{Suker Family 2016}

We are blessed

It's been like two years I feel like since I've updated my blog. This year has been probably the best year yet. We are loving staying busy and active with our family. It has been MORE fun than we could have ever imagined having our children grow up and begin to experience life. I tell ya what it's an adventure and crazy house nearly every day, but as I hug and hold and experience my children "become real people" as we call them it's been a complete delight. Jared and I are in love with who they are becoming. I was just feeling blessed as I looked at several pictures of our adventures of this year and I am amazed at how many great things we've done. What a blessing this year has been. My heart is full tonight and I wanted to update that we are doing well. (Especially because we sure are not perfect, we yell, we cry, we make messes, and we say things we shouldn't...and we realize how much growth we need to keep on doing each and every day, but somehow having each other makes it all so much more enjoyable!)

Ha! This blog still works...

Ben sharing his ice cream. 

Andrew LOVES ice cream

Loves bath time!

We love rain storms

I love this run!

They said they had to wear their "Storm Helmets!" 

We had a great family home evening lesson on prayer. I just couldn't resist this grumpy two year old face during the prayer. Love him.

These were our prayer friends. Jack really wasn't that grumpy, he was just eating lots and lots of pretzels.

Crazy Town

 There has become a familiar phrase at our house...it's "Crazy Town" that is where we live. Or it's also known as the "Suker Circus" I think it has to do with the fact we have five kids and they are all small. I think 4 of the 5 kids would greatly disagree with that statement of them being small, but sometimes it feels like a three ring circus trying to take care of them. I love them. I do. I'm totally grateful for the obvious blessings. But man alive I'm learning this motherhood thing is really.really.really.really.tough. Maybe it's taken me five kids to feel COMPLETELY overwhelmed. Or maybe it's because I'm finally realizing that breakfast lunch and dinner means I have to supply food, meals, etc. Or maybe it's summer and I'm used to having a few gone at school. Or maybe it's because I wish Jared was home more. Or maybe it's because this house is too messy and too big for me to keep up on...then there was the laundry! I think it's healthy we just stop there.
Pretty much "Crazy Town" is where ever we go. As hard as crazy town is, it's pretty awesome. I get to hang out with these "crazies" all day, everyday...every so often I get a few moments of peace. I just have to laugh because I disappear for 3 SECONDS and they find me. The only reason why I'm thinking about this is because my blog has had some serious issues. It won't upload, I thought I was out of space and so I started a new blog. I thought I have the perfect name...Crazy Town! Yup, so that's it. It appears my old blog really isn't strugging (today) but I think I might just want to start a new blog to see if it works and to just laugh at these five crazy kids. So that's the skinny on the new blog (www.fiveiscrazytown.blogspot.com) So when I switch over, don't be alarmed that is where you can find these crazies.
 Oh, but the GREAT part of the summer is a new implementation of chores, jobs, responsiblities, etc. (Because mom's are always good for switching up routine in HOPES we it the jack-pot job chart that actually gets our kids to work without whining, etc. And our house magically get's clean and we can just sit and read a book while they clean happily! ha.
Well, WE did implement something new, and it's working. I've realized a few things. I am super grateful to have learned. One, my kids are VERY capable and DO know how to clean. Second, I can raise boys to be gentleman. My youngest sister Krista really pushes this with her boys. I though my time has come and gone. But guess what, after a few weeks of reminding, asking, telling them how to be gentlemen, they are STARTING to get it! So I've learned it's NOT too late to change poor behavior. (Shocker I know) Third, I need to chill more and unwind and not be so uptight...I have created a new personal motto..."Just Breath" So I do just that. I breath. Oh, and my new favorite quote of the day..."Happiness is a choice...You Decide!" So there ya have it. That's my motherhood update. It's tough, but we are happy (Well besides all the screaming and yelling, and fighting, and all that real life family stuff that goes on all day long and we just pray our neighbors can't hear us!) ha ha ha

Here are some happy faces of cousins.

 Caleb LOVES legos. This is is sanity in life. Thankfully, we have an entire "Lego Room" I send him there to have his personal quiet time and space. This kid is 5 and ready to start Kindergarten in one week. Yeah!

It's official. Andrew can crawl. He crawled and hasn't stopped since yesterday. He caught on quick and there he goes! 

If she could, she would fill all her days with friends.

 If he could he would fill his days with his friends and cousins.

Summer reading checklist...100 different ways/places to read books. The kids will earn a snow cone they have been so creative and LOVED this.

They piled themselves together for a photo shoot. I mean who can't resist taking pictures instead of sorting laundry!

I love this baby.

Alayna is wanting to take pictures. So I told her to take pictures of me and Andrew, so I can remember loving this baby of mine. He's growing too fast, but at the same time I feel I have soaked him in. 

We have an angry elf at our house.

And then there was a nice elf.

And a sad elf.

8 months old baby. He love everything. And we love everything about him. He can roll, sit, roll and sit himself back up. Well done baby.

This is the naughty elf. And the grouchy elf. We call him Oscar the Grouch.

 He went missing for a few minutes...and he makes himself a cast of band-aids.

Too cute to get angry. I just had to take pictures. Because this is an on going battle I fight with this monkey. So a light bulb went off in my head. I moved the band-aids up high. Yup. So he can't reach them. But he just screams...I'm not sure what is worse. Hmmm.

Welcome to my Crazy Town.

Summer Happenings

We love this baby face. He is 7 months old. Getting chubby weighing in around 18 lbs. He eats, sleeps, giggles, smiles, rolls over, sits up by himself, and just melts all of our hearts. We love you our little blue eyed angel baby!

Seriously....he's the cutest thing ever!

Summer = cousins and fun!

We couldn't be happier with our investment for the summer months! LOVE IT! I'm not sure we will be loving our water bill, but man alive it entertains the kids for HOURS!

Oh, Benny. I love you. I love you because your adorable one second and the grumpiest two year old the next second. You always manage to use manners, which melts my heart, even if your mad as heck you still say please when your screaming or crying. I love that face. I love your smile. You ask the cutest questions like..."Mom, What's your name?" I'm at the phase with you I've started telling you not to grow up....somehow Caleb has grown up, he's five now. He didn't listen to me. I have to be honest 2 year olds drive me absolutely batty...I can't decide if I want to join in the tears with you or pull my hair out. But at the end of the day I want to freeze this phase because there is nothing cuter than you!

Mr. Caleb. Oh, your growing up. You are the light and spunk of our family. You truly add a pazazz that only exists when your around. Your sensitive and tender hearted. You calm down with a hug, and you can be as angry as all get out if you want to. But with in seconds your a puddle of tears and so sweet and sincere with your apologies it gives me hope you are understanding life. During family scripture study the other night we were reading about the Anti-Nephi-Lehies and we discussed what are our "weapons of rebellion" keeping us becoming closer to God. WITH OUT any provoking each of my children listed something they wanted to "bury" and try to become better. It was a tender sweet moment. Caleb said, "my Angry Mouth" ...I realized he's getting it. It was a sweet moment. Alayna chose to "be more grateful" and say "Yes, Mother" It's been amazing. She has been so freely saying thank you, I even cried once I was so shocked by her gratitude. 

Jake decided all on his own to bury his "non-listening ears!" Amazing yet again, how our kids grasp the simple principles of the gospel and just want to be better. To be more like our Saviour. I love having these kids. They teach me so much about being teachable, humble and willing to realign myself with my Heavenly Father and Savior. 

These kids are amazing. I love them all. I'm one overwhelmed mom of 5. It's a busy household. Hence the reason my blog goes months without any activity. But we are happy and enjoying this crazy life. Oh, and the one accomplishment for me is I ran my half marathon on Saturday. It was awesome...First because I ran it with so many dear friends, and my sister Shandra, and it was her FIRST one ever. She rocked!!!! and Second, I even beat my post-pregnancy running goal by 6 minutes. Whoop Whoop! Anyways, it's all good over here we have so much to be grateful for. 

Life...

So, I've been reading some great parenting/motherhood books. You know the kinds that make you feel a tad depressed, or overwhelmed that your not being enough. Well, today I decided to implement one of the many (too many) great ideas. It suggested we look at our days as mothers with wonder and excitement...saying, "I wonder what will happen today?" Instead of thinking, "Oh, what do I have to do today?"

Okay, so today for a brief moment I decided to change my thinking. Surprisingly, I laughed more and enjoyed a few moments of this two year old....Yes, this is where I found him getting a drink and saying, "But Mom, it's soooo good!" 

I decided to take a picture because this is truly my life. Unbalanced and totally mixed up. Just like Ben. He's unbalanced and mixed up. And yet, we are happy at trying to solve our own problems and life. 

But, what a I learned is that it really doesn't matter being unbalanced and mixed up. Because guess what, he's totally taken care of and he's no longer thirsty! It might be the gross soaking dish from last nights dinner...but that doesn't matter! Truly, this made my day, and looking back at the pictures I will cherish this feeling of five little monkies even more. Thanks for this mothering parenting book to actually help!! I don't want to forget either that Ben totally wore those same clothes yesterday, and slept in them, and woke up and wore them again. After he played in the sink water, I thought on the offense (another great tip from this book) and decided to suggest him to go play in the bath. And guess what, he LOVED his afternoon bath time...it lasted for a long time until he said his water was too cold. So I avoided a mess and a super great memory! And, yes....he is wearing clean pajamas! 

And here is my next little angel. Seriously, all of this crazy mixed up life is TOTALLY worth it for this baby. 

I love him. Because seriously, he's the cutest. Ever!

He has a headache again...are we surprised...not me!

I love this picture. I love his blue eyes. I love everything about him.

He's starting to want to roll over. 

I love him...oh, I want to go wake him up right now and squeeze him!

He loves his fingers. yikes...

Oh, hes' adorable and so patient with this crazy household of monkies!