NO FUN!!!

This is no fun, seriously. Guess what is even more not fun about it? . . . . . Luella screaming, crying and crawling into the bathroom wanting you to hold her. . . . . Me yelling to have Samantha come and rescue Luella and carry her into her room (it is so nice that she is old enough to help out with my little Lu) . . . . . Mason coming into the bathroom asking "Mom what are you doing? Mom what is wrong?" . . . . . and seriously while puking realizing how dirty my toilet really was, wishing that I had cleaned it earlier that day, and no joke reaching over and grabbing tome toilet paper to wipe it down just a little bit in between puking. I can laugh about it now, but at the time, it was so not fun. Then I realized that I still had 3 little munchkins that needed me to get them into jams, get them dinner and hang out with them for another couple hours until Ben got home.

I felt bad because there was a Halloween party that I was going to take my kids to, but luckily I didn't tell them about it, and if I did, they didn't remember about it. So after the kids ate their eggs and toast, that they really didn't eat anyways. We all went into my bedroom with pillows and blankets and made some little make shift beds. They watched a movie and Luella and I played on the bed. But then gratefully it was bed time, so off to bed for Lu! And she just went right to sleep, thankfully. Ben finally got home and the kids left and I fell right to sleep. Ben was so great to get them into bed. Then I'm sure he loved his quiet time with no one to bother him. But seriously no fun! There isn't anything fun about feeling sick. But I think my kids felt bad for me (they saw me crying and asked why), so they were really good. Bless their little hearts!!! But what good over 10 hours of sleep does, staying in jams (until I absolutley have to change to take Sam to a party) and watching movies! Pajama day!!!!

NEW REALITIES

I am always coming into new realities in life. Some are good and some are not so fun, just bearable. Ben switched branches and now he is in an instore branch. So where he was leaving for work around 7:45 or 8 and getting home around 6:45 or so it was ok. We would wait to eat dinner with him, and then we would start to put the kids to bed together, you know jams, brushing teeth, prayers, stories all that stuff. Then we had some time to hang out before we both wanted to crash for the night. Well, at his new branch he leaves around 8:30 and gets home around 7:45. So do I hold my kids off til 8 to eat dinner? NOPE! So my new reality is cooking dinner and eating just me and the kids. Then I get them in the tub (most nights), get in jams, brush teeth, say a family prayer, and tell stories. I try to have at least Luella in bed but also Mason. Samantha is old enough where she wants to stay up and wait to see Daddy. Then by the time Ben gets home, I am so dang tired. I finish cleaning up the kitchen, and tidy up all the loose ends and I am ready to get in my jammies and watch a little tv before hitting the pillow. This makes for such a long day. This is my new reality, just barely bearbale. But I guess since Ben doesn't complain, neither can I. But it is such a hard thing to think of things to do with 3 little kids from 8 am til 8 pm. Hello, especially since it snowed! Why has winter come so early?!

Yesterday Samantha went to a neighbors house right after school to play. She was still there when I had dinner almost ready by 5:30. But she and her friend weren't ready to be done playing. So we had Hannah come over for dinner. Why not, it's just me and the kids. (and Grandpa last night, he stopped in to help in the yard and I'm glad he had a little dinner before hand. It's the least I can do for everything he does for us) So after dinner, Hannah, Samantha, Mason, Luella and mom headed out to the yard to play a little soccer. Which Mason is really good at. He and Hanah were kicking back and forth. Sam was watching, she doesn't really get into the sports thing. Then about 6:30 we headed inside to have some hot chocolate to warm us all up. Hanah went home and we did our nightly ritual of getting ready for bed. I was able to get Mason and Lu in bed so when Ben came home it was just Sam and I sitting at the table doing homework. It was actually kinda fun to sit and chat. Sam was telling us some baby names that she liked and dad was making jokes about them, and we were all laughing. It was way funny. Samantha has a real opinion about things like that. If she likes something she will tell you. And on the other hand if Ben doesn't like something he isn't afraid to tell you. It was a long day and they will be long days. But I will just have to figure out some fun things to go and do, especially in the winter. (besides watching "how to train your dragon" over and over with Mason)

It is kinda fun and special to have so much mommy and kids time! Even though we get on eachothers nerves, alot, we have a good time together. They know that I love them and it is so cute to see them love eachother.

I guess it's a good thing to have your own personal realities changed every so often. Mine change so much that I have learned to just kinda get used to it.

By the way CONGRATS BEN FOR THE PROMOTION!!!! You totally deserve it. You work harder than anyone I know, you put in longer hours than anyone I know and good things are bound to come your way! WE LOVE YOU!!!

HALLOWEEN PARTY

Samantha was so excited when she came home from school last week with an invitation to a Halloween party for a boy in her class. She has seriously been counting down the days, and today she was counting down the hours and minutes til she got to go. The invitation was so cute, it said they would have a mini spook alley, road kill pizza, skeleton bones and other creepy treats. What a good mom to put on such a big party for a whole Kindergarten class. Samantha was going to dress up as Tinkerbell, but then she saw her witch costume and she couldn't resist. She wore this last year, and possibly the year before that. It is such a cute costume, and she looks so adorable in it.

Every time I say that I'm getting out my camera to take pictures, Mason wants to be in the picture and then wants to see what the picture looked like on the camera. They look so cute here, like best friends!

We couldn't forget our little Lu Lu. Samantha and Mason, but especially Samantha loves Luella.

I went and picked Sam up from the party and she was so excited to tell me what they did at the party. Pizza, gummy worms, marshmallows, spook alley, big bounce jump thing and tons more. So it wasn't much of a surprise when we were almost to our garage and Sam told me that her tummy hurt. But she was serious! I asked her if she was going to throw up, and I just got her out of the car and into the downstairs bathroom ASAP!!!! She made it to the bathroom, but not the toilet. Then I couldn't bear the sight or smell of it, so I called for Ben and he came in and cleaned it all up. We got her all cleaned up and upstairs to her bed to lay down. But that wasn't the only time this night that she threw up. Lets just say we did 2 loads of laundry to get all her linen clean so she could sleep in it tonight, and it is off her bed and I'll be putting it in the wash tomorrow morning. Poor thing.After the last time she threw up we got her in the tub, and that seemed to make her feel better. She was nervous about going back to bed since she had already thrown up twice in her bed. But I'm sure it was just the combination of food and bouncing in that jumping thing. So let's just hope that she doesn't have another accident in her bed, and that she is feeling better tomorrow. We are supposed to be having my family over for our 4th sunday dinner.

MASON'S 1ST TRIP TO THE DENTIST

Mason had been complaining about a tooth hurting a week ago, so I figured it was time to take him in to have a real check up at the dentist. It had almost been 6 months for Sam so she needed to have her teeth cleaned anyways. So we headed in last Thursday to have them both checked. My sister Rebekah was so sweet and came with me to help out with Lu and go in with Sam while her teeth were being cleaned. So Beks went in with Sam and I headed in with Mason. Mason sat on my lap and the Dr took a look at his teeth. He started naming off a bunch and I said that all those better not be cavaties. Well, he said that there were possibly 2 teeth that needed crowns and maybe 4 more cavaties that needed to be filled. SERIOUSLY?! HOW IN THE CRAP DOES THAT HAPPEN FOR A 31/2 YEAR OLD?! Well, the Dr recomended we go see a pediatric dentist, which means a sedation to get the work done. Sad for Mason. So we didn't end up even getting x rays or cleaning his teeth, and Samantha got her teeth cleaned and had 2 cavaties that needed to be filled, so Bekah sat out with Mason and Lu and I went in with Sam. Samantha did so great, she was so brave. It was so nice to have Rebekah there with me to help out, an extra pair of hands is so great and always appreciated. Then the kids and I were heading to play with cousins and Honey and Rebekah offered to take Luella home for a nap while I took the older ones. She is so great.

So back to Mason and the dentist. I made an appointment for a pediatric dentist for the next day, so my mom was so great to come and help out with my kids. (seriously, what would I do without my family, they are my saving grace!!!) So Mason and I headed to yet another dentist and he said the same thing. But he said that he couldn't get us in til the beginning of December. So I went home and talked to Ben and as we talked over the weekend, and Mason cried everytime he ate anything and was up crying at night because his mouth hurt, we decided that Mason couldn't wait til December (that would be cruel). So Monday morning I called their office and just told them that I would love for them to do the work, but I couldn't wait til December. So at first they told me that I could come in on Tuesday and get part of it done, but he wouldn't be completely sedated, he would still be awake, just out of it. I told them that wouldn't work, if they knew Mason, they would know why. So then they told me that they had an opening on Wednesday for the full shebang. All the work done and totally and completely sedated. SOLD! So I made sure Ben could be home and we planned on it.

Last night we put Mason to bed and I swear he was up all night long crying about his teeth. So we were up all night with him. Finally, I don't know what time; Mason, Samantha, Ben and I were all asleep in our bed. Since we had all finally fallen asleep and were actually sleeping none of us heard the alarm and when I woke up we realized what time it was (7:40 am) we all had to scramble to get Mason dressed, me dressed and get me some breakfast and out the door. Poor little Mason didn't get any breakfast, and on the way he was asking for it. I felt so bad. We got to the Dr's office and right away the anethesiologist came out and told me what was going to happen. He had Mason sit on my lap and hold him close to me in a hug, and had him pick out a prize or two while they gave him a little shot in the bum. They said in a few minutes he would start to get not with it. Well, I could see his eye lids getting heavy, then he looked at me with blank eyes like he couldn't see me (that was really sad), he was trying to say "mom" but it was getting to the point where he couldn't even get his words out. He was playing with his prizes and he just sat there with his hands up in the air, holding his toys. Once I took his toys away, he was completely out. It was so cute, and so sad. The anethesiologist came and picked him up and carried him off, and I wasn't allowed to come back and watch. I wanted to come back and watch my baby and make sure he was ok, but I didn't want to worry about him so it was best for me to be out in the waiting area.

It did not take long at all. I was surprised when the Dr came back and told me I could come to see Mason. He looked so cute, just this little limp body laying in the chair, he was still kinda asleep and trying really hard to wake up. I started talking to him and rubbing his arm and letting him know I was there. His eyes looked so heavey, he couldn't focus on me, and he couldn't even get his words out. He was really trying hard and once he could kinda talk, he was asking for mommy and asking where daddy is and saying that he wanted to go to his home. He was the cutest thing in the world. So when the Dr told me I could tkae him home, I picked up my heavy little man, and put him in the front seat of the car. I laid down the seat and strapped him in and held his hand the whole way home. He kept trying to sit up, and I would ask him to lay back down. I asked him to smile at me and he was still really out of it, but he turned his head in my direction and gave me the best smile he could. I asked him how he was doing and he told me that he was busy. He said he couldn't walk cause he was busy. When we got closer to home, there was a shadow on the door and I looked over and he had his hand up by the shadow and was waving it back and forth saying "look mom I'm making a game." Seriously he was so funny. Then I carried him in and Ben met us and took him into his arms and Mason was so excited to see his daddy. We laid him down to watch a movie with Sam, and we would ask him how he was doing and he kept saying he was busy. It took him til about lunch time to finally be able to walk by himself and not be so out of it. I held him up to the mirror and showed him his teeth. He saw his crowns (which are silver) and he thought it was pretty cool. He said he had blue teeth. He was so great all day, then when I tucked him in tonight, we said a prayer, gave hugs and kisses and then he told me I looked like a balloon. I asked if that was when he was waking up earlier, and he said yes. Heopfully I don't look like a balloon right now. Then he asked me to lay down with him, so I snuggled up with him and laid with him til he was asleep.

Even though it was a hard day for Mason, it was a sweet day for mom cause it was nice to be needed by my little guy. I love it when he needs me, and I'm glad Ben let me go be with him at the doctors. He will be so muc happier now that his teeth are fixed. I don't know how long they had been bothering him, but I'm so glad we got it done now!!!

These 2 pictures are of Mason while he was still not really with it. I asked him to give me a smile and this is about the best he could do. Still so dang cute!

Today as Mason and I were walking home from dropping Samantha off at the bus stop he told me the sweetest thing. Here is how our little conversation went . . . .

Mason "Mom, someday when I get bigger I'm going to marry you."

Mom "You are?"

Mason "Yea, and I will get you a prettiful flower."

Mom "Oh Mace that is so nice."

Mason "Yea I will be a prince and give you flowers"

Mom " That's nice, how come? Do you love me?"

Mason "Yes mom I love you!"

I ask you does it get any sweeter than that? No, it does not! Those are the moments that I love so much. And then when we got inside and Lu woke up from her nap, we were playing and I was trying to teach Luella how to give kisses. So I said "give me a kiss" and Mason heard me and came over and gave me a kiss. It is so great, especially since he went through a phase of not letting me kiss him and not wanted to kiss me. He is so sweet, me very own little prince!!!

St George family weekend

So for the last few years our family has been heading down to St George on Confrence/Marathon weekend. We stayed at a hotel one year and then decided that renting a house was the way to go, since we are many in numbers and just getting bigger. At the last minute Ben found out he couldn't come down til Firiday nite (which turned into Saturday morning), so I loaded up the bags, the kids and we all headed down for a family weekend.

Luella was totally outgrowing her infant carseat. So we switched her to the bigger one and faced her forward, and she loved it. Beside the fact that she can see a whole lot more, she got to watch a movie with Sam and Mason. When she was in the infant seat she was trying to kink her neck backwards to see the screen. As soon as we turned on the movie she started watching.

We all headed down on Grandpa's birthday. So when the last car load had arrived we had a yummy birthday dinner, brownies and some presents. Rebekah had found one of those cards that when you open it, it starts singing to you. But this was s really, really big card.

Happy Birthday dad!!! I love you so much, you are the greatest and you mean so much to me, Ben and our kids. I couldn't have ever asked for a better dad.

Seriously, I don't think I held Lu very much the whole weekend. If Rebekah wasn't holding her, Jessica was, and if Jessica wasn't then Hilary was and if Hilary wasn't another aunt or Grandma B, Grandpa or one of the uncles was. But I can't blame them, she is very lovable.

Look at this cute couple!!! I just love them to pieces.

These 2 are the reason we had such an amazing house! (really it was incredible) They planned it all from finding the house to the meals to everything. It was such a success.

Lu slept in the laundry room. It was dark, had a door that would close and the best part is that we could still be out in the kitchen/family room playing cause I just turned on the dryer to muffle any noises and she slept right through it. I just love this easy going baby. Such a gift from heaven!

Does Sam look like she is posing?! Just a little right!

It is such a cute picture of Jessica and Sam.

My sweet little boy. I had an epiphany a while ago and decided that I need to REALLY play with Mason. He is so much more high energy than Sam has every been. He wants to be playing all the time. Sword fights, and legos and running around and all the boy stuff. But I just love this boy. He has such a special place in my heart!!!

I love getting pictures of Luella and Charly together. They are so close in age and are at such a cute age. They are starting to interact with eachother when they are on the ground by each other. I can't wait for their little friendship to grow as they get older. I had a cousin my same age growing up and it was so great. We were such good friends, I'm excited for them to have the same thing.

It was so warm that the pool is where we hung out. Luella just hung out on the tube sun bathing. She had fun in the shallow end, just sitting and splashing around.

Jessica was messing around and styled Lu's hair curly (it has some really cute curls in it), so we jsut kept it curly. We'd put some spray in it and it was so cute. So one morning my dad came up and said he was doing the Lu do. I love my dad's sense of humor. He is always thinking of funny things to do and say.And he is so cute with the grandkids!

Curly Sue splashing around in the pool.

Mckay and Hilary were the only 2 from our family that ran, we had several relatives that ran it, but Hilary and Mckay are studs. They just amaze me, I've done a couple half's and I couldn't imagine doing a half and then running back the 13 miles to the start line. And they do it like it is nothing.

I love going on little trips with my family, and Jessica and Spencer did a great job planning it. Hopefully someone will be running it next year so we can have a great excuse to come down.

How is it that babies, or maybe just my baby Lu can manage to poop up the back of her diaper and out the back of her pants? I can't figure it out, when I change it, there is absolutley nothing in the front. This has happened at least 3 Xs in the last 2 days. But today was the funniest. I had just fed her lunch and we were still sitting at the table, Ben called and we were chatting away. I thought something smelled a little off, but when you have 2 kids in diapers it doesn't really faze me. SO I'm sitting talking and Mason is playing with some toys. Luella is bnouuncing up and down in her high chair and when the smell really starts to get to me, I get up and realize that the poop is coming up and out the back of her diaper. SERIOUSLY GROSS!!!! I quickly told Ben I had to go and Mason and I headed to the bathroom to strip her down. The funny part is when we got in there Mason didn't even miss a beat, he just told me "Mom I'll turn on the tub" Obviously this is not our first rodeo. Mason has helped us clean her up the last couple days. Now it doesn't even really faze me when she has these blow outs, but it is still way disgusting. I'm so glad that I can't remember that part of my life!!!!!

FLORIDA and BAHAMAS

At the begining of the year I told Ben I wanted to take him on a trip, just the 2 of us. We were trying to decide where to go and who was going to watch our kids. Well, we figured since the main point of the trip was to do absolutely nothing, a cruise would be a good idea. And watching the kids, my sister Rebekah so kindly took care of them. That is the nice thing about my family. I know that I can always count on them. They are always willing and excited to watch my kids. I love it. Sam and Mason were so excited, and I knew that if Rebekah needed any help my mom, Jessica, Rebecca and even my brothers would come and help her. So this trip happened mainly because of Rebekah!! We love her so much! Thanks for taking such good care of my kids, they had so much fun.

Since we were heading to Florida to cruise to the Bahamas, we thought we should spend 1 extra day and go to Islands of Adventure. It was more something that Ben loves, but I had fun going on some of the rides. We went on the Hulk, Spiderman, they Harry Potter rides, and some others. It was fun just hanging out Ben and I!

Bahamas here we come. So we didn't really take a ton of pictures, cause really this trip was just about doing nothing. Sleeping in, having people bring us food and drinks, laying around in the sun, reading books and soaking in lots of sun. The first night I ended up getting a bit sea sick, so I spent most the time in my room throwing up. Not fun, but Ben was so cute, he finished dinner upstairs then came down with me and just laid with me while we watched a movie. I felt much better in the morning, which is good cause we were at Coco Cay and we wanted to get off and hang out on the beach. After Coco Cay we sailed to Nassau. We got out and walked around the straw market for a bit, but it was so dang hot, we headed back to the boat to cool off and hang out. But not before Ben played the drums with some locals. This is something that I love about Ben, he wants to experience everything. He isn't afraid to try anything. It was fun watching him, he is a great drummer. Then we sailed for a whole day back to florida. It was such a great relaxing trip. It had been about 3 years since we had taken a trip just the 2 of us. It was much needed!!!

COCO CAY

NASSAU

FORMAL NIGHT

LAST NIGHT BUFFET

We always came to our room at night to find a cute little animal made out of a towel.

It was fun to be away and not worry about our kids at all. (My sisters take care of my kids exactly like I would) But it is nice to come back and see my kids and get back into the groove of things. It was such a great little break though.