Friday Letters

                                                                             Love these people!

Dear Children, you have been so excited to head to Mesa and see your cousins. So excited you have been kind of naughty! Dear Week, you kind of sucked. Yeah I could have skipped the first half of you altogether. Dear Traveling, I don't like all that goes into getting so many kids ready to go out of town and how it makes the house so messy somehow. I like to sleep in my own bed. But It will be nice to see my family and it's for long enough that they will be glad to see us leave ha. Dear Kade, you've been having a rough time lately. That means that my heart is too. We'll make it through. Dear Avary, you did a bridge kick over! You have been practicing ALL the time so you can move up a class. And you didn't even kick anyone in the face while doing it. Good job! Dear Hazel, you are so stinkin cute. But I am wondering when you are going to grow out of your cranky pants. Dear Hailey, you have been saving your babysitting money cause you think I'm going to let you buy an iPod touch. Hahaha I said I will think about it. I'm not a fan of kids having free internet access. I don't care if you are 13! Dear Seat belts, Avary found out the hard way why we Always wear our seat belt when I had to hit the breaks. That girl. You are breakable! I am pro safety. Dear People, No. One. is invited over when the house is a mess. Dear Turkey Trot, you kind of made me wake up very irritated. Not being able to sleep until 3:30am and at 6:30 having a DJ outside my window blaring music and being way too cheerful in the mic. I couldn't take it, got up grumpy for awhile and had to take a nap. But I woke up to Will arriving just in time to eat so I guess I might forgive you. Dear Thanksgiving, you were nice. Good food, good company and a nap. Dear Ranell, you are a bad example to my children. You got them all to eat sardines! Dear Will, I love you. Just in case you forgot. It was nice going to a late movie together. It was kinda like..a date. Dear Self, I am glad to be reminded of how important it is to surround yourself with people who treat you with love and kindness. It really is so important to be in a healthy environment.

I'm Thankful

This week has been bad for me.

I don't feel good. I feel sick. I feel grumpy.

I have no patience for bad behavior, back talk, or just plain not being nice!

I'm not happy when I leave for 15 minutes and come home to a police man and an ambulance!

I hate it when the house is a huge mess. It makes me grumpy.

I don't like it when I can't keep up.

Some days are just too long and the next day some how comes too quickly.

It has just been rottenness I tell you!

But when I get a quiet moment I AM thankful. In my prayers I AM thankful.

I'm thankful for my children, I remember the days when I longed for each one of them and had to be patient and accepting of the Lords will. They are so forgiving and just want to be loved so they can love you back. They are each so different from each other and have so many good qualities that were built in already.

I'm thankful for my husband and this life and home that he provides for us. I wouldn't want to live without him. Ever. I love him.so.much. Even when he's weird.smile.

I'm thankful for my step children (I don't like that term very much lets call them bonus kids.) They already have a really great Mom and I'm grateful they get to be a part of my life and I get to love them and watch them grow. They are pretty great.

 I'm thankful for this body God has given me. However imperfect, it is a precious gift. 

I am thankful that I am able to stay home and be with my kids, they need me and I want to be here for them always.

I am thankful for Hope.Never give up Hope. 

I am thankful for so many wonderful true friends. I am so blessed to know they are always there.

I am thankful for this little Valley I live in. There are so many good people here. Just the kind of place I want to raise my kids.

I am thankful I live half a block from the schools and 5 minutes from the Temple.

I am thankful for a good family and the fun and laughter we always share.

I am thankful for a small house and a big backyard. Yep, you heard me right. In this little house there are kids in every room, smiles and laughter, memories and messes. We can't get away from each other, there is nowhere to go. I know that there will be fond memories of this little house.

I am thankful that the Lord sent me here. For blessing me with all of the things in this life that matter, family, love, home. So many blessings it brings tears to my eyes, so many they overflow just as He promised they would.

So I've had some bad days. 

Some days I just want to go to bed and cry.

But it's true. 

Being Thankful can overshadow the trials in this life. Not make them disappear, but definitely overshadows them and somehow makes things seem better and temporary. 

There is Always Always something to be grateful for.

And there are Always blessing waiting. They will overflow.   

Gratitude

turns

what we have

into

enough

Friday Letters

                                                                                13

Dear Children, we made it through another week. I am so looking forward to the weekend. Dear Hailey, you are 13! I can't believe I have a teenager. You had a great Birthday and get your family party tonight! I Love You Hailey Lou! Dear Dr Bills, you just keep on coming! Good and not good when you hit a really high deductible. Not the best feeling when things start racking up at the end of the year. Oh well, better fit everything in we can then. Dear Norwex, I was heard squealing when I found you on my door step. Let the cleaning begin! Dear Kaden, we got to take a quick unexpected 7 hr car ride to visit your Dr. It was nice getting to spend time with you. Dear Knees, I finally got to have my knees shot up with cortisone again. It helps so much. I am looking forward to being able to walk without pain. Dear Zeke, Happy Birthday! I hope you have a great day. Dear Becca & Emi, I enjoyed your piano recital this week. You are both so talented. Dear House, I actually put frames on the wall. Put curtains up, moved some furniture. What is going on around here?! Dear Will, you took the kids on a drive off roading. I usually expect for you to get stuck, because you usually do. I think we should make sure your Dad is in town next time. I admit I am shocked that you got yourself out of that one. I think it was the angels that follow my kids around. Dear Self, I wish I had a nice bathtub to take a long hot bath in. I need some energy. Where do you get that?

Friday Letters

Dear Children, I was so glad to not have school on Monday so I didn't have to get anyone ready. Dear Sleep, I need you. I don't seem to ever get good sleep. I am so tired of being so tired all of the time. Dear Example, of being tired. I left the groceries that were non perishable in the car...I am that. tired. Dear Hailey, you will officially be a teenager next week. I'm not too worried because you have had the sass of one for awhile now. You are turning out to be a pretty good girl. I love you Hailey Lou! Dear Week, you are all a blur pretty much. I think I have allergies to thank for that. Dear Will, I am really glad that you and I are able to communicate so well, even if we do stay up until 2:00 in the morning chatting away. The result of that is me asking you the same question 3 times and not remembering that I already had. Our conversations are funny sometimes when we get tired. Dear Birthday, Thank You to everyone who remembered me on my Birthday. I'm just little old 34 now. According to Hazel I'm just 54. The good= Will having the day off. The bad= the kids were big stinkers all day! Dear Self, this year I'm not quiet all that I wish to be, but I have all that my heart could desire of what matters most in this life.

Friday Letters

                                                      This is how Hazel has good dreams.
                         She opens her pillow book to a happy page puts it on her pillow and sleeps on it.

Dear Children, you finally made up all the work you missed while we were in Mesa. Yay. Dear Neck, have you ever strained a muscle in your neck? It hurts!!! This is the second time. Like I don't already have enough issues with my neck. It is so inconvenient because I can't do anything. I'm just stuck. And sleeping? Yeah right. Ice, heat, ice, heat. I'm sure it annoys everyone in the house, not just me. Dear YW in Excellence, I enjoyed hearing the testimonies of our young women. And Hailey did so great playing her violin. She is learning so quickly. Dear House, you look the same. How?! I just want to throw everything away! Dear Hailey, you just said to me "and then I have to hit myself in the head and that's going to be really hard to do because I have a zit on my forehead".... Dear Patience, I seem to be running short of you. Dear Foot Ball, you are officially over. Kade missed the last 3 weeks because of his knee. There's always next year. Maybe. Dear Friday, the kids get out early and it's the beginning of a long weekend. Let's hope it goes well. Dear Will, I love that you do the dishes and that you stay up helping Hailey with her math. Because I don't love math. Dear Self, I need my body to work how I want it to. I can't keep up with everything and it is so frustrating. I still have a hard time being patient with myself.

My Entertainment

 I usually get a little grumpy on Sundays. But someone else decided that they were going to be grumpy first.

I found my entertainment in the kids.

They really are so stinkin funny.

This is how it starts

They are trying so hard

But this is how it ended every time.

Hahaha

We are so lucky that the kids love each other.

I swear these kids sing more than normal kids. At lunch they were all in the kitchen singing "what does the fox say" I have never heard it except from them. I'm amazed/disturbed at how all of them have the words/weird sounds memorized. Someone is always singing around here, whether you like it or not.

We all sat down and cut things out to make a collage of a tree, except they cut too much out, so I don't know what it is now. They were all sitting there singing primary songs together. I never have to prompt them, one starts singing and the rest just join in every time. 

I thought my heart was going to burst, I love them all so much!

They are naughty sometimes and so messy. But they are also such good kids.

Blessed doesn't even describe it. 

Halloween 2013

Hailey was a cat.

She was pretty excited to attend her first school Halloween dance.

This has to be the best photo bomb EVER!

Hazel sneaking her face in there. I laughed so hard when I saw this.

                                                            Will and I were robbers.
                                            He had to have some...encouraging...to dress up.

But I bet you he'd say it was fun.

Loved riding on the train.

 I caught the guy who stole my heart.

See. He had fun!

I look in the back seat on the way home and see my little fairy looking like this!

Can we say candy makes...someone...go wacko?

Oh my goodness.

Hazel's face makes me laugh so hard. What kind of fairy is she?

Kade ditched his costume before we were even out of the car, he was an army guy with a helmet and stuff. He came home with Vampire teeth instead.

Avary was a witch, she too ditched the hat and broom.

And of course Hailey the cat.

 

Becca- renaissance princess, Emi- tiger, Liam- Knight.

The best trunk or treat game.

Angry Birds.

Everyone else was gone and they so nicely stayed after to let the kids get their fill of life size angry birds. 

Really, we were the only ones in the parking lot. 

But I'd say the game gets a thumbs up.

Normally I love Halloween.

But this year I am just glad it's over.

Now on to the next Holiday.

I'll try not to be a grinch.

Avary turns 8

My Avary turned 8!

She had a very happy Birthday.

And made out like a bandit with $.

My sweet girl.

Her Baptism went so great. The spirit was so strong I'm sure everyone felt it.

Just family.

Avary I hope you know how loved you are.

Lucky girl.

Friday Letters

Dear Children, this week flew by! You had fun with your Dad and his family. I am so glad. You only had one night of the most heartbreaking tears. You are stronger than you realize. Dear Avary, you are 8. You are baptized! You are such a sweet girl. Your baptism went so well and I felt the spirit so strongly. I know you are such a special girl with an important mission here on this earth. Dear Dentist, we gave Avary some meds, let us snuggle in a chair until we both fell asleep. It wasn't nearly long enough to count as a nap I'm sure. You finished her work and waited for her to come around. Well it Knocked her OUT! She finally opened her eyes after she had been tucked in bed awhile at Grandmas and had no idea how she got there. I think we may have a "lightweight" on our hands. Medicine does not affect me that way, I guess that makes me a heavyweight? Dear Hailey, your orchestra concert was great, you are doing so well. Dear Kade, your tummy was hurting. You told me "I think I'm going to varmint". You are so funny. Dear D +L, I enjoyed spending the evening with you getting to know you better. We will have to do it again. Jammies on Thanksgiving I think. Ha! Dear Family, it was so great to get to be with you. The only problem is that the time went by way too fast. I love and miss you. Dear E, I really loved watching you play in your game. You are amazingly talented! Seeing you get hurt made my Auntie heart hurt. I can't imagine how your Mom must have felt. You are in my prayers. Dear Awkward, or funny. We passed a skunk in the car and there where some "ewws" Kade says "I smell something good..is that thritos (fritos)" We laugh. "What?" the girls say it was a skunk. Kade "oh now I smell it...wait was Will the skunk...did he...?" Laughing, Will gets blamed for the skunk smell. Kade "wait..I'm sure I smell thritos". Hahaha there was an open bag of Fritos, but how do you smell that over skunk? Dear Halloween, we survived. I even got Will to dress up. It was really cold and my head hurt, but it was still fun. Now to deal with candy crazed children. Dear Big Brother, Happy Birthday tomorrow. Are you really turning 45?! OOOLLLDDD Man. Dear Will, you know, it seems like every day there is at least one moment when I am overcome with such gratitude that the Lord sent you to me. When we were reading "Watch and Learn" and knowing that we have the same goals, the same desires, the same amount of love and respect for each other, and the same willingness to put in the effort required to have a happy successful family I felt like the luckiest person in the world. You serve and sacrifice in our home, you held my babies while they cried themselves to sleep and then reassured me that it would all be ok. You make me happy when life sucks and I am sad, how does that work? I love you so much more than you could ever know. Dear Self, I'm grateful. Even though I have wanted to cry almost every day this week I have also been so grateful. I will remember that moment in the temple this week when I felt so deeply what a privilege it is to have a body and our responsibility to use it for good. Even when it doesn't work the best or causes so much physical pain. I can do things in this life that so many have been waiting, it seems like forever, to receive on the other side. How unbelievably blessed we are.