{Realistically Speaking...}

Can't tell at all its the kids decorated tree can ya;) Thats why we have two tree's :)

So you know how you have this perfect picture scenario of how your picture perfect tree decorating night is going to be you know soft Christmas music playing, nicely putting ornaments on, stringing the lights and ending with stories, hot chocolate and a movie.......

hold that picture perfect scene......

yep didn't happen that way....

It was more like swinging lights, flying ornaments, fighting kids, kids climbing the couch and a three year old climbing on the tv?what. One accidentally finding his Christmas presents.... mom getting mad? 

Sounds homey and picturesque doesn't it;)   

Um didn't quite picture it that way not sure what happened besides......... the full moon shining brightly.....

outside

So it was more like okay bedtime and sleeping kids five minutes later.

Sometimes THATS just life...and sometimes like every other area of life we have a picture of how things are going to be or should be and they don't always turn out that way 

But we made memories not saying they were awesome ones they were fine.... ha ha...But it happened and today was a better day:) 

Kind of like wanting a picture perfect shot like this 

via pinterest

 and getting this 

 but we tried and we keep trying....EVERYDAY......

story of our lives right anybody who has perfect, well behaved children has never really lived yet ha ha!! 

Love my rowdies......  I'd say they got a Christmas Tree decorating experience kind of like what I grew up with ha ha!! Fun times;) 

All memories:)

Moving on..

Some of our FAVORITE things right now are:

 These Christmas CD's thanks Kristyn for sharing

Love this music reminds me of home

 Along with all our other Christmas favorites Jackie Evancho, Amy Grant, Josh Groban Michael Buble ....WE  LOVE CHRISTMAS MUSIC!!

FAVORITE PRINTABLES

found here

AND THIS ONE

found here

Trying these found here

Doing this

Kids loved this Eggnog french toast from here

Adding this to our countdown looks like fun from here

----------------------------------------

"Life is just like a Camera
Just focus on what’s important.
Capture the good time,
develop from the negatives
and if things don’t turn out
just take another shot."

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!!
{all my music is gone:( now what?? anybody know where a new widget is for music??}

{10 for Tuesday}

AND its actually Tuesday ha ha:) long week....coming to the realization that life isn't going to slow down any time soon....

1. so took some time for this.....

2. K2 got a big boy bed actually he got more than that he got a double bed:) new dresser and new mattress pretty much a new room.... he's loving it! I'm loving him .....seriously not a sweeter face then those of  peaceful, healthy, sleeping children ...such a big boy. 

They just grow up way to fast.

3. Got asked to be back on Parent Council so I'm excited to get back into that:)

4. I HATE potty training.

5. K2 has a cute little friend that loves to play with him and he is loving going to his house and tells me every time before he goes i will miss you! and I melt every time..... he makes me feel so loved!

6. Report cards came last week so did two more babies in the family they are officially all here! Look how cute M is holding cute little Cambree

7.  Thoughts lately...so much going on everywhere ....sad stuff....

In life we all make choices

 I feel sad for the choices some make....

sometimes it hurts to watch people go through

the consequences of their choices....through trials...heartache....

sometimes it only takes choosing the left fork in the road

instead of the RIGHT fork.....

sometimes there is nothing you can do

sometimes just watching and learning from them is the best choice....

life is all about that....choices..attitude...determination...no matter what....

Every Time each choice determines which direction the future
takes each of us

because of our choices and how we CHOOSE to react

what fork we take in the road makes all the difference.....

I hope we're all working on taking the right fork..

---------------

You are the person who has to decide.
Whether you'll do it or toss it aside;

you are the person who makes up your mind.

Whether you'll lead or will linger behind.

Whether you'll try for the goal that's afar.

Or just be contented to stay where you are.
-anon

8. Made some jewelry again and sold most of it in minutes thats encouraging:) Thanks to those that bought :)

9. Got my Christmas cards ordered ...no tree up yet...a little christmas shopping done....I can't even believe how fast this year went by and that its this time of the year already!!

10. The past couple of weeks have been a struggle for me but through it all I've had the greatest conversations with people close to me ......shed lots of tears and felt many hugs.....and kind words and service and felt peace...... in so many ways. Life was never meant to be easy and it is what it is ..........its much easier to handle when blessed with great families around me and great friends....and that's what makes the sometimes unbearable parts of life worth it having people who love you, understand you and who are there for you.

I am very blessed and very thankful for all I have.

FAVORITE QUOTE OF THE WEEK

No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won't make it worse.
~ Jeffrey R Holland ~

 -----------------------------------------------------

HAPPY AMERICAN THANKSGIVING THIS WEEK TOO:)

Question: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHRISTMAS Music?

{Sometimes}

Sometimes - A good sobbing cry is needed.

Sometimes- Life just isn't fair.

Sometimes -There ARE miracles.

Sometimes- There are answers.

Sometimes- There aren't.

Sometimes- People have no idea what effect they have on others.

Sometimes- We want to scream.

Sometimes- It hurts.

Sometimes- People say the right things that matter most.

Sometimes- Knowing someone cares makes all the difference.

Sometimes- Worry isn't worth it.

Sometimes- It is what it is.

Sometimes- It hits the deepest part of us. The part that yearns to feel closer to the one who sent us here to endure it all.

Sometimes-  The why would be nice.

Sometimes- someone Understanding makes it all better.

Sometimes-  Life is full of questions with no answers.

Sometimes- A little voice whispers its okay I love you.

Sometimes- Worry isn't worth it.

Sometimes- We learn more than we ever thought possible going through the hardest things possible.

Sometimes- No always, Staying close and holding onto each other is what matters.

Sometimes- It's never easy.

But its what we call Life.

Find the beautiful things about your life. Be grateful. Be thankful.

Whatever "IT" is for you.

"Turn your wounds into wisdom."

{10 for This Week }

seems as though people already are...

1. We have six kids and we are super excited to have them with us. My beautiful sister in law and her good husband found out the baby they are having a little girl who is due in two weeks ...has heart problems and maybe a few other things so they are headed in for testing and to see what is next so for now we get these two cutest little boys staying with us:) Send some prayers their way...

2. As of yesterday in the same day I have a new nephew my sister wasn't due for two more weeks and had him yesterday by c section {who we thought was a girl till she wasn't born.... it was a boy surprise....and then that night Katelyn had her baby girl I hear she is a tiny pretty little one....

3. Went and saw the movie "Here comes the boom" with friends last Saturday night it is SO funny and CLEAN!! I haven't laughed that hard in a movie for a long time! It has ufc fighting in it but the movie is so good!

4. Yoga started again super excited I love it!!

5. My 4th hairdresser is leaving seriously gotta find somebody who will stick around:) Growing it out might solve that problem....

6.It snowed buckets last night and today....we already had five days of school off so we got to work till our neighbor down the street helped out:) Then my sister D took the 3 big kids sledding and back to her house for a fun wintery afternoon thanks D:)

7. I decorated for Christmas some a little ;) Made soup and turned on christmas music last night it was heavenly:) Don't worry D was gone or he wouldn't have aloud it;) ha ha! He's in for a little surprise when he gets home haha:)

8. Love this boy so so much he is such a big help to me this week.. helping with the kids, shoveling with me..... looking out for his cousins and siblings,  comforting them, reading to them playing with them... he's such a good kid!!

9. This little man feel asleep in my arms today that hasn't happened in forever #isuremissmylittlebabies.... To much playing with his cousins all day long he's having so much fun :)

10. And this is all I'm going to say on the depressing Nov 6 results..

"Not cheap politicians but statesmen are needed today. Not opportunists but men and women of principle must be demanded by the people. In this time of great stress and danger we must place [in office] only those dedicated to the preservation of the Constitution, the American Republic, and responsible freedom under God. "Give us men with a mandate higher than the ballot box.” -Ezra T. Benson

Have a great weekend:)

{Family Pics 2012 + }

Sick of me yet? Seriously face book instagram here too I have a disease ? You know me though and our yearly photo shot;) I just like to share lol  I just don't want to miss a moment I want to be able to look back at all these and see how much each year we all changed the memories and the stories that go with them. 

Someday when I'm sitting in my rocking chair all alone these very pictures will be my memories and hopefully the joy we have in our lives now  will be repeated  in their lives as they grow older and have their own families. This year it was my fabulous neighbor and friend Rhonda Steed  one of the most talented, genuine people you will ever meet that took them....our kids are friends, we are friends and when you run out of a bag of icing sugar you know one of us will have it;)

I am:  ME 

working on making each day better, its never perfect but we are working on it...I am aware that we are as happy as we choose to be and we have to be no matter what our circumstances are ...

But I am beyond  thankful for my family....I cannot let a day go by where I look into these faces and say a little prayer of gratitude that they are in my life can't imagine where and what I would be doing without them..a rather depressing thought...

I have:had a crazy week I'm room mom in three of my kids classes fun times this week with halloween and baking:) My cute pregnant sister in law came to stay with our chaotic crazy family and enjoyed;) hyped up candy crazy kids fun times:)

I know: things work out the way they do for a reason but it doesn't make it any easier to handle

 

I think: 

I read this quote this week and thought hard about it and had to read it a couple of times to fully understand it and its really true

"EVERY TRIAL IS JUST A HARD BLESSING"..

because lots of times we learn things about ourselves and what we can handle and what makes us stronger. I look at my family, my brothers and sisters, my in laws, my friends and people who are going through hard times.... really bad things sometimes. I see so many examples of
strength, faith and endurance that they've been through--some of the toughest trials out there. Some people feel sorry for themselves but for the most part people take what they are given and spend a lot of time on their knees, a lot of time searching asking why me even sometimes but enduring what they are given and through that give us all HOPE. Sometimes they are recipients of service which builds them up and those of us too with the opportunity to serve them.
Many blogs I read of people I've never met have touched my life in ways they will never know because of the faith they have had in the trials they are going through and what they are learning through all of it.
All I know for sure is that we have a loving Heavenly father who hears our prayers and sends others to help us, or teach us the things we need to learn. Or sends that one person at just the right time. We are watched over, protected and loved no matter how hard life is sometimes.
Life is a testing ground we aren't alone, and we aren't given anything we can't handle
He never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it. So I'll do all I can here and now. Because every trial is just a hard blessing.
True.
I think so.

I don't think:we realize the real affect we have on people, or our children and how much we say and do effects the people they and we become....

I want:  to move to the country actually I have the perfect lot in mind already overlooks a field a canal and country road has trees but sadly its not mine:( ......I want to live in a big house with a big wrap around porch gabled windows,have  a farm sink, a big kitchen and a wooden screen door that slams ;) room to run and play for hours.....and every little detail I've pinned on pintrest ha ha! But really thats all a dream all I really want is my kids to grow up happy, strong, intact with a testimony and with the least amount of pain possible! and To know how much they are loved.

 

I fear: obama getting in again ha ha truth and I don't even live down there:) but for real this world scares me..

I just want my kids to have to have all the opportunities they can but alot of them seem to be disappearing...its discouraging but all we do is our best and make our homes stronger...because this is our future..

I am annoyed: with myself sometimes letting the little negative voices win over sometimes learning to be better is hard.

I crave: cafe rio/cafe Verde salad a lot.  
{and black licorice all. the. time. love it only th e young and smylie kind:)

I usually: don't understand what makes this boy tick but i sure love him..he loves people helping them talking to them ...super independent...super fun and super cute!

I wonder:  when things will click sometimes with this girl she is one stubborn girl but then again so am I ha ha!! Love this little miss..she is loving this school year has good friends, loves activity days, basketball camp and makes us laugh she is pretty funny pretty spunky ...and we love her ...

I just can't help: worrying about my children we all do it we all want the very best for them its hard not to worry! And I just can't help loving these kids SO much...and the miracle of how each one came...

can not believe how big they are all getting he was just a baby what the heck happened he is going to be 11 so soon!!

I love: the quiet hours after the kids go to bed  to clean up, workout or read or watch something lately it's been drop dead diva on netflixs though now I really want to watch the last season:)

most of all I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ it is who I am and I have a strong testimony of it and families...and I know someday all things will make sense. no matter what it is.

I can't live without: water. prayer. scriptures. my family. testimony. faith

I enjoy:a hot bath, a good book, a good run and a little on line shopping;)

I miss: unity in my extended family with my siblings but sometimes there is only so much you can do....then its left in the other field.

I always: need something to look forward to or I feel stale lately I feel stagnant like what's next like something is looming but I don't know what it is..or what needs to change or be done:(

I never want to:take a day for granted because each one of us is so so greatly blessed with so much. Look around.

I rely on:  this man he is pretty handy to have around makes me laugh, loves me and supports me ..... he's pretty much my best friend ever!

I want to: Go away with D in the winter sometime just him and I and some free time and hot sun.... but really what I want it to go to Europe someday someday right....who am I kidding I want to win the lottery ha ha

I wish: life were easy I wish things just happened the way we dream they would. I wish everyone got along. I wish I could decorate for Christmas right now ha ha;)

I listen {ed}: to Christmas music today... can't wait for Christmas:)

I don't understand: Why some people make such dumb choices without thinking about who they are affecting .....its so so sad because now is the time to get stronger stand your ground and build your foundation even stronger cause the winds are coming!

I am happy: I love this picture because its not perfect M is teasing L...... L is watching him and K2 is looking at something else and K just wants to go throw a football  but you know what thats us.... Crazy chaotic and we have fun and there is a lot of love to go around!! Personality plus is this picture but it makes me happy..

At the end of the day or my life I hope my kids and husband will always know how much I love them and how much they are loved..because family is the most important thing we have...

I am happy when my house is content, my children are happy, my husband is happy, we have food to eat, money in the bank, the gospel and a strong testimony... life is good not perfect by any means....but good.

Have a great weekend....

“Home is where you are loved the most and act the worst.”
― Marjorie Pay Hinckley

{Halloween week 2012}

Happenings this week in recap insta form:)

room mom duties, and visiting teaching goodies to bad I slipped on the ice and lost a whole plate:(

cutest trick or treaters ever!

my cute little trick or treaters love M in this picture! and cold L

long road dark clouds today.

sister in laws:) and baby showers.

And now onto Christmas please:)