The Nai Family

2011-07-03T20:06:00.000-07:00

Making A Change

Four Years ago I made the decision to throw my life into utter chaos by opening my home and starting a daycare. Anthony and I decided that we needed the extra income, and I would really only need to take 2 kids in. Plus I had 3 kids of my own at the time and I wanted to still give them the attention they would need.

I was happy to take 2 little girls. One had just turned 1 year old( Addy), and the other was 6 months( if I remember right). They were sweet little girls...when they were not wailing. They were both screamers/ criers...which I got used to, and which diminished after they got used to being at my house. The youngest little girl didn't stay long...but before I knew it 2 more kids had taken her place. Hunter and Olivia. I am good friends with their mom and who wouldn't like to make a bit more money. No prob!

Then Addy's mother got pregnant...what was one more, right? I actually did not have any second thoughts about this. It was only natural that I would watch the baby because he is a sibling. Plus I was baby hungry for another kid, so I thought that might fix my yearnings to have another baby. Maddox joined our zoo here and was such a good baby...I loved to hold him! BUT...the baby cravings did not go away. I just knew I wanted another one.

So here comes Matteo!( by this time Hunter and Olivia were in school full time so I only watched them occasionally) This was the first time I stared questioning the whole daycare situation. Anthony had just started his new job and was going to be sent away for 3 months to train. This would leave me with my 4 kids plus Addy and Maddox. Oh...but it gets better. One of our neighbor's kids( Joslynn) was going to be in Tui's pre-k class and another of their kids was in Haylie's class ( Jalynn). Their parents wanted to know if they could just come to my house after school because they would not be home from work yet.

Hmmmmmm...what to do, what to do? It would only be for the afternoons and the two babies would be napping, so....why not. Well Jalynn and Joslynn have a little brother who was going to a different in-home daycare, but some bad things were happening over there and they wanted him to go somewhere safe.

Again...it is a sibling. It makes sense right? So now I have my 4 kids, Addy and Maddox, Jalynn and Joslynn and AJ. It is officially a zoo! But what is a zoo without a few more monkey's. Another one of my friends has two daughters. One that goes to school with Sydney, and one that goes to school with Tui. They needed before school care because their mom had to be to work before the bus came. So how many is that now?

By this time, I had come to realize that things had changed from my initial plan of opening a small daycare, to being outnumbered 11-1. Time to make another change. It was not an easy decision. a lot of thought and prayers went into deciding what my next step was. 8 of the 11 kids would be in school full time next year, and two out of those would only be in the morning, so really, I COULD keep going. We need the money...Teo will have kids to play with all the time...we need the money. You know what...it doesn't matter how much I tried to make it sound good, I just didn't want to do it anymore. It was not by any means because I didn't like the kids. I love kids! I love to play with them and see them learn and grow, but I was Not playing with them anymore...I was not as fun as I used to be.

There were a lot of reasons why I was ok quiting. My house was never clean! (tidy...but not deep down clean!) There were things I wanted to do with my house but never could because there were always kids around ( like tear up my carpet and refinish the floors, paint, etc). My own kids would ask me to do things with them after school, but I was always " kidded out" and needed some mommy time. The looks of disappointment on their faces killed me! Our summers were spent watching other kids instead of taking my kids to the pool or to the park or on vacation. ( my van can barely fit my family). There were twice as many germs coming in my house...it was a revolving door of germs...one kid gets better just to have another one get sick. I was going through lysol like crazy. Mostly I just was tired.

Regardless of the reasons I quit, I do not regret one bit of running an in-home daycare. My kids always had someone to play with and grow up with. We did make lots of fun memories going to the park or playing in the pool. I love those kids dearly and I'm glad that I was able to provide a safe and happy place for them to go.

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2011-07-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

School 2010-2011
This was a very busy and very rewarding year!

Sydney and Haylie started a new year at a new school. I transferred them to a school that was not on the SINA list ( school in need of assistance). I just felt that my children needed more than what they were able to get at their regular school. Not that I blame teachers...they have their hands tied in these situations. My kids were having to relearn things they had previously learned because the rest of their class was not able to keep up ( yes I am bragging..hehe). Both Sydney and Haylie are above their grade level for reading( Sydney is actually above her grade level for all her classes...way above! Some days I don't know what to do with her!), and their school was just not able to offer them the extra work to keep them interested in learning.

At their new school, they were both put into the ELP class( extended learning program) where they were able to progress and learn new concepts and do some fun things that made learning fun for them ( instead of being bored in class). Their teachers were wonderful and they were able to make new friends. It turned out to be a great year!( Haylie even came off the bus in tears because she was going to miss her teacher. They love school!)

Tui started pre-k this year. I was really torn about putting him in or not since his birthday is on the cut off date for registration. He was the youngest child in his class. I was worried about him being able to adjust later to being the youngest...like in high school, when all of his buddies would be dating and driving and he wouldn't be. I have heard that emotionally, boys that are younger in school have a hard time.

I thought that the first day of school would be a day full of tears and hugging my leg...begging me not to leave him there. Boy was I wrong. Tui couldn't wait to get in his class room. Anthony walked him to school with his little backpack and that was it. He only cried one time the entire year. That is until the last day at the pre-k graduation party. He had a little run in with another kid and got bumped on the head. Well, you would think the world was ending. It ruined the entire day!

Regardless, he had a wonderful year also. He got to go on field trips ( on a bus..yay!), had many class pets and wonderful teaches to start off his school experience. He is going to be as smart as the girls. They gave him his kindergarten test to see how ready he is for kindergarten...40/40...the kindergarten teaches were quite surprised. The only thing he is behind in is his fine motor skills ( writing)....it's no wonder though considering I never gave him pencils or makers or scissors for fear of what he would destroy!

Before and after pics.

2011-06-29T13:03:00.000-07:00

EASTER

My kids love Easter time! We usually blow out our eggs ( poke a hole in both ends of the egg and blow out the yoke and whites into a bowl), but this year I was very sick, so we did it a bit easier and just hard boiled the eggs. We dyed the eggs with Koolade and then drew designs with glue and added sparkles. The kids had a lot of fun.

After they were done we had an Easter omelet for dinner. We cut up red, yellow and green peppers, mushrooms, olives, ham, and cheese. Then we put some uncooked eggs in a mini muffin pan and the kids got to add whatever they wanted. They eat so much healthier when they get to make dinner!

We also did an Easter egg hunt with some friends. It was fun...but very cold!

Easter morning is always full of anticipation...waiting for the Easter bunny to leave his clues to the kids Easter treats. The Easter bunny brought a new bike for Haylie, a snow cone maker for Sydney and some nurf toys and cool spider man sunglasses for Tui. Teo was happy with the chocolate we gave him.

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2011-06-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

Spring Break Fun

It has been so nice having Anthony home more now that he works second shift. He is able to spend more Day time hours with the kids.

This spring we took advantage of the $1 days that all the museums and children's centers had going. We went to the imaginarium and played with all the fun stuff there. We also went to the grout museum and the science center. And spring break wouldn't be complete without a visit to some of our favorite parks.

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2011-05-22T19:14:00.000-07:00

Mysterious

Sydney's 11th birthday party started out like another. Kids started showing up to our house, ready to have a birthday party. I asked Sydney to go to the mailbox and get the mail for me. The only thing in there was a letter...addressed to Sydney. As she opened, the confused look turned to excitement. She read the letter aloud to her friends. The letter was from a " Kay Romanin", who said she was a the last of 4 " secret keepers". She said she was dying and needed to find an honest person with a good heart and loyal friends to pass this secret on to. The letter then described events that took place a long time a go and a symbol that they needed to follow. Once they found this symbol( a keychain with a key on it), they would be able to piece together the clues to know the secret.

The first clue said that one of the secret keepers was an author and that he kept codes in his books. Along with the cue there was a piece of paper with #'s on it.

24-16-32

128-4-25

63-12-11

etc.

The clue said it was an " Ottendorph Cypher". None of the kids knew what that was, so I had them look it up online. The 3's represent the page #, the line on that page and the letter in that line. Now all we had to do was find the book. So we went to the nearest book store ( whom I had already arranged things with). The kids asked for the store associate where they could find this author's books. He led us to a section where there were 4 books by this particular author. The kids pulled out the books looking for something that would lead to their next clue. Then in one of the back covers of a book was the symbol...the book was called " Atlantis". Now the kids were really excited! They started solving the cypher and found part of thier next clue....but what about the rest? I suggested that someone look closely at the back cover. Sure enough there was something there, but it was invisible. I handed the kids a black light flashlight I just happened to have. Wow...that blew them away...invisible writing. All it said was " Grout".

Put together with the cypher, the clues led them to find an airplane at the grout museum. They needed to find the #'s on the plane to put with compass directions. These directions would guide them through a cemetery to find another clue left by another secret keeper.

Once at the cemetery, they had to find a starting spot. The letter at the beginning said that the secret keeper in the graveyard told her that, " a tower of 5 crosses would mark their path to the truth". So the kids had to find a grave stone that looked like a tower with 5 crosses on it. From there the had to use the #'s from the plane and the compass directions from the cypher to count , 4 stones north, 1 stone east, 5 stones north, etc. until they reached the last stone where they found their next clue.

Once the key was found, we were off to our next clue. A locker at World Wide Fitness. The kids were bouncing in their seats they were so excited...chatting about what they would find next. We got to the gym and the locker was located in the girls locker room, so only the girls got to go in. They opened the locker to find an envelope. We took it out to a table where the boys could see what was in it also. The opened envelope contained a puzzle they had to put together ( a picture of a building that I took...a building at their next clue). The envelope also had a magnifying glass in it...so they knew they would need that at some point. It didn't take them long to put the picture together. A couple of them recognized the building as the Hartman Nature reserve center. They all wanted to jump in the van and go, but I reminded them that the nature reserve was a big place, how would we know where the next clue was. Then Sydney, my smart cookie said that they should look for some small clue with the magnifying glass. she flipped over the puzzle and found some extremely small writing that said " The key to BRIDGE the past and the future is friendship and trust". So we are off to find a bridge. There are several bridges at Hartman...but one with a special name on it. I would leave it up to the kids to figure that one out on their own.

Once at Hartman, we start walking down the path to a fork in the road. To the right is a bridge and to the left is a bridge. But what one do we go to? Then one of the kids recognizes the name on one of the bridges as the name of the secret keeper who sent Sydney the letter...Kay Romanin. Now they are off...running full speed down hill toward the bridge. Before I can catch up, they are searching all over and under for any clues. They find a treasure box, wrapped tightly with chains and a lock. But where is the key...ahhh the key that came with the letter and that has the symbol of Atlantis on it. We took the box up to the van where we had the letter and the key. Once we opened it we found another letter and treasures from Atlantis. The letter said that the secret is that Atlantis was real and that not everyone died...but there are descendants of Atlantians who are amoung us today and you can know who they are because they bear the symbol. ( I had tattooed myself with pen and put a small symbol on my wrist) The letter said that this was a big secret and that we had to be careful not to let anyone know. Each kid got a blue crystal, a seashell, an Atlantis keychain and an invisible ink pen and paper so that they can write secret notes to each other, and a blue light to see the notes.

Then it was back to our house for pizza, cake and ice cream and presents. What took me 2 months to plan and organize took those lids all of 2 hours yo solve. Next year I think we will just have a sleepover or something simple! This was a ton of fun to do...and I love making my daughter happy, but boy was I worn out!

Happy Birthday Sydney!!!

2011-05-20T21:59:00.000-07:00

At the diner table tonight, Haylie wanted me to quiz her on some multiplication questions. Yes...this is how my kids have fun at the table. They do math. They so did not get this from me!

Haylie is in the first grade so I ask her some simple ones. We start with the 2 times table. I ask her 2x4. She thinks for a minute and answers 8. I ask her a few more simple ones which she takes her time to answer. Then I decide to ask her a more difficult one...one that she can't count on her fingers. I ask what is 8x2. She takes her time again, but before she can answer, Tui pipes in 16! Holy cow...did he really know that? Ok let's try another. I ask 9x2...before Haylie can even start counting he says, 18. Sydney and I look at each other, flabbergasted! Really?

This has to be a fluke. Okay how about this one 2x4...he answers 8. I am really starting to wonder if I have a 4 year old Einstein. Okay one more. 2x6....without hesitation he say 1.

He really had me going! I don't know if he really knew those answers or if it was just a fluke. Either way, he is a total smarty pants!

2011-05-20T21:03:00.000-07:00

Growing old scares me! I see not only the physical deterioration, but also the mental. I get so frustrated with the elderly drivers who seem to either not be able to read the street signs or choose to ignore them. The drifters who can't seem to stay in their own lane or the ones who are the definition of " Sunday driver"!

BUT, I have been humbled time and time again when I have been given the opportunity to help the elderly. I have been able to divert danger, aid in medical emergencies and just plain hold open doors for the elderly.

This week I was humbled again.

(Any social workers reading this may want to stop reading.)

I was in a hurry, as I usually am. I had all 4 of my kids with me in the van and it was already an exhausting day. We had just been to 2 grocery stores and I had one more to go to. I have become a bargain shopper ( between 3 stores). So I decided to leave my 10 year old in charge of the kids in the van while I ran in for bananas, milk and bread. I would be in and out!

I am speed walking through the small store, grabbing my items along the way. Two minutes tops and I would be out of there...until I get in the check out line behind and elderly lady who has already had all of her items scanned and was just ready to pay. Then, as most elderly do they fumble through their purses trying to find exact change. While she is fumbling through her purse, she starts telling the cashier a story about falling down in her garden. The two of them chat back and forth like old friends. Then I realize that she is a regular at the store and that this little story could go on forever. Just when I thought she might be done, another store employee comes up to her, hugs her and asks how she is doing. Can you hear my eyes roll? Then the story starts all over again. This time I am paying attention to what she is saying.

This poor woman has recently had surgery on her hip to remove some cancer. On top of that she has undergone radiation treatments that have left her with burns on her leg. She has to go back for more treatments soon, but wonders if it is worth it at her age. The cashier reaches behind her and grabs a bunch of flowers left over from mothers day and gives them to her...hugs her and wishes her the best.

without even knowing it, my eyes are wet and I am having to blink the tears away. How could I be so harsh and impatient?

She slowly moves her cart away and I get my few items checked out and payed for. I end up following the little old lady into the parking lot and notice that some of her groceries have been put underneath her cart. After her story of falling over, I don't hesitate to go over and help her unload her groceries. We get to talking a bit and I find out she is German and she is lights up when she hears my name. It is a common name in Germany. As I say goodbye and start back to my car, she grabs me and pulls me down into the biggest old lady hug ever. She plants a kiss on my check, tells me " May God bless you and your family" and hands me chocolate for the kids who are waiting in the van.

Again, I am close to tears as I climb in the van and start the engine. The kids notice my face and for the rest of the ride home we talk about the blessings of giving service and how special the elderly are and that it is important that we take care of them for Heavenly Father. We talk about how much we can learn from the elderly and we decide to pay more attention to the two adoptive grandma's we have on our street.

I love the elderly! I always have. I am still afraid to grow old, but I have always had a soft spot for them. I just have to remember that when I am on the road with them.

2011-05-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

Toothless

Haylie lost another tooth. I have only pulled her first loose tooth. All the rest she has pulled. She wiggles and wiggles until her gums are bruised and sore, but she is determined to get out that tooth.

Determined

stubborn

independent

defiant

reckless

disheveled

blunt

You could describe Haylie with any and all of these words. But she would not be Haylie without being

giggly

loving

concerned

friendly

smiley

trusting

faithful

loyal

sweet and sassy

energetic

You can't help but melt when you hear her tell her brother that she loves him ( when there are many days when you have to wonder). She falls to pieces if she thinks her sister is angry with her. Her giggle is like a trickling brook constant and cheerful. Her hair is wild and always windblown like a child's hair should be. Her eyes can glare at you, unmoving and determined, and then can be like a ray of sun, breaking through the clouds, warming your face.

I often find myself remembering, not to long ago, a time when I thought I might loose her. She was so sick and frail. The things her little body went through would cripple an adult, and yet she persevered and came out on top ( thanks to some wonderful Dr's). Now those days are just a Shadow of how she was.

I am so thankful for her and for her health. She is a blessing in my life and I love her!

2011-05-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

4th Grade Concert

We transferred our girls to a new school this year, and I'm glad we did. Academically they are receiving a better education, but they are also being exposed to a much broader music program. Their music teacher selects fun pieces for them to preform and also sets aside extra time to work with students who show an interest in progressing further in music.

Sydney expressed an interest in playing the recorder this year and was selected along with about 10 others to preform in a concert. She practiced so hard and thanks to a wonderful friend, who happens to be a music teacher, did very well! Good job Syd!

2011-05-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

Shootin some hoops

This was Sydney's 2nd year of playing organized basketball. I remember being her age and playing ball. It was very confusing sometimes and everything was very fast paced. Things are not any different now. Sydney's coaches were new this year ( and neither of them have ever played ball before), so I offered to help when needed. I came to realize that you can teach the girls to pass well, do lay up's, do a pick and roll, but when it comes to game time ( at this age) all that practice goes out the window. The girls get so excited and rushed that they forget to implement everything you taught them.

Regardless, it was a great season. Sydney's team was undefeated until the very last tournament game. It was a crazy haze of girls running , shoving, slapping, and gouging! I think most of the game was used for foul shots. To girls on the other team even fouled out...at this age that is crazy!

Sydney was super bummed that they lost, but I was so proud of her! She improved so much and took my " lectures" well. She always wants me to coach her in sports, but does not handle my instructions well. She thinks I am criticizing her. ( hmmm...sounds like my sister, Karma! Are you reading this Karm?)

Anyhow, next year she will learn more and get even better, and who knows...maybe someday I will coach her.

2011-05-18T00:35:00.000-07:00

Graduation

I am so proud of Anthony!

He was hired by the Black hawk County Sheriffs Dept, but they required that he complete the law enforcement academy course. This is a 3 month course in Des Moines...2 hours away from us. He was required to stay at the academy during the week and was allowed to come home on the weekends to see us. This would be unpleasant for anybody, but for me it was much more... turbulent!

I have a 1 month old baby, I run an in home daycare with 6 kids, plus 3 more of my own. I am a primary teacher and the Relief Society activities leader. I have children who are involved in sports. I am the bill payer, the nurse, the taxi, the teacher, the judge, the cook and maid...and the zombie that is the result of all of this.

Actually, I thought having Anthony gone would be unbearable, but I learned that I am capable. Capable of doing it all. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I can do it all...should I have to? Is this small trial a stepping stone and preparatory process for some future struggle? Who knows.

All I know is that Anthony has done so much to support us and we love him! I know that at times, the academy was horrible. But it was what he needed to do to secure our future. Thank you babe!Marching up to the stage.The Sheriff and fellow Deputy.Good friends who came down to his graduation. Also fellow Deputies. ( look at how skinny my hubby is! Hot Stuff!)

2011-05-17T12:34:00.000-07:00

Christmas Memories

I love the Christmas season. It is always so hectic, and I sometimes wish I had nothing better to do than sit and sip hot cocoa by the Christmas tree, but then I would miss out on all of the traditions that make me feel like Christmas. Reading a Christmas story every night under the tree. Making goodies for friends and neighbors. Doing the 12 days of Christmas for someone. And most of all I love sharing this time of year with my kids. I miss my family dearly...I have not had a Christmas at home since I was 19, but that will finally change. Dec. 2012 we will finally get to spend Christmas together with my whole family!

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2011-05-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

Photo Shoot

I am so bad at having our family pictures taken. The main family photo on our living room wall was when Tui was 5 months old. He is now 4 years old. So I decided to take the kids out side for a little photo shoot so I could send some pictures to the grandmas, etc. I think I may frame some of them. I am no photographer, but with such beautiful children, how could they not be great pictures! ( I'm allowed to brag! It is my blog ;)

Here are some of my favorites.

2011-05-11T19:09:00.000-07:00

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Halloween is my favorite time of year! I love dressing up and having fun with the kids. We always do a trunk r treat at our church plus trick r treating in the nieghborhood. The kids always get a pretty good haul. Sydney keeps me on my toes every year. She comes up with the most abstract, origional characters she wants to be. One year she was cleopatra...not hard you say...you can get those costumes in the stores. But I think they are so fake looking, so I made her costume. The jewelry alone took a week to make, then there was the sequence sen onto the costume and finally the head piece. The year after that she wanted to be the headless horseman. I had to figure out how to make her look headless and fashion a floating pumpkin head to her. I made it work! I thought for sure she would give me an easy one the next year. Nope....a werewolf...full makeup and fur to boot.

Well this year she really got into greek mythology. She wanted to be a sentar ( half horse, half human). No way kiddo...pick something else. She picked Medussa, the beautiful gorgan that has snakes for hair and turns you to stone if you look at her. Hmmmmm....well I did the best I could to figure out how to get snakes to stay in her hair.

I am dreading what she will request for next year! Thank goodness my other 2 kids are easy to please. A homemade Mario and a Vampire.

2011-05-11T11:05:00.000-07:00

Surprise!

September is our big birthday month. Anthony, Haylie and Tui all have birthdays within days of each other. This year I decided to combine all 3 together and have a big surprise party. We decided to have it up at the church because of ify weather.

I got to the church early to set up. The kids had to be let in on the surprise because I had to take them with me to set up. Anthony was being diverted by a friend so that he would be surprised.

He was most definitely surprised! While I was setting up, my oldest daughter, Sydney decided to play hide and seek with 2 friends in a darkened church ( since we only needed the gym, we left the lights off in the rest of the church hoping that would deter any kids from playing where they shouldn't be).

All of a sudden someone is screaming my name. One of the girls playing hide and seek grabs my arm and pulls me toward a bathroom on the darkened half of the church. I find Sydney leaning over the bathroom sink, with a bloody face. at first I couldn't tell where all the blood was coming from. I cleaned her up enough to see that it was her nose and upper lip. I tried to control the bleeding while the other girls filled me in on what happened.

Our church has big glass doors. In the dark, you can not tell where they are. Well, my incredibly intelligent daughter ( except when playing hide and seek obviously) ran smack into the door.

I am grateful for the fact that one of my good friends there that night is a nurse. She examined Sydney's nose and told me it was broken. Sydney kept he tough girl act going until we were alone for a minute...then the tears came. She is so brave! I told he I would have to take her to the ER. She started crying more...she said she didn't want to miss the pinata.

Just then who comes walking in the door? Anthony....SURPRISE! So, for his birthday he got to take Sydney to the ER while I entertained the guests. And we saved the pinata for the very end so Sydney could join in.

The best part about all of this is, Sydney inadvertently straightened out her septum and now can breath easier. She has bad allergies and has always had a hard time breathing at night. Not any more.

I have the same problem. Anyone want to go play hide and seek in a dark church?Birthday Girl ( 7 years old)

Broken nose girl

2011-05-11T07:56:00.000-07:00

Outdoor Fun

I just had to post this because I am the skinniest I have been in 6 years. Not that it will last!

Anthony did not grow up enjoying the mountains like I did. My family and I would camp and hike all summer long, and I have always wanted to do the same with my kids. But alas, we live in Iowa, a mountain less state. How depressing! We do have a few state parks that Iowans consider mountainous. Backbone park is one of them. It is more like a forested crack in the earths crust. You drive along a flat cornfield and all of a sudden you drive down a HILL ( not a mountain) and you find yourself in a rather beautiful place. There are cliffs you can rock climb and caves to explore, a lake to swim in, although it is quite mossy, and streams to fish and wade through. I guess that is as close to home as I will get here.

2011-05-11T07:20:00.000-07:00

Sore Bums, Warm Smiles

We have never taken our kids ice skating. I know, I know...shameful considering I am Canadian. I was skating by the time I was 5. So when the opportunity for a free skating lesson came up, we jumped on it. I wasn't sure how Haylie would like it. She is one that will give up if something is too hard. Sydney likes to try anything, so I knew she would have fun.

Well, Haylie surprised me. She was little miss independent. She didn't want me to help her at all and was happy to go with her instructor onto the ice. She took off! Falling every few seconds...laughing in her giggly little voice...getting back up just to fall down again. But she didn't give up. She had a blast! Sydney was also having a great time learning some more difficult techniques. I love seeing my children have so much fun. I wish I had the time, energy and money to put my kids in everything they want to do!

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2011-05-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

Mayor's Fun Run

Sydney never ceases to surprise me! She is a lot like me in the fact that she wants to do, or at least try everything. So when the 4th grade mile run with the Mayor came up, she was begging me to let her do it. I was nervous at first because she has asthma( also takes after me in that way) and she has never done a run like this before. It was downtown and included running over a bridge...one that people have fallen off of before and drowned. But, I never want to be a mother who discourages her children, so despite my own fears, I let her sign up. She had a few friends from her school sign up and we came to find out that friends from other schools were there too. She ran the mile in 10 min 23 seconds. I was very proud of her!

2011-04-17T19:06:00.000-07:00

Matteo's story

I am very blessed! I have a wonderful husband, who although worries about how to support us financially, has given into my desire to have more children. It is not just the money. I have a serious health issue that would prevent most people from having children.

(It is called Factor IV Leiden. It is a blood clot disorder. Pretty much it is the opposite of Hemophilia....instead of bleeding when I get a cut or injury, my blood is thicker and forms clots that can move to the lungs, heart or brain resulting in death. I shook hands with death when I was pregnant with my 3rd child, Tui. I was 9 weeks when I started to feel short of breath and a stabbing pain in my right rib cage. I thought it was indigestion or asthma, so I decided to go to bed. I woke up the next morning feeling worse and then I coughed up some blood. A very good friend of mine told me to go to the hospital...I was completely ready to go to church and just put up with the pain. Good thing I listened to her. In the ER, nurses and an intern asked me all the normal questions and thought it was probably a pulled muscle or a chest cold. Then a very smart Dr. actually read my medical history that showed that I had Factor IV...he sent me straight up to intensive care. By the time they had me all hooked up to tubes and oxygen masks, I could not breath...at all. I was scared, but mostly oblivious to how much trouble I was in. Throughout the night I was monitored and given blood thinners to break up the clots. In the morning, the Dr. came in to talk to me. He asked me why I went to bed. He said that 99 percent of all people who go to bed with a blood clot in their lung would be dead within hours...and I had 3 very large ones in my right lung. He could not give me one good reason why I was alive. He also told me that I had gone through so much trauma that I would most definitely miscarry...people with my disorder usually miscarry anyhow. One more painful experience I had to prepare for. Well 4 years later, my son Tui is happy and healthy and I have to be on blood thinner while I am pregnant...unless I get another clot anywhere in my body and then I will be on it for life.

So, when I got pregnant ( we did not know if it was a boy or a girl), I went right to the Dr. who put me on blood thinner ( Heparin). It is not very expensive, but I have to inject myself twice a day for 12 months. My belly was a beautiful blue, green, yellow and purple work of art!( because of the Factor IV, I bruise easily). Other than the blood clot disorder, I have very easy pregnancies! I got sick a few times in the first 3 months, but nothing bad. We actually kept this pregnancy a secret for the first 4 months because there were so many people who were worried about me getting another clot. But after 3 kids already, I was really starting to show by then.

As I previously posted, I was able to go home to my sisters wedding. I drove 2 days there and 2 days back with my 3 kids and me 5 months pregnant.

( side story... It is inevitable that I always forget something when I go on a trip. I made sure we all had our passports since we were going into Canada, phone charger, camera, cloths...everything. I got 4 hours away when I all of a sudden pulled into a gas station...bawling! My kids thought I was loosing it. I did forget something...something that could mean life or death...for me and my baby...my blood thinner. I called Anthony, frantic!( He couldn't be there because he had just started a new job.) He calmed me down and said he would take care of it. He shipped it to my parents house, but customs wouldn't release it to me. Luckily I have a wonderful brother who threatened to sue them if I died.)

After the trip to Canada, things slowed down. Summer was hot and I run a daycare in my home, but I managed to make it through. We had a ward camp out toward the end of my pregnancy. I think I had 4 weeks left. We had so much fun! We camped...I even slept on the ground...That part I would not suggest, but I love to camp. There was also a gigantic inflatable slide ( about 20 feet high or so) that was the hit of the camp out. My kids loved it...and so did I. Yes...I even went down it...I figured all the bumping might speed things up. No luck!

Two weeks before my due date, a friend of mine brought me the mother load of zucchini and cantaloupe. I told Sydney that she could help me chop them and freeze them. and it's a good thing we did. By 11 am, I was starting to feel my contractions at a regular pace ( I had been having them for a couple of weeks, but I have had to be induced with 2 of my children, so I just assumed I would have to be with this one). I called the parents of the daycare kids and asked them to come and get their kids asap. Anthony was off work at 3:30, so I figured I could hold out till then. Sydney and I kept busy chopping and freezing, but I could tell she was worried. Once Anthony got home, we all jumped in the van and we dropped the kids off at a friend's house then continued on to the hospital. I have a high pain tolerance level, so when I come strolling up to the maternity ward at 5:00, nobody thinks I am in real labor. Haha...I fool them all! They got me all dressed and checked me...I was dilated to six. I know from my other deliveries that this one will be just as fast. Sure enough, by the time they get me hooked up to IV's and I refuse and epidural, I am at an eight. My back was hurting a ton...so I layed on my side a bit...pushing in that position is not fun!!!! But it still only took two pushes for our little baby to join us. I was so happy when they told me it was a boy...I actually cried! He was perfect!

We struggled naming him. We have such a diversity of cultural backgrounds...Italian, Tongan, Canadian, Irish...We wanted to incorporate some of them along with family names. After one whole month we named him Matteo ( Italian meaning gift from God) Glen-Carlo ( my grandfather and Anthony's great grand father's names). We nicknamed him Teo ( Tongan meaning gift from God). It was a perfect name for our little gift!

We love our children so much and are eternally grateful to a Heavenly Father who has kept me safe and preserved those little angels so that we could be a family!

Personalize your own photo album

2011-04-17T18:42:00.000-07:00

We survived!

One full year without the Internet has proven difficult, but manageable. I can remember a time when we didn't have the Internet, or cell phones, x-boxes or wii's. I know, that makes me ancient, but we can live without them!

Now that I am back, I have a ton to catch up on. I guess I will start where I left off.

Sydney is my softball girl. She loves to play sports, like her mommy, but struggles with the concept of " practice makes perfect". She is naturally very intelligent, but when it comes to sports, things do not always come naturally. She wanted to be a pitcher. I pitched some in my day, so I tried to teach her. She tends to over think things instead of letting her body just go with the flow. Needless to say, she did not pitch. However, she is an excellent catcher. She has good form and strong legs so she can squat for a long time. I think she did really well in this position! She had a couple of great coaches ( Navy boys) who worked them hard ( in 90-100 degree weather) but praised them along the way. and it payed off. They came in first place. Sydney was so happy. I was happy the season was over. I was the book keeper and 8 months pregnant in that weather. I missed one practice and everyone thought I had the baby until I showed up at the tournament still as big as ever. Baby decided to come 2 weeks later. ( story to come)

2010-04-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

I've missed you, dear Blog!

I Know it has been a long time since I have blogged. I find myself completely busy...doing nothing...and everything. I don't know if it is the fact that I am pregnant or that we are adjusting to Anthony's new job, but I just can't seem to get anything done. At least not the things I want to do.

So, here is a run down...there will be pictures at some point.

Anthony's new job...he loves it...we love having him home more. BUT... we have been without insurance for the past 3 months. My medication I am on for my blood clot disorder ( I will explain that one another time) cost about $12 with insurance...without $400. So we have been in a bit of a financial bind these last 3 months.

My sister, Karma, got married in March. I was so blessed to be able to go to the wedding with my kids. Anthony however was not able to go because he just started a new job. Therefore I ended up driving to Canada alone with 3 kids. Needless to say chaos followed, but in the end it was worth it to se my sister married in the temple and happy for once in her life!

The kids, including the 4th one, are well and happy. Sydney will be playing softball again this summer. Haylie didn't want to. Instead she wants to do gymnastics, so I am currently trying to decide how involved I want her to be, that will determine what program I put her in. Tui is just my happy, busy, cuddly boy as always. And baby#4 never stops moving...good sign, or bad?

Well, I will have to expand on some of these things later and add pictures.

2010-03-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

" Bad boys, bad boys....whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when Anthony comes for you?"

Well, it is done! After 6 months of physical training and testing...written tests..polygraphs...and psyc evaluations, Anthony is now a deputy for the Blackhawk Sheriffs Office.

I am so proud of him! We have struggled with the thought of changing careers for the past several years. It is always scary in this economy to quit a job, even an unsteady and stressful retail job. But, we prayed about it and worked towards it and we never once got a bad feeling about it. I have even gotten over my fear of him being shot on the job. I know that this change will be good for our family and that Heavenly Father will protect Anthony!

We have already seen a big change at home. We have him home in the evenings, so we are able to have a regular Family Home Evening, diners together ( although I have to do more grocery shopping now that I need to make a meal every night), and Anthony is not as tired or stressed out. He is a much more pleasant Daddy!

We love you and all your hard work Anthony!

2010-01-26T10:48:00.000-08:00

Another One Bites The Dust

Well, lat week we lost our toad, Smiley.

Today we lost the other toad, Hoppy.

I think the girls handled this one a bit better. Less weeping and wailing!

So now they are begging for a new pet.

They would like a dog...or a hamster,

but I think we will do fish. We already have all the equipment for them.

They want something that can run around and play with them,

but until they can keep their room clean, that will not happen!

2010-01-22T07:41:00.000-08:00

Sad Goodbye's

Last Summer we adopted two toads from our friend's back yard. We named them Smiley and Hoppy.

Smiley was the smaller of the two and more well behaved. If we took her out of the tank, she was content to stay in your hands or climb up your arm...but she never hopped away.

Hoppy is named so because she is always trying to hop out of our hands. We have lost her twice and had to search the house for her.

2 weeks ago, Smiley stopped eating. I would put food in front of her and she would run away or dig a hole and hide. She was getting so thin, but I just couldn't get her to eat. She finally died one afternoon. She just closed her eyes and lay her head on her little hands.

Needless to say, it was a rough couple of days. Lots of crying and trying to figure out funeral arrangements. Sydney would not let us just throw her in the garbage and she is too big to flush down the potty. So for now, until the ground thaws in the spring, we have a Smiley-sicle in the freezer ( tripled Ziploc bags!!!).

Rest in peace Smiley! You were a good first pet!

2010-01-07T09:27:00.000-08:00

True Happiness

I often ponder on what brings me true happiness in this life.

Is it success in my job?

Is it monetary gain or the things I can buy?

Is it the number of friends that I have,

or the status that I hold?

I know these things make life enjoyable.

But in my heart I know a few truths.

The times in my life when I have felt true happiness

are the times when I forget about myself

and focus on others.

Serving those in my family, my friends,

even complete strangers.

It helps me to feel close to my Heavenly father.

It helps me to feel His love for me and for others.

That is true Happiness...The love of God and His son Jesus Christ.

They have given me everything in my life that

brings me joy.

So in return, I will give that love back.

I will mourn with those that mourn.

I will bear someone else's burden.

I will comfort those that need comfort.

And I ask that, if you are able and willing,

to do the same.

Please check out the link on the right under my " buddies" list.

"Praying for Ollie."

He is a sweet boy who has been diagnosed

with an inoperable brain tumor.

His family is suffering through emotional,

physical and financial stresses.

If all you can do is pray for him and his family,

then you are serving others and will be blessed with a greater happiness.

Thank you for reading about Ollie!

2010-01-01T13:54:00.000-08:00

Name that body part

So, I am not the type of mommy who comes up with nicknames for body parts. I call it as it is, and if my kids are ready to learn the real name for their body parts, I will teach that to them. Well Tui has always been really good at not " touching" himself or being curious about his private parts, so I have never really had to draw attention to it or give it a name.

One day after he finished going potty I asked him if he needed help getting his underwear and pants back on. His response was," Mom, I can't put my underwear on yet because my tail is wet."

His Tail? What the heck is his tail?

Well I asked him that and he pointed it out to me and called it his tail. I guess that is what it looks like to him and since I have never given it any other name, he named it himself.

So, do I correct him? I think it is so cute...and nobody else knows what the heck he is talking about...so?

2009-12-17T17:15:00.000-08:00

No More Diapers! Hoo-Ray!!!

Tui is finally potty trained. I gave up about 6 months ago and figured he would go when he wanted to. I was right. I decided one day to just stay at home the whole day...no running errands...just hang out at home with Tui and his Thomas underwear. He didn't like the idea of it at first...but as soon as he went pee-pee that morning, he was hooked. All it took was one time. I told him he was the " Potty King" and we called daddy at work to tell him. Tui was so excited to be so cool!

Now he fights me at night because he doesn't want to wear a diaper to bed.

2009-11-08T16:51:00.001-08:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

2009-10-21T18:27:00.000-07:00

Animal Rescuers

I have been taking Tui and Addy, the little girl I babysit, with me for walks in a local park. There are lots of lakes and it is a large wooded area. We see a lot of wild life there. we usually see squirrels and birds.Sometimes we see deer, but our most favorite animal to see are turtles. We have come across a couple of different kinds. most of them are pretty big....like it takes both my hands to lift them up. On day we even found a huge soft shell turtle that made funny sounds when we touched his feet.

Today while we were driving to the spot we start our walk at, I noticed something in the road. It was small, and at first it looked like a leaf. I stopped and got out to look. It was a baby snapping turtle that had been run over. It had a big crack in it's shell and there was blood coming from it's mouth. I quickly got in the van. put the turtle in my lap and turned around to go to the forest rangers station to see if they could help it. They were pretty surprised it hadn't tried to bite me. Poor little thing was pretty hurt! They said it might not live. How sad!

So back down the road for our walk again. This time in the road there was another creature. The largest black fuzzy Caterpillar I have ever seen...and then minutes later another one with a red stripe. We moved them off the road so they wouldn't get squashed.
We love our walks in George Wyth Park!

2009-10-21T18:22:00.000-07:00

Cuddle Bug
We have all had a virus for the past 2 weeks....nothing major, but enough to make everyone feel grumpy and yucky.
Tui is such a snuggler anyhow, but tonight he just wanted to be held. He came out of bed and climbed up on my lap...pulled my arm around him and fell back asleep. Isn't he the cutest!

2009-10-21T18:07:00.000-07:00

One Smart Cookie!
Beginning in 3rd grade, ITBS tests are given to all the students in our school district. These tests determine the amount of retained knowledge and skill from throughout the year in math, reading/writing and science. In order achieve an award, you need to pass with a 90% or above. Sydney got 92%.
We received an invitation in the mail for a dinner and award ceremony for Sydney. One of the retirement communities in our city is a partner in education and so they hosted the dinner. It was such a lovely night. We are so proud of our smart cookie! We have been a bit spoiled! She has never really needed much help with homework or understanding any material. I just hope the next 2 kids are the same way!

2009-10-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Tui's Mind in action

Tonight we had to make a quick run to go get milk. As many of you might know, I treat my van like a race car sometimes. I admit...I like speed. However, when my kids are in the van, I am much more careful. Tonight was rainy and wet and I was in a bit of a rush, and I took a corner a bit too fast.

Mom---" Hold on to your potatoes"

I am always saying stuff like that....hold onto your potatoes...horses...spaghetti...hats...whatever.

Tui---" I can't hold my potatoes....I don't have any in my hands!"

Well, That's a 3 year old for ya.

2009-10-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday Haylie! 6 years old, it hardly seems possible. Haylie has gone through so much in the past 6 years, but now she is healthy and happy. Haylie wanted to do a salon party this year. We had the front porch set up for Sydney to do pedicures and I curled hair and glittering hair in the living room. All the girls had so much fun getting beautified. It was a fun party.

Things I love about Haylie

Her laugh..it is so contagious

the way her nose crinkles

Her enthusiasm for learning

her imagination

I love to hear her sing

She can be so loving ( when she wants to ;)

Her determination

Her curly hair

I love that she is my daughter

Her love for the Savior

2009-10-16T08:13:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

It has been 4 years since we have been to a real Zoo. Living in Iowa, we have to travel 4 hours in any direction to get to a really big zoo. Our favorite so far is the Omaha zoo. This was Tui's first time going to the zoo...he loved it. His favorite was the aquarium with it's underwater tunnel. He was fascinated by the sharks and sea turtles. The girls had fun with the Gorillas. all the animals were very interactive that day, letting us get close up and personal. I had fun using different settings on my camera. Here are some more pictures.

2009-09-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

Mom's School

Tui was so sad when the girls started school and he couldn't go with them. But then I told him he gets to go to his own schools where the mommies are the teachers. He was so excited to go. Us mom's all take turns teaching a new letter once a week. Tui Has been learning so much! He even got a Lightning McQueen backpack that he didn't take off for the whole day. I hope his enthusiasm continues through out his school years!

2009-09-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

Out of the Ordinary

We have some strong bonds in our family. Sydney was instantly best friends with Haylie the minute Haylie was born. And again when Tui was born, Sydney was immediately his favorite person. Haylie on the other hand was a bit....rough with Tui when he was a baby. She would pinch him or sit on him just to hear him cry. Why she felt she needed this extra noise ( and ultimately the added negative attention from me), I will never understand! Well, I feel it has permanently scared Tui. He and Haylie continue to butt heads and he always runst to Sydney when he needs a friend.

Well since school started, Tui has been home alone without his sisters. He waits by the door for them to come home and as soon as he sees them cross the street he is out the door running. He always...always runs to Sydney saying " Sydney...your home. I missed you so much!!!!!"

This past Sunday at church Sydney got Tui out of nursery. She got a hug from him, but all of a sudden started running down the hall toward Haylie. He threw his arms around her waist and gave her a huge hug and said " Haylie, I missed you so much. I love you!!!!"

I couldn't help the little tear in my eye! Sydney was a bit perturbed at the change in his behavior. I think he spoiled her.

2009-09-21T08:28:00.001-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

My baby is now 3 years old.....I guess I should stop calling him a baby. He is so much fun right now. He is stil very cuddly and he loves to be tickled. He is getting better at forming cohearant sentances. He has even started using bigger words like " disgusting" and " dangerous", and he even calls me " beautiful" instead of pretty. I love my boy! He is all about Thomas the train...he an't go anywhere without Thomas! We even saved the piniata for next year since they didn't manage to bust it open. I am sad that he is growing up so fast though!

2009-09-15T15:33:00.000-07:00

Grump Old Man

I am proud to say that I have worked in retail and the service industry. I think that everyone should have to work at a restaurant or a retail store at least once in their lives so they will understand how to treat people who work at these places.

Unlike the old grumpy man I encountered tonight. It is Tuis birthday, so we let him decide what he wanted for dinner....it was an easy choice...Pizza! So we ran up the street to Little Caesar's. We love that they have pizza made and ready to go...but I also know that it gets very busy around dinner time. So I was not upset when the girl at the register said it would be about a 5 min wait...no prob...really is 5 minutes a big deal?

After I place my order, 10 more people file in and place theirs...all of whom are asked to wait 5 min...no prob...everyone is cool with that. Then, out of the darkest corner of the universe, comes the grumpiest old man ever!!! He asks for a pepperoni pizza and a cheese pizza...bot of which are in the oven as we speak. The nice college age girl at the register asks if he would mind waiting 5 min like the rest of us. No prob.....NO WAY! He proceeds to rip into her about false advertising and that it just isn't right to advertise " Hot and Ready" if it is not really ready. The poor girl was not flustered and just asked the man if he would still like to place his order. He rudely says yes, but that this was horrible service. He then found the closest seat to me, unaware that I was boiling on the inside and ready to rip him a new one.

Just as I was about to say something, my pizza order was up. The nice girl called my name and I went up to the register. I told her she was doing a wonderful job...and then I turned around to face the old decrepit excuse of a human being, and said " Some rude people just don't get that this is a busy time of day". Nothing to demeaning, but I was pleased to see that his face had gone white and his mouth was hanging open. I took a peek at the girl behind the counter, and there was the biggest, most grateful smile I have seen in a while.

Those two looks are priceless to me....putting rude people in their place....and helping a smile appear when, at the time, that is the last thing the person was thinking of doing.

2009-09-12T19:53:00.000-07:00

Back to School

First day jitters were no where to be found at our house today! Haylie and Sydney were so excited to go back to school. Sydney is in officially in third grade but will be learning 4th and 5th grade material for some of her classes. It is hard to decide what to do with her...what is best? She is reading at a 6th or 7th grade reading level and a 4th grade math level and she just soaks up everything she learns. But the more she advances, the more she is separated from her peers. I can't even keep up anymore. But she loves it and she has a really great teacher that keeps her learning.

Haylie is in Kindergarten this year and is now in school full time. It has been so strange not having her home for part of the school day. She has a wonderful teacher as well and is already learning so much! I am so proud of my girls...and of Tui. He is so excited to go to school too. when we dropped the girls off at school the first day he asked where his teacher was and where his back pack was. Man they grow up fast. Tui will be doing a mom's school with me this year and possibly next...his birthday is the cut off day for school...so we will see how he does this year. He is a smart cookie like Sydney though...I bet he will be ready next year for preschool.

2009-09-12T19:43:00.000-07:00

Tee-Ball Time

Haylie decide after watching Sydney play softball last year, that she wanted to play too. So we signed her up for Tee-ball with one of her little friends. She loved it! Thank goodness because last year she pitched a fit and sat down in the field and cried the whole time.

This year she was much more active...a bit distracted when she was fielding, but she loved to bat! We we even got her her own pink batting helmet.

2009-09-12T19:27:00.000-07:00

Soft Ball Season

Sydney was on the marlins this year...her first year of real softball. Last year she was still in coach pitch. She was nervous at first, but she did so well and learned so much! Sydney is the type of person who likes to do everything, but also wants to be perfect at everything. Some things come very naturally to her( smarts) and others she has to really work at and practice ( sports). Needless to say, she was very frustrated when she would strike out or not be able to pitch as well as some of her other teammates who have been playing for longer. She worked hard and had a lot of fun playing though. Her team won 1st place in their division. I am so proud of her for sticking with it! Next year will be even more fun! Maybe I will even coach?? It is so hard for me to sit on the sidelines...after all I played for 11 years...and man do I miss it!!!

2009-09-12T18:38:00.000-07:00

Visit From The Canadian Grandparents.

We were very lucky to have my mom and dad come visit us from Canada. They got here just in time for the 4th of July. We invited some friends over to meet them and had a BBQ followed by a trip to the Unidome to watch the fireworks. We sat in a big open field right up close to where the fireworks were set off. It was awesome!

I have to share an amazing experience with you.( those with weak stomachs be warned)

My Dad had an accident when he was a young man. His arm was cut off in a farming accident....well almost cut off. He had about an inch of skin holding on his forearm to the rest of his arm ( just below the elbow). Back then, without the technology we have today, the most common solution was amputation...I mean, his arm was already hanging by a thread...literally. But a miracle happened! Prayers were said and blessings were given and many surgeries later, my dad has an arm. The doctors were able to reattach everything except for the tendon of his pinky finger. Now his arm has a large concave scar on the inside of his wrist all the way up to almost his elbow and his pinky finger is always bent. He can't straighten it...but he can still make those 3 point shots ( my dad loves basketball, but because of the way my dad looks, some people think he can't play...boy does he have them fooled!).

Anyhow, most people avoid that hand or are unsure about what to do when my dad shakes their hand. At the BBQ my dad made a new friend...an innocent child who saw past the scars and saw my dad for the awesome grandpa he is. My good friend's daughter, Kate, instantly bonded and was always near my dad. As we were walking up the hill to watch the fireworks, Kate ran up to my dad, took a hold of his scared hand and held it tight as the walked together to the field. It brought tears to my eyes to see the innocent love of a child and the kindness that my dad deserves!

The next part of our visit with mom and dad takes us to Nauvoo. When I was a child, we had travelled through Nauvoo many times, but there was always something missing...the Temple was not there. My parents are huge church history people and always taught us about the pioneers and all that they went through. I have a deep appreciation for the pioneers because of what my parents taught me. This trip was special for my mom and dad because it is the first time they have been to Nauvoo since the Temple was restored. How wonderful it was for them to be able to go inside and feel the spirit there. It is so calm and beautiful! After going through the Temple, we enjoyed the sights of Nauvoo and all the history there. We happened to be there during the Nauvoo pagent and were able to participate in extra activities. The kids got to play all sorts of pioneer games. Even Anthony played stick pull. Stick pull is a game 2 people play...you sit on the ground facing each other and put your feet together while holing a stick in between you. Then you pull. The winner is the one who can pull the other person up off his butt. One man there thought he could beat Anthony...silly man! Once this man was beat he grabbed the actor who plays Brigham Young in the Pagent....Brigham has never been beat...not until that fateful day. It was a bit harder this time, but Anthony was able to pull Brigham Young up not once, but twice. My big strong man!

Mom and dad continued their journey from Nauvoo, so we said our goodbye's there...the girls had such a hard time saying good bye to them, so did I! We loved having them visit and can't wait till they can come back again!

2009-09-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

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Erie Trip

The last day of school was also the first day of our vacation. We picked up the girls from school and took off for Pennsylvania. It is always nice to go visit Grandma, but we had an extra surprise visitor to see. Anthony's brother, Lawrance got engaged and brought his Fiancee out to meet us. Coral was super nice, my kids loved her! We had so much fun going to the beach and down to Pittsburgh to visit James and Amy and their kids. The girls really bonded with their cousins on this trip. One of our favorite memories was trying to catch gigantic tadpoles in the pond by grandma's house. Not only were there huge tadpoles, but also a couple of water snakes that would swim by every once in a while. To top off the trip we went to Waldamere (sp?) park and went on all the water slides and roller coasters we could. What a fun trip!

P.S...to view the slide show above, hit View all....for some reason I couldn't get the slide show to show up on my blog....if anyone know s what I did wrong, let me know!

2009-08-26T12:25:00.000-07:00

Haylie's Graduation Party

Haylie was in Pre-K this year. I was worried about her because she wanted nothing to do with learning at home. She didn't even like to color...what girl doesn't like to color? But, she had wonderful teachers who encouraged her to open up and to have fun learning and she really had a wonderful year.

At the picnic, she sang songs that they had learned and she was able to say goodbye to her teachers and friends. I am so proud of how hard she worked and how well she played with her class mates ( even the boys).

2009-08-26T12:10:00.000-07:00

The whole gang doing " Muscle Man"

Addy with the snorkel Sydney and her sling shot.

This is Tui's " Muscle Man" impersonation.

Haylie with her snorkel mask.

Fun In The Sun

Summer is sneaking up on us and the kids are getting restless...Time to pull out the pool.

Pool time is much more fun with friends.

2009-08-26T11:56:00.000-07:00

Catching Up
I am now in the process of trying to catch up on everything I have put off since my computer crashed. There has been so much happening, so please bear with me. For some reason my computer is still not right...there are little things not working right. One of them is my blog page. I have to work backwards...when I upload a picture, it goes right to the top of my page and won't allow me to move it...so all of my pictures will now be at the top of my post.

Baptism Day

so, Sydney is now 8. She has been looking forward to being baptised for a long time. In our church, we believe that in order to understand the difference between right and wrong and to be able to act on that knowledge, you must be a certain age. At the age of 8, children can recognize when they must make a choice. We let them choose to be baptised and to follow Christ's example. Sydney made that choice and we are so proud of her for always trying to be Christ-like in all of her actions. She was also very happy to be able to share her baptism day with her special friend Jayden. It has been so wonderful to see these two grow up together and now to be baptized together. We love you Sydney!

School's out

2009-08-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

It is tradition for all the teachers to come out and wave good-bye and sing to the kids on the last day of school. " Na-na-na-na....Na-na-na-na...hey, hey, hey....good-bye"

Syd and her teacher

Best buds...Syd and Ali

Haylie and her school friends
School's Out!

Sydney and Haylie had an amazing year. Sydney was in second grade but in a 3rd grade class. She was not only able to learn the 3rd grade curriculum, but surpassed all of our expectations. She finished the year at a 6th grade reading/writing level and a 4th grade math level. She is such a hard worker and loves to excel. She also got several awards for physical education this year.

I was a bit worried about Haylie at the beginning of the year.

She was so stubborn and not eager to learn. But she had wonderful

teachers that encouraged her and helped her to open up. She also has surpassed

our expectations. She is even starting to read and can't wait for Kindergarten next year.

2009-08-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

ANIMAL DEATH TRAP

Yup .....that is what my house is. I have been so lucky ( heavy on the sarcasm) to have found several dead animals over the past few months. First was a burrow filled with frozen baby bunnies at the beginning of spring. Then a few weeks later I had to put ant killer all over our lawn. I told the kids they could not play on the lawn for a day or two. I guess I should have told the animals also. I had to clean up a rather bloated chipmunk that had gotten into the poison.

Next were 2 dead birds...who knows why they fell on my deck.....it must be a thing like the Bermuda triangle. I have also found the skeletal remains of a squirrel in my garden...just laying there as if it died yesterday.

This morning was our latest dead animal sighting....on not only our front sidewalk, but also our back sidewalk, was a lovely arrangement of chipmunk guts. Actually the guts must have been the good part because all that was left for us to enjoy were the heads, tails and a whole bunch of fur.

So...if you have pets or pests you would like to get rid of....feel free to send them to my house.

I know I have not posted anything in a while....my computer crashed for a while. I do apologize that this disgusting post is my first one since I have been back. I promise that there will be more pleasant ones to come.

2009-06-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

Too Stressed to Think Straight!

I don't want anyone to take this post the wrong way. I am by no means complaining....This post is meant for me to look back on and laugh at.

The next couple of months are very busy for us. Our schedule is planned as such....

This week: pick one room a day and deep clean it. We are going on vacation next week to Pennsylvania, so it would be nice to come home to a clean hose. Also in preparation for our vacation I am washing cloths and making lists and buying things that we need for that. I also have to take the car in to the shop to make sure it is ok to drive...cross my fingers and hope there is nothing immediately wrong! To top all that off I am having a garage sale the week after we get back...that means that I also need to have the garage cleaned out and all garage sale items together and marked so that I do not have to stress about doing all that when we get back.

By the way.....

If anyone wants to come to the garage sale it is

June 25th, 26th and 27th

and everything is $1 or less

( with the exclusion of a few larger items)

Well, now that I have advertised ( he-he)....I can get back to the craziness. Part of the reason I need to get all this done is because I also have my parents coming down to visit from Canada for the 4th of July and the following week. I am so excited! But I also need to get tons done before they come. I need to paint my living room wood work as well as the entire kitchen, yet one more reason the house has to be clean this week....I will definitely not have time to do it after the garage sale.

I find that my plans are falling apart. I have cleaned and prepped 3 out of the 8 rooms I had planned to clean this week. Part of the reason is that I am still running a daycare...not that the kids are trouble or hard to handle. They are sweet children, who all get along really well! But...kids are time consuming. Another time consuming aspect is that it is the end of the school year....award assemblies, class parties and picnics....they all interrupt my cleaning efforts. And to top this all off...Anthony is away this week at a managers training meeting. The only ray of sunshine is that the kids will be able to help me more once school is done. Yay...Slaves!!

So, here is the funny part. This is softball season. Sydney is playing AA ball and is really starting to show progress. I think she will have more fun when she figures out how everything fits together and it is not just learning the basics any more. I have volunteered to help coach, which for now has not been a problem. So, last night at softball, Tui was playing on the big metal bleachers and kept falling or hitting his head and I of course comforted him every time...but it was getting rather bothersome to deal with the extremely tired and grumpy boy. At the end of practice, I picked up Tui, put him on my hip and continued to talk to the coach...working out vacation plans, then I rounded up Sydney and Haylie, got our bags and was ready to go. As we were about to leave, I noticed Sydney and Haylie walking ahead of me, but no Tui...I looked around frantically because we were almost the last ones there and I couldn't see Tui any where. He likes to wander off and hide, so I started getting really worried. I started walking faster...looking behind the bleachers...the port-o-potty...the bushes. I was running around in circles yelling Tui's name. I turned to look at Sydney and she had a look of confusion on her face as she asked me what I was doing. I said " I can't find Tui...Help me find him!!!"

She said " O.K." and pointed right to him. Where was he???? Right where I left him.....on my hip. Thank goodness no one else was around! That was the most absent minded thing I have ever done!

Will I ever have a fully functional brain again? Probably not, but it makes for one entertaining life!

2009-05-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

Nature Lover

I am not one that minds bugs....as long as they are not in my house. Tui hates them...freaks out whenever he sees an ant or a bee. Sydney is not afraid of them...but not always willing to pick up any bug she sees. Haylie......she is a bug lover!

We were at Walmart shopping for groceries....we usually get fresh produce from Fareway or farmers markets, but I was in a hurry and didn't want to make 2 or more stops. So I was in the mood for corn on the cob. As I was peeling the corn, I came across a caterpillar that had made a home in my corn. Immediately I tossed the entire ear of corn into the trash can. You would have thought I had committed murder the way Haylie's face looked. She said that a caterpillar is a part of nature and that we shouldn't kill it. She then insisted that I fish the corn out of the trash so we could pick up the catterpillar and put it outside on a tree. So here I am in Walmart digging in the trash...once the poor creature was found, Haylie gently picked it up and carried it out the door....in SLOW MOTION, so we wouldn't scare the poor thing. As we placed it on the tree, the caterpillar peed on Haylie. She was not pleased that after rescuing a part of nature, she was repaid by getting peed on. I explained to her that peeing is also a part of nature...so if you are going to play with bugs...you are most likely going to get peed on.

2009-05-27T12:15:00.000-07:00

In the Car....

Tui has started singing along with whatever I have on the radio or, most of the time, children's music. I love that he sings. Maybe he will be like his daddy!? Sometimes I even catch him singing at home...it is usually just one word over and over and then at the end of the song he sings " Oh Ya"

So in the car today, he was talking and laughing with Haylie and another little girl. One of them had let a little toot out and then the potty words started. Tui then started singing " poop, poop, poop, poop, poop.......oh ya" At this point I had asked him at least 10 times not to say poop anymore. I said " Tui...No more potty words". So what does he do....he starts singing again but this time with different words....." potty, potty, potty, potty....oh ya" ! He thinks he is so smart!

2009-05-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

May 4th, 2009

One of my favorite lines in this movie is when Mr. Kimball ( aka. Arnold) is sitting in his class room talking to the kids and getting very frustrated. He says...." I have a head ache". A small boy then blurts out " It could be a tumor". Arnold's immediate response is " It's not a tumor....it's not!"

Well after some nail biting and nervous anticipation, I can quote that line....." It's not a tumor...it's not!"

For the last couple of months, Anthony has had a constant head ache which does not go away or lesson in pain with medication. He has been feeling fatigued and just not up to doing much of anything. We had x-rays taken to see if the bone structure in his head and neck were fine.....after all, he has had football injuries. Those showed nothing, so we went to the Dr. and explained the symptoms. He suggested a Cat scan to rule out the possibility of a tumor or other serious problems in his head. So for 3 days we have been waiting for the results. We are very thankful it is not a tumor, but now we are back to square one trying to figure out what is causing this.

I would like to thank all of our family members and friends who have said so many prayers for us and who continue to support us! I have a testimony that through our prayers, others needs are met. When Heavenly Father knows that we care, He will prove our love for one another by answering prayers! So thank you for your love!

2009-04-14T12:52:00.000-07:00

H is for Haylie.

Haylie is in Pre-K this year and loves it. She has wonderful teachers who love her and encourage her. They have been reviewing their letters and today's letter happened to be H. So with Anthony's permission, their teachers gave Haylie a special treat. She is the only child who's name starts with the letter H...so as the kids are coming out of class I see sad little faces and one beaming face. Haylie got her HAIR done. The teachers had made her all sparkly and purple with hair spray. She was all glittery and happy! She will never let me wash her hair now!

2009-04-14T07:21:00.001-07:00

Easter 2009

This year has only just begun and already I have been met with the disappointing fact that I can not accomplish everything I want to do. I really wanted to have all of my yard work done and a garden planted, but thanks to Mother Nature those things will have to wait. I also wanted to have Easter dresses made for the girls. I even have a pattern and material all picked out...but....I have dropped the ball on that one too. No time...no energy...no motivation? I don't know what gets in my way, preventing me from doing these things....I think I get in the way of me!

Any how, I figured since things were not going according to plan...then I just won't plan. So Sunday morning comes. We get up...eat breakfast and have a nice relaxing morning watching a movie with the kids. Yes we skipped church. Stake Conference on Easter Sunday, plus the fact that Tui makes it impossible to actually sit and listen, made it more appealing to stay home today! We decided to have an Easter lesson at home instead.

After lunch, the kids went to the park with Anthony while I played Easter bunny. Then I went to the park and excitedly told the kids that I just saw a huge rabbit hopping away from our house. Sydney looked at me in her suspicious little way and asked if I was telling the truth. I didn't answer her in complete truth, but I don't think she cared...she ran home to go start looking for eggs. Then it was time to put our Easter lesson to work. We dug up some of our wild tiger lilies and potted them. we took them to a couple of older ladies in the neighborhood that we have sort of adopted as grandmas. They are always so sweet to my kids, so we wanted to show them we love them.

As we were getting back home, Anthony was waiting for us with silly string. It was fun to see the girls try to get daddy. That stuff is smelly but fun! After a full day of Easter fun, I made a wonderful dinner. Ham, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, corn bread muffins, creamed corn, and marshmallow jello. Ahhh. I love Easter. I would have loved it more if we had the girls in pretty dresses...but oh well....there is always next year.

2009-04-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

Peeps & Poops
I am so excited! Tui went pee today for the first time in the potty. He was a bit confused as to what was going on down there but he was proud of himself non the less! So he got his potty treats and then said he had to go potty again. I almost dismissed it as a cry for more potty treats....but I don't want to discourage him, so we went again. This time it was poops. Actually, he has been going poop in the potty for about 4 months....just not consistently. He loves to sit on the potty...so maybe I will get through this.

2009-03-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

Tui's Words....

Now that Tui's vocabulary has improved, some of his words are changing and I wanted to jot down some of the things he says and does so I could remember what he used to say when he asks me 5 years down the road.

pib-bow ( pillow)

bankie ( blanket)

lie-king ( lightning Mcqueen)

Nem-a-nee ( emily from Thomas and friends)

Shake-a-da-bootie ( shake the bootie)

No Faiw mommy...go time out......

smewll me ( smell me....he loves to smell things!)

he calls pancakes and waffles toast...because they go in the toaster

no likey...go tell daddy ( he tells on me all the time!)

he licks everything...the mirror, his shoes...my arm....you name it he'll lick it.

He can count to 20 by himself.

mark-set-go( he loves to run!)

I diddit (so proud of himself!)

I hewlp ( he thinks he is helping, but...)

his favorite place to go is to Walmart to look at the fish.

There are so many more, but I will try to be better at recording them as they happen. I will miss this time in his life!

2009-03-23T10:09:00.000-07:00

Sheriff Krista.

O.k......so I am serious about finding out if the police department has undercover cops who just drive around catching people doing STUPID stuff? Cuz I want to sign up!!! I don't know about any of you, but I must attract bad drivers. Especially at a particular stop light.

It is a 2 lane road. As you sit at the stop light the left lane can ONLY TURN LEFT. The right lane has the OPTION of turning left or to go straight or to turn right. Fairly straight forward. A completely normal intersection and it is well labeled....road signs ahead of time and paint on the road is clearly viable. So why then do people in the LEFT lane insist on going STRAIGHT and running into people in the Right lane who are allowed to turn left also??????

As I was in the right lane ( turning left), I even had my blinker on, A small black 4 door Toyota...licence plate.......( will keep private), starts to go straight while I was turning left. I am in a much larger van so don't even think about it lady!!! Well she just didn't want to give in....but neither did I. If it were not for the fact that I had kids in the car with me, I would have let her hit me and then I could have called the real cops. As it were, I let her sneak in front of me while I proceeded to honk my horn at her and tail her all the way into the gas station parking lot she pulled into. This little Asian woman got out and tried to give me some excuse like " my friend was talking to me and she told me to go fast and get in front so I could go straight". What a bunch of Crapolla! Which by the way is what is now in the woman's pants after the lecture I gave her!

2009-03-19T17:00:00.000-07:00

Lovin the Green!

My favorite color is green, so it is no surprise that I also love St. Patrick's day. First thing this morning I told the kids to get dressed....oh and be sure to wear something green so the leprechauns won't pinch you. The looks on the girls faces were priceless! They asked all kinds of questions about leprechauns and why we can't see them and why they pinch us if we aren't wearing green. Oh the wonderful little lies I come up with.

After satisfying their curiosity, they went off to get dressed. Not 2 minutes passed when Haylie's unmistakable whinny voice cried out that she couldn't find anything with green in it. I told her to keep looking...she had to have something. I went in to help her look and the poor thing was almost in tears....she really was worried that she would be followed by little mean leprechauns all day. So, after searching and not finding a single piece of green clothing, I told her that I had the perfect thing. We sat down at the table and made a " Lucky" GREEN bracelet. She beaded it all by herself ( sorry no picture ). Then all was well....she felt safe again. Sydney made one too.

After we were all safe from the pinching leprechauns, we had a breakfast of green oatmeal with green sprinkles on it. Looked nasty!

Dinner was a whole lot better than breakfast! We went over to a friends house for dinner to share our GREEN meal. I made green fettuccine Alfredo and green garlic toast with a side of broccoli and peas and a yummy green marshmallow salad. Jeremy...the master grilling machine made our chicken for us....not green...I don't think any of us would have been able to stomach that! Then to wash it all down, green Kool aid.

I love Green!

2009-03-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

My Little Chef.

I have been trying really hard to let the girls do more of the things I usually do because "it is just easier if I do it."

Haylie especially is excited about helping out in the kitchen. She is the typical second child who is usually happy to sit back and watch others do the work. So when she asks to help...I can't send her away.

Sunday she asked me if she could help make dinner. I was planning on making meatloaf which requires a lot of hands on stuff.....touching the raw meat and what not. It is not every ones favorite feeling. But she was all for it. She said she wanted to do it all by herself. And she did. All I did was put all the ingredients into the bowl. She did all the mixing and moulding and put the loaf into the dish and then I put it in the oven.

It turned out delicious....but Haylie wouldn't know because she decided she didn't want to eat it. Go figure.

2009-03-09T17:41:00.000-07:00

Experiment.
I posted this note on facebook, but also wanted to post it to my blog. I find that as time goes on, I have less and less patience for the idiotic and demeaning intentions of people who think they have power over us. I would love to show these power hungry idiots what kind of power we have...unfortunately I can not do it alone. But I hope that by letting my voice be heard, others will follow suit and have their voice be heard as well.

I have been pondering lately on how many of my friends on facebook and around the world would be willing to help me with a little experiment.As most of us saw this past summer, gas prices rose to over $5.00 in some states and provinces. As a result we became more conscious of how much gas we were using. Many people stopped driving cars and only rode public transportation or a bike. Some helped efforts by car pooling. The oil companies obviously saw a decline in gas purchases. Prices dropped. Cause and effect. Supply and demand.

The same concept can be applied to anything...we see it in theaters. If you hear a bad review of a movie, less people go to see it and the movie does poorly at the box office. Less copies of the movie are made and in the long run the makers of the movie learn what people really want. So what does that say about our society? Which movies do the best in theater? Which books are best sellers? Unfortunately some of the best producing movies are ones that have very degrading and immoral content. How sad that a country full of moms and dads, grandparents, hard working level headed individuals, and even the future of this nation....our young teenagers, give into watching disgusting material that does absolutely nothing to improve their lives.

Which brings me to my request. I am sending this to all of my friends on facebook because I know you. I have known many of you for years. I know that you are good people with good hearts. I hope that you can see my intent is not to anger anyone, but that you can see the disappointment and the frustration I feel because of a television program. HBO has always pushed the limits when it comes to producing material for their station. Much of it is disturbing and inappropriate...not just for teens...but for everyone. The show " Big Love" is inaccurate to say the least and now they have crossed a line. I don't know how many of you are religious, or how many of you are not. I want you to think of something that you hold dear...that is special to you and that you do not want people taking advantage of or breaking. Kind of like when you were a kid and had a favorite toy that you didn't want ruined....or what about for women. Giving birth is a special time that should be cherished amongst family and friends. How would you like that special moment, or that special place invaded by complete strangers who were there for the sole purpose of destroying that moment for you. They want to mock you and hurt you and without your friends and family they would succeed.

I am not asking you to agree with my religious beliefs or to listen to me preach to you. If you want to know the truth about my religious views you can go to our church website. ( www.lds.org.)No, all I am asking is that you help me to lower the ratings of this show by boycotting it. Don't watch it....how hard can that be. There has got to be something better on or a good book you've been meaning to read. How bad could it be to experiment with me on this one thing. if you want to do this, please pass this note onto your friends and lets see how good people around the world can affect a nation for GOOD. Again, you know me....I have never pushed my beliefs on anyone in my whole life. But this hurts me. Please, my friends, stand by me as good friends do.Thank you all!----Krista Bullock Nai

2009-03-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

Light Keepers.

Every year in march we celebrate the organization of the Relief Society. It is a group of women in our Church who have dedicated their time, their energy, their talents and their love to strengthening other women . We serve each other in different capacities and we serve the community and our families. We share a love of our Father in heaven and a love of our Savior, who is the light of the world. Jesus Christ has given us a little piece of himself....a light. It is our divine privilege and responsibility to " Let our lights so shine..." so that others may see it and have a desire to follow that light.

This year we had a wonderful evening full of inspirational music written by Jenny Phillips. One of her songs was preformed by the newly formed women's choir. It was called " Hold your Torches High" They did a marvelous job. It was so beautiful. Thank you all for participating!

We also had some uplifting Quotes and narration read to us to help us see that no matter what circumstances we are in, we can still shine our lights and be an example of Christ. Thank you to all who helped out with that.

My favorite part of the evening was the flashlight demonstration at the end of the program. Each sister was handed a flashlight and then the lights in the gym were all turned off. As another beautiful song was being played we each turned our lights on one at at time and focused our lights on a picture of the Savior. I explained that one little light may be enough for me to see my way on a bumpy and treacherous path. But someone in the distance would not be able to find their way to me in the dark, with just my one little light. Together as we shine our lights the way becomes more clear and many more will see our lights shining and want to know that light and feel it's warmth for themselves. We need to be like a lighthouse in the night....shining for all to see. And you know what....It doesn't take much to do that. Every time you talk to someone, with a smile on your face or a kind remark. Every time we have the opportunity to give aid to someone in need, even holding a door open. I am amazed at how my whole day can be brightened when I lend a helping hand and I get a smile in return. That feeling that two strangers share, for that brief moment, is what a Christ like love feels like. As we try to live our lives the way the Savior lived His, we will literally glow with His light.

The last part of the evening was the dinner. We had 3 different kinds of soup. Zuppa ( the Olive Garden soup), creamy chicken and rice soup, and a chicken noodle soup, all of which were delicious. (I will be posting my zuppa recipe soon.) we also had salad and bread sticks. The Desert was an amazing cake made by my amazingly talented friend, Charity. She made an enormous cake in the shape of a lighthouse. How cool is that!

I am so grateful to be the Relief Society Enrichment leader. It has given me so many opportunities to grow and to get to know my fellow sisters. I am also very grateful for the sisters who serve with me. They are such a strength and joy to work with. Thank you again for all who helped and especially to all who attended...you are the ones who made the night so special.

2009-02-20T19:20:00.000-08:00

The Case of the Missing Mummies.

Sydney Nai, 8 years old, was having a birthday party when all of a sudden the phone rang. To her surprise it was " Martha... ( who was really Stacy)the curator at the museum. She knows that Sydney loves to solve mysteries and boy did she have a big mystery on her hands. She was working late when she noticed the mummies were not in their cases. So, Martha ( Stacy) called Sydney to ask if her and her friends could help track down the mummies. Some were hesitant ( chickens =) but they were all eager to solve the case.

First they had to follow the " Glowing" foot prints....a concoction I made that reacts to black lights. Then they had to follow numerous clues and decipher codes to find the final clue. We were led to a warehouse where there was a trail of " Mummy Dust" ( flour) leading to some tall boxes. A secret spell awakened the mummies and they popped out of their box.

Then it was home for cake and ice cream. Yummy! I am so glad all the kids had so much fun on their Mystery adventure. We will have to do it again soon ( after the snow is gone for good! It was freezing!)

2009-02-18T11:29:00.000-08:00

Mothers all around the world
can give a big " Amen" to my next statement/ complaint.
Why is it we..the main caregiver can be healthy when it doesn't really matter, but as soon as a special event comes up....WHAM ...we get sick. I am around sick kids all the time. Kids who attend school bring home who knows how many germs. I am constantly surrounded by the little bugs ( the germs, I mean...not the kids). I am not a germaphobe. I am a firm believer that you have to be exposed to germs in order for your body to be able to recognize them and fight them off. But seriously...why now do I get sick. It is Sydney's 8th birthday....a pretty special one for her. We have big plans...birthday party ( which I will blog about later) and a baptism. In our church, children get baptized at 8 years old. It is a pretty big milestone. I guess it won't matter if I am sick that day....I would have been using a bunch of tissues anyhow. I am a bawl baby when it comes to my kids growing up. So go away cold....I have plans!

2009-02-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

True Love???
There are times when I ask my self if I really am in love. Sometimes I can be so mad at Anthony...and yet I can not help wanting to be near him...to touch him....to feel his touch. I have tried to stay mad at him but it is useless! I love this man. That is my lot in life....to be driven in sane by a man that can make me mad and make me love him all at the same time. No wonder I am bonkers!

2009-02-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

Man, I miss this game!
At one point in my life, basketball was easy as pie. Running up and down the court was continuous and fast paced. I somehow had the strength and lung capacity to be able to do this for a good hour. I remember the rush it gave me to make a 3 point shot or to do a layup only to have to book it back down to the other end of the court to play defense. Yes...I used to love this game. I think it runs in my blood. My dad gave me a love for this game. He is better than I am though. In fact, he still plays from time to time and he is well into his 60's. YaY DADDY!

Alas, my years of basketball playing have come and gone. I have not played in 9 years. 9 YEARS!!! That was until this week. I was asked by some good friends, who are our youth supervisors at church, to come and play ball with the youth. I was thrilled to do this! It seems that the teenagers of this generation do not have the exposure or desire to be involved in sports. At the very least there are less youth playing sports than there were when I was a youth.

I decided to keep the game simple because there were not very many of them that had played basketball before. There are some fun games you can play with a basketball that do not involve the full intensity of a real basketball game. We decided to play " Bump". Those of you who grew up American, you would know this game as " Lightning". It is an extremely faced paced game that involves mostly shooting the ball from the free throw line. I won't explain the game in full...that would take too long.

I said I had not played ball in a while...meaning that it is o.k. to assume that I am out of shape. It is the sad, sad truth! But, I hope the youth learned the lesson of not judging a book by it's cover. This old lady still has some juice left in her. Running was not an issue...the game is only played at one end of the court ( thank goodness!). It sure felt good to shoot the ball and get that same rush out of making a clean shot " Swoosh"! Man I love this game! I definitely need to play more! So to my good friends.....thanks for asking me to help with the youth activity!

2009-02-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

It's about Time!

How many times do we say to a friend.... hey, we SHOULD go this, or that. Always thinking that something would be a good idea, but never getting around to doing it. I kick myself because there are things I could have seen and places I could have gone when I lived closer to them. For example, living in Pennsylvania, we only lived a short 2 or 3 hour drive from Gettysburg and other historical places. Hershey, PA...hello....chocolate central, and I never went. And now we live at least a good 15 hour drive from those places. Why didn't I go? Was I really too busy? Or was it just not that important to me?

These are the same questions I have been asking myself about where I live now. Only a 3 hour drive away is a place so beautiful, so calming and peaceful, that I feel right at home there. And yet it has been 5 years since I have experienced the wonderful feelings of that place. If I feel so at home there, why then wouldn't I go back more? Too busy? Not a priority? Shame on me!!!

Thanks to some wonderful friends who did not say " we SHOULD go", but instead said " I am going. Come with me!", I was able to again feel that warmth and the desire I have to visit this wonderful place, Nauvoo.

This is the Nauvoo Temple. It is a sacred place where we can feel close to our Father in Heaven and feel of His love for us. It was such a beautiful day! The sun warmed my face as the peace in the Temple, away from the things of this world, warmed my heart. Thank you to my good friends who shared this day with me!

2009-01-30T07:52:00.000-08:00

Addictions

My Son is addicted. I have to admit I had my addictions as a kid too. Remember those smelly markers...you know...the old school ones that smelled like grape, root beer, strawberries, etc. I used to sniff them at school and come home with marker under my nose. My mom would as me if I was smelling markers at school and I would innocently say no. Silly me trying to lie to my mommy.

Well Tui has his own addictions. He loves his Blanket! It goes everywhere with him. It was made by his great great grandma. What he loves more than his blanket is a "Fresh" smelling blanket. He will spray febreeze all over the thing and then he will hold it in the same hand he is sucking his thumb with. He takes a deep breath and.....ahhhhh.....heaven!

2009-01-30T07:39:00.000-08:00

Snow Week!

I guess I should be used to bad winter weather, considering I grew up in Canada. But this Iowa weather is ridiculous! It is not so much the snow accumulation. That is the easy part. The ice gets to be annoying ( not to mention hazardous)...but more than the snow and the ice this winter, it is the deep freeze we have had to deal with that irritates me. In Canada it was not uncommon to have a -40 CELSIUS day. That is about a -25 degree F here. Schools have been closing this winter because of the dangerously low temps of -45 FAHRENHEIT!!!!! That is just crazy!!!

We got lucky one day and had a break in the cold. It was actually warm enough to let the kids go out and play....and me shovel the driveway. Time to invest in a snow blower I think!

What's with the poses?

2009-01-30T07:30:00.000-08:00

For the Love of Thomas!

I am sure there are many little boys out there who love Thomas the Train Engine as much as Tui. I personally am getting a little tired of all the Thomas stuff around my house. I guess I can't complain too much. Tui is very organized with his trains and cars. He always knows where they are and lately he insists on lining them up along the wall or the couch. He loves to sit and look at them...and Heaven help the person who messes up his trains! Hands off people!!!

2009-01-28T09:37:00.000-08:00

I Love Duct Tape!

Please tell me I am not the only mother who has had to resort to using duct tape to keep her kids diaper on. Tui has become very talented at wiggling out of any outfit I put on him. At night he takes his footie pj's off and then his diaper. What comes next is not pretty! I end up doing laundry in the middle of the night. Plus we have the issue of modesty around guests. I babysit a little girl the same age as Tui and she is a very smart girl. The other day we had our first anatomy class. Tui decided he would strip while I was doing dishes in the kitchen. 2 minutes people and the kid was in his birthday suit. The only way I knew something was going on was the laughter of the little girl and the repetition of " Tui funny bum...Tui funny bum."

So as a last resort I duct taped his diaper to him. It worked wonders! Then at night I also duct taped his PJ's on him...just under his arms so that he couldn't get the zipper down. Am I a mean mommy.....I don't think so. I am just doing this for my own sanity!

2009-01-27T07:34:00.000-08:00

Sink or swim?

It seems lately, that we are all in the same boat. Sometimes I wonder if the economy is really as bad as they say it is. This week has shown great evidence that it is, although I do not understand how it got that way. All over the country, and other countries as well, people are loosing their jobs...their means of providing for their families and the security of the benefits that come from a job ( health care, 401k, etc.). I know i am guilty of blowing things out of proportion sometimes...usually thinking of the worst case scenario. What if Anthony looses his job....what if I have to go back to work...what if things are so bad that neither one of us will be able to find work. It will be like living in the past when people actually had to live off the land. I want to know how, in a country advanced as ours, did we get ourselves into this sinking boat?

Like I said before, this week has made it obvious that there are changes happening that we have no control over. Anthony was given the difficult task of laying off two of his employees. It would have been easier to do if they were not doing their jobs well, but these were good guys who worked hard. Most importantly they were his friends. Unfortunately the company that Anthony works for is feeling the crunch, like many other companies nation wide. All of this has made us look at our own future. How long will it be until the company decides to close the store completely?????

There are so many what if's and unanswered questions. The future is uncertain....there is no doubt in that. We can not see where our future lies or where our choices may lead us. BUT....we do know that if we STRIVE to live our lives in accordance with the laws and commandments of our Heavenly Father, we will be blessed! Immediately? In some instances, yes...in some, no.

Ether 12:6 "And now, I Moroni, would speak some what concerning these things; I would show unto the world that Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen; wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith."

I learned a couple of things from this scripture. One...dispute not because ye see not. All I have been doing is disputing...what will we do...how are we going to pay for this or that...where will we work...we should do this or that. Why am I trying to figure this out on my own? Someone slap me!

Second....only after I have tried my faith....only after I have proven that I will do as I am asked, knowing full well that I must struggle and go through these tough times...only then will I receive a witness. A witness of His blessings. I know that the Lord will not give us trials that are too difficult for us to bear. So I need to do my part. The Lord has made his promise, so now I need to keep mine. Improve on the things that will ensure my families safety. Scriptures, family prayer, fulfilling my calling, being a good missionary, giving of all I have as did the widow in the Parable of the widow's mite. These things may be hard to do in a stressful time, but they will be for my benefit.

So I choose to swim. I will tread water, barely keeping my head above water....but I will not sink!

I am so grateful for my wonderful Visiting teachers and Home teachers and all the others in my life who are an example to me and who give me a boost when I feel like I can not tread water any longer. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who has not left us alone and who loves us.

2009-01-21T10:50:00.000-08:00

I Wish I had a Crystal Ball!

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time. There are so many things I wish I could do over again. Not that I would change anything I had done. I cherish the good and bad times in my life. The memories I share with people throughout my life time are irreplaceable and one of a kind. I miss the people in my past and kick myself for not being a better friend and keeping in touch better.

But, that is not why I wish I could go back in time. If I could have that chance, I would simply choose to do more. Take the missed opportunities I had. Snatch up all the missed experiences I should have had....say I love you more....say what was on my mind right then and there instead of waiting 10 years to say things I should have back then.

And if I could go back in time, I would want a crystal ball to show me that 5 years down the road I should go back to school, instead of waiting ten years. There is a possibility that there will be some big changes in my near future, and I just wish I had a crystal ball to show me what to do.

2009-01-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

Bundled Babes

Our house is not the warmest house you will be in this winter. I refuse to pay out the nose for heating bills. It would help if we put more insulation in our attic...but there is no way I am going up there. So for now we just keep the heat at about 62 degrees. Not too cold, but cold enough that you can't sit still to long or you will get cold. I guess I can say I keep it cool so I get more house work done.

Anyhow, the kids that I babysit were complaining that they were cold. So I told them to get their blankets and bundle up. When I came around the corner to see if they needed help, this is what I saw. All bundled up and ready for some pictures.

2008-12-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

Well I finally did it. I have been making Jewelry for a couple of years. Mostly just for fun or for gifts. But now I have created a blog where people can go and see what I have made and if they like what they see they can order it in pretty much any color they like. Check it out. www.kristas-kreations.blogspot.com

2008-12-30T20:04:00.000-08:00

I am Woman...Hear Me Roar!
As a young girl you might have looked at me as a tom boy. I was always playing sports and trying to keep up with them. I was never the prissy type. Well as a teenager I still was always wanting to do what the boys were able to do. Scouts always did way more adventurous stuff then us girls and I was always asking our high school coach if I could play football. Alas, my ambitions were never taken seriously.

Today I proved that I, a WOMAN, can do anything a man can do ( and better I might add). I noticed a van stuck coming out of an icy alley way today. It was a middle aged woman driving with her 8 year old daughter in the back. I went over to see if I might be able to help. The wheels were stuck in really deep icy holes which were only made worse every time she decided to lay on the gas. I told her to not press the gas until I got the van rocking and then she could press the gas slowly. It took a few tries, but I was able to push that van out of the alley. Me....alone....with my woman muscles. Amazed? I am since it took a MAN and myself to push my van out of the same situation only 2 days before.

Just had to brag ;)

2008-12-27T16:30:00.000-08:00

Twas the Night Before Christmas....

and there was a knock at the door. It was a delivery van from my Anthony's work. The delivery guys said that Santa had called Anthony and asked if he would deliver a surprise to Sydney and Haylie. You see, it was too big to fit in Santa's sleigh. This is what Santa got for the girls this year. They will be keeping this until they go to college, cuz I am never putting up another one! ( or paying for another one!!!!!)

I have a feeling our house is going to become sleepover central!

2008-12-22T12:52:00.000-08:00

Christmas Spirit.
Most years I feel a bit out of Christmas spirit due to not having my family around. I usually try to keep busy making someone's Christmas cheery. Well as our little family began this Christmas season, Sydney asked me a simple but profound question. " What is the Christmas spirit and how do we know when we are feeling it?"

I tried to give her examples and explain that it is not just the feeling we have at Christmas time, but rather the feeling we should have all year when we give service to others. She seemed content with the answer.

Today as we were at Walmart picking up some last minute groceries for Christmas dinner, we saw the salvation army " Bell Ringer" at the door. He was an older gentleman. He had a less than perfect winter coat on and a pair of gloves and a stocking hat....you know, the stretchy kind. Keep in mind, it was only a positive 2 degrees out.....very cold and windy. Sydney and Haylie looked at the man and then looked at me. We all had the same thought . Haylie said that the poor old man didn't look very warm. With that we went straight to the glove and hat section where we picked out a warm scarf to give him. It was not much, but it would at least cover his face when that frigged air blows at him.

As we left the store, we put a few coins into his collection basket and then pulled out the scarf and presented it to him. He looked confused for a moment. Then I told him that the girls wanted to get it for him to help block the wind. He thanked us and wished us the warmest Merry Christmas we have ever heard. Waking back to the car was not as cold as when we came in and Sydney turned to me and said, " mommy....I feel it. I feel the Christmas spirit. I felt it when we first saw the man. I knew I wanted to help him." I told her that we need to feel that all year round....That desire to help others. And then in return we feel the Saviors love.

What a wonderful Christmas lesson we have learned this year.

2008-12-20T08:53:00.000-08:00

Snow Fun

It was finally warm enough today ( 19 degrees) to let the kids out to play in the freshly fallen snow. Even Tui was willing to let me bundle him up to let him out. The kids made snow angles and went sledding down the hill in our back yard. I remember being that age and not minding the cold....but after a few pictures, I headed back inside for some hot cocoa. The kids played and played until their scarves and hats and gloves were completely covered and frozen.

2008-12-19T21:39:00.000-08:00

Kissing Friends

As part time work, I babysit a few of my friends kids. One of these children is a girl about the same age as my son, Tui. She is a cute little girl with curly hair and long eyelashes. When we go to the store together, people ask me if they are twins or say " what cute twins". I have gotten tired of explaining that she is not that I now say yes or " thanks" to the compliment. What I find absolutely adorable is how well these two get along. They sing together...they dance together. Sometimes they just make noises at each other until they are both laughing uncontrollably. They have also began kissing each other. Mostly when they are apologizing for something or when one of them is sad about something. It is so adorable!

2008-12-08T16:41:00.000-08:00

No Way , No How!
I am very pleased to hear that there are a bunch of people and organizations that are backing up the Mormons and the others who fought to defend traditional Family values in California. There was an article in the New York Times that spoke out against the threatening nature and actions of those in California who are targeting Mormons. I am grateful to those who are not of our faith, who are still willing to stand with us of similar beliefs, to preserve the Family and to stand against those who would morally corrupt this nation.

I took this link off another friends web site. http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-12-07-iowagaymarriage_N.htm . I think that it is a warning that we are not out of the woods. We, here in Iowa, will need to fight just as those in California did. Heck....if they can do it in a state that is so filled with " worldly" ideals, then why can't we, here in the quiet Midwest, put up the same fight. I have never had to write letters to legislators or to our state representatives, but I have a feeling I am going to have to start doing it. Petitions people.....we, as " the people" can not vote on issues until they have been voted on by legislature, but that doesn't mean we can not take a stand now. Change legislatures mind before they have a chance to think twice about it. If they know they are going to face opposition from the voters, then they will be less likely to even discuss changing laws and amendments. Am I wrong?

Has anyone done this before? Written letters to government officials? Started petitions? Anyone know where to start?

2008-12-03T13:52:00.000-08:00

Story Time.

Well, I have been in my new calling for 3 months and so far I am loving it. Not that I didn't love being Primary President. My heart will always be in primary. But now as Enrichment Leader, I have the opportunity to get to know and serve my fellow sisters. I have a wonderful committee that has helped me transition from primary to Relief Society.

This months activity was a Christmas story time and sing along. We would read a story and then sing a Christmas carol....then another story....song....story, etc. I read one that was entitled " the Twelve Days of Christmas". It was not the traditional 12 days story...it is hilarious. Let me know if you would like a copy. Then a couple of other sisters read a story as well. Each was heart warming and a quiet reminder to our souls of how we should be feeling....not only at this time of year, but all year round.

Then we made neat little cards. Amy( our R.S. pres.) found a book that showed you all kids of patterns to make with ink and your fingers. It was fun to see how many things you can make with just your fingerprint.

Thank you to everyone who came and made it a special evening!

2008-12-03T13:02:00.000-08:00

Oh Christmas Tree...

As I was preparing for this Christmas season, I had mentioned to Anthony that I would like to have a big tree all decorated in co-ordinating colors. Like all blue and white, or red and golds. I wanted to have a classy Christmas. But alas, I was convinced otherwise. We stuck with the old 7-footer and all the ornaments we have collected over the years. The kids picked out their traditional new ornament from the store to put on the tree which fit right in with the other mish-moshy ornaments we own.

Then as I was watching and helping the kids decorate, my mood had changed. I realized that I don't need to look or feel classy. All I needed was right there in our small living room. My husband and my three children....singing Christmas songs and smiling and helping one another to bring joy into our home. I am truly grateful for the wake-up call! Christmas is not about how it looks...but rather how it feels.

Here is my favorite part of the whole night. Tui has only heard " Jingle Bells" twice and has already been singing it all over the house. Sorry the lighting is bad.

2008-11-27T17:18:00.000-08:00

A Jolley Good Time!
I just wanted to say thank you to my Jolley family. We do not always have the opportunity to be with family over the holidays, but...we are always welcomed with open arms by the Jolley family. When I find myself sad and missing my family, I instantly have brothers and sisters and wonderful adoptive parents who are so kind and loving.

We had a wonderful dinner of all the Thanksgiving best. Turkey and ham and all the sides you could think of. Oh and the deserts were to die for! Once again I have stuffed myself to the point of bursting buttons. The kids were wonderful ( hardly any fights) and the weather was gorgeous! What a wonderful thanksgiving...so thanks to my Jolley family!

2008-11-26T18:59:00.000-08:00

Thankful Thoughts.

Some times it is hard to be thankful. This time of year is always particularly hard for me. I am not the type of person who likes to feel depressed or in a slump....but through the months of November and December I find myself crying at the drop of a hat. And every year it gets worse. I miss my family, who all live close enough or have the ability to go home for every holiday. So everyone is together...except me.

So to remedy my gloominess, I like to give extra service, focus on giving my husband and kids a wonderful holiday season, and think happy thoughts. I feel the need to remind myself that I do have things to be thankful for.

I am thankful for:

My parents, who love me no matter what
My siblings, who taught me patience and love me no matter what.
My ancestors who believed....and lived the Gospel.
My husband....for having the love and patience to put up with me!
My daughter Sydney....she is so tender and thoughtful!
My daughter Haylie....who makes me laugh and cry all in the same day.
My son....I almost didn't have him. He is my miracle boy!
Friends who are my family when I am so far away from my own!
Rekindled friendships.
The first dentist I worked for....he taught me so much!
My years in Utah....I will cherish all those memories!
All the places I have travelled. This world is so beautiful.
Money. Without it I would not have been able to travel.
My extended Family...they have always been so supportive of me.
My home. It may not be the prettiest thing, but it is home.
My van!
Sunsets....I love the colors.
Warm cloths...I hate being cold.
All of the callings I have ever had. Each one has helped me to understand my weaknesses and how to make them strengths.
My senses...I would be very sad if I could not see the beauty of this earth, or hear my children's laughter, or smell a cooking turkey!
My pain...it lets me know that I am not invincible
My sadness...it helps me to cherish my joys.
Doctors who have saved my life more than once and who have healed my daughter.
Prayer....not my own, but all of yours.
My hands...I love to create with them.
For our freedoms...may we always have them.
And so many other things. This list could go on.

Lastly, I am thankful for the deep and steadfast testimony I have that we are loved by a Heavenly Father who has provided a plan of happiness for us. I am grateful for His laws and consequences without which we would not have an appreciation for His love and Mercies. I am forever grateful to our Savior, Jesus Christ for His gift of unconditional love and sacrifice. I hope to someday fully appreciate that sacrifice.

2008-11-22T12:38:00.000-08:00

Girls Night/ Birthday Night.

There are a bunch of us who have Nov. birthdays and we usually all go out for dinner. I always end up eating so much, I don't have room for desert, so tonight we did a desert night. One of my favorite deserts of all time is the Olive Garden's White chocolate raspberry cheesecake. However, I can not go to the Olive Garden without getting a bowl of their Zuppa Toscana soup. It is perfect on these cold nights. Warms you up all the way to your toes!!!! It was a fun night. We talked and laughed until nearly closing time. I love all my Waterloo gals! Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

2008-11-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

9 down...a life time to enjoy.

November is a crazy month for us at the Nai home. I my birthday, my sisters birthday and my mothers birthday all within a 4 day span. On top of that, 9 years ago I decided to get married.....2 days before my birthday. Don't ask me what I was thinking!!!!

I was thinking the other day of where we were every year for our past anniversaries. This is what I came up with.

Year zero: Married in Canada.

Year one: Living in Erie, PA( not liking it) and pregos with Sydney.

Year two: Living in Erie still ( and still not liking it)

Year three: Living in Terre Haute, IN. ( loving it)

Year four: Living in Waterloo, Ia ( not sure if I like it yet) ( haylie is 2 mo. old) .

Year five:Loving Waterloo! moved to new house.

Year six: Still loving it

Year seven: Recovering from a Pulmonary embolism and giving birth to my baby boy.

Year eight: Totally forgot anniversary!!!!

Year nine. Still in IA, Still Happy, Still in love.

Well for the past couple of years, I have been playing the role of the forgetful husband. Last year I totally forgot our anniversary and my birthday was on thanksgiving. ( yuck!). The year before that...who knows. I actually can not remember the last actual anniversary we did something out of the ordinary. I love my husband very much....but he is not the romantic type at all. Any planning for a date is done by me. Well this year I was not going to let it slip by again. I am not high maintenance or picky, so date nights don't need to be too detailed.

The 9th anniversary is the pottery year, so I planned a date to this neat little place where yo can pick a piece of pottery ( plates, mugs, vases, etc.) to paint and then they fire them and you have yourself a little creation made by each other. Anthony painted me a vase. He is very talented when it comes to drawing, but painting is not his favorite. Bless his heart....he at least had fun trying something new. I painted him a card holder for all his business cards. I must say, mine is way cute! It was fun to do something together like that.

Then it was off to try something else new. We went to the Hu Hot. A Mongolian grill where you pile on meat and noodles and veggies and watch them cook your food on this huge round slab of hot stone. It was fun to watch and fun to eat. All in all a pretty good anniversary. Next year is a big one, so I told Anthony to start planning now.

I don't have any pics of the pottery yet. I will post them when I get the pottery back.

2008-11-21T13:56:00.000-08:00

Hello Operator?

Quick funny story.

I was on the couch all wrapped up in a blanket ( I hate being cold!) when the phone started to ring. Sometimes I just have Sydney look at the caller I.D. and let me know if it is a 800 #. I never answer them. But sometimes it comes up unknown #, in which case I wait to hear if they leave a message or not. Sorry to any of you that I do this to.

Any way, Haylie wanted to get the phone for me, but she can't read yet, so she just let the answering machine get it. When I asked who it was she said.....

" Don't worry mom, it was just the operator from the phone company. She said that they were not there right now, but if we give them our phone # , they will call us back later."

Maybe it is the cold, or the fact that I am just brain dead, but I didn't clue in to what she was telling me. I need to call the phone company? well I almost did when Anthony gave a little giggle and then I figured out what my dear little helper was telling me. She had heard our answering machine message and thought it was the operator. What will she do next?

2008-11-20T05:58:00.000-08:00

Here We Go!
The trend is starting!!!!! We do not tend to look at fashion trends in a bad way. Most fashions are descent and harmless...but are they really? Fashion designers are getting more and more risque in their choice of designs. And usually the public goes with the flow. If big stars think it is fashionable then so does the rest of the world.

The same rings true for the world of politics and " political correctness". As of this morning, eHarmony, a New York based company that helps singles find suitable dates, has lost a lawsuit. This company is a privately owned and operated company and should have the constitutional right to decide whom they sell their product to. If I owned a pet grooming shop and some woman or man came in demanding a hair cut, I would have the right to say " we do not provide services to humans"
Now think about the trend that has been growing with the homosexual issues. More and more organizations are being " FORCED" to provide services or change their policies to include the homosexual minority. It will not be long now that churches of all faiths will be FORCED to accept and provide services ( including temple worship) to the people who are fighting to change policies.....not our policies, but God's policies. So are we saying that God is not politically correct? SOOOOOO SORRYYYYYYY people!

Anyhow, I am sorry for ranting about this. I just think it is ridiculous that all this is happening! And I would like to say that I am sorry if I offended anyone, but at this point I am not.

2008-11-10T07:53:00.000-08:00

Be Informed!!!!
I will not get into the recent political drama we are all so sick of, but I would like to express my deepest desire for all of us to be more informed. I wish that we could all look a little deeper into the future when we vote on issues ( that is key...voting on issues, not people and their personalities!). Democrat or Republican, we all need to see the impact our choices create for our future.
As a result of the recent elections, we now have a government almost completely run by the Democratic party. This means that all laws and amendments will be voted on by people in congress and the house of representatives who have a more liberal view of our freedoms. Certain rights and laws will be overturned to please the " worldly"and immoral view that most of this country has. Congress has set their sights on abortion laws. They are determined to allow abortion rights regardless of age or procedure. If any of you do not know what those procedures are ( especially partial birth abortions) I would gladly fill you in. I encourage all decent people reading this to pass on this link. It is an official web site that gives facts about the laws and what they really mean. So read it, and determine for yourself which laws you agree with and which ones you do not. http://www.nchla.org/issues.asp?I
As for our futures, I am not a mind reader. I do not know for a fact that we will all be doomed because of the next presidents future decisions. But take a look at what is going on in California. Things are changing. I have always believed that, as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, we will come full circle. When our church was first organized, we were outcasts and persecuted for what....for being good and decent people and for having a religion that does not differ in a big way from other religions . Now we are seeing that again. Or at least the beginnings. In California, Mormons are being targeted for a law that was passed in part by many people not of our faith. But we are the ones to blame.
As we look into the future, I want to know what I am voting for and I pray that I may have the courage to stand up and vote when it is not the " Popular" vote. We will be persecuted for standing up for what is right. And I would rather do that than " go with the flow"!!! I don't want to be like the masses of lemmings who allow change to happen without knowing the consequences of those choices. Let's not be lemmings!

2008-11-07T07:55:00.000-08:00

4 Years Ago....

In April of 2004 gas prices hit a high of $2.00/galon. Today I filled my van for $1.99/galon. Is this a trend that will continue? Gas prices will eventually start to rise again, so Do we start to fill up canisters and store them for the day when prices are back up to $4.00? I say yes. The reports I have been reading say that part of the reason for the declining prices is that consumers are being more frugal with their gas consumption. So the less we buy gas...the lower the prices will stay. I know for me it is hard to save on gas when there are always errands to run and places to be, but there are ways to cut corners and make shorter trips. As far as storing gas, anyone know of the propper way to do this?

2008-11-03T08:49:00.000-08:00

And More!!!!

Well, one more year of Trick or Treating has come and gone ( Thank goodness!) It is always fun for the kids, but what a head ache for me. Especially since this year, Anthony had to work and could not help me. But all went well regardless.

Sydney is a very imaginative kid and doesn't like the everyday normal costumes sold in the stores. I was like that too growing up. I wanted something unique. Well this year she wanted to be the Headless Horseman. It was not an expensive costume to make...but it was a pain in the toosh to rig so that it looked as though she had no head. Haylie, thank Heavens, just wanted to be the owl my mom had sent years ago for Sydney . That made things a bunch easier. And as for Tui....He was a Toucan. Thanks to Stacy for letting me borrow it. It was perfect. Tui would go door to door saying " Trick-Treat....more....tankoo!" He would then come running down the side walk saying" Yay mommy....candy". Every house he did this. Mommy is candied out!

Well now Sydney tells me she wants to be a Sentar (sp?) a half horse half human thing. Guess I'd better get planning how to make that one.

Hope everyone had a good Halloween!

2008-10-25T14:38:00.000-07:00

Halloween Fun!

Our good friends, the Jolley's, invited us over for soup and some Halloween fun. The kids each got to carve their own pumpkin. It was quite a mess by the end, but they had fun. Someone even figured out that if you squeeze a pumpkin seed between your fingers, it shoots really far. So there was a pumpkin seed fight in there as well. All good fun and a nice way to spend a cold yucky night. Thanks Jolley's!!!

2008-10-25T13:37:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Farm.

Every year we go to Heartland farms. They have wonderful things to do all year round. They allow you to come all year round to pick the foods they grow. We love to go pick strawberries, raspberries, and especially pumpkins.

Unfortunately I always go to late in the day and the lighting is not the greatest ( so sorry for the bad pics).

Anthony doesn't always come because of his work schedule, but this year we were all able to go together.

We usually go through the haunted house they have there, Actually there are 2 haunted houses. One for the " big kids" and adults called " The Heart of Darkness" and the little kids haunted house. Last year I was surprised at how scary the little kids one was, but we made it through ( with Haylie hanging on to me for dear life!) Needless to say, she didn't want to go in this year and I was not about to take Tui in. He hides his face in my shoulder when we walk down the Halloween isle at Walmart saying " mommy....care me, mommy...care me" . Which means mommy it scares me. So that left Sydney begging to go in. Anthony ( the big, brave, smartie pants) said he would take her. I told him there were 2 signs. One for the entrance of the adult haunted house and one for the little kids. I pointed out where to go. Where did he go? In the wrong house. He went into the back entrance of the adult Haunted house and took Sydney crying and begging to get out all the way through the dang thing. Then he gets out and can't understand why she was so scared.....DUH! Poor Sydney!

2008-10-25T13:23:00.000-07:00

Captain Underpants....

Haylie used to empty her entire shirt drawer....pants drawer...any drawer to find something she wanted to wear. It is still that way except that now, after 4 years of training, will now put everything back when she is done. Fhewww!

Well now it is Tui who does this. I have no idea what he is looking for until he finds it and asks me to put it on him. Well the other night, we were getting ready for bed and Tui decided to go through all of Haylies drawers. Now I really had no idea what he was looking for. Well, this is what he found and the girls thought he was so funny that they just had to join him.

2008-10-11T16:13:00.000-07:00

Fashion For Me....Yay!
I have found myself lacking in the fashion department. I will gladly blame it on the fact that I have 3 kids and they always come first! But I have to admit that I am also a penny pincher in a way.
So when I came across a link for Handbag Planet and a free drawing, I couldn't pass it up. Lake a look and if you see what you like ( who wouldn't!), then go ahead and enterhttp://www.handbagplanet.com/ . Nothing to loose!

2008-10-08T17:52:00.000-07:00

Short, sweet, and stinky!

Hipp-Hipp- Hooray......Tui went Potty today!!!!!

He is my sweet little boy! He did a quick potty trip before bed tonight.....just to get him used to the idea of sitting on the potty. And what do ya know, plop---plop. Yay, maybe potty training a boy won't be so hard. Cross my fingers...knock on wood!

2008-10-06T20:24:00.000-07:00

Am I a bad Mommy?

I remember growing up.....me and my younger sisters and one brother. Oh how we used to dress him up and do his hair. He was young enough that he didn't know any different. Well, I am again, dressing a little boy up as a girl. I can't help it!!!! Tui is so darn cute and his hair is irresistible! He looks so much like Sydney at that age! He could seriously pass as a girl if I dressed him in Pink. Here are some pics for you to see what I mean.

You can probably guess who is Sydney and who is Tui and the pictures don't do them justice....but had they been born at the same time they could pass as twins. My poor Tui is going to want to burn these pics when he gets older....but I love them!

2008-10-06T10:13:00.000-07:00

September......

Thank goodness it's over!

I actually love this time of year. All the wonderful signs that fall is on it's way. Kids are back in school, which by the way is wonderful! Haylie started pre-school this year. I taught an at home pre-school with some other moms in the past and loved it, but Haylie really didn't. She would refuse to participate and was simply not interested in learning. That being said, I was worried about putting her into a regular pre-school. All has worked out well though. She is making lots of new friends and is eager and even excited to go and learn with her teachers. She is even learning sign language( which I did teach her, but apparently is more fun to learn from her teacher at school :P) As for Sydney, my little smartie pants, she is in the second grade but is learning 3rd grade curriculum. She is very bright, but I have noticed that she is a perfectionist. She gets very down and hard on herself if she gets an answer wrong. She wants to please everyone....especially her teacher. It will be interesting to see how she adapts to learning more difficult material. I love her enthusiasm for knowledge!

Just when I think life will get back to normal with 2 out of my 3 kids in school, I realize I am kidding myself. I babysit 2 extra kids during the day....so now I am back to 3 kids at all times ( and 6 when the others are home from school). Some day I might have a moment to myself. Until then I will be singing and playing kids games all day long.

September is our birthday month. My miracle baby boy is no longer a baby. Tui turned 2 this September. He is the most gorgeous boy ever. I love to look at his long eyelashes that cover his big brown eyes and play with his thick curly locks ( which I can not bring myself to cut yet). He is totally into Thomas the train engine and cars. He has finally figured out what are boy toys and what are girl toys.

Next comes my wonderful husband's birthday. I think Anthony turned 10 this year. All he asked for this year was the new Lego star wars video game for his xbox. We of course got him other " grown up " stuff too, but he really enjoyed his new game! He is such a hard worker and has such a big heart. From the outside he looks rough and tough....but those of us who know him well know that he would do anything for anybody! ( that big heart of his has gotten us in trouble one too many times!) I love my Big Man!!!! Here is a pic of the big guy when he was not so big. What a cutie pie!

Finally there is Haylie. She was so excited to turn 5 this year. She wanted a mermaid party and as always I get a bit to extent in my plans. I had planned to make mermaid skirts for each of the kids invited and they would go on an underwater treasure hunt to find jewels to make necklaces with. Then it would be present time and then cake and ice cream. It all went as planned except for the skirts. I am a bit incompetent when it comes to sewing, so when my ( new) machine decided to stop working, I had no clue what was wrong or how to fix it. But oh well, they all had fun anyway.

Oh, and this month has been a roller coaster ride for one more reason....I am pregnant. Just kidding. I was released from my calling as Primary President and called as the Enrichment leader. I will get back to you on which of the two is a harder calling.

2008-09-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

Ridiculous?
So, I copied this from a friends page. I thought it was deserving of some thought. My thoughts will be posted at the end.
PETA Urges Ben & Jerry's To Use Human Milk
VERMONT -- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, cofounders of Ben & Jerry's Homemade Inc., urging them to replace cow's milk they use in their ice cream products with human breast milk, according to a statement recently released by a PETA spokeswoman."PETA's request comes in the wake of news reports that a Swiss restaurant owner will begin purchasing breast milk from nursing mothers and substituting breast milk for 75 percent of the cow's milk in the food he serves," the statement says.PETA officials say a move to human breast milk would lessen the suffering of dairy cows and their babies on factory farms and benefit human health."The fact that human adults consume huge quantities of dairy products made from milk that was meant for a baby cow just doesn't make sense," says PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman. "Everyone knows that 'the breast is best,' so Ben & Jerry's could do consumers and cows a big favor by making the switch to breast milk."In a statement Ben and Jerry's said, "We applaud PETA's novel approach to bringing attention to an issue, but we believe a mother's milk is best used for her child."Read PETA's letter to Ben Cohen and Jerry GreenfieldSeptember 23, 2008Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, CofoundersBen & Jerry's Homemade Inc.
Dear Mr. Cohen and Mr. Greenfield,On behalf of PETA and our more than 2 million members and supporters, I'd like to bring your attention to an innovative new idea from Switzerland that would bring a unique twist to Ben and Jerry's.Storchen restaurant is set to unveil a menu that includes soups, stews, and sauces made with at least 75 percent breast milk procured from human donors who are paid in exchange for their milk. If Ben and Jerry's replaced the cow's milk in its ice cream with breast milk, your customers-and cows-would reap the benefits.Using cow's milk for your ice cream is a hazard to your customer's health. Dairy products have been linked to juvenile diabetes, allergies, constipation, obesity, and prostate and ovarian cancer. The late Dr. Benjamin Spock, America's leading authority on child care, spoke out against feeding cow's milk to children, saying it may play a role in anemia, allergies, and juvenile diabetes and in the long term, will set kids up for obesity and heart disease-America's number one cause of death.Animals will also benefit from the switch to breast milk. Like all mammals, cows only produce milk during and after pregnancy, so to be able to constantly milk them, cows are forcefully impregnated every nine months. After several years of living in filthy conditions and being forced to produce 10 times more milk than they would naturally, their exhausted bodies are turned into hamburgers or ground up for soup.And of course, the veal industry could not survive without the dairy industry. Because male calves can't produce milk, dairy farmers take them from their mothers immediately after birth and sell them to veal farms, where they endure 14 to 17 weeks of torment chained inside a crate so small that they can't even turn around.The breast is best! Won't you give cows and their babies a break and our health a boost by switching from cow's milk to breast milk in Ben and Jerry's ice cream? Thank you for your consideration.Sincerely,Tracy ReimanExecutive Vice President

Ok.....ready for my thoughts? Close your eyes and picture a cow hooked up to a milking machine. Now picture a woman hook up to a milking machine. Anyone else think that is not a fun picture?
Personally I feel that God put the cows here for our use. Yes we need to use all that he has given us in moderation....but I do not believe that the milk from a cow is bad for us. I believe, that like all the food we consume, we are exposed tho chemicals and preservatives that are the cause of the allergies and diseases we face. ( Granted there are some real milk allergies out there...but for the most part a mild allergy is not from the milk but from the way, and the preservatives used in the process of making milk). The cows are eating grain that has probably been in a field sprayed with pesticides, and therefor it is then passed into the milk....just like a human. Whatever a woman eats is passed into her milk. Personally I trust the cows more than some strange woman....who knows what she is eating or what kinds of medication she is taking.
I think I will stick with the Cows....Mooo!!!!

2008-08-26T18:39:00.000-07:00

Day 10; Country Roads

Well we are back on the road again. There were some tears and lots of hugs before we left. Anthony reassured me that we would be back someday. It didn't make the tears go away, but at least I know he enjoyed Nova Scotia enough to say we would be back.

We drove all day and all night until we got to Palmyra, NY where we found a hotel at 3:00am. It was not as bad a s the hotel in my previous blog. After a good nights rest we got up and took a short drive to the Hill Cumorah visitor center and the Palmyra temple. We took the kids through a tour of the Joseph Smith home and the Sacred Grove. It was a wonderful opportunity to let them know how special this place is to us and let them know that we have a testimony of the Gospel and the things that happened here long ago. We sang " The Golden Plates" as we walked and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the early morning hours. I always love to visit this area and remember the feelings I have and the knowledge that I have because of that great man who gave his life that we might have the truth. And for all those who followed him and suffered more than you or I will ever know. I am so grateful for their faith...It strengthens my own.

After a wonderful quiet morning we headed to Anthony's mom's house in Erie. Only a short 2 hour drive from Palmyra. Anthony's mom, Sandra, wanted to come with us to Nova Scotia, and would have except that the twins ( from the previous blog) had just been born and Sandi felt that she should stay and help with them. I know how much she would have loved Nova Scotia, so we bought her a light house lantern, all made out of stained glass. Next time she is coming for sure!

We stayed there the rest of the day...took a nap and started driving again at midnight. We could tell the kids were getting tired of driving, so we thought we would get it over with and let them sleep through the night. 11 hours later we were home! I never knew how wonderful my lumpy uneven bead felt until I had been away from it for so long. I had the most wonderful nap. I dreamed I was in Nova Scotia.