Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

WE"LL HAVE TO CALL THIS YOUR HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM YOUR WIFE!!


Where to begin...Let's start with HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTIN! 28 years ago on this day a bright eyed baby boy was born, now this bright eyed boy has three babies of his own, a mortgage and the most beautiful wife any guy could dream of...Hey who's writing this story...back to the point. I sure love that bright eyed boy. We are blessed to have a father who is very much "in the picture" in more ways than one. He is funny, entertaining (to say the least), handsome as they come, handy, hardworking, smart, HELPFUL, they don't make men more helpful than Justin, playful, you won't find a better "getter" anywhere (you know, "dad come get me!!") he has this amazing contemporary kick that no body can beat (just ask him), handsome, handsome oh and did I mention he's really good looking too?? As Allanis Morsette put it he's "a little bit of everything all rolled into one" and that is why I love that guy. SO here is my shout out to the man of my dreams who has been gone for 3 of the 6 of his birthday celebrating opportunities since we have been together. Yes,we have spent half of his birthdays apart. OH and one Anniversary (our first). And here is why I say he is "in the picture" in more than one way, these are Jacey's latest drawings of her dad. I love em, Her Auntie Manda was showing her how to draw clothes and I showed her how to draw Shoes. I love that he has sideburns in the one picture and great teeth in both drawings. He's looking a little googly eyed but we'll keeep him.



Next- potty training is slow going but it is going, we have had some sucesses and the rest of the time he could care less so we are just plugging away in no big hurry but just making the effort when we know we are going to be home. So that is Lucas.

Taylor is crawling, not full blown hands and knees but definately forward motion toward whatever little thing her heart desires.

Jacey has been practicing her letters in preparation to see where she is for school, she misses the cut off for kindergarten this year and is a great debate in my head. Despite good information on both sides the book is not closed on what I am going to do with her.

And for me....I am now a brunette. I am naturally a brunette but not this dark. I just stopped by Rite Aid the other night and grabbed me a box of brown and slapped it on me. TA DAAAA!! The first one is what I had been looking like with a couple different trips to the salon for highlights, but they were growing out and I wanted a change. So here's me a couple months ago, and here's me NOW...

BRIBERY!!!

Thanks for the help finding backgrounds. I have put a button on aqua poppy designs on my sidebar so you can all find good stuff there too.

We are busy potty training at my house, I wouldn't bother yet except the boy hides to do his business and now has started taking off the mess once he's done. Hence we are working on it a little more diligently. Last night I changed him and let him be naked from the waste down and he immediately went to the bathroom and peed. He was quick to ask for his sucker, which I gave him happily. However suckers are going to be too much if he starts going on the potty more than once a day. I figure if we get this done now I can have my carpets cleaned in the spring and really deserve it. They always look so nice after a professional cleaning... Here's a funny additive, Jacey badly wants Lucas' sour patch kids (Just pulled them out) and I told her she could have one every time Lucas earned one. So where do you think she is?? In the bathroom asking Lucas "don't you want to go potty and get a treat?" "Mom he doesn't want to go!!" This is going to be GREAT!!

Justin is doing alright in Wisconsin, we are at a loss without him. He is working in 5-8 degree temperatures and growing a beard. It's the only way to keep his face from freezing off. His 3rd day there they made him a foreman which means he runs the crew and makes the decisions and is responsible for the production and safety of his fellow crew members. He only "topped out" as a journey man in mid December and has only got to work as a journeyman for 3 days before they Promoted him. He did it for that week and told them he needed to learn to be a journeyman before he took on those kinds of responsiblities. I think he could have continued as a foreman because he's good at what he does. Then again I'm not the one putting my life on the line and making sure the rest of the crew goes home to their families. I'm proud of him for knowing his limits and capabilities. He continues to like his crew and his work and we are blessed for his efforts.

That is about it around this place, the kids are teasing eachother to get my attention so I better go RASSLE them HOolAgaIns. All the best to you this chilli, flooding, freezing, wet, soggy winter.

P.S. this background is the exact fabric I plan on making Taylors curtains out of. just a fun tidbit.

where are all the blog backrounds?

I went to my favorite site for bckrounds and their server is down? how is that possible, now I have this silly thing that I was testing but don't love and my cutestblogsontheblock is gone. Does it come up for anyone else? or do any of you know where to find the others if the cutest blogs on the block are gone for good? HELP ME, I want options. Thanks for you commments by the way. :)

The root of all EVIL!!!

Well if you all must know, I think thumb sucking is evil. It's is one of my least favorite things kids do... NOW don't stop reading because I am not condemning anyone who sucked their thumb or who has children who sucked their thumbs. I too was one of those thumb suckers, well finger sucker actually, and I actually had to have a spike placed in my mouth because I was sucking my fingers in such an odd way that it was damaging my tooth formation...however that is another story of which I have only been told and don't actually remember. BUT!!!... I now have a beautiful little thumb sucker of my own who to my dismay REALLY like her beasty little thumb. And what's worse is I will show it to her when she's being crabby at me just so she will quit. I have 2 kids who would have nothing to do with pasifiers or anything like them and I suppose I had this coming. Everyone says "at least you can take away a pacifier." like somehow that is comforting. I wish she did want a pacifier so I could eventually take it away. Anywho the point of the story is, Taylor has TEETH!! She spiked a fever yesterday and started with a runny nose so I stuck my finger in there and low and behold she had little "sharpies" poking right out at me. And she's been so nice that I didn't even think about her teething, that is the kind of teething I can handle. Well there you have it. Maybe that is why she started with the thumb sucking? She is such a nice girl she thought "I will give mom a break and just soothe this gnawing pain in my mouth all by myself" any chance my 4 month old is that self sufficient?? anyone? that's why right? she not going to be a Kindergartener that sucks her thumb?

And why won't Lucas use the toilet? He doesn't mind sitting on the toilet, it's not fear? what is it?

So I was picking up babies from all over my house and came across this one who was dressed at the time and I grabbed her up and thought to myself "she is very cushy," and then I undressed her and this is what I found. When did my 4 year old become so very good at working clothes and things. She undressed her baby put a diaper on her and dressed her all back up. Awesome. I think Jacey just earned herself a new choir. Any guesses on what that might be? yeah. She can help me with Taylor and she would think it's FUN!!!

Grab a snack and drink this one's a doozy...

Well there you have it. A new family picture with Taylor in it and everything. I have to start with a "good job" to everyone on their posts. I have enjoyed catching up it seems I haven't read anyones blog since Halloween. No really, you all posted half a dozen times since I read them last. And Paula and Jenn there is no way I get to keep up with you guys, you must be able to type REALLY fast, cause I know how busy you are and you guys write a lot. I am amazed at how everyones kids have grown, and how great you all look!! I have some good looking friends and family. What a handsome bunch you all are.

Kirk, Andy, Justin and Jill rockin' in the new year.

Taylor Jane sportin' the "sprouts" (we named them sprouts when Jacey started wearing them- cause doesn't it look like you could pull on them and find carrots on the other end?
NEW YEARS--Here is my acknowledgement of the New Year. I have noticed a new trend, it is that no one is making new years resolutions...Is that odd to anyone? Does that mean we are resolving to do nothing this year? Or are we just becoming realistic in our thinking that it isn't realistic to make huge resolutions of change for the better only to let ourselves down by mid February?! Well I am constantly somewhere in the middle. I can understand not wanting to make myself a whole list of promises I have no intention on keeping. However I do believe there is an inescapable feeling of newness and betterment (is that a word?)that comes with the New Year. I would encourage those of you who are part of this new trend to sit down with yourself and take an account of your life. Then don't be affraid to make some small goals. Don't overwhelm yourself mountains you don't have time to climb, but maybe start on a walk to those mountains and just get moving in the right direction. I am going to do it too, and once I have decided who I am now and who I would like to be at the end of this new year I am going to make a few adjustments and set a few 'SIMPLE' goals and begin again at bettering myself. (Next step- write them down)

A few of my simple goals: read at least one book, reduce the amount of tv I watch and be more selective in my watching, read my scriptures before I allow myself to watch T.V., give my kids a half hour of my undivided attention every morning, and to finally get to the root of my picking. (yeah i actually wrote that on my blog, you all know me, it's no surprise to most of you.) I would put excercise on that list, but I'm not in the mood yet. When it gets warmer I will get serious about that one- hey don't judge me I don't do cold weather well.:) The thought is in my head it just hasn't turned serious.

WORK--now for the update. Despite all Justin's best effort he couldn't find anyone hiring close to home. So when he woke up the other morning and started making phone calls he was surprised that the first call he made wound up being an open call for linemen in Wisconsin. After some discussion we decided we better take it. So Justin left friday morning to the Milwaukee area for work. (In my car...grrr...it has the 4 wheel drive, it was necessary but I am still not real thrilled about it.) We don't know how long he'll be there, or if we will be joining him at some point but we do know it's not permanent and we won't be moving there. If I were to guess I would say 6-8 weeks but it could be 3 weeks who knows. we should know more tomorrow.

CHRISTMAS was interesting in a humbling, unexpected sort of way. Justin's mom came up from Idaho for about a week and we really enjoyed having her, she is always good company. We were keeping Christmas small this year, not so much due to our work situation but due to the fact that we have a large family and Christmas can get out of control really fast. We want to have a nice Christmas' for the kids without them growing up expecting a mountain of gifts under the tree. So we did a nice little Christmas. I got Justin a box of bullets for his 45 that he got after Thanksgiving and he got me some very toasty boot socks from Cabelas -he knows I am not a fan of the cold.(I'm also not forgetting the Ballet experience.)We didn't go crazy on the kids or the extended family and we were really happy with how everything went. THEN Christmas Eve we got a knock on our door at 11:30pm. I was in feeding Taylor (whose room has a view of the front door)and I peeked out to see a box- a large box- of presents sitting at our front door. I went to the door only to be followed by Justin who came out like a mole in the sunlight with his 45 locked and loaded ready to defend us all to his death, bless his heart. I had to giggle a little because since we've had that gun (I hope he doesn't think I'm teasing, he's just so funny I have to tell it this way) he's slept with it by the nightstand like everyone is out to get us. It makes me wonder if for the last 2 years he has worried how he would defend us if he ever needed to and now he finally has the control over his house he has always wanted. It does make me feel better knowing we have some protection in the house if we ever need it. However, this night I told him to put the gun away it was someone leaving presents, which had us both perplexed. Who could it be? Why us? What is it? We didn't try too hard to see who it was because it was obvious they were trying to be sneaky. They had backed into our driveway for a quick escape only they couldn't leave quickly due to all the snow and ice. We caught a glimpse of their vehicle but it wasn't a familiar one so it is all still a mystery. I was a fun sursprise which still makes me feel bad that we told everyone of our "out of work" situation and someone was generous enough to take care of us through the Holidays. I was told to enjoy it and stop feeling guilty, someone wanted to help us so just accept their very generous gifts and know we are loved and looked after. My only hope is that I didn't make it sound like we were hurting for the holidays. If our secret santa knows us through this blog, thank you so much for your love, thoughtfulness, generosity and support. May we return the blessing to someone else next year. What a great example of Christ this Christmas.





EAR PIERCING--And Lastly we pierced the girls ears on Saturday. I wanted to pierce Jacey's ears when she was Taylors age but Justin was firmly opposed so I respected his wishes and never did. This time I told him he got his way with Jacey I get my way with Taylor, he agreed hesitantly and we got them done. Aunty Manda has experience with this from working at Claires so she did most of the piercing. She bought the gun from Walmart and pierce our bitty cousin (her daughter) Harley's ears then came over and did Taylors. Jacey then wanted hers done so we plotted a little plan to get both her ears done. So has anyone pierced a 4 years old ears before? Once you get the one ear done, how do you get her to let you do the other one? Well let me tell you. You have Mom do the first ear, and then tell her maybe the other one won't hurt if Aunty Manda does it. By the time she realizes that, "nope they both hurt" they are already done. Hahahahaa. I know it's sounds mean but she loves them now that they are in. Here is proof. She actually didn't cry for the first one but the second she was pretty sure she new what was coming, and she was right.

Thumb Suckers and snowflakes...

Yeah, it's true... two days ago Taylor was rolling around happy as a clam content to play with her toys and watch others then all of a sudden she developed a thumb sucking fettish... And I'm not talking a casual finds her thumb to sooth herself, I'm talking sucking her thumb in between bites of squash at dinner. If she weren't so darn cute I would be really annoyed, but she is really cute when she does it. Here are a couple picture for proof.

Snowflakes are appropriate I think for this holidays crafty decoration, Since we are getting BUCKETS of snow. Justin made one and Jacey made one but I did the rest. jacey sat with me and cut up random piece of paper which is really what she wanted to do and that made her really happy. The actual cutting of the folded paper was pretty hard, Lucas was trying desparately to help me but I kept fearing for the safety of my eyeballs so he had to move on to other things.

So much news so little time.

Ok, so here goes it!! 1st things first, the ballet. Justin surprised me more than a month ago with a phone call

he said, "the 5th or the 12th?"
me, "what?"
him, 'the 5th or the 12th?"
me, "the 12th?"
him, "I need the credit card number"
me, "what is going on?"
him, "I'm taking you on a date, you need to go buy a fancy dress. what is the credit card number?"
me, a little hesitant, "alright...where are we going?"
him, "it's a surprise, you can buy shoes too if you want."
and what girl is going to argue with that? not me...

so the tickets came in the mail and he couldn't help himself and he told me. It was a really fun surprise mostly because he thought of it, he planned it and all I had to do was play along and I tell you what....I did play along, I went and bought a dress that ended up being 50% off and shoes to match. I worked with Taylor for several weeks on taking a bottle so when my family watched the kids she would eat for them. and it turns out she didn't want that smelly ol' bottle at first but them decided she had done this before and it was going to be ok.

I also learned something about myself. Something that I need to change and actually got a chance yesterday to see if I was really going to change or not. Every time there is an important picture taking opportunity I OBSESS over how I look. I want to look just right. I did it on my wedding day, my sealing day, getting a new drivers licence and every time we go to get family pictures taken (three times) so I have sucked the fun out of all of those events because I don't like how anything is turning out and it ruins my attitude about the whole event and I just end up making Justin insane and the everyone around me miserable. I only realized that it was my fault and something I had to fix this time around on my preparation for the ballet date. I spent hours getting my hair to do something "special" and I couldn't make anything work. In the end I ended up with a glorified ponytail that I could have done in 5 minutes. same with the makeup.
Anyways, I had a chance to redeem myself yesterday when had some family pictures done and i am delighted to tell you that it worked. I got ready like my life was not going to be altered if didn't look like a movie star and everything was ssoooooo much better. I still looked fine, it only took a total of 25 minutes, the kids were happy, Justin was sooo happy, and the pictures turned out just fine. So thank you to everyone who has ever waited for me to get ready, and will ever wait for me again, things should be better from here on out. And the grand finale. the pictures. Justin always looks great and it only takes him five minutes, ten max if he has to shave. So here we are at the nutcracker having a good time. it was a much anticipated date that was a lot of fun. Thanks to those who helped shop with me, and especially watch kids while we got to go on this amazing adventure.





Next, family pictures... Our friend DeWin came over from church and took them for us, I think we all thought we would do them outside until we got ready and realized it was 12 degrees outside and that it wouldn't be fun or attractive to see our little frozen faces on camera. they happened quick and the kids weren't horribly cooperative so we got a couple that were good enough and called it a day. we will be put those together today. DeWin was a good sport and still wants to go outside and do some "real ones" with her good camera. We will definitely to that when it warms up. but here is a preview, I am not putting the family one on here cause that would ruin the surprise- don't cha know!! here are a couple of teasers.


Cute girls, if I do say so myself.
I just have to say, I sure married well. What handsome boys I have.