bye bye April....hello May

I love the weather in April but am happy to report that April is over for me this year. It started rough for me and ended the same way but May is much better already! A quick summary of my negative April: rear ended, had to replace evaporator coil on AC (expensive), had to repair parts of fence that were blown over, and discovered truth about something I did not believe.Did I mention at the second home someone store the air conditioner outside unit (I suspect it was the old renter) and the door was kicked in. But despite those things, there were some good things. Jake and I feel we weathered a financial challenge without having to use credit cards and many small moments of joys with my babies. May is a special month in my life anyway because it is the month that we celebrate our anniversary. We were also able to spend a little time with Michael and Amy as they passed through to begin a brief journey in their life. Originally, I was scheduled to be off for the first week of May but we are short handed and I volunteered to post pone my vacation week because Mothers day week is a little busier than average and I figure every person counts. So, I am looking forward to May being a good month and the beginning of many more.

Happy Easter

Time flies when you are having fun or are just busy....today is Easter Sunday and it has been a very pleasant day for our family. The Easter bunny came in our car while we were at church. Why? Well, Jake is out the door at 6:30 on Sunday mornings and we left from church to go to Jackson. In Jackson, we ate dinner with Nana and Papa and the kids had a small or large Easter egg hunt. The kiddos love going to Jackson and love even more when Elle is there. We are blessed to at least be near a bit of family.

Oh, what a week....

Oh, what a week this has been for me. It began last Sunday, I had the kids dressed for church and went to do the last childs hair. As I combed through, I notice little white things on the hair and sent another child to get the computer, so I could google. After, I determined that I believed it was lice eggs, I texted Jake and told him I would not be at church and asked him to have someone cover my class. Also, I did not want him to worry because seldom am I late and even more seldom do I miss. So, it was off to Walgreens for me to begin my entire day battle. I spent $64 on lice killer and came home and began treatment. However, I did not stop there. Later that afternoon, I poured alcohol in their (I say their because I treated both girls) and let it set for about two hours. Then after shampooing that out, I poured in vegetable oil and lathered the hair with Crisco shortening. My thoughts, I will kill those suckers, if they are there, one way or another....RID, alcohol, and suffocation. With each treatment, their hair was wrapped with saran wrap and a plastic bag. Also, I cleaned everything and did 16 loads of laundry. I refuse to spread them and more so, refuse to have them. Maybe I went overboard but you can not be too safe. So, Monday, I kept both girls home from school. Jake was also home sick and Tuesday too. Then Wednesday, was just busy...Thursday, I tool both boys to the doctor and they were given prescriptions. Friday, oh, Friday, it happened to April Fools and I was rear ended. I texted Jake and he did not believe me and thought I was joking. I was stressed out because I was on my way to get the girls from school and would now be late. After many attempts to get in touch with one of my sisters, I finally got hold of Charity and she went to get them. No one was hurt, so it was not a huge deal but added to my long week. That evening Jake took us to dinner, we had gift cards from Christmas still and then he surprised me with a chocolate heath concrete, which is chocolate frozen custard with crushed heath bars...it was yummy. Often, he does small, kind things like that for me.

Happy Birthday Ginny

Nine years ago today, I began my beloved journey as a mother. Heavenly Father began to entrust me with his children. He blessed me that my first would be an exceptional child. Overall, Ginny is very obedient, she is starting to question some things we tell her to do but she still does whatever is asked. She is wise and makes the right decisions. She is well rounded and kind and thinks of others. Heavenly Father blessed my life by sending her first. Happy Birthday Ginny!

March 12-19...Spring Break Fever

This is the second year in a row, we have enjoyed a blissful Spring Break. Last year was Disneyland and this year, we made a road trip in Texas. Our mini vacation began on Saturday the 12th, we left our house about 3 a.m. to make it to Houston in time for Jake to make it to a Spurs game with some of his family. The drive was going great and the kids were wonderful until about 3 hours outside of Houston and the girls start yelling that Will as throwing up. Yes, that's right, everywhere in the car, my boy was car sick. So we pull off to the side of the road and clean it up, then continued on our venture. Jake loved the game that night and had a very good time with great seats.We left Houston on Monday and went to Glen Rose Texas where we enjoyed a safari the next day and checked out on Wednesday to head to Grapevine, Texas to Great Wolf Lodge.The kids had an absolute blast with their cousins and Jake loves any time that he gets with his brothers. They spend most night playing games together.
The days were fun filled for the kids....swimming, playing on the water slides, painting shirts, a magic quest (which was my favorite because of a couple reasons, it took so much time and the kids had to climb the stairwells for the quests), glitter tattoos, ice cream, sleepovers, and building animals.The kids also enjoyed Grammy and Papa. Will took a liking a Grammy the day before we had to leave. Thanks to Grammy and Papa for making it happen and building many more memories.

Happy Birthday My Love

A little less than ten years ago, I had no idea that this day would become an important one in my life, but it was on this day, 32 years ago, that my eternal companion entered this world. And now that babe is the man that I love more than I can describe. Happy Birthday Jake!!!!!

I consider myself pretty well rounded and also the type of person that puts forth a lot of effort to meet most of my goals. This year, I set out to lower the cost of my grocery bill and I am happy to report that for the moth of February, I spent right about $300 to feed a family a 6 and that also includes toiletries. I am very pleased with last months spending. One thing that I did was to create a meal calendar and go to the grocery with a list and a plan. Also, I have an iPhone now and am able to use different apps to see what coupons I have.....its worth the extra cost just for that to me. Today, I had a pretty impressive trip to the store as well. I paid $17.99 and saved $93. A short summary of items are: 1-Charmain toilet paper (12 double rolls), 1- bounty (8 rolls), 5- adult claritans, 2- children's claritan, 1-Robitussin, 1- sinex, 1-afrin, 2- kit kats, 1- Reese's, 1- wisp, 2- bottles pantene shampoo, 1- 4 pack Duracell batteries, 1- book, 2- cottage cheeses, 1- tide stain release, 3- Kroger brand miralax, 1- dozen eggs, 1- 4 pack activa yogurt, 2- 4 packs danimal yogurt, 1- 4 pack splitzs yogurt!! This was done thanks to doubling coupons and e-stacking them. Also, several items were on managers special. I love to coupon when I get these results.
As for the kids, they are great. Ginny currently wants to know when she can have a boyfriend but promises they will not do boyfriend/girlfriend stuff, just hang out at school. I am scared to have her elaborate on what is considered boyfriend/girlfriend stuff? Aubree thinks that Martin Luther King Jr would have been a great president or Helen Keller or Rosa Parks. Also, today, she lost an ear ring and immediately dropped to her knees to ask for help finding it. After a few hours and her faith starting to waiver, she found it. It was a good experience for her to learn that Heavenly Father hears our prayers, and answers them but in his time. Will, is as cute as they come but pure trouble. He loves to go places and ride in any ones car but mine. Christopher cut his sixth tooth today. He is a little lazy but I'll take it because I know exactly what happens when they become mobile.