I got up this morning ready to conquer the dirty house because my sister & her husband were coming into town, but some how my day didn't go that way. We started out with Hallie making us pancakes. She always wants to help and do it all by herself, except the cleaning up part. She tries to make every shape possible with the pancake batter.

So before we got any cleaning done, my sister in law knocked on the door for me to babysit. She has 3 kids. The two boys are younger and like to play everything. So between my kids and the extra kids I couldn't keep up. I would clean up one mess and there would be another one in the other room. Then the older kids were baking cookies so they could have a cookie, lemonade stand. Then Livee would be ready to eat, then the kids would be ready to eat, and I still hadn't got anything done. After lunch, I got rid of most of the extras and so I tried to get some cleaning done. Luckily my sister was in the mood to clean and they helped me finish cleaning. It was so nice to most of my house back in order. I had a small moment in there where my gritchy switch got turned on and I got a little sassy with Savanna. It took me about a 1/2 hour to snap out of it. I hugged her and told her I was sorry for being grumpy. It was amazing how that little hug and kiss made me feel much better. Over all it was a good day. Hopefully my venting doesn't come across as unhappiness.

Livee is always so patient with playing in her hi chair when I am all tied up with other things. She was looking so cute there with her little head there poking out and her tiny pigs dancing down below.

Crazy Kid Day

We saw Jase off this morning. He gets to go to Wyoming with Grama Dar to the family reunion. We wanted to go but couldn't afford the gas so grama decided to take Brady, Jase and Gladys and Bob. She is crazy. At first Jase wasn't sure he wanted to go. He was afraid he would miss his birthday. We reassured him that we would not have a party without him. He finally decided that it would be fun to go. We will miss him around here. It will sure be quiet without him and his pestering.

Last week I started watching Shannon's kids. I watch them Monday and 1/2 day Wednesday. That has been going good. Today was a babysitting day. I have also been watching Sage, my niece, while my sister picks up her hubby. He has been in Iraq. We are so glad he is home safe. I also had Tyler this morning so Michelle could get her hair done. Tonight Kayla is staying the night here, and Aleena is over with Zane. It has kind of been a crazy kid filled day. Well, I gotta go and clean off my bed, AGAIN, so I can climb in it. I have got to quit that=). Tomorrow I will try again.

Laundry Battle

Today was a day of laundry. I got quite a few batches through, but I still have many loads to go. Before, everyone had their own laundry basket in their bedroom and I would assign a day per person. So Monday would be Savanna's Day, Hallie- Tuesday....etc... But if I got behind or missed that day I was always playing catch up, and then I am frantically doing laundry because they have nothing clean. So I am now trying a new system. I put 4 baskets in the hall right outside their bedrooms, darks, lights, whites, towels. And when a basket gets full, it is time to wash it. I have assigned 1 person a week to be my laundry helper. They get to help me put it in the washer and get it in the dryer. Sometimes the kids help me fold, but then I put their folded clean clothes on their bed and they put them away during the day. This seems to be working better. I need to be better at completing the whole laundry process. Too many times I have baskets of clean clothes waiting to be folded. And the unmatched socks....don't get me started.
Well off to cleaning off my bed of laundry so I can get in it.

Savanna's home

Savanna made it home today from her camping trip. She had sooo much fun. She has been telling me stories all day. They got to ride 4 wheelers, make fires, learn new card games, tell campfire stories, and play in the river. I was relieved that she didn't come home with any wounds because everyone else seems to be falling apart. She hopes someday she can go there again, but next time the family can go with her. I am glad she is home. We missed her tons.

Ice Cream

We ended the day with a yummy ice cream cone. Savanna wondered if we could go and get one. She was even willing to give up her only $2 to pay for it. I told them if they cleaned up dinner and the 2 front rooms, then we could go and that I would even pay for it(gotta love Arctic Circles cheap cones). They were all over that.

Photo Fun

I was reading up on a few photography tips so I took my camera to the back yard to try a few things.

Feeling Under the Weather

This morning kind of started out rough. Livee was still running a fever. She woke up pretty upset this morning. She didn't want to eat. I could just tell that she was not feeling her best. She has a croopy cough, icky boogs, and was just not acting like herself. I finally got her calmed down and she fell asleep. She just looked so peaceful laying there. I called and got her into Dr. J. She has an ear infection. I figured that was what the problem was. She is on antibiotics now and hopefully in the next day or two she will start to feel a little better.

For the Love of Editing

I think I have found a new hobby, thanks to my sister. She is taking a class on photography and editing your pictures, and so I tried out some things. She has a friend that is really good, and her blog said that digital images sometimes lack that uumph you want. So I tried to add some uumph.

The original

The after.

Fragile

I was holding Livee because she wasn't feelin the best. I was holding her hand, stroking it, kissing it, and just looking at the details. My sister KellyRae, grabbed my camera and took a shot while she was calm and relaxed. Just looking at the picture, really reminds me of how fragile babies are. I sometimes wonder if Heavenly Father really knew what he was doing when he agreed to let me have 5 of his angels. On many days I question my motherhood abilities, but when I sit and hold my baby, I realize that they don't know any different. They just unconditionally love me because I am mom. And isn't that the best feeling in the world- to know you are loved.

Aleena's First Stitches

Aleena had her first stitches experience on Saturday July 26, 2008. We were at Aunt KD's house. It was around 9 o'clock at night. We were hanging out waiting for the firework show. I had just got Livee asleep. Livee was running a fever and not feeling well. Aleena was in the family room, running towards the front door. She just stumbled on her own feet, tripped and when she fell her forehead hit the doorframe. I was standing right next her when it happened. As soon as it happened, I knew there would be blood. There was something about the angle of how she hit, and the force behind it that I just knew it was going to be bad. I grabbed her and ran straight to the kitchen sink. I got a towel on it before she could see any of the blood. She then let us look at it, and assess the damage. Yep, it needed stitches.

KD has a friend whose husband is a surgery assistant, Lane Martin, (I am not 100% sure if that is exactly what he does), but anyways, he knows how to do stitches and so KD called him, and he said he would do it for us. Aleena was so brave. She was done crying by the time we got there. I told her that this man was going to help her owee, and that it is okay to cry if she is scared. The only time she cried was when he had to give her 2 numbing shots. She even drifted in and out of sleep while he was putting in the stitches. He had draped a paper over head and she just layed there and let him work. He put a handful of inside stitches and some glue on the top. The stitches will just dissolve. After she got to go and pick out a treat in the garage with Annejanette (the wife). I am very thankful for Lane being willing to help us. He saved me a trip to the ER and a big hefty bill. We went back to KD's house and got there just in time for the fireworks. All the kids were asking "what happened" and Aleena was so proud of her treats and was showing them which wall she did it on. She opened her tiny arms as wide as they could go and said "There was this much blood." The kids were fascinated. I actually reacted to whole thing better than I thought I would. I kept my cool and was very calm. Having KD there helped me stay calm. She knew who to call, grabbed her keys and said "Let's go". She has had lots of practice with the sick kids=).

Hopefully it doesn't scar to bad.

Saturday, July , 2008

We spent most of the day at the park.
There was a small carnival set up.
The kids loved the swing. They each went a few times. It made me dizzy just watching it.

They got to pick out prizes and treats with the tickets from the games.

We found a shady spot at the park and camped there for a while. The park has booths of food and drinks. There is also a stage set up so we could watch the singers and dancers while we were eating and hanging out.



You can't have a carnival without

cotton candy.

After lunch, we went swimming for a bit. We were all hot and needed a bit of cooling down. Hallie did her first flip and cartwheel of the diving board. I got video, but no pictures. Dangit.

Jase's highlight was climbing the rock wall. He climbed that wall like he had done this a hundred times before. He thought it was cool to ring the siren at the top of the wall.

The parade was around 5 p.m. We actually had the perfect shady spot to watch, and the parade didn't last but a few minutes. In the past it has been much longer.




After the parade we went back to Aunt KD's and had a popsicle break and just hung out on the grass. The shade felt so good. We were all pretty exhausted.

Jase was going outside at grama and grampa's house and the door shut right over the top of his foot. It was pretty gross. He asked if it would still be there when we came home? He wanted daddy to see it, so we took a picture of it while it was a fresh wound.

It was a busy yet fun weekend. The kids were truely exhausted. Some of the gang went to the rodeo. I stayed with Livee and Cooper at the house. Cooper was ready for bed and Livee was running a fever. I don't know if she just got over heated from being out or if she is getting Jase's cold.

Later, KD came home from rodeo a little earlier and brought Faith, Aleena, and Tate. They had had enough. This is when Aleena tripped and fell and hit her head on the corner of the wall. She split it right open.

We had to run and get her stitches. That will be another post later. She is doing good. Bless her heart, she was so brave.

What a weekend. I am ready to have a vacation from vacation.

Thursday July 24, 2008

The kids and I went to Oakley this weekend.
It was quite eventful.
We left Thursday afternoon for my sister KellyRae's house in Burley. Her ward was having a BBQ celebrating Pioneer Days, at a local pond. It was a beautiful place. They had all sorts of fun things for the kids: canoes, paddle boats, slip-n-slide, zip line, playset and a bouncy house. The kids had fun hanging out. We had a big scare with my nephew Zane. One minute he was on the playset, the next minute he was gone, and we couldn't find him anywhere. We thought for sure he drowned. Finally after about 10 minutes of frantic searching, we found him way on the other side crying, looking for his mom. We also discovered that the mosquitos really love Aleena. Why wouldn't they, she is pretty cute.



Hallie, Gracie & Lexey trying out the boats. I just noticed Hallie doesn't have her life jacket on. Shame on me for not paying better attention, and shame on her for not having it on.









Hallie, Analise & Lexey jumping off the bridge.

Jase loved playing on all the boats.

Aleena and Macey played on the playset and in the jumpy house. Later, they discovered the tall grassy flowers, and then they were in fairy tale land. These two are truely inseperable.

It really was a fun place. The kids are already asking when we get to go visit that place again.

Crazy Days of Summer

Nathan, Emily, Jada, Elijah, Hallie & Jase

We had another crazy day today. Here are some of the kids that were playing in the backyard. Two of them are mine, but the rest are neighbors. I sometimes have a bitter sweet relationship with the neighborhood kids. The problem at our house is that we attract kids. I am not sure why, it is probably because my kids have one of the funnest dads around. Anyways, so today I was babysitting 2 extra kids, plus my 5 and then the whole neighborhood. Sometimes I wish I could move out to the country where there is nobody around, but then my kids would be bored. Sometimes I get a little cranky and I am sure the neighbors think I am the raunchiest mom around, but after the 12th knock on the door in about 5 minutes. My sisters always comment on how it drives them crazy and don't know how I do it. Today was one of those days where I wonder how do I do it, then Brad reminds me that they are just kids having a good time. He is always so level headed, and always right, dangit!!!

"Somewhere Over The Rainbow"

I know I just posted a video, but this one is a must. Aleena actually let me get her on tape and I had to sieze the moment. Here's a little background: Aleena is constantly humming or singing. Brad loves to show the kids clips from UTube, and he showed them Connie Talbot singing this song, and ever since then she can't stop singing it. So today while she was playing and singing in the bathtub she actually let me roll the tape. She's getting quite a good little voice on her. The only bad part is that I need to teach her the rest of the song.

I just decided a couple of hours ago that I am going to make a trip home to Oakley. I wasn't going to go but my sister called and said I should come, it will be fun. It is the big 24th pioneer celebration. So I am going. Luckily I have done some laundry this week. It doesn't take too much to pack to go there. I just can't tell my kids until it is time to start putting bags in the car or they are constantly asking "How much longer til we leave" or "How many more SpongeBobs?" Jase is on spongebob time, I am not sure why, but he seems to understand that better then regular time. I know, it's a little strange. Anyways, they will be surprised tomorrow. I will be back Sunday, to report about our big weekend.

Missing Savanna

So I am feeling a little sad today. I sent Savanna off on a camping trip with one

of her really good friends, Page Brower. There family is a neighbor, in our ward, on our soccer team, at our school, and are just really good friends, so I have no problem trusting them. My sadness comes from realizing how grown up my kids are getting. They are really starting to get memories of their own. I don't know if that is crazy, but it makes me sad to think there are more memories with out me in them. Call me selfish, but I can't help it. They will be back Sunday evening. She will have a great time. Hopefully they stay safe.

Needing a Nap!

She was looking so angelic when I came downstairs

and saw her sleeping on the couch with

her forever long eyelashes, and the little smudge

of chocolate on her cheek and eye.

Aleena is 3 1/2, and napping is a big issue at our house.

If I put her down for a nap, she just lays in there and

doesn't fall asleep. But then she is tired at 6 p.m

and I have to make sure she doesn't sit still for more then

10 minutes or she falls asleep, (like she did in this picture).

Then she is up at 11 p.m. ready to party. Which leads to her wanting

to sleep in, but then she isn't ready for a nap the next day because

she slept in. I feel like it is a devilish repetitive cycle that we

can't break. How come when we are kids we totally fight going to sleep, but

as adults we can never seem to find the time to get

enough sleep?

Livee Experiencing Baby Cereal

Livee got to experience cereal for the first time last week. I put her in the high chair and tried first. She was having nothing to do with that. Then I tried with her on my lap, and she cried. So I nursed for a bit and then we tried again. She was much happier. She opened her mouth and ate it like she had done it before. I kind of have to hold her hands down so she doesn't grab the spoon. The kids think it is so cool because now they can have a turn feeding her. I can't believe how fast she is growing.

Livee has the cutest laugh. Her laugh

always has a way of making me smile.

Help!!

So I decided to take the plunge and join
the blogging community. If anyone has
any great tips or advice feel free to let me
in on your secrets.

Introducing our beautiful kids.

Savanna is 10 years old.

She is turning into quite the young woman.

Some things she loves;

soccer, piano, her motor scooter,

crafting, baking and cooking,

eating treats, computer games,

taking pictures, spying on her siblings,

sitting in the front seat,

and hanging out with mom & dad.

Hallie is 8 yrs. old. She is my mini-mom.

Some things that Hallie loves;

taking care of her baby sister, Livee,

crafting, Hannah Montana,

collecting "Littlest Pet Shop" animals,

drawing and writing, taking pictures,

collecting anything and everything,

MM's, her scooter, and playing with friends.

Jase is almost 6. We are so glad Jase came along.

He really adds spunk to our family.

Some things Jase loves;

any sport that has a ball,

his blue cleats (the only shoes he will wear),

short socks, any outdoor activity,

bubble gum, teasing his sisters,

his green dream catching blanket,

and his game boy.

Aleena is at such a cute stage,

the way she talks and plays pretend.

She definitely has her daddy's

calm and cool personality.

Things she loves;

dresses (changes clothes every hour),

making stairs with legos,

helping mom in the kitchen, princess',

eating treats,

playing with her cousin Macey,

her pajamas (any hint of night time, and she

has her pajamas on).

Livee is 5 months old.

She is such a good happy baby.

It is so fun to see her grow and change each day.

Just trying things out.