OWIE!!!

So for some strange reason, my Achilles Tendon started to kill! It started with a dull pain, but as the days go on it has become worse. I was reading on-line about some side effects of anti-biotics and how they can cause tendinitis or even a tendon rupture! Please tell me I haven't fallen into some impossible odds! I am going to my happy place....there's no place like home..there's no place...ow..it hurts to click my heals together.....

Where is the Glamour?

As I get further and further into my mothering career, I am starting to notice that my standards are getting a bit lower. Not my moral standards or my religious standards, but my "what grosses me out" standards. I am feeling joy for things I NEVER thought I would. Here is a list that will explain what I mean:
I'm very happy when I wake up in the morning to find my daughter wet her bed....instead of wetting MY bed.

I LOVE seeing the toilet full of poop and tons of toilet paper....instead of seeing a toilet full of poop and NO toilet paper.

I love seeing that every blanket, pillow, towel, and wash cloth I own has been used to construct a massive hut....instead of my kids watching TV.

I like it when my kids are all sick!....at the same time....instead of dragging it out for weeks and weeks...

I'm so impressed with my quick reflexes in catching my child's vomit in my hand or shirt.

I'd rather watch Hannah Montana than ER.

I have more fun rocking out to The Wiggles, then I did attending the New Kids on the Block concert as a kid....(well, maybe that's not true, I still have a bit of a crush on Jon Knight)

I'd rather have a hug from a child then a million dollars....(ha ha..ok that's SO not true..It would be a nice little warm and fuzzy to end my list with, but I would SO take the money...then I could hug my family wearing "Gold Plated Diapers")

President Hinckley

I have had a lot of different feelings since I heard of the prophets passing last night. I mostly am happy for him and the release he has from this mortal life. I am so grateful that he is with his wife now and other family members and friends who went before him. I am grateful for the knowledge I have of what happens after death. I know he is happy and that the church will still go on.

Having said all that, I have to acknowledge the fact that I get teary every time I think about him. Each radio clip with his sweet voice makes me choke up and feel a real sense of loss. I will miss his council and fun sense of humor. I will miss seeing him in General Conference and feeling his spirit.

As I was listening to the radio this morning, the headline was, "Gordon B. Hinckley, dead at 97" The thought struck me that although this was very significant to many, it would mean little or nothing to others. Some may ask, "Who is that?" Or they may say, "wasn't he some religious leader?" At that moment, I felt so grateful for the knowledge that I have. I know that he was a prophet of God . I know that he spoke to God and received inspiration for the world. I am so grateful for the influence he had on me personally. I'm grateful for all the work he did to bring forth the gospel in these days. I'm grateful that even in death, he inspires me to be a better person.

My kids are off track right now, but I heard many children dressed in their Sunday clothes to go to school in honor of the Prophet. They are also going to dress in their best on the day of his funeral. That really touched me. I am going to have my kids wear dresses on the day of his funeral as well...even if we are just at home. I know they feel the loss as well. Ellie keeps asking me, "Why did Heavenly Father die?"

I have a picture of President Hinckley in my home with one of my favorite quotes on it. "Try a little harder, to be a little better." I love this quote because it shows the prophets understanding of mankind. He didn't say, "Be perfect and be perfect now!" He simply asked us all to keep trying a little at a time. I feel like that is something I can do. I feel like I can improve myself a little each day. I am going to leave his picture and that quote in my home. President Hinckley has been a leader in the church my whole life, and he will always be special to me and my family.

War Games

For those of you who don't know, I love to play games! I am finding that we as a family are starting to enjoy games together as well. Our newest discovery is an old favorite for many. It's the game of War...(or rumors of war) It makes me laugh to see my little four year old play. She knows that Ace beats a King. What four year old knows that!? Ellie actually won the whole game last night. (after a LONG, LONG time!) Annie and I were out within the first 5 min. (that's why we are missing from the picture.) I guess we are teaching our kids poorly by using face cards, but hey, it's promoting family time!

We are always looking for fun games to play. Here's a list of some we like, and I would love any suggestions from my loyal blog readers on games you enjoy.

* Settlers of Catan

*Pass the Pigs

* Pictionary

*Uno

*Compatibility (this is a new one Ben and Cait introduced us to. It's way fun!)

*Hide and seek ( the real, "get up and hide" version)

* Mother-may-I

*Simon Says

*Categories (with a spray bottle)

*hand and foot

*10,000

* Mormon Bridge (thanks Dave and Mom)

*Out Burst

*Catch Phrase

Here's Mike DAZZLING us with his amazing card skills. The girls are convinced that he really is magic!

And how could I leave out this classic shot? See...I wasn't lying about my dogs obsession with Pooh Bear!

What kind of name is Kirby?

So I met a HUGE celebrity! Ok, so he's huge in Utah. This was over a year ago, but I thought it was worth documenting.

My sister Sarah has a friend who owns..(owned) a Clean Flicks in Orem. He held a CD release party for Kirby Heyborn in his store, and told Sarah and her husband Scott to come by. Mike and I happened to be visiting that night so we came along. We had so much fun. At first we decided not to wait in line (with a bunch of teenage girls) to see Kirby. We attempted to stand by him and get a picture without him knowing it, just for documentation purposes, but that made us laugh too hard. Finally, we bought a CD...(which I actually gave to my babysitter that night) and stood in line to get an autograph. It was a fun night. I don't know why I am embarrassed a little that I got slightly star struck. Maybe because he's really not that famous (although...how many times have Mike and I seen Son's of Provo?)

Here's Mike trying to "nonchalantly" get in a photo with Kirby

Here we are getting some "action" in line!

If any one would like my autograph, just send me $50 and I will send you a piece of stationary with my name stamped on it. ha ha

One more page...for now

So here is my latest page. This really is fun! The best part is that it's free! (free of mess, free of cost) I have found my scrap booking niche, I never thought I would enjoy it, but I do. I hope I get better...fast! Practice, practice, practice.

Good,clean....addicting fun!

Thanks to my friend Shelley, who keeps sending me digital "freebies", I have entered the strange and wonderful world of Digital Scrap booking. This is my first attempt at creating a page. I know that I have a lot to learn..(all you pros out there) but I can tell I will be up many a night, burning the oil! Thanks Shelley! (btw..have another party soon. I PROMISE this time I'll come!)

Such Sweet Service

Last night for FHE we had a lesson on service. We told the story of the Good Samaritan. We spoke about how Christ told us to love our neighbors as ourselves. I chose this topic because it's been an "every man for himself" type feeling around our house latley. After reading the story as Ellie held the picture (an honor she took quite seriously) we told the girls that not only can we serve our neighbors,we can also serve our family. I put each of our names in a bowl and we all chose someone to do "secret service" for during the week. The idea was to make sure the person didn't know who was serving them. The kids have been so cute with this! Today Casie went into her room and noticed someone had made her bed. And tonight I came upstairs to fold some laundry and found it all done! I love that the girls came up with acts of service on their own. It warms my heart to think of them pondering and planning things they can do for one another. I love that the little person who folded my laundry made little piles just like she's seen me do. I love that the child who made Casie's bed, topped it off with a cute little stuffed animal.
I think we may be on to something here. Maybe we will do "secret service" every week!

Changes

Ellie and I took a walk today. We met a very handsome man who called himself Edward. We had a delightful time, but we have both felt a bit odd since...........

Ok, I really need to start feeling better so I can use this energy toward something productive!

ps. Ellie, the "newborn" is thirstier than me

Do you know where your kids are?

So after being sick for three days, I decided to take a walk through the house and survey the damage. A few strange things must have happened while I was down. I have some unanswered questions. You'll need to enlarge the photo to read what my questions are....strange, strange, strange.

A riddle for you!

Question: What has one swollen tonsil, major chills followed by major sweating, a sore throat, and a huge gland in her neck?
Answer: that would be ME!

I don't know if this is true, but I swear when I am sick, my senses are heightened a bit. I feel things and appreciate things more than I do when I'm healthy. Maybe it's because I am too exhausted to think about the things that normally occupy my thoughts. To be honest, this sickness has made me appreciate my family a lot more. I can't remember the last time I just layed in bed and listened to Ellie play with her Barbies. It's down right adorable. I loved hearing the little scenarios that she put her Barbies in. For instance, two barbies were out tracking. They knocked on the door of another barbie and asked her if she would like to hear about the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints. (I won't mention that all three barbies were naked) She also had the Barbie's singing dramatic songs of woe. How they love each other and missed each other when they were gone. Even though I was sicker than a dog, I couldn't help but chuckle at her adorable imagination.

I also love laying and listening to Mike interact with our kids. He is so sweet and patient with them. Mike always steps up when I really need him and I'm so grateful for that.

I also was acutely aware of how much I missed Casie and Annie while they were at school. It hit me that they are gone for a LONG time during the day, and I really missed their presence in our home. Why don't I think of that when I am feeling good? Maybe it's a blessing that we get sick sometimes. It forces us to slow down and appreciate our blessings.......ok Heavenly Father...lesson learned...can you make it go away now?

Funny little happenings

Just a few funny things I wanted to write so they would be documented.....

Ellie is starting to read! I had written the sentence: " A fat pig sat." on a sheet of paper, and she was trying to sound it out. She was having a hard time with "fat". Annie, who was standing by, tried to help by saying," Ellie, remember, pigs are sometimes........" Then Ellie tried to answer her clue by guessing, "bacon?"

Another thing that made Mike and I laugh was something Annie said. She had to go to the doctor because we think she might have a urinary tract infection..(uugh). She needed to provide a urine sample, but was unable to produce at the doctors office (too much pressure). They sent me home with a cup and told me to store the sample in the fridge. Annie, who was very embarrassed that her "sample" would be seen by anyone, took it from me and brought it to the fridge. She started to giggle as she told Mike that she had put her pee in the fridge. He peered into the fridge but didn't see it. He asked Annie where it was. Without pausing, Annie stated, "It's behind the butter"

I don't know why, but that made Mike and I laugh our heads off.
Joke: how do you know a urine sample has been in your refrigerator?....

A Leap of Faith

Last night for FHE we decided to help Casie work on her "Faith in God" (kind of like scouts for girls) One of the requirements was that she write down all the good qualities of someone in her family. After Ellie welcomed us, Casie prayed and Annie taught us a new little song, we each wrote our name on a piece of paper. After writing a good quality, we passed it along. Here are the lists that we came up with: (all spelling and grammar are original...that's the best part!)


Dad:
Sweet
So good natured and kind
He's a nice Dad
he is a weirdo(in a good way)


Mom:
Mom is nice and a good parent
Makes good dinner
Beautiful, funny, thoughtful
you are an echlent cocr. (excellent cooker)


Casie:
She helps me by giving me milk
smart at math and vocabulary
helo wierdo
she's funny and a great helper




Annie:
She is so sweet to little kids
She is easy to make friends with
She sometimes be's a good sister
Great singer and artist



Ellie:
Adorable...A Dora Bowl
you mace me laf
she is so sassy and cute (in a good way)
She is so loving and good with babies




The second part of our list was that we each wrote down a quality that we would like to acquire.
Here is what each person wrote: (by the way, we had to stop the children from suggesting ideas for each other...ah...feel the love.)

Dad: play more with the kids
Mom: More patient
Casie: try to eat cheese without getting constipated (Dear Casie, beware of what you write now that mom has a blog)
Annie: Be more bedr at closing my eys at prayr.
Ellie: Be more Sweet


After talking about Faith in God, we decided to go upstairs and take a "leap of faith", which of coarse involved jumping off my bed onto a huge bean bag. I got some mid-air shots that made me laugh. Apparently the girls decided that they should look like they were praying while leaping. Ellie's picture makes me laugh every time I look at it.

A VERY wet hair cut

Tonight my Mike's brother Rich, and his Wife Melissa brought their Son Luke over for a hair cut. We absolutely love that little guy! My girls get such a kick out of all his antics. He can do no wrong in their book.



We set Luke on my bathroom counter and started to cut his hair. He was fully clothed when we started, but then he got interested in the sink. We turned on the water and let him splash...still cutting...He started to get pretty wet and MORE interested in the water....still cutting. Then he all but climbed into the sink, so we decided to take off his out fit. I plugged up the sink and let him sit on the edge with his feet in the water...still cutting...then all of the sudden he plopped right into the sink and tons of water came gushing onto the counter. Melissa and I got a good laugh out of that. As you see in the photo, Luke was pretty happy about that too. When we finally finished he was soaked, I was soaked and the bathroom was soaked, but he looked very handsome.

Saturday is a Special Day

Today (as a Saturday job doing bribe) We told the kids that we would take them to one of three places. The Choices were: #1 Sledding #2 The Living Planet Aquarium #3 The Movies. Now, haven't we been parents long enough to know that children can never agree on the same destination without tears and/0r gnashing of teeth? I guess not. The girls all wanted to go somewhere different. With a little bit of coaxing, and me showing the girls what kids look like while watching a movie, (it resembled a wide eyed zombie eating popcorn) the aquarium won. Annie, who REALLY wanted to go sledding was very sad...(she even had her snow boots and gloves on before we decided for sure what were doing.)

As we headed out the door, Mike (who is a major softy for big, brown, tear filled eyes) decided to throw the sleds in the car and let Annie sled down the hill just once. We weren't really dressed for the snow...especially me, (notice the necklace, earrings and leather coat)...but we all ended up taking a ride down the hill. It actually turned out to be the very best part of the day. The aquarium was fun, but we thought it was over priced for how little they had there. Our lack of enjoyment may have also stemmed from the fact that we stopped by Costco on our way there....who stops by Costco on a Saturday afternoon and thinks it won't take a toll on their energy?

I have to laugh at this picture. Why was Ellie so scared!? I wonder if she was looking at the prices. lol

We talked Mike into going off a little jump. Here he is catching some air! I think his face is in anticipation of the pain that will surely afflict his rear.

Husband of the year!

I haven't spoke much about Mike in my Blogs...what can you say about such a wonderful guy? Instead I have posted some pictures of a few experiences we've had these past wonderful 11 years. He's such a kind and considerate man.

PS...thanks to Jimi for the inspiration behind this blog. Everyone should check out the great picture of her Brother and Husband on her blog.

Getting jiggy with it

Here is a picture of Voice Male rehearsing at our home tonight. They were feeling extra spunky as they sang the theme song to USANA. (a company that hired them to sing for their convention) It's so fun to have them over..especially when we order take out from Chili's! Mike just informed me that they made it onto You tube. It's not the best representation, but still,. If you would like to check it out you type in Voicemale (all one word) then Lion sleeps, into the search and it should come up.

Anyone can comment

Hey, just a quick note...I changed my settings so anyone can comment now. You don't have to have a google account.

Lunch Lady Land

Today Ellie and I visited the school for lunch. The main attraction: Casie the Lunch Lady!
(one for you....one for you...Ten for MEE!) I thought she looked so adorable in her little paper hat and apron. She got the fun job of serving the yummy carrot cake...(is that was it was?) Yesterday she was "table wiper" and the day before that,it was "milk sales". I know she is dreading when she is on "scraper duty", but I bet that will end up being one of her favorites. I am glad the school has them do this. It gives the kids a chance to be responsible and feel important. I tried not to embarrass her too much as I snapped the photo. She's getting to that age where Mom is a bit dorky sometimes. ( I was always dorky, but now she is finally starting to realize it.)

Speaking of school lunch...I had a few memories that came flooding back of my own special time in the lunch room. Did anyone else have these experiences:

*cold lunch and hot lunch had to sit at different tables....I had to sit by myself most of the time! (no I'm not bitter at all)

* we had to work in the lunch room if we were caught with gum

* GEE MILK...enough said

* putting Ranch on EVERYTHING

* peanut butter bars! How did they make those taste so good?

* loving "Chili Day" because we also got doughnuts on that day

* singing for the students as they ate lunch...from a stage...with a microphone...(a little strange now that I think of it...but fun)

Post Office Princess

This is how Ellie went on errands with me yesterday. We ran to the post office and she insisted that she wear her princess dress. Yes, I know it's not uncommon for little girls to go out in public in their dress up clothes, but I have never seen another little girl wear her winter boots into the store while carrying her "princess shoes" in her hand, then quickly, (before someone sees..heaven forbid) rip off her boots and replace them with the shoes that match her dress. After she did this, she very daintily clomped around the post office to make sure she was seen by all! Actually , there was something good that came from the whole parade...(besides her feeling that surely there was no other princess as beautiful as she in all the land...or at least in all the post office) In the line ahead of me, there was a mom with two little kids. One was a boy about 5 and the other a girl around 2. The mom was trying to mail a bunch of things and was busy talking to the post master. Her kids were bugging the crap out of each other. The little sister kept smacking her brother, and he kept getting in trouble because of it..(those poor oldest children) Anyway, the little brat..I mean.. sweet little sister ,only stopped smacking her brother when her eyes caught the beautiful pink princess who gracefully came clomping past her. The little girl followed Ellie, mesmerized. I had to laugh. It was like we were at Disney Land and Ellie was the main attraction! Who knew a sassy pink dress and a crown could be a post office peacemaker.

Taming of the "She Lion"

How would you feel if every time you turned around, this face, with this bear was staring at you with these eyes. Mike and I gave Brandon Pooh Bear last night and he hasn't been far from it since. Every time one of the family gets up from a sitting position, Brandon grabs pooh and prepares to play. It's so funny. Sometimes I will come down and he is playing with pooh independently. He lies on his back and holds the bear with his paws while he carefully chews on him. He could totally rip the toy to shreds, but he doesn't. I am so grateful for this little yellow bear! We were considering getting another dog so Brandon wouldn't be so bored. Turns out, all he needed was Pooh!

Are you a VAMPIRE??

Ok, so here is the book I am reading right now....yes, it's a teennie bopper love story about a girl who is in love with a Vampire, but man, it's entertaining!....(notice the time I wrote this blog...enough said) I am actually listening to this book while I work on my new hair clips. I just downloaded it from itunes and voila' ,instant entertainment while I burn myself with my glue gun. I have to say that I prefer my beloved Pride and Prejudice, but this one is really well written and sucks you right in. (no pun intended)

It's funny how when we read a book, the story or speaking style creeps into our every day lives. Once when I was reading Jane Austin I said to my kids, "Children, you are vexing me greatly!"

Now that I am reading Twilight, last Sunday, I found myself scanning our ward in search of possible Vampires. The funny thing is that I actually selected a few candidates . lol

PS If anyone has the desire to listen to the Twilight series on CD let me know. I would love to share the one I bought so it justifies all the money I spent. :-) I of coarse would only burn one copy as to adhere to the copy write laws ,so you would have to return it. (I wrote that because a guy I know...and live with...is in the "biz" and would be greatly disappointed in me if I burned anything illegally) lol

Enough with the sick already!

I got two, I say two kids with Strep, and now do I hear three, three,...who will give me three? SOLD to the IHC instacare for $40 in co-pays and $60 in anti-biotic!...lol Come to think of it...MY throat is feeling a bit scratchy at the moment. Must ignore it. Uhg!

So, I think you know that your four year old has an addiction to sugar when she is over joyed at the thought of being sick...Grape Motrin, Strawberry Tylenol, and her absolute favorite...BUBBLE GUM Amoxocillin You all should have seen Ellie coming out of the doctors office. She was literally skipping for joy! She kept saying "I'm so spoiled because I get lots of things"...(that's including the medicine listed above, the sticker from the nurse, a Popsicle from Dad, and the toy I promised her if she let them do the strep test) hmmm, maybe she is spoiled a tad. FYI The toy she got was a dollar store whistle. WHAT WAS I THINKING?? Motrin anyone?

DECEMBER MAYHEM

I've decided that I can't let too much time go by without sharing our December MAYHEM with those we love. Mike and I, as most of you know are both in performing groups. Mike with Voice Male performed 20 times this December including a trip to Arizona. They sang for many private parties and were wined and dined as usual. I got to attend one show at The Little America Hotel. We had a really yummy Buffet with Prime Rib, Fish, Chicken and all sorts of fruits and Salads. As for their public shows, they sold out two Thanksgiving Point shows, one Ogden show and two Logan shows. They also sang at Abravanel Hall for a huge crowd. It's amazing how even after attending hundreds of their shows, I still love to watch them perform. I also love watching the crowds reaction to their show. They truly bring joy to all who watch. It's amazing.

My singing group Voices, performed 18 times in the first two weeks of December. We had such a wonderful time visiting the Care Centers and Retirement homes. I did have to laugh at the comparison between my performing experience and Mikes. He was fed high class food and got standing ovations, while I sang for free and half my audience was asleep or yelling obscenities at me...lol It was wonderful for both of us though.

I would like to say that our singing groups were the reason I named this blog DECEMBER MAYHEM, but it's only the beginning. A few other things that are worth mentioning are these:

Starting a business (sassysueclips.com), getting called to be the Primary President, having three big family parties at my home, attending school programs, Taking the Annie's Brownie troop Christmas Caroling, and last but not least......Christmas! I can't say that there weren't times when I wanted to quit everything and move to Siberia, but I truly feel blessed for all the good things in my life. It seems like all the things that cause me stress also bring the most joy into my life. I know the Lord has blessed me with tons of growth opportunities and I am so grateful for my happy full life.

The best kids ever

So I won't ALWAYS blog four blogs a day, but I didn't want my page to be boring. lol

These are our sweet girls. I love this picture of them. It was one of those rare mornings when everyone was ready for school BEFORE the bus came. It was the beginning of Summer, before it got too hot, and my camera happened to be within site. ( I am hoping that doing this blog will inspire me to take more pictures..I am so bad at that) I also like this photo because it was my first semi-sucessful "photoshop head swap" I won't tell you which one I swaped...maybe you can guess. :-) I ALSO like this photo because it shows my girls in their true nature. Casie (9) is my sweet, smart, obedient, ever maturing oldest daughter. She is a good example to her younger sisters. Annie (6) is my "sugar and spice". She is so sweet and caring, but she also has some major spice that keeps our family interesting. I love her to peices! Ellie (4) Is my "little teenager" She is so cute, and she KNOWS it! She is such a little princess and I eat it up! Maybe it's becasue she's my baby...but everything she does I find completley entertaining. I even laugh when she tries to be sassy. It might not be so cute when she's sixteen, but right now it's hilarious.

Fun at Christmas

We had such a fun Christmas. My Brother Ben with his wife Cait and their six kids came and stayed with us. We also had Matthew and his Wife Jessica, and baby brother Mike here. With that many in the home, funny things are bound to happen. Here are a few of the high lights. ( I will list them in a David Letterman "Top 10" style. )

10. Opening Jammies on Christmas Eve and seeing Michael Hyde do a magnificent leap in his new silky Jammie Bottoms.

9. Yelling at Matthew and Jessica to stop making out in front of the children

8. Hearing, seeing, and smelling child after child loose their eggnog...icky! (seriously, how many people can throw up in one night?)

7. Still thinking Christmas is fun when everyone is puking

6. Singing Karaoke while Mike Bearden busts a move in his new Lazy Boy.

5. Hearing the kids awake at 3:30 AM!!!! And laughing because we know they have to wait until 6:00 to get up

4. Lugging up the neighbors OLD blue recliner to trick Mike on Christmas morning.

3. Getting 6 INCHES of snow and sledding in the road at 10pm

2. Watching the kids act out the nativity scene, with Keri as Mary, Carter as Joseph and Annie as the multi-colored flying unicorn who came to see baby Jesus.

1. Parker reading from the Bible about Joseph and his "exposed" wife

Here we go

So thanks to a few friends who emailed me their blogs, I decided to start one of my own. I'm not sure that my life will be of any interest to anyone, but at least I will improve my skills on the computer :-)