A decade? Can it be?

George is 10. That is crazy but it's true. He's our one who couldn't wait and therefore was born 17 months after McKenna. That was hard. But George, although a handful, is a joy. He has a wonderful sense of humor and a smile that gets him out of many a tight spot. I try not to let it get to me but some how it does. Pretty much every time.

I again beg your indulgence as I wander through my memories of past 10 years.

George on his Blessing day. I love his blessing outfit. Many people thought I was strange for having one with a hat but I LOVED it.

Going Bare. His personality was showing through early.

At right around one year old. See this smile? This is the one I was talking about.

Toolman George on his 2nd birthday

Three years old. Doesn't he look like he'd never do anything wrong in this picture?

And here we have the four year old George.

Big Brother George with his baby sister on her blessing day.

This was his first day of K. Poor K teacher.

Six years old. My little elf.

George with a lizard out camping. He's all boy.

One of my absolute favorite shots of G. He was trying to block me taking a picture of him and this is what I got.

George at 8 years old on the day of his confirmation.

Ah George. He only gets goofier with age. 9 years.

George was named after my dad (and my dad's dad and a great-great grandfather on my husbands side.) My dad went by his middle name so as not to be confused with his dad. George loved his Grandpa and Grandpa loved George. I think George got his smile from my dad.

And finally he's about 3 days short of 10 years here. I need to take him out for a birthday shoot. George. The stories I could tell about George. One of his nick names is Gozer the Gozarian. Many stories. Even with that nickname everyone should have a George in their life. He has taught me about forgiveness and childlike love. He has taught me about joy and humor.

His birthday was pretty good. Well it started out that way considering he had school. I picked him up from school and took him out to lunch. It's something I do with all my kids. They get to choose where we go to eat. He chose Burger King. He ate a double whopper and fries! In doing so he got a tummy ache later on that night so he wasn't feeling all that great while opening his presents. Tomorrow he's having a sleepover with his favorite cousins and I may take them up to Cabela's just to hang out and see the fish and stuff.

Happy Birthday G!

Thankful Thursday

I don't do this a regularly as I should but I have much to be Thankful for today

• Space heaters. It's SO cold in my computer room that I usually freeze in here thus my depleted posting and reading time. Today I put on a jacket and pulled my husbands space heater in and it's doing a fine job of keeping me toasty.
  

• My health. There is a wonderful lady I know who just found out she has cancer. Her life has already been full of trials and now this. She has amazing faith and love in her life and I am praying that she can over come this. There is also another amazing woman I know who is going through her second round with breast cancer. My mom is having health issues as well, nothing quite so serious as cancer but still seeing all of this makes me thankful for my health.
  

• 3 Musketeers Mint with dark chocolate. Need I say more?

• Me time. This morning I stayed in bed until almost noon. I got up a for a bit to help the kids get out the door to school but after that I got back in bed and finished the book I was reading (Extras). I don't remember the last time that I did something like that. It was wonderful.
  

• A bil who does auto body work. One of our cars got hit last week when our neighbor backed into it. I had parked it on the street that night because my husband had pulled into the driveway before me and we were going to the temple and we usually take his car. Usually I would pull my car back into the driveway but we were worried about making the session on time so I left it there. Our neighbor across the street backed out of his driveway and into our car. Thankfully he hit it squarely on the drivers side passenger door so that was all that needed to be fixed. My bil took care of it for a minimal price. I'm so thankful for him.

• Time with my Grandma. She turns 97 this year on Valentines day. The doctors have said that her heart can pretty much go at any time. She keep on going though. I'm thankful for the time I have with her.

• My two January birthday kids, Jilli and George. I'll post more about George at another time.
  

• Facebook. I found an old college room mate through FB and I hope to find others who I've lost contact with. And this may be the only way that we'll get a 20 year HS reunion going.
  

See I told you I have much to be thankful for today. (Thanks for the banner Tib!)

This post brought to you by the letter N

Thanks to Tiburon for sending me this letter for this post.

Ten things I love that start with the letter N... I don't know that I technically LOVE these things but it's what I could come up with. You'd think that N would be an easy one...

1. Night. I love it when it gets dark, the night sky, the moon...*sigh*
2. Neon Lights. I just think that they are cool. And they come on at night!
3. Nickelback, especially the song Far Away.
4. Night Shyamalan, M. I have enjoyed all of his movies that I have seen (I haven't seen the last one because of the rating). My favorite is probably Unbreakable.
5. Noses. I do enjoy the different noses on people. I especially like large noses. Not sure why but I do.
6. Nasal Spray. Just saline. I use a spray in each nostril every morning and it keeps my schnoz happy.
7. Narf's. See "Lady In the Water" by M. Night if you don't know what I'm talking about. Either that or use it like Pinky does in Pinky and the Brain. Narf!!
   
8. Non-Alcoholic Beverages. A virgin strawberry daiquiri is delish!
9. Norma. That's my mom and I truly love her.
   
10. Notes. I love it when people send me notes. Either in the mail or in the form of comments!
    

So there you have it! Thank you letter N

Seven Random Things Tag

I've been tagged again for this by my friend Jen so here goes.

• I hate drugs and when I say hate I mean HATE on a visceral level. I have seen so many lives destroyed by addiction to drugs both prescrip and street drugs. If you remember those commercials about "This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs." With the eggs and the eggs got fried on drugs? It's not just your brain that's fried it's your life and all of those people who are around you and love you. Drugs suck.

• I can make my eyebrows dance. Meaning I can raise each eyebrow separately. How did I come by such and amazing talent you ask? Watching Star Man (the tv show not the movie) growing up I was amazed that he could raise the opposite eyebrow. So I practiced in front of the mirror in my bathroom. Lame I know but it impresses my kids today.

• I've been going to Yoga classes since the first of the year. I didn't really want to start going but I did and it's helped with my PMS symptoms. I am also sleeping with my Yoga instructor. That's a plus as well. (Don't get your panties in a wad...my husband teaches the class!)

• I love to travel but since we don't have the money to do so I travel vicariously through blogs of people who do.

• I am pretty athletic. When I was young I schooled many a kid in the game of Dodge Ball. I am still fairly athletic but really out of shape.

• Honesty and Respect for self and others are of utmost importance me. I don't think that society places a high enough value on either one. And I don't think that parents these days teach it to their kids. I am trying to teach my kids about it the best I know how.

• I always wear my seat belt. Always. Even if I am just moving my car from the driveway onto the road. It's habit. I get into my car and buckle my belt as I'm starting it up.

So there you have it seven more random things about me. I tag whoever wants to tell more random things about themselves. I love to read stuff like that.

My baby is now 6

I haven't been around much because we've been getting ready to celebrate birthdays at our house. Jillian and George were both born this month. Jillian joined our family 3 years and 361 days before George's birthday.

If I could do it differently I would have had them in a different month...if I could. January is hard because I am pretty much done with party stuff after Christmas. I need at least three months to recuperate. So I feel that they get gypped when their birthdays come around. I do try though so hopefully they don't feel that way.

Anyway here's to my new six year old. Not only did she turn six but she lost one of her front teeth on the day before her birthday. It's been a big week around here.

I hope you will indulge me a trip down memory lane. Here are some of my favorite pics of Jilli through the years.

Jilli came into this world weighing exactly 9 pounds. She was beautiful. They put her on my chest and she just lay there looking around. I remember one of the nurses commenting on how they had never seen a baby who was so pink. She was so calm and taking it all in but those darn nurses wouldn't leave her be. They said that she had to start crying so they started rubbing her down really good with some towels. That did the trick and she started wailing.

My dad and Jilli. They were buddies. She is very much like him. When we would go over to my parents house or if she stayed with them for a while when I had to help out at the school she was always hanging with Grandpa. Watching tv in his room with him or down just kickin' it in the garage. She loved being around him. They were two peas in a pod.

Here she is at our towns annual summer celebration. A balloon and a parade. It doesn't get much better than that. She's around 17 months old here.

Blowing out the candles at two.


On vacation at Bear Lake June 2005

Then came the buzz cut. It was about the fourth time that Jilli decided to cut her own hair. To me it was beyond repair. A big chunk out of the back that was almost to the scalp. So I took the clippers to her and buzzed her hair. She thought it was cool.


At three she had her first trip to the dentist. Which ended up at a pediatric dentist and six caps on her bottom teeth. Not fun.


A year after the buzz cut.














The first is the face I would like to capture in pictures and the next two are
the ones she usually gives me. This is her fourth birthday.


I had to throw this one in there because I have a very similar photo of me when I was young doing this exact same thing. Ha!


My silly 5 year old.



And presenting my new 6 year old and her missing tooth!

Happy Birthday Boog!!

Our Deepest Fear

This post is going to be serious so if you are looking for a laugh you can click away now. I won't be offended.

Have you heard of Marianne Williamson?

No?

I hadn't either until a wonderful lady in my ward brought one of her quotes as a hand out for a class a couple of years ago. That handout is still hanging on my fridge. I read it every so often. Every time I do I get chills. Sometimes when I do it makes me cry because if it's truthfulness.
One of my dear friends is struggling right now. I wanted to share it with her. And I thought it might be helpful to those out there that haven't heard it. Part of the quote was used in the movie "Akeelah and the Bee" (if you haven't seen this movie put it on your Netflix list or go out and rent it! You must see this movie!) Here is what Marrianne has to say....

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us.

We ask ourselves 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? Your are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Isn't that amazing? As I think about this I wonder am I "playing small"? I know that I do this, often. Probably too often. So I need to stop being scared of who I am. I need to stand up. Walk tall and go forward each day knowing that I am a daughter of God. Yes I am. With His love, His power and His wisdom there is nothing I can't do.

We are all daughters (or sons) of God. He loves us and wants us to succeed, to be happy, to love and be loved. He wants us to care for each other. Lift one another, not tear each other down. He wants us to love each other, love ourselves and most importantly to love Him. To be grateful for all that He has given us. Most of all, He wants us to return again to live with Him someday. The way to do that is by remembering who we are.

Those were some of my dad's last words on this earth,

"Remember who you are. "

I'm trying dad (and Father). I'm really trying

We have a winner!

And it's me!!! Yay!!

I commented over at Wixom Zoo in hopes of winning the give away of whatever delish item she was making (you had to guess what it was ). And I won! Because I was the first commenter not because I guessed right. I guessed bread sticks but I'm so glad I was wrong. Not that I don't love bread sticks. Because I do. I'm all about bread. But don't these look to die for???



Thanks so much! This win was much needed as today has been a pretty, rotten, no good day. I needed some good news and good food. Woo hoo!

Am I Blue?

This month I've taken on a photo challenge issued by Mindi Bartell over at The Simple Life.

My friend sent me the link for Mindi's blog a while back and I've been hooked ever since. I love her photography. Her sense of humor and her sense of style. ( I hope she doesn't that too stalker-ish.)

So when she suggested the photo challenge of a color a month I figured that was something I could do, you know? Color is all around us...everywhere. How hard could it be?

This month's color is Blue. Uh-oh. I don't have very much blue in my house that means I would have to look elsewhere. I was stumped. Until I actually opened my eyes and started looking. Amazing what happens when you do that. I do have blue in my house. Yay! But I'm trying to find blue things elsewhere as well. I'd love to find an amazing blue door on someones house. Wouldn't that be cool?

Anyway here's a couple of the "Blues" that I have found.

Humiliation

There is nothing like a good dose of humiliation to ground a girl.

I got my dose by being in a step class. Step class was only a little humiliating. My non-coordination and inability to keep up with the instructor most of the time, that I can deal with pretty well.

Having a bunch of high school kids walk by the open doorway and stop to get drinks right there by the open door as my over 200 pound self is sweating and looking generally bad. That is humiliation.

I realize that they are high school kids and their laughter didn't bother me....much.

Ah well I'll deal. I always do.

Sledding

The past two Saturdays our family has ventured out into the white world and tried to have some fun in it.

The first Saturday was lovely. I even was able to get some good photos of the day.

Here is Jilli after the first wipe out of the day. She was actually loving the fact that she had wiped out.

Jona and his strong shadow

George and two cousins on the sled pushing off for another run down the hill.
McKenna smiling prettily for the camera.
The group at the top of the hill
George going down the hill backwards and loving it.
McKenna going down the hill. This is my favorite shot of the day.
With this running a close second.
Jona and Ty bundled up and watching all the fun.
And Jona going off of the jump that they affectionately dubbed "the butt buster"

This past Saturday did not go as well. We went to a different hill. Much steeper and with pavilions at the bottom. There was space in between the pavilions to go down but someone had made a huge jump there. And after dealing with "the butt buster" the week before the kids knew that they didn't want to go off of it.

We got there and Jona had no gloves. I had told him to find them just before we left. He couldn't find them and decided not to say anything instead of asking for help to find them. Thankfully we had an extra pair for him to wear.

McKenna went down in an area not between the the pavilions and ran into the pavilion. Thankfully she wasn't hurt. Then I went on a run and failed to see a relatively small bump/jump that I hit and went off. My tail bone was not happy with me. It's still complaining today.

Then George. Poor kid. He went down one of the middle runs. Not intending to go off the jump but he ended up flying off of it. I didn't see him come off of it but I heard his cries after he landed. He was screaming and writhing on the ground.

I ran over to him and he said that his back hurt. He was moving his legs thankfully. Ty came over and we got him to where he could walk over to one of the benches in the pavilion and sit down. His face was all sweaty and I could tell he was going into a bit of shock. He was hurt.

So we gathered up all the kids, loaded them back into the car and headed home. On the way home George said "Mom, you know when I was laying there screaming my head off?" and I told him that yes I remembered that. "I thought that I had broken my back."

Awwwww... poor kid. How scary must that have been for him? We got him home and in a warm tub. Gave him some Ibuprofin and he was able to feel better. He is still sore a bit but not complaining about it.

My tail bone on the other hand? It's still pretty tender. Sunday was an adventure trying to sit on the hard folding chairs in Primary and then the benches during sacrament meeting. Then at yoga last night we were instructed to do boat pose and I just had to laugh and sit on my mat. There was no way I was going to be able to do that! My butt was "just saying No" to the boat pose.
We won't be going back to that sledding hill anytime soon. The first one we will return too.

Freak we have too much Snow

I took this picture from my back step on Wednesday night. It had snowed most of the day Monday. And pretty much all of the day Tuesday. I know we got over a foot of snow. If you notice the swing set? The snow is halfway up the slide and that fence? It has four boards to it's height...not just two. The circle shaped snow towards the bottom of the picture is our fire pit thingy completely covered with the white stuff.


Thankfully it stopped snowing on Wednesday and started to warm up. Unfortunately for this garbage truck driver it was garbage day. The snow was still on the ground and snow plows have a difficult time clearing cul de sacs, as those who live on them can attest. I thought as he came up the street "I hope he doesn't get stuck." But then I thought "How can he get stuck he's such a large vehicle. I'm sure he has the wieght that he needs to plow through all this stuff." Boy was I wrong.

And of course I had to take videos to prove it.






I didn't get the shot of the chain breaking. They had this pickup truck using a chain to try and pull this huge dump truck out with a chain....and the chain broke. George saw it. He thought it was cool. Unfortunately I couldn't stay and find out if he got out because I was taking George to the Dr.'s.

As we came around the corner at the bottom of our street about 45 minutes later I could see that the truck had made it out of it's original spot that it was stuck in.

Now it was on the opposite side of the circle. Stuck again. And again I had to take a video of it.





Am I a bad person because I totally laughed at this poor drivers misfortune? It totally made my day. Can you tell that by the way I laugh in the videos? I'm just lucky I didn't get stuck in my own driveway. I totally had to gun in reverse to make it out to the plowed area of the street.

Yesterday it warmed up to almost 50 degrees so the snow was on the melt and the streets were more secure. Thank goodness. Too bad for the garbage truck driver that our garbage day was Wednesday and not Thursday. What a difference a day makes.

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday Mom!

It's my mom's birthday week. So I want to wish her a very happy birthday.
She is honestly the best person I know. I wish everyone could know her.

Your lives would be better for knowing her. Trust me on this.


She has one of the biggest and kindest hearts that ever graced this earth. Yet it resides in such a small human frame, one that is slowly growing weaker and smaller. But it seems as her frame shrinks and struggles, her spirit and her heart enlarge.

She is humble and lovely.

She is strong and caring.

Her love is immeasurable.

She is beautiful inside and out.

She is amazing.

And I'm blessed that she is my mom.
I wish her all the joy she can hold in that enormous heart of hers.
Love you mom.