They called him on a Mission...

...12 years ago. I am not sure how to write this quickly but, in Jeremy's home ward he knew a girl who later married a boy. The day Jeremy left the mission field this boy entered into his same mission. It's a small world! Now the four of us are good friends. So Matt, who is the "boy", had a business trip scheduled for Pheonix/Tempe Arizona where they both served. He ended up getting a friends fly free ticket and his lovely wife said "besides babysitting, I think Jeremy would enjoy this trip more!" So that is how Jeremy got invited. He was able to drive around while Matt worked for a living. He had some great experiences. The one phone call I will remember most was when he called and he was speechless, yes you read right Jeremy was speechless (I love you honey!). He was in total shock how developed his area had become. In the following video there is an intersection that used to be 1 flashing red light, it was next to the one little gas station in Queen Creek and the little mini mart. Now it is a huge intersection. That is the only way I know to describe it. Just know HE was SpeCHlEsS! He did have some spiritual experiences as well but they are for him to share. It was such a neat trip. He did make contact with 2 families that he taught and that was awesome too. I know he will never forget and can't wait to go back.

You eat what you are!?

They say you are what you eat...well I have been calling little Lauren my lollipop. She has a little twig body but a perfectly beautiful yet round head with chubby cheeks! So today Hannah gave her a lollipop. Lauren was very happy. So she eats what she is, kind of like the chicken before the egg thing!

FYI: This little cutie will be one whole year old soon!

Superman...I'm sure it meant Super Woman!

Your results:
You are Superman

Superman 75% Spider-Man 70% Green Lantern 65% Iron Man 50% Robin 45% Hulk 45% Supergirl 41% Wonder Woman 36% Batman 35% The Flash 25% Catwoman 15%

You are mild-mannered, good, strong and you love to help others.

Click here to take the Superhero Personality Quiz

New Favorite...

I have a new favorite product. As most of you probably don't know or don't care, I am lousy at laundry and even more lousy at stain care! My friend Jen mentioned a product and she said "I know it sounds weird but it works!" It is called Fels-Naptha. Apparently it has been around for a while.

In the Wikepedia it says this used to be the preferred method for washing you child's mouth out...I always thought the bar of soap in a Christmas Story was HUGE!

So back to informing you this little bar costs about $1.00 and it is like stain magic, the super-hero, no-brainer stain remover. It is fabulous. I have to admit that I am glad that my kids are at the stage where their clothes don't last too long because of childhood stains and such, but this is simple and easy. I will run clothes through the washer and dryer and see a stain. No problem just get the clothing wet and rub the bar across it and let it sit for 1 minute, and throw it back in the wash. Wah-lah! Stain free clothes, which is awesome for a number of reasons!

So THANK YOU JEN!

Dinner Menu

I know I haven't done this in a while. I am typing it up now in case I loose my list today. I will add links to all the recipes later;

April 25 BBQ hot dogs and Burgers, with potato salad
April 26 Pizza and green salad
April 27 Chicken Cheese Enchiladas, green salad
April 28 Lasagna, green salad, Garlic Bread
April 29 Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole
April 30 Taco Pizza
May 1 Bow Ties with Ham
May 2 Super Speedway Taco Pie
May 3 Ravioli with Chicken, veggies
May 4 Chicken & Rice Casserole
May 5 Ground Beef & Twice Baked potato Pie, veggies
May 6 Creamy Chicken Soup with Open face Cheese sandwiches
May 7 French Toast with sausage and Fruit
May 8 Pigs in a Blanket, Tater Tots, veggies

Out of the mouth of babes

not original, I know, but such is what it is!

Today we were watching The Fox and the Hound. Sorry there may be a spoiler here! Todd, the fox, gets abandoned for his own safety, he was a house pet so doesn't understand the "real world". As it is raining he is trying to find safety and a friendly animal comes and invites Todd to stay with him. I asked Logan what kind of animal it was and he said "the pine cone one" I thought it was cute. Then I asked if it was because he had pine cones on him and Logan gave me the a-firm. Then I burst his 5 year old bubble by smiling and informing him it was a Porcupine.

Then as I was unloading...my children, Haylie asked me when do you get baptized. I was proud of the question, even though it was random. I informed her when you are 8. She then responded "Is Daddy going to be baptized?" I am assuming she didn't think he was eight but children are sometimes brutally honest!

So there you have it another installment of "Out of the mouths of babes!"

Time is on Speed!

So I have spent the last two days beautifying my blog...not my house, not my children, not my mind and definitely by no means myself. But I think it looks good. So now the thing is to actually update it. I don't have a lot of time seems how I am picking Jer up from the airport to say good bye again tomorrow. So my goal is to write something everyday. If I can remember something that the kids say it will be easy.

Todat Logan cracked me up, hopefully you will find it almost as comical. Logan asked me today:
"Mom, where do legs come from?"
I tried to buy myself some time because my answers are always wordy and not terribly easy to comprehend for most adults let a lone a child whose attentions is shorter than his little legs, so I said:
"Where do you think they come from?"
He responds matter-of-factly:
"from your bottom!"
What do you say to that!

Gratitude at a cost...

It always happens that in order for you to know gratitude you have to be able to compare the good from the bad. Let me preface this by saying I will get no sympathy and maybe even shunned for this. Jeremy has been abundantly blessed by his skills of course but by timing as well. He started at his job 8+ years ago as an errand boy/box mover between his mission and his first semester at BYU. Right before we got married we moved back here and he got his job back, I think he moved right in to the loan department, then as luck would have it he was able to take over the loan department. After getting a few things in order he got the opportunity to be the Executive Vice President of the credit union, his title has since changed because of growth and circumstances but his job really hasn't he is still second in command (unless you count the Board of Directors) I am very proud of him for what he has accomplished at a relatively young age. With this being said I will now commence with how spoiled I am. His job is 5 minutes away from our house, he comes home for lunch, he gets to help out in Miranda's classroom, he has either come to all my pre-natal appts. or watched the kids so I could go. He has been able to take multiple weeks off for each child, he gets lots of vacation time, he works only 8 hour days. He is home no later than 5, usually 4:45. He rarely has to work late, like once every 4 months, and when he does he has usually gone to work let to balance the hours. He travels maybe twice a year. This is where it is put into perspective. Jeremy is in Boston right now, a trip I really wanted to go on. He will be there for 4 days, come home long enough to re-pack and then is taking some vacation time to Arizona where he serve his mission. He will be gone for 7 days. I have planned something to look forward to everyday. I know keeping busy will keep the time going. It is hard being with out him because he is such a hugemongous help, but sometimes he needs to leave me so I can remember to be grateful for what we have. I am very blessed by his job and diligence in all aspects of life. He is amazing. I love him very much, and miss him!

Why..oh why...

...have I not been posting....

Life has been super crazy, but I am beginning to think no matter who you are life and crazy are synonymous! I have a confession to make that proves my slight...uh-um.., irresponsibility. I, as of late, have been obsessed with a little game called Zelda on our N64, yes we have a game system, actually two, we have a PlayStation also and a total of 4 games one for the PlayStation and 3 for the N64. OK so I lost my train of thought for a minute. Back to my obsession. So for those of you who know me when I like something I get a little OK a LOT focused, the world around me no longer exists. This would be fine if I didn't have three ingenious children and a newly mobile yet very inquisitive baby! Since I have started playing I can't tell you how many tissues were wasted, how much food was sneaked (or is it snuck) out of the refrigerator, how much tear-able stuff has been destroyed, how many keyboard setting windows on the Internet have been opened, OK so you get the picture. Well I decided it was the beginning of a month and that I should download all the pictures from my memory stick. I put it in the computer and probably caved into Logan's request that I play Zelda. I forgot! Three days later I went to upload pictures so I could blog about some fum moment we had, low and behold, it was gone, a full 2GB memory card was gone! When we got our new camera Jeremy made me promise that I would take care of it and not leave it within arm's reach, well pretty much out of site from my twin-ados. Our last camera bit the dust when Hayley damaged the lens by what I can only assume to be Lucky Charms and a few nice drops. After a week being camera-less and a Christmas tree purchase in-site we purchased a new camera. We had decided that no more damage could be done to the old camera, so Jeremy dropped it a couple more times, and wouldn't you know it works! So that was an expensive lesson for me. I guess I am still learning or need specific instructions. Lucky for me, he never specifically encouraged the same respect for the memory card. Jeremy went through both garbage cans in the bathrooms (I am married to an amazing man I should have had that gross job), which is where the girls insisted it was. We moved our entertainment center another place they insisted they put it, I cleaned the middle children's room from top to bottom, I have vacuumed everything, and looked in all couch crevasses, luckily I cleaned under the cushions a couple of weeks ago, man was that embarrassing! It is no where to be found. It has been about two weeks since the discovery and we caved and bought a 4GB memory card this past weekend. I am now waiting for the old one to show up.

Just in case you were wondering, Logan thinks I am awesome because I play Zelda. When his little friend Ben comes over he says whose mom is better mine or yours? I tell Logan all boys think that their own mom is the best. Please note Ben ALWAYS pleads the fifth. I sometimes give him good stuff so I am sure he doesn't want to bite the hand that feeds him, ha-ha!

Rag Doll

Here is the Rag doll Pose

And my five little munchkins! Look at Lauren compare to H & H!

Swingin' Good Times!

A friend took some pictures since I no longer carry my camera with me. Hannah was in the swing and I wanted Lauren to swing too. This is what happened:

It is so nice having warmer weather. We have visited several new parks and have enjoyed the fresh air. It is moments like these when I am reminded how adorable my children are and how much they really do love each other. I do have to say, all of the older ones adore Lauren. they always are tyring to play with her. I am still trying to convince Logan she is not a rag doll!

Llama?

The kids always (mostly Logan at this point) say the funniest things. I always think if I repeat it in my head a billion times I am sure to remember it. If I do happen to remember it then I tell the story a billion times to ensure that it is still in my memory. There have been a couple instances lately that I really want to remember the quotes but alas, they are gone. This one I do remember:

We were coming home from a friends house and we were driving passed land that houses Llamas, yes that is right llamas. (Don't you just love the randomness of California). Logan says "Mommy, when are we gonna get a llama?" I am not sure why this was so funny other than he asked it in a way that suggests everyone has llamas, or that it was already on our to-do list. I am sure we only hear half the funny thoughts run though their heads.

Jelly Belly!!!

Here are a couple cute pictures of the kids on day trip to the Jelly Belly factory. Thank you to Hayley for taking them for me. The older two were there just not as cute...just kidding, I forgot my camera so I mooched off of friends!

Exercise....

OK I have one of many love hate relationships. One being exercise. I always feel that if I could be like a few stalwart people and learn to love exercise it would be fabulous. To be able to get into a routine and actually force myself to miss a day...that would be ideal. So in sharing these feelings I was surprised to find out that it isn't easy for my sweet hubby to get up three days a week at 5:30 to go running (4.5 miles way to go stud!). He said he has to talk himself into it. One feeling I do have in common is I have yet to regret getting up and "moving" early in the morning. Knowing that I am not the only person that has a stern one-person conversation with myself is so helpful. I have two friends that I can go walking with...along with the child count totalling 8, 4 are mine, luckily one can walk most of the way. I think pushing a stroller with 3-4 kids should count as a combination of weight training and aerobics! Then two days a week I have come to know a lady who does fitness training at our church. It is not always easy but I have been there and I am doing my best to not miss anymore. It has been long enough that this baby weight can't park on my abs (well what used to be my abs before children decide to kick them to shreds before evacuating the premises) any more. It is a lot of fun. I know I complain in a humorous way when exercising, but bear with me I am having a great time, I am just trying to laugh through it!

Family Home Evening Resource

In looking for a Family Home Evening idea I came across this website www.HatchPatchCreations.com. You can purchase FHE packets $5 for B/W and $7 ccolor. To see a sample you can print one out it is in Helaman and the Stripling Warriors. If you do group orders you get a discount too. Just thought I would pass this along. Just thought I would pass along the information.

I don't have time to order what I wanted but if you have a great idea for a Family Home Evening on President Monson or General Conference, please feel free to pass along the idea!

Star Performers

Here is a few short videos of our muy telented children...man they come from good stock!
The Clan (minus Lauren):

Haylie and Hannah:

Logan:

Miranda:

Lauren

Here is a little video of Lauren. She is crawling on all fours now. Although when she wants to move quickly she still does a very quick army crawl. She is now pulling her self up to stand, but only in her crib. She has been saying what sounds like da-da, and has moved on to whan can be interpretted as ma-ma. Here is my little Lauren hanging out. It is about 3 minutes long and nothing terribly entertaining happens but who can pass up watching such a cutie!

Hear a WHAT?

Alright no catchy title but I wanted to share this and who know maybe it will work for you and your family. Since it is spring break a.k.a. Easter vacation, Jeremy wanted to take the kids to a movie. So for Family Home Evening we talked about the still small voice, or Holy Spirit. We talked about how you need to be quiet to hear it's promptings, but you also need to act on what you hear. Jeremy used his loud voice to explain that when we are loud it is almost impossible to think much less hear that delicate little voice. Then we surprised the kids by taking them to see Horton Hears a Who. There is one point where Horton looses the little "speck" in a big pile of flowers. I leaned to Miranda and said how do you think Horton will find it and she said to be quiet and listen. I asked what is that like and she said the still small voice. There are other good messages in the film, but this is by far the most apparent. I love how Horton won't deny what he has heard and no matter what the cost he continues to do what is right.

Then after bedtime we watched August Rush. I really enjoyed the movie. It was about a kid who hears music in just about everything. One thing you noticed is that when he stood still to listen is when he could put the music together, so it what like a grown-up version of Horton, August hears a song which ends up being an orchestra!

A new little boy!

On my mom's side boys are few and far between. Logan is the only grandson surrounded by six count them 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6! That is until now. My older sister had her second child via scheduled c-section yesterday. I asked if only green babies were born on St. Patty's Day and my mom assured me he was very much pink. Here's the goods: Spencer Allen (still not sure how they are spelling Alan, Allan...) weighed in at 7 lbs 1 oz and was 19 1/2" tall! Mom and baby are doing well. Of course it is not right to make a post about a baby and not show him off so World, that's you, welcome Spencer!

My Baby Girl

I had to put a quick post of representation that my little girl turn SEVEN yesterday. Holy Smoke is time flying. I have to say these last few months she is going through such a growth spurt. I am not necessarily talking physical. This will be a moment to brag so if you are not in the mood to read about a mother's love for her daughter and the pride she feels skip this post.

Miranda is an amazing girl. She has such light in her eyes they sparkle with beauty and creativity. She sing non-stop and talks almost as much, Jeremy claims this is from him and I will concur! A few things happened recently and I could help but feel my heart swell. We were walking home form school and we were coming up behind a young boy who must have been learning how to drive his classy high powered electric wheel chair. It wasn't easy but he was doing a good job. As we were walking by Miranda looked at him with a cheery expression and said "Hi Alex." In a world where disabilities almost cause you to be shunned whether it is to not may eye contact or show pity or making sure you are not staring, she said hello and we stopped and talked to Alex. What a super kid he is and to think I would have walked right by. The other thing was yesterday. It was Miranda's actual birthday. We have a few traditions that we do like getting morning donuts, and maybe go out to dinner. Since it was Sunday we didn't get donuts and the morning was filled with the hustle and bustle of going to church. We came home and made a friend a cake since she has no family to help her celebrate with her kids. That night I was laying down with Miranda and asking her if she had a good birthday she gave the thumbs up. I asked if she missed out on anything and she said yeah, I wish we could have put candles on friend's cake. I though how selfish am I that was the last thing on my mind. I would have thought how unfair it would have been that my birthday was not as fabulous as it could have been.

I am not sure if either event causes you to see the pride I feel but my heart is full with gratitude that she is a part of my life, the laughter she brings to us and the caring & love she shows and the desire to be a great big sister.

Happy Birthday Miranda!