The pilot has turned off the fasten seat belt sign...

Yeah, it's been a little crazy and the only thing I have time to update is Facebook, but I think that things are slowing a bit and I can start to blog again. So how are you? There are a ton of you that I have lost touch with and it makes me sad, but we grow and we learn and I have taken a piece from each and everyone of you and kept it in my brain of a filing cabinet to reference later. Thanksgiving was a great time of reflection for me. We had the traditional feast at the Loefflers, something Dave has encouraged us to do is share our thanks. Its a lot like a testimony meeting, but there are more than the LDS faith that are there, it was very touching to hear some of my nieces and nephews share the brilliance of their thanks, so aware, so thoughtful and inspiring to myself. I have so much to be thankful for as always, firstly by beloved Jared. Over 11 years ago you sauntered into my life, always accepting, always adapting, always loving and always teaching. You taught me to love in a way I never understood was real. You have loved me thoroughly and continuously, you have never given me reason to doubt you, you have always been honest about everything, thank you for wearing your heart on your sleeve, just for me. (I know, we should get a room :)) Each and everyone of my children have stretched my heart to the fullest with their souls. They are such strong, genuine, giving, accepting, hilarious, challenging, lovely friendly individuals that I can hardly believe they are a product of me. (Let's hope I didn't just jinx that.) There is always the family (in-laws included!), my parents, my brothers-- whom I have finally decided need to hear their sisters drama and it's actually brought us closer.. my grandparents (I still have all four) they've become more than grandparents in my definition, My Grandma Lois is a constant reminder of service and love and I can never do enough convey my gratitude, at least with the time that I have. To all of my friends, each and everyone.. as Jared has, you have taught me and loved me in ways I never knew. Thank you all for being wonderful and forgiving and patient. For my brain and my body, thanks for hanging in there and learning all this new stuff so I can create and do the things I love. There are a million other things I can gush over but these are the most important to me at this time in my life.

Can they get bigger than this??

I guess that when I set the expectations of my kids never getting old enough to be bigger than me I thought we would always be the same.. PBJ's for lunch, naps, movies...

It's been a huge reality check for me to have Gavin. It was kind of cool when he would put my tennis shoes on and say, "Hey Mom! They fit!" (Cool, now take them off) But now he tries them on and he is a little disapointed that they DONT fit, and it's not because his feet are too small.

Probably the weirdest thing for me is the fact that there is another human walking around our house with me that is, well, as big as me.

Happy Birthday Gavin!!

Gavin, Justin, Trevor, Xzavior and Janson.. Gavin made it to age 11. I can't believe I have an 11 year-old. Not because I am old, but because how the time has flown, I seriously have so many memories of this boy that I swear just happened, but he was only years old, so it's not possibe!

Soraya had her first competition of the season with HIP Dance Co., she took 1st in hip-hop, GO YAYA!! Soraya is the cutest one, I mean the one on the far right, not looking at the camera..

kiss kiss.

"Someone grab Mrs. Corpuz!"

And when I say that, I mean it. Since I have 'Alzheimered' myself by going to school I find myself kicking myself and nodding my head at myself quite frequently..

Do you ever find yourself wondering when you started losing your marbles?

Then you begin to wonder "I hope I never get so bad that I become the train wreck you usually see scolding her kids while dropping at least 5 items while loading her kids in the car? Not to mention that she can't find her keys, her cell phone is ringing and more than likely her baby has pooped itself beyond repair or spit up to the point of needing a hose down."

..sigh..

I have had an easy life, thanks to Jared, the man I can never use words to describe, thanks to him I've never had any sort of obligations, appointments, work hours.. just me and my kids. He always made it a point for me to only have to worry about the children and our home.

Well, Mother knows best, right?

So this little mother thought she would brave school. Don't get me wrong, I don't regret it, I don't want to quit.. in fact it's the opposite, I love every second of school, all of the amazing people (and the idiots) who have come to be my friends have made this chapter in my life so colorful. Not to mention all of the simply irresistible friends I have met from old friends. I have never been happier, at the same time, I have never been busier.

What's the point of all this rambling? Just be aware, if I happen to 'space it', or have toilet paper hanging out of my pants, laugh with me..

I touched a beHIVE!

About two weeks ago Ella told me she got a tattoo, when I asked her of what, she said, "a beeHIVE". (She talks very quiet, so to get hive out, she sort of yells it.) She showed me her hand and I thought it was a cool 'tattoo'. A few days later I noticed it was still there, so while in the tub I scrubbed it and she yelled. Even weirder, it was lifted from the skin, you could feel the ridges, almost like a burn or scab. Determined to figure out what happened, I started questioning the 3 almost 4 year old. I came to the conclusion with the information I gathered that she was stung by a beehive. I never said it made sense. So we decided to go on a little walk to find the spot where Ella got her 'tattoo'. She had mentioned Lukie's house so that was the first stop, but when we started to cross the street, she froze and wouldn't go any further, I mean, I COULD have picked her up and taken her over, but I didn't feel that was nessessary. At this point I pretty much knew I would never know where the beeHIVE marking came from. Soraya is almost positive that Lukie had a hornets nest hanging from their BBQ-er and Ella touched her hand to it. Gavin is 100% sure that its a new kind of bee sting. I'm open to any of your thoughts.

Because.. what the heck. (HECK!)

So, I have thought of my dear blog a lot, and feel terrible for neglecting it. I used to work on the computer for hours at a time and could update my blog in a matter of moments, now I just think, where do I start?? So, so much is changing, happening, and we are just hanging on and trying to love every minute. One thing I would like to note that I never saw before what that my kids happened to grow and mature too quickly right in front of my eyes. Everyday our conversations grow deeper and more indepth, I look forward to the moments I have just to look at them and watch their personalities bloom. Gavin seems so much the same, yet so grown up! I was asking him how he gets his hair to spike up and he went into a lesson, step by step on how to get the spikes just so. Soraya is still sensitive and growing wiser by the day, she feels the emotion in any room and can sense the feel. She brings so much light to our family. Caitlee is my little sunshine, all I have to do is smile at her and she lights up and has story after story to tell, and little Ella, growing up too fast, speaking so grown up, she's my little buddy, she's all I have left of the baby years (she'll be 4 in the summer.) I can't help regretting not having another..

Instead of playing catch up I decided to just post some pics that I love of my family. Hope you enjoy!

Soraya making chocolate strawberries, gotta love the chocolate drip she has no idea about.

This is our WII family, from left: Gavin, Soraya, Me, Caitlee, Ella and Jared.

Gav and his favorite snack, butter and jelly sandwich, can you say, protein?

Snugglebug in the stinkbug.

Principal Pride February 2009

"Teach them to love work while they are young" -Grandma B.

One of my sleeping beauties.

Caitlee and Ashlan on Caitlee's 7th bday!Ella doing 'homework'

Daddy and Ella.

Enough is enough!

Is anyone else GLAD it's January? Something about New Years just makes living so much easier. Except for the rediculous weather of course. So with January among us I have several goals to accomplish this year.

More than anything I want to start eating better as a family.. less cold cereal, more whole grains, eggs, fruits and so on.. not just breakfast, lunch and dinner too.. No more of this obnoixous white styraphone white bread. We are going whole grain. Less hamburger helper, Jared.. since he is with the kids at nights, and more protiens, veggies, cheeses, rice.. etc.

Who cares. I have a problem with this. Major. I try to impress too many people and need to stop. Jared, Gavin, Soraya, Caitlee and Ella are ALL THAT MATTERS..

Be more giving.

Be more patient.

Be more.. hmm.. with out sounding like Olivia Newton John, LET'S GET PHYSICAL.. I'm only getting older and with my back the less I do, the more I suffer.