Christmas, last minute, photo shoot.

It is amazing we got any photos that worked out at all. The kids were tired, Nate didn't feel well and my patience level was close to the no fly zone.

Here's your sign.

Do you know that comedian or country song singer? who talks about stupid things people say? For instance, there's a moving van in the driveway with people hauling out boxes and a neighbor walks up and says "Ya movin?" I think here's your sign refers to the sign of "I am stupid." Seems pretty heartless going around calling people stupid but seems to fit sometimes. Whenever I go out in public with my four kids I get the same comment... "You've got your hands full." There apparently is not a thing else to say. I once got the comment from a nice grandma, she said, "You handle that well." Bless her sweet heart for thinking of something original to say, and yes I do handle it well. -sintl sdsht sihetiuehtju etbhsku sueksjen, ue===skdjfhueb, senbsue absudse, #@!&^* askdis selitwh skeitoh.etc (my low volume, lightning speed disclaimer which essentially says; unless we are all tired and hungry trying to carry in groceries, talk on the phone while trying to keep the puppy out of the house...or Harrison has an accident after a long day of cleaning up messes which messes have sabotaged my best efforts to keep a schedule...etc.

Is it universal my prolific friends? I am not the only one having a bunch of kids so I would like to hear from you. Is there a comment I can use that is non toxic that will help them think of something different they could say the next time? Or do I smile and say "YEP."

addition- My friend Sheri told me an idea that would help my attitude. She said to respond by saying, "Isn't it great!." Then it changes the tone of the comment. I like it. Thanks!

Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving because I always feel so thankful for those around me. Our little family started out the day with a run that a friend put on for the food bank in our area. I ran a 5K and then our family did the family mile. It was so fun! It was chilly an we had to keep moving but I love running and wish I could do it more outside.
We had a great day with Nate's parents and siblings. We ate like crazy and the boys played some basketball, started a 30' bon fire on the mountain and watched football. I chatted and enjoyed watching the kids running around playing with cousins. We girls got in a movie while the boys were playing. You won't see any pics of all this because my camera has been misplaced. Ellie and Wells love taking my camera and photographing each other so I loose my camera on a regular basis. Buy a new one for just me you say...what a good idea.




I missed being with my family on Thanksgiving and we have a tradition of going around the table and telling things we are thankful for with no repeats so this is my short list:

Hattie!!!! it has been a year since she was really sick and I love having her here. I don't take her for granted. We call her Happy Hattie and she is. She is so much fun.

Harrison, Wells, and Ells -love these cute little buggers






Puppies -we have had the biggest blast watching and playing with them.
We started out with eight and now we have 3 left one of which we are keeping. I am dragging my feet trying at all to get rid of them. If I had my camera there have been the cutest photo moments with the kids playing with them.




Clorox sani wipes. I thank the Lord for them often because with 3 do-it-yourself-ers you can never be assured of clean toilet to sit on. Not to mention my daily "obedience practice jobs" that get the little cleaning jobs done -door knobs, fridge etc. Just puts my mind a little more at ease. Although after living with Harrison I should be completely cured of any germaphobic tendencies.

Living where there is store 3 minutes away. I could cry and share my testimony over this one. It is a beautiful thing for someone like me who hasn't got the knack to organize life several weeks ahead.

I thank God for putting Nathan in my path. I consider Nathan one of my greatest blessings. He is amazing! I am so whopped over him.



The list is endless and I truly have been blessed.

p.s. Does it ever just amaze you that the Lord lets you have such special people in your life? I am amazed as my children grow and become so capable and amazing that they are our little people. They are such beautiful little individual people. I think I could have 20 kids...if I had a nanny, cook, house cleaner and tutor. Would that be nice or what? I enjoy hanging out with the kids and it would be amazing to not have to bother with the other.... The statement "Money isn't everything but it sure calms the nerves." comes to mind.

Halloween pics for grandma.

Remember cat in the Hat with little cats A through Z. Well we are at D so far! This cat is looking for his little cats.


I didn't get any great shots of Nathan the two nights of costuming but our neighbor got a picture with the whole famn-damily. (dad you are responsible for that little saying...mad magazines I suppose.) If I can get it I'll post it for you.




...of course I didn't get more than this shot of me because I am the one behind the camera mostly by choice. When I get fit and fab you may see a whole lay out of just me. p.s.s. I am getting there!

The closing of a chapter.

Last night marked the end of a challenging chapter of my life. I am blogging to give it some finality. This past year and a bit have been the most challenging of my life. I won't even bother to tell you why because you have your own details to worry about no doubt. We completed our last real deadline last night and it ended well. We were asked to do the standards night for the second time in a new ward. The first time I was left wishing I had done things a little different and last night I felt totally blessed to have it all come together. It felt very much like an end of a long marathon of deadlines and emotional hardships. Through this time of trial Nathan and I have been really happy together and we are whooped over our kids.

They are so much fun. I really enjoy being a stay at home mom. Having said that I have learned the value of taking time out of the craziness to do things that fill your "reservoir" as a mom so you are a full functioning mom at full speed ahead. I have been running faster than my ability to emotionally handle things what has been thrown my way.(some of the throwing my way was done by me. I just sat there with a shovel piling it on my head saying "Hit me one more time." My thought was "I can do it, I can do it, I can do it." And I did everything thrown my way but my schedule was always controlling me and not me controlling my schedule. That could drive a person crazy..... at least I am not made to reach full capacity while feeling overwhelmed all the time.
I need a girls night out!!!! Where are all of you when I need you!!!! ps Jen, Malina, Sophia and Eme you have done your duty!!! Thanks a bijillion for the visit. It was short but super fun to see you. Next summer we will be prepared to host a party and your all invited. I am hoping the economy gives a few more great trips and parties...:)

p.s. I'll be blogging a little more often. I might post few pics of past events but I won't bother with the rest.

overwhelmed and tired

Together that spells internet break. I thought I would post so that if anyone is still out there and subconsciously annoyed at this pink stagnant blog...I can help you!



This is what I am looking at today, and we have already absorbed about this much in this kitchen. (this is a picture of just one section of the house!) I look forward to the day when I post a picture of the finished "after." We moved in despite not being fully finished. I am happy. (Walmart and Target are so very near I could cry with joy.) We moved in for Halloween! it was a little scary camping out without many of our things.

PS a big shout out...thanks to one of our neighbors whose internet we are snagging until ours is worked out!!!!! I haven't had internet in our place of residence since we moved in May...or was it June? I can't even remember.

We are alive.

renovating-this kitchen is now entirely gutted...


piano lessons
soccer- for Ellie and WellsMommying -Wells threw a rock at Ellie and hit her in the head so Ellie pegged him back for a true shiner...


So this should plead my case.

We had a very fun summer and a bit out of the ordinary living circumstances while living on the "ranch."

Happy belated Birthday Grandma!

-My grandma Miller had her 86th birthday on May 4th.
We wish we could have been there to celebrate with you grandma. You are a beautiful person and I have so many childhood memories with you!
I will share a few of the many memories I have of her. We loved hearing her read Huckleberries for Sal a book that was a favorite, she probably read 100 times to the grandchildren. She makes the best tapioca pudding, bread pudding, apple sauce, among so many other things. She is a fabulous cook. She can easily make left-overs a new amazing meal. Back in the day she kept her freezer stocked with "banana bars" and all Challenge dairy products since grandpa was the general manager of Challenge Dairy in Utah. I am loving her recently finished life history. We love you grandma/great grandma!
Grandma and a few of her great grand daughters.

these are a few of my favorite things...

For a new post to refresh the page (quickly) I have to tell you our favorite new/old thing. I might post a link later but for now I'll just explain. They are my fave discovery from my last trip to CA. They are called My Book House. They are a collection of 12 books that have all the favorite poems, stories, Aesop's fables, Mother Goose rhymes and amazing illustrations. They are priceless. Any mom who wants her child to know the stories and poems we learned as a child will want these books. I love childrens books and if I had purchased these first I would have bought a lot fewer books. They are really cheap on ebay. I like the 1971 addition because they are the newest print. If you get a partial set you can get them for a steal. At least I did. I think they are a must. Ellie reads these stories to Wells sometimes at night it is so precious.

update. We spent the last two weeks moving out of the place we were in and are living temporarily right next to Nate's parents. We hope to be in our house in two to three weeks if we can get the painting and carpeting done quickly. more later...

It's new to us!

I have a few friends who are in the throws of name that baby, which I happily leave to them, I am in the throws of name that paint color... I really haven't had time to look but need carpet and paint to make the place mine. I could use some great suggestions of colors you have bonded with. Carpet you love too...

This is a little plot for the garden. I am really happy to have a garden spot.
The lawn needs some repair but this little kids play house was what sold the kids. The neighborhood and price is what sold us.

The kitchen is comparitively super tiny but it has enough cupboard space for all the main kitchen things I use. The rest will have to be stored in the basement. Why am I posting all these posts today when I haven't been great at it previously? You will notice a pattern with me, which I don't love...but I love me!!!, and that is- I'm all-or-nothin. I get going on a project and that is my focus. Today I am wiped out from moving and my new taebo regiment so I plopped my little behind on the couch and blogged a few pics I didn't want pass over.

Global warming eh?

Just last Sunday, the end of April, we had a snow flurry in Washington and conference Sunday, there was lots of snow in Idaho. A little crazy.
Wells and Hyrum were making the most of it.

This is the mountain behind where we live for another few days. It is also my walking/jogging trail.

Girls night out.

When we are together we have a standing pedicure-manicure date when the boys go to the Sat. night priesthood session. It was super fun and I thought I should take the time to blog them.

Anna, Audrey and Annie we missed you. Audrey and Annie were partying it up in AZ and Anna (sorry I don't have a pic of you) was celebrating an anniversary with her sweetie pie.

The Run Down...

So I tried to post a few more pics and the blogger pics just don't want to post so here is a run down on what has been my life the past month. We have been house shopping. This entails numerous trips to "town" -two hour round trip with and without kids to look for what is available. I really am so glad to have our own place to make the house "my space." We have been renting thinking that we wouldn't be in our little Mattawa very long but Nate is happy and I am sure we will be here for a while. We couldn't find anything near to buy or even rent again so we decided Nate would commute and I would have all the freedoms being part of "town" provides. I would like to post some pics of the house we hope will be ours in a few weeks. We will see if the system works if I have a few minutes tomorrow. Cheerio...

Conference Weekend

We had a great time with family during conference weekend. Conference is twice a year and really a great occasion to be with family.


Ellie, Hyrum and Echo were quite good at listening to most all of the sessions.



Abby was a strict gardian of this stroller. She showed Harrison who was boss.



Little Alex was happy walking around smiling at everyone.



Rachel fell totally in love with Hattie and vice versus.


I think Hattie "watched" more of conference than Nathan did. She was really glued to the tv several times during conference, smiling and "talking" to the tv. Nathan of course gets more listening done with his eyes closed.