Lion King, Eyelashes, Basketball

Its Sunday...we dont have church until 1pm. That makes for a long day and sometimes days that are good and some that make me crazy. Today i got the girls up and made food for the family. We have been doing a brunch thing and then get ready for church. Today though there was some crazy going on. We turn on music, usually Makayla turns on the Blue Tooth stereo speaker, the choice was Disney music. So the Lion King comes on...and off we go.

Shane and i were talking in our room all of a sudden i hear Makayla beating John...the story goes that Makayla was laying down and John took some ketchup and christened her Simba (whispering appropriately)...hence the death of said brother. While laughing ensued Shane and I figured we must have made a good family somehow. As I am sitting here right now, they are all getting along and enjoying life so i am going to hold on to that thought.

Usually Shane is off to church a few hours before us (I know its a long day for him) and then we head out. Here is how we looked today, still keeping up the tradition of Sunday photos. Jake is not much in the mood for the photo and sometimes they dont come out that well but eh, they are fun to do.


Laura likes to get ready for church but often will not put on mascara. Makes me crazy, I think mascara really rounds out eyes. She is one lucky girl as well because of her beautiful eyelashes.
She wears glasses, the thing that annoys her the most is the fact that she has mascara on they smear her glasses. I think she should deal with it!!! I love LOVE looking at her eyes on Sundays.
If that we could all have such a blessing of eyelashes???!!!! This girl struggles with enough in her life, at least she has wonderful eyelashes, eyes, peaches and cream complexion...she is amazing. I kind of like her if you didnt notice.


It would seem that my children are quite close. It has been interesting to see how they are adjusting without Brenda being here. They certainly miss her not being around much but they know her being with Skyler is important. The excitement in the house is rising as Brenda moves each week closer to having the first grandchild/niece/nephew. OH SIDEBAR::::

Brenda went for the ultrasound but the sweet child had the umbilical cord between its legs. There is a 80% chance its a Boy...ok Skyler says its a boy cause he saw the the goods. But the baby was squirming around and so we have to wait until the next ultrasound for it to be definite.

Back to what i was saying....the girls are really excited because summer will be here and they will be able to help out Brenda so much and having Skyler in school and working its going to be nice to have her sisters around for a bit. I am excited as well, but at the same time, hoping for wellness for Brenda and the baby. Pregnancy is hard, anything can happen. So i will hold my breath, sort of, until the end.

 Jake and John have been playing basketball with the young men in the stake. It has been nice to see them play every week. John still struggles a bit running and often he has to take a seat as he cant keep up with the breathing. Although he will push himself and keep playing until he drops, he takes some good deep breaths and keeps on going.

Jake is number 24

Jake is guarding that little kid who kept getting 3 point shots. That kid was great and Jake was doing a great job. 

John is on the left hand side of this photo watching the basket go in. He got 2 shots this game.

John making a shot. He really did a good job.

Jake bookin it down the court. Kid runs like a line backer ( I know different sport) 

I am pretty proud of them for doing basketball this time around. The boys are not that great at it mostly because they are hunters more than anything but they love having the time to run up and down the court. Shane has been taking them to the church and working the court with them and its nice to see them doing it together. The boys want to do softball as well with the stake so that will be fun also. I dont like to do that stuff but i like watching. It gets them out and running which is nice. 

On another non family note, I have a friend I chat with at church. She is pretty amazing. Right now is a struggle in her life and I have much empathy and compassion for her. I dont know how to make it better for her, and probably cannot, but i try to be open and honest with her about how I feel. It is sometimes hard for me to do that with people, being my authentic (whatever the hell that means) self. For her though, I try to be a good person and give her honest feedback. I hate to think of her having to figure out the trial on her own. She is a tough woman but when it comes to the heart, that is a tough road. I am grateful she lets me be me and takes me as I am and will give me hard questions to help her. I think she may not realize she is helping me to keep the Adversary at bay with all that she asks me. I am grateful for her, grateful she is in my path. 

What about you do you have someone you are helping? how does helping them, help you? I think when i read back on these entries i write questions to make sure i am on the right path. Maybe they help me stay where i need to be....

Big Deal, Photos, Sleep, Birthday

This last week i got so mad, I do not usually get mad mad...but i was so furious this week at one point i could see the blood pulsing in my eyeballs. There is a particular process at work that is very easy to go by at work and everyone does the same thing. This process is not just for one person but everyone. Needless to say there is always the one person who thinks they are above everyone. It happens in every office situation. I am good with it. I know this person thinks she is as big deal, I am fine with that cause i know I AM a big DEAL...(ok that is a joke). This person will pawn off this process every.single.time....and it drives me crazy.

Now I have to digress a bit, at home this week things have been tense. Every time the hubs and I go over the budget things get tense for a few days. That is part of life really and I am okay with it. There are some other family things that then pile on top of these discussions and boom we have created the perfect storm for ME.

So this big deal doesnt follow the process and I lost my SHIT. I just lost it. Good thing I took the split second to think a bit and only throw a piece of paper and then walk outside. It was so frustrating to me. Why is it so hard to just follow the process? It has made me think lately about how i behave in the office. Am I making more work for others? I took a step back and looked at what i was doing and changed a few things so i could be more helpful, kind, understanding and work better at the processes of work. I am trying to be a better person but not sure how well that is working but i am trying.

Onto other things:

I thought this year that i really need to make an effort to post more photos with me in them with the kids. I dont really like too, not sure why, but this year i am trying at least 2 times a month to take a photo with the kids if it happens more that is awesome. My girlfriend who does a blog does random ones with her children and I have noticed she is doing it more. Not sure if she is doing it, but I thought my children need to see me. 

Now that the kids are getting older we have random times when Jake is the only kid home with us. Last Friday was one of those days. John had a school thing where he got to go to Boise and stay at a hotel...SIDEBAR::::

John gets to go to a swanky hotel called the Grove Hotel in down town Boise for a school trip. He stays in a room with is friend G. G and John look around the room and hang out, watch the awesome big TV etc. for 3 days, they take NO SHOWER. Why you ask? Ya so did I. Well they couldnt find the soap. John said they had great towels but no soap. Then i said didnt you look on the counter and see the little box of soap? John says...OH THAT was SOAP??? yes son, that was soap...dont worry though cause they went swimming...

Back to the original story...I got home from work and Jake and dad were watching some movie, which I noticed was quite the thriller and a bit scary. So its time for bed and John isnt home, Laura is at work and so is Makayla...Jake decides he is sleeping on the floor by our bed...

All night he was by our bed. It was nice to have him there sort of. In the morning, he just lay there chatting with dad and I. It was nice. 

We celebrated Lauras birthday a week or so ago as well. It was fun to have Skyler and Brenda over and make fun of her belly. She is starting to show and ate like a piggy. We had a great time. Its always nice to have all of the kids together with food and fun. The boys are growing and girls are getting on and their tie in the house is coming to a close. I like to have them all here every once in a while. 

Memories are the best sometimes. Sometimes crazy things happen and those are the best. Sometimes not having all of the kids around is great. Makes for ups and downs of life but fun and joy all around. Trying to take time and make time to be a part of it. Photograph it and make sure I am in the photos is important. Make sure you are doing the same. Even if you dont have a blog, just put them together somewhere....

IPod sadness, Logan, Better

The months of February and March always get me a bit sentimental. My 2 beauties were born in those months not far apart. Brenda Renae was born on the 17th of February and Laura Danielle was born on March 5th. They were born 4 years apart and are such different personalities. They are NOT the same in any way, shape or form really.

At some point in during this year I am going to start going through more of the family photos i have from the "old" days that are not digital. I want to start making some blog posts with those photos. I have found that i need something to do that is productive that will take up some of my time. I used to love reading, but have not had the time i would like to have to do it. I love the movies but budget wise its not a good idea to go every week or even every other week. Music is glorious...OH...that reminds me... I had a little tiny ipod shuffle i won on a whim once. My girl Brenda filled it up with wonderful awesome music around Christmas a year or so ago, on the days when i really wanted silence in my head while working i would listen to that iPod. Made my life so so so happy. I mean i cannot tell you how happy. There was some music on there i didnt even know the name of it but would listen to it over and over.

I had it on my desk in the morning and sometime, at some point it came up missing. I thought maybe i had taken it home, nope. I looked everywhere all over my house, in every pocket of everything....not there. Somewhere, somehow its gone and I am super sad. I dont want to blame anyone or accuse anyone of stealing...so I decided to let it go. I think everyone around me is more upset then I am, but I have to say, my appetite for music is sort of gone for a bit. I am sort of sad for that really. I wish i had that iPod on some days.

3 of my favorite things in the world and I am not in to them anymore? What is going on? I know i have been doing some soul searching more so then what i write on here, but I suppose i am still a lost girl in this world.

I have been waiting with much joy on Logan to come out. I love love love Hugh Jackman in most every movie he is in. He is a good actor and just a good guy all around...oh and i am slightly infatuated with him. Dont get me wrong my hubs is pretty darn hot, Hugh isnt too bad....So i was telling my girls ( we have a messenger link we all chat on all the time) how excited i am about the film coming out. Sometimes at night when i want to chat with Brenda we will video chat over messenger as well. So i was video chatting with the girls and telling them how excited i was about the movie Logan. Its the last in the Wolverine films. They all made fun of me which is par for the course, and Shane made fun of me as well...Come to think of it everyone was making fun of me...what is that about?

So the next night was Friday night and i was looking forward to spending some extra time with Shane. I walked in the door he was asleep on the couch and tired, i figured eh, get jammies on and just hang at home tonight. I go change into my jammies he changes into going out clothes (now if you know Shane that is a clean pair of pants and sneakers not work boots) I say what are you doing?
He says, thought you wanted to go to the movies?, my heart lept...of course this is not the most romantic think in the universe but for him it was awesome. I know he hates going to the movies and doesnt really like Wolverine movies. In any case, we went to the movies. I had a glorious time. We had a little bite to eat after and it was the best night ever.

Logan if you are going to go see it, is a dark movie, Do NOT watch it with little kids its very graphic and there is quite a bit of the F word considering Mr Logan in the film. But it was a great ending to Logan and the Professor (spoiler alert). It was awesome for me, cause i like anything Hugh Jackman. I am glad he took the time to take me.

I have to say i am grateful for  my hubby. I have been longing to go to a movie, to spend time with my sister, to have free time but it just has not happened (also my sister lives in Florida)...and here was a surprise. I like small surprises like this. I am making a concerted effort to be more mindful of Shane as well. Its tough when you have young children, then teens...but i am trying to be more aware. I think for me as well, its a bit tougher, to step outside and not be so needy. I am working on that. I am more mindful of my children, our family....making some history in our home. More on that to come. Until then what are you doing to be more mindful of your Person (spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend whatever). Are you setting aside yourself? its a tough thing when you think hard about it. But i am really working on it. Trying to be a better wife...its hard...