Birthday Fun

I recall one birthday, I think it was my 17th, that I came running up the stairs and ran smack into "the man of my 17 year old dreams". My mom had invited him over to join the family for my birthday dinner celebration. She knew of all the people I would want to be at my party, it would be him. It was a perfect birthday, just being with my family and my best friend in the whole world.

Well, yesterday, March 30th, was my 28th birthday. As anyone over the age of 21 can attest to, birthdays somehow loose the anticipation they carried with them as a child and even a teenager. However, one thing they haven't lost, and in fact far surpass my previous birthdays in is my party guests.

As I enjoyed an evening with my handsome husband, (the man of my 17 year old dreams) and our three beautiful, funny and down right adorable kids, I thought to myself, "Boy! I'm lucky!" There is nothing I would have rather been doing for my birthday than just be with them. We spent the evening swimming in a hotel pool, (provided by my visiting aunt and cousin...THANKS!!!) and eating pizza. There was laughing and talking. Splashing and dunking. And just good ol' fun. I was so content to just be with the people I love the most in the whole world. What a perfect birthday party!

I also was amazed last night as I looked at my kids, thinking how big they are getting. Both my son and daughter were swimming by themselves, and my baby was fearless and wanted to keep right up with the older two. Not only that, we carried on enjoyable conversations, and I was even surprised at the topics of discussion brought up by my son. Again, I thought, "When did he grow up, and when did I have three children!?" It's so fun to have a family. They are my best accomplishment ever.

Is Mom Smarter than Her Kindergartner?

So...first off, if you are a frequent visitor to my blog, you may have noticed the new button on the side of my posts. YES! We are expecting #4 and so excited! I think that each baby gets more and more exciting because the kids are old enough to understand. We are due on August 15th. I just had a doctor's appointment Monday and everything looks great! We are so excited.

Today, my son woke up with a cough and a stuffy nose. He informed me he couldn't go to school. Like any good mom, I took his temperature, which he had no fever, and assured him I felt it was just a cold. I told him I'd pack his backpack with Kleenex and a water bottle and he'd be just fine. He continued to say he was sure he couldn't go to school. What if this happened? Or what if that happened? I finally told him, "Bud, if you DO get sick, there's a school nurse. You can go to the nurse and she'll call me and you will just come home." Yah! Wrong thing to say.

Sure enough, an hour and a half after school had begun, I received a phone call from his school saying, "Your son is complaining of not feeling well. We took his temperature, and he doesn't have a fever. Should we send him home?" I had to chuckle. Only my son. Only my son. I told the school I'd come pick him up. As luck would have it, (if you call it luck) I was actually on my way to the doctor with my little one, so I thought I could take him to the doctor too, and prove that he wasn't sick. Hopefully we wouldn't have this "problem" again.

So, you may ask, why did I even pick him up? Well, it all began along time ago when I was a kindergartner. (Mom, I love you.) I remember telling my mother I didn't feel well one morning. She assured me I could go to school. Well, as you might have guessed, I threw up right during the Pledge of Allegiance. Now, throwing up in front of your peers, who happen to be 5 years old, is quite traumatic. Everyone runs as far away from you as possible, points at you and says, "EWWWWW!!! She THREW UP!!! GROSS!!!" It really helps build a kindergartners self esteem. It didn't help either that my teacher promptly herded the class together and took them to the library, leaving me alone standing over my...breakfast. I thought I had been voted off the island so to speak. Can you see why I felt maybe I really should pick up my son?

Anyway, I laughed that my son was smart enough to "work the system" and I also laughed reminiscing about my not so happy encounter with my school nurse. The difference between girls and boys, I guess. Which, speaking of that....have you ever noticed girls toys always need dressed!!! What is up with that! Can't we have a toy, like a boy's, that doesn't need accessorising? Just saying....

It's Her Birthday!!

My little baby is turning 2 today! Where does time go?! What a pure joy she is in our family. We are so glad we have little Katie in our home. As I was rocking her last night, I couldn't help but think of her as a tiny little newborn placed in my arms at the hospital...and now she's turning 2. Crazy! Here's a cute video of the family singing happy birthday to her as she waits anxiously to blow out her candles. There's not many things cuter, (or louder) than kids singing happy birthday. For her birthday, she got new shoes, and a dora balloon. What else could a kid want? (We are getting smarter as parents!) She LOVES her balloon, and already is talking about how sad it will be when it pops. Hmmmm...hope we didn't start a bad thing.

One year older and still looking fine!

Well, it's my husband's birthday today, and I just wanted to post a little post about him and how great he is and how I am the luckiest girl in the world to have him as "my man". I think I've done this before on my blog, but I'm sure it won't be the same list, so....here it is. The TOP 10 REASONS I LOVE MY HUSBAND...(or at least ten of the reasons, because it's really hard to put them in order. ha ha)

10. He thinks it's disgusting to leave the toilet lid OPEN, let alone up.
9. He can watch football while massaging my feet.
8. He is SO good at loading my dishwasher that he complains about how I "don't know how to do it."
7. He never misses a goodbye kiss or a hello kiss.
6. He never allows the children to talk back to me.
5. He loves a good midnight snack just as much as me.
4. He really is "ruggedly handsome" *wink*
3. He is a heck of a good business man, is money smart and provides so well for our family.
2. He makes everything a "Win-win".
1. He really does have the biggest biceps in the world.

I LOVE YOU BABY!!! Happy Birthday! Thanks for all the years of love and fun.

An Angel touched our Family

On Christmas eve, my son's "best girl friend" (as he calls her) passed away. She was skiing with her mother and they were both hit by a snowboarder. It killed her instantly. The snowboarder died as well. The mother is still in the ICU and no one is sure as to the extent of her injuries. There are more details, but I feel it's not my place to post them on my blog. The story has been on national news, and I'm sure it's been hard on both families.

The little girl was, like I mentioned previously, our son's dearest friend in kindergarten. They are in the same class and are both half day kindergartners together. She came over to our house at least once a week, if not twice. The picture posted above is of my son and Elise making Christmas cookies, just about three weeks before she passed away.

Our son, and our entire family have been so sad from this accident and for the family. She was such a sweet, beautiful girl, and she will be missed greatly.

Even in the middle of such a sad tragedy, I am amazed at the miracles that Heavenly Father puts in our lives. My husband was the one who received the call about the accident. When he told me, we just cried together. After awhile, I remembered that the day before Christmas vacation (three days before she passed away) Elise had given my son a picture that she had drawn and signed her name to. I told my husband, "I have to find that picture." I knew I had thrown it away, and was afraid I wouldn't be able to find it, or that it would be ruined from food stains.

I went out to our garbage and after digging through four sacks finally found the picture. Tears filled my eyes as I looked at the picture. There was not one wrinkle, and not one stain from being in the garbage for three days. More touching than that was that it was a picture of an angel. Elise had colored so beautifully a picture of an angel for my son.

That picture hangs above my son's bed. It's a reminder to all of us that miracles do happen and that there are angels all around us.

Elise, we love you and will miss you more than you will ever know. Thank you for sending us a note from heaven and for being our angel.

Praise to the Man

On this, Joseph Smith's birthday, I feel it's only appropriate to express appreciation for this great man, his faith, his family and all he stood for. How grateful I am for the modern day prophet Joseph Smith. I know that he truly saw God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and he indeed did restore their church to the earth. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is still here today and it's penetrating every climb. How grateful I am to be a member of Christ's church. I will be eternally grateful for the prophet, Brother Joseph and all he did to help the work of the Lord go forth. May his name be praised forever! How wonderful the day when "millions shall know Brother Joseph again."

Caroling Fun