Aeraters and Tea Parties

So, I am not even sure their are words for a night like this!  Maybe perfect!  The kids pulled out all their stuffed animals and had a tea party and Chad aerated the lawn.  This is a good life!!!!!

Small Things

Alex lost his front tooth after being head butted by Zach the other night.

What is it about the little small things that make life worth living.  Alex lost his tooth the other night after Zach head butted him at Costco.  He then said to me about 17 times, "I can't believe I lost my tooth."  When I rolled over in bed Saturday morning about 6:12 am... Alex was standing there with a dollar bill and a smile so big I thought his face might crack.....  Was it really just because the tooth fairy came?   He is so intense and smart.  He is so creative and happy.  He is so passionate and sweet, that there are times when I think my heart might actually burst because I love him so much.
The other day I picked Sami up from school and she came running and yelling to the car.. "I won, I actually won."  She entered a writing contest at school and won 2nd place.  It was a poem called "A World Without Books." She was so so proud of herself, and there I was simply amazed at the way she radiated as she told me all about the contest and that she won $10.  Again, something so small and yet it brought so much happiness.
On Tuesday, the I had the opportunity to do a session at the Salt Lake Temple with my mom.  It is such a privilege to live so close to the temple.  It was such a privilege to go with my mom.  It was a great day.  As we were sitting there in the temple, I noticed the lady beside me silently weeping.  It would have been such a small simple thing for me to put me hand on her knee to offer he comfort or to simply put my arm around her.  I wanted too, I actually ached to do it, and yet I didn't.  I am not sure if it was because of our setting or just that I didn't want to intrude on her and her deep silent pleading.  Yet, I now regret not offering her some sort of comfort. 
It is very interesting to see how the small and simple things effect our lives on a daily basis, whether good or bad.  It is the small things that count!!!

Time-Out

I have had a crazy couple of weeks and I wanted to take a small time out and really appreciate some of the greatest blessings in my life.  If you have watched the news at all lately, it sounds like the world is going to "hell in a hand basket."  The tsunami in Japan, the bombing in Libya, the troops in several other countries, the murdering and child abuse on the 10pm news, etc..etc..etc.. I could go on and on.  I have several specific things that bless my life.  The first is CHAD-
He took me on a week long vacation to Hawaii for our 10 yr anniversary... It was a such a great trip.  (I will post about it later.. once I edit pictures!)
Tonight he and I had one of the best conversations we have had in a while.  We really communicated, I mean really communicated.  It is so refreshing to be able to have such a great companion and person to share my life, stress, happiness, and love with.
                                      The second thing I am thankful for is friends....
I have in  my midst, the most Christ like, loving, serving, generous, spunky, REAL, friends a person could ask for.  They balance me out, they support me, they laugh at me and with me, they cry with me and they just plain 'ole love me.  For that I am so so thankful.
                                      The third thing I am thankful for is my mom....
She made me who I am.  She is encouraging and strong.  She is selfless and always serving me and helping me.  She makes me laugh and she really "gets" me.  She is so talented and witty and strong.... Someday I hope to be just like her.
                                     The fourth thing I am thankful for is my life and freedom...
I live in America, that in and of itself is amazing.  I was born in Idaho to great parents and a great family!  I have the gospel in my life and a healthy body.  My biggest stresses are what kind of treats to buy at the store.  Seriously, I have food, shelter, love, health, water, healthy kids, vehicles, etc..etc..etc...
                                     The fifth thing I am thankful for is my little family...
I had no idea about service or loving someone until I had children.  I think that is the only way Heavenly Father could help us understand how much he loves us.  He had to give us a small dose of how it feels to love unconditionally.  It is amazing what these little people have done to my life on so many different levels.  I am so so thankful for them. 

So, there are  many other things I want to say, but I didn't want this to be too long.  I just wanted to take a minute, a small time out, to really appreciate my life and how much I have been blessed.

NBA

Why is it that I love the NBA???  Is it that we watch Jazz games as a family?  Do I associate the NBA with memories of my childhood and watching games with my parents?  Is is the thrill of seeing new tattoos and hearing foul language?  Is it the sure rush I feel after a team comes back and wins a game in the last tenth of a second?  Is it eye candy?   Do I like to see confidence and arrogance?  I am not sure, but I can tell you this.  I feel like I know these players personally, like they are my friends.  I feel attached to them in some weird way!  I am disappointed when they lose and elated when they win.  I feel sad when they cheat on their wives or when their kids have eye cancer.  I think I want them as athletes to really be superheroes and they are not.  I watch them and bond with them and feel a real connection to them.  So I have to say that I am sad that the Jazz traded Deron Williams and feel like I have lost a dear friend......

Presidents Day Weekend

Here is a re-cap on our weekend!!!

Our Neighbor re-did her bathroom and gave us some boxes... Friday night entertainment....

Saturday night Chad took the boys to "Monster Trucks".  Sami and I decided to go on a date to the mall.  We even got her ears pierced.  She has been begging for months.  It is amazing to watch your own child grow into this fascinating person with feelings and ideas all of her own.  I loved spending some one on one time with her.  We held hands and laughed and it was so refreshing seeing the world through my daughters eyes.....

2 1/2 years old....

Monday we went sledding.  It was a beautiful sunny day.  It was so bright outside it hurt my eyes to open them.  We bundled up and rode down the hill for about 2 hours.  The older kids loved it and Zach was a little nervous about it, but once he started he kept saying "go fast" and "I want to fall in the snow"-- meaning he wanted to crash at the end of the hill.  It is on days like this that I often wonder what I did to deserve this great life.  

A quiet afternoon

He is all mine!!!  He is passionate and wild... when he talks to me he has to be so close I can smell him and his breath... when he talks he screams... when he laughs he roars... when he loves it almost hurts....  Today while I was cleaning the bathroom apparently Zach thought it would be fun to go skiing.... or was that horseback riding or did southern x-posure call...... again... He is all mine!!!!

Stretching

So, do you ever wonder about relationships and how it is all suppose to work.  I have this great life and these great kids and this great husband. But let me tell you, today was a hard day.  I have the privilege of raising these amazing little people.  They are mine.  They trust me and love me unconditionally.  They need me, they hug me, they cry for me, and usually I am the only person that can fill 98% of their needs.  It is so overwhelming and draining some days!  Don't get me wrong it is all good, but so hard some days!  I feel like I have thrown my whole heart and my entire soul into my family.  That is what you do when you are a mom and love someone more than life itself.  Yet, sometimes I hope I am up to giving these little people all the love and training they need.  I so don't want to let them down.  I feel like sometimes I have given all I can give and have done all I can do and still they are the ones coming out on the short end of the stick.  It is the same with relationships with spouses and parents and people you love so much.  I always feel like there is so much more to give and do and sometimes I am just too tired.  I am tired of letting people down and tired of not doing everything 100%.  I feel like my most personal and close relationships are stretching me.  Which is hard, it is good and it will make me a better person.  Sometimes though, I am tired of being stretched and I just want to feel like I really do give someone I love ALL that they need. 

It makes me want to re-evaluate my life and my priorities.  Is it really important that the top of my fridge is clean or that there isn't dust on my shelves.  It is so important for me to do all I can for others and especially my little family.  So here's to stretching and growing and learning together... Here's to giving and helping and sharing... and most of all here's to forgiving and being forgiven and loving not matter what....