tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62577625918538242742024-03-05T20:30:04.318-08:00Three Men, Two Ladies, and a Couple of Love BirdsAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-88896242963142710722018-06-29T23:24:00.000-07:002018-06-29T23:30:52.246-07:00I’m Baaack!Guess who’s back... back... back... back again...<br />
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I have been under the impression lately I need to start journaling. I am listening to Henry B. Eyring's biography and it motivates me even more to actually do it.<br />
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It’s summer break and the older 3 kids are home from school. Hudson will start 1st Grade, Lenore 2nd, and Carlyle 3rd this fall. I’ll be honest, it’s nice having them in school. It’s hard having them all home at the same time all day! Someone is always fighting or fitting about something. By the end of the day I am so done...sometimes by 9am I am done. Its not for the faint in heart.<br />
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I hope this parenting business is forgivable by God and by my children. I love my kids and there isn’t anything in this world I wouldn’t do for them, but it is emotionally exhausting sometimes. I can only pray and have faith that the Lord will make up for all that I lack and they will grow up to be wonderful humans, contributing to society, and the gospel.<br />
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Hudson was so mad at me a few months ago because in the car I told him he couldn’t do something he wanted to do when he got home. He was furious and frustrated. He screamed at me, he said “fine! But when I grow up, I am going to be a cop, and I’ll arrest you, and put you in jail, and then you ain’t going to be nobody’s Mom!” I swear he must have thought this up in his head long before he exploded.<br />
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I tried so hard not to bust up laughing, but I couldn’t help snicker a little bit. Boy, that kid sure keeps me on my toes. He needs extra love and patience, which I know I don’t always provide for him.<br />
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I remind myself to breath often and tell myself I wont yell or I will have fun with the kids, but then end up getting to a breaking point as some point during the day. I wish I were one of those moms that could always be positive and happy and fun, but I have 5 kids under the age of 8, and sometimes (more often than not) I am empty. I am the giving tree, with nothing left to give. I try to take time for myself and rejuvenate, so I can better care for my kids at a higher level, but I don't think there is enough time in my day to fill my bucket as fast as it drains. Will my kids remember this about me? Will they resent me for it? Will I enjoy them more as they get older? I hope so.<br />
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I don't want to sound negative or that I don't enjoy my children, or don't want to be around them. I do! I really do! I love being with my children. I just struggle being with ALL of them at the same time. And its hard to find time to have one on one time and still fit in time I need for me and not leaving someone out. I truly enjoy each one of my kids when I have them to myself.<br />
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Arney is a joy. He is truly all boy! Loves to get dirty and climb on, touch, and get into everything he isnt supposed to. He loves me. He cries when I leave the room, or drop him off at nursery. He gives me the biggest hugs and open mouth, wet kisses. He loves animals and babies- especially Phoebe Krey. He loves to hug and kiss and pinch her just to get close to her. He adores his siblings and they can get him to laugh so hard! Especially Lenore. Everyone loves Arney. He will go sit on the lap of an 80 year old man at church and loves to snuggle grandpas. He makes their day.<br />
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Hannah is a delight. Nobody is perfect, but she is pretty darn close. She is funny and happy and loves to give hugs and kisses. I love her little lisp she has. When she was 2, or close to it, Carlyle was helping her out of the car and accidentally dropped her on her face. Her front tooth chipped and she had to get it pulled this year because it was getting infected. I will miss her little voice and toothless grin when she grows up. I truly love being around Hannah. She loves to help me bake and follow me around, giving me commentary on the entire day. She can talk your ear off. Its adorable.<br />
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Hudson is full of fire. He can be the most difficult child, full of anger and rage. Then turn around and be the most kind, sensitive, and sweet little guy. I love how inquisitive he is. He always asks the tough questions, like "how do the babies actually get in the tummy?" He is full of questions about the world and the world around him. I love getting to spend quality time with him because he always to calm down when he isn't having to compete for attention. He is also so talented and coordinated. He can dribble a basketball well, and is picking up on the piano so quickly. He is a good friend and always has a buddy at school to play with. He will get in little quarrels and come home and tell me things like, "Conner ex-ed our friendship, but don't worry, he will still invite me to his house." He makes funny faces and does voices to make us laugh. His teachers always tell me how obedient and kind he is at school and how much they enjoy him. I hope I can connect with him more often.<br />
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Lenore is a sweetheart. When she is in a good mood, she loves to snuggle, and hug and loves when I tickle her arm or face. She also is so kind and good to her younger siblings. She gives and shares the best, and I appreciate that about her. She can be sassy and has a side to her that makes my blood boil. When she is on one, she can be so stubborn and there is no getting her back to a neutral level. Its as if everything at that point will set her off. I get quite impatient when she does that. She will scream and yell at everyone and I feel a huge disconnect from her when she is in that mood. I pray the Lord will help me understand her and how to help her. I think we will be good friends as she grows older. She is pretty agreeable and nice to sit quietly with or have conversation with. I enjoy that about her.<br />
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Carlyle is growing up so fast. He is one smart cookie. I love hanging out with Carlyle. He teaches me to be a better person. He struggles with anxiety and social connections sometimes. He makes friends and is a good friends, but doesn't have solid groups of kids he can turn to. I don't mind really. He loves to play with Camilla Florido, and she is such a good kid, I have no problem with them being friends. His cousins, HelenAnn and Nicole are his best friends and he looks forward to seeing them any chance he can get. I love talking movies, books and science with him. Its fun to see him grow up. His fits can be hard sometimes as he is getting older, but I pray he can really find his own testimony and discernment of the spirit in his life.<br />
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Today we went to playgroup with some friends from the Stake and enjoyed the beautiful trees and weather we have been having,. I then dropped off my kids at the Krey's tonight, so I could get some things done at the house and pack for the beach tomorrow morning. We were going to take the kids swimming, but Lenore was being sassy when we went to pick the kids up, Carlyle had hurt Hudson, and Hudson was throwing a fit so they lost out on swimming and they were not happy about it. Carlyle threw a big fit and told us he would run away. He only made it down the street. The others were hurt and sad with tears and I stuffed my face with popcorn and chocolate after the kids went to bed to try to ease the stress. It didn't work. I am hoping for a better week full of a little more sleep and smiles.<br />
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That's it for now!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-52517575932913220812014-12-11T09:54:00.002-08:002014-12-11T09:54:26.409-08:00Christmas Party!This last week we had a cute little Christmas party for the kids. I decided to do a KID ONLY party and honestly loved it! It was so fun to have kids at our house and do something fun for my own children. I made it simple, short, and sweet. We started the party by making "Reindeer Food", they each filled a jar of food for Santa's reindeer. You leave it out on the porch in Christmas Eve and while Santa fills your stocking the reindeer can refuel. There was even silver glitter so the reindeer can see the food, and "Flying Powder" (powder sugar) to give them a boost through the night. -Now thinking about it, it kinda sounds like we drugged the reindeer! LOL! Next, we decorated cookies, which I didn't even have to make. My cute friend started a little bakery business from her home and made them all and the frosting for me! And they were really yummy too! Then we had a "candy cane hunt", which is basically the same thing as an Easter egg hunt but with candy canes- OBVIOUSLY! We ended by watching <i>Frosty the Snowman </i>and eating popcorn. This kids then just played until their Momma's came. I felt it was perfect, I am now much more open to the party idea thing when it is kids only! It is less expensive and you don't feel the pressure to impress anyone! At least for me that is what I feel. I think we will make this an annual event as long as the kids are into it! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-13563173381581113052014-12-11T09:30:00.000-08:002014-12-11T09:30:05.097-08:00Becoming MinimalistI am always getting "caught up" with my blog that I never get to write about the "now"! So I will catch up later and discuss what I am doing in my life recently.<br />
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As some of you know I am a HUGE Dave Ramsey fan! We even gave books to friends and family of the Total Money Makeover to friends/family for Christmas last year as their gift! ...It was not received well! lol! But honestly we just believe in the system, it makes sense and works for us. We have just begun to make a dent in our debt and we can already see the blessings it is bringing to our lives.<br />
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We are on the SAME financial page, which honestly helps us be on the same page in just about all aspects of our life! It has helped our communication, <strike>my</strike> our honesty, trust, and has shown us how to reach and achieve the same goals. I encourage EVERYONE to get on the plan if they are not already and I swear it will start feeling good to not be a slave and to feel some financial freedom. Proverbs 22:7 <i>The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.</i><br />
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On top of becoming debt free and eventually building wealth, <strike>we</strike> I am working on becoming a minimalist.<br />
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Now this is not in my natural nature. I have learned a couple of things about myself in both of these processes.<br />
1) I like to spend money and buy new things.<br />
2) I am an organized hoarder.<br />
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I keep things just because it was free and I MAY use it someday! RIDICULOUS!! Now that I can see how ridiculous this is I am working on decluttering my home! Not just reorganizing and packing things away but actually getting it OUT for good!<br />
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My habits are not going to change over night so YES I do still have things I have packed and put away, but I am making "large" baby steps, more like adolescent steps, on dejunking my house! I came across this idea of becoming a minimalist from Google searching "How many toys should a kid own?" this is the greatest website that came up (http://www.becomingminimalist.com/)<br />
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How many of you are CONSTANTLY picking up toys and getting frustrated by the dumping of toys to get the one thing on the bottom or to actually play in the bin the toys were in? Well I am sooo sick of it!... I tried the sorting, it would end up still all in one place. I tried the pile everything in one bin, it would just get dumped even more often in the day. And I even tried the rotation of toys, where some are packed away and others are out. Nothing worked very well... Bottom line we own too many toys! They aren't blessing my life or my children's... that is the number one thing to remember when becoming a minimalist. If it isn't adding value to your life than get rid of it!<br />
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I am in the process of selling things and taking loads to the DI. I even made Lenore go through her toys and get rid of HALF her things! I was so proud of her because out of all the children, she actually plays with all of her toys the most. She loves and cares for each of them. It was hard to watch her pick and say goodbye to somethings that I pictured her playing with, but it was also such a wonderful thing to see her be so willing and obedient. I held up 2 toys at a time and had her pick between the two, one would go in the keep basket and the other would go in the DI/sell basket. I just picked for the boys, because they don't play like Lenore does, so I only kept their most played with things and I don't even think they have noticed.<br />
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I still feel overwhelmed with what I need to get to and how much stuff I own, but the things that I have gotten rid of has made a significant difference in that space.<br />
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I am working on clothing right now! I spend so much energy, stress, and anxiety over laundry. I DO NOT like laundry! I will even go as far to say I HATE it! It is never ending and I do not enjoy my life by being stressed and overwhelmed with laundry all the time.<br />
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So many times we as a society dress to impress other people, which leads us to have so many clothes to not over wear the same thing again and again in fear someone will see us in the same outfit in the same week! Heaven forbid! Well I no longer care! Not that I was one to ever really care that much anyway. When you have so many clothes and none of them are clean because you don't even know where to begin because there are just to many so you are wearing this!! IN PUBLIC! <br />
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You aint impressing NOBODY! So I am in the process of trying to keep roughly 6 outfits a person and 3 church outfits (a few more for Hannah and Lenore because let's be honest girl clothes are just so cute!). But everything else is gone!<br />
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I obviously am holding on to a few pjs, socks and underwear as well, but once it doesn't fit or I buy a new set the ond ones are out! I actually was buying my kids new pajamas because their old ones got to small, but I wasn't getting rid of the old ones, I was actually still putting them on my kids and not caring that they were small and looked ridiculous because I was the only one going to see them! Well if they are still good enough to wear than I do not need more! So my new rule is I have to be willing to get rid of old clothes before I buy anything new.<br />
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All of this is still a work in progress but I thought I would share in case anyone else was struggling with these things yourself and needed a place to start!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-59164112057460984112014-05-19T12:05:00.000-07:002014-05-19T12:05:24.921-07:00Lenore So I wrote this at Lenore's 2nd Birthday and never posted it and found it in my drafts, so to add to it I thought I would now extend it to her 3rd birthday as well...<br />
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I really try not to complain about my life to much ( I know some of you think I am probably really bad at it!) ... but really I have such a wonderful blessed life and I have 3 kids who are healthy and bring me so much joy! I honestly don't know how I got to be so blessed! I have had over the last couple years some really close friends and family of mine lose their children, and pieces of my heart ache for them everyday. My point is, things sometimes things are put into perspective and I realize just how completely blessed I am. The test that someone would have to go through, such as losing a child, is more than I think I could possibly bare. I am so appreciative for the countless blessing I receive everyday! It puts so much in perspective when you realize the trials others are going through. This has nothing to do with today's post, just something that has been on my mind when I think I am tired or having a hard day.<br />
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As of recently my little Lenore has been talking up a storm! She is so excited about the smallest things in life. "Princess!" "Minnie!" "Jammies!" "Shoes!" These are a few examples of things she likes to scream when she sees them and especially when she receives them as a present. She is ALL girl! We went to Chuck-E-Cheese for her 2 year birthday party! She got to pick out a prize with the few tickets we won and out of everything in the unorganized display she picks out a necklace and a princess wand! At 2 years old that girl knows what she likes! She plays with dolls and princesses all day! She loves taking care of her babies and tries to treat Hudson as a baby, but the fact that they are relatively the same size makes it difficult. :) She finally has reached 20 pounds and surpassed 30 inches at her last appointment! It only took 2 years!<br />
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Now a whole year later...<br />
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Lenore is now 3 years old and as sweet as ever! I am loving that she is my easiest going and most agreeable child. With that comes other challenges such as potty training, but all in all, she doesn't give me too much grief. She is ALL GIRL! That is for sure! She still loves princesses and anything pink! She can be a sass at times, but I think she gets that from her Bennett side when her "little boss" comes out. ;) She LOVES her brothers and they in turn LOVE her! She is their best friend. I don't know if she has a favorite brother, but being smack in the middle of both of them, she is favored over the brothers themselves. They both have very special bonds and relationships with her! <br />
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She is still small but growing bigger! She finally is is 10% for height, but still a skinny little thing at 2% for weight. I am not going to lie she weight less than her little brother and makes it very nice to tote her around on my hip sometimes!<br />
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She turned 3 this February and she got to celebrate by staying the night in a hotel with her Grandma Johnson. She was spoiled with gifts and attention and came back a little rotten... but had the time of her life! She also got to go on our girls birthday weekend and had so much fun shopping and swimming! She had her own money to buy things she wanted and of coarse picked out a princess wand and princess sunglasses from the Disney Store. <br />
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We are still working on potty training (whoever said girls are easier did not know this little girl). I will forever be grateful for how easy Carlyle was for me in comparison! Any tips please send them my way... She loves her family! Especially her grandparents! She adores them and loves visiting them or when they come visit! We are very lucky to have 2 sets of wonderful grandparents. She never forgets to pray for each of them in her prayers along with her cousins and aunts and uncles. Her love is genuine and they love her right back!<br />
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We just love having Lenore in our family and cannot even imagine this life without her! She fills our home with so much love and sweetness you cannot help but want to snuggle her and spoil her- even when she is being naughty or whinny! She is the whole reason we are so thrilled to welcome another little girl into our family and she too looks forward to the arrival of her little sister this July! <br />
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3 year Questionnaire:<br />
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What is your Nickname?: Pink/ Lenny and Kickers<br />
How old are you?: 2 or 3/ 3<br />
What is your favorite animal?: Monkey<br />
What is your favorite book? Nancy Nancy/ Fancy Nancy<br />
What is your favorite TV show? Mcstuffins (Doc Mcstuffins)<br />
What is your favorite movie? Cinderella<br />
What is your favorite song? Let it Go<br />
What is your favorite food?: Mac and Cheese<br />
What is your favorite snack?: Tookies (cookies)<br />
What is your favorite thing to wear?: Clothes/ Her princess dress ups<br />
What is your favorite game?: Cat Dollies/ ????<br />
What is your favorite toy?: I want barbie!<br />
Who is your best friend?: Hudson/ Both her brothers are!<br />
What is your favorite thing to do? Play my Strawberry<br />
What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play<br />
What is your favorite holiday? I want my birthbay<br />
What do you like to sleep with?: My kitty cat<br />
Where do you like to visit? Grandma and Boise <br />
Where is your favorite place to eat? Chickalay (Chick-fil-a) <br />
Where do you want to go on vacation? I don't know<br />
What do you want to be when you grow up? I wanna princess dress<br />
What do you want for Christmas? get a candy cane<br />
What is your favorite color? I want purple<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-14185566864333770852014-05-19T12:04:00.000-07:002014-05-19T12:04:33.758-07:00Carlyle's Birthday and Winter BluesI have so much I want to get caught up on. There have been some major changes in our home since I last wrote and I would like to write them down before I forget...<br />
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First of all, back in late October or early November we found out we were expecting another baby this July! We couldn't have been more thrilled! Shortly after finding out, the morning sickness set in and it was 24 weeks of (being dramatic here people) hell! I could barely get out of bed the first trimester and even though it lessened it went into my second trimester as well. I felt like the worst mom in the world most days. The TV became the babysitter and bananas and granola bars became the menu item of choice. My children did learn to become more independent and work out some problems on their own, which I guess is a good things that came out of it. Especially when the baby get here it will be a nice skill to have mastered. Carlyle has had to step up and help a lot more around the house. He gets the kids drinks and toys for them and will go downstairs to get pajamas before bed time. He doesn't know where Lenore's are in her room so he always grabs 2 pair of Hudson's and she wears those most nights! For the princess she is, she is a trooper.<br />
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I was so sick I couldn't keep anything down and the only thing appatizing for about 6 weeks was chicken tacos from La Tormenta, an AMAZING mexican restaurant that isn't much more than a whole in the wall! But I never got food poisoning and I still enjoy eating them to this day, not as much, but still like them. I went everyday for several weeks and only ate about once a day. I actually was losing weight for a while, which isn't really a good thing, but don't worry I have gained plenty over the last few weeks to make up for that time!!<br />
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We celebrated Carlyle's 4th birthday at Lagoon! It was SO much fun! The kids were all so good that day and the ONLY fit we had from open to close was when Hudson had to get off a ride. Carlyle is fearless and will go on anything he is tall enough for! That makes it especially fun. We believe Hudson will be the same way, where Lenore maybe a little more cautious... Time and height will tell... The weather was perfect and even though Frightmares was going on the lines weren't all that bad, especially for the kids rides. Carlyle was patient and excited for his turn when we did have to wait a little. Because of Frightmares there are people walking around in Halloween costumes, because most of the day we were by the smaller rides we didn't see many scary people. But, when we went over to the other side of the park to give James and I a turn to ride Wicked we walked by a masked character with a chainsaw. Of course as soon as we walk by him he turns on the saw and Carlyle jumps 2 feet into my arms! He may have no fear of roller-coasters, but chainsaw massacre guy is too much for him to handle! I don't blame him... I can't find the Lagoon pics so when I do I will post them.<br />
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Carlyle's 4 year Questionnaire:<br />
What is your nickname?: Squishy and Ant/ Squish is Hudson's nick name and Bug is his...lol!<br />
How old are you? 4<br />
What is your favorite Animal? Elephants<br />
What is your favorite book? Chicka Chicka Boom Boom<br />
What is your favorite TV show? Micky Mouse<br />
What is your favorite movie? Jingle Bells (Jingle All The Way)/ He LOVES movies!<br />
What is your favorite song? Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and ABC's<br />
What is your favorite food? Carrots and Lettuce/ I wish!<br />
What is your favorite snack? Fruit Snacks<br />
What is your favorite thing to wear? Shirt and Shorts<br />
What is your favorite game? The car one/ ????<br />
What is your favorite toy? Buzz and Woody<br />
Who is your best friend? Nick/ He has lots of BF's but Nick is his new neighbor and he is 8 so that is pretty cool!<br />
What is your favorite thing to do? Play golf/ James takes him and he has his own clubs and is supposedly pretty good!<br />
What is your favorite thing to do outside? Play at the park<br />
What is your favorite holiday? Swimming/ Christmas or Birthday<br />
What do you like to sleep with? Tigger and Pooh<br />
Where do you like to visit? Grandmas house ( He loves visiting ALL his grandparents the best!)<br />
What is your favorite restaurant? My house/ Oh soo sweet! and TRUE! He loves eating at home!<br />
Where do you want to go on vacation? Camping<br />
What do you want to be when you grow up? Doctor<br />
What do you want for Christmas? a puppy/ not going to happen!<br />
What is your favorite color? Green <br />
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We sure love having Carlyle in our family and adore his little spirit! He is the best son and big brother we could ask for! He is very smart and well behaved (most of the time). He makes our job easy and we love how much he loves his family and friends! People genuinely like Carlyle and want to be around him. He is caring and fun and even though he is very sensitive, it makes his little heart caring so we wouldn't change it for a thing!<br />
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For Thanksgiving we had the Bennett's come stay with us and have a pre-Thanksgiving dinner with them. James is very busy that time of year so he stayed here by himself while I took the kids to Boise to spend Thanksgiving day with my family and attend my cousins wedding. It was hard driving while sick, but it was a nice week away. Before you feel too bad for James, he got to sleep in and watch uninterrupted football all day and eat left over turkey for Thanksgiving, I am sure it was his favorite Thanksgiving day ever! :)<br />
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We then had my family come for Christmas. It was a long night for Santa and his little elves. We were very grateful for my dad and brother staying up to do some manual labor setting up cars and aping pong table. It was a magical morning for the kids and it took all morning to get through opening presents and eating quiche (which is James and I's family tradition). We also went to Japanese food for Christmas Eve to carry on the tradition I grew up with, where we would go to Chinese on Christmas Eve. It was kind of a disappointing experience because this is our FAVORITE restaurant and they gave us (the largest party there) the cook who was working his first day. The food was still good, but the entertainment was disappointing and because of it, I have not yet talked James into going back! I think this year we will be going to another place. Oh and Lenore was the only one brave enough to sit on Santa's lap!<br />
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<br />Lastly this winter, the Johnson family farm house was officially torn down to expand the road. :( It was sad for our extended family to see this place go. It was filled with all of our most precious childhood memories of riding horses and playing at Grandma and Grandpa's farm. This is where my grandparents raised 9 kids and about 60+ grandkids, not to mention all the great grandkids too. I am grateful my kids had the chance to go to the house and spend some time there even if it is in there very young age of life. I will cherish the memories I have with them there.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-30152185817924622272013-09-23T12:36:00.002-07:002013-09-23T12:38:20.286-07:00Summer Time Part 2I have like 5 passwords I rotate through when I log into my things and because the sites make me change it so often I can never remember which one is for that log in, and it take me 3-5 times every time! This introductory statement has absolutely nothing to do with this post, but it just happened again so I wondered if that happens to anyone else?? lol!<br />
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So I am sure everyone is waiting on the edge of their seat with anticipation about what else we did this summer!! Well back in April James and I felt strongly about trying to have another baby! This was a pretty big surprise, especially to me, because we hadn't planned on it for several years. (Having 3 kids in 2.5 years will make you feel that way!) But when your husband who has sworn off children forever tells you we need another one- YOU LISTEN!! Who knows if he will ever say it again! Don't scare the "feeling" away! So about 3 months after deciding to try we found out at the end of July we were expecting! We were thrilled! We couldn't wait to tell our families and share in this joy of expanding our family once again! We had 3 very healthy pregnancies so we felt insensible that anything but a healthy pregnancy would occur. The pregnancy was going great. I wasn't sick AT ALL!! Which was really weird for me because with the others I was pretty sick pretty early! In fact it was going so well, I never really felt pregnant. James would ask me, "Why are you not excited?" I would tell him of course I was excited, but just don't feel like I am pregnant. One night I felt a few cramps and actually looked up signs of a miscarriage, I then felt I was just being paranoid and went to sleep. I got up the next morning, got everyone ready and was about to leave on a walk with the kids. I then discovered some spotting and knew right away what had happened. I called my mom when I couldn't get a hold of James and she comforted me. James eventually came home and we went to the doctor to confirm our knowledge of the miscarriage. Our hearts were broken, but we knew we didn't want to sit around the house all day in self wallowing. We have so many things to be grateful for we thought it would be wise to dwell on those things instead. So we packed up the kids and went to Cherry Hill amusement park for the rest of the day and enjoyed the wonderful children we do have! It helped heal our hearts and spirits.<br />
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We are obviously sad we don't have a baby on the way, but we can see the blessings we have received through this. We are okay! We understand God's has an individual plan for us. Heavenly Father will send us more children on His time and not our! (We should have learned that lesson from the first 3!) This experience has helped us count our blessings and truly empathize with those who have had similar sufferings. Our family is a gift from our loving Heavenly Father and I hope to never take that for granted again!<br />
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Here are my youngest at Cherry Hill: (James was taking Carlyle on one more slide when these were taken.)<br />
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On a happier note... we got to spend a week with our nieces! We had so much fun with them here, while Ashley prepared for her new little baby to come! We were honored to have them and hope it helped give her a small break to rest before she brought her newest addition home. We went to the movies and the park and played played played the whole 5 days! It was nice to have some individual bonding time with these 2 cute little ladies!<br />
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Here are some pics of the fun week we had:<br />
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The summer isn't over yet... So take care! ...Until next time! :)<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-795109152617437632013-09-20T20:38:00.001-07:002013-09-20T20:38:17.309-07:00Summer Time Part 1Well I have definitely been on a blogging hiatus for the last 3 months and thought since James has left me on my 5 year anniversary for 5 days I have more evening time to write. It was that or Netflix cheat on him. (What we and Bill Simmons call watching a show you watch with your spouse without them!) I swore I wouldn't "cheat" while he was gone and I suppose this is more productive anyway!<br />
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I cannot believe the summer is already over! It went by so fast and we are already fast approaching the holiday season. We had a fun summer though and I suppose I should recap these last few months and the latest things that are happening in the Bennett family!<br />
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We started off our summer by moving into our new home. We are loving it! The kids are finally adjusting and feeling more at home. Carlyle had the hardest time with the move. He would throw fit after fit anywhere and everywhere over anything and everything! I was losing my mind and seriously considering going back to work to make him someone else's problem! (<strike> not joking</strike>/ joking) He slept in our bed every night for the first 6 weeks and if he did fall asleep in his own bed, sometime in the middle of the night he would find his way up to my quarter of the bed. -Needless to say my sleep was limited for the first little while! He is well adjusting now and has been on up and down behavior wise, but have recently seen a climb upwards! We are making strides with him and I lean strictly on inspiration regarding his needs, otherwise I may or may not just be screaming and spanking (and hiding) from my children all day! :)<br />
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After moving we went to spend a week in the Boise area for my family reunion. We had so much fun camping and eating and playing with cousins! We look forward to the next one in two years! Unfortunately I have no pics of my own from this reunion but here are some of the kids chillin this summer.<br />
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The last big event in my life (I say my life and not ours because it literally only effected me!) was Lenore getting her hair cut! It was so sad and if I could take it all back I wouldn't have done it. I am spontaneous and irrational sometimes and when I think of something for like a second I proceed to carry out the plan without giving it much thought at all! I cannot count the times I have literally gotten out of bed to order something on the internet I felt at that second I needed, or actually ran to the store to get it because seriously in the morning is when I will need to use it and it could not wait another day! (I am working on it). Well... Lenore's hair cut was the same way! I swore I would NEVER cut it until I absolutely had to and even then it would be a trim! Well this particular morning I was having a hard time doing her hair- I really am not great at girls hair!- and so I thought it would be easier to to if I cut it! So without so much as a second thought I made the decision and followed through... I have to admit she looks adorable and she LOVED it! (She was looking in the mirror and tossing her hair around all day) but I miss her long locks and the only way I don't lose sleep over it is knowing that hair always grows back! Whew! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long Hair</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She doesn't smile for pictures so you know she is excited!</td></tr>
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Finished product</div>
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Well I will wrap up for now but tune in later this week because there are some hum dingers you will want to hear about! Especially if you need a good boost to feel better about yourself! </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-42296455640594656282013-06-12T19:13:00.001-07:002013-06-12T19:13:42.328-07:00Catching UP!So it looks as though I have some serious catching up to do! It is FINALLY summer and I am so determined to have the best most fun summer I have had in a few years. I get to enjoy 3 walking kids and no pregnancy! I have to say being a college grad ROCKS! It is especially wonderful having both James and I finished. We have more lounge time in the evening, we feel the weight we have been carrying lifted from our shoulders! and again...just in time to enjoy the weather and get the kids out of the house! We are in the middle of getting ready to move to our first home (we closed today in fact!) and even though it is taking a bit longer than originally planned we feel so blessed to be getting this home! I look forward to more space and a fenced in back yard!<br />
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Recently, Carlyle went to his Nana and Papa Bennett's house and had the time of his life! I missed him like crazy and even looked at the cost of a plane ticket for a weekend visit and but stopped myself with the support of my husband. I know he had a great time because he still is talking about it. He will say "remember mom, when Nana bought me this?" or my favorite was the other day when I had lots of errands to run and packing to do, I needed to get the kids up and out the door. -one of those mornings when everything was so unorganized the thought of making a mess for breakfast in the kitchen was sending me into an anxiety attack- So I told Carlyle, "We got to hurry out the door and we will pick up McDonalds for breakfast." His response, "McDonalds is closed mom, so let's just go to Carl's Jr." That got me laughing pretty good, for a couple reasons, 1) where did he come up with the idea to tell me McDonalds was closed because he didn't want it? and 2) because Nana took him to Carl's Jr. a few times and it is now, and I quote, his "favorite". He loves telling me what his favorite things are, and I love hearing about them! I love that Carlyle got to spend that special time with his grandparents. I know he cherishes it and even though I missed him too much to do it again for 2 weeks anytime soon! I too appreciate the love my kids have in their life by so many people!<br />
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So like I stated earlier, we closed on our home today! Yahoo! We hope to be moving in this weekend so right now our home is literal chaos! Boxes everywhere! I need to get cleaning a packing so I have to stage my home to stack the packed boxes because we do not have a garage. I really hope we aren't delayed and can actually clear this house out before the weekend is over. I hate packing and moving and if I have things my way, I will hopefully not have to move for a very very long time, if ever again! This will be the 5th home we have lived in since we got married and the 13th home in my lifetime! I think it is about time I stay put for awhile. :)<br />
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On another note... Hudson has finally decided to walk full time now! After 2 months of walk and crawl combo he has put his knees to rest and his feet to use! I love when my kids can walk! They seem to get a little older when they start walking and can listen a little better to direction. I don't want my children to grow up, but the hassle of picking up a heavy child every time you want them to go where you go get strenuous. Hudson is such a sweet pie! I honestly LOVE him cuteness so much! He is a HUGE mammas boy and follows me EVERYWHERE! Seriously massive fit if I leave him on his own for even a second, unless he is in him crib. He actually really likes his crib. He also throws fits when he is eating bananas and yogurt and he eats it all gone. It makes him very sad and I cannot peel the second or third banana quick enough for him! He gets so excited, his body convulses with his arms flailing and a HUGE smile on his face! Nobody should be that excited for food! haha!<br />
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Lenore is growing up right before our very eyes! She is the biggest sassy pants and the biggest sweetheart! She may be borderline bipolar... She likes to scowl and shake her finger at you. Says "no" just about half the time you ask her to do something and "ok" with a precious grin the other half. The worst part is you never know what response you might get. It doesn't matter what mood she is in at the time either, she is completely unpredictable!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-65895964834802522302013-04-16T11:13:00.001-07:002013-04-16T21:03:23.956-07:00Not to Forget...I know it has been awhile and I have lots to get caught up on... I was reading another ladies blog and she was so good at writing down funny memories of her children on the days that they happened. I wanted to jot a few things down myself before those precious moments are no longer instilled in my mind and I forget the funny things my children have said or done... (Love my parents to death! But we all have about the same 3 stories we hear about our childhood and I would LOVE to know more about he conversations we had as youngsters, so I will TRY and do that a little for my own children.)<br />
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(Potty training Carlyle, almost 3 years old)</div>
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Carlyle: Ahhh! I need to go to the bathroom! (runs in the kitchen with pants off and poops on my floor)</div>
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Me: Oops it looks like you already went. Let's go upstairs and take a bath.</div>
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(In the bath)</div>
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Me: Carlyle, you aren't in trouble, but do you understand that you need to tell me sooner if you need to go to the bathroom, so we don't have accidents on the floor?</div>
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(Carlyle looking very confused)</div>
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Carlyle: I pooped a hot dog in the kitchen! </div>
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I don't love talking about poop but honestly this was hilarious! It was the first time he realized the physical structure of his bowels and compared it to what he was familiar with. I was not sure if he would want to eat a hot dog again... but it didn't seem to phase the child! </div>
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So I love talking to my children when I am driving. I like to ask them the things they see out the window and what direction I am going. Sometimes the things they are noticing are things I never would have picked up on myself and they continue to amaze me. Carlyle started telling me when the light was green or red, so I said "yes, on red we stop, and on green we go, and sometimes you see yellow which means slow down." (or speed up in Utah). </div>
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So now when we drive, we will be engaged in a quite conversation or listening to the radio and out of no where I hear "STOP!!!" This is Carlyle yelling at me to stop because he has seen a red light. (Even if it is several blocks ahead.) Then as soon as it turns green he said "Go Mom! Go faster!" </div>
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Ok I have Lenore throwing a major fit and yelling "My "B" mommy! My B! SO I will have to catch up on the rest later!<br />
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Continuing on...<br />
Recent things my children are doing...<br />
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Carlyle: He will be playing in another room from me, or coming down the stairs or using the restroom, and he wants my attention so he says, "Mom I need to talk you a second."<br />
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He will randomly comes up to me or interrupts a conversation I am having to say, "Mom, I love you!"<br />
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When you ask him who is best friend is, it varies between... hampa, mom, and Jesus. -It used to be Hudson and Lenore! (All good choices in my book!)<br />
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He told me the other day we need to live in Boise and he needs to go back to hampa's.<br />
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We asked him who was going to live in his new home, which is being built, He listed the five immediate family members and hampa.<br />
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He sometimes points to something and asks questions about it (even if it is the millionth time) he won't accept my acknowledgment until I am looking directly at the item. This means the turning of my head with his hands until I SEE what exactly he is talking about.<br />
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He is the biggest bedtime staler! He always needs to get a drink, or use the bathroom, or get kisses and hugs ( "I need kisses I need hugs"). He is a bed sneaker too. We put him in his bed to sleep, and come up stairs later to retire for the evening and find the little nugget in the middle of our bed past out so cute we never have the heart to return him to his own room.<br />
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He LOVES Hudson and Lenore! He always makes sure they have what he has and they are taken care of before anything. A couple of friends spit water in Lenore face the other day (they are little mind you)! and Carlyle went up to spit on them standing in front of her to protect her. (We don't encourage that behavior, but it is sweet to know that he will protect his sister at all costs!)<br />
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He has done this on several occassions however; when Lenore had just learned to walk a little boy at church went up to her and grabbed her hand to hold. Carlyle runs up and pushes him over and says "no, my ister!" Later, around Christmas, we were at temple square with some friends and a little boy came up to look at Lenore, apparently he got to close because again Carlyle ran up to him and growled as loud as he could at the kid. (I apologized to the sweet little boys parents both times.)<br />
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Lenore: She is the sweetest little girl EVER! She knows how to play her parents and any family member really, to get her way!<br />
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James and I were having a discussion in the car tonight on the way to Carlyle's soccer game. She wanted James's attention and just kept repeating , "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, DADDY!!!" Finally when he looked back and said, "yes Lenore?" She just gave him a big grin! How can that not melt your heart?<br />
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When she is grumpy she has a grumpy face! She has scowled since she was just a few months old and she had got that look down! She now does it on purpose sometimes just to make her brothers laugh.<br />
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She is also so sweet to her brothers. She brings them their toys and drinks, and blankets. She is Hudson's little mamma! She loves standing in front of him and says, "walk me! walk me!" Even if he just falls right over and crawls to her she still cheers for him so proudly!<br />
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She loves making Carlyle happy and has been known to share special candies and treats with him when he finishes his first. Now, I just need to teach Carlyle it isn't expect she always need to share when he eats faster than her. Sometimes he says to me like he is being really nice, "I share Lenore's". (As he reaching his hand out and she so generously gives it to him.<br />
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Hudson: What a sweetheart we have been blessed with! He is such a happy baby! He loves to laugh and play!<br />
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He can be a lot of work because he needs constant attention and likes being looked at all the time! I swear he knows when I turn my head for a second! He will cry and come speed crawling over!<br />
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He has taken a few steps but doesn't seem to be quite willing to walk fully on his own.<br />
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He LOVES bananas! He will now eat other table food, but for a while he would chuck anything else on the ground, throw his hands up and say "na, na, na, na". When I would give in and hand him a banana he would be so excited I would assume he has wet himself!<br />
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He sits by Lenore when we eat and if he finishes his food and wants more he just reaches over and takes it from her! She sometimes gets upset when she was about to take a bite of what he grabbed from her, but sometimes she just starts piling it on his plate she doesn't want it.<br />
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All the children have learned to trade food on their plates. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-40611286081937135512013-02-27T19:56:00.002-08:002013-02-27T20:05:50.647-08:00My Grandma HelenWow it has been a long week and it is only Wednesday, but for the last 2 days I have felt tomorrow is Friday... I wanted to share my thoughts and feelings and experiences these last few days. Our dear beloved Grandma Helen was called home to our Heavenly Father Monday evening and even though, at 90 years old, she has lived a long and fulfilled life, we miss her and our hearts ache for her absence. I am grateful for the opportunity I had to not only get to meet this woman, but to have her be apart of my life and get to know her personally. I remember meeting her for the first time and she was so instantly welcoming. (My mother-in-law inherited this trait from her) She loved me and accepted me as her own granddaughter. Even before James and I were officially married she became MY Grandma Helen. I am honored to have had the chance to know her in this life and truly look forward to seeing her again someday.<br />
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Lets go back a couple weeks... The 15th of February James calls me from work and says grandma is sick in the hospital and felt we should go down and see her. We later found out she was supposed to be sent home in 2 days, so it didn't seem as though she was at serious risk for us to rush down. We wondered if we should even go. We didn't want to intrude on her while trying to feel well in the hospital, and we figured we would go down shortly after I was finished with my student teaching to spend some time with her. Saturday morning came, my little Lenore's second birthday, and we thought it would be fun to just get out of the valley for the day. I felt an overwhelmingly strong impression we needed to go see her. I told James and we went down. We got to spend some quality time with her. She had put on her make-up that day and told us how the nurses didn't believe she was 90 because she didn't have white hair. "I will NEVER have white hair!" she said with her acute sense of humor. I left the room for a while to take my restless children on a walk around the hospital and James got to talk with grandma and spend time with our Hudson for a while. It is so good to know she got to meet my children. We had some quality one on one time with her that day.<br />
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When we got there they had told her she wouldn't be going home the next day because she had a little bit of water in her lungs. They thought maybe in two days things would look better. When we left the hospital James and I agreed that we were both glad we listened to the prompting to go down and see her. I felt in my heart she wouldn't be going home and if so chance it was her time we got to see her and chat with her as her pretty normal self, which was comforting.<br />
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We went about our week and things kind of took a turn for the worse with grandmas health. Sunday morning I had a strong feeling grandma was going to leave us. I didn't say anything because I didn't know if it was me thinking in fear or personal intuition. During church I felt that grandma was going to pass away tomorrow (the 25th). I told James of my feeling as soon as he got a call from his brother around 4 p.m. saying grandma was in bad shape and we needed to head down as soon as possible. We loaded the kids in the car and took off. I had to get back to Logan that night to be at work (student teaching) Monday morning, but I left James to stay as long as he needed. My heart longed to be there with him. I was terribly torn, but knew I had to get back. I fortunately got to go inside and spend about 10 minutes with grandma before I had to get back on the road.<br />
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I walked into her room and could hear and see her agony. I literally used everything inside of me to fight back the tears. (This is extremely hard for me, because I have no control over my emotions EVER) I wanted cry but felt I needed to be strong for her and for James. I sat by her and eventually went over to her side and held her hand and petted her hair. I felt so helpless. She muttered a few words here and there... She told me she was going to go. She said she wanted to. I didn't blame her either. (I would want to go if I was in as much pain as she seemed to be in!) I prayed she would hold on until my mother-in-law arrived. I kissed her head and said goodbye, (still fighting back tears), and waved as she smiled at me as I walked out the room. I was able to get in my car and started on the free way.<br />
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My heart was terribly troubled for many reason. I wanted to stay and I couldn't, My heart broke for the pain my grandma was in, and I was concerned for my family. Particularly my mother-in-law and sister-in-law Samantha. I called Sam to check up on her and as soon as I heard her voice I couldn't keep it in any longer. We sobbed on the phone together and as hard as it was, it was healing for me to talk about it. I wished for the fact she could be with grandma- knowing how bad I wanted to be there (I knew for her it was multiplied by 10+). As I have gotten older and have become more experience with death and being around families and my family who have lost loved ones, I realize something about myself. I am deeply empathetic. I appreciate this about myself, although I hate it sometimes because it means I bawl like a baby and literally cannot control a single emotion I possess. I internalize every feeling someone must have and it consumes my mind and emotions. This feeling was no different Sunday night for my family. Thankfully my mother-in-law made it down and was with her when she passed. I am personally grateful for that, as I am sure she is too.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOLCFQmE6DbhNdKw5102FcCx7JUchxeJJZFGtgi8GdEYjfyZ1yMiPV9NrkH6rfbUjNBvQUTPfN0KNBFzlSHg1WozBRDIv0dfRuv0KoXJhIKBzBmJcOnwywOCrtp-61Wls06pWnpKitKE/s1600/Grandma+Helen7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOLCFQmE6DbhNdKw5102FcCx7JUchxeJJZFGtgi8GdEYjfyZ1yMiPV9NrkH6rfbUjNBvQUTPfN0KNBFzlSHg1WozBRDIv0dfRuv0KoXJhIKBzBmJcOnwywOCrtp-61Wls06pWnpKitKE/s400/Grandma+Helen7.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandma with my little Hudson this last summer</td></tr>
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I anxiously was by my phone all day and waited to hear news from my husband. He was good at keeping me posted throughout the day. About 6 pm I received the call she had passed. It was another emotionally exhausting evening and I didn't much sleep, but Tuesday morning I felt an overwhelming amount of peace and happiness. There is a longing in my heart to see her again, but I think of the celebration that awaited her and I cannot help but smile. I cannot help but imagine how happy she is, pain free, and with so many people to love her and give her all the attention in the world! (I know she is in heaven! -Figuratively and literally ;) ) I know this weekend will be hard, but I am looking forward to the chance to celebrate the wonderfully lived life of my Grandma Helen.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-36392822738648353202013-02-05T18:58:00.000-08:002013-02-05T18:58:57.592-08:00Stay at Home Mom...Ah, the never ending debate as to whether moms should stay at home or go to work... I could get into it and cause someones blood to boil, but I will keep my VERY strong opinions about this issue to myself! I do want both sides of the fence moms to know though... that being a mom is hard! EITHER way! It is a very difficult, frustrating, tiring job. Obviously, it is also the most amazing and rewarding job, but lets face it... the hardest things to do are always the most rewarding. This however is NOT what this post is about.<br />
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This is a post of 10 reasons why moms should be home... not for the moral reasons though...<br />
<br />
1) Working moms have to get up AND out the door around 7:30. This isn't just getting HERSELF ready either, it is getting 3 children ready who cannot do a single thing for themselves... Trust her that is exhausting enough for the day!<br />
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2) As soon as she is ready her child poops and needs a diaper change as soon as she is about to put them in the car.<br />
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3) It is so icy outside she has to park across the street where the sun hits the ground, so she doesn't get stuck for a second time that week in her parking place and have to call her husband to walk home from work to push her out and show up late for work again.... it also takes her 3 trips to the car because she has to individually carry each child across the ice and all the things she needs to take to work.<br />
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4)Her other child has a potty accident in the car on the way to the sitter and she doesn't know until she shows up and also realizes she has no extra pants or underwear for him to wear.<br />
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5)She gets inside and realizes she also forgot to bring formula for the baby and has to run to the nearest store to buy some, along with a bottle, because her house is a 20 minute drive each way.<br />
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6) Then as she is finally pulling out to get to work she is already running late for, she gets stuck in her babysitters snow and ice covered driveway for 30 minutes, until 4 women are digging and pushing her mini-van out of the pile.<br />
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7) She shows up late, wet, and dirty for work.<br />
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8) After she struggles getting her children dressed and wrestled back into the car from the sitter she has to head down the street to the store. She places all of them in the back of the cart and uses the children's laps to place the few items she NEEDS on them. (She is planning another trip in her mind when the husband gets home to get everything she can go without for the time being.) People are staring at her as if she were a mutant from Mars. (It couldn't possibly be because of the squished and screaming children she is ignoring in the cart!)<br />
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9) She get home to put in a freezer meal that is only supposed to take an hour to cook, but ends up being at least 2 hours and now she and the kids are starving and it is way past their bed time. (She is wishing she picked up burgers or a pizza on the way home.)<br />
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10) She doesn't want a repeat of the same day so she parks at the end of the sitters driveway and somehow grows an extra arm to haul all the children through the snow up the large hill just not to get stuck on the ice. She picks up a pizza and spends more than her days pay on food for her family because cooking dinner just isn't in her physical capacity tonight.<br />
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DISCLAIMER: THE THINGS IN THE ABOVE STATEMENTS ARE ALL TRUE. THEY HAVE ALL HAPPENED TO ME AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER. NOT ON THE SAME DAY.<br />
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There are many more reasons why it is nice for mom to be at home, but I will not discredit the stay at home mom either... BOTH are exhausting and time demanding jobs! One woman does not necessarily have it easier than the other. Yes, as a stay at home mom your anxiety level can be lower because time demands aren't as critical. However; stay at home moms never get a break all day and have rare adult interaction! I admire hard working women who help support their family when it is needed and I admire women who stay home to raise their babies when income is being sufficed by their husbands. I never thought being a mom would be so much work and I have never loved my own mother more than when I became one myself. :) Now off to plan lessons for school and hope to get off to bed before midnight...<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-40567643556663047932013-01-22T19:52:00.001-08:002013-01-22T19:52:06.380-08:00The Great Indoors!!!Ah I finally have a moment to sit for a minute... (not really, but I am making a minute). I want to start by saying... I am LOVING my student teaching experience. I honestly could not imagine enjoying it as much as I have. I still cannot believe that I am already at this point of my schooling! (I know, I know... my repetition of this thought I am sure is getting annoying!) Anyway, I have been so blessed with being placed with the most awesome group of kids and the most awesome teacher I get to observe, work with and learn from! I am in a really good situation and am enjoying life right now. My kids are with a really great sitter who adores them and they love playing at her house! AND I love that they are not cooped up in my house everyday in this horrifically cold weather!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovLkEgedcjI60j-Ij_sciG95q-SfSh1T7zLDja3DuqJ9SYyj40jpBqbhbR4p_LEW6kBKV2G_g5aeWygENgldCziKGqo8i4ehpx2A-Zy09S1Ru3t_iQdeTmDaQpgcmvIN-_WRNb0TVmd4/s1600/Carlyle2_HB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiovLkEgedcjI60j-Ij_sciG95q-SfSh1T7zLDja3DuqJ9SYyj40jpBqbhbR4p_LEW6kBKV2G_g5aeWygENgldCziKGqo8i4ehpx2A-Zy09S1Ru3t_iQdeTmDaQpgcmvIN-_WRNb0TVmd4/s400/Carlyle2_HB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What can we do for free to get out of the house in negative temperatures?? TOYS at the mall!</td></tr>
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The adjustment has had its ups and downs with me going back to work and there are definitely pros and cons. Carlyle especially has become attached to me when we are home at night. He wants to sleep in my bed every night and usually has been getting his way. (And lets face it... mom wants him in there too). I like making up for the time we aren't together during the day even if we are both asleep. Lenore and Hudson are adjusting well but are both tired earlier in the evening so my time is cut a little shorter than I sometimes like. HOWEVER, the best part about STUDENT teaching is I get to go home as soon as school is out, which is 3:30. So I don't feel like I am not getting solid time at home. I am HOWEVER losing solid time of house work (AKA laundry). I hate laundry! haha!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4p-GmRtUxD42kM6fJRWJW-wUrKngzYYfwzrJrwgjJBWNPricYcBFnjWMXtslLQPNOtxyecNJuX4HY0GqnrTwwfOJZFLWTAysSnY8O3XhY7QbtgokaetBXBU_YybWw9a12e-Uo3NZ6dTw/s1600/Carlyle_HB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4p-GmRtUxD42kM6fJRWJW-wUrKngzYYfwzrJrwgjJBWNPricYcBFnjWMXtslLQPNOtxyecNJuX4HY0GqnrTwwfOJZFLWTAysSnY8O3XhY7QbtgokaetBXBU_YybWw9a12e-Uo3NZ6dTw/s400/Carlyle_HB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is what I get to wake up every morning!</td></tr>
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With this terrible weather and awful inversion it is hard to get out of the house. So the BIGGEST advantage for our family as far as my going "back to work" is getting all of us out of the house in the morning. My kids get moving more, playing hard, and taking long naps for the sitter! :) (Which I am sure she enjoys).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguK0YihH8KUvu6F93BZZoyaEKLat1tIYDTx-dZcQKKLwjeIbDjfdX_6GEgmZoViOvDsNuJeMzGR5RYHWnqOKseFeT0MwhTsBWrT6snaZHfH7ftMudb_65ohjxHx5amlIwQWOzBMamgNFE/s1600/Kids2_HB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguK0YihH8KUvu6F93BZZoyaEKLat1tIYDTx-dZcQKKLwjeIbDjfdX_6GEgmZoViOvDsNuJeMzGR5RYHWnqOKseFeT0MwhTsBWrT6snaZHfH7ftMudb_65ohjxHx5amlIwQWOzBMamgNFE/s400/Kids2_HB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gotta love a warm bath before bed!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXa18DvSHEqSt2LlSYbvWaLg2ashyphenhyphengTqLMHHF5JIDySq-0v4vORvU8jKnAKxQwpaj9vFKz_z6jwsRR0INFcTwncPTQbXiRF8dYST5k0wAXaGoFSlX1FjdDYXSBMov4fFiEugtKIkerxNQ/s1600/Kids_HB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXa18DvSHEqSt2LlSYbvWaLg2ashyphenhyphengTqLMHHF5JIDySq-0v4vORvU8jKnAKxQwpaj9vFKz_z6jwsRR0INFcTwncPTQbXiRF8dYST5k0wAXaGoFSlX1FjdDYXSBMov4fFiEugtKIkerxNQ/s400/Kids_HB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Besties</td></tr>
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<br />
I am learning so much about teaching from my coordination teacher (Kim Mills). I am learning that I love this job! I enjoy being in front of the classroom and honestly feel proud when students are grasping concepts because of what I am teaching them. It amazes me how smart a 2nd grader can be and I am finding true joy in this experience. I feel it is making me a better person and mom and leader. I am beyond excited to be at school during the day and for the first time in a job experience, I am not looking at the clock every hour. I do want to learn to manage my time better so when I get home I can do a little laundry and just hang with the kids. (SO I need to be on top of the crock pot meals).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKRA7O9mf9bR5LrXmoD-6v04Hjyg0Z5IctqH0OVcCqwVkDuIy7uWjPW1FI2xzJRuIClQHuxoU-AVLzG8ZgXNc644K0iPyvjp3YdEnU45PGKdzYOVeTwsIWiy5H97PoSIS_cBRtSl7PJk/s1600/huddies_HB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtKRA7O9mf9bR5LrXmoD-6v04Hjyg0Z5IctqH0OVcCqwVkDuIy7uWjPW1FI2xzJRuIClQHuxoU-AVLzG8ZgXNc644K0iPyvjp3YdEnU45PGKdzYOVeTwsIWiy5H97PoSIS_cBRtSl7PJk/s400/huddies_HB.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyCHD4tkoqREoes_Vj9UrDQSOyeDGtLtTFqpGHmpzdpaM4Pl1v0aawS5IoPCRYaPhYP0hyphenhyphenCVtLVxJoOo_c0SGeRcg3lBhbY3xCVQHRY7-SJSRN-aj-jW9abnOI6xM8ECD5Un6Hs1fSkI/s1600/Lenny2_HB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiyCHD4tkoqREoes_Vj9UrDQSOyeDGtLtTFqpGHmpzdpaM4Pl1v0aawS5IoPCRYaPhYP0hyphenhyphenCVtLVxJoOo_c0SGeRcg3lBhbY3xCVQHRY7-SJSRN-aj-jW9abnOI6xM8ECD5Un6Hs1fSkI/s400/Lenny2_HB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She lines up her princess and puts them to sleep!</td></tr>
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How do I rotate these images???<br />
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Anyway, in spite of the changes at home and the freezing cold weather, we are having a great winter and finding time to enjoy the indoors! ( Although I really miss me some Vitamin D!)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-23857594826386008302013-01-06T20:43:00.003-08:002013-01-06T20:43:38.733-08:00I was on HolidaySo I kind of went on a blogging hiatus this past month. I was thoroughly enjoying my 4 weeks off from school, my last few weeks at home with my kids and of coarse, the holidays! So let's sum up the last month of 2012 and the first part of 2013.<br />
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This was our second Christmas home, here in Logan, with just our little family. We sure enjoyed the relaxing few days James had of work. When I was growing up a tradition we had was to go to Chinese food on Christmas Eve. I loved it so much we decided to carry the tradition on with our own family. We also thought it would be fun to start the tradition of going to a movie on Christmas Eve. So we all loaded up in the car and headed to see "The Guardians". We were running late and missed the first showing (little did we know we should have continued to the theater to buy tickets to the next showing) but instead we went to lunch and took Carlyle to the dollar store to pick out a Christmas gift for Lenore and Hudson. We then headed back to the theater and of coarse they were sold out! Who would have thought a movie that had been out for a month would be sold out? So we bought tickets for Christmas day and figured that was a better tradition anyway. We weren't hungry right away so we headed home and the kids were so tired we had leftover pizza for dinner and decided to go to Chinese Christmas day. (Maybe next year we can carry out the true tradition.) I have to say it was nice not to cook for 2 days and just get to enjoy my family!<br />
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Another tradition James and I both had was opening pajamas Christmas Eve. We decided that even though as adults we realized how completely unoriginal our parents were, the tradition is a lot of fun so we want to carry it on and be completely unoriginal ourselves! Lenore was way into with her princess pj's and Carlyle LOVES when Hudson wears the same thing as him, so their matching monkey pj's were a hit!<br />
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Growing up we weren't allowed to go look at the presents until everyone was awake and we would all go down together to see what Santa brought us. I was willing to give up every other tradition to keep this one in my house with m own kids. James didn't have that "tradition"/"rule" in his home, but he understood how much it meant to me so he <strike>reluctantly</strike> lovingly gave in to keep this tradition in our home.<br />
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We wake up the kids around 7 in the morning and go downstairs. Santa came and brought Carlyle a RED bike, and Lenore sweet little princess "barbie type" dolls. They were thrilled and so cute to see their eyes light up. Even Hudson was beside himself with an interactive music toy Santa brought <strike>Carlyle and Lenore</strike> him.<br />
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We opened presents until about 10, ate homemade quiche for breakfast, took a nap, and hung around the house until we got dressed and went out to the movie and to dinner. The kids had a hard time sitting through the movie and we decided it was probably the last we would take all of them to together for a while, but dinner was nice and all in all the whole day two days were so great! We love that we were able to change our plans last minute according to the kids and go with the flow of the day. It is nice to be on our own schedule when James has a few days off!<br />
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I love this time of year and getting to reflect on the things we have accomplished and get ready for the fresh start and clean slate of the new year. I especially love reflecting on the birth and life of our Savior. It is neat to get to teach our children about the true meaning of Christmas and listening to them speak of Christ in the reverent ways they do. Our hope as parents is our children will always have testimonies of our Savior and always want to do good. Carlyle is a shining example of charity and love even at 3 years old. We feel so blessed for the things we have and the challenges we are given to help us grow. 2012 was a great year and we look forward to the great adventures 2013 will bring.<br />
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Our New Year didn't start out as planned. We were going to have a little party with friends, but unfortunately they were sick and we partied on our own. The kids went to bed early we had snacks and a <i>Cheers </i>marathon in bed and were both passed out by 10:30! Even though we didn't get to participate in a New Years count down and I believe James and I have yet to share a midnight New Years kiss (since being married), it was again nice to get some good sleep and enjoy our New Years day hanging around the house and getting ready for the week.<br />
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My parents have made a few trips down and we have had fun opening gifts, sledding, playing games, and eating with the family! My brother is being deployed to Afghanistan in a couple months so it was nice to spend some time with him before he has to leave. I sure love the relationships my children are building with each member of our families and we feel blessed to have such great influences in their lives!<br />
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Well it has been too long and I will post later this week about goals and resolutions, but one of them is to blog about once a week and not let the precious moments I get to share with my kids and family be forgotten.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-21923977576990185122012-12-06T21:38:00.001-08:002012-12-06T23:35:50.834-08:00BestiesI have been noticing lately how well my kids get along with each other and help each other out. It is so precious to me to see them becoming such good friends. They have this amazing connection and they just know to watch out for each other and include each other in activities. Carlyle especially watches out for his little siblings and makes sure nobody takes their stuff (and believe me, if they do, they hear for it!) Carlyle is not afraid to stand up to any kid to make sure the item taken from his brother or sister is replaced by any means necessary! (growling and ripping out of hand included).<br />
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He is a comfort to his siblings.<i> </i>When either of them are crying he runs over and starts to say "shh shh shh..." and sings " I love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck, doodle doodle doo doo doo!" Sometimes it makes them smile so big the tears stop completely! Lenore also watches out for her brothers. She is always giving Hudson kisses, and making Carlyle happy by giving him the rest of her fruit snacks or hot dogs when Carlyle ate all his first. She is very good at sharing as long as someone asks her first. If they say please, she will give up almost anything! <br />
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James and I were watching CB shoot hoops in the living room tonight and Hudson was just beaming watching his big brother play basketball. Carlyle caught notice of Hudson's smiles and giggles, he went over and gave him the ball and said, "Here Huddie's, you shoot it!" We told him how nice it was to share with his brother and he then proceeded to help him shoot it. He took his hands and helped hold the ball and said, "shoot!", then took the ball and shot it up in the hoop and gave Hudson all the credit! Where did he learn such sweetness? It was one of those tear up moments as a parent to witness a 3 year old be so Christ like. It made Hudson's night to get that kind of attention from his hero! Their love for each other definitely makes me proud.<br />
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They love being around each other. We have been having to put Lenore in the pack and play in the boys room because she keeps falling out of the bed and her and Carlyle don't sleep when we put them together anymore. They just stay up and play until Carlyle plays to rough and Lenore ends up in tears. But now Carlyle always asks for her to sleep with him, "My Lenore, my Lenore, I need my Lenore!" We sometimes give in, but it always ends the same... (with Lenore back in the pack and play.) I like it though, because Lenore and Hudson are also developing a pretty sweet relationship too. She and him just look at each other, chat in Chinese, and giggle through the cribs. It is funny to listen to, and she keeps Hudson occupied a little longer some mornings to give me a little extra sleep. :)<br />
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Carlyle loves getting Lenore to play organized activities with him. They were in the bath tonight and he stood up and said, "Hold my hand Lenore." She does, and they start going around in a circle singing <i>Ring Around the Rosie.</i> About the time it gets to ashes, ashes Lenore says down and falls, and Carlyle (a little frustrated) sings the rest by himself and splashes into the water. I had James bring a video camera up, but as soon as it started to film Carlyle got goofy and shy, so we didn't get a good recording but it was cute.<br />
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Hudson woke up shortly after and I asked the kids if he could take a bath with them and Carlyle did not want him to! "No No put his shirt on! he is too little for the water!"- interpretation: (he was concerned about the water being to high for him because I usually only put an inch or two in the tub and fill it up more after I take Hudson out. After I assured Carlyle he would be okay and set him in the water, he was very excited that his, "baby Hudson" got to join them! And Hudson happy as can be as well! I sure love my sweet little babes! They make me want to be better... and nicer to my own siblings....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-11391342404319732472012-12-05T23:05:00.001-08:002012-12-05T23:05:04.904-08:00An End in SightHurray! I am back! It has been too long! I sometimes wish I had a video camera following me around so I can say what I am thinking right then and write about it later. I have a lot of awesome thoughts and opinions that run through my mind during the day and I think "oh I have to remember to blog about that!" and do I remember? nope. <br />
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So as many of you know, I just finished my LAST class before student teaching! I have to say it was a surreal moment for me. I remember a little over 3 years ago, when I started with the University of Phoenix, I was given a schedule of all my classes and the dates they would start and finish. I was originally supposed to be done with classes in June 2012, but with a baby here and a baby there, I am thrilled that I just finished in the year 2012! Anyway, at the time, August 2009... the year 2012 seemed so far away! This last class and student teaching seemed so distant that there really wasn't an end in sight. It was like this for a long time, my class list seemed so long and there were times, I felt it would never get to the end!<br />
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So to actually have finished that entire schedule of listed classes they gave me back in 2009-before ANY children- is like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and sometimes when reality sets in that I am almost done completely I can't help but tear up! This has been a long road and I have to say I am proud of myself! I made it here with a lot of things that could have gotten in my way to not finish. There were SO MANY times I wanted to toss in the towel and call it quits, but I didn't, there were nights I was up until 5 in the morning finishing homework, hysterical from frustration and lack of sleep, I didn't think I could function the next day. BUT somehow I did. I would get up in the morning and get 2 kids ready by myself and head to work all day, come home, sometimes clean and cook... other times get take out and ignore the household duties... feed the kids, bath them, put them to bed and start on homework. This was my life, OUR life (James too) for so long, it was just what we did. We didn't always like it, but we both stuck to it and tried not to complain to much. (James was better at the last part than me.) There were times I would have to haul both kids in the car at midnight and take James to work then come home and put the kids back to sleep and then start my daily routine in the morning. ( I recollect doing this more often, but James doesn't remember me having to take him to work that much...) I was literally doing homework, writing papers and taking tests in the hospital the day I had each of my kids. We did what we had to do and we have been made better and stronger people than we were because of it. I don't write about this to impress anyone (trust me if you saw it in action you wouldn't be that impressed!) A smile wasn't always on my face, or make up for that matter, my house was at many times a mess and I couldn't for the life of me keep up on the laundry, decorating, gift giving, and thank you card writing. I was tired.<br />
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There were definitely luxuries I missed out on. Many people who are busy with school, take time off work or cancel plans and focus solely on the assignments and test they have at hand. I mean lets face it, school is a lot of work! FOR ANYONE! Whether you have kids or not whether you are working or not, it is tough to get through it and find time for a life and school. People get stressed with a class and cannot do anything else but that until it is done... Well I never had that as an option, if I had an assignment due and James wasn't home from work, I still had to make dinner and put three kids to bed. I still had to find time somewhere in my day for my most important responsibilities. Lucky for me James and I work well together and try hard to lighten the loads as much as we can for each other, but he is in the same boat as I am! (Which by the way he will be done with classes at the beginning of February! I am so proud of him!)<br />
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Anyway, we always thought it would be nicer if James didn't have to work night anymore, and for James... it was! But for me it meant working full time. That was a trying year, (last year, first of this year). I was in some of my most demanding classes and working full time and surprised to find out we were expecting Hudson! Our 3rd little miracle! During the winter the kids and I got really sick! They were in and out of the doctor all the time, I was in and out of the hospital and care centers trying to get healthy! We even had to fly my mother in law out to take care of the kids, so I could get back to work! (How grateful we were for her! and all the support our family gave during that time!)<br />
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I became so mentally and physically exhausted I had to take something off my plate. School was in full swing and would have been hard to take a break from without having to pay for it, not being a mom or being pregnant obviously wasn't an option, so I had to be done working! I took and early maturity leave and have been at home ever since. It got a little easier when I quite, but soon Hudson was here, and 3 kids definitely threw me for a loop! I became completely out numbered and it has taken me longer to figure out this learning curve to maintaining all of them! (I am still trying to figure it out!) School never went away, until now that is... I have a whole month break! :) And it was challenging to keep up with all the other obligations I had as a family member, church member, and friend, but I don't know where are would be without any of that! <br />
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I have learned a lot about myself through all of this, one thing I learned is, I can do hard things, I am still doing hard things, there is an end in sight but this journey is not over, we are going to have a trying 3 months ahead, but I am confident we will get through it and breath a sigh of relief when this part of our life is over and the next chapter of trials begin! Now that I am to this point I can say, I definitely wouldn't trade any of these experiences for anything! They are what make me who I am, and what makes our family who we are, and has gotten us to this amazing point in our lives! We have so much to be grateful for and there are so many people who have gone through so much more adversity than me, who would read this and say "you think that was hard? haha!" And I admire those people! And am grateful I am not having to suffer difficult situations as they are. I have a good life and a blessed family and am eternally grateful for the experiences and path that Heavenly Father has given me. I look forward to finishing my student teaching in March and getting to focus on other important activities life has to offer. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-50433167557130397322012-11-25T19:27:00.000-08:002012-11-25T19:27:05.195-08:00CB's 3 year Questionaire <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<ol>
<li> What is your Nickname? "I love you"/ Bug and CB</li>
<li>How old are you? "I free, I two"/ 3</li>
<li>What is your favorite animal? "Elephant, I want a tiger"/ Tiger</li>
<li>What is your favorite book? "I wanna read a tiger a tiger book"/ Caps for Sale</li>
<li>What is your favorite TV show? "Over the Edge"/ Diego, Dora, Super Why, Dinosaur Train</li>
<li>What is your favorite movie? "I wanna watch Madagascar"/ Madagascar 3</li>
<li>What is your favorite song? "Jesus Christ"/ Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam, Bushel and a Peck</li>
<li>What is our favorite food? "Rolls, I wanna eat hot gogs"/ Macaroni and Cheese (box kind only) and hotdogs</li>
<li>What is our favorite snack? "Cookie"/ Fruit snacks and Fruities baby food</li>
<li>What is your favorite thing to wear? "I wear a hat"/ Hats</li>
<li>What is your favorite game? "Hoop"/ Basketball and Ipod games</li>
<li>What is your favorite toy? "I wanna play Pooh, I wanna play choo choo trains"/ Pooh</li>
<li>Who is your best friend? "Nicole"/ All his cousins and siblings</li>
<li>What is your favorite thing to do? "I want a bike"/ Play outside with friends</li>
<li>What is your favorite thing to do outside? "I wanna play the park"/ Play at the park</li>
<li>What is your favorite holiday? "A Birthday"/ His birthday </li>
<li>What do you like to take to bed? " A Tigger, my "B" "/ His "B", Pooh and Tigger</li>
<li>Where is your favorite place to go? "I wanna go Nicole's house"/ Friends, cousins, gma's and gpa's houses.</li>
<li>What is your favorite restaurant? "I eat Donalds"/ McDonald's PlayPlace</li>
<li>Where do you want to go on vacation? "I wanna visit Daddy's office"</li>
<li>What do you want to be when you grow up? "A basketball player, my shoot it"</li>
<li>What do you want for Christmas? "A present, a hoop"/ A big basketball hoop, a bike</li>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-69523145069883145542012-11-25T19:01:00.000-08:002012-11-25T19:01:01.404-08:00Sunday (not so) FundayWhat to say? What to say?<br />
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I am still on the verge of a mental break down and in the last week of my final class before student teaching. I finally received my placement and start January 3rd. I am so excited to see an end in sight. I honestly tear up when I think of how difficult this journey has been and am so close to being done. It is a constant burden that is subconsciously always on mind and weighs on my shoulders. I am truly looking forward to graduation and finally after 3.5 years have the chance to just get to only be a stay at home mom for a while! Not a student and employee and a mom, but just a mom! In my mind, I feel I will be a much better mom and wife when I am done with school, I am sure it is wishful thinking, but where would I be without a dream?<br />
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So James has been working like crazy lately! One night he was in until 5 in the morning, other nights he goes in at midnight and I don't see him until the next evening. He is the hardest worker I know and as much as I despise it sometimes I really feel blessed to have such a dedicated husband who can pay our bills and allow me to be home with my kids. I suppose that out weighs the pure exhaustion that wears on both of us toward the end of each month! :) I think he is looking forward to finishing school as well so is free time is really at home with us and not in front of the computer screen!<br />
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Here are some picks of our first real snow fall! (Enough to go play in anyway)!<br />
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I can tell the kids feel the extra stress around here lately and could use some outside of the house family time! Today was unbelievably frustrating! We get the kids up and ready for church (already running late) and of coarse as soon as we are about to leave, Lenore has to have a dirty diaper... Change that get the kids in the car with half a diaper bag packed and off to church 15 minutes late. Luckily there were 2 baby blessings today so we didn't even miss the Sacrament. We are in the nursery (I honestly think God is punishing me for all my complaining and weakness). I am not sure that putting me in nursery will teach me the patience I need to learn, so I am hoping that doesn't mean I will never get released. :) James actually is better liked by the kids than me. The little girls run up to him and give him big hugs and want to sit on his lap and I get the screamers for the most part. We come home less spiritually uplifted than when we left the house that morning, and continue nursery with our kids. I get dinner on, diapers changed and fight each kid down for a nap. They all have to be in a separate room to sleep so my entire upstairs is occupied. I then hear 45 minutes later pounding on the wall and go upstairs to find Carlyle had a dirty diaper (even though he knows how to use the potty) and hasn't slept at all. We let him come downstairs because my brother had stopped by for a few minutes on his way back to CO and we knew he would want to see him. Consequence, so nap at all! James and I both had short cat naps on the couch to give each of us a little second wind to end the evening. I get dinner on, fight kids to sit and eat it, clean up, scrub down Lenore's pen covered face (she apparently got confused as to where the paper was) and fight tantrum after tantrum to just get upstairs and in bed. I am one to bath my kids EVERY night! Especially after nursery and playing with other kids. BUT tonight it just wasn't going to happen. We needed to get these kids in bed as soon as possible for everyone's sake (and safety!) I leave this paragraph off with one question... Why does Sunday seem to be one of the longest/hardest days of the week? Shouldn't it be the best? (I guess that is two questions) I may have some work to do... or take a much needed vacation to someplace warm, with palm trees.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-12751285858668715552012-11-12T20:10:00.000-08:002012-11-12T20:10:24.376-08:00BurntThe other night my incredibly gifted and overly energized sister-in-law, joking called me an over achiever. My response to her was she was the over achiever NOT me! After reflecting on her comment I realized I was correct in my response. I am not an over achiever just because I have a lot going on, I am a whiner and have not mastered the skill of staying sane and remaining busy (unlike my sister-in-law, who I feel has this talent). I have been completely occupied with projects and homework and goals the last few weeks, I am starting to get burnt out and on the verge of a large melt down! (I know it will be large because I have had the mini ones already) ... I feel completely unjustified for feeling as though I am taking on too much because I see women who I am sure have more to do than me and they never seem to complain or be stressed. I do have 3 kids (whom I love), am in school full time, have taken on another child full time, am planning and preparing a family menu for an entire week with James's family for Thanksgiving (although, I am enjoying this task) have started working out and trying to eat healthy (which is time consuming and mind consuming) and I feel like a failure by the end of most days with the things on this list as well as household duties I haven't gotten completed.<br />
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I try to do things I enjoy, like blogging and continuing to teach myself to sew. Which, by the way, I just finished my first baby blanket all on my own! (I know this is simple to any seamstress, but exciting for me because I have only been sewing for a few months.) Even though these moments are few, I can feel guilty and selfish for taking that time to decompress... Like right now, I have 2 assignments due and I would rather be here writing to help sort my thoughts and let me relax, which means I will be up late and tired in the morning and my kids my suffer a little for that. <br />
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I wish I could just turn off my brain and turn off the lights and close my eyes and have it be completely silent for a while. I can now see why people meditate. I may need to take that up!- Wait that is one more thing I would have to add to my list, never mind.<br />
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Well I had better finish up those assignments (oh I just remembered I need to go shred the pork for the thanksgiving "reunion" too) and then get to bed. I think I am just extra burnt out today because of little sleep and a long day. Jillian Micheal's and I have a workout date in the morning that I look forward to so I will have a productive and well balanced day tomorrow! I only have 3 weeks left of school and I am completed with class forever! It will be a glorious day! If I can hang in there until December 3rd (my last day of class) I think a large weight I have been carrying around for about 7 years, which got heavier after I had kids, will be lifted off my shoulders and I will be given a little more breathing room, along with wiggle room to do my decompressing activities and not feel overwhelmed with all the small things I have going on. Then just maybe I can enjoy an evening of relaxing without the thought of having something else I should be doing constantly on the brain. Who knows maybe my anxiety will be minimal as well! One can hope right?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-47344917292814636562012-11-04T00:06:00.000-07:002012-11-04T00:06:41.641-07:00"I'm a Freak" BadgeSo I haven't had a computer because it cashed a few weeks ago, and I only get access to one some nights and the weekends. This makes it very difficult to keep up on my blog. Also because my computer crashed I don't have pictures right now, but its a good thing for facebook because I can upload them there for everyone to see. Shoot- I just remembered I had free shutterfly prints I needed to use by October 31! I hate when that happens. I just wish I would never remember at all! Oh well... life goes on. Anyway, one day I will post pictures and liven up this blog... but in the mean time I will continue to write about the stories of my days and you will just have to check out my FB page if you want to see in pics, the joys of my life.<br />
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I have to just start out by saying that being a mom of 3 kids under 3- and now I am watching another little girl, just about to turn 2- is a lot of work! It is so hard to get out of the house or keep anything cleaned while I am home. As soon as one room is cleaned the children have managed to completely destroy another room, if I clean that room, the room I just cleaned previously is now hit by the hurricane of children! And you can forget about organizing anything with the kids around. When I organize I have to pull everything out of what I am organizing, and the kids want to "help" by going through everything I have pulled out and finding another use for it, than what it is meant to be used for. For example, if I am to organize a closet ... my living room is scattered with everything that needs to go in the closet. So... I try to do that kind of stuff at night or during nap time when the kids are asleep. BUT, that means I don't get to watch TV and sit in meaningless thought to decompress. I need that from time to time... Then there is leaving the house. I get everyone dressed, Lenore's hair pulled up, and myself descent enough to be scene in public- make-up on half the time, depending on how entertained I can get my kids on a show that morning- diaper bag packed: wipes, diapers, clean underwear and pants, water, formula, bottle, binkies, snacks, and wallet. Diapers changed. Carlyle goes potty. Hudson barfs on himself, new clothes on. Lenore poops right before walking out the door, change her again. Hustle everyone in the car- buckle everyone in car seats- it takes about 5-7 minutes. I then come back inside the house- completely exhausted at this point and generally running late to wherever I need to be- and pick up toys and do a quick clean. Many times I leave the house a mess if I a going to an appointment or something. Anyway, it is at least a 60 minute process depending on where I need to go. If I could pick the one thing I miss about not having kids is the ability to come and go as I please. I have realized about myself that I am NOT really a home body. I like leaving my house and going and doing, but it is so much work to do it with 3-4 kids. I don't get out as much as I would like. <br />
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I can really only run 1 errand where the kids have to get out of the car because of the work it takes to get them out and put them back in. I generally don't like going places without a cart because I need a place to contain them all. I made the horrifying mistake a few weeks ago to go to Old Navy by myself with all four kids. Now,I wear the "I'm a freak!" badge with honor, but even this was a whole new level of "what the heck is that mom doing?" I thought Old Navy had regular carts, I could put Hudson in the front and the 3 others in the back and grab the one pair of pants I needed for Carlyle. Well... they don't have regular carts, they have stupid little carts that have a small basket on top and a small basket on bottom. I was able to squeeze the baby carrier on top (which you aren't supposed to do), and -this is where I look extra special people!- I stuff Lenore in the bottom cart! (which you also aren't supposed to do) Yep! It is sometimes nice to have such a small little child. She didn't like it much, and I don't think the Old Navy staff did either, but what choice did I have? I can not herd the cattle of 3 kids, I was surely pushing it with the 2 walking. I was able to make it to the back of the store just fine, until Kara takes off running and Carlyle follows. They are getting too far for me to run and catch them with my already endangered children in the cart, so I have to raise my voice to get them to hear me and come back. Luckily for me, they are good kids and listen after only calling their names 4 times- sense the sarcasm. Well the chasing and grabbing things doesn't completely stop. I am causing a scene and I already hate unwanted attention, so I quickly grab what I need and head to the check out. By this time Lenore has had enough and is screaming and trying to climb out of the cart. Kara and Carlyle keep disappearing as I am trying to pay, and the check out lady has the nerve to ask me if I have 2 minutes to fill out a credit card application. Are you serious? Can you not see I wouldn't have 2 minutes to spare? I am kinda in the middle of something, you know? Herding my children...<br />
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Well we did all make it back in the car safe and sound and I am in for a much needed nap at this point and have decided I will NEVER go back to Old Navy with children... EVER! In fact many times, now that I have Kara, I drop Carlyle off at James's office and go do errands and come back and get him. He loves it and it's one less set of eyes and hands I need to have.<br />
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I took the kids down to Layton the other day to go for a little drive and get a change of scenery, we just went to the mall to play on the toys. I took my sister with me and she commented on how exhausted the kids made her. I can only laugh at her comment because I can relate, except it is every day of my life! Don't mistake this post as a complaint, because that is not at all what it is! I love being a stay at home mom and putting every ounce of energy I have into my children. It is just the reality of my situation, even though I enjoy my kids, it is sure tiring! Everything now takes 3Xs as long as it used to and with more emotional and physical strength and energy than I have ever had experience with. Although rewarding, the work involved is tough and draining and sometimes by the end of the week I just need a little break.<br />
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Thankfully for me I have the most wonderfully helpful husband! I don't give that man as much credit and appreciation as he deserves. I honestly don't know what I would do without him! He relieves me at the times I need it most and will take all 3 kids in his care- which a lot of men couldn't or wouldn't do. I am so grateful for him! He let's me get rest on the weekends if he can be home, and going out with the kids is actually fun! Even though any set of hands is helpful, his are the incomparable to any other! He always carries the car seat and gets the kids in and out of the car, he is always holding them or keeping them in line. I enjoy that we work together with the kids when we are out and I don't have to direct help or feel guilty for needing it...and I can ask him to do anything and he does it without complaint. He keeps my sanity and is such a good dad! Our children adore him and it makes me the most happy when we get those times together as a family getting to do something fun, because of all the hard work he puts in at his job. I wish I had that mans strength and I try to have his attitude to make the best of everything. He lets me unload my hard day and calms my irrational stresses. Anyway, I love James and I love my kids, and even though it is tough some days to do the simple things, I have an amazing life and I wouldn't change anything about it or anyone in it! <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-62996485364496753232012-10-21T15:41:00.001-07:002012-11-11T20:53:16.071-08:00CarlyleHappy Birthday Carlyle! Today my little man turns 3! It has been the most wonderful 3 years of my life! He is the funniest and sweetest kid I know and I could not even imagine my life with out his hugs and kisses everyday. I remember the day he came so clear and think it is wise to recall my thoughts before I do forget that most wonderful day! <br />
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I found out I was pregnant with Carlyle in March of 2009 and a few weeks later I could physically feel the effects this pregnancy had to offer and for about 7 months I was MISERABLE! I was so sick... and every morning I needed to plan for an extra 15 minutes to throw up before I left the house. I remember swelling up like a balloon fairly soon, but it became worse and worse as the due date became closer. My blood pressure was high throughout the pregnancy, but also toward the end became worrisome. I was in and out of labor and delivery and being monitored every week, until I was put on bed rest around the 17th of October. Keep in mind, my due date was November 16th. What the heck was I going to do for a month on bed rest? Yeah right. Not going to happen!- Now that I am a mother of 3 however, I would LOVE to be put on bed rest for a while- "sorry honey, doctor says I have to stay in bed". :) <br />
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The 20th of October I was feeling especially sick. I could hardly move and was in the bathroom vomiting for quite some time. I cried to James, I was ready to be done and this baby needed to come. I could feel it was time, but my doctor was really trying to keep in there as long as possible- for good reason- but mother intuition knew he was ready to come into the world! James was worried about me and called the hospital, they said I should come in because what I was experiencing wasn't normal. I went into Labor and Delivery and they monitored me and checked everything possible to see if I was okay to go home. Turns out I had preeclampsia and after 6 hours in the hospital, Dr. Horsley-who wasn't my current doctor- came into the room and told me he is going to induce me and take the baby tonight. My blood pressure was just to high to continue the pregnancy and he was confident this was the best decision for me and the baby. <br />
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I remember feeling scared and excited and relieved and worried about delivering a baby for the first time, all at the same time. About 10:00 pm he started the process and came back at 8:30am to start the pitocin. It was a long delivery and I had to be on Magnesium because of my blood pressure, and for those that don't know, Magnesium can make you very tired. From about 830-145 I progressed to a 4 and from 145-2 I was at a 10 and could feel the urge to push. I started pushing around 2:15 and he arrived at 2:30 pm, 7lbs 2oz and 19in long- huge for being 4 weeks early, thankfully!<br />
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It was love at first sight, I can still hear that first cry and they placed him in my arms. So... we took a few pictures and I was OUT! I could vaguely remember the nurses and James telling me they had to take Carlyle to the NICU because his lungs weren't in rhythmic breathing and they were needing to monitor him. I was asleep and could barely gain enough consciousness to be transported up to Recovery. I was asleep for the next 3 hours until they brought Carlyle back into my room as a healthy beautiful boy! I fell back asleep during his first bath and could remember the nurse saying, "mommy will be going back to sleep for a bit" and I couldn't help myself in falling back asleep. It wasn't until later that night, when the magnesium wore off , when I could really admire him, I couldn't believe how beautiful he was and how much I could love someone. He was perfect! I to this day thank Heavenly Father for allowing me to be the mother of such a perfect soul. I learn so much from him and just love having him apart of our little family.<br />
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Carlyle is such a wonderful boy, he is sensitive and shy, but makes friends with peers and siblings easy because he is a leader. He is happy and loves to play and learn. His favorite animal right now is a Tiger and his favorite color is Blue. He could eat fruit snacks and mac and cheese at every meal and his #1 person is mommy, but his best friend is Lenore and Hudson is a close second! He loves sleeping in mommy's bed, watching movies, playing with any and all electronic devices, "shooting hoops", going to grandparents houses or having them come see us, riding in Grandpa Johnson's truck, playing with friends and cousins, reading books, playing with cars, playing outside, and of coarse his "B"- blanket- Pooh and Tiger. <br />
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He may look like the typical little 3 year old boy to everyone else, but
he is far from typical to me and I am honored he is mine! I am so proud
of him and look forward to the next 3 years I have before he starts
school, and I assume they will go by just as fast as the first 3! I will
write another post here this week about his party and hopefully I will
learn how to post pictures!<br />
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Here are the Birthday pics!! Enjoy! <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-56325673645146988432012-10-14T22:53:00.000-07:002012-10-14T22:53:16.361-07:003 under 3Having 3 children under the age of 3 can has its challenges, but it also has some really awesome experiences that I wouldn't change for anything! Now that Hudson is rolling around, scooting in circles, and smiling from ear to ear all the time, Carlyle and Lenore are really starting to interact with him a lot more. It is so fun to see how excited Carlyle gets when Hudson smiles at him... "Hudson smiling you!" (meaning Hudson is smiling at me) he always says. Lenore is always giving him toys and kisses and sometimes I catch them playing on floor just next to him and many times all together. It is precious that they come to him just to include the little man in their play and I believe Huddies is in heaven! He loves his big siblings! I was worried for a little while when Hudson first joined our family. Carlyle and Lenore were and are the very best of friends. After Hudson was born Carlyle had a really hard time adjusting. He threw many fits with any transition, whether we were at home going to the car or out going into the store, there was a fit and it was dramatic! Falling to the floor an throwing himself in the middle of the road. I thought I would never get my sweet Carlyle back and after a few weeks and a whole lot of prayers he started warming up to his little brother and slowly stopped the fits and initiated Hudson into the gang by falling on his head and giving him sticky kisses. It wasn't however until Hudson started to smile that Carlyle really warmed up to him, looked out for him, and wanted to be with him like he does his sister. He LOVES making him smile!<br />
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The other day Hudson fell asleep next to Carlyle in my bed so I left them there to take a nap, I walk up a few minutes later just to check on them and I heard giggling as I walk up the stairs. I walk in only to see them both laughing... at each other laughing. It was a precious sight! Lenore has made a great adjustment to not being the baby, she loves her brothers and I think she even enjoys being the only princess. She is bossy and I have to say she really knows how to work us because she pretty much always gets her way! She has learned to say "no" and uses it more often than I would like! She is sassy, but has the tiniest body and little face that makes it almost impossible to say no to! I would say she has James and I, along with her grandparents, aunts and uncles, and even her big brother wrapped around her little finger, I wonder if she will learn to keep it that way and know exactly what she is doing and playing us all! :)<br />
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Anyway, those are the major fun things I enjoy having kids so close. Nothing is better than having build in best friends! The biggest challenge I have faced is sleep deprivation! I am always so tired and I really wish I just had half the energy the kids have. I pray after I am done with school I will get a little more me time and stress off my shoulders to ease some of the sleepiness! The other challenge is getting out the door. I am not a home body and really like to get out of my house! I like traveling and moving and going, but it is so exhausting and physically demanding when taking 3 kids, who still can buckle their own car seat, out! So to put your minds at ease, we are taking a break from having babies until I get a little sanity back and some physical health. We are settled for now and feel we want more kids someday, 3 under 3 keeps us busy enough for now!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-22580202672467023852012-10-13T22:16:00.001-07:002012-10-13T22:16:42.289-07:00Getting Out Of My Comfort ZoneThis post is a little out of my comfort zone so I am going to pretend nobody is actaully going to read it. That way I can write what comes to mind and not sarcastic remarks that hide how I truly feel on a sensitive and sacred topic. I am not one to poor out my soul to others... unless you are one of the very lucky ones who have had the rare occasion to have a heart to heart with me! I however know that it will be important for my children to read our families story and know that I have a testimony of the true and living Gospel of Jesus Christ.<br />
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I had the wonderful opportunity to attend Time Out for Women with my fabulous mother! It was my first time and to be honest I was only excited to go to spend time with my mom, not for the uplifting spirit I would feel. I was cynical at the idea of a bunch of women getting together for a weekend of WOMEN POWER!!! haha! Or the thought that I would have to share my feelings with women I didn't know or even my own mother for that matter... blah! Too mushy for me! The fact is though, TOFO is not at all like that. I learned so much and feel uplifted and more confident in my divine role as a women.<br />
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Very inspiring people were able to come share their stories and their talents and I wanted to jot down some thoughts before they left my mind and in consequence don't allow me to be a better person or mend my soul, but instead by writing I can reflect on how I feel in hopes to truly allow the things I learn to take affect on the way I lead my life.<br />
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As you know I have two beautiful little boys and one sweet little girl! I confess, I feel I have always known I would have boys. I feel I have been called to have boys and knew that I felt that at a young age. I was chosen to raise boys in this life and teach them righteousness and help them be prepared to serve a mission. I took that responsibility seriously and I was never going to jeoperdize myself to not get those boys I was asked to raise.<br />
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I remember one evening in particular while I was in High School or first year of college, and feeling down in Spirit and finding myself on my knees praying for peace and strength and knowledge on what I should do. In that moment I saw a little round blonde boy with big chunky cheeks, and he was mine, and he was needing me to make changes in my life to prepare myself for him to come to me. I could feel other spirits with him needing me to do the same thing. I felt they were my children and I had an obligation to fight against the things I wanted or "my plan"- if you will- and do what the Lord wanted, and on His time, and with His plan for me. I repented and asked for forgiveness and expressed the love I had at my tender age for my unborn children I would soon meet, and thanked my Heavenly Father for answering my prayers and giving me the comfort that these Spirits were counting on me and that He would one day trust me enough to send me these children to me to raise. I have always remembered that and will forever be greatful for this sacred experience, which later led me to many difficult choices I have had to make, to be with the worthy priesthood holder I am with and have the wonderful family I have. <br />
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On that note, like I said, I KNEW I would have boys! It was no shock to me when I found out Carlyle would be joining our family. However; I had never given much thought to being a mother of a daughter. I didn't worry about raising Lenore, like I do my boys. I get girls, I DO NOT get boys! and their hormones, or puberty, or jokes and dumb cartoons they think are funny. I can handle the tears and the sensitivity of body image, and giggling over boys... I love that I have a daughter- even though to be honest I was completely shocked to find out I was having a little girl- and am truly thrilled I get to be her mom! I didn't realize though, what a divine calling it was to be a mother of a daughter until this weeked. I was chosen to be the mother of this beautiful, perfect little angel and she needs me to guide her to her spiritial potential, just as much as my boys. She is a divine daughter of God and I am her sole example of what a daughter of God should be. It is a HUGE responsibilty. I am up for the task because it is what was asked of me.<br />
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For some reason... Heavenly Father trusted me enough to put his arms around me and call me by name and ask me to raise these children and bring them home to Him. I feel unworthy to have such perfect beings in my life, yet so incredibly grateful for the opportunity I have to be their mom and recieve the joy they bring me! I know as sure as the sun rises that being a women and being a mother is a divine calling and I couldn't ask for a grater assurance then knowing that it is not only my desire to have these children in my life, but it is also Heavenly Fathers desire for me. I do write these things in the name of Jesus Christ and am so grateful for my own mother and her example to me and love she has always had for me. I hope Lenore will one day see the love I have for her, like I see my mother has for me, when she one day steps into the shoes as a role of a mother. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6257762591853824274.post-34404998149150991662012-10-09T21:11:00.002-07:002012-10-09T21:11:42.851-07:00HonestyI have finally decided to join the crusade! That is the blogging army of coarse... I was frustrating myself with the fact that I have had 3 kids in 2.5 years and don't have written record of any of their births or the cute things they do everyday. When I tell funny stories people always say "You need to write this down" and I never do... My intentions are good, but I do forget and am glad I now have a place to jot down a few things here and there. This blog is also to update our families with pictures of the kids and new things going on the the life of us Bennett's! <br />
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The other day we were sitting down with Carlyle, who we have been potty training since the beginning of August, we smelled something that we have become quite familiar with over the last few years, and new he had not made it to the bathroom. We kindly asked him if he needed his pants changed. Not wanting to get the "we need to tell mommy when you need to use the potty" lecture, he replied, "no". James asked again, and he still replied, "no". James and I decided he needed to learn a lesson of honesty instead of another potty lesson. So we explained that we knew he had gone to the bathroom and if he didn't tell us he would have to sit in time out.<br />
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James- Did you go to the bathroom in your pants?<br />
Me- It's okay if you did, we just want you to tell us.<br />
Carlyle- Nope. I fresh bum.<br />
James- Okay Carlyle, you need to go sit in time out.<br />
Carlyle completely heartbroken and in tears sat in time out and paid his "dues".<br />
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At this point I wasn't sure if he understood why he was in time out. I looked at James and said I don't know if he understands and I don't want him to think he is in trouble for the accident, but knows it is because he wasn't being honest about it. James assured he would help him understand...<br />
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The timeout countdown began 1-10, and he stood up walked over to James and was asked again, James-"Carlyle did you have an accident?"<br />
Carlyle-He relplied softly... "no".<br />
James- "Carlyle are you being honest? Did you have an accident?"<br />
Carlyle-"Yes, I did." <br />
James- Thank you Carlyle for being honest!<br />
Carlyle- Finger goes up in the air "uh, I need to tell mommy!" turns to me "Mommy I went poop!<br />
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I think he learned his lesson and I loved that he felt he needed to tell me personally! I sure love that little boy and the last few weeks, he has been honest when we ask him, even if he does initially like to blame his sister for things every once in a while. <br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16451969713216557489noreply@blogger.com1