Announcing....

Our new niece Rella came into the world just 5 days ago!
We are SO excited about her arrival.
Go HERE to read the details.

The proud parents have prepared for many years to welcome this precious little one into their lives. They have created a parenting vision by reading countless parenting books and spending years discussing how they want to parent their children.
I'm confident they will be terrific parents!


(her daddy made this announcement)

On Thursday I will be leaving my family and heading to Chicago to meet Rella AND my best friends new baby Boy Jude, who was born yesterday.
I can't wait!



Oh how I miss my Doula days.
When these little ones come into the world I just want to be there so badly.
Someday I WILL be there again.


Speaking of beautiful babies, check out this documentary coming soon.

I'm already certain it will be one of my all time favorites!
Below is the official movie trailer.

Pictures and Places

From our home of Bathing Beauties to yours...

and recently I spent time with my fantastic friends HERE and HERE!
To see some irresistible pictures of baby Bexley taken by her OWN MOMMY go HERE.

Pager Danger

After a LONG day of work dashing Doctor Young arrives home late, after the kids are in bed.

He is starving and eats dinner.

Approximately 13 minutes later his pager beeps. Then beeps again.

He returns the page and spends the next 11 minutes talking doctor language.
Most words in this special language are unrecognizable to the untrained ear, my ear is definitely untrained.

I secretly love hearing him talk doctor language. I see him in a different way, somewhat in awe at the wealth of knowledge he has packed into that brain of his.

Then reality hits and I think about how he arrived home at 4am the night before after working a 21 hour day and slept a measly 3 hours before scurrying out the door to another very long day.

The hospital has yet to provide a
1-800-youhavehadtodealwiththiscrapscheduleforwaytolongandnowobamaisyourpresidenthahaha
type of hotline.

But if his pager calls him into the hospital tonight I might need one.

Perhaps I ought to create a 1-800 service for resident families to call and unleash their frustrations to a third party listener. If I were a customer my conversation might go something like this:

"I am frustrated but it's not my husbands fault. He has been exhausted for only the last oh 8 years or so. Frankly I thought I was in recovery from my previous 'TODTS' (ticked off due to schedule) state of being. Apparently I am wrong because tonight he called for the 2346345 time and said "it's not looking good" and I know what that means and I was ticked off, again. Everyone says "oh it's going to be so worth it" and I could not agree more, yet that still does not make things any easier when my kids are crying because they wonder why Daddy is still gone."

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And now I digress. What debt of gratitude we ought to have for our government representatives have created THIS incredible bill. Go back, click on the link and take 10 minutes to get informed on what they really want to do.

There is something fundamentally wrong when the President of our great nation has his own agenda which happens, on our case, to be far from the agenda of the American people.
Wasn't our government system created to represent the people?

Needless to say we are thrilled about the recent election in Massachusetts.
Scott Browns win, along with the string of republican victories prior to his ought to be sending a VERY clear message to Mr. Obama and his cohorts.

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And yet I recognize that this is but a small trial.
Other women are building mud huts to create barriers of safety for their children.
And Stephanie is still in immense pain.
And so, in spite of my sweetie's schedule I LOVE MY LIFE A LOT!
And I love my husband a LOT too!

Little Hands Helping Haiti

We have talked to our girls about children just like themselves who are suffering in Haiti.

Because our television is seldom in use they have not seen pictures or heard news reports of the devastation, so what they know has been related only by our stories.

For close to a year Brinley has wanted to purchase a bath robe.
To achieve her goal she has been doing additional chores
(after completing her weekday and Saturday morning chore packs)
to earn money to do so.

Because I pay on average 5 to 10 cents per chore, this has been a long process.
She had saved $4.12.



On Saturday Brinley came up from the playroom and quietly said
"Mom, I've decided to give my piggy bank money to help the children in Haiti."
To which I replied "What a great idea, how does it make you feel to sacrifice the money for your bathrobe to serve those who need our help," she said
"I feel good inside Mom."



'For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it'
Luke 9:24

Shortly thereafter Avery decided that she too must earn money to donate.

This morning she was a busy little worker cleaning windows, scrubbing the fireplace tile and glass and folding an entire load of laundry by herself.

It is through the truths of the Everlasting Gospel that we are able to help teach our children
how to truly "Feel good inside."

How thankful I am for the comfort and clarity the restored gospel brings.

I testify that God knows each of us individually and has an
infinite fatherly love for
every one of His children. How his heart must ache for His children in Haiti and all those who are suffering throughout the world.

He has a plan for us which began before we came to earth and extends far into the eternities.
In times of tragady this knowledge offers peace and comfort.

Pee Your Pants Funny

Tonight I went to check on our girls before going to bed, because I have every night since the day Brinley was born. I love to see our children sleeping.

Typically I have tender feelings of love.
Sometimes I just stand over them watching them sleep, adoringly.

Tonight when my eyes adjusted to the dark I had a different reaction....




I busted up laughing, as quietly as I could.
Then I grabbed Cody who had the same reaction.

We unanimously decided that a picture was in order.
Thank goodness for flashes, which did not wake the girls since they were masked.



It was so funny to us that they would decide to wear the masks and
actually fall asleep with them on.

Oh, these are the days folks. These are the days!

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This morning marked the launch of Urban Iron #8. One more release memorized, check.
Have I mentioned that I LOVE teaching in January?
Classes are packed to overflowing, oh so much fun!

Delightful

A descriptive word for motherhood:

Delightful

After a night of vomiting last week Brinley presented me with THIS letter, which she had wrapped in a handmade embellished bag.
You can't see this, but on the other side of the letter she had taped a picture
of a sunset she colored.


These are the delightful moments that motherhood is made of.


Inside a Christmas gift bag which was secured shut with almost an entire role of masking tape was Avery's note. As usual she did her best to copy big sister, very sweet.




Later that day Brinley choose to create a reminder for herself which she posted on her bedroom door, it's still there.

Apparently she is finally realizing that her screaming earns her more seclusion.




We let our kids scream when they feel that need arise.
In fact, if they are in a particularly terrible mood I encourage them to get the
demons out with as many screams or angry tones as necessary.


HOWEVER, when they choose to exhibit these types of behaviors they are to do so in one of two places, either their bedroom OR the laundry room with the door shut.


These are places where NO ONE can hear them or be bothered one bit by their tantruming.


This method gets old quickly for kids seeing that the reason they most often throw fits if for attention. When there is zero attention it's just not as fun.

If YOU are raising children might I highly recommend THIS.
It very well may be the best $34 you spend as a parent.

Yesterday was Avery's turn to give the scripture in Primary.
She recited the first Article of Faith.



She was so excited to talk into the microphone and she did an excellent job!

Spiritual moment HERE.

Tubing

Over the Holiday's we went tubing as a family minus Aspen.
It was VERY fun, VERY cold and a first for us all!
The girls had no fear as we flew down the mountain side at lightning speed, in fact they wanted to go faster and spin around more.




Memories created are priceless, this will certainly be one of them!

Below is a memory of a different sort.
For your viewing pleasure I introduce the Christmas brawl of '09!

**Please take special note of what Avery is screaming out "Share, share, one at a time" as she thrusts her body upon the gift to keep it from her sister.

Go HERE to see another video demonstrating how Avery's enthusiasm
played out while opening gifts!

Go HERE to see how my sister-in-law Jill rang in 2010!
And read THIS to understand what a sweet brother I have who has loved and cared for our Jill through her consecutive operations.

From 7 to 4 and so much more!

This month I will go from teaching 7 classes a week down to 4.

*Urban Warrior (kickboxing)
*Power Plate (Muscle)
*Triple Fit (Circut, cardio, muscle)
*Urban Iron / Body Pump



Someday when life circumstances permit I will take on many more...
for now I am so happy with my FOUR!


This "Sunday's Special Breakfast" was Monkey bread, one of my childhood favorites.




It's SO easy, here's how:

1-Rise Rhodes rolls according to directions.
2- Dip risen rolls into butter and cover with cinnamon sugar.
3- Cook a few minutes longer than package directions.
4- ENJOY!


Aspen rang in the new year by walking! I took this video just hours ago.
As you will notice her feet turn outwards as a result of her brace.



She is so proud of herself and so are we!


Drum roll please...................................................................
Cody has accepted a pediatric radiology fellowship HERE starting in
July of 2011 at:




Raising children? Be empowered HERE.