Sugar Rush

Last year on Halloween I found out that we had to move out of our rental house in 5 days while I was 37 weeks pregnant. Family came up and helped pack us, a sweet family let us stay in their basement so we weren't homeless. More family came up to help move us into the house we bought. I think everyone else who knew us remembered to pray for us. It was a trial that is now in the past. However, I'm sure you can imagine how I felt this year as I was trick or treating with our great friends who happen to be our neighbors around our fabulous neighborhood. Every smiling face was a tender mercy as the kids raced from house to house. A lot can happen in a year. Some are better than others, this happened to be one of the good ones.

Visiting Teaching

This picture is of my visiting teachers. They come once a month to my house and share a spiritual message with me. Sister Forsgren just told me today that she is moving to Utah. I could just bawl like a baby! I love them so much. I know that her family is so excited for her to be closer to them but I will miss her coming to visit. They both have a perspective on life that is so refreshing to hear. Not to mention their stories of kids and hubbies are so funny. It really is true that service begets love. I'm so grateful for their service to our family.

A Saturday Afternoon

Today Shawn and the older kids tiled part of the basement floor. Opps, did I forget to mention that I flooded the basement while Shawn was away at WSU for two weeks? So they went swimming on campus after they finished all their hard work. With the little two boys asleep, Nyah decided that she wanted to go in the hot tub. Afterwards we cooled off with a smoothie. To make the smoothie I just blend up a bunch of leftover fruit and then freeze in a old mason jar leaving an inch headspace for expansion. Then we just pull it out of the freezer while we play so it defrosts enough to share.

Patience

Remember this spring when everyone was loving their tulips and warm weather. I do, I was shoveling my snow drift into the sun so it could melt. But, patience does pay off because I am loving this summer weather. I mean who doesn't love 80* summers?

Rockwell is crawling all over the house army style. He is a fun little baby. Now he holds the family record for the most choking attempts. He has a sweet little innocence about his smile.

The Pity Party Is Now Over

At the time I wrote my previous post I felt overwhelmed and tired. Maybe someone can relate. Those feelings didn't really go away I just started to feel like feeling sorry for myself wasn't helping. I turned to prayer to straighten my feelings out and it was a much better solution than hoping for a genie bottle and three magic wishes. I haven't quite given up on the house elf fantasy yet but I feel so much happier.

Then the next day while grocery shopping I overheard an employee complaining about the shifts she had to work, ect, ect. to coworkers, customers, and anyone else who would listen and I asked myself, "do you really want to be the complainer?" NO THANKS! Life's too short, eh?

We've been having fun. We threw a little party for mom's big birthday. It has been fun to have her and Vynessa up here. Her kids are totally cute.

Bald Face Lie?

A good friend once told me that after you have three kids that it's not that big of a deal to have more. Her reasoning was that you are already busy so what's the difference in being a little more busy.

Um.. There is a big difference. And the difference is called "lack of time to get anything done, " besides last weeks laundry and yesterdays dishes. Maybe I'm just a rookie. There are like a bazillion moms in rexburg with SIX kids. And I might add they have time to get their hair highlighted! Last time my hair saw highlights was like 1999.

But, the weird thing is, tonight as I was doing laundry I was really happy. I even went the extra mile and put Shawn's clothes away for him which is proof that I was in a good mood. It felt good to be doing what needed to be done even if it wasn't what I thought I'd like to be doing.

So, maybe five kids wasn't a big deal for my friend and it is a big deal for me. I still wouldn't change a thing and I just can't help thinking that it will turn out to be the best deal of my lifetime.

P.S. Since I'm being honest I would change one little thing... Shawn would be finished with his degree!haha

Life of the Party

It had been raining alot so instead of swimming we had to make the best of the hot tub.