Kaylee's garden

Kaylee is my little artist.  For 100 days they had to take 100 things and make something out of it.  She originally wanted to make a garden like Mrs. Anding did but we decided to make a rainbow out of buttons.  It didn't work.  Here is Kaylee's flower garden made with 100 buttons and all her own art work.  I was cringing every time she came up with another idea to add but in the end it all looks so cute!  We worked on it outside while the kids ran around on the grass and then later her and I colored it.  It was so fun.  Another wonderful Mom Moment and Kaylee was all smiles the whole time.  Feel free to leave comments about how awesome she did because she is pretty sure that everyone is going "freak out when they see this."  She is so cute.

Meanwhile I've been working on being a healthier mom.  Whenever we end up with junk food in the home I always eat it.  I buy it thinking I'm getting for the kids because they really want it but in the end that's just my excuse to get it in the house for me.  As an experiment I gave the kids a plate loaded with healthy food for lunch and they loved it!  Carrot sticks and all.

It's a good thing I married Ben because he balances our kids out.  I would always encourage the kids to go outside and be prodcutive all day long but he is the king of relaxing and the kids love when dad is home.  Seriously I never even think of video games for the kids when they are bored but they LOVE playing, and in this picture, watching Ben play.  I think he was playing Skyrim.  You can see how they are all glued to the tube.  They like when he gets to fight dragons.  I have to laugh at pictures like these because it's not how I would spend my day at all but it is Ben's way to unwind after a long week.  He has been really busy lately with presentations and looking for a job.  His residency is ending in four months and we need to figure out where to go next.  This month will determine a lot of things.  Hopefully.

On the Rampage

We used to use the phrase "on the rampage" if my mom was ever really, really mad at us.  I now use it for myself when the kids had better do what I say, when I say, or mom may just take all their toys and throw them in the garbage.  Today was one of those days.  I had just got home from running 10 miles-my feet were aching and I was really looking forward to a nap this afternoon-to find that Blake had woken without a diaper on and pooped the bed.  Ben had taken care of the big part but shut Blake's door and left the rest for me.  Well then I left the door shut and began my rampage of cleaning the house leaving the poop for the end since there was already other laundry going.  That was 8:30am.  At 1:00 I finally got my house totally cleaned, boxed up a few toys I was tired of cleaning over and over, yelled at my kids a bit beforehand but they helped out, and had just put Blake to bed for a late nap.  I was excited to finally be finished when, lo and behold, Daisy didn't make it to the toilet and there I was cleaning up poop again.  AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!  Some days are just like that.  

And some days are just like this.

Saturdays are busy but I love having these kids.  I'm even ready for the next which hopefully will come sooner rather than later.  I love being a mom.  I even love the rampage days because my house is SO clean afterward.

I have a few pictures I like but hadn't put up yet. 

Blake, William and George all reading together.  George was more throwing the books down but that is the first step in the right direction.

Blake loves car.  He was a really hard baby.  He has since mellowed out and when I look back to what may have made the change it was when I bought him a Lightning McQueen and Mater truck.  As the first in his now overflowing collection they gave him something to line up and hold wherever we went.  I love when I say it's time to go and he put two cars in one hand, one in his mouth and then grabs another two cars with his other hand!  His birthday is coming up and I spent my whole friday night date with Ben looking for a Holly Shiftwell.  We found him a Finn McMissile and Torgue but not Holly Shiftwell. Now how many of you even know who these cars are?  Blake does.  He can identify them in his Cool Cars book.

And this is just a funny picture of Blake.  He was so happy holding McQueen and The King in one hand, a balloon in the other and slumped down watching Cars. 

It reminded me of some other favorite Blake pictures.  Man I love this kid.

I do have a quick cute story though.  During the cleaning frenzy Kaylee and Heidi were talking about losing teeth.  Heidi was telling her when she lost hers and how it didn't really hurt at all except when Dad would try to pull them out.  Kaylee said she would have Mom pull her teeth but Heidi warned her that it hurt when Mom did it too.  She advised Kaylee not to have anyone pull it but wait until it was really loose.  It was fun to hear them talk about things so seriously and without fighting or whining.  They really were hanging out as sisters and bonding.  I loved it.  The benefits to having a clean house are endless!

Kaylee's Birthday and Valentine's Day

 Have you ever seen my Kaylee smile this big before?!?!?!  Of course this is the one day that she gets whatever she wants and the 'whatever she wants' is always candy.   Do you see that massive bowl of jelly bellys?  It was 2/3 gone by the end of the day.  She was in heaven.  Of course I got her real gifts to go along with the candy but this is one kid who really does love candy more than anything else.

She had a birthday brunch after Heidi's baptism with our family but she also had some friends over for a party after school.  Once again, all smiles!  Funny enough we played musical chairs and NONE of the kids had ever played it before.  That was my favorite game at birthday parties and turns out it is being forgotten.  The kids loved it.  After the birthday party we had a quick break and then started the last activity for the day...a movie party with some friends.  We swap babysitting for the temple and I figured we might as well have their four kids over and play it off as a movie party for Kaylee's birthday.   After the long, candy-filled day, she went to bed in tears (surprise, surprise) because Ben made her brush her teeth for a good long time to get all the candy off them.  All in all she had a fun day.  It continued through the weekend as she spent her birthday money and then got her last gift in the mail from us.  

Now for Valentine's Day.  I've never been a big valentine's day person but it is fun for the kids.  They woke up excited and once again Kaylee was all smiles!  Seriously she never smiles this much but she is super excited for the party at school where she informed me she will be getting lots of candy.  Doesn't she look so cute in her birthday outfit from Erica?  

And she was even happy enough to pose with Heidi and not scowl during it.  I love that Kaylee.  

Ben and I aren't doing anything for Valentine's day but we did reserve Reel Steel at a Redbox for tonight and then, for those who don't know, I love Whitney Houston so I downloaded "I will always love you" for 69 cents (What a STEAL) and have listened to it like 5 times already.  It seemed appropriate for Valentine's day.  I've been singing at the top of my lungs right along with her and love it even though I know my brothers are all plotting how to ridicule me for it like they did when I was younger.  I just loved her music though!  All weekend I've been reading about her and watching clips. Last night The Bodyguard was on Lifetime and I just had to stay up until 11:00 watching it.  I haven't listened to her songs in so long and I've decide I need to make sure my girls hear her music so they will love her too.  Especially Kaylee.  She is my little 80's and 90's wanna be.  She already loves Debbie Gibdon so I know she will love Whitney Houston as well.  And you can't beat a Valentine's Day where it only cost us $2 to enjoy!

Heidi's Baptism

What a wonderful weekend!  Friday began the Baptism Extravaganza as family slowly trickled in from all over.  We had Kaylee and Chris from Washington, my grandparents from Nevada and then my parents, Ben's parents, Becca & Kyle, and Than & Erica from California.  It was a packed house but luckily the weather was beautiful and we could send the kids outside.  We all got together Saturday morning and went to a Chinese New Year parade in Jacksonville, then I raced around town looking for a girls slip (they just don't have any anywhere!) and then headed home to prepare food and get ready for the baptism.  I've been reminded all weekend about Heidi's blessing eight years ago when once again family came and we blessed the first grand baby for both families.  It's funny how we had about the same amount of people but before it was a lot of aunts and uncles who were still around whereas this time it was fewer adults but tons of cousins!  It was just fun.  The kids all get along really well and they were just as excited for Heidi as she was.  No jealousy, no fighting, just cousins playing, caring for and supporting each other.  And as for the adults I felt the same way.  I have a wonderful family where we love and support one another and my siblings were totally willing to come and just shower Heidi with love and support.  They were also good at showering me with love and support.  They all know what stresses me out and many times I found them helping out so I wouldn't end up crying in the pantry.  I felt much more relaxed than I expected and the weekend was great.  

OK, for Heidi's baptism I want to write down exactly how it all went so I will always remember it.  It was one of the best moments of my life.  I was asked to speak on the gift of the Holy Ghost.  I told the kids how he will speak to you in different ways; a thought, warnings of something being wrong, and the burning feeling when something is right.  Well I did forgot to mention the times when you are so overcome with the Holy Ghost and the love of the Lord that you are brought to tears.  I did not expect to be so emotional during the baptism but as I watched her enter the baptismal font, watched as Ben-my wonderful husband and worthy priesthood holder-said the prayer and immersed her in water, watched as she came up out of the water, and then watched her come my way, smiling, and asking for my help I was completely flooded with love.  I felt so strongly that not only was this ordinance true and a part of God's commandments but that He had given all this to me out of love.  I felt so much love for Heidi, Ben, my other kids, my family watching and for the Savior that I couldn't control my tears.  I took Heidi into the changing room and helped her get back into her baptismal dress.  For a while I just put my arms around her and cried, telling her I loved her and wondering if my mom loved this special moment with me as I was loving it with my daughter.  She needed my help getting dressed, she wanted me there and I thought of how the next time that we will rush into another room to quickly change back into her white dress will be when she marries in the temple.  Pretty much her life flashed before my eyes and I wanted to hold onto that moment forever.  It also made me excited for Kaylee's baptism and getting to share a similar moment with her.  Just one moment with my beautiful daughter that is all my own and it is a wonderful moment.  It is WAY better than her reading Harry Potter!!  

For members of the LDS faith we are baptized and then confirmed.  Confirmed is when you are given the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands by a priesthood holder.  Ben confirmed her and we were so fortunate to have a large circle of men to stand in.  We are truly blessed to have so much family around. 

I really wanted to have this picture taken.  My grandma is Carolyn Ruth Harper Hancock.  My middle name is Carolyn and Heidi's middle name is Harper.  So we are all named after my grandma who is pretty amazing.  I've always felt close to her.  I don't know if people become who they are named after or not but I am a lot like my grandma and love it.  My grandma is getting old.  She really can say that she has worked herself to death because even with her bad hip she insisted on helping in the kitchen, bringing in food, bringing a little craft, and trying to calm a crying baby.  She was always the worker when we went to grandma's house.  My grandpa sat in a recliner while she cooked, cleaned and did everything.  Growing old has been hard on her.  She is losing the ability to work like she used to.  It's hard to watch because I know how I would feel if I had lost that sense of independence and she also refuses to accept help (another thing I totally get).  As her time does grow closer I already feel a longing to be around her and I feel more and more how much I will miss her when she is gone.  I was so grateful she came.

All in all it was a wonderful day.  It was another BIG payout for all the mundane tasks you do as a parent.  The gospel is true.  My religion is what I have based my life around.  I have followed the teachings of Jesus Christ as best as I can and yesterday my testimony of it's truthfulness was strengthened.  Maybe I wasn't motivated to be a mom so I could raise a righteous posterity but seeing your posterity make a righteous decision is a wonderful experience.