i have to thank my Heavenly Father for mine.

Inspired

This weekend started my online swap group monthly

"Online-crop".

Some one in our group will host and give us challenges and we have to take pictures of our lay outs and share them with each other and then there is a drawing for prizes. (A personal favorite of mine.)

It is something I look forward to every month.

It is the one time I really get inspired to scrapbook and actually sit down to do it.

I love to do every challenge offered.

Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn't.

And since I have Emma, the chances to sit for hours and scrapbook are low, very low.

But it do try. I stay up really late just to play.

Not all of the challenges I love, and there is one this month, I said "huh? I have to do what?"

This is the challenge:

"Make a Christmas gift. Alter a paint can, a clipboard, some cards whatever.."

I took it on with another challenge. If we finished 4 challenges by Sunday night, the one mentioned included, than we would be entered into another challenge.

ANOTHER CHALLENGE...I loooooovvve a challenge!!!

So this picture above is my : "Make a Christmas gift. Alter a paint can, a clipboard, some cards whatever.." challenge.

I decided on a Mini Christmas book for my boys. It is for all of our favorite Santa moments. For this year. It will mini Lay outs of the time when we see Santa and sit on his lap, making lists for Santa, getting stuff on the lists from Santa.... that sort of thing.

I wasn't really sure how it would turn out. But i am glad I did it.

I really like it and now I want to do it for every year.

So a big Thanks to my online friends for the inspiration.

so it isn't thursday, right?

okay so all day yesterday i thought it was wednesday.
i blame teething baby emma and lack of sleep.
jeffs new schedule has a part to do with it too.
will this ever end?
i don't remember teething to be this bad with my other boys.

Okay, I am a bad mom.
homework is stupid and cleaning the house is stupid.
and I am way too tired right now.
pray for me, that I get som sleep soon.

i am ....lavender

This was fun. I found this on my BFF Amy's Blog. I thought i give it ago. Now I know why we are best friends Amy. I am a Lavender too.

you are lavender #E6E6FA

Your dominant hue is blue, making you a good friend who people love and trust. You're good in social situations and want to fit in. Just be careful not to compromise who you are to make them happy. Your saturation level is very low - you have better things to do than jump headfirst into every little project. You make sure your actions are going to really accomplish something before you start because you hate wasting energy making everyone else think you're working. Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

You should try it too. I have never been one to love purple. I like lavender, but it never is my first choice. I think you can tell what color I like.

our happy halloween

we had a great time at my moms for halloween.

jeff was at the sacramento zoo making money dressed up as hagrid for 3 hours but we still had fun. he took my costume with him by accident, so i didn't get to dress up as a witch with the rest of the girls, but it was still fun.

we always have old friends stop by and visit with their kids. halloween is always fun.

enjoy the pictures!

Halloween house

now inside my moms house

I come from a very interesting family

Halloween is HUGE at my parents house.
Take a look!
here are a few pictures from the outside.

Hello From Sacamento

Oh It has been a whirlwind of events.
Monday night the power went out in Susanville, and I was in the middle of packing.
I just didn't have time to post that my sister had her baby.
All is well, she had to have emergency C-section because the baby's cord was wrapped around his arm. Silly boy.
Levi Tazdon was born on October 29.
He weighed 8lbs 13 oz. 21 inches long.
He is perfect and a complete clone of his daddy.
I will post pictures a soon as I get home.

I got to go to see the baby at the Hospital on halloween and I couldn't figure out why people were staring at me and my mom. Until someone said "Happy Halloween".... MY MOM WAS DRESSED AS A WITCH!!!

She had gone straight from work to the hospital.

Halloween was fun but crazy.
I will post the pictures to explain why my mom had 895 trick-or-treaters.

Seeing my brother and his family was my favorite part. I haven't seen him since Easter.
The kids are so cute. I wish the visit was a little longer.

well i must go back to my vaction.

today is a good day!!!

today has been really nice... so far.
But I have just enjoyed the day.
Jeff and the boys went to church and I got that time alone. With Emma being so cranky and me only having 5 minutes to get ready for church, I opted on staying home.
Emma took a very long nap and I just loved being able to enjoy silence.
And I got to watch a cheesy Hallmark Movie on the Hallmark channel. Can I just say cheesier than a toasted cheese sandwich!
I recorded one of my favorite movies and plan to watch later as I pack for Sacramento called "Sense and Sensibility" with Emma Thomson
I recorded a movie I loved watched when I was 11 years old and have watched over and over again since...
"The Pirate Movie" with Kristie McNicol
My boys are quietly enjoying it now.
Jeff found out he can have another night off this week so we get to stay longer in Sacramento.
WHEW AHEWWW!!!
All the boys finally figured out what to be for Halloween, I just hope I can get it all together.

Now I get to go make dinner, yay!
Okay so I am not thrilled about that one, but the boys are being so good, I just can't help but be happy.
I hope tomorrow goes just as smooth.

So my Birthday Sucked!

It so went downhill from where I posted before.
It is would take too long to tell all of it.
but i will try to sum it up.

• I didn't get to sleep in, Jeff tried , but it just didn't work out.
• Emma was VERY cranky, teething I think.
• Sore mouth from a dentist appointment the day before.
• Boys fighting and just being brain dead. Idiots!
• My birthday Pie. I wanted pumpkin pie this year instead of cake. and the boys ruined it (when they were bringing groceries in from the car.) I got candles and a song and then I dropped the piece of pie on myself, with whipped cream.
• A new washing machine as my present. Yay!
• A really messy house that I had to clean up over and over again ... I usually get the day off.
• Did I mention Emma crying most of the day?
• It was really late when my siblings remembered to call... they usually don't wait that long. I felt forgotten.
• Up until 2am with Emma and kids.

It just wasn't what I had hoped for and planned on.

And I just felt forgotten... well almost.

My online friends remembered and my family did eventually remember.

Jeff tried really hard to make it nice.

He is the best.

Next year I don't want a birthday.... Okay i do, but I want it to be ... nice..er!

SNAP!!! I didn't even get scrapbook stuff for my birthday.

It's my birthday!

It has been good so far.

If you don't count:

• The boys too loud for me to sleep in.
• The dog ball in my favorite, only get once a year on my birthday, orange/pineapple juice.
• Dad getting too mad to take the boys out of the house for hours.
• Emma being so cranky I have to hold her all day.

I am enjoying the royal treatment from Jeff.

He is the best guy ever.

He really tries hard to make my favorite day of the year better than the last.

Thank you Jeff.

Okay so tomorrow is...

my birthday.
Weird. 34 years old. That happened faster than it feels like.
I guess I am young at heart. (Not that I am old.)
I love my birthday, but it isn't going to be the same as before.
My birthday in Sacramento consisted of me getting breakfast in bed, Jeff would have the day off, and then I would do nothing all morning but take a long bath and take my time getting ready for lunch with my mom.
I wouldn't even have to change a dirty diaper or lift a finger to clean anything.
My Mom would pick me up or I would meet her somewhere and we would shop and go to lunch and sometimes see a movie. Then it is back home for Jeff to take me out to dinner and maybe another movie.
Some years in the past have been less than that because of funds, but it would most likely be just as nice.
Then the following Sunday mom would make my favorite dinner... just for me.
I was spoiled I know... this year is just different.
I do get the royal treatment from Jeff. I get dinner cooked by him and the night off.
This is gonna be great.
I will almost feel like the Queen of birthdays.
The best part of my birthday.... I get to go to Sacramento!!!!!
Some families go home for Thanksgiving and Christmas , but we go home for Halloween.
It is a big deal.
Lots of things are happening in October.

• Birthdays out the wahhzoo.
• Sister Sarah is due to have a baby boy...any minute now
• Brother Shane and his wife Jami and their kids are coming to Sacramento to visit from Florida.
• We get to go to Sacramento for Halloween to trick or treat like we did before. My mom is expecting 1000 trick-or-treaters. (yes, you read that right) Last year was 900 or so, and they added more whoopla in their front lawn. I can't wait to see.
• And we get to see Shane and Jami and the kids.

I am sooo excited.

I am such a lucky girl.

What? Huh? 61 days until CHRISTMAS!???!

I am so not ready for this.
I need money.
I need lists.
I need good little boys who deserve presents.
I need a nap.
I need to think about this tomorrow.

I feel old.

Maybe this is too much information. But I have to tell someone.
I am coming up close on my 34 birthday.
I am not afraid to say it.
I am proud of my age.
Well... until I think about my boys and growing up.
This, what I am about to tell you, is sooo something they don't tell you when you and your husband lovingly look into each others eyes and decide to have a baby.
They don't tell you that they will grow up and do things.
And why don't they tell you?
I know why, because you won't believe them anyway... I am pretty sure my Dad warned me.
So.....
My 2 oldest sons found a Medical book and with the giggling of sweet innocence, found out what girls and boys will look like in a few years.
With no clothes on.
What do you do? What do you say?
I tried to keep a straight face and all I could say was, "Oh yeah, I knew about that." (because they really don't think I already know this stuff. I am just a Mom after all)
"That will happen to you." I said. "But the boys stuff not the girl stuff" still trying not to laugh and run to Jeff who was asleep.
They laughed and said "Really?" They looked at each other and laughed.
I said "Yep" still trying not to laugh and cry.
They both said "Cool" and "sweet"
I I think I am going to hide the book.
Okay maybe I won't hide it, but I will make sure it stays on the book shelf.
I am not ready for this.

Weekend Woes

Friday was fun.
Matthew had a meeting with his teachers, or Jeff and I did. He is doing well, not great, but we are trying some new vitamins and some new strategies, so maybe that will help.
On our way out of the school, Sam and Nathan (who still has the chicken pox) decide to run to the play ground. Jeff and I take Emma to the car and I went to get them. I figured a few minutes on the play ground aren't bad. Nathan got grounded for not listening and then I had to chase Sam. I pulled a muscle in my back earlier that day so I didn't want to chase Sam. I went to get Jeff, and left Sam at the basketball hoops.
30 seconds, seriously.
Sam wasn't there when Jeff got there. While I was going to the car, Sam went the other way around the office instead of in front and then into the parking lot where he was almost hit by a car.
yes. "WOE"
We had no idea this was happening. I was taking care of Emma and waiting for Jeff to come back to the car.
Five minutes later.
I re-parked the van and listened to my gut, grabbed Emma and went into the office.
There he was.
"Woe"
Guilt, guilt, guilt.
Jeff surprised me and didn't yell at him. Sam did look very scared and upset. I guess that was good enough for now.
He got a good long time-out when we got home.
I went scrapbooking, with out baby.
Nice.
But nothing I wanted to happen this weekend happened, except for one thing.
Jeff mopped my floor.
I am not sure how it happened. I was cleaning the boys bathroom (yes it took that long) and I came out and it was done.
I mentioned I wanted to get to it.
And mind you, mopping the floors on the weekend is just pointless.
The boys have to play outside or the fighting begins.
And since it is fall...wet fall day+4 boys = mud.
Which means I get a muddy dirty floor. No matter how many times I clean it.
SO I give up on the weekends unless we are having someone over for dinner. (which frankly never happens, I mean, who would want to come over here? I don't want to be here most of the time.)
But we were in fact having the missionaries over for dinner.
Or so we thought.
I talked to the Elders the Sunday before and we picked a time for dinner, they didn't write it down so I guess they forgot.
I am sooo not complaining.
I made a nice dinner and the house got really clean. (Not that you can tell right now)
It's all good.
Sunday brought a crazy getting ready for church morning and ended with a very fussy young lady. Miss Emma is teething and not happy at all.
Poor baby.
Church was good. I didn't get to hear much of it. I was with Emma in the hall way. but I did get to listen and peek in on the practice of Primary Presentation. The kids are so cute.
My poor boys don't know much of the songs. We have missed so many Sundays since Emma. I just can't do all 5 by myself. and if Jeff is forced to work overtime... well I am on my own.
We have also had a very busy summer..... okay no more excuses.
We missed a lot... I am gonna try harder to do it alone.
If I sum up all the woes of my weekend...

1. Pulled muscle
2. School Meeting
3. The chase of Sam
4. Emma teething
5. Parental guilt...

"woe' I hope that doesn't happen next weekend...
It is my birthday next weekend.

Absent-minded Mommy...?

Yes, that would be me.
I am amaze myself everyday
And Today I actually got the kids off to school with out help from Jeff. (he has the mornings off but worked a double shift yesterday and was totally out.)
Today was awesome...
We stuck to the schedule... sorta...

• 3pm - Goofing off or TV time.
• 4pm - Chores (we turn the music on, it really helps).
• 5 pm -Homework (mom starts dinner).
• 6 pm - We eat.
• By 7pm - The boys can goof off again or watch TV, (if their room is clean).
• 8pm - PJ's and book reading.
• 9pm - Boys go to bed.
• 9:15pm - Jeff leaves for work, family prayer.
• 9:30 - Mom yells at boys to be quiet.
• 10pm - Mom yells again at the boys to be quiet
• 10:15 - Mom yells at the boys to be quiet and go to sleep.
• 11:00pm - Mom gets peace and quiet for the first time in 24 hours.

Okay, truth be told, we didn't get to the prayer thing or reading book time, because we did hair cuts and showers and Emma was screaming. But we did stick to the rest of it. And I hardly got off track or caved in to a whinny child and gave him his video game.
And I yelled at the boys to be quiet and go to sleep every 5 minutes for almost an hour tonight.
Emma must have a tummy ache, because she is very fussy and didn't go to sleep for the night until midnight.
I forgot I was gonna make up a schedule on the computer and put it up all over the house.
So everyone knows and Mom doesn't have to remember everything.
And I was gonna make a chore chart so everyone knows what to do for the chores.
But I keep changing the chores. Sometimes, I forget what I had planned... well
I am remembering a lot more things lately.
More than usual.
I hope it is the Omega 3 fish oil vitamins kicking in.
My mom said it takes a month to really show any affect.
I guess we will find out... that is unless I forget to take my vitamins.

I have been playing!!!!!!

Here is the fun I have been having!!!!

I hope you like them.

The first one is my top secret, but finished too late to enter, Becky Higgins Sketch, for a Creating Keepsake magazine submission I posted about earlier.

here is the link to the sketch: http://www.creatingkeepsakes.com/mag/your_work/submit_idea.ihtml?index_field=21

I dare you to try one.

The other one was for my awesome online swap group.

We had an online crop and theses were some of the challenges we were given.

Totally fun!

She's Four Months old!!!!

Emma just turned four months old.
She is so cute.

• She loves it when mama or anyone else sings to her.
• She is starting to take 2 hour naps. YAY for MOM!!
• She thinks her brothers are amazing to watch and she is content to sit on mama's lap and watch them be goofy and wild.
• She is grabbing for toys and trying to eat them. She gets so frustrated it only lasts for 5 minutes, then she is done.
• She REALLY likes mama when she is fussy and no one else will do.
• She hates shopping. She doesn't like to be stuck in the car seat while Mama walks around.
• She loves to talk to Mama, but only if she is on the mood.
• She screams like a spoiled princess. Which she is.
• Everyone is amazed at her beauty.... now if I take it the wrong way I would have to say... "You're amazed? What does that mean about Jeff and I? Does that mean we are ugly?" Jeff is not ugly..me on the other hand, have had better days. (Plus I am too tired to care if I look good or not. I just make sure my clothes are clean before I leave the house.) But she IS very pretty and she smiles when you call her a pretty girl. She knows it.
• She is the princess of this house hold and everyone, runs to her every need. I think she has figured that out.

But we can't help it... she is too dang cute.

Tooo Flamin' tired!

I have been workign my tail off( you know, you'd think my butt would be smaller, it isn't) help with out "back to School" Relief Society Enrichment Super Saturday... thing.
It was fun. We had a good turn out.
And I got to use my skills.
yep, I got skills.
I got to decorate tables and help be creative with the "back to school" theme.
I used a ton of pencils and hot glued them to tin can that was left over from dinner. ( I washed it out before use)
I put flowers in it and wrapped it with some red, blue, and yellow ribbon.
I will get a good picture of one and post it.
I am so pooped I need to get off the computer, before Ispell anything else wrong.

I really *heart* to scrapbook

I joined a scrapbooking swap group a few years ago and I have met some of the greatest people ever, through this group.

And we have never met in person!!!!(most of us anyway)

This week I had to make a swap item for a Halloween page, I picked title.

So now I have to make 11 titles.

I made them and here is what I made.

I love it.

I hope they do too.

3 Words

Okay 3 words will describe my day yesterday.
root canal
chicken pox
car in shop
Okay so it was more than 3 words. but those 3 things happened to me yesterday.
I am enjoying my time with my husband watching our Favorite TV show "Heros" when the dentist called to ask if I was on my way.
*eek* I totally forgot. I did. Who wants to remember a root canal?
In the middle of this root canal, Jeff calls my cell which I had in my pocket... just in case...and tells me that the school called home and Nathan has Chicken pox. I need to come home and we need to get him.
Ummm.... middle of root canal.... roots exposed.....mouth wide open and very numb....
*eek*
Jeff had to call the school and explain where I was and why he didn't have an infant seat for baby.
I had it... in the van... at the dentist.
So... rush, rush finish the rest of the root canal and practically run over anyone in the way out of the dentist office and over to get him, sign him out and get him home.
I called my Mom, (she is the most brilliant, the wisest and the smartest person I know) and she gives me the low down on what to do and all the 411 on having the chicken pox.
Long day and it was only noon.
the rest of the day was fine until our car had to be taken in for a few things. We thought for surely we could go get more milk after we got the car back.
NOPE!
It was still there when the shop closed at 5pm.
If the boys had not made them selves so much chocolate milk we would have had plenty of milk for breakfast.
Jeff had to take his barely running 4-runner out for milk. Poor thing.
With my mouth un-numbing by the hour... I did not feel like making dinner.
So left over chicken stew and chicken patty sandwiches. Yum!
That was my day.
Now, as I read back, yesterday doesn't seem so bad, and it is wasn't.
It sure felt like it at the time.
Did I mention Emma is cranky and i didn't get to clean anything either?
I will survive.
I will quote Scarlett O'Hara from the movie Gone with the Wind,
" After all...tomorrow is another day"

I *heart* scrapbooking!

OMGoodness today was a great day.
I hurried up and got all my "chores" done and while Emma slept I got to play.
I chatted on the phone with my BFF Amy.
And while I chatted, I scrapbooked.
I haven't really scrapbooked in a while.
Not anything I was really proud of and completely enjoyed.
It just felt good to use the creative part of myself.
I wish I could show you.
But I had to get up and down and assist children and their stuff and clean upI didn't ge to finish my LO.
And even if I was finished, I couldn't.
I have to keep it to my self.
It is top secret.
I am submitting this page to a scrapbook magazine.
I haven't done that in a while.
Wish me luck.
......this message will self-destruct in....5...4...3..2...1.......................................



Okay, so not really, but I have always wanted to say that.

Dirty

Okay, after you get your minds out of the gutter...
Tee hee... I'm just kidding.
My life is dirty.
The boys are dirty and the floors are dirty and the walls are dirty, and their room is dirty.
I feel like everything in this house is dirty.
Believe it or not... I do clean.
And I clean, and I clean... I never stop cleaning, (except to blog of course) and I clean.
It feels like I am never going to get caught up.
Some people may think I don't clean, they may think I sit around and sit at my computer and chat all day.
Well, I don't.
I stay up most nights cleaning and when I have had it with everything I sit at my blog and type what is on my mind.
Alright, vent over.
Back to the dirt.
Will it ever end?
I know it won't, but I asked anyway.
Will I ever feel like I can keep it up again?
Maybe when Emma is older and takes longer naps during the day.
Emma is very demanding and that keeps me up late at night.
She isn't the one up screaming.
No while she sleeps, I clean.
No one but me knows the truth.
My house is clean when no one is awake.
Just call me the....cleaning fairy.

A Gun in my bed!

Okay it is late.
And I was up doing what I love best... scrapbooking.
It is the only time of the day I get to work on it.
I decided I was done for the night and went to check on the baby. She was sleeping so sweetly.
I got my cup of water for by the bed, arranged the pillows. I shook all the cereal crumbs out of the bed and then I lifted the covers open and .....
There it was small and ORANGE and ready with dart loaded for those moments in case a bad guy should appear.
I will stick it under my pillow tonight.
Just in case.

My Poor Baby

Emma got her first set of immunization shots yesterday.
She was so good. She only cried for a 25 seconds. She slept for along time yesterday but today she is a little cranky.
I have a million and one things to do, but I feel so bad for her.
It has been nice with not much to do and no where to go.
It has been a good day of Mommy and me and Daddy and me time with just Emma.
She is just so cute. Even with her cranky face on.

Misson Accomplished... sorta

The good news...
Well, I conquered the mountain with the help from my boys.
Each one had a certain color they were suppose to find out of the pile. I have to get creative or I am all on my own.
They did great.
I stopped actually "folding" the laundry, because what is the point, after I give them the task of taking and putting the laundry in their own drawer it never ever makes it there nicely folded.
In the right drawer is a huge accomplishment all in it's self, but that usually doesn't happen unless I physically do it myself.
I still haven't checked if it made it, but for now it is off the couch and I am happy.
The Bad news...
Our free washing machine we got when we moved into this house broke down. It broke down the day before we had our inspection.
No washer. EEEKK!
I had to have Jeff go to the laundry mat....

Side story: this is how smart I am.
I wondered why it took such a short time at the laundry mat. Jeff was back with in a half hour!
I was thinking, "Oh no! he forgot something".
He brings in the wet laundry..."we still have a dryer Kate!"
Uh Duh...see idiot.

....but at $1.75 to wash a load, we needed a plan.
We were hoping to get it fixed, or buy a used one.
Well everyone else had the same plan and there weren't any used ones. And to fix it ...well, might as well buy a new one.
So we just bought a new one at the little tiny Sears we have in this little tiny town.
Gulp! Happy Birthday to me!
but now I can wash twice as much laundry and half the time.
The ugly news....
I have more laundry to put away.
Stay tuned for another episode of Katie Conquers the Mountain.

WHY!!???

I post again tonight, because I have to relieve some frustration right now.

WHY? (I sob and laugh at the same time while shaking my head)

WHY do they pee in their rooms?
Honestly, the bathroom is 20 steps away and no one is using it?
WHY couldn't I have used a straight face when talking to them and punishing them about peeing in their room?
WHY do they wrestle and want to hurt each other, cry about and then do it again?
WHY is it that I can yell and punish them and they do it again?
WHY, WHY, WHY are boys so gross?
and WHY do I have 4 of them?
AM I being punished?
Is this karma? (i don't really believe in it)
Okay...vent done... I feel better.
I will resume to my mission, if I can even get started.
Emma go to sleep!!!!!

Woman on a mission

Okay, I have something I have been avoiding for days.
I keep saying I am gonna get to it and I just don't wanna.

I HAVE TO FOLD THE MOUNTAIN!!!!!

I call it Mt. Bigney.
It is the huge laundry pile we all live out of, because I HATE TO FOLD THE LAUNDRY.
I would rather clean a BOYS toilet then fold laundry.
This mountain of laundry is clean and off the floor.
Yes, it is on the couch and chair.
Where does every one sit?
Well, we don't have much company...(I think they are afraid of the hooligans that keep following me home)
And as for the Hooligans, they can sit on the floor. (they are probably dirty anyway.)
I have a nice comfy recliner I sit in with the baby when I have to feed or rock her. Which unless I am feeding or rocking her I don't get to sit in it at all. (too much to do I guess)
I sometimes share the recliner with Jeff, but he usually just moves the mountain over to the side a little and sits on the couch. (he is so strong, he can move mountains, he's a dream boat!)

Why am I sharing this with you, you ask?
Well, I am now on a mission to conquer the mountain and put it all away.
If I say it out loud and let the public know that I need to get this done, the world (tee hee) will wonder if I fulfilled my mission.
I Katie Bigney will concur this mountain tonight.
I will have it folded and hung up and all put away by morning.
(say a few prayers for me, that Emma and the boys will go to bed a decent hour)
If you don't hear from me in a few days, send a search party!!!!

A mop in the TREE

Well, I must go back to explain why I have a mop in the tree and how I found out about it.
A few days ago, I had the mop.
The next day I didn't.
I had to mop my floors last night.
Because the property manager, with whom we rent the house from, wanted to have the annual walk through.
No big deal, they just want to make sure we aren't completely gross (much to every ones disbelief, we ARE clean and ARE NOT disgusting.) and they want to get a list of stuff that needs to be repaired. (which is VERY small, I swear)
I went to the laundry room where I had to look around a huge pile of dirty clothes, (only because my washing machine broke early that day) to find my mop.
Not there?
I looked out side on the back porch, just in case Jeff put it there to dry, nope , not there either?
I looked in the garage.
I even looked in the boys room... you never know around here.
I gave up after a while when I had reached the point I wanted to swear.
Instead I used wet rags (which now I have to wash with no washing machine) and sprayed the floor and used my foot to scrub. This method has worked well in the past.
I almost finished the whole house.
And because of the missing mop and the time I wasted looking for it I never got to the 3 loads of clean dry laundry that was on the couch that needed to be folded and put away.
Other than that, I successfully finished everything.
At 3am, when I had snuggled under the covers, I still wondered after my mop.

I think you all can figure out now where it had gone.

After very few hours of sleep, I helped get the boys off to school, realized there was not a slice of bread to make a sandwich with in the house, off to the store I went.
Back with doughnuts, (never shop when you are hungry) and bags of food.
I asked after the mop.
I asked Jeff because it never occurred to me that my boys would take the mop. (duh... idiot, I know) You see they hate cleaning. And mops are not like brooms (check old posts below), they aren't as effective for weapon use.
"I have no idea" he replied wondering to himself.
We talked about possible places it could be.
Out of the corner of my eye I see the boys chatting quietly.
Caleb is so sweet when he says, with his toothy grin, "Um... Mom... I think the broom is in the back yard..... in a tree."
"What?"
I don't even ask why.
I don't really want to know the truth.
I am just glad I can mop again like regular people. And I don't have to spend more money for a new one.
Jeff chimes in... " what? why is it in the back yard?" Men... why do they ask?
"Um.... I don't know" Matthew says.
Total lie.
"but it is wet and muddy" he says matter of factly.
Jeff and I just look at each other, we both sigh and go about what we were doing before.
I guess I need to buy a new mop anyway now.
So, if you ever lose your mop, you might want to look up a tree.

I cleaned Emma's room yesterday.

It was so much fun.

Now I am usually not one for cleaning, I wish to some day have a maid. (but for now I will take the boys doing their chores!)

There is so much pink in that room.

I like to just walk in there and look around.