Goodbye Childhood and Grandma

This past week has been so up and down. After accepting that I am now a professional vomit cleaner- 3 seperate incidents- I thought that I was prepared to see my son be baptized.
Unfortunately I wasn't. I was only able to pay partial attention with a 13 month old wanting all of my attention. Then of course James had issues too. Not to mention I can't accept that Michael is 8 and now so grown up. He has matured so much in the past few months. He tries so hard to manage the cards that he's been dealt all the while being a great example to his siblings.
Michael is such a great boy/young man and I am so blessed to be his mom. He makes us all so proud. He makes wise choices and asks great questions. His mind is beautiful and inspiring while being scary too.

Now on to Grandma. Saturday morning right after Michael was actually babptized and while he was changing we got word that Ryan's Grandmother passed away. Although sad it was sweet to know that she was able to be with her sweetheart on Valentine's Day.
Inez LaVee Davidson Norris was an amazing example to her entire family. It is now 10 1/2 years since I first met Grandma & Grandpa Norris and it seems strange that they are no longer here. Grandma Norris was always so pleasant to talk to and to learn new things from. I will never forget feeling like she instantly loved me when I first met her. She just smiled at me like she knew I would be her grandson's wife. Boy did she know.
We will all miss her so much but we are all so grateful to have known her.
Thank you Grandma, we love you.

Salute to the octopus

So I attended church today alone with four children. Not that the children misbehaved but after a while kids get wiggly- church doesn't start until 2pm UGH! Then one needs a diaper change. (I needed 3 more pairs of arms.) Then the older ones have bodily function issues- 2 bathroom trips from one and a nose bleed from another. And of course I can't leave 3 children unattened so I have to nurse the unwilling to wean baby right there- at least I had the presence of mind to grab a blanket.
Due to the lack of a sherpa I am carrying too much weight between bags and babies and begin to feel pain- again. Ah the joys of motherhood! There goes all that physical therapy out the window.
Finally, the relief of hours #2 & 3. As I wrestle just one squirmy child a false sense of I can do this begins to settle in. Alas as hour 3 nears the halfway mark a crying child is brought to me. So there I sat with one crying two year old & and a 13 month old who won't let anyone else hold him. (The two year old began crying uncontrollably while singing primary songs & begged for his father to no avail!) So the meeting- which was wonderful, what I heard anyway- begins to creep along. All I can think is "you better not die on me Ryan or I'll kill you!"
Being a married single parent at least makes me appreciate the presence of the other parent when they can be around.

So here is to the octopus who was blessed with enough arms to do the multi-tasking that is expected from mothers. (Boy is Life Exhasusting.)

One more almost ready...

So I registered Christi for Kindergarten last Thursday. It is bittersweet to think that my only XX-chromosomed comrade will soon abandon me and I will never again be the person she spends the bulk of her time with.
SAD :(
Although sad it will be nice to spend more time with the two little guys and maybe even focus on me for a second. Like bathing I could take that up as a hobby now, right? Oh no that would be entirely to presumptive of me. Like two little boys will remain motionless long enough for me to enjoy a well-earned shower- oh well. Two more years until James starts Kindergarten then maybe?
I kid you know but these benchmarks are so taumatic and schitzo. One minute you're excited the next not so much. Well I knew I had lost my mind but I guess this blog just verifies that. Oh well!
Good luck to all those registering kids for Kindergarten- let the stress/relief begin!

Family History in 2009

So for those of you who didn't know I see dead people. All kidding aside I love family history and genealogy. I love looking for people that are lost and learning who they are/were.
Since I was about 12, maybe even younger, I have been obsessed with finding out who made up me. I still love the work although I am more focused on my kids. Family History is my thing. Like some people enjoy exercising or doing yard work I get consumed with searching for my family's information. I could spend days in the Family History Library in Salt Lake and still not be satisfied that I had found it all.
So to the point. In 2009 I am redoubling my family history efforts. I am going to quiz my grandmothers while I still have them. I am going to help my mother-in-law find those she is missing. I am going to take a trip to SLC just to find dead people. I am going to involve my kids in this so that they know why it is important to me. They may not get the bug but I think that if they understand that this is important to me that they may be just a little more patient with me being on the computer day and night. More importantly I am going to post things I find on my blog until we have the time and money to set up our Family History webpage.
So family if you have questions, ask them. I will post answers, pics and even some brief histories to this site for all to read.

COUGARS

So back in Novemeber Ryan took Michael to the BYU vs. Air Force game in Colorado Springs. What a great Dad & Son bonding experience.
My sister Jeane took this great picture of Michael with Cosmo.
Hard to believe Michael turns eight just next month. It is insane to think that he is growing up so fast and yet him being a baby seems like a lifetime ago. I guess that's the plauge of parenthood, never enough time to plan for tomorrow but a life time to miss yesterday.
Oh well, hopefully I can enjoy and appreciate the next ten years a little more than I have the previous eight.

Inspired

So a dear friend has once again inspired me. She presented the idea that if you are grateful for A then you do B.
It goes something like this: I am grateful for my health so I will eat right, exercise and take care of myself.
Make sense?
I am now looking at every aspect of my life in this way. I am so abundantly blessed and I need to show that gratitude in my actions. I have to show my family- especially my spouse- daily gratitude. I have to exude gratitude in everything that I do and say. I couldn't imagine a better life for myself. Even the stinky things make my life unique to ME. ALL my experiences make me who I am and I need to be grateful for that.
Sure it's not going to be easy to always show gratitude BUT I will try.

Earn your keep

So on Thanksgiving when we had a full house William decided to help. Hey teach em young, eh? Oh and yes he's only 11 months and walking. He's been walking for about 2 months now. Crazy, huh?
So child labor laws DO NOT apply here.

Do you see what I see??

So we went to Winter Park a few weeks ago and I looked out the window as we were driving down this mountain road and this is what I saw... Pretty cool huh? So tell me I am not crazy and that this tree has a face?

Change...I'll have mine in small unmarked bills.

Ok, so I have tried to keep my mouth shut on politics for a while. However, I now see that we are a society of sheep and I cannot keep quiet. We do not honor our eternal gift of AGENCY. We want it easier. We want someone else to choose for us. We want to be taken care of instead of taking pride in taking care of ourselves. Whatever happened to "ask not what your country can do for you???" It isn't just the president( I wasn't thrilled about either candidate- we need Margaret Thatcher), but the congress & soon the court will be moving further towards a plan we once all rejected. Oh well...all I can do is teach my children correct principles and let them govern themselves.
Well what is done is done. Thankfully my hope is in no mere mortal man. And I do at least have some modicum of happiness to see that in all likelihood Prop. 8 in California looks to pass. PLEASE don't get me wrong- homosexuals are not bad people BUT marriage is NOT a right. If it were then at puberty, or birth even, we'd get a card with our chosen spouse on it. There ya go SS card and spouse card. Way easier than dating and such, right? Then everyone would have a spouse. Nowhere are we promised happiness- remember it says "pursuit of happiness" NOT "guaranteed happiness".
I just keep thinking about how the Plan of Salvation is also called the Plan of HAPPINESS. (I guess the other plan was the plan of MISERY.) That happiness would not come without struggle- even the author and finisher knew that. He lived that. He experienced the awful bitterness that can accompany a plan where agency is the linchpin. HOWEVER He still went through with it.
I guess that is what I need to focus on is that the ATONEMENT still applies to our frustration and fear. With that we can focus and move on, RIGHT?

Some thoughts

So we are still unpacking. Nine years of marriage, 4 kids & stuff oh my. I am sure that the garbage men HATE me but oh well. Every Tuesday I madly go through the house and try to get as many boxes emptied as possible. Luckily Ryan will be home for the entire week- YAY!- and he has been a great help unpacking. He unpacked all the food storage, unloaded a bunch of boxes from the garage & wait for it...he even made enough room for my van to fit in the said garage. Just in time for the first snow! What an awesome husband!

On that subject-awesome husband- i must give props to my spouse. Ryan is awesome! He has continually been there for me and I am so unbelievably grateful to have him in my life. He is so great...I am at a complete loss of words but trust me he's awesome!

Next...I am so grateful to have so many awesome women in my life. I am so grateful for their influence in my life. I am so grateful for their confidence. No matter what shape or size, what educatiional background or marital status these women astound me. They are strong and know how to focus on what is important. Not what the world thinks is important but what is truly important. You know what I mean??? Like they are focused on being "healthy" NOT "skinny". They are focused on "learning" not on being "learned". They are focused on being happy where they are and not waiting for something to make them happy. Sure there are days when they want to be "skinny" or really smart or wish that just one thing would go well BUT they endure with GRACE. Unfortunately I don't always deal with things as gracefully as I'd like but I try. I encourage all of us to do the same. Making everyone as miserable as we are isn't they key. It is rising above and sometimes "fake it til ya make it"

Anyway that's enough for now I guess. I will get some pics up of the house soon, I hope. Thanks for your patience & love.

At then end of my rope & there's a noose

So did you ever think about the "end of a rope"? So since I have been sick for nearly 4 weeks I have thought about it alot. There are times when I am just done...You know when you have changed 10 diapers in 2 1/2 hours and feel like that will never end. Or when you have a to do list a mile long and you know you won't get even a third of it done. Or when you are sick and have NO help.

Well even during this I have experienced some "tender mercies". The best example is when I was coming down with this lovely bout of bronchitis and I just couldn't function. James and Will went to bed before 8pm and now that Christi and Michael have their own rooms they were in bed and I was able to go to bed at 8pm. MIRACLE!

Although I feel DONE from time to time I do get a respite and then realize that I am so blessed- even when stressed.

Growing...UP!

Ryan took this picture during a recent family fair that the church sponsors for the community. Michael is quite the little monkey. It makes it even funnier that he is so monkey-like since James called him Monkey when he first started saying Michael.
I can hardly believe how big he is! In just a few months Michael will be 8- how did that happen?

It seems like a dream. How did he grow so fast? Michael is so smart, loving & conscientious. The kid knows something about EVERYTHING and he wants everyone to know what he knows. He reads like crazy & is going to break the bank with the number of books he wants. He loves his siblings and parents and plays so well with James & even Christi.
But best of all is his ability to do what is right when it really counts! What an awesome kid! I hope that we can always appreciate and love each other even when we drive each other NUTS.

My Hero...Michael

So in case you didn't know I have been diagnosed with a hip condition (sacro-illiac joint dysfunction) and more recently the family plague of MIGRAINES. Dealing with both of these is no walk in the park but now the migraines are the icing on the cake. They aren't occurring everyday but just enough for me to remember that in no way can I EVER have another baby. ( I was recently told that having babies was like eating chocolates. You either stop, while always wanting one more OR you keep going until you make yourself sick.)
So today I woke up with a migraine. It was AWFUL. I wasn't even sure if I could get Michael to school. Luckily/unfortunately Michael has learned that his mom is a boob and gets debilitated from time to time and he just steps up and gets the job done. Michael fetched my medicine, got James out of bed, helped with breakfast, kept everyone calm and just didn't even complain in the least. MY HERO! What a great boy he is. Poor thing has been taking care of me since he was 2 1/2. But he is such a wonderful helper I could have never made it without his help this morning.

One last thing...after I dropped Michael off at school I noticed that the missionaries were at the church. I knew I needed a blessing if I was going to be able to take care of the remaining three kids by myself all day long. Luckily I was able to get the blessing I needed and boy did it help. No the pain didn't miraculously subside but the comfort was great. I will never cease to be amazed at how the Lord speaks through these men who know little if anything of my thoughts and concerns & gives me peace. I am a VERY lucky woman for many reasons but right now because I have many avenues to persue for help in every aspect of my life. How liberating!

Awesome friends

So I have some of the best friends in the world.

First, Ryan, what an awesome guy! He puts up with me so well and works so hard to keep me sane. He is gone this entire week but he helped so much before he left- Painted, assembled furniture, cleaned bathroom, took the kids, dishes & on & on. Because of him we may actually get unpacked before Thanksgiving- I hope?

Then my sister! What a babe! She was my escort to Home depot with the galloping hoard. She and her roommate helped start the painting process- amazing! And when I started to lose my mind AGAIN she rescued me and got me sane again. Thanks Jeane!

And not to be outdone my friends of no relation- at least not yet ;) Julie, Aimee, Riley & Marsha. Ladies of the highest caliber! WOW! Thanks to these hot mamas my livingroom is just the right shade of green, and thanks to Julie we didn't have to buy a new disposal- THANKS a TON Julie! We celebrated my B-day just a little late but that's OK. (Riley brought yummy lettuce wraps, marsha had just the right amount of chocolate covered strawberries & Aimee brough this awesome german chocolate cake YUM!)I just wanted to get this done for my B-day. I think that it should be our new tradition. Let's just finish something BIG that we may never get to on our own. Sounds like a plan to me.

There were also other friends that I know wanted to be there but couldn't. Thanks for the good vibes you sent my way. Seriously I feel as though this home was meant to be ours and I am becoming a firm believer in there not being "accidents". Sure it stinks that it took so long but we're here now. Who knows why but it all worked out in the end and that's all that really matters!

Hopefully I'll locate a camera soon and post some pics of the livingroom at least. It's 95.5% done. Just need a nice chair to sit by the fire and read to the kids during the next blizard. Maybe in a year or so- we'll see. And some Pictures on the wall and one over the fireplace...Besides that it's great!

The kitchen is just about there too. Hopefully by this weekend the downstairs will be done! Clean and put together. Books on shelves, furniture assembled, dishes in china cabinet, walls painted, pictures hung or ordered at least, clocks & mirrors up & best of all NO MORE BOXES! YAY!

Well just 4 more days until Ryan gets home. Wish us luck.

Finally

Well we're finally in the house! Almost a week later it still seems like a dream. I will post more later but just thought that you'd all like to know. I might even get some pictures up too.
Thanks for the prayers!

Could it be?

Ok we've all heard this before, "we're moving". But is this really happening? Back on Feb 18th we put a bid on a house that I just LOVED. Little did I know that it would be 6 1/2 months later before we would be able to move in- I hope, cross your fingers, keep your eyes partially closed as we wait.

Of course Ryan would be out of town when it all goes down BUT so what! We will have a house. We will be able to unload tons of boxes and see the Christmas presents from LAST year (Kitchenaid here I come). I will actually be able to have a place to hang a new wardrobe when I can afford it. (Desperately needed since I am down to 145lbs- first time since before MICHAEL!) I will have room to have friends over and family dinners at my house.

My numero uno goal- a place for everything & everything in it's place! Wish us luck! We need it. We are so excited but soooo cautious. We just can't take to many more highs and lows. As soon as we move and get internet up I will post pics. We will be doing some redecorating and remodeling over the next few months but that's the fun of having your own place, right?
So pray that the move goes smoothly, that Ryan will be able to get out of Florida and South Carolina before the next hurricane & pray that Will gets back to normal- he has low grade pneumonia (more on that later).

So I guess that is it. We are so glad that you have been there for us through this roller coaster that we affectionately call life :)

NICE PIC

So Ryan took the picture above and I love it. He does GREAT work when he has the time. I love that he can find this beauty all around and bring the pictures home to share.

Kids & brain damage

Have you ever seen the Bill Cosby sketch on kids and brain damage...It is SO applicable! How can these brilliant people do such dumb stuff! I swear their insanity is contributing to the brain damage that I am experiencing,

You know those laws that say you can drop off your baby at a firehouse or an ER rather than harm your baby? Do you think that they still apply to my kids? the baby is NOT the problem. Just try taking a two year old through the grocery store. Just try to hold a conversation with someone with a verbal 4 3/4 year old. Just try to have a 7 1/2 year old NOT TOUCH his sister while driving anywhere....So can I leave them at the firehouse?

I am close. If I do it I'll let you know how it goes. I think that sanity is highly over rated, can't you tell ; )

29..what?

So only 50 years to go before I think my life will finally calm down...Wish me luck.

TORNADO

So what do you do to relax on a Sunday evening? This is what we did....

Fancy Nancy

Ok so if you have little girls this is the book series you HAVE to get! Fancy Nancy by Jane O'Connor. This lady is a genious and has been able to capture the inner diva of the preschool aged little girl.

When I saw these books about 2 years ago I knew Christi would love them...I was right. We have all but one of the books. Target even carries a Fancy Nancy dress up line. I have a friend whose niece had a fancy nancy birthday party too.

I am telling you you have to get these books- or at least put them on hold at the library because they are ususally cheked out.

No new address...yet

Ok so we have a verbal approval for this home purchase but now we need the written letter. How long does it take for some pencil pusher to write a stupid letter?

I wanna house for my birthday. This YEAR!

Please? I am so sick of living out of boxes. :( I just want to be settled and unpacked- before Thanksgiving?

I am holding out because the house is PERFECT for us but I need it soon.

Oh a lighter note....I'd like to offer hope to all those of you have had kids and never lost that baby weight...I am now only 10lbs away from being pre-Michael weight again. Thanks to my friend Kris' diet (she's prego with twins now) & tons of stress I have lost a TON of weight & now have to go through the wardrobe and make sure it all fits. I never thought that I'd lose it- the weight that is. But here we are. Maybe my life expectancy will go up and my cholesterol will go down?

Interesting Picture

I'd like to apologize to all my Catholic friends and ancestors for this but when you are pregnant, need a halloween costume and the nun fits and is on clearance doesn't it just say "buy me"?

I just found the picture and I thought that you'd all get a kick out of it- or not.

NOT moving to Chicago!

So we got the news......we get to stay here!
YAY!

I am sooooo excited. We will be moving again at the end of the month but to a bigger house. One we've waited for since February.
I deem this year the year of the roller coaster.

I guess that the saying night is always darkest just before the dawn really applies here. I am soooo glad that Michael gets to stay at his school & be in this great program. I am soo grateful that I get to stay with my friends. They are my rocks, the strength I need to keep going.
I am sooo happy that I get to stay near our family. Ryan's parents, my grandmother, Jeane & my uncles. I didn't know how hard it must have been to raise a family away from extended family until I was faced with the prospect. Boy were my parents and in-laws stronger than me to be able to do that.

Above all I must thank my Father in Heaven for answering my prayers. Really answering ALL of my prayers. I really can't ask for more.

I am so glad that I have Ryan! He has made this year bearable. He is an awesome man & I am so blessed that he puts up with me!)

I can't wait to see what the future holds for us. Chaos- I am certain of it. But we will have stability and each other so giddy up!

What NOW?

Chicago? Denver?
Denver? Chicago?
New Job? New house?

Do I really have to expound on this? For the past month Ryan has been interviewing for a new job- thank goodness. We thought that the position would be in Chicago until a week ago when we were informed that we may be able to stay here. At the same time we find out that the bank is going to get back to us on our offer on the house we've been waiting on since FEBRUARY!

Stressed? Just a TON!
So Ryan accepted the new job Friday and today we should know where we will be living and if it is here than we can move forward with the house and maybe even close by the 22nd. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Moving twice in one summer- Mucho dinero, living out of boxes- mentally draining, having a home and a regular schedule- PRICELESS!

So would any one want to trade my 2008 for theirs? We all have our own garbage but sometimes it's nice to realize that ours is specially designed for us.

James Is 2!

I can hardly believe it but James has turned 2. What a wonderful little guy he is. It seems like yesterday he was born and yet so much has happened.

My Kingdom for a Can Opener

So we are moved and I thought hey I'll make dinner for my family. Well deja vu all over again of being a newly wed wanting to make Ryan dinner and what do I need? A can opener.
Nowhere to be found. It's here somewhere but boy is it frustrating to be halfway through making dinner only to realize that the can opener is MIA. Hopefully today we can find it soon. Or we'll all be skinnier.

Swimming

So amidst the chaos of moving we had swimming lessons. In all truth I didn't think that we'd get in because the wait list was so long but it probably a good thing. My friend Marsha was there too so that was something to look forward too. It also gave the kids a break from mom's craziness about the move.

This was the first time Michael went off of the diving board without a flotation device. WOW can he swim! He has always been a little fish but who knows maybe he'll be a little Michael Phelps.


Christi is doing great too. I wish I would have taken video of her going down the slide. She screamed the whole way down. Everybody at the pool knew exactly who was going down.
I asked her if she was scared and she said, "No mom. I was having fun." Maybe I should scream more when having fun and less when not having fun:} Hope you all enjoy these videos. ( The little girl diving after Michael is Marsha's daughter Olivia.)

Tiny Dancer

So back in June was Christi's little dance recital. Boy was she cute. She was older than most of the other girls but that helped her remain as the micromanager that she loves to be.

Enjoy the picture!

Temporary Address

Our new address, for now, is 12671 Leesburg Rd
Parker, CO 80134

We will let you all know when this changes.

Too Much Junk

So, Ryan and I haven't even been married for nine years yet and the amount of junk is insane. With the move we have realized that it is time to let go of most everything that isn't necessary!

Can I just say that between moving and reading the book Little Heathens - a memoir of growing up during the Great depression- I have decided that I am seriously going to cut back! I don't know if it will be as drastic as during the Depression but who seriously needs the amount of junk that I have! I know that I have some wedding gifts that I have NEVER used, why? Why have I hauled them around for nearly 9 years? I don't even know who gave me them anymore. Why do we allow ourselves to hang on to all this JUNK?

I am going to take the montra that just because it is free doesn't mean I NEED it. I have found cupboards full of nick-nacks and just stuff that I haven't used and probably never will use!

I think that I am going to spend money on experiences from now on. You know a really memorable vacation with good pictures and FUN. My kids need these experiences not toys or other stuff that doesn't make any difference.

Maybe I need to come up with a website where you register for a vacation- family or otherwise- and people just contribute to the amount needed for the trip when they want to get you a gift. What do you think? Wouldn't it be great to have a trip ready to go for your family at the end of each year rather than something that is fleeting. I'll work on that idea.

Don't get me wrong I love gifts and expressions of appreciation and love ...BUT as I see mine and Ryan's Grandparents and parents move & pass away and go through their things the more I realize that when I am 70 I don't want to be hauling around an unused wedding gift from 50 years ago. Whoa that's a nightmarish thought, ugh!

So wish me luck as I now plunge in to the mountain of boxes that contain very few IMPORTANT things and let go of it all....Or at least most of it...Ok let's say 50%. Or as Michael said the other day, "We are getting rid of 100% of the junk" Until it's his junk of course.

??????

So we closed on the sale of our home of over 6 1/2 years yesterday. It's a little weird to say the least.
#1 weird thing. They buyers are sort related to me? Yes my Aunt Marsha's nephew and his family are the new owners of our home. Weird, huh?

#2 weird thing. It's just weird to not have that place be our home anymore. The change is good- I think- but still odd.

We are adjusting to driving times and such but we are sleeping better. BUT we now have to de-junk our lives and streamline. ( I'll write more on this in another post.)

So we are renting until we figure out the next step. So much uncertainty right now it's amazing that I'm not completely insane. We have no idea how long we will be here or anything else.

Thanks for all of your prayers on our behalf. Without them who knows how crazy I'd be.

There's no place like Home?

So ..... Well.... Um..... Ok it looks like we may actually sell this house. (We hope)
Maybe the fourth time will work out. After wanting this for so long it is not exactly the best time. Ryan's job situation is unsure, the house we want is still up in the air and now we will be homeless. We may have found a place to rent month to month which is cheaper than storing all our junk or getting a big lease but still-stink!
We have no idea where we will be or what we will be doing in the next month. So as always pray for us. The insanity has to slow down. PLEASE!

Brothers & Sister

 

I am so glad that my kids have each other. I know sometimes they'll hate each other & disagree but if they can be as close as my siblings & I are that would be success for me.

These pictures are from a lifetime ago- well Easter. They just make me smile to look at them because it just shows that sometimes nothing matters more than having fun and watching your kids just BE! I wish that I could do that more. Maybe if/when life ever calms down?
I hope that you smile seeing them too :}

Grandpa Norris

This Tuesday, 24 June 2008, Ryan's Grandpa Norris passed away. He had a long life full of family and many acomplishments.

As I heard of the passing of Grandpa Norris all I could think was how blessed I was to have known him for the past few years. I was not privelaged to have a grandfather who was a member of the church present in my life and to experience that as Ryan's wife has truly helped my life. I remember the first time I met Grandpa & Grandma Norris. The thing I remember most was Grandpa's loving eyes. He looked at me as though he loved me just for being there. He seemed so proud of Ryan and just so pleased to meet me. It was very disarming.

I will always appreciate the opportunities that we had to spend time with Grandpa . I remember early on that Ryan and I had frequent opportunities to be one-on-one with Grandma & Grandpa and how fun it was to simply sit and talk with them. To see how much he loved his (over 30)great-grandchildren will always be a highlight for me.

It is a great blessing for this family to KNOW that their grandfather loved each and every one of them. I know that since the passing of my grandfather this March I wish that I KNEW that my grandfather loved me and was proud of me. I do take solace in knowing that Grandpa Norris loved me, and not just because I married Ryan. I will truly miss this most exceptional man.

Family Pics

Do you realize what it takes to get a decent family picture taken with 4 young kids? This was crazy! Thankfully Ryan's brother & his family were there to help as well as get there own pics done. ALSO, thankfully we have a digital camera- could you imagine what it would be like to get this done on film- ugh :)

I will miss these moments when they grow up. I wish these moments were more frequent but oh well. I hope you all enjoy the walk through our chaos.

Feeling Better

I guess that you can all tell that the last post was written at a time of GREAT frustration. No excuse really but none the less.

I am feeling better although I am still frustrated. I have regained some composure and I am so grateful that these feelings don't seem to be permanent.

Things are still hard and not fun BUT I have a great husband who really tries to help me see that things aren't quite as detrimental as I make them out to be. Who knows what tomorrow holds and that is certainly hard to take. I will hold on though and all will be better soon enough and then there will be other things to worry about. Aren't there always?

If/when we know about the house we will certainly let everybody know.

Life has Vomited on Me

If you have ever been really sick or have had kids you have or will experience the "special" feeling of vomit. Now consider that feeling when thinking about life.

Has life ever just felt- well EW? It's as though no matter how hard you try the yuck factor still remains. You feel like nothing feels good or is good.

So anyway that seems to be what is going on right now. Not just for my family but for all of my friends and acquaitances. Everything from job problems, marriage issues, death, house problems, missions, weddings, health issues, kids, everything!!! I feel extremely guilty when I think about my problems and realize that there are others who have it way more difficult at this time. But does that diminish my problems/issues/trials?

Uncertainty seems to be the most constant companion I have right now & that is SCARY.
There is no definte place we will be in a month. The job situation may change, family may pass away and yet I am supposed to plug away as if it's "NORMAL". Then again I guess that normality is a figment of our imagination and that chaos really is the norm, right?

A Tale of Two Houses

It was the best of times....it was the worst of times.

I think that this line totally sums up 2008 thus far. We have 4 awesome kids who bring us all the joy and happiness we could ask for. Ryan is employed. We have a house-cramped though it may be. After nearly 10 years together Ryan and I still like each other. And for the most part we are all fairly healthy despite my high cholesterol.

HOWEVER....we have been trying to sell our house for nearly 5 1/2 months. We have had 3 deals fall through and we have been waiting since February to get any word back as to whether or not our offer on the other house is accepted by the 2 banks and the owner involved in the whole ordeal.

The juxtaposition of extreme happiness with our little family and the stress of trying to sell, buy and squish into a house that is 2 bedrooms too small is amazing. It is amazing that anyone stays sane through all of this. I know we are not the only one's out there going through this though. Somehow that knowledge makes it all a little bit more bearable.

We have friends who have only had 3 showings in the past 2 months on their home & she is here alone with 4 kiddos. We know others who are financialy strapped, whose kids are sick or who have lost family members. So although I would NEVER choose to go through even this trial- let alone any of the one's my friends are going through- I know it's not really a that important and that hopefully one way or another it will all be ok.

As always I am so grateful that I have so many people who care and are concerned about us. When/if we ever get moved you will all know. We will have a huge BBQ to celebrate- plus we'll need some help to get moved, eh?

Perspective

I find it interesting how when all things are put into perspective the don't seem nearly as bad.
As many of you know we have been trying to sell our home for 5 1/2 months. The process seems endless and trying to get a bigger home is not any easier either. Maybe the Lord is trying to teach me PATIENCE but it seems like that isn't working. I feel like I am losing my mind and the idea that this may drag on for many more months is frustrating/depressing and NO FUN.

Thanks as always for your prayers. I hope to have better news soon.

I just know though that none of this really matters. It may drive me nuts BUT it's still not a big deal. Having the perspective that although mt issues seem difficult their is a bright side :}

John found

Although not good news John Alley has been found. For more information please check: http://www.helpfindjohn.info

John Alley - MISSING

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My dearest friend Julie has had a tragedy hit her family. Her brother John has gone missing!!!
John is a great young man and his wife & family are very distraught. PLEASE watch the above videos. Look at his picture and keep an eye out.

PLEASE help us find John. For more info go to http://www.helpfindjohn.info

I appreciate you taking the time to view this.

SOLD!

Well it looks like our little home of 6 1/2 years is just about sold. We signed a contract today and we will hopefully close on June 11th.

It is so weird to think that by the end of the month we will hopefully be moving into a new home & our little home will be someone elses not too long after that. We moved here with just Michael and have now added 3 more trouble makers to the chaos. We have been truly blessed to have had all the experiences here that we have had. Sure it hasn't been easy to be in a small place with no real yard BUT we are grateful to have had it and now to have sold it....

I thank you all again for your prayers and I want you to know that we owe all this to those prayers.

Too Cute?

Look at this cute kid. How fun is it when these little guys start learning new stuff! Just had to post it for the grandparnets to see how stinkin' cute this kid is!

What a great Mother's Day gift!

We're almost there! Well it looks like we are getting the house. YAY!!!
(10535 Humboldt Peak Way)

We received the word that the letter from the first bank has arrived!!
So now we only need the 2nd bank's approval which should come asap hopefully no later than Monday. So we still need your prayers -especially to sell/rent our place.

We know that it is because you all are praying for us AND because the Lord is merciful that any of this is even possible.

We feel so blessed to have such great family and friends praying for us. It certainly makes all the difference.

So here are some more pics of the house. Not too much will change. We want to plant a bigger garden, paint the kids rooms and do some other stuff but that's just to make it our own. Even if we did nothing it would still be a great house.

As soon as we are settled or before August, whichever comes first, we will have a BBQ for all our freinds and family to come see it.

Again we love you all and we are so grateful to each of you for your support throughout this transition.

House Update

Many of you have asked about the house so I thought that I'd update everyone.
Well the wait continues we are now in week 12 or 13- it's started to meld into one long ordeal- and we continue to wait. We are specifically waiting for the official approval letter from the seller's bank- so now you know what to pray for.
As we wait our house is still not sold BUT we have prospective renters.
We just ask for everyone's continued prayers. Our family needs the space and we need to return to normal soon. The waiting to know our fate is quite tiresome. We will just turn it over to the Lord and wait.
I know that this is for a "wise purpose" BUT it is still hard. It will make us appreciate the house even more when it is all said & done. Thankfully we have great friends and family to support us through this tumultuous time.

New Blog

Hey everybody. Well I finally started my recipe/food blog. I pay homage to my husband because he enjoys eating the food as much as I enjoy making it.

I guess that I will use it as an online backup for all those awesome recipes that I have that I'd die if I lost. If anyone wants me to post some of their recipes so that cyberspace can keep track of them for you just let me know.

Here is the address: www.howtokeepyourman.blogspot.com

Family Fun

We have some great friends who invited us to go horseback riding last weekend and we took them up on their offer. What a blast!
Christi got a chance to put her cowgirl hat that Grandma got her to some good use. And James was quite the little horseman.
It is a wonderful thing to see the world from the back of such a beautiful animal. I think that we miss something in not being able to have these opportunities more frequently. Being one with nature and animals is something that I wish that I could more fully give my kids. They love being able to dig in the dirt, play with a dog or ride a horse. How much nicer it would be if we could have these experiences all the time I think it brings us much closer together.
Anyway....Enjoy the pics!

New Look

So I decided to change the look of my blog. We will see how long this lasts.
I love chocolate- in case the background doesn't give that away.
Chocolate helps me to get through whatever, plus since I LOVE Dark chocolate it's a great fat so eat up!
Hope you all are still praying for us and our house situation. We may have some good news soon- we hope. We feel that there is no better way to learn patience than having kids and trying to sell and buy a house. Chaos must be God's theory to order because even with all the hectic schedules and what not things seem to be slowly falling into place.
I will post more later.

EXHAUSTED

O.K. in case you don't know....Motherhood is exhausting!!!!
Yesterday my dear friend Julie and I took our combined 6 kids - Michael was at school- to the museum. It was fun for the kids but the constant counting of 4 little bodies- luckily 2 are still immobile without mom- was a little wearing on this mom. I felt like a nap was most necessary but not to come to pass, unfortunately.
Instead I got home reserved our campsite for our Labor Day camp out, nursed the baby, started dinner, nursed, fed the family before Ryan had to leave, nursed, got the kids ready for bed and started the 2 hour ordeal of bedtime, nursed, did some dishes, nursed and then by 10pm Ryan finally was able to come home.
See exhausting, huh? ( Maybe I over exaggerate the nursing but aren't you just tired thinking about this? God bless women who have twins, or any numbner of kids from 1 to ___ .)
I wouldn't choose to be exhausted any other way though. Thankfully my kids try to help me not be too exhausted and sleep well once they fall asleep.

Good luck to all the moms out there. May this weekend bring a well deserved nap :)

I Love a Good Book

My sis-in-law, Cara, gave me this book for Christmas and I blew through it in less than a week, which is amazing considering having 4 kids and reading all the other stuff that I am at the same time. I had read the original fairytale by the Grimm brothers and although it's a little dark it was a great tale. I am totally ready to read more by Shannon Hale now. She transformed the original into something even better than I could've imagined- which is very hard to do with a classic story. I recommend The Goose Girl for anyone who likes a good clean fantasy with romance and adventure.

So thanks Cara for a great read!

Everything

Ok so if you didn't know I love Michael Buble'

(Yes, Ryan knows) I think that he has a great voice & his music makes me smile. I have been a fan since college but I didn't get to go to his concert until 2006. He is a great entertainer! If you ever get the chance to go to his concert DO IT!! Enjoy the song, I do.

To be or not to be

So I am contemplating starting a recipe blog. I guess that this way if I ever lost a recipe in hard copy the internet would always have it for me. I guess that it will probably happen BUT I have to figure out a name.
* Mama's kitchen
* Recipes worth stealing
*Yummy in My Tummy
* How to keep your man
I don't know. Maybe you all have suggestions. Suggest away:)

What Perfection

How sweet is this?

Wouldn't it be nice to be this comfortable all the time?

I just couldn't resist taking this picture.

My Grandfather

Last Thursday my grandfather, John Mayhoffer, suddenly passed away. It is still sinking in but the event has reminded me of the scripture speaking of "the tender mercies of the Lord".

Although my grandfather passed away without a long illness he was sick and would've gotten much worse. How grateful I am that he was able to still be himself- for the most part- until the end.

Newest pics

So here we are the mom and kids. You have no idea what it took to take this picture. Blood, sweat and of course tears and lots of them. James' expression says it all. (James, "If I have to take one more stinkin' picture you will regret it!)

Thankfully Aunt Jeane was there to ride herd on the kids. No way could I have done this alone. I may be crazy BUT I'm not insane.

Here is a cute one of the kiddos. Hard to believe that there are 4 of them now. And poor Christi with all those boys! She'll get over it though, especially when she gets spoiled by mom- & dad too.

Michael is doing great. Boy does that kid love to read- thank goodness for libraries.

Christi is a great big sister and helps tons.

James is such a pleasant guy and makes us smile all the time.

And William is just fun to top it all off. He is a great baby and we love him- even James does.

William is Growing Up

Aw! Look how cute this kid is. Hard to believe that he is already 2 months old. We are pretty certain that he has blue eyes-score! Blue eyes and dark skin. How irresitable is that?

Here is another picture of William in a cute hat- he already looks so different.

One nice thing about babies- among many others- they love to cuddle and take naps with dad!

Now this is the Life.....

It's good to know that someone liked dinner!

First Videos

So here is William. What a cute kid, eh? He makes us smile and if he survives James' acts of love/hate he will be great to have around for a long time....

So William can't be the only one with a video on the blog. We're trying to avoid sibling rivalry, Right? James doesn't talk alot (Christi and Michael make up for that) so bye bye is about as good as it gets right now.

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY.....we need it.

Ok here it is.... the reason for the need to PRAY! We are trying to purchase a new home and this is the one we are trying to get. (We are also trying to sell ours- so if you know someone who wants a townhome let them know about ours.) It will be a while before we know whether or not our offer is accepted by the bank BUT we are hopeful. The house has four bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms and is on nearly a quarter of an acre- unheard of in Colorado.

We are facing so much change- new baby, new house (hopefully), new school for Michael- it can be overwhelming. We just have to get something bigger 6 people in 1400 square feet just isn't that easy plus the kids (& mom ) really need a yard.

So just keep us in your prayers. I am sure that to quote a song "... I'll get by with a little help from my friends..."

I'll post more pics of the house and the kiddos soon.

Sad Day

This evening I found out of the loss of Pres. Gordon B. Hinkley. It is a sad time for those left behind but what joy he and his wife, Marjorie, must be experiencing.
What a great teaching time to present to my children the way the church works. I guess that Family Home Evening is planned for tomorrow.

More Pics of the Baby

Well here is another picture of William and one with his Aunt Jeane.

I also thought that I'd make some of you feel better about how you look after delivery. Scary, huh? Just thought that it would make you all smile.

Having four is exhausting! Just getting used to the new routine with four is going to take some time. I seem to always be late- I hate being late.
Hopefully we will get to take William to get some real portraits soon but with the dreaded flu here in CO, I am anxious about taking him anywhere. I hope to have more up soon but enjoy these for now.

Tax Deduction arrival

Well, 2008 is here and our family is complete. On Friday Dec 28th I went into labor and on Dec 29th at 8:11 am William Stewart Norris was born. He was 7 lbs. 4 oz. and 20 inches long.

William waited just long enough for Christmas to come and go, for Grandma Baron to arrive and for the last necessary errands to be run. It was actually quite good timing and we can now claim him on our 2007 taxes too- BONUS. We were also lucky to have some family still here from Utah for Christmas to share our new little one with.

It's kind of weird to think that this is our last baby. Sad but good. I cried a bit after the delivery because it just hit me that I won't have this experience ever again. I hope that I have enjoyed the experiences of having been bleesed with these kids and that I won't have any regrets of not doing everything that I want to do with them.

We are so richly blessed and we know it. We are so happy to share this little one with you all. I will post more pictures soon. Enjoy these until then.