The Gobble Bag...

I have to say Thanks to my wonderful Grandma. She sent me this article from who knows where but I found it on the internet this morning. I am going to love this. So here is the article for all you moms who are sick of cleaning up your kids messes.

The Gobble Bag

Anyway, other than that I have to say thanks to my cousin Carrie too. She rocks my world! She didn't have to work last night at her other job. So after she finished doing day care with me all day I paid her to stay here a couple more hours and clean my house with me. This wasn't just ordinary cleaning it was the scrubbing. She helped me get my basement ready to take pictures for a blog I am creating to show my house. It would have taken days for me to finish what got finished in one night between the two of us. THANKS CARRIE! YOU ROCK!!!

DIAGNOSIS...ASTHMA!

Makenna has been sick ever since we went to Arizona. She started coughing at her dad's house, when she first got there. She sounded terrible the whole time she was there and when Shanna had her at her house for a few days she gave her a breathing treatment. Makenna complained that her chest hurt to breathe and felt tight. Well, I was sure it was bronchitis, a sickness she gets every year during allergy season. When she came home I started giving her cough medicine and trying to get her better. She rested a few days and sounded much much better. So I cancelled her appointment to see the doctor. Then we went swimming at the community pool. That night she was much worse again. So then I thought maybe it was walking pneumonia or something cause it got worse when she exerted herself. So I tried to have her rest again and take medicine and get better. It wasn't working. This cough has lasted more than 6 weeks. So YesterdayI finally took her to the doctor. I was sad to hear that most kids Makenna's age live with Asthma that most doctors misdiagnose as Bronchitis. So she has all the signs of having Asthma. Bummer. She has been on an inhaler for two days now. 3 doses, and she is already sounding much better. So there you go problem solved. Now she doesn't have to be sick every time she goes to her dad's house.

Ramblings of an aging mind...

They say you are only as old as you feel. Well, today I feel old. I am now 33! I don't know where time has been going the last few years. That is a feeling my mom and grandma always told me would happen. Now it is happening too fast for me to enjoy.

I am having a good day today but I am a little sad too. I am having a bunch of realizations that my life just isn't where I hoped it would be at age 33. I wanted to have 6 kids by age 35 and we are done at 5 kids. So that is a good thing. But being done has me feeling older. And the fact that Makenna is almost 11 years old makes me feel old too. I will have 3 children in school this year. Wow that is more than half of my clan. Andthe biggest thing making me feel olf today is that I have lost a bunch of weight. Yes I know that is a good thing. In spite of the weight lose I am fatter than I have ever been while not pregnant. Weird huh. I can explain it though. After having Liberty I dropped my weight and worked out on my Ab Lounge religiously. Since allergy season started I have quit working on my tummy. The thing is all my pants are getting bigger on me but my belly is hanging over the top. And it is VERY jiggly. So instead of having baby fat I have old lady fat. A high belly instead of a baby pooch. Yeah I guess that is from all the homemade cookies I have been devouring the past few weeks.

Ok off the fat tangent...I am feeling very inadequate as a mother some days and other days I feel like the worlds best mother. We had a lesson today in Relief Society about our children and our priorities. The bishop taught it and asked us whose side are we on. The Lord's or Satan's? It was interesting as he started explaining to us how we could tell whose side we are on he mentioned a bunch of things that I am seriously failing at as a mother. Well maybe not failing but I am barely passing with a C. So I was feeling very motivated to make some changes around my home. Then he said that we can tell whose side we are on by looking at our children. Do they repeat to us the things that we have taught them. Or do they show in their actions the kind of people we are teaching them to be. That made me feel good. I have had many compliments about my kids and how great they are. So I must be doing something right. I do have good kids and I decided that I have no reasons to get down on myself. I am surely not perfect but I am working toward it. And when I see my children and my life as a whole I may not be where I hoped to be but I am successful as a mother at least. My kids love me and Christ and that is all that matters.

Ok serious Ramblings here. Off to eat some cake and ice cream and then maybe get on my Ab Lounge in the morning.

Birthday Boy

Mason is 3 years old today. My how time flies. We started his day by getting a birthday buzz after breakfast. He doesn't like how long it takes. That is why he is scowling.

Now this is better.

New boots to wear in place of his rubber galoshes he wears every chance he gets. My was he excited about those boots. He hasn't taken them off except to play at the fun park today.

Mason kept telling everyone that he wanted a BIG BIG tractor. His friend Max has a John Deere Pedal tractor and he loves it so he hoped for one. However, this birthday was all about quads. This present he is holding is a really cool little Tonka quad. And, he got a smaller motorcycle to race. He also got a foam track that you put together and race your cars and trucks or in his case quads. And his really cool big present was a Power Wheels quad of his own.

William covered his eyes with Amy's sleeping goggles so I could get a picture of his face when he sees his quad for the first time. I was not too thrilled that I didn't get a great face out of him. At least after dad showed him how to use it and he tried it for the first time I got the best face ever. He looked back at me with pure joy on his face. He is definitely his daddy's boy.

After presents we had cake and ice cream. Mason took three tries to get his one candle blown out. But he was so cute doing it.

After cake and ice cream we piled into the truck and went to the Fun Park. We played on the soft play, ate pizza and soda, rode a few rides, played laser tag and got all worn out. Here is Liberty and TJ in the Fozzie car together. And the other picture is all of us together. There are two of my day care kids missing but the rest are all here. Well, my full time kids anyway. The gal in the picture is my day care helper and cousin, Carrie. My kids have gotten so attached to her this summer and are going to miss her a ton when we move to New Mexico.

Harry Potter party update

Lots of fun pictures from this totally cool party. I was so impressed and so motivated to read this series. I ended up buying the book in hard back which I said I wouldn't. And I can't wait until I can find time to start reading them. I went and saw the 5th movie. Great movie. I am glad I haven't read the books cause I hear that I would be disappointed in how much of the book is not in the movie. Anyway, we went to the party with Makenna, her best friend Kili, Josh my nephew and Joanne his mom. Here are a few fun pictures from the night.


We had our picture taken as we went in Then they put the sorting hat on the kids and told them they were in the house of Slitherin. They were not so excited about that until they went inside and saw Snape. He didn't look so much like Snape but he sure sounded and carried himself just like the real thing. I cracked up when he said "Obviously". This guy did not every break his character all night long. That my friends is AMAZING!


When it was all over and we were heading for the car I came outside to find this scene. Joanne and Josh couldn't wait to get started on the first pages. They plan to read this the whole way home. Joanne said Josh gets to sit in the front seat on the way home and read to her.

So much to update...

Ok, for starters...

Harry Potter Mania begins TONIGHT! We are going to the Harry Potter release party at The Book Table. They are transforming their store into Hogwarts. They even have a Honeydukes Candy store. They are having a magic show, scavenger hunt, and a few other things I can't remember. And it last from 9:30 to midnight. I hope I make it through. Makenna is a huge fan and wants to dress up. I am sure there will be many in costume. I however will go as the muggle I am. Oh and Professor Snape is going to be there. Makenna and Josh can't wait for that!

I got Makenna home ont he 14th and I am so happy to have her back. I missed her so much while she was gone. The day after Makenna got home my sister-in-law came to stay with us. Her son David is going to EFY here in Logan. For those who don't know what that is it is Especially For Youth ages 14-18. They stay in the USU dorms and go to fun and spiritually uplifting classes all week. Tonight he gets to go to the dance and go home tomorrow. I hear he is having tons of fun. Can't wait until Makenna can do that. Joanne and I have had a bunch of fun shopping for her new home. She bought home decor I bought myself some new clothes. I can't wait to wear them, but I am going to let the kids give them to me for my birthday.

Another thing keeping me away from my computer and blogging is that I have decided to finally do a yard sale. Tomorrow! I am going to sell a ton of stuff. I will be really busy tonight trying to get everything labeled so I can be up at dawn to sell it all off. Now that we have news on where and when we will be moving I can finally start packing and getting the house ready to show.

William found out that he works here until August 3rd. However, he gets paychecks anyway until the 18th of September. Thank Goodness for that 60 days notice policy. Gotta love that blessing. Anyway, he is going to the dunes here for the last time that night and next day. He is going to miss the sand dunes a ton since we are going to be even further away from any great dunes. I am going to pack my stuff to take my kids to Shanna for a week. Well my 3 oldest anyway. They are so excited. I asked them if they wanted to go with us to New Mexico to do some house hunting but no way! They want to see Bailee, Macey, and Cassie since they were out of town during our last visit to Arizona. So I will leave the three girls with Shanna and take Mason and Liberty on to Las Cruces to meet William and go house hunting. We are going to take a load of stuff on our trailer so we don't have so much stuff when we make the big move. Then I will leave the trailer and come back through AZ to pick up my girls before coming home. I am anxious to get through this time. I am having a little bit of ulcer problems again and not sleeping well again due to the stress. Not that I am worried or anything but I think that subconciously I worry about all the stuff I need to get done. When I get back from AZ I am going to put the for sale sign in the yard and start showing the house. I hope it sells fast cause I don't want to be away from William for too long.

I talked with the girls about moving and I did get a few tears but not to bad. They are very sad to move but when I told them that we would be only 5 hours away from Shanna's family and only 6 hours away from Savanna and Autumn they perked right up. However, when it came to talking about starting school I made sure to talk to them individually so I didn't get them influencing each others decisions. I gave them each a choice to start school here or in New Mexico. Makenna immediately said she hates being a New kid and wants to start in New Mexico. But then I explained that we wouldn't be there until right before school starts so she will be a new kid anyway. They won't be there long enough to make any new friends before starting school. So they all decided they want to stay here and start school with their friends. That is what I really wanted for Emily. She is already really nervous about kindergarten and she is going through a terribly shy stage right now. So I think starting here with friends with help her nerves and then we can start again when she at least knows the kindergarten routine.

Until then, I have tons of packing and cleaning to do to get this house ready for prospective buyers. Walls and baseboards and doors need cleaning and touch up paint needs done. After the yard sale this weekend I am going to start collecting boxes for packing. Oh and I am sure after all of this stress settles I am going to start crying when I think of leaving this neighborhood. I better get pictures of all my friends so I can make a book about our time here. That will be fun!

What a day already...

This morning I slept a little late. Thanks to Amy for playing with Liberty for an hour so I could go back to sleep. I scrapped last night with my friends. We laughed so much and had a wonderful time. I started this layout and struggled all night with hating it.

Then I pulled out my sewing machine and stitched on it. I liked it a little better after that but still felt like it was missing something. I wanted to keep the focus on the pictures but with such a linear layout it was driving me crazy not to give it a little more class. So since I was freezing and falling asleep last night, so sorry Alison, I put it away until today. It took me all day between chores to finish it but I can finally say I am very happy with the way it turned out. Angie Francis took these beautiful pictures and many more at Emily's birthday party in February. Thanks Ang!

So I have cleaned my kitchen, done four loads of laundry, finished rearranging Mason and Liberty's bedroom and the guest room, started cleaning my craft room and I feel like I have done a ton today. My living room doesn't really look like I have done much but at least I feel good about it. I will just hope that no one shows up un-announced to my door.

So for the rest of the day I need to clean the living room, clean my room and bathroom, and plan a lesson for primary. That is my new calling at church, the 6 year olds. Gotta love that age! I hear I have some great kids but I will judge for myself tomorrow.

Baby Steps...

Wow! My baby is taking her first steps already. I can hardly believe how fast time is whizzing by. She will be 10 months old on the 11th and she is walking about 2 steps at a time from mom to dad. She is not feeling very well right now so she refuses to do it for us since Tuesday. Oh well, we seem to be rushing through the milestones with this one. It is sure sad to think we are done. (not sad enough to get pregnant again though.)















Other great news...Makenna is coming home on the 14th. This has gone pretty fast and I have really missed having her here. She is to the age now where she just wants to sit and talk to me or play a game with me. She is also going through a sit on my lap or on the couch next to me and snuggle me stage. Yeah at 10 years old I am glad she still loves to cuddle me. When she was a baby I couldn't get her to sit still long enough to cuddle. So better late than never. I miss you Makenna and can't wait for you to come home. I love you!

Green Thumb...I hope

Well I finally finished getting my garden planted. Thanks so much to my honey for building the box and tilling the soil to prepare it for me. It wasn't an easy job in nearly 100 degree weather. I hear it was 118 degrees in Arizona on Sunday so we are grateful for the heat of 98 here. Anyway, the apple tree in my garden is getting moved when the weather cools off again. I don't want to kill it. My garden has one watermelon plant, two canteloupe, one honeydew, 4 jalepeno peppers, five crookneck yellow squash, and two zucchini plants. Oh and 26 Blue Lake bean plants. I am hoping this year to freeze most of the squash as it ripens so I will be able to eat it year round. The beans I canned last year in a water bath canner and Some of them rotted cause the seal didn't stay sealed. So this year I am going to hope for a pressure cooker canner for my birthday. Or maybe I can find a friend who has one to come and show me how to use it before I buy one.

Ok that is just my backyard garden. I also have a garden in the front that I posted a picture of last year. It has tons of strawberries, 5 tomato plants, 4 zucchini, two yellow squash and one cucumber. Here's to fresh produce!

So I finally finished relandscaping my front yard. I pulled a ton of plants that I hated and pulled up all the landscape fabric. I also put down the black compost dirt over the wood chips I had. It looks so much better now. I have been trying to get rid of plants that seem too desert like to me. Last night I bought and planted a Tinkerbell Lilac bush where our old Yashiki Willow was. That tree looked like a tumbleweed on a stick, especially in the winter with no leaves. So again Thanks to my wonderful husband for being such a great sport about me changing so much of my yard. Since it made so much more work for him I thought he would complain but he didn't. i love you William!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMMI...

This is Tammi Auayfuay, my very best friend. I wish I wasn't such a lousy friend and made more time to call her often. But mostly since I moved we keep in touch through each other's blogs. Tammi and I met in 2000 right around Savanna's first birthday. I started babysitting Savanna and she and Amy became best of friends. Shortly after that Tammi became my best friend too. I had imagined us growing old together and always living close so our families would stay close friends forever. Since that wasn't in the cards and we moved we have missed them all so much. I miss our late nights or days we spent scrapping together and talking about all kinds of things. Tammi is my biggest confidant and a person I trust my secrets to. I love you Tammi and I hope you know how wonderful you are! Have a great birthday and live it up. You deserve it!

Ribbon Can for my Girlfriend

Here's to you Allison. Happy belated birthday! Thanks for being such a great friend.

I made this ribbon can for Allison because she is fairly new to the scrapbooking industry. However you wouldn't think it by looking at her pages. Anyway, she is still building her stash of supplies so I wanted to give her a bunch of ribbon for her birthday. We don't really do much for each other's birthdays around here so I wanted to stay very inexpensive. The can didn't cost much. In fact I already had it in my stash. The ribbon and papers and stickers I already had too. So this was really fun to make a cute present with almost no cost to me. At least not since ages ago when I actually bought all of this stuff. This can is filled with a ton of boy colored and printed ribbons. But since she doesn't get much to do with Girly things I decorated it totally for her.

Putting my house in order...

I got my basement cleaned and organized again this weekend. It feels good to go down there and get that done every now and then. Oh and I am rearranging bedrooms YET AGAIN! I am moving the guest bed downstairs into Mason's room and moving Mason and his bed upstairs to share a room with Liberty. We have been trying Mason and Liberty together for the last couple of nights and it is working out rather well. He has been going through the get up in the middle of the night to pee stage. Either that or because our basement is so chilli he crawls into my bed. Anyway, I hate getting out of bed to go put him back in bed so this is a lot easier. Not to mention that when my girls put laundry away they throw it on the floor by his bed instead of putting it in his drawers. I don't blame them though, that is my job. Well, I spend most of my time upstairs or outside until bedtime when I remember he has tons of clean clothes needing to be put away. So I am going to be much better at keeping his room clean and teaching him to put away his own clothes. Mason is loving sleeping with Liberty and it is cute to listen to them giggling to each other.

William got my garden box finished on Saturday and roto-tilled compost into the clay-like dirt we have here. It looks beautiful and I am hoping to plant a bunch of green beans tomorrow. I am going to plant watermelon, canteloupe and honeydew back there too. Yum!
We also almost finished the landscape changes to our front yard. So Monday morning I will be shoveling dirt again and trying to pull weeds. I will take pictures of everything to post when it is all finished.

Since Sunday is my day of rest and relaxing I took a 4 hour nap. After that I made a big roast, potatoes and gravy dinner and a butterscotch pudding pie for dessert. That was enough to send me back to bed for another nap. Instead of going back to bed I decided the best way for me to really unwind is to clean my craft room and start a couple of projects. So I put away a bunch of stuff so I can feel good in my playroom again. Then I gathered ribbons together put them into a paint can and I am going to decorate the paint can to give to my girlfriend for a belated birthday present. Can't wait to give it to her. I am going to make it PINK and GIRLY since she is a mother of three boys.

Every now and then I have to make myself a list of things to do and show it to someone so I feel more accountable therefore becoming more proactive with my list. So here's to a busy and productive Monday!

• Clean 3 upstairs bathrooms
• Shovel dirt and pull weeds
• plant my garden and take pictures
• Go to Kohls to buy my birthday present from my kids(hehe!)
• Run by Michaels to use my coupon. (Can't let it go to waste right?)
• go to bank with deposit
• get groceries
• Clean my room and put paperwork away in files
• call Makenna at her dad's house
• Call Tammi to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Rewards and Consequences...

Well, I have been trying to get a handle on my kids chores and my frustrations with my kids being naughty or fighting with each other. Oh there are lots more reasons to have this system in place so I will share some of what is in them.

The Naughty can is for when I want to wring their little necks. Well most of the time I send them to their room or ground them to the thing they hate the most. So instead of doing that I decided to go with the approach that my sister-in-law, Joanne takes with her kids. Thanks for the idea Joanne. You rock! Anyway, the naughty can has all kinds of chores from the daily stuff they should already be getting done to the really down and dirty jobs that don't get done often as I wish around here (dusting my TV, Shanna, LOL!). When I am upset with my kids for any reason like being at their friends longer than I told them they can, not getting their chores finished, fighting with their siblings, or the big one is shoving things under their beds. They will pull out slips of paper with chores on them. Each chore has to be finished before they can go to play again. So hopefully this works.

The NICE can... This is our reward system. If they have been extra helpful around the house, finished all their jobs without me nagging at them. If they are just being sweet to me or each other, or even if they deserve rewards for other things like doing good in school, etc. They will get to pull a slip from the NICE can. The nice can has things in it like go to lunch with Dad, play with moms paints, stay up past bedtime tonight, rent a movie, pizza at Sams club, go to the park, go to the library, etc. This can has things my kids really love. They can't wait to use it. Hmmm...I can't wait to let them use it either. I figure that if they don't get to pick from it enough I might tell them if they complete a certain number of slips out of the naughty can they can pull one slip from the nice can. I will let you know how well that works. Hehe!