kenneth cope, cute kids, cute craft, new bathroom, and a yard sale!

Blogger is being dumb and wont let me move my pictures or type above this one. Oh the joys of technical malfunctions! Oh well! This picture is proof that a.) Kenneth Cope loves me. (He said so during his performance! He said something like, "You are all my sisters and I love you!") So I thought that if I am his sister then he wouldn't mind me asking for a picture with him! And b.) I should not have bangs! (oh well...it's only hair right?)

Well, I thought I'd better post some pictures today since we are going to be gone for the rest of the week and if I don't do it now I will be VERY behind! So....here's some more.....
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These sweet little sisters were so good at humoring their mommy and I so that I could get a shot of them in their pretty Easter dresses! Wishing I had Photo Shop so that I could add some pink to the flower and sash of their dresses and their head bands....



This is the super cute craft I did with Angela! It's not s very good picture...proof of the bad lighting is the fact that my walls aren't that color...they are white! This was so easy to make...I can't wait to do another!

I love my new bathroom! I still need to paint and decorate! Brandon made the towel rack. I had fun teasing him about his, "nice rack"....and the girls picked out the shower curtain.


This was our first time having a yard sale. We usually dump our stuff off over at the local Thrift store! We had 4 big boxes of things when we started and only 1/2 a box when we were done...plus a little extra cash in our pockets! Kaitlyn kept trying to buy her stuff back! :) Two other families joined their junk with ours and we had fun sitting, chatting and giving people good deals!

That's all for now! :)

nieces and nephews

So...Kristin asked how many nieces and nephews I have now...the answer is 54! (That means Jake and Mary Louise have 57 grand kids {with one on the way} and they also have 2 great- grand children {with one on the way})! I am slightly prideful when it comes to my nieces and nephews....they are all awesome kids! I also pride myself in being able to remember all their names!...but I don't think I can spell them all correctly! :) Here goes!

Daliah, Jewel, Shiloh, NaElle, Jayzee, Noah, Levi, Molly, Katie, Abe, McKay, Rend, Kari, Shad, Ray, Reggie, Brady, Hayden, Hunter, Hallie, Sydney, Luis, Marta, Jesse, Leah, Manasseh, Lot, Chad, Lindsey, Trevor, Todd, Ryan, Shelby, Cooper, Jake, Tucker, Rylyn, Tyler Ann, Tori, Taden, Taryn, Trey, Trevin, Peyton, Ashton, Karsten, Spencer, Joesph, Bryant, Karalee, Josh, Mary Belle, Rachel, Jakilyn...my great nice is Mylie and my great nephew is Jack!...THERE...I better go count to make sure I got them all! :)

I'm an Aunt!....(again!)

My sister in law Amy just called to tell me that her little girl was born this morning at around 8 a.m. Her name is Mary (after Brandon's mom) and she weighs 8lbs. 7 oz.

Funny thing is that I was just reading an email from Brandon's mom about how Amy was going to have her baby early (she was breach...and Amy was dilated 7cm {she does that without having much of ANY pain! She did the same with her little boy...but she has to have c-sections}) anyhow, I was reading the email and had just hollered to Brandon that, "Amy's going to have her baby today!" and the phone rang and it was Amy!

Now it's Mindy's turn! She and Amy were due a day apart and Mindy is having a girl too!

Congrats Amy and David! :)

HOME!!!

I have LOTS to write about...but I am just going to give an outline (before my mushy brain forgets) and then hopefully be able to fill in the details SOON!

I have to say though...I had an AMAZING time. I miss Angela and her kids already...(I did as soon as my suitcase hit the sidewalk pavement after getting out her her van!) I love those guys like family...or maybe more...depending on which family member you're comparing them too! :)

ANYHOW!!!! Here's my outline...with pictures to soon follow!

March 11th 2:30 p.m.: Left to drove to Mesa. Met my mom at my sisters apartment and she drove me to the airport. Got there with 90 minutes to spare! Boarded the plan at 8:30 p.m. AZ time...got to Austin at 12:50 a.m. TX time...and Angela was there to get me! (2 hr. time difference)

March 12th: Got up, went to Hobby Lobby (first time in that place...could have stayed all day!), WalMart, ate lunch, got things ready for the Enrichment craft Angie was in charge of and went to the church. We made the CUTEST craft ever! I will take a picture as soon as I get mine hung! We had fun...and got home at like almost 11 p.m....got to bed later than we should have...but who cares about sleep?

March 13th: Got up, dressed, went to H.E.B (grocery store)...did I mention it was freezing cold and raining?...pack up our things for TOFW and went to Julies house to meet up with the other ladies. We left to Huston at about 2p.m.....got there a little after 5p.m. I think...changed, went to the Marriott where TOFW was held. Heard Sheri Dew, Wendy Watson Nelson, Jenny Jordan Frogley, Abe Mills, and Kenneth Cope. Then we went to the Cheese Cake Factory! (yum)

March 14th: Up EARLY....got to Marriott by 9 a.m....that day our Presenters where: Mary Ellen Edmund, Kenneth Cope, Brent Top, Wendy Ulrich and Chris Stewart! (Angela and I got our picture taken with Kenneth Cope! He put his arm around my shoulder and got his arm pit sweat on me and I got to smell it for the rest fo the day! Jealous...I know!) TOFW was over by 4p.m. We drove to Annie's house (she is a friend of Angie's and the other ladies {Julie, Misty, Brooke and Elizabeth} who moved to Huston and let us all stay with her at her gorgeous home...and she came with us to TOFW too....) anyhow...we left to drive to Kyle at about 5p.mish...and got there by 9p.m. (can we say"very sore hinny? I don't think I have ever wished I could stand instead of sit!) We got to bed late...(really...that's just what you do when you travel right...up early...up late...)

March 15th: Got our tired selves to church only 5 minutes late. (their ward meets at 9 a.m.) Came home, made some YUMMY food, and then relaxed, read, took a nap...stayed up late!

March 16th: Slept in! Then we hit the outlet mall!!! Our BEST deal was on a cute pair of Sketcher shoes! They were $45 at one store, $50 at another...buy we got ours for but 1 get 1 half off...we each paid $25! LOVE it!...and we get to match! :) Angie got me to the airport by 6 p.m (mixed feelings...sad to leave, eager to get home)....my plane left at 8 p.m....and got into PHX at 8:15 p.m.! My daddy picked me up (yes...I still call him daddy...got a problem with that?) I had to wait FOREVER for my luggage!...but we finally got it and drove to my parents...then I stayed up super late talking to my mom.

March17th: Got up, took my mom to get her car from Tiffany, went to the gas station and Sprouts (I had never been there before...if I lived in the Valley...I'd be there ALL the time!) then I hit the road by 9:30 a.m. I got home by noon...walked in the house and saw a cleaning lady cleaning (which I had arranged for...yes, I am smart)...and I saw the bathroom door open and Addie pulling up her panties...but it wasn't a bathroom I recognized! It was gorgeous! My bathroom was old, outdated and looked dirty even when I scrubbed it with bleach! This one was new, modern and clean! I was shocked! I knew Brandon had something up his sleeve but I totally thought he was working on shelving in the laundry/pantry room! I even told Angela and my mom that he can never surprise me because I am too slick and figure him out. Man was I FLOORED to see that he and Travis (his brother) had totally redone the bathroom! New shower/bath tub, pedestal sink, white and shiny toilet, ceramic tile! All I could say was, "Really? You remodeled the bathroom while I was gone! REALLY!?" After having lunch and taking Kaitlyn to dance we went to Show Low to get new towel hooks and all those little things. I need to go to Wal-Mart and get new curtains and rugs. Hopefully I can do that today...sounds more fun than laundry!

...so...that's what I have been up to. I would LOVE to have Brandon write a post about all that happened here at home while I was gone...but don't hold your breath for that! He's too modest! :)

OH!!!! And guess what! My great-nephew was born on the 16th! Jack Gordon Busch. 9 lbs. 14+ oz. 21 inches long. I talked to Jewel yesterday and told her that she is my hero! She was in hard labor for longer than I have ever been in labor from start to finish...41+ weeks along, tired, sore, and she still had a natural childbirth and bearly tore! I am so happy for her, Steve, Shon and Pam...and me! I can't wait to meet my favorite great nephew!

*Special Thanks to Brandon for being such an amazing and supportive husband, my kids, Angie for letting me visit her (and for the SUPER cute b-day present!), our TOFW gang for letting me tag along, the TOFW Presenters, Annie for letting us stay at her house, my mom and dad for being my airport taxi and to Trav for helping Brandon with the bathroom...and to all of you!*

Time Out!

A few weeks ago Angela and I thought it would be SO fun if we could go to Time Out For Women together...but it was one of those things that we just talked about...me going and spending a few days with her and driving to Huston for TOFW...shopping, eating, crafting, hanging out. Well...we are both lucky enough to have awesome husbands* who thought it would be a good idea too! I agonized over flights...tried to decided how long I could be gone...how long Brandon could be away for work etc. etc.....and then finally I booked my flights and bought my TOFW ticket! At the time March 11th felt SO far away!!!! But! Here it is! I am leaving tomorrow and I have YET to pack!

I just gotta say how lucky I feel I am to be able to go on a TIME OUT! All moms need them. We have all said, or thought to ourselves "I wish I could get away for a few days..." (if you haven't then...good for you!) I know I get overwhelmed, feel like I am not good enough, tired, stressed, burnt out...you name it. I have no desire to put of a facade that I am super mom who can do everything...because I can't. I just try my best and count my blessings everyday!

...And here I sit, contemplating this wonderful trip ahead of me and I can't help but feel guilty and undeserving of it! My mom is the first to tell me, "I never got a break with you kids" and that makes me feel like I should be able to do this (be mom/wife) without needing a TIME OUT! But you know what! I don't care! I am going to have a great time and when I come back my husband and kids will be so happy to see me and I will have missed them SO much that I wont get annoyed or frustrated with anyone...(for at least a week!) LOL!

...and if anyone sees my kids looking less that presentable in public these next few days...just remember...appearance isn't everything!

(* Yes, I think that my hubby is fantastically supportive (I need to be more like him)...but that doesn't mean that if other husbands are not willing to watch the kids for 5 days while their wife goes on TIME OUT, then they aren't amazing too! We all have different needs and expectations.*)

SRING iS iN tHe AiR!

So, we have these two little love birds. I think they are pigeons. They live in a big tree in the yard of a house behind us. They like to hang out on the telephone wire behind our house and look for food in our garden plot. I like to look out my window and see these two little birds nestling together. If something comes and scares them (like me opening the back door to throw them old bread) they both usually fly off in different direction and then one will fly over to the other. I think it's so sweet. Earlier today, I looked out my kitchen window to check if they were there and they were...MATING...in my back yard!!!! I guess that's just the way things are when you live in "the country"...but I will never be able to look at those birds the same way again!

...one thing is clear...SPRING is here!

(lol)

just to make you laugh...

I have this habit of shaking the milk carton before I open it...it might be one habit worth breaking...

Just now I opened the fridge, took out the milk, shook it and the lid wasn't on all the way... can we say "milk facial?" What a way to start the day! I was holding Weston and he got milk all over him too!

cutest clippies EVER!

Okay...so if you have little girls you HAVE to check out the amazing clips that Rachel has over at Lollipop Boutique! I haven't checked out her site in a while...but, I did today and was AMAZED at the things she's created!

The flu, Mesa and appliances

Well...I think it's too late for me to do a complete "report" of what went on in our family last week since this week is just about over! :)

Basically, last week, Kaitlyn was SUPER sick...she barely ate ANYTHING for 3 days. I finally got to the point where I was forcing water, Gatorade and tiny bites of food down her. I knew she had the flu because I had given her some amoxicillian for 2 days and nothing changed but by Wednesday she was on her 5th day of running a fever so after having Travis come over and help Brandon give her a blessing, I took her to the dr. Sure enough, it was the flu...one that attacks every system...she was having a tummy ache, sore throat, stuffy nose, red eyes...you name it...she had it. On Thursday she ate 3 meals for the second day in a row and was feeling good enough to go on her scheduled date with mom. Friday, she went to school! We're SO glad to have all our kids healthy again!

So, last Friday we drove down to Mesa. We went straight to my cousin Jessica's Open House. She had Guy were married on Feb. 21st in Thacher, AZ!

Saturday was fast and furious! We picked up our new washer and dryer from Sears (the ones we ordered the day after Thanksgiving) then we went to my cousin Jamie's house to pick up a crib for my sister and visit for a little bit. We had just enough time to go change our clothes and head over to Alicia's baptism. She married my cousin Jake (Jessica's older brother) in Nov. of 2007. I am so glad we made it to her baptism. She is such a sweet girl and I am so happy for her and Jake to be on their way to being sealed in the Temple. After the baptism we went and changed our clothes again so that we could so to the performance of "The Price of Freedom". We hurried and ate dinner, took the kids to Penny and Deans house for Hayden to babysit and then made our way over to the Mesa Arts Center. We were 15 minutes late but the performance was awesome! Basically it was 5 women and 4 men. They each were representing a person whose life was effected by WW2 (whose wasn't back then?) They read real letters that were written from mother to son, son to mother, brother to brother, friend to friend, girlfriend to boyfriend and they sang songs to go along with it. It was very moving. I heard men around me sniffling. It really brought to light the sacrifices made my those who have fought (and those who continue to fight) for our freedom and those who love them. At the end, the performers were given a standing ovation, but I had a sense that the audience was clapping more for the people the performers represented. I know I was. My Grandpa Newbold who fought in the Philippines during WW2 was sitting 4 seats down from me and I know that when I stood up to clap with tears in my eyes they were for him and all he went through. On the way home he told us about hiking through rice patties and fields of sugar cane with his huge pack on his back, not knowing where they'd be sleeping that night. He also said that the Filipinos would use their dead and create booby traps...so they left the dead for those trained to detonate the traps. My Grandpa doesn't talk much about the war...just little bits at a time. After seeing some of the footage Saturday night I realize a little more just how much he went through.

Sunday, we went to church with my Grandpa. Then came home, had dinner and hit the road to come home to Snowflake!

So far, this week has been good. The highlight for me was my birthday! I got so many phone calls and birthday wishes! I loved it when my mother in law called me and sang "Happy Birthday" to me! :) The kids and I had a "picnic" (Sonic) at the park and played there for about an hour! Brandon cooked dinner (BBQ chicken, baked potatoes, grilled squash and salad!) he also cleaned up! We and Angel Food cake with Cool Whip and Hansen kiwi-strawberry soda for dessert!

My new washer and dryer are hooked up now! I wonder hwo long having new appliances will keep me motivated to do the laundry!?

Well...Weston is crying. He doesn't like it when I am on the computer...so, I better go!

...true heartbreak...

This isn't about my niece...but it's about a sweet baby girl and her amazing family. It's hard to read...hard to comprehend what they must be going through at this very moment...I read about baby Gracie on Angela's blog.

I loved Angie's post because I think everyone needs to hear what a grieving heart sounds like so that you can know what it needs and although it may feel awkward...so that you can know how to "help".

Gracie's family went from hope to despair in a matter of days. She would be a year old this month, but after having a heart transplant that didn't "take", her family had to face the reality that she wasn't going to make it. She passed away yesterday.

I have to be honest... all these babies dying makes me want to never have another one. The fear of lose just makes me want to stop at 3...but I guess when I think about it, the truth is, I already have so much that I could lose. I have a wonderful husband and 3 beautiful children who could be taken away from me at anytime. I don't know what the Lord has in store. If it ends up being part of His plan that I suffer the pain that I have watched Angie and others go through...I just don't know if I will be able to do it. I don't want to find out if I could! I try to think of what the "moral of the story" is for me. What can I learn from their pain? Today, I think it is to not be afraid. Now, I am not saying I am ready to have another baby or anything. I just think that there's so much to be afraid of...I am mostly afraid that I am not a good enough mom...that my kids will somehow grow up to resent me and that I wont live worthy of the Eternal Family that I want so badly. Nothing could be worse.

...Anways...somehow I have turned this post into being about me. What I really wanted to say was that you should visit Angie's and Gracie's blogs and then just love on your kids because they really are precious gifts from God!

I'm still waiting.....

I got on the computer so that I could see if anyone sent out an email or updated their blog with info. about Jewel...but NO SUCH LUCK! As of about 7 p.m. last night, when I talked to her dad last, she was out walking stairs at the mall to get her labor going stronger....so I don't know if things just stopped or if my little great nephew is HERE! The suspense is KILLING me! I would call Jewel or Pam...but what if she's in the middle of pushing right now? Oh well....I'll just continue to wait....*sigh*

Exciting!

My niece Jewel is in labor! She will hopefully have her little boy (my 1st great nephew!) today! I am sorta hoping that things slow down until midnight so that he can be born on my birthday though! :) I can't wait to see him and I am SO excited for Jewel and Steve...and Pam! She's going to be a grandma!