Proof

Here is a little proof that we did celebrate Halloween this year:

We went to the Trunk-or-Treat in Odessa so that I could spend a little time with all three children (including the older two since Halloween AGAIN fell on their father's weekend).  So glad it will be on a Monday next year!!

We had a pink cowgirl, an Army guy, and a Thomas (again) with a pumpkin hat and double ear infection.

We did actually manage to carve pumpkins and even remembered to light them twice!

Unfortunantly, I almost forgot one evening to blow them out and the middle pumpkin was scorched quite badly as a result....thankfully Jackson didn't really notice, but the smell was pretty awful!

And here is some proof for Muzzie-

I got a cute phone call from my dear mother yesterday in which she asked, "Hey, do you still have your dog?"

I assured her that even though I have a difficult time keeping my blog current, we do indeed still have our dog.

He is an adorable little beagle named Skipper and we love him!

Texture is Good

This past weekend I finally took on a project I've wanted to do for four years. 

When we moved into our house, it had the ugliest wallpaper in the dining room and in the room that is now my boys' bedroom.

As a quick and inexpensive solution, we primed and painted over the wallpaper in both rooms. 

Huge improvement? Yes.

Permanent solution? No.

I grew tired of being able to count all of the wallpaper lines every time I sat at my dining room table.

So with a little joint compound, some paint, and a whole lot of guts (hoping I wouldn't seriously mess up my walls!), I immersed myself in a transformation....

Here's the beginning of texturing......

no more green:

Covering the walls:



A little beige paint and VOILA!:

 So much better!

This weekend I'll be in the boys room hoping for the same results!

A Vow of Silence

This morning I decided to take a vow of silence. 

Not hard to do when you wake up with almost no voice.

These darn allergies get me at this time every single year. 

So, I whispered my way through the morning and got each child drop off at school.

(Including Jackson who is now going to full-time preschool....hip, hip, hurray!!)

Then, I spent the day resting my non-existent voice and hoping that by some miracle it would suddenly reappear by 3:00pm in time to referree kids during the after-school witching hours.

No such luck.

Looks like I will be extending my vow of silence into tommorrow.

Not that I have much choice!

If you need to talk to me, please email.  You won't hear me if I answer the phone.

Just ask my husband!

What I'd Like To Accomplish This Week...

Oh, and this

And how about repainting the outside of this:

I'm thinking new light cream trim color and black painted iron posts.

Oh, and this was how nice the front of my house looked last year....with all my home grown pumpkins.

Not looking quite that nice yet this year and unfortunantly no such pumpkins.

Well, did you really think any of this would happen this week?

Yeah, me neither but I can dream right?  Maybe start planning?  Maybe run some of these plans by the hubby first?

Hmmm....maybe not yet. 

Timing is everything, eh?

So, been awhile, huh?

I guess I just needed a bit of a break. 

I am learning that when I already can't keep up with everything, sometimes I just have to quit trying to keep up with everything.

You can only imagine how many things got neglected. 

But, I figured it was time to get back on the wagon. 

Again. 

I won't attempt to detail all the events that took place while I've been away. 

But, there is one event that I would like to share...

My little man, Skyler, was baptized last month.

I guess there's a particular sentiment that we mother's share when our firstborn goes through this precious experience.

And can I just say how adorable he is? Just don't tell him I said that.  He's a little sensitive about being called "cute", "adorable" or even "handsome" these days!

Here's our most recent family picture....

So what else has been going on around here?

 The simple answer is:

Just about everything. 

 Trying to keep up with it all is still a daily battle that usually defeats me.

But is there anyone out there who doesn't feel that way? 

 If there is, please.....share your secrets!!

I could use a paddle or two...

The Mother's Day Post That Didn't Happen

This Mother's Day I felt particularly sentimental.  I really took time to reflect upon the opportunity I've had to be a mother and the journey that I have been on in that endeavor.

I spent a couple of hours Mother's Day afternoon, while the rest of my household was sleeping (or playing "quietly" in their rooms...a special Mother's Day treat for me since that never happens) and browsed through file after file on my computer of old pictures chronicling my mothering years thus far. 

I had lofty intentions of documenting many of these pictures in some profound Mother's Day post.

Then life happened.

The household woke up with a start ushering demands upon me: feed me, change me, play with me, listen to me, do this, do that, etc.

My computer was set aside with intentions of returning to post later.

Then Jackson nearly broke his nose on our coffee table while running into the room with a blanket over his head while I helplessly shouted at him to "STOP! STOP!" but, it was already to late.  I finally got to him, picked him up and quickly rushed him into the kitchen, knowing that would most definitely be blood.

And there was.  Tons and tons from that little nose, but I was most grateful that he didn't knock any teeth out!

The following hours of that evening were filled with anxiety of whether or not to take him to the ER, and questions of whether he might have broken his nose or suffered a minor concussion.

Happy Mother's Day to me, right?

In the end we decided not to take him in, and he healed very quickly from the episode.  Which, by the way, he later told me what inspired him to go running in with a blanket over his head....."I BE DI-NO-SORE, SCARE YOU MOMMY, RAAAOORRR!" 

He sure did scare me!

So, the Mother's Day post never happened, but I copied a lot of my favorite pictures into one file....

....and tonight came across them again and decided to share them anyway.  Even if it's just one at a time.  So here you go:

Mother's Day Picture #1

My first baby, Skyler, and I on a snowy, February, Salt Lake City, day.  I don't have many of Skyler's baby pictures, especially ones with me in them due to our computer crashing several times during his early life with backups that were few and far between. 

But I love this picture.

Believe it or not, this was actually a happy time.  A time still full of hope and optimism of a happy life as a family.  It all went downhill shortly after this time.  But, at least in that moment, that smile on my face is real. 

And, I was completely and utterly in love with that little baby and with my newfound motherhood. Afterall, all I really ever wanted to be when I grew up was a mother.

.

.

.

 ......and that is still all I want to be when I grow up.

... more pictures to come later ...

Picture of the Day

Skyler makes some awesome faces sometimes when getting his picture taken. 

Observe below:

Humorous yet a little frightening at the same time!

Love this kid!