From one year to the next

I am not sure how it is the end of the year already. It is hard to believe that 365 days have passed since the last year at this time. It is always kind of weird to me that from one day to the next we have changed years. One moment it is 2008 and the very next moment is 2009.

Last year on New Years Eve we were all in bed early. We were all VERY sick and we just kept passing it around to each other. It was miserable. The year before we were in Chicago just our little family. We just had gotten back in town that day from being with family. We rang in the New Year together and made candy cane popcorn. It was so fun. Just us. It has since been one of my most favorite New Years Eve.

This year we are having a little family party. Lots of snacks and treats. Lots of games and lots of fun. Our grub for the night...
PW Queso Dip
Bufallo Chicken Dip
Bacon Cup Thingy's
Little Weinies
Chips and Salsa and Guac
Veggies and dip
Rye Bread and dill dip
Fruit Pizza
BTS cake
and a Chocolate Peanut Butter Fondue with Fruit, Marshmallows and cake {We are going to try out chocolate fountain out tonight! We have only had it for 3 years!}

I absolutely loved 2008. Although I was sick for most of it due to a rather interesting pregnancy, I still loved it. Each year we have had as a couple has just gotten better and better. 2008 was a year of great family time, stable job, making our house and home, having a sweet baby, learning and growing together and constantly on the move.

I have great hopes for 2009. I have hopes for a healthy family {no pregnancy here}, continued growth for us all physically, mentally and spiritually. I have great hopes to loose my mommy tummy as well as 30 pounds. I have hopes of reading my scriptures more and by my birthday. I have hopes for being to actually being able to say no to things. To have enriching family nights. To teach my children the important things. To have fun with our children. Oh, and the list goes on and on. And I hope I can finally download some pictures to post on here and catch up on my blogging!

I hope you all have a safe and happy New Years Eve and that whatever goals and resolutions you may make this year you will be able to accomplish them and beyond!

Two updates...

Andy dug and dug the day after Thanksgiving...13 hours to be exact. Frozen ground + too small shovel+little man power=not getting the couch in the basement!

I am not sure if I have actually posted on here, but we did get our couch into our basement! I am so surprised by how many of you have been so concerned by this. I had over 5 people ask about them in the Christmas cards and have had several emails. All I can say is now I am wishing we would have chose the walk out basement, but those things creep me out!My brother Kyle and his vast amount of tools came to the rescue and after about an hour of digging the decided to just cut the well to the window in half and then after the couch was in just put it back together with some tools and stuff(no idea), but it worked! Kyle got a whole cheesecake to take home. That was the least I could do to get our couch in the house FINALLY!!!

I mentioned a few months ago that we have a million dollar baby. Paxtons stay in the hospital was not cheap. That being said, there is NO dollar amount you could put on your baby's health, so I am not complaining. It was just absurd how expensive it was. Over 200,000 grand! After it was all said and done, we were responsible for a large amount. Over 30 thousand dollars. Well after calling the insurance company and talking the hospital, we got our final bill yesterday. Six hundred and forty two dollars. We do still owe to two other hospitals, but I have to say getting that bill brought tears to my eyes. It is amazing what having faith and paying your tithing will do! I think we will get away with owing around 5 thousand and that is including both of us! That is far from what we were needing to pay in the first place. I feel so grateful being blessed as much as I am.

Another funny update...I have mentioned that I have been getting a whole new mouth thanks to my hubby, the dentist! We have three sides done. We only need to do one more side and the front. That is what I am dredding. A needle in the front of the mouth is NO good! Anyway he needed to make an impression so instead of me going into the office he brought the office to me. This brings a whole new meaning of bringing your work home. I walked upstairs and it was all laid out ready for me. I was shocked! It all worked out now and I have a beautiful new white bridge to show for it!

Today

Three years ago today, my life changed forever. My life changed in miraculous ways. My life changed for the better. Not only did I have a beautiful four year old little boy, but I had two precious little babies, that still make me tear up when I picture Andy bringing them over to me laying on the surgery bed. That was a moment. To think since that day three years ago today I have had two more. I am a lucky gal.

Tonight while I was putting the twins to bed, I laid down by them each individually and talked to them about the day they were born and how blessed I feel to have as my children and I will admit I shed a few tears and Cortland said "oh, mommy your sad?" I said oh no Cortland I am SO happy. "Oh you are happy mommy?" I said ah, yes you cannot imagine how happy I am. He then said, ok, good night. I just love that boy so much. While putting Jadeyn to bed I told her how much I love her and how three years ago she made me the happiest mommy in the world. All she said back was, yeah mom you love me. I know she cannot possibly know how much I really love her, but I am so happy that she has an idea.

I will sure have more about their parties and special birthday traditions we have done this weekend. Those will be up soon.

J and C, you are my everything, ( wait is that a backstreet boy song?). There is nothing in this world more important that you in my life.

Thanksgiving!

I am so mad at myself for not taking pictures during our Thanksgiving dinner at my mom and dads. I am so mad. My mom goes all out. There is normally about 25 family members at her home for T day and we all eat on her good china, including my kids! It is so fun and she has it all set up so nicely and all her beautiful Christmas decor out! It is just so fun. The meal was amazing and I am still craving my grandmas stuffing. After the dinner was done, we retire to the table to check out the ads for the next day. I didn't find too many things I had to have, and certainly not if I had to get out of bed at 4 am!

During the day, I made my mashed potatoes, and yummy yams and we watched the parade and made some treats to celebrate the day! So cute! We had a really good day, we sure have a lot to be thankful for!

Jadeyn and Cortland think the stocking are really socks...it is so funny!

moments

so i was sitting on the couch feeding little paxton and i see bennett holding jadeyn. so cute. he is not that much bigger than her. she has an ouie and he is tapping it and i ask him why he is doing that and he proceeds to tell me that when he gets ouies he taps them and then they don't hurt. how nice of him to help her in her time of need...so.darn.cute.

i hear cortland at the table eating a peppermint stick that was just dropped off with a bunch of treats with a card attached reading you are loved, and he is telling daddy his candy corn fell in his water. all candy to him and jadeyn and maddox is candy corn. i may or may not have bribed them with to their beds for nap time during the last two weeks of my pregnancy with candy corns...shh do not tell my husband the dentist!

andy is "hosing" down maddox after a scrumptious dinner of spaghetti.

cortland is sticky.

jadeyn and bennett have now gone downstairs to the play room.

paxton is full.

my heart is SO full with SO much joy. I AM LOVED.

This week

Just sitting here typing my title has made me realize seconds are passing and I am not up doing what I need to be doing. I feel like this week is going to be slightly stressful and very busy. I have several engagements, a house to clean, laundry to keep up with, pictures to take, crafts to make, cards to address, a basement to decorate, a guest bedroom to prepare( we visitors coming Saturday for the holiday), a twin birthday party (princess & cars), oh and keep up with four small children one being a newborn, one being a one year old and two two years (not for long). Ok now I really am stressing out. Not to mention I have to download so many pictures, which is why I haven't really blogged lately because I don't have my picture available! I have a lot to do. Not to mention I am about 4 blogs behind on here. I have a lot to catch up on. Hopefully those will be posted later on today, that is on my list for the day. If you see them on here later you will know I am keeping to my list, if you don't you will know I am lazy!

Upcoming blogs...
The couch saga...ended!
Baby shower
Basement pics
Monday Makeover...master bedroom edition
Decorating for Christmas
Andy's office party at The Melting Pot
Smiling little Paxton

PS my little Cortland is SO sweet. He is just a sweet little boy with WAY WAY much enthusiasm. When sent to time out which is hardly ever he sits there forever and does not ever get up until I tell him he can, and sometimes I forget. He sits and sits like such a good little boy. So sweet. I love that boy so much. He is also just so over joyed by his upcoming birthday and Merry Christmas which is what he refers to everything Christmas. It is so cute how very excited he is ALL the time!

doing our part to help the economy

Last night while putting all of our unwrapped gifts away, Andy said to me, "well I am sure glad we are doing our part to help the economy." Funny stuff. I personally think we keep it on the small scale as far as gifts go. We do have five kids though and dozens of family memeber we gift to. Now to wrap it all. That should be fun.

*sorry to those of you who already voted on my poll, but a few of you said they spent more than what I listed, so I altered it a little bit...happy voting!

the couch saga continues...

i am so happy so many of you get my frustrations with this whole couch situation. i have gotten over 20 emails or facebook messages or replies on my blog on whether or not we have gotten our couch into our basement. the answer is no my friends...sad i know.

it is sitting in our living room at the moment. the couch for the living room should be here any day so we are hoping the big ole sectional will be in the basement any day. we finally got a hold of the guy who is doing our basement and he said, oh we will get it down there, we have gotten a couch down there for an old lady once. well he kept telling andy he would get it in there and was supposed to be here at 1 to "get it in there". andy told him that we have tried three different times with three different groups of guys and no one has been able to do it, but he still seems to think he can.

andy spent all day friday and some of saturday digging around the window well and finally gave up claiming the well never ends. he had me believing it comes out at the other end of the world. it is that deep he thinks. his poor back, legs and arms are killing him. what a trooper. he apparently really loves this couch.

anyway, we are hoping that guy can come and magically get it down there. whatever it takes he said, even if he had to rough up the house, he could just fix it. i am pretty sure it would rough up the couch before it would rough up the house, but we will see. hopefully the next update on the couch will be that it is down in the basement and will be for the life of the home...when we sell it will say something like free couch with purchase...lucky new homeowners!

on my to do list

today i had to do...
go to bed bath and beyond and take back curtains
go to sam's and get tire pressure checked on my armada
go to walmart
go to goodwill and drop off two bags of clothes
go to the bank and deposit my Christmas club check from my grandma and grandpa
organize my craft room which looks like two homes combined all their junk and threw it in their
hang two sets of curtains
hang up bathroom fixtures in basement
hang up shower curtain in bathroom and rod
hang up curtains in guest bedroom
sand a table
paint a table
paint stars
paint two chairs
cheer andy on while digging a huge whole in our yard for that darn couch
put up Christmas stuff
make cookies for YW who helped me weeks ago
fold, hang up and put away loads upon loads of laundry
clean and vacuum both cars
finish the twins birthday invites
start Christmas cards
start dozens of crafts

Things I got done...
it is too depressing to write, to say the least no too many of the above jobs were completed today

oh and andy wanted to see a movie and we can NEVER find a babysitter!

gratitude IIII

I have to say being in Andy's family has some HUGE advantages. Being one of 11 children, can be so much fun. Not that everyone has all been together at once yet, but still...so much fun.

My sister in laws are so awesome. They are some of my very best friends. I totally lucked out. Michelle, Brandon's wife, and I can talk for hours. We have some of the same exact ways of parenting and see eye to eye on a lot of things with our children which is hard to find sometimes. I have known her for a long time. I am so grateful for her in my life. She is such a great example to me and I am better for knowing her.

Paige, Brian's wife, I talk to just about everyday. We instant message each other. She has been there for me for a lot of things. It is so nice I can just sit down to my computer and ask her whatever I need to know. I often refer to her as Dr. English. I ask her everything and she always has an answer. This girl is as smart as it comes, and I fully take advantage of it. I do not think I would even know how to email if it weren't for her, much less instant message, facebook and blog! She is a blessing that I am so grateful for and know I am the one that got lucky out of our friendship! Plus she has talked with Edward...had a date with him actually. Check her blog!

Saraih is Jake's wife. When I read her blog I am so impressed by her. When we visit of talk on the phone I always am left thinking, she is amazing. She is a good mom and has a lot on her plate and she is always on top of things. She is able to handle so many things thrown at her and I am so grateful she has such a great attitude even when she is sick or her kids are sick of her husband is out of town. And she is one crafty little lady and fits crafts in all the time even with three small children.

Sarah, is Matt's wife. When Matt was dating Sarah all he would ever tell us was that she was just like me. I was so eager to meet her and see what she was like. Sarah is such a sweet mom and such a good mom to their little girl. Diana is so cute and I love checking the pictures that Sarah puts on their site. Sarah and I do have a lot of the same ideals. I have recently found out that she has a love affair with clorox wipes a lot like my own! I hope to see her more and more and be able to continue our relationship more in person. She is a great gal and I am grateful for her in our family.

Gloria, the newest additions:), is Adams wife. I love this girl. She is spunky and sweet and fun to be with. Since they have moved closer we have been able to see them more and get to know each other better. They are staying with us for Christmas and we are so excited about it. She went to school for teaching and you can just tell she is an amazing teacher. She is always concerned about doing what is right and is such a sweet mom to her darling little boy Jordan. I am lucky they live close to us so we will be able to see each other a lot and get to know each other even better!

Michelle, Andy's sister, is such a great friend. I have known this girl since she was little little. I cannot believe the woman she has grown up to be. She is one of the best mom's I know. She is so good with her girls. She is patient and kind. I owe so much to her for all the help she has given our family. She is so willing to watch my kiddos. All of them. And there isn't anyone I'd rather them be with. I am lucky we live near each other. We have such a great relationship and she is one of my best friends.

Nicole, Andy's sister, was such a huge help over the summer. She is always willing to get in there and help out in whatever way needed. She doesn't wait to be asked. She is so great with my kids and shows them constantly how much she loves them. She is so good with them. We love talking with her and see how her life is at the Y. We miss having her here, but are so grateful she gets to have the BYU experience. She is a wonderful young lady and we are so grateful to have her in this family.

Cherise, Andy's sister, is so high spirited and kind. We love having her around here. It was so fun her senior year of high school to have her hanging around a lot. Every time we would ask her if she wanted to do something with her friends she always said she rather be with us. It was always a party when she was here. Always fun. She went away to BYU-I this semester and is already engaged. I cannot believe it. We love her so much and cannot wait to see her soon. Her fiance is staying with us over Christmas so I am sure we will see lots of her too, can't wait!

Last, but not least, Cami. What a little cutie she is. My kids adore this girl. Bennett's whole life has revolved around Cami. He absolutely loves this girls and my other children have followed suit. They all love her and she is so helpful and loves to play with the kids and read them stories. We love having her here. She is actually downstairs with the kids right now as I type this. I love this girl. I am so grateful for be here and watch her grow up. She is such a treat!

So as you can see I am blessed. Not only do I have Andy as my husband, but marrying him not only did I get the sister I always wanted, but I got NINE! I am a lucky lady I tell ya!

busy work

man oh man i tell ya. ever since i have NOT been pregnant anymore and after a few weeks or recovery, i have had so much energy. probably just a normal amount, but after so many months of doing nothing i feel like i am doing so much. i am so happy my love for cooking a baking and crafting has come back.

what i am really excited about it my new craft room. i have so many crafts i am working on. so many. i have about 10 things i am going to do not counting the twins birthday invites. i am working on a craft i started at super saturday, i am working a darling teacher gift, i am working little gifts i am sending to everyone in andy's family. should be fun. i am going to stay up in the wee hours of the morning tonight to get my craft room done so i can have my own personal space by tomorrow! woohoo!! let the crafts begin.

"I am one stomach flu away from my goal weight..."

Today is my lucky day! After a rough morning with all four older kids sick, I had Andy come home. Once he got here I told him after lunch he could go back because I could handle it, they seemed to be getting better. He went back and his sweet patient that apparently was in a lot of pain sent me flowers for allowing him to come back to work. Wow what a nice lady. A day that started out with the nasty smell of sick kids ended with a lovely smell of beautiful flowers. What a cute vase too! A little acorn! I am a lucky woman. Have any of you ever sent your dentist, much less dentist's wife flowers before? I have never. I am liking it though...

Name that movie?

Yesterday Bennett came home from church and took a nap...odd. He woke up and threw up. Nice. In my eight years of being a parent I have never had a child throw up. Why did it have to start.

He went to bed and was just as white as a ghost and threw up about 20 times. Poor guy, I felt so bad for him. He couldn't eat anything. I told him he had to get better to go to school because he was off most the week and would want to go these two days. He woke up and came into my room with his clothes on, coat and backpack on his back. I asked him if he felt better and he said no and I asked why he got ready and he said because I wanted him to go to school. Honestly even if he wasn't sick this poor kid threw up so much yesterday that I wouldn't want to go to school either it had to wear him out. So he took off his coat and bag and went back to bed.

I had to get up and get ready for Paxton's 2 month check up and then I was going to go to the dentist. I got ready, fed the baby and went into to get Maddox out. All three of the kids were being so quiet. I walked into Maddox's room and he wasn't there as I inspected closer I noticed there was throw up all over his sheets. Bennett got him out and cleaned him up he said, but he jammies were still gross all with his pants at his ankles.

I then went to Cortland's room and he very excitedly showed me chunks...gross I know, sorry to not spare you the details. He obviously did it in his sleep because he had no clue what is was, where it came from or that he did it. Next was Jadeyn and the poor girl was just beside her self. She was holding her mouth saying, "I don't want it mama", I felt so bad for her. They are just still too young to know what to do when it happens and to explain what is going on.

They obviously would not eat anything. Luckily I had Andy's mom coming over to watch the kids while I was gone. When she walked in I told her I would not blame her if she wanted to leave and she graciously accepted the nasty duty.

I left making it in time for Paxton's two month check up. He weighs 10 pounds now. He is kind of on the little side. His head is still in the 46 percentile which is so tiny compared to Bennett's head, but then again Bennett still weighed a pound more than Paxton at birth compared to Pax at two months, so it shouldn't surprise me. Poor little Paxton got 4 shots. I felt so bad he was laying there cooing and smiling at me, which is my most favorite thing in the world and then in comes the needles. He survived and off to Target we went.

I went to Target and got some Pedilyte and too many other things too. I always seem to spend way too much money there. I should ban myself from there completely, but it is like a drug to me!

We got home and Andy was here for lunch to help get the laundry going, sanitize the house and put kids down for naps with me. They haven't been sick yet again today so that is nice. I am happy to get things back to normal. My house smells of lysol, clorox wipes and room fresheners.

Last night I woke up once and thought I was going to throw up myself and luckily did not. I was so mad and didn't want to get sick and then thought of Devil Wears Prada where she says, I am one stomach flu away from my ideal weight and I literally thought to myself, maybe the stomach flu wouldn't be all that bad. I am crazy I know. Although it would be more like I am four stomach flu's away from my goal weight.

I never thought I would blog about throw up, but I guess it was bound to happen when you have 7 people living under one roof! So I am off to sanitize a little more while listening to my new Abba CD thanks to Target. What a love hate relationship I have with them!

My family...thankful III

I am talking about my parents, grandparents, aunts uncles cousins. I sound like one of Bennett's prayers that is always how he starts his prayers off.



My mom and dad are such good parents. They still are so involved and love their children so much and have always instilled in us the importance of families and our little family in particular. We always had dinner around the family table even though my brother and I always had stuff going on. We had the basics down to a good family and I am so grateful for that.



A few things that I am just so thankful for are how supportive my family has always been to my brother and I. I was so active. I danced, cheerleaded, was in the band, took piano lessons, ice skated, was in the orchestra, swing choir, concert choir, took french horn lessons for 17 years, was in all the plays and musicals, voice lessons, played soft ball for many year, played soccer, ran track even though I was horrible at it and they never missed on recital, concert or game. Sometime I would get so embarrassed by there incessant screams at my games, but I was always so grateful for their support. On top of that they never missed one of Kyles games either. He played baseball, football, soccer, ran track and was good at it, and just about every other sport you can think of. Plus he played in college and they went to all of those games too. These games were in different states. That always meant so much to me. I was always so grateful to know the things that were important to me, meant something to them as well. I felt very lucky for that in my life.



We always took family vacations even if the money was tight. That was always so fun and till this day we still talk about the funny things that have happened while we were on vacation. Good times I tell ya.



I never once worried as a child. I think so many parents let their worries conflict their children and they never did that with me. I have always been so grateful for that too.



I feel so fortunate this day for my parents. They are some of my best friends. I love how much they love my children. My children are so lucky to have them in their lives. What a blessing that is. I have never seen grandparents more in love I tell ya.



Thanks mom and dad for always being there, for being good parents and instilling in my the desire to be a parent myself. Words could not describe my gratitude.





I have been so grateful my whole life living around my extended family. I cannot imagine it any other way. I have always lived by my grandparents and had always had the best relationship with the both of them. [I will have a post in the near feature talking about my grandparents.] I never knew growing up how lucky I was to live close to both sets of grandparents. I soon realized when I got older that not many people at all live near their grandparents or even had grandparent's living. I even had great grandparents most of my childhood life. I really was so blessed. I have so many memories with them. I am grateful for that.

I have even always lived near my aunts, uncles, and cousins. I have really good strong relationships with them all. I cannot believe how lucky I am.

I am so grateful for my family. What a blessing it is to have them near me again since we have moved home. Growing up every holiday was about being with family and we have that again. I love every ounce of family time.

Friends part II

I could go on and on about friends, but I only have a week so I have to be selective. I wish I could talk about my awesome friends from high school or my sweet friends from Provo, that we still miss and we haven't lived there for 9 years. I wish I could also talk about all my amazing friends in Chicago. There are SO many!



I have a friend in Chicago that I honestly think is an angel. She would be so embarrassed if she is reading this. I will not mention her name and if you think you know her, please don't embarrass her. She is so humble and sweet. I just have to share these things for my personal sake. I want this written down to be remembered forever.



I don't even know where to start. I am seriously tearing up thinking about where to start. My friend is amazing. She is so smart and one of the nicest people you will ever meet. She is so caring and comforting. I am so lucky to call her friend. There are so many things that she has done for our family that I couldn't even name them all, but I will share some special moments around the time Maddox was born.



So we were poor little dental school kids expecting our fourth surprise child. I was stressed. She always knew what to say to make me feel so grateful and lucky. Right before I was going to have Maddox I was so stressed out who to leave the three kids with while I had him. I didn't want to stress anyone out. She offered to keep them and it was so comforting. I was so grateful. I have a hard time asking anyone to watch so many children especially 12 month old twins. I felt so comfortable having her watch them. We dropped them off and I didn't think about them once after that. Normally I am so nervous to leave them that I would just worry myself sick and she is that kind of person where you just don't worry, she is that awesome.



I had Maddox and we all got home. The next day she knocks on our door and brings in hundreds of groceries. I am talking anything and everything. And fun things that being in dental school we wouldn't buy. Things that are prepared that you just warm up type of things. Diapers like you would not believe and formula. That was one of the sweetest things anyone had ever done for us.



Now let me say that our fridge and freezer was FULL. So full it would not close almost. Putting the groceries away just made me cry. I could not believe that anyone could be so generous. She had no clue that just a few hours before Andy and I were in our room discussing the fact that our loan for that semester had not come in and wouldn't for another week or so. We had to call our landlord upstairs and tell him and he was ok with that, but here we had a growing family with 4 children and no food or diapers. I said a prayer and was instantly comforted. We said many prayers in dental school for financial reasons and many times I still felt so stressed by our situation and that time I didn't. Literally minutes later she came knocking on our door. So not only is she just the sweetest person ever, but how in tune is she.



We ate that food for months. I even kept one of the freezer items in the freezer so every time I opened the freezer I would remember their generosity and would myself feel the importance of giving. That freezer item made the move with us and is in our freezer now too. I am always inspired by it.



That family has taught us so much. I hope to be like them one day. My favorite song is because I have been given much I too much give. I shall divide my gifts from thee with every brother that I see. I am so grateful for their example and "gifts". I will always remember them for so many reasons and each time I give I know that I learned from them.



One more thing I want to mention. One time they had a party at a restaurant in Chicago and hired babysitting for us. It was such great food and so much fun for us to have a little night out, which we never did. And for Andy's graduation we went to the most amazing restaurant ever. It was the best food I have ever eaten at the nicest restaurant we will EVER go to. They again hired babysitting for us and it was such a special night. It goes down in the books for being one of the best nights of our lives. It was amazing. I still smile every time I think of it and was just talking about it when we went out with my family this past weekend. It makes me giddy thinking about it.



Thanks you guys if you are reading this. Seriously we are so grateful for all the things you have done for our family. You have always been in our prayers. We are so thankful for people like you making the world a better place and it is a better place because your family is in it.

A week of thanks...

This week I plan on taking each day on my blog and writing about something I am grateful for. And today I want to start by talking about friends.

I have always been blessed in my life with really good friends. I feel very fortunate for this and have always realized what a blessing that is. I remember being in junior high and being sad to move onto high school and thinking there is NO way I will have better friends ever in my life than I do in junior high school. I moved onto high school and literally had the best girl friends in the world. I thought the same when I went to college, it would be impossible to have as good of friends in college as I did in high school and sure enough I found great amazing friends.

Today the one friend I would like to focus on is a friend from Chicago. I had some really great friends there. I feel so blessed to call so many ladies there my really good friends.

When we moved into the Chicago ward at church I wasn't sure I would find any friends that I really liked, like the ones in Provo. I just decided it was up to me to find friends and if I wanted good friends here I would have to put forth the effort. I went to Enrichment night and looked down the table and saw a familiar face. I could have swore it was my best friend growing up, Jodi. As I got closer it wasn't. I knew it wasn't her, but it sure looked just like her. I introduced myself and told her the similarities she had to my friend and I am sure she wondered what kind of crazy lady she was talking to.

About a month later this sweet lady called me and asked if I would be interested in coming over to her home and can some pickles. Ok first, I am not sure if anyone knows of my love for pickles, but I REALLY love pickles, so of course I said yes. And I was dying for a friend so I was so excited to get to know her better.

At the time we only had Bennett so I packed him up and over to Lincoln Park we went. Her home was just beautiful. I am talking homes you see in movies or magazines and the most amazing part of the home were two things, the kitchen and the warm feeling you had by being there. This kitchen was just amazing. I wish I had pictures, which I wouldn't post for her privacy, but I would like to have pictures for memories myself:). They were also just finishing up the remodel in there. It was really fun to see the before and afters.

I got there and we instantly hit it off. She is just so kind and makes you feel so comfortable. We talked and talked and talked. I knew instantly that she would go down in the books for just a really good friend and person. She has. At the time she was expecting and I wanted to be. I talked to her for many hours about that and she was so helpful and giving me lots of pointers and information. I still think she has some part in getting my twins here. I think of her often when I think of them and am so grateful for her advice and inspiration.

From our day canning we got together many other times. While I was there canning she asked many questions about dental school. We were new to the whole dental school and still so nervous about how it was all going to work out. Living downtown going to dental school was not cheap. The semester loan they would give us was about 1200 dollars short of what we needed to pay rent for the semester and that was just for rent not including food, car, etc., etc.,. A few weeks later she called me and asked if I would be interested in watching their darling little girl while she ran errands a few times a week. Of course I would, she was so sweet the perfect little girl. I did that for a while and it was so fun and we made just the right amount to pay our monthly expenses. What a blessing it was, all over a few jars of pickles.

I remember one time going over to prepare her home for a big dinner her husbands office was having at their home and it was so fun. We cleaned and made home made ice cream. Set the table all nicely. It was so fun. We ended up not having one fork to complete the setting so we put out the serving fork for her husband. I don't think he used it, but still to this day when I think of that and him eating with that huge fork I laugh out loud...so funny.

Anyway, there are so many friends that come into your life. It is so neat when you get one that really makes a big difference. She and her husband really changed our lives in ways they could never possibly know. We know it and are so grateful for their friendliness and for a great pickle recipe. Who knows where we'd be without it!

I love Edward

I love the whole Cullen Clan...I loved the movie. I loved it. I think I have a mom crush on Robert P. Hmm, did I just admit that?

my dad

a little blog here just asking for prayers for my sweet dad. poor guy is going through some "stuff". not to cast my problems, or his, before the blogging world, but i know and have seen some amazing things through the "power" of blogging done so i thought i would just ask for a few prayers. i feel like i have been doing a lot of that lately. paxton and now my dad.

10 years ago while i was in college he had a heart attack. that was hard, harder on me than him i think. years later he ran into a fence during a softball game coming into home and cracked his head open getting hundreds of stitches. he then found out a few years ago that he has a rare type of cancer. this again isn't as bad as it seems, some bad side effects, but the kind of cancer you die with and not from, so that is good, as good as cancer gets i suppose. there aren't any treatments you just deal with it. 6 months ago he had a blood clot in his heart and it was relieved literally seconds before it would have been too late. now last week he had a stroke. not the kind of stroke i think of when i hear of stroke, but an eye stroke. still not good, but the only thing it effected was his sight in one eye. after getting some blood labs back looks like he has some number WAY too high so now he is going back to an oncologist.

the poor guy has always had a pretty positive attitude about it all, but enough is enough already. i know what it is like just to have a cold and that is all you think about, i cannot imagine the stress he may be feeling. so that is where all my friends come in. i would really appreciate all the prayers we can get. if you are into that sort of thing, please keep him in your prayers. it would mean so much.

These 'TWO"

will be three next month...

how can that be...i am tearing up a little bit making their invites...my babies, not quite babies anymore...

around the house

{these three are best friends}

{he is SO skinny}
{i honeslty do not think i could feel more blessed, these children are mine, how am i so lucky}

{pretty girl on the new couch that will not fit in the basement}

{big boy in his chair}

{maddox loving daddy's coat}

{maddox LOVES this baby}

{these two are inseperable}

{a new dress from grandma...she is so cute in all her dresses, but this one is just so sweet}

My little one

Paxton is getting so big. Well actually he is not getting big, he is getting old. He still looks so tiny and little to me, which I love, what are the chances that could last for about 18 years? He is so fun and still so good. I cannot believe he is TWO months young.

Here is what he is up to...

He sleeps a lot, I mean A LOT!

Holds his head up really well

Is beginning to smile a lot

He is still a really good eater

Sleeping 9 hours a night

He doesn't complain when the kids maul him, which is always

He is such a pleasure to have in our home

I couldn't be in love more...

I love how huge the binky looks in his mouth

He shoots...

He scores!!!!Bennet played soccer again this year. This was his second year playing. When the season started off he didn't seem to interested. It also happen to be the week I was in the hospital. My dad took him and said he seemed to not even want to be there. I was pretty sure it had to do with all the uncertainty in his life at the time.

Sure enough the next week he all of a sudden became a huge assett to the team. In fact he scored the most goals on his team for the season. Sometimes up to 5 goals a game. Even the coach at the end of the year party said, Bennett you were the biggest surprise of the season.

I am so happy for him. You could totally tell he was so pleased with himself throughout this season. I would normally have to stay home with the baby and he would come home and be so excited to tell me how it went.


Now we will have to wait till next season. Until then, good bye soccer...hello cold weather!

Halloween...finally

{Bennett did the skeleton pumpkin himself...pretty good if you ask me}

Oh boy, did the kids love Halloween. In the morning when they woke up Cortland instantly said so sweet, "it's a happy Halloween". He has pretty much said that every morning since.

They kids had a fun day. I had my 6 week check up and got the ok to start working out. I then went to Bennett's school party. We had Papa Murphy's jack-o-lantern pizza and off we were for a night of trick or treating.

It was just so cute watching them walk up to each home. They got quite the haul too. Our neighborhood is the GREATEST 'hood for trick or treating. Every one goes all out. They have hay rides. Every one decorates and lets talk about the good candy. What happen to smarties and sprees? I guess those were the days gone by because my kids pretty much got ALL chocolate candy bars with MANY MANY FULL SIZE!!!! Luckily Bennett's teacher asked for candy donations for the treasure box. My kids are not really into candy other than a sucker. They ate some candy Halloween night and have not touched it since. Andy and I are happy we shipped it off to the teacher, because let's just say...we loved the candy.

{This is not the best photo, but I love how J has her arm around C...so sweet.}

{My little tasty banana}

{Cortland the monkey with a major ouchie}

{the two monkey's with there banana}

{these two walked around like this all night just chatting away, not really interested in the candy, just enjoying eachothers company}

{daddy and maddy}
{some more halloweenie food}

{biscuts, with sloppy joes and jack-o-lantern cheese}
{our dinner in the pumpkin it was SOOOOO tasty!}