White Christmas

I LOVE haveing a white Christmas! For me it never really feels like Christmas without snow, so I guess that would make this year EXTRA Christmasy... or something. We have about 12 inches of snow, and I love, love, love it. I was driving tonight with my kids in the car, playing/singing Christmas songs, looking at lights, and thinking about tomorrow, and I think I may have experienced my first little Christmas high. If Christmas was a drug tonight, I must have been smokin it, because I am all sorts of giddy and excited. I'll post Santa pictures in the near future.
Merry Christmas everyone.

Do you ever....

have something really, REALLY funny, or stupid, or unbelievable happen to you? Maybe it's just me, but I always have a really hard time posting after a post that I thought was really entertaining. It's like....I can't really compete with it or something. Does anyone else ever do that? .....k, so I guess maybe I'm just nuts, a little, or allot whatever.
So, the other thing I can never compete with are those incredible women that REALLY have it together. This past week my sister in law has been in town, and it was so fun to spend time with her. She is one of my favorite people to spend time with, and I totally adore her. She is one of those people that can be really sick, wearing no make up, possibly has missed a couple of shower days, and still manages to be gorgeous. It is so disgusting, and a little disturbing when your husbands sisters are all the girl that all the other girls wanted to be like. I mean really. I love them to death, but what am I supposed to do with that? I'm so not that girl, but at least I am friends with that girl right? OK well, I'm totally babbling, and need to go to bed. I'll catch you all up on real stuff soon.
p.s. We have SNOW, and I'm so excited about it.
p.s.s. for my sister in laws that might read this, I really do Love ya, and I wont hate you because your beautiful.;)

It was good!

I just read through my thanksgiving entry, and realized I didn't share any of the good parts. We really did have a great Thanksgiving...really. After I got the poo, and other stuff cleaned up we went and played football with the Halls. Followed by Dinner at my parents, and then back to the Halls for games. The next two days we just hung out with Family, and had so much fun. I got to do a girl night with my sisters on friday, and girl time with Craigs sisters on saterday. I love nothing more than hanging with my family (and family in laws). Just wanted to say that for the record. :)

my thanksgiving "outpourings"

There are three facts you need to know before I go on any farther.
Fact #1- Carter has a very bad gag reflex, and he can't handle any really bad smells, such as poop.
Fact #2- I am insane!
Fact #3- I had all the three year old cousins on the Hall side come over, and we had a "Diego Slumber Party". Thus confirming fact #2.

Everything started out great! We had the elders over for a nice lasagna dinner, played "Hide Diego, hide", and "Draw Diego, draw", and watched "Diego Saves Christmas". The kids had a great time, even though our slumber party didn't have much slumbering.

The next mourning was Thanksgiving, and this was the plan:
wake up, feed the kids breakfast, dress them, Craig takes the missionaries shopping, and i take the kids to the Hall family "Turkey Bowl" to return them to their rightful Mothers.

I knew things were off the moment we discovered that our cat had somehow gotten into our new(ish) Pathfinder.....the day BEFORE, and had been trapped in there all night. Cat + small confined space for extended period of time = LOTS OF POO. We got that all cleaned up, and by then Craig had a rush to get the Elders, leaving me to finish getting the kids ready by myself.

All the 3 year olds were fed, cleaned, and dressed, so I went downstairs to Laylas room to get her dressed. A moment later I hear Carter from the top of the stairs yelling/dry heaving "mom, (gag) it looks (gag) stinky in here (gag)!" (he always says looks instead of smells)I rushed to the stairs just in time to see Carter vomit down the stair. I yell "run to the bathroom, HURRY", so obediently, he runs to the bathroom leaving a vomit trail behind him. (Did I mention he had toast and peaches for breakfast?)I followed him to the bathroom, and as I turned the corner I saw what triggered the vomit episode. His sweet little cousin was standing there with his underwear and pants around his ankles, and poo all the way down his legs, smeared all over the floor, and even a little on the door. (I really have know idea how that happened). At that moment I hear sweet little Layla come up the stairs, and enter the Kitchen. Remembering the mess in there, I ran back in the kitchen to get her. I got there just in time to see her pick up a chunk of peach from Carters mess, and happily pop it into her mouth. AAAAHHHHH!!!

Lets have a quick recap! I'm crazy...Diego...no sleeping...cat poo...Carter puke...cousin poo...layla gets a snack!
Basically, the moral of the story is.......Carter needs to chew up his peaches.

Angel Baby

Well, I never, EVER, have blogged about this stuff before. But, this is basically my journal, and I had a neat experience, so I'm going to write a small part of it to help myself remember it.
As many people know, I take hand impressions. However, as many people don't know, sometimes I take hand impressions of people after they die. Mostly babies, and children. I had the chance to go to a local funeral home this week, and take some impressions of a very sweet little (tiny) 21 week old preemie. He was absolutely perfect. PERFECT! He had the cutest little ears, fingernails, blond hair, and ever finger prints. It was just amazing.
It breaks my heart to think that some people claim these babies don't count as a life. How can anyone take any part in an abortion? I really don't understand it. I'm grateful for the Chance I have to help strangers (most of the time) deal with the loss of a child, and I count them. I Hope they know I count their little angels as people, as a life. This is a pictures of the feet I made for the family.

LeAvEs ArE FaLliNg DoWn

our neighbor has a ton a leaves, so of coarse we had to go play in them. Craig was throwing the kids into our pile, and they would totally disappear. It was really funny. We have a video of it, but I'm having a hard time posting it. If I can figure it out I'll share.

a tad late

I know, I KNOW! I'm a little late...k, I'm a really late. I just barely put the pictures from Halloween onto my computer, so I thought I would post these...late.

Carter was sing this song called "God is bigger than the Boogie Man" from Veggie Tales, and it is so funny. Craig recorded him without him knowing, so it is 100% sincere and cute.

family pics

they grow!

I have been pondering upon motherhood as of late, and having the regular worries going through my mind. "Am I spending enough quality time with my children? Am I teaching them the things they are going to need to know in their lives? Do they know how much I love them?" Sometimes it seems like all I can do to keep up on everything else, and when I'm done the day is over. It's very sad to say, but some days I put my sweet children to bed without even reading them a book that day. I have come to the conclusion that I am just going to have to let "the other" things wait, while I enjoy, and love my babies. My sister in law Jenny had this poem on her blog, and I just thought it was so appropriate for me right now, so I'm going to borrow it from her.

Mother, O Mother, come shake out your cloth,

Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,

Hang out the washing, make up the bed,

Sew on a button and butter the bread.

Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?

She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown as shiftless as Little Boy Blue,

Lullabye, rockabye, lullabye loo.

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo

The shopping's not done and there's nothing for stew

And out in the yard there's a hullabaloo

But I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo

Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?

Lullabye, rockaby lullabye loo.

The cleaning and scrubbing can wait till tomorrow

But children grow up as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs; Dust go to sleep!

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

- Ruth Hulbert Hamilton

Grandma Anna

Annabeth, mom, Joanne, Me, Grandma Anna, and Judy
Hide and seek anyone?
my brother Matt, all my sisters, and my grandma Anna
All the streeper cousins together. We were only missing my brother Paul.

Annabeth, Grandma, and Judy.
Sisters
Last weekend my family had a party for my grandmas 89th birthday. My grandma is an amazing woman, and I have always felt like I had a really good relationship with her. She has cancer, and we don't know how much longer we will be blessed with her presence, so we had this great party for her. I think she really enjoyed herself, and felt the love we all have for her. Success, I would say.
I'm so glad I have sisters, and that we have good relationships with one another. One of my favorite things ever is to get together with them. We laugh, and get a little crazy, but I think that's what it's all about really. I love my family!

carving pumpkins

we carved the pumpkins tonight for fhe, good times. Layla only lasted a few minutes, and then she started asking us to put her to bed. That is kind of sad when your kids have to ask is they can go to bet. lol. Carter had fun taking pictures, and craig got really into carving his bat pumpkin. I must say, it turned out pretty dang sweet.
My primary is going to do trunk or treat on friday night, but I haven't really participated in it befor, so I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for me? I am soooo open to ideas. The more the marrier

first day on the job

Well yesterday was my first official day on the job. Last Sunday I was called as the new primary president, so this past week I've just been busy getting started. Strangely enough, I'm actually excited about it. I have two really great counselors, and I know they have my back. I was almost overly prepared yesterday, because I wanted it to go smoothly. I was conducting, and doing sharing time. I had my short talk, the songs, the kids that were giving talks, Scripture, prayer,article of faith,and all that typed out, so I would follow the routine, and not skip anything. I printed it all out in a nice organized format, and ran out the door to make it on time. Problem was, I ran out without grabbing the paper. Oh nuts. I kind of stumbled my way through opening exercises, but I think the Sharing time went ok.I guess the important thing is that I know the church is true, and I love the kids in my primary. I am grateful for the chance I have to serve in a new capacity. I was the primary chorister for 3 years, and I loved that, but I feel like this will be a good opportunity for me to grow in other ways. I hope I can live up to the expectations of the children, because they are so special.

First snow fall

We woke up to the most gorgeous snow fall last Sunday, felt like thanksgiving. I nearly thought we had skipped right by Halloween, it was fabulous. As soon as we got home from church Carter and Layla could not be contained. We got the kids all bundled up, Layla was right out of "the Christmas story" I swear. She fell down, and totally could not get up, so funny. She only lasted a couple of minutes outside, but Craig and Carter made the cutest snowman. I think our Apple tree was as surprised by the sudden snow fall as us, because it cracked right in half. I guess that's one way to get the apples down.

Pumpkin Patch

Carters Preschool went to this cute little farm last week for a field trip, and I got to go with them. First we went through this little corn maze, than we fed the pigs, ducks, horses, and rabbits. After that we went out to the pumpkin patch and the kids picked their pumpkins. It was a little cold that day, but we had a great time.