You're going to do what?

My sister Crystal ran her first marathon last summer and I was so proud of her.  She has been asking me to run a half marathon with her next June, 2012.  and after some persistent persuasion from her I have  agreed.  I am not a runner.  I have never enjoyed running.  I'm a dancer.  I find joy in creating movement, rather than putting one foot in front of the other.  I know running is much more than that but I struggle to find the joy in it.
 
Watching my sister accomplish her goal of running a marathon was wonderful.  I have a desire to work toward that goal as well.  So, I am going to accomplish half of what she did last summer.  I will begin my training in a couple of weeks.  I am nervous but excited.  I want to do this.   Right now I am on a mission to find some really good running shoes in my size.  I'm sure there are people with a size 3.5( in children's shoes) that run marathons.  At least I hope so or I might be walking instead of running.

Sewing... a new adventure

As I previously stated, I like to try new things.  This Fall I started teaching dance.  It is a fun new adventure and keeps me active which I enjoy.  I am making skirts for my dancers Christmas recital.  I am not doing anything big but just making a standard skirt.  I attempted to follow my neighbors instructions and began to make a skirt last night for Avery.  I figure that if I can get her skirt right then I can begin on the others.  After two attempts, I cut both skirts too small.  So, I am on to plan B today.  I am going to my mom for help.  My mom is an amazing seamstress.  At one time she made wedding dresses.  She made all of my prom dresses.  I don't want her to do the work, I just need some guidance.  It has been since 12th grade that I have really sat down and sewed.  I think it is time.  I have 4 weeks to get 25 skirts made.  I have faith it will all come together, so wish me luck people because I think I'm going to need it!

A-D-D and Ferris Bueller

 I admit to the world that I must have A-D-D...attention deficit disorder. This hasn't been medically diagnosed but I can't pay attention to anything for very long before I am on to my next new adventure.  I have always been this way.  It drove my mom crazy.  I think it drives my husband crazy.  My ambitions change with the wind.  This has been a blessing and a curse.  As a result my blogging has suffered.  Not that anyone really cares, but I have found that blogging is just a glorified way of keeping a journal.  I hope for my posterity that this will be beneficial.  I realize that I need to do better about making time for documenting events in our lives.  So I am a work in progress.  I am working to overcome my ADD!

To quote Ferris Bueller: 

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it"

Isn't this the truth!!  I feel this happening to me.  I need to slow down and enjoy life's events and document them so I remember them.  Life is just to good to forget!

Avery my oldest just turned 6 years old.  She is growing up so fast and it amazes me how much she has changed.  She started kindergarten and piano lessons.  She LOVES to draw and be creative.  I have enjoyed watching her grow the past 6 years.  I can't imagine that in just 12 years she will be ready to leave me.  I hate to think about that so I won't dwell on it. 

A few days before her birthday we were driving in the car and Avery said to me:
"Mom, I just love you so much....I almost cry just thinking about how much I love you." 

That was a moment to remember.  There wasn't anything significant that had happened for her to say this.  It was just out of the blue and it made my day.  That's when I knew I was doing something right. So this and a few other things have motivated me to try and blog daily.  I know this is ambitious but I am going to do the best I can.  Like Ferris, I just don't want to miss it!

Taylor's story

This is a picture and story Taylor (3) made:

Once upon a time, there was a princess named Ariel. She loved all her sisters. She gave her sisters a present. The present was a real life piggy and a pony and unicorn. The sisters loved their presents and said thank you to Ariel.

The End.

Avery's Story

This is a story Avery (5 yr.) wrote, along with a picture she colored. Avery Loves drawing pictures and creating stories. A few weeks ago she asked for a journal. I noticed that she was drawing pictures in it and I asked her what she was doing. She said to me " Mom, I am keeping this journal for my kids. I think they will love it." Yes, Avery, I think they will love it!

Avery's story:

Once upon a time, there lived a princess who wanted to go to the magic castle. The gate said she had to follow the magic steps. The princess found a grumpy old troll and he was mean and threw her into a tree. She was stuck in the tree and fell down when a prince named Eric caught her on his horse. Then they found the magic castle. They fell in love and got married and lived happily every after.

The End

Girls Day Out

Every so often I try to do a mommy/daughter day, where I take the girls one on one to do something fun. Last week Taylor had a dentist appointment so we made that our fun day. Who knew the dentist could be so much fun? Well, my kids LOVE going to the dentist. They must be crazy because I still have a little bit of fear each time I wait to hear from the dentist on whether or not I am cavity free. When we arrived at the dentist office Taylor didn't want to wait in the little toy room set aside for kids. She continued to ask me over and over..."why don't they call my name mom?" She couldn't wait to get her cute little bottom into the chair. When they finally called her name, she ran back with excitement climbed into the chair and listened intently to the hygienist's instructions with this adorable smile on her face, which said, "I'm a big girl." The dentist office is way more fun then when I was a kid. I still hear the sound of the drill and my hands get sweaty and my stomach turns into knots. Taylor had the complete opposite experience. She watched Princess and the Frog, wore cool sunglasses (OK, they were only cool to her) and had grape fluoride. I am happy to report that her teeth are in great condition. No cavities!

After the dentist office, I promised Taylor I would take her to the her favorite store Justice. Last month when it was Avery's day out, I took Avery to pick out a lip gloss after receiving her 5 year vaccinations. All the pain was quickly taken away when she picked out her new shade for her lips. When I do something for one, I have to do it for the other. Justice is a store for little girls and they love to pick out lip gloss and eyeshadow to add to their dress ups. It was so great to be able to spend one on one time with Taylor. She is such an incredible little girl. Taylor is at such a fun age and says the funniest things but she is also such a good listener and is very obedient. When she tries to get away with something sneaky and I ask her to stop, she will look at me with sad eyes and say... "Alright...." Amid all the drama that comes with 4 ladies in the house, she is the most easy going. What a blessing! There is something very special about little Taylor Mae and I thank Heavenly Father every day for her!

Mini Me

A couple weeks ago my neighbor made the comment that Avery was a little version of me. I have had several people share this same opinion and when I compare pictures of when I was a little girl and watch her mannerisms, I would absolutely have to agree.

Anyone who knows me, knows that my favorite room in my house is my kitchen. I really enjoy creating food and entertaining my family and friends. I have seen Avery develop this same interest. Last Christmas she asked for a decorating baking kit because she wanted to learn how to bake like her mommy. It was so much fun taking the time to help her learn the very basics of baking which made me feel like I know a thing or two.

Right now when I ask Avery what she wants to be when she grows up, she will say with confidence: "I want to be a mommy and have 100 babies. I want 5 cats and 4 dogs and I want to stay at home with them." When she first revealed her ambitions, I wasn't sure if I should praise her for her desire to be a mother or to call her the "Old woman who lived in the shoe." More than anything I took her answer as a compliment. The job of mother, I hold to be the most sacred and highest responsibility I have. It has also been the most trying, difficult job. I have found that anything that is of great worth most of the time, requires sacrifice and hard work to achieve. I have faith that down the road, all of our hard work and gray hair will pay off.
As a mother I have found to be my own worst critic. I think women, especially mothers, we are hard on ourselves because we know that the task at hand is important and with that we carry a lot of responsibility on our shoulders. Sometimes all of the responsibilities of motherhood can be too much to handle and so we check out, shut down and don't want to face the day (that was me yesterday!). I often find myself questioning if I am doing all that I can to teach, guide and love my children. Some days I wonder if what I am doing really matters. One thing that I know for sure, I couldn't do this without God's help. He helps me see the joy amidst the chaos. He helps me see the pure goodness in my children and reminds me that they are His. At the end of the day when I fall exhausted into my bed and pray that the kids will give me a good night sleep, when I wake up the next morning, I still get excited to see them and begin a new day. The job of being a mother is completely worth it.

I think Avery may change her mind when it comes to the number of children she will have one day. I just don't think her goal of 100 babies is possible, but hey, I'm not going to be the one to break it to her. I hope that she will continue to see the value in becoming a mother someday. I am just grateful that at 5 years old she not only looks like a mini me but wants to be a mini me. I hope to be more like her when I grow up.

Twice a year

How is it that 7 months have passed by since my last post. Am I really that pathetic? I mean it isn't like I have had any life changing events take place, say, the addition of a new baby girl to the family, which might seem important to document. Well, it seems that my personal motto has become, "better late than never!" Life in our family is probably the best it has ever been. We have our little struggles here and there, and it always seems like the kids are going through some sort of phase, but now after 6 1/2 months since our little Addy was born, I feel like we all have finally adjusted. Addison Lynne joined our family last June, on her Grandma Fisher's birthday (Shon's mom). I went in to the hospital for a scheduled c-section at noon and had to wait 5 hours before she finally arrived. While waiting I began contracting so it looked like it was the right day. The c-section was probably the best I have ever had and the recovery was pretty quick. I don't know if it's because I've had 2 previous c-sections and knew what to expect or if the reality had sunk in that I had 3 kiddos to take care of and didn't have time to take it easy. Either way, I was grateful that it all went well.

Life has moved lightning fast since then, so I feel like I need to document a few things. Addy has been the perfect addition to our family. She is very easy going which is a blessing because often times she has to wait while I am tending to her sisters. Her middle name is Lynne, named after my aunt Mary Lynne, who was my mom's sister. Mary Lynne passed away a few years ago, and I have a very special relationship with her. I have so many great memories of sleep overs and painting my nails with her. I know she is close by and aware that we have remembered her.

Avery and Taylor have adjusted brilliantly to adding another girl. They just love her, sometimes a little too much. I am grateful for that. I have heard of children becoming jealous or hitting the baby. Thankfully we haven’t experienced any of that. I have watched Avery grow into this beautiful little girl and see that she is more of a helper this time around. When Taylor was born she was 18 months and was still a baby herself. I don’t know what I was thinking then having two babies 18 months apart. That was difficult for me but somehow God helped me grow through that and now I am seeing the blessings of it. Avery and Taylor will be one year apart in school. They do everything together. They go to preschool together, have the same friends, play house and makeup (yes….makeup!!) together. It is like a live in best friend. Things are not always rosy but the good times far out weigh the bad times, which is good because I don’t have a lot of patience for their fighting matches.

When we were married I never in a million years thought we would have only girls in our family. I always pictured boys in our future. Well I was dead wrong and I am grateful for that. There is certainly more drama with girls, and if you don’t believe me then spend a day at my house. (Anyone want to come to dinner?) However, I don’t think I can fully say how much fun I have watching them play dress up and put makeup on each other and say funny things like “Oooh-la-la, I’m off the Paris mom.” (Thanks to our favorite Fancy Nancy books). There is something tender and sweet that comes with a little girl and I am blessed to have 3 of them. Poor Shon is outnumbered and sometimes I feel bad for him, I mean even our dog Andie is a girl. But Shon is such an excellent father. He loves his little girls and they also love him. He takes them on bike rides and on the golf course. He makes them mac and cheese with spam in it (yuck I know, but the taste grows on you not to mention it is great food storage) and they think it is great. Shon will even get up in the middle of the night to help me with Addy. He is just a “don’t complain, just get it done” kind of guy. I think everyone should marry a farm boy. I highly recommend it. They know how to work hard, fix things and get the job done, which are all excellent qualities that my sweet boy has. I think having girls is refining us a bit...ok a lot! We are both learning the lessons that come with acquiring patience. Neither Shon nor I have been blessed with this quality and because of that all hell can break loose pretty fast. I have made some new goals for 2011, which I will talk about in another post, and I feel like we are making strides in this area. I am realizing more that my life is a marathon, not a sprint so it really is the small changes that I consistently work on that make the difference. I just have to be patient and wait to see the miracles that come (there is that word p-a-t-i-e-n-c-e again. I can’t get away from it).


Addy's birthday

Addy's blessing day. She is wearing my blessing dress my mom made for me when I was blessed. My mom also made Avery and Taylor a matching dress in their favorite color:

Meeting Santa at the ward Christmas breakfast. It was a very exciting day, of course :)

Every morning when I go in to get Addy, I sing this silly "good morning" song that I made up to the happy birthday tune. She gets so excited every time, I love it!

Eating carrots for the first time.