small talk...big heart!

I LOVE my two little nieces in SLC!  Madison has grown up with her cousin since day one of her life!  They have had numerous play dates, sleepovers, trips to the zoo, museum and Idaho, and share every little holiday with eachother, one way or another!  Unfortunately, last year, school put a damper in these little girls lives, as Briana started kindergarten.  This year, Madison started kindergarten and Briana went to 1st grade.  So now our play dates are far and few between and we all live for the moments we get to see eachother...limited to the weekends!  We are so blessed to live so close and to see the friendship that has developed between the two! 

The other day, Dave and I were heading out of town and Jacob and Madison were going to my sisters to have a sleep-over while we were gone.  They had packed their bags the minute they woke up!  It was pretty cute...they packed as if they would be gone a week!  I called my sister to see if there was anything I needed to bring down to her and then talked to my niece for a minute.  Here is our conversation:

Me:  I am bringing the kids for a sleepover...what treats can I bring you?

Briana:  I just had a treat last night.  (she is not big on sugar! Crazy girl!)

Me:  It doesn't have to be candy or food, it can be whatever you want!

Briana:  Okay...then can you bring Madison, can she be my treat?

My heart just melted!  Such simplicity for a little child!  Forget the candy and the fun little treats we usually send...it means nothing compared to the friendship these two little girls have!  Together, they usually have it all, what more can you ask for?

Let them be little...: Melaleuca Oligo-fructose compounded vitamins

Let them be little...: Melaleuca Oligo-fructose compounded vitamins

Melaleuca Oligo-fructose compounded vitamins

I have been a member of Melaleuca, The Wellness Company, for about 15 years now, and I love their products!  Just last year, they made a scientific breakthrough on their vitamins, by discovering the oligo-fructose compound that allows our bodies to absorb more of the nutrients in vitamins.  They are continually updating and searching for better health products to promote a healthy lifestyle and body. 

I have been taking their previous vitamins for many years,especially during pregancy.  They have worked wonders, especially when it comes to my energy level.  However, just this month I ordered the new oligo-fructose pre-natal vitamins (no I'm not pregnant) and have been taking them for 3 days.  I noticed almost immediately how well my body responded to them.  It really curved my cravings for sugar and snacks.  I really believe I was missing essential vitamins in my body, more than likely from poor diet!  We have been working on improving our diet and coming up with healthy and creative recipes at home.  We have significantly reduced the amount of white flour and replaced it in almost all of our baking with 1/2 wheat flour, even in our desserts!  It's amazing!

Anyhow, If you are interested in learning more about the oligo-fructose vitamins and the benefits of them on your body, and if you are pregnant, the benefits for your little one too, check out the link at http://www.melaleuca.com/. 

They also have the SAFEST cleaning products that I have seen, which is a relief for a mom of 3 small children.  I am completely impressed with their sol-u-guard disinfectant that we use all day long, to keep the "yucky" bugs out of our house.  With the switch in the vitamins for both myself and my children, the safety of the cleaning products and the disinfectant, we have thus far, had a VERY healthy year! 

Thank you Melaleuca!

Camping 2009

Growing up it was expected that we would spend most of our summer vacation camping.  I loved it.  Going to Redfish Lake was a favorite spot for me.  Unfortunately, Dave and I have never taken our kids camping until this last summer.  I regret to say that it was to the ward campout, and wasn't even in the mountains, back country.  It was a horrible weekend for a campout, but we endured well, and made up for the lack of sleep by taking a huge nap the next afternoon!  The winds were high, a train track ran right next to the campsite and "tooted" it's horn ALL night long and we woke up to a crazy rain storm.  Thank heavens for the heated hot tubs! 

Take ME Out To The Ball Game...

My wonderful husband, who has been gone most of the summer, drove home late one night, came into the bedroom, (3:00 a.m.) and told me to pack my bags, we were leaving by 6:00 a.m.! 

Now in my "tired" state, I tried to make sense of who would watch the kids, how I would miss the ward birthday breakfast and my correlation meeting on Sunday...but I couldn't pass THIS up:

It has been a dream of mine since I was little to attend a Major League Baseball Game, and in particular, the Rockies!  It was even better, because they were playing the Cubs that night!

Although they lost that night, they won the previous night and the next 2 nights! 

Go ROCKIES!

We didn't get a rental car on this trip, so it was really fun trying to figure out the transportation system from the airport, to the stadium, to our hotel and all around town.  We ended up using the train station daily for our transportation.  The stadium was just to the right of the union station and an outside mall, where only walking is allowed, was just to the left of it.  Needless to say, we did a LOT of walking, and talking and enjoying each other!  Thanks babe, for an incredible birthday present! 

(one more item crossed off the "bucket list")

I am 2 (and 1/2!)

Things Brooklyn Loves:

1-Her Mommy (daddy too, when mom's not around!)

2.  Her Binky

3.  Chocolate...Chocolate...Chocolate

4.  Doggies

5.  Horses

6.  Madison and Jacob

7.  Watching Moobies (Movies)

8.  Annie song, "The sun will come out Tomonnow", as she says it!

9.  Cupcakes

10. Drinking...juice, water, chocolate milk

11.  Gymnastics--she loves playing while Madison is in class

12.  Going to Nursery at church

13.  Laughing

14.  Out of the blue, running to mommy or daddy and saying:  I love you the most!

16.  Swinging

17.  Jumping on the trampoline

18.  Walking down to the "Billy Goats"

19.  Reading stories

20.  Bathtime

21.  Going to Krissy and Muggies house

22.  Lexi and Briana

23.  Her Grandma's and grandpa's

24.  Her pillow

25.  Taking naps

Dave and I took her to Red Robin for dinner.  Here is the birthday cupcake she found on her menu.  She tried to blow it out!

The Chocolate Malt they brought to us...Wow...all for me?

Eating the hotdog she loved SO much! 

Eating the dessert they brought for her Birthday...she is digging for the chocolate only!

Singing Happy Birthday to herself on the way home!

Her "doggie" birthday party

Her "doggie" cake

At the "Pet Store"

With her Grandparents

Brooklyn, We all love you so much!  Thank you for bringing so much happiness, laughter and sunshine into our family!

Our little "Ookie"

When Brooklyn was first born, everyone in our family each had a different nickname for her, such as pumpkin little, Brookly, bubba goo, and Brookie. Jacob, being just 2 1/2 decided he needed one as well, and came up with "ooka", which has occasionally changed to "ookie". Many people are concerned as she tells them her name is "ooka"! Thus, the title of this blog!

We have been so blessed to have this sweet (but lately naughty) little girl in our lives. Her timing was perfect! It was rough at first, as we had the ups and downs of wondering if the baby would make it and if I was really indeed pregnant or miscarrying. After the confusion settled, several blood tests and a second opinion given, we celebrated the fact that we would have another little one joining our family.

At the time, I was teaching Kindergarten at a school that would soon be closing. I had been hired at a new school being built and had been attending several Master's classes for the following year. During all of this, I was struggling to be a "mommy" to my 2 other little ones, working full time and trying to find time to be a wife and spend some time with Dave. I was really hitting burn out!

When I found out I was pregnant, and that all was going well with the baby, Dave and I talked many times and decided that it was time to stay home and finally be a full-time "mommy"! I was very nervous! However, I foresaw the future of getting 3 kids, 4 and under ready for a babysitter in the morning, surviving another year of isolation spending my breaks in my room pumping, getting home at 6 p.m. to fix dinner and put the kids in bed, NOT having time to spend with them, and I knew it was the right decision to stay home.

With Brooklyn, I have really understood the joys of parenting! I have been able to embrace the role of a mom, a role I found difficult to embrace with my older 2 as I worked full time and barely saw them during the week. I will always be thankful for those who so kindly watched Madison and Jacob during my first years teaching, and for the values instilled in their young minds. It was comfort for me knowing they were still being raised righteously while I was away. We were fortunate to not have to use daycare as our source of care for them. I really am not sure I can measure up to what each of you did, but I am so thankful that I can now be home with them.

So glad your are in our family!

Good-bye Nosebleeds

Our little Madison had been having really bad (severe) nosebleeds for about 2 years now, and they were getting worse. We decided that she has pretty high allergies and is always itching and rubbing her nose. Because of that, the membranes in her nose were very thin, causing her nose to bleed at the slightest touch or rub.

So this last summer, she was very brave and endured 2 different surgeries, 6 wks apart to have each side of her nose cauterized. Her first surgery was difficult for her and she had a hard time coming out of the anesthetic, however, the 2nd one was a breeze!

We are so VERY happy to report that we have only had 1 nosebleed, (due to being hit by a hula-hoop), but NOT due to itching her nose! So very glad she was able to have this done before starting kindergarten!

So Afraid...of ME!

I know, If you met me at walmart, and you were standing behind the service desk, or at a checkout, you might be really afraid of me. (I tend to get a little testy when shopping!) Or if you were to be in the car with me at 7:00 p.m. and I haven't had dinner yet, YES, you would be sorely afraid of me! (I am a bear if not fed!) And even yet, if you were to even TRY to mess with MY family...you would run...and hide...and stay very far away! (I tend to defend them, stand up for them, and protect them at ALL cost!)

And even "I" am afraid of "ME"! Not because of any of the aformentioned reasons...but I have come to the conclusion that I have a real fear of how I look! How ridiculously insane is this? I obviously can't run and hide from myself...I present myself to many parents and children daily...at work, shopping, at the pool, paying bills, family functions...etc. So if I am okay going out in public, and letting the entire world see ME, why then would I "hide" whenever the camera comes along?

I was frantically looking for a picture of me to put in a book for preschool that we had recently made. I looked in EVERY photo envelope I had (at least 65) and not one, no, not ONE single picture of me...how sad is that!

So I resolve that from this day forward, no matter what my body shape, size, hair color, etc. I will learn to let the camera be my friend and quit hiding behind it--pretending to be the photographer!

And just maybe, I will be motivated enough to change this image I see, into something a little "eye" friendlier for me and everyone else who has to look!

eye sores and photoshots!

Alison

Sisterly Love

Brooklyn has been on an EXTREME Madison kick lately! The other night at dinner she would NOT let Jacob sit by her. She had the plate and everything picked out for Madison to sit right beside her. She has had to watch movies w/madison, protect her toys, her birthday crown, her food...everything! She has even gone to the extent of begging to sleep in Jacobs bed to be with Madison! She ADORES her older sister!

Today as Madison was getting Brooklyn out of the car, I hear: "Madison I LIKE you! Madison, I LOVE you!" Such cute words! I am SO thankful that Madison is such a great big sister and cares so much for Brooklyn. What a GREAT example that Brooklyn has to look up to! I love you girls!