Painting Extravaganza

So I painted our front "living room" about a month ago. I love to paint, but I stink at doing it. The boys were actually really excited to help me...it was an olive green color, and they did the base coat on one wall. It opened up a can of worms, b/c they wanted to paint more. So my front room is a Golden/Honey/Squash color. I LOVE it! Definitely a different feel than before.

Before

After

I'm very excited about my new "wall art" I got a wrap around canvas printed with a picture I took under a pier in Puerto Rico. It is a 24x36 canvas, so quite large. Not fond of the green chair, but it is our time out chair....it works:) I'll say "go to the green chair" and this is the time out spot....anyway.....

After painting this room, it is fine everywhere except the edges...I am AWFUL at edges! You can't really see it here, but I got it on the ceiling, the baseboard, etc. I was so bummed b/c I even had a tip from a painter I met at Home Depot to put a little caulking in the corner, but it still didn't work. I had plans to redo my kitchen a dark green color and I did not want my edges to look bad....so....I had 5 painters come out and give me bids for painting my kitchen/family room. I even tried to do a barter and swap my photography services. I mentioned to my friends Candida & Emily that I was getting bids, and they both independantly of each other offered to help b/c they are "really good at edges." I did not realize my friends had such a talent.

So, I took the gamble and took them up on the offer. Thus the adventure began. With our little ones in tow, we did it over the course of 5 or 6 sporadic days. It was fun, and a releif to see how good it looks in the end. I did most of the rolling, but emily took down my blinds for me...a feat I wasn't sure about, and she even put together my new computer armoire (that I'm typing from right

now). What handy friends I have! There were a couple of instances where we had others helping/watching...my mom, Pam, Liz, Becca, and Michele kept us company with conversation on differenet occasions while we worked...and of course with our brood of children, there was chaos at times.

Finished product:

I have plans to hang that square above the chest.

couches are pushed back against the wall here...they aren't normally

kitchen curtain my mom made

computer nook

Becca had a baby boy

Candida, Michele, and I went to visit her at the hospital

little Benjamin
Benjamin joined their family just about 13.5 months after Elena joined their family. I got to take big sister Ashlee for a sleepover when she went into labor.

no longer 4 and a half and 3 quarters

I loved hearing Matthew tell people how old he was just before his birthday....."4 and a half and three quarters." He'd told people since March or so that he was 4.5. Around July or August, I told him he could say he was 4 and 3 quarters....well he thought I meant to add the 3 quarters onto the already existing 4 and a half. I will miss that. See Video:

The day before his bday he had a little fever, but on the morning of...he felt better. We had Bee School here, and since my printer wasn't working, it ended up being mostly a party. We had cupcakes and played games, and made a birthday train out of all the kids. Before his friends arrived, he said to me, "Mom, I want you to ask everyone how old they are, and they will all say 4, and I will be last and I get to say 5 and they will all be so surprised when I say I'm 5." He was very proud of the fact that he is the oldest. After bee school, we picked up Tyler early from school and went to get Round Rock Donuts and chocolate milk. We then went to the book store to play with trains and animals. When daddy was home, we opened more presents. He then got wiped out in the afternoon and ready for bed early.

This is what I love about Matthew: He has a tough exterior...doesn't get upset too much, but he melts for babies and little kids. He always wants to hold little babies, and will play closely with older babies, giving them toys, etc. He is a softy in that regard. He loves to light saber fight, and can watch crazy fight scenes from Star Wars, but won't watch pretty much any Disney movie b/c there is always a villain that scares him. EVERY DISNEY MOVIE HAS ONE! Even Cars, there is a mean car. Go figure. Tyler is his best friend and they can play for hours, but when Tyler goes to school, he does just fine....plays alone, plays with alyssa, doesn't say he misses Tyler, but I know he does. He listens intently to music on the radio and even the commercials, so I have to pay attention to what is on....He loves to "rock out" and play and air guitar when music comes on. I love his dark hair patch just above his left ear, his freckle just in the corner of his right eye, and his giggle is the greatest in the world.

He was my baby that I only felt contractions for about 2 hours....20 minutes after we got to the hostpital, he was born. In a hurry to get here! He is very sensitive to spiritual things, and wants to do what is right. I love my little Mad Dog Moochachee !

Game Night

I invited a few of Michael's good friends and their families over on his Bday for pizza and games....he was totally sick that day, we had to cancel (after I got all the pizza--I insisted they come and pick one up since I had so many). So we rescheduled for a friday night, so here is the game night...shots with me in it, taken by Tyler, my budding photographer.

All our kids just ran amuck while we played....

a tribute to my michael

1st picture ever taken of us...a little scary

Today is my dear hubby's birthday. So I wanted to post a little tidbit about him here. When I first met him in January 1998, I knew there was something special about him. I had long known the type of guy I wanted to marry, and his personality and demeaner was exactly what I wanted. I had just transferred to BYU provo from Ricks College in Idaho. I moved to the same apartment complex as my older brother, Ryan, to be close to him. Michael lived just 2 doors down from my brother. Luckily, my roommates were already friends with him and his roommates, so I just jumped right into the friendship circle. Just friends for a semester...we debate about our first date b/c I asked him to accompany me to SLC to U2 lazer show. We went just the 2 of us...as friends. I'd like to think that I didn't ask my husband on our first date, but I guess I'll let him win this one and say it probably was our first date. At the end of the semester we parted...just friends...nothing more. The email craze was just getting big, and although I didn't have my own email account yet, I gave him my dads work email (how out of it was I)? I also got his. I went home to Texas and kept asking my dad if he got anything at work. Nothing. I was bummed. I swallowed my pride and decided to send him a little nudge since I got my own email account at this point. He responded right away and told me he sent to the account I gave him (my dad's) but it bounced back and he was glad I wrote him! I was giddy as a schoolgirl, because I did leave school that year with a crush on him. We sporatically exchanged emails that summer (not too many because I couldn't appear over zealous...even though I was).

When school started in the fall, we were both back to the same apartment complex....still friends. I had expectations that didn't quite pan out, so I convinced myself that he deserved better than me. We dated other people, but remained friends. In December a heartbreaking incident with one of our dear friends brought us closer together, as we were able to emotionally connect with each other. Over that Christmas break, I was pretty sure of my feelings for him, and had big hopes for January. Well, timing was just really bad. We were almost there, but not quite. I was crushed. I thought for sure it was over, and the dramatic in me knew I couldn't love anyone else b/c he was perfect for me. My roommates claim they always knew it would work out.

In April, I went away to Jerusalem for Study Abroad...the distance made us both realize we were meant to be together. After he came to Houston and I went to Cali, in September, we were engaged. Married in December 1999.

I've never for a moment doubted that I married the perfect person for me. For several years into our marriage, I was convinced that HE was perfect. He is very close to perfection....and exactly what I told him one night (as friends) as we talked theoretically about the qualities in a person we wanted to marry...3 H's, honest, humble, happy. He is my rock....my sounding board....my best friend. He helps me challenge myself and to be the best self, and encourages me as a mother and tells me I'm doing a great job (when I wonder if i am). He is patient when the house is messy, as he is a neater person than me. He loves the Lord and devotes his life to making sure he is "in check" and living according to the Savior's teachings. He is the greatest father....getting on the ground and playing with the kids (better than me)....building forts, games outside, etc. And most importantly, teaching our children to love the Savior as much as him. He loves being with the kids, rather than seeing it as an obligation.

I look up to him and admire him in following his athletic dreams, and we love to cheer him on.

Michael, I'll say this over and over again...you are and always have been....

everything I need.

kj

the dresser michael built me during his paternity leave with alyssa (patterned after one i found in pottery barn)

General Conference

Twice a year, I get the priveledge of listening to a prophet speak. The first weekend in April & October are a spiritual feast every year as I collectively listen for 8 hours over the course of 2 days to living apostles speak to me and the world. They speak in a caring, uplifting tone about the pitfalls of our day and how to triumph over them. They remind me of the mother and wife that I want to be. They emphasize the blessings of the Atonement and the blessing of the Savior in my life. They remind me to serve more, to love more, to teach my children better. To spend my time more productively on not only things that are "good" but things that are "Best."

There are many good (not bad) things I can be doing with my time, but at the expense of doing what is best. Such as spending too much time on the computer...its all good things I'm doing, but I'm neglecting more important things such as my daily scripture study time, reading a book to my kids, etc. I actually see my blog as my journal, so that is under the "best" category! Another reminder from President Henry B. Eyering was to write down spiritual things so they can carry with you throughout your life and not have them forgotten. To ask myself daily, "Have I seen the hand of God today?" And write about it. Small miracles every day. I'll often express a prayer of gratitude when I recognize them, but writing them down carries much further for me. He further said the need to "record for your children how you see the hand of the God in your life." I agree with this importance...I want my children to know someday that I recognized even the littlest of miracles, so that in turn their faith will grow.

Our prophet, President Hinckley made the comment that our church is 1 large family scattered throughout the earth...in nearly every country. As he said that, I thought about how true that is....when we traveled to France last year and went to church, the building had the same spirit as all the other church buildings we had been to in the States....they taught from the same manuals, the same doctrine. We became family to each other through our beliefs. A kinship. An understanding.

Sister Julie Beck inspired me to be a better mother. Yes...I'm good....but I can be better. I want to have an orderly home so I can have a more abundant spirit in my home. Allow less media to influence myself and my children, less distractions.

Watching this conference, as I have done every year since I was a little girl, I am reminded at what a blessing it is to know of a living prophet on the earth. A man who receives revelation from God, relevant to our day and time. President Hinckley is 97 and becoming frail, but he is sharp as a tack, and speaks with power and love at the same time. His strongest desire is to help teach the world of our Father in Heaven's love for us, and give us the tools to have the ability to return to Him someday.

superWHY

My friend emily m. made these shirts for my kids....it started with the SuperWHY for matthew and she asked what tyler and alyssa loved and i told her Diego and Wonder Pets. They love these shirts and wore them to meet SuperWHY at the downtown library. Michael went with emily's hubby, Frank and kids to meet the new PBS sensation super reading hero.

Shopping Hysteria

When you see a sign like this:

It's worth the crowds....the lines....the chaos......

some of my loot (each item under $2):

I stumbled upon this Pier 1 Kids closeout on Wednesday, just driving by...then I went with friends on Friday to wait in line for more. Turns out all my good stuff was found on Wed., but still fun to go with friends. I also got some fun butterflies to hang all over alyssa's room. There is nothing like the rush of adrenline when finding a fantastic sale.

5 BABIES!

I got to take pictures of these cute babies a few weeks ago and my friend Candida came as my assistant. We signed up for a night shift, and fulfilled it Wed. night. 10pm-6am, just us and 5 babies! It was so much fun, and what an honor and delight to be a small part of this miracle. We were pretty much up all night...I slept about 30 minutes. We watched a few movies, but mostly oohed and aahed over these cute little ones....and cuddled and changed diapers and fed 'em bottles. They each have a color assigned to them and they are in jammies of their color...that helped when it came time to feeding, etc. b/c we knew from the feeding chart who was ready to eat. If you REALLY want to see all the picts I took (mostly individuals of each baby) then go here and enter your email/and a chosen password and you can see all of them.

candida found this one liked the hum of the dishwasher

They converted their office/living room by the front door into an extended nursery...it is nice and open.


check out this stroller!