One of those days...

We got up on the wrong side of the bed at our house today.

One child went to school without breakfast after "dinking around" for too long.

I got an e-mail from one child's teacher letting me know he's behind in homework...again.

I busted my bum to get to the elementary school to be the "mystery reader" in Caleb's class today, but the teacher had forgotten and they were in the middle of an art project so now I get to go back next week instead.

I can't get caught up on laundry, and I haven't seen my kitchen countertop all week.

After I left the school, I felt like going for a drive to "get away" before the kids came home for lunch.  Unfortunately, there's nowhere to "go" here, so on my drive I picked up a prescription at the pharmacy, mailed a package, stopped by the library to see if they had Pioneer Woman's new book that they ordered just for me (it was closed), and tried to get a piece of banana cream pie from the local restaurant to brighten Todd's day (but they were out).

My friend has called me three times to see if I liked the youtube video she sent me last week, and I keep forgetting to watch it.

I wish I could push pause on everyone else while I catch up on life.

I think instead I'll just eat my oatmeal pie, take the rest of the day off to do something fun, and start over tomorrow.

Valentine's Dinner

For our Valentine's Dinner this year, I used bulk candy, heart napkins, and tissue paper for our decor.

I already had the beaded garland with ribbon (DI for $3) and the pink gingham placemats were a wedding gift.  The cake roll is made from two washcloths rolled up and tied with a rubberband and fake cherry!

I used chocolate covered cinnamon bears, bubble tape, and other gummy candies to make these kabobs:

I tried to borrow a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out our pickled beets, but none of my friends had one that was small enough, so I ended up using kitchen sheers.  It worked great!

 We had spaghetti, green salad, and homemade pretzel "love knots".  I made a real cake roll with pink filling for dessert, but I didn't take a picture of it.

 Todd fed Justin sweet potatoes, and I caught this picture of him wearing rubber gloves! 

(he can't stand the mess)

I'm a lucky girl to have FIVE sweethearts on Valentine's Day!

Six Months!

 How can my baby be six months old already!

At 6 mos. Justin:

-loves his exersaucer and jumparoo

-smiles, babbles, and blows raspberries

-had his second ear infection :o(

-finally moved into Dillon's room, but prefers his pack 'n' play in Mom and Dad's room

-can sit up

-graduated to size 3 diapers

-is trying to get up on his knee's to crawl

-has hair that refuses to be combed

-loves attention from his brothers

-stops to look around (several times) during nursing to make sure he's not missing anything

-wears mostly 6-9 mos. clothes

-weighs 16 1/2 lbs!

-continues to have our family wrapped around his little finger.

Falling Behind...

I don't usually go back and try to catch up on blog posts.  If I don't get them up right away, they don't get posted.  I blog for fun and when I get behind it becomes stressful...and who needs extra stress?

But...there are a few things I really want to have recorded, and I ate dinner really late tonight so I decided I'd go back a few weeks and play catch-up while I digest.

During the first week of February, my sister and her cute-face kids drove 7 1/2 hours (ish) to spend some time with us.  It was so fun to have them here!  It was also very convenient.  With Charlotte there, I was able to drive my kids to and from scouts, 4-H, and basketball without loading the baby in and out of the car all week. 

Sam was a big help during chore time.  He helped haul wood every day.  One of my favorite moments was when he asked, "Do these people have a TV?"  (We have a projector in the basement now so we watch our shows on the wall).

I love Livi's face here!  She loves to peel things.  I wish I'd given her that thick-skinned pumelo that I got from Bountiful Baskets!

Char and I played "Mom" during the day, and then stayed up way too late working on digital scrapbooking, and talking.  Oh, how I wish we didn't live so far apart.

Thanks, Char, for making the long trek to our house.  We loved having you here.  I wish the weather had been better...you'll really have to come again in late summer.

Next time you're in line at the grocery store...

Next time you're in line at the grocery store,

pick up the Spring 2011 edition of Quilts and More 

and turn to page 32 to see a quilt that I quilted for Vanessa!

It's called Little Sprouts.

Here it is--pretty cute, huh?

On page 88 you can see this argyle quilt that I helped figure out the measurements on.

My friend Becky quilted this one.

The next edition of this magazine will have another quilt that I quilted. There is also a new Moda Bake Shop book that has a quilt in it that I quilted.  I'll post a picture when I get my hands on the book.

So many questions

This is a picture of my Brayden, with two of his distant cousins.

Spencer's grandma and my dad are 1st cousins. Keaton's mom and my dad are 1st cousins.

On Friday morning, Keaton's mom drove her school bus route as usual, but didn't feel well when she got home.  By 11:00 that night she was having trouble breathing and went to the emergency room.  They ended up doing a tracheotomy, but at 4:00 in the morning she passed away.

I just keep thinking over and over how unfair it is that Keaton, who is the same age as my Brayden (10), has to grow up without his mom.  You just don't expect your mom to go to work one day and be gone the next. My heart breaks for their family, and for Great Aunt Julia and Uncle Vaughan who lost their daughter way too young.

 Sandra was 47, and left behind her husband, two married children, a son on a mission, and a 15 and 10 year old.

Times like this cause me to reflect on the Plan of Salvation, and my own purpose in life. Am I using my time wisely? Are my priorities in order? Do I understand what it is that Heavenly Father wants me to do?

I wonder if my Grandpa (her uncle) was there to meet her on the other side.  I wonder what she is doing, that could be more important than raising her family here on earth.

I am grateful for my knowledge of the Plan. I know that Heavenly Father knows what is best and if we trust in Him, we can find peace in our trials. Through my miscarriages I learned that the atonement is not only for sin, but also for sorrow.

I pray that Aunt Julia's family will feel His love and peace through this difficult time.

Eye on the ball

Notice anything different?

Brayden got glasses this week.

At his basketball game on Wed. night, he got hit in the face with the ball.  Luckily, his glasses are very flexible (thank you Nike), but he bit his lip and it caused some bleeding.

He walked over to show me his injury and exclaimed, "I kept my eye on the ball...and it almost happened literally!"