If the weather would just cooperate.......

(Ok, I wish my backyard looked like that picture. Too bad my yard is about two feet wide and ten feet long!)

I love this time of year when I bring home new plants to spruce up my yard or put in pots. I'm excited for this spring because we FINALLY have all of our fencing, curbing, and rock done (only took us two years) and since all of that cost a lot of money, this year I need to only spend money on the fun stuff. YAY!!!

I love gladiolas, and last year I planted bright red ones all along my fence line where I could see them out of our dining nook window. They looked so pretty and cheered me up every time I looked at them. I also have planted quite a few hostas since they seem to do well in my backyard and I love their green foliage.

I also have a "disabled" tree in our backyard that I am thinking about replacing.

I wanted to pick people's brains a bit to see what plants you like, and what are some tried, true, and tested ones that thrive here in our area. Any suggestions or comments are welcome, even if you are an inexperienced gardener like myself.

Two Words

IT'S SNOWING!



It is so cold outside. Happy Spring to us indeed. While I was getting my hair done today, the salon became abuzz with chatter. Everyone was in disbelief that those were real flakes we were seeing out the window. Two hours later it's still coming down. Must be that crazy global warming. HA!

I'm so glad Kendle had her first tee-ball practice last night and not today.

Well, I'm off to go dig up a sweater and turn the thermostat up a notch or two. Let's hope for some sunshine this weekend shall we?

Reasons I love being a mom

*Finding money while doing laundry
Granted, it might only be a few dimes and nickles, but it does add an element of surprise to such drudgery. And it's a lot better than finding smushed chocolate candies or chap stick.

*Having perpetual slobber marks on the shoulder of every shirt I own
Drool on the shoulder is the true mark of motherhood. Double points if it is a new shirt.

*Unconditional love
Five minutes after you've reprimanded or been cross with your child they've forgotten and are ready to be your best friend again. Amazing.

*Evolving into a multi-tasking machine
Being a mom has taught me how to type on the computer, feed a baby, and talk on the phone at the same time. Every day you're thrown into the gauntlet of "Survival of the Fittest" and you'd better be ready to cook dinner, watch the news, answer the phone, load the dishwasher, and keep your baby from pulling out all of the Saran wrap simultaneously. I'd like to see Martha Stewart do that.

*Smiles, kisses, and hugs on demand
Sometimes there's nothing better than gathering your children around you for a group hug. And how can you say no to big wet slobbery kisses accompanied by "I wuv you mama". My heart melts.

*Hearing the pitter-patter of little feet
Granted it's not as cute at 6:00 in the morning than say oh, 8:30, but I know I will miss it when all of those little feet have grown into big feet that don't want to get out of bed in the morning.

*Being a teacher
There is something so satisfying about watching your child learn something new, big or small. Teaching our children is one of the biggest responsibilities we have as mothers, and also one of the most fulfilling. We help shape these little people into who they are going to be. No other job or career in the world can come close to touching that.

*Checking on everyone before I go to bed
I love when the house is quiet, and I go around to turn off lights and lock doors and peek in on my children to make sure they are covered up and tucked in. I can't help but stare at their peaceful little faces. Remember this post and picture? So sweet.

Being a mother is so much harder than I ever could have imagined, but I feel blessed for the opportunity. The good, the bad, and the ugly. It's all worth it.

"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path." -Agatha Christie

"I am a mother. I am an asset manager. I specialize in futures." -unknown

20 pounds

*Warning-this might be a little whiny and self indulgent, so read on at your own risk.

OK, I'm putting it out there. I'm trying to lose this last 20 pounds that won't budge. This baby weight is happy and comfortable and not wanting to go anywhere. I'm not one of those people who have the pounds melt off after having a baby, I have to seriously work my booty off with diet and exercise. The last couple of weeks I've been able to make a few pounds go away and stay away, but I'm still a far cry from my goal weight. I'm not even trying to get down to what I weighed before I was pregnant, just in the ball park. After I had Kendle, it took me almost two years to lose most of the weight ( I guess that's what happens when you gain almost sixty pounds), but I remember I had to really shock my body into losing weight. I jump started the process by going on a no-carb diet for a little while, and then gradually adding a few carbs back in. I looked at some pictures of myself from over the weekend, and had one of those "aha" moments. I asked my husband "is that what I really look like?". Of course he says all of the nice husband things, like you look great, and all of that, but it was then that I realized that I'm not going to sit around and complain about it anymore and starting this week I'm going to put myself in weight loss mode for real. I usually run or walk on the treadmill a couple of times a week, but I'm going to really push myself this week to run hard and do all of the other extras (crunches, resistance bands, lunges, stretching).

*Here is where the whiny self-indulgent part really kicks in. Just warning you.

I think the hardest thing for me, is that my whole life I've always been thin and not had to worry about my weight. This is not an asset to me because I can trick myself into thinking that I can still eat whatever I want and burn it off. Boy how the metabolism gods are laughing at me now.

I know a lot of you can relate to that, and I realize that it's not a diet, it's a life style change that works in the long run. Here are some things that sabotage my weight loss:

-I love to bake. AND I feel like a bad mom if I don't make cookies or a little treat for my family at least once a week.

-This time of year our family is on the go constantly, and it is way easier to eat junk or grab some fast food, than pack healthy food or eat before we go. (I know, excuses, excuses)

-My family loves to snack. If we go to my parents house they always have tons of snacks and goodies and I feel like I have a free pass or something to eat whatever I want because I'm at their house. I know it doesn't make sense, but in my delusioned state of snacking, I can convince myself that whatever I eat there will not count in the weight department.

Why did I write this post? I'm embarrassing myself into accountability I guess you could say. Next time you see me, I want you to ask me how my weight loss and exercise program are going.

Also, if anyone has any tasty low-carb, low-fat recipes you'd love to share, don't be afraid to send them my way. You can e-mail them to me if you'd like. If I get quite a few recipes, I'll post them on my blog for everyone to share.

Great Easter Weekend

Here are some more pictures we took before church yesterday. Don't judge me for my horrible photography and wiggly children.

Hope you all had a great Easter weekend. Is anyone else suffering from a candy hangover?

Weekend plans

So far, my weekend is shaping up to go something like this (actually I'm hoping it will go mostly like this):

Today: Tidy up the house,

Shop for last minute Easter supplies,

Make a bunny cake and possibly some of these for tomorrow,

Stuff Easter Eggs with goodies,

Babysit my 3 month old nephew so my sister-in-law can have a night out

Watch this movie with my family


Tomorrow:

Fix a yummy breakfast

Pack up the car (for some reason we always have to take a ton of stuff)

Head to my parents house in I-town

Enjoy fun filled day of Easter egg hunts, Easter surprises, good food, and good company

Drive home, throw the kids in bed, and pass out


Sunday:

Wake everyone up to the smell of cinnamon rolls

Surprise the kids with their new Easter outfits (OK, really only Kendle will be surprised. Morgan will just be like - cool, something new to slobber on)

Try to do most of the prep work for a yummy Sunday dinner so I can actually feed my family before 7:00 p.m. (not an easy task when you get home at almost 6:00)

Spend the day reflecting on our Saviour and talk with my family about his great sacrifice for us and his resurrection.



I hope to have tons of pictures to post on Monday. I will try very hard to be a good, picture taking mom.


Enjoy this fun and special weekend with your families!!!!

Good find

My friend Kristen wrote a funny post about losing things. I can totally relate; isn't it frustrating when you can't find something you really want or need? And then when you do find the lost item, you feel like you've won a small lottery.

Remember a few posts back when I was searching for a song? Well, I found it! I am so excited. *A little back story: My mother is the YW's president in the Hermiston Stake and they are planning a pioneer trek this summer for the youth of their stake. At a meeting a couple of weeks ago, one of the people helping to plan the trek put on a little presentation and played some incredible music along with it. One of the songs really struck a chord with my mom, and she had to call and tell me it would be the sweetest song for Kendle to learn and she couldn't stop thinking about it. She couldn't remember the exact title, just something like "I'm going to climb a mountain".

Fast forward to this last Sunday and while attending a ward conference she ran into the lady who had the music and found out the song is called "Somewhere There's a Mountain", by Jason Deere. It's from the soundtrack to "Trek", A Nashville Tribute to the Pioneers.













I hopped online, and searched and searched but could not find anything about it. Then by a mere chance I found the website for The Nashville Tribute Band who performed the songs. They had the sheet music to purchase and I couldn't believe my luck! Not only that I found the song and the sheet music to it, but that I discovered Jason Deere and his amazing song writing. He also wrote "Joseph" a Nashville Tribute to the Prophet. I think you can buy the Cd's at the church book store. Is anyone familiar with either album? Have I just been living under a rock? After reading about some of their performances, I was really bummed that I missed any that were close to our area.

One thing that was also a coincidence is that they did a performance in Malad, ID which is where my pioneer ancestors made their way to and settled. This summer our extended family is gathering to dedicate a trail marker in their honor.

Anywho, I digress, but I need to thank my mom for finding out what the song was called and for encouraging me to find it. It's funny how a small act can set off a chain of events. Learning a new song about pioneers, thinking about my ancestors, feeling the need to read about them and where they came from...........

Has anyone else had a great find lately?

Terrific Tuesday

Today is bound to be a great day. If the weather cooperates that is. I will be attending my little sister's first softball game of the season. Tam plays center field and has an amazing throwing arm.

I love softball, it's in my blood. Always has been, always will be. I can remember the way my cleats felt in the dirt, and the smack of the ball in my mitt. Next year around this time, I will be suffering from withdrawals. No more softball to watch. Of course I'll have tee-ball and soccer, but it's not the same.

Kendle loves going to games with me and getting to see her grandma and grandpa. There are usually a few other rug rats to run around with too, so she has a great time. Morgan on the other hand, might be an entirely different story. He hasn't spent a whole lot of time outside, so he might not like it very much. Especially if that cold eastern Oregon wind is whipping us in the face.

Well, I have to go dig out my chair, get some warm blankets gathered up, and make sure my umbrella is in the car. Being a spectator is hard work!

*Enjoy your Tuesday*

Going Green

Today is the day to go green. No, I'm not talking about saving the earth, I'm talking about the color that is seen around the world today in the celebration of St. Patrick's Day.

Wikipedia states: The word green is closely related to the Old English verb growan, “to grow”. It is used to describe plants or the ocean. Sometimes it can also describe someone who is inexperienced, jealous, or sick. In America, green is a slang term for money, among other things. Several colloquialisms have derived from these meanings, such as “green around the gills”, a phrase used to describe a person who looks ill.

So In honor of today's holiday here are some of my favorite green things:

Granny Smith's make one heck of a good pie. And I love how they look piled high in a big bowl for decoration as well. One word - fresh.

Who doesn't love Kermit? Enough said.

On first glance, pesto is not that appealing. But if you can get past the look it is so delicious!

I may or may not have been borderline obsessed with the Wizard of Oz in my younger years, and the part where they reach the Emerald City is by far my favorite scene. I wanted to live in the Emerald City. OK, still do.

There is something about a perfectly mowed baseball diamond that can make me stare at it for hours. Green grass + baseball just screams summer to me.

Much to my mother's dismay, I was (and still am) an avid pickle lover growing up. She insists that she could come in my room at night while I was sleeping and smell garlic in the air. Gross huh? That crunchy, garlic goodness calls to me.

There are days when I wish I could turn into the Incredible Hulk. Or just have him as my side-kick. Maybe I'd get out of Walmart a tad bit faster.

I always have a pack of this gum in my purse, car, kitchen junk drawer, or anywhere else I can stash it. Gotta have it on hand for after I eat all of those pickles and pesto.

It's not very often that you see green flowers, but I think these green hydrangeas are so pretty.

If I had to make a list of my all-time favorite songs, "Let's Stay Together" by Al Green would definitely be on there. Every couple should have a "song". Riley and I have a couple, and this is one of them.

Have a great green wearing St. Patrick's Day!!!

Second Chance for more Beatles Music

I was so GLAD when they announced last night on American Idol that they will be doing more music from the Beatles next week due to so many letters, calls, and requests. When I look back on my life, their music definitely made up a huge part in the soundtrack. My parents had all of their records and I think every one of my siblings and I know almost every song by heart. Their music transcends times, fads, and genres. I'm a huge fan. I need to have my mom do a post about them on her blog, because she is the true expert. She can tell you all about the excitement of watching them perform for the first time on the Ed Sullivan show. Here's a clip from that performance:



Their popularity spread like wild fire!

Now even my husband and children love their music and here are some of our favorites:

-Riley loves Twist and Shout, if you've ever seen "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and the parade scene, you know how hard it is to hear that song and not start bopping your head and dancing around.

-I have too many favorites, but I love Blackbird, Hey Jude, Julia, Penny Lane, Yellow Submarine, I Want To Hold Your Hand, Let it Be, You've Got to Hide Your Love Away, Golden Slumbers, OK the list could go on and on.....I can't pick.

-Kendle loves Hello Goodbye, We can work it out, and All you Need is Love. She always requests to listen to her "kids sing the Beatles hits" in the car.

Morgan doesn't have a favorite yet.

After watching the movie "Across the Universe", I fell in love with this music all over again. I loved the arrangements and the amazing voices of the characters in the film. *Side note: I would not say this movie is for everyone, some parts might be kind of trippy and confusing if you aren't familiar with their music and the time period. But the MUSIC is outstanding and I hope that next week on American Idol, the contestants can take a lesson or two from that soundtrack and do something spectacular. To quote from one of their songs, "Don't Let Me Down".

9 month update

I've tried really hard to do a month by month update on Morgan for his 1st year and it so sweet to look back on some of those previous posts. 9 months has gone by incredibly fast, too fast. It's so fascinating to watch your child progress and grow. Life is so new, and everything is so exciting and fun.

Morgan at 9 months is a little explorer. No nook, cranny, or crawl space is left unturned. He loves to get into my magazines and rip, rip, and crumple. His toy bucket sits untouched, yet every DVD is pulled out and spread around the floor. He also likes to do this:

Buttons and the remote are too tempting for this guys little fingers to resist.

He's right on the brink of taking off and walking. He moves from one piece of furniture to the other or anything else he can pull himself up on. He is a little bit more cautious than Kendle was at this age, it's so interesting to see the differences.

His two little bottom teeth are finally visible which makes all of his munching that much easier. Give him a cracker and he'll be your friend for life.

Although, with a sweet little face like that, I'd give him as many crackers as he wanted.

He's also getting to where he looks at me first when he knows he is doing something he's not supposed to, to see if I'm going to stop him. I can see his little brain trying to devise a plan of how to get those off limit items I had to move to a higher place.

It's no surprise that my children love music, but he really rocks out when I turn it on. He literally starts rocking himself and clapping his hands. If he's playing with a toy and a commercial comes on with some music he will instantly stop and turn his full attention to the T.V. until it's over. It cracks me up.

Morgan never really lost any of his hair and it's starting to get long enough that I need to cut it. It looks so cute, (even though Riley gives me a hard time that I comb it like a choir boy) and it's such a pretty color. There's definitely some auburn in there from my side of the family. We can't decide what color his eyes are for sure. They are brown in the middle and blue/green on the outside. They seem to change colors like Riley's do depending on what he's wearing.

If I had to sum Morgan up at this age I would say he is a happy, wiggly, curious, busy, loving, little boy.

Teething

I need to get Morgan this shirt:

He's been so miserable for the last couple of weeks (and so have I) trying to get his two little bottom teeth to come through. My good little sleeper has been up in the middle of the night, fussing and uncomfortable. And last night he was trying to bite my shoulder! Youch!!!

The upside is that he can finally munch on the foods he's been eyeing for the last couple of months, and I'll have a little peace of mind knowing he's not swallowing everything completely whole like he's been doing.

So after another 4:00 wake up call, (which after you're used to your baby sleeping through the night for the last 7 months can be quite a rude awakening) I'm debating on going back to bed for a quick nap since he's still sleeping. Probably not though, because babies have a sixth sense about those things and can feel the impulse to stir the minute you lay your head on the pillow.

On a positive note, I bought some sweet new running shoes this weekend. Now I just need the energy to try them out.

I've definitely got a case of the Mondays. Wah, wah, wah.

The new and improved Meme (from Kim)

What could be more fun on a Friday morning after getting Kendle off to school, than sitting down and posting another "Meme" fact page about myself. Ha,ha. If you have not read Kim's post yet, take a look.

Here we go:

I can:
1. Throw like a boy
2. Read a book in a day
3. Sleep only if it's dead quiet

I can't:
1. Bungee jump (OK, anything that has to do with heights really)
2. Eat rare meat or watch other people eat it
3. Be someone who follows the crowd

I should:
1. Exercise more
2. Count my blessings more
3. Make more time for myself

I could:
1. Have studied music in college
2. Run outside, but I do it on the treadmill so I can watch TV.
3. Call the police on our inconsiderate neighbors who are riding their four-wheeler up and down the road at ten o'clock at night.

I would
1. Like to be able to save more money
2. Start my own charity organization if I had the guts
3. Take all of the sad mistreated little children home with me if I had the money, time, and bigger house.

I will:
1. Be more optimistic
2. Try to be more fun with my family
3. Probably not get to sleep in for the next twenty years of my life

I won't
1. Eat fast food anymore (OK, maybe only once in a while)
2. Let life pass me by
3. Hold grudges

I want:
1. To say I lived a good life
2. To do something spontaneous
3. My children to all be married in the temple

I crave:
1. Summer fun
2. Cookie dough ice cream
3. A good foot massage

I hear:
1. My baby waking up
2. Construction that never ends
3. My stomach growling

I smell:
1. Formula
2. My husband's aftershave
3. like someone who's been spit up on and needs to go take a shower

I see:
1. The sky hinting at sunshine
2. A kitchen that needs to be tidied up
3. My hands and nails that are in serious need of some TLC

I am:
1. Tired but happy
2. A former state champ (I'm gonna beat that one to death)
3. Looking forward to today

I was:
1. A giant in middle school
2. Not a dog person, now they're kind of growing on me
3. Ignorant of how hard it is to be a mother

I hope:
1. To lose this baby weight soon
2. To redecorate my house
3. To embrace getting older

I love:
1. My family
2. My religion, values, and standards for living
3. Being my kids mom (to quote Dr. Laura)

This was really fun to do and made me have to really think about the answers. Thanks Kim for ideas! Even if you don't post this on your blog, you should do it just to ask your self what your answers would be.
Go for it!

Random Question

Has anyone ever heard of the song, "I'm going to climb a mountain" or something similar to that? I'm pretty sure it's sung by LDS artists. I'm trying to find the sheet music to it, and having no luck.

?????????????????????????????

This and That

I have many random thoughts running through my head this morning. Here's a few:

-How is it, that Morgan knows that when he has a stinky diaper it's time to come find mom? Just a minute ago he is happily playing away in the family room and then I hear him come crawling at light speed across the kitchen floor to come pull himself up on my pant legs and smile at me. Yes, I know that smile. That's the I'm stinky and you need to change me smile. Funny how he never does that to his dad. Hmmm....

-This is my dream concert and it's in a dream location as well. Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews in Hawaii! I can't think of it getting much better than that. Maybe next year?

-I want to repaint the interior of my house, but I hate painting the vaulted parts of the wall that are very high. I'm wondering if it's worth it or not. I don't mind painting once I've got everything already set up, it's the prep work that kills it for me. My husband thinks I'm very fickle where paint color is concerned, and he's kind of right. I get bored very easily. Every time I talk about repainting he just rolls his eyes.

-I just finished the longest book ever and now I'm book free. I hate being book free. I need to get a new book A.S.A.P.

- Kendle had another book order she had to turn in today and I'm glad she loves books because that is something I don't mind spending money on. I get excited for her to bring home her new books and have something new to practice her reading with. This time around we ordered some really cute books about spring time. I - LOVE - SPRING!!!

- Have you ever checked out pbsparents.org or pbskids.org? I really like how the parents site gives fun activity ideas for teaching your kids math and other skills. Kendle is getting really curious about telling time, counting change, and math problems in general and I found some things I think she would like from there.

I have many more thoughts, but there's a cute little man who needs cracker crumbs scrubbed off of his hands and face and his walker that looks like it's been through a food fight. Fun times.

A mother's job is never done!

My new favorite song

"Message From Your Heart" by Kina Grannis

Happy Anniversary

6 Years under our belt!


















"What counts in making a happy marriage
is not so much how compatible you are,
but how you deal with incompatibility."
-Leo Tolstoy

I've learned that you need to laugh a lot, forgive a lot, listen a lot, and love a lot. Things are not always going to be easy, but it's how you deal with the hard parts that define your marriage. I married my best friend, and I hope that 80 years down the road we're still best friends.

Life sure has a funny way of working itself out sometimes.