The Insanity

Ok - I realize that with 4 young kids I probably have it easier than some, and harder than others. I knew that with Eileen starting school this past year that life would start to get a bit busier outside the home. Knowing that it will and living it are two totally different things! Funny thing is that it seems to have gotten busier now that she is out of school for the summer. We look at our family calendar and there are things going on all week. Now some are not terribly exciting - e.g. - MONDAY - laundry, grocery shopping, piano lessons, FHE. Nothing wrong with any of those things - but they are a normal part of life. Some are much more interesting - e.g - SATURDAY - go see cousin Frankie in Sleeping Beauty, go on a date with my handsome hubby!

They called this spoon the 'sharing stick' because they were all stirring together.


Family Home Evening is usually one of those things that we do because we should - but we are lucky if we get one kid to listen and pay attention - all 4? Don't know that it has ever happened... until this week. We had one of those miracles where the kids paid attention, learned, and participated - all of them! Last Sunday was a bit of a crazy day - after church the kids all seemed to forget that it was the Sabbath day and that the Sabbath Day is supposed to be different. I was getting increasingly frustrated with the kids and the situation until I had had it! In a burst of inspiration (instead of blowing up at them and kicking the other kids out and banishing them to their rooms) I called them in for a talk. I asked them what day it was, I asked them what things we should do on Sundays. I asked them if the things they had done all day had helped them feel like it was Sunday and a special day. After discussing this I brought up my grand idea. We decided that for FHE, we would make a Sunday Activity Jar. We would fill it with ideas of good, fun things to do on Sundays. So Monday we sang a song about the Sabbath Day and we started making our jar. All 4 kids participated - Even Evie loved putting the papers in the jar - even Aaron gave his ideas for Sunday Activities. After we had used all out strips of paper, we put the jar aside. This morning at 7 am I was awoken by Eileen - jar in hand - wanting to pick out an activity and get started. So today after Church, instead of the kids running amok while Dan and I took naps (well i still squeezed a little nap in) we played games together, read scripture stories together, made banana bread, and took a walk to a friends house with one of the banana bread loaves. So much more fulfilling and fun than the norm!

This is Evie with pig tails - YES - i can finally get little pig tails in her hair - and they are so darn CUTE!!!!

Friday was great day. The husband of a friend of mine was going through the temple for the first time, I wanted to be there to support that friend - Dan was kind enough to take the afternoon at home so that I could go. It was a wonderful afternoon! That evening the priesthood brothers got their families together for pizza, games and fun. The kids had a blast running amok all over the gym and eating more junk than they usually get in a month. Dan had fun trying to cheat at Apples to Apples and still losing. I had fun winning - I always enjoy winning - just wish I did it more often! We all came home exhausted - but happy.


Saturday we went to see my cousin Frankie in Sleeping Beauty. The older 3 loved it - they sat enraptured the whole time. Evie got cranky when she got goldfish and the rest of the kids got candy.... But the play was a lot of fun and I love giving the kids those kinds of experiences. Then we picked up the baby sitter and Dan and I went out for dinner and a movie. I always enjoy spending time with the amazing man I am married to. I enjoy talking to him, laughing with him and just being with him.

Welcome Summer???

Well - Eileen is officially done with Kindergarten and is now on summer break - the weather is still insisting that it is spring though with rain and lots of overcast days. This week was kinda busy with end of school year stuff. On Wednesday was Eileen's little preschool graduation. I had fun watching her and seeing her excited happy face. She has had a good year and made some good friends. On Thursday afternoon was their end of year assembly - Eileen said they were singing the song that she has been walking around the house singing all week during the assembly. So Dan and I went with 3 tired and cranky kids.... It was a very long assembly.... but watching her sing at the end was worth it! She is so cute!! I tried to get a video of it - but my camera didn't cooperate... just know that she was very cute and if you ever want to see her sing it - just ask her to. She will happily cooperate - and Anna might even join in.
And my tired little girl who had not had a nap at all - and ended up with a fever the next day... poor baby!!! She is so full of personality - and her hair is getting a little longer - i managed to get it into pig tails for church today. I'm sure she grew up on me while I was gone.... NO MORE DOING THAT EVIE!!!!

Aaron decided he wanted to be a big boy and wear underwear a couple days ago - he made it a day and a half with no accidents - and now he's tired of it and wants diapers again.... sigh... maybe this will get done some day.... the problem is convincing him that he wants to wear them again....Diego and Thomas the Tank Engine only worked for a little while. Any suggestions anyone???

Home at Last

This weekend was another reminder of why I don't like to fly anymore.... but before I get to that....

Oh and by the way - this post is dotted with the pics I have been promising for the last 2 posts :)

This last week for me has been wonderful. I have spent so much of the last 6 years receiving service at the hands of the amazing women I have been blessed to know. I will always be grateful for that service - this week, I got to pay it forward a bit. I spent the week cooking, cleaning, and mending for my sister and just trying to do whatever it was that would help her make the difficult adjustment to being a new mother. I left her with a full fridge and fairly clean kitchen, and all the sewing she wanted me to do, done. In addition to all this, we went out and spent a day at Nauvoo. I watched the baby for an hour while my sis and her hubby went to the temple, then we walked around the town and explored the historic site. I really enjoy that kind of stuff and Sandi and Jon indulged me. :) We all had fun taking lots of pictures and enjoying everything. Plus the weather was just beautiful - we couldn't have picked a better day... literally - the rest of the week was drizzly.... Jon's parents and my dad came in at the end of the week for the baby blessing, and so Saturday we all went out bowling.

Now that sounds like fun... and I enjoy bowling, the only downside was that while I was bowling, I was supposed to be home.... I got up at 6am on Saturday morning and went to the airport where I was confronted by a long line at a very small airport. Why the long line? Because United had cancelled all their flights out. So they rescheduled me for the next morning.... Then that flight got cancelled - Dan made sure they got me on another flight, so they put me on an American flight (that airline had been making all it's flights for the last 2 days...) and finally got me home this afternoon. It's so good to be home - and it's nice to know that I was even missed a bit by the kids who are always telling me that they like Daddy better. :) Plus I got to come home to a heart shaped cookie and home made cards!

So what did the kids do while I was gone? According to Dan - they did nothing and ate junk food... no wonder they think I'm the mean one!!! LOL This week will be Eileen's last week of school - I can't believe it's over already!! And last but not least - a pic of me with my handsome new nephew!!

Welcome to Peoria!

Well here I am - in Illinois and states away from my hubby and kids on Mother's Day. Instead i spent it with my sister who is a brand new mother and her ADORABLE little baby boy! I missed hearing my little kids singing "Mother I Love You" but hopefully I am being a helpful and useful big sister. I did get to talk to my hubby and sweet little kids. Anna told me that they made a 'aprise' (surprise) for me, then told me to guess what it was. I made some silly guesses without revealing to her that Eileen had told me about the cards just a minute ago. I even got to talk to little Evie who with some help from Daddy said "mama, I love..."

The kids are loving their time with Grandma and Grandpa Jones. Evie took to them quickly, thought generally wary of people she doesn't recognize. Aaron will even ask them to change his diaper - he won't even let Dan do that! Out house is now much cleaner and more organized and the backyard has a trimmed tree with 3 rope swings hanging from it. I have lots of pics - but they will have to wait until next week since I'm not on my computer. :)

Since it's Mother's Day - I just thought I would say thank you to all the amazing mothers in my life - not just my mother and mother-in-law who are both amazing women - but all my sisters as well - my sister, my sisters-in-law and my sisters in the church who inspire me and teach me by their examples and love. My aunts who are all different - but wonderful examples of wonderful mothers. Finally my friends - those who live back in Texas - yes I still miss you! The new friends I've made in Colorado, the wonderful friends I've had for longer than I care to admit, and the awesome friends I have made online. Y'all brighten my days and inspire me. I love you all! And happy Mother's Day to you - whether you are a mother, or just have a 'mother's heart.'

Let the Madness Begin

The house is clean(er) and the air mattress is set up and the kids are bouncing off the walls with excitement. Dan's parents get in today and we are all looking forward to it! The kids have talked of nothing else and have been helping me clean up for the last 2 days to get ready. I told my hubby that we were trying to get the house to look like a house where 4 kids lived - instead of like a house that got hit by a tornado and left..... I think we mostly succeeded. :) Now we have a couple days of playing with Grandma and Grandpa ahead of us and then Daddy comes home and I leave to go see my sister and her new little baby!!!!