The Last Day!!!

Here it is!! The last link of our chain!! Hard to believe it looked like this:


at one point isn't it!!!

Well, I just had to get down a few thoughts.

I think this went WAY better than I had imagined. I'm not saying I would CHOOSE to do it again, but we were very blessed. During these last few weeks a lot of people have expressed that they wished they had done more for me while he was gone and to that all I can say is- if anyone had done more- I think I'd have to stop calling myself a Mom altogether. We really did receive a lot of help and a lot of love, and a LOT of blessings!! I can't even express my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for his help, and for carrying me through this. I don't think we've ever experienced so few problems in a 2 1/2 month period than we have these last 2 1/2 months. (no emergency trips to the doctor, and no major injuries! just the pink eye....) It was simply a miracle, and I am always going to remember how much we were blessed during this time. It's been great really. (I can't believe I'm saying that!) Who woulda thought!!

I never would have thought that I could do the 24th of July parade and fireworks, Nate's birthday, 3 broken bottles on the patio, 43 trips to the park, 16 walks, Noah's first time eating solid food, 55 baths, 77 bedtimes (that's 168 bedtime songs), Luke's first (and only) time going pee in the big boy potty, 60 big hugs (roughly), Charity's first day of school, Kelly's first day of school, Sleeping in the car in Bear Lake :), Bradley's first day of Preschool, 22 DVDs of 24, 17 pet crickets, 15 pet grasshoppers (as far as I know), about a million pet potato bugs, 1 giant "caterpillar", 1 praying mantis, 1 dead cat in the road, 22 trips to the store, 11 movie nights, 9 Sacrament meetings, 1 Stake Conference, 2 family meetings, about 234 meals, 6 trips to Bountiful, a mysterious barrel of who knows what, the tire falling out of the back of the car, 4 trips to Provo, 2 weddings, and 62 showers without Nate here. It's amazing what you can do if you have to. And we did it!! (not on our own of course, just without Nate :)) I'm so happy, and so relieved.

Now to quote a scripture that we read tonight:

"...Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage." Mosiah 24:16

(I'm not really in "bondage" but you get the picture :))

I also wanted to wish Nate GOOD LUCK tomorrow on his PV. He is going to do awesome!!! Please pray for him to be able to relax and be confident!!

He's so amazing. I can't wait to see him!!!

ONLY 20 more hours!!!!!

Some easier ones

I have to post these so that I can remember which hairstyles we've done and like....

I loved this one on Kelly- I think I'll try it on Charity tomorrow.


And this is the one we did for picture day today....Charity loves it.


K- so I am not very good at taking pictures of hairdos. 1- because we're usually at our last few seconds before being late, once I finally finish doing their hair, and 2- because of the lighting. And I'm not sure why this one of Kelly looks so weird, but anyway..... you get the general idea!
front view:


back view: (this is called a braid flower)


Charity looks different too- I think it's the lighting. I don't open my blinds till I get back from taking the girls to school- obviously.


I don't remember what this was called, but we had to do quite a few modifications anyway- so I don't know if it can even be considered whatever it was :) This was a fun one though- I liked it. The picture is kind of lame, sorry.


And my cute little abused child (please don't ask about the black eye, it will only make me cry) wanted to get in on the action....


we actually did his hair that morning :) I love his hair- I think he looks so handsome.


Yeah, so today was picture day. Sorry I didn't get to enlist your help for hair ideas. For some reason it didn't click in my brain that it was so soon. Probably good- I would have fretted over it too much. I'm anxious to see how Charity smiled this year :) She's funny when she "practices" in the mirror beforehand :)
I'm totally into doing my girls' hair though now-- it's way fun, sorry if I'm annoying anyone with my new obsession.

This is different

Okay, so Saturday night we were invited to the West's for dinner (thanks again Leah!!). I failed to shut my garage door and actually thought about the fact after we had left and hoped nobody would steal anything while we were gone (like thinking that helps- duh.). So when we got back I was kind of glancing around trying to make sure everything was still there (all of our junk....I really can't imagine someone stealing an old broken microwave or a dirty cooler but you know...), and then THIS caught my eye! We had not been robbed- but the opposite! Someone had left this giant barrel thing in our garage instead. Now, I have been watching the 24 series on DVD ever since Nate left, and just finished season 4, so I hesitated to touch it- what if it had some deadly virus in it, or was some kind of terroristic attack....... not really, but I have to admit I was hesitant. So anyway. It says Tomato Paste on it (that's a LOT of tomato paste!), but it feels pretty light- it could be empty. I haven't openend it (again with the bomb/deadly virus thing). I'm not sure where it came from. Does anyone know?????? If you have any ideas for me please share. Otherwise I will keep assuming that someone just used our garage as THEIR dumping ground too....

Brad wanted to be in the picture with it :)

(By the way, in case you were wondering.....
ONLY 3 MORE DAYS TILL MY HONEY IS HOME!!)

Doing the Laundry??

This is not just Luke's pants in the dryer.....

It's HIM!

I heard him playing in the laundry room and turned the corner to find him hanging out of the dryer!!

He was just having a good time too- not a care in the world- that's Luke.

He especially loves clicking the button that turns the light on and off- never knew how entertaining it could be to have a working lightbulb in the dryer!

Maybe it was all the milk bubbles!

This morning was SO AWESOME!! The kids got these straws at Hunter's Birthday Party last night, and I had promised them that they could blow milk bubbles in the morning. Of course they remembered, and this is what Brad and Luke did for at least an hour all the while Charity and Kelly were getting ready for school- it was so fun.



Kelly was especially happy this morning! For whatever reason. She came bouncing up the stairs in an outfit that actually matched (I was ecstatic!!). She NEVER does this on the first try!! So this was huge! But she just floated around the kitchen, helping me make breakfast, and setting the table- it was quite pleasant. Not that she's always grumpy or something and this was totally new, but there was just a certain peace this morning. I liked it :)
This is her "I'll be eating that last piece of French Toast" face


Even Noah was really happy this morning. Could have been the sweet potatoes- I think those are almost his fav.


And more bubbles (how embarrassing that they are drinking out of plastic containers!! for some reason they like to eat out of the "bug catchers"- after we wash them of course :)) Which reminds me- this morning I noticed a cup in the pantry. I pulled it out and looked in it and guess what I saw...... DEAD POTATO BUGS!!! AAAHHHH!!!!! How disgusting is THAT! UGH! It makes me sick just thinking about it. I must say I am looking forward to that part about the winter- no more bug hunting (as much as my kids love it- I'm sick of the bugs in my house!!)


Yeah, so it was just a really nice morning. Everyone seemed happy and easy-going. I was happy. They were doing nice things for each other and sharing things without being asked. It was just heavenly. Even on the way to school. I felt the Spirit very strongly all morning, which if you're like me, you know this is not an easy thing in the morning. Unfortunately. I hate how chaotic my mornings are sometimes because I don't like that being how it feels for my girls before they leave for the day. But anyway, this was priceless. I am grateful.

What a handsome little guy

Meg has been sharing her little boy's clothes with us as he outgrows them and she let us borrow this cute little white shirt and the tan pants. I seriously don't know how she kept this so white, my boys have never been able to hand down a white church shirt, (I made sure to take it off as soon as we got home :) I'm trying to keep it nice!!) but anyway- I just had to show off these cute pictures of Noah. He just looks so handsome all dressed up- I love it!


He learned how to clap this weekend, and getting him to do it is the latest craze at our house. He won't do it for just anyone anytime, so it takes some coaxing, but it's way cute. I'm still in the process of trying to get a decent video of him doing it. He does it a lot when he's eating- he loves to eat. I think he was clapping in this picture...

We're doing hair again

I remember the days when I would spend a half hour on Charity's hair in the mornings. She'd sit there with her fruit snacks in hand, practicing our facial expressions in the mirror, and we'd do whatever crazy concoction I had come up with that day to her hair. It was fun and I loved that she had so much hair to do. I was grateful for it and we were sure to show it off. Kelly's was always fun too- I had always wanted blond hair when I was little. She was really good to let me do whatever as well. But I must admit I've gotten really lazy over the last couple of years when it comes to doing my girls' hair. It's sad too because they have such nice hair to do!! I don't know if it started because they suddenly hated having their hair done, or if it was the lack of ideas and we just got bored with the same old, or the lack of time.....but we really hadn't done anything real exciting for a long time. I always felt guilty when I would hear about people with all boys who just wished they had a daughter and could do her hair. Here I have 2, and I was totally taking it for granted. But isn't that how it is- you want what you don't have and you don't appreciate what you do. I have been feeling like a slacker when I see girls being dropped off at school with every hair in place and creatively done, while my girls' hair was just in a lame little pony tail (again), scraggly ends hanging out because I didn't even take the time to wet it.
Not anymore though!!! Not for me!! Ever since I started clicking on the links to the hairdo blogs on Jen's blog, I've been obsessed with doing my girls' hair. It's SO FUN!! To have a new, fun hairdo to try on them anytime I wish, has been like such a breath of fresh air. And they've actually enjoyed looking at them with me and then picking out one they like. It also adds a good half hour of talk time with each of them that we normally wouldn't have had. Kelly's really easy going about it and not too picky. Charity on the other hand doesn't want to look "dorky" (as she puts it), so she has to look at quite a few before she'll settle on one :) But Charity is surprisingly much more cooperative than she normally has been, knowing it's going to be something new and exciting. I like feeling like I did something with them in the morning besides rush them around like a chicken with it's head cut off.
I haven't been taking pictures of them as I should, but they've been so much fun for us. I'm gonna have to post some this week so you can all help me choose which ones to do for picture day.
So anyway- this is the one we did for Kelly on Sunday. All morning she kept telling me how pretty she felt, and kept hopping around so that she could feel the ringlets bounce. It was adorable. I don't know if I like the look from the front as much, but Kelly makes it cute :) It's been a while since her hair saw this much curl. Anyway- I'm going to steal all the links from Jen's blog, so if anyone's interested I'll put those in my sidebar..... so fun!

Just so you know!!!

Nate is coming home in 6 days!!!!

I seriously can't believe it's so soon!!!

One more Sunday on my own!!!

(Just thought I would tell you all where we were at, since I don't have anything else to post- my camera battery died, and I'm too lazy to charge it)

I'm raising BUMS!!

I just thought this was HILARIOUS!! If you can't read it, it says, "I don't have mune will you pay me muny I have yarn and butins" And yes it is written on a card board box!!! I am still laughing about it. Where do they come up with this stuff?





And then Kelly and Bradley were sneaking around putting these "flowers" together to surprise me with it. A little later in the evening Charity saw it sitting on my dresser, and said, "WOW!! That's pretty!!! Who gave you those flowers?!!" I seriously had to think about it when she said it because I wasn't sure what she was talking about. It was the same reaction she would have given a nice bouquet of roses! It's in a ricotta cheese carton for heaven's sake :) I just think my kids are so funny :) I love the things they do to show me that they love me though :) Makes me smile (and laugh :)).

believe it or not

He does have his sad moments too.


Good thing he's got Kelly :)

Pretty in Pink :)

We had some fun rain on Wednesday and Kelly was so excited to break out the raincoat :) Then they all took turns wearing it and walking around with it on :) Oh the things they find entertaining :)


Love the shoes, Brad!

Kelly's addiction

Kelly is officially addicted to Scotch Tape!!! I have bought about 6 rolls in the last 2 months, and she has managed to use them all up faster than I can even remember where I hid them!!! (that's SIX rolls that I haven't even touched!!) Currently there are small pieces of paper, with drawings on them, taped up all over my house as "decorations for when Daddy comes home". Now the question is- do I really leave them all up for the next 14 DAYS (can you believe we're already down to 2 weeks!!! HOLY MOLY!!)?????

Ice Blocking

Charity was the only one that really got it going at a resonable speed. She was pretty good at balancing.


They were all really good at pushing them back up too- which is always surprising.


Lukey rolled down the hill a lot :)


Kelly had fun even though I think she's just too light.


For Brad it was more like one of those little car things for kids, where you push with your feet :) he loved it though.


These pictures are much harder to get centered when you have 2 wild little boys in your arms :)


Toward the end Charity was doing all sorts of daring feats- on her feet, knees, tummy, but as she puts it "those are kind of a little bit more dangerous :)"


Kelly wanted to be in one too :)


Saturday, Leah was out there on "our hill" (that's what my kids call the water retention pond out back) ice blocking with her Primary class. They had some blocks leftover, and offered them to us. Thanks again Leah!! So Monday night the kids and I went out and tried out the blocks. It was kind of funny because it wasn't working very well. We were going really slow. If anyone saw us they were probably laughing. But my kids, being the good kids that they (usually) are, had fun anyway!! They of course fought over whose turn it was and such, but they couldn't stop thanking me all night for the fun idea (again, thanks Leah) and for letting them do such a fun thing :) It was awesome :)

Crazy Talk

I love reading everyone's posts about what their kids say, so I thought I would do one of my own. I've been saving this up for a while now- thought I'd post it and start on a new one :) Kids are hilarious- that's for sure!

Charity: that's so SOAKIN' cool (she thinks it's like very, she'll say it about anything)- obviously comes from the term "soaking wet"--- she has been saying it for a LONG time, I can't get myself to correct her :)- keeps her young in my mind :)

Kelly: When grandpa was taking me to Chuck-E-Cheese I kept nagging him and asking him when we were going to be there :) (I love that she used the word "nagging"- too funny)

Kelly: I sang all the Christmas songs to Noah because he missed Christmas?

Brad to Luke (teaching him how to say Provo): It's "Pwoh-BO" Lukey, say it, "PWOH-BO"
Luke: "Bobo"
Brad: NO LUKEY!! "PWOH-BOH"
Luke: "Bobo, Bobo, Bobo"

Charity (on the way to the temple for Maryn's sealing): Maryn and James are going to have kids now! Mom, can we go visit Maryn at the hospital when she has a baby? PLEEEEASE????

Charity: When Maryn and James have a baby will their baby be my cousin?
Me: No, I think their baby would be your second cousin.
Charity: No Mom, I have WAY more than TWO cousins!! Their baby would be like my HUNDRED cousin!

Brad (in the car on the way home from the store): Mom, where's your treat??
Me: Oh, I don't have one. I guess Mommy wasn't good enough.
Brad: You were good! You were weewy good!! You can have some of my treat!


Charity (while we're reading scriptures one night): Mom, I can't believe you guys named Noah after a WICKED KING! He's gonna be so sad when he reads about that in the scriptures! I feel bad for him.

Bradley: (say this with a lisp, I don't think you'll understand it if I write it out phonetically :)) Why this watermelon have water dripping out?
Me: ????? Oh is it juicy?!!
Bradley: yeah, it getting all over the place!
Me: you should go outside so it's not dripping all over the floor.
Bradley: No, then it going melt!!

Kelly: We did warmups before we played freeze tag today.
Bradley: Did you bring them home with you?
Kelly: The warmups?
Brad: yeah?
Kelly: Brad you don't bring warmups home from school when you're in Kindergarten! (I just love how she throws in the "when you're in Kindergarten part" she's such a cool big girl :))

Luke: Dat not a belly button, DAT MY HOLE!! Let me see your hole mommy....... (I'm still laughing. He got a kick out my hole :) lol) He's been calling his belly button his hole for a while now- it's the funniest thing ever.

Charity: Mom, you're absolutely, probably right, it does look like it's going to rain.

Even I'VE been known to say a crazy thing or two:
me to luke: Hurry and finish your pizza and then you can have some more baby food.
me to brad: If you don't get in bed right now you will not be hunting for bugs tomorrow.
me to charity: No, you cannot sweep the floor right now, it is time for bed!

What a nice weekend

you can see Luke's red ear from Noah grabbing onto it :) That's what I was trying to get in the picture-- who can resist those ears :)


I know this is a lame post, but I just had to record how wonderful my weekend was. Saturday was the most relaxing day I think I've had in a LONG time. Probably a lot because I feel a huge relief knowing Nate is coming home early. But we went on a little walk to the park and had a nice little picnic. Then came home and watched a movie together (I slept a little). Then the rest of the day the kids just played nicely and ran around outside. Everyone helped get some things done around the house and it was overall just a really pleasant NICE day!! Then Saturday night we got to go over to the Clyde's and hang out with them. That was a total blast. Thanks again Natalie for inviting us.
Sunday was nice too. Thankfully Leah told me it was Stake Conference (otherwise we would have gotten all ready for 1:00 church for no reason!! That would seriously bug). So we went at 10:00, it was a crazy 2 hours, but thanks to Leah (they got stuck sitting by us :)) it was bearable! AND there was a whole day to REST afterward!! Wahoo! And that's exactly what I did :) My kids ran around the house unsupervised doing whatever while I took a nice (interrupted a million times) nap :) I loved it and the house is still standing. It was much needed (you know what I mean) and very enjoyed :) But anyway. Then Sunday evening was very pleasant as well- the kids ran around in the back, while I sat watching them and playing with Noah. Overall it was just awesome!! Had to share :) Only 18 more days till Nate comes home! WAHOO!

I taught Noah how to give five- we're both pretty proud of it :)

A Change of Plans

K- so you know how Nate was talking about them extending his stay in Oklahoma?? WELL!! He calls me yesterday and tells me that in fact they did make some changes to his schedule there and that "He will be coming home at a different time". I immediately got mad, and asked when the new date was, and to that Nate said, "the 26th!" WHAAAATTTTTT AAAHHHH!!! I was so ticked off (you all know he was scheduled to come home on the 7th October before, right?). So then he chimes in with SEPTEMBER 26th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YAY!!!!!

and then I was happy :) (always has to be some kind of mood swing with me huh :) I have been on a cloud ever since, and can't stop smiling!! That's almost 2 weeks less!!! This may seem insignificant to other people, but with my husband 2 weeks is priceless!!!! I am SO GLAD, and SO GRATEFUL!!! I totally just feel like this was a nice little surprise from my Heavenly Father- ya know, a little gift. It's SO wonderful :) When I told the girls they insisted that we cut of the supurfluous links on our chain and get it up to date with the NEW homecoming schedule!! Here's a picture of what we took off :) Only 20 more days!!!

We're so happy- YAY FOR US!!

(I'm not sure how they can do this, or why the sudden change of plans, all I can say is it's the Government- go figure.

Nate was totally going to wait and not tell me unti right before, the little stinker!

Lucky for me he couldn't keep a secret!! This is just the best news I've heard in months!)

Lukey's ever-popular Somersault

My Baby Boy

It's been a while since I exhibited my Noah obsession in a long stream of moment by moment pictures of the cute little guy :) so I couldn't resist :)

I just love the rippling effect in his cheeks when he smiles :)


Here he is letting Luke tickle him :)


I've got about a million pictures of my boys eating this camera case- I should do a montage of them


I LOVE this one-- of course :)


Ya gotta love the huge blob of spit-up on his arm....


of course the fingers again.



This one might just be my favorite...


or maybe this one, can't decide


Oh, here's Lukey's bumb.....trying to steal the show apparently- you can see how wet his clothes were from playing in the sink! We did get a good video of Luke doing a somersault to help him feel loved too:)


He looks just like his Daddy.




I love how he does this with his hands. He's been doing it even more lately.



My little Noah is almost 8 months old!! I can't believe how much he's grown!! He sits up, and eats pretty much anything I put in his mouth. He's not picky at all. He has no desire to crawl, or move around independently whatsoever :) We like him that way :) He's the cuddliest kid ever, and like I said- I'm totally obsessed with the cute little guy. Well, we all are for that matter- the kids really don't seem to get enough of him. It's fun. Lately he has been SO GOOD at going to bed. I have never had a baby that I could just lay down in their crib when they were tired and have them fall asleep on their own! NOAH IS THE FIRST!!! It's been heavenly!! I have to steal time to just rock him though because that's still one of my favs, but this has been a nice little blessing. He's such a sweet, easygoing, little cutie- I just love him!
So anyway- thanks for letting me share :)