Life's Interruptions!

You know, I have wondered sometimes when the phone is ringing off the hook, my oldest is ranting about having to work on yet another merit badge in scouting, my other two boys are fighting over who can get their jobs done faster so they can get down to play the Wii, my three year old has suction-cupped herself to my side on a mission for some toy or snack or drink that she wants and is tired of waiting for, I am going over and over in my head a check list of what needs to be done before I have to leave for my not-so-loved part-time job at the hospital, and I am trying see to some semblance of dinner for my family while going over my bank budget to make sure I am going to make it to the end of the pay period with a couple of cents still left in our account; why life seems to be so hectic and full of these crazy, constant interruptions!!! My heart is sinking as I watch Mason try so hard to accomplish that requirement and know that he really does need my help. I want to tease my other two boys and race them down to the wii just so they can see that life really doesn't have to be so dramatic and that mom really can joke. I am doing good to pick up the telephone most days, if I can even find it...yes, that's right, I can rarely find the darn thing and when I do it is in places no phone should ever go. It is in those moments however, that something usually happens...I will start to get that out of body experience where I really can detatch myself from the whole situation and I see it as though I am just there watching this chaos unfold. I can see that things really are rather comical and that although crazy, it is not the end of the world! Life really will go on, and I somehow should be grateful for all of this. These moments, however crazy now, are what make up the tapestry of our family. Each of these moments are what create memories and laughter for later. I know now more than ever, that I want to cherish all of life's interruptions because I won't have these kids in my home forever, they will grow up and go out on their own and I will be left in a home that echos of those crazy times that I didn't let myself take for granted!

Happy New Year!

goodbye vacation...I will miss you

When I was in school I was not fond of Sunday nights. My stomach would ache with worry and anticipation about the upcoming week...would I remember my homework? Would I get to school on time? Had I forgotten something I was supposed to do for such and such a class? ( I have a knack for being a good worrier.)

Tonight as I sit here surrounded by so many things that have been put on the back-burner the last two weeks I have that same sick-to-my-stomach feeling. I'm not ready for real life to hit again! This whole vacation/Christmas/New Year thing has slipped out of my grasp way too fast.

But man alive, I must say we sure have soaked it in and haven't let any spare seconds go to waste.

I must say I'm so excited for a new year...there's nothing quite like a new beginning to work on new things and start over on old ones.

Too bad one of those new things I get to work on is not eating treats and chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A Little Christmas

We got the chance to go and be with my family for Christmas! We had so much fun, ate good food, played great games, and were in general, very spoiled!! We got to spend a week down there and it was badly needed! It was time for a get a way!! We were even more spoiled because Colorado this time of year should look like the first picture I have posted but because of the warm air coming up from Hawaii, called the Pineapple Express, we got to bask in very beautiful weather, that felt more like the second picture I have posted. That, is a badly needed break from the below zero weather we have been having here in Idaho!My brother and husband got to play the Shepherds in our Christmas story and they made the show rather personality filled! We loved being there and sure appreciate my parents and my brother and his wife Heather and their girls, for putting up with us and making our 2010 Christmas a wonderful memory!!

Eleven!!!

I am a little behind but I wanted to get this posted! Mason celebrated his eleventh birthday this past December 15th!! I am still wondering what happened to the time...one minute I am holding this sweet, tiny baby in my arms and the next, it has been over a decade and he is almost as tall as I am and experiencing so many wonderful things in his own life. Mason was sent first to our family for a reason! He has always been patient with us and his siblings and I know that it was not a mistake that he came first in our line of children. In honor of Mason's eleven years, I thought I would list eleven things that I love, appreciate and admire about him:
1.He is VERY Patient!! I don't understand that type of patience because I do not have any.
2. He is so very happy! Rarely does he have a scowl on his face or is he negative!
3. He is so stinkin' smart!! He figures things out in his mind long before I have the answer a lot of the time.
4. He enjoys a challenge. Whatever it is he is doing, Mason attacks it head on and wants to get it done.
5. Mason knows who he is! He makes no apologies and expects others to accept him the way he is! What I wouldn't give for that kind of strength!
6. Mason loves sports and because he is related to me, I am surprised at how shockingly coordinated he is and that he seems to pick up on sports without a whole lot of effort! That is not inherited from me!
7. Mason enjoys his friends but I have started to notice that he really does look for the kids who aren't playing with anyone and he really tries to get them involved in whatever his group is doing. Once again, another trait he did not get from my shy personality.
8. Mason has a testimony of the Gospel. He shares it and I wonder how he is so strong so young, then I thank my lucky stars as I look at the world today and what he and my other children have to face, that they want to be strong at such a young age.
9. Mason has a very soft heart but he knows how to joke around and be fun! He doesn't bruise easily and he helps us to laugh when things get hard!!
10.Mason takes such good care of his brothers and sister! If I have to leave for a few minutes, I know that things will be fine if I leave Mason in charge. What a relief it is for a parent to know that someone responsible is there in case of an emergency or a quick errand!
AND #11: Mason is such a cute kid, who loves to be a kid! He is no hurry to grow up and still loves when I pick him up at school or spend time in his class. He hasn't outgrown having a mom around sometimes and I appreciate that more than he will ever know! I love him tons and am so glad he came to our family eleven years ago!