Motherhood: An Eternal Partnership with God

Answered prayer - be careful what you ask for

Okay so a little back ground for this post - We had our home teachers from church come over a couple Sundays ago and were talking to us about talents. They asked the kids what talents they had and then asked them what talents Jared and I had. Jared got "good at basketball and baseball , take care of people, firefighter'' and a couple others. When they asked about me -  I'm thinking " taking care of you, cooking, playing games, reading to you,staying up all night with you when you're sick or have a nightmare, going through all the pain when I was in labor to bring you here! ( okay maybe thats not a talent but they better appreciate it) , blah, blah blah" all the stuff we moms do selflessly everyday. That's not what I got - I just got dead silence. Then Bailee says " cleaning" - okay I can take that one. But then Raden pipes up and says " I would have to say yelling"    AAAAHHHH!!!! Seriously? I would have taken the dead silence! Of course Jared is on the other side of the couch busting up laughing and the home teachers are graciously trying hard to not smile too much but I am completely mortified and embarrassed. Then along with those feelings comes an even stronger one of complete shame- like someone had just completely stabbed me though the heart. It hurt - a lot. Mostly because I know that I do yell too much. I like to think of it as raising my voice when the kids dont listen but I guess they think of it differently. Of all the things that I hope my kids remember me by, yelling wasn't exactly on my list of hopes. And it hurt because I had been trying - really hard. So my goal was to pray each morning for one thing - to help me not to react. To ask  Heavenly Father to help me to slow down and look at each situation and then act instead of just immediately reacting to what ever was going on. So yesterday morning I said my morning prayers and included that plea. A little while later I was at the computer trying to get some bills finished after breakfast and Lexi was just starting to get breakfast - we are constantly waiting on that girl. So I hear the refrigerator open and then a loud thunk and then Bailee yelling ( guess I know where she gets it) at Lexi to not just stand there but to pick it up because it is getting everywhere. Okay- I decide not to go in there right away so I can take a second to not react. It doesnt help that Bailee comes running in telling that there is milk all over the kitchen. So I take a breath and then slowly go into the kitchen. On the floor is a once full gallon of milk that is now split in half with all of the milk all over the kitchen. And I mean, floor, counters, walls, cuboards, oven, - you name it and milk was on it. But I looked and Lexi and she was starting to cry - she does a good fake one, but this was a real one - her little lip was trembling and she  felt really bad about it. Being the middle child she really does get left out pretty often ( not little enough to really have to be taken care of but too little to do everything by herself) and she said that she just wanted to be big and try to get the milk by herself but she dropped it getting it down.

Trust me - this picture does not even begin to do justice.

I was able to not react. I held her and told her that it was okay - that she was more important than the milk and that the floor needed to be mopped anyway - it really didnt, Jared just did it the day before, but that was what I kept telling myself. I also did the whole - say " I wont get mad" 10 times because in reality it wasnt something to get mad over. That actually works by the way. So an hour and a half later the kitchen was clean - again - and Lexi was feeling better.

So the moral of this long post was not to say look at the good job i did - but to say that prayers are answered. I have been praying for a long time for help to not react to things and I think that I just expected that someday I would just get handed this great gift of patience and long suffering and I was getting a little frustrated that Heavenly Father was taking so long to give me this gift. Then when this all happened I realized  - hello - that this was an opportunity  - one of many  - given to me to LEARN patience and long suffering. When we ask for something, we are expected to do our part and work hard. Then Heavenly Father will make up the difference. I know that I could never make it all the way by myself. Now,  I know that spilled milk is not a big deal. But it opened my eyes to how Heavenly Father answers prayers. SO - be careful what you pray for because you will probably be given the opportunity to learn it.

13 Bike Ride Rules

Okay - if anyone ever thinks about taking four kids on a bike ride - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE look at these rules first. It will save a lot of heartache and trouble.

1 - Dont go in the months of May- Sept. Or at least go before 5 am or after 9 pm. Otherwise you will die of heat stroke.You'd think I'd know that by now - and we were out of the house by 7:30 am

2- Dont go when you are almost five months pregnant - it makes it hard to run alongside the kids that you are trying to teach how to ride.

3- Try to make sure that there is a one adult  to one kid that cant ride ratio.

4- Make sure everyone pees BEFORE you leave the house

5- After you make sure there is air in all the tires double check that the tires all KEEP the air - otherwise child number three may get the place you are riding and end up having to just run around because they have a flat tire.

6- Make sure the place that you are going is only a short distance away so that when child number four decides she is finished riding - which is just half way down your street - you wont have far to walk the bike.

7- Dont let them take knee pads, elbow pads, and hands guards. You will end up trying to figure a way to carry everything while walking the bike. Just tell them to be tough and that cuts and scratches will heal.

8- If you have a child that freaks out if they bleed- take a band aid. No matter how much  you tell them that they are okay - they will still freak out.

9- Take ALOT of water! Most  of it will end up in a water fight or getting spilled.

10 - Make sure that the tennis shoes  all fit. It is really hard to balance a child on a too big bike that you are pushing along with all the hand, wrist and elow guards, empty water bottles, and helmets. And the whole time as sweat is dripping down your face ,you are being told to go faster because they are hot. That was child number four.

11- Make sure the older kids one and two know the way home so when they get bored they dont have to wait for you and complain.

12- Tell them ahead of time that they are not keeping any bugs or insects they find. Then google  what grasshopper eat so you already know when they ask what to feel their new pet.

13- Dont have unrealistic expectations-  in fact, if you go just expecting complete chaos then you wont be disappointed and it will be a good day!

And yes I made them come out and take a picture with their bikes when we got home since I didnt take my camera along. Are you kidding? That would have been another thing that I would have had to carry. Oh well. Even though I had to drag them out they did have fun. I think.

Raden turns 7

There are no words to say how grateful I am that you are a part of our family. I know you put up with so much being the only boy but I am so glad that Heavenly Father sent you to us. I love how determined and strong willed you are. You have an incredible mind and I am constantly amazed at the things that you think and figure out. We love you and hope you had a great 7th birthday!



So I didn't do a very good job with pictures this time- somehow I cant even find the pictures I took of the cake and candle blowing. Raden wanted to have a couple friends over for a swimming party and had a lot of fun being with " the boys"  Both mine and Jared's parents came and Jared's sister and cousins came too.

He got a lot of star wars and legos and hasnt stopped playing with them - when his cousin left the party his cousin told his sister " I figured something out! The more people you invite to your party the more presents you get!"  Love his and Lexi's face expressions :)

This picture doesnt have anything to do with his birthday and may not mean anything to anyone else but being the only boy in the family he is always where Jared is and is helping out with whatever project he is doing. Here they were putting the new vacuum in the pool and Raden was being Jared's little side kick. I love it.

Memorial Day 2010

We didn't do anything real exciting for memorial day - these are just a couple of pictures to get caught up.


" There were three in the bed and the little one said ... roll over,  roll over"      Don't ask where I ended up sleeping :)

Our washing machine gave out on us so we had to bite the bullet and get a new one. Who would have thought they would like it more than I do? Nothing is more fun than to watch clothes going around and around.  I love how Raden actually got a chair to sit on to watch.

We  also drained our swimming pool and cleaned it real good for the summer before refilling it- the kids thought it was cool that they could get in without getting wet.

More and better updates coming soon ...

Friends

This is Bailee and one of her best friends Kennedy. They just started to be close the last couple of months - but now Kennedy's family is moving to Tennessee on Sunday. Bailee is really going to miss her but they have promised to keep in touch with email and blogs. Bailee got a free meal coupon to Texas Roadhouse from her school for having perfect attendance last quarter - I know , crazy ( especially cuz I think school can be optional sometimes ) -  and I thought it would be fun to take  just the two of them out to dinner and then to the store to find Bailee a new swimsuit. Lots of giggling, laughing and having fun! Also Bailee has really worked hard this year with her math and was able to get her grade up enough this quarter to make On-A-Roll ( honor roll). I am so proud of her- it hasnt been easy but she never gave up. Love you Bailee!

On to new and bigger things

I've never been one to be overly excited about preschool. If my kids wanted to go and it wasn't very expensive then that was fine- but I'm not one to put them in when they are just turning three, camp overnight to get them in  and pay a fortune for it. If you do- that's great  and I hope I dont hurt your feelings -  its just not a priority of mine. I figure they will be gone soon enough and I can teach them what they need to know to get ready for kindergarten. That being said - Bailee went to one semester of a preschool and Lexi and Raden both went  a year to the marana playroom - not an accredited preschool. It was cheap and only for 3 hours two days a week - so I figured why not. Lexi had a little graduation last Saturday for her class. Now when Raden went - we didn't even go to his "graduation" - he didn't care - and I wasn't planning on going to this one. HELLO PEOPLE ITS PRESCHOOL - I will be there for her high school graduation. Jared was working that day and Raden had a baseball game so I told Lexi that we were going to miss it. Well she turned on the huge crocodile tears and I caved and told her we would work it out. She told me that they had been practicing songs and everything for it. So as much as I didn't care to go - I realized that it was important to her and made plans for Raden to go with a friend to his game - since we have been to all his games and there are more to go. The little ceremony was hot, loud and a little crazy. But when they walked out in their little cap and gown - yes they wore a cap and gown- I realized that maybe the reason I didn't want to go was because I would have to admit that my little Lexi is too old for preschool and will be starting "real" school in a couple months. Out in to the real big world. On to new and bigger things.You would think I would be used to this - but it doesn't get any easier, if anything it gets harder and they seem so much littler when they get on the bus that first time, and second time, and 100th time- even when they are going into second and fifth grade.  Dang- where did the time go and why does it have to go so fast!?  Doesn't she look cute in her cap and gown? Here is to 11 short weeks of getting to have my babies home with me.

Up up and away ...

Bailee made a huge paper airplane and gave it to Raden - he decided to turn it into a jet pack and tried it out on the trampoline - too fun! I love this crazy kid!

Temple Trip

We had the opportunity to take our kids to the Gila Valley Temple open house. They were so excited to be able to go through the temple before they were old enough to get a recommend. The tour itself only lasted about 30 min but we were able to go through all the rooms. It is impossible to describe the feeling of being there with the kids. Maybe just a taste of what after this life can be like. It is a small but beautiful temple. We met Alicia and Hyrum and their kids there too and went to lunch with them after - at Casa Manana of course. It was also fun because Jared and I both went to college there and that is where we met so we were able to show the kids our old stomping grounds. I hope that the kids will remember that day and the feeling they felt inside the temple.

Raden's first.... and second lost teeth

So Raden has been waiting and waiting for his teeth to fall out. He is the last one of his friends to have teeth fall out. We noticed one day that all four front teeth were loose and I told him that he was going to lose all four at the same time. I was close ...

His first tooth was really loose and really bothering him when he ate so he asked me to pull it. Jared doesnt do teeth pulling - you would think with all that he sees in his job it wouldnt bother him- but it does- so I am the designated tooth puller - unless Tata ( Jared's Dad) is around and then the kids want him to pull it because he gives them money ( Bailee once got $11 out of him). I do it for free:)  So here is the first tooth picture.. and yes he had to stand by his star wars poster :)

Then later that night he told me that this other tooth was bothering him and I looked and saw that it was really loose too - probably could have waited a couple more days but he wanted to go to school with both teeth missing so I tried to pull that one too - took three times but out it popped! He was SO excited! Bailee made him a tooth holder out of a sock she cut and he ran and put it under his pillow. I'm pretty sure it was a clean sock.  Later  he asked if he could sleep with me ( Jared was working) and I asked him why. He motioned to me to come to his room because it was a secret so I followed him in and then he whispered " I know that you are the tooth fairy and I know that you put the money under my pillow. I know you dont feel good so I didnt want you to have to walk to my room to do it".  Who could resist that? So he slept  in my bed and somehow ended up in his bed sometime in the middle of the night. SO I had to walk to his room anyway.  He announced to me this morning that he got $3 from the tooth fairy - I'm thinking ... What? I only gave you two! Either I was really tired or Bailee wanted to be in on the tooth fairy fun!  He is very excited to drink his juice box with the straw in the hole in his teeth and cant wait to show his friends that he can spit with his mouth closed. Now that is talent!