How little blessings come

I went to our stake standards night last night and many of my thoughts throughout the program were that before we know it we are going to be dealing with these hard issues with our children. It seems like they are going to be 3 forever, but they won't be and we will be dealing with dating and modest clothes and all that stuff. Then I had a totally unrelated thought about our family. We need to have Family Home Evening. We had it sporadically for a while, but nothing real consistent. It always seemed like every night was family night and unfortunately the tv was on and in the way. How could we have FHE when we needed to watch this show! But last night I knew that all of the problems (sleeping, screaming in the middle of the night, attitude, talking back, etc.) we have been having with Elliot could only be helped by us having FHE. They probably wouldn't magically all disappear, but it certainly wouldn't hurt and we would be doing something we should be doing anyways. So tonight I planned a FHE complete with prayer, song, lesson, scripture, game, and treats. Elliot loved the time spent all together and really I did too. With no tv. And tonight Elliot went to bed the easiest she has gone to bed in the longest that I can remember. No crying or in and out of bed or needing random things to go to sleep. Just brush teeth, 3 minute snuggle and she was out. I really think that Heavenly Father gave me an answer to prayer at that meeting last night in my random thoughts and as a blessing for being where I was suppose to be to support my calling. We will see if she wakes up tonight and how tomorrow goes, but I know that we are being blessed for having the tv on so much less and for deciding to have Family Home Evening.

You know you need a break when...

You know that you are a mom that needs a break when you look forward all week to send the kids to daycare for the day so that you can have a mole removed. It is also a trial run for daycare with Grey, but most importantly I get a few hours to myself, even if that means having a part of my body cut off and stitched back up. I was even excited about getting the house clean because I knew that I could do it in record time and then have even a little bit of time to watch a tv show and work on my scrapping before I have to go pick of the kids. Oh, how things are so different for us moms. By the time 3:00 rolls around though it will probably be too quiet and I will need them around to frazzle me once again.

Craftiness

I am definitely not a Martha Stewart by any means, but I do like to make cute little things once in a while. Usually I am what I call a "good copier." I'm not so good at just thinking up my own projects. So I can't really take credit for this- I got the idea from a book, but the design was a little more original simply because I used what I had. It's a little notepad/journal for a sweet little girl in Olympia that just turned 8, Taylor. It will be in the mail today and I hope you like it! Congrats on your baptism!

I posted pictures awhile back of our garden. Actually Justin's garden because I can't take credit for it. Here is a "little" of the fruits of his labor. The zucchini was the biggest I had ever seen and we had a wheelbarrow full of corn. I spent the other morning blanching corn and shredding zucchini to freeze it all. It will be nice to have both in the middle of the winter.

I'm so pretty

Yesterday, Elliot was "helping" me put on my makeup and of course wanted to put it on herself. She looked oh so gorgeous when she was done. The pictures certainly do not do it justice. She had eye shadow caked on mostly one eye and in her eyelashes. At least she made it to the eyes this time...before it has been just smeared on her face. Then she takes tinted chapstick and puts it on her lips and almost from ear to ear on either side of her mouth. And I can always tell when she has been in my chapstick because it is rolled all the way up and then the cap put back on. I know, all you mothers know what I am talking about. It is a good thing they are cute!

Elliot was very tired tonight and so was Justin (still fighting a cold) so they both went to bed before 8 tonight. I put Grey down in his bed, but it didn't last. We have discovered the swing is something that he finally likes though so he has been asleep for a couple hours in that while I have gotten a TON of work done- young womens stuff, emails, blog reading, scrapbook stuff. It has been nice to have it quiet and no interruptions. Rarely happens around here. We may just have to do this more often. It is after 11 now, but I still don't want to go to bed!

My darlings

As much as I complain about Elliot and her sleeping (which hasn't been resolved yet...Justin has just slept in her bed with her for the past 4 nights) and about her irking me and driving me bonkers at times, she is a pretty funny kid. She talks non stop and very articulately if I can say so. The other day she got into the car after preschool and sat next to her brother and said, "Hey little buddy! What did you have for snack today? Momma's milk?" Of course he just smiled back and I snickered. Last night at dinner, Elliot sits down and says, "So Dad, how was work?" Oh, so precocious she is! And if you ask her what her mom and dad do, Dad teaches the kids and Mom cleans teeth. I mentioned "Great Scott" in a previous post and she also will say, "bills, bills, nothing but bills" which she got from one of her little shows. She's always trying to bargain too and swing deals to not go to bed or to get a treat. Always thinking and will at least try to get something she wants. She has a sweet tooth like her mother too. This morning when I asked what she wants for breakfast, her response was fruit snacks. Lovely.

Our little man is doing well also. He is sitting on my lap right now content as can be. He isn't always that way, but he is doing better than the first few weeks. And he has a smile that gives me goosebumps and makes me tear up! He had his 2 month check on Monday and he is already 14 pounds, 3 ounces and 24 1/2 inches long. Justin thinks he was jipped on the length because he only grew 1/2 an inch in 4 weeks. But gaining almost 2 pounds in the same time ain't too shabby. I think we better start saving now for our food bill in the coming years.

I just wanted to write a post of the goodness of my children instead of always a gripe which I tend to do too much of. I love them so very much and often can't believe they are mine.

Going to miss these mornings

As summer ends and winter gets closer, the days obviously get shorter and the sun rises later. Lately, I have been running a couple times a week before Justin leaves for work which means I am up, gone, and back before 7 am. This morning was next to perfect. I left just after 6 when the sun was just peaking over the horizon. It was cool enough for a long sleeved t-shirt the first couple miles, but I took it off part way through the run. I ran by the elementary school and bus barn and on the back roads towards Soap Lake. I got up onto the canal and ran home and got to see the sun rising. It was so nice and peaceful- very few cars, no people. Just me jogging away listening to my tunes and my thoughts. I love starting my mornings like that and I am going to miss it when it is too cold or dark or icy to do so. I thank my husband for letting me go early. He likes to get to the school early because that is when he gets his best work done, but he gives me a few mornings to do what I enjoy and what helps me be a better person. Soon it will be more gym time than road time, but spring will come again and I will be out on the road as soon as possible. And actually, the winters here do make it possible to do some outdoor running. I just have to bundle up and watch for slippery areas.

And now I am going to put something in writing so there will hopefully be no turning back. I have actually told a number of people already too, but this is going to make it official. I am going to try to train for a marathon this coming May. I really have no desire to run the 26.2 miles, but I want very much to be able to say that I did it. I have done 2 half marathons and cannot really fathom finishing that and turning around and doing it all over again. But I know that people in less shape than me have done them successfully. And this will be one spring that I won't be pregnant, nursing will be less by then, the race is on a Saturday in Spokane, and everything seems to be too perfect for me not to do it this year. I am afraid that if I don't know I won't have the chance again. I will have to do some training on the treadmil which really stinks, but I will manage. Again, I have the support from my wonderful husband who will help give me the time that I am going to need to do this. I will get this marathon done and then do one or two mini-triathalons which is what I really love to do . I like the variety of those and summer time is a great time for those races. So now I am committed to reaching this goal bearing no injuries or broken elbows (kept me from a triathalon last summer).

Little rest for the weary

No improvement really with the sleeping lately. We all needed a good night's sleep last night so Justin slept with Elliot and I took Grey and all went to bed early. We all slept pretty well I think except Justin has been fighting an illness and I think it is getting the better of him. He just informed me that he is coming home after school to take a bath and then just chill the rest of the night. I am getting my hair done by Elliot right now as I type. Lovely. Grey is sleeping hopefully soundly for a while as he had shots this morning at his 2 month check. As much as I know they are for his good, it still stinks having to poke him 3 times and make him scream so badly.

Lately, besides not sleeping well, Elliot has been talking about our "old house" and our "new house." Apparantly we are suppose to be finding a new house because she doesn't like our "old house." One day she went into this elaborate explanation about wanting a blue house and her room was going to be purple and Grey's room was going to be blue. I don't know where she gets a lot of the things she says. Lately too she has been saying "Great Scott!" Makes me laugh.

Gotta jet...the little one has awoken.