Sewing Project

Now you can see why I feel

so guilty that I have to make a chart for Lukas... Because I get caught up in other things and later realize that I have kids that need me. But here it is...my scripture tote. It took me several tries and lots of mistakes to get it right. A sister in the ward is having her daughter's baptism this weekend and she asked me to make this for her. (I'm teaching a sewing class for Relief Society next month and we're making similar bags, but bigger). I think I might have to make myself one. (THANKS Mom for teaching me how to sew and for giving me the idea to make this bag). :)

Project of the Week

So the project this week has been to get some fun things organized for Lukas. I always feel bad when I don't do more with him. I came up with a chart (I probably have a chart for everything, yet I'm always making a new one. ? Don't ask.) I'm a very visual person and I like to be able to see things. This is what I came up with. Actually, I'm kind of embarrassed to post it. I don't want people to think I'm this die-hard educator. I just want Lukas to have fun activities to do during the day besides watch NOGGIN (which is actually a cute station...it's like preschool on TV.) And this way it makes it easy to choose an activity. He gets a little pouch with each category and picks an activity from inside. Then when we've completed it, he can put the little velcro picture on his chart so we can see what he did that day. He also has three "passes" for milk (he could drink it all day, but I'm limiting it to 3) and he gets 3 passes for TV. We'll see how it works. It's actually going to be a lot of work for me, but I'm excited to play more with him. What do you like to do with your kids for fun/learning? I've got to fill all of those pouches with ideas...YIKES!

Memorial Day

The boys and I visited the cemetary in Payson this weekend to pay tribute to my grandparents (on my mom's side) . Luckily, we went on Saturday when the skies were clear. The boys didn't have a clue what a cemetary was, but enjoyed playing and looking at the flowers. I have another set of Grandparents buried in Helper, Utah and Pat's grandparents are buried in Orem. We didn't get to visit them all this year, but we think of them constantly and miss their presense here. We know their legacy lives on through us and we hope to make them proud!

Baby Owen

We had a family get together this weekend for Memorial Day and my Uncle Boyd's birthday. As some of you may remember, my little nephew, Owen had a cyst on his lung and had to have major surgery last month to get it removed. They've had to be so careful with him and have kept him home so he wouldn't get an infection or any kind of illness. My poor sister-in-law probably has cabin fever. This weekend she came to our picnic and brought Owen. He's grown so much and is so cute! He looks just like my brother! SO CUTE! I'm so glad he's doing well and getting healthy!

Woodland Hills

My parents live in Woodland Hills, Utah (just outside of Salem). It's about an hour drive from where we live in Herriman. Every time we drive there I always say I'm going to stop and take pictures, and this weekend I did. It is so beautiful, the camera just can't quite capture it. Here are some pics I got this weekend.

Eclipse

So it's done. I finished the third book. I must say I'm exhausted emotionally! I really got myself into it and...well I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't read it, so if you haven't read it, but want to...STOP READING! I'll just say I'm not sure I agree with Bella. Between a vampire and a werewolf, I think I would've chosen the werewolf. And I just don't understand this connection between Bella and Edward. It kind of makes me sick that Bella can't do ANYTHING w/out him. (Gag). Yes, he is beautiful and mystical and wonderful, but c'mon. I mean, really?? I was cheering for Jacob. I felt like my heart broke when she made her choice. I had a big throbbing sobbing headache when I read that last chapter and I knew all along she was in love with him. I will hang on to the glimmer of hope that may be out there for Jacob. Am I crazy? It seems like she could lead a more normal life and not have to say goodbye to anyone (except the Cullen's and Edward), but she could have a family and kids and *sigh* Jacob is warm-blooded. Does she honestly and really want to be immortal? And have to drink blood and have to live that life even if it is w/ Edward? Someone enlighten me. She is in love with both of them, but claims to love Edward more. Interesting. I just don't know... I do know that I need a breather. Whew!

Happier Days

Ok, sorry everyone. I'm such a complainer, but I gotta keep it real! Everyone has bad days. Thank you to all my kind friends for supporting me and loving me through my rough moments!!! It means a lot to know that I'm not alone. And the bad day has passed. So to make up for it, I'm going to list 10 things that make me happy today.

1. Today, the rain makes me happy. It was getting too hot too fast. And the rain is good for the garden I planted. I'm still crossing my fingers that anything actually grows!
2. Walmart Yes, it was the grand opening for the Walmart on Bangerter and 134th! Woooowee! I went with the boys and it wasn't as crowded as I thought. Everything is new and stocked. Awesome. And it's only 3 minutes from my house. Big smiles here.

3. M & M's They are my favorite. My comfort treat. Just plain M&M's. I really loved the crispy ones, but haven't been able to find them since I was in college.

   

4. Quiet time. Max is asleep, Lukas is playing quietly and I have a few quiet moments to do whatever I want. After this, I think I'll curl up on the couch with my M&M's and read more of "Eclipse".
5. Clean Laundry. It usually takes me a couple of days, but the laundry is practically done and I have clean clothes again for the whole family! YAY! It's quite an accomplishment that we all have to do every week and today I'm happy it's done.
6. Pizza We're having pizza for dinner b/c I don't have a lot of time tonight to make a big meal (I have a primary activity and Pat has an EQP meeting). I bought a yummy self-rising crust pizza. And caesar salad. Done lickety-split. No worrying about what to eat for dinner.
7. DVR All the shows I miss during the day, I can easily watch at my convenience. Shows I never miss thanks to DVR...LOST, The Office, Ellen, Oprah, Hell's Kitchen (more for Pat, he loves to watch Gordon yell), Eli Stone, American Idol.
8. Allergy Medicine Feeling good, no itchy eyes, sneezing or runny nose. Nice.
9. Showers I actually got one today. Mmmm so clean.
10. Blogging I love checking on you all. It's fun to hear about your lives and it helps me to be happy!

A.I.

I've been following American Idol this year, although I haven't watched every single perfomance. I usually just wait until David Archuleta is singing and then tune everyone else out. He's so GOOD!! I'm so excited for him. He is just so cute and innocent and young! I always knew it would come down to the 2 David's. Either way, I'll be happy b/c they are both awesome. Although I have a feeling that David A. is going to win! :) And it's just so cool that he's from here. Tonight will tell all...

My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Ok, so the title is a little dramatic, but I'm telling you, I had a bad day. I want to write it just so I can release it from me and move on. Better days tomorrow, right?! The day started out fine...I mean, I was up since 3 a.m. with Max who had a fever and was just fussy. (Try getting a good night's sleep with a burning, heavy, 18 month old, who wouldn't let me put him down.) So of course NO SHOWER, NO MAKE-UP today. And we were out of everything, so I had to get the store...and I didn't just need groceries, so I had to go to Walmart b/c they have the lowest price. But the one I usually go to didn't have what I needed b/c I had just gone on Saturday. So I had to drive 10 minutes to the other Wally World. And I, of course, wanted to get it all done while Lukas was in preschool. (How does 2 hours at the store seem to go so fast???) I was late getting Lukas from preschool, but GOOD NEWS of the day...I sent Lukas off to preschool in underwear, no pull-up and he did fine AND went all by himself during preschool! YAY! That made things great for a while. Well, Max was just fussy and clingy and wouldn't let me do anything. I knew I had so much that I needed to get done, and how could I when he is just hanging on my legs? But I knew he wasn't feeling well, so I held him as much as I could. He ate lots of popsicles today. I finally got him down for a nap (which was short lived b/c he only slept for 1/2 an hour!) While he was asleep, I was trying to sew my niece's bday present that I HAD to get in the mail today (her bday is Thurs. and she lives in Cali). But for some reason my sewing machine was just not working right! I wanted to just scream. Then I really wanted to meet up with a friend to go for a walk, and I just couldn't get away...with Max not feeling well and all these things stacking up on me. (Literally stacking up...I had the hugest pile of laundry in the middle of the floor that needed folding and if I didn't get to it, the kids would jump in it and step on it and spread the mess even farther.) Whew. So, I conquered the pile, but the sewing project was still at a dead end. I finally called my mom (she is the expert seamstress) and she gave me some ideas on what to check on my machine. Well, I knew full well I wasn't going to get to it, let alone get it off in the mail. And I was so short with the kids today. I just felt like I failed in all areas. Oh, and it was a stifling 83 degrees in our house, even with all the windows and doors open. I refuse to turn on the A.C. in May. I really don't like how high our bill got last year, so I'm determined to keep it low at all costs. But the cost was me feeling hot and grumpy. Side note: I am supposed to teach a sewing class for Relief Society this week and was feeling very unprepared since I didn't even have the fabric or anything ready. And I'm an Activity Day leader and we have an activity tomorrow, so there are things that need to be done for that, too. It just seemed like it all piled up on me. To be painfully honest, I was feeling low today as I was grouchy to my kids and anytime I'd glance in the mirror, I saw this horribly old-looking chubby girl who just didn't seem to be me, but the painful reality was it is me. * Sigh* Enough self-pity, though. As I was holding a very sad Max, I realized how he was drooling a lot and his drool was laced with blood. He cut his tounge the other day and it has just gotten worse, so then I was really worried and thought I might need to take him into the Dr. I called Pat and then the nurse and decided to just let it heal and give him lots of ice and liquids. (It's really nice that Pat is in the nursing profession to help me in situations like these) The stress of being a mom and just worrying about your kids is enough to give me some gray hairs. I don't even know if I should go on. This is turning into a serious complaining session. However, I need to release the negative energy. Please feel free to stop reading at any time. Well, as good as Lukas did at preschool, he had three accidents today while we were home. It got me so frustrated and I just lost it. I couldn't understand how he was just not even trying when there are potties all around him!! Ugh. It was almost dinner time at this point, so I start getting dinner ready. I wanted to eat outside since it was warm and we just got a new BBQ. I had everything ready and set the table and was so happy that at least I could sit down and enjoy a nice dinner with my family. Everything was getting cold and I could see a storm coming in with dark clouds. The wind was picking up and just as everything is laid nicely on the table outside, the wind knocks it all off, along with half the cushions on the chairs and portions of our meal. I was so angry. And a little depressed. I lost it at dinner and just had to go upstairs and eat by myself. Then I see from the upstairs window that Lukas is halfway down the street headed to Tommy's house w/out asking permission. Max is standing there hanging off my leg screaming until I have to pick him up. I go after Lukas and am just mad that I don't have more help or feel more appreciated. I finally get Lukas home (he seriously loves Tommy) Now it's the end of the day and things are ok. I get to finally have some me time, which took quite a bit of effort to earn. Max cried/screamed for half an hour and finally went to sleep. The dishes are still not done, and the laundry isn't put away. But I'm leaving it for tonight. And I'm sure it will stare at me first thing when I wake up. I just am going to think happy thoughts and find some positive energy to get me through another day. Am I the only one that has bad days or maybe I'm the only one who writes about it. Blogging is very theraputic.

Best Buddies

This morning I got a call for Lukas asking if he could come over and play with Tommy. Tommy goes to preschool with Lukas and they actually live just a few houses away. Lukas was really excited to go play and he was putting his shoes on and said, "Mom, I'm going myself. I don't need you on my adventure." WOW! I am amazed at his new found independence. (There are still days that he clings to me when I drop him off at primary or preschool, although not very often). I watched him carefully run up the sidewalk to his friend Tommy's house, so excited and never once looking back. I think it's because he's my first, but I am just watching him grow so fast and I can't stop it! A little while later Lukas came in the house after he was done playing and said, "Mom, here's my friend. Come, I want you to meet him." (I see Tommy all the time and I know very well who he is). I thought it was cute that Lukas introduced him, anyway. So they have been playing all afternoon. His mom and I are Activity Leaders together, so Lukas and Tommy always have play time together. Tommy is a few months older than Lukas. He shares Lukas' love of Buzz Lightyear. We sat on the porch eating snow cones and Lukas & Tommy were talking about Zurg and Buzz and how they'll defeat him. (Although I believe the word they used was 'kill'...*sigh* boys). Anyway, I'm happy Lukas has a little buddy and I hope they stay friends for a long time.

New Moon

I finally got my hands on the second book...New Moon. And as you may have guessed, I couldn't put it down. I read it in one day. I know, I know. I couldn't help myself. I tried putting it down, but then it was all I could think about. Even with going to the park or on a walk or sitting in the sand box with the kids, my eyes were glued! So while I was making dinner I was having inner turmoil about Bella and what she was going to do about Jacob and scared for her if Victoria found her. Pat worked late tonight and then his Jazz game was on, and the kids were happy playing outside or running amuck in the house, so I finished it!! I think I need a breather before I start number 3. I'm officailly in the fan club, though. I might have t-shirts made up. (P.S. Does anyone else think Bella should've made Edward work a little harder before she welcomed him back? I was so mad that he hurt her so badly and now poor Jacob...*sigh*).

More Photos of Disneyland

I just got some pics from our friends camera that I have to add from our trip to Disneyland.

We met up with Pat's BF from highschool, Jake (and his wife Shakeh and their cute baby Talitah). Whenever those boys get together, it's always a good laugh and this was no exception. Shakeh and I are just as silly, even though we've only been friends since her and Jake got married. We are super excited to be at Sleeping Beauty's Castle, can you tell! And from the looks of this picture, we're the only ones there. I had no idea I could jump that high.

By the end of the night, we hadn't eater dinner (due to Indiana Jones ride breaking down and getting stuck in line, and afterwards looking for a place to eat to find them all closed...) and the only things we could find to eat were giant turkey legs. Which led to the turkey leg fight, which led serious thrist. Grrrrrrr! Makes us feel like real carnivores. Gross.

Jake is 6'5" which is tall anyway, but with us three shorties, he seems ginormous. Jake was just holding his hand out taking this picture, even though it seems like someone from the second floor was taking it.

This is a funny story...So it's almost 11 p.m. on day two of Disneyland, so we're exhausted. Max had fallen asleep and my feet hurt so bad. We have that stand & sit stroller, so I sat on the seat and held Max while Pat pushed the stroller. Shakeh was tired, too, so Jake put her on his shoulders. We got some strange looks as we left. But we were too tired to care.

Mother's Day

This is a special day for all moms everywhere. It makes me teary-eyed thinking of the two reasons that made me a mom. I know I fall short in so many areas of motherhood, but my two sweet boys seem to love me anyway. They don't care if I look frazzled and the house is in disarray or if I get impatient and upset. They quickly forget and show me such pure love. I melt when I see them playing together or when they say cute things to me like, "Hey mommy, I have a secret for you..." and then in a quiet whisper they say, "I love you!" There is nothing like today to think of all the reasons I love my role as mother...

• For sticky hands and faces that smudge fingerprints all over my counters, windows and coffee tables just after I cleaned them.

• For giggles and hugs at bedtime and watching them as they sleep, so sweet and innocent (quite the contrast from the day).

• For seeing my kids accomplish something that I never thought possible (peeing in the potty for one or sleeping through the night...)

• For the excitement in their eyes when I tell them the fun things we're going to do (like going to the playground or the zoo or DISNEYLAND).

• For the cuddles and squeezes when they need me the most (getting hurt or being scared or sick).

• For the constant "mommy, mommy" or "Hey mom, I'm thirsty." "Mommy can I have that?" "Mom, can you help me with this". They always seem to need me for something and it makes me feel important.

• For doing laundry and holding up the tiniest pair of jeans and thinking how cute it is when they are filled up with my little sweetie.

• For being able to watch as they grow and develop faster than I thought possible.

• For the times I get to sit and play with them, and do what they are doing.

• For the times when I watch them without them knowing and they are so sweet together and play so nicely.

• For bath time and nap time. Seeing Max's chubby little body and the stark contrast of Lukas' skinny little legs.

• For the love that comes from serving them and the unbreakable bond that we share.

• For their sweet faces and adorable personalities.

• For always having someone with me who loves me unconditionally.

• For the times that you realize how much influence you can have on them and how they repeat what you thought they didn't hear or understand.

• For that first smile or laugh and knowing that this tiny little person is yours to keep and take care of.

• For hearing a quiet house and realizing I prefer the noise of happy kids.

• For the moment I realized I'd rather be with my kids than get a babysitter, and when I do get a babysitter, just thinking about them the whole time I'm gone.

• For walking Lukas to preschool and realizing how independent he already has become and having such a bittersweet moment knowing it will be over too quickly and soon he'll be on a mission and going off to college or getting married. And he won't need me so much.

• For those special moments where time seems to stand still and my kids are happy and it makes me happy.

There are so many other reasons to love being a mother. I just have to say that I never imagined that motherhood could be so hard and yet it is the most rewarding thing I have ever done or will ever do in my life. Thank you Lukas and Max for going on this journey of life together! You make it wonderful (and yet so difficult at times). You are my sunshines!!!

Twilight

Ok, so I buckled and read the vampire book Twilight and to my utter surprise I LOVED it! I couldn't put it down and now I'm sad b/c I finished it and have nothing to look forward to. WOW! Talk about a great book. I felt like I was Bella the way the author described things and I could feel what she might be feeling! It was crazy. I could feel my heart race every time she was around Edward. And now I am part of the madness that I vowed I would never be a part of. Can't help it! I love Edward the vampire! :)

Desperate Housewives Swap

So a friend of mine did a blog swap and I got partnered with Megan. She sent me the cutest stuff and I sent her some of my stuff. It was so fun to get the package and see what cute stuff she made me. Here are my winnings!! She did some darling picture frames, a scrapbooked recipe book and some FHE packets (not shown). Thanks Megan!

The Target Lady

I haven't watched SNL for years now, but one night Pat and I were up and we watched it. Most times it's inappropriate and we shut it off, but we discovered a skit with this girl named Penelope who made us laugh so hard. Then we were in Cali visiting some friends and they told us about the Target lady. It's the same actress and she is hilarious. I laugh every time!!! Check it out... (Technical difficulties adding the clip, but hang in there...it's coming!) Ok, I can't get it to work, but if you google 'Targe Lady SNL' it will come up. H i l a r i o u s !

Our First Family Vacation

We've been lots of places together, but this is our first official "vacation". We had such a fun trip. We left Tuesday and drove to Vegas where we stayed the night in the Stratosphere. The kids did amazingly well in the car for 6 hours. And in the morning, we drove the rest of the way to So. California. We drove to my hometown of Placentia and visited a few old friends there. I drove by my parents old house and my highschool. It was fun to remember where I spent my teenage years. We stayed in a hotel just a block from Disneyland. We got up early on Thursday morning, packed our snacks and walked to the Happiest Place on Earth! We had the funnest day together! Lukas was a bit overwhelmed, but was extatic to be able to ride twice in a row on the Astro Blasters BUZZ LIGHTYEAR ride. The park didn't seem too busy and we didn't have to wait in too many long lines. Some of our favorite rides were the Buzz ride, of course, the Nemo Submarine and Pirates of the Carribean. We saw the coolest Pixar Parade and saw all of Lukas' favorite characters. We were right in front! Max kept saying "Buzz, buzz, Nemo, Nemo, Nemo". We got our pictures taken with Buzz, although Lukas wasn't too sure he wanted to and Max absolutely did NOT want to, but we did anyway. We ran into some of my old college friends. Funny how there are thousands of people at Disneyland, but you always seem to find someone you know there. Small world. We called in early because we were exhausted and wanted to reserve our energies for the next day. We went to our hotel and went swimming and just relaxed. The next morning we met up with Pat's BF from highschool and his wife. We had an even more exhausting day with them and it was much more crowded! We did the Rider's Switch Pass which saved us time. Except on the Indiana Jones ride. It broke down and we were stuck in line FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!! I ran into Richard (a friend that I grew up with) and Pat ran into a high school friend. It's a Small World was closed for renovation (haha, you thought I was saying it's a small world again), so we didn't get to ride that, but we rode a ton of other rides. Lukas was just barely tall enough to ride the big rides and he had a blast on Star Tours and Splash Mountain. The Haunted Mansion was scary for him and he also was scared of Pirates, but he still loved it.

Whew...we did so much! And we had such a fun time with friends. I'm so glad we took time to go. I got to see my BF from high school and an old friend from college. We drove home Sunday and it felt like we'd never get home. Especially as we were driving through hot Nevada and we ran over a diesel tire that had been busted up. It loosened our bumper and about 30 minutes later, our tired completely blew out. Pat was amazing and changed it in 15 minutes!! We just wanted to get home after that. The kids did great, despite being stuck in the car for such a long day. We have happy memories to remember this wonderful vacation! (Pictures to come...)

BIG News!!

We have some wonderful news!! And we're so excited to share it with you!!!!!! Pat got a phone call the other day and has been accepted to the Nursing Program at the University of Utah. He will start May 12th and in 16 months, he'll have a second Bachelor's and be an R.N.! (He is in the accelerated program since he already has his Bachelor's). We are very excited, not for the going to school part, but for the opportunities ahead. So, wish Pat luck because he'll be taking hard classes and doing lots of clinicals. And wish me luck because we'll be eating our food storage for the next 16 months and I don't know how to cook with wheat!! haha Anyway, we're super excited for the direction this could take our lives. Pat wants to do travel nursing and eventually become a Nurse Anesthetist. Hoorah for Pat! Good job!