Up for a Quick Breather

Just wanted to let everyone who impatiently waits for new posts on my blog :) know that I am currently drowning in a mountain of school work before the end of my semester so that's why I haven't been posting. I have been trying to work on all the end-of-the-semester projects as I've gone along, but it has been extremely difficult just keeping on top of my regular assignments, let alone get ahead. The bulk of my work is due this weekend so I will be able to resurface then and hopefully get some fun posts in. I've been writing sheets & sheets of cleverness in my head but you'll just have to wait for all of that. Seriously, I would appreciate anyone's prayers in my behalf (& my family's) this week because it is going to be tough. Thanks & I hope you all have a great week!

*Just to give you a quick idea of what I'm up to, I have to start & finish two books, write one complete essay, finish another essay (rough draft is about done), complete two short writing assignments, do 4 reading assignments & corresponding quizzes, and take one test. There are varying due dates towards the end of the week but everything needs to be completed by Saturday (Friday for me 'cause I want to enjoy Conference on Saturday). Don't you wish you could be me this week?

To my Sisters...

I grew up with only one sister and I love her dearly. But the past 9 years have blessed me with 7 new sisters by marriage so now I am lucky enough to count 8 amazing and talented women as my sisters. They are all so different but they each have taught me so much by their examples as daughters, wives, mothers, friends and neighbors.

While I am lucky enough to have 8 sisters, I am unlucky enough to have any live near me. They are spread from Virginia to Utah to Iowa to Texas to other parts of Arizona. I miss them all so much and just wanted to give a quick "shout-out" to the best sisters anyone could ever ask for. I truly learn so much from you, am inspired by all you do in your homes & families, and love you all! Thanks for being who you are!


*By the way, these meager words don't do justice to the admiration and love I feel for these women; but I was thinking of them tonight and just didn't have the time for eloquence :)

Update

I haven't posted pictures of Lane (anyone) for a while and I've been promising some to Milla 'cause people keep telling me he looks like Parks. So here he is, Mr. "not quite 5 months old and I want to crawl". He gets up on his hands and knees and scoots himself forward in a face-planting kind of way. He rolls all over and is very mobile. He already has rough & red crawler's knees.

He is about the smilingest baby around! Unfortunately, he was mostly enthralled with the camera and so I didn't get any very good pictures of his cute smiles! He really does smile for anyone and he laughs a lot. He is fun!

I've been needing to highlight this little guy since he celebrated his birthday a few weeks ago, on Feb. 16! Cade is such a firecracker and we love him!

He wasn't feeling too good on his bday but he enjoyed the ice cream!


He was NOT thrilled about the whole blowing out the candles thing.

What Cade's into these days:

1. Lightning McQueen

2. balls

3. throwing rocks

4. helping in the garden (not to be confused with #3)

5. riding his trike (this translates to pushing his trike as fast as he can, while his little legs try to keep up - for some reason he doesn't like to sit on it)

6. playing outside

7. sleeping in his big boy bed (the bottom bunk)

8. taking Maddie to school (he always says, "Bye honey" or "Love you, sweetie")

9. talking, he has quite the vocabulary and talks a lot

10. Did I mention Lightning McQueen? (the cutest is when he pushes his Lightning car around yelling, "Mack! Mack! Wait! Mack!")

11. helping in the kitchen

12. mac-n-cheese

13. his uncles (he has been calling Quinton "Uncon" - like a combo of Uncle and Quinton)

14. talking on the phone to his grandmas (or grandpas...or aunts...or anyone else who will talk to him)

What Cade's not into:

1. church - he starts crying right when we walk into the chapel

2. waking up from his nap

3. having Cole tell him what to do

4. getting dressed in the morning (this means taking his Lightning jammies off)

5. having to come in from outside

We sure love our Cade and are happy he is in our family! Here's to a great 3rd year!

New Authors

Well, I finally did it. Due to lots of peer pressure from Camilla, my mom, and Jeff...we are now private! j/k Happy to have you all here & if you know of someone who would like an invite but didn't get one, just let me know! So I have now added two new authors to my blog: my dear husband Jeff, and little Madlyn. Stay tuned for some fun additions! Although I wouldn't hold your breath for a post from Jeff, because he has informed me that he will not be posting on our blog. In fact, he has denied any affiliation whatsoever. :) But I wanted him to know he's always welcome to put in his two bits every now and again. On the other hand, I'm sure Madlyn will be posting soon.

It may not be surprising to some of you to know that I often break out in loud, semi-obnoxious singing. The kind of singing that can be heard two houses down. The music for any particular day seems to carry a common theme for that day, whether it be happy, sad, or whatever. Some days you might hear me singing "Chi Vuol La Zingarella", "Pieta, Signore", or some other classical Italian piece. Good times find me singing "There is Sunshine in My Soul Today" and "Press Forward, Saints". A few days ago I realized I was going to town with

Git along home, Cindy, Cindy
Git along home, Cindy, Cindy
Git along home, Cindy, Cindy
I'll marry you someday.

I just caught the funniness in the fact that one of my best friend's name is Cindy...hmmm.

And then there was yesterday. It was dinnertime; I had just rushed through some homework for my Lit. class and Jeff had left to make some missionary visits. I was able to really sit down for the first time all day and the exhaustion started seeping in. It worked its way to my outer limbs and I just sat there, limp, and in a trance. Then it slowly came out in a low, throaty voice,

Ah gets weary, and sick o' tryin'
Ah'm tired of livin' and skeered o' dyin'

And then a Crescendo, the intensity increased

But ol' man river,
He jest keeps rollin'
He keeps on rollin'...a long.

It seemed to fit somewhat. I was WEARY (not so sick of tryin'). And so that's how it was, all through bath time and jammie time. I was 'toting that barge' and 'liftin' that bale', even 'gettin' a little drunk and landin' in ja-il'.

Pretty sure my kids thought I was a little nutso. And now you do too.

Is today today?

Poor Cole is getting a little confused about the whole yesterday, today, and tomorrow thing. He'll often ask, "Mom, is today tomorrow?" Well, yes. Today is yesterday's tomorrow, but now that's way too confusing for a 3 year old! So this morning we're running some errands and this is our conversation:

Cole: Mom, is today today?
Me: Yes, it is Son.
Cole: Whooooo! I love today today!

Cole Boy is on one these days. He started saying, "What the...?" He doesn't say the bad word, he just says 'what the' like he's going to and then stops abruptly - you all know what I mean. Anyways, I promise you he didn't learn that from me because I immediately told him that I didn't like the way that sounded (at least coming from a 3-yr. old) and "would he please not say it anymore?" Well, it seemed like he started saying it more and more and every time I asked him not to say it, he would spit it out a few more times. On Sunday evening we were at my in-laws' house and he said it. I looked at him and started to remind him not to say it (I know, I'm a mean mom) and he interrupted me with, "Mom(very matter-of-factly). If you ask me not to say it, I'm only going to say it more and more times." What?? I look over at my father-in-law, who is busting up, and then to my husband sitting next to me who is trying his best not to crack, and I had to cover my mouth so the giggles wouldn't come rushing out.

Anyways, so we've been trying to come up with other expletives (or not) that he can say to substitute for 'what the...' . His ideas: "What the carnation?" and "What the heck?" I threw out "Holy moly" and "Oh my goodness". He liked "Holy moly" but said he doesn't want to say "Oh my goodness" just in case it's a bad word. So "holy moly" it is. I've already heard it at least 5 times today. Haha. At least he's not trying to say anything worse :)

Closing our Doors...

to the public, that is. Yes, we're taking our blog private. It's something I've been thinking about doing for a while now but just have been procrastinating I guess. Leave your email address if you'd still like to have access. Please do. I don't want to lock out my friends or people I know (it's all the rest of the world I worry about) so if you know us and would like an invite, please leave your email. We're planning on making the switch within the next week or so. Thanks!