Come What May, and Love it

Blog? What Blog?

2010-12-17T20:17:00.000-08:00

So here's to New Year's resolutions that usually fade out about February. I'm going for it, and want to make a goal to post here at least once a month. The kids are all growing up so fast and they change every day. Anything I can do to remember these times and hold onto these sweet moments will be well worth it! Moments like going through a certain boy's backpack and finding a beautifully drawn picture with the words "babis eat from booboos" as the caption. It's going to be a great year!

The "R" Word

2010-02-02T13:04:00.000-08:00

So I am diving into a post that I have been thinking about and losing sleep over for a long time now. My intentions are not to jump on my high horse and preach about things even foreign to me. My intentions are to bring awareness to those around me who love me and my family and to start making the changes in our small corner of the world that my daughter was sent here to make. The truth is...the word "retarded" is offensive to many people with special needs. I'm not gonna lie...I have used this word as slang before and never saw too much harm in it. However, things are different now and I am asking if we could all try a little harder to be sensitive to those around us. What if we all taught our kids who then could teach their kids who could teach their friends...what a difference we could make. I am so grateful to live in a community with such loving people who are supportive and encouraging. Lets spread the word....but not the "R" word. :)

Randomness from the Leonards

2010-01-26T13:31:00.000-08:00

Eme's Blessing and Updates!

2009-12-18T19:44:00.000-08:00

I'm a little behind on.....well everything lately! Emersen was blessed a few weeks ago and it was a great day. There are a few things I will remember about that day...

-How nervous her poor daddy was...he wanted it to be perfect, and of course it was.

-The red boots aunt Lacy wore...loved them and loved her being there.

-Turning around in Sacrament Meeting to see Jacksen (who was sitting with my parents) wearing the HUGE blue star clown sunglasses he snuck into the church bag.

-The amazing love and peace I felt that day.

-The sweet words in her blessing, knowing that she was going to bring so much joy to everyone around her.

The day was perfect and I'm so grateful to all of our friends and family who were there to share it with us. Emersen is doing great! I wish I had a more recent picture (coming very soon)! She has actually been tube-free for 2 days now. The doc said after about two months her blood vessels would relax and there was a chance she would no longer need the oxygen....I think I got that right but I also may have just totally butchered what he said. Anyways, it is so nice to stare at her perfect little face without her "entourage" of equipment :). She continues to have a very sweet and calm personality. Everyone who holds her comments that they could sit and hold her forever. Jacksen cannot get enough of her...they have a special bond that Eric and I just love to watch. She looks at him different than anyone else and turns to wherever his voice is in the room....yes, it makes me a little nervous that they may already be conspiring against me....but I also think he has the most tender heart and will be a great big brother to her.

Sometimes I cannot believe I have four children and the direction my life has taken, but my family brings me more joy....and laundry :) than I could have ever imagined.

Emersen Montana Leonard

2009-10-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

Our sweet little girl was born on October 17 weighing in at a whole 5 pounds 11 ounces. The labor wasn't too bad and my shortest by far. I had to wake Eric up to tell him to move his bed because the doctor was on his way in so I could start pushing.... oh to be on the other side of things :).
After Emersen was born, the nurses seemed a little concerned about her color and so dad accompanied her to the special care nursery for some oxygen. Not long after that, while I was back in the delivery room all alone, Eric called to tell me they thought something might be wrong....she had some features consistent with down syndrome and they were going to send off a chromosone test right away for further testing. I'll never forget the way I felt at that moment. I was terrified and instantly started to pray that I would be able to handle whatever was about to come my way. It seemed like forever until Eric and the nurse came back to talk to me....she explained their concerns and after she left Eric and I cried. Not because we were sad or dissapointed, but because we were so afraid of what the future held for our sweet girl. It was the longest night for us both...lots of tears and no sleep. The next day, when we went to see Emersen again, we found out that she has a heart defect common among children with down syndrome, which would require open heart surgery at the age of 4 months. About 1/2 hour later, we found out that she had a possible bowel obstruction and we would be flying to Phoenix for surgery that night. We were very fortunate that once we were in Phoenix, the doctors thought that her tummy was fine and the surgery wasn't necessary. While we were there however, we met with the pediatric cardiologists that would be performing her surgery and got lots of great information! We are now back in the Flagstaff NICU where she is learning how to eat better and get stronger. Because of her heart condition, eating for her is like running a race....very tiring! Her stamina has to improve and she has to have all of her feedings by mouth before she can come home. She is such a tough girl and I know she is trying hard. I don't know how long we will be there but I try to be grateful for the time I get to cuddle her and bond with her without the normal interruptions of home.
Eric and I feel so humbled and blessed to have Emersen with us. I look forward to learning about down syndrome and being an advocate for my sweet little angel. She has blessed our lives already...she has shown us how much love is around us. I continue to be overwhelmed everyday at our friends and family and their support. I think she has only begun to touch those around her and remind me of what is truly important. We are so thankful to all of you who have prayed for us and continue to encourage us every day. I can't wait for you all to meet our precious girl and feel her amazing spirit. I know she is going to be a source of great joy to our family and we thank our Heavenly Father every day that we get to be her parents.

2009-09-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am aware that I have been on a slight blog vacation...my computer has a virus and won't let me upload new pictures....which is usually my motivation for posting.

I'm going to try and catch up but it could take a while....things don't slow down much around here.

Jacksen and Ty both started school a few weeks ago and are having a blast! They have great teachers and are learning lots of fun (and not so fun) stuff. They have picked up a couple of new phrases....ex. manboobs, buttcrack, and barf the cheese????? I am hoping they are short lived and they learn quick that not everything said on the playground is ok for home :)

Ady stays busy with me at home...she goes to an activity group and a mom and tot swim class. We have lots of fun taking trips to Flag to the baby doctor and shopping for her new baby sister. On our last trip she was dragging a huge pony around Marshalls....Grandma told her maybe Santa would bring it to her for Christmas and Ady (who is 2) said...but Grandma, its on sale! She is already quite the bargain shopper.

Football season is in full swing...Eric stays busy at work! The boys are also playing soccer so the weekends are busy now too. I'm trying to keep up with everyone....I mostly move with a slow waddle these days....only weeks left until we can meet baby girl Leonard, which may be her name if we can't agree on anything by then.

I'll end with some of the fantastic things that have come out of my children's mouths lately!

Tysen: "I have this new girl in my class...she is half French and half Human."

Adysen: (Mad at me for telling her no) "I don't like your baby anymore."

Jacksen: (He was feeling the baby kick) "You should kick her back."

Fun at Knoll Lake!!

First day of school!

So You Think You Can Dance?

2009-05-23T09:46:00.000-07:00

Tysen came home a couple of weeks ago and said he signed up to audition for the school talent show. Eric and I had no idea he had it in him. He had to do it in front of the whole school and parents but we were so proud of him and wanted to share it with you! It still cracks me up everytime I watch it.....enjoy!

Mystery Diagnosis

2009-04-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

So, something CRAZY is going on. I am sick ALL the time. Anything with any odor makes me want to....well you know. I want to eat all the time, you may not think that unusual as much as I enjoy eating, but now it takes me a year to decide what tastes good, if it should be cold or hot, to dip or not to dip.....and on and on until finally I make something only to find out it smells funny and I'm not eating it. Besides all that, my favorite jeans will not even zip up!! Did I mention if I sit down I fall asleep? What is going on?

Attention Parents

2009-01-25T20:47:00.000-08:00

Most of you have heard of the recent "proposals" to our schools in order to cut the budget by a huge percentage! Well, my sister-in-law/awesome teacher attended an education rally in Phoenix this weekend and got the dirt. She has some great information on her blog and I encourage all of you to read it and get involved. Here's the link:

yearofchange2009.blogspot.com

Ava N' Ady Bowtique!

2009-01-23T22:08:00.000-08:00

I finally did it! Well, we did. We (being me and my fellow girly-mom Natalie) have started our own "bowtique" here in the big city of Winslow! Actually, we will be doing some online business as well using our blog in the near future. I will add the link and would love for you to all check it out. Remember, we are just starting and just have a few examples up right now, but you can at least get an idea of what our bows are like. We also do custom orders!!!

They're crackin' me up

2009-01-13T20:21:00.000-08:00

My kids have been saying some of the most off-the-wall stuff lately! I love to read all of your kids' crazy comments and so I'd thought I'd share a few!

Tysen: Mom...(deep sigh)...I really don't want to say the "F" word.

Me: WHAT!!! What do you mean the "F" word???

Tysen: Well, I really didn't want to say it...but your booty is getting..(in a whisper)...FAT.

We were in church on Sunday and an older man was "resting" with his head on the seat in front of him. Since my children have been a little death obsessed lately, Jacksen said (of course totally loud) "mom, that guy is dead...he DIED in church!"

Mom: Tysen, pick up your toys, your room is a mess!

Tysen: When I have kids, they will never have to clean their rooms!!

Mom: Well, who is going to make your house look nice? Are you going to do it?

Tysen: Heck no, me and my wife are going to have a janitor.

We were at the doctor's office recently and there was a sad looking little doll in the toy bin meant to entertain kids in the waiting room. Ady picked it up and made the funniest look, she said "mom, she needs a bow!"

For Aunt Lacy

2009-01-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

I have been informed that my previous "holiday" post was not quite sufficient for Aunt Lacy...she wants MORE PICTURES! So, I have included many random "photas" (he he) just for you.

If you ask Ady what her name is, she says "Ady Wacy," it is so cute.

Tysen asked me last week if Daddy could go to the Indian Hospital because he was kind of brown.

We called Jacksen "Chandler" on this particular day.(You know, the friends with the engagement photos). He kept making this funky smile....we were laughing so hard.

We Love You!! See you soon!

Holiday Recap

2009-01-04T21:25:00.000-08:00

I am glad to report that Christmas at the Leonard's was a success this year! We had so much fun together and it will be bittersweet to send the boys back to school tomorrow. This is the time of year that I love Eric working in education...lots of time off. We spent lots of time with family and ate way too much of everything. You know it is holiday time when you wake up looking for the pie or fudge. I'm sure I will be going through withdraws during the next week or two, but the sweets have to go....its either that or my favorite jeans. Anyways, the kids had a great time this year. Some of the random highlights included:

-whenever anyone would open a present, Jacksen would give them a big hug and say "do you like it, I got that just for you." it was so sweet

-the look on the kids' faces when they saw "Dandy"...their new horse from Grandpa Leo -Tysen dialing up Santa on the phone for Ady a few days after Christmas because she told him she needed a few more presents

-seeing my kids excited about giving to others...we had a few opportunities to serve those around us during the Holidays and the kids talk about it all the time, I love that!

Anyhow, here are a few pictures from Christmas Day...I love the one of Jacksen first thing in the morning.

Lucky Seven

2008-11-17T11:06:00.000-08:00

Has it really been seven years already? I know it's cliche, but it really does feel like just the other day that Eric and I were just having fun and dating without having to hire a babysitter. Now we very rarely even eat out because to feed a family of five takes more than this cheap mom wants to spend. I do have to say though, we still have just as much fun! Love you babe!

For Uncle Jimmer....Laid Up in the Hospital

2008-11-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

I had to share this conversation Jacksen and I had on the way to get Ty from school today.

Jacksen: Mom, do I have blood in me?

Me: Yep

Jacksen: Why?

Me: That's just how Heavenly Father made us.

Jacksen: But I came in a box.

Me: What? Came where?

Jacksen: You know, the customers picked me, and then I came to you in a box.

Me: Honey, you came out of mom's tummy, remember when Ady was in my tummy?

Jacksen: I DIDN"T WANT TO COME OUT OF A TUMMY!! I WANTED TO COME IN A BOX!!
(literally yelling...so funny)

The Princess and the "Pee"

2008-11-07T15:23:00.000-08:00

That's right....23 months and potty trained! I just wish I could take credit for it. Okay, I did purchase the adorable pink throne, but as for the rest...Ady did it pretty much on her own. Once she got that she couldn't stand up and pee (she has two older brothers), she had it figured out. I have it figured out that it has been almost six years straight of buying diapers and I am one happy woman right now!

Halloween

2008-11-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

Gotta love Halloween. The costumes, the candy, and yes...the screaming, sugar-filled children too. This year, Tysen was an army ranger..."G.I. TY." Jacksen was a horse, and Adysen was a bumblebee. It was lots of fun and even though Eric had a game, we survived another Halloween!

This is J and his cousin Mykenzie. I love this picture, I just know we will laugh at it someday.

This is the end of the night. Would it really be Halloween without Hocus Pocus and popcorn?

Carving Fun!

2008-10-31T22:10:00.000-07:00

Well here it is...our Jack-O-Leonard. We carved this baby for FHE this week and as you can tell, had lots of fun doing it. It's always such a mess but the kids were really into it this year and they even carved the face themselves. This is actually considered a decent family picture.

Six Quirky Things...Not a Problem

2008-10-21T16:56:00.000-07:00

1. I hide my toothbrush. My kids insist on using my bathroom to brush their teeth and all too often they "borrow" mine. Well, enough is enough, I have resorted to a secret hiding spot in the closet. Who knew?

2. I refuse to make two trips from the car to the house with grocery bags. Okay, I admit that the occasional trip to Sam's Club is an exception. For the most part however, I will use my freakish strength to carry ALL of the grocery bags in one trip. Why make two, when clearly it can be done in one? (Who needs a pinkie finger anyways?)

3. I tell mommy lies. Yes, it's true....and it works. My kids think that if boys wear earrings their ears will turn black and eventually fall off. I told them once that a certain button in our car would blow us up and every time Ady gets near it the boys cover their ears. Finally, mom's can always see if you do something naughty, even if she's not there. (My personal favorite.)

4. Okay, now you die hard Twilight fans hold onto your hats but I didn't finish the last two chapters of the series. I keep meaning to finish it but it just got a little out of hand for me. Don't get me wrong, I loved the first two books and could not put them down but I totally lost interest towards the end and just couldn't finish it. I know...I will before I see the movie, calm down.

5. I proofread all of your blogs. Please don't hate me, it is a habit that I cannot get rid of. When words are spelled wrong or the grammar is incorrect, I get all excited and want to make red marks all over the computer screen. That absolutely does not mean that mine is in anyway perfect, but I must admit that I often blog with a dictionary in hand just in case I run into a word that trips me up.

6. I am fighting a severe addiction to Diet Dr. Pepper with extra ice and a slice of lemon. Yes, thanks to Sonic and their brilliant idea of "Happy Hour," around two o'clock every day I feel the need to drink 44 ounces of carbonation and aspartame. I really am trying, any suggestions?

Are You Ready for Some Football?

2008-10-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

Football season is well underway at the Leonard house! This was the first game that I took ALL the kids to (daddy is the trainer...and a coach). They actually made it until halftime and we had a great time. Thank you Aunt Amanda! Ady loved it, which made her dad very happy and J was good as long as his popcorn didn't run out! Tysen is our little sports fanatic so of course he was just happy to be there. Here are a few pictures of my bundled up sweeties...it was really cold!

Jacksen: "Mom, why are we all tied up?"

Ady was rockin' her new football bows.

Coolest Kids on The Block

2008-10-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

Birthday Party Hangover

2008-10-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

This is what I like to refer to as Jacksen's "Birthday Party Hangover." He has been to a bunch of parties lately and these are a couple of the things he has collected. It has however taken its toll...he slept like this the whole time we were waiting for Ty to get out of school.

What do you think?

2008-10-07T08:56:00.000-07:00

Jacksen: Mom, guess what I dreamed about?

Me: (super excited because this is usually fairly interesting) What?

Jacksen: Your head was white and you were turning into Grandma!

I have to agree, people tell me all the time that I look just like my mom, and my brothers and sisters tell me I act just like her. I just didn't know that my 4 year old was picking up on it.

Gotta Love It...

2008-09-21T20:01:00.000-07:00

Tysen: Mom, where are you going?

Me: I'm going to Young Women's, Ty.

Tysen: But you're old.

Move Over Beck...

2008-09-21T19:55:00.000-07:00

Tysen is playing soccer this year for the first time and is loving every second of it. He even has a little victory dance when he scores a goal.....our Tysen, always the entertainer. It has been fun to watch him run around with the other five-year-olds and try to remember which way they're supposed to be running.

A Birthday Wish....

2008-09-18T16:55:00.000-07:00

Today was "Aunt Lacy's" Birthday and Tysen wanted to call her so bad when he got home from school. She goes to work at three (in Montana) so he couldn't call...thus the post. Here's to an awesome aunt, great mom, and best sister! We love you and hope you had a great day!

PS> We didn't forget about you Shawn...the kids talk about you and your mad fishing skills ALL the time...hope you had a great Birthday too!!

Blog Vacation

2008-08-23T18:49:00.000-07:00

The Boys at Mussigbrod (Sp.? Jimmer?)

Nope.....kids didn't burn down the house.....just took a blog vacation. We have been having so much fun that I just haven't had time to share it all. I have lots of pictures to catch up on and most of them are from our annual family trip to Montana. We had an awesome time seeing everyone and just hanging out with the mosquitos. They were pretty bad this year...but I always say there has to be something to keep the people away, otherwise everyone would go there. It is so beautiful and the kids love all the fishing and animals. The kids even saw their first moose this year! Anyways it was great, even spending almost 40 hours in the car with three kids. Benadryl, popcorn puffs, and Jonas Brothers will make any trip enjoyable! More recently the kids and I accompanied Eric to Tucson for an Education Conference. We got to stay at a sweet resort for five days and had so much fun. I have included some of those pics too. Enjoy!!

The "fam" at Pintler Falls

The kids on the Fourth.....I know but its the best one I got.

Ty and J at their favorite spot behind the "BIG HOUSE."

Tysen with a member of the Battalion at the Battlefield

Ty and his Uncle Shawn with the catch of the day!

Papa with Adysen and cousin Cash (Lacy's).....so cute.

Eric with Sid....biggest dog ever.

Kids with Grandpa Dan, and Ady with Uncle Jimmer.

J and Uncle Jimmer on the four-wheeler.

Okay...I know what this looks like, but no, Tysen is not peeing in the water outside of the Salt Lake Temple.

Kids at the Logan Temple

Ady at the top of the Ventana Canyon Trail in Tucson.

Eric and I at the end of the trail. (Tysen took this pic., not bad huh!)

"Brothers and Sisters"

2008-05-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to update my blog lately and just haven't had much to say so I thought I'd send a shout out to some of my favorite people. My brother recently got hitched (not pictured) and we had the rare opportunity of all being together. It was a blast and I love you all!!!

2008-04-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

I wanted to get a good picture of the kids for their bathroom and I had this idea to put them in this old tub that was in my in-laws shed. I love how the pictures came out and this is the one I ended up using. It is in the sepia color in my bathroom but I couldn't figure out how to get it like that on here. I should post the ones that I didn't use.....nah, let's not.

I need a nap.

2008-04-15T13:04:00.000-07:00

There is never a dull moment when Jacksen is around. I have never meet anyone quite like him! Half the time he makes me want to pull my hair out, but he is so loving and cuddly at the same time. I couldn't resist sharing some of his most recent antics! I love this boy so much!!

Jacksen stuck in the soccer net.

He has to wear my shades when we are waiting in the car for preschool to start.

Jacksen stuck in the basketball hoop.

He never wears clothes when we are home, and this is the last time I saw my vaccum attachments. Has anyone seen them??

"But mom, spider man just wanted to swim." What you can't see is the two inches of water on the bathroom floor. I think his brother helped him with this one.

What's with all the Bon Jovi music?

2008-04-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I have kept my Bon Jovi songs playing for a while now anticipating the big day! I had a blast at the concert and even more fun being with my mom, Aunt Julie, and cousin Katee. We rocked out like we were 80's groupies and made some great memories. Here are a few pics of the big night.

What happened to Lani?

2008-04-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's been a while. You may be wondering if the stress finally became too much to handle and if I had run away. Or maybe you thought my kids burnt down the house and I didn't have access to a computer. Well, for those of who thought that I was just doing dishes, laundry, changing diapers, and runnin around like a crazy loon.....you win. Posting on my blog has been furthest from my mind lately but I had a spare second this morning and wanted to give a quick update to how things are going.
We lost our sweet Grandma Sam last week. We took the kids to see her on Easter Sunday (she was here in Winslow in a private nursing home), they took her an Easter egg they had dyed and a picture of Christ they had colored at church that day. We had a great visit and the kids each kissed her and said goodbye. It was a great day and I am so glad that the kids will remember her smiling and happy to see them. She was a very special Grandma and we will miss her very much, but the kids have learned a lot about Heavenly Father's plan for us. They know that it is okay to miss her but that we will see her again someday.
Anyways, I will be posting lots of pictures soon....they have been adding up in my camera and we have lots of fun stories to share!!

Making Memories

2008-03-04T10:15:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I posted last so I feel like I need to catch up on what has been happening lately. We have had some fun trips together as a family and I wanted to share our pictures with everyone. My mom and dad got some major snow this year and we took the kids sledding in the mountains. It was so much fun! Aunt Amanda went with us and my mom and dad came too. The kids loved it.....well Tysen and Jacksen had fun. Ady wasn't crazy about being chest deep in snow! Anyways it was a great day and something to remember for a long time. We also had some fun days at the park and I just happened to have my camera handy!

The Big 5!

2008-02-14T11:50:00.000-08:00

Tysen celebrated his fifth birthday yesterday! I can't believe it has been five years since he was born. He had a great day which included: cupcakes for breakfast, lunch out with mom, and a Darth Vador Birthday Cake! His cake came with a Darth Vador voice changer and he is still running around the house saying "Luke, I am your Fadder." Yes, fadder, that is one word we cannot get Ty to say correctly. Anyways I think he enjoyed the day and continues to inform me of things that "five year olds get to do."

Strange....But True

2008-02-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

We were so surprised to wake up to snow last week! It was a nice change to have some on the ground for once!

I had to post this strange picture as well, it is Adysen in her Mr. Potato Head glasses. She has been wearing them all over the house......maybe she's been having trouble seeing the TV?

Also, and maybe not so strange, is that Ady apparently shares her mother's addiction to the tabloids.

Finally, strange are the things my children seem to think of. I heard Adysen screaming and ran towards their bedrooms when around the corner they flew. Ady was in a laundry basket holding on for dear life as her brothers pushed her down the hall!

Little Blessings

2008-01-27T18:55:00.000-08:00

Well, Tysen and Jacksen are like night and day when it comes to public speaking. Every Sunday since J has been in Primary he asks if he can talk in the "big microphone." Tysen on the other hand gets very nervous when he is asked to talk in Primary. Today was his second talk. He did a great job but he puts his mouth over the microphone and giggles quite a bit, nervous twitches?? Anyways the theme for the month is "I am a Child of God and He has a Plan for Me." Tysen talked about his earthly family and his Father in Heaven who both love him very much. He also said that he knows if he chooses the right he can live with his family forever. Even through the laughing and spit on the microphone, I knew he knew these things were true. I am so glad to be in a family with so much love and feel so lucky! I am concerned however at what Jacksen's nervous twitches might be........?

Fun Times

2008-01-27T18:41:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report that we are all healthy! So what better way to celebrate than to take the kids to McDonalds and pick up some more germs! Actually, since the boys were sick they have ended up in bed with Eric and I more than once. To bribe them just a little, we told them they could go to McDonalds and have a Happy Meal if they would sleep in their own beds all night.We all had a great time playing together and washing our hands together when we got home!

Dr. Mom?

2008-01-17T15:57:00.000-08:00

So as most of you well know, it took me about 7 years to get my bachelor's degree. I am now beginning to think that that time would have been better spent in medical school! It has been a long week of ill children at our house, as well as many others I hear! Tysen has been the worse by far. It started with a cough, then strep throat, a huge shot, and now throwing up. He has been a trooper, taking his "bowl" wherever he lays and being patient while his brother and sister poke him while he attempts to rest. Anyhow I am just taking a moment to shut the door in the office and breathe! Tomorrow is another day....

....the darndest things!

2008-01-14T17:16:00.000-08:00

Every year since Tysen was born he has gotten sick in January and had to be on the nebulizer machine with breathing medication. Well this year has started off no different and he had his first treatment tonight. Afterward, I asked him if the medicine made him feel wierd because it had been a while since he had had that kind. His response :

Tysen: "Yeah, it made me feel like Mack"

Mom: "Who's Mack?"

Tysen: "You know, the red ranger."

Anyways, we got a good laugh and we hope he feels better soon. I suppose feeling like a power ranger is not bad in the meantime!

Our Week In Pictures

2008-01-09T13:41:00.000-08:00

These are just some random pictures from throughout the week at our house. For those of you who don't get to see the kids that much I thought they would be fun. Ady wanted to show off her new jeans that Uncle Kerry and Aunt Leslie bought her for Christmas and Tysen loves to wear "basketball shorts" like his dad so I bought him some new ones this week and he had to have his picture taken! I thought Adysen looked so funny in her new coat and hat that I couldn't resist this picture, she could barely move! Enjoy!

2008-01-09T13:01:00.000-08:00

There are many times when my kids do something that Eric and I will think is hillarious but others don't find that funny. This may be one of those times, but I just had to share this. Ady got a new leap frog toy for Christmas that sticks to the fridge (magnetic) and plays music. Jacksen has been "choreographing" his own moves to each song and I caught one on tape. We laughed for a long time over this and hope you get a kick out of it too!

End of a Season

2007-12-31T10:07:00.000-08:00

So, I know Eric's eyes are closed, but this is as good as it gets sometimes as far as family pictures go. We had a get together with my sister and family this weekend and had a great time! I'm sad to see the holiday season go because of the time we have had to spend with our family. Also because I have to start eating cereal for breakfast again instead of cookies or fudge someone has brought us!

Tag?

2007-12-28T17:33:00.000-08:00

So I have been "tagged" by a couple of friends which means I have to tell 5 things about myself that you may not know. Well I have plenty of odd ball things I can reveal so here goes!

1. I am a HUGE Jeopardy fan! This may not seem to be a big deal, unless you have played with me. It started as a thing our family did growing up. We would always watch and play together, I have just taken it to a new level and it is serious business in our house! We keep score and the kids have even gotten in on the fun.....I mean the competition.

2. I have been known to turn up the music and bust a move now and then, actually at least once a day. Dancing makes me happy and my kids love it too. We have even started watching the Ellen show so we can dance with her too!

3. My kids think that there is a time-out room at Wal-Mart, and it is dark! I know you think that is awful but sometimes taking three children to the store isn't as fun as it sounds. You should try it!

4. I want to be a stand-up comedian. I love to make people laugh and always practice jokes on my husband. He seems to think I am funny, I wonder if anyone else would??

5. Finally, I love my job! Motherhood is stressful and overwhelming, but I have found so much joy in raising my children and taking care of our home. There is nothing more important and no place I would rather be!

Santa Clause

2007-12-27T17:20:00.000-08:00

We had our church party last weekend and of course the anticipated Santa Clause encounter! The boys loved him but Adysen wasn't so sure if she was enjoying herself. Just for a good laugh, I think I should add that during the middle of our ward dinner, Jacksen found the microphone set up for the program and announced that he was Jacksen Leo Leonard. After I took him into the hall and told him that it wasn't okay to do that I thought he would be fine. A few minutes later we heard over the microphone: "Mommy, sorry I'm touching this microphone again."

Christmas, Christmas!

2007-12-27T17:13:00.000-08:00

I was so excited to take all of the kids' pictures before church in their "Christmas" outfits! It turned out Eric had meetings all morning and I had to get all of the kids ready and to church without him. Needless to say, things were a little crazy but I managed to snap a few good ones amidst the chaos!

Guess Who Turned One?

2007-12-27T17:07:00.000-08:00

Holy Cow, I cannot believe it has been a whole year since Ady was born. She was so happy at her party and loved the frosting from her cake! Her mom and Aunt Manda made her this crown to wear....like she needs it, her brothers treat her like a little princess all of the time, it's so cute.

One reason we didn't send holiday cards!

2007-12-27T16:59:00.000-08:00

Well, among other reasons, the reason we didn't send out holiday cards this year is all in the pictures. Anyone with children knows how hard it can be to get a decent picture of them all together. We sure had a fun time trying and a few turned out really cute, of course those are the ones by themselves. Hope you all enjoyed Christmas, we had a great time and loved all of your cards, thanks!

All New To Me

2007-12-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

This whole blog thing is all new to me. In fact, I didn't even know it existed until recently so it will take me a while to get used to it I am sure. I hope this will help me to keep everyone posted on how we are doing especially since the kids are growing up so fast. So wish me luck and I am open for pointers!