Wow!!! Where has the Time Gone?

I cannot believe I have waited so long to post something here. I must apologize but with seven kids a husband working full time and in school full time, my own full time job, my calling and now two baseball teams, and a garden to plant the time has slipped away.
I do not have time to post anything fabulous but I am alive, my children and my husband are alive and the house has not burned down. That is an accomplishment in my book.
I will post baseball pictures and the kids spring pictures after I take them. Typing it here makes me have to get it done right?
More to come later!!!

Romance is in the Air

A month ago Hubby found a great deal in the paper and since he hadn't done anything for me for Christmas....and I mean anything, he made the reservations. It was a really great deal...in fact they said it was about 50% off the regular price. We scheduled it for his birthday weekend and close to Valentine's Day so we could justify the expense...It turned out to be the best Chrisbirthentines Present ever!
We went to Downata Hot Springs for a beautiful, quiet, romantic stay. We got a cabin, dinner for two, two full body massages and access to their tranquility room, use of the hot pool and hot tub, and breakfast. It was wonderful. It was quiet...that was one of the best things! It was romantic...It was fun...The pool was one of our funnest things, it was great getting into the big pool that was so warm. With our heads sticking out of the water our eyelashes would grow ice crystals. They were really cool looking. The very best part was being together, spending time, reconnecting and falling in love all over again. It makes all the every day stuff so worth it! Having an eternal companion to share this life with, the good and the bad, is such a blessing. And to be happily married and more in love than I ever thought possible makes it even better. We came home feeling as giddy as two teenagers in love for the first time!!!

And as I said mentioned in the previous post the pictures will come eventually. I am sure the cord will show up when I threaten my children within an inch of their lives!!! JK

Attack of the Glue Stick

The other day I was feeling very motivated and wanted to get some cleaning done. I had the little girls, ducklings 6 and 7 and two little ones that I babysit here. I felt that I could get 15 minutes at a time to work on each room. Things were working pretty well. I was pleased with how much I was able to get done. I had just finished my third 15 minute session of cleaning and had sat down to play on the puter. After a few minutes I realized it was very quiet, especially quiet and missing one child's noises in particular. I went searching for duckling #7 and calling her name. No answer. I begin searching the bedrooms...I find her in ducklings 5 and 6 bedroom...sound asleep...in the stink bug position. She doesn't respond to any of my cries. I go to her and lift her head...only to find that it is stuck!!! She is covered in blue, I look down to find a glue stick next her. I carefully pull her off the mattress...sssccchhhllloooooooooccckkk She has not moved or even twitched yet. I am a worrier and always tend to think worst case scenario right off. I start to think she has poisoned herself, she is going to have brain damage, she is going to be blind, etc, etc, etc!!! I lay her on the couch and run to read the glue stick expecting to find horrible warnings and "call poison control immediately"...I read...and relax, "Non-Toxic" it says, thank heaven. I decide the only thing I can do is take a picture and begin the process of ungluing her eyes, and mouth, and nose, and hair from themselves and each other. I take the picture, no response, I sit her up in the chair...she starts to respond...I wait for some response...all I get is "STOP". She didn't want to be disturbed taking her nap, she didn't want to have her face washed, her eyes unglued, or anything else for that matter.


I will have to post the picture later...my cord is missing...again....are you shocked?

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas...

We have had a beautiful white Christmas. It started snowing a few weeks ago and it hasn't melted so each new snow adds a few more inches. Today we got about another foot! It is beautiful and the icicles hanging off the house are pretty amazing too. These are of right outside my kitchen window.



Last Night we went for a drive to see the Christmas lights around town. We listened to the radio station that plays all Christmas music for the whole month and while we were driving they had the Christmas Story read. It was a beautiful drive. We came home and ate yummy spaghetti for dinner and did our traditional open one gift (that is always pajamas). We talked about our Savior and our love for Him. It truly was a beautiful evening...except when you have a moody ten year old daughter who doesn't like her gift and she doesn't know why.



We did eventually get her to smile...just not at the camera!



Our big family present this year came a few weeks early. "Joseph Taylor Son of Gus", affectionately known as "Joey", came to our home on December 7. He is a great addition to our family. The kids have been taking very good care of him and he is very loved. It is fun to finally have an animal back in our home.



The kids did get a gift from a sibling and a gift or two from Santa. They said it was a great Christmas! I am happy that they really did enjoy the gifts that they received and are not doing the "but you didn't get me ________!" (fill in the blanks)! I sincerely hope that never comes.

Here are each of the kids with their stash!















This morning after presents we had a delicious breakfast of sourdough pancakes, spiced peaches and whipped cream. It was delicious and I may just start doing breakfast for the family meal every Christmas!



This afternoon Hubby went out to shovel the walk and driveway. He now understands the importance of shoveling after walking the paper route! It took about two hours to finish.





There is only one picture of me in all this and Duckling #1 took it with out the flash but at least there is documentation that I was present.



We want all our family and friends to know how much we love each one of you and appreciate all that you do for each of us. This truly is a wonderful time of year. We want you to know that we know our Savior lives! He was born in a Stable and His mother did lay Him in a manger. Those very humble beginnings bring great joy to our lives today. What a precious gift is His Atonement! The least we can do to repay Him is serve others and represent Him well.
Merry Christmas and may the coming year be full of blessings for all of you!

Halloween Fun?????

I am so frustrated. I was so excited to do fun Halloween things today. I was going to make cookies for Duckling #4's class party. I was going to continue cleaing up for our new floor. I had soooo many plans for today. Alas, is was not to be. I woke up this morning hardly able to move. I had moved wrong during the night and had hurt my neck. It was no fun. I spent the whole morning almost in tears. I am taking it easy for the rest of the day. Folding laundry and enjoying staying home. I am grateful that on days like today when I don't feel well I can stay home and not feel guilty for calling in sick. I don't have to worry about the money lost from a day of lost work. What a blessing. I will try to remember to not be frustrated and to count my blessings no matter what happens.

Tag...I am IT!!!

Five names you go by:

1. Melissa

2. Missy

3. Mel

4. Mom

5. Dear


Three things you are wearing right now:

1. jeans

2. Striped Shirt

3. Crocs


Two things you want very badly at the moment:

1. For the kids to go to sleep

2. For my husband to be home from work


Two people who will probably fill this out:

1. Anyone???

2. You!

Two things you did last night:

1. Went to the ward Halloween Party

2. folded laundry



Two things you ate in the last 24 hours:

1. Ice Cream

2. Popcorn


Two people you last talked to on the phone:

1. Julie

2. Rob Love


Two things you are going to do tomorrow:

1. Clean and Pack up House for new Flooring!!!

2. Achievement Days, We are making Capri Sun Scripture Bags!


Two longest cars rides this year

l. Pocatello to Page

2. Phoenix to Pocatello

Two of your favorite beverages:

1. Caffiene free Diet Coke with Vanilla

2. Fresh apple juice

I Tag Christina and Tiffany!

Zillions of Blessings!

I am feeling so blessed tonight. For two months since I turned in my notice at work I have prayed that the Lord would provide for us. That somehow, through Him, we would be able to make it with me quitting my job. I have not worked for extra money. I have worked to survive. We have been waiting for a promotion for Hubby that has been promised but not given for over a year now. He was made the assistant warehouse manager in July of 2006. We thought he would be in that position for about a year. It has been over 2 and it doesn't look like things are going to change anytime soon.
Sorry, a little side note there. Anyway...I knew I needed to come home and be with my family after our second visit from child protective services and issues with the babysitting situation. I didn't know what we would do. Today was my last day at work. I left on good terms. My boss said he would definitely rehire me when I am ready to come back to work. He also said that he would call me to do some consulting work and it may be as soon as next month! I told him I would do anything as long as I could do it at home...I had to quite because he wouldn't let me work at home before! What a blessing. Hubby had been resetting the freezer in the warehouse all day. When he was done. He came home with a boat load of food that couldn't be sold, either because it was out of code or damaged packaging! Another Blessing!
Flash back to Wednesday night. It was the open house before the opening of Costco here in town. I had gone with some girlfriends to take a look around and eat some free food. I love Costco and have missed it soooooo much since moving to Pocatello. The one thing I love is the cakes! Their bakery makes the best and the cheapest cakes. We used to order one for every birthday. I had planned to come back the next day to order a cake for Duckling #6's birthday this week. The next day I was getting ready to go back to Costco and the Spirit told me not to go. I thought about the fact that I was quitting my job and really didn't have the money to do it. I figured I could just make a cake at home...Back to this evening. After Hubby brought out the boat load of food he went back into the building to go get more. The more was what the real blessing was....Two count them One, TWO!!! Cakes from one of the owner's daughters weeding this summer! I am amazed! The Lord knew what I wanted and He provided my wants for me all because I trusted and obeyed the Spirit! I love my Heavenly Father and I know that he knows me and loves me. I am His daughter and have the right to have His blessings. Thank you Heavenly Father for loving me enough to do some thing that must seem so small to you but so HUGE to me!!!

AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am very frustrated, incase you didn't get that fron the title of this post. I have tried to be patient but at this moment I feel like exploding. Let me explain.
I got my haircut about a month ago. I love it, it is so fun and easy. I have wanted to post some pictures of it but have not wanted to take pictures of me without makeup on and clean clothes. That rarely happens.
My camera does not use a normal camera import pluggy thingy. It is a smaller one than every other camera I have had. I of course only have the one cord that came with the camera. Do you think I can find it anywhere? My husband had found it and told me where he had put it.
Well this morning I decided this would be the day that I actually got dressed all the way to make-up. Not that I don't ususally get dressed but lately make-up has been very optional in my life. Anyway so after all that work I went to get the camera. You probably won't be surprised to hear that it was not where I thought I put it. What I did find was one of my treasured wedding gifts, a Love Spoon from Whales, snapped in half and the bottom half is nowhere to be found. My Aunt and Uncle were living over there when I got married and sent that to us. I love it, I had taken it off the wall to paint and not put it back up yet. So I really hadn't noticed that it was missing. I was so mad! I questioned the kids about the Love Spoon and the camera and of course no one wants to confess. We go on a search to find the camera and it is found. So, I take some pictures of myself. After, I take the pictures I go to find the cord and find that the cord is not the right one!
During all of this the kids were supposed to be doing their chores. It came time for school and we ran out the door. In all the rucuss I did not notice that they had not finished their chores. So my house is not clean, I have to go to work all day and will get home just in time to do Achievement Days, here at the house this afternoon. Great!Alas, there will be no pictures posted yet of my haircut. My spoon will never hang in my house again. And the girls will have to see my dirty dishes and an unmopped floor.
I know life will go one, the world does not revolve around me alone. But I sure do hate it when nothing goes as I expect it because I secretly do wish the world revolved around me. That would be so much easier!