I feel the love!

Thanks everybody for your sweet thoughts and wishes... I should post more often like that. It's great to hear how you all are thinking of us!

I'm feeling much better (today, at least).

I have started to think about all the blessings I've been given. Seriously, ME. Of all the good people in the world, I get MY kids. Yeah they are work, and they outnumber me, and half of them, I'm required to change regularly, and they dirty clothes a lot. BUT, they love me. They think I'm the best cook in the world. They think I'm the greatest mom because I let them get their art stuff out. If only I could love others so easily.

My newest goal for the month is to see others as my kids would see them. Excited for their small successes (i.e. mini meatloaves) and cheer for them in a small way.

Why not? It's a great season to love.

S.O.S.

All I want for Christmas is a Full-Time Nanny!!

Never has a deployment been so difficult. I'm not sure why. I've tried to think about it, I mean I've added another kid this time around. But surely, that's not it. After all, what's one more?!?

Things that don't get done when your husband is gone:

Laundry
Groceries - you should see what kind of concoctions I come up with!
Automobile Repairs - I'm due for an oil change, and I have a broken door, how am I supposed to be without a van for 2 days, with 4 kids????
Lawn care - I mow when I can, but I can NOT start the stupid weed wacker/trimmer thing! There are some places with some seriously long grass. Pine Needles EVERYWHERE: I can't start the blower either.

But generally, stuff gets done it just takes me ten times as long, so I've created a black hole of housework that I will never climb out of.

Finally, taking care of kids. Each one is demanding attention, that I just don't have. It feels like I'm consistently letting down someone.

Anyway, I need to get going, I have to shop for the kids online, and I may just spend the extra to have the gifts come wrapped!!

Hope you're enjoying the Holiday Season as much as I.

Happy Thanksgiving (a little early I know)

Tomorrow will be busy as I'm cooking, and taking care of the kiddos. I really want to just enjoy the day with them. I'm plotting a little football in the backyard. When you have as many kids as I do, it's really not that hard! :)

Anyway, what's Thanksgiving without a little gratitude?

I'm grateful for these unexpected little things: Automatic Garage Door, New Towels, Pomegranites, Brown Eyes (Hallie can be so ornery, but I love looking at her deep brown eyes), Sign Language, Murphy's oil soap, the Ensign, Fresh Flowers, Filtered fridge water, Josh's Clothes (it's how I've kept him close), Kaboom Toilet Bowl Cleaner, Christmas CD's, online Christmas Shopping, slick writer pens, fresh clean sheets, shop vac, old friend phone calls, garden pruners, tissues, and The Colts, to name a few.

I'm also most grateful for my testimony and my family. Both of which make this challenging time seem not so challenging.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving

Updated Link

Here's the link for the toys, I mentioned in the previous post!


It was a TODAY special Value - and they ended at midnight - which is why some of you landed on some cashmere sweater!

Still worth the cost! We're talking hours of enjoyment, HOURS!

Remember my recent Christmas Post?

Well, last year my in laws got the perfect toy for Christmas - literally every age has a blast with them - and I just noticed - QVC is offering them as the Today Special Value.

I'm a QVC junkie I admit it. BUT - if you're looking for the unexpected PERFECT gift - these toys are it! My kids (boy and girl, 3 different ages) and their friends of ALL ages have LOVED these!

Plus you can chalk it up as a learning toy!!

HAVE FUN!

Again I attempted the impossible.

The Seasonal Christmas Card Photo.

Why? Do you really want to see my children this time of year? Who do I do this for? Is it for me? For three of the past Christmas' I leave me out because Josh is out, so it would be weird to have just me and the kids. Last year I paid. An arm AND a leg, AND another arm and leg, to get semi-decent pictures. Still, why?

Now I've created this unfortunate tradition for me. I dressed up the kids in their SO CUTE matching outfits, got creative again and drove the tractor with the trailer out to the front yard. Set up my pose - Colson driving the three girls. I took at least 100 photographs. Seriously. Do you think I would get ONE amazing shot? Nope. So after all the work of getting them in their outfits, I have one final hope for my picture.

Becca, My Sister, A graphic designer, PLEASE HELP ME. I made her promise that since it was MY IDEA for her to go back to school I can get her assistance for free. But if YOU want some help editing your family's Christmas Portrait (I'm assuming I'm not the only one with unfortunate luck) I bet she could help you, too. (for a fair fee) I'm thinking she could photoshop my kids faces on some other fabulously taken photograph???

Laila has gotten into the Chocolate Chips and the Ginger snaps for breakfast, my house is a mess, and I'm blogging. Where are my priorities? I better get going she's signing for water. Wishing you and yours a blissful holiday season.

Please Remember the Veterans TODAY and ALWAYS. So many soldiers are alone for the holidays, what can you do? You can DONATE a "care package" here.

Trouble with a capital L.

My sweet innocent little Laila, has turned on me.

Today after nap she got up and instead of coming to see me with her thumb in her mouth, I could hear the pitter patter of her feet, and the dragging of a chair being scooted across the kitchen floor.

I quietly snuck up the stairs, because I LOVE to see mischief from the sidelines. (just not the aftermath)And from the corner of the kitchen I watched as she climbed up onto the counter, and then up to her feet, as she was sneaking gum. GUM - Her newest sign - THANK YOU NANNY JESS. I got her down and let her enjoy her piece of gum.

Fast Forward hours later, NOT paying attention. I find her back on the counter only this time, with 9 pieces of gum unwrapped, chewed, spit out, and a wad in her mouth.

What a girl.

Why MORE LAWS don't solve the problems of the world.

I've begun hearing about all the things that "could have, should have" been done to prevent the tragedy at Fort Hood. I can hear the people against carrying firearms now... if only we didn't have guns... More laws are not going to solve the problems, or even prevent the problems.

There's this thing called agency. People are free to choose good or evil. People can and will make poor decisions, and people can and will make good ones. It's called choice. But remember the shoe bomber??? And now everyone has to take off their shoes to fly?? We can't keep making laws and rules for these things. It would be impossible to prevent all tragedy. It just can't happen. Let's focus on what we can change, and that is our Moral Discipline. Choosing right, every time.

It's Moral Discipline and you can READ ALL ABOUT IT here.

Working out (and hard), Feeling Good

With all that has been going on here - total craziness - with four kids - I'm actually feeling good.

It's been almost 30 days of regular exercise - ok so maybe closer to 3 weeks, but I already feel a ton better, AND stronger. It's almost like my body is remembering the good ol' days before kids!

I started thinking about my Holiday Game Plan - (my eating game plan)- and thought that is just it! Have a plan! The treats that enter my door - half immediately to the trash. The other half we enjoy. The treats I make - 3/4 out the door! And finally plan some good choices and snacks to eat, so that there are healthy options for me to choose.

It's so much harder to lose than to gain - and this holiday season - I want to give a gift to me - and that's good health!

Any other thoughts on Christmas Giving?

I've received word, I'm no longer on someone's Christmas list. A tough financial year is the reason, and children and adults that are childless, remain on the list.

Recently, I've also had conversations where parents have tried really hard to keep the financial gift to be EXACTLY the same for each child. Josh and I had started this, and then I realized Fifty bucks bought a lot more for Laila, than for Colson, so that didn't work well either.

For a few years I've had this Christmas Plan for my kids: One Learning Toy, One Fun Toy, and One book. That's it. That's been my kids' Christmas. It's never big, if they get more than that it comes from elsewhere. I never wanted them to expect a massive Christmas, nor have I tried to spend the same amount. I wanted it small and meaningful.

We also haven't done a lot for extended family, we would sometimes do a Christmas CD, or Movie, or scrapbook, or nothing, Depended on the year. We always do a secret something for someone else. This is usually a generous gift to some unknowing person, (generous in the past hasn't been much, because we didn't have much). We've bought an extra toy and left it, a gift card, a box of food, or whatever.

I feel Christmas, is the time for giving. Especially Selfless giving. Where you think of those you love, and those in need, and you give them whatever you want to give however big or small. Or maybe even your time, if that's all you've got. I don't feel like you should have to give excuses or explanations, whether true or not, for your giving.

Just Give or Don't. That's my Christmas Theory.

I love these thoughts on Christmas.

Anyway, wishing you and yours a Merry Holiday Season.

The Perfect Job.

3.5 years, 40,000 bucks, blood, sweat, tears, and snotty little kids, and I am the proud owner of a diploma. A B.S. (quite literally) in education. This December marks 10 years since I accomplished the task. (one week before I got hitched, love you, JOsh, BTW, remember I want the ring on the cruise)

I've never actually had my own classroom. I knew I was going to be a teacher. No doubt. But I have so little desire to deal with the bureaucracy of the government controlled classroom, that, I've wondered, what else would I L.O.V.E. to do?

Anyone else with a dilemma like this? I don't regret my education, I enjoyed learning, and if I could get in a classroom, and teach my way, I think I would like it. But seriously, NO CLUE, I guess I don't have to worry about it right now, I just feel a little lost...

So in the meantime? I've picked up a sledge hammer at the Lowe's and have begun the demo on my master bath. I have NO CLUE what I'm doing. But I'm free labor, and seriously you can learn anything on You Tube (including how to be a teacher).

Dumb Computer.

My computer isn't working, it's irritating.

I'm totally blogging from the gym.

I burned 400 calories, and that should cover the 1/2 cup of chocolate peanuts I ate last night. So wierd, I'm not losing weight...

Anyway, Hope all of you are doing great, and enjoying life.

Life is so worth enjoying.

Save the Girls.

I couldn't do a lot financially - I did a little - but you can help too.

My friend is OH SO CLOSE to her goal - Please Help!

October is the month.

Save the Girls. You know you want to.

The Link is the Title.

If you drive a white van could you please come to the fitting room?

This was the page I was hearing over and over at Target this morning. YES. I drive a white mini van, no, I don't have a clue what my license plate is. I guess after the 2nd or 3rd time I thought I would check it out.

Well, ma'am, did you park over there? (pointing).

Yes.

Someone hit your car and drove off. We didn't get a tag number.

How bad is it?

Come with me.

I get out my phone and call police, as my heart is racing, I can NOT believe this is happening. (Did I mention that Josh's car was hit a couple of weeks ago in the parking lot)

I'm talking to the operator, when I walk up to my car, and look all around it, "I don't think it was me, I don't see it."

Here comes the Target employee, and she said No, it's over here, we go look at the back end of this van. It has a smashed in back door - a LOT of damage.

I was way too thankful that it wasn't me. Is that bad?? I'm so sorry to the owner of the Chrysler Town and Country white van, It stinks. I know how you feel (Josh's car).

And to you BIG LOSERS out there who hit cars and then take off. Comeuppance is my favorite word. Just for you.

Obama vs. Fox News

Obama's decision making skills are worse than I thought. Alienating an entire news network and their viewers is a BIG mistake. Just because there are millions of Americans that don't agree with his health care plan, nor his spending, (or a host of issues)`doesn't make the opposite view irrelevant. He has ALL other news organizations in his pocket, he's a big baby, tattling on Fox News, because they're talking about both sides of the issues. He should be entirely embarrassed; grow a pair, and if you're right, then why are you so worried about what they say? Perhaps you could even answer the tough questions, that many Americans are asking, like where's the money coming from? If you believe in what you're doing, than you should stick it to em.

Perhaps he could take a lesson from Bush. He never shut down the critics voices, he believed in what he was doing, whether you agreed with him or not, he had conviction.

There are those that would believe that no matter what He did, he would be screwing it up. (Hannity, Beck) But most Americans want to give him a fair shot. B.O. is continuously making foolish unpresidential decisions. Which, will cost him a second term.

Hallie's Trip to the Library

This is what she came home with. I mean what do I say to that?

Wish me Happy Reading!

Things you never thought you'd hear your husband say.

"Have you seen my gas mask inserts?"

Anyone else?

SOLD.

We just took Josh's car to Carmax, and we sold it. So dang simple. I just know we could have squeezed a couple hundred out of some other person - but totally NOT worth the hassle.

It's getting pretty serious over here. How am I going to do this all over again?

Tidbits.

Laila's Neurology appt. went great. Low muscle town in the upper part of the body (including mouth) making it physically difficult to speak. But nothing else really. He doesn't know if or when she'll talk. So brush up on your signs, it will become Laila's first language! :)



Colson and Hallie - coming off the bus on the first day of school. They're so cute running to see me.






One of the things I'll miss while Josh is gone for six months.





The Brick Oven in my Kitchen - Any Ideas?

October is here, and my Colts are Rocking.

Enjoying the Fall Season.

We start with General Conference.

I hosted a fun Fall get together that included bobbing for apples, hayride, bonfire, and great friends.

I've also purchased the items and ingredients necessary to make apple butter, and apple sauce, to CAN for the very first time!!

The weather is great, and life is good.

Wishing you a happy fall.

Did I mention the colts are doing awesome?