We made it...

...through another Sunday.
Whew!
The house is really quiet except for the dryer turning and the keyboard tip-patty tapping.
No one was horrible at church today.
And I count any Sunday where they don't have to come and get me because one of the boys were misbehaving, a good Sunday.
Not that they did before. I mean when Sam was little they had to, but the boys can be pretty good. Okay, Okay.... Sam can be a challenge, but they never have to get me.
Jeff is out of town for work and I am alone again tonight.
I am really tired. But I just can't make myself go to bed. I love the quiet.
I think I will blog lurk a little and think about what we will do tomorrow with no dad and no school.
And then I will read my scriptures (I am at 2 Nephi 17) and head off to bed.
I hope tomorrow is better.

Oh no...It's Sunday again.

And now it is time for church again.
I dread Sunday's.
And it is all because I have to go to church alone.
Because of Jeff's job, he has to work on Sunday's. I have to drag all the goobers in my family to church.
I spend most of my Saturday getting ready for Sunday.
I make sure all their clothes are washed, and ready for Sunday.
I shop to make sure I have all that I need for Sunday.
I clean my house (yes I do) so I don't have to spend my Sunday cleaning. I mean I clean a little on Sunday's, but not too bad.
And the boys just can't behave like I want them to at church. They are getting better.
But they are no saints. (Tee hee, I almost laughed out loud on that one.) But the house is nice and quiet.
Ho hum...I just wish Jeff could go with me.
Someday we will get lucky and he will get to bid on a shift where he will get Sunday's off.
then we can dread Sunday's together.

New find...thanks to Danielle!

My good friend Danielle posted on her blog about a new blog she found. It has the coolest vinyl stuff for your walls. I have seen quotes ond scriptures in vinyl on the walls, and I am liking it more and more.
Check out this site. called "studio jk vinyl" and it is having a give away.
This is what they are giving away.

Danielle has more ideas posted on her blog with the vinyl stuff on the walls.

I can't wait to look some more on this site.
I am so excited. I have all this ideas now.

First comes love...

On the first day of school, after I asked Sammy how his day was, he said "great", he said something I wasn't ready for.
"Guess what...I have a Girlfriend!!!"
"Really" I said.
"yep" he said
"what's her name?"
"I dunno" he says as he bounces down the street to the van.
'Oh, Okay, What does she look like?"
"she has hair like yours." he says to me as he jumps in the van.
"Oh okay", I tried really hard not to laugh.

I forgot all about it when he told me today.
"My girlfriend pinches me hard, mom."
I told him , "if she pinches you she must like you a lot".
"ahh Mom, stop it" he looks away with the most disgusted look on his face.
Don't even talk about kissing with him.
He really hates that idea.
Isn't love grand?

What kind of Princess are you?

You Are Snow White!

Pure and trusting. You are a gentle soul who can get along with just about anyone. Everyone you meet instantly falls in love with you. How can they resist? You have a pure, lovable nature that's irresistable. Just don't trust everyone who comes across your path.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

Okay, I did it.

I just added a little thing off to the side on my blog.
Nothing major, but it is a picture of my family that I adore.
The picture of me is terrible.
I hate it.
That picture is not what I see when I look in the mirror.
But I think because it is my family and I am in it, I should show it proudly.
I do adore my boys and my sweet girl.
I am in forever love with my husband. He is so awesome.
I may not be perfect and beautiful (to me), but I do love looking at those guys.
They are so cute.

Please pass the Zzzzzz's

I am so flamin' tired.
I hear Jeff breathing hard as he sleeps and I just want to smother him with a pillow.
I won't. He is too cute, but I would like to kick him.
But i won't, well I can't, he is on the couch and I am at the 'puter.
Emma is teething.
She is getting some 1 year molars and is gonna make me go crazy.
I am having some tooth pain myself and took something for it.
But it keeps me up. So really I am screwed either way.
Drugs or no drugs... I am not sleeping tonight.
On top of it all. Emma always knows when I am just about to drift off. She screams and scares the crap out of me and then I am up until I can relax.
I have mentioned before that I am A.D.D.
Well, it can take me up to an hour for my mind to stop going enough to fall asleep. Once I am really awake, it takes me an hour to drift off again.
I wonder if that is why I am so forgetful.
No, really, I don't think I have had a really good night's sleep ......... ever.
What was I talking about....?
Oh yeah, sleep.
I need some sleep.
So pass over some Zzzzz's please.

First day of school 2008

I was so nervous last night, I had a hard time falling asleep.
And you would think watching Lord of the Rings 3 with Jeff would bore me to sleep. Nope.
I joke, I do like that movie. I mean, have you seen Orlando Bloom or Viggo Mortensen .... HELLO HOTTIES!
(Sorry, blog post detour)


Back to school.
I was really worried about Matthew going into the 7th grade. This morning he was having a hard time. He didn't want to go. He was a little nervous. And he was worried about his hair.

And I was also worried about Sammy.
He never did pre-school. And he was kinda...okay alot... spoiled. and I was worried about him listening to the teacher. And he will be away from me all day.
Kindergarten here, is all day. 6 hours away from me.
He was doing fine this morning intil he realized I wasn't gonna stay, "Mom, are you gonna stay with me?"
I told him no. He didn't say anything but..."Oh." But with the biggest sad face ever. How do I leave that?
But thankfully I had to get the other boys to school...to the other school. What a pain.
I had to leave him.
Caleb and Nathan were not super excited to go back to school, but glad to do something else.

Here are a few pictures:

I hope the day went good for all of them. I know I joke about how happy I am that they are at school, but I missed them today. I keep looking at the clock to see if it is time to go and get them. I can't wait for them to get home.

The most wonderful time of the year!

Tonight is the night before school starts.

I am soooooooo excited.

We have a few traditions before schools starts, going back to when I was a kid.
You always got a new outfit.
The boys will be handsomely strutting around in their new clothes tomorrow. Right down to their new shoes.
We were suppose to give them all hair cuts, but the hair clippers broke and only worked on Matthew. Poor guy, he only wanted a little off the top and sides. He got a lot off the top and a lot off the sides.
We were suppose to do "father's blessings" but after the clippers stopped working , someone was in a bad mood and decided to do it tomorrow. Cool, we can call it Family Home Evening.
We did do the "night before school doughnuts."


We are suppose to get fresh ones from the bakery, but it is Sunday, so I planned ahead and got some yummy packaged one from the store.



I know the back to school nostalgia will be gone with in a week and they will be begging me to stay home, but they are really excited.
I worry about Matthew going to junior high. Eeek! He can be so scatter-brained sometimes.
I worry about the boys, especially Sammy coming home on the bus. He will be with Caleb and I will be there waiting for them, but I am still nervous.
Sammy will start kindergarten and...um.... I am not ready.

I think Emma senses a change. She is very cranky. Or maybe she knows that her one year check up is tomorrow!

The best day of the year is an early one, so off to bed I go....
I am almost too excited to sleep!

I am addicted....

I am almost 35 years old and I have never read the Book of Mormon all the way through.
I have barely read it at all.
I know, I know, I am terrible. shame on me... I am a bad Mormon.
It doesn't change my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel.
I know it is true.
It just wasn't a thing we did as a family growing up.
So it was never a thing I ever did....ever.
My parents got the Book of Mormon on CD to listen to in the car.
Brilliant idea.
I thought it would be good for our family to listen to it too. In the car, getting ready for school, or church, and even while cleaning up around the house.
I was hoping that we could read along as a family with the kids.
Well, they boys are too loud to hear it when it is on. And when I yell at them to be quiet, it sorta kills the mood and spirit.
So just to get into the habit, and to read the whole thing all the way through, before my birthday in October, I have been reading along, all alone at night.
The whole house is quiet and it is just me and the scriptures.
I have had a reading disability since forever. I could read and read and not really comprehend what I was reading.
I am thinking that is why my last thousand attempts and reading the Book of Mormon have failed.
But as I read along, I feel it, and I want more.
I don't ever want to stop. I am addicted.
So far in the last week, I have made it farther than I have ever read before. I am on 2 Nephi :4.
If you haven't read it, I highly recommend it.
If you have read it..... isn't it amazing.
If you would like to read it.
Leave me an address in the comments and I will mail you a copy for free.

Or go just here and check it out.

Wholy Moley....

I can't believe it has been a whole week.
I am again at the end of my rope with these boys.
No punishment is severe enough.
And I am about to strangle one of them.
Emma has figured out how much fun the backyard is so she screams every time you open the backyard and do not take her with you.
She also feels the same way about the front yard.

So tomorrow is church again.
I am (as I let out a long sigh) getting the boys ready.
Right now they are manics, running around like I gave them all a pound of sugar.
I did by doughnuts for fun. Just to be a nice Mommy. but they pushed me to a migraine and I am not letting them have them until after church.
Jeff is working overtime again.
My head is pounding. I still have a freakin' load and a half of dishes to do and to fold laundry and throw all their church clothes back into the dryer and hang them up right away. I don't want to stay up late ironing four white shirts and four pairs of slacks.
I still have to print out 40 copies of the Relief Society hand outs, get Emma to bed, put away some more laundry and then read my scriptures.

Oh well, I hope I get it all done.

I am so freakin excited.

All of my family lives in Sacramento California.
Except for us and my brother and his wife, and their 3 adorable kids.
So, today my Mom calls and says that she only has a minute and but she has to tell me something very important.
So I am freakin out!!!!!
than she says that My brother and his awesome wife and adorable kids ......
ARE MOVING BACK TO SACRAMENTO!!!!!!!!!!

I started crying and screaming and Jeff is thinking some one died or something terrible has happened.
I can't believe it.
I can't wait. I only got to see him and his family like once a year.
Now when ever we go home they will be there. YAY!!!!
We are still hoping to transfer home to Sacramento.
But that will have to wait.

Did I mention how excited I am?
yay!!!!

Well, fine.

A new friend, ( i hope it's okay that I call her that) chastised me on my point of view and maybe they were right. I was a little harsh on myself.
I have had low self esteem since the 2nd grade and I had to get glasses. ( no I don't wear them now...long story)
I am in a personal struggle at the moment and I will try to remember not to voice them so "loudly" my blog. I guess I over shared again.... dang it... sorry Mom.
I have been having issues with the boys lately.
They are good kids. Just making bad choices.
Nothing major. Just sneaking food and telling lies to get out of trouble.
Any advice is welcome. But be nice please. Low self esteem and all....
Parenting is so hard. They try to tell us and we have kids anyway!

Oh and Mary, if I was still in your ward and you don't mind my "club status" I would totally be your friend and bug you all the time to hang out.

Confessions of an "less attractive" Blogger

I have been blog lurking.
Yes, I am guilty.
I love to look for old friends, to see how they are doing.
I love seeing other peoples lives.
Not in a weird way. I just like seeing how other people live.
I like to see if I am alone in my thinking or if somewhere, out there in the universe someone has a life like me.
Which I have found out...... there is no one out there like me!!!
Nope!
How can that be you ask....?
I do not look like those women blogging out there.
..... well cause I am a member of "The Fat Girls Club" and I am less attractive .
I have looked in the mirror.
I know the truth...ugh. (that is another blog post)

But, my question for the universe is this..... is that really how other people look?
I mean, are they all that beautiful?
I click on a blog.....beautiful wife and husband...
Don't get me wrong, I think Jeff is very attractive. I could go on and on and completely gross you out about how attractive I think Jeff is, but that would be "over sharing".
My kids are beautiful. That is fact. (Probably better looking than most of the kids on blogs out there. no offense)lol
Anyway,
So, I look at another blog....same thing....Aren't there any more "less attractive" people like me in the world??!!! (in truth, probably, but they are just like me and refuse to post a picture, yeah, there could be, maybe 10 or so)
I click on some more blogs.....nothing is changing....Blog after blog after ...flamin' beautiful blog..... I am starting to feel sorry for Jeff. He is stuck with me.
He loves me. That is a fact. No matter what......Poor guy.
But, I am who I am.
I am a mom to a very pretty (are you sure she's mine?) baby girl and some very strange and very normal , but ridiculously crazy wonderful boys. My life is glamorously filled with burps and farts... and smells you never want your worst enemy to have to endure. They love me regardless of my "club" status and my less lovely blog.

I will probably never be as thin and gorgeous as the rest of the "blog world"....
but, Oh well.
man oh man ....I swear.... if I see one more beautiful freeeakin' blog.......

Blasts from the past

Tonight at dinner the boys were asking what foods they liked and disliked when they were babies. That started in on stories which had them laughing and having such a good time, a light bulb went on (don't worry it isn't scary) and since I didn't plan a lesson tonight for Family Home Evening , the idea to look at the boys pictures of them as babies was gone be our FHE lesson.
Yes, most of the pictures are scrapbooked and in albums. But we pulled out all the pictures and albums and had a great time reminiscing.
Our plan was to talk about family and that we are sealed forever.
But time flew away and we only had time for family prayer.
So, the point of my post was to share some "blasts from the past" pictures I found of myself.
You can laugh if you want. I think they are funny.
All those horrid memories of High School and life after.... feeling a little weepy.
Don't get me wrong there were good times too.
Mostly embarrassing stuff. A few happy times.
A lot of regrets.
Here are a few pictures from my past.
I dare you to post some of your pictures from the past.

This first one is of my family at Easter. My Grandma's house in Fair Oaks California. I think I was a freshman in high school. Check out my hair!!! Could it get any higher in the bangs? I don't think so.

This was the night of my first youth dance. I was so excited. I got this outfit for my 14th Birthday. I had the best time. I loved it. I only got asked to dance once. I had the biggest crush on a boy in my ward. Donnie Pebbles. He actually danced with me that night.

Ugh... This is a picture of me my junior year. Right before I got my braces. I loved my hair. It was the one thing I was good at.

This next one is one of my Senior Portraits. You can still see my braces. I got to get the clear braces. It was really nice. By this time, I was practically flunking out of school. I cut class too many times. (One of my top 3 regrets from high school.)

I ended up squeaking by. And art teacher let me make up some work. She let me make up the work at home, and then accused me of cheating and having someone else do my work.

If she could only she my "art" now.

This is a picture of my first car. I only got it because of a minor car accident I was in with my Aunt Kathie while shopping for my Graduation dress. It cost me $1500. It is a 1982 Camero. I loved it. I had so much fun in that car. I sold it to my sister when I got pregnant with my first baby. It died years later and is now retired in a junk yard some where in Sacramento. Good times.
(btw - I don't remember who belonged to the orange car next to mine, I think it was my brothers....Aimee do you remember?)

It isn't the most flattering picture of me. This is Christmas 1993. My "wild ways" were gone...almost (I still had the Camero, ya know) and I was looking forward to getting myself ready to go on a mission. It didn't happen 'cause I met Jeff two months later.
It was really fun to see the old me.

And the people who read this and know me well, will know I was hard on myself and I still don't think I was cute...ever.

I found it!

I found the picture of my sister when she was little.
It is the "Sarah Face" picture.
Isn't she cute?

Okay so Emma is ALOT grumpier than my sister was, but she is still so cute.
I hope you don't mind me posting this Sarah.

'Cause my Mom says so....

Well, she didn't tell me to, but she suggested I don't share so much on my blog and I am thinking she is right.
I am sorry for over sharing.
And I am editing some of my other posts.
Are you happy now MOM?!

Church was good.

Church was good. I got up at 7am with Emma and nursed her (I know I need to stop) and I fell asleep. I wasn't worried when I started to feed her that I may fall asleep because it usually doesn't last long. I figured when she was done, I could get up and get everyone going.
Well, we slept until 8:30!!!!! Church starts at 9am!!!!!
Someone from the primary called and asked if I could sub in the nursery (yay, a place to take Emma where she can be loud!)
The boys were amazing. They really hustled and there was no yelling to get going. I mean a little loudness, but there was not screaming.
We had a happy mom at church today.
We missed the first hour, but made it on time for the 2nd and 3rd hours.
And it flew by in the nursery.

Wish me luck!

I am attempting to take all the kids to church by myself tomorrow... er... I mean this morning.
If I ever make it to bed. I want to read my scriptures, but I am typing and Emma keeps waking up.
I am dreading it. Mostly because at the end of church I find myself having not enjoyed it at all. But I know it will be good for my family.
Uhhhhhg....just the thought of it......
We are ready though.
We have everything out, Church clothes all hung up with undershirts, ties, belts, socks(?), pants, white shirts, and their shoes are waiting too. (except Sammy and Matthew's shoes, they weren't listening I see) They have been bathed so all they have to do is eat and get dressed.
I too, am prepared. My clothes are all picked out and ready for me to shower and get dressed.
It usually takes longer then I plan for all of us to get ready and out the door, especially on time.
It will be interesting to see if we can make it this time.... and on time with Mom not totally fuming.
The first hour is Sacrament meeting, which the kids have to sit and listen (which they never do) and be very quiet so others can listen.
When the second hour comes along, I am usually so burnt and completely embarrassed that I just want to go home.
But I send them all off to their poor Primary and Sunday school teachers.
And sweet little Emma has to deal with a very cranky Mama.
I hate being late for my Sunday school class and I try to sit in the back or right by the door.
But Emma isn't very quiet in there either so we have to leave.
And when it comes time for Relief Society in the third hour, I can usually stay until they start the lesson and then Emma is too loud, so we have to leave again. (She still has 4 months before she can go into the nursery.)
I truly am dreading tomorrow....er...today.
So cross your fingers and toes and eyes..if you will...and say a prayer for me.
I might just need it.

Keeping themselves busy.

The boys whom are in very big trouble are keeping themselves very busy.

As a turned around in my computer chair, after checking my emails.
I see Nathan come running down the hallway with Emma in the Fisher Price "little peoples" bucket.
At least he was thinking safe. He put a pillow and blanket in there for her.
She was almost giggling. She loved it.

Don't you love her one remaining piggy tail. She always pulls that left one out.


This is what my front room looks like at least 5 times a day.
That box of Fisher Price "Little Peoples" is scattered all over. All for Emma.
Although the boys like to play with her.

Believe it or not, it does get cleaned up about 5 times a day too.

The asked...more like begged if they could have chocolate milk.You can't see it very well but, my super sweet Caleb with his super sweet chocolate mustache.

The boys spent most of last night before bedtime supposedly cleaning their room (Which they didn't clean at all) and now have to work on again. Yay!

Two of the rotten boys are going to the dentist. Yay!

As for Jeff, his first regular day off, he went to the dentist and to see the doctor. Then he thought he would get some yard work done and he mowed and raked the front lawn.

Big mistake I guess. He over did it and now his back is hurting.

yay.

Goober.

Boys are stupid.

(The post was edited)
Yes, they are.
Today, in a moment of stupidity they trampled onto someone elses' property and decide to have an adventure.
Nothing in their minds reminding them of how dangerous it could be or how wrong they were to be on someone elses' property.
A neighboring house on our street isn't really abandoned, but no one lives there. The gate is broken and it leads to a very empty backyard and then to a very mysterious alley. Down this very mysterious alley is a very busy street.
There were 5 boys all being stupid today. (Four of which were mine.)
They all decided it would be fun to play "Halo" (a very popular video game and act it out in real life) and travel through this semi abandoned house's broken fence and it's back yard and into the alley. Around down the alley to the very busy street.
(I was in the house taking care of Emma and honestly watching the Olympics...so I missed witnessing this and could only get the story after much talking from my boys)
Stupid boys.
I have told them time and again to stay out of other peoples' yard.
Still by this time I had no idea they were they had been. I figured it was the boys playing down at the creek, which of course is on someone elses' property. (which no one lives there now.)
It took hours and hours to get out the truth of what happened.
A phone call from a friend, few lies.... yes... they lied to me..... and a very long trip and talk in the van... I finally got to the bottom of it all.
Mad is not a word I would describe.... I think I was fuming.
Boys are stupid.
Now I am not saying girls aren't stupid. But right now I have 4 boys and they ...... are being stupid.
My boys have been band from any playing in the front yard for a week. After that week they will have supervised play time from Dad or Mom until we can trust them again.
The loss of the XBOX for 2 weeks is going to be very hard on them.
The rest of this summer is going to suck.
Especially for me.
Stupid boys.

See what new batteries in a camera will find....

I finally found the batteries that I bought weeks ago and the boys took and hid for their stupid wireless XBOX controllers.

I finally put the batteries in my camera that refused to take pictures until I found the batteries that Ibought weeks ago and the boys took and hid for their stupid wireless XBOX controllers.


Look what I found...






We went to the "skateboard park". It is really called Memorial Park, but the boys call it the skateboard park because it has a skateboarding park.
We usually don't let them go to that park because of the drug dealers and weirdos the frequent the park, but we found out that if you go early enough there is no one else there.

So, Jeff took the boys there on one if his last days home. We got a lot of pictures.
Nathan was a little afraid to go down the big stuff. but he did try it and loved it.

Matthew and Sammy had their scooters while Caleb and Nathan had their boards.
Emma and Momma went to the swings.
It was a good day.

Jeff's back to work.

Jeff's meeting with the Spine and Brain specialist went well. He gave him clearence to return to work, full duty.
That made Jeff nervous, because the doctor did say he has a ruptured disc in his L 4 and 5.
Which unless I see i picture I am not sure where that is?
But... the doctor was amazed he had healed so much.
The MRI was taken about a month ago and from those pictures it was already showing signs of healing??!!
The doctor was amazed to see Jeff standing the way he was without pain Because someone with an MRI like Jeff had, should be in alot more pain.
A Preisthood blessing is an amazing thing.
Jeff said is back was a little sore this morning.
And his feet were hurting. He has feet problems too. It is mostly walking on concret all day. He got new boots. So I think he is just adjusting.
But the only complaint he gave after returning home was his feet.

So far, so good.
I will keep you posted.
All is well.

Oh and he got another priesthood blessing last night.
So I am confident he will be okay.

The longest day all summer....

Jeff's first day back was today.
I have barely had a few minutes to myself.
But because I am ...well me... I am going to now bore you with the mundane history of my ...
very long summer day...

Jeff leaves for work way before the butt crack of dawn. Still sleeping, I swoosh his kisses away minutes before he leaves. (he told me later)
Boys and Emma wake around 8:05am...... way too early for me.
Get all the boys up and beg for The 2 oldest to keep an eye on Emma, so i can "rest my eyes" a few minutes more.
All is well, as I get a hot shower and nice breakfast and get the house up and going for cleaning.
A few kids show up for me to watch.
Dominic and Lily.... oh my heck, these are some of the cutest kids I know.... and then before I know it is lunch time.
Double box of Mac and cheese and some apple juice.
I had 7 kids here!!!!!
I get Lily down for a nap and my awesome friend Reagan stops by to get my glue gun. She is attempting a diaper cake for a baby shower she is helping with. I wonder how it turned out.

Emma finally goes down at 2-ish and then it is boys in and out, making a mess everywhere they go until 4 when Emily, (the momma) comes and gets the adorable kids.

You would think with all the kids here today I would be insane.
but the insanity didn't start until everyone was gone.
Did I mention our cute neighbor Justin came over to "watch" the boys play Game Cube?

I was leaving the boys with Emma and ran with a friend where she was having a "Garage Sale" on scrapbook supplies. I bought $20 worth of card stock!!!!!!
I was gone for maybe 17 minutes.

I told Justin he had to go home when I left, but after I left, totally forgetting he was still there, he told the boys a whopper and said there was no one home, so he couldn't go home.
Tee hee..... little boys are funny. The boys sent him home anyway.

I made dinner ( pot stickers and fried rice) and about lost my mind just trying to get the boys to clean up so we could watch the opening ceremonies for the 2008 Olympics.
It didn't happend.

I didn't have silence until around 9:30 and then Jeff made it home after 10. He worked a double on his first day back. Poor baby.

Now I am here checking my blog and emails before I join Jeff in bed.
He is cranky.
I think I will blog for a while.

Thankfully, I have nothing to do tomorrow.
Yay!
Well, I do have to find places for all my new scrapbook supplies.
Did I mention I already had a running tab?
Tee hee..... I couldn't resist!

5 more days

Yes, there is only 5 days left before Jeff goes back to work.
This is a bitter sweet statement.
I LOVE having him around. I love that the boys got a GREAT summer with Dad.
Emma really got to fall in love with Daddy.
He is going stir crazy wanting to go back to work.
I think he feels like a heel. He is physically ready but the doctors have to take a second look at everything and make sure this isn't going to happen again.

I am thrilled that I will get my days back. I felt guilty even wanting to scrap book or do my own thing. I felt I needed to be with him and hang out with him and do things with him.
My schedule is way off and I need to get back in the swing of things to get ready for school to start.

I am going to enjoy these next few days...so I may not post very often.... tee hee, you know I will, I was just playing.... I have to draw the line somewhere.