Friday, March 24, 2017

March

March has happened WAYYY too fast!   We had Disneyland, then a week of school to get caught up, then spring break, and now a week of school, and now we're packing to leave the country for a week.  April and May WILL slow down! I loved February with it's unbusiness and the pictures and time I got with my kids. I've known for a few months that March would be insane.  But we did sneak in a few happy memories.  The kids all wore green for St. Patrick's day, but I didn't do a dang mom thing.  No green food, no green crafts, nada!  So I snapped this pic of a few of my boys together. They're pretty handsome!
 Then Stratton and Millie came up and made spring break amazing!  These two really feed each other's energy level, but they have such a good time doing it, that we just kick them outside and let them burn it all off!
 Favorite thing about March is still this....

 He's the most beautiful baby boy, and these two are seriously glowy! I love it!

Meanwhile, MY Mr. beautiful has turned naughty, just this week, which sucks because he's going to stay with Danica for a week.  He LOVES to open every cupboard and pull everything out as fast as he can.  He loves to throw all of his food on the floor as fast as he can..even if he wants it...he wants it to hit the ground first.  He's obnoxious!  and SOOO CUTE!!!


Monday, March 13, 2017

Best, Day, EVER!

Justin and Elissa finally had Baby Benson!!!!!  That pregnancy was longer than any of mine...seriously felt that way...even longer than this last horrible Truman pregnancy.  I couldn't wait for her pregnancy to be over and everyone safe and an adorable happy Mulder family.  He's seriously  as cute as my own too!  Ok, as cute as mine and doesn't have the swollen nose.  He kinda came out completely perfect!  We rushed down to hold him and take a few pictures on Saturday when he was born, and now Jase and I are both DYING to hold him again!  He was 9 pounds 5 ounce, the Mulder average, and 21" long...again, the Mulder average.   He's going to fit right in!   It was so great to see Justy and Lissy so happy and a feeling of relief was in the room for all.   I couldn't help but cry when I first got to hold him because of how long everyone has waited for this little man, and all of the trials that had to happen before he could come.   He's seriously an amazing blessing to the whole Mulder family.  Congratulations Justy and Lissy and welcome baby Benny!





Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Grateful for...

So, I have a hard time getting much excitement out of anything anymore. I'm happy, and I know I'm blessed, and I have more LOVE than ever before, but I feel boring, and bored, and I think back to when I didn't feel this way and I felt so much more alive.  I was more active, I was more creative, I was more adventurous and I was more confident.  I know I used to write a weekly gratitude post on here, so I'm starting it up again.  Each week, I'm writing my top 5 things that I'm most grateful for that week.  And I'm interviewing my kids again, and taking quizzes on here so my kids can know me at all stages of life.  Because 10 years ago when I first started this blog, I was A MUCH different person than I am now....good ways and bad ways.  Hopefully I can get it all back to good ASAP!  For now, my top 5!

Country Living!  I just got off the phone yesterday with a. friend that moved from here to Gilbert, and we both agree, things are much too "fancy and perky" there, but she was saying how now she could never move back because the education system is so much better there...and I agree, it is.    I told her there are great things and obnoxious things about both places, and it just depends on what you feel is a better way of living for your kids.  I do wish the schools were better here. I wish  they had a gifted program for my 3 straight A kids, or any program to keep them on the up and up, but the daily living lessons they learn here are what make country living worth the crappy school system.  And I shouldn't say crappy school system.  Honestly my kids have had some of their best teachers ever in the snowflake/taylor system, but we lack so much funding!!!!  But I love how many kids are in each class and I love how personable the teachers are.   But getting chickens and bunnies in a couple of weeks, and riding their bikes down to Ed's and quads in the wash and the huge, wide, clean street that we live on with huge old trees and super friendly people that love to garden all day.  I LOVE IT!!! I know you can get all of this in the outsikirts of the country, but it's never the same (speaking from experience) I know some in the "smaller cities" of the valley feel that it's country, but when there are so many stop lights, so many cars, so many people and SO many nail salons.  haha, it's not real country livin.

This van! I'm SO grateful for this awesome van.  This last family road trip was probably the best we've had as far as getting alone, being comfortable and having a good time in the car.   There was 2 kids to a row, Jase put a TV in it, and there were blankets and pillow all over the place.  Per request of Jaden I made the kids individual snack boxes to keep em refreshed the whole week, and everyone was set.   There was a couple of usual squabbles, but nothing that even got my feathers ruffled. (country girl speaking there)

Health.  I've been SO obsessed with how chubby I am these last 2 years (it's been bad, and I've SUCKED and dieting) but lately I'm so glad that I'm able to run around with my kids, and wrestle with my littles, and jump on the trampoline and go for jogs. I'm so grateful for my sight and hearing.  My sight is going downhill QUICKLY the last year and a half.  At night I can't even see road signs, and the words I'm typing now are even a bit blurry, but I'm so glad that I'm able to see my cute kids faces and watch them learn for the first time, and hear their squeaky voices, and my older two and their amazing singing voices.  I am So grateful for a healthy body!

FOOD!  Ok, on the flip flop, I wish I didn't eat so much of it, but I love playing with food. I love making new recipes, I love buying new foods and I love spending half of my life in my kitchen! I'm so glad I'm not a picky eater.  Well, I do wish I didn't like sugar and cheese, but I'm so glad that I'm willing to try anything and like most everything except octopus, crab, squid, shrimp, cod and mushrooms.  Ok, and some really hot things. I'm wuss, I need to build up my spicy glands or whatever.  but I love food!

My parents! I'm so glad they live so close. I see them most every single day, wait, I see them EVERYDAY that we're both home.  Dad comes over to take pictures of me with his jewelry on, and to try  and win over Tru, and mom comes by to get caught up on whatever is going on with her calling and whatever is going on with the family.  Last night I was in a pickle!  Jase was in the valley and I dropped Jaden off at soccer, then had to run with the other 5 to Boston's pack meeting.  In the middle of the pack meeting I remembered Kam has dance in 30 minutes, the same time Jaden has to be picked up at soccer, and the pack meeting had another hour! I  called mom and they were there in a jiffy...even took Jaden out to dinner, which he needed after a day of studying to catch up, going to soccer with out dinner and sweating his gross little teenage guts out (stinky!).   They save me!  And we get to have dinner together every Sunday.  We all look forward to that, sometimes followed up by a game of cards. I'm So grateful for their health and that my kids get to know them while they are so active still.  They're such fun grandparents and so caring and great examples of service and kindness and humility to my kids.

Monday, March 6, 2017

FINALLY DISNEYLAND!!!!

Oh my gosh! My dreams just came true!  Ok, other than the dream of all of my kids raising their families here in Taylor by me and being happy and amazing, THIS is my favorite dream...to spend a week at Disneyland with all of my kids. I can't believe it's over.  It went by so fast!  Totally wore us all out, but so worth it!!! Everyone had an amazing time!!! We gave this to the kids for Christmas, but couldn't find a good time to go until now.  We got 5 day tickets and went back and forth between Disneyland and California adventure.   This was our first day at Disneyland...

 Truman was a bit freaked out, but also very intrigued by the characters.
 I had to post the picture.  Jason took it because he knew the lady was walking right in front of us.  ha!
 But then we got a nice guy to snap one of all of us in front of the castle on Main Street!
 Here's a usual picture of my boy Jaden....his palm.
 But then some lady behind me in the dole whip line talked him into moving his hand for a second.  Thanks lady.
 Tru's first taste of a dole whip float was a win!  He loved it!
 The jungle cruise was so great!  We had a hilarious skipper and watching the younger 3 was so much fun!

 I got a picture of most everyone, but not everyone at the same time, so here's one by one on the jungle cruise.



 I don't know why I don't have a shot of Viv and Pearcen.  But Tru was worn out by noon....


California Adventure!

Jase and I were in awe when we walked into Car's land for the first time! I LOVE IT!  I LOOVVED growing up in Podunk northern Az, and all of the cute stuff there reminded me of all of it!  I have so many pictures from HS by the Here it is sign at Jack Rabbit, so of course, we had to get one with it here....

 Bugsland was a lot of fun, except I realized my younger kids haven't seen A Bug's life.  It's on my to do list now.  But they had a lotta fun riding these incredibly slow bumper cars.



Then the older kids all went to California screaming which they all LOVED, they rode it 2 or 3 times before Boston got so sick and the older two decided to take a break as well.  So we found a bench and ate our sandwiches, except Boston, who was too sick and fell asleep for a bit, so the other kids decided to ride the flying swing ride right by the tables we were sitting at...a few times.



 And then the jellyfish ride...these first 3 pictures crack me up, Vivian is making a different wacky face in each one.



 This picture freaks me out!  They look so old!  They both look like teenagers! YIKES!


 The huge door at Monster's Inc. with 3 tiny girls
 This Ramen jacket got as much attention as the characters at the parks!  Especially by girls.

2nd day at Disneyland....Vivvy's birthday!

Not gunna lie, we were already getting worn out by this day....but we were excited to hit splash and space mountain again!
 It's hard to get a picture of this one.  He's either eating, putting his and up to the camera, or turning away faster than I can snap.  So you'll get hand pictures and eating pictures, but he's a cool kid, and it's funny to watch him in public as he attract the ladies.
 I'm so glad Kam had Sheronni to hang with! They're both awesome!!
 Vivian wanted a picture with the castle, so yea, I took a bunch.  She has her 1st visit button and her birthday button on, and her magic bubble wand in hand and the Belle dress that she chose from the many princesses dresses in the closet of the condo we rented.


We even took a tour of the castle thanks to our Disneyland expert friend Amy!


 THE TEACUPS!!!!!!  They had so much fun riding the teacups with dad!

I had so much fun NOT riding the teacups and just being in charge of pictures. 




 WE eat a lot of ice cream and churros and dole whips.  The ice cream was SO messy!!!!