Recommitted...

Can I just say that I cannot believe it has been about NINE months since my last update. Time has gone by way too fast. With this time, my children have gotten older, I have not gotten younger, and there has been so many life lessons that have been learned and I haven't recorded them. Nine months ago I also set up 5 additional blogs in my children's names, in an attempt to write them a monthly letter. The plan was to have these blogs as an additional record of their lives, and this has still not happened!

So, with all of that being said, I am going to recommit! I have realized that my life is best lived simply, and I do not need to upload a photo to make a post. I know that if I put 10 % of the effort into this blog that I do to read all the status updates on Facebook, I would be doing just fine!

This blog was originally created to share our lives with friends and family that live across the world, so i need to get back to that... sharing our lives with them. :)

I've Been Tagged!

I never thought I would be tagged! Sweet! :) Here it goes.

20 years ago......

1:I was getting ready to turn 12 and become a beehive.
2: I was in 7th grade, while my hubby was on his second year of his mission.
3: Went on my first road trip with my grandparents.

10 years ago......

1: I was pregnant with my first child.
2: Working in my first paying job as a massage therapist.
3: Helping my husband look for another job.

5 years ago.......

1: Interviewing for random jobs around the country.
2: Discovered Ethan had Lyme Disease.
3: Had recently lost 40 lbs.

3 years ago......

1: I had 4 children. The youngest was 1 year old.
2: I received a fabulous Valentine's present from my hubby. A vintage silver band.
3: Preparing myself to leave some of the best friends I have ever made.

1 year ago.......

1: We had just been approved for our SBA loan so we could open our business.
2: Lol! I was recovering from a foot injury. Actually a toe injury.
3: I was training for my half marathon.

This year so far......

1: My family has moved from Bountiful to West Jordan, UT.
2: I had a hysterectomy.
3: I have been tested for meningitis, ending up with a leak, and a full week of hell recovering from it.

Yesterday......
1: Held Megan all day.
2: Put makeup on for the first time in a week.
3: Washed 2 loads of laundry.

Today.........
1: Held Megan, my sick baby.
2: Posted on Facebook.
3: Eaten 2 Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs :)

Tomorrow........

1: Stake Conference.
2: Fold laundry.
3: Mentally prepare for the upcoming week.

In the Next Year.......

1: Our business is going to be self sustaining.
2: I will get my new home in order and PAINTED!
3: Run a FULL Marathon.

I tag Catharina, Melissa, and Laura.

Sick Baby...

Megan has been really sick this last week. She has had a consistent fever of about 101, that didn't seem to break forever. I spent 2 full days sitting on my bed with her. I was able to catch up on a lot of TV, not by choice, but a necessity to rid myself of absolute boredom. Your toosh can only tolerate sitting for so long, so the bed was where we ended up. She could hardly breathe she was so congested. Thus sleeping was a difficulty and only accomplished by me either holding her, or laying next to her, touching her. As a mom, you know you are talented, but i didn't realize how talented i was until I was able to shower WHILE holding her. This included shaving my legs (sounds selfish, but I had to!)

And then, one random moment it hits you. They NEED you, like the air they breathe, when they are sick. They are so helpless. They depend on you for every thing that they need. And for one brief moment, I am able to take in that it doesn't matter what I am wearing, how big my waistline is, or even if I have brushed my teeth that day... she loves me for what I am to her. Mom.

We've Moved!

Oh, the wait is over! After a very long, very stressful time, we have moved. It had to be the roughest move ever! See, we made an offer on a home that was in the middle of the building process. When we made the offer, we had our own home to sell. The selling agent made it very clear that he didn't think anything was going to turn out in our favor and we were going to lose our earnest money. I can safely say this man was trying to tank the deal...no questions asked. But after a very long fight, we were able to close on January 5th, and moved on the 6th.
We LOVE our new ward. Lots of Kudos to the leadership here. We had 12 men come and help us unload two 26 foot U-Haul trucks. It took them only an hour! And on Sunday, they all remembered our names! (I sure didn't, but I am working on it.)

I will post pictures of the house soon. I just need to get all the unpacking done. I love the new kitchen. It is really big. And for those of you who know me...I am really exciteed to get some painting and decorating done!

Neeltje's Goose Egg..

The way Neeltje actually received this bump on her forehead is really funny. I know it is always funnier when you are there, but I will try to explain the best I can.

I was getting ready to go out for the night on a date with my hubby when I hear a blood curddling scream! With my kids, I naturally assumed it was the result of 2 children fighting and waited for the culprit to come and tattle about the going on's. It was Neeltje who appeared in the bathroom doorway and she was crying. Her hair was hanging in her face the way it always does, because she can't leave her ponytails in to save her life. When I finally got her calmed down, this is what she explained.

We had a sectional couch. She was standing in the 90 degree angle up on the back of the couch. What a great place to jump from, naturally. So she did. She was trying to jump to the arm rest. When she landed on the couch cushion, it was springy enough to launch her into the air and over the armrest. She landed head first in a basket that holds all of our Nintendo Gaming Systems.

I couldn't understand for the longest time what she was so upset about until she was talking to me and used her arm to brush her hair out of her face, and then I saw it! A bright purple goose egg on her forehead. She wanted to see it and when she looked in the mirror, she started to scream worse then she had when she received it!

School pictures...

I hate to sound so negative, but I detest school pictures. You pay so much money for less than mediochre pictures. They send the kids to recess and then take their pictures...I have received our fair share of horrid pictures, so I stopped buying them. I just do them up that day, (so their yearbook looks okay) and I take a picture of them myself and photoshop it. I had a difficult time with my new camera as I am still getting used to it (red-eye), so i turned them to B & W. Ethan is at that awkward age where he is figuring out what it means to "be natural" so his looks funny, but Aunna and Neeltje look as cute as ever.

Before and After

In July of 2006 Todd and I bought a home in Bountiful, UT. This home was great structurally, but aesthetically...not so much. We have 2 and a half years into this remodel and we are pretty pleased with the results. I am searching for the photos I have of the "before" for the kitchen and front room. Hopefully I can find them soon.

Main Bath: Not much needed except a new coat of paint, light fixture, and shower curtain and rod. The last color was peach...not exactly my style.

Master Bed: I didn't take a picture of the old master and I should of. It was priceless. A half wall of the 80's floral mint green, rose, and light blue wall paper. A nice popcorn ceiling (asbestos), and holes everywhere!

Front Room: Yet another room I never took a picture of...but I will try to explain it. See the wall with the bookcases and fireplace. It was all those 70's gold flecked mirrors on the whole wall with a white brick fireplace in the center. My sister and I had a rude awakening when we took the mirrors down to find wood panelling underneath. When that was removed, there was no sheetrock. This room cost 10 times what we planned to spend on it in the long run!

Second Bath: No real overhauls here. Just changes the paint from purple to beige.

Family Room Before: What you cannot see in this photo is the "popcorn" ceiling, 15 yr. old Berber carpet, wood panelling painted white, and a dated stone fireplace that doesn't work.

Family Room After:

We did a lot, I know. But this photo shows the still needed baseboards, and decor on the walls.

After Kitchen:

The kitchen was the biggest needed update. The old kitchen had a "U" shaped floor plan that brought a cabinet return right through the new island. The cabinets were so low you had to squat down to see people between the ountertop and cabinets. The stove had 2 burners working, and an old yellow oven!

Ethan Turns 9!

Ethan turned 9 on July 31. It was very unfortunate that at this time I was still on bedrest from my back injury so we postponed his party until a future date. This date ended up being October 11! I know, it is horrible that I am not more on top of things. Here are some pics from his party. We had a lot of fun. They had a contest to see who could blow the biggest bubble and the pictures are pretty funny.

HALLOWEEN 2008

Like most of you know, Halloween is my favorite holiday of the year. This year I wasn't able to fully enjoy it as this hysterectomy has been kicking my hiney. But, at last, here are pictures of the kids. I have the hardest time getting them to pose individually as the call for candy is too great. So here are the group pictures.

Left to Right: Patrice (my neighbor) holding Megan a princess. Ethan is Batman, Kiyomi (Patrice's Daughter) is Giselle. Back to the left is Bradley as a Dinosaur, Kelsey (neighbor) a princess, Aunna is a Bride, and Neeltje is a Pink Unicorn.

I'm Gorgeous Inside...

That is the verbage appearing on top of our realtors sign in the front yard. We felt that putting the traditional "MUST SEE INSIDE" was too demanding, and wanted to put positive subliminal messages into potential buyer's heads.We have been working really hard to get the basement finished, and I can't believe the changes from before to after. I am going to get pictures posted soon.