I'm better then great! I'm good.

So day two of sick kids...

Actually day two of one kid being sick.

Another one has been sick forever.

I may go crazy. Sick little boys are just as bad as sick men.

Seriously.

So I was up in the middle of the night with one of the sick kids and had these totally random thoughts that I wish I had written down.

Cause I was funny.

Sleep deprivation will do that.

You see, my kids like me. Not sure what I did wrong there, but they seem to enjoy my company. Jeff says I should yell more.

I hate yelling. But I am loud :)

I think it is lack of consistent beatings.

We haven't had a good beating here in years. Going on like 20 or so.

Not a good record if you are the beating type.

Which, you may have noticed, we are not.

We just don't have the energy for a good wholloping.

So the kids like me.

This is why we have a king sized bed.

The husband gets one half, whatever kid has a cold/headache/nightmare/cough and I get the other half.

I have big kids...I don't get much of a half.

Especially if it is Q. He takes up a lot of space and still manages to drape himself over much of my body all night.

At least I'm not getting kicked.

I just get no sleep.

But I did find one of my favorite pictures while I was trying to find a picture of my kids sleeping on my bed.

Apparently since I am the picture taker, if there are any, I am not in them.

And they aren't on this computer.

Well, it appears that one or more of my children found my husband's cologne...this is not good.

Must go find and stop any mischief going on in my house.

Ugh.

Randamonium

So I always have little thoughts flitting through my brain.
Sometimes they are worthwhile.
Sometimes I don't know what I am thinking.
Sometimes they are creative ideas...
Sometimes, not so much.
Random item #1
My kids are the best ever. Even when they are driving me insane and miss the bus. My kids are probably betterthen yours, but I won't tell you that to your face, much the same way you won't tell me your kids are better than mine to my face.
Random item #2
What is up with men? Mine recently decided to get rid of stuff. Stuff has been an issue with us since we got married as I had more stuff than he did at that time...please remember I also had another PERSON that had stuff at the time we married...therefore, OF COURSE I had more stuff. Babies do have a lot of stuff by nature and they have no idea what all they have and they are ever so bad about sorting and getting rid of stuff. Much like me. It's genetic. I get the 'don't get rid of stuff' gene from my dad. He probably got it from his mom. I have heard that gene is passed down to the opposite sex every generation. Which is good, cause I have boys so the gene can go on...but I think Carson has it, which is not good. And for the record, it's not that I have a problem getting rid of stuff per se, so much as I don't have the ability based on a family who would literally tear my house apart thereby creating more work if I were to ignore them for an afternoon or day just to get rid of stuff. Trust me. And also, I would love to gut my WHOLE house and get rid of everything and start over...alas, that has financial implications.
Random item #3
Let's discuss the swine flu. Yes, it is a problem. Much like the common cold. However, I feel as a whole we are so over immunized that we have no immune system built up. I do get my kids their shots becuase there are some really bad things out there, but am still out on the whole flu shot thing. The two times I had it I got deathly ill and was literally in bed for two weeks each time. Not cool. Especially not cool now cause I have kids. If I had a baby or were still in the healthcare field I may be more inclined to get the shots, however, I don't think we will. Perhaps we will regret it, perhaps not. Perhaps this is a great reason to stay home from church this winter...Okay, Okay, I know, but it's HARD to get up early on my sleep in day...
Random item #4
Quin told me today that he is going to be bigger than a small giant man. He will need a new bed when this happens, he said. HE is planning on being bigger than the small giant named Cody. Yes, he said that. It caracks me up. Cody is our nephew who is around 6'5" and 230...Cody just graduated and is planning a mission next June so the summer he gets back he will still be able to play baseball for the summer.
Random item #5
I am moderately neurotic. I wish it would translate into my housework and at the same time I know if I ever started on that aspect I would become a freak and not ever teach my kids and they could never be the sweaty, stinky, smelly boys I love. I am also highly paranoid...and truly hope I hide it by seeming like a laid back person even though I am pretty sure the las tperson they think of when 'laid back' comes up is me.

I had a lot more random things but I am being told by my four year old that it is time to play the hard level of sorry...

Caution: photo heavy

The top one is one of my all time favorites. Love it!

These kids are so cute! We had a blast doing these and I could honestly take a million of her!

I love little babies...the fact that this is a boy baby makes me baby hungry...mmmmm :)

This was another BIG family :) All of the siblings and their kids got together and it was a so fun!

I have been doing a few sittings here and there.

I absolutely LOVE it.

Like, this could totally be a dream job for me.

I am struggling with little things like fees and turn around times.

It honestly can take me hours to edit a sitting and make it the best it can be.

My time is worth something, I'm am just trying to figure out what it's worth compared to what people can afford. I know, I know there are a whole lot of variables with that sentence...

So here are a few of my recent favorites :)

Enjoy!

In August

of 2001 my 4.5 month old hunk of baby and I went to Vegas to witness the most beautiful wedding.
It was held at the Four Seasons and completely catered by them. Only their closets friends and family members were present. It was truly a beautiful ceremony full of love and support for these two fantastic folk. (Who are currently waiting the arrival of baby boy #2.)
My sweet husband drove me to SLC to drop me off for my flight, then took the other two boys home, worked for the next couple of days and drove back down to pick me up after work and back home in one day.
Whew...he must have liked me.
Or else he was really just not sure what to do with two boys at home.
Hunter was in kindergarten.
Carson had just turned two and was a pretty sick little boy.
My friend Tasha nad I took turns playing nickel slots, one of us would sit by the baby and the other would play and then we would switch.
They take under age participants VERY seriously in Vegas.
I had $5 to start with and ended up with $35ish in nickels.
Sadly, I didn't have time to change my nickels into dollars so I carried a bucket o'nickels on the plane.
I wish I had pictures to upload because it was one of the best trips I have ever taken...alas it was before digital came into my world.
And I don't know where all of the wires are to connect my scanner to the computer.
5 weeks later the Twin Towers were hit.
A plane crashed into the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania.
I'm pretty sure there is more to the story than what was released as general knowledge (I have my sources) but nothing confirmed.
I was lying in bed nursing my hunkahunka baby and the phone wouldn't stop ringing.
Wouldn't.
Stop.
Ringing.
I was worried it would wake my two sleeping boys.
I finally got up to no less than 5 messages from my frantic father.
Apparently, there was some sort of airline crash and no one had heard from my brother in law.
He was working in the White House communications center at the time.
We found out later that my sister had heard from him to let her know he was okay...she had been out jogging and had no clue what had happened.
I couldn't decide whether or not it was okay for me to send Hunter to school.
The thought of any of my family not being RIGHT THERE with me scared me to death.
Jeff couldn't leave work.
I tried everything I could to get him to.
I wore my bathrobe and cried all day.
Luckily the family room was in the basement so no one saw me in my disheveled state.
I kept crying.
I went outside and took Jeff's flag (from his military service) and hung it on our flag pole.
I was feeling rebellious and patriotic.
I was beside myself.
Jeff talked about going back into the Army.
I was more beside myself.
Thankfully, he decided that since his time had been officially up two years previously and he had a wife, three kids, a dog, a cat and a house he didn't need to.
That day changed things in so many ways.
There is no way I could bring home a bucket o'nickels now.
You can't even have lip gloss in your purse without it being in a bag.
And forget bringing your own water.
There are so many men and women who died that day and since.
Some at the Twin Towers close to home and others thousands of miles away where things are not even similar to home.
This is a day I want my children to know of.
It is a day that deserves a memory or two of those who died.
A moment of silence even.
It was a day that changed our country in so many ways.
For awhile it seemed as though we were all on the same side.
Take a moment today and remember. Give thanks that we live in a country that allows us freedom of speech to express our memories, to keep blogs about our day to day lives, boring or not, to honor the men and women who CHOOSE to defend our country. That we live in a country where children aren't drafted into the military at 18 and that our children are spared carrying guns just to survive. Put aside politics and opinions and be thankful for all we have. That we can worship whatever God we believe in, or don't believe in. That we aren't persecuted for wearing jeans and not covering our heads, that we can choose our spouses and the schools we send our children to. That food is plentiful and we have clean water. That we can choose who our government is, whether we believe in everything our officials do or not. That our children can go to college and be who and what they want to be.
Today, be thankful for EVERYTHING our country has to offer. The good, the bad and the ugly.
Then give thanks for what our country doesn't have.
And hug your kids.
Kiss your spouse.
And hold them all tight.
You never know when it can change.

as big as a helicopter

So today as I was slaving away on the laundry (okay, fine, I only folded 3 loads of towels...) Q came in and saw 'Mom! You have GOT to come wook out the window!!'

I went to look out the window.

'No, Mom, wook up...it's a hewocopter awmost as big as you'

hmmmmmmm..............

Carson disagreed...and then said 'Oh, mom, I know, he's talking about the SMALL helicopters'

Let's face it...

I have been horrid at blogging this summer.
I apologize.
So, my baby starts preschool tomorrow.
I'm sure I will take pictures and post them.
I still plan on posting some of the pics I have taken the last couple of months.
While this isn't a job, I do love that I can make a few bucks and do something I love and it makes me feel like I am contributing to our family more than just cleaning and loving on my kids.
I totally slacked on harvesting my garden this year.
We had a scare with Q last week. Not sure if there will be any follow up, but so far nothing more has happened...so we are thrilled with that!
We had 19 of Jeff's closest family members here on Sunday afternoon/evening.
Yes, my friends, that does indeed add up to 25 :)
It was fantastic! Good food, lots of cousins (our kids are the youngest...Jeff is only 6 years older than our niece Jill and Q is only 3 years older than our great nephew, Ezra)
It was great to visit with everyone, even though I mostly just watched...couldn't think of a thing to say.
Crazy, huh.?
I think the best question had to come from Cody who, when Tyler was hollering at him (AGAIN!) turned to me and asked 'how do you control that kid?' and I could honestly not answer him :) To be fair to my Tyler, he LOVES his cousins. And since we rarely see Cody (or any of our Washington/North Idaho cousins for that matter) he tends to over do his enthusiasm...plus, we can honestly see Ty being the same size as Cody in a few years. That my friends...is big :) It's kind of nice to see he wears others out as much as he wears us out! Q was so excited to see his cousin Rebecka who has been at Grandma and Grandpa's this summer...I think he has a little crush.
Well, it seems Garfield and Q are calling...I need to go snuggle with my boy :)

Heidi Swapp

I am soooo excited!

If you scrapbook, you may have heard the name Heidi Swapp before.

She has designed products for Making Memories, has had her own line of product and is now working with two other talented ladies doing digital kits and hybrid products. She travels all over the world teaching classes and she is coming to Rigby.

RIGBY!! Home of the TV...where my grandpa, brother and uncle live...where my dad grew up and milked cows...

Crazy...

Anyway, my friend Alicia owns a store up there and is taking signups for this awesome event. You can find more information at this link Heidi in Rigby and sign up there. She does offer a payment plan, just call her. It does cost a bit more than most are used to paying for a class, however I am pretty sure you get everything you will need to complete the projects except for simple things like, adhesive...

I am so excited! Not only is it Conference weekend, it's Heidi weekend!

Did I mention I'm excited?

Personally, I can't wait for the energy journal, cause I need energy!