We miss you Sophie and Matalynn

Hey girls, if you happen to check this blog in the next few days, just wanted to let you know how much we miss you. You were both such sweet blessings to have in our lives and we all wish we lived closer so we could see you more.

We love you!!

Gratitude Tuesday

Well, I haven't accomplished much today. I am grateful though, for all the neat stuff you can do on the internet. I spent most of my afternoon transferring sent e-mail's to my online journal. I knocked out almost a years worth of journal entries in less than an hour. I was also able to add all of my blog postings, including pictures. Maybe it is a lazy way to do journaling, but I am happy that I have some record of the last year.

We live in such a wonderful era, I think the pioneers would be amazed. I would have been amazed just 15 years ago at what we can accomplish now a days. I remember logging onto the internet and listening for that lovely sound that came along as the computer connected. While that was going on, I used to make my bed. Come back to the computer and start loading up a page, while I waited I would usually dust. Then, the second page would load while I vacuumed. Now, if a page doesn't load instantly, we ask out loud " What's the problem? Stupid computer, this thing is so slow "

The whole iPod thing is amazing as well. Remember in the 80's how cool a person was if they had a big old boom box to carry around on their shoulder. It seems ridiculous now. Then we had a Walkman that could play tapes. Then the big invention of CD players came along, but you couldn't jog with them or they would skip all over the place. Now we have these tiny little MP3 players we can strap to our arm and go for hours if we need to with out a single CD or battery. How amazing.

I am also grateful Alex is working on his Eagle Scout project. I am looking forward to him accomplishing a goal we set for him when he was just a new baby. He started
cub scouts 7 1/2 years ago, from little wolf to a mighty eagle. All of the experiences that have lead up to this point seem so long ago. I think of all of the leaders he has had in his lifetime and am so grateful for all of their help. It seems to have passed so quickly. I think of the scripture in Jacob 7:26 "... time passed away with us and also our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream..."

I am so thankful for all of my blessings.
Be grateful!!

I want to complain...

This has been a horrible week, so where do we line up to lodge a formal complaint? I have had sick kids for over a week now. I have been sick for most of that time. Thursday night, I had such a horrible migraine I couldn't even open my left eye. Last night, a not-quite-a migraine headache set in. And what do I wake up to this morning??? Cold sores all over my upper lip- like four of them!! Hello, I have to teach Relief Society this week, did my body not take that into account when it decided to add these lovely beauty marks to my face?

What's going on with me this week? I am totally falling apart!! I don't have time for this, I have six kids and a wonderful husband to take care of.

I am going to the doctor this morning to get myself looked at and request a some blood work. I am totally paranoid that she is going to think I am an Oprah follower and am running in because of the show that aired yesterday. But really, my falling apart started long before Oprah knew about it.

Wish me luck!!

Gratitude Tuesday
Kleenex, Tylenol and OJ

I find it difficult to be overly grateful today, as I have been in bed for the last two days dealing with whatever has been bouncing around the family. I am thankful for modern medicine, small as it may be, but Tylenol really does help one get through a rotten cold.

I was going to blog about how sweetly my children were playing Monopoly tonight and how heart warming it all was, until Alex and Jeremy flew across the room in a red faced smack down. Boy, they sure are big!! All I could do was holler at them, telling them to stop, snatch the ipod that was being argued over out of Alex's hand while he wasn't expecting it and threaten to send them to their rooms. Whew!! Mikenzie was standing on a chair and Baylie and Brandon sought refuge on the couch. All that over Jeremy singing obnoxiously and obliviously. What can ya do when they are both bigger and taller than you? Luckily, most wrestling matches are all in the spirit of fun, although they clear the room when they do that too.

Be Grateful!!

Gratitude Tuesday

Brandon has been sick for the last two days, and odd as it seems, I have been grateful for the time we have spent together. We have been playing board games, reading books, and taking naps together. I have missed my little buddy.

Last night was the sweetest moment of all. We were in the middle of reading scriptures and Brandon was looking pretty miserable. Mikenzie gave up her seat on the couch, got him a pillow and blanket and asked if he needed anything else. Then, Kyle pitched in and asked him if he could help out. It was a tender moment, a non-fighting, real brother and sister moment. I was so grateful that there was not request from anyone for Kyle and Mikenzie to show compassion towards their little brother. I guess something does get absorbed once in awhile and my kids actually do love each other.

Be Grateful!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEREMY!!

Yep, it's that time of year again. We celebrated Jeremy's 14th birthday yesterday-- a day late, but being the Jerema that he is, he took it all in stride. We had a Stake youth activity that took all weekend. Sunday we had a baptism, home teaching and an SED, so finally around 8:00 p.m. we gathered 'round the web cam and sang Happy Birthday with Grandma. That was pretty cool.

Jeremy is a blessing to us all. We are so lucky to be his parents. He is always happy, even after football practice and off season training. He loves to play the guitar, piano and sax, and being in the jazz band. He is teaching the three younger kids how to play piano for me.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention is incredible vocabulary and bookworm tendencies.

Some of my favorite quotes from Jeremy's early days:

Did you know I can fly? Yeah, I just get into a plane and I can fly anywhere I want to.

I really hate pajamas. Everytime I put them on, I get tired.

( On a cloudy day ) Hey, why didn't Alex wake the sun up today?

If I spy one of my friends, pull over so I can say hello.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Ghost Stories

Last night, the girls got Brandon all worked up by telling him a bunch of scary stories. He wanted to sleep in our bedroom and I told him he would be safe in his bed because his two brothers would be in the room, they are priesthood holders, the whole nine yards. He wasn't going to believe all that would protect him from Bloody Mary. So, finally I told him we would say a special prayer during family prayer and another one in his personal prayers, so he would be extra safe. He took one look at me and said " you can say all the prayers you want to, but I am sleeping in your room tonight." Too funny.

He did migrate sometime during the night and when he came out of my bedroom this morning, he sweetly said "Thanks for letting me sleep in your room, I needed the protection". It is nice to know I am still superwoman to one of my kids.

Gratitude Tuesday

This morning, I was very grateful for my sweet Baylie. She was the designated happy child today, as no one else seemed to want to volunteer. Baylie has always been a total pleasure and never a days worth of trouble. She may be strong willed, but that usually brings us more smiles than frustrations.

I am also grateful for the opportunity to exercise and keep myself healthy--my '09 goal, I know, complete shocker. Oprah inspired me to get up and get movin' again and not call it quits just because I have a lame thyroid. So, today I went to the gym, took it a little slower than usual-- I think that is half of my problem, I get confident, over do and then injure. So, I am working slowly towards my goals.

Be grateful!!

We were blessed after all...

I thought I would share an experience Kyle had during our house sitting events... there is a silver lining after all. The following is an excerpt of an e-mail sent to my friend Alex house-sat for:

I just wanted to share something with you. I know we all put things in our home our help our kids think about The Savior and remind them that they are children of God. ( I usually hang them up and then forget about them, they become common place over time ). I thought you would like to know it worked in your home. Kyle went with Alex one morning while he was house sitting for your family. When I came back to pick the boys up, Kyle came out to the car very thoughtfully and said " Sister Ames has the coolest picture in her house. It says I never said it would be easy, I only said it would be worth it. That is the neatest saying I have ever heard. " It was really neat to see something so simple teach and touch my son so deeply, because of your desire to touch the lives of those around you.

So, even when we don't realize we are setting an example, we usually are.
Thanks for all of your great examples!!

No Good Deed...

What a disaster!! Today has been especially hectic, I have been running all over, driving kids here and there, while trying to clean all of the bathrooms in the house-- not a pleasant event. Alex has been house/dog/cat sitting for a friend and I have been dropping him off twice a day to take care of the aforementioned responsibilities. Today, however, he got himself overbooked and I had to take care of the dog/cat/house. I dropped him off at a church meeting, loaded the younger kids up and off we went. All I had to do was, open the garage door, turn off the alarm, let the animals out, feed the animals, get them back in the house, set the alarm and leave. How hard could it be? I worked at the visitors center for almost two years, setting an alarm on a building with millions of dollars worth of equipment, without a single problem. Surely, I could easily do this.

If only it had gone the way I thought it would ....

I did manage to open the garage door. I went into the house typed in the alarm code ... the alarm was still armed. So, I typed the code in again... and again, then it started beeping faster and faster and I started pushing all sorts of buttons. Then, the dreaded sirens went off. The three younger kids all jumped out of the car and ran into the house, then out of the house, then seemed to cluster around my legs. By now, the dog and cat had run out of the house. I ran back to the Suburban to get the paper with the code and instructions and finally got the alarm turned off. Baylie was almost in tears, so I calmed her down and we went about the business of feeding the cat and dog, etc. Then I checked the caller ID and yep, you guessed it, the alarm company had called. So, I called them back, explained the situation and then the guy asked me for some secret code ( I knew it was coming ) which, of course, I didn't know. He just said " okay " and hung up. Kind of weird, but whatever. ( It is never that simple, you'll see ).

Then, as Mikenzie was getting the dog food into the bowl, a mouse jumped out from behind the shoe rack, ran across the floor, which had the girls squeeling. By the time it registered in my brain what was happening, the creepy little thing had scurried down the stairs. ( Of course, the cat was still outside.. where is a good cat when you need one? )

Finally, I got the mail in, found the cat and the dog, and told the kids I'd had enough and we were going home. We got all the shoes, coats and whatever else little girls bring, set the alarm successfully, went through the garage. While the kids were in the car, and I was in the process of closing the garage door, I saw the headlights. Just what I needed, one of Liberty's finest. Ahhhhh..... all this for a stinkin' buck or two!! And, of course, he parked right behind me, as if I am trying to evade questioning ( I am sure the Wyoming plates, dark sweat shirt, no makeup, toilet bowl cleaning smell and a pony tail didn't help much ).

So, of course he needs to ask me what I am doing there, my name, my address, my phone number, the friends phone number. I show him the paper with all the codes and info., trying to prove my innocence ( hoping in the back of my mind that my lame sister hasn't used my name to get herself out of some other trouble -- long story, I'll save that for another posting ). He wrote it all down, smiled and wished me a good night. He let me out and then followed me allllll the way home. I hate it when I cop is right behind you-- I am so stressed about not speeding, not doing a California roll through a stop sign... the stress of it all!!!

So, what can I say... I have really great friends.. I hope the alarm company doesn't zap them with some big fine, I hope the cat finds the mouse and leaves it somewhere we can find it, I hope they get home safe, but most of all I hope they can forgive me for being such an aweful dog/cat/house sitter. Why can a 15 year old can do a better job at this than I can? Well, I guess it should be no surprise.

I need some ice cream!!