I'm a marshmallow......

Oh man, I have such a hard time sometimes! I am so eager to get this routine I designed underway. I KNOW it will make a significant difference in my life and yet, why haven't I started it yet? 

Late nights, sick nights/days, extra homework due, there are so many other reasons/excuses. I realize today that I am waiting for the perfect time to start this and get it going and yet....there is not going to be a perfect time. So... once again, I am going to recommitt myself tonight to getting all this going this week. No more excuses. I'm off to bed so I don't settle down too late (in case of middle of the night visitors like the two I had last night) I can do this and the time is now!

Routines under way....

Think these little people are ready to buy into my routine?

Having a large family is filled with so many blessings. I never imagined how great this would be......at the same time, getting organized and keeping organized has truly been my greatest challenge. I have had to learn to be ok with visitors stopping by and the house being in disarray. I have been working very hard on a routine that I introduced to my family yesterday. We will be implementing it this afternoon and I am really excited to see how it goes. I have a feeling this is just what I have been needing to pull it altogether. The kids are so much more able to pitch in and help out. They can help each other out which is really nice too. With that being said, it is still a constant trying to keep everything around here from unraveling which can happen in an instant! ;o) I am going to work hard over the next month to keep on this routine no matter what.

So......here goes!

Children

This night is so peaceful. We have had a very busy couple of weeks with many family members sick with colds, sore throats, strep among other things. Today was a crash day for me. I am quite exhausted and not motivated! (and if you could see the house right now, being motivated would be a good thing!) Well, the house will get cleaned tomorrow. I am enjoying a bit of time tonight surfing the internet and just reflecting on the gifts of life that have been given to me to raise. I love each one of my children so much. They are so amazing and teach me so many things. They fill my heart with love and gratitude and I feel so humbled right now to be their mother. Being a mother was something I wanted to do for as long as I can remember. I never ever imagined it to be as fulfilling, humbling, satisfying, enriching and fun as it has been.  Wow! What a blessing to be called mother by my seven, dear, precious children. I LOVE YOU ALL WITH ALL MY HEART!

Now, while I'm feeling all emotional, I want to express my love for my husband. He really is the very best friend ever. I love him with all my heart and soul and am forever grateful we will spend our eternities together. He understands me like no other. He is the most compassionate, loving person I know. I never could have ever imagined 32 years ago when we started to date in high school, how much I would grow to love and cherish this man. He is a wonderful father and our children look up to him so much. He is so much fun to be around and his spiritual side is inspiring and uplifting in every way. I LOVE YOU BRYCE, MY ONE AND ONLY!

=

Mess after mess after mess after.....

MESS!

That is what today has been like! Ever have a day like that? I could NEVER get a step ahead of my crew here and now that they have finally zonked out I am sitting here in a dazed stupor. I feel like Goldie Hawn in Overboard when she is sitting there zoned out and Kurt Russell dumps her in a barrel of water! (Although, I am dunking myself here very soon in a hot tub, ahhhh!)

Dinner became cold cereal, unplanned baths because of an unplanned potty training accident (let's just leave it at that!) well, I won't bore anyone with any more of the details. Let's just say I have my work cut out for me tomorrow and the next day and the next, etc. The week has been long and tiring. I broke out in a very strange rash a few weeks ago and it has spread all over my arms, legs and torso. It is very itchy and has kept me up many nights. I am so worn out. I finally got some help Wed. My Dr. diagnosed it as an allergic reaction to what, I don't know, but the medicine is starting to make a difference, so hopefully tonight I will sleep better. And speaking of sleep.......I'm off! ;o) ZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Pajama Days

The cold virus hit our home after christmas and all the kiddos at one time or another ended up with a fever for a day and the sniffles and coughs! I actually managed to dodge this one this time, so lucky! Anyway, this is what many of our days were like between the holidays, pajamas! I love pajamas. So comfy, and cozy! You get to wear them all day and then you just change before bedtime into a clean pair! voila! Abby isn't wearing bottoms in this picture because it is easier for her to go potty without too many layers while we are just hanging at home. She decided to potty train herself! I always heard about this but never lucked out until now. She has been so easy to train! What a blessing after our dear sweet Hallie who was the opposite and really didn't care for quite a while! I'm done with diapers, a milestone I truly won't miss, considering that I have had between 1 and 4 children in diapers for the past 5 years!

Today we got out of the house and went to a couple of libraries to visit the story times and then to Costco to shop. It was a very nice day, no hurries and no worries! January is a very peaceful month. It has been very cold this year. We did get out last week and go sledding at a nearby park. Even though the temp was around 27 degrees, it was sunny with no wind so it really didn't feel cold. We went in the late afternoon before Jesse got home from school. Bryce was home working so I put Abby down for a nap and took the other 3 kids. They LOVE sledding. It was so much easier this year because they could all manage their own sleds and really liked doing that. We will definately do this again soon. Maybe in a couple of days. I will get some better pictures then. I'm off to get ready for bed!

Renewal....

....and that's what a I love about January. I have yet to get to the end of a year and feel like I have totally accomplished everything I set out to do however, I have also yet to get to the end of a year and feel incomplete either. Christmas is such a beautiful way to end the year. The promise of hope, love, forgiveness, sharing, acceptance, etc. is perfect!




Abby, Bryce, Hallie, Nathan, Joshua and Jesse at Temple Square

 


Bryce and Mary at Temple Square...so beautiful!



On the way to see the lights at temple square, the fog started to settle in. It made everything look even more beautiful!

 Then we lead right into January....Renewal. A time for goals, routine, organization and with that being said, I am re-committing myself to blogging because I really love reading the past posts and I am amazed at how much I really would have forgotten had I not written it down and what a shame to forget these days of my life that are full of so much love, chaos, craziness, excitement, hope and joy. Megan likes to pick a word to focus on for the year. I am not quite sure what that would be for me. So many would be so perfect. I will give that some more thought.

Christmas was wonderful. The entire season. A darling family in our ward added to the magic by doing the 12 days of Christmas to us. It was so much FUN each night receiving, anticipating their next step and trying to "catch them" (discretely, of course). I will confess that one night, determined to find out who our secret friends were, I camped out in Hallie's room. I waited with the blinds mostly closed. I brought some stuff in there to work on by flashlight! (I know, totally crazy, huh!) Well, that particular night, they skipped us!!! Serves me right! We did arrange a gift basket with some goodies, a story and the nativity movie in it to leave out for our friends on Christmas Eve. So fun! We have been the recipient of so many kindnesses that truly that will be more of focus for me this year...to look for more ways of spreading kindness personally and with my family.

The Croxford 23rd party was a blast. Tara and Scott and their family went all out and made it so much fun. Santa Claus made his appearance and that was so magical. Oh, to see little Josh hiding and peeking from under a chair, so excited and yet so nervous!

Hallie whispered her wishes in his ear.

Nathan approached with courage but I being his mother, could see his nervousness and bravery.

Abby, she kept a distance until I picked her up and sat next to Santa with her on my lap.

Of course, Santa remembered Jesse too!

All the little grand kids were so much fun to watch too!



Kolton with Santa (he was brave too!)





Micah - a little aprehensive, but the gift encouraged him!



Jonah, no problems here, just give him something to chew on and he's fine!



Not too sure about this but I took the picture quickly! He was a good sport!



Santa showered everyone with some special gifts and all the kids were so excited. We feel so grateful to have such wonderful family members. We enjoyed all the activities we were able to enjoy with our own immediate family, in laws and grandkids. The nativity play was so darling. We did it mid month in December and it makes me chuckle to think of it this year. I am doing Joyschool with Megan and so the kids practiced at school and actually went to an elderly care home to perform it which was so cute. The night of the play at our home, we were ready to begin and got everyone's attention, when our entire cast decided they needed to go to the bathroom. We took care of that "business" and then began. Hallie, who was Mary, for some reason was poking and prodding our baby Jesus doll. All the boys wanted to be the "3rd" innkeeper (so we had them in unison offer the stable to Mary and Joseph) then by the time the kings entered, one of them was misssing (Micah) He was playing with some toys in Hallie's room! So original and yet so completely sweet. Oh, and did I mention that the gifts the wisemen brought were gold, "frankenstein" (Josh) and myrrh!!!! How come these silly, funny moments make me tear up when I am sitting here writing about them? Boy, counting  blessings, one by one. Thank you dear Father in Heaven for those special blessings you continue to shower on me in my life. I am eternally grateful.

This year's Christmas Card

I am so excited for Christmas! I am actually more prepared this year than I have been in a looooong time! Today it snowed and it was so beautiful. I got up early and wrapped a few presents. The kids are so excited. Bring on the holiday!