MOMMY RADAR!

Marianne has a special gift....it is a mommy radar! Let me just explain her special powers (YES...we have a Super in our family), she can detect the second I leave the house. Here are a few examples.
Example 1:Tonight she went to bed around 9pm which is pretty normal and I assume is out for the night(well until 4:30 when she wakes up for a early morning snack). So, tomorrow is wear a shirt you can read day at school and I am going into the kids classes to read a story so I felt I needed to dress appropriately. I only own one shirt that has words on it and unfortunately it does not fit me at the moment, so I went next door to Kristen's to borrow a shirt from her since she is the queen of shirts with words on them, in fact she gave me my only shirt with words on it. GO figure... anyway back to the mommy radar, I was there a few minutes and as I walk out the door Scott is coming up the walk with Marianne. I was gone 5 minutes and only say...20 feet from the house.
Example 2: Last night I get Marianne to sleep about the same time, maybe a little earlier 8:30 and decide I need to go to the grocery store because we need milk for the morning. When I come home around 10:30pm Scott is on the couch with Marianne. He precedes to tell me that she woke up 2 minutes after I walked out the door.

I could go on and on...I cannot tell you how many times this has happened in the last couple months. I think I have her down for a long nap or down for the night, Scott is home and am able to escape for a few minutes and I come home to find out she has woken up and/or started crying just minutes after I have left. Her Mommy radar is quite impressive.

Another quick realization... as I am writing this I am realizing that I have left her several times sleeping to pick up or take the kids to school (please don't call CPS on me!) and she does not wake up. It is only when I leave to get some quiet time for me. Do you think her radar can detect the difference? She must be a SUPER!

Happy Valentines!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!

I had great intentions of sending all you family members Valentine cards this year, but that is all they were were good intentions. This is a picture I was going to put on the cards. We lined the kids up with their feet the together, so you could see how much they have grown. Hopefully you will check the blog and get our LATE holiday greeting.

I am pretty sure Marianne is asking if you will be her Valentine! And yes, Maddy is already our immodest princess!

Dress Up!

I was folding laundry the other day and Madeline was picking out her clothes and laying them on top of Marianne. This was her way of playing dress up! It was so funny to watch her pick different outfits and lay them on top of Marianne. She made sure that I saw each outfit. Marianne did not mind a bit! Oh, the simple moments in life are often the most memorable!

Grandparents!

Aren't grandparents the BEST! Here are a few pictures I wanted to share, when my parents and grandma came to visit. We have never lived close to grandparents, so my kids treasure the time they get to spend with them. They always look forward to a special surprise upon arrival, trips to the store for more treasures, reading books, playing games, trips to the park, going on walks and stroller rides, going out to eat, doing puzzles and playing "big bad wolf". WE LOVE GRANDPARENTS.

Grandma Iris and Marianne!

Grandma and Grandpa Iris with little Marianne!

Grandma Great putting Haley's puzzle together. Haley found this fairies puzzle at Joann's the week before my parents came. We thought it would be a perfect activity for Grandma great to help Haley with. It took the whole trip and all of us working on it but we got it done.
Madeline and Grandma Great folding laundry. I am so grateful that my children will remember their great grandparents. My Grandfather passed away this last July, so they had a great opportunity to spend time with him and will remember him as well. This was my grandma's first big trip since Grandpa died. She did so well!!!! Despite the aches and pains you get at 92 she was upbeat and ready to help and have some fun.

FOUR GENERATIONS!!!!

Grandma and Scotty cutting out paper rabbits. I remember Grandma helping me cut out paper dolls when I was a little girl. She has always been so creative and fun.
I loved this picture! They made me who I am and are why I have so much today! I am richly blessed!

Madeline and Grandma Great at Memphis BBQ!

Marianne and Grandma! It is my Grandma's mother whom we named Marianne after. She is very happy that we would honor her mother like that. It was so fun to see them bond!

Madeline's 3rd Birthday!

February 2, 2006

Oh my Missy Moo! I cannot believe that she is 3! Even though most people think she is at least 4 because she is so big she still seems like she should be my baby. She is such a fun and delightful little girl. She has a great sense of humor and is a big tease. She is quite the princess. One of her favorite things is "lipgick." She applies it about 20 times a day, and did you know that it does not just go on you lips, but on your cheeks and hands, finger, legs and toes?

We ate at none other than.... Inn n Out for Madeline's birthday! She is always up for a "hangaber and fries" and a "soda." I think the only thing she likes better is her daddy! She has Scott wrapped around her finger. They have a really strong bond! She would much rather her daddy than me and he relishes that! Missy Moo Daddy Loves You!

We were so fortunate to have Grandma and Grandpa Iris and Grandma Great in town for her birthday. They actually were here the weekend before her birthday, but we pretended Saturday was her birthday and she did not know any different.
She wanted a strawberry cake for her birthday so she helped Grandma and I make it. She shared her party with Grandma Iris whose birthday is on the 7th. We opened presents and had a great evening!

Happy Birthday MOM

It is my moms birthday today! I love her and think she is the best mom in the world! She is so fun to be with. She has a witty sense of humor and an unstoppable giggle when she gets tired. She is very in tune with the spirit and loves the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love to spend time with my mom shopping and sewing and just talking. She has so much knowledge and wisdom to offer. She is an amazing seamstress and definitely a perfectionist. She is a good cook, but you could always count on one or two burnt things throughout the week growing up, only because she got busy and would forget there was something in the oven. She is very health conscious, however she loves a little sweet treat! She is reliable and I can count on her for anything. Even though I live 6 hours away, I know that she would be here in a heartbeat if I ever needed her. I wish that I lived closer to her. I miss her!

One thing I love about my mom is that she is a wonderful Grandma. She gets down on the floor and plays with my kids and they love her. One time when she came to our house she played 3 Little pigs with my kids and she was the BIG BAD WOLF! Maddy has never forgotten that and still will say, "I huff and puff and blow your house down" when she wants to get in a locked door.
Another thing Maddy will never forget is the bumpy slide. When my mom was here to help me with Marianne, she would walk the kids to school and take Maddy to the park after and they would swing and go down the bumpy slide. She always takes my kids for stroller rides and points out all the trees and flowers and wildlife (which in not much in Las Vegas).

She was here last weekend and we got to celebrate her birthday with Madeline's birthday. It was a great night. We ate at Memphis BBQ and then came home for cake and ice cream and presents. I made that cute apron for her. I was so excited about it because she loves aprons and is always wearing one when she cooks. In fact the first night of her visit she was making something in the kitchen and said, "I feel weird without and apron".



Isn' t she so CUTE! I LOVE YOU MOM!

Relief and Gratitude

PHEW!!! New Beginnings was tonight....and I am so glad it is over! I think it went well. It was a little bit crazy because the girls did a skit for each value and the logistics was hard. I kept wishing we could have had a dress rehearsal. But these girls are so fun and full of energy, they did a fabulous job! I came home with my heart overflowing with gratitude. I couldn't go to bed with out writing it all down.

I called my mom tonight to thank her for being such a great mom. I was so grateful that she raised me to know that I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me. She helped build my testimony of the gospel by getting me up at 5am to read scriptures before she left for work. She was a great example of service to others. She loved me and I knew it. She was always waiting for me on the couch when I came home from a date. I could cry in her lap as long as I wanted. Thank you mom! I wouldn't be able to do activities like these or serve as a young women's leader with out your love and training.

I am grateful to work with such wonderful women. I would not be able to do any good with these sweet beehives without the best adviser's on the planet. I have grown to love them and the wonderful presidency and other leaders I get to work with.

I am grateful for 10 lively, sweet, hilarious girls that I get to hang out with, teach, love, and learn from. They have such strong spirits and they are so fun.

I am grateful that my kids put up with their anxious mother. They are patient with me and love me even when I make mistakes or are not so patient and kind to them. I love them.

I am grateful for the MOST Patient husband in the world. He is so willing to help me with anything that I need. He takes just as much responsibility in caring for our children as I do. He loves them and he loves me! He knows how to deal with my anxiety and he gives me such spiritual strength. I love that he makes me laugh every day!

I am grateful for hard things. They give me an opportunity to learn more about myself and to grow closer to my Heavenly Father. Doing hard things makes me realize how much I am not alone and helps me realize that I can only do hard things if I rely on the spirit and my Savior.

I am grateful for prayer. What a great opportunity I have to talk with my Heavenly Father and know that he will answer me. It gives me comfort, strength, directions, hope!

What a wonderful night!