Tuesday Tell All...The summed up picture

This week's Tuesday Tell All is about a picture that sums up our month. I've been busy busy with the kids and housework.

I've also been fussing over my little JL. We have so much fun together, and I've been so proud of her especially since school has started. This week is her turn to be the Wildcat of the week. Of course, like the crazy Mom that I am, I had to get a picture for the blog...I had many weird looks walking into an elementary school with my camera in hand, a giddy look in my eyes, and taking pictures of little kids. I'm sure people think i'm crazy, but oh well. What can I do? I'm a totaly nuts for this blogging thing. Do you see what I go through for you???



There you go...my whole Month-and life-revolves around my little girl.

Wordless Wednesday and Ring around the rosey...

We don't get to see Steven a lot this semester...so when he's here, we show him what we've been up to (JL showed him her new library book she got today) and usually he plays ring around the rosey with them...and they ALL FALL DOWN.

Tuesday Tell All...

This week's assignment is to finish these sentances...

I wish I would have...
I'm so glad I...

I wish I could say that i've lived my life with no regrets, however that is not true. I regret a lot of things that happened in my life, mostly in my teenage years. We all do, right? But I guess I would have to say that the thing I regret the most is that...I wish I would have listened to the Prophet and never dated before I was 16. I have had many, many MANY tough times thanks to my disobediance. I wish I would have listened...

I am so glad that I did finally listen. I listened to my Mom. I listened to my Dad. I listened to Steven's parents. When it all came down to it, I knew I could not disappoint them. I still live in fear that someday I might diappoint them, even in the slightest, and it scares me to death. I don't ever want our parents to be disappointed in me.
I finally made good decisions in my life that brought me to Steven and eventually the cutest kids! I don't know where I would be without them. I'm so glad I finally listened.
I am also so glad I met some of the best friends i've ever had...my Matchbox buddies. They taught me that while men can be men, there are still good ones out there. I have never met guys (besides my Dad) that weren't vile and discusting, verbally abusive until I met them. They taught me that there are good guys out there, and I saw the same thing in Steven when he came home from his mission. (He is a little bit grosser than them tho..LOL) Steven has never verbally abused me or put me down. He wants me to be happy, and i've never known that kind of man was real until I met my Matchbox buddies. I will forever love and appreciate them.
I could go on and on about all the things i'm glad about, but I won't turn this into the Pollyanna game, so...there you go.

Family sledding

My cousin Mandy is a wild woman! She takes her kids sledding all the time, but the best part is that she goes down the big hills too...



Not only is she a crazy woman, but she's a good Mom, Wife, and friend...I love her to pieces! (And not just because she has the cutest dang boys ever!)
We had a lot of fun!






Steven is crazy...
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Wordless Wednesday and a tired little man...

Tuesday Tell All...one week/one person

Poor Sally has a case of the blues...so she decided that she would give our assignment as one week/one person, meaning where would we go for one week and what one person would we take?
Well, I just got done reading Kate's blog, and she just got back from Maui. Sheesh, what a fun time. I definately think that's gotta be the place for me. I would definately have to take Steven with me. It seems like a romantic place, so I would have to take the man I am totally in love with...
Since i'll prolly never be able to afford such a vacation, I think Disneyland is the place for us too. It really is magical. I love it there, and Steven loved it too. If I was about 40lbs lighter I would go somewhere that required only a bathing suit. That would be fun! I could stroll around Disneyland holding Steven's hand all day long, and would have a good time too...matter of fact...I have a good time holding his hand at home, too. Wherever I am, as long as I have him with me, i'm happy.

Our Snow Day!!!

Man, it was a nice snowy day today! I was crazy enough to take JL to school thismorning for her SHORT day...and almost got into several accidents. One that I almost hit our tree out front. I was sliding backwards straight for it, and JL yelled, "Mom! Our tree!" While I was screaming "Crap! My new Jeep!!!" I stopped before I hit it tho, luckily. Halfway to school, JL said, "This is nuts. Let's go home..." I agreed, but we had already made the trek up to the school, so she went. I came home and shoveled snow for about an hour and a half. Which was worthless because by the time I was done, it was full again. I made the trek back to the school, and picked up JL. Then, this is what we did...

We built an igloo. When it was all finished, JL came out and said, "Now all we need are some accessories and major appliances.." I was laughing so hard, I about died. She's too cute.
We also built a snowman.

He's really a happy snowman...wink wink...
All in all it was a rather fun time...here's some more random pictures of the fun we had today...




Oh yes, and we measured 15" outside on our lawn! The most we've had in a long time!

TTA: Organize it!

So the subject for this week's Tuesday Tell All is Organization...HAHAHA! Right now my Mom is laughing and wondering what in the world I am going to talk about.
Let me just say...I have learned something, Mom! You're gonna either laugh or maybe be a little bit proud.
So something i've learned through the years of being married and having little ones running around (sometimes straight into walls...) Clutter is unnecessary. We don't have a lot of room in our apartment. We have a 2 bedroom...which is better than a 1 bedroom...but still...with three kids, there's not a lot of room. I don't let the kids always have all the toys that they get. Yes i'm kind of mean. I rotate them. I keep all of the old stuffed animals in totes in my closet, and then rotate them out every six months. (Usually during General Conference.) I also rotate the other toys too. They usually only have the toys out that they've gotten for their birthdays and Christmas for awhile. All the others are put into bins under JS's bed or in the toy box that NEVER opens...or else...
I've learned that if I haven't used it in over a year or so...I don't need it filling up my house. Steven has a filing cabinet for all of his school work. We all have shoe organizers in our closets. I really do throw a lot of stuff away that I don't need...and everything else that is useable, I donate.
I'm definately not the best organizer, but I am learning. I use my cell phone a lot to remind me of events that are happening. I love technology...
I organize my cleaning schedule too. Monday I dust everything. Tuesday is kind of my free day. Wednesday I do the bathroom...ew. Thursday is LA LA LA LAUNDRY DAY! (Have I mentioned that I love laundry? Oh yeah...I did.) Friday is my major cleaning day. Complete kitchen disinfectant...floor mopping...and usually putting the final touches on my adorned laundry. I love being clean! It was so hard when I was preggo...and couldn't get these things done. Last Thursday I was throwing up, so did the laundry get done? Nope. Friday I was on my back all day long...did the major cleaning get done? Nope. So I have a lot of making up to do this week.
My bills are organized too. When a bill comes in the mail, I put it in the middle slot of my desk. Well, after I freak out about how much I owe someone of course. Then on the first Friday of the month, I pay about half of them, and the third Friday, I pay the rest of them. After they're paid, they go into the top slot of the desk, and at the end of the next month, I file them away for a year...and at the end of the year, I shred all of them.
Okay...there you go. Excitement huh? The most organized i've ever been in my life...
hopefully it gets better.

My blogging stalker tagged me..

hehe just kidding Sarah! Sarah recently outed herself and finally let me know that she's been reading my blog! I'm so glad she outed herself because I love reading her blog too! So anyway, she tagged me for a meme...10 things that I have or have not posted on my blog. Since it's a new year, I thought I would write things that happend last year, mostly so I won't forget...

1. In February it was the 10th year anniversary of my friend Sarah Jane passing away. Sarah died in a car accident when I was a Junior in High School. Sarah went out to breakfast with some other friends and on the way home, the car they were in was broadsided by a semi-truck. It was one of the worst days of my life, and still thinking about it can break my heart. However, since she was such a great example to me, I wouldn't have had the strength to get through an even harder trial that I was enduring at the time. I wanted to be with her again someday, and so I knew that I needed to change my life. It's bittersweet that she's gone, and I miss her more than anyone will ever know...

2. In May my Grandpa passed away. I promise i'm not going to write about all the sad stuff...but anyway...Grandpa passed away in May. He was my first Grandparent to pass away. I got a phone call on Sunday morning...'Grandpa's not doing well, you had better get up here'. So I got there as fast as I could. Grandpa was hunched over in a recliner because he couldn't breathe lying down. I told him how proud I was of him, thanked him for coming to my wedding and kissed his forehead. He told me that he loved me too, and kept asking me for his JS. I told him that he was at church with his Dad. He told me that he was proud of me too. I'll never forget holding his hand and sitting at his feet. Even still, just thinking about it i'm getting all teared up. ahhhh...

3. In July I got a letter from JL first school! I still cannot believe that my baby girl in a Kindergartener!! Crazy. The letter didn't say anything about JL being super smart or socially incredible, it just was letting us know what time the warning bell rings and what time lunch is...I opened it and BAWLED! hehehe...I'm still so proud of her!

4. Also in July...okay here comes another sad one...get your tissues. Every Thursday night the men in our ward play basketball. One of our friends, Mike fell down after a play and had a heart attack. I took his wife to the ER and waited until the doctor finally came in and told us that her husband had 'unfortunately passed away'. It was really traumatic for me, but my kids were there in the gym too, and so it was harder for them. Every Thursday night the men still play ball because that's what Mike would have wanted...and every Thursday night, my kids tell Steven to be careful.

5. In August my friend Emily brought her sweet kids to me so she could get to the hospital to have her third child. It was a funfilled eventful day. I got to drive their Minivan! JL got frustrated with me because I wouldn't do her hair all curly and put it in braids instead. So while I was lying down with one of the babies, she went into the bathroom and put a LOAD of vaseline in her hair...all over...that was fun. It didn't wash out for about 4 days. It was all worth it when Emily brought baby Dallin over to let me see him. He is such a sweet little guy, content and cute. I love that little guy!

6. In September, JL learned to ride her bike without training wheels! woo hoo! JT decided he likes to golf, and JS went to his first carnival. September 21st was JT's 1st birthday. I'm still struggling to believe that my baby is a whole year old! In March he'll be a year and a half! woooaaaahhh that went by fast!

7. So much happened in October, and I remember feeling like it was the longest month of my life...first JL had her 6th birthday. We had a party with balloons and TONS of little girls dressed as princesses at our home. It was a lot of fun. Then on the 10th our cousin's babies...little Carter Cort and Tori Lynn were born 14 weeks early. I still think about those little angels all the time. My heart still aches when I think of them, and I miss them and their sweet spirits all the time.
Not long after the twins were born, JS broke his arm being a Ninja Turtle on the swingset. He got a neon green cast that he thought looked very 'Ninja Turtleish..' JS wasn't very happy that he couldn't get his cast wet especially when we had our annual pumpkin carve and he couldn't play with the pumpkin guts.

8.In November I had a freak out when too many people called and reminded me to vote. I voted, and then celebrated heavily the next day.
On the 7th it was JS and my Mom's birthdays. Mom turned 50 so we treated her real nice...hehehe. ::evil laugh:: JS turned 4...and his cast turned 4 weeks old...boys are stinky enough without a stinky cast on their arms...ew.
JL learned how to write her first word all on her own...and what was that word? MATCHBOX!!! I was soo proud. ahhh...
Steven and I celebrated our 7 year anniversary in November too...can you believe he's put up with me that long?? Crazy.

9. In December, our family was able to go to Disneyland thanks to my parents. Mom and Dad decided to take all of their children and Grandchildren to Disneyland. What a blessing that was. A magical time for our little family. It was great to see their faces light up and mostly...to be together. I really think that week was the longest time we've been able to spend with Steven. It was wonderful.
Christmas was perfect, and I don't think we could have asked for a more fulfilled time. On Christmas Eve, there was a knock on our door...and a bag of gifts for me and Steven was there...we were both sooo surprised. I got a new sweater, and shirt and a $35.00 gift certificate to Clinique. Steven got a new Laker's hat and shorts along with a nice American Eagle shirt. I was so glad because I wanted to get him those shorts, but was unable to. Man, it was a good Christmas!!!

10. One of the nicest things that has happened to me this year is that i've met so many blogging friends. I have learned so much from you...from all of you!
Some of you make me laugh and some of you make me cry. Some of you are totally inspired and some of you are still trying to find your way. I love logging in and reading the nicest things that people have to say. Your support during the time we lost Carter and Tori was immeasureable...i'll never forget it. Thanks to all of you for being so nice and being exactly what i've needed. To my family bloggers...
I love you all so much. Aunt Deb is one of my best friends. She is always thinking about a way to help someone. If I get a phone call from her, it's because she's either concerned about me or someone else. I love her. I love that so many other family members have joined the blogosphere and shared more of their lives with us.
I'm raising my diet coke tonight to my blogging friends and family and wishing you a great 2008.

This year has brought many new trials but even more happy times. I am in the prime of my life being a Mom and a wife. I know we don't have much, but I truly am living my dream...married to Steven and raising his children. I love each of them. I am ready for whatever 2008 has in store for us..the good and the bad.

More random Disneyland pictures and a Happy New Year!!

Okay, so i've been slacking on blogging about my Disneyland vacation, but i've gotta get more of the pictures from other family members too..so here's the rest of what i've got...





Can you believe he bought a Mickey Mouse shirt of his own free will and choice?

Turkeys in Beaver...this is at Steven's parents' house...love it


So Disneyland was sooo much fun, we're still trying to come down from our Disneyland high that we've been on. To me, it is just a magical place that families can go together and enjoy being with eachother. I don't care if they do make millions a day to entertain us...it's wonderful. (Plus I didn't pay a thing to go there...THANKS MOM!) This Christmas has been the most fun Christmas Steven and I have had together. I love being with my family, and I love being with my Steven.

Here's to hoping that 2008 has amazing times in store for us. I am so proud of my little family and the good husband that I have. I couldn't ask for anything more...i've been so blessed beyond measure. Kate, tonight i'm raising my diet coke to a wonderful new year! May God bless us all...