Erik!!!!!!!

Ok so between the poop on the floor, the tartar sauce on the bed, Mike's deoderant in the toilet, an entire box of cheerios on the kitchen floor, using me for a jungle gym, sitting on Sarah, not to mention the hundereds of glasses of water dumped on the floor, you would think he would be worn out! All of this in ONE day! I think Erik was sent here to test every ounce of my patience! It seemed like as soon as I got one mess cleaned up today there were at least two more. I think I need a vacation! No correction I know I need a vacation! Do you think I could hire him out as a one man wrecking crew?! :) One day I know I will look back on all of his mischief and laugh. Just not today.

Puzzles!?!

Joey has decided that his new favorite thing to do is put puzzles together. The only thing is he doesn't want to do what he calls the "easy" ones. (The kind he can do himself.) He wants to put together puzzles of 100 or more pieces. His idea of putting a puzzle together is Mom puts it all together except for about a dozen pieces that he then finishes. I guess he is actually pretty smart he figured out another way to get Mom's full attention.

New Church Calling!

Well between last week and this Mike and I have both gotten new callings. Mike is now an assistant Teachers Quorom leader and I am the new Relief Society Enrichment Leader. Mike is really excited to work with the young men. It is a perfect calling for him. I just wish I had as much confidence in my new assignment as he has in his. I know that with the Lord's help all things are possible and trust me I am going to need all the help I can get. Our first Enrichment night is in March, the R.S. Birthday Celebration, so I really need to get started on putting everything together. I'm not sure I even know where to begin but I will definately give it the best I can.

So I need a blogging lesson. My pictures keep disappearing if I add text to them. And I need to learn how to change my background with out the aid of cutest blog on the block. If you are willing to helpme out let me know.

Joey's black eye!

After playing Guitar Hero with Grandpa!

Sarah and the black marker!

Black Eyes & Black Markers

Don't you love Joey's eye! Sunday morning he kept running around the living room and then jumping up onto our couch that sets under the living room window. I can't count the number of times he has been told not to do this. But like any kid it doesn't seem to matter he's going to do it anyway. Well, he jumped up there and low and behold he smacked his face on the window sill. When he hit his eye he also hit his nose and made it bleed, so you would think he learned his lesson. Not my Joey. It wasn't even 10 minutes later and he was screaming because he hit his chin. He still hasn't figured it out because I had to get after him this afternoon for jumping on it again. Ugh! He definitely marches to the beat of his own drum.

This afternoon I had some errand to run and when we walked outside to get in the car he saw that Grandma and Grandpa Gurney's car and lights were on so he ran over to their house. If he has his choice he will always pick hang out with Grandpa over Mom. He thinks Grandpa is pretty much perfect. Well, when I got home from my running around he was all excited because he and Grandpa had been playing Guitar Hero on the Wii. He said he had the white guitar and Grandpa had the brown one and he was really excited because he gave Grandpa lightening. I was just shocked that he got Grandpa to play a video game with him. :) My dad has never been one to play video games. But then again I don't know that he has ever had anyone think he is so near to perfect as Joey does. Joey has needed a hair cut for a couple of months now but anytime I get near him with the clippers he takes off running. So yesterday I was sooooo happy when Grandpa finally convinced him that he could give him a hair cut. I think the last few hair cuts he has gotten have been from Grandpa. Needless to say we love Grandpa.

Yesterday evening Sarah was sitting in her walker while I was making dinner. Mike came out of our bedroom and asked what she was eating. I came out and found her licking/sucking on a drawing Jacob had made with markers. As you can see she had black marker all over herself. Thankfully it washed right off and out of her clothes. She is hitting that stage where everything goes in her mouth.

It is only 11:47pm and everyone is finally asleep at my house. I decide that one of my goals for this year is to try and be better about my blog.

Today, Mike came with me to finally go grocery shopping. I've been putting it off because I hate to go by myself with the kids. He was a real trooper about it especially considering he had to work tonight. Anyway, it wore the youngest two out and they fell asleep on the way home and I figured that it would be OK for Erik to take a nap since it was only 1:30. I guess I was wrong since he still stayed up until 11:45. It doesn't seem to help if I let him sleep in either. He still seems to end up taking an afternoon nap. I guess I'll figure it out.

I really do love my life. I know that sounds crazy given how crazy my life seems at times but everything always has a way of working out for the best. I may not always recognize it at the time, but with patients in time I see how it has made me grow. My kids are growing so fast and some days I just wish I could make time stop and keep them little forever.

I am so geatful for a husband and family who love me and put up with all of my foibles. It just reminds me how much I have been blessed in my life. Life is good. I have two new mottos I am going to try and live by this year.
First: "Life is too short to be grumpy"
Second: "Learn to Laugh at yourself."

These are just some more of my little angel. She was looking at her dad in this one.

She pulls some of the funniest faces. I sometimes wonder what she is thinking about.

Little girls are so precious.

I decided I better get some pictures of Sarah on my blog. This one is from Christmas morning. She was actually the first one up. She loved all of the commotion and lights.

Jacob and Joey each bought her a Care Bear. She actually loves to play with and chew on them.

I love this one. Actually I love all of them. She is the happiest baby.

This was the first time we gave her rice cereal. She wasn't so sure about it.

I am definately up to something!

Family Times!

This weekend was the first day Mike has had off in a long time that we didn't have set plans. It was great to just hang out and do some stuff with the kids. We had to take Caleb over to our new pediatricians office at 2:00 then we took the kids out for an early dinner. Their favorite place to go is the Jade Garden in Nampa. Everything was going really well until just before we got ready to leave Mike took all the boys to the bathroom. Shortly after Mike and Erik came back to the table Erik saw Caleb coming and since we were picking things up we let him run over to get his brother. We figured they would wait by the door which we could see from where we were. Well pretty soon Caleb yelled, "Mom, come quick!" I hurried over there and to my shock Erik had his pants around his ankles and was peeing in a potted plant. I was so embarressed. After we hurried everyone out and into the car Mike looked at me and said, "Leave it to Erik!" At that moment we both just busted up laughing. After we gained controll and got in the car all I could think was, "Well at least he peed in the plant and not on the floor." Erik is definately one in a million.

Sleep Deprived Ramblings

As I sit here in the relitive peace and quiet I ask myself do I really have to wake up the kids? It's time to start their day so they don't miss the school bus but I've been up since 3:00am with Erik. He has been crying because his ear hurts! Poor baby :( I hate it when my kids are sick. So now my day will be filled with doctors visits and hopefully naps.