You look tired....

Have you ever been out and about and run into someone you know and you think you look pretty good (maybe because you went shopping that day- hypothetically of course), and the first thing out of their mouth is "You look so tired, I've never seen you look so tired." How do you respond to that? "well, thank you...you look tired yourself." - not the best response.

This very thing happened to me this week. I had been shopping earlier in the day and was at a school function with Hunter that evening. I had worked out, trimmed a few grassy bushes in my yard, made dinner, and went to the school. Oh and I had shed a few tears during the day as well...nothing alarming just the regular tear shedding that I do. But I had taken a shower and did my makeup and hair and put on some of my new clothes so I thought I looked okay, but maybe not. So, yes, maybe I was a wee bit tired, but do you really say that to someone?

Anyway, I didn't take offense to that, it just proved to me that you can't really hide how you feel sometimes. And today I had all four kids at church by myself - which was okay...Dallin slept through Sacrament meeting (what a blessing) and I wrestled the other three. What a blessing it is to have an abundant supply of fruit snacks. :) Anyway, I teach Sunbeams...and I have a "helper" that has been called to be there, but she was sick...so wouldn't you know it, I nurse Dallin during Sunday school (1st hour of primary - sharing/singing time) and then trudge on to class. Today instead of my usually 6 sunbeams I had 8! And I walked into class and Dallin began to just scream. I knew it would be fun....I held him the rest of the hour and he finally crashed. For those of you who have taught sunbeams before you know that they all want to sit on your lap show you what they brought to church, have you fix something that broke, tie their shoe, etc. and getting drinks is a task because none of them can reach the drinking fountain....and poor little class I couldn't help because I was holding my 7 week old baby trying to have a normal non-baby screaming class. It was an adventure.

In light of all of this information I have decided that today I hate Elk season becuase church is so hard without the help of my other half. However, I have come to the realization that because I have a testimony I go even when he's gone and I want my kids to go. I was tempted to just stay home - a few of the kids had runny noses...but I didn't want to give in to that. It has made me realize that I am grateful for an active husband who goes to church every Sunday (except when he's out of town) because it would be such a challenge to do it by myself every week- even though I would for the sake of my children.

So, in conclusion if you see me around you can say "You look tired, I've never seen you look so tired." I won't care because single parenting will do that to you. And it's a sacrifice I am willing to make even if it makes me look so tired.

HAPPY SUNDAY TO ALL! Naptime here we come....

The Dryer and Preschool

Yes that is Tyler in the dryer. I am "that kind of mother." He loves to help "fold" clothes (aka: throwing them on the ground to empty it out faster) and when it's empty sometimes he just hops in. He usually has on his socks and slides around and plays for a while and then out he comes.
His latest answer to any question is "Shur" (sure)...and his voice inflects higher at the end of the word....

Gwennie was making both grandpa's birthday cards since their birthdays are this weekend ( a day apart) - she has been very into using scissors because she's big enough and markers because she is in preschool.




As for me, Dallin has been sleeping wonderfully! We got to bed between 9 and 10 and he's usually up around 4am. It's so great! He's only 6 weeks. The Lord must've known my mental state and sent a sleeper (knock on wood). I woke up a few days ago to the lovely sound of rain...I love the rain and how it sounds especially in the middle of the night - there is something very soothing about it. Not much else except plans for yard work and lots of exercise to lose some baby weight.... :)

Teeth and Robots!

Well Hunter lost his first tooth! He was thrilled when he bit into a sucker and it hurt his tooth! He made Travis feel it to make sure it was loose. He's been waiting since Kindergarten to lose one and now he has! He wanted to pull it out the day after he bit the sucker but said he wasn't strong enough so he got a paper towel and pulled with that...and out it came. I don't think he realized he was still using his own strength. Cute kid. The tooth fairy left him $2 in the cup where he put his tooth and also left the tooth for him to keep. I later found out from the tooth fairy's other half (who was Elk hunting) that the tooth should've been taken when the money was left.....oh well.


Hunter has been into creating "robots" lately and convinced Travis to help him make one on Saturday evening. So out came the diaper boxes and water bottle caps and here is the result of their efforts. He is thrilled with his final product! He calls him Robotor or something like that.

Ode to night-time feedings

So in my late nights up with Dallin - I have rediscovered old favorites on TV and newly discovered a really cool show! I've come to the conclusion that really it is the simplest things in life that make me happy. :)


First is the old discovery: Friends. Like me or hate me for loving this show It matters not! - this show puts a smile on my face every time I see it and reliving old episodes in the middle of the night has had me laughing my brains out while trying to stay in "night mode" for Dallin to stay sleepy. What funny creative people put this show together! Seriously so funny!

Second is a show on the Food Network called Ace of Cakes (I think Marie told me about it and then I decided to TiVo it). They do the coolest cakes ever! If I lived in Baltimore (or close) I may someday get one (when I can afford a minimum of $1000). They are unbelievable. Here are a few pictures. These are so realistic!! Oh to be so talented....

Some Dallin Pictures

So we have survived one month. Dallin is great! I can honestly say it's not having him that has been hard but adjusting to the management of 4 children has been the challenge. If that makes sense....??? In my head it makes perfect sense. Here are a few pictures of him recently.

This one is to compare the size of the zucchini we found in the garden yesterday....it's huge!


I love this bean bag...and my kids all look like it sucks them in when they are on it...but especially Dallin.

Gwendalin has been a huge help with the baby. In fact she loves babies so much she won't leave her babies anywhere. She carries at least one around constantly.

We call him the "Texas"

When Lucky (Grandpa Chesley) first came to visit after we had Tyler - he started calling him "T" Tyler Texas and it stuck. My kids call him that, and occasionally Travis calls him "The Texas" or just "Texas." My nieces (Tricia's girls) were thinking outl oud of my kid's middle names and when they got to Tyler they told Trish his middle name was Texas. Anyway, the little dude is one of a kind. He likes to sit in the bottom of the bassinet where I store diapers and blankets, and he loves to be on anything that looks like a challenge. I have captured a few of these precious moments on film. Yesterday I sent Hutner and Gwendalin to put away laundry and Tyler wanted his own pile to put away...he struggled, but did make it at least down the hall. There is also a few pictures of him on top of the bean bag when I had it upright to re-fluff the insides...he looks like a bird in a nest.

My love of hunting preparation

I can't see the counter or the floor in my laundry room and every corner of my room has been used to store something of great importance. :)








So, I have mentioned before how much I adore the prep time and the coming home time of the glorious hunting season. I decided to take only a few pictures of what has been laying around my house UNTOUCHED for the last month or so. Somethings (granted) have moved from place to place, but overall the clutter has been consistent and drives me INSANE. I hate clutter. I just wanted to remember all the wonderful memories :). I don't hate the hunting, but I do HATE the clutter and junk EVERYWHERE!

A trip to Donnelly

This last weekend we went up the mountain as a family and with Tricia and Matthew's family. Travis and Matthew had a job they had to do in Donnelly ( I don't quite know how to spell that.) We stayed in the cabin where the job was and lucky for us the job only took the boys about 1 1/2 hours to finish so we played the rest of the time. The kids made "Snake traps" and played pool and fished in Cascade Lake (The property backed up to it)- gorgeous! Dallin slept soo soo great...4 hours the first part of the night and another 4 after that...and we weren't even home. :)
Tyler loved playing outside and managed to get all the way down the hill and was standing next to the water on the dock all by his lonesome. I freaked and don't think I've ever run down a rock path that fast. That kid is such a free spirit...maybe it comes with being the third child...am I a free spirit?

I am happy to report that I did beat Travis in a game of pool even if I never hit one ball in! Lucky for me, he hit the "eight" ball in and I won!

The only bad part about this beautiful cabin (probably $$Millions) was that these people must have dogs and there was dog hair every where! I had to do buckets of laundry when we got home. Here are a few pictures of the fun adventures!

Long Rambling Post

Such random thoughts have gone through my head lately about what to blog about this week....hmm...

First I have been craving cream of wheat cereal a lot lately. I don't know if it's becuase I really like it ( I do of course) or if it simply reminds me of simpler times as a kid. We always had some sort of hot cereal growing up and only got cold cereal on the weekends...which we looked forward to. Now that I am in the mother shoes I stink the breakfast thing. My kids eat yogurt or cold cereal they don't like hot cereal. I should've started hot cereal long ago, but that means getting up earlier and at the moment, not something I can do very well.

Why is it that men seem to have hobbies that continue even after they get married? I don't resent them for it, I just wonder what happened to all of mine after I got married, except that I realize my new hobbies are my kids. This thought occured to me a few years back when Travis' grandfather died. On his headstone it had a picture of an airplane ( he loved to fly) and a picture of an elk (he loved to hunt) and a few years later when his grandmother died she had a picture of the temple on hers. She had made the comment shortly after her husband's death that there would be nothing to put on her headstone because she didn't have hobbies like he did...and then she said - " I guess my family is it." Thus, the temple picture on her half of the headstone. I wonder what will be on mine? Hot cereal perhaps? A temple? A lawnmower? (I love mowing the lawn). My husband loves to hunt and this is the season he looks forward to all year...Elk. He has been getting his pack ready for about 6 weeks now and it's contents: Clothes, first aid, gear, etc are strewn about my whole house. Now this part of his hobby is not my favorite...it's cluttery and it lasts forever even after he gets home and it doesn't get immediately put away. Anyway, he is also exercising like a maniac to be able to be "in shape" for the BIG HUNT. I love his ambition, but sometimes I guess I am a little envious that he can just get up and go without the guilt that I would feel if I had such a hobby. It's good for him, he enjoys it and comes home refreshed and renewed. I would be worried about my kids the whole time, so it would not be enjoyable for me. Anyhoo, back to the hobby thing. I used to take piano lessons and I practiced every day. I was okay at it, nothing to brag about, but it was a good outlet for me. Now, I am lucky to play/practice only when required for church or something. It's interesting how things change as your priorities change.

Hunter started frist grade last week. He now goes to school all day. He loves eating lunch at school and getting FOUR recesses. But he comes home so tired and thus the emotional roller coaster begins until bed time. He's a darling boy and loves his social life, but I can tell it's going to take a while to get used to being there for the whole day.

At the bus stop.

Hopping on...he looks so little.....

Gwendalin is doing two days a week of preschool and that is heaven for me. I only have 2 kids at home on those days and it's so quiet. She loves it and it gives me a bit of a break from entertaining.


Tyler is a tank. The kid is solid. He has to be the most laid back sweet boy ever. He can entertain himself all day any day. He needs no one to hang out with - he finds Pie-ders and eats sand and laughs at the dogs. He's a doll.




Dallin is perfect. He is a spitter through and through - last night we went through 3 blankets because he had soaked them to the core with puke. He sleeps pretty good if I play my cards right and he is content almost all of the time. I love the little dude and fall in love with him more every day.

I caught him "sleep smiling"- I love it!



Other rambling thoughts...I have none...I have rambled long enough...if you are still reading: bless your soul.