I'm missing this girl today!

I love you and am so proud of you Beth!

Keep up the good work!

Popcorn Popping!

Yesterday in preschool, we started learning about seasons.

I told the kids I was going to make it snow inside the house.

They didn't believe me but were really curious what I was doing.

We spread out a sheet and I popped popcorn in my ancient air popper without the lid.

Popcorn (and kernels) were flying all over the living room!

(I love Emma's expression in this picture.)

The kids were so excited!

So much fun!

But I think I'll be finding kernels forever in the nooks and crannies of my house.

The kids took the time to play in the "snow"--

totally funny!

Popcorn was everywhere. This picture does show it but trust me...everywhere!

Then we gathered some up in a bowl and we decorated Winter and Spring trees.

These are some seriously fun kids!

I also got a new nephew yesterday!

Brit Runner Veenker

made his grand appearance 3 weeks early and good thing for Cricket...

he weighed in at 9 lbs. 10 oz. !

Congratulations Cricket and Craig!

I can't wait to see him!

I Loved This!

I'm back!

Like it or not!

I've had a difficult time lately.

I can't really talk about it too much right now but let's just say that I'm so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who I know will be watching out for my family and me and everything will be okay and leave it at that.

This really made me feel good today

(along with my sweetheart's note! I never told you Lee leaves me notes from time to time? Well, he does and I love them! Sometimes I even get poems.)

anyway,

I wanted to share this video

(not the note--that's just for me!).

While I was looking up the February Visiting Teaching message online,

(I WILL be getting my Visiting Teaching done this month if it kills me! Sister Tew was so disappointed when I told her I didn't do it again last month. I just can't disappoint again!)

I came across this short video on lds.org under the Relief Society section and

I loved it!

I do remember Elder Uchtdorf's talk

but I don't remember ever seeing this beautiful video.

Enjoy...

"The more you

TRUST and RELY upon

the Spirit,

the greater your capacity

to CREATE."

~ Elder Dieter Uchtdorf

What?

You didn't know I had quads?

Let me introduce (From left to right): Jake, Jacob, Jacoby, and Morty.

(The things I find on my computer!)

Valentine Explosion!

Valentine's has hit our home!

Yesterday was our first "preschool" party.

(I'm starting a little preschool for the kids in my ward that are starting Kindergarten next year. I thought starting Kindergarten would be easier if they had friends already.)

It was a fun-filled hour of games, crafts, and cupcake decorating.

I forgot to take pictures so this is Emma after the fact...

We made valentine waxed paper window hangings and "mail boxes" out of paper plates and decorated pink cupcakes.

It was fun.

Emma and Max made paper chains and conversation hearts for decorations.

Our home is filled with hearts that say, "I love You" and "I'm Yours".

Or, my personal favorite,

"Loves and 'n Kis"!

Very cute!

This year, the kid's teachers asked them to bring decorated boxes for their valentines. (They usually decorate something at school.)

We used recycled ice cream buckets.

I think they turned out cute!

We have a tradition of making homemade valentines.

This year we made 49 total!

Emma made lollipop butterflies for the preschool party at home.

(She actually colored on them too but I didn't get a picture of that.)

For her other preschool, we made peppermint scented purple and pink Playdough hearts and attached the recipe.

Max made pencil inchworms that said,

"I'm inching along to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day!"

(Thank you Cindy over at Skip to My Lou for all the great ideas! She's so creative!)

Max also needed to have a little gift for a gift exchange (since when did Valentine's turn into mini-Christmas?).

Luckily Max drew a girl's name because I had an extra cap I had made before and added a crocheted heart.

I think it turned out pretty cute.

So, that's our Valentine's Day festivities so far.

Tomorrow, on the real Valentine's Day, we get to go see the Draper Temple and have a little Valentine's brunch at my mom and dad's house. We'll be making more valentines tonight for the cousins and yummy cinnamon rolls!

But the best part...

Elisabeth is coming today!!!

It's gonna be great!

Shade Clothing Sale

Come to the Shade Clothing Sale Monday!

All items are $5!

Can't beat that!

A portion of the proceeds go to Jake's IB club at school that helps pay for the service projects they've been working on and also the tests they will be taking in May.

Please come and support!

It's located in the Provo High Commons Area.

(Park in the north parking lot and the door to the Commons is on the east side of the school.)

Thanks.

Life's Tough When You're 4...

Just ask Emma.

(My poor baby girl! She looks like she's been run through the ringer!)

I haven't a clue who took this picture of her Saturday but boy, she doesn't look happy!

Slacker Mom

I've noticed a few things about my parenting as my children are growing older.

When Elisabeth, Jake, Scott, and even Cole were young, I was what you would consider a young mom.

I had the energy to be the kind of mom I wanted to be.

I wasn't a perfect mom, but I tried my hardest and I think I was a pretty darn good mom.

Then Max and Emma came to this earth when I was a little older.

I've noticed I am a different kind of mom to them than I was to my older kids.

In some ways they've benefitted from my past parenting experiences.

But in more ways,

I have turned into a slacker mom.

I just don't have the energy I used to and I feel really bad about that.

It's not their fault that they were born when I was older.

This is something I fret about a lot.

As a result of this, I've let certain things slide like this for example:

This is how they go to sleep 99% of the time.

Granted, Emma isn't always sitting up, but she's on the couch!

(Isn't that funny that she fell asleep sitting up!)

Anyway, my point is that I don't have the energy to fight with them to go to bed before the older kids so they end up conking out on the couch, without pajamas, without bedtime stories, or baths. No bedtime routine whatsoever!

Yes, I've turned into a slacker mom.

Dangit!

Finally

Well, I finally cut my hair.

It was time and I had it up to here with my gross, damaged hair that was more like straw than hair.

The only problem was, I did it on a whim -- meaning I was at WalMart and decided to get my haircut.

Yeah.

WalMart.

What was I thinking?

They didn't do too badly even though I asked for a layered stacked bob and I got an A-line stacked bob.

What do you expect from WalMart?

Because of my crazy thick hair (it's almost a crime how much hair I have. I wish I could share some with Lee :)!) I have my own pair of thinning shears because no one ever believes in thinning my hair appropriately. They came in handy in thinning out the A-line bob so I didn't look like a puppy dog with poofy ears.

Here's a picture (Not a good picture. Just a picture.):

I think I look like an old lady.

Check out those impressive crows-feet!

Gotta love genetics.

Anyway, do you think I should go get layers cut in (not at WalMart)?

My Priceless Gift

Thirty-three years ago today,

I was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I was eight-years-old and I still remember to this day how special I felt.

I was baptized the same day as my best friend, Soni.

We were some of the first people to be baptized in the beautiful new Long Beach East Stake Center that my dad help build. I remember feeling a sense of pride because of that.

My grandparents came up from San Diego and all my family and ward friends were there.

I'll never forget the awesome feeling after my baptism.

I've never felt so clean.

The next day, in Sacrament Meeting, I was confirmed a member of the church and received the precious gift of the Holy Ghost.

Bishop Mauss called me up to the stand, with Soni, and gave us a Book of Rememberance. I got to look out at so many people that I loved as they raised their hands sustaining me as one of the newest members of the church.

I felt so loved.

As I look back and remember this important day of my life,

I can't help but feel an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.

I am thankful for the knowledge that our Heavenly Father restored the true Church of Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith.

I am thankful that I have a loving Heavenly Father and older brother, Jesus Christ, who have provided a way for me to return and live with them forever.

I am so thankful that I have the Holy Ghost that comforts and guides me every day.

I am so thankful for my parents who have taught me and shown me from day one what it means to be a member of the true Church of Christ.

I am so thankful for countless numbers of teachers and leaders that showed so much love for me and helped prepare me for this necessary step in my eternal progression.

I am so thankful for my membership in the Church.

It is a priceless blessing that I will cherish for all eternity.