Music

Shouldn't life always have background music?

Enjoy!

Blogging

I was thinking about blogging as I posted my latest entry. I was thinking to myself, "Do people really get sick of my Smile Boxes? Would they rather just see a few pictures?" I've also been wondering if my use of ... gets annoying to others. I guess the true question is, Do we blog to keep track of our own lives and memories, or do we blog to stay in touch with others? I think the answer has to be both. So I will tell you why I enter so many smile boxes. (I have no idea why I use ... so much, I guess it's what I type while I'm thinking?)

When James was a baby we were living in Provo. Kyle was still going to BYU. Provo has to have been the birth place of modern day scrap booking. I literally lived 1 block from Pebbles in My Pocket. I was fresh out of college, had 1 baby and absolutely nothing on which to use my mind and creativity(what little I possess). A friend showed my scrap booking. I think she thought I was from another planet...how could I have possibly lived these many years and never known about stickers, paper, layouts... I fell in love. James's darling face came to life on my cute pages. I kept getting better and better as I got ideas from others. My mom warned me that a few kids down the road and I would not have enough time or energy to keep it up. She also said the later children would feel less loved as their pictures were stored in a shoe box, not on scrapbook paper. "No", I said, I would vow to scrapbook everyone!!

Well I just happen to be farther down that kid road my mom talked about. With 4 kids and everything that comes with them scrap booking had come to a dead halt. I had kept up until Eliese was born. It was really stressful because I love Eliese and she is darling and deserves a place in the scrapbook. Kyle told me I should turn to digital. Rindi did a lot of research and also went digital. With help from Rindi, I found "Smile box". It is my answer to scrap booking. If I just enter pictures onto my blog, the scrapbook question is not solved. And so my finished products usually find their way onto my blog page.

I am loving blogging. I love having a running journal of our regular life. Our life looks so happy on the computer screen that it is actually making me a better mom. I want to be the person I see smiling with her kids. I am also loving the relationships I am able to have with all of you. This is a wonderful new hobby. Can I keep it up forever?? Who knows but hopefully I can keep it up until the next wonderful replacement comes along.

PS Is Pebbles in My Pocket surviving with all of the digital? I hope so, at one time I sure loved that store!

Family Night

Monday was Martin Luther King Day. For many it was a holiday, not Kyle. When you're self employed sometimes you take days off that others work, and work when others are off. Well I wanted to do something special with the kids so we decided to go to the city swimming pool. As a kid, I used to love going to swim at the Roy Complex in the middle of the winter. I always thought it was sooo fun to swim when there was snow outside. My parents did a great job putting on activities for our family. The task of getting 8 kids ready to go swimming in the middle of the winter seems overwhelming. They pulled it off in wonderful style. Thanks mom and dad for the great memories. Hopefully Monday night we produced some for our kids. We had a "swimming" time.

The Craziness Continues...

I guess what doesn't kill you makes you stronger...and maybe addicted. Kyle and I have become addicted to running. We ran the marathon in October and can't seem to get it off the brain. Yesterday we ran the 1/2 marathon in St. George. There were about 1800 runners. It was so fun. A marathon kills you, a half is just plain fun. It is 13.1 miles and we loved every minute. As an added bonus, Stalee (my sister)and our sister-in-law Amanda trained and ran with us!! I loved having them running! Thanks to all those who supported us. We Love You!

Animals

I was not born with the language of animals. I have been scared of animals from the time I can remember. My mom says that I have never gone through a traumatic experience which scarred me for life...I just came this way. I have bad memories of house dogs and slumber parties. Jogging in Hooper was always a treat... plenty of stray dogs, cats and an occasional pig. I grew up in a farming community, yet the love of the farm animal did not rub off onto me.

Then came Eliese. A mother's love know no bounds for her child. Eliese was born to sore with the Eagles (or at least pet a kitty). Eliese delights in EVERY animal we see. And seeing the animal is not good enough, she wants to run right up and grab them. She squeal with delight over anything with 4 legs.

I have had a softening of heart. When I see my darling baby find pure joy in the animal world, I cannot remain so strongly against all animals. I will not say I love animals, but my fears and feelings are softening. I am becoming a little more "normal" in my attitude.

I still have a ways to go. I will admit I am concerned for the day when Eliese can form the idea into a sentence..."Mom, can I pleassssse have a KITTY!!"





Eliese being darling with Peaches (notice they are in the House!)

Writer's Block

When I began blogging it seemed like I had plenty to say and post. With the fall activities leading straight into the Holidays, there was always a cute picture to add. But what does a blogger say in January? I have been going about life in a very regular way. Nothing interesting is happening. I can't even think of anything funny to say. I didn't even take the camera to the park yesterday!! However I feel myself wanting to re-enter my blogging world. Soon my site will be as interesting as ever(but that's not saying much). Well until I get over this writer's block...Farewell.

Christmas 2007

Well this post is a little late...but you know the saying "Better Late than Never". With all of the hustle and bustle of Christmas plus a glorious week in Hooper, I have not been blogging much. I'll get caught up and post the Hooper Pictures soon. What a wonderful Holiday Season!