McLain Family Musings

Bonus: Family Pictures

2011-11-08T09:53:00.001-07:00

Here is a link for our family pictures we recently had taken. Hope you enjoy. There are a lot of them.

http://www.gogetphotos.com/Client-Galleries/Family-Portraits/McLain-Family-2011/19806355_SSbGfd#1556718460_QTLDcK6

Days 7 & 8 Laughter

2011-11-08T09:46:00.002-07:00

I am grateful for laughter. Especially laughter from or caused by my children. They say the most silliest things, and sometime I have to hold in the laughter so as not to embarrass them. This morning Emily informed me that she no longer wanted to be a girl, and that it isn't fair that Thomas gets to be the only boy. I chuckled because it was so random.

Abby has been very frustrated about the weather lately. She wants Christmas to come next and not Thanksgiving. After trying to explain it to her, and getting nowhere, I told her to take it up with Heavenly Father about her feelings. She left the room, and came back a few minutes later to tell me that she did. We'll see if it changes on upcoming calendars:)

Thomas this morning was telling knock knock jokes, and just making them up and laughing hard, so of course Nathan jumped in with sharing them too. It was a happy morning.

And then there is Sarah. When I look at her she starts to smile and it just melts me. She is starting to laugh, and it makes me smile.

Laughter. It is a wonderful thing.

Day 6: Contentment

2011-11-06T17:15:00.002-07:00

Today in church we were talking about the teachings of Paul, and I read this scripture:

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." Philippians 4:11.

Being content in the state that I am in. This is hard. I seem to always want things to speed up just to get through a difficult time in my life, that I miss the lessons that Heavenly Father wants me to learn along the way. I find myself hoping that my kids will grow up faster so maybe then they will listen better and be more reasonable, (ha, ha) and yet I will never get this time back.

Our Sunday school teacher gave us the challenge to pick something and to work on this week. I am going to focus on being content. I want to enjoy the journey. All of the challenges that I will face this week as well as all the happy things. I want to be content with what I have. I am truly blessed.

Here We Go Again?

2011-11-05T08:39:00.002-06:00

Ok, so I admit I have never gotten into this blogging thing. I enjoy reading other peoples posts, but I'm not very good at writing them myself. We'll try this again, even though I don't think anyone reads this. Maybe it will be good, cheap therapy for me. :)

Since it is the month of November, I'm going to join the bandwagon and say what I am thankful for. Abby is already starting her Christmas list, and she doesn't understand why Christmas can't come before Thanksgiving. I told her it is because we have to express our thanks first, before we go asking for everything under the sun.

So to catch up with the date of November 5, here are the 5 things I am currently thankful for:
1. My husband. Nathan is a wonderful provider for our family. His love and sacrifice for me allows, no gives me the blessing of staying home with my children. He works very hard for us, and I don't thank him enough.

2. My children. If I step back and allow myself to see them as Heavenly Father sees them, then I am truly blessed to have them. Yes, they are loud at times, and demanding with their requests, but I love them, and I'm grateful to each of them for making me a mother.

3. My parents. I am thankful for the lessons my parents taught me. They loved each other and loved us. They spent time with me and listened to my feelings and disappointments in my life. They never judged me. I know I could always come to them, and they would love me unconditionally.

4. The Gospel. I am thankful for a loving Heavenly Father and the atonement of Jesus Christ. It has blessed me throughout my life as I fall down and pick myself back up and to keep trying even when it seems impossible. I'm grateful that I have a simple faith that makes sense to me and that I don't question. It keeps me going.

5. Heat. Today is our first official snow of the season. Even though there isn't a lot of snow, it is cold outside. I am grateful for my heater that keeps me and my children warm. Sometimes it truly is the little things that make all the difference.

Purging

2009-11-05T10:36:00.003-07:00

Last night I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep, so I started reflecting on my life. Sadly, I didn't like what I saw. I have not been a nice person lately to my family. I have been mean, unkind, selfish, and all out nasty. Have you ever gotten to that point, where you just feel dark inside? All you can see is negativity, anger, disappointment, regrets, hate and all around bleakness? That is where I have been.
I think subconsciously I like carrying around this gloominess because it is comforting. It is what I know, and has been there. It is easier in a way than making an effort to change. I hate change. :) It is very hard for me. Sometimes I see a glimmer of light, but then something happens that causes the darkness to come back.
Ironically I have started reading my scriptures again and little by little, messages are touching my heart. I was reading about Ammon and his experience with King Lamoni. The gospel touched his heart and caused all the hatered he had for the Nephites to disappear. It touched him so much, that he and his people had no more desire to use their weapons of war. They would rather die, than hurt their brethern. This got me to thinking, Why is it easier for me to be a Gadianton Robber than an Anti Nephi Lehi? Why can't I keep my weapons of war buried? And what are my weapons of war? They are the hurtful words I use with my children, grabbing them in anger, feelings of indifferent with them, and I think even not caring about myself, my home, or my life. These are the weapons that I need to bury. The Gadianton robbers kept uncovering their weapons, because Satan kept reminding them of where they were hidden. He wanted them to be stirred up in anger, vengence and downright nastiness. When I am acting like this, the Gadianton Robbers are winning.

I don't want them to win anymore. I don't want to feel like this anymore. I want the peace that the gospel brings. I want to turn it all over to the One who can heal my broken heart and make me whole again. Why is that so hard? Why is my heart willing, but my flesh is weak?

Why can't I have the perfect faith of my little Emily who just brought me a picture and pointed to it with a big smile on her face, and said "Jesus". She knows, and deep down I know too.
That is what keeps me trying. Maybe this time will be different.

Gratitude

2009-10-27T10:01:00.002-06:00

Today I am grateful. Grateful for my 3 beautiful, healthy children. Why am I so blessed to have healthy children, while so many others are not. We had a family in our ward who had a daughter with heart problems from birth. I started following her blog and came across the following family. I have started reading their blog and it has touched me so much. There are really no words to describe it.
Read it. You won't be the same after. It will touch you.

http://thisandthataboutthebowmans.blogspot.com/

Being Happy

2009-10-11T17:17:00.002-06:00

After church today I asked Thomas if he was happy. This was our conversation.

M: Thomas, are you happy?
T: Yes.
M: Why are you happy?
T: Because Jesus is real.
M: How do you know Jesus is real.
T: Because I feel it in my heart.

I feel it too.
Happy Sunday.

Leila Marie

2009-09-07T09:52:00.003-06:00

I have a new little neice! She is beautiful! Right now she is in the NICU on antibiotics fighting a little bug. She is doing much better.

Isn't she adorable?

Waikiki

2009-08-16T14:06:00.002-06:00

We flew to Oahu on the 24th and spent a couple of days there. It was so crowded! We stayed at the Marriott Waikiki Beach on the 17th floor, and had a great view of the beach. We went snorkeling and had dinner at a great resturant on top of the Sheraton Waikiki. The resturant was all glass windows and we had a great view of Diamond Head and a fireworks show at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.

While in Waikiki we also went to the PCC. That post will be next...

Banyan Tree

2009-08-03T21:02:00.005-06:00

One of the neat things we saw in Lahaina, was a Banyan tree. This thing is enourmous. It is one tree that grows up, and then drops roots back down to the ground. It does this over and over again, but is still attached to the main tree. It is a neat site. Aloha!

Aloha

2009-07-30T10:14:00.003-06:00

Our trip to Maui was wonderful! I have so much to post, but don't want to bore anyone, so I will probably break this up over a couple of days. So, here goes my narration of my week in paradise.

We flew to Kahului, Maui on July 20th. We flew first class and it was very relaxing. The perfect way to begin our trip. We stayed at the Royal Lahaina resort on Kaanapali Beach for the first 4 days of our trip. We were on the 12th. floor and had a partial ocean view. It was breathtaking. We went to Old Lahaina and walked along front street and had Ululoni's shaved ice. Heavenly! We ate at Bubba Gumps, Leilani's on the Beach, Pacific O, and had dinner at our hotel one night. I loved the sweet potato fries. The sunsets here in Lahaina are amazing. We had a view of the sunset every night at dinner and just enjoyed each other's company.

Our kids were at home with Grandma McLain, Aunt Ariel and Uncle Steven. They were in good hands. Emily came down with a fever and cold the morning we left, but luckily it only lasted 24 hours. Nathan came down with the same cold, but he got over it quickly as well.
We went Snuba diving and also a lot of snorkeling. That experience will be posted later.
I had a great time.

Here is a funny story. The parking spaces at a lot of resorts are very tight. Some nights you are lucky to find a spot. One night we found a spot right next to the entrance of the tennis club. The next morning we came down to our car and someone had written a note and left it on our window. They accused us of taking 2 spots and forcing them to have to park in Valet and pay $10 more for doing so. Nathan and I just busted up laughing. Obviously they had a few too many mai tai's and their vision was impaired, and they hadn't been in Hawaii very long because they hadn't acquired the spirit of Aloha!
What do you think? Do you think another car could have fit in the spot?

I'll post part 2 tomorrow on our adventure of Snuba!

Am I Cursed?

2009-05-21T17:34:00.002-06:00

I am really beginning to wonder if I am cursed. Every month since the beginning of the year something has happened to one of us while Nathan was out of town, or going out of town. Here are some hilights:
January- I broke my arm 2 days before Nathan traveled.
February- Influenza A, Emily taken to ER. Nathan at a business summit.
April- I had a double ear infection, had to call family at 2:30am. Nathan in London.
March- Abby needs stitches in leg 2 days before Nathan goes out of town.
May- Emily broke her leg, and today Abby got bit by a dog. My mom left this morning and before that we were accident free. She leaves, and the dog bites. Nathan is in Japan.

Is there a pattern here? Is my karma out of whack? Nathan returns Saturday hopefully free from Swine flu. Knock on wood. Is there any wood nearby? I'm going to go find some...

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-11T15:55:00.002-06:00

I love my husband and my children. Thank you for the wonderful Mother's day breakfast.

I am thankful for my mom and the women in my life. Thank you for teaching me and encouraging me to be my best self.

I hope you all had a wonderful day!

Abby stikes again

2009-05-11T15:40:00.002-06:00

Yep, Emily has a broken leg. We came home from our dinner and the sitter let us know that Abby did something to her, but she wasn't sure what. I asked Abby and here is the conversation.
M: Abby, what happened to Emily?
A: Well, she went to your room and I went after her to bring her back.
M: Did you pick her up?
A: Well, I tried to carry her, and I dropped her.

Okay, so we thought Emily was okay, but the next morning she wouldn't put any weight on her right foot, and would cry if you touched her foot. I took her to the dr's office, got x-rays, and sure enough she has a hairline fracture on her right leg. Luckily it is very small and she should recover without too much damage.

She can crawl and can even walk if she wants too. Her favorite thing with the cast is sitting on the hardwood floor and scraping her cast against the floor! Uh-oh!

Happy Anniversary

2009-05-11T15:33:00.004-06:00

On May 8th, Nathan and I celebrated our 11 year anniversary. We went to Macaroni Grill and had a wonderful time. He suprised me with a trip to Maui! We are going in July. We will also island hop to Oahu and go to the PCC. If any of you have been there, give me some suggestions.

I love him so much and I'm so grateful for his love and support.

We came home to experience the above...

Thomas

2009-05-01T11:27:00.003-06:00

Thomas turned 7 years old a couple of months ago, and I still haven't gotten his video posted, so these pictures will have to do. He had his birthday at Kangaroo Zoo and had a space theme. He had a lot of fun. Here are some facts about Thomas: 1. He loves Wii. Mario Kart and Mario super galaxy are some of his favorite games. 2. He loves to read. He is already past the 1st grade reading level. 3. He loves to play with friends. 4. He enjoys sports. His favorite at the moment is basketball. 5. He enjoys taking care of his fish. 6. He loves his sisters Abby and Emily. 7. He recently taught himself to ride his bike. He loves his family and he makes us all very happy. He loves to learn new things and I am blessed to have him as my son.

Look who is walking

2009-05-01T11:23:00.002-06:00

Emily is walking! She finally has enough confidence to venture out on her own. She is getting so big! Where has the time gone?

I'm a Big Kid Now

2009-04-17T12:23:00.002-06:00

Abby is a big kid now! She is finally going pee-pee in the potty. I am so proud of her. I turned it all over to her and made her responsible for all of it. Yippee! We are working on number 2, but this is a huge step!

Alabama Friends

2009-04-10T13:56:00.002-06:00

I want to give a shout out to my Alabama friends and make sure everyone is okay. It appears you all are getting some bad weather. I hope you are all okay and come through with out any major damage.

They Know Our Name

2009-03-22T14:51:00.003-06:00

I feel like American Fork Hospital ER knows us. We have visited them once a month since December. Today was Abby's turn. She was running in the hall, fell and slid into the air intakes and cut up her knee. 3 gashes, one needing 3 stitches. Nathan was the lucky one to take her to the ER. They put some numbing agent on her knee to dull the pain, and when they decided to do the stitches, Nathan was laying across her chest, a 'large" orderly grabbed her legs, and the doctor layed across her other side while he stitched her up. Once it was over, they were all suprised by how strong she was. She screamed the whole time. I am the lucky one who gets to go with her in 12 days to have the stitches removed. I can't wait! That will be fun.

Poor baby!

Abby's New Do

2009-03-16T12:15:00.003-06:00

Abby finally let me take her to Cookie Cutters for a haircut. I decided to go short because the weather will be warming up, and she hates for me to do anything with her hair. Not to mention, I don't know how to do anything with her hair.

She looks a lot more grown up now. It still has a mind of its own, but it is at least out of her face now.

Influenza strikes not once, not twice, but thrice!

2009-02-20T14:16:00.003-07:00

I am now an official supporter of a flu shot! We will be first in line next year to get them. Influenza is awful! Can I just vent for a moment? I know you will all understand...
So, last Friday Thomas came home from school and said he didn't feel well. I checked his temperature and it was 102! I thought that was odd. He hadn't complained about anything. So, part of me was thinking "Random", but later that night he said his throat hurt too. Saturday was not much better, so I called his doctor and asked about bringing him in, but they were all full. Sunday morning Nathan took him to Instacare and waited 2 HOURS to get seen. 1 hour of that was standing in line to check in!
The doctor ordered a strep test which of course came back negative. No mention of influenza. Meanwhile, Emily wakes up with a fever and sniffles so I'm thinking she has the same thing. She moves in with us so I can keep an eye on her. Monday is a holiday and Nathan leaves to go to Salt Lake for the week. (He had a huge trade show the entire week and was staying up there. Perfect timing) Thomas is better on Tuesday so off he goes to school.
Tuesday night, Emily is a mess. She has mucous everywhere. She is still running a high fever and is having trouble breathing. I'm contemplating whether to call Nathan and then realize that Emily is burning up. I call him and tell him to meet me at the hospital. I call our Aunt and Uncle and they come to watch Thomas and Abby and help me take Emily to the hospital.
She had a rectal fever of 103.1 and was positive for Influenza A. Of course by now it is too late to take the medicine to shorten the effects. Poor baby, she is going to have to suffer through it.
Up to present, Thomas relapsed with his fever on Wednesday, so he was at the doctor and had an influenza test as well. Of course it is positive. No medicine for him either. And then to make sure that I am not left out, I have it too.
Life has been difficult this last week. It is amazing how something so small can reek such havoc. Because of a microscopic virus, Nathan had to come home early from his summit, he missed the Maroon 5 concert, skiing, and had to drive to Salt Lake early every morning for the rest of the week to be there by 8 am. I have had very little sleep for the week because of my concern for Emily, and have felt it through out my entire body. (On a good note, I did loose 5 pounds :)
Poor Emily. I hate seeing my little one suffer. I had to take her back to the hospital over the last few days to be resuctioned from all the mucous. She didn't like that at all. Her fever is still here, but hopefully will be leaving us shortly.
I am better. I now have small coughing spells that are uncomfortable, but I am finally getting sleep. I didn't realize how tired I was until I finally collapsed yesterday and slept peacefully.

Luckily, Abby is healthy and not showing any symptons. I will tell you though at the first sign of anything remotely flu related, she is on medication. If the instacare doctor would have taken just a little minute, Thomas could have been tested within the window of opportunity and gone on medication, Emily would have gone on something, and all would have been milder. Actually, if I would have had my kids vaccinated, then none of this would have happened.
I learned my lesson. I will beat you next year! I will win! You are not welcome in my home anymore!
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me! Fool me thrice...then I am beyond help.

Down will come baby...

2009-01-28T16:24:00.005-07:00

Okay, so I know you have all been wondering what happened so here is the story.
On Monday(20th), we decided to spend the day together since Thomas was out of school and Nathan had the day off. We drove around town and around 4pm we decided to go rent some movies and head home, order pizza and have a picnic in the family room. We were leaving Hollywood Video and I was holding Emily in my left arm. I guess I went to step down the step, when Abby crossed in front of me. I missed the step, fell down and landed on top of my right arm while it went up in the "square" position. I heard something pop, and then realized that Emily was now laying on the ground screaming. Her head literally bounced off the concrete and within seconds she had a goose egg forming on the side of her head.
Nathan turned around, saw us both on the ground and said, "Please tell me that sound was not Emily's head hitting the concrete." I started crying, we yelled at the kids to get in the car, and raced 2 blocks to the ER. I rushed in with her and the nurses took her to check her out. She had a CAT Scan and all came back normal. I went to X-ray and had a few pictures taken of my arm, and neck. The doctor couldn't tell at that time if it was broken or sprained, so he splinted my entire arm and told me to follow up with an Orthopedic in a week.
That night we had to check on Emily every 3 hours to make sure she was okay and I took my pain meds faithfully.
Tuesday things were a little better, but since it was my right arm, I couldn't do anything. The ward stepped in and brought me meals Thurs-Saturday since Nathan left Wednesday to go to Finland. Perfect timing!
I went to Ortho yesterday and sure enough, I have a small fracture on my right wrist. I am now in a removable brace that keeps it all secure, but allows me to move my fingers and take it off when I need to.
3 more weeks to go!

P.S. For those who may be wondering, Abby was completely fine. She got out of the way while I was falling. She felt so bad though, that in the ER, she kept apologizing for making me fall and said it was an accident. Very cute!

Emily is 1!

2009-01-28T08:50:00.003-07:00

Emily is 1! I can't believe how fast the time has gone. Here are some "firsts" about her.
1. She is pulling herself up and cruising the furniture.
2. She is talking and babbling all the time.
3. She is experiencing separation anxiety.
4. She loves to cuddle and give kisses.
5. She loves to laugh.
6. She loves to read. She can sit with a picture book and just look at it over and over.
7. She loves her brother and sister very much.
8. She is constantly on the move. She keeps all of us on our toes.

We love her very much and we are so glad she is part of our family.

i've been tagged...

2009-01-20T10:57:00.001-07:00

but it will have to wait! i fractured my right arm and can barely type! hopefully i will be back to normal soon.

Game Over!

2009-01-16T09:22:00.003-07:00

I think I have psychologically damaged my child. She will never look at a potty ever again. Do Depends come in child size?
Last night was a nightmare! My daughter has a bladder as strong as steel! She held it from 9:30am until sometime after 8pm! Nothing, Nadda, Zip! She would not go for anything in the world! Last night we took turns making her sit on the potty with her screaming, while we promised her every toy imaginable, cookies, you name it and she wouldn't budge a drop.

She wanted to come out with us in the family room and we told her that if she went, then she could come out, otherwise she had to go to bed. Yep, she went to bed early. Fell asleep quickly, and then had the nerve to wake me up at 1:30 in the morning to tell me she was wet. Needless to say, she went back to bed wet.

This morning, she got up, changed herself into a new diaper, got dressed and is going on like nothing ever happened. I am not buying anymore diapers. When she runs out, she is out. AAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

Abby:2 Mom:0

2009-01-14T20:50:00.002-07:00

She did it again! This morning I was smart at least I thought I was and waited for her to have a BM before I put her in plain underwear. No pullups so as not to confuse her about what we were trying to accomplish. That was at 10:30 this morning. We went about our day stopping occasionally to drag her to the potty with no success. Again, I thought I would have success and eventually she would cave in but I guess I don't know my own daughter as well as I thought I did. At 4:30 (6 hours later!) she comes to me, wet and crying because her socks are wet!
A: Will you change me? My socks are wet too! (she is sobbing)
M: No, you will have to do it yourself. If you make the mess, you will clean it up.

I prepare her bath, and try to find out exactly where she went. She gets in the tub, cleans herself up and I discover the mess upstairs in front of her kitchen. She gets out of the tub, gets dressed in fresh underwear and proceeds to come upstairs and help me clean the mess. She was so excited! She actually thought it was fun to clean up.
A: Here you go mommy! I cleaned it up. It is all better.

Abby 2, Mom 0

Abby 1 : Mom 0

2009-01-14T10:07:00.002-07:00

So, yesterday was the start of potty training. Needless to say, it didn't go well. Those of you who know Abby will understand the following story. Here is how it went.
I put her in underwear with a pull up over it and sent her on her way. I set the timer and we were off. 30 minutes later, here is our conversation.
M: Abby, did you mess your pants?
A: No mom, I went in my diaper.
I take her to the bathroom, sit her down, hose her off while she is telling me it is an accident, and crying how she doesn't like the potty.

Never fear, I brush myself off and we start again. I change her and send her on her way. Every 30 minutes or so we head to the bathroom with no success. We leave to pick up Thomas from school and when we get home I realize that she has been holding it for over 4 hours. I get tough and make her sit on the potty until she goes. I'm thinking, "She'll cave in, I'll win, and all will be well." YEAH RIGHT! This goes on for 2 HOURS! Finally I put her in a pull up because the babysitter was coming, and I wasn't about to let the babysitter deal with potty training, (isn't that nice of me!)and I go get ready to go out with Nathan.
15 minutes later, here is our conversation.
A: Am I in a diaper, or underwear?
M: diaper. Abby, did you wet your pants?
A: Will you change me? I'm wet.
M: No, if you are going to wear a diaper, than you are going to have to change yourself.
Abby leaves and I don't think about it. A few minutes later, she goes walking down the hall just as I am coming out of my room and says:
A: I did it all by myself!
I went in to her room and there on the floor is her wet diaper, and a used wipe!

At the end of the day the score is Abby:1, Mom: 0

Happy New Year!

2009-01-07T09:11:00.002-07:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. Nathan's mom and dad and sister and brother came from Texas and spent the holiday with us. It was nice to have them here. They got to meet Emily for the first time, and of course she won them all over. We are lucky to have wonderful family and look forward to them coming to visit again soon.
School is back in full swing and we are all settling in for a fun and exciting year. We hope all of you are well.
Next up on the agenda, birthdays, and potty training. I have been patient with Abby for as long as I can hoping that she would be interested in doing it. She still isn't and her doctor said it is time to step it up and break free. Wish us luck! I'll let you know how it goes.

...NuxieMade...: NuxieMade Hat Give-Away!!

2009-01-07T09:02:00.001-07:00

These hats are beautiful! Thanks for the idea Karen.

...NuxieMade...: NuxieMade Hat Give-Away!!

My Baby is 4

2008-12-17T13:44:00.003-07:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Today is Abby's birthday. She is growing into a beautiful little girl. Here are 4 things that sum her up.
1. She is very determined
2. She is independent
3. She is a little bossy
4. She is full of love for her family!

We are so glad that she is part of our family. We love you Abby!

Happy Birthday Honey!

2008-12-16T10:09:00.003-07:00

Yesterday was Nathan's birthday. He turned 33 years old and to celebrate, I thought I would share 33 things about him.

1. He is the oldest of 7 children. He has 5 brothers and 1 sister.
2. He has very tickilish feet.
3. Speaking of feet, he likes to curl under his toes when he is sitting.
4. He played tennis in high school and was quite good at it.
5. He was born in Provo, and has lived in Utah, Arizona, and Texas. He never had a strong Texan accent though.
6. He served a 2 year mission in Sydney Australia and would like to return for a visit.
7. He has a treasure map of a time capsule he buried on the beach in Sydney that he would like to go find.
8. He graduated from BYU in Electrical Engineering, but is now a Product Manager.
9. He recently broke his foot while playing soccer and had to wear a "boot".
10. He loves chocolate.
11. He loves his children and takes Thomas and Abby on weekend activities. Thomas loves Best Buy and Mac and Cheese at Chilis.
12. He looks really good in baby blue. It brings out the color in his eyes.
13. He has traveled to China, London, and France. He is traveling to Finland in January. Can we say BURRRRRRRRRR.
14. He likes to read and learn new things when he has time.
15. He is an enterprenur.
16. He has a soft side that I love.
17. He loves his children very much. Emily's smile can make him melt.
18. He built us a deck on our home in Layton. I didn't believe that he could actually do it, but he did and it turned out great. It was 8 feet off the ground!
19. He isn't a fan of crowds.
20. His idea of vacation is the beach just relaxing and taking it easy.
21. He gets bored very easily. He likes to be going like the Energizer bunny.
22. He is straightforward. He doesn't mince words very often. He can be direct which helps when I am trying to figure him out.
23. He loves me. Even when I am a turkey which is often, he still loves me.
24. He takes care of us, even when he has to put his own desires on hold.
25. He got bit by a spider when we lived in Alabama that made him very sick. It happened while he was sleeping. It gives me the creeps just thinking about it.
26. I knew that we had something special the first time I talked with him.
27. He is dependable. He follows through with his commitments.
28. He is forgiving.
29. One of his favorite shows at the moment is Chuck.
30. He has a security clearance from working at Boeing.
31. He does the dishes after dinner without me asking.
32. He does a better job cleaning the house than I do.
and finally...
33. He gets an extra day of celebrating just because his mine.

Happy Birthday sweetie! I hope you know how much I love you.

25 Chistmas Questions

2008-12-09T11:01:00.001-07:00

25 Christmas Questions
1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper.
2. Real tree or artificial?
Both. I have an artificial one now, but I had real ones growing up. I remember the Christmas after my father died and my mom and I went to get a tree in Oregon. We drove 45 minutes and when we arrived it started to rain. We found a tree and went to cut it down with a dull saw. It took forever! Then we had to strap the thing to the top of our mini van. When we were finally done we were dripping wet and we prayed the whole way home that it wouldn’t slide off the roof when my mom turned the wheel. There were a lot of tears and laughter that Christmas.
3. When do you put up the tree?
The day after Thanksgiving.
4. When do you take the tree down?
Usually around January 2nd.
5. Do you like eggnog?
No. I can’t stand it.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
My Cabbage Patch Kid Preemie. I wanted one so much, but of course they were hard to find. I was shocked to see one under the tree when I was younger. I still have it.
7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes. I found one at Costco a few years ago and I bought that one. I have added two more to my decorations. One is a clear set of glass, and the other one is of little children.
8. Hardest person to buy for?
Nathan. He has made it easier because he has a wish list that I can go off of. That helps.
9. Easiest person to buy for?
Emily, just give her some paper and something that makes noise and she’s good.
10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Mail, however I will post an email letter as well.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?.
A stuffed horse. It didn’t do anything and I was bored silly. It was at my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary and we had all drawn numbers. I was very upset.
12. Favorite Christmas Movies?
National Lampoons Christmas Vacation.
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Around December 1st. We started doing our shopping online the last couple of years and it has been wonderful. The only down side is making sure we don’t procrastinate too late so they get here on time.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
I don’t think so.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Aunt Lorie’s meat rolls. She uses roast beef and ham and puts cream cheese in them and rolls them up and slices them. They are wonderful!
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Clear. It is the only ones I will use.
17.Favorite Christmas song?
This is a tie. I love Christmas Shoes by Newsong. It makes me cry everytime I hear it. I also love “Mary Did You Know”, but only the version by Kenny Rogers and Naomi Judd.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
Stay home. It seems that everytime we travel my kids get sick. Last time we traveled we went to Texas and ended up in the ER on Christmas Eve with Abby and a 103 degree temperature and croup. A time before that we went to Vegas and the police showed up at my mom’s house. Do you see a pattern here?
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
“ You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen. But do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all? Rudolph”… Abby just finished watching it on DVD so the song is in my head.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Angel
21. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
The commercialism of the season and the craziness and rudeness of some shoppers.
22. Favorite ornament theme or color?
I love homemade ornaments. Our tree has a country feel to it with the homemade ornaments and ribbon on it. I love to make new ornaments every year. I also make our stockings out of felt. Nathan’s is Santa, mine is a snowman, Thomas has a gingerbread man, Abby is an angel and Emily is a ballet dancer.
23. Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Honeybaked Ham. I had one as a gift one year and they are wonderful. Expensive, but wonderful. However, most years it is a ham with all the fixings, but we usually do a big meal on Christmas Eve and have finger foods on Christmas.
24. What do you want for Christmas this year?
I want everyone to be healthy. No sickness this time. In the way of gifts, I would like the David Archuletta CD, a new jacket would be nice and some lounge wear to be comfy in.
25. A favorite Christmas Tradition?
On Christmas Eve we have a nice dinner and then share a Christmas story. Then we pack the kids up in the car in their PJ’s and drive around to look at the lights and help them fall asleep. When we get home, we put them to bed and then we decorate the house. We have strings tied to the stockings that lead all over the room with a present at the end. We also blow up balloons and put them all over the floor. It is a crazy mess, but it is a lot of fun. Nathan’s aunt Lorie does this and we borrowed it from her.

How about you?

Gobble Gobble, Turkey Lurkey!

2008-11-24T10:28:00.003-07:00

Since Thanksgiving is on Thursday, I thought it would be fun to share some Turkey Trivia on the famous bird we will be cutting and carving. Too bad only one turkey will be pardoned!

- Turkeys have heart attacks. When the Air Force was conducting test runs and breaking the sound barrier, fields of turkeys would drop dead.
- Turkeys can drown if they look up when it is raining.
- Turkeys’ heads change colors when they become excited.
- Turkey breeding has caused turkey breasts to grow so large that the turkeys fall over.
- Since 1947, the National Turkey Federation has presented a live turkey and two dressed turkeys to the President. The President does not eat the live turkey. He "pardons" it and allows it to live out its days on a historical farm.
- Turkeys will have 3,500 feathers at maturity. (Does someone actually count this?)
- Turkeys have great hearing, but no external ears. They can also see in color, and have excellent visual acuity and a wide field of vision (about 270 degrees), which makes sneaking up on them difficult. However, turkeys have a poor sense of smell (what's cooking?), but an excellent sense of taste.
- A turkey has 157 bones!
- Buterball has a hotline to answer all your turkey questions. For those who may need it, the number is, 1-800-323-4848.
- Sleepy after the big meal? Turkey contains an amino acid called "Tryptophan". Tryptophan sets off a chemical chain reaction that calms you down and makes you sleepy.
- When Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin sat down to enjoy their first meal on the moon, their foil food packets contained roasted turkey and all of the trimmings.

Have a happy Thanksgiving, and too all of you preparing the big meal I hope it goes well. I am making the Thanksgiving dinner this year, and I hope it all turns out well. I am a little nervous about getting everything cooked and staying warm until it is time to serve. That is why I had to have 2 ovens!

Gobble Gobble!

Gratitude ABC's

2008-11-13T10:00:00.002-07:00

A: Attitude Adjustments
B: Belly blows
C: Cuddles. Knowing that all is right in the world when you are in the arms of one you love
D: Daughters. Abby and Emily bring me so much joy. I'm blessed to be their mother.
E: Eggs. I am craving them at the moment
F: Family.
G: Green grass. It is nice to see it instead of the snow. I'll enjoy it while I can.
H: Home
I: Innocence of youth
J: Jesus Christ
K: Kelly. That is me. I am grateful for being me. :)
L: Love.
M: Marriage. I am blessed to be married and sharing it with...
N: Nathan. My husband and best friend
O: Opportunities to repent and begin again, and again, and again...
P: Patience. I don't have much of it, but that is why I am thankful for "O"
Q: Quiet time
R: Rest and relaxation. I crave it all the time.
S: Son, Thomas. He is such a wonderful boy, and is growing up too fast.
T: Timing. Things happen for a reason, and it is all in Heavenly Father's hands.
U: United States of America
V: Vacations. I need to take one.
W: Wisdom to accept the things I can not change, even though I keep trying too.
X: Xylaphone. It was one of my children's first toys.
Y: Youthfulness, which I don't seem to have much of lately. I need to exercise...
Z: Zippers, and watching Abby learn how to do it herself.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-02T16:23:00.002-07:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween. It was nice to actually have decent weather this year. We went to Nathan's work party and had a good time. His company goes big on Halloween. One section was based on The Wizard of Oz, and another department actually brought in sod and had a football field built complete with a tailgate party.
Thomas went as Anakin Skywalker, Abby was Tinkerbell, and Emily hung out in the pumpkin patch with me at home.

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-28T15:46:00.002-06:00

Last Saturday, we decided to try our luck with the local pumpkin patch. Sadly, there wasn't much worth reporting. The weather here is still in the 70's and Saturday was no exception. We went to Hee Haw farms, and quickly realized that it wasn't worth the money we paid to get in. It was very hot, dry and there were swarms of hornets everywhere. On top of that, they wanted an extra $.25 a pound for a pumpkin.

We packed up the kids and headed to a local farmer here in Orem who sold pumpkins on his front lawn. It wasn't Tate Farms in Alambama, but it will have to do.

Enjoy!

This one's for you

2008-10-21T09:16:00.004-06:00

This is for all my blog friends who have ties to Utah, or those who would like to come to Utah, and are missing the mountains. I wanted to share what I see out all my back windows every day. I wanted you to enjoy it as well.

Have a great day!

I AM

2008-10-15T10:44:00.001-06:00

I am... a daughter of a king.
I think... I know what I am doing, when most of the time I don’t.
I want... more patience.
I have... everything that I truly need.
I miss... being young and carefree.
I fear... that I will fail as a mother.
I feel... that I should be doing more.
I hear... silence.
I smell... someone needing a diaper change.
I crave...more “me” time.
I cry.... when no one else is around.
I search... the floor before putting Emily down so she doesn’t ingest any small parts.
I wonder... when life will be easier.
I regret... not doing more with my life before marriage and children.
I wish... I had more patience and understanding of children’s emotions.
I love... when my children tell me they love me and that I’m the best mom.
I care... what everyone thinks about me.
I always... repeat things more than once.
I worry... that I am doing everything wrong, and screwing up my kids future.
I am not... together.
I remember... my earliest memory at age 4 or 5 catching my first fish.
I believe... in the gospel.
I know… Heavenly Father is real.
I sing... songs from Disney movies to my kids and hear them laugh.
I don't always... do what’s right.
I argue... way too much with my kids.
I write... in my journal every once in a while.
I lose... my mind on a regular basis.
I listen... to Emily laugh and talk to herself. I love her voice.
I can usually be found... on the computer.
I need... a vacation.
I forget... how truly blessed I really am.
I am happy...because my family loves me as I am.

ABC's of Me

2008-10-03T10:17:00.001-06:00

A- Age: 34
B - Best Friend: Nathan
C - Cake or Pie: I’ll take either one at the moment
D - Drink of Choice: Strawberry Lemonade from Red Robin
E - Essential Items: My cuddle pillow
F - Favorite TV show at the moment: Chuck
G - Gummi Bears or Worms: Bears
H - Hometown: Lake Oswego, Oregon
I - Indulgence: Getting a bath without a child standing there asking for something.
J - January or July: January
K - Kids: 3
L - Life is incomplete without: Happiness
M - Marriage Date: 8 May 1998
N - Number of Siblings: 4 brothers
O - Oranges or Apples: Oranges
P - Phobias or Fears: Losing one of my children
Q - Quote: “Buck up little camper. It’s a tough world out there and only the tough survive.”
R - Reason to Smile: The colors are changing on the mountains
S - Season: Fall
T - Time you woke up today: 5 am
U- Unknown Fact About Me: I used to sleep with a mask on my face. I had to have pitch blackness to sleep
V - Veggies or Fruit: Fruit
W - Worst Habit: chewing on the side of my nails. I do it when I am nervous, frustrated, agitated, stressed, which seems to be most of the time.
X - X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Ultrasounds
Y - Your Favorite Food: Fettuccini Alfredo from Olive Garden
Z - Zodiac: Capricorn

All Lined Up in a Row

2008-10-03T09:43:00.002-06:00

Abby is very particular about where things should go. She has this inate ability to put things in order and she gets upset if you correct her on it. She has been doing this for awhile, but the other day she lined up her stuffed animals on the couch from smallest to largest. She said her "friends" were watching TV with her.
Isn't she cute!

I've got the giggles

2008-09-26T13:47:00.006-06:00

Look At Me

2008-09-23T10:16:00.002-06:00

Emily is getting so big! I just had to pose her and get some cute pictures while she would let me. Enjoy!

An Apple A Day...

2008-09-23T09:40:00.004-06:00

won't keep our doctors away! Our doctors have come to know us well. Nathan broke his foot playing soccer and was slowly recovering from that, while Emily came down with a condition called eythermia multiforme minor which was a nasty viral rash. Luckily it wasn't contagious, and didn't bother her and now she is doing much better. I have a cold, and Abby is getting over one. Hopefully no more doctor visits for awhile.

Remembering

2008-09-11T09:39:00.002-06:00

I'm sure all of us remember exactly what we were doing 7 years ago when our freedoms came under attack. I was upstairs in our rental apartment getting ready for work. I was listening to 570 AM, and Bob Lansbury was interrupted to announce that a plane had crashed into one of the towers of the World Trade Center in NY. I yelled down to Nathan to turn on the TV and see what they were saying. At first it seemed like a freak accident, and Bob quickly came back on the air. Then it was interrupted again when the second plane hit the other tower. I quickly realized then, that this was no accident. I was terrified. We were pregnant with Thomas, and I started wondering what would his future be like? Who would do such a terrible thing? I cried on my way to work, especially as I heard about the pentagon, and the plane in Pennsylvania. I like most of you, kept my eyes glued to the tv for the next few weeks while information began to come out.
Now, 7 years later I still remember. My heart and appreciation goes out to all those who lost a loved one, and to those who are risking their lives to protect the freedom that I enjoy today. We must not ever forget the price that was paid and for the lives that were lost that September Day.

Dust Bunny

2008-08-31T21:14:00.003-06:00

Look at what I found under my bed! I think this is the cutest dust bunny I've ever found.

This is what happened when I left my room for a couple of minutes. She is rolling everywhere and gets into the funniest nooks and crannies.

She is such a cutie!

First Day of School

2008-08-20T13:07:00.003-06:00

Thomas is now a big first grader. So far he is loving school and has already made new friends. This morning as we were driving to school we were talking, and the conversation went something like this:
T: I just have a hard time being still.
M: How do you keep still at church?
T: I think about Jesus and He helps me.
M: Don't you think He will help you at school too?
T: I can ask Him right now.

Then we talked about how Heavenly Father and Jesus love him very much, because He is the father of his spirit, and He will help him keep his hands to himself.
The conversation continued at school as I was dropping him off:
M: Remember who you are!
T: I'm Jesus' son!

It was very cute! I am keeping it together with him being gone, and Abby and I are having a little school here at home. So far it is going well. I sure do miss my big boy though...

Swimming Lessons

2008-08-13T17:49:00.003-06:00

I decided at the last minute to sign Abby and Thomas up for swimming lessons, and we just finished last week. Thomas was in the level 1 class and Abby went to the preschool class. As I was sitting there, I had a deja vu moment. My life had come full circle. I remembered my mom taking my brothers and I to swim lessons when we were kids in California. Thomas was a little nervous with going under water, but enjoyed it very much. Abby did her own thing, and mostly clung on for dear life to her teacher. Sadly, neither one passed, but that is okay. I'm glad they had a good time. We'll do it again next year.

Staycation

2008-08-13T17:36:00.003-06:00

With gas prices out of control, we decided to stay close to home and have a staycation. Nathan has taken the week off and so far we have gone bowling, played in the swimming pool out back and go to the Zoo. It has been a lot of fun. Thomas is not used to having Nathan home, so he asked him if he had lost his job. We just laughed and explained that we were staying around home for our vacation this year. On Friday we are going to Heber to ride the train. We are all looking forward to that.

Enjoy the rest of your summer. School starts for us on Monday!

Solid Foods

2008-07-28T14:08:00.002-06:00

Emily is now 6 months old, and has had her first taste of solid foods! She wasn't too thrilled, but seems to be getting the hang of it.

Thomas has started soccer and both he and Abby are taking swimming lessons. I'll post pictures soon.

On another note, my mom's surgery is scheduled for Tuesday, July 29th. It appears she has a more aggressive type of cancer than they originally thought. She will most likely need chemo and radiation. I'll keep you updated.

Update

2008-07-22T10:24:00.001-06:00

Emily is fine. We received her test results last week and thank goodness she did not have a UTI. I guess it was a random fever, and she appears to be on the mend.

My mom had her MRI, and the cancer has not spread. She will have a lumpectomy in August, and will then undergo a month of radiation. I am so thankful that she is going to be okay.

Thank you for all your well wishes.

The toothfairy is coming!

2008-07-12T11:12:00.003-06:00

Thomas has lost his first tooth! My baby is growing up, and there is no stopping him now. He even pulled it out himself. Thomas said to me, "Mom, make sure you leave the window open tonight so the toothfairy can come in!" Oh, the innocence of youth.

The "C" Word

2008-07-11T10:00:00.002-06:00

Cancer. It is one of those things I haven't thought of, until it hits home. Yesterday my mom called and told me she has breast cancer. Luckily it was caught very early which is a point in her favor. She will have an MRI on Monday and we should know more then. She is very positive and looks at this as a minor setback to leaving for her mission.

I wish I was as calm. After I heard the news, I freaked out and spent part of the day crying, and trying to let it all sink in. My mom has breast cancer. How does one accept that? Will I have it too? What can I do, should I run to my doctor and get tested? I feel completely helpless. It is moments like this when you realize you have no control. I hate that feeling. I like having control. I like to be able to fix things, and right now I have to wait.

I spent the other part of my day at the pediatrician's office with Emily. She has had an unexplained fever for the last 24 hours and so I took her in. 2 catheters later, we think she may have a UTI. That is not good. A baby her age with a UTI, can cause kidney damage, so now I am waiting again for test results. If they are positive, she will need an ultrasound and another test that involves a catheter. If those are both positive, she will go on a low dose of antibiotics indefinitely. Please keep her in your prayers.

I also have a kidney infection and Thomas is about to loose his first tooth. My little boy is growing up. There is something positive to end this post with.

Summer so far

2008-07-06T14:32:00.004-06:00

Our summer so far has been great! We went to Park City Mountain Resort for the day in June for Nathan's work party. Thomas and Abby both went on the roller coaster, and LOVED it. I thought Thomas would be scared, but he had an awesome time. They really enjoyed the planes and the merry-go-round.

We have also been working on the yard, and we finally got grass. The kids are very anxious to get out there and play on it. Only 1 more week to go. I can't wait.

Thomas has also finished the season for baseball. On his second to last game, he said, "I think I'm finally getting the hang of this." It was very cute.

Emily is getting to be so big. She is still sleeping through the night, and I am definitely grateful for that. Also, Abby actually went to Sunbeams all by herself today. It only took 7 months, but that is a big deal for us. Next comes pottytraining, but that will be another story all it's own....

Father and Sons

2008-05-18T12:36:00.002-06:00

On Friday night, Nathan took Thomas on their first father and sons camp out. I was a little worried, since I have a fear of "critters" whenever I've gone camping in the past, and I didn't know how Thomas would handle sleeping in the great outdoors. They loaded up their gear and headed up to Mutual Dell in American Fork canyon. Nathan said all was well until the sun set, and the cold set in. They still had snow in some parts, so Nathan spent the whole night making sure Thomas was warm enough. Luckily I packed extra blankets, gloves and hats to help keep them toasty. They returned Saturday morning and Thomas feel asleep for most of the morning. We are all now getting over colds and hope to be on the mend soon. I'm glad Nathan and Thomas have one another to do fun things like this. Hopefully the next time they have a father and sons, it will be warmer!

Anniversary gift from Nathan

2008-05-09T17:21:00.015-06:00

We had a wonderful anniversary. Nathan made this wonderful DVD which has memories of our last 10 years together. He also gave me 2 dozen red roses, and a memory book covering our last 10 years. He was very thoughtful and I love the time and effort he put into it. He is the best!
Click on the picture below to see the video

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Happy 10 Years

2008-05-08T09:09:00.004-06:00

Today is our 10 year anniversary. It is hard to believe that Nathan and I have been together for 10 years. I love him more now than I did then. We have had many wonderful experiences together including multiple moves, children, building homes, (which coincidentally seemed to happen all at the same time), vacations, school, and growing together. What a whirlwind it has been, but I won't change it for the world.

I appreciate all the hard work he does for us, even when it may not be what he wants to do, he puts our needs above his own. He makes me laugh, and can bring a smile to my face just by looking at me.

Eternity isn't long enough. I love you sweetheart! Thanks for the memories!

Our New Home

2008-05-04T19:53:00.003-06:00

I finally feel like I am getting settled. We love our new home and wanted to share some pictures with all of you. I hope you enjoy!

Sunday Afternoon

2008-05-04T16:19:00.003-06:00

Today has been a lazy day. We enjoy being in our new home and being able to walk to church, especially on warm days. Everything is starting to bloom, and it is finally starting to warm up. We did have a snow storm 3 days ago, but hopefully we won't have any more of that. We hope to get our lawn started soon, so the kids will have a place to play.