More changes....

So, even with the FANTASTIC news that we get to stay in our apartment, I have been a bit crabby lately...Think I need some Vitamin D..(On my shopping list for the next time I am in Williston!)
Anyway..We have changed our mind about Cierra's homeschooling..Not about whether or not we will continue, but about what we are using as a curriculum. At the end of January, when we have a little more money, we are ordering the A Beka book (http://www.abeka.com/ )curriculum. I am excited to try it. I am also greatful to know some people who homeschool, and to have read soo many blogs about homeschooling before I started, otherwise, I might see this change as a failure. Instead, I know that this probably wont be the last time I make huge changes, and that it is a perfectly normal part of being new to homeschooling! Woody and I talked a lot about this change, as it is nearly 400 dollars to get started, and we have to think about the fact that it might not work. We feel strongly that this will be yet another positive change for us.
We have also decided to start a very simple preschool program for Blayke. THIS for sure will try my patience, but he has been asking for us to do "school" with him also. It is going to be a very simple program, but I am excited for it as well. (Here is a link, if you are looking for something to do with your young'uns. http://www.letteroftheweek.com/index.html)
What else?? Hmm..Konnor is pulling himself to a standing position...Which means lots of falling down. How did we get to him being 8 months old already?!
Woody is liking his job still. Mostly. I love having him home at a DECENT hour.
Life is good. I just need to stop being so dang CRABBY!

HERE IT COMES!

2011 is RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER! And the question on MY mind?! **Where the heck did 2010 go?!** This year has been a good year for us here in the Merrell house! Well, mostly good. And I figure if you can say you had a "mostly good" year, life is going pretty well!
This year we: Moved from Fairview, Montana to Watford City, North Dakota. Celebrated Cierras 6th birthday. Welcomed sweet baby Konnor to our family. Decided to homeschool Cierra. Changed jobs. Visited Idaho. (Woody) Changed our minds about homeschool. Met the always awesome Mackenzies! Decided again to homeschool. Switched to cloth diapers. Celebrated Blaykes 3rd birthday. Met the super sweet Ericksons. Visited Idaho again. Got evicted from our apartment. Potty trained Blayke. Had an amazing Christmas. And just today: We found out we are going to be able to stay in our apartment! WAHOO! This year involved a lot of spiritual growth, not only for me, but for our family. We are doing very well, and were truly blessed this year.
We don't necessarily believe in 'resolutions', but since we should be an ever progressing people, we have set some goals for the new year. (I guess that is basically like setting a resolution, right?) Anyway, we are working hard on going to the Temple,and teaching our children the things of the Gospel. My personal goal? To work on my patience. I am often quick tempered, even with my kids, and I don't want to be. We are also working on a more effective form of discipline. I would also love to find the time to learn to sew, and to workout regularly. (Not even necessarily to lose weight, but because I think it would be very therapeutic to have some time away..Even if it is only a half an hour 3 times a week...)
I hope each one of you have a blessed 2011!

Merry Christmas!!

Well friends, it is here..Christmas!! We had a fantastic time this season learning of Christ's birth and ministry. I was wondering if any of it had sunk in to Cierra. Well, that question got answered last night while the Missionaries were here for supper. It was nice to know that all of our efforts to teach her the true meaning and reason for Christmas were in vain!!
Woody and I were up late last night, getting stockings ready and the last few gifts set out! I think I was at least as excited as the kids were and had a terrible time getting anything that resembled sleep last night. When the kids woke up..(With only a little bit of momys assistance!) They came down to their loaded stockings. However, before they were allowed to do anything with THEIR presents, we made them write (Blayke drew) what they were going to give Christ for his birthday this year. Then we tore in. I wont go into every detail, but there were a few funny moments. Blayke asked with every one of his gifts, "Can I open this?!" and then, upon opening it, "OOOOOHHHH NICE!" When Cierra got her Barbie and The Diamond Castle movie, (the ONE thing she REALLY wanted!) She said, "Santa is a good man afterall!" BAHAHA! I wonder what she would have thought had Santa forgot the movie!

Friends, it was so wonderful to start a lot of new, fun traditions with my family this year. It was fun getting the kids gifts that we knew they wanted. But teaching them of our Savior, of his life and eventual sacrifice for us was just so amazing. I learned as much as I taught. We are so blessed. I would like to bear my testimony that I know our Savior lives. That he was born to Mary in a manger, and that he is, without a doubt, our Redeemer. I am thankful for this knowledge, and am so blessed to have my wonderful kids to teach all about it... I hope all of your hearts are full this Christmas day!! We love and miss those that we couldn't see this season.

SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK!!!...(And the childless!)

I am tired. Constantly. Why? Well, I have an infant who believes that sleep is for the weak! I have done everything I know how, and there is one final drastic measure that I am preparing myself to take. See, we co sleep...As soon as we get a play pen, he is goin' in it! I am tired. I tried eliminating things, to make sure he was not getting a tummy ache, I tried for 2 EXCRUTIATING weeks to eliminate caffeine...Nothing changed. And lets be real, I drank caffeine for most of my pregnancy and since he was born...I doubt the kid has a sensitivity! So, it has come to a time that I will end our bedsharing.....Cross your fingers for me. If you have met my 3 year old, you know, I NEED SLEEP!!!!!!

It is almost Christmas!!

It is truly, The most wonderful time of the year! We are very excited for Christmas this year. Woody gets it off! YAY!! (He missed Christmas last year.) We are having the missionaries for supper Christmas Eve, and when they leave, we are going to haul our TV downstairs, snuggle ourselves up under blankets, and watch "A Christmas Story", eat popcorn, and drink cocoa. Then Daddy will open his present from the children. They got him a beautiful copy of "T'was The Night Before Christmas". We will put out the "reindeer food" (Oatmeal which we will mix with 'magical' glitter) and Santa's cookies. (This year, Santa is getting picky. He requested chocolate white chip cookies and chocolate chip cookies with egg nog!) We want Santa to leave us good stuff, so we will fulfill his wish!! ;)
The only thing leaving me a bit stressed is that we ordered 99 percent of Christmas online, including my brother- and sister-in-laws gift. (We drew them in the family drawing.) They have yet to get theirs, and I haven't gotten 2 of my orders...One of which is REALLY stressing me out, as it is Blaykes Mack truck from the movie Cars. It is so cool, it is a carrier for all of his Cars cars. (Which he is getting for Christmas). I was really excited about finding it, and will be super bummed if, for some reason, we don't get it.
The kids are THRILLED. Cierra is trying to guess what the presents are that are under the tree, Blayke has tried to open a few already, and Konnor loves to rip my decorations off. (Surprisingly enough, they haven't managed to knock the tree over. Yet. **Knocks on wood**) We tried not to go over board. We have tried to make Christmas very Christ centered. But, at the same time, I want my kids to have all of the fun memories that I don't have. We have made construction paper garland, ornaments, sugar cookies and letters to Santa. They have seen Santa twice. We have listened to Christmas music, and watched Christmas movies. We have been working on The Story Of Christmas, which is also our advent calendar. It has been a busy season for us, and I am glad that we are on "Christmas Break" this week.

On another note, here is a slight update: Our housing situation hasn't changed. We will likely end up living with friends for a while, as we have decided that me moving to Idaho without Woody is just not an option. Cierra loves homeschool, and is progressing nicely. Blayke is finally potty trained! Even at night. YAY! Konnor is VERY mobile, and is trying to pull himself up onto things and is into EVERYTHING! Woody loves his new job! (I love that he isn't on the road, and is home by 9 every night. Usually earlier!) And me, I am just chugging along!

Well, Merry Christmas to you and yours!

http://www.danoah.com/2010/12/real-dads-dont-leave.html

I really like this article, and it really hit home for me...I have a father like #2, and so does my daughter...Sad, but if you have a minute, take a look.

Happy 4th Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary to my hubby!

You are such an amazing husband,
and wonderful Daddy!
I am so happy to be married to you!
I love you!

On our wedding day

With Cierra. She was a holy terror! LOL!

Right after Blayke was born..(I think Woody is

still wearing his hospital bracelet!)

All of us after Konnor's blessing

Christmas Pictures of the kiddo-s!

Now, again, I don't fancy myself any kind of a photographer. But I love love love taking snap-shots of my kids. And I absolutely love to play around on the very easy, very user-friendly website http://www.picnik.com/ . I just think it's fun. I took some snap-shots of my kids in their Christmas PJ's in front of the tree the other night. Konnor, of course was impossible. He had this little toy that if I dared to take from him, he FREAKED out! So, in his pictures, and the one of all 3 of them, he not only has the toy, but it is in his mouth! LOL! Blayke hates to look at the camera. He will pose, say "cheese", and do all that, but for some reason, the kid refuses to look at the camera. Cierra, as usual, had a fake cheesy smile. By the way, did I mention that this was quite the task?! But I did manage to get a few decent shots of them. And I wanted them all in black and white. I love black and white pictures! Always have! So, here they are! =)

So...here are my thoughts today

1. Why did FB delete one of my pics? Who reported it? And WHY?! Most of my pics are of my kids...I don't understand!!
2. However, on a happy note, Blayke slept in "big boy undies" last night, and woke up dry. Yep, that is right, we finally have success.
3. I really shouldn't have stayed up until 3:45 this morning reading a book...4 hours of sleep is so not enough.
4. I wonder if these contractors know what they are doing. Maybe it is just me, but they don't seem to finish anything. parts of every garage in our complex is sided. Like, one side of every garage....Seems like an odd way to do things to me...Just sayin'.
5. I am excited for Saturday! We have our ward Christmas party. It is a pajama party, and it should be oh so fun!
6. I am also excited for Christmas! But, I can't believe it is NEXT WEEK!!
7. I wonder how long it will take Konnor to crawl up the stairs, he is already trying.

Ok, that is all. I have to say, I am super bent out of shape about the Facebook picture thing...All of my albums are set to "friends only", none contain nudity, drug use or violence...One of my friends would have had to report it. SERIOUSLY! Needless to say, later tonight, my "friends" list is getting some revamping! I am frustrated as heck!

Just when you think...

That you can't possibly handle anymore, that you are, in fact, at your breaking point. That the stress must be at an end, because how could it possibly get any worse?! That it must be time for divine intervention....You will find out that it isn't up to us when He intervenes. He knows better than us exactly what we can handle. And He will show us. He will stand with us, and through the truly unbarable He will be there to carry us, but how do we learn? How do we progress without challenges? We don't. Challenges and trials are what make us greatful. They are what truly tests our faith.
That being said...I am waiting for it to get worse. I am not being pessimsitic, but I know that Woody and I are being tried. Right now, I feel as though it can't get much worse...So, I have a feeling it will. But, I know, after it gets worse, (And it may get much, much worse) It will, eventually, get better. We will look back on this time, and hopefully see God's hand. See the lessons we were supposed to learn, and be that much better for it.
No real point in this post. Just a thought that has been on my mind a lot lately....

10 things I have learned as a parent.

1. That poop can in fact be exciting. (This applies to several different times in parenthood, but specifically when potty training, and they "go" in the potty for the first time.)

2. That I am capable of cleaning up vomit. Seriously, I have always been such a sympathy puker, but for some reason, my kids' vomit don't affect me.

3. That roughly 70% of my conversations would have to deal with something gross. (see #1 and #2!)

4. That toddlers are capable of doing more damage in a shorter time than most natural disasters! (Don't believe me?! Let me send you Blayke for a week. You will see!)

5. To slow down, savor and enjoy things, because in the grand scheme of things, 18 years really isn't that long.

6. To eat fast. I mean, in all honestly, I have always been a fast eater, but I think I could take most fast eating contests. Seriously. And, I would do it one handed. (I don't know how any slow eating mom ever gets a meal.) Funny that this one came after my slow down post...LOL!

7. Fear. All encompassing, overpowering fear. And not just the fear that comes when my daughter says, "guess what Blayke just flushed down the toilet." But real deep fear. It terrifies me that I am responsible for how 3 (And eventually more) people turn out. I feel completely inadequate at times to be a mom. Seriously. It can be very overwhelming!

8. To tune things out. Seriously. I have learned the incredibly awesome skill of making my kids voices invisibe to my ears! (I am pretty sure that at this moment I am "involved" in a conversation about Oliver and Company....)

9. That kids have very selective EVERYTHING. Hearing, memory.....I can tell my daughter to go put her clothes away, and she 'forgets' half way up the stairs. But, do you think she could possibly forget that squirrel I ran over like 3 years ago?! HECK NO!

10. Love. Unconditional, complete and pure love. Not only to give it, but to receive it. How lucky are we as parents?!

This Moment!

Baby Konnor right before his first haircut! Look at that smile! This moment is one I want to savor. To remember. To enjoy. And to share! So here it is!

Not-So-Secret Mom Confession {Part 2}

Ok, so sometimes I have 'days'...Days that I regress. Days that all I want to do is sit on the compurter, eat junk food and drink soda. (Yea, still trying to kick that habit!) I don't want to clean house, I don't want to cook food, I don't want to change diapers. I just want to be a bum. Well...Today is one of those 'days'. Seriously. I got up, got the kids dressed, poured them each a bowl of cereal, and have been messing around on the computer since. My house is trashed. Blayke is no longer wearing socks or pants. We have yet to do school today, and probably wont. It is just a day. I am frustrated about some things in my personal life, I woke up with a pounding headache, and had one heck of a long night. So, it is a 'day'. Tomorrow, I will feel the pain when i am cleaning this messy house. {Maybe I will do it later today...Maybe not...} I sure hope other mom's have days like this, or I have just confessed to being the worst mom EVER!!

{Hey, I just looked, Blayke now has 1 sock on! LOL!}

A little bit of fun

The kids with their friends Jack and Shelby. We think this

girl is supposed to be a "Who" from The Grinch

Where Konnor spent all of HIS time..

If you don't have a wrap, and have or are

expeciting a baby...GET ONE!

Honestly, they are 40 dollars, and they are the

best 40 I have ever spent!!!

Cierra with Santa..Not shy AT ALL!


Blayke with Santa...I was worried he would be shy
but he wasn't!!

Our always CUTE little town hosted a "Wake Up Santa" party today. The kids got to sing to "wake Santa up", they got to do some little crafty things, and they got their picture taken with Santa. It was a cute, fun, simple way to make memories. The kids' friends Jack and Shelby were there, and boy oh boy, Jack and Blayke...They are only about 4 months apart, and are 'personality twins'. Seriously, I have NEVER met a boy more like Blayke than Jack is!! They are so dang cute together, and I am glad Blayke finally had a boy around his age that is his friend! (Which, NANCY, is why you CAN'T move!) Shelby is a couple of years younger than Cierra, but they seem to get along pretty well.

Tonight we are going to rent the Grinch, and make Root Beer floats, (I KNOW! Ice cream when it is cold out?! But, seriously, I am CRAVING them!) Tomorrow for our FHE, we are going to make cinnamon rolls, and eat them ooey, gooey and fresh from the oven while hopefully listening to The First Presidency Christmas Devotional. It should be an awesome weekend....Especially since Woody is home! (He got fired last night, but lets save the details of that for another post..Just know we are ok. He already had another job lined up, and we are thinking he will hopefully just start a week early!)

I hope you are all enjoying this awesome season, your family traditions, and everything else!! (Hopefully nobody is too stressed out!)

Just a little bit more than a little bit frustrated...

So for a few months I have mentioned how we were moving, then we weren't, then we were, then we weren't and so on. MAN OH MAN! This housing situation has me at my wits end!! Our apartments got bought out by a big oil company in town, Power Fuels. Welll...Since they bought it out, they and the old property manager have been giving us quite the run around! So, we decided to start looking. Well, these people that we know (We'll call them J and K) had a house that they were having NO luck selling, so they offered to rent it to us. We agreed. We settled on an amount that worked for both families, and figured that as soon as J and K moved into their new house, we were all set. NOT QUITE!! Rumor has it that all the while that they were telling us that they would rent to us, they had also promised it to another family. GAH! Well, something went on, and that family ended up buying it. (BTW, J and K didn't mention to us that they had a sell pending until probably the day it sold..We were their 'back up plan'!) So, we were biding our time here at the apartment, and still looking when they started renovating the apartment next to us. The day that they started, the guy who was working on it said that he had been told that instead of kicking us all out, they would shuffle us around. Woody decided maybe he would call the property manager about it. He called "Bob" yesterday. "Bob" said that that was in fact their plan for now. WELL..I went to get the mail today, and we had a certified letter. I signed for it, and as soon as I saw 'Power Fuels' as the addresser, my heart sank. I ripped it open, and lo and behold it was an termination of tenancy. We have until December 31, 2010 at midnight to be out. NOW, for those of you in Idaho or Utah, you may be wondering why this is SUCH a huge deal..Just go find another apartment, right? WRONG! Not in Watford City, North Dakota. Not in Williston, North Dakota. Not anywhere within 3 hours of here..Maybe further. You can barely book a hotel room. They have WHOLE families living in hotel rooms and camp trailers. We were so blessed to find this apartment. We are smack dab in the middle of a huge housing shortage!!! And for now, we are homeless come the first day of 2011. Now, if you could, keep us in your prayers. We know that with faith something will work out.....We have an amazing Bishop and Bishopric helping us scour the area for a place to live. (I think I have mentioned before that our Bishop is very adamant that we are meant to be in this area!) I am doing my best not to have hard feelings for any of the parties involved..J and K, the people who bought the house, Power Fuels, (although the weasels won't answer our phone calls, and mailed our termination of tenancy.) Being angry will do nothing more than to add to the stress of it all..Right?! Let me tell you what though, when my Oh so sweet visiting teacher asked if kicking all their bu**s could count for her teaching this month, I only half-heartedly turned her down! (We were JOKING, BTW!)

THIS moment! A picture is worth a thousand words! 12-1-2010

I want to start something that I see on a lot of blogs called, This Moment. A moment in my life that is captured in a picture. Now, I don't fancy myself a photographer, but I love taking quick snapshots of my kids. This weeks This Moment is from our snow day yesterday! No words needed. Just the snap shot!!!

Our Snowy Day! And other stuff!

Well, I have to tell you, I have been a serious chicken about this cold weather. I actually hate it if I have to be in it, so in the winter I stay inside as much as possible. Welllll...the kids were, of course, DYING to go play in the fun, fluffy, white powder that has blanketed our front and back yard. (As well as the rest of the town!) And since being a mom is ALL about sacrificing, and sometimes doing things we don't necessarily **like** (such as being out in the FREEZING cold!) I gave in and took them out this morning. Turns out, other than the hour it took us to get ALL of our snow clothes on, it was quite fun. We attempted a snowman, snowfort and sledding..Apparently this isn't **the snow** for such things! We did make snow angels, run around, write our names and the kids ATE the snow. (I know they saw we shouldn't let them,but I survived it....)

These kids are just so amazing. They are growing way too fast, and I am scared of the day they are 'too big' to hang out with mom. I dread the day I am no longer the center of their world...







Other things that are happening: Konnor is into EVERYTHING, has learned to climb onto the bottom shelf of the table and bakers rack. We found out this morning that they are just remodeling apartments and letting the families move into them as they get them done. So, we should still have a place to live. Meanwhile, may I tell you, remodeling is NOT a quiet thing.....GAH! Woody is starting a new job soon. I am ecstatic to have him out of the truck for the winter!



I have to include a little bit about our FHE on Sunday (we were counciled to do it on Sunday so that Woody would be there.) After our lesson, we played a game of Uno. Cierra and I against Woody and Blayke. Man oh man they took us! LOL! And Cierra said to her dad, "maybe next time I will be on your team." This, of course delighted Woody! So, we switched kids. Then Blayke and I won. So we are tied. 2 games to 2 games! It was so fun. And every single night Cierra wants to play Uno! LOL!



Trying to think if there is anything else?? There are so many things I want to remember..That I never want to forget...I wish I was better at keeping a journal...

Christmas Traditions

Oh so excited for Christmas this year! It is our first year away from our families, and I have a list a mile long of traditions I want to start this year! We have started by decorating the tree, drinking cocoa, and eating popcorn the day after Thanksgiving. We bought each of the kids their own ornaments, and will do so every year, then when they are grown (GULP) they will have a box of their own! We also have enlisted Woody's grandmas help in making a very SPECIAL white stocking. This won't be just any stocking, but it will be Christ's stocking. We will hang it every year, and on Christmas day, put the "gifts" we want to give Him throughout the year. The next Christmas we will read them, and talk about how we gave Him those things. We are doing an advent calendar that has the story of Christmas, and we will be reading a Scripture a day (in addition to our normal reading) that somehow relates to Christmas. On Christmas Eve, we will be doing Santas cookies, reindeer food and a movie box. In it will be a movie, Christmas jammies, hot cocoa, and popcorn! WHEW! We are in for a LOAD of fun! I hope!! If anyone wants to share their traditions, that would be awesome! Love to all!

"Tis the Season!

Blayke putting HIS ornament on! Cierra putting hers on.
Daddy helping Konnor put his on.

Our tree..Someone wanna tell me how to get them turned around?!

First, Thanksgiving. It was awesome! We went to our friends house, ate WAY too much food, laughed, and visited. I love having good friends close. It has made such a huge difference to have them here! We are so blessed!!

NOW...Christmas!

So, our Christmas tree is up. We are listening to Christmas music. We went to the Parade of Lights. Christmas is in the air!! We are so blessed. We live in a beautiful little town that is very much like living in a snow globe!! It is blanketed in snow, decorated and in a friends words, "SWANKY"!

I am so excited about Christmas!! Last night, we put up our tree, drank hot cocoa, and ate "treasure popcorn". (Popcorn with treats in the bottom. Last night it was green and red M&M's!) The kids were a blast to decorate the tree with, and I am so blessed to have these kids in my life! We got each of the kids their own ornaments, and will do a new one every year and give them to them when they turn 18 to start out their trees!! The kids are, of course, thrilled! They love the lights, the tree, everything!! We are going to go participate in Wake Up Santa next weekend, and I am SO excited for that. The kids get to 'sing Santa awake', get their pics taken, and there will be some crafts for them to do. (Did I mention what an awesome town we live in?) I think, and don't quote me on this, but I think even Woody is excited!

I bought an Advent calendar and it has little books for each day with the Christmas story in it, I am excited to do it with the kids. I plan on cherishing these memories! And making many many more!

November 24 and 25,

On the 24th I was just so thankful for my awesome life. I have such a blessed life, and couldn't ask for more. Cierra was thankful that when we got into our VERY minor accident, nobody got hurt! =)

On the 25th, we were both thankful for Heavenly Father and the Savior, Jesus Christ, and for all of our many blessings!

My randomly-meandering-late-at-night-after-the-kids-are-in-bed-thoughts!

DISCLAIMER: There is no point to this post...just up late, waiting for Woody to get off of work...

Winter is here...And has been for a couple of days. We have lots of snow, and are supposed to be getting more (secretly, I am hoping for a full on blizzard tonight, so that Woody can have 3 days off instead of 2! LOL!) I put up a few Christmas decorations, which is weird for me. I never decorate for Christmas before Thanksgiving....But...as I type, my window lights are a-blinking away!

I am SO SUPER DUPER excited for Thanksgiving! We are having it with a family that we have become really close friends with, and it should be lovely! Cierra and I made cornucopias out of sugar cones dipped in chocolate and muddy buddies. They turned out SUPER CUTE! I love Thanksgiving! It has always been my favorite holiday. It has been fun to learn of the first Thanksgiving with Cierra. (We learned that Thomas Jefferson got rid of it as a national holiday, and that the lady who wrote "Mary Had a Little Lamb" appealed to Abe Lincoln to get it reinstated...)

Life is so good. I am trying to remember how blessed I am, even when I get frustrated with some of the circumstances of my life. (Namely: Woody's job and our housing situation.)
I have started working out again. I wanted to join the gym and go with some friends in the morning...But truth be told, I am just TOO LAZY to get up at 6 A.M.! So, I get up at 7:30, do my morning work out, and after the kids go to bed Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I do a second work out.

The kids are growing way too fast. I was laying with Blayke for his nap today, and got sad thinking that at some point, he will be all grown up, and too big for me to cuddle. **SAD**!!

I am still breastfeeding, almost 7 months strong. This is an especially huge deal to me, as I have never gone this long before. Speaking of Konnor eating..I had to fish out a piece of cardboard that his brother attempted to feed him this morning. That was fun.

Blayke still won't go #2 in the potty, and now hides to do so in his pants...Slightly frustrating. BUT I refuse to let him wear a diaper, except at night...So...I am constantly cleaning poopy underwear...Also fun...But, I will NOT surrender....Yet.

We got a new-to-us Suburban. (It is older) I love it. Well, I loveD it...Until we got home from Idaho and the transmission went out. I am sure that when THAT bill is paid, and I get it back tomorrow, I will love it again. (By the way, I am thankful that it waited until we got home to go out. It literally went out as we were pulling into our driveway!)

I have been reading the talks in Novembers Ensign, (thanks Jen!), they seem so much more powerful when I can read them and really focus on them without chasing my kids around... Everytime I read one, I feel like they are talking to me.

Ok, that is it. I think. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving, and that you all have a lot to be thankful for. I know I do!

November 23, 2010

Today I am thankful for having a healthy body and sound mind. Cierra is thankful for Thanksgiving!

November 22, 2010

Today I was thankful that I made it to Williston to get groceries! We had kept putting it off, as the weather hasn't been extremely cooperative with an hour long drive, but we were down to hotdogs and milk! LOL! It was time. It was, for sure, not the funnest trip I have been on..Me, 3 kids, and a cart and a half full of groceries....But, I made it, and the roads weren't even bad! WOOT!
Cierra is thankful for Nephi! (Because he was a good man)

November 21, 2010

I was thankful for my boys naptime. Seriously. When they don't sleep at the same time, I feel like I spend the whole day chasing one or the other around. When their naptime occurs at the same time, I feel like I can breathe for an hour. (On REALLY good days, 2) Cierra hasn't napped since she was 2, but she is a little easier to handle than the boys! LOL
Cierra was thankful for Heavenly Father!

A quick update!

Just thought I would post about how the kids are doing. They are as happy as I am to be back in North Dakota! They missed their daddy! =) We have been doing Thanksgiving crafts, and each of them include talking about things we are thankful for. Cierra is getting big. She talks to me like an adult that has just been placed in this itty-bitty body! She is a beautiful child, inside and out! She will turn 7 next year, and I can't believe it! She is so special to us! Blayke is VERY SLOWLY potty training. He will now go #1 in the potty. For some reason he is scared of #2. He is just as smart as his big sis. He is always so eager to learn, and I love it! Konnor is growing so fast it is insane. Just this morning he actually CRAWLED for the first time!! HOLY COW! BEFORE I know it he will be a toddler! *SIGH* Well that is all for now!

November 20, 2010

Today I am ohsothankful that I get to stay inside. It is biting cold and snowy out. I think with the wind chill we are in the negative! BRR! It chills me to the bone just to WRITE THAT! Cierra is thankful for Jesus Christ!

November 19, 2010

Today I am thankful for the knowledge that when Heavenly Father seems to be closing one door, He is forever opening another. We just have to look for the newly opened doors. This is especially important for me to remember right now as we are struggling with finding a place to live, vehicles breaking down etc. I know that all of these things are happening for reasons that I may not understand right now, but in the future will be able to look back on and see the reasons.
Cierra is thankful for her bed...Long story, but she doesn't even have one right now...LOL!

Novemebr 18, 2010

(Running behind..OOPS!) Today I am thankful for my 2 ND friends, Audra and Nancy. I know it seems sad that I don't need a whole hand to count the friends I have here, but these 2 women make living here so much better. For my birthday, Audra text me, offered for her older daughter to babysit MY 2 older children so that we could go out to lunch. It was so nice to just have some girl time. Something I have lacked in as of late! (OH, the baby slept THE ENTIRE TIEM! WOOT!!) It was so fun to be able to visit and laugh! Oh, and did I mention that woman knows EVERYONE! I was so impressed! LOL! (And Audra, we DO need to do the whole lunch thing more regularly!) Then there is Nancy. She came over and hung out, and brought me a birthday cake. I just love these girls! I am SOOO blessed. And a lesson I have learned is that a couple of GREAT friends are far better than a lot of NOT so great friends!
Cierra is thankful for all of her blessings!

November 18, 2010

27......

Since I turned 27 today, I thought that I would post 27 randomly random facts that you may or may not know about me!

1. I don't even hit QUITE 5'2". I am just a little bit shorter. I always say I am 5'2" though.

2. I love ketchup on my macaroni and cheese!

3. My favorite cookie is white chocolate macadamia nut.

4. I want 2 more kids.

5. I prefer salty snacks to sweet.

6 . I am thoroughly ADDICTED to soda. I need to kick the habit, but it is a hard thing for me!

7. I hate mustard. Think it is the most awful tasting stuff.

8. I have only been out of the country 1 time. I went to Belize and Guatemala. Awesome places!

9. I have lived in:WestVirginia, Florida, Ohio, Arizona, North Dakota, Montana and Idaho!

10. My favorite flowers are Cali-lillies. Followed closely by roses

11. I make an awesome stuffed jalapeno! LOL!

12. I love to cook.

13. I hate to clean. I love how a clean house feels, but I HATE cleaning it!

14. I love the smell of clean clothes, babies and anything baking.

15. I hate hate hate talking on the phone. And most days only talk to my husband.

16. I am grossly double jointed! (I can bend my toes back to touch the tops of my feet!)

17. I am thoroughly enjoying learning all about the Gospel. For the first time. Ever.

18. I think texting is the greatest thing ever invented!

19. I love the Spanish language.

20. The only thing I have ever wanted to be is a mommy!

21. I adore my in-laws. And am thankful that I do!

22. I could EASILY polish off a bag of Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn

23. I have never been skiing or snowboarding.

24. I love love love flying in airplanes....

25. ....But other than that, I am DEATHLY afraid of heights!

26. I hate shoes and socks, and wear flip flops well past the first snow of the year!

27. I suffer from severe inadequacy issues! But, it is getting better!

November 17, 2010

Today I am thankful for my mom. After all, without her, I wouldn't be celebrating 27 years today! Cierra is thankful for her blessings.

November 16, 2010

Today I am thankful for my daughters sweet, generous spirit. Woody and I seem to be running into roadblock after roadblock. On top of that, he was going to take the evening off of work for my birthday tomorrow, and now he can't. We haven't been on a date in almost a YEAR! SERIOUSLY! I was so excited. We EVEN had a sitter lined up. **SIGH** He says maybe Saturday..Yea..I won't count on it. Apparently, the oil fields don't give a dang about my love life! LOL! Ok, enough of that. Back to the point. Which is, after I broke out in tears today, Cierra made me an early birthday card. It said, 'Dear mama, I love you, you are very special to me. I am glad it is your birthday tomorrow'. So very sweet! She is thankfu for her cousins!

November 13, 14, and 15, 2010

In the haste to get packed, and headed home, I haven't been blogging my thankful list...Oops! So, for your viewing pleasure, here is our November 13, 14, and 15 list! On the 13th, we were thankful that it was almost time to go home! On the 14th, we were thankful I was home. And on the 15th, I was thankful that I got my home cleaned, laundry done, and no bake cookies (which I have been MADLY craving) made. Cierra was thankful for her daddy who works hard for her and helps her survive. (I use her words exactly!)

November 12, 2010

Today I am thankful for my in-laws! Every last one of them, but especially my mother- and father-in law! They are such wonderful people! They are always there to help us out, no matter what it is. If them going without means that their family is taken care of, then they will go without! They are the most kind, non-judgemental people I have ever met! I am especially greatful to them today, because for my birthday, they paid for me to get my hair cut and colored. Now, that may sound a bit superficial, but really, I have massively thick hair, and get insane headaches when it gets too long. Plus, it was nice to go do something for "JUST ME"! (A rare occourance!)
Cierra is thankful for her Aunts!

November 11,2010

Today I am thankful for Christohper, Matthew, DJ, Angus and Aaron. All my brothers. All military or vets! I am also thankful for the freedoms that I enjoy thanks to these and many other brave men and women and their families!
After a brief discussion (We will delve more into it when Cierra is a bit older) about why we celebrate Veterans Day, Cierra also decided that she is thankful for her Uncles!

November 10, 2010

Today I am thankful for the Opportunity to be a stay-at-home mommy!!! As a stay-at-home mommy, I dabble in many careers daily! I get to be a: nurse, teacher, chauffeur, dancer, singer, cleaner, and the list goes on. And on! I am thankful that my husband is not only supportive of this, but that he would not have it any other way! I know that in 18, 20, 50 years I will not ever have the regret of not spending enough time with these sweethearts!
Cierra is thankful for her house. (Great thing to be thankful for, especially in our situation!)

November 9, 2010

Today I am thankful for all of the resources I have at my fingertips that make my life so much easier! How blessed are we that we live in a "google"-ing kinda time? Your 6 year-old wants to know why lady bugs have spots?? Google it! Want a good cookie recipe? Google it!! I use my internet for everything, and have found everything from recipes to information on extended breastfeeding! =) We truly live in a remarkable time!
Cierra is thankful for her clothes! (She IS a girl!)

Just What I Didn't Know I Needed

Woody and I have been having some issues with his job, and have been praying and pondering about what we need to do. We have so many options, which, while we are thankful for them, it makes for a long decision-making process!! We have considered him changing companies, but still driving, we have considered him NOT driving (I am fond of this idea, especially since we are headed into winter!) and staying in ND, but doing something else, and last but not least, we have considered coming back to Idaho permanently.
HOWEVER, since I have been back on this visit, I can tell things have changed. I don't mean the obvious, like my best friend being divorced and living in a new house, or my mom moving out of what is the closest thing that I had to a 'childhood home', but little, subtle changes about my feelings here. I feel as though the changes we have made, make it hard to fit in anywhere. This no longer feels like ''home''. In just 4 months, things have changed, and North Dakota has FINALLY become HOME! NOTHING this trip has gone how I had thought/planned/hoped, and I think that I needed it, and that the Lord knew I needed it. We have already been told that we aren't in North Dakota for the oil, but to help build the Church there. What an awesome thing, we are so blessed! And I am so thankful that nothing has gone the way, I thought/planned/hoped!

November 8, 2010

Today I am thankful for: the silly things that my older 2 say that make me laugh! The most recent examples are: Cierra to her friend who called her a "woman", "I am not a woman. I am a girl. Women are old, like my mom!" And Blayke to me after we bought him new toothpaste this morning, "Mom, my tooth brush smells like barbecue!" WHAT?! LOL! I love these 2 stinkers! Cierra is thankful for her family!

November 7, 2010

Today I am thankful for my friends Sheridan and Cherry. I have known Cherry for 8 years. Together we have gone through: My divorce, the birth of Cierra, the birth of Shaylee, (her daughter), my marriage, the birth of Blayke, a really crummy year in my life, that year coming to an end in a good way, the birth of Konnor, her divorce..And countless small things. It is strange to think that I knew her before I was a mom...I don't even remember those days!! She is my best friend, and I know that no matter what, she will be there for me. I met Sheridan at work. Sheridan is the type of friend that no matter how long we go without talking to one another, she is still there for me. We met while working together at Super Save, and have been bridesmaids at each others weddings. (She let me be one of her bridesmaids at 8 months pregnant with Blayke!) These girls are amazing, and I love them.
Cierra is thankful for the Tooth Fairy! LOL! She lost a tooth last night, and a very generous tooth fairy left her five dollars!! (The tooth fairy COMPLETELY FORGOT AGAIN, until it was almost too late!)

November 6, 2010

Today I am thankful for: My husband!
I am so thankful to have him in my life! He is so amazing! He is always there supporting me, and cheering me on!!! He is an awesome daddy, and ADORES our 3 children.
Cierra is thankful for: Her Mommy! (I promise she said that!) =)

November 5-25!

Cierra and I have decided that from now until Thanksgiving, we are going to talk about things we are thankful for. Not a particularly novel concept, but something that I feel is important. In the everyday life of kids, work, housecleaning, and everything else that comes with being an adult, it is easy to forget the things (big and little) that we are greatful for. I also hope that this will turn into a tradition that we can share in as a family.
I will start with Cierra, hers is easy. She is thankful for food! LOL! Sooo my child. I asked her what she was thankful for and she said, "Food. Definitely food!"
I am thankful for these kids. They are so awesome. Whether it is listening to them laugh, or cleaning up the 100th milk spill of the day, I am so glad that I have been blessed with these 3 little people in my life! They each have such an amazing personality, and are so different from each other. Cierra is strong and independent. Blayke is funny and wild. Konnor is sweet and cuddly! I love them each for all that they are. I thank my Heavenly Father daily for entrusting these little angels to my care! How lucky and blessed am I?!

Halloween

Well, Halloween was fun this year. We went to my Sister-in-Laws wards trunk or treat. They had chili and soup, and the kids got LOADS of candy! Then Saturday night, Aunt Misty took the older 2 with her kids to my Mother in Laws wards trunk or treat. Blayke was Super Man, Konnor was a puppy and Cierra was an angel. They looked adorable, and had a lot of fun. The baby and I stayed in the second night because of a yucky ol' cold going around. :( Due to circumstances at home, I will probably head home sooner than expected, so on Thursday, we are headed to Southeast Idaho to see friends and family there! I will do a post later with lotsa pics..But for now, I am gonna go enjoy family!!

What have we been up to?!?!

Well, I haven't updated in a couple of weeks..Life has been busy. We are OFFICIALLY moving into a new house..Or should I say WOODY is moving us, as I am vacay-ing (I KNOW IT'S NOT A WORD!) in Idaho!! Poor guy, workin' 15+ hours a day, AND moving us all alone?! What kinda wife am I?! LOL!

Other things? Well, Blayke is the funniest person ever. He makes me laugh every single day. Yesterday, it was: "My boogers are tickling my nose!" The day before, he was reading "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" with Grandma, and at the part where he stays in his cocoon for 2 weeks, grandma asked Blayke, "How long does he stay?" Blayke said, "3 hours!" It was just too cute! He, of course, is L.O.V.E-LOVING all of the extra attention he is getting at grandma and grandpa's house!

Cierra, oh my sweet princess, she is getting so huge! She has lost 2 teeth on bottom, 2 teeth on top, and has 2 more on bottom loose! She is loving homeschool, especially while we are in Idaho, and she sees her cousins going to school for a whole day, and we are usually done by noon!! =D Even though she is growing up, she still only weighs 37 pounds! (Blayke weighs 32, and baby Konnor weighs 17!!) She is thouroughly enjoying playing with Hayley! Who, by the way, is her age, and has the same sassy attitude!

Baby Konnor..Well, he is getting HUGE also! 2 teeth on the bottom. LOVES graham crackers! We are at 6 months nursing, and still going strong! (YAY!)He, as mentioned above, weighs 17 pounds! HE IS BIG! He is soo close to crawling, I know it is just a matter of time...Maybe I will finally lose some weight, chasing him AND Blayke around all day!! He loves singing and story time! He is such a blessing to our family!

Woody and I are doing well. I am missing him TERRIBLY! 4 weeks is too long! He got stuck in a horrible blizzard last night, and ended up being stuck ALL NIGHT LONG! Stinks, but I am thankful he is ok!!

I am enjoying Idaho...Haven't really done a whole lot. On Sunday, we carved pumpkins, colored pillowcases for trick or treating, and frosted cupcakes..There were 9 kids! MADNESS! But still oh so much fun! Well, have a great day! LOVE To all!

You know....

...***THOSE** days...The ones...You know...That you are soo greatful and thankful for everything that you have, and feel oh so blessed? The ones that you forget all the 'yuckies' life has and focus on all the good?! I am SOO having one of those days!! I have the 3 of the best kids in the world, and I adore them. I have a husband who works so hard, and is such a fantastic dad. (I kinda like him too! ;) ) We have a place to live, and **MOST LIKELY** a place to move to when we get booted from this place. (THIS is a HUGE blessing, as there are families LITERALLY living in camp trailers and hotels!)
My kids have also been remarkably good today. They went to bed and were asleep before 10 last night, and Konnor only woke up 2 times, AND the older 2 slept until 8! Then, Blayke took a REALLY good nap, and so did Konnor!! Cierra is an awesome help around the house, and I am again greatful that SHE is my oldest child!
Life is good. We are chuggin' along. Have I mentioned that there are only 15 days until we leave for Idaho?! (This is what I get to wake up to EVERY DAY! Cierra is a bit excited, to say the least!)

Well, I am off to scour our barren cupboards for SOMETHING for supper..If you ever ever want to quit fast food, move here to Watford City ND..Tonight I would KILL for a drive thru with some greasy, bad for me, food!

A few things....

So, we went to Minot to the zoo last weekend..Oh so fun!! I loved it. Woody loved it. Blayke loved it. Cierra loved it. Konnor...Well...He slept through it! (LOVE the wrap!) It is such a fun zoo! We saw lions, bears, monkeys....No baby giraffe though! I was a bit disappointed...They had little dispensers that you put a quarter in and you could feed certain animals...Deer, ducks, sheep. I loved the orangutangs. The one climbed the fence to the food bucket, dug through, found a banana, put it in his mouth, and continued to dig until he found another one. Then he laid down on the ground with his hand on his head and enjoyed them! SOO funny! I laughed and laughed at them! =)
We were there for 2 1/2 hours, ate cotton candy, and enjoyed our family time!!
I am so thankful for my awesome family and husband..... I love them, and REALLY love making memories with them!!

On another note, my daughter (Who, by the way, is missing BOTH of her front top teeth) wakes me up EVERYMORNING telling me how many days until Idaho! LOL!

Still LOVIN home school! Still lovin cloth diapers! And have decided breastfeeding is THE BEST thing EVER!

Watford City is growing on me! I have met another AMAZING woman! Her name is Nancy..(weird to meet someone who ISN'T 80 with my name!! LOL!) She is super cool! She and I seem to have LOADS in common, and I am thoroughly enjoying getting to know her!

AND FINALLY! We are likely getting kicked out of our apartment soon...STRESSSSSSSSSS!! Apparently, an oil company bought the complex, and wants it for their employees families... USUALLY, in most areas, this wouldn't be the CRISIS it is for us. But seriously, houses here are hard to find, and reasonable prices are impossible! Hopefully, we will figure it out!!

That is all for tonight! Good night ALL!

HAPPY OCTOBER!

WHAT?! WHERE DID THE YEAR GO?! We are down to the FINAL 3! INSANE!! We have lots and lots to be excited for this month and next!!
We are going to travel 3 hours tomorrow, and go to, what I have heard, is the best zoo in ND. It is in a town called Minot. The website said they have a new baby giraffe..I think that, besides Woody being able to go, is what I am most excited for. We will listen to Conference on the way there. Sunday, we are watching it on the internet at home, and I am making a yummy ham, candied carrots and potatoes!! We are excited to hear the First Presidency address us. Then, of course, is our trip to IDAHO!!! YAYYYYY!! I sooo cannot wait for this! The kids and I will be leaving on the 24th, and wont be back until the weekend after Thanksgiving. I am excited to spend Halloween and my birthday and Thanksgiving in Idaho! Woodys parents are planning a HUGE Halloween party, and I am over the moon excited for that! =)
I love love love Thanksgiving!! It is my favorite Holiday. (Most peoples is Christmas, and there are aspects of Christmas that I love, but honestly, it is SUCH a stressful holiday!) Thanksgiving comes to me, usually stress free, and as the PERFECT excuse to eat LOADS of absolutely, mouth-watering, delicious food! Add to that that we will be with family, and it doesn't get ANY better!
My birthday this year...I am kinda depressed about it, as Woody will still be here in ND. Oh well...I told him he has to take me on a date when he gets to Idaho...We will see!! And did I mention I turn 27 this year?! HOLY CRAP!!! And what a year it's been...But more on that later. Hope y'all have a happy weekend!!!

YAY!

Many may not grasp this kind of excitement...BUT, I am oh so excited. Ido believe I have foundout why I have a fussy baby who spits up a lot with green poo! (Breastfed babies usually have yellow poo.) I think I have a fore/hind milk imbalance! This means my baby is getting too much of the sugary, carb packed milk that is meant to satisfy thirst, and not enough of the fatty, protein packed milk that fills him up. I think I started switching breasts too often, not giving enough time to let him get a good supply of that thick, fatty goodness! Yesterday, I fed him on one breast for 3 hours. (NOT 3 hours straight, but any time he was hungry in a 3 hour period, he got the same side.) It has worked WONDERS already! He is spitting up soo much less, and is happier longer. I am still nursing about every hour, but hopefully things will level out, and we can space it out longer.

Since this is a nursing blog, I figured I would reiterate how much I love doing what I feel my body is MEANT to do. Even if it is every hour. (A perfect excuse to sit on my butt!) I feel like this is the perfect food for my baby! I love love love doing it! I would STRONGLY reccomend it to ANY MOMMY! Also, there is tons of support on FB, and the internet, and I am sure in person..(I haven't figured this out yet.) My favorite blog is this, http://leakyboob.blogspot.com/ She is amazing in my opinion!

Happy Fall!

I don't know why, but I have never been a 'fall person'. Maybe because fall gives way to the dreaded winter. Maybe because it indicates the end of summer. Or the end of sun until 10 p.m. Or, more than likely, it is a little bit of all of these things. But Cierra, she LOVES fall. So, I made it a point to include studying fall in our school lessons this month, and already, my appreciation for this season has grown. It is such a beautiful season. I look out my window and see bright yellow leaves everywhere!!
In celebration of the new season, we went on a 'fall walk' today, and gathered different kinds and colors of leaves. It has been slightly windy, and the leaves are blowing EVERYWHERE! Then we came home and glued the leaves on to construction paper, and colored all around it. They are our 'I love fall' pages! We also made cinnamon rolls the other day, and in the spirit of the season, we dyed the food coloring bright orange! I am excited for the plans that I have for this season! I only wish that we had trees in OUR yard (or just a yard would be great!) so that I could rake them up and jump into them with the kids....**SIGH**....Maybe next year?! I hope so!
HAPPY FALL! Go out and appreciate this season for what it is: GORGEOUS!!!

So far today:

Lots of stuff has happened that I want to remember. Funny little things that my kids have done. It is true that every moment can become a memory. I am doing my very best to savor these years. To enjoy my childrens precious childhood. Here are some things:
1. Blayke told me that he loved me "so very much". This was followed by a kiss that he wiped away saying, "EWW! SLOPPY KISSES!" (Thanks Woody, for teaching my sweet boy this! LOL!)
2. After Blayke barged in on her in the bathroom, Cierra got tape, paper and a pencil and made a new bathroom sign, it reads: "Do not come in I am going to the dathroom rite now." (She still mixes up her d's and b's). She then told me I could FINALLY go to the bathroom in private. (YEA, we will see! LOL!)
3. Konnor got his tooth in yesterday, but you can now SEE the little bugger. I am a little nervous about this, as I am still a nursing mama!
4. Blayke made a set of stairs on the lite brite, and told me, "These are VERY dangerous." The kid cracks me up!!!!
And last but not least, Blayke has decided blessings need to be said for EVERYTHING WE EAT, and blessed his smarties!

I love these little people. They are so amazingly smart!!


ON ANOTHER NOTE: We are OH SOOOOOO excited to be going to Idaho in about a month. I will miss Woody very much the month that we are there, but "absence makes the heart grow fonder", right?! I have all of my school lessons for Cierra prepared, (Talk about a task), and feel good about being able to stay on task while in Idaho.

Another update!

So, Konnor is growin' up WAY too fast! He is a PRO at rolling over. He has also figured out how to maneuver to get to anything his lil' heart desires! I am sure that before we get back from our trip to ID, he will be a master crawler. He is such a sweet little man. I sure do adore his sweet chubby little blue eyed face! Oh, and he has been getting in a tooth FOREVER, of course, it hasn't happened yet...I feel bad for the little guy, because the gum is quite swollen.

Blayke is growing like crazy as well, and is quickly catching his sis. (Like THAT is hard to do.) He is talking so well. He tells me things are 'his favorite'...Today it was the yellow leaves. They were his favorite. He also asks, "What that means?" about everything! He loves to watch Cierra do her schoolwork on the computer, and the program we are using with her has a preschool program that we are enrolling him in next year. He loves to bless the food as well, and does quite well, but likes his sister to help him.

Cierra is becoming more and more of a little lady! She lost her 3rd baby tooth a couple of days ago, and got 5 dollars!! (Stinkin' inflation!) She put the tooth in a bag, and wrote a note to the tooth fairy. I wanted to keep it, but daddy insisted on playing tooth fairy, and got rid of it! (MEN!) She came down dressed in her witch costume the night that she lost it and told me to call her The Toothless Wonder Witch! I laughed and laughed. She is still her smart, sassy self. She loves doing homeschool, and LOVES to read and write in her journal. (I plan on her having one every year, and giving them all to her later.) I love to read what her little mind comes up with!

Woody and I are doing well. A few small rocky patches, but we know Satan is working on us hard, but we also realize that he has only the power we give him. Other than that, we are doing so well, and, regardless of what is thrown our way, I have the faith that we will be ok!

There aren't many other noteworthy things to report, so I will close now! Hope everyone is well!

Why I believe breast is best!

Have I ever mentioned how much I **LOVE** breastfeeding? Like, truly, deeply love it. It is such an amazing thing to me...That my body, and my body alone has nourished this chunky little piece of heaven! For 5 months...Well, 14 months really, if you include pregnancy.
Besides the bonding, there are SO many health benefits! For both Konnor and I. (A lower risk of ovarian, breast and uterine cancer for me, just to name a few. Studies point to higher IQ's, less illness, and more empathy for Konnor. Again, that is just a few of the health benefits.) And, Oh my gosh! Have you ever taken a good whiff of a breastfed baby?! Seriously, as strange as it sounds, THEY SMELL SOOOO GOOD! (I know the differnece, as I have had 2 basically formula fed, and 1 breastfed.) I ***LOVE*** smelling Konnor.

I don't argue with or judge people who formula feed..Uh..Hello, I did so my self on 2/3 of my children. But I was not as knowlegable about the benefits of breastfeeding, I was always under pressure to give the kids bottles, and had fairly little support the first two times around. This time, I did LOADS of research. Seriously. And I became determined that I would breastfeed this baby, for as long as we are both happy with it. (The benefits of extended nursing are another post!) I feel that the choice between formula and breastmilk isn't a "right or wrong" choice, but a choice about maximizing a child's health and potential! Sure, formula is good, but breastmilk has been proven TIME AND AGAIN to be better! (I read that the IQ defecit of a formula fed child is 5 points as compared to a breastfed child. The defecit of a child whose mother did cocaine prenatally is only 3 points!) And, personally, I want what is best for my babies!
Ohhhh, and lets talk convenience...Breastfeeding is the most convenient thing I have done. REALLY! If you do some research, you are really supposed to heat water to 70 degrees before you put formula in it, because formula is not, contrary to popular belief, sterile. YOU have to sterilize it. Not to mention, packing it, carrying it, throwing it out when it goes bad....And the cost...Oh my! Breastmilk is ALWAYS ready, always the right temperature, always suited for my babies need. (Did you know that the make up changes according to time of day, and even for the babies gender?! Breastmilk for boys has a highter fat content!) One of the best parts of breastmilk, It is free...Who doesn't love free stuff?!

Ok, enough about that...I am truly NOT on a soapbox, and believe it is every families choice of how to feed their child, but I wish I had known half of what I know now when I had my other two, as I suffer from a bit of guilt for not feeding them THE BEST!

One more thing, we are THE ONLY mammal that drinks another mammals milk! Just food for thought.

Brown cows in Watford City! YIKES!

Today we had the opportunity to visit a couple of places in our little town that we haven't been to yet. We started out with a morning drive, and then went to a little local pharmacy that has a little soda fountain and got the kids root beer floats. Or as they call them at the pharmacy "brown cows". It was sooo stinkin' cute in there! We all enjoyed it. It was like we went back in time. All of Watford City kind of feels like that. It is such a nice little town. After our floats, we went to the Long X trading post. It is this cool little building, and has a museum in it. The lady told us, and I don't know how accurate it is, but it makes sense, that McKenzie County wasn't open for homesteading until the 1900's because it is surrounded by water. We saw a lot from the early pioneers. Really neat stuff. My favorite part was when I showed Cierra an old writing desk. She looked at me, confused, and said, "Well....It isn't big enough for a computer." I laughed and explained that computers weren't around then.

Well, I better go, Woody is trying to pull out C's loose tooth! YIKES!

A Not-So-Secret Mommy Confession.

I love my children. I love being home with my children. I love teaching my children. I love reading to my children. I love singing with my children. I love cuddling my children. I love hugging and kissing my children. I love baking with my children. BUT....I hate playing with my children. I get bored in like 2 seconds playing Barbies, cars, blocks or anything of that nature. Maybe it has to do with being the oldest. I have always liked hanging out with people who are older than I am. I don't remember ever being a huge 'toy kid'..

I do try to make up for this thing that I see as a fault. I read tons to them. They know dozens of songs. (Some we have made up). And when they are playing with their toys, they play in whatever room I am in.

Also, I have found out, I am not the only one! This makes me feel a little better. However, I do still harbor jealousy for those moms who have the patience to sit and play with their kids for hours..

Oh so excited...

Who would have thought that CLOTH DIAPERING would ever bring so much excitement into my home?! I was so thrilled to get my package, I didn't even wait to get home from the post office! Cierra was so excited, that after we washed them all, she put all of the inserts in the diapers for me!
Now, I know what you are thinking. "CLOTH DIAPERING?! WOW!" (Not that I think it is a 'WOW' type of thing...but that is the basic response.) Keep in mind: Cloth diapering (Like everything else) is not as it was when our moms and grandmas did it. There are no pins..(Unless you want them) And the little plastic covers are stinkin adorable nowadays! They are even (GASP) relatively easy to clean. A little more work than disposables, yes. I won't lie. But it isn't so horrible to have sent me running. The fact is, I enjoy cloth diapering. It is more economical. (Yes, a large investment up front, but overall more savings.) It is better for the environment. And lets face it, there is NOTHING cuter than a baby in a cute little cloth diaper. It is suggested that they may also be better for babies health.
We are very excited about this change...As well as others.

Potty training woes....

Ok, I am feelin' a bit like a failure...My three year-old is not yet potty trained...Yes...You read that right..He is not. Has no desire to be. Unless we are at Wal-Mart. (The crazy kid LOVES using the restrooms at Wal-Mart.)
I just don't get it. We have tried everything from bribery to beatings. (Settle down, don't call CPS on me yet...I am just kidding about the beatings!) We have done rewards, praise, ignoring it and letting him "be ready". Gummy bears. Stickers. We let him run naked. (This ended in frustration for both of us, as I spent my day cleaning up pee spots.) We have tried it ALL! But here I am, diapering my 3 year-old.
Frustrated. So, if any of my ***MILLIONS*** of readers have any BRILLIANT ideas, please feel free to comment!
I am almost to the point of sitting in the Wal-Mart bathroom for a couple of days...I wonder if they would let me set up a tent???? HMMM......

These 4 people..They are my reason for living!! Woody is such an amazing husband. Our trials have been many, but I am thankful for them, because they have brought us to where we are individually and as a couple! I love him with all of my heart, and am thankful to have a husband who is so supportive, hard working, and is working with me to set a good example for our children. Cierra is such a good girl. I love her. It is cool to see her grow. We are coming into a cool part of our relationship. The part where she is old enough to have a real conversation with, and to help me out but not old enough to think I don't know anything..YET... Blayke...Oh my Blayke. How can a 3 year-old little boy be so naughty, and so heart wrenchingly cute all at the same time?? He is such a stinker. He is into everything. He destroys EVERYTHING. Most days, I feel like pulling my hair out. But...He melts me when he says, "I love you too so much mommy!" Then there is my baby. My sweet Konnor Ray-Ray boy. He has us all completely wrapped around his little finger....He has been such an awesome blessing, and I can't imagine my life without him, and I don't remember what life was like before I had him. He is a chubby lil' guy, already weighing near 15 pounds...(It's the 'liquid gold' I tell ya!) He has the sweetest smile, and does the best 'sweet eyes'.
I adore my family. I am thankful for them. They are my EVERYTHING. And I am thankful everyday to be blessed to be their mom and wife!



Ok, Now that I have that OUT, A little update..We are in our 2nd week of homeschool, and I L.O.V.E it! I enjoy having my girl home with me. We do have our moments..I get frustrated..But all in all, I really like it. I am also doin' cloth diapering. Love it also. Can't wait to order some of my own. (Although, I am VERY thankful for the ones that have been loaned to me.) Woody and I are trying desperately to 'get back to basics'. I am trying to learn new things, and we are FOR THE FIRST TIME going to start a food storage, and start stashing some money. Hopefully in the future, we will be able to get into a home. Hopefully. I want to learn to garden. I am DESPERATE to get our 'kitchen list' so that I can learn to cook, and be able to feed my sweet family well. We have gotten rid of out TV. Well, cable. We still have TV's and love movies. It is a whole new world for me! I have NEVER NOT had TV. I kinda like it. So many goals....I am eager to learn. I am thankful for Audra, who, in such a short time, has taught me oh so much.

Another thing..Woody and I are working hard on reactivating ourselves in The Church. It is such a challenge for me, because, while I do know it is true, I know what I am supposed to be doing, I wasn't raised with any religion, and I am working on my COMMITMENT to make it every Sunday.

Well, love to you and yours. HAVE A GREAAAAAAAAAAAT DAY!

Missin' home

Watford City is starting to grow on me, and I firmly believe that Woody and I are MEANT to be here. Nonetheless, I miss home..Tonight especially. I miss seeing my mom and my in-laws. I miss my nieces and nephews. I miss Cherry, Dawson and Shaylee. I miss Jamba Juice and Taco Bell. I miss seeing mountains. I miss FAMILY! I miss IDAHO..I JUST MISS HOME!
Sorry, I needed to say it...Uhhhh...TYPE it..Whatever. I am thankful for the people we are meeting, and their friendship.
Hope you are all well..Good night!

A mom-in-progress..

I don't know what it is.. If it is the open North Dakota air, the lack of friend/family influences, or the realization that my sweet, naughty, lovely children seem to be growing up at an alarmingly quick rate and I fear (and when I say 'fear' I mean deep down-scare-me-to-death-make-my-stomach-hurt fear)that I will miss THIS..baby drool, sweet eyes, 2 year-old tantrums, 2 year-old dancing and singing, and my daughter thinking that I am so wonderful that her only wish is to grow up and be like me. I fear that in a blink of an eye, they will no longer be small, and I will wish that I had done more, spent more time with them. Never has this fear been so strong as it has lately. I believe my Heavenly Father is trying to tell me to enjoy these sweet spirits he has entrusted to me! Soooo.. That is what I am doing! Along with this realization has come A LOT of HUGE changes. One of which is where I direct my energy. I finally feel it is where it needs to be: on doing what is best for my family. Once I redirected, the rest of the changes just seem to be FALLING into place.
To start off with, I believe it is the woman's right, duty, and PRIVELEGE to stay home and raise the children. It is what we are made for. (how old-fashioned of me!). As part of this, I now believe it is our duty to educate our children. To make them productive, upstanding, hard-working members of society. I personally think we LET public schools have way too much control over what our children learn. They wouldn't bhave that control if we, as parents, took responsibility and stepped up. School should be for learning reading, writing and arithmetic. All else should be up to us. That being said, we have decided that the best way to do this is to home school our children.
That is just one change. Another that seems to be happening naturally is the desire to breastfeed. I am talkin' til they are 2. At least. And all I am going to say to defend this is 'Google' "extended breastfeeding." if you still don't understand, you probably won't. I will, at about 6 months introduce proper foods and a sippy (with breastmilk). By the way, the foods...I plan on making them. And no rice cereal. HELLO avacadoes! I also plan on delaying vaccinations until age 2, and following a 1 at a time schedule. I am by NO means anti vaccinations, just wanna wait a bit, let my baby's brain go through the huge growth process it has to go through the 1st 2 years, without putting extra stuff in his body! We have also decided co-sleeping ROCKS! It is a wonderful feeling having my baby right next to me so that I can actively parent all night long.. After all, that's what I signed up for!
I do not, in anyway, judge moms who choose different parenting methods. Who am I to say what is right for their family. I just hope everyone will afford me the same luxury. After all, I am nothing more than a mom-in-progress!

Yep, things are a-changin!

Well, as previously posted, we have decided that home school is the route for our family. Well, last night, after doing some research, I made another big choice that may surprise those who have known me for a long time. I have decided that with my Konnor boy we are going to try extended nursing. I want to nurse until he is AT LEAST 18 months. This is a pretty big deal, because, for the most part, nursing past 12 months is taboo in our society. I am very blessed though, because my husband is very supportive!
In my research, I found a lot of things I did not know. For instance, it is often believed that after 6 months, there is no nutritional value to nursing. This isn't true, besides the continued awesomeness of a bond beyond comprehension, nursing past 6 months and into the second year is beneficial to the stomach. I also thought that extended nursing would create an entirely dependent child, but studies show that it ultimately makes a child more independent and more SECURE in that independence!
I know I will face social scrutiny for my decision, and quite frankly I do not care. I wil continue to do what I feel is best for my children. I love them...

Blayke!

Tomorrow our Blayke boy turns 3!! Wow! He is so special to us!! Just a few things about him to honor his special day: he has 2 blankets, his 'spider-man' and his 'ball' that he can't sleep without! He can say his entire alphabet, and recognizes the capital letters! He loves the book Pajama Time. He loves hot dogs and macaroni and cheese. He can count to 15. And to 5 in Spanish. He knows the basic shapes and colors. He loves loves loves to sing and dance. He is an awesome brother to Cierra and Konnor. He is totally a Momma's Boy! We sure love ya Blaykers!

So...

I have spent the entire day online, looking up free resources for homeschooling. (For one: I am cheap..There is an abundance of free help out there, and I am determined to use it! For two: until I KNOW what I am doing, I am trying to save as much as possible.) I have also looked at countless Homeschooling moms blogs!! HOLY CRAP, if you EVER want to feel inadequate, look at these...These moms are organized, prepare each meal from scratch, cloth diaper their kids, homeschool 8 kids, (this may be a slight exaggeration) and they sew all of their kids clothes..(also a slight exaggeration). But, seriously, I have researched different styles of curriculum to the point my head hurts, and NOT one of them scream at me, "THIS IS IT!" I feel like I want to take a little bit of everything and do my own thing...So that is what I will do. Hopefully, the fact that I don't sew my kids' clothes, make each meal from scratch, and, from time to time, let the television be a babysitter wont screw my kids up too bad.
I enter this journey armed only with my love for my children and my hope that I will do what's right..Even if that means I steal a little bit of everything from everyone...

The funny, cute sweet things my kids say and do *1-5*

In my 6 years as a mom, I have experienced some of the funniest, most entertaining moments of my life. My kids are HILARIOUS! Just for the heck of it, and because all 3 kids are being so good right now, I wanted to share some of the kidisms I have experienced:

1. By far my favorite: When Cierra was 2, she followed EVERYONE into the bathroom. Well, shortly after Woody and I got married, she followed him in one day, and I heard him kicking her out. I went back to see what she had done, and she looked at me, wide-eyed, and said, "MOM! Dad pees from a tiny tail!" I know, maybe slightly inappropriate, but HILARIOUS!

2. This one is from the Blayker boy: We were sitting at the table, the kids were eating a piece of baloney, which I, by the way, HATE, and Blayke starts methodically tearing his apart. He scoots the pile toward me, and says, "Mom, it's humpty dumpty! I put him together again?" And starts piecing it back together like a puzzle!

3. Me: Cierra, go outside and play Cierra: What if there is a tornado? Me: There isn't a tornado. Cierra: The birds are flying, so there must be something!

4. Me: Blayke, why are you taking off your pants? Blayke: MOM! I POOPY! GOOD GRIEF!

5. Blayke 15 minutes from Idaho: Mom, I go to Idaho to pick up chics!


I am sure there are many more, but the baby is fussing! I will add more "parts" to this as they happen or as I remember them! =) Hope you all enjoyed these few!!

"I will neveralways when I have kids!"

I was talking to someone who is pregnant with her first child today. In the midst of our conversation she started telling me her neveralways list. You know, the list of things you will never/always do that you had before you had kids... The one you think about NOW and laugh! Before I had kids of my own I worked at a daycare. It was so easy to pick the parents apart and 'neveralways' them. I would NEVER let my 2 year-old go out in a dirty shirt.... I would ALWAYS be the "fun mom".. My 4 year-old would NEVER throw a fit in the store after being told no....And, of course, I would NEVER sound like my parents!
Well, in my 6 years as a mother I have: taken my child in public in a dirty shirt, I am, more often than not, not all that fun,especially when they have thrown a fit in the store! And
alas, last week I caught myself telling Cierra and Blayke, "if you two don't quit fighting, I'll turn this car around..." ***sigh***
But the thing is, being a mom I have a new set of neveralways's. (I know... Nice grammar!) I ALWAYS hug, kiss and tell my children I love them. I NEVER hurt them. (intentionally.. They have all been dropped, smashed or bonked accidentally) I ALWAYS cherish them. So, when I was finishing my conversation with the above mentioned girl I told her, "Before kids, I had no experience and ALL the answers... Now, I have some experience and only 1 answer: love. Love that sweet baby, and you will do just fine!".

THE PLAN

Cierra's first day of school is August 30th, 2010, and WOW am I nervous. BUT! I have a PLAN! Do I know if this plan will work?? Nope. But I sure am hopeful...The one thing I have decided for sure, is that if it doesn't work, I will just figure something else out, I will NOT see it as a failure on mine or Cierras part. We have researched curriculum to a point my head is spinning! Seriously. Go to Google, type in "homeschool curriculum" and you will see what I mean!! No one type of homeschool or curriculum has really "struck my fancy". To me, they all have good and bad..And with enough love and care, I strongly believe most of them could produce the same result: Awesome adults who are independent, respectful and, of course, smart. I like the idea of having the 'basics' taken care of to a point. So, we are starting out with something called Time 4 Learning. I have read and read, and looked at their lessons. They look fun, and educational. They have a Language arts extentions that has lessons on things like pollution. You are able to pick what level you feel your child should be on for each course of study. They keep track of records for you, all you have to do is print them. So, that takes care of that part. I also like the idea of unit studies. Now, I don't know that I will be doing this the way they are intended or whatever, but this is what I have in mind. Each month, we have a topic, we read about it, research it on the internet, color pictures about it, etc...We have a folder that we will keep all of our information in for that study. Along with T4L and the studies, I have found some free handwriting worksheets on line for her to practice. We will also have a journal that she will spend a little bit of time each day writing in, and once a week, she will read aloud from it. Once a month I would like to do a simple science experiment. Nothing too extravagent, but something out of our normal routine. I know that as I go through this learning process, I will change how I do things. But for now, this is THE PLAN!

By the way, my children are doing awesome! Konnor is growing like crazy, and so are Blayke and Cierra. I am soo glad that I have the opportunity to raise these amazing children!

time..

I have been feeling lately, that time is my enemy! It is going way too quickly! My baby is 4 months already, my boy will be 3 at the end of the month, and the princess will turn 7 in April. I am scared to blink, because when I do, it will go from toys to cars to college and so on. Bedtime hugs and kisses will become a distant memory, as will singing silly songs and dancing together. I am working much harder to make the most of every day of my children being children, because we all know it will pass all too quickly!!

And the final decision is..

So, a while back, I posted that we had made the decision to home school Cierra... Wellllll.. Shortly after that post, I got scared... Terrified really... My insecurities were winning out! Who was I to teach my child?? I had nothing more than my high school diploma... And it had been 8 years since I got that!! What if I missed something? What if I royally messed up my precious childrens future?? So I expressed these fears to my husband, and being the wonderfully supportive man he is, said that he would support whatever I decided. So, we decided: back to Watford City Elementary it was... Back into the class of 20 with a teacher who, while I am sure she would care about my daughter, she never could or would know and LOVE Cierra like I do. Surely, though, she was more "qualified" than I to teach my child.. More qualified to shape her fragile mind.. I justified my decision to myself, and I was starting to convince myself that I had made the right decision.. And on a Sunday evening, my phone rang. A member of The Church had Konnor's blessing certificate, and wanted to bring it by. We got to visiting with him, and found out that he and his wife had homeschooled their children for 7 years.. And they had FIVE children!! (one of my fears was there was no way I could do it with
my 3 children.) I still wasn't convinced. They invited us to dinner.. Not to discuss homeschool but to be able to get to know each other. The night of dinner, I noticed how well-behaved their children were. The older ones were helpful, they were all very polite. I mentioned how impressed I was. Her secret? Homeschool. Huh. We visited about a lot of things that night, but our conversation about the why's of homeschooling rang so true to me. I wouldn't admit it to myself, but I left that night a "convert". However, there were still so many unknowns, so many fears and insecurities. My husband and I talked
more, I met with a group of ladies who all homeschooled, and the final decision was made! We are going to homeschool our children. In fact, this morning, I mailed my letter of intent. I am still scared, I am still full of insecurities, but I know I am making the right choice for my family. I want to share my reasons for this decision! 1. I like to be with my kids. I felt sad and a little bit guilty every day of kindergarten. I hated making her go! 2. I want to be my Childrens greatest influence. 3. I want my children. To be able to move at their pace. Not the pace of 20+ other children. 4.I don't want my children ideas and opinions of themselves formed by 20 children who don't know or love them. (thank you, Audra) 5.I like the flexibility home sschool offers. These are a few of the reasons. I want to be in charge of what my children know, and when. Well, thank you for letting me share.And
thank you, Heavenly Father for making it clear that this is the road my family is supposed to be on!