A Facelift for my Blog...

I hope you all enjoy the new things I have done to my blog. It's all very aesthetically pleasing now! I also have tickers for my kid's birthdays and our trips and anniversary, and even for how long I've been breastfeeding! (Some of you may not care, but it's a big accomplishment for me since only something like 7% of women get this far anymore!)

Tomorrow and Saturday is my BIG ANNUAL YARD SALE! I am super excited. I have to call around and double check with people about bringing things. It may be smaller this year than it has been, but it's always fun for me to do. Don't ask why, I can't explain it. I am a yard sale junkie! I hope to sell all my stuff so I have money to spend at yard sales. Haha!

We got pictures taken for Mother's Day to give to all the Moms and Grandmas. :) Here they are:

Dedicated to my kids...

Today is Mother's Day. I got a book from Deric and the girls.

Something cute River said the other day:

I gave her some of my homemade applesauce and she asked for more saying, "Mommy, can I have some more apple sugar?" :)

We went into her bedroom the other night and Moss had murdered a robin in there. It was a major mess...blood and feathers EVERYWHERE. The bad thing was I didn't notice until we were both fully in the room. Then I told River to come with me quickly, she was freaking out a little. Poor thing. We evacuated and went up the stairs. Deric, hearing all the commotion asked us, "Is it really that bad?" River said as concerned as can be, "Yes Daddy, it's really that bad!" It took us half an hour to clean everything up. Yuck.

Molly is adoring "running around" on the couch. She climbs all over it and goes head-first off the side onto the pillows on the floor. (that we put there for safety purposes) She could just do that for hours! It's too cute!

I had an impression the other day that Molly might just have a special purpose in this life. Like a mission. I don't know what exactly, but I just distinctly felt that when I looked at her the other day being so sweet and loving. She is a true sweetheart.

I love my kids, they are the greatest joy I could have ever been given. I hope to always love them as deeply as I do now, and deeper. I bore my testimony today that though Mothers tend to be down on themselves and never feel like they are doing enough they shouldn't worry. Because I know one thing is for sure, Christ loves us, and he would never be so cruel as to expect us to be perfect. I know that. If that's all I ever know, it is enough.

Happy Mother's Day all!

will it end???

It sadly has been snowing for the last week here...ugh.

SO, Deric is snowmobiling today. We skipped out on camping because of the weather, and the fact our kids are still getting over their sinus infections. We didn't want to deal with sleepless nights.

Molly has slept through the night twice this week! That is a HUGE success. I hope that she will keep it up. I am really worn out from the waking up so much at night. I have been letting her cry herself back to sleep a little and last night I put her to bed tired but not asleep. I also fed her cereal right before bed. I think we will do that from now on...

We went to our friend, Gina's, surprise party last night. It was really nice to get out of the house...albeit only for about 2 hours. Still...every little bit counts for me, since I am so rarely able to get out without the kids. But, since Joan seems to not be too thrilled about watching them in the evenings, I think from now on if we go out then we will find someone else to watch our kids so we can actually stay the whole time for these things. We always have to be back by 9 or earlier because she can't handle the "late" hour. Oh well...It was bound to happen.

Well, gonna nap a minute.

...windy.

Well, I am approaching the Easter Holiday this weekend. We are going to be up at Crystal Hot Springs with Monica and fam(Deric's half sister). It will be Conference weekend, so we will be watching it in our trailer. The reality is it is supposed to rain the whole time, so what better weekend of camping for that to happen than this one! But, this will be our first camping trip of the season. The next weekend will be Deric's LAST snowmobile trip of the season. :) YAY!

Easter is always one of those holidays that we don't do a whole lot with. Easter baskets, and Conference mostly...but we hope to keep the tradition of it being our first camping trip each year since we don't have any extended family that we can really spend it with. (Monica really just stays in her trailer the whole time...haha!) But as our kids get older maybe we can make it a little more interesting and fun! (maybe I'll do an egg hunt for River this year in our trailer...)

Ginny will be here from the 9-11th which will be nice. I haven't seen her since Molly was about 2 1/2 weeks old. (She will be 8 months old on the 7th--crazy!) Ginny will be bringing her boyfriend Greg. :-) I'm excited to meet him! (though, seems he is a little apprehensive himself...) Muahahahaha! ;-) River is always asking for her, so it will be nice for them to get to bond a little more.

I accomplished my indoor Spring cleaning so far. I also did the trailer and carport. Now all that is left is the yard projects (and my storage room/emergency preparedness stuff). I'm pretty proud of us. We built our square foot gardens and have peas planted. I am also putting together some of the playground things so that will emerge in the next month or so. Deric is wanting to build a deck under/around our tree by the playground where we can put our fire pit and chairs to hang out back there when the kids are playing. I really like the idea, and I think it is something we would really use since it is in the shade and near the kids' play area. He said he might even do it this year. Which would be really nice. :-)

We are all sick AGAIN. I haven't worked out in so long...I feel like a slug. I hope that this weekend brings health, and the ability to kick it into gear for my exercise program again! I neeeeeeed to get in shape! I want to lose 10lbs at *least*.

I had a Hollywood themed girl's night on Saturday. It was really fun to sit and chat with my friends Heidi, Marcie, and Alaris. (that was who showed up) We had an award ceremony for our celebrity costumes, chatted, had a magic show by Deric, played a little DDR, and ate food. I have been eating it ever since, I'm sure it is contributing to my feeling gross...Ah well, it's nice to get some girl time on occasion. It seems they want to do it again too!

Well, off to accomplish something...toodles!

An upset...

After two weeks of battling sickness and ornery-non-sleeping Molly child I am finally to the point I can start my exercising again. Tomorrow I will begin again.

No the upsetting part: The stupid Wii fit says I am "overweight". Grand, now I have like 20lbs to lose, as opposed to my 11lbs that I thought I was down to....*grumble, grumble, grumble*.

Anyway, I have made my "spring cleaning" list. I rearranged the living room a little. I got out my scrapbooks and started figuring out what I need to do to get caught up. AND, I am going to be making those awesome homemade chocolate dipped Easter Eggs this week. :-D Yay!

Easter weekend will be our annual camping trip with Monica and her family. Conference is that weekend so we watch it in the trailer. :-) I'm excited for this season to get under way!

Molly has 2 teeth that have pushed through...and I think I am paying for it. She slept only 4 hours last night

.....heaven help me!

Down 4 pounds...

I have managed to exercise on average every other day. (meaning, not really every other day, but pretty much every day for like 4 days and then not until 4 days later...haha) But, I have still managed to drop just about 4 pounds. According to the wii measurements. So, I am not positive it is totally true. BUT, I think that I look skinnier and my belly is flatter. I eat less too. Which is a major plus. Not snacking like I used to.

My head is in a whirl....just so much going on up there. I don't know how to slow it down either.

I planned out my garden (this is what I am planting):
FLOWERS:
California Poppy
Viola-Johnny Jump Ups
HERBS:
Oregano
Mint
VEGGIES:
Tomatoes
Sweet bell peppers
Green Bell peppers
Onion-yellow
Spinach
broccoli
peas
lettuce-romaine
pumpkin-jack o lantern
green beans-bush
watermelon-seedless
cantaloupe
cucumbers
carrots-mini
potatoes-red
honeydew
corn
radish
turnip-purple top

I got the vermiculite, weed barrier, and the peat moss. So, we are getting closer to getting started! :-)

A new me!

I have started exercising every day!

Deric watches Molly after I put River to bed and I do my routine on the Wii Fit Plus. :-) I exercise about 38 minutes. Which, I think is pretty awesome! My goal is to lose 10 pounds and tone up these muscles. I don't have any excuse not to exercise, so, I'm not taking any...

I just decided that if I want to be happier, have more energy, and be a better mom I better start taking better care of myself. I don't want to turn into a blob of a mother. I don't want to dread every day because I am just to tired to enjoy it. I want to feel good. This makes it possible. Even if I am tired because I didn't get enough sleep, I am still more alert. I love how I feel and I have only been doing it for three days. But that is longer than I have done this type of thing in the past! Haha!

I just want to wake up and seize the day.

I bought poppys and violas for my flower bed. :-) I also, got some of the other items I will need for my boxes; weed barrier, vermiculite, and peat moss. I'm excited!

I had a vision of what I want to do with my back yard. I plan on making a play area for the kids reminiscent of fairy-land. I am going to make large wood cutout flowers and paint them, along with woodland creatures. I think I am also going to make a mushroom seating area. I think it will turn out super cute!

Well, to bed...

Sick...

Grr...

I had to get sick. It happens every year about this time though. At least it isn't terrible...just a sore throat and stuffed up ears and sinuses. I can get through it though, I am just really tired too. Molly doesn't help matters. I just don't know how to get her to sleep at night. It's really hard on my system...and hard on my marriage. Deric is always saying he doesn't want any more kids. It makes me mad. Ugh, anyway.

It has been springlike weather this week! We went walking yesterday and we have been out playing a little bit about 4 days this past week. :-) I am so excited to get to spring. I am going to be starting my compost here soon to make sure we have it ready for when we start our square foot gardens. Heidi and I are gathering tossed produce, coffee grounds, and chicken manure from people to make compost. Since those are all free, and it would be cheaper for us to get started on our gardens then. Since they are a little pricey up front. ($200 for all supplies) I have been finding wood and such on KSL for free to make it less costly too. :-) Plus, I am going to get in on the seed order through our class to save about 15%.

Well...ttyl, resting time...

Life is...

Well, it is not perfect...

It is not glamorous...

It is work.

It is sacrifice.

It is difficult.

BUT,

I will reap the rewards.

I do reap the rewards.

I can reap the rewards.

...What a week. I have had this much enthusiasm for it [.]
Yes, I mean it. I enjoyed taking some pictures of my Little People (vintage) that I bought this week. They make me smile. I am trying to get a collection going for my kids to play with. I think they are better toys than anything we have these days, and they are 30 years old! Here are a couple pictures.

I am at my wit's end today. More tired than anything. I'm just not willing to deal with an ornery two year old and a crying baby today. Ugh...

I always get to February and fall apart...why?

On my own...

Oooo, this is why I don't like winter. I am husbandless for the majority of the weekends. He has friends here, or is at friend's houses, or is snowmobiling. It's nice that he has that opportunity. But, I would like more opportunity to do something I enjoy. I get taken on snowmobile type outings. They are ok, but I am so tired by them...and they are really something Deric enjoys doing, not me. He gets mad whenever I say that. He threatens to get rid of the snowmobiles. The reality is that I know he would make my life miserable for it. So, I never let him.

I am taking a "Square foot Gardening" class with my friend Heidi. It's four weeks long and runs an hour and a half on Wednesdays. I think it will be fun. :-) Then I can better utilize my garden this year. This will at least break up the mundane weeks through mid-February.

I told Deric we should take a dance class...he wasn't interested. He says there are too many things he already wishes he could do and doesn't have the time for. Those things don't include me. Not that he said that, it's just the reality of it. I grow sad sometimes at how much we don't spend time with each other. But, really, our interests don't overlap in many areas. Camping is one thing we do enjoy doing together. Other than that, we spend a lot of time in front of the TV. I had always hoped to pretty much ban that from my house. A movie on occasion was fine...But, again, it is the reality of things. I do enjoy "Chuck" and "The Big Bang Theory" however.

I want to get my pictures printed so that I can start on Molly's scrapbook and our new year's scrapbook. I want to get the Millersburg pictures too...I would love to sit and write up that book. Anywho...

I am just sad today. Things looks so gloomy when it is smoggy and foggy outside. Not much of a day to enjoy. The air is so bad that if you go out in it it is like smoking a cigarette. One thing about Utah I truly despise. Oh well, such is life sometimes...

I do love my life. There are just some things that aren't perfect.