The Most Amazing Easter Week EVER!

Talk about the perfect time of year for Miracles!!! And boy do I have a doozy of one to share!!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, Talia has been living in California since January. Well after being denied visitation once I finally was able to see her over last weekend. I so missed her but the minute she was in my car, it was like she had never even left. I love that she and I are like that!

Well over the last month we had decided to fight for custody instead of just more time. Let me tell you how everything changed..........

As hard as it has been I have tried to be supportive of Talia wanting to be in California. She really felt by going that the relationship with her dad would improve. Sadly she was discovering it was actually getting worse in some ways. She missed me terribly and was angry with him for making it so hard to see me as well as other teenage issues. Well I had stopped asking her if she was sure she wanted to stay until one morning when I could not sleep. I could not get thoughts about her out of my mind. I kept thinking that more time was not what we should be going for. Figuring that Talia was still in the same mind frame as before, this frustrated me further. The more I stewed the stronger the feeling.

Well Talia happened to start texting me that same morning asking me really funny questions about the papers and what exactly I was asking for in them. So on a total whim I told her we had changed our mind and were now fighting for custody. And that I could just not allow all the things that had been happening to continue. Her dad needed to know how wrong it was. And that it had consequences. And to my surprise she agreed! LOL I sat there in confusion and asked her if she was sure and what had changed her mind. She said I was right, it needed to stop and she was ready to do what it took.

Well I proceeded to call my attorney and talk to her about what the steps would be and the cost of doing the custody battle instead. If we were going to do it now was the time.

I then spoke to Mark and told him if we did this that I would happily get a job anywhere to help with it. He agreed as long as I did that he was fine with the decision.

Now the only issue was the job. I had been looking for months. There was nothing that would be worthwhile especially with daycare expenses, so it was a total leap of faith when I called my attorney back and said GO FOR IT!

Now here is the cool part. Within in minutes of getting off the phone with my attorney, I received and email from a company that I had worked at before. They were hiring for the census for 14 + an hour. I immediately posted my resume that night. The very next morning I was sent tests to perform to see if I was eligible to continue with the process. 5 minutes after I had completed the tests, I received a phone call for an interview. During the phone interview I was offered the job as team lead which pays over 15 an hour. And she asked me to come in for the paper work and a final interview the next day. I was offered the position of team lead and accepted it the next day.

I could not believe how everything fell in to place the minute we had made the decision about Talia. I knew then it was meant to happen this way.

So now fast forward to the present. All was going fine. We were waiting for her dad to be served the weekend I had her but it didnt happen. So we figured any day after she got back he would receive the papers. Well instead of a call from my attorney, I received a phone call from Talia's dad. I was a little hesitant to take it. I was grateful at the moment I was busy so he had to leave a message. Well then he sent a text...." You need to call me now. I promise you wont regret it." then "If I were you I would drop whatever you are doing and call." So I called

WOW!!!!! WOW!!!! He was right. I could not believe what I was hearing. MY daughter, the one that said in a million years she would never tell her dad to his face how she felt, did just that!!

I did not even know what to say. In some ways I wanted to jump up and down and hoot and holler, but I also knew her dad had said something that was incredibly difficult for him to do. I was scared to even speak. I didnt want to say something that would in any way rub it in or sound unsympathetic. We talked for quite awhile. I think he needed it. Not sure how much it helped but we shall see. He essentially told me what ever I send he will sign. Never thought I would hear that. He said she doesnt want him to fight anymore. I totally felt for him. As a parent to not fight for our children seems backwards. Hopefully the relationship between Talia and her dad will improve and strengthen.

So long story short!!! My daughter will be home on Thursday!! I will have my whole family together more than it has been for so long. Im sure there will be moments as with any family that we dont see eye to eye! I dont care!! Being a mom is the best thing I have ever been given the privilege of doing!

I want to thank all of my friends and family for all the prayers and all the ears that listened to the never ending drama!!! While I dont think it will ever truly end. It has just been decreased significantly!! And eventually it just might go away all together.

Prayers are answered! The End. This is total proof! And it comes when the time is right. Not when you want it to come! And its perfect!

Free CRICUT!!!!

Anyone want to put an entry in for a Cricut!!! Follow this link and GOOD LUCK!!!! http://womenwhodoitall.blogspot.com!!! Let me know if you win!!!

LIFE...... well its acting just like life should!

So much has happened in the last year! Its been a year since we moved from Murray! I miss so many things about Murray! It will always be my "home". So many amazing people. I also miss my house! Especially the family room! It took so long to remodel, but it was so worth it. It was the first real project Mark and I did together! It was a perfect blend of the two of us!

We moved to Lehi and found a super cute house and amazing landlords! We completely clicked with them and it has been great to have them so invested in making sure everything was perfect! We are moving again and are going to miss this neighborhood and friends that we have made here. The bishop in this ward is amazing!!! He has been extremely sweet in working with me and my anxiety. I have a new appreciation for the Book of Mormon and am excited to rely more on finding strength with in it. Its amazing how much there is too learn even though I have been a member all my life ( well at least active most of my life) I have never really been great at studying the scriptures, that is changing dramatically because of our amazing Bishop.

We have had some ups and downs and the downs have been difficult. Marks job has fluctuated quite a bit. There was about a 5 or 6 week period of little to no work that had us scrambling to stay afloat. We made it through because of support of some great family members and friends. The most trying situation has come in the last few months. Even though issues between Talia's dad and myself never truly go away, they have escalated beyond what I thought they ever would. In January, Gabriel came to our house late one night with a letter that broke my heart. In the letter he stated he was moving to California in 10 days! He claimed it was for a job and didnt have a choice but to leave quickly. The more surprising thing was that Talia said she wanted to go. I have always supported a relationship between Talia and her dad. It has been very difficult to try and have him see that, in fact he feels quite the opposite but Talia knows the truth and that is all I care about. I desperately miss her. She is one of my best friends. Because I had her alone a lot she and I became very close. But I feel because of that she felt like we could survive the distance. Im not sure she trusts the relationship she has with her dad as much. As time has passed we are realizing things were not as he made them out to be. He never had a job and still does not have a job. The more we discover, the more it points to him just wanting her away from here and me. It breaks my heart that he hates me to the point he cannot see what he is doing to her. He has already denied my visitation and continues to be very cruel. During these times it is nice to have the support of family and friends. Unfortunately you also find out who is really going to be there for you. It came as a surprise how some family members had such a lack of empathy. Im not here to complain really, it just makes me sad.

Hopefully when we go to court in March, things will go our way and I will have no further issues seeing Talia. These 2 months of not seeing her have felt like an eternity! 15 year old girls should not be away from either parent especially their mother.

Other fun things have been going on as well. I was able to take my first "ME" trip to Arizona. It was wonderful! I saw my step mom and sister, as well as aunts, uncles and cousins! Phoenix was great the first day but damp for next few days. I was also able to go to JOES FARM GRILL. I have been waiting for 2 years to go. It was featured on the food network channel on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!! It was well worth the wait! All the produce is grown in this HUGE garden owned by Joes! mmmmmm!!!

Another fantastic thing to happen was my brother getting married! Not only did he get married but it was to one of my friends!! Nothing better than picking your sister in law! They are so happy and it has been great to have her as part of the family!!! She is amazing for being able to put up with him! HAHAHA. They will be sealed later this year!! Im so excited for them.

Ok I think I have taken more than enough space on here! LOL

Time for some pictures!!!

Hope all is well for everyone!!!

Tasha

My adorable kids taken just before

Talia left.

The Snowflake Arizona temple! Its really a beautiful

temple!!

Joes Farm Grill! If you go to the Chandler area,

make a stop here!! YUMMY

This tree is in the back of Joes! It is HUGE!!

It covers the whole sitting area!!! There is just

one catch ( refer to next picture) LOL

This sign is posted on all sides of the tree! HAHA!

Needless to say we avoided being too far under

the tree!! YIKES!

Homemade Bread Recipe

White Bread Recipe

Dissolve:

6 Tablespoons dry yeast in 8 cups warm water

Add:

1 cup white granulated sugar or 1 cup honey ( I use the sugar)

1 cup vegetable oil

1 can condensed milk

2 eggs

4 Tablespoons salt

Stir in enough white flour to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto kneading board and knead in enough white flour to make a smooth, silky, dough ** should not be sticky- just smooth and pliable. Let rise for 1 hour in LARGE bowl. Punch down and mold into at least 5 loaves. Place in thoroughly greased loaf pan ( I do not like the glass bread pans) Let rise for about 30 minutes then bake at 350 degrees F for atleast 40 minutes or until lightly browned.( each oven will vary, as well as personal preference on bread texture, I bake my first loaf about 35 minutes and see how much longer or shorter to bake the rest.) Remove loaf from Pan ( if you leave it in the loaf will sweat) onto a paper towel or cookie rack then rub butter on top of each loaf. Cool before putting them in anything (sweat). I use small garbage bags to put them in. May freeze as well for later use.

Any questions please ask! Bread is really simple to make and super yummy! I promise you can make this just as well as I can. By the way you could probably make 6 or 7 loaves out of this, instead of the 5. It all depends on the size of pan. Or you could do 5 and then use remainder dough to make rolls or bread sticks

Change in Direction

Ok so I decided to change up my blog a little. While I may put posts of family life, I also decided to start putting recipes that I love on it as well. I love to cook, and most people that know that ask me for recipes etc because of it. So I thought it might be easy to just add my favorites to my blog for all to see. If you see a recipe and like it, let me know. I would love any feedback. I will post my first fave shortly, but must decide which yummy one deserves to be first.

See you soon

Tasha

Oops! I guess its been awhile!

So many things have gone on since January!. I finished my first semester of college. And miracle of miracle passed math! We have also moved to Lehi! So far I like the ward, even though I was pretty much put into nursery right off the bat!. The kids are super cute, but I would have liked a little more time getting to know the women of the ward. It does look as if I will get my chance since I opened my mouth and made a suggestion to the RS Pres about a cooking night. Each month will be a different theme and whoever would like to come brings a sample of the finished product as well as the recipe to share with the other ladies. She liked it so much she put me in charge of it. It wasnt even an original idea from me. It came from my sis-in-law whos ward does it and I thought it sounded fun! Hopefully the other women in the ward will enjoy it as well. I have also been invited to play Bunco!! Im excited to make new friends, even though Murray will always hold a special place in my heart!

Summer has started and the kids are stir crazy! I hoping summer could last forever, but know that it will only go more quickly than I am wanting. It is hard to believe that Talia will be in High School! One more year and she will be driving and dating!! Heaven Help Us! She is such a beautiful young lady! I am in awe that I am her mother. I am always asking Heavenly Father to help me keep a close relationship with her. Especially with how innocence seems to be an idea from the past! I am in shock as I have walked the schools at the topics kids talk about so openly! I can only pray I have done all that I can to help them steer clear of too much trouble. She is amazing at helping out around the house. I cant count how many times I will go run an errand and will come home to a clean kitchen and vacumed living room. I dont really ever have to ask her to do it. So grateful for that. The other major change will be Cayden in Jr High!!! UGH!! He is such a little charmer! LOL. The girls seem to be quite smitten with him. He has such a big heart! He can be very tender which has its good and bad points. He and Brennan are so sweet together. There are many times I will walk into the room because I heard Brennan cry and Cayden has him snuggled up in his arms telling him its all right. It melts me. I wonder now that Cayden will no longer be with Taylor in school how she will do. She still seems to crave being the youngest, and is resistant to not being held anymore. She is so small for her age it has been easy to continue but there is a little competition that happens to her and Brennan wheneverone is not being held. Growing up is hard to do. Taylor will be in 3rd grade! I love that little thing but am sometimes concerned with her head in the clouds approach to life. lol. She is a little clown when others are around, with her silly faces and other goofy things she does. She does love Brennan and plays really well with him. He is just not a fan of her picking him up. I keep telling her its because they are almost the same size and not that he doesnt love her. Brennan is now over 18 months and I wonder if he will ever talk. Now he chatters all the time. There are some things he does however that let us know what he wants. Its also funny when we ask him a question like where are you shoes, he answers us with gibberish but puts his hands up as he shrugs his shoulders. Too stinking funny!! And the boy can get down!! LOL. He loves music! Some part of everyday my ipod is playing and he is not just bouncing like a lot of kids his age, OH NO, that little guy can swing his hips with the best of them!! He throws them from side to side then puts his arms up and moves them around! He has quite the rythm for one so young.

Some other crazy news is my brother Nate is getting MARRIED! I can hardly believe it. Now the really wonderful thing is is that he is marrying a friend of mine! I think I may be almost as excited as the two of them. How often do you get to pick your sis in law???? Leslie is the first friend of mine that I have been willing to introduce to him and he grabs her up! Sometimes its a little weird just figuring out new boundaries but it will be so fun to be related to her and her cute kids!!!

Ok well Im tired and will try and do a better job on keeping this up!

Yeah for summer!!! I hope everyone is enjoying it and spending lots of time with family!

School is in session!

School has begun!!!  Thankfully I am only taking 2 classes. I am wondering if online was the way to go? Its funny how you hear all the negatives "after" it too late! While online is convenient in some ways, there a few things you should know before hand. One is that online takes two to three times more time commitment. For example, English, I have one class of English a week. Doesnt sound too bad right? Well on top of that one day, I am expected to log in atleast 3 other times a week. How long I am online then depends on why I am there. Is it peer reponse or a chat session for an assignment. Thankfully I like English. When there are tests, I go to the college to take them. 

Then I have math. I am horrible at math. It has been about 16 yrs or more since I have had to be in school. And I did the bare minimum of math credits. Since school has started, I have been doing math atleast 3 or more hours a day! And it has only been review for the assignment I have yet to start. The program that I log into is really cool. The first time I logged in I had to finish an assessment to determine what I needed to learn to accomplish the assignment. Lets just say it was ALOT. The first assignment covers 3 chapters! Seriously? What a way to begin! 

Mark has been amazing. Because its online there is not teacher to show you anything. No lectures, no peer help, nothing. You are in charge of your own progress. Again the program is really cool. It has a pie chart to keep track of your progress. It shows you what you need to know to do your homework. You choose the order of the categories you  need to learn. That is kind of difficult. Its does not tell you which you should learn first. That has proven to be a BIG negative. There is a definite order to learning math. 

Now it seems like I have not like starting school again. But for the most part, it feels good to want to do something and act on it! I have a long way to go but less than before! For now Im going to bed! Im sure there will be more on the subject of school. Kudos to those who have gone to school while working or taking care of your family or maybe even both!!!  Time is something I no longer claim for just me. "Me" time just turned to school time. Thankfully I have a fantastic family who supports me. My kids even think its pretty cool. We shall see if it lasts.

WOW A New Year!

So many possibilities!!!!  We are still seeing if the family is going to be able to buy our house.  I have decided to let go and let the chips fall where they may. Heavenly Father knows where we need to be. Thats good enough for me. In  about 10 days I will be starting my journey towards my Bachelors in Sonography ( Ultrasound). Im a little freaked out. I am also extremely excited! Also the first part of February, Taylor will be baptized and Cayden will be ordained a Deacon! Im so proud of my kids! 

A few things that we are hopeful for in this new year is the economy moving up. Construction is something that follows right along with wherever the economy is. I know there is some concern as to whether Mark can stay busy enough. We have felt it somewhat already but are optimistic, especially if the house sells!

I have a year and a half until I have my oldest daughter Talia driving and dating! Knowing how fast time flies, Im wishing it would slow down. Im not sure Im ready for this part of being a parent! Thankfully Talia is a smart cookie! I pray that she and I will still be close so the communication will be open between us. Teenagers can be so unpredictable.

For the most part Im excited to see what path we will take this year. With the sale of the home etc looming over us, there are so many directions open to us. Hopefully we will be patient and continue to remember we have an amazing guide to lead us along.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

????????????????????

Well I am sitting here at the computer at 5 in the morning. I have already been awake since 4. I didnt go to bed until 12:30(shopping at Kohls until midnight LOL). I have so much on my mind. The family that wants to purchase our home ( still feels weird to say that) is waiting on getting money from a 401 k for the down. I still cant believe that we are selling. I love this house. I love the ward and my neighbors and amazing friends! All the houses that I have been looking at have something wonderful but just not the package I am looking for. 2 of them have amazing yards!!! They are both in Lehi! The first one is a little squishy but has a HUGE unfinished basement with the option of buying later down the road. The second one is so cute with a huge yard but is further south than we kind of want.  The last house is in Sandy , which is not really South enough, and is owned by..................... HA! MY EX BOYFRIEND!!!! Yes Yes!!! Can you imagine my surprise when I walked in the house with the property management women and as I turned around to be introduced to the husband, I take his hand and then look up...... OH MY GOSH!!! Seriously!!! Needless to say his house is the largest as well BUT the kitchen is not quite up to date at all! Funny as it sounds I truly have no problem with the fact that I would be renting form Cody and his really sweet wife! Im sure eventually I will stop laughing at how I ran into him. LOL. Can you imagine running into one of your sweetest boyfriends after 14 or so years. So Funny! It actually was not a really fun break-up but more because of his friends than him and I. Ok so this is taking an unneeded turn... Back  to the subject.

Anywho. Everyone of the owners, when asked about their wards, neighbors, Bishops etc. of course say they are wonderful! What else are they going to say! This is the worrisome part of moving. This is almost as crucial as the house. If you are miserable in the ward, it pretty much ruins everything! Two of the wards have more than one nursery!!! One of them actually has 3, now that a lot of kiddos!  The last thing I want to do is move again and again! The ideal would be to buy the home we are renting some time down the road! I hate moving! So as I look I have to ask myself, if this home is what we could live in for a long time!! Too much on the brain!! 

Now the OTHER side of this is, that this may not happen at all! It looks like it will but there are things that go awry when selling or buying. You have the appraisal, which we are praying comes in where we need it! But with the housing market and the banks being so cautious, who knows what could happen. Then the inspection! I truly dont know of anything seriously wrong with our house but something could be lurking. After all, part of this house is over 50 yrs old.  Ugh! We are still having to wait for the initial approval from the bank as well. I dont know what is more stressful, purchasing or selling! Both are so nerve racking. Right now we cant put any money down on a rental because we would lose A LOT if for some reason this sale doesnt happen. At what part do we move forward.

Ok I am so rambling here! Thats what happens when your mind is wide awake and yet sooo tired! 

Thanks for listening anyway! If anyone has any suggestions, feel free! It will be GREAT when December is over! I am not a fan of sitting and waiting! So many things are up in the air! Where are we going to have Christmas, Are we having Christmas in December( If all goes well we will probably be moving during Christmas break and I dont have my kids until the 29th of Dec.) Will we find a house in time! What about the weather! Moving in winter bites! ON and ON! *sigh*

Happy Sunday everyone! Wish us luck and say LOTS of prayers!!!

Brennan Donald Challis

My sweet baby boy is 1 years old today! What a year it has been. This sweet little man has been a challenge! In the past few weeks, we are finally able to sleep at night! He has struggled with waking up 2+ times a night. When he was an tiny baby we found out he had acid reflux. The medication was $75 a month, plus the special formula at $25 for a small can, which lasted 3 days. He is finally off the medication. Although his tummy seems to revert back at times. 

Brennan is such a happy smiley baby! He giggles, and claps and wrinkles up his nose when he is playing.  He loves to cuddle with me, at least until Mark comes home. When I sit on the couch he loves to come over to me and lean his head on my lap. If I brush his face with my hand he lays on it and snuggles into it. TOO sweet.

Brennan adores his brother and sisters. Talia is the only one, however, that he will turn Mark away for. He gets so excited when she gets in the car. His little squeals are too funny! Cayden is another one he loves. I hope the two of them continue to be so sweet! Taylor loves to play with him and hold him. He is not quite sure of her picking him up all the time yet. Probably because he is so close to her size. Its a little awkward.

 Brennan also LOVES our dog Takara. If he sees her nothing else matters. He squeals and crawls right to her. He pats her and giggles. When she is lying down he lays on her and uses her like a wrestling buddy. Thankfully she is extremely patient.

I look forward to watching this special boy of mine grew up. Although I do think it should go a little slower than it has so far. These sweet moments will stay with me forever, but there is nothing like holding and kissing the little baby faces, hands and toes!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRENNAN (BUBBA)!

Body For Life

Ok so this is an invitation. If you have been wanting to get back in shape, come join me for Body for Life!  This plan is one of the easiest as far as food goes. The workouts are intense but the results are Amazing. If you want to see what some people have accomplished go to www.bodyforlife.com . I have a membership at Golds Gym. I know right now the economy is awful. But if you have been trying to decide about joining a gym or not, Golds has been a pleasant surprise. I love the daycare. You get 90 min a day to use there. The is  womens workout room, so we dont have to feel insecure about working out with the men. I pay about 40 a month for my membership, but I believe right now they have a special going. 

Since deciding this, I have felt so much better through out the day. I get one free day a week to eat whatever I want. However if you have been following the food suggestions, you may not enjoy it as much as you think. I usually feel kind of crappy about an hour after I indulge. I love it though because it just pushes me to continue because I like the change in my body.

If you have done Body For Life let me know. Tell me what you  think of it. If you want to come with me, let me know as well. 

Happy days!!

Back to Sobbing Every Tuesday!

I am such a boob. I am easily moved when I see people struggling, yet working through a difficult issue. Watching others break through barriers is so inspiring!! And then after it all realize their goals, sometimes even surpass them. 

Do you have any idea what Im talking about??? Im so excited that one of my all time FAVORITE shows is BACK!!!  Another round of JILLIAN and BOB!! Its BIGGEST LOSER TIME!!! YEAH!!!!

Ok so that was a little drastic. LOL. But seriously, who does not love this show?? When the commercials first ran for it, I was skeptical. The title sounds so mean. But one episode and I was hooked. And now I faithfully watch or record every episode. With so may mean, or trashy, sneaky shows out there, its nice to find one with heart! Sure its still a game. But lives are literally saved before your eyes. Families are brought closer as issues that have been hidden or ignored have no choice but to surface and be dealt with as the weight falls off!  Now granted the weight falls off so quickly because they are in a setting where this is the only focus, as well as trainers that are pushing them harder than anyone usually pushes themselves. But it does, in my opinion show those struggling with weight that there is a way. No not as quickly as on the show, if its done in a healthy way. And it takes WORK! Im so sad for all those people that spend hundreds of dollars on diet pills that promise miracles. True results come from hard work. Eating right, exercising, and getting rid of ghosts that plague progress. Negative thoughts need to be replaced by positive realistic goals. Well actually there is a study that might toss out that last comment. Mark was reading an article, in it he was telling me that when people, mostly women were used, set high expections on their weight loss goals, more met the goal and continued onto  more weight loss, than those that set smaller weight loss goals.  Interesting anyway. 

Just one more thing. If you have not seen this show, I suggest tuning in for an episode. Judge for yourself. Its on Tues at 7PM on channel 5. Let me know what you think.

So it begins....Again

School YIpee!!! Talia has started 9th grade ugh! Cayden and Taylor will start on Monday the 25th.  Ive heard a few uneasy things about Taylor's teacher, and hope they are wrong. We shall see. Cayden has a great teacher, but is a little disappointed. He likes the one he has but would prefer another one that is supposedly funnier. My girlfriend and I have totally slacked on the gym. Maybe slacked is the wrong word. July was crazy, and August has been about the same, so the gym has been put on back burner until monday. Im excited to get back! 

One thing I am relieved about is finding Caydens baptism date. Its a really long story so here is the shorter version. 

Cayden was baptized 3 yrs ago, at his dad's ward. Well come to find out ( ONLY because I had the records sent to my ward about 6 months ago) that whoever was supposed to enter his baptism in the records....didnt! Nice dont ya think. Anywho, I have been going crazy trying to remember when he was baptized. The problem being, Cayden had to wait for his dad to be able to do the job. So it was not around his birthday. I was not given the certificate, his dad was.  And of course he cant find it. Now after 4 months of constant harassing from me, he still has not found it or spoken to anyone from the ward or stake. So I take it upon myself to call Caydens old primary pres. and OH MY GOSH!!!! She has his program saved on her computer!!!!

YEAH!!! Now the killer thing is, maybe ironic is a better word, she tell me the date and I realize  that he was baptized the SAME weekend that Mark and I were sealed. LOL Seriously!!!!! MY BRAIN IS SO........UGH!!!! How I did not remember this, is beyond me. Its all in my journal. HAHA! The important thing is that now when he turns 12 in Feb. He can be ordained. It makes my stomach turn to realize that this would have never been known if I had kept the records at his dad's ward. PHEW!! So BAD! Talyor is turning 8 in Dec, so we were going to have her wait until Feb. for family to be able to attend both occasions. That would have been terrible to find out then. It was such a blessing to discover this now. Life is crazy !!!! Someday things will slow down .... right????

Jib Jab ( u gotta love em)

Check out this video: JibJab - Time for Some Campaignin

Time to move on

So Mark and I decided with the economy as it is, and the counsel to be debt free that we have been hearing for as long as I can remember, to sell our house. Im torn on how I feel about it. Im heart broken because I LOVE our ward. I have such close friends here. Our house is unique,which I love. This is where Mark and I were married. So many things have happened since then. 

On the other hand Im excited. To be nearly debt free ( depends on the amount we sell), or completely debt free. What a feeling. To move to a neighborhood that has more kids my childrens age. There are a few here but most are younger. One thing that drives me crazy about this area is the lack of sidewalks. Especially since we are a corner house. My kids really cant play outside our yard. Since we have decided to rent for a little while, not having to pay property taxes, or be responsible for fixing problems that arise in the house. Yippee!! 

Right now we are working on finishing projects not quite complete. Im packing everything not absolutely necessary. 

Im not quite sure where we will decide to move. A lot depends on whats available when the house sells. Mark goes all over for his job, so that isnt a huge factor, although he may not completely agree. I would like to be closer to Talia, who lives in Orem. However Orem is not even an option. Im not a fan. I think Lehi would be the farthest we would go. But again who knows. I will keep you posted on any news. Wish us luck

Trek

Today is such a cool day! My oldest daughter Talia, left for Trek today. Trek is an activity in our church that the youth ages 14 and up go to. Its a reenactment of the pioneer journey. The items that the kids can bring are VERY limited. She actually had to give up even deodorant ( Yikes ). The Trek is today until Sat. It takes place in Wyoming on some church land. They sleep under the stars and are dressed in pioneer clothing. Im so excited for her, but kinda of sad too. Tomorrow is her 14th b-day! I sent a little token to be given to her. Its a collar that the pioneer girls wore sometimes like to church etc. Its a girlie version of a bandanna. Its white with lace around the edges. I also sent up a tatted handkerchief. Both can be signed by friends and those in her "family". I hope she likes it. I just wanted her to know we were thinking of her. Trying to find something that wouldnt distract too much from her experience was difficult to find.  

Everyone that has been on Trek before says it is AMAZING to see the kids "get it" and see the changes that come. They are more grateful for what they have and humbled by what children their age had to go through. One cool thing that they get is a pioneer nam

e. Its someone that actually was a pioneer. They learn where they were from, their age, when they came. It kind of personalizes it even more. Soo Cool. 

I kind of have a hard time sending her on these things. I think it is so important though. It does take up my schedule with her for the summer. Four weeks is usually filled with alot of time between us, but when she goes on Trek or girls camp I have to use one of those weeks for it. I do want her to experience these things. I hope it will give her strength to become the young lady I see in her. 

It was so sweet last night.Mark gave her a "fathers blessing". I asked her if she felt ok about it. She adores Mark! I asked her if she wanted him to bless her with anything particular. She said she didnt want Trek to be just a trip. How perfect. I hope she truly discovers and "gets" what Trek is all about. I cant wait to talk to her when she gets home!!!!

Here are some pictures of her before she left today.

Summer

Ugh summer has begun!!! I guess Im kind of spoiled. I have a set schedule when my kids are in school. Mon, Tues, Thurs, and Fri I go to the gym. Now I still go, but I feel a little guilty about not hanging out with the kids. Its only 1.5 hrs but still. Cayden is 11 and so does not want to hang out at the child care. And of course Talia is too old as well. Taylor doesnt mind as long as Savy is there. Brennan of course could care less. He is held the whole time he is there. IT so pays to have a cute baby.  

Im also looking into getting a home based job. Photography is awesome but is not something anyone has to have. Convergys now has a positions for those wanting to work from home. And the training is done at home as well. Ive worked for them before and it was one of my favorite jobs. Mark and I have discussed  preparing in different ways for the serious slowing in construction. It is scary since we totally rely on it for our living. But if we plan ahead I think we will be ok. 

The summer is also crazy because of the change in schedule with Talia. I love having her much more often.  That is actually something wonderful about summer. I pray she will always love the time we spend together. That it will be something that is important to her. Being 14 is the start of more independence. Friends are a higher priority. I dread the day she calls and tells me she is not coming because of  a "friend" thing.  Is that selfish?? Probably but I truly enjoy being around my sweet daughter. 

Cayden wants me to sign him up for some drama camp. LOL It is very fitting. He is so funny about acting etc. He "practices" all the time. I have never seen anyone make so many faces in the mirror whenever he passes it. And I say that with all the love I have for him. He is also choosing to become more active in helping with Brennan. Tonight he asked me to show him how to rock him to sleep. How adorable is that!!!!

Taylor is still trying to find her place. She is kind of struggling about not being the youngest anymore. She is still super sweet but is always right at our heals. One really nice thing is all the hugs we get and the " I love you's" But it almost seems fearful. If that makes sense. And she truly loves Brennan. She reads to him and sings to him. She loves to act crazy just to hear him laugh. Hopefully she will realize he is not here to take her place. That would be impossible.

For all those friends out there in "blog" world I hope your summer is fun and full of family.

Too fast!!!

It never ceases to amaze me how fast time flies!!! From my kids, to my marriage. Talia is almost 14!!!! Yikes. Cayden just turned 11 in Feb. 12 is just around the corner. I cant believe he is almost priesthood age. Taylor will be in 2nd grade next year and will be 8 in Dec. And sweet Brennan will be 1 in Nov. Oh and Mark and I have been married for 4 yrs on May 8th.  My children are going to have major milestones this next year. Church dances, make-up, Priesthood, Baptism and turning one. Phew. Life is so short. Its hard for me to feel old enough to have kids this old. That is a funny sentence to me. lol. I feel like it was yesterday was having the SAME arguments with my mom as Talia tries to have with me. Exasperating. Oh but how I love that girl!!! Beautiful, smart, loving. I hope she and I become closer every day. How lucky I would be. I hope she knows what she is capable of becoming. She truly has NO idea how crazy I am for her. Really none of my kids truly know that life would just not work with out everyone of them. Poor Cayden among all of these girls!!! Super sweet and sensitive, but still such a boy. He truly has( in my opinion) picked up on some great things his future wife will adore! Taylor, oh such a crazy girl. She does things that make no sense but she wouldnt be her without them. I hope that makes sense. Such a spunky sweet little thing.  Brennan so far is my challenge. From conception to birth to today, he is my mover and shaker!!! So much that he still does not sleep through the night 90% of the time. Power naps are usually all he takesduring the day. Sensitive tummy. EXPENSIVE formula and prescription. UGH! But oh that boy has my heart!!! The sweetness is overwhelming when I look into those beautiful blue eyes. He is an answer to so many quiet hopes and prayers. Conference weekend was filled with my kids and amazing hubby playing and spending time together as a family. My favorite time is when I have all of them home with me.Divorce is so difficult on the idea of family. It truly is broken. I treasure the few moments they are all gathered around me. The talk on mothers was truly inspired. I am blessed to have 4 amazing beautiful angels to hold in my arms. I thank my Heavenly Father for the sweet spirits I have to hold my hand, give me kisses, brush my hair, paint my toenails, and the best thing of all, call me mom.

  

 

 

                                                                                            

Waiting Bites!!!

Ok so I have now finished the Twilight series. The first book took the longest because I just couldnt get sucked into it at first. Once I did I flew through it. The second book took just a little over a day. The third was about the same. Now just like everyone else.... Im waiting for the 4th. I think I remember someone saying in August or something. Yikes that is awhile. At some point after the next book the movie will be coming out. I am always hesitant about what the movie will be like after I have read a book. So far I have been totally disappointed by them. Hopefully it will not be the same with this series. If anyone has a book or books that they really enjoyed let me know Im in the mood to read. Have a great day!!!

Finally!! I finished!

So many people are reading the Twilight series. I borrowed the book like a month and half ago from my friend Ashley. I fell terrible it has taken me soo long  to finish it. However it was not because I didnt like it.  Every time I sat down to read it , my son woke up or needed me. At night I was just too tired to read. I was beginning to think I was going to have to give it back to her unread. Well my mom is in town and was spending time with us and holding Brennan etc, so I started again from about page 60 or so and read 99.9 % in one day. LOL. I was very pleasantly surprised that I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I LOVE fantasy. I really LOVE books about vampires. My favorite Author is Anne Rice. I was completely ready to not really love Twilight because I am picky about how people describe vampires( silly I know). I like a book that makes it seem totally natural. Or atleast believable. The unfortunate thing is, is I cant get a hold of Ashley!!! UGH. After  reading the sneak peek Im very anxious to read the next book.