What

we do when we are not blogging. Life, that's what I call it. So much happenin around here, and no time to document it. I feel like I was sucked into a Halloween whirlwind. I mean really, who does not love a good
Halloween Parade?

And Another...

And Another.....

 I really do LOVE seeing my kiddos all dressed up and loving it. It just means alot of out of the house time for me and the small ones. Lot's of adventures happening around here.
We rode one of these,

Halloween Morning with our cousins and the kids LOVED it.Magicians came by and entertained. Lots of kiddos were dressed up. There was face painting and balloons. There was even a theatre car. Can you believe I was camera less? I forgot to put a card in my camera and I was SAD. They gave the kiddos tons of goodies including their own conductor hats. I raced home for some Mini Sessions  and Miss M did not want to miss out. She came out costume on perfectly and ready for her own camera time, poser:)

 I am glad she thought of it. She does make an adorable little cowgirl!
Tricked and treated with the kids. We are still treating of coarse......
I put them all to bed last night hiped up on sugar and stashed all Halloween costumes until next year. Tomorrow I will be saying goodbye to all the fun decor for the year. Time to move on. In fact I started listening to my favorite Christmas CD this week. I just couldn't help myself!! I have a lot of life to live this week. I guess we will see how much I get documented.

"SURPRISE!"

" Come on Mom, come see what we did for you. Close your eyes, no peeking. Don't cheat you will love it. We are trying to make you proud."

Yep, I am proud. I think it's so dang cute that they do this. They do it alot, and think I am fully surprised every time. I must be a pretty good actress eh? They never do it the same way twice. I don't care. I am just glad they do it. Making my bed and cleaning my room was not on my list of things to do today. THANKS my little ladies. I am Sooo proud of you!!!

WHAT Happened...

To my day??? It started off so great, to bad it didn't end that way!! Went walking bright and early, went to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned, swimming and piano lessons went off with out a hitch. Left piano to return my rented lens and thought. I paid to rent this lens, I should really use it some more. We stopped of at Tempe Town Lake. Had a blast with my three oldest kids playing and shooting pics. Got in the car and the day was shot. Tried to get the key to turn. NO such luck. Tried for an hour, all the tricks I know for when the key sticks. Nothing works.... I am hot and out of patience. I called my sick husband to come rescue me. He called his Sister to sit with the littles and he came to my rescue. By this point my kids can't stop pestering me and each other. They are wired and fighting and NOT listening. They are tired and hungry. Layne had no better luck than I did. I called my friend to whine and she volunteered her Triple A benefits to us. Getting those tomorrow,by the way. They sent a tow truck. WRONG kind. We can't get the key to even turn so there is no putting it in gear. Run to Home Depot to see if a new key will help trip the switch and it will turn over, no luck there. Kids getting more restless by the minute. Wait another hour for the tow truck and they send the WRONG kind again. We had even explained the situation. We fed the kids a Burger King dinner on the grass. They loved it, we watched the wind shoot ripples through the water and the purple sun set.Got a little slap happy at times.

So it wasn't all bad. Our Great Friend MV graciously offered to stay and wait for the THIRD tow truck and didn't get home until 9:30. Our car is parked at her house and needing to be towed to the shop in the morning.I am ready to fall into my bed, and NOT repeat todays excitement for a LONG while. Hope the hit on the pocket book is small. I am sure it won't be, but I can hope, right?????

Isn't it Great?

Summer?....... I always feel a measure of guilt because, I am not one of those Moms who counts the days until school is out so that I can spend a HOT summer with my kids. I LOVE my kids and I LOVE spending time with them, but I feel this amazing amount of pressure to entertain. Let's face it, it's needed. I am not a Mom who let's her kids veg in front of the computer, T.V., or video games. I want our bodies and our brains active during the summer. I try to keep to a schedule that allows for work and play. Lightning has a built in chore hating button, as lot of kids do and when those extra summer projects kick in it gets tough around here. Finding the balance in life is tough any ways, so when schedules and routines change it always kicks me right in the hiney, and I need time to recover. I really only have had one in school full time and two part time so I all ready basically have had my kids around all the time. They are still little. Next year I will have two full time and two part time school schedules. So what do we do with all this time on our hands?

We go to the library once a week and read each day for 1/2 an hour.It's so fun to have Daddy home most mornings to read with us.

The older girls have had swimming lessons. They LOVE them:)

The Babies get to play, and wear themselves out in the heat.

I Love that......... I gave in and we have a slightly later bedtime for all but Lightning and he gets an entire extra hour to stay up. Scored some parent points there. That is a permanent change. We are trying to get his body used to it before school starts again. We have some small outings planned. No major vacationing this summer. We do a day of Movie fun. We play a lot outside in the water to stay cool. Oh, and of coarse the Mommy blessing in that is VERY tired kids come bedtime. I'm no dummy!!! There's lots of coloring and helping Mommy cook. There's movies and restricted computer and video time.I am sure the summer will fly by, and I will be sad to see it go!!! I plan to make the best of our time and to make memories.

Scrap Happy

Somebody?

Graduated from her first year of preschool.

Don't you just love watching little kids perform?

I do, a big group of innocence and fun jumping around a stage for their Mom's and Dad's.

It makes me happy......

I can't wait until next year when Bubba and Sissy will be bouncing and singing on the stage together.

Somebody?

Got her FIRST hair cut. I scrapped a page and hated it so I file 13'd it.

I will try again later. I was so proud of Little H. She was not fussy or whiny just sullen and ticked off. Better than a fit any day. She has the most beautiful curls, but they were so uneven so she just got a quick trim and I Love it. Thanks Jen!!!!!!

I guess I should do her hair and take an after shot. My camera has been on rest mode for a while now. I think my kids have been enjoying a break. It will be short lived because I just got the cutest things out shopping today and I have big plans for the summer.

Speaking of.....

In an hour or so my world will change as I know it for a couple months, so I am off to get a quick siesta to gear up for the madness that will be my life.

I know one last ditch effort at a power nap is useless for an entire summer worth of crazy but hey, mentally it makes me feel better.

WISH ME LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SMILE With Me,

Because when I list some of the fun happenings around here I guarantee you will be smiling thinkin, Glad that's her and not me.

POOOOOOP

Maybe we should start there.

I had been really sick this last week. Thanks to a trip to the ER with my boy (remember the fall.). Well, the very next day my fun kids played basketball in the toilet. The only problem with that is that there is no where for things to go but down.

Unless you happen to flush after you have clogged the toilet. Then well up and out it comes. We can thank Miss M for the clogged poop filled toilet and Bubba for the flushing. Who do we have to thank for the gag filled 45 minute clean fest and sterilization process?

ME!!!!!!

I have my great Brother-in-law to thank for the FREE plumbing services.

The next round was compliments of my all of the sudden very independent potty trainee, Little H. She decided she could clean herself after an accident in her pull up. It was on my shower curtain, floor, vanity,rug, and my sweet child. It was basically

EVERYWHERE.

Who is smiling because she has the cleanest most sterile bathroom on the block?

ME!!!!

At least the second offense happened when I was not sick and running a temp and feeling awful to begin with.

See, lots of reasons to smile around here.

Kids are great........

When they are not stinkin up the joint they are doing other cute things.

Sissy and Miss M had their dance recital this last week.

They were so cute and confident, I love that they are not shy:)

I actually do have other reasons to smile too.

I was pampered by friends and family for my Birthday.

I got to thank my Mom for all she does for me.

I got to spend fun time with family for Mothers Day.

A great friend helped me when I needed a babysitter.

Bunko...

My hubby paid for a photography class for my Birthday and Mothers Day, so lucky me !! I will get to be alone for a day and learn more about something I love.

Some times it's hard to remember to smile when life is crazy, me and my kids are sick, and they are doing there best to make me loose it.

I find the harder I work on the smiling through the mess though, the easier it becomes.

Reasons to Smile

Friends:

I have great friends.

Adoptions:

Getting closer and closer to finalizing Bubba's and Sissy's adoptions. Should have a court date here pretty soon.

Clean laundry:

Not excited to put it away, but I can look inside the laundry room and smile because at least half the battle is won for this week.

Reading:

I LOVE to read! You never find me with out a book.I catch any spare moment to read. I read to my kids every morning and night.Even if it's only for a few minutes. Miss M asked me the other day why I read. I told her about all the places I've been, adventures I've gone on, people I have loved, and lessons I have learned. Wanna see what she loves too?

Look at her mimic the emotions in the book.I LOVE it!!!!

(poor quality pic, I was trying to be sneaky.)

I hope all my kids capture a love for reading!

Scrapbooking:

I got a wild hair this week and got some srcapbooking done. See me smiling?

I had no idea national scrabpbooking day was coming up. I just knew I was in over my head and had to catch up, or try to. I put a size able dent in my list of pages needing done.If you are not interested please do not scroll down.

WARNING........

Scrapbooking over load below.

Small People are Funny!

At least I think mine are....

Just a few cute things these small people have said that

I don't want to forget.

Miss M....

"Mommy can I go get my self a whole gallon of milk, I am REAL thirsty?"

"Mom, I'm gonna be sick tomorrow"

"Oh, you will huh?"

"Yeah and I WON'T be going to school!!"

"mmmh? Why will you be sick?"

"I just ate tooooo much junk food today."

Sissy.....

"Mom can we go on a trip? We NEEEEED to go on a trip, it has been a long time."

"No sweetie, we don't have any trip money right now."

"MOM!!!!!!! You have NO money in your wallet? What about vegetables to make my hair grow???

"Mom, can I take my pony to my Miss L's and M's class for show and tell today?"

" No sweetie they do not have show and tell in that class."

" BUT MOM,(disgusted) I will NOT let her run away!!" This is her my little pony we are talkin about.

"Yeah sweetie, I am sure she will not get away, but you still can't take her, sorry......"

Lightning...

This kid loves to cook and he helped with dinner tonight. As we sat down to eat and right after the prayer he says loudly,

"Ummm? Who do we thank for dinner tonight?

YEP me!!"

Oh and let's not forget the tender moments too.

Also at the dinner table just tonight. All was quiet, a rare moment indeed and Bubba pipes up,

"Lightning I LOVE you!

"Bubbas, I love you too."

"Sissy. I love you,: and on down the line

All Moments that melt this Moms heart. To bad I didn't think they were this cute when they all had ten reasons to come get me after lights out tonight.

Just a Few

I just have not had enough time lately to keep up.

Think They Don't Remember?

Well,it's just not true!

I was getting Sissy

ready for church. We have had a few questions about birth parents around here lately. I guess it's fresh in her mind. It was just me and her. She asked,

"Mommy, where's the other Poppy?"

"Sissy, I don't know, who are you talking about?"

"You know, when you left me with the other poppy, and he was mean, and I would cry for you."

" Oh your birth Father"

"Ya"

"It was not my choice that you had to stay with him for a little while. Daddy and I worked hard to keep you safe." We worked hard to get you home!"

"Hes(yes) Mom, I cried for you and you did come"

Now it's my turn to cry. Sissy's been a part of our family since she was 12 months old, minus a short stay with her birth Father where we did in fact find out all was not well. I wish I could wash it all away!!! Erase the memory's for her. I do remember dropping her off there a number of times, because it was court ordered that I be the"babysitter' while she was in his care. I remember her fits as I left. I remember crying right along with her.What a helpless feeling that was. It's hard not to be mad at life's cruelties some times.Why my sweet little girl had to experience this? A helpless child at the mercy of adults who should KNOW better. Questions I will never have the answers to. The answers really don't matter. How I help her heal from these sad experiences, does matter!! It reminds that sometimes how I react to situations,good or bad, shapes who they are. I know that, but some times I know I act as though I don't. I hope I don't forget this conversation soon. It was a vivid reminder of how they can recall these young years.The most important, formative years of a childs life.

This Weeks Reasons to Smile

It was a semi Quiet week.

That alone is reason to Smile!!!

Gummy Bears, I love them. Maybe a little too much.....

A bag of chocolate straight from Switzerland. I have a friend who lives there and I took her families pictures this week. She brought me a little prize, YUMMMMMM!

Oooh, Are we noticing a pattern here?

Got all 5 of my kids who need swim lessons enrolled with a private teacher. Maybe this year I won't panic every time a water activity comes our way.

My Hubby was home every morning this week and helped me tons. He even got some yard work done.

We had cousins over to play today. That makes me and my kids smile.

Some times it's easier to babysit or have company, than to not. I love when my kids are happy to just play.

Got my nails done.

No doctors appt's. Wild thing did have play therapy but they came to us this time.

Finally got a meeting set up with the principal and Miss M's kindergarten teacher about what we are doing next year.(long story)

Getting to hear this sweet girls speech improve every day,

even if it means she NEVER lets up on her story telling. If I did not know better, I would have sworn I gave birth to her. I did the same thing to my Mom and I am afraid I still do it to some of my friends. Sorry ladies......

Now I am headed in to the other room, gummy bears in hand, where I have my kiddos set up in their jammie's with their popcorn. We are having a family date night minus Dad. The movie is ready to start

see ya.........

Things to SMILE About

This Week has been so nice!!

Lots to SMILE about.

My boys finally got hair cuts from Dad. If you could have seen Lightnings crazy morning hair you would have been begging me to finally to get it done.

Easter and family and how fun it is to get together on holidays. We host the Easter fun at our house.

Look at my nieces and nephews aren't they cute?

Oh those eyes.....

Such sweet Sisters

Hey, I know, more pics but at least I spared you more pics of my kids this time:))

Finding a replacement phone for cheap. (See prev. post)

Being able to actually go on a field trip with one of my kids. It rarely happens. It is quite the scheduling and chasing nightmare. I am glad I made the effort. Sissy and I had a great time together at the zoo!!

THANK YOU, KayDee and MB for watching the rest of the crew so I could take Sissy.

An understanding Husband who has not said a cross word or given me any grief about losing my phone.

Being done with all our parenting classes for the year which we need to have to renew our license.

Finding out I can call our lawyer and get the ball rolling for an actual court date.

Did you know my Wild Thing can finally mimic his prayers I help him out with every night. Almost word for word. So Sweet!!!!

One Step Closer

To making this little princess ours to keep.

Which means,this guy

will be also.

YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sissy was born at home and bio Mom is not cooperating with the details of her birth.

Making it near impossible to get vital records to issue a Birth Certificate.

We have been waiting 8 months to hear that they are in fact going to issue a birth certificate. and we can move on to our adoption day, and then our ultimate goal,

THE TEMPLE.

Bubba's rights were severed around the same time. We have held off on finalizing his adoption so we could do them on the same, day at the same time.

We have been praying for this birth certificate every day, morning and night since we found out how difficult it was going to be to get it.When our case worker went in person to apply she was told by vital record that getting it would near impossible without more details. We were going to have to appeal to the courts for help, and wouldn't you know it, our miracle came just in time. Another blessing besides the birth certificate itself is that my children are recognizing that a loving Heavenly Father is aware of our family and he answers our prayers. This comes at just the right time because her Bio Mom has been trying to rock some boats lately and I will be able to feel more secure about my sweet Sissy when she is legally and more importantly, eternally ours!

You Know,

I tried to make a smile list this week, but well, I couldn't. I did have things that made me smile. Bunko, a visit from a sweet friend from Utah and getting to go to lunch with that friend and two other great friends.

(I guess two things do actually make a list)

Any ways, I would be lieing if I said the rest of my week was great.

I have been struggling lately to keep my head above water. I rarely cry and this week my kids have seen quite a few Mommy meltdowns. The ugly cry had nothing on me. It was down right horrific. Yep ,the horrific cry, and even better my Lightning made fun of me and imitated my horrible display of emotions when I had pulled out of it.

I have no problem with crying, in fact, if it's a sad movie or some one else's issue, I can cry easily. When it's the struggles of my every day life, the faucet is usually screwed tight. I have tried to pin point why my patience is so thin and why I can't seem to cope. I decided there really was no good reason except life is hard some times, and I am completely drained. Yep my well is dry and I have had no chance to refill it. I have officially run my self into the ground. The sad thing is, as a Mom that vacation from real life never comes. The kids keep pestering, the laundry piles up, the dinner still has to be made,the diapers changed, the mess's cleaned up, the Dr's appt's kept, the meetings attended,the home work done, etc, etc,!!!! You know the drill. Wild thing has had a really hard time this last week since his 4Th visit to some kind of Dr. happened this week. It could not have been the three people it took to pin him down at the urgent care and glue his head back together. That's never traumatizing for little people, especially him!! (insert huge amounts of sarcasm) I feel like all the progress I made is gone. That alone could make a girl cry. He will hardly let me out of his sight. So things I can usually accomplish early in the day have to wait until nap time or bedtime. The two times of day that are usually mine to recover and rest and maybe even blog. It's taken all I can muster not to get angry with the poor guy. I have to dig deep down and remember all the tricks I have been taught to help pull him out of his horrendous fits.I finally got a break from him today. It was amazing how much it helped. I took all the kids but him to my parents for some G-Ma and G-Pa time. The great thing is, the kids played so well by themselves that I got to chill and chat with my parents with few interruptions. It was sooooooo nice:)

Everyone has taken their que from Mom, and throwing fits has been a theme at our house this week. Sissy was throwing a fit on her way to her room to "find her smile" and biffed it face first on to the floor with only a thin rug for padding.

It was a bloody mess (literally, I am not cursing) and at first I thought she had broken her nose. I cried so hard after this was over that. It trumped all other emotional outburts for the month!! I feel so GUILTY.... I know I did not push her or make her do it, but dang, I am the one who sent her to her room. Who knew it would be so dangerous? I can't stand my little ones getting hurt. I am pretty sure this will look worse in the morning. How can you not get a bruise or two from face planting yourself on a tile floor? Her lip is so big you can't even see her teeth.

Oh, next week has got to be better!!!!! I did get to listen to conference, and I do feel like I learned a lot and can try to do better every day. Hey, Thanks for listenening, sometimes a girl just has to get it off he chest in order to feel better.

Spring Break Day 1

Crazy day at home and FHE with these guys!!

SO FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!