Count Your Blessings

There is a song that goes like this:


When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged feeling all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.


I love the message of this song. It's so true. So often we complain about silly little things that really have no meaning in the grand scope of things. So, in an effort to Count My Blessings, here is a list of things for which I am really grateful:

• My husband: he is my life. He loves me unconditionally (most of the time) and loves to spend all his free time with me.


• My kids: each of them is very different, and I love each of them in a very different way, but I am grateful to have each one of them in my life.


• My Faith: What would I do without my testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ? I would be lost. I would have no purpose.


• Our extended family: I love my parents, my in-laws (and I genuinely mean that!) and all my siblings. I went from a family of two and married into a family of seven, and it's been a wild ride that I wouldn't trade for anything. And spending the last three days with two of Eric's brothers and their families has been so fun! Apples to Apples is our new favorite party game... Thanks to Shay and Jess for suggesting we play it!


• Our wonderful friends: here we live so far from family, that we have to rely on friends like they are our family, and so in a sense, they have become our family. And I love that... does that make sense?


• My calling: I can't believe I'm saying that. Being RS president has been the hardest job of my life, but the lessons I've learned and the blessings that have come from service have been worth it. (Most of the time....)

Now Thanksgiving is over... I've taken down the fall decor, and it's time to break out all the Christmas stuff. We leave for our trip home to the MotherLand in 22 days. For the first time in many years, we won't be in our home on Christmas. I have a feeling that decorating the home will be scaled back because of that. I sense a colossal battle of wills approaching over whether to hang outdoor lights or not. I'll keep you posted on how that goes!

On Turkeys and Picky Eaters

I've spent a lot of time thinking this week about the last year. One year ago, I was a brand new RS president who was planning a funeral for a 14 year old boy. I was trying to juggle how to serve, be a good mom and still have some energy left over at the end of the day to be a good wife, too. I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Every time I thought about cooking thanksgiving dinner, I just wanted to cry. It was too much.

For Thanksgiving Day, I talked Eric into taking the family to Mimi's Cafe for dinner. They are one of the few restaurants in the business that is open for Thanksgiving. And they serve up a mean Turkey dinner too. I didn't have the energy to cook for a family of picky eaters. At Mimi's, I got my traditional turkey dinner, and the boys had chicken nuggets or pizza. Eric and Megan both ordered breakfast for dinner. We also went to the movies and saw Bolt. All in all, it was a stress-free day and I loved it. So much so, that I bragged to anyone that I could, that I got out of cooking Thanksgiving dinner and had the best day. Our digression from the traditional became legend in our small circle of friends.

This year, I had already mentally decided I wanted to cook a turkey. I was also texting one of Eric's brothers over some baby photos he sent of my newest nephew, who just a couple months old, and spontaneously invited them to come for Thanksgiving. After a couple weeks of waffling, they decided to do it, and they will be driving down from Utah on Wednesday afternoon. Two of Eric's brothers and their families will be cramming into one car to make the trek to the desert. We are thrilled!

Many of my friends have asked me this year, if we are continuing the tradition of going out to eat for Thanksgiving. I excitedly tell them that two of Eric's brothers are bringing their families down and we are doing the full dinner. They look at me in shock and say something like... "I didn't think you liked cooking Thanksgiving dinner!"

I guess, I gloated too much last year. I really do love cooking Thanksgiving dinner. What I don't love about it, is that my kids won't eat it. They will eat turkey, but moan and groan through the whole thing. They won't eat mashed potatoes... they won't eat stuffing... they won't eat green bean casserole. It's not fun to cook a ginormous meal for 4 kids who will eat no more than 5 bites of all of it.

This year there will be four other adults to share in the over consumption of great food, and so I won't care if my kids go hungry. That's their tough! I am really looking forward to a big meal, with lots of family to share it with. It's going to be a great weekend...can't wait!

You Know How You Never Take Enough Photos of the Youngest Child?

I took Brayden to the park after preschool yesterday just to be able to follow him around and take some pictures. Here are my faves. I really need to put baby wipes in my camera bag, because he came out of preschool with a dirty face and I had nothing to clean it with. And yes, this child desperately needs a haircut. Hopefully this weekend.

Customization

Four and a half years ago, I made these valances. I still love them! Two years ago, I bought my square kitchen table. Finding tablecloths that fit a table that's 54" square has been a huge challenge.

Then I was at a friend's house, who also has a square table, saw her tablecloth and had inspiration. That was probably six months ago. I finally got all my scraps out from the valances and used another tablecloth I already had to make this!

I am going to milk the last week of fall decorations for all I can. I can't believe Thanksgiving is in one week!

Swim... Bike... Run!

A week and a half ago, Eric, Taylor and I participated in a Sprint Triathlon. We signed Taylor up at the last minute, once we knew he wasn't going to the State Swim Meet. He wasn't super excited about it. In the week preceding the big event, he didn't go out for one run, or get on his bike once. He kept telling us he was ready, but we thought he was going to be in for a rude shock come race day.

Setting up Transition...

The swim portion is in an Olympic sized pool, so the starts are staggered. Taylor got in the water 2nd. We got in the water 40 minutes later. By the time we got to transition to go on the bike, he was already running. By the time I came back from the bike to start the run, he was finished!
Eric and Taylor both did really well. Taylor finished in 1:09:05 minutes. Here is it broken down: Swim 6:08, Bike 41:17, Run 21:40. He took 1st in his age division (15 and under). He was riding a super beastly mountain bike that weighs like 50 pounds and has super knobby tires. Think what he could do with some training and a road bike!

Eric finished in 1:13:13. He did amazing too! Swim: 8:52, Bike 42:11, Run 22:10. He finished 16th in his age division... Not bad for a first timer, eh?

I almost bailed out of this one. I had started a headcold and was sick and tired. I didn't want to go, but Eric talked me into just coming and watching. Well, once I got there, I decided to go for it. After all, I'd already registered, and I'd been planning on this for a year, plus I wanted that t-shirt, bad! And they give you the shirt when you cross the finish and turn in your timing chip... so I couldn't cheat and get the shirt. Since I felt so tired and crummy, I didn't have any time goals... I just wanted to finish without having an asthma attack or passing out. My total time was 1:33:29 (15 seconds faster than last year). What made the difference was the bike... thanks to Marla and spinning class every Monday morning, I was so better prepared for the bike this year. Without really pushing myself very hard I shaved 6 minutes off my biking time! (An added bonus was the slicks Eric installed for me earlier in the week.)

Overall it was a great experience and I'm so glad we all did it! Eric is totally pumped to do another one, and we may have found the perfect sport for Taylor. Taylor was incredibly sore for about 5 days after the race because of his lack of training, so he knows now that he can never again just roll out of bed and say, "I think I'll do a Tri today!" and not pay the consequences!

My Birthday

My 36th birthday was good to me. No, let me re-phrase that. My great friends and family were good to me! My kids got ready for school on their own without me having to nag them, and my greatest girl friends here in AZ met me for lunch at my favorite BBQ place, which incidentally gave me a free meal because it was my birthday!

Thanks to my awesome and way-too-generous hubby, I have a new baby. A new baby that I've been planning for for a couple years now, but one I didn't expect to actually have in my hands until next summer. He'd been dropping hints that he wanted to get this for me for my birthday this year. I kept saying "NO." I do the budget, after all, and I just couldn't justify it in the pre-christmas budget. In the way that only a husband can do, he wore me down. He took me to the store just to check them out. It was all over after that. Once I played with them, he knew I had to have it. I hadn't even been researching them because I knew it would just make me want to have one, so I was avoiding the camera scene altogether! Once he finally got the green light, then it was the big decision... which camera to buy?

I have had 2 Canon cameras. I have LOVED every single one. In my mind, the question wasn't which brand to buy, but which Canon to buy. But everyone Eric talked to told him he should look into the Nikon D90. So he did the homework, and the research proved the Nikon to be superior camera. So, that's the one we went with. I was nervous about learning a new interface to work with, but so far it's been easy. And it takes AMAZING photos.

I know these aren't super exciting, but since I've been down sick all week, I haven't had the energy to go out for a real photo shoot. Plus, all last week it was overcast. I couldn't get one scenery shot with a stunning blue sky. If I had been more prepared, it would have been the perfect week for our annual kid photo shoot, but I wasn't prepared for that. So, one day when I walked to get the mail, I took the camera with me and got these flower shots. I can't wait to get out this week and really put this thing through the paces!!!!

Of course, I still have a huge manual to get through and Eric bought me an additional book that's twice as big as the manual to help me learn how to use this camera to the fullest. So, I also have a lot of reading to do! Plus, it's time to really devote some energy to learning how to use my photoshop program. I can do the most basic of all basic stuff, but nothing really cool or useful. I think I need a book for that too. This will definitely keep me very busy and occupied for a long time! Yeah!

Taylor's Birthday

When you share a birthday with one of your kids, their needs and excitement tend to "take over" yours. And that's okay with me. I'm totally okay with not having my own birthday cake, and as long as I don't have to cook on my birthday, it's all good.

Taylor wanted a new cell phone for his birthday. Unfortunately, he didn't give us that spectacular idea until 2 days prior to the event. We are just 2 weeks away from being free of our cell phone contract with Verizon, and I am NOT going to get back into that arrangement any time soon if I can help it at all. I love Verizon, but I do NOT love the power they have over you when you are under contract.

So, the night before his birthday, we got on ebay and picked out a new phone for him. He knew it wouldn't arrive in time for his birthday, but I assured him he would have something to open the next day. I had bought the new GI Joe movie on Blu-ray, and that was basically our only gift for him to open on the big day. So I wrapped it, then wrapped it again, then wrapped it two more times, each time in a bigger box.

So, after opening 4 boxes for just one small gift, at least he felt like he got to open some presents, right? He was a bit annoyed with me for wrapping a dvd so many times. And he knew what it was, thanks to his "big mouth" 4 year old brother who spilled the beans. Intentions were good, right?
Well, here it is 11 days past his birthday and we still don't have the cell phone we ordered. The seller we bought it from on ebay must have "forgot" to ship it out right away and didn't ship it until two days ago. (Three days ago, I sent him a message asking him for the tracking number because T was so impatient and driving me crazy.) I'm totally annoyed that this has taken so long, and Taylor drives me bonkers asking me 3 times a day when his phone will arrive. 15 year olds have NO patience!

Freebie Friday

Okay, so it's not free.

But, it's close....

Have you seen this movie yet?



I will be honest.

I haven't.

I'm not sure why I never made it to the theater to see this. I wanted to... I really did.

Life just got in the way. Which incidentally, is what this movie is about... or so I've heard...

Anyway, a friend just sent me this link to get this movie $10 off. Click Here to print out your very own coupon! (Expires on 11/17)

Of course, if you ran out and bought it already, I can't help you there, but maybe you know someone you'd like to give it to as a gift?


(When using your coupon at a certain mega discount store which I will not name, but has a new blue and yellow logo, you can get this movie for $10 after using the coupon....)

I'll be heading there anyway today to pick up Camp-out food for Eric and Taylor, and the rest of us can spend the evening watching this DVD! Can't wait! Thanks Annalise!

Halloween

Brayden dressed up as Spiderman (sans mask) for his preschool carnival. This is such a fun activity. Too bad we were really late and I was in such a bad mood that day. He still had fun though!Halloween morning, we ran to target and picked out some $2 pumpkins. Eric got started on the carving with the kids. I came downstairs to find they were already drawing their cutouts on the pumpkins, but none of the pumpkins had been hollowed out properly.So, of course, I get to do the grunt work. (This is why I hate carving pumpkins.... cleaning them out!) I continued to hollow out the guts out of the pumpkin while Eric helped them draw and carve.Ian drew his own cut out of an owl... he looked at another example and copied it. Megan did the same thing with a haunted house. They both have lots of artistic genes that skipped me. Halloween dinner - Haystacks in the dining room with lots of Halloween candles lit.The finished pumpkins: (left to right) Megan, Ian and Brayden. (Brayden's was done by Eric.)

The trick-or-treaters: Megan, Ian and Brayden. Taylor stayed home to pass out candy and Eric and I walked around with the kids. Halloween is my favorite night in our neighborhood.... everyone comes out... everyone is friendly... and the evening weather is usually perfect!

Yes, we had the "green" (aka cheap) Halloween this year - making up costumes from stuff we had on hand. Megan dressed herself up as a witch, and the boys were ninjas. They just wore the darkest clothes they had and then tied black shirts around their heads to complete the ensemble. (The neck hole is the opening on the face.) Oh, and they wore their nerf swords on their backs, lest anyone be confused and think they were dressing up as bank robbers. Talk about my "white trash" trick-or-treaters! Oh well, I didn't care one bit!

Am I "Old-Fashioned" All of a Sudden?

Okay, so there are lots of reasons why I love Facebook. I know what I said... it's a place for people to hang out that are too lazy to blog. And that is still true, but as I discovered last month, I was one of those people who was too lazy to blog. Anyway, I'm getting distracted from my original point.

One of the many reasons I love FB is because I can spy on my kids and follow what they are chatting online about with friends, etc. It's very fun and very effective.

Example:

Last Friday I picked Taylor up from school. He had a big History test on Friday that I had spent an hour (on my birthday) grilling him for so he would be prepared. This was our conversation:
Me: So how did it go?
Him: Don't ask. (huh?)
Me: What do you mean?
Him: Notice how I'm not wearing something? (his girlfriend had given him an engraved dog tag necklace for his birthday... it was a very clever idea and very Taylorish. I was quite impressed that she thought of something that perfect for him. But now, the necklace was gone!)
Me: Did she break up with you?
Him: Yeah, but she had "L" do it.
Me: when are you going to swear off "girls" for a while and just be friends with them?
Him: I think I will be able to do that now....
Me: You keep saying that, but it never seems to happen.
Him: Well, it will now.

For the record, it has been only 72 hours since his heart was broken by "E" and he just posted on FB that he is "in a relationship" with "K". He hasn't even been back to school yet since I have 3 of the 4 kids home sick today. How does this happen so quick? I think it's the power of cell phones and texting. (No joke on the texting round the clock.... we are driving to school at 6:20 a.m. and his cell phone is vibrating.)

So if you are FB friends with my first born son, please feel free to give him some online "ribbing" for his behavior. Seriously, I dont' want my son being labeled as the "ladies man" or the "player". Yet, I fear that's the road he's headed down. Why does he feel so emotionally "needy" that he always has to be in some kind of "relationship"? And it's funny too, because it's all virtual. He spends very little time with these girls in person. I know, because I keep close tabs on his whereabouts. Am I just not seeing this as the new "normal" for teens? Because, I am suddenly feeling very old fashioned about now.

(And please don't fall over in shock because I posted twice in one day... I told you the real me was back!)

Funk

October was a weird month for me. It started with unwanted drama, ended in unwanted drama and had all kinds of weird stuff in between. I am just glad it's over. If I were ever the type to be "depressed", it would have happened last month. But, thank goodness, I'm not that type. And I'm done with the negativity, and back to positivity. (Is that a word? If not, I just made it up and I like how it sounds.)

I LOVE November. It's my favorite month of the year. Maybe because it's also my birthday month, but I just love fall. I love the cool mornings, making soup for dinner, and all the hype that comes with the approaching holidays. Except when (like right now) I realize that Christmas is only six weeks away, and then I start to freak out a little. ;-) Or, when I walk outside to go to the mailbox and start sweating... but wait, that wouldn't happen in most places in November... only here in the desert.

Posts will be coming very soon about Halloween, the Birthdays and the Triathlon. All were blog worthy events!

And I just want you all to know that I still read and follow your blogs. I know I haven't commented in eons... and I apologize for that. I know how most bloggers feed off comments like it's heroine. (Or maybe it's just me?... leave me a comment and let me know if you agree!) I'm going to be better this month... I promise!

Where Did the Last 15 years go?

Today, my first born turns 15. Holy Crap... I can't believe it! He has been reminding us every day that it's only six more months until he gets his permit. We have been reminding him every day that if there is no Eagle Project, there is no Permit.

I am so grateful to have Taylor in our family. He does things every day that make me love him more and more.

When he can tell I'm stressed out, he will start cleaning the house up without being asked, just to be nice. He will still give me hugs (in private), and he loves it when I come to his athletic events.

He has a very sensitive nature. On Sunday he bore his testimony and paid tribute to a wonderful leader who is moving away and made me cry. We both spent the whole hour of sacrament meeting crying side by side on the bench. And neither one of us had a kleenex. It makes me tear up every single time I think about it.

He's not the perfect kid, but I wouldn't trade him for anything! We love you Taylor!

Happy Birthday, Big T!