Roller Coaster that is Life

I don't know about anyone else but January is always a crazy month for me. Maybe because it is suppose to be a "new beginning" or whatever but it just always seems to be a crazy month, and so far it has been that for me. I have had too many things going on from church, house, kids, work (I have a home based business) and husband. So here is the recap of my life for the last two weeks.

I am the Enrichment leader in our ward and on top of the start of the year planning, they just called a new counselor to the RS Presidency that I get to work with. I think this is a good thing and I also feel like I'm the cause for the change. You see for the past two big quarterly activities that I have had the pleasure of putting together the RS Presidency has changed things on me over and over again during the whole process. They just seconded guessed every plan and decision that me and my committee has made. For the Christmas activity they changed EVERYTHING right out for under us 20 days before the event. At that point I told the RS President that if they did the same thing for our activity in March then I was going to quit. At first she thought I was joking, "surely you won't just quit", "no one just quits, at least not good active members". I laughed and said "you really don't know me too well, do you". I just can't and wont work like that. Well after many phone calls and promises things calmed down and next thing I know there is a new counselor. I guess the last one didn't want to work with someone who wanted to do her job. I'm happy to report that the new counselor sees things the same way I do about the process and I hope to enjoy my calling more in the coming year.

Now I don't know what got into me but for some reason I thought now was the time to paint more of my house. Ryan went to Driggs, ID again for work and so all last week while he was gone, I started painting. I finished painting my foyer, hall down the stairs and have started on my upstairs bathroom. I will post some pictures when I get it all done. But now I am starting to question my sanity.

The kids are so happy to be back at school but it seems like Ethan now has more homework than he did before. Thus bring on the fight to do his homework before he can play video games, etc.

He also went into the dentist on the 12th and had the other 3 front bottom teeth pulled to make way for his emerging permanent teeth and had 3 fillings put in. He did great through the whole thing. Now we are just having an even harder time trying to get him to brush his teeth because he says it hurts to brush where his teeth were pulled.

Holly is now to be called "Fairy Princess Holly Bug". My Dad sent the kids some money for Christmas and she spent hers on a new Princess bedside lamp and a new fairy dress with wings and all. I think she has worn it almost everyday and for all day on those days she doesn't have school.

Mason I think has conspired with his older siblings to drive me MAD. I know it is just part of being 17 months old but he is into EVERYTHING and climbing on EVERYTHING!! So on top of Ethan crying that he doesn't like doing homework and Holly jumping off of the coffee table trying to fly with her new wings and getting mad that they don't work, I now have a toddler trying to kill himself but climbing up on things ready to fall on his head at any moment.

Mason has also had major ear infections in both ears, which he just finished his antibiotics the end of last week. Now he has another one in his left ear and the start of one in his right. I just got back from taking him into the doctor (yes on Sunday) and he has to do a second round of a stronger antibiotic. Oh joy!!

Here are a couple of examples of Masons activities over the past two weeks.

He found and decided to taste a ink pad. Thank goodness it was water based!

He is climbing on my table at least 12 times a day and then can't get down so he screams at me until I come and get him down.
And finally I have been busy with work. I do the accounting for two condo associations and have had to finish their income statements for the year as well as help them get ready for their annual meetings. Let me just say that I am SO glad that we don't live in our condo anymore. Don't get me wrong I am happy that I was able to get the experience of serving on a condo homeowners committee, it has helped me to be able to earn some money for my family and still be at home with my kids. But listening to the struggles that these other homeowner associations go through just make me appreciate my home so much more.

Well that is it for now. Things are starting to slow down a little bit and hopefully I will be able to breath here soon.

Happy 2009!

As I said it would be a while till I posted anything and so it has been.

We had a very good Christmas and enjoyed our new home so much during the holidays. We did really well not to go overboard this year on gifts and I for one enjoyed the holiday more knowing we were not going to have to continue to pay for it into the New Year.

Although we were hit with a pretty big storm on Christmas day we were still able to go down to Ryan's parents house to have dinner and exchange family gifts. We had Katie & Mike's family this year and they had ours. They gave us each a really cool bean thing that you warm up in the microwave. They work like hot water bottles and keep your bed/toes warm with out the danger of leaking. That is just what they remind me of because I can remember being in my Grandparents house and all of us girls (me and my aunts) lining up at the stove to have our hot water bottle filled just before bed. Now it is Ethan and Holly lining up in front of the Microwave waiting for there "snuggy" as they have dubbed them, to be warmed up. They use them almost every night, as have I, Ryan being the only one not to. But then again he is usually the one trying to open the window or turning on the ceiling fan. I think he is just enjoying not having me stick my cold feet on him every night. ;)

Ryan got me a new camera for Christmas and I have loved it because it is just a step down from the professional ones and takes really good pictures. Although as you can tell from some of the pictures below it took me awhile to figure out how to use it. So please forgive some of them.

Anyway I am just going to put a bunch of pictures below so you can see our holiday and I hope you all had a great Christmas/New Years too.

Waiting to be able to come up and see what Santa brought.

The aftermath of present opening.

Ethan & Holly playing Holly's new "Dora the Explorer Saves the Snow Princess" Wii game.

Mason taking a "ba ba" break. Notice he won't take his had off his new Mono guitar.

Ethan and Holly waiting for the ball to drop at midnight (EST). We never told them it was really only 10 pm our time.

Happy Christmas

A Happy Christmas to one and all! I just wanted to be sure to wish everyone a happy holiday because it could be a few days before I will post any pictures of the mayhem that will ensue tomorrow morning.
The kids are bouncing and driving me crazy today. They just don't understand why on earth we would want a clean house for Christmas. I told them it was because if Santa came tonight and our house was a mess then we wouldn't know where to leave the gifts, so they might not get any. Ethan's response to that was "oh he will leave the presents Mom, because you always clean up after we go to bed so no big deal." The little smarta**, I mean...well you know.
I'm a little disappointed because I ordered Ryan some fun gifts on the 15th and 3 of them are not going to be here for tomorrow morning. So I'm having to print off color pictures of them to wrap up. Ryan's says that it is no big deal but it still is a disappointment for me not to see him open them on Christmas morning. They really are cool!
But on a happy note my cousin Heather and her little family made it to Calgary safely. I have been worried about them all week. They have been living in Portland for the last few years while her husband completed chiropractic school and he just graduated last week. So they packed up their family (they have two little ones Ethan and Holly's ages) and were driving with all there belongings from Portland, OR to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. As you may have seen on the news, Portland and the whole Northwest part of the US was hit with the worst storm(s) since 1963 this past week. Sounds like they had a bit of a hard time getting out of Portland, but they arrived safely in Calgary last night. Just in time for Christmas. Yeah!!
Well I hope that everyone knows how much we love and are thankful for each and everyone of our families and extended families as well as all of our dear friends. We have truly been blessed and hope you all have a wonderful and safe Christmas.

A Preschool Christmas

Today was Holly's last day of school until the New Year and for her last day her preschool held their 51st Annual Christmas Program. Ryan went and got Ethan out of school early so that our whole family was there to support Holly in her first on stage performance.

It was held at the Clearfield Library Auditorium which has a stage with curtains and everything. Holly sat on the front row of the 3 & 4 year old choir and she sang her little heart out. Now I know where she learned all the Christmas songs. She has been singing around the house for two weeks now and I am amazed that she can remember all the words to so many songs.

Her big part came at the beginning where she played the BEST pink Christmas light ever.

They sang a ton of songs and they even had a nativity reenactment. So very cute!!! Holly was just in the choir for the nativity part but she gave it her all. She is my little singer so watch out American Idol.

As a big surprise at the end Santa himself showed up to give each child in the program their chance to sit on his lap and tell him what they wanted for Christmas. Holly asked for a new doll, which is news to us because she has been asking for everything but.

She then got a gift from the gift exchange they had for her and her classmates and also got a new beginning reader book from all her teachers (she has 6) and got a cookie on the way out.

It was so much fun to watch I just wish we could have had our video camera to tape it. I will not say anything more about the lack of video other than that....

We had such a wonderful morning and are looking forward to the Christmas program next year.

We got Snow!

We now have snow! I was starting to get worried that we wouldn't have snow for Christmas because it was 40 F outside last week and our grass was still green. There is nothing more depressing than a green Christmas. But we got our wish and the snow came. That is when we realized that Ethan really wasn't equipped for recess in the snow. We were hoping to get through Christmas but...this morning when I woke up it was really cold out. Okay not REALLY cold, but cold for Utah. It was 18 F out this morning and Ethan didn't have a good winter coat, because he hasn't really need one before. So I sent him to school with his "hoodie" on and his fleece coat on over top. We found him some old mittens that were too small but would get him through the day because he had lost his other gloves.

On my way out the door I told Ryan I was taking the kids to school and that I would be stopping at Walmart to get Ethan and Holly new winter coats, and Ethan some new winter boots and gloves. Holly had gotten her "FuFa" hat and gloves from earlier this year and she can fit into Ethan's old boots. They are blue, not pink but who cares what color they are, right?

So I got to Walmart dreading the prospect of having to buy new winter gear right before Christmas but I couldn't let Ethan freeze. So I set out looking.

First I found the boots and thought "maybe" if they had some pink boots for Holly at a descent price I might get her some new ones. Well they were $30!!! No way was I going to buy boots for that price she could ware the blue ones. I was trying to find something better for Ethan that wouldn't cause me sticker shock and found a pair for $15 and they were as good as the $30 ones, go figure. Then I found coats for both of them on clearance and some good ski gloves for Ethan at a good price. So I felt better not having to break the bank and was able to get my kids in some warm clothes for the snow.

When I picked them up from school they were all excited. The first thing they did when they got home was try them on and then had to go right outside. Now it has been all I could do to keep them inside long enough to eat and do homework! They are making good use of the sled that Auntie Annie and Uncle Dan gave us for Christmas last year.

I can't tell you how much happier we are in this new house with a yard that my kids can enjoy in summer and now winter. They love the snow and are praying for more, so be prepared for more of the white stuff.

The Tooth Fairy is Coming...FINALLY

Finally early this morning Ethan's tooth that has been loose for almost 2 months now, came out. Ethan pulled it out him self and it was "easier than he thought it would be". He was so excited and now that he knows that wiggling it with his tongue works (Mom was right - wow) hopefully we will have a better time with the next one.

As you can see from the picture his permanent tooth is almost all the way in behind were his lost tooth was. Now if I can just get him to listen to me and push on it to get it into place "maybe" and that's a BIG maybe he can avoid braces.

Ethan is the one of my kids that doesn't trust anything anyone says to him. He has always "known" better since he was a baby. Let me tell you I can't wait till he is a teenager! At least I know he trusts me more than anyone else because I have always tried to tell him the truth. I was the one to tell him that shots hurt and always prepared him for what was coming. But for some reason he has a paranoid streak in him. It has got to be a dormant genetic thing that has come out because we have tried to raise him in a way that we should be trustworthy.

He still has a dentist appointment scheduled for the first part of next year. He has to have the other 3 of his front bottom teeth pulled and two cavities filled. I'm hoping that another one of his teeth comes out before then. The less time he spends in the chair the less likely he has to turn into his Dad. I think it is going on what 15 or more years since Ryan has seen a dentist. I think we would have to knock him out just to get him in the door. Somehow I hope that Ryan can rise to the occasion an be a better example to Ethan but I'm not holding my breath. Total anti-dentite!

Well we are looking forward to the visit from the Tooth Fairy tonight. I wonder what a tooth goes for these days?

Joys of the Holidays

So we are all decorated for the Christmas holiday. But with it comes the unavoidable annoyances that holiday decorations bring, especially with 3 cats and a 15 1/2 month old in the house. What I wasn't expecting was that Ethan and Holly can't seem to keep their hand off of the tree! Everyday I find that Ethan has decided to rearrange all the ornaments in clumped groupings through out the tree. Boy does that drive me CRAZY!! Who would have thought that my 6 year old is more of a problem with the tree than my toddler. Mason has been really good with the tree at least. He has one ornament that has jingle bells on it that he takes off everyday just so he can shake it. Other than that he just goes really close up to the tree and looks at it, then looks at me and or Ryan who say "no,no,no". If it is Ryan who says it he bursts into tears and runs to me but if it is me he just walks away. Why is that? But he is such a good kid when it comes to the tree.

The presents and the "Little People" nativity on the other hand... Mason likes to pull each gift out from under the tree and take it to the nearest person. Which will be great on Christmas day because I think we will let him pass out the gifts. The nativity is always pulled apart and the button that plays "Away in a Manger" is always pushed. I have had to turn it off and told the older kids to "NOT TURN IT ON UNDER PUNISHMENT OF DEATH" at times but all of them seem to love playing with it. Christmas is the only time of year they can play with the nativity because I'm sure the different "peoples" would go missing if we kept it out for them to play with all year.

The cats also love to play and especially sleep under the tree. It gets warm under there when to lights are on and the love the heat. I thought Tess was going to drive me crazy because she was always trying to climb the tree while I was working on getting all the lights to work, but thankfully she has not tried to climb it since the ornaments have been put on. She just bats at a couple of the small balls on the inside of the tree now. I can handle that...I think.

We have also been enjoying our new flat screen TV we got the day after Thanksgiving. Our other TV died. I think something happened when we moved because ever since March we have had some small white lines across the top 3 inches of the screen. The color has also been going "wonky" since then too. So we dealt with it till all the good after Thanksgiving sales and found a REALLY good deal. The kids love it and tell Ryan and I just how cool it is often. As you can see from the picture the old staple at our house is still "Yo Gabba Gabba". That is almost all that is on during the day anymore, well other than Ethan playing Mario Cart.

The kids are very excited for Christmas and are just bouncing all the time. Holly is calling the Christmas presents Jesus' Birthday presents. We have already had the discussion about why we celebrate Christmas and she asks if she can open one of the "Birfday presents" almost everyday. I just hope that we can keep everything under wraps till the big day. I am out numbered now a days 3 to 1.

Wish me luck. I'm going to need it.

Better Late the Never

So as you can see I have been a total slacker and not posted anything for a long while. Not that I haven't had anything to post but because we have had a lot of things going on and that I gave my self some "me" time to reread the whole Twilight series. It is amazing how when I am too stressed out with reality that if I can escape into the world of fantasy for just a little while it helps me to unwind.

Anyway I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We just had Thanksgiving here at our house as Ryan's parents went to Colorado to spend the holiday with his sister Liz and her family. I hope they had a great time! I know how much it means to have some of your own family around once and awhile.

But we had a nice quiet day with the full spread for dinner. I did the trimmings and Ryan cooked the turkey. He is really good at turkey's maybe because he is one. Oh, did I just say that? ;) tee he...

We also celebrated Ethan's 6th Birthday the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. We had a party for him the Sunday before his birthday with Ryan's family and some friends. Then on his birthday we took him to Magrath's Fish house for dinner. When we asked him were he wanted to go for his birthday he said, "the place with the flags in the fish sticks". It took us a little bit to figure out the place he meant but we all had a great time. He got a free chocolate sundae and they put a big fish hat on his head while they sang "Happy Birthday" to him.

Now we are getting ready for the Christmas holidays. I just finished with the decorating yesterday and we have been slowly gathering some of the kids gifts and locking them away in a closet we have down stairs. We had to put a pad lock on it just after we moved in to keep Ethan out of his Dad's Star Wars toys. It has come in handy with birthday's and Christmas.

Well I am going to try and keep up better during the holidays. I think I will just keep my laptop up on the kitchen table so that I can do just that. We are going to be taking pictures of the kids int he next couple of days for our Christmas card and getting those out soon.