Sneak peak...

 So...my friend Amanda said "we" could build a bench for $40 - $60 dollars.  She showed me this site here, and I was hooked.  I wanted something a little more like this, but she assured me that "we" could do it. 

 Well, the "WE" turned into her husband, Jed.  He is "helping" design, cut, glue, hammer, nail, and build the bench. 

 There is Jed's hands hard at work.  I am not paying him.  Amanda just has a nice husband.

 My husband is great too, but Jed has all the tools and we have none.  Travis and Jed are friends from WAY back.  They used to work together at American Engineering.  Jed and Amanda's family moved into our area and go to church with us now.  Great addition to our ward family! 

But more importantly, this family is a great addition (again) to my life.  I am so grateful and thankful and blessed to have them help me so much!  I love that service comes so easy to this family.  They are willing to do so much.  I feel blessed to have them help me for this rather large project.

So the bench is done.  I went to IKEA and got a few baskets to go in the bench. 

 The plan is for each kid (and Mom and Dad together) to have a basket to hide their shoes and stuff in on the main floor and (here is the hard part) to take their stuff upstairs everynight!  We shall see.

 So the bench is going to go in my front hallway. 

 Installation is happening this week.

 There is me painting.  We used a gallon of oil based paint I had from painting my railing on the stairs a long time ago.  Oil based paint is messy, but it was free and is working out nice.  I will say that the bench alone probably cost $70, but the rest of the stuff that I wanted cost another $100.  It will be worth it, but this week with family coming in town I should have used the money towards extra food.  It will all work out.

 The bulletin boards will go above the bench.  One for each kid.

 Not sure if and how the bulletin boards will be used for the big kids, but I picture lots of art work on RHM and Sweetie's boards. 

The square medallions are for the hooks to go on the bead board.  Oh!  But I haven't shown you the bead board.  I've said too much.  You will have to wait and see.  SO EXCITED!

Tooth story and chin update

 So RHM has lost two teeth on the bottom, but right now his two front teeth on the top are loose.  Actually, one of them has been loose since the beach.  Bad mom moment, I keep telling him NOT to wiggle them.  I don't want him to have a huge whole in the front for his baptism on Saturday (5 days away).  Vein, I know.  I don't think I can stop the tooth from falling out, especially the one that has been lose for about 3 weeks.  But apparently, I am going to try. 

I thought you would get a kick out of that.

 Also, I thought you would like to see how his chin/scooter accident at the beach with 9 stitches is looking. 

Not bad, but it left more of a scar than I thought.  I am supposed to sunscreen this baby a lot this first year to help avoid further scaring.  We shall see. 

So I have a goal for the week. 

• I am strong.  I am fit.  I am happy and stress free about the cleanliness of my house.  I am excited to spend time with people and NOT to spend time on messes when family is in town this weekend.  Whatever I get finished before they get here, is what its supposed to be. 

Can you tell I get stressed?  I am trying my best to be in the moment and not fixate on everything going the way I pictured it.   Wish me luck!  Hope you have a great week too!

RHM 8th birthday party!

I think you can tell we had a good time!  We had the party on Saturday and it was a huge success!  YAY!

Pop Warner football

So we are in full swing in the football season.  Agent J is playing pop warner.  Lots of practices for the first 3 weeks it was 5 days a week, but the games have began so only 2 practices a week.  He is doing well and having fun.  We are busy keeping up with ALL THE FUNDRAISERS!  I like to fundraise, but this is over the top!  Agent J is going to work on gaining a little weight this next two week and we should have some actions photos soon! 

Baptism

My third child is getting baptized in a week next Saturday.  He is eight and at our church that is the age of accountability.   I am very excited, yet nervous.  I am wondering if I have done enough as his parent to teach him and prepare him for this important decision.  He is an amazing kid.  That sometimes means I don't take the time to teach him, because he is already doing so many right things all on his own.  Isn't that weird?  I mean you would think it would be easier to teach a great kid, but he hasn't had too many "life lessons" he has had to learn the hard way yet in his young 8 years.  He is smart, talented, athletic, fun, and social.  He is choosing to be baptized.  He has been praying about his baptism every night for a while.  He is aware that he is being tested right now and Satan doesn't want him to get baptized.  He did a great job with his interview with the Bishop, or so I hear.  The parents wait outside the office during the interview.  He wants to do it, but I still often wonder if I have taught him enough.

Baptism is a covenant or promise between you and Heavenly Father. 
Heavenly Father promised that you can gain eternal life and He also promised to forgive you of your sins when you repent.  

You promise to obey Heavenly Father's commandments and serve Him.  You also promise to take upon yourself the name of Jesus Christ.  To me, that means that I will be a witness of Jesus Christ and that I will try everyday to be like Him.  

I think I am concerned about this because I am not sure if I knew how important baptism was when I was baptized.  I, too, was eight. 

I felt the Holy Ghost with me that day.  

I felt clean.  

I felt love.  

I also felt joy being around so much family that came in town to support this decision. 

I am glad to have been baptized, but I am even more glad to have a testimony of baptism and how important it is in my life NOW.  As I sin, then repent and grow as a person, I feel my Savior's love around me.  I know that I can have the Holy Ghost beside me if I try.  That is what I want for all my children.  I want them to make good choices and know that our Heavenly Father has sent us to earth with a plan.  We are loved and baptism is the first step in returning to our loving Heavenly Father.  I feel blessed to have this knowledge. My only hope is that my red headed monkey will have an even stronger testimony of baptism than I do.  

I'm tired...

I am stressed

• RHM's birthday party is coming up
• VAPO / Board dinner is tomorrow - I am doing the games!  And the dessert, well sort of.  
• 15 family members are flying or driving into town for Labor Day Weekend and RHM's baptism
• 6 are staying at my house - guess I should clean, huh?
• Curriculum night is next week - just another meeting
• I guess I forgot to book an old piano student, but I honestly don't remember a call, email, or scheduling them in the spring.  Huh?   Still trying to figure this one out. 
• I am helping plan a gift for a dear teacher that had to retire suddenly this summer.  LOVE HER!
• And since I am not busy, I decided to start a project for my entry.  Something I have pictured in that hall for the last 6 years, SO EXCITED! 

I am overwhelmed.  That's all. 

costumes...I know it is early but bare with me.

The Halloween magazine arrived in the mail.  This is a big deal in our household.  It means it is time to pick out Halloween costumes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2010

 Every year we discuss how it would be cool if we had a family theme.  One year we wanted to be the Incredibles, back when we had only 3 kids, but that never panned out.  I don't know why, but generally someone can't get on board.  See the problem is that every one in my family (and in this whole world, for that matter) has free will.  We all have the glorious right to choice how, when, and what we may. 

2010

 I generally like free will.  I think it is great.  I am glad we all came to this earth to gain and body and be tested.  I am glad that we have our agency to choose paths that we will walk in life. 

2009

 I am glad that my kids are diverse and like many different things.  I am glad that we have a large dress up collection, so when we haven't gotten the new costume for that year, we can wear an old one. 

2009

2008

So back to the Halloween magazine, my kids are now debating about what are whole family should be for Halloween.  No one is agreeing.  No one is willing to compromise.  Everyone's idea is the best idea EVER!  This year the debate is focused on Alice in Wonderland.  Not sure if we will ever get the boys on board.  So looking back, I would have to say that I am happy with the ONE YEAR our family dressed up with a coordinating theme and we were pirates! It will probably never happen again.   

2007

Upcoming project:  I am thinking about doing a Halloween Costume Swap.  Good idea?  Bad idea?  

Not sure of the rules yet, but I want people to be willing to donate, trade, or just lend out a costume for the season kind of like a library card.  

We shall see if and how it will work, but I have high hopes!

family pictures 2007 - 2010

2007

2008

2009

2010

So, school has started and I think it is time to start calling Amy Lee our photographer for our fall family picture!  I love seeing my family growing through the years.  My favorite is 2008.  I love that family picture.  I am stuck on looking at the past today. 

Looking back...

2008 - K, 4th and 5th

2009- 1st, 5th, and 6th

2010 - 2nd, 6th, and 7th

2011 - 3rd, 7th, and 8th

Where does the time go? 

I know it may look like I am being nostalgic, and I am, but really I like to look back.  It reminds me of how far we have come and how much I need to appreciate the present.  I love my kids and they are growing into strong boys and girls!  

Speaking of good kids, I washed one of my children's month out with soap just yesterday.  It wasn't my proudest moment, but I was calm during the whole thing and I hope that child will never say,

"Up your butt!"  again.  I know.  It wasn't even a swear word, but I can't take the attitude one more moment.  I need to read a parenting book or two, because I have resorted to using movie style punishments on my children.   Poor kids.