Christmas

I do not think it is any secret that I LOVE CHRISTMAS!! There is so much about it that I love, but one of the things is the wonder and excitement of the kids.  I love that they are all believers. (not sure how long that will last-or how long I should let it last) but to be honest I am in no hurry.  Their excitement about Santa is exhilirating!

I am grateful this year I was able to capture all of them with the big man.  Cannot believe it has already come and gone.

Dare I say....

Dare I say that this little boy is potty trained....Oh I dare!!!!!

I anticipate there are still plenty of accidents ahead of us, but this boy is potty trained!!!  He has not worn a diaper all week (not even to bed) and has figured out how to tell me when he needs to go potty (all versions thereof.)  It is so liberating!!!!

The other day Grant and I decided to do the rough math on what we have spent in diapers (mind you this is a rough and pretty low estimate in my opinion.)  Since May 13, 2003 we have had non-stop 1-2 kids in diapers.  (my sil did 3 in diapers all different sizes at one point and I bow down to her for her patience and amazing outlook on it.) So over 9 1/2 years straight we have had someone in diapers..we have purchased diaper, we have changed diapers, and we have thrown away MANY diapers.

So nearly 10 years later our rough guess (and this does not include wipes, pull ups, or swim diapers) we figured we have spent well over $4000!

I am elated for the financial freedom, the freedom from changing messes, and finding myself in the next stage of life.  I am doing a happy dance on my end!!!

Perfectionist

I know it may be hard to believe (especially if you happened to walk into my house right now) but I do have a streak of perfectionism in me!  I have missed out on a lot as a result (drawing, playing pain/violin-anything of the artistic nature) so I try to let go of it to save my sanity.

When I was in college (probably high school too) I would take all my notes in class in pencil.  But that did not look nice enough, so I would always redo them in pen.  It had to look nice, neat and PERFECT.  If I messed up on the third word on the last line, you better believe that I threw that whole paper away and started from the beginning.  I rationalized that I was learning the material as I wrote and rewrote it.  I have to say, anyone that borrowed my notes did not have a problem reading them. (wow computers would have saved me a lot of time..I should have gone to college now and days.)

So how do I transition from expecting perfection from my own notes and handwriting to letting go of my daughters messy and erratic handwriting IT DRIVES ME CRAZY!!!!!! I try really hard to not harp on her and give gentle reminder occasionally...but really I am wondering from where this child came?  Certainly her handwriting did not come from me (or her father for that matter), I just hope that some day she will care enough to write nicely, and if not I will still love her massive amounts!

Stairs and Sleeping bags

Remember when you were a kid and almost anything could be made into a toy and a good time?  Well when the screen time is off and kids find their sleeping bags in conjunction with the stairs...the fun begins!

I have so many pictures with awesome expressions I had to narrow it down to just a few.  I love when the kids 1. play together, 2. laugh together, 3. use their imaginations, 4. be kids!

Sports

We love sports in our little family, all kinds of sports.  My sport is obviously running.  This began long long ago.  When we were little kids my parents would take us down to the church and let us run.  They would have us race around the building. I do not recall ever winning. I do recall being made fun of because I was pigeon toed.  Even at a young age that frustrated me.  Well, either through wisdom or dumb luck my dad told me that some of the best runners in the world were pigeon toed.  So, I got it in my head I was going to be a runner.  I started out playing basketball.  I played three year in elementary.  I was really small and very timid, so the ball did not make it to me very often.  When I got to junior high I tried the cheerleading thing.  Once again I was small so they loved having me to throw around, but it just was not me.  In seventh grade I ran track.  They had me running the 800 (so not my race.)  I always felt like I lived in my older sister's shadow.  She was fun, smart, friendly, outgoing, talented and she rocked at sprints in track.  While she was beating everyone (including boys) I was bringing up the rear.  I remember after one of my last races feeling frustrated and dejected.  Running was supposed to be my thing and I sucked!! We had one meet left and they did not have enough people to run the mile so they were asking for volunteers.  I felt it in me that this was my time to break free and my hand immediately went in the air.  If I recall correctly I ran my first mile in a race and placed fourth.  I never got that close in the 800.  A light went on in my coach's head, and everyone realized I was meant for longer distances.  From then on out I found my place.  I was a long distance runner and I actually excelled (in Farmington anyhow). I will never forget the shock on my parents face after my first cross country meet when I hung with people no one thought possible and I finished in the top third.   I would never be popular, outgoing, or funny like Chanel, but I found me and that was great!  

One of the things I love about running (and there are so many things to love) is that it has been a sport I can do forever.  It did not end at high school or college.  The next thing is that as of late it has given me an opportunity to get together with my siblings outside of holidays. Every couple of years we plan a race and get together to do it.  This summer I ran one of my favorite races yet.  It is an awesome course and I PR-ed.  But what made it fun was doing it with my brothers.  I ran almost the entire race with one, the other, or both of them.  It was so amazing!  I love that I can bond with them in this manner.  

 I love this time together.  We checked on each other's training. We talked about our goals.  We worked together.  The only thing that could have made it better was if Grant was along with us!  (Next year post surgery, he will be there.)

I love this sport and I love what it does for my mental health and my friendships.  Ragnar has to be next...an all family team looks to be the ticket!!!

Spanx

I have never worn Spanx before (I am not a big fan of tight things), but I know people that have.  I once read a hilarious story about a woman trying to remove her spanx in an airplane bathroom.  So I was looking at an add for Spanx today and the model they were on was a perfectly slim and skinny girl, who had no need to wear spanx and probably never would.  Why do they not put it on a model that really would wear spanx so that the average woman can see what it would do for her....common sense right?  Maybe it is just good advertising for people who look at that model and think...yeah I want to look like that. Beats me, just struck me kinda funny.

Whewwwwww....

I have so many things I should post, but days like today have prevented:

6:30- get up with dog to let her out and play for a few
6:55- wake all the kids up, make them breakfast and lunches and get all ready for school
7:40 pray and tell all kids to get in the car
7:41- Isaac tries to pour his own milk for his cereal (I get mad) because it goes all over the counter and floor
7:45- leave the house to take 3 olders to school
8:00- return home and get the 4th ready for her first day of school (pictures and all)
8:54- leave the house to drop said child off at school
9:05- begin the errand of returns to lowes, purchases at lowes, returns to payless, purchase of soccer uniform.
10:30- return home, let the dog out, shower quickly and pick up a few things
11:25- out the door to pick up preschooler
11:33- with preschooler in hand off to the pool for a few minutes to eat and celebrate a good first day of school
2:00- return home, change clothes, do the breakfast dishes, clean the stove, straighten the upstairs, drink some water (all while the two youngers slept in the car
2:32-leave the house to pick the kids up from school
2:42-pick up Asher from his class
2:47-pick up James and Caleb
2:54- get other kids from the car and head back to the school for 3rd grade open house
3:01-3:53-start in the cafeteria then visit 5 teachers, five classrooms with five kids
3:54-load back up in the car head home let the dog out
4:10-people meet at our house to buy and take away our oven/stove-help them load it
4:20- help kids start their homework, play with dog
4:49-load back up in the car to take two olders to piano lessons
5:04-arrive back home, write this post, help asher and mique get shoes on to run around the block (their idea)
And what is ahead-
5:30-make pancake mixture, pancakes for dinner since we no longer have an oven or a stove and let dog out
5:52- load back up in the car to pick up kids from piano
6:01- head to the school for 2nd grade open house
6:10- visit teacher and classroom
6:25- head home and start dinner, help Jamison with more homework
6:35-let dog out, eat dinner then clean up
6:52-send Grant off to church
7:20-read scriptures, brush teeth, say prayer, kiss 5 little heads goodnight and send them to their rooms to read
7:30- change into running clothes and run
8:00 tell kids to turn out lights and go to bed, let dog out and play
8:11- yell at kids to be quiet and go to sleep
8:23-yell at kids to be quiet and go to sleep
8:34-yell at kids to be quiet and go to sleep
8:41-yell at kids to be quiet and go to sleep
8:49-yell at kids to be quiet and go to sleep
8:56-yell at kids to be quiet and go to sleep
9:00-shower, sit down in front of the tv and be brainless for a moment
9:03-yell at kids to be quiet and go to sleep
and there you have it.....someday I will post the way I would like.

BTW-any person that says a stay at home mom does not really work or contribute to society...I dare you to try out my life for a bit and see if you still feel the same!!!