4 babies 4 us

ByeBye Kitty

2011-09-18T13:37:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, we had to say goodbye to our 16 year old diabetic kitty.

She was such a good friend to the kids.

Squeaky and Amanda from then...

Till now...

Jaxon was sad to let her go.

Stacey Ann was Squeaky's BFF. She stayed with the kitty right through the end. I think it might be particularly hard on her the next time comes to visit and doesn't end up with a kitty purring in her lap or trying to style her hair.

Thanks for being our kitty Squeaky, you will be missed!

Scales & Tails

2011-07-13T14:42:00.001-06:00

A little over a week ago, the kids celebrated their 9th birthday!!!

We invited a "few" friends.

The quads put on their favorite t-shirts for the big event!

The kids decided that they wanted a "Scales and Tails" party complete with all kids of creepy crawly stuff. I took it upon myself to make sure that everything that was transported onto our lot, was also transported off ;o) I definitely wouldn't want many of these things crawling around my house!

Yep, that's a scorpion...

that the handler put it in his mouth. Ewwwwww!

My dad held his great-grandson, Quentin,

Jaxon held a lizard

and Amanda held a snake around her neck.

Gail and Stacey did something really scary...(actually, when you have as many internet problems as I have of late, this is really a scary thing to do!)

My favorite? An 85 pound tortoise.

This was the biggest lizard he brought.

And this was the biggest snake. He was over 13 feet and 100 pounds!

We attempted to combat the 101 degree temperatures with misting fans. Carson thought they were pretty cool!

Londyn showed us her teeth, while playing with her Grammy-J.

Damn...That's a lotta pizza!

One big birthday cake, with 36 candles topped off the day!

We couldn't have asked for a better party. Thanks to all my family and friends who came out and celebrated with us, we had a great time seeing all of you. And a huge thanks to Scales and Tales Utah for putting on such a fun and informative show!
Happy Birthday to my sweet kids! I love you more than you will ever know!
Love,
Mom

365 Days

2011-07-08T00:28:00.001-06:00

Today is the day that my Mom has been gone from this earth for one year. Last year, I prayed for the one year milestone in hopes that my heart would have done some healing by then. I still miss her, but my heart has begun to heal. We have done all the firsts without her...Christmas, New Year's, birthdays, her 54th anniversary to Dad, but the first where they were in two different realms. Mother's day was tough. Harder than I thought it would be. Father's day was equally rough as we all knew that all Dad wanted was Mom. Today I will do the last of the first's. I will put flowers on her grave and be grateful for, and say farewell to, the first year. It is gone, we all learned, we all survived.
I love you Mom.
I miss you.
Even a 46 year old mother of 4 needs her own mommy sometimes.

Homeschooling at it's Best!

2011-05-19T06:07:00.000-06:00

The perfect homeschool day starts out with a little computer time...

And ends with...

toilet scrubbing instruction.

Under the seat!

Don't forget the base and floor.

Mason shows the satisfaction of a job well done!

Jaxon is not nearly as happy about it.

Ok the lid isn't too bad to clean!

Now the top.

Finally finished.

Way to go boys! Mom loves your hard work!

Mother's Day

2011-05-11T00:06:00.000-06:00

I ran across a picture the other day. It's about 2 years old, I believe it was taken sometime close to Mother's Day but I don't remember if it was actually Mother's day. Oh well, I'll just pretend it was.

I love this picture, everybody looks so healthy and happy.

The next year, Mom was starting to have problems and we were wondering how many more Mother's Days we would have with her. Thankfully, I dragged myself, and my kids, over to her house that year. I think I knew on some level that it would be her last, but I tried to reason that feeling away. It did end up being her last, she died two months later. Thank heavens for the last precious Mother's Day memories I have of her out at the playground with my kids. Those will never be forgotten.

This year, we celebrated a little differently. We all really miss her, especially Dad. Can't blame the old man, he was married to her for 53 years when she died. Since then, the 54th has come and gone as well as her birthday, his birthday, almost all of their children's birthday's and several holidays, the birth of a great grandson, the death of her sister. So many first times doing something without her, so many tears. I really hope she is enjoying the other side.

Happy Mother's Day Mom.

I love you

Royal Watching

2011-04-30T23:50:00.000-06:00

Friday morning, me and Amanda got up very early and shared some fun girl time watching the Royal Wedding.

Jaxon wanted to watch it with us but the 2am alarm proved to be too early for his tired little eyes.
I'm one of those crazy people who woke up at similar times in the past to watch Charles and Diana's wedding, and Diana's funeral. It was fun to finally have someone to royal watch with me... Something about the fantasy of the royal family intrigues me even if they are the world's most famous (and wealthy) welfare recipients.
Now, in case you have been in a cave for the last week or so, and completely missed all the pomp and circumstance, Amanda re-created the processional for you.

Here we are, the full processional...

The upright red licorice are the altar's at which the betrothed couple knelt, the golden gummy bear is the Archbishop of Canterbury who officiated for the service. The gummy bears off to the side are the wedding guests.

Here are the riders on their licorice horses who accompanied the processional from the church back to Buckingham Palace. The gummy bears off to the side are the crowds lining the streets.

And, from the front...If you look closely, you'll see the Prince and Princess in a carriage made of cashews in the middle of the photo. They are just behind the four horses, two of which do not have riders. Yes, she caught all the details!

Amanda is definitely creative!! Gosh, I love that child, she makes me laugh!

And speaking of laughing... Two billion people watching and THESE are the hats Prince Andrew's girls wear? Amanda actually loved them...BUT she's 8. I'm sure that bow hat reminds her of little Cindy Lou-Who ;o)

Well, it was all great fun, but I hope there isn't another for a while. I need to catch up on my sleep now!

Time Marches On

2011-04-27T13:40:00.000-06:00

Earthquakes, tsunamis, nuclear disaster, floods, the overthrowing of governments, two wars, political unrest in the Middle East, soaring oil prices, record number of homes in foreclosure. There isn't much good news lately and it seems the events that have been prophesied are unfolding right in front of us. It's incredible, yet somewhat scary.

Meanwhile, I live my little blessed life. I thank God for the gift of my husband and kids. We have shelter, food, transportation and a few dollars to buy extras. Despite all the tragedies in the world, time marches on. Our world just keeps spinning and my priorities changing. I find so much joy in the little things...

Little things like Mason's first lost tooth

Or Jaxon giving me a thumbs up after having a tooth knocked out on the trampoline.

Or the feeling of pride when the boys got their Bobcat in Scouts.

Despite all that is going on in the world, there are miracles that unfold all around us every day. I realize that life as we know it can change in a split second. I remind myself daily that God is in charge and He knows all. What a wonderful time to be alive. What an incredible life unfolds every day.

Jax in a Box

2011-02-13T10:15:00.001-07:00

Once again, I'm reminded that the best toys for kids are free...

Jax in a Box!

(Before you ask...Yes, he eats...)

Amanda and Carson (I DO dress them, but they never stay that way long...)

I guess even at their age the box is more fun than the toy inside!

And playing Wii games while standing in a box? Well, that's just kiddie crack!

Amanda finally got the box to herself! (For about 2 seconds.)

Gotta love a happy kid!

Friday Flashback!

2011-02-04T22:58:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite pictures EVER!!

Mason, Carson, Jaxon and Amanda, 15 months old.

Nothing quite as cute as a baby tushies!!

I Miss My Six-Pack

2011-01-29T10:16:00.003-07:00

And I'm NOT talking about beer.
Once Upon a Time, I had abs like this...

OK, so I was twenty-something at the time, but my tummy looked pretty dang good!

Then, something happened that gave those muscles a good stretch...

I'm not complaining, because I'd take my four pack of kids over six-pack abs ANY DAY!!

But, I've decided that 8+ years later, I can no longer blame my flabby tummy on pregnancy and childbirth. It's time to get back into shape.

So I ordered a couple of workout videos...

Notice the Pringle's can holding up the video on the right. Yeah, I'm all about eating healthy!

Jennifer, (my niece) saw me Hip-Hoppin' along to the videos when she came to visit the other day. She said I was "cute." (Kinda like when elderly people exercise?) I have a feeling she wanted to bust a gut laughing at me, which would have been a great ab workout for her.

A couple of days ago, I went to Costco. I found these little numbers for a really great price and thought I'd give 'em a whirl. After all, if they do what they claim, they might be a great addition to my "get ripped" repertoire.

They might be ugly but, the box says that they are designed to help:

burn more calories

improve posture

improve circulation

strengthen the back

tighten abdominal muscles

firm buttocks

tone and firm thighs

firm calves

reduce joint stress

vacuum

wash dishes

Well, maybe I made up the part about vacuuming and washing dishes, but a girl can dream, can't she?

If all goes well, I'll post before and after pictures. If not, I'll delete the "before" pictures and no one will ever be subjected to seeing my uncovered pooch and love handles.

Hmmm, on second thought, maybe I'll skip that post altogether.

I hear you breathing that sigh of relief!

The Hoarders

2011-01-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

The kids put most of their Webkinz in the family room for a Webkin birthday party...

The little plush toys were EVERYWHERE!

And I do mean...

EVERYWHERE!!

Then I started looking around and I realized that the number of Webkinz they own isn't even close...

To the number of Legos they own

And Santa brought MORE of BOTH this year!

Perhaps a 12 step program is in order.

Or, maybe you'll find me on some reality show someday lamenting about how I have no idea how it all got so very out of control!

For which I'll want payment.

The kids will ask me to buy more Webkinz and Legos with the money.

And, of course, I will.

Birthdays

2011-01-07T08:06:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was my birthday. I've had 46 of them to be exact! I read this post by a wonderful blogger and thought how appropriate it was for me to be reading it on my birthday. Thank you Amelia for writing such a wonderful post!
And yeah, ditto to what SHE said!

Some Things Can't Be Fixed

2011-01-05T20:48:00.001-07:00

Amanda saying good bye to Angel
My sweet daughter absolutely loves animals, and our animals love her. For the past 3 weeks, our snowshoe cat, Angel, has been having trouble breathing. She sounded like Darth Vader with a cold. We took her to the vet and tried her on 2 different rounds of antibiotics, neither of which made a difference. Then her nose started bleeding a bit and wouldn't stop. She began having behavior changes, lost one quarter of her body weight, and was still struggling to breathe.
Yesterday, we took her back to the vet.
An X-Ray showed what appeared to be a tumor in her nasal cavity.
Some things can't be fixed.
My little girl cried as I explained that it was time to have the kitty put down. I did the best I could to get her to understand that the cat was miserable and likely in pain. It was so hard to tell her that there was nothing me, or the vet, could do to save the cat.
The ride home broke my heart as I listened to my little girl cry in the back seat. I felt terrible that this was something I couldn't fix, and completely helpless as she sobbed for her sweet kitty.
Today, she is still sad and a lot of tears have been shed...And I'm crying with her.

Happy Birthday Mom

2011-01-02T21:58:00.001-07:00

Today would have been my mom's 73rd birthday. We got together at Dad's apartment for a little birthday party. We had sandwiches, chips, and cake. We were there for each other as we sang Happy Birthday to someone who has passed on.
My mind drifted off to last year's birthday. I took Mom out to buy her a new pair of shoes. It was always difficult to find her a pair of shoes that didn't hurt her feet and it usually meant going to higher-end stores. She never wanted me to spend that kind of money on her but I was honored to do so. Heck, it's the least I could do after she and Dad scrimped and saved to raise 8 children. I have those shoes in my closet now, there is just something comforting about them.
After the shopping trip, we met with my sisters and some of their daughters for lunch at Olive Garden. Looking back, I remember thinking that I was too busy to go and spend an entire afternoon with family. I'm so glad that I blew off whatever I had planned and just spent the time with Mom. I think we all knew that it might be Mom's last birthday although we were hoping for a few more.

I'm sure the young woman in this picture never imagined that she would live the life that she lived. She spent 53 years married to the same man. Together, they had 9 children, one of which died shortly after birth. She made many moves across the country as a military wife and had many trials which she bore with faith and love. I look at this picture and see a young woman ready to make a life for herself and have a family that she always longed for. That same family gathered today, more than 50 years later, and celebrated her birthday without her.
Happy birthday Mom, I love you.

Untraditionally Christmas...

2010-12-30T12:57:00.001-07:00

For many years, Christmas has been the same. We all wake up early to see what was left when Santa's sleigh visited our homes. By mid-morning, my Mom and Dad would be making the rounds, visiting all their kids and grandkids. I would serve breakfast at my house and anyone interested in eating with us was invited. Jeanna, her kids, and grandkids always came for breakfast. Mom and Dad would stop by for a few minutes, Lorena would usually be the one driving them so we would get to see her too. Then, bit by bit, I would get to see about half of my family as they came to visit.

With Mom's death this year, I couldn't bear to do the same thing again. I imagined my dad waking up Christmas morning in the same bed where he woke up next to Mom for 53 Christmases before. This time, she wouldn't be there. He would travel around to see his kids and grandkids without her. The whole thing seemed wrong (at least to me.)

So, I decided to try something new.

I invited all of my brothers, sisters, their kids and grandchildren, and of course Dad, to come to a very nice hotel downtown. We rented 13 rooms to hold about 53 people. It's the first time that the bulk of the Osborn family has slept under one roof in ages. The rooms were huge, the amenities fabulous, and the staff wonderful. After checking in, we all decided to find dinner. Some of us wound up at the hotel restaurant, others at McDonalds and still others went to Applebees (those were the only three options since it was Christmas Eve and everything closed early.) Me and my crew were in the McDonalds group (shocking, I know) with my sister Sandy, who kept us singing Christmas Carols for the entire time it took us to walk the block to the restaurant. After dinner, those who wanted to, met at the light rail station (right outside the hotel) and went down to Temple Square to see the lights....

Sandy and her granddaughter Audrey hanging on!

Amanda's not too excited...

Note to self...Bring warmer jackets next time. The kids got cold walking around Temple Square so we went across the street to the Joseph Smith Memorial Building...

Where we could see many of the lights from the top floor.

Mike shows his baby girl, Kamryn, the sights of Salt Lake City.

The kids quickly tired of the downtown life soooooo back on the train to the hotel we went!

Where we found their favorite activity of all...

SWIMMING!!!

Thank heavens for the pool!

Amanda, Ileah and Jeff

The quads...Carson, Jaxon, Mason, and Amanda enjoying the heated indoor/outdoor pool.

My nieces Kamryn and Kelley

Amanda was excited to learn how to swim on her back!

Amanda and Jaxon took a dip in the hot tub...

Brad & Cathy spoiled us with homemade goodies of every kind. You would want to join us just for the snacks if you knew how good they were! (hmmmm, maybe that should be kept our secret.)

After getting dried off and dressed, Mason decided to ask Uncle Tim where his hair went. Tim tried to explain. Later that night, Sandy came up with the best explanation...She said Tim was "hairing impaired"...Which got a big laugh especially given the fact that we have 3 members of the family who are deaf ;o)

We went up to our rooms and spent time chatting, laughing, and enjoying each other's company. The kids ran from room to room, visiting cousins that they don't see nearly enough. My apologies to anyone who was put in a room on the same floor. Next year, we'll be adamant that we get the entire floor all to our noisy selves!

Then off to bed to wait for Santa...

WaHoooo! Santa found us at Little America! How smart is that jolly old elf?

Amanda is now a Pet Vet!

Carson got Lego's and Mazin' Hamsters. Sweet little Carson got a hamster that he already has (Santa has a tough time keeping all the kid's toys straight.) I told him that we could exchange it for one he didn't have and he said "No, Amanda doesn't have this hamster so I want to give it to her." Brings a tear to my eye just thinking about it.

More Lego's Jaxon????

Amanda is happy about something!

Soon all the gifts were opened and the kids were hungry. Fortunately for us, the hotel serves a terrific Christmas Brunch. I wish I would have taken pictures of the food. They had everything. Fruits of all kinds, cheese, bagels, cereals, oatmeal, grits, eggs (scrambled, fried, Benedict, and even an omelet station), waffles, pancakes, fried potatoes, bacon, sausage and smoked salmon. It was fabulous!

They even had a room set up just for us!! It was so awesome to have everyone (minus one brother, two nephews and their families) all in one place for breakfast. I could never have fit them all in my home!

Kourtni and Audrey need food!!

Ummm, Tyler, what's with the finger?

All these people are family. Aren't we lucky?

Londyn, Kelley, Allie, Brennon and Jennifer.

When breakfast was over, my kids wanted to go home. Some families stayed and played in the pool, others played with toys and chatted. We said good-bye and went home, where the kids found...

MORE TOYS!!!

Lego's

And MORE Lego's...Santa needs his head examined!

The kids played with their new toys all day...

And a tired Mommy....

And a tired Daddy, finally got some rest!

I need to give a huge shout out to Little America for being so great! And, to give notice that we'll probably be back next year...If they'll take us!!

I want to thank my family for being so willing to support my idea for a different kind of Christmas. It was hard for all of us to not have Mom around, but we had each other to lean on. The whole trip was worth it to see my dad laughing to the point of tears when I became the victim of my own stupidity. Thank you Harris and Christopher (my nephews) for realizing that I didn't know that the hotel rooms had doorbells. They had a great time confusing me by ringing the bell and making me look for the source of the noise. So then, I thought the buzzing (which I found in my closet) was a faulty smoke detector. It wasn't until that "smoke detector" started buzzing in known tempos that I realized it was a doorbell...

Yup, everyone got a good laugh at my expense...Even me!

Thanks for playing along Dad...

Merry Christmas Mom. We missed you.

A Sea of Red

2010-12-19T13:57:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I grabbed my red purse...

Put on a red bling necklace...

And a cuff bracelet with large red stones...

I applied my favorite red lipstick...

And I cried just a little as I put on this locket. My mom had given to my Aunt Carol for Christmas one year, Carol gave it to me before she died. Inside are pictures of my mother and her three sisters. Mom had made one for each of her sisters and they had worn them to Mom's funeral.

Even Amanda put on her favorite red shoes.

We went and paid tribute, and thanked God, for the life of my Aunt Carol. Her favorite color just happened to be...yep...red!

Red is the color of courage so it seemed quite fitting to find a sea of red at Carol's funeral. Anybody who is courageously living life after the loss of loved ones deserves to wear red.

Since red also represents strength and love, I find it no coincidence that it was my aunt's favorite. She lived much of her life with harsh challenges and a lot of pain. She did it with strength and love.

A few months ago, I helped her move from one apartment to another. We packed up a red toaster, red microwave, red stand mixer, red trivets. I found some beautiful red drinking glasses in her cupboard. She was so excited about them, she had just purchased them the day we had gone to lunch with her sisters, my Aunt Nonie and Aunt Lynette. It was the day after my mom's funeral. I took great care to make sure that these glasses arrived at her new home undamaged. They were beautiful.

I'm grateful to have had the last five months to spend with her since my mother's death. She loved my mom more than anything in this world and talking to Carol always made me feel better. My children loved going to her house, she always had some chocolate for them to eat. She was always so happy to entertain my kids even though I'm sure they wore her out!

Although I am sad for the loss of my dear aunt, I can't help but feel like all is right with the world. The five months that she and my mom were separated from each other must have felt like forever. They truly were two halves of a whole. I'm so grateful to her for being my mom's big sister and best friend. The world now has two fewer examples of unconditional love. But, they left a lot of posterity to carry on. My prayer is that I will be able to take that love, perfect it in myself, and pass it on to my children. What a great way to honor such beautiful women...women who set the bar quite high. What a legacy they leave behind.

Merry Christmas Mom and Aunt Carol.

I love you.

The Eternal BFF's

2010-12-14T00:06:00.001-07:00

A short time before my mom died, I wrote this post about the two orignial BFF's.

Tonight, I'll finish this chapter.

My aunt Carol (left) has always been a second mother to me. She and my own mom were so close that they loved each other's children as thier own. I remember many days stopping by her house after school just to get a hug, or staying in her home while we waited for our own home to vacate after a move. How those two women handled 11 kids in what must have been less than a 2000sf house, is beyond me!

I really love this picture because it shows what a calming influence they have always been in each other's lives. It was taken about a week before my mom's death.

Carol wrote in a book of memories that she and Gayle could finish each other's sentences, cook each other's meals, or knit on each other's projects and no one but them knew where one began and the other one ended.

Kindred spirits like that don't stay separated long.

Tonight, just 5 months after Mom's death, my beautiful aunt met her on the other side. While I am sad for the loss, I am so glad that she is no longer in pain. I am smiling because I know that Gayle wasn't going to do heaven without Carol, and Carol wasn't going to do earth without Gayle. Both deserve every happiness after enduring this life so well.

So, if you make it up to heaven, and find a lot of angels wearing really gorgeous sweaters...Look around...I'm sure you'll find Carol and Gayle perched in a soft chair laughing and knitting!

40 People, 4 Cats, 3 Dogs

2010-12-03T15:24:00.002-07:00

Thanksgiving!!!!!

A fellow quad-mom made the kid's cute T-day shirts.

My goofy quads!

Just the boys now! Where's your pants Carson?

Allie, Sarah, Faith, and Ileah. Amanda is soooooo glad she has girl cousins to play with!

Not enough noise for you Parker so you need music too??

Ezra

Mochie

Computers and bubbles. What else does a kid need?

Austin

Jeff, AKA quaddaddy!

Newlyweds!

Squeeky

Cathy taking pics with her new camera! I hope she isn't taking a photo of Jen's leg...

Food, Food, Food...

People, People, People!!!!

Miss Malia

I know they look bored but...we were actually playing a game...Makes you want to join right in eh?

Once again, we had a wonderful time welcoming family and friends into our home. We're busting at the seams now so hopefully we'll be able to get into a bigger home sometime in the future...Just for the holiday parties!

We really missed Grandma Gayle (my mom). Thanksgiving was the first major holiday we've had to get through since her death. A few tears were shed. Now we just have to get through Christmas and her birthday. She would have been 73 on Jan 2, 2011. We miss you Mom!

Lessons Shared

2010-11-20T10:26:00.002-07:00

Last week, I watched Oprah interview Marie Osmond. Marie's son committed suicide about 9 months ago and she had decided to do one, (and only one), interview. Can't blame the girl, I wouldn't want to publicly answer question after question about something so incredibly personal and painful. I thought she did a wonderful job and made some very profound comments that really resonated with me.

What really stuck with me the most (and I'm paraphrasing) was when she began talking about how we all seek knowledge when what we really need is wisdom. She felt like she had gained some wisdom in her son's death. The comment was made that instead of saying "I'm so proud of you," to her kids, she would now say "You must be so proud of yourself." The reason for this was because she said she'd learned that you cannot give your kids self esteem, they have to earn it. I've spent some time over the past few days contemplating exactly how a person earns self esteem. When I think about the things that have given me my sense of self, only some of them come from my family of origin. Now, I'm not sure if that's because of the dysfunction I grew up with or if you only learn a portion of your self esteem from your parents and siblings.

I came to the conclusion that self esteem comes from several places. I think the place where we as parents can influence our children's self esteem is by teaching them the difference between self worth and self esteem. Self worth is a given, a certain intrinsic value that we have just because we are children of God. Self esteem comes from external forces and behaviors. If we rely entirely on our self esteem we miss half the picture. We have to know that we are valuable simply because it is a birthright. (Thank you Andrea for teaching me this...You are a wise soul.) I think my job as a parent is to be available and supportive as my kids have successes and failures out in the world. To be the place that they can return and be reminded of their self worth. To be the people who love them unconditionally and instill in them a knowledge that they are children of a Heavenly Father which makes their value immeasurable... Their self esteem will need to be earned through their actions.

In thinking back to when I began to get a little self esteem, it was when I was in High School and became a part of a gymnastics team and a dance troupe. I felt like I belonged to something bigger than myself. I was accepted as a part of a group, a sort of surrogate family. We worked hard as a team and wanted what was best for each member. We were only as good as our weakest link. We experienced a lot of success because of our team attitude. I think a sense of belonging is a big piece of self esteem.

I think it's equally (if not more) important that people feel like they are contributing positively to society. Those contributions don't have to be huge, it can be as little as making a stranger smile from across the counter at McDonalds , or helping a sick neighbor, or doing work for a family member. It may sound rather simplistic but I think a huge part of self esteem boils down to service. Not just any service (although that is a start) but service that you are passionate about (again, it can be something as simple as making people smile.) It just has to matter to you. I need to find ways that we can make contributions as a family, and find out what really matters to them, so that my children begin to learn the joy of service.

I hope Marie Osmond knows that she was in service to many people when she got on national TV and discussed what I can only imagine has been a terribly trying time in her life. Listening to her made me take a real inventory of myself and my parenting. May God bless her and her family for sharing her story.

Hopefully, we will all be better for it.

Pumpkin Eaters

2010-11-16T01:28:00.002-07:00

My boys had a scout project a couple of weeks ago. It involved putting washable tattoos on pumpkins. Kudos to the den leaders for not putting sharp objects in the hands of 8 and 9 year old boys. The pumpkins resided with us during Halloween and for a couple of weeks more. Just as I thought I would throw them away, Amanda came up with the idea of using them for our Thanksgiving pies. Not one to throw away perfectly good food, or to shy away from a day in the kitchen with my daughter, I agreed...

Chopping up the pumpkins and removing the seeds.

Miss 'Manda had to separate the seeds from all the pumpkin guts!

Cooking the pumpkin for what seemed like forever in various pots on the stove. For a menopausal mommy, it sure was hot!

Our version of making a puree out of the pumpkin.

Finally, the pumpkin is all bagged up and ready for the freezer...Until Thanksgiving of course. There's enough here for 7 pies. Sheesh, that was a lot of work...There's gotta be an easier way...

Oh silly me...There is an easier way!

But the easier way wouldn't have included roasting pumpkin seeds...Or having orange hands from separating the seeds from the guts...Or spending the day in the kitchen talking with my daughter.

...Or watching her enjoy the fruits of her labor as she carefully removes her roasted seeds from the pan, waits for them to cool, and then snacks on them all afternoon!

And I'm certain that buyin' the can wouldn't have left me a sink FULL of dishes!

We better have some GREAT tasting pies after all that work! I don't think I would have made it as a pioneer woman. Can you imagine putting this much work into everything you cooked?? No thanks!!! Makes me tired just thinking about it!
Now I need to go call Domino's and have dinner delivered...
Ya know, we really are spoiled in this day and age!

Just Because He's Cute

2010-11-12T23:29:00.000-07:00

Jaxon finally lost his second tooth. I had to post this picture just because he looks so dang cute!!

It's crazy how much I love this little boy!

Where Do They Learn This??

2010-11-10T16:58:00.001-07:00

My little goofball Jaxon wrote this during his handwriting practice today. The kids laughed so hard that we couldn't finish our lesson.

I have to confess...It made me laugh too!

A Little Modesty Please!

2010-11-08T08:23:00.000-07:00

Since the day the babies came home from the hospital, I've had an audience while showering, dressing, or using the facilities. I'm sure most moms out there can commiserate. I've become so used to dressing in front of the kids that I've thrown modesty to the wind. I figured that they would let me know when they were no longer comfortable with me dressing in front of them. A couple of nights ago, it happened...
It was time for bed, Mason was talking to me about the upcoming NASCAR race, and I was changing into jammies. I whipped my shirt off, Mason took one look at my chest and said "huh, nice boobs!" and then went right back to discussing cars and pit crews.
I'll be changing with the door closed from now on.

Super Mario Brothers

2010-11-02T11:23:00.002-06:00

This year, the Super Mario Brothers became the theme for the quads Halloween costumes. I think they may have an addiction to the game but what the heck, it made for some really cute costumes that they ALL agreed to wear!

(And getting them all to agree is usually a battle that isn't worth fighting)

Mario, Princess Peach, Toad, and Luigi
Carson, Amanda, Jaxon, and Mason

I loved the moustaches!!!!

Hope you all had a great Halloween! We surely did!

Final Touches

2010-10-31T10:56:00.001-06:00

Back in September, just prior to moving our sister Debra from her resting place of 42 years, to her final place next to our mother, were required to move the headstone ourselves. On September 11, (which happened to be Jeanna's wedding day), Jeff, Jeanna, Stacey, and me got up early and retrieved the beautiful old marker from the gorgeous historic cemetery.

Good thing Jeff came along. We needed his muscles to
pull the headstone into the truck.

Me, Stacey, and Jeanna

A week or so ago, the new cemetery finally set Debra's marker where it belongs. It's official, permanent, and beautiful.

I think the best part of having Debra buried with Mom is being able to visit them both at the same time. Debra's original grave was in the nations largest city owned cemetery and was a half hour drive to visit. Now, she gets visitors all the time! When Dad passes away, he will be buried right next to Mom, and right next to his baby girl. When that day comes, I'm sure it will be a joyous day for Dad, he misses mom terribly. He says he's not ready yet, but doesn't want to live too much longer.

I can't say that I blame him.

Sleep, Interrupted

2010-10-26T11:30:00.000-06:00

I've always had trouble with insomnia, but lately it is getting much worse. A few nights ago, I decided to investigate and document the reason for the dark circles under my eyes.

Amanda, Mason, and Carson. Yes, they are in the same clothes they wore all day.
Does this tarnish my perfect mommy image?

I think I can skip going to a sleep clinic. The mystery of my sleepless nights is solved!
But wait...Where are Jeff and Jaxon?

Found Daddy in Mason's bed. The time on the clock? 3:51!

And there's Jeff's little buddy Jax...Sound asleep in Carson's bed.

So much for getting the kids out of my bed, remember this post?

I suppose that one day they'll grow out of this phase and I'll probably miss it. I'll be well rested, but I'll miss it.

Who Answers the Phone?

2010-10-22T20:07:00.002-06:00

My mother's voice is still the one on the answering machine when you call my dad's house. The first time I called after she died and got the answering machine, it caught me off guard and I cried. Today, I called when I knew no one would be home... just to hear her voice.
I think my brothers and sisters do the same thing.

Somedays I really miss her.

Stitches, Crosswalks, and The Flu

2010-10-19T21:08:00.003-06:00

Some weekends just don't go the way I think they should...

On Saturday, Carson teased a family member's dog (not ours) until the poor little dog snapped and bit him. Unfortunately for Carson, it made a little gash right through his eyebrow and we ended up in the emergency clinic getting stitches...

Praying that it won't hurt

Scrub a Dub

If I can't see them....maybe they'll go away?

All finished...Only needed 2 stitches!

On Sunday night, we were heading over to my brother Terrance's house to celebrate his oldest sons birthday. We got about half way there only to have Jaxon puke all over himself. All I could think was how glad I was that he didn't barf all over the car!! (Compassionate, I know.)
No sooner did we get home than my dad called to tell me that another brother, John, had been hit by a car while in a crosswalk on a very busy street. I got right back into my car and headed to the hospital.

Poor guy!

It seems that John was crossing with the light and got hit by a Jeep that was turning left. He was thrown about 50 feet. He sustained a broken pelvis, got some road rash on his face and knee and needed several stitches to close a head wound. We are all giving thanks that it wasn't worse. John should be out of the hospital tomorrow but will need some time to heal.
I'm re-thinking my decision to let my boys walk to speech therapy without me.

Monday, I woke up with the flu...

Can we have a do-over?

Skipping Rocks, Skipping School

2010-10-15T19:09:00.001-06:00

Days like today really make me glad that I'm a homeschooling mom! It was a gorgeous day, two of the quads cousins, Melody and Ileah, were out of school for UEA so we drove up the canyons and took a good look at God's majestic creations.

The Autumn colors were spectacular!!!

Running down the trail to go to the river!

Amanda and Ileah finding rocks to skip!

Jaxon and Carson checking out the river.

Some walked in the river with their shoes on...

And some decided to go in barefoot! Either way, the water
was COLD!!!

Jax threw a big rock just as I was taking this shot...
Great timing eh?

There's my pretty girls...Amanda, Melody, and Ileah

And my handsome boys...Jaxon, Mason, Carson (front)

Pretty miss 'Manda all by herself

Climbing out on this rock made me more nervous than it did them...
(Jaxon)

Carson

Melody

Gosh, I love these kids!!

Ileah took a picture of me and the kids before we ended the day!

Oh, how I love days like today! A day full of kids curiosity, sunshine, trees and Mother Earth. So were we skipping school? Or is this what school is all about?!!

Life's good folks...life's good!

A Perfect Speaker and a Powerful Baptism

2010-10-12T09:23:00.003-06:00

On Saturday, October 9, my nephew-in-law Harris, was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. (Harris is married to my niece Jennifer)
For those of you who don't know Harris, he is a quiet giant. Large in stature and love for his family and fellow man, Harris has a way of making everyone he comes in contact with feel welcome and accepted. He has a depth to him that radiates without words. He's also a perpetual child. He loves to tell jokes, play basketball and goof-off with his kids. Harris can keep his feelings close to the vest and as a result, the day of his baptism came as a surprise to even his wife!

Carson was the highlight of the whole service (says a none too biased mother). He has been taking lessons about church doctrine and baptism. Jennifer asked him to teach us what he has learned..."Um, well, when you get baptized there will be water. You will need to plug your nose and hold your breath. They will dunk you under really fast. Then they will put their hands on your head and say a pwayer and you will get the Holy Ghost...It's a gift!" Well, there you have it! What more do you need to know? It was perfect. Simple enough that anyone could understand and he didn't put anyone asleep with a long boring talk. I was so very proud!

Harris' brother Brad and Harris flanked by the missionaries.

A brotherly hug in the waters of baptism. An amazing moment.

Once the baptism was completed, Brad was joined by John (Harris and Brad's father), Grandpa Max (my dad), and a few other men to lay their hands upon Harris' head and confirm him a member of the church. (Remember Carson talking about the pwayer?) It was one of the most powerful prayers I have ever heard. The prayer was plain, pure, and beautiful. Much was said about my mother and her example. She was definitely felt there in spirit as was evidenced by the tears falling from so many eyes.

I love you Harris and I'm so grateful that you and your family are a part of our family. Thanks for just being you and thanks for being such a great husband and father. You are truly a good man.

Girls Night!

2010-10-04T21:11:00.002-06:00

Have I mentioned lately how much I adore my sweet little daughter?
Well, I reeeeally do!

A couple of weeks ago, I took miss Amanda to see her favorite country music artist, Brad Paisley! It was in a great outdoor amphitheater on what had been a very warm fall day. It just so happens that Brad is one of my faves too so it was a win-win situation...Oh, and his opening act was Darius Rucker (you know, the guy from Hootie and the Blowfish who crossed-over into country music? Wise choice I think!)

My camera went dead so unfortunately this is the only picture I have from the evenings events.
Note to self....Buy a better camera ASAP!

It was chilly and late by the time Brad hit the stage but he eventually sang her favorite song "Ticks." (Which she would have stayed up all night to hear.)

Thanks Brad! She thinks you sang it just for her!!!

The next week, Amanda took me on a mother-daughter date. We dined on loaded baked potatoes, watched the movie "Flicka" and she presented me with this darling frame she made, complete with our photo. What a welcome switch from all the emotionally heavy times I've been through recently.
Oh, how I love that little girl!
Thank you princess for making me smile!!

The Fulfillment of a Wish

2010-09-22T10:38:00.012-06:00

Very recently, I wrote a post about a wish my mom had. She always wanted her daughter (who had died at 28 hours old) to be buried with her when she died. I always remember her telling me how the baby would be moved from a very large city cemetery and placed in her grave at her feet. A couple of years ago, Mom had told Dad that she thought it would be too expensive so she thought it would be fine to leave the baby where she was.
Well, as my family well knows, telling me not to do something is the same as giving me an engraved invitation to do it. (A trait that gets me into trouble sometimes.) Today, I'm honored to be writing about the completion of Mom's wish, and I hope she forgives my disobedience ;o)

On Thursday, Sept 16 2010, we brought our sister Debra's sweet little body to her new, and final, resting place. She is now buried with our mother, right where she belongs. I'd like to tell as much of this story as I can, in pictures.

The guest of honor arrived in the back of my Suburban. I loved being able to drive her little body home to Mom.

Beautiful little cherubs surrounded her casket.

Daddy finally carrying his little girl to be with her mama.

Putting the princess on a pedestal

Some well deserved flowers

Dad spoke about the bittersweet nature of the day.

Tim gave a beautiful prayer.

One of the most heartbreaking stories of Debra's death was one told of the morticians closing the casket and Mom realizing that she had not put a blanket on her baby. She stood there unable to remedy a very motherly instinct of keeping your baby warm. She had not thought beforehand to bring a blanket. Although she knew it wasn't rational, she would find herself worried that the baby was cold. The rest of her life, if she ever heard of a friend or family member losing a baby, she made sure that they had something with which to cover their precious one. Usually, it was a beautiful blanket she had lovingly made herself.

This is one of Mom's handmade blankets.

Well Mom, we covered her...She is no longer cold.

Lots of family attended.

Think they're related??

My lil' Mr. Mason

Grandpa got lots of hugs

The groundskeepers lower the little casket.

Finally, their bodies rest together.

My sweet little Amanda visiting Grandma and Aunt Debra

The day marked the end of a journey that started in 1968. It was emotional, spiritual, and healing. Being able to do this for Mom has been such a labor of love, one shared by my entire family. I know she and Debra have been close by. I have no doubt that they are running around the heavens, laughing and enjoying being together in their spiritual state. Now they also rest together in their physical state.

What a gift they have given us, and for that, I will be forever grateful.

Faulty Phone?

2010-09-19T23:59:00.005-06:00

On Thursday, we had made all the arrangements to have Debra re-interred with our Mother. I have great photos to share but they are not in my possession yet so I'm going to split the events of the day in to two parts...
I have to start the story by telling you that I procured a new phone from t-mobile just a couple of days prior to burial day. The day before the burial was planned, my little niece, Londyn, got some water on my phone. We immediately dried it out and it seemed no worse for wear. The next day I would realize that Londyn may have had a little help from the other side when spilling that water. I continued to use the phone, stress free all Wednesday night and Thursday morning. At 11:00am, I had plans to go to Goff Mortuary to clean Debra's little casket before her graveside service later that day. No sooner did I get in my car than my phone stopped working. Completely. Stopped. Working. No one could dial in, I couldn't dial out, no texting, NOTHING. So, I chalk it up to possible water damage and start planning to go get a new phone after the services.
I got to the mortuary and Dad was already there waiting for me. I went to work trying to clean Debra's beautiful, yet old, casket.

As Dad sat and supervised (some things never change), we were able to have a great conversation. We talked about Mom, my kids, his feelings and hopes for my future, and how he felt his daughters were coping with Mom's death. In my entire 45 years, I don't think I've ever had a conversation with my dad that was longer than two minutes. This conversation lasted almost two hours. He didn't leave, he didn't change the subject, he didn't pace the floor, he didn't try to pawn the conversation off on to someone else. As I cleaned, we just talked. I wish I had it recorded because one day, he will be gone too and I'd love to have that one on tape...

The front all cleaned up! We found engraved cherubs on the outside. It was beautiful!

And here's the back all cleaned up. There were more cherubs...

After I was satisfied that it was as clean as I could get it, we loaded the little casket carrying my baby sister, into my Suburban. I had to run a few errands before the graveside service so I got to take her with me. I joked with family that I was "Driving Miss Debby". Still, my mobile phone would not work...
I finished my errands, took the baby to the cemetery and we had a beautiful graveside service, which I will post about in the next day or so. As I left the cemetery, ready to head across the street to the t-mobile store, my phone rang. Yep, just started ringing after 6 hours of complete silence. It was Stacey, she had forgotten that my phone wasn't working and just dialed out of habit. Surprised and shocked, I told her that I needed to check my phone and call a few numbers. Sure enough, every number worked just fine!
I'd call it a coincidence but, I don't believe in coincidence. I think that little Debby wanted me to be completely focused for the day and she REALLY wanted me to talk to Dad.
Thanks Debra! You were right to mess with my phone, and I'm sure you and Mom are laughing about that little prank! I will cherish the time spent with Dad at your insistence.

Mom's 42 Year Wish

2010-09-16T07:58:00.007-06:00

Many years ago, 42 to be exact, my mother gave birth to a baby girl who only lived for 28 hours. Her name was Debra Lynn. I was only 3 and a half when she was born but her little life always had a profound effect on me. I remember so much about that time...Mom leaving to give birth but returning from the hospital without a baby, a tiny casket, a beautiful white dress, bonnet, and socks, tiny knees, an old woman in a mortuary.

The thing I remember most though was Mom telling me that when she died, the baby was to be moved from the cemetery where she had been initially placed and buried at her feet. In Mom's last years, she decided that it would be too expensive and told my father to just leave the baby where she was. Knowing that it really was what she wanted, I began making arrangements to have the baby moved just as soon as it became evident that Mom's time on this earth was short. The idea was to have Mom and Debra buried together on the same day. Mom died sooner than expected and the plan didn't work out.

It took two months but on Monday of this week, the process began of having Debra transferred from one cemetery to the other.

The Sexton supervising the first shovelful

What a learning experience this has been for me. I didn't know what I was getting into prior to the day when I informed the mortuary of the plan. What I found out was interesting, confusing, bureaucratic, and somewhat crazy. Did you know that a cemetery is not licensed to do a disinterment? Yep, they can put you in the ground but are not licensed to dig you up. They could only dig until they found the tip of the casket and then they turned the duties over to us. Now, we aren't licensed either so we had to bring along with us an undertaker who was licensed. Here is where I have to give my sincerest thanks to Goff Mortuary for all their help. They truly went above and beyond for our family and we will never be able to repay their kindness. Thanks to their presence at the cemetery, we, the siblings of Debra Lynn, were able to get right down in the hole and dig to get her out. It became one of the most sacred, beautiful days I have ever spent with my brothers and sisters.

Waiting and watching as the backhoe carefully digs.

The first corners of the tiny fiberglass vault appeared and the cemetery turned the job of digging over to us,

Tim and I were the first to have shovels in our hands.

We all took our turns which made the digging easy.

Finally, we could see the entire fiberglass vault and it was time to loosen and lift.

Sandy (top) and me lifting our sister.

It really wasn't heavy, I think it weighed about 10 lbs.

We were not sure what condition the casket would be in so when I placed on the grass, fully intact, a sigh of relief went up...along with some cheers!

And the hugs were passed around.

Figuring out how to remove the outer vault

Her little casket finally exposed.

We looked inside the casket and what we found is too personal and beautiful to share on a public blog. I will however, show her darling little socks that sit exactly where her tiny feet were placed 42 years ago.

I'm sure Mom was looking on as this picture was taken. Finally, all of her children (and a couple of grandchildren for good measure) were physically in the same place at the same time. This had never happened before.

It was only fitting that Dad should carry his baby daughter away from what had been her resting place. I can imagine him, when he was much younger, carrying this very casket. It would have been in pristine condition, bright white with shiny golden hinges and knobs. The grief must have been palpable as he and Mom would place that casket, which carried the body of their sixth child, in the ground.
Today, Dad will carry her one more time. This time it will be to place her permanently with the love of his life...His beautiful wife, Gayle Marie.

***Post edit...
After writing this post, my dad made the comment to me that carrying Debra out of the cemetery was the first time he had ever held his little girl. At the time of her burial, one of the funeral directors was the one to carry her from the limousine to her grave. It seems that back when Debra died, it wasn't customary to allow parents to be "hands on" with their dying/dead babies. Something about trying to spare them pain...
I'm so glad that we have evolved to the point that we not only let parents hold their babies, but that they are encouraged to dress them, visit with them, have photographs taken if they wish, or do whatever they need to get some tangible evidence of the baby's existence. I can't imagine holding my baby for the first time in a decades old casket. But, at least Dad got to hold her...Mom never did.

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

2010-09-13T06:06:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to my sister Jeanna and her new hubby Roger!!!

Mr and Mrs Smith

Saturday night, my sister got married after 5 years of being single. I think she got a good guy...I KNOW he got a great lady!! It was a beautiful wedding, she was a stunning bride, he was a handsome groom and the entourage looked fabulous! The only way the night could have been better is if our mother had been there...

Me and my family walking up the isle (I'll post a better pic when I have one)

Just us girls

Ummmm, do I really want to do this?

Well Jeanna, it's a little late for that question...Deep breaths, all will be well!

First kiss as husband and wife

Wahoo!!

Put a ring on it Roger!!!!

Jeanna surprised Roger with the ring he thought he wasn't going to get for a while. Our jeweler put a rush on it and was able to finish it just in time! Thanks Ken!!!

He was so shocked that it brought tears to his eyes...

Welcome to the family Roger!

(I'm still her BFF though...just in case you forgot!)

Counting Time

2010-09-08T23:56:00.000-06:00

Today marks the second month since Mom died...

Jeanna feeding Mom her dinner just 4 days before she died.

At first, I counted days. Now after about 8 weeks, I think I'll just count half months. Eventually, I will drop the half months and just count full months then on to half years and then years. It's a little like what you do if you are blessed with a healthy new baby. The counting is the same, it's just for a different reason. You're joyously counting the days, then weeks, then months that you've had them, not the time since you've lost them.
We have all the firsts to get through as well. I finally had a day when I didn't wake up crying...that was a first. I've also had a day when it wasn't the first thing I thought about that day. Another important first. It doesn't mean that I miss her less or love her less, just that some of the intese pain has served it's purpose so I can shelve it for now. I'm sure as we go through all the upcoming firsts this year (Thanksgiving, New Year's, Christmas, Mom's Birthday...) I imagine that intense pain may be taken down from the shelf and felt once again.
On Saturday, Jeanna is getting married. I imagine that the night will be bitter-sweet. She is marrying a man who loves and adores her and Mom will not be there (physically anyway) to celebrate with us. How I wish she could be there. She loved her kids and lit up when she was with her grandkids and great-grandkids. Her sweet face will sorely be missed.
And missing Jeanna's wedding...well, I guess that counts as a first.

I know that one day I will be saying that it has been 5, 10, 15 years since losing mom and in a way, I can't wait for that. Time doesn't heal, but what you do with that time does. Thank God that time just keeps marching on, giving us opportunity for healing and growth with each tic of the clock.

48!

2010-09-07T08:23:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, my old man turned 48...How did that happen? I still feel like we are in our early 30's but in reality, that was a looooong time ago!

By the looks of this cake, our 30's were a VERY long time ago!

We just returned from a trip to Flaming Gorge (I'll blog about that tomorrow), so I didn't have time or energy to do a big party. So, it was just us Kellers and a few stragglers who happened to stop by.

That's better!

Singing Happy Birthday

Not sure what is going on here....

Jaxon and his dimples were partying!

Ileah came over to get her hair done...Unfortunately for her, I took this picture before I fixed her "fro"

Happy Birthday Babe! I love you more than you know!!

Debra Lynn

2010-09-01T23:54:00.003-06:00

I have been so busy lately that my poor blog has suffered. The school year started, I'm busy being my sister Jeanna's matron of honor and helping her get all the details of her wedding taken care of, and I've been very busy making plans to have my little sister's body moved and buried with my mom.

Sorry the picture is upside-down and grainy...

Debra Lynn was her name and she died in 1968. Mom always wanted the baby to be buried with her when she died. I really wanted my mom to have her wish so I took on what ended up being a very involved project of moving my baby sister's little casket from a HUGE city cemetery a half hour away to the cemetery where Mom is and having her buried in the same plot. It has proved to be quite the undertaking. We have to have what seems like a million permits, we are responsible to move the headstone ourselves and the cemetery will only dig down to her casket and then we will be responsible to raise it. So yes, we will be responsible for lifting our sister out of the ground. Besides all the permits, we've had to coordinate 2 cemeteries and get a mortician to come with us and take responsibility for the disinterment. It's been quite a learning experience for me. It will take several trips and 3 days to accomplish the entire task. It is truly going to be a job for the entire family.

We are all getting excited now for this to take place and to fulfill Mom's wishes. I'll post more about it when we take care of it in a couple of weeks. It should prove to be quite interesting.

Cleaning up the grave a bit.

Making all these plans has been emotional and spiritual. To think that we will be moving the vessel that held my baby sister's spirit and placing it with Mom is quite an amazing thing. The feelings are inexpressible, the emotion at times, overwhelming. After visiting Debra's grave site today, I feel a love for her like I never have before. Perhaps it is because I understand so much better now what the loss of a baby means. As we left the cemetery, the song "I Saw God Today" by George Strait came on the radio. Since I don't believe in coincidence, I have to believe that it was one of His tender mercies. The tears came as I listened to this awesome song...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q06AvQF5NOw&feature=related

Many prayers are being said that all goes well and I believe we are getting help from above...

Seven Years??? Really?

2010-08-16T22:57:00.001-06:00

Good thing I'm not superstitious, or believe in luck at all...

Otherwise, my 'burb would have 6 years and 364 days left of bad luck!

Do you like the way I pimped my ride with packaging tape?

Belated Gratitude and a New Headstone

2010-08-12T14:27:00.003-06:00

Yesterday, Mom's headstone was placed on her grave.

It is beautiful but has such a permanence about it that I wasn't ready for the emotional reaction it would evoke.

Something about seeing your mom's name etched in brass on a permanent grave marker is difficult to see. Mom picked it out 4 years ago and we had no idea what she had done. I love the two figures holding hands in this last picture.

*************

Now for the belated "thank yous"....
The day of the funeral, we were so fortunate to have a police escort for Mom's entourage. Some of my nephew's buddies from the police force came in on their time off to provide us with that escort. They did it because they wanted to, not because they had to. There are truly so many good people in this world!

The City's Finest!

Here is a copy of the thank you card I sent to each of them.

Dear Officers,
We wish to extend our gratitude for providing Gayle Osborn such a wonderful escort to her final resting place. If you had known her, you would know how deserving she was of such a privilege. She was one who always stopped her own life to help another. So it was a fitting tribute to have others stop their lives briefly for her as she was transported by.
Thank you for the gift of your time and expertise. Your kindness will not be forgotten.
Sincerely,
The entire family of Gayle Osborn

Summer's Almost Over

2010-08-11T14:04:00.002-06:00

In just a couple of weeks, it will be time to start school again. Of course, it isn't too much of an adjustment for us because we homeschool. Why homeschool?? Many reasons really, but here's a couple of my favorites...

On a morning when Jaxon wakes up and asks you what dry ice is, you can go to the grocery store and buy a couple pieces...

Then Amanda gets intrigued.

Then you do a couple of experiments you saw on YouTube...

Cool, huh!!

A couple of days later, you find your kids doing this...

And you realize that learning doesn't have to be done in a classroom.

One Month Gone

2010-08-08T23:09:00.001-06:00

ONe month ago today, my mother died. Not sure how you are supposed to commemorate a one month anniversary so Stacey and I spent the day helping my Aunt Carol move into her new apartment. She was Mom's bestest friend...Remember this post? Nothing like spending a day of service to hep take some of the sting of the sadness of the day.

Aunt Carol

Later, we went to the cemetary to take flowers to Mom. Dad came up with his little dog, Jazmine. While there, we saw an older man take a folding chair and his puppy over to a headstone. I walked over and introduced myself, and as my dad got closer, he realized that it was somebody he knew because the both work in the same temple. Both men were within a year of each other, (age wise) both had been married to the same woman for well over 50 years and both had lost the loves of their lives in the last 2 months or less. I hope my dad will go get his folding chair and go sit and talk with this man. I think they could be a great support to each other.

I miss her more than I thought I would.

Saying Good Bye the night of the viewing.

One month down, many more to go...

Short Stories

2010-08-04T23:20:00.000-06:00

Dad, Mom, Me, Jeanna, Stacey

My baby sister Stacey and I went grocery shopping on Sunday. While driving the 'burb over to the local Wal-Mart, we were ~~discussing~~ crying about adjusting to life without Mom. Just as I stop at a red light, I notice that the car in front of us has vanity plates that say "2GAYLE". For those of you who don't know, that is the exact spelling of my mom's name and it is not common. I'd say it was a coincidence except that I dont believe in coincidence. So, I have to say, "Thanks Mom" for finding a way of letting us know that you are still here looking out for us.

,***************************

On the day Mom died, I was making phone calls to our family to let them know that it was time and say good bye. Mason heard my conversations, teared up and said "Mom, if we get enough doctors here can we save her life? It broke my heart to see my kind hearted son learning one of the tough lessons of life. Some of his innocence was gone that day as he realized that doctors are only human and do not always have the abilitiy to save lives. I explained that we all will die sometime and that this was Grandma's time and that no number of doctors would be able to save her.

*****************************

What a beautiful opportunity it was for all of us to be with Grandma as she died a peaceful death and to have the opportunity to say good bye and to surround her with love as she left this world. It as had a profound effect on me and most certainly on my kids.

When the hospice nurse arrived, she began taking care of Mom. Mason stood right in front of me and within earshot of the nurse and began complimenting me. "Mom, you're the best mom. You know why you are the best mom? Because you teach me so much and I love you." The awesome nurse decided at that moment that she would wait for Mason to get old enough and then marry him...I think he will make someone a great husband one day and I can see why she would want him ;o) You have quite a wait Jolene, but I'd love to have you as a family member!!

*****************************

A few years ago, Mom had a surgery for a strangulated hernia. If I remember correctly, she was also in the hospital because something neurological was going on and she was losing her hearing and was unable to move her head without vomiting. It was really a tough time and it aged her considerably. She spent much of her time that week having very spiritual experiences. When she came home, I would go over to help her with her dressings and make sure she had taken her meds. During one of these visits, we got into a coversation about the experiences that she had while in the hospital. She told me that what she learned is that love is the only way we are going to fix this nation and fix our families. Complete, unconditional, love. She told me that what she had learned is that in order for our children to survive and thrive in this world is for them to have the safety net of parents who love them regardless of their faults.
What incredible advice I got from my mom that day.Of course this was how she lived her life so I have a great role model. I will always treasure that conversation and pray that I use her wise advice.

***********************

I'm so grateful that Gayle Marie was my mother. I truly am blessed to have been her daughter.

Put a Ring on It

2010-07-29T11:46:00.005-06:00

This is my BFF Jeanna, and me when we were quite small. I think she's 4 and I'm 3. Did I mention she is also my sister as well as my BFF?

Still BFF's, but now a little older and (maybe?) wiser.

This is the ring my BFF got a couple of nights ago...

And this is the man who gave it to her.

A hearty congratulations to Roger and Jeanna!!

I love you both. But Roger, I'm still her BFF...Just sayin!

P.S. Mom would appove!

A Month of Sundays

2010-07-19T21:32:00.001-06:00

Two Sunday's ago, July 4th, I had the last really coherant conversation I would have with my mom before she died. She had been crying for hours and my dad called and asked if I could come over and talk to her. When I got to her apartment, she was on the couch sobbing. "I just want to go home" she said. I inquired as to what she meant by home, although I knew exactly what she meant. She wanted to die and be with her mom, brother, and the daughter she lost 42 years ago. She told me she didn't want to live "like this anymore." By that, I knew that she no longer wanted to be stuck in a body that didn't do what her brain told it to. But she was conflicted. "I just don't know what to do, I don't want to leave you kids." The sadness she was feeling was palpable and overwhelming. She was clearly tormented between staying in a body that was failing her so that she could still be with her kids or giving up and deciding to go home. I told her that she didn't need to make a decision right then and that she could take her time. I was hoping that with a good nights sleep her thoughts would be clearer in the morning. I let her know that we were honored to care for her and that she wasn't a burden to any of us. "But what am I supposed to do since I can no longer take care of myself?" "Well Mom, just live the best life you can with the abilities you have" was my reply. I climbed in bed with her, wrapped my arms around her and told her we were having a slumber party, and eventually she fell asleep. I will treasure that conversation for the rest of my life. In the few days that followed, it became clear that she had made up her mind and had made the choice to go home.
The following Sunday we held her viewing. For a fiercely independent woman who raised 8 children, alone many times as my dad was staioned over seas in the military, depending on others for all her daily needs wasn't an option. I wish she were sitting on my couch again and I could sit next to her and feed her breakfast. What a joy and a pleasure it was to help care for her in her final weeks.

Yesterday (Sunday again), me and all my siblings went through mom's belongings. Dad is moving next door to a smaller apartment and wanted us to come and get whatever we wanted. After sifting through boxes and boxes of craft supplies, yarn, crochet hooks, knitting needles and a few drawers and a closet of clothing, I came away with things that are priceless. A garnet ring that Dad gave Mom when I was just a small child (I share the same birthstone), the light blue sweatsuit that she wore to the quad's birthday party the Saturday before she died (it hasn't been washed and it still smells like her), her tattered shoes with holes in the soles that I bought her for her 72nd birthday, her winter jacket that she never took off because she was always cold, and the photo album she had kept of me from childhood until now.

Next Sunday, we will finish moving Dad from the apartment he shared with Mom to the one next door. This has been so difficult for ALL of us. I'm praying for strength, understanding, and the ability to listen more than I talk.
I miss her. Dad misses her. All my siblings miss her. I guess we have some adjusting to do in order to find our new normal. We need time. Time doesn't heal, it's what you do with that time that heals. We will get there...slowly but surely, we will get there.

She Has Gone Home

2010-07-11T07:18:00.001-06:00

Mom & my brother Terrance at the quads birthday party.

On July 8, 2010 at 11:38 pm, Mom returned home. She left in the way she did most everything, with love, grace, and a peaceful heart. During the day, all of her children and nearly all of her grand and great grandchildren had a chance to visit with her and say their good-bye's. We all spent many hours looking at old pictures, laughing at outdated hairstyles, telling stories and listening to the children play. This was the kind of day Mom really enjoyed. As the day wore on, Dad became quite tired and decided to go to bed. At about 10pm he went through his usual nighttime routine of brushing, flossing, dressing in his pajamas, saying his prayers and climbing into bed next to Mom. Sandy and Stacey continued to check on Mom every 15 minutes in order to give her a little extra morphine to keep her comfortable. At 11:30, Stacey returned from their room and informed Sandy that Mom's breathing had changed considerably. Sandy went back to check on her, sat next to her and told her that it was OK to go home now. With my father sleeping right by my mother's side, she slipped out of this world and into the arms of those who have been awaiting her arrival. I can only imagine the joy felt on the other side of the veil as someone who is so loved was greeted by her own mother, brother, daughter and grandson. We had her for 72 years, now they get to keep her for eternity.

Mom, we love you and will miss you every day of our lives. Thank you for teaching us to love, thank you
for being our mother, and thank you for touching so many people.

Yesterday, I had the honor of meeting with my sister's to dress Mom for her funeral. Today, will be her viewing and tomorrow, her funeral. None of this seems real and I just keep wondering if I will wake up and the sadness will be gone. But, like every other painful experience in my life, something good always comes of it. God knows what he is doing, and He knows better than we do what we need to truly be happy. For now, I will grieve but I know that some day, I will see the wisdom and know why she went home now.

I'm Older Now

2010-07-08T06:19:00.000-06:00

As a young adult, I saw both of my parents bury their own parents. If things work the way we think they should, we will all witness the death of the people who gave us life. It's just the natural progression of time. I never spent any time contemplating the event as it was something that would happen when I was "older." Somehow, I thought that when I was "older" I would be ready and saying good-bye would not be so difficult. After all, I had watched my own parents go through it and it didn't seem that bad. I thought maybe it was easier because it was expected, and they were older.
We put my sweet mother on hospice care two days ago. Yesterday, the doctor visited and said that she felt mom would be gone in a week or two. I have cried every day the last week or so since it became obvious that mom was not going to get better. This is not easy. I have a broken heart. I will miss her. There are those on the other side who are anxiously awaiting her arrival, I feel their presence when I'm with her. Her own mother, and my sister Debra who died shortly after birth, have been frequent visitors. When she is ready to go, she will be escorted well.
And I will be sad...and officially older.

Birthday Bash

2010-07-06T08:13:00.001-06:00

Our party in pictures!

Create a free slideshow

Where did the last 8 years go? Or for that matter, the last 21? Today is our 21st wedding anniversary...And I still love the guy! I'm so glad I married Jeff, I couldn't have asked for a better husband!

Friday Flashback

2010-07-02T14:41:00.004-06:00

Eight years ago today, I was looking like this...

This picture was taken close to midnight on July 2, 2002. I was (once again) hooked up to an evil drug called Magnesium Sulfate in an attempt to quiet my ~~pissed off~~ constantly contracting uterus as my doctor tried to buy the babies as much time in the oven as possible. I had already been in the hospital for almost a month and this was my third or fourth time being treated with the drug from hell. A man who hates women must have invented that drug, or at least that's what I thought back then. I was miserable and sooooo ready to be done being pregnant but I knew that having the babies this early (27 weeks 3 days) wouldn't be in their best interest. So, I followed orders, stayed in bed hooked to IV's and monitors, and tried to keep my spirits up...Doesn't that look like a happy face to you? I was wondering how much more I could handle, I was really feeling like I had nothing left to give. Couldn't sleep, breathe, walk, couldn't see my own feet. Heck, I could barely wipe my own ~~@$$~~...well you know.

But, I was doing something VERY important....Growing our children!

Remembering that made nights like these suck a little less.

I didn't know it then but, this proved to be the last of those miserable nights.

About 20 hours later...

The Blink of an Eye

2010-06-29T00:13:00.001-06:00

Me and Cindy in our younger days

Last week, a couple of things happened that have further impressed in my mind just how fragile this life is that we are living. My very best friend from high school Cindy Smith is here in town for a while. Not because she's on some kind of vacation but because her 17 year old daughter Courtney, is in extremely critical condition at a local childrens hospital. She is being kept alive with an ECMO machine (lung bypass, similar to the heart/lung bypass machines used in open heart surgery) as she is suffering from a pulmonary embolism, pulmonary hemmorage, pneumothorax, pneumonia and ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome.) The doctors have labled her the sickest child in the hospital. A couple of weeks ago, she was
graduating from high school and had a sore throat. Now, in the blink of an eye, she's fighting for her life in a hospital hundreds of miles from home. Drs. don't know what caused her pneumonia so they are treating it with everything they've got in hopes something works. Her lungs have to heal in order for her to be taken off ECMO. Right now, I think the pneumonia is their biggest concern.

Cindy's beautiful daughter Courtney

Thursday, I made arrangements to go and see Cindy and her family up at the hospital. Just prior to the time I was supposed to leave I got a call from my niece, Jennifer, asking if she could ride with me as she would be going to an adjacent hospital. She is a professional photographer who volunteers time to do pictures for families who are suffering a stillbirth or early loss of a child. She is affiliated with an organization called Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. Anyway, the call had just come in that they needed a photographer for family who had suffered a horrific tragedy that morning. It seems that a woman was just driving down a street she had likely driven hundreds of times before. She was at work and was going to visit a client. She was pregnant, had not had an easy time conceiving her baby and had a challenging pregnancy. She had just hit her 32nd week and was finally feeling better about the prospects of bringing home a healthy little girl. Then, in the blink of an eye, a car crossed 5 lanes of traffic and slammed into her car head on. It was later revealed that the driver of that car had suffered a heart attack and died. The force of the impact shoved the engine into the womans lap, rupturing her uterus and killing her unborn baby girl. Just that fast, their whole lives changed. Their baby was gone, and the baby's mother was in critical condition. It took over an hour to get the mother out of the car and it was later determined that the baby she was carrying had saved her life. She was in such a position that she kept pressure on her mother's organs keeping her from bleeding out. What an incredible gift she gave her mama. Jennifer was able to get some beautiful pictures of this special little angel baby for this incredible family. I have never been so proud of her as I was that night.

I've never felt so aware of the fragility of life as I did driving home with Jen and talking about what we had both just witnessed. With every sunrise, we really don't know what is in store for us. It isn't in our control, rather that control belongs to He who knows all. My prayers are with both of these families that they will have the strength necessary to endure. May God be with them.

The Original BFF's

2010-06-23T11:47:00.002-06:00

On certain mornings, my Mom comes over and stays with me while my Dad goes to work at the Temple. Yesterday, she was here and I was able to feed her breakfast and give her a little manicure. I must have worn her out.

The animals are very protective of her.

Mom's had some health challenges and now is suffering from dementia. We are hoping to get her on some medications that will give her some independenence back and help with her cognitive skills. Until that happens, or even IF that happens, I get to have her come visit me a couple days a week. It's hard to see this fiercely independent mother of 9 suddenly needing help with basic everday activities. I can only imagine how difficult it is for her to be so confused and not understand what is happening to her own mind and body. She spends a lot of time sad and crying. Yesterday though, she was really looking forward to a visit from her very best friend, her sister Carol. All morning she kept telling me that she couldn't wait to see Carol and torment her.

I think Carol's visit was just what the Dr. ordered.

I don't think I've ever seen such a sweet picture of my Aunt and Mom.

I have so much love for both of these incredible women. I really hope that I have conducted my life in a way that I have shown them just how much they mean to me.

I know my time with them is limited, that they are in the twilight of their lives. They truly are BFF's and my prayer would be that neither one of them has to live out the remainder of their lives without the other one. Maybe God can take them both at the same time. Surely He would be entertained by the two of them!

Cheaper?

2010-06-17T22:16:00.002-06:00

I took the kids to the gamestore yesterday to replace a broken Nintendo DS. You can't just have 3 when you have quads unless you want to referee constant battles, which I'm too tired to do. Of course, taking them to the store with me was not one of my smarter decisions. Those stores are like crack for kids, except I think crack might be cheaper. After saying NO about a bajillion times, they were able to decide on one video game and one replacement DS. Believe me, if I would have allowed them to purchase all they wanted, it would have looked something like this...
4 Nintendo DSI's, 2 new controllers for the Wii, 4 new games for the Wii and X-box, And several little gadgets to hold, protect, and decorate their newly acquired electronics. Thus, the repetitive use of the word NO!!
As we went to check out, the clerk started asking the traditional questions..."Are the all the same age?" "Did you do fertility stuff?" "Are any of them identical?" "How much did they weigh?" but then one of her questions caught me by surprise. She had just given me my total "That will be $140.23 please" and then asked "So, is it cheaper now that you don't have to buy diapers anymore?
Suddenly, the cost of bigger clothes, shoes, a bigger house and car, my McDonalds and Dominos Pizza purchases, not to mention my out of control spending at Wal Mart went flashing through my consciousness. Then there's books, learning supplies, computers, vacations (that we couldn't do when they were babies.) Oh, and I can't forget the $140 I just dropped in 10 minutes at her store. My eyes were opened wide, along with some brief anxiety ;o) Suddenly, the $250 a month for diapers seemed irrelevant.
I was only able to come up with one word in that instance...NO. And that was the bajillion-and-first time I said that word that day!

Even the dead presidents that don't have time to get cozy in my wallet agree that they are gone too soon!

And you know what? I can't think of anything I'd rather spend money on!

No Words

2010-06-13T21:20:00.000-06:00

On June 9, 2010 a dear high school friend of mine died of complications of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. (CML) For the past six months I have followed his wife's blog faithfully and have prayed for them constantly. I've been thinking for a couple of days about what to write. I wanted to find exactly the right words to say, words to somehow ease their pain. Then I realized that I don't believe those words exist so, I thought I'd just convey one of the best times I ever had in High School.

Me and Van July 1982 just after graduation.

It was on a blistering hot summer day. Me, Cindy (Smith) Cliften, Paul Valenzuela, Van, and a few other teens decided to go "ice blocking" at Sugarhouse Park. There is/was a great ice manufacturing place just west of the park where we could pick up large solid blocks of ice that were big enough to sit on and slide down the steep hills of the park. You were guaranteed to have hours of fun, and a wet fanny! Anyway, we drove my Dad's little car, some sort of Datsun (that ages us eh?). After plenty of times carrying an ice block up a hill and then sliding down as fast as we could, the ice eventually melted. We returned to Cindy and Van's neighborhood to drop off the first wave of people wearing grass stains and soggy drawers. Well, somehow the bet was made that Paul, Van, and the other football players who accompanied us could easily pick up my dad's small car. Well, they did. Picked up the rear of the car and thanks to the cold from the ice blocks we had previously stored in the trunk, the blistering sun pounding on the glass, and the torsion on the car...The back window literally exploded. I wish you could have seen the looks on their faces!! We must have laughed about that one for weeks! (Thank heavens my dad wasn't upset...)

I have a lot of great memories thanks to Van. Things were always a little brighter when he was around. Thank God he was a part of my world, even if it were for such a brief time.
May God bless his family with the strength and comfort needed.

I had the opportunity to attend Van's funeral on Saturday and I'll blog abot that after processing the events of the day. Something about Van's death has made a real impact on me and I need to figure it out so that I can write something that truly reflects the day.

Friday Flashback

2010-06-11T07:52:00.000-06:00

If only they had the same love for washing dishes now!

Sorry so grainy, I think my scanner is on the fritz

Oops, I Did it Again!

2010-06-08T23:44:00.004-06:00

My very favorite sport while in High school was womens gymnastics. I competed for all 4 years and loved every minute of it. I have friendships that will be forever even if we don't always stay in contact. It seems that when we do, we can just pick up where we left off and always enjoy each other's company.

Anyway, besides the friends, I also managed to get myself an injury. I had a little fall off the balance beam and almost dislocated my right ankle. I had a grade 2 tear to the deltoid ligament in the ankle. Stubborned as I was, I went to physical therapy as much as I could and then I had myself back competing in 2 weeks. Now as an adult, I see the silliness in all of that but it sure was important to me then.

Fast forward to now and I have never had stable ankles (in fact they are quite weak) but I have managed to keep myself from re-injuring them by simple dumb luck. About 2 weeks ago, my dumb luck ran out.

While carrying my sweet little Mochie outside to comb and trim her hair, I twisted my ankle and fell down 2 concrete steps. Scared her bad enough to pee on me...I suppose I'd have done the same if I were her. Skinned my knee and got a couple of bruises but nothing to get excited about. So, on with life as usual.

Two weeks later...I'm at my niece Jennifer's house holding her darling little baby Londyn and what do I do???? Yup, you guessed it! I take one step down the stairs, sprain my ankle and fly down the remaining 5 or 6 steps while trying to keep this precious little baby girl from getting hurt. I tried my best to hold her so that I wouldn't squash her. I needed to hold her away from my body but still hang on to her so she didn't just land full force on the ground. I think it looked like what a football player does when he's holding a football and trying to stretch it across the line of scrimmage. I'm sure she peed on me too but fortunately, she wears diapers.

Isn't that a pretty little ankle? Can't wait till it bruises!

Anyway, the second mishap caused enough damage and pain that I went in to see my Dr the next day. The very first time I met my awesome Dr., it was because I fell off my roof trying to get my cat down. (DUHH!!! If the cat can get up there, the cat can get down...) So I get thinking I'd better only tell him about the highschool sprain and then most recent sprain (skipping the one about the dog) since I don't want him thinking that I'm either an abuse victim or someone who needs a neurology appointment ;o) However, after examining my poor fat ankle he said, "Well, now that you have re-injured this, it will take forever to heal and you'll just keep spraining it if you don't stablize it with tape or a wrap or a boot thingy" OK, he didn't say "boot thingy" but I don't remember what it is called...Oh, well DUH...I already have sprained it twice it 2 weeks....I certainly hope this is it and I don't do it again!

Funniest part of this whole story is that the apparatus I was best on as a gymnast was the balance beam. A four inch wide wooden beam 16 feet long that I could do actual skills on...Now I can't even balance on my own 2 feet, or a staircase.

Bad Kitty

2010-06-03T21:08:00.001-06:00

A few days ago we went to visit one of my crack dealers...I mean we went to the local Barnes and Noble. (I need a 12 step program for books, office supplies, and home improvement stores.) I hope the kids feel the same way about bookstores one day. I love the smell of the pages, looking at all the learning games, thumbing through the magazines and finding the perfect bookmark. So far, our favorite purchase of the day was two books. One named "Bad Kitty Gets a Bath" and one named "Happy Birthday Bad Kitty". These are stories about a naughty kitty and all his antics. The kids love them, we can't help but laugh everytime we read them! Sprinkled in with the humor, there are pages that give actual information about cats, tigers, lions and the like.
While reading about the lions, we learned that some big cats will eat so much after a successful hunt that they will sleep for 2 days afterward. Often it is the female who does the hunting while the male lions do most of the sleeping.
Upon learning this, Amanda asked me "which is male and which is female?' I told her that males were boys and females were girls. The lightbulb must have lit up in her brain...She laughed "So, it's just like when you go to Wal-Mart and Daddy sleeps the whole time on the couch!"

Yes Amanda, it's just like that!!!

The Meanest Mom Ever!!

2010-05-31T14:31:00.004-06:00

I'm not quite sure how this happened but, apparently I have become the "meanest mom ever!" Of course, this phrase only makes it's appearance when it is past bedtime and I'm refusing to allow them out of bed, or at the Wal-Mart checkout when I have 4 kids all trying to get me to buy them one of each of the various sundries that the store strategically markets to bored children. These can become quite a stumbling block for parents who are trying to keep their kids somewhat in check. (Aw heck, who am I fooling? I'm surviving by the skin of my teeth at the checkout and my kids certainly are NOT in check.) I'm thinking of buying blinders for our next shopping trip ;o) I guess as my kids (Jax in particular) understand it, saying "no" makes you a mean mommy.

Can I get an AMEN from all the mean mommies out there????

Hey, if anyone in this house has the right to say I'm the meanest mom, it would be these 2 cats.

Angel

Dodger

Both cats came to me as a result of a friend marrying someone who was horribly allergic to them. She gave them to me and now they are just part of the family! Soooooo, for their wedding, I dressed 2 unhappy cats in some finery and took pictures. Don't they look excited??

Ahem, back to the kids...Being called the "meanest mom" or even the occasional "I hate you" are things that just roll right off my back. You see, I think I may have said the same thing to my mom when I was little...
If it means that they will grow up with a little bit of self control and self respect, well, I'll wear the "mean mommy" badge proudly!!

Lost in Translation

2010-05-25T22:42:00.004-06:00

Although I homeschool the quadruplets, the identical boys attend speech therapy once a week at the local elementary school. They have always had a speech delay and I really appreciate the help of their wonderful therapist.

Their speech is really improving and I'm a little sad for the day when they no longer make me laugh simply because they innocently mispronounced a word. A couple of my recent favorites:

Both of them leave out the "N" in the word function. Without the "N" properly placed in the word, they tell me they are building their Lego's with "power fu_ctions" and the sentence takes on a whole new meaning...oops!

Also, the "S" should become before the "K" when asking for their Mario-Kart Wii "DISK" (I'll give you a second to think about that one.) Guess we should work on that too, but it always makes me snicker. (I'm terrible, I know...)

And finally, perhaps I should tell Carson that the word is "peanuts," not "penis," but honestly, what fun would that be??

Pit Crew

2010-05-21T20:44:00.009-06:00

The sun has been hiding for several weeks lately. Yesterday it finally came from behind all the clouds and warmed our little corner of the state long enough to have some outdoor fun!

So, the pit crew got working on their cars.

They checked tires...

They washed seats and steering wheels.

They scrubbed inside

And out

Jax gives a thumbs up while having a popsicle break

And Carson looked for the engine in Jaxon's car.

Jaxon 'helping' Mason with his car.

Carson is thrilled to be in the drivers seat again!

Is this what they mean by "riding shotgun?"

The little cars are about 3 years old and it appears that this will be the last season the kids will fit in them. I definitely feel we got our money's worth. The kids drive them just about every day when it is good weather. It's really kind of funny hearing all the comments from the grown men in the neighborhood. Many of them come over just to check out the cars and have expressed how much they wish they had such a great toy when they were kids.

I sure am glad that we have a few years before they really start driving!!! (If you could see their driving skills you'd be glad too...)

For Amber...

2010-05-15T15:21:00.010-06:00

Last weekend, I was talking on the phone to Amber, one of the beautiful women who faithfully helped me with my babies back when they were... well, babies. She eventually moved, married a great guy, and went on to have quads of her own. (Yeah, I know, what are the odds?) Her babies are now toddlers and are getting more and more 'active'. She made the comment, "it seems like your kids were always so good!" Looking back, I think she may be talking about someone elses kids...

Yes, this is wet toilet paper stuck to every surface of my bathroom. What you can't see is that it is on the ceiling and dripped on me as I walked under it. We went through a phase where it didn't matter what I did, the kids got the T.P. and inevitably decorated with it....Why did they have to send it swimming in the toilet first???

Jaxon "cooking" a balanced Cheerios breakfast. If you look closely, you'll see the remainder of the box all over the floor behind him.

Flour, sugar, oatmeal, pancake mix and, thank heavens they hadn't gotten the lid off the oil yet...Oh, this happened when I took a 3 minute shower.

Cupcakes always taste better after being squished all over the counter.

Into the toilet again! Notice the roll is (of course) empty...

Ummmmm, that is nail polish on my wall. They also painted the dining table at the same time.

Carson had already had a bath but decided to jump in with Jax and Amanda as well.

Thanks mom for our very own mud puddle!!

That is magic marker all over Amanda...

This broken window? Jaxon has a hell of an arm, he was 4 when he launched that rock through the window. Maybe Mike could teach him to pitch?

My best advice...When your kids do something that makes you want to cry, (or runaway from home), grab a camera and take lots of pictures! You WILL laugh about it one day!

Did I ever tell you about the time they spoon fed Coke and chocolate pudding into the back of a high velocity floor fan we used to cool our bedroom, just to watch it spray EVERYWHERE? I bet I'll find shards of pudding and splatters of Coke until the day we move out!

Anyway, it's all good and these really are some of my favorite memories. But after looking at all these pictures, all I can think is "Where was their mother?"

Friday Flashback Mother's Day Edition

2010-05-07T10:51:00.005-06:00

When I was in my early twenties, I really didn't think that I ever wanted to have children. I wanted to be a business woman, to play on the playground with the "big boys." I wanted public recognition and monetary reward that often comes with big corporate management. I wanted to dress up for work and interact with adults. I thought that earnings and promotions were the definition of success.
Then I met Jeff and got married. In our discussions about building a family, we both agreed that it was something we would want...later. We both had jobs that we thought fulfilled our needs, and in the physical sense of the word, they did. We worked, bought a home, went on vacations. We were free to come and go as we pleased and that suited us just fine. We carried on like this for years, all the while feeling as though we had plenty of time in the future for doing the "kid thing." As I hit the age of 35, we determined that if we were going to have a child, we needed to get going on it in order to beat the biological clock. I became pregnant within the first month of ending birth control. Easy, right? Sure, easy and nothing bad would happen to us because we thought we had been doing everything right. Well, maybe not...
I went to my 12 week doctor appointment feeling sick, tired, pregnant. Jeff accompanied me to what we figured would just be a routine check up. The doctor could not find our babies heartbeat on her doppler so she sent us to have an ultrasound. I wasn't the least bit worried as I had been over to the labor and delivery ward in the hospital just prior to my appointment and had seen the baby moving and kicking. (Oh, the benefits of having a sister who delivers babies for a living!)
The girl doing the ultrasound was a young, beautiful, compassionate, blond. She pointed out our babies strong heartbeat. We saw his legs and arms moving about. She took measurements that verified the dates. Yep, I was 11 weeks 5 days pregnant. Everything looked great as far as the baby's development was concerned. The sweet technician suddenly became very quiet. The kind of deafening silence that lets you know that something is terribly wrong. "This pregnancy is ectopic" she said in a tone that let me know that she didn't believe it herself. "It CAN'T be" I protested, "I'm 12 weeks pregnant!" I had never heard of anyone carrying a live baby in their fallopian tube through an entire first trimester...And why hadn't I had any pain? I thought she had to be wrong and evidently she questioned herself as well because she summoned another tech and my doctor to come verify what she thought she saw.
Of course, they were right. Jeff looked at me, puzzled, and inquired as to what it meant. I told him it meant that we weren't going to be able to keep the baby. That the pregnancy would need to be terminated. He asked what would happen if we didn't terminate. "Then both me and the baby will die." I replied. For him, it was black and white. For me, shades of grey hung over me. Logically, I knew what had to happen, but emotionally, I didn't want to accept it. It just seemed so incredibly unfair. I could see a beautiful little baby on a screen and with all of modern medicine, no one could save him. It just didn't make sense.
Within a half hour, I was being walked into a surgical suite where I knew that the life I was carrying inside of me was going to end. It felt like an execution chamber. I just wanted to be sedated so that I didn't have to think about it any more. "Just put me out," I begged, and thankfully the anesthesiologist understood and didn't make me wait. "It will be over soon." he said. I fell asleep crying and woke up empty. When I was pregnant, I finally felt like I had been doing something truly important (something I had not ever felt in the workplace) and now that had been taken away.

That was March 31, 2000. A few weeks later, Mother's Day came around. I don't remember much about that particular Mother's Day except for a picture that my sister gave me of a mother laying next to a window with a baby on her chest. The caption reads "As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you." (Isaiah 66:13) Tears flowed freely as Jeanna hugged me and tried to console me. Now, 10 years later, I still get tears when looking at that beautiful framed print, but they are tears of joy. HE did comfort me and HE did get me through one of the worst times in my life and there WAS a reason behind the loss of our first child. For without that loss, we never would have gone down the road of infertility treatments that eventually brought us our quadruplets. God knew what he was doing.

Motherhood doesn't begin when you hold your infant in your arms, it begins when you hold that infant in your heart. I became a mom the day I lost my first baby. When I realized how much I already loved him and wanted him, I knew what it felt like to want more for another than I wanted for myself. That baby was in my heart then, and is still there today. May God bless all the mom's out there. Those that are struggling to have a family, those who are struggling to raise a family and those who have yet to embark on the journey to motherhood.

Faces of Autism

2010-04-30T18:06:00.006-06:00

April is Autism Awareness Month. Being the mother of two wonderful boys who are autistic, I wanted to be sure and thank God for giving these amazing, challenging, brilliant, and beautiful little boys to me.

There is a very strong genetic link for Autism in my family. Because of the number of autistic uncles, cousins, brothers, and a grandfather, it is suspected that in our case, the autism is not the result of prematurity or complications thereof. The fact that the two boys who are autistic are also identical twins only serves to further our belief as to genetics being the cause.

But, the cause really doesn't matter. What matters is that they came to our home to live. I am so very blessed to be their mother and I can't imagine my life without them. I love everything about them. They have such a unique outlook on life and learning. I love them BECAUSE they are autistic, not in spite of it. They are quirky, moody, loving and incredibly bright. They have taught me more than I will ever teach them. Thank God they are my little boys.

I don't profess to be any kind of expert where autism is concerned. I know that what we are dealing with in our lives is much less severe than what many other families have each day. I'm glad for the challenges that are uniquely ours and I pray that we are able to raise all 4 of our kids to be happy, productive adults. Right now, there are still a lot of questions about what the future holds but we are very optimistic...... and not really any different than any other parent raising any other child.

So, I'd like to share...

Our two darling faces of Autism

Little Boy...Big Word

2010-04-28T17:08:00.003-06:00

Jaxon being studious at 3 years old!

Yesterday, Jaxon was showing me his latest Lego creation. It was a rather complex robot that he had spent the morning constructing. As he told me how the robot worked, he began to show me how the joints moved. "Mom," he said "this articulation moves both forwards and backwards." Not sure that I had heard correctly, (heck, I never say "articulation") I just kept listening to him as he proudly showed all the things his robot could do. Once again, he showed me another junction and again said "and this articulation moves from right to left." So, I had heard him right, much to my delight and surprise!

Hmmmm, purdy good for a NASCAR watchin', Mario Kart Wii playin', homeschooled young un' of just 7 years old!!! Not sure where he learned the word though, or how to use it correctly in a sentence...I'm assuming the internet! Sure I'd like to take the credit but I would have just said "joint."
OK, enough mommy bragging for one day!

Bird-Turd

2010-04-25T20:37:00.008-06:00

For Earth Day, the kids decided to make some bird feeders for our yard. At first I thought wow, what a low impact thing to do. But upon further introspection, I realized that a few little homemade feeders might really make some neighborhood birds happy!

We gathered the ingredients, pine cones,string, peanut butter, and birdseed.

After tying strings to the pinecones, we did our best to coat them with peanut butter.

Dunking the entire cone in the jar wasn't the easiest way, but was by far the most effective!

Then a good rolling in the seeds and our projects were ready for hanging!

Jaxon is proud of his birdfeeder

And out they went into the trees.

After hanging all the cute little projects, I stood back to admire the kids hard work and realized that we should have used the fatter, woodier pinecones. These thinner ones might look a little more like turds, than a birdfeeder, hanging in a tree.

Note to self: When picking out pinecones for next years project, make sure that they are the large, beautiful wood ones that are sort of bell shaped. This will hopefully avoid another bird feeder faux pas.

Co-Sleep-Stop

2010-04-21T08:50:00.009-06:00

What is so different about these beds???

????????????

No guess?

They've finally been slept in!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Once the kids became too big for their cribs, we set out to pick the perfect beds for them. Ones we thought would be comfortable, durable, and something that could be used no matter their age. We bought fun bedding and decorated their rooms. What we didn't plan on was co-sleeping. The kids had totally different ideas and all 4 of them have made themselves at home in our bed for the last 5 years. We really didn't mind so much, they were small at first and really didn't take much room. Plus, it was nice snuggling up with the kids every night.

But over time, they grew. On several occasions I would find Jeff sleeping on the floor. So, I moved one of the kids beds into our room and created the mother of all king size beds by pushing them together. This setup has worked well until recently when it seems the kids have grown again! Two nights ago, I found Jeff sleeping on the floor and I was on one of the beds in the twins room as we had been kicked out of our own bed by 4 sleeping youngsters. With no more room to bring in yet another bed to make our uber-king even larger, it became evident that the time had come to stop co-sleeping. I dismantled the extra bed that had been in our room for a year and returned it to it's rightful place in Mason and Carson's room.

With a little bit of bribery and a lot of perserverance, we finally got the kids to sleep in their own beds last night. I must admit, I'm not so sure I slept better as I am so accustomed to having kids smothering me as I sleep. I'm a little nostalgic about the whole thing because it represents another stage of life, forever gone, except for in my memories.

Well, maybe not totally gone. The twins wound up in bed with me after Jeff left for work this morning.

And the dog? Well, she just doesn't understand what all the fuss is about!

One night down, many more to go...

NASCAR in Phoenix!

2010-04-19T07:37:00.004-06:00

Last weekend, April 9 & 10, we travelled to Arizona to feed our inner redneck at the Nascar race held at Phoenix International Raceway. We had a blast! We had the opportunity to stay with Jeff's awesome sister Michelle and her wonderful family, and we also caught up with some of my family that I haven't seen in 25 years or more. My sister Jeanna came down with us and it was wonderful to watch her spend time bonding with the quads. She's had to spend so much of her energy on her own children that bonding with mine hasn't been something she's been able to do. I love her so much and I'm so glad she took the time out of her busy life to spend with us!

It was a little shocking for Jeanna to see how much attention the quads generate. At one of the vendor booths, the owner remembered the kids from a race we attended in California last year. At the gate, the ticket takers remembered all their names even though they had only met them the night before. Good thing we aren't intensely private or introverted in our family!
Here's some photos from the trip...

Free digital slideshow personalized with Smilebox

Prayers Needed for a Friend

2010-04-07T08:54:00.002-06:00

An old High School friend of mine was recently diagonsed with leukemia. The cancer was found in an advanced state and he is in need of a bone marrow transplant. A perfect match was found and they thought all would go as planned but it seems that something has been found in the donor's blood that may disqualify him as a donor.
Please read the story here, and please include Van and his family in your prayers.
There is information on their blog about becoming a donor. Please consider doing so if you are able.

Friday Flashback

2010-03-26T22:35:00.005-06:00

Mason

A couple of weeks ago, one of my younger sisters reminded me of something really funny that Mason did when he was about 3 years old. Let me preface the story by saying that Mason's absolute favorite food is McDonalds french fries.

While teaching the kids to recognize their alphabet, we would write every letter, one by one, on a piece of paper and quiz them each time we wrote one down. We would write them in random order and they would tell us what letter it was. They were really good at it with one exception...Every time we wrote the letter "M", we would ask "what is this?" and Mason would gleefully shout out "fries!" (That's when you know that you eat there way too much,)

It took a while, but he knows now that it really is just a letter on a piece of paper. He still loves the fries though!

More Kid-ism's

2010-03-24T08:45:00.005-06:00

The quads check out the big computer Uncle Terrance takes care of at work. What a geek he is!

Lately, the kids have been in rare form with witty comments. I thought I'd share a few priceless gems from the last few weeks....

(Amanda) "Mom, why did you call that a board game? It's not boring!" Perhaps I'd better teach the difference between board and bored.

(Jaxon) "Do fishes and dolphins have buttholes?" So, off to the aquarium to check...

"Mom, did you know that black mice are Ninja mice?" (Amanda) "Really?" I asked. "Yes, they are Ninja's and they are black so that they can hide in the dark." I really hope she hasn't actually seen any of these Ninja's in our house!

While at a church production of "The Music Man," Jaxon was beginning to get bored (not board). He asked (rather loudly) "When will all the singing and clapping be over? It's pissing off my ears!"

We returned home after spending the afternoon at the park. We pulled into the garage and noticed that Jeff had not returned home from work yet. Mason decided that "Either Dad was still at work, or maybe he went to the bar." I'm sure Jeff has considered such a diversion but what does a 7 year old know about going to a bar???

Amanda made a brilliant observation that I hadn't thought of..."What if cousin Londyn marries someone whose last name is Bridge?" .... Hmmm, then I guess we will have to hope she doesn't fall down!

And my favorite was simple, childlike, honesty from Carson while visiting the Urologist. When the doctor came into the exam room, Carson just looked at him and gave him all the info he needed..."Hi, I'm Carson. I'm 7 years old, 32 lbs and I need to get my penis fixed because I pee at a 90 degree angle and I need to pee at 180." Well, there you have it!

Jay Leno's got nothin' on my kids!

Introducing the Webkinz Band

2010-03-19T09:02:00.007-06:00

One thing I really love about my kids is their creativity. The other day, they decided to stage a concert for their Webkinz. So with some Lego's and a ton of stuffed animals, the festivities were on...

Zum Zum on the synthesizer

Pearlie on the keyboard

Smoothie on the drums (I didn't name them, the kids did)

Matt on lead vocals

Gordon plays the guitar

The entire band

A "standing ovation" from a sold out crowd!

Perspective

2010-03-06T20:26:00.002-07:00

By the end of most days, my house looks like this...

Yep, I'm completely outnumbered and keeping the house straightened is quite difficult. Before the kids I was a complete clean freak. Boy has that changed! One night, when I was a little frustrated with how much work needed to be done, I had a complete change of perspective. I remembered how my home was spotless before I had the quads and then I remembered crying every day because there were no kids in it to mess it up.
I'll take the kids over a clean house any day!! So, if you come to visit, just be forewarned that you may have to maneuver over several hurdles on your way in...and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sand

2010-02-25T21:14:00.005-07:00

Yesterday, when we visited the Dinosaur museum, there were 2 attractions that allowed the kids the opportunity to play in sand.

Watching them construct various structures made me think of something taught to me years ago but has taken on new meaning and become much more relevant in my life.

Imagine picking up a handful of sand. Now wrap your fingers around it and a little will fall out. Tighten your grip and even more falls out. The tighter the grip, the more you lose until you are left with just a couple of grains.

Now scoop up the sand with a cupped hand. Provide support underneath holding your fingers close together but leave your hand open and uncontrolling. You can pick up a lot of sand this way and as long as you don't try to close your hand around it, the sand will remain in your hand.

I believe the same is true with children. Close your fist around them, and they will slip through your fingers. Provide them support in an open, uncontrolling manner and they will remain with you forever.

Amazing what can be learned from a handful of sand...

Resourceful Miss Amanda

2010-02-16T09:11:00.002-07:00

One of Amanda's favorite things to do is to go to a local shop called The Chocolate Cottage. It's a wonderful place to buy some decadent, addictive, hand dipped chocolates of all varieties. Yesterday, she asked to go and buy one of their caramel apples. Huge, gorgeous apples dipped in caramel and decorated with dark, milk, and white chocolate and all kinds of variations of nuts and candy. They are absolutely to die for! Anyway, I told her "no" and explained to a protesting little chocolate addict why we couldn't go. So, being the resourceful child she is, she raided the cabinets for our stash of Hershey's Kisses, unwrapped a few, and began to melt them between two space heaters. Next came an apple she retrieved from the box we keep in the garage which she asked me to cut for her. Her results weren't quite Chocolate Cottage stature, but were more than adequate...

How d'ya like THEM apples!!!!!!

Confessions of a Real Life Mom

2010-02-08T13:25:00.002-07:00

Today, my kids ate chocolate chip cookies for breakfast...and I let them.
My boys can use the "F" word in a sentence as a noun, verb, and adjective. I'd like to blame the internet for that one, but they may have heard me on the phone.
I don't make my bed.
All 4 kids sleep with me and Jeff. We realize that one day they won't even want to be around us so we take what we can get, when we can get it.
My shopping cart is always full of frozen food and my idea of cooking involves pressing buttons on a microwave.
I have been known to throw a towel over an accidental wetting of the bed thinking I would clean it up in the morning. Then I didn't remember until bedtime the next day and was soooooo tired that I slept in pee pee sheets one more night.
I have a really hard time following through so I never give punishments that aren't instantaneous.
I have spanked a kid before.
I drink Coke all day.
My kids have far too many toys and I have a tough time saying NO when they ask for things with the sweetest of voices.
I don't read most labels on food because the only foods my kids will eat all contain "high fructose corn syrup" and "trans fats". I figure feeding them junk is better than starving.
We didn't get rid of baby bottles until the quads were 4. We potty trained even later than that.
I used plastic baby bottles and didn't know about BPA's.
I propped bottles at feeding time so that I could lay by the babies and close my eyes for just a minute.
I let my kids watch TV as babies and drink fruit juice. Still do today.
I look for any excuse not to mop the floor and usually end up having to do it at midnight.
Sometimes, we stay in pajamas all day.

Despite all my shortcomings as a mother, my kids are happy, loving, compassionate and smart. No one could ever accuse me of not being there for my kids. They are my life, my world, my everything. My life began the day they were born. I see so many posts where mom's are so worried about doing everything right that I thought I'd be real for a minute and give you a glimpse into my imperfect world. I try to correct my faults, but don't dwell on them. After all, I'm only human...WE'RE only human.
Hope this helps someone get off their own back and just enjoy the ride of being a mom. Kids grow up so fast. One day, this will all be over and I'll sit in my perfectly clean, quiet house and cry for the times it was full of children's laughter and chaos. Hopefully, the kids will return with wonderful memories. Then I will know that I did it all just right!

Praying For Baby Bronson

2010-02-07T09:18:00.002-07:00

Recently, a local mother suffered what I can only imagine to be the most horrific tragedy. Her baby drowned in the bathtub. Attempts to revive him were successful but he is fighting for his life at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. Her blog is brutally honest and beautifully written. Please keep baby Bronson and his family in your prayers. You can visit her blog and follow his progress here, and if you scroll down to the February 1 entry you can read the entire story of what happened.
I think I'll go hug my kids now.

Miss Moody

2010-02-01T14:55:00.003-07:00

Yesterday, I was Miss Moody. I was NOT fun to be around and unfortunately, my kids and husband got the brunt of it.

Last night, a note from Amanda reminded me of what I needed to do...

Thanks Amanda, and I'll really try!

The Tooth Fairy

2010-01-22T00:26:00.002-07:00

I'm a little late posting this but little Jaxon lost his first tooth just before Christmas. I had to laugh at the story of just how it happened.
Just prior to him losing the tooth, we had been to the dentist and he noticed that one of his teeth was slightly loose. Jax was excited at the prospect of joining his sister in the ranks of those with goofy looking smiles. A few days later, he was playing with a small, hard, plastic toy and he bit down on it. Well, that caused his tooth to let go and become very loose. He came to me and asked me to pull it out. Upon further inspection, it appeared that is wasn't quite ready and could have stayed in his mouth for a week or so. But, he wanted it out right then. So, thinking that it was hurting and that was the reasoning behind him wanting it out, I gripped the little thing tight and pulled with a little bit of force. It finally popped out. Later, I asked him if it hurt and if that was why he wanted it out so badly. His reply; "Nope, I just wanted the tooth fairy money"!

Gosh, I hope he doesn't want any more money soon!

We Love Christmas!

2009-12-29T11:30:00.003-07:00

Another Christmas has come and gone. It seems like the holidays come faster and faster every year. By the time I dig out, clean up, and put away one Christmas, it is time for another. It's all good though because we all LOVE Christmas. In fact, I don't like most holidays and I think they are a complete waste of time and energy (bah-humbug) but Christmas is different. I love having a houseful of family and I love to give presents. Again this year, we had Christmas brunch at our house and had about 30 people show up. We will definitely need a home that is better suited for entertaining if we are going to keep this up!
December has been a busy but fun month. I went to Wendover, NV with my sisters to see a Guess Who concert (if you don't know who they are, you are probably under 40), Jaxon lost his first tooth, the kids and I made our first gingerbread house, and we visited with Amber DeMaria and her 17 month old quadruplets who were out here from California on vacation. Seeing the DeMaria's brought back some great memories, especially when she removed a gate she had on the stairs and all 4 babies moved at warp speed to try and navigate them.

We also had a Christmas photo shoot with the kids that turned out pretty darn cute!

We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and send best wishes for the new year!

My Awesome Neice

2009-12-09T09:26:00.002-07:00

I have a lot of really incredible family who I love dearly. My sister Jeanna has been blessed with 7 children who are some of the most kind, caring, empathetic people you could ever meet. Her oldest daughter, Jennifer, posted this on her blog today. She already brings so much happiness to people through her affiliation with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a volunteer organization that provides professional photography to families suffering a stillbirth or early pregnancy loss. Not only does she do gorgeous photos for these families but she befriends them all and truly feels pain for them.
Check out her blog but have tissue handy.

6 Weeks Off

2009-11-22T07:51:00.003-07:00

"Well, it looks like I don't have any work for the next 6 weeks." announced my wonderful hubby last week. Instantly, my brain rejoiced at the prospect of some family time together and a little help with educating 4 increasingly curious seven year old kids. Not to mention that I might be able to take care of an errand or two without the kids in tow. Oh, the possibilities seemed limitless!

So, a couple of days ago, I leave to run errands and leave Jeff in charge of our precious angels while I am gone. I had completely cleaned the family room the night before and even shampooed the rug as I am getting ready to host Thanksgiving here this year.

Here's what I came home to...

Which reminds me of a saying that I need to adopt as my mantra, "Cleaning the house while the kids are still growing is like shoveling the snow while it is still snowing!"

Hmmmmm, hope I survive the next 6 weeks!!!

Happy Birthday Amber!!

2009-11-06T10:46:00.003-07:00

Today is Amber DeMaria's birthday!! If you get a chance, stop by her blog and send good wishes her way!! (Maybe the babies will sleep 10 hours tonight as a birthday gift for their mama :p)

Happy Birthday Amber....WE LOVE YOU!!!

A Wing and a Pray-er!

2009-09-26T10:02:00.003-06:00

Hey Melody and Amanda...Why such looks of terror??

It's just a little bug...

And that is MY arm I let it crawl on....

Just to prove there was nothing to be afraid of.

(Believe me,I prayed the whole time it was crawling on me!)

Glad We Got the Warranty

2009-09-18T08:55:00.006-06:00

Of all the things the kids have broken, I miss my laptop the most.

Two days ago, my laptop shut itself off. No problem, just turn it back on right? Well, it was not to be. After running itself through a bunch of diagnostic tests that are completely beyond my realm of understanding, it got stuck. So, I called my 24 hour computer service (my little brother Terrance) and he promptly came to my house to fix the faulty device. I knew it was trouble when he informed me that he would need to take it with him and see what he could do. "Is there anything on the hard drive that you need me to attempt to retrieve?" he asked. "Just my pictures." was the sad reply. Thank heavens most of my pictures are already saved on a thumb drive.
Today, the results came in... Dead. The hard drive only has 4% health (whatever that means but I'm guessing that means 96% of it is gone). Apparently it has been dropped on it's head one too many times and cannot be repaired. I've never been one to buy the expensive extra warranties that stores offer, but when Jeff bought me the laptop for Christmas he opted to pay an extra $300 to cover the computer for everything, including quadruplet abuse. I'm hoping to have a functioning laptop soon.

Amber DeMaria, one of my fellow quadmom friends, tagged me for "Honest Scrap." The idea is to tell 10 things about yourself that others may not know and then tag 7 others to do the same.
So, here's mine:

1-No big revelation here but I am late for everything. I always have good intentions of being on time, but it just never happens.

2- I cannot remove the cotton stuffed in the top of pill bottles to keep the pills from rattling around. I always have to get Jeff to do it for me. The sound is like nails on a chalkboard, just thinking about it gives me the chills!

3- The first time Jeff asked me out on a date, he stood me up. Rather than taking that as rejection, I took it as a challenge and vowed that he would go out with me...whether he wanted to or not!

4- At one time in my life I was adamant that I would never use fertility treatments and that if I hadn't had kids by 36, well, I just wouldn't have kids. (OK the quads were born when I was 37). On the other hand, from the day we were married on, Jeff always said that we would have one kid unless it was twins.... God certainly has a sense of humor, don't you think?

5- I absolutely HATE looking for things and I could literally go crazy if I can't find my car keys.

6-I'm quite obsessive compulsive and all you have to do is look in my closets and drawers to see it. The kids clothes are folded and stacked in daily matching outfits, all color coordinated and ready to go. Even the jammies.

7-I'm an Air Force brat born in Alaska.

8- I'm terrible with names but great with numbers. If everyone just had a number rather than a name, I'd never forget.

9-I'm allergic to all fresh fruit and vegetables. Most of them I can eat cooked or canned but eating them raw is not a good idea for me.

10- When we started down the road of infertility treatments, I knew something weird would happen to us. I always knew that we would have 4 kids but I thought we would have two sets of twins. In a way I guess we did, (two identical, two fraternal) they just all came in one litter!

So, now I nominate the following to give me some Honest Scrap:
Jenny Loves Louisiana
Lydia from Taggart Times
Jen Holt
Jackie from Six Pack of Fun
Julie from The Green House
Ana & Ado + 4 (don't worry about translation, I figured out how to do it through the blog.)
Stacey from Oh My Melody

Thanks for playing and I'm interested to hear about your quirkiness!