7th Heaven

Not to toot my own horn, but we are celebrating our seventh anniversary. I can't believe we have been married for seven years. Of course if you take our three kids and divide those years by them, it is amazing. We have had a kid every 2.37 years if you figure it mathematically.

But it has been a wonderful, fun, stressful, crazy, irrational, emotional, and spiritually growing seven years. You think you know it all, then you get married and you find out otherwise, correct?

I am so glad to be married to Kale. I can't picture my life without him, and that includes his Peacock sense of humor that he has. I can't picture my life without our children either, but without him it would be insane. It is nice to know you have someone there to fall back on, when the kids have driven you to the point of pulling out hairs, or when you want to talk, or just to sit and watch TV with. Companionship is what they call it I do believe. It is so wonderful to have a companion. We might not always get along, but I do think that is part of the fun of being married. Finding out the similarities you have and the big deep differences. You can talk about both, but it is the differences that make things interesting.

But for our anniversary we went to a new restaurant in St. George. It is the Texas Roadhouse. Great food and good prices. Later, probably tomorrow on our "actual" anniversary, we will drink some sparkling cider and celebrate with the kids instead of leaving them with a sitter...they should enjoy that.

Catch up

Man you can get busy with other stuff. I have been keeping the family blog up to date, and I am sad to say have let my own personal blog slide. But what else do you think would happen with the holidays around the corner.

We had a successful Thanksgiving dinner. The first of our soon to be seven years together, that we ate alone as a family. No traveling this time. It was nice not having to travel, but I do miss family at these times. We did get our tree put up today. The kids were so excited. I let both Raiden and Judge help put on ornaments. They were proud of the job they did. And I will admit, for a three and five year old their tree decorating skills are pretty darn good.

Ender is growing like crazy. It seems like just yesterday we were proud of him rolling over. Now he rolls all around and sits up on his own. He loves sitting up, and I know he will love it even more when he figures out the crawling thing. Ender also learned that a bottle can be his friend. You show him one and boy what a happy camper he is. I hate to see the end of nursing him, but I think we will both be better off at this point. If that kid wasn't twenty pounds and approaching two and a half feet I think I would still try to manage..but it isn't meant to be. He has discovered you can have fun with your tongue. Now he constantly sticks it out and makes weird faces at you. I told kale it made me think of the band kiss, so we took one of his photos and doctored it just a tad, can you tell?

Kids, not what your expecting

When you were having kids, as you added each one to the family, did you ever get, not overwhelmed, but baffled by the love you feel growing in your heart and soul? It seems you are brimming to the top, and that your going to overflow at any second? It is a wonderful, but weird feeling.

I almost want to say it is like you love your first, but then you really love your second, and somehow impossibly you love your third even more. Not that you love that third child more, but it seems like you FEEL it, somewhere you didn't feel it before? Maybe it is because he is a baby right now, and likes to cuddle. But so does Judge. Or that they have been sick, and he still isn't feeling the best.

I don't know, but I seem to be feeling this a lot lately. It just makes me wonder what is in store for me here in the next few years. I am nervous about the ones we have. Are we raising them right? I think so. I am excited about the possibility of more, cause I can feel that they are there. But will we have them here on earth? Or will I be waiting for the eternities for them, especially for that little girl I would so like to have?

The latter concerns me the most, and I wish it didn't. I don't like the feeling it gives me when I think about it. You would think with three wonderful spirits, and I say wonderful because I know how special they are because of how the Lord made us wait and struggle with each, that I would be happy and unconcerned about more kids. But this feeling increases with each child. Not so much with Raiden, because we were so relieved to have him safe and sound. But Judge took so long to get here I was beginning to wonder. And then Ender, such a miracle, since we were wondering if there would even be anymore to come to us while here on earth.

I am nervous about more children. I feel like we should be having more, but is that just me? I get so sick and my body doesn't handle it well, but I am anxious for more already. Part of this I know is a phase I go through when my babies start to get independent. But it is a worry all the same.

I do have the boys, and for that I am eternally grateful. Hopefully there will be more to be grateful for.

I love them so much!

Da, Dum...Da, Dum.....Da, Dum...(Jaws)

This is it. Is everyone ready for it?....Are you holding your breath? This is the big week on CSI. What will happen to Jorja Fox? Go out quietly? With a big bang? Who knows with CSI. They brought her on by having a rookie murdered, so turnabout is fair play.

With the writers striking I am awfully glad that the few shows I do watch have some pre-filmed. I guess that way I can go through withdrawals later when I am more prepared. If not, I guess I can always rent the series through the library and watch them again. Not to mention that the last season will be coming out on DVD. I could always start there.

Also...newsflash...Don't forget Project Runway aires this Wednesday!

New Pictures

We did get our newest pictures. They are so cute, so says the mommy. Raiden got his at school. I was impressed at how well they turned out. Ever since he got his glasses it has been quite the accomplishment to get a photo without the glare showing up on his glasses.

Judge was a challenge and a half. Just getting him to smile this time around was like talking someone into cutting off a finger or something. Such a little drama person when he wants to be. But the picture wasn't bad, and I have to admit he is quite the cutie.

Ender was a delight. Just talk to the guy and he smiled all you wanted. The hardest task with him was keeping his hands out of his mouth.

I love having my boys, and it gets better cause they're three cute little boys!!

All around the town

I have been spread everywhere lately. It is run to the school, run to work, run to church, to the store, and a lot to the doctors.

Everyone of us but my husband has been to see some type of doctor this month. Ender got shots, Raiden got stitches, and Judge has a form of asthma. I get the luckiest of all though. The dentist. Two root canals on Monday. Isn't that just something you look forward too?

Breath...

Boy has it been a while. It seems like things all of a sudden get piled on you.

I had my procedure done to remove the skin cancer, but then I had to go to Vegas to see a surgeon to fix what damage was done to remove the cancer. So I have been to Vegas three times. Once for a consultation, then for the surgery, then for a check up to remove the stitches. I have to go back in three months to verify the healing of the tissue.

Other than that what is there... Just run, run, run... Soccer season ended on Wednesday. Thank goodness. It was fun, but with me working it was a lot of work for Kale.

Now I will breath deep, and until holiday stuff gets here I can relax...So I have till Wednesday...

Happy Halloween everyone!

Lesson Learned

Well, as the title indicates I have learned an important lesson. I went in to the dermatologist today to get a Basil Cell skin cancer removed. After a five hour crash course I know not to wait when you have a question about your skin.

Now I am cancer free, but I have a huge chunk of skin missing from my face. Not just my face, on my nose. So, I get what every girl in Vegas dreams of. A chance to go to the plastic surgeons and have it be covered by my health insurance. So now I can say I have had my nose done, without fear... Personally, I would prefer saying I got a boob job, but alas...the nose won.

Time Flies

Boy where does it go? I think about it, and I honestly don't know where.

Ender is a pro at rolling over now. He is sooo cute. You lay him down, and he immediatly rolls onto his belly. No more back for him.... He gets very frustrated though when he rolls over in his sleep. He will wake up squaking pretty loud.
He also got his first taste of rice cereal on Friday. Loved it the first time, hated it the next two times, and now he might like it again.

Judge is going through this torment stage. Everything has to be done...just right...or he blows up big time. Like one night I threw a wrapper away in the wrong garbage can. It took an hour to get him calmed down enough to know what was upsetting him. I hope he grows out of this soon. I am tired of temper tantrums.

Everyone else is just the same. Except I did start my new exercise regime today. I hate excersicing. The only thing I hate more is being overweight. Hopefully my hate of one will eclipse the other and I can loose some pounds....

Turning Over

I know people get tired about hearing about other people's babies accomplishments...or whatever you want to call them. But I always get excited when they start to take those steps forward that prove they aren't just a baby.

Today Ender turned over all by himself. I was gone to Relief Society when he did it the first time. But when I came back I was just watching him, and he did it! So cute and exciting when they do something for the first time. Makes you sigh and smile.

Costumes

Well it has happened. The dreaded Halloween costume hunt. This year we decided that the moment our kids saw the one they couldn't live without being, we would just get it and put ourselves out of our misery.

Raiden was easy. He has wanted to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle since the movie came out. The hard part was that he wanted to be which ever one is the purple turtle. Well I don't know if they put one of those out. So we just grabbed one of what was available.

Judge....ahhh...Judge. He has desperately and passionately declared that he wants to be a dragon. His reasoning is, is that if he is a dragon he blows fire...and that he can eat up ninja turtles...not lying. That is what he has told me. So we got him a dragon costume... It arrived today... And the first words out of his mouth are..."I don't want to be a dragon, I want to be a ninja turtle." But I think we have managed to talk him into being a dragon again. Now they are starting on asking what Ender is going to be. I told them a lion, cause we have one already. And Judge tells me, "He can't be a lion, he has to be baby Simba." So I guess baby Simba he shall be!

Soccer

Oh! I forgot to announce Raiden's exciting news. He scored his first goal tonight. He was so excited when I came home from work. He could wait to tell me how he had scored a point for his team and that they had won!

Work

Nothing gets me more upset than a lazy co-worker.

Granted not all of us have jobs we adore, or love going to day after day. But at least have enough pride to not do a half-assed job of it.

I have a co-worker that I am not sure knows the meaning of work. When it takes him three hours to do a hour and a half job, what is he up to. I like to avoid certain aspects of the job as well, but I figure hey! The sooner I get it done the sooner it is over. Isn't that the correct attitude?

But, on with the story. I work in a library. We are supposed to wear shoes so that if books fall our feet wont be injured as badly. He wears flip-flops. We are supposed to rotate out the newspapers nightly...He just puts the new one in and leaves the old. We are supposed to alphabetize, and keep organize assigned sections of the library...He has yet to touch his. Trying to help someone find a cd is getting to be ridiculous. When the country, rock, and rap run together you now there are going to be issues.

I don't know. I just hate feeling like I do my job and then start to try to do someone elses just to help out the patrons who come to library.

If you get paid to do something, I figure you should preform the tasks you are getting paid for, and not skimp on the job at hand...

Being Mom

You know there are days that you wonder. Why am I doing this?
Today was one of those days. Once again doing dishes, cleaning house, getting kids ready for school, feeding, changing, yadda yadda yadda. On these days I do wonder why I do this. I don't enjoy cleaning, or doing the dishes. I don't enjoy being a housewife. I despise it.

But I do love being mom.

When did housewife and mom become interchangeable? Maybe they didn't, but in my world it sure seems like one means the other. I can see why moms can get postpartum depression. This gets crazy and very unenjoyable. Most of all overwhelming.

I want to be able to enjoy my baby and my kids without worrying about the state of my house, laundry, or wether or not dinner is going to be ready any time soon. I hate feeling like I need to stick to a schedule so things get done..and then there is no me time for you. Because the moment you might get it, you feel guilty for all the things that aren't done, that you should have done...why does the cycle never end?

Is it cause we are moms? or women? I don't know. But somedays, I want to just be mom, and not the maid....

Sunday Rush

What is it about Sunday mornings that make life crazy. Maybe it is the fact that our church starts at 8. We have yet to get there on time....

Today our bishop, who is Kale's boss, asked us if we would speak sometime in October...I hate being asked that...So I think we will be speaking at the end of the month...at least once you've done it, it is done.

We put Ender into his johnny-jumper today for the first time. Talk about heaven. He was really suprised at first that when he kicked his legs he bounced. But then he really got into it. He was giggling and laughing most of the time. Then his brothers came along and tried to assist him. That could get dangerous. So I had to keep them away from him.

Pictures

Well, it is that time of year again. No not football, but the annual trying to get your kids picture taken.

It would have gone a lot smoother if the Walmarts in our area hadn't closed their portrait studios. So we went up to Cedar City. We figured that way we can get their pictures done and get a CHS football game in too.

Oh My Gosh! Ender is the best baby ever I have decided. He was so cooperative. He smiled and giggled so much. The hardest thing was to keep his hands out of his mouth. I can't wait to get his pictures back. Then...dum..de...dum dum... Judge! Very frustrating. If a child is going to give me gray hair, he will be the one. Threw a fit from beginning to end...No matter what...We did get some good photos...but nothing in comparison to Ender's. So we will see in a few weeks how well they turned out...

We also took in a soccer practice today. It was so cute to see Raiden kicking the ball around. Even better was watching him get excited about making a goal... I got to give the kid credit...He knows how to celebrate a good thing...

Movies

While doing laundry, dishes, and other assorted mom tasks we watched a few movies today. Bridge to Terabithia and The Last Mimzy. I hate to say it, but as far as kid movies go I was sorely disappointed. Bridge to Terabithia is not, and let me repeat...is not a kid movie or book. Although the story is good and the movie isn't bad I am not going to let my five year old watch it.

The Last Mimzy was cute and I will probably watch it again, but is still is out of my kids realm a bit.

Don't forget everyone....next week, Thursday...CSI!!!

Who's Me?

It didn't occur to me tell now, that I haven't introduced myself really.

I am a mother of three entertaining boys. Raiden is five, Judge is three, and our newest Ender is four months old.

Raiden just started kindergarten and is loving it.
Judge is stuck at home and is hating that his friend is gone.
Ender...well feed him, hold him, and play with him and he is good.

My husband, Kale, teaches at the middle school here. He is responsible for the sixth grade history.

And I am currently employed as a page at the Mesquite library. Not a glorious job, or well enjoyed for that matter, but it adds to the money pot.

Other than that I love to read. Hand me a good book, and don't interupt me and I can be good for hours. But take into consideration the children, and it usually is minutes these days instead. I also like to cook, mostly desserts.... Brownies and Chocolate Chip Cookies are the current favorites these days.

Starting on Monday I became a member of the all famous Soccer Mom club. I don't have the van yet, but I have two kids playing. One on the green team, the Little Thunders, and another on the orange team, the Giants.

That mostly covers it for now I guess...

New Friends

It makes you feel pretty good about yourself and your family when your kid comes home from school talking about their new friend. With Raiden, our oldest, you never know what to expect.

Especially when he comes home talking about his little brown friend... We thought he had befriended some little black boy in his class...but we weren't close. His name is Andy and he is Oriental. Chinese, Japanese, I am not sure which. But they sure are cute together. I met him for the first time yesterday.

Picture those moments in love stories where the two main characters slowly run together, with their arms wide open...Well that is how they are, without the arms wide open...You would think it was an eternity since they last saw each other...But it is good to know that they have someone they get along with and like.

Other than that not much has changed...did laundry, need to do the dishes, and am ignoring the boxes in my living room that need to be unpacked. You know you are in trouble when you contimplate poking the baby to wake him up to avoid unpacking.

Oh, I forgot my best news of all...the baby, Ender, is teething...I guess that isn't my good news, but his...and he is a proud four months old today!

Me too!

Well, I decided that Misty has a good idea. So I figured I should do it too. What better way for people to see what we are up to...especially if they are avoiding a phone call...or just don't have the time for it...

So kudos to Misty. Thanks for sending an email letting us in on this good idea...hopefully we both have a good time with this!