10 more days!!

Only 10 more days of school!!! Hooray I can't hardly wait. I love summer.

Kid's day the darndest things

Friday was the nicest day that we have had since the snow came. I was driving down the road with the girls commenting on how I loved the sunshine. Then Kiya piped up from the backseat "Mom it is such a nice day today. It's like the temperature is as big as a tree." I was just impressed with her understanding of temperature at 4. She must have learned it at preschool.

Our Dog Tilly

In October 2009, Ben wanted a dog so badly. He finally talked me into going and looking at some little puppies that were a mix between a Silky Terrier and a Shih Tzu. They were the cutest little puppies ever and I gave in almost instantly. This is how Tilly came to be our little dog. One of my favorite pictures from when we brought her home. So sad to be away from brothers and mom.
Now my dog Tilly was a trouble maker. She was always sneaking out of the backyard, and neighbors would always bring her back. Everyone on the whole street knew whose dog she was after a few weeks. This drove us absolutely crazy. Many days the doorbell would ring and Ben and I would just look at each other and say, " Oh, that Tilly". She also would get so excited all the time, and piddle in my house, oh how I didn't like her so much at those moments. Here she is at Grandma's for Thanksgiving last year, eyeballing all those good foods.

But she was a snuggler. Anytime I was sitting down she would come and jump right in my lab. Or if I was on my bed correcting math papers (happens way more often then I would like) Tilly would gradually work her way through my papers right into my lap again. This was her favorite place at Christmas time. If I couldn't find her, usually she was cuddled up next to Santa.
Last Sunday, while up visiting the Logan Grandmas we had a sad day. We always took Tilly with us so she wouldn't have to stay at home in the bathroom by herself all day long. I just couldn't do that to her, but that would have been a better place for her this time. Tilly got out of the garage somehow while we went up to see Ben's Grandma. When we stopped back at his parents house to get her the door was open and our little dog was no where to be found. Soon after we found her in the road a few houses down, she had been hit by a car.

As much as I cursed my pup every time she peed in my house, and got out of the backyard, and chewed up the whole roll of toilet paper; I never would have thought that I could miss her so much. Now I don't really want another dog, but I would do just about anything to have my dog back.

Life and Gratitude

It never fails that life always gets ahead of me, and I find myself not blogging again. I could make excuses like I have kids and a house and our laptop died and I lost all my pictures and didn't want to blog without any pictures. But really it all comes down to the fact that I'm a numbers girl . . . . hence being a math teacher. I never feel like I have anything to write about that is important or worth the time writing or your time reading. But today I feel a lot of gratitude and wanted to share with you.

I feel so grateful that I have a happy and healthy family. Two things have made me feel this way, they are both very tragic and I am a little disappointed in myself that it takes something like this to make me realize how blessed I am. All to often I am caugt up in the business of life and don't stop to see the little things like my blessings.

First off, Kiya's preschool teacher was my Young Women's president for a while and her children are my age. One of her sons a year ago all of a sudden lost his sight one day, they have no idea why, and at this point have not been able to do anything to restore his sight. Then right after Thanksgiving his only child (2 years old) had an accident where some fencing fell on top of him and he has severe brain damage. I look at their little family and can't even imagine having to deal with both of those challenges so close together. And even though they still have their little boy here with them on earth, he will be completely different forever. They may never hear his laugh again, or see him running around playing. It just makes me treasure every moment that I have with my girls because you never know when something could happen.

The other thing happened last week. A lady in our ward went in for a simple routine surgery on her foot and everything seemed to be fine. The next day she went back to the hospital for heart pain and since then has had heart, lung, and kidney failure. She has been on life support since last Saturday, and the doctors are trying to figure out what is best for her. She has some bad infections and had to have her leg amputated on top of all of this.
Our ward has had specials fasts for her the past two weeks and talked a lot about faith, and miracles. I have participated in fasting and praying for her, and have felt the spirit many times throughout the past week. Things seem to be getting better at this point and not worse so that is good. I am grateful to have my faith and testimony strengthened through this experience.

This again is proof of how quickly your life can change, and I'm just glad to have a wonderful husband who I know is beside me through everything, and two beautiful girls who make me smile everyday.

Dinner x 2

I had a lot of stuff this afternoon so I thought I would be on top of things and throw something together in the crockpot before I left. Now, I'm not that great at using my crockpot. I just don't have any good recipes I suppose, and tonight was proof of that. After browsing through several recipes online I found one that I had all the ingredients for, and quickly put it all together before having to pick Kiya up from school.

Upon returning home at 6:00 I was so excited to have dinner already to go, but then I walked in my house. OH it smelled disgusting, and looked even worse. It was just some chicken and ham and swiss cheese and other things that shouldn't have been so fowl smelling, but man oh man it was bad. We didn't even take one bite, but it has been my experience that things usually taste like they smell and I wasn't about to eat that.

Out came the grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. I usually like cooking, but it definitely isn't my favorite thing to do twice in one night.

2011

I'm not a goal kind of person. I can set them but then a week or two later they are forgotten. So this year I'm going to keep it simple.

1) Spend less time reading everyone else's blogs and spend more time writing on my own blog. (It's the only journaling I do, so I HAVE to be better)

2) Love more! I've decided that I have always thought of myself first and others last, and it's about time that changed. If I do that I think I'll love spending time with my kids more and be a better wife. Hopefully.

3) Make a budget and stick to it. I can't afford not to. I have a fabric addiction lately, and it is so hard for me to not buy fabric to quilt with.

Cheers to a great year.

My Baby is 3!!!

Well it was Jaynie's birthday right before Thanksgiving and like they say, better late then never. I seriously can not believe that my little girl is three now. Time really does go by fast. It seems like only a few months ago that I was crying over the fact that I had an 8 month old baby and was shockingly pregnant again. But oh the joy she has brought to our house. Jaynie is like a can and a half of spunk. She has so much energy and is soooo happy (except for when she is sooooooo throwing a temper tantrum, which happens at least once a day). Jaynie gives the best hugs and is always telling me that I am her favorite mom, which brings a smile to my face. She is very polite and quick to remind the rest of us to say please, or excuse me.

For her cake Jaynie wanted a naked Cinderella. I know my jaw dropped wide open too the first time she told me. But we eventually worked it out and convinced her that a fully clothed Cinderella would be the best option. When we picked up the cake Kiya look at it and said, "Mom, I'm gonna cry it is so beautiful." Then I cried because I was laughing so hard.

We love our Jaynie, and are very grateful that she is part of our little family.