I love my little boy!

Here's a little flashback Friday. It's not that far back, other than the picture is from when Brando was a cute, chunky monkey! I just put him to bed and I just really love, love, love how he hugs me as I stand rocking him telling him how much I love him. He puts his little arm around my neck like he never wants to let go and I just melt. These are the moments of motherhood that I just cherish and never want to end. We have been so blessed to have Brandon in our family. He is the sweetest little man and hopefully will always be mama's boy.

Girls weekend & Sydney lost a tooth!

It seems like it's been longer than a week since I've written in here. I guess with the recent Trolley Square shootings, time seems to drag! My heart aches for the victims. And, lots of memories of the shooting we had at my work came flooding back. There have been a lot of weird accidents resulting in deaths lately. A couple of families that had multiple members killed in car accidents, these shootings, etc. We are blessed that we are only touched by these because we have heard about them and aren't experiencing them. Whew! On to something fun....

A couple of my girlfriends, Elise & Nicole, and I took a weekend get-away! It originally started out as a trip to St. George and in the end with all the details worked out, we ended up downtown at Little America! Funny how that happens! Mike had to go to Denver last minute and got home just in time for me to drop the kids with him and go party with the girls! We went to the Dodo for dinner, one of my favorite places and stayed up talking and giggling late into the night! The next morning, after sleeping in until 10am! (It's been a long time since that's happened!) We ate the rest of our Tollhouse pie for breakfast and went to Draper to shop and have lunch. Nicole helped me get some decor for my sofa table at Interior Elements! Then we hit Citrus Grill for lunch. Delish! Next, on to Salt Lake Running Co. to get fitted for shoes and to buy the Oprah bra! I have been running on my treadmill a lot lately now that my plantar facitis is doing better, and I really needed some new shoes. Nicole then challenged Elise and me to do the Mountain Vistas Day 5K in June. Oh, we'll see. I like to run on the treadmill, not so much outside. This bra is the coolest thing going for well-endowed girls like myself! Nothing's moving! Yippee!

Then off to Nailed boutique to get a mani/pedi! This, unfortunately, is the only thing picture I took! Bad blogger! Nicole loved this place so much, she left with 3 new pairs of shoes! They were very cute, but I am so limited by my bad feet that I don't get to wear much past my running shoes. Anyway! We had a great time and I just love these girls! My sisters!

When I got home, Mike and I took the kids up to Pepperbelly's for dinner. My hubby is amazing! I know it was hard for him to get off the plane and into a car with the kids and have me leave! But, he did it without complaining and even took the kids to a movie Saturday morning! He is a sweetheart and I'm so lucky he understands that sometimes the mommy needs a break, too. I always come home appreciating him and the kids so much more! And I can't tell you that last time I didn't get dragged out of bed by someone crying or needing food!

The only regret to me having my weekend away was that Sydney's tooth finally came out! She would not let us touch it at all....reminiscent of her ear piercing episode...a story for another day. But, when Mike had taken the kids to dinner on Friday night (after just getting home), Sydney's tooth fell out when she took a bite of her dinner! Yea! She looks so different and I'm sad that the baby teeth are going, but all four of the front ones are loose and I feel bad for her trying to eat!

(Those black marks on her face are valentine's day tattoos!)

Romance for Married Couples

I just read this on a website and it's very fitting! Enjoy!
Married couples with children occasionally start to wonder about all this romance business. For example, a coworker approached my husband and asked, “Where are you and your wife going on your hot date this week?”“Well,” my husband answered, “we haven’t decided yet whether to go to Barney’s Food Basics or Stan’s Grocery.”

Becoming a parent has a way of making romance a little more difficult and complicated…but not impossible. After a few years of marriage and more than a few children, I’ve found that love has a way of showing its head at common but unexpected times.I used to love my husband for the way he looked in his basketball uniform. Now I love him the for the way he looks in his sweats after being up with a sick baby all night.

I used to love my husband’s strong muscles from lifting weights in the gym. But now I love his muscles best when they’re used for carrying laundry to the washing machine, Jordan to the roof for his sixty-seventh lost softball, and Jacob when he’s too tired to walk anymore at Disneyland.

I used to love my husband for taking me out to expensive restaurants. Now I love him for making us Postum and cinnamon toast to eat while we watch the ten o’clock news.

I used to admire the way my husband washed and polished his new car. Now I admire the way he washes our children at bath time and the way he always carefully polishes each apple with the kitchen towel for the Christmas stockings.

I used to admire my husband’s latest intellectual recital from his vast store of knowledge. But now I admire him most when he’s crawling on all fours and acting like a goon to get our baby to laugh, attentively listening to our preschoolers tell knock-knock jokes without punch lines, helping our teenagers with algebra, or reading bedtime stories on the loveseat.

I used to admire my husband’s courage to travel to exotic foreign lands. Now I admire his courage to stay home, get up every morning, and face the work world, only to come home to sticky kitchen chairs, a teenager with a learner’s permit, last-minute peanut-butter-and-jam dinners and after-dinner children who explode with “Daddy-do-this” energy.My husband spends his free time fixing flat bicycle tires, holes in the plasterboard directly opposite the doorknobs, leaking faucets, washing machines, hair driers, curling irons, squeaky doors, remote control cars, beheaded dolls, and runny noses. He takes time to build dollhouses, model airplanes, clubhouses, and our children’s memories.

I used to think the greatest show of romantic love was a passionate Hollywood kiss and embrace followed by an expression like, “Oh my darling, I cannot live another moment without you.” Now I feel the greatest expressions of love sound more like “Snuggle up and I’ll get your feet warm.” Or, “Don’t worry about the car, honey. We have insurance.” Or, “I’ll take care of the kids. Why don’t you get out and do whatever you want for the day.” Or, “Why, this casserole hardly tastes burned at all.”

Almost three decades ago, my husband and I knelt across a lace-covered altar and gazed into each other’s eyes, believing our love was complete. Now we gaze across a crumpled bed with bloodshot eyes at six in the morning while one child crawls across my stomach, another is perched on my husband’s nose, and one is ready for a jet landing on our shins. The others are spilling cereal and throwing oranges in the kitchen.

A famous unmarried author was once interviewed about her illustrious career. She was wealthy and had been internationally published, seemingly receiving every prestigious award. “I’d give it all up in a moment,” she said to the reporter, “to be able to sit next to the fire in the evenings with someone I love and someone who loves me.”And that, in spite of the constant chaos we call family life, is why marital romance just keeps getting better and better.

Good, Bad & the Ugly

So, just in the past couple of hours, I have discovered a few good, bad & ugly moments. First, a gal I used to work with at Cellular One has made herself an amazing company that was just featured on a local program. I checked out her website, sent her a note, and also ordered some candy! I'm so happy for her and it's amazing to see what she's done since then. We worked together when she was pregnant with her first baby, Benjamin, and after she had him, she quit to stay home. Check out her website: www.avenuesweets.com

As long as we are talking about good things: I found another great website that is helping me to read my scriptures everyday! Check out www.readthescriptures.com Mike and I now have a scripture reading team, which just means we can check up on each other.

Next, bad news that our sister-in-law who is expecting twins...now has twins, however they are extremely early. She went to the hospital with flu symptoms and had a seizure, so they took the babies c-section. From what we hear, one baby is 3 pounds, the other 4 pounds. I know that my friend, Jamie's little Jordyn, was smaller than that and today is a vibrant, beautiful little girl. So, I feel like the babies will be just fine. I don't think they know why Cath had a seizure, yet. We'll be praying for their family. It's hard to have them so far away as they live back east.

The ugly moment of the day is that Mike and I are having a tiff today. My fault and it was over something little. However, I have just let it go on all day instead of ending it quickly like I usually do. I hate to be in a fight. Now, this gets a little too deep for a blog....so hang on. But, for some reason today, I have decided to do some soul searching and I know that I need to make some changes in my attitude. That's a hard thing to admit, but hopefully I will get past the 'little things' that hold me back (see my previous post regarding Sheri Dew's talk). Thank goodness I know that my hubby loves me and it's a good thing he thinks I'm cute.....

Guam! Etc.

Holy Cow! My youngest brother, Evan just joined the Air Force. Today, my Mom called to tell me he got his orders of where he'll be stationed. GUAM! I never saw that one coming. When he and his wife, Jamie, told us they were joining the military they were excited to travel....well, this is definately travel! When Evan was in junior high school, he and my parents moved to Missouri. They lived there 9 years and while there, he met Jamie and got married. He and Jamie came to Utah for awhile (after my parents moved back), but didn't like it much and moved back to MO. We see them a couple times a year and miss them and their little girl, Carsyn, so much! I'm thinking, now we will see them even less! They are expecting a little boy in March. I'm hoping we get to see him before they leave. Good thing is that we can meet them in Hawaii when he's on leave! That's not a bad deal! My Mom sounds really nervous, but she's glad he's not going to Iraq or Afghanistan. Amen to that. Evan served his mission in California, so this will be the first experience he'll have of being out of the country. I'm still trying to take it all in.

My piano recital went fabulous! All the kids were well prepared and we zipped through that recital in 40 minutes! Their parents were pleased and my parents thought things went really well. As Mike and I were talking on the way to the recital, he mentioned that he hated practicing and only wanted to play basketball when he was younger and in piano lessons. He says now that he would love to play the piano more than play basketball! That's the neat thing about piano or any instrument. You can take it with you your whole life. It doesn't matter how old you are when you start. You can always improve and it doesn't hurt your knees when you play! I am a little overwhelmed at how many students I have right now, but it is a great experience to be able to teach and hopefully help the kids love to play.

Mike and his buddies are in St. George golfing! I am so jealous because it has been soooo cold here! He said it feels like summer down there. So, my friend whose hubby is in S.G. with Mike, called and asked us to go to the Jordan World Circus with them last night. I have to say, we went to Barnum & Bailey's Circus last year and was not impressed at all! I don't expect much from a circus, but it was boring! This circus was actually fun! The kids LOVED it and their only disappointment was that we didn't let them ride the elephant! At $7 per kid...it wasn't happening! That, and the fact that I didn't have any cash. I was digging through my purse to come up with the $16 cash to get in! I was 30 cents short, but the gal let me in! Now, I'm not pleading poverty, it was just that they didn't take debit cards and I didn't have the checkbook. I thought it must have looked so pathetic to everyone around....but hey! No one offered to give me 30 cents! The funniest part is when the ringmaster did commercials for all the concessions! It was so blatant: "Kids raise your hand if you want the light up gladiator sword and tell your parents!" I guess they are banking on the fact that we are an indulgent generation that doesn't say no to their kids! But, I don't have that problem~and neither does my friend. We would just look at each other and laugh! We ended up having Eva sleep over and the girls are just loving it!

Crazy & overwhelmed

Mike & I were just talking about how overwhelmed we feel right now. I'm not sure how to explain it...Mike says he just feels like everything is going to explode! There is no real big issue or reason for this feeling. Maybe it just means we need a vacation! Right now we are worried about Brandon. I took him to KidCare on Saturday because he kept digging in his left ear and crying. Ear infection...of course. But, this is our first since his tubes were put in last April. He also had huge tonsils, so on the antibiotics we go. Well, today his ear is just oozing puss out of it. Fun, eh? Then, this afternoon while I was teaching lessons, he starts just screaming and digging in the right ear! So, I forced motrin in him to relieve the pain and to get us through lessons. Then, I notice his left ear (the one we diagnosed on Saturday) was oozing green gunk! Sooo bad. Back to KidCare with the girls in tow. Two hours later we have treated him with the antibiotic shot...that I have repeat for the next 2 days! Oh, I just hate when the kids are hurting! We're hoping this shot works or we'll be back at our E.N.T.

Friday night we went to Mike's Dad's retirement party at the Joseph Smith Memorial Bldg. It was supposed to be ICS's Christmas Party (yes, in January), but they turned it into a Retirement Roast for Jim. They asked Mike to roast his Dad and he did a great job! Before Mike was up, four of the former owners got up and did their speeches and were a little (ok, a lot) dry. Mike got up there and woke us back up and was really funny! One huge joke is that Jim has a cell phone, but never turns it on. Mike asked the room if anyone had ever reached his dad on his cell and only one person out of about 100 people had! So, Mike gave him a play cell phone and said it will work about as well as the one he has now! After Mike, the new president, Tony, did his 'roast' which included giving Jim this pimp daddy coat for his new 'night job'. The best part was when Jim was saying his 'good-bye' and talking about Heavenly Father while wearing the pimp coat! It was a fun night and we are grateful that the new owners of ICS were so kind to invite us. They even flew Mike's brothers (and families) who live back east in for the occasion. We walked into the dinner while Jim was speaking and he was so surprised and touched that he couldn't speak! Fun to be a part of and good food, too!


The next day we were really wanting to spend some time with the brothers before they headed back home. Sad, but the only time we could get together was for breakfast! We never knew it, but one of our fave restaurants, Market Street (downtown) is open for breakfast! We lucked out because it was also Crab Fest and we had the most delicious crab omelets and crab cakes! Yummy, fresh squeezed oj, too. But, breakfast wasn't complete until Mike and Steven 'spilled' water on each other on an unfortunate spot on each others pants! We really miss these guys and it was so much fun to be able to spend a little time with them. It may be awhile before we see Steve & Hill or Doug & Cath because both families are having babies in the next few months. Our cute girls hamming it up!

Our girls have been in a singing/performing group and have been working on 'The Wizard of Oz'. Amanda was a munchkin-part of the lollipop guild, and Sydney was a munchkin-part of the lullaby league. They were both castle guards..the ooooeeeeeooo people, and part of the ensemble in the Emerald City. They were so cute! They gave one performance at a stake center on Saturday, and another Monday night at the Egyptian Theatre in Ogden. This is the same place that my Grandma Wanda Gibson worked as a teenager! It made the night a little more special because of that. The professional lighting people were running the show and it really was awesome! Grandma & Grandpa Arv came up and a few friends came to see the show. After we got some 'eats' at TGI Fridays and the kids were wired! Late night, but really fun to celebrate their hard work.

Sydney right in the middle!

Amanda in the hat and black shirt, front row!



Girls in the Egyptian Theatre with Brandon and Sydney's friend, Abi O.

Now, tomorrow night I am having a piano recital! I have 22 students performing and I'm hoping all goes well. It's a little stressful for me! I'm still needing a treat to give the students for participating and their hard work and can't think of anything to give them. I guess Brandon and I will just have to cruise around a store tomorrow! Wish me luck!

Swimming? And my (long) thoughts on the day....

Oh, no pictures to accompany this crazy act, but we went swimming tonight! It's freezing here and so, of course, the first thought is to go swimming! We got invited by some friends here in the neighborhood to head to the Clearfield Aquatic Center tonight. They have water toys, shallow area for toddlers, and a big slide. It is quite fun. Murray had a rec center that was very similiar that we used to frequent quite a bit. They just had one weird rule that sent Amanda crying and wanting to go home. She was going on the big slide and a lifeguard yelled at her when she was climbing the stairs. So, she went to the bottom and had to wait until the person, clear at the top of the stairs, went down the slide before she could ascend the stairs at all. I'm sure there must have been some incident that caused this interesting rule, but for an 8 year old to be yelled at was a little harsh. She came over to me crying and told me she was done swimming. Poor thing. Anyway, after we were all dressed and my girls had dried their hair under the automatic hand dryers, we all (Orisons, Karras', Kennedy's, Lloyd's and Anderson's) went to Crown Burger for some grub! It was a fun night. A little crazy with all the little ones, but a good break to the mundane routine of a cold January!

I also had the opportunity to listen to Sister Sheri Dew at a conference put on by our Stake. She is an amazing person and wonderful speaker. She tells great stories that makes you realize that even with all her success, she has normal experiences like the rest of us. She made about 5 points in her talk. First, that improbable or impossible things can and do happen, speaking about instances in life, but also of the First Vision. Second, that we all carry with us what we need to return to our Heavenly Father: the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ and our temple ordinances. Third, we are a pivotal generation. This topic reassured me of many things including that our Father has saved these generations to bring forth the gospel throughout the earth and prepare the way for Jesus to come again and also, that we will withstand the powers of Satan and all the evil in the world. Fourth, that little things can stop progress. A good reminder that maybe we aren't progressing because the "little" sins are stopping us. We are pretty good at the big things; go to church, attend the temple, FHE, etc., but when it comes to back-biting for instance, this can stall us although we are doing other things well. Fifth, nothing can stop the power for good women are in the world. I could elaborate on these forever and give quite the sermon, but that's for another time. I really just wanted to write these points down for my own use and so I don't forget. Oh, I did forget one.....to listen to our leaders more than we listen to Oprah!

Last night we went out with our good friends, Kerry & Makell Westenskow. The boys had been working out after work and decided to grab the families and get some food. We really enjoy these guys and are grateful for their friendship. Now, the bad part comes last night around 12:30am. I had a horrible gall bladder attack! My first horrible attack was when I was pregnant with Brandon. I thought I was dying and didn't take anything to eleviate the pain because I was pregnant. When I told my OB about it, he said just take Mylanta next time. First, I thought he was crazy, but it did work for the rest of my pregnancy. Interesting side note: I also had gestational diabetes with Brandon and the dieticians I saw for that told me that most gals who get this during pregnancy have gall bladder problems also during pregnancy. Ok, back to last night. Well, I have had small attacks that I have been able to control with magic Mylanta, but last night it did not work at all! I took a couple of doses and would go back to bed and be up again in 10 minutes. So, I took some ibuprofen and slept in the recliner until the pain subsided. For those who haven't had this experience, it isn't a heartburn pain, but a stabbing, constant pain in your upper back. At least that's where mine is....I woke up again around 6:30am and had to take more ibuprofen. I'm thinking that I need to get to an internist so they can start documenting the attacks in case I need it out. It's a hereditary thing in my family. Mom, Dad, younger brother all have had theirs out. I'm thinking that the wonderfully yummy fried zuchinni we had last night was the culprit! It's not fun to get old!

NOT a cute moment

It's been one of 'those' days where you just don't get much done, have a house full of kids (some mine, some not) and a to-do list a mile long that stayed that way today. It started out with our new puppy deciding that our comforter was a great place to tinkle this morning! NOT CUTE! I don't have a washer big enough to wash the comforter, so it's at the cleaners until Wednesday night! With the temperature forcasted to be about ZERO tonight....I'm already cold. Then, as I was taking one of Sydney's friends home this afternoon, I took the dog in the car with me. All of a sudden, my lap got warm. UGH! The dog tinkled on my lap! NOT CUTE! I'm just hoping that someday this potty training thing will click with him and we can enjoy him more...because right now, I'm so not thinking he's cute! Oh well...it could always be worse, right?

I LOVE my husband!

Can I just tell you how much I love my hubby!?!? Mike came home sick on Monday after work. He had the yucky stomach flu and it wiped him out! So, all day Tuesday he was in bed. He never takes a sick day and so I knew he was pretty bad off. I felt so bad for him, but didn't get a chance to baby him much, except for getting him a new movie and some chicken noodle soup. When he started to feel better last night, he told me that I was the best wife. I said, "You just say that because you are sick." But he was so sweet and said, "No, I mean you really are the best wife. I have been watching you today and realized that you have a lot going on!" Talk about a morale boost! It just came at the right time... after a busy day to get a little pat on the back. When you are a stay-at-home mom, you aren't getting a ton of those each day. Mostly you get demands from the children. It's a good reminder to make sure I tell him how much I appreciate him going out into the work jungle and slaying dragons for us each day! I love you, Mikey!

Now, on another winter illness note: Sydney decided not to go to preschool or ballet today because she had a tickle in her throat. I'm erring on the side of caution in case she is getting what Mike had and let her stay home. Her preschool teacher called me and told me that she just found out that a little boy in their class has hand-foot-mouth disease and was at school yesterday! Yikes! So, we are on the look-out and praying she doesn't get it. As a precaution, she is not to touch, kiss, share anything or look at her baby brother!


Now, one more thing! My cute little, Amanda, shown here with her new haircut (she donated her long, beautiful hair to Locks of Love) just got all A's on her report card! She gets basically no help from home (bad Mom) and is doing great. We are so proud of her. After talking to her teacher yesterday at SEP (or Parent/Teacher conference for old schoolers like me), I found out that she is a huge help to the teacher because Amanda is sitting next to a boy who can't read (and whose parents are in denial about it...I guess I'm not that bad of a Mom) and has to read a lot of assignments to him. So, she is doing her work and being a 'teaching assistant'. She has only complained to me about having to sit next to this boy once and I didn't realize how much she was doing for him. Her Daddy and I are so proud of her and that she has a kind spirit about her to help others.

The Dodo and Hillary

The Dodo was one of my favorite places to eat when I was a working gal. Since then, I have tried to take any opportunity to go there and have their yummy smoked turkey sandwiches and a little toll house pie! So, when Hillary and I were getting together for lunch, I was so happy that she likes the Dodo, too! Hillary was on her way back to Connecticut after being here for Christmas. Can I just tell you how much I enjoy her friendship?! I think we have a bond because our hubby's are so similiar. She is married to Mike's youngest brother, Steven. The boys enjoy teasing each other. It is the basis of their friendship. For Christmas, Mike bought Steven, 'Brokeback Mountain' and went to great lengths to get it wrapped as though it was from their parents. The highlight of this 'gift' was when Steven's bags had to be searched at airport security and the movie was carefully tucked away inside! It was a gift that kept on giving! So, with that little background information, Hillary and I have learned to stick together so that we wouldn't get caught in the middle of the practical jokes. Sometimes it's quite a feat! (Although, I have to admit that sometimes it's fun to help out with the jokes!) Hillary is a sweet and fun gal and I'm blessed to know her. She is such a great mommy to Abi and my whole family is excited for Abi's little sister coming in May. We also enjoy our Utes and had a very memorable Fiesta Bowl experience with them which included a marathon road trip with highlights of the 'Dam'! I know that their experiences working in NYC and living back east are a good thing, but both Mike and I are looking forward to the time when they move back home!