Sunday, November 29, 2009

Funny stuff

Olivia was laughing at this Happy Meal Baseball toy for over 10 minutes. I though by the time I got the laptop it'd be over. I was wrong. I wonder what it was that she loves so much about this.

14 months

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O' how I have loved these past 14 months. This little girl of ours has brought more joy to us than I ever could have imagined. She is smart and funny and cute and sweet.

Olivia loves to give hugs and kisses and will now do so on demand. The kids have loved this new trick and ask her for some love all day long. One of Olivia's favorite tricks is to lure them in with her kissing sound and puckered lips but as soon as they get close she pulls away and laughs. Well, most of the time she slaps them. (We're trying to teach her to be soft but its so hard when she bites or hits and all the kids so is laugh and tell her to do it again)

We have our first Sesame Street lover. The other 2 kids could have cared less about a furry, red monster but this girl thinks that Elmo hangs the moon. She sounds so cute when she says "Elmo" that it makes me love Sesame Street even more than ever. She especially loves, what she call's, "la la, La La" which means "Elms Song" And will ask for it several times a day. She gets the biggest smile on her face when we turn it on for her and will dance and sing along with her new found friend.

There is so much I could say about this fun girl but I will leave it at this. She is perfect, I mean it. And we couldn't all love her more if we tried.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Gratitude

I don't really have a lot to say. Just that I am grateful. So grateful. I have been blessed with an incredible Husband who is everything I need him to be, and more. I have been entrusted with 3 perfect spirits who motivate me to be better everyday. They teach me more than I could ever teach them and I am grateful for that gift. I have some of the best friends in the world and my life is blessed by them daily. I live in this choice Land where we have freedoms that most can only dream of. I was privileged to be born into a sacred covenant, an eternal Family. I have been blessed daily by belonging to the Lords Church here upon the Earth, with the same powers and revelations which existed when Christ himself walked on this Earth. I know this is His Church and I hold it closest to me, for without it nothing else would have near the meaning that it does. Every happiness I have is because of my Membership in it.

I have been blessed beyond belief and I am grateful to my Father in Heaven for all that I have, for all that He has given me.

I have been thinking about this quote a lot, especially today.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.-- Melody Beattie

I know that my life can be blessed, enriched and made more full by practicing gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

A perfect day!

This is one of my favorite Sunday's of the entire year, especially since having kids. Especially since becoming the Primary President.

Today was our Wards Primary Program. And it was perfect. This marked Ella's very first program and boy was she ever excited. Each week for the past month she has asked if it was Program day. And today I got to tell her yes!!!
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Ella came down with a little cold yesterday, nothing terrible but enough so that I took her temperature late last night before going to bed myself. Imagine my surprise when the readout said 102. I was devastated. Not only to have a sick girl but I knew how excited she was about the next morning. Clothes were picked out. shoes bought, 2 Sunday's of long practice's had. And now, this? I asked her if she wanted Daddy to give her a blessing. She jumped on it right away. Dave came in, gave her a beautiful blessing and then I had a little talk with her.

"Ella, do you know who blessing's come from?"

"Heavenly Father."

"Do you have Faith that He can help you to feel better so that you can be in the Primary Program?"

"YES!!!"

"I do too honey, I know that you will be okay in the morning."

"I know it too Mommy."

I loved how much faith she had. And I too knew that Heavenly Father could heal her, if only for an hour.

Sure enough I took her temperature in the morning. 98. Perfect. I asked her if she felt okay, she said she felt really good. So we got ready and went to Church. She was darling, so happy to be there with her Primary, singing the songs she worked so hard on. She loved waving to her Aunt Charity and she loved looking back and flashing me smiles. At one point I reached up from my seat behinds her (yes, I sang too) and held her hand. She looked back at me, smiled sweetly, and politely put my hand back on my own lap.

Right after the program Dave took Ella home. I heard a few cough's here and there but my hand always met a cool forehead. I thought I'd play it safe. As soon as Dave got her home she started her fever again, almost immediately. 102.

I knew that Heavenly Father blessed her little body to be able to be healed, if only for those few hours. I know he could feel of her Faith and her righteous desire to be a part of such a special Sunday. It was a great day that I hope that she'll remember for a very long time, I know I will.

Luke was a star. He had some pretty awesome hand movements in the front row as he sang. Raising a high fist during each, "scripture Power" and other such things. He even sang in a quartet. It was beautiful. We had probably over 400 people there, the back of the Cultural Hall ended up being standing room only. I was so proud of my boy. He sang loud and strong and didn't seem a bit nervous.

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Luke in his dapper suit. What a Handsome boy I have!

Poor Olivia was in need of a picture too. I cant believe that one day soon I will have 3 kids up there. She was such a good girl during the entire program today, she loves music more than almost any little girl I know. This was her day!
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Saturday, November 21, 2009

Music

I love music. I am extremely sentimental and my favorite thing about a song is how it can bring you right back. I can track some of the most important moments of my life with my ears and a melody. Spending time with some of my best friends, dancing with my little Sister, my first heart break, road trips to Utah and Vegas, the first night alone in my own apartments 2 states away from home, Holidays, first kisses, dancing with my wonderful Husband, stages in my Children's lives. Even as I write this and link those moments to specific tunes and melodies I am right back to them.

Last night I got into my Husbands car to head to the gym. As soon as turned the key I heard it. The song that almost always puts me in tears. Its a song I have always loved. I use to imagine singing it to my kids when I was a teenager. Its beautiful. It's one we all know. Its "Baby Mine"

This song took on an entirely new meaning to me about this time last year. My baby was 6 weeks old and a patient at Sky Ridge Hospital. She was hooked up to an array of machinery and she was not sleeping well. I remember that I too had a small hospital bed to sleep in that week, only I was rarely ever in it. Instead I spent most of my evenings sitting in a tan rocker or pacing the room with my tiny, restless baby. Holding her and pushing around a monster of a machine that followed us every couple of feet was a feat.

The second night of our 5 day stay I asked Dave to bring the laptop. I made a playlist, which is still in existence, called "Olivia Hospital" Each night I would push play on that playlist and sing to my Daughter as she looked up at me with her huge. blue eyes. The first song on there, and her favorite, was "Baby Mine." It was usually put on repeat a few times each night (and into the early morning) While the other Ped's patients and Parents were getting some shut-eye I was singing to my Olivia amidst beeps and darkness. And wondering what in the world we were doing there.

But we were there. And, for some strange reason, I hold those days and memories very close to my heart. I think because it taught me so much. And it gave me an insight on my Children that I don't think I could have ever otherwise had. But mostly I think its because I have never felt so close to my Heavenly Father and his love for his Children.

Yes, I love the way that memories flood back each time I hear a familiar song. And especially this song. I could listen to it all day long.



(this is not a video...just a song disguised as a video)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Luke's post, typed by Mom


These are the things that are on Luke's mind right now. I didn't prompt him at all. That would have ruined the fun. Did I mention how in love I am with this sweet boy? O' and I love that he said he wish'd he'd get to go to the Gym... Its been a little while:)






"Hi this is Luke. I am 5 years old. And I just want to have my Dog feel better. And I just love my Mom very much. And she's my girlfriend. And I really want to marry her.

Today Im sick. I hope I will feel better. And I like Mama's big blue eyes. And I wish I could go to the gym someday. And I really want to go snowboarding.

My Sister's are so pretty. And I really like Mom's big red lips. And I really want to eat some snow in Winter.

I really like Charlie, he's my friend.

And I really like Dad's green eyes, just like me. He reads me Harry Potter. Every night. And thats awesome.

And I really like Mom's brown, brown hair.

When I grow up I want to be a Doctor. A person Doctor to help kids get better. I want to be a Doctor because Im smart enough. And I like to help people. And I like the color White the best.

The End.

November 18, 2009"

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

My big girl

I am loving our new morning routine. It goes as follows...

About 6am, or there about, one of the kids creep into our room and let us know that they are awake. I tell them to go potty and to play in their room for a while. For some reason kid #2 hears kid #1 awake, no matter how soundless kid #1 is. Kid #2 wakes up and joins #1 in playing. After about 20 minutes the party moves downstairs. Dave and I are still warm in our beds. Olivia will be toes up for another couple of hours.

We usually end up downstairs when a fight or argument transpires. The first one or 2 goes on without much movement from either Parent. But after about #3 it gets louder and its clear that its time to start Parenting. We take turns each day dragging our tired selves out of bed to resolve the issue. Sometimes we turn on a show and stumble back into bed, others its clear that we won't be able to ignore them any longer, show or no show.

Today was my turn as I heard Ella yelling. Ella is usually the culprit. I pushed the heavy down comforter off of my warm body and walked, sleepily, down the stairs. I expected a scene. With the noise and angry pouts I expected to be met with each Child yelling their side of the story. Who did what, who touched who... the usual. But there Luke was, on the other side of the room. And Ella... playing her Leapster and yelling!

I asked what was going on, to which she replied that the game was hard and she felt frustrated.

"I can't do it , Mommy. I am not good at writing my ABC's!" She yelled.

I tried to console her, asked if I could help. And then, in an instant she screamed, turned the power button off and threw her Leapster across the room. As she did this she yelled, "I hate this game. Im not good. Im just a baby. Im a teeny, tiny little girl who can't do anything big." And she ran into the other room. Im not kidding. And it was all said so dramatically that as she stomped out of the room I couldn't help but crack a little smile, unknowing to her. Okay, it was a big smile.

I went to her. I hugged her and told her that writing the alphabet was hard and would take a lot of practice. I gave her a kiss and asked her if she wanted me to help her.

We picked up the, thankfully, heavy duty game. And I helped her write the letter's K, L, O and E. She did great. She proceeded to do a few on her own while beaming with pride.

And then I told her that she was a very smart and very big girl. And that if she ever threw her Leapster again it would be in time out for a week.

That fuse of her's will be extra fun in about 10 years, no?

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Aspergers video

I have liked this video for sometime, he does a great job explaining Aspergers Syndrome. Not all of this apply's to Luke, as every case can vary so much, but overall I enjoy his insight.
Warning- this is 8 minutes long but watch if you'd like.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Our feminine athlete

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Ella was a great Soccer player. She has been excited for weeks to be a part of this little team and it did not disappoint. She loved her shin guards and her new pink soccer shorts. She loved having a shirt with her name and number on it. She loved her Coach. She loved that she was the tallest on her team. She was a little bit annoyed that her shirt wasn't pink, until she put it together that it was the exact same blue shirts as Luke's team was last season.

She scored 2 goals, though she was kind of a cheat. Okay, she was totally a cheat. She picked up the ball as she got close to the goal and made it so that it aligned perfectly with the center of the net. Luke had a good talking to her about following the rules. Most of the other kids, girls especially, didnt even attempt to dribble the ball and I was glad that she was at least attempting. Hands and all.

We cant wait till next Saturday!

Thursday, November 5, 2009

I should have known....


That this day was going to do me in. At about 1pm, half way through the day folks, I noticed this....




Thats right, 2 different shoes. I had been to Luke's School, taken the Dog to the groomers, stopped at the Camera Store to admire the D700, and even taken Olivia to the Doctors!!!!

This is a bad sign people. A very bad sign.

As I lay with Luke to tuck him into bed I confided in him that I was grumpy.

He gave a sympathetic smile and said, "I know Mom. Its all right."

When I asked him how he knew that I was grumpy he simply stated, "I heard you."

I guess even the tome in my voice gave away the fact that, for no real reason in particular, this was a long and hard day.

Clearly.

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Maybe my best find yet



Upon asking what Luke wanted for Christmas I discovered I needed to look into finding an air hockey table? Yes, he asked for an air hockey table. 1 big problem... the nice ones, that are slick and fast and can quietly blow a good amount of air? Well they're run around $1,000. So I tried to find other things to get him excited about. And he would have been just fine. But I found something pretty cool.



I found this. An Artic Wind Air Hockey table. On Craigslist. Within minutes of it being posted. And it was under $100. And its almost brand new, retailing at $1400!!! Insane. We picked it up today.

Shhhhh!!! Dont tell Luke. This Christmas is going to be so much fun. I love that we decided to just do 1 big gift for each kid rather than a few smaller ones. I cant wait for him to play with it all morning long... with me hopefully.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Happy Halloween

from our little Elephant, Harry Potter and the cutest Bee you'll ever see....

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I hope your Halloween was filled with as much candy, spooks and fun as ours!

Baby Olivia

Baby Olivia
bright eyes

My funny Ella

My funny Ella

My handsome Luke

My handsome Luke

O'Paris

O'Paris