More Happenings

I figured that I would take a couple of days to update everything. After Halloween then came Ethan's 7th Birthday. We went down to Ryan's family the Sunday before and had a party with them. Uncle Shawn has his birthday just 3 days before Ethan and so we celebrated both birthday's together. We had a great dinner and then cake w/ ice cream and gifts afterward.
On Ethan's birthday, day he woke up to find a new bike from Mom & Dad. He was so excited he had to go right outside and try it out, although it was a little cold. Latter that day we had a bunch of his friends over for a party. All the kids had gotten out for American Thanksgiving the day before so it all worked out to have it in the middle of the day. We ordered pizza's, played pin the tale on the donkey and of course more cake w/ice cream. Everyone love the prize bags and the party was a hit. Now almost a month latter I'm still trying to get Ethan to write his thank you notes. He is old enough now that he can write them out on his own, but he thinks of it as work and so he is slow to do them.
Thanksgiving was the next day and I got up early to put the turkey together and get it in the oven. I found all the Martha Stewart Thanksgiving recipes and really wanted to try them out. I even made stuffing the old fashioned way with bread, vegetables and the whole 9 yards. It all turned out great if I do say so my self. The only bummer was that Ryan was in bed sick the whole day and only got up to eat, which he only did because I told him that if he was too sick to eat then I wasn't going to go to all the trouble of making a big dinner. Ryan's parents went to California this year and all his sisters had their in-law's to go to so I was just cooking for us. He didn't want to miss out on the dinner or the left overs so he got up. We had a nice small, low key Thanksgiving, which was just fine with us.
Ryan was sick in bed for 6 whole days. We were pretty sure it was the swine flu as he had all the symptoms and was told it just needed to run it's course. He still is not feeling 100% more than 3 weeks latter. But on the bright side he doesn't have to get the swine flu shot. Mason had a much milder case and the rest of us got away with not getting it. ;)
I put up the Christmas tree the Monday after Thanksgiving, only to find out that our lights on our pre-lit tree were dead. So we had to get a new one, all I have to say is thank goodness for Wal*mart sales. I have been decorating and re-decorating (thanks Mason) little by little ever since. I am working on making stockings today. It's my first time doing all by myself, even making my own pattern. Once they are done I will post a picture of them with the matching tree skirt. As you can tell I've been feeling a little "Martha Stewart-ish" lately.
That brings us up to date and I'm sure we will have a lot to post as the holiday's progress. The kids are already bouncing off the walls and we still have 14 days to go. But I will admit that it is kind of fun with the magic so alive and to have three little ones to keep it going. I just have to make sure I remember all the magic that my Mom was so good at when I was growing up. It has evolved over the years but if there is a question I can't answer then my kids are the first ones to say let's get Grandma Bo on the web cam. She is the resident expert on all the magic of Christmas, as it should be. So that years from now that will be one of the great things my kids and remember and share with my Mom...Christmas. Which makes me happy.

Too Long....

Once again my life has picked me up and run. It's times like these that you look around and say "Holy Crap how does time slip by so fast".
Since my last post we had Halloween which was really fun this year because one, it was really warm and I didn't have to bundle my kids up to go trick or treating, and two because it was Mason's first time going out. Ethan surprised me this year by wanting to be Dracula. I really thought he would want to be Iron Man or something, I even offered to get him a new costume but no he just wanted teeth. We had almost everything else.
Holly had to be a fairy this year. Last year was a princess and she told me that she had to be the fairy this year since her name was "Fairy Princess Holly Bug". The logic of children...who can argue with it?
Mason of course had to be a devil. I got red hair stray and got his Mohawk going with it, because I knew he would never keep horns on. It fit him so well.
The kids had so much fun going around our neighbourhood. Now that we have been here awhile we know more people, thus making it more fun for them. Ryan went out with them and I stayed home to pass out candy. We had more trick or treater's this year, again because we have been here longer and more people know us.
Mason started getting tired after a while but Holly was such great big sister to him. She took his pumpkin up to each house with her and asked nicely if she could get a candy for her little brother. She really impressed her Dad with the kindness she showed. Great time and great memories.
We have such great kids. They drive me crazy on a daily basis but it's the little moments in between where I can really see how we have been blessed. Holly and Mason are getting closer each day. I think they are bonding more because they are spending so much more time together, just the two of them while Ethan is in school all day. I will often come into the room and see them sitting beside each other and Mason will have his hand behind his sisters back.
Ethan and Mason are getting closer too now that they are sharing a room together. Mason feels like he is more a part of things and Ethan has been trying harder to be a good big brother.
You see, Mason just LOVES Patrick who lives across the street. He will see Patrick and just run right up to him and give him a big hug. I think Ethan has been a little jealous of Patrick and so he has been working on being nicer to Mason. Just the past week Ethan has been coming home from school and Mason will run and give him a hug. I can just see the big smile on Ethan's face when that happens.
Life has been crazy and I've been going in too many directions lately. But at this Christmas season we need to look at what we do have and not dwell on what we don't. I think that will be my New Years resolution this year. To take more time for the things that matter, to see the good things.

Black Island Farms

For Family Home Evening last Monday we went to Black Island Farms. A working farm that hosts a Harvest Festival every fall. We got some free passes from the realtor that helped us sell our condo and find our home we are in now. You can't beat free and Ryan and I have been trying really hard to hold Family Home Evening every week. Since the passes were for a Monday it worked out just great.

I had never been but Holly and Ryan had. Every year Holly's preschool takes them on a field trip to Black Island Farms and she had told me a little about it but mostly that she got to pick out her own pumpkin from the pumpkin patch. We thought it would be fun. When we got there, there were a lot of people in line with their passes to get a wrist band and a ticket for the hay ride. We opted to go see the baby animals first. Mason LOVED it. He just loves all kinds of animals. First the baby cows and then Ethan and Holly spotted the turkeys. Ethan has making some kind of clucking noise, when Ryan told him that turkeys don't cluck they gobble. It was so funny, Ethan and Holly were "gobbling" at the top of their lungs, then the turkeys would answer them back. They laughed so hard I though they were going to pass out. They most have gobbled back and forth for 5 minutes straight.
We then went on to the baby pigs. Mason liked them the best and he kept sticking his little hands into the pen. I thought for sure he was going to get one of his fingers bitten off. Then onto the goats and finally the Lamas. Ethan was the first to say "Hey Dad, they have a Tina the Lama, you know from Napoleon Dynamite." That made me laugh, leave it to Ethan. Ethan and Holly were picking long bunches of grass and feeding it to the Lama. Once again Mason reached up and almost got his fingers taken off. That boy has no fear!

Next we were off to the big slides. Which the kids had a blast on. Mason wouldn't go down or up for that matter on any of them. This is where the fear came in. Go figure.

At this point we started getting eaten by mosquitoes and decided to go to take a hay ride. The kids wanted to go to the big pumpkin bounce house first but the line was too long. We headed for the hay ride. This is were we would stop by the pumpkin patch and each of the kids could pick out their own pumpkin. But once again the line was too long and it was a 20 minute wait in between loads. So we told the kids we would come back when it wasn't so busy and that is when the melt down started. We said we would stop and get ice cream at Baskin Robbins on the way home and the melt down stopped as quick as it started.
Ryan and I received gift certificates to Baskin Robbins as a wedding present almost 14 years ago. I have never found an expiration date on them so I have kept them all this time. Guess what they were still good!!! So over a decade latter we were able to enjoy a wedding gift with our kids. How cool is that. The kids loved the ice cream and was still talking about it to their friends today. I guess the farm didn't make that big of an impression.

So I would say that was a pretty good deal for our FHE...free passes and then gift certificates. Not bad.

It's been FOREVER, I know!

So I took a vacation from blogging. It's been what 3 months now and I admit I've been a Facebook junkie. It has become my main way of staying in touch with family and friends, but I figured out that that is just a shortened version of what has been happening with me and not really my family. Which is one of the reasons I started this blog to begin with. The second reason being to keep a kind of history. So I am back on the band wagon, sort of speak.

A lot has happened with our little family over the past 3 month so I have a lot of catching up to do. We will start back in June since that was the last time I posted anything and even then I left out one thing. So here we go...

June: My Mom and brother Scot came down for their annual visit. We all had a blast, even though Holly won't go near Scot. She was and is mad at him for cutting his hair. I know, I know but once she gets an idea in her head there is no changing her mind. You just have to let it run it's course. Anyway we all went to the zoo and had a great time.

July: The 4th of July was a small celebration at home with my brother Ryan & this family and our across the street neighbors The Killboy's. The kids ran through the sprinklers and had a blast (no pun intended) lighting fireworks.

August: Now this month we had a lot happen. First we found out we were expecting another baby. We were happy and looking forward to the new addition. Since we were getting ready to go to Canada for my Grandpa's "early" 80th birthday party I waited to go and see the doctor.

We headed up to Canada and stayed with my unt Cherri along with my aunt Julie and uncle Doug who had come up as well. The kids had so much fun playing with and getting to know all the cousins. We got to go to the Calgary tower, Lake Louis and Banff while we were there. We stayed for 10 days and stopped over night at my Grandparents house in Cardston where we took the kids to walk around the Cardston Temple. We all had a great time seeing family and it was great for me to be home and around my family. It really helped me to know that I was Okay and not some sort of outsider. I will go into that more another time.

When we got home I went to the doctor. It was not great news. Dr. Wood took and ultra sound and the baby was not growing the way it should be if my dates were right. Some blood tests were taken and found that my hormone levels were not rising the way that they should be. The doctor said that I should expect to have a miscarriage within two weeks.

I was pretty messed up because 1) we told both of our families and the kids 2) because I had seen the babies heart beat on the first ultra sound. It was hard and I had so many worries and questions but with a couple of blessings, talks with Cherri and prayer I came out better for it.

I was up through most of the night when the miscarriage started and I prayed a lot. But then about 6 am the feeling of peace came and I had my answer. This little one was just such a great kid that he just needed to be around long enough to get a body. That he would join our family in time after his work on the other side was done. That as much as I wanted to be finished having kids (I'm 38 after all) that there was one more little girl waiting to join our family. That it wasn't time for her to join our family yet and not to worry about rushing to have her come. It would happen at the right time and to be happy with that. So from that moment on I was Okay.

September: School starts. Ethan is in 1st grade and loving it. Holly is in preschool and wants it to hurry up because she wants to go to Kindergarten all ready. Mason well he is just Mason. He had a good birthday the end of August and likes having Mom to himself two days a week. We are not sure if he is going to be starting preschool next year although he will be old enough, but it will come down to potty training.

That brings us up to date. I know there could be a whole lot more detail to this but I think I have a long enough post for today.

So we start a new with the happening of our little family.

The Things This Boy Says!

Ethan finished his dinner the other night and exclaimed, " I'm fuller than a chicken in a barrel ". All Ryan and I could do was laugh! We asked him where on earth he got that one from and he just look at both of us confused and said he had just made it up. Look out world we have another Dan Rather on our hands!

The Men in My Life

Today is a very special day. Not only is it Father's Day but 13 years ago today I married the man that would become my best friend. We got off to a ruff start but it has only gotten better with time. We have grown together in so many ways and he has taught me how to be a better person. I've learned how to bite my tongue and to take the higher ground. To laugh at myself and at life. To stand firm on the things that really matter and to let go of the things that don't. He makes me what to become a better wife, mother, and friend. So thank you Ryan for your patients and love. I know the Lord loves and cares for me because he sent me you. A man that completes me and that He knew I would need to help me to become all that I could be. Happy Anniversary, honey, I love you forever!

It is also Father's Day and I want to just say that I have been blessed with a great Dad, Don. He and my Mom divorced when I was just 2 and so I never got the chance to have him around much while I was growing up but right around the time that I got married I got a second gift. The opportunity to get to know him better and have him in my life. Although we are still in the process of getting to know each other, this is what I've have found and admire about my Dad. He is easy to laugh, very kind and soft spoken. He is giving and loving and is a very hard worker. Too hard at times. He knows how to have fun and look at the good things in life. He has helped me in that respect. To look at the good when you are surrounded by the bad. I hope my brothers know just how lucky they are to have had him right there as they were growing up and that they appreciate all that he does for them now.

Love you Dad and I love having you in my life and that my children can have the opportunity to know and learn from you.

Last but not least is my Grandpa Cameron. He is the wise one who was and is a positive father figure in my life. He teaches by example in everything that he does. Works hard at honest work. Serves others and enjoys the wonders of nature all around us. Respects and learns the lessons of those that have gone on before. And most of all to have faith while in darkness, because there is always a light somewhere. I hope that I can be the kind of mother as he has been a father/grandfather.

I love all of the great men and I know that I wouldn't be the person I am today without them. I hope that they all know how much they mean to me.

Just a quick post to share Holly's latest...

While making the most dramatic sick face she could muster and bending half over she says, "Mom my body hurts....I didn't eat enough vegetables"

So remember to eat those vegetables!

Choosing to Be Happy

I came across a quote by Jillian Michaels of all people that really kind of hit me. "Happiness is a choice. Life will not always be easy. You won't always be happy. Things will go wrong that are unfair & totally out of your control, but...YOU have a choice. You can choose to become a victim of these unfortunate events or you can choose to learn from them and grow."

I've heard the old adage that you need to choose to be happy but I guess the word "victim" is what really hit me. I never looked at it as letting yourself be a victim and if there is one thing I have never thought of myself as is a victim. That empowered me to take a look at my life and how I react to it. So the last few days although I've been really tired and overwhelmed at times I have made a choice to not so much be happy but to NOT be a victim of the situations and people around me. I think that I've been happier the last couple of days because of it.

I've also tried to figure out how to be better organize my days, especially with the kids home for the summer. We also have the blessing of having Patrick over this summer. For those who don't know Patrick is the 7 year old that lives across the street and has become good friends with Ethan and Holly. Patrick's Mom Holly (yes another Holly) is a single mom and we try to help her out whenever we can and so we said that we would watch Patrick this summer.

Anyway, in the attempt to get better organized I came across this great website/blog on Ryan's cousin Raimi's blog. http://www.simplemom.net/, thanks Raimi!

It is great so check it out. It has great idea's to get your crap together and for anyone who really knows me I can't live without lists. I have "to do" lists everywhere and simple mom has a form called the "daily docket" that helps to organize your day. Score! I used it yesterday and I loved it. It not only helped me get organized it gave me inspiration and a place to write down the funny things my kids say that I want to remember. Then I can take them to my computer and record them in, you guessed it, my blog.

So here are the things my kids said to make me smile...

Ethan - "When I woke up I was crabby, but then I shook my head and now I'm fine."

Holly - singing the primary song "Wise Man & Foolish Man" changed the words a little..."The wise man build his house upon the rock and the rain blew the trampoline down". She sings almost constantly which I love too but I really get a laugh when she changes the words. I just can't let her see I'm having a chuckle because she gets very upset that I'm laughing at her. So take note.

Well now you can see the route my posts will be taking in the future. Hope you like it and you could always give some feedback. I love comments...hint, hint. ;)