Just Grandma

Mommy: "Does Mommy get kisses this morning, Kenna?"

Kenna: "No! Just Grandma!"

Silly little girl! Megan came and gave me a kiss, but Kenna still refused to. She just looked at me and laughed and repeated "Just Grandma." I am so glad she loves her grandmas. She is so spoiled to have so many grandparents around.

Kenna What?

A little conversation with Kenna today while changing her diaper..

Mommy: "Who loves you?"

Kenna : "Mommy."

Mommy: "Who said you could be so cute?"

Kenna: "Gamma."

Mommy: "What's your name?"

Kenna: "Kenna."

Mommy: "Kenna what?"

Kenna: "Kenna stinkerbug!" (followed by a lot of giggling)

Weird!

So I have been annoyed that the layout of my blog was not like I had it, but I have not been able to fix it. I have tried so many different things but it just wouldn't work. Now I go back to it after posting a few things and it is back to normal. Weird! But I am glad it is fixed! I hope it stays this way. It was sure annoying to have to scroll clear to the bottom to get to the list of blogs I love to read.

My Best Friend

I am so lucky to be married to my best friend! We are opposite in so many ways, but that is what makes us work so well together. He balances out my weaknesses and makes my strengths even stronger. Andy makes me laugh. He listens when I cry and is there to strengthen me. He listens when I need to vent. He gives me advice when I ask for it. He is strong when I am weak. He is patient when I am not. He is my anchor. I am so blessed to have him as my eternal companion. He is a worthy priesthood holder and has used it to bless my life in so many ways. He is a hardworking husband and father that sacrifices so much for our children and me. He is the best daddy in the world. He knows how to play and have fun. He treats me like a queen! He compliments me multiple times a day. He spoils me with back and foot rubs. He puts up with all my annoying habits. He seems to know just when I need a hug, kiss, text message, or a phone call. I am not very good at putting my feelings into words, but I have tried. I look forward to growing old with him. I watched President and Sister Hinckley and told Andy that I want to be like them as we grow old together: absolutely best friends and eternal companions! Marriage takes work, but it seems like easy work with Andy. He makes me want to be the best me possible! I realized that we don't have a lot of pictures of just "us" together. So it is my goal to make sure we have more pictures of just us cause in the end that is what it will be! It was fun having the kids take some pictures of us. My second favorite time of the day is nap time. My ulitmate favorite time of the day is when Andy comes home frome work! I love to talk to him, snuggle with him, hold hands with him, and just be in the same room with him! I find joy in the journey and even more joy taking the journey with my best friend!!

My Little Princesses

We finally decided it was time to move Kenna to a big bed. She is now two and we have had to borrow a second crib from our wonderful friends the O'Briens so Ashlee was mostly out of Kenna's reach. We have looked around for bunkbeds and finally decided what we wanted. Of course, when we went to Billings to get them, they were not in stock so we had to order them. The girls were very disappointed but have waited patiently. Andy had to go to work at the Billings office a couple weeks ago and it just happened that the bunk beds came in the day before. The girls were so excited when he came home from work. Kenna didn't actually get to sleep in hers the first night because she ran out of chances for staying in bed and ended up back in the crib. I guess she learned from it that night cause she has been able to sleep in her bunk bed every night since. She goes down very easy for her nap too. The girls love to show everyone who comes to our house their new bunk beds. They are so appreciative! It is so cute! I am so glad Megan and Kenna are good friends and love sharing a room. I hope they continue to grow closer as they get older and can be best friends. I know I am so grateful for my sisters! I don't know what I would do without them. There is a special bond between sisters that is hard to describe. I am so excited for us all to be together next weekend! I can't wait to get pictures together. I realized I don't have any recent pictures with my sisters.

Kenna's first night in her new bunk bed.

Megan loves being the big sister and sleeping on the top bunk!

I am so excited to take the crib out and get their room arranged they way we want it so that I can actually start decorating it. I wish I was better at decorating. I really try, but it is just a talent I was not blessed with. I have ideas in my head, but they just don't always come out. Guess we will see what happens. It will be fun to involve the girls!

Seeing Myself through the Eyes of My Child

I love the things I get for Mother's Day from my children. I got a cute frog magnet from Aidan and a beautiful bead type bookmark from Aaron. Aaron also came home with a few fun papers he had filled out. I loved the quiz he filled out. It is amazing what you learn about yourself from your children - some good, some bad. I love how honest children are. I need to ask my children more often things about myself that will help me improve in being their mother and in general. They are way more observant than I give them credit for. I just wanted to share the quiz Aaron filled out. I can't believe he is already 9 years old. He is such a wonderful son! He takes his role of big brother seriously and can be my right hand man. Sometimes I think I expect too much of him, but he always seems to rise to my expectations.

A Mother’s Day Quiz for Kids

1. Her favorite color is blue.
2. Her favorite television show is Extreme Makeover Home Edition (he abbreviated it EHMHE – I don’t really watch tv so this was a question he asked me at dinner one night. Andy had to answer it for me!)
3. She likes movies about a. romance; b. horror; c. comedy; d. all of the above. Aaron circled a and c.
4. My mother’s favorite outfit to wear is pajamas. (I wish I got to stay in them a lot longer than I do. Guess you would say this is my favorite.)
5. The outfit that I like her to wear is her Sunday dress. (So sweet!)
6. An expression or saying that my mom always uses is clean up. (Yikes! Didn’t realize I used it that much.)
7. My mother always gets angry when I make messes. (The truth hurts! Guess I need to relax some.)
8. My mother’s favorite sport is basketball.
9. My mother’s favorite foods are chicken and fruit.
10. I like my mom to cook hamburgers because she does such a delicious job of it!
11. My mother’s favorite restaurant is Subway. (Wouldn’t say it is my favorite but about the only place I can eat right now – at least around home.)
12. Her favorite vacation was away from the kids. (she missed us though.) (I absolutely loved this answer. He just makes me smile!)
13. My mom has a funny habit of checking the fats on food. (Kids are way too observant.)
14. My mom really look beautiful on the day she married.
15. My mom really looked funny on the days that she wokeup wearing glasses. (I like my glasses!! Didn’t realize I looked funny.)
16. My mom doesn’t know about the time I ate Oreos when I wasn’t supposed to. (At least I don’t think she does.)
17. My mother’s best friend is Meredith or Dad. (I am so glad he sees that his dad is my best friend!!)
18. My mom’s pet name for me is Bud.
Check one: ___ I like this pet name. ___ I wish she wouldn’t call me that name.
Aaron checked that he likes this pet name. Good thing. After 9 years it would be hard to quit calling him it.

Before I Was a Mom

I was sent this poem through email. I have to say that it kind of sums up how I have been feeling lately about being a mother. I feel so blessed to have been entrusted with five beautiful spirits. I am no where close to being a perfect mother, nor close to being the kind of mother I want to be, but I try each day. I am so thankful that children are so forgiving. It seems they always say or do the sweetest thing and the perfect time to remind me why I love being a mother. I am so blessed to be able to stay home with them each day. I can't believe how fast they are growing! The constant state of sleep deprivation is so worth it when I go to get them out of their bed in the morning and they look up at me with their big, bright eyes and smile! I love to hear about their fun day at school and the many new things they are learning. I love to watch them play together and make each other laugh. I love to find them all in the same bedroom together reading books or making their latest fort or just goofing around. I love to see the older ones pick up the younger ones to comfort them when they are crying. There are so many things that make me smile!! I love being a mother! There is no other job in the world that I would rather do. I love to be able to say when asked what I do, that I am a mom!!

Before I was a Mom, I never tripped over toys

or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn't worry whether or not

my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,

I had never been puked on.

Pooped on.

Chewed on.

Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind

and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,

I never held down a screaming child

so doctors could do tests.

Or give shots. I

never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night

watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,

I never held a sleeping baby just because

I didn't want to put her down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces

when I couldn't stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small

could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,

I didn't know the feeling of

having my heart outside my body.

I didn't know how special it could feel

to feed a hungry baby.

I didn't know that bond

between a mother and her child.

I didn't know that something so small

could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night

every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth,

the joy,

the love,

the heartache,

the wonderment

or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,

before I was a Mom .

How Many Miles?

Friday, April 24th, was a cold, windy day, but approximately 75 Westside students ventured to the high school track to complete the last 1.2 miles of their marathon they had been working on running for the last several months. Aidan was one of those qualifiers!! K-2 only had to do a half marathon, but 12 miles is still a lot to do considering they gave up several of their recesses to run those miles. I was able to drop the girls off with my grandma so I could be there to cheer him on and even run the last lap with him. What a trooper he was! Aidan is such a fun little boy (yes, he is still little but I think he might be growing!). He has one of those personalities that just makes you smile! He is friends with everyone! He knows how to make you laugh but also how to get under your skin to get a reaction. He knows which buttons to push with each of his siblings, yet he is right there to cheer them up or help whenever they are sad. He just keeps us smiling!

Waiting for the on mark..get set..GO!! (Brrr! is all I had to say!)
Track Star!!

Crossing the finish line and getting his medal

Enjoying the party afterwards with his good buddy Sidney! Way to go, Aidan!