Happiness is not a station to arrive at, but a manner of traveling.
-Margaret Lee Runbeck

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Enjoying the Moment.....

I loved this little snippet from Elder M. Russell Ballard (Ensign May '08). Just thought I'd share. It is such a good reminder!

"What can . . . young mother[s] [do] . . . to reduce the pressure [of raising young children] and enjoy [their families] more? . . . "Recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction. "Author Anna Quindlen reminds us not to rush past the fleeting moments. She said: 'The biggest mistake I made [as a parent] is the one that most of us make. . . . I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of [my three children] sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages six, four, and one. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in such a hurry to get on to the next thing: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less' (Loud and Clear [1004], 10-11)."

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Thanks Shell.....

Michelle has made Kara, Brooke, and Emily some VERY cute bows for their hair lately!! Kara LOVES to wear them!! She asked me to take a picture of her in them today!!

Thanks Shell~Kara LOVES the bows!!! They are stinkin CUTE!!

Here is our little collection!! Kara LOVES getting her hair done and choosing between her flowers and bows!! What a girlie GIRL!!

Routine PAYS OFF!!!

Yesterday we had lunch and then I was finishing a project I had started. Emily ate and then I washed her and she got down from her high chair. I hurriedly completed my project. Brandon and Emily were back in her bedroom playing with toys (I thought). Brandon came in and said, "Mom, who put Emily in bed?" I said, "No one-- I am on my way right now to." He then said, "She is in bed already!" I walk back there and this is what I see....

Emily knows, after lunch is nap time---she was NOT going to wait for me!! She crawled into her little portable crib and off to sleep she went!! What a SWEET girl!! Guess getting up at 6:30 each morning, makes a two year old tired!!

Oh NO!!!

Three years old and already wrecking the 'car'---yikes we are in TROUBLE!!!

I was taking pictures of Tyler playing soccer and all of a sudden I hear Kara yell, "Dang it!" I turn around and here she lies!!

She didn't cry--but she was VERY irritated that the car 'tipped' over!!

Soccer FUN!!!

Grandpa Lynn gave the kids the orange cones when they were over their last Friday and now Tyler just loves to go outside and play SOCCER!! He gets everything set up and they kick the ball back and forth!! It is quite fun to watch!! They have also used them as bases when they play T-ball!! Thanks Grandpa Lynn!!

Tyler is becoming quite the pro at kicking!!

Kara of course joined the FUN!!

Go Brandon, Go!!

Emily acted just as BIG as everyone else!!

Our big yard--makes it quite FUN to play Soccer in!!

Kara off to the next activity---she LOVES her bike!!

Tyler has kicked the ball for hours!! He LOVES it!!

We have had the soccer balls FOREVER--they weren't 'FUN' until we got the orange cones!! FUNNY KIDS!!!

Emily---our official 'Cone Mover'

See any resemblance?

Here is Emily---almost two years old....

What a CUTE girl?!?!

Love her smile!!

Yup, that's our Emily!!

This one is ME at three years old! Ya--love the puffy eyes from crying---sorry MOM!!! Thanks Mom for saving the dress---it is pretty cool for my girls to wear now!

Cute Girls...

Sunday before church I had some fun snapping a few shots....

Cute little Brooke in her Easter dress!

I love the black & white!

and the Sepia...Brooke is six monthe here!

Such a CUTE smile!!!

What a doll!!

Too stinkin CUTE!!

Funny Kara had to join in on the photo shoot and show off her necklace--that's why she is standing so goofy!!!

Funny Emily kept saying "Me Mom!" She was eating her lunch before we headed to church!! FUNNY kids!!

Tucanos time...

Tucanos came to Boise in February and Troy has been dying to try it!! Robert, Mom, and Dad have gone in Arizona and like it!!I signed up as apart of the Tucanos Birthday Club---you get a certificate for a free meal when you do---kinda fun!! I got my card in the mail a couple of weeks ago and Troy has been soo excited to go!!

Saturday, we hit everyone up to go to Tucanos with us!! It really was a FUN time to spend together as a FAMILY!! Robert was in town, Richard and Karen came, Scott, Carol, and Megan, Mom and Dad, and then our little family all went---so there were FIFTEEN in our little PARTY!! IT was A LOT of fun!! Robert, Mom, and Dad rode their motorcycles over!! Tyler was jealous that Grandma got to ride on the motorcycle--I think Grandma would have happily traded Tyler spots on the way home--but they didn't have Tyler's helmet!! As we were getting in the car--Tyler said, "Mom, that's funny Grandma rode on the motorcycle to come and eat!" He was impressed, Grandma!! :)

The food was good---we got the salad bar and then all the meat you could eat that they brought around on their little skewer sticks!! It was a fun way to serve the meat--the kids thought it was sooo cool. The waiters brought around ALL kinds of meat and you could eat ALL you wanted!! Personally, I LOVED the grilled/glazed pineapple they brought around!! I LOVE IT!! The salad bar was yummy!! I LOVE SALADS!! The kids ate GREAT---they loved all the salad and most of the meat!! Brandon was the bravest and tried Quiche and other crazy things!! Tyler had SEVEN pieces of watermelon and TONS of strawberries!! Emily and Kara LOVED the noodles and rolls. They all were great little eaters---very handy!! :) They also were very well behaved!! We were a little nervous at first because they really hadn't had a nap-but they really did GREAT!! Lots of people were having birthdays--so there was lots of crazy singing going on and they LOVED that! It was hilarious to watch Brooke watch the craziness!!

We had a FUN time together as a FAMILY and created some fun memories!!

Midnight Visiting...

Friday night, after our little Unity dinner-we went over to Mom and Dad's. Robert was in town and so we stopped in to say hi real quick before heading home!! It was kinda NICE---all we had was Brooke--(the older kids were at Grandma Debbie's for the night) it was a little unusual to sit and visit and not have kids interrupting us or coming to chat!! We had a fun little visit--ya it was close to midnight before we headed home!! Yikes!!

Butte Ward Unity Dinner....

Several months ago, Troy came home from church and announced to me that he signed us up to go to a Butte Ward Unity Dinner! I thought to myself--"Oh Great!" We really are not the social little people that usually go to these ward wing dings--but we did this time and to be flat out honest---we really did have a GREAT time!!

First of all, thanks Grandma Debbie and Grandpa Lynn for letting the kids come over and hang out with you!! They LOVE going to your house--you guys are the BEST!!

We had a 'Mexican' evening!! I made chicken enchiladas and white rice. There was a lot of other Mexican dishes there too. We went to Mark and Loni Ellis's Home---Can I just say---BEAUTIFUL!! It is up in Spring Creek--gorgeous home with an amazing view!! There were several other couples there---Brent and Marcy Jensen, Mike and Brenda Gurney, Mike and John Carroll, and of course Mark and Loni Ellis---with their cute (pregnant) daughter Kali. (She is sooo cute---her husband was in McCall working so she hung out with us!!) She was Tyler's primary teacher last year---he LOVED her and her husband!!

It was fun filled night!!

All the YUMMY food---Brother Jensen diggin in!!

Beautiful table setting---Mike, Brenda, & Troy chowing down!!

Dishin up plates!! They have a GORGEOUS kitchen!!

Yup, Brooke enjoyed herself there too---and LOVED all the attention she received!!

Ladies getting dessert ready to serve!!

The DELICIOUS dessert!!

The men enjoying the yummy dessert!!

We had a fun evening getting to know everyone, laughing, and enjoying each others' company!!

Thanks Peter & Joni......

Peter (Troy's brother) and Joni had our name for Christmas this past year and they came this past weekend and brought us the MOST AMAZING gift!!!

A GORGEOUS afghan blanket that they MADE themselves---yes I was told--Joni even taught Pete how to do it!! I AM VERY IMPRESSED!!

It's HUGE and HEAVY!! It will keep us nice and toasty!! I absolutely LOVE the colors!! Thanks again Pete and Joni!! We LOVE YOU!!!

Family FUN!!!

Friday afternoon we did something we RARELY do--but it was a BLAST!! I took the kids over to Meridian and ran a few errands and then we met Troy for lunch and went to his favorite place----Red Robin!!
The kids thought it was the COOLEST place ever---they LOVED it and they were VERY GOOD too---which made it nice!!

We got to our table and the kids thought it was soooo cool that they gave each of them their own crayons and place mat to color on!! Tyler LOVED the TVs and watched them most of the time. Brandon and Kara had fun coloring, Emily had fun eating her crayons (yummy), and Brooke quietly sat in her car seat and just looked around at all the craziness!! The nice thing about Red Robin is it is a pretty fun and easy going atmosphere for kids--you don't feel like you have to keep your kids totally quiet!!

We were eating our food and just having a great little time and this cute little couple came walking over to our table and asked if 'ALL' these kids were ours-(she didn't even see Brooke on the other side of me in her car seat!) Then the cute lady asked which ones were twins---she couldn't believe they were so close and not twins!! Then they gave us the NICEST compliment!! They told us that our kids were very well behaved and they were impressed with how well mannered they had been. The cute little man said that they had been watching our family the entire time they ate--(I thought to myself-'Oh Great!') They told us we had a cute little family and very well behaved children!! I do have to say--our kids were being very good---I was happy---because it is sooo embarrassing when they act like animals in public!!

We had a TERRIFIC time--Troy had NO work calls, there no screaming fits, we were in no hurry, and the kids LOVED the food. As we were walking out---Tyler asked if we could go there again and next time--he wanted to tell the waiter he wanted a grilled cheese---not have me tell him!! Funny, independent Boy!!

I am a little bummed---I left my camera in the car--so I took a couple with my cell phone and they are NOT very good---plus they all wouldn't download---dang it!!

Brandon and Tyler waiting for their food!!

Emily coloring (eating the crayons) her picture!!

Kara was hungry and wanted her food!!

Tyler took this picture and accidentally pushed the zoom first!! oops!!

There we go---much better!!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Tyler, the SCHOOL boy....

Here are a couple of things from school.....

He painted this picture--a popsicle and purse!!

Here is an award--he got for improving his handwriting!!

Way to go Tyler---keep up the GREAT work!! We are very proud of YOU!! Holy cow--you will be in FIRST grade before you know it!!

Good Buddies.....

This morning the Gurneys came over and played for a couple of hours!! Tyler, Brandon, Blaine, Kara, and Emily had a BLAST outside!! Brooke and Ellie stayed inside and kept each other company!! Ellie loved crawling over to Brooke in her bouncy and touching her!! It was really cute to watch them interact with each other!! They would laugh at each other and then one would start to squeal and then the other one would!! FUNNY girls!! The wind was BLOWING like crazy--but it didn't stop the 'older' kids from riding bikes & scooters, wagon rides, and a ton of time on the swing and slide!! I am bummed I didn't take pictures outside---Next time!!

The wind was a little obnoxious so they came in and Tyler wanted me to take a picture of everyone--so they of course all sat down and had FUN posing!! FUN and CRAZY kids!! Then we had lunch!! We had a GREAT time!! Just the beginning of many more---hopefully it will get a little warmer though!! They ALL had a blast playing with each other!! Seven kids--all under the age of 5 1/2!!! What a BLAST!!!