Beautiful Sunday Afternoon

Here I sit at my computer listening to Alan read the children Halloween stories we checked out from the Library Wednesday, I love to hear is silly voices he does, Calvy gets annoyed with all the voices and says repeatedly, "Daaaaaad".  I'm sad to say that I think that came from me, it used to annoy me too, "there are certain ways you need to read a story"  I would think.  Alan is a great Daddy and loves to make things fun for the children.  He took them on a great hike last Sunday while I stayed home and napped.  They were gone forever!  He came home and told me, "it takes a REALLY long time to walk a mile with kids."  haha!  That Sunday he actually came home with a picninc table that someone was throwing out, and a HUGE bar b que grill that someone else was throwing out.  We have been wanting a new grill for SO long, but hadn't been able to afford it, just one of those, "one of these days" wishes.  I am so thankful for being able to pay tithing and receiving the blessings for it.(we paid our tithing that day)

We have been working hard at being very positive and excited for the future, but also being very satisfied with what we have already been given.  We are struggling to teach this to our children, whose favorite phrase is "when Daddy makes more money can we get..." Which is my fault I had said many times, "we can't do that right now, but when Daddy starts to make more money we will."  So Alan is working on being very positive with his work and the way things are going and working to be more successful.  I am working at not being frustrated with my kidneys sill recovering and the UTI/Bladder Infection that is plaguing me, and to just be grateful for the fact that I am NOT double over in pain.  I am grateful to have energy to clean the house and rearrange furniture.  My very favorite thing to do, I have moved bedrooms around in preparation for this baby.  We are ready for whatever sex it may be.  We are VERY excited and all of us would love to have a girl.  Calvy said "I will love the baby if it is a girl, and I will like it if it is a boy."  I asked him why he wouldn't be as excited for a brother and he said "because then Ellie will have a sister and she will stop messing up our things."  Haha!

I do not feel the usual "I need to have this baby!" feelings, I don't feel incredibly uncomfortable, but I do feel extremely tired and I just noticed my face looking like a prego face, ew.  I was hoping to bypass that with this pregnancy.  Alan says that's pretty cool that the day before my due date I start to look pregnant, he's a sweet man.  He's awesome, I do love him.

Alan took the boys to Father's and Sons, Friday and Saturday.  It was so fun to think about little Caleb on his first campout trip, and how much fun it would be for him.  Calvy had a great time and watched out for his little brother the while time.  No one was hurt and they had a blast.  There was a HUGE rainstorm, like HUGE,  on Friday  night.  Alan said they were one of the few to stay dry and were able to stay all night, I was so grateful.  Every time I got up to go the the restroom during the night, which was a lot, I said a little prayer for them.  Eleanor and I had a girls night and went out to dinner, and bought gum at the dollar store and painted our nails and watched movies late into the night.  Ellie was disappointed when Daddy and the boys came home because that meant Daddy would take up his spot on his side of the bed, and she would have to sleep in her bed.

We had our Primary Program today and Calvin did his part all by himself.  He has always been SO shy that he would never even go up on the stand to sing or anything, this time he stayed up there the whole time, sang all the songs and said hid part all by himself.  We are SO proud of him, I wish we could have recorded it.

I am anxious for this baby to come and be apart of our family!  I can't wait to see what this labor will be like.  I know I can do it.

I hope you are all enjoying this Autumn season, I sure am.  I LOVE Halloween and I love pumpkins and I love baking and being warm under my covers with the cold wind coming in through the windows.  I love seeing the leaves change and seeing all the pumpkins and other decorations pop out on peoples porches.  We so love Halloween around here, we love the candy, the dressing up, the books and funs spooky, not horror, movies.  We love ordering pizza Halloween night and watching Hocus Pocus and counting our candy and trading.  Oh, aren't you so excited!?  I can't wait!

Have a great week and PRAY for me and my sweet baby, that we will be able to meet soon and be happy and healthy.

-Keara 

No Church for you!

Cutie Ellie in her church dress.

I'll keep this one small for ya.....wink

Well peoples, here I am....sitting again, this time on my bed with Alan's laptop on my lap.  I have been in bed for 2 days now, the previous day being spent in the bathtub, passing yet another kidney stone.  I will tell you that it is my least favorite experience.  During the pain of an attack I felt as if I would die, or that I wanted to die because then the pain would subside.  It is horrific pain, let me tell you, worse than natural childbirth, anyone who has experienced both will attest to that.

I woke up friday morning feeling normal, I sat up in bed and read from The Book of Mormon and talked to my children when they decided to come in.  When I got out of bed I had a strange back pain, but not a normal back pain, it felt deep and was radiating into my stomach, it didn't feel right.  As I picked Caleb up to hold him he felt warm so I took his temperature and it was 102.8.  I text Alan at work letting him know.  After we finished breakfast I felt a little worse, I sat on the toilet trying to figure out what pain I was feeling, if it was gas, labor, gall bladder attack, the flu....ANYTHING but a kidney stone.  Ever since I had one while I was pregnant with Caleb, I swore I would never get one again.  Apparently my body did not care.  Every time I would feel the slightest pain in my back I would freak out and down a gallon of water.  This time was different, it came very quickly, and I was alone, with 3 children relaying on me, one of whom was acting sicker and sicker by the minute.  Alan was working, taking care of patients, and when you run your own practice, or acting as such, you can't just walk out.  I didn't know what to do or where to turn, I rubbed essential oils all over my back and stomach, I drank some, I put some in my bath and soaked.  As the pain progressed I got very nervous that I would need to go to the hospital.  I called Alan's office and talked to the front desk letting them know my situation and if they could please just pass the word on to him.  It was only 9am and he had to work until at least noon.  I didn't know if I could handle the next 10 minutes, let alone 3 hours.  Paige, the woman on the phone, suggested I call Dr. M's wife, who is a guru in natural healing.  I called her and got her answering machine.  In my message I told her what I was feeling and what I suspected it was.  I didn't know what I expected her to do, but I needed a mother, and I told her that.  She called me right back and said she would put together a bag of remedies and would be there in 30 minutes.

By this time the pain had definitely progressed and my children were trying to figure out how to play a DVD on our massive 6 disc DVD player.  I was trying to explain to Calvy how to look for the number he had put it in.  I am not really sure how he figured it out, but he did.  So Dr. M's wife, lets call her Angela, came to the front door, Calvy led her back to me, my cute pregnant, naked body, lying in the tub so pathetic and in such pain I couldn't even open my eyes.  I had draped a towel over me to try and stay as modest as possible, but with the pain, modesty kinda goes out the window.  She was just the sweetest angel to show up, I couldn't believe how quickly she had gotten there, a half an hour seemed a lifetime away, but it went by very quickly.  She put together  a few drinks for me, that I was actually able to drink.  While pregnant with Caleb and dealing with the kidney stone I couldn't keep anything down for more than 30 seconds, if that.  It is very normal to vomit during kidney stones, many have to be admitted because in order to pass a stone you have to have liquids and a lot of them to help pass it through, but if you can't keep anything down then you need an IV.  I was pleasantly surprised that I was not feeling nauseous at all.  Angela stayed with me for what seemed like minutes, but must have been hours.  She had to go take care of a few things, and told me she would be right back.  Just at this time I was at the height of a HUGE attack.  I was moaning and crying and honestly didn't think I could do it.  she stayed a little while longer and when it seemed to lessen she left and quickly returned.  She brought the children a snack and put another movie on for them.  She stayed with me all morning taking care of me and my children, especially poor Caleb.  She kept making me drinks which would lessen the pain and help to shrink the stone, rubbed my naked back and talked to me, telling me how wonderful I was and what great parents Alan and I must be must be to have such wonderful children, "You can tell they are full of love".  She knew exactly what to say to take my mind off the pain and remind me that I wasn't alone, that my Heavenly Father was with me, and I knew she was right.  I prayed and prayed that He would take the pain away, but just like in other physically painful situations I knew He would not, because it was for my good.  I later received a blessing which confirmed this.   For some reason I must experience a LOT of physical pain for my spiritual growth...though I am truly grateful I do wish sometimes there was another way.

Alan finally arrived to relieve Angela and be with me.  He is my rock, he helps me accomplish the impossible.  When he is near encouraging me and pushing me along I know I can do any task at hand.  He was wonderful, and when an attack would come he would coach me just like during childbirth, he'd rubbed my back and talk to me and encourage me, helping to remind me of how strong I am and how string my body was.

I had been sitting in the bathtub for eight hours and my feet and hands were starting to swell and hurt from sitting in the water for so long.  Alan set up a newly purchased heating pad on my side on the bed so that when I got into bed it would be nice and warm for me.  We were hoping the warmth from the pad would soothe the pain in my back.  Turns out it didn't and I ended up right back in to the bath.  After about 12 hours of  dealing with the pain naturally I broke and could handle no more.  I begged for  morphine, I wanted the hospital I wanted to be done, I did not want to do it any more.  I started to vomit because of the pain, which is a bad sign because it would now take longer to pass if I could snot keep any liquids down.  I had some leftover painkillers from my surgery on my toe and decided I would give in and take them.  After eating and drinking VERY slowly I was able to keep it and the painkillers down.  Oh sweet relief.   I was able to sleep for a few seconds at a time, which made all the difference. In time I was able to chug liquids and get that stinkin thing moving.  At about 3am I felt relief and made it to my bed.  I felt incredibly different but my back pain was still there, the residual pain from the stone scraping through my uriters for almost 24hours.  I was able to drink throughout the night and get up and go to the bathroom.  I peed very freely which wasn't previously happening, it felt wonderful.

The next morning, Saturday, angela came back with another remedy she had researched, and a bag of goodies and food and a new movie for the children.  She was so incredibly sweet, just having her in our home made me feel like I could run a mile.  She is so lifting and incredibly gifted in the art of making people feel at ease.  Her spirit is very intoxicating.  I am so incredibly grateful for her presence, her insight and knowledge during this hard time.  I do not think I would have survived without her help.

Alan has been so amazing, taking on the roll of mommy and daddy and doing a great job too.  This is not was any of us expected this weekend.  We had planned a trip to the beach and movie night and dinner, not days of taking care of mommy and poor sick Caleb.  But everyone has been so understanding and wonderful.

I am still hurting, but no pain meds are needed, I am resting a lot and drinking lots of water.  Caleb is improving as well, night time seems to be the worst.  alan is hanging in there as well, he has had little sleep and lots of responsibility.  He's a wonderful man, I am so grateful I have a husband who is kind and understanding and will take on all that needs to, in order to make things easier.  He's a wonderful wonderful man, who is currently getting the children dressed in their sunday best to have Church with the children....our very very grumpy children.

Here's to tomorrow being MUCH better than the last few days.

~Keara

For The Kids...Music

Okay, I am one of those who does not enjoy much kids music, in general it is annoying and not entertaining.  However, while checking many CD's out from the Library(a place we LOVE)  I came across these CD's of kids music and they are fabulous!  they are entertaining to kids and adults.  They are all songs by major artists so they are familiar voices singing cute songs appropriate for children.  We had tried the kids bop music but I was appalled, seriously appalled by the lyrics these young kids were singing, I think we made it through half of a song before I shut it off.

So here is a taste of our favorite songs.  Check your local library or download them, you won't be sorry.
For the Kids three, track 4: "My Little Bird" by Rogue Wave  this one is especially wonderful for me today, everyday it's different.  Track 3 is pretty hilarious "The Poopsmith Song"


This is the third of a series of CD's.  I am only aware of 3. but there may be another...I hope.   For the Kids, For the Kids Too and For the Kids three.

Enjoy!

~Keara

Sweet Birthday Text From My Daddy

Monday, August 20, 2012

Daddy:  Just had a reminder from Mom that it's your Birthday.  As I was driving home I thought of this day how long ago it seems to look back now.  How time gets away, we get so caught up with everyday stuff.  But I remember what a sweet cute face little darling girl you were.  It was a moment unlike any other, it was sweet and pure, a beautiful gift from God.  Your Mom and I gave you a name so befitting, it seems magical how it came about.  Well now your where we were and you have your own cute little ones.  It's funny how you can love so many in a special kind of way.  Well happy Birthday my little Crystal.

I love you and you make me happy.
 
Love Dad

No pics....I'm sorry!

So here I am sitting on the couch blogging.  I decided that I need to get this thing going again, seeing as how I will not be home any time soon and I think my family enjoys is...and I don't mind the comments I get from friends and family about our totally awesome life.

My midwife, came today for our monthly appointment and we listened to the heart and measured and all that fun stuff.  I told her about my strange cravings for such weird smell and how I dowsed myself in  rubbing alcohol because I could drink it and I wanted to do more than smell it(maybe I didn't tell you about), anyway, she said I must have a deficiency, which is what I had assumed, but what am I deficient in that would make me want to smell, drink or bathe in rubbing alcohol, uric acid/ammonia, and dishwasher detergent?  Acid maybe?  Oh I also love the smell of Lavender essential oil, from DoTerra.  Oh goodness, Alan coughs every time I come to bed because I rub it all over my face, in my nose and body.  Seriously, I am dying, "How do I get that goodness in me?!"
BTW, You're awesome if you know that quote.

Days seem shorter and longer at the same time.  I feel like I will never have this baby and then I feel like it has gone by so fast.  Oh, yah, my midwife appointment.  So my wonderful mother who apparently does not like surprises has repeatedly expressed her disappointment in not knowing the sex of this baby and when it will be coming.  I think it drives he crazy actually.  ;0)  Love you Mom!  So I had my midwife listen to the heart and tell me what she thinks it may be......dun duh duh dun!  She thinks it may be a girl!  Which does't really surprise me, for the past few weeks I have changed my vote from definitely boy to possibly girl.  Which I am totally ecstatic about.  I would love to have another daughter and dress her up in all sorts of ridiculous get up, like bows and flowers that are bigger than her actual head, and dresses that are so fluffy you notice it before you notice the baby inside.  I would also like to have a sweet little baby boy, who will love me always and enjoy breastfeeding, because you know all boys love boobies.  I am most looking forward to adding another sweet little life to our family, another warm body at our dinner table.  I long to see our sweet baby sitting contentedly in the swing while I am busy making dinner for my sweet family.  To have Alan walk through the door and walk over a scoop the sweet thing up and cover it in kisses.  It's so exciting.

Alan says we will have to seriously consider not having any more children if I get sick again like I did with Caleb, but I am choosing to be very positive, I will not get sick like I did.

I am 36 weeks and one day today and I am measuring 34, which is very different from my other pregnancies.  It was usually the other way around, 34 weeks measuring 36 or 38.  I feel different with this pregnancy too, I feel better, healthier.  I think I had a much better start with this one, I weighed less and had mush better eating habits.  They didn't last through the pregnancy, but I guess having a good start counts.  We do not know my exact due date, so se will be coming every week from here on out.  Which this baby does have to come out, but I am choosing not to really think about that....ah!  It is crazy to think that I may only have 4 Tuesdays left until this baby comes.  In the words of my Biff, Cray cray!

My windows are open and a nice cool breeze is blowing through them.  I love to here the June bugs in the trees and the baby birds chirp for more food.  I love the sound of the wind in the trees and to look out and see them sway.  I feel Fall coming and it makes me so excited for the fun times to come.  Around this time of year I am usually living in JoAnn Fabrics and driving around Davenport.  I would often stop by Papa Murphey's Pizza for dinner and stop by the red box for a movie.  I'd be at the grocery store buying pumpkins and planning my next amazing party with all it's amazing food and decorations.  But I'm in a new place with new surroundings.  New stores and friends, people I don't know places that aren't familiar and no Brittany or Becky to spend my days with.   I miss JoAnn Fabrics on Kimberly Road, I miss driving to Papa Murphey's to get a pizza and then a red box on the way home.  I miss driving down Jersey Ridge and seeing all the big houses that I always thought about living in myself.  I miss Trick-or-treating at the school, and driving under the skywalk and seeing Alan up there studying.  I miss the student life of Palmer in Davenport.  I never thought I would, but I do.  It's the familiarity of it all.  Knowing what tomorrow would bring, knowing you have at least 20 girls in your same shoes.  I know it's impossible to enjoy while you are it in because you just can't wait for life beyond school, no more late night study sessions, no more annoying exams that ware your poor husband out, and in turn you.  But you also don't have summer break or winter break.  You don't have a crowd of families in your same shoes with the same schedule.  You don't have magic money that appears in the mail every 3 months.  :0)

Life is different and I am adjusting to finances and this new life we have here, and I am happy, just nostalgic for those times.  Those times that have come and gone, in a flash it seems, times that we will never have back.  I heard from a million people, a million wives, that we should enjoy these times, in school and with young children because they will be gone and we will always look back on them as the best times in our lives.  At first I resented it, I did not agree, but now that school is behind us I see what they were saying.  Those were hard times, but the best of times as well.  So my new task is to cherish these days with my children being young.    With my sweet children and there messes, and Caleb walking up to me covered in blue saying "I don't eat marters."  Ellie telling me that she is prettier when she shows her shoulders.  Calvy being so eager to learn that I think he may die if I don;t teach him something, and fast.  Times when I get to sit on the couch and look out the window to the swaying trees with children's laughter in the background and feeling my baby move inside of me.  These times that will one day be gone.  I am grateful for this life and it's challenges and blessings.  I am grateful for family and friends and those who uplift us and make our lives better and easier.  I am grateful for a job, and a good job at that.  I love my family and I SO look forward to writing the post titled  "It's a _____".


I know my thoughts are kind of all over the place, but thanks for reading and letting me get them all out there.

Here's to Fall coming sooner than later.  ;0)

~Keara

Picture Post

My last post was much too long to add any more pictures, so here is a special post of just pics.  Enjoy.


p.s. I did not edit any of these, sorry they are dark...I didn't feel like it.  ;0)

Halloween decor.

This children all had a blast putting up spiders and rats and these wonderful bats.

These are from my baby shower.  Wonderful women in our ward!  It was a lot of fun, and yummy food!   Look at my beautiful diaper cake, I got 2 BTW.  Very very fun, and sweet!

Oh goodness, maybe I should have insisted on standing.  ;0)

Trying to catch a butterfly that ended up going over the fence.

Ellie;s fake sadness for not catching it.  She tries SO hard.  ;0)

Doesn't his face look funny!  He was jumping up and down saying "take my picture!"

Playing with the hose, our summer past time.

It is not always fun to be sprayed, the water here is ALWAYS cold.

Me.

After water, play.  Ironically he never got back in the water after he put his suit on.

SYLYBYE!

~Fall is on it's way~

Today has been a wonderful day.  I woke up to Alan getting out of the shower and into his work clothes(a wonderful way to wake up), then I woke up again to him saying "shoot...I'm late!  Ready for prayer?"  I lay in bed will he knelt beside the bed and prayed for us to have a good day, for us both to have the stamina we need to get throughout the day.  He preyed for me and the baby and for our health.   He expressed gratitude for our situation, our very blessed situation and the blessings that seem to flow in over and over.
I kissed him and told him I loved him and he left.  As I heard his truck start and the garage door open I jumped out of bed(well as best I can) and ran to the garage so that I could shut the door for him(it is broken and he can't close it from his car)  once I got to the garage and almost opened the door I heard his engine roar as he drove away, that's weird I thought he wouldn't have just left without closing it.  Then I opened the door to see the door closing and Calvy standing on his tip toes holding the button down so the door would close.  "Hey bud"  I said in surprise "I didn't know you were awake".
"I heard Daddy walking down the hall and woke up."

Calvy watched a show on Netflix while I read scriptures in bed, and then turned to my new best friend, this, I have carried this with me since Monday morning and have read it at any chance I had.  I am almost done, so I have had chances, but not many....and I am a ssslooooooow reader.  It is a great book though.  It has inspired me to blog again and get my memories down so that we have something to remember and cherish.  It has also helped me to relish the little things, the things that I take for granted.  I have tried harder to be with my children and play with them, to be their friend and imagine together.

We had breakfast together and spent the rest of the morning cleaning.  Calvinor(I told alan how Nie calls her 2 oldest Claine and how cute I thought it was, and he came up with Calvinor) cleaned their room as KK(also a nickname from Alan) took a morning nap.  I cleaned like a mad woman, laundry scrubbing showers and bathtubs, floors and dishes.  It felt really good, getting around these days is getting tougher, but I was grateful to have the energy to do this.  We did Face Time with my Momma and big sister, but my sound stopped working so we did sign language.  It was good to see family.  I miss Arizona these days and can;t wait to be by family...BUT will really miss the snow and seasons.

At snack time I was scrubbing the shower trying not do puke from the smell of vinegar(yuck!)

C: Can I have cheese?!
M:  Yes!
C:  Can I have pudding?!
M: Yes!
C:  Can I have mumble mumble?
M:  Yes!  Calvin!  You can have whatever you want!

I walked into the dining room a few minutes later and saw calvin eating a huge piece of chocolate  cake, leftover from a Birthday party we went to the night before.  I said "Calvin?  Cake?"  "You said I could have whatever I wanted." he said.  He was right, I did.  I was impressed though, he had taken the piece out of the tupperware it was in and got a plate and fork.  He was very grown-up and tidy about the whole thing, I would have imagined him just eating it straight from the tupperware with his fingers. another reminder that he is REALLY growing up.

Anyway, at about 1pm, I got a call from Alan informing me that we were invited to lunch with Dr. M and his wife, I was in my jammies, sweaty, and tired.  My chores were not quite done and I thought it was still morning...not 1pm.  I told him to come home and help me get the kids out the door, because I  had spent the whole morning getting after them to clean their rooms and playroom, and I was done, plus I needed a shower.
"Are you sure you have time for a shower?"
"Yes. good-bye."
We made it to lunch and had a good time out, much needed and very much within our budget.  :0)

We have had a very fortunate experience happen to us this week.  Alan went from 0 to 60 in his associateship.  Our friend and Alan's boss was in an accident and broke his leg and got pretty darn banged up.  We got the news Saturday and quickly realized that Alan would be the sole provider for care at the practice.  His first day he saw 60 patients, his second 74.  He has been running full speed and doing amazingly, I am so proud of him.  I suddenly feel like a grown-up, like we are now able to walk over that threshold into adulthood.  He comes home late feeling exhausted and ready for a break, and by the time he comes home I am exhausted and SO ready for a break, so it is tiring, but fulfilling.  Dr. M is recovering VERY well and quickly too.  They are a great family and we have been praying for them daily.

I have learned this past week that motherhood is extremely challenging in ways I never thought, one of them being that I don't know what to do.  I often find myself on the couch wondering what I  should be doing, should I play with the children, should I clean, should we go somewhere, should I....?

It's difficult for me to just sit and play with the children.  I feel I have so many other things I need to do.  Today, though, I realized that it does not need to be an all day thing, playing or chores, that there can be a balance, and needs to be.  So I played with, or watched the children play outside with the hose today.  They were being so cute.  Caleb was holding the hose and Calvinor were at the other end of the hose trying to fill up plastic bags leftover from their snacks.  They were laughing and screaming and having fun.  I could feel them making memories that they would love to look back on.  I took pictures and they poured water on my feet.  It was a nice moment to be out there and enjoy time together.  It never lasts long, everyone gets cold and ends up crying and heads inside.  Currently I am holding Caleb who fell and started to cry and as I picked him up, nuzzled his wet little head into my neck.  Calvin is crying because he was reprimanded for bullying, and Ellie is outside playing in the hose in her 3rd outfit.  Nixon is trying to annoy me by taking a mouthful of food out of his bowl and dropping it on the just to lick it up and make all kinds of disgusting marks on my nice clean floor.  Ugh.

I am very annoyed by my dog, every moment of every day, I crave the smell of my dishwasher detergent, rubbing alcohol, bleach and really any other chemical.  I confided in Alan the other day, that I am craving these weird things and confessed to sniffing alcohol several times a day.   I also told him my most embarrassing smell that I enjoy, ammonia.  I like the smell of our dirty cloth diaper bucket when I open it, not the poo smell but the ammonia, the stretch that singes my nose hairs.  I like it.......  I eat several Twizzlers a day and love to watch "Murder, She Wrote"  I am so looking forward to Fall that I have already decorated our home in Halloween attire.  We have webs and bones and bats and rats and spiders, jack-o-lanterns, you name it.  I realized today though that I now have to deal with decorations all over the house while trying to prepare for this birth.  Oh boy, I should have thought this through.  It is one of those things that if I don't end up doing it at the time that I feel, it will never happen...even if it is 2 months early.

Well, my kids are OUT OF CONTROL!  I need to go find something for them to do before someone is seriously injured or I lose my mind.  Alan is off finding new patients.  Pray for us!

So this is the end of my very all-over-the-place post.


Love to all!

This is a huge series of pictures.  These are the last moments we had with our very best friends(cousins by adoption) before they left for Davenport.   I want you to keep an eye on Calvy.  My sweet little boy.

He's trying to be so brave and not cry.  

Oh my sweet tender little boy.  I love you so much.  

~Keara

Children and childhood memories

These letter pictures are from  Happy Birthday sign the family made for our Grandma's 60th Birthday.  So fun, I love the backward "h" on Caleb.

I was needing something crafty to do, I had a wreath and some scraps so put them together.  If you're looking for lots of scraps of nice material go to your local Wedding Dress shop and ask for their scraps or trimmings.  

I'm not sure what day this is from, it is old, I think it might have been one of our Monday Jammie Days.  The kids were reading and little Caleb fell asleep.

These days are busy and tiring.  I am doing well, I was put on temporary berets because of far too many contractions.  I am doing better now, trying to take it easy, I took myself off of berets after about a day...well I did 3ish, it's really hard!  We have been eating out way too often for our health and our budget, cooking is just not my strong point these days, and food that is cooked by other people always tastes better.  I am supposed to be making dinner right about now, but I really just don't feel up to it.  If I had something to eat maybe I would, maybe we'll go out and get something...;0)

Alan's calling keeps him pretty busy so we don't get to see him much, the children are so used to us eating without him, that when he is here it's a shock and they are all too eager to say goodbye, not because they want him to leave, it's just what they are used to.  He was walking out to the garage and Ellie said, "bye Daddy!"  He replied, "I'll be right back, Im just going to the garage."  To which she said, "Okay, love you, have a good day!"

Our children seem to be going stir crazy, I'm not sure why.  We often leave the house, at least one a day we go somewhere, but if it doesn't last all day they seem to think it wasn't fun.  It's frustrating, Alan and I realized that we have spoiled children.  It is all due to my "mommy guilt"  if they are not happy all the time, with something to do I feel as if I am failing them.  Being 33 weeks pregnant takes a tole on your body though, well mine at least, and I can't do as much.  It seems that if I tell them to go play they have no idea what I am talking about and they always just end up fighting and screaming and then I lose it and we leave the house.  

This will just who you what an amazing mother I am, it was nap time and  ALL of us were going to take naps, we ALL needed one after the morning we had had.  After about an hour of listening to the older children play and scream and NOT sleep I got out of bed, told them to go outside and play, and I would let them back in when I was done napping.  After my "nap" I went out to get the children and there at the foot of the backdoor was a nice pile of Poo.......human poo.......Ellie poo.  She was naked bum drawing with calk and Calvy was sitting very bored like in a lawn chair.  The first thing I said was, "I'm so sorry!"  I had visions of the poor Jewish people in camps who were forced to poo on themselves, and thought, "Holy crap, I am the worst mother ever."  Ellie says, "I pooped in my panties."  She looked a little scared, as if I were going to reprimand her, if she only knew all the things that were going through my mind, I felt so guilty.  I washed her up, and I put a movie on for them to make up for my...whateverness.  

I am anxious for the season change, I usually fully joy summer and never want it to end, but I find myself anxiously awaiting Fall, and all that comes with it.  I LOVE Halloween, and cannot wait to decorate and make costumes.  I love the smells the feelings, Fall brings back SO many memories of being a kid.  When the weather changes I think on playing on our pink carpet in the family room while my mom makes something on the stove, like ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper, or baked chicken breasts seasoned with Lawry's Salt.  the television would be on playing Full House and all of us children would be laying on the floor playing, waiting for Daddy to come home and, dinner.  I love those memories, they make me want to walk back to those times and cherish them more.  To be able to go back and enjoy all those fun stormy days again, where we would go out run around in the rain, and sit in the gutters as if it were our own personal pool or stream.  I love the memories I have of getting off of the school bus and walking home to see the garage door open and my Daddy working on his table saw.  I'd run up screaming Daddy, to which he would give me a bid kiss and hug calling me dolly.  I'd drop my backpack and play in the sawdust or on the saw horses.  I learned later on in life that my Dad would never get any work done with us out there, not because we were in the way and bugging him, but because he couldn't stop looking on with love as we played.  That is a Daddy, everyone should have a Daddy growing up.  On other nights when Daddy got home late he would sit on the floor as we untied his boots and tried and tried to pull them off, he'd end up having to loosen them for us, and we'd stand up boot  in hand and pull, till the boot slipped off and we fell to the floor laughing.  We would then take off his sweaty socks, and.....yes we did do this, pick out all the lint between his toes.  He was such a wonderful Daddy, he loved our attention, he would let us paint or color his toenails, not caring if the guys at work might see, he would take his shirt off and lie on the floor on his stomach as we would color on his back with colored pencils or crayons.  That is a Daddy.

I love Halloween, is it any wonder?  My family loved Halloween growing up, my Mommy had made us the most beautiful costumes and would decorate the house with the funnest of Halloween  decor.  Holidays, no matter what Holiday it was, was fabulous.  I remember setting out the 3 white wooden ghost for Halloween, and the painted black cat.  I always wanted to be a princess and my momma would make me the most beautiful.  I LOVE Halloween!  

Life is good.  Looking back on old pictures or memories it makes me realize what a great childhood I had, with all the traveling and seeing new places and trying new things, I realize how much I need to be doing that for my children.  My mother did it for me I can do it for them.  She traveled all by herself with 5 young children all the way to Idaho to visit her sister for the summer, I can drive a few hours with my kids to visit my sister in Indiana.  Life is too short to worry about what curtains match with what paint, or is the laundry done, or is the house spotless.  I need to make my kids go outside and explore like I did as a kid.  It makes me realize how badly I want to live near family, even if that does mean moving to AZ.  ;0)  I love seeing the pictures of late night talks or games with Grandma and aunts and uncles gathered around the table.  No TV, no video games, just us, talking and enjoying ourselves.  Family is SO important, we will be coming home for Christmas, we will make it happen.  I love family, I love life and I make a pact today...with YOU, that I will be a better mother, I will plan a small trip for my family and I will take more pictures.

Every child should be able to sleep on their parents floor if they have a bad dream.  :)

3D glasses!

Isn't my mother so beautiful!  I LOVE this picture.  

Every child should own a wagon and every little girl should own jellies.

This is us in our own private stream.  I love rainy days even still.  I even remember taking that straw and drinking the water. haha!

This is my handsome Daddy and my brother Jakey and Mattie I think.  

This is me a Kiki, our little kitty.  Ellie is just like me when I was a kid, she loves cats.  I can't stand cats now because they poop in our garden and it stinks.  BUT I think we will have to make a sacrifice for her, because look how happy I am!  

Every child should have a trampoline too. 

Oh Jacob, you look amazingly cool.  ;0)  I see a lot of Jellie in you.  First day of school, I still remember that lunch box and outfit, even down to the shoes.

Look at those arms on my Daddy.  

Oh my favorite pastime.  Look how awesome that coffin looks, my parents alway went all out and made our house so fun on Halloween.  Gosh I can't wait!!!!!!!!!

Look at my poor mommy, don;t all we moms feel the same.  Hahaha!  I love my Mommy, she is an amazing woman full of love.

This is how kids should play, be happy and step away from the TV or video game.  I love this picture, especially cute little Mattie in the background.  

Check out uncle Sam and his awesome shorts!  If I had legs like that I'd show them off too.  ;0)  Swim parties with the family.  I love it.  You can even see my wonderful Grandma on the left, her curly brown hair.  I didn't think a picture could hurt, but this one does a little.  I love you Grandma.

Every child should have a huge fan with a straw hat in the middle of it hanging on their wall, and a Daddy who will play horsey.

Saving the nest for last....betcha thought I was kidding.  This is us coloring my Daddy's back, with crayons.  

I hope you enjoyed this walk down memory lane as much as me.  Enjoy your kids today, take a picture.  I know I will.  

-Keara