Davis Family

Fall

2011-11-10T20:25:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I've blogged..I've just been busy with school starting back up..One preschooler, one fifth grader and a sophmore.. wow!

Time has been flying by and before I know it, another week has gone by. My sister and I joined a Mother's loss support group through Hospice. It has been amazing. Last night was our last night and I woke up today feeling alive for the first time in months. I feel like I've been faking my way thru life since March 16th.

I've learned a lot in this class. Like letting myself feel however I feel, without feeling like I'm crazy. I am really bad about putting up front and acting like I am fine, but I realize now that it's ok to NOT be ok. I've learned that I need to take care of myself, especially during the upcoming holiday season..I can't be everything to everyone..

I've also realized that I am not crazy when I am brought to tears in the middle of the store when I see something or hear a song that reminds me of my mom..and it was ok to break down and cry in the middle of the music rental store when the lady whited out my mom' s name on our cello rental form.

I can't promise I won't be back at square one tomorrow....

But today, Thursday November 10th..I feel alive, happy and hopeful.

Tears

2011-06-15T11:14:00.000-07:00

I am coming on 12 weeks since my mom has been gone..

Some days I feel ok..others, others I just don't want to get out of bed.

There are just feelings you never know exist until you are faced with them.

Grief.. grief is horrible....

Everytime I think of my mom, and realize she is gone, I get this panic feeling in my chest,

the feeling of losing something significant,

the feeling that nothing will ever be the same,

the loss of security,

the feeling that it will most likely be a very long time until you see this person again.

The feeling of sadness is so overwhelming sometimes.

It is truly my kids that keep me going. I have no choice but to get out of bed, take care of my kids, try to be there for them emotionally, physically and spiritually.

All the while I am trying to take care of myself too... I am trying to accept the fact that someone intertwined with my daily life is gone..

Mom is a person that makes you feel secure, special, loved, wanted, treasured, see's your full potential...

I am really, really trying to feel better.

For my kids, for my husband, but mostly for me.

I am trying to focus on the my memories, the things my mom taught me,

the knowledge that I will see her again.

Missing

2011-05-12T11:13:00.000-07:00

I've decided that missing someone is quite possibly the worst feeling there is.

It's been 8 weeks since my mom passed and I miss her so much.

I miss the smell of her China Musk perfume.. she's worn it since I was little.

I miss the 10am and 9:30 pm calls from her, just to see how things were going.. and often calls in between.

I miss our uncanny way of calling eachother at exactly the same time.

I miss spontaneous lunch dates at Flancer's.

I miss our late night movies.

I miss seeing her name on caller id.

I miss her asking about the kids.

I miss her car in front of my house and the dog going hog wild when she would walk up the front steps.

I miss her little jean hat.

I miss her reassurance that things would be ok.

I miss her hugs.

I miss her silent strength during her fight with cancer.

I just miss everything!

Thankful

2011-04-24T14:56:00.000-07:00

What I am thankful for:

I am thankful that I was able to be there when my mom passed.

I am thankful that our family is close.

I am thankful for the 2 years after my mom's diagnosis to spend with her.. late night movies, diners, visiting, laughing..

I am thankful for my kids that have kept me going.

I am thankful to my husband for being so understanding.

I am thankful to my wonderful friends that have carried me through this.

I am thankful for Jesus..because I know I will get to see her again..

I am thankful for Easter.. for he is risen!

Mom

2011-04-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

March 16,2011 is a day that I will never forget.

My beloved mother passed away...

Although we all knew my mom had breast/liver/bone cancer, the finality of that day still seems so surreal. She was rediagnosed 2 years and 3 months ago..scarred then, we all rallied together and made the most of the time my mom had. We had a spectacular 55th birthday party for her, a family trip to San Diego and lots of dinners and movies together. Things were going good.. chemo was working, good dr. reports...We all put the thought of cancer to the back of our minds.. her engergy level had decreased but over all she was feeling pretty good.

This last Christmas I could tell she was more tired.. After 2 years of chemo.. the dr. had let her have a month off of chemo.. there were no signs of liver lesions..then in Feb. her PET scan showed some liver activity. SHe was tired..very little energy and not much of an appetite. He started her on a new drug..she had 2 rounds.. Early March her blood work showed that her liver function numbers were 2-3 times what they should be.. we were all very worried but she still wanted to go on her coveted "girls' trip" to San Diego. I talked to her after she had been there for a day..she was upbeat and having a great time.. Day 3 she called and said she was yellow and couldn't get out of bed and her friends were worried. She called the dr. and he told her to come home.

We got her to the hospital, she was there for 3 days..Scans showed her liver was covered in cancer lesions.. She said "I am NOT done yet". She was such a fighter. We came home with a dr. appt the next week to continue chemo. She was determined to get to that appointment. We stocked her fridge with easy, healthy foods.. She seemed more and more confused and tired over the next couple days.. She would only eat a bite or two. She was in pain.

My brother,sister and I got together and decided we should call Hospice. Her pain was getting out of control and she just didn't seem right. I stayed with her for 2 days..the first night she was up and down all night, in pain and unable to sleep. I was up with her.. just talking and watching her sleep. Hospice came the next day. We were all there to help her make the decision to enter Hospice care at home. My uncle, aunt , brother and sister all looked at eachother..not wanting to admit what this meant. There were a lot of hidden tears.. sad looks and an overwhelming sense of togetherness.

That night, after I had been up night the previous night.. my sister and I watched Juno with my mom. It was one of her favorite movies. She tapped her toes to the music, she would open her eyes and watch the movie for a few seconds and then close her eyes and just listen. We got her morphine and got her into bed. Courtney went home. I laid on the couch, thinking of the future..knowing deep in my soul what the outcome of this situation was.. I heard my mom crying in her room.. I laid with her. She was in a tremendous amount of pain. We could not get her comfortable. I called Hospice. They told me to give her a few more drops of morphine. My mom looked so helpless laying in her bed.. I just kept telling her how much I loved her. How great she was and what a great mom she was. After a half hour she was feeling worse..She wanted out of the bed. She was angry that she was in so much pain. I got her up and out to the living room. She cried the whole way out there. She was crying for her mom.. that's how much pain she was in. I was so scared I was shaking. I didn't know how to make her feel better. I rubbed her and feet..I sat on the table in front of her and just watched her fall asleep. The meds kicked in and she was able to sleep. I sat and starred at her for 3 hours, watching her breathing, looking at her beautiful face.. wondering what in the world I would do without her.praying for her Jesus to take her pain away..even if it meant taking her away from us.....

Finally the sun rose.. I called Courtney to come over..We called my moms friends, we told my borther we would keep him updated of any changes..My Aunt from Kentucky came in early. My mom thought she was going to the dr. at 10. I asked her at 7:30am if she still wanted to go..She sat up and said "Yes, are we late?". I told her no but we should get ready a little at a time so she couldrest. My sister and I tried to get her to stand up at 9. She tried so hard, but she couldn't do it. We just looked at eachother, realizing there was no way we were getting her out of her recliner...there was not going to be a dr.'s appointment...there was not going to be chemo..there was not going to be anymore anything... My brother came from work.. the house was filled, but quiet..people around my mom, reading to her...talking to her... rubbing her head, her hands.. Rick brought Tate over.. my mom woke up and have him a hug and said "hi punkin" and went back to sleep...that was the 2nd to last thing she said...My moms friends brought food.. hospice came to check on her.. they checked her vitals and said a hospital bed would be there later.. My moms breathing changed.. it was a shallow, rattly kind of sound.. I tried to get her to clear her throat.. she tried but didn't have the energy. I could feel my grandfathers presense.. I could feel the Lord's presense.. I was calm.. I was really, really calm.. I sat at my moms feet.. we all gathered around her.. We told her it was ok to go to be with the Lord and her sister and dad.. we told her about the wonderful place she was going.. and that we would miss her and we would be ok.. We cried.. She opened her eyes and looked at all of us.. She said"ok" and nodded her head.. She knew what was happenening.. she was ok with it.. i stayed at her feet for a long time.. They had come to set up the hospital bed.. something my mom didn't want but we knew she needed. Her breaths got very small.. She closed her mouth and took tiny breaths from her nose.. I called for Chris and Courtney to come over.. we all stood around her.. My grandmother touched her.. we were all touching her.. she just stopped breathing.. it was peacful.. it was surreal.. it was sad.. I felt relief.. relief that she wasnt' in pain, that she was in heaven.. The way I saw it was that Jesus, my grandpa and my aunt Lynn were there holding her hands and lifting her up... We cried.. we let go.. we started the next stage of this process called death.. immediatley I felt grief.. an undescribable feeling.. something i never knew existed.. something so strong and powerful and deblitating.. ...I miss my mom...

Cousins!!!

2011-02-01T17:43:00.000-08:00

These girls are so great .. Our family came back from China to visit during Christmas and it was a 3 week celebration! One of my favorite parts was just watching Kalvyn and her two cousins hang out, talk, laugh, shop and goof around. We had lots of sleepovers, late nights, dinners out and FUN!

The boys had fun too playing video games, going to Jumpstreet, sleepovers and movies.Blake was absolutely facinated with Luke. Anything and everything Luke did, Blake followed suit.

I took the girls shopping and they got some out fits and wanted to do a photo shoot.. so off we went with my amatuer camera in hand..

On To The Next Treatment....

2011-02-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

So after my post that my mom may get to stop chemo and all the good news that we got.... My mom had another PET scan and got some bad news....

Liver cancer is growing and bigger than before.. bone cancer still active and fluid in her lungs w/ cancer cells in it.. can you say BUMMER!!!

My mom is so positive though.. they have her scheduled to start a new chemo next week.. unfortunately the side effects aren't to great so we will all rally around her for whatever she needs.. My mom is so strong, granted she has her days,she is still so strong!

So.. a reminder to do your self exams!!!!

Irritation!

2011-01-07T11:30:00.001-08:00

Honestly..do they make anything to last? We put a lot of money into new things for the house when we first moved in.. so far our dishwasher has gone out..that will be $400 to replace.. our refrigerator makes a horrible knocking noise all winter long and has since the 1st year we've had it.. that will be over $1000 to replace. We've replaced our a/c unit to the tune of $5000. Our wonderful water softner was $350 and lasted a short 2 years, new pool pump, $600.The hot tub we bought two years ago is also broken and is estimated at $500 to fix.. seriously..these are just the things that I can think of off the top of my head. I am begining to think homeownership pretty much sucks..sucks the money right out your bank account..What a waste on the enviornment too!

I would just really love to buy something that is built right and lasts! Just venting..arghhh

Sometimes Good Things Do Happen!

2011-01-07T08:55:00.000-08:00

Whether it be luck, strength, answered prayers, modern medicine...good things sometimes happen! My mom has no cancer lesions on her liver! She still has active cancer in the bone but the liver seems to be clear..

My mom is amazingly strong as she has endured 2 years of continuous chemo. Nasty side effects, fatigue, countless dr. appointments haven't held her back. She's been on cruises, trips with friends, dinner and book groups.

We are waiting to hear if she is going to stop chemo all together for now. Fingers crossed!

Thanks mom, for the good example and being so strong and positive.

2011

2011-01-03T09:36:00.001-08:00

2010 is gone.. Welcome 2011

I love a new year.. fresh starts.. cold weather.. and some goals..

Here are a few things I want to accomplish in 2010:

1. I would love to take a photography class.

2. More Yoga!

3. Stay away from from negative people and gossip...so NOT good for the soul!

My list is short but I am still working on a few things from last year..'

Here's to a Happy 2011..Cheers.

The BIG 10!

2010-11-29T16:40:00.000-08:00

Today, Tate is 10! I can't believe 10 years has gone by...Tate is such a special person.. I love these things about him

1.He loves to have fun....loves it!

2.He is a super spiritual being..

3.Tate is one of the most compassionate people out there.

4.He's a great brother.

5.He tries really, really hard to make others happy :)

6.He's a good dancer but would NEVER dance in front of anyone.

7.Family is the most important thing to Tate.

8.He loves to tell bad jokes..

9.Although hard at times, he is a very sensitive person.

10. He's MY son!

Oregon

2010-11-13T14:55:00.000-08:00

Rick and I took an 11th anniversary trip to Oregon in October. One word describes this place...GREEN...and I loved it. Everything was so beautiful. Our plan is to move here in a couple of years..

We covered a lot of ground during this trip, sight seeing, resting, talking, laughing and doing what ever we wanted, when ever we wanted.. it was so great!

We plan on taking the kids back in the spring to show them all of our favorite spots..

Fav 5

2010-08-08T18:32:00.000-07:00

This yummy, refreshing tea is soo good!

Can anyone not love peaches?

Makes a quick and tasty dinner.. we all love them

My new favorite salad dressing..yum-Briannas Poppyseed dressing..

Heavenly..and made with sugar.. no corn syrup..

These are my favorite foods right now...

Summer time!

2010-08-01T15:31:00.000-07:00

So I haven't posted forever because our router broke and I couldn't access my photos..We are finally back in business..and summer break is almost over.

Here are some pics of our summer adventures.. we went to Mission Beach for a week in June with my mom, brother and sister.. fun times.

Family Favorite

2010-05-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

This is one of our favorite breakfasts.. quick, easy and sooo good!

1 Egg-scrambled or cooked overeasy

1 piece whole wheat toast

1 tablespoon homemade strawberry jam

Cook egg, salt and pepper..Toast the bread, spread jam on toast and top with the egg..

My Favorite Face Product

2010-04-30T08:25:00.000-07:00

I stumbled apon this at Sprouts last week. I LOVE Alba products anyway, but this takes the cake! It is a Pinapple Enzyme mask. It has a gel consistency and smells sooo yummy!

What's the Deal?

2010-04-22T15:31:00.000-07:00

What is the deal? Swimsuit season is right around the corner.. We are going on vacation June 5th.. I have been running 3-4 times a week for 45 minutes-1 hour, doing Zumba 2 times a week and skipping dessert. I have also been mindful of what I am putting in my body... for 4 weeks now...Weight loss=1lb...WTFreak...

If anyone has any suggestions.. I am open to them..my goal is to drop 15..

Yum....

2010-04-18T14:26:00.000-07:00

A friend turned me on to these...I've never been a big chocolate fan but I have been converted! They are completely organic and %100 natural.. Love these, especially the toffee ones!

Easter and other stuff...

2010-04-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

Never too old to hunt for eggs!

My Mom!<3 her!!

We made these in lieu of eggs this year...much easier!

We had a great Easter Sunday... a brunch at the park with our families....sadly missing were my nieces and nephews...:( I knew I would miss them but WOW, I really miss them...

Our computer has a running slide show of photos..%75 of them have a least one niece or nephew in them.. We sure did a lot with those kids... and we feel thier absence..

Running and Screaming...

2010-03-15T17:45:00.000-07:00

I have been wrestling with my feelings lately..I must have an extremly long and painful bout of PMS or something...I have been a grouch and a half to my family.. feeling grouchy toward myself as well..
1. I have a extreme case of the terrible 2's going on..hitting, scratching and screaming seem to happen at hourly intervals around here this last week. Time out has become a popular place to visit..then make up hugs and "i"m sorries" from one moody two year old, only to happen all to soon a little while later. Noone knows what will set him off.. I for one am tired of this and ready for this phase to be over with!
2. Teenage attitude..need I say more?
3. 9 year old attitude.. I am so tired of arguing about nothing...
4. My husband is great..don't get me wrong.. But i am tired of his lateness and complete lack of urgency!
5. CANCER-can't seem to get it off my mind.. everytime I turn around i hear about someone else that "has cancer".. seriously? What the hell is going on here? This sounds really ridiculous but I am scared to death, scared of cancer, getting it, dealing with it. I hate that my mom is going thru this.

Today I reached my breaking point for no apparent reason.. I was being extra bitchy to my family and realized I just needed to go run.. And run I did. I took the back loop, about 4.5 miles around Red Mountain.. I started out walking and the more I thought about cancer, the faster I walked, then jogged..by the time I reached the very back of the neighborhood I was at an all out sprint. I ran, cried, sweated so hard-screaming and crying, looking like a crazy person. Tears streaming down my face, until I had to stop because, although I don't have asthma, I felt like i was having an asthma attack. I couldn't catch my breath so I stood there and sobbed like a baby for a few minutes.. I jogged, then walked back home feeling completely loose.. I had so much pent up anger/fear inside of me that I had to let it out..
I guess I need to do this more often because I feel 10 pounds lighter.. if only that were the case..lol

Today..

2010-03-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

Today I am thankful for ZUMBA! I met a couple friends to try this class this morning at 8:30..How fun! Fast paced, salsa, rumba, latin dancing.. 1 full hour of non stop dancing..

It was a great workout.I left feeling totally energized and will definately do this again.

2010-03-02T18:21:00.000-08:00

Day Trip

Beautiful Arizona

Thoughts....

2010-02-27T13:11:00.000-08:00

I have been feeling a lot of ups and downs lately.. Watching my mom go through cancer again has made me feel a lot of things.. Anger, why did this happen to MY mom, MY family?
Sadness, how can we get through this when the odds are stacked against us? Scared, how will I ever get along without my dear mom?
Optimistic, the doctors are doing everything she can and she feels ok right now.

My mom and I were having a discussion about how people can dissapoint us sometimes and that it is better not to have expectations from people because that is when they let you down. My mom made this statement "I know I have disappointed you and let you down at times". I didn't think about it too much til I got off the phone with her.. WOW.. I am really sorry she feels that way. I don't!

My mom is one of the strongest people I know, and she doesn't see herself like that.
She single handedly raised 3 kids to be contributing members of society. We are all happy people and she is responsible for that.
Sure, there were tough times for all of us but she did an amazing job!

I guess I have been thinking about my life and how fragile people are. As a child I never thought anything would ever happen to my mom.. here we are..dealing with it. We are strong and united though.. I love my mom, strong and beautiful!

Model Mania..

2010-02-24T18:30:00.000-08:00

So Ricks cousin and her husband are professional models. They stopped in for a visit again this last weekend. We had a blast eating, playing dice, musical chairs and eating again.. Once again, they were good sports and let the girls dress them up for a "runway" show.

Presenting Jon and Stephanie Passavant:

After their stylist team were finished with them:Kalvyn, Jordyn and Madison Davis

Stephie at work on a regular day:

Jon at work on a regular day:

Thanks for a good time guys!

Rare Music Review

2010-02-13T21:21:00.000-08:00

I Rarely review music, let alone buy it. I like music just fine but it's a rare occasion that I actually spend money on it. The last cd I bought was Amy Winehouse. I liked the raw edge to her voice and the bluesy tone to the music.

Well I found a soundtrack that I acutally fell in love with. My mom wanted the movie "Away We Go" for Christmas. We watched it together, very cute and quirky..but I absolutely loved the music. I jumped on Amazon and got it this week. The main artist is Alexi Murdoch. I love his acoustic guitar and lovely lyrics. There is a song by Velvet Underground and George Harrison too. I love the songs and they really touched my heart. I have been listening to them all weekend. I give this 2 thumbs up!

Here's Where We Want To Be Someday

2010-02-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

This is totally crazy and some people may not believe it, but Rick and I made a long term goal for ourselves. We want to move to Oregon in couple of years.

I have NEVER even considered moving before a month ago.. NEVER.. I do like it here and never let my mind wander to the possibility of something else. A month ago or so, I woke up and had this strong urge to make a change. I thought about it and we talked about it and it feels right for us. There are so many great things about Oregon that we have been researching.

Pro's

1.Greenery

2.High 80's, low 40's

3. They have more farmers markets than fast food stops

4.Educations system is better, they spend a lot more per child than az

5.hiking and biking spots galore

6.20 minutes from the beach,,yes, 20 mintues

7.Green enviornment

8.peaceful feeling when I think about this change (i don't usually like change and avoid it at all costs.)

9.Rick would have no problem finding a job, lot's of good hospitals

10.I don't have to pump my own gas(they have a law that gas attendant has to pump gas, just a small pro, I hate pumping gas)

11.Mnt Ranier and Mnt. Hood are very close

Cons

1. farther from our familes(1.5 hour plane ride)

2.rains more(can't decide if this is a con or a pro)

3.slower lifestyle(i like the fast lane)

4.higher housing prices

Anyway.. We this will be a process and we aren't in a rush. I mentioned this to Tate and he said He's not going anywhere, We'll see!

We are going to make a trip sometime this year (allegiant air, $59 each way)to scope out some neighborhoods..

2010-02-11T21:41:00.000-08:00

We had a great time at Disneyland! 14 hours of walking and no one even noticed until the walk home.. Can't wait to go back in about 5 years..

This is a clip of my daily life...seriously!

2010-01-23T21:09:00.000-08:00

Blue Eyes

2010-01-20T09:36:00.001-08:00

Blake got into the markers today and put on his blue eyes.....

Snow!!

2010-01-18T19:25:00.001-08:00

So we went up North to Payson and I forgot my camera... I am so bummed! It snowed this morning and was a chilly 36 degrees. Last night we played cops and robbers in the dark..I learned that Blake can hide with the best of them. I was the last to be found almost everytime and I had Blake hiding with me.

This morning we woke up to it sprinkling which then turned to snow. Tate had a blast trying to build a snowman out of very little snow.. Kalvyn had a blast complaining about how cold it was. Just kidding, she loved it too.

Fighting

2010-01-09T22:35:00.001-08:00

I am so sick of my 2 boys fighting today... I wonder if I should just get some of these and let them go at it?

I've Been A Bad Blogger, A Really Bad Blogger!

2010-01-08T16:41:00.000-08:00

Life around the Davis house has been a little crazy the last couple of months and I have not been motivated to blog. I got a work at home job with GE Financial and did 3 weeks of full time training on site. It pretty much sucked being away from home all that time. I realized that I have gone from being someone who loves to be out running around, to being quite the homebody.

Thanksgiving and Christmas have passed and we had a great holiday season. Stressful, but great nonetheless. We celebrated New Years with my family, bbq and fondue!

Happy 2010! I am looking forward to basketball with Tate, dance with Kalvyn, date nights with Rick and a little extra $ from GE. I have decided against resolutions this year. I am still working on some from last year and quite frankly, I don't need any extra pressure.

Other highlights from the last 2 months:
Tate turned 9 and got his wolf badge, he is now a bear.
Kalvyn had her Christmas dance recital.
Blake is talking my ear off night and day.
Better health insurance (can I get an amen from the congregation)
Working part time from home

I do promise to keep this updated!
Here are a few pics:

Halloween 2009

Blake being shy for santa

We got Disneyland tickets

My sisinlaw Shelley

Blake is too cool

Blake the Artist

2009-10-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

This is a boat and skateboard

Blake is so fun. He doesn't like coloring with crayons.. He likes coloring with pens...Red and Black pens to be exact... forget mindless scribbling too.. He gets very serious with his "pen" work. He concentrates really hard making small object..He seems able to identify what he is coloring too. One piece of work is a "skateboard", another is a "boat". I had Tate do a practice spelling test last night and Blake was right there with his pen and paper doing a test too.. so cute.

This is his spelling test..

New Shoes

2009-10-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

I LOVE MY NEW SHOES!

Enough said...they are soooo comfy..and I match the boys..hehe

Ranch Chicken Pizza

2009-10-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

I've posted recipe before...
Just pre-heat oven to 375... bake crust for 7 minutes. Add chicken mixture to top and then add cheese.. Bake for another 7-8 minutes. Drizzle with wing sauce.
You may not need both rolls of cresents. I used 1 1/2 cans.
Hope you enjoy!

Lake Time

2009-09-27T19:17:00.000-07:00

We had the best day today at the lake with our friends Annette and Craig. Oh, and of course their sweet little boys, Alex and Zach. We went out to Saguaro lake and soaked up some of the last of summer!

Here are some pictures of the days activities...Thanks Zahn family!!!! You rock!!!

Catching up

2009-09-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

Blake sleeping, mouth wide open

Kalvyn at Forever 21..

My little bookworms

Soccer kid

So school started a month ago...sports started 2 weeks ago... We've been up and running ever since.. I can't believe I was ready for school to start.. We have Tate a little overbooked this semester. I feel like his personal assistant/driver. He has soccer Tues/Thursday with games on Saturday. He has Cub Scouts Wed. and the later that night he has R.O.C.K. at church.

We were a little smarter when it came to Kalvyn. She has dance Thursday's. She was set for soccer but we found out practices were 2 times a week til 9:30pm...hey, a girl needs her sleep, so we dropped it.

One exciting thing happened this last month..Blake is now potty trained.. I am in heaven..except for the fact that my bathroom has smelled like pee for the last couple months. Even though I am still helping to aim, it ends up everywhere. I clean it everyday and it is still gross!

The Big Kids

2009-08-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we decided to take Kalvyn and Tate bowling. Every once in a while we have to shake things up a little and get a sitter (grandma) for Blake and let the bigger kids let loose. Anyone that had children with a 10 year age gap can relate to how hard it can be to find activities that everyone can do together. There are still a lot of things that Blake is too young to do. Things like movies, shopping, bowling...that the bigger kids want to do.
We had a blast with Kaly and Tate!

I LOVE YOU!

2009-08-17T18:19:00.000-07:00

Today Blake walked up to me and said.."I love you" and hugged me.. acutally is sounded like "I Yuv You" but I know what he was saying.. He usually says it back if you tell him first, but today he just said it out of the blue...Ahhh, I love being a mom (most days)!

These are all the kinds of kisses we do in our house:

The classic "butterfly kiss"=blinking eyelashes together

The eskimo kiss=rubbing noses

The monster kiss=pretening to bite the cheek but then turns into a big kiss(this one requires a monster type noise as you move in)

The chubby kiss=squeeze the other persons cheeks together for the chubby face effect and go for the big smooch.

Eventful Week

2009-08-13T22:26:00.000-07:00

This week has been quite eventful. We had the start of a new school year, an unexpected visitor and lots of fun family time, and it's only Thursday.

Wednesday threw me for a loop.. I actually had to get up at 6:50...not usually a big deal, but I have been sleeping til 8:30 all summer. I know, poor me.. We got Tate off to his first day of 3rd grade. I don't know what it is with these 8 year old kids, they won't hug and kiss you good bye on the playground anymore..come to think of it, neither will 13 year olds. The day was good. We picked Kalvyn up at almost dinner time (kidding, her school gets out a 3:50) and she had a good day as well.

We got to have Koriyn over for a couple of nights too. Her parents had to leave town for a funeral. It was interesting driving 3 kids to 3 different schools. She is such a joy to be around..

Today Kalvyn fell in the pool, accidentally. She was running and one foot went in, one didn't and she scraped her entire thigh up on the side of the pool. OUCH! It looks awful.
(It's hard to tell, but this is the inside of her thigh... ouch, ouch)

It is certainly never quiet around here.
Here's to a less eventful weekend!!!
PS- Zach, we missed you this week at school.. really, really bad!

OUCH

2009-07-29T16:34:00.000-07:00

Who says this guy is cute?

Not Tate... he was stung by one of natures little creatures last night in the pool. We were just minding our business, splashing and having fun, when all of a sudden Tate starts screaming bloody murder. He lifts his arm out of the water and there was gross, pulpy sac with a stinger in his arm. He jumped out of the pool and screamed "Mom, there's a bee on your shoulder". I don't think I had anything to worry about since they only sting once. His arm swelled a little and turned red. The whole event, including the "fire stinging" pain only lasted a matter of minutes. Within an hour the swelling was fine and this morning he couldn't remember what arm it happened to.

2009-07-25T22:28:00.000-07:00

Happy/Sad!!!

Happy=no more diapers
Sad= Blake's growing up

Happy=School is almost starting
Sad= School is almost starting

Happy= my mom is retiring
Sad= the reason she is retiring

Happy= I love my friends
Sad= one great friend just moved

Happy= Kalvyn is a responsible teenager
Sad= Kalvyn is a teenager

Happy= Date nights
Sad= not nearly enough of them

Happy= Tate is growing up SO fast
Sad= Tate is growing up too fast

2

2009-07-14T18:58:00.000-07:00

Just look at this face... so sweet, cute, funny and loving....apparently with a touch of multiple personality, crazy, psychotic, and bi-polar..haha
The 2 year old tantrums have started, officially...

I forgot the magnitude of a toddler tantrum. I had a rough day with tantrums today..I just keep telling myself, this too shall pass. "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming"-Dory(from Nemo)

If anyone could give me some reminders on how to diffuse a tantrum quickly and quietly, I would truly appreciate it! It's been too long!!!

A Few Things

2009-06-30T14:46:00.000-07:00

My mom had her PET scan done a month ago and had it read...GOOD NEWS! The cancer is pretty much gone from the lymph nodes.. the lesions in her liver have shrunk "significantly".. the lesions on the bones are about the same and the mass in her chest is much smaller..Yeah..can I get an amen from the congregation..??!!!She is on an Alaskan cruise as we speak.. I am so happy for her. She will continue the same course of treatment for now..

Kalvyn turned "13"...We had her birthday party earlier in the month..She was in California for her big day this year so we sent her some yummy LUV BUG COOKIES. She said they were great. We will make her favorite dinner this weekend..BBQ chicken sandwiches w/green beans and fruit..We love you Kaly.

We had a horrid flu run thru the house last week.. Thank God we are over that. There is nothing worse than cleaning up throw up- unless its' someone elses' kids throw up..

I am on a gym high! I have been going and getting my butt kicked several times week since we got back from vacation. I guess all it took was a few unsightly vacation photos to get me motivated. Why is it so much more fun to put on 15 pounds than to take it off? I watched a weird episode of Intervention last night. This girl just chews her food and refuses to swallow anything.. hmmm. maybe I should try that.. kidding!

I can't believe I haven't posted in a month...

2009-06-19T09:58:00.000-07:00

Hollywood Stars

Magic Mountain
Sand Castles

I guess life with 3 kids and school being out has caught up with me... I am usually pretty on top of things.. lately I can't seem to keep up with the smallest things??? School ended with a bang.. we had an end of the year party in Tate's class. It was bittersweet because one of Tate's very best friends found out that they are moving toward the end of the summer..we will miss you terribly Zach!

We jetted to Venice Beach for a week for our summer vacation.. We rented a house just steps from the beach.. boy I could get used to that life style. We brought my niece Jordyn with us too. The kids had a great time.. Vacation is definately work though... I am hoping it will get a little easier every year as Blake gets older..We spent 1 day in Hollywood, shopping and sightseeing.. We spend a day at Magic Mountain.That was so much fun.Rick and I both felt like we had completed NASA training by the time we left. The rest of the time was spent relaxing at the beach, the way it should be! We did have one little incident... on day 5, we were getting ready to go on our bikeride...we were about 2 blocks from the house and Tate hit some sand and biffed it. He fell and caught himself with his right hand and broke his thumb..he actually broke the growth plate too. A quick trip to the er and he was back to his busy self..it literally did not slow him down a bit.

We are back home to reality now. Tate had his thumb reset and a cast put on and life has hopefully slowed down for now. Now I just have to find a way to keep a very active eight year old busy with no running, jumping, swimming, sports ect....

Birthday Fun at Jump and Shout

2009-05-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

My mom and I took Blake and my niece Mady to Jump and Shout for Blake's birthday last week. They had a blast! Blake LOVES his Mady...he asks for her all the time.. and from what I've been told, Mady has a liking for us too..hehe. I know the two of them will be lifelong friends.

Kalvyns Award Ceremony

2009-05-19T22:24:00.000-07:00

Last week we were invited to Shepherd Jr. High for an academic award ceremony. We weren't quite sure what the award was for. Kalvyn has had a stellar year as a 7th grader. She has done way better than I ever did in jr. high, as far as adjusting. She has grown so much this year and is an excellent student. She ended up getting an award for 7th grade reader. This was great because that hasn't always been her strong subject. We are very proud of her for her accomplishments this year and mostly for just being such a wonderful, responsible, respectful girl. We love you Kaly!

Happy Birthday Little Binker...we love you!

2009-05-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

I can't believe Blake is already 2! I woke up this morning and looked at him and thought of all the wonderful things he has added to our family. He has such character and just loves life! I can sure tell we have a toddler running around the house now, the mess all over, the tantrums, ect.. but I wouldn't change a thing. Some of his favorite things are tractors, books, playing in the water, doing everything himself and of course, mom. He still is a mommy's boy! I don't mind.. Blake, we love you, you are so special..I thank God everyday that you are in our lives.

Ouch.....

2009-05-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

Oh, I feel so bad. Kalvyn cut her hand with scissors today...really deep. Look how gross! After a trip to urgent care and 5 stitches, she is feeling much better. Poor thing was just trying to help me around the house.She fell, cut herself and screamed bloody murder for 5 minutes before she would let anyone look at it. Blood was everywhere..
Just kidding. This is Kalvyn being Kalvyn. She loves to put on a show and act silly! It was only finger paint..hehe

I wanna be..

2009-05-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

Just like Tate... I know it annoys Tate sometimes, but Blake wants to do Everything just like Tate.. Tate reads a book, so does Blake, Tate eats at the barstool, not a high chair, so does Blake. The problem happens when Blake thinks he can take Tate's toys and throw them around. Tate is very protective of his Bakugon (some kind of new boy toy). I always have to remind Tate that WE ALL are teaching Blake about life.. Tate is doing an awesome job and being a good example and a great big brother!

It really is very cute!

Having Fun!

2009-04-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

Best Friends!
The Jensen tent/house..hehe

Rick and Tate had their first Cub Scout camp out. They had a blast! I think they only got a few hours sleep. Kaly, Blake and I met them for the pack meeting at 7am and a small hike. Unfortunatley Blake didn't want to hike and insisted on being carried the ENTIRE way. Ouch..my back hurts.
Later that day, Kaly and I went to sign her up for dance for next semester. Rick went to pick up Jordyn(my niece). Boy was I surprised when he showed up with 3 kids instead. The kids played in the 1/2 filled pool and made pet rocks..all under threats that they would be sent home if they didn't all get along and clean up after themselves. They had a great time. We had church Sunday and more playing with cousins after that. I am so glad the weekend is over. I have spent the morning cleaning the house .. yuck!

It's Done!

2009-04-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

2 stinky guys!

I am sooo glad this project is done.. Rick is too. I shouldn't whine, since it is Rick that did all the hard labor.. We just had to go husbandless/dadless for a week.. Here is the pool, complete! Except is isn't completely full yet. We are on day 3 of filling it.. Ouch! I feel a huge$$$$ water bill coming on. If anyone wants to come swimming, just give me a call.

Construction Zone

2009-04-23T14:43:00.000-07:00

Seriously... what is worse than living in a construction zone.. how about having 2 projects going on at one time. Yesterday we had our A/C unit replaced.It is 15 years old and worked way too hard last summer. We had it fixed once last year and the guys said it was on it's way out. On top of that we decided to retile our pool. We were so sick of looking at this 90's pink and teal colored tile. Rick and his helper jackhammered all the tile off on Tuesday. Wednesday they were out the door at 6am to buy the tile. Rick ended up working til 11:45 last night getting it put on. Agustine is back today working on it. It is looking really nice! We are soo lucky that Rick is handy or this could have cost $$$ lots of dinero.

Now the a/c unit is working VERY well and I have finally cleaned up the mess from the a/c guys.. I have dusted every square inch of this house and cleaned all the floors. Hopefully we can fill the pool Sunday! I will post a final picture once it's all done..

My little assistant!

2009-04-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday I had the honor of watching Hannah and Tatum for a few hours.. We had a lot of fun..We baked brownies AND cookies..Tatum put together the ingredients for the brownies all by herself. I only had to help her stir them because it was "too hard". We went to the park too. It was lots of fun. Tate and Hannah played really great together. They have been in the same class for 4 years now and Tate considers her a good friend, even though she's a girl.hehe. I think I enjoyed it so much because I realized that I MISS Kalvyn being little. She is way to cool to have me paint her toes and ask me all kinds of silly questions. Don't get me wrong, I love my boys, but I think I was meant to have more girls! I love them...Thanks for loaning me your precious girls Bree.. ;)

Ohh La La

2009-04-16T12:37:00.000-07:00

Apparently he really likes bread too!

Blake is so funny... for some reason, he really loves my make up!

Paaaaarrrttttyyyy! Happy 55th Mom!

2009-03-31T18:51:00.000-07:00

LOOOVE this cake!
Kalvyn and Jordyn.. danced all nightMom
Mom having a good time

Saturday was my mom's 55th Birthday Party. My brother, sister, uncle and I put together a huge b-day bash for the occasion. My mom invited her friends and lots of family to help celebrate. We had a FABULOUS time! I couldn't sleep after the party..actually I was up til 2:30am reliving it over and over.. Nothing could have made me happier than to look over all night and see my mom with a huge smile on her face. There was great food, dancing and drinks.. oh, and a lot of great people too. Love you mom.. you're the best!

(We had the party at Longbow golf course... right down the street. They did a SUPER job, and the band was awesome. If anyone is going to be planning a party..call me for info.)

Bug O Rama!

2009-03-30T11:04:00.000-07:00

Kalvyn loved this convertible.

This is my brother and his car!

Are there any VW lovers out there? Well I am one of them. I used to have an all orginal 64 bug. I totally regret ever getting rid of it. There is just something so cool about a VW, in my opinion anyway. Rick used to have a 21 window VW bus back in the day too.
My brother bought a 59' Bug from California last summer. He is having a lot of fun with it too. Sunday was the annual Bugorama down at Firebird Lake. I have been to many of these in my day. It is a VW car show and anyone who is anyone in the VW world shows up. The kids had a great time and Rick and I got to remember the 'good ole days'. Rick is now on the look out for a VW Bus. Uh-oh!

Pinewood Derby..get ready, get set.....

2009-03-24T12:06:00.000-07:00

Well, it isn't until 6pm, but we have a couple excited boys/ men at our house.. Here is Tate's "Turbo Tank". Results to come!

Spring Break 09'

2009-03-21T22:14:00.000-07:00

This year we didn't do too much for spring break. Kalvyn went up north with her other family so we just kept it close to home for the few days she was here.. We hit the moves.. the drive in movies.. Tempe Town Lake for a picnic and lots of playing with cousins. Rick was off work Thursday so the boys and I went to Montezuma's Castle and Riordon Mansion in Flagstaff. It was a beautiful drive up unitl......Blake started THROWING UP! ...in his car seat.. on his only pair of clothes.. gross! Rick and Tate took a tour of the mansion and I took Blake, in his diaper and a blanket, into Target for some clothes.. I looked like trailer trash mom pushing her naked baby through the store in 67 degree weather.. Geez.. the looks I got from people..if they only knew.. Well, he proceeded to throw up every 10 minutes the whole trip home. He also continued to do so unitl today at the Emergency room. I finally took him in for dehydration. Poor thing was so sick and lethargic.. We spent 6 hours getting IV fluids and bloodwork done. He is home and feeling a little better. He is very cranky, not hungry and now I think it is starting to work it's way to the other end. Hopefully this will pass quickly!

So long Basketball! Hello something else...

2009-03-10T15:34:00.000-07:00

SO, basketball is over for the season. Tate started a little shakey, unsure of himself. We ended feeling more self confident and having a better understanding of the game. He had a great time with it, and so did I. I had so much fun watching him improve from week to week. He isn't Michael Jordan for sure, but just seeing the look of confidence on his face the last few games was great! This was Tate getting his trophy(which he loves!) and handshake from the coach. We are taking a little break from sports until summer camps and then soccer. Scouts will be it for now. Thank Heaven.. I don't know how my friends with multiple kids in mulitple sports pull it off.

Are You Feeling Lucky?

2009-03-06T11:46:00.000-08:00

This week has been so nice out. Blake and I have been outdoors as much as possible. Tuesday my friends and I walked the kids to school and then walked 4 more miles. We got home and Blake grabbed his scooter and dump truck and played out front for an hour! I feel so lucky to be able to spend these days with him. I love watching him grow and change each day. There is no better job than being a mom!!!!!

Outdoor Fun!

2009-03-02T11:15:00.000-08:00

This weekend got started off with a bang once again! Tate had an 8am game and then we were off to Fountain Hills with my neices and nephews for a picnic and bike ride. It was so BEAUTIFUL outside. The kids had a blast and so did the adults! Yesterday we went out to the lake and spent a couple hours riding around on a boat. The kids jumped on the trampoline and played legos for the rest of the day. This is my favorite time of year.

LEGOS

2009-02-22T14:26:00.001-08:00

Gotta love the Legos!

Rick and the Kids LOVE legos.. I don't include myself in this because I really have no creativity when it comes to this... I wish I did! They will spend HOURS making things, creating and having fun. Last summer there were several days Kalvyn and Tate barely came out of Tate's room to eat because they were building Lego mansions... Blake is wanting in on the action now! Look out guys.

Fun Saturday

2009-02-14T21:45:00.000-08:00

What a fun day we had! This weekend we are watching Kalvyn's sister Koriyn...she is so much fun to have around. If her family ever decides they don't want her, haha, we'll take her.
The kids started the day playing school and legos... then we were off to Tate's basketball game. It was such an intense game this week. The ref basically sucked so it wasn't a very fair game, but fun, nonetheless.
We grabbed some lunch and then went hiking at "A" mountain in Tempe..Blake insisted on doing most of the hiking himself. Kaly, Tate and Koriyn raced to the top and waited for us lagers.
When we got home we made our Valentine dinner. The kids wanted homemade chicken noodle soup, garlic toast, green beans and pineapple. We had Grandma Debbie over and ate at the big table by candlelight. Fun, Fun! The best part was dessert. The kids made a peanut butter, chocolate pie. We made our own creation with peanut butter cup icecream, cool whip, peanut butter chips and an oreo crust..The kids finished the night bouncing on the trampoline and Rick and I in the hot tub. What a great day!

How Do You Love?

2009-02-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

How do you love? Kind words, a hug, a smile, an act of kindness?
Love is a funny thing.. I love so many people in so many ways.. I like to show love to my kids with smiles, hugs and kisses, talks, understanding.. I show Rick love with respect, hugs, uh..well, you know.. I love all of my friends too. I love to cook for them, talk,cry and laugh with them. This is the season for LOVE! Don't forget to tell the ones you love that you LOVE THEM!

Having Fun in the Rain

2009-02-12T20:38:00.000-08:00

These guys were having sooo much fun. It was cold but they didn't care!
I wish I had their energy...

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun...

2009-02-02T15:53:00.000-08:00

My Niece Madison came over this weekend for her birthday pedicure.. I asked her what she wanted for her birthday and she wanted to get her toes done. She and Kalvyn had a great time playing and riding around on the scooters! My nephew Luke came over too. They jumped on the trampoline, swam in the hot tub and cheered Tate on at his basketball game.. Fun Times! They even all babysat eachother Friday night so Rick and I could sneak out for a dinner date! It was awesome...

When Life Gives You Lemons....

2009-02-02T14:35:00.000-08:00

Make Lemonade!

Time Out

2009-01-29T11:33:00.000-08:00

Time Out... our other two kids have been there, done that.. usually with a fight at first and then they give in. In our house it is the discipline of choice. Well, it has been a while since anyone has had to visit "time out", until the last few days. Blake is developing his sense of independence. Of course there are those things he wants to do and simply cannot. Mom and Dad tell him "no no" and try to redirect...but he persists. Blake is our first child not to fight going to time out. Rick and I were cracking up this morning. Blake was warned that he was going to time out if he didn't do something. Rick put him in time out after another warning. He just sat there looking all indignant.He doesn't try to get up, he just sits there. We were trying so hard not to laugh. He just sat there for his 2 minutes reflecting on whatever it is toddlers reflect on. He looked so cute we just had to take his picture...

A Day In the Life of Blake

2009-01-22T19:43:00.000-08:00

Being a 20 month old kid is busy work. I sat back the other day wondering what it was like to be Blake. He is the youngest in a very active, busy, loud, sometimes dramatic family.(Rick says all of us are dramatic except for him)

7:30 am. Mom wakes everyone up to get ready for school. Sometimes I am allowed to sleep a little later cuz mom doesn't want me cranky.
8:10 Mom is toting me around the house trying to get everyone out the door for school. Sometimes she even yells.
8:45 Awe, what a nice stroller ride I just had..I guess it's time for me to eat breakfast.
9:15 Mom is cleaning up the house, I guess I will drag out all of my toys so she doesn't run out of stuff to clean up. I should probably start pulling things out of cabinets too cuz it's kind of fun to see mom get all crazy.
10:30 Mom says it's time to read books..ok, whatever.
11:15 Hmm, I feel a "potty" coming on. One of these days I will have to sit ON the potty, but for now, I'll go hide in the corner.
11:30 MMMMMMmmm, time to eat again. I love this part because I am so good at sharing my food with Jesse(the dog).
12:00 Ok, is it me or does mom seem just a little too happy that it is nap time? She is trying to get me to go to sleep without my binky, no way, no day!
1:30 I wake up, what? noone is here next to me... I start crying real loud.. MOm comes and lays with me and I go back to sleep for 20 minutes..hey, a guy needs to cuddle doesn't he?
2:00 More play time, this time mom doesn't clean it up.
3:00 Yay, Tate is home..let the fun begin.
3:30 Ok, the fun is over, Tate likes to tease me and try to take MY moms attention away. Well, it is fun jumping on the trampoline..and at the park.
3:45 Yay, Kalvyn is home. She spoils me rotten.
5:30 Dinner time. Mom is rushing everyone because we have Basketball,or Scouts or dance or whatever it is THEY do.
6:00 Out of the house and off to explore the gym at the school..can you say fun.
7:00 Bathtime.. love it.
7:30 Snack time.. mom tries to fill me up with yogurt or graham crackers.. I'll take it.
8:00 Daddy is rolling in from work..I sure did miss him today. He'll be home tomorrow, that means lot's of playtime.
8:15 Sleepy time.. Mom's gotta go walk with her friend and have a little "me" time....Wow, what a busy day.

I imagine it is pretty fun being little... too bad we can't remember some of it.

We sure do love having this little guy around the house...

Thank You

2009-01-21T22:17:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to thank all of my wonderful friends and family for all of their prayers. My mom is finishing her 1st round of chemo tomorrow and she feels pretty good so far. She has had a few side effects and A LOT of doctors appointments. We have had our emotional ups and downs but are staying strong, thanks to your prayers. We are a close family and are leaning on each other and all of you have made it clear we can lean on you too. You don't know how much it means!

Brother, Sister, Friends

2009-01-15T14:26:00.000-08:00

I love these moments...I am so happy for times like these.

Sunday Afternoon

2009-01-12T11:25:00.000-08:00

I can't believe I forgot my camera... Tate and I went for a lovely hike on Sunday afternoon. We had gone to hang with my mom and make her some chicken salad. Blake fell asleep so Tate and I took advantage of Grandma Debbie and went hiking. We went to the Levee trail just off of Crismon and McKellips. It was a pretty flat hike but nice to just walk and talk with Tate. We raced eachother and held hands talking and joking with each other. Sometimes I really miss having time with just Tate. Yesterday was just what we needed. I love you Tate!

Learning

2009-01-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

Ok, having a little guy around the house sure does make things fun, most of the time. Blake is learning so much. Kalvyn and Tate are really good teachers too. Tate taught Blake to jump the other day. He was so excited that Blake caught on. Kalvyn has taught Blake several little phrases .It is so exciting to see it all happen. The last couple days Blake has been feeding himself bowls of shredded wheat. He has gotten pretty darn good at it too. Yesterday he added about 5 new words to his vocabulary. His brain is a sponge, I love it. The best part though, is that I learn from these 3 kids every day too. I learn to look at the world through a pair of innocent kids eyes, learn to play like a boy,learning about myself through them. It is so great!

Christmas w/ Grandma Carol

2009-01-07T20:49:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of Christmas with Rick's mom Carol. The kids had a lot of fun running around and playing with their cousins. We did Christmas the day after so we didn't have to rush off anywhere.....

Quick Update

2009-01-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update on my mom. We are heading to Desert Banner for her biopsy at 1pm tomorrow. Please pray that all goes well and that she isn't in much pain. Thank you to all of my great, great friends for lending an ear, support ect. during this time. We will go back to the oncologist on Friday at 11 for the results and game plan. Love!

Resolutions

2008-12-29T21:28:00.000-08:00

This was difficult for me to come up with. Making resolutions is kind of like facing some of your flaws, things you need to work on. That isn't always easy. It is much easier to just go along thinking you're just fine..... Well, I am acutely aware that I am not perfect, thus, resolutions can be made. Can resolutions be kept? Well, I am planning on really working on them.... Here goes.
1.More date nights with my sweetie, even if it is just going for a walk or up to Golden Spoon.
2.Don't sweat the small things. I have done a much better job at this over the last year but there is still room for improvement.
3.Clean my file cabinets out. Yuck! This will NOT be easy.
4.Say more prayers. I have a feeling this will be needed this year.
5.Try not to over extend myself so much.
6.Make every moment count by not taking things,experiences or people for granted.
7.Be a better listener. ( I like to talk)
8.Read a new book every month.
9.Finish the Bible.
10.Last but certainly not least, loose this last damn 10-12 pounds..if anyone sees me eating anything resembling a pastry, cookie ect...please knock it out of my hand and then slap me. Come on people, how did I get this way.. I jiggle when I walk, this isn't me.. Exercise, exercise, exercise.

Wish me luck.

Bad News

2008-12-28T20:21:00.000-08:00

We got some bad news this weekend. My mother, who had breast cancer 6 years ago and has been great ever since, has learned that she has cancer again. We got together last night and talked about the details that we know at this time. So far we know that she has a 4-6 cm mass behind her chest wall, spots on her spine, liver and lungs. She also has swollen lymph nodes around her heart. My mom has a great attitude right now. SHe is ready to fight! We don't know what course of treatment she is going to have right now. Her first step is getting a biopsy to determine if it is the breast cancer that has metastisized or another type. Only then will they know how to treat it.
I am so confused right now. I am trying to figure out why, how, for what reason???? I am very sad and scared.. I need my mom! My kids need my mom! I haven't really had time to sit and try to absorb it all since I just found out last night. It has been a hard day for me..Rick went to work today so I was just trying to keep busy with the boys...I am having a hard time staying focused and find my mind wandering and eyes tearing up on and off all day long. I really didn't want to get out of bed at all today.
I am sure that things will be hard for a while... I kind of feel like we are all stepping onto a roller coaster and don't know what to expect. I am a positive person so I am sure I will buck up and fight right along with my mom. My brother and sister and I will be here to help my mom through anything.. Please keep us in your prayers.

Tick Tock

2008-12-27T08:47:00.001-08:00

Resolution list being worked on....coming soon!

Whewww !

2008-12-25T19:18:00.000-08:00

WHeww! What a fun 32 hours we just had...haha!
We had a great party last night for Ricks' dads' side of the family. I think there were about 40 people or so.. lots of fun, laughing, even Santa paid us a visit (Blake decided he DID NOT like Santa).

This morning the kids saw what Santa brought, (mini vespa scooters)..boy are they fun to ride on! We got Tate a new kick scooter , Club Penguin game for his DS, a hat, slippers and some candy. Kalvyn got a Hollister hoodie, shirt and sweater, pink sugar body scrub/perfume, Club Pengiun game for her DS. We got Blake a T-ball set, Radio Flyer scooter, slippers, a play bus and some pj's. The kids and I got Rick a new Les Paul electric guitar and I got a new purse and matching wallet...
My family came over for breakfast and gifts around 10. We had a great time watching the kids open and play with their gifts.
My family got the kids things they really loved. Blake seriously LOVED his new dump truck and dump truck books.
The other kids had a BLAST on the scooters they got...I did too!

This afternoon my aunts, uncles and grandma came over for a late lunch. It was really nice to see everyone.
Tonight we have just been playing, enjoying each others company and getting the kids to bed on time tonight! I think we will be getting there a little earlier tonight too...We have Christmas with Grandma Carol and the cousins tomorrow!
Merry Christmas!

Booger sucker and one efficient child

2008-12-21T19:07:00.000-08:00

Blake is one efficient child..He has a runny nose the past few days and he LIKES the "booger sucker" as we call it at our house...He does it himself..Who knows, maybe he'll be wiping himself at age 2..

This time of year...

2008-12-20T15:05:00.001-08:00

This time of year is so fun, but so much work. About this time we start the frenzy of "the Christmas parties".Rick and I both have divorced parents, therefore we have 4 different celebrations this week. I always have to brace myself for it..I also hope that everyone understands if I am not "available" this week. Our first celebrations starts tomorrow afternoon at my dad's house. Then Christmas Eve we have a HUGE party here with Ricks dad's side of the family. Christmas morning my mom, brother and sister come over. Our last celebration is the day after with Rick's mom. I love getting to see everyone,but I have to say, it is a little overwhelming..usually ending with me in tears at the end of the night..hehe, stress does that to me.
On another note, Kalvyn and I pulled off our 8 apple pies..boy are they yummy..I am ready to relax tonight and not do ANYTHING!

Rainy Day, shmainy day.

2008-12-17T15:13:00.000-08:00

It's raining and who cares..Not the boys...

Believe the Unbelievable

2008-12-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterdays message at church has had me thinking.. Cal talked about believing the unbelievable, the story of Mary.. Mary was a young girl,a virgin, engaged to be married to Joseph. The angel Gabriel came to her and told her she would be with child and she would name this child Jesus. The "impossible" was about to happen in her life. She had faith and she believed.

What would I do if an angel came to me and told me the very same thing. Besides thinking I was crazy, I may not believe. In the past it has been difficult for me to believe what I could not see. As I have gotten older, especially seeing the miracle of my children, I can believe the unbelievable. The bible clearly states in Luke 1:37 that "nothing is impossible with God".
My mind is geared to just have faith. Impossible things can and do happen every day. God is a supernatural being, Faith in God is illogical, but possible.God is truly unbelievable.
I may not be able to completely wrap my mind around God and what he has in store for me, but I will continue to believe in the unbelievable.

When Daddy's Home

2008-12-13T14:31:00.000-08:00

Rick has every Wednesday off.It is so nice to have that time together in the middle of the week. I think Blake has really, really started to LOVE Wednesdays. Rick gets Tate off to school and then he and Blake lounge around a little, read books and work on projects. This seems to be the only time I can get Blake to quit being such a mama's boy.hehe...
I can get so much done and Blake gets to bond with Dad. Tate gets out of school early on Wednesdays as well. Kalvyn gets home an hour after that. It is so nice to have that time together . Most of you know that Rick works really weird hours and doesn't get home until 8 or later most nights. Maybe one day he will work "normal hours"..until then, we'll just look forward to the days that Daddy is home.

Dinner Group

2008-12-10T20:50:00.000-08:00

Some friends and I have have a dinner group that we share in. Each of us cook one night a week for everyone else. I have posted about this before but we still have it "GOIN ON!"
I think it has been 4.5 months?! We have had nothing but Great dinners every time. This week we had Chicken Enchiladas on Monday, Paprika chicken w/rice and broccoli on Tues. Tonight I made Chicken Pot Pies and tomorrow we are having BBQ Chicken sandwiches.
I haven't made Chicken Pot Pies in forever... I have to say, they were really good. My family will be requesting this more often I am sure.

O' Christmas Tree

2008-12-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

Our favorite part of the Christmas Holiday is getting the tree ready. We usually go and get pick out our tree three weeks or so before Christmas... We all have to agree on the tree, so sometimes it takes a while! We get home, get the tree in the stand, pop some popcorn, heat some hot coco and start decorating..

The funny thing about our tree is that it doesn't look all put together, beautiful silver and red bulbs. We have mostly homemade items on our tree.A lot of them from when Rick and I were small. Every year the kids get a new ornament from the store to mark what their interests were that year. We have a messy, fun, memorable tree! The kids have so much fun every year pulling out their ornaments and reliving the previous years. Of course Kalvyn has the most since she is the oldest. Tate keeps thinking he will somehow catch up to her..

Christmas music going, popcorn popping, hot cocoa boiling...ahh what a great tradition!

Another one bites the dust

2008-12-03T20:08:00.001-08:00

Kalvyn has had this new tooth growing in for EVER. The dentist said the baby one would come out on its own.. finally.....one of the baby teeth came out, not the one we were hoping for, but it's a start...I am sooo good at pulling teeth out.. it's kind of gross but I love to pull teeth...I've even been known to pull a neighbor kids tooth out at the after school pick up spot, Zach, you know who you are...I guess the tooth fairy will make an appearance tonight!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TATE!!!!

2008-11-29T08:41:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Tate! You are 8 today . I can't believe it.. Where has the time gone?
It seem like just yesterday that you were born. I love you so much. Have a great day buddy!!!!

Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T22:58:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite times of year. It is cooling down, kids are off school for holiday breaks and I get to spend time with family. We have lost a couple of family members over the last couple of years and this time of year really makes me miss them. I am so thankful for so many things in my life. As I get older I realize how much I have to be thankful for. Kalvyn listed 10 reasons that she was thankful and it motivated me to do the same.
1.I am thankful for my family, immediate and extended.
2.I am thankful for our health. Sometimes I take this for granted but we have it good.
3.I am thankful for my friends. I really love all of my friends. They each have their own great qualities that make me feel like I am surrounded by greatness.
4.I am thankful for my marriage. My parents were divorced when I was 4 and I always thought a family was a mom and kids. I love Rick so much. He truly makes me complete.
5.I am thankful that I have God in my life. No explanation needed.
6.I am thankful that I live in a free country. Again, I take this for granted until I watch the news.
7.I am thankful for all the mistakes I have ever made, big and small. They make me who I am today. You can't learn unless you admit you make them.
8.I am thankful that I don't have to struggle to feed my kids. I can't imagine them going hungry.
9.I am thankful that I am able to stay home with my kids. It's hard work but I wouldn't change it for anything.
10.I am thankful for education. We may not have the best education system here in AZ, but at least we are able to get an education.

Happy Thankgiving..

Busy Weekend

2008-11-24T11:25:00.000-08:00

Whewww.. That was a busy weekend. We started Friday night going to see the "Twilight" movie. Kalvyn,Jordyn and a few friends went to the Harkins Tempe Market Place for diner and a movie. It was a lot of fun. The movie wasn't as good as I hoped. I really didn't expect it to be as good as the book. Rick wants me to get the books on cd so he can listen to them on the way to and from work. shhh. don't tell anyone!
Saturday we had soccer at 9:30. It was the best game of the season. Tate won 5-4. We then hit a remote control airplane show. After that we ran home and got ready for Tate's birthday fun. We picked his friends up at 3 and were off to laser tag. The boys had a ton of fun! We all came home and had hot dogs, cupcakes and jumped on the trampoline. Around 7:30 a mom called to see if we decided to adopt her son.. haha. We dropped everyone off at home around 8pm. It was a very long day.
Sunday we had diner at my dads for Thanksgiving. It was fun for the cousins to get together and play. Rick and I hit the hot tub and then it was lights out...It was a very busy weekend.

BAD Day!

2008-11-20T20:43:00.000-08:00

Today was a tough day. I must be having PMS or something. As you may remember, we had taken in a dog from someone that Rick knew. Lucy. Well, after 6-7 weeks of cleaning up throw up almost daily, cleaning up pee numerous times a day, dealing with her running out the door anytime anyone opened it, NUMEROUS health problems $$$$$$$, we have decided that this was not working out. I am a person that takes on something and really likes to commit.So this was very hard for me. Lots of guilt feelings. We have wrestled with this for a couple weeks. We thought she might get better, get used to our family, other dog, routine, rules. She hasn't, not one bit. The poor thing was simply used to breed at her last owners home. She has never been socialized, doesn't know how to act around another dog or people for that matter. We found her a new home. The kids, mostly Tate, were heart broken. I cried many times today. Then we go to Home Depot. This annoying sales person was following, borderline harassing us, to sign up to have our kitchen cabinets looked at. I totally gave him a fake phone number so he would go away and leave us alone. I couldn't deal with anything else today. I got to the car and starting crying. Rick hugged me and asked what what wrong. I told him I felt like a bad person today for giving that sales guy a wrong number. I don't lie, It makes me feel terrible. RIck laughed. He knew where I was coming from . I really feel like a bad person today...
I do have to admit, the peaceful, harmonious feeling is back in our home tonight. I still feel like a bad person though...:(

Painting

2008-11-17T11:59:00.000-08:00

Seriously, if anyone ever hears me say that I am going to be painting, please slap me, hard. Rick and I painted the entire inside of this house 4 years ago. I vowed never to paint again. Well, we are redoing Tate's room for his birthday. The first step of that is painting his BLUE room a lighter, more neutral color. I started this weekend and after about 30 minutes it all came back to me. I HATE PAINTING! Once you start you can't stop though. It's even harder with 2 "helpers". I am almost done, thank goodness! I will post some pictures of the redone room when it's all done.

Brothers

2008-11-13T20:52:00.000-08:00

Brothers...
I have a brother that is sandwiched between me and my sister. The poor thing had to deal with two sisters.. I never knew the bond between brothers. Tate and Blake are so great with each other. They love to rough house, run, scream, explore, hug, fight, read together. I can tell these guys will be friends for life. I know they will always be there for each other even though there is 6 years difference in age.

Happy Veterans Day!

2008-11-11T07:35:00.001-08:00

Thank you Grandpa Warren, for all you have done! We love you so much! Hope you can make it back to Arizona this winter... Love you!

I can see the light.

2008-11-09T08:17:00.001-08:00

Thank goodness this is finally behind us. All 5 of us have been sick this week. Rick and I spent Friday night and Saturday sick.. I slept 13 hours...and a nap. I feel so much better today, we all do. We slept in and we may go see a movie..It is a cloudy cold day. It's great to be alive!

Someone tell me this is a joke???!!!

2008-11-05T20:04:00.000-08:00

Please, please tell me...I could use a good laugh. We have had a week around here. Tate threw up all day Sunday. I thought we were on our way to getting back to normal...today Blake started throwing up every 10 minutes..seriously, every 10 minutes. Of course he is so little he can't let you know it is coming... Kalvyn has a 99.9 temp. She missed school yesterday and today .She was seen by a doctor today because her throat hurts so bad. Strep is going around. Well, no strep..which is good,but why does it hurt so bad? Just a virus. She has been miserable all night. Right after she went to bed, about 8:30.. Rick and I were sitting on the couch talking about what a tough day it has been( he had a dental emergency today as well,to the tune of $1200.0,fun), Kalvyn comes running in throwing up. She had a cup in her room she grabbed and most, yes most of it made it..some didn't. Rick is cleaning up her room and she will sleep with me tonight. We have a custom in our home..kids throwing up sleep with mom. That we we can prevent throw up all over the floor, bed, ect. I hear them getting ready and I grab the "bowl" and they aim..gross! So now we have two vomiters.. Any takers on a bet that I won't get any sleep tonight?

This Weekend....

2008-11-02T21:33:00.000-08:00

This weekend started out with a bang.Kalvyn had her 1st dance recital at Shepherd. She did SO GOOD. I really don't remember being as sure of myself as she is. Confidence is a great quality and she has it when it comes to performing.
Tate had his class party..It was loads of fun.. I left with a headache which has been here on and off all weekend. I think I am fighting something off. We went trick or treating at Ricks moms house. She always
has a big party with yummy food.(that is my niece Jordyn...she loves Blake and is really good with him)Saturday was soccer and recovery from Halloween. Today was a weird day . We got up and ate breakfast with the intention of going to church . Tate started feeling sick and threw up all day long. He seriously hasn't been sick since the beginning of kindergarten. THe poor thing felt so bad he was in bed all day...Needless to say, he won't be at school tomorrow.

Blake thought it was pretty funny all the weird sounds coming out of Tate today. He fed himself a whole container of yogurt all by himself without making too much of a mess. Rick and I took advantage of not having anything to do and just relaxed. I really think I am coming down with something...just not quite feeling right... Here's to a better day tomorrow.

10 Things I Love About Tate...

2008-10-30T17:14:00.000-07:00

I have a favorite 7 and3/4 year old boy named Tate... He is such a sweetie and here are 10 things I love about him:

Tate is so full of energy it is hard to be lazy when he is around.
He has the sweetest, most tender heart.
Tate has a great sense of humor and loves to tell jokes, sometimes they aren't funny but the way he tells them makes them funny.
I love the way that Tate is up for learning about anything and everything. He is so inquisitive.
I haven't met another kid with such a great imagination.
Tate is an open book. He doesn't hide his feelings and I LOVE that about him.
Tate has a real open mind and heart about God. I didn't have that at his age and he is so in tune with it all. Sometimes I am jealous that he seems to really get it at this age. It took me a while.
Tate ALWAYS wakes up in a good mood, again, jealous.. wish I could always wake up happy.
Tate loves to argue, debate I should say. Usually this drives me crazy but I think it is a good quality to question things.
Mostly I am happy that he is my son. Icouldn'thave asked for a better one!

Love you Tate!

Last Weekend

2008-10-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy I haven't posted about the fun weekend we had. My friend Annette had her annual Halloween Party. It was so fun. She had AMAZING food and fun crafts for the kids. After that her neighborhood meets at the park and trick or treats. The kids had such a good time. I miss my work friends and don't get to see them as often as I would like... such is the life of a stay home mom.
This weekend was also my niece Madalyn's birthday...she is already 2. I can't believe it. She had so much fun at her party. She got a cute doll house, clothes and a girly t-ball set. We love you Mady.