Christmas 2012
   Today is the day after Christmas.  We had a great Christmas, as always we are blessed.  Scott was able to have Christmas Eve day and Christmas day off, he usually does and I just wanted to take a minute to recognize that we are blessed in that area.  I know so many families have to sacrifice time with their loved ones for their jobs.  I am very greatful that we have always had him home with us on Christmas.  Scott's parents got to go to Oregon this year so we stayed at my moms all day.  She was probably tired of us by the time the day was over.  Christmas Eve it is our tradition to go with my mom and dad to the graves.  We visit Amy's and both sets of my grandparents, one in Ogden and one in Layton.  This year it was snowing so we decided not to venture out with them (it didn't end up snowing as much as it was going to...so we probably could have gone.)  We did meet them at Amy's grave and take her a little flower.  I still hate that I have to visit her grave instead of HER.  We then all met at my mom's and had pizza and played games with the kids and Kristin and Jeremy.  My kids were CRAZY with excitement, which is fun but can be draining, I wouldn't want it any other way though.  I am dreading the day when I don't have little excited kids waiting for Santa to come.  Hopefully by that time I will have grandkids???  I am pretty sure that this is the last year that Zack will allow us to continue to believe that he believes in Santa.  I think he has been questioning for some time now, but has not come right out and said it.  It's sad to me how fast he has grown up.  Jacob was not feeling good at my mom's so we came home not super early but earlier then we would have normally.  As soon as we walked in the door, he went upstairs to get his jammies on and was standing at the top of the stairs RIGHT NEXT TO THE BATHROOM and threw up all down the stairs :(  I kept telling him to go in the bathroom (at least then he wouldn't have stunk up the carpet) but he was so freaked out about it that he didn't quite know what to do...None of the kids have thrown up for years we have been very lucky in that sense.  Poor kid was so upset that he was sick on Christmas Eve, but he went to bed and felt much better on Christmas morning.  Scott and I waited for the kids to go to bed....meaning of course that what we really were waiting for was for Zack to go to sleep (which he always seems to have a hard time doing)  In some ways I think our lives on Christmas will be easier when he finally does admit that he no longer believes in Santa just for the simple fact that we can get some sleep!  After he was asleep we called my dad who brought down Emma's kitchen and we pulled the rest of the stuff out.  I just had a hysterectomy and my appendix out two weeks ago so by this time I could hardly lift my legs to walk I was hurting so much.  The kids woke up on Christmas morning and had a great Christmas.  Zack's big gift from Santa was a Nintendo DS 3  and Jacob's was a Nook. They were both really excited about what they got,  Emma was happy with her kitchen and has been "cooking" in it ever since.  Zack now wants to take his D.S. back to get a Nook....so we will see what we can do.  Scott's big gift was a "retro style" ATARI...from the olden days as Zack would say.  My big gift was a sewing machine.  I am sooooooooo excited!

Today Scott and I did something that was very hard.  Along with the rest of the country we sent our kids back to school.  It was hard because of the school shooting that happened in Conneticut on Friday.  So many lives were taken....AT SCHOOL.  School is supposed to be a safe place for them, and I probably sound so naive, but a school shooting at an ELEMENTARY school is something that honestly isn't anything I have worried about until now.  I know there have been other school shootings and each of them are horrible.  Every time there has been one, I have cried and mourned for the lives that were lost.  This time though it was different.  I have BABIES in elementary school.  It hit me hard.  To think that someone could just go in and decide to end so many lives in a split second baffles me.  So yes, today was a hard day for me.  I watched the clock every minute waiting not so paitiently for MY babies to arrive SAFELY home.  I pray to God that they come home safe EVERY DAY.  My heart truly goes out to the families of the victims of Friday's shooting.  Christmas is just around the corner, and my heart breaks to think that they already have presents bought and probably wrapped for kids who will never get to open them.  I don't know how they will go on.  I hope they know that their babies are being protected.  I hope that they know that they WILL see their children again.  I hope that they know that their kids are in the loving arms of our Saviour.  It's not an easy thing to just trust that everything will be ok all of the time.  Stories like this cause more anxiety in me then I ththink even I realize.

It sure doesn't seem possible, but somehow this kid decided to grow up on us!

Zack

I can't believe that he is 10 years old already.  It seems like just yesterday that I was bringing him home from the hospital, then suddenly he turned into this little adult who THIS school year will be attending the maturation videos (with his DAD!)  Zack for the most part is a sweet kid, but does have his moments, and is perfecting the art of sassing his parents, getting annoyed by his sister and driving his brother CrAzY!

     I don't even know if he realizes most of the time how noisy he is...but he has a sound affect for just about EVERYTHING!  He is constantly singing at the dinner table and NEVER seems to stop talking!  There is always a story to be told it seems.  When I asked his scout leader how he did at camp, she replied, "he did great...but MAN that kid can TALK!"  (That's when I knew she was telling me the truth!)  Zack has always been such a loveable kid and at 10 that continues, he is so sweet with Emma...every time she cries he goes running.  He continues to give me at LEAST 15 hugs a day which I LOVE!  

     For his birthday this year he asked for the books Moby Dick, and The adventures of Sherlock Holmes, sure do hope he will be able to read them!  He is so smart I am sure he can do it.  This year Zack played on a baseball team with Jacob and they won the CHAMPIONSHIP!  So fun.  Zack is very interested in art at the moment and has quite a talent for it so for his birthday we enrolled him in art camp, he is super excited.  At ten Zack's favorite foods are Mac and Cheese...still.  Peanut Butter and jelly sandwiches, his dad's famous pancakes, HAMBURGER AND RICE (which he now knows how to cook) hamburgers on the grill and lasagna.  He loves to go eat at the Spagetti Factory in SLC and LOVES to go to the movies.  He always knows when the movies are coming out and makes sure to tell us.  He loves his cousins and got to spend time with the "Oregon bunch" this summer.  He loves anything that involves a video game and MANY times I have caught him sneaking in the house to play them.  One sunday in Sacrament recently he asked me if he could "read the friend" on my Ipod, and when I looked down at him, he was playing ANGRY birds....kind of made his mama and dad ANGRY also, so Scott "attempted" to take him out to the hall to talk to him about it and he refused to go....when you are a 10 yr. old 56 lb. kid...it's a little harder to just pick him up and take him out...we made quite the scene in church that day ha ha ha!

     Zack is pretty funny too.  He is often cracking jokes that make us giggle.  We sure are lucky to have such a fun little boy who is growing up way too fast.  Pretty soon he will be in college and off on a mission as he so often reminds me...Kind of (REALLY) makes me tear up just thinking about it~!



Ya BABY!!!

     SHE PEED!!!!  In the toilet!!!  Wahoo!  Again for journaling, I am recording silly things that nobody else will care about but me (and probably Scott).  Yesterday I decided to give Emma a bath for the first time in a few days...NO it's not really like that...She HAS had showers, just NOT baths!  Are you caught up or confused yet?  Good, me too~!  Anywhoo...I have been tramuatizing Emma with showers because she has been tramautizing me with baths....basically, she poops IN THE TUB.  It is so gross and I am just not a mom that deals well with that kind of ikiness, therefore, she has been taking showers (and hating every second of it).  She asked me for a bath yesterday (Feb. 29, 2012) and I just couldn't turn her cute little face down yet again so I did what all good mama's do and gave right in to her demands ;) .  Before she was allowed to get in the tub, we had a very long conversation (mostly one sided) about how IF she needed to go to the bathroom, she needed to do it in the toilet.  And IF she pooped in the tub...she would NOT be allowed back in the tub again.  So I put her on the toilet and we read a book, and YAY for her she peed for the very first time in the toilet!!  I was so excited I jumped right up and got her a treat.  THEN when she was in the tub and had been for about 10 minutes, she looked up at me and said MOM...POTTY!  She climbed out of the tub, hopped onto the toilet and DID IT AGAIN!!!  So proud of my baby!!! 
yep it was leap day, hmmmm......does this mean she will be peeing in the toilet once every four years?  Sure hope not!

Grattitude.

    I know that my last entry was so depressing.  I have been thinking about that since I wrote it down.  There are so many things that I just don't say out loud and for a long time, being so upset about my back and feeling absolutley hopeless has been one of them.  I am trying to come to the conculsion that for whatever reason, right now having my back hurt the way it does all the time is just something that I NEED to deal with and learn from.  I am a true believer that EVERYTHING happens for a REASON.  Despite the message that my last entry put out there, I really am fine.  Yes, my back hurts...but No it is not the end of the world, and I refuse to let the negative thoughts destroy me.  I found this "LIST" quite a while ago, and thought it would be nice to write it down.  So here goes, this is my gratitude list.  I think everyone should try this.  These are in no paticular order, and certainly not the only things I am thankful for.
  #1.  Name ten physical abilities you are greatful for.
          ~The ability to see
          ~The ability to hear
          ~The ability to move (even if it causes pain and I am slow doing it.)
          ~The ability to do taste
          ~The ablility to DRIVE
          ~The ability to have babies (I know so many GOOD people who can't)
          ~The ablity to hold and kiss my babies
          ~The ability to change my daughter's diapers (yes...I really am greatful for this)
          ~The ability to do my own hair
          ~The ability to do my own makeup

#2.  Name ten material posessions you are greatful for.
          ~My house
          ~My wedding ring
          ~My Van
          ~My husband's car
          ~My dishwasher
          ~My microwave
          ~My deep freezer
          ~Cute clothes (that fit well and make me feel good about myself)
          ~My T.V.
          ~My D.V.R. (so that when I miss my favorite shows, I can still watch them!)
                (and yes...I know my ancestors are rolling in their graves right now!)

#3.  Name 10 Living people you are greatful for.
                       REALLY...Only 10???  I could name a thousand!
          ~My husband
          ~Zackary
          ~Jacob
          ~Emma
          ~My parents
          ~My sisters and brother's in law
          ~My neices and nephews (Kyle, Tyler, K.D., Jaxon and Chloe)
          ~His parents
          ~His sister & Brother in law
          ~Jamie
          ~My kid's teacher's
          ~Thomas S. Monson
                 Yes I know this was more then ten...but REALLY?  Only 10?

#4.  Name 10 deceased people you are greatful for.
                  Again, only 10?  Every single person I list was simply AMAZING.
          ~Amy (my sister, who in death, has taught me so much about life)
          ~Dana (there just are no words.)
          ~Grandma H. (who ALWAYS knew how to make me laugh)
          ~Grandpa H.
          ~Grandma Mc.
          ~Grandpa Mc.
          ~Grandma D.
          ~Grandma and Grandpa B. (who loved and accepted me from day 1)
          ~Joseph Smith
          ~Pres. Hinkley

#5.  Name ten things about nature you are greatful for.
          ~BEAUTIFUL sunsets
          ~The Oceans
          ~Pretty flowers (escpecially lilies, sunflowers and roses.)
          ~Trees
          ~Fall leaves and colors
          ~Beautiful snowstorms (as long as everyone is safe and home.)
          ~Waterfalls
          ~Mountains
          ~Grass
          ~Little streams

#6.  Name ten things about today.
                        (I took this literally)
          ~A quiet morning
          ~Lunch with a friend :)
          ~Emma sleeping
          ~Boys coming home from school with lots of stories to tell
          ~My daily phone call from my Scottie
          ~The opportunity to eat a meal as a family
          ~The ability to take my own children to school today and everyday.
          ~Emma playing right next to me (yep..she woke up)
          ~Scouts
          ~That Kristin's babies are still living healthily inside her tummy!

#7.  Name ten places on earth that you are greatful for.
          ~HAWAII!  (of course)
          ~Oregon
          ~St. George
          ~DISNEYLAND
          ~Morgan (who knew?)
          ~ALL of the temples
          ~Temple square in S.L.C.
          ~Florida
          ~My husband's arms
          ~Right here where I sit :)

#8.  Name ten modern inventions that you are greatful for.
          ~Dishwasher
          ~A garage door opener
          ~Computers
          ~My chi (flat iron for my hair)
          ~Microwave
          ~Cell phones
          ~Internet
          ~Ipod
          ~Caller I.D.
          ~Digital Camera

#9.  Name ten foods you are greatful for
          ~BBCUE Chicken Pizza (Who knew?)
          ~Hawaiian Haystacks
          ~Lasagna
          ~Ham and Funeral Potatoes
          ~Roast Beef
          ~Baked Potatoes
          ~Candy...(Yes it is considered food)
          ~Fair food...example, cotton candy, Scones, Choc. dipped bannanas etc.
          ~FRESH vegetables
          ~Thanksgiving dinner!

#10.  Name 10 things about people you are greatful for.
          ~Caring hearts
          ~A friend who listens
          ~A shoulder to cry on
          ~A sense of humor
          ~Willingness to help when needed...
          ~When someone is in tune with the spirit and LISTENS to those promptings
          ~Humility
          ~Confidence
          ~Apologetic
          ~Sincere