Why I might not be the perfect parent and other insights from yesterday and the day before.

Sometimes I have to say over and over in my head just to make myself feel better,  "I am a good mother.  I am a good mother.  I am a good mother."  

This soda chugging was for a diabetic low.  I don't think he could have been any happier with his blood glucose of 69.  I think he may have squealed in happiness…if 10  year old pre-teens can squeal.

I had a revelation yesterday.  It was a revelation I have had before.  I REALLY love my neighborhood.  Its open, its spacious, it has a great park.  This is just icing on the cake because the people in this neighborhood are stellar.  It's the best. 

Saylor loves Grady.  Loves him to the point of driving him freak-show crazy.

Not sure if he was loving her back or ready to back hand her.  It could have gone either way.

Memorial Day Weekend

First off, I must start with a pre-weekend picture.  When I was at the gyn's office getting massive drugs, I received this picture.  I was too loopy to think about it, but my friend Deanna was worried I would think Grady was really driving around on a power wheels with Colby.  Guess what?  I didn't think twice about it.  14 month old driving?  Sounds good to me!

Pain=Drugs=Jill doesn't care what her kids are doing.  

Hence why I should never have elective surgery again. EVER.  

My kids would get away with murder.

These blooms won't be around for long and I'm enjoying them as much as I can.

I love this silly bush in the back yard.  It was planted in the front flowerbeds, years ago but then I changed my mind.  Steve was supposed to rip it out and chuck it.  He planted it on our property line instead.  It's grown like crazy.  I will now always have a snow ball bush in my yard. 

This girls fashion sense cracks me up.

Iced apple juice on a hot Sunday afternoon is always fine when paired with a sun dress and winter boots.

Last night we went to Steve's brothers for a Memorial Day BBQ.  The food was wonderful, the company fantastic, and the entertainment fabulous.

The kids got bounced around by cousins.  Fun stuff!

Grady didn't jump, but spent his time lining up and stacking rocks in Mike's back yard.

Steve set up tents and slept outside with Carter, Colby and Saylor late last night.

This is what happens when everyone else is in the back yard…Andrew takes over my bed and thinks he needs a bag of hot tamales as big as him.

Good times.

This morning we met up with the Dixons and visited family graves here in Twin.

Colby helping trim Grandpa Dixon's headstone.

Carter by his great-great grandfather's grave.

 Grady being as helpful as possible.

This is as helpful as Grady gets.

This Weeks Comings and Goings

1 House Showing.  People loved the house but thought the kitchen was too small (um..reason I am trying to sell so no surprise there.)  The house was cleaner than it will ever be again…ever.  I have no desire to clean like that again especially if the people looking at my house don't buy it.  (wink wink)

2 Field Trips.  Carter's was to Boise with the entire 4th grade.  Andrew's was to Hagerman's Thousand Springs for his end of year 8th grade party.  Carter had a great time and pronounced his favorite part the Discovery Center followed by the Brazilian Grill dinner with Steve before they drove home.  Andrew came home tired and sunburned.

1 Ablation.  It was supposed to be uneventful, but turned into me returning to hospital for pain control.  I would record for posterity sakes all the drugs pumped into my system but in my drug induced haze, I don't remember the names of them.  Lets just say some of them were with big long needles in not so fun places.  Feeling better today, but still sore, achy and tired.  Happy to be off all narcotics.   Ibuprofen is still my best friend though.

1 Wonderful Mom.  She stayed with me during and after my ablation and then took me back to the hospital while I was sick and writhing in pain.  Watched my little ones, ran my house, and fed my family while I finally slept in my room Thursday night.  She stayed with me until Steve arrived home from being in Boise with Carter.  She deserves a medal for endurance that lady!  I love her…its no secret.

Many fabulous friends.  My darling girl friends helped my mom and I out too on Thursday.  Grady and Saylor were watched all day and then my other kids were picked up from school and entertained.  I feel very blessed to have such wonderful friends in my neighborhood who are selfless and caring.  Thanks Ladies!

1 Land cruiser purchase.  Steve bought a newer old cruiser that will be shipped here by next week.  He's anxious to get it here and inspect his purchase.  He was hoping to have it by tomorrow, but it didn't work out.

1 Long Weekend.  We're hoping to get yard work done and keep up on the house.  I hope we have a showing our two…but not holding my breath!

The Neglected One

Sometimes I feel like Grady is neglected.

Not that he isn't fed or bathed or dressed (the last two are relative…he's the kid I've allowed to be the dirtiest), but he's number 5 and he has to go along for the ride.  His hair isn't always combed, his face isn't always washed and lets be honest, his clothes aren't always spot free.

He's my constant companion, always at my side, but I worry I'm not giving him enough eye to eye attention.  

But neglected or not, I adore this boy.

I love his big blue eyes, his chubby fingers, his squishy facial expressions and his crazy blond hair.

I love that he is happy to bebop

 around the house entertaining himself with whatever comes his way.

At the moment he's easy going with a capital E!

…and I'm so grateful for that.  With seven people living in our house, one of us needs to be low maintenance.

More about Grady Love-

Sleeps heaven-like through the night.

LOVES to be outside playing in the dirt.

Has his own sign language and combined tongue click for the word cookie.

Eats baby oatmeal like its going out of style.

Snuggles (just me of course) with an orangutan like grip.  

Loves being sung to and read to. 

Starting to climb on anything he can get his chubby hands up on.

Tolerates his brothers.  

He didn't really appreciate being put in a make shift box car and toted around the front lawn.

Adores my little rocking chair.  I can hear him climbing and rocking on this crickity thing from all over the house.

Can be found shirtless and pantless most of the time.

(really…I should dress this kid and comb his hair!)

Has been know to eat chocolate cookies for breakfast.

(In my defense, he had already eaten oatmeal, yogurt, and a multivitamin)

Those sparkling eyes tell the whole story.

Grady, I love you so much it hurts sometimes.  I'm so overwhelmingly grateful you are in our family.  I should have named you Lucky because I feel so stinking lucky to have you here!

Who else is lucky??

Anyone who gets chocolate cake and bacon for breakfast.

(The 160 wasn't to shabby either.)

Carter was out  'late' last night at a movie with friends.  Early morning church came a little too early.

I'm calling this a "fun hangover" face.  

The cake and bacon brought him out of it fast though.

Last thing…

Colby has discovered my orange childhood kite.  My Grandpa Walker bought it for me when I wasn't much older than Colby.  I used to go in our back field and let it fly.  Now Colby is doing the same.

Every kid needs a kite, a back field and a cool breeze now and then.

Gappy Tooth

There's something about a gappy tooth smile that gets me every time.

Colby is eight and this is ONLY the third tooth he has lost.  He's taking his sweet time growing up and I'm super grateful.  I'm going to miss his baby pearl teeth that will soon be replaced with ginormous tarter collecting adult ones.  Sniff sniff.  

Colby let Steve pull this tooth out last night.  The tooth fairy came and everything.  

His other front tooth is loose now as is one more bottom one.  He'll be a jack-o-lantern before we know it.

Oh…and life is tough around here.

Found Saylor girl like this yesterday.  And may I confess I slept about 30 minutes too because both her and Grady were asleep at the same time.  Joy!

Mother's Day

It was a simple Mother's Day.

Church

HUGE nap

Dinner with Steve's parents.

Walk around our new lot. (it's small…it wasn't a long walk)

House plans hash with my mom.  (She's a house plan genius I tell you.)

The day couldn't have been more calm.  The kids all told me they loved me.  I got handmade cards from school.  Steve cooked dinner.  None of the kids fought (miracle).  It was wonderful and easy.  

I didn't get any pictures of the moms in our lives, but I did catch this sweetness.

Stories with Grandpa Dixon.  

I hope my kids one day realize how blessed they truly are and how preciously rare our situation is.  Two sets of loving grandparents that live in town.  They are pampered and adored by both sides of the family.  

Great ending to a wonderful day.

Colby on our future home site.  It comes with a pretty sweet view for now.

Things that have made me happy

I've been going to nurseries with my mom the last few weeks checking out flowers.

Saylor running amongst the flowers has made me smile.  When she would break out in song from Frozen, I smiled even bigger.

My mom found this cookbook and I've tried multiple recipes.  I'm in gluten free heaven.  The lemon sugar cookies alone were worth buying the book for.  

Dreaming of this laundry room…but I'm way to chicken to ever get a bold floor such as this.

Carter decided he was ready to learn infusion sets and syringe injections.  

He's a brave one.

Finding the flower baskets I wanted was even more fun with a "home from school sick" Colby.

Not feeling so happy about this nest in my basket though.   I'm the meanest person ever, but I've ripped this nest out more than once. (no eggs yet so don't yell at me) We even put screws in the basket in hopes it would deter those pesky robins.  But that daddy robin keeps coming back.  I'm going to have to hide my basket until nesting season is over.  I DON'T want bird poop on my porch or a crazy momma bird dive bombing my children.

Cleaned out my closet and found these babies.

Maybe I should clean my closet more?????

Grady tried to be small this week.  He tried to get comfy in this little bouncy seat.  He cracks me up…so happy I have him.

For Sale

Its official.

We put money down on a lot in our same neighborhood, and now have need to sell our home.

I know this blog is private and not many people read it, but I figured word of mouth can be pretty amazing.  We would love to sell it without a realtor if possible.

Cute house

Built in 2008

3,000 or 3,100 square feet  (I need to check our official paperwork)

Full finished basement

5 bedrooms

3 bathrrooms…all with double sinks and lots of space

Large family room in basement

2 storage rooms

2 car tandem garage

Awesome neighborhood close to new hospital…so awesome we are building in it again

Will include flowers similar to picture (after I plant them in a few weeks)

Children on front porch are not included.

$275,000

The Best Day

Our little, but mighty, Colby was baptized yesterday morning at the Harrison street stake building.

(This is the same building where I was baptised)

It was the best day.  

Steve did a wonderful job with both the baptism and Colby's confirmation.  It also had to be the cutest baptism ever as Steve picked up Colby dripping wet and hugged him right in the font.  

Steve and I have very tender feelings about our Colby Virge.  We've had many discussions about Colby's strengths , his love, his determination, his obedience, and his love of life and all things fun this past week.   We are enamored with this little boy and the zest he brings to our family.  He's pretty awesome…and we love him!

My dad presided and conducted at the pre-baptism meeting.  I'll miss his presence on the stand at functions such as these when he is released from the stake presidency this summer.

Colby with Sister Hieder and Bastow.  Couldn't ask for a better primary presidency!  They spoiled him rotten both in words and gifts.

The Walker and Dixon family together.

Cara was taking the picture.  Thanks Cara!

Both sets of grandparents.  Could a boy get more lucky???

Our family.

(Andrew was on his tiptoes for this shot.  He is not quite taller than me just yet.)

Just me and my boy.

Colby, your dad and I are so proud of you and your decision and desire to be baptized.

We love you more than you could ever imagine.

Other (less formal) pictures from yesterday….

Grady finding his perch on the stand.

The three teenage cousins.

Anavey, Andrew and Holly

The girly girls…aka Saylor's posse (at least she would like to think that)

Gary, Margie, Michael and Chenele.

We were assigned the high council room for Colby's confirmation.  The boys decided they would sit right up to the table and make their presence and authority known.

Carter, Wyatt, AJ and Wes.

Cara, Jared, JaNae, Dad and Mom

A huge thank you to both the Dixon and Walker families for being with us on Colby's special day!