Rainy days and Mondays

This past weekend we went to our church's Regional Convention in Isabel, SD.  It is an 8-9 hour long drive from Havre.  Our kids did extremely well on our way there!  They had their movies and snacks so we didn't hear much from the back.  We listened to an audio book in the front and that helped pass the time for awhile too.

 

But nearing the end of our trip...

 

 

...we were done.  We all were getting pretty restless.

 

Some were even getting loopy!  Haha!  Paul cracks me up when we go on road trips.  There's a side of him I don't see very often.  He gets wide eyed and starts screaming like a maniac.  It's hilarious!  He keeps me laughing. :-)

 

South Dakota had some very pretty sunsets.  This picture I took with my iPhone does not even show the amazing colors we saw!  And the sun...it was so orange!  I enjoyed watching the sunset very much.

 

We got to our destination around 9:30-10:00 I think.  We all were SO GLAD to finally be there!  We quickly unpacked the car and went straight to bed.  When my alarm went off in the morning I was so disappointed because I still needed a lot more sleep.  I drank coffee every morning, and every break to keep my eyes somewhat open! ;-)

 

It was great seeing the people of our region!  Some were not able to attend, like Sister Joann Eddy and Brother Scott.  We prayed for them often during our services and I have continued to pray for them since being home!

 

Sister Bock took over to Sister Joann and I couldn't help but chuckle through the whole thing!  Sister Joann puts so much effort into her Sunday school boosts and Sister Bock did a great job!  Sister Joann had all the materials for a Life Boat.  There is only one door to the Life Boat, and in order to get on you must get your ticket from Jesus!  She even put together little tickets for the Life Boat for each and every person at the convention, and we are supposed to write down the names of those we need to pray for who still need their ticket aka salvation.  I still have my ticket in my Bible as a reminder to pray for my unsaved family and friends.  I'm so thankful for the hard work and faith that Sister Joann Eddy has for Sunday school!  She was such a blessing to me even though she wasn't able to be there.

 

Nancy used some good lookin' kids for her boost. :-)  It's kind of hard to see, but they're spelling out the word BEACON.  Each letter stood for something different...but I honestly can't remember now what they were.  That's what I get for not writing things down!  But we do need to be a beacon for the lost souls, amen?!

 

Zoe held the letter O.  We didn't see it half the time. Haha!  But she did great standing up there with the other kids!

 

All of our kids did really well during the convention.  We had some hiccups, but considering they're all under the age of 3, I'm thankful they did so well!  Thank goodness for coloring books and goldfish crackers!  Max loved having Paul around so much.  He would snuggle up to him a lot and eventually fall asleep.  I love seeing Paul with his babies!

 

Brother Ard was our evangelist for the weekend.  I enjoyed his sermon very much!  Brother Ard is one of those people I could listen to all day.  His type of preaching is telling stories of his experiences.  I love that!  I felt so blessed by his sermon.

 

You can tell Max was having a lot of fun, huh?

 

I was happy to see Brother Thompson was able to attend this year!  I have known him pretty much my whole life.  He is such a sweet man.  Even though his voice is not what it used to be, and he thought he would never sing or preach again, he was still a blessing.  He gets so involved in the songs when he leads!  He worships the Lord with his whole body.  You can see the presence of God all the way down to his toes.

 

Brother Thompson sang a simple chorus near the end of the convention, one I remember him singing back in the day and my Dad singing it often too, and you could see he meant every word.  "I Just Want to Thank You" is such a simple little song, yet so powerful when you sing it to the Lord and mean it with your whole heart!

 

Sunday afternoon Paul and I had to say our goodbyes to all the ones who were going on to camp.  I know they are having a great time!

 

The trip home was not as easy as the trip there.  As a matter of fact, the kids took turns crying nearly the whole 8-9 hours we were on the road!  I felt bad for Dave since he had to ride home with us.  I know it wasn't fun for me, but I tolerate it since they're my kids.  Poor Dave was just stuck in there!  Haha!

 

Zoe was so grumpy she didn't even want her picture taken!  She got mad at me for taking it anyways.  I told her to get over it.  Haha!

 

This is a picture of the front of our car.  It looked WORSE than the picture is even showing!  You could not even read our front license plate.  Because of all the rain we have had lately we have an abundance of mosquitoes.  It has been a nightmare!  On the last leg of our trip it sounded like it was raining -- it was the amount of mosquitoes hitting our windshield.  I was very much disgusted!  Oh, and to top it all off, we ran out of washer fluid.  Gross!

 

We got home around midnight.  We dropped Dave off at his dark and lonely looking home (wink wink) and then we headed home, put the kids in their beds, and then went to bed ourselves.  We didn't even unpack the car!  We were so exhausted.

 

Poor Paul went to work bright and early yesterday morning and worked a long 12-hour day.  Mondays are always rough since that's his biggest work day, but at least he gets off around 3:30 the rest of the week -- and now has Saturdays off!

 

Yesterday morning, after the kids had their breakfast, I put Zoe and Max in the stroller and I strapped Titus to my front and we went for a walk.  I walked 1.55 miles to Paul's work to get the car.  I know it sounds crazy, but I have been walking a lot lately -- kids included -- as a workout, so I enjoyed the walk very much!  The kids did great, too!  I am so thankful for that.

 

After we got the car we grabbed lunch for Paul (and us) and then the kids and I headed to Walmart.  Again, the kids did very well and I'm thankful!  The only downfall about that trip was I forgot Titus' pacifier in the cart.  Rats!

 

We came home and I put all the kids down for a nap.  I took advantage of the "quiet" and took a shower.  While in the shower I heard Zoe running around the house.  She eventually came into the bathroom and said she couldn't sleep.  I also heard the boys laughing at each other in their rooms.  I made Zoe go back to bed and I finished my shower.

 

After I took a shower I did a quick pick up around the house.  It should have been a thorough one...but the kids did not cooperate.  THEY DID NOT TAKE THEIR NAPS.  Our neighbor down the street invited us over to play so the kids and I walked down there.

 

When we got there it was a little rough.  That's what happens when kids don't take their naps.  But after awhile the kids were playing in the sandbox and having a grand time!  Keshia and I enjoyed being out in the sun and talking and watching the kids play.

 

Before I knew it, it was time to go pick up Paul from work.  As soon as I picked him up it started to rain.  Grilling for dinner was out of the question. :-) 

 

The kids fell asleep on our way home (shocker) so Paul and I just sat in the car for quite awhile.  I was not looking forward to running my kids through the rain -- even though our house was right there!!  Eventually I just did it and everyone was wide awake by the time everyone was in the house.  Oh well!

 

While I was making dinner I happened to notice Paul sitting on the couch and all three of his babies were snuggled up to him.  I absolutely love this!  They are so happy when he comes home -- especially on Mondays when he is gone all day.  I'm so thankful Paul is such a wonderful dad!

 

I'm thankful for the weekend we had and the opportunity to at least go to convention.  God is good and I'm always thankful for His blessings He bestows on us!

 

Today the forecast shows the high to be 80 and sunny!  Paul gets off at 3:30 so I'm sure we will somehow take advantage of the beautiful weather this afternoon.  I have a lot to do around the house before, though!

 

HAPPY TUESDAY!

And just like that..

After texting, messaging, blogging, and googling..

 

 

I think I have figured out how to post pictures on my Blog again!  Yay me!

 

Here is the latest picture of my three beautiful kids!  Max was so excited to hold baby Titus!  I think the minor jealousy he felt towards Titus is now gone!  Thank you Jesus!

 

Here is a little update on the family:

 

Paul

The poor guy is still working 12 hour shifts Monday through Saturday.  He has been working this crazy shift, alone, since August of last year!  Thankfully he now has two part-timers that started yesterday!  No more loneliness for my man!  God is good!

 

Grace

I am doing my best to lose baby weight by watching calories and, when I can, working out by using a DVD, YouTube, or apps on my phone.  I have lost a lb a week so I'm slowly getting to where I want to be!  Thank you Jesus!

 

Zoe

I try to do school with Zoe for an hour everyday.  When I say school I mean flash cards, board games, etc.  She is getting so smart and she is such a comedian -- just like her Dad!  She is my daily entertainment!  She is also the perfect mother hen!  Don't mess with her bubbas!

 

Maximus

Max is currently trying to push out more teeth so he has kind of been a monster.  This boy has the worst temper ever -- yet he can be the happiest little fella too!  He absolutely adores Zoe and they follow each other around the house all day.  I have also noticed he is watching over Zoe's shoulder and learning a lot from the flash cards too!  He's a genius.

 

Titus

It looks like Titus is slowly losing his beautiful dark hair.  It also looks like he will be a blondie like his brother and sister.  It was fun while it lasted I guess!  He is so observant.  He'll just sit and watch you -- and he has the best smiles!  Just so happy and content with life.

 

As you can see we are doing great!  I'm so glad I figured out how to post pictures again!  More to come!

So long, 2012!

Source: christmasfiles.com via Viana on Pinterest

 

Yesterday while I was at church some of the ladies asked if people were doing things for New Year's Eve and wanted to plan a get together.  I was confused at first because I thought we still had plenty of time to think about it.  Uh.. no.  TODAY is New Year's Eve. =D  Where have I been?!  Raising three under 3 -- that's where I've been!

 

I DID write down my New Year's resolutions, though!  I'm not a total loss yet.  I just happened to look at this post and noticed that they're very similar.  Except I'm actually going to do this stuff in the next year. ;)  Promise!  Ooh.  Now I have to do it..

 

So here they are:

 

2013 New Year's Resolutions

·         Read your Bible, pray everyday. Even though I am doing better, I want to continue to keep up the good work of reading my Bible daily and studying the scriptures. I need to also remember to set aside time to pray during the day.  The mini conversations are great throughout the day, but I still need to get on my knees and spend time in prayer.

·         Lose weight. I need to continue watching what I eat and WORKOUT. Working out is what's really going to whip my body into shape. It will help me get stronger, help my back pain, and help me lose weight even faster.

·         Be more organized. I feel like I've come a long way when it comes to keeping my househould somewhat clean, but I have a LONG way to go yet! This year I'm going to try even harder to make this a clean and organized home.  I will go through each room and completely purge it of the junk we do not need/use.

·         Date nights. My mom told me before I got married that even after there were babies, I need to always put my husband first. Well this past year it feels like I have hardly seen him what with him graduating from college, becoming an assistant manager, working 12-hour shifts for months because the manager has been sick, etc. At then end of the day we're both tired and slightly frazzled. I don't want us to slip into a roommate relationship. We are husband and wife! We need to make sure we still stay romantic and fun!

·         Spend more time with my kids. It is so easy to just turn on the tv and let it entertain the kids while I try to get the house clean. But after the shootings in Connecticut it made me realize that one day I won't clean up little socks anymore. One day I won't have smudges on the window or dried frosting on my cupboard doors. I don't know, it just made me realize I need to have fun with my kids while they're still kids! Thanks to Pinterest I have tons of fun crafts and games for us to do! And since I plan on being more organized, I will have a clean house AND happy, creative, imaginative kids -- not couch potatoes. :)

·         Read a book. It it so hard to have any ME time with three babies under three, but if you can, try and read a book every once in awhile. Even if it takes you months, read a chapter before you go to sleep, or even in the quiet in the morning before the kids wake up! Don't miss out on different worlds through books.

·         If you start something, finish it! I have noticed that I have a horrible habit of starting something, like crafts, 30-Days-To-Whatever, books, etc and NEVER finishing them. I annoy myself! So if I start something -- I need to finish!

·         Send out Birthday/Holiday cards out on time for Pete’s sake! Can anyone guess where my Christmas cards are? Yep, they’re on my counter. I’m the worst person ever.

So there you have it!  I think I'm even going to pring these out and put them in a few places in my house that way I'm constantly reminded of the changes I want to make in my life.  Ooh that's a good idea..

 

What resolutions do you have?  I'd love to read all about them!

I'm not givin' up!

Source: littlefancynancy.blogspot.com via Nancy on Pinterest

Paul and I both decided it's time to work out and get our bodies back into shape.  He worked out with weights and I attempted to do zumba.  I did about 10 minutes worth because I was tired of bumping into kids and hearing them cry the. whole. time.

Our winter has been CRAZY this year -- hardly any snow and it's been in the 40's and 50's with an occasional day that's chilly.  Maybe I should take advantage of it while I can?  I can start walking.. but I'd have to wait till Paul is home because I don't think I want the kids out in this weather.

I'm not givin' up!

I will continue to wake up early, zumba and/or walk and jog, and I will start to lose weight!  I'm ready to look and feel amazing.  I want to try on clothes and WOW my husband.

What are you not giving up on??

Prioritize



Source: moneysavingmom.com via Stephanie on Pinterest

I don't know how it is for other mothers, but for me, I have a hard time accepting the fact that I'm not superwoman.. yet. =)  I get so frustrated when I need to take a break because my body is still healing.  I wish I could just "shake it off" and run the marathon I feel like I can, but nope.  I still have to take breaks.  I feel like such an old person.  No offense to the older generation! =)

I get up around 7:00 a.m. and feed Zoe breakfast.  While she's eating I drink my coffee and either read my morning devotions or hop on skype with my mom so she can say hello to Zoe and Max before we all start our day.

When Zoe is done eating I get her and Max ready for the day.  Diaper changes, put on day clothes, you know the drill.  It seems like by the time everyone (including myself) is ready for the day, Zoe and Max are exhausted and take a morning nap.  How nice for them, huh?  I know everyone will say I SHOULD take a nap as well, but nap times are the best time for me to get work done.  So I take that time to fill out my permits.

When Zoe wakes up I get her lunch ready and then back to work.  After lunch is when it gets fun.  I try to work while keeping Zoe entertained with constant reruns of Veggie Tales when all she really wants to do is crawl into the bathroom and unroll all the toilet paper (I REALLY need to get a gate!).  By the time 7:00 p.m. rolls around I realize Paul will be home any minute so I run around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to figure out what to do for dinner.

After dinner is when I try and get the house looking decent.  That is unless Paul comes home with a movie, and then I want to spend quality time with my family till the kids go to bed.

I don't know.  I'll figure something out. =)

Oh, and when I do feel well enough, I totally want to lose my baby fat!!  I'm thinking zumba or something fun like that.

Home Sweet Home.. ?

It's been nearly a week since we have been home and I have to say.. I'm slightly depressed!  I love being back in my own home sleeping in my own bed and stuff, but in Arizona they are experiencing spring-like weather.  We came home to 6 degrees and 3 feet of snow.  Don't get me wrong, the snow is pretty, but I'm ready for heat!

Zoe did an amazing job on our flight home!  She loved reading books and playing with one of her new stuffed animals.  Eventually she fell asleep and slept through the whole trip.  Thank you sweet baby Jesus!

While vacationing the cleaning fairies worked overtime at my house and I came home to the cleanest house in the whole wide world.  Since being home, and since receiving the latest Good Housekeeping and Better Homes & Gardens magazines, I have been keeping it up and I love having a clean house.  I love it!

While on vacation I'm sure I gained 10 lbs so I'm off to Just Dance.  Have a great night!

Let me explain.. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

In case anyone is interested, I did tidy my house, I did wrap all of the presents, and I did watch one more Christmas movie before Christmas was officially over.  So there you go. :)

Also, Paul and I have come to a decision.  It was a hard pill to swallow for some, but we decided to bring the pacifier back.  Here's our proof.

::Sigh::

Just for the record, Paul and I have nothing against the pacifier.  The reason why we took away in the first place was because we spent more time keeping it in her mouth than she did herself.  I spent hours, literally, keeping it in her mouth during the night because she would accidentally spit it out and want it leaving us both exhausted and slightly crabby.

It didn't take long and she forgot about it, but lately something else took it's place.  She started doing something that I absolutely despised.  She became a thumb sucker.  At first I thought she was simply chewing on her hands, but yesterday Paul and I realized that she deliberately puts her thumb in her mouth.  We counted, and she did it 25 times.. in a row.

So we brought the pacifier back.  I refuse to have a thumb sucker.  It's unsanitary and just plain gross.  You can throw a pacifier away.. not a thumb.

On to more exciting news..  Christmas was absolutely lovely!  It was Zoe's first Christmas and I think she loved it!  Here are some pictures.. mostly of Zoe.

We hardly ever have any pictures of just us anymore so I had Paul take a quick snapshot on Christmas Eve.  This is us in a nutshell, don't you think?  Paul looking like his Uncle Steve and me laughing at how crazy he is.  I absolutely love this man!

Here is Zoe, Christmas morning, trying out one of her gifts from Mommy and Daddy.  He first tea set!  I don't know who loves it more -- Mommy or Zoe.  The teapot sings catchy tunes.  I can see Zoe in the future.  I'm sure she'll memorize those songs and sing away pouring tea for her stuffed animals.

Here is Zoe with her stocking from Santa Claus.  I absolutely love this picture!  She is such a smilie kid.  She was so interested in everything that was going on.  Her arms and legs were constantly going because she was so excited!  She got her first cans of baby food, and we let her try pears for the first time.  It was pretty hilarious!  It gave her the heebie jeebies every time she took a bite.  I have a feeling she will be like her dad and enjoy sour things because even though every bite gave her the willies, she kept accepting bites.

Here is Zoe opening a Christmas gift.  Like I said before, she was so excited!  She did such a good job ripping the paper -- for a 5 month old.  She also showed interest in all of her gifts.  I think she loves all of them!  I'm so glad.

Later Christmas night Zoe and I had our first tea party.  She really showed interest and watched my every movement.  It made me so happy to watch her "play" the best she could.

In this picture right here I see an addiction to caffeine just like her mom. :)  Can you see it?  I wonder who will break first and give her a sip of their coffee.  Me?  One of the Grams?  I remember my great grandmother sneaking me some sips of her coffee.  My aunt did as well!  I thank them for my addiction. :)

Here's the last picture for tonight.  The cute little teapot!  Did I mention that I love her toys?  We need to buy her a toy box now.  She has plenty of toys now so it's time.  ::squeal::  Who knew that buying a toy box would be so exciting?!

So there you go!  Zoe's first Christmas was a lot of fun -- for all of us!  I know that Christmases are going to be amazing here on out thanks to having children.  It's so much fun to watch their excitement.

Well, Christmas is over and the new year is just around the corner.  It's time to take down the decorations and start making a list of new resolutions.

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

I have decided to make changes in my life, but I am not waiting till the new year to start!  I decided to register at MyFitnessPal and start keeping track of my calorie intake, my workouts, etc.  Of course as soon as I decide to change my eating habits I am constantly hungry -- but don't worry!  I have written down everything I've eaten/drank today and I'm doing well.  I even burned some calories by cleaning vigorously.  Bonus!

As soon as the dreaded snow is melted away it's back to walking.  Oh, now that I have an iPod (thank you honey!) I would like to try and run.  Paul was telling me that in order to start I need to jog until I feel tired and then walk for awhile.. till I have energy again and then pick up jogging.  I think I can do it!  I want to..

There is so much more I could write about, but I'm worried I'm boring my fans.  So I'll leave off here. :)  I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Shall we dance?

I don't know about you, but I love to dance.  I'm not amazing.  I'm not sexy.  But I'm not horrible.  I can move.. I'm just not Madonna.

I didn't know about my passion until my sister-in-law introduced me to Just Dance on the Wii.  At first I was nervous to try.  What if I looked like a dork?  But they made me do it.  And you know what?  I don't care if I'm a dork!  I love to move!

We started playing more and more..  I would play until I nearly passed out on the couch from exhaustion.  That's the most sweat I've produced in a lifetime.  I lost 5 lbs. thanks to dancing!  Woo!

Then Just Dance 2 came out.  That rocked my world!  I loved having more songs to dance to!

Then the holidays hit.  I was shopping recently and noticed it.  {gulp}  I am apple shaped.  Oh.  My.  Word.  Apple shaped?  I used to look like a pear, but thanks to wearing Shape Ups while being pregnant I toned up really, really good.  This is the best my bottom has looked ever.  No joke!  But I still have baby weight -- hence the apple shape.

So it's back to dancing I guess!  I need some kind of activity during the winter.  I got to keep this luscious body somehow! ;)

So ladies and gentlemen, what is your favorite way to be active?  Please leave your comments below!  Or you can e-mail us at our *new* e-mail address!  Check it out in the top left corner.