Domestic Diva

May

2011-07-18T12:49:00.001-07:00

Well, I haven't had much time to blog lately. It has been a busy summer! We have been having fun though. I want to end my blog soon, and print it out into a book, so I'm going to try and catch up and then finish later this year.
In May Jonathan graduated from preschool, and Jacob graduated from Joyschool! I don't have any good pictures from Jacob's graduation, he doesn't like to stand still!!
Here's Jacob, Dad, and Katelyn waiting for Jonathan to come in!!

And here's a great picture of Jonathan during graduation! He was so excited. He went to a Baptist preschool, so it was funny to see him sing all the songs like "this little light of mine". He is officially a kindergartner now. Where has the time gone?

At the end of May, Katelyn and I flew to Texas together(A nice mini-vacation!) We went for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary party. We had so much fun! It was a weekend packed full of fun with my family. And we threw my parents a huge party that had a great turn out! I didn't take very many pictures that weekend, I was too busy having fun!! Here is one of a mariachi band playing a song for my parents at a restaurant downtown on the riverwalk! We also took family pictures that weekend, so I will post some of those too!!

Reading

2011-05-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

I have a problem. I keep going to the library, and/or Barnes and Noble. I need to stop. All of the sudden I am on a reading kick. I have like 5 books piled on my nightstand. My TBR stack.(To be read). All of the sudden I have come across several books to read and people have recommended books to me, and now I just want to sit and read all day. I don't want to clean my house, I just want to read! haha! In fact I'm trying to hurry and finish the book I'm on, so I can start the next one. I told you its a problem. Not that I don't want to read the one I'm on, I am just excited for the next one. So I had to make myself put my book down to clean up and start dinner. We are having the elders over for dinner, so I need to clean up and get ready for that, and I suppose I should try and go exercise too. So I will have to put my book on hold for now. I'm going to try and jog while my kids are riding their bikes along with me. Wish me luck.

Mother's Day

2011-05-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

I had a nice relaxing Mother's Day! The boys helped Joe make me breakfast and then we all went to church. I love being a mother! It is the best job in the world! I can't imagine not being a mother!
Especially to these two silly boys!

And this adorable little gal!

I am truly grateful to be a mother. It is so hard sometimes. Well, a lot of the time. But it is so rewarding. I know that God has sent me these children and I couldn't have asked for better ones! They are amazing. They are so smart! My only complaint is that they are just growing too darn fast! Time is just flying by. Jonathan is registered for kindergarten. Jacob is learning to read, and Katelyn is already pulling herself up to stand! Where did the time go! I love them so much! I am really enjoying Motherhood!

Happy Anniversary!!

2011-05-08T10:48:00.001-07:00

Today my awesome husband and I are celebrating 7 years of marital bliss!
I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband! We went out to celebrate our anniversary on Friday. We went out to one of our favorite restaurants, TGI Fridays, and went to the temple! It was awesome! I love being his wife. He is my best friend, and I am so lucky that I get to be his wife forever! I feel like a princess living happily ever after!

Shelf Reliance Giveaway

2011-04-06T11:35:00.001-07:00

Enter to win some shelf reliance shelves on one of my favorite food storage blogs!
http://everydayfoodstorage.net/

update

2011-04-06T08:03:00.000-07:00

We have been busy around here. Never a dull moment.
My awesome husband was promoted to captain! I'm so proud of him. He is such a hard worker. I made him wait to take his boots off the other day so I could get a picture of him in his uniform. As you can see, he was excited. haha!

Katelyn is a busy girl. She is 8 months old, and getting around so fast! I need to get a baby gate. I didn't have stairs when the boys were little, so I didn't have to worry about putting up a baby gate! I also have to sweep more often! But I probably should be doing that anyway!!

Jacob is working on learning to read, and he is registered for preschool for next year. He is excited! He is a busy little man and I think he will love the structure that it brings!

Jonathan is registered for Kindergarten! I can't believe it. I guess he's not a baby anymore. Kids just grow too fast! He is excited to start "real" school.

As for me, I am working around the house.(only 4 bags to go!) I am busy keeping up with everyone.

2011-04-05T11:13:00.000-07:00

I realize a lot of my posts lately have been about spring cleaning, but that has been on the brain. Well, I have hit my 40th day (from my 40bags in 40 days). I had a goal to get rid of 40 bags of junk/trash in 40 days. Life has been busy lately. Joe was promoted, I received a new church calling, Katelyn is crawling, Jonathan is registered for Kindergarten in the fall, and Jacob is registered for preschool in the fall! So, I have only gotten rid of 34 bags in 40 days! I am going to extend the time 10 more days to finish my 40! I am really enjoying going through my home and just getting rid of stuff! Toys we don't play with, clothes that don't fit, things we don't need, and dishes we don't use. It has been great! I have also been shopping less (I know, shocking) I have been trying to focus more on my home and family. I am really enjoying life right now!

Spring Cleaning

2011-03-30T13:46:00.000-07:00

I've been cleaning upstairs all day. I'm trying to stay busy and not pay attention to the depressing weather outside! I got rid of two bags of trash and one of give-away stuff. And I pretty much used a whole bottle of febreeze in my boy's room. Ok, not a whole bottle. Every time I turn around that room has a funky smell. Is it a boy thing? haha!

Ignore the unmade bed. The sheets are in the dryer!

And no, I don't know how to take the date off the pictures. I haven't read my camera's manual.

Welcome Spring!

2011-03-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of Spring! I am so ready for Spring and summer! As I get older spring and summer are now becoming some of my favorite seasons! And not just because I can send my kids out to play! haha! I love taking walks in the evening because it stays light out so late! I love working in the garden, and actually having green grass! Yes, until I moved to North Carolina I thought grass stayed green year round.
Yesterday we went and bought everything for our garden! I'm so excited to work on the garden! I need a hobby.
My husband built this for me, because he's awesome!

So tomorrow I need to get busy and plant everything!!

2011-03-09T07:31:00.000-08:00

I'm embarrassed to admit I've only gotten rid of 6 bags in 13 days, so today and tomorrow I am going through my house like a tornado! In my defense last week was so busy! INSANE is more like it. My husband had finals every night so He wasn't home very much and I had quite a bit going on as well. We were both exhausted at the end of the week! So, I am re-focused and preparing to fill a ton of bags this week!

I got this idea from another blog. If anyone else is doing this, here is a link to some tips!

http://memoriesoncloverlane.blogspot.com/2011/03/40-days-tips-and-tricks-basics.html

Pottery Barn

2011-03-07T09:07:00.000-08:00

I'm falling in love with pottery barn. I think I've spent too much time browsing their website.

My house is falling apart

2011-03-07T08:45:00.000-08:00

Ok, not really, it is being somewhat taken apart, and put back together. We have been in the house almost a year now! I can't believe it. Time sure does fly when you are having fun! So, we had our 10 month walk through which is when they go through and see little things here and there that need to be fixed. They do it at 10 months because it has been through all 4 seasons for the first time and shifted a little. (Most people call it "settling") So today is the day they are fixing everything.
Most of it is small touch ups. I had a small part of my island that got some water damage because it wasn't sealed correctly. So the counter top guy is installing a whole new one.
Kind of crazy entertaining 3 kids while random guys are walking in and out of my house. But, my kids have been SO good today. And the weather is fabulous so they have been playing outside a lot!
So, my sink is in my garage and the plumber may not be able to put it back until tomorrow. Oh well, we have other ones!

2011-03-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

I walked in the living room after being away for a moment and saw this:

One of the cutest things ever. Jonathan was reading a book to Katelyn and Jacob!They were all three looking at the book! Katelyn looked up as soon as She saw the camera of course! I love my kids!

40 bags in 40 days

2011-02-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

So, I've been trying to simplify things around here. And I have come to the conclusion that if I have less STUFF, the easier my life would be, because it would be easier to keep my house clean. So, I saw on another blog a woman was getting rid of clutter and got rid of 40 bags in 40 days. I am going to do that. I know what you are thinking, my house must be packed with junk. Well, its not. It did sound like a lot to me at first. But then I realized my garage would probably be like half of that! And when you think about clothes, toys, stuffed animals, it is doable. And my house will be much more neat and tidy. So, here I go. Wish me luck. At the end of this (April 4th!) I will have a lot less clutter, and my garage will be totally clean and I will be able to park in it!! And so I am starting with my master bedroom closet! yikes!

My Valentine

2011-02-14T15:41:00.000-08:00

I love my valentine! I got to see him for about 3 minutes today! That is about 3 minutes more than I thought I would. He is hot. I love him so much. I can't believe I am so blessed to be his wife!

This was taken in January of 2008 at his OCS formal! I love you babe!

6 months old!

2011-01-29T10:56:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my baby is 6 months old already. Time sure flies by! She is getting so big! Sleeping through most nights, rolling over, grabing everything she can reach, and getting up on her hands and knees! She also woke up with a tooth poking through yesterday(ouch) I literally checked the day before and felt nothing, now there is a little white tooth. And she really hasn't even complained that much. What a rockstar!
She is a doll and I love having a little girl! The boys love to help out and take care of her!
I know I have a ton more to blog about, we just got back from a two week trip to Texas. It was awesome! Very relaxing, which is exactly what I needed. So I will post pictures about that soon!

2011-01-08T13:37:00.000-08:00

I can't believe 2011 is here. Time sure flies by. We had a great Christmas! I was so bummed because we weren't able to go to Texas. Joe couldn't get off of work. So we kicked it here in "the lake". But, we all got sick, so maybe it was better that we were able to be sick at home. The boys had strep throat, Katelyn had ear infections and a bronchial infection. And Joe and I had something, but I was so sick of taking people to the doctor, I didn't go for myself. But we are all over it, and doing well. We had a mellow Christmas with our little family.

Here is Jacob checking out his loot!

Poor Jonathan didn't even want to finish opening presents, he was running a fever.

And here is Katelyn in her Christmas shirt!

Here is everyone sitting down for our Christmas feast!

We were at the ER Christmas eve, Christmas day, and then at the doctor 3 times the following week. But Everyone is fine now! Thankfully!

The next day we woke up to this!

It was awesome! But since the boys were sick they only played outside for a few minutes. And when I say played, I mean stood and looked around!
I'll post more later. I've got grumpy kids that need dinner, baths and bedtime!!

Pictures!

2010-11-29T19:16:00.000-08:00

My wonderful friend Anica took pictures of us after church on Sunday and they turned out fabulous! I love them!

Where have you been all my life?

2010-11-18T19:47:00.001-08:00

This is what I've been enjoying this week. I sold my kitchenaid on craigslist (ah, the memories). And saved up to buy this beauty. It is awesome! I have made all sorts of goodies and I can't believe how much easier it makes things! I am having lots of fun!

4 Years old!

2010-11-15T18:32:00.000-08:00

I can't believe my baby boy is four!! On November 9th, Jacob turned four and had a fun GI Joe party. He is getting so big! I remember he was just 8 months old when we moved away from Fayetteville last time. He is so big now. He is so smart, and so fun! I just love him sooooo much!
4 Things I love about my FOUR year old!
1. He is so loving. He loves to hug his baby sister, and give her kisses. He is so wild, but he does love to cuddle with me and gives me such great hugs!
2. He is so smart! He builds the greatest things out of his leggos. He has an engineers mind I tell you! He outsmarts me all the time!
3. He is very friendly! He will play with all the kids. He never leaves anyone out.
4. He is a GREAT helper. He loves to help me with anything, whether it is loading the dishwasher, cleaning up toys, grocery shopping. He is such a great helper, and gets great joy from helping anyone he can!

I love Jacob so much! He is a great boy!

Cute Girl!

2010-11-15T18:26:00.001-08:00

I just love having a little girl. And I love seeing the boys love on her, it is just so sweet! I love shopping with her, and dressing her up so cute! Here she is a few Sundays ago!

Soccer Party!

2010-11-15T18:13:00.000-08:00

The boys had their last soccer game about a week ago. (I'm kind of glad, my schedule was getting a bit crazy!) They did so well! I am really glad they did soccer this fall. They have never played a sport like that before. So they were able to see what its like to be on a team, and listen to their coach and all that. Last week Jacob had his party at Pizza Hut, and Jonathan had his party and Sonic. They both got their trophies and they were so excited!! I forgot my camera for Jacobs, so his coaches wife will be emailing me the photos, so for now, here is Jonathan with his trophy!

Food Storage

2010-11-15T18:02:00.000-08:00

So, I realize I haven't posted any pictures of my house. But it seems like I am still getting it organized. Crazy I know since I've been here like 8 months! But having a baby put me behind a bit. I've just been too busy playing with her and the boys! They are all three growing up way too fast, that I would just rather watch them grow then work on the house! But I am going room by room and getting rid of things, and reorganizing things! The first room I finished is my food storage room. Exciting, I know. Actually I do think it is exciting. For those of you who don't know me really well, I'm a bit of a food storage nut. I am working on building my food storage, and also learning to actually use it in my every day cooking, so I can rotate through it. I love it! In fact, just the other day I made some pumpkin bread, almost totally out of my food storage! I used powdered eggs, powdered milk, etc. And it tasted wonderful!!
Here is my food storage room!

Cute Kids!

2010-10-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

I have the cutest kids in the world! I sure love them!

Am I missing something?

2010-10-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

Today I spent a large part of the day cleaning. I cleaned and reorganized my pantry, fridge and freezer(both). And of course the rest of my house is a wreck. This was not a typical day, but that happens to me a lot. I feel like I clean and pick up after my kids constantly, but my house is always a mess! What is wrong with this picture!! I have friends who have more kids than I do and their homes are neat and clean. In fact I could drop by their house any time any day(and I have) and their homes are totally clean, even their kids rooms, with beds made and all. What is my problem? Am I doing something wrong? Is there some grand trick to it that I don't know? If there is, someone please fill me in!

Fall decorations

2010-09-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to get out the fall decor and decorate my house! I can't wait to get the Halloween stuff out too! Here is a picture of some of my fall decor.

Haha! Ok, this isn't my house, but don't you love this idea? I want to re-create this in my dining room! And this at my front door!

I love this time of year! I love the colors and the decorations and all the fun holidays! I'll post some real pictures once I have it all decorated!

Jacob

2010-09-05T19:15:00.000-07:00

All these posts about Jonathan and Katelyn, I can't leave out my Jacob. I love him. He definitely keeps me on my toes. One of my favorite things to do with Jacob is play leggos. He comes up with the greatest things. Here he is with his "Robots" he made. Oh, and fyi, he is wearing underwear in this picture, you just can't see it. No, we don't run around naked around here!

Katelyn's Blessing

2010-09-05T19:00:00.001-07:00

Today was Katelyn's blessing at our church. She looked so cute in her little white dress, but she looks cute in anything! Here are some pictures we took after
church!

We had a birthday cake for Jonathan tonight and dinner with some great friends. On Wednesday we are having Jonathan's party, so I will post pictures of that later in the week. We had a great day! I love my kids and husband so much. I am so blessed!

My Baby is Five!

2010-09-05T06:04:00.000-07:00

I can't believe my baby is 5 today!! Time sure does fly by. I remember being in labor with him for sooo long! I went into the hospital on Sunday night, and I had him Monday night, on labor day! He was perfect, weighing in at 10lbs 2oz. And I've loved him from the minute I laid eyes on him!

5 Things I love about my 5 year old:

1. He is so smart! He reads so well, and is so good at math!
2. He is a great big brother! He is always willing to go check on Katelyn, and he is a great friend to Jacob!
3. He is so funny. He entertains us all! If I need a good laugh I can just sit back and watch him.
4. He loves music! He has all the numbers on his primary cd memorized, so if I am looking for a particular song, I just ask him which number it is!
5. He loves the gospel. I can see his little testimony growing already. He loves to read scriptures and have FHE, and go to church!

I love Jonathan so much. And I hope he has a wonderful birthday!

2010-09-05T05:56:00.001-07:00

Well, the past few weeks have been so crazy! Joe's classes are taking a lot out of him, he is always busy with Elders quarom, and I am busy with the kids. So by the end of the week, we are exhausted! On Friday we took a little day trip to Raleigh. It was so nice to get away for a little bit. We went up and took the boys to see the temple, then we went to lunch at one of our favorite restaurants, TGI Fridays! We did a little shopping, and had a great time, even though the boys were grumpy pretty much the whole way home! It was great. Joe has a couple weeks left of this semester, and then we will take another fun trip. We are going to the Biltmore Estates! I'm excited! We are also going to stop by Ikea on the way home. I told Joe we definitely have to take the van so I can fill it up! I don't know if he's crazy about that idea! haha!

Soccer Adventures

2010-09-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

I am going to attempt some blogging catch up this weekend. We'll see how it goes. Things are very busy around here! But we are having fun!
The boys started soccer last week. They have practice twice a week for 30 minutes(which doesn't sound like a lot, but it is for a three year old!) And starting at the end of this month, they will have games on Saturday.

Here they are ready for soccer!

They are on separate teams, they were so excited to play and then when we got there, Jonathan wouldn't do it. I wasn't surprised, he is so shy! So I tried to get him to try it out, but he absolutely wouldn't! So, we watched Jacob practice. He did so good. He did all the drills and followed directions so well. And he LOVES it! Tonight we have practice again. I'm going to try a few tricks with Jonathan, but we'll see if he plays or not!

Katelyn

2010-08-02T18:24:00.001-07:00

We have had a busy week! Katelyn is such a great baby. She is so sweet. We love her so much. She sleeps a lot, and lets us get some rest at night! We are getting settled in and things are wonderful! The boys love her. Jacob wants to hold her about ten times a day, and he is always concerned with where she is. It is so sweet! Jonathan loves her too, but doesn't hover around her as much as Jacob does. Joe started his next semester today, so he has class Monday through Thursday. We are getting into a routine. Life is great.
Here are some pictures of Katelyn. My camera isn't the best, so she is a million times cuter in person!

2010-07-29T15:58:00.000-07:00

Baby girl came right on time. She is very punctual and came on her due date. It was an easy labor, just long! She was born July 27 at 10:09am. Katelyn Alexis Mansfield weighed 8 lbs, 13oz (the smallest Mansfield baby yet) and 21 inches long. I love her chubby cheeks! We are all doing well, just adjusting to a new schedule. And lots of pink!! Pictures to come!

Happy Father's Day

2010-06-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful Father and my wonderful husband. I am so lucky to have both these great men in my life. My Dad is such a great Example to me. He has such a strong testimony. He is a wonderful Dad and always taught me to choose the right.
Happy Father's day to my husband. He is an awesome Father to my two boys and I know he will be to our baby girl as well. He is such a good example of a worthy priesthood holder. My kids are so lucky to have him as a Dad. And I am so blessed to be his wife. I love him sooooooo much!

Mother's Day

2010-05-09T17:47:00.000-07:00

Today has been a wonderful Mother's day. I had breakfast in bed, homemade cards, and a wonderful dinner with friends. I am so blessed to be a mother. I love my boys so much! I love waking up to their smiling faces each morning. I love watching them grow and learn. They are so wonderful. They bring me so much happiness!

6 years!

2010-05-09T17:40:00.000-07:00

I know I'm blogging a ton of stuff today, but I finally have some time and I am actually in the mood to blog. Yesterday Joe and I had our 6th wedding anniversary. We had a great day! He made me french toast for breakfast, we did a little shopping and ended the day with a nice dinner at TGI Fridays! I am so grateful for my husband. He is awesome! I love him so much, I am the luckiest gal in the world!

Easter Pictures

2010-05-09T14:43:00.001-07:00

Back around Easter time, the boys looked so great for church so I took some pictures of them. They are too busy being silly to look at the camera!
I love these guys!

Roll-a-thon

2010-05-08T18:17:00.000-07:00

The boy's preschool had a "roll-a-thon" at their school for a fundraiser. They brought thier bikes and went around the parking lot. They rhode for like 30 minutes straight, I was impressed. It was a hot day, so at then end Jonathan came over and asked if I had a hair dryer, because his hair was all sweaty!

They also had snacks and invited the mom's to thier class for Mother's day. It was alot of fun! Jonathan sang 'you are my sunshine'!

2010-03-10T15:11:00.000-08:00

Well, I promise a better update soon! We are very busy. I'm sitting in our front room at the computer desk in the only empty corner of the room. The rest is filled with boxes. We are busy packing up our house (yes, again) but this time I know it will be a while before the next move! We had the final walk-through of our home today and everything looks great! I am so excited to move into this house and have so much space. We close on Friday, and move in on Saturday. Monday we have our ultrasound. I can't wait! I'm not sure what we will have, boy or girl. I know I would love a girl, because well, doesn't every woman want at least one little girl? But how fun would 3 boys be? Boys are loud and wild and I love it! So, come Monday we will find out.
Things are going so well, I can't believe how extremely blessed we are. Life is wonderful. Joe's school is going well, and we have so much time together it is great! We are blessed much more than we deserve!

2010-02-12T10:57:00.000-08:00

We have been busy since we returned from the beach. The kids had their valentine parties today so we took cupcakes and all our valentines and the boys had a blast!

This picture cracks me up! I love Jonathan's expression. This is the valentine hat he made at school. Jacob was a little grumpy so he didn't pose for pictures!

And of course yesterday we went to check on our house and things are coming along. I really need to start packing! I think I've packed about 4 boxes. Only about 1,000 to go!

Myrtle Beach

2010-02-12T10:46:00.000-08:00

We went down to Myrtle Beach this week to de-stress a bit and we had a great time. It was too short, but of course any trip to the beach is too short for me. I would live on the beach if I could. We had a great time. It was freezing, but fun. We relaxed in a nice hotel, flew kites on the beach, did a little shopping, and spent some great quality time together, not having to worry about anything!

2010-02-05T10:03:00.000-08:00

So I realize that all I seem to be putting up lately are pictures of our house. Really it is for my own benefit, to watch the progress. We have been pretty busy lately. We have been trying to get our house sold. We kind of waited a while before putting it on the market, so it has just been a few days. We have been trying to keep it spotless because people can stop by any time. You can imagine how easy this is with the boys! We have also been busy with ym and yw. We are getting ready for New Beginnings and boy does that seem to be taking a lot out of me. We are also trying to get Jonathan enrolled in Kindergarten. Since they changed the cutoff date, he is 4 days too young. But he is already reading! So, I think if he waits another year, he will be so bored. On the other hand maybe I shouldn't rush anything because I know my time with him will fly by and he will be gone on his mission. So, we are trying to get the school to allow him. We are just going to see. I don't want to totally push things, so whatever happens, happens. We enrolled Jacob in his same preschool for next year. He is doing great and loves it! Every time I go pick him up hes chasing the girls on the playground. I hope this isn't a glimpse into the future:) Other than that, just keeping it real, as my sister would say. This pregnancy seems to be different from the other two. I have been soooo tired, had so much nausea, and now my back has been all achy(which I've never had until the last month). But it may just be the stress of everything else going on. Anyway, heres a picture of our house. I went and walked through it yesterday. They are putting up the drywall now. I'm so excited!

Snow!

2010-02-01T14:43:00.000-08:00

We had snow the other night and it was so nice to be stuck at home for a few days! Although today we were all ready to get out. The snow turned a layer of ice, so we were slipping around having a lot of fun! Here's some pictures!

2010-02-01T14:31:00.000-08:00

We have a roof and windows! Actually they've put up the siding now, but I haven't been over to take a picture yet.

2010-01-10T12:48:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how fast it is coming a long. There was just foundation on Tuesday and this was Saturday!

Our House

2010-01-08T09:40:00.001-08:00

WE are having a house built just about ten minutes away from our current home. We are very excited. I went out last week to take a picture on our lot and see how things are coming a long. This is not a very great picture. They were all out there so there were trucks and other things in front of the lot. So this picture is taken from the right corner of the lot. I think I will go out on Sunday and take one when I can get a shot straight on.

This picture does show the great trees, although we may loose a few in the process. The houses are coming up fast! Two weeks ago the house next to ours wasn't there!

2010-01-08T09:30:00.000-08:00

Well I can't believe it is already the new year. We have a lot of great things going on this year and it is going to be wonderful! The kids started back at preschool last week and Joe and I have been busy getting the house ready to put on the market. Well, Joe has been busy. I haven't been feeling that great, but I can sense each day I am feeling a little bit better, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Here are my Christmas pictures. We spent Christmas in Mississippi with my father in law and his wife and we had a blast. I took tons of photos on Christmas morning that turned out great! Unfortunately, I was reviewing them on my camera later that day, and accidently deleted them all! So, no sense in being upset over something I can't change. So here are a few of the boys being silly in front of the Christmas Tree!

I finally have a quiet moment!

2009-12-09T13:39:00.000-08:00

Tonight is our Yw/ym Christmas dinner. I have been cooking all day, holding back nausea, my house is a disaster and I am exausted. For those of you who don't have Facebook, I am PREGNANT! I am very excited. I am only about 2 months, but I am sooo tired, and constantly feel like I may barf at any moment. Oh well, it will pass, hopefully. I am excited to have another baby! The boys are out picking up a few things at the store, and I have a quiet moment. Well, I must get back to my ham in the oven.

Giving Thanks

2009-11-26T17:17:00.001-08:00

I can't help but feel so richly blessed today. I have been given so many blessings in my life, I feel it is more than I deserve. I have a wonderful husband who does so much for me, and the most adorable little boys in the world! I love my family. I am grateful to have the gospel in my life, and to be able to serve in my ward. I love to be a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister and a friend. I hope that I can give back to others as often as I can, because I am so richly blessed, more than I deserve. Here are my boys today with thier headbands they made. Aren't they heartbreakers?

I know I haven't been blogging much lately. We have been sooooo busy. A lot of things going on right now, so there is definitely more to come.....

Busy, Busy

2009-10-26T09:59:00.000-07:00

Here's what we have been up to lately. I totally rearranged the kids room and got rid of a bunch of junk. Every year at this time we give away some toys to charity and throw away some that are broken, or just missing too many pieces. I do this because the toys will take over our whole house if I don't, and with both of thier birthdays and Christmas coming up, they are going to get a bunch of new toys. So I have been busy going through all of thier toys and trying to organize them better.

I have also been playing with my new best friend -

I wanted this for Christmas, but we got it a little early because I am going to attempt to MAKE all of my Christmas cards this year. I know, it sounds crazy, or at least to me it does, that is why I've already started, so I am not doing them all at the last minute. It is so fun though, I love it!
I have also been busy with young women's. I love it, but it is a lot of work!
Aside from all of that, I am still getting the house organized. I mainly have the garage left, but that is a big task. AND, I just found out Joe is coming home in 1 week, instead of Nov 18th! So I am super excited, but I have a lot to do because I want the house spotless and everything in place when he comes home!

Just another day

2009-10-14T17:21:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a day. There is never a dull moment with two toddlers. I think they climbed on top of my treadmill 57 times, spilled drinks/food 26 times, and they didn't even nap today. They were on auto pilot ALL day! We had some friend's over for dinner and they were on the go the entire time! Right when I was telling them it was time for bed, this is how I found Jacob.

Yes, that's chocolate syrup!
But now they are in bed and I'm listening to the rain, and taking a breather!

I just love these guys!!

Down on the Farm

2009-10-10T11:43:00.000-07:00

Last week the boys and I went to a nearby farm with some other families from preschool. It was so much fun! We went on a hayride, saw so many different animals, had homemade ice cream, and they each got to pick out a pumpkin. It was a nice breezy morning. They boys LOVED it. They were just mezmorized by the animals, and really enjoyed the hayride all around the farm.

They each had a class picture. The one of Jacob is right before he bolted:) And I tried to get a picture of Jonathan with his pumpkin, but he was upset because I told him we were going home. They both had a blast. I had a great time with them too!

General Conference Soup

2009-09-28T16:32:00.000-07:00

Well, General Conference for our church is coming up. And on General Conference weekend I like to have a project to work on. I don't know why, maybe because I tend to have a little more time than usual. So, last October I canned peaches. This time, I have decided to make a bunch of soup. I wanted something I could work on in between sessions, and then let simmer while I am watching it. So, I am going to be cooking several batches of soups that I can freeze, and enjoy on busy days during the fall/winter. So, if anyone has a delicious soup recipe, please share!

First Day of Preschool

2009-09-23T08:33:00.001-07:00

The boys started preschool here, shortly after we moved in. They LOVE it! Although Jonthan tells me everyday that he likes Jacob's class better than his because he doesn't have a thomas table in his. In fact, most days he is upset when we leave because he wants to play with the thomas table. (Does he forget that he has one in his room at home?) I guess that one is just a lot better than ours:) Here are some pictures from the first day of school! I think it is perfect. They only go three days a week, so it isn't too much, but the do so many crafts and activities, they love it. Jonthan's teacher's were shocked when they saw him sounding out letters. He is a little wiz kid. Jacob is too. He outsmarts me everyday!Sometimes I can't believe the things they do! They are such fun boys and I love them so much. I am so blessed to be thier mom!

The trip across the country

2009-09-23T08:11:00.001-07:00

So I thought I would post some pictures from our move. We went from coast to coast. It was a lot of fun. We only drove a little each day, so that we could enjoy our evenings and do some fun things.

Here is everything we owned stuff in a penske. Well, not EVERYTHING, my van was stuffed too!

Saying goodbye to our bff Hollijo, who needs to move out here too!

We stopped in Albuquerque and met up with my cute sister Erica and one of her boys. Imagine our excitement when we found a Rudy's BBQ!! (It's a Texas thing!)

My kids at a bus stop in Roswell, NM.

UFO McDonalds.

In Lubbock, Joe brought me this for breakfast. I was rather excited. I am a Texas girl, you know.

The boys looking cute at a chick-fil-A somewhere east of Mississippi.

An American Girl

2009-09-21T17:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, don't make fun of me when you read this post. Actually, you can, I don't care. On our trip across the country, we stopped in Dallas, and went to the galleria. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a huge mall, with a ice rink in it. I grew up going to Dallas all the time, but never went to it. We had a lot of fun. Well, one store they have there, is American Girl. So, back up a few years. When I was a young chick, in 5th grade to be exact. I LOVED american girl. I read all the books, got the magazine in the mail, and I would even get the catalog in the mail, and hoped one day I would have a Molly doll. I loved molly, she was my favorite. Well, my bff got a molly doll for her birthday and I was so jealous. Now, many years have gone by. Needless to say I dont get the catalog or the magazine anymore. I still wanted the molly doll, but I thought it would be silly for a 25 year old to get a doll. So, I thought whenever I had a daughter, I would get her one and live vicariously through her:) Well I don't seem to be producing any female offspring, so I bought myself a molly doll. I was so excited! For those of you familiar with American girl, you know that you can also get thier accessories for like $10. My husband laughed at me when I said, "well of course I have to get her accessories!" Here is a pictrure of one. I haven't taken mine out of the box, I'm not sure where I'll display her. I did tell my husband that once we have a girl, I'll give her the doll, but now I'm not sure I want to share:)

2009-09-21T17:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I didn't find my camera cord, so I just bought a new one. Which means I will probably find it tomorrow:) I don't know where to begin, so I will start with present day and then post pictures from the last month when I have time. Last weekend the kids and I picked grapes and made jam! It was so much fun! I am excited to be able to do things like that. Needless to say, not a lot growing in the desert! They were muscadine grapes, which I had never heard of, but they make great jam! I just made the jam a few hours ago and it hasn't set yet. I hope it sets overnight or I'm gonna be sad. Now that I think of it. I have made jam about 5 or 6 times in my life, and the first one set, the second one didn't, the third one did, the fourth one didn't....etc. Interesting. Maybe I shouldn't be doing 16 other things while its boiling. oh well, we'll see what happens. If it doesn't set I'll go get more grapes tomorrow and try again!

Update

2009-09-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Wow! I can't believe I haven't blogged in over a month. It has been a very busy month with the move and all. I have tons of photos from our trip, and Jonathan's birthday events, but who knows where the camera cord is to upload them! When I find it, you'll see them. I have been running around like a crazy woman trying to get my house organized and everything unpacked. It seems like my kids are destroying the house faster than I can put it together. The blogging may be in short supply for a little while. When I do have a free moment, I'm soooo tired! Since Joe left, my kids(mainly Jacob) seem to have had an extra boost of energy and add that to the fact that they never listen to me. I try so many things and Jacob just does whatever he wants. When I put him in time out, he just laughs. People who see me are probably thinking "why can't that chick control her kids?" They really aren't that bad, but lately, Jacob is giving me a hard time. I don't know if it is all this changing, and having his Dad gone, or what. I see other kids and they listen to thier parents. Are my kids the only ones who go crazy? It seems like it.
On another note, they are loving preschool. They go three times a week. I LOVE thier preschool. The teachers are awesome, there are only like 10 kids in each class, with 2 teachers. And they do so many projects and crafts. They love it too. I think it is going to be really good for them. It is not too short, and not too long. And it gives me a little break.
I have had a little bit of a hard time since Joe left. Days are pretty easy, because that is when he is gone at work anyway, but evenings are tough. I think once I get everything unpacked and we are in a regular routine, things will get better. This morning I realized it has only been 4 days, and it feels like it has been 4 weeks! oh well, time will pass. And it's not like I don't have anything to do. I have a lot to do, and a lot of projects I want to accomplish before he returns. I better get to work!

I should be packing but...

2009-08-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

Well I woke up this morning and realized two weeks from today we are packing up the truck. So, I packed 4 boxes before 8 am. I was inspired, I was cranking, there was no stopping me. Then I took my husband to work, with plans to grab some packaging tape at the px and continue the packing. Well, while at the px I realized all clearance clothing was additional 40% off. How could I pass that up? So I stayed a little longer than expected. So, now I am back home, I got some great clothing for like 2-3 bucks each. And I need to get back to packing. My motivation has gone down somewhat since this morning. Not only did I spend "packing time" shopping, but I bought more stuff to pack. So this afternoon I will be making up for lost time.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-08-11T10:29:00.000-07:00

Well, we have been very busy lately. WE were all four sick for about a week. The boys started preschool last week, and then my sister and her family came in town for the weekend.

Jacob is growing like a weed. He was excited to start preschool. Every time I pick him up I ask his teachers how he did, and they get this tiring look on thier face and tell me "He never stops". I 'm thinking, no, he doesn't! That's why I'm always tired! He loves o climb on EVERYTHING. He loves to run, play ball, play outside and explore bugs and whatever else he can find He is a busy toddler. He definately has no fear. When he gets sent to time out he tells me "Mom, just so you know, I'm not going to time out, and I'm not kidding!" It drives me crazy, but I am trying to be very patient. He is going to teach me patience. I love him so much!

Jonathan is growing so much as well. He loves preschool. He loves to read, watch movies, play games, and go to the playground. He is almst four, I can't believe it. He chose to have a pokemon party this year, so we are going to have it before we move, since we will be on the road on his birthday. He is learning how to read and doing very well. We are teaching him how to sound out letters. I love him so much!

Lately the big thing at our house is games! We have been playing candyland and chutes and ladders quite frequently.

Joe and I have been busy. I have been trying to get some packing done. We had our pre-inspection yesterday, and minus a few things, our house is good to go. I have to repaint, or pay for the walls I painted, but I knew that was coming. We have all our hotels booked and our truck booked for our move. I am excited, but I am also going to miss it here also. So things are moving along.

The new craze

2009-07-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

Back in June when we went to Texas, my brother in law gave us a copy of Toy Story and I realzed my kids had never seen it. So we watched it on the trip and they love it! They want to watch it all the time. Every weekend we have a movie night and I don't know why I even bother asking what they want to watch. In fact, yesterday they were both sick. They are much better today, but yesterday they were so sick they just layed on the couch all day, and they watched it twice! (thier request) They even picked out Toy Story backpacks for school. It is so fun to see them enjoying it. I wonder what the next big thing will be!

Cute boys

2009-07-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Wish me luck

2009-07-20T09:45:00.000-07:00

Well, only 41 days until we leave. Not that I am counting down, I just want to make sure I manage my time so I get everything done. (Then why am I on the comuter? I don't know). So, being realistic, I know I have to pack everythimg on my own. My husband has no time. And I will admit it, I like packing everything because I want things a certain way. But don't tell my husband I admitted it. My husband has talked me into moving ourselves instead of having the military move us. (He's promised me a new desk, among other things that I have agreed upon) So, I scheduled to work on a room every week. Last week I focused on our extra bedroom. I organized it, packed up things we aren't curently using, like scrapbooks and such. And I finished it. This week, I scheduled to work on the garage. We have a lot of crap in our garage. All our baby stuff we are keeping for the next baby. All our holiday stuff. Our winter clothes, and a pile of stuff we need to go donate, or sell at a garage sale, broken things that we are "going to fix when we have time". Last week my husband comes in from the garage and says "I just saw a black widow and a scropian in the garage". So, needless to say, I'm not really excited about getting out there. I don't want the kids in there, so I was thinking of going out while they are napping, but by then it will probably be 100 degrees or more. So, wish me luck this week as I tackle the garage. I'll just pray that the heat and the arachnids don't hurt me.

update

2009-07-15T16:00:00.001-07:00

We have been busy lately. As soon as we got back from our trip we got back to work. Joe was called as EQP, and I am busy with primary. Joe has had a lot of long work days. The kids are doing well. We have been doing a lot of arts and craft project. I started typing and reorganizing all my recipes. Which now I am wondering why because I have about 37 other projects I am also working on, but whatever. We have also been frequenting the pool and the playground(when it isnt 107). Last night Joe and I went to the midnight showing of Harry Potter, which was awesome! It was like when we were dating and would stay up all night! Of course today I am running on 3 1/2 hours of sleep, so if I spell a word wrong, you know why. Joe was also promoted last week! We had some cake and a little getogether for him. He works so hard for the family and I am so proud of hime! I love him!

It's official...

2009-07-10T10:50:00.000-07:00

We have orders, and we will be moving back to the east coast. I didn't plan on leaving this area quite so soon, but I know it will be good. I am so excited to move back, but I am going to miss it here so much! I love it here! I love the weather, the branch, the primary, the post. I have really enjoyed living here. My husband will be going to school next year, and graduate in December. Then he will be stationed there. So, when are we moving? Well, that is something we have been musing over for a week or so. Our original plan was to leave the week of Thanksgiving and head to our new place, unpack, enjoy Christmas, and then classes begin Jan 5th (kind of early, but whateve). Anywho, last month we got a call from our renters who are renting our house and they informed us that they will be moving out at the end of the month. Well, that is great that when we return, we can just move right into our house, but until then, we have a mortgage to pay.So, the decision is, The Joe will take 2 weeks off in September and we will move out to NC, he will help us get settled, and the kids will be able to start preschool without missing too much of the new year. So, we will have a couple of tight months paying our mortgage and our rent here, but it will be fine. I have gone back and forth about this, prayed about it, talked about it, thought about it, and this is the plan. I'm not crazy about being there without Joe for two months, but I'm sure it will fly by.

In the mean time, Joe was promoted to 1LT yesterday. We had a fun little party with some friends of ours who also got promoted the same day. I will post pictures soon. As my brother would say. A good time was had by all.

I am looking forward to getting to NC during my favorite time of the year - FALL! I love the east coast in the fall.

2009-07-05T08:42:00.000-07:00

Stress

2009-06-30T23:13:00.000-07:00

What a night. I can't sleep because my mind is racing. I don't know why I am so stressed. I mean. I have two toddlers, we might be moving in a few months, we might not be. I'm primary president and I only have one counselor, no secretary, not enough teachers, I'm taking online classes, and trying to keep up with my house, yard, and life in general. Gee, I don't know why I'm stressed! I think I will be putting school on hold for a semester or two. So I get my bachelor's when I'm 50 instead of 45. What difference does it make? But seriously, I get online to do my schoolwork at night after the kids are in bed, and I can't think. I am drained. So I think I need to take a little break. I know some women go full time and have kids, and can do it all. But I am not one of them. Ok, I need to go to bed now.

Random thoughts

2009-06-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

Well, today Joe went back to work after two weeks off. It is good though, so we can all get back to our normal routine. I spent the day cleaning, and I feel like the only time I sat down all day was the hour and a half I had my presidency meeting. We were planning for our next quarterly activity and I thought that if we move, that would be my last one here. I started feeling kind of sad. I love this calling and I love the children soooo much! If we do go to NC, I will be super excited. I feel like I would be going "Home" even though I'm from Texas and I only lived in NC for like 3 years. But I LOVE it here. There are great people here and the kids are great and we are very happy here. I just wish we already knew for sure if we are staying or going. Oh well, we will find out soon. (I hope) Today we also found out that the people renting our house in NC are moving out at the end of thier lease, so if we do move there, it will work out prfectly and our house will be ready for move in. And I would much rather pay for repairs on a house I am living in! (like the brand new ac unit we had to clean out our savings for:) Well, I will stop rambling and go have family home evening. We'll see what the future holds. I know wherever we go, it is where the Lord needs us at this time.

Lazy Days of Summer

2009-06-21T20:50:00.000-07:00

We have been having so much fun on our vacation. Doing a lot of fun things like frequenting the chick fil A play place, hanging out with cousins, and hitting all the other fun spots here in the city! We went and visited my great Aunt, on her 84th birthday. My kids loved going to visit her, and playing in her backyard. Here they are in the same hammock I used to lay in when my great grandmother lived there and I visited when I was little!

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T20:41:00.000-07:00

Today was Father's day and we had a great day! I was able to make my Dad Breakfast, and go to church with him, and make him a tie shaped cake! Joe is in Florida having a weekend with his mom and bff, so I am here with the kiddos. We had a fun day, but we miss our Daddy(theirs). Any who, I am so grateful for my Dad, he is awesome. I love him so much!! I am also grateful for my wonderful husband who is an AWESOME father! He is so great and I can't believe how lucky I am to have him!

2009-06-21T14:57:00.000-07:00

My friend had this on her blog, so I copied it. Its a great poem!

Dad

God took the strength

Of a mountain.

The majesty of a tree.

the warmth of a summer sun.

The Calm of a quiet sea.

The generous soul of nature,

The comforting arm of night.

The wisdom of the ages,

The power of the eagle's flight.

The joy of a morning in spring.

The faith of a mustard seed.

The patience of eternity.

The depth of a family need.

Then God combined

these qualities.

When there was nothing more to add,

He knew His masterpiece

Was complete.

And so, He called it.... Dad

~Author Unknown

2009-06-10T08:26:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow we leave:

2 long days in the car

+1 driver (my awesome husband)

+about 6 gas fill-ups

+many potty breaks

+candy

+2 moms (me and my sister)

+a 7 year old boy

+3 boys age 3 and under

+tons of food

+books

+games

+dvds

= a trip to Texas.

If the drive is too crazy, I may not want to make the trip back!

Girls weekend!

2009-06-09T22:25:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I flew to Santa Fe and met my mom and all my sisters there! We had a blast. It was the first time we have all nine been together since my wedding! We had a great time. We talked, stayed up until 4 am, went shopping, watched Twilight, ate some great food, and laughed pretty much the entire weekend! We are definitely doing it again next year. It was so nice to have a break from everyday life and to just relax with the girls!

Adventures in potty training

2009-06-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

I cannot BELIEVE how well potty training is going. I pretty much have been dreading it since I was pregnant. I just heard all these terrible stories, but it has been great! I guess waiting until they were ready really paid off. I started last week and they have had about 2 accidents. I put a pullup on Jonathan at nap time, and he doesnt even go. As soon as he wakes up he goes to the potty without even being told. Even at swim lessons he gets out of the pool and runs to me when he has to go. I am so proud of him. He is doing awesome! Jacob is doing great too. He has had a few more times when he didn't make it. But, considering he is only 2 and a half. I think he is doing great. I am so excited! I really don't know why I have been dreading it. It has been great!

Dream kitchen

2009-05-31T17:07:00.000-07:00

Somedy, I want to have this thing that is called counter space. And alot of it. I am getting ready to make strawberry jam, and I feel like I have to rearrange my whole kitchen to get ready. Someday I will have my dream kitchen, like one of these!

So I am either going to win the HGTV dreamhouse, or wait until my husband is retired and we build our own dreamhouse. Which ever comes first.

2009-05-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

A few weekends ago, we took our trip to Disneyland. The kids had a blast! And so did we! We went on a bunch of rides, and saw a few shows. Jonathan was very reluctant to get on any rides, but after a few, he wasn't as scared any more. They loved the playhouse Disney live show. I think it may have been one of their favorites.

We saw a ton of characters and Jonothan wanted nothing to do with them. Jacob wanted to say hi, but by the time it was our turn. He was too shy! So I met a lot of characters!

We stood in line for a while to go in Mickey's house, but by the time we got inside, Jonathan was too shy!

I love this last picture. This is when we first got there and were waiting in line. The boys were so excited. They couldn't sit still. Jonathan was looking at the map to see where we were going to go first, and running around.

We had a great time. I am so happy we were able to take the kids while we lived so close. They had a great time and have been talking about it ever since. Now I can't wait to take them to Disney World.(In my opinion it is the better of the two!)

Why did he rub a tomato on his bottom?

2009-05-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

I am soooo excited. I was planning to start full-on potty training on Monday, so I had the pottys upstairs. Jacob woke up from his nap, and went to the bathroom on the potty! I was downstairs, totally didn't even know what he was doing until Jonathan told me. Needless to say I was pretty excited! So, later this afternoon I was watering my garden and the boys followed me outside. I have to share this because for some reason it cracked me up! Jacob picks all of my underripe tomatoes (I wasn't too happy about that). Comes in and gets a fork, then sits, naked at his picnic table and eats them. I was cracking up! So then, for some reason Jacob rubs the tomatoe on his bottom (I know, tmi) and his whole bottome brreaks out in this red, rash. So apparently he is allergic to tomatoes. I'm not sure why he rubbed the tomatoe on his bum. I couldn't even get mad about the tomatoes, although I am sad he took ALL of them off the plant. So, potty trianing begins. Wish me luck!

Easter

2009-05-21T07:36:00.001-07:00

Ok, I know Easter was like 3 years ago, but I thought I would post some pictures before I post about Disneyland. Jonathan, Jacob and I went to Texas and had a blast. We had a big Easter dinner at my sister Stacey's house, and a n easter egg hunt for the kiddos. Here are some photos!

Jacob on an old bike in the Shoe factory.

HEre are the boys enjoying popcorn at the San Antonio Shoe factory!

We were trying to get a picture with all the kids looking and smiling at the same time, and this is the best we got.
On the way home we stopped at Ikea and Jonathan found his ranom hat in th clearance section.

It was a really fun trip, and we are so excited to go for anothervisit in June, only this time with Daddy!!

When we came back, Jonathan had a field trip to the NASA buildings out here and it was really neat. Here is a picture of Jonathan in a tire that has actually been to space and back!

Mother's Day

2009-05-11T10:15:00.000-07:00

My mother's day was wonderful! We celebrate out anniversary ad mother's day the day before. I also got my present about a week before. A treadmill! I am very excited about it! Yesterdy was great! First, I slept in! That would've have been enough to make my day. Joe made me blueberry pancakes for breakfast, and cleaned up and everything! At church, Joe got several of the guys to come in and take over primary so we could al go to Rlief Society, which was so nice! I'm not gonna lie, I was a little nervous, but they did great! After church Joe fed the kids, put them down for a nap, and made dinner! We had a great relaxing Sunday! Happy Mother's day!

2009-05-09T18:42:00.000-07:00

Well, today we celebrated our anniversary. We had some friends watch the boys and we went out to Olive Garden and saw the Star Trek movie. No, I wouldn't have picked that movie, but you know, it wasnt too bad. I was actually pretty into it, once my hubby explained a few things to me! Anywho, Yesterday we took family pictures. A friend of ours took them and put a few of them on her blog. You can check them out at http://photosbytonya.blogspot.com/
They turned out sooooo great! I can't wait to see all of them!

Happy Anniversary!

2009-05-08T15:16:00.000-07:00

Joe and I got married five years ago today in Houston, TX!! We are going to celebrate tomorrow, because today we are taking family pictures, so I will post those soon. I did get an early mother's day/anniversary present. A new treadmill!! I am so excited about it. I have used it everyday since, except for Sunday! Sometimes I can't believe it has already been five years, and sometimes I don't even remember life before I met Joe. I love him so much. He is my bestest friend in the world. He definitely keeps life exciting! I thought I would write about how we met, from my point of view! I was living with 3 other roomates in San Antonio, going to the singles ward. A frend of mine, who I was a little interested in, was coming over to help me move one night. We were moving to a different house. Anyway, he brought Joe a long and honestly, he kind of bugged me. He was interested in my roomate, and I don't know why, he just bugged me. So, whe started going out with my roomate and I started spending more time with his friend, who later became his roomate. Anyway, I soon realized the thing that bugged me was that I was terribly in love with him, and he was after my room mate. Long story short, she left the picture, we began dating in December of 2003 and pretty much knew we were going to get married. We were sealed on May 8, 2004 forever! I love him so much. He is a great man and I can't believe I got so lucky!

Widget

2009-05-05T20:56:00.001-07:00

9 days!

2009-05-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

Nine days and we will be at Disneyland!!! I can't wait, I am so excited! The boys are very excited, but I think I am more excited than they are. They keep saying "We're going to Disney Channel!" I'm trying to explain the difference between Disneyland and the Disney Channel, but so far, they don' get it!

2009-04-28T15:47:00.001-07:00

I know I have a lot to blog about. We had a fun trip to Texas and I will post pictures soon. I have had so much going on lately. It took me a while to get back in the groove of things when I returned. I have had a wierd day. I have so much on my mind lately. I just wish I had a bff that I could sit down and talk to for hours. But that is not the case. I am not the type to open up to people. I just have a hard time sharing my real feelings with people. Anyway, I just need to snap out of this and get back to life, but it's hard. Well, I will blog and post pictures about my trip soon. We had a great time. Joe also came home 3 days early and surprised me! It was a nice surprise. I better run. I need to clean my house!

On the road again

2009-04-01T10:55:00.003-07:00

Well, I am getting ready to go to Texas with the boys. I am so excited because I haven't been there in over a year! That is a long time for me. There is so much I want to do while I'm there. I want to eat at Taco Cabana, take the boys to the Witte Museum or the Children's museum, and I want to go see the river walk. I want to hang out with my family most of all. I want to take all the kids to chick fil a so we can all chat while the kids play. I am so excited to be in a big city and to go shopping at some "real" stores. Don't get me wrong, I love the PX and the comissary, but there is only so many times I can go to them! I will also be there for General Conference for our church so I am super excited for that! Wish me luck on long drive. Just me and the boys, but we can do it!

2009-03-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

well, this morning I was on the phone with the bank dealing with a few issues. When I hung up I realized the kids were awfully quiet. I walked in and found my makeup(Which I had accidentally left on the counter) all over the floor. Jacob looked at me and said excitedly "Mommy, I painted Jonathan!" I couldn't even get mad, I had to grab the camera!

Look at that face, how could that sweet face be any trouble!

2009-03-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

So, I promise I won't be complaining in my next post, but I am so irritated. Today my son had a dermatologist appointment about an hour away, and if it was up to me, I would've stayed home all day, but it took so long to get this appointment, so I went. The doctor was in the room for about 1 minute, told me to use the same lotions I am already using, and just up his dosage of zyrtec everyday. I was like, are you kidding me? Next time, could you just call me and tell me? Thanks! So, pretty much the highlight of my morning was going to the dollar store and letting each of my kids pick out of a toy, because they have been so good for me while I have been sick. Anyway, I promise my next blog will be more interesting, and I won't complain anymore!

2009-03-22T16:09:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! Friday I cleaned my entire house from top to bottom, and put away most of our winter clothes. That night I started to have aches all over my body, and a sore throat. So, I woke up Saturday and the first thing I did was buy Twilight. I went home, and didn't even feel good enough to watch it. Thats when I knew I didn't feel good! I went to the ER and was called back right away, and then waited for almost 3 hours, with two toddlers. Why? I don't know, I was one of two patients in the ER. When the doc finally came in, and checked me out, and looked at my test results, she told me I had two ear infections, a form of the flu that has been going around, possibly strep throat, and a few other infections I won't bore you with. My kids were actually pretty well behaved. Probably because we were in a room alone, not around anyone else. They save thier crazy behavior for church and other public places. So, I have been home ever since I went to the doc, and I have barely eough energy to feed my kids and myself. Hopefully his antibiotic will work fast, because I have a crazy busy week,and I leave for Texas in a week and a half. So much to do before I leave. Yikes!

oh baby

2009-03-12T16:55:00.000-07:00

So, I am totally baby hungry. Which is crazy because I have never been baby hungry before. We had Jonathan after we had been married a year and a half, and then we had Jacob when Jonathan was still a baby, so I have never had a chanceto be baby hungry. Now Jonathan is 3 and a half, and Jacob is two and a half, and I don't have a baby. We will see what happens. My boys are getting big, and can now do a lot on there own, and in some ways it has gotten a lot easier. But in some ways it hasn't. The Lord is probably thinking, "you need more patience with the kids you aready have"! But I am working on it. I really am trying to be more patient. It is something I pray for daily, believe me. I also have put in my order. I want a calm, quiet little girl that doesn't talk back or hit or any of that. So I'll probably get another wild boy. When I was pregnant with Jonathan, I knew he was going to be a boy. And I had these visions of Joe and I later down the road with a bunch of boys! So, we'l just see what happens!

Sea World

2009-03-09T09:55:00.000-07:00

This weekend we went down to San Diego. We went to Sea World and had so much fun! The kids loved it. They won't stop talking about it. They loved shamu! (or as Jacob says "shampoo")The next day we went up to the Newport beach area and went to the beach. It was cold, so we just walked around. It was Jacobs first time at the beach. I am a beach lover. I used to live at the beach, and I can't believe he is two and has never been! Then we met my sister and she took the kids for the afternoon. We had a nice lunch at Rubys, went to Dave & Busters, and did a little shopping! I went to my favorite store for clothes and found some pants on clearance for $4.98. Needless to say, I was excited!

The kids loved touching the stingrays! They were a little slimy.
They enjoyed the the sesame street park!

And we ran around in the polar bear caves. We found out some other good news this weekend. Well, it is kind of a long story. In January of 2007 Joe and I were supposed to go on a cruise out of Galveston. The tickets were paid for and we were taking the kids to my family's house in San Antonio. Well, about a week before the cruise I start having these pains in my abdomen and feel them in my back. They are so uncomfortable, I can't even sleep. I watch tv and read at night. So, we drive to San Antonio, and I am in pain. I go to the emergency room when we get there because it feels worse. Long story short, I have gallstones. So, instead of going on our cruise, I get my gallbladder taken out, and spend the week recouperating on my mom's couch. So, carnival cruiselines says we have 1 year to pick another cruise of equal value. Well, my husband was in training, and couldn't get any time off. Then we move here, and getting time off here is a joke. So, now we want to go on a cruise in June, so we call them, thinking we will have to pay for another one. They are still going to let us use our voucher. We are so excited! We just have to call and tell them which cruise we want to go on, and we just have to pay tax! So in June we will once again drive to San Antonio, take the kids to my families house, and attempt to go on a cruise. I'm just hoping my appendix doesn't burst!

A Haircup

2009-02-23T14:11:00.000-08:00

Today I took the boys to get haircuts, or as Jacob says a haircup. Jonathan wouldn't go near the chair, and was a little scared, so I didn't make him get one. I let him watch his brother get one, thinking that would help. So, we will have to go back for Jonathan's haircup!This is Jonathan thinking "You're never gonna get me in that barber chair!

Reading

2009-02-22T07:35:00.000-08:00

Well, I we I went to a friend's house the other day. Her mom is an author and she was discussing her books. I haven't read them yet, but they look great. I started the first one and so far it is good. She is an LDS author, Debbie Telling Gleed. Her books are Trials & Triumphs of the Last Days, and Tell Me About God, I think I'm forgetting. They are collections of short stories, and of course I love non-fiction. So I am excited to read them.

So when I left the house, I was thinking, of course about my mom's books. My Mom is an author and she has published two of her books. They are excellent. I feel kind of bad because I haven't been telling my friend's about them. So I thought I would share them today.

Her first book is Glimmer. Here is the blurb on the back:

Rain-slick streets, a sudden collision, and a young woman wakes in the hospital days later. Her first memory is of her grandmother's appearance at the scene of the accident. Her dead grandmother. That memory is soon overshadowed by the discobery of a strage light circling the nurse's head. The bizarre halo of light could only be the result of head trauma, but if that is the case, why is it visible around some pople she sees and not others? With guarded support from famly and friends, Hayley Stewart searches for answers among those who exhibit th odd light. Are her experiences real or imagied? The anweres may alter the pattern of her life forever.

Her other book is called The First Day's Night:

A voice from the past draws Annie back to the reservation where she spent her childhood among the Navajo people. But, to return now, Annie must confront the emotional demons from the last day so many years ago-the day her father died. The reservation appears unchanged but, ass Annie hears Grandmother's cryptic message, she wonders if this is only an illusion. Annie faces Jimmy, the boy she loved so long ago, and finds him sullen and hostile. Then she meets the teacher who, in some innocuous way, mirrors her father's life. When old photos surface and undermine Annie's confidence about her childhood, she is forced to question the real meaning of home and family. Can Annie find the truth she is seeking? And, if she can, will the answers illuminate the past or will they cast an ugly light on the remaining happy memories of her childhood?

My Mom has written several books, and these are her first two published. You can find them at publishamerica.com, barnesandnoble.com, and amazon.com!

What have I been up to

2009-02-15T16:53:00.000-08:00

I feel like I have been so busy and haven't posted any updates really. So, I thought I would post some pictures and bring you up to speed!

We went to Florida the week before Christmas and had an awesome time visiting my husband's family. My husband taught my kids this........

And now guess what they want to do every time they see a basketball hoop!

We spent Christmas at our house and it was wonderful!

We found a fun mall in Rancho Cucamonga and rode the train!

My sister Stephanie visited for a week in January and we went to the m& m store (among other places) in Vegas!

We've been baking Valentine cookies!

We bought a new dining room set. We got it at a garage sale here on post and it was a steal!!!!!!

We've been frequenting Thomas tables wherever we can find them, and will be purchasing one soon for the boys!
And My husband took me to a great little Italian restaurant for valentine's day!!

We have been busy, but we have been enjoying life together out here in the great state of California. Trying to get my kids interested in potty training, and planning primary activities! We are also planning a trip to Disneyland, and a trip to Texas!!!

Joys of Motherhood

2009-02-12T10:47:00.000-08:00

I walked 30 minutes in 40 degree weather to take my kids to playgroup today.(first mistake) My two year old pushed over about 10 kids, made about 5 cry. Wouldn't sit in time out. My friend is tellng me her almost-2-year old is using the potty, and all I can think about is my almost-3-and-a-half year old who will not. My two year old then pushes over a cooler filled with cold water and ice just as all the parents are looking at me thinking 'can't you get your kid to behave? That is when I decided to go home.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2009-02-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

We have been so busy lately. We were able to take a break this weekend. We went out for the weekend, and today we went to the temple. It was great! We swapped babysitting with our friends, so we could go to the same session. It was my first time going to the Redlands temple and it was gorgeous! It is the same layout as the San Antonio, TX temple!! Anywho, it was a great weekend. We took the kids to toys r us to get some trains, and we just had a lot of fun together. oh, and also went to Ikea for the first time, and it was awesome.

2009-01-26T07:54:00.000-08:00

I know everyone is probably shocked to see an update. I have been so busy with the family, school, primary, and all that. But, I have a few extra minutes, and I have to plan a menu anyway! Here's what we are eating this week.

Monday - Baked Tilapia

Tuesday - Flank Steak with garlic potatoes

Wednesday - Whole wheat chicken quesidillas

Thursday - Red Beans and Rice

Friday - Sea World!

Saturday - Grilled cheese, soup & salad

Sunday - Citrus herb chicken & rice

If you are wondering why I do this, I got the idea from orgjunkie.com. Tons of people post thier menus, and then we can exhange recipes. I have found some awesome recipes ! I will try to post more later. Like my Christmas photos. I am so behind!

Snow!

2008-12-15T13:59:00.000-08:00

I woke up and it was raining(as if that wasn't enough of a shock) and then it started to snow! I couldn't believe it so I took some pictures of it! We are getting ready for our trip and Christmas, so we have been pretty busy lately. I will update the blog after the trip! Flying with 2 toddlers! Yikes!

Eating broccoli

2008-12-09T18:28:00.000-08:00

Well, I have five extra minutes so I thought I would post a picture of my boys! I am so excited because they both ate broccoli today! I know, it is not that interesting, but I am very excited. They never eat vegetables! I told them they were trees with snow(Parmesan cheese). I have a ton of pictures to put up of Thanksgiving and putting up the Christmas tree and all that, but I have no time to do it today, so one of these days in the near future, I will do that!

2008-11-22T14:30:00.000-08:00

Well, yesterday was a full day. I took one of my finals (only one more to go!) And then the boys and I went on Jonathan's field trip. We went out the the horse stables and the boys had a lot of fun!

Then I went to see Twilight and it was awesome!! I had so much fun! It was so good and I am already ready to see it again. Joe and I are going to see it next week!!
Today we were busy shopping for our Thanksgiving dinner!

Domestic Diva

May

Reading

Mother's Day

Happy Anniversary!!

Shelf Reliance Giveaway

update

Spring Cleaning

Welcome Spring!

Pottery Barn

My house is falling apart

40 bags in 40 days

My Valentine

6 months old!

Pictures!

Where have you been all my life?

4 Years old!

Cute Girl!

Soccer Party!

Food Storage

Cute Kids!

Am I missing something?

Fall decorations

Jacob

Katelyn's Blessing

My Baby is Five!

Recommended reading

Soccer Adventures

Katelyn

Happy Father's Day

Mother's Day

6 years!

Easter Pictures

Roll-a-thon

Myrtle Beach

Snow!

Our House

I finally have a quiet moment!

Giving Thanks

Busy, Busy

Just another day

Down on the Farm

General Conference Soup

First Day of Preschool

The trip across the country

An American Girl

Update

I should be packing but...

Busy, Busy, Busy

The new craze

Cute boys

Wish me luck

update

It's official...

Stress

Random thoughts

Lazy Days of Summer

Happy Father's Day

Girls weekend!

Adventures in potty training

Dream kitchen

Why did he rub a tomato on his bottom?

Easter

Mother's Day

Happy Anniversary!

Widget

9 days!

On the road again

oh baby

Sea World

A Haircup

Reading

What have I been up to

Joys of Motherhood

Busy, Busy, Busy

Snow!

Eating broccoli