Princess Hair

So my mom sent me a link to this blog. It's a whole blog on hairstyles for little girls. I am so excited. Much to Abbi's dismay, I love doing her hair. She enjoys it to a certain extent. Not the extent that I do, it also makes matters worse that I am quite a perfectionist so doing it over and over til it's right does not appeal to her. Anyway, she is actually pretty excited to try out some of these "Princess" do's so here is the first....

So....it's over. All that build up, anticipation, and preparation and the 2009 Holiday Season is over. We had a good one. We were able, for the first time in our family's history, have our 'own' Christmas morning. We have our own space here in my mother in law's basement, so the kids woke up and we did our thing. Abbi was super excited to be Santa's helper and pass out the gifts. They were all pretty excited about the things they got (they are all incredibly spoiled) and even more excitement that their cousins were coming over later. We all had a really great Christmas and a good New Year too. I made John stay up (yes that's right, made him, he is such a stick in the mud) so I could get a New Year's kiss from my hubby for the first time in 6 years (the last couple of years my kiss has been from my children--still not too bad, just not the same).

Anyway, great holiday season. It's just always over so fast and here we are, 2010. I am so incredibly glad 2009 is over--I can't even put into words how much it pleases me that that cursed year is over. I have to say that my family has grown much from the plentiful trials we have had, I am just not at the point of being grateful for those trials....yet.

For the sake of prosperity, I will write down the goals I have for my family this year...

We have really done well with family scripture study and family prayer in the evening, so firstly, I want to have family prayer every day in the morning before everyone departs for the day. I would also like to make Family Home Evening a habit.  Of course, I would like to keep the moving to a minimum this year, and get in a better financial position, and maybe get into a home of our own again. As always, I would love for more patience to rain down on me from heaven, or maybe I should just count to ten.

Well, there you are....and here we go 2010!!!

so soon

Christmas is just days away. I am so grateful for my Father in Heaven and my Savior. I love this time of year to celebrate the miraculous birth of Christ and the opportunity to concentrate on family.

I am so blessed in that department. This year has been very challenging and it has brought one thing to my attention... I have a wonderful family. It's not that I didn't realize this before, I really just have a newfound gratitude and admiration for all of those loved ones in our life. My husband is wonderful, of course, and I love my children to death always, but our extended families have done so much for us in our times of need and I don't know that I can ever fully express the impact that has had on me. My dream is to, one day, be as kind, generous, loving, selfless and Christ-like as these precious ones in our lives.

I hope all of you wonderful people in our lives have a Merry Christmas. I hope you make great memories with your families and remember the true reason for the season. I will be missing my parents and siblings this holiday very much. Have fun in Idaho!!

Crazy?

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly. President Thomas S. Monson

I stole this quote (well, technically from President Monson) from my Relief Society President's blog--thanks Amy! I love it. Just love it. I was at church the other day and some one asked

"You have four kids?"

"Yeah" 

"How old is your oldest?"

"Five."

"Really? Wow."  (accompanied by a look questioning my sanity)

I proceeded to have a similar conversation after church with someone. I seem to have that conversation a lot. Is it really that hard to believe? That someone....that I, would have decided to have four children in five years?  I suppose it could be a possibility that John and I are not educated in the many different methods of birth control, this is not the case. We planned and expected each pregnancy, in fact, there would have been less of a gap between a couple of the kids if we had had things our way. No, I don't like being pregnant. No, I am not particularly silly about babies. No, I am not crazy.

Yes, my life is crazy. There is more cleaning, laundry, sticky messes, ouchies, whining, crying, kisses, band-aids, playdates, Happy Meals, toys, yelling, hugs, cartoons, mac and cheese, diapers, bottles, noise, carseats, wipes, fighting and frustration than is probably healthy... but I am not crazy. Our house is usually clean, the kids (and myself) are bathed, they have good manners considering their ages, we aren't late too often, I even get time to myself occassionally.

 

It's so amazing. I love that they have each other to learn from and to grow with. I am so proud that Abbi loves reading to her little brothers, and Isaac is so sweet to everyone (most of the time), and Jake is more boy than any boy I have ever encountered, and Ethan is just so entertained and adored by all of the older kids. I am proud that they are well behaved, happy children. I am so grateful to have them in my life and I will never fully be able to express that. So yeah...Wow. Really.

28...Ugh!

So yesterday was my birthday. UGH! Not that I didn't have a good birthday, as far as birthdays go. I got some awesome gifts and my hubby took me on a great date. There was a blizzard. It doesn't get much better, really. What is really upsetting to me is that I am closer to 30. Why does 28 seem so much closer to that dreaded number? I mean, I was 27 less than 48 hours ago, but 28 just seems leaps and bounds closer to the big three-oh. I don't get it. I really never thought that I would care-I do.

I really think it's just hard to wrap my brain around. 30 is middle age ( I do still have two precious years)  and I am not middle age. I am a kid. I am a teenager, a college student, a young adult, a young wife, a new mother....where has the time gone? I just feel like my life is passing before my eyes and I am on the sidelineswaiting for it to get started. I need to get in the game-I am just not sure how, I guess. I need to work on that one.

Thanks to all my loved ones for making my big day a happy one...numbers aside!

Magic...

I have to tell you all how much I love this time of year. I love the music, the weather, the good feelings, remembering the birth of our Savior, and I love being SANTA to my children. (Being SANTA to myself isn't so bad either) I remember being a kid and feeling that 'magic' that surrounds this time of year. That wore off a long time ago...until I had kids to re-create it all for.

I absolutely adore shopping, so any reason to do that is a good one. I am so proud of Abbi and Jake when they show that they actually understand the reason for the season. They affectionately call Christmas "Jesus' birthday". I think it was Abbi who asked once why we get presents if it's Jesus birthday. Good question. I like that I have 99.9% of my shopping done so I don't have to stress...just sit back, relax and enjoy it with my family.

I am grateful that, although our situation is not ideal, we are together--our little family of six. I guess that's not so little. I am grateful that I have had the health and ability to have the four wonderful, healthy children that we have. I am thankful everyday that I have such an incredible husband to share this life, and the eternities, with. John is loving, hard working and fun. I love him so much. I look back on this crazy (and in some ways awful) year, and I really just can't believe it. We have endured several trials of different sorts and although I am not quite at the point to be grateful for those trials, I am grateful for the growth and strength in my family that has resulted from them.

This is going to be a wonderful holiday season, and I am so excited for it. I love my family and I am so grateful for all of my many blessings.

P.S. The pics are all from last year and earlier this year!

Jake had a birthday party. Yes, a party. . .not an actual birthday. . .yet. His big day is not until the 25th but we had some awesome family in town, so we had the party early. My wonderful parents came into town, along with my sis and her kids. I was so happy to see them. I have missed them all so much lately.

Why is it that we always seem rushed when family comes to visit? Rushed to do what? I am not sure but I always wish we had more time.

Jake wanted to go bowling for his Spiderman party. Strange, I know. We had much of our extended family there, along with Jake's friend Koy. Watching all the kids bowl is so funny. We had cake and ice cream in their party room and we were done. Given my history, a very simple party and I think the kids had a great time.

We also had Halloween way back when. We went to the ward trunk-or-treat that Thurday and went trick-or-treating around the neighborhood for a bit. I think the kids were most excited about passing out candy though when we got back.

Oh yeah, and we moved. . .again!! I am not kidding. We moved down here to Manhattan to be together as a family all the time (John has been working, and staying here most of the time, for the past two months). We have our own little space in my mother in law's basement. And believe it or not, it has been a vast improvement for our children. I am not sure how long we will be here, or where we will go after. . .I have no clue. If this past year has taught us anything, we'll just go with the flow and keep praying.