liv has graduated....

It has come too quickly- as I am figuring out most things do with raising kids- Livia is finishing up a wonderful year of kindergarten. She hasn't grown a bit this year (physically that is) and to her dismay she has yet to lose a tooth but in other ways she sure has grown. She reads, writes (on everything) and has learned how to be an amazing friend. When I look back at how nervous she was to start the year I am amazed at the little person that has evolved. She was so ticked this morning that I made her wear a skirt. She told me she didn't "want to look too cute" today. She hates when she gets compliments. Well Liv- you just better get used to it because you are too cute to pass up! I love you squirt.

Shame on me.............

Today I had a real moment of clarity- It hit me square in the face that I need to be more satisfied with the life I live. I think I have been caught up in the whole- I will be so happy "When"- type of existence. I often focus on what I don't have right now- which is mainly a little saggy diaper running through my house. As much as I want one I know that the two kiddos I have deserve a mom who is in the moment. I remember someone telling me to sit with a kid on my lap and just listen to them. I am talking shut your mouth and just truly listen to what they have to say. Tate has some of the best thoughts ever and I find myself tuning him out for most of the day. Today I let him tell me everything that was on his little mind and took a moment to be present. he told me about the type of fort he would build if he was better at hammering nails and that he wants to fly REALLY badly because he thinks it would be fun to watch everyone in their backyards and he hides candy under his bed and sometimes at night sneaks it (i used to do the same thing kiddo- only I hid candy in my "pet net" above my bed- classic) one thing I realized while listening to my little boy- he is not that little anymore. and although it is hard and sad to lose the baby side of him, it is exciting too. I anticipate the person that he is becoming. He is charismatic, thoughtful and a little unpredictable which just makes him so fun to be around. He really would be an amazing big brother- I hope he will get the chance.

dream day......

Mama had herself a glorious day today. I promise I am not exaggerating any of this:

woke up @ 7:30- slept in a whole hour and it felt soooo good
Found Livia and Tate completely dressed down to their shoes
Livia made breakfast for Tate and herself AND packed her very own nutritious lunch.
Basically everything got done without any effort on my part!
dropped Livia off at school without any fighting in the car between kiddos
Went to the grocery store where my lovely friend Di surprised me by taking my son away for a play date!.......Yessssss!
Went home
Exercised
(stop reading if your name is Chad)
shopped online and bought some beeeeeeyouteefulll shoes!
Took a hot bubbly bath and read
plucked my eyebrows and painted my nails
ate a snickers ice cream bar I had hidden in the freezer in the garage
watched a wonderful independent film called Sweet Land while I did some ironing (I LOVE to iron- seriously)

I did accomplish some important things like buttoning up Girl's Camp stuff and making phone calls but all in all it was just one of those unexpected days of bliss! You just never know what your day will bring.

{deer farm}

I recently was able to go on a field trip to the deer farm with Livia's class. We had a grand time- let me tell you. The deer are quite aggressive at this place- especially if you have food- which we did- and I was in charge of holding the bucket for the kids- i felt a little assaulted by the time we were finished.............was not able to take many pictures of the deer due to the fact I was scared they would eat the camera. Livia was just thrilled to have me along. She was so proud of me I could tell and I kept reminding myself to soak it in because it won't be long before she will be embarrassed of my presence. I always forget how tiny she really is until I see her with her peers. She is just a little squirt like her mother.

{love is...}

Hubcap rubbing my back every night as I fall asleep

Livia writing little notes and stuffing them under all of our pillows to make us smile

Hubcap running to the store to buy me a candy bar because I don't have any sugar in the house in an attempt to quit eating so much of it. He does not even judge me- he just asks which kind I would like.

Tate telling me what a pretty mom he has even when I have a huge fever blister on my lip

Hubcap bathing the kids, doing scriptures, prayers and bedtime because I am sick in bed with a cold.

Watching Livia read to her brother

Seeing Hubcap and Tate play catch in the front yard

Livia wanting to be by my side ALL of the time.

The whole family giggling in my bed early in the morning before the day has begun.

Feeling blessed today............

{new pictures}

Thank you Wendy! I LOVE them. Why are you so good to me?

{oh Livs!}

liv and rach
So my precious little daughter and I had some weekend bonding while hubcap and Taters went camping with the scouts. We shopped (Livia actually made it through me trying on like 50 pairs of jeans at the buckle!) We had yummy lunch and then came home and did some painting projects. My favorite part of the weekend was when Livy and I were watching her all time favorite Max and Ruby on Netflix. She and Tate have been fighting like crazy as of late and after observing how sweet AND patient Ruby is with her little brother I said, "Livia- why don't you treat Tate like Ruby treats her little brother Max?" Livia thought about this for a second and then looked at me quite seriously and said "probably because I am not a bunny." priceless! having kids is the best comic relief ever.............love you Livia.

hard times......

Tate has been having it a bit rough this week. It all started with the El Capitan restaurant on Monday. Chad met Tate and I for a lunch date and the place just kind of freaked Tate out. There were tons of pirate paraphernalia throughout the restaurant and Tate was a little weirded out by the hanging skeletons and skulls etc..... It was made worse when Chad told him that his beef taco was made out of pirates. Who says that to a poor child anyways? His eyes got bigger and bigger and by bedtime that evening we were able to see the fullness of his fright. He was so freaked out about the skeletons he could not even function. That is when sweet Livia put her arm around her little brother and said- "Don't be a bit afraid- you have a skeleton in your body you know..." That was Tate's limit. He screamed and ran around the room "get this skeleton out of my body!!!!" poor kid thought he had some creepy eye patched skeleton possessing his little body. The more I explained to him that we all have them and so forth the more it was mortifying him. It was like I could just not make it better. Here it is Thursday and he is still traumatized. Aunt Tess is lending us a child book on the human body so I can better explain to him. There is just nothing worse than being scared when you are a kid. I was always afraid and would sneak into my sister's room all of the time to sleep with her (does anyone remember how freakin' scary the thriller video was?- that thing messed me up for years!) Anywhoo- keep little Tate in your prayers that he will make it through this tragic time in his young life and will come to terms with his anatomy.

A day well done:

Woke up to worse allergies today than yesterday. Miserable. I wondered how the day would unfold. Here is what we did today:

We stayed in jammies and ate cupcakes...........

We got out every toy we could find and didn't even pick them up when we were finished...........

We ignored the scary room upstairs filled with goodwill and my garage sale project (embarrassing but honest)

We got out the vacuum but never used it today- I just thought it would look like I was productive when hubcap would see it sitting there........

made hubcap get down all of the summer clothes but never went through them...maybe tomorrow I will tackle it.

We all took twenty baths or so today (only place I don't feel my allergies) We are a squeaky clean family!

Took naps and cuddled in the afternoon with Tate. He is just a scrumptious napping partner.

Read books until Dad came home. When the garage door went up I ran downstairs to pretend like I was busy making dinner. (I can't let him know while he is away working I am laying in bed on my computer now can I?)

Goals for tomorrow:

pretty much the same as today- try to accomplish something- ANYTHING!

I HATE ALLERGIES!!!!!

Mother's Day

magic of the La Plata.....

We went home this past weekend for Mother's Day. There is just something about visiting La Plata that makes me feel all better. I shut off my cell phone, read good magazines and let the land watch my kids! Chad helped my dad with the tree fort and they played with the newest attachment for the kabota (sp?) the girls loved watching Charlotte's Web in my parents new fifth wheel. We cooked hot dogs in the fire pit while the boys fished, the kids paddled in the boat and Ms. Molly and I lounged under the Cotton wood trees reading silly books. I don't know if it is because it reminds me of dating and being engaged to Chad but, every time we go to my parents place it reminds me of how much I simply love him..............

Favorite time of day............

time for a bubble bath and a good book..................