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.