How I am feeling today!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

First snowfall of the season and my kiddos couldn't wait to put on their warm clothes and go outside. Here they are with their first snowman.

I have made a goal for this Christmas to enjoy it like a child does. 

I could have found a million reasons why not to go outside with them, but I put those aside, laid the babies down for a nap, took the monitor with me and off we went. 

They were so happy!

I am so glad I stopped being selfish and did what they wanted. It was wonderful. Here's to more childlike moments.

Merry Christmas! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

It is that time of year. The time to fill our bellies to the max and eat our weight in food. It is the time to watch football with our families. The time of year to watch the elaborate and fantastic floats in the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. It's the time to share the family recipes and break the wishbone with another family member. The time of year where us as a people spend too much money and time waiting outside stores to get the next big toy or electronic at the "best" price. 

While all of those things can be fun, it shouldn't be the only thing we think about on this day. Why is this day special on our calendar? Why must we celebrate it every year? 

In 1621, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn't until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

So there you have it. 

Now for me it is about the history of it but it is more of the togetherness and attitude of gratitude that means the most to me. I am thankful for the time that we don't have to work and can just enjoy one another's company without any worries. It is a way for me to share with my children what is really important in life. Not football, or stuffing our faces, or the next big sale. 

Thanksgiving has become so commercialized. I love that people all over Facebook and Instagram have decided to share their 30 days of thanks but why limit it to only November? Why not be thankful all the time? 

Every year Black Friday happens and every year it starts sooner and sooner. It breaks my heart that the employees of these stores in competition have to come in to experience the chaos that ensues their establishments just so selfish and inconsiderate customers can get that T.V. for $300 dollars or the next big toy for half off, or the next electronic for pennies. It is just so sad to me to think people cater their Thanksgiving day festivities around when they have to leave for Walmart, Best Buy, Target, JCPenney or wherever it is that they all go. 

If it were a perfect world, all establishments would be closed on Thanksgiving. 

But it's not and every year it will be the same. The people will keep going and the stores will keep opening even earlier. 

I will just continue to celebrate the real reason for Thanksgiving in my little apartment with my little family and the little bit of thanks that we have. 

Holiday activities in Utah 2013

I have been searching for activities to do that won't break the bank. I have found plenty of them and am so excited to take my family on some of these.  Here's my list that we will definitely be doing. 

Sacred Gifts Exhibition

BYU Museum of Art. To purchase tickets go here

Storytime with Santa

Lights on Orem

November 25, 2013 @ 6 p.m.

Meet at State street and Center in Orem for some fun. Bring some new socks, underwear or books. The Kiwanis club will be distributing these items to children in need. 

Lights on Provo

Santa Visits

Provo Towne Center-Nov 15-Dec 24 by JC Penney

University Mall-Nov 29-Dec 23 by Kay Jewelers and H&M

Shop at Riverwoods-until Dec 24 Mon-Sat 5-8 P.M.

Zoo Lights

Nov 30-Dec 31

Sunday-Wednesday 530-8 p.m.

Thursday-Saturday 530-9 p.m.

For tickets and prices go here

If you have any ideas that I missed, please feel free to share. Also check out enjoyutah.org for more events all around Utah. Happy Holidays!

Clint Edwards-professor, husband and writer.

If you want to laugh and be educated you need to check out a friends blog. He is a wonderful writer. He has so much to write about ranging from growing up to having kids to teaching at a college level to being a husband. It is definitely worth the time. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. You can find his blog here.

I am a horrible mother today.

To my kids. 

I am sorry I yelled at you today when you were laughing when I was trying to rest. I know you were only having fun and playing with one another. 

I am sorry I threw your toy across the room when you tried to show me what you made. 

I am sorry that I pushed you out of the kitchen when you only wanted to help make lunch.

Madison I am sorry I yelled at you when you painted  your toes and fingers and your baby brothers shirt and your legs. You had asked me to paint your toes but I told  you later and made you go in the other room. I know you just wanted my attention.

I am sorry I scolded you for waking up the babies. I know you only wanted them to play with you because you love them so much. 

I am sorry I spent too much time on the computer instead of playing with you. 

I just wanted to watch my show. I just wanted to rest. I just wanted to be left alone for 10 minutes. I just want to use the toilet in peace. I want to be able to brush my teeth without an audience. 

I now know that you just want to be near me and with me all the time. 

I should be more like  you. I should want to be with my family all the time. I should want to share everything with you. 

Tonight, let's start over. Let's laugh and giggle. Let's make messes. Let's make dinner together. Let's wrestle and make forts. Let's build spaceships with legos and fly them through the air. Let's watch what you want to watch instead of what I want. 

You are my pride and joy and I need to treat you like that. You deserve the best mom. You deserve the mom that  you picked. 

So this is for Jackson and Madison, thank you for loving me even though I am not nice all the time. Thank you for being an example to me. I hope to finally be the example to you. 

Plagiocephaly

There is my sweet Savannah with her adorable purple helmet. She was diagnosed with Plagiocephaly.  If you had asked me 5 months ago if I was okay with either of my children having to wear a helmet, I would have definitely not described it as adorable. When Savannah was 5 months old, her pediatrician was a little concerned with the flatness on the back of her head. We decided to wait until her next check-up to see if it had changed. Nope, it sure didn't. So at 7 months we took her to a specialist to have it checked. Sure enough, she needed one. 

I was mad. Not because of her having to wear the helmet. It was my pride. As you can see the twins don't even look like each other, and strangers always seemed to point that out. It played out like this. "oh look at this little boy, he is so beautiful. Look at his gorgeous blue eyes and adorable smile, he is definitely the cutest baby I have ever seen." that same person would realize that he was a twin and then move up to look at Savannah. "oh she's cute, definitely doesn't look like her brother though." End of conversation. Now they probably didn't mean to say Logan was cuter but that is how I always take it. I am overly sensitive. So you can imagine the thought that is going through my head now when I have been told my daughter needs to wear a helmet. How are those people going to treat her now? So I became prideful and mad. 

Our specialist (Branch Hunsaker at Hanger Orthotics) was awesome. He started by measuring her head for circumference. He they measured from corner to corner so to speak. Her flattest side was her right. The difference from side to side was 11 mm. 12 mm is classified as severe so she definitely would benefit from this helmet. We then waited for the approval from the insurance and almost 3 weeks later, she was fitted for it. It took one week to make it and the Wednesday after Labor day she got to bring it home. 

You gradually build up to wearing it. By the 5th day they should be wearing it 23 out of 24 hours a day. We did all that we were supposed to to and by the 5th day she was wearing it. She was so cute in it. It never bothered her and we were on our way to a better shaped head. Or so we thought. She had only had the helmet for 3 weeks and she got this infection above her right ear. We had to take it off and she couldn't wear it until it was all cleared. It took 2 weeks. We were back to square one. We had to start over. By the first week of October we were back to wearing it. She was all cleared and was able to wear it all the time. We went to our follow up appointment and she had improved my 5 mm. WE WERE EXCITED!! Even after all the craziness that happened, her head was still healing. We scheduled another appointment for the 13th of November, just 6 days ago. We took her in and she GRADUATED!!! She was down to where she was supposed to be. All in all she only wore the helmet for 8 weeks. It was a miracle. We were so proud and relieved that it didn't take longer. 

Now ask me 3 months later from the first day we were told she needed the helmet, if I am mad. No way!! I was able to educate people about the helmet and explain to them what it was for. I was also educated myself. I never knew what they were for. I had never met anyone with one. I know it was a positive decision we made for our daughter. I know it was needed and she will thank us later when she is older. Did anyone tease her? No. Did anyone have nasty things to say? No. In the end it all worked out. If I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. 

Yes, having 2 kids within 18 months of each other is the same as twins.

I am part of a MoMs (Mom of Multiples) group on Facebook. I just became a member about a month ago and I love it. It is so comforting to have other moms who relate to my situation and can offer advice and tips on topics that I don't really feel I could ask my other mom friends that don't have multiples. 

Recently a MoM posted a vent about a woman that had compared her having 2 kids 18 months apart to this MoMs twins. She had the nerve to say "I had two kids close together and that is so much harder than having twins." Um....NO...it's not. If said woman had had twins as well as 2 kids close in age then she would have a leg to stand on, but she didn't. She knew nothing of the situation of the twin mom so had no right to compare. She doesn't know how it's like having twins. Therefore, she had no right to say that. Is she that ignorant? Was she just looking for sympathy of having kids so close? Was she trying to validate her life? Whatever the case, I feel bad for this woman that she thinks it's okay to state her opinion on a topic she has no experience or expertise in. 

This post made me think of all the ignorant moments we encounter  as MoMs. As a mom of twins I have had the fantastic opportunity to meet some people like this woman. The woman at the grocery store who walks up and says "are they identical?" while clearly one is dressed in blue and one is dressed in pink with a freaking bow in her hair. 

Or the receptionist at the Doctors office that had the audacity to ask if they were natural or fertility? Um....not okay to ask ever!

Or the nice people that throw out comments like.
"You're so lucky, I have always wanted twins."
"Oh my, I am so sorry."
"Oh I am so glad it happened to you and not me."
"TWINS!, that must be so hard."
"Oh twins, my friends, moms, sisters aunt, 2nd cousin has twins." 
"Oh, do twins run in your family?"
"How can you afford two babies?"
"Did you deliver vaginally or by C-section?" (again not okay)

I am sure there are more but those are the ones I have encountered so far. When I was pregnant with my singletons, no one even thought to ask me such personal questions but as soon as I let people know about the twins and after they were born, it seemed like everyone (even strangers) had something to say. 

No way am I better than anyone else. I don't know why the Lord blessed me with twins. Maybe I will never know but it happened and he thought I could handle it. So for the rest of my life I will have this unique opportunity that I never in my mind thought would happen to me. I get to be a mom to twins. I get to experience everything twice over. I get to watch 2 babies grow up a the same time. I get to see smiles, laughter, first steps, 2 graduations, 2 proms, 2 missions, 2 marriages and multiple grandchildren at the same time. Those are the moments I am excited about. Is it rough? You better believe it is, but it is so worth it. If my Heavenly Father knew I could be Logan and Savannah's mother then I need to believe in myself just like he does. And all of these ignorant comments made from people don't matter. 

Who knows maybe us MoMs are made MoMs so we can educate. 

Veterans Day 2013

I love this day! I wish there were more days to honor these

 brave men and women. 

You could argue that they chose this career or that they knew what they were getting in to. You could even say "they didn't have to join." I would never say any of those things. Yes, they did choose. Yes, they did know what they were signing up for, but we don't know their circumstances. We don't know their family. We don't know what their lives were like. Maybe it was what was expected. Maybe they come from a long line of military. Maybe they are really patriotic and feel like they can make a difference. Maybe they want the GI money so they can further their education. Maybe it just seemed like the right thing to do. No matter the choice, I am eternally grateful for them.

From our earliest wars to the current war, we have so many military members to honor. They have made it possible for us to live in this free land. They have stood up for right. They fight for a country that they love and honor. They may not always agree with what they are doing, or even know what the next mission is but they do it because they were trained to do so. They know the end goal and they all work together to achieve it. 

I have mentioned before that I only got to be a part of the military for a short time which I am so grateful for. It opened my eyes to so much and I will cherish that time for the rest of my life. My wonderful husband spent his 4 years serving his country. One of those years was spent in Iraq. He is a better man because of his time spent. He learned some wonderful life lessons while working along side of his buddies. He made some great friends. I made some great friends because of him. They are all scattered across the country but I am sure if they met up, it would be like no time was lost. 

These men and women are family to one another. They have each others backs.  (i got your six) They would die for one another as well as you and I. Unfortunately some of them have. 

It is our job to honor them. Let them know we care. Shake their hand when you see one. Hug them. Take care of them when they come back to us. 

So today as well as every day we should salute the troops. They are allowing us to have freedoms that other countries do not have. Let's not let them down. We need to fight for our country too. Not out in the battle field but here on our own soil. Let's not lose what they have fought for, for so many years. Let's keep our freedoms. 

I love Toby Keith's American Soldier 

you can watch it here. 

More Favorite Things

1. Hot Wheels Cars

These toys are an inexpensive reward for the kids. You can get them for $.97c at Walmart

2. The Ensign (LDS Magazine)

This is a way for us to be inspired and lead by our leaders. Many awesome articles in these magazines.

3. UVU

This place is giving my husband a better education so we can have a better life. I am extremely grateful for that. 

4. My Smartphone 

I know this is crazy to have this a favorite, but without it I would forget my appointments.

I would forget phone numbers. I wouldn't be able to keep in touch with my family and friends.

It puts so much at my fingertips and even teaches me children. I am grateful for it and the people that came up with this 

sort of technology.  (its a samsung nexus)

5. My Recliner

My mom bought me this recliner and had it delivered while I was in the hospital with the twins.

I have never owned a rocking chair or recliner before. It seriously was the nicest gift.

I use it all the time and it is wide enough that I can hold both babies at the same 

time and still be comfortable. I love it! (currently on sale at RC Willey)

A letter to my kids

Dear Jackson, Madison, Logan and Savannah

In the almost 5 years I have been a mommy I have learned that you are my greatest joy. You were what caused me to know what I was meant to be. You bring me the most happiness that I have ever had in my life. 

I would like to tell you a few things that hopefully stick with you forever. My mom (your grandma) used to write me letters all the time and those are some of the most cherished memories I still have. I hope this will be one of those for you.

First know that you are special. You were sent down to this earth at this time for a specific reason. You chose to follow Christ and Heavenly Father in the pre-existence. The world is a scary place right now and the Lord saved his most special spirits to come down now. You 4 are some of them. The Lord loves you so much and wants you to succeed. He is always there to listen to you and guide you. You can always talk to him. The Holy Ghost is your constant companion if you will allow it. He is there to protect you and help you make the right decisions. Keep him close. 

Second, know that I love you. I am so honored and humbled that you chose me to be your mom. I am the luckiest mommy in the world to have the 4 of you in my life forever. I hope that I teach you right and am someone you can always come to just like Heavenly Father. I will be there no matter what. 

Third, stay strong. Resist to follow in the worlds way. Hold to the iron rod. Read your scriptures. Pray daily. Get adequate sleep. Study hard in school. Join clubs. Play sports. Make lots of friends. Be a friend to everyone. Smile a lot. Sing in the shower. Join Choir. Play an instrument. Eat your veggies. Find a hobby. Read. Be nice to animals. Get a passport, and use it. Exercise. Go on a mission. Get married in the temple. Have a family. Smile some more. Rely on me and daddy. Rely on the Lord. Pray. Dance in the rain. Ride a roller coaster. Climb a mountain. Get an education. Share your testimony. Most of all be happy. 

I love you so much. If you stay strong and rely on your testimony and the lord, you can do anything. 

Love,

Mom

One of my favorite Blogs

themattwalshblog.com

If you have not yet read his blog, you must. He clearly loves his wife and his twins. He has an opinion on just about everything. I just thoroughly enjoy reading what he has to say. I may not always agree with everything he says but he makes good points and has some comedy in there. Hope you enjoy.

Twins!

These little people are just so much fun! I haven't posted about them in a while, I figured now is as good as ever. They get older on the 6th of every month, so soon they will be 10 months old. I cannot believe that it has been that long already. It seems like yesterday they were born. 

For the last 9 1/2 months I have been tested to my limits. I have endured more crying, poopy diapers and sickness than a mother should. I have gone days without showering and only did shower when it started to get bad. I haven't cut my hair in almost 2 years. Last time I got a pedicure was at Mother's Day. I have stopped wearing make-up except for on Sundays. I sleep on average about 4 hours a day. I have more gray hair than I care to mention. I have consumed more Dr. Pepper than I should. 

Despite all of that, I am so blessed these two nuggets chose me to be there mommy. They are so sweet. They love to laugh and cuddle. They think everyone in their family is hilarious. They love to eat big people food. They think they are big enough to stand and crawl every where. They love music. I can calm them down by singing to them very close to their ear. They prefer to sleep in their beds. 

Just in the past week, they have started interacting with one another, especially in their highchairs. It is the most darling thing to watch.

Logan just cut his 5th tooth and Savannah cut her 2nd and 3rd. They love to show them off by smiling with the biggest cheesy smile. They both have killer blue eyes.(I am definitely preparing myself for when they get older and have boyfriends/girlfriends.)

Having twins is very hard but very rewarding all at the same time. Watching them grow and develop is so fun as they develop their own personalities but also rely on one another. They have a bond that us singletons will never understand. 

It is time for us to baby proof the apartment. Like Phil says in Daddy Day Care "Let's get baby gate crazy". They are on the move and so curious about everything they can see. 

If any of you other moms out there have multiples I would love to hear your experiences. Being a mom of multiples (MoMs) is such a unique experience that I never thought would be mine but can't imagine it not. 

Gossiping!

I hate this topic but it has been on my mind for quite some time now and I figured I would put some words down, at least for me to go back to whenever I get the feeling to gossip.

How do I start? 
Let's just say I hate it. Gossiping does nothing for anyone, especially the people that are being slandered. It breaks hearts and creates anger. It causes hurt and seclusion. It can go as far as causing depression, anxiety, and suicide. To me it is a form of bullying. 

Why do we do it?
Insecurities? Maybe we feel threatened. Maybe we are just a bully. Perhaps we have been gossiped about and it is the only way that we can think of to get back at that person. Do we really need friends that bad, that we feel we need to talk about others to make us look cool? (the people listening are just as at fault) There is no excuse for gossiping.

What happened to communication? Why is it so hard to confront that person whom you have a problem with and try to work it out instead of talk to any willing person that will listen. Not only are you hurting that person, you are creating an image for yourself to be someone that can't be trusted. That saying "keep your friends close, but your enemies closer" is absolutely ridiculous. Shame on all of us. If that saying were true in every day, do we really have friends? Or are we all enemies? 

I am a woman with few friends that I would call close. I can count them on my hand, you know the ones that you can call at the drop of a hat and would help you in any situation. I would say I am blessed to have that many. I also have a lot of acquaintances, the ones that you say Hi to and have small talk but would never think to cry in front of or ask to watch your kids. Believe it or not until about a month ago I had those two switched. I felt I had a lot of close friends and a few acquaintances. Boy was I wrong. I have learned who is there and who isn't. I have also learned that I don't need many friends. I have an incredible family that loves me no matter what and is there for me all the time. Growing up I tried to be the popular girl, and living in a small town it wasn't really hard. Everyone knew everyone and we all got along. It was awesome to have so many friends at school and church. Even into my twenties I enjoyed being surrounded by lots of people. That is not the case anymore. I prefer small groups even one on ones. I like the intimacy or getting to know someone and connect with them on a new level. 

Gossiping can cause that to go sour. We all deserve close friends even acquaintances. We deserve to know that people really care about us and love us. We deserve respect from others. 

How do we stop?
Come on, we all know how. We stop talking behind each others backs. If we are a part of it, stop it right then. Stand up to each other, don't listen. Don't even let the gossiper continue. We are grown adults for heavens sake. We have our own families full of our own stresses. Why do we even have time to bring someone else down? 

I have to say I am not perfect. I am ashamed to say Yes, I have been a part of gossiping in the past. Am I proud, NO. Am I trying to be a better woman and show my children how to love everyone? Yes. We can all try a little harder to be a little better. 

Like it says in Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

Rough Day

So many times I have wanted to give up. If it weren't for my children I might have already but I have 4 little people that need me and all of me. They are dependent on me for every aspect of their day. They need me to change them, feed them, play with them, tie their shoes, read to them, kiss their ouchies, solve riddles, answer knock-knock jokes, answer the same question 20 times, comb their hair, bathe them, brush their teeth, get them drinks, carry their bikes down the stairs, do their laundry, clean up their spills, turn the T.V. on, dance with them, snuggle them, hug them, sing to them, teach them and love them. 

AND IT IS HARD!!!!

Anyone that said being a mom is a piece of cake, can come to my house for the day and try it out. By no means am I a complaining. I chose this path, it is what I am meant to do. I am a mother. However, that doesn't mean that every day is butterflies and rainbows. No way, at our house we have some doozy of days and then we have some wonderful days filled with rainbows and butterflies. 

I am hear to say that it is OK to have those kind of days. This is not Stepford. We are not robots. We are human beings with emotions and feelings. We are supposed to have lazy days. We are allowed to be crabby. We are allowed to cry or scream. We can have days where we don't shower or even get out of our pajamas. We are allowed to have messy houses. We don't always have to have a 5 course dinner on the table. We are allowed to forget to wash off our make-up. We don't have to enroll our children into every extra-curricular class possible. We are allowed to make mistakes. Dang, we are not perfect, we were put on this earth to learn and be tested. 

I love being a mother. I love that I get to stay home and see all the firsts of my children. I am very lucky to be able to teach them myself, and see them get excited when they figure something out. I love the joy on their faces when they try something for the first time. My job is very important which is why it is important to not get down on myself for every little thing that might have gone wrong. My children won't remember when I forgot their lunch, they will remember the way I react. Do I want them to remember me being a spaz or lunatic mother that is so concerned with keeping the house clean or do I want to be remembered as the mother that always sat on the floor with us? The mother that let things go and didn't freak out? The mother that laughed and cried with us? Yes! That is how I want to be remembered. 

STOP comparing and beating yourselves up. You are doing a wonderful job. I am doing a wonderful job, I need to remember to tell myself that every once in a while. 

My favorite things!

It's that time again. Due to all the sickness that has been 

making it's way around our house I have 

come to realize all the little things I rely on every day

as well as the helpful aids I used for the sickies.

1. Ibuprofen for kids

this made a many nights of fevers, chills, ear infections 

and whatever else a little more bearable.

2. Disney Junior

when the littles just can't seem to find energy at 

least they can watch their favorite shows

3. Pedialyte

this saved us many nights from getting dehydrated

4. Footie Pajamas

the weather has changed and it is chilly plus being sick,

these were our choice of clothes for about a week.

5. Music

we have a CD player in the kids room.

this CD collection is on repeat and it plays them to

sleep every night. It's become part of their routine that they

remind me of it if I forget.

I am thankful our weeks of sickness are just about over. 

We can finally start to enjoy the outdoors and maybe even

play with friends. 

Mommy Rage

To the young man driving the grey Toyota on I-15,

You are an inconsiderate fool. You were driving like an greedy, selfish jerk. Traffic was very congested and you thought it be a good idea to change 2 lanes at a time to get in front of me? I am mother driving with 4 kids, you better believe I will put a fight. You make me slam on my brakes as well as swerve into the HOV lane (that had double lines, mind you). I'm not proud of my next moment but I was so mad and scared that the only thing I thought of was to raise the infamous middle finger at you. You then had the audacity to smirk at me.

For the next 15 minutes I watched you change lanes, swerve in and out of lanes and brake on a 5 lane highway more times than you would see in a car chase on a movie. I watched all the cars around us slam on brakes, and get scared just like I was.

What the heck were you thinking? Or were you not thinking? Do you have a death wish or are you that selfish and inconsiderate that you don't care? Either way I sure hope I don't run into you again. This momma is very protective of her cubs and if you caused anything to happen to them you will be seeing more than my finger.

Sincerely,

The crazy woman in the silver minivan

P.S. Did it feel good to never really get ahead of the pack.
         I mean, you were never more than 3 car links ahead of me. 

Tis' The Season..

To be sick. My poor family has been on and off sick for the last few months. As a mother it is one of the hardest times (at least for me). With each person added to the family I started to notice that the sickness stuck around a little bit longer and now that our family is the size of volleyball team the sickness doesn't leave.

I don't know about you but I hate when my littles are sick. They are so pitiful and don't understand what is wrong. They want to cry, or cuddle or lay on the floor, or scream, or not sleep at all. The last is my least favorite. I am sure as mothers/fathers, you can relate. It amazes me how I can function for weeks at a time with only taking "naps". I had a friend just post of FB that we should start being honest with ourselves and say "mommy is going to nap, not to bed because we don't sleep more than an hour or two at a time". I had to laugh because she is so right. 

Some things I have learned since dealing with all the sickies in my family is patience. I can't expect my children to behave the way they normally do. I don't expect them to eat the way I want them too. I don't expect them to be happy all the time. 

What I do expect is lots of snot. Lots of crying. Lots of wanting to drink juice. Lots of cuddling. Lots of medicine. (I should buy stock in nasal spray, ibuprofen, antibiotics and Tylenol.) Lots of whining because they don't know what is wrong. Lots of dirty clothes due to potty accidents. Lots of messy diapers. Lots of pajama wearing, TV watching lazy days. You know what, I don't mind any of these things as long as I am making a difference in their comfort. 

It is hard work taking care of sick littles so from one mother to another, hang in there. I understand what you are going through and you're doing a wonderful job. 

Things I have learned thus far from being a mother.

1. Dr. Pepper is Awesome!

2. All kids are different and I need to treat them that way.

3. Band-aids fix everything.

4. Boxes, Dishes and anything paper are the best toys.

5. My kids are smarter than I think.

6. When you think you're doing a horrible job and they aren't

learning a thing, you're wrong.

7. Daddy is great but Mommy fixes everything.

8. When they call my name I should respond immediately.

9. Playground time is necessary every day.

10. If they eat cereal for all 3 meals they'll be OK.

11. Their laughter takes away all my worries.

12. I can change a diaper in 30 seconds.

13. Music is good for the soul.

14. I am thankful for sleep and will never 

take it for granted again.

15. Pajamas are perfectly acceptable to wear all day.

16. Showers are overrated.

17. They just want to do everything I am doing

18. Bedtime stories are awesome!

19. Holidays have so much more meaning now.

20. I am capable of more than I thought.

21. Multitasking is an ART and 

I am a freaking artist. 

22. I am stronger than I think both physically and mentally.

23. Laundry never ends.

24. I need to be their biggest fan!

25. My phone is not important.

26. If I don't hear any noise, they're up to something.

27. I hate when my babies are sick.

28. Night time prayers are a must.

29. Dance parties are so much fun.

30. I don't have to have the radio playing in the car 

to enjoy the ride.

31. Doctors may not always be right, I need to trust my GUT!

32. Escalators are so NEAT!

33. Playing in leaves reminds me to be a kid!

34. Be a good citizen so your kids will want to be too!

I am so grateful I get to be a mother. Some days I am more grateful than others but everyday I am blessed to have these 4 little munchkins in my life. I know I will just keep learning new things and I am so excited for those experiences. 

Fall time=Cookies

These are seriously the easiest cookies to make. Today is the first

day I have ever made them and I love them. 

They are definitely going in my holiday list of cookies.

Ingredients:

1 box of spice cake mix

1 (15oz) can pumpkin

semi sweet chocolate chips (optional)

We prefer mini chips but you can use whatever.

Stir all the ingredients until it is creamy. Drop by spoonfuls onto a 

greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 18-20 minutes at 350.

So easy and delicious!!!

Enjoy!

LDS General Conference

I absolutely love this weekend. It is by far one of my favorite. The first weekend in October is special to us because in the LDS religion we get to listen to our Prophet and leaders speak to us. It is extra special to me because growing up we went to our church building to listen to it because it wasn't broadcast like it is today. Today we get to watch it on our computer, phone, tablet, T.V. or even on the radio. It is awesome to be able to sit in my living room with my wonderful family and hear the inspired leaders talk to us. 

If you would like to know more about the LDS religion, go here

Government Shutdown

I know this is a sticky situation and everyone has opinions on it so I will just state mine. This is scary. It makes me sick to my stomach to hear that the government shut down because they can't agree. What the heck? To me it seems selfish and childish. They are not just dealing with the people in Washington, they are dealing with millions/billions of peoples lives and well being. 

I have read only a few articles and only know what I have read but when I get a yucky feeling in the pit of my stomach I know it's not right. 

I have too many friends that are affected by this. Coming from the military and knowing how the military works, it frightens me to imagine what will happen to the workers on the bases. I have spoken to a few of my friends who were sent home today and won't be allowed back until this is over. Who knows how long that will be? NO one does. 

I realize it is smart to save money for these instances but what if that isn't possible? What if this lasts longer than it did in 1996. If it goes on the same amount of time of 21 days and isn't resolved, how will these people live? How will they pay their bills? Yes, it says they will get retro-pay but correct me if I am wrong but retro-pay doesn't pay bills today. 

It is definitely affecting my family too. See my husband is in school and being a veteran means we use the GI Bill. Well, that money hasn't come in yet and we don't even know if it will. That is a chunk of money that was going to help us survive while he is in school so he can focus on studies and not have to work as much. It is not fun having to sit and wait and hope. 

I know the whole country is sitting and hoping. I hope the guys in D.C. can stop the bull and figure it out. I pray that they will be able to set aside their own issues and think of the greater good. I pray that their hearts will be soften and they will be able to lead this country the way it should be led. I hope and pray with everything I have that no one will go without because of this. I can't imagine all the people that will be struggling because of it. I hope this is over soon and America can get to where it needs to be. I love this country and what it stands for, I wish it was showing it in Washington. 

My FALL favorites!

This is my favorite time of year! 

I love the chill that is in the air

and the breeze that comes through my house. 

I love, love, love, FOOTBALL!

what's your favorite team?

I love hoodies and sweaters. 

I love hot chocolate!

I love when the colors start changing.

Please excuse a very old picture.

I love visiting apple orchards (unfortunately we don't have them in Utah).

I love driving through the mountains.

I love decorating for holidays.

I love holiday cooking. 

I love Halloween and seeing my kids trick or treat.

Kids 2012

Most of all I just love that when Fall hits, it means more holidays 

which means lots of family time and closeness.