Mean girls and my crazy boys

Today we leave for Cabo, as excited as I should be I am more leery too.  This is the first time we have left our kids for this length of time and yesterday, I decided to go to the clinic because my throat was a little scratchy and I waned to get a cocktail shot for sinuses (I had self diagnosed myself as a sinus infection) but t my dismay, I tested positive for strep...yuck.  As a per-cautionary means, I made Christoper an appointment too he tested positive for strep too, making it more difficult for me to leave my sweethearts this morning. I get so so nervous that one will get sick and when you are sick you need/want your mom.  My sisters and mom will be great with them and I know they are not in better hands but it makes me so nervous.  Yesterday, Aubree came to me last night as I was taking out trash and wanted to talk a minute. An unkind remark was made at lunch directed at her about controlling her weight and it hurt her feelings. As a mom, I wanted to just cry with her but expressed her beauty and worth as a child of God and explained that sadly there will be people her whole life that will say unkind things.  It makes me beyond sad when I see any of mine babes hurt in any way.  It is a hurt that can not be explained but I just want to take it away.  Yesterday, I checked lunch accounts to make sure that the kids all have money on accounts since we will be gone and I was not surprised to see that Will has depleted his since 1/21/17.  He has been buying ice cream, milk, and  guess second lunches after he eats (or shares) what I have sent for his lunch.  It was a tad frustrating but comical on the same hand.  Speaking of comical, last night Christopher was persistently calling for his brother before he got out of the bath.  Moments later Will came to the kitchen with an empty body wash container filled with urine that his brother was bragging that he peed in.  After asking Christopher, he said he did pee in the empty container. We asked why because the toilet is right there too and he "just wanted to", my boys are a different story than my girls but I love them all!  Christopher also has his own sense of style. He came out Sunday for church in red pants, a multi-color striped shirt, and a red, white, and blue tie. Lastly, last Friday night (1/28/17), Jake and I went to see "The Bodyguard" musical at the Orpheum and I was pleased.  Jake sent me a photo and text from school saying looking forward to tonight. There were chocolates on the counter when I got home from school and I was greeted with roses as we left. We had planned to go to dinner but Jake had a headache when he got home from school so he napped a few hours. We did have a quick, romantic dinner at CiCis' pizza (in and out within 15 minutes and the man loved pizza). The ending of the show was very engaging and I frankly just enjoyed looking at my husband. Many times I wonder how I was so fortunate or blessed to call him mine.  Initially when we first met, I was not that physically attracted to him but now, there is no one I am more attracted too. Sunday was a special stake conference that the counselor in the General Presiding Bishopric presided over.  There were a couple of times that day that I felt the urge to blog and share my small testimony that God lives, knows us, and it is never too late.  One of the ladies that spoke was a mother with six small children. She (Kate Wilson) expressed how she had to ask many days for forgiveness for raising her voice at her children, or being discouraged that she feels that she falls short.  It was refreshing to hear that struggles (inwardly and outwardly) of another mother because motherhood can be so difficult at times yet the most rewarding thing ever too. I can only hope that my four sweet children know that I am giving it my best and most of the things I do is for them and their father.
On a last note, we received Christopher's t-ball pictures from last year. What a cute kid he is.

January 2017 update

It is difficult to believe that it is almost the end of January and more difficult that it is 2017. There are days when I feel I like that our days do not ever slow down. It seems there is always something going on, luckily for us, basketball season ended this week so that will help. It can be a challenge at times to try to manage our schedules and all our activities with our sweet babes. Ginny is still conditioning for softball during the week, except for on Sundays (what a good but hard choice for her because it may effect if she makes the team or not). Aubree is involved in her drama production at school, and the boys, well they are just the boys. Both my boys can be the absolute sweetest things ever but they can also be such little boogers. For example, last week, Will refused to get off the bus stop because he wanted to show the new driver the route. Not that he knows the route because it ends for him when he gets off the bus. While I am grateful that he wanted to help, he still got in trouble. Christopher woos me with his ways, especially on Wednesday evenings when everyone is at church (Jake is at young mens, the girls and young womens, and Will at cub scouts). Last week as I was folding clothes, Christopher showered, put on a suit, a heaping amount of cologne, and came in my room with a chocolate bar, got on one knee, and asked me on a date for ice cream. How can you resist that?!? School preparations keep us all on our feet as well. January has been busy with young women's because we are traveling to the different wards/branches for New Beginnings. January also brought me my first LulaRoe pop up party. I am determined to make our money back because I made such a big investment in it. So I have been trying to schedule parties and am participating in my first multi-sale this week, tonight actually. It feels that I have not been home one evening this week and will not be until we leave for Cabo. Next week, Jake and I are going to Cabo with the adults in his family. While I am very nervous about leaving my kids, it will be nice to just focus on each other. 

 

Happy New Year

We left Odessa on New Years Eve to go spend the evening in Lubbock with Tommie and his family. After five restroom breaks for a two and a half hour drive, we finally made it. Jake and the kids very much enjoyed playing games as they awaited to ring in 2017. The next morning we awoke, ate yummy homemade waffles, and then began out journey back to Bartlett Tennessee. It was nice to pull into our drive way. Jake and I had work the next day but the kids did not have to start back to school till the day after so it was a busy night getting ready for work the next day. During our lunch break, we picked up the kids and had tacos. Our break was a little off from the district because Jake presented his STEM Challenger series to the other districts. He has devoted a lot of time to this and at times it has been a challenge to be patient about it because there are times he jumps ahead of himself. We spent close to $1000 on materials and then hours printing and binding the materials. The launch of it seemed well and other districts seem very excited. Wouldn't it be nice if it took off well and I would not have to work. That is a slim to none and I am not certain that I have it in me not to work. This week ended up only being a three day school week for the kids because we had a snow day Friday; the district made the right call because it was slick. Saturday, Jake went to help someone out up a television and I got the bright idea to take down the exterior Christmas lights as a surprise to him because I knew he was dreading it. I failed to realize just how cold it was and my fingers were red and frozen. I had to come in and warm up once but was determined to get it done. I was on putting away the last strand when he pulled up. He helped me with. The remained of the day, we spent time together and I looked into successful ways to sell Lularoe since I crazily signed up to do it. My inventory should arrive later this week. I am quite nervous about it because it is a big financial risk. Although I hope to make money, I will just be relived when I pay myself back and I do not lose money. Jake woke up with a headache this morning so he did not attend church. We went back to starting at 9, so it was difficult for me to get up but I am glad that I did. As I listened to the testimonies, I felt a sense of importance to read the Book of Mormon with my family this year. If we read 18 verses a day, we can finish it by the end of the year. Although that does not seem like much, our schedules get so hectic that it may prove to be a challenge. Another thing that hit me was the importance of remembering the things that the Lord has done in my life, including the small little things like a reminder to call someone to keeping my word. I know that the Lord hears and answers my prayers. I am hopeful that he is mindful of me, which I believe he is and knows me.

Merry Christmas

We Christmas has come and gone already this year. It did not seem much like Christmas this year and I found it difficult to get into the Christmas spirit but I did very much enjoy seeing the kids light up Christmas morning. The boys were both able to go to Polar Express this year. Will went with a friend from school and Christopher went with Nana and Charity. Christopher tracked Santa through the day. The boys were way excited and could not contain themselves. Aubree was quite emotional about most of her gifts and Ginny was a typical teenage girl. She wanted her sleep. We continued our tradition of booby trapping the house, using 130 bells this year in balloons.The idea is if the kids can get through with out waking us up, then the can open gifts. If they wake us up, then we get to decide when they are allowed to open gifts. It seems that the children really enjoy the concept. We kept Christmas gifts simple this year and did not go overboard. After unwrapping gifts, I began to take down interior decor (because we left for Texas the next morning), Jake made homemade cocoa, and the children enjoyed playing with their gifts. This year fell on a Sunday, so we were fortunate to go to church, partake of the sacrament, and sing carols together. After sacrament meeting, we came home and prepared to go to Jackson for dinner. It was delicious! It was different without Papaw this year but we enjoyed ourselves. After getting home about 9:00pm, we decided to go ahead and head to Texas, so we left the house about 10:00pm. We have enjoyed seeing family and being together.

Happy Birthday Jake

Nine years ago today, Jake and I were blessed with our first boy. He was a black haired little chunk. His personality keeps growing. Some of his favorites are: Papa, pizza, sweets, soda, baseball, tanks, helicopters, video games, and Utah football. He definitely keeps us on his toes but we would not have it any other way.

I believe-

Do I really believe in a virgin birth? In a perfect human? A Savior for ALL people? Do I believe in angels and heaven and an afterlife? Do I really believe that miracles still happen and God still speaks to us? Do I believe in prophecy and the language of tongues? Do I truly believe in a being that created us all in his own image, a being that is all loving and benevolent, kind and good? In fact and in truth, I do. But I also believe in humankind. I believe that same God created us for far greater things than we are accomplishing. I believe that He made us and this world and set it on its course and whispered into our very souls, "As I have loved you, love one another. Take care of each other in my place. I won't be with you in body so you BE my body. Love the fatherless, love the widows, love the orphans, love your neighbor, be fierce in your protection of children, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, care for the downtrodden, give asylum to those who are seeking refuge, visit the prisoners, forgive seven times seventy and then forgive again, don't judge every little thing, but if you must judge, judge righteously. But above all, love one another, as I have loved you." Faith in something you have no proof in perhaps seems silly or even a little crazy but my faith makes me who I am. My faith in the Baby Jesus and most especially the man He grew to become helps me to be more loving and forgiving, more in want of change, change for our world, for myself and for my family. My faith makes me more tolerant, it makes me want to be the woman I was meant to be. And with that faith you must continue to hear the bell. I love the analogy of still being able to hear the bells of Christmas when you grow up from the children's book The Polar Express. When we were children we ALL heard the bells or the magic of Christmas but as we get older somehow we lose the magic of believing. Believing is the only thing that makes life magical and fun and worth getting up every morning for. Do I still believe in Santa Claus? Heck yes! I believe in everything he represents. I believe in giving until you have nothing left to give, in making children smile and I believe in things that seem impossible being possible. I believe in his symbol of Christmas, that it truly is better to give than receive. That is why I know down to my very core that there are things greater than ourselves, ideas, thoughts and a loving creator that didn't leave us alone. He sent His son to save us all. He came in the meridian of time to save each one of us and He would have done it if there were just one of us. How dearly I love and appreciate His sweet sacrifice on my behalf, and yours, and my children's. I love the thought of that precious little baby boy born in the City of David in the most humble of circumstances, born into a troubled world to bring it peace. I love it's simplicity, it's grandeur and it's perfect form. So, do I believe? Yes. Yes. One hundred thousand times, yes. I believe. Merry Christmas dearest friends and family. May you keep and hold the magic of Christmas in your heart this weekend and may It give you peace and love forever.❤️

December already

Somehow December has snuck upon me and I neglected to do my Thanksgiving post. We are so technology dependent in this day that when my phone kept closing the app, I did not get on the computer to blog about thanksgiving. This year we drove to James and Cathys for dinner (James is my dads brother). Grandmother Christine was also there so dad was appreciative that we drove up. Sandra and Rebekah were not able to come so they went black Friday shopping. Christopher has asked for a "hatching egg" (hatchimal) for Christmas and they were able to get the nearly impossible toy for us. Seth was visiting from Idaho so we enjoyed having him stay with us a couple of days. School let out for the Christmas holiday on Friday (12/16), so we are looking forward to spending time together. I have been a little discouraged that I will not receive a Christmas or birthday card this year from my Papaw but I decided to send out cards this year to help brighten my days. I read a talk by Elder Jeffrey R Holland recently called "Christmas Comfort" that helped comfort. Basically it explains that we love good, so we hurt good too. I read the talk twice and reflected on how I am glad that I had the opportunity to love him and my mamaw, they set the bar high for grandparents. I am grateful for a living Heavenly Father that most likely suffered watching his son suffer for me that I can have the opportunity to live again and be a forever family. Oh Will advanced to Bear in cub scouts.