A is SIX!!

Cool Slideshows!

Favorite Color: Yellow
Favorite Songs: Anything from High School Musical
Favorite Movie: Barbie Fairytopia
Favorite Book: Grandma's bedtime stories
Favorite Toy: Princess Barbie Dolls
Favorite Person: Mom and Dad
Favorite School Subject: Math
Favorite Animal: Horse
Favorite Sports: Soccer, Baseball, Basketball
Favorite Computer Game: Seaworld Tycoon and Starfall.com
Favorite Food: Fruit
Favorite Memory: Riding the carousel at Grandma's
When I grow up I want to be: Just a Mom!
Someday I want to meet: President Hinckley
If I could go anywhere in the world I would go to: Oregon
Things that I think about: My family
When I have spare time I like to: Play by myself in my room with my Barbie's

Alias Names: Sara, Kelly, Ann Elise, Annika, Erica, Gabriella, Rachel, Lollipop, Geneveve, Dancing Princess,...A often changes her name.

Funny story about A: One day she was outside with K playing. She came in alone and I asked her if K was still outside alone. She said "No, I left hundreds of my imaginary friends watching her."

What my family likes about me:

Z-"I like teasing her and tickling her and playing with her."
J-"She is a very good smiler and I like to tease her so that she will chase me."
S-"She is very nice, she smiles a lot, and she like to play with me. She is a good sister because she makes me feel better."
K-"She plays Barbie's with me and I like to wear her shoes."
H-Unable to talk yet but every morning she gets him out of bed and takes care of him until Mom gets up. He loves to play with her.
Mom- "A is very pleasant to be around. She loves to laugh. She makes friends with everyone. Often she will just disappear and I will find her in her room playing alone. She loves to use her imagination. She is always smiling."
Dad- "A is cute as a BUTTON! She has a sweet smile, and is always willing to help out when called on. She gives a great hug, and loves to play with her siblings.

We love you A!

J turned 10!

Cool Slideshows!

Favorites:

Color-Teal

Song-Angry American by Toby Keith http://www.simplyangel.com/theangryamerican.htm

Movie-Eragon

Toy-Legos & PS2

Person-Heavenly Father

Sport-Football, Wrestling, Basketball

School Subject-Art

Animal-ALL but my most favorite is the White Bengal Tiger

Computer Game-Harry Potter: Prizoner of Azcaban and Zoo Tycoon

Food-Canadian Bacon and Pineapple Pizza and Chicken Ranch Pizza

When I grow up I want to be- I'll let you know when I grow up but I know for sure it will have something to do with animals.

Things I like to do- PS2: Star Wars Lego 2, Scouts, Tell Jokes, Eat Pizza, Draw

My Favorite Memory was- Holding H for the first time

Someday I want to meet- Daniel Radcliff (Harry Potter)

I hope to travel to- Florida, New York, Los Angeles, and Hogle Zoo

Things I like to think about- My life, my goals, my dreams, my ideas

Interesting Story about J-He has been very insistant for many years that he had a baby brother still coming. After 3 girls I was ready to give up but he came to me one day and said, "My brother is coming. Not this Christmas but after next Christmas." I sorta laughed at him but Henry was born the end of February, "right on time" according to J's prediction.

Things that my family is saying about me:

Z- "Without him I would have nothing to look forward to and he reminds me of all the things I need to do."

S- "He's funny and he's very ticklish."

A- "He tells funny jokes and he's nice to me and he likes me."

K- "I like to sing with him." (J says "Huh? I've never sung with her in my life")

Mom- "J has an amazing memory. He remembers things from when he was 1 year old. He is very sensitive to the spirit and helps keep us doing what's right."

Dad- "He a smart little kid with the mind of a tack. J remembers things that I had forgotten long ago."

Thanks J for being part of our family. We love you!

Portland Oregon Zoo

Oregon Coast

Family Pictures

We have not had a family picture taken since A was the baby 5 years ago. Just as we were ready to go, K started running a fever of 102 degrees. It had taken us all morning to get ready and I was not sure I was up to canceling and trying for another day. Here's how they turned out. Considering how much effort it took to get all of us to all cooperate at the same time...they're not too bad!

We are a happy family!

J, Z, S

A, H, K

Daddy's boys

Momma's girls

13 Years into "Happily Ever After"

"Pink is my best friend"

I took K shopping for new church clothes for all the kids at Easter time. I told her to pick out her favorite dress. She picked out a pink dress and said, "I want this one. Pink is my best friend." I laughed but really think it might be. She is happiest when she is wearing pink. I heard once that children are born neutral and that we teach them to be male or female. I have 3 boys and 3 girls and I struggle with this idea. They are all so different in personality and tastes. I couldn't have had that big of an influence in what they are interested in. We have a pretty good variety of things in our home so it's not like they haven't been exposed to both sides. The boys have had to play thier share of house and dress up and they always end up fighting off something "bad" to save the girls. The girls have played their share of legos and imaginative battles and they always end up trying to take care of the house and kids while the men go off to war. My boys are not into not into pink and jewelry and clothes and shoes and hair and the whole drama thing that my girls are into and my girls are not into gross sounds and dragons and fast cars and military jets and camoflauge clothing and weapons that my boys are into. My girls are very nurturing and my boys are very protective.

K wearing her "best friend"

S and K-yesterday before church

As I interact with my children daily and watch them grow and learn, I am often in awe at these amazing spirits in these little bodies and I am humbled that Heavenly Father would trust me enough to allow me to be their mother. I truly believe that I am a mother because my children are teaching me how to get back to heaven and not the other way around.

What do you think? Are children born or taught to be girls and boys?

We have grass!!

We finally got our sod in and it looks great! Thanks N, T, D, K, C, Z, J and little A for all your help. We couldn't have done it without you. Those rolls were heavy and it was hot outside that day. You guys are awesome!! We can't wait to play on it.

H's Blessing

Here are some pictures from Hs blessing day.

This was a very nice day. I think for the first time, I didn't stress over this day. (It only took me 6 times to figure it out.) We went to Aunt J's afterwards for dinner. It was so fun to spend time with family. (Thanks J and C for all of the wonderful food and for hosting us at your home. We love you guys so much.) Thanks to those who were able to come and help us celebrate this special day with us.

Inspiration for my blog title

Wet Oatmeal Kisses......

A young mother writes: "I know you've written before about the empty-nest syndrome -- that lonely period after the children are grown and gone. Right now, I'm up to my eyeballs in laundry and muddy boots. The baby is teething; the boys are fighting. My husband just called and said to eat without him, and I fell off my diet. Lay it on me again, will you.''

OK. One of these days you'll explode and shout to the kids, "Why don't you grow up and act your age?"

......and they will.

OR:

"You guys get outside and find yourselves something to do. And don't slam the door!"

.....and they don't.

You'll straighten up the boys' bedroom neat and tidy -- bumper stickers discarded, bedspread tucked and smooth, toys displayed on the shelves. Hangers in the closet. Animals caged. And you'll say out loud, "Now I want it to stay this way.''

......and it will.

You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in the icing, and you'll say, "Now, there's a meal for company.''

.....and you'll eat it alone.

You'll say: "I want complete privacy on the phone. No dancing around. No demolition crews. Silence! Do your hear?''

.....and you'll have it.

No more plastic tablecloths stained with spaghtetti.

No more bedspreads to protect the sofa from damp bottoms.

No more gates to stumble over at the top of the basement steps.

No more clothespins under the sofa.

No more playpens to arrange a room around.

No more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent

No more sand on the sheets or Popeye movies in the bathrooms.

No more iron-on-patches, wet, knotted shoestrings, tight boots, or rubber bands for ponytails.

Imagine.

A lipstick with a point on it.

No baby sitter for New Year's Eve.

Washing only once a week.

Seeing a steak that isn't ground.

Having your teeth cleaned without a baby on your lap.

No PTA meetings.

No car pools.

No blaring radios.

No one washing her hair at 11 o'clock at night.

Having your own roll of Scotch tape.

No more dandelion bouquets.

Think about it.

No more Christmas presents out of toothpicks and library paste.

No more sloppy oatmeal kisses.

No more tooth fairy.

No giggles in the dark.

No knees to heal, no responsibility.

Only a voice crying, "Why don't you grow up?'' and the silence echoing,

"I did."

by Erma Bombeck

I found this poem at the bookstore one day and I loved it because it told the story of my life. Before I even got home, the kids had folded it in half so the mat was broken and they had taken the plastic off of it and stepped on it. After a few minutes of feeling bad for having wasted my money, I decided to put it in a frame and hang it up anyways, hoping that maybe the fold line and foot print were not that noticeable. Within a couple of hours one of the kids bumped it off the wall and broke the glass. I cleaned up the mess and hung it back up on the wall with no glass, the fold line, and the foot print. It is a daily reminder of the things that really matter.